Lincoln, Nebraska

Last weekend with all the fun, running just had to take a back seat.  And truthfully, i was feeling stressed by trying to get in miles and still enjoy my friends' visit.  It's not like they are in Seattle everyday.  I still got in some good workouts but decided to cut short the long run and then take an extra rest day as I was just tired when running anyway.

I figured out why I was feeling rather blah when running this week.  Ahem.  Female issues and I'm guessing my iron is a little low right now.  We had a pot roast this past weekend!

This week has been a complete turn around.  We were busy with lots of activities last weekend plus eating and drinking and wandering about Seattle.  I went back to work Monday for a full and busy week of both work and running.  It's been a completely different week.  I feel great and running has been wonderful this week.  And work hasn't been half bad either. 

I had a really good track workout in the dark.  Have you ever done that?  it's very odd running along fast in the dark on a track.  It's a dirt track so the footing can be a bit off in places.  The next day, I tested myself by running a group run at my very easy pace.  This is tough to do as in a group format, it's easy to get going too fast but I had fun chatting with people I don't normally run with and I was pleased with my discipline.  I needed to keep it easy as the next day I was planning a marathon paced workout.  I nailed that workout too much to my surprise.

And today, I had my first long run as I start to prepare for a marathon in May.  Which one?  umm...Lincoln Nebraska.  Really?  yes, really.  I am tempted by Eugene but I've run Eugene and I'm not dying to repeat it. It was good but not great.  What is the draw in Lincoln? I know a lot of people who will be running it and I've never been to the midwest so why not?  I actually prefer to fly to an event rather than a 6 hour drive.  Driving is terrible for my back! 

The run today was so nice.  15.8 miles on trails in the Redmond Watershed Preserve.  There were a lot of runners out there.  I was running as part of a group but no one else was at my pace or going as long so I did run by myself the whole time.  I did like waving hello to everyone as we passed.  I brought out my ipod for some tunes and that was really pleasant.  I don't normally run with music but every once in a while it really helps.

it's a random selection on the ipod and the first tune up was Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's blues" which starts with the lyrics "when you're lost in the rain in Juarez..."  Now I wasn't lost (yet, i did get off course a bit) and I wasn't anywhere near Juarez but it was raining.  It made me laugh.

Other musical highlights: 

Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools
Banco de Gaia - Drippy
Regina Spektor - Real Love
Cowboy Junkies - Lay it Down
Christina Branco - Fado Das Sedes
Fatboy Slim - Don't let the Man Get you Down
Johnny Cash - big River
Paramore - Let the Flames Begin
Beth Orton - Feel to Believe
The Beatles - Nowhere Man
Sarah McLachlan - Dirty Little Secrets 
Chuck Berry - Brown-Eyed Handsome Man (I had to listen to this one twice as it had such a good beat for running on a very runnable section.)

and

Rachmaninov's Variations on a theme of chopin.  This went on for so long but really builds and it was just so pretty out.  I was enjoying myself.  I was shocked to check iTunes and see tahis "song" is 27 minutes.  it didn't seem that long.  I must've been in a the running zone!

Plane tickets and hotel reservations are booked for Lincoln.  I'm excited!