slow fast slow fast

Back to intervals. I used to do intervals way back (like a few years) before I started my marathon training, but had as of yet not included them in my running schedule. Mainly, this is because my cheap home treadmill doesn't have any settings other than manual. Hotel treadmills, however, usually have myriad settings which I have previously ignored. This week, out of sheer boredom, I tried out intervals once again - and they completely kicked my ass! Awesome.

Especially since my recent hotel runs have been less about running and more about getting in real shape (i.e. shedding the ~10 lbs. I have put on since I started running!). Being away from home has given me the opportunity to detox (really just cut the booze), eat less and work out more. So Monday was intervals, Tuesday was hills, today was intervals again and I am hoping to get in a last quick set of intervals during my lunch break tomorrow - before I get to check out and go home for 3 whole days, yay!

I find that spending so much time in the exercise room achieves several goals, in addition to the whole get-in-shape thing: 1. winding down from work 2. keeping me from spending all of my down time shopping 3. giving me quality time to Keep Up With the Kardashians, and 4.alleviating the soul-crushing boredom of being away from my honey in hotels for nearly a month.

As of right now, I have one more week on the road to cement this healthy lifestyle in place. I just hope that I can keep it up when I am once again home.... and back in grad classes. The fall semester starts in two weeks. :-o