The Dreadmill and other challenges this week

I just ran 8 miles on the dreadmill.  I think that is the longest continuous run I've ever done on that thing.  Ugh.  The worst part was that the sun was shining and it was warm enough to go out in shorts... ah.  Wednesday is my normal run right after work day, but Jamie had to work tonight and Susanna had ballet lessons at the gym.  Which meant I couldn't even do the jogging stroller since I can't leave the premises during her class.  So...  torture machine it was.  I downloaded an audiobook (total chick lit -- Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsellla) and set the mill for my "easy run" pace of 9:22.  I hung a towel over the console so I wouldn't be looking at the numbers and tried to just get into the novel.  When I felt like I'd been running for eternity I peeked at the numbers.  .64.  Seriously?

I get to 1.91 and feel like this is going to go on forever when my phone rings.  Susie's ballet teacher.  Apparently no other kids showed up for the class today so she had a private lesson and they got everything done in 35 minutes so could I please come pick her up?  Sure.  I head down there to drop her off at the childcare where her brother has been hanging out, and head back up to the mill.  I set it for 6.1 mile and put it back on the 9:22 pace.  At a half mile I decide if I don't do something to break up the boredom I'm going to lose it.  I shouldn't really push the pace since I did 800 repeats at 6:58 yesterday and am still sore.. but maybe some incline training?  So I up the incline by .5% every tenth of a mile for a half mile and then recover for a half mile.  Okay -- I have to watch the numbers but it does make the run a little more interesting.  Eventually I get to the eighth mile.  Finally.  I want to get off.  I am sick of this machine.  So I start to up the pace every tenth of a mile til I get to an 8 minute pace.  I figure that still counts as a recover run.

Done.  Done done done.  A workout of mental toughness.

This weekend Jamie is out of town.  Luckily that coincides with my "dropback" week in terms of long runs -- I only need to do about 12-14.  I'm thinking I will do this OUTSIDE with the jogging stroller but may break it up... perhaps 6-7 to someplace where the kids can run around and then back.  Either that or I could do 6 on the trail and 6 on the treadmill... or something like that.  I will report HOW I get my runs in this weekend.   I will not say IF because I am bound and determined to figure it out.  Between the daycare at the gym and my wonderful double jogger, there are possibilities.