A little time to boast. I am so proud of myself that I have continuously worked out like I wanted to before our trip to the East Coast. I'm glad I signed up for the 5k before the vacation so I had something to keep me motivated these last two months. I am also glad that I have signed up for a 10k for after I get back so I can continue on the right track. I am hoping to get to half marathon readiness by early next year.
My neighbors that I normally run with are on vacation this week so I went for a solo run this morning. It was cold, 58 degrees! Yahoo! The cold weather is going to take some getting used to though. It's a little different breathing it in. My chest was burning a little bit after I finished. Overall, a nice change every once in a while to jog solo. I did 2 miles in 20 minutes, a pretty quick pace. Quick for me at least.
I'm going to try and run at least once on vacation. If I can do more, great. If not, I'll be happy with one run.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Cops and Robbers 5k Race Day!
First I just want to say thanks to everyone who motivated me and wished me luck for today. I was sure going to need it since it was forecasted to be in the triple digits today. Usually in Oklahoma the weather can change at any time and be much cooler than they predicted, or rain can pop up out of nowhere. Unfortunately, today wasn't the day and it was just as hot as they said it was going to be.
I got to the race an hour early. I wasn't exactly sure where the trail was going to be, what the parking scenario would be, and when I could pick up my timing chip. I am glad I got there when I did. They held the race at the park so there were plenty of spots to grab some shade under a tree while I was waiting. It was a small race and the vibe was fun and friendly.
It was a true shotgun start. Like, they really shot a gun. It scared me even though I was expecting it.
People were passing me up like crazy right from the start and I was thinking "Holy cow these people are going to burn out quick!". I felt good for about the first 1/2 mile and then the heat kicked in. And I was so incredibly thirsty! Ugh, I wished I had brought some water along with me. It didn't even dawn on me that there would be a water station, but when I saw it I was so happy! Then after I drank the water, I immediately wished for another water station. They only had two the whole course.
This course was really difficult. A lot of hills. Too many in my opinion. Some shade, but not as much as I was hoping for.
I know that most of running is mental and I struggled to keep myself going. All I could think about was how thirsty I was. I kept holding out for a water station, but when there wasn't one in site and another hill came along, my feet just stopped running. Holy cow. I took off my arm band and checked out my time. I had run 2 miles in less than 20 minutes! No wonder I burned out. This was the fastest I had ever run, and I thought I was going slow. Oh, and it was 100 degrees outside.
I walked til the next water station, got a delicious cup of ice cold water and started to run again. I made it to the next hill and stopped again. This hill was long and gradual. There was no way I was making it up that hill running. It was hard to walk up it! I could hear the guy on the speaker announcing the runners crossing the finish line. That was very motivating. I decided that when I got to the top of the hill I would run the rest of the way. I was still incredibly thirsty and hot and tired, but I didn't want to walk across the finish line.
As I crossed the finish line, the timer said 37:30. It was 4 minutes slower than the race in May, but I didn't walk during that race and it was much cooler then.
I learned many things from this race. 1. Never sign up for a 5k in August again 2. Carry some water with me, and chapstick might help too 3. I really need to study my paces, I took off way too fast.
I am writing this a day after the race. I have never been so sore from running. It had to be the heat. And those hills.
I got to the race an hour early. I wasn't exactly sure where the trail was going to be, what the parking scenario would be, and when I could pick up my timing chip. I am glad I got there when I did. They held the race at the park so there were plenty of spots to grab some shade under a tree while I was waiting. It was a small race and the vibe was fun and friendly.
It was a true shotgun start. Like, they really shot a gun. It scared me even though I was expecting it.
People were passing me up like crazy right from the start and I was thinking "Holy cow these people are going to burn out quick!". I felt good for about the first 1/2 mile and then the heat kicked in. And I was so incredibly thirsty! Ugh, I wished I had brought some water along with me. It didn't even dawn on me that there would be a water station, but when I saw it I was so happy! Then after I drank the water, I immediately wished for another water station. They only had two the whole course.
This course was really difficult. A lot of hills. Too many in my opinion. Some shade, but not as much as I was hoping for.
I know that most of running is mental and I struggled to keep myself going. All I could think about was how thirsty I was. I kept holding out for a water station, but when there wasn't one in site and another hill came along, my feet just stopped running. Holy cow. I took off my arm band and checked out my time. I had run 2 miles in less than 20 minutes! No wonder I burned out. This was the fastest I had ever run, and I thought I was going slow. Oh, and it was 100 degrees outside.
I walked til the next water station, got a delicious cup of ice cold water and started to run again. I made it to the next hill and stopped again. This hill was long and gradual. There was no way I was making it up that hill running. It was hard to walk up it! I could hear the guy on the speaker announcing the runners crossing the finish line. That was very motivating. I decided that when I got to the top of the hill I would run the rest of the way. I was still incredibly thirsty and hot and tired, but I didn't want to walk across the finish line.
As I crossed the finish line, the timer said 37:30. It was 4 minutes slower than the race in May, but I didn't walk during that race and it was much cooler then.
I learned many things from this race. 1. Never sign up for a 5k in August again 2. Carry some water with me, and chapstick might help too 3. I really need to study my paces, I took off way too fast.
I am writing this a day after the race. I have never been so sore from running. It had to be the heat. And those hills.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Long Run
Sunday my neighbors and I headed out to tackle our long run--5 miles! We started off at a conservative pace, one that we were actually able to talk through. It made the time pass quicker while having a conversation. Sometimes talking tends to mess up my breathing though. I suspect as time goes by that will get easier.
I honestly have to say we all did a great job at pacing ourselves. I didn't start to tire out until around 4 milies. At this same time I accidentally turned off my ipod and didn't want to mess around with it because I didn't want to accidentally turn off my sporty pal. Ahaha, too much electric stuff. I did well anyway. We completed the five miles in 58 minutes.
I am taking the next two days off until the race. I wanted to have fresh legs. I've already logged 10 miles this week so I'm ready to go. Stay tuned.
I honestly have to say we all did a great job at pacing ourselves. I didn't start to tire out until around 4 milies. At this same time I accidentally turned off my ipod and didn't want to mess around with it because I didn't want to accidentally turn off my sporty pal. Ahaha, too much electric stuff. I did well anyway. We completed the five miles in 58 minutes.
I am taking the next two days off until the race. I wanted to have fresh legs. I've already logged 10 miles this week so I'm ready to go. Stay tuned.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
New Kicks
I went to a local shoe store last week to find out which shoe is right for me. I was having a little bit of heel and calf pain on the right side during my last run or two and I was pretty sure it was time for new shoes. Turns out I was tweaking my foot a bit and that's what happened. The lady there was really nice and she gave me a bunch of options to choose from. I ended up going with Mizuno's Wave Creation 11....a.k.a nice kicks!
My neighbor Jodie came over the other night to keep an eye on Eli so I could test them out. They are definitely heavier than my old shoes, but they feel more snug and my foot feels more controlled inside. The extra spring on the bottom heel is nice. I'll get used to the weight eventually, but I think it's slowing me down a bit right now.
My 5k race is approaching soon. I am planning to do my first long run this weekend, well the longest I've ever gone, which will be 5 miles. I hope I can pace myself and make it the whole distance. Then next week I'll only run on Tuesday and Thursday so I can rest on Friday before the race Saturday.
My neighbor Jodie came over the other night to keep an eye on Eli so I could test them out. They are definitely heavier than my old shoes, but they feel more snug and my foot feels more controlled inside. The extra spring on the bottom heel is nice. I'll get used to the weight eventually, but I think it's slowing me down a bit right now.
My 5k race is approaching soon. I am planning to do my first long run this weekend, well the longest I've ever gone, which will be 5 miles. I hope I can pace myself and make it the whole distance. Then next week I'll only run on Tuesday and Thursday so I can rest on Friday before the race Saturday.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Speed Work
So, not sure if what I did is the true definition of speed work but, I decided this morning I would only run a mile and do it as fast as I could. Within reason. I don't want to injure myself.
It was really nice not having to pace myself and save energy for three whole miles. I knew I could spend everything I had and I knew when it would be over.
It's really incredible how quickly the human body adapts to exercise. About a month ago I started up running again and just focused on doing a mile. I walked on and off during. Now, I can run three miles consistently without stopping! In just a month! Wow. I haven't stepped on the scale during all of this, but my goal is not to lose weight. It's just to be healthy and exercise. If I happen to lose a little bit in the meanwhile......well then, great.
My time this morning was 9mins 30secs.
It was really nice not having to pace myself and save energy for three whole miles. I knew I could spend everything I had and I knew when it would be over.
It's really incredible how quickly the human body adapts to exercise. About a month ago I started up running again and just focused on doing a mile. I walked on and off during. Now, I can run three miles consistently without stopping! In just a month! Wow. I haven't stepped on the scale during all of this, but my goal is not to lose weight. It's just to be healthy and exercise. If I happen to lose a little bit in the meanwhile......well then, great.
My time this morning was 9mins 30secs.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Flip Side
This morning's run went well. Still dealing with the side cramp but maybe I'm getting used to running with one. I try not to think about it much and just focus on my breathing.
We ran 3.2 miles this morning and my time 34mins. That boils down to about 10.6 minutes per mile. Woo hoo, pretty good.
I signed up for Runner's World.com and have been reading some good tips--even got a personalized running plan to get up to 10k.
I didn't seem to have any side effects from eating that apple and peanut butter this morning before the run. I think it gave me a little more energy towards the end, although I was still tired but it was freakin' humid this morning.
I can't wait for cooler temperatures!
We ran 3.2 miles this morning and my time 34mins. That boils down to about 10.6 minutes per mile. Woo hoo, pretty good.
I signed up for Runner's World.com and have been reading some good tips--even got a personalized running plan to get up to 10k.
I didn't seem to have any side effects from eating that apple and peanut butter this morning before the run. I think it gave me a little more energy towards the end, although I was still tired but it was freakin' humid this morning.
I can't wait for cooler temperatures!
The Food Experiment
So I have been feeling exhausted after my runs (understandably to a point) and the next day. I am figuring these are the following reasons:
1). Barely get more than 5 hours sleep the night before the run. I have been passing out on the couch afterwards and then during Eli's nap. Only to wake up the next day even more tired. Which leads me to believe.....
2). I am not eating the right foods to fuel me after my runs, and maybe even before. I have been trying to do some reading to see which ones are the right ones so I can get off to a good start. The last mile or so I am really, really forcing myself to get through, even at a slower pace. This morning I had 4 slices of an apple with a little peanut butter on top. I don't normally eat before running so we will see how this goes.
3). I need to drink way more water in this heat! I feel like I have been doing better about it, but I could probably improve. At around 3am this morning I woke up and guzzled a whole bunch to gear up for 5am. Now, with a few sips of coffee in my belly, I'm ready to hit the ground running (pun intended)!
See ya on the flip side :)
1). Barely get more than 5 hours sleep the night before the run. I have been passing out on the couch afterwards and then during Eli's nap. Only to wake up the next day even more tired. Which leads me to believe.....
2). I am not eating the right foods to fuel me after my runs, and maybe even before. I have been trying to do some reading to see which ones are the right ones so I can get off to a good start. The last mile or so I am really, really forcing myself to get through, even at a slower pace. This morning I had 4 slices of an apple with a little peanut butter on top. I don't normally eat before running so we will see how this goes.
3). I need to drink way more water in this heat! I feel like I have been doing better about it, but I could probably improve. At around 3am this morning I woke up and guzzled a whole bunch to gear up for 5am. Now, with a few sips of coffee in my belly, I'm ready to hit the ground running (pun intended)!
See ya on the flip side :)
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Up and at em'
It's Sunday morning and I'm trying to force down a cup of Greek yogurt. Have you ever tried that stuff? Man, it's hard to swallow. I like regular yogurt, after years I've become used to it. It's an acquired taste for sure, like beer. But that Greek yogurt, it is tangy and thick and will put a sour look on your face, just ask Eli. He insisted on trying mine this morning (it's chocolate flavored). I told him he wasn't going to like it and he made that most funny face. He did not like it :)
Anyway, the reason for force is--it's so darn good for you! 10 grams of protein in a 4oz serving. Like twice to three times the amount of protein in regular yogurt, don't quote me on that but I'm close to being right.
I headed out for a solo run this morning. Woke myself up at 5:15 and hit the road at just before 6. Ugh, super humid and warm this morning. I can't wait for cool, crisp mornings!
I did pretty good. Used my Sporty Pal for the first time. It tells you how far you run, how fast, when you slow down and speed up, calories burned. It also has a GPS so it plots my course all for me to look at after working out. A great tool to see how much I improve.
I can't seem to get rid of these stupid side cramps. That's what does me in. This morning I only had about 4-6oz of water before I headed out. I tried to drink lots of water yesterday and I am trying to be mindful of what I eat the night before I run. Not sure what to do. Any suggestions?
Anyway, the reason for force is--it's so darn good for you! 10 grams of protein in a 4oz serving. Like twice to three times the amount of protein in regular yogurt, don't quote me on that but I'm close to being right.
I headed out for a solo run this morning. Woke myself up at 5:15 and hit the road at just before 6. Ugh, super humid and warm this morning. I can't wait for cool, crisp mornings!
I did pretty good. Used my Sporty Pal for the first time. It tells you how far you run, how fast, when you slow down and speed up, calories burned. It also has a GPS so it plots my course all for me to look at after working out. A great tool to see how much I improve.
I can't seem to get rid of these stupid side cramps. That's what does me in. This morning I only had about 4-6oz of water before I headed out. I tried to drink lots of water yesterday and I am trying to be mindful of what I eat the night before I run. Not sure what to do. Any suggestions?
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