Relentless

AM - 8.25 City Wells. Didn't run on our trip to the beaches of Santa Barbara and it helped my achilles pretty good. Twix was pretty excited to run too. Run was good and had a solid pace on the way back. Abs after. (Peg blue 489.25)

AM - 6 Parkway. Not much zeal today and pain in the achilles made it hard to get out today. Just kinda went through the motions with it. Abs after. (Peg Oly 346.5)

Took the day off from running - hopefully the last one as the season starts up on Monday and the body will feel healthy throughout the year!  Ended up swimming for a bit - 10 mins was all I could handle; both mentally and physically.  Then I pool ran for another 5 minutes pretty hard.  It got the heart rate moving and I was tired.  Anyway, not as good as a run, but at least I did something with my life.  

Pretty scrubby week, but I am alive.  Had a few brief thoughts about running the marathon (as the end of May was the last time to register for my free elite entry.  The pull was that I will be a master and maybe I could do pretty well against the old guys,.  But anytime I thought about it, I never had an excited feel.  Not once did I feel like it would be fun to train for a marathon.  So in the end, that feeling won out and I decided not to enter.  I really have no direction with my running; but the interesting thing is that I am at peace with that.  I am much more interested in what my kids (both personal and team) are doing than in my own running.  I guess I've reached that point in life.

Goals for next week: have a great start to the XC season!  It should be such a fun one.

AM - 8.25 Twix/Runway.  Got four in with Twix and then over to the first day of XC.  Had a great turnout with many new faces (now the challenge of keeping them!).  Ran up toward Grapevine for 30 minutes total.  Did abs before because I had to head out quick to a docs appointment.  (Peg black33 218.75)

AM - 8 Twix/Grass. Went four with the dog and then 10mins more at practice before hitting the grass for a few. Ran with some of the kids I don't get to spend as much time with. We have a great group and I'm excited about all the new kids. Ended with striders and then we had kids club. Did abs before practice. (Barefoot '17 2.5)(peg blue 494.85)

afternoon - 20+ min swim. Threw in some intervals to help me survive the boredom. 2x 1min, 45sec, 30sec, 15sec. It was good. I actually kinda liked it. 

AM - 8 Twix/Turtle Road. Abs and then Twix and I did a bit up in the Dirt Mile. For practice we did 40mins up in the desert. I twisted my ankle just before turning. Then under the freeway I tripped in a stupid hubcap ring and got totally jacked. Knocked the breath out of me pretty hard and I just laid there. Then was pretty dizzy (didn't hit my head, just from falling so quick), so I sat there and dry heaved a few times. After a few minutes, I regrouped and was able to finish. So I'm pretty beat up - ankle twisted , cuts and bruises all over, messed up wrist. I'm old. (Peg Oly 354.5)

AM - 9.25 Twix/Parkway. Ran four with the dog up on Bella Vista. For practice we went down to Telegraph and then up the Parkway, down Turf Farm and back. Ended with 8xbarefoot striders. Did abs before - that is working out pretty well for me. (Barefoot '17 3.5)(Adios 465.25)

AM - 10 Twix/Roller Coaster. Went 3 with Reix up on he DM. Then we met at Sullivan and ran Roller Coaster. To finish up our time, we went up the River Trail and back to the park with a good steady state finish. Abs before (that's working out pretty well). (Peg Grey 400.25)

AM - 8.5 Parkway/GS Desert.  Ran with Twix on the Parkway and then with Pyper on the trail up toward Mustang Pass.  (Peg black33 227.25)

Pretty solid week.  Achilles has been up and down.  But I did pretty good and getting up and doing abs and running with the dog.  Plus practice went well.

Goals for next week: just keep on working on getting in shape and pushing the team.

AM - 12.25 Dirt Mile.  Took Twix up on the Dirt Mile and ran a few.  Then we went back up for practice.  Did a bit of a tempo.  Wasn't sure how the team would respond this early in the season, so we didn't want to stress pace - just solid effort.  And they responded well.  Boys went 6:15, :14, :08, and 5:56.  Was very pleased on this super windy day.  Pretty cool out too, almost felt cold (about 55 degrees!).  Abs before.  (Peg grey 412.5)

AM - 9 Twix/grass. Started with abs as usual. Then Twix and I ran her route in the reverse direction. Finished off the morning with grass running at practice. (Barefoot '17 7.75)(Cumulus 326.25)

AM - 11.25 Twix/City Wells. Abs and then ran up in Bella Vista with Twix. Ran up toward City Wells for practice. I felt a little tired, but that wore off as the run progressed. (Peg Oly 365.75)

AM - 14 DM/Prospector. Abs and then a bit with Twix up on the Dirt Mile. For practice we went for a long run out on Prospector. Team was very slim today as we were missing all the Fields people. Ran into some Hellians and a red racer (not sure sure which was scarier?). Did a few pickups. Felt pretty good, but was tired by the end. (Riders 726.25)

afternoon - weights. A little bit because I still can't do most lifts because of my wrist. 

AM - 10.5 Twix/Middleton. Ran up on Bella Vista with the dog. At practice we went up in the Powerline Trail from Middleton. Looped it up into Turkey Farm and back. Then finished with striders. Like most of the week, was tired at about half and then just kind of kept pushing and finished pretty good. Abs to start the day. (Barefoot '17 8.75)(peg blue 504.25)

Gomorning - 10 Hurricane Rim/Canal. Ran out on the Hurricane Rim Trail; it is one of my favorites. After flipping, I decided to drop down on the Canal trail. I hadn't ever been on it (at least the section under the Rim); I could tell from the map and layout it would be an adventure - but sometimes that's worth it. Today it was. The trail was particularly tough (and when I eventually climbed back up, I was on some never used side trail tracking along the cliffs, super cool but sketchy). Down in the river, though, it was all worth it. The river looks cool from up on the rim, but down in the canyon, it is the coolest part of the river I have ever seen. I definitely want to hike back there and just spend the day swimming and exploring. Just what the doctor ordered for me. Not a long run in distance, but the difficulty of the second half made the time nearly 1:40. (Sense 253.75)

Solid week of running. 

Goals for next week: I would like to hover around that 70 mile mark. And of course keep healthy. Have to go to girls Camp for half the week, though, so who knows what that will hold. 

AM - 14 Mav/River Trail. Started early Monday practices for long runs, so Twix and I only had time for 2 miles up to Maverick. Practice was a long run into Hell's Hole.  Seemed like a lot of us had our stomach' giving issues. Mine wasn't until the end. Good to have most of the team back. Pick ups were good and run was good, just until those last few minutes  (peg black 242.25)

AM - 9.25 Twix/Grass. The dog and I enjoyed a very nice sunrise (Andrew approved, no doubt).  The some road and grass at practice. It's a burner. Abs before. (Cumulus 332.5)(barefoot '17 11.75)

AM - 6 Parkway. Looped with Twix pretty early before heading up to Girls Camp. Abs before. 

AM - went for a hike up on the mountain for about an hour. Abs in the evening. 

AM - 3 Cedar Mtn. Ran with Py up on the mountain. It was tough and all up hill. But toward the end she was doing great. Abs in the evening. (Peg blue 507.25)

Came off the mountain today and didn't feel like running when we got home. 

Not a great week. But I'll survive. 

Goals for next week: get back on the wagon. Excited to be with the team. Need to work on being more positive with life. 

AM - 13.25 Twix/GS/Powerline. Abs. Not a great run. Had the same stomach issues as last week when we had to stop at a light. Gotta get that figured out. (Peg black33 255.5)

AM - 10.25 Twix/Grass. Took the dog up to the Dirt Mile and we ran a bit, but ran into too many people with their dogs off-leash. Then half road half grass with striders for practice. Hammy is experiencing a bit of regression the past couple weeks. Abs before. (Peg black 734)(barefoot '17 15)

AM - 12.5 Twix/Dino tracks.  Abs; then Twix and I went up to Bella Vista. At practice we went up into the North Desert which we just turned into Dino Tracks. I was a bit fatigued today and kept in the back. (Peg Oly 378.25)

AM - Twix/DM tempo. Pretty slow this morning with the dog. Slow to get moving, slow pace. Just a bit tired. And hammy still bugging this week. Decided tontempo with the girls. Gave the boys their challenge and jumped in with the group of VarLadies and a solid group of JV guys - made for a good pack. Py had a good push; and everyone else in their did, too. Some things learned; some confidence gained. Hopefully they all just remember it when they are pushing in workouts and races without coaches getting on their cases. Looked like the boys did a solid job as well. We went 7:14, :08, 6:49, and :42 pace to round out our 25 mins. Abs to start the day off. Will have to add my total mileage in tomorrow when I turn my watch back on. (Peg blue 518.75)

AM - 10 Twix/Coral Canyon. Looped around the turf farm with the dog. At practice we ran the half course in reverse from the CC park out toward the distribution center. We were pretty chill, but still not everyone was with us like they should be. (Peg grey 422.5)