Long and slow? Check.

Last night I was SO excited about my long run, and it kept me up pretty late. I had been reading about different running tips and I think that it gets my adrenaline going! When I woke up though, I was really dreading it. I'm not sure if it was just because I was really groggy or what, but it took a lot of encouragement on the part of Joshua (again) to get me out of the door.

But once again I made it! This time I went to the gym in the am, since I knew I would have a better shot at lasting the whole time if I had no stomach pain. My plan was to run four miles at a twelve minute mile pace, which I followed exactly. I warmed up by walking around the track a few times, bu it wasn't until I was a mile or so into my run that I really felt loosened up. My legs were still really tight and sore from lifting and uphill repeats earlier in the week which I think was part of the problem. The first two miles really dragged on and I wasn't feeling it at all, but I pushed through and the last two flew by. I considered running another mile at the end since I was feeling so good, but I decided it would be better to end on a high note, and not push myself too hard too fast. More importantly, my knee was aching a bit and I didn't want another major flair-up like last week.

This week I listened to wait wait again, and ran in the treadmill. I feel a lot more comfortable for some reason on the treadmill right now, but I'm sure in a few weeks I'll be back to preferring the track.

I was supposed to do a full body lifting session to make up for some skipped days, bit that definetly did not happen! After working out for an hour and a half I really run out of motivation to finish! I justified skimping on the weight lifting by claiming that my legs were too sore, but I really should have lifted with mu upper body a bit more. I did manage to do leg lifts, sit ups, and chest pushes. Lame, I know. (Also, like how I totally make up names for the lifting things?)

Tomorrow I am scheduled to run 1.5 easy miles outside (scary!!). I hope I do it! Joshua says we'll open gifts after I run and he gets back from picking up bread from the Mennonite bakery... So I guess I'll have some extra motivation!

A lot of what I've read (ok, everything I've read) has said to hold off on speed training until you have a decent base mileage built up. I really enjoy speed workouts though, so I think I will let myself do them after my I've gone through m schedule twice. In the meantime, I will replace my speed drills and tempo runs with slow three milers. This means basically all of my runs will be done at the twelve minute mile pace which feels SO SLOW! But an article I read last night makes a good point: long distance training has relatively little to do with muscle strength, but everything to do with the cardio& respiratory systems. Working out too hard (re: speed drills) sends your body into the anaerobic process, which does nothing at all to make your lungs/heart more efficient. Running at the threshold improves efficiency - although it takes more time, it ends up making you a better runner. I have this tdiculous fear that making all of my runs at a slow pace will ruin my ability to run at my natural, comfortable pace (about a 9:15 minute/mile). I know that's not true though. And with a more efficient respiratory and cardiovascular system, I might even be able to increase my comfortable pace.

The other thing I read was that long runs should be short enough that you feel like you could run another ten minutes or so. I never used to run like that! I made all of my runs tempo runs - at race speed. Never slow and long. I didn't know how to run at different paces!

But blah blah blah. Iloverunning!! Surprise! I saw two girls doing suicide runs on the basketball court while I was doing my cool down around the tack and I was sooo jealous!! I wanted to be doing suicides! Ok maybe I was more jealous of the fact that she is in incredible, incredible shape and looked totally comfortable sprinting all over. I mean, she looked as comfortable doing suicides at like, a six minute mile pace as I d while jogging! But I digress.

Merry Christmas eve eve!

Hill Repeats and an Easy Run

Yesterday and today I did manage to get myself to the gym in the evening - no small task. Yesterday I mostly have my awesome and supportive husband to thank, since he nearly had to push me out of he door. And I am so glad he did! Also, I am especially glad that hill repeats only come up once every other week! It took me a bit to figure out how to effectly do it on a treadmill. At first, I put the treadmill up as high as it could go, to an 18% incline. I about fell off the darn thing!! Way too high. Finally I nailed it though: two minutes flat, two minutes uphill at a 10% incline. I did that for twenty minutes, running uphil at a 4.5 mph speed and walking at 4 mph on the flat surface. Next time I try them I think I will run on the flat as well, to better mimic a true outdoor running experience. Also, I will aim for a thirty minute workout. I was so worn out by playing around that twenty minutes was all I could handle yesterday.

Today was an easy 1.5 @ a 12 min/mile pace. Joshua came along and we chatted as I jogged. It was very, very rediculously easy which I guess is the point. Next week I am upping my easy runs to 2 miles. I'll slowly increase them after that, but leave them at 3 miles.

Tomorrow will be my long run for the week. It was scheduled for Xmas but we all know that would never happen... So I played around with the schedule a bit. As I said, tomorrow will be my long run - 55 minutes at an easy 12 minute pace. I'm going to do it on the treadmill to see if I like that better. Friday will be another easy run which I will have to do outside since the gym will be closed. Saturday will be "cross training" and I am hoping to at least get a good walk in there. Sunday we will home again, so I am planning on doing my tempo run there. That last one I am most worried about. Doing a faster and longish workout in the evening after having just gotten back into town sounds problematic.. But we will see. Maybe if I get new sneaks for Christmas I will feel more motivated!

My total mileage for last week was a measly 8 miles. If I stay on track, this week it will be 13, next will be 13.5, and the following will be 15.5. I've gotta be careful not to do too much too soon, so I will listen to my body and lighten the mileage if need be. But I really can't wait to see my mileage go up :)

My goal race pace will be a 12 minute mile. That's slower than my 5k, and my 10k, and so although it feels slow, I believe it is a good goal. I would finish in two hours. Therefor my race goal is to 1. Not get picked up by the sweeper and 2 to finish between one hour and 55 minutes and one hour 59 minutes and 59 seconds. I think it's doable. I plan on walking through every aid station and going to the bathroom whenever I see a portapotte. And I'm assuming I'll be running faster than I should a great deal of the time, so it'll even out. Can't wait!!

Speaking of weight...

A real "easy run"

So I finally bad a really great, easy run. I decided to make my easy runs 1.5 miles this week, since the 2 of last week might have been a bit much and I ended up skipping my harder runs. So today I ran one and a half sloooooow miles at a 12 minute mile. It felt really good And I was able to read a bit while I did it - I was on the dreadmill.

I was supposed to lift upper and lower today, but I skipped the upper - hopefully I'll make it up tomorrow. I did attend yoga class though, for the first time since my injury. It was ok, not as fun as I remembered. But I'll try keep going back.

There's a "bootcamp" class that I might try going to eddy other week or so. I mean, I say that now, we'll see if it ever actually happens. But it sounds like a good over all strengthening class, which I am definitely in need of. I think I should take advantage of them over the holiday before the program starts up and I am thrown into a world of unknown...

Can you tell I'm nervous!!?

I should also note that I ran today at five, then lifted, then did yoga. I hAd eaten about an hour before my run and my stomach was pretty irritable so I developed a side stitch on my left side while running. Thankfully my pace was slow enough that I could run through it. During yoga t was pretty "bubbly" as everything shifted in my stomach.

Anyway. Glad I ended up getting my run done after all. Hopefully I'll be able to do the same tomorrow. I'll probably end up running in the evening again since I won't have the car. On deck for tomorrow is hill repeats and the upper body lifted that I skipped today. I'm not quite sure how/where to do hill repeas. Outside would be best, obviously, but I could always kind of do it on the treadmill. We will see. I do know that they ade important and they're only scheduled once a week so I really don't want to skip them.

Good night :)

About earlier this week..

I didn't rn Wednesday- I had a micro final in the AM and wanted the am to study. And we all know that I don't run any other time of the day..
I did run Thursday however, but for the life of me I can't remember it. I think I ran sans iPhone which was nice. OH YES I remember now I ran two miles and walked one loop after each mile. After the first 1.2 miles I couldn't handle the slow pace - it was more work. So I ran my more natural pace and sprinted the last .1.

I didn't run Friday either. It was supposed to he a cross training day, but since my knee was in so much pain and Joshua had a SNOW DAY I got lazy.

I really made up for it today though, and I'll need to ice my knee when I get home. (I'm at the gym waiting for my man to pick me up.). I think the cause is from running in worn out sneaks. I believe Joshua is getting me a new pair for Xmas! Yippee!

Well that might be all for the update. Did I mention my new training plan? It follows a two week rotation and contains 2 long runs, 4 slow runs, 2 speed runs, a tempo run a hill repeat, and 2 cross training days. One day per rotation is totally gym free. This is supposed to be tomorrow, but I might cheat since next weekend we'll be in PA with joshua's family.

Ok. That's really it for now.

5 minutes ago...

...I finished running my first 45 minute run of my training sesh.. ('cept I'm counting it as 55 cuz of my warm up and cool down..) that may not seem like a lot, but I haven't run that long since the 2nd weekend in October with my mom. AND I had a fairly fast pace in the last half. ANd since I pumped the advil before hand, I have almost ZERO knee issues!! Ok maybe a little.

I almost started walking halfway through since I had no mojo going on.. But then another woman started running.. And I couldn't start walking after that! So I got competitive, sped up, and kept running even when she stopped, and in the proccess found my mojo.

Switching from NPR to songs helped me pick up the pace too.

Ok but I'm still in the gym stretching my legs so I'm gonna go.

I had a fairly hood workout this morning, after having taken yesterday off to study.
Tuesdays are supposed to be my slow and easy day, but for some reason I just could not keep my pace down!! I guess that's ok, it wasn't exactly a speed w/o and I was able to finish. I did one lap walking for every four that I ran, and did that four times, plus a warm up an a cool down. I had so much trouble with the dry air today. I think it's because I'm getting sick.. But anyway my eyes were tearing up terribly and my throat was raw and dry.

After my run I did knee lifts (3x10)
Leg presses (2x10@130 - my glutes were still aching from sat!!)
Leg pressups (3x10@90)
Leg pressdowns (3x 12,10,8)
Add/abductors (3x90)(3x70-low bar)

More cool down - then I fueled up for studying!

I've eaten more than usual, but I am starving today!! Oh, I should also note that this work out was from seven thirty to right thirty and that I did not eat before hand. I drank 2 of my green FR waterbottles and that still was not sufficient

More later!

I am in!!

Just a few short, sweet weeks from now (ok,16) I will be running the CB 10mi!!

Glad I got in :) better to start there and then do the half in October.

Yay! And 16 weeks is PLENTY of time to train.

Ok. No mire blog updates for today.

Ok, a couple things

In the post from last night, I meant that I wouldn't be upset if didn't get in because it would mean that I would be training for the half.

Also, my legs are super tight this morning from not stretching properly after running yesterday. I guess that means I got a better workout than I thought??!

Christmas goal: 5 miles in an hour

Easily do-able. I've just gotta force myself to run slooooowly. Which is pretty hard to do. But increasing miles and speed simulataneously spells i-n-j-u-r-y.

Okay. Back to studying. Bleck.

(>4 hours of sleep)^(4 midterms)=no run + cranky me

The end.

Ugh

So. I have decided that I am an incredibly uptight, anal retentive, and controlling person. When did this happen?!! I have no tolerance for adolescent bullshit.

Anyway. I ran today, around the track in the gym. My plan was to run for about an hour, or as much of it as I could and then walk the rest. Also, I decided to listen to NPR while I ran, and to go as slow as possible. I ended up walking for five minutes and then running as slowly as I could for 35 minutes. I never broke a sweat, and the only reason that I stopped was because I had a stabbing pain in my ankles and my knees - it was even hard to walk. So I hobbled around for another five, then lifted for a while. I did leg lifts, sit ups, and three other leg lifts. My legs are totally exhausted. As is my patience.

Jdhgsgdhfjkw.

Well I find out on Tuesday whether or not I got into the cherry blossom 10 mile. In all honesty, I won't be too disappointed if I don't get in.

Freedom's Run

Snow!

Today I had a final in the am, and last minute nerves kept me away from the gym. Sigh. I use that excuse way too much...

I did walk to school, two miles. That's something I spose. Better than just sitting around all day!

Tomorrow is Saturday, my long-run day. I had all of these lofty ideas about being on the treadmill for 1.5 hours, but given the fact that I had shooting pain after 40 mins yesterday.. I have my doubts. I'll shoot for an hour, if I have no pain, I'll go from there.

In other news: it snowed today! Finally feels a little bit like winter. Kind of.

Ouchh

Well here is how training is going so far:

Tuesday: Attempt an out of doors run in sub 30 degree weather. Fail miserably, managing one measly mile.

Wednesday: Get on a treadmill, only to discover that my body has forgotten how to run. Manage 4.33 miles at .5 incline in an hour (mix of running and walking and generally listening to my body.)

Thursday (aka today): Back on treadmill, in an attempt to do one hour at .5 with as much running as possible. This time not listening to my body, apparently. Walk away 40 minutes later with a tight left hip flexor and only 3.25 miles.

It still hurts to walk and I kind of want to cry. Getting back in shape/starting over sucks, and I need to stop pretending that i can just jump right in where I left off.

Foods:
pre run half banana and PB with tea (No cramping/digestion problems.. well only a little)
Post run half banana and rice cake with PB

Guess who's Back!

Man it's been far too long! I'll give a brief update about freedoms run, and maybe later post some pics.

Well I did successfully run 6.2 miles. With a couple hundred other people, and goodness was it fun!! I was on a high for days after the event! I did it in record time, keeping a ten min mile.. Which presents a small problem with my running: that's my 5k speed. Aka, I need to practice going faster on short runs!

Well since then I've really slacked off.. Busy with school and without the commitment of a race, I had no real motivation. So for a while I did speed training, then strength, then any ol type of cardio that I felt like.


But I've missed running. And it's hard to invent motivation. Soooo... I've entered into the Cherry Blossom 10mile lottery. And if I don't get picked, I'm doing the Frederick half. Yessiree. I am officially crazy.

Especially since I essentially have to start over with training. But I know that it's doable.