I'm IN LOVE...

...with my kindergarten class.  This week we'll be parting ways and I REGROUP for next year's crew.  Busy, busy with their memory books,  report cards and turning 46 years old.  My class gave me this birthday card with my photo on the front.  I think my hair looks better lighter, what do you think?

Our district "gifted" us new Mac Notebook laptops this week.  Happy Birthday to me..  Don't ask about the layoffs, the per student decreases in funding nor the fact that my class size will go up next year.  Shut me up with a new lap top.  They know how to do it right!

Now for the real fun, RUNNING!  My 10k training is shaping up nicely.  New discoveries every day in regards to fitness and speed.

1.  I've learned that it takes me about two weeks to respond to two/three days of speed orientated training.  This week my mid run pick up sprints were much easier and I didn't feel the cardio strain that I was feeling last month and even three weeks ago.  It wasn't painful but it was a push to get up to my sprinting speed for pick ups.  Pick ups are kind of like a faster stride and my 10k plan calls for 5 or 6 pick ups, even during my easy runs.  These efforts are getting much easier.

2.  I've learned that recovery runs are great for 10k training, just as they are for marathon training...only shorter!  Going out for a four mile recovery run is just plain fun and I can throw in some pick up strides, it's even better.  Will I ever go back to long distance training???

3..  I've learned that my heart rate monitor should be ignored during the tempo runs when I am pushing 4 miles at 10k pace.  Often, I'll look down and see that I'm pushing the limit in my threshold zone and it almost scares me.  Even though my legs feel good, I wonder...Will I stress my heart too much?  Will I get injured going too fast for too long?  I see the reasoning in using the HR monitor as a gauge but I'm learning to tune it out and glance ONLY occasionally at the pace on my Garmin. The good thing is using the HR monitor to see how your fitness improves and responds to your training.  I like numbers.  It's a fault of mine.  One of the many...

SO....even though tomorrow is NOT my target 10k,  I'm running a trail race 10k in San Diego and I'm actually excited to be back in the game of running shorter distances.  It's been fun wrapping up an 8 mile run and not feeling like my legs are MASSIVE tree trunks.  My goal for tomorrow is to have fun, enjoy the new trail because I've never run there before and just push it hard.  I'm not going to try for a specific pace since I'm not sure about the hills(which DO exist throughout the course)and I MAY NOT even wear my Garmin since I'd like to just push it and let it flow...and speaking of flow...

My dear friend Janet just  returned from Morocco after completing the Marathon de Sables.  I ran into her on the trail the other night and was REFRESHED and booty whipped by her insightful words.  While out on a sand dune at midnight during her run,  she said she stopped to look up at the stars.  They were everywhere.  She suddenly remembered the words of a team mate.  "If you can't stop and appreciate where you are, what you're doing and who you are, then you shouldn't be doing it."  She laid down and did sand angels, alone, in the desert.  I....love...you...Janet.

So, I'm off to do dirt angels tomorrow.  Think good thoughts for me, please!!!