August Record

Not much new to post for now.

I've been planning my training each week, and following those plans pretty close. Good, but sorta boring for the most part.

I just entered my miles for last week into my online log, and noticed that I ran 115.80 miles for the month of August. This is a record for me! I guess it helped that August is a long month, but I am not complaining.

My two biggest goals are Labor Day and the 1/2 Marathon on Oct. 3rd. I am doing tempo runs in an effort to do good at Labor Day for the 10K. I have been running long runs on the weekend to get my mileage base up for the 1/2. So far I've gotten to 10 miles, but not really anywhere close to my 1/2 pace time. I guess we will see on race day.

This coming up weekend I wont do a long run, since the LDRR is on Monday and I dont want to kill my legs before the race. Then the next two weekends after that I will run 11 then 12 miles. After that rest a weekend then the 1/2 will be on me. I can't wait.

I have been going to the pool at least once a week. Focusing on a base for swimming training. I'm trying to get the basics down, work on technique. Then after the new year, start focusing on endurance for a tri. And I WANT A ROAD BIKE so bacd I can't stand it. But I will be patient.

Chuck has been nursing a bad shin splint for a whole week. He only got 5 miles in last week. I wish he'd get better. Running isn't nearly as fun without him around. Hopefully he'll be "back up and running" soon. I miss his company.

Make it Go Away!

This feeling as if I'm coming down with a cold. I dont wanna get sick, I dont wanna...I dont wanna... I dont wanna. Make it go away. I've been taking my multi vitamin/ vitamin C & D later in the day. I'm eating very good (somehow my willpower has been top notch lately?). I dont wanna get sick.

I just feel sorta tired, scratchy throat, like my head is too heavy for my neck to support. I'm trying to tell myself that it's allergies. That my head feels heavy because of the swimming I've been doing... that my shoulders & neck are just adjusting to the new workout. I dont want it to be a cold. Tonight I am going to TRY to go to be extra early and get some rest. Before all that can happen I still have 8 more hours left of my work day and a 5 mile tempo run planned for tonight. Hmmmmm??????????? Chuck is going to tell me I need to rest, just go home and lay down... (but I know he secretly wants to get in more miles than me, and I can't let him beat me... muuaahhahahah).

To pick up from last week's post: I did my 5 mile tempo run on the treadmill. Hitting my 3 hard effort miles at between an 8:45 & 8:30 minute mile, as planned. I'm leaning towards an 8:35-8:40 m/mi for Labor Day 10K. I think this is doable... IF I DONT GET SICK!!!!

Thursday I rested... Good Girl! Friday morning I was off, so I waited until about 9 and went outside to run 4 miles. I ended up finishing in 35:16! Wow, I wasn't planning on hitting it that hard, but it felt good... despite the 100% humidity and frequent inclines on that course.
Friday afternoon I went to the Cantrell Center and swam 800 meters! I even went 100 meters STRAIGHT without stopping. I just did 25m freestyle, 25m breastroke and alternated to get to 100 meters. I was quite happy with that swim.

Saturday I went to the apartment treadmill to get in some junk miles, just 3. Ran 1 mile slow, one at a 8:50 pace, and one mile slow. Then got in the apartment pool and played around swimming laps, just focusing on technique and breathing, not going for distance or time.

On Sunday I got up EARLY and met with my mom for our weekly long run. We ran 8 miles starting at 6:15AM. We ran down Watson Blvd, turned into the C'ville mall, circled the parking lot once, down Houston Lake, turned on Thomson Rd, then into Eagle Springs, back out of E.S. onto Gunn Rd & back to the Apt. It was a good run, very warm & VERY humid. But luckily the sun never came out. I kept the pace slow (avg. 9:56) that's all I had in me that morning.

As for the Ab/Core training. I am keeping up my end of the bargain! I've done some training at least every other day. I've been scoping out all my magazines and getting some new moves to try. I've got a good workout I'm probably going to try tonight.

I mentioned earlier that I've been eating good lately. For some CRAZY odd Insane Unrational reason... I have had incredible willpower and not been cheating on my diet. I've been good with portion control and not eating many sweets at all. That settles it... I AM SICK! No, but really, I hope I can keep up the good nutrition because I can run so much better when I feed my body right.

With any luck, I will not get sick and continue on my training... next goal: Labor Day Road Race!

Runner out of Air

After resting on Monday, aside from an easy spin class.... cool thing about being the teacher ( I can cheat)...

Last night I hit the treadmill and ran 3 miles of hill intervals. It was a better run than I anticipated. I just did .25 warmup, then went to a 3% grade for .25, recover for .25 then 4% for .25, recover 2.5, 5% for 2.5, recover .25, and repeated 3%, 4% & 5% each for .25 with an equal recovery. The workout went by real fast with all the incline changes.

We hit the weights quickly last night. I just did a little chest work with dumbells. I have vowed to do abs/core work 3 times a week. I did that Monday and plan to hit it again tonight. I have made this vow several times this year and have yet to stick with it.

Finally, Chuck and I went by my mom's & dropped of my sweet little pumpkin (Shy) and went over to the Cantrell Center for our 2nd free visit to the pool.

My ATTEMPT of a swim workout went something like this:

25 meters freestyle (then rest 15-20 seconds) x 24
Total of 600 meters, but I had to rest every 25 meters.
Not too bad I guess, considering I'm trying to teach myself.

I know HOW to swim and my form is lacking somewhat. But with practice I know that will come as well.

Next time I swim, I think I'll try for 5o meters straight without a rest. My biggest problem is not relaxing while I swim. I kick my legs too hard and too fast & it wears me out. It's like I'm trying to run underwater... I need to change modes and use my ARMS. Hopefully I will adapt to the water...

Tonight's plan is a 5 mile tempo run on the treadmill. Fun stuff!

Jim Herrin 10K 2009

Yesterday was my 2nd 10K of the year, and I did something I had never done before.

Before I tell you what I did, I guess I'll go back and tell why real quick. I like to read a couple of local runner's blogs as well. A few of them use a coach and follow specific training programs. I think it only makes since to not only read the information they post, but to use it as motivation, AND pull tid bits of information and learn something as well. They speak of techniques and race pace training runs and such. A lot of that confuses me to be honest, but I think I get the overall idea... maybe? So, after reading a post last week, I dediced to plan out 1/2 mile split times for my race on Saturday and have a goal finishing time.

That shouldn't sound so crazy. I've been doing a lot of racing this year, and yeah, I even had some PR goals written down in my training log. I havn't met a single PR goal, I think I set them too high!

So, on Wednesday I decided that I was going to run my 10K in 55 minutes. Not being a PR (52:26) but a few minutes faster than my previous 10K this year (57:4?). Reasonable right? I thought so.

Saturday morning I got up at 5:45, showered, and got on the running gear. Ate my mini bagel with peanut butter and drank a half cup of coffee. Then I got out the fine tip sharpie and wrote my goal split times down on my arm... I felt like a REAL runner... neat!

So that's what it looked like.

I got to the race and I was so stinkin' nervous. I NEVER get nervous before a race, because I never really worry too much about how I do. I like races because they are fun. It's a chance to get out, run a different course, and be around many other peeps who also enjoy running. If I feel fast, I go fast. If I feel slow, I go slow. I never intended to PR on races where I did so before, it just happened that I felt great that day and I went with it.

The race was great! I started off at my goal 8:50 pace, and pretty much floated from 8:30 to 9:00 min. miles. I had moments in the run I felt like I was flying, and moments when I wondered why I was even there... as usual.

As the race wore on, I was noticing I was consistenly beating my mile split plans. I felt good, so I didn't slow down. I figured I'd keep the pace, and use the extra time later if I had any problems. Problems never occured. Once I finally came into view of the Finish line timer, it read 53:25.... Heck Yeah, Obviously I was going to break the 55 minute goal I'd set for myself. Finished in 53:57, a whole minute faster.

After fininishing the race I was a very happy girl for achieving a goal. And I tought myself a lesson. I can train to go a little faster. I can set goals, and not be scared of not meeting them. I think I was resisting goals in fear of not meeting them?

My goal for the Labor Day 10K is to beat my all time PR (Labor Day 2006 52:26).... I am sure I can do it, if not at least try. If I don't, there is always another race day!

Oh, and I placed 2nd in my age group.

Sleepy, Frustrated...Looking at the Rainbow

I got my new Runners World this weekend. Oh yeah! I love diggin' into a new magazine. I read one article about how your day can sabatage your running. One thing they mentioned was of course getting enough sleep at night. Well, I read that article while laying on the couch as Chuck watched some King Alexander movie on Scyfy... and reading how you should avoid TV and computers up to 30 minutes before bed. Well, I wasn't really watching the movie, but I figured I'd get up and go lay in the bed, get comfy, and read the rest of my magazine.

So, I get to an article about a girl (Tera something) that has had chronic insomnia for years, she's a little younger than me. The article was good. I related becuase I am prone to insomina myself. Not very bad. But I'd say at least once a week I can't fall asleep. And at least once a week I'll wake up at 3 AM or so and not be able to go back to sleep. Sometimes it will be 3 days in a row, sometimes I'll go 2 weeks and sleep just fine. I guess it's anxiety... I don't know for sure.

After reading this article, wouldn't ya know, I turn off the lights & try, but I can't freakin fall asleep. I got up at about 11 PM and took a half a dose of benedryl... knowing it would make me groggy in the morning. But I was tired of laying in bed tired, but wide awake.

And I have to get up at 5 every morning for work. So I got six hours of drugged sleep. Not enough I feel, since I usually log at least 20 miles a week.

All day today I've been blah and sleepy. Then other personal & financial issues are just nagging at me... mostly bothering me only because I'm tired.

I was all hyped up about running and biking more, and planning on getting to the pool to swim one day this week... all energized mentally. Now I just feel drained. It's only monday afternoon.

It's hard to balance everything. I guess I do a decent job at the balancing. I'm a libra... it's my nature : ) But, sometimes I wish things were a little easier.

I'll get my run in tonight, and get my miles logged for the week... Reach those goals and try not to put to much effort into throwing any kind of pity party. I have exactly 2 more months till my first half marathon. I'm super excited about that. Plus, yesterday Chuck found a cool race I've never run in Savannah... Savannah River Run. It looks to be even more challeging than the Gate River Run (my fav of the year). So, that's in December... something else to look forward to.