So, I have wanted a running watch for a while and I finally bought one with my Christmas money.  Woo hoo!  I had asked all my running friends on facebook for recommendations and they all agreed that for what I wanted (time, pace, distance), the Garmin Forerunner 110 was the one.  And that's what I bought - on Amazon - for $120.  I was able to try it out for the first time on Monday for my 50 minute run.

It was a great run and the 110 was everything I hoped it would be.  I found out that I am actually running at a pace faster than I thought - about 9:30 per mile (not 10:00) - as some of the distances I calculated using MayMyRun were not exact.  So that was an unexpected bonus.  30 seconds shaved off each mile means 13 minutes less running in a marathon!

I continuted my workouts for the week with a sprint-elliptical session and my gym circuit for cross training.  Historically, I slack off on the elliptical.  I watch an episode of Oz and zone out - not so this time!  I calibrated my playlist to play super up-tempo jams and went 3 miles on it in 15 minutes.  The gym circuit (the one I started last week) involves 30 seconds of each exercise with 10 seconds of rest in between exercises, which include jumping jacks, wall squats, push-ups, crunches, step-ups, squats, tricep dips, planks, high knees, lunges, push-up rotations, and side planks.  And I do that three times in a row.  Needless to say, I am so sweaty by the end of it - no earphones (they stopped working the first time I tried this - I think because of the sweat lol).

I also had a new workout on Wednesday - a tempo run.  This was a "Tempo C" - meaning three 5 minute runs with a 1 minute brisk walk in between.  Tempo pace is defined as "a pace just outside your comfort zone, comfortably hard, in which you can talk in short, choppy sentences."  I ran the first 5 minutes at 8.5 mph; the second at 8 mph; and the third at 7.5 mph - for a total distance of 2 miles in 15 minutes.  It was definitely hard and I had to remain focused (so as not to fall off the treadmill), but it felt good.

And now, to enjoy my day of rest.

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.

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!