Last night's workout surprised me. Not the workout, but my "performance." Since I ran 9 miles the night before, my legs were trashed. So I knew the run up Liliano was going to be tough, not like it's easy with fresh legs.

What surprised me was, yes I died about 2/3s of the way but since I went out too fast, but I wasn't as far behind others than I had thought. Then the backwards run up was "easier" than I thought. I actually thought it was easier than just running up forwards. And I loved the view of the city lights! Yes we are lucky to live her in So Cal, where the winter nights allow us to run in T-shirts and have great views of the city. I almost (really was past the 1/2 point) on the next set of lunges and broadjumps when time ran out.

The only part that really sucked last night was my favorite water bottle disappeared. My nice Sigg with a carabiner :0 bummer

One the positive side, I have more water bottles and that's one less taking up space. I just won't bring my favorite ones out. OK it's still a bummer. But there are worse things in life to worry about than a missing water bottle.

Now the question tonight is .... 5K before class? or Rest day before class? or the 250 rainbow 250 jumping jack challenge? I guess we'll all find out tomorrow.

9.15=1:49

Well at least there's consistancy at a 12mm pace.

It still amazes me that my mantra of "I hate running with a passion" is really something that is good for me. Not the mantra, but the running. I guess what we like the least may be what we really need. When I started the run tonight, I didn't have much energy. My head wasn't in the right place but I needed to do a long run since I'm already committed for the Pasadena Half (or as my family thinks, I SHOULD be committed). Should I do 8 miles? 10? 3? Just put on the shoes, the ipod, need my vest & headlamp, tell Dave what route and ... just go. Yes he want to know my route. And that's good in case a search party is required. And that also keeps me committed to those roads. Maybe not the distances, but at least the route.

After the first mile, my concentration was on form, how tight my calf felt, what other parts hurt, but I just kept going. That took my mind off of other things life tends to throw in front of us. But I noticed I started to have a change in dispostion, in a positive way. No worries when running. Maybe aches and pains, but no worries.

My mind likes to go into design mode. What next on the yard? What next for the house? How can we improvise on this problem? So this run was good. There's an artisic glass medium yahoo group I'm in and they do monthly contests. Next month is windchimes. So on this run, I completed the preliminary design into a final one. Now I just need to execute and hope and pray it comes out right. Its always a crapshoot and usually not successful. But it makes the ones that do come out right even that much more meaningful.

So I'm still keeping my mantra, but as Nietzshe says "That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger."