May 2020 Monthly Running Challenge

So I planned to get up at 6 this morning to be out the door by 7 in the hopes there wouldn't be as many idiots posing as runners or serious walkers. As the plan called for 4 miles, I also plotted out a route which avoided the nice wide flat attractive streets and snaked around the slopy back roads. Turned out both were excellent choices. There were a lot of runners, but most of them were 'proper runners' with enough common sense to at least wear buffs to pull over when they couldn't give others a wide berth, rather than people pretending to exercise just to be allowed outside.
Of course, all the best laid plans.... couldn't get to sleep last night, then my daughter woke us up at 3am to report that a mosquito had attacked her and she needed ointment (she gets nasty reactions). Then couldn't get back to sleep for ages.
Still managed to get up and out on time. Really enjoyed the run, but legs are feeling the different between treadmill and hard sidewalks. Not sure I'm looking forward to tomorrow's intervals or Saturday's long run, both of which will be done on the treadmill.
I also noticed my oldest shoes have about as many km on them as the previous ones did when they started causing trouble. That, combined with the return to road running, lack of physio visits and no swimming, is probably what is making my legs sore. So what did I do? I ordered new shoes. Pray my husband isn't home when they arrive, please!

02/05: 11.3km race pace
04/05: 6.15km fartleks
06/05: 6.57km easy

May goal: 140km. Run so far: 124.02km

2.56 miles to the park for some drills and back tonight.

@PastorVincent - all I got is: *insert introvert approved virtual hugs here*
I am happy that you are now reconnected with your longtime friend. I wish for you that it had happened in more positive circumstances.

@avidkeo - my water is my security blanket. I just feel better if I have it. Back before I ever tried for something longer than a 5k, I always had a waist belt with water. Now, since I’m trying to stay used to my packs for when my long runs hopefully return to being more than 4 miles again, I just put my pack on nearly every time. In many races it’s been handy because I could swing wide around the chaos/ backlog that is the water station. In others, it’s been helpful because I’m slow and they are often tearing down water stations or even picking up the course in front of me.
It is currently handy because I can keep a little bit of hand sanitizer in 1 pocket, and a mask in another, in case either is needed. (Don’t have a buff, thus the mask, after tweenagers coughing on me the other day.) So, providing it’s allowed in the race rules, I say race with the same hydration you train with. But I don’t like the people part of hydration stations, and I like having my security blanket, and I like knowing I’m set no matter what.

@skippygirlsmom - our siren goes off EVERYDAY at noon- if we ever have a tornado or other disaster at anywhere close noon, we are screwed... like I often don’t even know what time it is when it goes off, I just decide it’s noon when I hear it, and I’m sure I am not the only one.
On a side note, and somewhat related, due to summertime tourist activities (we end up being the outskirts of Sturgis, in addition to the nearby national monuments on either side of us) and them having had issues with severe weather when everyone is outside watching burnouts or whatever.... and that causing significant problems, because of oblivious tourists and locals not having any idea they are about to get nailed by hail/lightning/tornado/whatever... they now actually have outdoor Bluetooth speakers all over the down town area to be able to broadcast messages. In order to know they work... they actually just play music over them all the time, which is kind of nice in a little bitty town.

Anyways, on to at least kind of running related activities.... I don’t actually remember if I have posted since the virtual 5k.. but, one of the days I missed posting.... I had a new experience.... I got chased, and then passed, by an RC car! It seems to have been piloted by a child in the back set of the actual car that soon followed. Perhaps it was the parents way of letting them play with the car, while ensuring the child respected social distancing??? I don’t know, but it made me smile, after I figured out what was going on.

I could have used a rest day today, but it’s supposed to be cold rain/snow tomorrow. So, I just shortened my intervals, and got some sunshine time today, instead. Will likely be doing something different tomorrow.
2.04 miles + whatever i did on the days I didn’t post = 13.26/50

Another 5K this morning putting me at 25/80km. It was a very different run today from yesterday. Yesterday I felt full of energy and like I could easily go for another run but today I felt tired the whole time and it felt like I was going so slow and dragging myself. I was positive my pace was going to be slower than usual and the run felt like it would never end. To my surprise, I actually did one of my best times. I do think that I will make my 5K a walk tomorrow. I would rather save my energy for a Saturday morning run.

I did a booboo copying my log yesterday which made it look like I'd run an extra 100km this week. Erm nope. Oops!

Speed intervals in the dreadmill this morning. I can't be bothered with the agro of trying to find a suitable place to run speed intervals that I can get too on foot, is within the area I'm allowed to be in and isn't packed with idiots. Nor can I be bothered with running round in circles, so intervals and long runs will continue to be done on the dreadmill until the situation changes.

My legs are a little sore, and during the slow 3km warmup the knee on my 'bad leg' was complaining a bit, so I wasn't sure whether I would need to abort mission after the first interval. It didn't hurt though and I forgot all about it. Trying to run fast enough to stay on and not fly backwards into a wall is great for mental focus. I should tell Hal, he talks a lot about the need to focus during speedwork.

So anyway, 7 x 400m at 1500m pace and 400m recovery later (plus a 1km cool down) I was done. He who must be obeyed said it was perfectly executed and all of my hard work and dedication will pay off. Yay! So can I go back to bed now?

02/05: 11.3km race pace
04/05: 6.15km fartleks
06/05: 6.57km easy
07/05: 10.4km intervals
May goal: 140km. Run so far: 34.42km

Too tired to run today. Feeling meh - I've been nursing a sore neck for nearly a week now (can't see an osteo, physio or massage therapist!) and as well as making me feel a bit delicate, it's been impacting my sleep. Tomorrow's a rest day so I'll do today's scheduled run then and have an early night tonight.

First time I've deviated from my training plan and have been feeling guilty, but I know it's ok to not run if I don't feel like it, in fact, it's recommended.