Work is crazy busy. I've been spending every minute I'm not at work away from the computer.
Toronto is this weekend and I'm not feeling very confident. Work has left me completely drained and with not a lot of time to run. I am also going to be working overnight Friday to Saturday. So I'm not sure how I'm going to feel when I wake up on Sunday morning for the race.
If I wake up feeling like a zombie I plan on taking it easy during the race and registering for the half in Niagara Falls the weekend after. I did this race last year and it's a pretty flat course.
I'm still hoping to pull out a time that's under 2 hours but it might wind up taking a miracle.
We will see.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Circuit Training
Last week I was browsing Borders and I found a Jillian Michaels exercise card deck. It looked fun and I've been looking for some different strength training ideas.
There are 78 different exercises and 9 circuit training cards that put those moves together. On Tuesday morning I did the Card #1. Just looking at the cards they look pretty easy but boy was I sweaty and tired afterward! It was a great workout and by the end of the day I was already feeling sore.
Thursday morning I did Card #7 (I let boyfriend pick the number). This one was definitely harder and I had to modify some of the exercises, like clapping in between a push up (yea right!).
Between that and running my quads are so sore and tight this morning. I had planned on going to the spinning class this morning but I think I need a day off.
On the running front things have been going well. Tuesday I didn't run because it was rainy and really windy. Wednesday we went to the Ridge and did our 5 mile loop. It was pretty slow like last week but I think it's more because we are lingering after the big hill ("Mother").
Yesterday I did a short 3.75 mile run with couple friends. It was pretty quick but mainly because I was having stomach issues and needed to get back to the bathroom.
I plan on doing some cross training tomorrow and a long run on Sunday.
There are 78 different exercises and 9 circuit training cards that put those moves together. On Tuesday morning I did the Card #1. Just looking at the cards they look pretty easy but boy was I sweaty and tired afterward! It was a great workout and by the end of the day I was already feeling sore.
Thursday morning I did Card #7 (I let boyfriend pick the number). This one was definitely harder and I had to modify some of the exercises, like clapping in between a push up (yea right!).
Between that and running my quads are so sore and tight this morning. I had planned on going to the spinning class this morning but I think I need a day off.
On the running front things have been going well. Tuesday I didn't run because it was rainy and really windy. Wednesday we went to the Ridge and did our 5 mile loop. It was pretty slow like last week but I think it's more because we are lingering after the big hill ("Mother").
Yesterday I did a short 3.75 mile run with couple friends. It was pretty quick but mainly because I was having stomach issues and needed to get back to the bathroom.
I plan on doing some cross training tomorrow and a long run on Sunday.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Update
I've been really slacking on posts lately. Not a whole lot has happened in the past week and a half. After Philly I caught my friend's cold and was feeling pretty crappy. I didn't run much last week. I took off Monday and Tuesday.
On Wednesday a bunch of us ran at the Ridge. It felt like such a hard run yet when I looked at my watch afterwards I learned it had been our slowest run yet. I guess that's what happens when you try to run sick.
Thursday and Friday I took rest days. I was still feeling pretty crappy and knew my body needed rest.
Saturday I decided not to do a long run. My group had 16 miles scheduled for Sunday but I was going to be running the 5K that the group I have been coaching was running. So instead of a long run I decided to run and cross train. I ran 2 miles to the gym. Then took a spinning class for an hour, followed by a PiYo (pilates and yoga) class for another hour. Then ran 2 miles home. I was definitely tired afterward but was happy I did it. The PiYo class was a lot of fun and very challenging.
Sunday I woke up pretty sore but once I got moving I felt better. I got to the race and talked to the runners and coaches. Everyone was very excited and nervous. My plan for the race was to run as fast as I could. I figured I could PR pretty easily (my previous PR being 27:36). I hadn't run a 5K in over a year and thought I could definitely get under 27:00.
Having run a lot of half marathons or 15Ks lately this race went by so quick. I felt a little bit snobbish thinking, well it's only 3 miles. Though I know many of the other runners in the group were thinking, ugh 3 miles!
The race was good. Pretty flat and it was on a college campus so there were students cheering and holding signs. It was nice. I pushed myself and finished in 25:41! I was really excited and definitely beat what I thought I would do.
After I finished I grabbed a jacket and went to the finish to cheer everyone else on. All the runners did great and they were so excited and thankful to have the group. Many of them talked about coming back in the spring for another round.
I really enjoyed coaching. It was a rewarding experience and I learned a lot. I definitely think I'll be back in the spring to help again.
On Wednesday a bunch of us ran at the Ridge. It felt like such a hard run yet when I looked at my watch afterwards I learned it had been our slowest run yet. I guess that's what happens when you try to run sick.
Thursday and Friday I took rest days. I was still feeling pretty crappy and knew my body needed rest.
Saturday I decided not to do a long run. My group had 16 miles scheduled for Sunday but I was going to be running the 5K that the group I have been coaching was running. So instead of a long run I decided to run and cross train. I ran 2 miles to the gym. Then took a spinning class for an hour, followed by a PiYo (pilates and yoga) class for another hour. Then ran 2 miles home. I was definitely tired afterward but was happy I did it. The PiYo class was a lot of fun and very challenging.
Sunday I woke up pretty sore but once I got moving I felt better. I got to the race and talked to the runners and coaches. Everyone was very excited and nervous. My plan for the race was to run as fast as I could. I figured I could PR pretty easily (my previous PR being 27:36). I hadn't run a 5K in over a year and thought I could definitely get under 27:00.
Having run a lot of half marathons or 15Ks lately this race went by so quick. I felt a little bit snobbish thinking, well it's only 3 miles. Though I know many of the other runners in the group were thinking, ugh 3 miles!
The race was good. Pretty flat and it was on a college campus so there were students cheering and holding signs. It was nice. I pushed myself and finished in 25:41! I was really excited and definitely beat what I thought I would do.
After I finished I grabbed a jacket and went to the finish to cheer everyone else on. All the runners did great and they were so excited and thankful to have the group. Many of them talked about coming back in the spring for another round.
I really enjoyed coaching. It was a rewarding experience and I learned a lot. I definitely think I'll be back in the spring to help again.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Race Report: Philly Distance Run
This is one race I won't be forgetting anytime soon. And it's not because I got a PR or really ran all that fast. It's because I was lucky enough to meet Ryan Hall!
Let's start from the beginning...
Friday my friend R and I drove down to my mom's house just outside Philly. We got in around midnight and went right to bed. R wasn't feeling all that hot and she wanted as much sleep as possible.
Saturday morning we woke up early to go to my Mom's group run. She is just starting to run and is training for a 5K with the Fleet Feet near her. It is actually the same program (No Boundaries) that I am coaching up in Buffalo but a little different.
We went out for 7 intervals of 3 min run/1 min walk. It added up to about 1.6 miles. It was fun. This is the first time I got to run with my mom and it was really cool. She is doing great! I can't wait for her 5K in November.
After we got back and showered we took the train into Philly to get our race packets. The expo was great. I got a couple new, non-smelly tech shirts. I love expos. Free samples, cheap clothes, new products.
We got back from the city and relaxed for a bit before we headed to dinner. We went to an Italian place my mom's coworkers had suggested. We all got gnocchi done different ways. It was fabulous.
We got home from dinner and went to bed.
We woke up at 5am Sunday morning. We had to leave a little before 6am to stop at Wawa for coffee and head downtown to the start. R still wasn't feeling great but was going to give it a go. She figured if she had to walk during the race that would be OK. This was just a practice run anyway. We weren't looking for PRs.
We got downtown, parked, and made our way to the start line. I love big races because of all the excitement in the air but it definitely makes logistics harder. We immediately got in line for the porta potty. The line was long but it moved fast. We then headed to the bag drop off and parted with our nice warm clothes.
Here's R and I before the start:
We said goodbye to my Mom. She was going to head to the start and get as many pictures of Ryan Hall as possible.
R and I got into our corral and waited. This year, instead of letting everyone go at once, they let one corral go at a time. It took longer (20+ minutes to get to the start line) but when we got to the start line we were going at the pace we wanted to. No weaving through people or walking because everyone was jammed together.
Our plan for the race was to run comfortably and enjoy the scenery. R was still feeling pretty crappy but felt better as the race went on. We kept just under a 10 min/mile pace for most of the race and it felt good. I know I could have gone a lot faster which is good, but I'm saving that for Toronto.
I took GU at mile 4.5 and mile 9. That worked well for me. I drank only water because R had picked up a Cytomax cup by accident and said it was awful. I've never had it before but figured I didn't need it with 2 GUs. I also grabbed some free GUs at mile 8.5.
The route was really nice also. We start in front of the Art Museum and head into downtown Philly. We come out of downtown around mile 4, passing the start/finish, and run along the river. Just before mile 9 we cross the river and head back on the other side. It's such a nice area with great scenery. When we came out of downtown it was a little jarring because we could hear the announcer at the finish and 14 people had already finished! Boy are we slow!
We finished in 2:11:39 (gun time 2:33:51). We were both really happy with the time. We weren't looking for any records but we were looking for a respectable time. I had a lot left at the end so I was happy with that.
We got our medals and some food and finally got out of the chute. They had been announcing awards but it was hard to tell where they were and what they had already announced. R and I decided to go get our grab bag before we met up with my mom. We had just gotten over to that area when they announce Ryan Hall's name. A group of people we clapping and cheering next to us and I asked them if he had won. They said yes. Yay! I saw where the stage was and tried to get pictures from where we were but it was too far away (I had run with my camera). R told me to go up there so I booked it toward the stage. I got a couple pics while he was talking and I was happy with that.
Then the announcer said thanks for coming out. Everyone started to leave and Ryan Hall and Catherine Ndereba were still posing for photographs so I moved up even more and got a good shot.
My Mom saw me taking pictures and came over. She was happy I was there because the pictures she got weren't great. We stood and chatted for a bit and saw that Ryan was signing autographs next to the stage. There were quite a bit of people there but my Mom kept telling me to go over because I wouldn't get this chance again. So R and I stood in "line" and got him to autograph our bibs and take a picture. It was very cool. He was super nice and seemed so down to earth. I congratulated him and he looked right at me and said thank you. After the picture I thanked him and he said no problem.
I've never gotten an autograph from anyone before (aside from Disney characters when I was 10). I felt kinda stupid but R made the point that he is someone we admire in our sport, not some random actor. He does the same things we do, just much much better. :)
All in all it was a great weekend! I could have had the worse race ever and meeting Ryan Hall still would have made it all worth it.
Let's start from the beginning...
Friday my friend R and I drove down to my mom's house just outside Philly. We got in around midnight and went right to bed. R wasn't feeling all that hot and she wanted as much sleep as possible.
Saturday morning we woke up early to go to my Mom's group run. She is just starting to run and is training for a 5K with the Fleet Feet near her. It is actually the same program (No Boundaries) that I am coaching up in Buffalo but a little different.
We went out for 7 intervals of 3 min run/1 min walk. It added up to about 1.6 miles. It was fun. This is the first time I got to run with my mom and it was really cool. She is doing great! I can't wait for her 5K in November.
After we got back and showered we took the train into Philly to get our race packets. The expo was great. I got a couple new, non-smelly tech shirts. I love expos. Free samples, cheap clothes, new products.
We got back from the city and relaxed for a bit before we headed to dinner. We went to an Italian place my mom's coworkers had suggested. We all got gnocchi done different ways. It was fabulous.
We got home from dinner and went to bed.
We woke up at 5am Sunday morning. We had to leave a little before 6am to stop at Wawa for coffee and head downtown to the start. R still wasn't feeling great but was going to give it a go. She figured if she had to walk during the race that would be OK. This was just a practice run anyway. We weren't looking for PRs.
We got downtown, parked, and made our way to the start line. I love big races because of all the excitement in the air but it definitely makes logistics harder. We immediately got in line for the porta potty. The line was long but it moved fast. We then headed to the bag drop off and parted with our nice warm clothes.
Here's R and I before the start:
We said goodbye to my Mom. She was going to head to the start and get as many pictures of Ryan Hall as possible.
R and I got into our corral and waited. This year, instead of letting everyone go at once, they let one corral go at a time. It took longer (20+ minutes to get to the start line) but when we got to the start line we were going at the pace we wanted to. No weaving through people or walking because everyone was jammed together.
Our plan for the race was to run comfortably and enjoy the scenery. R was still feeling pretty crappy but felt better as the race went on. We kept just under a 10 min/mile pace for most of the race and it felt good. I know I could have gone a lot faster which is good, but I'm saving that for Toronto.
I took GU at mile 4.5 and mile 9. That worked well for me. I drank only water because R had picked up a Cytomax cup by accident and said it was awful. I've never had it before but figured I didn't need it with 2 GUs. I also grabbed some free GUs at mile 8.5.
The route was really nice also. We start in front of the Art Museum and head into downtown Philly. We come out of downtown around mile 4, passing the start/finish, and run along the river. Just before mile 9 we cross the river and head back on the other side. It's such a nice area with great scenery. When we came out of downtown it was a little jarring because we could hear the announcer at the finish and 14 people had already finished! Boy are we slow!
We finished in 2:11:39 (gun time 2:33:51). We were both really happy with the time. We weren't looking for any records but we were looking for a respectable time. I had a lot left at the end so I was happy with that.
We got our medals and some food and finally got out of the chute. They had been announcing awards but it was hard to tell where they were and what they had already announced. R and I decided to go get our grab bag before we met up with my mom. We had just gotten over to that area when they announce Ryan Hall's name. A group of people we clapping and cheering next to us and I asked them if he had won. They said yes. Yay! I saw where the stage was and tried to get pictures from where we were but it was too far away (I had run with my camera). R told me to go up there so I booked it toward the stage. I got a couple pics while he was talking and I was happy with that.
Then the announcer said thanks for coming out. Everyone started to leave and Ryan Hall and Catherine Ndereba were still posing for photographs so I moved up even more and got a good shot.
My Mom saw me taking pictures and came over. She was happy I was there because the pictures she got weren't great. We stood and chatted for a bit and saw that Ryan was signing autographs next to the stage. There were quite a bit of people there but my Mom kept telling me to go over because I wouldn't get this chance again. So R and I stood in "line" and got him to autograph our bibs and take a picture. It was very cool. He was super nice and seemed so down to earth. I congratulated him and he looked right at me and said thank you. After the picture I thanked him and he said no problem.
I've never gotten an autograph from anyone before (aside from Disney characters when I was 10). I felt kinda stupid but R made the point that he is someone we admire in our sport, not some random actor. He does the same things we do, just much much better. :)
All in all it was a great weekend! I could have had the worse race ever and meeting Ryan Hall still would have made it all worth it.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Long Run Fuel
When I first started running, over a year and a half ago, I knew nothing about how to fuel during a run. I learned a lot by reading articles online and seeing what other people did. I tried gels first since it seems that's what most runners use. I hated them. The texture made them so hard to choke down. I immediately looked for other options and found Luna Moons. They were smaller than Clif Shot Bloks and one package seemed to be just enough for a Half Marathon. They worked well for me through my first year of running.
Once I started training for a marathon I thought maybe I would try to Shot Bloks. They have more calories and electrolytes in one package and would be better for the longer training runs. I like Shot Bloks much better than Luna Moons. They aren't as hard and they break up faster. I used Shot Bloks for training and during my first marathon and it went well.
However, I got tired of scarfing down 3 bloks for everyone one Gu my training partners ate. It took much longer for me to get the same amount of electrolytes. I figured maybe it was time to give the gels another chance.
I switched about a month ago and it's been going well. I have tried Gu, Clif Shot, and Hammer Gel and Gu is my favorite with Hammer Gel a close second. I really like the packaging of Clif Shots and the fact that they are mostly organic but they are much thicker than I would like.
I have tried different flavors and with/without caffine. I don't feel like I've found my favorite yet but I have found some that are easier to choke down than others.
I still cringe everytime I choke one down but it is getting easier. I would like to try them cold. I think they would taste better. Maybe in the winter.
I have to say I feel like more of the runner now that "I do the Gu".
Once I started training for a marathon I thought maybe I would try to Shot Bloks. They have more calories and electrolytes in one package and would be better for the longer training runs. I like Shot Bloks much better than Luna Moons. They aren't as hard and they break up faster. I used Shot Bloks for training and during my first marathon and it went well.
However, I got tired of scarfing down 3 bloks for everyone one Gu my training partners ate. It took much longer for me to get the same amount of electrolytes. I figured maybe it was time to give the gels another chance.
I switched about a month ago and it's been going well. I have tried Gu, Clif Shot, and Hammer Gel and Gu is my favorite with Hammer Gel a close second. I really like the packaging of Clif Shots and the fact that they are mostly organic but they are much thicker than I would like.
I have tried different flavors and with/without caffine. I don't feel like I've found my favorite yet but I have found some that are easier to choke down than others.
I still cringe everytime I choke one down but it is getting easier. I would like to try them cold. I think they would taste better. Maybe in the winter.
I have to say I feel like more of the runner now that "I do the Gu".
Friday, September 18, 2009
Weekly Update
My week of breaking in new shoes while trying to do more cross training has been semi successful.
Monday I had 5K coaching run. I usually hang with the back of the pack since it's my rest day but after one interval of 4 min run / 1 min walk the watch of the coach that was leading the group broke so I was the only one out with a watch that could do intervals. I booked it to the front so we could stay with the intervals. I definitely ran more than I usually do or was planning to.
I was wearing my Brooks Radius and felt a little discomfort in my foot. I think it was more from the previous day plus from running slow and turning every so often check everyone behind me.
Tuesday I woke up early and decided to go for a quick 4 miler. I thought I'd try the Saucony Triumphs instead to see how they felt. Well, I fell in love. They were so comfy and I had no foot pain.
Wednesday I went the Ridge for a hilly 5 miler and also wore the Sauconys. Still no pain.
Thursday I did 4.6 miles with a couple friends. Still wearing the Sauconys and still no pain.
My foot pain is still there but it's not really a pain but a tightness. I feel it a little when I drive and during some points in a run but it's not really a pain, just a little tinge.
Today, after work, a running friend (R) and I are heading down to my mom's house outside Philly for the weekend. On Sunday we are going to do the PDR (Philly Distance Run). Ever since I went to this race last year to cheer on friends and family I have been excited to do it this year. The atmosphere was so great. While I like running in smaller races because it's just easier to run with less people around you, there is nothing like running with thousands and thousands of people.
I'm planning on carrying my camera with me during the race so hopefully there will be lots of pictures to post!
Monday I had 5K coaching run. I usually hang with the back of the pack since it's my rest day but after one interval of 4 min run / 1 min walk the watch of the coach that was leading the group broke so I was the only one out with a watch that could do intervals. I booked it to the front so we could stay with the intervals. I definitely ran more than I usually do or was planning to.
I was wearing my Brooks Radius and felt a little discomfort in my foot. I think it was more from the previous day plus from running slow and turning every so often check everyone behind me.
Tuesday I woke up early and decided to go for a quick 4 miler. I thought I'd try the Saucony Triumphs instead to see how they felt. Well, I fell in love. They were so comfy and I had no foot pain.
Wednesday I went the Ridge for a hilly 5 miler and also wore the Sauconys. Still no pain.
Thursday I did 4.6 miles with a couple friends. Still wearing the Sauconys and still no pain.
My foot pain is still there but it's not really a pain but a tightness. I feel it a little when I drive and during some points in a run but it's not really a pain, just a little tinge.
Today, after work, a running friend (R) and I are heading down to my mom's house outside Philly for the weekend. On Sunday we are going to do the PDR (Philly Distance Run). Ever since I went to this race last year to cheer on friends and family I have been excited to do it this year. The atmosphere was so great. While I like running in smaller races because it's just easier to run with less people around you, there is nothing like running with thousands and thousands of people.
I'm planning on carrying my camera with me during the race so hopefully there will be lots of pictures to post!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
TiaRT -Running Friends
This weeks question is from Jillian at Finishing is Winning:
You get to run the last six miles of your next marathon with 6 different people. They can be dead or alive; famous or not famous. Who are these people and why did you pick them? Furthermore, why did you pick them for the specific mile you did? Remember, you get an extra .2 miles with runner #6.
Right off the bat I knew 4 people I would want to run with. However, I had a really hard time coming up with the last two. Here is what I did, finally, come up with...
Mile 20-21 - My Fleet Feet training partners: I tried to pick just one of them but I couldn't. They are definitely the reason that I love running as much as I do. We push each other. We encourage each other. They are always there for a run and a chat (or bitch fest as it can sometimes be).
Mile 21-22 - My Dad: While my Dad has never been to one of my races he's always been super supportive and encouraging. He used to run back in the day (nothing crazy, just for exercise) and it would be nice to run together.
Mile 22-23 - Kara Goucher: I'm a big fan of hers and I would love to chat with her. I'm sure she could give me late race tips to help me finish strong.
Mile 24-25 - Deena Kastor: I have read that Deena is a big foodie and while I might not be hungry after running so far I would love to hear about her favorite things to make. I put her at 24-25 because it's close enough to the finish that thinking about food will just push me harder.
Mile 23-24 - Boyfriend: He's been nothing but supportive of my running and I want to share it with him.
Mile 25-26.2 - My Mom: I picked my mom last because I want her to experience what it feels like to cross the finish line at a marathon. She's walked many half marathons and is just getting into running. She has supported me, encouraged me, and traveled with me for most of the big races I've done.
You get to run the last six miles of your next marathon with 6 different people. They can be dead or alive; famous or not famous. Who are these people and why did you pick them? Furthermore, why did you pick them for the specific mile you did? Remember, you get an extra .2 miles with runner #6.
Right off the bat I knew 4 people I would want to run with. However, I had a really hard time coming up with the last two. Here is what I did, finally, come up with...
Mile 20-21 - My Fleet Feet training partners: I tried to pick just one of them but I couldn't. They are definitely the reason that I love running as much as I do. We push each other. We encourage each other. They are always there for a run and a chat (or bitch fest as it can sometimes be).
Mile 21-22 - My Dad: While my Dad has never been to one of my races he's always been super supportive and encouraging. He used to run back in the day (nothing crazy, just for exercise) and it would be nice to run together.
Mile 22-23 - Kara Goucher: I'm a big fan of hers and I would love to chat with her. I'm sure she could give me late race tips to help me finish strong.
Mile 24-25 - Deena Kastor: I have read that Deena is a big foodie and while I might not be hungry after running so far I would love to hear about her favorite things to make. I put her at 24-25 because it's close enough to the finish that thinking about food will just push me harder.
Mile 23-24 - Boyfriend: He's been nothing but supportive of my running and I want to share it with him.
Mile 25-26.2 - My Mom: I picked my mom last because I want her to experience what it feels like to cross the finish line at a marathon. She's walked many half marathons and is just getting into running. She has supported me, encouraged me, and traveled with me for most of the big races I've done.
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