Where did the time go???!!

Can you believe it? It’s already August and that means fall semester is just around the corner.  It’s been hard to even think about fall classes since I have been hard-core into chemistry since the middle of May.  But not having chemistry 5 days a week + labs will be nice a nice switch after this crazy summer schedule that crams everything into 6 weeks!  All I have left is 2 exams!!! Fingers crossed, though. I have an A and I’m so nervous to screw it up, yikes!  Edit: Ended up with an A in chemistry lab, and got out of the chemistry lecture final exam by applying my ACS percentile! I’m done!!!!!!!!!!

So anyways, after this Friday I will be home for 5 (yes 5!) days, and will be spending lots of time with my sister, going to the fair with my mom, and working a few days at the zoo (my last days there!).  I am so beyond excited. I need a break from BG and from my apartment.  Plus I can run in Westerville and stuff like that. Yippee!

And the running… it’s going GREAT! A few things that pop up here and there (like this foot pain) but once I get my new shoes tomorrow it should be pretty much fixed.  Hoping to get a 10 miler this weekend with the first half being with my sister, and it will be at my favorite park: Antrim! I always have great experiences there, especially with all of the other runners so cheerful and dedicated.  Today was a very successful workout, and it confirmed that I am doing well with speed.  It has been hard to get it back, but I have put in a lot of extra work on my own to improve! And I got the best compliment the other day when a teammate told me that another teammate said I was in really good shape after she had run with me.  That means a lot coming from someone who is a first-class runner herself, and I really look up to.  More motivation to continue my hard work and to keep positive about my progress! 

The only real letdown lately was my “road race” last Saturday. I was really hoping for a competitive race, but it ended up being me running in second and third place OVERALL and having a hard time keeping a good pace on my own and in the heat on the scorching bike path with too many runners to dart around.  It wore me down and I ended up darting off course at 4 miles to put an end to the misery and just call it a day with the 27 min tempo that it became.  Oh well, good to get in the workout and I have many races to come. 

Here’s what this week is looking like, running-wise:

• Monday- AM run w/ teammates, 53:30 at ~7:10 pace; PM run 40 minutes in the heat at 7:20 pace + striders
• Tuesday- speed workout at the track: 3 sets of 3×300m accelerating (59 sec, 57 sec, 55 sec) w/ 2 min rest b/t repeats and 5 min jog between sets. Hit all my goal times except 2 of the 55’s were at 56. Not bad! Did some lifting afterwards
• Wednesday- AM run 6.3 miles recovery run in the dark (fun!); PM run easy 20 minutes and core
• Thursday- AM hills! 2 miles to the golf course and 4 x 5 hills alternating b/t steep and gradual sides, 1.5 mile run back home;
• Friday- 40 min swimming laps (1500 yds)
• Saturday- LONG RUN! 10 miles, 30 minutes of it w/ my sister and last 45 solo at Antrim Park/Olentangy trail! So excited Lifting later.

Total miles running: estimated 42-43 miles!

Do what you love and love what you do! Happy running!