Life would be so much easier if my workouts were as short as my shorts....

I have experienced a great deal during training these past few years. Before this week, bloody nipples has not been one of them. I have seen the pictures, heard the stories. But never experienced the phenomenon until now. The nipples would burn a bit towards the ends of my recent runs, but there has never ever been any blood before. During my 12 miler on Tue though my shirt got two small red circles on it. Just enough of a twinge to keep me awake! But I did hammer out 12 at 7:30 pace. My legs were tired from the hill workout on Monday. It was hard to find a good groove during this run though.

A comment towards myself when I was over 200 pounds back in middle school that I never forgot was spoken by my uncle. Back then I did a lot of snowmobiling during the winter with friends, one of whom was a tall skinny guy also named Kyle. Anyway my cousin told his father something like "Kyle is coming over to ride" and my uncle asked if it was the fat one or skinny one. He did not say this in front of me but my cousin told me he said it, jokingly. Not knowing how much it really hurt, and years later I still remember the comment.

Now I know it is wrong but I cannot help but feel...a jokes on you feeling. I know the cousin closest to my age who I spent a great deal of time with during my childhood is, well a pretty big guy now. Him and his oldest brother did make fun of me for being overweight once in a while. Now both are still in Watertown, went to tech school and working.

Speaking of back when I was huge. Last week I was sitting in the bath tub one morning. The best way I have found to wake up is to fill the tub with nice hot water and lay/sit in it for 5 or so minutes. Talk about relaxing. Anyway the water was draining and I was sitting up watching it go down. I remembered back home when I could sit just right in the bath and actually block the water behind me from getting past, utilizing my butt and leg fat as a Hoover Dam if you will. Then all of a sudden I would shift and the water from behind would go rushing past towards the drain.

I had an easy short run planned a few days ago and was really not feeling it. Work was on the schedule for that evening. I took a nap and was just sitting around, not really feeling like doing anything. Then I saw my Reasons I have Overcome to Run list on my wall, and knew if I got out there I would be glad I did. So quickly, before I could give me a chance to talk myself out of it, I threw on my running gear and got outside. Within two blocks I happy to be out there :)

A few miles into that run I kind of felt sluggish though. Thinking to myself how I am lucky if I am pushing 9 minute miles. So for the first time during this run I pulled my sleeve up to view the Garmin, and see an average pace of 7:23 HOLY COW :p I felt slow but in reality was only a few seconds slower per mile then my marathon pace. I told a friend, that is great motivation to keep going during a run that feels like crap :)

Again in the last week I have had someone ask "are you that guy that's always running?"

"Ah, yeah that's probably me."

"Crazy, are you training for something or do you just like to run." they always say.

"Well I like to run, but I am training for triathlons, ultramarathons, and to qualify for Boston."

And it goes on, they are impressed. Usually say they could never do it. And tell me to keep it up.

If I get the "I could never do that" I just put out the "well I used to be 230 pounds, so anything is possible" line. That usually makes them pause and think for a second :)

A friend also told me my legs are ripped. That is the best complement I can ever get! Now if my butt was not so fat...

Speaking of my fat butt. Barb told me she did something like 1,000 pull laps in the pool on a certain time, which she has never done before. I told her I am faster with a pull buoy, which is odd among swimmers. However it helps raise my butt and legs out of the water a bit, reducing drag.

My butt is like a sail ( )( ) like that. Creates a lot of drag pulling that thing through the water.

I did not go home for Thanksgiving since I had the opportunity to get eight hours in at time and a half at work, so I took it. I made my own food however. A $3 pumpkin pie, some Nutella and whipped cream, whalla! It was glorious.

Desi and I talked on the phone for 58 hours on her last phone bill. Two days of talking on the phone in a one month period. And for a few of those days we were actually together so not using the phone.

Friday after Thanksgiving I had a great treadmill run. Here was the breakdown:

4 @ :30

1 @ 6:58

1 @ 6:54

1 @ 6:50

1 @ 6 45

1 @ 6:40

.5 @ 6:00

.25 @ 5:27

.25 @ 5:00

For 10 miles at 7:05 pace. The entire run felt great. The only thing is my soles get hot sometimes. From the treadmill's track under my feet going over whatever is under it. Especially when I finished, doing that last mile in something like 5:30 my soles were hot.

It is interesting moving that fast. I remember when I first started running, I could not image what seven minute miles felt like. Now I can do them no problem. My 5k PR is at just above 6 minute pace, and I am at the stage where I cannot fathom doing something like 5 minute miles for a 5k. I am not saying I will ever push that pace for a 5k. This is just a great example of how anything is possible if you do the work. I am doing now what I could not imagine possible for myself just a few years ago.

I finished up with an easy 8 on Sunday after work. That gives me 44 miles for the week if I counted correctly. Good week. Now starts the last two weeks of class. This is going to be busy busy busy. Hopefully I can still keep my running up. That may be my stress reliever.

Thanks for reading all :)