Thundering Intervals

Literally. I noticed a little heat lightning as I started out this morning, but was determined I'd get my intervals in this morning so I could get a light run in this afternoon before finalizing my packing and getting to bed early for the 3:30 am wake up to get to the airport.

1 mile warmup and then 4 x 1 at 7:00 pace was the plan.

Mile 1 - 6:53

Mile 2 - 7:14

Mile 3 - 7:46

Mile 4 - 6:34

OK, again not good pacing but average was 6:53 and I got 8 miles in in 1:02:52 which pleases me. By interval 3 the rain was starting and by 4 I was in a full thunderstorm...but I don't mind. Just kind of weird when it's dark and you're exerting that much it makes it hard to focus. Really messes with the mind.

Orientation went well. I got my books. Scares me because they are put together by the professor. Not just a pre-done textbook...means the guy is smart! Hopefully he's a good instructor. We had a little meet and greet session where I was talking to a girl who happens to be training for her first marathon in January, so I gave her my email and told her to keep in contact since we aren't in class together first semester. Speech by the Dean was very good. He isn't dry, had good humor and good things to say. Dinner was good, salad, wasn't crazy about the dressing so picked at it, but dinner was chicken and veggies and rosemary red potatoes, I was at a table seated next to the Dean and he said his mother wasn't there so he didn't have to eat his veggies!! A man after my own heart!! Dessert was a chocolate mousse in an edible chocolate cup...yummy!! Then we had a breakout session where they talked about the program, a professor and our advisor (each of us was in a room with our assigned advisor, there are 170 incoming 1st years), and we discussed an article we had been given to read, to simulate what classes might be like. An enjoyable evening and a part of me is kicking myself for not taking two classes...I'm almost thinking I should sign up for one more. I'd really only have one week of heavy running while having class as well...so it wouldn't be too terrible...I have a day or so to think about it...hmmm...

Upcoming Vacation

So many posts lately about my running and not really anything else…but then I’m less than 6 weeks now from the marathon, which means 3 more hard weeks (and 2 days gone from that now!) and 3 weeks of lighter, tapering…so you can see where the obsession comes in right?

Anyway, in other news, other than running (I have 21 miles in so far this week by the way, and yeah, it’s only Tuesday…yikes, but vacation starts Thursday so need to pack them in before I go, bad time for vacation but oh well), I have orientation tonight, which I might have mentioned yesterday…in fact by the time I get this posted I will probably have already been. What’s interesting about this is that I actually had to read an article before it because apparently we have a classtype discussion about leadership after the sign in (at 4 pm, hello, we are working MBA students, that’s the reason we are taking the night program!) and keynote address by the Dean and then dinner (yeah, dinner, who knew?) we have a class. Kind of weird…meant I had to get up early today so I could run before work, that’s all I know and I have to miss my group run tonight…sad times.

In other news. I leave. On Thursday. For vacation!! Yippee…this is that trip I was supposed to be making to a wedding that is now changed and apparently I wasn’t invited to the updated small ceremony, even though I already had my ticket, but actually that works out better as I no longer have to spend $200+ a night to stay in the city and instead I get to visit my favorite city, in this country, that I have been to so far. I fly into NY on Thursday, meeting up with my friend Kurt who is getting me from the airport and is planning to take me on a 10K route that he runs in his area and enjoys. There is dinner planned and beer will be drunk, he asked what kind I like, my reply, anything not overly bitter or thick!! I like trying new beers so we’ll see what he finds…he also mentioned wine…yum…then on Friday I’m back to the airport to fly up to Boston where I will meet up with my friend Bill and possibly at some point my friend Craig and meet Craig’s lady friend perhaps…Bill lives in downtown Boston. Bill has a great slicery just a block (not even) from his building. Bill has a liquor store just a block from his building…Bill has a train station just around the corner that can get you to the North End and fabulous Canole…and he also lives on a really great 4 mile or so loop along the Charles and just down from Harvard, and not far from BU…oh, and the Boston Marathon Finish line!! My goals…see Heartbreak Hill, hopefully run a race (they have a live run for the Nike Human Race from Cambridge on Sunday) and maybe get up into New Hampshire and Maine…beach fun is supposed to be had as well. We shall see…I’m there for about 5 days so lots of time to see a lot!! I was contemplating a whale watch. That could be cool.

A Love and Hate

So just a week or two ago I wrote a post about how much I hate tempo runs...I don't know if it was finally having a good one last week with my training group (which I'm going to miss for the next couple of weeks and I'm bummed about that, tomorrow I have orientation for my MBA program and then vacation and other stuff) or what, but this week instead of jumping right to the tempo, I decided a progressive, like last week, was in order and while I don't tend to always post mile splits, this was the breakdown...

Mile 1 - 9:04
Mile 2 - 8:40
Mile 3 - 7:56
Mile 4 - 7:51
Mile 5 - 7:46
Mile 6 - 7:32
Mile 7 - 7:06
Mile 8 - 7:00
Mile 9 - 7:06
Mile 10 -8:03
Mile 11 - 6:55

Mile 1 and 2 were meant for warmup. Then I wanted to do the next 4 miles at Marathon Pace of 8:00 and then 3 more miles at, well, half marathon pace, but I don't know what that is, so anything under 7:25 or so was my plan, and those were 7:00ish...not bad. First cool down was another MP so that was kind of cool...last one, I'm not sure about. I know I wasn't going fast. I also didn't lose signal, so...well, could I honestly have been going that fast and not realized? I really felt like I had slowed down for the cool down...as was plan. Oh, and I had done an easy 4 that morning for a warm up type of run and only planned 10 for the afternoon but was at 10.2 by my car so figured I'd just finish that last mile. Could be a good week. Even with my travel!

Average came out to 7:46...I'll take that...if only I can hold that for another 15 miles...

Oh yeah, and speaking of that orientation...I better get myself reading that article I'm supposed to read for tomorrow for it. Yes, I have homework and classes don't start for another week (mine is two weeks from today actually). Save me!!

And Then There Was 20

So yes, last week was a 20 miler. This week was a shorter, fall back week, recovery and all that, for next weeks 20, but next week I’m out of town. I’ll be in Boston when my group is running. And I don’t know how easy it might be to get a 20 miler in out there (although yes, the thought had occurred to run from the finish line, 10 out and back, yes, along that course), with the going out, hanging out and all that good stuff. So my other option was back to back 20s…and getting up extra early on a Saturday so I could run 8, then pick up with the group. I didn’t know if going out after would happen or not…I was out of bed at 4:30, and at our meet spot around 5:30. I ran out 4 miles, opposite direction we would be running, in the dark…alone…and while normally I don’t think twice about that, but I was in a different area, not that it was a bad area, but well, you know…it was dark, but thankfully it was fine. I saw a few other early birds, although not many. Anyway, the 8 went like this:

Mile 1 – 9:24
Mile 2 – 8:56
Mile 3 – 8:42
Mile 4 – 8:54
Mile 5 – 8:52
Mile 6 – 8:52
Mile 7 – 8:52
Mile 8 – 8:35

A quick break, bathroom stop, quick chat with a couple of the group members, directions on the route and we were out:

Mile 9 – 8:57
Mile 10 – 9:03
Mile 11 – 8:40
Mile 12 – 8:58
Mile 13 – 8:38
Mile 14 – 7:54
Mile 15 – 8:20
Mile 16 – 8:29
Mile 17 – 8:28
Mile 18 – 8:09
Mile 19 – 8:21
Mile 20 – 7:44

Total Time – 2:54:04 for an average of 8:39 pace. Granted there were about 10-15 minutes between the two runs, but overall it really was a good run.

The next weeks are crazy and unfortunately now I don’t get to run with the group for a bit and I’m going to miss it. I have orientation on Tuesday night, then next Saturday out of town, won’t be back in time the next Tuesday for the run (missing two key speedwork sessions, but that’s OK, I can do speedwork alone) and the next longer run I’m doing a race that weekend instead…

Sunrise Intervals

I haven’t done these in a while…I did some cruise intervals a while back, but that’s kind of a cop out workout calling it intervals since it’s more toward tempo than anything. Anyway, been freaking out at the lack of intervals in my workout so decided this morning I could throw in a few light ones to get some speed work in, particularly since this is a lighter week anyway. Plan was for 3 1 mile intervals with a half mile recovery at 7:00 pace. 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down for an easy 6 miles. In the morning that strikes me as fairly easy.

Got out of bed, it was difficult, but managed it with enough time to get the workout in and have plenty of time to get ready. I ran a mile warm up at 9:20 pace, then set up Garmin for the intervals. One problem with the 201 (that apparently is fixed in the 305) is that Garmin doesn’t count the recovery as part of the overall workout and/or figure the time into everything, so I had to just do a guesstimate on overall time since I forgot to look…makes me want the 405 even more (especially having seen more about it the other day, touch screens etc…I’m thinking Christmas present to myself this year!! I do tend to get Christmas money, and I didn’t buy what I had planned with Christmas money last year either…hmm….). Anyway, this is how it played out.

Interval 1 – 6:25
Interval 2 – 6:13
Interval 3 – 7:01

Umm, yeah, have I mentioned I’m no good at pacing? I knew the first one my legs were feeling kind of tired but had no idea I was running that much faster than planned pace. Second one, well, there was a good downhill on it, OK, that was actually on the first one too, but still. Third one, that was more like it, and obviously the first two got me! Also did end on a decent uphill. During my first recovery interval, I was jogging along (only time you’ll see me use that word!!) and I saw Mrs. Bambi trotting down the road toward me. She freaked a bit, and took off and got onto a yard, but then stopped, and kind of looked at me as I jogged by, I looked at her, said good morning and went on my way and she went on hers. It makes me remember back to the morning I saw a doe and three fawns…I haven’t seen deer on a morning run in a while and it does make for an interesting morning. I’ve seen red fox in the morning too. Now all of this wouldn’t be strange except that I live in a city of 45,000 people. A first tier suburb of Minneapolis, population 350,000…a metro area of 2-2.5 million…but I do live near very wealthy neighborhoods with large yards and some nature areas, and the deer know a good address and school district I guess!!

I also couldn't wait for the sun to get up. I forgot how disoriented I get in the dark when doing a tougher workout that really pushes the O2 levels etc...

Hot and Steamy

Much the way Twin Cities and Chicago were last year. Tonight was Tuesday night group run and we started from Minnehaha Falls here in Minneapolis and went over the Ford Bridge (crossing the Dam hill we ran two weeks ago) for a nice warm up of 2.5 miles to a water stop. Plan from there was 2.5 or so at marathon pace to the Franklin Bridge, the bridge you cross during Twin Cities from Minneapolis into St. Paul (mile 19) and then the back to water stop was to be at half marathon pace and after the water, for another mile to mile and a half at 10K pace if it was in you...well, the 10K pace wasn't quite there, but miles went pretty decent. Overall time was
1:22:22 for 10.3 miles and an average of 8:01 pace.

Warm ups were 8:49, 8:55 and a 9:20 split with a 6:59 (lost signal and some downhills and partly was the pick up mile) so those two splits were a bit off, but the progressive miles were: 7:50, 7:26, 7:19, 7:38, 7:36 then cool downs of 7:59 and 8:21.

I kept up with 2 of the guys for the faster paces and that was good. They took off the last mile we were running faster, they were probably just under 7 and I had it at around 7:20 again (the mile splits were a bit off as we started at 2.75 for the progressives so weren't quite a good indicator of everything). I'm happy having just over 10 miles at MP though. That is a bit of a confidence boost, especially since 5-6 of those miles were under MP. Hopefully it means good things.

Heel...it's still sore at times, I have the night splint and am doing the exercises. I have 7 weeks (which most things seem to indicate how long the stuff might take to fix the issues so we'll see).

Oh, and on a side note. I just finished watching a movie I started last night called The Long Run. It's something I got off Netflix...it wasn't a horribly well done movie, but it's a fictional movie about a woman that is coached to win the Comrades Marathon, she's stubborn and never been formally coached, she's coached by a crotchety old man set in his ways and who just lost a job...but it really is kind of endearing.

21 Miles and 3 Hour Drives

Well, after a long week last week I am planning a cutback week in mileage and workouts for this week. I might do a couple of a little bit harder workouts (we have a tempo/threshold run tomorrow with my training group and I think I might do some cruise intervals in a shorter workout on Thursday) but for the most part this will be a much lighter week. Last week I topped at 59 miles for the week. We had a 20 miler on Saturday that by the time we were done was 21 miles. The pace was slower than I would’ve liked (9:17 is what we averaged by the end) but I felt good the whole way, could’ve run further (5 more miles would’ve been easy and under 4 hours as we were picking up the pace at the end) and had sub 9, including an 8:15 or so mile in the last 4-5. There wasn’t anyone willing to run a faster pace up at the front it didn’t seem, but having more energy in the legs at the end I guess is a good thing.

Friday night I met up with my friend who is getting married in January, her sister and sister-in-law, the three of us make up the wedding party, and we went bridesmaid dress shopping. Her dress was picked and purchased a few weeks ago, and ours ended up being bought on Friday. It was basically the dress we had already been shown that was made to match up with one of her top two dresses. It wasn’t the dress she ended up getting, but this dress will still work fine and it’s a cute dress that I could see wearing again. We went for yummy dinner after at a good Italian place (I said I wanted pasta no one else cared and I was running 21 the next morning) and I tried lasagna even thinking it wasn’t a good idea day before a long run, but it was fine (have always avoided heavy cheese things but now I know it works!!). We went shoe shopping after, just to see if there was a chance we’d find something and amazingly we did…they were more than I’d maybe have wanted to spend, but the shoe was very cute and I’m fine with it because I’ll wear them again and often and they were comfy, at least to me!!

So after all the gallivanting went home and watched Phelps win gold number 7, then went to bed, did the run the next morning, then drove 3 hours to my parents. Not fun after 21 miles but oh well…what do you do? I visited at home, then went to my grandma’s for a visit, then to have a beer with mom and dad and saw my aunt and other grandma and some family friends…then went back and got other grandma to bring her down for dinner…we had yummy ribs, sweet corn and baked beans and some really good bread and then watched more Olympics and saw Phelps get 8 and saw marathon through Paula getting finished. Maybe it wasn’t a good run for her, but at least she was able to struggle through and finish. Went out for a while with my aunt later than night and then was home and spent the night with fuzzy nephew Beaux…got up the next morning and visited with mom and dad, went for a walk with mom and Beaux and we pooped him out, it’s been a while since tubby walked 2 miles! Then dinner and a nap and last visit with grandma, stocked up on sweet corn and came back up…was later than I normally come back but since I went down later figured I better stay a little longer. Got back in time though for a quick run to loosen up the legs and managed a nice 5 miler averaging 8:30s which isn’t bad considering the 21 the day before. Now I need weekend to recover from the weekend!!

Olympics

So I haven't been able to watch much of the Olympics so far...mainly because I've been exhausted and in bed so early (which will probably happen again tonight). It still is amazing to see these athletes though, and the levels they are at...but at the same time, I wonder about their lives...I mean seriously...they gave up their childhoods to be where they are...and all the pressure that they have to go through, and then the scrutiny and questions if they aren't good enough OR if they are too good. It's so much pressure, how can anyone deal with it?? Is it all that pressure that pushes them toward illegal things?

And seriously...why are the women's volleyball teams dressed so skimpily and the mens not???

I finally got my cars oil changed too...it was so overdue...and tires rotated. I'm set for my trip to my parents that I'm most likely making after my 20 miler on Saturday (not looking forward to that one!). And while the oil and tires were being dealt with I did a nice little 10.5 miler (I was going to go ahead for 11 since I knew I'd be over 10 but legs were feeling a little dead so figured it was best to quit). I managed an 8:08 pace, plan was a tempo, I picked up pace for mile 3 (wanted 2 for warmup) and was just over 8 minutes, then I had a bad hill and wussed it and slowed way down for mile 4, 8:49, but miles 5 and 6 were 7:40, mile 7 was 7:50 and mile 8 was 7:33. I finished off the last two and a half just over 8 minute miles and all was good. Still not sure it's good for my 8:00 minute miles, but I'm getting there...just a couple more days and a fall back week that I think I really need. Legs are feeling very dead.

Ups and Downs

Literally…life has them, great things can happen one day and you can be on top of the world and the next day a crash…but of course those aren’t the ups and downs I’m really talking about right now. The ups and downs I’m referencing have to do with my run last night with my training group at Hyland Park (oh and in response to a few queries, no I’m not doing a TNT thing, no way I’d be able to raise that kind of money, I’m training with the Minnesota Distance Runner’s Association fall marathon program). The plan called for 10 miles, but last time we ran there we were short with only 7.5, so I decided since I get there early anyway, I’d run 2 miles to warm up before the others got there…I was done with that almost an hour before the rest of the group was there and we were going to run but oh well. I got a good stretch in so that helped too. Group showed up and we were off…over hills upon hills…ups and downs, although nice thing is this is trails and some of that just feels so good. Weather didn’t feel too bad, was a threat of rain, but unfortunately it didn’t come, and by the end we were all drenched because the humidity was up enough. The end of the main run is over the top of the ski hill (yes, MN does have some skiing) and that at the end does kind of suck…it’s an up, slight down, more up, slight down and more and more up. But nice views when you run across the top. We got to the start, saw that we were at 7.5 again (but I was at 9.5 remember) and everyone said hey, let’s do a cool down lap around the lake (same lake I had warmed up on) and off we went…so I ended with 11.5 miles. I think it was a good workout. I got home too exhausted to eve think about eating. Ended up having some grapes and Trader Joe’s brand honey nut o’s so I would have something in me and crashed…I couldn’t even stay up to watch the swimming. Ah well.

On another note, my order from Amazon showed up. I paid $26 for a book called “The Plantar Fasciitis 5 Minute Solution”. It’s larger, large print and about 100 pages…2 of which go over the stretch for the PF that is supposed to help in 5 minutes a day (you do it 3 times a day and holds for 10 seconds 10 times so it takes 5 minutes total). I wish I could’ve spent half that and gotten just the stretch…of course if it helps I’ll say it was well worth it, and it got good reviews. The rest of the book talks about what PF is and how it comes on, studies etc…we’ll see. I also ordered a night splint. I’m not sure this one is going to do enough or not, I slept part of the night in it, and it was fine to sleep in, just not sure it was holding my foot enough, but I’ll try it a bit more and see if it works or not. I did take it off halfway through the night when I was trying really hard to get back to sleep after having woken up…and was of course exhausted this morning, but got up and went to the gym, only managed 20 minutes of strength though and the 30 on the bike were tough. I’m not running tonight, Wednesday has become my day off, but I might need to take another day off this week and have it be totally off. It’s been over 3 weeks since I had a total rest day I’ve realized (I don’t consider the strength training as tough and the biking is light too) and I think my body is rebelling, even though it doesn’t seem like it’s been that much as I certainly haven’t dropped any weight…next week is a fall back week and I’ll definitely go for the rest then, just hope I can get through the rest of this week. I’m so exhausted feeling and I think it might be some lack of sleep…wish I kept better records on my past sleep habits. I’m still freaking over my training a bit.

I think I'm going to go to bed shortly tonight to let my body relax...and tomorrow I'm only doing my afternoon run too. Hopefully that gives me some recovery.

Tired...

Almost in a way that is to the core...would it be awful if I went to bed at oh...7??? I didn't sleep well last night (might be because of the 10 hours the night before).

I was just reminded (due to watching diving right now for the Olympics). When I went to lay by the lake on Saturday that there was a car wash going on. They have them all summer. Fund raisers for high school teams...I'm assuming the swim team was doing it on Saturday...they were wearing board shorts (boys) all except one that is...one was in a Speedo...as in a banana hammock Speedo. Standing by the side of a busy intersection. And he was so young...I mean we're talking 14 (OK, all high schoolers look so young to me...seriously, no idea about the women that are molesting the high school students because they look soooo incredibly young, why would anyone not that age be interested in that?? Even when I was that age I wasn't interested!!). There is just something so wrong about a 14, OK, maybe 16 year old boy standing by the side of the road in a Speedo...

New York to Boston

This month I had a wedding to go to. It was in NY. I found out the date and got the invite in February, since they needed responses by June 1 and people needed to book tickets etc…I booked my ticket not long after I knew I was officially invited…then come May, it’s announced that there aren’t enough people that can make it and they are now doing the wedding as a private ceremony that day and that they apologize to those that made flight reservations already but they hadn’t had responses and people were going to end up spending money they didn’t have to go, so hence the change.

I hadn’t even responded to the message that it was changed, the groom asked me about it (he had had others email some saying they were happy for them, some saying they were angry at the change) and I said I should be used to people flaking on me by now, I mean I didn’t say it to be mean, but it was just one of those things. Never had a response back from him. Fast forward three months and I had an email from the groom, apparently people were asking what they are doing that day, and he included a link about the the private ceremony they are having, but they are still doing a boat wedding, like the original plan, and it does include some guests…umm…yeah, my invite for that must’ve been lost in the mail, or something…really irritated now as he KNEW that I had booked my ticket already so I could’ve been included so I wasn’t flying for nothing or didn’t have a wasted trip. Ah how fun and how great friends can be.

So before I even knew about the wedding change, I was contemplating just cancelling the ticket and using whatever remained for one of many other trips I’m supposed to make (to see my friend in San Diego, or my friend in San Francisco) and just as I was about to make decisions on that (not wanting to impose too much on the friend in NY even though he told me I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted) ANOTHER friend, one that lives in Boston, emailed me asking if I wasn’t coming out there sometime soon. I had emailed him after the wedding fell apart and he had invited me up to Boston. His remembering this and asking me about it again, I thought sure, why not go up there and hang out with him. He invited me to stay as long as I could, and since I love Boston, I thought why not. I checked into the train, figuring hey, can jump on it easy and run up…it was going to be $62-89 for a 4 ½ ride, ONE WAY!! I checked flights…just over an hour and it was only $150 (round trip)???? What’s up with that??? Seriously? Does Amtrak realize the ridership it loses?? Sure it’s not that bad if you buy a pass, but I’m not there long enough to need one. Anyway, all said and done I fly into NY on Thursday morning, Kurt is picking me up around 11 am and we are hanging out, then he’s dropping me back at the airport on Friday and I’m flying up to Boston to hang out with Bill…now debating letting my friend Craig, who is the reason I know Bill, that I’m going to be up there as well. Craig is even in town right now for work and will be seeing him tonight again (guess depends on how drunk I get if I let him know about my trip or not!), and I should probably tell him. If he finds out and I haven’t told him that might be weird…but at the same time, I kind of do want to see and spend time with Bill, but at the same time too, I’d like to meet Craig’s girlfriend that he has still failed to tell me about…darn him…if things are serious he’s supposed to share!!

So I did tell him...And we all went out for a fun Girls night on Friday, well, girls plus Craig!! I didn't get up early for my run on Saturday since it was a late night and instead headed out later, around 4, and managed 14 miles at an 8:54 or so pace...I'm still shooting to get the long runs to average 8:45 and I'm hoping at least by the 20 milers I can get one of them down there...I followed that up with 7 miles around Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles today. Averaged 8:50 pace there. And for the week I logged 54 miles.

Tempo Thursday and Cake

Here’s hoping…although as I type this, it will not post till after my run (unless I go home and post it, then run and then post again, would that be super silly?). I really am pressuring myself on my running, as you can see on my last post. Why? Who knows. I need something to freak out over maybe? Anyway last night I was up a bit later than planned, a friend is in town and I was asked to sub in on a kickball team, so between all that it was quite late when I went to bed, so I didn’t get a run in this morning the way I wanted to, but that means my legs have had 48 hours of nothing but a 30 minute bike ride in them (OK, not quite, but close) since my hill runs. I’m hoping for a really good tempo run tonight…and to try to solidify that, I had a 2:30 snack that has been shown in the past to be good for that. Cake. Yes, you read that right. Remember from 2006? Cake = Super Food? Anyway, I’m attempting it today and it wasn’t even an accidental thing. Nope. This was an, I was out running errands for lunch and I stopped at a grocery store that has a good bakery and has cake, smaller slices (and I cut the piece into two pieces, one for today and one for tomorrow). I wanted chocolate with white frosting, which wasn’t to be had, since chocolate for some reason goes with chocolate and white with white…I settled for the marble that was mostly chocolate and had chocolate and white buttercream frosting on it. Yummy!! Now only hope it works.

In other news. In prep for Twin Cities, and the group coming into town for it, I got a space booked at a bar that for some reason I overlooked till now…we will be having Happy Hour on Friday before the race and getting to know each other more. This is a combination of people from my two yahoo groups I’m part of. That should be fun.

So yes, I made it through my run. Was supposed to be 9, I did 10.5 (we finished at 8.5 on Tuesday and I had to make that even mileage). First two warm up miles felt really sluggish and I prepped for a bad run...second was close to 10 minute pace even but I had lost signal a bit. Anyway, I stepped it up and my first tempo mile was a disappointing 8:30, but then I had a 7:48, 7:44, 8:04, 7:44, and 7:33. The overall pace for the 10.5 was 8:24, which isn't bad. It's still a bit slower than what I would need to qualify and 25 seconds slower than the pace I'd like to run...so we'll see. I did tell myself after the first mile that was slower than tempo I wanted, to just relax and let it go...and after that it did and while it never felt as flawless as one run I remember well, it was faster than that run and still felt OK. So I'll get there...hopefully!

Marathon Freak Out

I was a little willy nilly on my typing last night. I blame the damn, I mean dam hill I ran with the group. I think I was on the verge of seeing the purple Martians (purported to be seen when carbo depletion is in effect late in distance races!!). Anyway, what I was thinking about all day yesterday, 2 months before marathon date, were my fears of how my training is going (yes, we all get that self-doubt on our training don’t we? But doesn’t that usually wait till taper time?) and if I’m doing the right things. I just don’t feel like I’ve gotten to the level and/or point that I need/want to be at this time.

My long runs have been going well, and the hill workouts I’ve survived, I just haven’t had any speed or tempo workouts (OK, technically they are kind of one and the same but I see intervals in the speed category and tempos as different, and really, they do build different things) that set me over the top. Nothing so far that says, yes, this training is going well and I’m so glad I run. Nothing like the last really great training I had and great marathon time I had, that said yes, you have it in the bag, this is the best run ever and I’m so lucky to be a runner (yes, I had one of those, it was during a rain storm even…one of the best runs I’ve ever had and faster than I had ever expected). I had one good tempo run, like 4 weeks ago now that really helped me feel good about it, the next two sucked, then I had the relay in there and those runs you’d think would have me feeling good (considering I ran 6.7 at a 7:30 pace, which is basically what I’d like my tempo pace to be at right now and then I managed to average 7:37 for 14.6 miles over a period of 18 hours) but while they did at the time, now I’m back to doubts…I’m 8 ½ weeks from marathon date, and I’m questioning everything…and I’m still in heavy, building into even heavier, training mode…shouldn’t that be enough to tell me that I’ve got it and don’t have to worry, still plenty of training time left?

I have one run, just a little over 18 in, that was slower than I’d like, but I did manage some faster miles at the end and average pace was still within the 60-90 seconds per mile slower than race pace you’re supposed to have. I have three 20 milers on the schedule (and one or two will be more than 20) and that’s what I had for my PR marathon, although I did have 2 18 milers in there too, but I think I’m close…mileage is a little lower than for that time around, but I’m at about the same scheduled mileage this week. I think it’s the fact that I have done NO intervals that might make me nervous…and that the tempos I’ve most recently tried have been a bust. I have one on the schedule for tomorrow. Trying to decide if it will be morning or afternoon. Seems the afternoon ones have been better for me, so maybe that’s what I need to do…I have nothing going on till a bit later tomorrow evening anyway, and I can sleep in a little bit then tomorrow (will probably still get up for a light run to loosen up for the afternoon since today I’m taking off and my legs will probably be stiff from the hills by tomorrow).

I think to convince myself of my training I need to really do that compare I was talking about. When I get time I’m going to run from the time I’m at now with training left vs what I did last time and try to adjust…based on finish time then and hoped for finish time now. I wouldn’t be so freaked but I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself to make this goal, my parents are going to be there and I really want to give them a good show, and with that pain in my heel…I did just order a night split and a book called The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution or something along that line on Amazon…both had good reviews…let’s hope they help. I should’ve paid the money and gotten overnight shipping to have it now…hopefully they don’t take too terribly long. Apparently the book is an 8 week thing and the splint people had good success in 7 weeks (some even noticed overnight). I hope…mine is mild still…so hopefully…

The Dam(n) Hill

Yes...tonight was hill workout night. We ran the dam hill...literally...that's what it is. A run up from the Ford Dam...We me just under 2 miles from this wonderful hill and ran to it for a warm up. The hill itself is just under .25 miles, so we ran down, then up, and down, and up...for 10 repeats...oh yes...it was fun. Apparently this will help us come marathon day up Summit hill...I don't know. Personally I think they were trying to kill us. That hill definitely seemed never ending!!

Today it is 2 months to Twin Cities. Yes, two months from today I'll be hoping to break my PR. I'm very nervous. I decided I need to actually review my PR marathon training and compare it to now...in a quick review I'm really not sure where I'm at and where I was. I was doing A LOT more interval training then. A lot more miles, etc...and not much for tempo runs. Now my easy runs are faster, my long runs are faster, I have about the same amount of long runs planned, but I'm just not feeling like I'm doing enough. Maybe it's the lack of speed work in intervals or the lack of tempo runs (well, I've done them, just not fast enough) I just don't know...one of the coaches at the training group tonight told me to follow the plan, see what happens...but thing is, I can't afford to do something that might not be enough and might not quite work. Especially with only two months left!! It really has me feeling quite ill...just what I don't need...this has been a weirdly stressful week so far too. Long story on that to come!

Bad Sunday Night TV

OK, it was either Lifetime movies (which I have to admit I’ve seen a couple of them today, weather is kind of icky and I was supposed to take a rest day…I only did 3 miles…and stretched A LOT!!) or I flipped down and found Bridezilla…since I’m now in a wedding again (after a 6 year break) I figured I should watch it and prepare. Of course this is a friend’s wedding that I was in her first wedding and it was fine so I don’t see any problems this time around but I had to blog about this…

I watched the end of one, and this was the woman’s 3rd wedding, 2nd wedding to the guy she was marrying (yes, they had married and divorced and were marrying again) so wedding number 3, she flipped out at the rehearsal. Told her bridesmaids that they all had to wear girdles so they didn’t have tummys sticking out (not that she was small in that area herself!) and that some of them (including her 16 year old daughter) had to stuff their bras so they looked fine for the pics…umm…yeah…then she went back to the rehearsal and apparently it was someone at the rehearsal’s birthday and someone had gotten that person a cake…she went ballistic and grabbed some of the cake and rubbed it in the face of the guy that had brought it!! Then went off on it being her rehearsal, her day and no one should steal her thunder…umm…yeah…wedding number 3 (even if it wasn’t number 3, it still would hurt nothing to have a cake for someone else at the REHEARSAL!) and she was a psycho. Man…

So it’s a marathon apparently and number 2 that I’m catching has a woman and her fiancée that were going to a cake tasting, her fiancée missed the first and was insisting on tasting it before the wedding, even thought it was already ordered and basically he had no choice anyway, and he doesn’t look like a guy that passes up much for food (he was saying he doesn’t like red velvet cake which I guess is part of it, I don’t ever quite get that cause it’s just chocolate cake colored red and is very good) and they brought him samples of a bunch of cakes and he just started wolfing them down and she’s yelling at him telling him that he needs to fit into his tux (his size, I doubt that little bit of cake would affect hum!). Of course he tried and liked the red velvet and she was smug about that…then she’s insisting on him doing a boot camp to lose some weight for the wedding…that’s only a few days away…and she isn’t in great shape either so not sure where she has time to complain about him!! Ah well….it’s entertainment right? That’s why these things get so much viewership!

Long Run Saturday

Long run with the group today. It was a set 18 miles and we ended up with 18.35 on my Garmin. Pace was 2:47: 54, and overall pace of 9:09. Not as good as the last couple, but I survived it, which was the important thing. We ran starting at Lake Harriet, and went out 9 miles long the Twin Cities Marathon course and then back, not quite the same route but close, so I've seen a portion and roads of the course that I haven't seen or done before. Nothing too scary there...the biggest part of the hills is toward the end, and we do that section of the course as part of the long runs too.

I got done and was beat. My legs are still feeling really tight, I didn't stretch as good as I should've that's for sure. And my heel was aching badly. I've iced it twice and used a golf ball on it a bit trying to loosen it up. I was supposed to be going to the Nine Inch Nails concert tonight, but Trent Reznor is ill and so the concert was postponed...probably a good thing for me since I am achy...had a few options of other things to do, but not sure yet if I will or not.

I'm thinking that everyone is right too, about me maybe not being recovered from last weekend. I have been extra tired this week and that could be why the runs haven't been so good. Although Tuesday was decent and today I kept up with the leaders in the group so who knows. It was a bit more difficult on Tuesday though. My debate now is run tomorrow and get my planned mileage for the week (I'm at 45.35 right now and planned 50) or take it off and try to let myself recover a bit more. We'll see how I feel in the morning I guess.

Oh, and I think I'm finally caught up on my blog reading after being gone!!

I HATE Tempo Runs

Another sucky one bites the dust...this one was total crap though. Even worse than any of the previous two weeks (last week I didn't do one due to the relay, but if you recall the two previous ones were not nearly what I had wanted, although the one before that was perfect, difference, last 3 were in the morning the other was in the afternoon). Today was not even a single mile under 8 minutes...and I wanted at least 5 at 7:30...I did it last weekend at the race...what is wrong with me? OK, morning is different, and no, I don't eat before I go out, BUT, I'm used to going up to even 12 miles without breakfast...what's wrong now? I did the relay, but mileage last week was only in the 20s. This week on Tuesday (I didn't run Sunday or Monday being tired from the trip) the group ran hills at Hyland Park and it was hot and humid and a tough workout, 7.65 miles at right around 8:30 pace...I ran last night 6.35 miles (I can't have odd miles on my log!) easy and then this morning the 9 was a second per mile slower than last nights...I was all over the board and had to walk. My legs feel like jelly and I'm exhausted feeling...still....this is hours after that run. (stupid computer restarted on me before I got this posted) I was at a movie (The Dark Night Rocks!!) and ran out to my car for something and my legs didn't want to cooperate...easy run tomorrow might have to wait.

Ragnar

The short of it:

Up at 6:15 am Friday, July 25th , 2008. Traveled team 185 miles to the finish by 12:30ish pm on Saturday, July 26th, 2008. Had a few minutes nap before 2nd run, and 3 hours or so of interrupted sleep, on the ground, in an open field (had a sleeping bag) before getting up to ride and run one more leg…total of 14.6 miles, averaged 7:37 pace (according to the somewhat official time we kept over the course, about right according to Garmin too), tiny nap on the way to Gig Harbor, WA where we spent Saturday night, and didn’t go to bed till about 11 pm that night…there is a reason the shirts had the logo “Drive. Run. Sleeep? Repeat.” On them…I love the shirt! Oh, and our team was 63rd overall of 142 finishers and 10th in our division of mixed submasters (all members over 30).

Race, long report:

Where to begin…

This all kind of came about with a blog I began reading a year and a half ago or so. I was enjoying reading about her training for Hood to Coast, a group of running friends out there all tend to run it and some of them have been running it almost since it first started. They also have other relays some of the team have done together. Last year they had two people back out of Hood to Coast a day or two before the race and I stated then that if I only lived closer I so would’ve done it. Well, Annette told me she would keep me in mind for next year (meaning 2008). Last February she told me she was still keeping me in mind, but it was a pretty set team, however, there was a new relay they were going to do, it was a Ragnar series race, (we were told they plan to have 16 of them in the next year) in the Northwest Passage of Washington. I thought it sounded fun and it fit better into my training (end of July vs end of August) anyway so I signed on. The group didn’t, however, know that I was someone Annette knew from online. It didn’t phase me doing it since I’ve met numerous other running friends online and met up with them at races and it’s all been fine so just one more and not a big deal.

We were maybe going to need to go to the start on Thursday night, so I flew in on Wednesday before the race. No problems getting in and was picked up by Annette, Karen and Debbie, who were all on the team. Although Annette had a bad incident on Tuesday before the race, twisting her ankle which put her out of the race…Debbie’s husband stepped in though so no one had to pick up extra legs. I stayed with Annette and her husband Brian on Wednesday night and Thursday (I was in Van 2 and it was decided we would meet the team on Friday at the first big exchange zone). We had lunch on Thursday, Annette, myself, Karen and Kristina (another of the team, and also in the van that I was in) and I saw the town of Canby where they all live, just south of Portland. The plan was to meet up at Jack’s (captain) at 7:15, although not everyone got the message, Kristina picked me up and we were there, as was Jason, the replacement for Annette and Debbie’s (she was in van 1) husband. Karen (Debbie’s sister) and Derek, that last of the crew, arrived and we got things loaded and got ready to leave. Jason had to work on Sunday morning, so he was driving to the ferry landing and we were picking him up to head to exchange 6, Karen rode with him and the rest of us went and loaded up the van, got ice for the cooler and got some coffees to wake us up. Finally we were off…probably about 8:45.

Drive was fun, getting to know everyone (Kristina hadn’t met Jack or Derek before either and she commented to me how we were riding up with them and she didn’t know them, but she knew me, so it was good, and I kind of thought yeah, I know the feeling since I had flown out to see a bunch of people I didn’t know really either!! But hey, it’s all good…just weird how things happen) and it seemed to go by quickly…we met up with Jason and Karen (after freaking them out when Derek told them we had stopped at REI because I wanted to see it) and were on to Bellingham for a quick lunch and then meeting up with Van 1 at exchange 6, where our group took over. They had been told we were running behind so we had them a little freaked (it included telling them I had fallen off the rock climbing wall at REI and hurt my ankle) but all was good. They had eventually figured we were BSing them. Except for the person running at the time, she saw me when she passed off to our runner and asked how my foot was, I told her it had been a joke, she slapped my arm for it!! Exchange went well, Derek was first, and he had a short run, but it turned out to have a tough climb for him, so we had a little time before he got in (turned out the elevation maps for each leg were really spot on, I’ve never seen that for a race before). It was very cool as we passed him and yelled encouragement on the route to him and other runners, and then cheered people in at the exchange. For those that haven’t done a relay before, they use slap bracelets between runners so you don’t have to carry a baton or something, and you drop the one runner off, pick up the next, mark on a clipboard your times at each exchange and calculate running times off that. Each exchange had port-a-potties which was nice and depending on the runner’s leg, you could drive out and give them water at a point if they felt they would need it. Plus it gave you a chance to cheer your runner through tough spots. It went from Derek to Jason, Jason to Karen and then Karen to Jack, only we screwed up and didn’t see Karen come in and were just heading down to watch for her and she had been there for a bit…oops…but from then on it was good. Kristina was after Jack and then it was me…My first leg was leg 12, a 6.6 mile run (although Garmin had it at 6.7). First four miles were FLAT and kind of boring, I was hitting consistent 7:30 miles and enjoying passing people and hearing cheers from other teams and my own as they passed and then checked on me…I didn’t need water and they went on to the next exchange. Finally hit a few light rolling hills, which I welcomed (flat is very boring and kind of tough mentally when you’re used to a little hill challenge) and it ran along Puget Sound so nice views between the trees…Got into the exchange and was happy to have finally had a run. We relaxed a little bit, I stretched, then it was off to find something to eat before getting to the next exchange…real food vs the junk of oh, double stuff oreos (that my team informed me they had gotten into while I was running!) and milk duds, some bananas, peanut butter and bagels were in there too…Dinner was good, but kind of wish we hadn’t eaten to a degree, as I think I would’ve maybe liked a bit of sleep more, but then I was on an adrenaline rush so probably wouldn’t have slept anyway. It was then off to exchange 18 where we tried to nap a bit, but the team was almost there so we had to get stuff settled on the van and get going…

The exchange went, Derek looked good when we passed him and he didn’t want water, just sent us on to the exchange, same for Jason, Karen had an unfortunate incident where she got lost, turns out some of the signs were being messed with by kids, something uncontrollable unfortunately, so she got a little lost and came in much later than we expected. At this time it was pitch black and we were wearing vests and carrying flashlights too, so even scarier for her I’m sure. Jack’s was fine, but after we took off I really felt for Kristina, she had the worst run that set by far…very steep climbs. She was still not ready to talk about it on Sunday. My leg was only 3.6 miles but started on a steep downhill which was doing a number on my heel, then a climb and another drop and finally a run across a bridge to Whidby Island where the finish happened. It would’ve been a beautiful run, too bad it was dark…the cross to the island looked quite cool. I passed off the bracelet just thinking, now I can sleep for a bit…and that was our next move. We headed right to the exchange zone and took sleeping bags over to a field behind a school where I laid down and was out…others said they hadn’t slept much cause of the noise…I heard nothing!! Even with the hard ground I was just out.

So last legs came up starting around 7 am…everyone was trying to get someone else to run their last leg and talking about how they couldn’t wait to be done, but it was all in jest. Derek finished, was hurting, but he then asked who else wanted to give up their leg. Apparently he is notorious for taking others legs…anyway, no one took him up on it and we drove on, more cheering etc…My last leg was the last leg. I took the bracelet for what was set to be my hardest too. It was only 4.4 miles but had a decent climb a mile in, and then a climb to the finish. And it was at the end of all this so sleep deprived it wasn’t real easy. I had some good music…and partway up the hill my team stopped to cheer me on (well, actually it was at the top of the hill) and there was another team yelling really loudly for me too. That helped…I got to the top of the climb though and thought my arms were going to fall off. Actually I wanted to cut them off as I felt it would be easier. It was luckily a nice decent and getting toward the bottom I saw the Welcome to Langley sign, that was the town we were finishing in and knew I was only about a mile from the finish. The other team that had been on the hill was there again and yelled for me, even doing the wave…that was cool. I did my final climb and came around the corner to where the finish was, had a picture taken by Karen and then we all run down a chute to finish together (except for Debbie and Jason who had had to leave so he could get home and get some sleep for work on Sunday). The rest of the group included Doug, Del, Kathy, Cathy, Debbie and Bettie. Had some pictures taken at the finish and then over to the beer tent. I saw the other team that had been cheering and thanked them…one of the girls commented on my skirt (I was wearing one of my running skirts for the last leg) as she had one of the same brand. And they had known me as “pink skirt”…Beer was good, we then grabbed coffee and hit the ferry to head to Gig Harbor where we were spending the night. We had dinner then got some beer and hung out on the deck before crashing around 11. The next morning we did a kayak trip around the harbor for about an hour, I finally got to see a harbor seal, he (or she) was out fishing and it was quite cool to see from the kayak…I was wondering if I was the only one seeing it when I noticed Bettie nearby, and then Derek and Jack came up and I told them and then it popped up again and they saw it. Very cool. The rest of the group asked me if I had seen it and they were quite happy I had since I had talked about them. Then on the trip back to Portland it was decided to take me to some waterfalls outside Portland…talk about a gorgeous view!! (and a steep 1.3 mile climb up and then back down, OK, the run apparently wasn’t difficult enough, Kristina was having a bit of a tough time though and had headed back as she has been doing a boot camp with Annette that is killing them, and part of how Annette hurt herself!!) Then it was off to head home. The red eye was tough. Although my first leg was pleasant as I had a nice (and fairly attractive) guy I was sitting next to talking to on the flight. We exchanged facebook info…I got home and opted to sleep for a couple of hours before going to work. Was awake around 10:30 though and went in, even though I was a zombie…

Overall a really great experience though. I’m definitely game for doing one again. I hope to maybe go out and run with this team again next year, either for this relay or maybe their Hood to Coast team. I wouldn’t mind getting a team together for the local one here too. One thing about it, even though it’s a lot of running, it doesn’t tear you up as much as it might seem. I definitely am up for my 18 miler that’s on the plan for this weekend. Only reason I didn’t run yesterday was because I was so tired…Oh, I also tried some good microbrews out there as well. Next time I will plan on staying longer too. I was told all these great things they would’ve taken me out and done had I been there longer…I just hadn’t wanted to impose on people I didn’t know real well and wasn’t sure about people’s work schedules, etc…next time I’ll know!

Traveling to Oregon

My adventure started on Wednesday afternoon at the airport. I was scheduled to fly at 5:30 and was being picked up by Supershuttle at 2:45 or so, it was a little early and there were no other pickups so I was at the airport early and through security quite quickly since I had pre-printed my boarding pass. Gave me time to kill so I went for a beer at the Rock Bottom Brewery location at the airport. Had a couple there and talked to a few people sitting at the bar…then finally it was time to start the long journey.

Flight to Phoenix was uneventful and on time and on time to Portland. I had called Annette and told her things were looking good for on time and when I called her on arrival she was just getting to the airport. She had hurt her ankle earlier this week and was unfortunately out for the relay, but she came with Karen and Debbie who were running with us as well. We got back to Annette’s and plans for lunch the next day were confirmed. I got settled in and was out for the night. Of course woke quite early, even after having been up late, and after a shower and some chit chatting with Annette for a bit, Kristina and Karen arrived and we headed off to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch. We sat outside and had a nice conversation…finally we headed back and Annette and I went shopping for snacks for me to bring with for the race. Then some time by the pool and finally off to dinner at a little pizza place in Oregon City. Back from dinner and made an earlier night since it was going to be an early morning.

I'm Back!!

Safe and sound...red eyes are NOT fun!! (I can't sleep on planes!) But the trip was a whirlwind and a blast...I will try very hard to get an update up, even just a brief one, tonight, but if not tonight for sure by Wednesday (running group tomorrow night and dinner after the run). Off to work for a couple hours now!