Reaping rewards

It's 6:30, it's still light out and I'm done running. That doesn't happen too often. So I can now spend the rest of my night blogging and working on the EB calendar (more to come) and then heading to bed early. I know, I know. I'm very popular.

I've been busting my ass lately and really don't feel like I have anything to show for it. I started looking back and see that I've really been training pretty consistently and intensely for the last 3 months. That is less than most of my marathon training cycles. Although, sometimes those are hard to define. But anyway, I turned a "new leaf" at the beginning of the year and decided to get serious. I had a bunch of goals for workouts, mileage and races and really don't feel like I've accomplished too much.

Things that suck:
- I've run two races in stupidly terrible conditions. One had tons of stairs and the other tons of snow.
- And one 5k time trial by myself on the track. Not bad conditions but not a great run.
- I've been sick for 3 weeks. Not violently but it is just nagging.
- I need new shoes but don't want to pay full price for them. I'm cheap, stubborn and about to be unemployed.
- I run tempo runs too hard and feel like garbage for the next two days.
- Unfortunately, I "attempt" track workouts two days after the tempo and have not been successful for at least the month of March.

A few good things:
- I've been running consistently every day. That is key for me to get serious.
- I'm averaging 9.81 miles per day since January 1.
- I actually weighed the lightest I've weighed sense high school. 167 lbs. Granted it was right after a 20 miler, but still. I'm usually in the 171 - 173 range.
- I'm not injured.
- My new haircut is lighter, quicker and with less drag.
- I've actually been lifting and doing core 2-3 days a week. Not much, but more than the last 5 years combined.
- The weather has broken and I can feel spring is in the air.
- I'm at least aware I run my tempos too hard. I can change that.

In the end, I'm not actually as negative as I sound. I do feel ok sometimes and strong others but am a little disappointed that I haven't accomplished what I've wanted to yet. At least at this point in the season. But we trudge forward. I also have nothing else to do. Did you see my first comment of what my free night consists of?