2012 started out with many positives but sort of plummeted from there. It just wasn't my year. In fact, it was a year where much of my time and energy was focused on other people (in a good way) and dealing with instability at work (in a bad way.) My physical and mental health certainly suffered this year. It was reminiscent of the post-Katrina year in a lot of ways. Sigh.
The race recap:
I ran two half marathons and bailed on two half marathons.
I ran one 10 mile race and bailed on one 10 mile race.
I ran one 8 mile trail race.
I did seven 5Ks, some running, some walking, some walk/run.
At the start of the year, my mother came to town for her first knee replacement surgery. The start of the year was also the beginning of my training for the New Orleans Rock and Roll half. That race turned out to be the highlight of the year. I ran another half less than two months later and injured myself. My training went downhill from there. A couple of months later, my granddaughter was born. Yay! A couple of months after that, I learned I was being laid off. Boo! My mom returned for her second knee surgery a month later. Things at work settled a bit and I am still employed (for a little while more at least.)
It was a crazy year.
I didn't meet one of my goals, which was to run a trail half. I also just barely missed my goal to run a 2:30 half. NOLA R&R was 2:32. So, those will carry over into the new year perhaps. I haven't set any real goals for 2013. I'm not entirely sure where I'll go with my running. I am registered for some CrossFit in Boulder for the month of January. My job is secure through March and maybe even through July. (I don't yet have that in writing.) So, making training plans is still difficult.
I'm trying to remain optimistic. It's been difficult though. But 13 is my lucky number. So, I'm very excited to see what happens next. I am looking forward to starting over in 2013.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
Lunch Walk
Did a two mile walk over lunch at work today. Needed to move. I'm much more sore than I thought I'd be after that body pump class on Sunday.
I've also downloaded a 10K training plan for the January race. It's in 7 weeks. My two mile walk was the start of the plan.
I've also downloaded a 10K training plan for the January race. It's in 7 weeks. My two mile walk was the start of the plan.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
LesMills Body Pump
My sister and I went to the Y late this morning for the LesMills Body Pump class. I thought this was more of a boot camp style class but it turned out to be a weight class. Cool. My sister really like it because, she said, she never does weights because she doesn't know how to lift properly. The class was more full than I thought it was going to be for a Bronco Sunday. But, they played later so maybe that was why. Lots of "Active Older Adults" as the Y calls them. They were glad to show us the ropes. And every single one of them lifted more weight than I did. Gives me hope for my future. :-)
After the class we got yogurt with a $1.00 off coupon we got at the Y. Score! We chatted about our workout plans and hopes. On Sunday at the Y there is a morning Beginner Yoga class from 9:30 - 10:30. The Body Pump class is at 11:00. She'd like to do both each Sunday. That sounds like a good plan to me. I think we'll start with the yoga class next Sunday and see how we feel after it's over. We are also doing a 5K on Saturday so that may determine how we feel as well. It's supposed to snow and be cold on Saturday.
The Stocking Run 5K is the first in the Winter Series. We are both registered for the series of three races. My sister is doing all 5Ks and I'm doing the progressive runs (5K, 10K, Half). We went to Gordman's and bought some matching long Christmas socks for the run. It's going to be awesome!
After the class we got yogurt with a $1.00 off coupon we got at the Y. Score! We chatted about our workout plans and hopes. On Sunday at the Y there is a morning Beginner Yoga class from 9:30 - 10:30. The Body Pump class is at 11:00. She'd like to do both each Sunday. That sounds like a good plan to me. I think we'll start with the yoga class next Sunday and see how we feel after it's over. We are also doing a 5K on Saturday so that may determine how we feel as well. It's supposed to snow and be cold on Saturday.
The Stocking Run 5K is the first in the Winter Series. We are both registered for the series of three races. My sister is doing all 5Ks and I'm doing the progressive runs (5K, 10K, Half). We went to Gordman's and bought some matching long Christmas socks for the run. It's going to be awesome!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Realization
This morning I realized that I am heading down the same path I was on before I started boot camp 3 years ago. Sitting at my desk, drinking high sugar beverages and eating high sugar snacks and not working out. Sigh. This time it's Starbucks. I drink a tall soy pumpkin spice chai nearly every single morning. This morning I ate a blueberry scone with it. Ugh. Many days I don't even finish the chai. Which is good for my waistline but also a huge waste of money. I am not a rich woman. My job security is sketchy. And I am registered for a winter running series culminating in a half marathon in February. February! What was I thinking!?!
I am a whining, lazy, slug lately and can't seem to shake myself out of it.
:-/
I am a whining, lazy, slug lately and can't seem to shake myself out of it.
:-/
Sunday, November 25, 2012
5K Scholarship Run
The Arvada Running Club organized a post Thanksgiving 5K fun run in the neighborhood on Saturday. My sister and I participated, walking most of it. I was still a bit sore from my Turkey Chase and she hasn't started running yet. She has been working out a lot more than I have, doing the elliptical at her apartment complex. Although, she doesn't count the workouts if she doesn't get 30 minutes in. We've been dropping a dollar into a workout jar for each workout we do. I haven't counted the two races.
The fun run was quite fun. There were prizes, snacks and burritos after the race. I provided the Gatorade. About 30 folks showed up to run or walk. It was nice to learn this route since it is part of the neighborhood where our club does it's long runs. I may use it when I start meeting up with them again.
My sister wants to start running again. She may do the 5K winter series with me. I'm doing the long series. Not sure what made me think that was a good idea. That gives me about 11 weeks to prepare for a half marathon.
My plan next week is to hit the YMCA on Monday and Wednesday for the Les Mills Body Pump class. It starts at 6:05 am. That's really early for me. I am so not a morning person. But, I need to do some cross training and get my strength back. I need to get a routine going.
The fun run was quite fun. There were prizes, snacks and burritos after the race. I provided the Gatorade. About 30 folks showed up to run or walk. It was nice to learn this route since it is part of the neighborhood where our club does it's long runs. I may use it when I start meeting up with them again.
My sister wants to start running again. She may do the 5K winter series with me. I'm doing the long series. Not sure what made me think that was a good idea. That gives me about 11 weeks to prepare for a half marathon.
My plan next week is to hit the YMCA on Monday and Wednesday for the Les Mills Body Pump class. It starts at 6:05 am. That's really early for me. I am so not a morning person. But, I need to do some cross training and get my strength back. I need to get a routine going.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Turkey Chase 5K
I think this is the first run I've done since my birthday. My goal was just to run/walk it and have fun. My secondary goal was to finish under 45 minutes or not have this one be my slowest ever 5K. Mission accomplished! My "official" time, it wasn't chip timed, was 38:54. Woo hoo!! I was super excited about that. That was good for 17th out of 31 in my age group. At about 2.25 miles my knee started to hurt a little. So, I walked. I didn't ice right away after, which I should have. Other than that, I felt really good. I had a nice slow pace. I remembered how to use my Garmin too. I did take my instruction book just in case.
I don't even remember how long it's been since I've raced. I can't even remember how long it's been since I ran outside. I could certainly feel that in my legs.
11 weeks until the half marathon. Ugh. What was I thinking?
Time to hit the Y now that all the visitors have come and will soon be gone. I need to do at least two days of boot camp or boot camp like activities. I'll be setting my alarm for 5:30, or rather, waking up when my alarm goes off at 5:30, to try to get to the 6am class. Shower at the Y and head to work from there. It is time to shake off the blahs and get my butt in gear.
Game face.
I don't even remember how long it's been since I've raced. I can't even remember how long it's been since I ran outside. I could certainly feel that in my legs.
11 weeks until the half marathon. Ugh. What was I thinking?
Time to hit the Y now that all the visitors have come and will soon be gone. I need to do at least two days of boot camp or boot camp like activities. I'll be setting my alarm for 5:30, or rather, waking up when my alarm goes off at 5:30, to try to get to the 6am class. Shower at the Y and head to work from there. It is time to shake off the blahs and get my butt in gear.
Game face.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Birthday Run
Yesterday, the 13th, was my birthday. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill and 55 pushups. I did sets counting down from 10. I may have done 7 twice when my dad called. I couldn't remember where I was in the set after I got off the phone with him. It was a good birthday. :-)
Monday, November 12, 2012
Life....
Life... it's got a big IF in the middle of it.
I started writing this long post about some crap at work and how it's related to my running but decided, it didn't matter. I can't fix that. I don't even really care to fix it. I'm glad it's irreparable actually. It seemed rather fake to me anyway. But, whatever. I need to get my own shit together. I need to figure out how to move myself forward. I do think it will only happen when I get a new job. So, what do I do in the meantime. It's been very hard trying to manage the uncertainty at work. So difficult that my health has suffered. I don't know what to do about that.
I'm just rambling. Putting words out there. Stream of consciousness kind of thing. That does tend to get a person into trouble some times.
I've ceased the 100 Push Ups workout. My shoulder started hurting. I think it was moving too quickly. I'm ok with stopping. Need to find something else though.
Haven't run in a while.
I started writing this long post about some crap at work and how it's related to my running but decided, it didn't matter. I can't fix that. I don't even really care to fix it. I'm glad it's irreparable actually. It seemed rather fake to me anyway. But, whatever. I need to get my own shit together. I need to figure out how to move myself forward. I do think it will only happen when I get a new job. So, what do I do in the meantime. It's been very hard trying to manage the uncertainty at work. So difficult that my health has suffered. I don't know what to do about that.
I'm just rambling. Putting words out there. Stream of consciousness kind of thing. That does tend to get a person into trouble some times.
I've ceased the 100 Push Ups workout. My shoulder started hurting. I think it was moving too quickly. I'm ok with stopping. Need to find something else though.
Haven't run in a while.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Week 2 Push Ups
I'm on week two of the 100 Push Ups challenge and it's going well. I haven't missed any days, which is what I mean by going well. It's hard. I'm doing the intermediate work out from the book. The book is very different from the online version of the intermediate work out. For example, the online work out has 10 more push ups in the set than the book version for week 2, day 3. I'd been going between the two but I think I should stick with one. 10 push ups difference is quite a lot. I could barely make it through the final number of push ups on Monday and that's because I was using the online version of the work out.
I've also been fairly consistent with my treadmill training. I did two runs last week which I was happy with. I missed my run today but will try to get it in tomorrow. I ran on Sunday to make up for missing Tuesday last week. I'm not sure it will be enough to make me fast but twice a week will get me to the starting line.
November 22nd is the Thanksgiving 5K. Plenty of time to be ready to toe the start line. :-)
My sister and I are putting a dollar into a jar for every time we complete a work out. We're going to go to brunch and buy mimosas with our collection to reward ourselves. :-)
I've also been fairly consistent with my treadmill training. I did two runs last week which I was happy with. I missed my run today but will try to get it in tomorrow. I ran on Sunday to make up for missing Tuesday last week. I'm not sure it will be enough to make me fast but twice a week will get me to the starting line.
November 22nd is the Thanksgiving 5K. Plenty of time to be ready to toe the start line. :-)
My sister and I are putting a dollar into a jar for every time we complete a work out. We're going to go to brunch and buy mimosas with our collection to reward ourselves. :-)
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Ndank, ndank
I completed this week's treadmill test. Thursday I did 30 minutes walking and about 1.5 miles according to my treadmill. Friday I did 24 minutes walking and followed that up with tabata squats. I'm sore from the squats. Which made me realize the walking wasn't really much exercise but more about the habit of moving again and having my legs carry me.
Tonight I did my push ups test. I'm starting the 100 Push Ups challenge with a goal to be much stronger, 100 push ups, by Christmas. We'll see. It looks very tough. I'll be happy with 50 consecutive. I'd be extremely happy with 50 consecutive. :-) My initial test yielded 10 regular push ups on my toes. When I logged in to the push ups logger, I found my previous entries from a long time ago. I deleted them so I can't remember the year now. That initial test yielded 18 and I was disappointed with that effort.
In addition to the push up training I'll also begin my running. I'm also back to work next week. That's a lot going on. Maybe push ups in the mornings (MWF) and running over lunch.
Tonight I did my push ups test. I'm starting the 100 Push Ups challenge with a goal to be much stronger, 100 push ups, by Christmas. We'll see. It looks very tough. I'll be happy with 50 consecutive. I'd be extremely happy with 50 consecutive. :-) My initial test yielded 10 regular push ups on my toes. When I logged in to the push ups logger, I found my previous entries from a long time ago. I deleted them so I can't remember the year now. That initial test yielded 18 and I was disappointed with that effort.
In addition to the push up training I'll also begin my running. I'm also back to work next week. That's a lot going on. Maybe push ups in the mornings (MWF) and running over lunch.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Treadmill - day 3
Three in a row! 30 minutes of treadmill walking. I'm planning to walk all week. Next week, I'll do one of the programmed workouts which has some running. Next week will be the true test since I'll be starting back to work. I'll have to get up early. And Monday I'll be away from home for a workshop in Laramie. I'm also planning to start the 100 Push Ups program next week. My goal is 100 consecutive push ups by Christmas.
I also went to the mall yesterday, just to get out of the house for a bit. While there I found this:
That made me happy. :-)
I also went to the mall yesterday, just to get out of the house for a bit. While there I found this:
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| 2013 will be my 3rd one of these calendars. |
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Treadmill - 2nd day
An easy 30 minutes on the treadmill again today. I also got a flu shot today (for the first time ever.) Taking care of me today. Finished a grande soy pumpkin spice chai as well. It was tasty. :-)
Monday, October 8, 2012
Treadmill
Did 30 minutes on the treadmill. Just walking. Trying to ease back into things. My race goal is a Turkey Day 5K close to home. If only I could figure out the registration I'd be all signed up by now.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Winter Running
It snowed this morning. :-)
My mom has made her plans for returning home after rehab. I suppose that means I can start thinking about my plans for returning to running. :-)
My mom has PT 3 times a week. Next week's schedule is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. While she is working out with her PT, I should be working out on the treadmill. 30 minutes, three times a week, sounds like a good plan to ease back in.
A Turkey trot 5K sounds like a nice reintroduction to racing. And, there just happens to be one very near my house. The 2012 Turkey Chase at 9am on Thanksgiving morning. Oh yeah. I need to get registered and get moving.
There is a nearby winter running series that looks good too. Three races, three distances (5K, 10K, Half) or you can do three 5Ks. Here is the series:
December 8th - Superior Stocking Run 5K
January 27th - Yeti Chase 5K/10K
February 10th - Ralston Creek Half Marathon & 5K
I've run the Yeti Chase and really liked it. I missed the Ralston half last year because I was training for the New Orleans Rock and Roll Half. If you register for all three before November 1st you get a running series pint glass. I sort of collect pint glasses. :-) I need more running ones.
My mom has made her plans for returning home after rehab. I suppose that means I can start thinking about my plans for returning to running. :-)
My mom has PT 3 times a week. Next week's schedule is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. While she is working out with her PT, I should be working out on the treadmill. 30 minutes, three times a week, sounds like a good plan to ease back in.
A Turkey trot 5K sounds like a nice reintroduction to racing. And, there just happens to be one very near my house. The 2012 Turkey Chase at 9am on Thanksgiving morning. Oh yeah. I need to get registered and get moving.
There is a nearby winter running series that looks good too. Three races, three distances (5K, 10K, Half) or you can do three 5Ks. Here is the series:
December 8th - Superior Stocking Run 5K
January 27th - Yeti Chase 5K/10K
February 10th - Ralston Creek Half Marathon & 5K
I've run the Yeti Chase and really liked it. I missed the Ralston half last year because I was training for the New Orleans Rock and Roll Half. If you register for all three before November 1st you get a running series pint glass. I sort of collect pint glasses. :-) I need more running ones.
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| R&R New Orleans Half, Boulder Spring series 10K, R&R Las Vegas Half |
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Life and the pursuit of running
Ok. I just need to admit it. Life is in the way of my running right now. And, that's ok. Deep breath. I'll get back to it when I get back to it. Right now my priorities need to be elsewhere. I'm taking care of my mom while she rehabs after her knee replacement. You may recall we went through this at the beginning of the year. I suppose it's fitting for me to end the year the same way. Hmm. Putting it that way gives me some comfort and peace of mind actually. I like symmetry. It makes me happy.
My mom had knee replacement surgery on her left knee on January 16th. She had the right knee done September 18th. She stayed with my husband and I for her rehab. She lives in Atlanta but my sister and I live here. So, since my job allows me to take extended family medical leave, and I have a single level house with a guest room and guest bath, we thought it best for her to come to Denver for her surgery. It's worked out very well. Her rehab has been great. Having a dedicated support system in place does wonders for her spirit and recovery. This time around she even has a great-granddaughter to play with.
For the first knee surgery, we were all well prepared considering we didn't know what to expect. It was challenging but we had our game faces on and took everything in stride. For some reason, this time around we are all a bit more impatient. I think we know what to expect, having been through it once before, so are anticipating the end sooner. That's not a wholly bad thing but it makes everyone a bit anxious. I also have a lot more going on right now which causes added stress.
So, I think it's time to let go of what little control I think I have over everything and just relax and be in the moment. Enjoy my mother's time visiting and enjoy the grand babies when they visit. The running will be there when I have time to get back to it.
It's all good.
And another thought that gets me through the running down time... I've done most of my races and have been most successful in the winter. Yeah. I'm not done yet.
My mom had knee replacement surgery on her left knee on January 16th. She had the right knee done September 18th. She stayed with my husband and I for her rehab. She lives in Atlanta but my sister and I live here. So, since my job allows me to take extended family medical leave, and I have a single level house with a guest room and guest bath, we thought it best for her to come to Denver for her surgery. It's worked out very well. Her rehab has been great. Having a dedicated support system in place does wonders for her spirit and recovery. This time around she even has a great-granddaughter to play with.
For the first knee surgery, we were all well prepared considering we didn't know what to expect. It was challenging but we had our game faces on and took everything in stride. For some reason, this time around we are all a bit more impatient. I think we know what to expect, having been through it once before, so are anticipating the end sooner. That's not a wholly bad thing but it makes everyone a bit anxious. I also have a lot more going on right now which causes added stress.
So, I think it's time to let go of what little control I think I have over everything and just relax and be in the moment. Enjoy my mother's time visiting and enjoy the grand babies when they visit. The running will be there when I have time to get back to it.
It's all good.
And another thought that gets me through the running down time... I've done most of my races and have been most successful in the winter. Yeah. I'm not done yet.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Neighborhood walk
I took a quick walk this afternoon while my mom was comfy and settled in the recliner. I even dusted off the Garmin. There was just enough charge to get me back home. Whew. When I logged in to MyGarmin (or whatever it's really called) my last logged run effort was July 15th. Wow.
Neighborhood walk Garmin stats.
Goals for the week? Walk 3 times this week. Tabata burpees 3 times this week. Apply for three jobs.
Neighborhood walk Garmin stats.
Goals for the week? Walk 3 times this week. Tabata burpees 3 times this week. Apply for three jobs.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Before and After
I'd forgotten I'd taken a "before" photo after our anniversary vacation. I need to dig that up again. That image, and my mom's recovery, should get me motivated again. It was during her recovery after her first knee surgery that I started going to CrossFit. So, while I am home for the next 3-4 weeks, I plan to develop some kind of fitness routine again. I think I might start with 7 minutes of burpees, keeping track of how many I can do. That way I'll have a measuring stick for that length of time. And it will give me a jumping off point for other things. Like running.
Lots going on lately. I've been trying to set up a phone interview recently (from the hospital where my mom has been.) And a consulting business with a friend and colleague. My mom gets discharged tomorrow. Yay!
My sister and I may do a free day at the CrossFit gym in Broomfield some Saturday. I really need a workout partner.
Lots going on lately. I've been trying to set up a phone interview recently (from the hospital where my mom has been.) And a consulting business with a friend and colleague. My mom gets discharged tomorrow. Yay!
My sister and I may do a free day at the CrossFit gym in Broomfield some Saturday. I really need a workout partner.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Walking
Yesterday evening, the hubby and I had a brisk walk in the neighborhood - about 2 miles. Today, I did about a mile on a quick break at work.
That is all. :-)
That is all. :-)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
The near future peut-être
September 16th
Wheat Ridge High School Farmers 5000
5K
September 22nd
Estes Park Running of the Bulls
3.75 miles (weekend after my mother's surgery so probably won't be doing this one)
September 30th
Bear Chase Trail Race
10K (not the half)
October 7th
Golden Gallop
5.280 miles
October 13th
Regis University Move Forward
5K/10K
October 27th
Kooky-Spooky
5K/10K
November 10th
Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon
Trail half (my last chance this year to get a trail half done)
Wheat Ridge High School Farmers 5000
5K
September 22nd
Estes Park Running of the Bulls
3.75 miles (weekend after my mother's surgery so probably won't be doing this one)
September 30th
Bear Chase Trail Race
10K (not the half)
October 7th
Golden Gallop
5.280 miles
October 13th
Regis University Move Forward
5K/10K
October 27th
Kooky-Spooky
5K/10K
November 10th
Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon
Trail half (my last chance this year to get a trail half done)
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
3 mile loop
Today, on my lunch hour, I walked my 3 mile work loop on the bike path. Took me about an hour. Felt good to move my legs.
That is all. :-)
That is all. :-)
Friday, August 24, 2012
Still not running...
Still not running. I don't even remember the last time I ran. Definitely well before we went on vacation which was about a month.
So, the job situation has leveled out a bit. A bunch of shit hit the fan when people found out I was being laid off. People who rely on me and my archival expertise on their projects went to bat for me and now I am back at work. I have full time, at my same salary, for 6 months for sure. That gets me through the end of March. It gives me time to get lots of things done, prepare the collections for the next archivist, and apply for better, more secure jobs.
My mother arrives for knee surgery #2 on September 4th. I'm excited for her! I am hoping having that time off will allow me to get back on track with some running or at least walking.
I'm quite bummed that I won't be prepared to run the Bear Chase Trail Race. I am quite disappointed in myself. Why can't I do this? Why can't I get and stay motivated? I just don't know what to do anymore. It's pissing me off that I am letting all of this other crap get in the way of my own health and happiness. Aarrggh!
I need.... something.... not sure what.
So, the job situation has leveled out a bit. A bunch of shit hit the fan when people found out I was being laid off. People who rely on me and my archival expertise on their projects went to bat for me and now I am back at work. I have full time, at my same salary, for 6 months for sure. That gets me through the end of March. It gives me time to get lots of things done, prepare the collections for the next archivist, and apply for better, more secure jobs.
My mother arrives for knee surgery #2 on September 4th. I'm excited for her! I am hoping having that time off will allow me to get back on track with some running or at least walking.
I'm quite bummed that I won't be prepared to run the Bear Chase Trail Race. I am quite disappointed in myself. Why can't I do this? Why can't I get and stay motivated? I just don't know what to do anymore. It's pissing me off that I am letting all of this other crap get in the way of my own health and happiness. Aarrggh!
I need.... something.... not sure what.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Well...it was fun.
Since my last post I've missed several runs for various reasons, went on vacation, where I didn't work out at all, and am now recovering from a 4 day cold (sore throat, fever, cough, congestion, etc.). The Georgetown to Idaho Springs half is this weekend. I won't be participating. Again. And to top it all off, I learned last Friday that I'm being laid off. It's just been a crappy, crappy last few days. The next race that I'm registered for is the Bear Chase Trail Half on September 30th (my official last day of work.) I'm not sure I'll have time to recover enough to train for it. We'll see. The trail half is my last goal for the year. There's another I could do in November if I still want to meet my goal. We'll see. It's sort of difficult to look too far ahead right now. :-/
Friday, July 6, 2012
Running is fun again!
Sunday I did about 4.5 miles and had fun doing it! Woo hoo! I ran again on Tuesday and that was also fun. Well, it was sort of boring because I ran 3 miles of laps at the track. But, I'll take boring over painful any day. I even spent some time catching up on my Daily Mile posts and updating my calendar with my running and workouts. In addition to running I managed some boot camp sessions too. And I did some of my PT exercises. I can feel myself getting stronger again. When the hubby and I walked to the close Starbucks I didn't feel tired or like I was working to keep up with him. Yay!!
Now, I must keep going. The Georgetown to Idaho Springs half is August 11th. That's only 4 weeks or so away. Yikes! I need to not miss anymore long runs. And I also need to listen closely to my body. My knees don't like running laps so much. The treadmill is ok, especially at the Y. I just have to keep up the maintenance miles. (I missed yesterday.) I can do this. Even if I have to walk parts of the half, I can do it.
I still need to find a stretching or yoga class. That's still the missing piece to this puzzle. Those classes at the Y are not at a convenient time for me. Darn this working for a living business.
Now, I must keep going. The Georgetown to Idaho Springs half is August 11th. That's only 4 weeks or so away. Yikes! I need to not miss anymore long runs. And I also need to listen closely to my body. My knees don't like running laps so much. The treadmill is ok, especially at the Y. I just have to keep up the maintenance miles. (I missed yesterday.) I can do this. Even if I have to walk parts of the half, I can do it.
I still need to find a stretching or yoga class. That's still the missing piece to this puzzle. Those classes at the Y are not at a convenient time for me. Darn this working for a living business.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
This Heat is Depressing
There have been a few distractions keeping me from my blog writing duties. First things first...
Miss Ava Nicole arrived on the planet about 2 weeks ago. :-)
She is my step granddaughter and is the most beautiful baby ever. She's a good sleeper and we all enjoy holding her. She visits us often. :-) I've skipped at least one run just because I was holding her. :-)
I also spent one week (the same week Ava was born) playing host to about 40 polar librarians. Here we are at a tour of the National Ice Core Lab.
That was a big distraction and was also the reason I didn't register to run the Estes Park half marathon this year.
I also tried to start wearing contacts last week and that didn't go well at all. It just made me frustrated and gave me headaches. I was hoping they would be a more comfortable alternative to wearing my glasses when I work out but, with the heat and the fires, this just wasn't a very good time of year to try them out. And speaking of...
The heat has been ridiculous. We've had record setting temperatures. For some reason, I am unable to cope with it these days. I had a headache for a full week as I tried to acclimate. We had one day at work without air conditioning. That didn't help at all. I had a bit of a melt down, feeling sorry for myself because I felt crappy for a full week. I thought about giving up on this running season until it cooled off. But then I got some uplifting advice and good suggestions from the running club and decided I should just relax a bit.
My knee is also still in recovery mode but feels pretty good at slow, short, easy distances. But, I've still been very inconsistent. I went to physical therapy on the Monday after the conference. I have 3 exercises and 1 stretch that I am supposed to be doing once a week for 3-4 weeks. I have a follow up appointment to keep me honest. It has been hard to keep up with it but I've got about 2 weeks before the next appointment so I'd better get going.
I'm trying to start up at boot camp again. I now have a membership to the YMCA and will attend the 9am MWF boot camp in Boulder. I've also run a couple of times at the Arvada Y. I think that will help with my weak glute muscles the PT says I have. And I got registered for the FitLinxx which is a computer program that records which fitness machines you use, your reps, how much you lift, and all sorts of stuff. That should keep me honest too.
I'm still registered for the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half but I'm not super focused on it right now. I really just want to get consistent and healthy. I'm no longer focused on the 2:30 goal. I am still focused on the Bear Chase trail half though. It's September 30th so I have more time to prepare for that one. But we shall see how things play out.
So, tomorrow I'll be running 4-5 slow miles with the club. And after that, I will celebrate with beer and french fries at the Arvada Beer Company with my love. :-)
Miss Ava Nicole arrived on the planet about 2 weeks ago. :-)
I also spent one week (the same week Ava was born) playing host to about 40 polar librarians. Here we are at a tour of the National Ice Core Lab.
I also tried to start wearing contacts last week and that didn't go well at all. It just made me frustrated and gave me headaches. I was hoping they would be a more comfortable alternative to wearing my glasses when I work out but, with the heat and the fires, this just wasn't a very good time of year to try them out. And speaking of...
The heat has been ridiculous. We've had record setting temperatures. For some reason, I am unable to cope with it these days. I had a headache for a full week as I tried to acclimate. We had one day at work without air conditioning. That didn't help at all. I had a bit of a melt down, feeling sorry for myself because I felt crappy for a full week. I thought about giving up on this running season until it cooled off. But then I got some uplifting advice and good suggestions from the running club and decided I should just relax a bit.
My knee is also still in recovery mode but feels pretty good at slow, short, easy distances. But, I've still been very inconsistent. I went to physical therapy on the Monday after the conference. I have 3 exercises and 1 stretch that I am supposed to be doing once a week for 3-4 weeks. I have a follow up appointment to keep me honest. It has been hard to keep up with it but I've got about 2 weeks before the next appointment so I'd better get going.
I'm trying to start up at boot camp again. I now have a membership to the YMCA and will attend the 9am MWF boot camp in Boulder. I've also run a couple of times at the Arvada Y. I think that will help with my weak glute muscles the PT says I have. And I got registered for the FitLinxx which is a computer program that records which fitness machines you use, your reps, how much you lift, and all sorts of stuff. That should keep me honest too.
I'm still registered for the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half but I'm not super focused on it right now. I really just want to get consistent and healthy. I'm no longer focused on the 2:30 goal. I am still focused on the Bear Chase trail half though. It's September 30th so I have more time to prepare for that one. But we shall see how things play out.
So, tomorrow I'll be running 4-5 slow miles with the club. And after that, I will celebrate with beer and french fries at the Arvada Beer Company with my love. :-)
Sunday, June 3, 2012
First Run of the Summer Season
I met the club and my sister at 7am for the first training run of the season. I'm starting on the beginner plan which called for 2 miles. We did a run/walk combo on and out and back route. It felt good to be out on the road again. My knee started to hurt just a little right at the end of the route. But, I'd brought my bag of frozen peas for my knee and that really helped. We did a little bit of stretching after the run as well and had a cool down walk at the end too. I probably should have stretched more. I need to remember to ice tomorrow too. I've been prescribed two weeks of icing whether I work out or not.
Tuesday we'll be going to track to run laps. Then I need to run one more day this week totaling three training runs for the week. And, I also need to call to make my PT appointment.
Day one in the books.
Tuesday we'll be going to track to run laps. Then I need to run one more day this week totaling three training runs for the week. And, I also need to call to make my PT appointment.
Day one in the books.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Recharged and Focused
Ahhh... vacation... It was awesome! Spent some quality time with the hubby. Visited with my dad in Houston and celebrated with my mom in New Orleans. Yay!
And now, to the task at hand...
I had my second visit with the ortho doc. She is great. I'm so glad I lucked out and picked the sports medicine doctor. She thinks it's probably patellar tendinitis. She couldn't find anything structurally wrong and nothing hurt when she manipulated and pushed on my knee. She's recommended PT to strengthen the smaller core muscles to help keep the knee from working harder than it has to. She also prescribed ice for 2 weeks not just after a workout. And suggested really easing back into the training so I don't over tax things or make things worse. All of that is what I was expecting her to say and was the best case scenario really. Based on all of what we talked about, it sort of fits into what I was thinking. I'm not training properly.
Since stopping boot camp however long ago it was that my fabulous trainer moved away, I have been responsible for my own cross training. That never goes as well as when I have a good trainer, even though I know all the routines and what I should be doing and how hard I should be working. I just don't do as well on my own. So, I lost some of that core running strength I'd built up with her. Then, I lost my consistent running partners to their other activities. So, even my running was inconsistent. Things started to hurt just enough when I joined the ARC, just enough to make me slow down and feel bad about it. So, that led to the injury.
It's a new season now though. The ARC starts their summer training session this Sunday. I plan to be there running as a beginner and training for my next half marathon. For the first time, I am actually training for the same race that the rest of the club is training for. So, I don't have to make anything up. I just have to show up. And, one of my original boot camp buddies has been working out at the Y near work and she likens it to the good ol' days. I'm going to go to those sessions with her as often as I can.
Life is still pretty busy with work and stuff but if I want to be better, faster, and stronger, I just have to focus on the work and get it done. It's go time. And it's my time. I'm excited to get going again. :-)
I had my second visit with the ortho doc. She is great. I'm so glad I lucked out and picked the sports medicine doctor. She thinks it's probably patellar tendinitis. She couldn't find anything structurally wrong and nothing hurt when she manipulated and pushed on my knee. She's recommended PT to strengthen the smaller core muscles to help keep the knee from working harder than it has to. She also prescribed ice for 2 weeks not just after a workout. And suggested really easing back into the training so I don't over tax things or make things worse. All of that is what I was expecting her to say and was the best case scenario really. Based on all of what we talked about, it sort of fits into what I was thinking. I'm not training properly.
Since stopping boot camp however long ago it was that my fabulous trainer moved away, I have been responsible for my own cross training. That never goes as well as when I have a good trainer, even though I know all the routines and what I should be doing and how hard I should be working. I just don't do as well on my own. So, I lost some of that core running strength I'd built up with her. Then, I lost my consistent running partners to their other activities. So, even my running was inconsistent. Things started to hurt just enough when I joined the ARC, just enough to make me slow down and feel bad about it. So, that led to the injury.
It's a new season now though. The ARC starts their summer training session this Sunday. I plan to be there running as a beginner and training for my next half marathon. For the first time, I am actually training for the same race that the rest of the club is training for. So, I don't have to make anything up. I just have to show up. And, one of my original boot camp buddies has been working out at the Y near work and she likens it to the good ol' days. I'm going to go to those sessions with her as often as I can.
Life is still pretty busy with work and stuff but if I want to be better, faster, and stronger, I just have to focus on the work and get it done. It's go time. And it's my time. I'm excited to get going again. :-)
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Half Fanatics
http://www.halffanatics.com/
The half is still my favorite distance. I hope to fall in love with it all over again soon.
:-)
The half is still my favorite distance. I hope to fall in love with it all over again soon.
:-)
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Good news, bad news
Today I ran the Westminster Women's Classic 5K. It's a race open only to women and was held on Mother's Day (today). There are 3 events - a 10K, 5K, and 2 mile walk. A while back I'd planned to run the 10K since I was, at that time, in half marathon form. But, today, I was glad to only have to run the 5K.
The good news? I ran my second fastest 5K ever - 33:22! The bad news? My knee hurts (still) and I walked some towards the end. WTH?
I'm not sure what's going on but it seems to be something related to how tight I am. When I went to the ortho doc after the Platte River half, she said I needed to rest and stretch and ice. I rested. I'm really really bad about stretching. I iced. I also didn't run much between that race and my next one - Greenland 8 mile. See that race report for my woes during that event.
I didn't run again after Greenland until today. My knee started hurting almost immediately, within the first mile. I almost stopped and quit. But, I didn't. I don't think I slowed down right away but I probably did. The route was part cement trail and part dirt/gravel trail. Once I hit the halfway, I just sucked it up. But, during the last mile, I had to take some short walk breaks. That sucked mentally but, there wasn't much else I could do at that point.
I'm thinking of taking to the stationary bike for a bit and picking up the crossfit again. I need to follow the doctor's instructions (and the sports masseuse from today as well) and stretch, foam roll, and strengthen my muscles around the knee. I read in a Runner's World article that mini burpees are good for strengthening the knees. Burpees are my kryptonite. It's time to face it though.
All of this begins after the vacation which begins one week from today! Woot!
The good news? I ran my second fastest 5K ever - 33:22! The bad news? My knee hurts (still) and I walked some towards the end. WTH?
I'm not sure what's going on but it seems to be something related to how tight I am. When I went to the ortho doc after the Platte River half, she said I needed to rest and stretch and ice. I rested. I'm really really bad about stretching. I iced. I also didn't run much between that race and my next one - Greenland 8 mile. See that race report for my woes during that event.
I didn't run again after Greenland until today. My knee started hurting almost immediately, within the first mile. I almost stopped and quit. But, I didn't. I don't think I slowed down right away but I probably did. The route was part cement trail and part dirt/gravel trail. Once I hit the halfway, I just sucked it up. But, during the last mile, I had to take some short walk breaks. That sucked mentally but, there wasn't much else I could do at that point.
I'm thinking of taking to the stationary bike for a bit and picking up the crossfit again. I need to follow the doctor's instructions (and the sports masseuse from today as well) and stretch, foam roll, and strengthen my muscles around the knee. I read in a Runner's World article that mini burpees are good for strengthening the knees. Burpees are my kryptonite. It's time to face it though.
All of this begins after the vacation which begins one week from today! Woot!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Greenland 8M Report
Well, I finished. Still waiting for the official results. My Garmin says I did 7.72 miles in 1:51:04.
It wasn't a terribly difficult course. Wide single and double track, sandy and gravelly, no shade, one loop (for the 8M) with one hill. If only I had trained....
The course was not technical at all. Wide single and double track lanes easily accommodated the runners (and their dogs). The start was mostly sandy and gravelly. Yuck. I should have worn gaiters. I hate getting rocks in my socks. The sand made it fairly tough going. I stopped a few times to pull the small bits of gravel out of my socks. The first three and a half miles were relatively flat. Gradual uphill for the most part that had one minor noticeable hill.
The first aid station was at the start of the one hill in the loop. I didn't think it was too terribly steep. I would have really enjoyed it if I had trained properly for this one. At the top of the hill was this:
It seemed a fairly ominous sign. But, stopping to take a photo of it made me think back to all of my "first" races when I was just out to have fun, enjoy the moment, take pictures, and finish. While stopped, I was taking some self portraits when another runner asked if I wanted her to take my picture for me. She said she wasn't in a hurry and happily took two shots of me. She was running the 50K so we were both at about the halfway mark of our races. I wonder how she did?
When I started up again after the short break, my knee started hurting. :-( I was afraid of that but was surprised it happened so quickly. There was a smaller hill just beyond this one, which was the actual peak. At the top, I high-fived the guy cheering us at the top and started to run down. Only three more miles to the finish and it was to be all downhill. However, my knee did not like it at all. I was sad to find that I couldn't run the downhill finish.
Here are some photos of the course:
I also ran this race with my new trail shoes. I bought a pair of Montrail Mountain Masochist trail shoes. I'd only worn them one time before this race. They still looked brand new and very clean at the start. I was worried they hadn't been broken in enough to wear them but they worked out just fine. The trail though, wasn't very technical so the shoes with the rock plate did seem a little stiff. I think the shoes will be great on more technical trails like the Bear Chase trail half. :-)
The last three miles were the hardest I've ever done. My knee and hip were hurting quite a lot. I would try to run for a bit but there was no way I could manage it. I tried to stay out of the way of the other runners making their way to the finish. It was the longest 3 miles ever. Eventually, the finish line appeared and I ran to cross it. 1:59:16 was my official finish time. Phew. It was over.
It wasn't the way I planned to finish my first trail race but, I'll take it. And now, for a much needed break. My vacation begins in one week.
It wasn't a terribly difficult course. Wide single and double track, sandy and gravelly, no shade, one loop (for the 8M) with one hill. If only I had trained....
The course was not technical at all. Wide single and double track lanes easily accommodated the runners (and their dogs). The start was mostly sandy and gravelly. Yuck. I should have worn gaiters. I hate getting rocks in my socks. The sand made it fairly tough going. I stopped a few times to pull the small bits of gravel out of my socks. The first three and a half miles were relatively flat. Gradual uphill for the most part that had one minor noticeable hill.
The first aid station was at the start of the one hill in the loop. I didn't think it was too terribly steep. I would have really enjoyed it if I had trained properly for this one. At the top of the hill was this:
When I started up again after the short break, my knee started hurting. :-( I was afraid of that but was surprised it happened so quickly. There was a smaller hill just beyond this one, which was the actual peak. At the top, I high-fived the guy cheering us at the top and started to run down. Only three more miles to the finish and it was to be all downhill. However, my knee did not like it at all. I was sad to find that I couldn't run the downhill finish.
Here are some photos of the course:
I also ran this race with my new trail shoes. I bought a pair of Montrail Mountain Masochist trail shoes. I'd only worn them one time before this race. They still looked brand new and very clean at the start. I was worried they hadn't been broken in enough to wear them but they worked out just fine. The trail though, wasn't very technical so the shoes with the rock plate did seem a little stiff. I think the shoes will be great on more technical trails like the Bear Chase trail half. :-)
It wasn't the way I planned to finish my first trail race but, I'll take it. And now, for a much needed break. My vacation begins in one week.
Friday, May 4, 2012
First Trail Race - 8M
Tomorrow is my first official trail race. When I registered I had high hopes. I thought I'd be running training trail miles with my running friends (my coworkers) like we did last year. But it seems our paths have diverged. And this year my running has taken a turn for the worse due to a little depression I've stumbled on and can't get out of. Yeah, I know, running is supposed to help, blah, blah, blah. I still have my sights set on my goals for this year. I'm two thirds of the way there. This race tomorrow will help get me even closer. But, I'm going to take a little break at the end of May and in June. I'll try to get some maintenance runs in and then ramp up again for the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half. That is where I plan to PR.
2:30. I can do it!
2:30. I can do it!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
New Training Plan
I'm thinking of changing my training plan to include more CrossFit and less running. This weekend I took a mini vacation with my sister-in-law. One of the things we chatted about was ways we are trying to keep ourselves healthy. We have different goals and different health issues but similar struggles as we try to stay on the road to good health. She talked about certain foods being a trigger for her. My trigger seems to be exercise.
I have two types of exercises that I currently enjoy, running and CrossFit. But, much like a diet, I am struggling to find a balance between the right amounts of each. Both can bring a balance to my life and make me feel healthy, when I have enough of each. They complement each other as well. Both make me feel strong.
My current plan (which I've struggled with for various reasons) has been CrossFit two times a week, running three times a week, rest two days a week. I'm thinking of changing it to CrossFit 3 times a week, running 2 times a week, rest 2 times a week. That gives me two days with the ARC and an extra day of strength training. The CrossFit helps my running so I think the balance may be better this way. And running provides me with goals for my workouts. And, now that I think about it, this is the way my schedule was when I first started training. Back when I was enjoying it and had rediscovered my strength.
My CrossFit gym (box is what they call it) is moving too. It will now be part of my commute. So, I think that will help with my new plan too. And, Tuesday track sessions with the club have changed to 6pm which means I can make it to those runs now too.
Balance. Or, is it just consistency? Either way, it makes me happy and more relaxed.
Monday - CF 6pm
Tuesday - track 6pm
Wednesday - CF 6pm
Thursday - rest
Friday - CF
Saturday - rest
Sunday - LSD
Let's see what kind of results I'll get from this. I want to PR at the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half in August. :-)
I have two types of exercises that I currently enjoy, running and CrossFit. But, much like a diet, I am struggling to find a balance between the right amounts of each. Both can bring a balance to my life and make me feel healthy, when I have enough of each. They complement each other as well. Both make me feel strong.
My current plan (which I've struggled with for various reasons) has been CrossFit two times a week, running three times a week, rest two days a week. I'm thinking of changing it to CrossFit 3 times a week, running 2 times a week, rest 2 times a week. That gives me two days with the ARC and an extra day of strength training. The CrossFit helps my running so I think the balance may be better this way. And running provides me with goals for my workouts. And, now that I think about it, this is the way my schedule was when I first started training. Back when I was enjoying it and had rediscovered my strength.
My CrossFit gym (box is what they call it) is moving too. It will now be part of my commute. So, I think that will help with my new plan too. And, Tuesday track sessions with the club have changed to 6pm which means I can make it to those runs now too.
Balance. Or, is it just consistency? Either way, it makes me happy and more relaxed.
Monday - CF 6pm
Tuesday - track 6pm
Wednesday - CF 6pm
Thursday - rest
Friday - CF
Saturday - rest
Sunday - LSD
Let's see what kind of results I'll get from this. I want to PR at the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half in August. :-)
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Up coming races
Here are the races I am currently registered for:
May 5th - Greenland Trail 8 mile
May 20th - Colfax Relay
August 11th - Georgetown to Idaho Springs
September 30th - Bear Chase 1/2
I'm also planning to do:
May 13th - Women's Classic 10K
July 4th - Avery 4 on the 4th
I am not scheduling anything in June in anticipation of the grandkid being born. July 1st my niece is also due to give birth to her first kid. So, the July 4th race is questionable. I'm looking forward to some time off. But, I am also aiming for a PR at the G'town race. I hear it's all downhill.
May 5th - Greenland Trail 8 mile
May 20th - Colfax Relay
August 11th - Georgetown to Idaho Springs
September 30th - Bear Chase 1/2
I'm also planning to do:
May 13th - Women's Classic 10K
July 4th - Avery 4 on the 4th
I am not scheduling anything in June in anticipation of the grandkid being born. July 1st my niece is also due to give birth to her first kid. So, the July 4th race is questionable. I'm looking forward to some time off. But, I am also aiming for a PR at the G'town race. I hear it's all downhill.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Work-related
My inconsistent running has been due to work-related stresses. My mind is full of thoughts I can't figure out. Usually running helps to clear my head but this is something else entirely. This is bigger than running. It's bigger than crossfit. So, instead of turning to my workouts to help solve the problem, I'm just going to take them when I can get them. And try to enjoy them for what they are - stress relief.
After the Platte River half, I had some knee pain that was troubling me. I ran a 5K on the Tuesday after the half when I probably should have been resting.
On Wednesday, I went to Kaiser. As luck would have it, the only doctor available that day was a woman about my age who is a runner. (I suppose the odds are pretty good that a doctor will also be a runner here in Colorado.) At any rate, I had some xrays and a consult with this ortho doc. She said that I probably have bursitis in my hip (which is where this knee pain originated) but she didn't think it was related to the knee. The knee she thought was probably some over use to some degree. My training leading up to the half was pretty haphazard and mostly crossfit. So, the distance was a bit much when I stopped to think about it. She prescribed 5 days of rest. That took me through this past Monday.
On Tuesday, I met my boot camp friends for a workout in the park near work. We did some hill sprints, squats, lunges, abs, and burpees. The knee felt just fine. :-) On Wednesday, I went to crossfit. The WOD was a 16 minute AMRAP - 5 95lb deadlifts, 10 bar facing burpees, 15 20lb floor dumbbell presses. I tried to lift 25lb DB and that just killed my left shoulder. I was done after that first round even after switching to the 20lb. Ugh. Working out that work stress is tough.
Today, I packed my running gear but didn't make it out the door. Tomorrow I am taking a mini vacation with my sister-in-law. We both feel the need to get out of dodge for a bit. I'll pack my running gear. And I'll get to crossfit in the morning before we hit the road. But, if I run, great. If not, that will have to do for now.
I do have a trail run on May 5th. 8 miles. I'm not worried. It's my first trial race so I'm a bit disappointed that I haven't been training for it. But, I'll train for the trail half coming up in September. My mom will be back for her 2nd knee surgery by then. I'm trying not to project too far ahead because it stresses me out. But, I do have a few races that I'm registered for. Hopefully my counseling sessions will put me back on track and life back into perspective. Then I can just relax and run again.
Mini vacation tomorrow! Soaking in the Thermopolis hot spring! Woot! Woot!
After the Platte River half, I had some knee pain that was troubling me. I ran a 5K on the Tuesday after the half when I probably should have been resting.
On Tuesday, I met my boot camp friends for a workout in the park near work. We did some hill sprints, squats, lunges, abs, and burpees. The knee felt just fine. :-) On Wednesday, I went to crossfit. The WOD was a 16 minute AMRAP - 5 95lb deadlifts, 10 bar facing burpees, 15 20lb floor dumbbell presses. I tried to lift 25lb DB and that just killed my left shoulder. I was done after that first round even after switching to the 20lb. Ugh. Working out that work stress is tough.
Today, I packed my running gear but didn't make it out the door. Tomorrow I am taking a mini vacation with my sister-in-law. We both feel the need to get out of dodge for a bit. I'll pack my running gear. And I'll get to crossfit in the morning before we hit the road. But, if I run, great. If not, that will have to do for now.
I do have a trail run on May 5th. 8 miles. I'm not worried. It's my first trial race so I'm a bit disappointed that I haven't been training for it. But, I'll train for the trail half coming up in September. My mom will be back for her 2nd knee surgery by then. I'm trying not to project too far ahead because it stresses me out. But, I do have a few races that I'm registered for. Hopefully my counseling sessions will put me back on track and life back into perspective. Then I can just relax and run again.
Mini vacation tomorrow! Soaking in the Thermopolis hot spring! Woot! Woot!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Platte River Half Marathon
About a week ago I ran my 5th half marathon. It became a sort of experiment for me. I hadn't run very much but had been doing my crossfit work outs for a couple of weeks. I haven't decided if it was a success or not. On the one hand, I ran my fastest half in Colorado finishing in 2:37:34. On the other hand, it was quite painful. I was good for about 8 miles. At about 10 miles I was really feeling pain in my hip that also became pain in my knee. Now, I have always had the hip pain so I wasn't surprised or worried by it. But, the knee pain was something new. Now I am on doctor prescribed rest for 5 days. I'm on day 3 right now.
The race itself was interesting I suppose you could say. The weather was threatening to be very cold and wet. However, it turned out to be ok for the first half of the race. The sun even came out at times. But the second half of the race became overcast, windy and even had a bit of rain. By the time my race was over it was quite miserable standing around for the after party. It even started to snow as we walked back to the car.
Most of the race was on the paved bike path. I was worried about that because there were about 3,000 people registered. It didn't turn out to be too crowded though so that was good. There was a staggered start. I started in the slow 3rd wave for runners finishing in more than 2:10 minutes. We ran through downtown Littleton for a bit before hitting the bike path headed towards downtown Denver.
I arrived with my friend Sarah and a couple of other running club friends. Sarah and I planned to run it together but we got separated before the start. She ran to find another friend of ours and then I had to pee. We didn't find each other again until mile 11 when I caught up with her.
One weird thing about this race was that I didn't eat any sport beans or carry any water. I only drank water and some Powerade at the aid stations. I also had one Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie at one of the aid stations. I usually eat more. I'm not sure what's up with that. I sure felt like I was working hard but I didn't feel like my energy was draining or anything like that.
My split times were interesting too. I felt very strong in the first half of the race. That shows in my fast for me split times. I was on pace for and felt as comfortable as I was in New Orleans. I did take it easy on the 7th mile. I remember slowing down on purpose but I can't remember why exactly. But, I picked it up again in the 8th mile. But, that's when my hip started to hurt so I slowed again and started to take walk breaks. The wind also started to pick up at that point. But, even my walk/run pace was not too bad. But, at that point, I was sure, because of the wind, that I wouldn't make 2:30 anymore. Sarah and I commiserated when I caught up to her. And then I pushed on. There was a bridge climb just before the finish. I was surprised at how I was able to run up that hill at that point in the race. I did take a longer walk break just before the bridge which helped. Inspired by that, I "sprinted" to the finish in considerable pain. I just wanted to get the run over with at that point.
So, in the end, I was pleased with my time but not so happy with my performance. Again.
I am lacking in focus due to some work-related stresses. And I've let it affect my training. I need a vacation to clear my head so that I can regain my strength. Even a short one will do. My mental strength is failing me. My body feels strong even with a knee and hip twinge here and there.
Focus.
Focus.
Focus.
I'm not exactly sure how my times have been improving even though I haven't been training in a focused way. I haven't even been running very much. I'm happy with that but am perplexed. That's why I need to get focused. I want to be faster. But, I want to do it right and not get injured.
Focus.
The race itself was interesting I suppose you could say. The weather was threatening to be very cold and wet. However, it turned out to be ok for the first half of the race. The sun even came out at times. But the second half of the race became overcast, windy and even had a bit of rain. By the time my race was over it was quite miserable standing around for the after party. It even started to snow as we walked back to the car.
Most of the race was on the paved bike path. I was worried about that because there were about 3,000 people registered. It didn't turn out to be too crowded though so that was good. There was a staggered start. I started in the slow 3rd wave for runners finishing in more than 2:10 minutes. We ran through downtown Littleton for a bit before hitting the bike path headed towards downtown Denver.
I arrived with my friend Sarah and a couple of other running club friends. Sarah and I planned to run it together but we got separated before the start. She ran to find another friend of ours and then I had to pee. We didn't find each other again until mile 11 when I caught up with her.
One weird thing about this race was that I didn't eat any sport beans or carry any water. I only drank water and some Powerade at the aid stations. I also had one Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie at one of the aid stations. I usually eat more. I'm not sure what's up with that. I sure felt like I was working hard but I didn't feel like my energy was draining or anything like that.
My split times were interesting too. I felt very strong in the first half of the race. That shows in my fast for me split times. I was on pace for and felt as comfortable as I was in New Orleans. I did take it easy on the 7th mile. I remember slowing down on purpose but I can't remember why exactly. But, I picked it up again in the 8th mile. But, that's when my hip started to hurt so I slowed again and started to take walk breaks. The wind also started to pick up at that point. But, even my walk/run pace was not too bad. But, at that point, I was sure, because of the wind, that I wouldn't make 2:30 anymore. Sarah and I commiserated when I caught up to her. And then I pushed on. There was a bridge climb just before the finish. I was surprised at how I was able to run up that hill at that point in the race. I did take a longer walk break just before the bridge which helped. Inspired by that, I "sprinted" to the finish in considerable pain. I just wanted to get the run over with at that point.
So, in the end, I was pleased with my time but not so happy with my performance. Again.
I am lacking in focus due to some work-related stresses. And I've let it affect my training. I need a vacation to clear my head so that I can regain my strength. Even a short one will do. My mental strength is failing me. My body feels strong even with a knee and hip twinge here and there.
Focus.
Focus.
Focus.
I'm not exactly sure how my times have been improving even though I haven't been training in a focused way. I haven't even been running very much. I'm happy with that but am perplexed. That's why I need to get focused. I want to be faster. But, I want to do it right and not get injured.
Focus.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
April so far
The month of April has looked like this:
1st - about 6 miles of a crappy "long run"
4th - Crossfit
5th - 3.8 miles trail run
6th - Crossfit
9th - Crossfit
10th - boot camp work out
Tomorrow I'll be at Crossfit again. Sunday, I have a half marathon. Yikes! I'm excited for the beer after. There had better be some left by the time I finish.
Maybe I'll rest Thursday and Friday.
1st - about 6 miles of a crappy "long run"
4th - Crossfit
5th - 3.8 miles trail run
6th - Crossfit
9th - Crossfit
10th - boot camp work out
Tomorrow I'll be at Crossfit again. Sunday, I have a half marathon. Yikes! I'm excited for the beer after. There had better be some left by the time I finish.
Maybe I'll rest Thursday and Friday.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Caballo
(from the book Born to Run by Chris McDougall)
-- Micah True (1954 - 2012)
Monday, April 2, 2012
Two Ponds NWR
Tucked away in Arvada is the Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge. I'd been there once a long time ago, probably for a raptor thing, but I don't really remember. Apparently, the two trail heads I pass every day on my way to work are part of this NWR system. Who knew? Well, probably lots of people. Anyway, on my run Sunday, I decided to venture onto the trail for a bit. I didn't know where it went or how long it would be or anything but, I went anyway.
I took the trail head that is just south of the building labeled "Arvada Health Center Optical" on the Google map above. There was a kiosk with a map which was very helpful. I ran clockwise on the outer loop which put me right at the junction where W. 77th Dr. is marked on the map. There was another kiosk and signage at that junction. I took these photos from that vantage point.
Being a NWR, only hiking is allowed. You can't even picnic here.
It would be nice if these markers were at the trail junctions too.
Nice! Could be anywhere in Colorado but it's right smack dab in the middle of the suburbs.
That's Kipling at the light.
Maybe next time I'll venture over the bridge and into the park. It was a fun trek off the pavement in the middle of my 6 mile run.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Training...meh.
I slept in this morning and missed meeting the ARC for the group long run. But, I did get out the door to get a run in on my own. I'd originally planned for at least 8 miles but this one turned out to be only 6 miles. I don't run my long runs well when I'm by myself. Which is weird because I've run all my half marathons by myself. But, I always go too fast on my training runs unless I'm with other people. I don't know why. It's something I need to work on. Or, I need to get up on time and run with the club.
I also opted out of the 4Kay run on Saturday morning. I picked up my packet on Friday, since I had the day off, and I was able to get my race shirt. The more I thought about it, the less I felt like getting up early to drive and park downtown all to run 2.5 miles. Meh. The reason I registered for this race was because it was part of the Women's Final Four here in Denver and it was a fund raiser in memory of the North Carolina coach Kay who died of breast cancer. While I was at Tourney Town picking up my packet, I also got to walk around and see all the cool things at the event. I also bought some basketball shorts - pink Play4Kay shorts. So, I felt like I'd done my part as far as the race went.
My next race is the Platte River half marathon on April 15th. Once again, I feel unprepared for this, my 5th half marathon. Why do I keep doing this to myself? Ugh. Since the New Orleans Rock and Roll half, I've only run a few times. I've done 3.2 mi, 3.2 mi, 8 mi, 4.51 mi, and 6 mi. The first three runs were the week after I got back. The last two were both this week. And I've managed one CrossFit workout. I've got two weeks to get any substantive workouts in.
And, I've registered for the Bear Chase Trail half marathon on September 30th. Trails... I met Sarah this week at Matthews/Winters Open Space park. We ran about 4.5 miles on an out and back trail. It had some challenging hills and some technical bits too. It was probably like jumping in the pool at the deep end for Sarah's first trail run. We are planning to meet at Van Bibber this week.
Next week's plan:
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Speed work at track with ARC (or hill sprints at Scott Carpenter)
Wednesday - CrossFit
Thursday - Van Bibber trail run
Friday - CrossFit
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - LSD
(Maybe writing it down in the blog will help.)
I also opted out of the 4Kay run on Saturday morning. I picked up my packet on Friday, since I had the day off, and I was able to get my race shirt. The more I thought about it, the less I felt like getting up early to drive and park downtown all to run 2.5 miles. Meh. The reason I registered for this race was because it was part of the Women's Final Four here in Denver and it was a fund raiser in memory of the North Carolina coach Kay who died of breast cancer. While I was at Tourney Town picking up my packet, I also got to walk around and see all the cool things at the event. I also bought some basketball shorts - pink Play4Kay shorts. So, I felt like I'd done my part as far as the race went.
My next race is the Platte River half marathon on April 15th. Once again, I feel unprepared for this, my 5th half marathon. Why do I keep doing this to myself? Ugh. Since the New Orleans Rock and Roll half, I've only run a few times. I've done 3.2 mi, 3.2 mi, 8 mi, 4.51 mi, and 6 mi. The first three runs were the week after I got back. The last two were both this week. And I've managed one CrossFit workout. I've got two weeks to get any substantive workouts in.
And, I've registered for the Bear Chase Trail half marathon on September 30th. Trails... I met Sarah this week at Matthews/Winters Open Space park. We ran about 4.5 miles on an out and back trail. It had some challenging hills and some technical bits too. It was probably like jumping in the pool at the deep end for Sarah's first trail run. We are planning to meet at Van Bibber this week.
Next week's plan:
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Speed work at track with ARC (or hill sprints at Scott Carpenter)
Wednesday - CrossFit
Thursday - Van Bibber trail run
Friday - CrossFit
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - LSD
(Maybe writing it down in the blog will help.)
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Long Slow Distance
I realized something last week as I reflected on the New Orleans half marathon. You know that feeling you get at the start of a race, when you start out too fast because you are so excited to finally get to that starting line? So, you run for a few minutes because everyone around you is also running faster than you, either because they are faster or because of the adrenaline. But, at some point, you figure out, either you are breathing too hard or your legs are screaming, "Slow down!" so you pull back and find your race pace. You know that feeling? I had that feeling for the first 10 miles of the half marathon in New Orleans. I remember telling myself I needed to slow down but I also though, just go with it. So, I went with it knowing I could slow down whenever I wanted. It was a fantastic feeling! The air was so warm. There was just enough humidity to make me feel comfortable. The cool temperature at the start of the run was perfect. Having trained in Colorado, it wasn't just the lower elevation on my side. It was the warmer humid air that made my lungs feel strong too. The few weeks leading up to the half were cold, dry and windy.
Running in New Orleans was like nothing I'd ever experienced, which is funny since I grew up there. But, being a kid and running around outside is totally different from being an adult and running around with a specific purpose. As an adult, you are more aware of your environment and pay attention to all those things that will have a negative effect on your body. Being an adult, there are more things that can have negative effects on your body. Well, I guess it's more correct to say, as an adult you are more aware of those things.
It's nice when all of those things fall into place and everything becomes a positive effect. That's what the New Orleans race felt like for me. All positive!
Our club running coach thinks I can run faster. So do I. I think with more focused and uninterrupted training, I could have easily done New Orleans in 2:15. Now I need to see if I can run 2:30 here in Colorado. :-)
Today I ran an easy 8 miles with the ARC. We did two 4 mile loops. I'm so over running against traffic though. Next time I think Sarah and I will find some where else to run, like the sidewalk path along Standley Lake. I have a hard time paying attention to what I'm doing and to all the cars and still trying to hold a conversation during our runs. It's a good thing she doesn't mind talking. I certainly don't mind being the listener. It helps the run go by faster.
Next race on the calendar is the NCAA 4Kay run in Denver on March 31. Followed by the Platte River half marathon on April 15th. Followed by the Greenland 8 Mile Trail Run on May 5th. Woo hoo!! It's going to be a great running season!
(Knock on wood.)
Running in New Orleans was like nothing I'd ever experienced, which is funny since I grew up there. But, being a kid and running around outside is totally different from being an adult and running around with a specific purpose. As an adult, you are more aware of your environment and pay attention to all those things that will have a negative effect on your body. Being an adult, there are more things that can have negative effects on your body. Well, I guess it's more correct to say, as an adult you are more aware of those things.
It's nice when all of those things fall into place and everything becomes a positive effect. That's what the New Orleans race felt like for me. All positive!
Our club running coach thinks I can run faster. So do I. I think with more focused and uninterrupted training, I could have easily done New Orleans in 2:15. Now I need to see if I can run 2:30 here in Colorado. :-)
Today I ran an easy 8 miles with the ARC. We did two 4 mile loops. I'm so over running against traffic though. Next time I think Sarah and I will find some where else to run, like the sidewalk path along Standley Lake. I have a hard time paying attention to what I'm doing and to all the cars and still trying to hold a conversation during our runs. It's a good thing she doesn't mind talking. I certainly don't mind being the listener. It helps the run go by faster.
Next race on the calendar is the NCAA 4Kay run in Denver on March 31. Followed by the Platte River half marathon on April 15th. Followed by the Greenland 8 Mile Trail Run on May 5th. Woo hoo!! It's going to be a great running season!
(Knock on wood.)
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Feeling Good
Two days post half and I feel great! My legs were sore and my hip was really sore the afternoon after the race but, by Monday morning, my hip felt fine. My quads were a bit sore but not too bad. Today, I feel great. I should have run today but didn't make the time to do that. I hung out all day with my mom and aunt and went shopping. The weather was great today but the snow is coming tomorrow. I wanted to make sure they got out of the house with the nice weather. Maybe I'll get a run in tomorrow.
My next race is March 31st the 4Kay run in Denver. I wanted to do this one just because it's part of the Women's Final Four event. I was a basketball player in high school and college. :-) After that, I am registered for the Platte River half marathon on April 15th. Yep, 43 days after New Orleans, I'll be running another half marathon. That's not terribly crazy. I think it'll be great. :-)
That beer tasted especially good from that glass. :-)
My next race is March 31st the 4Kay run in Denver. I wanted to do this one just because it's part of the Women's Final Four event. I was a basketball player in high school and college. :-) After that, I am registered for the Platte River half marathon on April 15th. Yep, 43 days after New Orleans, I'll be running another half marathon. That's not terribly crazy. I think it'll be great. :-)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Rock and Roll New Orleans Half Marathon Recap
I arrived on Friday night. My uncle/godfather/parrain picked me up at the airport. The air was warm enough that evening for him to be wearing shorts. Since I'd been traveling all day, our first order of business was a shrimp po boy for me. I miss these sandwiches but it's probably a good thing I can't eat them whenever I want one. :-)
On Saturday, my parrain and I went to the Expo in the convention center to pick up my race bib and wander for a bit among the vendors. (Parking was horrible. You'd think they've never done this before in New Orleans.) Being my 3rd Rock and Roll race, the event was quite familiar. We picked up some free swag and sampled some energy bars. It was crowded but not unbearably so. I sought out Running Skirts but decided not to buy anything even though their "special" prices were decent. There wasn't a place to try anything on and I couldn't remember the size of the skirt I have at home (which is too big.)
That evening, my aunt and uncle had another commitment so I had the house to myself to relax with my feet up and think about and prepare for the race. My cousin came over to visit with me. We are a year apart and don't get to see each other as often as we would like to. That was very nice to sit with her and catch up on our busy lives. Here she is on her Vespa!
For my pre-race dinner I cooked some spaghetti and tossed in some tuna, mixed vegetables (corn, carrots and green beans) and a bit of lemon and pepper. It was tasty and light. It turned out to be a perfect meal. My tummy was full and settled for the evening. When my parrain came home, we set our morning schedule and decided to leave the house about 5:30am. Why do these damn races start so early in the morning??
Of course, I could not get to sleep. I woke up every hour or so to make sure I wasn't late. That even happens when I'm at home so there isn't anything I can do about it I suppose. Finally, 4:45 rolled around and I decided to get up. I'd laid out my gear the night before so I wouldn't forget anything and to minimize my time getting ready. Gear for the event included: Skirt Sports Happy Hour skirt, Under Armour "Don't Be Last" short sleeved shirt, long sleeved tech shirt, my new bright yellow Pearl Izumi rain jacket. The plan was to wear the three layers in the morning while waiting for the race to start and then decide what to leave in my bag at bag check. I decided to keep the jacket and ditch the long sleeve tech shirt. I felt ok should I loose my bag at gear check parting with the shirt. Although, I did also leave my glasses in my bag since it was still dark when I was dropped off. Turns out the gear check was a very smooth operation.
I was at the starting area with more than enough time to spare, just like I like it. I was able to make two potty stops, find my corral, check my bag, walk around to warm up and stretch a bit, update Facebook, take some photos, soak up the moment, and get my game face on. Perfect. :-)
I have no idea what time my corral actually started the race. I'd forgotten my Garmin at home so had no clue of my pace or the time throughout the half. I didn't even think about it until I was walking to the start area after being dropped off. I heard the familiar beep of another person's Garmin which made me realize I didn't have mine. It seemed tragic at first but then I realized I wouldn't have anything to stress about or obsess about and that made me relax. There wasn't anyway I'd be able to get it anyway so no sense worrying over it. I put it out of my mind and just prepared to enjoy the run on my own terms.
I knew my parrain would be waiting at his sister's/my aunt's house about 2 miles up the course. I settled in with my corral buddies and found a nice comfortable pace pretty quickly. I kept reminding myself to slow down at some point but I felt so comfortable, I just kept moving. The course is completely flat and the warm moist air felt great as I breathed. It was so different from all the training runs I'd done. So much more comfortable. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be though? I moved over to the sidewalk side of St. Charles to look for my family as I approached my aunt's block. There they were!! Cheering, holding a sign, and so excited to be there with me!! Yay!! That was so much fun!! I was soo excited they were there! :-)
I decided not to take photos as I ran this time. I knew my chance to PR was good and I also knew it was going to be very very close if I wanted to make my 2:30 time goal. So, I just decided to run and enjoy the running rather than being a tourist. I know this won't be my last race in New Orleans. I wanted to really try to meet my time goal for this one. So, I don't have any photos of the course, or my family cheering me on, or of Loyola, Cabrini, St. Louis Cathedral, Cafe du Monde, or any other familiar places on the course. I did take my time to enjoy those sights, except maybe Cabrini since my high school was only a mile from the finish line. I also, for the first time, ran solely against myself. I usually find a person I try to pace with and beat at the end. This time, it was all me, running as hard as I could. That felt good too and I think made me relax more through the whole run.
Even though there are clocks at the various mileage check points, since I didn't know what time I started, it was hard for me to do the math to figure out where I was. Again, that was a good thing.
I felt really really good for the first 10 miles or so. I couldn't believe how great I felt. I had a feeling I was running pretty fast as well. My legs were good. My lungs were great. I had water bottles with me so I didn't have to get caught up in the crowds at the aid stations. I walked a couple of times when I took off my jacket and had to adjust it. That was after the turn around point on St. Charles. I ate part of a Clif Bar on that stretch as well. I kept thinking I needed to make a potty stop but the lines were so long I decided not to. I didn't have to go that bad and it may have just been nerves.
The weather was absolutely beautiful. Sunny, not too hot, and running on the avenues was nice and shady as the day went on. Not much wind there either.
About the 10 mile mark, my hip started to get painful. The roads in New Orleans aren't the smoothest and even though the ones we were on weren't so bad, every little imperfection was amplified by my right hip. Running over a patch of bricks, patched potholes, and worst of all, the crowned and slanted roads of the city. Those crowned and slanted roads are great for letting the rain water roll off. Not so good for running. I kept trying to find the sweet spot either close to the neutral ground or close to the right edge, but my hip wasn't happy at all after 10 miles of that. Eventually I did have to take a couple of walk breaks to help ease the uneven pounding. The good thing about that was, I realized I wasn't drinking enough. So, when I took those walk breaks, it gave me an excuse to drink again. That definitely helped me get to the finish. I also learned that carrying the small water bottles meant I could drink when I wanted. I filled my bottles at the aid stations rather than drinking from the cups when they were available. And, I could carry more water and cut the Gatorade as well. That was a great plan.
Making the turn onto Esplanade gave me and energy boost as it was the straight away to the finish line. I am very familiar with that avenue but had only ever driven it. I picked up my pace a bit once we made that turn to try to finish strong. But, that was when my hip wasn't happy so it didn't last for very long. Passing Tastee Donuts at Broad street brought me back to my high school days. That was my bus stop to get home from school. And of course, the smell of hot fresh donuts was in the air. That was the hardest part of the race I think! LOL! So close to the finish but those donuts smelled so good!
At Cabrini there was a group of people handing out big Mardi Gras beads so I grabbed one and wore it for the rest of the race. That gave me a boost again as it was just across the bayou from City Park. When I hit the entrance to city park, it dawned on me that I still had to run all the way to the stadium. I walked for a short while again when I heard a spectator, who had already run the race, shout out, less than a half mile to the finish! So, I picked it up again. I began to sprint at the museum and decided I wasn't going to stop until I crossed the finish line. I tried to settle into my faster pace but had to dodge lots of other slower people. The finish line chute was quite narrow so it was tough to make my way without stepping on anyone. Seeing the finish line I kicked it up a notch thinking I needed every second I could muster. When I saw the official clock, which started when the gun went off at 7am, it said 3 hours, 1 minute and some seconds. I knew I was going to be very very close to my goal time.
The finish line area was so narrow that as soon as you crossed it, you had to come to a complete stop. Ouch! My calves began to cramp immediately because I couldn't walk at all due to the crowd. I marched in place while I waited to get my finishers medal. That helped. It took forever to get out of the finish line area. I grabbed as much food and drink as I could carry and then grabbed a race blanket to carry it in. I didn't see my BFF from high school who was planning to meet me at the finish. So, I walked a bit to find a place to set all my stuff down. I knew better than to sit on the ground. I learned after the Denver half that once I sat down, getting up would be difficult. My parrain text me and I realized I really had run faster than anticipated because he missed seeing me again too.
I decided to make my way to bag check, which seemed very far away from everything. My sister sent me a text congratulating me on my run. She had signed up to get text alerts from Competitor to track my progress. She sent me my finish time:
02:32:15
Holy crap!! I couldn't believe I'd done it! No Garmin. No pace group. Just enjoying the run. Sweetness!!
Even though it was only 2 minutes off my goal time, I feel super excited and content with that time. I ran as hard as I could. I didn't make any unnecessary stops or take unnecessary breaks. I walked only a few times but they were all needed breaks. My hydration went well. I ate enough the night before. I had fans along the route. I felt good when I finished. It was a great race!
I can't help imagining what I'm capable of should I ever find the time to really train for one of these.
I did hook up with my BFF from high school and we walked a bit just so I could stretch my legs. I ate a bagel and drank a chocolate milk just before I found her. I felt pretty good. What else remained? Crawfish and a beer, that's what!
We sat on the lake, ate crawfish and chatted about stuff. It was exactly how I wanted to celebrate.
When she dropped me off at my parrain's house, he and I relived the day as well. Plans were made for a dinner family celebration that evening. We had Italian with my aunt and my cousin and talked for hours. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day!
02:32:15 is my new half marathon PR. Check out this medal I'm adding to my collection!
Thanks everyone for all the support and encouragement and for sharing in this fantastic trip home!!
On Saturday, my parrain and I went to the Expo in the convention center to pick up my race bib and wander for a bit among the vendors. (Parking was horrible. You'd think they've never done this before in New Orleans.) Being my 3rd Rock and Roll race, the event was quite familiar. We picked up some free swag and sampled some energy bars. It was crowded but not unbearably so. I sought out Running Skirts but decided not to buy anything even though their "special" prices were decent. There wasn't a place to try anything on and I couldn't remember the size of the skirt I have at home (which is too big.)
That evening, my aunt and uncle had another commitment so I had the house to myself to relax with my feet up and think about and prepare for the race. My cousin came over to visit with me. We are a year apart and don't get to see each other as often as we would like to. That was very nice to sit with her and catch up on our busy lives. Here she is on her Vespa!
Of course, I could not get to sleep. I woke up every hour or so to make sure I wasn't late. That even happens when I'm at home so there isn't anything I can do about it I suppose. Finally, 4:45 rolled around and I decided to get up. I'd laid out my gear the night before so I wouldn't forget anything and to minimize my time getting ready. Gear for the event included: Skirt Sports Happy Hour skirt, Under Armour "Don't Be Last" short sleeved shirt, long sleeved tech shirt, my new bright yellow Pearl Izumi rain jacket. The plan was to wear the three layers in the morning while waiting for the race to start and then decide what to leave in my bag at bag check. I decided to keep the jacket and ditch the long sleeve tech shirt. I felt ok should I loose my bag at gear check parting with the shirt. Although, I did also leave my glasses in my bag since it was still dark when I was dropped off. Turns out the gear check was a very smooth operation.
I was at the starting area with more than enough time to spare, just like I like it. I was able to make two potty stops, find my corral, check my bag, walk around to warm up and stretch a bit, update Facebook, take some photos, soak up the moment, and get my game face on. Perfect. :-)
I knew my parrain would be waiting at his sister's/my aunt's house about 2 miles up the course. I settled in with my corral buddies and found a nice comfortable pace pretty quickly. I kept reminding myself to slow down at some point but I felt so comfortable, I just kept moving. The course is completely flat and the warm moist air felt great as I breathed. It was so different from all the training runs I'd done. So much more comfortable. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be though? I moved over to the sidewalk side of St. Charles to look for my family as I approached my aunt's block. There they were!! Cheering, holding a sign, and so excited to be there with me!! Yay!! That was so much fun!! I was soo excited they were there! :-)
I decided not to take photos as I ran this time. I knew my chance to PR was good and I also knew it was going to be very very close if I wanted to make my 2:30 time goal. So, I just decided to run and enjoy the running rather than being a tourist. I know this won't be my last race in New Orleans. I wanted to really try to meet my time goal for this one. So, I don't have any photos of the course, or my family cheering me on, or of Loyola, Cabrini, St. Louis Cathedral, Cafe du Monde, or any other familiar places on the course. I did take my time to enjoy those sights, except maybe Cabrini since my high school was only a mile from the finish line. I also, for the first time, ran solely against myself. I usually find a person I try to pace with and beat at the end. This time, it was all me, running as hard as I could. That felt good too and I think made me relax more through the whole run.
Even though there are clocks at the various mileage check points, since I didn't know what time I started, it was hard for me to do the math to figure out where I was. Again, that was a good thing.
I felt really really good for the first 10 miles or so. I couldn't believe how great I felt. I had a feeling I was running pretty fast as well. My legs were good. My lungs were great. I had water bottles with me so I didn't have to get caught up in the crowds at the aid stations. I walked a couple of times when I took off my jacket and had to adjust it. That was after the turn around point on St. Charles. I ate part of a Clif Bar on that stretch as well. I kept thinking I needed to make a potty stop but the lines were so long I decided not to. I didn't have to go that bad and it may have just been nerves.
The weather was absolutely beautiful. Sunny, not too hot, and running on the avenues was nice and shady as the day went on. Not much wind there either.
About the 10 mile mark, my hip started to get painful. The roads in New Orleans aren't the smoothest and even though the ones we were on weren't so bad, every little imperfection was amplified by my right hip. Running over a patch of bricks, patched potholes, and worst of all, the crowned and slanted roads of the city. Those crowned and slanted roads are great for letting the rain water roll off. Not so good for running. I kept trying to find the sweet spot either close to the neutral ground or close to the right edge, but my hip wasn't happy at all after 10 miles of that. Eventually I did have to take a couple of walk breaks to help ease the uneven pounding. The good thing about that was, I realized I wasn't drinking enough. So, when I took those walk breaks, it gave me an excuse to drink again. That definitely helped me get to the finish. I also learned that carrying the small water bottles meant I could drink when I wanted. I filled my bottles at the aid stations rather than drinking from the cups when they were available. And, I could carry more water and cut the Gatorade as well. That was a great plan.
Making the turn onto Esplanade gave me and energy boost as it was the straight away to the finish line. I am very familiar with that avenue but had only ever driven it. I picked up my pace a bit once we made that turn to try to finish strong. But, that was when my hip wasn't happy so it didn't last for very long. Passing Tastee Donuts at Broad street brought me back to my high school days. That was my bus stop to get home from school. And of course, the smell of hot fresh donuts was in the air. That was the hardest part of the race I think! LOL! So close to the finish but those donuts smelled so good!
At Cabrini there was a group of people handing out big Mardi Gras beads so I grabbed one and wore it for the rest of the race. That gave me a boost again as it was just across the bayou from City Park. When I hit the entrance to city park, it dawned on me that I still had to run all the way to the stadium. I walked for a short while again when I heard a spectator, who had already run the race, shout out, less than a half mile to the finish! So, I picked it up again. I began to sprint at the museum and decided I wasn't going to stop until I crossed the finish line. I tried to settle into my faster pace but had to dodge lots of other slower people. The finish line chute was quite narrow so it was tough to make my way without stepping on anyone. Seeing the finish line I kicked it up a notch thinking I needed every second I could muster. When I saw the official clock, which started when the gun went off at 7am, it said 3 hours, 1 minute and some seconds. I knew I was going to be very very close to my goal time.
The finish line area was so narrow that as soon as you crossed it, you had to come to a complete stop. Ouch! My calves began to cramp immediately because I couldn't walk at all due to the crowd. I marched in place while I waited to get my finishers medal. That helped. It took forever to get out of the finish line area. I grabbed as much food and drink as I could carry and then grabbed a race blanket to carry it in. I didn't see my BFF from high school who was planning to meet me at the finish. So, I walked a bit to find a place to set all my stuff down. I knew better than to sit on the ground. I learned after the Denver half that once I sat down, getting up would be difficult. My parrain text me and I realized I really had run faster than anticipated because he missed seeing me again too.
I decided to make my way to bag check, which seemed very far away from everything. My sister sent me a text congratulating me on my run. She had signed up to get text alerts from Competitor to track my progress. She sent me my finish time:
02:32:15
Holy crap!! I couldn't believe I'd done it! No Garmin. No pace group. Just enjoying the run. Sweetness!!
Even though it was only 2 minutes off my goal time, I feel super excited and content with that time. I ran as hard as I could. I didn't make any unnecessary stops or take unnecessary breaks. I walked only a few times but they were all needed breaks. My hydration went well. I ate enough the night before. I had fans along the route. I felt good when I finished. It was a great race!
I can't help imagining what I'm capable of should I ever find the time to really train for one of these.
I did hook up with my BFF from high school and we walked a bit just so I could stretch my legs. I ate a bagel and drank a chocolate milk just before I found her. I felt pretty good. What else remained? Crawfish and a beer, that's what!
When she dropped me off at my parrain's house, he and I relived the day as well. Plans were made for a dinner family celebration that evening. We had Italian with my aunt and my cousin and talked for hours. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day!
02:32:15 is my new half marathon PR. Check out this medal I'm adding to my collection!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
1 Day --> Rock and Roll NOLA!
I'm here!! The race is finally tomorrow. :-) I'm just so excited I can't even blog about it. :-) I'm happy to be here, to be with my family and to run this race in my home town. :-)
Had a shrimp po boy for dinner last night. :-)
Had a shrimp po boy for dinner last night. :-)
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
5 days to go.....
I'm feeling a little crappy today. Yesterday I felt completely exhausted all day. Maybe it's just because I went back to work for the first time since taking a 2 month break for my mom's knee surgery. But, now my tummy is unhappy. That makes me sad. And a bit worried. I even took a nap this afternoon. I think I can run if I have a cold. But, tummy trouble is another thing altogether.
So, I didn't run today. I want to get in a couple of easy short runs this week before I leave for New Orleans. Maybe tomorrow. I'll probably need a run break during the work day tomorrow anyway. (Today I was off to take my mom to her appointment.)
I should probably drink more water...
So, I didn't run today. I want to get in a couple of easy short runs this week before I leave for New Orleans. Maybe tomorrow. I'll probably need a run break during the work day tomorrow anyway. (Today I was off to take my mom to her appointment.)
I should probably drink more water...
Monday, February 27, 2012
Less than a week!!!
On Friday I'll be leaving on a jet plane for my home town. The hay is in the barn as they say. I'm as ready as I'm going to be for this half marathon. My primary goal is 2:30. My secondary goal is better than 2:45 - my current PR. No matter the outcome, I'm planning to enjoy every step.
My last long run was 4.5 miles on Sunday with ARC. It'd been a while since I had the time to run with the club. Sunday was the official start of the spring training season so I wanted to be there for that. Spring workouts include a Sunday long run and Tuesday speed work. It's supposed to snow Tuesday so we may not have a workout this week. If we do, I'm planning to go and just run easy laps at the track. I really want to do the speed work once this half is over. My goal is to be faster. Not fast - just faster. Last year at this time I was actually running close to 10 minute miles during my 5Ks and 10Ks. That seems so far away right now. But, I know I can do it. I just need to relax and be consistent. Consistency is my biggest problem with running. Last year I was very consistent running about 3 days a week including a trail run and doing boot camp 3 times a week. I just have to get back to that schedule and I'll be good to go.
Sunday's long run was 4.5 miles and very very windy. I walked some parts because I didn't want to work so hard the weekend before my race. I was sad about that but when I got home and saw my Garmin report, my pace was the same as during my 10 miler. So, I was glad about that.
It's going to be very close I think. It is possible I can still make my time goal. The low elevation and the flat course will give me at least 5 minutes I think. I'm trying not to over think it. Just let it go and have a good run. It is only my first half of the year so there's plenty of time to still make the 2:30 goal if it doesn't happen in New Orleans. Sigh.
6 more days....
It's time to think about food - before and after food. Strawberry Abita is out. That's how I'll celebrate for sure! :-)
My last long run was 4.5 miles on Sunday with ARC. It'd been a while since I had the time to run with the club. Sunday was the official start of the spring training season so I wanted to be there for that. Spring workouts include a Sunday long run and Tuesday speed work. It's supposed to snow Tuesday so we may not have a workout this week. If we do, I'm planning to go and just run easy laps at the track. I really want to do the speed work once this half is over. My goal is to be faster. Not fast - just faster. Last year at this time I was actually running close to 10 minute miles during my 5Ks and 10Ks. That seems so far away right now. But, I know I can do it. I just need to relax and be consistent. Consistency is my biggest problem with running. Last year I was very consistent running about 3 days a week including a trail run and doing boot camp 3 times a week. I just have to get back to that schedule and I'll be good to go.
Sunday's long run was 4.5 miles and very very windy. I walked some parts because I didn't want to work so hard the weekend before my race. I was sad about that but when I got home and saw my Garmin report, my pace was the same as during my 10 miler. So, I was glad about that.
It's going to be very close I think. It is possible I can still make my time goal. The low elevation and the flat course will give me at least 5 minutes I think. I'm trying not to over think it. Just let it go and have a good run. It is only my first half of the year so there's plenty of time to still make the 2:30 goal if it doesn't happen in New Orleans. Sigh.
6 more days....
It's time to think about food - before and after food. Strawberry Abita is out. That's how I'll celebrate for sure! :-)
Saturday, February 18, 2012
2 weeks to go!! New Orleans Rock & Roll Half!!!
Training for the week went like this:
Monday - CrossFit (4 rounds for time, 400m Sandbag Carry 25lb, 12 Push Press 45lb bar, 12 Box Jumps, 12 SDHP 45lb bar)
Tuesday - Rest (I actually went to work then had a date with my lovely hubby for Valentine's Day!)
Wednesday - CrossFit (15:00 AMRAP, 5 Wall Climbs, 10 Double Unders, 15 KB Swings 35lb)
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Snowman Stampede 10 miler
Sunday - (I'm planning to rest.)
So, not much maintenance running, two days of crossfit, but it all seems to be falling into place despite my best efforts to not train. :-)
Technically, I have one more training week and one week of taper, hydration, and rest. I'm planning to go back to work next week after a two month sabbatical. That may, or may not, make getting the maintenance runs in easier. I'm not going to stress about it. I can get 30-60 minutes in on the treadmill if I need to. I still need to get into my next crossfit classes.
The Snowman Stampede was the 3rd in a series of winter races. I ran the 10K in December. I was registered for the 10 mile in January but missed it because my mother was still in the hospital. Today was another 10 miler, my first ever as a race. I really had no doubt I'd finish. I just wasn't sure how painful it would be. Thanks to my running partner, who also runs with me on long runs with the club, I managed to have a pretty good day. We ran a slow comfortable pace as our goals were the same - to finish. She had just run a half marathon the weekend before so wasn't sure how she'd feel either. We also met up with a new friend we both met at the 10K back in December. We all run about the same pace which is so nice, especially on these long runs.
There were definitely two halves to the race. The first half went as expected for me. It took me the usual 2-3 miles to warm up but once I did I settled in for the duration. I didn't carry a fanny pack, which I usually do. I only carried one pack of sport beans which fit in the pocket of my new running skirt. That was a good test for the up coming half as well. There were three aid stations for this distance, at about 3 miles, the turn around point, and about 7 miles. That seemed to work well for me. Those were the only times we took walk breaks. At the turn around point (the second half of the race) we walked for a couple of minutes to rest and stretch our legs a bit. That worked well for me too. After that we just tried to maintain a comfortable pace to the end.
With about 2 miles to go, my bra started rubbing against my skin painfully. Everything else felt pretty good though. I had some hip pain but not enough to worry me. I tried to focus on my stride and make sure I was stretching out enough and not swaying my hips. That worked and also took my mind off the distance for a little while. With one mile to go I just wanted to be done so I picked up the pace a bit to try to finish strong. The last stretch was a muddy uphill to the finish line. I ran up the hills without any trouble and felt strong doing it. I felt tired once I hit the top but that was ok. I finished strong crossing the timing mat. Woot! I was so glad to be done!! And it was such a positive mental boost for my next goal in New Orleans. Woo hoo!!
2 weeks to go!
Monday - CrossFit (4 rounds for time, 400m Sandbag Carry 25lb, 12 Push Press 45lb bar, 12 Box Jumps, 12 SDHP 45lb bar)
Tuesday - Rest (I actually went to work then had a date with my lovely hubby for Valentine's Day!)
Wednesday - CrossFit (15:00 AMRAP, 5 Wall Climbs, 10 Double Unders, 15 KB Swings 35lb)
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Snowman Stampede 10 miler
Sunday - (I'm planning to rest.)
So, not much maintenance running, two days of crossfit, but it all seems to be falling into place despite my best efforts to not train. :-)
Technically, I have one more training week and one week of taper, hydration, and rest. I'm planning to go back to work next week after a two month sabbatical. That may, or may not, make getting the maintenance runs in easier. I'm not going to stress about it. I can get 30-60 minutes in on the treadmill if I need to. I still need to get into my next crossfit classes.
The Snowman Stampede was the 3rd in a series of winter races. I ran the 10K in December. I was registered for the 10 mile in January but missed it because my mother was still in the hospital. Today was another 10 miler, my first ever as a race. I really had no doubt I'd finish. I just wasn't sure how painful it would be. Thanks to my running partner, who also runs with me on long runs with the club, I managed to have a pretty good day. We ran a slow comfortable pace as our goals were the same - to finish. She had just run a half marathon the weekend before so wasn't sure how she'd feel either. We also met up with a new friend we both met at the 10K back in December. We all run about the same pace which is so nice, especially on these long runs.
There were definitely two halves to the race. The first half went as expected for me. It took me the usual 2-3 miles to warm up but once I did I settled in for the duration. I didn't carry a fanny pack, which I usually do. I only carried one pack of sport beans which fit in the pocket of my new running skirt. That was a good test for the up coming half as well. There were three aid stations for this distance, at about 3 miles, the turn around point, and about 7 miles. That seemed to work well for me. Those were the only times we took walk breaks. At the turn around point (the second half of the race) we walked for a couple of minutes to rest and stretch our legs a bit. That worked well for me too. After that we just tried to maintain a comfortable pace to the end.
With about 2 miles to go, my bra started rubbing against my skin painfully. Everything else felt pretty good though. I had some hip pain but not enough to worry me. I tried to focus on my stride and make sure I was stretching out enough and not swaying my hips. That worked and also took my mind off the distance for a little while. With one mile to go I just wanted to be done so I picked up the pace a bit to try to finish strong. The last stretch was a muddy uphill to the finish line. I ran up the hills without any trouble and felt strong doing it. I felt tired once I hit the top but that was ok. I finished strong crossing the timing mat. Woot! I was so glad to be done!! And it was such a positive mental boost for my next goal in New Orleans. Woo hoo!!
2 weeks to go!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
CrossFit!!
I've been going to CrossFit Arvada for 5 sessions now. I LOVE it!! And I really think it's helping with my running. That test will be taken this Saturday when I attempt the Snowman Stampede 10 mile run. The first two sessions had me so sore I wondered if I'd made a big mistake. But, when I went back and saw the same folks again and they were just as sore as I was, I felt better about it. I've been going to the 11:30 class since I'm still on sick leave with my mom and working from home. But, I'll be starting back to work next week so I'll have to change classes. I'm thinking I'll have to make it to the 6am class. Ugh. I am so not a morning person. Oh well. I do like crossfit. :-)
So, last week's training looked like this:
Monday - rest
Tuesday - 47 minutes on the treadmill
Wednesday - CrossFit
Thursday - 20 minutes on the treadmill (super sore quads from CF)
Friday - CrossFit
Saturday - 5K
Sunday - 55 minutes on the treadmill
Hmmm.... that's better than I thought I'd done. But, no running outdoors, which sucks. But, better than nothing.
Only 17 days until Rock and Roll New Orleans! Yikes! Time to start thinking about fueling the body and getting hydrated...
So, last week's training looked like this:
Monday - rest
Tuesday - 47 minutes on the treadmill
Wednesday - CrossFit
Thursday - 20 minutes on the treadmill (super sore quads from CF)
Friday - CrossFit
Saturday - 5K
Sunday - 55 minutes on the treadmill
Hmmm.... that's better than I thought I'd done. But, no running outdoors, which sucks. But, better than nothing.
Only 17 days until Rock and Roll New Orleans! Yikes! Time to start thinking about fueling the body and getting hydrated...
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