TexasLindsey

Took Jake in the running stroller today around the neighborhood.  We picked up children on bikes along the way including:  one first grade girl, one second grade girl, one third grade girl and two twin boys in forth grade. 

We rode around about a mile then we got to the bottom of this hill that was .25 mile long.  First, I raced them with me pushing Jake and them on their bikes up the hill.  I was last and the third grade girl was first. 

Then, they got off their bikes and raced me still with me pushing Jake... at first I was last and the twin boys and first grader were first (I gave the younger girls head starts) but about midway the kids started getting tired and I sped past them. 

It was fun.  I told them I'd race them tomorrow too, and they should tell their friends...  this could be a unique way to get some speedwork in... 

Weather=58 degrees, 53% humidity, wind 27 mph, cloudy.

The wind sucked.  I wanted to quit after 1 mile but convinced myself to keep going.  I finished my loop and stopped at my car for water.  My watch said 2.3 miles average pace 8:45/m. 

Mile 1- 8:40

Mile 2- 8:48 (against the wind)

I wanted to drive home.  The wind was just awful.  I gave myself a pep talk, found a decent song on my ipod, took off my cumbersome jacket and vowed to do one more loop at a faster pace than the first loop.  

Mile 3 - 8:06

Mile 4 - 7:40 (against the wind)

.8 mile - 7:12

Now that I've quit running the top of my left foot is throbing.  oh no. 

Great run today!  5 miles at 5:30 pm.  Average pace= 7:39/m.  Weather= 75 degrees, 32% humidity, 13 mph wind, cloudy. 

Mile 1- 7:59

Mile 2- 7:22

Mile 3- 7:32

Mile 4- 8:11

Mile 5- 7:13

I had to wait until my husband got home to run.  I had so much energy today.  I just ran how I felt and in mile 2 and 3 I just felt like hauling.  Then mile 4 I was kinda hurting and slowing down... but in my defense the entire mile was uphill and against the wind.  Mile 5 I turned out of the wind and I decided to end the run with nothing left.  It was fun! 

I think the pain I had on the top of my foot might have been from tying my shoelaces too tight.  Thank goodness doesn't seem to be anything serious. 

Ran 13.7 miles at 11 am.  Average pace=8:05/m.  Weather=56 degrees, 38% humidity, 16 mph wind, sunny and gorgeous!

Mile 1- 8:01

Mile 2- 8:17

Mile 3- 7:57

Mile 4- 8:04

Mile 5- 8:05

Mile 6- 8:02

Mile 7- 8:09

Mile 8- 7:59

Mile 9- 7:54

Mile 10- 8:10

Mile 11- 8:10

Mile 12- 8:16

Mile 13- 8:03

Last .7 - 8:03

My next big race is Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon on March 27th.   I had positive splits at the Cowtown half marathon which I think is indicative that my endurance is fading.   I need to do more long runs of 12-15 miles in preparation. 

So today my sister babysat for me.  I went to Trinity trails.  I have no idea what the deal was with mile 2.  Around mile 4 I really settled into a nice rythem.  I only stopped once for water at mile 6.  Around mile 10 I started feeling fatigued and the outside of my right knee started bothering me a little.  Only confirmed to me that I really need to do more long runs.

I was just kinda running what felt comfortable.  I saw that at 13.1 miles, the clock was 1:45.  So I was pretty happy that my slowish, comfortable pace was a 1:45 half.  My goal for racing the R 'n R is 1:37. 

3.2 miles at 5:30 pm.  Average pace=7:30/m.  Weather=73 degrees, 16% humidity, 23 mph wind, sunny.

Mile 1- 7:08

Mile 2- 7:22

Mile 3- 8:03

Last .2 - 7:10

My idea going out was to run to the end of this one sidewalk and back approximately ~ a 5k and I wanted my pace to be around 7:20-7:30 a mile.  However, the first 1.6 miles were mostly downhill and with the wind at my back... and the last 1.6 were uphill against a 23 mph wind.  On the second half I felt like I was on a treadmill with a 6 % incline.   That 8:03 third mile really hurt.  Good workout.

Funny thing... this was the last class day before spring break for the kids in my neighborhood and it seemed that they were ALL out on the streets playing tonight.  When I had about 1/2 a mile to go, I saw a kid named Seth who was part of the group of kids that I raced the other day.  Tonight when I saw him, he ran with me all the way back to my house.  He said he wanted to run with me over spring break.  He is in 4th grade and he is the fastest runner in his class. 

Tomorrow I'm meeting my running group for a long run.  I don't know how long of a long run though.  In May my running store starts the training ramp up for the fall marathon season and they have scheduled long runs.  Right now though, people are just meeting and running on their own.  I kinda have to do what the group does.  I hope there are people running at least 12 miles at a 7:20-7:30 pace because that's what I need to do to prepare for my 1:37 half marathon goal. 

I registered for the Dallas Rock 'n Roll today.  It was a $108.  I'm going to be pissed if the weather sucks and ruins my plans for 1:37.  I could have run 3 half marathons for $108 instead of just this one.   Maybe the bands and the fact that Troy Aikman will be shooting the gun will inspire me to run a great race and it'll all be worth it.  I am so focused on that 1:37 right now... I'm dreaming about 1:37... I am thinking about 1:37 all day...  7:20 a mile for 13.1 miles. 

10 miles at 7am with my running group.  Average pace=7:38/m.  Weather=58 degrees, 75% humidity, 11mph wind, sunny. 

Mile 1- 7:58

Mile 2- 7:45

Mile 3- 7:31

Mile 4- 7:36

Mile 5- 7:49

Mile 6- 7:12

Mile 7- 7:33

Mile 8- 7:33

Mile 9- 7:44

Mile 10-7:41

It started out myself, Emily, Ashley, a girl named Ella (I think), Tim, Monty and James.  After a couple easy miles, we settled into a 7:30ish pace.  I had to put in my ipod and zone out to Lady GaGa.  We lost Ashley and Ella somewhere before the halfway point. 

I don't know what the deal was with mile 5 - I think we were going into the wind.  At mile 6, Emily dropped the hammer and sped up to 7:12 pace.  I hung on to her pace with Monty, Tim, and James for one mile.  Then I started overhearing their conversation about lactate thresholds... somehow I lost my mental focus.  The four of them were just chatting away like this was easy... yet I was having to work like I was in a race just to keep up.  I started thinking, well, gosh now that you mention it, I was probably running at my lactate threshold...  It started messing with my head and my confidence faltered.  

I fell behind in mile 7 but I was still going 7:30ish.  The four of them were about 200 yards ahead of me when we stopped at mile 8 at a water fountain.  Monty peeled off to go in a different direction because he was doing 20 miles today.  James and Tim said they wanted to slow back down to the 7:30 pace for the final two miles.  I did not believe that was possible with Emily there.  That girl is awesome! 

Sure enough she took off and they followed.  I am really pissed at myself that I didn't have the energy or mental power to keep up.  Only two more miles, Lindsey!!!  My goodness!  At least do a 7:30 pace if you can't keep up with them!  But no.  I couldn't seem to muster more energy.  I am very disappointed with myself. 

Things I could have done better today:

1- Bad choices about what to wear - wore long sleeve shirt and I had to hold my stupid car key the whole time.  Stupid!  It just bothered me the whole time and distracted me from concentrating on the pace.  Next week I do not care how cold I start out, I am wearing short shorts and a tank.  I will also have a better place to put my stupid car key.

2- GU!!!!   I need caffeine gu for runs like this.  I can definitely tell a difference when I don't use it.

3- Flat out, my endurance is not at the level of these people.  All four of them just ran the Cowtown full marathon 2 weeks ago.  They've been running 50-60 miles a week.  I haven't even had a long run over 13 miles in months and my weekly milage has only recently been getting back up to 40 miles a week.  If I am going to have a prayer of hanging with them, I'm going to need to ramp up my long runs and run more miles in the week.  I already knew this though.  I already planned to do a 15 or 16 miler this coming week.  

4- Time for new shoes... or new feet.  Ha!

5- I need to get some new songs on my ipod.  Lady GaGa is losing its effectiveness.

SOOO.... I do not know if I am in shape to run a 1:37 half (7:20/m) after my performance today.  I don't know if it's feasible to get myself in that kind of shape with only 2 weeks left before Dallas Rock 'n Roll.  I think 7:30/m is the max pace I can achieve in a half marathon right now.  With more training, I can get to the 7:20/m... but I'm just not sure about doing so by March 27th.    OTOH, maybe the R 'n R (my first event of this kind) atmosphere and the bands at every mile will help me....  I don't know.