TexasLindsey

10.5 miles at 5 am. Weather=85 degrees, 45% humidity, 59 dew point, 0 mph wind, dark. Average pace=8:31/m.

mile 1- 9:53

mile 2- 8:44

mile 3- 8:23

mile 4- 8:28

mile 5- 8:35

mile 6- 8:03

mile 7- 7:55

mile 8- 8:12

mile 9- 8:25

mile 10- 8:37

last .5 pace- 8:30

Ran with Tim this morning. Ashley isn't running this week because she is going on a business trip. We tried a new route. It had several long gradual hills both up and down. It was challenging and fun but it did seem longer than it actually was. I carried one of those water bottles that strap to your hand today. It was a 20 oz water. It was frozen when I started and completely melted by the end of mile 3. It was annoying to hold. I couldn't pump my arms up the hills as easily with this recoil action of the water. I drank it all by the end of 5 miles, I dropped it off on the street and then I came back to pick it up later. Next time I think we're going to try to leave water on a corner and do some loops where we keep coming back to the corner to drink. It's so hot and humid- gotta figure out something.

It's going to be a high milage and fast paced week running with Tim every day. Gonna have to go to bed early every night.

I had a popped blister on the top of my big toe I've been dealing with. It's like an open wound. The other day my big toe busted out of my sock and so my toe was rubbing directly on the shoe so that's how I got it. Anyways, tried some stuff called "New Skin" today and it worked really well. It goes on liquid and dries and closes the wound. Good stuff!!

10.2 miles at 4:45 am. Weather=87 degrees, 36% humidity, 58 dew point, calm (no wind to speak of), dark. Average pace=8:42/m.

mile 1- 10:00

mile 2- 9:14

mile 3- 9:19

mile 4- 8:29

mile 5- 8:00

mile 6- 8:08

mile 7- 8:20

mile 8- 8:31

mile 9- 8:35

mile 10- 8:30

final .2 pace- 8:11

Ran with Tim again today. It was hotter than usual this time of day, but the humidity was less than normal. I can't believe how hot this summer is. Today's high is 110 and tomorrow's is 111 and Thursday's is 110. Then we're back down to 105's for the rest of the week. We're in a severe drought too.

10 miles is getting easier and easier. When I finish, I don't even feel like I ran. We're running 10 tomorrow and Thursday too. I haven't decided what to do on Friday. I think I'm going to wait to see how I feel to see if I need a easy day or rest day. On Saturday I think the plan is to run 16 with my group.

10.3 miles at 5 am.  Weather=86 degrees, 46% humidity, 62 dew point, 0 mph wind, dark.  Average pace=8:29/m. 

mile 1- 10:45

mile 2- 9:05

mile 3- 8:02

mile 4- 8:26

mile 5- 8:05

mile 6- 8:11

mile 7- 7:58

mile 8- 7:55

mile 9- 8:05

mile 10- 8:22

final .3 pace- 8:10

Tim and I are getting faster and faster for these 10 mile runs.  It's challenging but not too difficult.  After running my arms are really sore and my feet hurt if I don't wear running shoes all day long... but other than that, I don't have any aches or pains to speak of.  I feel great during the day after running in the morning. 

It's amazing that more running has been helpful to finally rid myself of injury issues.  Sasha's 10 mile a day recommendation is right on.  I just hope I can keep this up... the hardest part is going to bed early enough so that I can wake up at 4:15am.  I know that sleep is just as important in training as the milage.  Everytime I feel a pain in my leg or IT band coming on, I get extra sleep and it's gone the next run.  Amazing how that works. 

10 miles at 4:45 am. Weather=86 degrees, 43% humidity, 61 dew point, 3 mph wind, dark. Average pace=9:10/m.

mile 1- 10:19

mile 2- 9:15

mile 3- 8:38

mile 4- 8:59

mile 5- 9:19

mile 6- 8:55

mile 7- 9:45

mile 8- 8:45

mile 9- 8:27

mile 10- 9:19

Tim and I ran really slow today. It didn't even feel like we ran 10 miles, felt more like 5. My feet are really sore. It feels like I've got shin splints coming on my left leg.

I'm sleeping in tomorrow until like 7 am when my kids wake up. I'm so excited! Going to bed tonight early too. Hopefully that'll catch me up on sleep. My husband is off work tomorrow so I'm going to run at 9am instead.

If I do 4 miles tomorrow and then the planned 16 miles on Saturday with my running group, that'll put me at 60 miles for the week - the most I've ever run in a week!

5 miles at 9am. Weather=90 degrees at start, 94 degrees at finish, 38% humidity, 63 dew point, 13 mph wind, SUNNY!! Average pace=9:13/m.

mile 1- 9:47

mile 2- 9:18

mile 3- 8:45

mile 4- 8:38

mile 5- 10:14

This was a miserable run in the sun with Tim. After I left him to return home I slowed way down the last mile. I have been avoiding the sun for weeks by running in the 5 am hour. Tim has been doing doubles -running in the evening when it's like 110 outside so he wasn't near as miserable as I was.

The Dallas/Fort Worth area is about to break the record for the hottest summer ever. We're also in one of the worst droughts ever recorded. To save money we started keeping our a/c at 85. I can't wait until fall. Crisp cool wind, falling leaves, football, comfortable walks around the neighborhood with the kids in the evening ... Just daydreaming about it all the time lately. I can't wait!!

14.5 miles at 6:30am with running group. Weather= 87 degrees, 45% humidity, 64 dew point, 13 mph wind, SUNNY!!

Average pace= 7:56/m

mile 1- 8:03

mile 2- 8:02

mile 3- 8:06

mile 4- 8:11

mile 5- 8:10

mile 6- 8:13

mile 7- 7:32

mile 8- 7:52

mile 9- 8:00

mile 10- 8:15

mile 11- 8:01

mile 12- 7:52

mile 13- 7:36

mile 14- 7:40

final .5 -7:02

Woo Hoo! Great Run!! I'm really proud of myself today. It was freakinig hot and I did a good sub-8 average long run. We did a 7.25 mile loop twice. The first loop I started out with the lead group for the first two miles but then they got faster and I couldn't hang. Later Tim told me that they were averaging about 7:30 a mile but then Emily and a new girl named Oumama (who seem to use Saturday long runs to battle it out with each other according to Tim) sped up. Tim said that when there were only 2 miles left he and the guys speeded up too and did sub 7's.

I started the second loop with Tim, Ashley, Laura, and Melissa. After a couple miles Tim and I peeled off and started going faster. Mile 11 was mostly uphill and it was a struggle to stay up with Tim. He kept getting faster and faster but I was hanging on. I didn't even look at my watch. So for me the final 3-4 miles felt like a tempo - especially in the heat and sun. So good run!

My feet are hurting now. My left knee was bugging me for the first 3 miles but then it actually got better and I have no pain anymore.

I'm going to eat mexican food now...

10.2 miles at 4:45 am.  Weather=84 degrees, 55% humidity, 66 dew point, 18 mph wind, dark.  Average pace=9:00/m.

10:05, 8:58, 8:39, 8:48, 8:43, 8:28, 8:47, 8:25, 9:20, 9:39

Ran easy with Ashley and Tim today.  It felt so slow and when I finished I couldn't believe it was 10 miles... seemed less.  I guess I'm getting acclimated to the daily 10 and this pace.  Just a few weeks ago this felt more difficult. 

We put our water out at the corner and we couldn't believe it but someone stole Ashley's bottle!  Unbelievable.  Only another runner or walker could have done it.  How rude! 

My left leg is having issues.  Feels like shin splints some runs and like my knees other runs.  Nothing serious.

10 miles at 4:45 am.  Weather=84 degrees, 60% humidity, 68 dew point, 15 mph wind, dark.  Average pace=8:33/m

mile 1- 9:50

mile 2- 8:37

mile 3- 8:54

mile 4- 9:07

mile 5- 8:28

mile 6- 8:10

mile 7- 8:18

mile 8- 7:46

mile 9- 7:57

mile 10- 8:07

Ran with Ashley and Tim.  Ashley's leg was bothering her so she left us after mile 4.  Tim and I picked up the pace the final 6 miles.  The miles that were the most uphill were the fastest because we charged the hills. 

My legs were feeling achey today.  I went to bed at 10 pm two nights in a row and woke up at 4:15 am both days... This is not enough sleep for me when I'm running this much.  I'm going to bed earlier tonight

This Saturday I'm doing a 10k race.  I'm trying to figure out what to do the rest of the week to prepare.  I don't even know what pace I should make my goal.  One of these days I want to go for 43:30 (7:00/m pace) but I'm not sure I can do that right now with the kind of training I've been doing.  I've been focusing on aerobic base training and I haven't really been doing tempos or speedwork.  Not to mention, a PR might be difficult because it's really hot and humid this time of year.  Maybe a more realistic goal would be 7:20 or 7:30 a mile.  I have to think about it. 

5.2 miles at 5 am.  Weather=83 degrees, 58% humidity, 67 dew point, 12 mph wind, dark.

Ran 3/4 mile at slow pace to the corner to meet Tim.  Then we proceeded to do a 3.7 mile "tempo" run.  I just wasn't feeling it though.  I was dreading running fast.  Our neighborhood has hills so it was a hilly concrete sidewalk tempo.  On mapmyrun.com it says the lowest point on this loop was 750 feet and the highest was 900 feet.  In March I was doing tempos at 7:20/m but that was in better weather on flat ground.  I thought I could do at least 7:30 right now and that's what Tim and I said was our goal.  We thought we'd start the pace in the 7:50's and get faster and faster and average 7:30 for the entire run.  Tim's average was 7:30/m so he did meet the goal.  I just bonked and couldn't get faster.  I think I'd do better with a better warm-up and with fresher legs.  I am really tired and worn out.  Legs just ache. 

mile 1- 7:59

mile 2- 7:45

mile 3- 7:53

final .7- 8:12 - Bonked!

Ran 3/4 mile home at slow pace.

The plan is to do 6 miles easy tomorrow, take Friday off, race 10k on Saturday plus run additional 6 miles easy, race a 5k on Sunday. 

5.4 miles at 5:15am. Weather=84 degrees, 58% humidity, 67 dew point, 13 mph wind, dark. Average pace=9:00/m.

Ran easy with Tim. Both the kids are sick right now so it was a rough night for sleep. The baby had a stopped up nose so he woke up repeatedly. My whole body is achey all day these last two days. I thought it was from running but now I realize it's because my body is fighting this sickness the kids have. No wonder yesterday's tempo was difficult and disappointing. I'm not running tomorrow so hopefully, I'll get to catch up on sleep a little.

Hopefully, I'll kick this sickness and get fresh for this weekend... Saturday is a 10k and Sunday is a 5k.

Weather= 80 degrees, 90% humidity, 72 dew point, 6 mph wind, cloudy, raining and muddy.  Average pace =7:36/m.

mile 1- 7:25

mile 2- 7:33

mile 3- 7:34

mile 4- 7:50

mile 5- 7:44

mile 6- 7:34

final .2- 7:15

Interesting to race in the rain.  We ran a three mile loop twice.  Half the loop was on the muddy trails and half was on sidewalk.  The first loop I went around puddles and leaped over mudspots but the second loop I just ran right threw them --at one point, I almost slipped and fell!  I have a sinus infection or something so I wasn't feeling completely 100% to start with but also it was difficult to breath in all this humidity.  I'm not complaining though, the rain is such a nice, nice change from the oppressive heat we have been living through this summer. 

I started out and there were only 2 women in front of me, but I knew they were running the 5k so I let them go.  Then about a quarter mile into the race, two other women started to pass me.  I considered settling in behind them for a second.... but then I decided, "naw, if they want first they're going to have to fight me for it..."  I surged back and they seemed to give up.  At halfway point I glanced over my shoulder and they were right behind me, but then when there was a mile to go I looked back and those girls were now a good football field or two behind me.  I tried to speed up but I was already winning so I wasn't as motivated.  Overall, I'm happy but I think I would have been happier if I was more in the 7:20/m range.  I think I could have done better if I didn't have this sinus infection. 

This is a race series consisting of 4 races.  The next races are 15K, Half Marathon, 20 mile race.  The overall winner is the person who gets the least amount of points in all 4 races.  I got 1 point today cuz I was first.  I did well today because I think the rain made the turnout less than it would have been otherwise.   It'll probably get tougher to place in the later races.  I think the overall winner gets new shoes! 

10.7 miles at 4:45 am.  Weather=79 degrees, 75% humidity, 70 dew point, 0 mph wind, dark.  Average pace=8:28/m.

mile 1- 9:56

mile 2- 8:20

mile 3- 8:25

mile 4- 8:29

mile 5- 8:15

mile 6- 8:12

mile 7- 7:47

mile 8- 7:52

mile 9- 7:50

mile 10- 9:17

mile 11- 8:48

Ran 1 mile warm up to the corner to meet Tim.  Then we proceeded to do 3 loops in our neighborhood.  First loop was 2.5 miles and we averaged about 8:25/m.  The second loop was 3 miles and we averaged about 8:10/m.  Then the third loop was 2 miles and we averaged 7:50/m.  The final two miles of the run I did by myself and I went slow for a cool down. 

Good run.  I was feeling energetic this morning because I am finally getting over this sinus infection and I've been getting caught up on sleep. 

8 miles at 4:45 am.  Weather=84 degrees, 51% humidity, 64 dew point, 13 mph wind, dark. 

mile 1- 10:38

mile 2- 8:35

mile 3- 8:32

mile 4- 8:34

mile 5- 8:29

mile 6- 8:18

mile 7- 7:50

mile 8- 10:21

Ran 1 mile warm-up to corner to meet Tim.  We ran 6 miles.  Then 1 mile cool-down home.  Legs felt achey today.  Left calf muscle is bothering me.  During the day my left heel is hurting but it's ok when I run.  I don't really understand that because I am a forefoot runner... why would my heel hurt? 

I think I would solve all my problems if I could just get a running expert to make me proper orthotics.  I think the orthotics I have are not helping... but I'm used to running with them and so whenever I go without I get blisters or odd pains afterwards.  Just need more money...  I swear I'm going to need to find part-time job to pay for all this running stuff.

6.5 miles at 5:15am. Weather=84 degrees, 54% humidity, 63 dew point, 5 mph wind, dark and cloudy.

mile 1- 10:21

mile 2- 8:27

mile 3- 8:42

mile 4- 8:58

mile 5- 8:26

mile 6- 9:27

final .5 pace- 9:46

Ran easy with Tim.  Our pace was all over the place because we were talking alot today. 

I figured out that this achey leg thing I've been struggling with for weeks might be magnesium deficiency.  I have lactic acid build up in my legs and that makes them ache.  You need magnesium to remove lactic acid.  So I am going to focus on magnesium rich food all day to see if it helps.

Then I figured out this heel pain on my left foot is plantar fasciitis. 

6.6 miles at 4:45 am.  Weather=81 degrees, 47% humidity, 59 dew point, 0 mph wind, dark.  Average pace=8:45/m.

mile 1- 9:59

mile 2- 8:14

mile 3- 8:18

mile 4- 8:10

mile 5- 8:25

mile 6- 8:30

mile 7- 9:42

Ran 1 warm-up mile to corner to meet Tim.  We did a 4.6 mile loop.  Then ran 1 cool down mile home.  We ran easy today and we talked.  For some reason I felt great today.  When I got home and looked at the splits I was surprised, by effort alone I would have guessed the pace was like 8:45 most miles. 

I drank one of those gatorade G1 thingys this morning about 20 minutes before I left.  I don't know if that had something to do with how good I felt. 

Plantar faciatis is feeling better today.  Been rolling my foot on balls all day.  Made an effort to eat magnesium rich foods these last two days and I can tell you that I am no longer achey.  For two weeks my muscles have ached and now they feel perfectly fine.  I guess I had lactic acid buildup and the magnesium helped clear it out.  Amazing how much nutrition plays a roll in performance.  I'm spending all this time and effort training... I have to remember that equally important in improving is what I eat... oh and how much sleep I get.

13 miles at 6:30am. Weather=89 degrees, 48% humidity, 62 dew point, 6 mph wind, sunny. Average pace=8:14/m.

mile 1- 8:33

mile 2- 8:23

mile 3- 8:09

mile 4- 8:29

mile 5- 8:20

mile 6- 8:27

mile 7- 8:18

mile 8- 7:58

mile 9- 7:59

mile 10- 7:58

mile 11- 8:10

mile 12- 8:10

mile 13- 8:05

Lots of people were gone today because they are running Pike's Peak. I stayed with a group until the half way point and then I tried to go faster the second half running by myself. The sun was really oppressive so I didn't do as well as I would have liked.

We're leaving for our vacation today. Running on the beach this coming week... Texas beach that is... so it's going to still be pretty hot and humid.

7 miles at 6:45am with The Woodlands Running Club. Weather=76 degrees, 83% humidity, 71 dew point, 0 mph wind, shady through pine tree trails. Average pace=7:51/m.

mile 1- 8:01

mile 2- 7:41

mile 3- 7:47

mile 4- 7:54

mile 5- 8:02

mile 6- 7:52

mile 7- 7:47

final .1 pace- 7:05

Ran with The Woodlands Running Club. This is the first day of our vacation with my in-laws. We're going to the beach today. I'm running everyday on the beach but I'm not sure if I will have internet access so I might input everything I do later in the week.

It was a good run today. I felt challenged but it wasn't too hard until the final mile. The humidity was awful but the shade was great. I was sweating SO much... completely soaked by the time I finished.

However, it was definitely easier than I remember it being the last time I ran with this running club. I have improved alot since last year. The "hills" I complained about last year were nothing to me this year. I was like, "this is it?! THIS is what I was killing me last year?! Ha!"... All the hills in my neighborhood are way, way more difficult.

My left quad has been bothering me these last 2 days. Maybe sand running will help.

8 miles at 8am on the beach in Galveston, TX. Weather= 91 degrees, 72% humidity, 4 mph wind, sunny. Average pace=10:00/m.

Easy run on the beach. First 4 miles were into the sun and it was really hot. I stopped 3 times to drink my water which I completed finished off by the turn aroun. Second half felt better because the sun wasn't in my face and without water I just ran without stopping.

8 miles at 7am on the beach in Galveston, TX.  Weather=89 degrees, 77% humidity, 5 mph wind, sunny.  Average pace=9:22/m.

It was cooler than yesterday because I started sooner.  I ran a little faster.  My left quad muscle is bothering me.

6 miles at 3:30pm on the beach in Galveston, Tx.  Weather=89 degrees, 90% humidity, 75 dew point, 5 mph wind, cloudy.  Average pace=9:00/m.

Ran after it rained.  It was humid but cloudy.  First 4 miles were average of about 9:15/m.  The last two miles were 8:30/m and 7:50/m.  Left quad muscle still bothering me. 

8.5 miles at 5am. Weather=82 degrees, 48% humidity, 61 dew point, 13 mph wind, dark. Average pace=8:38/m.

mile 1- 10:38

mile 2- 9:23

mile 3- 8:45

mile 4- 8:11

mile 5- 8:03

mile 6- 8:17

mile 7- 7:49

final .5 pace- 7:23

mile 8.5- 10:29

Ran 1 mile to corner to meet Tim. We did a progressive run of 6.5 miles around the neighborhood. Then I ran 1 mile cool down home. I didn't even know it was a progressive run until I got home. I thought I was slowing down because the more we ran, the more sluggish I felt... Now I realize we were getting faster.

Didn't get enough sleep last night and the night before and I think I am dehydrated. I have so much to do now that we are back from vacation. This 100 degree heat day after day is really getting to me. I feel as depressed as I do in the winter. They say it'll cool off to the mid-90's later in the week and it may stay that way for a month. I'm hoping they are right. We've had 66 days of 100+ temperatures here. Many days are 105-110. It's been a beatdown. I really want to move to California. I could change my tag to CaliforniaLindsey and I'd have perfect running weather all year. Ah well. I just hope all this suffering makes the fall season that much better.

Supposed to meet Tim to run 8 miles this morning at 4:45 am.  BUT I overslept... so no.