Please don't hate us

Okay, I know that unless you live in Seattle (and maybe even if you do), you don't really care. But the picture is from the Washington-Oregon game at Husky Stadium today and, if you follow college football at all, you will already know that the Ducks TROUNCED Washington 43-19. We were sitting in the verdant visitors' section, as Rod is an avid Ducks fan (and Oregon alum). (I actually went to law school at UW, but I guess I'm a bit of a Benedict Arnold as I happily bought up green and yellow gear and joined in the fun. I actually find green and/or yellow more to my fashion taste than purple anyway! Today I'm wearing the cozy Columbia fleece I bought in Eugene.)

So the midday game pretty much ate up the whole day and made today a true rest day for me, at least as far as exercise is concerned. I don't know why I am so beat tonight, considering that pretty much all I've done today is sit, one place or the other.

I suppose the hooplah of going to a game can be a little draining (when you're old :). I also wonder if I'm having a bit of a mild reaction to the flu shot I got yesterday. In addition to being tired, I've been mildly nauseous (not enough to keep me from eating, of course), and had some light chills this afternoon (despite still wearing long underwear under my jeans and several layers of top). Plus, I have a sore bruise on my arm where I got the shot.

I just need to be all better (enough) for my long run tomorrow (of a distance to be disclosed when I actually accomplish it).

Yesterday, Friday, I did accomplish a fairly successful 12 mile pace run. My new training plan (which I am following loosely) called for a 9 mile pace run. I wasn't sure if the nine miles included warm-up, or if the entire nine miles were meant to be at "pace," so I decided to do two miles warm-up, nine miles at 9:00-9:15 pace, and a mile cool-down/recovery.

What I actually did, after the warm-up miles, was run the entire remaining ten miles at pace effort. Of those ten miles, six were in the 9-9:15 range, two were slightly slower (possibly in an uphill section), and two were significantly sub-9 (yup, the downhill portion).

But I consider the effort a success, as the faster miles kept my average within goal range, and in fact, my average pace for the whole run was 9:13, including the two warm-up miles!

Mile splits: 10:03, 9:38, 9:07, 9:05, 9:12, 9:07, 9:24, 9:28, 9:05, 8:38, 8:37, 9:12, and the final .12 mile at 9:37 pace.

The only real negative to this run was my hyperactive intestinal system. Not to make this into the potty blog (but isn't every runner obsessed with his or her GI issues?). But for heaven's sake, every couple of miles I was making a mad rush to the bathroom--3 visits in the first 6 miles. I stopped at the hospital (my north end venue) so many times they were probably expecting to admit me. The third (and final) time my usual restroom was closed for cleaning (not because of me, I promise), so I had to venture down a hall, down an escalator, and around a corner to find another one. Of course, on my return I spotted a handicapped toilet just slightly down the hall from the original one.

Honestly, I logged half my mileage (almost) just running to the bathroom.

Okay, I promise that no matter how many bathroom issues arise in tomorrow's run (and let's hope for none, except for non-emergency planned stops every few miles), I WILL NOT blog about them! I swear on a stack of TP rolls.

Happy Sunday, everyone!
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