Challenging week ahead...kinda...

I was able to get in 2 good runs this weekend. Saturday called for a 5 mile run at a fairly slow pace, but Chris and I decided to run together from my house, so I ended up going an extra 3 miles. The purpose of the run was to make sure my body was ready for today's run, and since I didn't give much of an effort, I felt pretty good after. This morning, I ran 13 miles before church. It was kinda weird, because the weather was almost perfect (for June that is!) at the outset. I guess with all the rain we got yesterday, it cooled down everything, and I felt absolutely great!!! I was around a 9:00/mile pace for the first 8 miles, and my plan for the last 5 miles was to average 8:15/mile. I stayed with my plan, even though it started to get pretty hot. I was able to do that, but for the last mile, I probably used a little more energy than I wanted to expend. I didn't feel wiped out by any means, but looking at my heart rate (which was hovering around the high 180's), I probably should have slowed it down. The biggest thing that I want to accomplish during my runs is to not feel wiped out throughout the day. This time, last year, I would have felt like a truck ran over me during a long run. Now, I felt just fine within 30 minutes after the run. I am sure my wife and kids fully appreciate that. Kerry and I taught 4-5 year olds at church, and then when we left church, I took Adryana to a local pool and practiced her swimming with her. I even swam 3 laps, just to try to work on my swimming strokes (triathlon in the future???)
Today I was talking to one of the ushers at church, who is a faithful blog reader, and he asked me how I got into the blogging? My wife, of course got me to do this... but I was also thinking about how people that read this blog are so helpful in keeping me on track. I use the blog to act as my accountability partner. Like everyone else, there are mornings that I want to sleep in later, and not bother run that early... but d/t having accountability in many different ways (the blog being one of them), I will usually fight it off and get my butt going. I never regret it, and I am grateful for that.
This week will be another challenge for me, as my running goes from 4 to 5 days/week. I have never run 5 days/week.... ever!!! But the overall mileage is 40, and due to the extra 3 miles that I put in yesterday, it brought this past week to around 39-40 miles... so that shouldn't be an issue. It is really just the logistics of my schedule. I work from 7 am to 7:30 pm M,W,F this week (usually don't leave the office until 8 pm) and I have to split my schedule between 2 clinics (one in the morning in Hyde Park, and the other in the afternoon). Tuesday, I will work from 7 am to 3:00 pm at the Wesley Chapel office, and then work with my Therafit clients ( I think I have my last scheduled client at 6:00 pm), so I should be home by 7:15-7:30...
Forgive me because I am thinking out loud how I am going to pull this off....
Monday: NOTHING
Tuesday morning, I will get up at 4:30 and run 8 miles, with 4 at tempo pace ( means hard, but I'll live)
Wednesday: Wake up at 5:00 am and run 4 miles... leave the house at 6:00 to get to the office by 7 am.
Thursday: I have the day off!!!! Run 10 miles.
Friday: No running
Saturday: 4 miles
Sunday: 14 miles
I guess it's not so bad...
I am assuming that many of the people that read this blog have blogs of their own. If you struggle with sticking to an exercise plan, or struggle with weight issues on a whole, I advise you to talk about your plan on correcting your problem via your blog. It will make you accountable to a lot of people, and might just give you the kick in the rear that you need. Just a thought.