Stuff and Such: New Training Partner, 4x800m

Sunday: 10.5 miles easy (with Greta)

6 miles easy with Brian, then 4 alone. Nothing very exciting.

I’ve decided to make the park a destination after any run that I do with her.  It’s only 1/3 of a mile away from our house. Hopefully that tradition will make “going for a run” that much more exciting for her!

We played peek-a-boo via the holes in the tunnel. She laughed HYSTERICALLY at me! It was so much fun!!

Looks like all of my light colored gloves will be turning a nice shade of gray now (stroller gunk)

Monday: 10 miles easy

I did NOT want to start this run. 10 miles seemed SO FAR, it was snowing on and off all day, and I just wanted to go home and clean and sew instead. 

I went back and forth: Brain #1: I have a rest day this week and could totally take it today! Brain #2: It’s better to get a run in today, you don’t know what the rest of the week will look like… just get your bag & change.

You’ve been there before.

I kept finding another task at work to busy myself with, until it was 3:30, my drop dead time.

I’m proud to say that I got myself out the door! It started snowing harder and harder throughout the run: we were supposed to get 6-7 inches. It was really pretty!

Beautiful winter evening run

And, interestingly enough, I managed to perfectly time my run/route to run into Daniel Bretscher. He just moved to Northfield and is a professional triathlete. He not only won Ironman Wisconsin, but set a course record. His marathon at the end of the Ironman was in 2:50. WOW! He trains during the day, so we are hoping to hook up for training runs often. 

Maybe there was a reason for all of that stalling :).

Score! I am so lucky to have so many speedy people in/around Northfield that I can train with – and that are willing to help pace me! Seriously, how am I this lucky?

Tuesday: 10 miles with 4x800m

Splits: 2:47, 2:49, 2:53, 2:53

We didn’t get all of the sleet/ice/snow they called for, so Jeff, Daniel and I decided to run our workouts outside. Daniel helped push me the last 800, which I was so thankful for. I was toast!

Crazy workout partners – crazy enough to meet me over the lunch hour on a weekday to help me through my 4x8s. L to R: Jeff, Daniel, me

I’m not sure what my times would have been on a track. The first two reps were a net downhill, and I’m not sure about the last two. Oh well! The effort was there, and that’s all that matters.

For comparison, two weeks ago I did 6x800s in 3:00-3:01 on a track.

Wednesday: OFF! 

I fought this a little, like I did last week. My addict brain at work, sigh. 

It had been 9 days since I had taken a day off, though, so I knew I needed it. My right kneecap (underneath) is also a little sore – do I need new shoes? Or am I just running a little tired right now? 

Whatever the case, after I accepted the day off, I relished in it! I had lunch with my co-workers and put in a long day at work (which means I have fewer hours to put in later this week!). I picked up Greta and brought her back to Bethel to enjoy the Bistro evening meal, a $3 prepared-for-you dinner, complete with salad and dessert. It’s awesome! Then Greta hung out in the nursery, open on Wednesday evenings, while I put in a couple more hours at work.

Lots of work, but that just means I have a shorter end of the week- something to look forward to!

I received a Forever Flex Stability Ball to test. It’s made in different sizes – so I was able to order a smaller sized one. Yeah! Nathan has a larger one. I had no idea these came in sizes!

So far I’m impressed. It feels like it’s good quality, strong and durable. Do you have a stability ball at home? If not, it would make a great gift!

Later this week I have a 2×2 mile workout to look forward to. Yikes! I should send out a few notes to recruit workout partners… anyone interested? 🙂

Your turn:

When is the last time you did NOT want to start a run/workout? How did you convince yourself to start? Or did you allow yourself to take a day off?

Ever “run” into a new training partner?