Scorching Sprints

We set out at 8 pm to avoid the mid-day heat wave. It didn't seem to have much of an effect as it only seemed to cool down on our last lap. And I guess I wouldn't really call our running sprints (12x400s ranging from 1:36-1:48) we still finished and managed to sidestep all the flying softballs around us....hey maybe the removal of the top layer of track slowed us down...oh well, here's to 12 more track workouts ahead of us!

My Favorite Run...Quite Possibly EVER

Our Sunday morning 10 mile run was fantastically perfect. The weather was cool and was (gasp) not humid. We had the perfect mix of neighborhood streets, Frick Park, cemetery trails and of course, a few hills. The Starbucks on Shady and Forbes was a perfect stopping point for a bathroom/water break and while there we saw Marissa's grandparents. They had also just run up Forbes and were enjoying their break there as well. I felt great for this run (maybe due to choking down a GU before beginning...awful, but I suppose it might help) and definitely want to do it again at some point.

Welcome Summer!

So on the longest day of the year, I finally made it out of bed for an early morning run. I decided to run through the cemetery that we're running through on Sunday since I've never done that before. It was so delightful as the mist was lifting and the deer were caught bounding past the headstones. I have to admit that the graveyard probably slowed down the tempo portion as I was reading the headstones and grouping families together. I forgot that Frick Park is always 5-10 degrees cooler as I ended my run racing down the hill, skin turning red from both exertion and being so cold! Oh yeah, I made a reststop by the frick nature center. Nicest porta poties ever. Obviously used for kid camps as there were laminated stars on the walls and hanging from the ceiling (not to mention a step stool). I'm going to have to clock this route. I hit 62 minutes at the BP, longer than expected. Good run but excited for some company.

The Smoking Goat is No Longer

First off - did you guys know that there is a Crazy Mocha in Gateway 1? I have seen the van out front a few times, but thought that they just did catering somewhere in this area. In fact, they've been open since January 2007! (Shows how much I'm actually in the office.)

But also, I asked if the Gateway 1 facility is smoking and she said actually, none of their locations are now. After the first try on implementing a smoking ban (that was repealed the next day) they became non-smoking because they figured at some point it was going to pass anyways.

According to the girl behind the counter, the Ellsworth Avenue location is better for atmosphere, but Gateway 1 has better drinks since she makes them!

Ten Miler

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/pa/pittsburgh/511007993

Sorry - having issues making a hyperlink....

Possible route for Sunday's run...the loop at the end can be extended or shortened according to the time left...especially because the trail part is less than acurate.

9 Mile Run for This Saturday

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/pa/pittsburgh/488887471

What do you think of this route? We will park down near where the Steelers practice, near the UPMC Sports Facility. It only comes to 8.6 miles, but we can continue on down the trail a bit or add on in a few different places.

Full Spinning Room

FYI - I was planning on spinning last night during the 5:30 - 7:00 session and the room was completely full at 5:45. I ended up lifting instead. Probably not the cross training the FIRST program has in mind, but that's what I ended up doing.

First Long Run Followed by Brunch

Amber, Lisa and I did our first long run of the Chicago marathon training on Saturday. I had certainly forgotten how hilly our beloved Beechwood route is. But I kept thinking about brunch to follow and we had such gorgeous weather that you had to enjoy the run.

After the grueling run, we reconvened, added Deborah to the mix and enjoyed quiche, blueberry muffins and yogurt w/ fresh fruit...oh yeah and lots of good girl talk (the boys enjoyed 9 holes at North Park).

Late run provides relief on suicide mission

In hindsight, I was very glad that I didn't feel well when I got home from work to run 6 miles in the blistering (though dry) heat. I was feeling much better and pumped by 8 o'clock after the temps had dropped at least 10 degrees. Now my only urgency was getting back for the Cavs tip-off. Sixty-three minutes later I dragged myself up the front steps after the hardest run I've done in a long time (and I would still say I'm pretty out of shape). So the goal was two miles easy, two miles hard, two miles easy. Let's just say that my second hard mile was the entire length of S Dallas. You know, that ridiculous hill that we used to pretend was Bunker Hill...Yikes. Well in the long run, I'll be in really good shape and be able to not collapse in the run around the square - but today when I had my four major hills, I just wanted to die. I also want to add that I LOVE Frick Park - it's the only way that I can tolerate evening runs.

Ok - half time is long over - GO CAVS!

P.S. I ordered the patriotic sweatbands today and they've already shipped! AND it was a wholesale company so they required a company name - of course I used "Crazy Daisies"

The Courier Beats the Train

I was informed by my secretary yesterday that I needed to stop in the office in the evening to pick up some partner changes to a report that needed to be incorporated out at the client I was to be at today...I forgot. Though I had my route mapped out as to how I was going to do my mid-distance workout, I figured I could very easily alter that and run downtown to the office, pick up the 45 page report and run back home with it. (Since I was running 6 miles, I did not want to try to get in there pre-7am to park out front and the whole Arts Fest thing has it all a little messed up anyhow.) I headed down the hill to take the Riverfront Trail down to the Smithfield Bridge and for the second run in a row, I've come across a train bearing down the tracks. Lisa heard my story about last time - the bars started coming down and bells started ringing right when I was on the tracks. This time, the bells and bar drop started while I was still a block away. I was dumb and thought I could beat it, so I sped up and made it across the tracks, but then for the rest of the run I'm envisioning getting hit by a train. I have never actually tripped while running (like some of us have), but I would hate for the first time to be on train tracks while a train is headed my way. I think I'm done trying to beat trains!

New Blog to watch

Check it out:

http://www.nickanddebondrasik.blogspot.com/

Not exciting yet, but give it some time.

LET'S GET READY TO RUN!

The marathon training season officially kicks off today. We are just 124 days away from our largest marathon yet. Can't wait to keep up blog-wise and meet you guys on the weekends!

And - I am seriously considering doing Columbus Oct 28. It's much lower key than the marine corp (hopefully meaning that I can wait a little bit to sign up) and it's only $65. Think about it.