5k a day -- Day 22

I *think* I ran my fast mile in quite a while today, but I can't tell, because MapMyRun doesn't seem to keep track of that as an option, which is a bummer.  I'd love an option that tracks how my mile and 5k times change over time.

It was hot, and we're out of sunscreen, but I went out anyhow.  My first mile was 11:02, which included a 42 second phone call with Paul, during which I walked (yes, I answered . . . we were waiting on important news) and I ran the rest of it best I could.

So even though it says 11:01, I think it was more like a 10:45 pace!  Yay me!

The rest of the workout I did intervals for -- God, running in this heat sucks.

The 5k:

5k in 42:09

13:37 min/mile average pace

Splits: 11:01/17:22/11:58/18:07

The Workout:

82 squats

90 seconds plank

31 modified push ups

5k a day -- Day 10

Sometimes you have a plan.  Sometimes a little interloper messes with it.

I waited until I couldn't stand to do a single additional board review question, laced up, and headed out.  I had been sitting at my computer all day, so my intention was to walk a mile for a nice long warm up and de-stress, then run a mile.  Then for the third mile, I simply hadn't decided yet.

I walked my first mile.  My right hip gets pretty tight, so I'm working on stretching it out during the day, and paying good attention to my stride when I'm out.  That's the knee that hasn't been the same since jumping in and out of ambulances for 10 years, which means I try to watch how I hit the ground with that foot.

Anyhow, I hit mile 2 and started running.  About 0.3 miles in, I noticed a car stopping to shoo a kitty cat out of the street.  Kitty came running towards me, and I paused (and paused my timers) to make sure everything was alright.  He began to rub against my leg and beg for attention.  I petted him, and started walking.  Kitty kept following.

I walked for about a half a mile with this little white and blonde kitty following at my feet.  He only paused for rubbing up against me or plopping at my feet, begging to be petted.  He was fat, and obviously domesticated and well fed.  But no collar, and no claws.  I was torn -- he was dumb enough to lay down in the middle of the street, but he obviously had a home.  Was it safe to leave him?  

I turned my tracker back on and started retracing my steps back to where he had joined me.  He even followed me when I walked across the street to ask a couple out by their car if they knew who Marshmallow (he looked just like a toasted marshmallow so obviously that was his name) belonged to.  They had no idea.  I petted him while we chatted, and then he seemed content to lay there on the sidewalk, so that's where I left him.  I certainly hope he'll be okay, but it *was* nice to have a walking buddy for a half mile or so.

I also hope I'm not hurting his pride by calling a she a him, but in all honesty, I didn't check.

Sorry for the potato pic, but doesn't he look just like a toasted marshmallow?

I suppose I could get deeply philosophical and metaphysical about this and say the moral of today's story is that when our plans our ruined, it's worth being open to the change because you never know what new companion will come along side you.  But really, we can all agree that's reading too much into all of this, no?

My plan for the night now ruined (and having abandoned my new companion to his plop on the sidewalk), I walked for the rest of that mile, and then ran that last mile home.  My perceived rate of exertion for that last mile was fairly high, and I'm not sure why.

The 5k:

5k in 51:42

16:41 min/mile average pace

Splits:  20:41/17:27/11:35/19:57

The Workout:

58 squats

70 seconds plank

19 modified push ups

5k a day -- Day 9

The past couple days the stress has been getting to me.  Boards are on Thursday.  Also planning a wedding.  Also rotations.  Also PMS.  My diet has been craving-filled, as it becomes when I'm stressful, so it's nice to have the knowledge that I'm meeting my 5k a day challenge to give me a little boost in sense of self.

Tonight, I waited until long after the sun went down before heading out for my 5k.  It's been super hot and humid, to the point that I've started scheduling my day around when the hourly forecast predicts driest, coolest, least humid temperatures.  I managed to catch a nice breeze tonight and it wasn't bad!

I decided to do 5:2 intervals.  I wish I could tell you there's some sort of rhyme or reason to how I decided to run/walk the 5k each day, but it's really just a gut decision that I don't think lots about.  I decided I should have some good jogging time today, but I knew I wouldn't be able to work on my speed too much -- it's too dark with not enough street lights to really run quickly.  I'd be flat on my face within the first half mile.  Anyhow, I looked down on the first 5 minute section and was doing a 9 minute pace!  I certainly didn't keep that up, but it's nice to know the walking has been keeping me loose.

Unfortunately, I didn't successfully manage to turn off my MapMyRun tracker, so my distance/time includes stopping to a slow walk and doing some stretching when I saw I had done the 5k distance.

The 5k

3.13 miles in 42:37

13:35 min/mile average pace

Splits:  13:13/13:42/13:40/14:55 (<-- See?)

I mean, just look at that max pace.  That I hit for about 5 seconds.

The Workout

56 squats

65 seconds plank

18 modified push ups

My upper body strength is really lacking.  I'm glad I'm making myself do the push ups, but boy, I'm not good at them.

Till tomorrow, good reader(s).