Auntie Em Goes Running

Rode the Chilly Hilly bike ride today on Bainbridge Island.  This turned out to be really fun, and we rode really slowly, so it was a good "rest" day.  The course was chilly for the first 20 miles, and I was a bit underdressed, so I was freezing, but after that the sun came out and it was perfect.  Beautiful, clear day, with views from the island in all directions.  It was quite hilly, though, so I had to pull out the Lance Armstrong muscles and use.  Hard at first,  because I wasn't too sure where I had put them!  

Great day! 

This run just flew by; I don't know where the time went.   That has never happened to me before on a solo long run.  I felt tired when I left the house, had no running plan, and noone to run with.  It took me a good 3 miles to warm up my legs, then I just settled into what felt like an easy pace.  I kept this pace fairly steadily throughout the run, averaging 9:49.  I just went wherever I felt like and ended up at one point down by Civic Field, where I did a few laps on the track before heading back into trail running.  Before I knew it, it was 11:00 and I had to figure out a way home that would take 45 minutes.  Fun run, and I sort of feel like I could run more, but don't think it would be a good idea.  Maybe I'm finally getting over  my distance weakness!

30 minute mobility session, mostly dynamic stretches.  70 minutes on the bike, high cadence, no intervals.  30 minutes strength session, focusing on leg strength (squats, hip strengtheners, glut strengtheners), finishing with some foot/ankle flexibility/strength work.   

I am starting to feel that all the little injuries of the Fall/Winter are past.  I am very very grateful.  

In this moment - a chance

for what can only be done

now, never again. 

This was a really long track workout!  I cannot believe the miles this week.  I also cannot believe how great I feel.  

2.27 miles WU - AP 9:52

2 200m strides with 200m RI (.5 miles)

5X1 mile @ Tempo pace (7:38, 7:38, 7:38, 7:36, 7:35) with 1 1/2 laps RI between

4X200m @ R pace (.46, .44, .44, .44).  

1.75 CD - AP 10:11

I don't know why I can't get those 200m R pace things right; I always do them a few seconds too fast!  But everything else was perfect today, so I'm happy.  Every workout this week, I go just a little beyond what I am comfortable with, since I believe this is what I will need for 50K running!

I have two haikus today:

1. All quiet and soft,

eating all the pretty flowers -

deer are such big pests!

2. So silently strong

pushing up from a grave of soil -

surprise!  Here are peas. 

Have a great day everyone! 

So much activity today there has been no time to blog!  I spent the night at the mountain last night, and did the morning run of 7.42 easy miles around the trails up there.  The woods are beautiful right now; so springlike already!  Not too muddy either, as we've had so little rain compared to usual.  AP on this run was 9:42.

Skied for four hours with my friend from Seattle.  It was sunny, with glorious views of Mt. Shuksan.  I really want to climb Shuksan someday, and I'd better get on it soon.  It was so wonderful to ski with every single body part feeling strong and in working order!!!!

Drove down the mountain, jumped into running gear, and drove a short ways from my house to Stimpson Woods, a trail run that I love.  The assignment this afternoon was 30-45 minutes of hilly running at marathon pace!  This is a slightly technical trail with lots of long uphills and downhills and many switchbacks.  I did not make marathon pace.  AP was 8:47.  I felt very strong.  I usually run this loop twice, but that would have taken too long, and it would have been dark when I finished.

A skiing sandwich

with running bread on each side

makes a perfect day! 

One hour fifteen minutes on the stationary bike, easy spinning.  Followed it up with 30 minutes of static, gentle stretching.  No strengthening.  Probably this is all I will do today.  I'm saving myself for tomorrow's 3.5 hour mountain jog.  Very excited!  Also will try to get some work done this afternoon to make up for yesterday's little "vacation".

Final training run!  I was tired going in to this one; as I just had an incredibly high mileage week (for me).  Yesterday's restful bike ride did not exactly leave me completely fresh.  Still, I think my training partner and I did really well on this run.  We challenged ourselves with not just one huge climb, but circled around and did two huge climbs.  I think this will more closely approximate the actual race, where we will climb up to the top several times, then drop back down again.  In between, many smaller climbs and long downhills.  These mountain climbs really took it out of me today; my butt muscles are just so tired!  But I pushed it, kept going, and was more mentally strong than I've ever been.  When we got back to the flat trail, with 4 miles to go, I said no way can I do the marathon pace miles, but my legs thought different, and just kicked them out anyway!  I couldn't believe it.

17.5 miles, 3 hours, 15 minutes, AP 11:02.

Ready to taper.

Have a great weekend!