Running in slo-mo

My week so far:

Monday 10 mile long run. 9:16 pace overall.

Tuesday 6 mile run with 2 miles tempo pace. Ran fast. Tempo 7:40 pace. Overall 8:30.

Wednesday 7 mile easy run. Garmin and HR monitor both not working. Estimated a very slow 9:30 pace.

Thursday 7 mile track workout. 2.5 mi w/u. 2 x 1600 m repeats at 6:56 pace with 800 m recovery. 1.5 mi c/d. Felt like I was running in slow motion. Why is this? Usually I totally dig track workout cause even though they hurt while you're in it, they tend to go by very quickly and it's done. Today every 400 was like an eternity. Amazingly enough I hit my target pace spot on each time. Thank goodness tomorrow I don't run, I think my legs need a break.

I killed my first scorpion yesterday. We just moved to AZ in '05 and I have a completely (ir)rational fear of scorpions. Normally when I see one it goes like this: me, sleepily wander into closet/ hallway/ bathroom/kitchen and spot scorpion. Instant panic attck. (screaming) DAN! (he thinks someone is being murdered and comes running) I NEED YOU TO KILL THIS SCORPION! (still panicing) Now he's frustrated seeing that no one is dead, rolling his eyes. I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU CHASE ME WITH THAT THING I WILL NEVER SLEEP WITH YOU AGAIN. I WILL MOVE OUT, I PROMISE! Cause that's what he likes to do... pick up said "bug" in a wad of toilet paper and chase me down the hall. And then it takes me about 6 hours to recover from my panic attack. Flipping on all the lights to see where I am about to step. Feeling like things are crawling on me. Anyway, we had the pest control guy out last week for the first time and he warned me that after they 'flush out' the bugs from their nesting place it is normal to see an 'increase in activity' for a few days. We have seen an increase in dead things around the yard/ garage. So yesterday morning, everyone else is gone. I come home from my run and there is a scorpion on the door mat looking through the screen door like he wants to feed on my poor kitties who are looking outside. Since I am home alone, the task of killing the beast rests on my shoulders. EEEK! I look around for something to kill it with (while keeping my distance). I reach into the recycle bin and pull out an empty canister of planter's nuts. I have to scoot the scorpion off of the mat (since you can't properly kill a bug on a soft surface, you'll only piss him off). When I begin to swing the nuts at him, he rears up and trys to attack the canister. He's really mad now. I safely get him onto the cement and slam the side of the canister down onto his writhing body. I beat him over and over and over until I'm sure that he's dead (evidenced by the gut spilling out onto the sidewalk). I take a second glance just to be sure and then breathe a sigh of relief. OMG! I hate scorpions!! I have lived in places with some pretty nasty bugs (ie: Florida, where they are the size of birds) but I have to say scorpions are my least favorite. I can even handle the black widows with more grace. (But that's a story for another day.)