Good News Day!

Today was a very good day! Good news was broughten (yes, it is a word...not really). This morning I woke up and immediately checked my email for some reason...I had received an email from the clarinet instructor at the California Institute of the Arts, telling me of my acceptance into the BFA program and the MFA programs in Music Performance! I will be admitted as a BFA3 (the equivalent as a college junior), and will take 2 years getting my BFA, then 2 years getting my MFA. The good news! It is news that is good!

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The other good news was that I got to see Lisa today. Last time I saw her we were both feeling like we were about to vomit, so it was good to feel normal again. We ate at a Chinese buffet. Yummers!

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The other other good news is that I had a great long run today. Was going to go 14, but ended up going 17. Longest run since mid-November's 28 miler (which caused the hip to hurt).

Just trotted along. Wore shorts, even though it got kind of cold. Perfect weather the first 1.5 miles, around 46 degrees and hardly any wind, then all of a sudden this wind starts up. All these clouds move in and cover up the sunny sky. From then on, it was a cold run. The temperature continued to drop until I finished, when it was 32 degrees with 18 windchill. What on earth is that all about? Going from 46 to windchill 18 in just a little over 2 hours...strange.

The quad (I don't remember if it was the left or the right) started paining me right at about 3 miles. No reason. It just came on all of a sudden. If I was out in the country, I would have walked, but unfortunately I was at the busiest intersection in Aurora, the intersection that has Aurora's only stop light. So, I didn't stop. I just kept going and tried to ignore the pain.

A couple minutes later the pain was mysteriously gone! Then I passed by John Thomas's house and talked to him for about 10 minutes. Then I got cold and had to move on. Finished the first 6 miles in 54:43 (miles were 7:58, 7:16 [had to sprint to get across a train crossing before the train came...I heard it, but it never came] 7:29, 17:15 [talked to John], then 14:42 for the next 2. Stopped at home and ate some Sun Chips and drank gatorade. Put on heavier gloves and a heavier hat, since the cold was getting colder and colder! The stop took 5:23.

Out on the roads for an 8 mile loop. That would make it 14 for the day. Legs felt fresh still, and finished the loop in 1:00:40. Splits were 30:18 and 30:22, so a pretty even pace, like a horse. Like a horse pulling a cart. Then I decided to tack on 3 more miles. Not only would this make me feel good about going 17 instead of 14, but it would get my mileage for the week up to 50 (still trying to get 70 for the week...2 more days!) Stopped at home for 5:51 and ate a granola bar, finished the gatorade, and sat in a chair.

Last 3 miles in 24:04. The first 3 minutes were straight into the wind, now blowing hard and cold and making the windchill around 20. Still had the shorts on. Legs felt like they were getting a cold soak (I thought I could count the last 3 miles as a cold soak, and then wouldn't have to do one when I got done!). Finished in 2:30:43.

A great confidence booster. Yesterday, my legs seriously were sore when I ran the 0.5 mile during my first break at work. But, I guess they legs recovered. Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein. That's the thing to help you recover faster!

Am seriously considering the Brew to Brew 44 Mile. I have 6 more weeks. Long runs will go like this: 20, 23, 26, 30, 20, then the 44. I plan on getting in some other longish runs during the week, like 12, 14, 16, 16, 18. Weekly mileage, beginning this week: 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 60, then race week.

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Hope that you had a good day also! The good news is upon us!

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17 miles today

52 miles on Fireroad B