More Dreams

Last night I dreamt that I was in a running race. We had to run laps around this giant building complex-thing, complete with stairs and hallways and turns, etc. First we ran 3 laps, then waited for everyone to come back. Then two laps of a different course, then waited again. Then one lap of yet another course. On this one, I was in first place among the females (this is how we know it is a dream), so they put me in front with the lead male. There was one other guy faster than me, so I let him in front of me too, saying that there was no reason not to start in order of actual ability. I really wanted him in front of me because I was afraid of getting lost on the course!! This lap had tons of stairs, and there was a section where the stairs met (like a V shape), and we had to run up and down that part several times. Then, at the end, we ended up in this gym where there was a list of exercises that we had to finish. I started out with squats, but by the time I got to 20, my quads were killing me, and I needed to get to 100! So I wanted to try an arm exercise to give my quads a break, but I couldn't figure out how to work the machine. So I decided to do some core exercises, but they didn't have standard names, so the list of what I had to do referred me to this magazine that had pictures, but I couldn't find the thing! Finally I decided to go for squats again, but my legs gave out just before I got to 40. Then I woke up.

The funny thing is that I'm not even preparing for a race right now!

Kalla

Actual conversation between Preston and his co-worker:

CW: Mega lame. Kalla.

P: Mwahahaha. Rebar fool. In the middle.

CW: Move it over.

P: Perhaps. Just a minute.

CW: Hurry up mufuka! Ur kalla me!

P: This program kalla me big time. It won't even shut down now. It's just frozen.

CW: Mega kalla moonstar!

P: That comatorium album is super killer isn't it?

CW: So far yup! Haven't listened to it all but super mega kalla soooooo far!

P: It loses my attention at the end but it's almost all mega kalla. Like controlled mayhem.

CW: I would love to listen to them on lsd! Scare the shit out of me walk on the blade you know? No attention needed just close ur eyes and kalla! I'm out there meow! U don't know this.

I can't make this shit up.

7 Miles and home to no AC

Ironically, the 7 didn't hurt too badly, probably because I didn't run with WFit, so I was going super-slow.

But it was hot out there, and since the AC was broken, it was equally hot in the house afterwards.

After suffering though a day of hot, though, I have a brand-spanking-new AC unit, both outside and in, and it is beautiful and quiet and awesome.

Annnnd, I have a new route! I've always wondered where this one street that I run by goes, so today I followed it. I still can't picture the map in my head, but somehow it takes me back around to this creek that I used to run along side, which leads me back towards home. I can add the thing into my regular route for a 3.5 mile loop. (Or add it as part of a longer route, like today.) When I finished that loop today, I headed over to the park for a mile or two in crushed granite for different stresses on my legs.

Good run! Good new AC!

Promotion

I am getting a promotion to go manage a different department from the one I currently work in.

I don't often talk about work on here, and I will continue to be silent on such topics, but suffice to say that I am going to really miss both the team of people and the materials that I currently work with. And I know that I am going into a challenging and likely stressful situation. I am not without reservations, but ultimately I think I am making the right move for myself.

That is what is on my mind right now, every free moment I have, and every night as I try to sleep.

Progressive Tempo Run

I started off this hot, humid morning just to run for 40 minutes or so. And to throw in something tough to the run, but tough is relative to how I feel on a given day, so I wasn't sure what, yet.

I'm not following the WFit Yellow Marathon schedule exactly, but I'm not running a marathon, so I figure it is ok. The schedule called for a 50 minute hill run. I figured 40 minutes with "something hard" would be sufficient.

So I ran my first mile slow, as usual in this weather. 11-something. But I felt pretty good, like I could go faster, and I had this brilliant idea for a progressive tempo run. Last week when I tried for a straight-up tempo run, I was toast after 1 mile at tempo, so I thought this might be a better way to go a little faster for a little longer. So at 1 mile, I upped the tempo with the goal of making mile 2 10-something. Success! Then upped the goal to 9-something for mile 3. Again, success! Then I just ran as hard as I could for the last half mile, but I was pretty toasty by then, so I reckon it was still 9-something average, though I did make a nice low 8-something for the final sprint.

All in all, I ran the exact same 3.5ish mile route as yesterday about 5 minutes faster than yesterday. Pretty satisfying.

But then I had 5 minutes to go before I got in my self-prescribed 40 minutes, so I did some drills.

Now my legs are so fried that I could hardly make it up the stairs at work, but that's actually pretty cool, you know?

RIP, Garmin Data

My loving husband decided to install Windows 7 on our computer. Without backing up a year-and-a-half of Garmin data.

My splits from my first marathon? Gone.

The record of my 5K PR? Erased.

And yet this morning I strapped the old guy on anyways, to start creating new data.

Tough 6

I ran a tough 6 miler this morning with Woodlands Fit.

It was cooler than last week, a bit, but I struggled just as mightily, regretting the whole time the late night and junk food the night before. (Astros game - sure had fun, though!)

For the first 3 or so miles, I kept thinking I should just turn around. Even though it would have been almost as far back as I had left to go, I couldn't bring myself to trust that the course was only 6 miles. And I was near the back of the pack, and I kept thinking that I was going to get lost. Always a concern form me in the Woodlands, but for some reason I was obsessed with it this morning. It was gnawing at the back of my head, telling me to turn around. (Not to stop running, mind you, just to turn around and go back a way that I was sure of.) It was really odd.

Finally at 3.37 miles in, I realized that turning back now would mean a farther journey home. I was committed. At the 4 mile water stop, I asked for someone to tell me what turns were left in the route, to ease my mind. There was only one.

With the route certain, my mind went back to the junk food, and how crappy I felt. I kept making deals with myself: I could run as slow as I wanted, but no walking; I'd run to 60 minutes, then I could walk. But then that was almost 6 miles, so I'd run to 6 miles. Then that was almost back to base, so I finished the thing out.

I am proud of myself for fighting. Proud of myself for finishing what was probably one of the most difficult 6 mile runs I've ever done. Proud of myself for not walking, and not turning around, and not letting my head get the better of me. I hope I learned something today, and not just that I need sleep and good food, but that I am mentally stronger than I give myself credit for.

Strange Uplifted Mood

This morning, P was out-of-sorts.

My boss is bitchy.

My run was terrible. (Hot, slow, etc.)

We are talking about very serious and depressing financial stuff at work.

And yet, I feel great! I feel positive, uplifted, happy, funny... I am in a good mood.

This is worth blogging about because it is so very abnormal. I've often wondered if I am something of an empath. When the people around me are down, I'm down. That means I spend more time down than up, usually.

But seriously, this is like someone spiked my coffee. I feel great!!