Great run!

I accidentally packed for tomorrow's work out today--so I'll just switch the days around. This time in the year I can do that with the during the week training sessions, but at the year goes on, I think it's really important I don't mess up, or I'll end up with like two hard sessions back to back.....so!

Today: 60 minute run with 8x1 minute of hard efforts. I ended up doing about 7.25 miles (I can't really be too accurate b/c the mileage at the lake I run is a bit off). All in all, it was about a an 8:17 pace.....that includes the 8x1. However...drumroll..I was SO excited. My last mile I was like "ok, let's see what I can do without sprinting, but like a 5k pace"...so, I found my pace and let me tell you, when I push myself, I feel it. I think when I tell myself to go hard, I do, but if you tell me to just do a "long run".....I tend to just "plod along" My last mile was somewhere between a 7:10 and 7:15 pace (again with the lake mileage a bit off). STOKED! I made sure I wasn't sprinting, but probably JUST below or right at anaerobic threshold. My lungs felt it =0.

Then, I took my sorry butt to the weight room and did my weights. AND I added in wall sits, no thanks to my sister Trinette, who when I happily gloated I was fitting in my stretching and weight lifting for my knees, she asked about the wall sits. Grrrr. Fine, I added them. AND some lunges too. Yes, i'm careful not to overextend on them, so as not to hurt my knees more.

I gotta be honest, my knees aren't too happy, my right one in particular. I took a week off from weight lifting last week because my legs were torched from the triathlon workouts.....just a reminder, as sore as my legs are, the muscles I think really benefit from the weight lifting and i've been pain free on my knees while lifting.

I had some random thoughts that were running through my head on my workouts this week and last week. A lot of people in San Diego use their fireplaces right now (yes, even in 58 degree weather =0). I read somewhere that smells are a way to our memories. So true, I was running through Coronado and I could smell the fire and it took me right back to skiing with my family in Vermont when I was younger. All 10 of us in my uncle's ski house.....our socks on the heater to dry while we scarfed our lunch and fudge from Christmas and tried to avoid going back outside again in the 5 degree, wet weather...my dad, ever mindful of our schemes, was quick to announce "Ok guys, we got 3 more hours before the lifts close".....there is nothing quite like putting a neck gator on upside down and backwards to avoid the frozen snot that had melted during our lunch break =0.

It's memories like these that I think about while swimming, biking and running and it sounds crazy but it keeps me distracted during a long training workout. Do I ever doubt myself, do I get annoyed with training. I do--seriously you would laugh if you saw the amount of stuff I pack every day for work. Including lunch and my stuff for clients...and training stuff =0. But, like today, I love seeing the benefits of my workouts, lately I've seen the most from my running. Hmm, that could be because i'm avoiding the pool since I hate working on my stroke (sounds like when I used to complain about running!).

I think in order to get better, we all have to get worse first..to some degree. Turn around, figure out where we messed up and go from there.

Thanks for reading!