My 31 Days of Running

I have committed myself to running everyday the month of March. I look forward to it, but hope I do not get burned out. I'm curious to know how it will be, will I run more because I am running everyday? Or will I do lots of 1-2 miles to combat soreness?  It is going to be an interesting 31 days.

March 1st:  Today it was so cold.  I never got warm during this 3.5 mile loop.  I should've worn pants (I thought the entire time).

March 2nd: Momo went with and we ran my late evening Greenway/Freedom loop.  (Freedom to Judges and back via Greenway, plus Freedom park 1.5 loops - turned around at 3/4 mile and ran back to the other side.  Nice run with my dear dog. Mileage: 3.4 


March 3rd: Treadmill- Speedwork/Fartlek- Enough Said; Mileage: 3.1

March 4th: 1 mile, park at night (creepy) - would've done more... but the creep was hanging out on his truck tonight and only two other guys were at the park training

March 5th: 3.1  miles Tempo run (5mph/5 minutes; 5.2mph/4min; 5.4mph/4min; 5.6mph/4min; 5.8/4 min; 6mph/2min;6.2/2min;6.5/2min;5mph/5min.)

March 6th: 2 slow miles at the track... SO COLD

March 7th: 4 miles/Trail/ bump into Coach Murray from my Cross Country days. It feels like 1995 again!

March 8th: 4 miles/Trail/hardest run in a long time - work-route (clockwise)  but mega-hard due to aches

March 9th: 1.4 Park loop with three kids in the stroller - ALL 3

March 10th: 4.5 miles with Easton - it was 68 degrees! Terrence's friend from school days, Dwight, was running and passed me 3 different times...was he pushing Easton? No.


March 11th: 2 mile - short work loop

March 12th: 4 miles (campus with friends; then park with 2 kids)

March 13th: 1.1 Dreadmill/rest day

March 14th: 3 miles... Bethel with Easton; I saw my friend, Jaime, who said she is trying the C25K program (couch to 5K); she is going to do it, with grace, I'm sure of it!

March 15th: Be aware of the Ides of March - just 1... REST (park)

March 16th: 4, campus loop.... backward/hills, in my short shorts - JUST DO IT! I finally got the courage to wear my Nike uebershort dry-fit fitted shorts, and of course saw my boss in the parking lot driving a van full of his entire family... haha

March 17th: 2.1 with Elle, Greenway: original loop

March 18th: 1.1 - started a tempo run, got the warm-up done, and had to quit... Elle was screaming and ready to be put down.  It was okay though - I was fairly nauseous most of the day and didn't want to run anyhow. Then I got five minutes in and could've easily done a 45 minute tempo run. Oh well, funny how that works! Tempo tomorrow? 

March 19th: 3 miles at the track - could have easily done 5, but alas I have a dog - that darn dog... he could only hang for 3. We ran a 32 though - not bad for a run with a dog that pees on every pole and sniffs every tree!

March 20th: 4 miles, campus lunch hour

March 21st: 2 miles with Momo, at the track... brrr!  I have noticed a sharp hip pain, it better stop. It feels like overuse, nothing major like sciatica or IT band syndrome, but still painful. But, I can work through it the next 10 days.

March 22nd: 2 mile - short work loop

March 23rd: Just 1 mile... I ran the first 3 quarters while Elle screamed at me... so the last quarter I grabbed her and walked pretty fast. Mommy/daughter bonding.


March 24th: 1 mile... it was cold, snowy/rainy, and awful. I got bored and loaded the girls up and took them to NCSD's standard 400 meter track.  I hope to get in a long run tomorrow, but I have to work late. So lunch break LSD? (that's long slow distance, for those who are unfamiliar to run lingo)

March 25th: 3.2 Tempo (after working a 10 hour day) 5 minute warm up, 20 minute tempo, 4 minute interval, 6 minute cool down... Tempos are the reason I have increased my stamina and speed.  I have been able to run distance my entire life, but being able to run consistent 9 minute miles after twins is due to tempo workouts. I swear by the tempo... and by eating well and hill-work. I also love the tempo run.

March 26th: 1.2 miles, around the track, on the phone, with the dog... not one of more suave runs. Call it a rest day...

March 27th: 3.2 miles/Yasso-800s: 800 meter (half-mile) warm up; 4x800 meter each sub 5 minutes; tenth of a mile rest-jog between each set; 800 meter-ish cool-down. According to trainer, Burt Yasso,  "You can predict your marathon time based on how long it takes you to run 800 meters." Hence, Yasso 800s.  Theoretically, I could run a marathon sub 5 hours... um... maybe, my last half was 2:40 and I run a 90 second faster mile these days.  Oh and by the way, Yasso-800s suck. I would do 70 tempo runs with a smile on my face before even pretending to like Yasso-800s. Bleh.  

March 28th: 1 measly mile, maybe, total in the three times I ran... and my dog got kicked by some random dude. I got so depressed.  I question if I should even own dogs, I have three kids, do I still qualify as a good Mommy to Momo and Yoshi? I love them and want them to be happy dogs, not kicked at the park because I cannot control them. What a bummer, downer, and all out horrible evening! :(

March 29th: 4 miles on the trail, mix-it-up day... finished with the monkey bars. The pond at Piedmont is taking over the trail, I tried to figure out if the bank had eroded or the pond had taken over. Luckily, that only comprises 30 seconds of the entire run, so all was well and I quit worrying my pretty little head and focused on the other 41 minutes.

March 30th: Just 1 (treadmill)... Between three kids, a birthday party, a shopping trip, a visit from out-of-town family, cooking dinner, and cleaning the house, I struggled to find the time today. If  I didn't have to clean the house, it could have been an easy 5 miles!

March 31st: 2 miles with the dog... before the Easter party began! Was going to get in at least two more, but didn't.

Well, I did it. I ran everyday. For a grand total of 80 miles. I usually get about 60. It was wonderful and I love running more than I did before I started, which is hard to imagine.  It was also hard and I ran 4.5 miles for my longest run.  Days without rest mean a tired body that cannot do distance. Tomorrow begins April and I have plans... It will be easier, but I still have another goal. Stay tuned!