It's December!

HEY! It's Dec. 6, and I just had my six-month checkup at the dentist. They're proud of me for my care -- "You must be a regular flosser" and "The recession is better" -- but yet a stain they've been watching is "getting sticky," so I go back to get that filled. Oh well.

Let's talk about November. My goal was 120 miles and I totally didn't reach it.

Overall mileage: 106.47
Running mileage: 100.25
Walking/hiking mileage: 6.22
Yoga: 1
Strength: 2
Rest days: 8

I had two races (the second OhioOutside.com trail race and the Home Run for the Homeless race on Thanksgiving), and I hit the trails four times. (I can't complain about that since it gets dark so early.) No hill runs (although the trails should certainly count as hill training) and only one interval run -- but I pushed the pace three times. Eight easy runs.

I kind of miss the interval runs, but my left hamstring and IT band are a little cranky and intervals exacerbate it. I'm running more days in a row, and I think my body needs to adjust. I'm only pushing the pace once a week and sticking to easier runs the rest of the time.

And I'm trying to foam-roll and get back to yoga more regularly.

December will be busy. I don't care about goals right now, just trying to stick to my routine. I think my first half will be the Athens half in April, so I'll get back to more structured training in January.

Anyhow, so far this month:

• Saturday: 4.5-mile trail race (Munroe Falls) + 5.5 hike (Buckeye Trail)
• Sunday: rest
• Monday: 5.25-mile easy run (treadmill)
• Tuesday: yoga + 1.25-mile easy run (treadmill)
• Wednesday: 6-mile tempo run (Towpath - Station Road Bridge)

And the plan for the rest of the week:

• Thursday: 5 or 6-mile easy run (Sand Run where I often find myself pushing the pace)
• Friday: 3- to 5-mile easy run (treadmill)
• Saturday: 6-mile easy run (downtown Cleveland)
• Sunday: 6.5-mile trail run (I hope, I hope -- the weather is looking bad and the Buckeye Trail would be dangerous in that case) OR 3-mile easy run (treadmill) OR rest