AZ! from house to trail, back and forth, back and forth – 8.66 mi
Very tight sore calves today, even after taking yesterday off. Basically this was a 3 X 1 mile repeats run. I was supposed to run the in .5 mile betweens faster and the last 3 miles recovery slower but I honestly didn't remember it right....and I don't know if I could have ran the recovery halfs faster anyway....this was hard for me! I was so intimidated by it. I hadn't seen a workout like this since high school. It would be easy for me on the treadmill but I needed the confidence of doing it outside. Did the first repeat in 7:34, the second in 7:49, and the third in 7:40. On the second repeat I actually jogged in the middle, intending to give up after half a mile. But after a hundred yards of jogging I thought, "I am way ahead of pace, maybe I can still make it", so I kicked it in and made it. I have to wonder if I could have done the recovery's faster...I was definitely in some oxygen debt though. At least I was strict about only recovering for exactly .5 mile, no longer. I ran 3.66 home to finish out...I kept having to slow myself down and inched up in speed. Overall, this was new for me, but a confidence builder, especially that I recovered as well and as fast as I did....I honestly didn't know if I could do it.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
lastest longest runnest before Boston
21.55 mi / 03:20 09:16 pace
I had a wonderful friend who biked with me and carried my drinks. She is a runner too...it was awesome, she chattered along, especially at the end when I was ready to kill her but it got my mind off any pain or fatigue so I could keep up the pace, somewhat.
It was a long run for me; I definitely struggled after mile 16, but made it, managing to eek out a faster mile for the last mile, but not for all of the last five. Left calf started threatening on and off after mile 11. Both achilles ached at first but were fine after 7 miles.
Here are the splits for Coach D:
1) 9:49
2) 9:14
3) 9:18
4) 9:15
5) 9:31
6) 9:17
7) 9:03
8) 8:55
9) 8:53
10) 9:17
11) 9:18
12) 9:00
13) 9:03
14) 9:24
15) 9:44
16) 9:29
17) 9:44 :(
18) 9:11
19) 9:38
20) 9:17
21) 8:31 (okay, but I was hoping for 8:20)
last 31.42 feet 6:38 per mile
Stretched a lot and worked core a little, took cold bath, no ice...although I am needing ice now, finally. The ground has warmed up enough that the water isn't quite as cold. Cold enough now. My legs are still cold two hours later.
I had a wonderful friend who biked with me and carried my drinks. She is a runner too...it was awesome, she chattered along, especially at the end when I was ready to kill her but it got my mind off any pain or fatigue so I could keep up the pace, somewhat.
It was a long run for me; I definitely struggled after mile 16, but made it, managing to eek out a faster mile for the last mile, but not for all of the last five. Left calf started threatening on and off after mile 11. Both achilles ached at first but were fine after 7 miles.
Here are the splits for Coach D:
1) 9:49
2) 9:14
3) 9:18
4) 9:15
5) 9:31
6) 9:17
7) 9:03
8) 8:55
9) 8:53
10) 9:17
11) 9:18
12) 9:00
13) 9:03
14) 9:24
15) 9:44
16) 9:29
17) 9:44 :(
18) 9:11
19) 9:38
20) 9:17
21) 8:31 (okay, but I was hoping for 8:20)
last 31.42 feet 6:38 per mile
Stretched a lot and worked core a little, took cold bath, no ice...although I am needing ice now, finally. The ground has warmed up enough that the water isn't quite as cold. Cold enough now. My legs are still cold two hours later.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
family outing
I know I was slow, but I was freaked out about how tired I got from Thursday and decided to just run how I wanted. It is impossible in Spokane to run on the flat for 13 miles and I picked a very mountainous course...but I was born to run hills, methinks. I am very slow but I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment at the top. So fun today as I made my husband and two boys come on their bikes and I saw them randomly while I was running. One time I called my husband and yelled, "Where are you?" He said he had turned around...I said, "Why?!?!" Then I made him wait there with my boys until I got there. When I got there he asked me what I needed and I said, nothing. I just wanted to say "hi". What does this make me.....I like fans, especially family fans. Anyway, it was a good run. I got very tired running up the last hill to my house, my quads burned and I was about 14 min/mile at that point. But then it went downhill just a bit. I turned around and sprinted 50 yards uphill at the end just to see if I could do it. 5:50/mile pace, according to the Garmin. I know. The rest was pretty slow, except for the downhills. Overall, a good run and very fun in the sun! I enjoyed my ice bath. Did you know you can shave your legs in an ice bath and get a really close shave?
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The kinesio tape my chiropractor applied for my Achilles tendonitis...it hurt more for the first hours but helped a lot by morning and I didn't have any pain while running...I think it really improved circulation and healing
It was so nice to be outside in the beautiful sunshine the day after St. Patrick's Day. True to form, I wore lots of green and even drank green PowerAde, a day late. It was so gorgeous, perfect running weather. However, I died quickly...my legs weren't quite dead, but close. The run was way harder than it should have been on this my "easy" week. I ran to Liberty Lake from my house, finished the 12 early...walked some after the tempo 9...Scheduled, a 12 mile run, with 9 at 8:46 pace. My coach will think I am pushing it, and it truly looks like I was shooting for 8:36, but honestly I just still can't find that pace. Every time I looked down I was either around 8:20 or 9:05....I struggled a lot to find 8:46. Finally started to hit it closer in the last 3 miles, when I was SOOOOO tired.
1) 8:31
2) 8:39
3) 8:38
4) 8:38
5) 8:40
6) 8:44
7) 8:37
8) 8:35
9) 8:36
So, closer than I usually do. I really, really hope the tapering before Boston gives me my legs back. I am way too tired.
This is the cute welcoming sign at my friend's house. She drove me up my hill!
It was so nice to be outside in the beautiful sunshine the day after St. Patrick's Day. True to form, I wore lots of green and even drank green PowerAde, a day late. It was so gorgeous, perfect running weather. However, I died quickly...my legs weren't quite dead, but close. The run was way harder than it should have been on this my "easy" week. I ran to Liberty Lake from my house, finished the 12 early...walked some after the tempo 9...Scheduled, a 12 mile run, with 9 at 8:46 pace. My coach will think I am pushing it, and it truly looks like I was shooting for 8:36, but honestly I just still can't find that pace. Every time I looked down I was either around 8:20 or 9:05....I struggled a lot to find 8:46. Finally started to hit it closer in the last 3 miles, when I was SOOOOO tired.
1) 8:31
2) 8:39
3) 8:38
4) 8:38
5) 8:40
6) 8:44
7) 8:37
8) 8:35
9) 8:36
So, closer than I usually do. I really, really hope the tapering before Boston gives me my legs back. I am way too tired.
This is the cute welcoming sign at my friend's house. She drove me up my hill!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Running Resumed
Well, kind of.
I ran 2.3 miles on Saturday and 1.8 miles yesterday. I had hip pain towards the end of both runs. I'll try again on Saturday. The physical therapy helped a lot, but only as long as I don't run.
I've gained weight and lost conditioning, so I guess that makes it even Stephen
I ran 2.3 miles on Saturday and 1.8 miles yesterday. I had hip pain towards the end of both runs. I'll try again on Saturday. The physical therapy helped a lot, but only as long as I don't run.
I've gained weight and lost conditioning, so I guess that makes it even Stephen
Saturday, March 13, 2010
What I do on Saturdays
24th to H27 to Mission to Argonne to top of hill heading out to Mt. Spokane...and back – 22 mi / 03:22 09:10 pace
Messed around all morning worrying about the weather and whether or not I should go to a women's conference....I opted to go on the long run and skip the conference, hoping for more time with my boys that way. By the time I get back, take all the supplements, take a shower and ice bath, eat as much and as frequently as I can, take the car in, and spend a gift card at the mall, the day is gone, gone, gone.
It turns out I dressed just right, with my tights, UnderArmour and StG marathon shirt, cheap black gloves, and head band. And of course the obligatory Fuel Belt, with 2 10 oz and 2 8 oz bottles...I dutifully held back, hard, the first 5-7 miles, even though they were downhill. I am trying so hard to be good!
1) 9:36
2) 9:24
3) 9:01
4) 9:17
5) 9:27
6) 9:23
7) 9:03
Then I got to an uphill
8) 9:59
9) 10:48
10) 8:33 (lots of this mile was in the 7:15s, I was very, very happy on the just wet enough roadside, lots of cushion and bounce so FREE flying with NO knee pain....Have you ever noticed the traffic gives you less room the faster you go? Ponder that....maybe I don't look as wimpy when I am going faster?)
The next miles were semi-boring. I started having the hip/pelvis pain right on schedule. It hurt the most when I stopped for drink refills (yes, I ran out....thinking I didn't hydrate enough yesterday...and yes, I stopped my watch during the QuickStop break, which is cheating, I know).
However, I did get more speed than I expected the last five miles...I was H.U.R.T.I.N.G.....but still strangely happy to be running and closing in on the end. I love that feeling!
Here are the rest of my splits
11) 8:59
12) 9:07
13) 9:53
14) 9:21
15) 9:08
16) 9:25
17) 9:20
18) 9:38
19) 9:07
20) 8:22
I stopped and restarted the Garmin after this (my workout was to be 20 miles), and it freaked out. I think the next two miles were about 14 min/mile, ha. Yet it told me I was going 38.6 mph. I don't think so! I called husband to come and get me because I felt a sharp pain in my left lower soleus area and was worried I was about to pull something...Anyways, that's my run. I now have my Achilles on ice...just being careful though. They don't hurt much. I'm actually thinking I have an inguinal hernia, isn't that thrilling. I thought only guys got that....and would this mess up my whole left side?
Messed around all morning worrying about the weather and whether or not I should go to a women's conference....I opted to go on the long run and skip the conference, hoping for more time with my boys that way. By the time I get back, take all the supplements, take a shower and ice bath, eat as much and as frequently as I can, take the car in, and spend a gift card at the mall, the day is gone, gone, gone.
It turns out I dressed just right, with my tights, UnderArmour and StG marathon shirt, cheap black gloves, and head band. And of course the obligatory Fuel Belt, with 2 10 oz and 2 8 oz bottles...I dutifully held back, hard, the first 5-7 miles, even though they were downhill. I am trying so hard to be good!
1) 9:36
2) 9:24
3) 9:01
4) 9:17
5) 9:27
6) 9:23
7) 9:03
Then I got to an uphill
8) 9:59
9) 10:48
10) 8:33 (lots of this mile was in the 7:15s, I was very, very happy on the just wet enough roadside, lots of cushion and bounce so FREE flying with NO knee pain....Have you ever noticed the traffic gives you less room the faster you go? Ponder that....maybe I don't look as wimpy when I am going faster?)
The next miles were semi-boring. I started having the hip/pelvis pain right on schedule. It hurt the most when I stopped for drink refills (yes, I ran out....thinking I didn't hydrate enough yesterday...and yes, I stopped my watch during the QuickStop break, which is cheating, I know).
However, I did get more speed than I expected the last five miles...I was H.U.R.T.I.N.G.....but still strangely happy to be running and closing in on the end. I love that feeling!
Here are the rest of my splits
11) 8:59
12) 9:07
13) 9:53
14) 9:21
15) 9:08
16) 9:25
17) 9:20
18) 9:38
19) 9:07
20) 8:22
I stopped and restarted the Garmin after this (my workout was to be 20 miles), and it freaked out. I think the next two miles were about 14 min/mile, ha. Yet it told me I was going 38.6 mph. I don't think so! I called husband to come and get me because I felt a sharp pain in my left lower soleus area and was worried I was about to pull something...Anyways, that's my run. I now have my Achilles on ice...just being careful though. They don't hurt much. I'm actually thinking I have an inguinal hernia, isn't that thrilling. I thought only guys got that....and would this mess up my whole left side?
Sunday, March 7, 2010
My First 5K
Kind of a complicated day yesterday but a good one, a 5K race sandwiched inside a long run. I intended to run long Friday night but I thought it would put too much stress on my recovering legs after already running yesterday morning. So I ended up with a race and the need to get in a long run.
The race is a local charity event to raise money for the Women's Center. It is well-backed and it is for a good cause. I usually don't pay attention to these sorts of things, but this is an important cause and one that doesn't get enough support. These institutions hide battered women and their children, in addition to performing a host of other services. They do a good job and have always been well-funded in this community. I liked the atmosphere at the race, very positive but you could tell people were serious about this issue. I was happy to participate.
This is the first time I have run a 5K race, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it would be good to get there early and do a few slow miles so as to be loosened up for the race. What I didn't want to do was re-injure my groin, especially since running fast got it injured in the first place. This turned out to be a pretty good strategy. I got there an hour and a half early and ran about 10K before the race, 6.22 miles, average pace 10:58 per mile, range 11:09 to 10:39, basically a steady pace. I felt ready to go.
Then I went to the start line. The race started in downtown Houston and headed west and back to the start line, basically an out and back with a loop in the middle. Weather was perfect, about 50F with a light breeze. I met up with some people from work (our firm was a contributor) and suggested a team strategy session, which suggestion was politely ignored. That's why they call them fun runs, nobody was interested in taking out the other law firms. That was the last I saw of any teammates. I lined up fairly close to the front. After the gun went off there was a little bit of jockeying around as people tried to find their pace. I wove in and out for a couple of hundred yards, accidentally elbowed and apologized to a woman who wasn't too happy (especially given the subject matter of this particular charity), then I was free to run my own speed. Lots of practice from Fort Worth last week and from driving an old sports car with a radar detector, but I digress.
Even though there were lots of runners, most of them were either good or purely recreational, then me running alone in the middle. I marveled that I had so much room to run in a short crowded race like this. After the first half-mile I passed very few people and even fewer passed me. I felt like I was pushing the pace a little but it wasn't too bad. I was afraid given my recent training adventures that the first mile would be low 9s, but it came in at 7:24 (171 bpm). This is by far the fastest I have run a mile since high school. Something paid off big time. The next mile was 7:44 (184 bpm) which I also thought was good. By then I figured I could make this happen. I was very tired and lactic acid was building up, plus the last mile was a little bit uphill, but I hit 8:03 (187 bpm) and then a 7:57 (188 bpm) pace for the stub split at the end. (My heart isn't supposed to beat that fast at my age, but it does and I am not complaining. It gives me more upside, I think.) Total time was 24:22, average pace 7:44. This is not a fast time by the standards on this blog, but it is faster than I thought I could run and I am happy with the result. I measured 3.15 miles on my Garmin -- admittedly not the most accurate measuring tool but I still think the course was a little long, and I won't get an official time or place for 2 weeks. That's what you get when the sponsor is 501(c)(3) -- nice people but not razor's edge in the organizational aspects.
They gave out age-group awards right after the race. I didn't see any old guys running fast, so there is a possibility I might have placed, but I didn't stay around. You can bet I am going to check the times of my co-workers as soon as I can.
I went back out and finished my long run as soon as I cooled off a little bit. By this time it was getting hot. I ran from downtown along the course route and then west to Memorial Park, which is the primary running location in Houston. That place was more crowded than the race. It was truly a great morning for running here. Altogether I did another 10.35 miles, average pace 10:25, progression from 11:25 down to 9:42 pace. I was pretty tired but felt a lot better once I sucked down a chocolate milk shake. I tell anybody who will listen that I run drug-free, but that isn't entirely true. Chocolate is a drug
The race is a local charity event to raise money for the Women's Center. It is well-backed and it is for a good cause. I usually don't pay attention to these sorts of things, but this is an important cause and one that doesn't get enough support. These institutions hide battered women and their children, in addition to performing a host of other services. They do a good job and have always been well-funded in this community. I liked the atmosphere at the race, very positive but you could tell people were serious about this issue. I was happy to participate.
This is the first time I have run a 5K race, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it would be good to get there early and do a few slow miles so as to be loosened up for the race. What I didn't want to do was re-injure my groin, especially since running fast got it injured in the first place. This turned out to be a pretty good strategy. I got there an hour and a half early and ran about 10K before the race, 6.22 miles, average pace 10:58 per mile, range 11:09 to 10:39, basically a steady pace. I felt ready to go.
Then I went to the start line. The race started in downtown Houston and headed west and back to the start line, basically an out and back with a loop in the middle. Weather was perfect, about 50F with a light breeze. I met up with some people from work (our firm was a contributor) and suggested a team strategy session, which suggestion was politely ignored. That's why they call them fun runs, nobody was interested in taking out the other law firms. That was the last I saw of any teammates. I lined up fairly close to the front. After the gun went off there was a little bit of jockeying around as people tried to find their pace. I wove in and out for a couple of hundred yards, accidentally elbowed and apologized to a woman who wasn't too happy (especially given the subject matter of this particular charity), then I was free to run my own speed. Lots of practice from Fort Worth last week and from driving an old sports car with a radar detector, but I digress.
Even though there were lots of runners, most of them were either good or purely recreational, then me running alone in the middle. I marveled that I had so much room to run in a short crowded race like this. After the first half-mile I passed very few people and even fewer passed me. I felt like I was pushing the pace a little but it wasn't too bad. I was afraid given my recent training adventures that the first mile would be low 9s, but it came in at 7:24 (171 bpm). This is by far the fastest I have run a mile since high school. Something paid off big time. The next mile was 7:44 (184 bpm) which I also thought was good. By then I figured I could make this happen. I was very tired and lactic acid was building up, plus the last mile was a little bit uphill, but I hit 8:03 (187 bpm) and then a 7:57 (188 bpm) pace for the stub split at the end. (My heart isn't supposed to beat that fast at my age, but it does and I am not complaining. It gives me more upside, I think.) Total time was 24:22, average pace 7:44. This is not a fast time by the standards on this blog, but it is faster than I thought I could run and I am happy with the result. I measured 3.15 miles on my Garmin -- admittedly not the most accurate measuring tool but I still think the course was a little long, and I won't get an official time or place for 2 weeks. That's what you get when the sponsor is 501(c)(3) -- nice people but not razor's edge in the organizational aspects.
They gave out age-group awards right after the race. I didn't see any old guys running fast, so there is a possibility I might have placed, but I didn't stay around. You can bet I am going to check the times of my co-workers as soon as I can.
I went back out and finished my long run as soon as I cooled off a little bit. By this time it was getting hot. I ran from downtown along the course route and then west to Memorial Park, which is the primary running location in Houston. That place was more crowded than the race. It was truly a great morning for running here. Altogether I did another 10.35 miles, average pace 10:25, progression from 11:25 down to 9:42 pace. I was pretty tired but felt a lot better once I sucked down a chocolate milk shake. I tell anybody who will listen that I run drug-free, but that isn't entirely true. Chocolate is a drug
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