Excuses, Excuses

Well, I'm sure there are several excuses for why I haven't updated this since last Thursday. There are also several excuses why I didn't run all weekend. But none of them are good. The truth is, Brant and I just need to suck it up and start getting in three runs a week! And doing cross training - because training like this - two workouts a week, just isn't going to get us there.

Okay, so let's see, last Thursday we went for our three mile tempo run. That would be 10 minute miles for me - or a total of 30 minutes. I felt great that night though, and I did better than expected. Here are my splits:

1. 9:29:76
2. 9:49:91
3. 9:47:22
Total: 29:06:89
Average: 9:42:29

So I ran faster than I needed to, but I really felt great, so I decided not to worry about it. Then, over the weekend we had a friend out, and just pushed aside our long run. So this morning I went out to do my ten miles. Once again, I'm supposed to average 10k + 60-75 seconds, so 11-11:15 per mile. Not sure if I made that - but I know I didn't make ten miles. I made six miles and pooped out during my seventh. Didn't even walk out the rest. Was really tired, and I had a lot to do today (like I said, excuses, excuses). Anyway, here are my splits:

1. 10:13:46
2. 11:03:72
3. 11:14:02
4. 11:23:81
5. 24:49:71 (thought I hit the lap button but must not have - this is two miles)
Total: 1:08:44
Average: 11:27

Okay, so I didn't quite make the right average, however, that is with walking intervals. I'm running ten minutes and walking a minute and a half, so I figure, that's really not so bad - though I am definitely getting slower as the runs go on. Maybe I need to slow down at the beginning to better pace myself. We'll see. Next time is another run. And that will be a speed work out tomorrow.

Anyway, one of the things I was going to be keeping track of with this thing was the number of miles on my shoes. So far I have about 66.5 miles on my shoes. Approximately. Still have quite a ways before I'll be needing new ones, which is good.

Also, in reviewing some of my other entries I realized that I've left out some information here - like what happened to Mindy? She got a different job, and our schedules haven't been meshing - I am assuming she's running on her own. She signed up for the half marathon, so she doesn't have quite as daunting training as we do.

This coming weekend Kathryn will be running her first half marathon, and I'm really excited for her. Then we're going to try and synch up our running times so that we can run together in Disney.

Also, in addition to Kathryn, Brant and I managed to convince another friend Debbie Chrissinger to run the Goofy with us as well. So, it'll be a good time. We'll all feel like dying together. :)

Oh the Pain

Not pain from running. Not even really muscle pain at all.

On Tuesday I sucked it up and actually went to do a crosstraining workout. I went to the fitness center at my apartment complex. There are a few treadmills, a couple elliptical machines, about three weight machines, and two bikes. I didn't feel like their weights were varied enough to be a worthwhile workout - so my next option was to bike.

Now, I have to admit, I normally think the bikes that you sit in - almost like you're reclining, are a bit weird. They seem to avoid part of the workout - balance and keeping your body upright. However, I would have much preferred that to the torture device that I sat on.

The bike was pitched forward, which made it really hard to sit up. It was most comfortable when leaning my weight forward on the handlebars, though that hurt my arms, 'cause those handlebars were just not comfy. And it seemed like no matter where I sat on the seat it rubbed against my inner thighs (note to self - wear longer shorts next time).

Anyway, I had brought a book, just to see if it was actually possible to read and workout. The answer is sort of.

I went with the "Endurance" program, and didn't even really bother with the time - I later realized it was set for 20 minutes. I started out and it seemed really easy - so I kept moving the level up until I reached 7. And then the workout started to get harder. And harder. And then I could barely move the pedals. So I went back down a couple notches or so.

After the 20 minutes I had some water and readjusted the seat - the first time my legs seemed really cramped up. So after making adjustments I went for another 20 minute piece, this time I decided I was setting the level at 5 and just pushing through it - hard or not. And that I would attempt to keep up the same pace the whole time.

I could read for the beginning, but as that hill started climbing (or that's what it looked like on the screen) I had to focus a lot more on pushing those pedals. So I pedalled furiously and made it through the 20 minutes, but not nearly as many sentences as I normally would.

After finishing I stretched a little and headed back to my apartment. My legs felt good - a little jelly-ish, but not sore like they'd been from running. It seemed to help work all of that out. So that was good. So where's that pain I was talking about??

My butt. Holy cow it hurts. It hurts whenever I sit down anywhere. Still. And that was two days ago that I was on that stupid bike. I swear that seat bruised me.

My sister tells me that if I keep going I will get used to it, but seriously, I don't think I could handle sitting on that seat again any time soon. I at least have to heal first!

So I'm happy that tonight's just a run. And only 3 miles. A nice short run. Oh so much better than the butt torture that is riding a bike.

Finally Feeling Better

So last night we had our speed workout. The football team wasn't practicing, and it had been overcast and rainy most of the day, so the temperature was tolerable. And I felt really pretty good through the whole workout. I felt pretty good on Sunday on the long run too - so I think I'm finally getting back into shape. I am determined this time not to lose all my fitness gains after the marathon. In this month's Runner's World there's even an article about how to keep your fitness level after a marathon. So I'm going to do it!

Anyway, the workout last night was 3x1600 meters at 10k - 35 to 40 seconds. Which puts my time in at 9:20 to 9:25. It puts Brant's time at 7:50 to 7:55. He ran his first one in 7:55 and his second to under 7:20. That boy can run fast for short distances.

My plan for the workout had been to run exactly on pace - not letting myself go under and therefore not tiring myself out too much. Running on pace would be laps of 2:20. When I got there though, I felt just great. So I let myself run. And I felt good. The second piece was a little harder, but I still felt pretty good. The third one I was definitely more tired, but still pushed it hard through the end. I was a little disappointed, because I think I could have pushed a little bit more in my third and kept it within pace. However, I'm still thrilled that I did the first two under pace, and the last one wasn't as far off pace as I've been on other nights.

Here are my splits:

1. 2:14:98
2. 2:12:75
3. 2:12:20
4. 2:13:34
Total: 8:53:27
Average: 2:13:31

1. 2:15:95
2. 2:17:43
3. 2:21:11
4. 2:22:00
Total: 9:16:49
Average: 2:19:12

1. 2:20:17
2. 2:18:40
3. 2:29:63
4. 2:23:54
Total: 9:31:74
Average: 2:22:93

I remember that third lap - my legs were really burning. When I finished I was tired, but not dead, which is why I feel I could have pushed it out and finished that last mile within pace. Next time. I'm still much happier with last night's workout than with any of the other speed workouts.

Today, I plan on finally getting in some cross training! Can't run again until Thursday because of meetings, so I might as well get some exercise. I did do a 20 minute Pilates tape this morning, which is something I guess. Brant's been doing the Pilates pretty much every morning and says it's really been helping. Anyway, I'm glad that things are finally feeling better!

Gypsy Kings

Well, we never did make it to that speed workout. On Saturday we went kayaking for most of the day. By the time we got home we were tired, and I just couldn't face a speed workout. So on Sunday we declared the speed workout lost, and went ahead with our long run. The long run was supposed to be 13 miles at 10k + 60 to 75 seconds.

We went in the evening again, so the sun cut out some of our time, but Brant got in 11 miles, and I got in 10. So we figure that was our best long run yet - but we know we need to start sucking it up and just doing them in the mornings.

This time, I ran listening to the Gypsy Kings. This seemed to work much better, whether because I couldn't really sing along or who knows why, it was a lot easier to keep pace. I ran intervals and made it just over 7 miles before I started walking. I'm happy with this workout because I was able to keep my pace fairly well and then even when I was walking I was walking 15 minute miles - and it wasn't even that difficult of a pace to keep up. So I am hopeful.

Here are my splits:
1. 10:12:85
2. 11:04:21
3. 18:43:25 (this was somewhere just under 2 miles - I lost track of the half mile marker lines)
4. 11:20:73
5. 12:00:07
6. 12:40:18
7. 15:14:76
8. 15:18:86
9. 15:08:44
Total: 2:01:43

Tonight we're going to move on to the 4th week of training with a speed workout. Hopefully the track will actually be free!

Music

I forgot to mention one thing from the run on Monday...at the end when I stopped, I was attacked by mosquitos. I now have somewhere over 30 bites. I was reminded of this today - when I got a bite on my knee - in the open spot on my brace! Ugh.

Anyway, Tuesday night we didn't do the speed workout. Partially because I was too tired and sore. Brant went and did a short run at the park, and said a football team was practicing at the school anyway, so we couldn't have used the track. So last night we tried again - and the team was there. So we decided that maybe we need to do our speed workouts on the weekends. It was also too late to start our 7 mile tempo run.

So this morning I got up to do the 7 mile tempo run. The pace was supposed to be 10k + 15-20 seconds. So, 10:20 per mile. However, I decided not to worry about that this morning. I wouldn't even look at my watch, because I wanted to make it through the whole run.

This was also the first time I ran with music. It went against every fiber of my being to not run with the beat - and though I managed sometimes to just run at my pace, I think too often I ended up on the beat. It was a nice distraction though.

After three miles, I decided that maybe I would switch to intervals. Now, I know that the whole theory behind intervals is that you have to do it from the beginning, but I thought I could do it. So sometime between 3.5 and 4 miles I turned on the 10 minute timer. I purposefully started it not on a half mile mark so that I wouldn't be able to tell how close I was to ten minute miles.

Unfortunately, I still knew. And so when the ten minute beep went off way before I thought it should have, I think it depressed me. I could tell I was no where near my pace. I ended up walking from then on. The last mile I did I really push, swung my arms and everything. So, overall, I think it was still a good workout. And I ran just under 4.5 miles straight, which is farther than I've run any other night. I should probably have just done intervals from the start and made the whole seven. Now I know for next time.

So here are my splits. This is the first time I'm looking at them!

1. 10:14:12
2. 11:29:17
3. 11:40:86
4. 12:00:77
5. 14:50:32 (first lap I started walking during)
6. 16:02:55
7. 14:05:25 (lap I tried speed walking)
Total: 1:30:23
Ave12:54:72

So, I'm not really happy with those. Especially that I was able to walk a lap faster than I ran and walked another! Though I did really slack that first walking session.

I am sure that I will get back into shape here. So, to another day....

Our First Long Run

Well, once again, Brant and I didn't quite wake up early enough to do our long run over the weekend. We kept saying we would go - in the morning, in the evening, the next morning, the next evening...and the weekend came and went. So last night we went after Brant was done with work.

We got there around 6. The plan was to get as close to 12 miles as we could before it got dark. We were supposed to do 12 miles at 10k pace + 60-75 seconds/mile. That puts me up around 11 minute miles to 11.25 minutes/mile. I decided to go ahead and do intervals. I was supposed to do 10:1.5, but I set my watch for 10:2. Whoops!

I got really tired after 5 miles. In mile 6, I ran the first half, and then part of the next half, and then I walked the rest of the half. And then I walked one last mile. It was really getting dark by then, so I just stopped. Brant finished shortly after, I don't remember how many miles he got, something like 9 I think. Anyway, I took mile splits this time. Here they are:

1. 10:06:77
2. 11.21:41
3. 11:32:42
4. 12:04:59
5. 12:21:81
6. 14:20:37
7. 15:04:46
Total: 1:26:51
Ave: 12:35 with walked mile 11:31 without it

So, it's a bit slower than I would like to have run. And we definitely need to get in a real long run this next weekend! I feel like I'm getting into a little bit better shape, but I still have a ways to go. Good thing the marathon isn't until January!!

Tonight we have a speed workout again. I'm sure it'll be great!