Week 17 - Day 47 - 08.31.10 - Tuesday (B - 3 miles)

Did my required 40 minutes run at sea level AND in the rain.  I noticed a difference running and it seemed to be a lot easier, unfortunately my CardioTrainer was still on vacation and would not accurately log my run today.  I am guessing I ran a little over 3 miles and felt good afterwards.

Ironically when I got home, a FB friend of mine by the name of Terresa sent me an email asking if I had just run past an eatery on the waterfront called Little River Cafe.  I said yes and apparently she saw me run by whilst she was drinking tea before her dragonboat practice. That made my day!

Week 16 - Day 46 - 08.28.10 - Saturday (B - 16 miles)

It was hard but I did what I could which was 16 miles today!

I ran the first 12 miles and then my body said if you don't walk the last 4, you are gonna hurt tomorrow.  I didn't want any injuries so I followed what my body was saying.

My sister in law Jill took me back to the New Sante Fe Trail for my run this early AM.  Unfortunately she has been plagued with an injury and ran back to let me know she was going home to rest but would pick me up later. 

Photo of mile 9 on the trail.

Mile marker 34.5 miles which is roughly 12 miles from my starting point near the Air Force Academy.













Luckily my brother bought me a new camelback since the high altitude and the high miles would leave me very thirsty. I noticed a lot of the runners, some military had some kind of camelback for their runs. Boy was I glad that he bought it for me as a gift. I ended up drinking about a gallon of water when it was all said and done. This was a tough run both physically and mentally but I was proud of myself for going as far and long as I could which was roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes with my 16 miles. I will accomplish 18 miles back home on sea level in the next coming weeks with my TNT team.

Week 16 - Day 45 - 08.27.10 - Friday (B - 5.89 miles)

Can't believe I did it!

I ran for the first time in Colorado at the high altitude roughly at 2,000 meters and boy did I feel it.  It was hard but exhilirating and my little brother Mike was very pleased.  My brother took me for my first run here at the "Sante Fe Region Trail".  The trail runs through the U.S. Air Force Academy to Palmer Lake along an old rail route and is about 17 miles wide. If you want read more about this fabulous trail for a future trip, here is the link...
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=BGR027-219#ixzz0yJOp1PXA


I expected to probably stop somewhere but kept my pace and felt good.  Just took deep breaths and kept looking forward. Ironically the New Sante Fe Trail runs parallel to a major highway and when I was almost to the end I saw a building with the moniker "Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Colorado".  Even several states away, I am close to the mothership!

Can't wait to try to tackle 18 miles tomorrow with my sister-in-law Jill.

Track Day - 08.25.10 - Wednesday (B - 2.87 Miles)

Came to the Sunset High School track early for the calendar photo shoot for my running buddy's TNT calendar fundraiser.  Both she and super running Diane said they wanted a photo of me and my car Sally so we posed.

Afterwards it was all business doing some fun relays with the TNT team.  In the end we ran about 2.87 miles which included our warm up and cool down run. One of the exercises we did was an interesting one.  Coach Darrell split us in 2 to 3 groups of 8 and we all had to run for 12 minutes straight in a single file line and the person from the back has to spring to the front of the line.  Eventually Coach Darrell combined all the groups together until there were only two left and we had a race.  I started to lose gas in the end because of course I ended up with the faster group, but felt good when we started cooling down.  One thing I have noticed is my recovery time has gotten quicker.

I am nervous about my pending mile high runs in Colorado Springs with my little brother but also excited!

Week 16 - Day 44 - 08.23.10 - Monday (B - 2.36 and 2.32 miles)

Boy it was hard to get out of bed this morning at 4AM but I did and even with some sore legs.

It was okay the moment I started up Terwilliger Blvd.  I was able to get to the Chart House Sign in 0:26:48 and back down to the Duniway sign in 0:23:03.  Felt a little tired but glad I talked myself into running and glad I am done for the day and got my 49 minutes in when my running calendar stated I just needed to get 30 minutes in today!

Week 15 - Day 43 - 08.21.10 - Saturday (B - 16.31 miles)

What an awesome day!  Also a shout out to Coach Heidi and her dad for allowing us to use her house and bathroom as a aid station.

I have to say I am a little sore because 16 miles is the most I have ran at one time and I did it in 3:08:53 and burned an amazing 1,997 calories!!!

My running buddy Andrea treated me to some of her chocolate milk and we got to celebrate our recent run at Tom's Pancake House where we had some protein (bacon) and of course some of their famous banana and strawberry crepes...yum!!!!

Week 15 - Day 42 - 08.19.10 - Thursday (B - 4.17 miles)

Long day today with a finalist meeting for work in Bellevue, WA so decided to get my run down this AM in the 'hood.

I was able to discover some new places down Dogwood Street and have to say there are some beautiful and spacious houses hidden on those streets.  I was also feeling some garage envy because it seemed like every house in that pocket had at least 3 garages which is something we desperately need with our four cars.

Felt good afterwards until I got back home and one of my cats decided to leave a their newly thrown up hair ball at the door.  Oy vey!