Two-a-days, four-a-weeks, blonde moments, and monsoon season continues

Four-a-weeks: My marathon plan had me running 3 days a week. My 5k plan has me running four times a week. Go figure. Not being used to running two days in a row, I totally forgot about running last night and had to put in a quick two miles this morning. It was a beautiful morning to run...except for one little thing. Note to self: the words "just two miles" should never be followed by "SP I won't worry about wearing a good sports bra". I was uncomfortable from the first steps but didn't have time to go back and change.

Two-a-days: I picked J up from school Wednesday, but I had a little extra time, so I walked the mile to his school. I took his scooter so he could keep up with me while I ran back. After I carried it the whole way there, the little turkey barely rode it. We got about 2 blocks from our house, and he wanted to race. We raced scooter vs run for a while, then he decided to run, sticking me with the scooter. He kept calling time out when he got tired, so as we closed in on the house, I told him, "I'm not stopping again for anything!". As the words left my mouth, his scooter fell into two pieces. And I stopped. Beat again.

Later that evening, after sitting through two hours of Senior Awards Night, I hit the gym for my first speedwork workout in this month's 5k plan. The goal was 1 mi w/u, 3x800 @4:10 with 400 jogs, 1 mi c/d. Nailed it! I love those half mile intervals...the pain doesn't last so long. :) My actual pace--3:50, 3:44, 3:47. I had to pull back a little on that last one bc I was about to throw up. I have to say, it felt good to push like that and come through.

Speaking of speed...(blonde moment) , I keep reading about Run Less Run Faster. If you know me, you know this sounded great to me. Run less AND get faster?? SCORE! I ordered that book in a heartbeat. And then I read another blog about it and realized it was more a case of "you don't have to run as much, but you have to actually try run faster while you do it. No magic bullet, no magic book. Bummer.

Monsoon season continues: It has seemed like rain, rain, and more rain around here. That's made it darn near impossible to get my mountain bike out on the trails. And we've already established that I need lots of practice. Imagine my delight when a friend saw my musings about next Sunday's second race (a 3-hr endurance race that will doubtless kick my butt and embaress me...I can't wait :D) and offered to preride the course with me.

And then imagine my dismay when the weather report showed rain all week. Refusing to accept that grim forecast, I harnessed my super powers of positive thinking...and my first graders. I swear, these kids have some serious weather mojo on thir sides. Every time we've concentrated together and hoped for good weather, it's come through. All week long, I watched our area defy the weatherman and stay dry. This morning, we hoped together for good weekend weather one more time for good measure. Inexplicably, three of them started chanting for rain. What???

It was like that scene in Bedtime Stories. Adam Sandler has learned that the stories he tells with his niece and nephew come true. He has just successfully led them
Through imagining his workplace triumph when they add, "And then you were incineritated". And yes, it started raining on our way over here to camp. Chances are good that the trails will be closed tomorrow morning, that my "training" for the bike race will consist of nothing more than wishing I could ride, and that three of my first graders will spend their final two weeks in detention. :)

Comments

  1. We have a brief pause in the rain at 7am today. I have an idea for you - why don't you start training to run from your place to mine and help me pack and then move and then pack. It would certainly be something to work up to AND blog about! Heck, you could even RIDE to me cross-country! come on, you ARE Super Kate!

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  2. Yep this rain is a bummer. Too bad you can't paddle those kids like in the good old days :-).

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  3. We had two days of rain here and I thought I wanted to shoot myself - us Coloradoans are NOT used to that wet stuff, I'm not sure how you guys do it!!! But at least we have green grass....for about a week. Rain here is like liquid gold, and it shows with brown yards.

    I'm not a huge fan of Run Less Run Faster ... but it's does cover the three key runs if you do them correctly. Glad you're trying something else now :).

    Happy Weekend, Kate!!

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  4. You killed your 800 time in your 5k workout. I bet you'll do great with RLRF. I'm a huge fan of the plan, it really worked for me and I didn't even get all of the workouts done.

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  5. I was planning on hitting the trails myself this morn...I could still go since it's only a "drizzle" (that hasn't stopped!!)...but I think I'll hit the treadmill instead!

    Good luck with the rest of your training!!

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  6. Yep, rained all day yeterday, but today is nice and sunny. Your posts always make me giggle.

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  7. Nope, no rain here for the past two months or so. It did dip down into the "50's" last week. Was that mean?

    Pretty funny comment on my Blog today S.K.

    Way to "nail" your speed work. I think 800's are my favorite distance for intervals too.

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  8. If those few first graders are lonely in detention I have several third graders I could throw in with them just because.
    Hope you got out on the trail. I had a humbling bike ride today. I am slow and I was tired and my butt hurt but I did it and did not call my husband to come get me. More about it in a post.
    It was nice all last week but you must have sent your rain our way because now it is monsoonish here.

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  9. You made a series of fast 800, it means that you will run a good 5k.
    Sorry for the weather, I like to run under the rain but not under the storm! Only in this case I could think to use the dreadmill....
    Have a good sunday.

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  10. I've seen on TV that there is so much rain there. Marathon 3 days per week, 5k 4 days per week...? Interesting plans you follow!:) Funny about the book! I'm too old school for this "run less" thing.

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  11. Hi Kate,
    Weather has been so darn crazy this spring. I don't know what to make of it either. All I know is that I am ready for some nicer days filled with sunshine:)

    Nice job on the 800 workouts!

    Take care and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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  12. Ha! I love that Bedtime Stories scene.

    The rain here has subsided for about 4 days now, but itis supposed to rain tomorrow. So much for the break.

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