Running the Mile

I began my run today as usual with Curtis and I going around our driveway. Six times around our driveway is a mile (a steep mile). He usually doesn't make the whole mile but I keep going anyway. It's fun to do when the sun is not yet over the mountain beating down on you. After a mile I go into the garage and do another mile on the treadmill. I figure it's different muscles and I like to mix it up to keep me interested. I don't have a consistent running partner even though I have done everything I can to get one including placing an ad on KSL and putting a sticky note on the role at church. And I don't have an IPOD or any other convenient means of listening to music so I've gotta do something to keep it interesting. I love to run outside but the monotony of the circular driveway gets old.

I have had such a great time trying to beat my time everyday. Just doing a 10 minute mile kills me which is interesting since I did that without a dying effort in the race recently.

I should make a chart or something so I can view my progress. This morning I ran a half-mile (not a whole one on the treadmill since Curtis came out and needed my help with the kids) in 4 min 31 seconds. It's a speed that I can't keep up for an entire mile. Usually I start out fast, like at 7 miles per hour and then drop it down within the first quarter mile and then down to 4 miles per hour after the half-mile mark. My favorite 2 speeds are 4 mph and 7. I really just like to fluctuate back and forth (one minute at a time) but usually make myself go 6 mph for awhile when I want to drop it down esp. during the first half since I'm trying so hard to stay under a 10 min mile.

My knee hasn't been giving me a hard time but I've been careful to stop running and start my walking cool down anytime it hurts. I really want a brace for it, hoping that helps.

My first day back after the race was Tuesday since I took a week brake due to my knee and then Ron's first day at the Montessori school was Monday and I had to take him to the store beforehand to get school supplies. The first timed mile was 10 min 12 sec. I would have made the goal but had forgotten about the discrepancy between the 6 sections of time vs. the 10 sections of a mile when I was watching them closely. I had to do both miles on the treadmill that day since I started running after everyone was at school/work and didn't have anyone to watch Zaharah and Sterling. My second mile I did in 12 min and 40 sec (total of 2 miles: 22 min 52 sec).

The next day after I walked one lap around my driveway and ran the mile around, I made it to the garage for my timed lap. I made sure I remembered about the discrepancy of time vs. miles but at the very end when I was pushing it as fast as I could to make up for the time I walked, my knee started hurting so I had to slow it down and I ended up with the exact same time again!

Thursday's time was exactly 10 minutes and Friday I did it with a whole 3 seconds to spare! It seems like slow progress but that's in only a week! Just think of where I can be in a year.

I am running with the motive of a healthy body. I just feel much healthier when I do. Curtis says he could care less about exercise except for his heart--so I'm glad he runs with me some. I don't have any desire to run a marathon as I feel it may push my beyond what is healthy. But I would like to pepper my life with 5Ks, increasing my time with each one.