In Brief

My last few weeks: some good runs, some cold (REALLY COLD like hands go NUMB, cold) runs, some not-so-good runs (because I threw the 10% rule out the window and spent 3 weeks living by the 10 MILE rule, a highly scientific process by which you increase your mileage by 10 each week and then can’t understand why your legs suddenly feel like lead), too many holiday sweets, lot of toiling over 2010 goals, boldly attempting to wear heels again, being spoiled rotten for Christmas, and resisting the urge to register for every marathon under the sun.

This week: trying to keep my weekly total under control so I don’t have dead legs for Friday’s 10k, the first in a four-part race series I’ve signed up for. Don’t worry, it’s in Minneapolis, where the forecasted HIGH is 5 degrees that day. So this should be interesting.

In addition to that series (that cost like a million dollars, by the way) I’ve also chosen my next marathon! I’m going to, drumroll please, the illustrious Fargo, North Dakota! So it’s no Big Sur, but it’s close to home, everyone who’s run it has nothing but good things to say (did you see this month’s Runner’s World?), it’s flat, and it’s got PR written all over it : )

Here’s a few photos from my holiday weekend! Hope you had a good one!

Romping through the snow on Christmas Day.

Wrapping job courtesy of my husband.

Once of my favorite Christmas presents.

A Garmin-Free Week

As much as my Type-A perfectionist personality thrives on the whole training routine (schedules! pre-determined paces! all sorts of numbers to obsess over!) I am currently in LOVE with not being in training for anything in particular.

Case in point: Thursday night, I’m snuggled up on my couch watching Home Alone, when Jeff texted me to see if I wanted to go for a quick run. I had just eaten a (freaking huge!) dinner and had run 8 the day before (my ‘long’ run for the week.) I was planning a rest day and was about to say no, when I realized I could take a rest day whenever I wanted…like, Friday! What a concept! I said yes and a short run turned into a 8-mile venture down to Falls Park, a gorgeous decked-out-in-holiday-lights city park that was totally worth the 17ish degree weather we ran in. I didn’t wear my Garmin, didn’t obsess about how this would fit into my week, and had so much fun! (Ok, so my stomach was a little unhappy with me, but it was mostly ok. )

Speaking of my stomach, I have a theory about why I got sick in Philly–that I maybe didn’t eat enough. I think I’m going to mess around with running at different times of the day (and thusly with different amounts of food intake for the day) because as an early-morning runner, I’m often going on an empty stomach…which makes it really really hard to eat anything before 26.2 miles…let alone as much as I probably should eat. Anyways, just a theory.

I ended up with 29 miles for the week (all of them sans Garmin…I don’t know why but I’m weirdly proud of this), which is right around where I wanted to be. For now I’m thinking to add 5 or so a week until I’m back to 40, and just hang out there until I start training for another race. I’m going to try to get in one cross-training workout a week too, though I failed on that front this past week.

After a night out with Megan Friday and a holiday party last night, I’ve basically ingested NOTHING healthy in the last 48 hours (so, so sorry body!) so I’m already looking forward to my run tomorrow morning to, uh, detox a little. I’m also shopping training plans for my next marathon, whenever that may be : ) Got a good one? Do tell!

Lots of Christmas cheer for Saturday's party!

Congrats to all the racers out there this weekend, especially Ron, Gina, and Aron who all got a PR! (And Aron’s going to Boston!) So inspired by you guys!

Happy running.