Weekends Rule!

The last few weekends have been so wicked!  I'm having such a great time.  This one was insane busy and action packed, but awesome.

Friday = Swimming!!!! 

It wasn't so bad.  I appreciated that it was a completely different cardio workout from running and it left me breathless after just a few laps.  Definitely a great workout for the upper body.  The last few laps I had to use my legs more because my arms were toast, felt them the next morning.

Funny story ... we get in the pool and my friend asks if I want to use a pair of goggles.  I hate goggles, so decline.  She says, "Are you sure?  Don't you wear contacts?  Won't they float off?".  I say, "Nope.  I've swam like this lots and never had a problem."  Then I tell her, "You know, you probably just cursed me.  I'm going to lose one now."

Sure enough, first lap down the pool, I get up and my right contact is GONE!  I wore the goggles after that.  Luckily Costco is not far away and I got a free sample to get me home.

That night we had one of those home decor parties (overpriced crap if you ask me!).  While there, my husband got talking with my running buddy and they decided that we were going to run 20K the next day.  So .....

Saturday = Running

Honestly, I was not mentally prepared for this.  I like to think I'm a spur-of-the-moment kind of gal, but maybe I'm not quite.  As soon as I learned of these plans I immediately stopped eating and started drinking as much water as I could.  Talk about cramming to prep.

I was bagged when I got up.  It was a two loop trail of 6 miles each.  The first loop I was a bit of a whiny baby.  After jumping from 9 miles to 13 miles last week Sunday, and only 6 days later attacking 12 miles again ... I was questioning my sanity.

The stomach attacked at about 3 miles (normal).  Usually after that I feel better and the run gets easier.  But not this day.  At around 5 miles we had to go up a few steps and over a bridge.  I tripped on a step (but caught myself with my hands - no harm), and I felt done.  I almost started to cry.  I didn't want to run.  I didn't feel prepared to run this distance.  It was everyone else's fault.  Honestly I was just feeling wimpy. 

We stopped, stretched and regrouped after the first lap.  For the 2nd lap my husband went ahead and I decided to stay back with our friends and run slower.  I wasn't in this run for time anyway.  Running slower is alot easier on your body, but it does make the miles go by slowly.  Around 9 miles my friend was feeling burned out and she asked me to go ahead.  She had been trying to run a bit faster for me and because we were talking it was draining her.  I was surprised that the last 3 miles were actually the easiest of the whole run for me.  Maybe because I was alone?  Maybe because I was almost done?

At mile 11 I ran into my brother-in-law's cousin.  She doesn't live very near to this trail (nor do I), but had decided to go out there.  She didn't realize I ran those kind of distances and was impressed, which made me smile as she has done Ironman before so I know she understands.

On this long run I carried a full bottle of powder mixed Gatorade.  It went well.  I would have liked to take along some other foods to try, but just wasn't prepared.  Next time.  While I wasn't mentally prepared for the run, afterwards I was glad I did it.  It was good to push through that mental barrier too.

Afterwards we had a couple slices of leftover pizza.  Then as soon as we got home I rushed out to watch my daughter's soccer game (they won!).  In the evening we watched the UFC fight - it was a really good one!  I did NOT spend the day nibbling on crap.  And I didn't spend the day completely exhausted.  I did have a 20 min power nap before UFC, but other than that I was good.  My legs felt good and I didn't feel drained.  I think I'm ready to move on in my training.

Sunday was another crazy, busy, active day - but I'll leave that to another post.

Hope all my fellow bloggers and readers had a fantastic weekend too!

Keep Active!

Heidi

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