Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Tempo Tuesday

Which really should be titled "Seven Mile Stroll at slower than Half Marathon Pace".

I am my own worst enemy.

So this morning was to be 1 mile easy, 2 miles speedier, 1 mile easy, 2 miles speedier and then 1 final easy mile. No probs I was thinking -- I nailed this run a couple weeks back.

So I head out at 5.15 this morning (and, thank god I did -- I know I promised myself I wouldn't complain about the weather ever since returning from hell Texas but pouring rain tonight in late June in NoCal?  really?) and felt great.  But by mile two I couldn't seem to pick up the pace -- so I mucked around for several miles trying to make it work and then finally gave up.  I still ran the 7 miles but there was no tempo anywhere and only lots of struggle.  I did decide to try to focus on form but even that backfired on me and by the end of the run, I was just a mess and my upper back hurt (usually a sign I'm too tired and not running well).  So I was all mopey (see last entry -- there's a theme) and wondering how I could just loose so much fitness in the week off and evaluating my goals and wondering if they were too aggressive considering my over all fitness level and did I really have proper training in me and blah blah blah.  

So as my brain was going on and on and on, I finally turned off my music (I was in the house by this time) and I noticed that I was wheezing (yes, apparently I can't tell other than hearing it!!  duh).  Oh right yes.  Running is fairly impossible when you can't breathe.  ACK!!!!!  I've got the inhaler, this problem doesn't have to happen.  I do this to myself but for some reason, I can't develop a 2 puffs before run habit. I do it about 50% of the time.

In fairness to myself, I've had the inhaler since last December when the weather turned cold and I had a ton of trouble with breathing and a friend suggested exercise induced asthma (who knew?).  I was actually excited to discover that possibly the breathing problems that have plagued any other fitness attempt in my life had merit.  I dutifully scheduled an appointment with the asthma doc and then passed all the tests with flying colors!!  My lungs were fantastic.  I am a runner after all.  But doc believed me and sent me on my way with an inhaler.  

So one would think that since it works I would remember to use it, but one would be wrong.  I can't seem to keep it in the right place (it is in the car when I want it in the house/it is in the gym bag and I don't see it/etc).   Today I thought possible I should get a second one -- and then one can stay in gym bag and one can stay on bathroom counter so I'd see it.  We'll see how that goes.

The drama.

So now I'm cool with it all -- we'll see how interval Thursday goes (just doesn't quite have the same ring as Tempo Tuesday does it).

In other exciting news, I fixed my shuffle.  Whoo hoo and happy dance.  Found a way outside of iTunes to reformat it and tada it was returned to factory settings and I was able to download play list.  $50 saved.

And in even more exciting news, I heard from my boy yesterday -- he's at boot camp and I've not spoken to him since May 2nd.  I've been worried but we were finally starting to see positive letters but this call was extra reassuring.  See, he's really not military material.  I mean, most people who knew him were shocked by his decision to join the Marines.  But alas, he's 19 so he gets to make these decisions on his own (and whoo hoo -- live with the consequences!!)  Anyway, he's sort of figured out that maybe this really wasn't for him either, but he's one stuck boy and the US Govt owns his ass for the next bit of time (verdict is still out on the path he's taking).  Anyway, seems the Marines teach all their recruits to shoot guns.  Who knew?  Probably everyone but me but there you go.  Anyway, seems my boy has marksman skills (or is that skillz?) and shot expert at the range -- thus allowing him a free 5 minute call home.  Boy calls his mom -- love that kid (thank god there is no girlfriend !!!).  He apparently required the complete adoration that only a mother provides -- yes boy, you are fantastically awesome beyond words times a million.  But it was all good and I'm actually a bit excited to go to his graduation end of July.

Signed -- queen of the parentheses.  I like it.  

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