Hard Tuesday

Tuesday's are usually one of my harder workout days. I have spinning at 5a.m. and then the Tuesday Night Flyer's running clinic Tuesday night.
Yesterday morning Andrea was our instructor, we did the interval training again where we would spin a couple of songs and then get off the bikes and use the weights, push-up's etc. It's good every now and then to shake things up and I love our regular instructor Stacy, but Andrea's class yesterday morning was really good. I wish I would have worn my heart rate monitor, it sure felt like my heart was about to come out of my chest a few times. I knew after that class the hill repeats scheduled for Tuesday night were going to be a challenge. I just didnt' know at the time how much of a challenge!!!!

My stomach was feeling a little iffy yesterday afternoon and I was hoping and praying that it would calm down before the clinic.
It wasn't as cold yesterday as it has been but once the sun went down it cooled off quite a bit. I wore capri running pants and a long sleeve shirt and was a little cold at the start but during the workout I never got too warm so that was good.

I think Coach Dennis is ready to strangle me. He wasn't a bit happy that we raced the Duck 10K last weekend just a week after the Tulsa 1/2 marathon and he is even less happy that I am running a 1/2 marathon this weekend. Three weeks in a row of races.
He told me last night to take it easy on the workout and to back down on the hill repeats. I love that Dennis really does care about us and is worried about injuries.

As soon as we started running I knew it wasn't going to be a good night. Luckily I had Cheryl by myside. We did our strides... kind of slow and then we had 1x 1000 at lactate pace. I ran just a bit slower than lactate pace but not too slow. Sonia and Jennifer had started off behind us and Sonia yelled at me asking if I was "shaking it" for them. I had on a reflective vest and I guess it was pretty jiggly... I yelled back that I was trying to make them dizzy so they couldn't catch up. I love those girls they always crack me up when I need it.

After the 1000 we headed to Outlook for our hill repeats.... Ummmm is Dennis mad at us????? OMG that was a steep hill, nothing like our normal Lila Loop hill. On our first run up Andrea and Brenda were coming down and Andrea called out that it's "really steep keep your pace." Cheryl - THANK YOU!! for getting me up that hill everytime. On the very first one I started to walk during the steepest part but Cheryl wouldn't let me she said come on you can do it. Seriously if it weren't for her I don't know if I would have done more than 3 repeats. The adavanced group had to do between 12-15 and the intermediate group 7-10... except for anyone racing this weekend. Since Cheryl and I were the only one's racing, (well except for Robert. Hey Robert how many repeats did you do??????)
Anyway we finished before everyone else and headed back to the school. We were just taking it easy, and after those hill repeats it actually felt kind of easy, but then my foot cramped up on top and I had to stop and walk. I know it's the new Sauccony shoes I've been wearing. They are hitting me in a weird place on the top of my foot. It has been bothering me for a little while and when I wore them at the race on Saturday and on my run with Brenda and Michele on Monday I loosened up the laces. Loosening the laces helps the pressure on the top of my foot but then after I finish the run my ankle is kind of sore. I think last night might have been the last time I will be wearing those shoes to run in. So it wasn't the best night of running i've ever had but I made it through thanks to a lot of help and support from Cheryl!!! I had a little pity party for myself last night but I'm all better today. I think getting to sleep in this morning helped. Oh and maybe the double shot of espresso, sugar free white chocolate mocha from Mountain Mudd, yeah I bet that helped too.

Yesterday was Kelly's birthday... she is 27 ;) Arland and I had the pleasure of getting to go to lunch with her and Robert for her birthday meal.
Oh and Kelly I told Robert last night to tell you that you should be glad you had to work instead of coming to the clinic. Not that I really mean it, but at that precise moment.. yes I think I did!!!

Happy belated Birthday to Susan.. I hope you had a wonderful time on your special day.