Discouraged, Then Encouraged!

This has been the craziest month. Life has caught up with me and I'd like to just stop it for a while until I can get a grip. I am snatching a few moments for myself to write this between wiping another snotty nose and giving out more Tylenol. Someone in my house has been sick every day since December 22. Seriously. We have been through two rounds of strep throat, a trip to the E.R. for stitches, four doctor visits and now the Flu. Everyone who's gotten the Flu in our house had their Flu shots! I've had work piled on me like an avalanche and I only work part time. I have been up late every night with work or sick kids for almost two weeks. If all of that was not enough to make me a little nuts, I had a student call me two weeks ago today and ask me if it would be possible for them to live with us for a while. My husband being the gracious man that he is said yes when I asked him, so now I have five kids to feed, mother and chauffeur instead of four. Chasing two teen-age schedules while managing three little ones is exhausting! I need another driver!

With all of the events this month needing my attention, my running schedule has more than taken a backseat. I think it got packed in the trunk. Week before last I only got in 12 miles. Last week I ran just 10 miles! I haven't had a long run in almost three weeks now and I have a 15K race coming up in 16 days. YIKES! I have definitely been worried about my level of preparation.

Yesterday, I insisted that I had to get in my tempo run for the week. I went out when my husband came home for lunch planning to run six miles in one hour, sixteen seconds, or at a 10:02 per mile pace. I ran the first mile in 9:46, clearly faster than the plan, but I was feeling great and was enjoying the pace so I kept going without slowing. I continued to flow through every mile keeping a sub ten minute pace. I finished the run with an average 9:55 pace and a total run time of 58 minutes, 35 seconds. That is huge for me! I could not do that in December at the half marathon in Las Cruces. I tried, but fell to a ten minute plus pace by mile four. I was amazed by the fact I had improved my running time even though my training has been less than stellar. My motivation to keep on going no matter the obstacles has definitely gotten a shot of adrenaline!