Novice or Expert? Eh, I run

Good run today. 2 mile warm up. 4 hard (about 6 min pace), 2 easy (with 4x30sec hard just for fun), 4 hard (6-6:30-ish, i think), 2.25 cool down (w/ 4.30sec hard for good measure).

I bought a watch this morning. Lost my last one in the summer of 2006 (I think it feel out of my bag as I was rowing a little boat around a lake in Versaille. Either that or a French pick pocket picked my watch instead of money). It's been a little while since I've caged my left wrist with a time-keeping device and I didn't like it much at first, though I did find it useful in monitoring my pace and timing out 30 second intervals for me. Though I must admit the reason I waited so long to buy another watch...(no, it's not because I'm cheap). I find that I get really negative if I think I'm running slower than I should be. I've been able to plead ignorance for a long time, but I thought I should take some responsibility for my own training and keep track of myself, and today I did. Well, for half the time. I stopped the watch a half mile into my second tempo because although I was on pace, I was afraid that I wouldn't be in a while and that it would be too much to handle both the mental struggle with time and the burning in my legs as I pushed through the tempo.

 Maybe next tempo run  I can make time my friend. 

Ah, today was beautiful. What a better day to jaunt around and look at the leaves. Yeah! Fall is hanging on.

 Just a nice easy day to recover from yesterday, prepare for tomorrow. Just building with a few miles. 

Glad I invested in more pepper spray. Had to spray the same dog twice. One of my roommates thinks I'm cruel to run with pepper spray and use it, but she's not been bitten, nor chased as much as I have. I feel bad to admit it, but I hate dogs when I'm running (or biking). Love 'em otherwise, but people should either chain or train their pets. I passed an Australian shepherd (I think) that just lay there watching me run.  There are other dogs I have come to "trust" too, but those who come out and chase and bark, and curl their lips back in anticipation of biting me deserve to be maced. (call me mean, but I just don't want to take time off to recover from a dog bite).

 But, today's run was ok. warm up, long tempo, cool down. I think I'm not eating right because I'm just tired in the middle of my runs when I shouldn't be. Not running tired but tired tired like I've used up all my reserves.  

Lovely morning run with people with a nice brisk wind coming out of the canyon. Met both Paul and Ruthie and look forward to logging a few miles here and there with them. Ruthie and I saw a few deer, but I think the boys (Cody, Paul and Joe) missed them. 

This afternoon was warm and gorgeous. I took a rejuvenating run up the Logan River Trail and wandered into the haiku that I promised Paul.

Halo of dry leaves

With the dusk light outlining,

My fall run was heav'n 

Yeah, I know. Two easy days in a row. Lazy, lazy girl. I was headed out on my warm up before a ten mile tempo, legs felt ready and such, and suddenly I had a desire to run in the First Dam 10k (or maybe 5k) tomorrow. So I took it easy and ran up Smithfield Canyon, rather ran in Smithfield Canyon because there's almost no "up" (or down for that matter). 

Anyway, it was a lovely run, still felt like fall--with bright yellow leaves still on the trees. I turned a corner and a breeze stole leaves from a not-yet-barren tree and they didn't dance or rain or float down but swirled and let the wind carry them, much like the bit of downhill was carrying me down the canyon.  Okay, that was cheesy, I'll admit it but it was a perfect running day. Overcast so I didn't have to wake up early, quiet road lined with trees. 'Twas lovely. 

So here are my excuses. I'll get them over with and confess the real problem: I ran 16 miles yesterday. I stayed up until 3:30. It's the end of an 80 mile week....I was just didn't run smart. "Stay behind her for about 3 miles and then fly past her," Cody told me as we warmed up. I had patience to run about a stride behind her (or less) for a bit over a mile and then flet like she was slowing down, so I gradually passed her and put some distance but she cause me a  little before mile 4. My legs, I'll be  honest, were tired. I finished 20 seconds or so behind her at a pace that's definitely not my best, but it wasn't bad for having run 16 miles yesterday.

I ran a few easy miles to cool down and discovered that indeed my legs are tired.  But, I enjoyed my run yesterday and the race was not terrible. Fall is still hanging in there (hopes of a little canyon running this next week). Yes, yes, life is grand.