She's dumb sometimes, but she can cook (pics)

When your running goes not as planned, it becomes really hard to read or write about running.  Hence, my mini-hiatus from blogging.  I had a really bad and stupid 20-miler on Valentine's Day.  All my uppity talk about training smart went right out the window. 

I was sore from an intense strength training workout and some mega hills from Tuesday.  I should have let my DOMS subside before I tackled 20, but I was dumb and I thought the stiffness would subside once I warmed up.  Instead, I just got more sore and crampy.  If you've ever bonked on a long run or a race, I felt that way for about 15 of the 20 miles I ran.  The silver lining is that I did complete the run.  Also, this type of run is something that will come in handy on race day if I start to feel like poopy pants.

The weather was ridiculously perfect which is a shame that I didn't feel 100%. 

Blue skies on my Greenway:




I stopped for a few last minute Valentine's groceries and a bag of ice.  I continued my torturous day with an extra long session in the ice bath.





Since my run sucked, I turned to my other hobby which thankfully treated me kinder.  I made a cute cake earlier for a coworker's first Valentine's with his new girlfriend.



So you know that Valentine's dinner for Adam and me had to top that!  I opened a bottle of wine from our favorite vineyard (Mollydooker) once Adam got home.



Then we had a green salad for fiber's sake.  The main course was osso buco (or awesome buco as we call it) with creamy risotto.  I have this thing for the marrow of the veal shank--it makes my toes curl.  Adam is sweet enough (re: thinks it's weird that I even eat it) to let me have his!



It's an insanely savory dish.  The rich flavors are just so intense.  Definitely one of my top 5 recipes. 
After dinner, we watched a little tv while enjoying chocolate molten lava cakes with salted caramel ice cream.



Forget the compression socks for my legs, I needed 'em for my heart!

I rested Friday and Saturday, ran 3 e-a-s-y miles on Sunday (instead of a scheduled tempo) and got myself some KT tape on my way home from work yesterday.

I watched some awesome instructional videos on the manufacturer's website to help me understand how to put it on.  About 30 minutes before I went running, I put strips over my knee and on my pesky bunion area.  My poor left bottom half was covered in tape.



Captain Crazypants (aka Torrance the BT) 'helped' by licking the tape and me as I tried to put it on. 
I definitely could tell that the rest and/or the tape was a huge help.  I flew today.  My step was boingy and my left leg didn't feel quite so achy.  I was supposed to do 6 easy, but I just decided to run semi-naked.  I didn't look at my watch except where I neared the halfway point to turn around.  It ended up being a perfect progressive 10K.  8:06, 7:45, 7:34, 7:31, 7:26, 7:21, and the last .2 at a 6:25 pace.  Definitely way too fast.  But I think my other runs this week will be on the dreadmill so I will forcibly make myself slow down.

One more big 20 miler is on the books, but I am definitely in the homestretch now.  With less than 4 weeks 'til race day, I am getting antsy about toeing the starting line.