Adventures of SueBob

Grand Old Day "On the Go" 8K Race Report

2010-06-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

This wasn't a goal race for me...I chose it mainly because I wanted to find a race that the kids could do this summer, and they had a 0.25mi kids run (most of the kids runs around here are at least a half mile, which I thought was probably too far for them).

So, I hadn't trained specifically for this race, although I have been training for half marathons recently. I had also been feeling under the weather - I had a cough and some congestion the last couple weeks that just won't go away. So, I didn't go into this race with too high of expectations. My A goal was to break through 45:00, but I wasn't counting on that. My real goal was to set a new PR (which I thought I should be able to do reasonably easily based on other recent race times) by going sub 47:00.

I ran this race 2 years ago. At the time, it was my first 8K and my first race longer than a 5K. I actually ran it because I was hesitant to go straight to a 10K and I thought it would be a good stepping stone.

On race day, the family all got up early and headed out to the races. This was a bit different, as I usually go to my races solo. We were running a little late, so I jogged over to pick up my packet then met the family near the start line as I got prepared. A couple minutes later I had to go get lined up.

As we started I realized that I had started too far back - we were going way too slow, but I took advantage of that and made sure I ran close to the area where my family was standing so that I could wave wildly at the kids. Then, it was time to start weaving around a bit. When we got to the mile 1 marker, I realized that I was going way faster than I thought and figured that I would regret it later...oh well, this isn't a goal race anyway. So, I just kept going at what felt like a reasonable pace for 5 miles. I lost some time pushing my way up one of the hills which I remember thinking to myself on the way down the other side - gotta take that time back! At the turn-around I started to feel pretty tired and my side started cramping...weird, that doesn't usually happen. Then I realized that I wasn't breathing as deeply as usual, due to the congestion issues. I forced myself to take some deeper breaths and the cramp went away. Around this time is also when I suddenly decided to care about my finish time. I realized that I was exactly on pace to finish at 45:00 even. The 'back' part of the course was a little tougher than the 'out' part because of the hills, but I was now determined to keep up this pace. I somehow managed to keep it up, but had almost nothing left for sprint into the finish (I guess that is a good thing, right?) I ALMOST hit that 45:00...missed my a whole 3 seconds! But I beat my previous PR by exactly 2 minutes and did much better than I had anticipated, so I am very happy with the result.

About 15 minutes after my run it was the kids turn. We went to line up and I put us all the way at the back of the pack because I knew my DD would get freaked out by all the kids around her running all of a sudden (she gets scared of people quite often). We took off all hand-in-hand (too cute, I know) and both of them just kept laughing. As we got going, DD kept running ahead and getting in front of DS then slowing down - she wanted to beat him! We were the last finishers, but of course, no one cared. They both ran the whole distance - no walking at all! I am so proud of them!! I am especially glad that they had fun - they had smiles on their faces the whole way!

Stats
Race: Grand Old Day "On the Go"
Date: June 6, 2010
Distance: 8K
Official Time: 45:03
Average Pace: 9:04
Overall Place: 222/411
Place in Age Group: 28/61

Cheering Section

2010-06-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

I went out to the Stillwater Marathon & Half Marathon course with the kids last weekend to cheer for some friends that were pacing the event. The kids were pretty excited about cheering for the runners that morning. In fact, since it was pretty early, I didn't feed them breakfast before we left, but instead stopped in Stillwater to grab something to take and eat 'picnic-style' while cheering. When we pulled into the Starbucks (is there not a 'Happy Meal' in Stillwater, people?) the kids got upset because there weren't any runners. Then, when we pulled up to park they saw a playground and DD said "no play, cheer runners". How cute!

So, found a good spot right around the corner from the water stop around mile 12 and laid out our blanket. The kids and I ate our breakfast while cheering "Go Runners!" and playing with our noise-makers etc. **I would like to officially apologize to anyone who ran Stillwater and took a walk break after the mile 12ish water stop...for the little girl who was pointing out everyone walking and saying in that loud 3 year old voice "People not running!"** Anyway, they made it about 30-45 minutes before the playground lured away from the runners. After playing a while, we headed over the finish line to cheer in some runners and hang out with some running friends.

It turned out to be a tough day to run a marathon - besides the Stillwater hills, the runners had to contend with some hot weather and lack of shade along the course. Congrats to everyone out there who finished!

This weekend I get to both run and cheer! The family is going to the Grand Old Day races. I am doing the 8K again (I ran it a couple years ago) and the kids are signed up for the quarter mile race. It is technically their second race since they did the 50yd toddler trot at the Twin Cities Marathon last year, but it is their longest race ever! Hopefully they have fun!!

First VFF Run

2010-05-28T06:23:00.000-07:00

I made it out for my first run in the new shoes...a very short run. Everything that I have read about barefoot running (which this is as close as I plan to get to actual barefoot) says that you should start with really short distances and increase very slowly because it uses different muscles than regular running. So, I did my regular run this morning and finished it off with a quick run around the block in my VFFs...total VFF distance = 0.30 mi, whoo-hooo!

Honestly, it didn't feel as weird as I expected. I thought that since the foot strike is different and there is no cushioning that I would struggle to make it feel comfortable. But, I guess my body just automatically adjusted for all that because I just fell into a pretty natural feeling stride. One thing I noticed was that I felt a little bouncy at first. I'm not sure why that was, but it got better by the end of the run. Also, I could feel the difference in my calves.

So far, so good.

I have been wearing them around when I can, and they really do make my foot feel better. I wore some reasonably comfortable shoes to work yesterday and my heel was bothering me all day (not painful, just bothersome). I changed into the VFF when I went out to be chauffeur to my 3yr DS in the evening and my heel actually felt better when I got home! I still have high hopes for this experiment working...

Toughest run in a long time :(

2010-05-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

I can't pinpoint an exact cause...because there were so many contributing factors. Luckily there wasn't any sun (early AM) but the temp was already 74* and the humidity was 73% when I left the house. My legs were tired from all the biking I did last week (instead of running). I stupidly ate at the casino buffet the night before. It was my first time this year actually carrying water on my fuel belt. I chose a hilly route. Breathing still not back to normal after a brief cold early last week.

I could tell it wasn't going to be pretty as soon as the run started. But, I decided that I was going to make my way around Medicine Lake even if I had to walk half of it. Since I knew it was going to be tough, I decided to allow myself to rest now and then - that ended up happening once a mile!!

My legs are still tired today. I ran 2 recovery miles and hopped on the bike for a couple miles. Hopefully they are feeling better for my 5 miler tomorrow.

Make it Dramatic!

2010-05-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

Someone I respect recently made a comment that has stuck with me...If you want to make a big change, you have to Make it Dramatic! ie - If you only want to make a small change, you can just make a small change and can achieve the goal. BUT if you want to make a big change, then you have to rethink your methods and make a dramatic change.

Since the end of 2009, I have been plagued on and off with Plantar Fasciitis. I have been to a podiatrist - the first time she sold me some orthotics to put in my work shoes and told me to wear my running shoes whenever possible. I wore the dress orthotics, and wore the running shoes whenever my feet were sore. However, I also read "Born to Run" and researched online to try to figure out a way to 'fix' whatever is wrong and causing the pain. I went back to the Podiatrist this week and tried to discuss possible solutions to the problem that didn't include more orthotics, but she said that they typically don't use physical therapy etc unless the orthotics don't work. If I continue to have problems after I get the $500 custom orthotics (my insurance may cover these, I haven't even checked) then we could consider putting me on a treadmill with a video camera and looking for any imbalances etc.

That was not the answer that I was looking for. I would like to try to go the route of strengthening my feet and possibly transitioning to a more midfoot strike (I am currently a solid heal striker). So...I decided to go the complete opposite of her advise and bought these yesterday:

Cute, huh? Yeah, you're right - they are pretty funny looking. I plan to slowly integrate these into my training. Heal striking in these babies would HURT (absolutely no cushion). I am hoping that they will both help strengthen my feet and get me to feel comfortable with shorter strides and faster turnover.

How's that for Dramatic??

I haven't run in them yet - I am hoping to try them out for a short portion of my run tomorrow morning. I did wear them around for a couple hours last night though and they actually feel pretty good. I will keep you updated on how the grand experiment goes...

I'm back...

2010-05-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

First of all…yes – I am still alive.And yes – I am still running.

So, what has been happening since January?? Wow, has it really been since January?? I basically have been running and trying to keep my mileage respectable. I ran two races: MDRA Fred Kurz 10 mile, and the Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon. I will try to put up a quick race report on both of those later on…we will see.

In general, I am still focused on my goals for 2010. Wanna hear my progress?

1) A faster half marathon – Well, I did set a new PR at Lake Minnetonka by over 4 minutes. But I still have a ways to go.

2) 1000 miles for the year – I am a little behind pace, but am just now ramping up my miles for the summer. I am still confident that I can accomplish this one.

3) Plus some volunteer/cheering thrown in – Haven’t done any yet – thinking of maybe volunteering for Twin Cities again. It will be easier for me to get out to cheer as the weather improves and I can take the kids.

A Bad & A Good Run

2010-01-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to get outside yesterday. Then some stuff came up and I wasn't able to run until pretty late, so I hit the treadmill at the gym. I felt fine all day before the run...but as soon as I started running my stomach started churning. I ended up making a total of 1.5 miles (with a break) and gave up. Such a disappointing run.

Then this morning, I wasted too much time deciding if I felt better or not and didn't have time to go to the gym. So, I headed outside to get in a couple miles (I had about a half hour before I needed to get in the shower for work). It felt great to be outside!! It was slow going, because it was too dark to be able to tell where any ice patches were. I only got in a little shy of 3 miles - but it was so nice to be outside for a change!! The weather even felt pretty nice - the right clothes sure do make a difference.

Yippee - New Shoes!

2010-01-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

I got FOUR new pairs of shoes today!! One of which was a new pair of running shoes. I got some Brooks Glycerin 8s. I have never worn Brooks before, but they felt pretty good at the store. I can't wait to try them out on the treadmill on Monday. I'm not taking them outside until I am sure I like them - they were pretty spendy!

Upping the Mileage (a Haiku)

2010-01-15T06:21:00.000-08:00

It is a new year.
The holidays are over.
Upping the mileage.

I have a couple races on my calendar. No more excuses to be a slacker.

Last week I had my first 20 mile week since before Thanksgiving.

It felt good to actually get in some decent runs. Unfortunately, they were all on the treadmill. Yeah, yeah, I know just a couple posts ago I was talking about being all "hardcore" and running in the coldness of Minnesota...but then it got REALLY COLD! I mean temps (not even talking windchills here) in the subzeros/subteens. The average temp for the first couple weeks of the year here was a big goose egg - yep 0*!! Plus, I have been fighting off a cold (just adding to the excuses here...) and didn't want to help it along.

This Sunday the forecast is a high of 33 & low of 16. That sounds more doable! I've got 8-9 miles on the schedule - the last time I did a run that long was also before Thanksgiving. I feel like my running has a purpose again...not only to not lose too much fitness. It has even motivated me to start watching my diet again too (that went out the window over the holidays) so that I can run better/further/faster. I think all the junk I was eating was making me feel sluggish.

2010 Goals

2010-01-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

I laid out a whole list of PR goals for almost every distance that I have run - pretty much like last year. I even posted it on this blog...right over there -> to the right. Then I looked at it and wondered if that was really what I wanted to do this year. What were REALLY my 2010 goals?

In 2009, although I had some fun breaking PRs and meeting almost all of the goals that I had set out for the year, my MAIN goal had been to run the marathon. That is where most of my focus had been. I ran some of the other races just to make the PR, I wasn't actually training for them specifically.

So, I decided to get rid of most of my goals and set just a few goals that I will have to work hard to achieve...if I accomplish those, then I bet some new PRs will just automatically come in other distance races. With that said, here are my 2010 Goals:

Run a Half Marathon in 2 hours - When I finished my marathon, I decided that I would not run another one until I got faster...because 5 hours is a long time to run. My arbitrarily assigned "faster" is a HM under (or damn close to) 2 hours. My hopes are that I can do this during 2010 and roll that into training for my second marathon in 2011. In 2010, I plan to focus my racing efforts on Half Marathons...starting with the Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon on May 2 (I have at least 4 months in a row of HMs picked out, but am not committing to them until I see how I feel coming up to and finishing my first of the year).

One Thousand Miles - Does it look fancier if I spell it out? This was a goal for 2009 that I didn't meet. I was on track up until the marathon, but ended up cutting my miles by more than I had thought afterward. I ended up short with 867.1 miles...although this was my highest mileage year so far, so I plan to build on that and actually hit the 1,000 mile mark for 2010.

Volunteer or Cheer for at least 3 events - I feel like I have been a volunteer slacker. There are so many people that volunteer for the events that I run and I just haven't given back much.

There you have it. My 2010 goals. All three of them. I hope that narrowing my focus will end up being a positive. And to you, a belated...

Happy New Year!!

I feel so Hardcore...

2009-12-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

I have actually been doing some of my runs outside this winter! I got a pair of winter running pants for my birthday...Love Them:
They are nice and warm, although I have worn a pair of tight shorts under them for the last couple runs. For some reason, my booty/thighs were getting a little too cold still. This is my first winter actually venturing outside - I even ran in the fresh snow this morning!

Now, let me add a disclaimer here - not all of my runs have been outside. Most of my runs (during the week) are still on the treadmill because I really don't like running in the dark and I have a job to get to. But the last couple weekends - since I got the new pants - I have made it outside.

Let me tell you - running in the snow is no easy feat! Snow and slush move around too much under the feet. My outdoor pace has really sucked, but I am not concerned about that, I know that I am getting a good workout because I can feel it. I think that this will actually be good for my knees & ankles since they have to work harder to keep me stabilized.

Also - I was just looking at my mileage for 2009 (which isn't going to hit my 1000 mile goal) and I realized that I had at least one run EVERY week this year! I know that may sound like a small achievement for some of you, but I thought that was pretty cool. Next year...I'm gonna get that 1000 mile year!!

Valparaiso Turkey Trot 10K Race Report

2009-12-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

This report is a bit late (ok, it has been almost a month), but I wanted to at least have something to look back at in the future to remember this race. (I recently read through some of my previous race reports, and it was kinda fun remembering them and realizing just how far I have come).

So, this was my first Turkey Trot…and my first race out of town (was in Indiana visiting the family). The weather was not very cooperative - it was a chilly 35* with flurries at the start with the snow turning to rain by the finish.

This was only my second ever 10K, and my first one was well over a year ago. I have seen many PRs fall since then, and my 10K pace was out of wack compared to my PR times for other race distances, so I was pretty confident that I would be able to get a PR in this race (previous PR was 1:05:19). But my sights were set higher…I was hoping to finish in under an hour.

I had no idea what the course was like. This is not my neighborhood, I have never run anywhere even close to the area, or even remember ever driving in the area (although it is actually only a 20-30 minute drive from the house where I lived the first 18 years of my life). When we got there, my family saw the course map and commented on how hilly it was - umm, really? Well, I am still hoping for under an hour, we will see how it goes.

This was the first race that my parents were able to see me run - when you live a couple states away, it is pretty hard to turn up for these things. Also, my DP and our kids and DP's sister were there. I told them to come out in about 50 minutes to see me come into the finish - assuming the weather was still okay. To be honest, it was a little strange having them all there. I go to most of my races alone since they are usually so early in the morning.

The race start was a bit of a mess. There was both a 5K and the 10K and no one seemed to know which would start first. Originally, there were race officials telling everyone to get in the chute if you are running the 5K…but then they were saying that the 10K was starting first…Huh?? They didn't have any microphone/bullhorn/whatever they typically use to be heard at races, so it was kinda going on word-of-mouth anyway. Finally, shortly before the race was about to start I asked some people in the chute what race they were doing and they said 10K, so I figured I'd go ahead and jump in. Luckily, they were right.

Almost as soon as we got going my left foot got wet…AHHH! I didn't think I could run 6 miles with my toes freezing like they were for that first half mile or so. Thankfully, they warmed up and didn't cause any issues after that. The first 2 miles were pretty smooth sailing. I was cruising at about a 9:20 pace. Then I hit mile 3 and with it all those hills that my family had warned me about. Miles 3-4 were a bit of a struggle, but I just kept pushing myself. I kept reminding myself that it was suppose to feel like I was pushing the pace just a little bit (this was a race after all). My pace slowed down considerably during these couple miles. Mile 5 wasn't bad, I got to rest a bit from all those hills but continued to push consistently. Then came mile 6. Mile 6 was not fun, not fun at all. We turned onto a bigger road which was wider and completely open to the wind, which seemed to have picked up since the start. We were running straight into the wind and up a long gradual hill…then it started raining! I am talking about ice cold rain coming down pretty good (remember, it was just snowing an hour ago, so this stuff was cold). My biggest motivation at this point was to get to the finish line so that I could get out of the weather! Finally, I could hear the crowd at the finish line…then we turned a corner and headed into the parking lot…time for me give it anything that I have left! Unbelievably, the family was actually out in this weather to cheer me in - I waved to them as I passed and heard my daughter to cheering for me "Run Mama" how cute! As I crossed the finish line I knew that I had made my goal and it made that last mile worthwhile.

Stats
Race: Valparaiso Turkey Trot
Date: Nov 26, 2009
Distance: 10K
Official Time: 59:04
Average Pace: 9:31
Overall Place: 271/465
Place in Age Group: 17/42

Twin Cities Marathon - Race Report

2009-10-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I watched some finishing footage of the Twin Cities Marathon...and for the first time, I thought "I can do that...I want to do that...I will do that one day" On Sunday, that day finally came.

My strategy was to start out slow. No, I mean really slow. Even slower than I had done my long runs. Why? Because I was afraid of going out to fast and ending with a crash & burn. I had spoken to the pacers at the Expo on Saturday and was told that they were all running even splits. (silly me, I assumed that meant that they would be running even splits...but more on that later) So, I decided to join the 5 hr pace group to get me started. If I felt good at the halfway point, I could bank some time along Minnehaha and the west side of the river before hitting the hard stuff on the east side and up Summit. (that was the plan anyway)

I spent the week before the race obsessing about what I was eating and how my legs were feeling. On Friday I finally felt like my legs were fresh and ready to go. We went to the Expo on Saturday where I got a handful of free samples and new pair of sunglasses that made me look fast (too bad it doesn't really work that way). I would have loved to look around more and maybe do some shopping since there seemed to be some good deals on clothes, but I didn't want to tire out my legs. We had lunch at Cossettas and dinner at Olive Garden - at both meals we could hear nearby tables talking about the upcoming race...and the OG is in the suburbs!

I actually got decent sleep the night before the race, although I woke up every hour from about 1 AM on...which turned out to be a good thing, since I mistakenly set the alarm clock for 4:40 PM!! So, a little after 5:00 I got out of bed/showered/dressed/gathered all my running crap/and headed out to downtown Minneapolis.

I parked a couple blocks from the Dome and as I walking found a $20 bill on the sidewalk - sign of good things to come? Let's hope. I got there, hit the bathrooms, and found my MN Running Wild team to hang out with before the start. It was great having them there, I am sure without them the nerves would have gotten to me.

Once in the corral I found the 5hr pace group and lined up just behind the balloons. I found another runner from the RW forums (well, he found me actually - thanks to my crazy striped arm warmers). Shortly after the race started we began to move toward the start line. I just made sure not to lose the balloons. Apparently it took 6 minutes to cross the start, although at the time I would not have guessed it.

It seemed like we were going awfully fast during the first mile, but for some reason I didn't believe my Garmin when it said we were close to a 10:00 mile (I thought we would be around 11:30). In hindsight, I should have believed both the Garmin and my body telling me that this was not the slow pace that I had planned. We finished out the first mile with an average pace of 10:06 and suddenly the pacer told everyone to move to the side and started walking!! OH, I get it now! They are doing a run/walk...that makes sense now. BUT, I don't want to do a run/walk...just a slow run. So, I continued to run ahead of the group and forced my speed to a slower pace. It is so hard to slow down when you have already gotten into a bit of a groove at a higher speed.

For the next 10 miles I managed to keep the pace between 10:30 - 11:00, and slowed down just a little more between there and mile 15 where I found my family. The trip there was great. The spectators and voluteers were amazing - better than any race I have ever been in (of course, this was the biggest race I have ever run). Running around the lakes was cool, since I have done that so many times in training. I ended up abandoning my vest at Lake of the Isles because it was getting too warm. (so, now I need to buy a new vest). Anyway, just after the 15 mile waterstop I finally saw my family...the kids had signs that said "Run" and "Mama" and apparently had been practicing cheering. It was all so sweet I wanted to stick around for a while longer, but had to move on. Unfortunately, as soon as I started running again my knee locked up on me. I could barely move it. I walked a little ways, stopped and stretched it out, tried to run a bit, stretched some more, more walking, built back up to a run, and finally about a half mile later it was moving normally again. I was so relieved - I thought for a moment there that I was going to have to drop out! But once it stopped hurting, it didn't start again.

I was able to hold a decent pace until I hit mile 21...at which point my pace started steadily dropping and I started walking more and more. I knew I was starting to struggle, and still had a few miles ahead of me, so I started walking the uphills to conserve my energy for the downhills & flats. I mean, I was practically running up the hills at a walking pace at this point anyway! This last 4 miles were harder than I had anticipated - but in a different way. I was at a point where I wasn't really feeling any pain, it was just difficult to make my legs keep moving - but I knew they wouldn't stop until I crossed that finish line.

Finally, I saw the Cathedral. I decided to continue walking to the top of the hill so that I could run it in from there. As I passed under the huge American flag across the road I saw my family cheering from the sidelines.

I did it, I did it! But really, crossing the finish line was somewhat anti-climatic. The sense of accomplishment was tied more to all the training that I had done, that I had actually stuck with the program, I didn't slack off, I pushed through the long runs, and just as the final leg of a long journey...I ran 26.2 miles. Don't get me wrong, it was a blast - one of the most exciting and difficult things that I have done - but it was just a piece of the overall marathon journey.

I have already started to think about what I will do differently for my next marathon (which I am thinking will probably be in 2011): 1) more than one 20 miler 2) slower long runs - for more time on my feet 3) more hill work 4) get faster - 5 hrs is a long time to be running 5) plan for a place to meet the family after the race (my cell phone wasn't getting a signal so I had to wander around looking for them).

For now though - I am planning to focus on more crosstraining (swimming & yoga?) and get some speedwork back into my week - I actually miss doing intervals! Oh, and I still want to try for a new PR in the 10K ...it is the only distance that I haven't PRed this year (I haven't run one in 2009).

Stats
Race: Twin Cities Marathon
Date: Oct 4, 2009
Distance: Marathon
Official Time: 5:04:35
Average Pace: 11:38
Overall Place: 7311/8432
Place in Age Group: 521/629

City of Lakes 25K Race Report

2009-09-21T06:59:00.000-07:00

This race was a little rough, but in a way I am kinda glad. I learned a couple lessons (that I SHOULD have already known).

1) Diet the night before the race really does matter (and Japanese steakhouse is a poor choice for me). I woke up Sunday morning feeling a little sick to my stomach, I think dinner was just a little too greasy (but I LOVE Japanese steakhouse!)

2) If you think you are starting too fast, you probably ARE! Yes, I made this rookie mistake. I was planning on taking it easy and going for anywhere in the range of 10:30-11:00 pace. So, during the first mile when I checked the Garmin and saw that I was at 10:15 what did I do? Yep...I kept up that pace for the next 5 miles!! I guess I figured that my last HM back in May was at 10:30, and I have been working hard since then so maybe I would be ok? Well, anyway after the first 10K my pace started to steadily decline until I was close to 12:00 miles. I was able to kick it up at the end and finished the last .7 mile (per the Garmin) at around 10:30.

So, I am thinking maybe I will start with a pace group for the marathon...just to make sure I don't do this again. If I start with the 5 hour group, that should keep me slow enough early on and I can speed up later on if I feel comfortable...I am thinking Nokomis to the Franklin bridge would be a good area to bank some time if I am feeling strong.

Stats
Race: City of Lakes
Date: Sept 13, 2009
Distance: 25K
Official Time: 2:25:36
Average Pace: 11:06
Overall Place: 289/324 (women only)
Place in Age Group: 32/41

A View of the Finish

2009-08-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went out with some fellow runners that I hooked up with on the Runner's World forums. I had my first (and only scheduled) 20 miler ahead of me. The group was meeting up at the St Paul Cathedral and carpooling over to Lake Calhoun to run the last 20 miles of the Twin Cities Marathon route. Since I am no where close to most of their speeds, me and one other runner decided to meet up at Lake Calhoun about an hour earlier and get a head start on the group.

We started out together until we made it to Lake Harriet, where I stopped off for a minute. We ended up meeting back up around Lake Nokomis and ran together until past Minnehaha Park. Unfortunately, around Nokomis we missed the turn to get back on Minnehaha Parkway and ended up adding about 1.5 miles to our run!

Around mile 15, I was still feeling pretty good and strong, so I decided to pick up the speed a little - the rest of the run I was on my own. I was able to keep up a pretty decent pace for a couple miles and then I hit the hills! Why would anyone put these hills this close to the end of a marathon? I walked up a couple steep hills with the hopes of keeping some energy for the infamous Summit hill.

Finally, I turned onto Summit and started the long gradual climb. The hill here didn't bother me, the worst part was stopping at the stoplights...my legs wanted to either keep going or stop - not this stop and go stuff! It was so hard to take that first step after each time I had to stop. Somewhere along here my Garmin informed me that I hit the 20 mile mark...but the Cathedral was not yet in sight. I think mentally I started to stop here - I was out for a 20 mile run, not 21.5 after all. I felt really good though at the 20 mi mark (well, considering I had just run 20 miles that is) and had maintained an average 11:15 pace, which I was very happy with.

That is about when I hit the point where Summit turns...and gets steep! I did quite a bit of walking up that hill. For some reason I got a stitch in my side (that never happens) but I pushed through until I came over the hill...to a wonderful view!! As you top the hill you pass the St Paul Cathedral, which itself is great sight, and the Capital building is right in front of you with downtown St Paul spread out to the right - it is a great view...but what makes it even better is knowing that the finish line is right in front of the Capital only a few traffic lights ahead (about a quarter mile) and it is downhill from here! I will say right now...this is probably where I will start crying on Marathon Sunday. After 21 miles mostly by myself I got a little emotional...I can just imagine doing that surrounded by lots of other runners and knowing that I was about to finish my first marathon!! ONLY FIVE WEEKS TO GO!!!

I'm gonna blame the rain...

2009-08-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

I woke up to my alarm Sunday morning - same as usual. I knew it was suppose to rain, so I looked outside before I started getting ready...no rain, just a little wet. So, I grabbed a PBJ sandwich which I ate while playing on the internet for a few minutes. I put my running clothes on and started getting all my gear organized. Then I went downstairs to clean up a little bit before heading out and what did I hear? A sudden downpour outside! I went to check it out and during the short time that I was looking out the window I saw three lightning flashes. So...I went back to bed.

I woke up again to the sound of the kids wanting out of their cribs. "Up, up, up. Up, up, up." you get the point. I looked outside and the rain had stopped but it still looked horrible outside. I ate a giant muffin and debated going out for my run...eventually I decided I should just do it! So, I finished getting everything together...my belt, garmin, gels, visor, mp3, chilled water & choc milk for the drive home...and headed out to the lakes. Yeah, I know I said I was going to try to avoid the lakes, but I figured that way I wouldn't end up 9 miles from the car if it started downpouring again.

The run started a little tough. My legs felt heavy and the muffin felt like a brick in my stomach. I headed around Cedar Lake first. Normally I could make it around fine without stopping/walking (it is about 4 miles around) but this time I struggled a little and walked a few times. I stopped back at my car at 4 miles and took my first gel then headed toward Lake Calhoun. By the time I made it about halfway around Calhoun the clouds were pretty much gone and the sun was beating down on me. I thought the threat of rain had passed, so I went on to Lake Harriett. At this point my knee was starting to bother me a bit, but it was kinda off and on. I stopped for a potty break and a gel while at Harriett (around mile 9). I was actually feeling better and thinking that I would actually make it through the run.

Then I started back toward the car again around the other side of Calhoun. Sometime along here the dark grey clouds returned, this time with a whole lot of wind! I was preparing myself for the oncoming deluge. I stopped again for a potty/stretching/water refill break at Calhoun before heading back to Lake of the Isles.

About a half mile around LOTI my stomach suddenly started doing flips and I had to walk. I had two choices...I could hope that this would pass and continue the 2 miles around the lake, or I could turn back and make it the half mile back to the port-o-john...I went with option 2. Afterwards, I turned toward the car (only about a half mile away at this point) and decided to call it a day. I made it 13 miles. Very disappointing.

But, I am gonna blame the rain. If it wasn't for the rain, I wouldn't have gone back to sleep and ended up eating that muffin when I got back up. I also wouldn't have been so miserable in the humidity. Plus, I would have already finished my run by then...instead of being a couple hours later. Yep, it was definately the rain's fault.

So, looking at my schedule...I had a 13 miler planned for next week, followed by a 20 miler on the 29th. I don't want to be too tired for my 20 miler, but I don't want to jump from a 15.5 to a 20 either. I think I am going to attempt the 18 miler next weekend then take it a little easier during the week before my 20 miler to make sure my legs get some rest.

Week 11 - Still In Progress

2009-08-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Recap of the week's training (so far):

Monday - Scheduled rest day - rode the bike at the gym for 5 easy miles.
Tuesday - 5.7 mi easy - I had a little trouble keeping it slow at the beginning, maybe it was all that fast running last week? The first 2 mi were about 10:00 pace and by the end I was struggling to keep the pace under 11:00.
Wednesday - Floater rest day - I was just too tired to get out of bed in the morning. I was exhausted all day long.
Thursday - 8 mi easy - I was still pretty exhausted, though not as bad as yesterday. I felt ok until about 6 miles into the run when my stomach cramped up on me. I had to walk much of the last 2 miles back to the gym. I tried out my new hydration belt today - much better than the previous one, but still something to get used to. I only had 2 bottles on it and it felt kinda heavy. I am thinking for the marathon I will just carry one bottle and the pouch and rely on the water stops for most of my hydration.
Friday - 4 mi easy - I finally felt a little less tired this morning. I ran the 4 miles on the treadmill (cuz I had an early meeting that didn't want to be late for). My legs felt a little tight, but overall pretty uneventful run.

This Sunday I will be attempting to run my first 18 miler! I am a little nervous about it. I am not sure where I will be running...I want to try something different than the Lakes, maybe I will do Summit to prep for the marathon? But then I will have to deal with the Summit hill on my first 18 miler... I think maybe just moving from 15.6 miles to 18 miles will be enough challenge. Also, somewhere with some water would be nice, so that I can only carry one bottle since I am not quite use to the weight of the belt.

Week 10 - A Little Speed

2009-08-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

Recap of last week's training:

Monday - Scheduled rest day - I actually felt pretty good considering I had just run 15.6 miles the day before.

Tuesday - Floater rest day - For some reason, my ankles/shins/calfs decided to tighten up Monday night and were still pretty tight Tuesday morning, so I took my extra rest day (I have an 'extra' floating rest day planned into my week)

Wednesday - 4 mi interval run on the treadmill - I forgot to grab my Garmin, so I decided to hit the treadmill instead of the trail (no, I'm not dependent on the GPS, not at all :) I did a nice relaxed pace with 10 pick-ups of 6.2-6.5 mph. A little speed felt like a nice change.

Thursday - Unscheduled rest day - I woke up with pink eye, called off work, and pretty much just stayed around the house all day.

Friday - ANOTHER Unscheduled rest day - Just didn't manage to get my butt outside to run.

Saturday - Scheduled rest day

Sunday - 11.5 miles at the Lakes - I parked at LOTI and did 2 laps of LOTI, 1 lap of Calhoun, and 1 more lap of LOTI. I left everything but the mp3 and a key at the car and stopped each lap for some water/gel. I was feeling good, so I thought I would pick up the pace for this "shorter" long run of ONLY 11 miles (who thought I would ever say that!) I ended up averaging 10:08 per mile!!! That is WAY faster than I was expecting…plus, I negative split it! My fastest mile was mile 8 @ 9:43. Besides the humidity (I was seriously dripping after the first mile) it was a really great run.

I had a cutback week planned…just wasn't suppose to be cutback quite that much. But, I feel somewhat rested and ready to do some serious training this week.

I treated myself to a new hydration belt…which should be arriving today (hopefully). I went with the Amphipod runlite 4. It probably has more than I need, but I like that it is so flexible. You can take off or add bottles and pouches. You can place them anywhere on the belt. And you can put them either vertical or horizontal. I am hoping I get it today so I can try it out on my 8 miler tomorrow before using it on my first 18 miler this weekend.

Half Done...and Half Done!!

2009-08-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been awhile since I have updated this, huh? I guess I have been spending all my time running and haven't had any time left to blog about it! (or something like that...)

Anyway - this past week I hit 2 big milestones in my 2009 goals...well, halfway that is. I wrapped up week 9 of 18 of my marathon training plan, and I hit 500 miles for the year - halfway to my 1000 mile goal! Yay!!

My long run this weekend was 15.6 miles...my longest yet. I ended up doing 5+ laps around Lake Harriet because I didn't want to have to carry my stuff with me. I briefly stopped at the car each lap to take a drink/gel/whatever. It was nice to not have the belt strapped on me. I have been having issues with my knee still and I was wondering if the belt was throwing off my stride...nope that wasn't it, the knee still bothered me. Also, I have a belt that holds one big bottle (instead of those little fuel belt bottles) and all of my bottles leak - leaving me with a wet bottom! Does anyone have any advice on fuel belts? Do you have one that works well for you? Does it leak? I am thinking of trying out one with the little bottles next time I am at the running store to see how it feels. I really want to have my stuff with me during the marathon and not have to rely on the water stops.

From here on out on the plan I get a pull-back week every other week. Depending on how it goes, I think I may try to do the long run during those shorter weeks at a faster pace (since I am running so many new distances PRs now, I barely even look at the pace...just aim to finish the mileage.

Marathon Training Week One - Complete

2009-06-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

I decided to go with Hal Higdon's Novice 2 training plan for my marathon. I was considering Pfitz, but decided I didn't want to do that many miles for my first marathon...maybe next time :).

Week one went well. It was actually a little easier than some of my weeks lately (I was preparing for Pfitz). That was a nice way to start the training though...I know I can do it.

Monday - Cross training: 6 miles on the bike.
Tuesday - 2.92 miles. I think I overdid it yesterday, my legs felt tired and heavy.
Wednesday - 5.23 miles. Feeling better.
Thursday - 3.17. My heel has been hurting the last couple days, did I step on something?
Friday & Saturday - Rest
Sunday - 8.2 miles. Heel is feeling better. Overall, this was a pretty decent run, just a little chilly (48* when I left the house).

I am excited for week 2...17 weeks to go!

Mississippi 10 Miler

2009-05-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been a good blogger lately...although I have been reading all of yours. I have finally broken down and gotten into facebook so now when I am on the computer I am usually working on my farm or restaurant or doing a job for my mafia.

I have been doing pretty good about increasing my mileage, although it is tough to get out for the weekend long-runs.

Last weekend I ended up running my first 10 mile race. It was the most low key race I have ever run. The start line consisted of a crack in the sidewalk...seriously - I heard the woman on the phone figuring it out right before she announced "Here is the start, line up here." It only cost $15 though and was a decent course with a good group of runners. I could have used a spectator or two at a couple points to push me on, but I still did ok. I managed to run the entire race...not one step of walking and finished with a good average pace. Somewhere around the fourth mile my garmin got off track with the course and I had a little trouble telling exactly how I was doing, so I was happy when I crossed the finish line in exactly 1:43 (I was going for somewhere between 1:40 - 1:45).

Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon Race Report

2009-05-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

This has got to be the most beautiful race I have run yet. The course was great - it wound through the Lake Minnetonka area through a variety of terrain, through neighborhoods, on the side of busier streets, on some country roads, and of course along the lake itself then finished on about a mile of gravel trail. There were a good number of hills, some of which were quite steep, but not too many long ones. It was a nice variety and therefore would be hard to get bored. Add to that the most gorgeous weather we have had all year (50s-60s with a little sunshine for the race) and you get a very enjoyable race.

I decided to try something different for this race...audiobooks! I have used them in the past, but haven't in a while...and not at all since I have actually been able to run for more than an hour. An old friend who happens to runs marathons suggested trying it for my marathon training. I got something from the library loaded it on my Sansa.

Since I wasn't expecting to do all that well, I barely looked at my pace, I just ran what felt comfortable and enjoyed the story and the scenery. Each time my Garmin beeped to tell me I had finished another mile I was surprised...especially when I would see what my pace was for the mile! I took a Hammer gel between 4-5 miles which really helped (I don't think I have used one since my last HM in October) and I wished that I had another one for around mile 10. The last couple miles were a little tough...I really had to push myself not to start walking during the last one. I only walked a few minutes total (to take the gel and fidget with my Sansa...next time, I'll put the whole book in a playlist!)

In the end, not only did I PR (by 11 minutes!!) but I beat my 2009 HM goal by 3 minutes and finished in 2:16:40!!

This morning I am stiff. I tried to run on the treadmill and my legs wouldn't work right. I did a few miles on the bike instead (with no problems). Hopefully tomorrow I can start on that marathon training...

Stats
Race: Wells Fargo Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon
Date: May 3, 2009
Distance: Half Marathon
Official Time: 2:16:40
Average Pace: 10:26
Overall Place: 1403/1754
Place in Age Group: 303/403

Early "Taper" Week

2009-04-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Yeah, that's what I was doing last week...tapering for this weekend's half marathon...just a little early...I wanted to get a head start.

Ok, ok. But I was traveling for a conference and had some trouble getting in miles. I was outside Phoenix where it was in the 90s (my body is definitely not ready for that yet) and the fitness center cost $20 per day!! Does that include my own personal trainer? Do they have solid platinum treadmills? WTH? So, I got in a couple very short runs but that is it.

I have no excuse why I did absolutely no running over the weekend though.

This week, I really don't want to overdo it. I know my body likes a bit of a rest before a race and I have a half marathon on Sunday (my first of the year and second ever). Oh yeah, it will also be my first 13 mile run of the year, and my second double digit run of the year. Yeah, I was hoping to be a little more prepared for this race, but it is a little late to do anything about that now.

I finished my other half with an 11:17 pace (2:27:40) and struggled quite a bit through the last couple miles. Ultimately for the year I would like to finish a HM in 2:20 (10:41 pace). I think for this race I will shoot for an 11:00 pace which would put me somewhere under the 2:25 mark. That is about where I have been running my long runs, so it should be doable. Then, next week I get to start getting more structured with my running and start somewhat of a training plan for the marathon. I think I am starting with a Pfitz 55 mpw plan (which I will try really hard to stick to). I am starting it a couple weeks early, but I figure that way I can have a couple bad weeks here and there and not really get behind in the training.

Weekend Update

2009-04-20T08:07:00.001-07:00

After registering for the Marathon on Friday I was feeling all motivated and confident and was planning a 13 mile long run for the weekend. I really wanted to get in the 13 miler since I am only 2 weeks out from a half marathon, my longest run so far this year has been 10 miles, I was hoping to be more prepared than I was for my half last October, and I don't want to run too long the weekend before (I know that my body likes to be good & rested before a race).

Saturday was to be beautiful weather - in the 70's with a little sun and little wind. Sunday was suppose to be rainy with highs in the 40's. Can you guess which day I planned for my long run?

Saturday came along and I had a good few hours while I was waiting for my cat at the groomers (yes, I get my cat groomed). I got dressed, grabbed my water bottle, headphones, visor, and phone (for the groomer call), and cat. The groomer isn't far away, but I figured it would be a different starting point anyway. I dropped her off and realized that I had forgotten my Garmin! So, I drove back to the house and got the Garmin and headed out from home...leaving my visor and headphones in the car!! Seriously, how forgetful can I be? Well, I was already going so I just hoped it wouldn't be too sunny and tried to get a good running song in my head.

About a mile into my run (while singing "Up on the rooftop, reindeer paws (or is that pause?) Out jumps good ole Santa Claus" WHERE DID THAT SONG COME FROM??) I realized I was having trouble. Often it is a little difficult getting started, but by this point I should be getting into a groove. But...not so much. I felt like I was pushing really hard and was having a little trouble keeping it around 11:00 miles. My legs just felt like they had lead weights strapped on them. I pushed through a while longer and ended up cutting my long run a little short...yeah by about 10 miles!! When I got home I was beat and I had only made it 3.12 miles! Plus my knee felt like I had twisted it a little.

Hmmm, maybe I will try again on Sunday...

Sunday morning I did some shopping with the family while there seemed to be a constant COLD drizzle. I really wanted to get in some more miles, so when we got home I got into my running clothes. I put on a long sleeve top and my tights (they are pretty thin) and a jacket for the rain. I pulled on gloves and a winter hat to keep my head dry. Off I went...and it had stopped raining! Amazingly, it did not rain one drop while I was out for my run! Of course, that meant that I was way overdressed. I took a trail that I haven't been on in a while (since last year) and about a 1.5 miles from home I stopped to strip down. I took off the jacket and tied it around my waist, the gloves hung nicely from the jacket, but what to do with the hat? I was on a wooded bridge, and I decided to just tuck it between two slats of the railing until I come back through.

I was feeling good - but was afraid to go too far from home (in case it started downpouring). So, at mile 3 I turned around and headed back. As I passed over the bridge on my way back through I looked for my hat and it was nowhere to be seen! Who would take a hat they found alongside a trail? Oh well, I guess they needed it more than me (and it was seriously just a cheap couple dollar hat anyway). During mile 5 I realized I was going to cut the run at the 6 mile mark (I was thinking of adding some more mileage on when I got close to home) since my knee was starting to bother me...so I picked up the speed for the last mile...9:11 pace!! I ended up finishing the 6 mile run in almost exactly an hour - pretty cool.

Last night, my knee was killing me. I took the day off today (unplanned) and have taken some Advil which has worked wonders.

I DID IT!!!

2009-04-17T05:37:00.001-07:00

"Thank you for submitting your entry for the October 4, 2009 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon: Marathon."

Ahhhhh!!! I am so Excited! Nervous! Proud! Scared! Only 24 weeks to train!!

Run the Valley 5K Race Report

2009-04-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

I was hoping to run this one with the kids/stroller, but the weather ended up being a bit too cold. I also didn't know which race I was going to run until that morning (5K or 10K), but the cold made that decision for me too.

When I got there I realized I made a bad decision wearing my capris instead of full length running tights. My legs were freezing! Luckily the registration area is indoors so I was able to stay reasonably warm. I had both a fleece vest and a wind-breaker jacket on and took off the jacket just before the start. The crowd looked a little smaller than in previous years (this was my first ever race back in 2005 and my 4th time running it). I wasn't planning on running this one for time, so I lined up around the middle of the pack (this is one of the few non-chip timed races that I run). And we were off!

The only hills on this course are right in the first mile. Normally that drives me crazy because I have just started running again after taking most of the winter off and I get tired out at the beginning of the race. But this year I am much stronger having actually run this past winter and I thought it was nice to get the hills out of the way and not have to worry about them for most of the race.

When we got to the first mile marker I checked the Garmin and saw that I was just over a 9:00 pace...really?? That is faster than my current PR!! And I wasn't even pushing the pace! Right then the plan changed from "take it easy, enjoy the race, don't worry about time" to "I can PR if I keep this up!!" Plus, like I said, the hardest part of the course was over already!

So, I kicked it into a slightly higher gear and hoped I could hang on for the last 2 miles. During mile two I was actually still passing people. There is a water stop right around the 2 mile marker, but I skipped it and just kept going. Throughout mile 3 there was a kid that I kept playing leapfrog with...he would sprint a short distance and pass me, then walk to catch his breath while I passed him. He looked so defeated each time I passed him that I kinda felt bad for him.

I had a little energy left for a bit of a punch at the end and as I came around the corner (the finish line is sort of hidden in a parking lot around the corner) I saw the time...under 28 minutes!! I could barely believe it! I mean, I was originally planning on something closer to 30-31 minutes. Not only did I get a new PR, I also accomplished my 5K goal time for 2009!!

Just for fun, I looked up my times for this race in the past:
2005 - 37:15
2006 - 33:33
2008 - 34:05
2009 - 27:47
Quite the improvement, huh?

As I was sitting on the sidewalk eating my donut and cheering in the later finishers a girl came through with quite the crowd support...she was wearing a shirt that said she was the "Birthday Girl" the announcer said it was her 12th birthday. I thought that was pretty cute!

Stats
Race: Run the Valley
Date: April 4, 2009
Distance: 5K
Official Time: 27:47
Average Pace: 8:57
Overall Place: 62/199
Place in Age Group: 6/32

Where have I been?

2009-04-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

Has it really been over a week since I blogged? Where has the time gone?

Well, last week was a good running week...this week, not so much.

Last week I had 3 easy runs between 2-4 miles each, one interval workout (I really do enjoy the intervals) that was 6.5 miles and a 5K race which I will blog about later (I will post a race report). I missed having a long run, but besides that it was pretty nice.

This week started out on vacation in the Dells - the waterpark capital of the world (or something like that). Amazingly, I actually made it to the treadmill Monday morning and went 2.5 miles, which was all I had time for because the park opened at 9:00 and I needed to get back and in my suit before the rest of the family left me behind. Tuesday I just didn't have the motivation to do it again. Yesterday was my first day back at work and I really wanted to sleep in...so I didn't make it to the gym. This morning I finally made it to the gym, but I was in a hurry again...I had an 8:00 meeting this morning which I didn't want to be late for. So, in order to get more miles into my limited time I upped the speed (logical, right?). Well, when I paused the treadmill at 3.4 miles I realized how dizzy I was getting (that's never happened before) and didn't think it would be smart to continue running like that. I finished out another 0.1 mile to make it an even 3.5 at a slower pace and wasn't feeling any better, so I got off.

So, that puts me right at 6 miles so far for the week! Not looking good. I really have to get a good long run in this weekend. I haven't actually made it into double digits yet this year and I have a half marathon in just about 3 weeks!! I was hoping to be more prepared for it. Only 2 more long run weekends left!

My First Almost 10 Miler of the Year

2009-03-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

I had my first 10 miler of the year scheduled for this past weekend, and I was actually pretty excited about it. The furthest have run recently was 8 miles, which I had no problems with, so I figured 10 would be a nice distance.

Saturday (when I was planning on running) I ended up going out and eating way too much for lunch and missed my chance...so I figured I would just move the run to Sunday - no problems.

Sunday I woke up not feeling good at all - stomach issues and a little light headed. I felt much better after I ate, but still not 100%. However, I was determined to at least attempt the 10 miler. I decided to run close to home in case I needed to cut the run short. I started on my 4-5 mile route and about 2 miles in I noticed that they were done with the continuation of the regional trail (which takes me the first 2 miles of my loop). I was feeling pretty good, so I took the trail. The 'trail' (it is a paved path) ended up taking me to a park about 3.5 miles away from home. Not really knowing where I was (and stuck in a 'no outlet' neighborhood) I turned around and took the trail back to my loop. I took the longer version of the loop and passed my street at the end of mile 8. I wasn't done, although I was really starting to feel tired and beat-up. There is a loop that is just over a mile that I decided to tackle, thinking I would add an extra block to it to get me closer to 10. Well, somewhere along the ninth mile I hit a bit of a wall and just wanted to get home.

I ended up with 9.5 miles...not quite 10 miles, but not too shabby either - especially since I wasn't feeling great to begin with. I was expecting to be pretty sore this morning based on how I felt at the end of the run, but I don't feel too bad. I ran an easy 2 at the gym this morning - I would have gone 3, but I wasn't wearing good shorts...if you know what I mean...

Quick Update

2009-03-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Monday - Easy 2 miles to loosen the muscles after Sunday's race. I also got a little upper body weights done followed by 4.5 miles on the stationary bike.

Tuesday - 6 miles with intervals. I slowed down the speed sections to 6.2 mph and lengthened them to 0.25 miles for 6 repeats. Not exactly fast, but I was still recovering a bit from the race.

Wednesday - 4 easy miles. I wouldn't let myself push the treadmill over 5.6 mph.

My shins sure are looking forward to a rest day tomorrow…they don't like it when I increase mileage. Then Friday I have an easy 3 on the schedule followed by a 10 mile long run sometime this weekend. I just hope the weather turns out okay for a 10 miler! We got a little more snow this morning (nothing too exciting), but it has also dropped 30* in the last 3 days!!

Human Race 8K Race Report

2009-03-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

First of all, we had BEAUTIFUL weather for this race. A little windy, but the temps were about as good as I could wish for in March in Minnesota - right around 60* without too much sun. I went with my new capri-length tights and a thin long sleeve running shirt. It would have been better with short sleeves, but the long sleeves weren't too bad. I had to park a good distance away, and the 'event headquarters' were a good half mile from the start, so I got a decent warm-up before the race just walking to the headquarters and jogging to the start.

This is the only race that I have been too that had 2 different starting mats. Summit Ave is divided where we started, and the fastest men were to start on one side and the fastest women on the other. Everyone else could fill in on either side. Not that it made a difference for me, but I thought this was kinda cool since the women actually got a clear start without the men in the way. I started behind the women.

I stuck to my plan for the first mile...just under 10:00 mile. I felt really good, so I let my body set the pace for the next mile and it turned out to be right around 9:30. This seemed like a good pace, so I changed my goal to maintaining the 9:30ish pace until the end of mile 4. During the 'out' portion of the race we were running into the wind - I was glad because I knew I would be struggling during the second half if it was reversed. I was expecting some pretty bad hills on the course, since Summit Ave is home to the infamous hill during the Twin Cities Marathon, but it really wasn't too bad. Miles 3 and 4 I somehow managed to run almost exactly on my new goal pace of 9:30. The last mile started at the top of nice long gradual hill and I let myself take advantage of it. When I looked down at the Garmin I had to do a double-take because it said my lap pace was 8:19!! Whoa - I still have a ways to go to finish this mile! I continued to push the pace, though without the help of the hill I slowed down of course. I managed to keep the final mile under a 9:00 pace though!

I was surprised, but this was the first race that my Garmin matched the marked course miles pretty much exactly! My final chip time even matched to the second...and for that final time...47:03!!! Almost 7 minutes faster than my previous PR!! Average pace of 9:28 is the same as my current 5K PR pace! Only one minute faster to beat that 2009 goal of a 46:00 8K - my other 8K is tentatively planned for early June.

Stats
Race: Human Race
Date: March 22, 2009
Distance: 8K
Official Time: 47:03
Average Pace: 9:28
Overall Place: 714/984
Place in Age Group: 37/76

3 miles, 3 miles, 3 miles

2009-03-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

It has been a rather slow training week for me. I did 3 slow miles Monday as recovery after my 8 mile long run on Sunday. Then, my calves were hurting Tuesday morning (weird, since they didn't hurt Sunday/Monday) so I took the day off. Wednesday I did some slow speed intervals, but once again only made it 3 miles. Thursday I attempted hills...made it 2 miles before I decided to get off and do some weights instead. I did run a fast mile afterward though, bring the daily total to 3 miles. This morning I was just too tired to make it to the gym. Tomorrow is scheduled rest day so that I am fresh for my race on Sunday. So, overall a pretty low mileage week for me.

Now about that 8K this weekend...

They said on the news the other day that it was suppose to rain in the afternoon! (my race is at 1:20) I still plan to go if it is raining, assuming it isn't too crazy/cold that is. BUT the family was actually thinking of coming, and they won't be there in the rain. I guess I will keep my fingers crossed until the race.

Looking at the map, it is an out & back up Summit Ave (the same road the Twin Cities Marathon goes up to finish). I am not sure exactly where the "Summit Ave Hill" is that the marathoners talk about, but I am assuming it will be uphill for the "out" and downhill for the "back".

Being the first race of the season, I really don't know what to expect time-wise. My main goal is to finish in under 50 minutes, which would be a 10:04 pace, but of course I am hoping for better. My plan is to start out keeping the pace just under 10 minutes and see how it goes. Hopefully after the first couple miles I will be comfortable enough to kick up the speed a little more.

Finally Thawing Out

2009-03-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

We finally had a warm-up in the Twin Cities! I don't know what the high was yesterday, but when I was driving home from my run at about 3:30 my car said it was 57*!! It has been such a long cold winter that I just HAD to get out this weekend and run. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one who thought that.

I didn't want to run the neighborhood again, but I didn't really have time to plan a route, so I figured I'd just go down to the Lakes…bad idea. I have never seen that many people there! And of course, most of them were wanderers who don't understand the ettiquette of the running paths - you all know them, they walk across the whole path, randomly change direction, come to a dead stop whenever and where ever they please. I still had a nice run though…nothing could ruin the great weather yesterday…not even having to walk/stop/dodge people for 8 miles.

This morning I took it easy for 3 miles on the treadmill.

Start of Racing Season

2009-03-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

I officially signed up for 2 races this week...racing season is almost here!

I am currently registered for the Human Race 8K on March 22 and the Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon on May 3rd. Now I need to get down to some serious long runs to prepare for the half marathon. My first (and so far only) half marathon went well up through mile 10 - then got pretty tough for the last 3 miles. I want to be able to confidently conquer the full 13.1 miles this time. Besides, that would set me up nicely for marathon training which will be starting right after the half.

This week's running has been going well. I did 4.65 miles of intervals on Tuesday with an average pace of under 10 minutes (ready to see that 8K PR get smashed?) Then on Wednesday I had a little bit of a tough time with 3.5 easy miles (I guess that means I got a good workout in on Tuesday :) ). Today was a longish easy run of 5.6 miles. Tomorrow is a rest day. Then, I am hoping to get outside for a good long run on Saturday - shooting for 8 miles - it is suppose to get into the 40s! I will keep my fingers crossed until then...

Back to the Real World

2009-03-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

Well, the weather in Florida was beautiful. But I did a horrible job getting out to run (or even on the treadmill for that matter). Back to the real world, back to work, back to the cold dreary weather, and back to my running schedule. I am only looking forward to one of those things.

I realized yesterday that my next planned race is in only 2 weeks! I hadn't really been paying too much attention, but I just registered this morning, and the Human Race 8K will be here before I know it. Time to start thinking about my goals…I ultimately want to cut my 8K PR down by 8 minutes this year (yes, I know that sounds huge, but this PR is not in line with my others already, so the first couple minutes should be easy.

Blog Slacker...but at least I have been running!

2009-02-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

It has been so crazy at work the past couple months - I am an accountant that has so much year-end stuff to deal with that it takes at least 2 months! Since I typically blog from work, that means that I haven't had much time to write anything. Well, the end of the tunnel is near…just a couple more weeks and I will be able to breath again.

I have been keeping up with reading all of my favorite blogs though…and have even managed to post a comment here and there.

I also have managed to keep up my running (although I honestly don't know how). I am really starting to look forward to warmer weather and earlier sunrises to get me off that treadmill! I have gotten outside a couple times in the last few weeks, but it is just still so cold. I was hoping to be able to move my long runs outside over the next couple weeks, but I can't stay outside for more than 3-4 miles, and that isn't a very long run.

Next week I will be in Florida! For a work-related turned family vacation trip (first part of the week is work, followed by a long weekend of family fun). Wish me luck on getting in some warm outdoor runs!

Hard Workout Today...in a good way

2009-02-09T07:28:00.000-08:00

I didn't get out to run at all this weekend, and that bothers me. I mean, it was finally kinda nice outside (well, it was likely pretty slick with the melting snow/ice everywhere) and I didn't get to enjoy it. Oh well, sometimes running isn't the most important thing in life.

However, I took it out on the treadmill this morning. I did a reasonably long run of six miles AND included some pretty good bursts of speed and ended up averaging too fast of a pace to really call it a true "long run" - it was more of a long fartlek workout. It felt pretty good though to push hard and still make it that far. I will definitely be taking it easy tomorrow...maybe a couple miles followed by a short swim?

Running on Empty

2009-02-06T07:12:00.000-08:00

A little advice: If you wake up with your stomach growling, eat something before trying to run. I used to be good about eating something small before heading out for my run, but lately I have been slacking. I just haven't really been hungry that early in the morning. This morning I was. Yet, I still didn't eat anything. I went to the gym with plans to run a couple mile warm-up and then hop in the pool for some laps (I haven't been in the pool in a few months). The 'warm-up' about kicked my butt. I felt like I was struggling a little bit just to go 20 minutes. I still went to the pool and got in a few laps though.

This lesson has really helped me to understand the importance to fueling. No fuel = no energy = tough run!

Out of Town Running

2009-02-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

I spent the weekend in Chicago visiting a friend. I wasn't expecting to get out for a run, but of course I took some gear just in case! Well, it turns out I did make it out - and the weather was beautiful...much warmer than it has been, and the Windy City wasn't even that windy. My friend lives right near Lincoln Park Zoo, which is literally on the shore of Lake Michigan. I walked about 3-4 blocks total before I made it to the lakeshore. Looking toward the lake, it was a gorgeous view - a few yards of snow with the light waves of the lake just beyond. One thing that is nice about a lake the size of Lake Michigan (as opposed to the Minnesota lakes I usually run around) is that you can't see the other side...it might as well be the ocean, the water goes right to the horizon. It would have been a perfect run, if the smell of exhaust didn't keep reminding me that I was literally running alongside a highway! It wasn't a very long run either, just about 2.5 miles (Oh yeah, I forgot to grab my Garmin too) because I only had a pair of retired running shoes with me that I had brought as comfortable walking shoes. Oh well, it was still a nice (and unexpected) run. Plus, I do enjoy seeing some new running scenery.

Running in Circles

2009-01-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

I finally made it down to the Metrodome for "Dome Running". In case you are thinking…huh?...Dome running is put on by a local running group (mdra) in the Metrodome (where the Twins & Vikings play). You run circles in the hallway circling the dome. It works out to about 2.5 laps per mile, so much better than the indoor track at the gym! There is a fast lane on the inside which is for 7:00mpm or faster and an outer lane for everyone else (like me). It was much busier than I had expected. There had to be a couple hundred people there. But the 'track' wasn't bad at all. Everyone there was a runner, so they knew to keep to the outside when going slow and pass on the left and don't take up the whole hallway running 5 abreast etc.

It was so nice to get off the treadmill, although the scenery there gets old pretty quickly too…and it could use a hill :)

I was planning on doing about 6.5 miles, which would have been 16 laps. I have only recently started having a long run again (since Oct) so I had only done one run that was about 6.5 miles but that run was also on the treadmill. Once I started running and got into my groove, I was feeling good and figured I might as well make it an even number and did 20 laps instead of 16. I checked the chart (they have a couple around so you can easily convert laps to miles) and 20 laps is 7.91 miles. Also, although I felt like I was going pretty easily it turned out I was actually going at about a 10:30 pace!

As soon as I stopped, I realized I should have stopped a couple laps sooner. My legs are still a bit sore today, but I am sure they will be fine by tomorrow. Isn't it weird that sometimes you don't even realize that you are sore until you stop running? Or is that just me?

Challenge Isolation Indoor Track Meet 2009 Race Report

2009-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Once again I was impressed by the welcome I received from the other runners. This was my first track event ever. It was a pretty small group (at least compared to what I am used to at 5K events etc). There were enough people for 1-3 heats of each event. When I first entered the track I was wondering what I had gotten myself into...there were a number of people warming up that appeared to be WAY beyond my skills, and they were ALL men. Some of them were older gentlemen who had probably been running & racing forever (at least that was my initial impression). Then there was the group of guys who ran together in college a couple years ago. Well, I sucked up and went over to sign-up for my event. Immediately, I started to feel welcomed. People were asking what my 'specialty' was etc. Anyway, by the time I got signed in and started warming up, a couple other females showed up - including a couple young girls.

The first event was the 3000m run. I watched and cheered on the runners. Several other runners told me what to expect as we watched.

Next was the 1 mile...my event. The organizer asked if everyone had participated in track events before...nope, this is my first. He actually got excited and told me the rules etc. Then the race started. I took off on my first lap and when I came around I realized I was WAY ahead of my planned pace (uh-oh, usually not a good thing!) I slowed it down a little and fell into a pace that I thought I could maintain for another 7 laps. After about my third lap I realized just how dry my mouth was getting - WOW, they weren't kidding about that dry air in here! As I came around to finish my last lap and saw that the clock was right around 8 minutes, I about fell over from shock. I tried to sprint to the finish, but I had left everything on the track and could barely speed up at that point.

As soon as I stopped, I realized how bad my throat/lungs were burning - from the dry air. I had to go to the bathroom and thought I was going to puke because I was coughing so hard.

Overall, I cannot believe I actually ran that fast! My time was faster than my wildest dreams! I was actually dreaming for a 8:30 finish and...finished in 8:08.9!!

I stuck around for a couple more events before I had to leave to get to work.

One 2009 goal down...ran a 1 mile race.

Stats
Race: Challenge Isolation Indoor Track Meet
Date: January 18, 2009
Distance: 1 mile
Official Time: 8:08.9
Overall Place: ?/??
Place in Age Group: 1/1

First Race of the Year...Coming Soon

2009-01-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

I have officially signed up to run the 1 mile at an indoor track event this Sunday. By looking at the previous times, it will likely be my first DLF - but I am surprisingly ok with that. It is a rather small event (there were only maybe 10 people in each of the previous 1 mile races (2-3 heats). There are other distances too: 200m, 400m, 800m, 3000m, and a race-walking event. Depending on how the races are scheduled (order) I may decide to try out the 400m or 800m event too, we will see.

Today's run was a little harder than expected (though I am really not that surprised). It was just a 4 mile easy run, but it didn't feel all that easy. I am sure it is because of the hard workout I got yesterday with the 6.5 miles of speedwork. Therefore, I think tomorrow will be cross training day. That gives me Friday for another easy run day and then a rest day on Saturday before the race.

Life in the Frozen Tundra

2009-01-13T10:37:00.001-08:00

It is SOO flippin cold this week! I woke up to -14 degrees this morning. A few hours later it had dropped down to -20 (that was the temperature!) with the windchill it was -35!! So…I went to the gym again this morning. I can’t believe people actually run outside in this!

I missed a few days (ok, a week) of blogging, so here is the running update:

Tuesday – 3 mi w/speed intervals (4 x 0.1 @ 7.9 mph), Way too hot. I learned not to wear pants to the gym…the dirty shorts would have been better.
Wednesday – rest
Thursday – 3.6 mi w/hills
Friday – 2.1 easy miles
Saturday – rest
Sunday – unplanned rest

Monday – overslept (more unplanned rest)
Tuesday (today) – 5.5 mi w/speed intervals plus ‘fast mile’

I felt like such a slacker for going 3 days in a row without a run, that I really pushed today. It was suppose to be an easy run, but I got bored and started doing intervals. I did 4 or 5 (I lost count) 0.1 mi intervals at 7.5 (that’s 8:00 mpm!) with random rest periods between. I was more concerned about getting some distance in today though, so I made sure I have plenty of rest in between the intervals. The next thing I knew, I was about to hit 1 hour (the TM cuts off at 60 min) so I finished the first 5.5 mi in just under an hour. I got off the TM to refill my water bottle and decided to do one more mile…as fast as I could…I can’t believe I actually did it in under 9 minutes!! (8:49 to be exact) And that was after an hour of running! I believe that is officially my fastest unofficial mile time ever! Hopefully I can do that again this Sunday at my first ever indoor race.

Monday's Resolutions...

2009-01-05T15:09:00.000-08:00

Apparently, resolutions start on Monday. It hadn't picked up at the gym yet, which I found a little odd...until I got there this morning! Oh well, it will only last a month or two. Really, I am not complaining though - I honestly hope everyone would stick to it. Anyway - 3.5 easy miles this morning.

I got a good workout in yesterday. It was pretty slow at the gym, so I did kind-of a circuit workout with push-ups, pull-ups, abs, and treadmill. My first time on the treadmill I just did an easy mile (warm-up). The second I did some hills. I haven't done hills on the treadmill before, but I was trying something new. I typically run at 0.5 elevation, so I increased to 3.0 and slowly decreased back down to 0.5 over a quarter mile. I did that twice during the mile distance. The third (and last) time on the treadmill I did an easy 2 miles to finish at 4 miles for the day. It was nice to break it up a bit, and I will surely be adding the hills workout to my runs now.

Gotta get off the treadmill

2009-01-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

I really need a good long run. The longest I have run lately has been in the 5 mile range. I did 5.5 this morning, and while I was glad to have actually gone that far, doing it on the treadmill really isn't that satisfying. The thing that bothers me the most isn't the boredom...I have plenty of TVs to stare at, one of them with videos - and the sound that goes along with that one so I have music too. The thing that bothers me the most is the constant speed. Yes, when I run outside I run an average of X.X mph...but the entire run isn't at that speed! I try to adjust the speed up and down every half mile or so to give my muscles a little variation, but it just isn't the same.

There is an indoor track at the gym too - which I am planning on trying for the first time soon for speedwork - but I can't see going around the track 50+ times just for a midlength run (it is 12 laps per mile). I foresee shin pain from all the turning!

I actually made it outside for a couple runs over the Christmas holiday...then it got super icy around here! I have a fear of running on actual ice...it's not worth hurting myself. I think the ice seems to be getting better - so maybe I can give it a try again. But still, the cold prevents me from being outside for more than the hour I would need for a long run. (hmmm, maybe I just need to get faster?)

Maybe I can make to the Metrodome to give Dome Running a try? I just wonder if I can bring the kiddos...I don't know how tight the running area is, or how crowded it gets. I don't think it will happen if I can't bring the stroller along. **UPDATE - I contacted the MDRA and strollers are not allowed at Dome running...I guess that option is out**

Anyway...decent 5.5 mile run this morning on the treadmill...

Legs so sore...

2008-12-31T10:42:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-30T08:49:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-12-26T08:31:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-12-22T07:58:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-03T05:56:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-10-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-10-20T11:55:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-10-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

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"

2008-09-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-09-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

"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

2008-09-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-09-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-08-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-08-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

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 :(

2008-08-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-11T05:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-08T05:02:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-08-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-05T05:42:00.001-07:00

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**

2008-07-31T06:13:00.001-07:00

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!

2008-07-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-23T11:51:00.001-07:00

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"

2008-07-18T08:30:00.001-07:00

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

Return to the Lakes

2008-07-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-08T08:00:00.001-07:00

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

2008-07-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-25T06:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-18T06:15:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-06-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-09T07:40:00.001-07:00

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

2008-06-03T06:14:00.001-07:00

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

2008-06-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-05-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

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!!