Sunday:
Rest Day
Monday:
Rest day because I was too lazy to get myself out of bed. Teaching at 8am makes it really difficult for me to get myself up and get going in the morning. It isn’t really the early hour but the dark. Early morning, in the dark running makes me a little nervous.
Tuesday:
I don't know what was wrong with me today, but I had zero motivation. Still beating myself up over my race the previous weekend I didn’t put a lot of effort into my run. I was walking downs just because I was feeling crabby. Plus a string of falls has left me feeling nervous on the trail. I know it’s all in my head. There is a lot in my head and none of it seems to be very helpful at this point.
Today was kapparos at the Chabad. I usually go to kapparos, but just give money to the Rabbi. If you aren’t familiar, kapparos is an atonement ritual. You gently wave a chicken around your head 3 times while you say a prayer. The first time I went someone said to me “This is the craziest thing we do.” And another person said, “If you think this is crazy, you should some of the other stuff we do.” This year they were killing the chickens on site. I was watching the daughters of my boss until their dad arrived. The girls wanted to go someplace else to avoid seeing the chickens being killed. I handed Rabbi my money and he asked if I wanted to participate. Why not? Luckily Rabbi waved my chicken for me.
Wednesday:
Hayley is fighting off the flu so no run. I had every intention of getting up to run, but no follow through. But she signed up for a 100 mile race in Utah next August. Not just a 100 mile race, but a race with a ton of climbing so I will get plenty of time to torture her in the future. (Jubilee also signed up for the race so that’s 2 people I get to torture.)
Thursday:
Sinjin is having oral surgery today. He’s already on valium so I didn’t want to leave him alone for too long. Norm was in and out, taking people to school. I am more nervous than Sinjin. Not because they are putting him under, but because I have terrible teeth and was tortured by my childhood dentist. I hate the dentist so much I don’t even care about having my teeth cleaned. My anxiety goes through the roof. Sinjin is pretty relaxed. Of course he is also on a good amount of valium. He has too many teeth for his small mouth. Two baby teeth had to come out and two adult teeth that are impacted and up in or near his sinus cavity had to come out. Surgery went fine. And we spent our day laying in bed and keeping him on pain killers.
Friday:
Not wanting to leave Sinjin alone for too long I just got a quick 8 miles on the trail done. I had wanted to move my long run to Thursday or Friday, but that wasn’t going to work this week. But with Norm not running with me any more I hate to be gone for long periods of time on the weekend when Norm is around.
Saturday:
Every time I leave my house with a plan to run fast I get nervous. Never mind that I have no trouble with my workouts 98% of the time. I always leave thinking I will never be able to run the workout. It actually causes me stress. I try reminding yourself about previous workouts and how well they went, but I am still always nervous.
Today the goal was to alternate 6:20 pace mile with a 6:45 pace mile. This was basically a can I even do this run. I was really happy with how the run went. I was happy that it didn't feel too hard and that the 6:45 pace felt really easy. That 6:20 pace felt do able, bit definitely not easy. When the pace gets tough I just tell myself, “this is how you get faster.” I remind myself of whatever the upcoming race goal is and remind myself this is how I reach that goal. Sound so simple, but it works. Usually.
I was meant to be fasting for Yom Kippur. Of course I wasn’t suppose to be running… I tried to fast, but I got so hungry. So I ate. I don’t do well being hungry.
Sunday:
The goal was to get between 15 and 18 miles done today. I decided 15 was enough because I got a late start and it was feeling hot out. I ran what Norm and I call the hilly run. It is mostly road with a little trail. I run through the neighborhood to the east of me. It’s one of my favorite routes, but I only run it on the weekends because I don't want to be run over by the residents of the neighborhood. No sidewalks and lots of blind turns means my chances of being run down greatly increase.
I run from my house to Dreamy Draw Park and back. My goal was to keep the overall average pace under 8 min/mile. I was very happy to get home and find out the average pace was 7:55min/mile. It’s a good feeling as I am about to enter a big training cycle.
I am running Flagstaff Sky Race next weekend, but it’s really more of a hard work out than a race. I am training for Desert Solstice and some fast running on the track, but my focus is Black Canyon and a golden ticket. I am letting myself enjoy a light week this week and next (except that damn sky race) knowing that a week after I start hard training again. I get really excited about this, It’s probably odd, but I love the thought of had training. The tough training runs, the exhaustion and the pushing yourself when you think you have nothing left.
Rest Day
Monday:
Rest day because I was too lazy to get myself out of bed. Teaching at 8am makes it really difficult for me to get myself up and get going in the morning. It isn’t really the early hour but the dark. Early morning, in the dark running makes me a little nervous.
Tuesday:
I don't know what was wrong with me today, but I had zero motivation. Still beating myself up over my race the previous weekend I didn’t put a lot of effort into my run. I was walking downs just because I was feeling crabby. Plus a string of falls has left me feeling nervous on the trail. I know it’s all in my head. There is a lot in my head and none of it seems to be very helpful at this point.
Today was kapparos at the Chabad. I usually go to kapparos, but just give money to the Rabbi. If you aren’t familiar, kapparos is an atonement ritual. You gently wave a chicken around your head 3 times while you say a prayer. The first time I went someone said to me “This is the craziest thing we do.” And another person said, “If you think this is crazy, you should some of the other stuff we do.” This year they were killing the chickens on site. I was watching the daughters of my boss until their dad arrived. The girls wanted to go someplace else to avoid seeing the chickens being killed. I handed Rabbi my money and he asked if I wanted to participate. Why not? Luckily Rabbi waved my chicken for me.
Wednesday:
Hayley is fighting off the flu so no run. I had every intention of getting up to run, but no follow through. But she signed up for a 100 mile race in Utah next August. Not just a 100 mile race, but a race with a ton of climbing so I will get plenty of time to torture her in the future. (Jubilee also signed up for the race so that’s 2 people I get to torture.)
Thursday:
Sinjin is having oral surgery today. He’s already on valium so I didn’t want to leave him alone for too long. Norm was in and out, taking people to school. I am more nervous than Sinjin. Not because they are putting him under, but because I have terrible teeth and was tortured by my childhood dentist. I hate the dentist so much I don’t even care about having my teeth cleaned. My anxiety goes through the roof. Sinjin is pretty relaxed. Of course he is also on a good amount of valium. He has too many teeth for his small mouth. Two baby teeth had to come out and two adult teeth that are impacted and up in or near his sinus cavity had to come out. Surgery went fine. And we spent our day laying in bed and keeping him on pain killers.
Friday:
Not wanting to leave Sinjin alone for too long I just got a quick 8 miles on the trail done. I had wanted to move my long run to Thursday or Friday, but that wasn’t going to work this week. But with Norm not running with me any more I hate to be gone for long periods of time on the weekend when Norm is around.
Saturday:
Every time I leave my house with a plan to run fast I get nervous. Never mind that I have no trouble with my workouts 98% of the time. I always leave thinking I will never be able to run the workout. It actually causes me stress. I try reminding yourself about previous workouts and how well they went, but I am still always nervous.
Today the goal was to alternate 6:20 pace mile with a 6:45 pace mile. This was basically a can I even do this run. I was really happy with how the run went. I was happy that it didn't feel too hard and that the 6:45 pace felt really easy. That 6:20 pace felt do able, bit definitely not easy. When the pace gets tough I just tell myself, “this is how you get faster.” I remind myself of whatever the upcoming race goal is and remind myself this is how I reach that goal. Sound so simple, but it works. Usually.
I was meant to be fasting for Yom Kippur. Of course I wasn’t suppose to be running… I tried to fast, but I got so hungry. So I ate. I don’t do well being hungry.
Sunday:
The goal was to get between 15 and 18 miles done today. I decided 15 was enough because I got a late start and it was feeling hot out. I ran what Norm and I call the hilly run. It is mostly road with a little trail. I run through the neighborhood to the east of me. It’s one of my favorite routes, but I only run it on the weekends because I don't want to be run over by the residents of the neighborhood. No sidewalks and lots of blind turns means my chances of being run down greatly increase.
I run from my house to Dreamy Draw Park and back. My goal was to keep the overall average pace under 8 min/mile. I was very happy to get home and find out the average pace was 7:55min/mile. It’s a good feeling as I am about to enter a big training cycle.
I am running Flagstaff Sky Race next weekend, but it’s really more of a hard work out than a race. I am training for Desert Solstice and some fast running on the track, but my focus is Black Canyon and a golden ticket. I am letting myself enjoy a light week this week and next (except that damn sky race) knowing that a week after I start hard training again. I get really excited about this, It’s probably odd, but I love the thought of had training. The tough training runs, the exhaustion and the pushing yourself when you think you have nothing left.
Cute Hank picture
