Cha Ching! Running pays dividends.

First week of training complete. It was a great week. Because of my "heat training" in preps for the Renaissance Half Marathon(June 13th), now I feel like I am finally running well in the heat. Well, let me say, as well as I can run in the heat. Even with the extreme heat in the Southeast, I am actually feeling better running in the heat this year, even with the extreme conditions than I have felt in other years. Last summer, I committed myself to changing my attitude about summer running. It's totally amazing what you can do, when you decide you REALLY want to try to change something. In past years, I basically just survived the summer with limited running because "it was too hot." Let me just say from experience. If you want to run in the summer, you can, and you can learn to feel better while doing it. From my experience last year and this year, it can take 2 weeks to a month to start to feel better, so hang in there guys. It will get better. Last year I made a lot of progress toward the goal, but this year, so far, I think I have adjusted even better than last year. We will see if it continues.

So Thurs. was the dreaded "Billboard Run" - It's funny, I say dreaded, but it's usually me or Jim that posts on the forum to announce the run. It really is dreaded, but it is a great workout, one that I will need to do many times between now and Oct. It has a couple of steep hills that really test you. Also, the last 2 times that we ran it, the dirt road has been really sandy in some areas, creating an additional challenge. Fun Stuff! We had 9 runners counting myself. It helps so much to have other crazy runners show up for this one. In fact, my post, on the forum always reads - Let me know if you will make the run, I will not do this run solo. We have a small core group that routinely shows up for this one (the craziest runners) and then today, we had 3 new runners that had never run this particular run. I had a total of 5 miles- 1 mile w/u and c/d, and 3 miles on the billboard run. Walk, run, or crawl this one, you are sure to get a good workout in, if you dare to show up.

On Friday I ran 4 miles in Golden Meadow, LA I forgot my Garmin, yikes! I am totally spoiled, and ruined. Now it seems like when I run without it, I don't know what I am doing. The biggest problem for me comes in that I really use it to stay on pace for hard days and easy days. On my easy days, I have a tendency to run to fast sometimes, so the Garmin helps me to slow down so my recovery day is truly recovery. So Friday's run was probably a little fast, but I felt good, especially the day after the Billboard hills. Sat. very easy bike ride/visit with the Chad and Scott as they ran. (they run around 7:00 minute pace or faster just for their jog - it's really disgusting).

Sunday - I have been looking forward to my long run. 10 miles today. As previously mentioned, most of my training needs to be on hills to prep for St. George. Normally, I try to do my long runs in MS because it is hilly, and because the humidity in South LA is rough. But this training cycle, doing the 9 day rotation, I will be doing my hard days as they come up. So after the billboards on Thurs. my next hard day is Sunday. So Sunday it is, and I am in South LA. No hills in South LA. The only option for hills is to run the bridges that go over the intercoastal canal. This is in Larose, LA. I found a loop that incorporates 2 different longer bridges in a 3.5 mile loop. This works out well because with the humidity I insist on hydrating often, and with the loop, I could just leave the waters near my car. Today, when I finished the run, the temp was 82 and I am sure the heat index was 90 something degrees. I sent a text to a runner that I met last year at a 5k, and she joined me for the first loop. After the first loop, this South LA girl headed back to the flats to finish her run. It's nice to have company on the long runs. I finished my run at 9:01 pace. It was only 10 miles but with the heat, I am happy to have completed this run, near my marathon race pace. After the run I walked for 3 miles, and then 5-10 minutes of stretching (pigeon pose is the best). Part of my walk was to take pictures at the top of the bridge, but I forgot to bring my cable for the camera so I will post those later.

Cha Ching - the best part about today's run was, I found a roll of string, and $4.90. Now that is exciting. Also, I felt good on the run. Yay! First week in the bank, and it was GREAT. I couldn't expect any better than what I did this week. Finished with 29 miles, one day of arm weights and ab work, a little biking, and 5 miles walking. Missed my yoga class - must make it to at least one class this next week.

Week of June 29th (13 weeks to go) - 34 miles this week, yoga 1-2 times, hopefully 1-2 weight workouts. Busy week of work on tap this week too.