| Location: Wichita,KS, Member Since: Sep 14, 2008 Gender: Female Goal Type: Local Elite Running Accomplishments: marathon pr: 2:59:49. Saint George 2011
Praire Spirit 50 mile winner 7:36:30 2013
I accidentally ran 100 miles in November 2013. it was hard. I threw up a lot. decided to do a better job next time
I did it again on purpose October 2014--Heartland 100 winner and CR 17:38:37
Heartland 50 winner May 2014
Psycho Wyco 50k winner February 2012
Short-Term Running Goals: Run enough to hold off the middle-age spread
Long-Term Running Goals:
Sub 3 hour marathon--SOMEDAY! Done!
New long term goal: ....run enough to feel kinda like I did when I was fit
Personal: I was a single mom. Two times over. We all survived, despite the fact that I make atrocious decisions. Then, I met a man I didn't deserve. And he loves me so much. And I love him. We lived in sin and bought a house for two years then hired a judge and officially got married(to our great delight and also the delight of our mothers), then a month later he was diagnosed with cancer. Well we survived all that and he's 100% fine now. But, we're really out of shape and really busy with kids and jobs and running just isn't my priority and there's so many other layers to all of it, but I'm running anyway. This is my failure blog now. Just to log that one run a week if I snag it.
Somehow that matters and I want that run recorded. Favorite Blogs: |
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| Adidas Adizero Mana Miles: 16.00 | Blue Avants Miles: 26.60 | Lunarfly Miles: 61.77 | Pink Nike Avant Miles: 31.31 |
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| | 7:28 AP. Got up and ran 16 on the river to start the year and finish off the week. It was 7 degrees when I started and I'm glad the skin on my face is still intact. I felt super sluggish and tight at first but things loosened up after, oh, 10 miles and then I picked it up to get my average down. Splits 7:53, 7:52, 7:45, 7:33, 7:36, 7:36, 7:28, 7:35, 7:36, 7:10, 7:16, 7:13, 7:09, 7:11, 7:14, 7:12. Watched the frosty 5k today and got to see some tribe members I haven't seen in a while--Carlos(wassup my brother?!), Tex, Stephanie(nice talking to her Dad), and Eddy. Got pics of everyone finishing and Lacy won with a new PR. Now that I was thoroughly frozen I went home to defrost my hands and eat. |
| Adidas Adizero Mana Miles: 16.00 |
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am. 8 at 8:32 AP. Dirt roads. Calves are hammered from the 16 in racing flats Saturday. I'm still out on the fence about wearing them for the marathon. Decisions decisions.
pm. 4.6 at 10:39 pace with my husband. I never thought I would see this day!
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| Blue Avants Miles: 4.60 | Lunarfly Miles: 8.00 |
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| | 8:20 AP. 4am. Still feeling my calves and just wasn't in a hurry this morning. It was a very clear night and I could see lots of stars and then started seeing a bunch of shooting stars! It was very cool and I really enjoyed the sights. I don't know how cold it was but it must have been really cold because my skin was red and angry afterward pretty much all over. | |
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| | 7:07 AP. workout was 3x3 at MP. 1 mlile warm up 8:32 3 MP 7:02, 7:01, 6:51 ,5 at 7:38 pace 3 MP 6:51, 6:55, 6:53 .5 at 7:37 pace 3 MP 6:50, 6:59, 6:40 I don't know that it is really accurate MP but once I set the cruise control the pace is quite manageable. I never checked my watch. I plan on checking it only at the halfway point in Houston and then towards the end if I need motivation. | |
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| | 8:27 AP. treadmill. Nice and easy since I plan on 22 in the morning. The last really big monster run before the big one in 24 days. I have an 18 miler next weeekend, and then kick off my taper. Training for this has gone really fast. | |
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| | 7:29 AP. Did this without fuel or water, but was definitely feeling in need of something around mile 17. There was a 17mph North wind but I didn't notice it until I had to go straight into in mile 21, and then I noticed it a lot as is reflected by my lousy split. Started off very slow to see if my left calf and weird knee feeling would pass when I warmed up and it did by about mile 2. I think my shin muscle and calf are still just a little sore over there. Racing flats are unlikely, I may just run in the old trustworthy's I ran in today. Splits 7:59, 7:59, 7:43, 7:37, 7:23, 7:23, 7:20, 7:27, 7:18, 7:22, 7:16, 7:30, 7:19, 7:19, 7:28, 7:30, 7:20, 7:21, 7:25, 7:27, 7:52, 7:09 | |
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| | 7:46 AP. Can't even feel yesterday's 22 in my legs at all. I didn't feel last night's tequila and dancing either--I did exercise some restraint and didn't have a whole lot to drink. It was Eddy's send-off party for Phoenix next week where he wills surely break 3 hours. Had a nice late morning run and with Eddy on the old HS course and finished off with a good luck bagle. Now for a weekend off! Yeah!
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| Pink Nike Avant Miles: 10.18 |
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| | 8:30 AP. First real snow of the year and it was delightful. | |
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am. 8.02 @8:14 AP. Snow-covered dirt roads. Slippery tire tracks, not-so-slippery tire tracks, and some powder-hopping. I love winter running!
pm. 5.24 at 8:08 AP. Knowing I will be stuck on the dreadmill tomorrow I just had to get out in the pretty snow again. The wind was blowing and making cool swirls across the road. I could run all day in snow and be happy.
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| | 7:59 AP. Dreadmill. Confession, for about a week I've had slight dicomfort on the upper part of my shin, on the medial side, a few inches below my knee. I feel it when I first start running but then it warms up and eventually disappears. I can feel it a little bit walking around throughout the day, particularly when going down stairs. It's really not painful, just annoying, and nerve racking when I'm only 19 days away from the marathon. From everything I've read it's not acting like a stress fracture or a shin splint. In fact I can't find anything that really describes it.
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| | The workout that wasn't. Was supposed to be 2x4 at MP. There is nothing but sheets of ice outside so I steeled myself for the mill. Warmed up one mile 8:34, then 2 miles at 6:49 pace and by the end of the second one I feel like a jackhammer and my legs are in knots and screaming. I tried slowing it down to see if it would help, and finally slowed to a jog, to no avail. Disgusted, I shut it down at 3.5 miles, threw on tights, shirt, gloves, and hat, and went out the door to skate run 6.09 miles at 7:57 pace. Although it was an effort to stay upright my legs immediately felt fine and I relaxed and enjoyed the run. The good news is that my shin felt fine and I am perhaps not doomed to an injury. Still going to do Bonnie's exercises though!
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| Pink Nike Avant Miles: 9.59 |
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Day off from running to re-group. Did Ab Ripper X. Ouch. My core is jelly.
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| | 7:49 AP. It started out bad. Really bad. As I ran down the snow-packed tire tracks by my house my calves and shins were tight, and they hurt, and I couldn't muster up any speed whatsoever. I struggled with 8:30 pace. Even as I hit the dirt roads with traction and eventually turned onto some asphalt to head into Rose Hill, I struggled to shuffle and my shins were tight, like knots. Then the ugly thoughts poured in--"all this work for nothing, you're injured, no Houston for you, turn around and walk home, you overtrained and now you pay, blah blah blah". I was heartbroken at the thought of not running Houston, just heartbroken. I said a prayer, a petty little selfish prayer because God has bigger fish to fry, and then, mercy. My calves started to feel a little better. For the next 2.83 miles I hit 8:00 pace and struggled less. As I headed back home and turned onto the asphalt road again, which was nice and clear(and almost entirely uphill), I opened up the throttle. 7:10--good enough for uphill, I hit the rolling hills on my dirt roads and kept going. 6:52. That's more like it. Labor up the nearly mile long low-grade west hill.7:09. I'll take it. Flip a 180 and back down. 6:50. Eased off the gas pedal and cooled down. Legs feel freaking fantastic now. 16 days out. I am re-thinking my taper plan. I think I am exhausted from working two jobs, all the holdidays and birthdays with my 5 children the last month, and the new jumps in mileage. While things are easing up at work and at home, and I think I have allowed the fatigue to finally hit me--delayed reaction. I may need to taper a little earlier. Maybe. |
| Pink Nike Avant Miles: 11.54 |
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| | 8:33 AP. Treadmill. Good news! When I took Jesse to Sports Authority last night to spend his Christmas gift card, I found my favorite running shoe that were discontinued last year on clearance in my size! SWEET! Now I have a pair of new Nike Avants for my marathon! They felt sooo good to run in today! Second, got my bib and wave assignment for Houston. 1341. 141 was my number for Eisenhower, so it feels lucky. :) | |
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| | 7:51 AP. My running partner bailed on me at the last minute but it was still a pleasant solo jaunt. 18 degrees at the start but no wind so pleasant. I started running around town until the sun started to rise and then went on my dirt roads. I'm loving running in my new shoes. I kept the pace casual and didn't look at my watch. The pace progressed naturally on its own and looking at my splits later was surprised to see a 6:53 at the end. It felt easy! I wore my arm sleeves on my calves and I think that tiny bit of compression helped both my shins and calves immensely, so I am going to get some compression sock thingys that the running stores have now. Go Arizona Rock n Rollers! Go Eddy go Eddy go Eddy go! This is my dear friend who has lost over 110 pounds and is going to blast the 3 hour barrier today! Go bloggers Marathon Dreamer and Jeff!
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| | So, in the interest of kicking off my taper, I didn't run today since I ran 18 yesterday. Here is a tentative taper plan: M--off, Tue--4 mile warm up then 10x1 minute off/on, cooldown W--6 easy with the GoRun group(running clinic afterward!), Th--15 easy with last 2-3 at MP effort if feeling good, F--6 easy, Sat--10 easy group run Sun--off M--6 easy Tue--5x1k at HMP w/200 recovery Wed--6 easy, Thu--6 easy Fri--off Sat--2-4 easy to shake off nerves and cobwebs Sun--race | |
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| | 7:58 AP. Treadmill. Vanessa wanted to tell knock-knock jokes during some fast parts. I am happy to report I can gasp "who's there?" at 6:00 pace. 35 minute warm up at 8:34 pace. 10x1 minute on, 1 minute off. All minutes off at 8:34 pace. Minutes on at 6:18/6:15/6:15/6:11/6:11/6:07/6:07/6:03/6:00/last 90 seconds at 5:49 pace. Cool down to 8 miles total. This was actually fun and went pretty fast. Now I want to go run a 5k. Shin stops bugging after I'm warmed up.
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| | 8:54 AP. Despite the freezing rain and ice sheets for roads, I drove all the way to Northwest Wichita to run with the GoRun group and attend the seminar. The run was dangerously slick and we stuck to the grass and leftover snow as much as possible in search of traction. It was harder work than the pace indicates! I slipped 3 times but only went all the way down once in grass and escaped unharmed. I sat with Lacy and Angela afterwards and did a little catching up. The seminar was excellent and I am looking forward to attending again next week when the discussion will be about form and efficiency. The guy doing the presentations is a physician and avid runner and has a lot of very interesting things to say! Drove home very slowly and made it in one piece. This was the maiden voyage for my Mizuno Precisions but I can't judge them off that kind of run so perhaps when I am stuck on the treadmill today(snow day--kids are home!) I will try them again! | |
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| | 8:10 AP. No school today. Ice outside, kids inside. So, as they sleepily watched morning cartoons, I hit the dreadmill, determined to do my last volume run before the marathon. After a while, the kids came down and watched Avatar. So, between the kids, the movie, and some music, I survived my record distance on a treadmill. Took it very very easy as planned, slowly bumping up the pace 0.1mph every few miles, and then did the last two at 6:49 pace. Shin slowly warmed up, although I am coming to realize it is more of a medial knee rather than a shin problem. Whatever it is, it is very runnable and not getting worse. Now my taper truly begins. 10 days. | |
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| | 8:46 AP. Very relaxed. Getting serious about this taper business. | |
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| | 8:13 AP. HS course with Eddy. Glad he's got his legs back! Bracing myself for a week of taper madness. I am doing a pretty dramatic volume reduction to stave off injury and get rested and fresh and I'm pretty sure it will drive me crazy. | |
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| | 7:55 AP. Taper week. I always struggle during taper week. Took it easy on my dirt roads at home and finally nailed the last .34 miles at 5:33 pace to get rid of the sluggish fat feeling. It helped. Looking forward to a little miniature track session tomorrow too put a little zip in my legs. I am thinking the 5x1000 meters at half-marathon pace with 200 recovery as suggested by Bonnie.
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| | 7:45 AP. Dropped Vanessa off with Brandon, jogged from there to the track 1.92 miles, and then did 5x1000 meters at half-marathon effort with 200 meter recovery. I was focused on relaxing and not overdoing the workout and boy did I get relaxed. I was really trotting lazily along and went a little too slow on the middle intervals but oh well! It still felt good and was a good enough stimulus for my legs! Jogged back for a cooldown. Paces were 6:56/7:12/7:05/6:56/6:46
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| | 7:31 AP. Went and ran with the GoRun group and had good conversation with Lacy, Zach, Jeremiah, Eddy, Barry, and Tony. Randy gave an excellent presentation afterward on running form and efficiency and we all got up and did some drills, mostly involving dynamic stretching. I enjoyed the bounding and skipping. There was a huge group, probably around 50! Great times! I didn't feel sluggish today. I am starting to feel eager to race. | |
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| | 8:16 AP in Sienna Ranch. Nice little shakeout before the 10 hour drive tomorrow. I felt fat and sluggish at first but by the end of the run felt great. Typical taper run(well, typical run really!). I am ready as I will ever be. My strategy is to go out real slow the first mile while this shin/knee thing warms up, then pick it up to freedom pace+holding back slightly, then pick it up to true freedom pace at the halfway mark, and then go to the well for the last 10k. Hopefully I get a PR out of the deal but I do want to enjoy all the sights and sounds of my first big city marathon experience. | |
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| | Got up and went downtown to watch the USA half marathon championships. It was very exciting! I got some great pictures and video of my favorite runners and felt inspired to run well and give it everything I have tomorrow! I caught Nan briefly afterward(GO NAN!) and she was sweet enough to pose for a picture with me and wish me luck. It was a good thing my friend Amy was with me to give me a push because I got shy and on my own probably wouldn't have talked to anyone. Afterwards I ran for about 20 minutes in the park across the street. Looking forward to meeting Joe and Danielle this evening! | |
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Houston Marathon (26.45 Miles) 03:16:06, Place overall: 43, Place in age division: 13 | | Well, that was the funnest marathon I have ever run(and wettest, and stickiest, and warmest). The night before I had the pleasure of eating pasta with fellow bloggers Joe and Danielle(slowjoe and slowjoesgrl). Not-so-slow, I might add. I also met blogger "flatlander" and wife! Good times and cool to meet face to face! There was lot of ruckus going on about race cancellation due to lightning, but while the rain came, the lightning did not, and we had a race. Race morning: Hotel bed sucked and didn't sleep real well but that's normal and expected. Up at 5, coffee, bowel movement, banana, nutri-grain bar, half mile walk to the convention center and there by 6. Miraculously, me, Joe, and Danielle found each other in the massive crowd and got to chatter. Joe was in the same wave and we headed out to the starting line together. I dont' remember exactly when, but cue the rainfall shortly before the start of the race. We lined up a few rows behind the 3:20 pacer. It was humid(90%), and wet, and too warm(for me). I considered the conditions, and decided that conservative was the best bet, and I was NOT leaving Houston without a PR. I decided to play it safe, don't do anything stupid, get the PR, don't crash, and go home and recover quickly for a more aggressive showing to defend my title at the Eisenhower marathon in 10 weeks. I was concerned about the heat and humidity, which are problematic for me. Humidity wreaks havoc on my ex-smoker lungs, but aerobically I actually felt quite well the whole race. I carried one emergency gu but never used it. I slowed down at every aid station and made sure I got the gatorade down, though. I cruised quite comfortably until mile 19 when my quads began to scream. They have been quite resilient in my long runs so this surprised me a bit, perhaps all the concrete? Anyways, the screaming quads became my main issue for the last 10k, and I slowed down quite a bit more than I would have liked, but kept telling myself to just hang in there and get the PR. From mile 22 on I was in "one mile at at a time" mode. When I finally passed the sign that said 1/2 mile to go, I turned it on. My Garmin measured a quarter mile long, but I'm afraid I didn't run my tangents real well--I ran a lot in the middle to stay off the camber on the sides. I had a lot of miles in the 7:15 range and I was comfortable, so I think if I maintain fitness, lose this stinkin 10 pounds I've gained in the last few months, and have more favorable conditions I may pull off that elusive 3:10 in April. Splits: 7:43, 7:24, 7:22, 7:20, 7:19, 7:14, 7:16, 7:15, 7:12, 7:12, 7:13, 7:13, 7:13, 7:23, 7:23, 7:24, 7:24, 7:24, 7:24, 7:36, 7:33, 7:37, 7:41, 7:44, 7:48, 7:41, last .46 at 6:27 pace. The course was extremely entertaining and despite the rain Houston came out and cheered in masses in their ponchos and umbrellas! I had water thrown on me by a priest(as if I wasn't already soaking wet?), saw the "Thriller" dance, countless bands and music, lots of cheers and bells and whistles! I saw Aunt Rena at mile 7, my sister and brother-in-law at mile 17, and saw Amy on the homestretch. During the last 4 miles the energy was great, and the crowd told me sweet lies about looking strong and having a good stride(I flailed desperately the last 4 miles to make those stinkin quads move). Afterward I talked to Joe and Danielle and we took our after pictures! Joe had an excellent first marathon and Danielle had a good run in her 1/2! They are great fun and hopefully someday we have the pleasure of getting together again(come to Kansas and bring those kids anytime!). Off to a shower, check-out, and long drive home. My friend, chaffeur, and paparazzi Amy got us home in a record 8.5 hours. Amazingly, my legs feel pretty good despite the drive, and I believe recovery will be quick. Mentally, I am ready to roar and get back at it after recovery and chip at that PR some more! It's gonna take some time, but one of these days I'm gonna run that sub-3. I just have to be patient.
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Blizzard outside and the windchill is -21. Needless to say, no school and we are all stuck in the house. After a doing a fair amount of cooking and cleaning, I walked 4 miles on the treadmill at 15:00 pace. My quads are still shot, but that is the only damage. As far as that shin/knee thing that had me so worried....gone. ? I really only need to maintain what I have fitness wise and stay un-injured between now and Eisenhower so in that vein of thought, no running until all soreness has dissipated--this may take all week. Then a week of easy miles only. Then the next week all easy miles with one test workout midweek. If all is well, resume regular marathon training for 6 weeks, taper one week, and go fight for my title. I am trying to decide on a training schedule--this last one worked well for me and left me in decent shape, but I want to work in some fartlek type stuff at some 5k/10k speeds--however, I don't want to sacrifice the tempo intervals because these prolonged efforts are what make my marathon pace feel smooth and comfortable. This marathon was definitely the strongest I have ever felt down the homestretch--the fact that I was able to bust out 6:27 pace for the last half mile tells me I had gas left in the tank. So, physically, this one didn't waste me. Mentally, I feel great and ready to roar--this one was not traumatic in the last 10k and I am willing to go do it again so I think I am definitely in a good position for a fast turnaround.
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| | walked 4 on the treadmill again in crocs. It was freaking cold today but I needed to get out and see 9 patients so I took my husband's truck and plowed my way out of our rural area into Wichita. I usually don't drive his truck and 4-wheel-drive is fun. I might have driven through more snow then I HAD too but I felt powerful in that big 'ol truck and had a little fun when the opportunity arose. | |
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| | 4 more awkward speedwalking miles on the treadmill. Today I wore running shoes. Tomorrow I run.
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8:21 AP. Rolling dirt roads. 30 degrees, sunny, and no wind. Perfect day to test drive my legs! They felt good, aside from a slight quad grumbling when going downhill. Took it easy, listened to tunes, and enjoyed finally running again.
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| | 7:54 AP. Despite the temp of 13 with wind chill of 3, there was large chunk of the GoRun group at Sedgwick County Park where the paths have been cleared. Had a good time running and chatting with a few folks--Eddy, Tony, Bryan, and Dave to name a few. Legs aren't sore but there is definitely some lead in the quads that my next week of easy mileage should shake off. I get to work third shift at the jail tonight. | |
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| | am. 8.71 in the morning before work with Carlos. Good times, reminisced about days of old when I worked southside EMS with him and his fire crew at Station 11. 8:53 AP. pm. 6.03, 8:09 AP. It's gorgeous outside and rumor has it another winter storm is coming, so I headed out the door for a few more before being banished to the treadmill. Working on all easy mileage this week while getting back up to normal mileage, and then starting workouts next week.
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| | 8:19 AP. The winter storm is here. 10 easy on the treadmil, incorporating 6x30 second strides at 6:00 pace in the final mile. Legs feel good and I am eager to start workouts next week. | |
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am.8 on the Treadmill. 8:16 AP. pm. 5.05 7:37 AP. Couldn't take it anymore and went outside into the dark cold. Road were mostly snowpacked so not too bad of traction and the streetlights in the housing addition next door made the ice glow so it was easy to avoid. I would have taken it easier but it was freaking cold and I had to run faster to stay warm.
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8:00 AP. Snow-packed dirt roads. I was tired and had just eaten supper(tuna salad and soy milk?). It felt like I was waddling.
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| | Vanessa was up all Thursday night with coughing, wheezing, and a temperature. She's been sick but it got worse. The doctor could barely squeeze her in Friday morning, and when we were driving there the car broke. It was like the transmission blew or something because I had no power and could hardly accelerate, so I inched along with my hazards on, because, I am going to the doctor's office and I am NOT pulling over in 5 degrees with a sick baby! People were honking and tailgating. Ridiculous. We made it to the doctor's office to find out she had an ear infection and pneumonia. I called my husband, who had to leave work and come rescue us. I had to call in too and the girls scrambled to cover my patients. We spent the remainder of the day laying on the couch and coughing at my Mom's apartment and waiting for them to fix the car. Then we finally came home in the evening and David packed and left for his buddy's house--they are driving up to a trail run early tomorrow morning. I wish the best of luck to all the Psycho Wyco runners. Anyways, that's my excuse for not running. | |
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| | 7:42 AP. Treadmill. I know I said I wouldn't do any workouts until next week but Vanessa wanted to watch Wall-E AGAIN and I am so bored with that treadmill I couldn't take it anymore and had to vary it up so..... all on 1% incline
4 mile warm-up 8:34, 8:27, 8:27, 8:27 2 miles 6:40, 6:40 ~5 minute jog 8:34 pace 10 x 1 minute on, 1 minute off. All minutes "off" 8:34 pace; paces for minutes "on" were 6:11/6:07/6:03/6:00/6:00/6:00/6:00/6:00/6:00/5:52 cool down about .7 at 8:34 pace to make 10 miles. dynamic stretching and strength drills afterward. I was a lot more injury resistant when I did these in the past. Left shin thingy is tingly but not painful. weird. My legs feel better at faster paces, which makes no sense. Vanessa is doing okay. We had another rough night but she is better during the day when sitting up and coughing that junk out.
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| | 7:45 AP. Felt pretty tight in the hips after yesterday's treadmill speedwork but loosened up after a while and ran a few faster ones at the end. My poor baby stuck a metal key in an electrical outlet to unlock it. It didn't go well. It was quite a shock, and she had a black star in her palm, bu the burn doc said she would heal up fine. Scared me. It shorted the lights out and melted the key into the outlet--David had to yank it out. | |
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| | 7:40 AP. Yesterday was busy at work and then we were up late fixing a friend's leaky bathtub so we bypassed the Valentines date but made it up for it the night before with a bottle of Merlot so no biggy LOL. I was a little bummed yesterday when, after two weeks of dietary righteousness and not eating anything I like I GAINED 3 pounds. Then a patient delicately asked me if I had ever tired ProActiv. Thanks a lot. I did the mature thing and ate M and Ms and a cheeseburger. Today I had to atone for that mess. I am the 24/7 on call nurse so can't leave my phone or stray far from my vehicle. I settled my sweet little girl in for yet another viewing of Wall-E with cheerios and got on the treadmill and did the longest most horrific treadmill run ever. At mile 17 I was nauseated and had to step off for a minute, get a drink of water and eat a few vitamin c fruit chews, and then get back on and finish the final mile. I am glad I gutted it out though and sweat off those 3 pounds, although now I am busily drinking about 4 pounds of water. More dietary sins to follow since obviously the stupid diet doesn't work anyway. 18 mile progressive splits 8:34, 8:27, 8:20, 8:13, 8:06, 8:00, 7:53, 7:47, 7:41, 7:35, 7:30, 7:24, 7:19, 7:13, 7:08, 7:03, 6:58, 6:49 | |
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| | am. 5 on the treadmill to shake it off at 8:34 pace. Shin bugged a little. I cannot believe I got back on that machine today. pm. 6 with the GoRun group 7:20ish pace--my Garmin was dead but I think that's what Lacy said it was. Felt great. Shin felt fine. Strange. Legs don't feel dead at all from yesterday.
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am. 7.1 pushing the stroller. no watch. I tried to take it easy but there is nothing easy about pushing a stroller into a Kansas headwind. Nothing. I panted and gasped for air worse than in speedwork when going uphill. I did have about a 30 minute reprieve at mile 5 when we hit up the playground. before finishing. 2 pull-ups, teeter-totter push-ups, and swing-push lunges. more easy miles later hopefully. Shin/knee thing did the usual warm-up and disappear after a few miles.
naptime: 5 more treadmill 8:30 AP
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| | 7:33 AP. Big Workout. The Biggest I have ever attempted. 2.85 mile warm-up 8:28, 8:14, .85 at 8:22 pace 4 x 400 meters with 200 meter recovery in 92, 94, 94, 92 seconds 4:18 jog 2 miles MP 7:00, 6:56, .5@ 7:45 pacer recovery, 2 at MP 6:55, 6:53, .5 recovery at 8:00 pace, 2 miles MP 7:00, 6:50, 4 minute jog 4 x 400 at 5k pace with 200 meter recovery 93, 93, 93, 92 seconds 1.44 mile cooldown 8:23, .44 at 7:43 pace. Feel GREAT!
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| | 7:55 AP. Met up with the GoRun group on the HS group and tagged along with them for 5, then turned around and ran into Carlos and Steph so I turned back around and ran with them for a while, and then eventually turned back around and made my way back to my car. My legs feel surprisingly good after yesterday's workout, but I've got that tired feeling. I think today calls for a nap and some serious laying around if I can manage it. | |
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am. 6 at 8:20 pace pm. 6 at 8:18 pace After feeling fantastic last week, my knees inexplicably hurt today...a lot. Ice and motrin, and some gentler miles all week are in order, I think. I even took yesterday off as recovery...maybe I shouldn't take days off if this is what I get!
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| | 8:22 AP. Treadmill. Knees are bunches better today, and any discomfort disappeared by mile 7. It may have had something to do with the 400mg of motrin I took first thing when I got up. I resisted the urge to speed up and kept the pace gentle. I am hoping that by the end of this week this knee thing has disappeared completely. | |
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| | 2.75 mile warm-up. Met with the GoRun group. 6 mile tempo 6:44 AP and it felt GREAT! Motrin is the wonder drug. 1.25 mile cooldown. Off to bed I go, tomorrow is an early morning! | |
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| | 8:23 AP. Treadmill after a long day at work and not much time. I made it short and easy. Knees are still bugging but 400mg of motrin twice a day is sufficient to douse the fire. I have started doing some knee/hip strengthening exercises to try and help. | |
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7:31 AP. I stole this workout from Nan's blog after seeing it several times. Thanks Nan! It was tougher than it looks on paper. I ran it on varied terrain into town and back, and paces suffered coming back into the wind on dirt. Ran a 1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1 minute fartlek with 1 minute jog after the 1 and 2, 90 seconds after 3, and 2 minutes after 4 and 5. Paces in order were 6:20, 6:02, 6:20, 6:34, 6:48, 6:46, 6:45, 6:32, 5:54. 3 mile warm-up and 1.77 mile cooldown. The miles do seem to fly by pretty fast with this workout.
My friend Tony got accepted into Badwater! Me and my husband met him when he ran across Kansas for the Wounded Warrior Project, and he ended up becoming a great friend of ours! Check out his new training/fundraising site for our soldiers as he prepares for Badwater! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Badwater-135-A-Run-to-RememberOperation-Freedom-Memorial-Fundraiser/200268409999460?sk=wall#!/pages/Badwater-135-A-Run-to-RememberOperation-Freedom-Memorial-Fundraiser/200268409999460?sk=info
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8:21 AP. Nice recovery run from yesterday along the river with Eddy. I'm planning 15-20 long with a fast finish tomorrow morning with Eddy and Adam and want my legs to be semi-fresh. When we ran by the Indian center they were having a pow-wow-it was pretty cool running to the drumbeats. Afterwards I stopped by the Nifty Nuthouse for some treats. Yum!
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| | The fog was thick today and our run was dary and eery! Very cool! I showed up a little early and ran 1.69 at 8:46 AP to warm-up since I feel like a rickety old lady in them mornings and had a feeling the guys would take off at a fast clip. I then hooked up with Adam and Eddy and we ran 16.13 through the county on varied terrain. We ran hills on dirt roads for a few miles before turning onto the asphalt for the last two and picking it up for a fast finish. Last two miles were 6:58, 6:52, which I was happy with after tiring our legs on the hills. 7:32 AP for the 16. Afterwards me and Eddy ran 2 at 8:26 AP to cool down. It was a good morning run and I will be hooking up with Adam more often since I have finally found a runner fairly close to my rural neck of the woods! | |
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am. 8 at 8:31 AP on the treadmill. I took yesterday off from running and did lots of corework and hip/knee strengthening exercises. While still un-motrined I was able to hop down the stairs pretty quick this morning on my knees. They are far from 100%, but are none the worse for the wear-and-tear last week and I daresay better. More super easy in the stroller after Vanessa wakes from her nap. I am saving some steam for a workout tomorrow. afternoon. 5.75 at 8:30 pace with my girl in the stroller. Of course we stopped for 20 minutes at mile 5 when we encountered a playground
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| | 7:19 AP. It was windy and I was totally not feeling it today. Workout was supposed to be 3 x2 miles at tempo pace with .5 brisk recoveries. I plodded my two mile warm up and decided that I would just run fast for the tempo miles but wouldn't push too much. I just... wasn't feeling it today. 2 mile warm up 8:32, 8:28 2 mile "tempo" 6:56, 7:04 .5 at 7:36 pace 2 mile tempo 6:43, 6:54 .5 at 7:35 pace 2 mile tempo 6:51, 6:45 .65 cooldown at 7:27 AP--I had to rush and get serious about getting to work
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| | 8:24 AP. Talk about dead-legged and sluggish. I plodded my way through, exploring the dirt roads east of here and found some decent rollers to run on. The south wind was quite feisty by the time I ran in the afternoon. I was planning on another threshold/speed session tomorrow but if my legs are still dead I will probably can it for another easy day. Part of me wants to take an easy week, but part of me says there is only 3 1/2 weeks to taper time so just barge on through and get it done. This, I see, may be the folly of running marathons so close together. | |
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| | 7:40 AP. 23mph winds today. Freakin' Kansas. Anyways, after secretly fighting 3 weeks of increasing sore throat, nightly coughing fits, and fatigue that finally got downright overwhelming, I gave in and went to the doctor. Hopefully after these antibiotics I'll be right as rain, because antibiotics tend to make me feel horrible. My knees, however, felt better today than they have in weeks! I did more of the strengthening exercises and abripperX afterward. | |
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| | 7:33 AP. Ran with Eddy on the dirt roads around my house, hit up some decent hills. It was cold--25 degrees, but the wind was only 7mph which isn't even noticeable really so we didn't completely freeze. My legs were tight and nothing was flowing so without the company it would have been miserable. Gotta be thankful for my best running friend! I didn't run yesterday. My daughter had a 3am asthma attack, the worse ever, scared me so bad we called an ambulance because I didn't think she would make it to the ER in the car. I am a paramedic and a nurse and don't scare easily--and I was terrified. She wasn't moving air and her chest was silent and anyone in the medical field knows how ominous that is. But, she is doing GREAT! She turned around fast and today is running around as if she had never been sick. Thank God for modern medicine and for protecting my little girl. | |
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| | 8:21 AP on the gerbil wheel in my basement. Watched David do plyometrics. I am going to have to try that out when my knees heal, if they ever heal. They have good days and bad days. Today was not a good day. Good thing I was only interested in a recovery run today. | |
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| | 8:11 AP. Treadmill at naptime. I went mostly easy but kept cranking the speed at the end to get it over with. Big workout planned for tomorrow morning on what promises to be a windy day! | |
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| | 7:35 AP. This was supposed to be 5 x 2 miles at MP. I was tired when I rolled out of bed today. I was also very pre-occupied with some things. I didn't want to do this workout at all. When I started the warm-up and my legs were dead and tired I knew I had to make a decision--do the workout anyway and accept the sub-par times or abandon it and just jog. I decided that part of a marathon is slogging through miles when you are 100% ready to quit mentally and physically. Knees didn't exactly hurt but had this week, wobbly feeling. I didn't know what to make of it. It was a little windy today. Well, there''s my excuses. I'm sure I could come up with more. Two mile warm-up, 1/2 mile recoveries at ~8:00 pace. Sets were(7:22, 7:29), (7:13, 722), (7:13, 7:10), (7:14, 7:05), (7:13, 7:09). All I thought about during each set was quitting. Terrible attitude I know! As much as I would like to go to the clinic tonight, I think I will stay home and hover over my family who has had a tough week. | |
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20 miles on the mountain bike. Yesterday my knees hurt and the pain radiated down both side of my shins. I didn't run. Today they feel great, virtually pain free, but I am giving another rest day before I do a test run tomorrow. I am planning 20 for Sunday morning with 10 at MP or better as a fitness test and to see how my legs hold up...I need to decide if Eisenhower is a go in a month or if I need to back out, crosstrain and heal, and set my eyes on something else. We shall see. Being pain-free today is very encouraging!
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| | 8:24 AP. stuck to the dirt roads. Knees and shins are awesomely better. Tomorrow will be a 20 mile measuring stick to gauge fitness, my injury, and whether or not to drop out of Eisenhower. | |
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| | 7:49 AP. Alone. Dirt roads. 17mph winds. I started out slow with a 9 minute mile, and basically jogged the first 10. Although I didn't have pain, I had that weird unstable feeling, and a sense of burn out. I had pretty much decided to drop Eisenhower in the first 10. Shortly before the 10 mile mark, I did something I haven't done in a long time, and took a chocolate gu. At mile 10, for some unknown reason, I decided to pick it up and at least try. As I ground out the brisker miles, I began to feel better and better and the unstable feeling dissipated. Despite the wind blowing me around and the side stitch in the final two miles, I finished feeling much better about Eisenhower. 1st 10 8:16 AP. 2nd 10 7:21 AP, which is decent considering the wind and terrain. In fact, 7:21 pace would give me a PR in a marathon. | |
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| | 6 at 8:20 AP running loops around the pasture and our property while Vanessa napped. Then I went in side and did 4 on the treadmill including 10 x 30 second strides at 6:00 pace with about 45 second recovery. 7:39 AP for these. Knees/shins are so-so. I promised them if they would make it 25 more days to Eisenhower and get me through I would quite running until they were healed. Some days it doesn't seem I am injured at all and some days it is there. So weird. Nothing on google matches. Nothing. | |
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| | 8:39 AP. Minced gingerly along nsaid-free. I am really dependent on those. So, I swallowed crow and went to the doctor. He also specialized in sports medicine at one point. My pain doesn't match anything. He said it basically is either inflammation in the area and I will have to rest it to make it go away, but can probably nsaid-up and make the marathon, or, it is tibial stress fractures. I am being scheduled for a bone scan. Preparing for the worse. | |
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| | Tried 3 on the mill. It hurt and my gait was weird. This is stupid. I have to heal, and there is no way I can give my best at Eisenhower like this. I e-mailed them and bowed out. Time to pull back and crosstrain. Bone scan is on Tuesday. Regardless of the diagnosis, I'm toast for now. I guess I better look into a Y membership. My new goal is to spend the next month getting skinny like I was last year and staying somewhat in shape. Then, hopefully, I can at least come back for half marathon May 1st. | |
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| | Biked 5.5 miles easy with Nick, then 1 mile with Ian, then walked up and down the drive while Vanessa rode her tricycle. Then I pedaled furiously in the wind for 13 miles. Riding a bike into a headwind is way worse than running into one. I plan on getting my Y membership Saturday and getting on an elliptical if it doesn't exacerbate the injury. The elliptical has kept me in decent shape before and it will do it again. I'm also going to lose 10 pounds this month. So take that stupid injury! My bone scan is on Tuesday. Now that I am not using motrin or anything I can feel it when I walk like crunching glass at the top of my shins. It isn't particularly painful but it's not runnable. I hope they're not fractures, but I'm already pounding the milk and planning to heal fast.
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| | 60 minutes on the elliptical doing one minute on/one minute off intervals with the resistance. On the off intervals I concentrated on keeping the cadence high(180/min). It got me panting and drove my heart rate very high at times. Good. I also sweated ridiculous amounts. This will be my primary fitness maintenance machine. I think I will be waiting at the door at 5am most mornings to get an hour in, and will try to squeeze in another hour during lunch at work, and on off days Vanessa can chill in the kidzone while I do 1.5 hours of work. I'll probably vary it up with the bicycle but the stairmaster is a no go for my legs right now. I'm also planning on lots of corework in the evenings when I have time. So there. I will NOT get out of shape and I will lose some weight. | |
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| | YMCA. 65 minutes on the bike until my hiney could take no more, then 30 minutes on the super-elliptical. This machine was different than the one yesterday--put me through a much bigger range of motion as if bounding and totally jacked my heart rate up and made me pant. Sweet! Oh, the sweat, pouring off of me and sloshing on the machines. | |
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| | 76 minutes on the super elliptical thing. Left knee/shin is already tons better...Right knee/shin is not. Bone scan tomorrow. | |
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| | ramped up the crossramp and resistance and went psycho on the elliptical for 60 minutes, then did 20 minutes of weights, mostly arms. According to the elliptical machine my heart rate was all over the place, cycling up and down from 140-230. Don't know if I believe that. I definitely got my breathing picked up and was sweating like crazy. I got injected with the radioactive isotopes and go for the bone scan later--probably still won't know anything for a few days after that. | |
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| | And the verdict is...bilateral proximal tibial stress fractures--one in each leg, just below the knee at the top of the tibia. I am to stay off them for 4 weeks with no weightbearing exercise or anything that causes any stress or torque on tibia including pushing--so no cycling, elliptical, long walks on the beach, etc... I am looking into pool running--thanks Bonnie for the link on my facebook. The doctor prescribed me mega doses of vitamin D--apparently you can have all the calcium in the world but with no vitamin D you can't absorb it and it does you no good. I already went and got a suitable swimsuit and am eager to start flailing around. Rumor has it a lot of fitness can be maintained with pool running. | |
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| | am. The Y opens at 5 and I will be at the door waiting more often than not. One hour pool running consisting of 5 minute warm-up, countless sets of two minutes hard, one minute easy, and 5 minute cool down. This is going to take some practice--I haven't quite figured out pool running form yet and many times I am pretty sure I was just thrashing wildly. The pool belt thingy chafed my arm pretty good so I need to figure out how to fasten it correctly. It sits up high but I am a short girl with not a lot of trunk so maybe if I scoot it down on my hips a little? I dunno--all things that I have plenty of time to figure out. | |
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am. one hour thrashing wildly around pool running. 5 minute warm up then 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 ladder with one minute rests, then recovered a few minutes, got bored, 5 sets of 1 on, 1 off, 5 minute cool down. It's interesting how fast recovery is in the pool cardio-wise, even after all out flailing and effort and "sprinting" intervals the one minute is more than enough. Mentally I need that minute, though. I felt a little better about the form today. I ran out of time yesterday but hopefully I get to swim some laps later.
afternoon: 2250 yards, one hour, and a nauseating belly full of chlorine. I am not a good swimmer.
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I am on the on-call nurse ths weekend which means I must carry and answer my phone at all times, and man have the calls been coming. So, no pool, which means no cardio workout because I'm not allowed on anything else. I did 30 unsatisfying minutes of ab ripper x plus push-up, light upper body hand weights, and leg lifts at home. Blah. I can't wait until Monday, then a whole week of pool running and swimming!
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am.pool running! one hour: 5 minute warm-up, 25 x (90 seconds hard, 30 seconds easy) with 90 second breaks between sets of 10. I actually experienced a decent amount of aerobic distress--very satisfying! I had time for a 3 minute cooldown. Hopefully I get to do some swimming later this afternoon. I find it entertaining to cook up ridiculous interval workouts that I could never, never get away with in normal running. afternoon: 1750 yards(1 mile) crawlstroke in 43 minutes. I kept having to stop and empty water out of my goggles, I cannot get those things figured out. Swimming still sucks.
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| | am. aquajogged in the rec pool because there were a lot of serious looking people swimming gracefully like fish in the lap pool. Couldn't see the clock real well in this pool so did a 5 minute warm-up, then intervals of 4 lengths across the deep end hard with one length recovery--did these for 70 minutes then did two maxed out "sprints" of one length then a few minutes to cool down for a total of 80 minutes. Corework later. It's funny how even when sprinting I move slowly, slowly forward in the water--but at least I am going somewhere! I don't think I would like pool-running while tethered in place as some folks do it. | |
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| | Pool run. 5 minute warm-up. 10 x (45 seconds intensely hard, 15 seconds easy), 10 minutes steady, repeat the sprints, 10 minutes steady, repeat the sprints one more time, 5 minute cool down to one hour. This was actually pretty tough. Swam 1000 yards in 22 minutes afterward. The swimming is getting easier...slowly. Once again, a ridiculous interval workout that would destroy me on a track but is doable in the water. My arms are sore,sore, sore. | |
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| | I needed a little bit of a light day. 2000 yards. First 100 yards with just the kickboard working my legs. One mile(1750 yards) in about 41 minutes..improvement. Next up 3 50 yard sprints in 49 seconds to make 2000. Sat in the hot tub for a while afterward and this dude struck up a friendly conversation, I think he was trying to show off for me as he talked about going to state in swimming freshman year in high school, which evidently was not too long ago. He's probably friends with one of our kids lol. Still, I like his opening line.."So, how many laps did ya swim?" On another note, I am considering triathlons as a way to transition back into running without coming back too quickly, and to keep me motivated and crosstraining. There is sprint triathlon in May--500 yard swim, 6 mile bike, and 2 mile run. Maybe? | |
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| | Long run, aquajog style. Thank goodness the waterproof MPS case and headphones on loan from Bonnie arrived today! Thank-you Bonnie and Lily! I don't know if I would have survived today's workout without the extra diversion. 5 minute warm up, intervals of 5 minutes hard, 1 minute easy until I reached the 90 minute mark, then ratcheted up intensity for 3 laps very hard with one lap recovery until the 1:55 mark, 5 mile cooldown. Collapse into hot tub for a few minutes then hurry home. | |
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| | Tired from yesterday. Aquajog. 5 minute warm up, interval ladder 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 minutes with one minute easy recoveries, 2 minute recovery after ladder, then 10 x (45 seconds sprint, 15 seconds easy) then 5 minute cool down for a total of 55 minutes. Instead of swimming laps afterward I chatted with some people I knew and then sat in the hot tub. I will do abripper x, pushups, and leg lift stuff later and hopefully get about a 30 minute workout then. | |
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3000 yards--a new level for me. First 150 yards trying to get my goggles figured out. Next 1750 yards(1 mile) in 40 minutes--one minute PR. Goal for next swim is 39 minutes. Swam 100 yards easy then 500 yards in about 10:30--I wanted under 10 minutes but next time. 500 more yards after this pretty slow, although I was giving it good effort. I was definitely tired after this. I am finally starting to get into a better pattern with the disciplined breathing and not feel so panicky with my face under water.
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| | It was tough to stay motivated today...today I wanted to run. Soon....whenever I was attempted to slack on intensity in the intervals I would ask myself, "What kind of shape do you want to be in when you get to come out of this pool?" I started out with a one hour pool run. About a 3-minute warm-up, then 5 x (1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 1:30, 1:00) with 30 seconds easy between intervals and one minute between sets. Recovered 2 minutes then 4 x 45 seconds maximum intensity with 15 second recovery. Cooled down a few minutes, then threw off the belt and put on my goggles and swam 1000 yards in around 21-22 minutes. I am definitely getting smoother and faster with this swimming thing. For the first time EVER, I was swimming faster than the people in the lane next to me(usually I'm the slow struggling one). My shoulders and pecks and back and triceps are feeling it. It's a good kind of sore. 15 days to my x-ray. Left knee/tibia, can't even tell there's anything wrong at all. Right knee/tibia, can feel something vague if I have been on my feet all day. I've been chowin' tums and milk and red meat and oranges. Those bones better be bulletproof when they're done healing. | |
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| | Dreaming of the day I can run again. Aquajog: 5 minute warm-up, 10 x (45 seconds intense, 15 seconds easy, 45 seconds intense, 15 seconds easy, 2 minutes hard, one minute easy), 5 minute cool down. This was pretty intense but over quick. One hour. Out of the pool and off to pick up my daughter. | |
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| | 3050 yard swim, about a 70 minute workout. Started out wanting to bang out the first 500 in under 10 minutes but kept having to stop and empty water out my left goggle. 10:47. I stink at this. Piddled for 150 yards until I totally got the goggle situation under control, then swam 1 mile in 40:32, brief wall break, then 550 more yards slow in 11:47--I lost count so thus the extra 50. My $7 hot pink walmart water resistant watch did just fine. | |
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60 minutes steady pool-flailing trying to keep my heartrate up. I went round and round the giant floating snake in the deep end of the rec pool.
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Drove up to Abilene this morning and directed runner traffic on the Eisenhower Marathon course. I remember being confused at the "Y" where I stood and directed runners--I wasn't surprised at how many tried to go the wrong way! It was fun cheering for my comrades and watching a marathon from a whole other perspective.
60 minute pool run. 5 minute warm up. Ladder 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 minutes hard with one minute easy between intervals, 2 minutes easy, then 5 x 1:30 hard with 30 seconds easy, 3 minutes easy, then 2 45 second sprints with 15 seconds in between--got my heart rate up to 200 here, kept it over 160 on the intervals. 5 minute cooldown.
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| | I was joined by my friend Wendy today, and we aquajogged and chatted away for two hours, then we had french fries and ice cream. Life is good. | |
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No time today. 20 minutes of as much as I could cram of abs, pushups, dips, leglifts, toe points. etc...long swim tomorrow.
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3500 yards (2 miles). 250 yards getting goggles situated and used to the water. 500 in 10:34. one mile in 40:32. 500 in 11:00. 10 x 50 on the 1:15 clock. Would have loved to keep going but my underdeveloped swimming muscles had about had it. 85 minutes of swimming. 8 days until x-ray.
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| | 95 minute workout. Aquajog. 5 minute warm up. 40 x (1:30 hard, :30 easy) with 2 minutes between sets. 5 minute cooldown. 10 minutes hot tub. Had to walk very briskly and even broke into a slight jog when I looked in the yard and Ian and Vanessa were missing. They were next door, which out here in the country, is quite a ways. They were fine--petting the nieghbor's dog, but had to pay the consequences of breaking the rules and leaving our property. I wasn't thinking about my legs, just my kids. In retrospect, I will note that there was no pain in my sandal-footed jog. I'm not going to start running or anything, I'm just filing it away as good news. One week until x-ray! | |
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| | Aquajog/swim combo. First aquajog, 5 minute warm up, 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 minute intervals hard with one minute easy recoveries, 5 minute cool down. 100 yards adjusting goggles. 500 tired yards in 10:28. 50 kickboard. 2 x 50 in 52 seconds. Done. About a 60 minute workout when it was all said and done. | |
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| | 2 hour pool run. I met up with Amy who is also in stress fracture recovery and we chatted the whole time and it just flew! It was great. I needed the stress relief without the drag of solo pool-flailing. Life can be very hard sometimes, and yesterday, in an ugly moment and under duress, I spent 5 minutes in a Quik Trip parking lot talking myself out of buying a pack of cigarettes. I even went in and used the bathroom and walked around a bought a soda before leaving. Unbelievable, after all this time, that I could get hit by a craving like that and come that close to breaking. Although I have never been addicted to street drugs or alcohol, I understand the power that an addiction can hold over a person, and don't see how it can be broken without the loving hand of God. | |
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one hour aquajog. 5 minute warm-up. 10 x (45 secs intense, 15 easy, 45 intense, 15 easy, 2 minutes hard, one minute easy). 5 minute cooldown. Doctor visit WEDNESDAY at 2:40. My legs feel great. I am sure the doctor and x-ray will agree and running rehab can commence.
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| | Boston was amazing today. Life is...whatever. Very very busy with our newly bought-out company, all the mandatory training learning the new way, on top of my caseload, so no time, no time. 20 minutes of abs, leg lifts, pushups blah blah. At least I didn't sit in the Quik Trip parking lot today. Getting up early to hit the Y tomorrow.
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| | Another combo pool workout. Got up early to get this done before my day that would last until 9:30 pm started. 55 minute aquathrash consisiting of 5 minute warm-up, 12 x (3 minutes easy, 1 minute hard), 3 minute cooldown. Into the lap pool. 50 yards adjusting my goggles. 500 yards in 10:30, working on taking a breath every other stroke instead of every stroke. I did okay with this, but had to take some cheater breaths here and there. Then I did 500 yards easy in 11:21. It's really a good thing that I'm not a triathleted because my run could not make up for my lousy swim times. 77 minute workout total. Doctor tomorrow(today). | |
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1 whole mile! No watch. Nice and easy, the sun on my skin, the fresh air! It felt great! I felt smooth and comfortable and it was soooo hard to stop after a mile. Guess I better head to the Y to finish my workout!
update: 45 minutes intervals on adaptive motion elliptical
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| | 1 glorious mile on the indoor track at the Y. 12.43 miles in 40 minutes on the cybex bike, level 10. 20 minutes on the adaptive motion elliptical. .25 mile brisk walk to cool down. I don't know how much fitness I have lost yet....I guess I really won't until the first time I race, and I am a ways away from that. | |
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| | Slid into the North Y over lunch. 2 laps walk, 1 mile easy on the indoor track. I thought maybe my right leg felt weird at first but I think it was psychological. 13.34 miles in 45 minutes on the cybex bike accompanied with a sweatstorm. Tomorrow will be another pool run, then a few more 1 mile days, and Wednesday I plan to up the ante to 2 miles and see what happens. | |
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| | Another pool run. Fortunately, Amy drove out to join me. We did 5 minutes hard with one minute off and a few sprints at the end for a total of 80 minutes. It went fast. We both agreed that the one mile we are running is lame but it is better than nothing. I am looking forward to that mile tomorrow. This is a painstaking process but the thought of cracking those fractures again and having to start all over forces me to be good. Two miles next week will feel like heaven. | |
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Took yesterday off for a lovely Easter. Headed to the downtown Y at lunch to workout, and go figure, forgot my sports bra,. After some contemplation, I tightened up the flimsy straps of my non-supportive bra, and ditched the tank for the long sleeve underarmour shirt that's been on the floor of my car for at least a month. First, run by the river. 5 minute walk, 5 minute run, 5 minute walk, 5 minute run, 5 minute walk, 5 minute run. Went into the Y drenched in sweat by nature of being grossly overdressed and hopped onto a cybex bike in the crowded cardio room for 30 minutes. My sweat levels nicely topped those of anyone else in the room and I do believe a few concerned looks were cast my way. Rounded things off by taking a shower and putting my soaking wet sweat bra back on and going back to work. Gross....or just dedicated?
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| | 30 minutes cybex bike keeping heart rate over 170 and rpms over 95. 20 mintutes on crossramp elliptical keeping same heart rate. Sweat levels: higher than anyone else at the Y as far as I could tell. I do believe I am out of shape. Sometimes I think I feel something in my right leg but sometimes I don't. Anyways, I'm following the Pfitzinger comeback schedule so I won't run again until Thursday. | |
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50 minutes adaptive motion elliptical keeping heart rate 175-180 and sweating like near cardiac arrest. Hopped of and walked briskly for 10 minutes. Can't wait to run tomorrow!
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| | The stress levels around here are really stacking up. I didn't have any time for crosstraining, just my sad little walk-run. 3 minute walk, 7 minute jog x3. I ran the 1 mile dirt loop by my house so I know I covered over 3 miles in the process. I like running on dirt better--less phantom pain. The "sensations" I seem to get aren't even in the same place as the fractures. I am hyper-aware of any sensation but honestly I haven't experience anything I would call pain. My legs feel good. | |
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Had to skip yesterday...my little girl was sick. She also turned 4, but the party is tomorrow at ChuckECheese so I guess it's better we got the sickness over with. Anyways, I busted out the Garmin today. Surprisingly, there was no rust on it. My legs felt good, my form felt good, my stride felt relaxed. Walk 2 minutes, run 8, walk 2, run 8, walk 2, run 8. Covered 3.5 miles in 30 minutes. I will be off to the gym later this afternoon for 90 minutes of crosstraining for my "long" run. The absence of pain has me feeling more and more confident about my legs being healed, but I am going to stick with the plan and keep it on dirt as much as possible for a long while. Update: at the gym--30 minutes regular bike, 15 elliptical, 45 recument bicycle.
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| | 2 hours Chuck e Cheese 1 hour elliptical--HR 170 for most of it
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| | 7:41 AP. 10 minutes run, 2 minutes walk, 10 run, 2 walk, 10 run. 4.42 miles in 34 minutes. Legs feel great. No "sensations" today! Hopefully I can do a little core work later, we went "live" on the new electronic system at work today and it is a zoo! | |
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am. 30 minutes recumbent bicycle, 30 minutes adaptive motion elliptical
lunch: 30 minutes cybex bike
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| | 7:29 AP--5.07 in 38 minutes. 12 run, 2 walk, 12 run, 2 walk, 10 run. It was warm outside and I could feel it a bit. I am not used to being outside working out but thankfully that is changing! No pain! I ran into the Y and did 22 minutes elliptical after to make it one hour of cardio. | |
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one hour recumbent bicycle and went 18 miles, 10 minutes abs.
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| | 7:56 AP. I met up with the downtown Y crowd--had a good time chattting with April, Barry, Randy, and Jesse. I just ran with the group and didn't take my walk breaks today. I decided as long as I was having no pain it would be okay, because it is awfully nice to run in a group again! And..no pain. Lots of crosstraining tomorrow but no run again until Sunday! | |
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| | one hour adaptive motion elliptical keeping heart rate in the 170s the whole time. 30 minutes recumbent bicycle with heart rate 140-160. I am signed up for a 10K next week. It is to fund a memorial for our Kansas soldiers who have sacrificed their lives. The race director is our good friend Tony Clark and his wife Angel. Tony is fundraising for his Badwater race to benefit the memorial as well, thus the 10k. It is out and back on dirt. Perfect--a nice and gentle ride for a post-injury fitness test, and a cause I am more than happy to donate to. | |
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| | 8:14 AP. 91 degrees, winds SSE 29mph gusiting to 35mph. Humidity 43%. 3:00 in the afternoon in the baking sun. A little miserable, I confess, but my joy at being able to run at all overshadowed the misery. Happy Mother's Day! | |
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| | I GOT INTO SAINT GEORGE!!!!! | |
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| | First I ran outside in 90 degrees--5.24 miles at 7:46 AP. Then I went into the Y and walked 2 miles on treadmill at 11 percent incline in 31:20 while I talked to Adam. He was on the treadmill doing incline training for Pike's Peak so that's what gave me the idea to walk at incline for my crosstraining today. It was hard work and kept my heart rate well over 160! Wow! | |
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| | I get to run two days in a row! Ran with Adam from the downtown Y to oak park and wound around some of the trails before heading back. 7:37 AP. Legs feel great but I am a little out of shape for sure as I was feeling tired at the end. We got rained on which was A-okay with me! | |
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| | 20 miles in 1:09 on the cybex bike at the downtown Y during lunch | |
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| | Too spanked at work to get any workout today. 10K race tomorrow. Nervous with a knot in my stomach. | |
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| | Race: |
Operation Freedom Memorial 10K (6.23 Miles) 00:44:15, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1 | | Well, here it is, first race back since stress fractures, first time I've ran 6 miles in over two months, first time I've tried to find any kind of speed(not a lot there right now). It was chilly in the 40s and 22mph north wind but fortunately the race was out and back east/west so a crosswind the whole time. Except for the first and last quarter mile it was on soft shale and dirt which definitely eased the impact on my legs so a good choice to try out racing again. It was a small race put on by our friends the Clarks for our Kansas Soldiers who have died and a Gold-Star mother was there handing out the medals and prizes. It was very cool! I warmed up at a nice jog about .75 mile with Karlee then we shivered and stretched a little. The start was a laidback 5-4-3-2-1 and we were off. Four fast dudes took off, I was behind them, and that was that. I ran by myself the entire time. I got to see many familar and friendly faces at the turnaround and after. I dropped the first mile at 6:50 then eased back, got a little lazy in the middle miles, and picked it back up at the end. I never felt truly miserable but I could tell my legs have gone soft from no impact and I need a base. I just told myself to "tempo" and have a good run. So, as far as fitness, it's not as good as I hoped nor as bad as I feared, to this is a good starting point and things will fall back into place from here. First things first, gotta build my base back up and worry about speed later on. I hear it comes back relatively quick so I hope it's true. I had a great time!
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| | Surprise! Speedwork! I came charging into the downtown Y over lunch, ran into Randy outside and April in the locker room, and of course joined the rest f the gang--scott, frank, don, for an easy 5...or not. About a quarter mile in they announced that Mondays were fartlek day. Me and April were surprised but went for it anyway. 6 fartleks from their planned landmarks and a few miles to cool down. .31 at 6:07 pace, .39 at 5:59 pace, .17 at 6:18 pace, .29 at 6:08 pace, .47 at 6:50 pace, .36 at 5:57 pace. The first one shocked my system and felt hard but after that I felt great. I'm kinda happy to visit sub-6 pace today. Easy 6 or 7 tomorrow. Legs feel A-okay. | |
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| | 8:46 AP. 4:30 AM. It's been a long time since I ran outside on my dirt roads in the dark. It was beautiful and starry but creepy and nerve-racking too. | |
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7:50 AP. Ran from the downtown Y over lunch for an hour and meandered around the downtown and riverside neighborhoods while listenting to some tunes. The temps were way cooler today and it was overcast and I felt great! I ran easy but the cooler temps make easy much faster.
What I listened to: go ahead, laugh
Cloverton—“Take Me Into the Beautiful”
Kutless—“Strong Tower”
JC Chasez—“Blowin’ me up”
The Verve—“Bittersweet symphony”
The Proclaimers—“I’m Gonna Be(500 miles)”
Blessed Union of Souls—“I Believe”
Crazy Town—“Butterfly”
K’s Choice—“Not an Addict”
Smashing Pumpkins—“Disarm”
Linkin Park—“Waiting for the end”
P. Diddy/Dirty Money—“Coming home”
Scorpions—“Wind of Change”
Eminem—“Love the way you lie”
Katy Perry—“Firework”
Mike Posner—“Please Don’t go”
OneRepublic—“Secrets”
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| | 8:13 AP. It was friggin humid. | |
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| | 8:11 AP. The air was like syrup with the post-thunderstorm humidity. I ran nice and slow, listend to music, and was very glad that I have run 5 days in a row now with no pain. Tomorrow is day 6 and then a day off. I sprinted one block at 4:05 pace, and was able to really get up on my toes. I haven't been able to get up on 'em quite like that in the past; I think I learned it from pool running where you pretty much are forced to run on your toes. | |
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| | 68 degrees. 90% humidity. Very Houston marathonish. Ran 6 miles at 8:25 pace on the dirt then came in and walked 2 miles in 30 minutes on the treadmill at 12% incline. The walk was sadistically more difficult than the run. | |
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| | Noon: Hot and humid from the downtown Y. Ran 15 minute warm up then 8 x 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy. My hard minutes deteriorated quickly in the heat and as I failed more and more to recover sufficiently in the off minute. I meant to do 10 but was so wasted by number 5 that I called it good at 8. Ran a long cooldown through the park and back to the Y. Average paces for on minutes were: 5:43, 5:59, 5:52, 6:25, 6:23, 6:03, 6:03, 6:19 AP for 6.77 miles 8:20
pm. kids were ready to rock. 1 with Nick, 1 with Ian, and .55 run/walk with Vanessa.
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| | 9:11 AP. That's what I call recovery. Actually, it's called 4:30 am with insufficient coffee. I ran early today because we are supposed to get all tornadic by early evening. I'm posting my splits so you can see my awesome opening mile. 10:27, 9:55, 9:46, 9:39, 9:20, 8:50, 7:53, .57 at 6:41 pace(have to get home quick or won't get a shower). | |
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| | 7:29 AP. Ran into Adam walking into the downtown Y and snagged up a running partner for the day. We got pelted with rain and wind the first few miles but then things settled down. I felt really good today and it felt easy. Legs and lungs are coming back to life. PM: epic parental fail taking Nick, Ian, and Vanessa to run on the indoor track. They misbehaved. I yelled sternly lectured them all the way home.
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| | 7.25 at 8:08 pace on my own. .25 with Vanessa, 1 mile with Nick, 1 mile with Ian. It was great today. 72 degrees and sunny. | |
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| | 7:50 AP. Downtown Y to the river and around. Did mile 3 and mile 5 at a 10K pace effort and they were both 6:51. Not as fit as when I am at my best but good enough for now. I am running a 10K next Saturday and will be happy if I can just crank out sub-7 pace on average. I'm trying to be patient. I did a one block sprint on my toes at the end and my Garmin says I hit 3:30 pace. Yeah right but it was fun to see the number. | |
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| | 8:13 AP. Maybe I shouldn't have, but it felt soooo good! I needed this! I needed this run! I kept the pace relaxed and had no pain and my lungs felt great and I literally practically ran even splits and just relaxed and mulled many things over. It was...therapeutic. Besides, that 50K I signed up for many months ago before I was injured is in, ahem, 6 weeks. I'm just aiming to finish it, that's all, but I'm gonna run it. | |
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| | Hot. humid. 22mph headwind. Summer in Kansas is here. Ran 6 miles at 8:48 AP outside then ran inside and down the stairs onto the treadmill and made 2 miles at 12% grade in 26 minutes. Running, power, walking, and an incredible amount of sweat were involved with this. Then I got a drink and went back out and ran a mile with Ian. | |
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| | 84 degrees but low humidity so pretty pleasant. I ditched the shirt. Sorry about the flabby white belly to all those unfortunate witnesses. 7.6 at 8:05 AP on my own on the dirt roads, then 1.1 with Ian and .32 with Vanessa. One mile in 6:59 that felt very very comfortable. Goal for 10K Saturday is to just keep the miles under 7 minutes. Will build from there. | |
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| | 8:32 AP. 88 degrees. 59% humidity. No worries, it was a great run. Why you say? Because I was reunited with my running friend EDDY!!! Coming back from injury as well, we are both well enough to run together. | |
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| | Too busy to run yesterday. 4 in this hot humid morning at 7:59 AP. Ran easy except for a few surges of 10K pace. I'm doing a 10K tomorrow morning. Should be hot and humid, and big. The River Run kicks off our Wichita riverfest and is usually at least several thousand in the 10K. | |
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| | Race: |
Bank of America River Run (6.27 Miles) 00:44:21, Place overall: 108, Place in age division: 2 | | Yuck. Jogged one mile to the starting line, passing a bank sign that said 81 degrees. Lined up, by mile 2 had pretty much given up. I felt terrible. I just tried to keep moving at a steady pace and called it good. One mile jog to cool down. I ran this nearly 3 minutes faster last year. I was also in shape and 14 flippin pounds skinnier. I am trying to be patient. In my fantasy world, I would come back from injury to former level of fitness quickly but it isn't working that way. Back to base mileage and working on that weight. I'm determined now, what a reality check. Walked right by the post-race food, ate small portions at lunch, drank lots of water. I'm serious about it this time. Oh yeah, and no more beer after the kids go to bed at night. | |
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| | 8:36 AP. 82 degrees. 49% humidity. I ran shirtless and carrying my water bottle. Psycho Wyco is coming. Off to enjoy my carnation instant breakfast and lots of water, along with my iron and vitamin D supplement. 10 pounds by PW. I'm doing it.
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| | 2:15 pm. 100 degrees. 8:40 pace. Brutal. | |
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Hill work at the downtown Y over lunch. Warmed up 2 miles slow 8:41 to 8:34 pace. Ran uphill at 12% grade for two miles. I had to stop and power walk a few times to re-group a bit, then set the mill at -2% and ran 2.1 miles starting at 6:49 pace and working down to 5:52 pace. cooled down .9 easy to make 7 miles. Nice, sweaty workout. 9:12 AP. pm. 1 mile with Nick, 1 mile with Ian, 10 minutes abs
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8:43 AP. Early morning recovery run. By 5am it was 79 degrees and 52% humidity. I plodded along at a gentle 9:30 sleep-run pace until the last few miles when I had to get it going on to get home on time.
pm. 1 with Nick. 1 with Ian. .25 with Vanessa day off tomorrow.
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| | 16.9 miles in one hour on the recumbent bike at the Y. Yeah yeah it's may day off but I need to burn some calories so I did. | |
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I won't be running until late tonight but I'm just going to post that I dared to weigh this morning after a week of determined discipline. 113, down from 118. Only 5 pounds from decent, only 9 pounds from ideal race weight. Yes!!!
update: there won't be any running at all today. my sister is pre-eclamptic and they are taking baby Maya at 35 weeks today. Getting in the car and driving to Houston shortly.
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| | 8:28 AP. Hermann park across the street from the hospital. It was hot hot hot and a little miserable but I found the fountains and every 1.5 miles or so looped through and plowed through a crowd of four-year-olds to get wet. My tiny niece is 4 lb 15 oz but healthy! | |
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| | 8:12 AP. A little cooler running at 8am but humid. Off to go preemie clothes and diaper shopping to clothe Maya! | |
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| | Quick morning run before heading home. Today I felt decent on a run for the first time all week so did 10 x 1 minute pickups at 6:22-6:35 pace with one minute jogs. | |
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| | Strength workout on the mill. 2 mile warm-up at 8:34 pace. 2 miles at 12% incline at 12:00 pace although I took 2 brief power hiking breaks and slowed it to 15:00 pace for those. 3 miles at -2% at 6:40 pace, then 1 mile cool down starting at 8:34 pace but speeding it up somewhat. 8:49 AP overall. Sweatfest. Highlight of the workout: running friend walking by remarks that I appear to have lost some weight. Thanks!
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am: 6.22 @7:47 AP, starting at 9:00 pace and ending up under 7. It was in the 60s this morning so I felt frisky. Hoping for a run at a true recovery pace later on today. Surprisingly, I am not sore from yesterday.
pm: 5 at 9:29 AP. first 3 with David, who decided to start running again!!!
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| | lunch: 6 on the tready at 8:22 AP next to Adam, last .4 at 6:30 pace or faster to "race" to the end because we are dorks. 2 miles upstairs on the indoor track with April about 7:00 pace. pm. 1 mile with Nick, 1 with Ian, .2 with Vanessa, 2 by myself
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| | 8:01 AP. From the downtown Y along the river. Felt good! But, the story of the day, I got to meet fellow blogger Tracy and family! We hooked up at dinner(which was good), quickly confiscated steak knives from the kids before a sword fight ensued, had a good laugh over internet friendship, and things clicked from there out. The kids were all getting along and it was a good time. We hit a local playground and then topped the evening off with ice cream. Unfortunately, Kansas decided to show off some thunderstorm action and we went driving straight into some nasty hail and wind and I know Tracy and family got hit in town. We drove through most of it but ended up pulling under an overpass for about 10 minutes after the radio started talking about an area of rotation nearby and the second set of hail was starting to hit the windshield. After that it was just rain getting home and then we popped out of all the storms and made it safe. | |
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| | 8:10 AP. First super long run since the injury. It felt pretty great! Met up with Eddy at the GoRun store, ran to Sedgwick County Park, ran 3 outer loops and saw a ton of GoRun people so lots of waving and hollering, and ran back to the store. I practiced carrying my water bottle the whole time and it felt pretty comfortable in my right hand the whole time... balances out the Garmin on my left. Legs held up fine, I think Psycho Wyco will be okay. Having water always available made the heat and humidity much more tolerable! | |
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| | 9:00 AP. 4:30 am, and it was already 83 degrees, 53% humidity, and 30mph south wind. Love Kansas, really. Ran easy and hopefully my legs will be fresh for some incline/decline work tomorrow. | |
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| | lunchtime: on the mill at the Y 1 mile warm up 8:34 2 miles up 12:00 pace on 12% grade--ran the whole way, no power hike breaks at 4mph for the first time 4.25 miles down -2%, 6:40, 6:40, 6:31, 6:18, .25 5:56, actually the last .5 miles I increased to 5:56 pace, then .75 slow cool down. Felt GOOD. Today was one of those days where everything was easy.
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| | 8:30 AP. 93 degrees. I ran with the water bottle--it helped and I must be getting used to the heat because I took the kids to the track so they could play in the "sandbox" while I ran laps on the track and I never felt overheated or miserable. Ran easy while the kids buried each other--had to stop once to take Vanessa for a potty break behind the bleachers. I'm glad nobody drove by right then. I am going back to EMS and have to take the physical tomorrow. The lifting requirements are pretty tough so I hope I am still strong. | |
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| | 8:06 AP. I had to take the physical and Arcon today to get back to my EMS job...I miss the ambulance that much. I am going to work EMS part time and nursing part time but probably eventually go full time EMS, part time nursing. Anywho, the Arcon is a strength and lifting test and the standards are very difficult to pass for a petite female and I won't know for a few days. I did bust a gut and try hard because that is the only way. The EMS requirements are the highest...higher than law enforcement, construction, machinists, everyone. Afterwards I was all sweaty and went for a run. I meant to only go 8 miles but missed my bridge and had to run further to the next one and cross over the river. Did my traditional one block sprint at the end to the Y at 4:34 pace. | |
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| | 8:39 AP. Hot lunch run, but as long as I run with a water bottle I'm getting pretty comfortable with it. Ran very gently from the downtown Y and spent some time on the grass and trails in Oak Park. My back and butt muscles are sore from the test yesterday, but overextending myself is, unfortunately, the only way to meet standards. Deadlifting 200 is not easy at 5'1" and 110, nor is consecutively adding weight to a box and putting it on the floor and then on a shelf over your head again and again, adding 10 pounds each time. Minimum to pass is to heave it onto the shelf at 50 pounds of weight 4 times in rapid succession without your heart rate going over 150. That's almost have my body weight. Yes, I weighed in at 110 today and I am happy about it!!! I am feeling fitter and lighter and it is easier to run fast. 6 more pounds to go as long as I feel good and strong. | |
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| | 8:11 AP. 78 degrees, 20mph south wind, 71% humidity. I'm on call this weekend and have to carry my work phone, and can't stray far from my car, but I rarely get calls between 5:30am and 7:30 am, sooooo, I got up at 4:30, drank half a cup of coffee, and I was off running loops near my house. I awkwardly toted my palm pilot/work phone, headlamp, pen, paper, and water bottle. I should've ate something because I was running on fumes and felt dead-legged. I just told myself to run as slow as I needed and get it done. It's done. Phew. | |
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| | 8:05 AP. It was very humid, but only 80 degrees and overcast, so much cooler then it has been and it felt good. Ran nice and easy from the downtown Y along the river and back. Today my one block sprint was 4:12 pace per Garmin. | |
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| | 6:57 AP. Treadmill at the downtown Y over lunch. Rolling hills workout. 1 mile warm-up 8:34. 1 mile UP 4% grade 7:30. 2 miles DOWN -2% grade 6:31, 6:27, 1 mile UP 4% grade 7:30. 2.5 miles DOWN 6:27, 6:18, 6:18, flattened out to 0% and ran 6:35 pace 1.13 miles until the treadmill shut down at the one hour mark. Felt totally awesome and strong throughout, completely under control aerobically. | |
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| | 8:58 AP. Out of bed at 4:15 for some coffee and a leisurely recovery run. I am making my trip to the bank and not burning the check, as Sasha would say. No aches or pains from yesterday's workout. Thinking about a 4 mile race on Monday in lieu of the weekly hill workout. Thoughts? | |
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| | 8:13 AP. 4:30am. 79 degrees, 63% humidity. Had to get it done early before another crazy day at work. | |
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| | 7:54 AP. Another early morning, but not as early---5:45! I started out at my usual crawl but before the first mile had passed caught sight of something I NEVER see out in the sticks, another runner...cruising down the dirt road ahead of me! I sped up and caught up to him, and we ran about 2 miles together before branching off. He's training for an ironman. Turns out I know his daughter from several years ago...small world! Felt like beating the 8:00 girl since I was close so did the last mile in 6:51. | |
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| | 7:53 AP. 79 degrees. 59% humidity. 5 am. After that bottle of wine with my husband late last night to celebrate our anniversary, I really should have felt crummy. Not so. I felt great. first mile in 9 minutes, next 3 slow, by mile 5 had dipped under 8:00 pace and the rest after 6 were 7:30s and 7:40s. Not on purpose---this I just saw when I checked my splits afterward. I ran very comfortably but not so slow as recovery pace and enjoyed the sights and sounds of country roads in the early morining. Carried my water bottle and took 2 shotblock squares along the way. | |
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| | Race: |
Derby Firecracker run (4.05 Miles) 00:26:50, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1 | |
I thought the race started at 8 so had just pinned my number on and was walking to the restroom when I ran into Adam. I told him I was getting ready to warm up and he said, "oh, well, ya got 10 minutes". It starts at 7:30!? My warm up consisted of .64 miles--running to the car to tell my husband it was 7:30, then a stride, then running to the starting line and another stride. It was hot and humid, 78 and 74% I think someone said. Flushed and beaded with sweat on the starting line with my shirt wet and heavy, I ditched it. Boom. The gun was off and I got caught up in the jackrabbit wave of a too-fast start. I knew I had gone out a little fast and decided to get it back under control the second mile and overshot it--too slow. The third and fourth mile felt about right. I hate trying to figure out the pace in short races. I had gas left in the tank when it was over. It's actually a (very soft) PR. won 50 buck. I feel like I am starting to get back in shape. I'm not 100%, but it's coming. Oh yea, splits--6:23, 6:50, 6:42, 6:38, and then some change to get to the finish line, most measured it a little long.
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| | 8:18 AP. lunchtime run. The bank sign said 96 degrees. It must not have been very humid though, or I'm getting used to the heat, because I actually felt good. Not sore from the race yesterday. This was a nice easy run listening to my tunes. | |
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| | 8:01 AP. Overcast and windy which cooled things off a lot. Felt good, so I ended up picking it up a bit the last mile to 7:19 and the last .3 at sub-7 pace. One block sprint was 4:27 pace today. | |
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| | 8:27 AP. Worked my first EMS shift in over a year last night. It was great, like coming home! Came home, slept until 11, rolled out for my run about noon. 87 degrees, 60%--not bad, really. Ran nice and easy on my dirt roads and listened to music. | |
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| | 8:13 AP. Worked another night shift, slept 3 hours, had some coffee and a little cereal, and left for my run. I woke up when it was over and I was walking into the house. I'm guessing it was a decent run....
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| | 8:45 AP. 105 degrees. On the upside, it was only 102 when I finished. 30 insufficient ounces of water, 2 shotblocks. All after walking 5 on the hot track with my husband(who covered 42 miles in 20.5 hours on NO training for the Wounded Warrier Project). I was glad when this was done, and won't be repeating it any time soon. | |
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| | 6:57 AP. Treadmill at the downtown Y. I am sunburned and my skin needed a break. I figured if I was on the mill I would do hills and make it interesting. 1mile warm-up 1% 8:34 pace. 1 mile up 4% 7:30. 2 down -2% 6:22, 6:22, 1 mile up 4% 7:30, 2 down -2% 6:22, 6:22, then 6:40 to cool down and get my climbing heart rate down. It didn't feel easy like the last time I did a similar workout but it was by no means miserable either. -2% is the steepest the treadmill goes for down. | |
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| | 8:51 AP. rocky loops by my house. Recovery run, if that's what you want to call it in 94 degrees. | |
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| | 8:25 AP. 86 degrees, 61%. Just when I think I am really getting used to heat and humidity I have a day like today where it bugs me. | |
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| | Ran at the Y today to get a break from the heat before I run 16 in it tomorrow. 6 at 8:27 AP on the treadmill and then onto the cool, air-conditioned indoor track for two more with no watch including 4x200 meter strides with the last 50 on my toes all-out. Kinda fun. Tomorrow's slog, starting later in the day then I would like, willl probably not be fun at all. According to my smart aerospace engineer friend, who has been calculating the dew points and temps and whatnot, it's like altitude training. That's what I will keep telling myself. | |
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| | 7:51 AP. Don't know what it was when I started, but finished at 89 degrees, 71 degree dewpoint, 55%. Fuel was water and half a nutri-grain bar. I ran four loops around the perimeter of Sedgwick County Park on the blacktop. Unfortunately, this does not offer much shade. Still, it wasn't too bad, nothing like my mini-Badwater last weekend. Picked it up the last 4 because I wanted to get it over with. | |
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| | Worked all night, came home and rolled into bed at 7, the roofers started at 8. I tried to sleep anyway but Vanessa came into my room and wanted Mommy to get up at 10:30 so I did. About 2:30 got out for my run, 104 degrees, heat index of 111, ran 5 at 8:49 pace then decided it was just too intense for a recovery run and then came in and ran 3 on the treadmill 8:45 pace. Went to Tony's Badwater after party and it was pretty cool to see the buckle, hear the story, and check out the infamous heat box in the garage. 21st at Badwater! We are proud of him! Good times with friends and they had a bouncer for all the kids and they had a blast. Now I'm going to bed. Good night! | |
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| | 8:49 AP. Opening mile 10:35, closing mile 7:14. I went to church yesterday, came home, cleaned house, took a brief nap, worked all night, saw my daughter in ER, came home and tended to her and the other kids while spending a few semi-comatose hours on the couch fielding phone calls and making sure she could breathe, showered, doctor, pharmacy, home, kids, dinner, run. It was nice to run the first 2.9 with my husband! I get to sleep a whole 8 hours tonight. Heavenly. And, for what it's worth, no caffeine during this 36 hour slog. | |
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| | 6:57 AP. Treadmill hill day. I think half the reason I look forward to these workouts so much is because I am not out in the nasty heat, although the downtown Y over lunch definitely gets a sauna effect going on. 1 mile warm-up 8:34. 2 miles up at 4%, 7:30 pace(Veyo?), 5 miles down at -2% 6:27, 6:22, 6:22, 6:22, 6:18. Doing 5 down at once I definitely noted some fatigue in my quads. | |
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| | 8:29 AP. Recovery run of sorts. Another lunchtime slog from the downtown Y along the river. It was 95 degrees when I started, and I am sure it was over 100 by the time it was finished. I am tired of running in this heat. I am not tired of how tan and skinny it is starting to make me. | |
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| | It was 104 degrees by the time I had a minute to run and I just couldn't do it today so we made a family trip to the East Y. 7 on the mill at 8:24 pace plus 1 on the indoor track, no watch. Kids had a fun time in the family zone and my husband ran 3 on the mill next to me! | |
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By the time I got this thing going at 8:00am it was 83 degrees, and you can see my sad fade in my splits. I chose the track for a weekly 3 mile time trial because it's accurate and I can find one anywhere to run on when needed..fits my busy schedule.
1.16 mile warm-up at 8:55 pace. Dang, it's hot and humid, I don't want to run fast. 3 miles on the track, 12 laps, took a split every 400 meters. A middle school girl's soccer team started practice while I was running. I think they were laughing at me. Total time 19:38, splits: 1:33, 1:35, 1:37, 1:38, 1:39, 1:39, 1:39, 1:39, 1:41, 1:40, 1:39, 1:35. Not my greatest, but I think with race day and competition I am in sub-20 5k shape ate least. 4 mile cool down 8:37 AP. pm: 3 super easy on the indoor track at the Y with my husband. no watch, probably about 10:00 pace
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| | 7:44 AP. David had to leave for work at 6:30am, so, cursing my stupid running habit, I got up at 4:00 and was running by 4:15. I ran the first 8 in sleepy silence then picked up my water bottle and 2 shotblocks where I had planted them in the mailbox and got the music going to get me through the monotony of 8 more lonely miles. It ended up being a progressive run of sorts once I woke up and pushed the pace a tiny bit because I needed to get done and not make David late for work. The bright side, this is probably the coolest part of the day and no sun beating down on me! For fun here are splits: 9:08, 8:37, 8:23, 8:04, 7:44, 7:36, 7:38, 7:33, 7:29, 7:34, 7:32, 7:26, 7:23, 7:16, 7:21, 7:05. In general my long runs are at a faster pace mostly to get them over with. | |
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| | 8:25 AP. Got out quite early for lunch, a balmy 89 degrees. Had a nice run from the downtonwn Y along the river. Felt good. | |
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| | 6:51 AP. Treadmill day. Interesting thing about 9 days so far with no caffeine: I think it helps running for two reasons. One: I have a crazy work schedule but can nap anytime when I get the opportunity--no difficulties falling asleep and this is coming in handy. I have never just been able to lay in bed and sleep for 30 minutes without having difficulty falling asleep. Such is not the case anymore. Two: I think my heart rate is more under control and thus I can tolerate faster speeds with same or less effort. 1 mile warm up 8:27. 2 miles up 4% at 7:30 pace(climbing Veyo, Kansas style), 5 miles down -2% 6:27, 6:22, 6:18, 6:15, 5:56. I felt great and wasn't even fatigued and could have easily kept going but didn't want to tempt injury or overtraining so reluctantly ended the workout.
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| | 8:30 AP. 2 loops at Sedgwick County Park. 87 and windy at 8:00am. Legs are a little tired feeling from yesterday but not sore. | |
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| | 8:33 AP. Night shift. 3 hour couch-kid-coma. 8 unshaded loops. 96 degrees, dewpoint 66. Glad when that was done. Next: NAP. It's official. I'm skinny again for the first time in over a year. | |
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| | Track trial day. It was 80 soupy degrees at 4:30am but still better than 90 in the blazing sun by far! 1.15 mile warm-up 9:12 pace. Yawn. 3 miles in 19:24--14 seconds faster than last week, and my quarter splits were strangely consistent. It was weird running on the track in the dark, I couldn't see my watch or splits and there is an optical illusion of running faster than you really are in the dark. Splits 1:39, 1:36, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:36, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:36, 1:32. Felt good at the end and could have kept going. Next week if I get out early again I won't be afraid to push the pace harder. 4 mile cool down 8:52 pace. | |
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| | Met up with Jennifer, Tyler, Shane, and Karla out west at 5:00am. Ran most of the run with them and then the last 3 on my own. It was very soupy and humid with a few storms that rolled in last night but I believe we started at 78 degrees which is the coolest I have run in in a long time. Picked up the last 3.5 to 7:20, 6:37, 6:40, 6:40 to get it done. Felt good. Once I realized in mile 14 that I was running sub-7 and felt fairly comfortable I just kept up the momentum to the finish. | |
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| | 8:56 AP. The usual 4:30am Monday stagger. | |
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| | 6:45 AP. A little more up, a little more down today. Treadmill at the Y. .5 mile warm up 8:27 pace. 2.5 miles 4% incline 7:30 pace. 5.87 miles -2% decline until my one hour limit 6:27, 6:22, 6:18, 6:15, 6:11, 6:07. This wasn't hard until about the last two miles it began to feel like a tempo run.
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8:29 AP. From the downtown Y along the west side of the river and back--a little more shade for the sticky 91 degrees.
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| | Track trial day. A storm blew through last night and cooled things off to 75 this morning, but the humidity was 94%. My quads were a little heavy from Tuesday still, but since running fast on a track is more about my hamstrings and butt they really weren't an issue. 1 mile warm up 9:01. 3 miles in 19:12, 12 seconds faster than last week, but splits were dismal. I started too fast and promptly died and struggled for the rest of the run. 1:30, 1:32, 1:34, 1:36, 1:36, 1:37, 1:36, 1:38, 1:39, 1:39, 1:38, 1:33. 4 mile cool down 8:16 AP. | |
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| | 8:33 AP. Ran in the morning after work on the dirt roads by home. They were pretty muddy from the storms that rolled through last night. I enjoyed the cooler temps again but the humidity was crazy. It was fun to have my legs that dirty after a run. | |
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| | 7:48 AP. I took the privilege of sleeping in through the morning thunderstorm and got started on the back end of it. The drizzly 78 degrees felt really good. I ran on the dirt roads around home but did run through to the end of town and back on the sidewalk. I had my usual 9:02 opening mile and ran pretty slow the first 8 miles and then picked it up a bit, settling into a pace that was aerobically easy but kept the leg turnover strong, which ended up being right around 7:20ish to 7:30ish pace. Felt great! | |
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| | 8:36 AP. It was a beautiful, early, early, beautiful morning. It was only 77 degrees, not as humid as it has been, and very clear and starlit. Pace was a little better than my usual Monday morning stagger. | |
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| | 7:48 AP. Ran easy along the river. It was 78 degrees with a nice south breeze and it felt cool and crisp. The break from triple digits has been really nice this week! I felt really, really good. So, I'm running a half marathon Saturday, first half in a really, really long time. I have ran more marathons than half marathons I think! It is a hilly course with a lot of dirt roads, about 600 feet up and about 600 feet down all said and done. Should be challenging and a good fitness gauge, but it starts at 6:30 am so we may get it all run before temps hit 80. Hopefully. | |
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| | Track day. At 4:30am the storm was brewing and I knew I had limited time so jogged one lap then launched the 3 mile trial. Total time 19:01, 11 seconds faster than last week. By lap 8 it had started to sprinkle and the thunder and lightning was getting close. I considered stopping but decided to be an idiot and run in the storm. The last two laps it was full blown storming, with some killer wind on the backstretch. As soon as I was done I bolted to the car for cover and drove to the Y to finish out 4.75 on the treadmill, all at 8:34 pace except the last two quarters I picked up to 7:30 and 6:40 pace to hurry and finish. Splits for the trial were 1:35, 1:32, 1:33, 1:33, 1:33, 1:35, 1:34, 1:37, 1:37, 1:36, 1:36, 1:35. I wish I could have seen my watch and known how close I was so I would have had a little incentive to bury that last quarter and get under 19. | |
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| | 8:23 AP. The alarm went off at 4, but at 69 incredibly wonderfully cool degrees I'm not complaining. Enjoyed the clear starlit sky, two shooting stars, and a magnificent lightning show well to the south. | |
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| | 8:54 AP. 4:30am. Ran really easy because I am running a half tomorrow. I'm not sure how to pace it--it is hilly, a net uphill of like 15 feet or something goofy like that, and runs a lot on gravel roads(that'll feel like home). I know it's not going to be a persay "fast" course but I want to run a good time and there's really no excuse not to, other than not being fit. I don't even know what a good time is. I don't know. I guess I'll just hope that it stays under 80 degrees and I am feeling "it". If nothing else, it will be a solid hill-training run. | |
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| | Race: |
Run for your Momma half marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:29:26, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1 | |
I am pretty happy with this one! HUGE PR and HUGE breakthrough on a tough course! Disclaimer, I measured it .08 short per Garmin but a solid sprint would have still put me through under 1:30 so I'm claiming it! This course rolls and rolls and has a slight net uphill. Anyways, got there way too early, sat in my car, registered, then warmed up 1 mile at 9:00 with a few very short strides throw in. It was 98% humidity, but at 65 degrees I felt pretty comfortable. I felt more than comfortable, I felt good. It was going to be a good day. We lined up, prayer, gun, and we're off. I fell right into position behind the first two guys, third overall, and maintained throughout. Miles 1-6: 6:43, 6:56, 6:48, 6:57, 6:41, 6:34. First 3 miles on gravel, some rolling but nothing major, one big hill in mile 4 moving into town and onto pavement, back onto dirt around mile 6. I just told myself to run comfortably hard but don't push because I need to save gas for the second half, which is much harder. 7-9: 6:56, 6:56, 6:41 Back on the dirt, a few rollers but still maintaining, still feel good 10-11: 7:12, 7:00 Steep hill, moment of weakness, then recovery 12-13-the end: 6:58, 6:56, then forgot to stop my watch at the end.
This is where the steep little hills just ricochet up and down relentlessly. My legs were definitely having a harder time getting up but I just kept plugging away and kept the pace suicidal on any opportunity to go down. Caught up with second place guy, but he mounted a good surge and pulled ahead. We turned the last corner and the finish line was like right THERE so I sped up but didn't get too much of a sprint. I saw 1:29 on the clock and was totally pumped. Never took any fluids or fuel, just ran, avoided looking at my watch. Talked to the male winner, he ran 1:22 something, has been running a long time and is familiar with local races, he said the course is very though and he thinks my 1:29 is worth 1:25 on a flat course. I don't think it's quite worth that, maybe 1:27 or so. Anyways, I have settled my score with this course and I still feel quite good!!!
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| | 8:29 AP. Another early Monday morning. My legs are not at all tight or sore. I can't tell I ran a half on Saturday. | |
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| | 7:47 AP. 83 degrees. 65%, dew point 70 degrees. Ran the first 10 easy and last 2 comfortably hard 6:35, 6:48, although that last mile the heat and south wind and little hill got to me and I was pretty uncomfortable. | |
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| | Worked a 12 hour night shift. Came home, got the kids, brought them to their first day of school. Slept for 2 hours. Ran slow with no watch. It was hot. Went and visited some home health clients and then picked all the kids up . Time to collapse. | |
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| | 8:25 AP. Pulled an Allie and ran at 3:45 am so I could meet my carpool by 6. | |
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| | 8:17 AP. Took it easy at lunchtime from the downtown Y along the river. It was 95 degrees to start and who knows at the finish. I'm looking forward to 18 tomorrow at dark thirty in the cool, thick humidity. | |
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| | 7:57 AP. Great run today! Hooked up early for a leisurely start with Shane and Mark, met up with Winston, Scott, and Eric about 6 miles in, started picking it up slightly around mile 10, last 4 6:38, 6:39, 6:47, 6:37--felt surprisingly strong and comfortable for this. Hit the gatorade bottle twice and other then that ran through. Aft first it was 80 degrees and humid but then the rain started and cooled things off into the 70s for the rest of the run and the cold light rain really helped things feel better.
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| | 7:51 AP. 80 degrees, overcast, and and drizzly with a south breeze. It felt cool and refreshing and I really had to keep holding the reigns in because my legs wanted to go faster. | |
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| | 7:59 AP. Supposed to be 10 easy plus 2 hard. I noticed a little shin splint in my left leg, it is down on the lower lateral side of the shin, nowhere near where my stress fractures where. I have since poked, prodded, hopped off 2 foot walls onto concrete, bounced and bounded, and determined that it does not feel or act like a stress fracture. Impact does not hurt. Flexing my foot is what reproduces pain, and the pain disappears when I run fast because my footstrike moves forward and I don't flex as much. Still, it is there and it bothers me. I have been so careful. I have run easy, made sure I recovered, never pushed or gotten sore. Everything has felt great, I really haven't been sore at all, haven't pushed the envelope. It doesn't seem fair to have this. Anyways I ran my 10 easy and then mile 11 in 6:24, then kinda had a meltdown freaking out about the shin and shut it down and jogged in. No need to push mentally or physically. We shall see how it does with easy jogging and some ice the next few days. There is a chance it is just an ambulance bite, because I did notice a little scratch in the area. Sometimes I hit my legs and get bruises jostling in the back of the rig and don't notice until the next day. If that is so, then it is just a little hematoma under the skin that gets sore with jostling, and will go away quickly. I'm encouraged that impact is no bother, but discouraged that anything hurts at all. My plane tickets and entry fees to Saint George are non-refundable. I want to cry. | |
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| | After a lot of research and more poking and prodding, I think this may all be from tying my shoe to tight that day. Shin splint is about 70% gone today. I decided that a few days of crosstraining now may save me heartache later. Sooo... am. one hour recumbent bike pm: 20 minutes cybex bike. jogged a few laps on the indoor track, felt pretty alright. 10 minutes elliptical. 10 minutes rowing machine. stretching. deep painful self-massage--felt great afterward though. One more day of crosstraining, then I am going on a normal run. Hoping for 100% gone tomorrow. I am more and more confident that this is a fluke and will disappear quickly.
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| | 6:47 AP. Before you ask what I was thinking running like that on a shin splint, let me explain! Since the pain reproduces by flexion of the foot at a certain angle, and downhill running minimizes flexion, then theoretically it should be pain free. Sooo, I tried it out...Voila! No pain running downhill! After continuing research I am 99.9% sure of my self-diagnosis. On that bad day, I tied my shoe too tight, which caused a slight but far-reaching effect on my footstrike and pronation. This alteration angered my tendon and muscle on the lateral side of my shin. If I had a stress fracture, the workout I did today would have been excruciatingly impossible. In fact, it was quite comfortable and I had no increases in pain. I am going to proceed carefully forward with my aggressive shin splint self-rehab program(with more loosely tied shoes!) and am hoping the inflammation will ride itself out in a few weeks. Treadmill at the downtown Y over lunch. .5 mile warm up 8:34 pace. 2.5 miles up 4% incline 7:30 pace. 5 miles down -2% 6:22, 6:18, 6:15, 6:11, .5 at 6:07, .5 at 5:56. Gentle calf and shin stretching. Self-ART, wrapping my hands around my ankle and driving my thumbs in hard and painfully into the shin muscle and dragging up while gritting my teeth and grimacing. Toe points up and down, circles in and out with my feet, a little heel walking, ice, hot shower, supportive tape. Walked out of the Y with the shin feeling better than when I had walked in. And in other news, I was contacted by our local running store about a racing team they are putting together, that may involve some sponsorship--information meeting Sunday evening. I am looking forward to hear what they are proposing.
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| | 8:34 AP. Shin is about 90% back to normal! Ran on the dirt roads near home. Didn't feel my shin during the run. Stretching, toe points, alphabet circles, deep massage(this and heel walking is the only thing that induces pain now), hot shower, a little tape, and off to work.
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| | 7:42 AP. Great run! Went with the GoRun East group. Took it pretty easy from the start, started naturally picking it up around 10, then started my final 4 tempo uphill on the first mile 6:51, 6:35, 6:35, 6:37. No problems from the shin-whatever it was it's going away! Afterwards stretching, toe points and circles, deep massage on the shin(this is the only thing that hurts) and some fruit. Felt pretty smooth and controlled during the tempo although I was tired at the end. Temps were 70 something at the start and it was pretty humid. | |
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| | *3 years since I had my last cigarette* 34 days to SGM. Watching my diet really close now on the final countdown--if it's not nutritious, it's not going in my mouth. will be attempting sub-3. There. I said it.
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| | 8:16 AP. Easy along the river at lunch. 91 degrees but the south breeze made it feel cooler. | |
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| | 9:13 AP. 94 degrees. Worked all night. Brought the kids to school, slept 4 hours, then stumbled out of bed to run on my shadeless dirt roads. It was more of a stagger than anything else.
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6:57 AP. Treadmill at the Y. I decided to combine my midweek 12 with my hill workout since I work nights Friday, Saturday, Sunday. My long run will have to be Friday before work. I did a sorta simulation of SGM miles 7-19. .75 warm-up flat 8:34 pace 1.25 up 4% 7:30 pace(Veyo) 1 mile decline -2% 6:40 pace 2 miles incline 4% 7:30 pace(Dammeron) 7 miles decline -2% 6:40, 6:40, 6:35, 6:31, 6:27, 6:22, 6:18 The 6:35 to 6:40 miles feel like a marathon pace on a decline. Under 6:30 is too fast for marathon pace. I hope 6:40 pace feels like MP at SGM. So, I have to retire the green shirt. I will now be wearing my black and white GoRun racing team shirt for all races. It's a cool deal though. I represent at races, promote the store, show up at group runs and clinics(which I do when I can anyway) and I get 4 pairs of shoes, singlet, shorts, and race entry fees. They said we could think about it and I was like "WHERE DO I SIGN!?"
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| | 8:34 AP. Stinks I had to hit the treadmilll two days in a row but hey, whatever it takes. | |
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| | 7:53 AP. I was worried about this one. It was 8:15 by the time I started and temps hit the 90s by the time it was done. I told myself I didn't have to do the tempo at the end. When I hit mile 14 I felt decent in the heat, but only because I was going slow. I knew once I started the tempo the south wind and heat were going to take a toll, and they did. I was happy just to get sub-7s. 6:35, 6:52, 6:52, 6:48. Not my best ending but the effort was good and good enough in the conditions. Stopped 3 times for a second to get lemon-lime gatorade from the trunk of the car. That's what SGM serves and it suits my stomach just fine. That is my grand fueling plan. Just drink gatorade at most aid stations. | |
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| | slow. no watch. between night shift stagger in 100 gnarly degrees. naptime. | |
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| | 8:22 AP. LOVE the cooler temps. I went out in the afternoon and it was only 74 degrees with a cool wind! Ran about half a mile at 6:40 pace and enjoyed how effortless it felt in the cooler temps then forced myself to slow down and just treat this like the recovery run it is supposed to be. 26 days to SGM! I am chomping at the bit. So excited! | |
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| | 7:44 AP. 62 crispy wonderful degrees! Ran from the downtown Y along the river. 10 easy then 2 tempo 6:32, 6:30, then .44 I slowed down for a cooldown to dodge traffic getting back to the Y and ended up at 6:40 pace. This cool weather rocks my world! | |
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| | 1 on my own 8:06 then met up with Adam for 7 more 7:52 pace along the river. weather is still great! I think I am going to race a 5k this Saturday with a loooong cooldown to get 18. | |
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| | 6:50 AP. Treadmill at the Y. I didn't have a lot of energy today since I am between night shifts. .5 warm up 8:27 pace. 2.5 miles up 4% 7:30 pace, 5 down -2% 6:22, 6:22, 6:18, 6:15, 6:11. I had to stop in mile 5 and make a run for the pit with a sudden emergency. It's been a long time since it came up by surprise like that. I felt a lot better afterwards, though. | |
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| | Oh so tired. 8 easy, no watch. 5k tomorrow. I'm kinda nervous. | |
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| | Race: |
Derby Rib Run (3.16 Miles) 00:19:23, Place overall: 2, Place in age division: 1 | | Well, I wanted a 5K PR so I incorporated the 2-loop 5k nearby into my long run. Warmed up 3 miles 9:00 pace then did some strides. The race started and I went out suicidally trying to stay with Mary Green, who is an incredible master's runner that rarely races locally but when she does she creams everybody. First mile 5:57 which is ridiculous, then died to to a 6:12, 6:17--which put me through 3 miles in 18:27, and had the course been 3.1 on the dot and had I mustered up anything resembling a kick perhaps I would have gotten a sub-19, but such was not the case. The course measured long, but there was a lot of curving and dodging the walkers on the second loop so that it probably what happened. Oh, and since it took me 55 seconds to polish off the last .16, showcasing my severe lack of kick, that was a problem. I could kick myself for not kicking. I need to learn to pace these things better! I am still glad that I got a giant PR out of it so I can't complain. Cooled down 12 miles at 7:49 pace. | |
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| | 7:53 AP. Lunchtime along the river. Ran mostly easy except the last 4 blocks I sped up a lot to catch up to Adam and say hi. | |
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| | Tough day, worked both jobs, was up for over 24 hours, slept for 4, then out into the 90 degree heat and 18mph wind to dry and do 10 easy plus 2 tempo. Felt horrible the whole time. Mile 11 in 6:37, half of mile 12 in 6:51 then jogged the last .5 because I just couldn't hang anymore. | |
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| | 6:49 AP. Still tired, but better today. Didn't want to fight the blustery wind or do anything terribly strenuous but wanted to get some leg turnover, so hit the dreadmill. .5 warm up 8:27 pace, 2.5 miles up 4% at 7:30 pace, 5 miles down -2% 6:22, 6:22, 6:18, 6:15, 6:11. Felt pretty good. | |
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| | Had Vanessa so went to the Andover Y. 6 on the mill 8:27 pace then 2 more on the indoor track, no watch. | |
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| | 7:24 AP. Tuesday's bad run is now a distant memory. 50 degrees=wings. I started slow enough but ran into Kevin and picked it up a little and chatted for 6 miles before we parted ways around mile 9. After this I ran happily along. It felt like ffortless floating and I kept drifting to sub 7 pace. At mile 14 I just let it go and cruised the last 4 6:34, 6:25, 6:27, 6:28. I felt totally in control during these miles. too bad I wasnt racing a half, because I think that would have been my pace. I felt so great today! this kind of run is just what I needed. I hope SGM is 50 degrees! | |
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| | 8:05 AP. Pleasant afternoon recovery run. | |
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| | 7:59 AP. i thought this would be rough running in the morning right after work with this nasty cold I have come down with but it was strangely refreshing and energizing. | |
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| | 7:52 AP. 10 easy then 2 fast 6:18, 6:24. I have a nasty cold but the symptoms disappear when I am running. Felt great during the run but now I am wiped out. | |
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| | 8:58 AP. Super lazy run after my nap. I really need to kick this cold. | |
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| | 6:47 AP. Last time up Veyo on the treadmill before I do it for real next week. .5 mile warm up 8:27 pace. 2.5 miles up 4% grade 7:30 pace. 5 miles down -2% 6:22, 6:18, 6:15, 6:11, 6:07. Getting that feeling in my stomach whenever I think about the marathon now. | |
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| | 8:41 AP. Nice and easy. I was thankful for the abundant shrubbery along the dirt roads when nature suddenly called. | |
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| | 10 miles easy with Leann and Angela, no watch, probably around 9:00 pace. Last 4 fast 6:12, 6:31, 6:25, 6:26. Felt good although I still have a cold and can't breath through my nose. My bib for SGM is 5114. One week!!! taper time starts now
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| | 1 mile solo at 8:00 then met up with Adam for 7 more at 7:25 AP including 2 in the middle at MP 6:44, 6:46. overall a little faster run than I was planning but we were busy talking and it was a beautiful day so the pace just kinda got away. 2 more days of some nice slow running after my might shifts and then Thursday I will be on the plane and Utah bound! Im excited now! sub-3. Lets do this! | |
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| | 8:29 AP. Nice and easy near home between night shifts. One more night shift(working it right now haha!), then home, sleep, pack, little run, time with the fam, and onto the plane Thursday morning!!! | |
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| | 8:22 AP. So excited after talking to JulieC on the phone! I better go finish packing--early flight tomorrow! Watch out Utah, here comes a Kansas hick! | |
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| | 8:15 AP--in SAINT GEORGE!!! Had a good travel time today and now I am sitting next to JulieC. We jusit ate Cafe Rio and we are really bloated. Excited for the expo tomorrow! Drove the course and I am pretty excited about it. It definitely looks like a fast run! | |
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| | Julie and I went to the finish line and ran out and back nice and easy. Temps were still 65 degrees around 8:30. It may be warmer than usual, but I don't think the temps will be too bad. I feel nervous yet calm, so weird. I'm just ready to get out there and do this. I'm going to refrain from looking at my watch until the halfway point. | |
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| | Race: |
Saint George Marathon (26.2 Miles) 02:59:49, Place overall: 16, Place in age division: 6 | |
What a crazy, emotional, day! If you would have told me I would crack 3 hours 5 months ago when I was walk/running after a time out from stress fractures, I would not have believed you. I have a lot to be grateful for. Sasha, for this blog, for the gracious training guidance the last few months, for the vote of confidence in sub-3. I've got to thank all my FRB friend for their encouragement--to Julie for hanging out with me and and room and board the last 3 days! To Allie who's words resonated in my ears as I clawed through the last 10K, to Kelli and spouse who drove us around to carbload with pizza and ice cream(and paid for it), and hung out at the hot awards ceremony and called to tell us about awards when we were showered and comfortable. I got to meet a lot of wonderful people that I've only know "online" for several years now! So, on to the race.
Up at 4am, half a cup of decaf coffee, one piece of peanut
butter and toast, and then me and Julie drove down to the finish line and
boarded the bus a little after 5. It was
a long bus ride. We got to the start
about 6. It was enough time to use the
bathroom, drink a little water, take some Gatorade chews, pace around a little--talk with blog names that now had faces. I didn’t bother with any warm up. At 6:40ish we got in line. I kinda stayed toward the back of the elite
corral, and a little after 6:45, we were off! Throughout the race I got a swallow of gatorade at each aid station(until the end) and that was it for fueling.
Miles 1-7…6:48, 7:01, 6:46, 6:31, 6:48, 6:22, 6:24—Trying not
to get overexcited and hold in the reins.
I feel good and strong. It is
dark at first but the sun begins to rise.
As we finish mile 7 I see Veyo hill looming in the distance. I have trained for this. Miles 8-12…7:37, 7:18, 7:12, 7:31,7:09 the climbing begins. I try to keep it under control and keep my
heart rate under control, but despite it everyone is huffing and puffing a lot. I still feel decent as the climbing levels
out. Miles 13-18…6:44, 6:51, 6:25, 6:16, 6:31, 6:35. This is the fun part! Going down!
Went through the halfway point in 1:31.
I tell myself I can negative split this.
Sub-3 can still happen. Miles
19-21…7:12, 6:42, 6:32. Fun time is
over. After the hill in 19 I suddenly
become aware of how hot it is, and how tired I am, and how much my legs are
starting to hurt. Fatigue begins to set
in. I begin to doubt sub-3, but I plug
along. At mile 20 the clock reads
2:17. I question if I have a 43 minute
10K in me right now. Miles 22-26…7:00,
6:54, 6:43, 7:07, 7:00. These miles were
hard. I am in agony. I’m sick to my stomach, and no longer taking Gatorade
at the aid stations—If I put anything in my mouth I will vomit. I cycle back and forth, wondering if I can
keep it up, wondering if I can get under
3. I know the pace is slowing, and try
desperately to keep my legs turning. This
is torture. Allie’s words ring in my
ear, the ones about tapping into your mental toughness when you have reached
your physical limits. I think about anything
I can, my husband, my kids, my wonderful friends, my encouragers, I pray, I see
the clock. I know it will be close. I feel despairing, I want to walk. The last two miles I was tapped out. Nothing
left. The words “never give up” become
my mantra. NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER GIVE UP. Last .27 at 6:19 pace. We turn the last corner and I can see the
balloons arching over the finish line, but the swell in the road prevents me
from seeing the actual line or clock.
Garmin reads 2:58. I have less
than 2 minutes to get to that line. So
this is it. It’s a blur, I will myself
to sprint. Do or die. It seems so far away. NEVER GIVE UP. And then it’s over. 2:59:49 chip time, 2:59:59 gun time(I was
little bit back behind the starting line)!!
By the hair of my chinny chin chin!
Once I crossed I was grateful for the nice man who held me
up as I wobbled over to the cool misters, they felt wonderful in the heat but I
wobbled through quickly because I needed to barf. I staggered over to some grass where a few
other folks were laying and grunting and layed down, flat on my back, and
closed my eyes until the nausea and the near-death feeling subsided. Eventually I got up and got some iced sprite,
which, by the way, is fantastic after a hot marathon! I lost my rental car and walked around for about 45 minutes finding it--this was probably good for me. When I finally got into it I did a little tears-of-joy crying. Showered at Julie's, ate dinner with her lovely family(and boy did I eat, whoa), then off to the Vegas airport, where I get to spend the night since my flight leaves early in the morning. Lots of internet time, I suppose! I don't know what's next. This is a pretty magical day for me. I think my next order of business will be cracking 3 on an honest course. Then I can start thinking about 2:55.
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| | Soreness is mostly gone, but I still feel it some. At least I never got too stiff and creaky--this is actually probably the least sore I have ever been after a marathon...surprising. It's a toss-up between my calves and my quads as to what took the biggest beating. I guess tossing and turning on the cold airport floor all night does wonders for recovery, or maybe it was the two beers and bag of doritos since the bar was the only thing open at midnight at the airport and I was STARVING. Or, maybe going to work the next night and carrying people up stairs did the trick. Rode 10 minutes on the bike to warm up, walked a quarter mile, then ran 4 on the mill at 8:34 pace. I felt good and wanted to run more but want to be cautious. Did some situps and pushups afterward. | |
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| | Went to the Y with Vanessa. 6 at 8:34 pace on the mill then 1 on the indoor track. Legs are dead but not sore. I'm sure that feeling will persist, which is fine, since I am not interested in running fast for a little while. | |
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| | 8:49 AP. The usual stagger between night shifts. I am deeply contemplating when and where I want to run my next marathon. | |
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| | 8:26 AP. All easy breezy on my favorite dirt roads except for some pickups on the good part of the good song. Couldn't help it.
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| | 8:00 ap. The cooler temps felt really good. | |
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| | 7:49 ap. nice and easy along the river except at the end I was itching and picked it up about half a mile then sprinted the last block. I kept pace with the car that drove the block. that was kinda fun! | |
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| | Nice and easy on the dirt roads between night shifts. No watch. | |
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| | 6:48 ap. treddy hills! I am going to keep doing these workouts, I think they make my legs strong and build legspped and turnover. .5 warm up 8:27 pace, 2.5 up 4%5 7:30 pace, 5 down -2% 6:22, 6:18, 6:15, 6:11, 6:07. felt good to get my legs moving. | |
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| | Hit the crazy early circuit today. 2.29 at 10:00 pace with my oldest(who showed up for this at 3:30am!) then 5.78 more on my own 8:30 pace. Off to a busy day. | |
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| | 8:31 ap. 4:45am. started at 9:00 pace, sped up only slightly, then ounched the last mile at 6:00 because I was running out of time. felt good to go fast. | |
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| | 7:44 AP. Paced my buddy Carlos through his last 20 miler before New York. We ran the first 15 7:50ish pace then dropped into the 7:20s and 7:30s for the closing 5. Great run. Good to catch up with Carlos and good to see him running so well and fixing to PR bigtime. | |
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| | 8:17 AP. First run of the year in long sleeves and gloves. It was chilly this morning. Im going to race an 8k on sunday I think. | |
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| | 7:50 AP. Lunchtime by the river with Adam. Windy season is here. The headwind was pretty ridiculous coming back North for the second half of the run, it took about 7:00 effort to run 8:00 miles but we didn't slow down because we had to get back to work. | |
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| | 6:54 AP. Treadmill at the Y. Wanted to get a good strength and turnover building workout. .75 mile warm-up 8:27 pace. 1.25 miles up 4% 7:30 pace. 1 mile down -2% 6:27. 2 miles up 4% 7:30 pace. 7 miles down 6:35, 6:35, 6:31, 6:27, 6:27, 6:22, 6:18. I did abs last night. I want some runner's abs. Of course I will have to move a little more weight of my midsection to see them. | |
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| | Tired as always between night shifts. Ran 8 really, really slow on the dirt roads, not watch. I think I'll actually run slow the next 2 days since I'm racing on Sunday afternoon. 8k is an awkward distance. It's not really short enough to go out at a suicidal pace but it's not long enough to need to conserve either. I usually don't do well in any race within a month after a marathon, for that matter, so no big aspirations. | |
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| | Another watchless easy run. I am trying to save my legs for Sunday. | |
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| | 8:21 AP. Great run with the GoRun group this morning. Didn't run the last .05 to make 8 because Adam and Kevin would have made fun of me. Legs feel good for the race tomorrow. If only I can get my mind in the right place. | |
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| | Race: |
Inspire Hope 8k (5 Miles) 00:33:37, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1 | | I never run well in the first month after a marathon and today was no exception. Warmed up 2.63. First mile 6:19,calves were tight and acid-ey, and minced along the next 4 at marathon pace. I did get to win and get $100 so can't complain, but am chagrined over the time. Cooled down 5 miles. I will try not to pay too much mind to this race but geeeez! McMillan says I should've run it under 31:00 bwahahaha! | |
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| | Easy on the dirt roads. No watch. Legs tight at first, felt great after 4 miles. | |
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| | 7:32 AP. My legs felt awesome today. It was windy but cool and sunny and I felt amazing, even in the wind . Last mile in 6:33. Felt like I was floating. My legs haven't felt this awesome in a long time. | |
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| | 7:14 AP. 3 mile warm-up, 3 fast-but-controlled 6:09, 6:23, 6:20, 2 mile cooldown. Now why on earth could I not run this pace in a race 4 days ago?! I guess it really was a rustbuster. Legs seem to be really waking up now. | |
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| | 8:36 AP. Took it nice and easy--not gonna scare my legs off since I just got them back. It was 31 degrees! Love! | |
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| | 7:00 AP. My car broke. David dropped me off at work at night, and I ran home in the morning. I didn't intend on running this fast, but I was eager to get home and get to bed, and once I settled into a good rythm in the eerily quiet cold and dark, I was charging steadily home. / I was pretty okay aerobically at sub-7 pace, although my legs were getting tired at the end. Course was fairly flat, some running on gravel on the shoulder when I got out of the city into the county. I'm surprised and pleased that it came out like this, and am feeling pretty good about a sub-3 on a flat course in spring. Splits 7:43, 7:22, 7:21, 7:17, 7:12, 6:52, 7:08, 6:53, 6:56, 6:49, 6:38, 6:42, 6:51, 6:58, 6:45, 6:38, last .25 at 6:23 pace. | |
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| | Exhausted. No watch on the dirt roads after 4 refreshing hours of sleep. Legs were dead until about mile 5. Im a little down today. 16 year old in SRS custody. Davids Grandma...died. Broke. Nobody will buy the stupid house we cant afford. Car...broken. Computer...broken. Basement leaking. People...mean. Im glad running is going good. Me and David are going to do like the song and stay up talking all night, drinking cheap wine and smiling although we are close to tears. | |
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| | 7:33 AP. 10 easy then 2 fast 6:11, 6:17. Feeling better today! | |
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| | Treadmill at the Y. 7.5 at 8:27 pace then the last .5 at 6:40 pace because the song compelled faster running. I've mention this on facebook, but I will put it here too. David's early birthday present to me was to get my hair done. I wanted to be really blonde so the stylist bleached my hair. Well, she didn't leave it on long before she checked it and was like, whoa, we better wash it off. My hair is white. Not blonde, not platinum, white. Like an 80 year old. I absolutely love it! | |
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| | Skipped my intended hill workout for a watchless easy run because I slept wrong and have a bad kink at my neck and between my shoulder blades. I actually felt good during the run ,but think the treadmill would have caused pain. I can barely turn my head side to side or look down. Should make for an interesting night at work. | |
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| | 7:08 AP. Treadmill at EMS post 9. The city was quiet at 4:30am, the paperwork done, the post and unit cleaned. I took a risk, and managed to fit the whole workout in without getting a call. It was cool to get it done at work. The treadmill is old and creaky and doesn't go downhill. .5 warm up 8:27 pace. 2.5 miles up 4% 7:30 pace. 1 mile flat at 7:30 pace, then 4 miles at 6:40 pace. Sweated bullets and stunk until my relief came in at 6:00am. | |
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| | 7:43 AP. Lots of social running today, had a great time. Got to GoRun early and ran 7 then bumped into Patrick so ran one more with him before hooking into the group. Lots of folks, lots of catching up, ran with a few different groups and then towards the end it was me, Patrick, and Lacy. I did the last two hard 6:24, 6:29. | |
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| | Dropped the boys off at school and then on to the Y with Vanessa. 7 easy on the treadmill then 1 on the indoor track incorporating 8 sprints. | |
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| | 7:43 AP. It was cold and windy and rain and muddy on my dirt roads and I hit every hill I could. Made for a miserably perfect run, helped drench the anger and frustration I was feeling today. I was cold, soaking wet, and had lots of bright red angry cold skin when I was done. It was absolutely perfect, wish I had time to pound out a few more. Last 2 6:39, 6:27. | |
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| | Easy run on the dirt roads. Sprinted the last .13 at 4:26 pace. Felt good. I'm going to race a 10-miler on the 19th. | |
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| | 6:45 AP. Treadmill hill/turnover workout at the Y. .5 warm up 8:27 pace, 2.5 miles up 4% 7:24 pace, 5 miles down -2% 6:22, 6:22, 6:18, 6:15, 5:56. Happy birthday to the Marines. I also turned 33 today. | |
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| | 8:43 AP. Loops by the house---have all the kids home today. | |
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| | 7:19 AP. This basically turned into a 7 mile marathonish pace tempo followed by a tired cooldown. I worked all night, got off a little late, had to run fast from the post to the East GoRun store to make the group run on time(5 miles), made it just in time, but only 5 people were there--two too fast and two too slow, so ran 2 miles out trailing the fast dudes and then decided I really needed to go home and go to bed so turned around and took the most direct route bact to my car, another 5.78 miles, run at a much more reasonable pace. First 7 miles 6:55 AP. I think next week will be all easy 8 milers until the 10 mile race on Saturday, although I may do a time trial Tuesday or Wednesday.
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| | Tired. 8 easy on the dirt roads with no watch. I think this will be an all easy week until the race on Saturday. | |
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| | 7:21 AP. Tired and stressed and felt super crummy. Went to the Gorun West store and signed up for the 10 miler Saturday then ran straight North into the wind, slowly, turned around and sped up because I was on a serious time limit to pick up my daughter. Last 4 6:55, 6:42, 6:34, 6:30. I was glad I could run that pace when I don't feel good and I'm not trying that hard. | |
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| | 7 at 8:27 pace on the mill then 1 on the indoor track. IIbloateII | |
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| | 8:16 ap. on my dirt roads at home. the race Saturday is looking to be super windy. Raquel Stucky will win~she is a trials qualifier, but I am hoping to have a good day and scrap my way into 3rd. my gaol time was 65 minutes, but I will just have to run purely tactically if it is windy and not worry about my time. | |
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| | Kids were sick and by the time I could run it was after bedtime and with a race in the morning there was really no point, especially since I was horridly sleep deprived and exhausted. | |
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| | Race: |
Turkey Trot (10 Miles) 01:07:39, Place overall: 5, Place in age division: 1 | | 20mph winds today with 35mph gusts. I knew this wasn't going to be pretty timewise. 2.72 mile warm up including some strides, then I lined up. I felt okay the first 3 or 4 miles but then when we hit the headwind along the river in mile 5 the wheels started wobbling. After that I just struggled and never really recovered. Wheels were pretty much off by mile 8. I hung onto third until the final mile and then got shamefully outkicked and failed to respond. I thought I was 4th but I guess I was 5th by chip time. Argh. Oh well, it's a still a weak PR and a time I can accept in the gale force winds. Splits 6:26, 6:36, 6:40, 6:41, 7:08, 6:40, 6:51, 6:42, 7:01, 6:39. I know I've said this before, but it's time to clean up my diet and get back on task. Part of running well is eating right and I have not, not at all. Cookies, sugar, ice cream, fried food, beer, wine. I really need to get it together. | |
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| | 8:15 AP. First run in full winter gear--tights, compression shirt, gloves, hat, the whole deal. Felt nice. Time to dial back the pace on all my runs for a while until I feel good and start racing well again. Maybe go fast once a week. | |
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| | Rolled another doughnut. Even after sleeping only 3 hours and getting started on all the stuff I had to do today, I barely got it done in time to go back to work for 12 hours. Running didn't happen. I guess I could've only slept 2 hours. | |
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| | 7:57 AP. Home loops. Core afterwards, abripperx style. | |
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| | 8:15 AP. Another long, reflective, preemtpive run before Thanskgiving Dinner. Happy Thanksgiving to everybody! | |
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| | Did my once weekly speed to knock the cobwebs off today. I was stuck on the treadmill at the Y since I had all the kiddos but that's cool, it made me hit my paces and keep it sub-6. 3 mile warm up 8:27 pace. 1.5 miles 5:56 pace. .5 jog recovery. 1 mile 5:56. .25 jog recovery. .5 mile 5:56. .25 jog recovery, .25 mile 5:52 pace. .75 recovery on the mill to cool down. Then I ran another mile on the indoor track and followed it with 4x50 meter all out sprints with full recovery. rowed 2k in 10:15--I wish I had known about this machine when I had my stress fractures. It might make my arms look good if I keep doing it and it definitely got my heart rate up. | |
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| | 7 on the treadmill at the end of my shift at 8:27 pace. Switched out with my relief and went and ran 7.14 outside at 8:02 AP. Needed it, bad call last night. | |
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| | Hauled the kids to the Y for a tired run. 7 on the dreadmill 8:27 pace, nearly died of boredom, then 1 more dodging people on the indoor track. Indoor track is even worse than the mill. | |
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| | 7:33 AP. It was supposed to be an easy run, and it felt easy, so I suppose this was okay. Ran along the river between ACLS class and work. | |
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| | 8 easy, dirt roads, no watch. tired but felt good. | |
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| | 8:16 ap. Easy on the dirt again. I am really tired, and a little humbled. some coworkers who have known me a few years informed my partner that I used to be short, fat, and smoked like a chimney. He was surprised and accidentally told me about it. hah well Im not offended, because it is true, but it sure does remind me where I come from and where I never want to go again. On that thought, I squeezed in a few extra miles today. | |
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| | speed day. I missed yesterday--between an extra night shift and house showings I did not sleep, and was too exhausted, and simply did not have time. Running would have been pointless. So anyways, I had Vanessa today so we went to the Y and I hit the mill. 7.25 mile warm up 8:20 to 8:27 pace, then 3 x 1 mile repeats in 5:56, 5:56, 5:52 with quarter mile recoveries at 9:13 pace, although I didn't get the full quarter mile because I started ramping up treadmill speed early. Then I got on the indoor track and ran a few more to cool down including 4x50 meter sprints. I felt good during the repeats, could've done more and probably will next week. Aerobically they are honestly not too bad, it's just my legs seem to wear out before my lungs bust. | |
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| | 7:24 AP. Waited until everyone was asleep then drove the to the well-lit neighborhoods of Derby for an easy run. I meant to run easy, and this felt easy in the cold, starry night. I love winter running, and I enjoyed the night running. Felt sooo good.
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| | 8:28 AP. Yesterday I let everything get to me and got myself so depressed I just laid on the couch and didn't do anything. I picked up the phone like 5 times to just call somebody and there really wasn't anyone to call. My sweet little daughter shined. She took care of me all day. She is the most resourceful 4 year old in the whole entire world. So, after a night at work and a little bit of sleep today, I feel immensely better, and I enjoyed my chilly run in what was left of the first snow of the year. | |
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| | 8 mile loops by my house, no watch. Halfway through the second one a big row of grass fires had lit up all down 150th on my route. I rung my neighbors doorbell and he came running with a rake and I used his phone to call the fire department. I only got to run a couple more loops through smoke and flames before they had it out. Bummer. It was kind of exciting. | |
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| | 8:34 AP. Basement treadmill. Felt okay after laying on the couch most of the day and sleeping off last night. Went to the paramedic school graduation party and ended up, well, annihilated. It was fun. | |
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| | 7:16 AP. Fighting hard through lack of sleep and lack of time this week. It will be the same next week too, well, the rest of this month. Went to the Y with the family and hit the treadmill. 2 mile warm up 8:27 pace. 8 x 1/2 mile with 1/4 mile recovery. 1/2 mile paces were 5:52 for the first 4 and 5:49 for the second 4. Recovery pace 9:13 in between. Cut the recoveries a little short to make sure the treadmilll was ramped all the way up to speed for the repeats. Off to work. | |
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| | 7:35 AP. Squeezed another one in. Gonna make it through this month without getting completely out of shape. I'm determined. This pace feels easy, either though I have put some stress weight on. My jeans are tight. Grrrr | |
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| | 7:35 AP. Felt easy. I'm glad it feels easy, either though I feel like a blimp. I am terrified to weigh myself, I know it's baaaad. My clothes are tight tight tight! | |
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| | 8:34 AP. On my basement treadmill. | |
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| | 7:34 AP. Dreadmill at the Y. 3 mile warm up 8:27 pace. Speedwork ladder 400(5:27 pace), 800(5:42 pace), 1200(5:49 pace), 1600(5:56), 1200, 800, 400. 400 meter jogs in between repeats at 9:13 pace except after the 1600 I took half a mile because my lunch was threatening to re-appear. 2 mile cool down 8:27 pace. This was actually pretty brutal. I'm encouraged I can pull it off despite my winter weight gain so when I make my way back to race weight I might try to go PR a 5k. | |
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| | 8:34 AP. dreadmill in my basement. all I had time for. | |
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| | 7:46 AP on the dirt roads by home. Felt great. Then I went to my husbands work party and shortly after arrival introduced myself with a precordial thump and cpr. awkward. | |
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| | 7:34 AP. After way too much excitement last night, and some solid Shiner Bock carbloading, I slept for 4 hours and then met Carlos at HS for a long run. First 14.8 easy, well, progressively faster, then dropped the hammer for the last 4 6:35, 6:52, 6:44, 6:44. If I hadn't got lost and circled so many times I really should've dropped the last 4 faster. Oh well. Felt fantastic throughout | |
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| | 8:23 AP. 10 at 8:34 then last mile at 6:35 to scratch the speed itch. | |
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| | ran briskly in the mud, no watch. this is all I had time for. Hack, wheeze, off to work. I've got some horrid upper respiratory crud. | |
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| | 12 easy in the middle of the night in Derby. watch died so dont know my pace. I'm guessing around 8:00. | |
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| | 7:53 AP. Short on time and energy, as usual. Basement treadmill while the kids ran around upstairs. At least no one was crying. 20 minute warm up. 10 x (1 minute hard 5:27 pace, 1 minute stagger 10:00 pace), 10 minute cool down. 5:27 pace feels like suicide on my treadmill at home. It was a giant sweatfest | |
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| | What a reminder. It's been a few days, and after a week of sleep deprivation, some chaos, missed runs, and a lot of work, I do believe I was getting depressed and anxious. It's a reminder of how that discipline of running is so vital to me...I let one discipline go and everything else starts to slip too. Maybe I put to much on the run, but it's been the thing that got me up every day and made me put one foot in front of the other for 3 years now. This last few days has made me humble--I fancy myself to be so strong sometimes but I see I am only just a few steps away from being a fragile beaten mess. Today's run, like so many before, put it all in perspective. One mile and my wheezy lungs and nose cleared, a few more miles and my head began to clear and I could think straight, and by the end of the run when I pushed it enough to make it hurt, I seem to have my head screwed on straight again. I remember how blessed, blessed, blessed I am. I'm living the dream and it's sad how quick I forget that sometimes. Merry Christmas everybody. This morning I got to drink coffee with my husband, and watch my healthy, happy kids squeal at what Santa had brought. At home, at work, everywhere I go, I am daily in the presence of incredible people. So, a little early New Year's resolution, this year I will keep getting up and putting one foot in front of the other, and make all the people who have supported me proud. I'm going to smile and laugh every day, no matter what, and while I'm at it, I'm going to win some races(had to throw that in there). | |
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| | 8 brisk, no watch. Ran into another runner and made a new friend until he had to turn off. 71 years old and he runs 35 miles a week! | |
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| | It was a half-marathon kind of day. Ran to Webb and back, felt good. Started out jogging and felt better and better and was dropping some pleasantly effortless sub-7s at the end. | |
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| | super easy, fat-burning pace, no watch | |
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| | El Dorado--beer run. They totally filled the mugs at the stops, and it ended up being a lot of beer to drink on the run. 2 mile warm up. First mile, felt okay after the beer, second mile, oh yeah, felt like puking and slowed to a jog, third mile, big belch, and then I could speed back up. It was about my slowest 5k ever but I was the first beer-drinking female to stumble across the line so I won some Oakleys and some Mizuno paraphanelia. I was also half-lit, and by the time I drank one more waiting for the awards I was quite toasted. Glad David was there to drive me home. He PR'd in the 5K despite the beer, on no training. Nice! It was a good way to end this year in running. | |
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| Adidas Adizero Mana Miles: 16.00 | Blue Avants Miles: 26.60 | Lunarfly Miles: 61.77 | Pink Nike Avant Miles: 31.31 |
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