PT = Personal Training

I have had two great runs this week.  Both showed a substantial increase in speed.

Tuesday, I ran 5 miles on a local greenway in 46:22.  That's an average pace of 9:17 for 5 miles.  I realize that is still pretty slow for a lot of experienced runners, but for me that is huge!  I took Tully to run with me, and I don't think he loved the pace as much.  He kept up with me the entire time, but he was wiped out when we were done.

[Side Note: When I got back to my apartment Monday night from the beach, I was informed via posted notice that the fitness center at the complex was undergoing renovations.  The notice stated that, for now, the fitness center would only be open during business hours.  This is quite inconvenient for me.  Monday night I had to run around the parking lot to rack up a mile and a quarter.]

That Polar Vortex came back through the South this week, and the high Wednesday didn't break 40 degrees with a wind chill in the 20s.  Brr!  Because my treadmill usage is now so restricted, I knew I would have to brave the cold Wednesday after work.  So Wednesday, I gave Tully a break, and I ran downtown.  I left straight from my office, ran down a few blocks, made a couple of laps around Big Spring Park, and ended back at my office.  I finished 3 miles in 26:25 this time for an average pace of 8:47!

And did I mention that I ran both days without any real pain?  I mean there are always some kinks to workout of my fatigued legs, but no more bad knee and hip pain like I've been having.  My glutes are clearly stronger.  They are supporting my pelvis more, and I think pushing me faster.  Way to go posterior!  This has led me to the conclusion that my PT is more than Physical Therapy; it is Personal Training!  I hope that as I continue my workouts, I will continue to see improvement in my abilities.

Now, to wrap up on a foodie note, I was very proud of myself for my frugal cooking this week.  I made spaghetti last night.  I only had half of a pound of ground beef in the freezer (meat is so expensive), so I picked up some mushrooms and supplemented my sauce with those.  The mushrooms added flavor as well as filling in where more meat would normally be.  It really stretched that half pound of beef!  I suppose that this also makes it healthier than traditional meat sauce, but that wasn't really my intention.  Added bonus?