Day 21: You're hot then you're cold

Today's task:  10 miles @8:15 min/mile pace

Today's weather:  67 degrees, 15-20 mph south winds

Today's outcome:  10.03 miles in 1:20:52 (8:04 min/mile pace)

I'm noticing a trend in my blog post titles...more often than not, they are either song titles, lyrics, or my own version of a song title or lyric.  Today was no exception.  For at least half my run, I had Katy Perry's "Hot and Cold" in my head, as it accurately depicts Mother Nature's violent mood swings this week.  Monday's temps at run time were 68 degrees, Wednesday's temps were 15 degrees, and today we're back up in the 60s (it's 72 as I type this, with severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings buzzing on my phone).  This kind of weather is something I love about Virginia Beach.  Sure, Tuesday and Wednesday were bitterly cold and it was painful to be outside, but today I'm back in my flip flops and ready to enjoy an ice cold beer.  I find this so much more appealing than having nothing but cold all winter long.

Wednesday

Saturday

  

Today's long run was only 10 miles (yes, I am at a point in my training where I consider 10 miles to be a short long run...whooda thunk!), and the pace was marathon pace + 15 instead of the marathon pace + 45 like it has been for these long runs until now.  I was grateful for the faster pace, and once I got outside in just shorts and a t-shirt, I came alive.  I paid little attention to my watch and ran at a comfortable pace.  I chose a route that had me facing into the wind as little as possible, and I enjoyed feeling the cool water splash up on my legs as I hurdled over puddles.  I even got a little giddy when I felt the sting of sweat in my eyes, as it meant it was warm enough to be dripping, even with a hat on to absorb it.  I finished slightly ahead of pace and have felt energized ever since.  Next week's workouts are going to be really tough, so I'm glad this week ended on a high note.  

I mentioned I got to run in shorts and a t-shirt today, which was glorious in and of itself.  But the icing on the cake was that I wore my new shorts - Lululemon's Groovy Run shorts:

Not me

I was hesitant to spend the money on them, and I was even more hesitant to take them for a test drive on a long run.  I even planned my route so I could pop back home halfway through and change if I needed to.  That just tells you how much luck I've had with new gear.  I was pleasantly surprised by how the shorts fit and felt, and I have mixed emotions about this.  I really do not enjoy buying expensive clothes.  I'm a magnet for stains and snags, and I cannot be trusted to properly launder most clothing items.  Since these shorts seem to be made of unicorn tears, I'm hoping they'll have some mystical powers that will protect them from such mishaps.  I'm digging the fact they have not one, but THREE pockets built in...my current shorts that aren't quite fitting right anymore don't have any pockets, which is somewhat inconvenient when I take a GU with me on long runs when it's warm.  The same is true for my coveted New Balance running tights, which really sucks because after the success I had with the pricey shorts, I'm thinking it might be worth it to get a pair of Lululemon pants, which means I'll have to sell my firstborn in order to make the purchase.  Such a shame...Brynn is such a great kid.  

With another week in the books, I'll be enjoying tomorrow's rest day and trying hard not to dread Monday's intervals.  Hopefully I live to blog about them.  Have a great weekend!