I hate to admit it, but I'm a bit disappointed in my run today...
I decided to try something a little different with my treadmill run today. First, I decided I was going to run these 3 miles as fast as I could. This meant starting at a much faster pace than I'm used to starting with and keeping it for as long as possible. The second change was to do it without my ipod. As much as I love the distraction of music, I really wanted to focus all of my thoughts on running... an attempt to motivate myself as I ran instead of waiting for my music selection to inspire me. My first two miles started out great, but just past the 2 mile mark, I wasn't sure I could hold on any longer. I suppose my large dinner could be to blame for that. But, for the first time, I actually had to bump the speed setting back down for a few minutes. It may have been an unrealistic goal, but I was really hoping to run in the 24's. Unfortunately, with my reduced speed, I just wasn't able to pull it off and ended up just over 25 minutes. I suppose I shouldn't be too disappointed with an 8:22 mile pace, but if I'd held my original pace just a little bit longer, I really think I could have finished 6 seconds faster. I suppose that just gives me a goal to shoot for next time.
In addition to that, I actually found it interesting to run without music again... it had been some time since I'd done that and I kind of enjoyed talking myself through my run. Although, I suppose a few negative thoughts in there could also be to blame for my decision to slow down. Nevertheless, I felt pretty upbeat throughout the entire run and it was probably good for me to spend 25 minutes focused on one thing. Hopefully next time I shoot for this goal I'll only have to spend 24 minutes focused on one thing :)
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Day 56 (10/25): 4 miles / 36:14
What an absolutely gorgeous day! Too bad I had to run in my dreary basement...
Still, I managed to get in a good workout and I'm thrilled with where I am physically right now. My training schedule called for 4 miles and I decided to try something a little different. One thing I've loved about training on the treadmill (and there aren't many times you'll see the words 'treadmill' and 'love' anywhere near one another in this blog) is that I can force myself to increase my speed throughout my run. For most people, as you get tired, you tend to slow down. Even if the excitement of finishing causes someone to pick up their pace at the end, it is usually the miles in the middle that are run at a slower pace. A treadmill eliminates that issue altogether. As I've mentioned before, it is always my goal to increase my speed as I go and never to decrease it along the way. This forces me to learn how to pace myself properly and, because I like to push myself at the end, if I have the energy left to do it, I rarely keep my pace: I always increase the speed over the course of the last mile. Today was similar, but with an added twist.
For the most part, I start somewhere between 6 and 6.5 mph. After the first mile, I increase it a few tenths and, the last mile I try to increase the speed every tenth of a mile so that I'm sprinting the last .1 or .2 miles. (Because, even though I haven't yet learned how to run 26 miles, God knows I'm going to be prepared to give it my all for that last .2!)
Anyway, today I started at 6.5, moved up to 6.6 for mile 2 and up to 6.7 for mile 3. My total time for the first three miles was 28:10. My goal, however, was to see how fast I could run my last mile after finishing the first 3. I was quite thrilled to run it in 8:04. This is certainly not the fastest mile I've ever run, but to be able to run that time after having already run 3 miles was pretty exciting.
Getting philosophical for a moment, I have to admit that I was far more excited about what this meant for me mentally rather than physically. It was one of those reminders that sometimes there's a little more left to give, even when I'm not certain that's the case. This, I'm guessing, will end up coming in quite handy as I continue to add to my ever growing list of commitments.
These days I feel like I'm setting a new goal for myself every week. Hopefully I will know when I've reached my limit. Until then, I guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that today's life lesson is used wisely and that, when I need a little something extra to get through my day, hopefully I can find the energy I need. I find I was pretty boring when I didn't have any goals... and I'm liking the new me.
Still, I managed to get in a good workout and I'm thrilled with where I am physically right now. My training schedule called for 4 miles and I decided to try something a little different. One thing I've loved about training on the treadmill (and there aren't many times you'll see the words 'treadmill' and 'love' anywhere near one another in this blog) is that I can force myself to increase my speed throughout my run. For most people, as you get tired, you tend to slow down. Even if the excitement of finishing causes someone to pick up their pace at the end, it is usually the miles in the middle that are run at a slower pace. A treadmill eliminates that issue altogether. As I've mentioned before, it is always my goal to increase my speed as I go and never to decrease it along the way. This forces me to learn how to pace myself properly and, because I like to push myself at the end, if I have the energy left to do it, I rarely keep my pace: I always increase the speed over the course of the last mile. Today was similar, but with an added twist.
For the most part, I start somewhere between 6 and 6.5 mph. After the first mile, I increase it a few tenths and, the last mile I try to increase the speed every tenth of a mile so that I'm sprinting the last .1 or .2 miles. (Because, even though I haven't yet learned how to run 26 miles, God knows I'm going to be prepared to give it my all for that last .2!)
Anyway, today I started at 6.5, moved up to 6.6 for mile 2 and up to 6.7 for mile 3. My total time for the first three miles was 28:10. My goal, however, was to see how fast I could run my last mile after finishing the first 3. I was quite thrilled to run it in 8:04. This is certainly not the fastest mile I've ever run, but to be able to run that time after having already run 3 miles was pretty exciting.
Getting philosophical for a moment, I have to admit that I was far more excited about what this meant for me mentally rather than physically. It was one of those reminders that sometimes there's a little more left to give, even when I'm not certain that's the case. This, I'm guessing, will end up coming in quite handy as I continue to add to my ever growing list of commitments.
These days I feel like I'm setting a new goal for myself every week. Hopefully I will know when I've reached my limit. Until then, I guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that today's life lesson is used wisely and that, when I need a little something extra to get through my day, hopefully I can find the energy I need. I find I was pretty boring when I didn't have any goals... and I'm liking the new me.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Day 55 (10/23): 6 miles / 53:38
I have no idea how I ran this a minute and a half faster last weekend. I gave this one my all. Must have been the 2 extra days off this week.
Nevertheless, despite how it sounds, I'm not at all disappointed in today's run. It was another beautiful day and I'm rather enjoying my 6 mile route. Well, aside from passing the most amazing smell of burgers and fries at lunch time. I will definitely have to find an alternate route for the days when I don't eat lunch until after my run. I tell you, if I carried money with me when I ran, I might be tempted to stop for lunch right in the middle of those 6 miles. And something tells me that might defeat the purpose.
And aside from the area around Red Robin, where I spent my time wiping the drool from my chin instead of the sweat from my brow, I spent the majority of my run thinking about my most recent non-fiction read: "The Necklace" by Cheryl Jarvis. It's a story of 13 women who pool their money to buy a diamond necklace and share it. It becomes an interesting experiment and changes each of their lives in its own way. Very intriguing. Nevertheless, it has reminded me of my goal to get involved with more charity work and I spent a good bit of time trying to think of ways I might do that. The women in this book get involved in some pretty wonderful things and I started to think about what my friends and I might be able to accomplish if we worked together on a charitable cause. Much like my legs, my mind was racing with little ideas and I can't wait until tomorrow to email them and see what they think.
Not that I have any idea how I'm going to fit yet another project into my already busy day, but this is one I'm definitely going to make work.
Nevertheless, despite how it sounds, I'm not at all disappointed in today's run. It was another beautiful day and I'm rather enjoying my 6 mile route. Well, aside from passing the most amazing smell of burgers and fries at lunch time. I will definitely have to find an alternate route for the days when I don't eat lunch until after my run. I tell you, if I carried money with me when I ran, I might be tempted to stop for lunch right in the middle of those 6 miles. And something tells me that might defeat the purpose.
And aside from the area around Red Robin, where I spent my time wiping the drool from my chin instead of the sweat from my brow, I spent the majority of my run thinking about my most recent non-fiction read: "The Necklace" by Cheryl Jarvis. It's a story of 13 women who pool their money to buy a diamond necklace and share it. It becomes an interesting experiment and changes each of their lives in its own way. Very intriguing. Nevertheless, it has reminded me of my goal to get involved with more charity work and I spent a good bit of time trying to think of ways I might do that. The women in this book get involved in some pretty wonderful things and I started to think about what my friends and I might be able to accomplish if we worked together on a charitable cause. Much like my legs, my mind was racing with little ideas and I can't wait until tomorrow to email them and see what they think.
Not that I have any idea how I'm going to fit yet another project into my already busy day, but this is one I'm definitely going to make work.
Day 54: (10/22): 4 miles / 35:00
It was a beautiful day for a run outdoors! And after an amazing sushi dinner last night (here's my shout out to Shannon) and a planned night out this evening, it was a great way to fit some exercise into my otherwise gluttonous weekend.
This weather is absolutely perfect for running... sunny and 50s... if it could stay like this for a few more weeks, I'd be in heaven. Don't get me wrong... I prefer sunny and 80s for any other purpose. I'm talking strictly about running weather here. If this was My Adventures In Obtaining The Perfect Tan, we'd be looking at an entirely different kind of entry :)
This weather is absolutely perfect for running... sunny and 50s... if it could stay like this for a few more weeks, I'd be in heaven. Don't get me wrong... I prefer sunny and 80s for any other purpose. I'm talking strictly about running weather here. If this was My Adventures In Obtaining The Perfect Tan, we'd be looking at an entirely different kind of entry :)
Friday, October 21, 2011
Day 53 (10/20): 4 miles / 38:49
After Monday's planned day of rest and Tuesday's very much unplanned stomach bug sidelining me for two more days, I was anxious to get moving again. I can't say I felt particularly well during these 4 miles, but I was determined to make it happen.
The training schedule called for 3 miles on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday and 3 on Thursday. Already down 7 miles for the week, I decided to go for 4 today. Well, I shouldn't say I 'decided'. In fact, I struggled with the decision for almost the entire first 3 miles. My first thought was to take it easy and slowly get myself back up to speed. Then, with the realization that the Cleveland Marathon is exactly 7 months away, I thought I should push myself a little harder so I wouldn't fall too far behind with my training. About a mile in, I settled for the goal of running 3 miles at a steady 10:00 pace and to revisit the decision once I saw how I felt. I had moments throughout the next 2 miles where I figured 3 was more than enough. But, in the end, when I reached the 3 mile mark, I knew I had it in me for at least another mile. At that point, all bets were off. I knew I wouldn't be setting my sights any further than 4, so I was determined to get the rest of my workout completed in as little time as possible. Not wanting to rock the boat (or my stomach, as the case may be), I slowly increased my speed every tenth of a mile, finishing my last mile in 8:49. Not exactly a record setting day, but there was no doubt when I finished that I probably should have given myself a little longer to bounce back. Fortunately, I did get all 4 miles in and I'm proud of myself for pushing harder when I could have easily taken another sick day.
I wonder what would have happened if I had pushed myself this hard in high school?
The training schedule called for 3 miles on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday and 3 on Thursday. Already down 7 miles for the week, I decided to go for 4 today. Well, I shouldn't say I 'decided'. In fact, I struggled with the decision for almost the entire first 3 miles. My first thought was to take it easy and slowly get myself back up to speed. Then, with the realization that the Cleveland Marathon is exactly 7 months away, I thought I should push myself a little harder so I wouldn't fall too far behind with my training. About a mile in, I settled for the goal of running 3 miles at a steady 10:00 pace and to revisit the decision once I saw how I felt. I had moments throughout the next 2 miles where I figured 3 was more than enough. But, in the end, when I reached the 3 mile mark, I knew I had it in me for at least another mile. At that point, all bets were off. I knew I wouldn't be setting my sights any further than 4, so I was determined to get the rest of my workout completed in as little time as possible. Not wanting to rock the boat (or my stomach, as the case may be), I slowly increased my speed every tenth of a mile, finishing my last mile in 8:49. Not exactly a record setting day, but there was no doubt when I finished that I probably should have given myself a little longer to bounce back. Fortunately, I did get all 4 miles in and I'm proud of myself for pushing harder when I could have easily taken another sick day.
I wonder what would have happened if I had pushed myself this hard in high school?
Monday, October 17, 2011
Day 52 (10/16): 3 miles / 26:14
After last night's birthday celebration, this morning's early start, and the copious amounts of food consumed this afternoon, I'm shocked I was able to get off the couch, let alone run 3 miles. My legs were definitely a little sore from yesterday, but I managed to get through it. I gave some serious consideration to calling it a day after mile 2, but I knew I'd appreciate tomorrow's night off that much more if I didn't cut any corners tonight. This week's training is pretty low key with another 6 miles scheduled for next weekend. I'm pretty sure I can fully recover by then :)
I have to admit that I spent the majority of my run thinking about the finish line. And I don't mean that in some sappy, poetic way where I was daydreaming about the thrill of the finish, the reaching of a goal and the accomplishment of a dream. I literally stared at the distance reading on the screen and willed the numbers to tick by just a little bit faster - yearning for the moment when I could hit the 'stop' button and be done. Even my running playlist seemed depressing to me and I found myself skipping through almost every song trying to find something to pump me up for a big finish. I never did find it. Only after I finished did I think of the song I really wanted to hear: My Body by Young the Giant. This was, by far, the best song recommendation from a fellow runner. This song might just have been what I needed. Fortunately for me, I was able to get by without it... but I may have to re-work my play list so that this is always the last song I hear :) Thanks, Kristy!
So, until next time, I do believe it's time to get started on enjoying my day of rest...
I have to admit that I spent the majority of my run thinking about the finish line. And I don't mean that in some sappy, poetic way where I was daydreaming about the thrill of the finish, the reaching of a goal and the accomplishment of a dream. I literally stared at the distance reading on the screen and willed the numbers to tick by just a little bit faster - yearning for the moment when I could hit the 'stop' button and be done. Even my running playlist seemed depressing to me and I found myself skipping through almost every song trying to find something to pump me up for a big finish. I never did find it. Only after I finished did I think of the song I really wanted to hear: My Body by Young the Giant. This was, by far, the best song recommendation from a fellow runner. This song might just have been what I needed. Fortunately for me, I was able to get by without it... but I may have to re-work my play list so that this is always the last song I hear :) Thanks, Kristy!
So, until next time, I do believe it's time to get started on enjoying my day of rest...
Day 51 (10/15): 6 miles / 52:05
One word... AMAZING! I can not believe how great it felt to run these 6 miles. It was a typical fall day... cool, overcast and incredibly windy. I wasn't sure running outside was going to be the best idea, but I'm so glad I did it.
My first 3 miles were all around a 9:00 mile pace and, being that I finished with an average pace of 8:40, my last 3 miles were obviously a whole lot faster (somewhere around 8:20 each). The reason for this, of course, is that a good bit of the first half of this run was uphill and into the wind. After the 3 mile mark, it was all downhill from there. No... literally... it was all downhill with the wind at my back. I imagine that made up for the large time discrepancy.
And, of course, I had my philosophical moment right around the 3.5 mile mark when I turned a corner and had the wind at my back... Sometimes you just have to stay the course, no matter how difficult it seems. There will be times when things don't seem to be going your way, but they're bound to turn around eventually :)
Enough of the cheese... back to reality...
As I mentioned before, it was a typical fall day and I had 52 minutes to appreciate it. Fall in Ohio just doesn't last very long and, before you know it, winter is upon you. It was great to get a chance to appreciate the changing colors, the falling leaves and the indescribable smell of the season. Of course, the half mile radius surrounding Red Robin doesn't exactly smell like 'fall', but it did make me hungry for a burger and fries. And, shortly after that, someone in the area was baking some kind of apple deliciousness... the scent of apples and cinnamon followed me a short distance further. Maybe that explains the faster second half of my run... I couldn't wait to get home to eat!
All in all, I would say today was a huge success. I felt great from my first step to my last and am proud to say I've tackled 6 miles. The increase to 7 miles is still 3 weeks away and I'm already looking forward to it!
Now it's time to celebrate with a few beers and maybe a couple shots... Happy Birthday Michael! :)
My first 3 miles were all around a 9:00 mile pace and, being that I finished with an average pace of 8:40, my last 3 miles were obviously a whole lot faster (somewhere around 8:20 each). The reason for this, of course, is that a good bit of the first half of this run was uphill and into the wind. After the 3 mile mark, it was all downhill from there. No... literally... it was all downhill with the wind at my back. I imagine that made up for the large time discrepancy.
And, of course, I had my philosophical moment right around the 3.5 mile mark when I turned a corner and had the wind at my back... Sometimes you just have to stay the course, no matter how difficult it seems. There will be times when things don't seem to be going your way, but they're bound to turn around eventually :)
Enough of the cheese... back to reality...
As I mentioned before, it was a typical fall day and I had 52 minutes to appreciate it. Fall in Ohio just doesn't last very long and, before you know it, winter is upon you. It was great to get a chance to appreciate the changing colors, the falling leaves and the indescribable smell of the season. Of course, the half mile radius surrounding Red Robin doesn't exactly smell like 'fall', but it did make me hungry for a burger and fries. And, shortly after that, someone in the area was baking some kind of apple deliciousness... the scent of apples and cinnamon followed me a short distance further. Maybe that explains the faster second half of my run... I couldn't wait to get home to eat!
All in all, I would say today was a huge success. I felt great from my first step to my last and am proud to say I've tackled 6 miles. The increase to 7 miles is still 3 weeks away and I'm already looking forward to it!
Now it's time to celebrate with a few beers and maybe a couple shots... Happy Birthday Michael! :)
Friday, October 14, 2011
Day 50 (10/13): 3 miles / 25:27
Today I was most definitely shooting for a fast time. After yesterday's run, I wanted to see if it was possible to go even faster. It's not that an 8:29 mile is anything super impressive, but I'm still amazed at how quickly progress can be made. I'm feeling great, which is exciting to begin with... you never know what your body can handle until you push yourself. In the beginning, I was definitely afraid I would risk injury trying to do too much too fast. I'm thrilled that my body is handling everything I've done so far. Hopefully that trend continues as I start adding on the miles.
I did, however, come to the conclusion that I'm not going to run in this weekend's 10k race. As much as I'd love to do it and definitely think I can handle it physically, I decided that, after this week of missing my husband, I don't want to spend any more time away from home than I have to. Of course, I'll still have to run 6 miles this weekend, but doing so at home and when I choose, I can still get the quality family time that I think I really need. I'm sure there will be another 10k in the spring that I can fit into my marathon training. Until then, the 5 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving will have to do.
I did, however, come to the conclusion that I'm not going to run in this weekend's 10k race. As much as I'd love to do it and definitely think I can handle it physically, I decided that, after this week of missing my husband, I don't want to spend any more time away from home than I have to. Of course, I'll still have to run 6 miles this weekend, but doing so at home and when I choose, I can still get the quality family time that I think I really need. I'm sure there will be another 10k in the spring that I can fit into my marathon training. Until then, the 5 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving will have to do.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Day 49 (10/12): 3 miles / 26:16
Physically, I feel fantastic... but I'm mentally exhausted...
I wasn't setting out to break any records with today's run. What I really wanted, however, was to be done with these 3 miles as quickly as possible so that I could move on to lounging around in my pjs, watching tv and, in general, being a lazy bum. Needless to say, I'm thrilled with my time and I'm fairly certain it was my fastest run on the treadmill to date, averaging about an 8:45 per mile pace.
But I honestly didn't want to run at all today. I'm beginning to feel very overwhelmed with my schedule these days and, unfortunately, there's not too much I can do about it. The only thing I could potentially cut out is my training, which just doesn't seem to be the best option for me if I'm hoping to run a marathon in the spring.
The truth is, while I'm thrilled he's doing it, my husband going back to school has changed things dramatically. I don't even recognize our life anymore... and we're only 4 weeks into his schooling. I try to tell myself that his masters program will only take a year and a half, but that sounds like an eternity right now. Add to that his already busy work and travel schedule and I feel like I barely even see him anymore. Sometimes I have to remind myself that, even if I didn't run, it wouldn't mean more time with my family... after all, I run after my son goes to bed and most often while my husband is traveling or doing his school work. If it weren't for running, I'd likely be spending that time watching tv anyway.
So, with no takers on my invitation to watch chick flicks and drink wine this evening, I decided to go ahead and run my scheduled 3 miles. And thank goodness I did. While I still have the same burdens I did before I started, at least I finished my workout feeling good about myself and was able to get out a little of that frustration I'd been feeling. I'm still missing my husband every night that he's away and every time he needs to study on the weekends, but at least I feel I'm doing something useful with my time. I don't remember the last time I felt this good physically and, with all of the calories I'm burning, I don't feel so bad about sitting down with a giant bowl of ice cream on the days I'm feeling a little down.
I wasn't setting out to break any records with today's run. What I really wanted, however, was to be done with these 3 miles as quickly as possible so that I could move on to lounging around in my pjs, watching tv and, in general, being a lazy bum. Needless to say, I'm thrilled with my time and I'm fairly certain it was my fastest run on the treadmill to date, averaging about an 8:45 per mile pace.
But I honestly didn't want to run at all today. I'm beginning to feel very overwhelmed with my schedule these days and, unfortunately, there's not too much I can do about it. The only thing I could potentially cut out is my training, which just doesn't seem to be the best option for me if I'm hoping to run a marathon in the spring.
The truth is, while I'm thrilled he's doing it, my husband going back to school has changed things dramatically. I don't even recognize our life anymore... and we're only 4 weeks into his schooling. I try to tell myself that his masters program will only take a year and a half, but that sounds like an eternity right now. Add to that his already busy work and travel schedule and I feel like I barely even see him anymore. Sometimes I have to remind myself that, even if I didn't run, it wouldn't mean more time with my family... after all, I run after my son goes to bed and most often while my husband is traveling or doing his school work. If it weren't for running, I'd likely be spending that time watching tv anyway.
So, with no takers on my invitation to watch chick flicks and drink wine this evening, I decided to go ahead and run my scheduled 3 miles. And thank goodness I did. While I still have the same burdens I did before I started, at least I finished my workout feeling good about myself and was able to get out a little of that frustration I'd been feeling. I'm still missing my husband every night that he's away and every time he needs to study on the weekends, but at least I feel I'm doing something useful with my time. I don't remember the last time I felt this good physically and, with all of the calories I'm burning, I don't feel so bad about sitting down with a giant bowl of ice cream on the days I'm feeling a little down.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Day 48 (10/11): 3 miles / 27:18
Today felt amazing... which I imagine had something to do with my run being so much shorter, and thus so much easier, compared to the 5 miles I ran on Sunday. And my time wasn't too bad considering the fact that I always run slower on the treadmill. A 9:06 pace is faster than I would have expected for myself today.
But, as good as I felt running, I spent almost the entire time thinking about my current dilemma. I'm struggling with how hard to push myself this week. This weekend I'm scheduled to run 6 miles, which I'm actually looking forward to. The problem is that I'm not sure whether to just run those 6 miles around the neighborhood or sign up for a 10k (6.2 miles) race downtown. Since it will be my first time venturing past the 5 mile mark, I'm thinking I should just take it easy... run with the intention of simply finishing all 6 miles. The problem is that I had really wanted to run a 5k (check) and 10k this year and then a half marathon and marathon next year. I've checked every place I could think of and can't find another 10k scheduled for this year, unless I want to travel more than 2 hours away to get there, which isn't really an option at this point. So, I'm stuck between possibly overdoing it just so I can say that I ran a 10k or missing the opportunity to run one this year completely. And while I technically have until Saturday to make a final decision, I'd really like to make up my mind before then... because I'm pretty sure I'm going to start to annoy my husband if I keep boring him with this particular topic.
But, as good as I felt running, I spent almost the entire time thinking about my current dilemma. I'm struggling with how hard to push myself this week. This weekend I'm scheduled to run 6 miles, which I'm actually looking forward to. The problem is that I'm not sure whether to just run those 6 miles around the neighborhood or sign up for a 10k (6.2 miles) race downtown. Since it will be my first time venturing past the 5 mile mark, I'm thinking I should just take it easy... run with the intention of simply finishing all 6 miles. The problem is that I had really wanted to run a 5k (check) and 10k this year and then a half marathon and marathon next year. I've checked every place I could think of and can't find another 10k scheduled for this year, unless I want to travel more than 2 hours away to get there, which isn't really an option at this point. So, I'm stuck between possibly overdoing it just so I can say that I ran a 10k or missing the opportunity to run one this year completely. And while I technically have until Saturday to make a final decision, I'd really like to make up my mind before then... because I'm pretty sure I'm going to start to annoy my husband if I keep boring him with this particular topic.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Day 47 (10/9): 5 miles / 45:53
Wow - that was hard. After running only 3 miles for each training day for the last two weeks, this run felt like an eternity. Mile 1 felt just about the same as it always does - it takes almost the entire mile to loosen up my muscles and joints and get geared up for the remainder of my run. Mile 2 felt pretty good, but I was worried I was maybe going a little too fast considering the fact that I was going to be running so much further than I had in the past few weeks. Miles 3 and 4 actually felt really good (mile 3 slightly better than mile 4, of course). The longer distance finally gave me an opportunity to venture out of my neighborhood for a one-mile out-and-back route. This also made it easy to time myself for those miles - 9:00 out and 8:57 back - not too shabby. Unfortunately, I probably should have slowed my pace just a bit. That last mile was a real killer. All in all, however, I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with my time. I'm certainly not shattering any records, but I love that I ran five miles at just over a 9:10 pace. That being said, there's a lot of work to be done if I'm hoping to run the marathon anywhere near a 10:00 mile pace. I'm realizing this goal might be a bit lofty for me, but with so much time left to train, I don't feel it's right to start lowering my expectations just yet :)
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Day 46 (10/8): 3 miles / 26:27
Today's run felt great. We're having amazing weather for this time of year and it feels good to get back outdoors in the sunshine. I must admit that I had no idea I was running as fast as I was, so either this whole thing is getting a lot easier or I just happened to have a good day... either way, I'll take it.
I did, however, spend a good deal of my run thinking about tomorrow's run... the training schedule finally has me increasing my miles, so I'm pretty excited! I've got 5 miles on the schedule for tomorrow and I can't wait to see how it goes. Wish me luck...
I did, however, spend a good deal of my run thinking about tomorrow's run... the training schedule finally has me increasing my miles, so I'm pretty excited! I've got 5 miles on the schedule for tomorrow and I can't wait to see how it goes. Wish me luck...
Friday, October 7, 2011
Day 45 (10/7): 3 miles / 28:53
Everything about this evening's run felt wrong. My joints ache, my muscles are tight and my breathing labored. I feel all around sluggish and, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm guessing it has something to do with my diet. Let's take today, for example: I started out with a sensible granola bar for breakfast and a V-8 Fusion drink on my way to work. Then it's all downhill from there. Lunch was a ginormous bowl of chili with cheese and fritos and dinner was a large helping of beef stroganoff and too many slices of asiago pepperoni bread. Did I seriously think my body was going to feel good after that?!? I suppose it's time to start adding more fruits and veggies to my diet and maybe laying off the fatty foods a bit. Of course, I'm sure last night's martinis, appetizers and cupcakes didn't help, and the box of chocolates the night before might have been pushing it just a bit. All in all, I think my diet needs a serious makeover.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Day 44 (10/5): 3 miles / 28:48
Maybe what I really needed before yesterday's post was an attitude adjustment... and a little bit of chocolate.
Okay, okay... a lot of chocolate. But that's not really the point.
Anyway, today's run was much better than yesterday's and I'm feeling re-energized concerning my marathon goal. I'm also thrilled that this week marks an increase in the number of running days per week from 4 to 5, so even though the distance won't change for a few more days, at least I feel like I'm doing something more than last week.
My first 2 miles were at a 10:00 mile pace and, when that got to feeling a little too easy, I went ahead and increased the pace continuously over the course of the last mile, going from 6.0 mph to 7.5 mph as I crossed my imaginary finish line. It felt great to finish strong and I was encouraged by the fact that, after yesterday's minor meltdown, I was able to bounce back today with a better attitude. It might have a little something to do with the second song on today's mix of my running playlist: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. That song gets me every damn time...
(Side note - this video just makes me laugh! 1-these guys could not look any less comfortable, 2-not impressed by the garbage bag background flapping in the wind and, 3-the lead singer looks super sweaty in those tight black leather pants. Pure genius I tell you!)
Okay, okay... a lot of chocolate. But that's not really the point.
Anyway, today's run was much better than yesterday's and I'm feeling re-energized concerning my marathon goal. I'm also thrilled that this week marks an increase in the number of running days per week from 4 to 5, so even though the distance won't change for a few more days, at least I feel like I'm doing something more than last week.
My first 2 miles were at a 10:00 mile pace and, when that got to feeling a little too easy, I went ahead and increased the pace continuously over the course of the last mile, going from 6.0 mph to 7.5 mph as I crossed my imaginary finish line. It felt great to finish strong and I was encouraged by the fact that, after yesterday's minor meltdown, I was able to bounce back today with a better attitude. It might have a little something to do with the second song on today's mix of my running playlist: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. That song gets me every damn time...
(Side note - this video just makes me laugh! 1-these guys could not look any less comfortable, 2-not impressed by the garbage bag background flapping in the wind and, 3-the lead singer looks super sweaty in those tight black leather pants. Pure genius I tell you!)
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Day 43 (10/4): 3 miles / 30:03
Today's disjointed run left me feeling frustrated and wondering if I should be trying to do this right now. I'm not doubting my physical ability... I'm simply questioning whether I should be committing this kind of time to a personal goal when there seem to be a million other things I should be doing instead. I fully acknowledged that this process would take about a year, assuming my body could withstand the beating and evade injury, but I never bothered to consider the amount of time this would require out of that twelve month period.
I'm guessing that, looking at today's time, you're wondering why in the world I'm so overwhelmed by 30 minutes. If that's an issue, I'm seriously going to have a problem when I start running 10-12 miles or, even worse, 15-20 miles. But it's not really the half hour that's a problem. Add another 15 minutes beforehand to stretch and what should be at least another 20 afterward for more stretching. Then, assuming I have anywhere else to be, there's a shower that really should follow. Of course, showering is part of my normal day, but isn't necessarily part of my afternoon. Any time I have somewhere to take my son, I wake up early and shower before he gets out of bed. Now, I have to fit stretching, running, stretching and showering into his sometimes too-short nap time.
Take today, for instance. The first 20 minutes of my run I spend making a mental list of all of the things I want to do this afternoon. I need to finish my run, have lunch, take a shower, get dinner started (my first homemade dinner in some time), get a few emails out and, as if there would be enough time left after that, I'd love to read a little. After 2 miles on the treadmill, my son woke up from his nap. Being that I found a way to multi-task and did my stretching while we played on the floor before his nap time, this meant that he'd only be asleep for 20 minutes... only about 2 hours shorter than his nap might normally be. I gave him a minute hoping he'd go right back to sleep, but no luck. So, I run upstairs to calm him down, which takes a good ten minutes to do, in just enough time for the dogs to bark at the invisible people that obviously taunt them from the front door, and the whole process begins again. By the time I get back downstairs to finish my run, it's been at least 15 minutes. Now I'm wondering... should I start over? Clearly that would be putting too many miles on these legs of mine. Should I just call it a day? Then I would just feel like a quitter. But will he stay asleep long enough for me to finish? There was no way to know for sure, but certainly I was going to try.
This left my last mile to reconsider my list of things I had wanted to accomplish and think about how to re-order them since I doubted there was any chance of getting all of them done. I finished my run and stretched a little less than I probably should have, then warmed up my leftover chinese while I sent out my emails. I did allow myself a break long enough to finish my lunch on the couch, but before I finished, my son was once again awake... still about an hour short of his usual nap time.
I suddenly felt very overwhelmed by all of the things I'd love to be accomplishing at this point in my life. With my husband's schooling taking so much of his time, I would love to say I've been able to take the reins and do all of the things he hasn't had time for. But all I've managed in the last three weeks is to cook one meal and wipe down a few counter tops. The grass could use some serious attention and I don't want to be the kind of wife and mother that serves her family fast food and frozen dinners every night. I can't help but feel that my hobbies are starting to take up all of the time I should be devoting to my family. Between running, reading for my book club (that, for some stupid reason, I thought would be a good thing to start earlier this year) and trying to keep up with my initial goal for the year of reading one non-fiction book every month, I can't seem to get anything else done.
I spent the rest of the afternoon feeling inundated by all of the things I need and want to do in the very little time I seem to have. I'm just beginning to wonder if this is really what I should be doing right now...
I'm guessing that, looking at today's time, you're wondering why in the world I'm so overwhelmed by 30 minutes. If that's an issue, I'm seriously going to have a problem when I start running 10-12 miles or, even worse, 15-20 miles. But it's not really the half hour that's a problem. Add another 15 minutes beforehand to stretch and what should be at least another 20 afterward for more stretching. Then, assuming I have anywhere else to be, there's a shower that really should follow. Of course, showering is part of my normal day, but isn't necessarily part of my afternoon. Any time I have somewhere to take my son, I wake up early and shower before he gets out of bed. Now, I have to fit stretching, running, stretching and showering into his sometimes too-short nap time.
Take today, for instance. The first 20 minutes of my run I spend making a mental list of all of the things I want to do this afternoon. I need to finish my run, have lunch, take a shower, get dinner started (my first homemade dinner in some time), get a few emails out and, as if there would be enough time left after that, I'd love to read a little. After 2 miles on the treadmill, my son woke up from his nap. Being that I found a way to multi-task and did my stretching while we played on the floor before his nap time, this meant that he'd only be asleep for 20 minutes... only about 2 hours shorter than his nap might normally be. I gave him a minute hoping he'd go right back to sleep, but no luck. So, I run upstairs to calm him down, which takes a good ten minutes to do, in just enough time for the dogs to bark at the invisible people that obviously taunt them from the front door, and the whole process begins again. By the time I get back downstairs to finish my run, it's been at least 15 minutes. Now I'm wondering... should I start over? Clearly that would be putting too many miles on these legs of mine. Should I just call it a day? Then I would just feel like a quitter. But will he stay asleep long enough for me to finish? There was no way to know for sure, but certainly I was going to try.
This left my last mile to reconsider my list of things I had wanted to accomplish and think about how to re-order them since I doubted there was any chance of getting all of them done. I finished my run and stretched a little less than I probably should have, then warmed up my leftover chinese while I sent out my emails. I did allow myself a break long enough to finish my lunch on the couch, but before I finished, my son was once again awake... still about an hour short of his usual nap time.
I suddenly felt very overwhelmed by all of the things I'd love to be accomplishing at this point in my life. With my husband's schooling taking so much of his time, I would love to say I've been able to take the reins and do all of the things he hasn't had time for. But all I've managed in the last three weeks is to cook one meal and wipe down a few counter tops. The grass could use some serious attention and I don't want to be the kind of wife and mother that serves her family fast food and frozen dinners every night. I can't help but feel that my hobbies are starting to take up all of the time I should be devoting to my family. Between running, reading for my book club (that, for some stupid reason, I thought would be a good thing to start earlier this year) and trying to keep up with my initial goal for the year of reading one non-fiction book every month, I can't seem to get anything else done.
I spent the rest of the afternoon feeling inundated by all of the things I need and want to do in the very little time I seem to have. I'm just beginning to wonder if this is really what I should be doing right now...
Monday, October 3, 2011
Day 42 (10/2): 3 miles / 30:30
Today's crappy weather meant a treadmill day for me today and I decided to take it easy. Unfortunately, much like I always do, I started with a first mile much slower than I should have, picked up the pace for my second, then realized that I had far too much energy left for the last mile, which I should have considering I was running at a 12:00 pace for mile 1 and a 10:00 pace for mile 2. This forced me to really pick up my speed for the last mile in order to keep my time somewhat reasonable. This just seems silly since I can set the pace at anything I want and know that I won't accidentally slow down or speed up because the belt moves at whatever rate I set it for. And yet I manage to do this every time I'm on it. My goal for future treadmill runs is to set the speed at a 10:00 pace and just leave it there for the entire run. We'll see how that goes for me this week :)
I did, however, find my first two miles relaxing enough to spend a little time thinking... mostly about my goals and aspirations. First and foremost, I really need to start cooking more. My husband and I don't eat particularly well to begin with and my son is certainly not learning any good eating habits from us. I'd love to start eating well and, in the process, take better care of my family. This alone sounds like a lot of work. I wonder how I'll find the time...
This thought led me back to my goal of running a marathon. I still wonder sometimes what I'm thinking. I have moments when I don't doubt for a second that I can do this. I really feel I'm capable of it. Then I do something stupid, like announce to the world on facebook that I've signed up for the Cleveland Marathon. Part of my reason for this is to keep myself motivated to do it. More friends aware of this plan means more people asking me about my progress... I find this keeps me accountable. But then there's this crazy side effect... lots of people congratulating me on signing up to run the marathon... What's that all about? It's a heck of a lot easier to register than it is to actually run it. I don't know what to say when people congratulate me just for saying I'm going to do it. I can only imagine how impressed they might be if I actually finish it :)
But, until then, the song Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie seems to be on repeat in my head... Maybe it wasn't the best addition to my running play list... :)
I did, however, find my first two miles relaxing enough to spend a little time thinking... mostly about my goals and aspirations. First and foremost, I really need to start cooking more. My husband and I don't eat particularly well to begin with and my son is certainly not learning any good eating habits from us. I'd love to start eating well and, in the process, take better care of my family. This alone sounds like a lot of work. I wonder how I'll find the time...
This thought led me back to my goal of running a marathon. I still wonder sometimes what I'm thinking. I have moments when I don't doubt for a second that I can do this. I really feel I'm capable of it. Then I do something stupid, like announce to the world on facebook that I've signed up for the Cleveland Marathon. Part of my reason for this is to keep myself motivated to do it. More friends aware of this plan means more people asking me about my progress... I find this keeps me accountable. But then there's this crazy side effect... lots of people congratulating me on signing up to run the marathon... What's that all about? It's a heck of a lot easier to register than it is to actually run it. I don't know what to say when people congratulate me just for saying I'm going to do it. I can only imagine how impressed they might be if I actually finish it :)
But, until then, the song Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie seems to be on repeat in my head... Maybe it wasn't the best addition to my running play list... :)
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Day 41 (10/1): 3 miles / 25:15
Not too much to report as far as today's run is concerned. The day was a little cooler than I would have liked, but fresh air is always appreciated, so I can't complain. I did attempt to push myself to see where I was physically and how well I could pace myself when shooting for a faster time. With a per mile pace of 8:25, I feel really good about where I am physically right now. And, although I'm not exactly certain where each mile marker is, I'm pretty sure my first mile was somewhere around 8:30, so it would appear I didn't do too badly in the pacing department either.
I still haven't signed up for the 10k race I've been considering, which is on October 15th, but I'm fairly confident I could handle it at this point. Now it's just a matter of committing to it. It's funny how I'm able to commit to a marathon but not a 10k. I'm sure it has something to do with the marathon being 8 months away and the 10k being only 2 weeks away, but still...
I still haven't signed up for the 10k race I've been considering, which is on October 15th, but I'm fairly confident I could handle it at this point. Now it's just a matter of committing to it. It's funny how I'm able to commit to a marathon but not a 10k. I'm sure it has something to do with the marathon being 8 months away and the 10k being only 2 weeks away, but still...
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