Final week of June

The last week of June has come and gone. I’m glad to see the month over as it was super busy and very challenging in just trying to stay healthy in all ways.

I got in 2 short runs this past week. Treadmill run – 3.5 miles at 8:45 pace – followed by solid strength workout. Outdoor run – 3.0 miles at 8:58 pace. Lately, I had been running Saturday and Sunday, but I decided to rest legs yesteday and go for it today. Sunday run – 8 miles at 9:04 pace. I was pleased with this effort. I just looked back in my training journal and saw that 8 miles is the longest I have run on any training day since last OCTOBER. wow. Yikes! Didn’t know it had been that long. And yet, my pace today for this distance was better than it has been in a LOOOONG time. SO, what this tells me is the interval runs and strength training is paying off. AND, it helps to live somewhere where the heat and humidity suck every once of enery you have…BTW, I saw it was over 100 degrees in Atlanta this weekend….YES, its safe to say I am glad to not have to face that weather anymore. Yikes!
Oddly enough, it was cool in Petaluma this morning, but there was some humidity….

I am still reading “Running on Empty” by Marshall Ulrich. I am thoroughly enjoying and recommend for anyone to read…not just runners. He writes simply, yet with a lot of depth and shows his humanity. His adventures are incredible!

As I write this late Sunday evening, I am still feeling good from the 8 miler today. The pace gives me confidence for my upcoming half marathon in SF. I still have work to do, but I am getting there, one step at a time. There were moments today in the early miles where I just had a hard time getting focused, but as I saw my splits on my watch as each mile passed, I became more and more intent. The last 2 miles, I just put my head down and ran. Breathing, running…great way to start JULY 2012

Make it count. Be brave. Be bold. Make it happen.