i don't stick to schedules very well, evidently

Today I did 3.0 miles in 34:05 at an incline of 1.0. I climbed 168 feet. Not bad, not bad. Tonight's running plan was:
0.5-mile warm-up walk at 4.0 mph
0.75-mile jog at 6.0 mph
0.25-mile walk at 4.0 mph
0.75-mile jog at 6.0 mph
cool down

I did that except I added another 0.5 mile jog at the end before I cooled down and I did the second two jogs at 6.5 mph. Recently I've been getting really bad side cramps when I'm running but the other day when I moved up from 6.0 to 6.5 mph for the last half mile of my run, the cramp went away. Today, I got a cramp during my first jog but then it wasn't there throughout my second two. Odd.

I also like the faster pace since I've found that I look at the distance around the same time during every jog section but when I'm running faster, it shows a higher number so I feel better about my situation. Instead of thinking "ugh, I've only run a quarter mile. Half a mile to go." I'm already at the half mile mark so it's more like "Ooo, I've already run over half of this!"

Tomorrow, the plan is the same - jogging 0.75 miles twice with a 0.25-mile walk in between. I did a half mile more today than on the schedule, so if I'm feeling good tomorrow I'll try to do the same.

Also for tomorrow, I'm going to change into my contacts before heading on the treadmill. Sweat + glasses = major distractions! I keep feeling them start to slip down my nose, which is not a particularly enjoyable feeling. I have short hair (above shoulder length) so I already have to put one of those grippy headbands on, then secure it with snap clips, then put as much of my hair as possible into a ponytail and then snap-clip the side bits that don't fit into the hair tie. All so that my hair will not fall and stick onto my sweaty fact/neck/head. Which may be one of the worst feelings ever when I exercise. (If I remember, I'll take a picture and post it. It's really quite an interesting look. But it works.)

Also, my headphones keep slipping out of my ears since I sweat and then they get wet. I'm going to have to get headphones that go around my ears so they stay on. Also, I'm getting a bit grossed out by the idea that I'm sweating on the same headphones that I use all the time. Just thought about that...

Who would have thought running would require so much forethought!
-J