Time: 7:45am, 49 minutes

Where: Gym treadmill. Blarg

Workout: 5 miles “steady pace”. I hovered between 9:30 – 10 min mile, with a small burst on my last lap because I wanted to get off the dang treadmill.

Notes & Observations: All the distractions in the world … two TV stations, 1 iPod and plenty of people watching, doesn’t compare to running outside. But, with my foot hurting these last few days I wanted to run somewhere where if I needed to stop I could stop and not be in the middle of nowhere. So there you go.

Interesting observation. When I run on weekends my mind wanders and I think about rowing and fitness and teamwork and stuff like that. When I run in the gym (or at least today) I think about work and work and more work.

Music: Foo Fighters on shuffle.

Time: 8:30am, 1 hr 6 min

Where: Burke Gilman Trail, featuring the Wall of Death!

Workout: 7 miles. LSD

Splits (raw data here):

• Mile 1: 9:05 though this was probably slightly under a mile
• 2: 9:24
• 3: 10:01 though this includes a 30-sec traffic light
• 4: 9:26
• 5: 9:41
• 6: 9:37
• 7: 9:34

Notes and Observations: I was extremely cold at first. It was windy and rainy but I did it anyway. Adjusted, I’m guessing a 9:30 min mile. Ahead of my goal, which is great. A funny thought occured as I was nearing mile 7. If this were race day, I’d only be halfway done! Aiieee. I have a long way to go. Also want to jot down what I ate so I don’t forget: one slice whole wheat toast w/peanut butter and sliced banana, one cup coffee w/milk; random bites of the husband’s breakfast of a ham&cheese biscuit and the kid’s breakfast of a butter croissant.

I saw an old rowing mate, Jill, on the trail. She’s training for another Ironman, and I barely had time to get out a “hey” before she ran on. I get the sense she knew it was me from seeing my back. All those practices sitting bow seat to my two seat, staring at my back (not to mention my mediocre technique). Made me think a lot about rowing during the run, the feeling of being on a team, of tryouts and seat races. Winning is fun. Getting to the point of winning is hard, hard work. I wasn’t always willing to put in the hard work, but when I did, it paid off through making boats, winning races, and having fun, a lot of fun with my teammates, who I knew were working just as hard (ok, probably harder than me). I did it for them as well as for me.

Now, I’m doing it for me.

Finally, one last thing. Just finished Lance Armstrong’s memoir of his 2nd – 5th Tour wins, Every Second Counts. Funny to read it years after so many doping scandals have broken out, but that’s another story for another time … This excerpt is an example of the differences between a good competitive athlete and the extraordinary competitive athlete:

Every Second Counts, by Lance Armstrong

So, that is what’s going through my mind as I trudge through 7 miles.

Music: Foo Fighters and The Killers sorted by most played according to our iTunes Library. Apparently I like to play “Mr Brightside” a lot.

Time: 12:50 pm, 40 min
Where; gym treadmill
Workout: 4 mi w/intervals
Mile 1: easy, between 5.5 and 6.0
Miles 2 – 3: Baseline of 6.0 (10 min mi) and Intervals every 200m x 8: 6.5, 6.7, 6.9, 7.0 7.0 6.9 6.7 6.7. 7.0 is 8:30 min mile.
Mile 4: easy, around 6.1
Notes: Last week’s side stitches are not around this week. Must have been having GI issues before. This routine feels good. I am, however, too old to be running from Lincoln Square to the Galleria in shorts in 45 degree weather. Ha ha I grew up in New England doing just that and now I’m a Seattle wimp.
Music: Foo Fighters, One by One

Time: 12:30ish

Where: Bellevue Way towards I-90

Workout: I was supposed to do 5 miles LSD. I probably did more like 4.5.

Notes & Observations: Until I find some decent, familiar routes in Bellevue I feel like I’m floundering. On the other hand, no side stitches, and this distance is no longer a fearful one for me. I guess that’s the point, eh.

Music: Vampire Weekend

Happy VD via someecards.com