Do You Hear What I Hear

5 Miles Yesterday (Thursday)
Time: 56.14
Distance: 5.15
Pace: 10:54 (Still not where I want or need to be, but will work on speed post Austin)
Temp: 37 and extremely foggy...little windy, but perfect with the wind at our backs

It has been a while since my last post. Thought I might need to let some of you reel back in from the last one...whether you were surprised by the length or the content.

24 DAYS UNTIL THE AUSTIN MARATHON!!!!

I have heard several runners mention the 'tapering of miles'....well we are definitely tapering and I am mentally struggling with it. I feel like I am cheating by not running as many miles, especially during the week. It seems that I am letting it impact my drive. I haven't struggled with eating, feeling guilty, as the miles were building up...but I am struggling now and don't want to eat. It seems as if my body is rebelling and not changing it's physical appearance anymore. I do NOT want to physically go back to what I was before I picked running back up.

Week at a Glance:

Tuesday - Ran 4 miles, supposed to run 5 (misread my training plan). JB rode ahead of me and went to his parents house to drop off some golf balls. Their house is 8/10 of a mile away. By the time I reached their street, I had to make the usual pit stop. However, this was earlier in the run than normal. JB didn't realize I was there and went on ahead of me. His parents both made me laugh as I entered and left their home. She had read the lengthy descriptive blog, I am assuming she read to him also, and laughed as I walked through the door. As I was leaving the house, he was also surprised to see me (he was in the garage) and told me that JB had just left and wondering what I was doing. I told him that the body had called again... His response 'Did you use my backyard'? PRICELESS AND CRACKED ME UP!!!! JB had made it all the way to Wal-Mart before he turned around to come back and find me. Let me just tell you how HORRIBLE this run was... It was as if this was the first time I had ever run. Glad to be done with it.

Wednesday - Supposed to run 4 miles, ran 0 miles...it was one of the nastiest, cold, wet days during my training period. JB went to Starting Block and went against what I was told almost a week ago.... He got me some gels to try this weekend. I HAVE to figure my fueling out...Nothing like last minute right???? I have been trying to figure this food/fuel stuff out for close to 8 months... Ugh.

Thursday - Supposed to run 4 miles, ran 5 miles to try and make up for what I missed on Tuesday and Wednesday... Really? Run an extra mile to make up for the 5 that I missed? In my head, not running 5 miles seems minimal and will not impact my 'long' run, yet I complain and worry about not running and impacting my physical appearance. I am definitely having mental battles right now...physically, I am fine.

We tried to head out early and on 3 different occasions on Thursday. We could have had our very own AAA Service yesterday.

TB called and had run out of gas on ZZ
J called and needed us to follow him to the car shop
DBek2 woke up with a migraine, took some meds and slept in for a while. By the time we got back from taking J, he was ready to go to school, so JB took him to school.

When JB got back, it was almost 11:00. We got dressed for the cold/foggy air and ran for lunch. It was colder than it looked. I did something today that I haven't done since CW and I quit running together. I ran without music.

Christmas music has proven to be the BEST music for me. It paces me well and keeps me 'calm' and steady.... I have a running list with songs I love, but feel it has me all over the place on pace.

Can I just tell you how much I enjoyed it. It was 'different'... really hearing EVERYTHING around me.

The black crows screeching, crowing, hacking...whatever their creepy noise is... I know it is the sound given to them, but it is sooooo eerie. My breathing... wow it is amazing how much better I felt when I paid attention to my breathing and focused. The wind, the car tires on the wet pavement, the screeching of children coming to the playground for recess, dogs barking, leaves, branches, twigs breaking under my feet, the clicking of JB's bike when he isn't peddling, able to actually hear JB when we are talking without saying 'what? huh?'... I thoroughly enjoyed the no music.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not going to Austin without music...I may turn on Pandora Christmas music and listen to it for 26.2 miles. :0)...

If you are reading this post, please comment and let me know what you listen to when you run? If you aren't a runner, what is your favorite song/artist.

If my in laws are reading this... you will now find out that we stopped at your house yesterday and used the indoors restroom again. And when I say 'we'... I mean 'me'.... So no surprises will be in your yard, shrubs... you know what I mean. :)

It was a much better run than Tuesday. I felt better, but I didn't run it nearly as fast on Thursday, as I had on Tuesday.

Looking forward to Saturday. Tyson and I are running in a 20K in Reeds Spring. Yeti, Set Run. I am so ready to run with several runners and start to get the 'excitement' back. Please dont' think I am not enjoying my running...I just want to have the hunger that I had prior to my IT Band issues.

If you are a runner, lace up and head out today....If you aren't, lace up and head out today... you will love it.