Yesterday I was forced to run on the treadmill.....I had a lunch meeting at work so couldn't run then and had a doctor's appointment after work. I thought about running at night, but it had snowed a couple inches the day before and some people hadn't shoveled their sidewalks. Running in the dark on icy roads is never a good idea!
So I headed to the gym.....for an 8 mile run. Aaaaaahhhhhh! That's the longest I have ever run on the treadmill. I actually had to restart the treadmill because it only let's you run for 60 minutes before shutting off! I knew my legs could handle it, but didn't know if my mind could handle the boredom. Luckily it wasn't too bad as I had both my ipod and an episode of America's Next Top Model to watch on TV.
Today was a crosstraining day so I did 30 minutes on the stair stepper and then some core strength training moves. I am trying to motivate myself to do my pilates DVD for some additional core work.....but the couch is just so comfy right now :)
Update -- It's 10:15pm and I finished my pilates session about 15 minutes ago. Go me!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Marathon Movie and Long Run
On Thursday I went to see The Spirit of the Marathon, the first feature length documentary on the history and running of the marathon. It followed 6 runners as they trained for the 2005 Chicago Marathon. I have been waiting for this movie to come out for a year and a half so I was really excited to see it (I think I've watched the trailer online about 50 times!) and it lived up to my expectations! I could relate to many of the runners....even elite Deena Kastor as she struggled through an injury during her training. I also loved Jerry, the 70 year old running his 5th marathon......I only hope to be half as active as him at that age. The movie really captured the range of emotions that runners go through while preparing for such a gruelling event. It was just the motivation I needed as I start my marathon training. They are having an encore presentation on February 21st for anyone who missed it.On Saturday I was supposed to do a 12 mile medium-long run, but it ended up being 13 miles because I calculated it wrong....oopps! It was a beautiful day out (low 30's, sunny, and little wind) and I felt really good. I averaged an 8:45 pace and had to focus on slowing down for the first 8 miles as my legs kept wanting to move faster.
Today was a rest day and I went to a 90 minute yoga class......its great because I would never stretch for 90 minutes on my own. My hips are thanking me for all the hip openers we did in class!
Total miles for the week: 33.1
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
New Look
As I start my new training program, I thought it was time for a new look for my blog! I'm sick of looking at those brown spots. Not much new, but a different layout....hope you like it.
On another note, I finally had a better run today. As I said yesterday, my paces have been a lot slower than I would like (around 9 min/mile or slower) because I'm fighting a cold and my asthma has been bothering me. Today I had a 9 mile run planned for after work on a hilly route. I took my inhaler before started because the combination of cold air and a chest cold makes me wheezy. I actually felt really good on my run.....averaged an 8:45 pace which isn't bad given the hills that I covered. Hopefully this means my cold is on the way out!
On another note, I finally had a better run today. As I said yesterday, my paces have been a lot slower than I would like (around 9 min/mile or slower) because I'm fighting a cold and my asthma has been bothering me. Today I had a 9 mile run planned for after work on a hilly route. I took my inhaler before started because the combination of cold air and a chest cold makes me wheezy. I actually felt really good on my run.....averaged an 8:45 pace which isn't bad given the hills that I covered. Hopefully this means my cold is on the way out!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Officially back in training!
After not having a training schedule to follow for 3 months, yesterday kicked off my third marathon training! To make it more official, I just registered to run the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington, VT on May 25th. Its supposed to be a great course with scenic views of Lake Champlain with 2 larger hills at miles 8 and 15 (this one is called Assault on Battery so it must be bad!). I'm told the crowd support is great for a small town marathon and my parents, my in-laws, and of course Bryan are all planning to come cheer me on!
My goals at this point are as follows: (1) to set a PR...under 3:57 and (2) under 3:50. My stretch goal is to qualify for Boston (3:40). I am targeting Boston '09 so if the BQ doesn't happen this time, I'll still have the fall so I'm not going to stress about having to BQ this race.....just see what happens.
So yesterday I started following Pfitzinger's 18 week up to 55 mile per week program (Pfitz 18/55). It's the same plan I followed for Hartford until I got hurt and had to back off some. I plan to see how I feel and maybe try to add some additional miles to peak around 60 MPW, but we'll see how things go. Monday I ran a dark and very cold 7 miles with 6 sets of strides. Its was 19 degrees out with a wind chill of 11....buurrrr!
I am still struggling with a cold that I've been fighting since Christmas. Plus my asthma has been acting up. I'm not running the paces that I would like, but I'm trying not to get discouraged about it. Once I kick this cold, I know my paces will pick up some too.....at least I hope! I feel so slow out there right now :(
Here's to a strong and fun training.....18 weeks until race day!
My goals at this point are as follows: (1) to set a PR...under 3:57 and (2) under 3:50. My stretch goal is to qualify for Boston (3:40). I am targeting Boston '09 so if the BQ doesn't happen this time, I'll still have the fall so I'm not going to stress about having to BQ this race.....just see what happens.
So yesterday I started following Pfitzinger's 18 week up to 55 mile per week program (Pfitz 18/55). It's the same plan I followed for Hartford until I got hurt and had to back off some. I plan to see how I feel and maybe try to add some additional miles to peak around 60 MPW, but we'll see how things go. Monday I ran a dark and very cold 7 miles with 6 sets of strides. Its was 19 degrees out with a wind chill of 11....buurrrr!
I am still struggling with a cold that I've been fighting since Christmas. Plus my asthma has been acting up. I'm not running the paces that I would like, but I'm trying not to get discouraged about it. Once I kick this cold, I know my paces will pick up some too.....at least I hope! I feel so slow out there right now :(
Here's to a strong and fun training.....18 weeks until race day!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Not Afraid of the Dark
Running over the winter is not difficult because of the cold weather......what makes it so hard is all the hours of darkness we have. Its dark when I get up and dark when I get out of work. To log the miles that I need for marathon training (which will officially start on Monday) and keep me off the treadmill everyday, I realized I will have to run in the dark.
Here are some of the things I learned on my 7 mile run in the dark tonight:
1. Assume all cars can NOT see you! This one is listed first since it's most important. Even though I was wearing a jacket with reflective strips on it and a very stylish neon yellow reflective running vest (I'll post picture of my running fashion in the future), some cars still came a little too close for comfort. Whether they didn't see me or they were just being jerks, I learned that I need to stay very aware of my surrounding...no more spacing out during night runs! I am also careful to only run on safe streets and not wear my iPod so I can listen to what's going on around me.
2. Runners are actually nice people. So often I will pass other runners on the road or around the river and they don't even look at me or acknowledge my presence. But tonight was different.....maybe the dark, cold nights brings out only the hard core runners....most people didn't have headphones on and to my surprise they actually looked at me! I got smiles, nods, waves.....maybe it was like an unspoken camaraderie between those of us out there.
3. Don't take your shirt off in front of men if you aren't wearing a sports bra. Okay....so I get really cold the minute I stop running from being sweaty. Since I wear a sports bra, usually I bring an extra shirt to change into when I get back to my car...no big deal. Unfortunately today I forgot to bring a sports bra with me in my running bag. Not wanting to forgo my run, I decided to just run in my regular bra (Steph and Janette - no Katie Holms comments please!). Well I got back to my car and wanted to change. It was dark so I sat in my car and started taking my shirts off. Just as I get the second one off, two men come running up over the hill I was parked on. There I was sitting in my car in just my bra! I grabbed my shirt and used it to cover up as they ran by....I tried to look as nonchalant as possible! Next time I'll remember the sports bra :)
4. Don't drink hot chocolate 45 minutes before running if you don't have access to a bathroom. This one is self explanatory....warm liquid before a run is never a good idea!
Here are some of the things I learned on my 7 mile run in the dark tonight:
1. Assume all cars can NOT see you! This one is listed first since it's most important. Even though I was wearing a jacket with reflective strips on it and a very stylish neon yellow reflective running vest (I'll post picture of my running fashion in the future), some cars still came a little too close for comfort. Whether they didn't see me or they were just being jerks, I learned that I need to stay very aware of my surrounding...no more spacing out during night runs! I am also careful to only run on safe streets and not wear my iPod so I can listen to what's going on around me.
2. Runners are actually nice people. So often I will pass other runners on the road or around the river and they don't even look at me or acknowledge my presence. But tonight was different.....maybe the dark, cold nights brings out only the hard core runners....most people didn't have headphones on and to my surprise they actually looked at me! I got smiles, nods, waves.....maybe it was like an unspoken camaraderie between those of us out there.
3. Don't take your shirt off in front of men if you aren't wearing a sports bra. Okay....so I get really cold the minute I stop running from being sweaty. Since I wear a sports bra, usually I bring an extra shirt to change into when I get back to my car...no big deal. Unfortunately today I forgot to bring a sports bra with me in my running bag. Not wanting to forgo my run, I decided to just run in my regular bra (Steph and Janette - no Katie Holms comments please!). Well I got back to my car and wanted to change. It was dark so I sat in my car and started taking my shirts off. Just as I get the second one off, two men come running up over the hill I was parked on. There I was sitting in my car in just my bra! I grabbed my shirt and used it to cover up as they ran by....I tried to look as nonchalant as possible! Next time I'll remember the sports bra :)
4. Don't drink hot chocolate 45 minutes before running if you don't have access to a bathroom. This one is self explanatory....warm liquid before a run is never a good idea!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Happy New Year!!
It's hard to believe that 2007 is now over....and what a year it has been! I have never been much of a resolution type of person, but more the type to look back over the year to see how it went. 2007 started out the same way it ended....with a run!
2007 was sort of a turning point for me. It was a time to re-discover myself and who I am as a person. Running played a huge part of that discovery. Training for and running my first marathon was a way for me to show myself and the world that I was strong enough to do something so physically and emotionally demanding. I know most of the world didn't care that I ran 26.2 miles, but it was my way of rubbing it in the faces of everyone who ever told me I couldn't do something.
From those experiences, I fell in love with a sport that has come to be a major part of my life and who I am as a person. Spending all those miles with just me and my legs gave me plenty of time to think....about anything and everything. Sometimes my runs would be philosophical and on others I would completely space out. Sometimes I would think about my family and how proud they are of me and other times I would think about me and how proud I am of me.
People are often amazed that I devote so much of my precious free time to marathon training. But the fact is, running and training for marathons makes me a better person, friend, wife, worker, everything. I am happier when I run, I am more confident when I run and to me that's worth it. Running has made me appreciate my body for the first time in 27 years instead of criticizing it for its minor flaws. Running has introduced me to many great friends that I would not have otherwise met. I owe a lot of who I am today to running and I don't plan to stop anytime soon!
I am excited to see what 2008 holds for me and for all you other runners and non-runners reading this. Some people have told me that my blog and experiences have helped to motivate them to get into exercising....YAY!!!! Keep at it and your body and mind will appreciate it! Life is too short to spend it on the couch.....as fellow blogger SillyLillie says "Get out there and run already!!"
Total miles for the year = 1,533! (That's like running from Boston to Tulsa, Oklahoma!!!)
Here's to 2008...more miles, more marathons, and more memories!
2007 was sort of a turning point for me. It was a time to re-discover myself and who I am as a person. Running played a huge part of that discovery. Training for and running my first marathon was a way for me to show myself and the world that I was strong enough to do something so physically and emotionally demanding. I know most of the world didn't care that I ran 26.2 miles, but it was my way of rubbing it in the faces of everyone who ever told me I couldn't do something.
From those experiences, I fell in love with a sport that has come to be a major part of my life and who I am as a person. Spending all those miles with just me and my legs gave me plenty of time to think....about anything and everything. Sometimes my runs would be philosophical and on others I would completely space out. Sometimes I would think about my family and how proud they are of me and other times I would think about me and how proud I am of me.
People are often amazed that I devote so much of my precious free time to marathon training. But the fact is, running and training for marathons makes me a better person, friend, wife, worker, everything. I am happier when I run, I am more confident when I run and to me that's worth it. Running has made me appreciate my body for the first time in 27 years instead of criticizing it for its minor flaws. Running has introduced me to many great friends that I would not have otherwise met. I owe a lot of who I am today to running and I don't plan to stop anytime soon!
I am excited to see what 2008 holds for me and for all you other runners and non-runners reading this. Some people have told me that my blog and experiences have helped to motivate them to get into exercising....YAY!!!! Keep at it and your body and mind will appreciate it! Life is too short to spend it on the couch.....as fellow blogger SillyLillie says "Get out there and run already!!"
Total miles for the year = 1,533! (That's like running from Boston to Tulsa, Oklahoma!!!)
Here's to 2008...more miles, more marathons, and more memories!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)