Another Run in the Park with Remi

So, alot has happened in the last couple of weeks. I ran 9 miles by myself on Sunday, November 13, at Memorial Park. This was monumental for me since it was the longest that I have ever ran before. I ran 3 loops (3 miles each) for the first time ever and 6 miles (2 loops) without stopping. I kept up a decent pace, but yes, it could have been better. The craziest thing that happened that day was a man running with his dog, tripped. He tried to catch himself and didn't fall, but he tripped for at least 20 ft pulling a muscle in the process. It would have been better if he went down. After the run, I did a mini workout at the adult playground, which included ab work. I wanted to write about my run, but I didn't have time. I was packing for my trip to England (yes, I went back), but I also had to go to California at last minute for work. Consequently, my monumental run didn't get written.

While I was in California, I ran 2 miles a day on the treadmill, with some ab work at the end of each run. I was not familiar with the area and it was dark, so I felt safer working out at the hotel gym. I don't know if it was the time difference or what, but they weren't pretty runs. In fact, it took me 30 minutes at least to run 2 miles. I'm used to running 3 miles within 35 minutes.
While I was in England, I didn't run at all. Yes, I know. I wanted to take that long run down a road with picturesque England countryside views, writing about how the scenery inspired me or something, but it didn't happen. We had way too much to do and it got super dark early there...like at 5 p.m. However, I did walk. In fact, I walked so much in Ireland (spent a day in Dublin...beautiful) and England, that my bad ankle swelled up alot and caused me pain. I'm so getting this thing checked out again.

Since I got back from England, I have ran a couple of times at Hermann Park with Remington. On Sunday, I ran the full 1.98 loop. On Tuesday, I ran half of that loop, because I was running out of time and daylight. And on Wednesday, I ran the full 1.98 loop around. I felt sluggish on my runs, but that could be due to all the traveling I have done in the last couple of weeks and taking a week off of running. It could also be that my dog stops too much causing me to get tired early from all the starting and stopping. I'm still running majority of the loop without stopping (okay, just mini stops for Remi...oh and 1 fix for my ipod), but it's not the best. My breathing is all over the place, but I am noticing that whenever I get a cramp, I used meditative breathing to stop it.

I write about this run in particular, because of something that happened. Remington and I were running by and I see 3 people coming from the golf course. At this time, it's getting pretty dark and you don't know if they are punk kids just smoking some pot, people just taking a shortcut, or geniune criminals ready for action. With a history like Hermann Park, you tend to think as a woman that they were geniune criminals ready for some sexually forced action. I didn't have my mace on me, but I was alert. However, when they stepped over the fence, it was 2 cops and a kid handcuffed. I had seen the police lights and heard the sirens earlier, but I just assumed it was a car accident. Nope, it was a police chase. And as I'm running by, my dog's German Shepherd police dog heritage came out. He really wanted to help and I had to force him to move along sir, nothing to see here. So, that was weird and crazy.

This run really made me think about running with Remintong. Now, it's been a pain in the toosh to have to take my dogs out separately and bring Remi on my weekday runs (no time otherwise since it gets dark early). I no longer have long runs, because he doesn't last long and he's constantly stopping. But it's good that he was there. I know that Remi would attack, maim, kill anyone or anything that would try to hurt me. He would probably die trying. It makes me feel safe having him on my arm (even though it's rough trying to keep him at bay from other dogs or some runners). The other positive is that I HAVE to run. I almost talked myself out of running on Tuesday, because I had such a bad day. But I had to get Remi out of the house. It was a great motivator to force me to go and just get it done. Was it a good run? Nope, but I still did it. And I need all the help I can get right now since my half marathon is on Sunday...eeek ggaddss!

So, my next post should be about that, but I might have some other blog writeups in the next day or so. We shall see and wish me luck!