Mate Vana tea, please

This my friends is reward for a job well done. Mate Vana Tea from Teavana. AMAZING Mate tea, with bits of cocoa in it. The same amount of caffiene as in coffee, but with 1,000 times the taaste. (I dislike coffee)

So what job was well done you ask?

Oh just tonight's post-work workout, that is all. ;) I kicked tooshy a little. I stretched out, ran 2.5 miles on the dreadmill, stretched out some more then I did triceps and chest, with a little hip ab/adduction for good measure.

I attempted 3.1 miles on the dreadamill but came to a crossroads and I, I took the road more frequently travelled (by me) and that has made none the difference (in my performance). The treadmill I chose tonight had fans on it (for breezy feelings I assume), a nice virtual track so you can do speedwork, and it had a built in 5K run. PERFECT treadmill for my needs. I ran 1 mile and really pushed myself that last .25 mile. The I walked to lower my HR down (it was up there in the high 160's to mid 170's according to the machine) then after a quasi recovery buckled down and gave yet another one of my now famous pep talks to myself.

"Yo self. Listen up. Are you gonna let this darn dreadmill win? It boils down to this... you want to do 3 miles. You have to do 3 miles. You chose the treadmill to do them on... and you know it is purely mental. It is either you or the treadmill... no which is gonna win? "

Now how could I chose to let the treadmill win? Not-gonna-happen. So I put the towel over the readout and I attempted to finish the run. No speed just purely finish it. Well at 2.5 miles I called it quits at a draw. I did 1.5 more miles today than I have ever on the contraption of contempt... so I feel good.

It really is taking a lot to get over the mental monotany of the mill. I can easily go 3 outside... so why am I sucking so hard on that thing? I really want to conquor it. It is a challenge.

I have also come to the realization that lately I am not a morning peron. I am going to have to run after work. And if that means the mill... then so be it. As long as I still run my long distances outside, I will be happy.

I am thinking of going to a run/walk for this half. I have a tendency to peter out towards the end and run walk anyhow - but at a HUGELY depreciated pace. I start out in the 11's and finish with an average pace of 13-15 minute miles. So not good. I want consistency and even negative splits if possible. Because that feels so good!

Maybe the Galloway method will be good for me afterall. I know that I was going to try it for this last one, but I am still having a mental fight over that. I am all for run/walking. I do not think that it will make me less of a runner if I follow a proven method of training. It is just hard to go from running half marathons all the way through to going to a run/walk method.

I feel so conflicted. I know in the end it will be good for me, my pace, and my body... but somehow I just feel odd. Like I am not willing to push myself through the whole 13.1. However I am willing, but I am wanting to finish stronger. So this year, I am going to seriously give the walking breaks a try. I have a 7 miler this weekend scheduled, so I will give it my all and do the run/walk and see how it feels. I felt great last year doing it that way in training.

I will go all of September with run/walking and see how I do. If I can become consitant with my pace, then I will give it a whole-hearted go for Detroit.

Happy hump-day! Just think, only 3 days left until our long run!

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