The Hills Are Alive

This afternoon I set out for my first run since being back at school. I had grand intentions of running over the weekend but really just needed some time to relax and settle back into the school routine.

I was originally planning on doing a morning run today but I didn't end up going to sleep until at least 3 AM and just couldn't drag my butt out of bed when my alarm went off. Today was a long day of classes and I didn't want to show up to the second class half asleep.

When I got back to my apartment I heated up some soup that my boyfriends mom sent me and made whole wheat toast with mango jam. I wasn't able to grab any lunch on campus during my lunch break because the lines were crazy. I thought I would be okay eating when I came home but my stomach wasn't feeling it during the run.

I set out to do four easy miles around campus to get back into the swing of running regularly. I felt great during the first mile but soon after it went downhill. Then uphill. And uphill again. I forgot how much I hate running the hills around campus. The downhills anger my IT bands and the uphills just kick my ass. I know hill training is supposed to be really great, but I always feel so much better running the trail near my house.

I was pretty happy with my pace considering the hills and how infrequently I have been running lately. When I was getting close to my apartment I started running in the grass instead of on the sidewalk. It slowed my pace significantly but was so much fun. I felt like a little kid again playing in the grass.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	39:53.2	4.00	9:58
1	9:32.3	1.00	9:31
2	10:03.7	1.00	10:04
3	9:46.7	1.00	9:48
4	10:29.5	1.00	10:31
5	:01.0	0.00	9:38

I am going home this weekend to watch the Superbowl with my family and help my boyfriend watch his younger brother so I am aiming to do my long run on the trail this weekend. I am really excited to tackle a new training distance! Look out for a recap on the weekend!