31...
That's the number of frogs I passed on the sidewalk during my 4.5 mile run just after sunset. Do you have any idea how hard it is to dodge frogs while running in the dark? Not fun. But the idea of one of those frogs ending up beneath my shoe was enough to force me to keep my eyes on the sidewalk for the entire run. Frog 29 jumped right in front of me and I was sure he was a goner. Fortunately, I can state for the record that there were no fatalities or injuries during this workout. Another fun fact... apparently the sidewalks of Avon are the place to be on a Wednesday night... if you're a frog that is.
Okay, so back to the important stuff...
I've been doing a little reading on marathon training and running in general. I recently read that, unless you're a seasoned runner working on improving your time, there's really no reason to push yourself to the limit every time you run. A good jogging pace is when you're able to comfortably hold a conversation during your run. And, while I didn't have anyone to converse with this evening, I did decide to slow my pace and see how many miles I could put in instead of trying to finish a certain distance in as little time as possible. The first three miles or so were at a leisurely 11 minute mile pace. And, while I couldn't exactly test whether or not I could hold a conversation at that pace, I did feel comfortable enough to add another mile and a half to the end of my run. I'm not sure I had set out to run my longest distance to date, but I'm happy to report that I felt great doing it. My legs seem to be holding up well, much of which I assume can be attributed to my new shoes, and the cooler weather has made running a lot more pleasant.
Looks like I'll be ready for that 10k before I know it...
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Day 22 (8/29): about 2 miles / 17:56
Today was supposed to be my day off. I was awake at 4:30 for no apparent reason and forbid myself from running because I felt my body deserved the break. And yet, here I am. This evening rolled around and I just couldn't help myself. I was still feeling so good from yesterday that I just needed to get out and put a few more miles on these new shoes of mine.
Speaking of new shoes - I love them! Definitely one of my better purchases.
Of course, after my run, I was reminded why I needed a day off. While I'm certainly not battling any injuries, I think my body is telling me it needs a little break. So, tomorrow I will not run... I will not run... I will not run... I will not run...
In the meantime, I will reflect a little on what this little endeavor of mine has already changed in my life...
First and foremost, I'm proud to say that I've quit smoking. This past Thursday was my last one, so it's been 4 days, 1 hour and 44 minutes... more or less :) I really thought it would be much harder than it was. Fortunately for me, my hubby quit as well, which made it a million times easier for me to get through!
My second and not quite so healthy change has been my appetite. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved food, but this is insane. I have an insatiable appetite and I never desire anything that would actually be considered healthy. Take today for example... I started my day with a bowl of cereal, then had a bowl of soup and some french bread for lunch... which I proceeded to follow with a candy bar. Okay, no biggie, except what I was looking for in the office freezer was ice cream. When I found none there, the only reason I didn't go buy some was because I told myself that we had better ice cream at home. So I manage to make it through the rest of the day without further raiding the office snack box and, because I'm not sure it would end well if I went running right after dinner, I held off on eating dinner until after my run. When I'm finally ready to eat, I decide on some french bread pizzas. And, even though the box claims that a serving size is just one pizza, I consider the possibility that this is a typo and decide that two is better than one. While that cheesy deliciousness is cooking, I decide to see what we have the fridge. To my surprise, there's an unopened Hershey bar sitting on the top shelf just staring back at me. I pause for a moment and think 'why are you not already in my belly?' Truly, the only thing that kept me from eating it is the fact that I imagine it will taste better after the pizza than it would before. I give Mr. Hershey a wink: 'I'll be seeing you later". You may be wondering why I would be planning to eat that chocolate bar since it obviously wasn't mine, but my husband and I made a rule... food in the house is totally up for grabs unless you stake a claim on it... this candy bar had no such claim. And, to be totally fair, I even said aloud: 'honey, is this your candy bar?' It's possible he didn't hear me from Virginia, but there's just not much that could be done about that.
So, as I sit here, I'm finishing off my last few bites of pizza and already trying to decide what to consume next. Of course, there is Mr. Hershey with whom I promised to visit a short time ago. But, then again, there's Butterfinger ice cream and all kinds of delectable toppings to choose from. There's brownies or Nutty Bars. Then again, I wouldn't mind a big bowl of leftover pasta salad... Maybe the problem is simply that I have too many options.
The fact is, I certainly don't feel like I have anything to be concerned about with my weight. However, I do need to stop telling myself that I can have anything I want just because I burned a few extra calories. Yes, my body is telling me that it's hungry because it probably is... but I'm guessing we might need to start keeping some healthier options in the house if I hope to not gain weight during this process.
Speaking of new shoes - I love them! Definitely one of my better purchases.
Of course, after my run, I was reminded why I needed a day off. While I'm certainly not battling any injuries, I think my body is telling me it needs a little break. So, tomorrow I will not run... I will not run... I will not run... I will not run...
In the meantime, I will reflect a little on what this little endeavor of mine has already changed in my life...
First and foremost, I'm proud to say that I've quit smoking. This past Thursday was my last one, so it's been 4 days, 1 hour and 44 minutes... more or less :) I really thought it would be much harder than it was. Fortunately for me, my hubby quit as well, which made it a million times easier for me to get through!
My second and not quite so healthy change has been my appetite. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved food, but this is insane. I have an insatiable appetite and I never desire anything that would actually be considered healthy. Take today for example... I started my day with a bowl of cereal, then had a bowl of soup and some french bread for lunch... which I proceeded to follow with a candy bar. Okay, no biggie, except what I was looking for in the office freezer was ice cream. When I found none there, the only reason I didn't go buy some was because I told myself that we had better ice cream at home. So I manage to make it through the rest of the day without further raiding the office snack box and, because I'm not sure it would end well if I went running right after dinner, I held off on eating dinner until after my run. When I'm finally ready to eat, I decide on some french bread pizzas. And, even though the box claims that a serving size is just one pizza, I consider the possibility that this is a typo and decide that two is better than one. While that cheesy deliciousness is cooking, I decide to see what we have the fridge. To my surprise, there's an unopened Hershey bar sitting on the top shelf just staring back at me. I pause for a moment and think 'why are you not already in my belly?' Truly, the only thing that kept me from eating it is the fact that I imagine it will taste better after the pizza than it would before. I give Mr. Hershey a wink: 'I'll be seeing you later". You may be wondering why I would be planning to eat that chocolate bar since it obviously wasn't mine, but my husband and I made a rule... food in the house is totally up for grabs unless you stake a claim on it... this candy bar had no such claim. And, to be totally fair, I even said aloud: 'honey, is this your candy bar?' It's possible he didn't hear me from Virginia, but there's just not much that could be done about that.
So, as I sit here, I'm finishing off my last few bites of pizza and already trying to decide what to consume next. Of course, there is Mr. Hershey with whom I promised to visit a short time ago. But, then again, there's Butterfinger ice cream and all kinds of delectable toppings to choose from. There's brownies or Nutty Bars. Then again, I wouldn't mind a big bowl of leftover pasta salad... Maybe the problem is simply that I have too many options.
The fact is, I certainly don't feel like I have anything to be concerned about with my weight. However, I do need to stop telling myself that I can have anything I want just because I burned a few extra calories. Yes, my body is telling me that it's hungry because it probably is... but I'm guessing we might need to start keeping some healthier options in the house if I hope to not gain weight during this process.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Day 21 (8/28): 5k / 26:17
My first race in more than 12 years! Crazy!!!
It felt so great to race again! I was mostly excited, but a little bit nervous at the beginning. I felt like I was 15 years old again. Thankfully, I'm not... those kids are fast!!!
So, let's cut to the chase... I finished first in my age group (30-34) with a total time of 26:17 (for which I received a lovely orange and black ribbon). Unfortunately, I don't know what place I finished overall, but hopefully they'll post that information soon. Regardless of my overall place, I'm pretty thrilled with where I ended up. My time was much faster than I anticipated and I somehow managed to pace myself fairly well... even after all these years.
I was a little nervous after my first mile when I saw I ran it in 8:30, but I was feeling really good and saw no reason to slow down. At the 2 mile mark I was at 16:58 (an 8:28 mile) and couldn't believe I'd managed to keep my pace that well, let alone that I still felt strong enough to not slow down. Unfortunately, my last mile was a little bit slower, but not by too much (9:19 for 1.1 miles is about an 8:45 mile pace).
I found it really easy to get back into my old race mind set. I remembered all of the mental tricks I used for passing people in a race and the head games I'd play as I passed them to let them know that they shouldn't bother trying to keep up with me. I forgot how much fun that could be! Sure, it doesn't sound very sportsmanlike, but let me give you an example... When I was in high school, I didn't have a very strong kick at the end of the race, which meant I needed to put as much distance between myself and my opponents as I possibly could so they couldn't beat me in the last 100 yards. I needed them to think I was stronger than them and that it wasn't worth it to try to beat me, even though I knew that they could likely sprint faster than me if they wanted to. Here's what worked for me...
When you're nearing the end of a race and the group has spread out a bit and it becomes more difficult to find people to pass, you have to find something to make you go faster... a reason to work harder... after all, you're not out for a jog... you're racing. So, you find someone ahead of you that looks like they're getting tired. You take a few moments to note all of the signs they're giving you to let you know how tired they are. Then you give yourself a quick once-over and remind yourself not to do any of those things as you tie a mental rope around their waist and slowly pull yourself up to where they are. Once you catch them you relax your breathing and try to do all of the things you're supposed to do when you're running... take long deep breaths, put your shoulders back, bring your knees up higher and continue to stride right past them. Their breathing is labored and they sound exhausted. Never look at them as you pass... after all, you're not at all concerned that they're going to be competitive with you.
Now, imagine yourself as that exhausted runner just trying to make it to the finish line. You're tired and can't catch your breath. Out of nowhere comes this runner who looks like they've got all the energy in the world. They're having no trouble breathing. They're strong and confident. There's no way in the world you could ever keep up with them. If you've ever been the one getting passed towards the end of a race, you know exactly how this feels. I can assure you, I didn't feel like I had all the energy in the world, I didn't feel strong and confident and I certainly did have trouble catching my breath. I was giving it all I had. All I needed to push myself for that last half mile was someone behind me thinking all of those things about me... that's what encouraged me to give it every little bit I had left. It's all a mental game... and I so loved playing it again!!!
With my 5k under my belt, I'm already looking forward to training for a 10k... but I think I deserve a day off, so I'm thinking that training will begin Tuesday :)
It felt so great to race again! I was mostly excited, but a little bit nervous at the beginning. I felt like I was 15 years old again. Thankfully, I'm not... those kids are fast!!!
So, let's cut to the chase... I finished first in my age group (30-34) with a total time of 26:17 (for which I received a lovely orange and black ribbon). Unfortunately, I don't know what place I finished overall, but hopefully they'll post that information soon. Regardless of my overall place, I'm pretty thrilled with where I ended up. My time was much faster than I anticipated and I somehow managed to pace myself fairly well... even after all these years.
I was a little nervous after my first mile when I saw I ran it in 8:30, but I was feeling really good and saw no reason to slow down. At the 2 mile mark I was at 16:58 (an 8:28 mile) and couldn't believe I'd managed to keep my pace that well, let alone that I still felt strong enough to not slow down. Unfortunately, my last mile was a little bit slower, but not by too much (9:19 for 1.1 miles is about an 8:45 mile pace).
I found it really easy to get back into my old race mind set. I remembered all of the mental tricks I used for passing people in a race and the head games I'd play as I passed them to let them know that they shouldn't bother trying to keep up with me. I forgot how much fun that could be! Sure, it doesn't sound very sportsmanlike, but let me give you an example... When I was in high school, I didn't have a very strong kick at the end of the race, which meant I needed to put as much distance between myself and my opponents as I possibly could so they couldn't beat me in the last 100 yards. I needed them to think I was stronger than them and that it wasn't worth it to try to beat me, even though I knew that they could likely sprint faster than me if they wanted to. Here's what worked for me...
When you're nearing the end of a race and the group has spread out a bit and it becomes more difficult to find people to pass, you have to find something to make you go faster... a reason to work harder... after all, you're not out for a jog... you're racing. So, you find someone ahead of you that looks like they're getting tired. You take a few moments to note all of the signs they're giving you to let you know how tired they are. Then you give yourself a quick once-over and remind yourself not to do any of those things as you tie a mental rope around their waist and slowly pull yourself up to where they are. Once you catch them you relax your breathing and try to do all of the things you're supposed to do when you're running... take long deep breaths, put your shoulders back, bring your knees up higher and continue to stride right past them. Their breathing is labored and they sound exhausted. Never look at them as you pass... after all, you're not at all concerned that they're going to be competitive with you.
Now, imagine yourself as that exhausted runner just trying to make it to the finish line. You're tired and can't catch your breath. Out of nowhere comes this runner who looks like they've got all the energy in the world. They're having no trouble breathing. They're strong and confident. There's no way in the world you could ever keep up with them. If you've ever been the one getting passed towards the end of a race, you know exactly how this feels. I can assure you, I didn't feel like I had all the energy in the world, I didn't feel strong and confident and I certainly did have trouble catching my breath. I was giving it all I had. All I needed to push myself for that last half mile was someone behind me thinking all of those things about me... that's what encouraged me to give it every little bit I had left. It's all a mental game... and I so loved playing it again!!!
With my 5k under my belt, I'm already looking forward to training for a 10k... but I think I deserve a day off, so I'm thinking that training will begin Tuesday :)
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Day 20 (8/27): 1 mile / 9:55
It's official - I really need a new pair of shoes. Sure, these running shoes are not to blame for the blisters on my feet, but in thinking back to how long I've had them, there's no doubt it's time.
So, after my relaxed one mile run, I shower and head to the mall for some new shoes. I've never owned a pair of New Balance shoes. I always felt they were really expensive. But, the way I see it, if I'm training for a marathon, I really should have the right equipment. As it turns out, New Balance is pretty darn cool. First of all, I love that they actually check out your feet, measure them and have you walk across that crazy ink pad thing to see how you walk and what kind of support you need. Then, and I don't know if it gets much cooler than this, they actually go in the back, pick out some shoes that they recommend, lace them up, put in the inserts and tie the shoes on your feet for you. Seriously? I can't recall the last time someone put shoes on my feet for me, but in my book, that's great customer service for you. The only bad thing... they don't care at all what you think looks good. They don't ask what you like before they go back and select some shoes for you and they really don't care what kind of price range you're looking at. Their job is to find shoes that actually fit you feet. Hmmm... maybe there's something to be said for this kind of policy... I walk away with a pair of shoes that actually fit instead of something that simply looks nice on my foot. Given this week's blisters from my fancy heels, I may have been looking at shoe shopping all wrong... until now. I ended up with a pair of shoes I never would have chosen from the rack but am pretty much in love with. I believe the girl told me that each shoe weighs 7 ounces... yeah... that's pretty darn light! Of course, the real test will be tomorrow. I can't wait to run in them!
So, after my relaxed one mile run, I shower and head to the mall for some new shoes. I've never owned a pair of New Balance shoes. I always felt they were really expensive. But, the way I see it, if I'm training for a marathon, I really should have the right equipment. As it turns out, New Balance is pretty darn cool. First of all, I love that they actually check out your feet, measure them and have you walk across that crazy ink pad thing to see how you walk and what kind of support you need. Then, and I don't know if it gets much cooler than this, they actually go in the back, pick out some shoes that they recommend, lace them up, put in the inserts and tie the shoes on your feet for you. Seriously? I can't recall the last time someone put shoes on my feet for me, but in my book, that's great customer service for you. The only bad thing... they don't care at all what you think looks good. They don't ask what you like before they go back and select some shoes for you and they really don't care what kind of price range you're looking at. Their job is to find shoes that actually fit you feet. Hmmm... maybe there's something to be said for this kind of policy... I walk away with a pair of shoes that actually fit instead of something that simply looks nice on my foot. Given this week's blisters from my fancy heels, I may have been looking at shoe shopping all wrong... until now. I ended up with a pair of shoes I never would have chosen from the rack but am pretty much in love with. I believe the girl told me that each shoe weighs 7 ounces... yeah... that's pretty darn light! Of course, the real test will be tomorrow. I can't wait to run in them!
Day 19 (8/26): 2 miles / 19:42
Blisters are the worst!
I bought this great pair of shoes the other day and decided to wear them to work. I really should know better by now. Wearing brand new shoes all day usually doesn't end well. And it didn't. So, today's blisters from yesterday's not-so-great pair of shoes are really causing me trouble. The good news... my knees are holding up well.
Other than the nagging pain, I'm surprised at how good I feel this early in the morning. It's 4:30 and I feel like these two miles are a great start to my day. Of course, we'll just have to see how early I fall asleep on the couch tonight. My Friday nights just aren't what they used to be...
I bought this great pair of shoes the other day and decided to wear them to work. I really should know better by now. Wearing brand new shoes all day usually doesn't end well. And it didn't. So, today's blisters from yesterday's not-so-great pair of shoes are really causing me trouble. The good news... my knees are holding up well.
Other than the nagging pain, I'm surprised at how good I feel this early in the morning. It's 4:30 and I feel like these two miles are a great start to my day. Of course, we'll just have to see how early I fall asleep on the couch tonight. My Friday nights just aren't what they used to be...
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Day 18 (8/24): 1.5 miles / 13:36
Okay, so it's possible that this particular route is not quite 1.5 miles, so I won't get overexcited about my time... that being said, I'm still happy with it :)
I'm happy with my times, my pace and how I've been feeling, but more than anything else, I'm really just happy that I'm sticking with it! Sure, I've only been at it for a couple of weeks, but, hey, I've got to start somewhere, right?!?
Today I was thinking about what it will be like to run in a race again. I'm fairly certain I know exactly how it will go. At the start I'll line myself up somewhere in the back not wanting to get run over by the people that need to pass me. I'll get swept up in the excitement of the race and run my first mile way too fast. My second mile will be sad in comparison and wind up being so slow that I find I have an excess amount of energy left for the last mile. It will be hard to pick up the pace for my last mile from the slowness of my second, but about half way through I'll settle into my new pace. The last tenth of a mile is what's really up in the air. I've been practicing giving the end of my run a little something extra, but who knows how that will play out in an actual race. I feel pretty good about where I am physically... it's the mental part of the race that I'm not yet sure about... it's been a really long time...
I'm happy with my times, my pace and how I've been feeling, but more than anything else, I'm really just happy that I'm sticking with it! Sure, I've only been at it for a couple of weeks, but, hey, I've got to start somewhere, right?!?
Today I was thinking about what it will be like to run in a race again. I'm fairly certain I know exactly how it will go. At the start I'll line myself up somewhere in the back not wanting to get run over by the people that need to pass me. I'll get swept up in the excitement of the race and run my first mile way too fast. My second mile will be sad in comparison and wind up being so slow that I find I have an excess amount of energy left for the last mile. It will be hard to pick up the pace for my last mile from the slowness of my second, but about half way through I'll settle into my new pace. The last tenth of a mile is what's really up in the air. I've been practicing giving the end of my run a little something extra, but who knows how that will play out in an actual race. I feel pretty good about where I am physically... it's the mental part of the race that I'm not yet sure about... it's been a really long time...
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Day 17 (8/23): 4 miles / 43:46
4 miles pushing a stroller... that should make Sunday's 3.1 miles alone seems like a walk in the park... or a run in the park as the case may be...
The great news is that I think I've gotten the ice thing figured out... a few minutes before I run and about ten minutes after I finish... that's all it takes to really feel good the rest of the day. I'd certainly prefer to not need that extra step, but for now I'll take whatever gets me through my day without looking like I need a walker.
And the not smoking thing is coming along nicely as well. I can't say I've quit yet... after all, I think you need to make it at least one whole day without one to make that claim... but I'm getting there. Yesterday's total was 2... today's goal is not to exceed that. I'll have to keep you posted...
Today's run really felt good though. Sure, it was a little harder than my previous runs, but instead of being upset about that, I finally felt upbeat about the higher level of difficulty... it means I'm actually working a little harder instead of simply waiting for everything around me to get easier. Those 26 miles aren't going to run themselves, so at some point I need to step up my training. I felt really good moving on to something more difficult.
The problem, however, is that my neighborhood isn't all that big. I'm running out of places to run. There are basically two directions I can go - the west loop (1 mile) or the south loop (1.5 miles). Today I had to run the south loop, then the west loop, then repeat the south loop again. The repeating of routes isn't so much of a problem, but when my training gets to 10 miles, I don't really want to be running these things three times each. I think it's time to find some new places to go. The only real problem, then, will be finding places that have sidewalks... pushing a stroller through the grass does not sound like a good time.
The great news is that I think I've gotten the ice thing figured out... a few minutes before I run and about ten minutes after I finish... that's all it takes to really feel good the rest of the day. I'd certainly prefer to not need that extra step, but for now I'll take whatever gets me through my day without looking like I need a walker.
And the not smoking thing is coming along nicely as well. I can't say I've quit yet... after all, I think you need to make it at least one whole day without one to make that claim... but I'm getting there. Yesterday's total was 2... today's goal is not to exceed that. I'll have to keep you posted...
Today's run really felt good though. Sure, it was a little harder than my previous runs, but instead of being upset about that, I finally felt upbeat about the higher level of difficulty... it means I'm actually working a little harder instead of simply waiting for everything around me to get easier. Those 26 miles aren't going to run themselves, so at some point I need to step up my training. I felt really good moving on to something more difficult.
The problem, however, is that my neighborhood isn't all that big. I'm running out of places to run. There are basically two directions I can go - the west loop (1 mile) or the south loop (1.5 miles). Today I had to run the south loop, then the west loop, then repeat the south loop again. The repeating of routes isn't so much of a problem, but when my training gets to 10 miles, I don't really want to be running these things three times each. I think it's time to find some new places to go. The only real problem, then, will be finding places that have sidewalks... pushing a stroller through the grass does not sound like a good time.
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