Training Run 4-8-08

Today's 4 miles were a mixed bag.

Pros: new shoes, running in daylight, spring weather.
Cons: not enough water, forgot my vitamins, spring weather.

Overall, the cons slightly outweighed the pros, as the spring weather was almost too warm (over 70) and extremely humid. I had a breeze in my face both out and back, but it was just enough to make me feel like I was swimming upstream yet not enough to cool me down.

I ended up taking more walking breaks than I have in a long time...partly due to lack of mental focus, I think. Result was the slowest 4-mile time I've run in a while...48:44. However, I guess that a 12:11 mile is still only slightly off my hoped-for "race pace" of 11:00, and I do remember that I get a significant adrenaline boost during the actual race experience.

I guess it's still good that I was actually able to get out and run 4 miles two days after running 10 miles...probably means there was still more in the tank last Sunday, so I can have confidence I WILL finish on Saturday.

Still, I'm starting to feel jittery...what if Saturday is like today, only 3 times? Could be a long morning.

And yet, when I multiply 48.75 by 3, and then add another 12, that only gets me to about a 2:40 time for the race. Not horrible.

I also know part of the reason I died in the second half of my run today was that I went out way too fast in the first mile...excited to be running in new shoes, I guess, and excited for race week and a relatively light workout...and as a result got to the 1-mile mark at about 10:40...waaaay faster than I wanted to go, and definitely too fast to maintain.

Oh well...I guess I just need to remind myself that I am a Penguin...

"I'm slow...I know...get over it." =)

Run with Holly 4-6-08

Spring is officially here...and you know this when a T-shirt and capri sweats is too warm. Holly wore a tank top, I should have too. And I couldn't find my shorts. =(

Still, drove out to Holly's for our final long run of the training program. I can't believe we've made it all the way through...I only had to take one week off for being sick, and I've run at least twice a week otherwise through the whole program.

10 HOT miles through hilly South Vienna, and we finished up and walked at 1:55:00. So, a little over an 11-minute mile. The whole time I was really glad I have new shoes coming tomorrow...my ankles and knees were bothering me almost the whole time. It made for a long run. Got back to Holly's and inhaled a bottle of water, then stopped at Steak N' Shake on the way home for a strawberry fruit and frozen yogurt shake (refuel AND reward).

6 days to race day...

Training Run 4-2-08

Here goes again...

Raining tonight, so I went to the gym. Ran 2 miles on the treadmill and my ankles were really hurting. I need new shoes. I realized I've been running for 9 months in the same shoes, probably reached around 400 miles. No wonder there's no cushioning left.

So, I got off the treadmill and did 1/2 hour on the bike...pushed the intensity up a couple times, especially at the end to simulate powering through the end of a run. Ended up doing 6.7 miles in 30 minutes.

Not too bad for a workout, but frustrating with a race coming up. Still, I feel good overall, and I'm going online to go shoe shopping now. With express shipping they'll get here Monday. =)

Training Run 4-2-08

The training run that wasn't...

I was going to run home from a church meeting, but discovered about 1/2 mile into it that I was losing sidewalks downtown...no problem, I thought, and adjusted my route...

But what sidewalks there were have a lot of gravel and loose material on them (read: they're falling apart)...and I slipped and fell at about 3/4 mile.  Hit hard enough on my left knee to nearly rip off my scab from my fall with Holly.  Lots of blood.

Fortunately I had my cell phone with me, called Alex and had him come pick me up.  Mopped myself up at home and had a little bit of a food binge...disappointment at not running.  The steamed Chinese dumplings and chocolate cookie tasted good though. =)

Run with Holly, 3-31-08

New route, down Limestone to Cliff Park, through the park then up Plum Street to Mike & Rosy's Deli (www.mikeandrosysdeli.com - best cream of mushroom soup in the world!), then around and up the hill through Wittenberg (www.wittenberg.edu) and the historic homes on Fountain Blvd, then finally home.  It was long but fun, and the weather was great.

I've claimed Alex's old Ocean Pacific T-shirt as a running shirt...he was about 11 when he wore it, and it fits me. =)

9 miles in 1:35:38...less than an 11-minute mile!!

Training Run 3-26-08

Spring is threatening to be here. =)

I ran 5 miles tonight, the 4-mile hilly route from the house to Bechtle, then the mile down to the Valero station. I'm fighting a cough again, so when at the intersection at the 1-mile point I had to stop and wait for the traffic light to change, I decided to just give myself permission to take short (under 1 minute) walking/stretching/breathing breaks after each mile. I also kind of wanted to see what it would do to my time, since it's highly possible I'll have to use this method (for a more formal walk/run method, see Jeff Galloway's training programs at www.jeffgalloway.com) during the half-marathon.

The breaks were nice, especially the one at the 4-mile mark...it let me gather myself for the final mile and gear up for having to run past the house and not go in. =)

It was a good night...5 miles in 58:33. Approximately an 11:45 mile. Not too bad to be able to maintain it for 5 miles...will be even better to be able to maintain it (or something close to it) for 13.1.

I'm 32 on Friday. =)

Run with Holly 3-21-08

Due to Easter weekend, Holly and I decided to do our long run Friday night instead of trying to fit it into the weekend. She'd mapped out an 8-mile route, and then driven over to my house. Things were going really well until about the 4-mile mark, when I tripped over an uneven square in the sidewalk and fell. I scraped my knee (and made a hole in my pants) and one palm, but I felt OK after walking for a little while. I also knew that although Holly would have been totally OK with stopping if I felt like I needed to, it would bug both of us not to finish the long run.

So, we finished the 8 miles...and even including the falling and walking...

1:27:44!!

We rewarded ourselves with a stop at a convenience store for a big bottle of water.

Some things are worth the pain...even if it means wearing opaque pantyhose for Easter Sunday. =)