& miles to go before I sleep.

Last nite I had to run.

I had gone a weekend with no running. A week of running only 12 miles.

I needed to spend time with my family, cook dinner, wash some clothes, sweep the floor..etc. etc...but I also needed to run. Bad.

About 7:30 pm, amid humid clouds and bareable 90 degree plus temps. I jumped in the ride and took off for the Salt River H.S. track. Usually during the week they have the track open for community members to take advantage of the skooshy track and relative safety of wandering, ferocious rez dogs.

Last nite it was closed.

"SH*T!"

I gunned it to the local park on Chapparal, checked the time on my celly, walked to my usual starting point, realized I forgot my "EarS" for my mini, stretched for like 30 seconds and took off. I know that I should of stretched for a lot longer, however I was trying to shave minutes off my time from home as I was needing to get back ASAP to start cooking for my lil Tiger Family. I took off ..literally.

I ran out the gate with a quickness. I could feel my body relaxing into my form and my legs stomping out the crampiness that had set in from the day before's drive back from Vegas. I loosened up and wrung out my hands. It was fairly humid with a faint breeze blowing at my face. I broke out the sweat quickly. As I hit the first gentle hill, I could feel my lungs tightening that familiar sucky tightness as before, I took deep breaths, trying to expand my legs as much as possible (thanks Daddy for the advice), and immediately got slighty lightheaded. I blame this on only eating rice the entire day and drinking only 10 oz. of water. I slowed a bit and got my myself back to good. The breaths however helped me as my lungs expanded and did not tighten up as before. I took my gazelle lunges down the slope and readjusted to running at a faster pace. My goal for this run was 3 miles. I was aiming to push myself to see what my possible time would be for the upcoming 5K on Saturday.

Running at this faster pace, I could feel my body pushing itself slighty more than before, in saying this, I mean that I exuded only slightly more "push" to get myself going evenly and with slightly more effort to run at this faster pace. Drespeak for: I didnt have to push myself extremely hard to run at this faster pace, making myself realize that I have a lot more in me to give on my runs if I only I could keep myself from holidng back until the end. I could go faster throughout my entire run and run more evenly instead of holding myself back for a faster pace at the very end. It kinda pissed me off when I realized this. Then again, Im my hardest critic.

Anywho, running without my tunes had me really listening to my breathing..in, out. I breathe for crap. I realized I am a heavy breather. You know, the ones that breathe so labored that it makes you tired to hear it? Thats me. However, I am not really breathing this way because I am tired, I breathe this way because I have mad allergies and mucus clogging me up. I have that wheezy asthmatic breathing. Sucks. I was kinda feeling self-concious as I was thinking mad peepz were thinking "this chick is gonna die". Heh. Shook it off and said screw it..let these walkers eat my dust. Love my narcisstic running azz.

Mile 2 came up easy and fast. This part of the run hit with humidity that was so thick I felt it slap me in the face. This part of the park runs right next to a greenish pond, thick with flies and still air. I think I swallowed a bug but spit it out in the next breath as I hocked out some loogies. I am such a lady. lol. Seriously, I do love to spit.

By this time, I was feeling the run..but I kept pushing myself to run faster and harder. I tapered off a bit at the beginning of 2 1/2 mile mark..I was tired, but not so tired that I had to completely slow down. I slowed for about 10 seconds then thought " why?", so I slapped myself mentally and pushed out the slowness and gunned it again.

Rounding the corner to the finish I pushed and pushed and heard myself taking hard breathes....to the very end.

I finished my 3 mile run in about 24 minutes. 8:00 miles. Yea!

I say about because I do not run with a stopwatch, but I need to. I got this time by looking at my celly while getting out my car, and looking at it again upon returning to my car.

Tonite..I return to my gym. Treadmill heaven lol.

It is so hard to find time to run outside. I have taken the easy way out most days and run on the treadmill. Its hard to get up @ 5am and get my run on, I love to get my sleep on with my Son ..I am so tired lately. I believe this sleeping in was brought about by my sleep deprivation when Victorio was born. Seriously, I did not dream till Victorio was about 1 1/2 years old. Seriously.

At nite, I am so spent after a day of work, and finding time to spend with my Tigers is so hard now that D had gotten his much deserved promotion and works later. I hate the thought of my Tigers waiting to eat so I can run, and not having time to just relax for ME for a couple of hours. Once in a while I will find myself running @ 7:30 or later..but with our hectic schedules and the insane heat, thats just too much. I am going to make the effort to wake up and run in the A>M. when it is the the coolest. Just as long a I am home in time for D to go to work @ 7, and be off to take Victorio to daycare by 8. Inbetween all this, find time to get ready, feed Victorio, dress Victorio, possibly give him a bath, shower myself, maybe eat?, tidy the house before I leave, pack V's bag, pack his snacks, locate missing keys..lol.
Awww..can you tell Im feeling sorry for myself..?? hehe. I will do it though, I have to.

It weird though, when I run outside after running on the treadmill for a spell, I run faster. On the treadmill I run 9:05 or 8:58 miles, but on the outside..who knows how fast I run..but I know by my estimation on my completion times for my mileage, its hella faster.

OH YEAH, before I forget.

I lost 3 lbs. I now officially weight 136. Its way short of my goal I has set for myself, but I do notice that my clothes are looser and I see more definition in my body. I feel tighter, and better about myself. I have been told that I look like I have lost weight. I feel that I have built more muscle and am turning that flab back to toned skin. I am getting back my fitness. I do not feel too bad about my weight, I feel proud of myself that I have at least lost 3 lbs. I have taken to eating better, salads at lunch, yogurt for breakfast (with an occasional bowl of Capn Crunch heh), and whatever for dinner. No fast food, well except for Vegas this weekend. I try to drink water..Propel before I run. I will get down to 130. Just watch me.