Summer is my extremely busy time at work. I go from a very flexible schedule Sept-May and then hardcore intense schedule June-August. I love love love what I do, but it hampers my social skills during these three months, as well as my blogging time. Essentially, I work, I run and I sleep.
The good news is that I'm sticking to my training plan and haven't skipped a run! I know how important it is to be consistent and I look forward to my weekly runs. I find the time to carve out for all of my runs and really look forward to them. This is new to me and I like it!
For example, I've been getting up really early (relative to me) all week for work and have been getting progressively tired throughout the week, hitting snooze more and more. As I think of finally being able to sleep in on the weekend, I don't mind getting up and meeting my group for a 630am long run on Saturday; I'm still looking forward to it!
Our Tuesday group run was hill work. We did a route new to me and I really liked it! A mile out to this nature area, then a .6mile hill down and back up multiple times. The hill is rocky/gravel/dirt and absolutely gorgeous! The fact that it's so shady really helps, too :)
It's amazing, I went to school here for 4 years and never visited this location. In college, I was nowhere near a runner, more like a professional eater and drinker. My freshman 15 was more like 20+ and came each year! I'm so glad now that I'm taking care of myself and becoming more active - it just feels better than any late night pizza ever tasted!
Our coach takes pics of us regularly, here's one of me on my second time up the hill:
When that shirtless guy passed me, it really helped me push it up the hill. He's a solid 3+ minutes/mile faster than me, but that was the motivation I needed to get to the top. I can't say enough how awesome running in a group is! We had about 30 runners on Tuesday and passing each other up and down the hill multiple times was a lot of fun and we helped push each other - more like they helped push me, but I'm okay with that!
Here's a pic of my running partner from the class, Patty. We happen to be just around the same pace and always find each other throughout the workouts. She's so nice and training for her first half this fall.
Doesn't she look so speedy in this pic?
I'm looking forward to my evening run tonight with my local running buddy.. I'm telling you, after beginning to run all by myself, then training for my first three half marathons solo, this group thing is awesome! I LOVE it!!
is that the Arb?
ReplyDeleteeveryone who talks about hills and training always mentions that place.
I'll have to check it out..for sure..=)
see ya tonight lady!
It's so lovely to hear, well, read about your love for running!! You're doing awesome! And major kudos to you for getting up early to get a run in!
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way when i joined my running group. I'd run one half-marathon and some 10Ks but that was it, and no run longer than 13.1. It was great and I really enjoyed it, much more than I thought I would.
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