Monday, August 27, 2012

Week 7

Oh boy, the mileage is getting up there!

Long run this week was 12 miles. Have not done that since training for the Carmel Half, back in April (?). I decided to do the run on Wednesday while Ray was at work, and the girls were at school. I brought along a Honey Stinger Gel, extra water, sunsceen...everything I thought I would need.

The route contained a good amount of hills the first 5.5 miles. After that, it was pretty flat, but I was out in the sun for a long, long time. That just wears me out. I drank more on that run than I ever have before. That's not a bad thing - I was actually proud of myself for doing so, and not worrying about how it would slow me down. I struggled towards that last 2 miles - I just wanted to be done. It worries me that I'm thinking that at 12 miles when I'll still have 14.2 miles left to go in the marathon - yikes!

On Saturday, I decided to run with the group again for 6 miles. I ended up having a really good time, and the miles flew by as I chatted with the others. Met an 11 year old girl training for her first half marathon. She paced me on the run. She paced me! She's a great kid and I was in awe. The mom said her daughter's goal is to finish the half in 1:49 - I have no doubt she'll do it.

So, I came home and talked my 9 year old into registering for her first 5k. It wasn't hard - she's been talking about doing one for a while now. I think she's nervous, but she'll do great. She's going to LOVE being a part of the race. She ran in a 1 mile run at my Carmel Half, came in 2nd, and still talks about it, so I know this will thrill her.

This week, I run into unchartered territory...15 miles. I've never run over 13.1. Eek.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Week 6

Nothing too excited to post about! This week was fairly easy...long run was only 7 miles. Weather is cooling off, so I'm feeling great. I did end up buying a foam roller, but the purchase was not due to running related injuries (yet). I was upside down blowdrying my hair after my long run on Saturday, when I felt what seemed like my shoulder blade shift, then excruciating pain. Ray thinks I pinched a nerve. I don't know what happened, but the pain almost made me throw up. He gave me a massage and I took some Ibuprofen. I ran into a neighbor at a store, who suggested the foamroller and told me how to lay on it. Wow...it really, really helped. I then did some leg stretches on it, and can understand why people have a love/hate relationship with them.

From here on out, the mileage goes up. And up. And up....

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Week 5


Look at all those miles crossed out...may not feel good running them at times, but sure feels good marking them off! Thirteen more weeks to go.

My first two runs this week were done on the treadmill - just had to - but good news...the girls have started school! That means when the bus takes off, so do I.

More good news...the weather is cooling off! That's even better than the girls going back to school! I ran 5 on Thursday when it was in the high 70's - felt great. This morning though was incredible...62 degrees. Could not have asked for a better morning to run 10. I didn't feel like running around this area, so I skipped out on running with the group again, and headed over to Crockett Park. I was one of only a few at 6a.m. I did pretty good at keeping my pace down - averaged 9:25min/mile. I stopped at mile 5 for a quick drink of water and some chews. I had in my head a route that would be fairly flat and avoid all the hills at the park - no such luck. I was way off. Hit about every single hill out there. Argh. Hills are a bitch in actual time, but as soon as I'm up and over them, I give myself some serious high fives. My legs were tired around mile 8, and the balls of my feet were feeling sore, but I made it and gleefully crossed off the 10 when I got home.

Major mistake today though. When I arrived at the park, it took me a few minutes to get all my gear together. I ran with my fuel belt with water bottle, big Garmin, and phone on my arm. I stuffed the chews and huge car keys into the tiny little pouch on the fuel belt and took off. I quickly realized I still had my prescription glasses on. Grrr. Instead of pulling out the keys and putting the glasses in the car, I just set my glasses up on the windshield by the wipers. Figured they would be perfectly safe. Of course, when I got back to the car after running, I stretched, drank my chocolate milk, took off all my gear, and left. Not until I was almost home did I remember my glasses. Crap. They were gone. Ray and I drove back over there later that morning searching for them, but not a trace of them. No broken glass, so mangled frame. Nice. Not sure how much a new pair are going to cost me, but seeing how we don't have the awesome vision plan with the last job, I'm sure it's going to be painful. Not needed. The glasses are needed...the expense, is not. Typing this blog is blurry. I'm not a fan of wearing glasses, but I'm a huge fan of seeing clearly. Mistakes happen.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Week 4

Training is slowly starting to pick up, and I am feeling it.

My parents came up from FL this week to visit, and we had a great time. They came in Monday afternoon, so I got in my 3 miles early that morning on the treadmill. For the Wed. and Thurs. runs, I got up before everyone else, and went out to run my 4 and 3 miles.

I sound like a broken record, but this humidity is just awful to run in, and it's really making running outside...hell. I decided to skip running with the group on Saturday - they were meeting at 5:30 a.m. at a park about 20 min. from my house. I love running at that park, but after a week of waking up early and entertaining all day, getting up at 4:30 to prepare for the long run and drive, was not something I wanted to do. So, I got up at 5:00 a.m. instead, had some breakfast, took my time stretching, and headed out. As soon as I stepped out of the house, I knew it was going to be hard. The humidity was so thick, it took so much extra effort to get a full breath in and fill the lungs. Miserable.

Despite that, I took off running too fast. I have a hard time slowing down. I know I need to slow down, but for some reason, I have the hardest time. I suppose it's that feeling that my running form is all off when I slow down, but it's also a feeling that if I slow down, I'll never get done. Nonsense. I did end up struggling big time the last couple of miles. The humidity, all the hills, tired legs...I found myself walking halfway up the last hill, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. I ran the last half mile to my house, but when I got inside and saw my husband, I had to fight back tears. I felt so defeated. And drained. Major doubts about the marathon - even the half marathon in Sept. - ran through my mind. I really need some cold weather. Really.

With the increased mileage, I am now experiencing the heel pain that comes with plantar fasciattis. It does not feel good, lemme tell ya. I'm doing my stretches in the morning, and rolling a ball under my foot when I'm sitting down. It helps, but worries me. It's all part of the journey, right? If it were easy, everyone would do it, right? Well, I'm still determined.