Catching Up

Some things I learned over the weekend...

1. The days of a relaxing vacation, for the time-being, are over. I am a much more tired person today than I was on Friday morning. Camping with a 2 and a 3 year old is hard work. Good thing I'm back at work so I can rest up. We did have fun though, so it was worth it.

2. I'm a flatlander. The area that we were in was definitely not the hilliest area in the world, but there were some hills. Pretty much constant hills…but not the kind that make you want to cry and/or quit when you're half-way up it. No, these were just gentle rolling hills that just never stopped coming. It was good though. Being from Chicago, I don't get a chance to run on hills very often. If I ever did decide to go to full-time Lydiard training, I'm not sure what I would do when it came to the Hill phase of the training. I guess I could find a nice on-ramp or something to run up and down on, but well, no thanks. Actually, I believe Joe Newton, the famous coach of the York Boys Cross Country team here in the Chicagoland area incorporates a lot of Lydiard's teaching into his training plans. However, he totally skips the hill section of the plan. I would imagine it has something to do with the fact that you just can't find a nice hill to run on in the area. You might find some in isolation, but it's definitely a challenge.

3. Mosquito bites on your lower legs and feet are at the absolute itchiest about two and a half minutes into a run. It must be from the blood rushing to your feet, but it gets pretty intense for a few minutes. If you just keep going and fight the urge to stop and rip off your shoes and socks, the feeling will pass.

4. The muscles in my upper back do not like camping. They are having an absolute revolt today. I have problems with my lower back from time to time, but this upper back stuff is brand new to me. I've never felt so old.

5. Mikey and Chloe have serious potential as world-class swimmers. We went to the beach on Saturday morning, and I think they left the water for a total of 45 minutes the entire day. Their dad? He isn't crazy about cold water, so he would join them but only if the water didn't reach the bottom of his swimming suit. That's as far as he would go. What a wimp. I guess that's why I never really got into that whole ice bath thing for recovery.

Did two 11 mile loops this weekend right around a 7 minute/mile pace over the previously mentioned hilly route in Michigan which brought me to an even 100 for the week. I must say, I was pretty happy on both days to see daylight as sleeping was absolutely brutal both nights. I just like sleeping in my bed, what can I say.

Weekly Mileage: 100 Miles
Avg. Mileage Per Run: 11.1 Miles
YTD Mileage: 1844 Miles

Today I did 8 miles at lunch. I should have run longer, but I was too tired to wake up this morning and eight was all I could fit in at lunch. It will have to do. This will hopefully be my 3rd straight week of mileage over 100. Additionaly, I've done 100+ for 6 out of the last 7 weeks. I never thought it was possible, but I guess it's time to admit that it is. No more excuses for me.

Oh and Happy Birthday Mikey. He turns the big 2 today. Someone told me this weekend that it seems like he's been around a lot longer than 2 years. Kind of funny. I think with most kids, you're supposed to say, "I can't believe he's 2 already," but not Mikey. He's seen a lot in his two years and he's wise beyond his years. What a lucky dad I am.