Starting week 4

The start of a new school year is an exciting time with all new students... and all of their germs. :( Last Sunday I had an incredibly sore throat (not to be blamed on the little darlings... we were also packing up to move, and I think the dust stirred up my allergies/asthma). However, there was also a nasty stomach bug going around my classroom. I was up all Tuesday night with a stomach illness. I'm still having chest congestion! Anyway, all of this sickness completely ruined our proposed training schedule this week!

Today we just started Week 4, which is a five minute run. I was able to get farther along in my readings and I had a good week at work. I know this might not seem directly related to running, but all of those aspects create stress and take a toll on your body. I have really enjoyed running, and I'm actually looking forward to it. This morning was a really tough run- even though it says it was only 77 degrees outside, the sun was glaring down on us. Also, the humidity of 69% wasn't helping.  We stuck with it and completed our first 5 minute solid run.  I struggled with the second long run mentally.  We were three minutes into what I believed was the long run, and the app chimed for us to stop.  This totally threw off my game- I thought I was halfway there on that stretch, I liked that part of the course, and mentally I had already gauged my stopping point.  When we actually began our real second 5 minute run, I struggled the entire time.  I don't think this really had anything to do with my ability- it was more of a mental game.  Part of the time I even walked for a few seconds, with much chastisement blended with encouragement from my husband.  Which song is playing also seems to have an impact on my running- my personal connection/sentiment to it, the speed and beat of the song also contribute to my running.  I believe this proved to be true on my two longer runs today: the first one I was enjoying with a  coming-of-age song for me by Our Lady Peace.  It had a good beat and felt like a song that pushed me to run even faster.  On the other hand, when I was mentally struggling on the second run, the music wasn't helping.  It wasn't memorable, and the beat was sluggish.  We even shuffled through a few to find something a little more upbeat, but again there was no real connection.

Still Diet Coke free!