Hard to believe another week has come and gone since my last post. This week I ran 4.5 miles Monday, 4.5 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday, and 13.4 miles on Saturday. All week I was nervous about running a "practice half" on Saturday with my friend Amy B. We wanted to see if we could keep the same pace to know if we will be able to run together at the race next month. We stayed right on pace with one another and completed 13.1 in 2 hours 16 minutes 10 seconds. We ran a little farther then walked to finish out a total of 14 miles. I am pleased with this time. When I signed up for the half, I estimated my half time would be about 2 hours 25 minutes....so with still a month of training to go I am already ahead of that pace! Dave ran a 16 mile run, which is great since he was having some pain recently and was starting to question whether he'd be able to stick to his plan to upgrade to the full marathon. Now he's feeling like he can do it.
We came home from our run to find Heidi, Dave's mom, staring off into space. She was unresponsive and appeared to have had another round of seizures or a stroke or something. We could not get her to get up, so we had to call an ambulance. She was transported to the hospital and tests were run to determine what happened. We still don't have any results...with it being the weekend it seems to take longer to get official feedback from the doctors. She will most likely be in the hospital until at least Monday. Hopefully we will be able to get some sort of news today. It is so hard to watch someone lose their personality and seem to slip away.
My sis ran 7.5 miles yesterday, so she is definitely prepared for our 10K next weekend. From there, she will be working toward our 15K run in November. Proud of her progress, too!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Running On My Mind
Sometimes I feel a bit obsessed. It is hard not to think about running all the time. I am constantly thinking about how far my next run needs to be; where I want to complete my next run; what I need to have ready for the run; what I am going to wear; what the weather will be like; what my pace should be on the run; what I should eat before and after the run....etc. It is often hard to focus on other things going on in my life because I feel like I have to constantly think about training for the half. I wonder if long time runners who have completed multiple half and or full marathons always have running on the brain. Does is become second nature so that you don't think about it so much or are you always waiting for that next opportunity to get out and run?
I haven't been making time for the full yoga routine every week for my "stretch and strengthen" night, but I do try to do some stretches when I think about it. I also haven't consistantly been completing strenght training on the "run + strength" day, but I have completed all of my run distances. I also have made my long runs longer than the long runs on the beginner plans. I really kind of created my own plan that combines the commonalities between several different beginner and intermediate plans. I feel that it is working well because I usually feel pretty good while I am running, and I'm feeling healthy overall. Also, my pace is continually increasing without overstressing my body. I have started to have sore legs quite often. I have begun to ice my legs (especially my shins) after long runs and then even the day after. My legs feel restless at times. Last night I had cramping in my upper leg, which hasn't happened before. I ran 10 miles, which is not a new distance, but there were many hills and I did not eat a banana yesterday. I had a banana with breakfast today so the potassium will hopefully help.
This weeks runs were good overall. Monday was my slowest run of the week. I ran after school and it was 91 degrees at that point. I found I felt okay in the shade and when running downhill, but I had a really slow mile when I was running uphill in the sun. I drank the amount of water I usually drink on my 8-12 mile runs on just a 4.65 mile run. My pace was only 11:19 overall because I ended up walking quite a ways when I was uphill in the sun.
Wednesday I ran 4.7 miles at an average pace of 10:09. The temp was in the upper 60's and there was a cool wind and cloudy skies. It was a big difference from Monday's run. It really shows how much the weather can influence performance. Wednesday was actually even after dinner because it had been raining after school so I was waiting for the rain to stop. Once it stopped raining I went out to run. This is a good pace for an after dinner run, too.
Thursday is my short run of the week. This week my short run increased from 2 to 3 miles. I ran 3.01 miles at an average pace of 9:49. With the exception of my last race, this is the longest I have maintained a pace below 10. I was happy with this. I would love to be able to maintain a pace below 10 for my next 10K, but I'm not sure if I will be able to do it. The 10K is just 2 weeks away.
Saturday, after getting up at 6:15 to go out to yard sales all morning and going to yard sales until lunch time (we actually went to yard sales until after 1:00 when we finally stopped for lunch), I wasn't sure how great my long run would be. My sis was with me and she wanted to get in a 6 mile run, which would be her longest run yet. I wanted to run about 10 miles. We originally planned to go run at Creve Couer where there is a nice flat trail, but since it was about 3:30 by the time we were finally getting out the door to go run, we decided we needed to stay a little closer to home. Instead of a nice flat course, we ended up with a very hilly course. I think it's good, though, because the more I train on hills the more prepared I will be for the hilly half marathon in downtown St. Louis. Also, when I do get to run on a flatter course, like the 10K at The Mills, I should really be able to have an excellent pace. Anyway, I ended up having an average pace of 10:42, which I think is the best pace I've maintained on a run of this length. I wanted to maintain a good pace, but also I had to stay within a certain range of my sister and try to keep her close to the distance and pace she needed. I would run ahead and then double back sometimes, which seemed to work out. She ran 6.3 miles and then walked about 1.7 miles as a recovery and to get back to the car. We both accomplished the distances we wanted to, even after a busy day.
Now it's a rainy Sunday and I have laundry and grading to do. I was hoping to get out and go bike riding, but I really do need to get the laundry and grading finished, so it's a good thing it is raining. Until next time, happy running!
I haven't been making time for the full yoga routine every week for my "stretch and strengthen" night, but I do try to do some stretches when I think about it. I also haven't consistantly been completing strenght training on the "run + strength" day, but I have completed all of my run distances. I also have made my long runs longer than the long runs on the beginner plans. I really kind of created my own plan that combines the commonalities between several different beginner and intermediate plans. I feel that it is working well because I usually feel pretty good while I am running, and I'm feeling healthy overall. Also, my pace is continually increasing without overstressing my body. I have started to have sore legs quite often. I have begun to ice my legs (especially my shins) after long runs and then even the day after. My legs feel restless at times. Last night I had cramping in my upper leg, which hasn't happened before. I ran 10 miles, which is not a new distance, but there were many hills and I did not eat a banana yesterday. I had a banana with breakfast today so the potassium will hopefully help.
This weeks runs were good overall. Monday was my slowest run of the week. I ran after school and it was 91 degrees at that point. I found I felt okay in the shade and when running downhill, but I had a really slow mile when I was running uphill in the sun. I drank the amount of water I usually drink on my 8-12 mile runs on just a 4.65 mile run. My pace was only 11:19 overall because I ended up walking quite a ways when I was uphill in the sun.
Wednesday I ran 4.7 miles at an average pace of 10:09. The temp was in the upper 60's and there was a cool wind and cloudy skies. It was a big difference from Monday's run. It really shows how much the weather can influence performance. Wednesday was actually even after dinner because it had been raining after school so I was waiting for the rain to stop. Once it stopped raining I went out to run. This is a good pace for an after dinner run, too.
Thursday is my short run of the week. This week my short run increased from 2 to 3 miles. I ran 3.01 miles at an average pace of 9:49. With the exception of my last race, this is the longest I have maintained a pace below 10. I was happy with this. I would love to be able to maintain a pace below 10 for my next 10K, but I'm not sure if I will be able to do it. The 10K is just 2 weeks away.
Saturday, after getting up at 6:15 to go out to yard sales all morning and going to yard sales until lunch time (we actually went to yard sales until after 1:00 when we finally stopped for lunch), I wasn't sure how great my long run would be. My sis was with me and she wanted to get in a 6 mile run, which would be her longest run yet. I wanted to run about 10 miles. We originally planned to go run at Creve Couer where there is a nice flat trail, but since it was about 3:30 by the time we were finally getting out the door to go run, we decided we needed to stay a little closer to home. Instead of a nice flat course, we ended up with a very hilly course. I think it's good, though, because the more I train on hills the more prepared I will be for the hilly half marathon in downtown St. Louis. Also, when I do get to run on a flatter course, like the 10K at The Mills, I should really be able to have an excellent pace. Anyway, I ended up having an average pace of 10:42, which I think is the best pace I've maintained on a run of this length. I wanted to maintain a good pace, but also I had to stay within a certain range of my sister and try to keep her close to the distance and pace she needed. I would run ahead and then double back sometimes, which seemed to work out. She ran 6.3 miles and then walked about 1.7 miles as a recovery and to get back to the car. We both accomplished the distances we wanted to, even after a busy day.
Now it's a rainy Sunday and I have laundry and grading to do. I was hoping to get out and go bike riding, but I really do need to get the laundry and grading finished, so it's a good thing it is raining. Until next time, happy running!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Longest Run and A New Personal Record
I managed to complete a 12 mile run after school on Wednesday. I ran the entire way and had an overall average pace of 10:54. I was so excited to have a long run with an average pace under 11:00! I had an energy drink with lunch and then ate a Cliff Bar at my plan time. I took water and GU chews along. I also used music this time. I took about 15-20 minutes off my pace and added a mile, so I was very excited about the results! I'm feeling more and more confident that I will be able to complete my half in a respectable time.
Thursday I ran 2.24 miles after school with one of my co-workers. Since I had such a long run the day before, I didn't really worry about my pace. I ended up at a 10:16 pace, which is fine. I have been trying to use my short run day to push my pace, but with the long run the day before and the 5K on Saturday, I didn't worry about it and just ran at a comfortable pace while having a conversation.
I was excited Saturday to see if my 5K pace had improved. My last 5K was in June. I set myself the goal of completing the 5K in under 30 minutes. It was raining as we were getting ready to race, and it continued to rain throughout the entire race. Dave was not looking for a personal best, since he ran 18 miles on Friday night. I asked him to help pace me so I would finish in under 30. We ran together. Since it was raining, I didn't wear my Garmin. Dave had his regular watch on, so he had some idea of how we were doing but not an exact time. I picked out a person that I would not let beat me, so everytime she would pass me I would speed up (she did the same, so I must have been her person to beat). I felt great keeping up with the pack and continuing to pass people through most of the race. I ended up finishing in what I thought was 29.11, but the official race time was even better...28.51.37! I was so excited when I received the e-mail of official times. Actually I was excited before when I knew I met my goal and beat 30 minutes! I took over 3 minutes off my previous time. My average pace was 9:18! I'm feeling stronger and faster. Actually, I am also feeling hungry and tired a lot of the time, too.
Today I went bike riding with my husband, son, and nephew. My nephew couldn't quite keep up with our usual pace so we had to go a little slower and cut our distance. We ended up riding about 11 miles then enjoyed a nice lunch out. When we got home, I took a 2 hour nap. I think the 21.34 miles I ran this week combined with the faster paces caught up with me. I'm a little frustrated that I'm not losing weight. It seems I'm burning a lot of calories, and I'm not over eating. I'm not really gaining our losing just continuing to go up and down the same 4 pounds. I wish I could drop 10-15 more pounds. I think I would increase my pace even more if I could lose a few more pounds, but I'm worried that I won't have the energy if I cut my eating too much. Maybe I should cut out the glass (or 2) of wine each night.....but it sure does help me relax and sleep at the end of the day. Anyway, I'm very pleased with my improvements this week. Hoping I can keep it up.
Also, say a prayer for Heidi. She has her last two radiation treatments this week. In a few weeks they will retest her to see how well the treatments worked. Staying focused on the training and running is helping me cope and stay positive.
Thursday I ran 2.24 miles after school with one of my co-workers. Since I had such a long run the day before, I didn't really worry about my pace. I ended up at a 10:16 pace, which is fine. I have been trying to use my short run day to push my pace, but with the long run the day before and the 5K on Saturday, I didn't worry about it and just ran at a comfortable pace while having a conversation.
I was excited Saturday to see if my 5K pace had improved. My last 5K was in June. I set myself the goal of completing the 5K in under 30 minutes. It was raining as we were getting ready to race, and it continued to rain throughout the entire race. Dave was not looking for a personal best, since he ran 18 miles on Friday night. I asked him to help pace me so I would finish in under 30. We ran together. Since it was raining, I didn't wear my Garmin. Dave had his regular watch on, so he had some idea of how we were doing but not an exact time. I picked out a person that I would not let beat me, so everytime she would pass me I would speed up (she did the same, so I must have been her person to beat). I felt great keeping up with the pack and continuing to pass people through most of the race. I ended up finishing in what I thought was 29.11, but the official race time was even better...28.51.37! I was so excited when I received the e-mail of official times. Actually I was excited before when I knew I met my goal and beat 30 minutes! I took over 3 minutes off my previous time. My average pace was 9:18! I'm feeling stronger and faster. Actually, I am also feeling hungry and tired a lot of the time, too.
Today I went bike riding with my husband, son, and nephew. My nephew couldn't quite keep up with our usual pace so we had to go a little slower and cut our distance. We ended up riding about 11 miles then enjoyed a nice lunch out. When we got home, I took a 2 hour nap. I think the 21.34 miles I ran this week combined with the faster paces caught up with me. I'm a little frustrated that I'm not losing weight. It seems I'm burning a lot of calories, and I'm not over eating. I'm not really gaining our losing just continuing to go up and down the same 4 pounds. I wish I could drop 10-15 more pounds. I think I would increase my pace even more if I could lose a few more pounds, but I'm worried that I won't have the energy if I cut my eating too much. Maybe I should cut out the glass (or 2) of wine each night.....but it sure does help me relax and sleep at the end of the day. Anyway, I'm very pleased with my improvements this week. Hoping I can keep it up.
Also, say a prayer for Heidi. She has her last two radiation treatments this week. In a few weeks they will retest her to see how well the treatments worked. Staying focused on the training and running is helping me cope and stay positive.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Week 5 Wrap Up and Starting Week 6
Last Thursday I had a great 2 mile run where I averaged a pace of 9:36. I was very happy with that pace for that distance. I am hoping to be able to maintain that pace of under 10 on my 3 and 4 mile distances soon.
We spent the weekend at Sunnen Lake/Trout Lodge in Potosi, MO with my cousin and his family. It was a great time, but a little more difficult to get in my long run for the weekend. I ran 8 miles on Saturday back and forth through the camps. I averaged an 11:09 pace, which is a good pace for me on a longer run. Dave was running with me part of the time, which actually slowed me down because he kept stopping for drinks and bathroom. It is nice having the belt now to carry water and chews.
On Monday, Dave and I ran 4 miles together in the subdivision. We actually ran mostly the same paths and met up here and there along the way but finished our run together. We had stopped and ate lunch at Kreiger's on our way home from Sunnen Lake and had made the mistake of eating burgers and fries. I averaged a 10:26, but I felt miserable the entire time. My belly was aching! Dave also had a difficult time running, and he actually ended up throwing up! We learned a lesson from that one.
Today my plan is to run 12 miles after school. We will see how it goes. I have been running in the mornings for the first part of my training, but now that the weather is cooling I am trying to switch to after school. It has been dark in the mornings and is almost too cool some mornings, so I am hoping I will have the energy at the end of the school day to still perform well. I don't usually do my long runs mid-week, but I am signed up for a 5K this weekend so I need to get in my long run. 12 miles will be my furthest distance, so I'm excited and nervous for tonight's run. I'm also looking forward to the 5K on Saturday where I am hoping for a personal best.
I have continued to just maintain my weight through the 6 weeks of training. I go up and down the same 4 pounds depending on what I have eaten, how much I ran on a given day, and just the usually ups and downs. I have noticed that my legs are firmer from all the running, and I just feel better. Of course, there are days when I feel achy, too, but not so often anymore. Well, I need to get ready for my day. Wish me luck on my long run today!
We spent the weekend at Sunnen Lake/Trout Lodge in Potosi, MO with my cousin and his family. It was a great time, but a little more difficult to get in my long run for the weekend. I ran 8 miles on Saturday back and forth through the camps. I averaged an 11:09 pace, which is a good pace for me on a longer run. Dave was running with me part of the time, which actually slowed me down because he kept stopping for drinks and bathroom. It is nice having the belt now to carry water and chews.
On Monday, Dave and I ran 4 miles together in the subdivision. We actually ran mostly the same paths and met up here and there along the way but finished our run together. We had stopped and ate lunch at Kreiger's on our way home from Sunnen Lake and had made the mistake of eating burgers and fries. I averaged a 10:26, but I felt miserable the entire time. My belly was aching! Dave also had a difficult time running, and he actually ended up throwing up! We learned a lesson from that one.
Today my plan is to run 12 miles after school. We will see how it goes. I have been running in the mornings for the first part of my training, but now that the weather is cooling I am trying to switch to after school. It has been dark in the mornings and is almost too cool some mornings, so I am hoping I will have the energy at the end of the school day to still perform well. I don't usually do my long runs mid-week, but I am signed up for a 5K this weekend so I need to get in my long run. 12 miles will be my furthest distance, so I'm excited and nervous for tonight's run. I'm also looking forward to the 5K on Saturday where I am hoping for a personal best.
I have continued to just maintain my weight through the 6 weeks of training. I go up and down the same 4 pounds depending on what I have eaten, how much I ran on a given day, and just the usually ups and downs. I have noticed that my legs are firmer from all the running, and I just feel better. Of course, there are days when I feel achy, too, but not so often anymore. Well, I need to get ready for my day. Wish me luck on my long run today!
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