Workout: 6.0 miles total
intervals - 3 mile run, 3x3:00 RP, 1 mile cool down
Pace: average 9:48
Incline: 2%
Time: 59:45
Weight: 128.8
Was not looking forward to this run. In fact, I did everything I could to avoid it all morning. Just wasn't excited about running 3 miles and THEN killing myself with the intervals. Would much prefer to just go straight to intervals. But I did it and it was fine. I got interrupted a million times during the 3 mile run, so instead of taking 30:00, I think it probably took 35-40 to finally get that section completed (running time was 30 minutes - held myself to a 10:00 pace).
I did the 3:00 RP at 8:57 and the 5:00 in between at 5.8 for 1 1/2 minutes and 6.0 for the rest. One mile cool down was at 9:30 pace because I wanted to enjoy that mile.
Heart rate was again consistently 180. One full minute after finishing, it was 138, so I'm recovering fairly well, which is a good fitness indicator. Still troubling that it is so high while I'm running, but it always has been. 174 during the 3 mile run and 180 when I was totally finished. Not quite max heart rate, but pretty close. Would rather be running at 160-165, but not sure how to get there.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wednesday December 29, 2010
Workout: p90x Ab RipperX
4.25 miles
Time: 40:45
Incline: 2%
Pace: :35
Weight: 130.0
Dear Ab Ripper: I WILL conquer you. I may not be able to do some of your exercises right now, but give me time... I WILL complete the entire 340 exercises - properly - by this time next year. It is going to take consistency, dedication and discipline, but I can do it.
Sincerely,
Your core-challenged friend.
Ugh. I attempted all of the exercises this morning. I used a pillow to protect my tailbone and was able to do almost everything. I cannot even get my torso off of the ground for the leg climbs at the end, though. That is going to be my biggest challenge... I would have made my goal April 1st, except for that one exercise.
My hip flexors & abs are pretty sore from the ab ripper on Monday and yoga yesterday. I am excited about these things, though, because they are challenging me and are something that I'm bad at and want to accomplish/conquer - like running has been. I'm going to try to do the ab ripper on my running days and yoga on my off days.
Run - started out at a 10:00 pace because my body is sore from all of this p90x stuff, but I'm finding out that its actually harder to run at that pace than it is at my normal pace (9:20-9:30). I should probably try a little harder to run slower sometimes.
I had to stop twice to go to the bathroom. That sucks. Once at 1.25 miles and once at 3.8 miles. And then Nora came down with the phone at 3.5 miles and I stopped because I thought I needed to talk to someone, but evidently she was just bringing it down for me to answer it because she didn't recognize the caller id number. I didn't answer it, but I stopped for probably close to a minute because of it. So all in all, the workout was not fantastic because of the multiple 1:00 stops, but while I was running I felt pretty good.
4.25 miles
Time: 40:45
Incline: 2%
Pace: :35
Weight: 130.0
Dear Ab Ripper: I WILL conquer you. I may not be able to do some of your exercises right now, but give me time... I WILL complete the entire 340 exercises - properly - by this time next year. It is going to take consistency, dedication and discipline, but I can do it.
Sincerely,
Your core-challenged friend.
Ugh. I attempted all of the exercises this morning. I used a pillow to protect my tailbone and was able to do almost everything. I cannot even get my torso off of the ground for the leg climbs at the end, though. That is going to be my biggest challenge... I would have made my goal April 1st, except for that one exercise.
My hip flexors & abs are pretty sore from the ab ripper on Monday and yoga yesterday. I am excited about these things, though, because they are challenging me and are something that I'm bad at and want to accomplish/conquer - like running has been. I'm going to try to do the ab ripper on my running days and yoga on my off days.
Run - started out at a 10:00 pace because my body is sore from all of this p90x stuff, but I'm finding out that its actually harder to run at that pace than it is at my normal pace (9:20-9:30). I should probably try a little harder to run slower sometimes.
I had to stop twice to go to the bathroom. That sucks. Once at 1.25 miles and once at 3.8 miles. And then Nora came down with the phone at 3.5 miles and I stopped because I thought I needed to talk to someone, but evidently she was just bringing it down for me to answer it because she didn't recognize the caller id number. I didn't answer it, but I stopped for probably close to a minute because of it. So all in all, the workout was not fantastic because of the multiple 1:00 stops, but while I was running I felt pretty good.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday December 28, 2010
Workout: P90x YogaX
Time: 1:15
Weight: 128.8
What I learned from p90x yogaX:
* I have little to 0 flexibility
* I have stomach rolls, which I never had before
* yoga is hard
* perhaps doing advanced yoga for the first time is not the best move
* I'm much weaker than I've ever been
Holy moly was it hard. I wanted to quit at about 20 minutes, but pushed myself to keep going since I had gotten up early to do it. I was able to do most of the poses and keep up with most of it, but I did not look good and I did not have good form. My hamstrings are so inflexible, I'm surprised I can bend over at the waist. Hopefully with continued practice, it will get better.
The guys is ultra annoying though. I couldn't focus on my breathing because I had no idea what I was doing. A second time through it should help with that.
What I did like about this yoga dvd, was that the guy (Tony someone) was very good at telling the viewer what good form would look like. Where to move your body and what to do to try to find good form. I have found that with other yoga videos, the person assumes you know what you're doing and doesn't tell you what good form looks like. He also did a good job of explaining where to ground your body - like at one point saying to pretend both feet were planted - one on the ground and one on the wall. Instead of leaving your foot just dangling in the air, you're acting like you're pushing a wall. I know that your grounding is an important part of yoga, so this was helpful and a good reminder for me.
All in all I liked it a lot, but my hip flexors are killing me. I'm excited about this because it is another challenge and another activity in which I can measure my improvement... and another thing that I'm excited about doing (rather than going through the motions in my cross training). I'm going to have to figure out how and when to fit this in to my weekly workouts.
Time: 1:15
Weight: 128.8
What I learned from p90x yogaX:
* I have little to 0 flexibility
* I have stomach rolls, which I never had before
* yoga is hard
* perhaps doing advanced yoga for the first time is not the best move
* I'm much weaker than I've ever been
Holy moly was it hard. I wanted to quit at about 20 minutes, but pushed myself to keep going since I had gotten up early to do it. I was able to do most of the poses and keep up with most of it, but I did not look good and I did not have good form. My hamstrings are so inflexible, I'm surprised I can bend over at the waist. Hopefully with continued practice, it will get better.
The guys is ultra annoying though. I couldn't focus on my breathing because I had no idea what I was doing. A second time through it should help with that.
What I did like about this yoga dvd, was that the guy (Tony someone) was very good at telling the viewer what good form would look like. Where to move your body and what to do to try to find good form. I have found that with other yoga videos, the person assumes you know what you're doing and doesn't tell you what good form looks like. He also did a good job of explaining where to ground your body - like at one point saying to pretend both feet were planted - one on the ground and one on the wall. Instead of leaving your foot just dangling in the air, you're acting like you're pushing a wall. I know that your grounding is an important part of yoga, so this was helpful and a good reminder for me.
All in all I liked it a lot, but my hip flexors are killing me. I'm excited about this because it is another challenge and another activity in which I can measure my improvement... and another thing that I'm excited about doing (rather than going through the motions in my cross training). I'm going to have to figure out how and when to fit this in to my weekly workouts.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday December 27, 2010
Workout: 4 miles
Time: 37:15
Pace: 9:18
incline: 2%
Weight: 128.8 (yesterday was 130.8, so this is bad, but better)
Ran my 4 and decided to basically induce a heart attack by running fast. Stopped for 10 seconds after every song to take my heartrate. It was consistently 180 bpm. I need a heart rate monitor.
Just did p90x ab ripper. It was ridiculous. There were exercises that I just laughed through because I couldn't do them. There were also a few exercises that I couldn't attempt because you're supposed to balance on your tail bone. I tried to modify those the best I could so I could somewhat do them. Now that I've done it once and know what he's talking about, it should be a little easier next time.
Will do yoga tonight or tomorrow. Trying to figure out when and where I can do a whole 90 minutes of yoga in which you're supposed to focus and breathe and relax when there are 3 kids yelling around here.
Time: 37:15
Pace: 9:18
incline: 2%
Weight: 128.8 (yesterday was 130.8, so this is bad, but better)
Ran my 4 and decided to basically induce a heart attack by running fast. Stopped for 10 seconds after every song to take my heartrate. It was consistently 180 bpm. I need a heart rate monitor.
Just did p90x ab ripper. It was ridiculous. There were exercises that I just laughed through because I couldn't do them. There were also a few exercises that I couldn't attempt because you're supposed to balance on your tail bone. I tried to modify those the best I could so I could somewhat do them. Now that I've done it once and know what he's talking about, it should be a little easier next time.
Will do yoga tonight or tomorrow. Trying to figure out when and where I can do a whole 90 minutes of yoga in which you're supposed to focus and breathe and relax when there are 3 kids yelling around here.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday December 26, 2010
Workout: 5.3 miles on the treadmill
Pace: 9:31
Time: 50:30
Incline: 2%
Weight: won't discuss
Don't know my exact distance or time... I was intending to not look at the display until after 12 songs, because I figured 5 miles would be about 12-13 songs and staring at the display is miserable. So I jumped off after 6 songs so I could take my heart rate (it was 174bpm) at what I believed would be close to halfway. And after counting my heartrate, I accidentally pulled the safety key off and lost all of my information. So I ran the exact same 6 songs for a second time and figured that would give me the best idea of what my original info was. Which is why I ran 5.3 instead of 5.0.
Run went well. I am continually dehydrated and have been eating garbage for days/weeks. I feel like a complete slug and am disappointed in myself for doing it, but I also recognize that this is what happens during the last couple of weeks in December every year. I also know that as of next Monday things will be 180* different. I am the queen of self-discipline when I'm motivated... I just have a hard time being motivated around holidays... takes so much extra energy to be disciplined, so I just give in entirely and stop feeling guilty. I don't feel guilty, I just wish I wasn't all or nothing.
Pace: 9:31
Time: 50:30
Incline: 2%
Weight: won't discuss
Don't know my exact distance or time... I was intending to not look at the display until after 12 songs, because I figured 5 miles would be about 12-13 songs and staring at the display is miserable. So I jumped off after 6 songs so I could take my heart rate (it was 174bpm) at what I believed would be close to halfway. And after counting my heartrate, I accidentally pulled the safety key off and lost all of my information. So I ran the exact same 6 songs for a second time and figured that would give me the best idea of what my original info was. Which is why I ran 5.3 instead of 5.0.
Run went well. I am continually dehydrated and have been eating garbage for days/weeks. I feel like a complete slug and am disappointed in myself for doing it, but I also recognize that this is what happens during the last couple of weeks in December every year. I also know that as of next Monday things will be 180* different. I am the queen of self-discipline when I'm motivated... I just have a hard time being motivated around holidays... takes so much extra energy to be disciplined, so I just give in entirely and stop feeling guilty. I don't feel guilty, I just wish I wasn't all or nothing.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thursday December 23, 2010
Workout: 3.5 mile tempo run
Time: 33:30
Incline: 2%
Weight: 127.2
Tempo Run = sucky.
1 mile at 6.0
1.5 miles at 6.5
1 mile at 6.0
The point of a tempo run - according to the websites I looked at last night - is to get used to running "comfortably hard" for a length of time. The time, I assume, will increase with every week. "Comfortably hard" - sounds like an oxymoron to me, but whatever. I also read that you run the tempo portion at your 10k pace. I don't have a 10k pace, I just have A pace. The same pace for every run. So I ran at a 9:00 pace, which is faster than what I normally run and faster than any of the races I've done. I suppose I chose that because I'd like that to be my pace and I need to get used to running it.
One thing that I'm realizing in all of this is that I'm not a racer - yet. My main goals in the races that I've done, is to just complete the race without walking. I've yet to do that in a 5k, but I've accomplished that in the two halfs. That is a very big accomplishment for me at this point. I just started running a couple of years ago and at that time, I couldn't run a mile without stopping to walk. I struggle with high heart rate throughout my workouts - usually 180 bpm - and have a difficult time maintaining activity at that level for great lengths of time (it SHOULD be difficult... that is max heart rate for my age). So to run 13 whole miles without taking a break to walk is huge for me. Which is why my performance in the 2 5ks I've run is so disappointing and aggravating to me. After the first one I cried for 15 minutes. It was my first race and I had worked so hard to become a runner, but I was not prepared for the hills on the course (had mainly trained on the treadmill at 0% incline). The recent Turkey Trot... well that was totally due to going out too fast, not stretching, and being over tired. All lessons learned.
So all of that to say... I'm not a racer. I'm a runner. I'm constantly working on my fitness, but I'm not sure I have a desire at this point to try to be a racer. I am excited that my pace has organically gotten faster. I used to be thrilled to run a 10:30 pace and now I'm thrilled to run a 9:15. But I didn't do any work to get faster, I just became a better runner through practice and then suddenly I was also a faster runner.
5/3 Riverbank Run - goal is to complete it without walking. I hope to run it in around 2:30. I will do all of the training as a way to increase my fitness, but I don't have any strong desire or illusions that I'll be running much faster than 9:30. I have no doubt that I can run it without walking, since I felt so amazing after the Holland race (so many people have told me that I didn't run hard enough because I had gas left at the end... and to that I say: I don't care.)
For me, the training is important because it keeps me on track and gives me discipline. That is what I need the training for. If I get faster by doing it, then all the better. Maybe I will be a racer in the future, but right now it isn't my focus. And I'm okay with that.
Time: 33:30
Incline: 2%
Weight: 127.2
Tempo Run = sucky.
1 mile at 6.0
1.5 miles at 6.5
1 mile at 6.0
The point of a tempo run - according to the websites I looked at last night - is to get used to running "comfortably hard" for a length of time. The time, I assume, will increase with every week. "Comfortably hard" - sounds like an oxymoron to me, but whatever. I also read that you run the tempo portion at your 10k pace. I don't have a 10k pace, I just have A pace. The same pace for every run. So I ran at a 9:00 pace, which is faster than what I normally run and faster than any of the races I've done. I suppose I chose that because I'd like that to be my pace and I need to get used to running it.
One thing that I'm realizing in all of this is that I'm not a racer - yet. My main goals in the races that I've done, is to just complete the race without walking. I've yet to do that in a 5k, but I've accomplished that in the two halfs. That is a very big accomplishment for me at this point. I just started running a couple of years ago and at that time, I couldn't run a mile without stopping to walk. I struggle with high heart rate throughout my workouts - usually 180 bpm - and have a difficult time maintaining activity at that level for great lengths of time (it SHOULD be difficult... that is max heart rate for my age). So to run 13 whole miles without taking a break to walk is huge for me. Which is why my performance in the 2 5ks I've run is so disappointing and aggravating to me. After the first one I cried for 15 minutes. It was my first race and I had worked so hard to become a runner, but I was not prepared for the hills on the course (had mainly trained on the treadmill at 0% incline). The recent Turkey Trot... well that was totally due to going out too fast, not stretching, and being over tired. All lessons learned.
So all of that to say... I'm not a racer. I'm a runner. I'm constantly working on my fitness, but I'm not sure I have a desire at this point to try to be a racer. I am excited that my pace has organically gotten faster. I used to be thrilled to run a 10:30 pace and now I'm thrilled to run a 9:15. But I didn't do any work to get faster, I just became a better runner through practice and then suddenly I was also a faster runner.
5/3 Riverbank Run - goal is to complete it without walking. I hope to run it in around 2:30. I will do all of the training as a way to increase my fitness, but I don't have any strong desire or illusions that I'll be running much faster than 9:30. I have no doubt that I can run it without walking, since I felt so amazing after the Holland race (so many people have told me that I didn't run hard enough because I had gas left at the end... and to that I say: I don't care.)
For me, the training is important because it keeps me on track and gives me discipline. That is what I need the training for. If I get faster by doing it, then all the better. Maybe I will be a racer in the future, but right now it isn't my focus. And I'm okay with that.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Wednesday December 22, 2010
Workout: 3 miles
Time: 28:35
Pace: 9:31
Weight: no clue, but its not good
Decided to do an easy run at home this morning. I have been baking non-stop since Monday morning. For real - probably 8 hours on Monday & 10 hours yesterday. Given that, I haven't drunk any water. Its always the first thing to get eliminated when I'm busy or away. We were also in GR for the weekend, which means I didn't drink water over the weekend either. And I mean, I didn't drink any water. Not that I didn't drink enough... nope, none. The only liquids to pass my lips were coffee and alcohol. Bad news :)
AND, I had a double glass of wine last night as a celebration for finishing all of the biscotti. Actually, I poured me and Dave each a normal glass, but then he got a headache and I HAD to drink his, too.
So all of that to say... I barely had any saliva in my mouth this morning. So I didn't want to embarrass myself at the gym, so I ran at home. And I knew it was going to be tough, so I ran without an incline. It was fine, but I think I hardly sweat and when I was done, I couldn't have spit if someone paid me. Today, since I'm done baking, my mission is to rehydrate & clean up my house and catch up on my laundry. I've already had 2 16oz glasses of water, so I'm on my way.
Run was fine this morning. Nothing remarkable about it. Neither good nor bad. I ran the entire time, jumping off for 20 sec. to stretch my hamstring after .25 miles and for 5 seconds to turn the fan on after 4 songs (almost 2 miles).
I also ran 3 miles on Monday morning (9:30 pace at a 2% incline). All three of which sucked big time. The first 2 miles were horribly difficult. Then my ipod died at the last mile. So I sped the treadmill up so I could get it over with as quickly as possible.
Sunday morning, I did my long run at my parents house. It was awesome. I did 4.5 miles at a 2% incline and felt great. Which was surprising since we stayed up so late and drank the night before. I felt awesome. I am a bit suspicious of the incline on that treadmill, though, so that could be part of it.
I noticed today that my herniated discs are not hurting anymore. Must be the running. Yet one more reason to keep at it. And probably one of the more important ones.
Time: 28:35
Pace: 9:31
Weight: no clue, but its not good
Decided to do an easy run at home this morning. I have been baking non-stop since Monday morning. For real - probably 8 hours on Monday & 10 hours yesterday. Given that, I haven't drunk any water. Its always the first thing to get eliminated when I'm busy or away. We were also in GR for the weekend, which means I didn't drink water over the weekend either. And I mean, I didn't drink any water. Not that I didn't drink enough... nope, none. The only liquids to pass my lips were coffee and alcohol. Bad news :)
AND, I had a double glass of wine last night as a celebration for finishing all of the biscotti. Actually, I poured me and Dave each a normal glass, but then he got a headache and I HAD to drink his, too.
So all of that to say... I barely had any saliva in my mouth this morning. So I didn't want to embarrass myself at the gym, so I ran at home. And I knew it was going to be tough, so I ran without an incline. It was fine, but I think I hardly sweat and when I was done, I couldn't have spit if someone paid me. Today, since I'm done baking, my mission is to rehydrate & clean up my house and catch up on my laundry. I've already had 2 16oz glasses of water, so I'm on my way.
Run was fine this morning. Nothing remarkable about it. Neither good nor bad. I ran the entire time, jumping off for 20 sec. to stretch my hamstring after .25 miles and for 5 seconds to turn the fan on after 4 songs (almost 2 miles).
I also ran 3 miles on Monday morning (9:30 pace at a 2% incline). All three of which sucked big time. The first 2 miles were horribly difficult. Then my ipod died at the last mile. So I sped the treadmill up so I could get it over with as quickly as possible.
Sunday morning, I did my long run at my parents house. It was awesome. I did 4.5 miles at a 2% incline and felt great. Which was surprising since we stayed up so late and drank the night before. I felt awesome. I am a bit suspicious of the incline on that treadmill, though, so that could be part of it.
I noticed today that my herniated discs are not hurting anymore. Must be the running. Yet one more reason to keep at it. And probably one of the more important ones.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Wednesday December 15, 2010
Workout: 2.5 miles on the treadmill + shoulders & back & core
incline: 2%
time: 24:40
weight: 127.0
Run was tough this morning. Luckily I was at the gym, where I feel accountable to stay on the treadmill and not hop off for a rest:) I jumped off after 1/4 mile to stretch my hamstrings... something happened with my hamstrings in the last month - they are SO tight. Maybe two years of not stretching before running has finally caught up to me. Huh.
Decided to take advantage of the low mileage and add some weights, core & stretching to my workout. I like the little stretching apparatus they have. I want one for in front of my tv.
Core -
planks - 3x1:00 HORRIBLE. My abs hurt so badly from yesterday's planks. I gutted these out, but they were painful.
Weights:
Lateral Raise - 3x10x15
back thing (don't remember the name of it) - 3x10x30/arm
Nothing major this morning, but still proud of myself for getting up and getting there. I'm exhausted and want to take a nap.
incline: 2%
time: 24:40
weight: 127.0
Run was tough this morning. Luckily I was at the gym, where I feel accountable to stay on the treadmill and not hop off for a rest:) I jumped off after 1/4 mile to stretch my hamstrings... something happened with my hamstrings in the last month - they are SO tight. Maybe two years of not stretching before running has finally caught up to me. Huh.
Decided to take advantage of the low mileage and add some weights, core & stretching to my workout. I like the little stretching apparatus they have. I want one for in front of my tv.
Core -
planks - 3x1:00 HORRIBLE. My abs hurt so badly from yesterday's planks. I gutted these out, but they were painful.
Weights:
Lateral Raise - 3x10x15
back thing (don't remember the name of it) - 3x10x30/arm
Nothing major this morning, but still proud of myself for getting up and getting there. I'm exhausted and want to take a nap.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tuesday December 14, 2010
Workout: 20:00 cross training - stationary bike + legs & core
Weight: eh... 128.2 ick.
Made it to the gym this morning and I'm proud of myself:) I did 20 hard minutes on the bike. I had my heart rate up in the 140's the entire time, which is much better compared to my most recent trips to the gym. I guess reading a magazine doesn't help with intensity, lol.
I also did legs & core & some stretching.
glutes: 3x10x80/leg
quads: 3x10x25
hams: 3x10x25
calves: 3x10x25
wasn't sure where I was at in terms of weights so I started out safe. Q/H/C can increase next time.
planks: 3x1:00 (ugh)
some light stretching on the precor stretching station.
My herniated L4 & L5 are hurting since playing volleyball on Saturday. Its a good thing I'm starting training now because the running should help a lot. I'm in quite a bit of pain after sitting for a while. Its been a long time since I've had disc problems. Yet another reason to work on my core.
Weight: eh... 128.2 ick.
Made it to the gym this morning and I'm proud of myself:) I did 20 hard minutes on the bike. I had my heart rate up in the 140's the entire time, which is much better compared to my most recent trips to the gym. I guess reading a magazine doesn't help with intensity, lol.
I also did legs & core & some stretching.
glutes: 3x10x80/leg
quads: 3x10x25
hams: 3x10x25
calves: 3x10x25
wasn't sure where I was at in terms of weights so I started out safe. Q/H/C can increase next time.
planks: 3x1:00 (ugh)
some light stretching on the precor stretching station.
My herniated L4 & L5 are hurting since playing volleyball on Saturday. Its a good thing I'm starting training now because the running should help a lot. I'm in quite a bit of pain after sitting for a while. Its been a long time since I've had disc problems. Yet another reason to work on my core.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Monday December 13, 2010
Workout: 3 miles on the treadmill
Incline: 2%
Time: 30:00
Weight: ?
Ran an easy pace this morning as it was my first time running in two weeks or so. I kicked up the incline to 2%, though, to make it a better workout. It was a good run. I did well. It hurt a little bit (lungs/throat), but I got through without any stops other than a quick 20 second hamstring stretch after 1/4 mile.
I intend to go to the gym tomorrow and hit the bike and the weight machines. I need to put together a plan and pack my gym bag so I'll have no excuse. Its time to get back into a daily 5:15 wake up call & workout. I feel better afterward. I like getting it over with and not trying to fit it in during the day. I need to be consistent.
I also drank 4 16oz glasses of water today, which is an improvement by 4 16oz glasses:) It is definitely time to work on seriously rehydrating myself. My goal is 10 16oz glasses everyday. After going for months without hardly drinking any water during the day, I'm proud of the 4 I had today (I'll have one more before bed).
I'm not spending a lot of energy worrying about my eating right now. It is Christmas. I'm making biscotti. Dave is getting treats all the time. Its just insanity to believe that I could be THAT disciplined through all of that. Our new vegetarian meal planning service begins on January 1st and I'm incredibly excited about that. I need to get my cholesterol back down (up to a whopping 263 again - ugh) and I know that eating a plant based diet is the way to do it for me. I just need to get back to it.
We have some pretty awesome friends!
Incline: 2%
Time: 30:00
Weight: ?
Ran an easy pace this morning as it was my first time running in two weeks or so. I kicked up the incline to 2%, though, to make it a better workout. It was a good run. I did well. It hurt a little bit (lungs/throat), but I got through without any stops other than a quick 20 second hamstring stretch after 1/4 mile.
I intend to go to the gym tomorrow and hit the bike and the weight machines. I need to put together a plan and pack my gym bag so I'll have no excuse. Its time to get back into a daily 5:15 wake up call & workout. I feel better afterward. I like getting it over with and not trying to fit it in during the day. I need to be consistent.
I also drank 4 16oz glasses of water today, which is an improvement by 4 16oz glasses:) It is definitely time to work on seriously rehydrating myself. My goal is 10 16oz glasses everyday. After going for months without hardly drinking any water during the day, I'm proud of the 4 I had today (I'll have one more before bed).
I'm not spending a lot of energy worrying about my eating right now. It is Christmas. I'm making biscotti. Dave is getting treats all the time. Its just insanity to believe that I could be THAT disciplined through all of that. Our new vegetarian meal planning service begins on January 1st and I'm incredibly excited about that. I need to get my cholesterol back down (up to a whopping 263 again - ugh) and I know that eating a plant based diet is the way to do it for me. I just need to get back to it.
We have some pretty awesome friends!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday November 30, 2010
Workout: 4.06 miles
Time: 40:36
Pace: 10:00
Weight: 126.8
November: 61.10 / 60
Did an easy 4 miles on the treadmill this morning. It felt good to have an easy run instead of being labored and miserable and counting the seconds until it was over.
Was planning to do about 3-3.5, but decided to do 8 songs or 3.5, whichever was longest. By the time I got 8 songs done, I still had 2 minutes until I think 3.5, so I went for another song. Then by the time song #9 was done it was ridiculous to not finish out the 4 miles/10 songs. The .06 miles/36 seconds was the length of the rest of song 10.
My hamstrings are TIGHT. Perhaps in this time off I should focus on stretching. A lot. I wish I could do yoga, but time and money make it impossible - why is it so expensive? And why are classes only around 5 in the afternoon? I have yet to find a DVD that I don't think is wacky, so that option is kind of out. I should look around more and find something do-able. I need to stretch.
Time: 40:36
Pace: 10:00
Weight: 126.8
November: 61.10 / 60
Did an easy 4 miles on the treadmill this morning. It felt good to have an easy run instead of being labored and miserable and counting the seconds until it was over.
Was planning to do about 3-3.5, but decided to do 8 songs or 3.5, whichever was longest. By the time I got 8 songs done, I still had 2 minutes until I think 3.5, so I went for another song. Then by the time song #9 was done it was ridiculous to not finish out the 4 miles/10 songs. The .06 miles/36 seconds was the length of the rest of song 10.
My hamstrings are TIGHT. Perhaps in this time off I should focus on stretching. A lot. I wish I could do yoga, but time and money make it impossible - why is it so expensive? And why are classes only around 5 in the afternoon? I have yet to find a DVD that I don't think is wacky, so that option is kind of out. I should look around more and find something do-able. I need to stretch.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday November 29, 2010
Workout: 4.06 miles
Time: 35:00
Pace: 8:37/mile
Weight: 126.8
In an effort to get over my running misery and to finish out my 60 miles in November, I jumped on the treadmill this afternoon. I wanted a confidence boost, so I kept the incline at 0 and ramped the pace up to 7.0. It felt good. Its a good pace at 0 incline, especially if I have the right music (Running Down the Dream by Tom Petty is THE perfect song for this pace).
I ran in my older pair of shoes, which has about 450 miles on them, but I feel MUCH better than I do after running in my newer shoes with less than 100 miles on them. I need some new shoes for sure.
My feet are really, really sore from the weekend - I went downtown for an overnight with Kim and we did a lot of walking. And I was wearing high heeled boots, which was STUPID :) I've been wearing my new heat therapy slippers that I bought at the German Christmas Village downtown and they feel really nice. And if only I could sit still long enough for them to work it might be better.
I also think that I have a strained right hamstring. It definitely isn't pulled or torn, but I am experiencing some pain that is not typical soreness from running. So its going to be good to take a break for several days. I think I took all of December off last year and started training right away in January. Not planning to go that extreme, but at least having a couple of weeks off will help. My joints are really tired.
Time: 35:00
Pace: 8:37/mile
Weight: 126.8
In an effort to get over my running misery and to finish out my 60 miles in November, I jumped on the treadmill this afternoon. I wanted a confidence boost, so I kept the incline at 0 and ramped the pace up to 7.0. It felt good. Its a good pace at 0 incline, especially if I have the right music (Running Down the Dream by Tom Petty is THE perfect song for this pace).
I ran in my older pair of shoes, which has about 450 miles on them, but I feel MUCH better than I do after running in my newer shoes with less than 100 miles on them. I need some new shoes for sure.
My feet are really, really sore from the weekend - I went downtown for an overnight with Kim and we did a lot of walking. And I was wearing high heeled boots, which was STUPID :) I've been wearing my new heat therapy slippers that I bought at the German Christmas Village downtown and they feel really nice. And if only I could sit still long enough for them to work it might be better.
I also think that I have a strained right hamstring. It definitely isn't pulled or torn, but I am experiencing some pain that is not typical soreness from running. So its going to be good to take a break for several days. I think I took all of December off last year and started training right away in January. Not planning to go that extreme, but at least having a couple of weeks off will help. My joints are really tired.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday November 28, 2010
Just finished reading my latest issue of Runner's World magazine (which is the only magazine that I read from cover to cover - never would have thought that would be the case a few years ago). I read a few articles about some elite runners and their experiences running a marathon. These are people that are running marathons in sub 3 hour times - amazing runners, fast runners. Yet they struggle. They get to a point where they feel like they can't move their legs forward.
Got me thinking... what is the difference between them and me - I mean, other than the speed? The difference is mental. They are mentally tough. They get through it through sheer will and determination. It isn't their garmin watches telling them their pace that makes the difference, it is their mental drive to complete the race and get a PR.
I don't have that. At least not right now. I haven't yet completed a 5k without stopping to walk (which is ridiculous because I've completed 2 half marathons without walking at all). I've always had a mental dificiency when it comes to running. I've always battled this aspect of running. I love running (now) and I've gotten so much better at it, but I have always, always battled the mental part of it and running through the block that inevitably comes.
So I want to focus on this over the coming year. I'm not quite sure how, but I need to.
In addition, I need to focus on nutrition and fuel. I am not fueling my body well at all. There are days when I'm certain I'm probably not eating enough calories. And then there are days when I'm eating way too many. Either way, it is not intentional or thought out. I need to do some reading on this.
All in all, I have to remember that this is a hobby and a source of enjoyment, self-competition, and accomplishment for me. I will never be a person who finishes in the top of the age group. I won't ever run a whole lot faster than I am right now. I'm not going to be a competitive runner in these races - it needs to be about setting and achieving goals. And most of the time those goals are not time goals for me. The half marathon goals were not time goals, they were finish-without-walking goals. I need to do that in the 5k, too.
So I will finish out my 60 miles for the month between today, tomorrow & Tuesday and then take a running break until December 15th. At that time I'll start training for the 5/3 River Bank Run and will do so with some new mental goals. I'm also going to read Run Less, Run Faster and incorporate that into my training. I think taking some time off will allow me the opportunity to plan before beginning.
Got me thinking... what is the difference between them and me - I mean, other than the speed? The difference is mental. They are mentally tough. They get through it through sheer will and determination. It isn't their garmin watches telling them their pace that makes the difference, it is their mental drive to complete the race and get a PR.
I don't have that. At least not right now. I haven't yet completed a 5k without stopping to walk (which is ridiculous because I've completed 2 half marathons without walking at all). I've always had a mental dificiency when it comes to running. I've always battled this aspect of running. I love running (now) and I've gotten so much better at it, but I have always, always battled the mental part of it and running through the block that inevitably comes.
So I want to focus on this over the coming year. I'm not quite sure how, but I need to.
In addition, I need to focus on nutrition and fuel. I am not fueling my body well at all. There are days when I'm certain I'm probably not eating enough calories. And then there are days when I'm eating way too many. Either way, it is not intentional or thought out. I need to do some reading on this.
All in all, I have to remember that this is a hobby and a source of enjoyment, self-competition, and accomplishment for me. I will never be a person who finishes in the top of the age group. I won't ever run a whole lot faster than I am right now. I'm not going to be a competitive runner in these races - it needs to be about setting and achieving goals. And most of the time those goals are not time goals for me. The half marathon goals were not time goals, they were finish-without-walking goals. I need to do that in the 5k, too.
So I will finish out my 60 miles for the month between today, tomorrow & Tuesday and then take a running break until December 15th. At that time I'll start training for the 5/3 River Bank Run and will do so with some new mental goals. I'm also going to read Run Less, Run Faster and incorporate that into my training. I think taking some time off will allow me the opportunity to plan before beginning.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Workout: 5k race
Time: 29:22
Pace: 9:28
I suck. Thats really all that I can say about this race. I really suck.
To be honest, I wasn't geared up for this race very well. I think I was a little overconfident - the whole "its only 3 miles" thing - so I didn't really prepare myself mentally at all. I should have thought about it a little more.
I started out well, but I have to say it was possibly the longest 3 miles I've ever run. I didn't think it would ever end. My right calf hurt for the first 2+ miles. It wasn't sore or burning... it felt solid, like concrete. And the hills on the course were not helping that feeling. I stopped to walk at some point to try to get my calf shaken out. And I felt lame... I'm the idiot who has been running long distances for the last year or two, but can't get through a 5k without walking? Bugger.
So after I stopped to shake it out a bit, it released and I was starting to settle in. And then my right foot fell asleep. Clearly, I am dehydrated and have circulation issues:) So right around mile 3 I had to stop to walk again to stomp my foot a few times to wake it up. Idiot. I was so pissed and I am still incredibly embarrassed.
I never would have said this two years ago, but I think I'm best and most comfortable at mid distances - 4-7 miles. The first 2 or 3 always are torturous, but then I can finally settle in and take on the rest somewhat comfortably. 3 miles is a killer for me - even when I'm tapering.
I also recognize the following (but am trying not to make excuses): We were up at 4:30 because the clock in my parents bedroom was not changed at the time change; I have had a difficult time running for the past 3 weeks - not much different than this race, and I just suck.
I'm going to finish out my 60 miles for the month and then try to figure out how to take a break without losing everything I've gained in the last few months. My feet, my knees and my ankles need me to take a break and need me to get new shoes. I am tired. I just need to be motivated to do other workouts in the off time. I'm also going to read Run less, Run Faster, which Jason lent me, and try to figure out a training plan for the 5/3 River Bank Run.
On a happier note about yesterday... Nora & Georgia both ran in the Kids Turkey Trot 1k and were adorable. They were cold and tired and grumpy, but I'm so glad they came to watch me and then had fun doing their own race. Nora had been so excited to do it since I told her about it. She ran the entire thing and beat the Turkey. I was so proud of her! And Georgia was quite possibly the cutest racer in the history of racers coming down the final stretch holding onto Dave's hand and running with a giant smile on her face. They were adorable.
And then we all got to go to Jay's house and hang out with his wonderful family. Holy crap we enjoy them and have such a good time with them. On the way home we were talking about how much we enjoy spending time with the Tieri family... while it is no shocker that I enjoy it - I've always loved hanging with Jay - its remarkable to me how MUCH Dave enjoys them when he hardly knows them. I asked him why... his response: "They are really GOOD people and I feel 100% comfortable with them". I might suck at running, but I've gotten a few good friends out of it and that rocks!
Time: 29:22
Pace: 9:28
I suck. Thats really all that I can say about this race. I really suck.
To be honest, I wasn't geared up for this race very well. I think I was a little overconfident - the whole "its only 3 miles" thing - so I didn't really prepare myself mentally at all. I should have thought about it a little more.
I started out well, but I have to say it was possibly the longest 3 miles I've ever run. I didn't think it would ever end. My right calf hurt for the first 2+ miles. It wasn't sore or burning... it felt solid, like concrete. And the hills on the course were not helping that feeling. I stopped to walk at some point to try to get my calf shaken out. And I felt lame... I'm the idiot who has been running long distances for the last year or two, but can't get through a 5k without walking? Bugger.
So after I stopped to shake it out a bit, it released and I was starting to settle in. And then my right foot fell asleep. Clearly, I am dehydrated and have circulation issues:) So right around mile 3 I had to stop to walk again to stomp my foot a few times to wake it up. Idiot. I was so pissed and I am still incredibly embarrassed.
I never would have said this two years ago, but I think I'm best and most comfortable at mid distances - 4-7 miles. The first 2 or 3 always are torturous, but then I can finally settle in and take on the rest somewhat comfortably. 3 miles is a killer for me - even when I'm tapering.
I also recognize the following (but am trying not to make excuses): We were up at 4:30 because the clock in my parents bedroom was not changed at the time change; I have had a difficult time running for the past 3 weeks - not much different than this race, and I just suck.
I'm going to finish out my 60 miles for the month and then try to figure out how to take a break without losing everything I've gained in the last few months. My feet, my knees and my ankles need me to take a break and need me to get new shoes. I am tired. I just need to be motivated to do other workouts in the off time. I'm also going to read Run less, Run Faster, which Jason lent me, and try to figure out a training plan for the 5/3 River Bank Run.
On a happier note about yesterday... Nora & Georgia both ran in the Kids Turkey Trot 1k and were adorable. They were cold and tired and grumpy, but I'm so glad they came to watch me and then had fun doing their own race. Nora had been so excited to do it since I told her about it. She ran the entire thing and beat the Turkey. I was so proud of her! And Georgia was quite possibly the cutest racer in the history of racers coming down the final stretch holding onto Dave's hand and running with a giant smile on her face. They were adorable.
And then we all got to go to Jay's house and hang out with his wonderful family. Holy crap we enjoy them and have such a good time with them. On the way home we were talking about how much we enjoy spending time with the Tieri family... while it is no shocker that I enjoy it - I've always loved hanging with Jay - its remarkable to me how MUCH Dave enjoys them when he hardly knows them. I asked him why... his response: "They are really GOOD people and I feel 100% comfortable with them". I might suck at running, but I've gotten a few good friends out of it and that rocks!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday November 22, 2010
Workout: 4.5 miles
Time: 41:15
Pace: average 9:10
November total: 49.88/60
Ran on the treadmill at a 2% incline. It wasn't the best of runs in terms of continuous running, but I got it in, which is saying a lot considering how I'm feeling - physically and emotionally. I'm resting tomorrow and Wednesday and then the 5k race on Thursday. Not sure if I'll get any running in over the weekend. Perhaps on Sunday afternoon. I have 10.12 miles left before the end of the month.
I explained how I'm feeling physically yesterday. Emotionally, I'm a lost cause at the moment :) Not that I'm a wreck, I'm just in complete, utter shut down mode. Shut down mode = completely incapable of getting anything accomplished. This is all due to being overwhelmed with life. I feel like I have too many plates spinning in my head: people asking for christmas lists, thinking of gifts for others, biscotti thoughts, getting ready for christmas, my mom not telling me what to bring for thanksgiving, getting some gifts done by the 12th, some done by the 18th, the girls, Dave, meal planning (I have completely failed at the whole dinner situation for the last 2-4 months) etc. etc. Just completely overwhelmed. The girls are home from school this entire week, which adds to it all because I don't feel like I can get much accomplished.
Not sure how to break out of this spin right now. It has a lot to do with decisions and planning. I wish someone - anyone - would just make some decisions, so I can go about executing them.
Time: 41:15
Pace: average 9:10
November total: 49.88/60
Ran on the treadmill at a 2% incline. It wasn't the best of runs in terms of continuous running, but I got it in, which is saying a lot considering how I'm feeling - physically and emotionally. I'm resting tomorrow and Wednesday and then the 5k race on Thursday. Not sure if I'll get any running in over the weekend. Perhaps on Sunday afternoon. I have 10.12 miles left before the end of the month.
I explained how I'm feeling physically yesterday. Emotionally, I'm a lost cause at the moment :) Not that I'm a wreck, I'm just in complete, utter shut down mode. Shut down mode = completely incapable of getting anything accomplished. This is all due to being overwhelmed with life. I feel like I have too many plates spinning in my head: people asking for christmas lists, thinking of gifts for others, biscotti thoughts, getting ready for christmas, my mom not telling me what to bring for thanksgiving, getting some gifts done by the 12th, some done by the 18th, the girls, Dave, meal planning (I have completely failed at the whole dinner situation for the last 2-4 months) etc. etc. Just completely overwhelmed. The girls are home from school this entire week, which adds to it all because I don't feel like I can get much accomplished.
Not sure how to break out of this spin right now. It has a lot to do with decisions and planning. I wish someone - anyone - would just make some decisions, so I can go about executing them.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Saturday November 20, 2010
Workout: 7.36 miles
Time: 1:12:20
Pace: average 9:48
November total: 45.38/60
Went out at 1:00 in the afternoon. It was somewhat chilly and pretty windy heading to the East. I did well for most of the run, but had decided kind of early on that I would take a short walking break after every 5 songs. Songs 6-10, though, had a few breaks in there because it was a lot of hills during that point. But the last part of the run was especially good. I feel like I really get my groove going around mile 4, which kind of sucks :)
I also feel like I'm in a rut. Like donating blood disrupted my flow. But not only that, my legs are tired and sore. My right foot has pain near the bottom of my toes. I'm considering taking a running break during December, but am worried about losing my fitness. I can't get as good of a workout on the bike or the eliptical at the gym. But I guess it will be like starting training from scratch. Or maybe I just need to significantly cut down my mileage this month. Perhaps taking on this 60 miles in November goal was a bit too much... I didn't cut down hardly at all after the half in September. I ran nearly 70 miles in October, which is an awful lot of miles for not training for anything.
And I think I might need new shoes already. Which bugs me because the shoes I ran in yesterday - my newest pair - have less than 100 miles on them. I don't have the money to go out and buy a $100 pair of shoes right now. But my knees hurt while I was running yesterday and my ankles are really sore and tired afterward. Maybe its just more of an overtraining issue and I need to calm down this month and start up from scratch on December 28th for the 5/3RBR. I'm going to get my 60 miles this month and then figure it out. I should also get back into weight training and cross training. And should actively try to lose 5 pounds. And try to get my cholesterol lower (was 265 when I donated blood - ouch... hasn't been that high since 1999).
Time: 1:12:20
Pace: average 9:48
November total: 45.38/60
Went out at 1:00 in the afternoon. It was somewhat chilly and pretty windy heading to the East. I did well for most of the run, but had decided kind of early on that I would take a short walking break after every 5 songs. Songs 6-10, though, had a few breaks in there because it was a lot of hills during that point. But the last part of the run was especially good. I feel like I really get my groove going around mile 4, which kind of sucks :)
I also feel like I'm in a rut. Like donating blood disrupted my flow. But not only that, my legs are tired and sore. My right foot has pain near the bottom of my toes. I'm considering taking a running break during December, but am worried about losing my fitness. I can't get as good of a workout on the bike or the eliptical at the gym. But I guess it will be like starting training from scratch. Or maybe I just need to significantly cut down my mileage this month. Perhaps taking on this 60 miles in November goal was a bit too much... I didn't cut down hardly at all after the half in September. I ran nearly 70 miles in October, which is an awful lot of miles for not training for anything.
And I think I might need new shoes already. Which bugs me because the shoes I ran in yesterday - my newest pair - have less than 100 miles on them. I don't have the money to go out and buy a $100 pair of shoes right now. But my knees hurt while I was running yesterday and my ankles are really sore and tired afterward. Maybe its just more of an overtraining issue and I need to calm down this month and start up from scratch on December 28th for the 5/3RBR. I'm going to get my 60 miles this month and then figure it out. I should also get back into weight training and cross training. And should actively try to lose 5 pounds. And try to get my cholesterol lower (was 265 when I donated blood - ouch... hasn't been that high since 1999).
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday November 15, 2010
Workout: 4.77 miles tempo run on the treadmill
Time: 43:20
Pace: average 9:04
November total: 30/60
I also ran yesterday afternoon - 6.54 miles, which brought my november total to 25.23. I had intended to run 8 miles on Saturday morning before leaving for Cadillac, but my alarm didn't go off and when I woke up I didn't have time to get any miles in, really. I was going to skip running over the weekend, but it was pretty nice outside yesterday afternoon when we got home and I didn't want to pass that up. Unfortunately, I didn't get out there until 3:30 and didn't have time to get a whole lot more in because it was getting dark.
The running was better yet than the other runs I did last week. My red blood cells must be returning to normal.
Today I did a tempo run. I did 2 miles at a 9:15 pace, then 1.5 miles at a 8:50 pace and finally 1.27 miles at 9:15 pace. It felt good. I'm also trying to pick out my best fast-running songs for the 5k next week. My goal is to run it in 27:00, but I'm going to be happy with anything under 30 minutes because of my really poor performance in my first and only 5k a year and a half ago (I think I got something like 32 minutes).
So I have 30 miles to run in 15 days. Interesting - wonder if I would like doing 2 miles every day... probably not. I'm going to shoot for this schedule:
Wed 17th - 4 miles
Thur 18th - 4 miles
Sat 19th - 8 miles
Mon 22nd - 5 miles
Thur 25th - 3.1
Sun 28th - 4
Mon - 29th - 4
Four miles seems like such a short run.
Time: 43:20
Pace: average 9:04
November total: 30/60
I also ran yesterday afternoon - 6.54 miles, which brought my november total to 25.23. I had intended to run 8 miles on Saturday morning before leaving for Cadillac, but my alarm didn't go off and when I woke up I didn't have time to get any miles in, really. I was going to skip running over the weekend, but it was pretty nice outside yesterday afternoon when we got home and I didn't want to pass that up. Unfortunately, I didn't get out there until 3:30 and didn't have time to get a whole lot more in because it was getting dark.
The running was better yet than the other runs I did last week. My red blood cells must be returning to normal.
Today I did a tempo run. I did 2 miles at a 9:15 pace, then 1.5 miles at a 8:50 pace and finally 1.27 miles at 9:15 pace. It felt good. I'm also trying to pick out my best fast-running songs for the 5k next week. My goal is to run it in 27:00, but I'm going to be happy with anything under 30 minutes because of my really poor performance in my first and only 5k a year and a half ago (I think I got something like 32 minutes).
So I have 30 miles to run in 15 days. Interesting - wonder if I would like doing 2 miles every day... probably not. I'm going to shoot for this schedule:
Wed 17th - 4 miles
Thur 18th - 4 miles
Sat 19th - 8 miles
Mon 22nd - 5 miles
Thur 25th - 3.1
Sun 28th - 4
Mon - 29th - 4
Four miles seems like such a short run.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Thursday November 11, 2010
Workout: intervals on the treadmill
Distance: 5.0 milesTime: 45:00
Pace: 9:00 average
November total: 18.69/60
Great interval run this morning. I felt much better about it than yesterday. Although, now that I think of it, the first 1/2 mile of warm up was torturous.
I did 1/4 mile intervals at 10:00 pace and 7:47 pace (7.6mph). Those fast intervals were tough and I had to take about 20 seconds to catch my breath after each one, but other than that, it was good.
Distance: 5.0 milesTime: 45:00
Pace: 9:00 average
November total: 18.69/60
Great interval run this morning. I felt much better about it than yesterday. Although, now that I think of it, the first 1/2 mile of warm up was torturous.
I did 1/4 mile intervals at 10:00 pace and 7:47 pace (7.6mph). Those fast intervals were tough and I had to take about 20 seconds to catch my breath after each one, but other than that, it was good.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Wednesday November 10, 2010
Workout: 6.91 miles
Time: 1:17:15
Pace: 11:11
November total: 13.69/60
Wow was this a horrible run. Worst in over a year, at least.
I got out at 6:30. Was initially planning to run in the afternoon, but I woke up at 6 and wasn't going to fall back to sleep. I really didn't WANT to run in the afternoon because by the time I run and shower and change my time to myself - and time to do work around the house - is basically gone. BUT I also didn't want to get up at 5:15. I also didn't want to run in the afternoon because I have some errands that I need to do and if I ran in the afternoon I'd have to do errands with Georgia in the morning, which isn't a big deal, but it was her birthday yesterday and I didn't think it would be nice to go away all morning so she couldn't play with her birthday presents. SO anyway... when I was awake at 6, it was a good deal.
I did the same route as I did the last time I ran outside. I don't think I strung together even a whole mile of running. It was pretty brutal. By the end, I just opted to run a song and walk a song and running even a whole song was incredibly hard.
I donated blood a week ago and it ALWAYS affects my running for a week or two. I had noticed this a while ago, but any time I mentioned it to people they kind of laughed it off like it was in my head. However, when I was donating I talked to one of the nurses and she said that it ABSOLUTELY would affect running because red blood cells carry oxygen through your body and when you donate blood you are removing red blood cells. So there it is - PROOF! That is the reason I took last week off - because I knew it would be harder to run. I just didn't realize it would still be so hard. It was terrible - I felt like I couldn't get into a breathing rhythm or get enough air and like I was laboring the whole time. But I pushed on and got the miles in at least :)
I'm catching up - Jason is at 17 miles for the month so far. I have a little catching up to do. I was initially planning to cut the route off at about 5 miles, but then decided that it sucked already so I might as well just knock off some mileage. The more I can knock off this week, the shorter my routes can be for the rest of the month:) I've done 13 this week so far... I'll do 4 miles of intervals tomorrow and then do a run in Hudsonville on Saturday morning, so I'll have at least 22 in for this week. I may try to do a few more than that so I'm a little more ahead for the month. I'm too competitive with myself.
Time: 1:17:15
Pace: 11:11
November total: 13.69/60
Wow was this a horrible run. Worst in over a year, at least.
I got out at 6:30. Was initially planning to run in the afternoon, but I woke up at 6 and wasn't going to fall back to sleep. I really didn't WANT to run in the afternoon because by the time I run and shower and change my time to myself - and time to do work around the house - is basically gone. BUT I also didn't want to get up at 5:15. I also didn't want to run in the afternoon because I have some errands that I need to do and if I ran in the afternoon I'd have to do errands with Georgia in the morning, which isn't a big deal, but it was her birthday yesterday and I didn't think it would be nice to go away all morning so she couldn't play with her birthday presents. SO anyway... when I was awake at 6, it was a good deal.
I did the same route as I did the last time I ran outside. I don't think I strung together even a whole mile of running. It was pretty brutal. By the end, I just opted to run a song and walk a song and running even a whole song was incredibly hard.
I donated blood a week ago and it ALWAYS affects my running for a week or two. I had noticed this a while ago, but any time I mentioned it to people they kind of laughed it off like it was in my head. However, when I was donating I talked to one of the nurses and she said that it ABSOLUTELY would affect running because red blood cells carry oxygen through your body and when you donate blood you are removing red blood cells. So there it is - PROOF! That is the reason I took last week off - because I knew it would be harder to run. I just didn't realize it would still be so hard. It was terrible - I felt like I couldn't get into a breathing rhythm or get enough air and like I was laboring the whole time. But I pushed on and got the miles in at least :)
I'm catching up - Jason is at 17 miles for the month so far. I have a little catching up to do. I was initially planning to cut the route off at about 5 miles, but then decided that it sucked already so I might as well just knock off some mileage. The more I can knock off this week, the shorter my routes can be for the rest of the month:) I've done 13 this week so far... I'll do 4 miles of intervals tomorrow and then do a run in Hudsonville on Saturday morning, so I'll have at least 22 in for this week. I may try to do a few more than that so I'm a little more ahead for the month. I'm too competitive with myself.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Monday November 8, 2010
Workout: 6.78 miles
Time: 65:00
Pace: 9:35
November total: 6.78/60
Two Years Ago
Jason and I challenged each other to post our workouts on Facebook again to hold each other accountable. We also challenged each other to run 60 miles in November. I had intentionally taken last week as a complete break from working out... and then we set this goal in the middle of the week. So I have 60 miles to do in 23 days. Its going to be tough, but I know I can do it - I'm way too competitive with myself to not complete it. I also have two weekends away this month - this weekend I have to go to Cadillac for a wedding and the weekend after Thanksgiving I'm staying downtown with Kim. I'm going to have to work around those events OR run while I'm there. We'll see... probably won't have a problem running in Cadillac, but doing so in the city may be a different situation.
Jason, his wife, Meaghan, and I are running a 5k on Thanksgiving morning, too - I need to conquer the 5k for myself. Dave isn't running with us because he is taking the whole month off of running because of his plantar faciitis. We also don't have anyone to watch the girls if we both run, so he'll come with the girls to watch us. We'll all start training for the 5/3 Riverbank run in December then.
It is really nice to have a goal. It makes it easier to plan and be motivated. I'm not terribly excited that the goal means I have to run more miles in each run than I'd like (I'd prefer to be doing 4 mile runs), but it works.
I ran on the treadmill this morning because G was sick multiple times over night and there was some sheet changing involved... not much sleep. I was planning to run 6 miles outside this morning because the time change means it is lighter earlier than it had been, I bought some running tights, and I bought some reflective gear. I'm very scared of running outside - I am not looking forward to being cold - in fact I'm really sick of being cold already. But I'd rather try to gut it out than run on the treadmill for the next 4 1/2 months.
Time: 65:00
Pace: 9:35
November total: 6.78/60
Two Years Ago
Jason and I challenged each other to post our workouts on Facebook again to hold each other accountable. We also challenged each other to run 60 miles in November. I had intentionally taken last week as a complete break from working out... and then we set this goal in the middle of the week. So I have 60 miles to do in 23 days. Its going to be tough, but I know I can do it - I'm way too competitive with myself to not complete it. I also have two weekends away this month - this weekend I have to go to Cadillac for a wedding and the weekend after Thanksgiving I'm staying downtown with Kim. I'm going to have to work around those events OR run while I'm there. We'll see... probably won't have a problem running in Cadillac, but doing so in the city may be a different situation.
Jason, his wife, Meaghan, and I are running a 5k on Thanksgiving morning, too - I need to conquer the 5k for myself. Dave isn't running with us because he is taking the whole month off of running because of his plantar faciitis. We also don't have anyone to watch the girls if we both run, so he'll come with the girls to watch us. We'll all start training for the 5/3 Riverbank run in December then.
It is really nice to have a goal. It makes it easier to plan and be motivated. I'm not terribly excited that the goal means I have to run more miles in each run than I'd like (I'd prefer to be doing 4 mile runs), but it works.
I ran on the treadmill this morning because G was sick multiple times over night and there was some sheet changing involved... not much sleep. I was planning to run 6 miles outside this morning because the time change means it is lighter earlier than it had been, I bought some running tights, and I bought some reflective gear. I'm very scared of running outside - I am not looking forward to being cold - in fact I'm really sick of being cold already. But I'd rather try to gut it out than run on the treadmill for the next 4 1/2 months.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday October 18, 2010
Workout: 6.83 miles
Time: 1:05:27
Pace: 9:30
Weight: 126.6
Slept in on Monday morning because I was exhausted from the weekend. Dave came home early enough so i could go out running before it got too dark. I was extra crabby because I was so tired and not feeling great. So I just ran. No route in mind. No mileage in mind, but hoped to do at least 5 miles.
I ran the Abbott horseshoe, then the Glen horseshoe, down Heather to Will-Cook, to 143rd, to Wolf, to 151st to the Kingston Hills running path, to martingale, to pheasant, to prairie to Mallard to home. It was a great run. Running down 143rd & wolf rds was surprisingly pleasant going in that direction - i've run them in the opposite direction and they were annoying.
It was a really nice run. I felt good the whole time and if it hadn't been dark already I would have added some more distance at the end.
I've been doing a good amount of running since the race even though I haven't been recording it here. I've run home from Ryann's soccer game a couple of times, I've run on the treadmill at a high incline or at a high pace, I've run at Old Plank Trail, Dave and I ran for an hour in South Haven last weekend. All in all I feel like I'm keeping things up. I am so thrilled with how great of shape I'm in. Hills aren't as tough as they used to be, running isn't as hard as it once was. Its not easy by any stretch, but it isn't torture anymore. I love it.
Unfortunately after last night's run I have felt so crappy. Last night I felt sick to my stomach and have felt like that all day today, too. Not sure that it should be attributed to the running or if I had something before that... i've had a headache since Saturday morning (if not before then). I was thinking that it was due to dehydration, but now maybe not so much. I don't know, just not feeling well - nauseous, headache, feel like I'm going to throw up.
Skipped my workout this morning because of how bad I felt last night. Will need to consider tomorrow's workout later tonight.
Time: 1:05:27
Pace: 9:30
Weight: 126.6
Slept in on Monday morning because I was exhausted from the weekend. Dave came home early enough so i could go out running before it got too dark. I was extra crabby because I was so tired and not feeling great. So I just ran. No route in mind. No mileage in mind, but hoped to do at least 5 miles.
I ran the Abbott horseshoe, then the Glen horseshoe, down Heather to Will-Cook, to 143rd, to Wolf, to 151st to the Kingston Hills running path, to martingale, to pheasant, to prairie to Mallard to home. It was a great run. Running down 143rd & wolf rds was surprisingly pleasant going in that direction - i've run them in the opposite direction and they were annoying.
It was a really nice run. I felt good the whole time and if it hadn't been dark already I would have added some more distance at the end.
I've been doing a good amount of running since the race even though I haven't been recording it here. I've run home from Ryann's soccer game a couple of times, I've run on the treadmill at a high incline or at a high pace, I've run at Old Plank Trail, Dave and I ran for an hour in South Haven last weekend. All in all I feel like I'm keeping things up. I am so thrilled with how great of shape I'm in. Hills aren't as tough as they used to be, running isn't as hard as it once was. Its not easy by any stretch, but it isn't torture anymore. I love it.
Unfortunately after last night's run I have felt so crappy. Last night I felt sick to my stomach and have felt like that all day today, too. Not sure that it should be attributed to the running or if I had something before that... i've had a headache since Saturday morning (if not before then). I was thinking that it was due to dehydration, but now maybe not so much. I don't know, just not feeling well - nauseous, headache, feel like I'm going to throw up.
Skipped my workout this morning because of how bad I felt last night. Will need to consider tomorrow's workout later tonight.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Tuesday October 12, 2010
Workout: 15:00 on the bike, 15:00 walking on the treadmill on the random hill program, + glutes, hams, quads.
Weight: 125.0
Workout was fine. I did an easy 15 minutes on the bike and then the weights. I had so much time left in the morning AND I wanted to watch sportscenter to find out about the post season baseball situation (and how my tickets are going to do), so I grabbed a treadmill and walked on an incline for 15 minutes. On the bike my heart rate was in the 120's, on the treadmill it was around 107.
These are fine workouts. I did heavy weights at 3x10 sets, but I probably could have done a tad bit higher of weights. I haven't done legs in so long, I wasn't sure where to start with the weights. I also don't want totally fatigued legs when I'm running tomorrow, so not sure I'm going to go a whole lot higher on that.
Feels good to be back in the gym and to do regular workouts rather than focusing so heavily on training. I am thinking that my days of running outside are coming to an end, though, because the sunrise is at 7am now. Makes for pretty dark running even at 6am. I really don't want to run on the treadmill from now until spring, but not sure I have much choice. I may have to schedule so afternoon runs on the days that I don't babysit, otherwise it is going to be all treadmill - probably even my long runs on Saturdays. Boooo!
Weight: 125.0
Workout was fine. I did an easy 15 minutes on the bike and then the weights. I had so much time left in the morning AND I wanted to watch sportscenter to find out about the post season baseball situation (and how my tickets are going to do), so I grabbed a treadmill and walked on an incline for 15 minutes. On the bike my heart rate was in the 120's, on the treadmill it was around 107.
These are fine workouts. I did heavy weights at 3x10 sets, but I probably could have done a tad bit higher of weights. I haven't done legs in so long, I wasn't sure where to start with the weights. I also don't want totally fatigued legs when I'm running tomorrow, so not sure I'm going to go a whole lot higher on that.
Feels good to be back in the gym and to do regular workouts rather than focusing so heavily on training. I am thinking that my days of running outside are coming to an end, though, because the sunrise is at 7am now. Makes for pretty dark running even at 6am. I really don't want to run on the treadmill from now until spring, but not sure I have much choice. I may have to schedule so afternoon runs on the days that I don't babysit, otherwise it is going to be all treadmill - probably even my long runs on Saturdays. Boooo!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Monday October 11, 2010
Workout: 3.17 miles + shoulders, biceps, triceps
Time: no clue
Weight: 125.0
Two Years Ago
Ran with the dog this morning. I'm pretty much ready to put an end to that idea. I would LOVE to have him as a running partner, but he is so bad and it is so hard for me. He wants to stop all.the.time and pulls back on me, which interrupts my rhythm. I felt like I never got into a good groove - running or breathing - because every time I almost did, he would yank back on me and try to stop me. I gave him some extra walking time to go potty and to sniff, both before we started running and in the middle of the run, but it didn't help a whole lot.
He ran 7.3 miles with Dave yesterday, so maybe that had something to do with it, but I don't think so. I think he is just a jerk and ticked because I don't run fast enough for him. I'm not sure if I'll try to go with him again or not... will need to think about that some more.
Came home and did some weights in the basement. Nothing major because I didn't feel like taking the time to change the weights in between exercises. So I did a set of each exercise immediately following the other and then took a breathing rest in between super sets.
It was like this: (8lbs)
1 superset = 10 frontal raise (both arms together), 10 bicep curls (both arms together), 10 tricep kickbacks (each arm individually)
I did 3 supersets. I also did one set of 10 on the ab roller just to see if I could do it. I'm going to start incorporating that some more.
I would like to get back into regular weight training and have put together a schedule. Today was my start.
Time: no clue
Weight: 125.0
Two Years Ago
Ran with the dog this morning. I'm pretty much ready to put an end to that idea. I would LOVE to have him as a running partner, but he is so bad and it is so hard for me. He wants to stop all.the.time and pulls back on me, which interrupts my rhythm. I felt like I never got into a good groove - running or breathing - because every time I almost did, he would yank back on me and try to stop me. I gave him some extra walking time to go potty and to sniff, both before we started running and in the middle of the run, but it didn't help a whole lot.
He ran 7.3 miles with Dave yesterday, so maybe that had something to do with it, but I don't think so. I think he is just a jerk and ticked because I don't run fast enough for him. I'm not sure if I'll try to go with him again or not... will need to think about that some more.
Came home and did some weights in the basement. Nothing major because I didn't feel like taking the time to change the weights in between exercises. So I did a set of each exercise immediately following the other and then took a breathing rest in between super sets.
It was like this: (8lbs)
1 superset = 10 frontal raise (both arms together), 10 bicep curls (both arms together), 10 tricep kickbacks (each arm individually)
I did 3 supersets. I also did one set of 10 on the ab roller just to see if I could do it. I'm going to start incorporating that some more.
I would like to get back into regular weight training and have put together a schedule. Today was my start.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday September 27, 2010
Workout: 3.7 miles
Time: 34:32
Pace: 9:18
Weight: 128.0
Two years Ago
Not sure where I'm at in terms of what to do next after the race, but I know that I don't want to take too much time off. I ran home from Ryann's soccer game tonight and was fine. Jason was shocked that I ran already since Saturday, but really, I felt so great after the race - not really tired, not really sore, not super hungry, just really, really good. Best I've ever felt after a long run, so why not run already on Monday?
I'm going to keep my mileage down for now as I try to focus my energy on losing these pounds rather than on training for a race. I did well with points and did well with keeping track of them. I know that 128 is high due to water retention, since I weighed 125.? after I ran at 6:30pm, so I'm not concerned that my weight is THAT high, but I would like to get down near 120. At some point I need to recognize that after 8 years of making my goal 115 and never having gotten below 119 maybe its just not possible :) So 120 is my goal and I'm going to need to really put a lot of energy into it because this is the worst time of year - halloween, thanksgiving, christmas.
Thinking about doing a 5k on Thanksgiving up in Grand Rapids, then training will begin for the 5/3 Bank River Bank Run - 15 miles. May 14, 2011. It will be good to have something to train for during the holidays.
Haven't had a chance to think about what I want to do before then, however, I do know that I need to change my thinking from training to simply working out. I need to do heavier lifting with fewer reps, make sure I'm doing 30-45 minutes of cardio on my non lifting days and 20 minutes of warm up/light cardio on my lifting days. Drinking water is a must - I did okay on that yesterday. My face has been so dry since the race - it hurt so badly after I finished and I know it is dry because I'm not drinking enough water. I need to increase my vegetables and consider cutting sugar out completely - that needs some thinking. At any rate, my mindset needs to change for a while as my goal has changed for now.
Time: 34:32
Pace: 9:18
Weight: 128.0
Two years Ago
Not sure where I'm at in terms of what to do next after the race, but I know that I don't want to take too much time off. I ran home from Ryann's soccer game tonight and was fine. Jason was shocked that I ran already since Saturday, but really, I felt so great after the race - not really tired, not really sore, not super hungry, just really, really good. Best I've ever felt after a long run, so why not run already on Monday?
I'm going to keep my mileage down for now as I try to focus my energy on losing these pounds rather than on training for a race. I did well with points and did well with keeping track of them. I know that 128 is high due to water retention, since I weighed 125.? after I ran at 6:30pm, so I'm not concerned that my weight is THAT high, but I would like to get down near 120. At some point I need to recognize that after 8 years of making my goal 115 and never having gotten below 119 maybe its just not possible :) So 120 is my goal and I'm going to need to really put a lot of energy into it because this is the worst time of year - halloween, thanksgiving, christmas.
Thinking about doing a 5k on Thanksgiving up in Grand Rapids, then training will begin for the 5/3 Bank River Bank Run - 15 miles. May 14, 2011. It will be good to have something to train for during the holidays.
Haven't had a chance to think about what I want to do before then, however, I do know that I need to change my thinking from training to simply working out. I need to do heavier lifting with fewer reps, make sure I'm doing 30-45 minutes of cardio on my non lifting days and 20 minutes of warm up/light cardio on my lifting days. Drinking water is a must - I did okay on that yesterday. My face has been so dry since the race - it hurt so badly after I finished and I know it is dry because I'm not drinking enough water. I need to increase my vegetables and consider cutting sugar out completely - that needs some thinking. At any rate, my mindset needs to change for a while as my goal has changed for now.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Saturday September 25, 2010 - Race Day!
Half Marathon Race
Let me start off by saying that I took the opportunity to eat WAY too much candy corn on my rest days this week. Why? Because I'm an idiot and I bought them and once they're in the cabinet they whisper to me all.day. I have no will power when it comes to candy corn.
I also spent my two rest days hammering the water. I drank 5-8 16oz glasses each day and I still felt dehydrated. But I kept pushing through, knowing that I would need it for the race. I need to continue that kind of water consumption now that the race is over.
We got to my mom and dad's around 8:30 MI time and immediately place an order for spaghetti and meatballs. I also was adamant that I go to bed on time - which is sometimes a problem when we're here. I went to sleep just before midnight MI time. And promptly woke up at 2am because... No clue. And I wasn't happy about it because I was AWAKE - WIDE AWAKE. And ticked:) Got back to sleep, though, and slept pretty poorly until the alarm went off at 5:30 (MI time - 4:30 IL time yikes!). We ended up having way too much time to get ready, but that was fine. We got to the starting line around 7:15 - race started at 8:30. Waiting time, I've determined is not a good thing for me. I panic. I threaten to bolt. I get nervous. Today we were lucky enough to have a lot of wind to send me into a panic, with many pleas to do just the 5k. There was much moaning, groaning and complaining during the wait time - I like getting to my run and just going... not having time to really think about what I'm going to do other than the planning of the route. I do not like a bunch of time to contemplate the enormity of the task ahead of me.
Jason showed up around 8 and we caught up for a bit, which was AWESOME! Totally one of my favorite people from high school and I'm so glad we're back in touch.
Anyway, he said he was going to stick with us for the first few miles, hoping that our slower pace would save his energy for the middle-end. He took off around mile 2.
Early on, I was worried that I wouldn't make it through the entire race without stopping to walk - which was my goal. At 4 miles, I had no idea how I was going to get through the next 9 miles without walking. I wasn't feeling bad or laboring, I had started thinking about the overwhelming number of miles I STILL had to run. But I kept on.
The route was beautiful - along Lake Macatawa it was through a tree-lined street with really nice houses. Although, I didn't really look around a whole lot, just straight ahead, focusing on my music.
At mile 7, I was pleasantly surprised because I thought we were only at mile 6:) At 7 1/2, Dave needed to hit the port-o-potty and told me to go ahead and he'd catch up. I felt bad leaving him, but I knew that he could and would catch up to me. Right after that we hit Holland State Park, which was fully exposed. We were running straight into the gusting wind and the sand was whipping us. As soon as we turned to go back up Ottawa Beach road, though, we were running with the wind and went right back into blocked streets and it was fine. Right at that point I hit mile 8 and decided that the only way I'd get through would be to count songs. I knew I had about 13 songs to go. I also expected Dave to catch me around mile 10.
At mile 9 I hit some nice fast, dance music and started passing people. I was surprised at the amount of energy I had in order to kick it in to go faster. I was also hoping that Dave would catch me soon so I could eat my gu. He never caught me.
Around mile 10 1/2 I passed 4 people that I had been following for a while - and I had given up on Dave catching me. At that water station, though, they caught me and passed me by quite a bit. I took the water station slow because I figured if Dave wasn't going to get to me so I could have my gu, I'd better make sure I drank the gatorade at the water station - so the 4 people I had passed got quite a distance ahead right there.
Mile 11-12 1/2 I slowly gained ground on the one lady that I was following (out of the 4). I was surprised to have a lot of energy left at that point and surprised that I could gain ground. At Indy, I was pretty spent at this point. At 12 1/2 Jason started running with me, after having finished (1:56). I told him I wanted to catch that lady, but I couldn't see the finish line... once I saw it, I'd catch her. She was still pretty far ahead of me. Right at mile 13, I started full-blown sprinting. Long strides, fast, good running. I overtook her right as we entered the parking lot and I sprinted the rest of the way. I was standing there at the end of the finish line and she came up and hit me with her shirt and said, Nice run! I told her I had been chasing her - she knew and congratulated me.
I headed back to find Dave and ran in with him.
It was awesome. I felt, going in, that it wouldn't live up to Indy, but it most definitely did. It may not have had all of the hype and stuff that Indy did, but it was just as fun and I think it was because we were there with Jason.
Anyway, I still feel great. No digestive issues during or afterward. I'm a little tired and sore, but its good. We're going to drive home tonight.
Stats:
Time - 2:04:55
Pace: 9:31/mile
Awesome!
Let me start off by saying that I took the opportunity to eat WAY too much candy corn on my rest days this week. Why? Because I'm an idiot and I bought them and once they're in the cabinet they whisper to me all.day. I have no will power when it comes to candy corn.
I also spent my two rest days hammering the water. I drank 5-8 16oz glasses each day and I still felt dehydrated. But I kept pushing through, knowing that I would need it for the race. I need to continue that kind of water consumption now that the race is over.
We got to my mom and dad's around 8:30 MI time and immediately place an order for spaghetti and meatballs. I also was adamant that I go to bed on time - which is sometimes a problem when we're here. I went to sleep just before midnight MI time. And promptly woke up at 2am because... No clue. And I wasn't happy about it because I was AWAKE - WIDE AWAKE. And ticked:) Got back to sleep, though, and slept pretty poorly until the alarm went off at 5:30 (MI time - 4:30 IL time yikes!). We ended up having way too much time to get ready, but that was fine. We got to the starting line around 7:15 - race started at 8:30. Waiting time, I've determined is not a good thing for me. I panic. I threaten to bolt. I get nervous. Today we were lucky enough to have a lot of wind to send me into a panic, with many pleas to do just the 5k. There was much moaning, groaning and complaining during the wait time - I like getting to my run and just going... not having time to really think about what I'm going to do other than the planning of the route. I do not like a bunch of time to contemplate the enormity of the task ahead of me.
Jason showed up around 8 and we caught up for a bit, which was AWESOME! Totally one of my favorite people from high school and I'm so glad we're back in touch.
Anyway, he said he was going to stick with us for the first few miles, hoping that our slower pace would save his energy for the middle-end. He took off around mile 2.
Early on, I was worried that I wouldn't make it through the entire race without stopping to walk - which was my goal. At 4 miles, I had no idea how I was going to get through the next 9 miles without walking. I wasn't feeling bad or laboring, I had started thinking about the overwhelming number of miles I STILL had to run. But I kept on.
The route was beautiful - along Lake Macatawa it was through a tree-lined street with really nice houses. Although, I didn't really look around a whole lot, just straight ahead, focusing on my music.
At mile 7, I was pleasantly surprised because I thought we were only at mile 6:) At 7 1/2, Dave needed to hit the port-o-potty and told me to go ahead and he'd catch up. I felt bad leaving him, but I knew that he could and would catch up to me. Right after that we hit Holland State Park, which was fully exposed. We were running straight into the gusting wind and the sand was whipping us. As soon as we turned to go back up Ottawa Beach road, though, we were running with the wind and went right back into blocked streets and it was fine. Right at that point I hit mile 8 and decided that the only way I'd get through would be to count songs. I knew I had about 13 songs to go. I also expected Dave to catch me around mile 10.
At mile 9 I hit some nice fast, dance music and started passing people. I was surprised at the amount of energy I had in order to kick it in to go faster. I was also hoping that Dave would catch me soon so I could eat my gu. He never caught me.
Around mile 10 1/2 I passed 4 people that I had been following for a while - and I had given up on Dave catching me. At that water station, though, they caught me and passed me by quite a bit. I took the water station slow because I figured if Dave wasn't going to get to me so I could have my gu, I'd better make sure I drank the gatorade at the water station - so the 4 people I had passed got quite a distance ahead right there.
Mile 11-12 1/2 I slowly gained ground on the one lady that I was following (out of the 4). I was surprised to have a lot of energy left at that point and surprised that I could gain ground. At Indy, I was pretty spent at this point. At 12 1/2 Jason started running with me, after having finished (1:56). I told him I wanted to catch that lady, but I couldn't see the finish line... once I saw it, I'd catch her. She was still pretty far ahead of me. Right at mile 13, I started full-blown sprinting. Long strides, fast, good running. I overtook her right as we entered the parking lot and I sprinted the rest of the way. I was standing there at the end of the finish line and she came up and hit me with her shirt and said, Nice run! I told her I had been chasing her - she knew and congratulated me.
I headed back to find Dave and ran in with him.
It was awesome. I felt, going in, that it wouldn't live up to Indy, but it most definitely did. It may not have had all of the hype and stuff that Indy did, but it was just as fun and I think it was because we were there with Jason.
Anyway, I still feel great. No digestive issues during or afterward. I'm a little tired and sore, but its good. We're going to drive home tonight.
Stats:
Time - 2:04:55
Pace: 9:31/mile
Awesome!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday September 21, 2010
Workout: 2.4 miles
Time: 22:00
Pace: 9:10
Weight: 127.4
Two Years Ago
I am officially finished training for this race! I ran 4 miles on Monday morning at a 9:04 pace - my fastest ever! This morning I ran 2.4 and I'm done. I have rest days tomorrow and Friday and then the race on Saturday. I am ready for this and ready for it to be finished!
My run this morning was fine. It was pretty humid out, but not too warm. I actually had to push myself pretty hard to run the entire thing without stopping to walk. I wanted to stop and walk before I hit a mile, but I would have been pretty pissed at myself if I had. I knew that I could get through it, but it was a mental battle for a while. I also spent a portion of time figuring out which way to turn when I hit 151st. I think that took my mind off of the battle as I weighed my hill options for either route.
On Monday, I think I was in pain for almost the entire run. I could tell I was running pretty fast, but I didn't want to slow down - I wanted to see how fast I could run the 4 miles. I felt labored for the first 2.5 miles and then I felt ulcer/abdominal pain for the next mile. For the last 1/2 mile I just kicked it in and got home. It was a good, good run and I was really excited to see my pace. I won't be running the race at that pace, but I'm encouraged that we may get a faster time than our last race.
I continue to be discouraged with my weight, but I'm letting it go until after the race. I counted points for a couple of days, but I think the long runs on the weekends particularly messed with my mind in terms of points. I didn't have the energy to count points on Saturdays. So now that this is all over, I can concentrate more on this rather than on the training. I'm going to need another goal to work toward after this race is over, so I might as well make this my goal. I think 115 is nearly impossible. I've been making that my goal for so many years, but I haven't ever gotten past 119 and I haven't maintained 119 for very long. So I think I need to make my goal 120 and I need to work at maintaining that. I'm going to cut my miles down and look at things more as a workout, rather than a run and a number of miles. I need to reset my mindset on all of this.
But now, for the rest of the week, I focus on water - which I have not done a good job with for the last 2 months. I need to get rehydrated before Saturday.
Time: 22:00
Pace: 9:10
Weight: 127.4
Two Years Ago
I am officially finished training for this race! I ran 4 miles on Monday morning at a 9:04 pace - my fastest ever! This morning I ran 2.4 and I'm done. I have rest days tomorrow and Friday and then the race on Saturday. I am ready for this and ready for it to be finished!
My run this morning was fine. It was pretty humid out, but not too warm. I actually had to push myself pretty hard to run the entire thing without stopping to walk. I wanted to stop and walk before I hit a mile, but I would have been pretty pissed at myself if I had. I knew that I could get through it, but it was a mental battle for a while. I also spent a portion of time figuring out which way to turn when I hit 151st. I think that took my mind off of the battle as I weighed my hill options for either route.
On Monday, I think I was in pain for almost the entire run. I could tell I was running pretty fast, but I didn't want to slow down - I wanted to see how fast I could run the 4 miles. I felt labored for the first 2.5 miles and then I felt ulcer/abdominal pain for the next mile. For the last 1/2 mile I just kicked it in and got home. It was a good, good run and I was really excited to see my pace. I won't be running the race at that pace, but I'm encouraged that we may get a faster time than our last race.
I continue to be discouraged with my weight, but I'm letting it go until after the race. I counted points for a couple of days, but I think the long runs on the weekends particularly messed with my mind in terms of points. I didn't have the energy to count points on Saturdays. So now that this is all over, I can concentrate more on this rather than on the training. I'm going to need another goal to work toward after this race is over, so I might as well make this my goal. I think 115 is nearly impossible. I've been making that my goal for so many years, but I haven't ever gotten past 119 and I haven't maintained 119 for very long. So I think I need to make my goal 120 and I need to work at maintaining that. I'm going to cut my miles down and look at things more as a workout, rather than a run and a number of miles. I need to reset my mindset on all of this.
But now, for the rest of the week, I focus on water - which I have not done a good job with for the last 2 months. I need to get rehydrated before Saturday.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
catching up on last week
Not sure why I haven't blogged at all this past week... so here is the skinny on how it went:
Tuesday, September 14 -
Cross training (bike) 30:00, upper body weights. Not a completely inspired workout, but satisfied that I got up and went to the gym and completed it.
Wednesday, September 15 -
3 miles with the dog = horrible. The dog got shaved on Monday and came home looking very unfit. He has not been running in quite a while since Dave started running at the gym and near his office. His 10 1/2 year old skin is sagging and he is looking like Mr. Fatty Blatso, so I told him I'd take him running now that I'm faster and better than I used to be. Ugh. He was horrible. We did 3 miles and he stopped a bajillion times to sniff and mark. I'd just get into a rhythm and he would basically sit down while we were running and pull on the leash to stop. Jerk. I was so ticked at him by the end that I started yelling at him. I will not take him running until after the race - at that point, we will learn to run together and do lots of practicing so he can get back into it. He used to be a good runner - according to Dave - but he is really out of practice and I'm not dealing with that crap while training, when I need to keep my confidence up.
Thursday, September 16 - nothing. Had no motivation to do intervals, and I wanted to sleep so I stayed home.
Friday, September 17 - 3.2 miles
This is normally a cross training day, but I didn't feel like doing it or going to the gym and I didn't want to have another rest day. Besides, I wanted a better showing that I had had on Wednesday. Much better run, although a little more difficult than I anticipated.
Saturday, September 18 - 8.5 miles
Was supposed to meet a friend at Old Plank Trails. I was going to run 10 and she'd drop when she was ready to be done (she normally does 5). She didn't show up, so I went out on my own. I did not do well. I stopped at mile 1 to take my shirt off and that, I think, was the killer - once i stopped, i was done for. I took a lot of walking breaks throughout and decided that my desire to do 10 even though the schedule said 8 was just being dumb, so i stuck with 8 and made myself believe that I wasn't failing by cutting 2 miles out. Mile 6.5 - 8.5 were very difficult as I was having digestive issues and had to stop frequently to walk until I felt okay to run again, which almost immediately made me cramp up again and need to walk. My pace was terrible because of all of that. I've had that issue before, however, not for that long of a distance... not sure what I could have done differently. I also felt pretty tired from the very beginning. I started running at 6:10, but I had been up since 4 am - not sure why. My legs also felt pretty heavy and tired, perhaps from running the day before. It wasn't the worst run I've had, but I wouldn't place it in the good category at all.
4 and 2 next week and then the race. After that, I'm going to work on running with the dog and doing less miles in each run, but more runs during the week. Perhaps 3 miles/day with 5-6 on Saturday? Not quite sure. There is a 5k in Orland on October 2 that I'd like to run in, I need to discuss that with Dave and see what his schedule is. I've only run one 5k and did horribly - I feel like I need to do this in order to conquer it.
Tuesday, September 14 -
Cross training (bike) 30:00, upper body weights. Not a completely inspired workout, but satisfied that I got up and went to the gym and completed it.
Wednesday, September 15 -
3 miles with the dog = horrible. The dog got shaved on Monday and came home looking very unfit. He has not been running in quite a while since Dave started running at the gym and near his office. His 10 1/2 year old skin is sagging and he is looking like Mr. Fatty Blatso, so I told him I'd take him running now that I'm faster and better than I used to be. Ugh. He was horrible. We did 3 miles and he stopped a bajillion times to sniff and mark. I'd just get into a rhythm and he would basically sit down while we were running and pull on the leash to stop. Jerk. I was so ticked at him by the end that I started yelling at him. I will not take him running until after the race - at that point, we will learn to run together and do lots of practicing so he can get back into it. He used to be a good runner - according to Dave - but he is really out of practice and I'm not dealing with that crap while training, when I need to keep my confidence up.
Thursday, September 16 - nothing. Had no motivation to do intervals, and I wanted to sleep so I stayed home.
Friday, September 17 - 3.2 miles
This is normally a cross training day, but I didn't feel like doing it or going to the gym and I didn't want to have another rest day. Besides, I wanted a better showing that I had had on Wednesday. Much better run, although a little more difficult than I anticipated.
Saturday, September 18 - 8.5 miles
Was supposed to meet a friend at Old Plank Trails. I was going to run 10 and she'd drop when she was ready to be done (she normally does 5). She didn't show up, so I went out on my own. I did not do well. I stopped at mile 1 to take my shirt off and that, I think, was the killer - once i stopped, i was done for. I took a lot of walking breaks throughout and decided that my desire to do 10 even though the schedule said 8 was just being dumb, so i stuck with 8 and made myself believe that I wasn't failing by cutting 2 miles out. Mile 6.5 - 8.5 were very difficult as I was having digestive issues and had to stop frequently to walk until I felt okay to run again, which almost immediately made me cramp up again and need to walk. My pace was terrible because of all of that. I've had that issue before, however, not for that long of a distance... not sure what I could have done differently. I also felt pretty tired from the very beginning. I started running at 6:10, but I had been up since 4 am - not sure why. My legs also felt pretty heavy and tired, perhaps from running the day before. It wasn't the worst run I've had, but I wouldn't place it in the good category at all.
4 and 2 next week and then the race. After that, I'm going to work on running with the dog and doing less miles in each run, but more runs during the week. Perhaps 3 miles/day with 5-6 on Saturday? Not quite sure. There is a 5k in Orland on October 2 that I'd like to run in, I need to discuss that with Dave and see what his schedule is. I've only run one 5k and did horribly - I feel like I need to do this in order to conquer it.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday September 13, 2010
Workout: 5.08 miles - tapering begins!
Time: 49:52
Pace: 9:48
Weight: 126.8
This was horrible. Every step I took was a major effort. My legs hurt, my body was tired. I had to mentally will my way through the entire run and did much more walking than I usually do.
Tomorrow is another day.
Time: 49:52
Pace: 9:48
Weight: 126.8
This was horrible. Every step I took was a major effort. My legs hurt, my body was tired. I had to mentally will my way through the entire run and did much more walking than I usually do.
Tomorrow is another day.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Saturday September 11, 2010
Workout: 12.25 miles
Time: 2:02:14
Pace: average 10:00/mile
Weight: 126.0
Ran at Old Plank Trail again this morning. It was drizzling as I left the driveway and I thought about going back inside and going out later since Cornbread was taking the girls to the office all day, but then I realized that I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anyway, so I decided to suck it up and head out there. I got there at about 5:50 and it was still pitch dark and didn't look to be lightening any time soon because of the overcast sky. I was a bit nervous about running by myself in the dark on a deserted trail... I wasn't scared, but was coming to the conclusion that it simply was not a wise decision. I decided to wait 10 minutes to see if it lightened up and if it didn't I would head home (20 minutes drive). At that point another car parked in the parking lot. Within the next few minutes - actually right at the point that I decided to leave and go home - a guy got out of the car and started running the trail in the direction I was planning to go. That gave me some confidence that someone else was out there (and ahead of me scaring the boogyman away if need be), so I got out of the car and started in the drizzle.
I was planning to go out 4 miles, come back, stop at the car for a drink and then go out 2 miles in the opposite direction and come back. I felt really good for the first leg. Initially I planned to try to run the first 4 miles / 10 songs and then take a walking break. As I got closer I decided mile 4 or the end of song 10, whichever came last. Song 10 ended at about 4 1/2 miles, so I decided to go to 5 miles, then at 5 miles I decided to go to song 15 (which would be about 6 miles), then at song 15 decided to go to the car. I made it to 7 miles without walking before my body just stopped and I took a short walking break. Got to the car (8 miles), drank some gatorade and then remembered I had a 100 calorie pack of almonds in my purse... not ideal, but calories nonetheless, so I shoveled them in, stopped at a drinking fountain on my way out for the last leg and went on my way.
As I began the last 4 miles I knew I was tired... although i was feeling a bit reenergized from the short break and the calories, I knew my body was being taxed and was tired. I remembered Amy writing in her running blog about learning the art of walking BEFORE being tired, so I determined I would stop for a short walk after every 3 songs. I made it 3 songs, and then I made it 2 songs and then 1 song. My body was DONE :)
I ran into a friend at 11.5/11.75 miles - right before the hill up the bridge. We stopped to chat for a couple of minutes. I had been bound and determined to run the entire last two songs to the car (probably 3/4 of a mile), which included running up that hill, but I wasn't disappointed to stop to chat during that last section right before that hill :) I did end up running that hill, I just happened to caught my breath for a minute or two beforehand.
Overall it was a great run. I felt good for a huge portion of it. I did not do well afterward, though. I was exhausted. I did not sleep well the night before. I was not well hydrated. And I was in no mood to make myself a protein shake or any other food or drink any water afterward. This = recipe for a disaster:) I went to bed at 9:30 and dozed for an hour, but when I woke up my body hurt everywhere and I really had to mentally battle to get out of bed. I went down and had a cup of coffee and felt a lot better and had a whole lot more energy. I laid low for the day, though, and just hung out by myself and picked up the house.
I am ready for this race. I am excited to get it over with so I don't have to do these long runs anymore! I start tapering this coming week which I'm very excited about. I run 5 on Mon, 3 on Wed, 8 on Sat, 4 on Mon, 2 on Wed and then 2 days of rest before the race. 22 more miles before the race! And then Jason is trying to get me to do the 5/3 RiverBank Run in May - 15 miles. I told him to talk to me at Christmas because there is NO WAY I would commit to running that right now. I hate these long runs. HATE.THEM. I don't think my body is meant to run that many miles at one time. I'm good for 8. Actually, I was pretty good for 10 this morning, but after that it is purely mental will power to continue and every step hurts. I have no idea how people run more than this and how they more than double what I did this morning. Thinking about the training for a marathon makes me want to cry, let alone the race itself. I'm glad some people can and will do them, but I don't think a marathon is ever in my future.
Time: 2:02:14
Pace: average 10:00/mile
Weight: 126.0
Ran at Old Plank Trail again this morning. It was drizzling as I left the driveway and I thought about going back inside and going out later since Cornbread was taking the girls to the office all day, but then I realized that I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anyway, so I decided to suck it up and head out there. I got there at about 5:50 and it was still pitch dark and didn't look to be lightening any time soon because of the overcast sky. I was a bit nervous about running by myself in the dark on a deserted trail... I wasn't scared, but was coming to the conclusion that it simply was not a wise decision. I decided to wait 10 minutes to see if it lightened up and if it didn't I would head home (20 minutes drive). At that point another car parked in the parking lot. Within the next few minutes - actually right at the point that I decided to leave and go home - a guy got out of the car and started running the trail in the direction I was planning to go. That gave me some confidence that someone else was out there (and ahead of me scaring the boogyman away if need be), so I got out of the car and started in the drizzle.
I was planning to go out 4 miles, come back, stop at the car for a drink and then go out 2 miles in the opposite direction and come back. I felt really good for the first leg. Initially I planned to try to run the first 4 miles / 10 songs and then take a walking break. As I got closer I decided mile 4 or the end of song 10, whichever came last. Song 10 ended at about 4 1/2 miles, so I decided to go to 5 miles, then at 5 miles I decided to go to song 15 (which would be about 6 miles), then at song 15 decided to go to the car. I made it to 7 miles without walking before my body just stopped and I took a short walking break. Got to the car (8 miles), drank some gatorade and then remembered I had a 100 calorie pack of almonds in my purse... not ideal, but calories nonetheless, so I shoveled them in, stopped at a drinking fountain on my way out for the last leg and went on my way.
As I began the last 4 miles I knew I was tired... although i was feeling a bit reenergized from the short break and the calories, I knew my body was being taxed and was tired. I remembered Amy writing in her running blog about learning the art of walking BEFORE being tired, so I determined I would stop for a short walk after every 3 songs. I made it 3 songs, and then I made it 2 songs and then 1 song. My body was DONE :)
I ran into a friend at 11.5/11.75 miles - right before the hill up the bridge. We stopped to chat for a couple of minutes. I had been bound and determined to run the entire last two songs to the car (probably 3/4 of a mile), which included running up that hill, but I wasn't disappointed to stop to chat during that last section right before that hill :) I did end up running that hill, I just happened to caught my breath for a minute or two beforehand.
Overall it was a great run. I felt good for a huge portion of it. I did not do well afterward, though. I was exhausted. I did not sleep well the night before. I was not well hydrated. And I was in no mood to make myself a protein shake or any other food or drink any water afterward. This = recipe for a disaster:) I went to bed at 9:30 and dozed for an hour, but when I woke up my body hurt everywhere and I really had to mentally battle to get out of bed. I went down and had a cup of coffee and felt a lot better and had a whole lot more energy. I laid low for the day, though, and just hung out by myself and picked up the house.
I am ready for this race. I am excited to get it over with so I don't have to do these long runs anymore! I start tapering this coming week which I'm very excited about. I run 5 on Mon, 3 on Wed, 8 on Sat, 4 on Mon, 2 on Wed and then 2 days of rest before the race. 22 more miles before the race! And then Jason is trying to get me to do the 5/3 RiverBank Run in May - 15 miles. I told him to talk to me at Christmas because there is NO WAY I would commit to running that right now. I hate these long runs. HATE.THEM. I don't think my body is meant to run that many miles at one time. I'm good for 8. Actually, I was pretty good for 10 this morning, but after that it is purely mental will power to continue and every step hurts. I have no idea how people run more than this and how they more than double what I did this morning. Thinking about the training for a marathon makes me want to cry, let alone the race itself. I'm glad some people can and will do them, but I don't think a marathon is ever in my future.
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