+2.4

Well, I in fact did go back to the rec center this afternoon for an additional 2.4 miles .... 1.8 of that running and the remainder at a fast walking clip. A total of 4.8 miles, with 4.2 of that straight up running. Yea, that's right. 

Two Point Four

I thought writing out my (again) weak mileage would make me feel better somehow. It didn't. Running 2.4 miles no matter how you write it down is still only running 2.4 miles. I feel like a broken record, I had to squeeze in another run at the rec center before my 11 month old went down for his morning nap. I shouldn't be complaining, I am running after all. Perhaps I will go back to the rec center this afternoon and do it again (gasp!) for a total of 4-5 miles for the day!  

2.25

Wow, I upped my run length to a total of 2.25 miles today. Watch out. Again, limited time to squeeze in a run between activities today. Each time I'm running, though, I'm running anywhere from 22-25 minutes. So even though my actual mileage is abysmal, I am achieving a good chunk of cardio time. 

2.0

Just a quick 2 miles on the treadmill at the rec center this morning, squeezed between nap time and lunch. I take what I can get ... still running at a 10+ min/mi pace. 

City Park

I ran for the first time in City Park today after I dropped my son off at preschool. I am determined to get back into running shape, and although I only ran 1.5 miles it is better than nothing. As I indicated from yesterday's run, I am months away from being back in racing shape and further behind pace wise than I anticipated :/. Granted, I was pushing my 11 month old in the jogger, but I frequently trained for the 2010 NYC marathon pushing my then 18 month old in the jogger in NYC's Central Park. 

Which brings me to my next point. I miss Central Park! It's not that I didn't think I would miss it, or even that I took it for granted when I lived ON Central Park West. But rather I am quickly reminded that it is the only place of its kind in the world ... ok well the US at least. I did more running living in NYC than I ever have in my entire life. And I have been a runner since the age of 13. 

So what does this mean for my running now that I am in Denver? It means I will have to make a more deliberate effort to lace up my shoes, it means that I will have to be okay with constantly dodging aggressive geese and mounds of goose poop (well in City Park at least), and it means I will have to let Central Park go and do my best to appreciate what running opportunities I do have here in Colorado. 

But I don't have to stop missing Central Park. 

Rec Center

Ok. So I am not a gym person. I don't like treadmills or elliptical machines, or working out amid inappropriately dressed individuals. Yes, I realize this is a bit of a stereotype, but I've been in enough gym settings to know that there is a good reason for this stereotype. Buuuuuuuut, I joined the local rec center here in Denver today. In fact our whole family joined, which means the hubs and I can have access to work out in the really cold months ahead, and childcare is free in a really nice, well-curated kid area, and we may even consider working out together as a date. Yes, we are "those" people. 

So after 30 minutes of paper work, we dropped the boys off in the childcare area and headed for the cardio room. It was close to dinner time, so we knew we just had about 30 minutes to work out. We both hit the treadmills. I had this preconceived notion that I would run about 3 miles in my 30 minutes, and I was not going to think about how far my rock star hubby would run in that same amount of time. Why 3 miles? Well, as you may know a 10 min/mile pace will yield 3 miles in exactly 30 minutes. And my "out of shape" pace is a 10 min/mile. Except when it's not and really my current pace is about an ELEVEN MINUTE MILE. Arg.

I have a lot more work to do than I anticipated before being back in shape. I am also carrying around about 10 pounds of baby weight. So. Deflating. 

I ran 2.6 miles total in my 30 minutes, and since a treadmill offers the luxury of being very specific with pace, I played around a bit going as slow as 12:34/mile and as fast ("fast", haha) as 9:14/mile. Sadly it was a hard workout for me. 

This is it, man, I am getting back into running shape. Altitude (and baby weight) and all!