Day 17 Janathon - Decisions, Decisions!

Well I have got to day 17 with no complications, but today has just thrown a spanner in the works!

For the last 18 years I have gone to a Steps class on a Tuesday night, but the instructor has been on holiday since 22nd December, however... tonight she was back!  I love my Steps class and I had no intention of missing it, but when do I run?  I realise that Steps could actually count towards an activity for janathon but I had set my own personal challenge to run atleast 3 miles everyday so run I will ... but when?  I decided I had several options

Plan A - Set my alarm an hour earlier, and do a pre-work run!
Pros - Get it over and done with early in the day!
Cons - after the weather turning sooo cold and frosty this didn't seem a good idea as paths will be icy!


Plan B - Run to and home from the steps class (about 3 miles in total!).
Pros - Kill 2 birds with one stone and a good warm up session!
Cons - I would be all hot and sweaty before I even started stepping and  possibly get cold waiting around to start the class - unless I timed it perfectly!

Plan C - Get a lift to Steps and run a 3 mile route home!
Pros - Arrive fresh and energetic for Steps.
Cons -as my steps instructor had been on holiday and resting for 3 weeks she might be in a manic mood and I may not make it home!


Plan D - Run at 4pm straight after work, come home shower change and make kids dinner before I rush back out to steps for 6pm!
Pros - Time to "recover" between run and steps class.
Cons - No time to relax after work, and a rush to get dinner organised.  Not a good water saving option as I would require a shower both after running then again after steps!  I couldn't possibly subject the other steppers to an unclean me! 

So which did I choose?

               

Well, after lots of deliberation and weighing up the pros and cons I went with Plan D!  I came in from work, went straight upstairs to get into my running gear and was out the door.  I was pleased I did because by jove it was cold and it would have been far worse later on in the evening! Anyhow, I managed 3.27 miles, and according to my Garmin with 105% of max Heart Rate - doesnt that mean I'm dead?  Bit confused with this heart rate monitor lark!              

                                                                    Please leave a comment if you can enlighten me on this point!!!

I don't have this problem!

Came home,  jumped straight in the shower, got dressed in my steps gear and went to cook Spaghetti Bolognese!  Having an 18 year old and a 16 year old, who is actually taking GCSE cookery you would think I would be able to leave dinner preparations to them for once ... but oh no, that would get accusations of motherly neglect and being told I'm exercise obsessed so its easier just to do it, then no one can say I love running more than them!!  Anyhow dinner cooked and thrown on the table followed by a mad dash for the door and I jumped in the car. Because the class hadn't been on for 3 weeks it was packed, full of those who have good intentions for all of 5 minutes, and then we never see them again! Legs felt heavy, and I could certainly feel the burn at times but the stretching exercises at the end felt good!! Two more Tuesdays left in Janathon so perhaps  I will try plan A,B or C  and evaluate the best option!

Running Miles: 3.27
Time: 31 minutes 55 seconds
Average pace: 9.42
Average speed: 6.2 MPH

View my run on:   http://www.runningfreeonline.com/act/732964/subView/Map 
Total Janathon Running miles:  71.76
Total Janathan Walking miles: 22.38
Total Janathan Cycling miles: 4.2
TOTAL JANATHON MILES: 98.34  + 1 Hour Steps Class

What will tomorrow hold?