Week 3 "in the books"!

Week three of "The Plan" is in the books and it was another TOUGH week. In fact, it hit me that I had almost run the length of a marathon over the course of my running this week - farther than I have EVER run in a week before! Here are the numbers and some highlights from the week:

Total Miles: 26.1 miles

Avg. Pace: 9:17 min/mi

Long Run: 10.1 miles

Speed Work: Pace and Speed Intervals - 2 x .50 (7:53 pace), 2 X .25 (7:40), 1 X.15, 1 X .25 (7:30)

Hills: 4 X 2 min. at 4 % incline


Tuesday was a big day as I not only completed a hard hill workout but sprinted a 1/2 mile later in the day and rode my bike to the park. I plan to push up to a 5 % incline this next Tuesday.

Thursday I had to walk a little in between the speed intervals but was able to push the pace more. I may back off the pace a few seconds so I won't have to walk this next Thursday.

Saturday was the first time I have ever run over 8.5 miles - the first time in double digits for me! I was happy with the effort despite my pace being slower than I had expected. But I think there are a few reasons for this, including the longer distance of course.

It was a lot hotter than what I have been running, reaching 77 degrees toward the end of the run. Now I know this isn't really that hot but it is a sudden change of about 25 degrees than what my body is accustomed to running, so it sure felt a lot hotter!

I also wanted to try a different route this week to take in some new scenery. I mapped out a different course but included several more hills in doing so. the long run course I had been running is pretty flat. But here is a map of the course:

There were some interesting things that happened on my long run Saturday. I was already feeling it after only a mile and a half. I really pushed it this week and was realizing it as I was just starting off this long run. After mile 3, I saw the anchorman for the local t.v. news. He was really nice and waved. I could hear him say hello even as I listened to my podcast loudly. Then something really funny happened.

After 3 1/2 miles, I was running through a nice neighborhood when a car with two ladies drove by me (going the other direction). I soon heard someone yelling, "Mista! Mista!" I turned around and one of the ladies was chasing after me! I stopped and turned around thinking, at first, that I had dropped something. Before she got to me I had surmised that she was going to ask for directions but I was wrong again!

She asked me, "Are you a lawya?"

"What?" I asked, not sure I was understanding the question.

"Are you a lawya cause I needs me a good lawya to get my babies back!"

By this time I had turned back around and was walking fast in the direction I had been heading.

"No." I replied, "I don't really even know any lawyers." She was persistent though. (I have to give her that.)

"Well, I needs me a good lawyer with an adoption case I'm in and I don't know how to find one." I told her to look in the yellow pages, which looking back at it, was probably just too obvious to blurt out. She replied, "No. I needs a GOOD lawyer cause I got a tough case. Let me tell you about it."

"Oh great. Here we go!" I thought, all the time wondering if I should just start back running.

She proceeded to tell me that a few years ago she was put in jail on drug charges for three years and gave up her "babies" for adoption. She said the adoptive "auntie" won't let her see them now and she would have "never signed those papers if I knew she wasn't going to let me see my babies". She needs a good lawyer, she said, because of her "bad past". She needs one that will help her get her babies back.

I tried to be nice but we talked for at least three minutes, which had to really hurt my pace for the long run! In an even more bizarre fashion, she ended up video-taping me using her cell phone when I gave her the number of the local family resource center that might find someone to help her. After she finally walked away, I continued on and met a biker coming down the rode who smiled with a smile like, "Yeah buddy, she hit me up too just up the road!"

Although I had to slow way down for this conversation, I noticed I felt rejuvenated as I began to run again. I was really enjoying the run through this neighborhood, looking at and admiring different houses. Tupelo is weird in how you can cross one road and go from million dollar houses to houses costing less then $60,000.

After mile 6, I reached back into my Camelbak pocket and got one of my packs of Sport beans.I have not used these before and they tasted a lot like sugary gatorade. I liked the taste but I think I will stick to GU because I really didn't like the effort I had to put into chewing these things while I was breathing hard.

After about 7 1/2 miles I had to walk for about a minute. I knew I was about to hit some main roads and wanted to be able to pick up the pace a bit.

I actually had to do about a mile and a half loop in my neighborhood to complete the 10 miles. This was hard when I was soooo tired and knew my house was soooo close! But I did the loop and completed my run! I will have to say that I don't feel much different than I did after my 8.5 miler last week.

I think I will work even harder and do another 10-miler next week before tapering a little for the race on April 1st. I hope everyone had a great week of running!