The weatherman lied. But I still ran.

It's not surprising, but weathermen are liars.

They've been telling me all week about this January thaw we're supposed to be having and how it was going to be in the upper 30s today. And sunny.

I wake up this morning. Cloudy. Hazy and 21 degrees.

So not going to do the run outdoors right away. So I packed a gym bag (with indoor and outdoor clothing) and headed out to get an oil change. Which turned into lunch and shopping with my Mom while the Quick lube people took their sweet time changing my car's oil.

But the shopping was productive. I had some Scheel's gift cards and Christmas cash burning a hole in my pocket and I found an illumiNITE jacket on sale that I really liked. I admit, up until I bought this jacket, I didn't really have a suitable jacket for running. Granted I don't run outside when it's below 30 degrees, but every so often it'd be nice to have a jacket. So I splurged. Spent my gift cards and money and bought myself a jacket. And it's even reflective, so maybe now I can try that whole running at night thing without having to worry about being run down by a passing vehicle in my sidewalk-less neighborhood.

Once the Quick lube people finished my oil change, I headed over to my parents' house. And since the sun had come out and the temperature had finally broken 30 degrees (we're talking maybe 31), I decided it was time to try out the new jacket and head out for a run.

In addition to the new jacket, I was also trying out my new North Face Impulse tee for the first time. A long-sleeve shirt (with thumb holes!) that I layered on top of another long-sleeved technical shirt.

My Mom - who has only seen me run in shorts and a T-shirt or tank top - said I looked like I was quite the runner decked out in the new outfit. So I grabbed my gloves and headed out.

And after making it to the end of the block and making the first turn I almost turned around and went back. Yes it was chilly, but I could handle that. The gusty wind (OK, OK, maybe more like a 10 mph wind)? That was kind of brutal. Felt like I was running in place. And it was cold.

Knowing I'd have to run straight into that wind on the last stretch back to my parents' house, I thought about cutting the run short, maybe 2 miles. But once I stopped running into the wind, it wasn't too bad. So I kept running. Took a wrong turn at one point and got a little lost in their subdivision (which features a lot of dead end type streets).

The run felt good. It was just shy of 4 miles and my legs felt a little frozen at the end. But it was nice to be able to get outside and log some miles rather than just running on a treadmill to nowhere. And the new jacket and shirt? Fabulous!

I just want to run outside!

Is it the weekend yet?

Not only because that means I get a few days off from work. But also because that means I just might be able to sneak in a run outdoors.

I admit, I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to outdoor winter running. The temperatures fall below 40 and I'm frightened to head outdoors. And it gets dark so early and with no sidewalks near my apartment? That means I'll run the risk of getting plowed down by a speeding driver if I run outside after work.

Not really my idea of a relaxing evening. So I stick to the treadmill.

It's not because I like the treadmill. I tolerate it. I'd rather be running outside, where my body chooses the pace rather than a motor and where the scenery changes and the time goes faster. But I'm a wuss when it comes to winter. It's cold. And snowy. And icy. And dark. So I stay indoors and log those miles on the treadmill. Miles to nowhere.

My last run outside was Dec. 22, when I did a short 2-mile run in the neighborhood by my office for the Winter Misery One Miler virtual race. Before that? It was the beginning of December, and that's only because the month started out unusually warm - seriously mid-40s on Dec. 1? Almost unheard of in Wisconsin.

But tonight, as I was hanging on the treadmill tonight for my 4-mile run, I kept thinking to myself. My next run will be outside. So excited.

We're in the middle of what weathermen are calling the January thaw. Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 30s with sun. And since I won't be working on Saturday afternoon, I can head out in the sunshine an not have to worry as much about being hit by a car. And since it'll be warm, the ice and snow should have disappeared from the sidewalks.

One more day of work. And it's going to be a well-deserved rest day. And then it's Saturday and my first "long" run of the half marathon training schedule. Well, technically the second, but I missed last weekend's due to The Cold: Version 2.0.

And I promise, the half marathon post is coming soon!

I avoided the urge to slack

I see I've sparked a bit of interest in uttering the words half marathon. Don't worry, the promised half marathon post will be coming by the end of the weekend.

As for today? It was a long day at work. And when I finally got done, I was this close to skipping out on my plan to hit the YMCA.

The training calendar said today was just a cross training day. I can skip those. Right?

But I really didn't have an excuse. I wasn't tired. I wasn't hungry. The Badger game didn't tip off for another hour and a half. What was I going to do if I went home? Probably not much.

So I went to the YMCA. And since it was a cross training day, I was only planning on logging some miles on the bike. Even got dressed my capris that were shoved in my gym bag.

But I got upstairs. And even though it was 6 p.m. and the parking lot was full, there were all of these empty treadmills just staring at me. Calling my name.

I couldn't resist.

I snagged a TV-less treadmill and started to run. Since it was technically a non-running day, I wasn't going to run far but I kept it at a decent pace. I ended up finishing my 2 miles in 20 minutes - about a 10 minute per mile pace. Not bad for a spur of the moment run.

After I was done, I headed over to the bike and pedaled. Finished 8.5 miles in 30 minutes.

I was sweaty. And probably stinky. But I was happy. I didn't give in to the temptation to blow off the gym today. And I feel good about it.

The cold: Version 2.0

Apparently the cold I had a week ago - the one that I thought was gone - was the variety that decides after leaving my body that it was pretty cozy and comes back for a return visit.

Yup. It was back.

It started with a small, nagging tickle in my throat on Saturday. And when I woke up on Sunday.

BAM!

It felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck (again). Achy body. Stuffy nose. But the nose was still runny. Headache. Exactly like I felt before. But this time? There was more. This time it felt like there was a brick sitting right.on.top.of.my.chest. And the cough which featured some great mucusy stuff that I coughed up.

Great times.

After waking up feeling like that, I threw plans to hit the gym out the window. I barely had enough energy to take down my Christmas tree. Mostly I stayed sacked out in my recliner, covered up in a blanket watching TV (that was a painful Packer game to watch for so many different reasons). And of course I kept myself drugged up on cold medicine.

I tried to make it swim class Monday morning, even set my alarm for 4:45. But when it started buzzing? I still felt awful. So I went back to sleep. Went to work. Came right home.

Today I felt better. Had some more energy. Didn't feel so bad. The cough (along with the phlegm I'm coughing up) is still there, but it's not as bad.

So I hit the gym after work. Snuck in a quick 3-mile run on the treadmill (included some intervals and felt really good) and followed that up with a 5-mile cool down on the stationary bike. It's good to know I haven't completely blown off the first two weeks of half marathon training.

Did I just say half marathon training? Yes I did. That's a whole different post to come in the next few days.

Thinking happy thoughts

Coming over to post on my blog reminds me I should really do some updating over on that right sidebar. It's no longer 2009 and I've got some tentative plans for a 2010 schedule. Maybe later this weekend.

I was right, my legs were screaming at me on Thursday after the crazy run/bike workout I did on Wednesday night. So I took the day off. And it's Friday today, I had intentions of heading over to the YMCA after work, but I got caught up in a project at work and was there later than I was hoping. And I was hungry. So I went home.

Tomorrow morning. Badgergirl and the treadmill? We've got a date. And this time our meeting will be done before the Badgers try to hand Purdue its first loss of the season.

So with no running or biking news to report, I give you a list. Lacey tagged me and asked me to list 10 things that make me happy. Weekends make me happy (and I'll try not to include that on the list, or else I'll make it No. 11), so the timing is appropriate.

Ten things that make me happy....

1. Curling up in my recliner with my blanket and a good book.
2. Warm, hot showers
3. Crawling into bed with freshly washed sheets
4. Macaroni and cheese
5. Hugs from The Rugrats
6. The lake
7. Badger victories
8. Family get togethers
9. A good run
10. The outdoors after a fresh snowfall
11. Weekends (I couldn't help it)

I'm supposed to tag some folks. I'm not sure who's already done it so if you're up for the challenge and want to let us know what makes you happy, tag, you're it!

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And for those of you looking to score some sweet schwag without having to enter a race, head on over to Running Circles Around Turtles for a spiffy giveaway!

A Badger loss leaves me with screaming legs

I think my legs are going to hate me in the morning.

And I blame it on a college basketball game.

The Badgers were playing Michigan State tonight. And the game was on TV, but since I don't have cable, I can't watch the Big Ten Network at my house. Tip-off was at 5:30, right as I was finishing up at work, so my plan was to head over to the YMCA and park myself on a treadmill or bike, get my workout in and watch the game.

Sounded like a great plan.

I got to the gym and by the time I got upstairs and snagged a treadmill, there was about 5 minutes gone in the first half. I started running. I kept it at an easy pace. But then an idea hit me. Commercial breaks. Why don't I bump the speed up during the commercial break? Call it intervals?

So I did. I was taking it easy during most of the run, setting the treadmill speed at 5.6 or 5.7mph, but during the commercial breaks I jacked the speed up to 6.5mph (hey, it's fast for me). At just over 2 minutes, I pounded out a quarter-mile during those commercial breaks. I did this every three-quarters of a mile during the first three miles of my run.

Then I had to switch treadmills.

I kept running though. Another 2.5 miles and kept throwing in those intervals, but this time I kept the speed at 6.5 mph for a half-mile. And by that last interval, when I was nearing the 5.5 mile mark? Torture. But I finished. and then walked a bit.

So my hour on the treadmill was done, but there was still 15 minutes of basketball left to be played. And since the game was still close, I headed over to a stationary bike and pedaled for 20 minutes. My legs were kind of starting to grumble, but I wasn't going to miss the end of the game.

Finished up the bike with about 5 minutes left in the game and headed down to the locker room to grab my stuff. Listened to the last minutes of the game on the radio in the car on the way home.

The Badgers lost. Sight. Although it was close to the last seconds. And the legs? They're starting to grumble a bit louder. By tomorrow morning I have a feeling they'll be screaming.

It was worth it though.

First run of the new year, complete with a cold

I started the New Year off on a fantastic note.

Sick.

Looking back, I've probably been getting sick for about the last week. I've been super tired. Kind of achy. But I didn't think anything of it. I attributed it all to working a funky schedule last week. On New Year's Eve? The nasty cold that's been going around started to hit me. But it was New Year's Eve. I couldn't just stay home.

So I went to work. And then I went out with friends that night. Had my fair share of wine and champagne.

And woke up New Year's Day feeling like I had just been run over by a dump truck. And it wasn't because of a hangover.

Stuffy head. Runny nose. Tired.

And I still had family things to do that day. It was rough. And kind of miserable. But I was a trooper. Showed up at the family function. Pretended that I didn't feel like just crawling into bed.

So I spent the first few days of 2010 trying to feel better. Drugging myself with cold medicine and drinking orange juice. I think I've probably gone through a box of Kleenex, so the nose is a bit tender (amazing how you're nose can be super stuffy yet continuously run).

I skipped the first swim class of 2010 this morning. Decided it might be better to sleep in rather than get up at 4:45 a.m. I went to work though, drugged myself up with cold medicine and was actually feeling a little bit better when it was time to go home tonight. And since I had a few things on my mind, I thought a run would be good. Help me clear my head.

I wasn't planning on go far, or fast. But I snagged a treadmill at the YMCA and started to run. Actually felt pretty decent. Ended up with a 4.4 mile run and kept notching up the speed every half mile.

Considering how I've been feeling the past few days, it was a pretty decent first run of the new decade.

It's time to make resolutions. Or plans. Or something.

With the beginning of the new year, it's time to set some resolutions. Or set goals. Or make plans.

How about, decide what I want to do in 2010?

I've given it a bit of thought. 365 days is a long time. I could do a lot of stuff. It could potentially be a good year. And it all depends on what I decide right now. No pressure or anything. So here they are, my 2010 resolutions/goals/plans/decisions:

Personal

• Travel. I thought about it and I never left the state of Wisconsin in 2009. I was close - I could see the state of Minnesota from Granddad's Bluff when I was in La Crosse and got as close an Interstate exit away from Illinois in July. But I never left Wisconsin. Kind of sad. This year I will leave the Badger State, even if it's just briefly.
• I need to find a niche. A group where I fit in. Might be the bike club in town. Or the triathlon club. Or even the running club. But I need to find some of those other people in this area that want to tackle the things I do and don't look at me like I'm crazy.
• Read 40 books. This has become pretty standard for me. I've surpassed it in the past, but just missed it in 2009.
• Get rid of those last pesky 10 pounds left over from The Monster medication.

Work

• Push myself to produce a piece of work that I'm incredibly proud of. I've got the chance, the multi-month project is already in the works and I'm ready to begin it.

Running/biking/swimming

• Still working on shaving some more minutes off that 5K time. Aiming for a 30 minute 5K by the end of 2010.
• Tackle the half marathon distance again.
• Push myself and aim for a season-ending Olympic triathlon.
• Run 750 miles in 2010.
• Bike 1,000 miles in 2010.
• Become consistent with the weight training.
• Keep on swimming.

I haven't completely finalized a 2010 race schedule, but here's what I'm toying with:

Indoor triathlons at the YMCA (Jan. 23 and March 6)
Oshkosh 5K (April 18)
Green Bay Half Marathon (May 16)
High Cliff Sprint Triathlon (June 19)
Firecracker 5K (July 4)
Trek Women's Triathlon (July 11)
Scheel's Sunset Run (July)
Oshkosh Olympic Triathlon (Aug. 8)
Fox Cities Half Marathon (Sept. 19)
Freaky 5K (October)
Santa Scamper (November)
Turkey Trot (November)

Most of those are repeat events, although the Green Bay Half Marathon is new. It would be half marathon No. 2, and I couldn't pass up the chance to run through Lambeau Field. No registration fees have been paid yet, but I'm 90 percent sure I'll be doing it. I'll let you all know when I make the final decision!

So there you have it. My resolutions. Or goals. Or plans. Whatever you want to call them. I'll let you know how they turn out in a year.