Where-O-Where

I've had this post written forever but no pictures to go with it.  Call me lazy, but I just haven't had any motivation to do much of anything, let alone copy and edit all of the ridiculous photos that could accompany this otherwise boring post. So we'll just add some random pictorial interest points in along the way.

Where I've been

It's been almost three weeks since the bar exam! At the end of the day, it was exactly as horrific as everyone had told me it would be. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like my months of study really got me anywhere (and I'm not alone in feeling like that). Oh well - I find out in late September whether I get to do it all again. 

Since then, I've been doing a lot of nothing. It's been glorious. I wake up, drive Josh to work and go to the gym where I immerse myself in Olympics coverage. Then I come home and spend most of my time like this:

Or sometimes this:

There are days that I feel really guilty about Josh going off to his 9-5 and me turning around and going to the gym or back to the house to take the pup to the park. But mostly I'm just trying to enjoy this lull while I've got it.

Where I Am
I started training for the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon last week! After a few weeks of sloth & gluttony it's really nice to have some structure - and just to be running again period. I've decided on ____ key markers to gauge my progress through this training cycle. I'm hoping by focusing on a few key things I can see gains overall at the end and not just in my splits or my overall time (which will be badass, of course). They are:

Speed

Stepping back from running this summer has really upped my speed. During the exam period it was too hot to get any real distance in so short runs were all I could muster. I'm really going to try to focus on speedwork this time around to keep my legs peppy. I'm going for an A time of 2:20 (10:41 min/mi) & a B time of 2:24 (11:00 min/mi) both of which I think are really do-able.

Flexibility

The big gains I made in flexibility over the spring were lost over the summer. I'm just barely able to touch ye-old-toes. How important is flexibility in running? Not too much, truly. But being flexible makes me feel strong, and it really helps me release tension. A flexible back and shoulders is important in keeping me calm and relaxed, so I definitely have some work to do here.

Weight Management

I am a champion stress eater. I could stress eat this guy outta this world. That being said, the exam was definitely a set back for this particular fitness point. But I'm back on the healthy body bandwagon and making strides!

Endurance

Despite the recent need for speed, my lungs and legs have kept some of their stamina up. I can get in five miles (about an hour of activity) without feeling 'tired'. I'm interested to see how my first 5+ miler goes!

Recovery

Active recovery is the name of the game this time around. I've been using my HR monitor to keep me on track, making recovery runs actually restful. Nothing really to report on this point right now because I haven't done much that would require recovery :)

Where I'm Going
79 Days until my next half marathon! I'm so excited I could burst. It feels like the Derby Fest was so long ago and I"m eager to get out and race again.

Just before the bar I got hired on to my dream job as a public defender here in town. I can't tell you what a blessing this was, as it was the only job in the world I wanted (besides professional pool lounger, of course). I start on the 27th and I'm eager to figure out how to work running into my new 60 hour work week :)

Perhaps the biggest destination on the horizon....Marriage-ville! We're only 18 short days away from the nuptials and I couldn't be more ready to go. We're also 18 short days away from the start of UofL Football season. If I told you how many people have complained that the two days are the same, you wouldn't believe it.

Happy Running!


Where have you been? I'm trying to catch up!