Lots of Updates! Work, Amy, and Run Less Run Faster!

Well, I had my first day of work yesterday!  It went by really quickly.  I spent most of the morning shadowing people as they met with people 1:1 to show them the facility and how to use the equipment.  We aren't trainers, and they have trainers there, so we just ask them what they want to do, and show them the proper way to use the equipment.  I am also responsible for changing the towels at the machines.  Yay, getting paid to do laundry FINALLY!  I love washing towels because they are so uniform and the folding is easy.  That is the one thing at home that I am good at- sheets and towels. (BTW, I have made good on that pledge I made last year to wash ALL the bed sheets every Monday.  The only ones I have missed have been when we have been gone on a Monday, or are leaving on a Monday, and I have done it as soon as I got back.  I felt it didn't make sense to change them and then leave.  If you have any scientific information on this, to have me change them before we leave, I wouldn't mind the feedback.  Like, if the cooties/dust mites double or something while I am gone, that would be good to know, and worth changing twice)  Also, it is pretty easy.  I guess that is why I don't make hardly anything :)  Soren enjoyed the playroom, and was really excited about it.  Keira was upset she didn't get to go, but the kids aren't technically members for another 2 weeks when I go to an orientation meeting downtown.  I am attended the soonest one, and still have to wait that long!  Good thing I still have my other gym membership!  It is another perk that I get to wear black loungy pants AKA yoga pants to work.  I can really wear any black workout bottoms that are not too short, but I would feel silly going to work in my tights.  I did purchase one new pair of black pants at Costco for $20, so there goes my first whole day's worth of work! 

Amy:

(photo taken by my friend Alan Ho, first photo since the accident, on one of his visits)
Amy has moved out of the hospital and into a rehabilitation home.  It is an actual house, where she lives with other patients and can do therapy during the week.  She is allowed to leave with visitors and the staff has outings that she can sign up to do.  This is a great step for her!  Yay!  There is a benefit this weekend in MI to raise additional funds for her.  It is a screening of "Road to Ironman" that Running Fit is organizing.  If you can attend, that would be awesome, because there will be great silent auction items up for grab.  You can also just make a donation.  Here is the site:

https://runningfitevents.webconnex.com/agben

Run Less Fun Faster:
I am LOVING this plan so far!  It is great that I am only running 3 days a week!  It is a little weird though, but I am dealing with that.  We are traveling back to back weekends, so I might miss one workout, but I may be able to make it up by doing 4 runs next week.  I am not sure if I will opt for that or not, with the new job and all, but we'll see.  I might not even miss it.  I have been able to do the track workouts without too much difficulty.  Perhaps it is because I have encorporated track workouts into my marathon training for quite some time and my body remembers how to do them.  Also, the long run paces haven't been bad either.  I have started a little fast, and ended on the slow end, but I think part of it has to do with the topography around here.  I have an awful hill to run up for my  last two miles!  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?  So, it does mess with my paces a bit, but my averages have been OK.  Also, I get a little bored in the middle, and slow down a bit, but tend to pick it up once I am halfway done.  I am still doing lots of out and backs because finding a big loop hasn't gotten me the mileage I need.  I am having a harder time with the tempo runs.  I think this is because I haven't really done tempo runs like these before, and I am doing them outside and not inside.  I can't just set the treadmill to the pace I need to go.  I also have wind and hills to deal with that makes it harder.  My first tempo run was a mess, but my second averaged out all right.  I may be skipping this weeks due to travel.  I might squeeze it in tomorrow morning, but after today's 17 miler in 20deg weather, I'm not so sure.  I really could use a day off.  I guess that is the hardest.  I am used to running 3 days in a row, and then taking a couple days off, instead of skipping a day between each.  It makes total sense and it way easier on my body, but it is harder on my scheduling when I am limited to Tues/Thurs for running.  I have to run on Sat, which has been hard lately.  I'll get it figured out.  Besides, skipping a workout or too isn't going to be the end of the world.  I can say that this plan is awesome for me, since I get all OCD and LOVE how detailed it is.  It is super challenging to hit the paces, and every run has a purpose.  The bummer is that it makes it hard to work out with other people.  Erin is training for a trail ultra, so she is running lots of miles, but at a lot slower pace.  I wish I could run with her more, but right now our goals are really different.  Jen has no desire to run a marathon, and I feel weird running with guys without a big group.  I am also doing my long runs on Thursdays, so there aren't even a lot of people available, but it works for me.  Ryan loves that I don't need to run much longer than an hour or so (so far) on Saturdays.  I will have to run a little longer, but I don't think it should be too bad, and I can always switch it around to do my shortest run on Saturdays.

Here is an example of my run for Tuesday

Thats all for now!  Anyone else in the thick of a big training plan?  How is your race season for 2013 shaping up?