Getting back on track

Without jinxing it, I'm going to say I think my running funk is on it's way out the door. I won't say it is completely gone yet (I still think twice about going out for a run) but I am proud to announce that I did get all 3 runs in last week.

YIPPY!!

That's right - I ran on Tuesday (7mi) Thursday (8mi) and again on Sunday (12mi). I cannot however take full credit for these runs since the hub did push me out the door on 2 of the 3, AND technically I was supposed to be doing 20 on Sunday, but my running partner only needed 12 and I didn't feel like finishing up by myself, so instead I went grocery shopping on my way home.

I know, bad me...I do think this was probably a good thing since I did have to get up at 3:30am Sunday morning, so I could make it across town for a 4:30 run start (hehe..see I am hard core runner woman...hear me roar!!!) Problem was when I got home, I noticed my left foot was really hurting.

I thought it might just be because I had gone running and I was tired, but the more I walked on it, the more the bones in my foot actually hurt. So here I was, complaining to the hub about my poor foot discussing shoes when he decided I need to ice my foot. For the next hour I alternated my feet from ice to hot water and I must admit, he was right, it felt better. (It's just one of the things I love about him...other times it's utterly annoying when he's right about these things).

So, now I'm not sure what to think about this foot thing. My shoes are not that old (bought them in July) but after looking at them I am pretty sure these are built for sprinters and probably not so much longer distances. I'm thinking I will stop by Foot locker tonight on my way to my evening run and pick up a new pair of shoes to see how they work out. I am guessing it is about time for a new pair so they will time just right in the 'break in cycle' for my marathon rather than be on the 'worn out' end by the time I get there.

So, Happy Monday...I know I promised a Garmin review (it's still coming)...stay tuned to see if I get my new shoes or not...

One piece at a time

It's been a while since I posted here - I'm going to blame the hub and the olympics. hehe

I know, not running to watch the olympics = not an excuse, but it is not entirely true...the hub went out of town for a week at which I was left with the girls until he got back. I must admit, it was nice taking a break, but at the same time thinking just how bad this would hurt my training.

Anyhow, the hub returned Late last Monday evening and so I returned to my previous training schedule on Thursday. It was rather an easy return because we were having a cookout/social fest after our workout. I did 4 sets of hills and then enjoyed some good conversation. Running while smelling the grill going...not fun. Running while knowing it will be waiting for you at the end...lots of fun.

So Saturday rolls around and I am switching up a week to make up for the previous weeks lack of running - ere go 16 miles scheduled for saturday morning. I head out early and join the group and we start to run. It isn't bad, it's cool and drizzily(5am) and we are slowly getting into the groove of it when half the group decides to head back and meet up with the other group while the rest of us continue on with our long run.

There is a mixed group of runners all about a 19-24 mile range...myself the shortest at 16. We keep running and at about 12 decide to focus on how we would end up at 19 back where we needed to be and where I should break off from the group. I volunteer to go the extra miles (seriously how hard can a few more be when I've got to go 16?) HA

I was delusional...at mile 17 I think I'm crazy, at 18 I know I'm crazy and at 19 I'm beyond crazy...but we over shot it a bit and by the time all was said and done I had completed 20. Now, I know it is no 26.2 (and my day will come for that one) but it is such a feeling knowing that I did it. As you can tell ... this is my longest run to date and knowing I can go this far makes 26.2 seem pretty tiny. I know, I know...the extra 6.2 added on top will probably send me over the edge, but hey - what would life be like if we didn't challenge ourselves?

Wanting

I posted earlier about being a heat sissy, which most of the time I feel like. The heat is stifling most days and I feel like I am choking on the air, but even with all of this I want to do it.

Does that sound strange?

I want to run. I want to be there. I want to push myself beyond my limits. I want to break free of my self imposed stipulations that say I cannot do this...I could never do this.

I feel that what I am doing now is nothing great...but I do have the belief that it will get me to where I want to be. No, I doubt I will be in the top 10 finishers (lofty goals for a 1st timer) but I can't help but dream the big dream when it comes to this marathon. Maybe it is because I am a first timer that I have so much hope...who knows.

I know that after a night like tonight where I ran 6 miles of hills...my feet are sore and my legs are tired. I was hot and covered in sweat. At the end of it I felt good though...I felt like I had accomplished what I set out to do and oddly enough - I am looking forward to Saturday.

Until then...happy trails to you!

Fuel for running

It's friday, which means I should have run hills last night - BUT - I did not. Actually, I had a wonderful date night with the hub at which I showcased my 'sexy running' calves by wearing (and dancing in) my super cute, super cool heels! (I know this is about running, not awesome chick shoes!)

Anyhow, the problem with date night was that it was on my scheduled running night so I decided in advance to run on Wednesday instead. I got all ready to go and realized the hub had errands and would be gone for a few hours.

I waited.

I waited some more.

I fed the kids, skipped dinner, and waited.

Eventually he came home, but I was already aggrevated = stressed so I headed out the door to run at 8pm. It was getting dark...I don't usually run in the dark and the hub was a little curious as to why I was running. All I knew was that I needed to get away and run...run until I felt better.

So, I ran.

I didn't venture very far, I ran in my neighborhood around this little path of houses. It's about a mile and a half for the whole loop, I am not very far from home and can do it for as long or short as I want. My point (to this long story) is that I was stressed when I left and I ran, ran, ran, ran some more until it was all gone. It was like someone had charged up the batteries completely and I just felt like I could go forever.

I only ran about 6 miles because it was getting late and dark and the hub already thought I was crazy, but still...

Do certain things motivate your runs more than others?

The road goes on forever...

"...and the party never ends." Another set of lyrics to a Robert Earl Keen song (way back when) - but in the spirit of music this week, it sums up the start of training.

Many of you (myself included) train day in and day out to prepare for something. Some it's a marathon, some it's a triathalon, some it's just getting back to the basics of running...but either way, it is a continuous process.

Yesterday was Monday training session and true to form, when it was time to change clothes and head to the running site, I did not want to go. Remember, I had done a long run the day before and I could feel the soreness setting in, the heat from the day, my desire to crawl in bed (because my children are getting sick which makes for long nights) and blah blah blah. Anyhow, I went anyway (because that is what a good runner does) HA - and I actually enjoyed being there. It really helped ease some of my soreness and I'm feeling much better today.

I was tired afterwards, I'm tired today - but I will still be swimming after work. I might not want to, but as the song says...

The road goes on forever and the party never ends!

Rain, rain - won't you stay?

Please don't leave ... it's much easier to run when your here than with the heat and humidity when your gone!!

Yes, that is how I felt today - this morning to be exact. I had spent all week gearing myself up for a 2 hr long run this morning. Nope, I didn't have a clue where I was going, I was just going to head out to where ever the road takes me. The weather man (like they know what their talking about) was forcasting rain yesterday and today. There was none yesterday, just some clouds and some humid and very hot mid-south heat. Then last night about 8 it started thundering and lightening and the skys just sort of opened up. Oh yeah..time to cool off.

My first thought was that it would be great to run today, then I thought it might be raining and I'd wait until sunday, but nope, it was wet out, but not raining today when I finally decided to crawl out of bed. I decided I would bribe the kids (and the hubby too) with some donuts...it also doubled as a warm up. I ran over to the donut shop (about 1/2) mile, picked up some goodies and headed back. I quickly dropped them off and out the door I went. It was about 8:30am, a few clouds in the sky and the air wasn't too bad. I thought I had it made. 30 minutes later I rounded a corner and if the clouds didn't part and make way for the sun - yep I could feel the heat around me. It was like an oven and I was the pot roast!

I sucked it up (because at this point there was no turning back) and kept putting one foot in front of the other. I ran by where I work, which doubled as a quick water refueling station, and then headed for home. 2hrs later and a bit of energy lighter I had completed it. I was soaked, red faced and tired, but you know what? I wouldn't change a thing!

Hungry??

Yesterday was hills...the dreaded hills. Truth be told, the hills aren't so bad - I actually kind of enjoy the hills. I ran 3 sets of 4 hills and a 1 set of 3 hills with warm up and cool down included it was about 6mi. Tomorrow will be the long run of the week - I'm already dreading having to get up early on a saturday just to go run, but the alternative is running late and that is even more unappealing.

My point today is not so much the actual exercise as it is the hunger (or lack there of) after a work out. During my group trainings, I often here people discussing their eating habits and the need for a light snack after a work out much like yesterday. I hear people talk about how they are ravenous by the time they get home if they don't have some fruit or something. This got me to thinking about my own hunger. I've noticed over the past few weeks/months of running that I rarely am ever 'hungry' after a run. The longer or further I run the less I want food. I am typically thirsty beyond belief, but food...not so much. This goes for fruit or anything else light. I can eat half a bannana after a 6 mi run and it feels like I just put 5 lbs in my stomach.

This is really only the case after a long run at which due to the change in training has been at a slower and more steady aerobic pace as opposed to my faster 5K race pace. I was talking about this with some other runners and it was said that "perhaps my body is still burning my surplus of fat stores and that is why I am not hungry, where as in a race I am burning sugar and my body feels the need to replace this with food."

Hum...run slow, burn fat - run fast, burn sugar and be hungry. Maybe the coach has got a method to his madness after all.

What do you think??

Drowning gnats

Yesterday (since I'm childless this week...thank you grandma) I decided to start my typical monday workout a little earlier than normal. On a typical monday I get to the park about 5:45 and we start about 6:00. That gives me enough time to do some easy jogging and get warmed up before the group runs. Yesterday however, I got to the park about 5 and thought I would jog for about an hour before the rest of the group got there.

Holy crap was it hot! Nope not just hot, but HUMID too. Now, I'm no stranger to heat and humidity, I grew up near the gulf (hell) and have learned to love heat and humidity...I just never ran for hours on end in it. The difference between hell where I grew up and here is that in hell there is air...hot air, but air none the less. Here, there is a thick, heavy, very still oxygen that you suck in when you breath. Needless to say after half an hour in this I was soaked and the poor little gnats that got near me were drowning in the sweat.

By the time everyone else arrived that night and were getting ready by dowsing themselves in off...I was good to go - Bug's just stayed away at that point, too afraid of drowning!

By the end of the night, I had ran a total of about 7.5 miles, done some strength training and stretching. I felt good, I felt 'worked' by the end of it but still not completely drained. This is just the start of the summer heat and I've already learned that the motto is not..."D*mn it's hot" - instead it's become "Heat is my friend...I love the summer heat." (yep keep saying it, eventually you'll convince yourself!)

The hills are alive

This has been a rough week for me - I have hardly ran at all (even though I knew I should) mentally though, I just couldn't get myself out of the house. Yesterday however was different. Thursday's are 'hill' workout days. There not so much hills as little bumps, but it does essentially do the same thing as larger hills.

The workout is to run sets of 3 or 4 hills and then repeat. Yesterday I ran a three set 4x's. After it was over I felt great. I felt like I had worked up a good sweat but I wasn't exhausted or sore - generally I felt good. This led me to my next concern...am I doing enough or should I keep going?

At the end of a run (workout or other exercise related endevor) I like to feel like I've done as much as I can, I like to feel tired and energy drained. It makes me think I gave it my all and didn't hold back. I gabbed up the coach and he told me that "at this point, I should not feel drained or exhausted. My goal is to burn fat not sugar...sugar burning brings about the tired and drained feeling." Ok, I thought, but still, I feel like I could do more...shouldn't i just keep going?? He quickly told me no, not today.

So what's a girl to do? I want to do more and he promises the day will come when I will be ready to do more at higher intensities, but this is a gradual process and I need to build up to it. I'm not sure I believe him, but I'm still trying his method so we'll see.

On a side note, Saturday will be my first hour + run. I'm not running this for distance as much as it will be for time and endurance. I don't know why this bothers me so much (I've already run for just under an hour and I train for 1 1/2 hours during the week on running days...it just seems like such a "big" amount of time...I find it intimidating. I'll update after to see if I feel anymore "exhausted" and/or "energy drained" at the end of it. Perhaps that is what I need to teach me to enjoy doing what I do now!

On the Road again....

Yep it's that song, but it's also what I've been doing. I'm making a conscious effort to run each day, get out and be physical and do what I can to improve on my times (at least on my endurance).

Monday I made it to the pavement and did 1.3 mi, not much but it was something. It was a pretty cold day out and I was suprised on how good it actually felt to be running.

My thoughts for this week were that I would gradually increase my distance. I went out this weekend and maped out a few routes with different distances so hopefully this will help.

Tuesday, I wanted to make it out, but I didn't. Soccer practice for my daughter came up (normally on Friday) so instead I went and kicked/chased the ball with the hub for about 30 min. Not the same as a run but I wasn't completely a bum.

Wednesday, I ran 2 laps today (each is about 1.3 mi around the area) so I did 2.5 mi total. It was slow at first and while my brain didn't need coercing my legs sure did. My sides cramped up and my lungs burned but by the second lap around (I hurt) but it did get a bit easier.

Mentally I am enjoying this more than physically. The air has been chilled when I run and I feel as if I have a smokers cough after I get finished. I'm sure this will get better with time and training, but it sure isn't fun now!