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Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 3, Day 7


Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 105
Planned activity: Cross Training
Hatha Yoga Class



It was like walking into that bar in Boston, "Cheers", minus the alcohol or the sarcasm.  I checked in for my yoga class and the owner looked up and recognized me.  "Michelle!"

I'd been absent for a very long time.

I immediately felt welcomed, appreciated, and comfortable.

The class was excellent.  I was expertly guided through the hour and I left feeling energized and relaxed at the same time. 

My back, my hips, my shoulders feel so much more open.  As does my heart.  I have 9 more classes - paid for and ready to be used.  Looking forward to them.












©Michelle Scofield, September 30, 2012 All Rights Reserved

S(l)oggy

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 3, Day 6



Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 106
Planned activity: 5 mile run
74 degrees 6:00 am  Raining
5.03miles 57:55 11:31 min/mile average pace

One thing I can pretty much count on is predicted rain in the Houston area.  If the weather guy says the weekend will be a washout, he's usually right.  I went to bed last night planning to run in the rain this morning so I didn't have to talk myself into it when I woke up and looked out my window to see the wet street. 

I had the pleasant experience of stepping onto my carpeted bedroom floor and not feeling pain.  Physical Therapy is going well.  I have soreness (yes, I know the difference between soreness and pain) at my calves which indicates to me that we're working the muscles around the achilles tendons and asking them to be stronger.  It's a good thing.  Yesterday I also received a laser treatment to my right achilles.  Those who know me best will be happy to know that I refrained from any and all references to Austin Powers when my therapist brought out the machine.

I continue to do my PT homework.  It's all working.  Very happy.

My rainy, dark run felt slow.  It WAS slow.  I think it was a combination of several things:  I was wearing old shoes that felt heavy to me and they only got heavier as they became soaked.  I was very cautious of where I was stepping.  I couldn't see for sh*t due to the overcast skies and even as dawn approached, the sun never broke through to help.  I wore a cap but my glasses became a detriment to vision quickly.  Taking them off?  What's better?  Quasi-acuity through a wet lens or legal blindness?  Who's to know?  Best to slow my pace and get the miles in without breaking a hip.

Oh, I always say it's a good day when I learn something.  Before I ran I looked up the water-resistence rating on my Garmin Forerunner.  Now I know a little about how devices are tested for those ratings.  Pretty cool.  Happy Saturday!  I hope you have a good day - for whatever reason.   








©Michelle Scofield, September 29, 2012 All Rights Reserved

Bugs

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 3, Day 4


Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 108
Planned activity: 3 mile run
70 degrees 5:15am
3.03miles 32:31 10:44 min/mile average pace

Buggy.  That's the only way to describe this morning's run.  I don't think they were mosquitoes.  Just little pesky pests.  On my face, stuck to my skin, and yes...up my nose.  How's that breakfast now?  :)  The weather guys say the weather is changing.  I have a 5 mile run Saturday morning.  I wonder where my old, nasty shoes are.  If it's raining, I'm still running.





©Michelle Scofield, September 27, 2012 All Rights Reserved

PlipPlop

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 3, Day 3

Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 109
Planned activity: 4 mile run
72 degrees 5:00am
4.03miles 43:01 10:40 min/mile average pace


Today's run is brought to you by the letter "A", as in "Acorn".  Imagine how quiet it is out here in the 'burbs at 5am.  Just me and the occasional car lighting my way down Lexington Street.  Still, silent, satiny, smooth, September, 5 o'clock morning.

Oh, I told you it's September.  That means it's Fall.  That means the acorns are falling.  Like tiny bombshells.  It's raining future oak trees here.  At times it's pouring and it can be a little weird.  What's probably more weird is my reaction when I jump in surprise.  Good thing it's just me and the trees.





©Michelle Scofield, September 26, 2012 All Rights Reserved

Darker

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 3, Day 2
Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 110
Planned activity: 3 mile run
73 degrees 5:25am
3.03miles 35:25 11:41 min/mile average pace

Yesterday was a rest day and I needed it.  My foot continues to feel better and I slept better last night.  When it's aching, I wake during the night and stretch it out.  I'm obsessed with it, obsessed with running.  Let's face it.  I'm obsessed.

Anyway.

Today I ran through my run without being present.  The only thing I really noticed was that it seemed darker than usual.

Maybe it was because I know that I'm switching over to afternoons in the not-so-distant future?  As I step up the mileage, I won't be able to fit the distance in before work. Maybe it's because I Google'd "end of Daylight Savings time" yesterday?  It's not until November 4th this year.  That seems terribly late.  I'm not even sure what that means regarding the hours of daylight and my running schedule but it still struck me as weird.

Maybe it seemed darker because my heart is in New Orleans with my Louisiana family?  I'm pretty sure that's the reason.  For any of the you who happens to read this today, or tomorrow, or the next day, or on into forever... 

I love you.  I'm with you.  Always.







©Michelle Scofield, September 25, 2012 All Rights Reserved

Crosstraining the Brain

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 2, Day 7

Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 111
Planned activity: CrossTraining
68 degrees 6:30 am
35 minute walk

I hoped for a pretty sunrise today but there wasn't a cloud in the sky to refract the orb and cause a sparkle or a ray.  I kept my camera in my pocket until I came back around to my block.  That's when I noticed the big drops of dew on the blades of grass and I considered dropping to the ground to try to catch one as it was building up weight and about to fall but I didn't have it in me today.  Instead I sat next to a flower bed and found a snail.  He wasn't nearly as photogenic as I wished but it was a great lesson in patience.

His garden was quiet and calm and damp and smelled surprisingly sweet.

It was a wonderful place to settle in for a few minutes, or twenty. 

©Michelle Scofield, September 23, 2012 All Rights Reserved

A Thousand Calories, The Hard Way

Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Schedule: Week 2, Day 6

Days to Chevron Houston Marathon: 112
Planned activity: 7 mile run
70 degrees 7:25 am
8.26 miles     1 hour 35minutes    11:34 min/mile average pace


I didn't plan this run.  I've been out and around in my neighborhood and have a sense of how far it is between landmarks.  I have my Garmin watch to help me make decisions on when to turn around or turn a corner.  It's a nice day although plenty humid.  I ate a Stinger Chocolate Waffle before leaving my place.  160 calories of carbs to see me through.  I took my water bottle and decided to listen to "Snap Judgement" for distraction.  Oh, I'm distracted.  That's for certain.

I ran around the fake lake on the other side of Highway 6. 

I crossed back over and still had another 4 miles to go.  I headed up Sweetwater and made a really bad decision.  You may remember that a couple of months ago I decided to run along a bayou and never, ever came across a bridge to get to the other side.  You'd think I would have remembered that.  I didn't.  Not until I was almost at 5 and a half miles.  At that point I was lost.  If I kept running I had no idea where the path ended.  Would I end up running 10, 12, 15 miles?  I simply didn't have it in me today.

I turned around and the ran way I'd come, back to Sweetwater and a shorter way home.  Dammit.

I'm home.  I'm hungry.  My foot felt pretty good, especially the longer I ran.  I'm on ice now and I'm kind of kicking myself.  But only kind of because any day I learn something is a good day.

Here's why:  I didn't enjoy this run.  I'm preoccupied with life events and running should be a pleasurable escape but I didn't let that happen.  I forced myself to WORK during the second half on mileage calculations.  I was busy calculating/measuring/THINKING!!!  Lesson learned.  Next long run - no winging it, even if it means I only go out and back.

To my son...Happy Birthday, Sweetheart.  Thank you for all of your encouragement and for being one hell of an example to this old lady runner.   Know that you and Age were my first thoughts when I opened my eyes this morning.  I love you.  Mom 













©Michelle Scofield, September 22, 2012 All Rights Reserved