NYC Marathon Training - Week Whatever

Not a lot of running this week, but I still feel like I've gotten my running mojo back. I did something this week I never thought I'd ever do - I joined a gym. One of the things I love about running is the simpleness of it - you put on running shoes and walk out the door. So going to a gym and paying to run on a treadmill just seems wrong to me.

But.

I've done it. There's a great gym a mile from the the house that's incredibly cheap - $10 a month - and that is about as bare bones as it gets. It's got dozens of treadmills and good weight equipment. It's brightly lit and clean. It is not fancy. It doesn't have classes or trainers or spa services. It's exactly what I need.

I ran there this week and knocked out 45 minutes without a problem, proving that the problems I'm having with running really are related to the heat and humidity.

• Monday - 4 miles hiking in Colorado. I know it wasn't running, but I'm still counting the mileage. Ella and I spent more than 2 hours hiking at 7,000 feet. It was as good an aerobic workout as I've had in a long, long time.
• Thursday - 4.6 miles on the treadmill at the gym.
• Sunday - 4.3 miles with Elizabeth in the jogger. I've finally allowed myself to embrace walking when I need to instead of beating myself up over it. It was 80 degrees with 100 percent humidity, so I walked when I needed to. I finished the run feeling pretty solid instead of miserable.

Total - 12.9 miles