Today's track workout was the reward for last week's awful run. Mark was there, and gave us a pep talk, and the lowdown on the run. A 2 mile warmup, then 6 laps, down a hill, "surge" up the hill back to the track, then 4 laps, hill surge thingy, 3, hill, 2, hill, 1, 1-2 mile cooldown. I was way faster than I thought I'd be - at an easy pace, I was still doing 10:30 miles. 10:30? Me? What? How'd that happen? I mean, I was really trying to go slow. But there I was, at 10:30. Huh. Such a difference from last week when I struggled to do 12:00.
Of course, it was all put into perspective when I was "surging" (read: huffing and puffing) my way up the hill and the guy who won the Pepsi 10K blasted past me. Oh, *that's* what Mark meant by "surge." Yeah, mama don't surge.
But what really mattered was that I felt powerful. Not only that, but it was just a lovely day to be running. It was cold this morning - tights and fleece and see your breath cold. It was really difficult to get my butt out of my heated seat and into the cold, dark morning. But the first several laps around the track had a vista of pink and red clouds as the sun rose over the pregnant clam. The view alone was worth getting up at 5:30.
I also had a chance to chat with an old airline buddy - he's training for Richmond, too. I hadn't seen him in years, until last week on Dick Woods, there he was! Since our company went under, he's been with JetBlue, down at the bottom of the seniority ladder. But JetBlue's treating him right, and hopefully he'll be upgrading to captain again sometime soon.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Coupla short runs
Monday I was still sore from Saturday. Today I was just running short on time. But I gave it my all - I banged it out with headphones on. IronMo and I are ironing out the details of race day. Uh, nothing else to report.
Oh, the new inserts are okay. They're thicker than the old ones, so I have to lace my shoes differently, and I don't have it quite right yet. How could something so simple be giving me such fits? Did I mention that I was the LAST kid in kindergarten class to learn to tie my shoes? When Asics starts making serious running shoes with velcro closures, I'll be first in line.
Oh, the new inserts are okay. They're thicker than the old ones, so I have to lace my shoes differently, and I don't have it quite right yet. How could something so simple be giving me such fits? Did I mention that I was the LAST kid in kindergarten class to learn to tie my shoes? When Asics starts making serious running shoes with velcro closures, I'll be first in line.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
14 Miles
Wooooohoooooo. I did it. This is the farthest I've ever run. Please don't remind me that it's nearly twice as far to finish a marathon. I'm still basking in the glory.
It was warm and humid again. Not hot, but definitely no snap in the air. At least it was overcast, so the sun wasn't beating down on us. I started out with Jim and Claudia and Chris, but I just wasn't feelin' it. I walked up a hill or two and felt really dejected. I caught up with them at a water stop (though at some point Chris went ahead, and I didn't see her after about mile 4), and ran the rest of it with them, on and off.
Everyone was having kind of a crummy run - bad chi on Dick Woods today, I guess. But we slogged through it together. We all kept apologizing for having to slow down or stop, but everyone was just waiting for someone else to cave so we could slow down, too. It took nearly three hours to complete it - THREE hours!! But I was in good company. Jim and Claudia were actually doing 13, so with 2 miles to go, I popped off down Plank Road for a half-mile.
Plank Road sucked.
It was one giant downhill, which meant one giant uphill on the way back. I didn't mind being alone - despite being tired and sore, I felt pretty chipper. With just 1/2 mile to go, a car pulled up alongside me - it was Claudia and Jim! Claudia had been hurting earlier, and with less than 1/2 mile to go, just couldn't go any more, so Jim ran back to the start, got his car and picked her up. They made sure to cruise out a little farther, to make sure I was still doing okay. A few minutes later, we all rendezvoused at the finish, and ate our Clif Bars. Everyone milling around had some complaint about something. We were a big bunch of whiners. But it was good to be done with it.
When I got home, the baby was napping, so I had time for a shower. I put it on as cold as I could stand it, and, for the first time ever, actually sat on the built-in seat. I had to sit down to take a shower. I felt cleansed from the inside out when I was done.
Even though that run was painful physically and mentally, it was a great confidence booster in a twisted way. That run sucked. It hurt. It was uncomfortable and NOT fun. But I did it.
One foot in front of the other.
It was warm and humid again. Not hot, but definitely no snap in the air. At least it was overcast, so the sun wasn't beating down on us. I started out with Jim and Claudia and Chris, but I just wasn't feelin' it. I walked up a hill or two and felt really dejected. I caught up with them at a water stop (though at some point Chris went ahead, and I didn't see her after about mile 4), and ran the rest of it with them, on and off.
Everyone was having kind of a crummy run - bad chi on Dick Woods today, I guess. But we slogged through it together. We all kept apologizing for having to slow down or stop, but everyone was just waiting for someone else to cave so we could slow down, too. It took nearly three hours to complete it - THREE hours!! But I was in good company. Jim and Claudia were actually doing 13, so with 2 miles to go, I popped off down Plank Road for a half-mile.
Plank Road sucked.
It was one giant downhill, which meant one giant uphill on the way back. I didn't mind being alone - despite being tired and sore, I felt pretty chipper. With just 1/2 mile to go, a car pulled up alongside me - it was Claudia and Jim! Claudia had been hurting earlier, and with less than 1/2 mile to go, just couldn't go any more, so Jim ran back to the start, got his car and picked her up. They made sure to cruise out a little farther, to make sure I was still doing okay. A few minutes later, we all rendezvoused at the finish, and ate our Clif Bars. Everyone milling around had some complaint about something. We were a big bunch of whiners. But it was good to be done with it.
When I got home, the baby was napping, so I had time for a shower. I put it on as cold as I could stand it, and, for the first time ever, actually sat on the built-in seat. I had to sit down to take a shower. I felt cleansed from the inside out when I was done.
Even though that run was painful physically and mentally, it was a great confidence booster in a twisted way. That run sucked. It hurt. It was uncomfortable and NOT fun. But I did it.
One foot in front of the other.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Off today, but important updates
I went to the shop and got some new insoles for my shoes. They're comfy and supportive. At least they were for the 10 yards of jogging I did on them in the shop. Anyway, they'd better work, as my old insoles went in the trash at the shop inside the box the new ones came in. Oopsie.
And I got my Phase II program from Mark. Very reassuring. He gave me props for doing this while still nursing. I'm certain he went home to Cynthia after reading my questionnaire and said, "You will never believe what this crazy lady is doing." Anyway, he left my weekday runs pretty much up to me, and my weekend runs pretty much as I'd figured a few days ago. He put a big star by the last long run, circled it and noted "Very Important." Um yeah, I get that.
My game plan is: no more day care special, no more coxsackie. The weather is fab-yoo-lus, and we're down to the wire. I am reaching the point that instead of freaking that I'm not going to be ready, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - my goal is right there. It's not like back in June when 7 miles seemed like 7 light years. 26.2 scares me just a little, but IronMo will be there! And support people! And water stops!! And junk food!! And spectators! And other poky runners. This town is full of really serious runners, and they tend to scare us poky folks away. It takes a lot of cajones for me to go out on Saturdays. Looking at last year's results, there were over 700 finishers with times at or above 5 hours. SEVEN HUNDRED. That's about 20% of the field. I'll be as fast or faster than 20% of the runners in Richmond.
One step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
And I got my Phase II program from Mark. Very reassuring. He gave me props for doing this while still nursing. I'm certain he went home to Cynthia after reading my questionnaire and said, "You will never believe what this crazy lady is doing." Anyway, he left my weekday runs pretty much up to me, and my weekend runs pretty much as I'd figured a few days ago. He put a big star by the last long run, circled it and noted "Very Important." Um yeah, I get that.
My game plan is: no more day care special, no more coxsackie. The weather is fab-yoo-lus, and we're down to the wire. I am reaching the point that instead of freaking that I'm not going to be ready, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - my goal is right there. It's not like back in June when 7 miles seemed like 7 light years. 26.2 scares me just a little, but IronMo will be there! And support people! And water stops!! And junk food!! And spectators! And other poky runners. This town is full of really serious runners, and they tend to scare us poky folks away. It takes a lot of cajones for me to go out on Saturdays. Looking at last year's results, there were over 700 finishers with times at or above 5 hours. SEVEN HUNDRED. That's about 20% of the field. I'll be as fast or faster than 20% of the runners in Richmond.
One step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Very few miles
In the past 10 days, I have run very little. Maybe twice? Yes, Max and I were both sick. Again. I had a terrible cold, and just when I was out of the woods, Max came down with Coxsackie virus, aka, hand foot and mouth disease. Yum. Poor fella had several near-sleepless days and nights, and was refusing to eat or drink. He's finally back to his charming self, and I swear, swear with all my heart that this Saturday, I will run 14 miles. Yes, indeedy. Even if I am sick and throwing up and have blisters on my throat, feet, and hands, I will haul myself down Dick Woods Road and back because I am SEVEN weeks away from this marathon and feeling like a real pansy. IronMo sent me a lovely and reassuring email, but I am sure that in the back of her mind she's thinking I am crazier than she is. Training for a marathon with a small (or should I say "small," since he's 22 lbs) baby is ludicrous, especially when you're still nursing and always exhausted to begin with. But without this goal, my "nap when the baby naps" inertia would be overwhelming and I'd still be soft and out of shape. I do enjoy being a hot mama. And I adore being strong and focused and in shape.
Here's the deal:
9/23 - 14
9/30 - 10
10/7 - 16
10/14 - 10
10/21 - 18-20
10/28 - taper
11/4 - taper
11/11 - twenty-six point two
Game ON!
Here's the deal:
9/23 - 14
9/30 - 10
10/7 - 16
10/14 - 10
10/21 - 18-20
10/28 - taper
11/4 - taper
11/11 - twenty-six point two
Game ON!
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Pepsi 10K (6.2 miles, plus warmup)
I had a great run - I ran the first 4 with Claudia - Jim was just ahead, and finished in just under an hour. I started out feeling a little sheepish for having missed the long run last weekend (and two weeks before, and two weeks before that) - Jim did 20 miles! Holy crap. But with 2 months to go, I think I'll be okay. I think that having the break has been good - I missed some of the hottest weeks of the summer, and got recharged and rested. Starting training in June for a November marathon is a little bit overkill. I see that now.
Before the race, I jokingly said I'd run it in 67 minutes, but estimating that I'd actually do it in about 70 -75 minutes, which is about an 11:30 pace. Claudia is still getting over her injury, so we started out together. We did the first mile in something crazy, like 10:05. Don't laugh, you hard core folks. To me, a 10 minute mile might as well be a 4 minute mile. We continued at a fairly good clip until just before mile 4. There was a long hill just before the turnaround at mile 4, and when we came around the bend and saw just how long we had to go until the turnaround, my legs just died. Claudia went ahead, and I walked up the hill a bit. I got my second wind around mile 5, and was passing people left and right (okay, so I passed a guy who must have been 70 and a couple of people jogging with headphones who may or may not have actually been part of the race) all the way in to the finish. That was fun! It was a small race (250 entrants), so I was by myself in the chute. There was lots of cheering and I felt like I was winning!
And then I looked at the clock: Yippee! 1:06:40 - that's 10:45 per mile, and 20 seconds faster than my joking, pie-in-the-sky time. Whoosh!
I gobbled up a whole wheat everything bagel, and milled around with Jim and Claudia. There was a drawing for door prizes, and I won one! I had my choice of a travel mug, $5 and a sticker from C-ville Coffee, some schwaggy stuff like t-shirts, or, a round of golf (plus cart) for 2 at Birdwood. I took the golf, figuring that Max's papa might enjoy it.
Jim, Claudia, and some others were heading to Panera after. I really wanted to go, but, as I put it so eloquently when they invited me, my boobs needed to get home.
Before the race, I jokingly said I'd run it in 67 minutes, but estimating that I'd actually do it in about 70 -75 minutes, which is about an 11:30 pace. Claudia is still getting over her injury, so we started out together. We did the first mile in something crazy, like 10:05. Don't laugh, you hard core folks. To me, a 10 minute mile might as well be a 4 minute mile. We continued at a fairly good clip until just before mile 4. There was a long hill just before the turnaround at mile 4, and when we came around the bend and saw just how long we had to go until the turnaround, my legs just died. Claudia went ahead, and I walked up the hill a bit. I got my second wind around mile 5, and was passing people left and right (okay, so I passed a guy who must have been 70 and a couple of people jogging with headphones who may or may not have actually been part of the race) all the way in to the finish. That was fun! It was a small race (250 entrants), so I was by myself in the chute. There was lots of cheering and I felt like I was winning!
And then I looked at the clock: Yippee! 1:06:40 - that's 10:45 per mile, and 20 seconds faster than my joking, pie-in-the-sky time. Whoosh!
I gobbled up a whole wheat everything bagel, and milled around with Jim and Claudia. There was a drawing for door prizes, and I won one! I had my choice of a travel mug, $5 and a sticker from C-ville Coffee, some schwaggy stuff like t-shirts, or, a round of golf (plus cart) for 2 at Birdwood. I took the golf, figuring that Max's papa might enjoy it.
Jim, Claudia, and some others were heading to Panera after. I really wanted to go, but, as I put it so eloquently when they invited me, my boobs needed to get home.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Who knows? But I ran fast.
I started out on my regular 4-ish mile route, and about a mile into it, realized that I'd forgotten to wheel the garbage can up to the curb, like I'd promised my husband. Ooops. So I turned back, did my chore, then ran into the adjoining neighborhood, intent on shaking up my routine. I ran as fast as I possibly could for as long as I could. Which wasn't very long. But I felt very speedy and buff. I gave some extra kick when I passed the kids at the bus stop, just in case they cared. Sadly, my shirt clashed with my shorts, so they were probably more dazzled by my bad fashion sense than my speed.
I'm supposed to do the Pepsi 10K this weekend. Sounds like fun, and it starts an hour or so later than my usual run, so I'm definitely in.
And for weeks, I've been crossing paths with another woman runner, we'd wave and say good morning, she with her headphones, and me with my flushed face. It turns out, she lives just down the street from me, has 3 boys, and is automatically cool because she is French. She's faster than me though, so I'm still partnerless for my weekday runs.
I'm supposed to do the Pepsi 10K this weekend. Sounds like fun, and it starts an hour or so later than my usual run, so I'm definitely in.
And for weeks, I've been crossing paths with another woman runner, we'd wave and say good morning, she with her headphones, and me with my flushed face. It turns out, she lives just down the street from me, has 3 boys, and is automatically cool because she is French. She's faster than me though, so I'm still partnerless for my weekday runs.
Monday, September 04, 2006
3.5 miles - shake it like a polaroid piiiiiicture!
I rarely run with headphones. But it was just that kind of morning. So I ran and had a blast, I shook it like a polaroid picture, loved my lady lumps, and elevated my soul. I made furtive glances to see if anyone was looking and skipped for a hundred yards. I took it down a notch with Otis Redding, and cooled off while John Mayer made me feel good about myself.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Holidayless Weekend - 0 Miles
Another Saturday missing its run. Max and I both had a cold this week. Friday evening, I wasn't sure if I would run Saturday morning or not. Then the power went out (thanks, Ernesto!). By bedtime, it wasn't back on and I was preoccupied thinking about the stash of breastmilk in the basement freezer. I decided that if the power came on in the night, I'd run. Otherwise, I'd be scurrying to move the milk to cooler climes before 7 months of daily pumping had to be dumped down the drain. The power came on at 6:40am, 25 minutes after the start of the run, and about 20 minutes before I was going to pack it up and drive really really fast to my parents' house. It was for the best - I spent much of the night tossing and turning with sinus pressure and congestion. I had a terrible sinus headache, and was grateful to be able to sleep in. Just over two months to go - I am freaking out a little. I just hope the next couple of months don't contain the run of illness the past six weeks has. I'm spent.
More encouraging is Max's foray into solid foods - he's an amazing eater. He's gradually dropping feedings, and for the first time in months, I'm not famished 24/7. I've resolved to actually start using the freezer stash (which stayed frozen solid during the dark and stormy night), so I've dropped my nightly pumping session. I'm holding steady at 115 lbs, but my body's still changing - none (and I mean none) of my clothes fit any more, so a shopping trip is definitely in my future.
I realized on my last run that I need a new pair of shoes - I bought these when Max was just 2 months old! The arch support is slowly collapsing, and I really felt it last weekend. So tomorrow, back on the wagon, and a trip to the shop for the shoes to get me to Richmond.
More encouraging is Max's foray into solid foods - he's an amazing eater. He's gradually dropping feedings, and for the first time in months, I'm not famished 24/7. I've resolved to actually start using the freezer stash (which stayed frozen solid during the dark and stormy night), so I've dropped my nightly pumping session. I'm holding steady at 115 lbs, but my body's still changing - none (and I mean none) of my clothes fit any more, so a shopping trip is definitely in my future.
I realized on my last run that I need a new pair of shoes - I bought these when Max was just 2 months old! The arch support is slowly collapsing, and I really felt it last weekend. So tomorrow, back on the wagon, and a trip to the shop for the shoes to get me to Richmond.
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