Long Run No. 7 ... a very hot and sweaty 9.5 miles

Saturday - 9.5 miles

• 9.51 miles, 2:08' 48" minutes, 13' 32" min/mile average pace, 152 BPM average heart rate
• Splits:
• Mile 1 - 11' 10" min/mile
• Mile 2 - 11' 12" min/mile
• Mile 3 - 11' 26" min/mile
• Mile 4 - 15' 12" min/mile
• MIle 5 - 14' 06" min/mile
• Mile 6 - 11' 49" min/mile
• Mile 7 - 16' 05" min/mile
• Mile 8 - 14' 48" min/mile
• Mile 9 - 16' 48" min/mile

My run this morning wasn't the best but it was also very far from being the worst. As you can see from my splits, I ran the first three miles without stopping but after that I started taking walk breaks. I am not really happy with myself for taking so many walk breaks but I am happy with the average pace I maintained for the first 3 miles.

My morning started at 4:45 when I woke up trying to rotate only to find myself pinned down by my cat sleeping on my legs. I did fall back asleep but that only lasted until 5:30 when my alarm went off. I slowly started moving around until I managed to have enough energy to get out of bed. I ate my delicious breakfast of yogurt and granola (what else) and then got dressed. Before I went to bed last night, I filled my new water bottle with 12 ounces of Powerade and 10 ounces of water and put it in the fridge. Since the waist pack is insulated, I figured it would be nice to actually have cold water on my run for a change. After I got dressed, I assembled my new hydration belt and the pocket with two of my energy gels (chocolate and razz flavors). I wish there would have been a picture or mannequin in the running store that demonstrated how to actually wear a hydration belt. Every company website depicts it differently, which can lead someone to much aggravation when they are using one for the first time. After messing around with my new belt, I figured that I had it situated correctly. I ate a serving of Clif Shot Bloks and headed out the door.

I started off with a 15 minute walk in the direction of my running trail. Even though it was only 7:30 in the morning, the humidity already in the air made it feel like I was walking through soup. I decided that it would probably be a good idea if I stick to the shade this morning. I was actually hoping that it wouldn't be so sticky because I didn't want to run through the residential neighborhood. I feel like I am more susceptible to stopping when I have to make so many road/driveway crossings. Either that or I have way too many thoughts in my head telling me to turn around because I have many "more" important things to be doing. I really am tired of hitting "the wall" and not being able to push past it. After 15 minutes of walking, I started to run and quickly realized that my new hydration belt is not supposed to sit on my hips. While running, I managed to adjust the belt so that it would not bounce up and down. I was quite impressed with myself for accomplishing this task while still running. I quickly found my stride after that and became completely engulfed in my audio book. This lasted until I started watching my clock and iPod trying to figure out when I should eat my energy gel. When that moment finally came, my mind told my legs to stop running so that I could ingest my energy gel and drink some water. Insert expletives here. From that moment on, I couldn't find my rhythm. It was completely lost to me and no matter how hard I tried to find it I couldn't. What really irks me is the fact that I have run a solid 6 miles already and that was weeks ago. I spent the rest of my run trying to find my groove again and trying to figure out how to get past this wall. By the end of my run, I had determined that my weekly maintenance runs are not giving me enough mileage. When I got back home and cleaned up, I sat down and reworked my training schedule. I used the mileage that Nike+ recommends for their beginner's half marathon program and incorporated the long run distances I already had planned. Hopefully, this revised schedule will help me break through my wall.

After all of that craziness this morning, my boyfriend and I went to lunch. I took him to a little Cuban sandwich shop and we had an absolutely delicious lunch. Then we headed to Target where I found my new kettlebell. Lauren Brooks recommends some great brands on her website but I don't have the money to spend on those brands. I did some research yesterday to see where I could buy an appropriately sized kettlebell to start using on Monday. To my surprise, the Sports Authority by my place didn't offer any kettlebells in the store according to the website. I did find out that Target carries the GoFit brand of kettlebells. When we got to the store, I walked around getting the other stuff I needed before heading to the Fitness section. The only GoFit kettlebells they had were either 25 lb. of the Bob Harper contoured kettlebell. I went ahead and purchased the 15 lb. contoured kettlebell. This wasn't first choice but it was all they had. I will let you know on Monday how it works out after I try it with my workout DVD. Also, this kettlebell comes with a DVD but I am NOT going to use it. I watched the DVD and was not impressed at all. I felt like it was teaching bad form. One thing I have learned is that form is crucial when working with kettlebells, even really lightweight ones. I highly recommend purchasing Lauren's DVDs if you don't have access to an RKC instructor.