tempo

okay, okay. so tuesday the air quality was not so good. I had decided I couldn't run outside because it was so gross. but I couldn't really go up to steiner either because I didn't have the car that day. what is a girl to do?

well, I almost did some pilates and an upper body strength workout for runners (though I don't really have any hand weights anyway) on this great little thing called excercise tv. but you don't have any special channels, anna? how did you watch exercise tv? you're right, I don't and I didn't. but you can watch some of the workouts in full length for free on their website. and I hear you can download the other workouts for, like, a buck-ninety-nine. {thanks, becca, for the hot tip!} but you almost did these workouts? what's the deal? yes, you heard me right. I almost did them. even despite the fact that I came home from work and ate a cheesy quesadilla, I was going to work out anyway. but then some neighborhood girls came over and pretty much foiled all my plans. blast! so tuesday was taken as a rest day, I suppose. kind of a bummer, but what can ya do?

so on to my workout yesterday. the tempo run. again the air quality was bad. really bad. so bad I couldn't even see the mountains. (that's the test) of course I went up to steiner to do a little treadmill love. right as I got on the thing I thought to myself, hey I should do a little tempo run! really get a sweat going. so I did. I warmed up for a mile at a slow pace. stretched. then cranked up the speed and held it for two miles. then I did a half mile at a slower pace. then I stretched. it felt really good. I'm going to have to start adding more of those workouts in. plus hill workouts. plus strength training. plus plyo. let's get serious about this marathon training! I love it.

the greatest part about it was that my knees and hamstrings didn't really freak out on me. today I can kinda feel my right hamstring, but it's not too major.

anyway, I think I'm going to go buy me some running shoes today before work. I'll even get a nice easy run in them to start the break-in process. very exciting.