I got up at 5am!:)

I finally did it again! and no I am not Brittany Spears. I actually got up at 5am and did my workout. I am hoping to do it again and again. Oops! I have been saying I am going to get up and get my workout out of the way, but it has not been happening. My motivation was my Saturday run. I felt it was not the greatest so I am trying to make the best of what time I have left. I figured if I do not allow the day to get in the way (you know how things add up) and not being allowed to use the heat as an excuse that I would do better about getting my time in. We will see if this is a short trend or long one.
IT DID FEEL GREAT, once I was out of the bed. I set enough time to get my workout in and I was not thinking of all the things I had to get done before bedtime (like usual). My only thinking was one interval at a time. I did 3:2 intervals after I found 4:1's were a little rough after Saturday.

Whew!

Can you believe it? I almost cannot.... 20 miles ( I was a little shy of 20)! We kicked A** . I got home, drank some Endurox and took a cold bath. I honestly could not believe that I could walk the rest of the day. My legs did not hurt until I woke up this morning. I actually thought I would be hurting worse due to how badly I felt those last 5 or 6 miles. My knee was killing me (ITB issues again & a popping out of place problem). I almost quit but due to the support out there I decided to keep going even if I walked. Even that hurt!
22 here we come and then 26.2. :)
Oh, to those that I told I was going to work in the garden when I got home! Tom gave me a reprieve. He had my bath fixed for me and fixed me breakfast! Not sure what I did to deserve that. We hung out all day, went to the grocery and watched a movie at home. I did have to buy him a beer later that evening though.
Well to next Saturdays 10 miles. Easy run!

Everybody is looking GREAT!

I thought everyone looked great on Saturday. Thank goodness it was a little cooler than the Saturday before. I ran with Mandy, Kim and Carey (gosh, I hope I spelled that right!).
This evening I went to Heather's Yoga class. If you have not gone you are definitely missing out. She is great! Well, sometimes and then the sometimes she is not you just want to scream at her for making you hurt a little. She is teaching us to stretch in some places I did not even know you could stretch!
Well, good luck on your training this week. I am going to keep my mind set on one interval at a time! You guys offer great advice and I think you for it. Last Saturday's 9 miles kicked me in the butt a little. I was very sore afterwards for some reason. This week I have not been sore at all. Go figure with all those hills.

The mental battle: What do I do?

I have been struggling with the mental battle of running since we began. I keep hoping I will push it out of the way for it to never come return, but I need to rethink that one. It seems like the last few miles always get me. If I were going to run 15 miles, I would be fine up until the last three or four and the same way with 9 miles. I am fine until the last one or two. I have tried finding a mantra that works for me, but so far none do. I have tried telling myself I love running and that doesn't seem to work in the middle of a run. I am wondering if I could get someone to do hypnotherapy and plant "I love running" into my mind (which would only work if my left and right brain are in sync with one another and I want to "love" running). I read runner's world magazine which gets me pepped up for a little while. I get new shoes or a new shirt or shorts which gets me excited and out there. I really cannot afford to do that every time I am supposed to go running by myself. :)
Well I guess I will keep battling this one out but any suggestions anyone has I am happy to hear them out.

Wow! You guys did great.

I was not there to see you finish but I did get to see you start out and cheered some of you on during my jaunt back to the park. Sorry I had to cut it short. I did my 13 miles though which was my goal today. That is the most motivation I have had since going to Annual Training. Today has pumped me up for the rest of the week and I am already looking forward to running on Saturday.
I am actually still shocked at myself for getting up at 3am and heading out to the park early. I think I am starting to stress out a little because we are only 2 months away. I am hanging in there though.
I have had a terrible headached most of the day. I think it was due to lack of sleep and the heat. Once I got the armory and showered I started pouring sweat from standing over a grill and then just from the lack of not having an air conditioner until around 2pm. I could not wait to get home and crawl in bed.
Well, Happy Training everyone! I wish you well this week.

Running me crazy!

Life that is. I have been in Clinton all week doing my Command Inventory for the National Guard. It is hot and humid and even worse in a building with mostly no air conditioning. I did well at the first of the week but as the inventory went on and I got more tired I slacked off.
Tomorrow, I plan (you caught the word plan, right) on getting to the park at 4am and starting out. I am going to do camp fire circle and then come back ..hopefully catching you guys and running to the boat landing and heading back in to the park. I have to cut it short due to it being Family Day in Canton for the 112th MP BN. I am hoping this will be the last Saturday that is in jeopardy. There may be a Saturday in September but it may not be a problem as long as I can run and still be in Meridian by 11:30.