Happy Healthy Cook

You are so amazing!!

I’ve been waiting for your run post today!! Way to go with not taking the easy way out! You’re always pushing yourself and I love it.

Almost but you didn’t! Nice!

THANKS YOU GUYS!

Today was one of those times when, if not for tumblr and having to honestly talk about my run (because if I wussed out, I would have honestly told you all that, of course), I probably would have taken the easy route. Instead, I wanted to be able to say “I did hills for the first time in weeks even though I totally didn’t want to and even though it totally stank!”

I love my tumblr community for all sorts of reasons, but on days like today, the motivation to be able to report back with an “I did it” is the biggest reason of all.

5.29 miles, 45:50, 8:39 pace.

Hills! The heat has been enough on its own to adapt to and, in that vein, I’ve been avoiding my usual neighborhood hills for weeks now. Well, today, I promised myself I would do them - all of them. I did the first few short-but-steep ones and was already hurting… so by the time I got to 2.5 miles where I had the choice to go the route that would take me to the big ones or take the shortcut back up to my other paths, I aaaaalmost cheesed out and took the shortcut. Almost.

That last 0.29 was the worst hill of them all. I’m surprised I took it at the same pace I had been going. *Kudos to self for consistency* Still, I used to be much better handling that hill. A few weeks without it and I was wheezing like a lunatic when I reached the top. Yeek. I need to not avoid it so much. I told myself today that as hard as it was to go up it at the very end of my run that some races end with a hill and I need to be able to face it at any given time. Yeah.

Weather was pretty mild from the leftover cool storm front from yesterday, but as far as I can tell it’s back to the progression of summer tomorrow. All good. I feel ready to tackle it.

6.21 miles, 51:23, 8:16 pace.

Another 10K PR, brought to you by a reprieve from the heat. I set off in light rain, a cool north wind and 70 degrees. Heaven. Although I wish I would have run that first mile a bit faster so I wouldn’t have had to compensate as much later on…

…I knew from the start I could push for a new record today if I wanted to - and I really wanted to. There is no sense not taking advantage of weather like that while it’s here.

I cherished every single step of this run. It felt awesome. I can only imagine how it’s going to feel running in the later part of the year after training all summer. So lovely.

4.00 miles, 32:48, 8:12 pace.

Hey look. 100 Days left in this little experiment. Sweet.

Splits were great today, though honestly, after the last two days’ pains, I was way overly cautious on Mile 1 and slowed myself down unnecessarily. You can see it in how fast my pace dropped after that:

I find it funny that 4.00 miles in 32:48 is obviously 8:12 pace - the math could not be easier - and yet my Daily Mile says 8:11 and my Garmin says 8:13. Technology. Is. Stupid. Sometimes.

Anyway, today’s run was GLORIOUS courtesy of a storm front that blew in on a NORTH wind. Ahhhh. So awesome. I would have kept going and going in it, but the rain started coming down in buckets. I can keep at it in the fun sprinkly kind, but this was full on sheets. Dang it. Hopefully the temperature drop will stick around one more day!

Is that a tilted glass??

YEP. I love these glasses and I have to laugh: everyone, and I mean everyone, who has come over for dinner or whatnot in the last 6 years comments on them. The set comes with 6 tall, 6 short and we bought two sets in 2007. They’ve lasted beautifully, even during our move. You can find them at Target: 

Libbey Bravura 12-pc. Drinkware Set

Durable, cheap, adorable and almost always in stock in store if you’re interested.