Back in the saddle?

I ran 8 miles outside this morning.  It was hot, but the heat didn't seem to bother me.  The battery in my Garmin went out, so I had to rely on someone else's watch.  According to him, our total time was 1:17, which is MUCH slower than I need to be.  I don't know how accurate the time is, though, because we stopped for a bit to wait for someone, and I don't think he stopped his watch.

Today I officially enter a new age group (30-34)!  I'm glad I began my 30's doing something healthy...and then I had In n Out Burger for lunch!

Today I did 5 miles on the treadmill in 45:45, a 9:05 pace.  I felt really good throughout the run, until the end when I started cramping a bit.  I attribute that to the giant salad I ate for lunch too soon before the run!  I powered through and did fine, though.  I finished off with a few squats, lunges, pushups, etc.

I got the new Garmin 305 for my birthday, and I can't wait to use it!

We ran on the canal this morning.  It was very nice outside, surprisingly.  Unfortunately, my performance was terrible.  It was all I could do to keep a 10-minute mile.  I did 4 pick-ups for a minute each.  The first two were at 8:45-8:50 pace, the third was 8:20-8:30, and the fourth was barely below 9:00.  I think some of the reasons for the poor performance were: restless sleep last night, running yesterday afternoon at 3:00 (not enough rest/recovery), followed by one set each of squats and lunges (I'm sore!), and no food before I ran this morning.  Total running time was 59:50, which was an average pace of 9:52.  It was really discouraging, and I'm hoping tomorrow will be better.

I ran with my new Garmin, but the heart rate monitor didn't work!  I'll have to play with it tonight and see if I can figure it out.

Now I know why I don't strength train!  I did one set each of squats and lunges with no weight on Monday afternoon, and I can barely walk today, much less run!  I went to bed at 9:45 last night with the intention of running at 5:45 this morning.  When 5:45 rolled around, I couldn't get out of bed!  So annoying!

Maybe I'll try to walk around my neighborhood tonight after dinner and see if I can shake some of this soreness

Ran this morning, and, once again, it did not go well.  I was supposed to go 45 minutes and could barely eke out 38, with lots of breaks!  When I got back home, crying, my husband suggested that maybe I put too much pressure on myself regarding my running performance to the point that I don't enjoy running.  I think he definitely has a point.  When a run goes badly, it affects my whole day, especially when I run in the morning.  If an evening run goes badly, I'm annoyed only until I go to bed!

I realized this morning that running in the morning makes me dread running.  I don't like feeling that way, so I'm going back to nights (except for long runs)!  I really think that my body just doesn't function as well in the mornings!

I did my group long run this morning at 5:30.  It's funny that I can't seem to drag myself out of bed on weekday mornings, but I'm fine with it on Saturdays.  It helps that I can take a nap today and that my husband is on the way to get breakfast burritos as we speak!

I felt pretty good today.  Total time was 1:24, a 9:19 pace.  My goal is to increase my long run pace to 9:00, except when I'm running at goal race pace (8:24).  I probably went too fast today-I was trying to keep up with the group.  My heart rate was way up at the end, but I attribute some of that to cardiac creep.  Miles 4-7 were done much faster, for some reason.  I took a Gu at mile 5, which helped, and helped myself to some Gatorade at a random cooler later on.  It was a good run, overall-I feel like I am improving.

For all of you Valley of the Sun people, I have helped organize a race that is next Sunday, September 16 at 7:00 am in Tempe.  It's called Race Judicata, and we have a 5K, 1 mile, and kid's dash.  The proceeds go to the various community projects that the Maricopa County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division participates in.  You can register on active.com.  By the way, the t-shirts are awesome!

Today I did 4 miles on the treadmill.  It's mid-September and still 105 degrees outside!  I felt OK but kind of lethargic.  I was wondering why, and then I realized that I hadn't eaten in almost 5 hours!  I also had just been to the dentist and had a fluoride treatment where you can't drink water for a while, so I was probably a little dehydrated too.  I ended up cutting the run a little short.  I ran a 9:05 pace.  I'm glad I cut it short because I'm going to run tomorrow morning, and I want my legs to feel fresh.

I bought new shoes, my first pair of Asics, the other day.  Today was my first run in the new shoes.  I've been getting blisters lately, and I thought it was the shoes.  But I got them today too!  I just need to break down and buy enough cool-max socks to last all week.  They're expensive!  Not as much as the $100 running shoes, but still!  I like the shoes, though.

7 miles, yeah!  I don't know what got into me, but it was good!  I ran a 9:05 pace on the treadmill to finish in 1:03:45.  I felt great the entire time, and my heart rate stayed low.  I was well hydrated and had eaten well throughout the day, and my mp3 player was playing good music.  I love runs like this-they make my day!

Tonight I ran outside.  I just checked the weather, and it said it was 99 degrees, but it felt cooler.  Or maybe my body is actually getting used to the heat, just in time for it to cool down!  Anyway, I did an easy recovery run.  It was good but a little scary in the dark.  The path is a dirt path, and it's pretty bumpy.  I had to rely on the cars driving by to illuminate it.  Hopefully I'll get a headlamp for my birthday.  If not, I'm going to buy one.  I twisted my ankle badly several years ago running in the dark (6 weeks before my first marathon, which I couldn't do because of the ankle), so I'm very careful about it now.

Good run, overall.

I did 10 miles on the canal this morning with my normal group, although I ended up running alone most of the time.  The rest of the group is faster than me right now.  I started out with a friend doing about a 9:15 pace, and I felt like I was going WAY too fast, so I dropped back.  I met up with the group a little before mile 4.  They turned around, so I met up with some other people who I ran with until my turnaround at mile 5.  They were running 20 miles, and I think we were doing well over 10-minute miles.  I hit 5.1 miles right at 50 minutes, so my splits for the first half were about 10 minute miles overall. 

I felt a little better on the way back and decided to pick up the pace.  I ran the second half in 47:30 (9:30 pace), and I'm glad I was able to speed it up.  There were SO many people out there by then, which translates to a lot more water and Gatorade stops.  I was glad for all the Gatorade, because I didn't have any Gu today.

I feel good, but I need to get my long run pace down to 9:00 miles.  I'm confused about my slow pace today, especially since I did 7 miles the other night at 9:05 pace with no problem.  I felt fine today, but I just couldn't go any faster.  But, I've starting my marathon training a full month earlier this year, so hopefully I'll be up to speed in a couple of weeks.

I have a 5K tomorrow morning!  I've helped organize the race, and I'll run it if my legs feel fresh.  Actually, I plan on jogging it as a recovery run.  BUT, we'll see what happens when I actually get out there.  I won an age group prize last year, so my competitive juices might get flowing once I'm at the starting line!

Today I ran the race that I have helped organize for the past 9 months.  I woke up at 3:45(!) to get to the race site to help set up, and the race started at 7:00.  It is still hot this time of year in Phoenix, and this morning was no exception.

I started at the back of the pack and had to pick through some runners.  I know that's bad and wastes energy, but I tried to keep the darting around people to a minimum.  The course makes several sharp curves for the first quarter mile, so it's hard to pick up any real speed.  I ran the first mile in 8:10 and hoped to gradually speed up.  I didn't really have a time goal, but I hoped to beat my time at this race last year, which was an 8:11 pace.  One weird thing was that I kept passing people, even though I slowed down to an 8:30 pace after the first mile.

In my entire history of running, I have never worked out the day before the race (except maybe in high school), so I didn't really know what it was like to race on tired legs.  However, yesterday I not only worked out, but I did a long run of 10 miles.  So I was TIRED today.  I'm not thrilled with my time, but I can cut myself some slack because of the workout yesterday and my lack of sleep!  My heart rate recovered quickly after the race. 

So, I ran the entire race at an 8:23 pace, which I hope to be my marathon pace.  Gotta pick it up!  I think we start more serious speed training this week.  I'll tell you all right now, I'm taking tomorrow off-my legs need it!

What a BEAUTIFUL morning.  I think it was under 70 degrees!!  I did 5 easy miles in 49:34 (9:54 pace).  I am now officially backing off my quest for Boston and will wait until later next year to give it a try.  My fitness just isn't where it needs to be now.  I am going to take Sasha's very specific advice and do 5 miles a day at a 10:00 pace. 

I thought running slower would drive me CRAZY, but it actually was a relief.  I felt SO good this morning.  My heart rate was low, and my whole body felt strong.  I also have a new iPod with new music, so that helped too!  My husband is doing great!  I miss running with him, but I'm proud of him for doing so well.

It's hard on the ego to swallow my pride and dial down the intensity.  But, if it will make me a better runner, I'll do it.  I always have to remember that this is not the sport for instant gratification!

Anybody know of a cure for blisters?  Or how to avoid them?  The Coolmax socks don't seem to be working for me.  I tend to get them on the tips of my toes (weird, because I buy shoes one size bigger than my normal shoes) and on my instep.

Another beautiful morning.  I did 5 easy miles again, 3 seconds faster than yesterday.  I ran the first half slower than yesterday but picked up the pace slightly to finish the second half 30 seconds faster than the first.  Average pace was 9:54, and average heart rate was 152 (love my new Garmin!).  I felt really good, except for my blisters!  I put Vaseline on my toes (thanks, Chad and Sasha, for the suggestions), but I'm going to need something more for my instep (weird place to get blisters!).

Tomorrow I'm meeting friends at the track.  My husband is going to come along and do a max heart rate test.  I told them I'm running SLOW, so the plan is to not get caught up in their speed, but maybe just do one mile at a faster pace.

I went to bed at 9:00 last night!  But, I didn't really get to sleep until around 10:00.

Well, this was an interesting run.  I met friends at the track and ran 5 miles....around and around and around.  It was another beautiful morning.  I didn't want to keep track of my laps, so I wore my new Garmin, which has been pretty accurate so far (I think).  But, after a while, it seemed to be a whole lap off.  At then end of my run, it said I had run 5.36 miles.  But, based on my time (49:54), I think I just did 5.  Maybe I was going faster, I don't know.  Maybe running around in circles confused Mr. GPS in the Sky.  Oh well. I felt good, and my blisters are getting better!

OK, I'm changing my entry to 5.25, thanks to advice from ArmyRunner, that my Garmin wasn't a whole .36 mile off!  Which means I averaged a 9:30 pace.  I'm supposed to be running 10:00 pace-oops!  Because I thought I'd only done 5, I really picked up the pace at the end to get under 50 minutes total, so my true average is probably more like 9:40.

Today was an interesting day (it's all about the positive mindset!!).  I had just planned on 8 miles, but then I met a girl while I was running, so I ran with her and chatted.  I turned around at 4.5 miles, intending to go 9 miles.  I averaged a 10:09 pace, but it felt VERY labored for most of the run, and my heart rate was way up.  I actually stopped when I got to 8.25 miles and walked the rest of the way back.  I wasn't supposed to go over 8 miles, so I figured I shouldn't push it, especially when I was feeling so tired.  I was really upset about it when I finished, but I"m over it now.  I figure I either didn't eat enough carbs this week, or I just had an off day.  I'm having a party tonight, so the planning is distracting me now.

My friend/former colleague and mentor moved to San Diego and invited me out to run a half marathon with her in mid-November!  I think that will be perfect timing to test my fitness and give me enough time to build up.  I'm excited!!  And, as a bonus, I get to see my friend and hang out in San Diego.

A weird thing happened about 30 minutes after the run.  As a background (maybe it has nothing to do with what happened), my neck has been really hurting all week.  At first, I figured I just slept wrong, but it still hurts after 5 days.  My reaction to pain is generally to ignore it and suck it up until it goes away-horrible, I know!  :-)  Anyway, on the way to breakfast I started to have really sharp pains in my torso every time I inhaled.  It hurt the most in my back but kind of came around the side to my chest too.  It kind of felt like heartburn, but in the back.  Anyway, it was excruciating to the point where I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital (and call off my party-oh no!!!!!).  My husband, thankfully, was very calm, and told me it was probably a back spasm that would go away.  And, of course, it did go away after about 10 minutes.  So now I'm fine.  Hopefully it was just a spasm!

So far I have not run today.  I have pretty bad neck pain and some back pain.  I'm just wondering if anyone has some advice on whether I should run today.   I really don't want to skip my workout today, but I also don't want to cause more problems in my neck.  I'm going to see if I can get into the chiro or massage therapist today.  Hopefully I'll get to edit this entry with a 5-mile run!

I'm back in the saddle!  I feel 80% better after my chiro treatment yesterday-no more sitting on the couch feeling sorry for myself!!  I did 5 miles tonight in just under 50 minutes.  It felt good, but my heart rate was a little high.

My sister gave me a headlamp for my birthday that I tried out for the first time tonight.  It wasn't superbright, but it helped.  My husband was driving home from his workout on the track and saw me from over a block away.  So, I guess it worked, and I didn't twist an ankle!  In 2000, I was training in Flagstaff for my first marathon and twisted my ankle badly 6 weeks before the race.  I was running in the dark and stepped off a curb!  So, I missed the race.  Ever since then, I have been super-paranoid about running in the dark.  Hence, the headlamp in urban Phoenix!

Because I'm doing the same run every day now, MOTIVATION is the name of the game! 

I ran tonight after work, with the headlamp again.  I ran faster tonight, maybe because I didn't want to run in the dark longer than I had to.  Or maybe because I wanted to make sure I would get home in time for Grey's Anatomy (I did).  Anyway, my average pace was 9:44, and it varied from 9:24 to 9:55.  Heart rate was up, but I felt good.

It was a good run overall, but I need to be consistent!!!

We have a new addition to the blog, my friend lorenzpsu.  She is a triathlete.  Tell her hello!

Today is a beautiful day!  And I'm stuck in the office...Oh well, I had a great run this morning!  I finished 10 miles in 1:39:53, just under a 10-minute mile.  It's funny-ever since I started running long distances, I would run the first half MUCH slower than my goal pace but would always make up for it in the second half.  I thought I would be able to keep up a constant pace now, because I'm running at an easier pace, but I still run the same way!  Here are my splits:

10:06; 10:15; 10:20; 10:20; 10:18; 10:05; 9:47; 9:50; 9:28; 9:24.

It's a confidence booster for me to pick it up at the end.  My heart rate averaged around 160, which was a little high, but OK.  My goal for next week is to be more consistent.  Either next weekend or the weekend after, we are going up to Flagstaff (7600 feet), one of my favorite places.  OK, I grew up there, so I am partial.  but it's also a great place for altitude training!  I'll be interested to see how my long run goes up there!