Sore Hamstrings

Why are my hamstrings sore??? Maybe it has something to do with the great track workout I got last night.

After we got off work at 5PM yesterday we rushed to Byron to pick up our kids, swing by the apartment, change clothes, grab the kids a snack and get right back in the car. The MTRC track workout starts at 6:30PM and we got there right on time.

Sam informed us that we would be running 400 meters at an effort of 8/9 out of 10. Then we would walk 200 meters to cool down completely. He was suggesting that more experienced runners perform 10 reps of this workout and that newbies do 6 to 8 reps. Then we were to end the speed work with one mile of running.

This being our first speed work in A LONG TIME we decided at the beginning that we would try for the 6 to 8 reps depending on how we felt. I have no desire to try and show off and end up hurting myself! After the first 400 meter fast interval we laughed and said “yeah, let’s go for six”. I feel like we put in an honest 8/9 effort! I kept glancing at my Garmin and seeing the miles per minute around 6:30 and 7:00. I’m not sure if that’s what I’m supposed to be doing or what??? But it felt good.

Now, not only do I have my nifty Garmin, but I’ve got the heart rate monitor to give me even more training info. Still not 100% sure on where exactly I need to be in this area, (plenty of time to learn right?)… I just glanced at my heart rate at the very end of the speed interval, every time is was right at 190 bpm. Then at the end of my recovery walk it was always back down to 125 bpm. I guess this is alright?

I also learned that my new Garmin is quite a bit smarter than me! I wanted to press lap at each new interval. Well, the Garmin would start a new lap all on it’s own after I had pressed lap at that location. The book said that it can remember a location and auto lap. I don’t know, I’ll figure it all out soon enough. I thought it was funny though because I ended up with about 40 laps because I was manually pressing the lap button and my Garmin was creating laps all together. WEIRD.

Tonight I plan on resting from running. I have to teach a “Body Blitz” class at the gym. It is a weight training class that works upper body, lower body, abs, and I focus a lot on stretching. Sometimes I make everyone jump rope between weights, but they don’t like that so much. All the more reason to do it right! The thing I like most about doing the class is that it forces me to get some ab/core training in, which I tend to get lazy on.

Oh yeah, and did I mention my hammies are tight???

Jacksonville Prep

Somehow or another, time has had a way of sneaking up on me and suddenly here I am. Less than 2 weeks away from my first Half Marathon. On Oct. 3rd we will be in Jacksonville, FL running the Marine Corps Half Marathon.

For some odd reason I am not nervous in the least bit. Not one bit. Maybe because I know I can run 13 miles. I have not figured up a strict mile split plan yet. The only guidelines that I’ve given myself for this race, is to run it in 2 hours or less. This averages out to a 9:10 – 9:15 minute mile. I think I’m just going to get out there on race morning and see how I feel and go with the flow. It will be my first half ever so I’ll be proud of myself as long as I finish and I know I did my best.

Since the Labor Day Road Race I have been making my weekly running plans and following them for the most part. I’ve taken a few extra rest days due to some tightness in my right hip. It isn’t painful so I’ve just been icing it some and not pushing too much.

Chuck and I finally joined the Macon Tracks Running Club. We got to meet a lot of the people that keep the club “running” while working with them on the LDRR. They are all so friendly and we’ve all got common goals, we figured it only made since to join up officially.

We’ve also committed ourselves to join them every Tuesday (as schedules/kids allow) and push ourselves on the track doing speed work to see how our race results can improve. I’m really looking forward to that.

Secondly, for the camaraderie as well as a change in scenery, we are going to join the running group for their long run out on “The Loop”. Well, this won’t be an every week thing for us since we will always have our kids every other weekend. But, on the weekends we are childless, we will be there to run!

Our first run of The Loop was yesterday. Our intention was to run the whole 12 miles, in preparation for the ½. We did it, although we weren’t expecting quite so many hills. Did I mention that we were the “slow pack” of the group? Oh well, that’s what the Tuesday track sessions are for right?

One more bit of exciting news!!!! I got a new goodie for my birthday coming up. Michele sent me a Garmin 305 with a heart rate monitor. I’ve been drooling over a new one and I used it for the first time yesterday. Well, I didn’t hook up the HR monitor. I didn’t want to run 12 miles for the first time with something strange strapped around my chest!!! I was scared it would rub on me. I’ll give it a try for the first time on a much shorter run!

Plans for tonight are an easy 3 on the treadmill. Gotta get the crunchies out of my body from yesterday’s workout.

2009 Macon Labor Day Road Race

Ok, so I have been picking on Steve about not updating his blog in, um... Forever, but then Chuck informed me that I havn’t posted on MY blog since August. So, I guess I should get busy.

The biggest deal in my little running world would have to be the Labor Day Road Race. The whole weekend ended up being wonderful!

I have wanted to help out with a race for a long time. I’ve been running in races for 6 years now. I know I should at least help out when I can. And for now, my schedule has me off on Friday’s. That left me with no excuse… I had the time to do it now. I ended up (dragging Chuck along too) helping out with the packet pick-up on Friday afternoon. I had a really good time and it was so nice to actually meet some of the people I had been in contact with online from Macon Tracks. Chuck was all cute about it too, he just though he was going to hang out with me till I was ready to go, but he ended up helping out too and really enjoyed it as well. We had no plans on Sunday so we offered to come by again and of course the race organizers were willing to accept the help.

One more thing about the Macon Tracks group… I’ll just have to say that I’m shy. Chuck is my personality opposite, so he brings me out some. But the people of Macon Tracks were so nice and friendly that I just immediately felt comfortable being around them. I was intimidated at first thinking I would feel like an outsider or something. It wasn’t like that AT ALL! That’s just my little neurotic self thinking though. I’m just happy that I made myself go and get over that little fear I had.

On to the BIG deal: The race! The Macon Labor Day Road Race was the first race I ran that really impressed me. I ran that race for the first time in 2004 with my Mom. It was my first 10k as well. The whole time we were running the race I remember saying to her “we have to do this race EVERY year”. It was nice that it is a big race, well organized, and the point to point is always fun. I’ve only missed the LDRR one year, due to having the flu. Plus, when I picked up my packed that year I swear my number was #666… I was NOT wearing that in a race!

This year’s race was just as great as I hoped it would be. I got my 10K PR on this course in 2007. Ok, yes that was 2 years ago. I was beginning to think it was a fluke. My goal this year was to at least match my time of 52:38, or hopefully beat it. I planned out my mile splits just like I did for this years Jim Herrin race and I wrote my goals on my arm with a Sharpie. (Hey it worked once!) My average mile pace was planned to be 8:27.

I won’t go into all the tiny details of the race. I’ll just say I enjoyed the course, the weather was nice, my tummy wasn’t a mess, and I wasn’t sick. So, all was good. I ended up finishing in 52:56 (chip time), being 18 seconds short of my goal. OK, I’m not even upset now. Because at least I know my PR from 2007 wasn’t a fluke. I can really run a 10K that fast (fast to me anyway). Woo Hoo!!!!

After the race we stuck around for the award ceremony. My Mom & my Aunt placed in their age groups. Go Them!!!!! And we said Hi to our new friends from the Macon Tracks. Monika gave me a copy of the club’s newsletter that ……………GUESS WHAT???? Featured MY Blog!!!! I was so silly and excited about that. For about 10 minutes I was all giddy like I was a Supa-Star! (Thanks Amy for picking my blog!)

We hopped on the trolley shuttle back to the start of the race. Since we parked by RunFit Sports and the store was having a celebration for Labor Day as well as their anniversary, we decided to stop by and see what was going on. To our delight, they were giving out FREE COLD MICHELOB ULTRA and hot dogs. What could be better? We sat around and talked to Steve and ate before we headed home to shower and relax for the rest of the day.

Relax is exactly what we did for the rest of the day. I went to bed at 6PM! I guess the race took a lot out of me, and it had been a long weekend.

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.