Running (for me) seems to be one of those things that sometimes feels really easy and other times feels ridiculously difficult.  The past few days have been those easy days…the race Saturday, 9 miles on Sunday, and today!

I did a little treadmill workout Mike recommended for me—25/35 he calls it.  You run for 25 seconds/rest for 35 seconds (just hop to the sides) for 30 minutes.  I set the incline to 6.0 and the speed to 6.2, after ten minutes I moved it up to 6.3, then a little further along moved the incline to 6.3.  I did the last 5 minutes at 7 and 6.4.  He suggested eventually taking the incline up to 8, and of course moving the speed up as you can.  For your reference, I generally run flat on the treadmill between 5.5 and 6 mph if I am running a few miles.  Anyway, the minutes flew by (I hate when people say that, but they truly did!) and I felt sweaty and exhausted, but great.  Mike thinks my goal for the half in April should be at least 2:20 (I’m thinking of 2:15 as an "A" goal, and making that my "B" goal, actually). 

We also discussed using the "bathroom" while running.  I told him for my fastest 5K I felt like I had to puke the entire time, and he (of course) one-upped me by saying for his fastest half-marathon he had to pee the whole time.  I asked why he didn’t just pee himself…and he said he was trying but was completely unable to pee while running.  I guess maybe that’s something he needs to train for? (I suggested trying to pee while walking and then building from there…) We of course naturally discussed pooping while running, since we are both fascinated by that (who isn’t?).  The next exercise he made me do involved clenching my glute muscles and I suggested this was counter to training to poop while running, in fact would make it more challenging.  Then we realized we had spent over five minutes discussing gross bodily functions while running…and figured we should move on. 

Okay, fine.  I’ll stop talking about bodily functions.

Honestly, not much else to report.  I’ve got over five hours of teaching ahead of me today (gasp! the horrors!) and this week is pretty much just a normal week.  One big of exciting news is that I got a phone call from Bed, Bath, and Beyond about a special "Registry Completion Event" at the store where everything we want to buy will be 20 percent off, so we are going to wait to shop then.  I’m hoping it won’t be too hectic?  Has anyone been to one of these things?  Opera rehearsals start this weekend, and I’ve got a STACK of music to learn for the next six weeks…and I haven’t practiced all week because my violin is in the shop being cleaned and getting the fingerboard planed.  I get it back tomorrow though, and it should be gorgeous!