Jen's Running Blog

I'm still alive

2009-04-14T18:35:00.003-04:00

just barely. No postings since February- ridiculous! But that's just been the way it's been going. Not so hot. I really need to get back on my game, past all the injuries and excuses! Right now I am just trying to get back into some type of routine, but I really need to add cross training and weight training as well.

training calendar

2009-02-21T13:57:00.002-05:00

Anyone know of a good training calendar I could post on here? I've been manually adding the mileage on the left there, but it's a pain, and it doesn't show my other workouts, so I look like a total slacker.

I have been running 3 x a week, but I had planned on 4 x. Life is just getting in the way. Makes me wonder how I would ever have time to train for a marathon.

Return of the Shin Splints

2009-02-08T15:22:00.002-05:00

My shin is feeling that old familiar feeling again. It's not too bad, but it's just threatening to hurt again. And my mileage is not high at all which is kinda scary. I found some exercises & stretches that is supposed to help. My goal is to do those and some stretching every day and see if that helps. Including going back to stretching my calves for 3 minutes, 3 times a day.

muscle soreness

2009-01-31T13:00:00.004-05:00

I worked out Thursday night for the first time in quite a while. Super sore today! Still tons of snow on the ground, but the streets are clear so I'm headed outside for a 3 miler. So glad I got my base built up in January with no major problems. February will add back in the longer runs, which I am really looking forward to. Hope the streets will remain clear so I can do them outside. Nothing more boring than running for over an hour on the treadmill!

Strength Training

2009-01-25T16:58:00.004-05:00

I did wind up running outside yesterday morning. It was actually around 15 degrees. It wasn't too bad, and I was glad I finally got off the treadmill for a change. My focus for the next 30 days or so is to get back to my strength training as well. I can tell a difference in my arms & abs (weak!) and know how much it helped my running in the past.

BRR!

2009-01-24T07:29:00.003-05:00

The streets are finally cleared off enough to run. Thought about running outside this weekend, as I really need to get some time in outside. But brrr... iI just noticed it's only supposed to get up to 21 today. On second thought...

A "Duh" Moment

2009-01-21T19:47:00.003-05:00

I had the ultimate "duh" moment on my way home today. I got new shoes about a month ago. Just about the time I started running again. So, I started up again from scratch on new shoes. DUH! Instead, I should have been rotating my shoes out until I adjusted to the new shoes. I knew that, but I just forgot. So, I'm going to try rotating them now and maybe that will help. The ol' shin splints are trying to come back - damn them! So I'm not sure if it's the new shoes or just the body rebelling against running again, but either way, that was a stupid way to handle the new shoes.

Back in the saddle...

2009-01-15T15:36:00.002-05:00

After about a 6 week running hiatus, I am back in the saddle again. I think it was good to give my body a chance to heal and rest, but I really didn't plan on taking that long off. I had some personal stuff going on and was super busy. Anyway, I am starting off slow in an effort to AVOID INJURY!!! But I will say when I ran 1 mile on Christmas Day I thought I was in big trouble. It is so hard to start over again, which should give me big motivation to never stop running! Having said that, I'm happy with how it's progessing and getting easier every day. It won't take long to get back in shape. My legs are still strong, and could go all day. It's the lungs that need to keep up!

I've decided to post only miles run and not all my other workouts to keep it simple. I ran about 500 miles in 2008 and would like to be closer to 700 or 800 this year.

Still here!

2008-11-05T18:34:00.001-05:00

I'm still alive! I haven't updated this page in a while, but I promised to be better about it!! I've now signed up for the Mini Marathon in May, and the Drumstick Dash again this Thanksgiving. So time to get back to some serious training. No more injuries, no more excuses!

Race Report (Sort of)

2008-10-19T12:08:00.003-04:00

I did something yesterday that I've never done before, and hopefully will never do again. I dropped out of the race.

First, I ran into some bad traffic on the way down. Completely unexpected, so I missed the start of the race. I thought I could cross over the start with the walkers, but by the time I got parked & up to the start line, everyone had gone. Very disappointing. So I went ahead and joined in with the crowd and started running at what turned out to be the 2 mile marker. And it just so happens that I was running with much faster runners, so I was running too fast a pace to maintain, which is never good. I finally slowed to a more sustainable pace, and then of course, everyone was passing me, which is never good psychologically. As I continued to run, my knee started hurting again. I started thinking about running another 8 miles, and crossing the finish knowing I had not officially run the full 1/2 marathon. I also was concerned about my knee, and the fact that I had just overcome my back injury, and it still isn't 100%. So I made the decision to pull out of the race in order to prevent another injury which could take me out of running for the next few weeks. I wound up running about 5 miles. Plus I just don't think my heart was in it.

Based on the way I feel today (physically), I made the right decision. My knee still hurts, my ankle on the same side hurts, and the very low part of my shin on the same side is extremely sore. Psychologically, I'm pretty bummed out. But I think I need to get healthy & healed first. I knew I wasn't really prepared for this race. My training had been haphazard, and then I was recovering from injury, so perhaps I shouldn't have even gone down there. I will never again enter a race I'm not fully prepared for. I will also be back at that same race next year and will KILL it.

Half Marathon???

2008-10-17T17:00:00.003-04:00

I'm going for it! My back is still a little dicey, but I ran 5 miles Wednesday night and felt pretty darn good, so I am going to attempt the race tomorrow morning. My NEW goal is just to finish the darn thing, running as much of it as I can. I am not too hopeful to get a new PR, but the course will be less crowded than the Mini was in May, and it's going to be nice & cool tomorrow morning, so you never know what will happen... on the flip side my training & diet has been not nearly as good as it was for May, and then I'm recovering from injury, so it's hard to say...

Race report to follow...

Another quick post

2008-10-11T12:37:00.001-04:00

i hurt my back and i'm hoping i recover in time for next weekend. We'll see what happens...

quick post

2008-10-07T18:37:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post to state, yes, I am still alive. Just really busy. Only a week and a half before the half marathon. HUGE huge huge blister on my big toe which is a pain (literally) and quite annoying so close to the race. Other than that, I'm on track for the half!

Is running contagious? and other random thoughts

2008-09-29T20:44:00.002-04:00

First, my daughter, now 2 people at work have started running! Craziness...

My daughter is doing well. She is only doing about a mile each run, but her time has improved drastically and she is at about a 10:00 mile. She said it is getting easier (they always say listen to your mother, right?). Anyway, she did the mile in gym today and it was 12:50! What?!?! The problem is, during her training runs at home, she runs the whole way. At school, she runs with other people and starts out way too fast, then has to walk some of it. She actually admitted that's what happened today, and that she KNEW she was running too fast. So I said, well... then didn't you tell yourself, gee I better slow down? Then there was some discussion about her convoluted theory on getting too fast and then getting a worse grade. Some kind of junior high logic that I didn't quite follow. Still, it's so much fun to see her starting to be able to feel her pace. And her speed... ugh, it's mind blowing. She will very shortly be running too fast for me to keep up with her. Honestly, I hope that she does beat my butt! She is the one person that I feel no need to compete with, and I can honestly be happy in her success :) My husband, on the other hand... it burns my hide that he's passed me up (on speed anyway-- i still got him on distance).

Lastly, on a sad note, my lower back is killing me. I'm not sure what I did, but it's been bothering me off & on since Saturday. It felt better Sunday morning, so I ran my 9.3 miles, and then it started hurting again. Supposed to do 5 some time this week and 11 on Friday, so I really need it to get better. Half marathon is right around the corner!!

Motivation? I got yer motivation right here!

2008-09-20T16:04:00.003-04:00

5K last night, got to run with all the downtown lights as the backdrop, pretty cool. Totally sucked on my time, though. First time EVER that my 5K time has not improved -- UGH! Bummer deal. I felt really good, and paced myself extremely well (Garmin graph shows very even pace throughout the race). I dunno... maybe that was the problem. But I really did feel like I pushed through the entire race. I also kind of question the time a little because according to my Garmin, I should have been around 28:50 but the chip time was 29:29. I didn't care for their timing method, and like the Champion Chips better.

Less than 4 weeks until the half marathon. Time to get serious. 10 mile run planned for tomorrow morning.

So... motivation has been seriously lacking lately, as evidenced by the recent lack of workouts, eating like crap, etc. Last night did give me a big wake up call, though. A) 5K time has slipped B) uh, half marathon in 4 weeks, dummy C) feeling "heavy", running "slow" D) pants don't be fitting so well E) feeling grouchy & crappy F) did i mention 4 weeks until 13.1????

Guess I know I can run the 13, so I haven't been too worried about pushing myself, and following the training so strict this time. But, I definitely feel "out of shape" and I am, compared to what I was before. Yet, I'm completing my long runs with relative ease. Still, I had said that I wanted to improve my half marathon time, and after last night, I'm kind of worried! Maybe I won't be able to beat my last time! YIKES!

5 is the new 3?

2008-09-15T19:51:00.003-04:00

I just had a pretty nice 5 mile run. I was tired from working all day and was really procrastinating, but I finally forced myself out the door. And thank goodness I did. It was a really nice run. (cooler weather rocks!)

Then I realized that 5 miles feels suspiciously like 3 used to. Hmmm... is "5" my new "3"? Except I can't run 5 miles in 30 minutes. That would be nice. Gosh, I wish I was a lot faster mainly for the fact that longer runs take so darned long! Training for these longer races is just so time consuming, so the thought of finding TIME to train for a marathon some day seems far fetched. Plus, it's kind of a crazy idea, right?

Back on Track

2008-09-06T16:31:00.002-04:00

I am back on track with my eating situation. Thank goodness! I had a really good week, so I feel like I am finally moving in the right direction, and I lost almost all the extra poundage I had put on during my junk food frenzy of the last few weeks. One more week like this one and I'll be in good shape.

Food is fuel. Running has taught me this lesson probably more than any other. I can definitely feel the difference when I am "eating clean" versus pigging out. If I am not eating right I feel like 100 pounds heavier when I run and just darn sluggish. Food is fuel, people!! I'm tellin' ya...

Funky Toenails

2008-08-25T19:47:00.003-04:00

Something is wrong with one of my toenails. It's a funny color and it hurts when I press on it. I've heard of runners whose toenails turn black & fall off. In a sick, twisted sort of way, I was kind of excited when my toenail started looking weird. If my toenail turns black then I can call myself a real runner!! whoo hoo!

Actually, I am not running near enough miles for that to happen. And it would be darn painful and probably make running kinda difficult, just a guess...

I did run 7 miles Sunday and it was AWESOME. In a painful, gut renching, air sucking, energy draining, goodlordpleasehelpme kind of way. ha ha! Truthfully, it was a little hard. But I fought through it. A little humid, and definitely warmish, so I stopped a couple of times for a drink. But I compared my time to the 7 miles I ran training for the last 1/2 marathon and I shaved off 1 minute. Not too shabby, consider I ran that first one straight through with no stops.

Watched the Olympic Men's Marathon Saturday night which got me fired up for my Sunday run. Those guys ran the marathon twice as fast as me, for twice the distance. Wowser! While we were watching, I said my goal for the next half would be however long it took them to run the full, but then they ran it in 2:06 something, and I don't think I can pull that off!! Maybe 2:15?? We'll soon see... Stay tuned.

sick..

2008-08-20T15:53:00.003-04:00

I haven't been feeling too well this week, so not only have I NOT run, I haven't done much of anything. After being out of town last weekend and eating out way too much, then laying around the last couple of days, I am feeling rather fat! Though hubby assures me I am not fat, I'm not convinced. I feel like I am totally out of shape. ugh. And I'm supposed to run 7 miles Sunday, so I better squeeze a least a couple of runs in before then.

Another PR... Really!

2008-08-17T16:25:00.004-04:00

I know, I can hardly believe it myself. I ran a 5K this weekend while I was on a mini-vacation out of town. It was a little warmer out than I would have liked and by the end of the race, I thought I might barf. When I reached mile 1, there was a volunteer who called out 8:35. Holy crap, really??? Well, no wonder I was dying! So I slowed down considerably during mile 2. Or at least I think I did. I left my Garmin at home so I was running blind, which was also a little different because I always ALWAYS run with it. Plus I stopped to drink at the 2nd water station and walked for a bit which I never do either! I was HOT! Anyway, during the last mile, I was upset because A) I was convinced I was really bombing and B) I was convinced they had threw in a couple of extra miles without telling us and C) I was mad at myself because I'm a distance runner, not a speedy runner, so why the blazes was I running a 5K??

Needless to say, I struggled with this one but when I reached mile 3 they called out the time again and I realized that if I pushed it, I would PR again. Yes, again! So basically, I have shaved yet another minute off my 5K time. When oh when will the madness end?

(hopefully never)

Quick Post from a busy woman

2008-08-09T10:31:00.003-04:00

just a quick post because i'm busier than hell right now. Did strength training this morning, after meeting carpet installer at the office at 8 am. Now I have to clean out the house and move a bunch of furniture & other crap over to Mom's for a garage sale next month. Then, I have to go back to the office tonight to lock up and make sure they got all the carpet in alright. Then gotta pack & get hubby ready for his business trip. I will be tired tonight!

30 Days of Hell

2008-08-02T08:36:00.002-04:00

The next 30 days will be rough. By the end of August, my long run will be 8 miles which right now seems a little far fetched. But I'm sure I'll get there. However, not only am I ramping up my training, my job has me taking on another total life-sucking project over the next month. I struggled this week with getting all my runs in. I have been running in the morning, and it definitely helps. At least it's kept me off the treadmill, unlike last summer. I just cannot run in the heat, and I'm finally accepting that!

Running in the heat

2008-07-22T20:41:00.002-04:00

This morning it was nice & cool for my 4 mile run. A welcome relief from the recent heat & humidity. I ran a LOT faster with a LOT less effort this morning, and I gotta say, the run was much more enjoyable. I am just not cut out for running in the heat. I struggled with it last summer, too, but this year I am starting my half marathon training during the hottest time of the year. Great planning.

Anyway, I realized this morning just how much the heat had been affecting me. I was beginning to think that I was really out of shape!! I guess if it was like this year round, I would eventually adapt. But it's not, and I'm not adjusting well, and it stinks! And I'll be darned if I'm going to be stuck on the treadmill all summer!!!

The latest & greatest frustrations

2008-07-14T19:37:00.002-04:00

So here's the scoop. First, I actually ran more than my usual 3 miles yesterday which felt amazing. I feel so out of shape, but I think a lot of it is the HEAT, which I still haven't adjusted to. I officially start my half marathon training in 2 weeks, so right now I'm training to get my butt in shape to start training! That's just pathetic!

I'm getting a little excited about getting back to those long runs, and running another half. I finally realized and will admit that I definitely, definitely, definitely NEED to be signed up for some type of running event to keep motivated. The down time after the first half was killer. I think I was almost depressed. It was the craziest thing.

And lastly, this "weight loss ticker" at the top of the page is pissing me off. I've been stuck at this weight forever. It's no big mystery, though... I'm cheating on my diet like there's no tomorrow. I'm actually amazed at the crap I can eat and not gain a thing. I tend to go for a week or 2 eating everything in sight, then realize I need to reign it in, so I'll be good for a few days, but then I slip back into it. I've just been training so hard, and eating right (meaning STRICT) for so much of the last year, that I guess I'm a little "over" it. But I am so, so close to my goal weight now, that I just need to commit to one last push. It's not about the number on the scale, believe me! When I was this weight before, I wore 2 sizes bigger than I wear now. So I am definitely leaner, more muscle mass, less fat. But I just want to shred off the last little bit of blubber, and be just a little lighter (leading to faster running???). So let's buckle down and do this thingy already!! And then we can take the ticker off the site, for goodness sakes!!!

6 Random Things About J-Dog

2008-07-09T20:41:00.002-04:00

I've been tagged by Suebob for 6 Random Things!

1. I've always lived in Indiana. Lucky me...
2. The craziest thing I've ever done is go skydiving.
3. I have a poster autographed by Deena Kastor (woo hoo, go Deena)
4. My favorite color is purple
5. I've never been outside the US
6. One of my favorite shows is Ghost Hunters (it's on tonight!)

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

So, I'm supposed to tag 6 folks, but I'm not sure I know that many! Hmmm... how about JoJit and Adrianne and Jenn and Sam and Jarod? Hey, that's more than I thought... Happy blogging!

Why, oh why, did I sign up for another half marathon?

2008-07-07T19:05:00.002-04:00

I know, I know. I'm a worry wort.

I doubled up the workouts yesterday so I could take today as a rest day. Mainly because it's Monday, and I knew it would be a crazy day. Time management is a little difficult these days and I'm finding it stressful trying to fit in all parts of life required in the short 24 hours each day.

So I'm worried about the half marathon I signed up for. I'm worried mostly about the time commitment that comes with the longer runs. I'm worried that I'll do WORSE on my time instead of better on my time. You know, I'm always after that PR. I'm worried that I'm out of shape (I am by my own standards, but it's all relative). I'm worried that the half in May was just a fluke, and that I'll totally flop in October. You'd think I'd be all confident since I've done it before. But the truth is, I HAVE done it before, so I KNOW how much it sucks, uh i mean, how far it is. 13.1 is a haul, folks, let me tell ya... I'm worried my shin will not allow me to do the race. I'm worried about the hills on the course. I'm worried there won't be as much "rah rah" as there was at the Mini and I'll be out there on the course alone, sucking wind, no one to cheer me on. I'm worried there'll only be "real runners" at this one (since everyone & their dog does the Mini) and I'll finish last, or at least right in front of all the walkers on the course. I'm worried that it is way too early to be worrying so much. I'm worried that I am lacking so much confidence that CLEARLY should be present given my performance in May.

Back to it...

2008-06-29T12:42:00.002-04:00

Rest week is officially over. Ran a nice slow 3 miles this morning (10:17 pace). Felt pretty good considering I'm coming off the rest week. I'm trying to ease back into it slowly so I don't get injured.

I signed up for another half marathon yesterday, so training for that starts late July. Just going to spend the next 4 weeks getting prepared for the training plan. My calves are a little tight, but other than that I feel good. Hopefully this rest week will help me come back not only stronger, but more motivated?? My motivation has been a little less than stellar lately! But a nice rest week, then signing up for another half should help. I have some mixed feelings about the half. I'm not sure why. Maybe because i've done it, and i know what I'm getting myself into this time. I'm thinking.... really? Do I REALLY want to go through that again? Would be much easier if my job didn't work me to death most days...

Rest Week

2008-06-21T18:42:00.002-04:00

Starting tomorrow, I am on a planned rest WEEK, if you can believe it. I've been training pretty hard this last year, and it's time to take a mini vacation to allow my body to fully rest & recover. Hopefully, this will mean I will come back even stronger. I think this will be beneficial not only physically, but pyschologically as well. Things haven't been the same since the Mini and I think that this will help me re-set before I attempt another half marathon. The thought of going back into training with those long ass runs is a little less than exciting right now. I have to remember that when I decided to train for the last half, I had a much less demanding job. So I guess I have a lot more on my plate now, and knowingly committing myself to a killer 12 week training plan is a little daunting.

A good run...

2008-06-15T16:02:00.002-04:00

I had a good run today. Still warm out, but I went out early enough before it got too hot. I've noticed that the mindset that I have when I start my runs dictate what kind of run I'm going to have. Today I knew I was doing 5 miles, and I purposefully kept my pace slow. Actually, a lot a slower pace than I've been training at lately. The other thing I did was keep my pace very even, which I have also not been doing a good job of lately. The spread for the paces of each mile was only a 5 second spread. Pretty steady, I'd say!

This summer, my plan is to train at different paces instead of aiming for the same pace on each run. In addition, I've started some sprints during my strength training sessions, but I'd like to incorporate more on my running days as well. These 2 changes should make a huge difference in my running, in terms of speed, but I think also just in general making me a stronger runner.

5 mile race report

2008-06-08T18:11:00.002-04:00

After much debated & indecision, I finally bit the bullet and decided to do the 5 mile race downtown last night. It started at 7 pm so you would think it would have cooled off enough, but unfortunately that was not the case. It was extremely muggy and probably in the mid to upper 80s. I am not used to running in this warmer weather either.

I really bombed on my time. I ran the first 2 miles pretty fast (well, fast for me anyway). I think the first mile was 9:18 and the second was 9:25. I stopped for water at mile 2 and it was all down hill after that. I would run for a little while but then I'd have to stop & walk. This was pretty much the was it was for the last 3 miles of the race. Everyone around me was doing the same thing. The heat & humidity was just unbearable. I am still happy with my time given how much of the course I walked. But obviously I did not have a good PR and my training run last Sunday was a full 4 minutes faster!

All I can say is this is the first time I have EVER walked any part of a race!! Including the half marathon. So you know it was pretty brutal if I gave in and started walking. I was a little frustrated during the race, but it helped to see everyone around me in the same boat.

Moral to the story: I need to condition myself for running in this weather before I attempt another race. Having said that, it was really nice to be in another race, and despite everything, I enjoyed the event. One I'll never forget, that's for sure. It does get me excited about signing up for something else though.

This is today's title

2008-06-03T19:36:00.002-04:00

I hate coming up with titles for all these entries! Well, I've been extremely busy with work (again) and have been barely able to squeeze in those workouts! But I'm hanging in there. I am still on the fence about this Saturday night. There is a 5 mile run I would like to do, but there is so much going on right now that I'm not sure I'm up to it.

Oddly enough, Sunday I ran 5 miles faster than I have ever run it before. Kind of suprised myself. When I looked at my Garmin at the end of the run, I was shocked, then happy, then I was like "no wonder that was so hard! I was booking it!" I am still amazed at how I continue to improve. At some point I will level off, but let's hope that is way in the distance!

So right now, here is the focus:

1. Lose those last goshdarn 10 or so pounds, for goodness gracious! Get on it, girl!
2. Improve the 5K time (always a goal)
3. Continue to work on base mileage until the end of July
4. Start 1/2 marathon training again at the end of July
5. uh, um... I need to take care of my shin, get back to the stretching & icing. I've been remiss lately and my leg is feelin' it.

In a Slump

2008-05-26T10:40:00.002-04:00

There is no question that I have been in a serious slump since the half marathon. I'm finding it very difficult to pull out of it. I've had a couple of real nice runs lately, including yesterday, where everything just felt right, and I felt like I was back in it. But I can't seem to get fully back on track, with running OR with my diet. There is an event next Saturday, where I could choose either a 5K or 5 miler, but I've been procrastinating signing up for it. Perhaps if I sign up for that, it will force me to snap out of it, already!! I'm very frustrated right now.

Funkytown.

2008-05-17T16:48:00.002-04:00

I have been in a serious funk the last week or so. A little post race let down I suppose. I was so focused on the training plan, and now I have no plan. So I haven't been running very much, as you can see.

This weekend, I need to put together some kind of running schedule that I can follow for this summer. At the end of July I go back into training for the fall half marathon, but until then I need something to keep me on track. I've packed on 5 or so pounds, so I've placed my weight loss ticker back at the top of the blog page.

Get back on that horse, girl!

Back to work!

2008-05-10T15:44:00.002-04:00

Time to get back on the horse! I didn't run Friday like I had planned. Had an impromptu date instead, so there was no time for it. Anyway, I have eaten more junk this week than I can stand. I'm going back on my diet, and am going to get back to a regular workout routine this week. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but I think there may be a break where I can squeeze in my run. I hurt my hip flexor at the gym today, so hopefully it will feel better by tomorrow. I was hoping to do a longer run tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

Post Race Run

2008-05-07T19:02:00.002-04:00

Today was my first run since Saturday's race. Felt fantastic! 5 miles, nice & easy! I think I'll do another 5 on Friday, then a longer run on Sunday.

Race Report !

2008-05-05T19:52:00.001-04:00

So I'm still tired. Ugh!

I guess that's what happens when you run 13.1 miles. WOO HOO!! I feel great (other than being tired) and so happy to report NO lingering injuries.

The day started off cool, and at the last minute I decided to throw on a jacket. Fortunately, we dodged the rain that was in the forecast earlier in the week. And NO WIND!! Thankfully, very thankfully. Anyway, I didn't realize that prior to the race there would be such a long line for the port-o-potty, so that's a lesson learned that I'll remember next time. I finally got into my corral "T" way, way, way in the back and waited for the race to start. Since there are so many participants, it took me over 20 minutes to get up to the start line. I made friends with a girl easily 10-15 years younger than me, who was also doing her first 1/2 marathon. We have a similar pace so we stayed together for the first 5 miles of the race, and just chatted away while trying to avoid all the WALKERS who were oblivious. I mean no harm to walkers. But the walkers are supposed to stay to the right of the course, and apparently none of them are aware of this rule. Makes it very diffucult on such a crowded course.

Anyway, it didn't take long for me to get a little warm with that jacket on, so I made my first scheduled stop at 5.6 miles right before entering the Speedway. Little water, little energy gel, and I'm on my way. I had whipped my jacket off about a mile before that. Well, I really didn't want to just throw it on the side of the road, and I really didn't want to carry it the rest of the race, or tie it around my waist, so I handed it to a spectator waiting with her baby. She looked at me like I was crazy, and maybe she just threw it away. But darn it, that was one of my favorite running jackets!!

We ran down a ramp through a tunnel to enter the Speedway and everyone started yelling because this is pretty exciting. The screams were echoing through the tunnel. Very cool. Actually the first part of the track was pretty long and boring, and my young friend is too far in front of me now to catch up with her. I hope she did well, but I suspect she finished the race strong. Now with no one to talk to, and a long boring track to look at, things get a little tougher. But eventually, I rounded the last turn and saw the grandstand which was so exciting, and definitely one of the highlights of the race.

Coming out of the track, I only had about another mile before my next scheduled stop at 9.9 miles. Somewhere in through there one of the bars was cooking ribs. I definitely do NOT want to smell any kind of smell, but especially food, when I'm running. It makes me nauseous. Anyway, little water, little energy gel, oh, yes more water please, and I'm on my way again. Feeling okay, but now entering the last 3 miles of the race, a distance I've never attempted. Mile 11 is okay, a little tired, but hanging in there. At this point, I'm checking my watch, trying to calculate my finish time. I'm thinking, wow, if I wasn't so darn tired, I could really push it and have a really great finish time!

Somewhere around this point, I grab water and down it on the run, I'm a little delirious so I don't fully remember. Mile 12 is kinda crappy, and it's at this point I try to recall all the advice that was or wasn't give to me before the race. I'm really trying to psych myself up/in/out whatever. I'm also cursing the man who designed my training program (though 2 days later I declare he's a saint!). I'm thinking how stupid I am for buying in to the bullshit that you can run 10 miles in training, and then turn around and run 13.1 the next week at the race. It's a lie!! Don't believe it!! I'm so naive!

But then, suddenly... I only have a mile left. Wow. I had turned the corner (uh, literally. The course really does turn right before the last mile) and was on the last straight-away. Fatigue is strong now. The last mile was seriously brutal. I honestly thought a couple of times that I might have to stop and walk. But being the stubborn person that I am, I thought of how hard I worked to get there. And there was no way in heck I was going to walk the last 1/2 mile!! I ran as fast as I could to the finish, but there was no sprinting like I do in the 5K races. No, I didn't have anything left in the tank. And I'm grateful for that. I left it all on the road Saturday. I laid it out there and did the best I possibly could. No regrets.

When I first started training for this, I thought it would take me 2 hours 45 minutes to finish. As I started training, I thought I MIGHT be able to make it in 2:30. So my final finish time of 2:21:16 is beyond what I could have expected at the beginning of all this.

Post Race: Well, Saturday afternoon, I did not nap, but I did lay on the couch and I think I became permanently glued to the cushions. I've never been so physically tired in my life. I had some muscle soreness on Sunday, and few odd aches & pains, but today I feel much better, and I am hoping to run again in a couple of days. I have a couple of shorter races picked out for this summer, and then I'm back in training again in late July for my next BIG race in October, another 1/2 marathon!!

Gotta run!

I survived!

2008-05-03T16:46:00.001-04:00

I survived my first ever 1/2 Marathon! The race report will be posted tomorrow, but check out my time! Under the 2:25 I had predicted. For now, it's time to rest :)

1 more day!

2008-05-01T18:59:00.003-04:00

Only one more day!! I'm getting excited about the race on Saturday. Just trying to rest up the next couple of days. I am going to pick out my outfit tonight, stretch really good, etc. It looks like there might be rain showers Saturday morning...

Welcome to Slackersville!

2008-04-28T18:29:00.003-04:00

Population: 1.

This is going to be a fun week! I feel like such a cheater because I don't have massive miles to run this week (except for Saturday, of course). And I am taking 100% rest days on Thursday & Friday. What will I do with all that extra time??

I only did 30 minutes on the bike tonight, but yet I feel totally guilty! I do need to take some of that extra time this week to figure out what I'm going to wear on Saturday, and come up with a race strategy.

Um, dudes. I just went back & looked at the very bottom of this page at the mileage I was pulling in October. Uh, yep. You could say I've come quite a ways since then!! ha! I am "only" supposed to run "only" 2 miles on Wednesday this week, and I've been thinking about how "short" that is, and how it will not even feel like a workout. If you had told me back in October that I'd feel that way, I'd have fallen over dead. I guess it's all relative.

1 Week left!

2008-04-26T10:50:00.002-04:00

yes, only one week left until my first ever half marathon. I totally have this in the bag! :)

Ran 10 miles last night. Was a little unsure about whether to run it because earlier this week I was plagued by some arch pain. But it went great, and I felt really strong, so I have no question about doing well next week. Last night 10 miles in 1:48 which I'm pretty happy with. It was very windy and a little warm so I stopped several times for water and was not really pushing my speed at all, but still really happy with my time. I still predict I'll finish in 2:25 or better.

9 more days...

2008-04-24T19:18:00.002-04:00

And unfortunately, my left arch is hurting. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the 10 mile run tomorrow. I've got a few other aches & pains too, but the arch is the most problematic. I've been eating every damn thing in the house, too. Mostly it's just stress, but I will be glad to get the half marathon behind me to be honest.

2 weeks and counting!

2008-04-16T20:17:00.003-04:00

There's 16 or 17 days left, depending on how you count the days. Ran 9 miles tonight in 1:40:01. Feeling really good about my chances of finishing in under 2:30. I think I'll end up around 2:25 or so. I know I have trained smart and I am totally prepared for this. Kind of wierd, but I only have one more long run between now & the race. Still don't know how I'm supposed to get from 10 miles the week before the race to 13.1 on race day. But I have to have faith in the training plan.

So when I ran 8 miles a couple of weeks ago, I felt like I could go 9 with no problem. Tonight when I ran 9, I felt like 9 was PLENTY! Did not think I could have gone 10 tonight. I've been running without the mp3 player and I have adjusted to that with no problems. I had noticed it was just becoming background noise anyway, so I'll definitely be able to do the race without it. It does get a little uh, I don't want to say "boring" because that's not the right word. But after a while, I'm just ready to be done and back home.

A Rather Blustery Day

2008-04-11T19:44:00.002-04:00

Man, is it windy out there today or what?!?! I'd rather have no wind and 30 degrees than windy and 70. Crazy, but true!

So here's the quick update in a nutshell:
a) job is settling down a little -- praise Jesus!
b) diet is pretty much completely derailed at this point (and I don't care)
c) training is right on schedule
d) leg is about the same. Not really getting better, but not getting worse. I'm just stretching and icing the heck out of it to keep it at bay as I continue to increase my distance.

But, some clarification on item b... it's not that i don't care, I just am not going to stress about it for the next month. I come home from work tired and stressed out, and I want to eat. Then I make myself (force myself) to run even though I'm so beat from work I can hardly stand it. My body then screams at me "FEED ME NOW" because the more I run the more I want to eat every last damn thing in the house! I keep thinking about the Saturday Night Live episode where Chris Farley and David Spade are dressed up like girls working at the mall, eating at the food court. Then Chris Farley was supposed to be on a diet but is stuffing his face. When David Spade says, Hey aren't you supposed to be on a diet, Chris screams "I'm starving!"

4 weeks until the BIG DAY

2008-04-05T18:07:00.002-04:00

Just kicked butt on 8 miles. Could have gone another mile even. I can see the 13 now-- it's in my sights. Started taking a sports gel with the long runs and perhaps that is helping as well. I also ran today without my iPod and it was actually really nice. I know they are supposedly cracking down on the use of those, so I thought I would try to get used to running without one. Shouldn't be a problem.

An absolutely gorgeous spring day for running, sunny and 60. 11:00 pace today, finished in under 1 1/2 hours which INCLUDED the water & Gu stop I took, so I feel pretty good about my chances of finishing in under 2.5 hours.

Exhaustion sets in.

2008-04-03T17:51:00.002-04:00

too tired to blog... too tired to run...

7 miles, woo hoo!

2008-03-29T16:18:00.002-04:00

That's right! 7 miles in under 1 hour 15 minutes. Not too shabby! I'll admit to being a little tired that last mile, but I hung in there and did it. A new distance record. Well, I've officially ran over half the half marathon. Hmmm... another 6 miles on top of what I just did. Killer. And only a month to pull it off.

Spring is here!

2008-03-26T18:31:00.002-04:00

Finally, finally, finally! it seems spring has sprung. Another beautiful day for running outside. A pretty insane day at work today, so I was looking forward to the run all day and by the end of the day I was pretty zoned out. Unfortunately, the run was not as good as the last 2 I had for some reason. Just struggled a little bit more today for some reason. I will get another run in on Friday, and then the big SEVEN mile run on Sunday-- a brand new distance for me so it should be pretty interesting.

6 miles & feelin' strong!

2008-03-23T13:11:00.002-04:00

Just ran 6 miles outside. Sunny but chilly, no wind. Did it with ease. Was only a little tired in the last 1/2 mile. So, I simply have to run that twice, plus add another mile on it to complete the half marathon. Hmm.

5K in under 30!!

2008-03-15T17:06:00.002-04:00

Finally under 30 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot explain how ecstatic I am that I finally broke 30 minutes in the 5K. I placed 3rd in my age group, 20th out of 161 females, and 64th out of 255 overall. Awesome, awesome, awesome!

So despite the fact that I've been a major SLACKER the last 2 weeks, I managed to really pull it out today. I think this was the first time where I didn't look back at the end and think "if only I hadn't slowed down during that one part" or "if only I'd pushed a little harder". I felt like I pushed hard the whole way! But I did have enough left in the tank to sprint at the finish.

Oh, a little side note... not to be picky, picky but my PR times are important to me and this time the timing chip was really wacky. It was a metal thing on the back of the bib and apparently it did not get automatically scanned at the end mat. You had to get manually scanned by one of the volunteers. So if we are going to get really technical about it, I do believe my actually finish time was 4 seconds faster than what I have posted here.

No Excuses - Just Reality

2008-03-08T08:04:00.003-05:00

Yes, I missed practically a whole week's worth of workouts. No, I'm not making excuses. Other than to say, it's been one hellish week. Started a new job and it is total and utter chaos, which yours truly has to clean up. So it's been an exhausting week and I've missed several workouts. I now have to work all weekend as well. I will have to make sure not to run myself down and get sick! But, long story short, I ate like crap this week, missed one of my scheduled runs, my leg is hurting, and I haven't been doing what the PT told me to do.

Next week will be better. I will do my long run tomorrow, and then work on a plan for keeping up on my workouts next week despite the madness that is happening at work.

Elliptical problem?

2008-03-01T11:36:00.002-05:00

Well, don't I feel stupid? After meeting with my physical therapist this week, it seems that maybe cranking up the resistance on the elliptical may have been what aggravated my lower shin. I think I will stay away from the elliptical the next couple of weeks and see if that will make it better. I really don't like the bike but it's only one or two days a week.

It's supposed to be sunny & warmer tomorrow, high around 54 so I'm looking forward to my long run tomorrow.

Getting in better shape?

2008-02-25T17:33:00.002-05:00

Apparently what I've been doing on the elliptical is not enough any more. I've had to crank up the resistance to make it harder. Or hard enough - whatever... I've been doing an hour because I'm trying to build up my endurance for those longer runs.

I ran 4 miles yesterday. First of all, it was fantastic because I got to run outside which I haven't been able to do in what seems like an eternity. Secondly, it was just so easy. Unbelievable!! Seriously, it seemed about like the 3 milers I've been doing. I was trying to keep my pace nice & slow, slower than usual, but it wound up being the same training pace I've been doing on the shorter runs. There is no doubt that I'll breeze through the next couple of weeks. However, after that it gets interesting. That's when I start really cranking up the mileage (for me, anyway). April should be a challenging month.

A New Record!

2008-02-17T19:59:00.002-05:00

Friday I ran 3.1 around the neighborhood in 30:03!!! I'm allowing myself some slack over the 3 seconds because at the end I had to keep checking my watch to turn it off at exactly 3.1 so that had to slow me down at least 3 seconds, right? I am so thrilled with this time, and know that if it had been a race, I would have made it in under 30.

Okay, so I guess it's time to share some of my New Year's Resolutions...

1. Run a sub 30 5K before the end of February - I'm considering that DONE!
2. Run a sub 28 5K before the end of 2008 - should be able to do this!
3. Run 800 miles in 2008 - ugh! Really?

#3 is a bit agressive. So far this year I've done just over 62 miles. A little low because of coming off injury. But I figured it averages out to 16 miles a week for the rest of the year. I running about 11 a week now, so obviously my weekly total will increase with the training I'm doing now. If I can keep those longer distances up after the Mini is over, I should be able to come close to the goal.

Bring on the miles, baby!

2008-02-11T19:15:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited because I get to run 4 miles this weekend. I am really excited about bumping up the mileage, and the last few runs have been terrific. I'm feeling really strong. My leg is feeling really good. Ankles are bumming a little which is odd. It's like it's moving south again! Anyway, so, so, so ready for the miles...

I ran 2 days in a row last week. The second day was a short 1.5 miler outside, but it was a good test for the ol' bod, and a good exercise psychologically as well. The last time I ran 2 days in a row was at the end of last summer and that was when I hurt my ankle. So I've had this mental block about running 2 days in a row. I think I can definitely do it now. Once the half marathon is over, and I'm out of training, I think I could play around with the weekly miles and rearrange it so my body could adjust to consecutive days. Then I could continue to build those miles. If I could run 4 days a week instead of 3 days a week, I could build up some serious mileage.

Training Time!!

2008-02-09T10:57:00.000-05:00

Let the training begin!!

That's right... after many weeks waiting in anticipation, I'm finally officially starting training as of tomorrow. I'm ready - so, so ready! But a little nervous overall. The next month should be a relative walk in the park for me. There's nothing there that I haven't already done. March, however, will be the month where I will really start to feel challenged.

The farthest I've ever run is 6 miles so once I get past that point, uh... well, I guess I'm not sure what to expect!! I'm just trying to NOT freak myself out too bad by realizing that I'll be running for 2 and a half hours. WOWSER!

Random Thoughts

2008-02-06T08:58:00.001-05:00

The weather has been warmer but rainy, dark & depressing. I just cannot wait until spring!

My leg seems to be holding up pretty well. The true test will come in a couple of weeks when I really start increasing the mileage. I'm just never quite sure if I have the right shoes. I'm thinking about going back & get a pair of Nikes as well that I can rotate out with my current shoes. The Asics I have now just seem so loose, and Nike is what I'm used to which is a narrower fit, and I guess I'm used to that snugger feeling. The Asics are also very light, which is supposed to be good thing with running, but somehow I feel like I should have more support. I'm not sure what to do.

I bought a new yoga DVD - Yoga for "Athletes". I felt kinda funny buying it since I definitely do not consider myself an athlete! Anyway, it has stretches specifically for runners. Last night after my run, I did the long program and felt like I really got a good stretch. I think if I did this consistently, it would really help keep the injuries, aches & pains away. My leg was not screaming at me last night (or this morning) so this is a good sign. Maybe I'm on to something!

bbrrrr...

2008-01-31T18:43:00.000-05:00

Could it be any colder?? BIG storm front moving in tonight with 6-8 inches of snow, followed by ice. Fun, fun, fun. Run, run, run on the treadmill.... ugh.

Gym complaint

2008-01-28T16:32:00.000-05:00

Okay, so this story may get lost in translation. But here's what happened to me at the gym today. I'm working away on the elliptical, minding my own business when this guy approaches the girl who had been on the elliptical next to me for about 15 minutes and says something to her. Then he taps me on the arm (and mind you, I'm listening to my MP3 player) so I shut it off and he says "are you going to be much longer?" I don't mind this too much I guess, but his tone wasn't very nice. So I said, well I've got about another 10 minutes. He just looks at me. So I said, is that okay? And he said, no, not really but you're already on it now. Then he walks away. He didn't ask anyone else on any of the other ellipticals. Hmmmm.... And there are plenty of treadmills, and the other type of elliptical machines, and the bikes available.

Yes, I did 45 minutes today, but I've been in there when there were zero machines available and I either a) chose the bike which I hate or b) politely waited knowing any minute someone would get off. Now, if there had not been any cardio equipment available, I would most likely cut my workout short and only gone 30 minutes, even if no one had approached me. So, I'm not a machine hog!! And there is no rule posted that says limit your time to 30 minutes (I've belonged to some gyms where this is the case). I couldn't believe this guy. And the girl next to me - we just looked at each other and rolled our eyes. What a goober!

Sunny weather

2008-01-27T15:20:00.000-05:00

Finally, some nice weather! 39 and sunny today, so I was excited to be able to run outside for the first time in over 2 weeks. Did 3 miles, and definitely could have done more. Felt really good. Funny how the runners from the Spirit of the Marathon movie kept popping in my head.

Can't wait to get back into training mode :)

Ready to Run

2008-01-25T20:36:00.000-05:00

Last night I saw "Spirit of the Marathon" which followed the story of 6 runners preparing for the Chicago Marathon. Beautifully shot, completely cool, totally inspiring! One of the neatest things was being surrounded by all these strangers watching the movie too, laughing at the same things I found humorous, because they "get it" too!

So I think I'm ready to get back in the saddle, and I'm more convinced than ever that I will be ready to rock that half marathon in May! I ran my 3 three-milers this week, so I'm back on track and ready to start training in February and start building up that mileage. I have a clear to do so from the physical therapist, but I go back in March, just to see how things are progressing.

Man oh man, I miss those long, slow runs on Sundays. Unfortunately, I haven't run outside for 2 weeks. I miss the road! I miss the outdoors. And yep, I do miss running those longer distances. I am pretty excited to start training. But I promise to follow doctor's orders and take it slow & easy. I think the weather will be decent enough to run outside this Sunday, and I'd love to throw down 5 miles, but I would surely pay for it afterwards. Just another 3 on Sunday is what I'm planning!

I really mean it this time!

2008-01-20T12:09:00.000-05:00

I just did 3 easy miles on the treadmill. It's been so cold this week, and the coming week I don't think it will get over 30 all week. So I may be chained to the treadmill again! I would like to run outside at least once a week, but it's got to be at least in the 20s for me to hit the road!

I know I said last week I was going to get back on track, but I felt like holy hell all week, so I didn't quite make it. I've only got 2 weeks before I officially start training, so this is the week I absolutely will get back on track. No more cheating on the diet. No more slacking off on the cardio! 3 3-milers this week, come hell or high water!

Feeling better

2008-01-15T19:42:00.000-05:00

After battling the stomach flu on Sunday and most of Monday, I am feeling much better physically and I'm in a much better frame of mind. I think this will be the week I get back on track. First, I wound up running 3 times last week but a short distance for the 3rd run. So this week, the plan is to run 3 of the 3 milers. This should put me right back in the saddle again. I just came back from the gym with my strength training session, but I feel fantastic and wish I could go run right now! But I'd probably collapse! It's been a long day.

So if I do 3 of 3 milers this week & next week, I should be ready to build up a little more base mileage before hitting it hard & heavy on the Higdon plan in early February. All the sudden it's only 3 1/2 months away and it's sneaking up on me. Bring it!!

ugh

2008-01-11T16:38:00.000-05:00

ugh! What is wrong with me? I just am such a slug this week. I just want to eat pasta and sit on the couch! Maybe it's the weather... it's been so gloomy. And it'll be rainy or just nasty and I can't or don't want to run outside, so the thought of running on the treadmill is just too depressing. I dunno. All I've done this week is run twice. No other cardio, no strength training. Nada.

I'm so totally off the diet, it's ridiculous. One of my New Year's resolutions was to lose the rest of the weight by end of February. So I need to just get my a** in gear! I kind of took a "break" during the holidays, and getting back on track is just... it's just not happening. I'm pretty much annoyed with myself right now.

Dreadmill / Lost Momentum

2008-01-08T18:02:00.000-05:00

Will someone please stop the rain? It's so depressing outside that I feel like it's been night for a week! It warmed up which is great, but please just stop raining... so frustrating. I mean, okay, at least it's not snow but if it's going to tease me by being warmer, at least it could not rain so I could run outdoors. Today while I was running on the treadmill, I was trying to tell myself that running on the TM is better for my legs, ankles, knees, but it still kinda sucked.

So the holidays are over and I'm getting back into the swing of things, but I still feel like a total slacker! First, I haven't posted as much here as I should be. Getting back to the diet has been seriously challenging. And now I'm SSSOOOOO close to my goal that all it will take is one final push, but I'm just having trouble with it. And my strength training has fallen by the wayside a little. And I've backed off on the miles I'm running to try to rehab my crazy ankle - leg - knee problems so that I can get healthy before I start the half marathon training. So I've kind of only been running 2 times a week or so and I cut out the long runs each week, and now I need to start building it back up. (I'm following the advice of a sports medicine physical therapist on this). I'm chomping at the bit to get back at it full force. I definitely feel as though I lost some momentum, and starting back up again is difficult at best.

Happy New Year! Happy New PR!

2007-12-29T14:17:00.000-05:00

Just did the New Year 5K and you guessed it... I broke my old record! uh, by almost 3 minutes. Rock N Roll!

I was aiming for 32 minutes and squeezed in just under at 31:38. I had to go across 3 wooden foot bridges that had some ice on them so that slowed me down. The worse part was, after I crossed said bridges, my shoes were a little slippery so I was slowed down for even longer. The course was a little hilly which I'm not used to, and there was one monster hill near the end that just about killed me!

I used my Garmin and it really helped. I was able to keep an eye on my pace so I knew when I needed to pick up the pace and also when I was just going way too fast. Also, it told me when I was getting close to the finish and needed to really put it into overdrive. bbrrrrr... it was a chilly 29 this morning, but fortunately little wind which helped.

What a way to finish the year! I shaved 8 minutes off my 5K time in 2007. How awesome is that? At some point, my improvements will slow down. I was thinking about setting a goal for a sub-30 5K in 2008, but after today's race I think I'll go with a sub-28 minute 5K goal. There is no question in my mind that I'll break 30 minutes in early 2008, so the 28 minute goal should be more of a challenge for me.

Running into the New Year...

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T15:06:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

I am so excited that I got this for Christmas.

It's a Garmin Forerunner 305 which will track my time, distance, pace, and heartrate. Very, very cool. I went out and ran with it so I could play with my new toy. Up until now, I really hadn't been timing my runs and my pedometer was acting erratic, so this is going to be awesome. The interesting thing this morning is that I found out that my pace has improved significantly, and I didn't even realize it. Well, I had suspected that I was running faster, but now I have proof!! My average pace was 10:38 (over 3.75 miles) and I thought I was running more of a 11 or 11:30 mile so I am pretty excited. I looked at it when I passed the 3.1 mile mark this morning and I was right at 33 minutes! Yippee! I am really hoping for a time of 32 minutes at the 5K this Saturday, and I think I might pull it off. (My old PR is 34:29 for this distance). Eventually, my goal is to get under 30 minutes.

New Shoes

2007-12-22T17:27:00.000-05:00

So like I said yesterday, I found out I was running in the wrong shoes. It's kind of a long story, but suffice it to say that I now I have what I think are the right shoes for me. I only ran 2.7 miles today because I didn't want to overdo in the new shoes. Also, I was running outside and I haven't done that in over a week because of all the snow we had.

My feet had been hurting in all kinds of weird places, so I'm glad I figured out what was going on. Of course, I am always worried about my ankle acting up again, but the big concern right now is my right shin. Apparently this is shin splints but not what I have experienced in the past that has felt like shin splints. I have backed off on the distance a little this week and it seems to be helping. So hopefully, that along with the right shoes will get me back on track.

The timing on this has been ironic too because first of all, I'm not in the half marathon training mode yet, so that's good. Second, this week was so busythat I barely had time to breathe, let alone work out. But this week made me remember what it's like at work during the summer. So, somehow I gotta figure out how to keep up with my training schedule and diet when things get so busy. This is really tough. I know it sounds like an excuse, but there are days when I work from 7 am to 8 or 9 pm and then go right to bed when I get home. Plus I'm so exhausted by the time I get home that all I can do is drag my butt into bed. And running in the morning just ain't happening! I'm not a morning person. Well, I got a few months to figure it out but it is difficult. And then it becomes easier to say, well, let's just eat out tonight because it's easy & quick. But these are all the old habits that created the old body I had. So somehow, someway, someday, I have to (and want to) stick with the new habits even when life gets crazy.

Okay, now I am way off the topic of shoes!

TGIF

2007-12-21T19:16:00.000-05:00

What a week! ugh, I'm exhausted. Well, here's the short version.

1. Work has been bonkers off the wall crazy busy.
2. Found out that I've been running in the wrong kind of shoes.
3. Found out that my calves are too tight so I've started stretching them 3 times a day.
4. Ate "off the diet" for dinner about every night this week.
5. Did not stick to my training plan for the week.

So basically, I'm tired, fat, & bloated. Happy holidays. I just want to get through the next 2 weeks and then get back to some kind of normalcy.

New Milestone

2007-12-16T11:22:00.000-05:00

6 miles on the treadmill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were dumped on with ice, then snow last night so running outside is out of the question. But pretty excited about the new distance reached today.

Let it snow, let it snow...

2007-12-15T13:55:00.000-05:00

No, wait! It needs to stop snowing! I'm doing my long run tomorrow and it looks like I'm resigned to the treadmill again. I think we're supposed to get 17 inches or something crazy like that.

Well just a couple more weeks until the next 5K - Run to the New Year. Should be a fun one. A little hilly, but a nice run through trees and whatnot in the park. Then after that, it's time to get SERIOUS about training for the half marathon. I was looking at the training plan again this morning, and I'm more confident than ever that this is totally doable! Anyway, i gotta tweek it a little and then I will post the entire 12 week training plan here. Right now my 2 short runs each week are 3 milers and they seem almost too easy anymore. I am completely amazed the strides I've made in the last couple of months. And I still have 4 months to get ready for the half marathon. (i will be SO ready!) My biggest challenge the next 2 months will be the weather. As long as we don't get ice, snow, or strong winds then I'll be out there. But it's going to get chilly.

Knee Pain, etc.

2007-12-12T10:04:00.000-05:00

Just when my ankle was feeling better... starting to get some pain on the outside of my knees. Not sure if it's just the recent increase in mileage or what?? It hurts more when I'm not running - like just sitting around or walking around the house. So I guess I'll just keep an eye on it.

I feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things after being sick last week. I still have some sinus congestion that refuses to go away which is just kinda annoying. Just doing 3 miles today probably on the treadmill (looks like rain). But I'm a little concerned about the long run on Sunday, hoping my knees will hold up. oh, and I haven't even mentioned the shin splints on my right leg that have also been plaguing me!

Do I have the right shoes??

Sick Leave

2007-12-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

Well, I had to take a sick leave this week. I was a little congested last Sunday but ran my 5 miles anyway. Then started feeling sick Sunday afternoon and was sick all week. I about went out of my mind batty just sittin' around all week! But I finally, finally ran last night - 3 miles on the treadmill. Boy, it sure felt good! Anyway, I think I'm on the mend, and hopefully I'll be able to get in a long run again tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll be able to run outside because I think we're supposed to get freezing rain tonight and then more precipitation again tomorrow. And Monday. And Tuesday. So I may be stuck on the treadmill for awhile.

Another 5 miler!

2007-12-02T12:06:00.000-05:00

A little warmer today, low 50's and light sprinkles. Ran my second ever (woo hoo) 5 mile run this morning. Felt good, about like the last time. Was able to run the whole thing w/o any stopping again. Amazing!

I was debating whether to ever run at all today. The side of my knee has been a little funky since Friday night after my 3 mile run, plus I am all stuffed up. But I went for it, fortunately, and it cleared the sinuses a little.

The best part is, my 5 mile long run is done for this week!!

5 Miler

2007-11-29T19:07:00.000-05:00

I'm totally stoked! Ran 5 miles last night without stopping! The first couple miles were a bit of a struggle, but after that I found my groove and had a fantastic run. In fact when I was almost home, I was thinking what it would feel like to run another mile. How funny is that??? I was a little tired, but felt very confident that I could have run an extra half mile if I had to last night. That is just so exciting to be able to accomplish a milestone like 5 miles and still have some left in the tank!

I'm kinda thinking my runs in December should be 3 mile, 3 mile, then 5 mile for each week. We'll see how that goes for a couple of weeks and then increase the long run to see if I can get to 6 by the end of the year. That would be an excellent base to start training from in January, when I start my half marathon training.

Turkey Coma

2007-11-22T17:05:00.000-05:00

I survived the Turkey Trot this morning! But now I am ready to slip into a coma after the massive energy exertion followed by huge lunch.

I'm extremely pleased with how it went this morning. First, we had a couple of sprinkles of rain during the race, but managed to miss any really bad weather which was a huge relief. It was pretty nippy this morning after the torrential downpour we had last night. But perfect for running a race! We were bottlenecked at the beginning which actually helped me from going too fast at the start as I usually tend to do. I was able to keep a really nice, slow, steady pace throughout the entire race. Pace was 11:16 mile so just over what I did in the last 5K. But I was able to run the entire course, stopping only briefly at the water station at the half way point. I had enough left in the tank to speed up the last 1/2 mile, and then sprint to the finish. I thought a realistic time would be 55 minutes but thought how great would it be to get in closer to 50. So my actual finish time was 50:43 and I couldn't be more thrilled.

I thought this was really good for my first time out especially since I had only run 4 miles in training and the course today was 4.5, my longest distance to date. I could totally run 5 miles!

Next Up: I am going to continue to build my base mileage and then start training for the half marathon in mid January. 5 months to reach 13.1 miles-- no problem! :)

Turkey Trot tomorrow!

2007-11-21T07:57:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I've been really slacking off this week. I could give a bunch of reasons (excuses) but I guess it wouldn't matter. This just means I will be very well rested for tomorrow's turkey run!

The weather forecast is now saying it will be 37 with windchill of 28 around the time the race starts. It looks like we will miss the snow but it's coming later in the day. I was mostly concerned it might rain which would totally bite! But this weather will be perfect because it's what I've been training in the last couple of weeks. Chilly!

I'm getting very nervous & excited! I think about 4-5,000 people have signed up so it should be a good time. I would love to finish in 50 minutes but I think realistically, I will probably wind up around 55.

Brrr....

2007-11-15T15:09:00.000-05:00

My pedometer was not working right this morning. Rather frustrating because I didn't have a clear course laid out for my run, just a general idea of where I would go and about how far it was. So I guess that's a lesson learned to not depend on the pedometer!

So I ran 3.8, not 4 like I'd planned. I'm still really happy about that because it's still farther than i've gone before. I really felt strong, like I could have run forever this morning, so I'll definitely be ready for next week's race. One thing is that I really took it slow. This is the biggest challenge because I tend to get to the race and just run way too fast the first couple of miles (too excited!). So hopefully I can keep my wits about me and reign it in!

I gotta say, the cold wasn't too bad. (37 with windchill of 27) Coldest I've ever run in, but I think I handled it pretty well. I did wear ear muff thingies which definitely helped. My legs were the only thing that bothered me, so I gotta look into getting some thermal running tights!

p.s. Ankle is holding up beautifully!

4 miles?

2007-11-14T15:19:00.000-05:00

Well, tomorrow is the big test! I am running 4 miles which is farther than (further than?) I have ever run. I'm actually kind of excited about it! Looks like tomorrow's forecast is mostly cloudy and 37. Nice & cool! Hopefully I'll miss the rain showers.

I'm a wimp!

2007-11-11T20:49:00.000-05:00

Well, this morning I really wanted to run outside but it was lightening and pouring rain so again I was stuck on the treadmill. Last night I knew there was a chance of rain, but I thought if it was just sprinkling I would go out anyway. But, so sorry, an actual pouring thunderstorm is a little beyond what common sense will allow me to do. So, I won't run at night and I won't run in a thunderstorm... What a wimp! Wow, I'm going to be hurtin' for certain when winter gets here.

I told my mom that I had heard the optimum temp for running long distance is 41 degrees. I'm not sure who said this or if it's even correct, but it seems to make a lot of sense to me. I think the cooler the better, but then again I have never run when it's 20 out. Anyway, she thought that 41 sounded way too cold for running. Kinda funny! People are starting to look at me like I'm a little crazy! Wait til it's 30 out and she hears I went for a run!

Night Running? No Way, Jose!

2007-11-09T19:09:00.000-05:00

I haven't run or done anything at all the last 2 days, so I felt like a total slug today! Ankle is still a little funky, but today my running buddy said, "oh, go run you big wimp!" which made me laugh. So I took her advice and went for it tonight. I was finishing up some work and kinda let the day slip away, and since we've gone to daylight savings it got dark before I realized it!

So I was stuck on the "dreadmill". Sorry, but I just can't bring myself to run at night. Maybe in the summer?? But it just looked cold & cloudy so I wimped out and opted for the treadmill instead. Good news is, I ran the entire 3 miles without stopping at all. woo hoo, go me!

Definitely icing the ankle tonight. Definitely popping the Advil. Definitely not running the next 2 days. But hey, I got my mileage in this week, and I'm all set for my "long run" next week which will be 4 miles. gulp.

Ankle Woes

2007-11-07T13:40:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry to report that after running 2 miles on the treadmill last night, my ankle has decided to start hurting again. Why this is happening now, I have no clue. It had been feeling really good, but the previous 2 runs were 3 milers and those went pretty smooth. But I will ice it today and not run for a couple of days to see if that helps. I had really planned on another 3 miler on Friday, but I'll have to wait & see how it's feeling. Just over 2 weeks until the next race, so not exactly good timing!

GO COLTS!

2007-11-04T16:14:00.000-05:00

okay, really quick post before the Colts beat the pants off the Patriots... haha

I had a really great run this morning. It was cool (low 40's) and a little windy but got in 3 strong fast miles, and I'm feeling fabulous! Okay, okay. So for most runners, I wasn't quick. But for me, I was quick.

Anyway, I am feeling much better about the Thanksgiving run and feel like I will definitely be ready for it. The thought of doing the mini marathon is still freaking me out a little, but I will get over it.

I saw a really cool special on Nova where they took 13 people who were not working out at all, and in 9-10 months they trained for and completed the Boston Marathon. So listen, if these couch potatoes can do a marathon in 9 months, I can do a half marathon in 6 months. Right? Okay, and I'll admit at the end of the show I cried as they crossed the finish line. Is that silly or what? I guess I could just really relate to their struggles, and I know what an amazing accomplishment it is for someone who never thought of themselves as a "runner".

The Colts game is on and I'm missing it because I'm getting all sappy! GO COLTS!

I did it!

2007-11-03T17:39:00.000-04:00

I did it! I just signed up for my first ever mini marathon (that's 13.1 miles for you non-runners). Wow, all of the sudden I'm a little freaked out! The good news is, I have plenty of time to train. The bad news is, it's 13.1 miles! Holy Crap! What have I gotten myself into?

First things first! I have to get ready for the "turkey trot" aka Drumstick Dash coming up in 3 weeks so I gotta work up to 5 miles first! I think I'll run 3 miles tomorrow morning.

*sigh* What am I thinking?!?!?!

I have no explanation here!

2007-10-28T10:47:00.000-04:00

Just got back in from a 2 mile run, and it was just like "old times". Much, much easier. Not really sure why that is. I ran it at 11:30 pace, 2 miles straight with no stopping. But it was just like when I was running a lot before, much easier. hmm... What the heck is going on? I was struggling so much last week, so why it is all the sudden not such a struggle?

Well, we'll see what develops the next couple of weeks. I still have never ran over 3 miles and yet I intend on doing a 4 1/2 miler in 4 weeks. I'm pretty nutty! :)

And the results are in!

2007-10-27T10:28:00.000-04:00

Well, the rain managed to stay at bay long enough for the race last night. It started pouring right before the race and my racing buddy questioned me once again, "Are you sure we want to do this?" To which I answered, heck yah! And I'm so glad we did because it turned out to be a beautiful, cool, albeit wet night for a run.

Did pretty well except for the last mile I was feeling it pretty hard, and took a couple of walking "breaks". Overall, my time improved from a 11:33 mile in September to a 11:04 mile last night! Yippee! Which means I was hauling ass the first couple of miles!

So this was a 3 mile run, not 3.1 like the previous two 5K's I did. My finish time was 33:14 but when you adjust it for a 3.1 finish time, it would have been 34:29 as compared to 35:53 in September. Which means I shaved another minute and a half off my time. ROCK N ROLL!

Next Up: The Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving morning. I can't believe I'm committing myself to this! It's 4.5 miles - UGH. So I've never run more than 3 miles, and I'm crazy enough to try this in 4 weeks!

Bring it on, baby, bring it on!

Would you like some cheese with that whine?

2007-10-24T16:18:00.000-04:00

Man, oh man, running is hard! Why am i doing this again? I am still struggling a little bit and i have to remind myself that i did take 3 weeks off for my ankle so i've got to give it time to work back up to where i was before.

i am definitely faster and stronger, but just cardio wise, i guess, i am dying out there! Just did 2 miles but it was a toughy! It was really windy outside which makes it harder. I remember just before i took the ankle hiatus doing a 2 miler and thinking how "easy" it was getting. What happened to that girl?

A little cool out today with the wind and all, so I'm thinking about how "fun" (not!) it will be this winter. And speaking of weather, the forecast for Friday is rain, scattered showers. The race day. hmm... running in the rain, 50 degrees at 7 pm in the dark... so we'll see if i actually run Friday night.

My gosh, I'm whining a lot today. Get over yourself, girl! Suck it up! :)

6 days until the race!

2007-10-20T11:47:00.000-04:00

Only 6 more days until the next race! I only have 2 runs scheduled between now & then. The running was a little tough this last week for some reason. So hopefully I can pull this off! I just keep telling myself that I've done this before, and I've run that distance before plenty of times when I was in worse shape than I am now.

Still going real easy on the ankle. It's reminding me that it's still sensitive, so definitely I have to be cautious. I have my sights on a 4.5 mile Thanksgiving run, so if all goes well on Friday, I'll be signing up for that as well.

Running Too Fast?

2007-10-17T17:53:00.000-04:00

Okay, so am I running too fast? It seems like I am really running fast. Actually, I timed myself tonight and the first mile was 2 minutes per mile faster than my race pace (taken from the last 5K). I simply cannot maintain that pace for the entire 3 miles. In fact, I couldn't seem to do 2 miles tonight like I'd planned and wound up settling for 1.5 miles instead.

I really need to work at pacing myself and this has never been an issue before. hhmmm... I know when I was running on the treadmill a lot before, it seems to help me keep an even pace because it trained me to run at the same speed for the entire time. But my pace is even... it's just FAST! too fast? That's just crazy! Who'd have ever thunk it?

And they were never heard from again...

2007-10-15T18:50:00.000-04:00

Well, our little trip to the park turned into quite an adventure. Thinking we'd take a nice easy hike, see the water fall, then hike out and have a nice lunch, all in about 2 hours, we set out happily into the park. The trail we chose started off nice enough with spectacular views along the edge of the extremely steep, extremely deep ravine. As we progressed, however, the trail became narrower, and began to slope to the left (toward the ravine) - yikes!

We eventually came to a fork and decided to take the path which led down to the riverbed. Now the trail became very steep - straight downward! And it was covered with all manner of acorns and dried leaves making it extremely slippery, with the edge of the canyon only inches away!

Despite the fears of sliding to the bottom, we did manage to make our way safely to the dried up river bed, only to find it was not the nice flat riverbeds I've hiked before, but rather laden with huge boulders, pebbles, medium sized rocks, and everything in between. Some of the rocks would move when you stepped on them, and there was water in parts making the rocks potentially slippery. So you can imagine this slowed our progress considerably. We plucked away along the riverbed for what seemed like an eternity, and we finally came across other "survivors" going the opposite direction who said the "other trail was WAAAAY back there". Which meant we would have eons further to travel. We had to make the decision of turning around or continuing on to meet up with another trail so we could get off the river bed. After much debate, we decided to continue on instead of turning back. (and they were never heard from again...)

Another eon later, we found a trail and got the heck off the river bed - none too soon! We immediately came upon another group that was seemingly lost, trying to figure out what to do as well. (side note: we came across several others after this and all seem to be frustrated by the map and the lack of good signs along the trails) We decided to follow them up, up, up and out of the canyon which was no easy feat either because we had to hike straight up a steep incline similar to what we had encountered on the way down (but thankfully no acorns). Then along another very narrow trail along the edge of the ravine to a set of unforgivingly long stairs, and finally to the road. Never been so glad to see asphalt in my life!

But the bad news? We were on the other side of the park from our car so we had to walk about 2 miles back. All told, a 4 hour hike. And the kicker? We drove to the other side of the park to the Inn which has a restaurant because at this point food was pretty much top priority. Well, they had stopped serving lunch 30 minutes ago. (*sigh*)

So basically, we took the trails marked "VERY RUGGED" (they weren't kidding) turning out to be the most challenging trails in the park.

I iced the ol' ankle after lunch for a good long time, and then again when we got home a couple hours later. And today? I ran 2 miles outside on the asphalt. So if my ankle can survive that crazy hiking trip and then run 2 miles the next day, I think I may be able to get past this injury after all! :) Happy Days!

Oh, and did I mention only 11 days until my next race? I will be SO ready!

Weekend Warrior

2007-10-12T17:27:00.000-04:00

Update: Took 2 big bags of old fat clothes to Goodwill. It's like a weight (no pun intended) has been lifted!

So, I'm going out of town this weekend and I'm actually packing workout clothes because the hotel has a fitness center and I plan on running on Sunday. Now, that's hardcore! Also, I'm trying figure out how I can pack my "diet food" for the trip so I don't have to eat out every meal. I guess it's a test to see if I can continue on the right path fitness-wise when "life" gets in the way. I mean, seriously, I should be able to leave town for the weekend without totally falling off the wagon, right?

The Mental Game...

2007-10-10T15:19:00.000-04:00

Part of what I have learned to love about running is the mental game. Ultimately, your body can handle a lot more than you usually give it credit for. So, when you are running you can either talk yourself into quitting before you've reached your goal, or you can talk yourself into sticking in there and pushing past the limits of what you thought you could do.

If you tell yourself, I can't run another mile, then you can't. If you tell yourself you can go farther today than ever before, then you can. Either way, you are right. I have found that running is a test of mental toughness as well as physical strength & stamina. And that's just cool!

There is just a certain sense of satisfaction for me when I add another mile, or overcome a challenging hill that is unlike anything else I've experienced. Maybe because I know the internal battle that had to take place for me to achieve that goal. I know that I wanted to quit, but would not allow myself to back down, so it's not just a physical victory but a mental one as well.

Being away from running for 3 weeks took it's toll on me mentally - no question! I realize now that I missed the mental challenge of running maybe more than anything else. And I think it made me begin to question (doubt) myself in other areas because of this. For example, I had put some of my "fat clothes" in a pile in my closet but had not taken them to Goodwill yet. Why was I still holding on to them? A very wise & kind friend told me to get rid of them because I have been hanging on to the past and my fear of failure and returning to my old ways. I guess I just had not yet convinced myself that I wouldn't return to old habits, and maybe I still haven't convinced myself. I realize I am missing the faith & confidence in myself to trust myself (if that makes any sense).

When you run, it's just you. It's all me. Me and the road. There's no one running next to me telling me to keep going, or push harder. There's no one watching to see if I fail or succeed. The only one that knows is me. And the truth is, I have never let myself down running. wow... So, with that thought in mind, I hereby vow to trust myself, let go of past failures, and say goodbye to the chunky girl (and her clothes) forever!

Running Strong & Happy!

2007-10-08T16:29:00.000-04:00

1.5 miles on the treadmill.

It's hotter than blazes outside, so I'm stuck on the treadmill today. But I got in another run with no ankle problems (fingers crossed). I'm icing it anyway, just to stay on the safe side.

Feeling really strong otherwise. I didn't really want to quit at the mile & 1/2 but did not want to push the ankle too far too soon.

Did I mention I love running?? :)

I'm Back!

2007-10-07T08:10:00.000-04:00

I'm back & better than ever!

I ran a mile this morning for the first time in over 3 weeks!!! Weather was nice & cool, my ankle feels great, all is right with the world. I flew through that mile, too. I ran it at "race pace" instead of my usual training pace. Probably because I was so excited. I was trying to take it easy for the first time back, but I think it would have been hard to run any slower.

I feel soooo much stronger. All that strength training is paying off, and I'm also so glad that I did as much cardio as I could the past couple of weeks.

Grass grew during my running absence. One of my neighbors on my running route had torn up his lawn and reseeded the last time I ran. So this morning when I past the house, there is a full yard of grass. You would never even know anything was amiss if you hadn't seen it before. I found this rather amusing. Not running for three weeks was like watching grass grow!

You know, one thing I was worried about was that I would be totally sucking wind on my first run back. Like, OMG this sucks! But I didn't feel that way at all. I was thinking, yes, I do love running. Yes, this is why I run, this is awesome. It felt so gooood.

I'm back, baby!

Running on Sunday?

2007-10-06T10:08:00.000-04:00

So tomorrow's the big day. I'm going to try out my ankle on a short run. I just checked the weather and it's going to be a high of 90 both today and tomorrow. Tomorrow morning it should be in the 70's with 90% humidity...

hmmm... not ideal weather for my truimphant return to running. But there is no way I'm going to be stuck inside on the treadmill tomorrow. I'll just have to get going bright & early tomorrow.

My fingers are crossed that all goes well...

Missing Running :(

2007-10-05T16:36:00.000-04:00

Hopefully I did not misname this blog page. Read on...

Here's my story:
I've been running off & on for about a year. I had trained for my first 5K (which is 3.1 miles) back in late summer of 2006. Right before the race I got the flu and was unable to attend the event. So this spring I had an opportunity to run in the 5K portion of the Indy 500 Festival, and I jumped at the opportunity. Keep in mind, I was never in sports or anything so this was a big deal for me. I really just wanted to finish the race!! I only trained for about 5 weeks but was able to work up to it in that short amount of time. I had the goal in mind to finish in under 40 minutes (which I just squeaked in under that time) and to run the whole thing without stopping (except at the water stations, of course!).

Thrilled with my results (albeit very, very slow in the running world), I have continued to run and just finished my second 5K, shaving off over 3 1/2 minutes from my previous record. WOO HOO!!

So, of course, now I'm totally hooked on running and have already signed up for the next event (coming in 3 weeks) and have other events in the back of my mind.

Now, here's my sob story:
Right before my second 5K, my ankle developed tendonitis and I had to cut way back on my mileage about a week before the race. But I pushed thru and kicked a** on the race. Since then, however, I have not run at all. Trying to give the ankle plenty of time to heal.

3 weeks with no running. UGH! It's been sooooo hard. So I guess I didn't realize how hooked I was, or how much it meant to me until I couldn't do it any more. I've had several revelations:

1. I love to run. I need to run. I live to run.
2. Walking fast with or without incline on treadmill just doesn't do it for me any more. I can't even break a sweat. Wow! Am I really in THAT much better shape? Apparently.
3. The elliptical can totally kick your butt if done right.
4. Having the right shoes is key (another story for another time)
5. Part of what's great about running is being outdoors. I miss that, too!
6. Not running sucks. (duh)

But the good news is, everything seems to be going well and I may be able to start running again this weekend. I'm actually a little nervous. First, will I be able to do it again without totally sucking wind? Second, will my ankle hold up? Third, will my ankle hold up? You get the point. Or, maybe I'll be able to run for a few days and it will start hurting again. Or maybe it will be okay but I'll never be able to do more than a 5K. Cuz U no... I've got bigger plans for myself than that! I know, I know... I'm playing all these crazy head games with myself, and I need to quit fretting and "JUST DO IT", right? Right!

Later!

First Post!

2007-10-04T17:43:00.001-04:00

Okay, so this is my first post and I can't believe I actually figured out how to do this!

I've been working on getting into better shape the last couple of months, so the thought here is that if I post what I am doing (or not doing, as the case may be) that it may help keep me on track. Not that anyone even knows that I have a blog out there! But I know it's in cyberspace, so maybe that will get my boo-tay off the couch!

Peace Out!