TGIF

Well, I made it through the first week back at school and so far the training schedule has worked pretty well. Had to shift some runs to different days due to illness and hubby's work travel, but I was able to fit them in and enjoy them. This morning I ran 7 miles on my usual route, which meant I left the house at 4:45. I felt very energetic, despite the early hour. My pace was 5 seconds faster than my 9 miler a few weeks back, which gives me a fairly good goal to keep in mind for the half marathon, which is only 4 weeks away. I was comparing my training now to where I was last year at this time, and wow have I come a long way. I remember my husband asking me to run the Turkey trot with him and being pretty nervous when he informed me it was an 8 mile race. Now I'm to a point in my training where 8 miles seems an easy distance. I'm much more motivated this season. Somewhere along the way I lost my fear of endurance running, and it turned into a challenge I look forward to meeting. It just seems easier for me, and I know it's all those hours I put in just running. Last spring if you had asked me if I wanted to run a half marathon I would have said definitely not. Now I've run past that distance and am considering a full marathon. And thinking I might like it.
This morning I ran my usual 7 mile route. I find great comfort in running an old tried and true route in the dark. I've run it enough times to remember where the dips and cracks in the pavement are, which sprinklers are likely to be on, and who's yippy dog is likely to bark. And it helps me picture in my mind where I'll be at certain mile marks. I did add a little extra lap onto the front end so I would have a small cool down walk back to the house after the 7 were completed. I think this will help prevent some of the muscle cramping that happened last week.

As for gear: I found the perfect sports bra at Kohls. A miraculous wonder in that I only have to wear one of these at a time. It keeps everything in place and no chafing anywhere. The downside is that it was on sale and I only found one in my size. I'm also on the hunt for the perfect race bottom. I'm thinking perhaps I'll give the running skirt another try. But I'm going to look long and hard to find one with long shorts underneath that stay put. The last one I had sucked. Hoping to hit REI this weekend to get a headlamp, and thinking I may find a long skirt there too.