COVID Diaries - This weather is bullshit!

 Apparently I don't even care about censors.

Wednesday 10/21

I woke up to find out the snow removal people legit just didn't come. So, that was a whole thing.  I cleared my snow and texted my neighbor that the salt I use is pet safe.  (Neighbor has a dog, which is different from last year.)  Eventually neighbor texted me back that her shovel from last year was a disaster and she was getting a new one soon. I shoveled her side of our back yard too, before I had to leave for work.

I did work outside the home for a minute, which was lovely. And involved another COVID test. For reals, the one in the office hurt significantly less than in the car.  I think the angle of approach matters. 

I also ran in the suburbs.  One of my offices is on a hospital campus which is generally well plowed.  Hospital campus also has a walking trail (which is partially under construction but still suitable for an out and back) so I ran out there versus in my neighborhood where there were varying levels of shoveling compliance.

Thursday 10/22

I ran my mile pretty early in the morning because it was supposed to snow again.  I was about a block from home when the snow thunder/lightning started, so I'll call my timing okay but not ideal.

In the evening Dungeon Master and I did online Tai Chi together. That is quickly becoming my most favorite workout of all.

Friday 10/23

Work was surprisingly wild.  I wound up with 8 points on a day where I needed like 0-1.  It's fine.  I'm happy for my job, and at this moment, happy to be able to help out my colleagues.  Fridays it's me and one other social worker, whom I really enjoy working with.  We do a phone call or two, check in on the computer, keep going, etc.  It's usually a nice day.  Today was a bit wild for us both, but ultimately fine.

In the afternoon I went out and ran/walked 3 miles.  (But I did run over a mile.  This change is emotional.  Let me have my space.) 

In the evening, Dungeon Master and I had another Tai Chi date. We had a bonus participant at the last minute.  I'm not sure I have a blog name for this dude, so we'll see what he wants to be called. Eagle Scout maybe? You know when friends from high school meet your adult friends?  That's what that night was for me.  Both Dungeon Master and Eagle Scout are the kind of friends who know where the bodies are buried, and probably helped put them there.  So to speak. 

Saturday 10/24

First off, whatever the hell I did to myself after Tai Chi was not good.  So I woke up around 1am ready to puke.  Which eventually happened.  Since I was so wide awake, I thought I'd cut my hair (which I'd been thinking about for a minute) and that mostly worked out, except the back of my head is a bit uneven.  (Sigh.)

In real life, Dungeon Master and I walked around Palmer Lake, ahead of tomorrow's proposed snow storm (which may or may not reach the Twin Cities, we are not taking chances). After the walk; I ran/walked and did my mile for running.  I also got my steps in for whatever step challenge I'm in right now.

 

 

COVID Diaries October 4

 

Saturday Long Run

Plan: 2 miles easy, 2 miles at 'race pace', 2 miles easy
Actual Mileage: 6.28 miles

Route: 2 laps around Palmer Lake, counter clockwise.

Weather: We had this thing called sunshine.  It's been a while.. It was about 27*, not much wind.

Wardrobe:
Top: Shirt and gray sweat shirt.  Plus a buff on my head.  From a race I never got to run.  Sigh.
Bottom: NB Tights (first run in them)
Feet: Compression socks and The Replacements as I think they must now be called.

High Points of the workout: I mean, the sunshine?  Also, the footing was good in that it was snow and not ice.  That was looking like a real possibility on the way over.

Struggles of the workout: I did not hit the right effort.  I'd decided that instead of 'race pace' I wanted to hit a higher than normal heart rate, in the 160s, and a higher than normal cadence (blue on the garmin graph). I got very close, but not quite strong enough. 

Today I learned: I was legit getting distracted by all the sunshine.  I'm like "no, run hard, don't stop and look" and other me is like "but it's sun.  It literally hasn't been around most of this month".

Next steps: Keep pushing harder in practice so I can push really hard on race day?
Bonus:Y'all I did my taxes today.

Long Run Saturday

Plan: 6 miles; middle 2 miles at race pace

Actual Mileage: 6.3 miles, plus 0.3 miles walking back to the car

Route: Two laps around Palmer Lake plus a walking cool down.

Weather: Low 60s and a touch of wind

Wardrobe: I wore a dark blue shirt because the sun is shining and I wanted to feel the heat and the solar power.

High Points of the workout: First "fast" mile felt strong.

From the high points, I learned:  I actually was probably going too fast at some points.  My pacing was really uneven.

Struggles of the workout: Second "fast" mile was a struggle. I felt like I slowed down but I definitely tried to keep kicking.

From the struggles, I learned: I kept a good attitude in my head, after an initial "I can't kick that hard for that long" I was all "if you think you can't or you think you can, you're right" and then I tried harder.  So that was positive.

Next steps: I told my coach I am definitely looking forward to running with her.  I think having another person around to pace off of will be a real boost for me.  Looking at this has also helped me understand why I like doing these fast paced workouts on the treadmill.  My pacing doesn't get nearly as screwed up.
 

Bonus: I did leg day exercises after the run and then walked back to my car.

Palmer Lake

I had a weird schedule today and the best weather ever.  Which meant a fun run in the sun.

Plan: Enjoy the freaking weather. 
Backup plan: Manage the heart rate. It's hot.

Route: 2 laps around Lake Palmer.  Each lap is 3 miles.

Weather: 70*, crazy sunny, strong winds out of the south.

Execution: Plan A was a great success.  Backup plan, not so much.  But whatever, it was a gorgeous day.