Making the most of things (Morning Commute, Morning Runs. Change of Scenery, and New Shoes)

Hello there.  It's been over a week since my last post, and it has gone by in a blur.  I haven't been doing anything too extraordinary on the running front.  But, I did get my feet a little dirty this week.

Morning Commute Angst

For the past eight weeks  my morning and evening commute has been a real pain in the butt.  The  Nevada Department of Transportation  has closed off one of the main entrance points to my neighborhood to repair the roads/gas lines. Now I am forced to take a detour and the freeway to work in the morning.  In the evening I can surpass the freeway, and take side streets to get home, but this has left my commute taking an additional 10-20 minutes each way.   I'm trying to get out of the house earlier in the mornings but, it doesn't seem to make a difference.  Traffic will lighten up somewhat when the schools let out for the summer at the beginning of June.   The road project is expected to wrap up August 1st.

I started running in the mornings last week.  I have also started to do a few two a day workouts.... I don't think that I 'm so hardcore that I must work out twice a day. However, I really enjoy doing a short run before work.  It helps to take the edge off after sitting in traffic, and I feel more focused when I am sitting down at my desk all day.  Since I don't have time for an 6-8 miler before work.  I don't mind running 2-3 miles before work and then doing a few more miles at lunchtime.



Another bonus is that I am leaving that pesky Garmin behind.  There is absolutely no point in wearing a Garmin for  these short shake out runs.  These runs are mostly for stress relief. There is no need to stress over pace.  I realize that last year I was turning my shake out morning runs into tempo pace negative split runs.  It's fun to run fast, but I want to err on the side of caution for awhile.

Training Updates and A Change of Scenery

I have about two weeks worth of entries, I won't blather on too much.

Monday 5/4- Circuit Training with weights and a few body weight exercises, and stretching

Tuesday 5/5- Somewhere between 5 and 6 miles. Ran somewhere between 2-3 miles at Cornerstone park, my legs were a little sore from the 5k over the weekend so, I stayed on the dirt paths on the inside loop of the track.

At lunchtime I went and picked up my new shoes(more on that later) and I went for a short run 2-3 miles run in them on the Pittman Wash paved trail.

Wednesday 5/6 - 3 miles before work, and some weight training at lunchtime.

Thursday 5/7-  Rest

Friday 5/8 -  Short shakeout run before work. More than two but, less than three.  I also headed out along the Pittman Wash Trail.

Saturday 5/9 - I wasn't in a big hurry to leave the house in the morning. So I waited until my daughter took a nap and I ran 4 miles neighborhood. It was muggy and warm.  No Garmin or watch.


Sunday 5/10 Rest- It was Mothers Day, we took the kids to Sunset Park and let them run around.  I also needed to dye my hair.  So no running today.

Monday 5/11  Almost 9 miles.  I ran 3 miles before work.  I am so over running on the streets near my place of work.  It's a terrible time to be running on busy streets.  I was running on the shoulder of the road, and I felt a car brush by me way too close.  I think I will be sticking to parks, trails, and paths.  At least until school lets out.
At lunchtime I headed out on the roads again, about three miles into my run, I decided to do a little off roading.  I'm a wuss when it comes to trail running, so I don't do it very often.  But,  as I get older it is really starting to call out to me.  The surfaces are much softer, and I don't have to worry about playing frogger with the cars.  I ran about a half mile on this beauty

and then I flipped a  u-turn back out.  I think the next time I head out here, I will park my car near the trail head and do some exploring.

Tuesday 5/12  Two miles before work, I still wanted to get some trail running in, and I discovered a new area to hike/run.  The Whitney Mesa Recreation  trail head opened up last year,  I was kind of in a rush, (It seems like I have been in a hurry for the last month straight).  So I didn't have a lot of time to enjoy the scenery.  I ran up onto the mesa, and ran along the ridge line, and then ran back down.  Here are a few snapshots.

This trail was very gentle, and well maintained.  I think I would like to explore some of the more rugged trails at a later date.

Wednesday- 5 miles- 3 in the morning before work,  Then I really worked the heck out of my upper body in the gym.  In February I sprained my wrist when I fell running
I have had to modify my upper body workouts until my right wrist stopped hurting, and I am happy to report that I feel like I have regained most of my upper body strength that I lost.  I was able to do two unassisted reverse grip chin ups!  I also worked on my push ups and handstands up against a wall.  I don't take pictures while I'm in the gym, So you will just have to take my word for it. I also ran two miles at recovery pace on the treadmill.

Thursday 5/14- Rest-  I did a few planks and some stretches, but I wouldn't call it a workout.

Friday   5/15-  Around 5 miles... I ran around Cornerstone park in the morning, and today on my lunch break I went to Sunset Park.  The change of scenery has been wonderful

New Shoes

Last month I was really excited about a new pair of Nike's.... It turns out I never got a chance to buy them.  They were too expensive ($120), and on my birthday I ended up taking my kiddo to the Emergency Room, and there went my extra cash for running shoes.

Two weeks ago I thought I lost my Brooks Ravenna's so, I began to search for discount running shoes.... I found another sweet deal at 6pm.com.  And I scored a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline's for just under $60.00

Mother's Day Gift

 I have been running in these for almost two weeks, and they are wonderful!  They provide a lot more support than the Brooks Ravennna's and it doesn't hurt that they are my favorite color.

Well that's all I 've got for now. I hope to post a little more frequently, so you won't have to read a wall'o text.

As always thank you for reading!!