July in Review + Squishy Long Run

July in Review

Total Miles: 131.1 up from 80.6 last month. (102.3 miles from July 2010.)  Highest July mileage EVER!  I think I only missed 8.5 planned miles this month, so I'm pretty impressed with myself.  5 from the flu and 3.5 from laziness.

Total Time: 20:54:08 from 13:11:09 last month. (15:55:59 last July.)

Total Runs: 21 for an average of 6.24/run.

Highest weekly mileage:

7/18/2011 — 7/24/2011:

35.0 Mi

5:32:55

Favorite run: The tempo run that reminded me I still have some speed in my legs.  I had started to get concerned.... :P

Most hardcore run: My 3/1 long run of 11 miles on the treadmill.  Yes, I got to watch the sexay US women's soccer team while running, but any run on the TM is considered hardcore, especially a speedy long run!
Favorite race: None.  I ran the Lennox 10k and wanted to saw my own legs off halfway through.
Bike Miles: Zero.  Oops!
Favorite Jams: I listened to Demi Lovato's Skyscraper a bunch during my long run, because I was feeling all emo.  Other than that I haven't really listened to any sweet music lately.  Got any suggestions to add to my playlist?
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Saturday I was supposed to do my long run of 13 miles.  5am rolled around and I wanted to start crying I was so tired.  I reset my alarm for 6am.  Still wanted to kick a puppy, so I crawled back under the covers.  ELEVEN HOURS OF SLEEP LATER, I was finally ready to take on the day.  WTF body???  Lucky for me I was able to post-pone the run to Sunday morning instead.

Sunday morning I actually woke up 15 minutes before my alarm and was ready to go.  Thanks 11 hours of catch up sleep!  The temps were actually going to be cooler on Sunday, but the humidity (97%) and dew point (74) were out of control!  No shirt for me, sorry folks!

My heart rate monitor wouldn't even pick up a heart rate on me while I was getting everything together for my run, so I opted to leave it behind rather than fuss with it (OH NOS I DON'T HAVE A HEARTBEAT!!  I'M DEAD!!).  I was out the door and ready to tackle a half marathon. 

Oh, does anyone else **have** to run 13.1 when their schedule calls for 13?  Just seems silly not to, right?  It's like stopping a foot before the finish line in a mile race.

I did a 5 mile loop circling back at my apartment so I could quick refill my handheld water bottle, and lucky that I did because I needed a quick pitstop.  My legs felt like trash.  Luckily, every time I'd do a 3 minute pick up (every 20 minutes or so) my legs would loosen up a bit.  Naturally they tightened up during my pitstop. 

Then I took to the bike path for the remaining 8 miles.  The run was fairly uneventful until my body started to rain.  I stopped to refill my water bottle at the turn around point and realized that my shorts were spilling sweat droplets all over the concrete, and my hat was dripping sweat. 

Sidenote:  I am obsessed with Andy Roddick.  He's a hottie and a great tennis player.  AND he sweats more than me.  Win.  I used to always think, "Yay!  Someone who sweats worse than me, even his HAT is sweating!"  Damn.  Apparently that's me now too.

This is also the first run where it hasn't been raining that my shoes were squishing with each step.  Oh hai humidity!  Almost forgot about you.  The interesting thing is that I was able to breathe fairly well in the humidity for once.  Usually on these runs my legs want to go go go but my lungs are gasping for air not filled with water droplets.  This long run was the opposite, heavy cinder block legs and my lungs were a-ok.

I attempted to pick up the pace the final few miles.  Thanks random guy who was a catchable distance in front of me!  I appreciate the chase!  The last mile I sputtered out a bit.  I've been toying with my fuel for the half distance and took one GU at mile 5. Definitely needed another to finish strong.

I did 13.1 miles in 2:07:55 for a pace of 9:45.

Interesting fun fact:  my very first half marathon was about 16 seconds faster than that.  Always fun to see how far you've come, huh?  :)

When I walked in the door, I shed my shoes and got in the shower.  With my running clothes on. I had no where to set a pile of sopping clothes so I rinsed them out in the shower and then took the coldest shower ever.  Stupid me forgot to stretch after the shower though, so my creaky old lady legs are a bit sore today.  Oh well, better than leaving puddles of my sweat around my apartment to step in later. 

Man I'm gross. :)