Saturday, February 25, 2017

Weekly Update

I'm realizing that it's "easier" to do one long post than trying to think of something interesting every day to write about. Stealing words from my friend Randy, February is my new favorite month of summer. This week it has been in the 60s and yesterday it was 74 degrees!!!!

Tuesday I met up with Amanda at her house and we ran around Ellet. Nothing exciting about the run but the short "easy" days there really never is anything exciting and it shouldn't be.

Tuesday night, Cori (who I met once I think) posted that she was hoping to run on Wednesday 5-8 miles. I needed 7 so I told her I was planning on running 7 at a 9:30 minute mile pace. She couldn't care less about the pace (I found out that she is super quick!) and we met over at Memorial Parkway for 7 miles. Since we have never run together I felt that I had to look like I wasn't working too hard and she told me that I had to set the pace because she always runs too fast and dies at the end. We ended up with an average pace just under 9 minute miles (Oops!!!!)

Thursday I met up again with Amanda on the towpath. We were only going to run 3 but we got to 1.6 and decided to make it an even 4. The first mile was around 9:55 and we just got progressively faster with the last mile at 8:55. I really enjoy running like that sometimes even if my body at the end is a little tired. Later that evening I had my kettlebell class at the Y and got there early. So I decided to jump on the treadmill and see how fast I could run a mile. It's been awhile since I tried and was pleasantly surprised at my 7:45 minute mile and that I was able to get through kettlebell and kickboxing.

Friday, the kids had another day off of school and it was a rest day. I did laundry and we took a walk to the library and to the community park and played all afternoon. Matt got  home early from work and we decided that we HAD to go to the Winking Lizard for dinner even though we were planning on going out to lunch on Saturday. We shared a deluxe pizza, I ate several handfuls of popcorn, some of Ella's mac and cheese and her french fries. We come home and the kids were ready to go to bed at 7! Matt and I watched "Bad Moms" and it was hilarious, I think Matt laughed more than me! I tried to go to bed early last night but it was stuffy in our bedroom. I feel like I was up every hour and I was up before the alarm at 6:20.

I met up with Megan this morning at Hunt Farm again (just like two weeks ago). And we tackled the
"mountain" again. We ran 9 miles at a 9:54 minute pace and I felt good. Megan stopped and I got a drink of water and got my headphones before finishing 4 solo miles. About 3 minutes into the run I remembered seeing on my training plan that at week 10 you were suppose to "race" a half marathon. And since I obviously didn't sign up to run one but was running 13.1 miles anyways I decided to try to keep a good speed through the remainder of the miles. The "Footloose" soundtrack kept the pace up and I finished with an overall average pace of 9:43 and a time of 2:07:23. Which is crazy, first it's my second fastest ever half marathon (2008 PR 2:05:32) and it's definitely my post baby PR and I wasn't really trying. I mean I guess I was at the end but running the "mountain" my only goal was not to stop and walk.

Next week it's 17!!!! miles!!!!

Monday, February 20, 2017

Past Week

Last week was kind of a blur. I was able to complete all of my training runs. The week started cold but I was able to run outside with Amanda on Tuesday morning. It was sunny and I was a little under dressed but still got sweaty. Wednesday's speedwork of 7X800s was tough. I ran on the treadmill so I could hit the paces. I feel like such a crazy person while doing speed on the treadmill with only like three other people at the gym and no one else is running. Oh well, I kind of like being a that person! Thursday I opted for the treadmill again, it was COLD again (after being like 50 on Wednesday) and ran on a 2% incline. Friday was a rest day but I was rather active after the kids were out of school (it warmed up again!) and played outside until dark.

Saturday, I met up with Amanda, Cathy, and Megan down in North Canton (with about 30 other people) and ran 15 miles around Walsh University. There were plenty of small rolling hills and it was about a 7 mile "loop" around neighborhoods. I did okay during the first loop but the second loop I got bored and frustrated. I got really frustrated thinking about last week's run and how awesome that run was and it was up a "mountain". I'm thinking out and backs or multiple loops on the same path is not good for me during long runs. I'm okay going out on the towpath and doing out and backs there for 3.5 (7) miles. But anything more, seems just defeating (I think that's the word I want to use). Running out 4+ miles and having to turn around and do it again just seems crazy, but running a 15 mile loop is okay. Whatever, we got the miles in and I enjoyed the rest of the day outside with the family. We even took a family walk in the afternoon (grand total of steps were over +40,000)!!! Matt and I also got a rare date night!

There was a photographer out on the roads on Saturday morning on a bike. He stopped and took pictures and would ask if we needed water a few times throughout the morning. The 3rd or 4th time I asked if I could take his bike and he could finish running for me, he laughed and told me if I could catch him I could have his bike...I never did...


This picture is just all sorts of craziness




And of course who doesn't deserve a donut after 15 miles!

Sunday, again it was a beautiful day. I felt asleep before 10 on Saturday and didn't stir until 9! I told Matt that was going to get up early and ride my bike for an hour. Oops, but I managed to get out by 10:30! I rode 13.5 miles on the towpath in an hour. I enjoyed the ride and laughed out loud when I realized that there are people who can run a half marathon in an hour, when it takes me twice as long!


Saturday, February 11, 2017

14 miles!

This morning I ran the farthest I have run in 10 years! Thanks to Cathy and Megan today was a super confidence boost. Last few times I have run the long runs on this training plan just haven't gone that well. I can't even pin point the difference but maybe it was the weather. All week I had been thinking about this run and making myself a little crazy thinking about it. Cathy suggested breaking up the run in to two parts, running part of the Shamrock course and then ending with towpath miles. Actually I think it just hit me why this run was great, it wasn't an out and back. I think I have trouble with the whole let's run 7 miles one way and then run back the SAME way. I have a love/hate relationship with Shamrock course. It's definitely hilly but I think I have figured out my own way of running those hills. Knowing I had to run 9 hilly miles and then "only" 5 towpath (2.5 miles out and back) really helped. Amanda how does running the same course and running an extra towpath mile sound to you since you missed out on this week?


HAHA!!!

We finished up the hilly part and dropped off Megan and picked up Heather. I drank a little bit of water before heading out again. I still need to figure out the whole hydration thing. And we had a great time enjoying the flat miles. I did have to walk a little but Cathy would not let me walk long and I am glad she didn't. I think I just need to remember long runs are all about just getting the miles in and it doesn't matter what pace.


Group shot!


Pretty even splits if you ask me. The second mile was at the beginning of North Hampton Rd and I have learned there's no point in trying to run that first hill. I walk as fast as I can, get my breath, and just start running knowing that every incline there is a decline at the top!

On the way home from the run I tried to eat a protein bar but it made me gag. I don't know if it was just because I hadn't drank much water or what but I had a heck of a time eating the bar. Something else to figure out.

The rest of the training week went well too! On Wednesday I ran 7 treadmill miles with a tempo run in the middle. Average pace was around 8.45 for the middle miles and overall just under 9 for the whole 7 miles. Thursday was another treadmill day and ran 3 slowish miles. I had the incline at 2% and ran it in 29:34. I don't really know if I am actually taking it easy on my "slow" days since I have to up the incline to go slow. Oh well soon I hope to get more miles outside again, it's either raining or snowing!

All in all this was a GREAT week training.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Been Awhile

So I haven't said much this past week. There's nothing really to report. After last week's speedwork out I ran 3 easy miles outside with Amanda. I didn't think it going to be cold so I was underdressed and complained for the first 1.5 miles. But warmed up and it ended up being a good run. Saturday we scaled the miles back and ran 9 miles. The first 4 miles were a little too fast (930ish pace) and for some reason both me and Amanda struggled for the rest of the run. Oh well!

I ran yesterday since I took Sunday as a rest day (should have been cross training on Sunday). I started the incline at 6% and 5.3 mph and every 5 minutes went down .5% and up .1 in mph. Finished running 3 mile in 34 minutes with an average incline of 4.5%.

This morning was annoying. I should have run 3 miles but instead I had to take Matt's car to a mechanic at 9. And since we didn't know how long it was gonna take Matt got me a rental car and the rental place was going to come pick me up before 10. They got there at 10:05 and I got the car around 10:35. Matt called and said don't rent the car, the part they need for the Honda won't be here for 6 weeks but it's okay to drive. However, by that time I had already rented the car and on my way to get Charlie from preschool. I called and told them I no longer needed the rental and I was going to return it and ask for a ride back to the mechanic. We returned the car and they told me since I literally just rented it that they weren't going to charge us for the day and got our money back. Oh well, I'll just run  and lift after dinner.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Speedwork

Today was speedwork and I choose the treadmill again. I had heard it was slippery outside and falling right now is NOT an option. The plan said to run 6 miles with 5X800s mixed in. I had read about doing speed intervals but I accidentally screwed it up thinking I was running 400s and not 800s. So my recovery time was too short. Instead of .25 miles I was doing .15. No wonder I died and had to stop and catch my breathe for the last 2 intervals. I'll remember that next time.

I've been getting tired of my running playlist on my iPod so I was looking for stuff I haven't heard lately and start listening to Ben Folds. I remember getting introduced to him by Matt when we first started to hang out/date (whatever you want to call it) and going to Old Man's Cave listening to the CD. And then in the spring of junior year driving to Cleveland in the middle of the week and seeing Ben Folds at Severance Hall. And today I listened to the "Rockin' the Suburbs" album and had all those flashbacks which helped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34u_3Z9_LUw&feature=share

One of my most favorites and so easy to do speedwork with.(I choose to use the edited version as I do have little ears around here now...)