Saturday, 03/31
Time: 1:02:12
Distance: 5.31 mi.
Pace: 11:32 m/mi
Time of Day: 7 a.m.
Weather: 52°F.
Oh man, it was a beautiful morning to run. It was cool, the sun was just coming up, the sky had nary a cloud.
I had emailed The Coach earlier in the week asking if it would be ok if I texted her after my runs. I was stuck on running 3-4 miles and needed some accountability. She, of course said yes, but suggested I start writing down my runs here in this blog again. She also suggested I write on my training schedule next to each day's workout how I did. Both excellent suggestions which I have started doing. Then she ended her reply with, "Get out of your HEAD! You can run more than 4 miles. Just do it!" Hence, my 5.31 mile run today. Truly, I love her tough love!!
Sunday, 04/01
Time: 17:47
Distance: 1.6 mi.
Pace: 11:06 m/mi
Time of Day: 10:30 a.m.
Weather: 72°F.
Just a short run today. It was sunny and no breeze. I ran on the school track while The Love walked.
Showing posts with label Headtalk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Headtalk. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Sunday, August 28, 2011
A Fabulous Run!
Time: 1:29:44
Distance: 7.0 mi.
Pace: 12:49 m/mi
Time of Day: 6:57 a.m.
Weather: 65°F.
Today's run was awesome! The weather was great. Oh how I love even slightly cooler weather. I am just not a hot weather runner. But today, the temperature was in the 60's, the sky was bright blue, a light wind. Absolutely perfect conditions for a run. And run I did. I was scheduled for 6 miles but I felt great and decided to try a variation on my neighborhood 6-mile route. I didn't realize that little detour would add an extra mile to the route. But it was a great variation and I ran the complete route. I don't ever remember running longer than I was scheduled to. This was an accomplishment in a couple of ways.
First, I can physically run more distance than I thought I could. Second, I can run longer & further than I thought I could. I am a very emotional (Is that the right way to say it?) runner. The Coach frequently reminds me to "get out of my head and just run". So to run farther than the training schedule says is a big deal for me. I have to remember how great today's run felt and use it as a springboard for better running.
Distance: 7.0 mi.
Pace: 12:49 m/mi
Time of Day: 6:57 a.m.
Weather: 65°F.
Today's run was awesome! The weather was great. Oh how I love even slightly cooler weather. I am just not a hot weather runner. But today, the temperature was in the 60's, the sky was bright blue, a light wind. Absolutely perfect conditions for a run. And run I did. I was scheduled for 6 miles but I felt great and decided to try a variation on my neighborhood 6-mile route. I didn't realize that little detour would add an extra mile to the route. But it was a great variation and I ran the complete route. I don't ever remember running longer than I was scheduled to. This was an accomplishment in a couple of ways.
First, I can physically run more distance than I thought I could. Second, I can run longer & further than I thought I could. I am a very emotional (Is that the right way to say it?) runner. The Coach frequently reminds me to "get out of my head and just run". So to run farther than the training schedule says is a big deal for me. I have to remember how great today's run felt and use it as a springboard for better running.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Christmas in September
Distance: 3.04 mi.
Time: 36:44 min.
Pace: 12:05 m/mi.
Time of Day: 6:45 a.m.
Weather: 60°F, cloudy, cool, overcast
There I was pounding the pavement, planning future sewing projects, not really listening to the music playing in the background. Here is what went through my mind.
"What song is this? I don't recognize it. Oh, I guess it must be an Il Divo song. Hmm, the voice sounds a little shaky for Il Divo but I guess it must be. (pause & listen) A Christmas song? How did that get on my playlist? Oh, it's the choir at Bev's church. It's kinda nice actually. Reminds of the glory of God. (pause & listen to the song) Yeah, kinda nice, but definitely not a running tempo. Need to remove from the list."
Time: 36:44 min.
Pace: 12:05 m/mi.
Time of Day: 6:45 a.m.
Weather: 60°F, cloudy, cool, overcast
There I was pounding the pavement, planning future sewing projects, not really listening to the music playing in the background. Here is what went through my mind.
"What song is this? I don't recognize it. Oh, I guess it must be an Il Divo song. Hmm, the voice sounds a little shaky for Il Divo but I guess it must be. (pause & listen) A Christmas song? How did that get on my playlist? Oh, it's the choir at Bev's church. It's kinda nice actually. Reminds of the glory of God. (pause & listen to the song) Yeah, kinda nice, but definitely not a running tempo. Need to remove from the list."
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Holiday Weekend Recep
Monday, Labor Day
Distance: 1.57 miles
Time: 19:54 min.
Pace: 12:41 m/mi.
Time of day: 8:30 a.m.
Weather: 65°F, sunny, warm, breezy
I had a weird morning and all before 8:30 a.m. I didn't sleep well, maybe 3 hours max. I had to get up early to go donate platelets at my local Red Cross at 7:30 a.m. Yep, that's right. Seven-thirty a.m. on a holiday! I am a regular blood donor but this would have been my 1st time to donate platelets; not that I hadn't tried before. I used to be anemic and get deferred. I've corrected that issue and I was pretty excited that the Red Cross had called me yet again to donate platelets. Unfortunately, the Red Cross scheduling office made an error and, "Oops, I'm sorry. We don't need your platelets at this time. But we appreciate you coming out so here's a coffee mug." What?? I was back home by 8 a.m. and desperately needing a run to help my mood.
I hit the road sans music, off to just enjoy the run and soak up the sunshine. For once I didn't care about my pace or how many miles I needed to log. I just ran. It would have been totally awesome if I had remembered to pee before I hit the trail!
Sunday - rest
Distance: 1.57 miles
Time: 19:54 min.
Pace: 12:41 m/mi.
Time of day: 8:30 a.m.
Weather: 65°F, sunny, warm, breezy
I had a weird morning and all before 8:30 a.m. I didn't sleep well, maybe 3 hours max. I had to get up early to go donate platelets at my local Red Cross at 7:30 a.m. Yep, that's right. Seven-thirty a.m. on a holiday! I am a regular blood donor but this would have been my 1st time to donate platelets; not that I hadn't tried before. I used to be anemic and get deferred. I've corrected that issue and I was pretty excited that the Red Cross had called me yet again to donate platelets. Unfortunately, the Red Cross scheduling office made an error and, "Oops, I'm sorry. We don't need your platelets at this time. But we appreciate you coming out so here's a coffee mug." What?? I was back home by 8 a.m. and desperately needing a run to help my mood.
I hit the road sans music, off to just enjoy the run and soak up the sunshine. For once I didn't care about my pace or how many miles I needed to log. I just ran. It would have been totally awesome if I had remembered to pee before I hit the trail!
Sunday - rest
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
A Look Back at Summer Running
Distance: 3.05 mi.
Time: 37:10 min.
Pace: 12:11 (m/mi)
Time of Day: 6:15 a.m.
Weather: 72°F, warmer & more humid
First before I look back at my stats over the last 3 or months—I hit my 10 min. mark at .82 mi. again today! I wasn't sure I would make it because it was pretty humid and I was having trouble early on. But I pushed myself and I made it!
So here's what I did over the last few months.
May
Distance: 83:57 mi.
Duration: 18:25:17
Avg Pace: 13:14 (m/mi)
Pretty good considering I ran my first half-marathon in April.
June
Distance: 34:07 mi.
Duration: 7:05:43
Avg Pace: 12:30 (m/mi.)
Wow! I really increased my pace but my total mileage is way down. A sign of the heat that was settling in.
July
Distance: 62:47 mi.
Duration: 13:40:04
Avg Pace: 13:06 (m/mi)
A little slower pace but better consistency and total mileage. Most of the miles were logged before the 20th.
August
Distance: 34.96 mi.
Duration: 7:17:38
Avg Pace: 12:31 (m/mi)
I ran only 6 days before the 20th. It was hot, humid & miserable. I just gave up.
Here is what I think I learned from my first summer of running. Consistency is important. I learned that running several times a week, even if only a short distance, is much better physically and psychologically for me. I need the routine in my life and the daily dose of sunshine & being out-of-doors.
Better to run shorter distances more frequently than longer distances once in a while. When it is hot & humid I need to shorten my time and distance. Again, several short runs vs. one long run in a week is more beneficial.
Just to remind myself, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported this morning that this summer is going down in the books as the 4th hottest summer on record. There weren't any individual daily records set, but the consistency of 90°+ days and 70°+ nights is what made it so hot. I really am not crazy-it was hot, humid & miserable.
Time: 37:10 min.
Pace: 12:11 (m/mi)
Time of Day: 6:15 a.m.
Weather: 72°F, warmer & more humid
First before I look back at my stats over the last 3 or months—I hit my 10 min. mark at .82 mi. again today! I wasn't sure I would make it because it was pretty humid and I was having trouble early on. But I pushed myself and I made it!
So here's what I did over the last few months.
May
Distance: 83:57 mi.
Duration: 18:25:17
Avg Pace: 13:14 (m/mi)
Pretty good considering I ran my first half-marathon in April.
June
Distance: 34:07 mi.
Duration: 7:05:43
Avg Pace: 12:30 (m/mi.)
Wow! I really increased my pace but my total mileage is way down. A sign of the heat that was settling in.
July
Distance: 62:47 mi.
Duration: 13:40:04
Avg Pace: 13:06 (m/mi)
A little slower pace but better consistency and total mileage. Most of the miles were logged before the 20th.
August
Distance: 34.96 mi.
Duration: 7:17:38
Avg Pace: 12:31 (m/mi)
I ran only 6 days before the 20th. It was hot, humid & miserable. I just gave up.
Here is what I think I learned from my first summer of running. Consistency is important. I learned that running several times a week, even if only a short distance, is much better physically and psychologically for me. I need the routine in my life and the daily dose of sunshine & being out-of-doors.
Better to run shorter distances more frequently than longer distances once in a while. When it is hot & humid I need to shorten my time and distance. Again, several short runs vs. one long run in a week is more beneficial.
Just to remind myself, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported this morning that this summer is going down in the books as the 4th hottest summer on record. There weren't any individual daily records set, but the consistency of 90°+ days and 70°+ nights is what made it so hot. I really am not crazy-it was hot, humid & miserable.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Personal PR
Distance: 2:03 mi.
Time: 26:38 min.
Pace: 12:08 (m/mi)
Time of day: 6:19 a.m.
Weather: 71°F, humid, overcast
So this is a little thing, but I need all the kudos I can get right now.
My running app is set to announce time, distance & pace every 10 min. I have been trying all summer to break .8 mi. in the first 10 minutes and just haven't done it. Until today that is!!! I made .82 mi. in my first 10 minutes. Woo-hoo for me!!
I also ran this morning when I didn't really feel like it. I was hot all night and woke with a minor headache. It would have been really easy to just sit at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and avoid the effort and the sweat of running. I also would have missed that PR (above) and the great feeling it gave me. And, at the end of my run my headache was gone and I was feeling much better. Yeah me!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Restart
Distance: 2.21 mi.
Time: 25:55 min.
Pace: 11:45 (m/mi.)
Time of day: 6 a.m.
Weather: 65°F, less humidity, nice breeze--a great morning to run!
I printed off the original running plan from January of this year. In the first 3 weeks I run a maximum distance of 3 miles. That sounds so good to me. I'm not sure why, but I need the security of a written plan telling me it's o.k. to only run 3 miles. I let out a big sigh of relief as I put the schedule on the fridge.
I also decided to not run the Lewis & Clark half marathon in October. I heard about a 5k run on 09/26 that benefits ovarian cancer and I'm going to participate in that. I have long had a small nagging voice inside urging me to be involved in ovarian cancer efforts. I have a direct connection to the disease; my mother died of it about 25 years ago. I will be running a more manageable distance plus helping out a worthy cause.
Time: 25:55 min.
Pace: 11:45 (m/mi.)
Time of day: 6 a.m.
Weather: 65°F, less humidity, nice breeze--a great morning to run!
I printed off the original running plan from January of this year. In the first 3 weeks I run a maximum distance of 3 miles. That sounds so good to me. I'm not sure why, but I need the security of a written plan telling me it's o.k. to only run 3 miles. I let out a big sigh of relief as I put the schedule on the fridge.
I also decided to not run the Lewis & Clark half marathon in October. I heard about a 5k run on 09/26 that benefits ovarian cancer and I'm going to participate in that. I have long had a small nagging voice inside urging me to be involved in ovarian cancer efforts. I have a direct connection to the disease; my mother died of it about 25 years ago. I will be running a more manageable distance plus helping out a worthy cause.
Time To Push The Restart Button
Saturday, 08/21/10
Distance: 2.75 mi.
Time: 36.22 min.
Pace: 13:13 (m/mi)
Time of day: 7:50 a.m.
Weather: 70°F, cloudy, rainy, humid
My goal was to run 4 mi. today but I didn't. I managed to get in the 2.75 miles before I just gave up and walked home. Between the lack of consistent running and the humidity and the polish chipping on my toe nails and the scratch on my arm--well I just gave up. But I did some thinking as I power walked home. And I decided I would go back and start again. I would print off the first training schedule Coach Jeni provided me and rebuild my base and quit worrying about performance.
Distance: 2.75 mi.
Time: 36.22 min.
Pace: 13:13 (m/mi)
Time of day: 7:50 a.m.
Weather: 70°F, cloudy, rainy, humid
My goal was to run 4 mi. today but I didn't. I managed to get in the 2.75 miles before I just gave up and walked home. Between the lack of consistent running and the humidity and the polish chipping on my toe nails and the scratch on my arm--well I just gave up. But I did some thinking as I power walked home. And I decided I would go back and start again. I would print off the first training schedule Coach Jeni provided me and rebuild my base and quit worrying about performance.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Sweat? What Sweat?
Distance: 3.24 mi.
Time: 39:53 min.
Pace: 12:19 min/mi.
Time of day: 6:15 a.m.
Weather: 61°F, lower humidity, slight breeze
It was so awesome to get out and run this morning! The cooler temps, lower humidity, and a slight breeze made it delightful. I was a little concerned that this second morning out, after 10 days off, would be tough. But, it felt great!
I have mixed feelings about not running the last 10 days. It was very hot and humid-hence the Excessive Heat Warnings issued by the weather service. My philosophy is that I run to feel good, not kill myself. And the reality of the situation was that running in the recent hot weather was dangerous. But, I have this little part of me that never wants to give up or give in. Sometimes that gets me into trouble. However, I think I am getting better at balancing both aspects of my personality. At least I am working on getting better.
Time: 39:53 min.
Pace: 12:19 min/mi.
Time of day: 6:15 a.m.
Weather: 61°F, lower humidity, slight breeze
It was so awesome to get out and run this morning! The cooler temps, lower humidity, and a slight breeze made it delightful. I was a little concerned that this second morning out, after 10 days off, would be tough. But, it felt great!
I have mixed feelings about not running the last 10 days. It was very hot and humid-hence the Excessive Heat Warnings issued by the weather service. My philosophy is that I run to feel good, not kill myself. And the reality of the situation was that running in the recent hot weather was dangerous. But, I have this little part of me that never wants to give up or give in. Sometimes that gets me into trouble. However, I think I am getting better at balancing both aspects of my personality. At least I am working on getting better.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
A New Goal and A New Training Schedule
Time: 38:19 min.
Distance: 3.09 mi.
Time of day: 6:50 a.m.
Pace: 12:24 m/mi.
Temperature: 76°F. Humid, overcast, getting ready to rain. (In fact, it started pouring down rain as we closed the garage door after running.)
I have decided to run the Lewis & Clark Half Marathon on 10/3/10. And, with that race now on my calendar, I worked out a training schedule yesterday. Because I am still a beginner runner (as Coach Jeni occasionally has to remind me) I had her review my schedule and make appropriate changes.
So my actual goal is to finish this half marathon around 2h 45m. That will shave about 10 min. off my Go!St. Louis race time. Coupled with the warm weather and the need for speed, I have my work cut out for me.
So where did this decision come from?
In the goody bag from the Go!St. Louis race was a postcard about the Lewis & Clark race. I had laid it on my workstation back in April as a reminder that maybe I would want to run in the race. I was cleaning off my workstation last week and picked it up. "Hmmm," I thought. I mentioned the possibility to Coach Jeni and she thought it was a great idea—an early fall race would be a great reason to keep running all summer.
Yesterday I was going through a stack of CDs & DVDs I had accumulated around my computer and found one I had received back in January when I bought my running shoes. It was a program that originally aired on PBS about training for and running the GO!St. Louis Marathon. The program follows 3 or 4 runners training for the half and the marathon. It was so inspirational! It brought tears to my eyes a couple of times. It reminded me why I started running in the first place and how good I feel when I run consistently.
So that did it. I immediately worked on the training schedule and sent it off to Coach Jeni. It officially starts Monday, 06/21, but I got back out there today and will run again Saturday and Sunday. I'm so excited!
Distance: 3.09 mi.
Time of day: 6:50 a.m.
Pace: 12:24 m/mi.
Temperature: 76°F. Humid, overcast, getting ready to rain. (In fact, it started pouring down rain as we closed the garage door after running.)
I have decided to run the Lewis & Clark Half Marathon on 10/3/10. And, with that race now on my calendar, I worked out a training schedule yesterday. Because I am still a beginner runner (as Coach Jeni occasionally has to remind me) I had her review my schedule and make appropriate changes.
So my actual goal is to finish this half marathon around 2h 45m. That will shave about 10 min. off my Go!St. Louis race time. Coupled with the warm weather and the need for speed, I have my work cut out for me.
So where did this decision come from?
In the goody bag from the Go!St. Louis race was a postcard about the Lewis & Clark race. I had laid it on my workstation back in April as a reminder that maybe I would want to run in the race. I was cleaning off my workstation last week and picked it up. "Hmmm," I thought. I mentioned the possibility to Coach Jeni and she thought it was a great idea—an early fall race would be a great reason to keep running all summer.
Yesterday I was going through a stack of CDs & DVDs I had accumulated around my computer and found one I had received back in January when I bought my running shoes. It was a program that originally aired on PBS about training for and running the GO!St. Louis Marathon. The program follows 3 or 4 runners training for the half and the marathon. It was so inspirational! It brought tears to my eyes a couple of times. It reminded me why I started running in the first place and how good I feel when I run consistently.
So that did it. I immediately worked on the training schedule and sent it off to Coach Jeni. It officially starts Monday, 06/21, but I got back out there today and will run again Saturday and Sunday. I'm so excited!
North Shore Half Marathon - Not!
Sunday, 05/13/10 - North Shore Half Marathon/5k
Time: 37:15 min.
Distance: 5k (3.11 mi.)
Time of day: 7:15 a.m.
Pace: 11:50 (m/mi)
Temperature: 63°F, cloudy, cool, light rain—A perfect day to run!
My enthusiasm for and commitment to running flagged the last month. The abrupt change in weather on May 21st really played havoc with my mind and my body.
Up until May 21st the weather had been cool and rainy with highs in the 60's. On Friday, the 22nd, the sky cleared, the clouds parted and summer descended in one fell swoop. The temperatures soared to the 90's with humidity levels in the 60-70% range. It has remained like that ever since.
My body had no time to acclimate and I found myself struggling to run 8 miles on my long run that week. That failure weighed on my mind and I started a downhill slide. I switched to running early in the morning (5:30-6 a.m.) and still I struggled. The air was always heavy and thick. My legs were wooden. I came back from my runs completely wiped out. I realized there would be no way I could log enough miles to be ready for the North Shore Half. No problem! I would run the 5k instead.
But that decision allowed me to slack off training even more. After a week had passed I was beginning to feel like a quitter. So after a couple bad starts, I started running on the school track while The Love walked. With his encouragement I ran a couple of miles everyday. The race was approaching and on Friday, 06/11, I logged 3.1 miles.
The race Sunday morning was really good. I paced at 11:59 m/mi. I even passed some other runners. I feel good about my performance, but a part of me wishes I had been able to run the half.
Monday, May 17, 2010
A Long Talk With The Coach
I had a long talk with The Coach Sunday evening. I was feeling bad about my earlier run. And, with a travel schedule that will disrupt my running schedule again, I wanted to get her advice on how to proceed. As usual she was understanding, uplifting and practical.
The first thing she said was that Monday should be a fun run, if I run at all. Decide in the morning how I feel and if I don't feel like running, then don't. If I do feel like running, then just start out and run for only as long as it is pleasurable. Don't go out with any time or distance goal. Just run for the joy of it.
She also reminded me that I am a beginner runner. I have not built up a great deal of endurance or stamina and running the distances I did in the time frame I did really taxed my body. Don't beat myself up about a bad run, just accept reality and move on. Even elite runners have bad runs.
So here I am in my hotel room Monday evening. I didn't run this morning before leaving home because it was raining. I am exhausted after my day today. Making myself go get on the hotel treadmill sounds like toture. I am going to wait until tomorrow to run. I believe I will be at my hotel early enough that I can get on the treadmill before dinner.
The first thing she said was that Monday should be a fun run, if I run at all. Decide in the morning how I feel and if I don't feel like running, then don't. If I do feel like running, then just start out and run for only as long as it is pleasurable. Don't go out with any time or distance goal. Just run for the joy of it.
She also reminded me that I am a beginner runner. I have not built up a great deal of endurance or stamina and running the distances I did in the time frame I did really taxed my body. Don't beat myself up about a bad run, just accept reality and move on. Even elite runners have bad runs.
So here I am in my hotel room Monday evening. I didn't run this morning before leaving home because it was raining. I am exhausted after my day today. Making myself go get on the hotel treadmill sounds like toture. I am going to wait until tomorrow to run. I believe I will be at my hotel early enough that I can get on the treadmill before dinner.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Almost Caught Up
Wednesday was my regular rest day.
Thursday Stats, 05/06
Distance: 4.27 mi.
Time: 55:38 min.
Pace: 13:02 min/mi.
Time of day: 4:15 p.m.
Temperature: 79°F, sunny and very warm
Back in mid-April The Love and I were in Chicago. The first night we were there The Love's car was hit while parked. The trunk became the back seat. Thank goodness no one was hurt in the accident. So for the last almost-month his car has been in the repair shop in Chicago. We are down to the final days. You know, the days when every afternoon you hear the repair shop lady say, "I'm sorry. We didn't get your car finished today. We hope it will be ready tomorrow." We've heard this every day for the last week.
How does the car story tie into my running? The Love & I thought we would be heading to Chicago on Friday to pick up the car. So I decided to run on Thursday and sacrifice my strength training if need be. As it turned out, of course the car isn't ready. And in true maddening fashion, the car repair lady didn't call until I had already started my run.
So now let me whine about my run. It was awful! It was worse than my first 7-mile run where I performed poorly. That time I was tired and slow. I can deal with tired and slow. Yesterday involved annoying aches and pains. So let's start at the bottom and work up.
My feet hurt with almost every step. I don't think my shoes were tied to tight. I actually checked them as I waited for a green light to cross the street. But something was clearly not right. It wasn't an acute, sharp pain; the darn feet just ached with every step. I did stop running and walked for a short time and that allowed me to push on and finish the course running. I can't help wondering if the weird way my left shoe has worn down has something to do with this.
My ankles and calves were so tight. (I know that isn't proper grammar and/or sentence structure, but it's the best way to describe the issue.) I was at mile 3.5 before my calves relaxed. I could not get into any kind of rhythmic breathing. I panted most of the way. And to top it all off, I forgot to put on my sweatband and salty sweat dripped in my eyes for much of the run. For the last 3/4 mile my mantra became, "one foot in front of the other". I'm telling ya', it was a bad run.
But now that I've captured it here, I'm putting it out of my mind!
Thursday Stats, 05/06
Distance: 4.27 mi.
Time: 55:38 min.
Pace: 13:02 min/mi.
Time of day: 4:15 p.m.
Temperature: 79°F, sunny and very warm
Back in mid-April The Love and I were in Chicago. The first night we were there The Love's car was hit while parked. The trunk became the back seat. Thank goodness no one was hurt in the accident. So for the last almost-month his car has been in the repair shop in Chicago. We are down to the final days. You know, the days when every afternoon you hear the repair shop lady say, "I'm sorry. We didn't get your car finished today. We hope it will be ready tomorrow." We've heard this every day for the last week.
How does the car story tie into my running? The Love & I thought we would be heading to Chicago on Friday to pick up the car. So I decided to run on Thursday and sacrifice my strength training if need be. As it turned out, of course the car isn't ready. And in true maddening fashion, the car repair lady didn't call until I had already started my run.
So now let me whine about my run. It was awful! It was worse than my first 7-mile run where I performed poorly. That time I was tired and slow. I can deal with tired and slow. Yesterday involved annoying aches and pains. So let's start at the bottom and work up.
My feet hurt with almost every step. I don't think my shoes were tied to tight. I actually checked them as I waited for a green light to cross the street. But something was clearly not right. It wasn't an acute, sharp pain; the darn feet just ached with every step. I did stop running and walked for a short time and that allowed me to push on and finish the course running. I can't help wondering if the weird way my left shoe has worn down has something to do with this.
My ankles and calves were so tight. (I know that isn't proper grammar and/or sentence structure, but it's the best way to describe the issue.) I was at mile 3.5 before my calves relaxed. I could not get into any kind of rhythmic breathing. I panted most of the way. And to top it all off, I forgot to put on my sweatband and salty sweat dripped in my eyes for much of the run. For the last 3/4 mile my mantra became, "one foot in front of the other". I'm telling ya', it was a bad run.
But now that I've captured it here, I'm putting it out of my mind!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Problems with Monday
I'm having a problem with my Monday workouts. They aren't getting done!
I am totally unmotivated to go the gym and work out with the weights. I do, however, find myself longing to be out on the road running. I think I'm going to try switching Monday's and Tuesday's workouts and see if that feels better. Of course, I'll start that next week since I want to run on tomorrow, Tuesday.
I am totally unmotivated to go the gym and work out with the weights. I do, however, find myself longing to be out on the road running. I think I'm going to try switching Monday's and Tuesday's workouts and see if that feels better. Of course, I'll start that next week since I want to run on tomorrow, Tuesday.
Monday, April 12, 2010
I Reached My Goal!!!!
2010 Go! St. Louis Half Marathon
Time: 2:58:56 official time
Distance: 13.1 mi.
Pace: 13:29 min/mi
Time of Day: 7 a.m.
Temperature: 50s-60s, bright sunshine, occasional slight breeze
"Do you want to walk or run across the 12 mile mark?" Those were the words Coach Jeni barked at me as I came upon the 12-mile mark. I was walking up the last 50 ft. of the 2nd to last hill on the course. I was spent. Quite honestly, at that point I just wanted to lay down and rest. But I knew I couldn't. I knew I would hate myself later. I knew the 12-mile flag was just a teeny-tiny bit over the crest of the hill, so I reached way down deep and scooped up some reserve and picked up my feet and ran across that 12-mile marker and finished the racing running.
I wish I could say that I got this huge surge of energy and sprinted the last mile, finishing strong, racing across the finish line. But I can't. I did run the entire race except those 50 ft. at mile 12. I met my goal of running the entire race. I met my goal of finishing running. I met my goal of finishing in under 3 hours. But I was out of gas and running on fumes for the last mile and half.
I was unprepared for how sick I would feel after I quit running. I gulped down a bottle of water, stretched with The Son and promptly had to sit down on the curb to keep from throwing up. I felt bad for probably the next hour or more. I laid my head in The Son's lap on the ride home just so I didn't have to sit up. The other overwhelming feeling I had was to get my shoes off. Oh my goodness, my feet hurt!
I was sore. I was stiff. I was so tired. I was so very tired. Did I mention I was tired? It took several hours for me to feel good about what I had accomplished. As we sat around the kitchen table eating delicious grilled hamburgers Coach Jeni, The Son and I shared tidbits of the race with The Love and The Son's Girlfriend. They, in turn, told us of their adventures in watching the race. We had a great time and I quickly realized that not only did I reach my personal goals, but I had a wonderful experience to think back on and revel in the memories made.
So here are my thoughts on the race itself. The whole reason for arriving an hour early to the race is to stand in line at the Porta-Potties. Hmm. Why not just go right before leaving home and arrive closer to race time?
I didn't have trouble in the race until mile 9. In fact, I think I was running strong and pacing well until that point. But being the mental runner I am, when I realized that at mile 9 the course turned away from downtown St. Louis for a couple miles before heading to the finish line, I really got discouraged. Plus, for some weird reason my music stopped playing and I didn't have that distraction. Here are my splits and it obvious that I really struggled through miles 9 and 10 and just wasn't able to completely recover.
Mile Avg Pace
2 12:58
3 13:32
6 12:46
7 13:15
8 13:35
9 14:05
10 14:04
11 13:25
12 13:51
13 14:13
So even though I struggled and had some trouble, there were a lot of positives:
So what's ahead? I will take a walk today with The Love and back to running on Tuesday.
Here are my immediate thoughts for long-range goals.
Post Race Duds!
See you in June at the North Shore half marathon!
Time: 2:58:56 official time
Distance: 13.1 mi.
Pace: 13:29 min/mi
Time of Day: 7 a.m.
Temperature: 50s-60s, bright sunshine, occasional slight breeze
How does this thing work?
"Do you want to walk or run across the 12 mile mark?" Those were the words Coach Jeni barked at me as I came upon the 12-mile mark. I was walking up the last 50 ft. of the 2nd to last hill on the course. I was spent. Quite honestly, at that point I just wanted to lay down and rest. But I knew I couldn't. I knew I would hate myself later. I knew the 12-mile flag was just a teeny-tiny bit over the crest of the hill, so I reached way down deep and scooped up some reserve and picked up my feet and ran across that 12-mile marker and finished the racing running.
I wish I could say that I got this huge surge of energy and sprinted the last mile, finishing strong, racing across the finish line. But I can't. I did run the entire race except those 50 ft. at mile 12. I met my goal of running the entire race. I met my goal of finishing running. I met my goal of finishing in under 3 hours. But I was out of gas and running on fumes for the last mile and half.
I was unprepared for how sick I would feel after I quit running. I gulped down a bottle of water, stretched with The Son and promptly had to sit down on the curb to keep from throwing up. I felt bad for probably the next hour or more. I laid my head in The Son's lap on the ride home just so I didn't have to sit up. The other overwhelming feeling I had was to get my shoes off. Oh my goodness, my feet hurt!
Heading into the Finish Line!
I was sore. I was stiff. I was so tired. I was so very tired. Did I mention I was tired? It took several hours for me to feel good about what I had accomplished. As we sat around the kitchen table eating delicious grilled hamburgers Coach Jeni, The Son and I shared tidbits of the race with The Love and The Son's Girlfriend. They, in turn, told us of their adventures in watching the race. We had a great time and I quickly realized that not only did I reach my personal goals, but I had a wonderful experience to think back on and revel in the memories made.
So here are my thoughts on the race itself. The whole reason for arriving an hour early to the race is to stand in line at the Porta-Potties. Hmm. Why not just go right before leaving home and arrive closer to race time?
I didn't have trouble in the race until mile 9. In fact, I think I was running strong and pacing well until that point. But being the mental runner I am, when I realized that at mile 9 the course turned away from downtown St. Louis for a couple miles before heading to the finish line, I really got discouraged. Plus, for some weird reason my music stopped playing and I didn't have that distraction. Here are my splits and it obvious that I really struggled through miles 9 and 10 and just wasn't able to completely recover.
Mile Avg Pace
1 12:25
Here Comes Mile 8!
2 12:58
3 13:32
4 12:42
5 13:046 12:46
7 13:15
8 13:35
9 14:05
10 14:04
11 13:25
12 13:51
13 14:13
So even though I struggled and had some trouble, there were a lot of positives:
- I didn't have to stop to go the bathroom. Even though I drank one bottle of water in the first 6 miles, in addition to at least 2 cups of water at every water station (every 2 miles up to mile 8 & every 1 mile after that) I think I sweated it all out.
- The blister area on my right foot didn't bother me and my fears of having to stop because of blister problems did not materialize.
- I didn't walk. O.K. I did walk 50 ft. right at the top of the 2nd to last hill. But I also walked through each water station. I count that as having run the entire race and so do Coach Jeni & The Son.
- I actually passed some runners—and I passed a lot of walkers. I wasn't the last person to finish the race, I wasn't even the last runner.
- In real terms, this was only my 4th long run. And my longest run before this race was 11 miles. I increased my distance by almost 20% to run the race.
So what's ahead? I will take a walk today with The Love and back to running on Tuesday.
Here are my immediate thoughts for long-range goals.
- Work on endurance and stamina. I don't ever want to feel like quitting at mile 12 again!
- Increase upper body strength. I could tell that as I ran out of energy I slumped which, in turn, affected my breathing.
- Work on speed. I don't anticipate being a speed devil. I don't want to train that hard, but I would like to see better times.
My Cheer Poster
The Rewards!
Post Race Duds!
See you in June at the North Shore half marathon!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tuesday's Run
Tuesday Stats
Distance: 3.03 mi.
Time: 36:28 min.
Pace: 12:03 min/mi.
Time of Day 12 noon
Temperature: Sunny, warm
5 days & counting down.
A short run since it is race week. It is very weird taking time off from running and resting this week.
The Love, The Son and I drove the race route this evening. I freaked out about how long it is. We had a little trouble following the map because some streets are one-way, the opposite way on the run of how we could drive. I have mixed feelings about whether I should have done this. I feel better about the inclines (not so many) but worse about how long it seems. Oh well. What's done is done and I have to move forward. I refuse to let this mess up my head.
Distance: 3.03 mi.
Time: 36:28 min.
Pace: 12:03 min/mi.
Time of Day 12 noon
Temperature: Sunny, warm
5 days & counting down.
A short run since it is race week. It is very weird taking time off from running and resting this week.
The Love, The Son and I drove the race route this evening. I freaked out about how long it is. We had a little trouble following the map because some streets are one-way, the opposite way on the run of how we could drive. I have mixed feelings about whether I should have done this. I feel better about the inclines (not so many) but worse about how long it seems. Oh well. What's done is done and I have to move forward. I refuse to let this mess up my head.
Monday, April 5, 2010
I Am So Not Working Out
6 days and counting down!
It was very weird this morning to get up and not work out, not plan to run, no exercising at all. This is coming from the former Queen of Excuses. In fact, it felt so unnatural that I did take a walk with The Love at lunchtime. Nothing strenuous, Coach Jeni. Just an easy 1-1/2 mile walk around a park.
I am anticipating this being a long week. I'm not very good at the waiting game. But I have plenty of other things to do this week to help pass the time.
The Love and I had a discussion this morning about how disciplined I have been in my training and how to transfer that discipline to other areas of my life. I'm looking for all the help I can get with that.
It was very weird this morning to get up and not work out, not plan to run, no exercising at all. This is coming from the former Queen of Excuses. In fact, it felt so unnatural that I did take a walk with The Love at lunchtime. Nothing strenuous, Coach Jeni. Just an easy 1-1/2 mile walk around a park.
I am anticipating this being a long week. I'm not very good at the waiting game. But I have plenty of other things to do this week to help pass the time.
The Love and I had a discussion this morning about how disciplined I have been in my training and how to transfer that discipline to other areas of my life. I'm looking for all the help I can get with that.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Strong Steady Strides
Distance: 6.24 mi.
Time: 1:20:26
Pace: 12:53 min/mi.
Time of day: 9:30 a.m.
Temperature: 51F, cloudy, overcast, rain in the area, windy
Kinda pokey today. Can I claim wind resistance again today? Actually I think one reason I ran a bit slower today was that my iPod switched off around mile 2 and I didn't have any music to help keep my pace up for the rest of my run. I think this is the longest distance I have run without music.
Because I didn't have any music tempo I made up a chant, "Stand straight. Strong steady strides." and repeated it like a million times. I started originally chanting, "Stand straight. Slow and steady." But I realized that the "slow" word was not a good affirmation word, so I changed it to "strong steady strides".
I also reframed the "hills" on my route. I realized that what I used to calls "hills" are not so huge to me anymore. They are actually just the rise and fall of the road. So I now call them "inclines". I know it is a small detail but it makes a difference to me.
I took my running shoes back to FleetFeet today to ask about how my left shoe is wearing. The left outside heel is really wearing down. The black tread is all gone and I have only 168 or so miles on these shoes. Jen at FleetFeet said the shoes were o.k. Appararently I just hit the ground harder on that heel than I do the right heel. She said it appears that I am wearing the middle of the shoe (where the ball of my foot) correctly. Jen also told me how to check inside of my shoe for toe indentations to gauge how the cushioning is wearing.
I also asked her about the blister/callous on my right foot. She suggested that my orthotic end right where the irritation starts and that or some reason my orthotic is creating an environment for my shoe and foot to rub. She said not to change anything with the race this close, but that maybe after the race I might want to try a different insert or even running with out an insert.
7 days & counting down!
Time: 1:20:26
Pace: 12:53 min/mi.
Time of day: 9:30 a.m.
Temperature: 51F, cloudy, overcast, rain in the area, windy
Kinda pokey today. Can I claim wind resistance again today? Actually I think one reason I ran a bit slower today was that my iPod switched off around mile 2 and I didn't have any music to help keep my pace up for the rest of my run. I think this is the longest distance I have run without music.
Because I didn't have any music tempo I made up a chant, "Stand straight. Strong steady strides." and repeated it like a million times. I started originally chanting, "Stand straight. Slow and steady." But I realized that the "slow" word was not a good affirmation word, so I changed it to "strong steady strides".
I also reframed the "hills" on my route. I realized that what I used to calls "hills" are not so huge to me anymore. They are actually just the rise and fall of the road. So I now call them "inclines". I know it is a small detail but it makes a difference to me.
I took my running shoes back to FleetFeet today to ask about how my left shoe is wearing. The left outside heel is really wearing down. The black tread is all gone and I have only 168 or so miles on these shoes. Jen at FleetFeet said the shoes were o.k. Appararently I just hit the ground harder on that heel than I do the right heel. She said it appears that I am wearing the middle of the shoe (where the ball of my foot) correctly. Jen also told me how to check inside of my shoe for toe indentations to gauge how the cushioning is wearing.
I also asked her about the blister/callous on my right foot. She suggested that my orthotic end right where the irritation starts and that or some reason my orthotic is creating an environment for my shoe and foot to rub. She said not to change anything with the race this close, but that maybe after the race I might want to try a different insert or even running with out an insert.
7 days & counting down!
The Ankle is O.K.
Friday Stats
Distance: 3.02 mi.
Time: 37:00 min.
Pace: 12:16 min/mi.
Time of Day: 3:40 p.m.
Temperature: 75F, bright sunny, windy
The ankle didn't bother me a bit, thank goodness. But boy was it windy. Not my fastest time, but I wasn't pushing it due to both the ankle and this being a taper week.
Because it was so warm and because I was running on the school track (off the road and away from half the town seeing me) I decided to wear my new running shorts. Yep, I put the chubby thighs in shorts. I thought I was o.k. but they bunched up miserably between the legs. I'm glad I tried them out, but I guess the thighs need to get thinner before shorts work for me.
Because there wasn't any school Friday, there were a bunch of middle-school age kids hanging out around the track and field. They apparantly had been playing a pick up game of soccer, but when I was there they were just hanging out. As I rounded the turn on the track where they were, I had visions of them losing control of the soccer ball, it rolling on to the track, tripping me, breaking my leg and keeping me from running the half maration next weekend. Is this where my beautiful granddaughters get their dramatic personalities? Anyway, thank goodness it didn't happen and I was able to finish my run in good fashion.
Distance: 3.02 mi.
Time: 37:00 min.
Pace: 12:16 min/mi.
Time of Day: 3:40 p.m.
Temperature: 75F, bright sunny, windy
The ankle didn't bother me a bit, thank goodness. But boy was it windy. Not my fastest time, but I wasn't pushing it due to both the ankle and this being a taper week.
Because it was so warm and because I was running on the school track (off the road and away from half the town seeing me) I decided to wear my new running shorts. Yep, I put the chubby thighs in shorts. I thought I was o.k. but they bunched up miserably between the legs. I'm glad I tried them out, but I guess the thighs need to get thinner before shorts work for me.
Because there wasn't any school Friday, there were a bunch of middle-school age kids hanging out around the track and field. They apparantly had been playing a pick up game of soccer, but when I was there they were just hanging out. As I rounded the turn on the track where they were, I had visions of them losing control of the soccer ball, it rolling on to the track, tripping me, breaking my leg and keeping me from running the half maration next weekend. Is this where my beautiful granddaughters get their dramatic personalities? Anyway, thank goodness it didn't happen and I was able to finish my run in good fashion.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Random Thoughts on Running
Now that's it has been 24 hours since I did my longest run ever and I didn't do any workout today because my legs were so darn sore, I thought I would put down some random thoughts I have had about running.
I can still hardly believe that I ran 11 miles. I first talked to The Coach about wanting to run the Go! St. Louis half-marathon Nov. 12th or 13th. I started training the following Monday, Nov. 16th. That is just a little over 4 months ago. When I stop and think about it, I am amazed at what I have accomplished in the time since that first walk/run on a cold, rainy, dark morning.
I tend to downplay my accomplishments but honestly, I've accomplished a lot. It has taken determination. And I could not have done this without the support of The Love, The Coach, and The Son. The Love has worked his schedule around my running; he never blinked an eye when I took off during the day to run. When I needed something, he made sure I got it. In addition, his belief in me that I could do this has brought me to tears more than once. The Coach has been fabulous. In addition to developing a comprehensive training program, she, too, has supported me with confidence. More than once, she has picked up my flagging spirits and re-energized me. She answered every question I asked, even when it was probably inconvenient for her. She has truly been the back bone of my training. The Son, while playing a smaller role, has nevertheless been instrumental in helping me on the LSRs every weekend. He has quite a talent for keeping my pace steady and encouraging me on the final miles. I honestly didn't think I would be able to run the last 2 miles yesterday without him. But as I became tired I tried to tell myself what I thought he would be telling me if he had been running along side.
So with all this support and love around me I was quite surprised last Saturday at my sewing event for the negative reaction I received from other women about my goal. I ate lunch with a group of women that I know only slightly, through my monthly ASG Neighborhood Group meetings. As we talked about health and middle age the subject of exercise came up and I mentioned that I was training to run a half-marathon. Much to my surprised the women responded with only negative comments. "You shouldn't run because it makes every thing droop." "My doctor told me never to run. The constant pounding wouldn't do anything good for my body." "You're going to get arthritis in your knees and then you'll be sorry." Whoa! I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
I certianly don't expect people to fawn over me when I talk about running and my goal. But, several other people who know I run (and now that I think about it, they are all men,) have responded to me with comments like, "Wow. That's awesome." "Wow. A half-marathon, huh. That's a really long way." "That's great. Good luck." Stuff like that. I am really blown away by how negative these women were. I don't know what was going on with them, but I hope I learned that when someone tells you about a goal in their life, give them some positive feedback. What they are doing is important to them and they deserve all the support and encouragement they can get. Who cares if their goal doesn't appeal to you. The fact that she is moving forward in a positive manner is awesome!
OK. That's the end of my rant. I just had to get it off my chest.
I rested today. I am surprised by how stiff and sore my legs are. Probably due in large part to the half-hearted stretching I did after the 11 miles I ran. (Isn't it so cool that I ran 11 miles?) Tomorrow is a 6-mile run. While I think it would be easy to talk about how it's only half of what I just ran so it will be easy, I don't think so. Six miles is still a distance for me to go. But I am totally up for it. Should I take my grocery list with me as I run to the grocery store and back?
I can still hardly believe that I ran 11 miles. I first talked to The Coach about wanting to run the Go! St. Louis half-marathon Nov. 12th or 13th. I started training the following Monday, Nov. 16th. That is just a little over 4 months ago. When I stop and think about it, I am amazed at what I have accomplished in the time since that first walk/run on a cold, rainy, dark morning.
I tend to downplay my accomplishments but honestly, I've accomplished a lot. It has taken determination. And I could not have done this without the support of The Love, The Coach, and The Son. The Love has worked his schedule around my running; he never blinked an eye when I took off during the day to run. When I needed something, he made sure I got it. In addition, his belief in me that I could do this has brought me to tears more than once. The Coach has been fabulous. In addition to developing a comprehensive training program, she, too, has supported me with confidence. More than once, she has picked up my flagging spirits and re-energized me. She answered every question I asked, even when it was probably inconvenient for her. She has truly been the back bone of my training. The Son, while playing a smaller role, has nevertheless been instrumental in helping me on the LSRs every weekend. He has quite a talent for keeping my pace steady and encouraging me on the final miles. I honestly didn't think I would be able to run the last 2 miles yesterday without him. But as I became tired I tried to tell myself what I thought he would be telling me if he had been running along side.
So with all this support and love around me I was quite surprised last Saturday at my sewing event for the negative reaction I received from other women about my goal. I ate lunch with a group of women that I know only slightly, through my monthly ASG Neighborhood Group meetings. As we talked about health and middle age the subject of exercise came up and I mentioned that I was training to run a half-marathon. Much to my surprised the women responded with only negative comments. "You shouldn't run because it makes every thing droop." "My doctor told me never to run. The constant pounding wouldn't do anything good for my body." "You're going to get arthritis in your knees and then you'll be sorry." Whoa! I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
I certianly don't expect people to fawn over me when I talk about running and my goal. But, several other people who know I run (and now that I think about it, they are all men,) have responded to me with comments like, "Wow. That's awesome." "Wow. A half-marathon, huh. That's a really long way." "That's great. Good luck." Stuff like that. I am really blown away by how negative these women were. I don't know what was going on with them, but I hope I learned that when someone tells you about a goal in their life, give them some positive feedback. What they are doing is important to them and they deserve all the support and encouragement they can get. Who cares if their goal doesn't appeal to you. The fact that she is moving forward in a positive manner is awesome!
OK. That's the end of my rant. I just had to get it off my chest.
I rested today. I am surprised by how stiff and sore my legs are. Probably due in large part to the half-hearted stretching I did after the 11 miles I ran. (Isn't it so cool that I ran 11 miles?) Tomorrow is a 6-mile run. While I think it would be easy to talk about how it's only half of what I just ran so it will be easy, I don't think so. Six miles is still a distance for me to go. But I am totally up for it. Should I take my grocery list with me as I run to the grocery store and back?
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