Stuck to plan today

RUN 8 miles in 1:16 a 9:32m/m pace
BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

Nice morning, it rained yesterday and everything was humid, dewy, and drippy with rain drops. Got the pict above in TGP between miles 6 and 7. :)

I'm still tired but don't really expect that recovery will just magically happen overnight. I know it will take a few days. I keep tossing around the idea of making this a higher mileage weekend. Instead of resting I do another build week. Why do I keep thinking like that? I think because I'm worried/wondering/concerned about not getting a real build week in during the post Evergreen to Mark Twain week. Oh, just rest!

Last day of August already! I had lots of goal for August, personal goals not discussed here. I'm working on some new ones for September, and like the idea of a New Moon tomorrow to see them off!

4 into 6.3 with EW

RUN 6.3 miles in 1:05
BIKE COMMUTE 9.5

EW has often offered to run together during the week and I always declined as a time save. So much quicker to run from home on Tuesday's. But it's worth it when I can do it. The original plan for me was 4 miles, maybe 4-5. She wanted about 6 so I rolled with it. We took it easy, chatted things from her mom's health, her bf and future marriage, my research and glowing mice, then on to a book called Clean about detox and elimination diet. Some aspects of the book ound like something my gut would benefit from.

Great run, relaxing. But left me aching tired. The commute in was weak.

I've been measuring my bike commute distance again by MMR. I discussed this with TV on Sunday, the fact that the MMR site and my Garmin give different numbers. Wondered what the difference could be. He suggested breaking the ride into segments to find where the diff is. Good idea! And perfectly triathledly anal.

I admit I measured MMR again today. I got to thinking that if I included the extra distance from leaving the back of the house, my route alterations through the Grove....I get 4.68 inbound, so 9.4 total. With that info I'll stick to my 9.5 number.

Then I measured the current route to PT and got 5.5 not 5! The 5 was measured running I think...another number to remeasure!

Soooooo tired. I like it!

BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 plus 10 miles
STRENGTH 1 hour upper body

Sooo tired, but I'm supposed to be. I keep thinking about happy TV was on Sunday about how he "doesn't have to run Monday". Me neither :)

I slept awful last night, my legs and hips ached. I started playing with my new coloring book markers on the floor with the dog, then didn't want to get up to go to bed! So I didn't hit the pillow until 11pm. Then slept bad, woke up a lot. I forced myself to sleep in, even if just podcast listening one the couch until 7am.

All day my legs were heavy and swollen. Ugh.

My PT session was pretty much a wasted hour. I was unfocused, tired, didn't care, weak, not into it. So I gotta start reducing these sessions before I don't like it anymore.

Klondike push and pull

RUN 19.4  miles in 4:07, Klondike Park

TV is in his 100 mile peak week, so his goal today was 100 with hill repeats. He likes that quad building stuff :) Me, not so much. 

Looong drive but soooo worth it! We've run this park once before, the one where we did a long run maybe from Matson along the KT before climbing into this park for rest and water. And where I overheated and we had to rest more. And where TH crashed her MTB and got hurt. 

Two more Tootsie Pops at the gas station, same attendant that I joke with about them, then the drive south along the pretty Hwy 94. Worth the drive.

It was hot by the time we arrived, but we had my ice cooler. The initial plan was to do 4-5 miles loops, this initially seemed hard to do as the park map listed the trails as 1.5 miles or less! Walker trails, but they strung together quite nicely.

We started up the longest hill to the top of the bluff. Of course I fell near the top, again blaming a full camelbak. Minor damage, just some knee scuffing. View of the river, back down that trail, found an alternate trail that we followed that was full of spiderwebs (trail now named Shelob's Trail) that TV cleared for me, down around to KT, brief exploration of the flooded River Trail that ended in a poison ivy patch (!), back up to the park, long pause at the quarry lake, then off to Powerline and Donkey Kong trails. Those short trails from the map -- that made the long drive all worth it as they are great trails with technicals, hills, roots, rocks, turns, and more. Short but there's a lot packed into them! Back around wander wander, back to the truck at 12 miles where I got some much-craved fuel and cool water. TV's garmin was a mile behind so while I refilled at shuffled gear and food he did some hill repeats to catch up. 

Lots of great conversation: chuggers, the UK term for charity muggers; TV asking 3 walking hikers embedded in their phones if they found Pikachu yet; TV's pained glut muscle and my chatter inducing a sphinter response; videos of dogs on agility courses; oh and so much more that I wish I could remember! 

Off again, repeating some sections, and shortly TV got quiet. I asked, he was tired. Then in a rare event he turned an ankle back in the technicals I mentioned above. He seemed OK, a few yips though the rest of the run. We moved to flatter and softer trails after this. 

At this time I'm really wearing down too, losing motivation. A Tootsie Pop around mile 14 helped (TV noted and said "I smell...chocolate...?", LOL). But I was ready to be done. I was thankful I had TV with me, figured I'd hit my goal because I was running with him, but I realized in these last 8 miles that I needed to pull him too. He was at 90+ miles!! I was only at 70+, I can't complain or stop!

Explored a new trail section, wandered back to KT, one last hill climb to hit the goal of 19 miles (he ran an extra mile yesterday, so 20 would have been 101 miles) and we were DONE! He thanked me for getting him through the run, hope he realizes how much he gets through days like this!

Gotta clean my gear, ugh getting yucky. And now I'm worried about poison ivy on the Cascadias, so they get washed too this coming week. 

I'll call this a 75 mile week. Took 13 hours according to Training Peaks. Also had 1 hour strength training and 53 bike commute miles!

1.1 miles to the center of a tootsie roll pop

RUN 20 miles in 3:42 

On my own today as TV planned to cheer on Hank at his L&C race and run on his own instead. I chose the LV system to be able to get 10 miles as a loop or out n back. And I thought because of that race I'd need to park in a different parking lot, but the Mound lot was empty. More on that tomorrow...

Stopped at the usual gas station (nothing succeeds like success!) and bought two chocolate Tootise Roll Pops for my treads. Parked at the Mound and ran out on Hamburg, under the tunnel, across the road, then back into the LV system so miles 4-16 were on trail. Well really only 6-14 were really "trail". Anyway. It was another hot weekend but not bad today. My goal was even splits, no falling, good fueling and hydration, and set up for another 20 miles tomorrow. 

Some good podcasts for today too: Started off with a 30 min political update that I didn't really hear all of, then a nearly 2hr TJM interview of a woman who has run 87 100's and 225 ultras overall! VERY good podcast, learned a lot and so inspiring. I think I will be seeing her at Evergreen in a few weeks? Or someone with a big number of ultra signups that I clicked on. Last pod was a TED Radio about "slowing down". Picked it for the ultra irony 

The 10 miles out went smoothly, with my only debate being whether I'd have enough water. Should I keep going to the truck and do an out n back to hit distance, or turn around and chance running out before I got back to the truck? I chose the latter, for better or for worse. I ran out of water in the parking lot! 

The first Tootsie Pop was for 10 miles, and I found it takes 1.1 miles before you get the the center of the tootsie pop :) I really enjoyed that, will definitely do again and for the upcoming races. Great distraction.

The picture taken around mile 15, on the road heading back to the southern lot. Got "The trail goes ever on and on..." in my head. Might my my cover photo for the 2016 book? 

And heard a song on the radio that might make the Songlist, Monster Truck Enforcer. I like it, but does it inspire? 

All else went great, some walking up the loooooong Hamburg hill on the way back as I got hot, lower on water, and just plain tired. I tell myself I'd walk in the 100 race, but then why do I bemoan it here and/or try to justify why I walked? It's OK to walk! 

Really needed more water, only peed at 10 miles then not again til way after the run was finished. Keep that in mind for tomorrow.

Early evening miles for a back-to-back-to-back

BIKE COMMUTE 9 or 9.25 or 9.5 I dunno miles
RUN 6 miles in 53.5 mins

No PT today as JG had his leg surgery and need some recovery. This worked great for me too!

I got this done around 5pm as I waited for a PCR to finish. It used to be that afternoon running was hard for me. My stomach didn't like it, probably because of what I was eating for lunch and how it left me gassy and bloated. But that's fixed. And it used to be that my legs were tired and swollen after a day of standing and sitting. That hasn't changed much!

Ran (haha, no pun intended) into old speedwork friend TomC in the first mile, he was out to look at the XC course being hosted soon. Only $12 for the 5K, what a deal! But not in my plans.

Did a simple out n back, more focused on good form and getting back to lab on time. Great run, good set up for the weekend.

7 miles, supposed to be 6 but...

RUN 7 miles in 62 mins, 8:51 m/m ave
BIKE COMMUTE 9 miles, or 9.5? whatever

...you can't stop running the loop until you've finished it! Since the loop ends at 6.6, and since I like even numbers, I rounded up. As usual :)

I'm tired, but as I like to say: I'm supposed to be! But geez I can't be that tired if I'm running sub-9's on this run. It felt good, but it wouldn't have felt good or fast without a group. So I'm grateful for them! And as EW and I talked about today, it's good to be grateful.

I'm tired. My legs ache. Yesterday my legs were swollen and felt an extra size bigger. Salt? I'm drinking a lot of water, so it's no mystery of where it comes from. But why does it stay? Oh, it does leave, overnight. When I'm supposed to be sleeping! But in good news, nothing hurts.

I have a decision to make, one I've already made but yet another to go. The Terrain group has another night run on L&C tomorrow night. I pitched the idea of a back-to-back-to-back to TV but he's holding off that to spend time with the wife. He encouraged me to go so I can "meet people". He's right. But the last time I "met someone" he was an angry crazy text-stalker. I'm happy to meet other runners, but I'm a bit nervous on it. Since he's out, I'm left with deciding if I want to drive that far for a 5 or 8 mile run. Eh...not really. On top of that the doggie has a vet visit for her foot injury at 9:15am tomorrow, so my day will be messed up anyway. That's the decision already made: no L&C run.

Oooh wait I just thought of something. Is Terrain running Saturday? Checking email.... Nuts, no. Greensfelder on Sunday instead.

Back to my decision. I also have PT tomorrow at 7am. I can run to PT and get 5 miles in, the same 5 miles I'd get the same 5 miles I would have had at the night run. Reasons for not doing it -- I need some rest, and it could squeeze my schedule of getting to the vet on time. Reasons for doing it -- ... hate to admit it but it would reduce my Saturday run! Ack!

As of today I'm at 29 miles. TV wants 20 on Sunday. That leaves me with 26 miles to fill the gap. If I run less Saturday by running Friday, I'll be fresher for Sunday. If I rest Friday I'll be fresher for Saturday. Oh Geezuz-F'ing-Kriest. Seriously?!

What to I WANT to do? Haven't decided yet.

Why am I so concerned with being tired. I'm supposed to be tired.  And I can't complain be concered with about not being "fresher" for Sunday because this is TV's 100 mile week! I realized this yesterday as I commuted home. That I'm all WAH WAH about being tired, but TV will be running his 80-100 miles Sunday. I've NEVER hit that distance in training, and I'M THE ONE WORRIED ABOUT BEING TIRED?! Ugh.

17 miler, was supposed to be 15!

RUN 17 miles in 2:37
BIKE COMMUTE 9 miles

Maybe I should alternate 9 and 9.5 miles? ha!

This was another slow-to-get-out the door morning. I'd planned to be running at 6am, didn't start until 7am. Also planned a route of 16 parks in 16 miles that I scrapped for just getting to work to start a long thaw then run home via Walgreen's for an Rx. Oh and instead of just my usual potato and egg brekkie I had to add in a serve of my rice qabili pilau, like right before I left. Was I trying to make myself sick? Thankfully it didn't.

I started out running my planned route roughly backwards, mostly so that by the time I got to work I'd be close to 9 or 10 miles. This meant all sidewalk and street running, some it really boring. Not just some, a LOT of it boring. But I managed to find new streets, visited a few parks, had to back-track after a no-outlet situation south of TGP at McDonald Park (bonus mileages!), then TGP, MoBot and work. To my surprise, 10.6 miles at work so no FoPa out-n-back needed.

The day was getting warmer, I was drinking and eating just my mint candies every 3 miles. I was wiping my face with my wrist band then a bandana until the face skin started squawking about the salt and wiping. Then I just blotted. On the way to Walgreens, another no-outlet situation near the Grand and I44 construction. At Walgreens I hit 15 miles!

In Walgreens I blew some time looking at the candies. I wanted a small cheap pack of Tootsie Rolls, all they had was a big bag. Found some cotton candy mints and tested a strawberry flavored taffy roll for $1. Thankfully this store still carries my Powerbars -- Target and REI don't anymore. So 4 PB and 1 Choco, my candies, a prescription, a water refill, and a nice 'be safe' from the pharmacy person (that made me smile!) and off to home.

The taffy thing is GOOD. Strong flavor, long time to 'chew' and it took me 2 miles to eat it! So add that to my treats list.

Surprised that I reached 17 miles, and more surprised that I felt really great afterwards! Awake and energized and this continued the afternoon at work.

The right knee I banged up Sunday is aching, I'm having some foot pains (rotate in new shoes!), and oddly my hips are just fine after some mild pain yesterday. All good!

5 miles on Tuesday, supposed to be 4

RUN 5.1 miles in 47 mins
BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles new route home

And yeah I just checked, the new route home is the same distance :) In fact, MMR says my route is only 9.1 miles. The Garmin tracked it at 9.5, so now I wonder, am I over-logging my bike commute?!  Silly Bee!! LOL!

The run was a bit uninspired, I just ran around the neighborhood. Geez I can barely remember the route.....oh yeah up to LP and back with some extra. The definition of junk miles.

Energy flip-flop

BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles
BIKE 10 6 miles to gym with bonus loops
STRENGTH 1hr

Sort of a rest day, should be resting and ice the right knee but I haven't yet.

The ride in this morning felt amazingly wonderful. I felt strong and springy and ready! Bit chilly out, sunny, and just...well....wonderful!

The to do list for this week has a few major points -
1. Register for Evergreen, sign up for the 51 and go from there
2. Hotel for Farmdale, what does the crewing party want?
3. Dog boarding for
     a. Evergreen
     b. Mark Twain?
     c. Farmdale

Gonna be out of money be the end of this list!

Writing this later after the PT session. My energy Tanked in the afternoon. I didn't have much to do and ended up sitting a lot. The ride home was a mental stress mess, exacerbated by the lab photo session this afternoon. I hate having my photo taken like that, prolly deserved the light mocking, and hate the thought that my pict and my name will be on the interwebs. I go out of my way to avoid that!

So the ride to PT was a mental mess too, trying to script how I'd tell JG that I need to cut back. That I'm too worn down, tired, sore, out of money, essentially a list of (some valid!) excuses. I've been trying to write this script for about 2 weeks now.

But then I get there, and I wake up. The flat-line energy dead-legs hate-this-feeling is gone. I'm still tired, but I'm awake. So apparently I need a little more stimulation in the afternoon at work? Get off your ass more?

Anyway, this was a great session with new stuff; wall balls, pushups with medicine balls, and lastly lunges and squats holding a 25lb bar weight over my head! He suggested working up to a goal of 45lbs! I loved this last move, lotta core and shoulder and balance, and oddly enough while I'm in the first round I realize one potential reason for my trail falls -- the weight of the Camelbak? Quick conversion says 70 ounces is 4.3 pounds of water, add in the backpack and other gear, a 5 pound weight shifting on my back? Gotta contribute at least a little to the problem, can't say that it IS the problem. (That's more likely to be my damned feet catching on stuff!).

L&C for Hank

RUN 14.3-ish miles in about 3 hours?

Ran today with new friend H who is racing the L&C half mary next weekend. He cusses, so he's right fine in my book! TV has run with him before, he's a good runner and should have a great race!

I felt great today, even though after yesterday's 16 miles and Friday's strength training I expected I'd be a bit tired. I was sore, but not to any detriment to the run today.

Beautiful sunny day, and markedly chillier than the past few weekends! Fall is coming up fast!

Speaking of fall, I did of course fall on today's run, about 2 miles from the finish. Clear trail with a clearly visible root. Hit the right knee hard, it's scraped and bruised and hurts way more than it looks like it should. The right elbow just got dirty. So minor damages -- hey, maybe I'm getting better at this falling stuff?

I had intended to hit 65+ miles this week, so I was disappointed to see the math come up to only 50.5. That included a rest from the 10x10. So do I consider this a 'down' week? TV is 'down' this week and peaks next week at his usual 100. He'll run 100 miles and still run me into the ground next weekend.

How 6 becomes 6-10 becomes 16.2

RUN 16.2 miles in 2:29

The original plan was for 6 miles. It was supposed to rain all day, seriously it said 100% chance midweek, which reduced to 80% Friday, then 0% today, so I thought I'd run Fo Pa from work or just TGP from home.

Instead of rain it was nearly full sun. Nice job on the forecast, guys! I had to work anyway to I figured I'd save drive time and parking and just run to work for 10 miles. Then I for some reason thought 15 sounded good, I think because that's what the training plan called for. Then somehow that turned into 16. +0.2, of course.

This run felt good, and even felt better in the last 4 miles that it did in the first 6. Ran a little extra on the inbound to bank miles, ran past the Fo Pa VC and back during an incubation, didn't want a gel and instead thought I'd eat 2-3 sugar packets but found the break room door locked, when out the door without any fuel and to my surprise felt awesome for it! Had a big breakfast, so maybe the sluggy inbound feeling was from digesting?

Either way, a great morning and a great run. Some right hip pains again that alleviated with a brief walk. Not sure what the deal is there.

What is measured is managed

Thursday BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 mile
Friday BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles
            STRENGTH 1hr
            BIKE 10 miles to/from gym and LP Loops


Not much to say about Thursday and Friday, except that I seemed to physically bounce back quickly. It was the mental sludge that didn't clear until Saturday. Looking back I'd say it was a momentum thing  and maybe a 2-3 miler on Thursday would have prevented it?

On Thursday's bike commute home I came up behind TV who was running to TGP for M's softball tournament! I jokingly asked if he needed water, a replay of Sunday, then rode the wrong direction in the bike lane until the park, then rode along with him as long as I could before heading home.

Friday's strength training marked a turning point. JG had a blank notebook, took notes, planned for next week, and had new exercises for me! Yay, I love it, and it coincides with a line I heard from a podcast last night that 'what is measured gets managed'.

I did a new inclined 'hack squat' machine thing in which I turned sideways in the machine and squatted on one leg. Did split lunges, walking lunches, air squats each with a 'hop'. Yeah, legs and butt gonna hurt tomorrow.

I'm having taper pains, ha!

BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

And that's it. Rest day! I let myself sleep in (tks to the dog it lasted until 4:48am), have a big brekkie of eggs and potatoes and bacon and veggies, and took a long slow walk around the neighborhood.

Oddly I have the urge to run. But I won't. My legs ache a little bit, my knee tendons and muscles and connections are tight and sorta sore. Debating whether I'll run the group run tomorrow. I thought I'd take the day off, thought I might swim instead, or maybe just run the short 4-5 mile loop.

Last time I did the challenge I made a list of what I learned. Here's a short list for Round 2:

1. Eating, drinking, sleeping, and stretching all make a difference. I know that sounds like common runner sense, but when I go out for a short 4-6 miler I don't dedicate to those recovery methods. And if you're only running 20-30 a week maybe those aren't all that critical for recovery. But what if I did dedicate to those factors regardless of mileage?

2. This isn't as hard as it sounds. In the podcast I'd hear about runners crossing a state, doing 888km races, and other stage races or back-to-back long challenges. My 10x10 doesn't sound to crazy stacked against all that. But as I like to say to others, each of us have our own challenges and limits to break, and right now 10x10 is that for me. Hmmm, what's next?!

3. My body and mind can handle it. There was a point after the #2 run that I felt a little intimidated, I have some people ask if this was a good idea (DC's why not run 7 miles, and Dad's similar question) that planted seeds of doubt. But that's maybe why I do this, because I have that seed of doubt and I want to see what happens to it.

4. I'm glad I didn't buy a house in south county area. Those were 7-8 miles away, and as I work commuted these last few days either running or biking, I was thankful I didn't have those extra miles to contend with!

5. Evergreen 51 miler?! I was going to wait until this was done before signing up. Now I'm thinking I'll wait and see how the long runs this weekend go before deciding. In question is my ability to recover and bounce back, as Evergreen is only a month ahead of Farmdale. I could run Evergreen, rest the next weekend at Mark Twain, and still have two more open weekends before the 100. I think that's OK. As long as I don't get injured...

10 x 10 #10 GOLDEN! You have to be committed.

RUN 10 miles in 1:33

Two out n backs so I could run the last 45 with LC. Parked south of the parking garages, out to the FoPa VC and back. Meet with LC, then out and back again. Simple.

Whooooooooo it's done!! And as before it's not as hard as you think it will be. I can remember after finishing #2 and thinking "Oh Gawd 8 more to go..." but here I am after 10 and wondering if 11 would be a good idea??!!

I just kept looking forward to meeting with LC, like a chant. Today is her bday too! And I felt like I was the one getting a gift :)  She had a 45 min run and a 5 minute interval that in the end she didn't do. She's racing Ohio this weekend, not going to improve between now and then with intervals, it might feel good to do but it won't speed her up. She's already fast!

We talked 95% of the run, really needed the social. Talked about her daughter going to high school, about the dive across the line in the Rio Olympics 400m women's final, and more. Of the 10 runs, only 3 of them were with someone else. Unless you count the TJM podcast friends.

Tried the new Gu Maple Bacon gel, thought it would a mid run treat. Um, no. Yuck. 

No major injuries, just some left hip bruising from the handheld water bottle banging into my hip bone while I had it stored in the camelbak pocket. Ugly bruise! Noticed the pain and discomfort during the runs, but only last night saw the bruise.

Was gonna do a Sooooo Tired Selfie for the photo, but I'm not into selfies. So I did a thumb selfie. This is my Golden Thumbs Up, a weird habit I've picked up since Cry Me A River. 

So I gotta decide, am I doing the Evergreen 51 miler? I'd postponed registering until this was done, because before this my hip was hurting and I wasn't feeling all that confident in my ability or need to do that race. 

You have to be committed -- one of the guests, lost track of the voices and names. 

10 x 10 #9: This sport is not for the impatient

RUN 10 miles in 1:33, with plyometrics roughly every mile. And rain. LOTS of rain. 

No bike commute, still raining and was tired of being cold and wet. 

And reference back to Friday's run in which I had the broken water fountain and got dehydrated...
But like TV said about yesterday's rain, a quote from a movie : It's fine Scottish weather we're having. The rain is falling straight down... [Braveheart, I later found!]

I woke up a lot over night. Sometimes to pee and sometimes because the sound of rain splashing on pavement and in the gutters gets me worried about house problems and leaks. And I like the sound of rain, so I enjoyed that. At one point though around 3am I couldn't fall back asleep and realized I was vaguely hunger. While I dislike eating in the middle of the night (hard to sleep with food to digest!) this did seem to help. The alarm was only an hour away anyway.

Since I don't watch the forecast closely I was surprised again with rain. Two days in a row now. And this was heavy and still strong at 545am when I rolled out the door. I love running in rain, but I didn't appreciate just how much we'd received! So it was ironic (or ironical, as used in the podcast) that while trying to fall back asleep a few hours ago I was watching Weather Channel videos of the Louisiana flooding, dog rescues and cars swept from roads. And yesterday a former neighbor posted about a forecast of 4-7" of rain, I just laughed. Oops. 

Immediately I was soaked but thankfully not cold. There was no hope even in the first block of keeping my shoes even remotely dry so I happily splashed in puddles. As I ran by the neighborhood track I did my first plyo -- 2 laps with sprints in the straightaways. Well, as sprinty as I could be on 80+ miles, with a camelbak bouncing, and with literally inches of rain on the track. After finished at the track, I ran by the retaining wall along the sidewalk as saw the sub-track drain pouring into the sidewalk. A few blocks later, a gutter-fed water access in the sidewalk was bubbling up in a fountain of water. Streets and curbs were full, ponds formed in parking lots, and it was still coming down strong. I should look up just how much rain we did get today....based on a new site, turns out my old neighbor was about right. Ugh.  Oh well! 

Splish-splash to TGP for my second plyo of creek jumps. There were a little too easy today. Next up was jump squats, then lunge hops, then box/bench jumps at the water lily garden. I'm surprised at how easy the box jumps felt, only did 5, but no rib or hip pain! Turn around to get back, mindful of my limited time before I had to get to work. On the return, I tried split squats (failed because bench and tree too wet, kept slipping), leg lifts to a gate, and hill intervals. Time to get home, whoop I'm 90 miles DONE!! 

Still feeling good, just one more day and I've confirmed that I'll run part of it with LC. 

While doing hill repeats in late mile 7, I finally gave up on my Yurbuds. The entire run the right one kept threatening to fall out, kept shoving it back in. Earlier in the challenge I decided I hated the Yurbuds as the right one kept falling out. After a few days I learned how to use them better, then spent a few days not using them as I was running social. Today I decided I might hate them again. So as I'm slogging up the 3rd hill bound, pulling the Yurbud out and cussing it for the distraction, and running out of energy, SK says "this sport is not for the impatient" and it was like he was talking to me! So I calmed down, shrugged it off, and finished!

Only to walk the dog in the rain, and she hates run. Then a shower, then upon realizing it's STILL raining I decided to drive to work. I knew from the run that a lot of mud and tree debris had washed into the streets, potentially dangerous. But also I just wanted to stay DRY.  Ha! I lazed out.

ETA, just minutes after posting, I was looking again at the news site with the rainfall levels and just read that the "rain is expected to intensity and continue into late Tuesday". Finally I'll be prepared for the weather. 

10 x 10 #8: Not that there's anything wrong with that

RUN 10 miles in 1:33 with TV on the Katy

BIKE 9 miles pacing TV still on the Katy, 1:18 ish 

Whenever we go to the Lost Valley/L&C/Hwy 94 area we stop at a gas station north of the highway. The women's restroom has the above sign hanging in it. At the bottom it says "Nothing succeeds like success". Lamest motivational poster ever. But every time I walk into that bathroom I reflexively remember this poster, so it won today's picture.

While texting with Mom this morning I mentioned that I had 70 miles done in my challenge. She asked, Still motivated to finish? Da Fuk does that mean? Shirley she doesn't think I'm an unmotivated person!? For realz?!

Cool and rainy morning, perfect for TV who was doing a 20 miler. The plan was to out-n-back 5 miles running then repeat in the other direction for the run/bike. We started from the Research Park area of Katy, after some fuzz-brained misses driving to the parking lot. Once there, a signed warned that the trail was closed, and TV remembered that an ambulance was trying to cross a wood bridge and collapsed it, but from what he heard we could still get around it. We are trail runners after all.

Turns out the bridge was definitely damaged! Just looked up the news article. Ooops! They were trying to help someone on the trail with heat issues. 

Anyway we climbed over the orange snow-fence blocking the bridge and continued on. Really, they need to work harder to "close a trail" with people like us. Many runners and cyclists did what we did. Wonder how many of them got injured, needed an ambulance, ha!

TV and I hadn't run together for a while so lots to talk about. Mom's job pickle. Her odd text. News about Gramma. My reset diet (a success, btw). I was a chatter box! I noted that many of the cyclists riding by were wearing jackets, I thought that would be too warm. Foreshadowing...

Finished the run and fast as I could transitioned to the bike. Pulled Puppy out, geared up, and back to the closed bridge. And immediately I noted that yes a jacket would have been nice! I got COLD! What a change after all last week in the 90's. On the way home Siri said it was 66F, combine that with the light misty rain and oooooooh COLD. My arms and fingers got very uncomfy and I wanted this ride done, but TV was having a great run and picking up the pace in the last 3 miles. Damn he's a good runner, wonder sometimes why he hangs out with me? I can't keep up with that and I hate to slow him down. Anyway, riding faster to keep up helped me warm up, yay!

Dusty O was the podcast guest and I couldn't possibly narrow down the best quote from the podcast. Too many! So I picked one that was oft repeated and pretty much summarized the episode: Not that there's anything wrong with that, referring to oh just about everything, LOL!

80 miles DONE!

10 x 10 #7: I tore my Utica

RUN 10 miles in 1:33

Saturday run in FoPa, yeah I know I ran there Thursday and I'm supposed to be changing things up. But I wanted to meet people from my new running group the Frontrunners and they have a group run there on Saturdays. So I declined joining TV and another runner at L&C for this, also because the Frontrunners were having a membership meeting later in the morning. And the hats would be available!

I was running a few minutes late and couldn't find them at the VC. I learned later in the morning from the meeting agenda that runners need to show up about 15 mins early. Ooops. Next time.

I ran out and back and it wasn't until mile 4 or so that I realized that I've done this before and I don't have to wonder where to turn around. A few Thursdays ago I ran 10 miles and did this same route -- we turn around at the Skinker Hill water fountain. The outbound miles clicked by slowly at first but I enjoy leaving 'mental markers' to pick up on the inbound run. I like to think, when I'm here in another xx miles I'll remember how long this all seemed at first and contrast that to how it feels to be almost done!

Miles 60-70 today and I'm still feeling really good. No niggles or aches or pains. Just getting fuzz-brained. At the end of the run while in my done-run-stare mode I almost walked right past RonG, his wife, and BrianK. Then in the VC I found WildBill - he's training for a 100k!

The TJM podcast guest was a runner from the Pton, Peru, Utica area and mentioned the Spring Valley Walleye 5K! When she said "Utica", SK joked that it sound like something you'd tear, referencing AG's torn hip labrum. I LOVED this when I first heard it months ago and was happy to hear the joke again.

Also, this was the podcast with Fit But You Know It at the end. And they talked about Garmins and somehow ended up mentioning herpes! LOL!!

10 x 10 #6: What is craft beer?

RUN 10 miles in 1:39

STRENGTH 1 hour 

BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

Lots to say, let's see if I can get it all! 

The forecast for tonight was hot, so instead of resting through the morning and doing a night run I did the run this morning. The plan was to run to my PT session, have an hour of that, then run home. The route included three water stops if needed: TGP, gym, and Pontiac Park. I was sweating buckets, and have been the past few days and my handheld only carries 10 ounces. Only 10 ounces for 10 miles is No Gouda! 

I left the house a few mins late (fuzz brained) and only had 4.5 miles finished when I hit the gym. JG brought some of his heirloom tomatoes for me to try! We reviewed the list of infraspinatus-specific exercises, reviewed a few I did in therapy (and Oooooh those are NOT getting better, gotta focus on those!), didn't do much in the way of training, ran out of time before some leg work (lunges and some squats), paid him for the next month, and did not get to the conversation I've been dreading about having to cut back on my sessions with him due to cost. Really not in my budget, but I'm enjoying it! I run through the conversation in my head, don't like how it sounds. But I like what he's thinking about getting my trail balance back, like my results so far, and I'm learning quite a bit. Oh well. 

Back to the run, 5.5 more miles to go. The plan was to loop LP, head east to find a pedestrian bridge I saw on the map, swing through Pontiac Park for water, then home. Missed the bridge, but I did see it so I know where it is at least. Fail one there. Then at Pontiac the water fountain was being re-done! Yay for a new bubbler, but DAMMIT I needed water! The last few miles from there, about 2.5, were a bit of a slog. No water from the fountain at Cherokee Park, they need some construction there too apparently. Finished up near the Cherokee Rec Center and you can certainly bet I walked it in. I had already did a few mins of walking on uphills so I was wiped. And thirsty! 

Today I tried a small pre meal and half a powerbar to get me through the hour at the gym. Hungry when I got home! But it seemed to work. Missed my mints though, didn't do them at all this morning. Or yesterday, for that matter. 

I'm feeling good through miles 50-60, tired but no pain or soreness or specific complaints. I'm sleeping really well too!

It was a Meet The Listener's podcast, so instead of a great quote I'll answer with some of my own to the questions they asked the Listener's:

Do you like craft beer? Not sure, what is craft beer? (seriously, I don't know!)

Are you on a special diet? Yeah, the GF-free, low FODMAP, SCD (haha no veg/vegan for me)

Did you run in college? Not really sure I can call that running...

What's next for you? Evergreen Lake Ultra and Farmdale 100!

10 x 10 #5: She sticks with it...

RUN 10 miles in 1:29

BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

Group run day! LC texted me last night offering to get me something to go with her donuts. She's so sweet! And so was that orange :) It kept me going through the loop. 

I started early and got two miles in, then met LC for a mile, then we joined the group. I expected that I'd drop out the back from fatigue but as per usual the Thursday run is my best. I really needed the social chatter, with my coworker out of town a few days this week I'm pretty isolated. We talked Olympics of course! 

Saved the podcast for later in the day, listened to it while walking and a work. Pod quote, by Scott regarding Kat: She sticks with it, everyone else quits. 

Halfway done! Feeling good but tired, as expected. Still trying to plan tomorrow. I'd originally thought about running in the evening so I could get a 30-some hour rest between today and tomorrow but the forecasted temps are in the 90's tomorrow evening. Would rather get this done when it's 80F. But I have PT in the morning, trying to figure a way to run to/from that and get my mileage. 

10 x 10 #4: Rally!

RUN 10 miles in 1:35

This sign is painted on a few corners in Cherokee, not sure where they are pointing me to? But I enjoy seeing them. Usually I'm walking the dog when I see them. Today I was going to work, but first the library to drop a book that was so bad I didn't finish it. Guess I don't need to make my good brain better, ha!

Work commute Wednesday, took a few extra blocks in the morning so the afternoon was shorter. It was hot! But not too hot and my energy was good. But hot enough that I'm wringing water out of my clothes and probably accumulating dehydration as the days go by. 

Podcast quote by AmandaT: That DNF really got me to rally and get back on track and make adjustments to my life. 

I'm sensing a theme from the quotes that get my attention -- self improvement and change. So...where am I going?

Still feeling good, some tightness in my shins but it foam rolls out easy. 

10 x 10 #3: Get out...

RUN 10 miles in 1:37
BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

In honor of day 3 I did 3x 3.33 miles (and actually ended up with 9.99 I think!). This was a very uninspired run. Out n back south of Jeff, then FoPa over lunch, then more 'hood after biking home.

We like to say, I can do anything for 3 miles. It's a common ironman saying I think. Well, you can do anything for 3 miles. You can find that beautiful flower I saw in the morning, like a candy cane! You can enjoy the hot/sun and cool/shade of FoPa in the middle of the day, then you can have a bad-math-sufferfest in the evening when your mind is wipes. Ugh, had to keep adding blocks to round that one out.

Still feeling good, and to my surprise my hips aren't hurting at all.

Podcast quote from AlecB: Get out of your comfort zone.

10 x 10 #2: I made a change...

RUN 10 miles in 1:37

BIKE COMMUTE 15 miles, to work and to gym for PT

STRENGTH 1 hour

Oooh and all this on a Monday. All morning long I thought it was a Tuesday! I needed to be at work before 9am for lab meeting so I'd planned to get up at 4:30 to have time to eat, pack, run, walk dog, shower, etc, but I realized around mile 7.75 that I was running behind schedule. So the rest of the morning didn't go as planned. Didn't help that I hit snooze once or twice, walked the dog before the run, and putzed around more than I should have.

Rand the neighborhood again, kinda boring! But tried to pick different streets as I could. I need to make the next few days different or this will be the most boring 100 miles to run. I have some ideas for the next two days.

My right hip a bit pained again. My energy low, thinking I could cut back on the pre meal and eat a gel instead around mile 6? I was wanting my mints early in the run, before every 2 miles. 

I got back to the house with only 15 minutes to shower and get back out the door. Wasn't until I was in the shower that I realized that run #2 was DONE! But a few minutes later on the bike commute to work I realized I have EIGHT more to go. One day at a time....

The BREATH has been painted into a path in TGP for a few months now. 

Another TJM podcast, this time the Ladies Night episode with MelissaP who said in reference to problems that happen in races: 

"I made a change and I got over it"

Like TV was saying after a recent Chubb run, ultra runners need to be problem solvers.

The strength training went way better than expected. I missed the last two weeks due to the heat exhaustion and then scheduling. I expected to be sore and tired, but as per usual I felt better afterwards. I enjoy talking with him, I like his insights. Tried his kombucha -- strong! And he asked if I could add up our sessions. Which reminds me that I'm not sure how much longer I can affort this. My budget is tight, my schedule is full, and these two weekly sessions take up my only two days off. Meaning I have no days off! Gotta decide what I want to do here, reduce my sessions? I'd also like to get some plyometrics in, but I don't need to be at a gym for that.

10 x 10 #1: Because I can't not do something...

RUN 10 miles in 1:35

Parents were still in town, tried to get up early to finish this but still didn't finish until about 8am. Mom was up, Dad still in bed.

This run felt good but low energy. So even though I'm tired I still start this! Minor hip problems, surprisingly in the right hip. I found that pausing or walking relieved it. I ran the neighborhood so I'd be close to the house if I needed to return for any reason.

I ran through CHP and saw Linda and one of her dogs, I think Daisy (dual colored one, think Tessa is the tri colored one).

Coach Meghan K was the TJM podcast guest, love her attitude, here is a quote in regards to having a running injury:

"Because I can't not do something so I took up cycling..." 

Picture from TGP, LOVE how the sun hits the pavement through the trees, dapply and shimmery.

Took my own advice

Nothing!

Rested, spent time with my parents :)
Felt awfully tired all day but perked up in the afternoon.

Friday! And 64 more days.

BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

Lots going on, even though it's a rest day.

I'm tired yo. I went to bed last night 9pm and let myself sleep in until 7am! Sure I woke up twice and after the 330am dog-whine I had trouble falling back to sleep, but dang I needed sleep. Need more I think.

My left hip is still 95-97% great, every now and then I feel a niggle. But today while descending stairs my left knee had a sharp pain, which reminded me of that niggle that I first felt this past Sunday. And oooooh yeah very sharp. Which also reminded me that yesterday my left calf/shin was super tight and felt like it needed a good rolling.

I feel tired and weak, and on top of that just not strong. Like underwater. So I'm going to delay the 10x10 challenge start to Sunday. That way too I don't do two mornings of running with house guests.

House guests! My parents are coming down tonight -- whoop!

I think of so many things I want to add to this, so someday as per goal I can review and remember all these little details, but I always remember them away from the computer. So here's a few.

Yesterday on my ride home I saw IT on TGA, then soon after JA in his spiffy SLU kit. I also saw JA Wednesday near the campus, same spiffy looking kit.

That reminded me that last Thursday I saw IT riding to the Thursday group ride while I was walking to the truck in FoPa. At the same time, TV came running up behind me on his way to wifey M's softball game in TGP. Love seeing my friends :)

I tested canteloupe last night and again this morning. I'm gonna say "limited" or "no" to more of that.
I tested spirulina and like it, now I'm reading up on cyanobacteria...
I'm done with the reset/intro and back to small amounts of potato and rice. Really gotta be careful now, can't spiral down into problems with only 64 days until Farmdale! EEEEEK!!

WasGonna rest today!

RUN 4 miles untimed, I guess 37 mins?
BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

I couldn't resist. The plan was to take today off and rest. Today and tomorrow, then start my 10x10 challenge on Saturday. Which reminds me, do I want to post these to the TJM Strava...?

Up at 430 when I could have and maybe should have slept in, tired in the parking lot talking to DC, and successfully limited myself to just 4 miles. I turned around at the 2 mile mark and came back.

LC and I 'herded' EW up Skinker, I even brought up the I'm A Working Dog Sesame Street song, then later in the day sent the video to the group.

I'm happy I went, I needed the social! But I'm needing rest for 10x10. I do have an option to delay the start until Sunday. Eh, I know better. But my parents are planning to be here this weekend, so that's a reason to move to Saturday.

Another work commute run

RUN 10 miles in about 1:35, broken
BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

Both commute runs were surprisingly similar in the end, it wasn't planned that way.
Both had a segment of 4.7 miles in 45-46 mins, and a segment of 5.3 miles in 50-51 mins.

While both were similar in the stats, this later one today was much more tired and less excited. I paused in TGP near a pavilion to rest, walk a bit, eat a mint. Today was cooler and the rain had passed, so just accumulated time.

My SCD Intro reset ended today, had a small fist-sized potato this morning. Seems to going OK!

My hip and everything still feeling good, still in that 90-95% range of feeling normal.

Work commute, the first in months

RUN 4.8 miles in about 46 mins
RUN 5.25 miles in just under 51 mins
BIKE COMMUTE 9.5 miles

A run commute! I used to do these regularly on Wednesdays but lost the habit after the March rib injury. Note that I have to date my injuries so you know which one it is, the March one or the July one... Ugh.

Woke up to rain and the threat of more all morning. Why is rain considered a threat in the news forecast. More like a promise! It was a pretty, light, misty kinda rain. The run to work felt OK, slow, sluggish, but OK. After about 60-75 mins, a run home. The second run felt better than the first.

My left knee again had very sharp pains when I started walking the dog and again when I started the run a few mins later. But again, the pain shook out as soon as I got going. And my hip still feels 95% good? In fact, my RIGHT hip briefly hurt after the first run. Is my mind just f^cking with me?