A Foot Dragging "Good" Run

Well, I don't know if I'd call it a good run, actually.  I mean, I had good company, but it was not an easy run.  We went west from Eau Claire today in an attempt to avoid the ice from last week.   We also had the Hypothermic Half to try to avoid (we did fairly well...we only encountered them for about 2 minutes at the point where they entered the path on the north side of the river).   Almost every step of the almost 12K we did was hard.  I felt like my feet were dragging and my stomach had been giving me not-so-subtle warnings since the 1K mark.   I've run with cramping before - I'm certainly no stranger - but I've never had to actually run through gastrointestinal distress before.   Not fun.   Not bad enough for an emergency pitstop but I am amazed I was able to keep up the pace we were holding for the entire run while trying to keep the cramps at bay.   The Shot Blox I had about 45 mins into the run were sitting in my stomach like lead slugs and at one point, I actually felt like I was going to throw up but didn't want to stop at a garbage can in case I just ended up dry-heaving (much worse than outright puking, if you ask me).

One of my runner girls likened the badness of the run to an epic-ly bad 20K we did together when training for Nike Womens.  *shiver* I'll never forget that one.  But what really qualifies as a good run?  For me, it is those runs where I feel like the ground is flying beneath me and I feel no effort to maintain a really great pace!  Where the conversation flows and my cares fly off my shoulders!   Today was not that day.   Today was the kind of day where the pavement catches on your feet, even though you're going fast.  Where you are breathing so hard that conversation is almost impossible.  Where you consider stopping your run at the coffeeshop at your turnaround point and calling a cab to take you back to your car after you're done wallowing in your latte.   Ya - that was the kind of run today way. (thanks for slogging it out with me girlies!  I know it was a rough run for you guys, too)

In the end, I got it done and enjoyed an exhausted latte and cranberry blondie with my runner girls.   An upside to a bad run?  Definitely finding out that the Cranberry Blondies at Good Earth that I love so much, are actually a lower calorie option on the bakery menu.  Only 280 Calories.  Must be because while you eat them you say "mmmm, mmmm. mmmmmmmmm" so much that it burns the rest off! LOL.   So yummy.  I can't believe it took me so many guilty post-run indulgences before I looked them up!

As a note for next year...the medal whore in me thinks she might like to do the Hypo Half.   I caught a peek at their medals before I headed out and they were so pretty.  Blue lanyard with a pewter medal with a snowflake on it.  Of course, I would only register if I could know the weather would be perfect for it (like it was today).  Maybe I'll train for it and then do a "last minute registration" once the forecast is in!

See - told you it was pretty (from the Running Yogi blog)

I haven't officially weighed in this week yet, but I already know I am down at least a half pound from last week.  I suspect there is another pound off in there, but I will weigh in for sure tomorrow and update :)   And in weight loss related comments for the week, my husband commented that I no longer have any padding on my shoulders! LOL.   Now if only the padding on my ass would leave!

Tonight, hubby is at a party so, after I put the babies to bed, I plan to do a little overdue pampering on myself.  I don't feel the urge often, but tonight it is all about face masques, herbal tea, maybe even a self-pedicure and a date with my little shiatsu massager!  :)  Can't wait.  hmm...wonder if Netflix has any new romantic comedies in the lineup...