Running Reflection: March 10th - 16th

I'm a particularly pushy motivator when it comes to getting my family members to enjoy the same things that I enjoy. Luckily, my dad is pretty much game for a run whenever I check in with him to see if he'd like to join me. 

For his birthday (November 16th), I got him race registration (lucky Dad!) for the Mustache Dache in Seattle. He was a champ, and totally proud of his first 5k.

For Christmas (and I promise I double-checked with him before I clicked "register"), he got race registration to the Kirkland Shamrock Run.

While he and I didn't train as often together for this run (ski season got in the way for him!), he totally rocked a way hillier course and was talking to me throughout the entire race, rather than gasping for breath. During that last 1k, he was being the ultimate motivator for some unenthusiastic race volunteers, jumping up and down, cheering everyone on (while running), and throwing that fist in the air.

I have to say, while it is super exciting to push myself to run further, faster, and longer, it is WAY more exciting to watch my dad break his own records. I am so proud of him.

Hopping out of the truck, putting on our game faces.

 Look at that fist pump of victory!

Dad's favorite part of this race (he says) was getting passed by a three year old sparkle princess. This girl was rocking it!

Here's how my week of training went:

• Monday: Grad school class until 8pm, rest day.
• Tuesday: 2.95 miles / 10:18 pace. I'm joining a buddy who has been trying to get back into a running routine, so Tuesday runs will be buddy runs for a while. I don't mind easing back into the runweek with a nice, easy pace. :)
• Wednesday: 3.50 miles / 9:19 pace. Making positive life choices by enjoying a sangria for Happy Hour before deciding to run the Kirkland Shamrock Run race preview that evening.
• Thursday: 4.40 miles / 9:32 pace. I was fighting this run the whole time. Glad I did it, but sure was not a happy runner during this one. Sometimes you just have bad runs.
• Friday: Family dinner night, rest day.
• Saturday: 3.10 miles / 10:27 pace. Kirkland Shamrock Run with Pops!
• Sunday: 10.50 miles / 9:14 pace. I decided to make up for fewer miles and slower pacing by doing a Sunday long run, this week. Furthest distance I've run in a while.

Total Distance: 24.45 miles. Oops, destroyed the 10% goal. We'll see if I pay for this tomorrow.
Average Pace: 9:36 per mile.


Last Week's Goals:

1. Don't worry about distance; my usual Saturday long run time will be spent shamrocking out with Pops for his second 5k. (Okay, I kind of worried about distance and then overdid it today... but it felt so good.)
2. Enjoy my Tuesday run with a colleague at school. (Done!)
3. Run three times. (Oops. Five.)

Goals for Next Week:

1. Run 20 miles, with a long run of 11.
2. Run four times.
3. Get to the gym at least once for cross training.

How are you spending your Sunday? Rest day? Run day? Trying something new?

How do you feel about alcohol after a run?

I have to say, I was super excited about the champagne flute waiting for me at the finish line of the See Jane Run Half Marathon last summer, but couldn't manage to drink it after the race. I need a good hour or so until I'm ready to make alcoholic life choices, I guess.