Thirty minutes on the elliptical - I worked out at 'Level 2' today - ooooh!  I had only done 'Level 1' before, which is the easiest one.  I stepped it up a bit because this is Week 1 of the 14 week pre-half marathon program and I feel like challenging myself even on the shorter workouts - I was definitely breathing harder, but I did it.  I had the cardio room all to myself, and am enjoying Season 4 of Oz on my iPod.

On my way to run errands, I realized I forgot my phone at the gym.  However, I turned that lemon into a big ole glass of lemonade!  When I went back to work, I printed out my utility bill (a requirement of residence) and stopped by Copeland Park (of the Tampa Parks & Recreation Department) and signed up for and purchased a rec card, which once it comes in, I can use to swim laps in the pools.  I won't have to bike or shimmy on the elliptical for cross-training all the time.  Woot woot!

At times, when I do not feel like running before work (or after for that matter - it's 92 degrees at 3 pm now), I'll run on the treadmill at the work gym during my lunch break.

That's what I did today -  joining the manly men of the entertainment department who are all lifting weights.  Thankfully, I avoid their grunting because the cardio room is separate.  I watched the Price is Right today; there was only one other exerciser in there, using the elliptical, so it was nice.  I ran about 3 miles at a 9:40/mile pace.  I felt pretty good, but I don't think I would run more than 40 minutes on a treadmill.  I love putting my unifrom back on when I'm already all sweaty - but hey, it's just going to get sweaty from work anyway.

Just got back from a night run.  Showered, gatoraded and about to resume watching Downton Abbey.  Hello, Jimmy Kent!

Tonight's run was great.  I felt good despite starting off slow, I ended up "getting" my 10 minute/mile pace by the end, so I was happy.  I did have a few unusual occurrences.  The first of which involved me getting spooked a bit.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself (expressions are weird, aren't they?) - that sounds like I'm having an out of body experience, when I really mean my story is getting ahead of itself.  Anyway, I often encounter wildlife on my runs - frogs, lizards, squirrels, rabbits, opossums, raccoons, armadillos, vultures, turtles, sandhill cranes, and I've even had an alligator on the sidewalk directly in front of me.  Now, I know it was probably a raccoon tonight, but whatever it was made enough racket in the bushes that I thought it was something much larger.  I was definitely looking over my shoulder.  After all, there have been a few black bears within an 8-mile radius of my apartment.  Needless to say, I thought how ironic it would be to get dragged off by a Florida panther (that's a mountain lion/puma/catamount/cougar for those of you not from Florida who decided to name a mountain lion a panther and confuse the world's population forever as illustrated by when someone says, "Look at that black panther," and the genius in the rooms says, "There's no such thing as a panther," and then someone from Florida pipes in with, "We have Florida panthers!").  But I digress...it would be fairly ironic to get dragged off by an Endangered Species while I'm training for a race to save another.

As if worrying about my imminent death and dismemberment wasn't enough, with half a mile to go, I wiped the sweat off my eyelid and took out a contact.  Miraculously, since I am on a budget after all - well ... "budget" - I was able to catch it in my hand (it fell out slowly) and carried it all the way home.  Boy, am I blind!  I eventually closed the contact-less eye and ran the rest of the way like that, but gee wilickers!  I cannot see very well at all without assistance.  Maybe it's time for Lasik.

Despite my troubles, I enjoyed the run.  I think I saw two cars - well, I know I saw the cars, I think there were two - the whole time I was out there...54 minutes.

Almost time for bed...but let's see what the Dowager Countess is doing first.

As prescribed by my training manual - the highly recommended Marathoning for Mortals by John Bingham and Jenny Hadfield - I integrate cross-training with running.  Cross-training, according to the book, is really any form of exercise that is dissimilar to running, i.e. bicycling, swimming, yoga, stairclimbing, rowing, etc.

Basically once you are "in shape," training to run a half marathon - my next race - involves a 14 week program, which starts Tuesday.  One week includes two days of rest, two days of cross-training, two days of shorter distances (that increase as the weeks progress) and one day of long distance (which also increase).

Today, I used the elliptical for 40 minutes - alternating between less resistance with high incline and more resistance with low incline.  I'm excited to start the 14 week program this week.  It's supposed to be under 70 degress!  Woo hoo!

I developed a cold after my recent trip to California.  Airplane germs?  Change in climate?  Who knows?  I did not feel well, so I took a few days off from running...okay, maybe a week.

I called out from work sick (not something I usually do) and with that extra rest, I felt improved.  Despite it being 11:30pm, I was itching to run.  It had been over a week and let me tell you, it's a weird feeling to want to run.

I'm pretty experienced running at night on the loop near my apartment.  Some of it is lit - I do cross the road a few times - but it is an industrial park, there is a sidewalk and there isn't much traffic at midnight.  ;)

I slapped my iPod on my waistband and was off.  It felt good to get back on the road...er, sidewalk.  It was 72 degrees and about 100% humidity, but I'm used to it by now.  Despite having the week off, I kept my normal 10 minute per mile pace, which I was satisfied with...for now.