I think the town of Crofton, Md. was designed by a runner. I'm 100% serious. There are sidewalks everywhere including on all the busy roads. There are tons of neighbors with lots of shady areas that make for fabulous mileage.

The Crofton Parkway is a giant loops that is almost exactly a 5K. I mean seriously, who designs stuff like that if they aren't a runner themselves or a very runner friendly person.

Well anyway, I'm down in Maryland today because I have a vacation day (whoo!!) that I used because this afternoon a bunch of us are driving to Charlottesville, Va. for a soccer game. So I decided that I would use the morning for a nice, easy long run.

I planned out an 8.33 mile course. (Why can I never find a course that ends on an even mile or half mile lol) and hit the road around 8:30ish. It was still a bit chilly, but in a good way. I was pretty comfortable in my Under Armour tights and a long sleeve tech shirt with my ear warmer on.

I was cruising along the first three miles feeling really great and absolutely loving running in Crofton. Everyone else out is so freakin' nice. I think every single person I passed waved and said, "Hi." People with dogs were so nice about pulling the leashes close and stepping out of the way so I could get by. A super nice crossing guard helped me across the busiest road with a bunch of school kids.

Right around mile 3 my iPod died because it was cold. Does anyone else have that problem? iPods dying in the cold? (Like not dead, dead it's fine now, but it just turns off and won't turn back on outside.)

Well right about that time I passed a mom and her son going to a Halloween party at what looked to be a kindergarten. The little boy was dressed up as a PowerRanger I think. And I ran past him and he started running right along side of me. So I chatted with him for a little while, told him I liked his costume and that he was super fast. He was such a cutie. (I also told him not to get too far ahead of his mom, I didn't want her to panic.)

They veered off to go to their party and I headed on my way on the Parkway, which is an awesome place to run. There's plenty of sidewalk room and its not too hilly. There were a couple big ones in the middle, but nothing too bad.

Miles four and five I was still feeling good. Around mile six, I was exiting the Parkway and I could definitely feel my legs were getting tired. I also noticed a twinge in my knee. It was nothing serious. Just annoying.

I pushed through mile seven and was really really tired by mile eight. It sucked not having my iPod here. The music helps me zone out and not focus so much on how tired I am. I had one line from the last song I listened to stuck in my head so I was like singing it over and over again haha. Not out loud though.

I finished 8.33 in 1:27.43. I think that's about a 10:30 mile. I was hoping to average 10 minute miles, but I'm still not disappointed in the run. It felt great except for my knee acting up at the end. I think I'm going to tape my knee from now on runs over 6 miles. That's when I seem to notice it start to act up. I also think I would have been able to push the speed a little bit more had I eaten more before I went out. I only ate half a PBJ because I just was not hungry enough to eat a whole one. I kind of wish I had though. Oh well, I know for next time.

Anyway, I'm off to go get ready for this soccer game. It's Halloween so we're all dressing up. I'm going as...a soccer player...creative, I know right haha!

Hope you all have a great Halloween weekend!

THE PHILS JUST WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!! WHOOOO!!!!!!!

I am doing a happy dance around my room!

After months and months of shunning the gym for the warm summer months of running outside, lately I've been finding myself heading back indoors.

It's been pitch black when I wake up in the mornings and I don't have very much daylight left by the time I get home from work.

It started out with a few spin classes here and there, a couple times each week. This morning was the first time I forced myself onto the thrillmill though.

I met my co-worker Michele this morning and did about 20 minutes of elliptical with her before she had to head home to get ready for work (poor girl starts an hour before I do.)

When she left I switched over to the treadmill and thought I'd be adventurous and do some intervals. I know they were on the treadmill so it's not the same as doing them on a track, but these days track access is not really an option. So it looks like I'll be doing most of my speed work on the treadmill. (Does anyone have thoughts on this or suggestions on how to adjust the speed to make it most mirror the effort I'd be putting out on a track?)

I didn't have much time left so I figured I'd try to do 4x800 with an 800 recovery in between each. (I never know how long to recover after my intervals. Is 800 too long? It seems to work for me...again thoughts?)

Well I ran out of time and only did 3x800, but I figured it was something. I did my fast intervals at an 8:57 pace and my recovery was at 10:54. I could definitely feel that the effort was challenging so I think I did an OK job picking out speeds, but as always your thoughts or suggestions are helpful.

By the end with cool down and everything, I had done a little less than 30 minutes on the thrillmill and 20 minutes of the random hill setting on the elliptical.

A solid workout in my book.

P.S. Thanks for everyone's input on my last post about my marathon worries. After today's workout I'm feeling better about things and I'm going to see how I feel in another week or so.

P.P.S. How annoying is it the Game 5 got postponed last night? And how really pissed was I this morning when I found out the commish was going to suspend the game either way and not call it after the 5th and magically make the Phils win. (Which I think was the right decision, a World Series shouldn't be decided by the rain.) But why did they even play the top of the 6th then? The conditions were crappy. They should have called it after five and the Phils would have had a one-run lead. No way the Rays second run would have scored if it hadn't been for the rain. OK end rant about baseball.