Summer Running and Sunsets

I don’t know how some people are able to find the energy to go running after a long day at work. It’s a mental battle just to get out the door when I’m tired and my body feels sluggish. On Tuesday, I texted my sister and told her she had to bug me until I’d gone for a run. She did a great job of being obnoxious and eventually I went just before sunset.

 

Usually, my general routine for running is to warm up for around 5 minutes, walk/run for 20 or so minutes and cool down for a few. This will get me to around 2 miles or a little more. I really need to start getting more distance in but I know I can’t run a few miles straight up. So my aim for the day was to walk 1 full mile, then run with a strong effort til I hit my threshold, and hit around three miles.

I finished with 2.97 miles + at least another .3 because I my watch took a while to connect to GPS and I stopped it as soon as I finished running.

My Running Splits:

• 1.03 mi @ 16:34 min/mi
• .52 mi @ 10:40 min/mi
• .24 mi @ 16:03 min/mi
• .42 mi @ 11:06 min/mi
• .11 mi @ 17:43 min/mi
• .63 mi @ 11:36 min/mi

Overall Distance – 2.97 mi

Overall Time – 41:06 min

Overall Average Pace – 13:50 min/mi

Running Distance – 1.57 miles

Running Average – 11:12 min/mi

I stopped for a minute during the run to quickly snap this picture. I loooove sunsets and it’s usually my favorite time of day to run because I get to enjoy more than if I was inside doing something else. I came back exhausted with wobbly legs especially after the large hill I had to walk up at the very end to get to the house. It was also very humid outside so I felt like I was swimming in sweat. I tried the NUUN tablets that I’d bought last week for the first time. I don’t think it’s supposed to make you feel different but it’s to help restore electrolyte balance. Whatever the case, it has barely any calories, no sugar and makes my water taste better. So win-win.

Wednesday was supposed to be a date day with Hanna and on my way out the door, the sky opened up and it was POURING cats and dogs. I can’t often see the rain when I take photos so this is proof that there was too much coming down at once. On my way to pick her up, I feel like I was driving through rivers. There were lakes all over the roads and the roadside gutters couldn’t handle the flow!

Funny thing is, it was only a 20 minute drive to pick her up and there was absolutely ZERO rain there. Sunshine and all. We ran up to the Columbia Mall for a Godiva treat and on to Target to pick up some toiletry stuff I was needing.

We went to Lake Elkhorn for our sunset run and were surprised at how crowded the parking lot was. We quickly realized that it wasn’t because everyone was there for the awesome recreational space that it is… no. Well over 50% of the people clogging up the trail were there playing Pokemon Go. They weren’t moving or even being any sort of aware of their surroundings. We saw faces glued to phones the whole way around the lake. Sigh. Example below.

 

Instead of being dependent on technology, we had a great, sweaty run and our efforts were rewarded with a gorgeous, colorful sunset to enjoy. I love this view.

My Running Splits:

• 1.00 mi @ 12:07 min/mi
• .14 mi @ 16:21 min/mi
• .71 mi @ 11:43 min/mi

Overall Distance – 1.85 mi

Overall Time – 22:41 min

Overall Average Pace – 12:17

Running Distance – 1.71

Running Average – 11:55 min/mi

 

Next up on the training schedule is some quad strengthening exercises, and some more swimming and biking.

 

Have a run planned for the day?

Are you playing Pokemon Go? Does it actually live up to all the hype surrounding it?

Do you love sunset watching? Share a photo of your favorite sunset with me!