Voila!

12/29/08: 10 miles (10min/mi). Started at 4am and out of the gym by 6:10a. Listened to 2 episodes of Dave Ramsey podcast and half of "The Story" (about the relationship between a former frat kid and his former frat house cook). Slept 40 minutes last night. Why? Because I haven't been to sleep before 2:30a in a week and half. I knew if I went to bed I'd NEVER get up at 3:30a, so in order to not have to be so tired getting up, I just didn't go to bed. I also was watching a borrowed 2nd season of "The Wire" (good show!). I did sleep between 3:05-3:45a. First 6 miles were so-so, then I had my startling revelation (see below) and my last 4 miles were great.

12/28/08: 10 miles (10min/mi). Started at 7:30a and out the door by 10p. I had been at the tanning booth before running and used some "tingle" lotion that works by bringing all your blood to the skin surface (or something like that). I was a red, overheated mess BEFORE I got to the gym. Listened to 2 episodes of "The Story". I thought the episode entitled "Feeling the Pinch" would be about bank/financial stuff, which I enjoy, but instead it was about the Maine Lobstermen feeling the "pinch" of the economy. Good listen regardless. Slept 7 hours the night before, the least amount in a week.

12/27/08: 10 miles (10min/mi). Started at 1:30p and home by 3:45p. Slept a good 10 hours on my couch the night before (purposefully, as it's not as comfortable as my bed and I didn't want to sleep 12 hours by accident and waste the day). Also went back to the gym at 12:30a that late night with RR and did a upper body workout (bi's, tri's, and chest) and am lucky right now that I'm able to undress.

I couldn't quite figure out why some days at the gym I feel just great on the treadmill, and others are such a struggle. Some days I cruise along at an easy 10min/mi and do 10 miles no problem. Other days I am able to get 10 miles in only by stopping and really NEEDING a break every 2 miles. Those are the days that I am panting, unable to catch my breath, with heavy legs.

Well, I figured it out this morning, and it's very simple. There's a giant fan in the ceiling, and if I'm running on a treadmill underneath it, all is well. The treadmills on the other side of the row, well, I'm suffocating. It must be really poor air circulation under those.

I am thinking my next goal will be to run 10 miles every day. In my mind I find that to be a fairly reasonable goal. 10 miles can be done in under 2 hours, and i could budget 2 hours of time including a shower. And 2 hours a day at the gym is reasonable, right?

(Maybe... but if I'm working 18 hours that day and commuting 1.5hrs, maybe even 2 hours isn't, but I'm not going to think about that right now).

A co-worker, when asked about this potential goal, doesn't like it. Her plan? I should run to Fargo, do the Fargo marathon with her, and then run home. That's dreaming too big for me: I can't afford the time off from work (a week each way, I think).