Still Recovering

The worst part about my current sickness is the fact that I almost never get sick. J joked about wanting to say "Ha ha!" when she found out I wasn't feeling well. This cold has dragged on for a week now, and given my current state I don't see an end very soon.

Sunday I ran six miles. My legs were sore from the long run Saturday, but didn't feel too bad. After a late Sunday night, I took Monday off. This morning I ran five miserable miles. I didn't feel good at all and just wanted to be done. I'm going to take some time off until my cold gets better. I chastised myself for not running Friday, but my condition hasn't improved and if anything it's gotten a little worse. I'm hoping a few good-night's-sleeps will have me feeling better.

Sniffles

My little sore throat has become a full blown cold. I took yesterday off and slept in, hoping that would help. It did help a little, but not as much as I had hoped.

After thinking about it last night, I decided I wasn't sick enough to require any more time off. Actually, I was a little upset for using my cold as sort of an excuse to take yesterday off. This morning was my long run for the week. I ran a little over 14 miles, 14.4 according to gmap-pedometer.com. The first few miles had me wondering what I was doing out there, but that feeling passed and the rest of the run went well. As Evan suggested, I didn't consume anything during the run in an attempt to convince my body to use fat as fuel. My long runs are not quite as long as his yet, but in the past I would usually take some water/Gatorade and a gel with me for a 14-mile run. I did feel as if I was running on fumes for those last few miles.

Eight is Great!

Today is the third day in a row that I've run eight miles. I've run out and back along the parkway and two different eight mile loops. I'm not sure what my seeming fascination with the eight-mile distance is. When I was living in Alexandria, I had an eight-mile loop I ran often and when I ran in the park I often ended at eight miles. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it's about an hour's worth of running for me. I hope, though, that eight miles won't be a hard hump to get over in the coming weeks as I increase my mileage. I want ten and twelve to become the new eight.

B has a new schedule. He used to go to bed between ten and eleven, but now he's going to bed between eight and nine. This means more sleep for me, which is good, because I'm sick. It's really just a sore throat, but it's pretty annoying. Thankfully I don't notice it while I run.

Getting Back on the Wagon

I'm exhausted today. It must be because I actually ran eight miles this morning. Sunday and Monday I didn't run at all. Sunday because I was lazy and didn't get up early and then the Steeler game was on, and Monday because B decided he wanted to party all night long instead of sleep. B didn't sleep very well last night either. I was up two or three times and so was J. He's sick though, so I can't really blame him.

This morning I ran out and back along the parkway. I actually saw three people who were out running in the early morning darkness, more than I usually see. What's really amazing to me, though, is the number of cars on the road at 5 am. There are quite a few people who I imagine are heading to work to beat the traffic. If I drove to work myself I'd seriously consider it.

Speaking of traffic, that 's probably another reason I'm tired. I commute to work by slugging. Usually I sleep on the way in, since I'm not driving. But today, the combination of backed up traffic in the HOV lanes and a chatty driver, I didn't get my nap.

Pulling Teeth

Both of the past two days I've been to the dentist. Yesterday was the first day I had gone to this dentist, having recently switched from my old one. I had x-rays and an oral evaluation done yesterday, and then finally had my teeth cleaned and polished today. I don't hate going to the dentist, but I can think of a long list of other things that I'd rather be doing. Growing up, the worst feeling in the world was the feeling of clean teeth after visiting the dentist. I could always hardly wait to eat and drink afterwards.

I've run easily the past two days; nine miles on Thursday and then eight miles this morning. I've been pretty tired, to the point of almost falling asleep in the dentist's chair if not for the bright light shining in my face. My legs were sore this morning so I made sure to stretch in hopes that it would help. Usually I don't stretch because I'm trying to get out the door to work, but I had time this morning since I was going to the dentist first.

In the course of perusing Kevin Beck's website, I found a good article he wrote for Florida Running and Triathalon. The point that got to me the most was the question regarding mileage: "Okay, why did you stop "there" instead of at "there plus ten?" I don't have a good answer for the question. Getting to a good mileage level and maintaining it is something to work on during this training cycle.

Sicko

I'm not sick, but B is. Last night he had a slight fever and cough. Today the fever's gone, but he still has the cough. Both Puff and J have been sick lately too; I'm surprised I haven't caught it. I was up late last night with B, so I slept in this morning and didn't run. Yesterday I ran eight miles. I was pretty tired, and actually chose the loop I ran because I knew that about two miles in I could turn left and head back to home if I really felt badly. Luckily I was OK, so I ran the whole loop.

Today's weather was crazy. It was warm and raining this morning when I left for work, and then the temperature just dropped all day. When I went home it was cold and windy. Looks like winter's back for at least one night.

Holiday

I don't have work today, so I took the opportunity to run 10 miles this morning, rather than the 7-8 I have been running on weekday mornings. I ran out and back along the parkway, on a nice 30 degree morning. Except for a few days, this winter has been very mild. During the second half of the run my left IT band got a little tight, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. I made sure to stretch it out when I got home.

I finished last week with 48 miles in six days, and this week I'd like to get up to 60 miles in seven days. The 10 miles this morning was a good start to it. Since I haven't updated for a few days, here's how the training went:
Wed.-8 miles
Thu.-7 miles
Fri.-8 miles
Sat.-10 miles
Sun.-off

Go Steelers!

Back to Normal

Since I've gone back to running in the morning, I've felt much better. It feels good to get the run done first thing in the morning and not to have it hanging over my head all day. I'm not big on making New Year's resolutions, but this year I've resolved to be consistent with my running and since I've switched back to the morning I've done so.

Friday I ran eight miles, and followed that with ten on Saturday. Sunday I took both kids running in the double stroller for six miles. Getting two small children ready to go out when the temperature is near freezing is quite a production. Monday I did eight miles and this morning I ran seven. My run took just under an hour today but it only felt like I was gone for a minute. Runs like that are great.

Out of my Comfort Zone

After not running on Tuesday, I realized that if I want to reach my goals, it's not going to be easy. I can't expect everything to fall into place exactly as I would like. I'm going to have to make the most of my situation as is. I think too often in the past I used the lack of optimal conditions as an excuse. With two kids, a wife, and a job, I'm never going to have optimal conditions. But that doesn't mean that I can't reach my goals.

Wednesday morning I ran seven miles. I was tired as I started, but as usual I woke up as the run went on. About lunchtime Wednesday, J called to tell me she didn't feel well. When I got home, she was lying on the couch and didn't want to move. She rested, and I took care of the kids. Luckily, both were very good. I didn't run this morning and went in late to work to make sure J was OK this morning. I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be gone running and Puff in our bedroom telling J, "Mommy wake up now" and climbing on her when she felt terrible. She is feeling much better today, thankfully.

Make Up Your Mind

I don't like running at night as much as I thought I would. When I get home from work, I just want to stay home and relax, at least relax as much as I can with two kids. I'm going back to running in the morning. I'm going to get up a little earlier than I have been so I don't get to work much later than I have been for the last week. Despite getting up earlier, I'm hoping to get the same amount of sleep I have been, just with a slightly earlier schedule.

Friday I didn't run. See the paragraph above about just wanting to stay home. Saturday I did seven miles. This was the best run I've had for a little while. I felt good, and maintained a strong aerobic pace for the run. Sunday I got together with some friends of J.'s, their husbands, and kids for a run at Burke Lake Park. All of her friends attending are members of See Mommy Run, and the woman who started it was having a get-the-new-year-started-off-right run. We did one loop of the park, which is five miles. This morning I did seven miles out and back along the Parkway.