I was a bit disappointed in myself and my running after the last two races I completed - the Tampa Bay Corporate 5k and the Iron Girl half marathon. Both were my two personal worsts for race times. I didn't feel good out there on the race courses and my times reflected that. I had changed my eating habits a lot and had figured that could have had a significant effect on my running. I joked that I had a theory about how eating crap made me a better runner. In actuality I knew that I just wasn't eating enough carbs. Of course eating a few cookies now and again always makes me happy.
I got a chance to running with Sara and the World of Beer Tuesday run group again for the first time in a while. My work schedule is different all the time and I hadn't been able to make the Tuesday run in a few weeks. I was hoping this run would be better than the last two.
 |
| Group at WOB Westchase Tuesdays |
I felt OK for the first mile and then I felt slow again. It took about 33 minutes to run 2.89 miles. Again, not normal speed for me. I was still slow. I felt better physically, but mentally I was still upset with myself. I guess I would just have to try again.
I decided I was going to make it out to Starkey Park that Saturday to run with the Striders. Saturdays run was going to be special because the runners who were at the Boston Marathon were going to be back with us safe and sound. After the events at Boston, and the scares we had wondering and waiting to hear if everyone was OK, I needed to be out there running with them.
 |
| Andrea, David, Marcia - all back safe and sound from Boston! |
David spoke about Boston and then we had a moment of silence before the run. I had chills the whole time. I t was a pretty moving experience. Then it was off with Joanna and Cheryl to run 8 miles. Cheryl ran with us for the first 3, but wasn't feeling well and ran 6. Jo and I ran 4 and turned around to do our 8 as planned. We wound up with 8.5 miles for the day. I actually felt good on my run that morning. I had eaten 2 chocolate chip cookies for breakfast before the run (it was a test of my theory) and I was getting some speed in the early miles. My body felt back to normal. We joked about how cookies made me a better runner. And now the joke has stuck.
 |
| Joanna & I after our 8.5 |
 |
| Strider Saturday AM group |
After then run we hung out for a while, chatted, strategized about upcoming races - and PRing at RAP River run. It was a good Saturday. Good cookies, good friends, good running. I couldn't ask for more.
Monday evening's run was an extra run for me and I was extremely excited that my work schedule allowed me to be able to attend such an important event. I'm going to dedicate a post just to this event - BostonStrongTampa. We ran 3.1 miles a week from the Boston Marathon tragedy.
 |
| BostonStrongTampa |
My running was still a bit slow, but I felt better running. I ran the first mile at a pretty decent pace and the rest in run / walk intervals. I'm getting there. Slowly. But I'm determined to get back where I was.
And then there was Tuesday. Tuesday morning intervals with the Striders. Four AM wake up for 5:30am running. Some people think I'm crazy, but I feel accomplished when I'm done. At 4:15am I might think I'm a little crazy too, but once I'm out that door, headed towards my run and the great people I run with that keep me motivated - I'm happy. And, as promised, I was bringing cookies.
 |
| Will Run for Cookies |
Natalie, Joanna, Deigo, and I were all set for interval training. I had tried it a few times before and I know that interval training is killer for me and tires me out. Nevertheless, I was excited. I want to become a better runner, so I must put in the work. At 5:30 we headed off. The first mile was a warm up and then we started intervals. The intervals we supposed to be .25 miles each but we didn't quite make it that far. Eventually we will get there! Joanna and Natalie were faster than Diego and I (I think I slowed him down a bit), and we got a little lost...but we got our 4 miles in for the day. Then it was back to the start for some delicious cookies.
 |
| Diego, Joanna, Me, Natalie - Interval Buddies =) |
Looking forward to my next training run!