Compressed

Yesterday's Run:
3.68 mi/ 32 min

I know I didn't post Saturday's run. I'll sum it up for you - it sucked. I was slow. It was hot. I just didn't feel like I had any energy. I ran 2 miles, walked a full mile and then ran another 2.5. It just wasn't my day. But Monday's run made up for that. I've been told that the bad runs only make you appreciate the good ones even more. That is true. For the first time since early June, I ran close to my typical 5k pace on a regular weekday run.

I've never been so thankful to see 8-somethings on my MotoActv. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever run faster than a 9 min mile again. I was pretty much convinced that it wasn't going to happen. I know none of this is rational, but it was starting to bring me down. Yesterday's run helped my confidence.

Today I purchased my first pair of PRO Compression socks. My dad had a circulatory disease, so I'm quite familiar with medical compression socks. These are not those ugly, white, smelly socks like I remember. These are pink and awesome and on sale. I've read so much about them but they just weren't in the running equipment budget at $50 a pair. Today they were half off - score!

I think I will start wearing these as a recovery aid until I start seriously training for my half or until it gets under 65 degrees on my morning runs. But they may be too cute to wait to wear.

Planked

Yesterday's Run:
6.1 mi/ 57 min

High Plank

Well, I think this distance is right. My iPhone and my MotoActv decided to get cranky on  yesterday's run. MotoActv said 6.1 when I started my cool down, but I did a little sprint work at the end and when I restarted my watch it got all crazy. I had an app running on my iPhone (I was listening to my book) app to see how the two GPS trackers compared and it said I did 9.22 mi. That, I know, was not right. Maybe they interfere with one another. I really need a new iPhone holder anyway. Now that I have a MotoActv I think I could run with it in a SPIbelt. It is on my wish list for my next running purchase.

My legs were really tired by the end of yesterday's run. I did run a faster pace than I have on my previous longer runs, so it should be expected. It felt good.

Dolphin (or low) Plank

I also jumped on the Plank-A-Day bandwagon this week. The basic idea is to do one plank each day, holding it as long as you can. Planks are an awesome ab workout, so I hope this helps to strengthen my core as I start ramping up for my half training this fall.

All the cool kids started Plank-a-Day in January. I started on July 18. In an effort to make up for all those lost days, I'm doing two or three planks a day to catch up. I'm doing three variations on the plank - high, low and reverse - to work different muscles each time. It only takes a minute or two - perfect for commercial breaks - and I'm already holding it longer than I did on day one. I think it just took my body a minute to figure out what the heck I was trying to do.

Reverse Plank

Yesterday afternoon, KC and I decided to clean out our garage. I put on a mask late in the process, once we started sweeping, but I wish I had done it sooner because today I cannot breath through my nose. After four hours of trashing, sweeping, organizing and more sweeping, I was exhausted and my legs were trashed. After a quick swim to get the grime off and a hot shower, I think I was asleep by 8:30p. The garage looks awesome, but today I feel like I was hit by a train. Let's hope I'm back on the tracks tomorrow.