Today, I did...

THIS.  It was a first run back after a long break.  I've been hitting the gym recently, but not run since the day of my accident.  Having missed a few group runs, I was eager to be back among my people, er, Turtles.  We did a weird loopy thing in a neighborhood (a neighborhood full of loud dogs, as we learned): we looped up and around, then zig-zagged through the side streets ("snake in a basket").  We trotted at a leisurely pace (11:15-ish), and soon I was leading the pack with a few other ladies and feeling fine.  Turns out my fitness hasn't deteriorated that rapidly!

Now here's the issue:  I took two months off from actively training to recover from the car accident.  I'm really unlikely to PR in either the Hermes 10-Miler or the Cleveland half-marathon (late April and mid-May, respectively).  I'm loathe to spend the money on races in which I won't do well (I have no doubt I can train to finish them, but we're not breaking two hours in the half this soon, no siree).  After today's good run, I think I will register for the 10-Miler for fun, and look to break two hours in the half at Columbus or Towpath half-marathons in the fall.  Reasonable?  But since I was hoping to get a full in this year, I wonder if I should try for that instead.  Thoughts?

10.5

This was my morning (starting at 7:30).  All roads, today, too (lately, most of my non-(beloved)-T-mill runs have been paths and trails).  Pretty glad to have gotten through it feeling strong, too.  Also pretty glad to have married a massage therapist.

The heat's been aggressive here but broke massively Friday night (in time for a 6 mile tempo on the towpath!).  I've been doing hills and making most of my mileage (school's settling out and I'm figuring out a schedule that works with work), but utterly FAILING to get to the gym for lifting and swimming.  Here's to hoping I can get back on track!  I have my SwiMP3, afternoons largely off (though with Grandma moving soon, I need to be at her place here and there helping her pack), and weather that's beginning to cooperate.  I need not to miss workouts with the half looming (10.10.10!).

Too exhausted and hungry to write more.  Perhaps if I make my gym workouts this week, I'll write to crow about it by Friday.

first attempt at hill repeats

Weather: Sunny and ~70 degrees
Time: 10:10 a.m.
Location: Newton, MA

Today I ran five hill repeats on Heartbreak Hill (from the bottom to Nobscot Road) in 1:42, 1:41, 1:37, 1:35, and 1:32 plus a 1.5 mile out-and-back run. In the coming weeks, I'll be adding more repeats, increasing the length of the repeats, and aiming to complete them faster.