TGIF

Fridays, like Mondays, are for short jogs. Happy little jaunts that will soon become respites among the long and greuling mileage of other training days.

Alas, I forgot to write last Friday to tell you about my run. Here's what I would have said.

It was hot. Hotter than I imagined for so late in the afternoon in October. I guess I should have known better. It won't really be comfortable running weather here until at least Thanksgiving. Oh well, despite the heat I managed to trot around for about 2 miles before the need to pee took over.

Saturday I was supposed to run, but decided that a tour through a certified Haunted House would be enough excitement. Too bad The Mortuary was super lame.

Today I was supposed to go jogging again, but woke up at 7 after taking an accidental hour-long nap! Perhaps I'll hop on the elliptical after supper just to get my heart rate up for the first time in 3 days. :)

Mostly, I'm feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff (besides running) that I must get done. Luckily, it seems that this week will be the end of some of my momst pressing and time-consuming extracurriculars. Woot! I think I can just see that light at the end of the tunnel!

MILEAGE TO DATE: 7

You Spin Me Right Round Baby

Right round like a record you spin me.

Thursdays are all about some more cross training. I think the idea is that if you run every day, you will (a) get bored and (b) increase your chances of injury. Hey, running is a high-impact sport. (Not to be confused with high-contact sports like football - War Eagle!)

So I'm trying to keep things interesting (and injury free) by rotating in some time on the elliptical, a little spinning, and a little swimming. Too bad this is not NYC and I can't just drop in for a dance class once a week - that would be ideal!

Anyway, about today's spinning - I went to the express "lunch-hour" class, which basically compressed an hour's worth of spinning into an intense 30 minutes. And it was so fun - mostly because I brought with me my newly purchased squishy bike seat (yes, that's a technical term) to keep my booty comfortable, or at least semi-comfortable.

I feel nice and energized. Time for lunch, and then I must get back to the real world of editing and Bluebooking and Gregg's and Webster's 11th...

Only one more week, after this one, of building up to the training program - stay tuned. Things are about to get messy! :)

Back on Track

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance." -- Bruce Barton

Sorry I have failed to update the past few days. I am quite busy and am still adjusting to the idea of actually training for a big run (and also blogging about it along the way). But my dear friend Liza Jane has decided that she might also be interested in one of the Mardi Gras races, so this gives me motivation to stick to training for a little while longer to see what happens. :)

Tuesdays are for cross training, and today I sorta copped out and just went for a spin on the elliptical in my bedroom. I did knock up the resistance and made sure I covered 5 miles in the 30 minutes. I did and I feel really good about it. I know - it's a very minor accomplishment, but every small mental and physical victory gives strength and encouragement to that tiny little voice in the back of my head that is coaching me towards the 26.2.

I am not an elite runner. I do not have time in my schedule to become a competitve runner. But I do believe that somewhere inside of me lives a marathon runner. That is what I seek.

TOTALS TO DATE:
Mileage: 5
Laps: 60

Make Like a Fish

"Everyone has limits on the time they can devote to exercise, and cross-training simply gives you the best return on your investment--balanced fitness with minimum injury risk and maximum fun." - Paula Newby-Fraser

As you probably gleaned from today's quote, Tuesday's are for cross-training. Today, that meant 30 minutes of swimming. Lucky for me I've got a pool in my courtyard. Woot!

So this evening after my Marine Insurance class, I swam. About 60 laps. Let me say that now that it's October, when the sun goes down, the water in the pool is chilly. For the first 10 laps, that's a bad thing. Cold. Very, very chilly. But, by the end, I was very glad that the water was so cool. I know, it makes no sense that you get so hot while swimming in chilly water. Or that you are so thirsty afterwards. Oh the mysteries of life.

Mile Log: 2.5
Laps: 60

Here We Go Again

“If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it.” -Priscilla Welch (Named Best Female Marathoner Ever in 2003)

It's that time again. Time for me to lose my mind and start thinking about marathon (or maybe half-marathon) glory.

In about 150 days, the Mardi Gras Marathon will take place in New Orleans. I would like to be a part of that.

So today I ran for 30 minutes. I know that's not a lot when compared to the effort of running a full (or half) marathon, but it's a start. Let's see how the beginning goes before we start waxing poetic about the big 26.2.

Just wanted to let you know that this little turtle is still holding onto the dream of running with (and maybe beating a few) hares.

Stay tuned.

Mile Log: 2.5