waking up to sunshine

waking up and having the sun be out? completely wonderful. i’m not going to pretend that i will be able to erase my sleep debt with just 2 solid nights, but i certainly feel better-rested this morning than i have in a long time.

relatively vague plans for the day
– head to the gym for an easy run and weights
– lunch & hanging out w/ my sister in raleigh
– some maintenance cleaning and laundry
– some serious lying around and reading
– dinner out somewhere with josh once he is rested (he had overnight call last night)

simple — boring, maybe — but to me it sounds absolutely divine.

* * * * * * * * * * *

on another note, i’ve been getting jazzed up about running recently. it’s now been 5 months since i was completely sidelined by my hip injury, and i’m starting to get the race bug again. i decided it would be fun to join the lovely kath in charlotte for the race for the cure 5K on october 4th. and while i don’t need to do any specific 5K training, i think that adds to the experience! so i am going to follow this runner’s world plan, aiming for between 30 – 40 miles/week. because i am planning on a half marathon in december, i’ll make the weekend long runs slightly longer than they suggest, likely 9-12 miles rather than 8-10.

i’m also starting to peer eagerly at spring marathon schedules. it KILLS me that my last 2 quests to race 26.2 have ended in injury just weeks before each race! i am not sure how to prevent a 3rd distaster, but i’m wanting to try again anyway. the only thing stopping me from picking a date and signing up is the fact that i don’t have my specific schedule yet for the spring. i need a not-too-hilly race somewhere either close by, or fun enough to warrant a weekend trip.

and finally: i am coveting this polar HR monitor/foot pod combo. i had a garmin 201 (well, i still have it) that was wonderful in theory but was hopelessly inaccurate and frustrating in practice (it would lose signal for like, HALF of a long run and say that i ran 5 miles instead of say, 12). i figure with a foot pod, you don’t risk losing satellite contact and polar is a brand that has been making these for a long time. i feel like maybe if i had one, i would run outside more since i could just head out my door and still have precise data about mileage and pace. plus, i think it would be interesting/informative to add HR data to my training.

the watch-part:

the foot pod:

the HRM:

i really do need another stimulus rebate. i would get the HRM and refresh my fall wardrobe. if we could only just sell our house . . .

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8.22.08

run: 5.67 mi interval run, 0.5% incline. despite being post-call, this felt easier than it had previously and i even lengthened two of the interval segments. the run —
– 10 minutes @ 8:57/mi to warm up
– 2 x [5 minutes @ 7:30/mi, then 3 minutes recovery]
– 2 x [4 minutes @ 7:30/mi, then 3 minutes recovery]
– 10 minutes @ 8:57/mi to cool down

cooking: no, but i had a nice dinner out w/ several of my fellow peds residents (the first social thing i have done since the PICU started) at california pizza kitchen. i split a salad and a goat cheese/veggie pizza on a honey-wheat crust with a friend, and had a well-earned glass of sauvignon blanc. even though most of the dinner was spent ranting about the demeaning, frustrating, unpleasant PICU experience, it was still really fun. i miss PEOPLE!