So on the list for last night was a 6 mile run (although I have since checked,and I messed up – it was supposed to be a 7 mile run. OOPS!) I had done the speed work the night before, which topped out at 1 minute at a 6:40 mile, and an overall average of 8:10 or so (I’m to lazy to look it up!) When I started my run last night, I thought to myself:
“Self… Why are you running 9:30 miles if you are capable of more?”
Self didn’t’ have an answer. Remembering the last time I left the house around 7, I brought my headlamp with me (wrapped around my arm), so that if I was out when the light failed, I could supply my own.. and maybe NOT Scrape up my knee.. Keeping my self-talk in mind, I headed out at a faster pace… And then realized that my new Bluetooth headphones didn’t like my phone on my left arm. Apparently the receiver is on the right side (no you can’t just flip them over.) So I stopped and switched which side my phone was on.. then picked my headlamp up off of the ground and tried to get it wrapped around my arm.
Needless to say that first mile wasn’t any faster.
Pretty quickly I knew my legs were tired. I can’t say I am too surprised, after all I have been doing long distance runs and did speedwork yesterday (I hope I’m not over-training!) I remembered all of my motivational pictures that I had posted over on pintrest, and kept going.
Not counting that first mile, I did well over all
I was much happier seeing the average pace below 9 minutes. I know, I know – I shouldn’t be focused on my speed at all since I am training for my first marathon. My only goal should be crossing that finish line, with no concerns for time. But still it was nice to see.
If I throw out that first minute, then I did 5 miles in 42:06, or an 8:25 pace. I’m pleased with that. I won’t lie,I would really like to see my times go down into the 7 minute mark for mid-range runs, but there is plenty of time to get there after October 27th.
The run was nice, despite my legs objecting to my chosen pace. Although running at dusk has certain visibility challenges (both seeing AND being seen), It’s a great time to run. You get to hear the crickets and other night sounds begin. The amazing thing to me, is that they aren’t there – then they all start at once like a light switch is thrown!
So, on a seemingly unrelated note, the place where I work is doing a “Biggest Loser” Competition. Now, unless you have been living under a rock, you must have heard of this show at some point over the last 14 years. We obviously aren’t going to have personal trainers come in and torture us, and televise it on national TV. The premise is simply a 12 week weigh in, where you have to pay for any weight you gain (plus the fee to get in of course!) with the biggest loser getting cash. I didn’t really pay attention to the details, as I don’t really have any goal of “winning” – I just have a goal of continuing to be healthy, and watch the pounds drop. With that in mind, I did another mile walking as a cool down on my treadmill. Can’t hurt to burn another 100 calories right?
The timing is ALMOST perfect (perfect would have been one week earlier), as I have returned to healthy eating with a vengeance. Tie that in with 30 miles a week of running? Yup.. that weight is going to fall off. My only problem at this exact moment is figuring out if I genuinely lost a pound, or if I am dehydrated!
So, life is good. Sore legs. Losing Weight. Running lots. And that is everything on my plate!
I run, because I am a runner. Having realized that I have always "been a runner" - even when I went years with out running, I am learning how it has integrated itself in all aspects of my life. When I started running in highschool, my perspective on life changed. Funny that I didn't realize how much it had affected it until just recently.
Once and Future Runner 
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