run 5k in 30 minutes

I ran about 5k two weeks ago in just over 25 minutes. Not a land speed record, but not too bad and I felt good afterwards. Today I ran again. Ugh. Not good. I was riled up thinking about this jerk that I work with. The running was more of a means of releasing pent up aggression than exercise. I ran hard, but only for about 15 minutes. I was pretty winded by the time I got back to my starting spot. Not a good run. But it was a good analogy. I really need to learn to pace myself, plan my work and stick with my plan; not worry about the shortcuts other people are taking. So…calm down, slow down, and pace yourself. That’s my new running and working mantra.

I went running this afternoon. It was a pretty good run, too. I really need to get a pedometer so I can figure out how far I’m really running.

I’m a wuss. I’ve only run one time since July. I decided last night to go running this a.m. It would be a nice run down by the river. The air would be cool, but I would wear my long sleeve running shirt and tights with some shorts over them and be fine once I got warmed up. I’ll be up and out of the house by 8:30am. Uh-huh. What a great plan, at 11pm.

Next scene – Saturday morning, 8am. House is cold. Bed is warm. Pooch is laying on my feet, snoring contentedly. Roll over. Sleep 30 more minutes. Wake up and read for 30 minutes. Finally gather gumption and get out of bed, kicking dog off bed, as well.

After I was finally out the door, sometime around 10am, I drove down to the river to find that the entire parking lot has disappeared. It is under water. I forgot about the flooding around here – c’mon, stupid, get with it! So I drive back home, resolute still yet. I decide to run down to 4th St and hang an east to the river and run along the dike. I get home after zig-zagging around road construction and going about twice as far as I normally would need to, and start running. It’s cold! My head hurts! The wind has picked up! Cry. Whimper, Gripe. Whine. I decide I can’t afford to get a head cold right now, with everything else that requires my attention at work. I turn around after one block and walk home, disgusted with myself.

Maybe tomorrow.

When it’s so cold outside that I can’t even breathe through my mouth without coughing, I know it’s time to forget running outside. It snowed about a foot in the past week. The temps have been below zero most of the day today and everyone is just hunkering down and waiting til spring to come out again. I know there are some brave souls who run outside year-round around here. But I feel sure that these are the same souls who will find themselves having hip replacements at an abnormally young age from slipping on the ice. That’s when I say that running crosses that thin line between healthy and obsessive. Ill just stay right here on my side of that line, thank you.

I ran for 30 minutes today, but I STILL haven’t bought a dang pedometer, so I don’t really know how far I’m running. Must buy a pedometer when I get some $$.

I have two friends that both run marathons and triathlons (which is an absurd thing to do, I’ve always thought), and they’re trying to convince me to run a half marathon with them in May. I’m actually entertaining the idea. Then I remember that that would be a 13 mile run. Then I think, what a dumb thing to do. I don’t NEED to run that far, do I? And, of course, the answer is no. I do NOT need to run that far. But yet, the idea holds some mysterious appeal. I must think about it some more.

I’m probably already doing this. I haven’t been tracking how far I run, but I’ve been running at least twice a week for the past few weeks. It doesn’t take that long to build up to a 5k. I should just get a pedometer and see how I’m doing, distance-wise.

Second time this week that I ran 2 miles. It’s still tough though. And Griffin is just NOT liking it at all. Maybe he’s too old for this sort of thing. He lags waaay behind and I almost have to drag him. But he’s only 7 for crying out loud, and he used to run like a crazy dog just a couple of years ago. He doesn’t limp or whine when we’re running, just pants a lot and looks sort of unhappy. Maybe I should get another dog. I’ve been wanting one for a long time anyway. This would be a good excuse to get another one and it could also keep Griff-dog happy during the day while I’m gone. But, then again, that would also be twice the vet bills, twice the dog boarding and day care bills, and twice the chewed up shoes and knocked over trash. I dunno. I’ll think some more about it.

I can run 2 miles easily enough now. My dog, on the other hand, isn’t hanging in there so well.

Got up off my voluminous butt and figured out how far a 2 mile run would be. Then started running at a nice pace (loaded my iPod with some fast tunes) and got ALMOST to to the 2 mile mark (about 1.75 miles (=2.8k) I estimate) when my dog decided to take a “break” in one of the yards we were running by. Thanks, Griff! So, naturally, I stopped to clean it up (just one of the many joys of dog ownership) and didn’t really feel up to jogging the rest of the way carrying a bag of dog poo. So I walked it in the rest of the way. Still, it was tough. I’m OUT O’ SHAPE. At least for running. I’ll build up my endurance again though. I love jogging when it’s not so blasted hot and now that I have my music to run with.

All of our best running trails are flooded here now…and have been all summer. I haven’t tried to find an alternative route, but I need to. And I still haven’t gotten around to buying a decent pedometer. All things to do within the next few months. Before it gets too cold to mess with it. I hate running on the track at the gym. Time to enjoy what’s left of the summer.