I'm having one of those days.... you know the kind.... when you feel like giving up on your program.

Not enough sleep this week (or for the past 7 years).....My kids are crabby....The house is a mess....The laundry is piled up...The toddler won't nap....I didn't plan ahead and ate a donut for lunch.....I meant to workout before the kids got up, but didn't....I don't feel like I've got the energy to do it later.

So why am I writing this?....to try to force myself into it. So my Dearest Active Blog, here it is.....I'm going to the gym tonight no matter what!!! ...even if I have to wear dirty clothes and leave my unfed and unbathed kids with my poor husband.

All best,
Megan...not a candidate for mother of the year (at least not today, anyway)

So here I am at the end of week six in my quest to be a faster runner. I am now running at a 11:30 pace instead of 13:00. But I gotta confess it doesn't seem like much progress. I need to get down to 8:00min/mi to reach my goal (5k in 25:00) by June. I've got a long way to go. Can I drop 3:30 off my pace by then? I'm trying to have faith.

Coach Dunham, here are my miles for week 6.....14 miles(or so). (If I headed out right now for my usual Sunday run, I'd be at 18miles. So, I'm skipping my run today....but I'm kind of missing it. ho-hum)

Week 6:
Monday.......1hr spinnning class
Tuesday......45min on treadmill (3 to 4 miles)
Wednesday..track workout (3+ miles)
Thursday.....rest
Friday.........45 min on treadmill (3 to 4 miles)
Saturday.....4 miles
Sunday.......rest

Goal for next week....15 miles
Monday.........1hr spinning class
Tuesday........50 min on treadmill
Wednesday....track workout
Thursday.......rain day for Tues run
Friday...........rest
Sat..............4 miles
Sun..............4 miles

Last, but not least.....Here is some video of me feeling crabby yesterday morning before my run. My husband said to me,"Go. Go run. Come back happy." (I'm not usually this crabby.)

Hey Coach Dunham...just wanted to let you know that my track workout was a lot better this week. I waited until the fast runners were finished so I could use the inside lane. Last week I was running way out on the black area due to the number of faster runners.

Our workout today was 400, 800, 1200, 800, 400. I'm pretty happy with how I did. My times were right where they were supposed to be (except my 1200 was about 20sec too slow).

Also, I'm noticing on my regular runs that I'm getting a bit faster (or not as slow...LOL) with the same effort...and the hills are easier.

I was thinking about running again tomorrow (which would be the third running-day in a row)... on the treadmill. Is it too early for 3 days in a row?....I'm feeling kind of good and would like to give it a try.

What's the strangest thing that's ever happend to you while on a run? Here's some video from Coach Dave Dunham (my running coach).

Coach Dunham here: Albee and I went to the 5 county high points in RI in 2:44:06 on 01-20-2008. We ran into a pig while looking for the high point in Washington county (Black Plain Hill).

At the risk of sounding a bit whiney, I have some concerns about group track workouts. I really like meeting all the people, but I am one of the slowest runners and etiquette dictates I run on the outside of the track (where it's banked on the corners). It aggravates my knee. If I did my track workout on my own (sad as that sounds) when the dome is less crowded, I'd be able to run on the inside of the track (with no bank on the corners). Perhaps I can do my workout after the faster runners are finished.

My second reason for doing track workouts on my own is that our beginner coach (a gentleman from the running club who is doing his best to be helpful) is a bit of a lecturer. I feel over-corrected (like I can't do anything right), pushed too hard (he runs with us) and then told we're either going too fast or too slow. I'm feeling pressured to listen to him, instead of listening to my body. I left the track Wednesday night with an aching knee and feeling frustrated. Perhaps dealing with some pressure is part of being coached? I don't know.

I iced my knee, took some aspirin and skipped my run yesterday. It is feeling much, much better today.

I live a charmed life. Lucky me.

I went to my first track workout tonight. I was so nervous. I thought that I would be out of place....too slow,...too fat,...or too much of a beginner. But I had a fantastic time! The workout was modified for the beginners, so it was pretty light (6x400s). The knee felt great. I just made sure I cut in a bit around the corners, staying off the banked parts of the track. I even ran into someone I knew - a soccer mom from fall soccer. I met Bob, the 70-something runner who is also doing "Who Wants to Get Active." I felt VERY MUCH like that was right where I belonged. Super nice people!

So tonght I sit here in my post-run-euphoria thinking.....I am a lucky woman. Happy family, good run, glass of wine....life is good.

On a side note: My husband thought you should see what I did with our cookie jar. I moved it to the mudroom/breezeway and use it to hold my watch, heart rate monitor, and ipod. Kind of funny that it's shaped like an apple, eh?......something healthy.

As I sit here icing my knee, I can't help but think about my relationship with ice. First there is the ice that is my nemesis. It shows up on roads and discourages me from running.



Second, there is the ice that helps prevent swelling and injury. (This is my knee, right now.)

Last, there was the ice I bought at a gas station and packed my 4 year old in. We were travelling home from Indiana on Monday and she ran a fever that reached 105.8 degrees. Here she is in all her ice-free, fever-free glory......a few pounds lighter and heavily medicated with antibiotics. (I will never think of ice the same way again.)

As far as the running goes, I'm struggling a bit this week. My daughter was still fevering yesterday and had to go to the ER. I skipped my morning run to stay with her. By late morning we were getting a storm and the roads were too crummy for a run. Being the first of the year, the gym was closed........I assumed (didn't check). The roads weren't that great this morning either, again skipping my run. I can't take the kids to the gym day-care because they are sick. I have GOT to squeeze my run in. I will have to go to the gym or the dome tonight. My husband won't like it when I tell him I'm heading out when he gets home.

The good news: I'm still on program....just need to juggle my running schedule a bit.

Happy New Year! Forward march!