Legs so sore...

My legs feel like I just ran a marathon! Well, like I imagine I would feel if I had run a marathon. I overdid it on Monday on the squats. I hadn't done any in a couple months and decided to do a whole bunch of them in one morning.

I was sore yesterday morning, but I didn't think too much of it...so I went ahead and did some speedwork (mind you, I haven't done any actual speedwork in a couple months either). I knew after my run yesterday that today was going to be an (unscheduled) rest day, but I didn't realize I would still be this stiff!! I am hoping that a nice easy run tomorrow will help loosen them back up again...if I can manage to get a run in tomorrow that is.

2009 Goals

I have officially decided on some running goals for 2009. Some of them are pretty aggressive, but if I keep at it I think I should be able to attain most of them. I honestly am not expecting to accomplish all of them (although that would be wonderful) - part of the problem will be finding enough races to fit into my schedule. I have listed the goals in the sidebar...so I can see them every time I visit my blog!

Hopefully, I will be accomplishing the first goal in January...running a 1 mile race. There are a couple indoor track events that I am considering. I have never been to an indoor track event (or any track event), so it should be interesting. I checked last year's results and it looks like I will probably be the slowest one there...but hey - someone has to do it, right?

Thanks Santa!

For the higher temps. I actually got a couple outside runs in over the holiday!

Christmas Eve afternoon I decided to try a short run...I made it 1.5 miles. My legs were about to the limit (cold-wise) when I made it home. A chilly run, but the first outdoor run this month!

Then, Christmas day was looking so good...a little warmer (teens) and sunny with little wind...that I just had to go out again. I started the same 1.5 mile route I did the day before, but since I wasn't getting cold, I decided to make it longer. Well, I got a couple miles out and decided to cut through some "Minimum Maintenance" trails to get back home...WOW, running in a couple inches of snow up and down hills is hard work!! I was completely beat when I got home (about 3 miles) but it felt so good!

This morning I went to the gym.

I hope Santa was good to you too!

Such a Slacker!

I have been a big slacker lately...as you can tell from my lack of posting. I went out of town for Turkey day and it threw off my routine. I actually went for a couple runs while out of town, but when I got back it took me about 2 weeks to actually get into the gym for a run (it has been WAY too cold/icy for me to run outside).

So, now that I am over a week back in my routine I finally feel like I am not a slacker anymore. I am definitely not going to make that 100 mile month for December, but maybe January? We will have to see.

100 Mile Month

No, not yet - but I have suddenly gotten the urge to do it. I don't think I will be able to do it in November. Maybe December? Good chance in January. Whenever, I have decided that my first 100 mile month is going to be a winter running goal for me. Sometime between Nov - March (yes, in MN I consider March a winter month!) I hope to average about 3.33 miles per day for an entire month. Hey, whatever keeps me motivated, right? In case you're wondering, my PR for monthly miles is 88.98 which I did in August this year.

Winter Plans

My running goals for 2008 have been accomplished...I finished my first 8K, 10K, and half marathon, and ran a 5K in under 30 minutes. I feel really good about 2008.

But I still have a couple months left - what should I do with them? I don't want to lose too much fitness over the winter months. I still have more goals to accomplish in the future. I would like to start 2009 in better shape than 2008. I would like to run a half marathon without struggling through the last 5K. I would like to finish a marathon. I would like to improve my 8K and 10K times. I would like to someday have a 5K time that starts with 27:xx. I would like to have an official 1 mile time (and then beat it). But where to start? What to work on first? What are going to be my goals for 2009? What should I work on over the winter? Should I focus on improving my speed? Maintaining my long run distance? Just running x times per week? Lightening up on my running and work on more cross-training? There are so many options!

Recovery Week

I have recovered much easier this week than I initially thought I would. The few hours right after the race my legs were so sore I thought I would be sore for at least a solid week. But I ran an easy 1 mile run/walk on Monday which really loosened up my muscles. I increased to an easy 30 minute run on Tuesday and took Wednesday off to rest. This morning I managed about 4.3 miles (50 minutes) and my legs aren't really sore anymore, so I guess the recovery is going well. I can tell my legs are still not full strength again though because my easy pace today felt much faster than it was. I guess I need to be careful pushing the pace too early. I am hoping to get outside for my long run this weekend - somewhere around 6-8 miles...I am even considering meeting up with the run club at the gym to see what that is like (I have never run with anyone before, except during a race).

I think my next race is going to be a local Turkey Run 5K the weekend before Thanksgiving...it is cheap and not on the actual holiday. Besides that I don't think I will be doing much racing for the rest of the year. A few guys on the RWOL forums are encouraging me to run the Winter Carnival Half Marathon in January, but I don't know that I could commit to something that long in that cold of weather. For those not from the Twin Cities, the Winter Carnival is always scheduled for the "climatologically coldest" week of the year in MINNESOTA! BRRRRR!!! So, I think I will probably wait until spring before I start thinking about another half marathon.

Monster Half Marathon Race Report

I have officially finished my first half marathon!!

I made my goal of finishing in under 2:30...my official time was 2:27:40. I went out too fast. I knew it, but couldn't seem to slow myself down! I was aiming for 11:00 mpm to start and then reassess around mile 5...well, my splits were:

1 - 10:25 - Not too bad of a start, I think I placed myself well enough in the crowd.
2 - 9:59 - Obviously letting the excitement get to me a little. Must slow down!
3 - 10:26 - Slowed down as much as I felt I could...I could not get my legs to go any slower. I figured at least I could bank some time for a walk break later in the race.
4 - 10:18 - Speeding up again...I can't seem to control my legs!
5 - 10:56 - This mile included a little walking to take a gel...then right back into the flow.
6 - 10:35 - Alot of people were passing me at this point. The 10 mile race followed the route for the first 10 miles and started about 10 minutes after the half marathon. I had to keep reminding myself that these were the really fast 10 milers that were passing me, not the halfers.
7 - 11:03 - Feeling in the groove, although the hills were getting to me at this point.
8 - 10:48 - Feeling good...only 5 miles left.
9 - 11:23 - We merged with the 5K and 5K9 (with dogs) races for a while...this was really a mess!
10 - 12:02 - We split from the rest of the groups and it was just the halfers for the rest of the race.
11 - 11:22 - Wow, cold wind blowing over Lake Calhoun surprised me. I really tried to push myself to go faster...once again the legs were cooperating.
12 - 12:05 - This is were I really started to struggle...forced to switch to a run/walk.
13 - 12:29 - Continuing to struggle, but determined. I really missed the crowd support here...there wasn't much at all around Lake Calhoun (last 3.1 miles).

As you can see, I didn't follow my own plan very well and crashed by the end. When I got to the end, I had to fight for a glass of water. There only seemed to be one jug left and a big crowd around it. A little boy tried to cut in front of me when I was close to getting my glass and I am pretty sure I gave him a pretty severe evil stare. I felt a little bad about that, but I needed the water more than him! Once I got the water, I went and sat down near the finish line to rest, stretch, and eat/drink.

The most painful part of the whole day was walking back to my car! I had to park about a mile away and my legs and the tops of my feet were killing me (I think my laces were too loose). I ended up taking my shoes off about halfway to the car and that helped the feet.

My legs are still sore today (2 days later) but it is just muscle soreness, no joint issues. (My knee did not hurt at all before, during, or after the race!! YAY!) I did a very easy run/walk on the treadmill this morning and I was surprised that it actually felt good. I only went a mile, and don't think I could have gone further, but it really loosened up the muscles.

I definitely plan on running another half...hopefully I will learn how to control my legs before the next one.

Stats
Race: Monster Half Marathon (Team Ortho Event)
Date: October 25, 2008
Distance: Half Marathon (13.1 miles)
Official Time: 2:27:40
Average Pace: 11:17
Overall Place: 908/1018
Place in Age Group: 392/443

I've been tagged...

By Jen

10 Years Ago (1998):
1. In college
2. Still a chemistry major? I think I switched to Accounting this year.
3. Celebrated 3 years together with my DP
4. Waiting tables
5. Having fun (it was college after all)

5 Things on Today's "To Do" List:
1. Go to the gym (done)
2. Work (won't bore you with the work to-do list)
3. Finish cleaning house (visitor coming tomorrow)
4. Laundry
5. Class (children related)

5 Things that I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Pay off debt (including house, student loans, everything)
2. Go on a shopping spree (new clothes, electronics, bike, etc)
3. Invest for retirement
4. Invest for kid's college
5. Buy investment real estate
(Can you tell I'm an accountant?)

5 Places I have lived:
1. Northwest IN
2. Gainesville, FL
3. Jacksonville, FL
4. Twin Cities, MN
5.

5 Jobs I have had:
1. Waiting tables
2. Various office temp jobs
3. Internal Auditor (internship)
4. External Auditor
5. Accountant

Now, I'm tagging....
No one! I am letting you off the hook on this one...gotta get back to work. If you would like to participate, consider yourself tagged!

Less than a week left...

Sorry I have been a blog slacker lately. I have been reading everyones' just haven't gotten around to posting anything on mine.

Reality is starting to set in...my first half marathon is next weekend. I will be running a half marathon in less than a week. What have I done?!?

I keep telling myself I will be fine. I have run 12 miles before...but that was a month ago! The longest I have run since then was 7 miles...and that run was really bad - my knee hurt and I just had no energy/motivation. I have had mostly good run since then, but no long runs (too close to the big day to try).

Here are my goals for the half:
1 - Finish. Without too much walking required.
2 - 2:30 (11:30 pace). This should be doable, and leaves a little extra time for walking/potty break.
3 - 2:20 (10:42 pace). This is somewhere between McMillian estimates based on my 5K and 10K PRs.

My plan is to go out at an 11:00 pace and reevaluate along the way.

Twin Cities Marathon - Volunteer Report

A little history for those that don't already know…I REALLY wanted to run the TC 10 miler this year (the 'shortcut to the capital' run along with the Twin Cities Marathon). Last year I saw some footage of the finishers on the local news station and was totally inspired. I had not run anything longer than a 5K at the time, so I didn't think I would be ready for the marathon this year, but was hoping to do the 10 mile in 2008 and the TCM in 2009. Well, I didn't get selected in the lottery, so my plans got changed a little. Anyway, I really still wanted to be a part of the marathon weekend events, so I signed up for the 5K and also signed up to be a volunteer. This was my first volunteer experience.

I showed up a little after 7 AM and started mixing Powerade and setting up the glasses. I met a few nice people who were also volunteering. A little after 8 the first rush started from the 10 miler. Everyone looked so happy and I was a bit jealous. During the rush of 10 mile finishers it started raining. This was a steady COLD rain. We kept working until the rush ended about 30 minutes later. Then, once we had replenished our supplies we went to find a tent and some coffee to warm up.

By the time the marathoners started coming through it had stopped raining (and my shivers were settling down). It was amazing seeing the different conditions that the runners were in. Some of them looked like they had just jogged a 5K and others could barely walk (ok, most were in the barely walking category). There were some really inspiring sights though. I saw one older gentleman that had a sign on his back declaring this Marathon #300! I saw Kara Goucher (10 miler Women's National Championship winner) and Alberto Salazar on their way to the VIP tent. I couldn't help asking questions of those that looked interested to talk…one woman told me she just got a 20-some minute PR and everyone raved about the beautiful course and all the spectators out in the poor weather.

The most inspiring person that I met was an older lady (she had a F80+ sign on her back) that was one of the last to finish. She was in the best spirits. I helped her open her water bottle and wrap the mylar blanket around her waist. She said that she beat the course closing by 2 minutes! She was feeling good, her core was doing good, her heart and lungs were still ready to go. But her legs had just gotten too cold and wouldn't run anymore so she had to walk the last 2 miles…but she still made it! Wow, what an amazing woman.

I couldn't believe how many of the runners made it a point to thank us too. I just kept telling them that they deserved it. In the shape that many of them were in, it is amazing that they were thinking about us. It was appreciated though.

I was also thoroughly impressed with the organization of the race (from the finish-line perspective that I had at least). There were plenty of EMS around and they were checking up on anyone that looked like they may need some help. One woman sat down on the curb near us and there was a triage EMS with her within about 30 seconds talking to her and asking her questions. They even had a couple people with radios up in the air picking people out of the crowd that looked like they needed assistance.

In conclusion - Although we had crappy weather and I was wet and cold for most of the morning…I absolutely loved volunteering. The experience has only strengthened my desire to actually run this marathon next year.

Twin Cities TC 5K - Race Report

Beautiful running weather! 45* with only a bit of a breeze (that is during the actual race that is). I woke up to quite chilly weather. When I got to the capital grounds, my car said it was 38* and everyone was walking around with winter coats and blankets - that is except for all the bare runner's legs in just shorts. I had a long sleeve tech shirt on with a sweatshirt to keep me cozy pre-race. Once the sun came up it started warming everything up and it was just beautiful.

The course was also really nice. As the race starts, we ran with the cathedral on the hill in front of us…I have never seen that view of the cathedral, but it was amazing. Then we continued up and down (the course was a tad hilly) turned around and headed back. On the return trip we were heading right for the state capital building - wow, two great views in one 5K. The coolest part was knowing that the return trip was the last 1.5 miles of the 10 mile/marathon course, and actually getting to run through the same chute! How inspiring is that?!?

Now about my time…
This is what I was thinking before the race:
Under 30:00 - Would be absolutely fabulous, but not really expecting it.
Under 31:00 - I should be able to do this. Assuming the knee holds up, I will pacing the first 2 miles at 10:00 and hopefully will be able to push a little faster for the last 1.1 miles.
Under 33:33 - My long standing PR from 2006...needs to go down!

Well, I paced the first mile at just under 10:00 (9:51) - it helps that I actually started myself at the right place in the crowd for the first time…not too many people passing me, and I didn't have to pass too many. I was feeling pretty good, so I increased to what felt natural to me at the moment which ended being 9:21 for mile 2! I still had some juice left, so I pushed it as much as I could through the last 1.1 mile and finished mile 3 at a 9:05 pace!! Another minute or so to finish it off, and I ended up with a chip time of 29:24!!! That is much better than I had imagined! And I beat my previous PR from 2006 by over 4 minutes!!

I guess that proves that more miles can lead to faster times. I haven't been training for the 5K distance at all this year, I have been focused on increasing my mileage and long run.

Stats
Race: Twin Cities TC 5K
Date: October 4, 2008
Distance: 5K
Official Time: 29:24
Average Pace: 9:28
Overall Place: 747/2075
Place in Age Group: 37/188

Ready to smash that 5K PR...I think...

This may be my last chance of 2008 to beat that old 5K PR of mine. I just don't know that I will be eager to get out and run another 5K after my half marathon...in the frigid Nov/Dec Minnesota weather. I know that I can do it. Both my 8K and 10K that I ran this summer were at a better pace than my 5K PR. But I just haven't managed to do it yet. I haven't run many 5Ks this year since I was focusing on increasing my mileage and working up the 10 mile/13.1 mile range. Plus, most of the ones that I did run were with the stroller. There shouldn't be anything to hold me back this time...except maybe...

My knee has been feeling completely fine the last couple days. Of course, I haven't run on it since Monday. I got a little biking (my first spin class) in on Tuesday and did some light weights and swimming on Wednesday. Today and tomorrow will be rest days. Then hopefully I will be able to push the pace on Saturday with absolutely no knee pain.

My goal times:
Under 30:00 - Would be absolutely fabulous, but not really expecting it.
Under 31:00 - I should be able to do this. Assuming the knee holds up, I will pacing the first 2 miles at 10:00 and hopefully will be able to push a little faster for the last 1.1 miles.
Under 33:33 - My long standing PR from 2006...needs to go down!

I declare it "Cross-Training Week"

I have decided to take a running break this week leading up until the 5K on Saturday.

I attempted a 12-13 mile long run this weekend which was over before I even hit 5 miles. My knee has been consistently bothering me for a little over a week now. It even hurt during my little 1.5 mile run on Monday. It has bothered me in different shoes, on the road, on the treadmill. Adding more stretching helps, but not enough. So, I have decided to try resting it for 4 days (it has been a while since I took 4 consecutive days off running)! I did some spinning at the gym this morning and plan on doing some light weights & swimming tomorrow followed by 2 days of complete rest. It better feel good during my 5K or I don’t know what I will do about the half marathon…it is less than a month away!

100 Push-ups...Week 3 Done

W3D1(9/25) - 17,19,15,15,23 = 89
W3D2(9/26) - 20,25,15,15,26 = 101
W3D3(9/30) - 22,30,20,20,21 = 113

Week 3 Total = 303

I didn't make it to the "at least 28" for the last set...just couldn't do anymore pushups today. This is the first time I haven't reached the plan though, so I am going to move on to week 4 and give it a try.

100 Push-ups...Week 2 Done

W2D1(9/16) - 12,12,9,7,12 = 52
W2D1 Redo(9/19) - 14,14,10,10,21 = 69
W2D2(9/22) - 14,16,12,12,20 = 74
W2D3(9/23) - 16,17,14,14,19 = 80
Week 2 Total (excluding 9/16) = 223

This is about where I gave it up last time. I am going to try really hard to stick with it this time. It obviously is working, since I was nowhere close to these numbers during the first attempt. Next up is an exhaustion test to see which level I am doing for week 3 (which by the way looks pretty difficult).

12 Miler...

I had an interesting 12 miler this weekend. It was a little tough, but I realized later when I entered it to my log that I ran it a little faster than I have most of my long runs lately…because I pretty much ran the whole distance! I took a fuel break at 5.5 (the fruit powerbar gel is MUCH better than the chocolate, so I sticking with the fruit from now on) and a potty break at 6 (I would have combined if I knew how close I was to a restroom, but I was kinda lost at the time). I continued running after that until almost 10 miles then had to take a couple walk breaks from there until the end.

I had a bit a twinge in my left knee on & off throughout the run, but nothing that felt serious (or even painful at all for that matter). The last mile was pretty tough, but pushed through and finished the 12 miles. As I was walking back to my car, I suddenly got stung by a bee on my shoulder-blade area (or something…I didn't actually see it). Wow - that was a completely unprovoked attack! It freaked me out so much that I pulled my shirt off and was flapping my arms and turning in circles...would have been pretty funny to see…luckily no one was around to see it.

Well, the sting healed with no problem…just sore for a little while. But my knee got progressively worse throughout the day. It just tightened up. I kept icing and took Sunday completely off (no run scheduled anyway). This morning it was feeling better so I ran 4 miles on the treadmill with just a couple random speed intervals thrown in - nothing hard really. The knee felt fine the entire run - until I got off the treadmill and I could feel it tightening up already. I am icing it again (luckily we have a well-stocked break room here) and it feels ok but I don’t know what that is about. I have never had knee issues before. It doesn't hurt at all to put weight on it…it hurts when I bend/unbend it. It just seems strange that it doesn’t hurt while I am running…just afterward when it tightens up. I guess I will have to spend some time today finding stretches for that area.

Back on the 100 Push-up Bandwagon

I ended up taking a rest day on Monday and I had a decent 4.25 mile easy run this morning on the treadmill. Nothing special to write about, just a decent run. I did notice something odd though…my nose has been running constantly starting yesterday morning, but it stopped while I was running. I had tissues with me, expecting to need them, but I didn't need one until I stopped the treadmill. Just an odd observation…

I got sucked back into the 100 push-up challenge - hopefully I will stick with it longer this time. A bunch of people on the RWOL BF are doing the challenge. The good news is that I started with quite a few more push-ups this time than the first time I started. Here is the summary for week 1:

W1D1 (9/12) - 10,10,8,6,16 = 50
W1D2 (9/13) - 12,12,10,10,11 = 55
W1D3 (9/15) - 15,13,10,10,17 = 65
Total week 1 = 170

One more lake in the books

"I decided to go in a different direction than I normally do for my shorter runs, and went to a nearby lake to see how far the paved trail went (I had only been about a mile up the trail previously). Well, since the lake is about a mile away, I still only made it 2 miles along the trail before I had to turn around and come back, but now I think I may drive the couple miles to pick up where I left off on one of my upcoming long runs. I am not sure if you can go all the way around the lake or not (it would probably be about 8-10 miles around if there are enough trails)." - Adventures of Suebob posted 6/9/08

I did it!! I ran all the way around that lake! And I even had to add a couple loops around the block to get to my total distance for a run of 11 miles! Turns out the loop around the lake is just under 8 miles (which isn't completely trails, I had to hit the roads on one side and wasn't really next to the lake anymore). It wasn't the best long run I've had - it took longer than usual to get into a rhythm - but I feel like I accomplished something I previously (no so recently) didn't think I could do!!

Excited about the Long Run

I didn't make it to the gym yesterday as planned - I woke up with a pretty bad stomach ache. So I took a rest day instead. I have still managed to get a decent number of miles in though, so I am not worried about it.

This morning I made it to the gym - ran an easy 2.7 miles then hopped in the pool. I finally felt like the swimming was getting easier. I felt like I didn't have to work quite as hard, but was actually moving a little faster! I think maybe it was from watching the other swimmers in the start groups ahead of me at the triathlon. I tried to figure out what the good swimmers were doing differently than the rest of us. I even managed more freestyle this morning. I did a couple lengths of easy side stroke to warm up then did all freestyle & backstroke afterward...I made it 18 lengths.

Tomorrow is long run day...and I am looking forward to it. I have enjoyed my last couple long runs (well, most of the run anyway) and I haven't had one in 2 weeks. Plus, it is pretty much the only time I make it outside for my run anymore...I hate these dark mornings!! There is a SuperTarget not too far from my house that we usually take the highway to get to. My planned route is a loop that comes about a block from that SuperTarget! It seems so strange that I am able to run all the way to the SuperTarget and back!!

Finally, a longer run...

Wow, with the triathlon last week, a cut-back week, and life in general, it seemed like forever since I had done any runs with a little distance. I looked back and it had been since Labor Day that I had a single run of at least 3 miles! Now, I had quite a few runs in the 2 mile range, and plenty of cross-training, but it just seemed weird to only have short runs. Since I am planning a double digit long run this weekend, I needed to get in some decent miles this week.

I struggled this morning, and had to get off the treadmill a couple times, but I ended up making it 6 miles. I feel much better now that it is over. I thought I would do a tempo run with 4 miles at 10K pace, but as soon as I stepped on the treadmill I knew that wasn't going to happen. Instead I maintained a slow and easy pace. It still felt pretty hard - so I am going to treat it like a hard run and take it easy again tomorrow. I am afraid my body is busy fighting off a little illness. DD wasn't feeling good last night and had a bit of a fever.

Triathlon Race Report

IT WAS AMAZING!! It was the toughest workout I have ever experienced. And I did way better than I expected. I didn't really know what to expect, but I had an idea of how far I thought I could go on each event.

Swim (10 min): I was hoping for at least 10-12 lengths in the pool and I made it 15! Most of them were backstroke, which for some reason is my best stroke.

Bike (30 min): I was hoping for 10 miles and I made 11.5! This was in the spinning studio and there was a guy that was trying to keep us all motivated. He was actually pretty good. He kinda pushed us in intervals. I don't think I could have gone as far without him.

Run (20 min): This was the hardest transition. After pushing it really hard on a bike for 30 minutes it is hard to just walk normally, let alone run. But...I was hoping for 2 miles and I made 2.16! That is 9:16 mpm!! I would have never thought I could do that after the hard workout I had already finished.

I spent everything I had. I was so beat by the last 2 minutes that I had to slow down a tad instead of pushing the extra sprint.

Oh, and don't worry - I got myself a bike helmet this weekend, so no more helmetless rides!

Stats
Race: Lifetime Fitness Indoor Triathlon (Eagan)
Date: September 7, 2008
Distance: Swim 15 lengths in 10 min, Bike 11.5 mi in 30 min, Run 2.16 mi in 20 min
Average Pace (run only): 9:16
Overall Place: 23/49
Place in Age Group (women's open): 12/25

I am OFFICIALLY now training for a Half Marathon!

Yep, I finally took the plunge and registered for the Monster Half on 10/25. That gives me another seven weeks of training...OMG, only seven weeks! I know I will be fine. I mean, I have already hit double digits (well, only once) and with pull-back weeks and taper factored in...that gives me four more long runs before the race. I want to make sure I get at least one run that is at least the 13.1 miles before the race.

On to more current items...my triathlon is this weekend. I am pretty excited. I don't have any real goals (except a hope to run 2 miles in 20 minutes) since I haven't done anything like this before, and I don't really know what to expect. Luckily this week was scheduled pretty light because of the triathlon...cuz it has been pretty tough to get many miles in. Here is the update since I last checked in:

Friday - Ran 2.3 easy miles before my swim of 20 lengths...felt good.

Saturday - Tried yet another new route for my long run. I ran around Lake Nokomis (South Minneapolis) and then took Minnehaha Parkway west (out & back). Total 9.6 miles. Nokomis was ok - nice but nothing special. The part of Minnehaha that is along the road is basically a glorified sidewalk. I think people like running this part to look at the old really nice houses along the parkway...not really my cup of tea. But a couple miles down the parkway the trail went down along Minnehaha creek. I LOVED this part. The trail included a couple bridges across the creek, and along the creek as it went under some crossroads above. I definately will have to return to this area someday, I just wish there were more miles along the creek and less along the parkway.

Sunday - Rest day

Monday - With the holiday, I slept in and ended up running later than I should have. Too hot for my tastes. I pushed through the heat and made it almost 4 miles. When I got home I had to lay down for a while just to cool off - I could feel the heat eminating from by body!

Tuesday - Biked to work. Ran 2 miles on the treadmill. Felt good. Bike home. I realized that I need to get myself a helmet. Don't worry nothing happened, I just decided it is stupid not to be wearing one. I have alot to live for. The only reason I don't have one already is because it just didn't occur to me that I should have one...I grew up in the 80s when NO ONE wore bike helmets.

Wednesday - Sore legs. I have no idea why, but my lower shin/front of ankle area on both legs were sore. Strange for a pain like that to show up on a pull-back week! So, I took an extra rest day.

Thursday - Planned on running an hour on the treadmill but my stomach wasn't up to it. Made it about a mile and had to take a potty break. Made about another mile and decided it was not happening. So, after 2.25 miles on the treadmill I moved the workout to the bike. I ended up with 4 miles on the bike which worked out much better for my stomach. I am so glad I switched and still got the cardio workout in.

Rest of the week - I am planning my same 2 mile treadmill run followed by swimming Friday, but with a somewhat shorter swim. Saturday is rest day. Sunday morning I will be doing my first Swim-Bike-Run.

Sorry for the long post...I guess I need to update more often!

I officially signed up for a few things this week...

9/7 - Indoor Triathlon (10 min swim, 30 min bike, 20 min run)
10/4 - TC 5K (part of the Twin Cities Marathon Weekend)
10/5 - Volunteer @ the Twin Cities Marathon (my first time volunteering)

I figured since I didn't get into the 10 Miler, and I REALLY want to run this marathon someday (hopefully next year) I still wanted to be a part of it this year. Plus, I want to give volunteering a try. I signed up for "Fluid Distributor" in the secured finish area. This will be my first time even going to a Marathon, so I am really looking forward to it.

Update:

Wednesday - Slacked running-wise, no running. I did walk around the fair though, does that count? Fair food: Stay away from the fancy bacon items...they are not worth it. The old standbys are still yummy though...corn dog, cheese curds, elephant ear, warm chocolate chip cookies.

Thursday - 4.1 miles on the treadmill. Almost 3.5 miles were tempo at 6.0 mph with 2 very short walk breaks to take a drink (forgot my water bottle and didn't want to spill it all over myself and the treadmill).

Flying Fast...well, kinda...

I didn't find the "Pig Lickers" at the fair this weekend, but I did try the "Big Fat Bacon" - which I do not recommend. It is an extra thick slice of bacon (I think it is suppose to be 1/3 lb) on a stick (of course) cooked on the grill with some maple glaze. Ok, so this is probably something I should know better than to eat…but it is the "Great Minnesota Get Together" unusual things like that are allowed. This one was way too fatty for me though.

We are going back tomorrow with the kids, and I am hoping to track down the "Pig Lickers" which are crispy fried bacon pieces covered with chocolate…only at the Fair!

I've had a pretty good running week so far (although it is early). I think I like having my long run on Saturday better than Sunday. Then after my Sunday rest day I was ready to start the week fresh. Also, I may actually be able to make it to a group run sometime (the one at the gym meets Saturday morning).

Monday - I made it out for a 4.5 miler. I had to leave the house while it was still pretty dark to get it done in time for work…I am really not liking that. I am considering if I need to go get some visibility stuff (lights, reflectors, whatever) or if I should go ahead and move my runs to after work. It was pretty cool out, I actually wished I had gloves! I was plenty warmed up by the time I made it home, but the start of the run was chilly.

Tuesday (today) - I biked in to work again and decided to see if I could beat my old 1 mile time on the treadmill. I started at 5.5 mph and did a progression run where I increased 0.2 mph every minute for 10 minutes…brought me up to 7.5 mph! Then I slowed down the pace until I was right around 15 minutes. My mile time (according to Nike+) was 9:24, but I know I could have done better. My overall pace (including cool-down) was 9:39! That is flying for me!! If only I could hold that for twice the distance I could break a 30 minute 5K!! Maybe one day….at least it gives me hope for now.

I think there is a track about a mile from the office (and in the general direction of home) so I am going to see if I can find it on my home tonight. Maybe I will stop there next week on the way in to work instead of doing my short run here.

2 Hours, 3 Lakes, 10.86 Miles

I can barely believe I did it, but I just finished running the entire "Chain of Lakes" Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriett, and Lake of the Isles. Then I ran about 5 minutes past my car and back to hit 2 hours! I not only hit double digits, I kept going!!

Well, I just popped in cuz I was so excited...gotta go. We are going to the State Fair today. Maybe I will try some "Pig Lickers" (chocolate covered bacon).

Running Toys

I have been thinking lately that I really want a new Garmin. I have been having issues with the Nike+ lately, and I never really go to the website anymore. I figure I could sell my old Garmin (201) for about $50 and the Nike Sportband set-up (yeah, I know I just got it) for $30-$40. And I could get a Garmin 205 (one of the older models, not the sweet new ones that look like a watch, but the ones that are much smaller than my old one) for about $150. I mean, I would love one of the new ones, but they are more like $300. What do you think? Am I just being greedy? I know I don't really NEED a new toy, but I am willing to give up my old ones… But I already got some new running toys this year - the Sportband and a Polar HRM - I don't need it.

Maybe I should take a different route and try going back to the basics for a while instead. I could stop using the Nike+ and just time my runs. I could get the mileage afterwards (I am never really sure of my route beforehand) on runningahead/mapmyrun etc. I believe the term I heard lately is "running blind." Plus, I do all my speedwork on a treadmill anyway, so I have the pacing help I need there.

My latest progress:
Yesterday I did an easy 4.2 miles around the neighborhood. For some reason, I could have sworn it was further. I mean, I felt great I just thought I should have been close to 5 miles for the route I took.

This morning I did my easy 2 mile warm-up before swimming...16 lengths! Not that 16 is very impressive, but I am happy with it...I am showing steady improvement.

Snooooooze

I am amazed this hasn't happened before, but I overslept this morning. The alarm is always set for 5AM and I quickly turn it off when it starts (off, not snoozed) to avoid waking up the little ones in the next room. Then I doze for about 10-30 minutes before actually getting out of bed. Somehow I always manage to wake up in time to do whatever I need to do and get to work by 7:30ish. Well, this morning that didn't happen. I turned off the alarm at 5 and when I opened my eyes again the clock said 6:30!!

Luckily I had my stuff for the day packed and ready to go. So, I threw on my running clothes and grabbed my bag and headed to the gym for some intervals. Unfortunately I didn't have time for the 5 miles I had planned, but I made it just over 3 before I had to start showering etc for work. Well, I made it to work right at 8:00 - I can't believe I was still able to fit in a decent run. These are the days I am glad I live (and gym) so close to work!

New Week - Fresh Start

I feel like I was a bit of a slacker last week. I completely skipped my Wednesday run, only made it through 2.6 miles of my 5 mile Thursday (suppose to be speedwork) run, and ended up with a 4.2 mile long run on Sunday. I don't know exactly what the problem was. I just couldn't manage to do the miles. I guess my body forced me into an unplanned pullback week.

It is hard because the prior couple weeks were so good. I guess maybe I was trying to push it a little too much. I did get some good crosstraining in though. I increased my swim from 8 lengths in the previous week to 12 lengths. I also did some extra miles on the bike when I bailed on the second half of my Thursday run.

I have a good feeling about this week though. I feel much more rested and ready to go. I didn't do a run this morning just to make sure I am as rested as possible (only had a 1.5 mile recovery planned anyway). I have what I think is a reasonable plan for the week that gets me back to the 20 mile week mark with a bike day and swim day still in there. And hopefully this weekend I can pull out a 9-10 mile long run. I am feeling confident...it is going to be a good week.

Skipped Run :(

I think today may be my first skipped run in a long time. When I woke up this morning, my stomach just felt tight - not sure why. It feels fine now, so no need to worry. But I had an easy 4 miler on the schedule for today. Normally, I would just make sure I get it in tonight...but I will have company tonight, so that is very unlikely to happen. I also don't have any extra days to fit it in. I have a 5 mile interval run tomorrow, 2 easy miles with some swimming Friday, and my very important preSunday-LSD rest day on Saturday. So, nowhere to fit it in! I may extend the 2 mile run on Friday to 3 or 4, depending on how I feel, but I don't want it to effect my swim too much either.

Oh well, I know it isn't that bad to skip a run now and then...especially since I am not truly training for any specific race (although I have a feeling I will be at the Monster Half in October). But since I have been so good lately, it sucks to know that I will be skipping it!

Nine Miles Down

I went downtown yesterday to run along the River Road...I had 8.5 miles on the schedule, but I figured I would play it by ear. I had a route planned out that was right around the 8.5 miles. I parked at the Stone Arch bridge (cuz I knew there was parking there) and had a 5ish mile loop to the south and a 3ish mile loop to the north mapped out.

I got to the parking lot right on schedule and realized I had to pee...and no bathroom/port-a-potty in sight. So, with that many miles ahead of me, I got back in the car and found a gas station before I started.

Once I got back, I headed out on my southern loop. I got a little over a half mile down the road before I hit the road block...road closed...OMG why did I not think about the construction for the 35W bridge? I tried to go around it, but after a few blocks I realized that wasn't going to happen. So, I turned around and headed back to the start. I crossed the StoneArch and headed out on my northern loop. Through a park and down a couple blocks and road closed! What is up with this? So, I went over a block and tried to find my way back toward the river, but I was essentially in a residental neighborhood at this point...I could do this in my neighborhood! Eventually I found a bridge that took me back across the river (not the one I had originally planned). And when I got to the other side, I found the "Grand Rounds" trails that run pretty much all around the city (This is the same group of trails that I run on around the lakes area). Now this is what I was thinking that running along the river would be! Unfortunately, I was back by my car way to early to call it a day. So, I headed back across the river and just kept going straight (at this point, I just wanted to get my miles in). I got to the end of the road, and not wanting to get lost this late in the run turned around and headed back. I got to my car (again) right about 8 miles...and surprisingly, I wasn't ready to stop yet! I decided on one more out & back to the Hennepin bridge (about half a mile away), and finished right at 9 miles! My legs didn't really get tired until around 8.5 miles (the last half mile was pretty tough).

Overall, although it wasn't the run I had planned, it felt great! I can't believe I am able to comfortably run that distance! Now there is nowhere to go except double digits!

First Swim Attempt

Wow - swimming is really hard work! I mean, I figured I would be a little sore (especially my arms, since I don't really use them much while running). But I thought I would be somewhat okay with the cardio aspect of it. Boy was I wrong! I swam one length of the pool and was breathing so hard I had to take a rest before swimming back! I planned on swimming for 10 minutes (that is the time for the triathlon), and I managed to do 8 lengths in that time - well, I actually stopped at 9:30, but I wasn't going to be able to do another length in the last 30 seconds. I also alternated freestyle with backstroke, since backstroke is much easier for me. So far, I am not sore - I will give it some time though to be sure.

Goal for next week - 10 lengths...no time limit...it is more about getting in the distance.

Before the swim, I did an easy 2 miles on the treadmill. It worked out well as a warm-up for the swim.

You Guys are Awesome!

Wow, you guys are awesome!! I actually considered the Monster Dash Half (and haven't completely ruled it out yet)...but it sounds like it was pretty disorganized last year. I have never heard of the Walker North Country one - I will have to check that one out.

Karen - I usually run before the little ones are awake - I kinda wish I could run with them more often, but I am not running in the afternoons this time of year! They will have to wait until it cools off a little before we are regular running buddies again.

(Just thought I would address a couple comments here first)

Here is the update: I have been playing with my training schedule (yet again) to see if I could work in some swim & bike without cutting back too much on the running. It turns out that I may be able to do it! Yesterday I biked to work and back, and was still able to do a short 1.5 mile run before work. So, I am thinking that I could do a day of bike and a day of swim on my short easy run days. I would still have 1 to 2 complete rest days. Here is a sample week:

Monday - Rest or 1.5 recovery (from Sunday LSD)
Tuesday - Bike 6.5 miles (to and from work) and 1.5 mile run
Wednesday - 5 mile easy run
Thursday - 6 mile tempo run (or other speedwork)
Friday - Swim and 2 mile run
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - 9 miles LSD
Total Running Mileage = 25 miles

(Note that this particular week would be a couple weeks away) I think I am going to give it a shot and if I feel like I am overdoing it, I can always cut back on something.

Rachel - Good Luck on the Gopher to Badger Half this weekend!!

Just Chuggin Along

I have just been chugging along on my runs. I really wish I had some big race that I was training for...but nothing worked out for the fall. If airline tix weren't so expensive, I would be somewhere for a half-marathon, but unfortunately I can't bring myself to spend that much to go somewhere to run a race.

I am considering doing an "Indoor Triathalon" at the gym. Everyone swims for 10 minutes, then bikes for 30 minutes, then runs for 20 minutes (all in the gym). I know I can do respectable on the run, and I have biked to work a few times now, so I don't think I would embarrass myself there...but the swim portion scares me. I need to get to the gym early one day and see just how many laps I am able to do in 10 minutes. At least it is in a pool, and not in a lake like a normal triathalon. There are two dates I could do it (at different locations) one in September and one in November. So, I was thinking I could do the first one just to see how it is and if I like it I could make beating my Sept distances a goal for November. The problem is that I would have to cut back some of my running in order to fit in some swimming and biking training. I guess I am just afraid to cut back since I am finally at a good place with the running. If I cut back now, will I still have the motivation to ramp back up for a spring half?

Oh, and in case you didn't notice (cuz why would you?) I finally made it to 8 miles on Sunday!! Yippee!! **This is what I am afraid of losing**

I made it to the gym this morning for intervals in my new shoes...and while I was running, this song came on my ipod:

Hey, I put some new shoes on

And suddenly everything is right

I said, hey, I put some new shoes on and everybody's smiling

It so inviting

Oh, short on money,But long on time

Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine

And I'm running late,And I dont need an excuse

'cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes.

It was quite funny! I just kept thinking how could this possibly get cheesier?

Anyway, I love my new shoes! I thought I would like them, that they would be 'okay,' that they would grow on me over time...but I didn't think that I would love them the first time out! Now, I just need to wait until tonight/tomorrow morning to see if my shins like them as much as I do. Now, I have another shoe to search for on ebay!

Overall, I didn't have as good of an interval run today as I did last week...but then those really good runs are usually rare. It was a pretty good run though. I kinda ran out of steam by the four mile mark, so I didn't quite make it to the 4.5 planned run.

I think much of that might have to do with my schedule this week. We have one car in the shop (hail damage) so I biked it to work on Tuesday...it was 92* when I headed home. Also, the air quality here is really bad this week. They are recommending that the elderly, young, physically active, and anyone with respiratory issues stay inside. So, of course, I tried to go for a run yesterday morning, only to turn around after a half mile when I realized they weren't lying. So, I had only run about 2.5 miles Mon - Wed this week. I just hope the air clears up some before Sunday...I don't want to either give up my long run or move it to the treadmill!

New Shoes!

I went shopping this weekend...and bought some new shoes. I got Mizuno Wave Precision:

They are lighter than the shoes I have now, and are a little less cushioned but I am planning on using them for treadmill days only (at least for now) and maybe for races if I like them enough. Now I have three pairs in my rotation...these for speedwork on the treadmill, my newer Nike Pegasus for long runs, and my old Nike Pegasus for short easy runs.

Wonderful Intervals

Pretty much all the speedwork that I have done so far has either been random fartlek style while on my outside runs (nothing major though) or on the treadmill using a Nike workout (I really like Serena Williams Intervals). All the Nike workouts are half an hour long. Well, I was playing around with the Smart Coach on Runner’s World online earlier this week (I think I had it set for a goal 10K in 16 weeks?) Anyway, the interval training it had for my first week was 5 miles with 3x800 @ 4:50 with 400 jogs and warm-up/cool-down. So, since I had 4.5 on my schedule for today (and I hadn’t done any speedwork yet this week) I decided to give it a try…it felt GREAT!! Now don’t get me wrong – there were some times that it was really hard to keep pushing through the intervals, which were longer than I am used to. But by the end of the cool-down I was ready to keep going.

First of all, it is still really weird to me to say that running 4.5 miles felt great. Besides the fact that it was speedwork! And I did kinda want to keep going, but I stopped myself so I wouldn’t wear myself out too much…I want to make sure my long run this weekend goes as planned since I didn’t really have one last week. I have 7.5 on the schedule, but I am actually hoping to hit 8 miles. I have been feeling really good lately, so why not? My scheduled increases are pretty conservative after all.

I had an interesting neighbor this morning on the treadmills…well, there were actually a couple empty treadmills between us. He kept making crazy noises “argh” “grrr” and yelling “Come On!” I guess he was trying to push himself, but I have never seen anyone get that into it at the gym before! I could hear him and I had headphones on! I guess it was working, cuz he sure was running faster than me…

Lifetime Torchlight 5K Urban Run - Race Report

Wow – this race was not quite what I was expecting! Since there are no official results, I didn’t have last year’s results to check out beforehand. I figured it was a little bigger than what I am used to…maybe about 1,000 runners or so. Ummm, try more like 5,000!! But, I stuck to the plan and pushed the doublewide through the crowd. I think it was harder to get it through the registration area to pick up my bib and shirt than the actual race though. But we finally made it through and got to the start. We were about a block away from the actual start line, and there were at least another block of runners behind us (I believe the road is four lanes across).

The course was nice…started out going down Hennepin (major artery through downtown Minneapolis), then cut through some of the smaller downtown streets to the Mississippi River. We ran along the river for about a half mile and then took the historic Stone Arch Bridge over St Anthony Falls. (I really need to go do some running along the river!) I wish I could have looked around a little more, but I was too focused on trying to navigate the stroller and not crash into too many runners. There was one guy that darted right in front of us 3 times! (I didn’t try to avoid him the third time…some people just need to learn a lesson). I haven’t run a 5K since the beginning of May and I was amazed at how easy it felt compared to last time. If it wasn’t so late, so crazy busy and we didn’t have a ride waiting for us, I would have loved to head back to the river and keep going. The weather was beautiful! Best we could have hoped for in July. It had cooled down nicely for the evening, and there was a nice breeze blowing through. Also, the sun was low enough to be behind the buildings.

It was nice to get to see what a big race is like, without caring about my time. Although, there were no corrals, and people were pretty much in the order that they managed to get to the start line, so I am assuming it would thin out a little sooner (it never really did).

Plus, the kids were great! They didn’t fuss at all – even when the line of motorcycle police cut through the crowd right before the start (literally right next to us) with the motors revving and horns honking. They did a little chatting during the run (maybe they were telling people to get out of our way?) and when we got close to the end where we were running on a brick road which was a little bumpy one of them discovered (not sure which one) how to make that shaky voice noise (you know the one). I guess it wore them out though, they slept about 2 hours later than usual this morning!!

Stats
Race: Lifetime (Aquatennial) Torchlight Urban Run
Date: July 23, 2008
Distance: 5K
Official Time: 34:30ish (no official times)
Average Pace: 11:06ish
Overall Place: NA
Place in Age Group: NA

Evening 5K

So, I have my first evening 5K tonight. I was originally hoping to PR on this one, but have decided to chill out a little bit and run it with the kids instead. I haven't been running with the stroller much at all lately (since I usually run before they wake up), so hopefully I can make it through the heat pushing the stroller without TOO much trouble. Since it doesn't look like I will be running any "big" races this fall, I have plenty of time to try and beat that old 5K PR. I just hope they are good, since the race doesn't start until 7:30 - so by the time I make it to the end of the race and back to the car (it is a point-to-point route) it will be somewhat close to their bedtime.

"Not Selected"

Well, I didn't get into the 10 miler...time to reassess my plans, I guess.

Return to the Lakes

I made it out for my long run this weekend…7 miles. I have now run that distance 3 times in my running life…if all goes according to plan, pretty much every week's long run for a couple months will be the longest distance I have ever run! I am increasing slowly though, only half a mile a week with some cut-back weeks factored in.

I went down to the Lakes again…haven't been there since my snowy run in late April. But, I was thinking that the Calhoun/Harriet loop was the perfect distance for my scheduled run, so why not? I was up pretty early, so I made it down there before it warmed up too much. It felt much better than my last run there. Of course, last time I wasn't really prepared for that distance. It wasn't nearly as crowded as I expected - I guess maybe since it was early still.

Then this morning I thought I would attempt a 'recovery run'. I usually have the day after my long run as either off or XT, but I want to add in a 5th running day. I went out on a loop that is just over a mile in case I decided it was a bad idea…but at my turning point I was feeling pretty good, so I decided to keep going and extend the run to 2 miles. Turns out this wasn't too smart - I should have stuck with the 1 mile. Just over a mile into the run my legs started hurting. My legs typically don't bother me during runs - I get some minor shin splints after runs sometimes, if I am increasing mileage/speed etc, but not usually pain during a run. It is nothing serious, just some soreness I think. Anyway, I pushed through to the end of the run and my legs feel fine now (except those shin splints of course). I guess I will have to watch that post LSD run and keep it really short until I know I can handle more. What do you do the day after your long run?

Long Run = Zero Miles

So, I missed my first long run this weekend. I have a good excuse though…I had visitors for the fourth. Ok, so maybe the excuse isn't that good, but it is all I have. I slept later than usual and the kids were already awake, and I was not going to run 7 miles in the humidity we had on Sunday. I about melted outside putting a couple plants in the garden. I considered going to the gym that evening, but couldn't imagine spending that much time on the treadmill.

Instead, I set my alarm a little earlier than usual Monday morning so that I could get a little bit longer run in (4-5 miles vs my usual 3-4 miles). And Monday morning I just wasn't feeling right. I got up (not as early as planned), got dressed, ate a little, and headed out the door. I ran about a quarter mile and decided it was not happening, so I walked back home. My stomach was just not cooperating.

Don't worry though, I am feeling much better today. I actually got my butt out of bed early enough to make it out for almost 4 miles. It was a little tougher than the same route on Friday, but I assume that is because I haven't really run since Friday.

So, I officially put my hat in the ring for the TC 10 miler…I signed up for the lottery yesterday. Lottery results should be posted on the 18th…only 10 days!! Cross your fingers!

Six Random Things

So, Rachel tagged me for the 6 random things dealio...thanks Rachel. Can one be that I am horrible at this sort of thing? Anyway, here they are:

1) SueBob was the name of my first car...a light blue 1989 Ford Tempo.

2) I have three cats - Theadora, Zoe, and Alexandretta. Ok, quick trivia...what 1980s movie did the name Alexandretta come from?

3) I am addicted to bargain shopping...I stop by Walgreens, CVS, and the grocery at least once a week to get the deals. Walgreens - rebate book, register rewards, instant value coupons; CVS - extra bucks; Rainbow (grocery) - Wednesday is double coupon day! Every now and then I have to clean out my stash and donate a couple boxes of deodorant, shampoo, and OTC drugs.

4) I am obsessive about my laundry - what gets washed with what, what temperature, whether it goes in the dryer, how it gets folded. I also cannot reuse a towel (and don't even let other people do it in my house). Don't worry, I will wash it for you!

5) I won my office NCAA basketball pool two years in a row...and I know absolutely nothing about basketball!

6) I hate gardening...and moved into a house previously owned by 2 retired gardeners. I am sure they would be very disappointed if they saw their precious gardens now. Now, I am suppose to tag 6 other people...hmmm, who is left? Jen, Addie you're it! Tell us some random facts about yourselves!

Here are the rules:

• link to the person who tagged you.
• post the rules on your blog.
• write six random things about yourself.
• tag six people at the end of your post.
• let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog
• let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Run for the Roses 10K - Race Report

Wow, it seems like forever ago that I ran this race…so much has happened since then. Yet it was also the last time that I had a chance to run! I have been a little too crazy to blog (or run) the last few days.

My best hopes for the Run for the Roses 10K this weekend was to run it in under 1:08 (McMillian based on my 8K results from 6/1) but I figured that was probably unlikely since the website said the race had a "challenging rolling hills" route. So, I was hoping to at least finish in under 1:10 with very little walking (only if the hills were too much).

One reason I picked this 10K over others was that it was chip-timed (according to the website). Well, when I got there I realized that only the inline skate portion was chip-timed…not happy. I had decided to go with the more challenging hilly course because I like the chip-timing at my last race. Oh well, I figured I was already there, so I might as well run it now.

I am not familiar with this area, nor had I driven the course beforehand, so I had very little knowledge of what to expect. At least I had not serious goals for this one…just wanted to get the first 10K completed. So, the race starts. The 10K & 5K started at the same time, on different sides of a divided road. I was chugging along and looked over to the 5K side and noticed 5 firemen running the 5K - they were wearing full gear! I mean the big coats, helmets, even some kind of tank on their backs!! At least they were wearing their running shoes instead of the boots. I wonder how they did?

So, the first hill was probably about half a mile in…long and reasonably steep. About halfway up I decided that I was going to try to make it up the first 3 hills before I let myself walk at all. By the second hill I started to pass a couple people, so I kept checking my pace which seemed okay. The top of the third hill was about 1.5 to 2 miles into the race. I thought there was no way I was going to make it up the next…then we turned the corner…and had close to 4 miles of pretty flat running. Starting with mile 3, I discovered the mile markers (too distracted by the hills for miles 1 & 2 I guess). I was under an 11 minute pace! Oh no, I was going faster than I had planned. I had to decide if I should slow down and conserve my energy for any upcoming hills? Or maybe push the pace now and give myself a time-cushion in case I need to walk any upcoming hills? I didn't see any hills in front of me, so I opted for #2 and just kept going.

Finally I get close to the end of mile 5 and turn a corner…OMG!! Where did that hill come from?!?! But I pushed through it…I was too close to the end to walk now! I made it up the hill, into the track, around the track, and through the finish in…1:05:19!!!! No way!! I had to check my sportband…yep, just over 1:05! That works out to a 10:31 pace, which is 20 seconds faster than my 8K just a month ago, on a flat course!! Wow, I guess this training thing really does work :) Now to work in some speedwork for my 5K…my 5K PR is from 2006 and at a 10:48 pace…I really want to break that! And now I know that I can do it!

Oh, and then later this weekend I was checking out RWOL and saw that Bill (concreterunner) had posted a RR! I was quite surprised to see that there was someone else from the BF at this little race of 145 runners! BTW, he did amazing! He finished 15th overall - congrats Bill!

Stats
Race: Run for the Roses
Date: June 29, 2008
Distance: 10K
Official Time: 1:05:19
Average Pace: 10:31
Overall Place: 137/145
Place in Age Group: 12/15

Perfect Timing

After my 10K race this weekend, my next race is the Lifetime Torchlight 5K which runs through downtown Minneapolis in the evening before the Aquatennial parade - for those non-twincitians, the Aquatennial is a huge 10-day festival in downtown Minneapolis that started in 1940 and has the best fireworks display (thanks Target) in MN. So, I will be running a 5K with thousands of people lined up waiting for the parade (according to the website, there will be about 150,000 people getting ready for the parade)…I really don't want this to be the first race that I finish last! So, once the 10K is over, my focus will be shifting to more speedwork (but keeping my long run of course). I really haven't done much if any speedwork the last month, I was focusing almost exclusively on just adding miles both to my long run and to my mpw.

So, this week I picked up the newest edition of RW (I really need to sign up for a subscription) and guess what they have? A training plan for running a faster 5K…thanks RW, now I don't need to search the web for training suggestions.

Still deciding on whether I will be running with or without the stroller...

Listening to My Body

Everyone always talks about listening to their body…what if your body suddenly wants to sleep in all week?

I had a very hilly 7 mile long run on Sunday. I wasn't intending the run to be so hilly, but that happens sometimes when you just follow a trail, not knowing where it is going. It was one of the hardest runs I have had in a while, and I had to walk way more than usual (typically only 2-3 very short walk breaks during a long run…usually after a big hill that I was determined to make it up). However, the good thing is that I finally think I learned how to run down a hill! I just never even put much thought into it, I mean down is a no-brainer, right? Turns out…not so much. As I was running up and down all these hills (sans headphones), I realized that my feet were awfully loud when I ran downhill. So, I started to pay attention to my form. It kinda felt like I was leaning back a little bit (in actuality, I was keeping myself vertical to a flat surface, so yes I was leaning back compared to the hill). The great people on RWOLBF explained to me the whole 'center of gravity' theory and that I need to be actually leaning into the hill (lean forward at the ankles for both up and down hill runs). I tried it out on my very short (1 mile) recovery run on Monday and what do you know…it works! I felt much more at ease (easy running instead of stopping myself from falling down the hill) and I wasn't nearly as loud. It is going to take some practice to get use to the feeling of leaning into the downhill, but it definitely works better than my old technique!

So anyway, I don't know if it was that hard run on Sunday, or just a little burnout, or some sudden lack of motivation, or just that I need to go to sleep earlier…but I have had a hard time getting up early enough to actually make it out for my runs this week! I had a little time Monday, but only enough for a couple times around the block for that 1 mile recovery - to try out the hills. But yesterday and today, I pretty much had to jump in the shower and head out to work. I used yesterday as a rest day, but I really need to get my butt out for a run tonight. Hopefully I won't be too worn out from that to run again tomorrow morning. I wanted to at least get in a speed workout before my 10K this weekend.

Push-up Update

Ouch! My upper chest (almost to my shoulders) is already feeling sore from the push-up challenge. I guess I needed this more than I realized…my upper body is really out of shape. I mean it is not like I am even doing that many. Monday I did 2-2-2-2-5 and this morning it was 4-3-2-2-7, so…carry the one…that is only 31 push-ups so far…how can I already be sore? Oh, and I regressed to the girly version…the manly version is pretty much pointless at this point, so I decided girly is better than none.

Pros/Cons of Biking

As compared to running, that is.

Pros:
· You can rest while moving (downhill that is)
· You always have a place to sit down
· You can stretch while still moving (well, unless you are going uphill)
· You get there faster (if you are in fact going somewhere)

Cons:
· Uphill is HARD
· It is harder to restart once you stop (ie traffic lights, etc)
· Feeling sore in new places (ok, this could kinda be a pro too)
· More dangerous to navigate (curbs, off road, etc)

So, I finally went for it this morning…I biked to work. I have been thinking about it since the weather warmed up, since I only live about 3.25 miles from work. But I had a few concerns - What if it is raining when I am ready to go home? Should I shower at home or at work? Can I even bike for over 3 miles? Will I be able to bike the 3 miles home 8 hours later? Will it effect my running schedule?

Finally, I decided that I will never figure those questions out if I never even try it…and today was the day. The weather is suppose to be nice today…80* and only a slight chance of rain. The ride here was better and worse than I expected. The distance didn't seem as bad as I thought (I made it in about 23 minutes). But the actual work seemed harder. I could tell I was using muscles that I don't normally work. Biking on an actual bike is SO much different than the stationary at the gym…WAY more different that the road vs treadmill! But overall, I now know that I can do it (well, a day or two a week, maybe).

On a different note, it looks like there are a few fellow bloggers that are trying something called the "Hundred Push Up Challenge." It is a 6 week program to get you up to 100 consecutive push-ups. While I have very little faith that I can get there in 6 weeks (I think I will be repeating a week here and there), I am going to go for it and give it a try. I did the initial assessment this morning, and let's just say I am in the "Under 5" category. The program requires a workout 3 days a week, so I am going to wait until next week and try for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Anyone else want to join in? I know Jodes and Chris are already doing it…anyone else? Here is the website: one hundred push ups

(not quite) 2 mile run/walk

I have read it plenty of times on blogs and RWOL, and have even written a few times myself…"We all have bad runs now and then." Well, I sure had one this morning!

I woke up with a horribly dry mouth (a little dehydrated, maybe?) and feeling kinda stiff (my back mostly). But I figured once I got out on the road I would loosen up. I was only planning on going 2.5 miles afterall.

So, I grabbed a bottle of water and ate a little bit. I don't like drinking too much right before a run, I hate the feeling of the water sloshing around in my stomach - but I drank about half the bottle. I did a few more stretches than usual to try and work out the stiffness in my back…and away I went.

I don't know if I was holding my body different because of the stiffness or what, but I felt really awkward at first. Then only about half a mile into the run I had to stop and walk for a while. I felt like I was working awfully hard for the pace I was going. I thought maybe if I slowed down a little more it would be better, so I started running at my LSD pace. Nope, that didn’t work either. I ended up running about a half (or less) mile and then walking a bit for my whole run. I even ended up taking a short-cut so I only ended up at 1.9 miles instead of the planned 2.5 - I will try to pick up the other half mile on my Friday run (assuming it goes better than today).

On a positive note, my ipod was working fine this morning.

Tough Getting Out There

Something really didn't want me to get my run in this morning!

I woke up and got out of bed fine (only one snooze) and the kids seemed to still be sleeping. So, I ate my PBJ grabbed a water and got dressed. I had a terrible case of bed-head this morning, so I stopped off in the bathroom downstairs to tame it before I slid into my shoes and grabbed my water/ipod. Just as I was putting the ipod on my arm…crying upstairs. And not just wimpering, I am just starting to open my eyes crying - it was loud I want my bottle NOW crying. So, out of my shoes, put down the ipod and head upstairs to get the bottles.

Half an hour later the kids were back in bed (not actually sleeping, but no longer crying). So now is my last chance to make it out the door. I slide back into the shoes, grab my ipod, and check to make sure it is picking up my sensor (I have been having some issues lately because I have 2 sensors, an ipod, and a sportband - so I think it gets confused what sensor/receiver it is suppose to be looking for). The ipod would not turn on! Now, it was only used once since it was charged last, and was sitting in my gym bag since. The 'lock' switch was on, so it couldn't have been accidentally turned on in the bag. Argh…back upstairs again to find the sportband…and I was actually looking forward to the music today for some reason!

Well, I finally made it out the door and had a pretty decent run (although I did miss the tunes). I made my typical 3 mile loop. It is getting kinda nice to have regular routes for my weekday runs. I don't have to think about it along the run. I already know where I am suppose to turn and how far it is going to take me. I get some adventure on my long runs on the weekend…but during the week, it is nice to know what to expect and just run.

Catch-up for the Week

Wow, it has been almost a week since I blogged! Where has the time gone? I have been reading everyone else’s, but have been slacking on my own. So, here is the update:

Tuesday – 2.3 miles @ 10:12 pace…pretty fast for me, left me wondering how fast I can run a mile now, I haven’t tried just one fast mile in a long time.

Wednesday – 3.4 miles @ 10:45 pace…just another run, not great, not bad, getting those miles in.

Friday – 2.25 miles on treadmill…I hadn’t run on the treadmill in while, but it was late and I wasn’t running outside in the dark, plus I needed to get some XT/weight-training in still. So, I did a mile warm-up, and then ran that fast mile (see Tuesday) which I managed to do in 9:16!! I was definitely pleased with that. Then I did some weights and finished off with a couple miles on the bike.

Sunday – 6.51 miles @ 11:42 pace…I have decided that I really like checking out all the paved trails that run throughout the twin cities. The problem is that I can still only go a few miles before I have to turn around and go back. This time I went the other direction on the trail that took me to the Lake last weekend. I thought maybe it would end up going the other direction around the lake – nope. Instead I ended up on a couple pretty long bridges through some marshland(??) Ok, I am not a natury person and I don’t know if it was a marsh, but there was a good 5-10 acres of those cattail things with the bridge and a RR track running through. I made a note of an intersection I could see from the trail near the end of the trail…so that I could figure out where I had actually run to! I really have to try to take the old camera with me next weekend so that I can take some pics when I come across cool areas like that.

The ‘out’ portion of my run was great. I was tempted to keep going when I hit the midway point in mileage. Boy am I glad I didn’t make that mistake! As soon as I turned around I realized just how bright the sun was getting (it was probably about 7:30 AM) and just how little shade there was on those bridges, and just how humid the air was getting from the combination of the storm the night before and now bright sun. At least I had plenty of water this time. Anyway, I was hot and exhausted by the time I made it home. Next week I have 7 miles on the schedule…I can do it – it is only another half mile, right?

Pretty decent run this morning. Except that in my not quite awake yet mind, I thought I was running faster than I was. I was going for 5K and set the ipod on a 3 mile distance run (so it would tell me when I got to .5, 1, 1.5, etc). When it told me I was at the halfway point I checked the time…multiply by 2…wow, I am on track for a new 5K record! Um, except that 5K and 3 miles aren’t quite the same!! Oh well, it is not like I had set out for a new record or anything, I was just excited for about half a mile or so until I caught my mistake.

So, I was almost to 3 miles (ipod was telling me I had 300m left to go) and up ahead along the trail (the only part of my usual run that is actually along the RR tracks instead of the road) was a deer. She was just standing there looking around. So, I slowed to a walk and calmly walked right past her…she was probably 4 feet away from me!! Didn’t even move except to follow me with her head. Now, this is not the first time I have seen deer in my neighborhood, but it still seems so crazy to me that an animal like that would be that close the city – I only live about a 10-15 minute drive to downtown Minneapolis.

An 8 Bunny Run

I finished my second week of ‘training’ (for the 10 miler, I guess) without missing a run yet…Yippee!! I totaled 14.12 miles in four runs and finished with a 6.25 mile run on Sunday.

Sunday morning, the kiddos woke me up at 5:30 – they usually sleep a little later on the weekend. Anyway, I gave them some bottles, changed some diapers, and then of course, couldn’t go back to sleep (they both did). I figured I might as well get that long run in, so I grabbed half a PBJ and a bottle of water then got dressed to run…then I decided it was raining too much and I sat in front of the computer for a while. Good call, cuz the rain stopped about half an hour later and I took off on the run a little dryer.

I decided to go in a different direction than I normally do for my shorter runs, and went to a nearby lake to see how far the paved trail went (I had only been about a mile up the trail previously). Well, since the lake is about a mile away, I still only made it 2 miles along the trail before I had to turn around and come back, but now I think I may drive the couple miles to pick up where I left off on one of my upcoming long runs. I am not sure if you can go all the way around the lake or not (it would probably be about 8-10 miles around if there are enough trails). I was surprised to see how many rabbits were out along the trail along with lots of squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, and other birds of course.

The run wasn’t bad…wasn’t great either. I ended up running out of water (the bottle wasn’t full to start off) and walked briefly a couple times. Time-wise, it was a few minutes longer than I want to run at my 10K in couple weeks, but I still have faith that I will be able to get that time closer at the race (my goal is 1:08, which McMillan calculated based on my 8K race time). I mean, hopefully I will be able to get rid of those walk breaks for the race. The only problem is that the race brochure mentions ‘rolling hills’ which may kill that goal.

After the 6 mile run, followed by a leisurely bike ride with the niece, I am now sore today. Well, I am ok unless I sit still for more than half an hour…too bad I have a desk job! I am sure it will be fine by tomorrow…

Schedule Tweeks

So I think I need to rearrange my training plan a little bit. I just had a difficult 2 mile ‘easy’ run this morning. I mostly just felt tired/worn out. I think it is because I had a cross-training day yesterday and I went to the gym pretty late (about 9pm) after the kids were sleeping. The morning runs have been working out great, but I guess not coupled with a late cross-training session the night before. So, either I need to move the cross-training to the morning too (I put air in the bike tires this weekend, so that could possibly work) or have a rest day after cross-training. Right now I have both of my rest days (with no XT) pretty close together on Thursday and Saturday...I guess I could move the XT to one of those days. I guess I will have to play with the schedule a little.

Grand Old Day 8K - Race Report

So, I arrived at my first 8K very excited and a little nervous. My main goal was to run the entire distance…no walking allowed. My secondary goal was to do it in 55 minutes (right around an 11:00 min pace). I knew that I could do it, but I wasn’t feeling 100%. For some reason, my calves had started to hurt on Saturday. I honestly have no idea why. My last run had been on Friday morning, and they felt fine during and after the run. They didn’t start hurting until Saturday morning (which luckily was a scheduled rest day anyway). Also, my stomach was bothering me Saturday night. Both of these ailments were still lingering Sunday morning when I departed for the race, although not as bad as they were on Saturday.

This was my first chip-timed race, and I really liked how much more relaxed the start seemed. Instead of everyone immediately starting at their pace speed, the back of the group actually just jogged until we reached the mats, then sped up. It just felt more civilized I guess.

I little background: Grand Old Day is a festival/street party in a St Paul neighborhood that has been going on annually at least a couple decades. Grand Ave is lined for about 2.5 miles with food vendors, art vendors, music/beer areas, etc. The races were preceding the parade which is kind of the kick-off to the festival. The race went from one end of the festival to the other, made a quick turn around the block and returned to the start.

So, while we were running, the vendors were all busy along either side of the road setting up. There was lots of activity to distract me if I didn’t want to think about my breathing, stride, pace, or other running junk. It was also kinda odd, because while I am now used to smelling the lilacs on my morning runs, the aromas of BBQ and mini-donuts was a new experience.

As for the running…the hardest miles were the first and fourth. However, I did push through and did not walk one step between the start and finish mats! Goal 1 accomplished. I was trying to keep an eye on my pace using my new Nike Sportband (trying to get used to no headphones in races). But there were about 4 times that I looked down and it wasn’t picking up the sensor. Now, the sensor is only a few feet away in my shoe…it is not like it has to pick up a satellite or anything. In the end it only gave me credit for running 4.76 miles (about .2 miles short), so I guess that was for the time it wasn’t picking up and thought I was standing still.

As I approached the finish I actually had some energy left and was able to finish strong, but without killing myself in the process. Final time…53:58!!! Goal 2 accomplished. That means that I ran it in an average pace faster than the 5K I ran earlier this year, and on par with my 5K PR from 2006! Oh, and my calves didn’t bother me at all during the run – they just feel a little tight still.

Stats

Race: Grand Old Day – On the Go

Date: June 1, 2008

Distance: 8K

Official Time: 53:58

Average Pace: 10:51

Overall Place: 511/556

Place in Age Group: 59/64

Starting HM Training...but what HM?

Ok – I am officially starting a Half Marathon training plan. I have not signed up for a HM yet, although I am currently leaning toward the Chicago Half Marathon on 9/14. The problem is that I would have to travel alone. The family is already committed for that weekend (out of town visitors). I do have a good friend in town though. And I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, so I may try to convince my parents to make the short trip into the city to be my cheering section. I think Chicago would be a cool place to run my first HM, because I have been going there since I was a kid…I mean we use to do field trips to the Museum of Science and Industry in elementary school (the beginning of the race is right outside the museum). So, has anyone out there run the CHM? Any advice?

The CHM would give me 16 weeks to train. Most of the training plans are for 12 weeks, but I need to build my mileage some more anyway, so I pulled a couple training plans last night (Hal Higdon and Nike+ coach) and put together my own custom plan. Hal Higdon seems to be a popular one, but I can’t get over the fact that it only goes to a 10 mile long run before a 13.1 mile race. The Nike+ plan only has 3 runs per week, which seems a bit weird. Anyway, I scheduled myself for 3 shorter runs (building from 3 to 5 miles) during the week and a long run on the weekend (building from 5 to 13 miles). I also have one cross-training/weight-training day and two rest days. Most of the runs are easy runs, since my goal is just to be able to finish this thing. I do have one of my short runs designated as an interval run though. I figure I can tweek the plan if I feel I need more speed-work or whatever.

I did my first scheduled run this morning…3 miles interval training. I tried to use the Serena Williams “Spontaneous Speed” workout (Nike+) which I have done on the treadmill (not as good as her other interval workout, but still good). Anyway, I guess those things weren’t meant for road running…just about every time Serena would tell me to pick up the pace, I would happen to be working my way up a hill!

Also, I realized today that I have been running more outside runs under an 11 minute pace than I thought. It is weird – I guess I tend to run faster outside than on the treadmill now. Plus, I usually run more (no walking) and can go further outside too! I wouldn’t have thought that a couple months ago!!

New & Improved: Adventures of SueBob

Ok, so I spent a little time cluttering up the blog today.

Thanks to Jillian, I have discovered “Breaking the Tape” which is a website to track training (like I need another one of those!) but it has some pretty cool graphs that show how I actually have been improving so far this year. There are also a couple cool ‘sidebar’ tools available (see my new “Last 4 Workouts”). The only problem is that I have to actually go to the website and enter my workouts. With the Nike+ system, it automatically uploads my runs to the old Nike Training Log…but the features aren’t quite as cool. I will try it for now, but we will see if I keep it up or not.

Also, I have been enjoying reading other blogs – it is inspiring to know that I am not alone out there. Unfortunately, there are 3 different computers that I regularly use, so with random blogs as favorites on each one, I feel my blog reading is so disorganized…thus, my first blog-roll has been added. I am sure more blogs will be added soon.

Ok, so I am getting back to working up that mileage again…I am surprised how hard it is to get back into the swing after a long vacation. Well, the 2-day work week followed by a 3-day weekend didn’t help. But now I am truly back into the swing at work, so hopefully everything else will follow. I have my first 8K this weekend, and I have been slacking…not a good combination. But, I did get in a 3.5 mile treadmill run on Sunday and am going to try REALLY hard to do some morning runs this week. I started with a 1.5 miler this morning in a chilly 40 degrees. I figured, the thing that takes me the longest in the morning is figuring out what to wear – so if I can pull that together beforehand, I can spend that extra time running! Well, I am going for 3 out of 4 mornings this week…we will see. Then I can take Saturday off and the 8K is Sunday.

Bad news on the possible Halloween HM – I checked some of last year’s RRs on RWOL and it sounds like it is a pretty disorganized race. I guess the chip timing is only at the finish…there is no mat at the start. Considering how many people would be running on basically a sidewalk, that sounds like a complete mess! So, I guess I am back to looking for a fall HM and hoping to get into the TCM 10 miler. If anyone knows any good fall HMs within a few hours drive of the twin cities…let me know!

Back to the real world

Ahhh, what a relaxing vacation (well, mostly anyway). I didn’t run as much as I would have liked, not that I am surprised, but I did make it a few times. The first time I went outside in the FL Keys early in the morning. The weather wasn’t too bad – the sun wasn’t full strength yet. But there wasn’t really anywhere to run on the resort! I followed every sidewalk I could find, and ran a few spots without sidewalks, and made it back to our place in about 1.5 miles. Oh well, I tried. After that, I stuck to the hotel treadmills, but the fitness rooms were so hot and there were no fans. So, I had a couple very short runs (only one *barely* over 2 miles), but at least I ran a few times. I really need to make sure I get that long run in this weekend, before my first 8K next weekend.

On the drive out of the Keys we kept passing these runners going the other direction who were obviously in some race (the bibs gave them away). But it was so weird, they were just running along the highway on either side and were pretty spread out. I noticed there were some vans here and there, so I figured it must have been a relay or an ultra or something. But, most of the runners didn’t look like my image of ultra-runners (I have never actually known any…I just always imagined they were skinny and all muscle). So, I checked it out online yesterday and determined it must have been the Keys 100 – a 100 mile race from Key Largo to Key West (there were individual and relay versions). OMG!!! Can you imagine running 100 miles in the Keys!?!? That is just amazing!! The temps were in the 90s and you can’t forget that FL humidity! I am still pretty awestruck…

Also, I think I may have found my first half marathon!! I have been looking for a fall HM either in the twin cities area or somewhere that I could combine a trip with my continuing education credits for work (since I will be making a trip anyway). But I didn’t want just any HM…it has to either be one of the ‘big’ ones (I so wish the TCM had a HM) or something that sounds especially fun or scenic. I mean, this is my first HM after all! So, I came across the Team Ortho Monster Dash 5K/HM at the end of October – cheesy Halloween theme, in the lakes area (scenic), closeby, and great timing. I need to look into some more – I don’t know much about it besides the above, but it may actually work…

Ok, so I ran the entire 8K distance this weekend (actually 5 miles). No walking at all – I was even drinking water and chewed a couple sportbeans while running! I typically let myself walk for water breaks, but really it is just an excuse to walk, right? I did walk about a minute after the 5 miles though, and then ran the last half mile back to the car.

So, total run was just over an hour (1:00:18 to be exact) which is a 10:56 pace…convert to km…8km distance…so, I should theoretically be able to finish an 8K race in 55 minutes! Ok, you heard it here – goal time for first 8K race on June 1 is to break 55 minutes (with NO walking).

Tonight me and the family get on a plane for vacation. I packed the running clothes. I am really going to try to use them.

Glad it wasn't a PR

Okay, so the official times are finally up for my 5K last weekend. I know when I crossed the finish the clock said 38:something. I always expect that there may be a little variance, and I honestly have no idea if the seconds were closer to 1 or 59. But how could my time have changed all the way to 39:36?!?! That is at least 37 seconds longer than the clock time! Oh well, at least I wasn't running for a PR...then I would have been really irritated! Here are the "official" stats:

Stats
Race: Arboretum "Bud Break"
Date: May 4, 2008
Distance: 5K
Official Time: 39:36
Average Pace: 12:45
Overall Place: 264/423
Place in Age Group: 38/59

First Run without Music

I got my new Nike+ Sportband in the mail yesterday. I had been debating getting one – I really like having my music, but if I am going to be entering longer races I am going to have to run without the headphones eventually. If I get into the TC 10 miler, I definitely want both my 10 mile race and all my training runs to count toward my Nike+ challenges and goals! Plus, I am one of those people who has to know how far I ran each run, for the week, the month, and eternity, along with my average pace for each. It is hard to find right now, since it is only on a limited release through Nike. So, once I found it for sale somewhere that I could use a coupon (I am addicted to coupons), I had to get it.

Anyway, I wanted to try it out this morning to make sure I could get it to work properly. There is a half mile ‘round the block’ loop near my house, so I figured I could check if the factory calibration was close. When the alarm went off at 5AM I did what I always do…snooze…ten minutes later I laid there trying to convince myself to get out on the road. I had to promise myself a Starbucks on the way to work (I only allow them as a treat about once a month or so).

I finally made it, and ran around the block twice (ok, so only a mile – but at least it was something). But it turns out that without the music I started thinking about some issues at work. I continued thinking about it while getting ready and I was then so eager to get to work and get started on it that I completely missed the turn into Starbucks!! Well, I made the u-turn and got my latte, so don’t worry about that. But, now I can see what those no-headphones runners are always talking about. I am going to have to test the theory more thoroughly of course, but I think I might actually be able to survive without the music!