Chug-along-chica!

First day of school!  I took Sam to the bus stop with the other two in the jogging stroller, so as soon as the bus took off, I ran 2 miles with my littler ones in tow.  All I can say is that I have the greatest respect for anyone who runs with a loaded double jogging stroller. My arms are shaking and I am EXHAUSTED!  It was hard bc I had to fight with that stupid thing every single turn--and my normal route is continuous turns around lakes.   I'll have to change my running route if I keep up this little schedule.

2 more miles in the pm with Holly.  She is going to help one of HER friends start running.  Isn't that cool?  It's like it's contagious or something.  

2 miles with the loaded double jogging stroller.  I decided I had time if I hurried, which translated into 11:16 for the first mile and 11:45 for the second.  Ah!  In order to get the first wheel off the ground, I have to jump up onto the bar and dangle there kicking my feet for a second or two.  My neighbors must get a big laugh out of my running.

Hey!  I found a race that seems like it was made just for me next Friday, the 24th.  It's in the evening, so it will be easy to get a sitter and it is very close to our home.  And since it's on Friday instead of Saturday, James will be able to pace me. Plus it is the first year for this race, so hopefully it will be small.  You know I would just die of happiness if I were to actually get an age division award.  The only bad thing is that it will be very hot, being at night, so everybody pray for rain! 

My husband James paced me for my tempo run last night.  He was so cute.  He carried a water bottle for me, kept the garmin--so he could check the pace and tell me how much farther I had to go, AND he even resorted to singing "BINGO" to me when I started to drag.  (Chuckle)

1 Mile easy warm-up.

1st tempo mile at 8:37.  This is pretty good for me, but I can definitely see that I am not used to keeping an even tempo.  It seemed to me that we started off super slow and sped up the whole way.   Short walking break.

Next half mile at 8:27 pace.  It felt pretty hard, but not painful.  I was tired but otherwise OK. Walk.  Next half mile at 9:30 pace.  

So now I am wondering what I should set as my goal for the 5K next week.  One thing I want is to pass a lot of people.  James is going to try to keep me at an even speed, so I'll be passed a lot in the beginning, but I'll catch a lot toward the end.  I really want to experience this "hunting" feeling that some runners describe.  OK don't laugh, but honestly, when I have to pass someone in a race it has typically been a huge annoyance to me because in addition to feeling the pain of running, I feel bad for the person I am passing--like maybe their little heart is breaking because they had vowed not to let any short blonde piano teachers pass them in THIS race.   I know it is RIDICULOUS.  But there it is.  I want to get a little more into the racing mindset this time.

Anyway, I was super sleep deprived on this run.  For the last two weeks I've been experiencing INSOMNIA.  Ug.  I've been going to bed at decent hours and laying there awake FOREVER every single night.  This is very unusual for me!  I hope it goes away soon.  

Feel really good today.  No ill effects from the tempo yesterday.  That's a first.  I got the BEST sleep last night, finally.  I had to be sneaky with my sub-conscious.  I promised myself that if I wasn't asleep in 15 min., I would get up and do laundry.  I actually laid there, pretending that it was Saturday morning, and that I really SHOULD get up and get some cleaning done before my kids wake up.  (Somehow this line of thinking always leads to falling asleep!)  Well, the prospect of impending laundry did it's usual magic, and I konked out in record time.  Quite a relief after all this inexplicable insomnia I'd been having. 

2 miles with Holly, AND her friend Paige (yay!).  We had a lot of fun talking about the funny things our little kids say to other people that embarass us.  The worst was when Sam told a sweet friend of mine that she was probably going to DIE soon because she was old.   Thanks to my Dad for teaching him about the life cycle!

2 in the morning with the double jogging stroller.  Average pace 12:35.  I had to stop and walk 2 times. 

Good luck everyone with races tomorrow!  I can't wait to read all the race reports.

To Holly's house for a water break and back again--slowly.  The highlight of this run was that Holly's one year-old was so excited to see me and even said my name (Yibby!).  CUTE!  The low point was a persistent cramp on the 3rd mile.  1st time I've run over 3 miles at once in a long long time.  I really need to start running longer if I am going to go for a run with those girls in St. George.  : )