More CIM Pictures

These pics were taken by Jill, also known as "Racemomqt" on the Runner's World Forums. Thanks Jill and Steve (aka Racetraining) for sharing!

Great shot of Steve on the left, working his way through runners.


Close to the finish.


Working toward the last 10K.


The home stretch.


Just about to cross the finish...see the leaf falling in front of me? So cool! I was sooooo happy to be there.


Steve giving me a quick race report. He ran a PR of 2:55!


Thanks Racetraining for all your help through the last year!

CIM Race Pics

Here's the link to the race photos. My bib is 2760.
Fun times!
http://www.sportphoto.com/Event.aspx?EventID=33

More Recovery

Hi there. I ran yesterday, okay, jogged. :) I took the dog for a 20 minute run. Covered 2 miles. My IT band felt a little sore up higher in the hip/glute area, my right piriformis was feeling sore, and my groin muscles were sore. Wow. That marathon really did put a good hurt on my bod. Just minor aches that indicated I NEED to recover properly and EASE back into the running. I will do another 20 minutes easy tomorrow, take Saturday off and then run 30 minutes easy on Sunday. From there, the mileage increases slowly but there is still no speed workouts for at least another week. I'm fine with that!

Recovery

Thanks to everybody who read and commented on the race report. My body feels pretty normal, legs are a teeny bit sore but mostly fine. I might do a very easy, very slow 20 minute run today with the dog. Or I might do it tomorrow.

I think I'm going stir crazy though. Last year we all went to Disneyland after the marathon. This year we're home... I guess it's time to focus on other things for a while (like house cleaning, for one).

As soon as the race pics come up on the CIM website, I'll post them (if they don't completely suck). I hope you're all enjoying these days leading into the holidays. Make them special. I'm going to try!

A Few CIM Related Pics

This is Catra, the Dirt Diva. She's every bit as sweet as I thought she'd be. In just the few minutes I talked with her, it became obvious that she is a kind soul with a strong spirit. And she's beautiful! So nice to meet you, Catra!


If you click on the image and look toward the left, you'll see me in the white tank w/ the word GO GB on the front. This was a pic of last year's CIM in this year's 25th Anniversary Program/History Book.







The finisher's medal is HUGE and it's also a coaster! Very practical. Where's my beer? ;)

25th Annual California International Marathon - Race Report

What a race!
Just a shout out to Catra (Dirt Diva), Steve (Racetraining) and Jill (racemomqt), Eva (Makita), and Bill (Westside). It was so nice to meet you this weekend. What a cool thing to finally put faces to names. :)

I went into this weekend feeling healthy, with slight sniffles that never turned into a full blown cold, no injuries or nagging pain anywhere. I felt “on.”

I drank 80 ounces of water everyday from Thursday morning until Saturday at bedtime. I ate so many carbs that I don’t want to eat any pasta, sports drink, sports nutrition bars, bagels, pretzels, etc. for months. Give me steak and lots of wine and beer.

I went to bed at 9:30 the night before the race and tossed and turned until about 10:30, but then slept well until I woke up. The night before that, I slept crappy. Anyway, I woke up at 4:05 a.m. on race morning. Choked down 2 instant oatmeal packets and a toaster sized bagel with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. I drank about 32 ounces of water here and there with the food. I felt FULL.

My body got itself ready for the race (if you know what I mean). After the “cleanse” I drank about a half cup of regular black coffee (I usually drink decaf).

Got dropped off at the starting area about 45 minutes before the race started. Literally stood in line for the port-o-potty for 30 minutes, until 6:45. Jogged around for about 5 minutes and then got into the crowd at about 6:55. Race started promptly at 7, and my brother and I crossed the start line about 10 seconds after the gun. He and his wife ran the relay and the both got new half marathon PRs in the process..

The rolling hills felt more challenging for me today then they had been in the past. They didn’t burn my legs, but I could feel my IT band and old piriformis issues rear their ugly heads. And just like last year, I was so happy to be DONE with the rollers. But anytime a little roller popped up after the halfway point, I’d silently curse at it.

I was a little worried in the first 6-7 miles when all they had at the aid stations was water. I know how badly I cramp without those electrolytes and I needed sports drink early on. Oh well, I drank water at almost every station and whenever they had sports drink I would take that instead. I used 4 GU gels along the course (miles 8, 14, 18, 22).

I found the 3:20 pace group at mile 1. They started about 1 minute behind the gun. It was a BIG group. The leader was kind of off pace (we needed 7:38/mile) for most of the race. As soon as he'd get on pace, he'd stay there for maybe one mile and then it seemed like he'd speed up. I looked at my Garmin several times and wondered, “Why is he running a 7:15 pace when we only require a 7:38?” It was frustrating. You'll see the randomness of my splits later in the report.

I spent most of the last half trying to catch up to him and the group after all the water stops, and then they pulled away slightly. I ran behind them by about 45 seconds to a minute from about mile 16 to mile 23. I could see them fine, I just couldn’t speed up enough to catch them. Those miles were tough on me mentally and physically. This was the time that I had to pull from my resources and dig in. I thought about Ray and Sugar from the Runner’s World Forum and the kind words they sent me before the race. Ray is an amazing runner and always inspires me to train hard and smart.

I thought about Cody quite a bit too. He’s the son of another forumite, Deck Ape (aka Mickey). Cody is fighting another battle with cancer and he’s only 4. That’s just not right. I thought about my training partners, Cheryl, Ali and Kim and knew they were out on the course feeling the rough spots too. I also thought about all the hard training that I put in this season, and knew I could handle the discomfort my body was feeling. Lastly I thought about the “prediction” thread my Masters Forum friends had started, and I WANTED to beat my 3:20 goal BADLY!

While lost in thought and “pain,” I noticed that the 3:20 pace group fell apart at about mile 23. People were dropping behind like crazy. But I was feeling okay, not great, but not bad.

I passed a lot of the runners in that group between then, and the finish. The pace group leader finally slowed down to finish at the 3:20 pace (I don’t know if they get in trouble if they finish faster, but he had to slow down a lot). None of the runners in the group were with him at mile 25 when I passed him. Even though a lot of them dropped behind, I’m sure a lot of them sped up and took off.

I felt dizzy a few times in the last 6.2 miles (at one point I thought I was going to faint). I also got a ton of calf cramps (the ones that MAKE you wince in pain because they lock up the calf muscle in debilitating ways). I also felt waves of nausea here and there. Not a good feeling. But every time a challenge arose I prayed and prayed, actually begged God to make the pain or discomfort go away. And amazingly enough, it did go away!

I don’t know if the prayer was a distraction or a way of keeping hope alive, but I meant it, and it certainly helped! A wonderful thing happened in the last couple of miles. The leaves were falling on our heads like snow flakes. There were so many and it was absolutely breathtaking. Just a little reminder that there's so much going on around me, and to not get lost in my own world!

I saw my husband and 2 year-old at mile 26. I actually got to high five my husband on the way to the finish.

I felt strong as I finished. As I rounded the final bend, I saw the clock overhead and it said 3:19 something. I knew I could break 3:20 if I hauled booty. Surprisingly I was able to pick it up in the last straightaway. When I crossed, I got all teary eyed. What a sap!

My splits were:
7:46
7:36
7:31
7:48
7:22

7:38
7:24
7:50
7:30
7:30

7:40
7:36
7:31
(My Garmin said 1:38:48 at Mile 13)
7:39
7:33

7:24
7:31
7:34
7:21
7:23

7:32
7:34
7:32
7:41
7:35

7:42
2:48 (The last .2 was at about a 6:52 pace).

The official results are 3:19:44, with an avg. overall pace of 7:37/mile.

I’m ECSTATIC! But exhausted. Time for bed. Thanks for reading!!!

Taper Paranoia

Yes it's that time of training when all the phantom aches and pains pop up. Tapering can be rough on the psyche. I'm sure these things I'm feeling are nothing and I have probably felt them all along, but for some reason now they are pronounced. I have also been experiencing the sniffles, off and on for the past few days. Will it become a full blown cold, or not? I hope NOT. I've been laying low to avoid pushing things the wrong way.

Yesterday I was able to run the 4 x 400s on my schedule. They were 1:23, 1:31, 1:31, 1:32. Today I ran 3 miles very, very easy (almost a 10 minute pace). Afterward I had a nice massage and my body feels much less crooked and tight from all the training. Tonight I will stretch and hopefully sleep well, and then tomorrow we are off to Sacramento for the expo.

I'm going to do laundry, eat lots of carbs (trying for 500g each day until Sunday) and drink a huge amount of water (80 oz. per day til Sunday). I hope I don't heave.

Thanks to EVERYBODY who has stopped by my blog and left me well wishes for this weekend. You are all very kind and encouraging and I appreciate your words very much!

I will apply my training, and the rest is indeed up to God! :)

ELVES are cool!

Especially these 4 little elves.

Hee hee hee.

FIVE days to the CIM

I'm eating everything in sight and never feeling full, but my waistbands sure are getting tighter. Yikes. I'm also feeling more sore than usual after my runs. In fact today I am resting when I should be putting in 5 miles.

I took a rest day on Sunday (after running 6 days in row). I think the Turkey Trot on Thursday actually hit me on Saturday night. Sunday morning came around and I said, "No running today."

Yesterday I ran 7.3 miles, including 2 miles at tempo (6:55/mile), then a 1:45 recovery jog, followed by 2 x 800s w/ a 1:00 recovery jog after each (3:15 and 3:14), followed by 2 x 400s w/ a :45 recovery jog (1:31 and 1:31). I then stood in our pool for 10 minutes, which was 51-degrees. Brrrrr.

I was SO sore lastnight, hamstrings, inner thighs, glutes. I rolled on the foam roller for a while and stretched a lot. I feel better today, but I need a massage! I think I'll schedule one for tomorrow after I run 5 miles easy.

Time to eat lunch!

No More "Long" Running Until Dec. 2

Hi! I'm so sore right now. Not from running but from gardening. My husband and I have been planting things in our front yard off and on for the past few weeks. What a HUGE difference some trees, shrubs, rocks and flowers make. It's gorgeous!

Anyway, I didn't take a rest day after the Turkey Trot on Thursday. On Friday I pushed the baby in the jogging stroller for 4.4 miles, and today I pushed him for 9 miles. We actually ran 6 with the running club (they are so awesome) and 3 on our own. So the running combined with the shoveling, digging, bending over plants, squatting, etc., has left me BEAT. I'm resting tomorrow. Going to church and probably doing laundry, but that's it.

I looked back at the last week of training before I ran Boston in April, and the 9 miles I did the weekend before was run at an 8:42 pace. The 9 I ran today with bambino was at an 8:18 pace and it felt very easy and comfy (but CHILLY). Poor baby's face was kinda blue when we had finished, even though he was wearing umpteen layers and a hat.

One more week until the marathon. I am so excited and happy about running it. Training for a marathon is so time consuming and exhausting, but when you actually get to run the race it makes it all worth the trouble. Just the thought of it brings a smile to my face.

Anyway just for fun, here is a link to my race report from last year's CIM. Mostly to remind myself that I've done it before and I can do it again. :) It's where I qualified to run Boston and it will always be my favorite marathon.


Finishing 5 minutes ahead of schedule.


Crying tears of joy when I realized I made it to Boston

TURKEY Trotting

Here they are near the finish, #392 & 391.

In the finish chute.

They were so happy.

Happy Thanksgiving! I am waiting for the baby to wake from his nap and then we will join the family festivities at my hubby's cousin's house.

Well, ran the Turkey Trot 5K today. The weather was perfect, sunny and in the low 40's. I warmed up with a 2 mile jog which included about 6 x 100 meter strides. After my warm up I watched our 2 older kiddos (8 & 10) run the 1/2 mile fun run. In fact I did a little of my warm up jogging along side of them and cheering them on. They smiled the whole time. I was so proud of them for doing it because originally they did not want to.

About 5 minutes after the last child crossed the finish line for the fun run, the 5K started. My toes were at the white line and I had heard there were 1200 registered runners this year (it sure felt like it). Gun went off and I started my Garmin (but did not look at it after the first mile split).

I was so afraid of tripping or twisting my ankle and getting trampled by the throngs of runners. The first 1/4 mile or so was on grass and dirt and it wasn't the most level ground in the world. Lotta potholes and things. People around me were saying things like, "This is downright scary," because of the crowd and the terrain.

But we then got onto the paved path and it was smooth sailing. I felt like I was racing people. There were a few runners that I would trade little surges with and we pushed each other along nicely. I passed a lot of people, including a women in my age group that I thought would beat me for sure. It felt great to zoom by her near mile 2. Only a few high school boys passed me along the way.

There was some wind during mile 2 and you'll see how it affected my split when I list them below. The last 1/2 - 3/4 mile was on the dirt and grass again, and I was feeling CHALLENGED. I kept my eyes on the ground to avoid getting hurt. My legs were feeling so strong, but my forearms were seizing up like they were overcome with lactic acid. My forearms! What's up with that?

By mile 3, the guy that I was trading surges with from the 2 mile point got his 2nd wind and took off. I hung onto his tail as much as I could and finished a couple seconds behind him. We thanked each other at the end. I crossed the line and literally let out a big, "Woooooo hooooooo! Yeah!" I had done it, I broke 21:00 for the first time in my life, and my official finish time was 20:24. A full minute off my last 5K run in August on the same course.

I thanked God!!! My husband and children were there to meet me and I was so happy. My running partners, Kim and Cheryl placed 2nd and 3rd female respectively with 19 minutes some odd seconds finish times. Cheryl won her age group (I knew she would). I think I was 4th female, but not sure. I did place 2nd in my age group though...behind Kim. :)

My splits were: 6:30, 6:37 (wind), 6:30 and :45 for the last .1. I feel SOOOO ready for the CIM. Thanks be to God!!!

UPDATE: 5th woman across the line, 70th runner overall out of 912.

Chasing my surge buddy.

Holding my prize (gift certificate to a restaurant).

Thanksgiving Week

I'm so excited for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Family time! My family is so sweet...they are going to cheer me on during the Turkey Trot 5K. My hubby and kids are even going to run the half mile fun run before my race starts. So cool of them!

Quick log of last few running days.
Sunday: rest day

Monday: 60 minutes easy (came out to 6.55 miles)

Tuesday:
at 5:00 a.m. -- 4 x 400s, 2 x 800s, 4 x 400s run with Cheryl, Ali and Kim. Those women DO NOT dilly dally or mess around! I did the 400s in 1:30, 1:30, 1:31, 1:32, the 800s in 3:14 and 3:14 and the last 400s in 1:30, 1:34, 1:32 and 1:29. They all finished faster than me for every interval, which left me less than a minute to recover from each. OUCH.

Today: 6:10 a.m. easy 4 miles

I'm putting the running time down because I NEVER run early in the morning. But I'm trying to get used to it.

Enjoy your day before Thanksgiving!

14 Miles With a Fast Finish

After my kids' soccer games today I headed out for a 14 miler with a fast finish (that means the last 15 minutes at tempo pace).

I felt so strong. The sun felt so good on my body and the breeze was so light. PERFECT day for a medium long run. I prayed a lot on the run. It just felt good. Thank you, God!

I think I averaged about an 8-minute pace for the whole thing. The last 5.5 miles were like this: 8:05, 7:47, 7:40, 7:12, 7:08, then half a mile at a 7:06 pace. For Ryan Shay.

I really wanted to run with music today (it would've been my first time doing that outside) but my MP3 player would not play the iTunes I downloaded. I'm a technical moron, so I'm sure I did something wrong. The iTunes website said it was MP3 compatible, but I have no idea. Anyone else know???

Anyway, I'm glad the music didn't work out for today. Turns out I didn't need the tunes. It's all good!

Stroller Speedwork

Hey all. I wasn't as sore this morning, but really had to seek motivation to get out there and run the workout. My sweetie pie is taking his Fire Captain's examination all day today so if I wanted to get the workout in, it would have to be with my 2 year old in the jogger. I perused the Runner's World Forums for inspiration, laced up and we headed out.

It was great to see a couple of the MOMS Club Mommies doing their workout at the same park where I was running. They motivated me to run my best! :)

Ran 1.5 miles warm up and then got into the 4 x 1 mile cruise intervals followed by 2 x half mile speed intervals. I recovered for 2:10-2:30 minutes between the mile intervals (as prescribed by my training plan) and recovered for 1:30 between the 2 half mile repeats, as prescribed.

RESULTS: 6:59, 6:58, 6:56, 6:58 and then 3:13 (about a 6:28 pace), 3:14 (also a 6:28 pace).

I will say, "DAMN THAT WAS TOUGH WITH THE STROLLER!" There were a couple times through the intervals that I thought my oatmeal was going to resurface. Needless to say I thanked God plentiful after each interval and asked for his company as I ran.

It's all good! I'm very happy to have run it with the kiddo. He was a champ as always. Had his Cheezit crackers and milk and a few toys, we were good to go.

Have a great day!!!

"Newton Hills" Workout

Yesterday I ran 10 miles on the treadmill. I did the Newton Hills workout and it felt GREAT. But doing so after running 21 miles the day before has left me feeling beat up! (In a good way).

Basicallly miles 3-8 simulate the grades of the Newton Hills on the Boston Marathon course. The paces at which I ran the inclines are equivalent to my tempo pace on a flat course (which is roughly 7:10-7:15/mile).

The 1% inclines simulate "downhill" or flat and I ran those at marathon goal pace.

MILES - INCLINE - PACE
First 3 -- 0% -- 9:00/mile (warm up)
3.0-3.7 -- 3% -- 7:41/mile
3.7-4.7 -- 1% -- 7:35/mile
4.7-5.0 -- 6% -- 8:35/mile
5.0-6.4 -- 1% -- 7:35/mile
6.4-6.8 -- 4% -- 8:00/mile
6.8-7.4 -- 1% -- 7:35/mile
7.4-7.8 -- 6% -- 8:35/mile
7.8-9.0 -- 1% -- 7:30/mile
9.0-10. -- 0% -- 9:14/mile (cool down)

I did this run after doing CrossFit with a fellow MOMS Club member. My booty is sore today so I'm taking a rest day.

Back at it tomorrow. :)

Pictures From Portland Trip

Several of us gals from the MOMS Club took the trip to Portland for the Northwest Regional Luncheon. The trip itself was so much fun. We spent only a few hours out of the entire weekend on MOMS Club stuff. Mostly we just hung out, ate out, had drinks, walked around and shopped. Good stuff!


Sipping Spicy Bloody Mary's at the airport before heading up to Portland.


Kim, me, Nicole, Breana and Diana at breakfast before the luncheon. Yes, we ate a lot.


Me, Nicole, Jackie, Diana, Breana and Kim at the luncheon.


Breana, Nicole and me on the way to dinner.

LAST Long Run Before the CIM

Woooooo hooooooo, the long runs are OVER! I ran my last long run of the training cycle today and even though I kind of dreaded it, it went great. It must've been all the delicious food and the 3 cocktails a day I had in Portland. :-)

The 21 miles looked like this:
1.2 mile warm up
7 miles @ an average 8:12/mile
12 miles @ an average 7:35/mile (3 seconds faster than marathon goal pace)
.8 mile cool down

I'm going to heat up some coffee, pop some Tylenol for this headache, and soak in the 56-degree pool.

TOTAL MILES for the week: 49.5

Why Do Mile Intervals HURT?

The local all weather track where I usually do mile intervals is closed for renovations. I decided to run along the canal banks to do my repeats, 4 x 1 mile and then 2 x 800s. There was some wind along the canal in both directions and I do NOT like running in the wind. Maybe that's why these hurt today, or maybe my legs are just tired, or maybe I was just tired.

Anyway the intervals panned out like this:
4 x 1 mile: 6:57, 6:46, 6:53, 6:53. I ran into the wind on the 1st, 3rd and 4th.
I walk/jogged a 2-3 minute recovery between each.
Then 2 x .51 mile: 3:20, 3:27 (yes, wind).
I walk/jogged a 2:30 recovery between them.

The .51 repeats HURT more than the mile repeats. The 3:20 translates to a 6:32 mile and the 3:27 into a 6:45.

Well, time to pack for my trip with the MOMS Club. We're heading to Portland for a luncheon. Should be fun, but I'll miss my husband and kids. I will run a 6 miler up there and then do my last 20 when I get back.

10 Mile Tuesday & An Olympic Hopeful

It was nice run today. Sunny skies. Slightly cool but the sun warmed my back.
I ran about 2 miles for warm up and then ran 5 miles at an 8:00/mile pace.
Then 1 mile worth of hill charges at the rain basin, and walked down for recoveries (grades were between 4% and 12%).
Then 1 mile @ a 7:39 pace on the grass in the basin (undulating terrain), including the steep sides (grades were between 9% and 29%).
Yes, I was jittery and winded by the end.
Then 1 mile home to cool down.
TOTAL: 10.1

I ran into Miguel Nuci just before the third mile and we ran together for about 2 miles. He was out for just a short recovery jog (his jog is normally about 7:00/mile, but today was 8:00/mile). He said he could barely walk yesterday and the day before because running the Olympic Marathon Trials just beat him up. It was nice to hear about his experience.

He said he got a bad side stitch in the first mile and couldn't take in water because it made it worse. The water just sloshed in his stomach. He felt good in the middle miles and then toward the 20 mile mark his hamstrings started pulling and everything started to cramp badly. He contemplated dropping out, but then he thought, "This is my first Olympic Trials. I want the experience of finishing." So even though he slowed to an 8 minute pace in the last mile of the marathon, he still finished as strong as his body would allow.

Then he said he collapsed at the finish and woke up in the medical tent. Apparently he had suffered multiple seizures and the doctors there attributed them to SEVERE dehydration. After a little over an hour in the tent he was barely able to take a step. After 2 hours, he was escorted back to his hotel.

He said he was behind Ryan Shay when he saw him slow down. From behind he thought it was Josh Cox. As Miguel ran by he patted him on the back and said, "C'mon Josh, let's do this." But as he moved on he realized it wasn't Josh. He said Ryan looked as though he wanted to sit on the curb. Miguel kept going and as he looked back, he saw Ryan fall slack to the ground. He said he felt worried, but knew medics were right there. He did not find out until he woke up in the medical tent after the race that Ryan had died. He was sadly shocked.

Miguel is so humble. When I asked him how his calves were doing he said, "They are so tight, they feel like baseballs." I asked if he took ice baths and he said, "I know I should, but I'm lazy." Lazy? Ha! No way. It was just nice to know that even runners like him have days when they just don't feel good on the run. He's human after all! I didn't even feel like I was running with an Olympic hopeful. It felt like I was running with my brother or something. I finally told him my name and he said, "Oh, I already knew your name. And it's great to see you running out here all the time." That was so cool to hear.

I hope he feels better soon. He's undecided about which races to run in the next couple months, but named a bunch of them. All elite races of course! He's only 28 and I think we're going to see some incredible running out of of him over the next several years. After all, Brian Sell is 32 and he just made he Olympic Marathon team!

4 Weeks To Go To CIM

I haven't posted in a while. Let's catch up.

First and foremost, my heart goes out to the family of Ryan Shay (leading the pack in the picture) who collapsed while running the Men's Olympic Marathon Trials yesterday and did not survive. He was only 28. God bless him and his family.

Wed 10/31: 4 easy miles

Thu 11/1: 13.9 miles with Triple Play -- 3 miles @ marathon goal pace (7:40/mile), 8 x 800s with 1:35 recovery jog between (3:12, 3:19, 3:17, 3:18, 3:11, 3:16, 3:11, 3:12), 3 miles @ tempo pace (7:12/mile).

Fri 11/2: rest day

Sat 11/3: 22 miles of CRAZY hills in 2:58 (avg 8:05 pace). The hill grades varied from 10%-22%. Yes it was freaking tough, but such a confidence builder! During the dowhills and flats I was able to run at marathon race pace and tempo pace. I was so happy! I ran with my running "heroes" minus Miguel Nuci who was running the trials (and placed 31st).

Today I will run a recovery paced 50-60 minutes, and await the results of the NYCM.

"Hilly" Run Tuesday

First of all the good news: HE'S HOME! He actually got home Sunday afternoon, and then he had to go back to work at his regular station on Monday, and now he's home until next Monday. Poor guy is sicker than a dog though. I think running his body ragged and not sleeping well finally got to him. But he's so happy to be home and surrounded by all of us and we are happy he's here.

I told him about all the kind words and prayers everybody said for him while he was gone and he humbly said, "Thank you." But I don't think he likes being called a "hero" by anybody. He just says he's doing his job. I'm proud of him anyway!

Today I ran 12.5 miles on the gym treadmill, with 30 minutes total uphill time.
The first 11.35 miles were done at an avg. pace of 8:30/mile and the hill inclines for those miles were between 4.5 and 7.8 (30 x 1 minute hill repeats with a 1 min. recovery in between). I then ran 1.15 miles cool down. Felt pretty good, I was sweating like there was no tomorrow though. Literally dripping, eeeeeew.

Time to get ready for the kid's soccer practices. Have a great evening!

My Little Guy's PR

We did it.
The little guy and I did 20 together with him in the stroller. The logistics of it were crazy, but it went very well. He ate a ton of stuff while we ran and drank lots of milk from his little cup. We took a potty break after every six mile loop and I'd also check his diaper before we headed out again.

First 6 in 52:00 (8:39/mile avg)
Middle 6 in 49:14 (8:12 avg)
Final 6 in 47:10 (7:51 avg)
Last 2 miles in 15:02 (7:30 avg)
Overall time for the 20 was 2:43:35 (8:11 avg)

We got a flat at mile 19, so I immediately ran home. I got him into bed for his nap and then ran on back and forth on the side street right next to our house until my Garmin said 20.

I think it's a long training run PR, but I have to look at my log from last cycle.

My schedule called for the last 15 minutes at tempo. My last 2 miles were actually a 7:43 and then a 7:19. Only one ended up being at tempo, but considering the work that led up to it, I'll take it.

The baby is sleeping now and I'm going to ice in the pool and then get cleaned up. Hubby will be home soon. THANK GOD!

My NEW Running Heroes

I am a huge Deena Kastor fan. HUGE. Despite that fact, I have 4 new running heroes I want to talk about. They are all local runners (live and train where I live and train), they have jobs and families and other obligations they have to balance with their running. They are all part of the GREAT and supportive running club I belong to.

Cheryl is a Masters runner. She's a fellow mom and a great motivator. She's a 3:19 marathoner and a 1:32 half marathoner, and hopes to run a 3:09 at the CIM, (she will).




Ali is in her late 20s and very fast. She's the VP of our running club and will no doubt run close to a 3:00 marathon at the CIM. Her half marathon PR is 1:25! She didn't finish too far behind the elites.




Kim is in her early 30s and is a teacher. The CIM will be her first marathon and I bet she also runs close to a 3:00. She won her age group at the San Jose Half Marathon w/ a time of 1:28.



I've mentioned Miguel in my blog before. He'll be running the Men's Olympic Marathon Trials in November. He recently became a U.S. Citizen and couldn't be more happy to run as a full fledged American. He graced the pages of Runner's World magazine (November issue). He's got a bright running career ahead of him.



They are all inspiring to me and make me want to be a better runner.



But my all time #1 HERO is my husband. I love you! You make me want to be a better person. Come home soon, sweetheart.

TOUGHEST workout of this training cycle

Today was the HARDEST workout I've done this training cycle because I pushed the baby again, this time for 13.2 miles total! I fed him a big breakfast and even some snacks on the run, and a little lolly pop for the last 3 miles kept him busy when he started to fuss.

1.63 mile warm up
3 miles at marathon goal pace (7:40/mile avg).
7 x 800s cruise intervals w/ <2:00 recoveries:
(3:29, 3:29, 3:26, 3:27, 3:28, 3:29, 3:30)
Quick few minutes-stretch break w/ Jimmy
3 miles at tempo (7:18/mile avg).
1 mile cool down.

NOTE: for the last 3 miles at tempo, I turned off the auto lap feature on my Garmin and went by feel.
IT FELT HARD!
I will say it was a lot easier to stick to prescribed paces (instead of going faster) by pushing the jogging stroller.

Okay, I'm going to soak in the chilly pool and sip coffee before I get cleaned up. Baby is napping now.

Today is the first day that I haven't heard from my husband first thing in the morning. I'm sure he's okay, but God I miss him! I MISS HIM SO MUCH.

The Show Goes On

Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers for my husband, and all those affected by these fires. They are still raging. I don't know where my hubby is at this point and I'm sure he'll call as soon as he can.

Quick running posts:
Ran 10 miles on the treadmill Sunday night. Last 4 miles were at an 8:18 pace. Overall pace for the run was 8:49/mile.

Rest day on Monday.

Today I was supposed to run 10-12 miles w/ 10 minutes of total uphill time. No hills around here and no one to watch the baby as I ran, so I pushed him in the jogger. Here's how it panned out.

The first 6 were at an easy pace (about 9:20/mile). We took a few minutes stretch break after the first 6 miles. Then in the last 6 we did 10 fartleks of 2-3 minutes each. I added what the Garmin recorded for those, and it was roughly 2.96 miles of speedplay at an average 6:50 pace. (My fastest one being a 6:29 pace and slowest being 7:07).

So instead of 10 minutes hill time, I did 20 minutes of speedplay. I hope that compensates somewhat. My breathing and legs felt like I was running hills.

I think I needed to run this workout to keep my mind off of my hubby. Baby is napping, gotta correct some homework and shower, then pick the kids up from school. Oh, soccer practice tonight too. I wish my sweetheart was here with us. :(

LIVE Stream for Fires

Live video from Fox News. Updated hourly.

Southern California Wildfires

The fires down south are raging out of control. No containment around many of them.

My husband and his crew just got word that they are going to help fight them. They are on their way down there now. Our Governor has declared a State of Emergency there.

Please, PLEASE pray for my husband and for all the people who reside/work down there. Pray for their safety.
Thank you.

Rock N Roll Half Pictures

Here are some fun photos from the half marathon:





Maybe if I wasn't clowning around so much, I would've gotten a 1:35. hee hee.

Okay, yesterday I had a great run. Did the 2 x 4 miles at tempo pace. Was supposed to run each of them at a 7:20 pace. I ran the first 4 at a 7:05 pace, recovered for 4 minutes, then ran the last 4 at a 7:09 pace. I don't know where that came from, but it was good. During the run I felt like I was working pretty hard, but it didn't feel like I was running race effort. Oddly enough the pace was faster than my half marathon. Ugh. I'm hoping this is a good indication that the marathon in December won't kill me!

Feels Weird to...

...have a cutback week after the half marathon. I am following my marathon training schedule now and this week is only a 34-36 mile week. I feel like I should be doing a ton more. But I remember this time last year after the Half, not cutting back at all or recovering properly, and that's how all the piriformis syndrome issues started. I vowed not to make the same mistake again this year.

Monday I rested.

Tuesday I worked and then ran 4 easy/recovery on the treadmill (about a 9:10 pace).

Wednesday I did the CrossFit warm up with the MOMS Club at the track. Then I ran 1 mile to warm up more and followed it with 4 x 800s (3:21, 3:24, 3:21, 3:22) with a 400 meter recovery after each, then 4 x 400s (1:29, 1:33, 1:33, 1:36) with 200 meter recoveries after each. Then a 1/2 mile jog cool down for 6 miles total. I felt a little fatigued when I tried to pick up the pace.

Today I rested.

Tomorrow I do 2 x 4 miles at tempo pace (aiming for 7:20/mile).

I'm still kicking myself for not getting 1:35 in the half. I know I had the training in me to get it done, but it just didn't jibe perfectly during the race. Man. Oh well. The good news is my 1:36:57 time gets me automatic entry into the New York City Marathon for 2008. Hmmm, Boston or New York? Which would you do???

Half Marathon Race Report

MY OFFICIAL RESULTS FROM WEBSITE:
504th place out of 8,787 runners.
13th place in my age group of 35-39.
75th woman out of 4,082 female runners.
Chip time: 1:36:57 (oops, I clocked 1:36:56 on my watch).

I had a blast today. I felt great the entire race and I gave it everything I had but fell short of the 1:35 - 1:35:59 goal. I finished in 1:36:57 (7:24/mile) but I'm okay with that. I seriously thought I'd finish in 1:37 something, so to break 1:37 is good for me. It's also a new half marathon PR of about 6-1/2 minutes.

While running warm up I saw Khalid Khannouchi #8 in pic. I also saw Miguel Nuci #20 in pic. They are both running in the U.S. Men's Olympic Marathon Trials in November. It's ALWAYS inspiring to me to see these elite runners up close and personal. It makes them more human.

I didn't wear my Garmin today and wanted to run based on how I felt at each mile. Turns out I didn't feel super fast. Hee hee. I had preset goals in mind for the 5K, 10K, and 15K splits, hoping to finish in roughly 1:36:10. My goals for them were: 22:46 for the 5K (ran 23:02), 45:34 for the 10K (ran 46:02) and 1:08:18 for the 15K (ran 1:09:28). See a pattern? I was slowing down as the race went on. Ah well, it is what it is.

In hindsight, I did not cramp up at all, did not feel dehydrated. I actually felt smooth. I just tried to pick up the pace in the last 5K, specifically the last 1.1 miles, but my legs just wouldn't turn over fast enough. I just didn't have the leg speed I needed. Looks like I can't slack anymore in training!

Looking ahead at the marathon in December, McMillan calculates I should be able to run a 3:24:26 marathon based on today's half. But I'm still going to set my marathon goal for between 3:20 and 3:23.

Based on my recent 5K time of 21:24 and my recent 10K time of 44:35, McMillan Calc says I should've run between a 1:38:55 and a 1:39:12 half marathon today. So all in all, I'm pleased. Not ecstatic, but definitely not disappointed. Thanks for all your well wishes prior to the race!!!

Funky Dream

Had a wonderful and busy day today. I got to see the kids off to school and then my hubby came home and we hung out with the baby. It rained pretty hard today, which I loved. It's only Fall, but that means it's one season closer to winter, my favorite!

I ran an easy 30 minutes on the TM at the gym tonight (about 3.3 miles) and followed it with the standard CrossFit warm up. The bad news is I can't do 3-5 kipping pull ups anymore, but I can still do 2. I need to get back to doing CF faithfully. After the half, I will.

I had a dream that very colorful jumping spiders (big and fat ones) were spinning webs in my house, and that I was trying to kill them by spraying cleaner (like Windex) on them. One of them went "poof" and disappeared, but the rest were unaffected. I looked up my dream and it could be interpreted that I will be rewarded soon for my hard work. However, by "killing" a spider, it changes things and that could be interpreted as a little bad luck in my present or future. Dreams are so weird, but I believe they can reflect our daily lives somewhat.

Anyway the spiders in my dream were even more colorful and fatter than these.








In relation to the race, I'll take it as a positive sign. I just need to run to the best of my ability and let God do the rest. What's that saying? "Let go and let God." That's what I'm going to do!

Shake the Cold Thursday

Yesterday I was supposed to do a mile warm up, then 20 minutes at half marathon goal pace + 10-15 seconds, 4 strides then a mile cool down. I still felt pretty sick so I put it off to today.

Today I had this URGE to run even though my cold was still lingering. I put the baby in the jogging stroller and off we went. Did a little over a mile warm up and then ran a little over 3-1/2 miles in 25:23. The average pace per mile during that segment was between 7:12 and 7:15. I then cooled down with a mile jog.

The baby fell asleep (and as a result, refuses to nap right now) and I feel great. My head feels better and so does my nose, but my throat is still scratchy and my chest is still a little congested.

Tomorrow just an easy 30 minute run, Saturday is a rest day and then BAM... 13.1.

Long Run

When the baby went down for his nap I headed out for an 18 mile run at an easy pace, averaged 8:56/mile. I felt pretty good except at mile 16 when I got a fierce side stitch. I worked through it though. I will say that for me, long runs hurt more AFTER I'm done than while I'm doing them. Anyway, time to taper for the half marathon on Sunday. I have low miles this week and a couple of light speed sessions. I'm still battling a cold. Time to load up on greens and lots of vitamin C rich foods. And I'm going to try to catch up on sleep all week.

Sorry About Chicago

To my fellow runners out there that trained long and hard for the Chicago Marathon today, I'm so sorry you had to run in that heat and humidity. Some of you didn't even get any water or sports drink at the water stations. Some of you witnessed hundreds of people collapse and be taken away by ambulance, and some of you sadly witnessed another fellow runner lose his life on the course.

For Chad Schieber, rest in peace. Reports say he was a 35 year old father of 3 and loving husband, and he was also a police officer in Midland, Michigan. Godspeed, brother.

For those of you that finished or did not finish, God bless ya' for putting in as much effort as your bodies would allow. I know you runners, and I know you won't let this particular race set you back. After this initial let down, I know you will continue to train hard and gear up for the next marathon on your calendars! For now, enjoy some delicious food, cold beer and all the water you can drink.

Blessings to you all!

Triple Play Toughness

Whew, I'm so glad that's done. Well quick recap of the morning. Woke up to set up for a fundraising yard sale at 6 a.m. By 6:15 a.m. I had a "pro" customer wanting to bargain on everything. By 7 a.m. at least 15 people had come by and several bought things. By noon we had just about met our monetary goal for the fundraiser. We have another day of sales tomorrow and then that's it.

After everyone left and things were put away, I put the baby down for his nap and did the Triple Play workout:
Prescribed -- 3 miles @ marathon goal pace (7:38's/mile), 6 x 1/2 mile cruise intervals (3:26-3:31/half mile) with a 2 minute recovery jog after each, 3 miles @ tempo pace (7:04-7:22/mile).

Results:
First 3 miles at avg. pace of 7:28 (too fast - did not want that)
6 x 800s: 3:17, 3:20, 3:22, 3:17, 3:15, 3:17 (even with the recovery jogs, too fast)
Last 3 miles at avg. pace of 7:16 (just right).
I warmed up with a jog for 1.35 miles and cooled down with 1.59.
TOTAL MILES: 13.08

It's 4:10 now and gotta get cleaned up for the rest of the evening, not that we'll be doing much.

It was another mentally and physically challenging workout coupled with a lot of faith in God. I'm spent. But feeling ready to tackle the Half Marathon in 1:35. God willing!

Wednesday Speed, Thursday Rest

Yesterday I had this prescribed workout:
2 x 1 mile Cruise Intervals (between 7:05-7:15/mile) with 2 laps recovery jog
4 x 800 meter Speed Intervals (between 3:15-3:25/mile) with 1:1 recovery, or basically recovering for as long as it took to run the interval.
2 x 1 mile Cruise Intervals (7:05-7:15/mile) with 2 laps recovery jog

Workout Results:
2 x 1 mile CI @ 6:41 and 6:47 (too fast, even with the jogged recovery)
4 x 800 m SI @ 3:17, 3:20, 3:18, 3:19
2 x 1 mile CI @ 6:59 and 6:55 (closer to prescribed, but still a little too fast)
I jogged a 2 mile warm up and 2 mile cool down
TOTAL MILES: 12.75

It was tough, physically and mentally. I know it sounds hokey, but the more I talked to God through it, the better and stronger I felt.

Today I might run a recovery 4 miles... or I might just rest.
Another hard workout tomorrow with some marathon goal pace miles, 4-6 800s and tempo paced miles.

Enjoy the day!

Happy Birthday Sweet Darlin' - I LOVE YOU

Miraculous Miles Monday

What a run today. I must feel stronger because I know my kids come back today after school and my husband is off today. :) He made my day when he told me he bragged about me to his Captain. Aaaawwwww.

I warmed up w/ 2 miles at 18:16. Then I ran 6 miles at an "easy" pace averaging 8:30 per mile. Then a 2 minute potty break, then I ran 6 miles at half marathon goal pace + 20-30 seconds. This averaged out to 7:35 per mile (20 seconds slower than half marathon goal pace). I then cooled down with 2 miles at 18:59. I combined my Long Run w/ Ryan Hall's "Race Simulator" work out. I loved it!

Overall I ran 16 miles at an average pace of 8:15 per mile. Not too shabby. It was a confidence builder after the sub par 10K on Saturday. I feel ready for the half marathon on October 14. God willing, I'll nail it. I'll just work with what the Good Lord gave me and whatever happens happens.

Time to soak in the cold pool before I pick up the kids. Baby is napping and hubby is hanging out. Yaaay!

Missing My Kids Sunday

The schedule we have had for years has changed along with their dad's new work schedule. For the first time since 2003 he has weekends off. So now they're at their dads on weekends.

I MISS THEM. My husband is at work and the baby is sleeping and it's just me. Usually the kids are with me but not this weekend. I'm sad. It's days like this that I just absolutely hate what divorce does to families. But no whining. After all we have all adjusted well and moved on, and our lives are blessed. I just miss my babes. At least we got to go to church together this morning. My daughter was so pretty with the yellow ribbon she wore in her hair, and my son sounded so wonderful as he sang the hymns. And they both listened to the priest's sermon and understood. They even asked me if I understood! The baby didn't have a meltdown so that was good too.

Anyway, have you seen the movie Premonition with Sandra Bullock? It's so interesting and so good. You really have to pay attention and think things through as you watch. I'm so glad I saw it. One thing that really sticks with me from the film is the conversation she had with her priest about being scared and not knowing what faith was anymore. He told her, "Faith is just believing in something beyond yourself. Something you can't feel or see or touch. Like hope. Like love." I really like that. Believing in something beyond yourself. I gather that having faith (in anything) is akin to being less selfish. I like that so much.

Whatever you believe in, practice your faith. Look beyond yourself.

Take care!

Back to running tomorrow. :)

"Not My Best 10K" Rationalizations

I wanted to better my 10K PR set last April just before the Boston Marathon. As you can tell from the title of this post, I did not achieve my goal. I'm okay with it because I'm going to consider several factors as to why. Bear with me as I rationalize away. (I hate it when I do that, but it'll make me feel better). ;)

A. I ran a 6:49 first mile and knew it was too fast.

B. I slowed to 7:01 at the 2nd mile and then a half mile later, the two fast females ahead of me (my rabbits) turned around at the 5K turnaround... leaving me alone! I immediately thought, "Okay, I think I might win this 10K. But without any females to chase I don't think I'll PR." The two runners in front of me were male and at least a full minute ahead. That set the tone for the rest of the race.

C. We had a fierce headwind between miles 2-5 (20mph). I hate wind. I could feel my efforts against it just suck the energy out of me. My splits for those miles were 7:13, 7:16 and 7:04 (the wind let up a little for that one).

D. Mile 5-6 were run w/ the 5K walkers and the Half Marathon walkers and runners. Crowded, and again there was wind! Damn! Split was 7:13. The last .29 miles (the Garmin 305 said I ran a 6.29 mile race today) was run in 1:56 (6:40 pace). So I had something left at the end.

E. I don't know if the race distance was indeed long, or if the Garmin was completely off. Either way, the results are what they are. 10K (maybe w/ an additional .09) @ 44:35 (7:10 pace). To rationalize some more, if the course was long at 6.29, then I ran it at a 7:05 pace. But who's coming up w/ excuses??? Oh, ME!

F. I did not taper for this race, and actually ran 2 speed sessions within 5 days prior. I think I left it all on the training field, and definitely not on the race course. Good news is that at this very time 12 months ago, my best 10K was 46:13.

G. Did I mention the wind, and basically running the bulk of the race alone ???


Okay, I'm through w/ my nagging thoughts. Now on to the good news: I WON THE 10K WOMEN'S DIVISION AS WELL AS MY AGE GROUP OF 30-SOMETHING. I got a plaque, 2 ribbons, 2 medals and $50.00. Woot woot! I turned today's race into a 10.2 miler (running 2 miles each for warm up and cool down).

I got to see my hubby and the baby just before I crossed the finish. Always sweet! I wish my older kids were there, but they are now at their dads on the weekends.
Time to get the baby down for his nap. And then my daughter's soccer game later.
Have a great weekend!!!

6 x 1200s

I was excited and nervous to do Ryan Hall's workout today. 6 x 1200 meters w/ a quarter of the distance as recovery in between. I walked those 300 meter recoveries, by the way. McMillan says my prescribed pace for 1200s based on my last 10K race is 4:54-5:09.

After a 2 mile warm up to the track which included just a couple of 100 meter strides, the 1200s shook out like this:
4:57, 4:58, 5:04, 5:01, 5:12 (yikes), 5:02.

The 5th one was so slow. I was feeling fatigued and experimented w/ a new mantra, "Feet off the ground." Um yea, actually saying that over and over made my feet feel like lead, thus the slow down! After that I went back to saying, "Dig," and "Please God."
Cooled down with a 2 mile jog home.

Overall my 1200 paces were in between my mile and 5K race paces. I personally would have liked to run them in less than 5 minutes each, but that didn't pan out today. Overall I'm still pleased. It was just 2 days ago that I did that 14 miler w/ the marathon goal pace, 800s and Tempo pace miles. So I'll use that as an excuse. Three more days until my first 10K of the fall racing season. :)

Kids will be home in a few and time for homework.


Picture at left is Ryan Hall setting the new American record for the mens's Half Marathon in 2007.

I Should Skip Days More Often

After Friday night's gluttonous activities, Saturday's little flu bug and yesterday's pure laziness I decided to do my long run of 14 miles combined with the marathon goal pace, 4 x 800s, tempo paced run today. Mind you, I did run easy miles on Thursday and Friday, so my only days off of running were Saturday and Sunday. Saturday I was supposed to run the MGP-800s-tempo run, but skipped it. Thus the combination of the two workouts today.

Here's how it worked out:
2 miles warm up @ about 8:54 pace
3 miles marathon goal pace @ 7:39, 7:43, 7:29
.43 mile recovery
4 x 1/2 mile intervals @ 3:06, 3:10, 3:11, 3:17 with .10 mile recoveries after each.
3 miles tempo pace @ 7:19, 7:25, 7:18
3.16 miles cool down @ about 9:00 pace

TOTAL: 14 Miles

It felt so good but definitely tough. It was a hard workout. I'm going to soak in the cold pool w/ some coffee and then hang with the family.
I stink! I need a nice shower.

Lesson of The Day

I am living proof that what they say about certain food combinations is true. I've heard that combinations like a candy bar or ice cream with a Coke or Pepsi makes your immune system take a nose dive for so many hours afterward. So... lastnight's Ben and Jerry's along with the soda pop I had to wash it down was not a wise decision on my part.

I woke up feeling okay, although my nose was immediately running down my face. I took some Airborne and an allergy pill and rounded up the kids for the first soccer game at 8:00 a.m. All was well until the downpour of rain. I thought my Boston Marathon jacket was water resistant but I was wrong. By the end of the hour I was soaked to the bone. The kids were too, but they didn't really care. As a side note, my son's team won.

By the time we got home I felt like every joint in my body was going to melt. My husband came home from work and took over, and by noon I was sacked out. I slept for as long as the baby did (almost 3 hours). My husband took the kids to my daughter's soccer game while the baby and I napped. (Her team won also).

My body and head still hurt and I have a slight fever of 100.4. I'm sure it wasn't just the ice cream and soda. I'm sure it has been broken sleep and lots of things (but I don't want to say "running too hard").

Today would have been THE PERFECT day to run hard and run long. I missed a golden opportunity. :(

11:20 p.m. Friday Night

I just peeked out my bedroom window and saw raindrops falling in the pool. I love it. I had to post something about it because even though the kids will have to play soccer in the rain and I'll have to cheer them on in the rain, I really want to run in the rain! For the last 2 days I've run easy paced miles and tomorrow I have a tough triple play speed session. The marathon goal pace, 800s, tempo pace run. I would love to do that outside in cool, damp weather. Crossing my fingers. I'll report back tomorrow.


In the meantime I have a confession. As late as it is, I just polished of AN ENTIRE PINT of Ben and Jerry's Karamel Sutra. Man it was good. I'll regret it in the morning when I'm dragging because of all the sugar. But that run later in the morning will do me good.

All right, g'nite.

Speed Day

I needed a change of pace today after taking a rest day yesterday. This morning I met some of the MOMS Club moms again for a little walking and exercise at the track. It was so great to do that stuff with them. Sure beats doing it alone. After they left I jogged around a little to warm up more, and went right into my speed work.

I've decided to do a mix of Ryan Hall's Half Marathon training schedule as well as Runner's World Your Ultimate Marathon Training Program - Advanced. Today I ran Ryan's speed workout of 2 miles at Half marathon goal pace, 3 minute recovery after, 2 x 1 mile intervals at 10K race pace, 2 minutes recovery after, then 2 x 800s at 5K race pace with 2 minute recoveries after. It felt awesome! I ran the mile intervals and the 800s a little too fast (on the track), but overall I was pretty close to my recommended times. I ran the 2 mile portion on the road at an avg. pace of 7:10 (my half marathon goal pace is 7:15-7:20). After the workout I jogged a mile for cool down as my husband and the baby walked around the track.

Now time to gear up for a busy day with the kids. :)

Total Miles: 7

Weekly Totals 9/10/07 - 9/17/07

Mon 9/10: SRD (scheduled rest day)
Tue 9/11: 8 (2 x 3 @ Tempo pace)
Wed 9/12: 5.1 (recovery)
Thu 9/13: 8.66 (4 x 800s and 4 x 400s)
Fri 9/14: SRD
Sat 9/15: USRD (unscheduled rest day - felt lazy)
Sun 9/16: 5.43 (easy, w/ kids)
Mon 9/17: 12 (Long run, had to do today due to Hubby working yesterday)

TOTAL: 39.19

The 12 miles today felt GREAT. I felt "on." Overall average pace of 8:16. First 6 were at an avg of 8:31/mile, last 6 were run at an avg of 8:00/mile (marathon pace). I was happy with that. Miles 4 & 5 were 7:56 and 7:49.

I'm going to stand in the pool for relief as I sip coffee and then I'm going to take care of my poor husband. He finally caught the baby's cold. The baby is down for his nap and the kids are at school.

Have a blessed day.

What do you think about this?

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

- Marianne Williamson

I think it's easier SAID than DONE. I guess it's something I need to work on.

Running Log

Hey all. I've decided to keep a hard copy running log in addition to my blog page. I like the idea of having one at my disposal without having to log in to the computer. I wish there was a way to get my blog printed in to hard copy, but the last I'd heard, they don't do it for blogger.com yet. :( Anyone know differently?

Anyway, update of last few running days.
Tue 9/11: 8 total, warm up, 2 x 3 miles @ tempo pace, cool down. The tempo miles shook out like this -- 22:34 (7:31 pace, roughly 10-15 seconds slower than I needed to be) and after a 3 minute recovery I ran 23:18 (7:46 pace, 25-30 seconds slower). My only "excuse" is that I ran it outside at 12:45 p.m. in about 85 degrees. Not smart!

Wed 9/12: 5.1 mile recovery run, no watch. :) I pushed the baby in the jogging stroller.

Thu 9/13: 8.66 total, warm up, speed intervals at track, cool down. The intervals were 4 x 800s : 3:11, 3:12, 3:10, 3:14; and then 4 x 400s: 1:28, 1:29, 1:28, 1:30. Each interval was followed by a 400 meter jog/walk (one lap). It was a tough workout done at 10:30 a.m. and luckily it wasn't too hot yet.

Today I'm resting, but doing some core strengthening later on. I've come to the realization that if I want to feel good and race well, I really need to commit to eating less SUGAR and more vegetables, in addition to the protein and whole grains I already eat. I'm just a sugar addict though and it's horrible!

Okay, time to go. Have a great weekend! Tomorrow after soccer games I will do a 5K time trial. It's a cutback week on my marathon training schedule.

REMEMBER 9/11

I will never forget.
I had gotten home from work just a few hours before it happened. My brother (a fireman) called my house and woke me up. Asked if I had heard about the planes. I was groggy and said "yea I'll call you later." Then I couldn't get back to sleep.

I got out of bed and turned on the TV as I made coffee. As soon as I saw what was going on, I wept. I watched and cried some more, then I got ready and drove in to work early. I worked the swing shift at the time. The city where I work has an international airport and it was a strange silence to not hear the planes overhead.

Residents throughout the city sat outside their homes or on major street corners holding candles and American Flags. The calls for service that night were slim to none. However there were many possible "hate" crimes in the days to follow including assaults & arson.

My heart is still saddened when I think about that time. Just a few weeks later, my friend and coworker was shot and killed while he made a car stop.

So every year around 9/11, I not only honor the people who lost their lives in that tragedy, but I also mourn the loss of my friend.

REMEMBER. Let your loved ones know how much they mean to you. Honor those that have gone home before you.

Weekly Totals 9/3/07 - 9/9/07

First here's my weekly total from 8/27/07-9/2/07: 11.8 miles

Now let's get up to date:
9/3 Mon: rest day
9/4 Tue: 9 miles (hill tempo on TM)
9/5 Wed: 4 miles recovery
9/6 Thu: 11 miles (marathon goal pace and tempo pace mixed)
9/7 Fri: rest day
9/8 Sat: 6 miles recovery (10 min. miles)
9/9 Sun: 13.3 miles progressive run. Started at a 9:30 pace and last 2-1/2 miles at 7:30 pace. (overall avg. pace was 8:36).

TOTAL: 43.3 That's back on track. My marathon training schedule called for up to 44 last week. I'm still not going to stress out if I don't do the scheduled workout. If I need a break I'm gonna take it! That's my new motto. :)

Feeling Good (this week)

Once again, thanks for the encouragement through my downer week everybody! YOU are all the nicest people. ;)

Tuesday I ran 9 miles on the treadmill at the gym. I did a 3 mile warm up and then 5 miles of hills that simulated Boston's Newton Hills (at my hill tempo pace) and then a one mile cool down. It felt so good!

Wednesday I ran 4 easy miles and worked out with some fellow MOMS Club moms at our local track. It was so good to exercise with other people! I need to do that more often.

Yesterday I ran 11 miles on the treadmill again (poor air quality outside due to multiple forest fires in the surrounding areas). I ran 15 minutes warm up, 59:58 for 8 miles, then 13 minutes cool down. The middle 8 miles were 2 @ marathon goal pace (7:41s) then 4 @ tempo (2 @ 7:18 & 2 @ 7:13) then 2 @ marathon goal pace (7:35 & 7:30). It felt pretty good, but my legs were WORKING. So were my lungs. I talked to God a few times to help me through it! I felt lightheaded, as if I were going to pass out, between miles 4 & 5, but the feeling passed. Otherwise it went great! :)

Today is a complete rest day. I really like those!
Have a great weekend.

The Nicest People

I really want to thank everyone who posted comments on my last blog entry. You're all so sweet, so understanding and so nice. THANK YOU!!!

Since I last posted I have enjoyed 3 very easy runs. Two with my older son and daughter and one by myself. All three runs felt so nice because I left the watch at home and just went where my feet wanted to go. For the runs with the kids, I let them lead. A part of me misses the really hard training runs, but most of me is happy to break away from them for now.

I posted a copy of the blog entry on the Runner's World Message Boards and the support there was overwhelming. Another wonderful bunch of people (some of whom posted comments here on the blog too). Here are the links to those supportive message board threads. Here's the one from the Master's Board. So awesome! And this next one is hilarious...be prepared to laugh really hard when you open it!

I couldn't help but be cheered up when I read what these kind and kindred spirits had to say. It just goes to show ya' that you really aren't alone even when you feel like you are. God Bless!