Race day gets closer and despite still being sick, I'm determined to continue training.  I felt a lot better yesterday (and again today) and I really needed the run yesterday to clear my head.  Lots of "life" happening and despite it being 81 degrees at 10 pm, I went for it.  It didn't really clear my head, but it gave me time to think, which didn't really help, but oh well.  My mind was racing a mile a minute, so I didn't have time to think how miserable it was out...until the last 15 minutes (of the 60 minute run).  I pushed through it...after all, in about 9 months, I'm going to have to run 26 miles - "Suck it up, cupcake" became my mantra.

The weather's been pretty terrible lately - hot and humid during the day - with rain coming too early for it to still be cooler when I'm ready to run (i.e. out of work).  I hit the gym on my lunch break at work - 40 minutes on the elliptical.  I just started Season 5 of Oz and used my new running shoes as well.  I need to break them in some more, but the elliptical wasn't too intense on the feet.  They feel good.  I'm just not a very patient person, so we'll see how that goes.

I'm excited that my next race is a month away.  I still got to figure out how I am going to register.  Registration closes before my flight lands at LAX.  We'll see.

I continued my training while on vacation.  I got up at 7am - before the rest of my family - to run 50 minutes before we headed to Sea World for the day.  At about 5.5 miles, it was a pretty nice route - watching the early morning traffic build, most cars destined for an Orlando theme park - however, one portion of the run (on International Drive) did not have a sidewalk.  I ran on the road, where most drivers were nice and moved over, and they weren't going that fast in the first place.  I would have run in the grass, but it was soaking wet and not the greatest terrain - I was slightly concerned that I'd lose my balance and fall into the road.

On Saturday, we were back at my apartment, lounged by the pool and I worked out on the elliptical at my apartment gym for 30 minutes, and cooled off in the pool afterward.  However, our whirlwind week caught up to me, as did my Mom's cold...I felt pretty terrible Saturday night, and after saying "Goodbye" and dropping them off at the airport Sunday morning, I went back to bed.  I slept for about 18 hours that day, and almost the same on Monday.  It was apparently time to recharge the batteries.  I wasn't very happy missing the 8 mile run, but my body was telling me pretty severely that I needed sleep.

So...on my day of "rest" I woke up at 8 am, drove to Walt Disney World, went to Animal Kingdom, checked into the Art of Animation Resort - Lion King Suite - and then went to Hollywood Studios.  I hit the sack around midnight. 

But, I still got up to run the next morning...I just ran out of steam at 40 minutes (supposed to go for 50) and might have had a blister from some new flip flops I decided to wear the day before.  The map isn't super accurate because I ran in parking lots, sidewalks, paths and such - I'm pretty sure I ran over 4 miles - it was about 43 minutes.  I'm proud of still exercising while on vacation and everyone else was sleeping in.  For the next day, similar to the week before, I considered 12 hours of theme-parking to pass for my 30 minutes of cross training.

My parents and a cousin have been visiting this week.  I have been continuing to train, but have not been keeping up on my blogging.  Last Friday (7/19), I hashed again - this was a "live hare" one where the trail is laid 10 minutes before the group heads off to try to snare the hare.  It was pretty fun though I got lost for a small portion of the trail.  I am counting theme-parking (Busch Gardens) as my 30 minutes of cross training for the 20th.  And before we headed to Clearwater Beach on Sunday the 21st, I ran 4 miles - the there and back route.

Treadmill run on Tuesday during my lunch break at work - I varied the speed between 6.6 and 6.8 mph.  I definitely noticed the difference, which is strange because it is so small of a measurement, but I guess I can tell.  I went for 50 minutes.  I wanted to go for more, because I missed last week's endurance run, but I was not feeling at the top of my game, and Marathoning for Mortals advises you not to "make up" missed workouts...so there you go.

On Wednesday, I planned to swim, but Mother Nature had different plans.  Torrential downpours and lightning tend to close public pools, so I didn't even bother to stop to see if they were open.  Instead, I went to my apartment gym and tried the new elliptical's "Complete Body Workout" or whatever it was called, which changes what you're doing on the machine every minute or so, with the following options: lift toes, lift heels, bend knees, push bars, pull bars, forward stride, reverse stride, stationary (feet on sides).  So, a certain combination of those is presented on the screen of the elliptical and you follow along.  I watched the season four finale of Oz and changed up my cross training for the day.  It was pretty fun, and I did feel a little sore the next day - a sure sign it did something!  lol.

I did add the backstroke this workout as well - so I did laps with freestyle, sidestroke and backstroke.  Like I said, I felt a lot better - much less winded and was able to complete each 100m portion without stopping every 25m like last time.

I also tried something new on Saturday - hashing.  It has nothing to do with illegal substances, but rather is a social gathering that involves a mixture of drinking and exercising.  Some participants are there more for one reason than the other, but it was a lot of fun.  We biked a course that was set only an hour previously using flour, and the object is to try to figure the course out while completing smaller challenges along the way.  I'm doing a terrible job of explaining it, but it was a lot of fun.  This is a good site that explains it a bit more.  Needless to say, the 10 mile bike ride that included going over the bridge to Clearwater twice kind of wiped me out and I was not feeling up to a 7 mile run the next day.  The hashes are usually runs - this was a special bike hash - so future hashes should fit into my training.  This was also my first non-stationary bike ride in over 7 years, so I'm happy I didn't wipe out.

It's been a busy week with my best friend in town - Adventure Island, Fort DeSoto State Park, MOSI - but I continued my training as prescribed.  On Friday night, I ran the course to the left - there and back, modified with four 30s sprints at the end of the main run, spaced a minute apart.  It was about 77 degrees, so I'm happy with just over 6 mph - 4.31 miles in 42:56. This Florida humidity is rough.  I feel like my shorts are going to come off due to the weight of the sweat...lol.  I worked out on the elliptical after work on Saturday for 30 minutes for my cross training.

Tonight was the week's endurance run, which is supposed to be run at an easier, relaxed pace.  I ran 6.2 miles in 61:36 - a pace similar to Friday's run.  It was hot and humid again tonight - about 80 degrees, at 10:30pm.  Ick.  I need to start getting up at sunrise to run...maybe next week.
I did end the night with a dip in my apartment's pool and jacuzzi and a big glass of Gatorade, which was a nice change - and good motivation to finish up quickly.

It's been raining a lot here lately, but that was good on Tuesday because it cooled the atmosphere down.  It was 75 degrees at 7pm, so I decided to take advantage of it.  I was "scheduled" to run for 40 minutes, so instead of doing my normal loop and doubling back, I just headed out and turned around at 22 minutes, running back the same way (i.e. "there and back").  Because I've been pushing it on the treadmill - up to 6.7 mph - I made a conscious effort to keep my pace up.  This effort turned out to be successful.  I ran 4.69 miles in 42:56 - with a little math, I figured out that was 9:13 per mile, which is about 6.6 mph.  Woot woot!  Much better than my normal road pace of 6 mph (10 min per mile).

And today I was on the elliptical for 40 minutes.  ;)