Wednesday's afternoon run was record time for me!! YAY me. Felt terrific too, especially on the last stretch - so fast and free feeling!

Thursday was 3 miles, tiny bit of a challenge. Maybe I pushed a little too hard on the fiver than I meant to. I get to see all kinds of wildlife when I run almost every day. And the scenery is a picture. So all in all it was lovely.

Thursday I also began a 10 day cleanse. Biotics 10-Day Cleanse. I was advised to begin on Monday, but when I looked at the calendar and found that I would be cleansing into my pre-race week, I said NO WAY! I felt that would not be in my best interest - so I began early. The "shake" mixes taste like sandy, gritty water - I won't lie - they are gross. But I got used to them by Saturday am. Taking the supplements is sometimes filling as there are so many! But since I'm training I was advised NOT tp go off my proteins completely, and not avoid carbs totally. However, I am not interested in carbs very often anymore for whatever reason. I seem to eat a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast every other day or so. Protein, fruit, and veggies has been my main diet for a little while now... so according to the instructions I was given I didn't need to change a whole lot. The Dr. said that I shouldn't do the cleanse over more than one weekend, as most people alter their diet on weekends. Apparently, I don't. I don't eat most of what I cook for the fam anyway. I can't eat tons of carbs - they set my hypoglycemia off, I don't like ham, or a lot of what they do like, I stay away from potatoes (they just don't appeal to me), etc. So my diet is really very stable.

The cleanse goes like this: 1 shake and bag of supplements for breakfast. 1 "Clean" lunch, there's a list of clean foods you can choose from like eggs and fish, etc, plus a bag of supplements. Late afternoon another shake. Then dinner Clean foods as per list and a bag of supplements. Since it's not a fasting cleanse it's not a real challenge to the body/self control, so it's been very easy to follow and stick to.

Friday - REST!!! - I NEEDED it too. Baby Shower Friends over - nice day!

Saturday- Okay I set out this am intending to run my prescribed (per training schedule) 10 miles. Due to some scheduling changes and my own miscalculation, the race comes one week early in my training schedule... so what did I feel it necessary to do this am? Run all the way out main road (6.2 miles) and back. So today instead of running a little bit over the 10% everyone says you should increase distance by, I felt I should go ALL THE WAY and run 12.4 miles. I'm being completely honest when I say the last 3 miles were ROUGH. Last night, because of company and fun, was VERY late. So I was tired to begin with! Then I get on the road and decide WHAT?? The last mile and a half were the HARDEST I have EVER run!! I was growling and sometimes even crying a little. And when I jogged into the drive and kept moving, walking, because it HURT NOT TO MOVE! I was just in shock really. I shocked the heck out of my muscles, and my body was NOT happy about it. Ultimately I knew if I made my body go out the 6.2, it would just carry me back... it always happens. But my body was not particularly happy with the plan to begin with, let alone when I was approaching the homestead, uphill. So I walked a bit in the yard, almost crying in relief, and seriously UNCOMFORTABLE! Came in and stretched while I heated up some leftover chicken. I just kept circling in the kitchen, kind of scared to stop moving completely. Finally my chicken was done, so I added some salad and an apple. I ate, and kept fidgeting, and began icing my right foot. So then I get into a COLD shower - not fun, but necessary... then by the time I'm dressed again I was sooo tired. So I took the ice to bed, and laid down thinking just a few minutes... well the minutes turned into almost an hour, WHILE I had ice encircling my foot. Then I was sort of nervous that I would be stiffer than imaginable bc of the long stillness... But I crept out of bed finding myself rather surprisingly limber! Mini miracle for me!!

Now I am re cooping for the rest of the day... fueling up with loads of water, continuing my cleanse - I am not interested in eating anything extra really. I'm interested in eating LESS at this point. But I will get a protein shake down if nothing else tonight. And now I feel like I'm still in a little shock... I went 12.4 miles. I did. I did. That means nxt Sat I run 10 or 11 miles, then the nxt wkend is the 1/2 Marathon, which would be less than a mile longer than what I ran this week. huh. If I can run an extra 2 1/2 miles on top of the 10% increase, SURELY running the 1/2 marathon will be a piece of cake!

So, I'm tired, a bit sore, and a little run down (pardon the pun) - but HOPEFUL! and a little excited!

Sweat on!

PS- oh yes, I MUST note here... I peed behind a hay bail on the run. Bladder was going to explode! Ya do what cha gotta, right ? hee hee!

Wednesday!!

This am did some Free Flow Yoga to that terrific yoga music I found on YouTube. Not so much strength or anything like that today. TOday I warmed up enough to stretch - DownDog, Triangle, Tree, UpDog, Pigeon... lots of Shavasana. Relaxing my leg muscles was the top priority. Lately they feel so thick kneeling is a challenge.

Felt great! This afternoon? 5 miles in the sunshine! YAY! looking forward to it~

Have a great day, everyone! Sweat on!

Monday and Tuesday!

Due to the sunrise timing my schedule has changed to where I now run in the evening. Yes, I have to juggle quite a few things to get this done BUT - it's working!!

Monday- the fastest 3 miles EVER! My route, having changed, now incorporates 1 MONSTER hill in the first mile, and half a monster right up to the house on the way back. When I run further there is at least 1 more MOSTER hill. But it's ok - cuz yesterday was my fastest ever!

Tuesday, due to scheduling, no running. But I got in over 60 minutes of Free Flow Yoga, where I completed 40 ,count them FOURTY, Sun Salutations! WOW! Are they challenging. I was dripping before 15. And yes I paused in Downward Dog for a breathe of two when I needed to catch my breathe - as is acceptable in Yoga! Lots of stretching poses today to stretch out my legs and work toward those splits I want for myself.

My Half Marathon is 3 weeks away! I don't know what made me stop last time I trained for this!! It's gonna be a BREEZE!! It's gonna be just a terrific run! THe route has 2 gradual hills, and LOADS of flat running stretches! Copared to running out here on these Monsters, it's gonna be soooo EASY! I'm so excited! Yes, I'm tired. Yes, my legs and fanny burn almost constantly. And yes I have to stay ahead of my adjustments at the chiro or I end up in pain. But what's a little fatigue, burning, or a little pain in view of one's dream? Nah- a half marathon is NOT my dream. But it's a step in the right direction. My first little dream is a marathon! THen I build on that. But this year I'm conquering half of it!!

2 Year Plan- Oct 2011 I run a half marathon; Spring 2012 I run another half marathon, Summer/Fall 2012 I do a FULL marathon!; Spring 2013 Marathon again; then in SUmmer or Fall of 2013 I do a marathon and a half!!! - which STILL isn't my ultimate dream, but a step in the direction I am headed!!

So - I've spilled my dreams and put them out there for you to see! I'm doing this!! I get so excited when I think about it! What are your dreams? What do you want to accomplish with your body? How do you push your fitness envelope?

Thanks for reading! Sweat on!!

Saturday!

Did 4 miles last pm on the new route. I like the new route despite the killer hills. This am I did the 9 miles on my training schedule. TERRIFIC RUN!

Got fatigued a few hours afterwards... I think because I did two runs so close together. Oh well. I'll live.

Felt like 6 miles instead of 9 really, was surprised.

Sweat on!!

HEY!!

NEW SHOES!! Asics, naturally! When ya find one you LOVE?? WHat else is there? Well, yes I hope to get a second pair in the near future but for now these are my babies!

I've done Free FLow yoga - working on my goal of 100 sun salutations. Gotten up to 32 plus a little more workout and stretching. ANd running this week - yes I've been good - I've been running.

Run into a few snags though. It's become darker and with no full moon running early has been a challenge and darn near impossible... so I'm running this afternoon. I did yoga this morning and running this afternoon.

MAN! Do I need a good treadmill or what??? Oh - well it'll just be something else that goes on the "Save $$ for" list.

Great week has gone by!! It's already Friday and tomorrow morning is NINE miles!!! WHOOOOHOOOOO. New route too. I'm running a little bit of it today. SIKED! New shoes, new route! COOOOOOL! SWeat on!!

Sat-Mon

Out of town this weekend... so I ran 5 miles in Nauvoo. Every 3 weeks in my training program I get one Saturday where I run fewer miles before the nxt weekend where I add miles to my Saturday run. Last Sat was 8, this Sat was 5 then nxt Sat is 9, then 10, then 7 and so on. So We plotted a course on google maps and I ran! Most of it was flat!!! It was wonderful and wonderfully fast. I'm no speed demon but it was faster than all these hills. I had forgotten how much harder my legs work on these hills!! Great run - felt terrific! Was a glorious day too.

Monday! This morning, about an hour of Free Flow Yoga. 27 Sun Salutations, triangle, boat, plank, side plank, pigeon... lots of stretching!! I am building up to 100 Sun Salutations! Every week I get a few more in before I run out of steam. It's a journey!

Don't forget to enjoy your workouts, friends! Enjoy your day! Enjoy life!! It's a great gift! Namaste!!

Monday-Wednesday!!

Monday - REST!

Tuesday! - FAST 3 miles run. didn't time it... just felt darned fast :)

Wednesday - Free Flow Yoga on like 5 hrs of sleep. Running in the morning! YAY!!! Looking into shooes... I over postrate my feet especially my right. Hmmmm need two pairs, would like a trail pair, becuase I will be running trails soon... thinking thinking.

Sweat on!