Adrift..inconsistent

I've already written about being sort of "adrift" with my running since the HM a few months ago. After about 3 weeks, I finally got another real run in today, woo hoo, 3.14 slow miles. But they were not unbearable, yippee, and it was good to finally be outside on the road again.

Why the struggle? Here are my reasons (read: excuses):
1. This play I am in. Rehearsing an hour away, five nights a week. I don't get home till 11:30 most nights, maybe to bed by 12:30 after a shower & snack; the kids still get up at about 7 or 8 next morning. So I just can't pull myself out of bed early before husband leaves for work. Wrong, I know. Must try to get over this...

2. Husband working insane hours these past few weeks, and for the next few weeks. I'm talking till 11 or 12 or so weeknights and one or both weekend days. In the past, I had been going out to run at least on weekends leaving him with kids. Not possible these days.

3. NO RACE TO TRAIN FOR. I feel ridiculous signing up for a race right now running so sporadically. And yet, training for a specific race is motivating and you "find a way" to get the miles in when you have a goal (and have plunked down your moolah!). Vicious cycle!

ALL THAT BEING SAID...now that I'm back in the crazy community theater world, I am seeing a lot of talented folks whom I respected immensely for the first time in about a decade. One gentleman, an acting teacher and all around pep-talk giver I know from way back, kindly mentioned me on how "in shape" I look post-kids, and I spurted out that I had started jogging last year. Turns out, the guy is a marathoner many times over! He gave me a pep talk about getting back on the saddle, to just do it, the longer I waffle the harder it will be. It stuck with me and I found a way to get out for a 3 miler today, woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3.14 miles
40:05 (12:45/mile)
And even tried my first crude attempts at fartleks, cranking up the pace for about 100m 4x in the last mile (even saw 7:44 min/mile on one of these, that was cool). I want to get a little faster--it's just not practical to expect to be gone for 3, 4, 5 hours training for an HM or M, I need to safely find a way to pick up the pace at least a little. So if you know a good novice slowpoke speed training plan, I would want to check it out!

So I am floating, adrift. Will do another 5K or two this summer, that is certain. But I need to find me some races and soon if I want to get back on track. Hopefully today is the start of getting out there more regularly.