Last week I felt like I was able to get back into more of a groove with my running and training. Felt good to be back in the habit! Had to get my serious training hat back on since I half a half marathon on April 15th!
Wednesday, April 4th: 4 miles
Saturday, April 7th: 3 miles
Sunday, April 8th: 11.5 miles
My long run was really good this week! Ran at about a 13:30 pace, but ran the whole thing and felt mostly good the whole way too. I stopped only to refill my water bottle, but I figure that's about the same length I would stop at a water station on a race path so I'm not beating myself up about it. :)
A few thoughts:
A) I joke about how slow I am, and I know its all about getting the mileage in, not how fast I'm doing it, but good grief I think a snail could be at me. In a perfect world I would be happy with 10 min miles, but realistically I would at least like to get to 12. Hope it happens one day...at this pace the freaking walkers can beat me.
B) I have my first half marathon of the year coming up on Sunday, the 2nd annual Corvallis half marathon. I ran it last year and ran my PR time on that course. M in better shape this year and with better training, so I hope I can get a new PR, if even only by a few seconds.
C) I use Nike+ to keep track of my running. Since I started running again in the summer of 09, I have run over 650 miles. With my most recent long run, I finally hit the blue stage! Silly things,I know, but I'm excited about it. Only purple and black stages after this. Just a short 900+ miles to purple group. :)
D)Apparently I have caught half marathon fever. I have the Corvallis half this weekend, then Portland Rock n Roll on May 20th, and I think I am going to sign up for two more this week. I think I am going to sign up for the Vancouver USA half on June 17th and the Lackamas Half on July 22. I figure it's good motivation to really keep me to my training plan. Plus it means more shiny medals :). And the best part, gives me something else to be mad at Mirranda about, this is totally her fault.
Two more training runs this week, then half marathon on Sunday! Wish me luck!
Days till marathon: 181
Total training miles: 140.3
Monday, April 9, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
April 2
Todays training plan was to run 5 miles at a 13:32 pace. Since I had a little falling off the wagon lately with my training, I've made a decision. Until the half marathon in May, the one I origionally set this plan up for, I'm just going to focus on the mileage and not the pace. I'd rather make sure I get the miles in than do it in a certain time.
Since I just did my long run yesterday I was worried about tired legs and getting through the 5 miles. Around mile 3 I could really feel the fatigue setting in, but I powered through and finished the 5 miles in about 1 hour and 10 min. :)
I'm taking tomorrow off, but I'll be back at it on Wednesday.
Days till marathon: 188
Total training miles: 121.8 miles
Since I just did my long run yesterday I was worried about tired legs and getting through the 5 miles. Around mile 3 I could really feel the fatigue setting in, but I powered through and finished the 5 miles in about 1 hour and 10 min. :)
I'm taking tomorrow off, but I'll be back at it on Wednesday.
Days till marathon: 188
Total training miles: 121.8 miles
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Running out of a funk
Well, I've been in quite a funk lately...work wise and running wise. Late February through March I just couldn't seem to get in a groove with keeping my training schedule up. Between dog-sitting, being sick and having way too much going on at work, I just couldn't get in a rhythm. Part of me is mad at myself for not following my training plan exactly, and another part of me knows that I needed a bit of the mental rest. So there is nothing I can do to change it now, just have to move on and move forward. I promise myself to be better at posting updates too. Even if no one else reads this, the point was for me to have a history of my marathon training and it doesn't do any good if I only post once a week. So even if they are short, there will be more frequent posts!
Here's an recap on my most recent runs:
March 18th: Shamrock Run, 9.3 miles
After last years miserable Shamrock Run I told myself I wouldn't sign up for it again. It was freezing, crowded, pouring rain, etc. Mirranda had said the same thing after last year, but apparently we both forgot about that and proceeded to sign up for the 15k again this year. This year it was much better! Mirranda and I went with a friend we work with, Joe and it was a really good time. The race was supposed to begin at 745 but was delayed because of an Amtrak train, they didn't want us to have to stop for it during the run. So I think we finally got started around 815. And let me just say, I HATE the start of races. Even though I always start at the back I swear the first mile is just people plowing past me, fast as hell. I know I'm slow, but that first mile of a race is torture. So the race is going along well...the at about mile 2 we had to stop for the Amtrak! After all that waiting all us slow people still had to wait. I did laugh at the guy who had to stop for the train first who turned to everyone and said "I just want you all to remember I was ahead of you" :-). Things were going well till about mile 3.5 when the hills started. Oh Terwilliger. An evil, evil person made those hills. So I walked up most of the VERY steep hills. And of course, during the hills is when we got wind, rain, sleet and a bit of snow. The good part about the hills, is that once they are done, the last 3 miles are all down hill. Downhill can be just as bad on the knees as uphill, but overall it is easier. I finished the race in 1 hour 59 min and 30 seconds. I was hoping for under 2 hours and 5 mil, so I was happy about my time. The huge shiny medal was worth it, it always is :-).
March 27
Regular training: 4 miles
March 29
Regular training: 4.25
April 1
Regular training: 10 miles
My training schedule had me scheduled to run 12 miles, but since I have been slacking I am good with the 10 miles. It was a hard 10 miles. I felt good through about 5 miles, but had a couple struggles to fight through on the last 5. It's really interesting, and I can't quite figure it out, but I run on the treadmill and when I run at 4.3 I am usually fine, no matter how long I am running for. When I go up just one notch to 4.4 I will be ok for a mile or so, then I feel really fatigued. It is literally a difference of like 20 seconds per mile...why my body thinks this is such a big difference I can't understand. Oh well, I'll keep working on it. Overall I fell good about the run today and hope I can use it to propel me back into staying on top of my training...only 2 weeks till the Corvallis Half Marathon!
Days till marathon: 189
Total training miles: 116.8 miles
Here's an recap on my most recent runs:
March 18th: Shamrock Run, 9.3 miles
After last years miserable Shamrock Run I told myself I wouldn't sign up for it again. It was freezing, crowded, pouring rain, etc. Mirranda had said the same thing after last year, but apparently we both forgot about that and proceeded to sign up for the 15k again this year. This year it was much better! Mirranda and I went with a friend we work with, Joe and it was a really good time. The race was supposed to begin at 745 but was delayed because of an Amtrak train, they didn't want us to have to stop for it during the run. So I think we finally got started around 815. And let me just say, I HATE the start of races. Even though I always start at the back I swear the first mile is just people plowing past me, fast as hell. I know I'm slow, but that first mile of a race is torture. So the race is going along well...the at about mile 2 we had to stop for the Amtrak! After all that waiting all us slow people still had to wait. I did laugh at the guy who had to stop for the train first who turned to everyone and said "I just want you all to remember I was ahead of you" :-). Things were going well till about mile 3.5 when the hills started. Oh Terwilliger. An evil, evil person made those hills. So I walked up most of the VERY steep hills. And of course, during the hills is when we got wind, rain, sleet and a bit of snow. The good part about the hills, is that once they are done, the last 3 miles are all down hill. Downhill can be just as bad on the knees as uphill, but overall it is easier. I finished the race in 1 hour 59 min and 30 seconds. I was hoping for under 2 hours and 5 mil, so I was happy about my time. The huge shiny medal was worth it, it always is :-).
March 27
Regular training: 4 miles
March 29
Regular training: 4.25
April 1
Regular training: 10 miles
My training schedule had me scheduled to run 12 miles, but since I have been slacking I am good with the 10 miles. It was a hard 10 miles. I felt good through about 5 miles, but had a couple struggles to fight through on the last 5. It's really interesting, and I can't quite figure it out, but I run on the treadmill and when I run at 4.3 I am usually fine, no matter how long I am running for. When I go up just one notch to 4.4 I will be ok for a mile or so, then I feel really fatigued. It is literally a difference of like 20 seconds per mile...why my body thinks this is such a big difference I can't understand. Oh well, I'll keep working on it. Overall I fell good about the run today and hope I can use it to propel me back into staying on top of my training...only 2 weeks till the Corvallis Half Marathon!
Days till marathon: 189
Total training miles: 116.8 miles
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