10 Minutes +

I am definitely getting faster for short distances. I have this route that I like to run in a canyon near my house. It is super hilly and mostly all dirt roads. I can do a medium version that is 5.2 miles or a longer version that is over 7 miles (and has some of the biggest, hardest hills on the whole route), or an easier 3.2 mile version. Whenever I do the 3 & 5 mile versions, I time myself on two of the miles I run. I am pleased to report that I can consistently get a 10 to 11 minute mile on that second mile I run. In fact, I regularly seem to be hovering around 10.5 minutes now. The fastest I have done is 10:25 minutes. Yesterday I felt sure I was gonna hit the 10 minute mark, but alas, I still only managed 10:28 minutes. I am getting closer, though. It feels so exciting to me. I do not know why I have suddenly been able to get faster in the last couple of months. I have barely even been running. Maybe that is why? Maybe my muscles are better able to recuperate with all of the breaks I am taking? Maybe it was all of the Biggest Loser exercise dvds I did in January and February? Maybe it was a combination of both things. I do not know why, but I am delighted nonetheless.

I weighed myself on Saturday morning and found that I was 8.5 pounds UP from my lowest (I am now back down 4 pounds and only have 4.5 more to lose before I am at my lowest). I have been neglecting myself and indulging lately. I don't know why I do this to myself, but I think the superb busyness in my life right now has definitely gotten me sidetracked.

I also am feeling afraid of my half marathon next weekend and of my triathlon in May. I usually have some worries, but mostly excitement, when I am close to a race. This time I just feel dread. I'm sure it stems from not really training at all this year and not having the discipline I have had with past races. I will do the races anyway, but I don't know that I will do very well in them. We'll see.

I went on a bike ride yesterday (6.93 miles) and then immediately went on a 1 mile walk into the canyon and ran that same mile back out of the canyon, while I waited for my daughter at her violin lesson. I was pretty sore afterward. That is just a small sampling of what the triathlon will be like. Yikes. ;-) The bike ride was horrid as it was SO windy and about halfway through the ride, after wondering why I felt like I was dying, I realized that my back tire was kind of flat. Nice. It totally killed me. ;-)