Sunday, February 27, 2011

Need Motivation!

As I alluded to in my last entry, I'm struggling with motivation. My runs over the last few weeks have not come easy, not even the short ones. In fact, those almost seem more difficult to pull myself through. I know I have to do the long runs, but I convince myself that the short runs can be skipped or they hurt so I stop. I've been reading running blogs, searching for some magical inspiration and it just hasn't happened. Rock N Roll is exactly one month from today. I've come too far to lose it now. I wish I had somebody else to run with. I may have to look into the social runs that the local running stores have. Maybe that would help. I have 2 races scheduled between now and the half, do maybe just being around other runners will help. I have a 5k next weekend and a 15k in 2 weeks.

Today I went to the gym and ran 3 miles on the treadmill. It was so humid inside the gym and I normally don't sweat so much. I was really missing the wind that I've battled on some of my recent runs!

Total mileage this week was 18 miles.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

5 Miles

Today I ran 5 miles in about 53 minutes, and that includes a couple of stops. I ran in McKinney and came across a street named "Lauren" so I stopped to take a picture of the sign. Then, I got lost. I tried pulling up the map on my iPhone and in it's infinite wisdom it gave me a dot in the middle of a grid. That was quite helpful. So, I just decided to turn left and that ended up being correct. I also passed some cows that had escaped from their pasture, but I didn't take a picture of that.

After consulting with Victoria, I decided that my "short" runs have been too short, so they'll be 5 miles from now until the half. I really need to go to the gym and do 5 more after I pick Lauren up from school. Searching for motivation... maybe I'll go stare at my 13.1 sticker on my bathroom mirror.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Double Digits!

Today I ran my first double digit run- 10 miles!!! I ran at Russell Creek Park in Plano, which is just over a 3 mile loop. I ran it 3 times and a little more to get to 10, then turned around to walk back to my car. The good thing about running there was that I didn't waste any time waiting on stoplights so I could cross the street (the flip side of that was that I never had an excuse to stop running!). I fought the mental battle for almost the entire run (when I really need to distract myself I just count my steps 1-10, over and over again). I didn't really fall into a rhythm until mile 4, and miles 4-5 were the only ones that felt pretty good. My body kept trying to run faster than I should have... I'd start hurting, look down at my Garmin and realize my pace was 9:30-10:00 which is too fast for a long run, so I'd have to make myself slow down. According to the research I've done, my long run pace should be anywhere from 10:48-12:18 (based on my race pace goal). My time was 1:47:11 and I never walked, so that puts my average pace right around 10:42. In order to break 2:15:00 for my half, I need to be under 10:18. I still think that's do-able, especially given good weather, and the adrenaline that comes with running a race. Today was also really windy so that added some difficulty- and wouldn't you know that the wind changed directions after I ran against it going south on the last lap and I had to run against it again as I headed back to the west and north? Not fair!!! I wanted to throw a fit on the grass Lauren and Lane style.

Friday, February 18, 2011

The Runners Commandments

The author is writer/publisher/ distance runner Joe Kelly.

The Runners Commandments

1. Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.

2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.

3. Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.

4. During group training runs, don’t let anyone run alone.

5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.

6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who’s missing.

7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.

8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride.

9. Don’t compare yourself to other runners.

10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.

11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run.

12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.

13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.

14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.

15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.

16. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.

17. Talk like a runner. “Singlets” are worn on warm days. “Tank tops” are worn to the beach.

18. Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.

19. Don’t always run alone.

20. Don’t always run with people.

21. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.

22. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.

23. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing.

24. Races aren’t just for those who can run fast.

25. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.

26. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running.

27. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.

28. If you say, “Let’s run this race together,” then you must stay with that person no matter how slow.

29. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.

30. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.

31. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.

32. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.

33. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.

34. Don’t try to outrun dogs.

35. Don’t trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of share, or not feeling well.

36. Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often.

37. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.

38. Never run alongside very old or very young racers (Edit by Christy: Never run along people in costume). They get all of the applause.

39. Without goals, training has no purpose.

40. During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.

41. The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies.

42. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.

43. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.

44. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.

45. “Winning” means different things to different people.

46. Unless you make your living as a runner, don’t take running too seriously.

47. Runners who never fail are runners who never try anything great.

48. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn’t look good in tights.

49. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.

50. Never apologize for doing the best you can.

51. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.

52. Running is simple. Don’t make it complicated.

53. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn’t come until the end of the run.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

9 Miles... Again

I'm having a hard time trusting the taper that will come in just a few weeks, prior to my half. The purpose of a taper is to allow your legs to recover so you race at full potential. You don't not run, but you cut the mileage back. I haven't completed a long run over 6 miles in 2 weeks and my legs felt everything but fresh today. The run started out OK, the sun peeked out for a brief 17 seconds at about minute 4. I did an out-and-back from home to Stacy Road and finished it up with one lap around the block to hit that 9.00 distance on my Garmin. Jake sent me a text when I was not too far into the run that helped, then another when I had just a couple miles to go. I was maybe a mile from home and he drove by me, shouting, "I'm proud of you!" out the window. I needed that. The run toward home was into the wind- about 12mph out of the south. Yuck. Have I mentioned I'm a finicky runner? I don't like cold or wind. Forget the rain and snow that I read about other runners dealing with. But I still like running. It allows me to prove that I can do it. Even if somedays I'm the only person who I need to prove it to.

Total time 1:40:00. I didn't even look at my Garmin until I reached the turn around point and that was really just to see what the actual distance was.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Something New

Today I tried a yoga class. I need something to help my mental state and the flexibility of yoga would probably be really good for my running legs. I enjoyed the class. It felt good. I think I'll stick with it once or maybe twice a week depending on my schedule.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day

I gave Jake a suggestion for something I wanted for Valentine's Day- a Road ID for my shoe. I even gave him a coupon from a recent race bib. :-)

My Road ID should arrive in a few days! He even customized it with the hospital I'd want to be taken to. That's love!!!

Not a Good Run

I planned to do a 9 mile run today and just couldn't get into it. I made myself keep going, but called it quits right around 6 miles. I haven't been eating or feeling well and probably just didn't have the energy to give to running today. I'm hoping to regroup mentally and get back in the groove to try again on Wednesday.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Marathon?

I haven't even run a Half and yet I'm considering a Full. Victoria is thinking about White Rock in December and asked if I was interested in training. Running a full marathon is sort of a bucket list thing for me. I want to do it, yet I'm terrified! Victoria has read about a plan where you run/walk and it's supposed to help you have a better time and prevent injury. That makes it sound do-able, but it also sounds like I'd have to check my ego at the starting line. ;)

I also want to run the half in Vegas in December, so I'll have to figure out my priorities.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

5k PR

Today I ran a 5k and smashed my previous best 5k time of 35:19. Today's time was 28:04.7. My goal was under 29 minutes. I pushed really hard for the first 2 miles and had to walk for about 30 seconds at mile marker 2, but ran the rest of the way (including a sprint for the last 0.2 miles). My training runs have all been for completion, not so much emphasis on time and truly pushing the speed hurt. Plus, it was right around 32-35 degrees so the cold burned my lungs. I'm proud of my time and can't wait to add some speed training after my half marathon. I think my focus for the spring/summer will be speed and races in the 5k-15k range so I can work on getting faster before I go back to distance running in the fall.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

The Most Beautiful Run Ever

I'm fresh off a cruise ship. Yesterday morning I was dressed and on the sport deck of the ship, running at sunrise as we left the port of Nassau... at 5:45 am. I'm not a pre-7am person and certainly not for exercise but I couldn't pass up this opportunity. It was so peaceful to run when nobody else was up and the view was amazing no matter where I looked. In one direction I could see Nassau and in every other direction it was nothing but water. Another cruise ship passed us as they were headed into port, so with each lap I could see more detail of the other boat. I ran 33 laps, about 3 miles. I have no idea what my pace was and I didn't clock the run. None of it mattered. It was a run purely for the enjoyment of the location and the sport.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Change in Plans?

I've been talking/emailing with Victoria over the past few weeks about running. She ran her first half on Saturday (with an injury) and finished with a great time! I can't get enough when it comes to reading about running. I love the theory behind it. The "best" is different for everyone, but being so new to the sport, I like to know what other people do. Katy didn't think her 10 mile long run was enough mental preparation for her first half and Victoria thinks it was fine. My mileage is pretty high for being 8 weeks out from my race. I think I may drop a couple of step down weeks into my plan instead of keeping my long runs so long for, well, so long. I still want to do 12 miles, or at least 11, as my longest run before the race.