Four weeks ago I ran 8.2 miles at a 14:30 pace. Two weeks ago I ran 8.7 miles at a 14:09 pace. This Saturday, it was 9 miles at 13:32 pace. Am I improving that much? Short answer: NO.
The first two runs I did on my own - except that I was joined by Logan's Full 1:1 group at the end of the 8.7 and in keeping up with them for the last few miles brought my time down to 14:09. This Saturday, my group ran with Logan's Full 1:1 group the entire time (except they did the loop twice - and we only did it once.) I knew they were going too fast - even the walk breaks were at breakneck speed. I ended up very sluggish all day Sat and Sun. I wasn't energized, I was drained.
My run this morning was 45 minutes at 2:1 intervals. But I started out just shuffling. Barely a run. I still haven't fully recovered from Saturday. BUT at least I was out there!
I'm really looking forward to Saturday's 5K. I'm hoping to break my 38 minute personal record. Eden's best friend will spend the night with us Friday night. That will be FUN! (She's 2 1/2.) And I can't wait to see them run in the Fun Run after the 5K. Eden will just be ecstatic to be running with other people! (And when she's tired, I'll scoop her up and walk back. ) :) I'll try to take my camera and take pictures of her in her first "race" :)
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
It's Cold in the Mornings...
This is the time of year that every runner waits for - fall! It has finally arrived in Florida. The moment the temperature dips below 70, I have to get out my trusty, ugly earbands and wear them faithfully until spring. (earbands? well - I don't know what else to call them. They're like big, fluffy headbands that cover your ears.) I've always had sensitive ears that ache when they get cold. Any little bit of cold. 69 degrees out? I have to have my earbands.
No chance of heat exhaustion this Saturday! It was COLD! :) I loved the feel of the air biting through my tank and long t-shirt, nipping at my knees, pretending to be an enemy - but I would convert it into a friend. About mile 5 I took of my t-shirt and ran in my tank - rejoicing in the bite again.
I ran 8.7 miles, mostly by myself. I don't know why I don't get bored. Maybe with the busy, hectic life, it's mentally the only unstructured time I have. No ipod for me. Not even tiresome conversation. Just the joy of a child with a blank piece of paper and a crayon. (Is this why my daughter draws a few lines then goes to another sheet?) What did I think about? I have NO idea! I'm just glad I did it. (And THANKFUL to the Lord above that I was able to do it! Logistics have been crazy this week. In fact, I went to bed Friday night sure I wasn't going to. But when I awoke at 5:15 AM to give my daughter her blanket and was wide awake and felt fine... I decided to go ahead. :)
Next weekend is my "Magic Mile" - the real test to see how much I've improved over the last two months. :) The time to beat: 11:22. I should blow past it as I didn't push hard enough when I set the 11:22 last time. I want to make it under 10. That's a 12% reduction. Well - at least 10:30. :)
No chance of heat exhaustion this Saturday! It was COLD! :) I loved the feel of the air biting through my tank and long t-shirt, nipping at my knees, pretending to be an enemy - but I would convert it into a friend. About mile 5 I took of my t-shirt and ran in my tank - rejoicing in the bite again.
I ran 8.7 miles, mostly by myself. I don't know why I don't get bored. Maybe with the busy, hectic life, it's mentally the only unstructured time I have. No ipod for me. Not even tiresome conversation. Just the joy of a child with a blank piece of paper and a crayon. (Is this why my daughter draws a few lines then goes to another sheet?) What did I think about? I have NO idea! I'm just glad I did it. (And THANKFUL to the Lord above that I was able to do it! Logistics have been crazy this week. In fact, I went to bed Friday night sure I wasn't going to. But when I awoke at 5:15 AM to give my daughter her blanket and was wide awake and felt fine... I decided to go ahead. :)
Next weekend is my "Magic Mile" - the real test to see how much I've improved over the last two months. :) The time to beat: 11:22. I should blow past it as I didn't push hard enough when I set the 11:22 last time. I want to make it under 10. That's a 12% reduction. Well - at least 10:30. :)
Monday, October 8, 2007
Running through the Rain
We ran 4 miles on Saturday and I was struggling about mile 2.5. That let me know that I need to take my week-day runs seriously in order to be ready for the 8.5 miler coming up this weekend. After one week off due to a stomach bug and another scaled-back week due to a cold, I have to press on to regain the level of conditioning that I need.
LOTS OF WATER this week! That is the goal. I really enjoy my morning "Cubicle Mocha" which I make with one coffee cup of coffee and one packet of Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa mix. :) Yum! But with all that caffeine - I have to really drink my water during the rest of the day!
Diet? Oh - let's not talk about diet. (Birthday party last Saturday, and of course, I go to a cake shoppe with "to-die-for" buttercream icing!!) I'm in the process of developing my 5-year plan. Year 1: Finish a Half-marathon. Year 2: Do two or three more Halfs and start considering a Full. Year 3: A full Marathon. (Disney?) Maybe Year 4: New York Marathon. Meanwhile, during Year 1, I want to keep setting new PRs during the local 5Ks and during Year 2, I want to set challenging time goals for those Halfs and make it. I figure somewhere in there, I will improve as much as I can on my current diet, and then, I'll improve my diet so I can continue improving in my races. :) I can never improve diet for diet's sake alone. I always have to have a "bigger vision"!
I did get up and run this morning. 3 Cadence drills and 3 Acceleration Gliders. Plus more of a race-pace and at 1:15 sec of running / 1 min of walking. :) Faster, faster, faster. I need to get faster! (I'm such a wimp when it comes to discomfort!) I think next week I may try 1:30 of running and 1 min of walking.
LOTS OF WATER this week! That is the goal. I really enjoy my morning "Cubicle Mocha" which I make with one coffee cup of coffee and one packet of Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa mix. :) Yum! But with all that caffeine - I have to really drink my water during the rest of the day!
Diet? Oh - let's not talk about diet. (Birthday party last Saturday, and of course, I go to a cake shoppe with "to-die-for" buttercream icing!!) I'm in the process of developing my 5-year plan. Year 1: Finish a Half-marathon. Year 2: Do two or three more Halfs and start considering a Full. Year 3: A full Marathon. (Disney?) Maybe Year 4: New York Marathon. Meanwhile, during Year 1, I want to keep setting new PRs during the local 5Ks and during Year 2, I want to set challenging time goals for those Halfs and make it. I figure somewhere in there, I will improve as much as I can on my current diet, and then, I'll improve my diet so I can continue improving in my races. :) I can never improve diet for diet's sake alone. I always have to have a "bigger vision"!
I did get up and run this morning. 3 Cadence drills and 3 Acceleration Gliders. Plus more of a race-pace and at 1:15 sec of running / 1 min of walking. :) Faster, faster, faster. I need to get faster! (I'm such a wimp when it comes to discomfort!) I think next week I may try 1:30 of running and 1 min of walking.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
A little run and a little better. :)
The one good thing about my daughter waking up so many times during the night is she helped me not to oversleep (I was up anyway!) and get my run in this morning. I pushed a little harder and my cold is MUCH better. However, my shins were killing me! I probably need to get fitted for shoes again as this has only occurred after getting my last pair of shoes.
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