Surprising 4+ Today

Determined to not only get on a regular running schedule but also resolve to use the rec center membership we're paying for and the get the boys and I OUT of the house, I decided to just run to the rec center! It's pretty close, right? So I loaded up the boys and set out, dropped the boys at the childcare upon arrival, ran an easy 2 miles on the treadmill (well it didn't really feel that easy, but it was a 10:30/mi pace so whatev), then picked up the boys and ran home. Wow, I was really tired, I mean I know pushing a 20# stroller with 60+ # of kids in it is hard work but it really was taxing. I didn't realize the rec center was 1 1/4 miles away until I got home and mapped it out, so in total I ran 4.5 miles! Nice. 

Bad Mood Yields Good Run

I was in a foul mood this afternoon for a multitude of reasons, and not wanting to for us all to be miserable for the rest of the afternoon my husband suggested that we get outside. Fine. I'll go. But I am getting something out of it, we're running (still begrudgingly though). So we set off with no particular destination and before we knew it we were in the little downtown area in our neighborhood. We stopped and let the kids look at the Christmas tree and let the 3 year old walk around a bit. It was getting close to dinner time too, so I suggested we run home and try this new little Italian place near our home. Honestly I was not up for the dinner time struggle of getting our three year old to eat his dinner that is a daily occurrence in our house. So off we went to Mici. It was such a pleasant time, I was really surprised. The family owned place had delicious food, reasonable prices, a great atmosphere for kids, and the boys loved the food ad both ate good dinners. Score! It totally turned our day around, and I got about 2.7 miles in!

Swim Class

Attempted the whole two birds, one stone thing this morning by running my kids to swim class, one in the jogger one on his bike. It was a DISASTER. I got maybe 2 miles of running/walking/stopping. Never again :(

Lame Two Miler

The hubs asked if I wanted to go out on a quick run with the boys this evening. Quick indeed, I just was not feeling it. So after 2 miles we called it. Oh well, 2 miles is 2 miles I guess. 

8,400 ... feet that is

Our family went on a church retreat this weekend to Estes Park, a beautiful area here in Colorado. Most of our weekend was filled with meetings and community activities, but the hubs and I were able to steal away one late afternoon and get a run in together. Wow, running at altitude is no joke. I have just acclimated myself to Denver's elevation, just over 5,000 ft, so I thought I would be okay up here in Estes Park (elev. 8,400!). Nope. Dead wrong. It was icy cold, the wind was whipping and I seriously thought I was having a heart attack. I kept asking my husband, who is much more acquainted with the effects of altitude running, if he was sure my chest was supposed to hurt this much. "Really, it feels like a knife is protruding out of my chest while simultaneously I can't breath?". "Yes (chuckle, chuckle)." All righty then.

I was able to complete right at 3 miles. I think I asked the hubs to check his Garmin every few minutes to see if we'd reached 3 miles. Thank goodness for technology, haha. I won't be running at this altitude with any regularity, but I am really glad I did it!

+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.