Crazy Hard

This title is two-fold: I have been working "crazy hard" and when I run, the cardio part is, yes, "crazy hard." I'll start with work. We are getting ready for our mid-year assessment this week. I spent all of thanksgiving break planning a huge review of what the students have learned this year, including many aspects of the test. It is like a mini-CSAP, but just for our district. Since my district is "pay-for-performance," my pay is partly based on these tests, as well as a whole lotta more stuff. Either way, I always promise my students that they will be ready for the test if we all work hard. It gives them comfort to at least know we all are doing our best.

Running. I have been running fairly regularly. My long run yesterday: 6.2 miles (10K-coincidentally). I added in hills last weekend and am slowly adding in distance. I will work up to 7 or 8 through December, with a bunch more hills. Strength is not my specialty, so I figure some hills will help me out. I am lifting and doing spin to work on getting stronger all over. Cardio is my number one struggle. My legs feel like they can go, fairly pain-free although I will admit, I can still feel the injury every day. But my breathing is out of control. I have only ran with others, not alone, but the talking during a run is almost impossible the first mile. On easy hills (for Colorado - or normal hills for everyone else), I am fairly consistent at a 9:15 pace. My hopes: to add miles and difficulty and attempt to maintain somewhere around that pace. I will be thrilled if I run a 9 min pace regularly for several years. It is not where I WAS, but it is reasonable. I am still planning on running the Turkey Track Marathon in Pagosa Springs this June, and that goal is feeling more and more achievable. Just two weeks ago, the thought of a marathon was a tiny bit overwhelming. Building my mileage and difficulty, is building my confidence. Most of all, it's just nice to be able to go for a run on a beautiful Colorado day.