Phew. Light week of blogging, but still a good week of training. Highlighted, perhaps, by my first 5k in practically forever on Saturday and then a solid (if spectacularly humid) long run on Sunday.
I was not, shall we say, particularly well-prepared for the 5k. I mean, I'm in plenty good shape to run a little over three miles at a relatively fast clip. But I didn't get a good night of sleep the night before, meaning I wasn't all that well-rested for the race. Definitely felt sluggish throughout the last mile or so. In the end, I felt like it was just "so-so." Looking at the results, though, and I was pleasantly surprised. Finished in 28:09, which is just a little over a nine minute mile. Not too shabby, all things considered.
The next morning I met up with the team at the northwest corner of Lake Calhoun. We'd be running part of the Twin Cities Marathon route, down Calhoun and Harriet, then following Minnehaha Parkway to Lake Nokomis before returning along the same route. Once again, deceptive heat and humidity was the order of the day. Didn't feel all that bad while we were running, especially since much of the course was shaded, but stopping for water breaks? Yikes. Even with all sorts of high-tech clothes meant to wick away the sweat, I was drenched something wicked. Last half was like I'd gone swimming.
But there's good news in all of that: no way it's that hot or humid in October, so while the distances will be longer, at least we're training through the hottest time of the year. And other good news: at the top of Lake Harriet, on the way back, I saw a bald eagle gliding just above the trees. Amazing. Beautiful. Nice to be thirteen plus miles into a run on a hot summer morning and be given such a gift.
Weekly Training: 28.5 miles
Mon: 4 miles
Tue: 45 min spin class
Wed: 6 miles
Thu: rest
Fri: 45 min spin class
Sat: 3 miles
Sun: 15.5 miles
Total Mileage: 234.5 miles
Fundraising Total: $12,046.50 (including several checks that still need to be processed by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society)
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