Run 1: Set the Pace
I mentioned in my last post that I was ready to get back to it – starting with a 2 miler to help me gauge my pace for the training season. I am here to report to you that I completed my mission yesterday evening, in a light drizzle! It took a lot of mental determination and energy to get out the door. Once I was out though, it was just a quick mile up the road and back. No big deal.
Rain jacket – check. Sorry Miley, you can’t come.
It was a rough run, glad to do it though!
Final stats from my NikePlus App.
I’ll use that 2 mile time to set my target paces for specific workouts throughout the 8 weeks – it’s fun and tortuous all at once.
I posted the last picture on my Instagram account with the following caption: Rain can’t get me down anymore. Today marks the first run of #8weeksto15 (I know I said a little while ago I’d be doing a race in 4 weeks from now but plans changed, life got hectic and I pushed it back like a #bosslady). I felt bad about it for a while and cycled into not running at all. I felt like I had failed that 12 week plan. But I coached myself up with the help of a friend and got out there again….
Something I’m trying to learn (over and over again) as I become a more seasoned runner (going on almost ten years now!) is that I won’t always be a four times per week runner. Hell May has hardly seen 4 in the entire month! But it’s always there in the back of my mind, and I know I’ll come back to it…..
So here I am, the first run for #8weeksto15. Have you guessed the state yet? Drivable from OK!
The run was pretty straightforward – run one mile down the road and run back. I like coming back into it with a run that I know I can do. I was pleasantly surprised by my pace, I haven’t been that fast on an average since pre-meniscus!
Run 2: Country Run
Since I didn’t work at any of my jobs today, I took an old offer up from a friend to have a run in the country. My friend Katherine who writes over here and I have been running together in the city for a few weeks now. She’s invited me out to her neck of the woods a few times and with the time off today it was perfect! I was extra enthused when I saw her Instagram post this morning of a baking session going down in her kitchen!
This was my first trip north on 169 to Owasso. It’s not tough to get to, most places from Tulsa are just a twenty minute drive (except Muskogee which happens to range from 45-50 minutes depending on Broken Arrow traffic). By the time I arrived, the sun was all the way out and the temperatures were in the 80s! I opted for no hat in order to get some sun on my face. She took me on her usual route, pointing out neighbors and barnyard animals as we went. We had to turn around at one point because of a flooded creek! We were aiming for four but decided to cut it at 2.2 when we looped past her house to grab her dog Stella for a walk (and because if I’m totally honest, I was struggling in the out-of-nowhere sun and heat).
Turn around, don’t drown!
Made a pony friend!
Once we got back home from the walk (and a swim in the river for Stella), we teamwork a delicious banana, blueberry and spinach smoothie and she pulled out the magical blueberry muffins. The smoothie was a perfect post-run cool-down treat and her muffins were wonderfully delicious and made with healthy alternatives too! Head on over to meet her and check out the recipe here: Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins.
Blueberries two ways!
Yay for blogging friends!
That’s all for this weekend y’all! I hope you’ve had a relaxing day off with your families, taken some time for yourself and a moment to remember those who have served for us!
Sprenkeled 