gunk in the house

So, this week has been rather tiring.  The weather heated up, highs of about 28C for 3 days, plus extra humidity, plus airborne allergens.  I just walked with the dog Mon-Tues-Wed; he has been very good at getting me out of the house in the mornings.  Thurs, we ran the 3 mile loop.  Friday, we jogged/walked 1.5 as a warm up for my subsequent 2.5 mile tempo run on the TM.  Saturday, we walked.  I'd meant to do my last long run then, but I woke up feeling crappy, or not less crappy than the rest of the week as I'd hoped.

Today was the day.

The boys and I hit the 8 mile hilly loop.  I hadn't attempted it since the recent incident and I was feeling a bit ill over the prospect, so having company really really helped.  My husband took the dog's leash, relieving me of all bending-down responsibility.  All I had to do was get into a relaxed zone and take the hills easy.

Which I managed to do!  The first series of hills was relaxing.  Even the second series was mostly relaxing, up until about halfway up the penultimate steep/tough hill.   My breathing sped up at this point, but I think that's the latest it has on this route.  I'd never made it through the second series of hills so relatively unscathed before.  The cool weather helped, as well as the relatively clear air.

The big hill was tough as usual, but my numbers mental game is pretty well established, and that carried me through to a 9:32 mile up that thing.  Fastest ever, I think.

We returned home while I contemplated a second loop.  The prospect of boredom dissuaded me and I chose instead the treadmill and the 2012 Berlin marathon.  I would run for 2 hrs, with at least one 10 minute interval at a steeper incline to simulate the 2nd hill on the course.

Unfortunately, the Berlin marathon replay this year isn't free!!!  bummer.  I found the Frankfurt replay, but it was in German...eventually, I chose London 2012 (not the Olympics), which I may have seen before (I can't remember, so essentially not).

Thus armed, I started on tired legs and strangely tired and squeezed lungs.  The air in my house wasn't good for some reason!  This has happened before but usually I find the air quality worse outside.  I opened windows and turned on fans, to no avail.

My ten minute hills were at 30 minutes and 1:30.  The last one was beastly--the first one, I held onto form and the same pace, the last one was a struggle and I had to drop down a bit and bluntly, mindlessly, fling all my shit upward.  I was a wreck.  I have no idea what the grade is apart from over 1%--the TM is at about %1 at its flattest.  After it, there were only 20 minutes remaining of my run, but they were nasty.

It's been an hour since I stopped--I showered and then lay on the floor to relax for a while.  My lungs still feel raw and my breathing kind of pressed.  I am now drinking a recovery drink; I felt too queasy before to do that.  I'd tried a new workout drink today and I think it helped me for a while but I shouldn't have drunk so much of it.  Oh, well, it's done and in the past now.

I have to study the course more...all I remember is that it's 2x a 13.1 mile out-and-back, with lots of little hills, there will be a major hill twice.  My goal?  Finish.  I'm out of shape and this isn't a fast course: http://www.psychowyco.com/pilgrimpacer/id3.html  Hopefully the air clears up by then!