Running recap.....my apologies

To those of you that check this with any frequency...I apologize. I have not been keeping on top of it the last couple of weeks. I wish I had a good excuse....but it would just be that...and excuse. Just all the different things trying to get balanced right now...

So I will start with the 5 mile run a week and a half ago. It felt a little off but not terrible. It was very very cold. At that time, I was shocked I had put in 25 miles already. My time was 49:02. Decent time...I was very anxious about running the 20 on Saturday....so....onto Saturday....

I got up and had been warned by a fellow Laramie runner about the wind predictions. I checked in the morning, and he was right. Gusts up to 40, so I decided to just do my 3 mile loop again and again and top it off with a two mile loop. I also told myself I would run in the street as much as possible, and that was a wise decision for my legs.

The incline of the first mile feels a little harder when you are on the asphalt, I am not sure why that is. But it also feels so much better with the ITB. I had those little nagging doubt in my head as I trudged along to the top, I was not sure at all that I was going to be able to do it. As I turned the corner onto 30th I got my first dose of the wind, but it didn't seem that bad. I almost continued onto my big loop into west Laramie, glad I didn't.

By the end of the first loop my IT bands in both legs were already pretty sore...I stopped off at my apartment and grabbed a couple of ibuprofen but made sure to keep my watch going so I start learning what the clock time will reflect at the Colorado. I then got back on the street....

Second time up the hill and I was feeling it. Legs were tired...but I had run 5 miles the day before...that is the point I kept telling myself....putting in the distance when you are tired....keep running. I did find a nice pace for the next couple of miles...

By mile 6-7 the hill was becoming more and more of a challenge. I used it as motivation....kept just saying in the back of my head 'hit it again' and up I would go....by the top....I would be saying 'fight' to keep me moving....it worked....kept me psyched up...

Next couple of loops were pretty unremarkable accept the wind kept getting worse and worse. I could feel it the whole 3 mile loop by that time. Hard to keep things out of my eyes at times. I was glad I didn't wear my ball cap and instead used my Under Armour Balaklava....helps the wind seem less in my ears....

Around mile 16 I could really feel my pace slowing and it took a lot to keep pushing up the hill...up the hill....but I just kept going....

The last two mile loop didn't end up being a two mile loop because all the road runnin shortened the distance considerably which was good, because around mile 18 I hit a weird 15 minute snowstorm that just rocked my world. I was already soooo tired. Then I could see anthing...had to take of my sunglasses just to cross the streets....I wanted to quit...kept telling myself that wasn't an option and so I just kept pushing....

By the time I hit mile 19.5 the snow had stopped and the sun was back out. The wind was still insane though. Just gave everything I had in the tank to get those legs moving. I decided to stop at mile 20.0 exactly...even though I was a mile from home. The wind with the soaking wet clothes really was not pleasant...so I unashamedly got a ride home. My pace was a very solid 9 minutes and 51 seconds per mile. My time for the run was 3 hours, 17 minutes, and 10 seconds. I can not express how this run helped me mentally....

The rest of Saturday I took it easy...my legs were in pretty bad shape...not just the ITB so I kept them up. Sunday I felt a little worse physically. By Monday, I really thought I has a touch of the flu. I felt so drained and just unfocused. I didn't get out for a run on Monday or Tuesday....didn't really want to on Wednesday....but I did and it felt really good. I did 6 miles and worked out the kinks pretty well. The IT band was not great, but I didn't care, I was just happy to be out. On a side note, I also received the news that I was selected for the New York City Marathon again through the lottery. This will be my second year in a row....I do feel bad for people that applied and did not get in...I really do....but it is hard to put into words how it made me feel. I had such an amazing experience last year....really have been on a cloud the last several days...

I did another run on Friday which was 8 miles. It was not an easy run...by any means...my body is still fighting something I think. I had never run that far before a long run if my memory is correct, so I was feeling concerned about Saturday. I ironically gave a speech about the benefits of running that morning....I just get so excited whenever I talk about it...I am sure I bore the rest of the world....

I have been taking care of my dog over in Cheyenne while my parents have been at my sister Carrie's wedding in Hawaii. When I came back to school, I couldn't find a place that I could afford that would let me keep her so she has been living with them. It has been a little tough getting over there and getting to work on time and then getting back over here so I decided to stay the night Friday night and do my long run on Saturday in Cheyenne.

My folks live outside of town a little bit, so it was a mile and a half run to the Greenway. I had always wanted to run on it when I live in Cheyenne, and still wasn't healthy so I was a little excited about it. I was not looking forward to the banging on my legs for that distance, but knew it would be a good tune-up because Colorado ends along a cement path similar to Cheyenne's.

I expected to see more people....but figured out that a lot of the dead spots were far from parking, so unless people were out like me running or biking they would stay somewhat close to their cars. Made for some solitary stretches though.

The wind is always worse in Cheyenne...always....I will take the cooler temps and higher amounts of snow in Laramie compared to the wind every day of the week. But I was already out, so there was nothing to do but just deal with it. I did enjoy the nice bright sun. It was also really cool to run in some mini "tunnels" that went under streets. It was a sensation I had never experienced.

I ended up really doing an out and back which is also something that I don't do often. It is good to change up things for me from time to time. Coming back I saw a few more people, and I actually got buzzed by a bird. It was bizarre and slightly funny. Two birds were just sitting off the path a little bit and decided to fly....one was a foot or two above me...but the second one....didn't quite make clearance of my big head....it just barely clipped me...I had to chuckle.....

The run called for 13 but I ended up doing 14. The legs definitely were hurting....couldn't get comfortable the rest of the day. My time was 2 hours, 16 minutes and 4 seconds or a 9 minute and 43 second pace. It was a good run.

I had received an email from another runner in Laramie that I met via dailymile.com (Thanks again for suggesting that site Jon, I am addicted). There are runners that do group runs from time to time and they were doing one today. I thought I would meet them and just do 2 or 3 to help loosen up my legs. For some reason I kept thinking we were meeting at 8:30...when in reality it was 7:30....I didn't realize this until I got up this morning.

I decided to run to the end point and take my chances that they would return and so I ran over to the coffee shop and waited a few and sure enough...they showed up. I really enjoy talking with other runners. I am hopeful I can get out with them from time to time. I was given a ride most the way home by Nate and Tina and then ran the rest of the way. Legs really hurt the first 2 miles, but I stretched and did a little yoga waiting at TurtleRock Coffee and they feel decent now. Nice way to end a running week. My time was 32 minutes and 55 seconds or a 9 minute and 30 second per mile pace. Thank you for your patience and for reading!