back at it.

I mean to go to bed just now, but I came to check out a 3 mile route (yes, I know I should have that one down by now) and I got distracted...or focused. My half-marathon was on Saturday. I just read a great feature in the most recent Runner's World. And in my photos, I actually look like an athlete-like a runner, kinda. So, I am inspired. And even though the half was ROUGH, I still like running.

First of all, the half was rough. I did 11.some miles two weeks before the race and while it was darn hot out that morning, it was a really good run. That being said, two days later I woke up and did 5 miles, went about my day-to-day, and on my way home that evening I crashed on my bicycle. Now, listen...a million reasons later, I still haven't figured out what exactly caused me to lose control, but I have given this much thought (after lying in the ER and spending quite a few hours at dentists and just lying around-in general). My conclusion is this-I completely took for-granted that I was absolutely, without a doubt dehydrated from my two hard runs and then did my normal life, had some adult beverages, I go too fast on my bike and I don't always make the biking my #1 priority. So, I crashed. I had 2 CT Scans of different parts of my head. I had about 12 x-rays done in 24 hours. But, I am ok. Physically, I am ok. I cried myself to sleep that first night. I may not have cried since. But, I am ok.

So, approximately 12 days before my race, I have to put my training on hold. I did not run again until 7 full days later. That next Tuesday morning, I woke up and did 4.5 miles. It was ok. I felt alright. So, I decided to still do the race. I thought it maybe would just be like a taper. So, I rested the remainder of the week and got up Saturday morning (naturally, not giving myself adequate morning time) and headed to the start line.

I got there-to the Memorial Union here in Madison and felt kinda like I was home. Like a home I haven't spent much time at lately, but nonetheless, like I was home. And as I made my way through the masses to find my pace group...I felt so many emotions rush by me. I felt excited. I hardly felt focused. I was a little cold. But I think the most difficult part was that I felt absolutely, completely 100% alone. My training buddy was back in the pack somewhere. A woman I know pretty well was ahead of me. I had no spectators wishing me well at the start line. It was lonely. And here's where I pause (in real time) and think, "wow, duh..running isn't about the other people. why do i run? its about me. it is about finding yourself and doing your thing." Anyway, the start happened and I struggled, mentally, for the next hour and forty-seven minutes trying to find myself out there on that course.

There were highs and lows. At one point I felt great. At another, I felt some tears running down my face. Why couldn't I focus? Why did I feel so alone? Why did I crash? Why did it hurt? Needless to say, the race went on. The day went on. I found myself working endlessly to be in a "good" place and while I struggled, I think that day I found something out about myself. I am strong. I can do it. I don't need anyone else to get what I want. Literally, I might feel like stopping (like walking) but I kept moving forward. What else can you truly do, in running-or in life, but to keep moving yourself forward. That is really all there is.

And hey, I still like running...so tomorrow, I am back at it.

Another Fiver

5 miles this morning...and each monday until the last week of the plan.

FIVE Miles!

(and tomorrow I've got 10 miles...)

Today's workout was 5 miles at pace. I woke up at about 5:50am, however a little over an hour earlier, I had woken up with a pretty massive charlie horse in my lower left leg. And you know what they say, "what starts in chaos..." Okay, well it wasn't that bad, but I pulled myself out of bed, tried to map out a nice, easy (for the mind, anyway) 5 miles and got myself on my way. First, I notice there are a lot of sirens in the neighborhood, so naturally, I get distracted and completely go away from the route I've mapped out. Ok. Nonetheless, now that I've done about 7 or 8 weeks of training I decided I wouldn't let it stress me out and to just have a goal to be home before I get to 45 minutes. 45 min would have meant 9 min miles, and so that was my goal. Like I said, it was a little rough getting out of bed this morning to begin with. So, I run. And about 2 miles in-more cramping, yet this time it is in my abdomen. I haven't had a side ache in a LOOONNNNGG time. At least not one like this. My breathing was all off, my stride changed...to say the least, it was painful. Ok, changed the song on my iPod, since one of my policies for aches like that is to sing (or speak). I thought I had read somewhere that you need to push more air out and to regulate your breathing you should do that. Really, what do I know. But I think it kinda works. Ok, charlie horse-check, side ache-check. Now we are to at least 3 or 3.5 miles. What else could go wrong. As I run down a (rather large) hill and round the corner for the last mile and a half I notice this shooting pain radiating through the left side of my back. I try to notice if I am doing something to cause it-no, I am not bouncing back and fourth; no it is not happening just when one of my feet hits the ground. Weird. So, I push through until about 4.5ish and fortunately get stopped at a light where I simply bend over and in a yoga like pose-with my hands between my knees I sort of do the "angry cat" pose while standing up....and voila...much better. So, I pull myself together and finish it out.

Wow. And all of that before 7am. I thought maybe my motto for the day would be TGIF...but then I realized that I've got 10 miles to do tomorrow. Perhaps my motto should be GOTV (get out the vodka) or GBIB (get back in bed). Until I decide, check out this 5-miler (5.2383, to be exact) !

NINER!

Nine Miles from downtown Madison......on a fantastic Saturday morning.

Okay, I am having wishful thinking about it being so fantastic-but a girl can dream, can't she?! :) Right now we are having a little bit of a thunderstorm (finally, some summery weather) and I am just hoping that it all clears up come morning. Gotta get those nine miles in. Gotta stick to the plan.

(or try this route. its pretty similar, though less hilly, i think)

Off -days

Thursday is my off-day in this program and to tell you the truth, I feel like a lazy, fat pig on Thursdays. Ok, Sunday is also my off-day, but for some reason, I don't really feel quite as bad. And, as I write this, I am thinking that perhaps its the weeks when I've got the intervals (400m repeats) that I feel most bad. That is probably the honest truth right there. My shins are still aching nearly three days later and I still feel rather depleted. Hmm. So I blog and I find my answer. I like this. I like it a lot.

Okay, now that I've solved today's big dilemma, I should be getting to bed. 4-miler at pace in the morning! Woohoo. Yay me. This should be good. It will be nice to get back into it in the morning. Later!

Mostly for my own memory.

I mapped another 3-mile run out for this morning. Its hardly different, but slightly and since I have at least one run at that distance every single week, I'd better map them all out.

So, we (my two friends who are also following the same training plan as I am) have surpassed the half-way mark to race day, as of this past Saturday. Hooo-ray! For me, the milestone was that (is that) I ran Saturday's workout at a pace that I would find acceptable come race-day. The real distance was 6.5 miles and my total time came to 55min. making my pace 8:27. The last (and only other) half marathon I completed I went at about 8:29 pace. My ultimate goal is to go faster than that, but I have been trying to pace consistently faster than that, especially in the past two weeks of my training. I've run some of my 3-4 milers as fast as 7:34 pace...to about 8:10. And, I've been doing my speed-work quite a bit faster...on accident at first, but nonetheless, faster.

And most importantly, I've realized two things in the last 6 weeks of training.
1. keep a journal of some sort of your training. I have known this, but was recently reminded of its significance. If you pay attention to that, you'll discover some really cool things about yourself. (right now, google calendar is keeping my WHOLE life in order-including my running)
2. pay attention to what your body is telling you-to what you feel. this can be helpful especially if you're keeping a good training log and if you've never really trained before.
3. (ok, there's three) find a good running or training buddy. For one, its nice to at least be able to check in with someone once in a while. (my running buddy is new at this and has recently started calling me "coach" which i think is adorable). Also, once you find a good running buddy, you'll know it and that's a pretty awesome thing!

change of pace

So, looking at this week's workout's I've realized that the Monday run has become four and a half miles now. Because I am feeling a little repetitive, I've come up with a fantastically simple route for a Monday morning. Out and back. :) Catch ya later!

three!

My training plan calls for 3 miles at least once a week. This morning I couldn't remember the exact route I usually run...and quite frankly, I am getting a little sick of it. I guess that's what happens when you start and end in the same place nearly every day. 6 days a week. 12 weeks of a training plan. So, I changed it up just a little bit this morning and this is my newest 3 mile route. (3.13, to be more specific) It is nice living in a neighborhood with lots of turns because I can add or subtract a block here and there and it sometimes takes me down into a whole new, exciting neighborhood.

another ocho

Trying to find another eight-miler in another part of town...here's what I came up with!

Time, 1 hour 19 min. (9:47 pace)

4...point 1 miles

Because I can't even remember how far the routes I do most often are...here is my ~4miler. I did it last week. I am doing it again...sometimes I do it in reverse, just to change things up a little bit. Enjoy!

ocho

ocho miles today!

New Favorite

I think every run I do these days goes by my new favorite street. Today I went 4.41 miles on this route. Check it out!

training plan

I am absolutely, 100% needing to get back into training...so I found a training plan and it begins TODAY!! It's a good thing that yesterday was an "off" day and I hadn't committed to the plan, because I napped and then proceeded to help a friend pack, which at least included a lot of up-and-down stairs and carrying a few heavy-ish items.

Nonetheless, I am going to cross-check this plan with another that I have in my book, "The Competitive Runner's Handbook," but what I love about both of these guides is that they take the time to really explain the various aspects of the training cycle. I would really recommend the book if you're athletic and looking to get into running at even a basic level of competitiveness.

With that being said, the countdown to my race is 11 weeks and 5 days. 3 miles tonight! I must be off!!

Happy Running...

four.five

As you will perhaps learn....i like to run and not have to stop.  So if the workout is, say, 4 miles...i will try to find a route that has the fewest stops as possible (ie: street lights).  Surprisingly though, I would prefer not to run on a treadmill because maybe there is the option of stopping at any point.  And, I haven't actually gone "anywhere."  Nonetheless, if you'd like to start downtown (capitol) then here's a route of about four and a half miles for you!  With minimal stops.  

8-miler!

Here's an interesting course for a sunny, yet wintery day.  

SO...thanks to my friend Meghan, I got off the couch today and went outside to run.  My training plan has me at 6 miles for today, but since I have been slacking a little (or a lot), I decided to join in on the 8-miler that Meg and Lexi were doing in preparation for the full marathon.  The weather was a brisk 20-ish degrees F with a bit of a chilly NW wind.  Despite the wintry conditions, the sunny afternoon made this run at least tolerable.  (except that I can't remember the last time I did 8 miles...)