Another sunday blog! :)

I totally believe what is said about the weeks going by faster and faster as you get older.  I cannot believe another week has gone by- time is seriously flying.

So yeah, how about that training????

This week was *ok*.  My cross training was almost nonexistant, which stunk but I'm battling some sort of something that is causing my energy level to be in the toilet.  Seriously, the fatigue has been so overwhelming that I've been going out to my car during my lunchbreak and sleeping at work.  Because I'm that classy.  I even crashed at the parents' house one night last week, just to spare the drive and ended up sleeping all late afternoon, evening, and night.  I need to get this figured out though, as it is hindering my training!

Atleast I got my runs in, for the most part.  Ended up with a few less miles than I would have liked, but considering how I felt, I'm ok with that.  Highlights included Monday's runs where upon running 8 miles at 8 minute pace in the morning felt rough, but running 3 more miles at 7:30 pace in the evening felt effortless and like I could keep going forever.  Tuesday = run with a friend = always the best miles of the week, even when they involve freezing rain.  Wednesday was 13 miles on the old treadmill before a swim.  Seriously- I felt my character being built.  Hmmm, what other runs were special?  Thurs/Friday, not so great.  I felt most exhausted that day.  Saturday, I woke up super-early to run pre-bakery in freezing weather, only to find when I got off at 2:30, it was BEAUTIFUL sunny and warm out.  So I put in a few more lovely miles. 

So today- the long run.  I was flying solo again today, with 20 miles on tap.  I procrastinated by getting up early and cleaning my whole apartment, washing sheets, and getting together tons of clothes to donate.  I was hoping it would warm up, but it didn't really.  Low 30s, which isn't terrible, but the wind was strong.  I planned a new route, hoping that it would be fun.  The first loop was intended to be 10-11 miles, then I would get some water at my place and head out again.  However, I sort of turned it into a game where as I approached turning back toward home, I turned the opposite way and kept adding on miles.  I felt like every time I extended it before going back to my apartment, I was getting 'ahead.'  Random, I know.  By 13 miles though, I was getting pretty thirsty and paid 2$ for an apple juice at a gas station that I downed in 30 seconds.  The thing about this route was that it was HILLY.  I am the first to admit that I hate hills, and although the town I live in is hilly, I try to avoid them as much as I can- especially on long runs.  Mostly this is because they effect my pace so much and I am a slave to my pace sometimes.  Well, today I just sort of embraced the crazy hilliness and kept doing what I could to challenge myself.  Which was basically going out of my way to make it hard.  My legs were very fatigued by the end, which was expected, but I was satisfied with this run, not because of pace (8:27, although considering the route is decent) but because I really stretched myself outside my comfort zone.  And that is what running is all about, right?

Random things on the run observed:
1) A nun walking on a dirt road about 3 miles from civilization, dressed in full-on nun-clothes
2) A HUGE deer road kill that I literally came millimeters from stepping on as I was zoning out during the run.  Then I proceded to jump 20 feet in the air out of surprise!
3) 2 seperate occasions I saw near car-deer collisions, which reminded me of #2
4) I man running FAST up a steep uphill next to me in jeans and running shoes
5) The fact that I have the most random..errr...eclectic music taste ever.....thank ipod.

So yeah, another week begins.  Hoping to up my milage from the 71 miles of this past week.  But we will see.  I really gotta get these health things worked out and go from there.

Hope everyone had great weekends and great runs!  Enjoy the new week! :)