8 mile run...not quite but close

Today I was supposed to run 8 miles.  It is a beautiful morning in Northern VA.  A perfect day for a 8 mile run.  Considering that I have been a bit lax on the long runs I really need to get a long run in before I simply give up on running altogether.  Another motivator was the fact that I have gained 5 pounds since starting back to work a week and a half ago.  Which is really bad b/c there has been few teachers in and the kids do not start back until after labor day.  At this rate I will be a whale by Christmas time for sure.  So this morning I lace up the shoes and headed out on my run.  I ran 4miles around the 'hood and then picked up Riley and ran/walked a few more miles..dropped him off after two miles and continued on for another mile. 

That's right if you are able to add a mathematician you  get 7 miles.  Not my goal of 8 but I can't help it I was getting bored with running in circles.  I should have got in the car and went to a running / bike trail along the road that I run sometimes but I just didn't want to drive.  So I decide yet again to pretend I was a gerbil and run in circles. 

3 more weeks until the Philly Half Marathon...I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.....

I won!!

I am so excited!  I just won some cliff bars @ 2010 Journey in Running.  I never win anything!  In honor of winning I am going to go out and run 5 miles! :) 

This is how happy I felt..just like when the Steelers won a Superbowl. :)

Lots of Eating with few sprinkles of running

This has been a horrible week for running!  I can't beleive the amount of running I have missed.  I could make excuses about it being the start of a school year, I'm tired, or any other number of excuses, but in reality I have been lazy.  I went running on Wed. and got to about 1.5 miles and my knee was bothering me, so I walked (or limped) another 1 1/2 miles and called it a day.  I don't really know what is up with the knee.  It has randomly been shooting pains and causing me to limp around after just walking around.  Not sure if I am just walking wierd or what is happening.  Since I have been having the knee problems I had to take off Thurs. right??  That is what I thought too...so no running on Thurs. Friday night turned out to be a friend's birthday so by the time I got home there really wasn't enough time for a long run and a shower before heading out to Cheeseburger's in Paradise.  So I had to eliminate something and the running was the thing to go. :) 

Sat. was going to be my day for a long run.  I went shopping with a friend and the knee locked up on me while shopping so I decided to push the 7 mile run until Sunday.  That and we decided to go out for Restaurant Week in DC.  We ended up going to Laporta's in Old Town Alexandria.  A 3 course meal for 38 dollars.  I had filet mignon...yummm...it just melted in my mouth.  I also had a delicious chocolate mouse cake..my mouth is watering just thinking about it. So chocolatey and yummy.  It was a great evening but I was really starting to feel guilty for not running. And eating a bunch of calories and not running. Did I mention not running?

Sunday was the day, I have to get in the 7 miles.  Turned out I didn't time the dinner and running correctly so I only ended up running 3 miles.  Too much food in the belly.  Ugh...

This all means that tonight it is do or die.  I have 4 weeks left until my first 1/2 marathon.  I haven't had a good running week.  I need to run 7 miles..no excuses!  So looks like I will be running 7 miles tonight.  Wish me luck. 

Trying to run

Well I am going to make this a quick post because I need to leave for work (ugh) soon.  I guess I will start on the running.  It is not looking good right now.  I thought I was back in the mode, but I have seemed to lost it yet again.  I did run the 4.6 miles on Friday night.  Sunday I had planned to run 6 miles, honestly I was all set to run.  But you know what they say about best layed plans.  It was raining and gloomy out, so really who wants to leave the couch in that kind of day.  So I took a day to be a hermit and decided to run the 6 on Monday.

On Monday I was waiting for early evening because it was so hot and muggy outside I thought if I could hold off until 7:30 or 8 it would be a bit cooler.  Well took the dog for a mile walk and came back and sat outside with Riley on the stoop.  Riley loves hanging out front and watching what is happening in the neighborhood.  As we are sitting there waiting for the energy to go and change into some running clothes, Barry my neighbor came out and started talking.  Next thing I know his wife is out along with their kid and his family are all out lounging and laughing.  Really I couldn't be rude and go in and change for running right??  Well by the time everyone went in, it was too late (and looked like rain anyway) and I was getting tired. 

I did get in a run on Tuesday.  My friend Becky and I went to Shirlington and ran with the Shirlington running club.  They run a 5K loop and end at a bar and have happy hour.  Oh if only all my runs would end this way :)  We just started going last month and have already made some new friends.  It was a great happy hour but unfortunately I had my first day of work the next morning, so I guess all good things must come to an end sometime right?

Last weekend before my summer ends

This is the last weekend of my summer vacation.  So sad.  I am back to work officially on Wednesday, but I will probably go in for a few hours on Monday and Tuesday.  Well summer it has been nice knowing you.  I know I shouldn't be complaining but I really love my summers off.  It is the perk of becoming a teacher. 

My run on Friday wasn't bad considering the low mileage I have been putting in.  I ran 4.6 miles.  I would have run longer but my dog escaped the tennis court that I was running around and headed for home.  I have no idea how  he got out, but I figured I might as well head home.  So I walked my 1/2 mile cool down and took a shower.  So much for my 6 mile run. 

So I took Saturday off and now I have to run 6 miles today.  I hope the rain stops so I can run outside.  All this rain is making me just want to take a long nap all day long.  I am feeling like I want to be a hermit.  So I guess it is a good thing that school starts back for me this week so it forces me out amoung the living.  Looks like 5 more weeks until the Rock N' Roll Philly Half Marathon.  Ugh...not sure if I am ready for that one yet.  This weekend I am supposed to run 7 miles..so that means I really need this run today. 

Back to running

So I got back from PA yesterday and after 4 1/2 hours in the car I did not feel like running.  So today has to be the day that I start back up again.  It feels like forever since I really ran.  I know I ran a few times when I was in PA and once or twice when I was in VA beach but nothing really regular.  I am counting last week as my low milage week so today I need to either run 4 miles or 6.  If I run 4 miles I then have to run 6 tomorrow.  If I can pound out 6 miles today I will take tomorrow as a weight lifting day (I hate to lift weights! Grrr).  We will see what the gym holds.  I would love to run outside but it is raining, so we will see what the weather is like in a few hours and I'll decide if I want to run around the 'hood.  I hate trying to get back into the swing of things after such a long time off of a schedule!  One more month till my first 1/2 marathon..kinda scary.

I went into work today to unpack some things at my new school.  It seems like summer went by way to fast this year.  I am going to try and go back into work on Monday to finish putting some things on my wall before my assistant comes in.  I hate trying to figure out a new system in a new school.  The only positive is that I have worked at this school 4 years ago so I am not totally in the dark on how things run.  Still it is a pain. After putting some stuff away I went to lunch and then came home and baked some oatmeal chocolate chiop cookies.  Did I need to bake the cookies??  Of course not, but they are yummy!  I hope I don't eat them all before tonight. lol 

Reunion and Running

Well I went to PA for a family reunion.  I got to see relatives that I haven't seen since I was 5 or 6 years old.  I had a great time reconnecting with family.  While I was in PA I did get in two runs.  Very short runs but that is better than what I usually do.  I find it so hard to run when I am visiting my mom.  Her schedule and my running schedule really do not mix well.  I love running at around 7 at night which means I usually don't eat a big meal beforehand.  Mom makes a big meal and I am always too stuffed to run. I did run at around 5 while her and my stepdad Phil were out working, but that was miserable because the sun was beating down on my the entire time!  One morning I got up and went running at 8 or 9 around the high school track.  The problem with that was I didn't get a very good nights sleep and I didn't have the right breakfast to fuel the run so instead of running 5 or 6 miles I ran 3 1/2 miles.  Well I guess that is better than nothing right?? 

Well I am off with my mom to Steelers training camp, so looks like no run today.  I am thinking that I will use this past week as my low miles week and then start back  on the old training wagon when I get back home.  Cross your fingers that I get some good pics and maybe an autograph or too of some of my favorite Steelers. :)

Mike Wallace Signing anything and everything

Troy Polamalu

6 mile run

I went to visit my friend in VA Beach and didn't run my long run b/c of the heat and I was visiting. So yesterday I had to buckle down and run my 6 miles.  I get bored running longer than 3 miles, so the long runs are really tough for me. 

I woke up yesterday and thought what a great day for a run, but I am not a morning runner, so I went to the mall to shop.  I told myself I would run in the evening.  I was hoping that the temps would stay low and it wouldn't be too hot at 7.  I got dressed to run and then hopped on the computer and I was slowly getting sucked into facebook...oh no.  I looked up at it was 7:15 and I had to close the computer stretch and I was out the door.  My first three miles were going great.  I do a loop around my neighborhood.  There is a small hill that kicks my butt all the time, but not today!  Three  miles just flew by and I was still feeling pretty good.  Next thing I knew I was at mile 6.  What a great night for a run!  I love those days when it seems like you could run forever.

Running

I guess I should introduce myself.  My name is Pam and I am attempting to run my first 1/2 marathon.  I will be running the Philly Rock N' Roll 1/2 Marathon on September 19th.  I am super excited!  I started running about 4 or 5 years ago.  I started with some 5k and then two years ago I ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler (I thought I was going to die) and then decided to run it again this past year.  The second time I did much better and decided 2 days later to attempt a 1/2 marathon (hey if I can run 10 I am sure I can run 13.1).  I have ran some 10k's and now I am trying to train for my first half marathon during the hottest summer ever! 

I have been reading some running blogs and thought it would be nice to keep track of some of my running moments and my attempts to train (I am not very good at following schedules).  We will see how it goes.

I am the one in the Steelers hoodie.  I love the Steelers!  I am also an elementary librarian in Northern Virginia.  I think I have the best job around!