Wednesday-afternoon listing!

1. For some reason I had a peculiarly lovely run this afternoon. Temperature in the high 30s, sunny and crisp and altogether delightful as the sun dropped towards the horizon. In fact though I rather loathe taking pictures (I would rather just be in the moment!) I was thinking strongly of Wendy and having an urge to show her the loveliness of the setting, so I think on some sunny wintry upcoming afternoon run where I have no particular training goals I might actually bring the camera in my pocket and stop a few times to attempt to document the loveliness...

(2. It would be too much to expect, though, to capture on camera a glimpse of the handsome Boat Basin Calico! I did not see her today, but she was looking very sleek the last time I spotted her--she lurks around the tennis courts...)

3. 5.5 miles, HR avg 149, pace average 9:50. For some reason--mental tranquillity?!? hmmm, that might be an overstatement...--I fell into a most comfortable pace and did not depart from it, it was really good. Very even mile splits and HR: 10:04 (142), 9:53 (149), 9:48 (149): 9:39 (151), 9:42 (149), last half mile with ending HR of 150.

4. Then when I got home I did thirty minutes on the trainer. Very easy (I am going to be slow I'm afraid in that race!), trying to keep cadence close to 90. Average HR 129. Bike very creaky-sounding, it is not the chain, something needs oiling and the bike computer is not really working; I will take it in to the shop sometime in the next week or two for minor adjustment.

5. Friday evening is useless for work in any case, I think it is not confidential when I say that I'm interviewing candidates from dawn till dusk (as it were) in my capacity as a member of a subcommittee of this: so I am going to indulge myself and spend an hour or two making a really lovely and elaborate training plan for the race in May...

6. I meant to do a bike-run or run-bike workout yesterday afternoon, but I was quite simply too tired, and common sense kicked in. It is my resolution for 2008--it will sound absurd, but it really is what I need--to skip workouts when necessary. It is clearly counterproductive to do them when absolutely exhausted. For many years I was an only sporadic exerciser and compulsive workaholic. I am in no real danger now of lapsing out of the workout habit--I am too thoroughly triaspirational!--and so it is more important to counteract obsessiveness with moderation than to push myself really hard. This is a tough one, always I want to drive myself into the ground!

7. Doing run-bike instead of bike-run can always be rationalized as a question of making use of daylight hours, but really it is nervousness about trying new things (what if my legs are tired, what if I run out of fuel?) and I must get over it! The days are getting longer, so soon I will have no excuse.

8. Also soon I must start riding my bike outside. It will be fun! (I say weakly... but no, really, it will be fun....)

9. In the meantime, though, I need to get some entertaining DVDs but also some spinervals-type workout DVDs. Probably I can go and rent some at the local video store and wait to purchase till I work out what will suit me. Does anybody who uses that stuff regularly have any recommendations, though? (Spokane Al, I'm lookin' at you!)

10. Re: pacing for Sunday's half-marathon. Seems pretty clear. I'm not sure how my running fitness is these days--haven't really lost any since November, I'd guess, but haven't gained any either--too many weeks where I only ran twice or compromised on length etc., too much exhaustion in December. So: I will be contented with anything sub-2:00. Three obvious goals:

Easy goal: <1:59:07 (Grete's Great Gallop time from October, under impossibly hot and humid conditions--same course, though I'm not sure whether we're clockwise or counter-clockwise this time round--I really should be able to beat this barring unforeseen calamity).

Moderately challenging goal: sub-1:56 (a nice number).

Challenging goal: <1:54:14 (Philadelphia PR from November, but that is a very flat course, so I'm not holding my breath on this one, it will be an honorable result if I run hard and make 1:56:xx, plus those Central Park races always involve losing some time due to crowds at start).

Tomorrow morning I'll swim and do a short bike. Not yet decided whether to do the swim workout Friday--I think I probably will, then just do an easy three miles afterwards--Saturday off--Sunday morning race... Next week is kind of a recovery week and still with pressures of various work stuff, but after that I can seriously start training, very exciting!