Same Time, Same Channel

Easy run on a treadmill. Average pace: 10:00.

It snowed overnight Saturday night and through Sunday afternoon. It was not a heavy snow and there wasn't a ton of accumulation, but it was very cold (20°) and icy when it was time for me to go on my run. The curbs and some sidewalks were still snow covered and icy. Even those sidewalks that had been shoveled were bad because the shoveling had left a thin film of snow behind, which had subsequently frozen. I hate to run on the treadmill and it takes extra time to drive to my office (where the treadmill) is and back, but it was probably the right decision this morning.

This treadmill displays mph instead of pace. I did 10 minutes at 5.5 mph, 10 minutes at 5.8 mph, 20 minutes at 6.0 mph, 10 minutes at 6.2 mph, and 10 minutes at 6.5 mph. I figure it averaged out to a 10:00/mile because it hit 6 miles at the same time it hit 60 minutes.

I hope I'm able to get outside tomorrow, but I'm not sure. The snow is melting off of the lawns, which is making the sidewalks wet. Then it will freeze tonight and might be icy again in the morning. I'll have to see what it's like.

Oh, I did week 2 day 1 of the pushups program. I really struggled to complete all of the pushups on the last couple of sets. I probably would have done better if I hadn't had an arm wrestling competition with my teenage sons last night. For what it's worth, I beat the 14-year-old (with both the right arm and the left arm), but I couldn't beat the 16-year-old. Last time I tried I could beat the 14-year-old with my right arm, but not with my left arm, so I think I'm improving.

Easy run. Average pace: 10:18.

Outside temp: 46°F

We are having an uncharacteristically warm morning, especially considering that it was well below freezing yesterday morning and is supposed to be really cold and snowy tomorrow. So I took advantage of the break in the cold and ran outside without having to bundle up.

I did the shred level 1 before my run.

I was up late last night because I had to make up some work time (and some work). I was working until 11:00 pm and then I had a hard time going to sleep because I couldn't stop coughing. The cold I had a few weeks ago went away, but now I've got another one and this one involves a dry, hacking cough that is driving me nuts.

They are predicting snow for tomorrow morning, so it might be another treadmill day. I'll just have to see what conditions are like in the morning.

Easy run. Average pace: 10:39/mile.

Outside temp: 23°F

I've got this hacking cough that gives me occasional coughing fits during the day and keeps me up at night. I took some cough syrup with codeine last night in a failed attempt to get a decent night's sleep. This morning when I drove my son to seminary, I was nearly falling asleep at the wheel. Fortunately it's a very short drive. I jokingly wondered if it was possible to fall asleep while running because I went out on my run immediately after the seminary drive. Of course, I didn't fall asleep while running, but I was very sluggish. I suppose it's good when my sluggishness forces me to go as slow and easy as I really should be going on my easy runs.

I was actually a little too warm on my run today. I think I'll wash the clothes I was wearing and wear them again tomorrow because it's supposed to be even colder (the low from 10-15 degrees) tomorrow.

I attempted week 2 day 2 of the pushups program before the drive to seminary this morning. I was supposed to do at least 13 in the last set, and I only managed 9. I guess I'll try day 2 again on Friday and stay with it beyond then if I need to and only move up to day 3 after I can successfully do day 2.

My plan is to do 18 miles this Saturday, but I'm not sure I'll be up to it. I guess I'll just see how it goes.

Easy run. Average pace: 10:24.

Outside temp: 17°F. A thin layer of snow on the ground with light but continuous snow falling. Winds 10 mph from the NW. (I'm getting the temperature and wind information from motionbased.com.)

I slept in the recliner last night, which helped me not cough as much, so I got a little bit better night's sleep than I have been. I also took the cough syrup with codeine last night.

I got up this morning and did the level 1 shred. I did "girl" pushups on the first set of pushups, and rested during the second set of pushups in the hopes that I'll be able to complete week 2 day 2 of the pushups program tomorrow.

I wasn't sure whether I should run outside or go run on the treadmill, so I got dressed for running outside, but put clothes for running inside in my bag and took the bag with me to drive my son to seminary. But I decided to save time and run outside.

I dressed the same as I did yesterday with the exception that I wore two thin pairs of gloves today (just one of them yesterday) and I added a scarf today. I was sometimes too warm and sometimes too cold, depending which way I was going with respect to the wind. The only part of me that felt just right was my feet, thanks to the smartwool socks. However, yesterday I noticed that one of my smartwool socks had developed a small hole in the toe. I don't know the first thing about darning socks, but I just stitched up the whole with some regular thread last night.

It wasn't too slick, except in a couple of places. There's one small stretch of sidewalk that's at the bottom of a hill and is north-facing where the snow from the last storm didn't get shoveled and hasn't melted. The old snow was frozen into bumpy ice and there was a layer of new snow on top of that. I got to that patch of sidewalk and started slipping and realized what the situation was, so I just stepped off onto the shoulder of the road and was fine there. Also, it was a bit slippery when I would cross streets that were intersecting the road I was running on, because the cars driving on the roads made them slippery.

I was interested to notice that in most of the places I ran there was a set of footprints that had preceded me. I was out between 6:00 and 7:00, so other people were out even earlier. I also noticed a bicycle track. I think you'd be crazy to ride a bicycle in this weather.

Easy run. Average pace: 10:40/mile.

Outside temp: 15°F, about 1 1/2 inches of snow on the ground.

It actually felt warmer this morning than it did yesterday because the wind was more of a factor yesterday.

The snow was powdery yesterday and crunchy today. My shoes hitting the snow made kind of a squeaky sound with each step. I ran on the sidewalks along a couple of major streets and the snowplows had been down those streets yesterday and dumped bumpy, crusty snow on the sidewalks, so running on that snow was almost like running on a bumpy dirt trail.

I think I overdressed a bit. I could do without the scarf, I think.

My self-created and self-imposed training plan says that I should run 18 miles tomorrow. I think it will be a little warmer tomorrow than it has been today, though I'm sure the snow will still be on the ground. I'll probably give it a go, but I think I'll try to run slower than I have been running on my long runs and then even though it will take me longer, maybe I won't be as wasted.

I'm thinking good thoughts for Snoqualmie, her marathon, and her FIL.

Long run. Average pace: 10:32/mile.

Outside temp: 46.4°F (average), 53.6°F (high)

Whose crazy idea was it for me to run 18 miles today? Oh, yeah. It was mine. I might have to rethink this plan I head to run 18 miles once/month. In any case, I'm thinking of starting a training plan in three weeks and it doesn't go up to 18 miles for a while, even though it's a fairly high mileage training plan.

I ran the Highline Canal Trail again. Most of the snow melted yesterday, but there were still some snowy/icy spots, especially in the first 1/3 of the run. By the end of the run, the trail was quite muddy.

I tried to go faster the at the end because I wanted to be done. I did the last full mile in 8:59, but then I slowed down for the .1.

It was a really hard workout. I'm beat.

I took an ice bath but I was a wimp about it. I probably didn't have the water as cold as I should have. The ice melted really quickly after I put it in. And I only stayed in the bath for two or three minutes. But now that I've tried it and lived, maybe I'll be more hard core about it next time.