Archive for 2010

A Much Needed Break

Miss Runner Runnington is currently on a running hiatus...

Since my running will probably be sporadic and boring during this Fall and Winter 2010, I will resume my blog once training picks up again.

Besides, we all know the wedding is consuming my free time. :)

"run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Leave a comment

Final Race of the Year: Kinda Sad, Kinda Relieved

This past Sunday I ran the GR Half Marathon, making this my last official race for the year. Going into this race, goals were low and anxiety high. Since the North Country, my motivation has been lacking and the training has followed. I figured this half would be a struggle since the last time I had run over 10 miles had been during the marathon.

With the adrenaline flowing high that morning, I went out as usual, too fast. I could not believe how great I felt for the first 5 miles, so I tried to maintain my pace. Zach brought his bike and occasionally pedaled next to me for support, which was almost as good as having him run with me.

Finished in 1:29:45
6th woman overall
2nd in my age group

Splits (aprox):
1 mile: 6:33
2 mile: 6:48
3 mile: 6:46
4 mile: 6:50
5 mile: 6:42
6 mile: 6:57
7 mile: 7:00
8 mile: 7:00
9 mile: 6:22
10 mile: 6:50
11 mile: 7:15
12 mile: 7:06
13 mile: 7:15

Overall a great flat course and race to finish up the year. Let’s hope that with some down time; the motivation will ensue.







Leave a comment

My Schedule = Craziness

So it has been a long time since my last blog and I feel like months have gone by since then. Life has been beyond hectic. My running has been put on the back burner; resulting in me transferring my marathon registration to the half marathon. I knew that if I tried to do the full, I would be killing myself just to finish. Zach sprained his ankle when we went rock climbing, so he is officially out of running for a couple months...leaving me to attempt this by myself.

With the wedding planning in full force, training for the half marathon has been a challenge in itself. I've been having fun trying to check as many things off of the master wedding list, but that has also brought along some stresses.  At this point I've got most of the important items finished (awesome venue, yummy caterer, and amazing photographers) which will hopefully come with more free time.

Right now I'm in Chicago for work. Tomorrow I'll be helping Nike set up Niketown for the Chicago Marathon Expo. Super pumped about this experience and being able watch the marathon on Sunday.  Just one more reason why I love my job!

More to come after the GR Marathon next Sunday.

Below are some pictures from the NC Marathon that my co-worker kindly took for us!



Zach reaching for my hand to finish "together."

Leave a comment

Post Marathon: What Next?

The transition from training for the North Country Marathon, recovering, and back to training mode again has been a struggle.  After barely being able to walk like a normal person for a couple of days, Gazelle had a cross country meet against Calvin College that I had signed up for a month earlier...not thinking that I would still be in this condition.  Reluctantly, I ran the 5K the following Thursday after the marathon and did it fairly well! Ended up finishing first for Gazelle women in a 21:04. 

Since then, I have started slowly getting some miles in. This past week I did about 17 miles, but I'm still having issues with my IT and knee. Something that I do not think will easily go away. I'm nervous that this will become a problem before the GR Marathon, hindering my chances of a PR. With the marathon only about a month away, I'm not sure how exactly to train for it. Having a pretty solid base makes me feel better about finishing with ease, but I do not want to be in as much pain as I was at the North Country. Obviously, my mistakes will be taken into consideration for this next one.

I'm going to try increasing my mileage each week, getting one 20 miler in, and then backing off again. Let's hope this works to my advantage.

Leave a comment

Week 24: 1st Marathon at North Country Trail

To finish the last week of my training, most days were light runs with one day of biking, in anticipation for Saturday. Friday, Zach and I got out of work early to pack and head up to Cadillac where we spent the night at my co-workers parents house. This helped out tremendously; allowing us to have a nice bed to sleep in before the race, rather than camping out or coughing up money for a hotel. The weather that morning turned out to be beautiful and almost perfect running weather. With much anticipation, I really got out fast the first couple miles...hoping to get in the women's lead pack to avoid getting tramped behind a slower runner on the single track.

Going into this marathon, I really had no idea what I was doing. This lack of experience really became apparent when I hit the first aid station. Since this was a trail run, they couldn't really have that many aid stations, so with seven stations through 26.2 miles, the first was around mile 3.9...or so I thought. When I came through this station, my time was well under what pace I had planned to run at. I was breathing pretty hard and the hills had just begun. I was later told that I should not count on the aid stations being at the right mile markers, which I found out to be true when the second aid station was way off. Frustrated, but happy with how I was feeling at the moment, I kept on my way. The scenery was beautiful when I had the chance to look up, since the trails were pretty rugged and I had stubbed or lost footing several times during the race. The hills (steep inclines and descents) kept coming and they never seemed to end. It wasn't until around mile 15 or 17 where I really started to feel the pain of this race. I knew at that moment that I was not going to be able to maintain my 7:15 pace and that my pace had probably slowed to an 8 minuter. The terrain was something I had never experience before. If this race had been a half marathon, Zach and I would have finished well in the front of our pack since it seemed to be around the half where things started to go wrong.

Hydration was key since it did get steamy after 10am, so I was happy that I had chosen to run with my Nathan bottle. Carrying that helped me fuel up on my own time since the aid stations weren't that reliable. I stored my splits and 2 GU's in the bottle case as well and used only one at the 1:15 point. I think drank about 3 bottles worth of water (pretty sure the bottle is 20 oz), 2 half cups of coke, 2 small cups of lemonade, few M&M's, and a handful of gummy bears during the whole race. I probably could have ate more and drank more during the whole race, but was satisfied with how I handled at least that aspect of the marathon.

I started to really struggle around mile 20. At this point, I was looking forward to each aid station, just so I knew how far I was from finishing since my pace was way off by that point. Few strangers crossed my path that I chatted with briefly and who helped me push on...promising cold beer waiting at the finish line. Half the time I tried to think of things that would make the time pass faster...what my split could be at, wedding plans, how Zach was doing, calculating how many more minutes I might possibly have until the next aid station, and so on.

It was around mile 21 when I saw a familiar racing outfit...Zach. I was so happy to see him since I knew we would pull each other through these last miles. He had went out extremely fast as well and had crashed about the same time I had. Struggling with injuries these past months had put a damper on his training; which definitely played a role in the turnout of this marathon. Aside from the fact that I wanted Zach to do his best, I was glad to have him at my side to finish our first marathon. With a mile left, we started to finally hear the music at the finish line. With all the energy we had left in our beaten up legs, we picked up the pace and ran through the finish line, hand-in-hand. :)

Below are lovely pictures of what my feet looked like after the race. They look like mini tumors on my toes. They might look like they hurt, but they didn't bother me that much during the race. It wasn't until today, the day after, when the pain hit me. My quads, IT band, butt, and back kill. Zach and I can barely go up and down stairs without looking like an old married couple. Hopefully this soreness will subside before to long... got a couple races already lined up already.







Leave a comment

Week 23: Miss Runner Runnington is going to be a Mrs!

Oh what a glorious and exhilarating week it has been since my last post!
First things first, Zach proposed on the 21st! Had an amazing Saturday, in which I had to go on a scavenger hunt to “find” him. Nevertheless, I did not get my last long run in that day…but I could care less! Running around trying to find all the clues was a workout in itself. I ended up in Fredrick Meijer Garden and Sculpture Park for my last clue. It lead me to a sculpture where Zach had written in chalk on the ground…”Sit Here, Face Woods.” So I did. I waited about 5 min and then he came strolling around the corner. He awkwardly pulled me aside to a secluded garden called the Gallery and popped the question!

With the tapering going down to 30 miles this past week, running has taken less time and focus in my schedule. Been running with Zach most days and took a day off for “Yoga in the Park” with Gazelle and Lole.

Really looking forward to running this marathon, but also ready to get it over with. My legs are shot and my focus is not as strong as it once was for this race. With wedding planning to do and the GR Marathon to think about, it’s time for a new direction.

Leave a comment

Week 22: In Need of Some Rest

For this week I've slowed down tremdously...35 miles and still feeling sore. My knees have not been the same since the last 20 miler, but I'm hoping that these next two weeks of tapering will revive them. Not much happened this week...tapering can get rather boring. Saturday was my longest run of 10 miles and also when Zach and I signed up for the GR Marathon at Gazelle. Met the race director, Don Kern, at the sign up. He has done a lot of far out races, including the run around the South Pole with Dean Karnazes.

My plan for this week is to once again rest up, stretch, ice well, and get lots of sleep.

Leave a comment

Week 21: Toasted Legs...

The tapering effect has yet to really take place and my legs are getting pretty toasted. This week my mileage was suppose to be around 35, but I ended up doing 42 miles. When talking to my friend about this, I realized that I have been training consistently since January and have been training solely for this marathon for 21 weeks without much of a break. So I definitely have a reason to be feeling this way.

Tuesday was another good workout on the track. Zach came out and ran the workout beautifully; making it look so easy.

Warmup
Stride outs for 4 min
800 hard
400 easy
1 mile hard
400 easy

We did this 3 times in a grueling heat/humidity.

The rest of the week was pretty typical, except for Saturday. Zach and I went to Egypt Valley and ran these trails for 20 miles. It was probably 1 1/2 to 2 hours where I really started to slow down and feel how sore my feet were. The trails were amazing to run on; made for mountain biking with the ups and downs required for a great running workout.

Looking to take this week's mileage down to 30-35 miles and putting at least 1 day of cross training in there. I want to make sure the soreness in my shins and hips stop and get the rest I need before Saturday. Definitely getting enough sleep, which is so important at this stage in the game.

1 Comment

Week 20: Winding Down


For Week 20, I'm slowing starting to work on the decline for my marathon. With a weekly mileage of 40 miles I definitely felt less pushed, BUT of course other obstacles came into play for this week. I went to practice once again and I think that riled up my knee, despite having a great workout. With work being insanely busy, traveling back home to IL for the weekend, and doing 15 on Saturday, I'm now trying to recover.

Sleep = #1 priority right now
Food = more veggies/fruits with proteins after hard runs
Stretches/Ice Knee = do more frequently

Been wearing my Zensahs and I really like them. Not sure if it is mainly a placebo effect, but after my 22 miler, I wasn't really sore at all the following day. I'm hoping this is partly because I wore these right afterwards and during the following night.

Super busy...so focusing on my running, spending time with Zach, and work. Gotta go!

Leave a comment

Week 19: Traveling + 22 miles = exhaustation

Week 19 was another top mileage weekend and also happened to be the week the Merchandise Team traveled to Boston. Leaving on Wednesday and not getting back till Saturday definitely messed up my "routine," but was well worth all of that. It was great to hang out with co-workers and fellow retail teams, while learning a tremendous amount about New Balance.

After coming home on Saturday, I ended up sleeping for a good part of the day and only running 6 miles. Zach and I decided that it was best to just do our 22 miler on Sunday after getting a little more rest.

We headed out to Saugatuck Trails for a 3 hours escapade. It took a few miles to get into my routine and feel comfortable. Saugatuck Trails are rather grueling and my knees were getting the most of it. It was not that hot out but it was insane how much water I actually went through during the whole run. A 16oz bottle, 8oz bottle, and half of Zach's 22 oz bottle. Used 2 GU's, which felt appropriate for this time period.

I'm anxious to see how these trails will compare to the marathon's. I know that Saugatuck is more challenging, but the rumors are that North Country Trails are constantly up and down.

Knee seems to be holding up...just a little sore. I bought Zensah leg sleeves and wore them after my 22 miler. My legs felt great today, so maybe they helped!

Leave a comment

Week 18: You have a lot more time when you are running less miles

Week 18 was a huge drop in mileage, leaving my legs restless and wondering what I was doing with my time. Took this week pretty easy since I know next week will be another killer high mileage week (50ish).

I was bummed that I wasn't able to go to Tuesday's practice because of my knee...
but I did find resolution to the whole problem. Went to the injury clinic at work and basically I have some instability in my knees. What I need to do is get on more trails, strengthen that with exercises, and stop running the exact same routes and on sloped roads. My IT band was definitely a part of this and foam rolling has not seen the last of me. It was relieving to hear a professional tell me exactly what the problem was and how to fix it. High hopes that my right leg will slowly start coming back to normal before the marathon.

Ran with Zach on some trails yesterday...only did about 5 miles on the actual trails since the deer flies were making a meal of us. We were screaming with our arms above our heads during a sandy part of the trail where apparently the flies make their home. Did about another 5 off of the trails on grass/even sidewalk.

Next week will be pretty jammed packed. It will be a challenge to get 50 miles in since I'm traveling to Boston for work for three days. I know they have a workout room at the hotel, but I don't know if I'll have time to use it!

Leave a comment

Week 17: OH the Heat!

Week 17 into my marathon training and have been dreading going outside in this humidity and heat waves. The last two days have cooled down tremendously and have made running a little more tolerable. Next week, I only have 7 more weeks of training until the big day! I'm getting pretty antsy for this marathon because I'm afraid my knee won't take that much more hardcore training. Today for my long run I went out to Riley Trails and was only able to run about 4 miles there because of a combination of the hills, mosquito's, and boringness. Decided to head out and run out to Lakeshore Drive which provided a much more entertaining run and seemed to help my knee a little bit better than the trails.

Been feeling extremely sleepy this last week. I'm not sure if I'm getting sick or if this is associated with my running. I'm going to try to attempt to get more sleep this week, but I'm guessing since Zach will now be in GR; that might not happen.

Also want to get back on track with my eating habits. In the busy-ness of life, I haven't had the time or made the time to cook like I used to. It is crazy how different people eat. I can't help but notice the people around me and the choices they make. Whether this be co-workers, people I see at Meijer, friends, or family, I'm intrigued to what they think about when it comes to the food the are putting in their bodies. I really think that most Americans don't give a shit about their "diets" and prefer the lazy solution of quick and easy food. I wonder about addictions and what food people become "addicted" too. I know I fine myself craving foods like french fries, chicken tenders, and any type of baked good more often than I should be eating these. Makes me wonder what is truly in our food and why we get these urges to go out and buy these things when I could just grab an apple and call it good.....

Enough rambling! I need to get ready to head into GR to help Zach unpack once he gets into town!!! YAY!

Leave a comment

Week 16: Lonnnnnnnnng Run

Another uneventful week in the running world. Knee has been consistently sore, but not to the point of pain, so I'm still running on it. Took two days off, biked once, and ran the rest of the week. The only eventful thing about this week was that Zach was in town and that I did my longest run to date on Saturday.

For Gazelle track practice, we did a warm up, strides, and then a workout of a hard 800, rest for 200, hard 300, rest 300...this was done four times and equaled four miles. It has been great for my training to get higher quality miles in, instead of just junk miles.

Got up early today and headed from my apartment down to South Shore for my long run. The weather was warm, but relatively nice for such a lengthy run. Running past all the gorgeous houses on South Shore is always fun; seeing how ridiculously big these houses are and wondering how much they cost. Took one GU at the turn around point, roughly around mile 9. I had brought a 12 oz water bottle along and filled it up on my way back to Kollen Park, but was still really thirsty after that. About four miles left, I decided that I had to go into McDonald's and fill it up or I was going to pass out. Other than being dehydrated and a little sore, 18.2 miles felt pretty good! Next time, I'll bring more water or find more water fountains...another GU would have been nice.

Leave a comment

Week 15: Urggg

This week was my first time attending the Gazelle Marathon Training Program; which I'll be going to every Tuesday. It was so nice to get back on the track and pull out my speed and mix it with some endurance. There is just something magical about stepping on a beautifully laid out track and warming up your body for a strenuous speed workout. We ended up doing 16 "harder" 200's for our main workout. These 200's were based on our 5K times, but I think since my endurance has been pretty well established, that I should have made these splits harder.

With my IT band not bothering me at all...my knee has started bugging me. Funny how that works. After my massage it was a little sore, but nothing compared to how it has felt today after the Reed's Lake Run. I ended up doing both the 5k and 10k and now seconding guessing if this was smart.

It was considerably hot/humid, but I felt that these were both training runs for the marathon.

5k: 19:45
10k: 43:11 (I ended up 2nd in my age division!)

Weekly mileage was around 40 and I did 15 for my long run today.

Leave a comment

Week 14: Biding Time

I'm a little late on week 14's blog...but there hasn't been much happening in my running world. Took the mileage down a bit this week in hopes that my IT band and knee will start improving more. Zach was up this weekend, but couldn't run with me since he was not feeling the greatest and having some foot pains. Regardless, I got 13 miles in for my long run.

Work and life in general feels like it has gotten tremedously busier...so I'm going to try to get more sleep and manage my time better. Feels like I've been dragging; I'm assuming it is because of my running.

More interesting running endavors next blog.

Leave a comment

Week:13 Peak Mileage

I had envisioned running and hitting my peak mileage was going to be rather difficult; but I did it just fine! Despite the IT band and running the Diemer 5k, I still managed to get 49 miles in. I thought I would have had to do at least one two-a-day.

Wednesday I stayed the night at Margie's so I could see the Diemer course. Getting out of my apartment and the Holland bubble was delightful; something I need to do more often.

Getting my IT worked on was a smart move because I think it was on the verge of an injury. It is still extremely tender and sore, but that comes with getting an intense massage and then running a 5k, then a long run. Going to see him again this Tuesday and two more times.




The Brian Diemer 5k on Saturday was a great opportunity to get some speed into my training...even though the humidity made me feel like I couldn't breathe! Mom and Dad came up Friday and stayed until Sunday. I think it's been since college when both of my parents had watched me run. Good to have their support this weekend. I ended up running a 19:28, which I was content with. Ended up 21st Female overall and 7th in my age group. The course was flat and fast, with the leading women's time in the 16's! I think I came in second for the Gazelle Team and we ended up winning the Division 2 Team!



Goals for this coming week include, but are not limited too... stretching and icing my IT band more, running before work, getting some trail runs/hills in, and from the looks of this picture, my posture. :)

Leave a comment

Week 12: Waking up early to run; am I an adult now?

I'm throughly impressed with myself this week...getting my run done before work and before anyone in their right mind would want to get out of their cozy beds. Since it was a lighter mileage week, I didn't do anything over 5.5, except for my long run.

Just did 10 miles down South Shore with Kristen and Sarah on Saturday morning. Incredibly nice to get long runs done that early in the day; leaving the rest of the day open for errands, reading, cooking, and being lazy.

The IT band is getting progressly worse, so I scheduled a sports massage for this coming Thursday. It makes running the first two miles of any run really uncomfortable and tight. I'm hoping that he'll be able to work all the kinks out. Since I am running the Brian Diemer this Saturday I want to be at the top of my game. I would love to run anything under 19:30, but I'm not sure of what I'm capable of right now. Top 10 recieve money, but looking at last year's time, I'd probably have to run under 19 minutes. haha I haven't been training for a 5k, so I'll be happy with anything in the 19's or 20's.

This week, I'll be at my peak mileage, so I'll be busy doing some long runs in my spare time. It will be interesting to see how I respond to a 50-55 mileage week...

Leave a comment

Week 11: Heat...I hate sweating

Finished yet another high mileage week, which made life seem a little bit more busier. I attempted to get up early in the morning to run so I wouldn't be so tired after work, but I just don't think I have the motivation to get up that early right now. Last week I put in about 45 miles and am looking at a drop in mileage for this week. I did two 8 mile runs Tuesday and Wednesday that were hard considering the heat/humidity we are getting. I did the 8 mile run on Tuesday in about 7:12 pace and 7:34 for Wednesday's; which was also a workout. Warmed up for about 1 1/2 then did 4 sets of 5 hard/5 jog with a longer cooldown. Maybe when I get my FREE hydration belt I'll be able to feel better about doing longer runs in this heat! :) No telling how hot and humid it will be during the marathon.

At this point my right side is still the same, but I really don't know if I can do much about it. I think it is a muscle problem, maybe a kink that needs to be rubbed out...so I'm looking to go to a sports massage therapist. I know it will hurt in the process, but if it makes me feel better...oh well.

This week's goals: to take it a little easier and make sure I'm getting hydrated and eating enough calories. All prep work for the week after next, which is when I'm suppose to be hitting my peak mileage.

Leave a comment

Week 10: Trail Time

This week has been very busy with work and running. Weekly mileage at this point is up to 45 miles. Other than my pesky right hip/IT band, I'm feeling awesome.

Today I ran my first really long run on the trails at Saugatuck State Park. The weather was perfect and the scenery was refreshing. For my first hour, I hit up a longer trail that looped out to the lake and back. Once getting out to the lake and looking back at where I had ran, I was in awe of what I had covered and the beauty of the area. Don't get me wrong...there were several points in the run where I was cursing the humongous sandy dunes and wondering where I was at. After getting back to the parking lot and taking my GU and water, I was back at it for my second hour. I took a shorter trail that quickly took me directly to the beach. I decided that this was such a perfect day that I'd run barefoot down the beach for 30 minutes. I think the few people I saw probably thought I was crazy. Here is this extremely sweaty girl, wearing just her sports bra and running shorts, with her shoes wrapped around her neck! The beach felt really nice since the wind was cooler out there and it gave my feet a change of pace. After that, I put my shoes back on, and got lost for the last 30 minutes of my run. By the time I got back to my car I was sick of the sand dunes. I didn't really feel that tired after running for 2 hours...just dirty and thirsty.

This run has given me some insight to how the marathon might go. Thankfully, Zach says there is no sand dunes on that course, so I won't die. It will be hard, there is no denying that, but I'm excited to see how fast I could run a "trail" marathon.

Next week, mileage will still be at 45. Hopefully my right side won't take a toll from this long run.

Leave a comment

Week 9: Riverbank Run


What a weekend! I've been pretty busy this weekend with my Mom and then starting work that I've haven't had time to update. The Riverbank run went really well considering the conditions and my past illness. I was happy with my overall time: 1:48:08, which was about a few seconds slower than last year. I ran about half with my friend Kristen, who was a blessing to have during this race. We went to the Expo on Friday to pick up our packets and said hi to my boss and a few co-workers. It is refreshing to be working with others who have the same mind set I do about running.

Riverbank 25K Splits:

6:36
6:47
6:41
6:45
6:43
6:47
6:51
6:42
6:49
7:02
7:00
7:20
7:18
7:23
7:24
3:54

So far this week, I've been recovering and hoping to get at least one workout in. Hitting the road to Cleveland this Friday and will be getting a long run in on Saturday with Zach! :)

Leave a comment

Week 8: One last week...

Week 7 did not end up being a very productive week...Tuesday morning I woke up feeling pretty sick and didn't feel completely better until Saturday. Had some kind of virus that made me nauseous, drained, have no appetite, and have an upset stomach. I was capable of no running, so sleeping and getting better was my first priority. Felt able to run on Sunday and did a light 4.5 mile which didn't go that great. Last night I did 5 miles at 7 minute pace and that felt much better, but left my body sore...

Rather nervous for what the Riverbank will be like this weekend. I had high hopes for running 6:30 - 6:45 minute miles, but I'll be happy if I can do anything under 7 minute miles. Once I get over this hurdle, I can take a week or so to get back where I should be for the marathon training.

This is also my last week before starting my new job! It will be sad to leave and scary to start something new, but I'm looking forward to the opportunities this will hopefully bring.

Goals for this week: to get enough rest this week and to not put so much pressure on this race. To also enjoy this busy weekend with my Momma!

1 Comment

Week 7: Phase II

Into week 7/phase II of marathon training. My right hip/knee is starting to act up again so I'm taking it a little slower this week. I'm trying to be conscience of my form and figure out why this is bothering me. I think my hips might be "off" but I really don't want to have to go see a chiropractor again.

Have less than 2 weeks until Riverbank and the start of my new job! I'm excited about the possibilities this job might open up for me and the motivation it will give to my running career.

Focus this week: Cross train, do some leg exercises to strengthen my right side,ice, and get more sleep!

Leave a comment

Week Six: Sore

The Striders Classic 10 mile went pretty well on Saturday. Finished first in my age group with a time of 1:07:14. Just a little faster than the year before, but felt 10x better during the race. I tried keeping track of my mile split, which for some reason I've never thought to do in an actually race:

6:35
6:45
6:46
6:50
6:33
7:08 (hills?)
6:43
6:49
6:32
6:25

Little sore today, but got out for about 5 mile on some trails with Zach. Planning to up the mileage a tad this week and will try to keep this momentum until Riverbank. I would like to keep this pace for Riverbank...idealistically hitting 6:30's would be great, but I do need to keep the marathon training first priority. I don't want to wear myself out, but I think I'm going to have to up my weekly mileage because I am easily hitting every week.

Leave a comment

Week Five: Waiting for the Weekend

I'm looking forward to my first long road race for this year! The Striders Classic 10miler will be a test to see how well my training has held up since January and give me a little aderaline rush in week 5 for my marathon training. I know that I'm probably pushing my training for this marathon, but I really wanted to get Striders and Riverbank races in again for this year. I'll probably be taking it down a notch after the Riverbank and get more on track for my marathon training. Last week went pretty well with a 12 miler on Saturday. Weather has been cooperating fairly well and it looks like it will in the high 50's, low 60's for Saturday's race. My aspirations for this race is to do better than last year. My PR for this race is 1:07:54, so hopefully I can run under that (shooting for 6:30 to 6:40 pace). I'll want to run fast so I can hurry home, take a nap, and wait for Zach to get here. It will be nice to run with him while he is in Holland. Can't wait!

Leave a comment

Week Four: Sun!

Beginning of week four of my training...stoked that the weather has been so nice, but I am afraid this will not last. Last week's training went pretty well, just need to control my "antsy-ness." For example, I had planned speed days for Tues/Thursday, but ended up getting too excited and ran back to back speed days. Took Friday off, ran my 10miler on Saturday (in the horrid rain), and was pleasantly surprised on how fast I did it in...even though it felt like crap the whole way.

Since reading "Born to Run" I've been interested in different types of footwear and the capabilities of the human body. It is mind blowing to think that some people have run barefoot for years or that there are runners out there who compete in races well over 50 miles. Reading this book has led me to others about marathons and ultras...peaking my interest in what my body could possibly withstand. So many people in our society think that running a mere 5 miles is ridiculous. I believe anyone in moderately good health could run this distance...this is not an unattainable goal.

My boyfriend and several friends have been running occasionally in the Vibram Five Fingers. Awaiting my pair, since they have been back-ordered for a while now, I ponder on how I should incorporate them into my training. I don't want them to "screw up" my training, but then again I don't want to be too hesitate and not try these babies out! I love the idea of being closer with the ground I'm running on and how "free" I'll probably feel in them. I've gone through countless types of shoes and am anxious to see how these will stack up.

Since high school I've been put into a pretty high cushion shoe. Being in between a neutral and supinator, I have slowly backed off the higher grades and tried other brands and grades of cushion. I've also been more conscious of how my foot is striking the ground, in an effort to make my gait more neutral. I'd like to wear a lightweight trainer for this marathon, but am worried how my feet will take to such a minimalist shoe. I've got a while to shop around...

Leave a comment

Week Three: Sinus Infection = Gross Hives

After finally finishing my antibiotics for my sinus infection and starting to feel better, I get a pretty bad allergic reaction and broke out in hives all over my body. Regardless of what I thought at the time...it was pretty funny looking. I still managed to get my long run in while at home. 12.6 miles with itchy hives (especially bad around the ankles) was not fun, let alone the hills and the endless fields of blank scenery. My overall time was not good, but at least I got the miles in.

I have about 2 weeks until the Striders 10 mile. Not remotely in the same shape as I was last year, but I'm hoping to at least do 7min splits. I need to focus on getting those speed intervals in or else I'm going to lose my kick.

Leave a comment

Week Two: Lifestyle

Now into week two of my marathon training. Was a little side tracked last week due to a lethal sinus infection...but I came back with a vengeance when I found out Zach was coming to town for the weekend. We kicked out a nice 10.5 miler on Sunday; felt pretty good for doing 7:30 pace. My focus this week is to get two "speed" days in before heading to Illinois this weekend. Hoping to incorporate some fartleks and strides to get that turnover.

This new year has brought on a revelation. Running over the years has dynamically changed from hobby to lifestyle. This is something that I wish to continue for the rest of my life and share with as many people as possible. But it is not all about the actual physical "running" part. It is also about the nutrition we are supplying this active body, the knowledge we are learning about this sport, and the relationships built from it all.

With this said...I've been researching and doing my fair share of reading many marathon/ultra books, along with random running bios. I've changed my diet considerably; almost becoming a vegetarian, cutting dairy, eating whole grains, and much more fruits/veggies. I've never really had a "sweet tooth" so this really hasn't been a challenge. Realization that the consumer outlook on their food intake is ridiculous. Most people have no idea what they are putting into their bodies and how bad most packaged foods are. I like to stay mostly in the produce section when grocery shopping...it's when you get into the aisles that trouble begins.

This year is a marker for big and better things. I'm excited where it will lead.

Leave a comment

Week One: Marathon Training to Commence

24 weeks till I attempt my first marathon!
Few goals to attain before getting there:

Run a 5k as a speed workout (already done...St. Patty's Pacer! 20:30ish 1st girl)
Striders 10mile Classic
Riverbank 25k

Hopefully all of these races, and maybe more, will help prepare me for this marathon. I'd like to run consistently under 7:45 pace, but not sure if this is feasible since it is a trail course. I've have about 3 months of base training in so I'm ready to get down to business!

More to come later...

Leave a comment
Powered by Blogger.

Swedish Greys - a WordPress theme from Nordic Themepark. Converted by LiteThemes.com.