All's well that ends well

Whew!  Crazy weekend.  My training plans didn't go quite as planned for the weekend, but it all ended up okay.  The original plan was to run my long run, (10 miles) on Saturday, and cross train on Sunday, along with my usual daily calisthenics from www.fitfabulousforever.com.  But things didn't go as planned, which is so often the case in my life!
Saturday morning, I got up promptly at 5 to get my morning work finished so I could do my 10 miler before driving 2 hours each way to pick up daughter #1 from camp.  I had my smoothie, and as I was heading out the door to work, it started to thunderstorm.  I got the work done, but there was no way I was running with the giant bolts of lightning!  I drove to camp, got Selena, and we drove back.   It poured for part of the ride, then cleared up.  I thought, "okay, Jacob and I can run 10 with the stroller this afternoon."
Got home to delicious cucumber and asparagus sushi, so we ate.  We finally got ready to leave the house, thinking we'd go to Grant's Trail, run, then go to Costco, and come home to go to the Cosmic Cow show.
We got the stroller into the car, and it started raining.  Again.  Ugh.  We went to Costco, and then home to put away the frozen food.  Then the kids exploded and we decided that we weren't up to a concert.  We eventually ended up going for a walk to Tower Grove Park and finding a really cool natural hive of feral bees in a big Osage Orange tree.  The whole walk I was wheezing, my asthma is bad in the super high humidity.  By the time we got everyone to bed, I was grumpy, having missed my workout and having to count a walk as crosstraining, and realizing that I do, indeed, have a cold.  And having had a very bad eating day.  Which always really upsets me.  I asked Selena if she'd be willing to babysit in the morning so Jacob and I could go run.  She generously agreed.

Sunday morning, I woke at 5, took care of the dogs, and went back to sleep until 6:30, which was really too late to get a fast start.  I got Jacob up and told him he had to go to work with me if we were going to have time to run.  He said, "I hate you" and got up. I ate my overnight oatmeal with peaches, cinnamon, lemon zest and soymilk, and got some water ready to go.   We took care of 4 jobs, and by then it was 8:45.  I was upset, thinking we would never get back before Selena got really annoyed with the kids and everything at home was ugly.  I really, really wanted to trail run, so we headed west toward the closest places, Queeny Park, and Castlewood.  Queeny is closest, so Jacob drove there, since I said I didn't care where we went.  I realized when we got there, that I did NOT want to run there, and was feeling sort of hateful toward the whole idea.  So we went to Castlewood State Park, which is one of my very favorite places to run.  I used to trail run at least once a week before the younger kids were born.  Since the older kids were not homeschooled, I had daytime hours free sometimes, and would use them to trail run as often as I could.  I always went on Mondays, when I had only one dog walking job, and when most sitting clients return from vacations.  I often ran at Castlewood, or on the Chubb Trail at Lone Elk Park, or the Greenrock Trail, or Babler State Park.  I'd go any other day during the week that I could free up a couple of hours.  Since the younger kids are homeschooled, I don't have the big blocks of time to manipulate, and trail running is something that has fallen away by necessity, and that I miss very much.
So, when Selena can babysit, Jacob and I almost always use that time to go trail running.

Today's run was great.  We climbed the front of the hill that tops at the bluffs over the Meramec River, and goes down an enormous set of stairs to the train tracks, and along the river, then back around to the road we started from and back out to another hill climb on the opposite site of the road, up the Grotepeter Trail, which climbs and tops the hills, then comes out at the Ranger station, where we crossed the road again, and climbed the River Walk Trail back to the top of the bluffs, then down the first trail we took up, and back to the parking lot.  2:10.  Probably not 10 miles, but the terrain and the elevation gains and losses more than make up for mileage.  It was also hot.  About 95 F with a heat index of 106.  We saw a 5 foot black snake, a box turtle, a bunch of Turkey Vultures (no, they were NOT following me!), a chipmunk, and a really annoying horsefly.  I did take one big wipeout, but it was pretty well balanced, and I came out with some dirt and a scrape on my right knee.  I fell right on the flat, in the soft dirt, shortly after descending the stairs.  I never seem to fall on the rocks and heavy terrain.  Lucky me.  Jacob thinks it may have something to do with the stairs.

Things I learned today:

My wonderful husband will do pretty much anything to hang with me, even if he shouldn't.
Don't forget the bottle of gatorade in the fridge.
I can still run hardcore on the rough stuff.
Merrell Pace Gloves are awesome shoes, but definitely need gaiters.  Dirty girl will be back tomorrow, so I'll be putting in an order.
Having a daughter who can babysit and have multigrain pancakes for you when you get home rocks.
Citrus bodywash on a scraped knee really stings!
I still love Castlewood, the river, and all the amazing natural beauty available to me.
Trail running soothes my soul like nothing else.

I still have the cold, but I feel so much better after the run!   We gave Selena $20 for babysitting, so maybe she'll do it again next week.  All's well that ends well.  And I think I might add a bike ride to tomorrow's "rest" day, just for fun.

Wow! Behind on Blogging, not on Running...

Hi everyone!  Looks like I'm quite behind in my blogging duties!  The good news is, I have been running and am pretty much on "track" as it were, for my Chicago Marathon goal.  Last week seems to be the last time I made a blog update.  Well, let's see, it's been consistently miserably hot here in the Midwest.  Temps over 100 F for most of the week, with heat indices in the 110-116 F range.  Ugh!  I have been lucky enough to get out of the house between 5 and 7 am for most of my runs, so it's been in the breezy upper 80's when I've been out actually running.

 Last Tuesday I ran around Tower Grove park for 3 miles.  I saw the funniest thing, as I was running toward the Piper Palm House, which is a big greenhouse across from some lily ponds, I saw a bunch of ducks lined up along the sidewalk, looking expectant.  I had a weird moment where it seemed they were waiting for me, as they all turned to look at me at the same time.   Then, as I got closer, I saw the automatic sprinklers go on! They all did the duck neck twist thing, and the duck happy dance.  Apparently, this is their morning ablutions!

On Wednesday, I ran around Forest Park, through the lakes and around the Boathouse, and to the Fieldhouse, for a total of 5.18 miles.  I'd planned a 6, but I had to get home for the kids to get to camp.  I ran in my Merrell Pace Gloves for half the time, and in my actual bare feet the rest of the time.  It was lovely.

On Thursday, I ran around Tower Grove and to a client's house who lives in my neighborhood, to walk her dog.  Friday was a rest day, calisthenics, and play with the kids.  My running schedule called for a half-marathon race this weekend, but there are none to do in MO in the middle of July!  I had a lot of work, and Jacob had the opportunity to work both weekend days and make extra money.  So, I thought I'd run on Sunday morning, but I didn't have time.  I didn't want to run on Monday, because we had been out the night before to a cookout, and I was really exhausted, and still had a number of clients out of town.  So, Tuesday (yesterday) morning, I got up early and got out of the house, did all my morning work, and went to Forest Park.  I ran two full outside loops of the park, and bit farther, past the field house for a third time, and back to the car.  I thought for sure it would be the 13.1 I had planned, but when I checked my mileage, it was only 12.31.  Oops.  I guess that's why I have all those days where I ran an extra half mile or so!  I saw some really beautiful birds on my run.  In the wetlands part of the park, I saw an egret, a blue heron, a green heron and an amazing looking shorebird I am unfamiliar with.  Quite tall, orange eyes, and a very long, white, crest feather on the top of his head!  Also turtles, wood ducks, and a gorgeous red-tailed hawk.  It was 89 F when I started out, and 106 F when I finished!  Ack!  No wonder it took me so long!

All is well in the training department.  The fundraising department seems to have hit a stall, however.  I strongly encourage everyone to DONATE!  and please encourage your friends, students and clients to donate, too!  Many thanks!

Catch-up days!

Sunday was a cross-training day.  My cross-training so far seems to consist of life.  I had a busy day on Sunday, work, driving Selena to Camp Lakewood, and going out for Birthday celebrations and moms' night out with some of my friends.  Monday was the ever-popular rest day.  Tuesday morning, I got up early, did my work and ran 3.25 (though I was scheduled for 3) at Forest Park.  I enjoyed the frogs croaking, the ducks bobbing, and seeing several people whom I see frequently walking and running.  I hustled it hard today, because, as is often the case, I had to hurry home to get the kids lunches packed and to camp on time!  With several clients out of town, and everyone's gardens and plants needing to be watered, work is taking even longer than usual!  My average speed was 11:20, and my max speed was 8:40.  I worked on my barefoot form when I was running on the boardwalk and footbridge, toe running on the boardwalk, practicing fast foot turnover, and single-tracking on the footbridge.  It was hot.  about 87 F.  They keep saying it's going to rain, but the ubiquitous "they" appear to be liars!

 I did the upper-body weight circuit at the Y, since I was there anyway, dropping the kids at camp.  I always enjoy my Y time.  Not sure why it's so satisfying, but everyone is always so nice and friendly, and I feel so much better after I work out.

Came home and weeded yard and garden, did some work with Merlin, adding a cue to 2o2o, and working a little bit on stays and left turns.  Made lovely Coconut Curry Shrimp and Green Beans for supper, with basmati rice.  The kids liked it, even after telling me they don't like curry, so it was a hit.
Tomorrow morning, 6 miles!  I'm sure it will be another beautiful, if HOT, day!

Saturday 12 miles? Well, almost...

Well.  Today was supposed to be a 12 mile run.  It was unbelievably hot and a red air quality day.  Jacob came with me to do some work and then hit Forest Park to run.  We had run about 6.25 miles, when I got a text message from Selena, asking me to come home because the little kids were fighting, screaming and crying, and kicking each other, and wouldn't stop.  Sigh.  We happened to be close to the parking lot, so we drove home.  Everyone was fine when we got there.  Selena was apologetic, and said, "Do you want to go finish your other 6 miles?"  Well, not really.  So I made scrambled eggs with black beans, avocado and salsa for everyone, then we went back out, with the stroller, to Tower Grove to do the last 6 miles.  At noon.  We. Are. Idiots.  Hottest weather ever, and we ran in it.  Why we do these things, I don't know.  We have nothing to prove.  We're old and slow.  We could've waited until it got dark, and somewhat cooler.  But, we did finish 5 miles.  So we finished, miserably, sweaty and overheated, probably about 11.25 miles, which is going to have to be good enough for today!  Some days, you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you.  Today, we were hot hors d'oeuvres...

Friday, REST day.

Friday, along with being a rest day, is the day my sweetie got home from his 2 week trip to the parents' farm!  I'm so happy to see him, and I took rest day to the limit.  I did no real physical activity, lounged around with the kids, cancelled a walk and train job because the pavement is too hot for dog paws (and MY paws!), and tonight we're doing Family Movie Night.  What a great rest day!

Thursday Morning. A good, barefootin' day!

Today was a good day for a nice run.  We're still under an extreme heat warning, and yellow air quality, but around 6:30, it was a breezy 87 degrees. Which, considering our recent daily weather, was a nice break.  I ran around Forest Park, the Grand Basin, where I could see the fountains, and the Art Museum at the top of the hill, then through the restoration project of River Des Peres, around the shore of the lake and past the Boathouse.  At about the halfway point, I took off my Merrell's and ran in my actual naked footedness!  Barefoot running is so much more satisfying than wearing shoes, even barefoot shoes.  I love the feel of the grass, asphalt, dirt and gravel on the soles of my feet.  I can feel the energy coming up through the earth, up through my feet and legs, and spreading out through my body, like a wave of excitement.

I learned a couple of new things, and re-learned a couple of things I already knew.  Relearning is something that happens to me often, recently.  New things I learned, Merrell Pace Gloves, while comfy, and great on most surfaces, even large river stones, but there are two things they're not good at doing.
1. keeping out gravel and general junk, I'm going to have to go to dirtygirl.com and get a nice new pair of gaiters to wear with them, which seems ridiculous, but I hope will work.
2. NOT good on slippery, wet, algae covered rocks!  Watch yourself, or you'll end up in the drink!  I didn't but only by a lucky leap.

They are good at playing "Old Lady Parkour", though!  I like to bounce and leap off the railings and benches around the Grand Basin, I'm not exactly hardcore, but it's a nice proprioreceptive workout, which is important, and apparently more so as one ages.

I re-learned what it feels like to be 15 pounds lighter.  I don't want those 15 back, by the way!  Being lighter really affects the quality of my running, and allows me to be much faster, without a lot of effort.
I re-learned that faster foot turnover creates better forefoot striking motion, and really gets you moving, without straining.
I re-learned that it's bad to try to cross the metal suspension bridge in truly bare feet, especially when it's really hot, and a fast moving bike is coming from the other side!
I re-learned why I like to run off the path, out of the box, and down by the waterside.  Lovely!

I was scheduled for a 3 miler today, but I ran 3.22.   It could have been a lot more, if I didn't have so many other things calling for my time!
                                

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Monday was a rest day.  I actually rested.  Sort of.
Tuesday, I got up and went to work, then went to Forest Park to do my 3 miles in the 89 degree heat and yellow air quality day.  I got about halfway done, around 15 minutes into it, and I got a text message from Selena, saying that Aurora has really bad diarrhea, and can I hurry home.  So I looped back to the car and left.  Aurora is fine, now.  She ate way too much junk food the night before.  Problem solved.  Short run, though.  Glad that I got that extra mile and change in on Saturday...
Wednesday morning, up early and to work, and out to Forest Park when it was a breezy 89 degrees.  I had a lovely run, saw a mink, and a snowy egret, cardinals, a red eared slider, green heron and a great Blue Heron.   I finished faster than I thought, again!  I did over 6 miles in 1:14.01.

Another lovely, and very busy, day.  Tomorrow, 3 miles, paint the basement, train the dogs so I don't completely embarrass myself completely at our upcoming Hannah Branigan seminar.