Emily's training blog

2 miles early a.m. to shake out legs.  My calf was sore, so I wanted to see if it was doing okay. 

6 miles with East XC.  I felt really good today, and it was nice having running partners.  Was supposed to do seven, but had a bathroom emergency that necessitated me cutting the last mile off the course.  (Cemetary loop course.  I didn't time it.)

4800 south loop to River trail and home through Millrace Park.  My calf still felt a little weak.  Time for calf raises.  Total time 40:30.   My goal is to get some consistent mileage.  I had a calf strain, and then got really sick for a couple of weeks.  Feels like I'm always "starting over."

I had a clogged milk duct today, which you wouldn't think affects running.  The impact hurt a lot, so no running until I can get it unclogged.

Only time for a short run this morning.  I just ran 2200 west through SLCC and back.  I didn't time it.  My chest feels much better!  Nursing and running don't always mix.

Met the East High Cross Country team at Liberty Park for intervals.  We warmed up two miles, and then ran 4 x half miles with a half mile recovery.  My goal was to run all four under 2:50. I ran 2:45, 2:41 (slight downhill), 2:46 (slight uphill) and 2:46.  Then we cooled down a mile and a half. 

This was a pretty good workout.  The recovery was a little long, but that's probably okay until I get into better shape.  It's nice to have the kids to run intervals with.

I got up early to get my mileage in before the kids woke up.  I ran down 2200 West to 3500 South, and then over to 700West where I got on the river trail.  I ran the river trail back to Millrace part,and then home via Taylorsville High.  I timed a 4 mile stretch on the river trail to see what kind of pace I was running.  I ran 27:34 through that four miles.  I forgot to start my watch at a light, so I'm not sure what the total time was.  I ran 1:05:13, but probably need to add about five minutes.

I had really dead legs today.  It did not feel like they were firing.  I probably should have waited one more day before attempting a fartlek workout.  But, I want to get the harder workouts done earlier this week so I can be somewhat fresh at Saturday's race.

I warmed up 15 minutes to Valley Park.  I ran 5 x 3 minutes hard, 2 minutes easy.  I tried to vary the terrain so that I would get a good mix of uphill and downhill.  Then I cooled down 15 minutes to home. 

Met the East High XC team at Sugarhouse park for workout.  We did a three mile run for a warm-up (Around the park through the neighborhood and back on 1700.) Then, we did a continuous hill loop (10 x up a short hill, around the trees and back down.).  We ran down to the cars and did 2 x a Flanagan circuit (burpees, sprint, jumping jacks, sprint, squats, sprint, mountain climbers, sprint.) and then finished with a four mile cool down (Around park to1300E, over to 2700S, up to 1800E, down to 1700E and back to park.  A lot of strength work today, but breaking the run up kept me focusing.  I think I will be tired tomorrow!

Met the XC team at Cottonwood Complex.  We ran a three mile warm up around the outside of the park and St. Mark's Hospital. (Everytime I run this loop I think of my kids, because I gave birth at St. Mark's.)  

After the warm-up we ran a fartlek workout.  1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 3 min, 2 min, 1 min.  We had one minute recovery between the one and two minute fartleks, and 2 minutes between the three minute fartleks, for a total of 20 minutes.  We ran the region course, so the goal was to finish the course by the end of the workout.   This was a good way to run it, because it kept us from running too slowly between the fartleks.  I came pretty close to hitting the goal.  I ran the 3 mile course in 20:07.   (Should have sprinted in.)  I like running workouts here.  The grass and hills make it a good strength course.  Besides, I have much more empathy for the kids having to run this course for Regionals.  It's tough.

We cooled down two miles in the park. Now I get to back off the next two days to prepare for a 5k Saturday.

Ran an easy recovery run today.  I started at my house, ran through the neighborhood to 4800S, down to the river trail, over to Bullion, up to 1300 W, to 5400 South, and home.  My legs are tired, but nothing hurt.  I'm hoping another light day will have me a little fresher for Draper Days.  Total time: 46:37.

Met East XC team at Liberty Park.  Most of us are racing tomorrow, so we just ran two laps around the park.  I ran an extra lap before they got there. Then we did six strides.  I like easy days!  I'm excited for tomorrow to see what kind of improvements I am making.

I warmed up two miles plus strides.  I did not feel very good this morning.  I need to remember that when I'm nursing I need to hydrate a lot more.  It was very hot, and I was dizzy and thought I was going to throw up before the race.  I definitely need to pay more attention to hydration before I race.

I got out well the first mile, right with the leaders.  The mile marks were off, so it was a little difficult to tell what pace I was really running.  After the turn into the second mile the top two girls pulled away, and I got passed by one other.

I thought I would really be able to open up on the second mile since it is slightly downhill, but I never felt like I really got going.  My lack of training definitely caught up to me in the third mile.  I realized that there is a different feeling between running and racing, and I need to learn how to hurt again. 

Overall, I'm pleased with the 20 second improvement over the last two weeks, and almost a minute improvement over the last three weeks.  I'm just a typical runner,  I want it all at once!Consistency in training will get me there.

I had grand plans for a fartlek workout today early this morning.  However, my poor little boy had constipation problems until one in the morning, so I wasn't about to get up at 4:30.  Six was bad enough.  I almost didn't go at all, but I'm trying to eliminate the excuses for not running.  Being a mom is not an excuse, as all of the amazing moms on the blog can attest to.  So, when Teren got home from his run, I stumbled out the door and down the street. 

I ran 5400 to 1300 west, to river trail and back up through Taylorsville.  I tried to keep it faily uptempo since the run wasn't very long.  There was lots of construction on 1300 west, so I may avoid running there for a while. 

I felt pretty good considering I raced the other day.  (Must need to race harder!)  My overall time was 41:47.  I'm chalking this run up to a mental victory over a sleepless night.

I didn't make it out for a run this morning.  To beat the heat, I went over to the health club to run on the treadmill.  I ran a nine mile progression run. I started at 8.5 mph, and bumped up .1 mph every five minutes.  During the last 20 minutes I bumped up every 3 minutes, and the last mile every minute.  I ran nine miles in 59:20.

Had the idea to do a workout last night, but the kids did not comply with my schedule.  Cole started running a fever, and Lily did not go to bed when she usually does.  Finally, I just gave up.  So, I'll be running some longer days the next few days to get mileage.

Today I decided to break my run in two.

A.M.  Six miles.  I'm still feeling Tuesday's run.  I definitely ran harder than I thought at the time.  My hip is a little tight, but warmed out.  I tried to keep the pace under control.  I ran 4800 S. Down to river trail at 700W.  Then I ran the river trail to Millrace park, and up through Taylorsville High, through the neighborhood and home.  I like to run the last part through my neighborhood hard to practice finishing hard in a race.  I figure it is about 1000 meters.  (Yes, I know I need to get a Garmin.)  I ran 3:36 for the neighborhood section with a total time of 40:36 for the entire run.  I plan on an easy short run tonight, and mile and a half repeats tomorrow at Liberty Park if anyone wants to join me. (Obviously I'm not running Des News.)

PM  Easy 4 miles SLCC loop.  I didn't time it.  I just tried to run nice and easy.

I met the East High team at Liberty Park this morning. Most of them have races tomorrow, so I was solo for my workout. I warmed up 2.5 miles. Then, I ran 3x 1.5 mile repeats, with a half mile jog in between. I liked doing the workout this way, because I started at a different spot on the loop each interval. My goal was to run all three under nine minutes (6 min pace). My first one was 8:57, my second, 8:53 (this one ended slightly downhill.) and the last one was 8:57 (slight uphill finish.). I was pleased with the workout. I felt like I ran hard, but I think I can push through to the next level with some running partners.  I still feel like I settle into a pace, and have a hard time pushing out of it.  I need someone to chase.

I cooled down 2 miles for a total of ten today. 

While every other runner in Utah was racing at Desert News, I was busy slogging out a long-ish run on the river trail, trying to get my sorry butt in race shape.  My plan was to do twelve, but my calves were sore from yesterday's workout, so I cut to ten.  There's probably not much difference on my calves between ten or twelve, so basically I was being a little bit lazy.

I ran an out and back from my house out to 4100 S on the trail. (or wherever the trail crosses the road.)  34:45 out, and then I tried to push hard back.  My total time was 1:07:19, so I ran 32:34 for the five miles back.  I'm definitely used to nine or ten mile runs now, so I have got to start stepping up.  12 miles for sure next week.

Met X-C team at Sugarhouse park.  Most of them were pretty sore from weekend races, so they just had an eight mile run, plus hills afterward.  I was planning to stay in the park to run a fartlek workout, but Bill talked me into running it out on the course that they were running.  I warmed up 15 minutes and then ran 2 sets of 5 min, 3min, 2 min, with 3 min, 2 min, 1 min, recovery.  We ran our usual cemetary route, with two loops around the cemetary.  My total time for the eight miles was 55:12. (actually, this was a little past eight miles.)  After the run we did 10 hills, and then a mile and a half cool-down for ten miles total. 

I'm glad I'm getting used to ten mile days.  I know I'm getting stronger . . . now to get faster!!  I was definitely motivated by the performances at Des News this weekend.  I am inspired by all those fast ladies to get back to that level of running.  It's been a long time!! 

The hills that I ran at the end of my workout yesterday made my left calf incredibly tight and sore.  It wasn't so much the running up the hills as the walking backwards down the hills.  I opted for an hour on the elliptical trainer this morning.  I started at level 7, and increased a level every twenty minutes.  I watched a story on the news about a guy who set the world record for the world's longest ear hair (5 inches!).  So Gross!!!  The jury is still out as to whether I will attempt an evening run.  Watching the high school kids suffer through another day of hills kind of makes me feel guilty for not running. (What kind of example am I?)   So, we'll see how the leg feels when Teren gets home tonight.

Calf is feeling better.  It was just tightness.  I think I was kind of being a baby, but with my history of calf/achilles injuries I'm a little paranoid!  I didn't run until Teren got home from work, when it was way too hot to go outside.  So, off to the gym for some treadmill miles.  I started nice and easy at 8.2 mph, and increased .1 every half a mile.  I wanted a little bit of a pick-up, but nothing to make me sore tomorrow, since I want to run some longer repeats. 

I ate steak fajitas when I got home, but they didn't seem to agree with my stomach, since it has been hurting all night.

A.M.  I met the East High team at Liberty Park.  My goal was to run 4 x 1 mile with half a mile recovery.  However, my stomach problems from last night were still present.  I ended up stopping at the bathroom twice in the first lap of my warm-up.  I decided to just run another lap, and see if my stomach felt better in the evening.  So, just 3 miles this morning.

P.M.  Back to the treadmill.  I decided to do a 4 mile tempo instead of repeats.   I warmed up two miles, and then increased the speed to 10mph.  I increased .1 every 5 minutes.  After about 15 minutes, the treadmill began to smoke, and smell really bad.  I switched treadmills to finish up 10 minutes to make my total tempo 25 minutes long.  I didn't really pay attention to see how far I really ran, but it was over 4 miles.  I cooled down to make the total mileage 7 for the run.  I'd like to say I was running really fast, but I'm not sure the smoking treadmill was going as quickly as it said it was.  Still, my stomach felt better, so I count the workout as a success.

I began my run in the wee small hours of the morning.  Teren was running a 5k in the corporate games, and I didn't want to start a long run in the heat of the morning. I began my run at 5:00 a.m.  It was nice and cool, but the darkness created some challenges.  At  about mile 3, there was some pretty serious construction that took some navigation.  During the second half of the run, the sun began to come out.  I love running during the sunrise.  I took a bathroom stop after about seven miles.  Three miles later my stomach started to cramp again.  I was frustrated when there were three port-a-potties within 100 meters.  They were all either locked, or fenced off.  So, I ended up running very quickly for the last 2-3 miles.

I usually like to run on the river trail, but always feel like a depraved boogie man is going to jump out of the woods and grab me when I run on it in the dark.  So, I stuck to the roads to try my luck playing in traffic.   (At least there were street lights.)   I ran down to 1300W, out to 90th south, up to 2700 W, and back to 5400 S, to home.   I erased my total time off my watch, but it was around 1:25.  ( somewhat short of 13, but the need for the bathroom hampered my plan to run the rest through the neighborhood.)  What is up with my stomach!!!!