Did my 35 minutes of running today at a 13:34 min/mile pace.  Sigh.  But, I did just start back, so I have nowhere to go, but up.  It's going to suck to see the slow time I get in the 5K though.  Wah.  I predict the 8K will probably kill me.  Oh how the not so might have fallen.

I woke up at 3:30 AM again, couldn't quite get back to sleep, but couldn't quite get up either.  Rolled out of bed at 4:18 AM.  Boiled some eggs.  Did some weight training (I really need to get that equipment put together, so I can't do some better back exercises).  Now, I'm at work and I'm sleepy; the boredom doesn't help.

On the treadmill as usual.  I wonder if I'll ever be able to run outside on a workday.  Probably not.  I'd need to wake up at 3:30 AM depending on the distance and I get up early enough as it is.  Did 3479 of the strength training.  I guess I'll be walking for crosstraining.  I really want an elliptical, but I probably shouldn't actually buy one.  I doubt my Y membership is still current, so I can't go there.  I don't really want to go there anyway or any gym for that matter.  Maybe I'll catch a deal.

Today, was an optional running day according to Hal Higdon.  Since, this is my first week back from the sickness, I opted to do nothing this morning.  The rest of the weeks, I plan on getting in some extra (easy) mileage on those days.

Breakfast was oatmeal and 3 slices of turkey bacon and yo-yo-yogurt.

I did 2 miles this morning.  Still have a bit of snot to get rid of at times.  I did my 2 miles faster than usual (14:05 pace instead of 14:38) and I think it's just a matter of me getting used to the speed and not being afraid I will hurt myself because it is still very slow.

I also did my stretches and strength exercises.  Ate a big bagel and some milk for breakfast.

Today was my first day of exercise since I last posted.  I was sick for about 5 days.  Yesterday, I was feeling much better, but didn't want to chance a run.  I got in a whole 3.5 miles last week.  Wow.  I decided to change my running schedule a bit; it's a little easier, but involves even more races.  I really want to do a race to see what my pace is; it will help me decide my training paces.  So, I think I'll be doing a non-circuit race March 6.  Once I get some extra dough, I'll sign up.  Hopefully, by then, I will have gotten some new contacts which will require a new prescription and all the fun that goes along with that.

It has come to my attention that I may just have the flu; thus explaining the chills I was getting for the past couple of days and my general feeling of blah.  I did feel a bit nauseous on my way to work this morning and my arms were feeling all wobbly.  Now, I'm feeling even worse.  Maybe I should go home.

My mother has had a sore throat and general sick feeling for a week or so now.  It seems it has been passed on to me.  I woke up at 3 AM with a sore throat.  I laid around until me alarm went off at 4 AM and my throat was still sore.  I made myself some tea out of the last tea pod and my throat was no longer sore, but I was running late.

I warmed up for 5 minutes on the treadmill, then did the abbreviated stretch routine (+ITB stretch), exercises 3, 4, 7, 9 for strength training (number 9 went much better today; maybe one day I'll get the hang of 7), walked for a quarter mile on the treadmill, ran 1.5 miles, and cooled down with a quarter mile walk.

My pace is really horrendous, but I have to remind myself that I'm taking things really slow, so that I won't get injured and so, I'll be able to accomplish my running goal for this year and the next.  My time at the Shamrock Shuffle will probably suck big time, so I might want to throw in another race, so it can be eliminated from my standings in the Circuit.

I did manage to gain back 2 pounds, so I'm less worried about not meeting the weight requirements.

This week, I'm starting weight training exercises for just my upper body on my off running days.  Today, I did 2 exercises each for chest, shoulders, and biceps.  I've gotten really weak, but that's what happens when you take over a year off.  I'm not at all sore, but maybe I will be tomorrow or maybe the circuit training I was doing previously has helped out some.

I finally made myself "real" breakfast: oatmeal w/sugar-free syrup and 4 boiled egg whites.  I need to buy some milk tonight, maybe some lunch meat, but we'll see if I actually feel like going to a grocery store after my commute.

Chicago got hit with about 8 inches of snow last night and I needed to get to the post office today since it's the only day I have time to go.  My mother didn't want me to drive because it might be dangerous.  Since I needed to run anyway, I got a bookbag to carry the package in and I had another package in my arm and I headed out the door to defy the snow.  Unfortunately, 8 inches is alot of snow.  Running isn't really an option.  It's more of a high stepping walk.  Fortunately, the City of Chicago/Park District is very kind and keeps the lakefront path clear, so it was smooth sailing when I got there, then I had to resort to running in and out of the street when I had to get off of the path.