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!