TGIF 20 Miler

This morning's plan: Wake up at 4:15 AM. Out of the house by 4:45 AM. Run 20 miles. Home and stretched by 7:45 AM. Showered and out of the door by 8:00 AM. At work and at my desk by 8:03 AM.

The actual execution of the plan: Wake up at 4:21 AM. Out of the house by 4:49 AM. Run 20.13 miles (to be exact). Home and stretched by 7:52 AM. Showered and out the door by 8:07 AM. At work and at my desk by 8:11 AM.

Not bad execution for a week day. I needed to get in at least one 20-miler before Boston since I've been hovering around the 14-15-16 mile mark. I also needed to get it done today since I am tied up with work tomorrow from about 7 AM until early afternoon, and Sunday I'm already signed up for an organized bike ride.

So, how did it go? Not too bad. Since it was already 65 degrees and super humid at 4 AM, I knew I would need water at some point during this run. I planned to run two 10 mile loops that went by my house, so after the first loop I could grab Powerade and a Gu that I left out in the back of Dan's truck. I ended up with one water stop and 2 quick bathroom stops in the park (WTF bladder) for a total of 20 miles at 8:31 pace. I kept the pace relaxed and didn't have any leg pain, so that's good.

If I'm looking at the run as a predictor for Boston (which I kinda was, coupled with Sunday's half marathon performance), I'm guessing I'm looking at around a 3:25-3:30 marathon in Boston. I ran this morning's 20 miler on pretty tired legs, so I am hoping with fresher legs and hopefully cooler weather, I can drop my pace to sub-8 min miles. Obviously, 3:30 is a far cry from the 3:10 I was originally hoping for pre-injury, but I can only work with what I've got right now. And, it's the Boston marathon. It will be a fun time no matter what I run.

Alright, happy weekend everyone. I'm off to play Easter Bunny and sort thru 10,000 pieces of Easter Candy...hopefully sorting more than I'm eating :)

Flash says Happy Friday too! :)

Good Core Workouts

So. I was going to write an entire post about core workouts, how much I love them, how much I think they help with running and overall fitness, the core workouts I do personally, yada yada yada. But, I am currently in EASTER EGG HELL right now planning our City-wide Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday for 5,000 children - in which we decided to drop the eggs out of an airplane this year. Sounds cool but it's a logistical nightmare. So, anyway, I don't have time. Which is fine because it probably would have been boring any way.

But, I do want to share two good workouts I came across and enjoy. One is a dumbbell core workout for runners, and the other is a medicine ball core workout for runners. I didn't want to do any lower body core this week to let my legs recover from racing, and came across these two workouts - they are primarily upper body/core workouts.

I usually do the circuit three times through, using an 8 pound medicine ball or 8 pound dumbbell and increase the reps to 15-20 if I am feeling spunky.

Check 'em out. I do this all in my garage with a mat so no need for a gym membership.

Lately, I've been alternating between these workouts, the McMillan Core Workouts (DVD) and my own hand crafted core workouts which consist of mostly plank circuits. I aim for two-three 30-45 minute core workouts per week.

If you have any favorite core workouts, I'd love to hear about them. Share away!

What We Were Really Thinking

(Photos from Sunday's 10k. Disclaimer: the red head is my husband, not a random person whose picture I decided to pick on :)

Running Scared

I've always thought of myself as a mentally strong runner. Not confident per se, but just mentally tough when the going gets tough, which is why I think I have done well in endurance sports. I live by a 'never give up' mentality (which can be good and bad), and I don't let myself get inside my head. And while like everyone else, I've had some races where I feel shy of my goal, running had never really disapointed me until Phoenix.

When we were driving home from Sunday's race, I told Dan that while I was happy with my races this weekend, I still couldn't help but feel like I was running a little scared. Looking at my splits from both races, you'll see quite a gap between the first half of the race and the second half of the race - like 30 seconds per mile faster difference from the first half and the second half on Saturday (avg 7:49 on the first half, 7:13 on the second half), and about 15 seconds per mile faster in the second half of Sunday's race. This is highly unusual for me. I am queen of consistent splits. If you look at my mile splits from most of my marathons, my first few miles is the exact same pace as my last few miles. I've always had the ability to find a slightly uncomfortable pace and hold it for a long time - which is why marathons have been so appealing to me. So I was slighlty perplexed when I looked at my splits from this weekend.

DNF in a race is not a fun thing to do, it shook me up and it was hard to take - to the point where I lost some of my mental edge.  I feel like in some aspects, I went into last weekend's races scared of when my left wheel might fall off. I was afraid of reinjuring myself. At both races this weekend, I saw a person pull out of the race fairly early on. And in the back of my mind I am pleading to the gods above pleasepleasepleaseplease don't let that be me. As overly dramatic as this may sound, I don't think I can take another DNF.

Here are the numbers.

Saturday's Half Marathon: Miles 4-8 - 7:34, 7:41, 7:44, 7:53, 7:06 -- then I subsequently dropped to under seven minute miles at Mile 10 with my last mile being my fastest at 6:21.

Sunday's 10K: Miles 2-finish: 6:59, 7:04, 6:49, 6:44, 6:42, last .28 - 5:58 pace).

While I'm not saying I could have run much faster this weekend, I certainly raced differently than I have in the past. Usually after the first mile, I find that "uncomfortably hard" pace (you know the one where you want to stop, but you don't have to) and try to hang on. This weekend, I felt scared to make a push until the final 2-3 miles - which I think I felt was my safe zone. I knew if I could make it safely to the point in the race where I only had few miles left, there was no chance of me DNFing.

So, I've got some work to do on my mental game. While perhaps racing a little cautiously was the smart thing to do this weekend, I don't want to make a habit of it. I don't want to get in the habit of not racing to my ability and just float along with no intention of doing anything but finish. That's just not me. The point, for me, is to execute. Period. Just make it happen. I think the challenge will be finding the balance. How hard can I push myself without injury?

If I go out there and give what I have on race day, it's a good day; no matter the result I end up with. Knowing that I put myself out there to see what I'm made of IS the challenge.

I thought the following quote that came through my inbox this morning was quite appropriate:

Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.
-Dr. Joyce Brothers, psychologist, television personality and advice columnist

Week in Review

Short and sweet: Last week's workouts.

Monday: (AM) Ran 6.2 miles easy @8:09 pace. (Lunch) 2,400 yd swim

Tuesday: (AM) 55 min spin (Lean & Mean Spinveral Workout); 35 min core. (Lunch) 5 mile run @ 8:03 pace

Wednesday: (AM) Brick Workout - 35 min spin (Iron Girl Spinervals) followed by a 5.15 mile run @8:00 pace. (Lunch) 2,300 yd swim

Thursday: (AM) Run Group - 7.88 miles (long wu, 3x1000 w/400m recovery, strides, 1 mile cd); (Lunch): 35 min core

Friday: (AM): 3,000 yd swim

Saturday: Bearathon Half-Marathon - 2.34 mile warm-up, 13.1 mile race.
1,800 yd afternoon swim.

Sunday: Cap 10k - 2.55 mile warm-up, 6.2 mile race

Total Running Miles: 48.42
Total Swimming Yards: 9,500/4 swims
Total Biking Minutes: 90 min/2 spins
Core: 70 min/2 workouts

Done and Done

Mega Race Weekend Complete

The "elite" bibs were black this year. I lined up at the back of the elite corral, and will do it anytime I have the opportunity. Worth it.

Finished about as expected. Had a blast. 9 am is a late start...wish they started earlier.

**Despite all of the people (I say every year I won't run Cap 10k again), I really had a great time. I got to see so many friends, got to race and enjoy an awesome day in Austin. While I am not where I want to be as far as speed, I am so thankful for the opportunity to experience the joy of running: I appreciate it a lot more now than ever.

**I finished 8th in my age group/out of 871 (top 10 get awards!) and 23 woman overall/out of 4759! I'll take it.

**Louisville vs. Kentucky in the FINAL FOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO CARDS!

One Down, One To Go

It was a fun day at the races! I'm ready to do it again tomorrow!

Quick Recap: I didn't run as fast as I thought I might, but I had a great time. To be honest, it was harder than I thought it was going to be, but I knew that stressing over what pace I was or was not running would simply do no good. It was nice to enjoy the race simply for the love of the sport. Instead of stressing over my splits, I took time to enjoy the beautiful scenery, the excitement of strapping on a timing chip, a start and finish line, and the camaraderie of the other runners. I ran the entire race with a smile on my face. I let myself enjoy the race. 

My Garmin: 1:38:52/13.41 miles/7:22 pace 
Official Results: 1:38:51/13.1 miles/1st Age Group/10th Woman

I thought a half marathon was supposed to be 13.1 miles? Apparently I need to work on running tangents.

Finish line shot captured by Sherpa Dan

That was fun!

I heart racing!

On an encouraging note, results indicate that my second half of the race was much stronger than my first half, which means I either ran the race smart or started out too conservatively. I averaged 7:49 pace for the first 7.1 miles, and 7:13 for the last; both halves were equally hilly so I feel like it's a good comparison (and hopefully bodes well for Boston?). I was able to pass a lot of people on the second half of the race too, which is much better than being passed :)

My leg behaved itself for the most part; the latter hills caused my leg to start tightening up, but once I got out of the hills at Mile 11, I was fine and able to drop the pace (my last two miles were sub-7 pace). I've still got a lot of work to do with getting my speed back to where it was, but it will come. Right now I'm just damn happy to be out racing again!!


**On another note, I witnessed something today I have never before witnessed in person: a girl who finished directly in front of me literally crapped her pants upon crossing the finish line. She was wearing light yellow shorts and it was literally a chocolate luge running down her legs. Poor girl. I feel somewhat responsible as I was trying to chase her down at the end (unsuccessfully), and once I was upon her heels, she started picking it up...to the point of an explosion. At least she beat me. I hope that never happens to me.

I Need Your Advice

As I mentioned, I am running the Capitol 10,000 on Sunday. This is an extremely large 10k - roughly 22,000 people. Due to the size of the event, runners are placed into color coded corrals based on predicted finishing line - with the exception of the "elite" corral who are seeded with yellow bibs based on qualifying times.

From the Cap 10K web site:
Elite AthletesRunners expecting to be seeded in the fastest group are required to provide official written verification that they have completed a certified distance with a time that meets the minimum time requirements. Minimum 10K time requirement for males is 38:00 minutes or less and for females 41:00 minutes or less. Please attach a copy of the official race results (name, race, date, distance and time) along with your registration form. The qualifying time must occur after January 2010. If no official verification is attached, you will be placed in the non-elite starting wave.

In the past, I've always been assigned a purple bib, which puts me in the corral directly behind the seeded elites. Last year at this race, however, I ran a 40:52, which qualified me (barely) for an elite seed and coveted yellow bib this year. Admittedly I was pretty stoked. I've only run in an elite corral once before at the Disney Half Marathon, and I am still not certain that wasn't a mistake. So, I was really excited last year about the opportunity to race the 2012 Cap 10k with a yellow bib and had hoped to best my time from last year, proving I deserved to be there. Fast forward a year, and I am coming back from an injury with no chance in hell of breaking 41 min again. I'll run low 42 minutes if I'm lucky.

So, here's my dilemma: I'll be given a yellow bib and can start in the elite corral if I want too. They start the same time as everyone else, you just have the luxury of having less people to dodge once the gun goes off (and I believe you can go in and out of the corral to warm-up). Also, the purple corral is very crowded. You are fighting for elbow room, and once you're in the corral, you're in the corral. No headed out for a last minute warm-up. That being said, even if I was in shape to run a sub 41 min 10k again, I would still be one of the slowest (if not the slowest) women in the elite corral.  The elite women who run this race are FAST - most will run between 35-38 minutes. So to say I am out of my league with the leg speed I'm working with right now is an understatement. Do I go ahead and line up with the elite (yellow) corral or I do self seed myself back to the purple (second) corral?

Here's the thing: part of me thinks I earned my yellow bib, and who knows if I'll ever get the opportunity to line up upfront again? I'm tempted to line up to the back of the elite corral and say F it to everyone who gives me the side eye like I don't belong there or who angrily shoves me out of the way as they haul ass past me when the gun blows.

BUT, admittedly one of my MAJOR pet peeves is people who mis-seed themselves at races. You know those who predict their finishing times to be way faster than they are capable of to get a spot closer to the front. I detest those people. They get in the way and cause major congestion at races. So, am I a hypocrite if I line up with the yellow bibs when I am not capable to running an elite time? Maybe. Maybe I am better off just lining up with the purple bibs where I belong. And, if I do line up with the yellow group will that put too much pressure on myself to start out way too fast?

Maybe I am over thinking all of this. Dan told me to just line up at the back of the elite group. That no one will care. And, probably not. I guess I'm just having a complex that people will look at me thinking 'what the hell is she doing up there' and then confirm their suspicions as they zoom right by me (I can't say I didn't have the same thoughts last year as I passed some women in yellow bibs - just sayin').

I need your honest advice. Give it to me straight. What would you do in this situation? You can tell me to take my butt back to the purple group. It won't hurt my feelings.

RACE week

This weekend I have not one, but two races on the schedule. And, not just any races - two hilly mofo's. Saturday, I am running the Bearathon Half-Marathon in Waco (advertised as the hardest half marathon in Texas - HELLO Cameron Park hills) and Sunday I am running the Capitol 10k in Austin, also known for its hills. Both races I've run before, so I know what to expect as far as the course goes...but performance? I have no idea.

Bearathon Elevation Profile

It's been a while since I last raced. Phoenix was back in January, but since I didn't cross the finish line, really the last time I raced was the JFK 50 back in November. As someone who is used to racing pretty much every weekend, this has been a very long hiatus.

As such, the excitement of race week is a somewhat foreign entity at this point. Though the weekend is a few days away I'm already starting to think about it, the excitement of travel and racing slowly settling in.

I've got a few distractions on my plate before the races, which is good. That said I may have too many -- and I may kill any chance of knocking out a good race Sunday after Saturday's hilly half. I have no idea about how this is going to work out, but I'm not too worried: it's race week!

I don't want to set a time goal in either race, I just want to confirm that I'm getting stronger and back into race shape by finishing in a fairly close window to what I did last year at these races (around 1-2 minutes of last year's times would be just great- God are you listening?) Here are my reports from last year's Bearathon (1:35:03) and Cap 10k (40:52) races. I hold no hopes of besting last year's times as I was in really good (speed) shape last year, and I didn't run these races back to back either - but, I would like to come somewhat close.

However, I am aware that I've had runs and races that were tarnished with high expectations of required times. I succeeded in placing an immense amount of pressure on myself and as a result, often came up short of my goals. I know my perception of my running is reality. If I choose to see it as a form of torture or work, then it will be so. For me, I’m sticking to viewing my running as one of my daily joys and endorphin fixes. While I have several "it would be nice scenarios" in regards to upcoming races, the most important thing is to be out there enjoying the opportunity to race again, and do so pain free. I don't want to lose sight of the bigger picture.

I'm looking forward to lacing up my shoes on Saturday and Sunday, attaching a timing chip and giving it all I've got this weekend, whatever that may be!

Weekly Rewind

This was a great week - filled with good workouts and a great (albeit too short) trip to North Carolina to celebrate my grandma's 90th birthday. I posted one of my highest mileage weeks to date (and, no pain!) and my easy run paces seem to be getting faster and faster. I feel like my running is heading in the right direction and after weeks of frustration, it's a great feeling. Even more important, I got to spend quality time with my family whom I don't get to see often and celebrate such a special milestone with my grandmother.

First, a few pictures from the weekend:

My brother and I

Me and the Birthday Girl!

The Grandkids with the birthday girl

My family

Weekly Workouts:
Monday: (AM) 9.3 mile hilly recovery run @8:08 pace; (Lunch) 2,450 yd swim; (PM) 35 min core

Tuesday: (AM) Run Group: Total 8.72 miles-  Murderous Mile Workout (3x800, mile, 4x400); (Lunch) 2,300 yd swim

Wednesday: (AM) Brick Workout: 35 min interval workout on the bike, 4 mile run @8:27 pace. (Lunch): 40 min core workout.

Thursday: (AM) Run Group: 9.5 miles total - 5 mile steady state @7:27 pace. (Lunch) 2,300 yd swim

Friday: (AM) My flight to North Carolina didn't leave until 1 pm, so I got up early to get in my long run before I left for the airport. I decided to try 16 miles and see if I could go beyond 14 miles without pain - success! 16.5 miles total @8:13 pace.

Saturday: 10.16 miles @7:50 pace in Nashville, North Carolina. Man, I forgot how beautiful North Carolina is. I didn't want to stop running.

Sunday: Easy 4.25 mile recovery run in North Carolina before heading to the airport. 8:06 pace.

Totals:
Running Miles: 62.43
Swimming Yards: 3x/2,450 yds
Bike: 1x/35 min
Core: 2x/75 min

Have a great week!

Run run run it's what we do

The alarm blasted this morning at 4:45 am for run group. I woke up and seriously considered taking a personal day. The run group workout had been posted on-line, and it was one that was easy enough that I didn't have to be there to lead, I'm not in meetings again until next week at work, and I just. wanted. to. sleep.

I decided to go [to both the workout and work], figuring I should save some of my leave and not leave my running friends hanging.

I really wasn't feeling like running, much less doing the scheduled tempo run on tap.
but: I sucked it up - htfu and all of that - and schlepped to the workout.

The plan was a longer warm-up, 5 mile tempo run and a mile cool down. It was nasty humid and warm, and I was grumpy. I started out pretty blah about the whole run. There were also 3 & 4 mile tempo options, so I kept telling myself I'd cut it short. It would be easy to do. But, I didn't. I finished the 5 mile tempo.
glad I did, too: I had a pretty great run and ended up with 9.5 solid miles on the morning.

This, to me, is what training is about. It's about the very unglamourous, the ugly, the tired, the pushing through when you don't want to push through anymore.

reminds me of one of my favorite songs:
it's just ten percent luck/
twenty percent skill/
fifteen percent concentrated power of will/
five percent pleasure/
fifty percent pain/
and a hundred percent reason to remember the name.
[Mike Shinoda - Remember The Name]

I'm off to Rocky Mount, North Carolina tomorrow for a quick weekend trip to celebrate my grandma's 90th birthday (AMAZING) so I'll catch ya later.

Cheers to 90!

Happy Weekend!

Murderous Mile Tuesday

What I learned this morning: A workout with the word 'Murderous' in the title should not be taken lightly. And, just because something looks easy on paper doesn't mean it is. Lesson learned.

I wasn't thrilled when my alarm went off before 5 this morning for run group, but I managed to drag myself out of bed for today's speed session. Just me and three other guys this humid morning to take on what was entitled The Murderous Mile Workout. I knew what the workout was ahead of time; it didn't look hard on paper. Let me tell you, looks can be deceiving.

Here's the workout:

WU; 3 x 800m at mile pace with just under 2-min active recovery; then one mile @ moderate pace; then 4 x 400m all out with 30 seconds recoveries; CD

Looks dobale, yeah?

Let me tell you. 800's at mile pace is fast. You're using gears you didn't know you had. Mine weren't as fast as they should have been, but enough to knock me on my ass. I ran the mile in between at 7:45 pace, which included a nice little uphill in case you weren't breathing heavy before. The 400's went well, but damn, 30 seconds in between is not a lot of recovery. Some people made this workout look incredibly easy (cough, Mick, cough). I was not one of those people.

This is me.

The Murderous Mile workout lived up to its name. And, I survived. While I hated it while I was doing it, I loved it when I was finished.

Another Week Down

Another week of training in the books and most importantly it was another week of pain free running completed. While I'm pleased, of course, to be back running and training pain free, I can't help but worry how well prepared I will be for Boston come April 16. I'm not looking to set any records this time around, in fact I'm treating it more as my "Victory Lap" for all of my hard work over the past year, but still I don't want to be crawling to the finish line. I'm running 14 miles as my long run comfortably right now, but that's only just over half-way to 26.2. I'm going to up my long run to 16 miles this coming week and see how that  feels. It's funny, I'm feeling a lot more comfortable right now going into my half-ironman than I  am going into the marathon.

Running is more than being in shape – it’s a mental game. I’ve told so many people these words over the last several years since I began running, and I’ve needed to remind myself of them this week. I am tough, I work hard and am doing the best I can given my situation. I'm trying to focus on my training only, not get caught up with what everyone else is doing and let the chips fall as they may. Erin, this is Boston. Don’t think it, just run it. You got this.

My Week:
Monday: (AM): 7.46 mile easy run @8:23 pace. (Lunch): 35 minutes core work

Tuesday: (AM): 8 miles at run group. 3.5 of those were a fartlek workout/avg pace 7:03, includes recoveries.
(Lunch): 2,200 yd swim, focus on strength

Wednesday: (AM): Bike/Run. 45 min Spinveral Workout on Bike, followed by a 3.05 mile run/8:11 pace
(Lunch): 2,250 yd swim, focus on speed

Thursday: (AM) 8.15 mile easy run @8:22 pace.
(Lunch): McMillan Core + planks, plank jacks, push ups and double crunches

Friday: (Lunch) 2,400 yd swim, combo of speed and strength

Saturday: Long Run - 14.77 rainy miles @8:07 pace. Hit the gym after my run intending to swim, but the pool was closed due to lightning, so I joined Dan for 45 minutes of strength & core work. We hit it HARD; I woke up sore on Sunday!

Sunday: Today's workout was tough. I did another brick workout - 65 minutes of a high intensity, quality workout (Spinveral's Extreme Threshold Training Workout) on the bike followed by an 8 mile run @7:55 avg pace. The Spinveral Workout thoroughly kicked my butt, leaving my legs feeling like jello and making for a tough run. I started my run out just over an 8 min mile, and dropped the pace throughout the run, making my last mile the fastest.

Total Run Miles: 49.43 miles
Total Swim Yardage: 3 swims/6,850 yds
Total Biking Time: 2 interval workouts/110 min
Core Workouts: 3 core workouts

I'm happy with how the week went. I had hoped to get in one more swim, but the weather forced cancellation of Saturday's planned swim, and the Southwestern pool was closed on Sunday for Spring Break, leaving me without anywhere to swim. Oh well.

A big shout out to my Louisville Cardinals for stepping it up and claiming the Big East Title. L, YES!

Big East Champions!

TGIF

I'm more than ready for Friday after what's seemed to be a really long week. For some reason, I've been mad at everything and nothing this week and generally in a bad mood. Sorry, Dan, I know I've been a delight to be around.

I think part of it is that Spring Break is next week. This means nothing to me, but it seems like everyone and their mother is talking about Spring Break plans. And I'm jealous. To add salt to the wound, I had to go around to the elementary schools this morning to deliver our Easter Egg Hunt flyers and all the teachers were positively giddy as it's the Friday before Spring Break, talking about their plans for the week off, blah blah blah. I may have given them the stank eye when someone wished me a nice Spring Break. I will be working, but thank you anyway.

This weekend is also "Spring Forward" Daylight Savings Time. I hate, hate, hate Spring Forward with a passion deep and consuming. You know what I also hate? All the annoying people who go around on the Saturday before saying "Don't forget to spring forward!" I only need one person to tell me. Then I remember. After that, it's like you are rubbing the fact I'm being robbed of an hour's sleep in my face. I'm thinking about wearing a t-shirt that says "I already know about Spring Forward."

I know I'm one of the few people who complains about Spring Forward. Most people appreciate the extra daylight in the evenings, but not me. I like it to get dark earlier, and don’t appreciate it when it’s 7pm and still sunlight out there. I go to bed between 8:30 pm - 9 pm (yes, life in the fast lane) and feel like an even grandiose loser when I am going to sleep and the sun is still out. Not to mention that it makes it hard to fall asleep when the sun is shining through your bedroom window.

By the middle of my morning runs, the first hints of daylight have been peeking over the horizon. Now, with the time change all my runs will be in pitch darkness, so I have to be on guard more for safety reasons.

Can’t we just pick a time and stick with it? What’s up with Arizona and Hawaii? Why do they get to opt out?

Wow. How whiny am I? I've yet to talk about anything remotely running related this week so here goes. It's been another good week of training. I've been running pain free all week, still mixing in the cross training which seems to really help. It's supposed to pour rain all weekend, so it looks like my long run will be done in the rain. I'm sticking with 14 miles again this week and will knock that out tomorrow then hit the pool for a swim. While I was hoping to get outside on my bike this weekend, it's not going to be possible with the weather, so I'm planning to put in a couple of hours on the bike trainer on Sunday. So far I've maxed out at an hour, so more than that will require more mental fortitude than anything.


Happy Weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

I received this email in my Inbox this morning. Pizza Hut wants to hire me. Perhaps I missed my calling? I do like pizza...Maybe if it was Papa John's.


I actually worked at Pizza Hut for like 2 days in high school. Then I quit. I'm suprised they want me back.



My Thoughts Exactly.

A Good Training Week

This week was a really good training week (don't I wish they all were that way). Each week post injury has been different for me, as I learning what my body can and can't handle - while still trying to prepare for Boston and a successful triathlon season. This week, after some insight from a friend, I was able to test out what I think will work for me from here on out. After chatting with someone who I consider to be a seasoned expert, he thought given my endurance background that I could still handle 45-60 miles per week with a few rides and swims sprinkled in.

He also suggested turning some of what I had planned to be mid-week longer runs (i.e 10+ miles) into brick workouts (which is a ride followed by a run). This still allows me to run on tired legs (since it's post ride) and put in time on my feet (just not all running miles and less impact). This keeps my endurance up while still cutting back on my running miles, and prepares me for the half-ironman in June. He also suggested cutting my speed work back to only once per week, as opposed to twice per week and capping my long runs at 14 miles per now, as the pain seems to kick in after that point. I think my mistake post injury has been increasing both my speed AND mileage all at once so quickly post injury. In hindsight, that was a  recipe for disaster.

I was able to run a lot more this week than I thought, albeit they were shorter runs but they were all pain free. I also enjoyed mixing in the cross training a lot more, as I feel it works out the kinks from running and also gives me a break mentally.


Weekly Workouts:
Monday: (AM) Easy Run - 8.26 miles/8:12 pace; (Lunch): 2,450 yd swim

Tuesday: (AM) Run Group, 8.38 miles. 3.51 miles of this workout was a progressive tempo run in 26:03/7:26 avg pace. I wasn't feeling it this morning, so had to back off some. I need to keep my Monday runs shorter in the future to allow my legs to be better rested for speed work on Tuesday. (Lunch): McMillan Core Workout followed by pushups, planks, squats and lunges

Wednesday: (AM): Brick Workout: 45 minute interval workout on bike trainer, followed by a 3 mile run @8:09 pace. Treated the ride more as a recovery ride; didn't push the intervals too hard, just kept it steady.
(Lunch): 2,250 yd swim

Thursday: (AM) 6.8 miles easy @7:46 pace. Felt great today. (PM): 50 min Bob Harper 'Totally Ripped Core' Workout.

Friday: I was off of work today so headed to Brushy Creek to do my long run. It was in the upper 80's and really humid. Blech. The first few miles were a struggle, and I was certain I was going to have to cut it way short. I think my body was just trying to get used to the weather, and I started to feel better after a few miles. Ended up with 14 miles @8:05 pace. Followed up my run with a 2,400 yd swim.

Saturday: I had planned to join an organized ride in Bastrop, but registration was $45 and coupled with gas to get out there (over an hour each way), I decided to save money and stay in town for a brick workout. I did a 55 minute interval workout on my bike trainer, followed by a 5.71 mile run @7:59 pace. Felt really strong running off the bike. Finished with a 30 min core workout.

Sunday: My friend Rain invited me to check out a Fusion Boot Camp workout in downtown Austin that started at 10 am. I got up early and ran 4 miles easy recovery before the Boot Camp, then we headed downtown. I really enjoyed the Boot Camp!! We did a lot of great (tough!) core moves, and I worked muscles I didn't know existed so I am certain I will be sore tomorrow. After recovering from Boot Camp, I finished off the week with a 2,800 yd this afternoon.

Total Running Miles: 50.21
Total Swimming Yards: 4 swims/9,900 yds
Total Bike Trainer Time: 2 rides/1 hr 40 min
Total Core Workouts: 4 (includes boot camp)

Onward and upward.

Things I'm Diggin' Today

1. Today's Run. These days when I lace up my shoes to run, I never know what I'm going to get. More often then not, my runs have been a struggle, leaving me frustrated that I am not running as fast as I want to be. Today I headed out for an easy run. And, my legs decided to cooperate. I kept the pace relaxed the entire time, and even though it was swampy and humid out (SUMMER WEATHER IS COMING), I ended up with a great {for me} run. It's a step in the right direction, and a mental boost if nothing else.

Thank you legs for cooperating today.

2. TJ Maxx. Last week I shopped at TJ Maxx for the first time in years. I always forget we have a TJ Maxx 5 minutes away, and don't think to go there to look for things. Last weekend I randomly stopped by in frantic search for a last minute dress to wear to a wedding. While I didn't find a dress, I found some GREAT deals on athletic gear. I didn't even realize they had an entire section devoted to athletic wear. I snagged a $70 Nike workout swimsuit for $19.99 (competition swimsuits are EXPENSIVE so I was pumped about this deal). I also got a festive pair of Nike Tempo Running shorts for $14. They had a lot of great stuff, but since I didn't really need anything, I cut my purchases off at 2. 

This is where I spend money to save money. Dan loves my concept.

3. Peanut Butter Cheerios. These things are really good (with or without milk). They've become my new go to snack and dessert.

4. Laughing Cow Light Cheese. I started using this in place of mayo on my sandwiches and instead of cream cheese on my bagels. At only 35 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per wedge, it's a great (and tasty) way to cut a few calories. One wedge is more than enough for a bagel or sandwich. They make a variety of great tasting flavors. 

5. Brooks Pure Flow. I've been an avid Brooks Launch wearer for years... Until I stumbled upon the new Brooks Pure Flow when my local running store was out of the Launch in my size. These shoes are a little bit lighter than then Launch (which are pretty light as it is), but still provide enough cushion for marathon training. These shoes are the PERFECT marriage between just enough support and light-weight form fitting shoes that seem to hug my feet perfectly.

I also dig the colors.

6. Bic Bands. I always wear some sort of headband when I run/workout to keep both the hair and sweat out of my eyes. I've always had a problem finding ones that don't slip or fall off, so I always end up having to pin them to my head. I came across the Bic Bands awhile back, and they are great. They don't budge AT ALL, are comfortable, and come in many fun and sparkly colors, designs and sizes. Even better, part of the proceeds always go back to a charity. Half a dozen or more Bic Bands later, I am probably one of their best customers. 

Love me some sparkles.

7. Spinerval DVDs. The bike trainer will never be my favorite workout option. The bike trainer is even lower on my totem pole then the treadmill, and the treadmill is definitely at the low end of the pole. But, being forced to cross train more, I've been warming up to my bike trainer. And the Spinveral DVDs make the workouts a lot more bearable. They are a series of challenging high intensity interval workouts ranging from 35 minutes to a few hours (I haven't worked up to the multi-hour workouts yet. Baby steps). They allow me to break a (big) sweat, get in a good but  lower impact workout and {hopefully} become a better cyclist. 

These leave me sweating buckets and begging for mercy.

8. Ja Rule - PIL 2 Album. Another fun fact: I would imagine if I asked you who you thought my favorite artist was, that you wouldn't guess that it's rapper Ja Rule (closely followed by Outkast, Nelly and Eminem). Anyway, his new album dropped on Tuesday, and I downloaded it on ITunes...I'm a fan, and it makes for some great running music. I really like all of his work and the way he flows, although his lyrics aren't very clean and can be pretty dark. And, I think he's in jail right now...

He may not be the best role model, but man can rap...

9. And, lastly TODAY is my Friday! I had planned to take tomorrow off to head to Houston for the marathon, but that fell through since I decided to sit it out. But, I have some comp that I need to use or lose, so decided to start my weekend early anyway. Happy Friday to me!

Have a great weekend everyone!