Running Tidbits from 2007 + Gnat Attack

Attention!  This post was "lost" on Thursday when Blogger was down.  If you've already read/seen this post, my apologies...no sense seeing my gnat covered sweaty neck more times than necessary.  :P

Saturday after the race I was bored and not feeling the greatest (I have the tendency to feel really feverish after I race), so I was just bumming around the apartment watching Project Runway and Gilmore Girls reruns.  I decided to do something productive:  manually enter my 2005-2007 running logs on to the Runners World log I've used for the past 4 years.

Here are a few gems I found in the process:

• It's very clear I did every run as a race, going as fast as I could.  
• I was a good 20 pounds heavier 4 years ago.
• My running times reflect that, at times.  Other times I'm shocked I was able to haul that quickly with that much extra weight on my frame.
• Actual comment on one of my runs: Felt like I was going to barf up my BK the whole run. saweet. I feel like I shouldn't have been that surprised.... I stopped eating fast food a couple of years ago (with the exception of DQ...mmm.... b/c it destroys my stomach.... I can only imagine how it felt to run after eating it.  Sweet Louisiana!

Also, I'm super duper bummed that the Runners World log only goes back to 2007. I guess I'll have to hold on to my paper running log, and excel spreadsheet from 2006 just a wee bit longer.
_______________

Wednesday night I went out for my last speedwork session before Fargo. I was super amped up to do a tempo run, and I wasn't really sure why. They usually freak me out! When I realized that it was 5 miles (with 3 at tempo pace) instead of 6 miles (with 4 at tempo pace), I got even more excited! Easy peasy! The first thing I noticed is that the +30 increased temperatures from Saturday's 10k made it much more difficult to breathe properly for a hard workout. Throw in some heavy humidity, and my lungs felt like they were dyyyyyyyyying. Luckily my legs felt just dandy. I cranked up my iPod so I couldn't hear my deathly gasps for air and off I went!
The hardest part about the tempo run was the cooldown mile. I could not, for the life of me, slow down to an easy pace. I know I know... waaaaaaaaah....woe is me....... etc. etc. But to go from a low 8 minute pace, a 9 minute pace (aka marathon pace) felt like I was walking! (Yes brain, drill that in.... 9 minute pace feels like walking.....)
I did 5 miles in 43:16 for a pace of 8:39. Tempo miles average: 8:13.
1. 9:30
2. 8:20
3. 8:13
4. 8:06
5. 9:09
There was much less gnat activity of the trail than Monday night, so I sucked it up and took a picture after my run. Then I immediately scrubbed the little buggies off before I stretched. Ick.

OOOH! And I also got my hairs hacked off (maybe 4") to make me super fast, and a new darkerhue to up my intimidation factor. I attempted a pre-run photo shoot in my bathroom (AR's fave!  If only I had thrown up a peace sign pose....drat!)


Attempted pose: Intimidation.
Actual pose: Someone's lost her lips.


Attempted pose: Intimidation.
Actual pose: Eating and also smelling a sour lemon.


Attempted pose: Intimidation.
Actual pose: If a rat were a human with rage.

Plus you can barely see my hair color because the lighting in my bathroom is so poor and the shower curtain seems to match my hair. Woe is me.