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.

Catching Up

So, it’s been over a month now since I last wrote and rather than try to cram in everything, I will simply touch base on the key points of what the last month looked like.

Late May: traveled to NY for work for a week; in “training” all week. Very little time to run or exercise. Made the best of it, but a rough go of it. No windows all week. Not good for the body/soul. Catch my drift!

Following Week: developed a tough chest/head cold. Couldn’t run. Had to try to rest my body for the upcoming trip to Atlanta & subsequent travel across country by car.

1st Week of June: one way to atlanta by plane. busy, busy week with friends, clients, etc. Small amount of running.
2nd Week of June: one way back to California in a 12 Ft Penske Truck. Drove for 7 days. Small amount of running. Tough trip to do, but I needed to get my belongings back with me. Long hours driving….made me nuts. It was not a sight-seeing trip. Basically made a bee-line back home to bay area.
3rd Week of June: finally feel like I am physically all better, but still trying to find my rhythm; a flow and routine…amazing how much I feel I need THAT, but I do.

It’s a wonderful time of year to be inspired. So much going on. French Open just ended and now we have Wimbledon about to start. The OLYMPICS are about to begin. Lots of races going on and people to cheer for. This guy http://www.jeffreyjmiller1.blogspot.com/ just finished (yesterday) running 100 marathons in 100 days.

But, mostly, the inspiration continues to come from within…being inspired by waking up and seeing what and how I will meet the challenges before me. We all have our thing(s). The SF Half Marathon is about 1 month away. I don’t yet know if I will be able to break that 2hr mark. Those weeks in June really threw me off schedule and way off balance internally. But, I will toe the line and see just what is possible. In the meantime, I’ve got work to do and miles to run.

There are a lot of good books that have been published lately. Ones I hope to read are:

Eat and Run – by Scott Jurek
Finding Ultra – by Richh Roll
A Life without Limits – by Chrissie Wellington

I just began reading “Running on Empty” by ultramarathoner Marshall Ulrich – am enjoying it so far and yes, inspired.

There is nothing you can’t do! GO GET AFTER IT!

“Running was the friend that never went away” – LOLO JONES U.S. Olympic Hurdler