Hills Are Fun!

Today I planned for 10 miles with 6:00 total uphill time. The uphill time was one long run and 4 short runs up Thomas Drive. The actual total today was just over 9 miles.

I met Matt and we drove over to Hughes Road to run out to Old Madison Pike and back. Then we went across Hughes to Thomas Drive. We ran those 5 miles at about an 8:00 pace. I forgot my watch, so I'm guessing the pace. But it was 5 miles in roughly 40 minutes. Luckily Matt's brain was working a little better than mine, so he had a stopwatch to time our hills. During those 5 miles, we sounded like babies. Waaaa!! I don't want to run today. Waaaa!! It's cold. Waaaa!! It hurts. Waaaa!! I didn't sleep enough last night. Waaa!! Waaaa!! Waaaaa!!

Then, we did the first hill sprint. Wow! It was amazing how both of our moods changed! It was just FUN!! Each of the 4 short ones were fun, too!

On the last hill, Matt decided to make it a race! He's much faster than me on short flat distances, but on the hills, I can take him. At the beginning of the hill, it's a little flatter and he opened up a lead. As the grade increased, I caught and passed him. I thought I had overcome, but then I remembered that it flattens just a little near the top. I was giving it all I had, but so was he!! He took me by about a half step at the end. That was a RUSH!! Without his push, I probably would have turned in a 1:05 on that last hill and been satisfied. Instead, I broke 1:00 and was dissatisfied because he finished ahead of me!

1. 1:56 (I think)
   
2. 1:00 (almost...)
3. 0:59 (WOOT!!! I finally broke the 1:00 barrier!)
4. 1:03
5. 0:57 (thanks for the push, Matt!!)

Then, since I'm taking a vacation day today, I went to the gym and did a chest+abs workout.

• 3 x 12 dumbbell presses with 55 lb. dumbbells
• 3 x 12 military presses with 30 lb. dumbbells
• 3 x 10 unassisted dips
• 3 x 20 leg raises (I'm glad these are getting easier. 2 x 20 used to be impossible)
• 3 x 15 decline sit ups