Pile on the miles

May was my highest mileage month so far.  I love that I keep track of my miles.  I started doing it last year when I first started running.  I can't believe that I have been a runner for not-quite-a-year, and I've already run in so many races.  When I stop to think about it, it's kinda crazy!  But I LOVE it!!

Because I also love statistics, here are some for you:
January: 62 miles run, 1 race (5K)
February: 85 miles run, 1 race (5K)
March: 101 miles run, 1 race (5mile)
April: 99 miles run, 2 races (6mile, 8K)
May: 106 miles run, 2 races (20K, half marathon)

This puts me well on my way to my 1000 mile goal for 2010.  June will be another high mileage month, as will every month leading up to September's marathon.  June will also see two more races.  The Bellin Run, which will be my very first 10K (!) and a small race in Auburndale to (hopefully) PR in a 5K.  But, I am most looking forward to Jaden's first race.  It will be my proudest blog post ever!

Tonight will bring an easy-ish 3-4 mile run.  My legs feel like they can handle a decent tempo run.  So, I"m just going to let them go and see what happens.  I was hoping to run outside, but it has been raining off and on with a chance for thunderstorms, so I will stick to the treadmill.

National Running Day

Happy National Running Day!!  I love that this day exists.  I am going to be partaking of the celebration, but I'll have to wait until tonight.  I'm stuck at work today (not really 'stuck' but you get the idea), so I will be running my 3 miles after dinner. 

Yesterday, I did a very easy three mile run on the treadmill just to see how my legs felt after Sunday's half marathon.  I actually felt better than I expected, but there was no way I was going to be increasing my pace.  Slow and steady was all I could handle.  I'm pretty sure the same thing will apply today.  My quads are starting to feel a bit better, but I really see no reason to go all-out at this point.  I'm just going to keep rocking my 'recovery' runs today and tomorrow. 

I am still waiting to hear about a permanent job possibility.  I am hoping to know for sure sometime this week.  I am getting anxious.  I would love to have some stability regarding employment.  While I would eventually love to find a full-time position, part-time will allow me the opportunity to continue my marathon training...and really, that's what I'm most looking forward to right now.  ;-)

I hope you are all enjoying your Wednesday!  I am all confused on what day it is.  Monday was the holiday and I was off yesterday, so I feel like today is Monday.  Oh well, makes for a short week.  I'm one day closer to heading to Colorado for the Hungry for Hope Conference!

You're getting warmer...

It seems that everyday, when I look at the race weather for Sunday, the temps keep climbing up. 
71 degrees
76 degrees
82 degrees
85 degrees

It appears that it is going to be a warm one, folks.  I will be guzzling lots of water and I'm lucky enough to have a couple spectators who will be showing up at strategic points on the course to supply me with extra water.  After my 20K at the beginning of the month, I have learned not to depend on the water stops for sufficient hydration needs.

On the race website, they list all the water stops and what will be available: water, gatorade, GU, or bananas.  I am going to try my best to plan my race and my fuel and hydration needs appropriately.  But I know that things could always change.  I'm Type A, I need a plan.  I feel like I'm floundering without one.

I really hope that the temps don't get too warm.  Even though the race starts at 7:15, I know that it will warm up pretty quickly, especially with all those people running.  I've got my list started of all the things I need to bring with me.  My Garmin is charged and I've been working on my ipod playlist.  Now I just need Sunday to get here!!

But, first, I have to pass my NREMT practical exam on Saturday.  That is another issue entirely.

Hope you are all having a great Thursday.

Worrier

I am going to share something with you that has never happened to me before.  I can't decide what to worry about more.

I have my National Registry exam on May 29th.  This is the practical exam culminating everything I have learned in my EMT class.  There are 6 different stations where I will have to demonstrate competency in everything ranging from splinting a shoulder to treating a trauma patient.  It will be me and the evaluator and my bundle of nerves.

The next day, on May 30th, is my half marathon in Madison.  I feel like I have been working so hard leading up to this race.  It is definitely my 'A' race (as if I am that good) for the spring.  I'm trying to think ahead to make sure that I remember to take along everything that I will need: the right shoes, fully loaded ipod, GU, sunscreen, correct running attire (depending on the weather), etc.  I am excited to finally complete a half marathon, but I also have a goal of doing it in under 2:15.

Then there is the logistics of the entire weekend.  I have to find my way to the evaluation site in Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday morning.  I have to make sure that I bring enough food with me to get me through the day and also to load up on carbs so that I will have energy for the race.  Tim has to meet me in Wisconsin Rapids when he gets done with work so that we can drive to Madison.  We have to stop at the race expo so that I can pick up my packet and check out the expo.  Then we will head to my aunt's house for a fantastic dinner and hope that she isn't mad at me for announcing my vegetarianism and potentially putting a damper on her dinner plans.  I am hoping that I can get enough sleep Saturday night so that I can wake up rested and ready on race day.   I need to plan out where we are going to park before the race and where Tim and Sharon should plan to stage along the race course to get pictures and give me encouragement and water.

So, you can see my dilemma.  When I think about my National Registry Exam I start to get nervous about whether I will be properly prepared.  But, then I remember that my half marathon is the next day and then I start to get nervous about that.

When I think about the half marathon, I worry that I will be properly rested and fueled.  But, then I remember that my National Registry Exam is the day before and I get nervous about that.

What is a girl to do?  This morning I found myself reciting my trauma assessment sheet in the shower!

1000 miles

Did you know that I am on par to run more than 1000 miles this year?  I randomly decided to do the math.  In order to run 1000 miles in a year, I need to average 19.23 miles per week.  Definitely do-able, but there will be a few taper weeks built in leading up to some of my bigger races. 

Averaging 19.23 miles per week for each of the first 21 weeks of the year (not quite through the 21st week) would put me at 403.85 miles for the year.  I'm currently at 427.2 miles for the year.  This is pretty cool!  I had no idea that I could even run 1000 miles in a year. 

I need to give myself more credit! 

I am strong! 

I can do it! 

I AM A RUNNER!!!

Today's run

I don't know what that craziness is at the end.  I didn't count that.  I think I accidentally started the time when I was getting my lap splits.  Apparently, I need a Garmin tutorial.

Even though my run was kinda a bust, I got a few pics of the nice bike path where I ran for part of my time today. 

I was relishing the shaded parts because (once again) I forgot sunscreen.  I don't think I got too burned, but I need to remember to bring some when I am going to be running outside.

I found a little park (with a small lake).  I might go back there some day and do some trail running.  I just wasn't feeling the trails today and decided to stay on the paved paths.

Thank God for shelters with bathrooms and running water to fill my hydration belt.  :-)

I also need to thank good friends for letting me show up at their house for the sole purpose of using their shower.  See, I got done with work at 1:00 and it just didn't make sense for me to drive home (30 minutes), then go on my run and shower, just so that I could drive back to Marshfield (30 minutes) for my EMT class tonight.  So, I ran after work, showered at Teena's house and then met my friend Barb who was gracious enough to lend me some cookbooks and Vegetarian Times magazines to help me in my vegetarian transition.  I am going to have a lot to look through and I can't wait!  Tim is going to love going veggie.  ;-)

What is your favorite vegetarian recipe? 

NOT nine miles

Don't you just hate it when all your good planning goes to crap?!?  That is what happened for me today.  I had planned on running 9 miles after work, but then everything started conspiring against me.  And by 'everything' I mean me.

I started out and felt good for the first little bit.  It was hot out, but I had my hydration belt, so I felt prepared.  But about a mile and a half into the run, I started having stomach issues.  I am not one who usually deals with this particular problem.  I have occasionally had to pick up my pace to get to a restroom, but for the most part, I'm not in extreme discomfort or anything like that.  Today was different.  I dealt with actual pain.  I was NOT having a good time, and I new before I even hit the 2 mile mark, that I wouldn't be completing nine miles today.

Also, my legs didn't feel very good.  I think I need to adjust my training schedule.  Typically, it has looked like this for the last couple weeks:
Saturday:  long run
Sunday:  rest/weights
Monday:  speed work
Tuesday:  mid-distance run

I don't think that I am giving my legs a chance to fully recover.  Maybe I need to schedule an easy day on Mondays.  Or move my mid-distance run to Wednesday or Thursday.  I don't know.  All I know is that what I'm doing now isn't working.

Here are the sad stats:
Mile 1:  9:33
Mile 2:  9:22
Mile 3:  9:52
Mile 4:  10:19
Mile 5:  10:52 (included a walking break)
Mile 6:  10:43 (another walking break)
Mile 6-6.44:  4:24 (9:59 pace)

Total: 6.44 miles  1 hour, 5 minutes
Tomorrow is a day off (to spend with my family!) and then I'm into my taper.

Fourteen miles

For updates on my previous long runs, check these out:
10 miles
11 miles
12 miles
13 miles

Today's schedule called for 14 miles, a new personal distance record!  I was really looking forward to this run because I wanted to prove to myself that I could handle the half marathon distance, and then some! 

Unfortunately, the first 6 miles felt tortuous.  I don't know what was going on.  I was tired, I felt like I was dragging, and I just didn't feel comfortable in the run.  I'm not sure what happened after that, but I started feeling better and had a little more energy for the rest of the run.

Here are the stats:
Mile 1: 10:22
Mile 2:  10:34
Mile 3:  10:40
Mile 4:  10:17
Mile 5:  10:03
Mile 6:  10:18
Mile 7:  10:31
Mile 8:  9:50
Mile 9:  9:55
Mile 10:  10:15
Mile 11:  10:24
Mile 12:  10:29
Mile 13:  9:51
Mile 14:  9:56

Total time: 2:23:23 Average pace: 10:14

I'm a little bummed that I only an 4 miles under 10 minutes, but I'm going to try to be encouraged that all of them were in the second half of my run.

I took some fuel around mile 8:

This is a new brand and flavor.  I think it was vanilla strawberry.  Not too bad.  I would try it again.

I wore my hydration belt with twenty ounces of water, but I also stashed two 20 oz bottles of water along my course.  And I came home with no water left.  I think I definitely need to get a four bottle hydration belt.  If anyone wants to sponsor me, I'm currently coveting the Nathan Speed 4R. 

I am so glad that my mom is willing to take Jaden for the morning so that I can go on my long runs.  He has so much fun over there.  Today, grandma gave him some 'jobs' to do and she even paid him for them when he finished.  He was very excited to get his own money for helping grandma.  he came home and immediately put it in his piggy bank.  I'm really lucky that she is willing to take him and that he loves going over there.  There is no way I'd be able to do my long runs without having someone to watch him.

Well, I am going to spend the rest of my day recovering and doing some house work.  I already have a load of laundry in the washer.  Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!

Runner's High

I will admit to stealing this from someone else, but it is just so good.


THE RUNNERS' HIGH
It's no longer sport, no longer just a game.
It has become a way of life.
Every breath is a stride, every heartbeat a string of silence.
It is a compulsion from deep within.
It is a passion for glory.
To go through the torment.
To last through the waiting.
To gain that one moment, alone with myself.
And only the few, who chance to strive, can know the experience.
To hear nothing but breath.
To feel nothing but heartbeat.
To feel so much like hell, running so close to heaven.
This is the Runners' High.
This is the feeling I live for.
This is the goal I strive toward.
If my chance disappears, part of my life would end.

Thirteen miles

Yikes!  I never thought that I would ever run 13 miles.   Last year, I was ecstatic to be able to run three miles.  But today I accomplished another personal distance record.  If you're interested in how my other double digit runs have gone, here are the recaps
10 miles
11 miles
12 miles

Today's run was a challenge.  It was COLD!

And windy.  And I actually got sleeted on while running.  God and I had a talk about that.  Mostly it was me yelling, and God listening quietly.

Regardless of the cold and wind and sleet, I came home a sweaty mess.  I am envious of those women who perspire.  You know, the ones who cross the finish line of a race with a little sheen on their forehead and that is about it.  I don't perspire.  I sweat.  A lot.  Just to appease my own curiosity, I decided to see how sweaty I was after today's run.  Well, I was actually able to squeeze sweat out of my sports bra.  And not just a drop or two; I got a steady stream.  I know that this is way over the edge of too much information, but I was (in a weird way) really proud of that.  But it also told me that I needed fluids fast.  I've been trying to drink as much water as possible since I got home.

Unfortunately, I also noticed a recurring problem that crept up again today.

I still haven't figured out why this happens.  I know that my toenails are cut short enough.  Also, it only happens on my right foot.  Other strange things about my right foot:  it is the only foot that gets blisters, and it is the only foot that experiences arch pain.  Not sure why that is.  My right knee tends to hurt more than my left, but my hips get equally tight and stiff.

I tried a new form of fuel today.

I understand why they call this espresso LOVE.  I loved it!  So yummy.  And one of the benefits of running when the weather is cooler, is that the GU doesn't get as runny.  I liked it today with a bit of a thicker texture.  I took the GU between mile 7 and 8 and then chased it with a bottle of water that I had stashed along my route.

Here are my splits.  I wasn't focusing on anything today other than getting in 13 miles.  I hardly ever even looked at my Garmin, because I knew that I just had to keep going.
Mile 1:  10:09
Mile 2:  10:28
Mile 3:  10:21
Mile 4:  10:44
Mile 5:  10:30
Mile 6:  10:47
Mile 7:  10:24
Mile 8:  10:09
Mile 9:  10:37
Mile 10:  10:21
Mile 11:  10:13
Mile 12:  10:05
Mile 13:  10:30
Total: 2:15:18 average pace: 10:24/mile.
My goal for the half marathon in a few weeks is 2:15.  I have a little ways to go.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with those splits.  I wasn't trying to run hard, but I like that I was pretty consistent.

On my graph, you can see the two times I had to stop and stretch my hips.  I probably should have stopped a few more times, but after running up a hill, they were especially tight.

I'm going to keep drinking lots of water the rest of the afternoon.  I also have to finish up some desserts for our church bake sale tomorrow.  I hope I have enough eggs....

"I guess today it's going to be winter"

That is what Jaden said to me in the car.  It is snowing today!  Yes.  In May.  I believe this is why I left Wisconsin in the first place.  Now, if someone could just remind me why I ever came back.....

On another note, I want to thank you all for your advice regarding the pain in my right foot.  I am still experiencing the pain, especially in the mornings, but I have found that stretching and massaging helps to warm up the muscle before I get out of bed.  I've also looked into some products designed to help, but I'm not sure I want to spend the money on them just yet.  I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing and see if I can keep the pain from getting any worse.

Does anyone else think that this was the l o n g e s t week ever?  I swear, it feels like my 20K was a month ago, and it has only been a week.  Of course, my legs are still recovering.  after Tuesday's exhausting 8 mile run, I decided to take things a little easier the rest of the week.  I took Wednesday off and shortened my planned runs for yesterday and today.  I had 6 miles scheduled for each day, but did 5.5 yesterday and 4.5 today.  So, 10 miles instead of 12.  Not a huge deal, but I still have to tell myself that it is okay to take it a little easier when that is what my body needs.  I'm planning a 13 miler tomorrow morning and I'm really hoping that the weather cooperates.  No snow would be a good start.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure that is going to happen.

My plan is to run from my house to the starting line of the Colby Cheese Days Chariots of Cheese race.  It is about .75 miles from my front door.  I am then going to run the 10K race course twice.  That way, I am close enough to my house to stop for more water or to use the bathroom.  I'll also get a bit of a hill workout in by running past the cemetery (twice).  I'm going to take it easy and just plan of the run taking me about 2.5 hours; especially if I have to stop for water.

Alright....time to get away from the computer and put some make up on for my job interview.  I'm nervous.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Whew!

I am so glad this morning is over!  It was a crazy morning.  Two providers+only one MA (me)=chaos!  I was running back and forth between each provider and their patients and trying to get the paperwork taken care of and rooming patients and doing eye exams and I was so happy to see lunch time roll around.  Being busy makes the morning go quickly, but I'm tired.  And I still have a lot of paperwork to catch up on this afternoon.  I know that I'll get it done, but I don't like to have things hanging over my head like that.  I much prefer doing things as they happen.  It makes me feel more in control.

I always look forward to Wednesday nights.  I don't have anything going on.  After a busy weekend and having something going on Monday (Bible study) and Tuesday (EMT class) nights, it just feels good to eat a meal with my family and curl up on the couch to catch up with the DVR.  Of course, I'll probably turn my EMS pager on, just in case something happens that would allow me to go on a call.

Yesterday's eight mile run was definitely more than I should have done so soon after my 20K last Saturday.  I am going to take today off and reschedule the rest of my runs this week.  I was planning on doing my 13 miler on Thursday or Friday, but I think I'm going to hold off until Saturday morning; assuming my mom can watch Jaden while I run.  My other runs for this week are supposed to be 6 miles each.  One of them may or may not end up being only 3 or 4 miles.  When I first came up with the crazy idea to run a half marathon, I read all about how many people would over-train and show up at the starting line exhausted and not properly rested.  I thought to myself, "there is no way I could ever do that."  Now, I'm not so sure.  I can see how easily it would be to get caught up in the training and the need to get all the miles in.  I have to keep reminding myself to listen to my body and give it what it needs: rest, nutrition, stretching, cross-training.

I am also experiencing some pain in my right foot.  The pain is in the arch of my foot and it is really bad in the morning right when I get out of bed.  I've been trying to massage it before getting out of bed, but those first steps are still painful.  I also try to stretch it throughout the day, but that can be a challenge with shoes on.  And I don't think I should take my shoes off at work.    Any suggestions on what I can do to deal with the pain?    (not running is NOT an option)

Hot eight miles

I know that I have said this before, but sometimes I just have to push through the hard part of the run, to get to the good feeling at the end.  Today's run was supposed to be an easy 8 miles.  The problem was that there was nothing easy about it.  It was HOT out today.  (Well, hot by Wisconsin standards....about 70 degrees.)  I don't know how I'm going to handle doing my long runs outside in this weather for my marathon training.  Last summer I didn't mind, but I was only running 2 miles at a time.  Now, I am going to be tackling double digits at least once a week.

When I started today's run, I really thought that it would be an enjoyable jaunt through Marshfield.  I was excited because I don't usually get to run there and I was looking forward to the change of pace.  But, I soon realized that it wasn't going to be an easy run.  My legs were tired, but body was tired, and my hips started feeling tight after a couple miles.  I actually thought about cutting it short and just doing 6 miles, but I knew that wasn't going to help me toward my ultimate goal. 

So, here are the stats for the 8 miles:
Mile 1:  10:03
Mile 2:  10:00
Mile 3:  10:19
Mile 4:  9:55
Mile 5:  9:54
Mile 6:  10:17
Mile 7:  10:08
Mile 8:  10:25

Total time:  1:21:04 Average pace: 10:06
The last time I ran an 8 mile training run: 1:21:09
At least I'm consistent.  I'd rather see improvement.

I was so tired at the end that I literally just ran 2 laps around the parking lot until I heard my Garmin beep the end of the 8th mile.  I desperately wanted the run to be finished.  But, I'm glad I stuck with it and finished it.  It is all leading me toward that marathon finish line.

Do you guys have to power through your workouts?  What do you do when you want to quit?

I did it

I tackled the lake!   I finished my 20K this morning (12.52 miles--the course was long) in 2:07:05. 

My sister was there to cheer me on.

What a difference a week makes!!  The weather was fantastic today.  There was a bit of a wind and it got a little gusty at times, but without it, it would have been too hot.

I'll be back with a full recap and stats later. 
Right now, Tim and I are going to celebrate the rest of our anniversary by getting him some running shoes (YAY!!), eating Indian food for dinner, and going to see How to Train your Dragon at the IMAX in 3D.  There will probably be ice cream after that because I feel like I could just keep shoveling food into my mouth.

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday.

Why do I run?

I often get asked why I run.  Especially from people who have known me for many years; people who know of my long standing eversion to running.  I am not even sure what the turning point was, what event or series of events transformed to into a runner.  But, in the past few months, I have gone from saying "I run" to "I am a runner."  And it is a great feeling.  But why?

I'm not sure that I can answer that question fully.  Just as there are millions of people who run, there are also millions of reasons to run.  Some people run purely for the exercise, others are running from something, or to something.  Some have been given a gift of talent and run to capitalize on that gift.

I run because I have to.  Now, I know that sounds strange.  I have been running for less than a year, and before that, I spent more than 30 years avoiding running at all costs.  So for me to tell someone that I need to run, is strange indeed.  But it is the truth.  There is something inside me that drives me forward, pushes me when I am tired, motivates me when I would rather not run.  I don't know what that force is, but I know that if I could sell it, I would make millions.

I run because it is my time.  It is a chance for me to refocus, to recenter, to regain.  Some people run in groups because the love the commaraderie of running.  They use the time to connect with friends and talk about what is going on in their lives.  I would do that.  I certainly love running with people.  It makes the time go faster and offers a distraction from the repetitive miles.

But I prefer to run alone.  I don't know if that makes me a loner or not.  I just know that I use that time to think and to pray and to talk to God and to talk through my own issues.  Sometimes I will listen to music, or podcasts, but a lot of the time, I just listen to my breathing and the sound of my feet pounding the pavement.  There is peace in the repetitive sounds and movements.  There is joy in pushing my body and feeling it respond. 

I run as a way to show my appreciation to God for giving me the ability to run.  I run to revel in His creation; both nature, and my body.  I guess that in a way, I run as a form of worship.  It sounds grandiose and I understand that, but running is so much more than putting one foot in front of the other for endless miles.

Running helps me to be a better person.  It gives me a chance to evaluate myself.  A time to work through personal struggles and decide how I should respond.  I think about what I've done and how I've reacted and I try to learn from those situations.  And there is no better way for me to do that than in the middle of a two hour run.

Some people like to talk through their difficulties with a trusted friend, and I see the value in that; I've done that.  Some people pray or journal or meditate or do yoga or drink or do any number of other things.  I'm certainly not saying that running is the only way to enlightenment.  Or even that running will ever get you to enlightenment.  All I know is that for me, the world is a clearer, better place after a run.  I am able to deal with what life throws at me.  I can think more clearly.  I can problem solve more effectively.  I can understand better and this makes me a better person.

And, there is a part of me that runs to set an example.  I am not the fastest, or the best, or the most graceful, or the most anything, but that is what gives me the opportunity to show people that anyone can run.  I want my son to run.  I want my husband to run.  I want my friends and family to run.  For way more than the physical benefits. 

So, now that I have waxed philosophical and you probably still don't understand why anyone would find joy in running for more than 2 hours (let alone 5!), I just want to let you know that the next time you see me on the road, and I neglect to wave back, please remember that I am probably doing a whole lot more than just running.

And I'm loving every minute of it.

Training plan anxiety

Yesterday I was working outside, doing some planting and cleaning up of the flower beds, and I noticed that my shins were a little tight and sore from Saturday's race.   I am usually not sore after races, but I knew that I pushed myself pretty hard.  I was interested to see how my legs would handle today's three mile run.  I am very happy to report that while I can still feel some tightness, there was no pain during today's run.  And I have no reason to think that tomorrow's 7 mile run should give me any problems.  I hope that the weather is nice enough tomorrow to do my 7 miles outside after I drop Jaden off at preschool. 

I am really struggling right now with following my training plan.  I had some very qualified help when I put together my training plan, so I (intellectually) believe that it is a good plan and that it will adequately prepare me to accomplish my goals.  But, I haven't had a double digit run in over two weeks and I am getting nervous.  Granted, last week was a scheduled light week and it corresponded to my minor taper leading up to Crazy Legs.  This weekend I have one of my big races for the season.  I am running a 20K (12.4 miles) around Lake Monona in Madison.  I know that I need to take it easy for a bit before a long race like that.  But, as I was running today, I realized that I have never run 12.4 miles.  I did 12 miles on my birthday, and I know (intellectually) that my body is conditioned to be able to complete the distance, but I like to KNOW that I can do something before I do it.  Usually this means that I will have already done it at least once.  My training plan has me running a 14 mile training run prior to my half marathon in a few weeks.

I know that it is not recommended to run a training distance equal to a marathon, prior to racing that distance.  And my training plan only takes me up to 22 miles.  But for some reason, I think that is okay.  I'm not worried about going from 22 miles to a race distance of 26.2.  Why?  I have no idea!  If I can rationalize that, I should certainly be able to rationalize going from a training distance of 12 miles, to a race distance of 12.4 miles.  I realize that you may think that I am insane.  You would be close to the truth.  I am just trying to learn to trust my body and to trust the training that I have put in.  If I were training to be competitive in this weekend's race, I probably would have skipped Crazy Legs and focused on another long run prior to the 20K.  But I wouldn't have given up the experience of Crazy Legs for anything!  So, instead, I will continue to worry and ponder and anxiously wonder if I have adequately prepared myself for 12.4 miles around the lake. 

I didn't pay attention

This morning's 8 mile run got away from me a little.  When I run on the treadmill, I have to cover the digital display.  If I didn't I would constantly be watching it and I would despair over how slowly I was running or how the distance just isn't going by as quickly as I would like it to.  Today, I was just chugging along at a pretty easy pace and watching some DVR'd shows.  I thought I had gone about 7 miles so I decided to take a look at the display to see exactly how much further I had to go.  Imagine my surprise when I saw that I had already covered 8.6 miles!  I finished out the quarter mile and was really pleased at how easy 8.75 miles felt to my legs.  Granted, the treadmill workout today didn't include any hills or head winds, but I'll take it!

I hope you are have a great Monday!!d

Marathon Monday!!

Today is the Boston Marathon!  I never thought that I would be excited about 28,000 people running through Boston, but suddenly my life is full of running and endurance dreams.  I hope to be a marathoner this year.  While I have no plans of ever running a BQ (Boston Qualifier), I can't wait until I can personally understand the pain and joy of completing 26.2 miles.  Personally, I am cheering for Ryan Hall.  He is an amazing runner to watch.  And of course, I would love an American to take the prize.  On the women's side, most of the elite runners with a chance to win are foreigners, but I can't wait to see how they tackle the course.  I am hoping to see part of the race before I have to go to work.  I'll be watching it online.  But now, I have to go run my own 8 miles.  This week is a bit of a taper week leading up to Saturday's Crazy Legs run in Madison.

Things I learned

Yesterday I ran 12 miles. I am still living off the runner's high and I can't wait until my run tomorrow to see how my legs feel.

I learned a lot from my 12 miles yesterday. I learned that cold temps, gusty winds and rain won't deter me. I will continue with my run. (now, snow and sleet would probably have produced a different result.) I learned that I can do anything for one more mile. When I started to doubt my ability to finish, I would just put my head down and power through for a little bit longer and pretty soon the defeated attitude would vanish.

I learned that running 12 miles makes me very hungry for the rest of the day. Like...STARVING! I don't even know if I could remember everything that I ate yesterday. I tried to keep it relatively healthy. The day started with oatmeal (with pumpkin and banana). When I got back from my run, I ate half a banana and then a slice of toast with peanut butter and banana. I had a hard time putting the peanut butter on the toast because I kept detouring straight to my mouth. I had a few slices of cheese and a big handful of dried fruit. And then another banana. After my interview I had a slice of orange-cranberry bread and a small cappuccino (running 12 miles also makes me really tired). I had some yogurt, fruit and granola before class and during class I had some carrots with hummus and a shamrock shake. After class I snacked on some yogurt and chocolate covered pretzels. I felt like I was eating the entire day, and I'm sure that I missed something in this list. I even woke
up hungry this morning and that never happens. It usually takes my body a couple hours to even realize that it is awake before it starts to think about breakfast.

I think one of the best things that happened yesterday (other than my 12 miles and relatively good interview) was the adorable video that Jaden made for me. He sat in front of the computer and showed me the birthday card that he made for me. He told me that he loved me 60 love! (I have no idea what that means, but I'm pretty sure it is a good thing.)

I hope you are all enjoying your 'hump day.' I'm working hard and looking forward to an evening with the family.

Blessings.

Twelve Miles!

Eleven Miles
Ten Miles

I've included the links to my previous double digits runs.  But I have to say that today's was the BEST!  After a bit of a downer start to the morning (that really only got me down for a short time), I decided to head out and pound the pavement for 12 miles.  I knew that the weather wasn't going to improve, and at that moment it wasn't actively raining so it seemed like a good time to start.

I headed the back way to Abbotsford, like I do frequently on my long runs because it gives me a good up and down hill (up over the highway) at the start of the run.  The wind was kinda gusty but I tried to just power through.  It had rained for most of the night, so my shoes, socks and feet got wet within the first mile and I have to admit that running with wet feet isn't the most enjoyable feeling.  I had no plans to push myself in the speed department.  My longs runs are all about building endurance.  I'll do my speedwork another time.
Here are some of the stats....

Mile 1:  10:31
Mile 2:  10:48
Mile 3:  10:39
Mile 4:  9:47 !!
Mile 5:  10:02
Mile 6:  10:20
Mile 7:  10:41
Mile 8:  10:27
Mile 9:  10:02
Mile 10:  10:17
Mile 11:  10:13
Mile 12:  9:51  !!!

There was some decent rain around miles 7-9 that made me question my sanity.  And I think every driver that passed me must have thought I had a screw loose to be running in that weather.

Just before mile 8, I had a Power Gel.

I had never had one of these before, but I picked some up last night for my long runs.  Honestly, the flavor wasn't as bad as I was anticipating.  It was just a little too sweet, though.  I felt like I needed a lot of water afterwards to kinda rinse my mouth out.  But I wanted to conserve my water because I still had 4 miles left.  I guess I will continue to use them.  They are really convenient.  I will have to see if I can find any flavors other than the Strawberry Banana.

One thing I love about my trusty Garmin is that I can see trends in my running.  I can look over previous runs and see how I was able to tackle those distances as compared with what I ran today.  For example:

March 2nd--8 miles--average pace: 10:08/mi.  Max speed: 7.8 mph
March 9th--9 miles--average pace:  10:45/mi.  Max speed:  7.4 mph
March 30th--10 miles--average pace:  10:29/mi. Max speed 7.1 mph

I see this and I get discouraged because my pace and speed are not going in the direction that I want them to go.  But, then I can look at things like elevation and maybe that can help me determine what route I was taking.  I can even look at the GPS and see exactly what route I took.  I also have to keep in mind that the weather has a huge impact on how I perform; as does what type of fuel I've eaten.

April 6th--11 miles--average pace:  10:16/mi. Max speed 7.1 mph
April 13th--12 miles--average pace:  10:18/mi Max speed: 8.1 mph

I can't wait to see what 13 miles will bring.  :-)