I've been meaning to blog about this for a while now. Actually, about a month. But I didn't, thinking that by sticking my head in the blogging sand the problem would go away on it's own.
It didn't.
So here's the story. During the last half of the Detroit marathon on October 19th my hips and thighs really tightened up, causing me to walk/jog the rest of the race. For the two days after I still had pain in these areas, but by the Wednesday after I was pain free.
Fast forward to a week and a half later. We went to a Halloween party on Saturday night. I got pretty lit, but I know I didn't fall. I was wearing white, I would remember this. Anyway the next morning I woke up and could not put ANY weight or pressure on my tailbone. It was killing me! It even hurt to walk. My hips and thighs (and everything else) were pain free. It was just my tailbone.
W. T. F.
If I sit straight up it doesn't hurt, but the minute I lean back (like on a sofa) the pain is right there. And yes, I am still having this pain over a month later. It lessened in intensity after about a week but has maintained since then.
What gives? I googled, which is something you should never do with an injury...so now I think I'm dying of cancer. I also read that they can take tailbones out? Huh?
So what do you all think? Do I call the doctor? I really really don't care for rectal exams. And besides, what the hell do I say when I call? My tailbone hurts?
Weak.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Yaktrax
It has been a full MONTH since I have ran! I just really dread the darkness and the cold and especially the snow and ice, but I can't exactly quit running until March, right? I can feel my thighs jiggling as I type.
That is a problem. Here, my friends, is my hopeful ohmygoshthisbettermotivateme solution.
The website claims that you can run normally and you don't slip. Super duper.
They are $29.95 on the website - not a bad price considering what they enable you to do. However, my frugal self just couldn't click that button without first doing some deal searching. And deals, did I find! =) Using my new favorite shopping search engine and the always-a-favorite Ebay, I managed to score a set of brand new Yaktrax for $23.54, including shipping. And if that deal wasn't good enough, I will be getting $6.26 of that back, thanks to the Microsoft Live Search.
Final cost = $17.28
Not too shabby! Now if only I can peel my lazy butt off the sofa when they get here...
That is a problem. Here, my friends, is my hopeful ohmygoshthisbettermotivateme solution.
The website claims that you can run normally and you don't slip. Super duper.
They are $29.95 on the website - not a bad price considering what they enable you to do. However, my frugal self just couldn't click that button without first doing some deal searching. And deals, did I find! =) Using my new favorite shopping search engine and the always-a-favorite Ebay, I managed to score a set of brand new Yaktrax for $23.54, including shipping. And if that deal wasn't good enough, I will be getting $6.26 of that back, thanks to the Microsoft Live Search.
Final cost = $17.28
Not too shabby! Now if only I can peel my lazy butt off the sofa when they get here...
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Shopping
Winters tend to be pretty boring and depressing for me. I enjoy the holidays, but I don't enjoy leaving home in the morning in the dark and returning home in the dark. I also don't care for snow. At all. Anyway, I think I am borderline ADD and as a result, I always need something to occupy my time. This year I decided that I wanted to start couponing. It makes perfect sense, really.
1) Times are tough. We all need to save wherever possible.
2) I love to shop.
3) I love to get good deals. No paying chumpular retail here!
4) I have 3 kids. Kids are expensive.
5) I really love to shop. It doesn't even matter what I'm buying. I just love buying stuff. I should probably get therapy for this.
After some preparation, I headed out this morning with Maddie to hit up the K-Mart double coupon sale. 4 hours later, here is everything that we bought:
6 Betty Crocker cake mixes
2 Betty Crocker Au Gratin potatoes
1 Suave lotion
2 Gerber Graduates meals
3 boxes of Jello pudding
16 bottles of Pert Plus
4 cans of Endust
3 cans of Endust Free
5 mini lotions
22 bottles of Sally Hansen nail polish
13 bottles of Revlon nail polish
2 Loreal eyeliner pencils
5 packs of french manicure tip guides
1 pack of Pullups
1 box of baby wipes
1 pack of Pledge Wipes
24 Loreal eye shadow singles
5 Loreal HIP eye shadows (LOVE these!)
16 bags of Lifesavers
Not Pictured: A $3 pack of ponytails that I had to bribe Maddie with. :)
So yeah, this probably looks excessive. Actually it is excessive and, as my husband said, obsessive. But it's something to do and I really did get some good deals! Oh wait. You probably want to know how much I spent huh?
$29.53 (without tax).
Not bad, huh? The full price before my coupons was $370.25. :)
It would've been much less but I needed those pullups and wipes...that was $9 of the $29.
The next obvious question would be - what the hell am I going to do with all of this? I will keep most of it, but I am planning on sharing the makeup with friends and donating most of the shampoo.
I also snagged a good deal on Black Friday. I got 40 Suave body washes for $9!! We will eventually use all of those though. Definitely money well spent.
My husband can't believe that this is actually legal, but it really is!
Hi, my name is Wendy, and I have a shopping addiction.
1) Times are tough. We all need to save wherever possible.
2) I love to shop.
3) I love to get good deals. No paying chumpular retail here!
4) I have 3 kids. Kids are expensive.
5) I really love to shop. It doesn't even matter what I'm buying. I just love buying stuff. I should probably get therapy for this.
After some preparation, I headed out this morning with Maddie to hit up the K-Mart double coupon sale. 4 hours later, here is everything that we bought:
6 Betty Crocker cake mixes
2 Betty Crocker Au Gratin potatoes
1 Suave lotion
2 Gerber Graduates meals
3 boxes of Jello pudding
16 bottles of Pert Plus
4 cans of Endust
3 cans of Endust Free
5 mini lotions
22 bottles of Sally Hansen nail polish
13 bottles of Revlon nail polish
2 Loreal eyeliner pencils
5 packs of french manicure tip guides
1 pack of Pullups
1 box of baby wipes
1 pack of Pledge Wipes
24 Loreal eye shadow singles
5 Loreal HIP eye shadows (LOVE these!)
16 bags of Lifesavers
Not Pictured: A $3 pack of ponytails that I had to bribe Maddie with. :)
So yeah, this probably looks excessive. Actually it is excessive and, as my husband said, obsessive. But it's something to do and I really did get some good deals! Oh wait. You probably want to know how much I spent huh?
$29.53 (without tax).
Not bad, huh? The full price before my coupons was $370.25. :)
It would've been much less but I needed those pullups and wipes...that was $9 of the $29.
The next obvious question would be - what the hell am I going to do with all of this? I will keep most of it, but I am planning on sharing the makeup with friends and donating most of the shampoo.
I also snagged a good deal on Black Friday. I got 40 Suave body washes for $9!! We will eventually use all of those though. Definitely money well spent.
My husband can't believe that this is actually legal, but it really is!
Hi, my name is Wendy, and I have a shopping addiction.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Detroit Marathon - Part Two
Race Day Morning
When the alarm went off at 5:30am, I couldn’t get up. I was soooooooo nervous! Like a what-the-hell-do-I-think-I’m-doing-running-a-marathon nervous! But I knew that once I got down to the starting line the nerves would go away. And they did. As I was getting ready I kept checking out the window to see what people were wearing (it was 40 degrees out) and if it was getting busy. I couldn’t eat because of my nerves. I took 2 bites of a protein bar and had half of a bottle of water. I knew this wasn’t enough, but honestly it was better than throwing up so I had to risk it. Finally around 6:20am I was ready and Matt and I headed down to the starting area.
After saying goodbye to Matt…
I was ready to join the rest of the runners in line. The organization of the starting area made it very easy to find my corral. I started in corral G based on my predicted finish time of 4:30 when I registered back in July. I knew I was going to be nowhere near that time though; I was hoping for around 5 hours so I started at the very back of the corral. After what seemed like an hour, we were finally listening to the national anthem and getting ready to GO!
The Marathon
It took about 3 minutes for me to reach the starting line, and then we were off! The first two miles were very surreal. I kept thinking things like “am I really running a marathon?” and trying to figure out my pace. I was hoping to run 11 minute miles for as long as possible, but consistency really proved to be a challenge. One funny thing that I didn’t expect was all of the clothes being thrown off! I mean, I knew about throwaway clothes, I just didn’t realize that people just let them fall where they may. As a result, slower runners like myself were left to run a hurdles race for the first few miles. I feel sorry for the people that had to clean all that up.
Around mile 3 or so, the Ambassador Bridge came into view. I may not have mentioned this before, but I am TERRIFIED of bridges. And tunnels. By choosing this marathon I was hoping to conquer all sorts of fears! ;) We actually ran under the bridge before going on it and I couldn’t believe how high it was! I didn’t run many hills during training so this was a bit intimidating. Once we finally got on it the incline was gradual enough (4.5% I believe) that it wasn’t terrible. And the view from the top – wow. Amazing! I started eating my sport beans on the bridge to distract me, and before I knew it we were into Canada. They announcer at the tollbooth was telling us the male strippers were just around the corner and the women strippers were at mile 6. He also kept yelling “Welcome to Canada! Free Healthcare!” I was cracking up!
I believe it was around this point that I started getting a cramp in my shoulder. I tried to work it out but it stayed with me for a few miles. Everything else was functioning well though. I was following my plan to walk through the water stops and alternate water and Gatorade at each one. We ran through Windsor and quickly approached the tunnel at mile 8. It wasn’t nearly as hot and stuffy as I had heard that it can be – this is probably due to the cooler temperatures. I even stopped at the Canada/US border sign to take a picture of two ladies…it hurt my underwater mile time but I figured it was probably a once in a lifetime photo op for them! Plus, I’m running this for FUN, right? ;)
Coming out of the tunnel I was expecting to see my peeps, and I was so happy to see them! I got a Gatorade, Gu, and some licorice, talked to them for a few minutes, and then I was off. It was a nice little pit stop, except I forgot to give them the long sleeve shirt that I had tied around my waist way back at mile 3. Crap.
Check out that guy behind me! Nice T&A!
Around mile 10 I realized that it had been the most enjoyable 10 miles I’ve ever ran! The weather was perfect and other than the shoulder cramp, it was easy breezy. Somewhere around mile 11 some nice peeps were handing out M&M’s. Sweet! I love the little things in life. At mile 12 the half marathoners parted ways and I was sad to see them go. There were 8,000 of them and only 4,000 full marathoners, so after the split I felt like I was running alone. At mile 13 Matt and crew were supposed to be waiting for me but somehow I missed them. They decided that Starbucks and McDonald’s were more important than my silly little marathon. Just kidding, guys! You know I love ya. I was really hoping to see them though, because I was still wearing my shirt around my waist and I didn’t dare throw it away. It’s a favorite.
Miles 14-17 kind of sucked. I had lost my half-mary friends, didn’t see my peeps at mile 13, and I was running past warehouses and into the running unknown. My longest training run had been just 15 miles, so I didn’t really know what to expect after that point. Somewhere around here there was a Gu station. This was my first time ever using Gu, if you can believe that. I had a lemon-lime Gu, washed it down with some water, and kept on. Around mile 16 my hips and quads started to cramp up, so I decided to start taking walk breaks. I didn’t want to injure myself; I just wanted to finish. This was the strategy that I used for the next 10 miles.
Miles 17-20 were on Belle Isle. It is gorgeous there! There wasn’t a lot of crowd support but it was a good time to mentally regroup. Mile 20 started the second half of the race. I had read this before but now that I’ve experienced it, I believe it’s true. Once we got off the bridge and back onto the mainland, there was the most annoying “supporter” EVER shouting out to us on a microphone. I don’t mean to be crude, but when there is an overweight guy yelling telling marathoners in their 21st mile to not be quitters and get moving….yeah. Not exactly motivating. I overheard one girl near me telling another to “run faster to get away from that guy” – LOL! I’m glad I wasn’t alone.
The next 3 miles went through Indian Village where the homes were gorgeous and the spectators were incredibly friendly! They had jelly bean stands and “Polish Pop” (Pabst Blue Ribbon beer) stands and pretzels….so nice! The shady streets were also a nice break from the sun. I was taking walk breaks more frequently by this point…my hips literally felt like they were going to snap. And I was feeling overall tired and HUNGRY. I ate a pretzel rod at one of the stops but I needed some real food.
Around mile 25 I decided to stop taking walk breaks. THIS IS IT! We were back downtown Detroit and a police officer said I was “2 blocks straight, 2 blocks left, and a long sprint from the finish.” Hey thanks dude, but these legs are NOT sprinting! When I got to the straightaway and saw the finish line…that was the best view ever! Plus I saw Matt, DJ, and Rachel on the sidelines cheering me on – it felt like I hadn’t seen them in years!
I coasted into the finish and immediately started chowing down on a banana. lol
I forgot to throw my arms up at the finish, but hopefully I at least managed to smile! The official pictures should be available any day now so I will post them as soon as they are.
My official time was 5:27:44 for 26.52 miles. It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but not too bad considering it was 11.5 miles further than I have ever run before. I tend to hold myself to a pretty high standard, so I have to keep reminding myself that I ran a MARATHON. Something that 99.9% of the world will never, ever do.
Sunday through Tuesday my legs/hips were VERY sore, but I am happy to report that the soreness is now gone! I didn’t get a SINGLE blister and I have no new injuries.
I have every intention of completing more marathons, but I will most likely have to wait until next spring, unless some hot airfare deals open up for Vegas in December. Otherwise I have no desire to run long training runs in the Michigan snow and ice. Since this marathon was so slow, I think a significant PR for the next one should be a realistic goal. I know I’ll never be BQ fast, but I would love to eventually run a 4:30 marathon. We’ll see.
Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement. And congrats to the other bloggers that ran Detroit – it was a great day for a marathon. :)
When the alarm went off at 5:30am, I couldn’t get up. I was soooooooo nervous! Like a what-the-hell-do-I-think-I’m-doing-running-a-marathon nervous! But I knew that once I got down to the starting line the nerves would go away. And they did. As I was getting ready I kept checking out the window to see what people were wearing (it was 40 degrees out) and if it was getting busy. I couldn’t eat because of my nerves. I took 2 bites of a protein bar and had half of a bottle of water. I knew this wasn’t enough, but honestly it was better than throwing up so I had to risk it. Finally around 6:20am I was ready and Matt and I headed down to the starting area.
After saying goodbye to Matt…
I was ready to join the rest of the runners in line. The organization of the starting area made it very easy to find my corral. I started in corral G based on my predicted finish time of 4:30 when I registered back in July. I knew I was going to be nowhere near that time though; I was hoping for around 5 hours so I started at the very back of the corral. After what seemed like an hour, we were finally listening to the national anthem and getting ready to GO!
The Marathon
It took about 3 minutes for me to reach the starting line, and then we were off! The first two miles were very surreal. I kept thinking things like “am I really running a marathon?” and trying to figure out my pace. I was hoping to run 11 minute miles for as long as possible, but consistency really proved to be a challenge. One funny thing that I didn’t expect was all of the clothes being thrown off! I mean, I knew about throwaway clothes, I just didn’t realize that people just let them fall where they may. As a result, slower runners like myself were left to run a hurdles race for the first few miles. I feel sorry for the people that had to clean all that up.
Around mile 3 or so, the Ambassador Bridge came into view. I may not have mentioned this before, but I am TERRIFIED of bridges. And tunnels. By choosing this marathon I was hoping to conquer all sorts of fears! ;) We actually ran under the bridge before going on it and I couldn’t believe how high it was! I didn’t run many hills during training so this was a bit intimidating. Once we finally got on it the incline was gradual enough (4.5% I believe) that it wasn’t terrible. And the view from the top – wow. Amazing! I started eating my sport beans on the bridge to distract me, and before I knew it we were into Canada. They announcer at the tollbooth was telling us the male strippers were just around the corner and the women strippers were at mile 6. He also kept yelling “Welcome to Canada! Free Healthcare!” I was cracking up!
I believe it was around this point that I started getting a cramp in my shoulder. I tried to work it out but it stayed with me for a few miles. Everything else was functioning well though. I was following my plan to walk through the water stops and alternate water and Gatorade at each one. We ran through Windsor and quickly approached the tunnel at mile 8. It wasn’t nearly as hot and stuffy as I had heard that it can be – this is probably due to the cooler temperatures. I even stopped at the Canada/US border sign to take a picture of two ladies…it hurt my underwater mile time but I figured it was probably a once in a lifetime photo op for them! Plus, I’m running this for FUN, right? ;)
Coming out of the tunnel I was expecting to see my peeps, and I was so happy to see them! I got a Gatorade, Gu, and some licorice, talked to them for a few minutes, and then I was off. It was a nice little pit stop, except I forgot to give them the long sleeve shirt that I had tied around my waist way back at mile 3. Crap.
Check out that guy behind me! Nice T&A!
Around mile 10 I realized that it had been the most enjoyable 10 miles I’ve ever ran! The weather was perfect and other than the shoulder cramp, it was easy breezy. Somewhere around mile 11 some nice peeps were handing out M&M’s. Sweet! I love the little things in life. At mile 12 the half marathoners parted ways and I was sad to see them go. There were 8,000 of them and only 4,000 full marathoners, so after the split I felt like I was running alone. At mile 13 Matt and crew were supposed to be waiting for me but somehow I missed them. They decided that Starbucks and McDonald’s were more important than my silly little marathon. Just kidding, guys! You know I love ya. I was really hoping to see them though, because I was still wearing my shirt around my waist and I didn’t dare throw it away. It’s a favorite.
Miles 14-17 kind of sucked. I had lost my half-mary friends, didn’t see my peeps at mile 13, and I was running past warehouses and into the running unknown. My longest training run had been just 15 miles, so I didn’t really know what to expect after that point. Somewhere around here there was a Gu station. This was my first time ever using Gu, if you can believe that. I had a lemon-lime Gu, washed it down with some water, and kept on. Around mile 16 my hips and quads started to cramp up, so I decided to start taking walk breaks. I didn’t want to injure myself; I just wanted to finish. This was the strategy that I used for the next 10 miles.
Miles 17-20 were on Belle Isle. It is gorgeous there! There wasn’t a lot of crowd support but it was a good time to mentally regroup. Mile 20 started the second half of the race. I had read this before but now that I’ve experienced it, I believe it’s true. Once we got off the bridge and back onto the mainland, there was the most annoying “supporter” EVER shouting out to us on a microphone. I don’t mean to be crude, but when there is an overweight guy yelling telling marathoners in their 21st mile to not be quitters and get moving….yeah. Not exactly motivating. I overheard one girl near me telling another to “run faster to get away from that guy” – LOL! I’m glad I wasn’t alone.
The next 3 miles went through Indian Village where the homes were gorgeous and the spectators were incredibly friendly! They had jelly bean stands and “Polish Pop” (Pabst Blue Ribbon beer) stands and pretzels….so nice! The shady streets were also a nice break from the sun. I was taking walk breaks more frequently by this point…my hips literally felt like they were going to snap. And I was feeling overall tired and HUNGRY. I ate a pretzel rod at one of the stops but I needed some real food.
Around mile 25 I decided to stop taking walk breaks. THIS IS IT! We were back downtown Detroit and a police officer said I was “2 blocks straight, 2 blocks left, and a long sprint from the finish.” Hey thanks dude, but these legs are NOT sprinting! When I got to the straightaway and saw the finish line…that was the best view ever! Plus I saw Matt, DJ, and Rachel on the sidelines cheering me on – it felt like I hadn’t seen them in years!
I coasted into the finish and immediately started chowing down on a banana. lol
I forgot to throw my arms up at the finish, but hopefully I at least managed to smile! The official pictures should be available any day now so I will post them as soon as they are.
My official time was 5:27:44 for 26.52 miles. It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but not too bad considering it was 11.5 miles further than I have ever run before. I tend to hold myself to a pretty high standard, so I have to keep reminding myself that I ran a MARATHON. Something that 99.9% of the world will never, ever do.
Sunday through Tuesday my legs/hips were VERY sore, but I am happy to report that the soreness is now gone! I didn’t get a SINGLE blister and I have no new injuries.
I have every intention of completing more marathons, but I will most likely have to wait until next spring, unless some hot airfare deals open up for Vegas in December. Otherwise I have no desire to run long training runs in the Michigan snow and ice. Since this marathon was so slow, I think a significant PR for the next one should be a realistic goal. I know I’ll never be BQ fast, but I would love to eventually run a 4:30 marathon. We’ll see.
Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement. And congrats to the other bloggers that ran Detroit – it was a great day for a marathon. :)
2008 Detroit Marathon - Part One
I am officially a marathoner!! See?
I’ve spent the last three days analyzing my performance and the outcome. I am thrilled that I got through it, INJURY FREE no less, but I do feel like I could have done better had I properly trained myself. That being said, I am anxious for the next marathon, and if there was one nearby this weekend or next, I would most likely be running it. I can say this today, Wednesday, because I am actually able to walk without pain. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday – not so much.
The Hotel
We arrived in Detroit on Saturday afternoon and checked into our hotel right away. We stayed at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, which was literally two blocks from the starting line. This was the view from our hotel window.
I didn’t think to request a room with this view so we really lucked out. The hotel was very nice…it had just opened on October 8th after a massive renovation. It was clean, luxurious, and in the perfect spot for the marathon. I only have two complaints:
1) The bellhop didn’t know where the nearest People Mover
station was. From my research, I was fairly certain there was one about a block away on Michigan Avenue, but he insisted that the nearest station was Greektown. The valet attendant and a homeless man also knew nothing about a People Mover station. Seriously people? Do you not live here?? Work here every day??? So we took a cab to the expo instead, and it worked out. Later on we phoned the front desk and they confirmed my research…the station IS just a block away. In the end we didn’t even end up using the People Mover, but it was still ridiculous that the bellhop didn’t know where the station was.
2) The hotel features the Heavenly Bedding and it looked like we would be sleeping on a bed of heavenly feathers. Yeahhhh, not so much. When I finally went to bed around 11:30pm, I soon realized that the sheets and comforter were ITCHY. Like, crazy itchy. Like, I had-to-get-a-towel-from-the-bathroom-to-sleep-on itchy. Not cool when you have to get up in 6 hours to run 26.2 miles.
The Expo
This is the first race expo that I have ever been to so I didn’t really know what to expect. That being said, it was kind of a downer. A lot of the freebies were already gone by the time we got there Saturday afternoon. There were plenty of vendors and I did pick up some Sport Beans and BodyGlide (I forgot mine at home) but other than that, there wasn’t anything special to see. The New Balance Detroit Marathon jackets
were pretty cool, but I really couldn’t justify spending $100 on one. We were probably there for an hour total and then walked back to the hotel.
Dinner & Casino
After getting a drink at the hotel bar, we headed to Greektown to get dinner and gamble. We went to the BEST Greek restaurant ever for dinner. I can’t recall the name of it, but there are 5 different dining levels. I love chicken fettuccine alfredo so I ordered that, while Matt, DJ, and Rachel (husband, brother-in-law, sister-in-law) ordered what seemed like everything in sight!
Matt and me, waiting for our dinner table (his eyes are always closed in pictures!!):
The funniest part of the dinner was when the a$$ at the table next to us hailed the manager like a taxi and said that his service had been terrible. He was complaining about not getting new drinks when their existing drinks were still half full! Anyway a few minutes later I stopped that same manager as he walked by and told him that we were receiving EXCELLENT service. Which was true. Later on, after our meal was finished, we received four of the best complimentary desserts I’ve ever had. See, it pays to be nice! Take that, jerk at the next table. ;)
We stayed in Greektown for a little bit and then headed off to the MGM Casino. Everyone lost money, but we had fun doing it! Around 10:30 or so Matt and I decided to head back to the hotel. When we got there I got all of my stuff laid out for the next morning:
Matt's way of helping:
We settled into our itchy bed just in time to catch Sarah Palin on SNL. I don’t intend to get political here…but this woman does not belong in the White House! Anyway I tried to go to sleep but was still awake at 1am when DJ and Rachel got back from the casino. I don’t think I slept an hour straight the whole night due to the combination of nerves and that bed.
Part Two to follow...
I’ve spent the last three days analyzing my performance and the outcome. I am thrilled that I got through it, INJURY FREE no less, but I do feel like I could have done better had I properly trained myself. That being said, I am anxious for the next marathon, and if there was one nearby this weekend or next, I would most likely be running it. I can say this today, Wednesday, because I am actually able to walk without pain. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday – not so much.
The Hotel
We arrived in Detroit on Saturday afternoon and checked into our hotel right away. We stayed at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, which was literally two blocks from the starting line. This was the view from our hotel window.
I didn’t think to request a room with this view so we really lucked out. The hotel was very nice…it had just opened on October 8th after a massive renovation. It was clean, luxurious, and in the perfect spot for the marathon. I only have two complaints:
1) The bellhop didn’t know where the nearest People Mover
station was. From my research, I was fairly certain there was one about a block away on Michigan Avenue, but he insisted that the nearest station was Greektown. The valet attendant and a homeless man also knew nothing about a People Mover station. Seriously people? Do you not live here?? Work here every day??? So we took a cab to the expo instead, and it worked out. Later on we phoned the front desk and they confirmed my research…the station IS just a block away. In the end we didn’t even end up using the People Mover, but it was still ridiculous that the bellhop didn’t know where the station was.
2) The hotel features the Heavenly Bedding and it looked like we would be sleeping on a bed of heavenly feathers. Yeahhhh, not so much. When I finally went to bed around 11:30pm, I soon realized that the sheets and comforter were ITCHY. Like, crazy itchy. Like, I had-to-get-a-towel-from-the-bathroom-to-sleep-on itchy. Not cool when you have to get up in 6 hours to run 26.2 miles.
The Expo
This is the first race expo that I have ever been to so I didn’t really know what to expect. That being said, it was kind of a downer. A lot of the freebies were already gone by the time we got there Saturday afternoon. There were plenty of vendors and I did pick up some Sport Beans and BodyGlide (I forgot mine at home) but other than that, there wasn’t anything special to see. The New Balance Detroit Marathon jackets
were pretty cool, but I really couldn’t justify spending $100 on one. We were probably there for an hour total and then walked back to the hotel.
Dinner & Casino
After getting a drink at the hotel bar, we headed to Greektown to get dinner and gamble. We went to the BEST Greek restaurant ever for dinner. I can’t recall the name of it, but there are 5 different dining levels. I love chicken fettuccine alfredo so I ordered that, while Matt, DJ, and Rachel (husband, brother-in-law, sister-in-law) ordered what seemed like everything in sight!
Matt and me, waiting for our dinner table (his eyes are always closed in pictures!!):
The funniest part of the dinner was when the a$$ at the table next to us hailed the manager like a taxi and said that his service had been terrible. He was complaining about not getting new drinks when their existing drinks were still half full! Anyway a few minutes later I stopped that same manager as he walked by and told him that we were receiving EXCELLENT service. Which was true. Later on, after our meal was finished, we received four of the best complimentary desserts I’ve ever had. See, it pays to be nice! Take that, jerk at the next table. ;)
We stayed in Greektown for a little bit and then headed off to the MGM Casino. Everyone lost money, but we had fun doing it! Around 10:30 or so Matt and I decided to head back to the hotel. When we got there I got all of my stuff laid out for the next morning:
Matt's way of helping:
We settled into our itchy bed just in time to catch Sarah Palin on SNL. I don’t intend to get political here…but this woman does not belong in the White House! Anyway I tried to go to sleep but was still awake at 1am when DJ and Rachel got back from the casino. I don’t think I slept an hour straight the whole night due to the combination of nerves and that bed.
Part Two to follow...
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Still Alive. Still Running.
I've been a bad blogger. That's the bad news. The good news...
I'M RUNNING DETROIT!!!
I don't feel nearly as athleticly (is that a word?) prepared as I would like to be, but I'm still going to give it a go. I might have to walk a bit at the end, but I fully intend to finish.
I'm so excited and nervous and all the things that a person is when they are just 4 days away from their first marathon!
I plan to post again in the next few days, probably with some last minute questions and definitely with my goals for the race.
Good luck to everyone else running this weekend!
I'M RUNNING DETROIT!!!
I don't feel nearly as athleticly (is that a word?) prepared as I would like to be, but I'm still going to give it a go. I might have to walk a bit at the end, but I fully intend to finish.
I'm so excited and nervous and all the things that a person is when they are just 4 days away from their first marathon!
I plan to post again in the next few days, probably with some last minute questions and definitely with my goals for the race.
Good luck to everyone else running this weekend!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Long time no blog!
This has been one of the craziest and most stressful months of my life, no doubt. I don't even know where to start.
I had to take a full 10 days off to get rid of the knee and hip pain. The good news is that it's GONE. And the shin splints - gone. I have no leg pain whatsoever and that is very odd for me. I'm not sure if it was the extended rest or the new shoes, but something worked! I haven't been running my full schedule...since taking the 10 days off I'm finding it hard to run more than 5 miles at a time. My legs are a-ok but my chest feels like I'm going to have a heart attack. I am having some personal issues on the home front and as a result I haven't been able to eat or sleep normally (I've even lost 5 pounds, and typically my weight doesn't fluctuate more than a pound). It's very stressful. If I can't pull off at least a 15 miler (ideally 20) this weekend then I'm going to skip the Detroit Marathon. I just won't be mentally or physically ready. But I'm certainly going to try, so this weekend will be a deal maker or breaker for me. Ahhhh, the pressure.
My sweet, loving, wonderful daughter decided a couple of weeks ago that I didn't need my beloved Product Red, 2gb Ipod shuffle anymore, and so unbeknownst to me, she chucked it out of the bike buggy during a ride and now it's history. Grrrr...one more hurdle for my shitty September. After stewing about that for nearly a week, I now have a fresh sassy green 2gb shuffle (and $70 less in the purse) so I shall carry on. :)
And now for some happy news...
At the beginning of this month I was given the opportunity to read Dean Karnazes 50/50 book. AMAAAAAAAAAAAZING! What a book! Ted graciously decided to share his copy with the blogging community, and I received it from Progman. My job is now to pass it along to the next interested blogger. The first interested reader to leave me a comment requesting the book will get the honor. It's an incredible book and thank you Ted and Paul for allowing me the opportunity to read it.
I vow to no longer neglect my blog from this point forward. Stress or no stress. Running or no running.
I had to take a full 10 days off to get rid of the knee and hip pain. The good news is that it's GONE. And the shin splints - gone. I have no leg pain whatsoever and that is very odd for me. I'm not sure if it was the extended rest or the new shoes, but something worked! I haven't been running my full schedule...since taking the 10 days off I'm finding it hard to run more than 5 miles at a time. My legs are a-ok but my chest feels like I'm going to have a heart attack. I am having some personal issues on the home front and as a result I haven't been able to eat or sleep normally (I've even lost 5 pounds, and typically my weight doesn't fluctuate more than a pound). It's very stressful. If I can't pull off at least a 15 miler (ideally 20) this weekend then I'm going to skip the Detroit Marathon. I just won't be mentally or physically ready. But I'm certainly going to try, so this weekend will be a deal maker or breaker for me. Ahhhh, the pressure.
My sweet, loving, wonderful daughter decided a couple of weeks ago that I didn't need my beloved Product Red, 2gb Ipod shuffle anymore, and so unbeknownst to me, she chucked it out of the bike buggy during a ride and now it's history. Grrrr...one more hurdle for my shitty September. After stewing about that for nearly a week, I now have a fresh sassy green 2gb shuffle (and $70 less in the purse) so I shall carry on. :)
And now for some happy news...
At the beginning of this month I was given the opportunity to read Dean Karnazes 50/50 book. AMAAAAAAAAAAAZING! What a book! Ted graciously decided to share his copy with the blogging community, and I received it from Progman. My job is now to pass it along to the next interested blogger. The first interested reader to leave me a comment requesting the book will get the honor. It's an incredible book and thank you Ted and Paul for allowing me the opportunity to read it.
I vow to no longer neglect my blog from this point forward. Stress or no stress. Running or no running.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
My purse is $115 lighter today
Thank you all for your comments on yesterdays post. I decided that getting new shoes was probably the most logical thing to do. I've had injury issues ever since I got my Mizunos and I am blaming them. So after going to Runners (I would LOVE to link their store, but I can't find their website. Poo.) yesterday evening and then back again today, and after trying on probably 10 different pair of shoes and driving the wonderful salesman crazazy (I assume)...I found some! I ended up with a pair of Asics Kayano 14's.
The minute I tried them on I loved them. I just hope they are the right shoes for me and my issues go away. The Detroit Free Press Marathon is less than 7 weeks away. Yikes!
Oh and if you are in the Mt. Pleasant or Bay City, MI area I highly recommend going to Runners. I have had help from several different salesmen there and they are all VERY knowledgeable and friendly. :)
The minute I tried them on I loved them. I just hope they are the right shoes for me and my issues go away. The Detroit Free Press Marathon is less than 7 weeks away. Yikes!
Oh and if you are in the Mt. Pleasant or Bay City, MI area I highly recommend going to Runners. I have had help from several different salesmen there and they are all VERY knowledgeable and friendly. :)
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Injuries
I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I'm certainly not doing everything right.
I've had shin splints for a while now. Probably since this spring when I got back into regular running. I ice. I elevate. I rest. I repeat. They eventually go away during the run but are always there in the beginning. Nothing curbs them, until recently when I put orthotics into my shoes. The shin splint pain has either lessened, or it pales into comparison to my new injuries.
About three weeks ago my right front lower leg muscle (I always forget what it's called) has been inflamed and giving me grief to the point of cancelling a few runs. I followed the suggestions given to me by the coach at Runners and I think it's getting better. The orthotics seem to help with this as well...the pain is still there but it has been lessened.
Enter September, and my new point of pain: The Left Knee. Not to be outdone by The Left Hip, who is also making her presence known. Last night's 5ish miles turned into two limped laps around the track before I called it quits. My knee feels like it needs to pop, and my hip feels like it's going to snap. Is this my IT band? I researched but didn't find anything that clearly describes what I have going on. The knee pain is in the inside...if you were facing me, it'd be at 10pm on my kneecap clock. :)
I stretch regularly. I ice and do ice baths after my long runs. I take ibuprofen. I only workout 3-4 days per week, so I have plenty of full rest days. I hydrate. I warm up. I cool down. I gradually increase my mileage. I don't run on concrete.
What am I missing??
I'm also wondering if it could be my shoes. They have close to 300 miles on them and I was told they should last for 500, but I honestly have no idea if they still have "life" because I am ALWAYS RUNNING IN PAIN. Perhaps they are the wrong size? I've been told that I overpronate and have high arches. Maybe I should just get a different pair of shoes...?
So frustrating.
I am open to ANY suggestions or hypotheses.
PS: Sorry for the whine ass post. ;)
I've had shin splints for a while now. Probably since this spring when I got back into regular running. I ice. I elevate. I rest. I repeat. They eventually go away during the run but are always there in the beginning. Nothing curbs them, until recently when I put orthotics into my shoes. The shin splint pain has either lessened, or it pales into comparison to my new injuries.
About three weeks ago my right front lower leg muscle (I always forget what it's called) has been inflamed and giving me grief to the point of cancelling a few runs. I followed the suggestions given to me by the coach at Runners and I think it's getting better. The orthotics seem to help with this as well...the pain is still there but it has been lessened.
Enter September, and my new point of pain: The Left Knee. Not to be outdone by The Left Hip, who is also making her presence known. Last night's 5ish miles turned into two limped laps around the track before I called it quits. My knee feels like it needs to pop, and my hip feels like it's going to snap. Is this my IT band? I researched but didn't find anything that clearly describes what I have going on. The knee pain is in the inside...if you were facing me, it'd be at 10pm on my kneecap clock. :)
I stretch regularly. I ice and do ice baths after my long runs. I take ibuprofen. I only workout 3-4 days per week, so I have plenty of full rest days. I hydrate. I warm up. I cool down. I gradually increase my mileage. I don't run on concrete.
What am I missing??
I'm also wondering if it could be my shoes. They have close to 300 miles on them and I was told they should last for 500, but I honestly have no idea if they still have "life" because I am ALWAYS RUNNING IN PAIN. Perhaps they are the wrong size? I've been told that I overpronate and have high arches. Maybe I should just get a different pair of shoes...?
So frustrating.
I am open to ANY suggestions or hypotheses.
PS: Sorry for the whine ass post. ;)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Adios August.
What a month! I've never ran as much as I have this month. In fact, my July mileage was just 61.3 miles. In August....I hit the triple digits. Yeah, baby!
Here's the juice:
My pace isn't exactly acurate because prior to becoming Mrs. Garmin, I always just assumed I was at a 10 min/mile pace. But now I am living in the world of the know - and I love it!
______________________________________
This morning I ran just over 15 miles....wow. Road 1, SJB 0. I was whipped! My left groin/hip area is pretty tender today so I'm going to ice it tonight and hope it's okay in the morning. I ran with my fuel belt today and I must say that it is growing on me. I just had to suck it up and embrace my inner nerd. ;)
This weeks schedule:
Tuesday: 10-20 min warmup, 1 mile virtual race (in place of a 1k), 2k, 1k, 1k (400m RI), 10 min cooldown.
Thursday: 9 miles (10k pace + 40 sec)
Saturday: 13 miles (PMP + 10 sec/mile)
How warped am I that my 13 mile long run sounds.....easy?
Have a great week everyone. And happy September...the best weather month of Michigan. =)
Here's the juice:
My pace isn't exactly acurate because prior to becoming Mrs. Garmin, I always just assumed I was at a 10 min/mile pace. But now I am living in the world of the know - and I love it!
______________________________________
This morning I ran just over 15 miles....wow. Road 1, SJB 0. I was whipped! My left groin/hip area is pretty tender today so I'm going to ice it tonight and hope it's okay in the morning. I ran with my fuel belt today and I must say that it is growing on me. I just had to suck it up and embrace my inner nerd. ;)
This weeks schedule:
Tuesday: 10-20 min warmup, 1 mile virtual race (in place of a 1k), 2k, 1k, 1k (400m RI), 10 min cooldown.
Thursday: 9 miles (10k pace + 40 sec)
Saturday: 13 miles (PMP + 10 sec/mile)
How warped am I that my 13 mile long run sounds.....easy?
Have a great week everyone. And happy September...the best weather month of Michigan. =)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Terrific Tuesday at The Track
I always was a sucker for some good alliteration.
Tonight was track night and I must admit that my scheduled schedule (hehe) was a bit intimidating.
10-20 minute warmup
1 mile (400m RI)
2 miles (800m RI)
2 x 800 (400m RI)
10 min cooldown
See what I mean? That's like 7 miles on what I like to think of as my fun run night. So I set out for the track and quickly realized that this is my first track session with the students back on campus. Parking was a challenge, but I welcomed the company at the track. (read: I run faster in front of peeps) My leg muscles started cursing at me about a mile into my warm up, so I took them off the track and gave them a good little lecture. They never mouthed off to me again after that. I'm the boss, you hear me, legs???
Anyway my goal pace for the 1 & 2 mile intervals was 9:15/mile, but ideally 9:00/mile would be super sweet.
Here is how I did:
Warmup: 1.53 miles in 15:20 (10:01 pace)
1 mile: 1.07 miles in 9:02 (8:29 pace)
RI: 0.25 miles in 2:36 (10:15 pace)
2 miles: 2.15 miles in 17:37 (8:12 pace)
RI: 0.28 miles in 3:10 (11:31 pace)
800: 0.54 miles in 4:12 (7:47 pace)
RI: 0.32 miles in 3:25 (10:37 pace)
800: 0.53 miles in 4:04 (7:38 pace)
Cooldown: 0.33 miles in 3:32 (10:45 pace) - not long enough but it was dark out by this point.
Total: 7:01 miles in 1:03:06 - 9:01 pace!!!
So yeahhhhhh, these times are wicked good, if I do say so myself! I had no idea that I would be able to maintain a sub 9-minute pace for that long! I am anxious to run a 5k again. I really didn't even need that RI between the 1 and 2 miles. Those splits combined (sans RI) are 3.22 miles in 26:38! That is more than 2 whole minutes off my best 5k time! 3.1 at that pace would be like a 25:38! Hoorah!
So now that I have probably jinxed myself, I'm off to bed. :)
Tonight was track night and I must admit that my scheduled schedule (hehe) was a bit intimidating.
10-20 minute warmup
1 mile (400m RI)
2 miles (800m RI)
2 x 800 (400m RI)
10 min cooldown
See what I mean? That's like 7 miles on what I like to think of as my fun run night. So I set out for the track and quickly realized that this is my first track session with the students back on campus. Parking was a challenge, but I welcomed the company at the track. (read: I run faster in front of peeps) My leg muscles started cursing at me about a mile into my warm up, so I took them off the track and gave them a good little lecture. They never mouthed off to me again after that. I'm the boss, you hear me, legs???
Anyway my goal pace for the 1 & 2 mile intervals was 9:15/mile, but ideally 9:00/mile would be super sweet.
Here is how I did:
Warmup: 1.53 miles in 15:20 (10:01 pace)
1 mile: 1.07 miles in 9:02 (8:29 pace)
RI: 0.25 miles in 2:36 (10:15 pace)
2 miles: 2.15 miles in 17:37 (8:12 pace)
RI: 0.28 miles in 3:10 (11:31 pace)
800: 0.54 miles in 4:12 (7:47 pace)
RI: 0.32 miles in 3:25 (10:37 pace)
800: 0.53 miles in 4:04 (7:38 pace)
Cooldown: 0.33 miles in 3:32 (10:45 pace) - not long enough but it was dark out by this point.
Total: 7:01 miles in 1:03:06 - 9:01 pace!!!
So yeahhhhhh, these times are wicked good, if I do say so myself! I had no idea that I would be able to maintain a sub 9-minute pace for that long! I am anxious to run a 5k again. I really didn't even need that RI between the 1 and 2 miles. Those splits combined (sans RI) are 3.22 miles in 26:38! That is more than 2 whole minutes off my best 5k time! 3.1 at that pace would be like a 25:38! Hoorah!
So now that I have probably jinxed myself, I'm off to bed. :)
Monday, August 25, 2008
A Scenic Little Jog
Yesterday was definitely a jogging day. I wanted to take it easy on my legs so I headed out for a soft-trailed park that I have never been to before. There were miles upon miles of gorgeous trails. Typically I run on the roads through farm country, so needless to say, the park was phenominal. See for yourself!
See that footprint next to my shoe? I was thinking maybe it was from a bear...yikes!
I cut my scheduled 13-miler short and ended up running about 8.8 miles at a 11:48 pace. Slower than usual, but there were hills and bridges to contend with. And pictures to be taken! I didn't want to push the miles and I'm glad I didn't. My legs feel just right today; happy sore, not sore-sore. The orthotics are great and I'm amazed that such a simple thing could make such a big difference.
This coming week has my longest run yet, by far. My husband thinks (in a loving way I'm sure) I am slacking off my schedule (which I am) and that now I won't be able to finish the marathon. Dork. So this week I'll have to stick to the schedule to prove him wrong. :)
This weeks schedule:
Tuesday: 10-20 min warmup; 1 mile (400 RI), 2 miles (800 RI), 2x800 (400 RI), 10 min cooldown
Thursday: 2 miles easy, 3 miles @ tempo pace, 2 miles easy
Saturday: 16 miles PMP +30-45 sec/mile
SIXTEEN?!??! lolz
See that footprint next to my shoe? I was thinking maybe it was from a bear...yikes!
I cut my scheduled 13-miler short and ended up running about 8.8 miles at a 11:48 pace. Slower than usual, but there were hills and bridges to contend with. And pictures to be taken! I didn't want to push the miles and I'm glad I didn't. My legs feel just right today; happy sore, not sore-sore. The orthotics are great and I'm amazed that such a simple thing could make such a big difference.
This coming week has my longest run yet, by far. My husband thinks (in a loving way I'm sure) I am slacking off my schedule (which I am) and that now I won't be able to finish the marathon. Dork. So this week I'll have to stick to the schedule to prove him wrong. :)
This weeks schedule:
Tuesday: 10-20 min warmup; 1 mile (400 RI), 2 miles (800 RI), 2x800 (400 RI), 10 min cooldown
Thursday: 2 miles easy, 3 miles @ tempo pace, 2 miles easy
Saturday: 16 miles PMP +30-45 sec/mile
SIXTEEN?!??! lolz
Friday, August 22, 2008
High Arches + Overpronation = Me
In addition to the wicked shin splints I now have inflammed front-of-the-lower-leg muscles. (I can never remember what they are called). Last night's 8 miler quickly turned into a 1.5 miler with me limping off the track. I usually push through the shin splints but this was completely different. And it sucked. I almost mad-cried my way home.
So I went to Runners
today (twice hoping for some insight. The runner there (I love that the Runners peeps are actually runners) said that the wear pattern on my current shoes --heavy on the inside, light on the outside-- indicated that I am an overpronator. He said that my shoes still have life in them and that orthotics should help with my leg problems. He also showed me some ways to strengthen my hip and inner thigh muscles, as well as another stretch to add to my calf stretches. I'll be testing out the orthotics on my 13-miler Sunday morning. *fingers crossed*
I knew I had high arches but just learned today that I overpronate. This really kind of sucks! Most (all?) peeps with high arches underpronate; it's the flat footers that overpronate. Of course I could never be normal. Always gotta be a challenge, this shopperjoggerblogger.
So I went to Runners
today (twice hoping for some insight. The runner there (I love that the Runners peeps are actually runners) said that the wear pattern on my current shoes --heavy on the inside, light on the outside-- indicated that I am an overpronator. He said that my shoes still have life in them and that orthotics should help with my leg problems. He also showed me some ways to strengthen my hip and inner thigh muscles, as well as another stretch to add to my calf stretches. I'll be testing out the orthotics on my 13-miler Sunday morning. *fingers crossed*
I knew I had high arches but just learned today that I overpronate. This really kind of sucks! Most (all?) peeps with high arches underpronate; it's the flat footers that overpronate. Of course I could never be normal. Always gotta be a challenge, this shopperjoggerblogger.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Training Paces
I've been doing track workouts for a few weeks now but I haven't really had a goal range to try to stay in for my 400s and 800s. I just found a pace calculator
here and based on my PR 5k time of 28:45, it suggests:
Going off my previous runs (both long and track) those figures seem a little slow. So I played with it a little, and my numbers are more in line with this chart, based on a 25:45 5k.
I'm not sure what this means. Am I training too hard right now? Or am I running my 5k's too slow? Anyway I'm going to follow the chart for the 25:45 pace. My ultimate goal is to be able to run a sub 25 minute 5k, so maybe this will help.
Here are last nights 400 times, with a 2 minute recovery jog between each:
1 - 1:49
2 - 1:50
3 - 1:50
4 - 1:49
5 - 1:53
6 - 1:53
7 - 1:48
8 - 1:50
I'm consistent, that's for sure. The 7th one felt very slow so I was surprised to see my lowest split there. My total workout last night was 6 miles in 57:30, even with my jog/walk recoveries. That's a 9:35 pace overall! Splendid.
here and based on my PR 5k time of 28:45, it suggests:
Going off my previous runs (both long and track) those figures seem a little slow. So I played with it a little, and my numbers are more in line with this chart, based on a 25:45 5k.
I'm not sure what this means. Am I training too hard right now? Or am I running my 5k's too slow? Anyway I'm going to follow the chart for the 25:45 pace. My ultimate goal is to be able to run a sub 25 minute 5k, so maybe this will help.
Here are last nights 400 times, with a 2 minute recovery jog between each:
1 - 1:49
2 - 1:50
3 - 1:50
4 - 1:49
5 - 1:53
6 - 1:53
7 - 1:48
8 - 1:50
I'm consistent, that's for sure. The 7th one felt very slow so I was surprised to see my lowest split there. My total workout last night was 6 miles in 57:30, even with my jog/walk recoveries. That's a 9:35 pace overall! Splendid.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Garmin Love
My inner nerd is in heeeeaaaaavvvveeeeennnn. My new Garmin came and it was like Christmas! Whooo eee boy.
I started out already late on my Sunday long run, and the Garmin froze. After trying to remember how to reset it, I ran the half mile back home and realized that I have to press and hold for SEVEN seconds, not the five I thought. Oh well, easy fix. So I set out and this thing is super groovy. Here are my splits:
Mile 1 - 9:40 (oops, got too excited)
2 - 10:00
3 - 10:04
4 - 9:50
5 - 9:55
6 - 9:56
7 - 10:12
8 - 10:20
9 - 11:24
10 - 12:03
11 - 10:56
12 - 10:31
Total time - 2:04:11, average pace 10:23
Miles 9-11 were noticeably slower because I took a few walk breaks. It was wicked hot and humid and I was dyyyyyyying of hotness. My goal marathon is 4:30 which is a little over a 10 minute mile pace. If it wasn't for the heat I could have ran this better, so hopefully next weekend my slow butt will get out of bed at 6am instead of leaving at 9am...
Oh yeah, I drank 36 oz of fluid during the run and I came home and still weighed 3.4 pounds less than when I left. Conclusion = I need to fuel more.
This weeks schedule:
Tuesday: 10-20 min warmup, 2 x (4x400)1:30 RI (2:30 between sets), 10 min cooldown
Thursday: 8 miles (10k pace + 40 seconds)
Saturday: 13 miles (PMP + 20 sec mile)
I just finished up Ultramarathon Man last night. Wow. Dean Karnazes is so motivating. He makes me feel now more than ever that 26.2 is totally doable (and chump change to him!). I'll be thinking of him during the marathon and I hope that will help me get through it!
I started out already late on my Sunday long run, and the Garmin froze. After trying to remember how to reset it, I ran the half mile back home and realized that I have to press and hold for SEVEN seconds, not the five I thought. Oh well, easy fix. So I set out and this thing is super groovy. Here are my splits:
Mile 1 - 9:40 (oops, got too excited)
2 - 10:00
3 - 10:04
4 - 9:50
5 - 9:55
6 - 9:56
7 - 10:12
8 - 10:20
9 - 11:24
10 - 12:03
11 - 10:56
12 - 10:31
Total time - 2:04:11, average pace 10:23
Miles 9-11 were noticeably slower because I took a few walk breaks. It was wicked hot and humid and I was dyyyyyyying of hotness. My goal marathon is 4:30 which is a little over a 10 minute mile pace. If it wasn't for the heat I could have ran this better, so hopefully next weekend my slow butt will get out of bed at 6am instead of leaving at 9am...
Oh yeah, I drank 36 oz of fluid during the run and I came home and still weighed 3.4 pounds less than when I left. Conclusion = I need to fuel more.
This weeks schedule:
Tuesday: 10-20 min warmup, 2 x (4x400)1:30 RI (2:30 between sets), 10 min cooldown
Thursday: 8 miles (10k pace + 40 seconds)
Saturday: 13 miles (PMP + 20 sec mile)
I just finished up Ultramarathon Man last night. Wow. Dean Karnazes is so motivating. He makes me feel now more than ever that 26.2 is totally doable (and chump change to him!). I'll be thinking of him during the marathon and I hope that will help me get through it!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
I'm out of patience.
I couldn't take it anymore. I've been saving for the Garmin Forerunner 405 for...oh I dunno, a month?...and I neeeeeeeeeeeeed it.
So I bought it! And it will be here tomorrow! YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!
(sorry, I couldn't keep it in any longer, and no one in the real world understands this obsession) :)
So I bought it! And it will be here tomorrow! YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!
(sorry, I couldn't keep it in any longer, and no one in the real world understands this obsession) :)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
I *heart* the track.
Tonight was my second track workout. Ever.
When I was in middle school, the school district had a dirt track. Yeah, dirt. Like gravel. It was still "legal", but nothing like what it should have been for the class A school that it was. I moved right before high school and that school had an asphalt track. Yeah, paved. Like a road. That one wasn't legal and all of our meets were at others schools. So all of my running practice was spent in corridors of the school, on the grass football field, or on the road, with the exception of the meets. Now I pretty much stick to sidewalks and roads, so I've never really had the chance to practice on a track, and hooo eeeeee, is it ever nice! My shins are orgasmically pleased. :)
So last week I made the switch to the FIRST marathon training plan.
I.
Love.
It.
It's 3 weekly runs; 1 track/speed workout, 1 tempo run, and 1 LSD. Perfect for a busy shin-splinted mom of 3 like me. Four runs just wasn't happening for me.
Last week at the track I did 5 x 400m with a warmup and cooldown. This week was 4 x 800 with a 1.5 mile warmup and 1.5 mile cooldown.
My 800m splits (via my almost-shelfed-for-the-new-Garmin Polar F4) were:
1. 4:09
2: 4:09
3: 4:03
4: 4:05
Hmmm...that was a little better than I had anticipated. Quite well, if I do say so myself! That is the same pace that I did my 400s in last week, but obviously for twice as long. Yee haw! My secret (not-so-secret anymore) marathon goal is 4:30. Hopefully these 800s are a good sign that my goal is achievable. That would be fabulous. The marathon is still 10 weeks away so that should leave time for a bit of improvement as well.
___________________________________
Oh yeah, I tried out my fuel belt on my 11-miler last weekend.
It almost made me cry.
You see, when I get mad, really really mad, I cry. Just ask my husband. And I was PISSED at that damn fuel belt. I filled up 2 bottles, strapped it snugly to me and took off, feeling pretty dang official and runneresque. For about 20 feet. Then it would creep up and I would move it back down. Over. And over. And over. My first mile took 14 minutes if that tells you anything. I finally had to ditch the belt in a corn field (no lie) about 3 miles in and stopped and got it on the way back. I felt so freeeeeeeee during those beltless miles. When I came back to the belt - thankfully no one stole it - I figured out that if it was touching my nice and sweaty belly skin that it wouldn't creep up. So it actually stayed put for the last 3 miles, but sexy....oh yeah. Real sexy.
I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I loved the convenience. I had fluids, licorice (works great for carbs), and GU (still haven't tried it) with me so I didn't have to worry about stopping, but it was a real pain in the ass to get it situated. Where do y'all wear yours? I tried it low on the hips and it would creep up. I tried it way up high and felt like I was 80 years old because it was right under my sports bra. Schexy. It never stayed where I wanted it to --in the middle-- because my wonderful children blessed me with a muffin top and love handles where my slim old waist used to be. It would've stayed put on that old waist ya know. *sigh*
Props to Running Warehouse for the super fast super free delivery. I'll definitely be ordering from them again in the near future. I didn't try out the other belt yet...maybe I'll give it a quick spin up and down the driveway to see if it stays. I'm betting it's going back though. It's not very pretty.
___________________________________
Tonight I did a total of 5 miles. My other 2 runs this week are a 6 mile tempo run on Thursday and my long weekend run is 12 miles.
I still can't believe this is me talking about this many miles.
When I was in middle school, the school district had a dirt track. Yeah, dirt. Like gravel. It was still "legal", but nothing like what it should have been for the class A school that it was. I moved right before high school and that school had an asphalt track. Yeah, paved. Like a road. That one wasn't legal and all of our meets were at others schools. So all of my running practice was spent in corridors of the school, on the grass football field, or on the road, with the exception of the meets. Now I pretty much stick to sidewalks and roads, so I've never really had the chance to practice on a track, and hooo eeeeee, is it ever nice! My shins are orgasmically pleased. :)
So last week I made the switch to the FIRST marathon training plan.
I.
Love.
It.
It's 3 weekly runs; 1 track/speed workout, 1 tempo run, and 1 LSD. Perfect for a busy shin-splinted mom of 3 like me. Four runs just wasn't happening for me.
Last week at the track I did 5 x 400m with a warmup and cooldown. This week was 4 x 800 with a 1.5 mile warmup and 1.5 mile cooldown.
My 800m splits (via my almost-shelfed-for-the-new-Garmin Polar F4) were:
1. 4:09
2: 4:09
3: 4:03
4: 4:05
Hmmm...that was a little better than I had anticipated. Quite well, if I do say so myself! That is the same pace that I did my 400s in last week, but obviously for twice as long. Yee haw! My secret (not-so-secret anymore) marathon goal is 4:30. Hopefully these 800s are a good sign that my goal is achievable. That would be fabulous. The marathon is still 10 weeks away so that should leave time for a bit of improvement as well.
___________________________________
Oh yeah, I tried out my fuel belt on my 11-miler last weekend.
It almost made me cry.
You see, when I get mad, really really mad, I cry. Just ask my husband. And I was PISSED at that damn fuel belt. I filled up 2 bottles, strapped it snugly to me and took off, feeling pretty dang official and runneresque. For about 20 feet. Then it would creep up and I would move it back down. Over. And over. And over. My first mile took 14 minutes if that tells you anything. I finally had to ditch the belt in a corn field (no lie) about 3 miles in and stopped and got it on the way back. I felt so freeeeeeeee during those beltless miles. When I came back to the belt - thankfully no one stole it - I figured out that if it was touching my nice and sweaty belly skin that it wouldn't creep up. So it actually stayed put for the last 3 miles, but sexy....oh yeah. Real sexy.
I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I loved the convenience. I had fluids, licorice (works great for carbs), and GU (still haven't tried it) with me so I didn't have to worry about stopping, but it was a real pain in the ass to get it situated. Where do y'all wear yours? I tried it low on the hips and it would creep up. I tried it way up high and felt like I was 80 years old because it was right under my sports bra. Schexy. It never stayed where I wanted it to --in the middle-- because my wonderful children blessed me with a muffin top and love handles where my slim old waist used to be. It would've stayed put on that old waist ya know. *sigh*
Props to Running Warehouse for the super fast super free delivery. I'll definitely be ordering from them again in the near future. I didn't try out the other belt yet...maybe I'll give it a quick spin up and down the driveway to see if it stays. I'm betting it's going back though. It's not very pretty.
___________________________________
Tonight I did a total of 5 miles. My other 2 runs this week are a 6 mile tempo run on Thursday and my long weekend run is 12 miles.
I still can't believe this is me talking about this many miles.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Happy Birthday to ME!
Today I turn 28. *gasp* According to my son, however I'm only turning 25. Great kid.
It's a super duper good day so far because I am fulfilling the namesake that is Shop.Jog.Blog. Here I am blogging, tonight I have a 6 mile tempo run (I prolly can't jog a tempo "run" huh) scheduled, and this morning the UPS man kindly brought to me...
AND...
My original intention was to choose ONE and return the other (gotta love www.runningwarehouse.com - free shipping both ways!), but knowing me...I'll probably keep them both. D'oh!
It's a super duper good day so far because I am fulfilling the namesake that is Shop.Jog.Blog. Here I am blogging, tonight I have a 6 mile tempo run (I prolly can't jog a tempo "run" huh) scheduled, and this morning the UPS man kindly brought to me...
AND...
My original intention was to choose ONE and return the other (gotta love www.runningwarehouse.com - free shipping both ways!), but knowing me...I'll probably keep them both. D'oh!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
yourTunes, myTunes, meTunes, iTunes
My playlist desperately needs a revamping. I find myself shuffling through at least 5 songs to find just 1 good one. I'm tired of the same ole crap.
So watcha got? If everyone could leave a few (3, 5, 27?) of their favorite running songs in the comments section, that would be stellar.
Have a happy Tuesday!
So watcha got? If everyone could leave a few (3, 5, 27?) of their favorite running songs in the comments section, that would be stellar.
Have a happy Tuesday!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Change of plans
I've decided to switch training plans, 10 weeks before the marathon. This may or may not be a smart move, but I'll take my chances. I need to do some further research but it looks like I'm switching to the FIRST "first marathon training program." It involves just 3 days per week of running, supplemented with cross training. I think this will fit my schedule better, now I just have to figure out how to transition into this plan without drastically increasing my weekly mileage. Fun stuff. :)
My 10 miler yesterday went great! I ran in the morning which is SO not my style but the temp at 8am was 60 degrees, and you can't really beat that. So off I went after having some oatmeal, water, and 400mg of ibuprofen for my shins (which worked fabulously, btw). At about mile 3 I realized that I missed my turn, so my 10 miler ended up being just over 11. I was too tired to psych myself up about it so I just kept running, and I made it! I need to figure out the fuel situation because....well....right now I really don't have one and I knew I was dehydrated towards the end. Can anyone recommend a fuel belt? They seem so...nerdy. Do they have any fashionable ones?
The plan for week six is supposed to be:
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Sunday: 11 miles
The FIRST plan is:
Tuesday: 10-20 min warmup, 4x800m (1:30 RI), 10 min cooldown
Wednesday: cross train
Thursday: 1 mile easy, 5 tempo
Sunday: 14 miles @ PMP + 30 sec.
Last week I ran 19 miles so I'm going to have to tweak the FIRST plan. I guess I'll probably cut the long run to 12 or 13 miles, for a weekly total of 22-23 miles. Yeah, that sounds good.
I welcome any input on the FIRST plan. Has it worked for you? Did you struggle with the marathon after following it?
I've been wondering something about my marathon pace. If I can sustain a 10:30 pace for 11 easy miles, is that a realistic pace for my marathon? I guess I'm wondering, for those of you that have ran marathons, how did your training pace compare to your marathon pace...?
Have a great week!
My 10 miler yesterday went great! I ran in the morning which is SO not my style but the temp at 8am was 60 degrees, and you can't really beat that. So off I went after having some oatmeal, water, and 400mg of ibuprofen for my shins (which worked fabulously, btw). At about mile 3 I realized that I missed my turn, so my 10 miler ended up being just over 11. I was too tired to psych myself up about it so I just kept running, and I made it! I need to figure out the fuel situation because....well....right now I really don't have one and I knew I was dehydrated towards the end. Can anyone recommend a fuel belt? They seem so...nerdy. Do they have any fashionable ones?
The plan for week six is supposed to be:
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Sunday: 11 miles
The FIRST plan is:
Tuesday: 10-20 min warmup, 4x800m (1:30 RI), 10 min cooldown
Wednesday: cross train
Thursday: 1 mile easy, 5 tempo
Sunday: 14 miles @ PMP + 30 sec.
Last week I ran 19 miles so I'm going to have to tweak the FIRST plan. I guess I'll probably cut the long run to 12 or 13 miles, for a weekly total of 22-23 miles. Yeah, that sounds good.
I welcome any input on the FIRST plan. Has it worked for you? Did you struggle with the marathon after following it?
I've been wondering something about my marathon pace. If I can sustain a 10:30 pace for 11 easy miles, is that a realistic pace for my marathon? I guess I'm wondering, for those of you that have ran marathons, how did your training pace compare to your marathon pace...?
Have a great week!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Need For Speed
I have no speed. None nada. Have you seen my speed? Where did it go? Oh, that's right. It was never ever here.
I ran a 5k last night and hoped to run it in a 28-something, to set a PR below my current 28:45ish. Instead I rolled in with a 29:36...nearly my worst 5k time. I'm not exactly sure what went wrong. I was feeling alright and my shins weren't hating me...I'm wondering if the heat just made it harder for me. I hate heat. I prefer fall and spring to this summer blahness. I did come home and do an ice bath in the bathtub...that was wonderful and I think my shins are starting to like me again for it.
So anyway, it sucked. Sucked sucked sucked. It kind of makes me wonder what the hell I'm doing training for a marathon. Can I really do it? I mean I guess I know I CAN, but will I have a Katie Holmesesque time? Can I beat Oprah?
Sorry for the drab post, I'm just swimming in slow-run-induced haterade today.
In other non-running news, my 20 month old sweet baby girl has decided to potty train herself. Bonus!
I ran a 5k last night and hoped to run it in a 28-something, to set a PR below my current 28:45ish. Instead I rolled in with a 29:36...nearly my worst 5k time. I'm not exactly sure what went wrong. I was feeling alright and my shins weren't hating me...I'm wondering if the heat just made it harder for me. I hate heat. I prefer fall and spring to this summer blahness. I did come home and do an ice bath in the bathtub...that was wonderful and I think my shins are starting to like me again for it.
So anyway, it sucked. Sucked sucked sucked. It kind of makes me wonder what the hell I'm doing training for a marathon. Can I really do it? I mean I guess I know I CAN, but will I have a Katie Holmesesque time? Can I beat Oprah?
Sorry for the drab post, I'm just swimming in slow-run-induced haterade today.
In other non-running news, my 20 month old sweet baby girl has decided to potty train herself. Bonus!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Week FIVE!
I can't believe that I forgot to post this on Monday. D'oh!
Week five goes like this:
Wednesday: 3 miles (5k race)
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: 3 miles (or elliptical)
Sunday: 10 miles
My first double digit run! That's insane. I used to think people that could do 3 miles were THE SHIT, and now look at me! Oh yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Now watch, I'll fall flat on my face and never finish it. ;)
Week five goes like this:
Wednesday: 3 miles (5k race)
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: 3 miles (or elliptical)
Sunday: 10 miles
My first double digit run! That's insane. I used to think people that could do 3 miles were THE SHIT, and now look at me! Oh yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Now watch, I'll fall flat on my face and never finish it. ;)
Training Plan
I am attempting to follow this training plan but having been skipping a run eack week. My shins are a concern of mine (read: they hurt like a mutha!) and I don't want to injure myself. I think I've decided that instead of four running days, I am going to do the three that I have been doing, and add in a fourth day of cross-training. I need to do this for a few weeks and I hope that my shins will improve in that time. I stopped in at Runners yesterday and got some advice (and Gu!) from the nice guy there. If they don't improve...well, eff me! I swear I read about some guy that training for a marathon solely on an elliptical machine with no running whatsoever. I wonder how that turned out for him.
My 8 miler Sunday was fabulous! I stopped for water at 3.5 and 5 miles and finished up in the darkness. I guess the days are getting shorter already. Anyway it took 84 minutes not including the water breaks which is about a 10:30 pace. That's right about where my LSD needs to be I think.
I am doing a 5k tonight and it is disgustingly humid outside. My goal for tonight is 28 minutes. I just need to remember to start out slow - I always work myself up and start too fast and then tank, so I'm going to have to remind myself of that all day today. :)
My 8 miler Sunday was fabulous! I stopped for water at 3.5 and 5 miles and finished up in the darkness. I guess the days are getting shorter already. Anyway it took 84 minutes not including the water breaks which is about a 10:30 pace. That's right about where my LSD needs to be I think.
I am doing a 5k tonight and it is disgustingly humid outside. My goal for tonight is 28 minutes. I just need to remember to start out slow - I always work myself up and start too fast and then tank, so I'm going to have to remind myself of that all day today. :)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
A predicament and a revelation
I had a revelation last night. An "aha" moment for all you Oprah fans. It was during my midweek 5-miler which started out very bad. (I am having lower leg pain all around...it started in my shins and is now on the outside of my leg and I'm getting calf cramps. I'm icing and taking ibuprofen but it's not getting much better). Anyway, I was about 4 miles into my "run" and suddenly realized...
I'm not tired at all. I can go much faster than this pace.
So I did. For over a mile I "ran" considerably faster than I had been for the first few miles. And it felt great! I have no idea how much faster it was, but I could just tell. Don't get me wrong, I was NOT sprinting. It probably wasn't any better than a 9 minute mile, but still. It was faster!
So to sum it all up, I'm a lazy a$$ that doesn't "run" as fast as I am capable of. DUH!!! In hindsight it seems so obvious.
And for my predicament...there is a 5k next Wednesday evening that I have been looking forward to for quite a while now, mainly because it is a night race and those are hard to come by. I am a definitely a nightrunner jogger, so I'm confident that this would likely be my fastest 5k and I could easily set a PR. The problem, you ask? My husband is going to be out of town, and my regular backup sitter (aka: the in-laws) are busy.
Crap.
So I guess I need a sitter so I can run a race. It seems so silly, but I really want to do it. I have no desire to pay the $20 that a babysitter would cost me for 2 hours, just to run a race. I want to do it though, so I might have to suck it up. I have 6 days to figure this out. Hmmmm....
****UPDATE!****
I have a volunteer for babysitting! YEAH! Good ole Tony has no idea what he's getting into....those girls are.....monsters sweet angels. I'm sure he'll have a great time with them. (At least Kyler can help keep him sane.)
Thanks Tone!
I'm not tired at all. I can go much faster than this pace.
So I did. For over a mile I "ran" considerably faster than I had been for the first few miles. And it felt great! I have no idea how much faster it was, but I could just tell. Don't get me wrong, I was NOT sprinting. It probably wasn't any better than a 9 minute mile, but still. It was faster!
So to sum it all up, I'm a lazy a$$ that doesn't "run" as fast as I am capable of. DUH!!! In hindsight it seems so obvious.
And for my predicament...there is a 5k next Wednesday evening that I have been looking forward to for quite a while now, mainly because it is a night race and those are hard to come by. I am a definitely a night
Crap.
So I guess I need a sitter so I can run a race. It seems so silly, but I really want to do it. I have no desire to pay the $20 that a babysitter would cost me for 2 hours, just to run a race. I want to do it though, so I might have to suck it up. I have 6 days to figure this out. Hmmmm....
****UPDATE!****
I have a volunteer for babysitting! YEAH! Good ole Tony has no idea what he's getting into....those girls are.....
Thanks Tone!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Spunky little lunchtime run
It finally cooled down a bit here in the mitt (hehe that rhymed! as my 4 year old would point out :)), so I took full advantage and did my 3 scheduled miles during my lunch hour. I had only fueled with pop tarts and a Diet Pepsi for the day so I was skeptical of the quality of this run, but it was actually one of the best yet! My shin splints went away in the first half mile (as opposed to 1-2 miles) and I settled in quite nicely. The very best part is that I was FAST. Like lightning...If lightning traveled at a speed of a 9:40 mile. But for a regular 10 minute girl, this is GREAT.
Still pondering when I officially become a "runner".... I don't believe the "you're a runner once you have signed up for a race" crap. Sorry, I just don't. Maybe there is a speed limit. Or perhaps once I have a marathon under my belt, then I can be an official runner. But not a Katie Holmes marathon, that shit was a Scientolohoax.
Still pondering when I officially become a "runner".... I don't believe the "you're a runner once you have signed up for a race" crap. Sorry, I just don't. Maybe there is a speed limit. Or perhaps once I have a marathon under my belt, then I can be an official runner. But not a Katie Holmes marathon, that shit was a Scientolohoax.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Week Four
I'm sucking at this. The runs are going great, except for the tiny yet oh so important fact that I have been SKIPPING A WHOLE RUN for the past 2 weeks! Crud. Chalk it up to too many kids and not enough hours I suppose. And nightly swimming lessons. And a thunderstorm. And a vacation.
Carry on, jogger, carry on.
Today starts week four. I am determined to run the 4 required times. Fo reals. I mean it! The schedule goes like this:
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Friday: 3 miles
Sunday: 8 miles
Sunday is uncharted territory for me. My longest run so far is 7.5 miles so 8 is a whole new dealio. It's all psychological, I'm sure. Right?
So to celebrate, I got some new shorts. (all together now... "of COURSE you did, Wendy.") But but but they were on saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale, she told the husband. ;)
PS: I'm over the July humidity. Waiting until 8:30pm and still having to run in 80 degree weather is crap. I don't know how peeps in the southern states do it.
Carry on, jogger, carry on.
Today starts week four. I am determined to run the 4 required times. Fo reals. I mean it! The schedule goes like this:
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Friday: 3 miles
Sunday: 8 miles
Sunday is uncharted territory for me. My longest run so far is 7.5 miles so 8 is a whole new dealio. It's all psychological, I'm sure. Right?
So to celebrate, I got some new shorts. (all together now... "of COURSE you did, Wendy.") But but but they were on saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale, she told the husband. ;)
I also got a new PINK clutch purse this weekend. It's official...I am out of control.
PS: I'm over the July humidity. Waiting until 8:30pm and still having to run in 80 degree weather is crap. I don't know how peeps in the southern states do it.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Stylus Stylin'
I love this new camera! Here is a sampling of the fam.
My sweet Delaney:
Crazy Maddie:
Me!
In running news, last night I tackled my hilliest route thus far. It was still 80 degrees at 9:00pm but I ran just over 3.5 miles at my normal pace. With the hills! Amazing.
Later gaters!
My sweet Delaney:
Crazy Maddie:
Me!
In running news, last night I tackled my hilliest route thus far. It was still 80 degrees at 9:00pm but I ran just over 3.5 miles at my normal pace. With the hills! Amazing.
Later gaters!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Cool site
I just stumbled upon this website. I'm glued!
http://marathonrookie.com
Perfect for the marathon virgin that is me.
http://marathonrookie.com
Perfect for the marathon virgin that is me.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Putting the Shop in SJB
I am sooooooooooooo friggin excited about my latest purchase!
My camera took a crap so I decided to make some lemonade out of my misfortune...and bought a new one! This one is MUCH better than the old one, plus it's waterproof AND shockproof! (I just hope it's Delaney-proof...that girl of mine can break anything)
My camera took a crap so I decided to make some lemonade out of my misfortune...and bought a new one! This one is MUCH better than the old one, plus it's waterproof AND shockproof! (I just hope it's Delaney-proof...that girl of mine can break anything)
Week 3
Today starts week 3 of my training! The schedule is the same as last week, but an extra mile on the long run:
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Sunday: 7 miles
I must admit that I skipped last Thursday's workout. During mySunday Wednesday (not sure why I wrote Sunday!) run I had a LOT of shin pain and decided that it was better to take a day off than risk injury. My long run Sunday went surprisingly well. I decided to run to Sunday dinner - 6.5 miles from our house to my mother/father in laws. The distance wasn't a big deal, but we had steady 28 mph winds that I was running directly into for 3 of the miles. My time wasn't bad though...after all it was supposed to be a long slow distance run. It was a nice change of scenery too, but I could've done without the wiener dog and German Shepherd dog chasing me!
Added $14.00 into the Garmin fund, bringing me to a total of $29.00. Getting there!
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Sunday: 7 miles
I must admit that I skipped last Thursday's workout. During my
Added $14.00 into the Garmin fund, bringing me to a total of $29.00. Getting there!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Operation Garmin has commenced.
I have an appreciation for gadgets, especially those that occupy my ADD while running. And I need constant entertainment. I'm the type of person that plays Bubble Pop on my Moto Q while waiting for my email to load, all while waiting in line to pay for groceries. I don't like a lack of activity. I've had my eyes on the Garmin Forerunner 405 for a couple of months now.
I want one. I really want one. At the beginning of every run, when I press the start button on my Polar F4, I embrace my inner nerd and wish it was a 405.
Tonight during my pathetic attempt at 3 miles with shin pain, I got a great idea. I am going to save one dollar for each mile that I run, until I have saved enough money for a Garmin! Hopefully I'll get some birthday money and I'll put that towards it too. I'll have to calculate a tentative purchase date...definitely before the marathon though. I have started the fund with $15 for the 15 miles I ran last week and will deposit my weekly monies each Sunday. I better nerd it up and make a tally on my blog, huh?
I love running. I love shopping. This is PERFECT.
PS: Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure I could go and get the Forerunner tomorrow if I wanted to. But there is something to be said for scraping and saving for something that you really want. It makes it just that much better when you sprint into the store to go get it.
I want one. I really want one. At the beginning of every run, when I press the start button on my Polar F4, I embrace my inner nerd and wish it was a 405.
Tonight during my pathetic attempt at 3 miles with shin pain, I got a great idea. I am going to save one dollar for each mile that I run, until I have saved enough money for a Garmin! Hopefully I'll get some birthday money and I'll put that towards it too. I'll have to calculate a tentative purchase date...definitely before the marathon though. I have started the fund with $15 for the 15 miles I ran last week and will deposit my weekly monies each Sunday. I better nerd it up and make a tally on my blog, huh?
I love running. I love shopping. This is PERFECT.
PS: Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure I could go and get the Forerunner tomorrow if I wanted to. But there is something to be said for scraping and saving for something that you really want. It makes it just that much better when you sprint into the store to go get it.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Week Two
Today starts the second week of my marathon training. My scheduled runs are:
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Sunday: 6 miles
Without getting ahead of myself, this week seems like it will be easy. Nothing I haven't done before and my social calendar is relatively empty (read: loser!) with the exception of a wedding on Friday.
My shins are still pretty tender and I lost my favorite ice bag so I'm going to have to find another one. Ziplocs just don't cut it.
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Sunday: 6 miles
Without getting ahead of myself, this week seems like it will be easy. Nothing I haven't done before and my social calendar is relatively empty (read: loser!) with the exception of a wedding on Friday.
My shins are still pretty tender and I lost my favorite ice bag so I'm going to have to find another one. Ziplocs just don't cut it.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
My first 6.2
What a crazy week this has been! I didn't run on Tuesday because I was too busy packing for the lake, so I had to squeeze in a quick 3 mile run on Thursday. I probably shouldn't have done it because technically it was the day before my long run, but I needed the miles for my training. My shins are still cursing me, but they shut up with a little ice. ;)
We got up early Friday and headed into Lake City for the 2k fun run and 5/10k races. In one of my not so proud moments, this day turned out to be the first day I have ever forgotten one of my kids.
I still can't believe I did it, but in retrospect I guess it was slightly justified. There were 3 cars full of people that were leaving for the race. We were running a little behind and everyone scrambled to get in the cars. Matt and I had the girls but figured that Kyler was in another car. WRONG! Halfway there I started to doubt that he was en route. Once we got to the race site we confirmed this (BAD parents) and sent someone back to get him (thanks Tim & Tony!).
The 2k fun run was first. Maddie (4yrs) ran for a couple of minutes and then was tired. So it was jog. walk. jog. walk. jog. piggyback ride. walk. jog. piggyback ride. for 22 minutes. I didn't plan on it taking that long even if we'd walked, so it left me with literally about 3 minutes to take off the 2k bib and get ready for the 10k. And 0 minutes to get a much needed drink.
The race started out good. I am admittedly slow and found a nice woman that was running with the same goal - breaking 60 minutes. I stayed with her for about 20 minutes but then let her go on without me. I had a terrible shoulder cramp throughout the whole race (possibly due to jogging with a 40 pound kid on my back not 30 minutes earlier) and was nursing that a bit. I don't typically run the Galloway method but on this day I did. It was hot and I was tired, but I plugged along. This race wasn't incredibly organized...there were no mile markers and no recognizable guides, just spray painted orange arrows to follow. Anyway it worked, but I am a numbers girl and I like to know where I am at in the race!
I knew at about 53 minutes that I wasn't going to hit my goal. I was surprisingly okay with this...it was hot and I was tired. Besides, now I have a 10k time to beat! I ended up finishing in 1:02:35, to lots of family cheering me on!
Matt and Kyler ran the 5k and I wish I could have been able to watch. They both finished and I am incredibly proud of my non-runners!
Later that afternoon we played Survivor with the family. One of the events was running down to the road and back (0.8 miles each way). Of course I was stupid and did it but didn't go all the way. This day ended up being the most I have ever run in a day....so far.
Oh, and I am now down to a pathetic 8 healthy toenails. And I bet the latest won't be the last casualty!
We got up early Friday and headed into Lake City for the 2k fun run and 5/10k races. In one of my not so proud moments, this day turned out to be the first day I have ever forgotten one of my kids.
I still can't believe I did it, but in retrospect I guess it was slightly justified. There were 3 cars full of people that were leaving for the race. We were running a little behind and everyone scrambled to get in the cars. Matt and I had the girls but figured that Kyler was in another car. WRONG! Halfway there I started to doubt that he was en route. Once we got to the race site we confirmed this (BAD parents) and sent someone back to get him (thanks Tim & Tony!).
The 2k fun run was first. Maddie (4yrs) ran for a couple of minutes and then was tired. So it was jog. walk. jog. walk. jog. piggyback ride. walk. jog. piggyback ride. for 22 minutes. I didn't plan on it taking that long even if we'd walked, so it left me with literally about 3 minutes to take off the 2k bib and get ready for the 10k. And 0 minutes to get a much needed drink.
The race started out good. I am admittedly slow and found a nice woman that was running with the same goal - breaking 60 minutes. I stayed with her for about 20 minutes but then let her go on without me. I had a terrible shoulder cramp throughout the whole race (possibly due to jogging with a 40 pound kid on my back not 30 minutes earlier) and was nursing that a bit. I don't typically run the Galloway method but on this day I did. It was hot and I was tired, but I plugged along. This race wasn't incredibly organized...there were no mile markers and no recognizable guides, just spray painted orange arrows to follow. Anyway it worked, but I am a numbers girl and I like to know where I am at in the race!
I knew at about 53 minutes that I wasn't going to hit my goal. I was surprisingly okay with this...it was hot and I was tired. Besides, now I have a 10k time to beat! I ended up finishing in 1:02:35, to lots of family cheering me on!
Matt and Kyler ran the 5k and I wish I could have been able to watch. They both finished and I am incredibly proud of my non-runners!
Later that afternoon we played Survivor with the family. One of the events was running down to the road and back (0.8 miles each way). Of course I was stupid and did it but didn't go all the way. This day ended up being the most I have ever run in a day....so far.
Oh, and I am now down to a pathetic 8 healthy toenails. And I bet the latest won't be the last casualty!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Week One
This week is the first scheduled week of my marathon training. I am supposed to run:
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Sunday: 5 miles
Total: 15 miles
Here it is my first week and I already have to modify the damn schedule. We are heading to the lake on Wednesday for the weekend and I am running in a 10k on Friday, so I'm going to have to tweak the schedule. I'll probably end up running 4 miles on Tuesday, 6 on Friday (I'm doing a 2k with Maddie as well), and 5 on Sunday so I still total up to the 15 miles. The following week I have to transition myself into running 4 days a week!
Tonight I ran in my new outfit I bought this week. What a difference! It wicks the sweat away so I barely even get hot. Tonight I did 6.14 miles in 61 minutes. I am hoping to keep the 10k under an hour total and after tonight that actually seems doable. We shall see!
Here is my new outfit. I feel an obsession coming on.
Must. Buy. More....
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Sunday: 5 miles
Total: 15 miles
Here it is my first week and I already have to modify the damn schedule. We are heading to the lake on Wednesday for the weekend and I am running in a 10k on Friday, so I'm going to have to tweak the schedule. I'll probably end up running 4 miles on Tuesday, 6 on Friday (I'm doing a 2k with Maddie as well), and 5 on Sunday so I still total up to the 15 miles. The following week I have to transition myself into running 4 days a week!
Tonight I ran in my new outfit I bought this week. What a difference! It wicks the sweat away so I barely even get hot. Tonight I did 6.14 miles in 61 minutes. I am hoping to keep the 10k under an hour total and after tonight that actually seems doable. We shall see!
Here is my new outfit. I feel an obsession coming on.
Must. Buy. More....
Friday, June 27, 2008
Morning runs....
....suck. Plain and simple. I'm tired and hungry and just want to go back to bed.
Today I did my first morning run (other than 5ks) in over a year. They never seem to get better either. I prefer afternoon and evening runs but those times are pretty busy for me during the week. Besides, I need to practice long runs in the morning because the marathon starts bright and early!
Maybe I just need to get used to it.
Today I did my first morning run (other than 5ks) in over a year. They never seem to get better either. I prefer afternoon and evening runs but those times are pretty busy for me during the week. Besides, I need to practice long runs in the morning because the marathon starts bright and early!
Maybe I just need to get used to it.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Here I am with my very own running blog. I say running, but what I really mean is jogging. I think you have to go faster than my snail pace to consider it "running". Anyone know exactly what is considered running vs jogging?
Today I did something I never thought I would do. I registered for my first marathon. Yes, first. I have every intention of doing more than one. I am following the Non-Runners Marathon Trainer program, and I officially start training next week. The Detroit Free Press/Flagster Marathon is on October 19th...can't wait!
Today I did something I never thought I would do. I registered for my first marathon. Yes, first. I have every intention of doing more than one. I am following the Non-Runners Marathon Trainer program, and I officially start training next week. The Detroit Free Press/Flagster Marathon is on October 19th...can't wait!
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