I have probably mentioned a lot that I have been super tired lately.  I even took an unplanned nap after Run or Dye last weekend.  It seems like all I do lately is go to the doctor.  So there has been a little change in plans.   I had planned on running my third half of the year on May 31^st but have decided that it would probably be smarter to step back to the 10K.    Especially considering that I have 2 papers due in the next two weeks and should really spend some time on those.   See, I am a Slacker!  I feel bummed missing the half but I decided to use the time to work on training better and to work on my form.   I am signed up for a half in July that I am super excited for.  NikeC is going to run it too!  Woo hoo for race buddies!

The half in July is part of the same event that I ran a 10K in last July.  In fact Rock to the Pier was my first race recap on this blog, awww, nostalgia.    They also have a Rock’n Around the Pier half and that is what I am running this year.  90% of the race is on the beach and I can’t wait.   This year also has a little added excitement to it.  Due to the tides, the race starts at 6:30 but high tide is expected to start rolling in before 8:30ish.  So, the website warns that the half marathoners will get wet and may have to navigate some rocks at some point.  It also states that if runners don’t hit the turnaround point (10K) by the 1:20:00 mark, they will be bussed back to the finish line.  Yikes!   I’m still looking forward to it though. 🙂

Friday was a usual scheduled rest day, and unfortunately the cookies were victorious.  Seriously, no will power.  Did I mention they are from a french bakery?    However it has been a week since I had candy.   The only time I have a problem with candy is the beginning of the year.  My favorite candy is SweetTarts and I especially love the small ones.  For Valentines day and Easter they make special bags of hearts and bunnies.  It’s a problem every year.  I only eat the red, orange and purple so I usually delude myself until thinking its ok.   It’s not.   Thankfully, Easter candy is all gone and I’m not really a chocolate person so I am in the clear until next year.  🙂  Maybe by then I will have the strength to resist.

Today was a work day for me so no sleeping in for me.   The drive was pretty, no fog in sight  and I kind of wished I had a real camera.   I passed classic cars going east for a car show and hordes of bikers going north for the Criterium.  Plus Saturday work town was gearing up for the AMGEN tour next week.  Everyone had a bike, I’m jealous!  I have been looking into borrowing one but no luck yet.  That’s ok, I still have time.   Once off work, I headed home.

The weather was mid 70’s and breezy, so I headed out for an early afternoon run.  I read a quote on Twitter the other day and for some reason it was a light bulb moment. I can’t remember who tweeted, I can’t even remember who originally said it (but it was some famous runner) or even the exact wording- blogger fail!    But it said something like this-“if you don’t take your easy runs easy enough, it will make your hard runs easy”.  Or in my case- races.  Easy means eeeasssy; which I already knew but sometimes reading it from someone more talented helps. 

I am still working on my form so today was going to be an easy day.  I determined that I had to warm up before trying to focus on my legs.   I tried to do it from the beginning and just felt like I was running with a limp.   So I went back to the old way with a short walk for a warm up.   Once I felt warmed up, I went back to working on actively using my right leg.   It’s harder than it sounds. 😦  I felt like there was an army drill sergeant in my head- right, right, right.   I’m not even sure I am doing anything, other than I am sore in new ways.   And oddly enough, the first 3 miles were a bit faster than I thought.  Focusing on my legs meant I focused less on pace and somehow that made it seem easier?  At least until mile 4, I hit that last hill and felt tired for the first time, I walked a bit.    I finished 4.5 miles and stretched.  I was a little hot but nothing a little water couldn’t fix.

After that I took Zoey for a walk.  I haven’t taken her for a puppy jog in a while.  She didn’t bark at any cars, well except for a Directv van, guess she was mad at them for some reason.   🙂  She was feeling pretty lazy though, she kept lying down on the first mile.  She’d trot along and then just plop down on the ground.   After we turned around, I took her to the school so she could play in the grass.   She was very excited and wanted off the leash but that wasn’t happening.  Then we headed for home.  She was a very good puppy.  🙂

All in all, it was a pretty good Saturday!  Now I really should do some research.

How was your Saturday?

Does anyone know what quote I am talking about?

Anyone have a race?

• Eat!
• Run!
• Slacker