It has been A WEEK

And I'm not just referring to the last time I posted.  It has just been one of those weeks.  Long and tiring.  I will say this though, I did NOT let it get in the way of my training.  Last Friday my knee was still hurting a bit and I really wondered if The four miles I had planned was going to happen.  I iced and I rolled and I stretched.  Then I received a good reminder from my neighbor(who also happens to be a bit of a running junkie)

I was walking home as she was heading out on her run.  She came over to chat a little bit and I immediately lamented the pain in my knees and dumped my woes on her.  The first question she asked, "what is your running form looking like?" Ummmm......Running form?  You mean I still have to pay attention to that? Yeah, I hadn't been working on it.  I was so focused on just surviving my schedule that I kinda let that slip.  There is always something to work on...Thanks for the reminder Lisa!

Saturday didn't start as early as I hoped but I did get out there.  I had a new strategy for the miles, just to finish.  If I didn't run the whole thing that was fine.  I needed to take it slow, really listen to my body and focus on form.  I planned on stopping the minute there was too much pain.  It was also the first run that I needed a hydration/fuel plan.  I decided to do a two mile loop past my house.  I had a water bottle and some GU waiting for me.  I would walk that interval and, if I wasn't feeling good, I would stop there.  If I felt ok, I would do another loop and finish up the four miles.

I started nice and slow and really paying attention to how my feet were striking the ground and where my posture was.  I couldn't believe the difference.  These are things I know I need to watch, but sometimes I forget.  Paying attention to them, I was able to go the whole time with NO pain!  As I finished the first loop, I could tell I was getting tired.  The water and GU really helped.  I took the walking break and then picked up the pace again.  As I began to run, my legs finally felt numb.  Not the tingly, falling asleep numb that is a bad sign, but the nice, finally giving up sending tired signals, numb.  I haven't pushed myself that hard in a long time and it felt soooo good!  My Brain was finally able to relax and enjoy the run instead of constantly having to ignore my whiny legs.  Four mile and 57 minutes later I finished a new distance PR.  I have to say, six miles doesn't seem as bad on this side of four miles as it did before.  I mean, it's only two more miles, 30 minutes if I'm tired (and I'm sure I will be) and I can do that.  I feel so much more confident having gone over this hump.

That said, the rest of my week has consisted of multiple middle of the night wakings(explosive diapers, vomit, you moms know the drill) and my other two training runs were less than stellar.  In fact, on Tuesday my average pace was 15 min/mile  Something I haven't seen in MONTHS!  However, I did get out and run, thanks to a great husband who practically pushed me out the door.  I love when he does that for me.  On the upside, I did win two giveaways this week!  My first ever BondiBand, which I LOVE in the heat, from Bigger girls can run too.  I also won a SPIbelt(yes I have the band, but now I'm ready to try the belt, first time with something around my waist, eeek!) by entering the National Running Day contest on their facebook page.  I guess it pays to enter every single giveaway you see.  It drives my husband crazy.

This one had the perfect phrase for me.
It says, "Looks like walking, feels like running"

Tomorrow brings another four miler, only one week left until the 5K with Big D.  I can't wait to run with him. Have I mentioned that before?  I might just be a little excited.  I've been checking his times, and I'm pretty sure he is going to smoke me, he has been doing really well. We'll see how it goes.