Week 6

August 3 - August 9

Monday: 0 miles at Tempe Town Lake.
Start Time: n/a
Starting Temperature: hot
Post-run Fuel: I didn't run, but in case you're wondering, this is what I require to get me through the first day of school:

Notes: It's the first day of school AND my birthday. I'm not running. End of story. But I will eat ice cream cake and watch the sunset at the lake.

There was this hilarious radio guy I used to listen to. Once he joked about how his girlfriend would frame all these photos of the two of them where he looked super goofy and he would bring it up to her, but she'd be like, "I don't know what you're talking about; this is a great photo!" because she only ever paid attention to how she looked.
I don't know why this suddenly came to mind.

Tuesday: 3 miles around Tempe Town Lake with Running for Brews
Start Time: 7:00 pm
Starting Temperature:  106 degrees
Post-run Fuel: Strawberry Bottle Rocket beer and roasted veggies
Notes: The theme this week was "School Spirit" which was quite fitting since it's my first week back to school. I didn't have any school spirit clothes to wear, but I figured just making it out there on the 2nd day of school was quite an accomplishment.

Wednesday: 7 miles - 3.5 miles with Aravaipa Trail runners, plus 2 miles running there and 1.5 miles running home.
Start Time: 6:00 pm
Starting Temperature:  108 degrees
Post-run Fuel: Water
Notes: This was the first training run I thought I might DNF 

Thank goodness for fancy bathrooms with a view.

Thursday: 3 miles around Tempe Town Lake
Start Time: 7:00 pm
Starting Temperature:  degrees
Post-run Fuel: Tortilla with beans, cheese, and peppers and an Orange Blossom Beer
Notes: Much better than yesterday

Saturday: 8 miles out-and-back on the Grand Canal with some of my beloved West Valley Runners
Start Time: 6:00 am
Starting Temperature:  degrees
Post-run Fuel: Pancakes, a veggie omelet, potatoes, and coffee at Joe's Diner
Notes: I went to this run with the mindset that I would have to run faster than I would on my own. I like to do my long runs SLOW, and the people I'd be running with end up being too speedy for me. So, I decided to make this a pace run. Turns out, I was the fast one. Apparently 6 weeks of marathon training through the heat of summer pays off. Still, I wouldn't have run that fast on my own and I was giddy with joy to see my running family.

Sunday: 9 miles up the Indian Bend Wash (Greenbelt) and down the Cross-cut Canal with a bus ride at the end.
Start Time: 6:30 am
Starting Temperature:  degrees
Post-run Fuel: Leftovers from yesterday. Yum yum yum
Notes: The Greenbelt was one of my first memories of Arizona. In high school I suddenly decided I wanted to live in Arizona. I can't remember why, but I have a feeling it was related to a dream. I also fell in love with Matthew McConaughey this way, even though I hadn't seen a single movie with him in it (I've loved him ever since). My mom figured I should at least VISIT the place where I planned to live, so we went to visit her cousin, Lizbeth (aka the aforementioned Aunt Liz). I remember rollerblading on the Greenbelt, while the rest of the family walked along. When I finally did move to Arizona, I found a room to rent on Craigslist. While researching the area, I asked Jill, my soon to be housemate, if she lived near "sidewalks that go under the intersections." It turns out, she did! She wasn't near the Greenbelt, but the Arizona Canal. I lived near the Arizona Canal from 2007 until just recently. I miss the Arizona Canal, but the Greenbelt and Cross-cut are so pretty. I almost feel like I'm not in the desert.