6 miles out of a movie + Coach + The Sickness

Monday I had 6 easy miles on the schedule.  The weather was gorg, and I had my iPod loaded up with some slow tunes to help with the slow pace.  I uploaded Regina Spektor's new CD Far, and also Ingrid Michaelson's newest Everybody.  It was literally the most beautiful run I can remember.  There's something about listening to slow, meaningful music which provides the perfect soundtrack to the fall colored leaves that randomly fall off the trees while you're running down the trail.  I literally think I smiled the entire 6 mile run.

Highlights of the run:

• I saw a dude with rollerblades and those big stick things to make it look like he was XC skiing on the trail.  I saw him twice.  His sticks were so long (twss) that he almost pushed me off the trail.  Jeepers.
• I also saw a dude in full on bright orange gear.  We're talking head to toe overalls/coveralls depending on where you're from.  I mean, I know we're in pheasant hunting season and all, but I'm not super concerned about being shot WHILE IN TOWN.  Perhaps I should be?  I dunno.

I did 6 miles in 57:09 for a pace of 9:32.

1. 9:26 
2. 9:25 
3. 9:29 
4. 9:39 
5. 9:40 
6. 9:27 

It's actually pretty humorous, because I was running INTO the wind for the first 3 miles, and WITH it for the last 3.  You'd think it'd be the other way around.  I realized that it's hard for me to run easy/relaxed into the wind because of my training as a sprinter.  We were taught how to work against the wind, and apparently I do that without thinking, even when running 6 miles instead of a 100 m. dash.  :p

I got a super exciting email from one of my BFFFs over the weekend.  This is the chica that got me on to running.  She decided she wanted to challenge herself to try a half marathon, and saw me running all the time and thought I should do it too.  I found some training programs, and totally thought they were doable, and our friendship was formed.  :)

[Dang totally thought I had a pic of us post-race to include in this post...turns out I can't find it.  Le sigh.  This one was pre-going out to Holocene in Portland when I went to visit her summer 08.]

Email

Subject:  Why not?

Because I know you love this kind of thing... I need you to make me a half marathon race schedule. Ridiculously short amount of time. The Angkor Wat Half Marathon Run is December 6th.   :D

m

Um ya, did I mention she's in Cambodia right now!??!  So of course I got super excited and came up with a training program for her.  Plus now we're training for HMs that are a week apart.  WHOO!!  I told her she has to refer to me as Coach from now on, but other than that, a training program was created.  :)

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I probably should've known based on all the snot rockets blown/loogies coughed up in recent runs, that I have "the sickness."  I went home from work Tuesday at about 10am and today, Thursday is day 3 of being home.  Not only does it suck to be sick, but I had planned on doing a 5k on Saturday.  I had a great impromptu training schedule created for this week, and no where in there does it say, "Eat a ridiculous amount of food (ya, apparently my appetite is out of control.  I still blame this weekend's starve-fest.), drink a gallon of OJ, sit on the couch, watch all the runners run by your place."

I do feel a LOT better today but just staying home so I can hack up the last of the phlegm in the privacy of my own home, instead of in front of clients, or on the phone with clients.  I'm classy like that.  I do still plan on running the 5k on Saturday :s unless my sickness takes a few steps backwards.  Fingers crossed that they don't, please?

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Being home has its perks.  I got to watch Away We Go, which has Jim Halpert from The Office in it, and Maya Rudolph from SNL.  It was sooooo good.  I will probably have to buy it actually (I rarely buy movies).  I also watched Monsters vs. Aliens which was also really really good.  :)  I've been on a music searching spree also.  I may have a new music post in the works for the near future.  :)

Good luck to ChasRunner who's going to kick butt in her marathon this weekend.  Kill it Girl!

P.S.  Thanks for all your super sweet comments on the wedding pics.  Apparently the crazy red wasn't quite so bad.  I still think it'll be the first and last time my lips see it.  :)