12.11.2010

Last Race of the Year

The last month has not been one my best for running.  My times have gotten slower and running and become less and less enjoyable.  My plantar fasciitis in my foot has been screaming.  I took some time off since my last half marathon and did a Thanksgiving 5K and ended up walking most of it.  At that point, I decided I needed to be super aggressive with my treatment.  I got some super heavy-duty arch supports and was wearing my shoes almost 24/7.  I slept in a splint but the moment I got out of bed it was into supportive shoes.  I also tried to do a lot of stretching my calves as well.  That has been going on for the last two weeks with absolutely no exercise what so ever.  


Today was my last race of the year.  I couldn't resist doing it since it was happening in my neighborhood and I could walk to the starting line.  I mean even I can't come up with an excuse to get out of that one.  Because of my injury though I signed up for the 1.2 miler.  I have never done a 1.2 mile race before so that's a race I can check off my race list.  I managed to do 3 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking.  I avoided looking at my watch for my pace and just listened to my body.  I was very pleased to finish the race in 14 minutes without any pain in my foot.  The great thing about this race, besides being outside my front door, is that the 5K, 10K, and 1.2 miler started all at the same time.  This meant my finish time allowed me to finish BEFORE all the speedy 5K people.  So I got a chance to watch them finish when usually I see those people walking to their cars while I am still on the course.  That was a nice change of pace.


Now with the last race race of the year under my belt, it's time to reflect on my accomplishments and set a vision for my running future in 2011.  Stay tuned...

11.14.2010

Half Marathon Number 15

I finished Half Marathon #15 today.  That's 15 half marathons in 14 months and the last one this calendar year.  It was 70 degrees today and the race started in the late morning so it definitely did not feel like a mid-November run.  My time was almost identical to Nike.  So not too great considering there wasn't a hill in sight.  And I walked up all the massive mountains along the Nike course.  Since I had plenty of time for reflection given my snail's pace, I realized my training had done an excellent job adequately preparing me to run slow.  I did 3 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking through most of the race and I could not pick up the pace.  By mile 10, I was just kind of over the whole thing and wanting to finish.  My next half will probably be January or maybe February.  In the meantime, I need to pick up the pace and do some speed workouts or I will truly become callipides who essentially ran around in circles.  Not fun and makes one terribly dizzy.

8.23.2010

Summer Breeze Half Marathon aka Winter Wind

     Finished my 12th Half Marathon since last October on Saturday.  I had reservations about doing the race given my limited training but I am so grateful that I did it.  Yes, getting up super early to make the drive down to San Leandro wasn't the most fun but the race was terrific.  There were only 165 runners in the half and I'm proud to say that I finished in 163rd place!  Even managed a 12th place finish in my age group (out of 13).  
     The race started at the San Leandro Marina and then ran along trails to almost what I presume was the San Mateo bridge.  The trails meandered along the bay which meant my labored breathing was muffled by the soothing sounds of waves lapping up against the rocks along the shore.  There were numerous water birds of various types along the course and we must of crossed five or six wooden foot bridges throughout the race.  All the aid stations were set up better than an all you can eat buffet!  Way too many choices which is a great thing.  The course was nice and flat and the summer breeze in the title felt like a winter wind as it was super cold.  I didn't mind after my experience in Philly.  It was a welcome relief.  I could have done without the head wind on the entire way back.  I also wish I hadn't managed to forget a turn and continue straight on the trail until I began thinking, "What happened to all the pink ribbons marking the course?"  and "What about that guy that wasn't too far ahead of me?"  At that moment, I heard some yelling behind me and saw another runner who we had been leap frogging each other throughout the race madly waving to me.  I figured out my mistake and managed to get back on the trail.  My goal was to catch up to my hero runner and give a proper thank you but I never managed to do that in the last five miles.  Thankfully, I had the opportunity after I crossed the finish line.  
     Final time was 3:14.19 which I am pleased with considering my lack of training, my off-course adventure, and the massive head wind.  I was happy that I managed to maintain the 3:1 run/walk breaks throughout (although they did get slower at the end).  I passed the 10 mile mark at 2:23 which is 20 minutes faster than my 10 mile time from last year.  I'm planning on the doing the 10 mile race again in a couple weeks so I think maybe a sub 2:20 is possible?  We'll see.  

8.09.2010

Long Time, No Run

I am finally back in California after training a new set of teachers during a hot and humid summer in Philly.  I had big goals of continuing and expanding my training regimen while in Philly but that didn't happen.  I did manage to complete one long run while in Philly, running to the William Penn statute at City Hall, then to the Rocky Steps and beyond and then back to my summer home at Temple University.  It was about 7 miles.  Two days later, I became sick and no more runs for the rest of the 5 weeks.


Now back in California, I've already logged 15 miles over the past 4 days.  I am trying to make up for lost time.  I feel pretty miserable while running.  That is what happens when fitness is lost.  I hope that my fitness levels will bounce back to near where they were before school starts up again.  

6.13.2010

Summer Is Here!

Summer has officially arrived here in Sacramento.  Gone are the days where it rains one day and then is warm the next and then you need a jacket the following day.  That has pretty much been the pattern this spring.  Those days are gone. It's been hot for several days now and today was the first long run in the heat.   Completed 9 miles and felt reasonably strong considering the heat.  Filled up my water bottle at practically every water fountain and longed for the shaded parts of the trail.  The jackrabbits seemed to be out in force.  Saw lots of them going much, much faster than me along the side of the trail.  This will probably be my last long run before heading to Philly in the summer.  I am not looking to doing the long miles in the heat and humidity of Philly.  I figure it is just another challenge to conquer as I strive to continue to progress toward my goals.  

6.07.2010

Didn't Make 12

The plan called for my 12th half marathon this past weekend in San Diego.  But you know what they say about the best laid plans...It wasn't meant to be.  I had too much life going on to catch up with so I opted to stay home and not travel south.  I did manage to go out for a 4 mile run in the late evening.  There were two highlights on my run.  It was the first time running with my new phone.  Who knew one could actually fall in love with a phone?  I LOVE my new cell phone.  I was a little behind the times so the fact that I can listen to Pandora and have headphones that have nifty controls on them allowing me to skip tracks is very exciting.  It obviously doesn't take much to get me excited!  And then during the last mile I saw several deer and tried out the new camera.  You can see the results.  In my defense the deer was moving.  It's almost like those hidden pictures from Highlights magazine. Yes, there is an actual deer in the picture.  Once I saw the deer I began my walk break early and it allowed me to get pretty close.  Sad to say that I tried taking about six pictures and this was the best one.  I'm definitely going to need more practice with the camera.

6.03.2010

Long Time, No Hills

It has been quite a while since a Thursday night hill workout.  Thankfully two running buddies joined me tonight.  I would not have made it out there without them.  Managed to do 4 hill repeats for a total of 2 miles.  Not too terrible.  I could tell that the lungs were a little out of practice but it was not too bad.  It makes me worried about the half this weekend in San Diego.  My last long run was the half at the beginning of May.  Not exactly the example of adequate preparation.  

5.31.2010

Lowered My 5K Time

     Lowered my best recent 5K time by one minute, completing the No Excuses 5K in 40:34.  Since I haven't been running much lately and my training has taken a bit of a dive, I couldn't be  more pleased.  This is an fun run that uses an age-graded formula that I can not attempt to explain or understand.  What I do know is that my age-graded time was 34:50!  I can't complain about that.  Some day that will hopefully be my actual time.  I did this same race in 2005 and finished in 50:19.  I will take a 10 minute improvement in 5 years.  It's progress!
     It was also great to share this race with a first-timer from my running group.  She did awesome.  Afterwards we went out for breakfast and plotted out our training leading up to Nike.  I may have even convinced someone to train for a marathon with me in November!

5.16.2010

NYC

The plan was to run AROUND Central Park on Friday before my conference began but sleep took precedence.  I did however manage to run TO Central Park Sunday morning as the map and the pictures below show.  I even managed to take a blurry camera photo!   I took a bunch of pictures once I was in Central Park and these were the best which speaks of my photographic skills or my intense running that fogged up the camera lens.  At least, that's what I am going to tell myself.
    
My favorite part of the run was running back through Times Square.  I had managed to walk there Friday night to see Million Dollar Quartet which had rockin' music and was quite enjoyable.  However, Times Square was much too crowded for my taste.  So running through it in the early morning hours was more my speed.  It was almost entirely empty but just as lively with all the colors and lights.  

Look at how many Broadway Shows I was able to capture in a single picture!  My kind of place.


   

5.11.2010

Presidential Mile

It's the beginning of the month which means time for presidential fitness testing and the one mile run.  How I dreaded these exercises when I was in school but I was looking forward to it today with such anticipation.  I felt confident that I could improve on last month's time of 15:39.  I took a different strategy this time.  I felt pretty sure that I could not run an entire mile continuously at race pace so I set out with 5 minutes of running and one minute of walking.  When that first walk break came, I was so ready!!  But then I started running again and when the second walk break came, I was so close to finishing I kept running.  My new presidential mile time is 12:27!!!!  I can now run a mile in 12 minutes and 27 seconds.  Unbelievable!   What a difference just one month can make!  And one of my running buddies also did her presidential mile test today and improved her time by 2 minutes.  It's amazing.

The even more amazing news and proof of progress is that I am no longer in the <5%ile.
I am now in the 23 %ile for girls 17+ (emphasis on the +!) AND the time actually puts me above the 50%ile for ages 6-8.  I couldn't say that I was average or even above average on this chart last month, so I am very pleased with my progress.  Now, I can't wait until June for the next presidential mile!  This will help keep me motivated during the month of May.

5.01.2010

Half Marathon Number 11

     Finished Half Marathon Number 11 Today.  The first 9-10 miles were fantastic.  After that everything went figuratively downhill but unfortunately it was literally uphill.  


     It was the first race that I've ever done that started off with bagpipes.  It was neat to see and hear them getting warmed up with the sun still rising through the oak trees.  And then, they marched from the back of the starting line pack all the way to the starting line to kick off the race.  After the start they lined the sides of the course.  It was a nice change of pace.
     This particular race ran an out and back course along the river trail.  I was feeling good during the first half of the race.  I was running 4:15 and walking 1:00 and was keeping a nice pace.  I didn't particularly enjoy the stretch on top of the levee because it's nearly impossible to find a flat surface to run on which tends to aggravate my feet.  I made it to the turn around and half way mark at 1:27 so I began thinking that another sub 3 hour half marathon would be mine.  But it wasn't to be.  It was super warm today and by mile 9 I could really feel it.  Even though I was fueling and hydrating appropriately, my legs weren't having it.  People began to drop like flies.  The medical folks were tending various people at the aid stations or on the side of the course.  I didn't want to become one of them.  So at about mile 10, I began to do more walking than running.  Did I mention the way back on the course we were running upriver which is another way of saying uphill?  It was brutal for me.  It took me almost 50 minutes to finish the last 3 miles.   Not exactly the race I hoped to run but I finished.  With a time only 10 minutes slower than 2 weeks ago, I feel confident that I will be able to better my 1999 time sometime this year.  Right now,  I am just grateful that my body has allowed me to complete 11 half marathons in 8 months.  

4.23.2010

Happy Birthday Present

     It's official.  I'm in the Nike Women's Half Marathon.  Besides being a fantastic race with a really cool finisher necklace from Tiffany...this year it's on my birthday!  This has got to be the best birthday present ever. Usually, I'm not one to look forward to birthdays but now I have a great reason to be excited.  
     I'm in SoCal this weekend for a conference.  I know there won't be an opportunity for a long run, so I managed to do 5 miles on the treadmill in the hotel fitness center.  I don't think I have ever sweated so much.  I tried doing the walk run intervals but those don't work so well on the treadmill so I ended up just keeping the thing at a pace that I could easily jog or briskly walk.  As much as I was bored out of mind, it is nice to know that I can tolerate 1 hour and 15 minutes on the treadmill.  Who knew?

4.22.2010

Hills, Hills, Hills

So after starting hill trainings on Thursday about six weeks ago, I finally got someone to come out and join me tonight.  It was a good thing too.  If it wasn't for my trusty running buddy I probably would have headed home after 2 hill repeats.  Instead, I managed to do 5 hill repeats and a total workout of 2.5 miles.  Not bad for just finishing my 10th half marathon.  I keep saying 10th half marathon because it's so unbelievable to me.   I never would have thought in seven months I would have completed 10 half marathons.  Double Digits!!  Incredible.  The hill workouts are definitely responsible for helping me become stronger and be able to push harder for longer.  They aren't the most fun thing to do, so it's great to have a partner in crime to push me forward.  I probably will take a break from the long run this weekend to aid my recovery (plus I'm at a conference all weekend) so I can be ready for my next half, #11, in a little over a week.

4.19.2010

Extra Time

Who hasn't wished for additional time in the day?  Haven't you wondered what it would be like if you could find more time?  Today, I found time!  I looked up the official results for the River City Half and my chip time was much lower than my watch time.  The two are usually pretty close but in this case, not only did I complete a sub 3 hour half marathon, but I finished a sub 2:59 half marathon.  My final time was 2:58.25.  A full forty seconds faster than what I thought yesterday!  That 3 hour mark was obliterated!!  It is so rare that one actually finds time so this provoked great excitement.  Now, I'm only 11 minutes off my best time set in 1999!  I only need to gain about 50 seconds per mile.  With continued speed work, hill work, and dropping some pounds, I think that is totally within reach by the fall.

4.18.2010

Sub 3 Hour Half


     The 10th time was a charm.  I finally reached my goal of a sub 3 hour half with 56 seconds to spare.  Final time was 2:59.04.  The River City folks put on a great race.  It was a no-frills race along my favorite training spot, the American River Trail.  We started at William Pond Park and ended at Discovery Park.  With the point to point format there was no chance of getting bored.  The aid stations were well stocked with water and HEED which tastes like a meal.  There was even pretzels and M&Ms which taste much yummier when running.   My pace was fairly consistent throughout the race with 4 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking.  I knew after 4 miles that I had a good chance of a sub 3 hour time if I could maintain my pace.  With the heat, I wasn't sure at times if I was going to make it but I did it.   So far, eight hours after finishing, recovery is going well.  My knees and shins are a little sore but they have been iced and I've taken my vitamin I.  I'm surprised with how hard I was running throughout that I'm not sore or tight (yet!).  The body is an amazing adaptable gift that it can change to accommodate all these half marathons I've done.   Two more races are on the books for the remainder of the school year and then I'm thinking it's time to tackle the next goal--besting my previous best half time, set in 1999 of 2:47.  I just have 12 minutes to gain.  I've already gained 43 minutes so what's 12 more, right?

4.17.2010

Warm-Up Run

Tomorrow is Half Marathon #10 for me.  I met up with folks this morning to run and did a 4 mile warm-up run.  I was just planning to walk but got talked into doing 1 minute of running with 3 minutes of walking.  I had decided since I was having so many issues with my calf, maybe it was time for new shoes.  Just got them in the mail and it provided a chance to try them out.  It was also an opportunity to try running in shorts.  It is supposed to be quite warm tomorrow so I really want to wear shorts but it has been a REALLY long time since I've run in shorts.  Not sure how my skin would handle it.  I loaded up on the Body Glide and it wasn't too bad.  I think I'm going to try the shorts tomorrow.  The best part was that the run was entirely pain free!  No tightness or aches whatsoever.  Yeah for new shoes!  It is such a wonderful experience to be able to meet up with friends on a Saturday morning and run 4 miles like it's no big deal even the day before a big race.  It's such a nice change of pace.

4.14.2010

Confession

Dear Friendly Gym Gods,
     I have a confession to make.  It has been a very long time since my last gym visit.  It has been so long I have forgotten the combination to my lock.  I am deeply sorry of this transgression and will repent at the alter of digital workout displays and suspended televisions.                      
                                               -callipides


     Even though it has been a really long time since I set foot on an elliptical machine my progress is amazing!  My goal was always to complete 2 miles during the 28 minute weight loss workout and a couple times I made it in the past.  Looking through notes on my calendar from over a year ago, I was completing about 2.3 miles with the cool down phase.  Well tonight is definitely a new chapter in my fitness journey.  I did 2 miles on the same program and still had 5 minutes left and that didn't include the cool down!  After the 33 minutes were up, I had completed 2.85 miles!!!  A full 1/2 mile further than what I was doing before.  It's unbelievable.  Absence has definitely made the heart grow fonder (and stronger!).  I need to make the gym a part of my regular routine.

4.13.2010

Tuesday Track Edition

     Third Tuesday Track Turn-out.  I was going to say workout but liked the alliteration.  Not much to report but I showed up.  I had high hopes following my run on Sunday which despite the rain went really well.  I was surprised to have no soreness on Monday.  But my left calf was super tight and although it did loosen up, it never felt quite right when I pushed hard.  So I did lots of walking and slow jogging.  Not much of a track workout.
     Two milestones to report.  I broke the hundred mile total mile mark since logging miles on www.dailymile.com AND my total miles on my Garmin is 225 miles since November.  Not bad.  I'm 1/4 of the way to my thousand mile goal.  I wear a ring that reminds me every day that "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  Completing my 10th half marathon this weekend  will help put me a little closer toward that goal.  I can't wait.  I only hope my calf loosens up by then.  I really want that sub 3 hour time.

4.11.2010

April Showers

Today was a Winnie the Pooh Blustery Day.  My run started off with a Happy Winds-day.  The winds were out but nothing too bad.  Then, they proceeded to get worse.  I had to pull my hat down several times for fear of it flying off my head.  It was just a put your head down and keep moving forward kind of run.  Around mile 6, the rain started.   Lightly at first but then a steady rain fall for the remaining 6 miles.  The wind mixed with the rain led me to question at times if it was actually hailing.  It sure felt like it with the cold rain hitting my skin.  But no hail.  Even though running in the rain is not exactly my favorite thing to do it felt like I had the entire trail to myself.  For the last six miles, the number of wild turkeys I saw outnumbered people.  I don't know what that says about me if I'm out in weather that only wild turkeys will endure.  There were even geese flying overhead that appeared to have difficulty maintaining their course.  I finished.  I felt pretty good even though I was cold.  If it's raining next Sunday for the race, I'll be ready.  If it's not raining, I'll be ready and smiling!

4.08.2010

Hills: Two Weeks Later

It's Thursday and Thursday means hill repeats.   I missed out last week due to moving and overall soreness and wasn't really sure how I would do tonight.  Last time I did four hill repeats and this time I wanted to do more but a late start meant I essentially repeated the workout from 2 weeks ago, allowing for comparison.  Unlike last time, I felt soooooooo much better!  My lungs did not feel like they were going to explode and I recovered fast enough to actually jog down a portion of the hill.  The best part was after my LAST hill climb I continued running for about 1/2 mile after!!  Amazing.  What a difference two weeks can make.  Not sure if two days made a difference, but one of my mile times was 10 seconds faster than the presidential mile which was run on a flat track.  I'm full of hope both for my next half marathon (PR, please!!) and the first Tuesday of May for the rerunning of the presidential mile.

4.06.2010

Presidential Mile


     Does anyone remember those presidential fitness tests from elementary school?  Or, is it just me?  I remember the preparation for those with practice miles around the track, pull-ups (which I could never do!), sit-ups to Rocky music, and the balance beam.  Those activities seemed to happen every year.  The sit and reach test and the shuttle run were other events that sometimes seemed part of the whole festivities.  I never earned a patch because I couldn't do any pull-ups and my mile time wasn't the best either.  So with such wonderful memories of this yearly torture, who would of thought that I would come up with the idea of running the presidential mile the first Tuesday of the Month?!?  
     I showed up at our track workout location today and no one was there.  So, I thought why not?  I'll see how fast I can run a mile.  It shouldn't  be too difficult since I've run 13.1 miles 9 times in the last 6 months, right?  I was in for a rude awakening.  I started off at a nice slow pace and tried to keep that pace for as long as possible.  My long as possible was 8 minutes before I needed to walk and recover.  After recovering, I started off again but only lasted 4 minutes before walking to recover.  Then, I didn't bother to keep track.  I was just waiting for my timer to let me know I had run 1 mile.  Final time?  15:39
     I found the norms for the presidential mile:



    There I fall.  Somewhere between the 0 to 5th percentile for ages 17+.  I could be in the 10th percentile if I was 8 or 9 years old.  Which I am not!  The 25th percentile is the highest I could be if only was six years old.  Wow!  I'd have to be six to be considered just low average and not significantly below average.  Just when I think I'm making progress I get confronted with this!  At least it provides a baseline and there's only room for improvement.

4.03.2010

Polka-Dot Legs

     Managed to do 7 miles today.  I took an epic fall yesterday over a mattress onto my knee and then did a roll and tuck maneuver until I landed on my feet again.  Both knees and shoulder hurt for about 3 minutes from the shock and then I was totally fine.  I don't think that would have been the case only 9 months ago.  If I had fallen the same way I'm sure there would have been something broken or torn.  Yeah for improved health and flexibility.  However, I do have the bruises to show for the fall.  They have joined the collection of bruises I already have from moving boxes.  I would describe my legs as polka-dotted with bruises.  Not the most attractive look but they still worked hard for me today.
     A couple of long runs ago, my running buddy and I began plotting to form a running group with some of our coworkers.  She's in charge of recruiting and did a bang-up job!  Five additional people showed up this morning to run/walk with us.  It was awesome.  I walked/ran with someone and we did almost 3 miles which was one of her longest runs ever.  Then I headed back to the trail to find the next group of folks and finished with them.  Then, I headed out again to find the last group and my plan was to run in with them.  I caught up with them 2 miles out on their way back and managed to run one interval with them at an 11:22 min/mile pace, but that was the last time I saw them until the end.  They were running 10 miles and were super fast until the very end.  Next time, I'll need a bike to "run" with them.  That's what makes running fun...there is always room for progress and what better time than now.

4.01.2010

Stairs & IKEA Furniture

The training calendar calls for a hill workout tonight and it looks like the last day of decent weather before a storm rolls in, but no workout for me!  I feel like I've done about a million squats.  My legs and back are screaming.  Not to mention my knees.  I figure I've spent about 5-7 hours putting together various IKEA furniture (and that's using power tools), and all the bending and maneuvering  is enough of a workout for me at this point. And don't forget going up and down a ton of stairs!!  No hills for me tonight.  One more day of moving tomorrow and still some remaining assembly to finish.  Hopefully my body will be recovered for a long run on Saturday.

3.28.2010

Come On Sistah

    Half Marathon No. 9 could have easily been a love potion as well.  Oakland is a great city that put on a great event.  The police officers manning the course were cheering on the runners which is highly unusual in my experience.  There was even on police officer out using his radar gun!  I'm not sure my speed could even register on the device but at least there was no chance I could get a ticket!  The route passed a half dozen fire stations and the firefighters were out in full force cheering on folks.  The course passed lots and lots of different churches and the church folk were cheering us on as well.  I've never heard so many, "Jesus loves you, You're blessed, Praise the Lords" while running.  Definitely a different experience.  I just felt the city in general was out in full force.  Lots and lots of high fives with random people along the sidelines.  I loved all the Come On Sistahs, Last Mile with a Smiles, and I got money on you.  At mile 6 there was even a chance to run through a wall of fire!  Oh, and the Oakland rabid sport fans were also represented.  Oakland A's fans were protesting a possible move to San Jose and there were Raider fans out in their full face paint and body armor.  The city definitely put on a great event and I look forward to returning.
     I needed all the support I could get.  My legs were super tight at the beginning and weren't loosening up.  So, I ending up walking mile 2 and by mile 3 I was ready to resume my 3 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking.  It was super warm and with the half starting at 9:00am, I could feel the heat early on.  I made sure to double up at each aid station.  It was mile 4ish when the half met up with the full marathon course that began at 7:30.  This was a great course design because it meant that there was a ready supply of fresh, strong runners passing me by.  When people look that good after 17 miles and beyond it serves to inspire and keep going.  It definitely did that for me.  With a final finishing time of 3:06.15, I'm pleased.  I walked an entire mile.  There were some elevation changed and at the 3 hour mark, I was only 1/2 mile from the finish line.  To reach my goal time of under 3 hours, I only need to gain 1/2 mile.  I think that is completely doable in one of my next couple half marathons.

3.27.2010

Oakland Eve

     I woke up sore this morning from moving and unpacking boxes last night.   Carrying boxes up and down stairs is a significant work out for me.  I wasn't really planning on running today because I'm doing a half marathon tomorrow, but I didn't want to disappoint my running buddy.  So I got her out on the trail under false pretenses.   It was only then did I tell her that I was planning on walking.  I walked a leisurely pace for 4 miles while she completed a 7 mile run.  It was a beautiful day to be out on the trail.  The birds were out and singing and the sun was gorgeous.  I even managed to see (and hear!) a woodpecker.  The walk was able to work out my soreness, so hopefully I'll be good to go tomorrow. 
     The drive to Oakland was rather uneventful and I'm sorry to say so was the running expo.  I know this is an inaugural event but the running expo was the tiniest thing I've ever seen.  Not a whole lot of products or free stuff.  It was almost a why bother.  At least I didn't have to worry about buying anything!   The nice thing is that the volunteers outnumbered the participants and were very helpful.  Hopefully the same is true out on the course and it will all be worth it.  After a five minute trip to the expo, yes, that was all it took to get my gear and walk through the mini-maze of non-existent exhibitors, I checked into my hotel and was pleasantly surprised.  You never know what you get when you make hotel reservations on travel sites and my track record in the recent past hasn't been that great.  This place looks like Melrose Place.  All the rooms face out on a common courtyard that is the pool.  Hopefully that is where the similarities end and there won't be any Melrose Drama to interrupt my pre-race slumber.

3.25.2010

Hill Repeats

     The last time I did hill repeats was on a hill in Kirkland parallel to 90 that was a total beast.  It was short and very steep.   A group of girls conquered that monster again and again every Thursday night.  It was always gruesome but it made me stronger.
     Fast forward 10 years.  My running  buddy wants to run a half marathon in August with the following elevation profile.  
 I'm not sure this is exactly my idea of fun but I'm game for new adventures and at least I have time to prepare.  And there is no time better than the present.  I found a hill that is about a quarter mile long, not the steepest but a nice gradual incline.  I did a short warm-up and then attacked the hill.  I sounded like my lungs were weakly powering a sickly set of bagpipes or an accordion that has been attacked by moths.  Fortunately I didn't need CPR and my lungs were able to power the legs and arms up the hill four times.  Not bad after a ten year hiatus!  We'll see how I feel tomorrow and whether or not I begin a new Thursday tradition.

3.21.2010

No Excuses!

It was gorgeous today.  As I was exploring what will hopefully become my new neighborhood next week, I followed the signs to a park entrance (new to me!) to see where it entered the bike trail.  A great entry point only a couple miles from my new neighborhood.  It didn't make sense to just turn around, so I parked and went for a three mile walk along the trail.  Momentarily, I thought about how unpleasant it was going to be since I was wearing heavy jeans and a cotton t-shirt but I had a pair of older running shoes on and that's what really matters so off I went.  Now I understand the benefits of technical fabric and one of my favorite substances, Body Glide.  Walking at a good clip generated a sweat and it wasn't the most pleasant experience but I'm thankful that I got out and moved today and didn't allow excuses to interrupt.  As an extra benefit, I had a close encounter with 3 deer, an egret, AND a wild turkey!  Spring is definitely here.  I can't wait to dust off the bike and log some miles.

3.20.2010

Next Stop, Oakland

     The obsession continues.  My recovery after Shamrock'n has gone well which means I'm still upright and moving forward, so what's one more half marathon?  I signed up for the inaugural Oakland half marathon next weekend.  It sounds like a great run in the city and a nice way to kick off my spring break.  Some people go to Cancun and drink like fish for a week, I pay to run 13.1 miles and pray not to be sore for a week!  The hardware makes it all worth it.  
     In preparation for next week, finished a 7 mile run this morning with my speedster training partner.  One day, my hope is to keep up.  It was fun plotting our next steps together since the training group we belonged to just ended.  I feel that there are some exciting things on the horizon.

3.15.2010

Running on Water

     I did a slow 2.5 mile recovery walk/run today to loosen up the muscles from the half marathon yesterday.  I can't remember the last time I did a mid-week run.  It's been awhile.  Daylight Savings Time Rocks!!   The run was just around the neighborhood and I saw a couple red-winged blackbirds.  Back home once I downloaded my Garmin and discovered that I actually ran on water! Satellites don't lie right?  I have google map evidence.  It clearly shows that I started my run in the river and still managed to finish.  Isn't that considered a miracle?  It's even more miraculous considering I can't swim.  As the penguin said, "The miracle isn't that I finished.  The miracle is that I had the courage to start."  
     Even though I didn't literally start my run in the river, I think the image represents my journey so far.  I began running regularly only 8 months ago.  Those initial runs and half marathons were hard, much like running on water.  The thought of completing 8 half marathons in six months seems ridiculously impossible, much like running on water.  I kept finding the courage somewhere among all the daily stresses to continue.  That's my goal as I move forward.  Even if the task appears as impossible as running on water, there is always that next race, that next challenge that serves as the finish line on the horizon.   As I continue to get stronger, faster, and make progress that end point gets redefined for the next challenge.  Truly miraculous.

3.14.2010

Shamrock'n Race Report

I finished my 8th half marathon since October and I feel like it was my best one yet.  My pace was relatively consistent throughout the race without any breakdown the last few miles of the race.  Yeah!!  The Shamrock'n folks put on a great event.  There were TONS of people there but the wave start made it so there was no need for defensive running at the start.  The course had plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged.  My final time was 3:05.53 which was only 3 minutes off my PR which I think is fantastic considering that I missed out on several weeks of training due to illness AND I needed two potty stops along the way!  I'll monitor my recovery and then perhaps complete the half marathon in Oakland in a couple weeks.  

3.10.2010

First Grade Soccer

Does playing soccer with first graders during recess count as a workout?  Probably not much of one, but it sure was fun.  The weather was great, the grass was freshly mowed, and the competition was fierce!  I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to keep up.  Six year olds have some serious soccer skills and are super quick.  Fun times.

3.06.2010

Another Long Run

The schedule said 11 miles today.  I started with the early groups to buy me some extra time.   I went 12.32 miles instead.  At the turn around, I was in desperate need for a bathroom and not a lot of options when I turned around.  So I kept pushing ahead knowing it would add some extra miles.   I'm glad nature called when it did.  My hope is that the extra mileage will help next week.  By the last 1.5 miles, I definitely started feeling like my usual tired self at that point of the race but pushed through it.  Amazingly enough, my pace was fairly consistent throughout the run.  Hopefully, that little extra will get me across the finish line next week with a respectable time given all my recent illnesses.

2.28.2010

Running Again

Went for my first run in 2 weeks after having some king of mutant monster cold that kept getting much worse before it got any better.  I would have gone out with my running group on Saturday but the rain kept me in bed.  After not getting a good nights sleep for almost 3 weeks, I slept in until 4pm after I woke up at 6am and realized it was raining.  It feels great to catch up on much needed sleep that isn't interrupted by frequent coughing.  I headed out late to the trail today and wasn't sure how far I would go.  I managed to about 6 miles until I called it a day.  My body felt fine but my lungs felt like I haven't run in 2 weeks.  With the Shamrock only 2 weeks away, I don't think I have a chance for another PR while I regain my fitness.


Uploading my workout from my Garmin, I discovered yet another cool feature.  You can play your run back.  It's very neat. 

2.13.2010

8 Mile

It was an 8 mile training run today and not as much fun as watching the movie by the same name.   I've been sick most of the week which meant no running since the half last weekend.  My calves were super tight and felt like I had telephone poles for legs.  Not much flexing happening in my lower legs at all.  I toughed it out the first mile and then sent my running partner ahead so I could walk it out.  After a mile and a half, I finally loosened up and the 2/2 pace group had caught up with me.  I ran an interval with them (at a 9:40 min/mile pace!) and thought I was going to die.  Since I didn't die as a result of that blistering pace, I went back to my original game plan of 5 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking.  Felt ok, not great, not bad, just ok for the remainder of the run.  Finished in 1 hour 56 minutes.   Still under a 15 min/mile pace even with walking over a mile.  Definitely progress.  Of course, my entire pace group was gone be the time I returned and my running buddy that I sent ahead was missing!  Turns out she missed the turn around and ran a couple extra miles.  Now that is really impressive!

2.07.2010

New PR

What a difference a year makes.  Last year, I completed the 5K at the Davis Stampede.  Today, I completed the half-marathon with a new PR!  I shaved 10 minutes off my best time.  That's incredible.  It's hard to believe.  I just finished my 7th half-marathon since October.  It was great to do it with a friend who paced me the first couple miles until she broke off to finish her 10K.  Thankfully she also "paced" me the last mile.  I say pace because essentially she kept me moving forward.  I was feeling pretty worn out at the end.  My legs and feet felt fine but the energy to move fast had disappeared.  The most amazing thing is that I'm only 15 minutes from my 1999 half-marathon time and back in 1999 I was probably about 70 lbs lighter than I am now.  That's great incentive to figure out a way to drop that extra baggage.  I could be even faster!  New goal: finish under 3 hours in the Shamrock in March.

2.01.2010

A Stiff Lesson

A word to the wise...Never go for an eleven mile run very late in the afternoon, come home and shower, eat dinner, watch some tv, and then go to bed.  Not only did I not sleep all that great but I woke up so stiff this morning.  I spent the day hobbling around.  I don't think it was from the run but rather not moving following the run.  Lesson learned.

1.31.2010

Deer Stampede

Next week is the Davis Stampede.  Today it was the Deer Stampede along the trail.  The whole weekend was full of sunshine and I missed out running with my training group yesterday to take care of some home-buying stuff.  So it was out for an 10 mile run along with trail.  I finally managed to get out of the house at 2:30.  By mile 3, there was a Deer Stampede!   Two large deer where running full speed along side the trail coming in my direction.  The trail was packed today with runners and cyclists because of the great weather but, that didn't stop the deer.  They even managed to cross the trail amongst all the traffic.  Their running and leaping so close was just such a majestic site!  It was a great way to start a run.


I had planned to do a 10 mile run for final preparations for the 1/2 marathon next weekend but ended up doing 11 miles.  I forgot to re-fill my water bottle at the last water fountain before a long break heading east.  Then, I realized it was either go 1/2 mile further to reach water before turning around or turn back and wait 1 1/2 miles before reaching water.  With the warm temps (I love running in short sleeves!), the choice was an easy one.  So an extra mile it was.  I did still run 10 miles and then walked the final mile.  I managed to do the 10 miles in 2 hours and 27 minutes which is a WHOLE lot better than my previous 10 mile time back in September of 2:43! With a 3:20 time limit this upcoming weekend, that kind of progress is important!  I hope to set a new PR in this small race.  I'm keeping my shoelaces crossed.

1.23.2010

The Rain Stopped!

I did my first run since Phoenix today.  After pouring absolutely all week, the skies cleared for this mornings run and we even got a rare glimpse of sunshine.  We ran 6.2 miles this morning with 5 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking with my trusty training partner pushing me each and every mile.  Overall time was 1:25.07 which averages to a 13:43 min/mile pace.  If I can keep that up for longer I won't have to worry about the 3:20 course time limit in my next race in two weeks.  According to a race predictor calculator my 10K pace today would be a 3 hour and 7 minute and 42 second half marathon time.  Getting closer to my goal of a sub-3 hour half marathon time.

1.17.2010

I'm consistent!

Finished another Rock N'Roll Half Marathon today.  From the map, can you guess where?





Yes, it was a tour de Phoenix.  Quite the contrast to Vegas where I was freezing.  Here, I was burning up.  It was 73 degrees which typically doesn't count as smoldering weather.  But with some humidity and not having run in anything remotely close to that temperature in several  months, it was definitely a challenge.  After the first 5K, I could feel the heat and chose to walk the next 4 miles and then switched to 1 min running with 3 minutes of walking.  Even with those adjustments, I finished in 3:18.12 just 6 minutes off my PR.  I even managed my last split to the finish at a 10:52 min/mile pace.  A new PR will be mine very soon!  Or, at the very least I'll be consistent with my last 4 half marathons finishing times being within 6 minutes of each other.