Running and Bringing a Plan Together.

It's hot here in Hades Florida.  And to be quite honest, after a week of sleeping "in" to around 7:30 and playing on the beach and at the pool, spending afternoons indoors coloring, playing and watching movies (although we watched Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets three times because Angelfish has a crush on Harry Potter ... but she doesn't want to tell Holland because she loves him and doesn't want him to get jealous because she wants to marry Holland, not Harry Potter... yes that's all straight from her), I really did NOT want to get up this morning and run.

Not to mention that I did yoga yesterday because something non-paleo and non-zone was eaten for dinner for the girls' birthday and let's just say my body was still in rejection mode.  And it was still in rejection mode this morning.

But as it would seem I run my best when I just don't want to, I went.  Even as I left the house, Mr. Darcy asked me if I was going for a run.  I told him I might just walk 2 or 3 miles, I'm feeling lazy but my body needs to get moving.  When I exited the house, I told myself to do at least just one 5:1 and we'd see how I felt.  I got to the mile mark at 10:21.  I kept doing those 5:1s and got into a nice rhythm.  One where I wasn't even noticing that I was running, but just taking in the scenery.  It was a little eerie.  Nice, but eerie.  Next thing I know, I'm hitting the turn onto the 3 mile run course and I'm not even at 24 minutes yet.  But I'm pretty sure that I'm past the 2nd mile point.  I hit the 3 mile mark at 30:12.  A 10 minute, 4 second pace - while walking 1 minute after running 5 minutes!  I couldn't believe it.  That's faster than I've done in just about FOREVER. And I wasn't even angry with Mr. Darcy - we know I can tear up the asphalt then.

I finished the 3.2 miles total in 34:05.  I slowed down a good bit for that last 0.2 because my right calf was feeling really tight all of a sudden and I didn't want to pull it.  Even so, I was still under an 11 minute mile pace. 

I wonder if I do races on days I don't feel like getting out of bed if I will ROCK them... hmmm...

In other news, I am officially signed up and money paid for both the Moss Park Sprint Tri (July 7) and the Clermont Challenge (Olympic) on 9/12.  Of course, I'm not sure if I should be concerned about the Clermont Challenge - they refer to the Olympic distance as "the short course."  At this point, I'm the only Athena in my age group that is signed up for the race. I laughingly told Mr. Darcy that perhaps this meant I'd get some hardware.  I'm sure by September several other Athenas will enter and then I'll really have my work cut out for me. And I'm hoping that Sugarloaf is not included in the short course distance for that race.  I have yet to make it all the way to the top on my bike. 

Thank you all for offering to help with my training plan.  I am working on it and may send it to those of you who offered to see if you think it looks okay, or to get any suggestions for improving it (whether it needs more of something, or less or whatever).  Big Daddy Diesel, I too have Triathlon Training in 4 hours per week, but he says to 1.5x the training if you're doing an Olympic Distance so I got a little worried.  Then I realized that I was probably doing that already... so it's been helping with the planning.  I also decided to set out the plan all the way to take me through my two 1/2 marathons (although I'm trying to decide if I really want to do the Wine and Dine since it's at night or whether I want to try and find another triathlon to substitute for it - for now I'm planning on the Wine and Dine) and the last 5K before the true end of my season in December.  I may have to tweak it as time goes by, but I think it'll be good to have it on paper - or at least the excel spreadsheet I'm making.  I'm borrowing from a few sources... Runner's World Magazine's 6 week 1/2 mary plan from a few months ago, some of Coach's old workouts for me, and the book. 

I know I owe you all pictures of the cake and stories of our Disney Adventure.  They'll be forthcoming in a day or two.  I have a Junior League meeting  tonight and not enough time to get it all up today.  But I haven't forgotten!