Today’s Workout
Easy Run 3 mi@12:13

Monument Valley Park is just like a forest animal haven these days. 2 days ago, I saw the bears. Today we saw a fox on the trail. We followed him for a while and he trotted over to someone’s porch on Zyder Zee. No camera today.

I took the boys in the double stroller to Monument Valley Park for my easy run. It calls for 2 miles, but I run 3 because 2 miles feels like barely a workout. Running with the double jogger is definitely a workout for me. Especially on the hills. Whew! You can see how crazy my run speeds got.

The slowest point was when we ran into Lindsey and Diego…she was riding her bike with Diego in the trailer. We chatted for a minute or two, and I thought I had pressed Pause on my workout, but I didn’t

After I finished my distance, we stopped at the pond and the boys threw leaves and sticks into the water and watched the ducks swimming and flying around. Zander pushed the jogger for a while with Zevan in it. As I was putting them in the car, a big train came by on the tracks. Nice timing

Actual Workout:
3.14 miles@12:20
Total Time 38:52
Avg HR 154 Max HR 174

Tuesday’s Workout
Long Run
Dist: 7mi @12:13

So, I’m running this morning, fiddling with my Polar HR monitor to see if its interfering with my Nike+ Ipod sensor, and I look up and see on the intersecting path… two brown bear cubs with mama bear.  *gasp*   She leads them up a tree, and I start running back to my van to get my camera. I see a Parks & Rec truck on my way and she radios it in.
 
By the time I get back, the bears are up a different tree.  The Wildlife Commission is going to let them stay up there and see if they come down late tonight on their own to head home…
 
They are in a tree on the path by the creek, about .25 miles south of the parking lot on Glen.

With the iPod, I am able to pause my workout.  Which I did after I ran the first mile and stopped for 10 minutes to take pictures of the bears.  Then I ran 6 continuous miles, with a small break to pee.  I do know that my total running time today was 1:11:51 with an average 10:14 pace.  I’m still suspicious of these numbers, so I am going to try and calibrate my sensor sometime this week.  Maybe after my easy run.

So, after I posted this, I look at my workout calender and saw that I was only supposed to run 6 miles today. Which, in effect, I did, with a 1 mile “warm-up”

So, last night (Saturday) was the Bijou Bash…the randomly annual live music, alcoholic frenzy hosted by the Haubers

And as an added bonus, our friends Jimmy & Rose Ena are in town for the party, between moving from Huntington Beach, CA to San Antonio, TX. So Thursday Rose Ena and the kids came to the West Side Moms playdate, and Zander and Robby had the best time together, kung fu fighting LOL!

On Friday, we picked up Robby and he came to the zoo with us. It was very fun. I also had some very interesting conversations on the ride there

“Where does electricity come from?”
“The power plant.”
“A plant that MAKES ELECTRICITY?!?”
“No, not that kind of plant. It’s not a green plant.”
“Is it a red plant?”

You see where this is going, right?

Friday night we all went over to the Haubers for dinner – we ordered in from La Casita. Robby and Zander did their thing together. Zevan, Eli and Ariana took a bath together – so cute! And we just hung out like old times.

Saturday night was the big Bijou Bash! Woo hoo! It was also Rose Ena’s 40th birthday. I got her a birthday cake with a big peace sign on it. And creme brulee for her own personal dessert.

The band was good…500 Funk Express. More jam-like than cover band. Which made for good party music, but really didn’t compel me to dance very much.

The drinks were great! Frozen margarita machine, jello shots…it was a fun night! Candy and I partied like before we had kids. Yee haw! Greg Johnson came from Seattle. We hung out. It was like old times.

Despite the rain and the mud, it was a really fun party. I had a blast!

Today we hosted dinner (take out from Wild Ginger) at our house. The kids played together in the backyard, in Zander’s room and in the family room downstairs. May & Brad even came for a while. It just felt good to have everyone together to hang out.

Well, I ran this morning with my new Nike+ iPod set up. I lost the sensor twice during my run. Fell out of my shoelaces. The first time, I went a quarter mile before I realized it was missing.

Because I lost the signal twice, my time was looking really bad for the run. The first mile was logged as 13+ minutes. That will never do! So, I tried to make up for lost time on downhill. I was really booking it. The sensor logged me as doing the last mile in 7:01. I think it needs some calibration. I don’t know if that’s possible?!

For the geeks, check this out…from Electronic Engineering Times about how the sensor works:
http://www.eetasia.com/ART_8800428806_480500_2f149c8b200608.HTM

This morning I did my 3 mile run with the boys in the double jogger. Yeah, that’s about 60 lbs PLUS whatever the stroller weighs.

It was my first run with my new Ipod Nano equipped with the Nike+ Sport Sensor Kit. I am SO high tech now. I love it.

I bought Asics GT 2110 running shoes, as recommended by the woman at Runners Roost. So I don’t have the fancy Nikes with the special spot for the sensor. I just tucked the sensor into the laces of my new running shoes. Worked like a charm.

I set my goal for 3 miles. It could tell me how far I had run or had left to run, and then what time I was at, plus my current pace. So awesome. It doesn’t record splits for me, and I wasn’t wearing my heart rate monitor, so that was kind of a bummer. I will try to run with both, and hope they don’t interfere with each others’ signal. I do remember that I ran the first 1.5 miles in 21 minutes (uphill), and then the last 1.5 miles in about 16 minutes (downhill).

My iPod tells me: 3.12 mi, 38:20 total time, 12:16 pace, burned 321 calories. During the run, my personal best mile was 9:21.
(includes a 0.12 mile 1:20 cooldown while I figured out how to end the workout on the iPod)

To be honest, I’m happy to just complete my runs. I have no goals other than to complete my workouts to as close as the goal as possible.

As you may notice, I’m a bit of a geek. I love numbers. Keeps my brain busy while I’m running. The iPod Nano is exactly what I needed.

Until Zander starts school on Sept 13, I am going to run my short workouts, 2-3 miles, with the boys in the double stroller on Thursday mornings. I’m planning to teach Zander to ride his bike over the next few months so I only have to push one boy, and because he is nearly too big for the stroller.

Now that I have been running 5-7 miles on my long run days, the 2-3 mile runs seem so easy. When I started in March, I could barely finish 2 miles. I’ve come a LONG way since then.

The bad news is, I’m behind on my blog.  The good news is, I’m mostly still on the wagon for running.

Tuesday, August 15
Goal: Long Run, Dist 7 mi@12:13
Actual: Long Run, Dist 6.6mi@13:39

Slowest, worst, long run ever.   

Thursday, August 17
Goal: Easy Run, 2 mi@12:13
Actual: Easy Run, 2 mi@11:30

This one went okay.  Love the easy runs!

Saturday, August 19
Goal: Tempo Run, Warm, 3mi@10:34, Cool
Actual: Tempo Run, Warm 2 mi@11:01, Cool – on Sunday!

This one I did a day late and a mile short with a slower pace.  But I did it.  I also got shin pain only a mile into the running, which is why I cut it short.

Here’s the thing.  On Wednesday, I went to the podiatrist and found out that I have plantar fasciitis AND a heel spur on both heels, a more significant one on my right foot.  She gave me a night splint to wear (we call it mommy’s robot shoe) and it’s been helping with my day to day heel pain, but not as much with my running.  She also told me to buy new running shoes, but I haven’t been able to do that yet.  I’m waiting on a check from a client which should arrive tomorrow.

So, she didn’t tell me NOT to run, but she said I need to get newer, more supportive shoes.  Turns out I actually pronate quite a bit.  When she told aligned my ankle and heel neutrally, my inner foot was quite far from touching the floor. Whoa.  On my X-rays I could actually see the heel spurs.  Apparently they’ve been forming for a while now.    Wow.

Lucky for me, it’s my easy week this week.  4 mi, 3 mi, 3 mi easy runs.

Speedwork
Dist: 5mi, inc Warm; 2×1600@9:59 w/800 jogs; Cool

I decided to use the track at Holmes junior high on Mesa Road for this workout. Easier for me to track the distance, softer running surface.

For my warm up, I walked over to the track, about .8 miles from the house. Then I just started running. Hard. For four laps. UGH.

Then I jogged for 2 laps. Then repeat sequence.

KILLER. I walked home. And my heartrate was still up when I got home. Talk about conditioning.

The great news is that I blew away my goal time of 9:59! Yay for me! There is a one mile race in September that is part of the CS Grand Prix Short Series, so I hope I can get a good time in it.