Hills for breakfast, hold the gnats

December 26, 2024

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Location:

Snoqualmie,WA,

Member Since:

Jan 31, 2008

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Marathon PR: 4:17 at Portland Marathon, Oct. 2007

5K PR 24:37 2009

10K PR 52:58 2010

Have run 22 marathons to date.

No injuries, ever. :)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for Boston (4:05 for my age/gender) - or, perhaps, to use my desire for a BQ as a way to get in the hated speed work so I don't just get slower and slower over the years. This goal is "under (re)construction" right now, until I figure out whether it is truly what I want. :)

Long-Term Running Goals:

To continue learning about myself and about running, and to enjoy being a fit, happy runner for life. To always know why I am running and the best way to get the most (both mentally and physically) out of my runs. To keep a sense of humor and remain optimistic about myself as a runner. To enjoy running more and more with every passing year.

Personal:

Baby boomer generation. Jogged a little in my 20's and 30's. Started running seriously in 2002. Low-carb runner since January 2010.

I love long runs and cold, cloudy weather. I don't believe in "junk miles." I am an optimist. I adore dark chocolate, fog, my family, and knitting -- not necessarily in that order.

"As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are." -- Joan Benoit Samuelson

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00
Brooks ST3 Lifetime Miles:						891.35
Vibram Five Fingers KSO Lifetime Miles:						23.77
Brooks ST3 II Lifetime Miles:						965.17
Lunaracers II Lifetime Miles:						198.23
Mizuno Wave Universe 3 Lifetime Miles:						104.14
Asics Piranha Lifetime Miles:						536.83
RunAmocs (Softstar) Lifetime Miles:						16.23
Piranha II Lifetime Miles:						219.53

Tue, Feb 17, 2009

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
6.86	0.00	0.00	0.00	6.86

Objective: moderate effort

Conditions at 5:15 AM: 38F, dry, calm, cloudy

Every day I feel a bit stronger, but my pace -- oh! Pathetic. Horrible. Dismal. I'm not even going to tell you the number. I was pushing my cadence and trying to run in that notch just above "easy" but the Garmin still mocked me. Sigh.

I'll share something that is still just cracking me up. I was already a bit late this morning because I decided to take a couple of minutes to relace my new shoes. When I finally did get out the door I encountered another delay. About a half block from home I heard a familiar "meow?" coming from the bushes. One of my cats, the only one who goes outside, was in there "checking his p-mail" as we say. Knowing he would follow me just long enough to be lost, I had to take him home and put him inside. "Come on, honey! Come on!" And there he was, trotting by my side as we ran back home. (He is very dog like in this way.) I was just thinking how funny it would look if anyone saw us: A Lady And Her Cat Go Jogging. Right on cue, a car came up the street slowing down to watch the spectacle.

Brooks ST3 Miles: 6.86

Comments

From Carolyn in Colorado on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 11:02:08

Very interesting about the shoe lacing. You always have interesting tips.

And I'm smiling at the mental image of the lady and her cat out jogging.

I'm glad you're feeling better.

From Bonnie on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 13:39:11

I had a cat like that too -- I used to run him home, put him in the house, and then have to sprint away (even when I wasn't running) because he would run back out through his cat door and follow me! He used to walk to the store with me. I use the lacing technique that they show as being for the "top of the foot pain" for my PF, it helps a lot.

by the way - I never answered your question about my second run - they are always really easy. Most of my friends do their hard workout in the afternoon -- so they do they easy jog in the morning. I think it is because they got used to having track practice in the afternoons in high school and college.

From Marion on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 13:41:05

That is awesome! I bet that was the cutest thing ever!

Hey I was noticing that you shoot for a "feeling," not a pace. I like that. I get into the mindset that "easy" is a specific number, so is moderate effort or hard. Humm.. this gives me something to ponder!

From Snoqualmie on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 15:53:22

Bonnie -thanks for the info about doubles.

Marion - Believe me, if I could hit paces like ordering a burger, I'd do it that way every time. (Mmm, burgers. I need to make my lunch!) I do 2 kinds of pacing: 1) easy/moderate/hard, which is totally by effort level, and 2) real time pace (marathon, tempo, VO2, etc.). Since I'm coming off a week of illness, I had to go with plan A. :) It's a great way to feel good about a slow workout when you "did your best!"

I use a combo lacing of "high arch" and "heel slip."

From Metcalf Running on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 15:57:18

My oldest daughters cat has very dog like... she can get her to "sit". LOL I have laced my daughters converse shoes like some of those technics just because they looked cooler LOL, But I think I will try to get my husband to do the one for pain on top of foot. Thanks for the info :)

From azdesertmonsoon on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 16:15:16

I'm not very good at determining whether it is a hard run because it is a hard run or if my mind is playing games with me, so I wear a heart rate monitor for some objective information about how hard I am running.

From Deborah on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 17:21:27

I'm really glad to read you are feeling stronger. Thank you for the laugh today. My Garmin often mocks me as well. Sigh.

From marion on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 17:26:17

Maybe they should program the garmins to laugh at us when our pace drops too low. ;)

From JD on Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 22:13:24

I can set my Garmin to mock me loudly when I drop below a certain pace...it's very effective!

A while back a friend and I took her cat "hiking". We put the cat on a leash and had several passing hikers just lose it when they realized what they were seeing. It was pretty funny. Though I think the cat was miserable.

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