My home internet connection is basically schizophrenic (ie, it tells me it is connected and not connected on the same page), but I got online just long enough today to discover that apparently one of my letters of reference didn't make it to the University of Puget Sound. ONE. I submitted 4 different references to PTCAS, and 4 references are marked "completed" on the page, not to mention this application only calls for three. So someone please explain to me how in the hell one of these letters managed to not make it? THEY'RE ONLINE! How hard is it to email a freaking letter? Seriously? I sent a rather unfriendly email to the PTCAS help department who I know will probably not get back to me until sometime in 2009, by which time I may or may not have located the PTCAS office and burned it down. In all seriousness, this could screw up my chances of getting into 3 out of the 6 schools I'm applying to, and I refuse to let that happen because some moron at a clearing house forgot where the enter key was. AGGGGH.
Rant over. I went on a glorious run at the Pettit today, slightly over 4 mile tempo at 7:12 pace. Yesssss! I love running at the Pettit. The whole 450 m track thing is awesome because it tricks you into thinking you're running less than you are, it's absolutely the perfect temperature, 50-55 degrees, and the fact that it's an Olympic training center for speed skating generally makes me feel badass when I work out there. Good workouts = happiness, and since my workouts over break are always questionable, its good to make the ones I do get in count.
So tomorrow is Christmas Eve, probably one of my favorite days of the year. Time to bake cookies, eat a lot, and enjoy hanging out with my family. Here's to peace, happiness, and love...and lots of fast running. :) Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
7 x 7
7 x 7 laps around the Shell = 7 miles...it also equals me being bored out of my MIND. Indoor running and me don't get along so well, but then again neither do "-9 feels like - 30 degree" weather and me, so I was stuck inside after work. The laps actually passed pretty quickly - my strategy is pretty much to count to 7 and then start over again, not thinking about anything except the current lap/mile. I ended up running 7 miles instead of my planned 5, so I guess it worked out...not to mention though I was running pretty slow (7:56 pace) I was so ridiculously consistent and didn't stop or slow down at any point...I guess monotony has it's benefits.
I've definitely hit the winter running doldrums. With over a month since my last real race and a month to go before my next one, no team to train with, and the weather outside complete crap, eating and staying in bed are much higher on my to-do list than going for a run. I've been getting better the past couple of weeks, and I had better keep the motivation up over break because once indoor starts I'm going to be regretting being lazy. Either way, I'll probably be ahead of where I was last year after my IT band problem pretty much eliminated any chance of training over break. Hopefully I can get some speed work in in the next few weeks before I actually have to RACE! Although who knows what distance that's even going to be...oh well.
This semester has absolutely flown. I can't believe Christmas is in 4 days...where did that even come from? Ridiculously enough, in a semester where I put in virtually no effort whatsoever, I'm probably going to have my highest GPA of college. It still terrifies me that I'm entering my last semester of undergrad...wasn't it just yesterday that I was partying at the grandma house and going to Ed's at 2 am? A lot has changed since then, running wise and otherwise, and I like to think that the majority of it is for the better. I'm happy, I'm in love, I'm running like I could never have even imagined freshman year, I know what I want to do in life, and overall I'm just really pleased with where I'm going. Yay. It's also good to know that I'm going into a field that's fairly stable even in the midst of this horrible economic situation...though my own finances are in the crapper, at least I know I'll have a job when I finally get out of school...yipee!
And on a completely miscellaneous note, my glorious house has invented a drinking game called "Pointsetta" which resulted in a group trip to the OP to buy 40s, toasts to the freshmen who funded our beer, walking to Brother's in a snowstorm completely wasted at 9 pm, and no one remembering how we got home. A great end to the semester? Yes, I do believe so. Did I run the next day? You better believe it. ;)
I've definitely hit the winter running doldrums. With over a month since my last real race and a month to go before my next one, no team to train with, and the weather outside complete crap, eating and staying in bed are much higher on my to-do list than going for a run. I've been getting better the past couple of weeks, and I had better keep the motivation up over break because once indoor starts I'm going to be regretting being lazy. Either way, I'll probably be ahead of where I was last year after my IT band problem pretty much eliminated any chance of training over break. Hopefully I can get some speed work in in the next few weeks before I actually have to RACE! Although who knows what distance that's even going to be...oh well.
This semester has absolutely flown. I can't believe Christmas is in 4 days...where did that even come from? Ridiculously enough, in a semester where I put in virtually no effort whatsoever, I'm probably going to have my highest GPA of college. It still terrifies me that I'm entering my last semester of undergrad...wasn't it just yesterday that I was partying at the grandma house and going to Ed's at 2 am? A lot has changed since then, running wise and otherwise, and I like to think that the majority of it is for the better. I'm happy, I'm in love, I'm running like I could never have even imagined freshman year, I know what I want to do in life, and overall I'm just really pleased with where I'm going. Yay. It's also good to know that I'm going into a field that's fairly stable even in the midst of this horrible economic situation...though my own finances are in the crapper, at least I know I'll have a job when I finally get out of school...yipee!
And on a completely miscellaneous note, my glorious house has invented a drinking game called "Pointsetta" which resulted in a group trip to the OP to buy 40s, toasts to the freshmen who funded our beer, walking to Brother's in a snowstorm completely wasted at 9 pm, and no one remembering how we got home. A great end to the semester? Yes, I do believe so. Did I run the next day? You better believe it. ;)
Sunday, December 14, 2008
How far will you go? As far as you can.
Awkward triple post today, but I found this on another blog and I just had to put it up. Its apparently from a Nike ad (running shoe brands tend to do such a good job of putting into words what I for some reason can't):
You pretended the snooze button didn’t exist. You dragged your butt out of bed while other slept. While other ate their pancakes. You had a feast of protein, glucose and electrolytes. You double-knotted. You left the porch light on and locked the door behind you. You ran. 5ks, 10ks, 26.2 miles. Some days more, some days less. You rewarded a long run with a short run. And a short run with a long run. Rain tried to slow you. Sun tried to microwave you. Snow made you feel like a warrior. You cramped. You bonked. You paid no mind to comfort. On weekends. On holidays. You made excuses to keep going. Questioned yourself. Played mind games. Put your heart before your knees. Listened to your breathing. Sweat sunscreen into your eyes. Worked on your farmer’s tan. You hit the wall. You went throught it. You decided to be a man about it. You decided to be a woman about it. Finished what you started. Proved what you were made of. Just kept putting mile after mile on your internal odometer. How much farther will you go? As far as you can.
I also really like this one from New Balance...so true:
You pretended the snooze button didn’t exist. You dragged your butt out of bed while other slept. While other ate their pancakes. You had a feast of protein, glucose and electrolytes. You double-knotted. You left the porch light on and locked the door behind you. You ran. 5ks, 10ks, 26.2 miles. Some days more, some days less. You rewarded a long run with a short run. And a short run with a long run. Rain tried to slow you. Sun tried to microwave you. Snow made you feel like a warrior. You cramped. You bonked. You paid no mind to comfort. On weekends. On holidays. You made excuses to keep going. Questioned yourself. Played mind games. Put your heart before your knees. Listened to your breathing. Sweat sunscreen into your eyes. Worked on your farmer’s tan. You hit the wall. You went throught it. You decided to be a man about it. You decided to be a woman about it. Finished what you started. Proved what you were made of. Just kept putting mile after mile on your internal odometer. How much farther will you go? As far as you can.
I also really like this one from New Balance...so true:
"You didn't even look back!": Jingle Bell Run Race Report
Well that certainly didn't go according to plan...it went way, way better.
So I finally dragged myself home from the library at 6 am Saturday morning, fell headfirst into bed, and woke up at 8:45 (45 minutes before I set my alarm, may I add) ready to go...I'm assuming it was something similar to when I was little and would just laugh for hours straight at idiotic things because I was so damn overtired...that was the kind of goofy energy I had. The weather forecast was actually looking pretty good - it was supposed to be 36 or something, so I went with my running tights under my (amazingly badass) orange race shorts, underarmor, and my (free!) Mizuno cold weather top. BF made fun of me because "orange and purple don't match", and just for that I tied an orange ribbon in my hair. Sweet.
So I met up with the other WTCers at 10 and we got our bags and things and went off to warm up. I ran around with Nicole...when she asked me how fast I was going to run this, I said "just like we're going for a run in the Arb.
Oops.
We got to the starting line and apparently there was no starting gun, no announcements, no nothing...suddenly someone said go and everyone started running. We went through the first mile at the leisurely pace of 7:50 and were talking about Christmas shopping and just basically treating it like a normal run. Except for the one small fact that I always forget when I say I'm not going to try in a road race: if I have a number on, there's no WAY I'm not racing. So right after the first mile mark, Nicole dropped behind me a bit and I started passing people...really not putting any particular extra effort in but if I was close behind someone, I'd try and pick up my cadence a bit to just get past them and then fall back in. Apparently I did pick it up though, because my second mile was 7:25. The 3rd mile of this course is my least favorite of all time, including a long, steady hill for probably half a mile up Manitou Way...usually when I run the Arb I run it the opposite was as they race it so I get to run DOWN this hill...its damn tiring to run up. Hence my 7:43 3rd mile. Still, I passed at least 6 or 7 people on the uphill and I was happy with my situation at that point. When we turned the corner into the Arb I looked behind me and saw Nicole was probably 10 seconds back...I figured she'd probably catch up on the hills in the Arb but to be honest...I didn't really feel like worrying about it at that point. I was on pace for a PR, so my race strategy (run lazy) had changed.
As I passed the 3 mile mark, 2 older guys behind me who I had just passed were yelling to eachother "Let's go! 3 mile race now!" I figured they were going to pick it up and if there's one thing I hate, its being passed back, so I focused on an older man and a girl who looked about my age who were probably 10-15 seconds ahead of me. I caught up to them both and passed the guy, then the girl. A few minutes later, she passed me back on an uphill right around the 4 mile mark, which came up a lot faster than I remembered...gotta love those downhills. I finally got ahead of the girl, who I think ended up being the last person I passed. The race spread out a LOT in the last 3 miles...I had my sights set on "guy in red shirt" and got pretty close to him, but he pulled away a lot at the end. I was getting really tired...I'm sure that whole fact that I didn't sleep the night before had nothing to do with that...and I was starting to feel sick, which tends to happen when I race. But now that I knew that girl was behind me, there was no way I was letting up - I was NOT going to let her pass me.
We finally turned out of the Arb and passed the 6 mile mark...I was verrrry excited to be almost done running, and also pretty pumped because I knew a PR was coming my way. I also knew that the girl I had passed earlier was most likely gaining on me, and when I heard some people yelling for her at the finish, I knew there was only one thing to do - KICK!
It was probably the best kick I've had all year, and I beat her by 2 seconds.
Nicole came in about a minute later, and she wasn't too thrilled with me. Which is totally legit, since I was all "oh I'm not going to try, blah blah blah" before the race. And I wasn't PLANNING on trying, but when I found myself in decent position and feeling good, I figured there was no point in not going for it. The weird thing about the race was I never felt awesome, but I never truly felt bad...it was like the quote "it hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse". Overally, I was pretty damn happy with my race and overall time. I got even happier when I got home and found the results online - 8th overall female out of 126, 2nd in my age group out of 49, with the girl right behind me being 3rd...SCORE! I got 39th/266 overall. And that is why I love road races...because in cross country, you can run your best time EVER and get 204th, but in a road race you beat a TON of people. I also like 10Ks at Vilas Park because I know the course sooo well....I've run the Arboretum loop a million times. Weirdly, I also really liked running with the jingle bells they gave us on my shoes, because it seriously made me get into a really good cadence. And I also had the Manheim Steamroller version of White Christmas in my head almost the entire time...very random since its a pretty slow song, and I haven't heard it in awhile...but whatever! So in the end, I'm really glad I did it, even though at 5:30 am it seemed like pretty much the worst idea ever. Not to mention, this made me a lot more motivated to get out and run knowing that I'm not completely out of shape despite being in kind of a slump lately. PRing after an all-nighter...that is just plain ridiculous. WIN.
Jingle Bell Run 10K - Vilas Park, Madison, WI
46:30 (7:29 pace)
Splits: 7:50, 7:25, 7:43, 7:17, 7:22, 7:25
39/266 overall
8/126 women
2/49 AG (19-29)
So I finally dragged myself home from the library at 6 am Saturday morning, fell headfirst into bed, and woke up at 8:45 (45 minutes before I set my alarm, may I add) ready to go...I'm assuming it was something similar to when I was little and would just laugh for hours straight at idiotic things because I was so damn overtired...that was the kind of goofy energy I had. The weather forecast was actually looking pretty good - it was supposed to be 36 or something, so I went with my running tights under my (amazingly badass) orange race shorts, underarmor, and my (free!) Mizuno cold weather top. BF made fun of me because "orange and purple don't match", and just for that I tied an orange ribbon in my hair. Sweet.
So I met up with the other WTCers at 10 and we got our bags and things and went off to warm up. I ran around with Nicole...when she asked me how fast I was going to run this, I said "just like we're going for a run in the Arb.
Oops.
We got to the starting line and apparently there was no starting gun, no announcements, no nothing...suddenly someone said go and everyone started running. We went through the first mile at the leisurely pace of 7:50 and were talking about Christmas shopping and just basically treating it like a normal run. Except for the one small fact that I always forget when I say I'm not going to try in a road race: if I have a number on, there's no WAY I'm not racing. So right after the first mile mark, Nicole dropped behind me a bit and I started passing people...really not putting any particular extra effort in but if I was close behind someone, I'd try and pick up my cadence a bit to just get past them and then fall back in. Apparently I did pick it up though, because my second mile was 7:25. The 3rd mile of this course is my least favorite of all time, including a long, steady hill for probably half a mile up Manitou Way...usually when I run the Arb I run it the opposite was as they race it so I get to run DOWN this hill...its damn tiring to run up. Hence my 7:43 3rd mile. Still, I passed at least 6 or 7 people on the uphill and I was happy with my situation at that point. When we turned the corner into the Arb I looked behind me and saw Nicole was probably 10 seconds back...I figured she'd probably catch up on the hills in the Arb but to be honest...I didn't really feel like worrying about it at that point. I was on pace for a PR, so my race strategy (run lazy) had changed.
As I passed the 3 mile mark, 2 older guys behind me who I had just passed were yelling to eachother "Let's go! 3 mile race now!" I figured they were going to pick it up and if there's one thing I hate, its being passed back, so I focused on an older man and a girl who looked about my age who were probably 10-15 seconds ahead of me. I caught up to them both and passed the guy, then the girl. A few minutes later, she passed me back on an uphill right around the 4 mile mark, which came up a lot faster than I remembered...gotta love those downhills. I finally got ahead of the girl, who I think ended up being the last person I passed. The race spread out a LOT in the last 3 miles...I had my sights set on "guy in red shirt" and got pretty close to him, but he pulled away a lot at the end. I was getting really tired...I'm sure that whole fact that I didn't sleep the night before had nothing to do with that...and I was starting to feel sick, which tends to happen when I race. But now that I knew that girl was behind me, there was no way I was letting up - I was NOT going to let her pass me.
We finally turned out of the Arb and passed the 6 mile mark...I was verrrry excited to be almost done running, and also pretty pumped because I knew a PR was coming my way. I also knew that the girl I had passed earlier was most likely gaining on me, and when I heard some people yelling for her at the finish, I knew there was only one thing to do - KICK!
It was probably the best kick I've had all year, and I beat her by 2 seconds.
Nicole came in about a minute later, and she wasn't too thrilled with me. Which is totally legit, since I was all "oh I'm not going to try, blah blah blah" before the race. And I wasn't PLANNING on trying, but when I found myself in decent position and feeling good, I figured there was no point in not going for it. The weird thing about the race was I never felt awesome, but I never truly felt bad...it was like the quote "it hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse". Overally, I was pretty damn happy with my race and overall time. I got even happier when I got home and found the results online - 8th overall female out of 126, 2nd in my age group out of 49, with the girl right behind me being 3rd...SCORE! I got 39th/266 overall. And that is why I love road races...because in cross country, you can run your best time EVER and get 204th, but in a road race you beat a TON of people. I also like 10Ks at Vilas Park because I know the course sooo well....I've run the Arboretum loop a million times. Weirdly, I also really liked running with the jingle bells they gave us on my shoes, because it seriously made me get into a really good cadence. And I also had the Manheim Steamroller version of White Christmas in my head almost the entire time...very random since its a pretty slow song, and I haven't heard it in awhile...but whatever! So in the end, I'm really glad I did it, even though at 5:30 am it seemed like pretty much the worst idea ever. Not to mention, this made me a lot more motivated to get out and run knowing that I'm not completely out of shape despite being in kind of a slump lately. PRing after an all-nighter...that is just plain ridiculous. WIN.
Jingle Bell Run 10K - Vilas Park, Madison, WI
46:30 (7:29 pace)
Splits: 7:50, 7:25, 7:43, 7:17, 7:22, 7:25
39/266 overall
8/126 women
2/49 AG (19-29)
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Shoot me?
Its 4:20 am. I have no intention of going to bed anytime in the next several hours. My current home is a corner on the 3rd floor of College Library.
Oh, did I mention I run a 10K at 11 am.
I am an idiot.
Oh, did I mention I run a 10K at 11 am.
I am an idiot.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
That was a final?
So I just took a final at a bar.
No, you didn't read that wrong. I just took my Kinesiology 615 (Lab Techniques in Exercise Physiology) final exam at the Blue Moon, while drinking a delicious Capital Amber provided by my professor. I also tried some tasty Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, which I actually really liked and thus completely changed my opinion that porters and me don't get along, and also some Spotted Cow and Winter Skal. It was absolutely ridiculous...basically, I'm pretty sure everyone in that class is getting an A, and my professor kicks ass. We had a lot of fun just hanging out and drinking and talking, I actually feel kind of bad that I don't know a lot of people in my kines classes as well as I should. After all, we basically take ALL the same classes for 2 years...so you'd think I'd at least know their names by now. So it was kind of nice just hanging out and talking...although, we've spent a lot of time doing that in this class anyway...haha.
I also went on a pretty decent 5.3 mile run...ran into Nicole over by the VA which was kind of funny. I've been really unmotivated when it comes to running lately, partially I think because this stupid cold has been sucking out my energy and I've just wanted to sleep. But it was good getting out their today, and drunk or not I'm planning on doing the death circuit tonight...in between drunkenly studying for my microbio exam tomorrow....yeaahhh....senioritis like whoa.
I can't believe that exam just happened...just more proof that this semester is beyond ridiculous.
No, you didn't read that wrong. I just took my Kinesiology 615 (Lab Techniques in Exercise Physiology) final exam at the Blue Moon, while drinking a delicious Capital Amber provided by my professor. I also tried some tasty Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, which I actually really liked and thus completely changed my opinion that porters and me don't get along, and also some Spotted Cow and Winter Skal. It was absolutely ridiculous...basically, I'm pretty sure everyone in that class is getting an A, and my professor kicks ass. We had a lot of fun just hanging out and drinking and talking, I actually feel kind of bad that I don't know a lot of people in my kines classes as well as I should. After all, we basically take ALL the same classes for 2 years...so you'd think I'd at least know their names by now. So it was kind of nice just hanging out and talking...although, we've spent a lot of time doing that in this class anyway...haha.
I also went on a pretty decent 5.3 mile run...ran into Nicole over by the VA which was kind of funny. I've been really unmotivated when it comes to running lately, partially I think because this stupid cold has been sucking out my energy and I've just wanted to sleep. But it was good getting out their today, and drunk or not I'm planning on doing the death circuit tonight...in between drunkenly studying for my microbio exam tomorrow....yeaahhh....senioritis like whoa.
I can't believe that exam just happened...just more proof that this semester is beyond ridiculous.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Proof that humility still exists in sports
US sprinter Shawn Crawford gives silver medal to disqualified runner Churandy Martina
I'm absolutely blown away. To see that kind of sportsmanship, especially from a sprinter, who are typically thought of as some of the cockiest athletes, is incredible. I saw the race, and the disqualification of Martina was completely unfair, since he ran out of his lane on the outside (therefore actually running extra distance, not less) and not impeding anyone else. Crawford apparently said that he felt that the medal didn't belong to him, and that he was beaten fair and square by 2 other athletes. Regardless of whether the IOC officially awards the medal to Martina (there is a hearing scheduled for January 15), I think its pretty awesome to see something like that between fellow athletes, especially in this day and age when the top stories are about drug cheats.
Also, I suck at school and I have a cold that's sucking away what minimal motivation I do have. Running today was very unpleasant and I'm hoping that these freaking zinc cold drops that I spent $4.99 on will help me...they did before nationals, right? We also just got a boatload of snow dumped on Wisconsin so running outside kind of sucks right now...and I'm really regretting signing up for the Jingle Bell 10K especially since pulling an all-nighter Friday is the only way I'm going to catch up on the 11 online lectures I haven't looked at before my exam Sunday...sweet...
But on the bright side, all 4 of my recommenders got their PTCAS letters in! By Christmas break, all I'll have to do is sit and wait and wish for those acceptance letters to start rolling in...
I'm not terribly religious, but replace running on a beach with running in the snow and this pretty much sums up how I feel when I'm out there, alone, on a freezing winter day when no one but a crazy person would be outside and the snow just sparkles, and I can look back at my lone line of footprints stretching off into the distance and think about how far I've come.
"It's elevating and humbling at the same time. Running along a beach at sunrise with no other footprints in the sand, you realize the vastness of creation, your own insignificant space in the plan, how tiny you really are, your own creatureliness and how much you owe to the supreme body, the God that brought all this beauty and harmony into being."
- Sister Marion Irvine, 2:51 PR and 1984 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier
I'm absolutely blown away. To see that kind of sportsmanship, especially from a sprinter, who are typically thought of as some of the cockiest athletes, is incredible. I saw the race, and the disqualification of Martina was completely unfair, since he ran out of his lane on the outside (therefore actually running extra distance, not less) and not impeding anyone else. Crawford apparently said that he felt that the medal didn't belong to him, and that he was beaten fair and square by 2 other athletes. Regardless of whether the IOC officially awards the medal to Martina (there is a hearing scheduled for January 15), I think its pretty awesome to see something like that between fellow athletes, especially in this day and age when the top stories are about drug cheats.
Also, I suck at school and I have a cold that's sucking away what minimal motivation I do have. Running today was very unpleasant and I'm hoping that these freaking zinc cold drops that I spent $4.99 on will help me...they did before nationals, right? We also just got a boatload of snow dumped on Wisconsin so running outside kind of sucks right now...and I'm really regretting signing up for the Jingle Bell 10K especially since pulling an all-nighter Friday is the only way I'm going to catch up on the 11 online lectures I haven't looked at before my exam Sunday...sweet...
But on the bright side, all 4 of my recommenders got their PTCAS letters in! By Christmas break, all I'll have to do is sit and wait and wish for those acceptance letters to start rolling in...
I'm not terribly religious, but replace running on a beach with running in the snow and this pretty much sums up how I feel when I'm out there, alone, on a freezing winter day when no one but a crazy person would be outside and the snow just sparkles, and I can look back at my lone line of footprints stretching off into the distance and think about how far I've come.
"It's elevating and humbling at the same time. Running along a beach at sunrise with no other footprints in the sand, you realize the vastness of creation, your own insignificant space in the plan, how tiny you really are, your own creatureliness and how much you owe to the supreme body, the God that brought all this beauty and harmony into being."
- Sister Marion Irvine, 2:51 PR and 1984 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier
Sunday, December 07, 2008
12, feels like 0, snowing...
Ahh, winter in Wisconsin. I've been a piece of crap about running since Thursday, but today I decided that I NEEDED to - I was going to go early this morning, but my bed was just too comfy, so I went out at about 4 planning on going to the Shell and running in circles until I wanted to die. I got about half a mile before I saw one other dude out running and I was like...screw it, I'm hardcore, I'm running outside. So I actually ended up running out to the beltline and back on the bike path, 7.5 miles in all. It was snowing almost the whole time but the footing actually wasn't too bad...although I think my legs hurt more afterwards because I was sliding around. And yeah, it was COLD. Its funny because I was wearing a sweatshirt, which I usually hate running in because its so bulky, but it actually was ok today. And I have to say, its pretty cool running in the snow at sunset. I may whine about running in the cold, but to be honest I'd definitely pick it over running in the heat of summer! So in the end, I'm glad I didn't go to the Shell...running in circles for easy/long runs is overrated.
The rest of this weekend was pretty awesome. Yesterday the BF and I went to the Capital Brewery tour, which was a lot of fun...and of course, beer samples!! We got these cute little 3 oz mugs and sampled Island Wheat, Rustic Ale, Wisconsin Amber, Special Pilsner, Winter Skal, and Autumnal Fire (aka, one of my favorite beers). We ended up coming home with a 6-pack of that and a mix-match 6 pack with 2 Winter Skal, 2 American Pale Ale, and 2 Special Pilsner...delish!
I forgot to mention that Thursday after our usual easy/tempo run, we did what I am going to call the circuit of death. Seriously, I haven't done anything like this since high school cross country, and I had a serious case of jello legs after. We did this circuit twice:
20 x lunges (10 each leg)
20 x calf raises
20 x squat jumps
20 x 1 leg squats
20 x step ups
20 x hamstring raises
20 x burpees (uggh.)
20 x squats
20 x star jumps
Can you say pain? I was limping around pretty extremely on Friday and even into yesterday...obviously I need to work on my strength a bit. But hey, if we do this even twice a week into the season, it won't hurt as much, right?
I also played St Nick to my roommates this weekend - nothing says festive like a stocking filled with chocolate, candy canes, and a Christmas shot glass...hooked onto a bottle of Rolling Rock. Red & green...get it?
The rest of this weekend was pretty awesome. Yesterday the BF and I went to the Capital Brewery tour, which was a lot of fun...and of course, beer samples!! We got these cute little 3 oz mugs and sampled Island Wheat, Rustic Ale, Wisconsin Amber, Special Pilsner, Winter Skal, and Autumnal Fire (aka, one of my favorite beers). We ended up coming home with a 6-pack of that and a mix-match 6 pack with 2 Winter Skal, 2 American Pale Ale, and 2 Special Pilsner...delish!
I forgot to mention that Thursday after our usual easy/tempo run, we did what I am going to call the circuit of death. Seriously, I haven't done anything like this since high school cross country, and I had a serious case of jello legs after. We did this circuit twice:
20 x lunges (10 each leg)
20 x calf raises
20 x squat jumps
20 x 1 leg squats
20 x step ups
20 x hamstring raises
20 x burpees (uggh.)
20 x squats
20 x star jumps
Can you say pain? I was limping around pretty extremely on Friday and even into yesterday...obviously I need to work on my strength a bit. But hey, if we do this even twice a week into the season, it won't hurt as much, right?
I also played St Nick to my roommates this weekend - nothing says festive like a stocking filled with chocolate, candy canes, and a Christmas shot glass...hooked onto a bottle of Rolling Rock. Red & green...get it?
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Random commentary..
From an editorial from the Badger Herald completely unrelated to running, this is an awesome comment nonetheless:
"For those of you who don’t know, cross country is a sport that involves running as fast as possible for a distance most could not drive without stopping to stretch their legs, until the participants cross a finish line, at which point they stop running, collapse and try not to vomit from exhaustion. In other words: It’s a lot of fun!"
So true. So true.
"For those of you who don’t know, cross country is a sport that involves running as fast as possible for a distance most could not drive without stopping to stretch their legs, until the participants cross a finish line, at which point they stop running, collapse and try not to vomit from exhaustion. In other words: It’s a lot of fun!"
So true. So true.
Thankful.
A slightly belated Thanksgiving post...
I'm thankful for running - the good days, the bad days, PRs, every glorious cross country course everywhere, the Arboretum loop, spikes, intervals, tempo runs, exploring, pasta parties, road trips, living in a city that's full of beautiful places to run, long runs with the girls, lapping people at the Shell, feeling badass, finding my true passion in distance running, and having the most incredible team in the world to share every mile with.
I'm thankful for my amazing boyfriend, who loves me, understands me, lets me be my ridiculous self, and lets me love him right back, and who doesn't mind when I leave him for hours or days at a time to embark on my ridiculous running ways. I'm thankful to have not only a boyfriend but a best friend in him and I'm thankful for kegstands, without which we never would have found each other!
I'm thankful for my amazing family - my sister and her ridiculous stories, my mom even when she's driving me insane, my grandma for inspiring me every day, my dad even though I pretend I'm not, and the rest of my crazy and wonderful extended family - I don't know what I would do without their support and love.
I'm thankful for my friends - new and old, and for being able to come home to them no matter how long its been.
And now that the cheesy parts are out of the way: I'm thankful for good beer, coffee, living in the greatest college town in the nation, ice cream sandwich pie, underarmor, digital cameras, facebook, being 21, puppies (and having a job that involves playing with them), hope for change with our new president, microwaves, being able to watch House and The Office online, Subway $5 footlongs, the OP, and so much more...
Most of all, I'm thankful for love. In every form and aspect of my life, love is what keeps it all together. And currently, I'm thankful that its finally the Christmas season! :)
I'm thankful for running - the good days, the bad days, PRs, every glorious cross country course everywhere, the Arboretum loop, spikes, intervals, tempo runs, exploring, pasta parties, road trips, living in a city that's full of beautiful places to run, long runs with the girls, lapping people at the Shell, feeling badass, finding my true passion in distance running, and having the most incredible team in the world to share every mile with.
I'm thankful for my amazing boyfriend, who loves me, understands me, lets me be my ridiculous self, and lets me love him right back, and who doesn't mind when I leave him for hours or days at a time to embark on my ridiculous running ways. I'm thankful to have not only a boyfriend but a best friend in him and I'm thankful for kegstands, without which we never would have found each other!
I'm thankful for my amazing family - my sister and her ridiculous stories, my mom even when she's driving me insane, my grandma for inspiring me every day, my dad even though I pretend I'm not, and the rest of my crazy and wonderful extended family - I don't know what I would do without their support and love.
I'm thankful for my friends - new and old, and for being able to come home to them no matter how long its been.
And now that the cheesy parts are out of the way: I'm thankful for good beer, coffee, living in the greatest college town in the nation, ice cream sandwich pie, underarmor, digital cameras, facebook, being 21, puppies (and having a job that involves playing with them), hope for change with our new president, microwaves, being able to watch House and The Office online, Subway $5 footlongs, the OP, and so much more...
Most of all, I'm thankful for love. In every form and aspect of my life, love is what keeps it all together. And currently, I'm thankful that its finally the Christmas season! :)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
There's a first time for everything...
This post has nothing to do with running, but I am seriously finding it difficult to care about school this semester. My classes bore me to tears, I feel like I'm learning nothing with the exception of my exercise physiology lab class where occasionally we do something cool, like watch bubbles being pumped into the professor's heart. Anyway, because of this newfound laziness, I've accomplished a couple things I never thought I would do:
1 - Get drunk the night before a midterm.
Now granted, this is a midterm in a class that I do not attend except for the exams (which I guess is kind of terrible in itself) and I study by going through the lecture notes, but more importantly, the exams from previous classes. My professor is mega-lazy and pretty much re-uses old exams...a big, big bonus for those who can get their hands on them while everyone else in the class brings down the curve. (I realize, I'm a terrible person. But I think I deserve one class that involves absolutely no work after the pre-med hell I've been through) Anyway, it was my friend's 21st birthday and obviously I was going to go out. About 3 drinks into power hour at the Nitty Gritty, I literally was like "oh my god...I have a MIDTERM tomorrow!" Like, I had been studying for the past couple days, but my need to go celebrate with my friend had completely pushed all thoughts of it out of my mind. So, was I a good responsible person? Um, no. I continued drinking through 3 bars with the birthday girl and finally called it a night at 12:30...also, I had to wake up at 6:30.
Also, I got an 88% on the exam...and based on the previous exams, the class average will most likely be <75%. WIN.
2 - Write a paper the day its due.
Actually, I'm kind of in the middle of this one right now. I could have worked on this last night, but I thought it would be a better idea to watch 3 hours of Mythbusters, Top Chef, and Good Eats while consuming a pint of Mackinac Island Fudge with BF. Oh well..these things happen. Another idiotic class, online at that, so I'm about to go spew out 4 pages about how my grandmother's life experiences (which are freaking awesome btw...she is the coolest lady ever) relate to HDFS 363. And then I'm going to go run the Arb loop. WIN.
1 - Get drunk the night before a midterm.
Now granted, this is a midterm in a class that I do not attend except for the exams (which I guess is kind of terrible in itself) and I study by going through the lecture notes, but more importantly, the exams from previous classes. My professor is mega-lazy and pretty much re-uses old exams...a big, big bonus for those who can get their hands on them while everyone else in the class brings down the curve. (I realize, I'm a terrible person. But I think I deserve one class that involves absolutely no work after the pre-med hell I've been through) Anyway, it was my friend's 21st birthday and obviously I was going to go out. About 3 drinks into power hour at the Nitty Gritty, I literally was like "oh my god...I have a MIDTERM tomorrow!" Like, I had been studying for the past couple days, but my need to go celebrate with my friend had completely pushed all thoughts of it out of my mind. So, was I a good responsible person? Um, no. I continued drinking through 3 bars with the birthday girl and finally called it a night at 12:30...also, I had to wake up at 6:30.
Also, I got an 88% on the exam...and based on the previous exams, the class average will most likely be <75%. WIN.
2 - Write a paper the day its due.
Actually, I'm kind of in the middle of this one right now. I could have worked on this last night, but I thought it would be a better idea to watch 3 hours of Mythbusters, Top Chef, and Good Eats while consuming a pint of Mackinac Island Fudge with BF. Oh well..these things happen. Another idiotic class, online at that, so I'm about to go spew out 4 pages about how my grandmother's life experiences (which are freaking awesome btw...she is the coolest lady ever) relate to HDFS 363. And then I'm going to go run the Arb loop. WIN.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
I can has tempo run?
I'm back after my week off...and yes, it did turn out to be a full week. Things got busy, there was a football game, and I woke up feeling like death (as in actual sickness, not hungover, amazingly) on Sunday so my running comeback was delayed until yesterday. It was also quite a rude awakening going running in 25 degree and snowy weather when the last time I ran was at Nationals where it was 55 and sunny. But apparently the cold weather worked out pretty well, since Nicole and I did what turned out to be a tempo run at 7:09 pace on the bike path. Yes...that's right...5 seconds faster per mile than my race at Nationals. Huh...that's cool...well, I guess in a way it kind of is, since I felt really good, but why couldn't I have pulled that out a week ago? Ohhh well. Anyway, it felt good, and today we did the Monona Bay loop at a slightly slower but still by no means lazy pace. The best part is, (knock on wood), I've felt NO pain in my hip the past 2 days! It's actually kind of amazing being able to walk around after a run and not be limping...and a little sad too that I got so used to it and just put up with it for that long. Either way, I hope that the week off and a few weeks of no workouts will be the cure for whatever that problem is/was.
I don't have anything planned in the way of races for awhile...if I could, I'd probably be doing a Thanksgiving Day race, but sadly Milwaukee hasn't jumped on that bandwagon yet. That's probably OK though since I'm sure I'm due for a break in racing, although I haven't done a road race in awhile and I'm kind of looking forward to the Jingle Bell Run in December. I'll pretty much be doing whatever I want running-wise until Thanksgiving, then after that starting lifting and doing some workouts to get ready for track...still don't know exactly what I'm running, but I guess we'll see. I think I get better at running in the cold every year, but ugh, I still hate winter in Wisconsin. Brrrrrr!
I don't have anything planned in the way of races for awhile...if I could, I'd probably be doing a Thanksgiving Day race, but sadly Milwaukee hasn't jumped on that bandwagon yet. That's probably OK though since I'm sure I'm due for a break in racing, although I haven't done a road race in awhile and I'm kind of looking forward to the Jingle Bell Run in December. I'll pretty much be doing whatever I want running-wise until Thanksgiving, then after that starting lifting and doing some workouts to get ready for track...still don't know exactly what I'm running, but I guess we'll see. I think I get better at running in the cold every year, but ugh, I still hate winter in Wisconsin. Brrrrrr!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The little things...
Dude at Indie Coffee: I see you have a USATF sticker on your computer, are you a runner?
Me: Yes!
Dude: Atta girl!
This pretty much made my day for some reason. Indeed, I am a runner. :)
Me: Yes!
Dude: Atta girl!
This pretty much made my day for some reason. Indeed, I am a runner. :)
Throwin' up the W
I don't know what to do with my life today because I don't have practice at 5:30. It's weird. And since I am attempting to take a "week off" (read: 3-4 days) after cross country, I'm in running withdrawal as well. I went swimming last night. It was bizarre. Swimming does not equal running, especially when the last time I worked out my arms was forever and a day ago, but its cool because I swam a mile and a quarter, and that equals out to 5 miles. Win!
So anyway, the nationals race report. It took me awhile to write this because I had to get over my initial issues of a) having a shitty race and b) cross country being over, potentially forever. I was in a glass case of emotion this weekend, that's for sure. But now that I'm a little further out, I feel ok to deal with it...maybe.
So my race sucked. I would say probably my worst race of the year, at a time when I should have been at my best. My legs felt. like. shit. I felt like I'd been sprinting 400 m intervals by the mile mark, and the lactic acid never subsided. I felt like I was dragging 2 painful lead weights around, and no matter how hard I tried I could NOT pick it up. It was by far the most frustrating race I've ever run because from the waist up, things were fine, and my legs just refused to respond. Hey legs, try to stick with Jade...nope. Hey legs, go with Karin and Taylor...nope. Hey legs, Nicole is passing you, fucking GO WITH HER! Nope. Nothing. I finally dragged myself across the line in 26:57...so not my worst time ever, but far, far, far from my best. And sadly, I think the reason I felt so bad was the fact that I had been driving for 4 and a half hours the night before...and I tense up incredibly when I drive. But hey, I guess I didn't have the worst race of our team, since Laura (who just found out she's super anemic) ended up dropping out because she felt like she was going to faint. Overall, our team was definitely not anywhere near its strongest, and we ended up tying for 9th (when most likely we would have been 3rd with our top 3 there/at full strength). But since I'm trying desperately not to dwell on my shitty mc shit shit race, lets talk about how the rest of the weekend was incredible. WTC BOYS....NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!! They completely kicked Oregon's ass, 35-89....who's #1 now?? Also, did I mention that our girls team still managed to beat Missouri despite being in our weakest state all season? Take that, NIRCA rankers!
So the road trip aspect of the trip was ridiculous/hilarious. We drove 1400 miles to race 3.72...wow. Missed tolls, "Can you switch gears while driving? I guess so!", signs telling us to buckle up the next million miles, beer drive throughs, van races, 3 motels in 3 nights, strip clapping games, tattoos, sluts at the Olive Garden, fail-movie van, the worst mall in America (Clairon, PA), ordering water at a bar, "the highest point on I-80!", sketchy Motel 6, always waiting for Kyle, Mo's sleep-talking ("Nicole...do you have a rope or an atom? I need to go on the ceiling..." or "We took the fish out of this little tank...it was like an Easter egg hunt, but with little fish")...seriously, road trips cannot be explained haha. Watching the guys win was one of the most exciting things I've ever experienced. I think I used up all my adrenaline screaming as I watched Ben, Zach, Nick, and Joe shoot towards the finish line, one after the other. The course was gorgeous, and I think under other circumstances I could have run a really kickass race...but it wasn't meant to be. We also discovered the BF's twin...seriously, it is CREEPY. This dude runs for Illinois and I am not kidding...same hair, same facial hair, similar facial features, same height....even he was creeped out when he saw the picture.
I'm sad to see it end. The team aspect of cross country is something you can find nowhere else...and our team seems to just get closer and closer as the years go on. If anything will keep me in Wisconsin for PT school, its this team. I cannot imagine what my college career would have been like if I hadn't become a part of this incredible group. I've become a legit runner, and I've met some of the most awesome people I know. I know one bad race doesn't define my season, and I had some awesome races this year. I really want to find a way to run cross country next year, wherever I am...because you can run in all the road races you want, but nothing can quite compare to standing with your team on the line on a crisp fall day, the gun going off, and hundreds of runners roaring down that line towards the horizon...
But you know what's also pretty sweet? Track season. Coming soon to a club near you :)
So anyway, the nationals race report. It took me awhile to write this because I had to get over my initial issues of a) having a shitty race and b) cross country being over, potentially forever. I was in a glass case of emotion this weekend, that's for sure. But now that I'm a little further out, I feel ok to deal with it...maybe.
So my race sucked. I would say probably my worst race of the year, at a time when I should have been at my best. My legs felt. like. shit. I felt like I'd been sprinting 400 m intervals by the mile mark, and the lactic acid never subsided. I felt like I was dragging 2 painful lead weights around, and no matter how hard I tried I could NOT pick it up. It was by far the most frustrating race I've ever run because from the waist up, things were fine, and my legs just refused to respond. Hey legs, try to stick with Jade...nope. Hey legs, go with Karin and Taylor...nope. Hey legs, Nicole is passing you, fucking GO WITH HER! Nope. Nothing. I finally dragged myself across the line in 26:57...so not my worst time ever, but far, far, far from my best. And sadly, I think the reason I felt so bad was the fact that I had been driving for 4 and a half hours the night before...and I tense up incredibly when I drive. But hey, I guess I didn't have the worst race of our team, since Laura (who just found out she's super anemic) ended up dropping out because she felt like she was going to faint. Overall, our team was definitely not anywhere near its strongest, and we ended up tying for 9th (when most likely we would have been 3rd with our top 3 there/at full strength). But since I'm trying desperately not to dwell on my shitty mc shit shit race, lets talk about how the rest of the weekend was incredible. WTC BOYS....NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!! They completely kicked Oregon's ass, 35-89....who's #1 now?? Also, did I mention that our girls team still managed to beat Missouri despite being in our weakest state all season? Take that, NIRCA rankers!
So the road trip aspect of the trip was ridiculous/hilarious. We drove 1400 miles to race 3.72...wow. Missed tolls, "Can you switch gears while driving? I guess so!", signs telling us to buckle up the next million miles, beer drive throughs, van races, 3 motels in 3 nights, strip clapping games, tattoos, sluts at the Olive Garden, fail-movie van, the worst mall in America (Clairon, PA), ordering water at a bar, "the highest point on I-80!", sketchy Motel 6, always waiting for Kyle, Mo's sleep-talking ("Nicole...do you have a rope or an atom? I need to go on the ceiling..." or "We took the fish out of this little tank...it was like an Easter egg hunt, but with little fish")...seriously, road trips cannot be explained haha. Watching the guys win was one of the most exciting things I've ever experienced. I think I used up all my adrenaline screaming as I watched Ben, Zach, Nick, and Joe shoot towards the finish line, one after the other. The course was gorgeous, and I think under other circumstances I could have run a really kickass race...but it wasn't meant to be. We also discovered the BF's twin...seriously, it is CREEPY. This dude runs for Illinois and I am not kidding...same hair, same facial hair, similar facial features, same height....even he was creeped out when he saw the picture.
I'm sad to see it end. The team aspect of cross country is something you can find nowhere else...and our team seems to just get closer and closer as the years go on. If anything will keep me in Wisconsin for PT school, its this team. I cannot imagine what my college career would have been like if I hadn't become a part of this incredible group. I've become a legit runner, and I've met some of the most awesome people I know. I know one bad race doesn't define my season, and I had some awesome races this year. I really want to find a way to run cross country next year, wherever I am...because you can run in all the road races you want, but nothing can quite compare to standing with your team on the line on a crisp fall day, the gun going off, and hundreds of runners roaring down that line towards the horizon...
But you know what's also pretty sweet? Track season. Coming soon to a club near you :)
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
yes. we. CAN!
I have to say, it was pretty cool being a witness to history last night. I actually most likely wouldn't have even watched the election except for an amusing random happening. The BF and I went out to dinner for our 1 year anniversary (yay! love you!) at this restaurant called Harvest on the square. HEAVENLY...small first course (I think I read its called an amuse) of butternut squash soup which was delightful, an appetizer of seared scallops (heaven.) with tomato vinagrette and zucchini puree, then for dinner he had grouper and I had this absolutely ridiculously awesome hanger steak with salsa verde and potatoes, we also split a side of mushrooms in brown butter. And of course, to top it off, a decadent chocolate cake with mousse and this ridiculous caramel sauce. It was the perfect place for an anniversary dinner - quiet, simple, and spectacular food.
So anyway, we're walking home after splitting a bottle of wine when we realize we need to pee. It just so happens that BF mentions this just as we're walking past the Nitty Gritty and I suggest we go in, pee, and have a beer...why not, right? Well as it turns out, there's a bunch of people there and the election is on, and oh...there's a $10 debit minimum so I guess we're getting 2 beers each...haha. The place absolutely ERUPTED when the results came up that Obama had won and so we decided to stick around to hear his speech...meaning more beer. Top that off with an Ale Asylum Hopalicious nightcap and we ended up being two pretty drunk Obama supporters. In all seriousness though, I got chills when Obama made his speech. I'm really not terribly political at all but this was seriously a landmark election in our country's history and we are witnesses to it. It was actually really cool being in a bar for the announcement and having people to celebrate with...apparently State Street was completely full of people. The whole night really made me very proud to be an American (and also thankful that I have the most incredible boyfriend ever :))
So running you say? Well, I leave tomorrow at 4:45 for NIRCA NATIONALS!!! Needless to say, I'm excited. The girls team has run into a bit of a roadblock with 2 of our top 4 runners not coming, but you know what? Screw that. Who says that Jade, or Nicole, or Karin, or what the hell...ME can't have a breakout race and just dominate? We got dropped from the rankings this week which has honestly fired me up even more because we are CLEARLY better than the #4 and especially #5 teams....I'm sorry, just because you have one awesome runner doesn't make up for the fact that one of your scored runners runs a 29:45 6K. Rant aside though, I know we're all going to leave it all on the course on Saturday. I know I will....hell, this could be my last cross country race, and I'm going to make it count. My hip has been feeling OK lately...definitely better than the past couple of weeks, and tapering has been good to me. I'm ready. My team is ready. And we are going to rock the socks off everyone who stands in our way. In the words of Obama: YES WE CAN!
Time to kick some ass.
So anyway, we're walking home after splitting a bottle of wine when we realize we need to pee. It just so happens that BF mentions this just as we're walking past the Nitty Gritty and I suggest we go in, pee, and have a beer...why not, right? Well as it turns out, there's a bunch of people there and the election is on, and oh...there's a $10 debit minimum so I guess we're getting 2 beers each...haha. The place absolutely ERUPTED when the results came up that Obama had won and so we decided to stick around to hear his speech...meaning more beer. Top that off with an Ale Asylum Hopalicious nightcap and we ended up being two pretty drunk Obama supporters. In all seriousness though, I got chills when Obama made his speech. I'm really not terribly political at all but this was seriously a landmark election in our country's history and we are witnesses to it. It was actually really cool being in a bar for the announcement and having people to celebrate with...apparently State Street was completely full of people. The whole night really made me very proud to be an American (and also thankful that I have the most incredible boyfriend ever :))
So running you say? Well, I leave tomorrow at 4:45 for NIRCA NATIONALS!!! Needless to say, I'm excited. The girls team has run into a bit of a roadblock with 2 of our top 4 runners not coming, but you know what? Screw that. Who says that Jade, or Nicole, or Karin, or what the hell...ME can't have a breakout race and just dominate? We got dropped from the rankings this week which has honestly fired me up even more because we are CLEARLY better than the #4 and especially #5 teams....I'm sorry, just because you have one awesome runner doesn't make up for the fact that one of your scored runners runs a 29:45 6K. Rant aside though, I know we're all going to leave it all on the course on Saturday. I know I will....hell, this could be my last cross country race, and I'm going to make it count. My hip has been feeling OK lately...definitely better than the past couple of weeks, and tapering has been good to me. I'm ready. My team is ready. And we are going to rock the socks off everyone who stands in our way. In the words of Obama: YES WE CAN!
Time to kick some ass.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Pennsylvania dreamin'
I definitely had a dream last night that I somehow found the Penn State cross country course and was walking around it at night to see if it was hilly or not. This might have something to do with the fact that I literally went to look at pictures from meets held at the course to see if it looked hilly or not...for the record, it didn't, but a few pictures taken at one point on the course doesn't really mean much.
But eeeh! I'm excited! I feel like its been a really long time since I felt like something really big was on the horizon, and I think I've realized what the difference is - the TEAM aspect of this. We're trash talking and our boys are gunning for the national championship - hello, I don't care who you are, that's freaking exciting! And you know, the girls are looking pretty damn good ourselves. Seriously, I don't know if we can get Oregon (they are pretty freaking ridiculous) but seriously, Michigan? Why are you still ranked #1? Yeah, you have one girl who runs a sub-23 6K, but one top runner does not a winning XC team make. I'm so, so, SO proud of how far our girls team has come this year - we have a really solid top 4 or 5 and really no one at the back of the pack. I wouldn't be surprised if we surprise some people at nationals as long as we go in ready to ROCK. I just really want to see the course!!
I am really ADD right now...I'm working on writing this stupid paper for my "physical activity and health class" (aka, the worst/most obvious class ever....exercising is good for you, really?) I can't even count how many times I've written the words "continuous and intermittent exercise" in the past 2 days...yes, that is what my paper is about, I didn't have a choice. I've made it to the conclusion and this version isn't graded except for the fact that its done on time, so at least it can be a pile of crap and someone else can rip it apart for me, I don't care.
OK, I seriously can't do anything else right now. Maybe the gingerbread latte was a mistake. Cutdown intervals on the track today - mile, 1200, 800, 400, I really have no clue what pace but I guess we'll see. It's going to be COLD. Hope the hip holds up...hooray.
But eeeh! I'm excited! I feel like its been a really long time since I felt like something really big was on the horizon, and I think I've realized what the difference is - the TEAM aspect of this. We're trash talking and our boys are gunning for the national championship - hello, I don't care who you are, that's freaking exciting! And you know, the girls are looking pretty damn good ourselves. Seriously, I don't know if we can get Oregon (they are pretty freaking ridiculous) but seriously, Michigan? Why are you still ranked #1? Yeah, you have one girl who runs a sub-23 6K, but one top runner does not a winning XC team make. I'm so, so, SO proud of how far our girls team has come this year - we have a really solid top 4 or 5 and really no one at the back of the pack. I wouldn't be surprised if we surprise some people at nationals as long as we go in ready to ROCK. I just really want to see the course!!
I am really ADD right now...I'm working on writing this stupid paper for my "physical activity and health class" (aka, the worst/most obvious class ever....exercising is good for you, really?) I can't even count how many times I've written the words "continuous and intermittent exercise" in the past 2 days...yes, that is what my paper is about, I didn't have a choice. I've made it to the conclusion and this version isn't graded except for the fact that its done on time, so at least it can be a pile of crap and someone else can rip it apart for me, I don't care.
OK, I seriously can't do anything else right now. Maybe the gingerbread latte was a mistake. Cutdown intervals on the track today - mile, 1200, 800, 400, I really have no clue what pace but I guess we'll see. It's going to be COLD. Hope the hip holds up...hooray.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
FTW!
I think I owe the girl who took my shift at work on Friday some cookies or something. Because if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have FINALLY raced a kickass PR on a course that I 100% know wasn't short. I mean, they were running a high school sectional on it immediately afterward, and there were actually lines on the course this year to tell you where to go to the finish...there was nothing screwy. So, here we have it, my new 5K PR....
20:46!! That would be 6:41/mile pace. Yeah, I kick ass.
It's actually kind of funny, because the day leading up to the race was nothing exciting...in fact, I felt kind of sick and exhausted when I woke up, not at ALL in the mood to race. I had only run 3 miles on Thursday and 4 on Wednesday since my hip has been in agony ever since our ridiculous hill workout at Pope Farms on Tuesday. Plus races on Friday are just weird to me now...in high school it was so normal to have a meet on a school day, but now its like WTF? It throws my whole schedule off. And on top of that, I had to drive to Winneconne...driving being one of my least favorite things to do, especially before a race. After managing to not fall asleep at the wheel or get lost, we arrived and found out that the meet, which was originally supposed to be $10 each, was going to be free because Oshkosh had a HUGE meet the weekend before and didn't feel like getting chip timing for this one, which is basically a JV race for some of the WIAC schools. Everything was kind of low key, and I think because of that I never really felt nervous at all. There was kind of an underlying pressure to do well, because I mean, I'd made a really big effort to go to this meet, and I really wanted to validate my time from last year, but I guess I just really wasn't in race mode until the gun went off.
A side note to explain about Oshkosh's home course - if you are going to run a PR, this is the place to do it. Its the flattest cross country course I've ever seen...there are a few "slopes" I guess but no real hills to speak of. Its all on grass and it just loops around so you really don't think while you're running it...all of a sudden you're just done. It's amazing and I knew I had run a fast time here last year (even with the course most likely being short) and I was hoping that despite the problems I'd been having that I would be able to pull out a good time today.
I spent the first mile of the race about 5 seconds behind Katie....who ended up running a 19:36. Brilliance? I know, right. I honestly was pretty zoned out for the first mile - I ended up coming through in 6:19 and felt awesome, although obviously I know that something that good was definitely not going to last. But just like at Lacrosse, I really RACED...it was kind of fun having it be a smaller race, because I could just gradually reel people in and pick them off...and I greatly enjoyed doing so. The only person who passed me the entire race was Cameron, other than that I was just the passer, not the passee...which is awesome. I went through the 2 mile at 13:17 so obviously I had slowed down a bit, and I knew I was really going to have to dig in for this last mile to get under 21, since the last mile is where I always die. And for once in my life, I did. I was hurting, yes, but I absolutely refused to slow down. The entire last mile the line from "Swim" was screaming in my head..."I'M NOT GIVING IN"...and every time I felt like I wanted to back off a bit I just looked at the girl in front of me, dug in, and kept pushing. When I finally saw the finish line, I just gave it everything - there was no clock at the finish so I honestly had no clue what my time was until I looked at my watch and saw those beautiful numbers - 20:46. And life was glorious. I ended up getting 11th out of 37 runners, basically I was thrilled. It was an awesome day, made even better by the fact that now I didn't feel obligated to race on the death course at our home meet on Saturday, and so could go out to the Blue Moon and enjoy a giant cheeseburger and broccoli cheddar poppers and Capital Brewery Oktoberfest. Win.
My hip KILLED on Saturday...it was very unpleasant. I went and watched/helped out at the home meet, BF and I 'worked the corner' of the course and watched everyone braving the ridiculous death hills of Pope Farms Park. The night that followed was fantastic, there was a track club drunken shindig, we adopted the Minnesotans, and I enjoyed more than my share of victory beer...not that it prevented me from going and running 12.5 miles this morning or anything. Sometimes I feel like there is nothing more wonderful than a long, easy run on a gorgeous fall day, through trails where the leaves are changing colors, next to a lake, after an awesome weekend, when you had a blast the night before and magically aren't hungover. And the best part was, my hip has been bothering my less today than it has in a looong time. My calves are super tight and sore for some reason, but the hip is feeling ok...crossing my fingers that I'm finally on the road to recovery!
So I have been looking at the NIRCA rankings/results, and I think our girls team might actually have a shot at placing really well at nationals too. With all of our top runners together, I think we can really do some damage...and I'm looking forward to it!
20:46!! That would be 6:41/mile pace. Yeah, I kick ass.
It's actually kind of funny, because the day leading up to the race was nothing exciting...in fact, I felt kind of sick and exhausted when I woke up, not at ALL in the mood to race. I had only run 3 miles on Thursday and 4 on Wednesday since my hip has been in agony ever since our ridiculous hill workout at Pope Farms on Tuesday. Plus races on Friday are just weird to me now...in high school it was so normal to have a meet on a school day, but now its like WTF? It throws my whole schedule off. And on top of that, I had to drive to Winneconne...driving being one of my least favorite things to do, especially before a race. After managing to not fall asleep at the wheel or get lost, we arrived and found out that the meet, which was originally supposed to be $10 each, was going to be free because Oshkosh had a HUGE meet the weekend before and didn't feel like getting chip timing for this one, which is basically a JV race for some of the WIAC schools. Everything was kind of low key, and I think because of that I never really felt nervous at all. There was kind of an underlying pressure to do well, because I mean, I'd made a really big effort to go to this meet, and I really wanted to validate my time from last year, but I guess I just really wasn't in race mode until the gun went off.
A side note to explain about Oshkosh's home course - if you are going to run a PR, this is the place to do it. Its the flattest cross country course I've ever seen...there are a few "slopes" I guess but no real hills to speak of. Its all on grass and it just loops around so you really don't think while you're running it...all of a sudden you're just done. It's amazing and I knew I had run a fast time here last year (even with the course most likely being short) and I was hoping that despite the problems I'd been having that I would be able to pull out a good time today.
I spent the first mile of the race about 5 seconds behind Katie....who ended up running a 19:36. Brilliance? I know, right. I honestly was pretty zoned out for the first mile - I ended up coming through in 6:19 and felt awesome, although obviously I know that something that good was definitely not going to last. But just like at Lacrosse, I really RACED...it was kind of fun having it be a smaller race, because I could just gradually reel people in and pick them off...and I greatly enjoyed doing so. The only person who passed me the entire race was Cameron, other than that I was just the passer, not the passee...which is awesome. I went through the 2 mile at 13:17 so obviously I had slowed down a bit, and I knew I was really going to have to dig in for this last mile to get under 21, since the last mile is where I always die. And for once in my life, I did. I was hurting, yes, but I absolutely refused to slow down. The entire last mile the line from "Swim" was screaming in my head..."I'M NOT GIVING IN"...and every time I felt like I wanted to back off a bit I just looked at the girl in front of me, dug in, and kept pushing. When I finally saw the finish line, I just gave it everything - there was no clock at the finish so I honestly had no clue what my time was until I looked at my watch and saw those beautiful numbers - 20:46. And life was glorious. I ended up getting 11th out of 37 runners, basically I was thrilled. It was an awesome day, made even better by the fact that now I didn't feel obligated to race on the death course at our home meet on Saturday, and so could go out to the Blue Moon and enjoy a giant cheeseburger and broccoli cheddar poppers and Capital Brewery Oktoberfest. Win.
My hip KILLED on Saturday...it was very unpleasant. I went and watched/helped out at the home meet, BF and I 'worked the corner' of the course and watched everyone braving the ridiculous death hills of Pope Farms Park. The night that followed was fantastic, there was a track club drunken shindig, we adopted the Minnesotans, and I enjoyed more than my share of victory beer...not that it prevented me from going and running 12.5 miles this morning or anything. Sometimes I feel like there is nothing more wonderful than a long, easy run on a gorgeous fall day, through trails where the leaves are changing colors, next to a lake, after an awesome weekend, when you had a blast the night before and magically aren't hungover. And the best part was, my hip has been bothering my less today than it has in a looong time. My calves are super tight and sore for some reason, but the hip is feeling ok...crossing my fingers that I'm finally on the road to recovery!
So I have been looking at the NIRCA rankings/results, and I think our girls team might actually have a shot at placing really well at nationals too. With all of our top runners together, I think we can really do some damage...and I'm looking forward to it!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Feel the tide shifting and wait for the spark
So I officially had an amazing weekend. Not only did I run my first decent race since last cross country season, but I also ran my longest run ever - 14 miles! - and beat my half marathon PR in the process. Kickass? I think so.
So first, the race. Since the guys race was at 10:30 and West Salem is a good 2 and a half hours away, we had to leave at 6:30 am, meaning I was up before 6. Some last minute advice from the BF (leave early so you don't have to tire your legs out biking fast to the union, take some of my raisin bran crunch so you have something good to snack on, and run fast :)) and I was off. Nicole and I finally got to reclaim our posts as "token girls" in a van filled with boys on the drive up. It was incredibly foggy -visibility was terrible - and I slept/sat with my eyes closed as much as I could since it was damn early and I was nervous.
We got to the course around 9:15 and it was COLD. The fog was still ridiculous, and we learned that they had changed the course from last year, so we decided to walk the course and check it out. I absolutely adore the LaX course. The first mile is completely flat, a loop around a field, then there's a smaller loop and you head into the lower part of the course. The entire first 2 miles are either flat or downhill, although its kind of made up for by the fact that the 3rd mile is mostly hills. This definitely isn't a negative split kind of race, but you can go out hard and not worry about the hills until you get there. At one point a deer came bounding across the golf course through the mist which was awesome...talk about inspiration to run fast! Then it was time to warm up and cheer on our boys.
Start of the boys race, running into the mist
And then it was our turn. I think the difference between my race at LaX and the past races this season was that I actually WANTED to race. From the minute I got up, I was ready to kick some ass. And, since the LaX meet has to be perfect, by the time our race was ready to go the sun had come out and it was an absolutely glorious day. We got kicked out of our box by some stupid team from North Dakota (bitches.) and so got to start the race on cement - awesome! But none of that mattered once the gun went off. The first mile was absolutely INSANE. 444 girls pushing and shoving and falling and getting spiked...mayhem. The beauty of the first mile on this course is that its flat and crowded, so its really easy to be so wrapped up in not tripping over someone that you don't even realize that you're almost done with the first mile. As we came through the mile mark, MILEY CYRUS was playing over the loudspeakers...I'm pretty sure I actually cracked a smile over that. I went through the mile in 6:27...ummm....yeah. Like I said, its flat, and you zone out, and you don't realize that that was a ridiculous pace to go out in, but whatever! I was pretty close behind our lead pack of Claire, Laura, and Tali at that point, but they started pulling away soon after.
I started falling back a bit during the second loop, but really I think I was just settling more into my actual pace - you know, not kamikaze 6:27 pace, haha. There was a lovely downhill where I passed quite a few people, and I came through the 2 mile in 13:17...yes, that's like 45 seconds faster than I did at Parkside. I was still feeling pretty awesome at that point and was enjoying zoning in on girls ahead of me and picking them off...something that I haven't been able to do all season! Things started falling apart a little bit when we got to the dreaded "hill of sand" as I so deemed it my freshman year (when I ran 3 minutes slower than I did on Saturday, haha). It's a hill that isn't terribly steep, but its long, and the terrain is this ridiculous mud/sand that sends you sliding backwards as you're trying to go forward. Jade passed me at that point looking really strong, but I was holding my own still. At the top of the sand hill came my point that I have in every race where I just really want to quit - all good feelings from the past 2 miles were erased and I slowed down a LOT for about 30 seconds. In retrospect, this probably cost me a PR, but I got it together pretty quickly because I knew the 3 mile was coming up, and I was over the last of the bad hills. I started trying to pick people off again around the 3 mile, and came through the 5K in 21:35. This was when I heard Dallas screaming at Nicole that she was only 7 seconds behind me, which I think gave me a bit of extra motivation because come hell or high water I was not going to let her beat me. Just after the 5K Karin came up on me and passed me. I passed her back a couple minutes later, and we headed for home running pretty much together. I've never had that happen in a race before - that someone from the WTC is running with me near the end of the race - and it was honestly pretty awesome and kept me going. We turned for the final straightaway and I tried to kick as hard as I could - my legs felt like they were about to fall off at that point. She outkicked me a little bit and ended up beating me by a second and a half, but I was still absolutely ecstatic when I crossed the finish line - I had FINALLY run a good race! My official time was 25:49, a bit slower than my PR on this course last year, but considering the races I have been having so far this season, I was more than happy with it.
I think the best part about the race was the fact that I felt like I was actually competing - picking off people, not being content to let people pass me, trying to relax and maintain. Really the only time when things fell apart a little bit was at the top of the sand hill, and I know that by the time nationals roll around I'll be able to push through that better.
So I was pretty much dead, but at the same time ready to celebrate by the time I got home, so the BF and I split a 6 pack of New Glarus Staghorn and then went out to a friend's party and to the Nitty Gritty. The night was topped off by a triple order of bacon/taco Topper's Stix...ah yes, I needed to replenish those carbs.
Well after a night of drinking, I wasn't too thrilled when my alarm went off at 8:30 to meet Claire at the union at 9, but a few swigs of Gatorade and I was out the door for what turned into an absolutely epic/awesome run. We decided to go to the Arb, which is absolutely fantastic in the fall, and go explore some of the trails off the loop.
My favorite trail in the Arb. Aren't I lucky?
So first, the race. Since the guys race was at 10:30 and West Salem is a good 2 and a half hours away, we had to leave at 6:30 am, meaning I was up before 6. Some last minute advice from the BF (leave early so you don't have to tire your legs out biking fast to the union, take some of my raisin bran crunch so you have something good to snack on, and run fast :)) and I was off. Nicole and I finally got to reclaim our posts as "token girls" in a van filled with boys on the drive up. It was incredibly foggy -visibility was terrible - and I slept/sat with my eyes closed as much as I could since it was damn early and I was nervous.
We got to the course around 9:15 and it was COLD. The fog was still ridiculous, and we learned that they had changed the course from last year, so we decided to walk the course and check it out. I absolutely adore the LaX course. The first mile is completely flat, a loop around a field, then there's a smaller loop and you head into the lower part of the course. The entire first 2 miles are either flat or downhill, although its kind of made up for by the fact that the 3rd mile is mostly hills. This definitely isn't a negative split kind of race, but you can go out hard and not worry about the hills until you get there. At one point a deer came bounding across the golf course through the mist which was awesome...talk about inspiration to run fast! Then it was time to warm up and cheer on our boys.
Start of the boys race, running into the mistI started falling back a bit during the second loop, but really I think I was just settling more into my actual pace - you know, not kamikaze 6:27 pace, haha. There was a lovely downhill where I passed quite a few people, and I came through the 2 mile in 13:17...yes, that's like 45 seconds faster than I did at Parkside. I was still feeling pretty awesome at that point and was enjoying zoning in on girls ahead of me and picking them off...something that I haven't been able to do all season! Things started falling apart a little bit when we got to the dreaded "hill of sand" as I so deemed it my freshman year (when I ran 3 minutes slower than I did on Saturday, haha). It's a hill that isn't terribly steep, but its long, and the terrain is this ridiculous mud/sand that sends you sliding backwards as you're trying to go forward. Jade passed me at that point looking really strong, but I was holding my own still. At the top of the sand hill came my point that I have in every race where I just really want to quit - all good feelings from the past 2 miles were erased and I slowed down a LOT for about 30 seconds. In retrospect, this probably cost me a PR, but I got it together pretty quickly because I knew the 3 mile was coming up, and I was over the last of the bad hills. I started trying to pick people off again around the 3 mile, and came through the 5K in 21:35. This was when I heard Dallas screaming at Nicole that she was only 7 seconds behind me, which I think gave me a bit of extra motivation because come hell or high water I was not going to let her beat me. Just after the 5K Karin came up on me and passed me. I passed her back a couple minutes later, and we headed for home running pretty much together. I've never had that happen in a race before - that someone from the WTC is running with me near the end of the race - and it was honestly pretty awesome and kept me going. We turned for the final straightaway and I tried to kick as hard as I could - my legs felt like they were about to fall off at that point. She outkicked me a little bit and ended up beating me by a second and a half, but I was still absolutely ecstatic when I crossed the finish line - I had FINALLY run a good race! My official time was 25:49, a bit slower than my PR on this course last year, but considering the races I have been having so far this season, I was more than happy with it.
I think the best part about the race was the fact that I felt like I was actually competing - picking off people, not being content to let people pass me, trying to relax and maintain. Really the only time when things fell apart a little bit was at the top of the sand hill, and I know that by the time nationals roll around I'll be able to push through that better.
So I was pretty much dead, but at the same time ready to celebrate by the time I got home, so the BF and I split a 6 pack of New Glarus Staghorn and then went out to a friend's party and to the Nitty Gritty. The night was topped off by a triple order of bacon/taco Topper's Stix...ah yes, I needed to replenish those carbs.
Well after a night of drinking, I wasn't too thrilled when my alarm went off at 8:30 to meet Claire at the union at 9, but a few swigs of Gatorade and I was out the door for what turned into an absolutely epic/awesome run. We decided to go to the Arb, which is absolutely fantastic in the fall, and go explore some of the trails off the loop.
My favorite trail in the Arb. Aren't I lucky?We ended up exploring on the other side of the tunnel that goes under the beltline for about 35 minutes, and then ran the rest of the loop and along Lake Wingra. I ran back to Regent and then back home, for at total of ~14 miles in 1:50 (It's runs like these that make me wish I had a Garmin). So pretty much...I beat my half marathon PR on a long run, and I also ran the furthest distance I've ever run...after a race and a night of drinking. Bottom line: I'm awesome.
And finally, to top off my fantastic weekend, I was at work yesterday and found someone to work for me on Friday...meaning I will be racing at the Oshkosh Open on the flattest course ever. And after this weekend, I have some confidence that I can put together an awesome 5K race...I'm so ready. I don't know what I'm going to do about our home meet yet, I feel super guilty not going so I might just have to suck it up and run there too...run it as a workout or whatever...we shall see! Pretty much it depends on if the BF cares about not going to the game... I honestly don't, especially since the Badgers are sucking the big one this year.
And finally, something completely non-running related, here are the Octoberfest beers I have tried so far this year:
-Flying Dog Brewery Dogtoberfest
-Bell's Octoberfest
-Capital Brewery Autumnal Fire
-New Glarus Brewery Staghorn
-Blue Moon Harvest Moon
Dogtoberfest is my favorite so far, followed closely by Autumnal Fire which is just amazing. Harvest Moon is great too because its a bit different than the other Octoberfests. I'm sure there will be more to come...there are just so many to try! And after all...apparently 1 beer with pasta the night before (among other things....;)) is the recipe for a great race!
And finally, to top off my fantastic weekend, I was at work yesterday and found someone to work for me on Friday...meaning I will be racing at the Oshkosh Open on the flattest course ever. And after this weekend, I have some confidence that I can put together an awesome 5K race...I'm so ready. I don't know what I'm going to do about our home meet yet, I feel super guilty not going so I might just have to suck it up and run there too...run it as a workout or whatever...we shall see! Pretty much it depends on if the BF cares about not going to the game... I honestly don't, especially since the Badgers are sucking the big one this year.
And finally, something completely non-running related, here are the Octoberfest beers I have tried so far this year:
-Flying Dog Brewery Dogtoberfest
-Bell's Octoberfest
-Capital Brewery Autumnal Fire
-New Glarus Brewery Staghorn
-Blue Moon Harvest Moon
Dogtoberfest is my favorite so far, followed closely by Autumnal Fire which is just amazing. Harvest Moon is great too because its a bit different than the other Octoberfests. I'm sure there will be more to come...there are just so many to try! And after all...apparently 1 beer with pasta the night before (among other things....;)) is the recipe for a great race!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Redemption in 6K form
25:49.
Not quite a PR, but damn it, I'll take it! For the first time in a long time, I RACED. And I am so, so, so happy.
Race report later...I need to celebrate this victory over myself with some beer. :)
Not quite a PR, but damn it, I'll take it! For the first time in a long time, I RACED. And I am so, so, so happy.
Race report later...I need to celebrate this victory over myself with some beer. :)
Monday, October 13, 2008
Fail-race
So every season, it seems like I have one race that just absolutely SUCKS. I feel like shit, my legs quit on me a mile in, I'm never mentally in it, everyone who I should beat beats me, etc. In the past I've always chalked it up to something going wrong with my training and every season I hope it's not going to happen again. But wow, if there was ever a shit race, Saturday was it. Which is ironic really, because I was the one who really wanted to race this weekend and organized going to the meet...check out how that backfired.
Now I can't totally kill myself over my time (though it was complete shit) because everyone's time was 30 seconds-1:15 slower than they ran at Parkside 3 weeks ago, and the freaking winner of the meet only ran a 20:39. The course at Ripon is pretty much equivalent to dying a slow and painful death, a fact which I chose to ignore when signing up for the meet. Approximately 1000 meters of the first mile is uphill. And not a slight incline...this is a hill of death.
woo hoo, there it goes! and we're nowhere even close to the top
But here's what I can be frustrated with myself about: the fact that mentally and physically, I was NEVER in the race. Claire passed me on the first hill, Jade, Nicole, and Taylor all passed me shortly after the mile mark, Nicole BEAT me (it was only by 2 seconds because I finally snapped out of it the last mile and realized oh right, I'm in a RACE here). My legs simply would not function - my calves cramped up like no other, I felt like throwing up, and mentally I was so alarmed with how I felt after the first mile that I freaked out, which most likely made things worse. I have a bad tendency to do that - if I don't feel good at the 1 mile mark, I start thinking about how much further I have to go and focus completely on how crappy I feel, which sends my race to shit. I wanted so badly to go with Jade, but I couldn't convince my legs to go any faster. Granted, I also have that small fact that I ran 6 1200s at ridiculous speeds on Thursday (everyone else ran 4...the joys of having to do workouts alone), but still, it was utterly frustrating to watch my teammates, who I KNOW I'm faster than, leave me in the dust. I've had 3 weeks of solid training since the last meet - this should be when its starting to show, not when it all goes to crap. What I really needed from this race was a confidence boost going into LaX next weekend, and that definitely isn't what I got. It's not even about the time, because those can pretty much be discounted from this race, its about my placement on the team and why I just can't pull it out in races. It's really frustrating, and I find it hard to blame on my mileage because its not like I've been feeling fatigued or adding on distance or anything. All I can hope is that this was my shitty race for the season - I always have one - and move on. And hope that everything I've been doing will come through for me when it really matters...like this weekend.
OK, rant over. I ran the arb loop today even though there was really no reason for me to run 7 miles, but there are certain things I need to do for myself after a crappy race and the arb is one of those runs that just puts me at ease. I know it like the back of my hand and I can just cruise. Plus I didn't have to go into work today and I wanted to take advantage of the nice day. 800s at painful pace tomorrow...I don't even know why I'm running with the 20:30 group anymore, since based on my times so far this season I can't see how that's EVER going to happen. But it's not over til its over, and maybe the not-so-great races I've been having are really just a setup for something incredible that's just over the horizon...if I just keep pushing towards it. I know I have it in me...and one of these days, I'm going to prove it. Just watch me.
Ripon Invite - 5K XC
23:17 (7:30 pace...ugh)
38th/75
woo hoo, there it goes! and we're nowhere even close to the topBut here's what I can be frustrated with myself about: the fact that mentally and physically, I was NEVER in the race. Claire passed me on the first hill, Jade, Nicole, and Taylor all passed me shortly after the mile mark, Nicole BEAT me (it was only by 2 seconds because I finally snapped out of it the last mile and realized oh right, I'm in a RACE here). My legs simply would not function - my calves cramped up like no other, I felt like throwing up, and mentally I was so alarmed with how I felt after the first mile that I freaked out, which most likely made things worse. I have a bad tendency to do that - if I don't feel good at the 1 mile mark, I start thinking about how much further I have to go and focus completely on how crappy I feel, which sends my race to shit. I wanted so badly to go with Jade, but I couldn't convince my legs to go any faster. Granted, I also have that small fact that I ran 6 1200s at ridiculous speeds on Thursday (everyone else ran 4...the joys of having to do workouts alone), but still, it was utterly frustrating to watch my teammates, who I KNOW I'm faster than, leave me in the dust. I've had 3 weeks of solid training since the last meet - this should be when its starting to show, not when it all goes to crap. What I really needed from this race was a confidence boost going into LaX next weekend, and that definitely isn't what I got. It's not even about the time, because those can pretty much be discounted from this race, its about my placement on the team and why I just can't pull it out in races. It's really frustrating, and I find it hard to blame on my mileage because its not like I've been feeling fatigued or adding on distance or anything. All I can hope is that this was my shitty race for the season - I always have one - and move on. And hope that everything I've been doing will come through for me when it really matters...like this weekend.
OK, rant over. I ran the arb loop today even though there was really no reason for me to run 7 miles, but there are certain things I need to do for myself after a crappy race and the arb is one of those runs that just puts me at ease. I know it like the back of my hand and I can just cruise. Plus I didn't have to go into work today and I wanted to take advantage of the nice day. 800s at painful pace tomorrow...I don't even know why I'm running with the 20:30 group anymore, since based on my times so far this season I can't see how that's EVER going to happen. But it's not over til its over, and maybe the not-so-great races I've been having are really just a setup for something incredible that's just over the horizon...if I just keep pushing towards it. I know I have it in me...and one of these days, I'm going to prove it. Just watch me.
Ripon Invite - 5K XC
23:17 (7:30 pace...ugh)
38th/75
Saturday, October 04, 2008
The best running word ever...
Fartlek. Hee hee hee.
There are few things better than waking up from a night of drinking beer and mowing down a triple order of Topper Stix (which were free because I actually won a raffle for the first time in my life), feeling fine, and going out and doing a great workout in absolutely PERFECT running weather (53 and sunny...gorgeous!). Its made even better by the fact that the rest of the day is going to be spent drinking, grilling, and hopefully watching the Badgers kill Ohio State tonight. Even though we'll be doing so without a BAND since they're apparently suspended due to hazing...awesome. Not really sure how that's going to work out, but I'm sure the student section will be willing to drunkenly sing On Wisconsin if we have to.
Goal for today: remember walking into the stadium. ;)
Also, the new Jack's Mannequin album is fabulous. I've been waiting for them to come out with one for soooo long and it definitely has not disappointed. Andrew McMahon is a genius.
GO BADGERS!
There are few things better than waking up from a night of drinking beer and mowing down a triple order of Topper Stix (which were free because I actually won a raffle for the first time in my life), feeling fine, and going out and doing a great workout in absolutely PERFECT running weather (53 and sunny...gorgeous!). Its made even better by the fact that the rest of the day is going to be spent drinking, grilling, and hopefully watching the Badgers kill Ohio State tonight. Even though we'll be doing so without a BAND since they're apparently suspended due to hazing...awesome. Not really sure how that's going to work out, but I'm sure the student section will be willing to drunkenly sing On Wisconsin if we have to.
Goal for today: remember walking into the stadium. ;)
Also, the new Jack's Mannequin album is fabulous. I've been waiting for them to come out with one for soooo long and it definitely has not disappointed. Andrew McMahon is a genius.
GO BADGERS!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Pain is temporary, pride is forever...
Me: I shouldn't have done that workout yesterday...my knee was so messed up
Nicole: So why did you do it?
Me: I don't know...I had to...400s are so good for you!
Nicole: You make them sound like vegetables.
Me: They are like vegetables! Though vegetables don't make your hamstrings hurt...
So yeah. I'm somewhere on the border of injured, but I refuse to actually make the jump over the line into actually injured. After an awesome (well, as awesome as a hungover, HILLY long run could be) 10-miler in Elkhart Lake on Sunday, I was feeling perfectly fine until about 4 hours later, when the back of my knee kind of started to twinge a little bit. Being me, I ignored it, ran a 6-miler at 7:19 pace on Monday, felt nothing while running and nothing major when I wasn't, so I wasn't worried. Tuesday I woke up and things were a little worse...straightening my knee hurt, and walking was a little difficult...and then me, being a moron, decide I need to go on a suicide mission and do the scheduled workout for the day: 10 x 400s. Because, you know, SPEEDWORK is definitely the one thing that's going to help an injury...right? Well, last night I was in complete agony...I was to the point of tears because i couldn't even straighten my leg. Then today, I wake up and things feel almost normal. I still feel it twinge once in awhile, but for the most part it seems ok...nothing at all like last night. I happened to be at the Nat for a meeting earlier so I figured I'd put my tuition to good use and stop by at the UHS walk in sports med clinic. Basically here's what I learned:
1 - I may or may not have the beginnings of hamstring tendonitis. So basically, I'm going to pretend like that's my problem and do the stretching and exercises recommended to help it even though I'm not 100% on that diagnosis...I mean, it was a student after all.
2 - People are really, really impressed when you tell them you run 50 miles a week ;)
So that's that, and things had better keep improving because I don't have time to slack off right now. Nicole ran a 21:28 at the meet this weekend, officially putting her above me for the season and dangerously close to my best times in the past. I have to say, that struck a bit of fear into my heart. We're really good friends and all, but I'm competitive, and she's the one who keeps telling me "oh, I'm so not a distance runner". But maybe this will be the little bit of extra motivation I need to keep working hard at practice and maybe start putting the hammer down more in races - no more wimping out on myself!
Also, I just have to comment on how awesome the WTC is. Our boys are ranked 2nd in the nation for NIRCA, and just this week the girls moved into the rankings in 3rd! SO exciting!! Also, the guys definitely beat Wisconsin at the Loyola meet...now I know it was their B team, but still...you can't deny that's pretty damn awesome.
School's lame, I think I already have senioritis. But I am so looking forward to this weekend! Ohio State night game should be amazing, and I am looking to find me some Dogtoberfest from Flying Dog Brewery, which I sampled this weekend in Elkhart Lake with Andrew and it may just be the best beer I've ever had. And the Brewers made the playoffs!! For the first time in 26 years (so...the first time since I've been a fan...or alive for that matter). Not that they're going to go that far (the loss today was pretty bad) but hey, they made it, and that definitely counts for something.
Nicole: So why did you do it?
Me: I don't know...I had to...400s are so good for you!
Nicole: You make them sound like vegetables.
Me: They are like vegetables! Though vegetables don't make your hamstrings hurt...
So yeah. I'm somewhere on the border of injured, but I refuse to actually make the jump over the line into actually injured. After an awesome (well, as awesome as a hungover, HILLY long run could be) 10-miler in Elkhart Lake on Sunday, I was feeling perfectly fine until about 4 hours later, when the back of my knee kind of started to twinge a little bit. Being me, I ignored it, ran a 6-miler at 7:19 pace on Monday, felt nothing while running and nothing major when I wasn't, so I wasn't worried. Tuesday I woke up and things were a little worse...straightening my knee hurt, and walking was a little difficult...and then me, being a moron, decide I need to go on a suicide mission and do the scheduled workout for the day: 10 x 400s. Because, you know, SPEEDWORK is definitely the one thing that's going to help an injury...right? Well, last night I was in complete agony...I was to the point of tears because i couldn't even straighten my leg. Then today, I wake up and things feel almost normal. I still feel it twinge once in awhile, but for the most part it seems ok...nothing at all like last night. I happened to be at the Nat for a meeting earlier so I figured I'd put my tuition to good use and stop by at the UHS walk in sports med clinic. Basically here's what I learned:
1 - I may or may not have the beginnings of hamstring tendonitis. So basically, I'm going to pretend like that's my problem and do the stretching and exercises recommended to help it even though I'm not 100% on that diagnosis...I mean, it was a student after all.
2 - People are really, really impressed when you tell them you run 50 miles a week ;)
So that's that, and things had better keep improving because I don't have time to slack off right now. Nicole ran a 21:28 at the meet this weekend, officially putting her above me for the season and dangerously close to my best times in the past. I have to say, that struck a bit of fear into my heart. We're really good friends and all, but I'm competitive, and she's the one who keeps telling me "oh, I'm so not a distance runner". But maybe this will be the little bit of extra motivation I need to keep working hard at practice and maybe start putting the hammer down more in races - no more wimping out on myself!
Also, I just have to comment on how awesome the WTC is. Our boys are ranked 2nd in the nation for NIRCA, and just this week the girls moved into the rankings in 3rd! SO exciting!! Also, the guys definitely beat Wisconsin at the Loyola meet...now I know it was their B team, but still...you can't deny that's pretty damn awesome.
School's lame, I think I already have senioritis. But I am so looking forward to this weekend! Ohio State night game should be amazing, and I am looking to find me some Dogtoberfest from Flying Dog Brewery, which I sampled this weekend in Elkhart Lake with Andrew and it may just be the best beer I've ever had. And the Brewers made the playoffs!! For the first time in 26 years (so...the first time since I've been a fan...or alive for that matter). Not that they're going to go that far (the loss today was pretty bad) but hey, they made it, and that definitely counts for something.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The loneliness of the long distance runner
I spent the morning doing PT school research, fueled by my amazing chocolate chip pancakes/sausage breakfast and a cup of strooooong coffee. I think this process is going to be the death of me - for one, dealing with the fact that every damn school has different prerequisite courses, different ways to apply, different essays...not to mention the fact that once I do get in somewhere (hopefully...) then I have to figure out where I'm going for the next 3 years of my life. One of the deciding factors in whether or not to apply to some schools is that they start in the summer...I just can't handle packing up and moving across the country in May, sorry. So far the places I'm applying are alllll over the map...Wisconsin, University of Washington, Boston University, Pacific University in Oregon (maybe), Lacrosse....I think that's all I've got so far, but you get the idea. I'm just glad that most of my classes this semester don't really take up much time, because at least if I'm stressed about applying to schools, its not like I'm going to be studying for 4 exams at the same time.
But that's where running comes in...regardless of whatever I'm stressed about, running is the one time of day when I don't worry about anything. I love running through the trails in the Arb and not seeing anyone...yesterday I was back there and I was thinking about how sometimes when I'm on some back trail and there's no one around and all I can see is trees I feel like I'm the only person in the world (of course, the instant I tought that yesterday, one of the guys from the UW team came running by. But I'm willing to share my secret trails with good runners...hah.) Its just amazing to be able to disconnect from the real world and everything in it even for just an hour or whatever, especially now that going out for a 7 mile run isn't hard for me...in fact, its incredibly refreshing and I feel awesome when I'm done haha. And I'm going to hit 50 miles this week and its not even wearing me out...and that is AMAZING. I could probably run a half marathon right now and beat my time from last summer...ridiculous. I really hope I see this come through the next time I race....because I'm obviously stronger than I ever have been, and its time to show it. I'm ready for a breakthrough.
ps - There's an Iron Maiden song called "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner"? And its actually about running? Impressive! I mean, there's nothing particularly profound there, in fact I probably could have written better lyrics haha, but its still kind of sweet.
run on and on
run on and on
the loneliness of the long distance runner
i've got to keep running the course
i've got to keep running and win at all costs
i've got to keep going be strong
must be determined and push myself on
But that's where running comes in...regardless of whatever I'm stressed about, running is the one time of day when I don't worry about anything. I love running through the trails in the Arb and not seeing anyone...yesterday I was back there and I was thinking about how sometimes when I'm on some back trail and there's no one around and all I can see is trees I feel like I'm the only person in the world (of course, the instant I tought that yesterday, one of the guys from the UW team came running by. But I'm willing to share my secret trails with good runners...hah.) Its just amazing to be able to disconnect from the real world and everything in it even for just an hour or whatever, especially now that going out for a 7 mile run isn't hard for me...in fact, its incredibly refreshing and I feel awesome when I'm done haha. And I'm going to hit 50 miles this week and its not even wearing me out...and that is AMAZING. I could probably run a half marathon right now and beat my time from last summer...ridiculous. I really hope I see this come through the next time I race....because I'm obviously stronger than I ever have been, and its time to show it. I'm ready for a breakthrough.
ps - There's an Iron Maiden song called "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner"? And its actually about running? Impressive! I mean, there's nothing particularly profound there, in fact I probably could have written better lyrics haha, but its still kind of sweet.
run on and on
run on and on
the loneliness of the long distance runner
i've got to keep running the course
i've got to keep running and win at all costs
i've got to keep going be strong
must be determined and push myself on
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Hell? Nope, just cross country
So I'm ridiculously sore, mostly as a result of this weekend, but also maybe because this has been my highest mileage week EVER, coming in at 48.2. If I hadn't taken Wednesday off I would have made it to 50 easily and that just amazes me. I feel like what's made the difference this year is that my short runs are longer because I just feel lazy if I go less than 5 miles, and once I go 5 I figure I might as well go 7...and on it goes. I've been kicking September's ass though...136 miles already and there's still another week to go. ROCK ON. I was laughing at the race on Saturday because I was wearing my conference shirt from senior year that says 255 miles and counting because that was how far we ran the entire season...and now I'm going to be at like 180 in a month. Talk about badass....sometimes I just love being a runner.
Anyway, on to the race...well, I can't decide whether I'm happy or not. I ran faster than last year but didn't quite break 22 which was what I was hoping to do, not to mention I felt like absolute death doing it. But I feel like this race has given me a LOT of motivation to train my ass off the next 3 weeks so that by the time I'm running at Ripon and LaX I'm dropping time like crazy. So first of all, it was HOT. Most normal people probably woke up on Saturday and were like sweet, its going to be 80 and sunny, this is gorgeous, I can't wait to go outside! Yeah that's great..if you don't have to race a 5K. Seriously, it was not my kind of racing weather at all, especially since heat seems to affect me worse than other people sometimes. And as if that isn't enough, we're racing at Parkside...aka, the first 800 is completely uphill, and from 1.5 miles onward is these rolling small hills that make your legs feel like they're going to collapse from under you...and since hills are basically my least favorite things about running, Parkside doesn't rank real high on my list of favorite XC courses. Buuuuuuut whatever, I did enough whining about all of this at the race haha.
So because we aren't a real college team, we got this ridiculous box on the far right side of the start...we had to cut SO far to the left to even get onto the course, otherwise we would run into a 4-wheeler and some spectators and all sorts of awesome stuff. Well, the gun went off, and being my idiotic self as usual, I completely let the adrenaline get the best of me and absolutely sprinted off the line. The only people from our team ahead of me up the first hill were Tali and Katie, and I would say about 4 other people belonged in front of me, except oh wait, I'm going to be a kamikaze. Anyway, by the time we got up the first massive hill, I was already spent and starting to get concerned that disaster was probably not too far away. I went through the first mile in 6:45 which is ABSURD considering how much of it is uphill...then Claire passed me at her standard 10 seconds after the mile mark (I seriously think this has happened in every single race we've ever run together haha) followed by Laura soon after, and then Taylor a little later. A LOT of people passed me after the top of the hill, and it was not enjoyable. I hate getting passed, especially when I know I can't go with the people passing me, and since I was already dying by like 1.5 miles, things were not looking good. Then to make matters worse, I hear Nicole come up behind me...now I love Nicole but I've been running longer than her and I honestly told the BF the night before the race that the worst thing that could happen to me would be for her to beat me. I passed the second mile in 13:57, so I really hadn't dropped off too much, though I had a bit. It was actually slightly funny looking back, because Nicole loves running up hills and they are pretty much my idea of hell, so every time we would go up a hill I would hear her come up on me, and then as soon as we got to the top I would try and shoot down the other side and lose her, which was usually successful haha. Seriously though, I can't remember feeling much worse than I did the last mile of that race in any other cross race, besides maybe Loyola my sophomore year. I was dying and there was nothing I could do besides try to hang on and turn in a decent time...at this point I assumed I was going to run a horrible time. So I finally passed the 3 mile mark and turned into the big open field where the race ends...and I hate that stupid field, because that's where time stops. Your legs aren't moving, your arms are flailing, you want to throw up, and the finish is so close but you don't seem to be moving anywhere, and you're trying to kick but the signals just don't seem to be reaching your legs. I could see the clock with the seconds ticking past 21:45 as I got towards the line and I tried to reach down and pull out one last burst of energy, and I can't say that I didn't give it absolutely everything I had, but I have to say its frustrating to miss what you wanted to run by 4 seconds - I ended up at 22:03. Still, its 8 seconds faster than I ran at this meet last year, on a day when a lot of people were running worse, especially with the heat, and its definitely a good place to start. Our freshmen/sophomores did AMAZING - Katie and Tali were at like 20:30 and Laura was at 20:45. Then came Claire and Taylor around 21:48, that's the pack I want to try and hang with the next time we race, because I really think I can if I figure out my pacing. Jade and Nicole were both about 20 seconds behind me. Overall, a pretty solid showing for our team! I'm kind of sad to have to go 3 weeks without racing now, but like I said, now's the time when I can put in the work, and no one will be ready for me when I reappear on the racing scene. ;)
Anyway, my legs were pretty much trashed after the race. My calves KILLED! They still do actually, but I'm sure that the 10.5 mile run on an insanely hilly trail in Kettle Moraine state park today didn't help. A bunch of the club went camping after the meet, and it was so much fun just hanging out and goofing around...and of course going on a long run on Sunday morning. Its stuff like this weekend that makes me want to stay in Madison for PT school...I'll miss cross country so much. Not even track so much any more...there's something about XC that you just can't explain. Its such a love-hate relationship, but its so much more love than hate.
50+ mile weeks on the horizon? I think so....its business time.
UW Parkside Midwest Collegiate Invitational - Kenosha, WI
5K Cross Country
22:03 (7:06 pace)
133rd/222
Anyway, on to the race...well, I can't decide whether I'm happy or not. I ran faster than last year but didn't quite break 22 which was what I was hoping to do, not to mention I felt like absolute death doing it. But I feel like this race has given me a LOT of motivation to train my ass off the next 3 weeks so that by the time I'm running at Ripon and LaX I'm dropping time like crazy. So first of all, it was HOT. Most normal people probably woke up on Saturday and were like sweet, its going to be 80 and sunny, this is gorgeous, I can't wait to go outside! Yeah that's great..if you don't have to race a 5K. Seriously, it was not my kind of racing weather at all, especially since heat seems to affect me worse than other people sometimes. And as if that isn't enough, we're racing at Parkside...aka, the first 800 is completely uphill, and from 1.5 miles onward is these rolling small hills that make your legs feel like they're going to collapse from under you...and since hills are basically my least favorite things about running, Parkside doesn't rank real high on my list of favorite XC courses. Buuuuuuut whatever, I did enough whining about all of this at the race haha.
So because we aren't a real college team, we got this ridiculous box on the far right side of the start...we had to cut SO far to the left to even get onto the course, otherwise we would run into a 4-wheeler and some spectators and all sorts of awesome stuff. Well, the gun went off, and being my idiotic self as usual, I completely let the adrenaline get the best of me and absolutely sprinted off the line. The only people from our team ahead of me up the first hill were Tali and Katie, and I would say about 4 other people belonged in front of me, except oh wait, I'm going to be a kamikaze. Anyway, by the time we got up the first massive hill, I was already spent and starting to get concerned that disaster was probably not too far away. I went through the first mile in 6:45 which is ABSURD considering how much of it is uphill...then Claire passed me at her standard 10 seconds after the mile mark (I seriously think this has happened in every single race we've ever run together haha) followed by Laura soon after, and then Taylor a little later. A LOT of people passed me after the top of the hill, and it was not enjoyable. I hate getting passed, especially when I know I can't go with the people passing me, and since I was already dying by like 1.5 miles, things were not looking good. Then to make matters worse, I hear Nicole come up behind me...now I love Nicole but I've been running longer than her and I honestly told the BF the night before the race that the worst thing that could happen to me would be for her to beat me. I passed the second mile in 13:57, so I really hadn't dropped off too much, though I had a bit. It was actually slightly funny looking back, because Nicole loves running up hills and they are pretty much my idea of hell, so every time we would go up a hill I would hear her come up on me, and then as soon as we got to the top I would try and shoot down the other side and lose her, which was usually successful haha. Seriously though, I can't remember feeling much worse than I did the last mile of that race in any other cross race, besides maybe Loyola my sophomore year. I was dying and there was nothing I could do besides try to hang on and turn in a decent time...at this point I assumed I was going to run a horrible time. So I finally passed the 3 mile mark and turned into the big open field where the race ends...and I hate that stupid field, because that's where time stops. Your legs aren't moving, your arms are flailing, you want to throw up, and the finish is so close but you don't seem to be moving anywhere, and you're trying to kick but the signals just don't seem to be reaching your legs. I could see the clock with the seconds ticking past 21:45 as I got towards the line and I tried to reach down and pull out one last burst of energy, and I can't say that I didn't give it absolutely everything I had, but I have to say its frustrating to miss what you wanted to run by 4 seconds - I ended up at 22:03. Still, its 8 seconds faster than I ran at this meet last year, on a day when a lot of people were running worse, especially with the heat, and its definitely a good place to start. Our freshmen/sophomores did AMAZING - Katie and Tali were at like 20:30 and Laura was at 20:45. Then came Claire and Taylor around 21:48, that's the pack I want to try and hang with the next time we race, because I really think I can if I figure out my pacing. Jade and Nicole were both about 20 seconds behind me. Overall, a pretty solid showing for our team! I'm kind of sad to have to go 3 weeks without racing now, but like I said, now's the time when I can put in the work, and no one will be ready for me when I reappear on the racing scene. ;)
Anyway, my legs were pretty much trashed after the race. My calves KILLED! They still do actually, but I'm sure that the 10.5 mile run on an insanely hilly trail in Kettle Moraine state park today didn't help. A bunch of the club went camping after the meet, and it was so much fun just hanging out and goofing around...and of course going on a long run on Sunday morning. Its stuff like this weekend that makes me want to stay in Madison for PT school...I'll miss cross country so much. Not even track so much any more...there's something about XC that you just can't explain. Its such a love-hate relationship, but its so much more love than hate.
50+ mile weeks on the horizon? I think so....its business time.
UW Parkside Midwest Collegiate Invitational - Kenosha, WI
5K Cross Country
22:03 (7:06 pace)
133rd/222
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thunderstruck!
I hate Thursdays, because it means that I'm forced to do the workouts by myself in the morning because I technically have lab until 6:30, even though today lab got out at 4:30 but I'd already done the workout...oh well. The workout was Picnic Point intervals, which is actually a workout I've never really liked much because for some reason it always seems to take forever and just be generally more painful than other interval workouts. Today was really no exception, but something sweet did happen. I was trying to psych myself up for my first interval and mostly paying attention to this guy with these two gorgeous greyhounds, when all of a sudden this guy comes running easily by. I did a double take, and suddenly I realized...it was MATT TEGENKAMP...aka, Olympic finalist in the 5K. Annnd that was when I decided to start my interval. I ran behind him the entire interval, and I basically didn't think the whole time because all I could think was "omg, I'm running in the same place as an Olympian!" He turned around at the point and as I stood there gasping like an idiot after running a 5:05 1200, and he nodded and said "Nice job!". Annnnnd I've been validated as a runner. I pretty much stood in disbelief for my whole rest period, and then it was time to go again...blah.
The rest of the workout went well, I ran 5:00, 5:06, 4:58 for the last 3, which was miles better than the last time I did this workout. I was feeling pretty good about that...until I found out the fast group of WTC girls ran mostly 4:40s at the workout. SICK. We have a lot of fast freshmen, including some who were possibly going to be on the UW team, so I can't feel too bad about myself, but I can't help but miss my spot up in the top 2 or 3 of our team. I guess all I can do is trust my training and hope that I'll run well for me on Saturday...Parkside...eek! I'm shooting for sub 22...last year I ran 22:11 at this meet and I'm feeling more prepared this year...I think. Damn you, running-log.com, for losing ALL of my workout info from last season! Boo. Its always nervewracking to race for the first time of the season, because you forget how much it sucks. But I'm still pumped and ready to go!
My legs were also dead today because we did Topping Hill on Tuesday...a 12.5 mile total workout, and 4 times up the biggest death hill I know of...it starts out ok, and then you hit halfway and all of a sudden its like, whoa, KILL ME NOW. It's incredibly steep and not at all fun. My legs are still pretty sore from that, and I'm feeling a little beat up...my left knee has been bugging me today, and my ankles aren't thrilled either. Then again, I've run 27 miles in 3 days of running this week...so I'm not surprised! Easy 4 miles tomorrow, for sure, and hopefully I'll be able to remind myself that easy means EASY...not tempo or cut-down run. I'm an idiot sometimes.
The best part about this is that I've been working through lectures for my online class this entire time. Online classes win! Although I have plenty of other crap I should probably do tonight, too many of my classes involve too many damn writing assignments! And I suppose I probably shoudn't be spending my ENTIRE weekend at the meet/WTC camping trip...but hey, whatever! Back Sunday night, hopefully with an awesome race report from the Midwest Collegiate. God, how is it possible that this is my 3rd year at this meet? I feel old...off to ice the knee...
The rest of the workout went well, I ran 5:00, 5:06, 4:58 for the last 3, which was miles better than the last time I did this workout. I was feeling pretty good about that...until I found out the fast group of WTC girls ran mostly 4:40s at the workout. SICK. We have a lot of fast freshmen, including some who were possibly going to be on the UW team, so I can't feel too bad about myself, but I can't help but miss my spot up in the top 2 or 3 of our team. I guess all I can do is trust my training and hope that I'll run well for me on Saturday...Parkside...eek! I'm shooting for sub 22...last year I ran 22:11 at this meet and I'm feeling more prepared this year...I think. Damn you, running-log.com, for losing ALL of my workout info from last season! Boo. Its always nervewracking to race for the first time of the season, because you forget how much it sucks. But I'm still pumped and ready to go!
My legs were also dead today because we did Topping Hill on Tuesday...a 12.5 mile total workout, and 4 times up the biggest death hill I know of...it starts out ok, and then you hit halfway and all of a sudden its like, whoa, KILL ME NOW. It's incredibly steep and not at all fun. My legs are still pretty sore from that, and I'm feeling a little beat up...my left knee has been bugging me today, and my ankles aren't thrilled either. Then again, I've run 27 miles in 3 days of running this week...so I'm not surprised! Easy 4 miles tomorrow, for sure, and hopefully I'll be able to remind myself that easy means EASY...not tempo or cut-down run. I'm an idiot sometimes.
The best part about this is that I've been working through lectures for my online class this entire time. Online classes win! Although I have plenty of other crap I should probably do tonight, too many of my classes involve too many damn writing assignments! And I suppose I probably shoudn't be spending my ENTIRE weekend at the meet/WTC camping trip...but hey, whatever! Back Sunday night, hopefully with an awesome race report from the Midwest Collegiate. God, how is it possible that this is my 3rd year at this meet? I feel old...off to ice the knee...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
mega-win
my legs hurt. they feel awesome, but they hurt. and they're asking me why in god's name i decided it was a good idea to do 4 hard workouts in 4 days. it was a complete accident, i swear. i didn't mean to run a 7 mile cutdown run on monday that ended up averaging out to 7:08 mile pace, SERIOUSLY! or a 6 mile tempo run at 7:19 pace yesterday. those were supposed to be my "easy" days...um...oops. i had better start running with the team again because otherwise i'm going to kamikaze my legs into oblivion. i can't run slow when i'm by myself. i can't! the only time my average pace ends up being over 8 minutes is when i'm running like 10 miles, and that's only because i crash the last 2 miles. anyway, my legs are not happy. my feet are completely ripped up and my quads/butt are just vetoing life right now. but i feel good. i feel in shape! its kind of a miracle. i think running and i have reconciled our relationship since track season, and that's a good thing. all i have to say is, i had better run a PR, or at least a PR for the course at parkside next weekend, or i'm going to be an unhappy and confused camper. there's no reason i should be able to run this well day after day and then not be able to do it in a race...so i'm banking on the fact that what i'm doing right now actually represents the shape i'm in. only time will tell.
running is pleasing me a lot right now. it takes a lot of effort to get out there sometimes, but once i am i feel great. i feel strong, i feel competitive, and i just feel so completely calm and unstressed while i'm running. i love being able to feel like i'm awesome. it was great fun running up bascom this morning and getting some ridiculous looks from passers-by. i feel like when i'm running i'm better than average. i know i'm not that great when compared to other college runners, and i'm not even the best in my own club, but the fact that i know i'm better at this one thing than a big percent of the population just gives me that extra push to run hard. i think i need to go read once a runner now, haha.
i have no desire to read or learn about bacteria right now. i would much prefer to do what i did last night, which was watch both ghostbusters movies with andrew and then pass out at 11:30. i'm so awesome. i also think that if i have to learn about research methods one more time, my head is just going to explode. i think my HDFS class is the...5th? 6th? class where i've learned about correlational studies and random group assignment and blah de blah. and its even more awesome because research is in no way involved in my future plans...alas.
eh, back to bacteria i suppose.
running is pleasing me a lot right now. it takes a lot of effort to get out there sometimes, but once i am i feel great. i feel strong, i feel competitive, and i just feel so completely calm and unstressed while i'm running. i love being able to feel like i'm awesome. it was great fun running up bascom this morning and getting some ridiculous looks from passers-by. i feel like when i'm running i'm better than average. i know i'm not that great when compared to other college runners, and i'm not even the best in my own club, but the fact that i know i'm better at this one thing than a big percent of the population just gives me that extra push to run hard. i think i need to go read once a runner now, haha.
i have no desire to read or learn about bacteria right now. i would much prefer to do what i did last night, which was watch both ghostbusters movies with andrew and then pass out at 11:30. i'm so awesome. i also think that if i have to learn about research methods one more time, my head is just going to explode. i think my HDFS class is the...5th? 6th? class where i've learned about correlational studies and random group assignment and blah de blah. and its even more awesome because research is in no way involved in my future plans...alas.
eh, back to bacteria i suppose.
Monday, September 08, 2008
energize and maximize!
the ironman is pretty much my favorite thing, ever. not only because watching people bust their asses all day somehow makes me want to do the same someday, but also because volunteering at it scored me a whole lot of sweet stuff. like 6 liters of gatorade endurance, 3 boxes of powerbars, a box of gels, several oranges, bananas, and a sleeve of gatorade cups. sweeeeet deal. and seriously, watching people run a marathon AFTER biking 112 miles and swimming 2 or whatever makes my 8 mile run seem completely lame.
i also hit my highest mileage week in quite awhile this week...46, and the best thing is i did it without even really trying that hard. i can see myself getting up over 50 by the time we're into the midst of the season, which is pretty sweet and makes me feel cool. unfortunately we haven't had too many new girls show up at practice yet. i guess in a way this is good because its always demoralizing when we have a bunch of amazing freshmen appear out of nowhere, but at the same time i'd really like our team to get bigger and to the point where we're more like the guys. oh well...maybe free pizza will lure some people in next week!
other than that, i've been my usual failing at life self. i managed to make an idiot of myself once again at saturday's game, and lost my camera in the process. (i'm holding out hope that maybe its still at the stadium but that's a pretty long shot). i did get a free brewers tshirt out of the day though, so i guess it wasn't a total loss...also i made some pretty phenomenal chocolate chip pancakes. thank you, dollar tree spatula.
me = failboat. oh well...you live, you learn. and then you eat more than a single pancake before spending the morning guzzling beer.
i also hit my highest mileage week in quite awhile this week...46, and the best thing is i did it without even really trying that hard. i can see myself getting up over 50 by the time we're into the midst of the season, which is pretty sweet and makes me feel cool. unfortunately we haven't had too many new girls show up at practice yet. i guess in a way this is good because its always demoralizing when we have a bunch of amazing freshmen appear out of nowhere, but at the same time i'd really like our team to get bigger and to the point where we're more like the guys. oh well...maybe free pizza will lure some people in next week!
other than that, i've been my usual failing at life self. i managed to make an idiot of myself once again at saturday's game, and lost my camera in the process. (i'm holding out hope that maybe its still at the stadium but that's a pretty long shot). i did get a free brewers tshirt out of the day though, so i guess it wasn't a total loss...also i made some pretty phenomenal chocolate chip pancakes. thank you, dollar tree spatula.
me = failboat. oh well...you live, you learn. and then you eat more than a single pancake before spending the morning guzzling beer.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
WOW.
usain bolt = RIDICULOUS. 19.30 for the 200 and it didn't even look like he was trying...holy crap.
as for me, i did 6 x 2 minutes hard, 3 minutes easy today, plus 15 or so extra minutes to make it about 6 miles on the day. fartleks suck right now but i've done pretty much zero speed this summer so it was a good start. and i'm LOVING my switch to mizunos...seriously, i think the inspire 4s were made specifically for my feet. now lets just hope they don't decide to pull an asics and completely ruin everything when they "upgrade" them...
as for me, i did 6 x 2 minutes hard, 3 minutes easy today, plus 15 or so extra minutes to make it about 6 miles on the day. fartleks suck right now but i've done pretty much zero speed this summer so it was a good start. and i'm LOVING my switch to mizunos...seriously, i think the inspire 4s were made specifically for my feet. now lets just hope they don't decide to pull an asics and completely ruin everything when they "upgrade" them...
Sunday, August 10, 2008
USA! USA!
i'm lazy and haven't posted all summer...sorry. to sum up my summer running, well, its had its ups and downs. i've been pretty solidly running about 35 miles per week, sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less, but for some reason i don't feel that in shape (although this week i feel like i'm starting to come around). most of my runs are 6.5-8.5 miles, at 7:45 or under pace (possibly the reason why i feel like crap during most runs), and are scheduled around my 45 hour work weeks and attempting to have some sort of a social life. i have done one race, a 10K in new york city while i was on vacation, where i ran a 48:02 (7:44 pace) which surpassed my expectations but still wasn't exactly what i would call an awesome race.
so now cross country season is almost upon me. and since there's a pretty good chance that this will be my last season of real cross country (due to the possibility of me leaving the state for grad school, but that's another story), i want to make it count. so hopefully, for about the 4th time, i'm going to try and get back into this blog to keep myself motivated and just kind of document some of my musings on why i do this crazy sport.
and on a completely unrelated note, i just watched the us win an absolutely incredible 4 x 100 freestyle relay in the olympics...a come from behind victory at the last second...it was pretty amazing.
this week's running:
mon - 3 miles (incredibly humid and got called into work early)
tues - 6.8 (olin-turville park)
wed - 7.5 (bike path to beltline)
thurs - 7.7 (picnic point/bay fields with jade)
fri - 6.2 (monona bay loop)
sat - off
sun - 8.25 (john nolan trail to esther beach rd, back on wingra bike path)
so now cross country season is almost upon me. and since there's a pretty good chance that this will be my last season of real cross country (due to the possibility of me leaving the state for grad school, but that's another story), i want to make it count. so hopefully, for about the 4th time, i'm going to try and get back into this blog to keep myself motivated and just kind of document some of my musings on why i do this crazy sport.
and on a completely unrelated note, i just watched the us win an absolutely incredible 4 x 100 freestyle relay in the olympics...a come from behind victory at the last second...it was pretty amazing.
this week's running:
mon - 3 miles (incredibly humid and got called into work early)
tues - 6.8 (olin-turville park)
wed - 7.5 (bike path to beltline)
thurs - 7.7 (picnic point/bay fields with jade)
fri - 6.2 (monona bay loop)
sat - off
sun - 8.25 (john nolan trail to esther beach rd, back on wingra bike path)
Monday, April 28, 2008
STEEPLECHASER!
i'm too lazy to describe the past 3 or so weeks in detail, but basically, i think mother nature hates wisconsin track and field. the oshkosh meet involved 25 mph winds, the 100k was about 35 and rain/snowing (and let's not even get into the fact that i was still slightly intoxicated while running that 10k...hey, it felt good!), lacrosse was 40 degrees and pouring, and then we get to the lovely marquette invite. now, its almost the end of april, its been gorgeous all week, you'd think we could catch a break, right? WRONG. 45 degrees, with winds blowing pretty consistently over 20 miles an hour, with gusts up to 40 MPH. yeah, i'm not kidding. and it was in this lovely weather that i decided to make my first endeavor into the 3000 m steeplechase.
now, i have never run ANYTHING longer than a 1500 on a track. so the idea of 7 and a half laps was moderately terrifying anyway, and then add to that the 5 barriers and water pit? uhh, i was having some serious second thoughts. the barriers i wasn't too worried about, after all, i've been a hurdler for 7 years, so those were a piece of cake. but the water pit...oh. my. god. approaching that thing the first time was absolutely terrifying. it took pretty much everything in me not to run AROUND it. but i didn't die...though i did practically go under a couple of times, yikes. i have to say, that was THE MOST PAINFUL RACE i have ever done in my life. the wind may have had something to do with it...actually, scratch that, it had a LOT to do with it, especially since it decided to pick up the second half of the race. combine that with my increasing exhaustion and i was pretty much wishing someone would shoot me on the backstretch. amazingly, my first time experience with no practice into the water pit and having not been training for this distance and running into this ridiculous wind ended a lot better than i expected - 13:22, and i beat claire and the girl from GMTC, which was pretty exciting. right now though, to be honest, i wish i didn't have quads. they are screaming at me anytime i do anything...walking...riding my bike...sitting down...you name it, its painful. i'm guessing that has something to do with the enormous leap i had to take off the barrier while at the last stages of exhaustion. yep, that'll do it.
so will i run it again?
...probably. i actually am considering running it at the twilight.
damnit, distance running makes you such a masochist.
but the pictures of me flying off a steeple barrier are effing sweet! and impressive. you can't not think i'm a badass now. :P
now, i have never run ANYTHING longer than a 1500 on a track. so the idea of 7 and a half laps was moderately terrifying anyway, and then add to that the 5 barriers and water pit? uhh, i was having some serious second thoughts. the barriers i wasn't too worried about, after all, i've been a hurdler for 7 years, so those were a piece of cake. but the water pit...oh. my. god. approaching that thing the first time was absolutely terrifying. it took pretty much everything in me not to run AROUND it. but i didn't die...though i did practically go under a couple of times, yikes. i have to say, that was THE MOST PAINFUL RACE i have ever done in my life. the wind may have had something to do with it...actually, scratch that, it had a LOT to do with it, especially since it decided to pick up the second half of the race. combine that with my increasing exhaustion and i was pretty much wishing someone would shoot me on the backstretch. amazingly, my first time experience with no practice into the water pit and having not been training for this distance and running into this ridiculous wind ended a lot better than i expected - 13:22, and i beat claire and the girl from GMTC, which was pretty exciting. right now though, to be honest, i wish i didn't have quads. they are screaming at me anytime i do anything...walking...riding my bike...sitting down...you name it, its painful. i'm guessing that has something to do with the enormous leap i had to take off the barrier while at the last stages of exhaustion. yep, that'll do it.
so will i run it again?
...probably. i actually am considering running it at the twilight.
damnit, distance running makes you such a masochist.
but the pictures of me flying off a steeple barrier are effing sweet! and impressive. you can't not think i'm a badass now. :P
Friday, April 11, 2008
everytime it rains...
4/9 - workout: 3 x [2 x 200 @ 36-39 w/200 jog + 5 min tempo (1200 m) w/ 400 jog]
total mileage: 8.25
weird workout...the 200s felt great, but i was getting killed by jade on the first 2 tempo sections...then suddenly on the third one, something clicked and i ran under pace the entire time. i mean, lets ignore the fact that under 6:40 mile pace isn't tempo pace...but since it was only 5 minutes, i let it go. but the last one felt great. for the first time in like 2 weeks, my legs felt like they actually WANTED to keep going...amazing i know. also my highest mileage day in quite awhile. i think *fingers crossed* that i'm over the worst of this cold that has been driving me insane the past couple of weeks, so hopefully that will be what gets me over the hump into some better running.
4/10 - most disgusting day of weather ever...40, incredibly windy, and just pelting down rain...i thought about taking the day off but ended up running 4.25 on the treadmill instead. running on treadmills kind of makes me want to shoot myself, but you do what you have to do.
not sure how i feel about running a 10K at 6:30 am tomorrow morning when its supposed to be 35 and SNOWING....but hopefully i'll just run slow, feel accomplished that i dragged my ass out of bed on a saturday to go running, get my CHEESE (which apparently is the "prize"...only in wisconsin) and sweet shirt, and go right back to bed :P
total mileage: 8.25
weird workout...the 200s felt great, but i was getting killed by jade on the first 2 tempo sections...then suddenly on the third one, something clicked and i ran under pace the entire time. i mean, lets ignore the fact that under 6:40 mile pace isn't tempo pace...but since it was only 5 minutes, i let it go. but the last one felt great. for the first time in like 2 weeks, my legs felt like they actually WANTED to keep going...amazing i know. also my highest mileage day in quite awhile. i think *fingers crossed* that i'm over the worst of this cold that has been driving me insane the past couple of weeks, so hopefully that will be what gets me over the hump into some better running.
4/10 - most disgusting day of weather ever...40, incredibly windy, and just pelting down rain...i thought about taking the day off but ended up running 4.25 on the treadmill instead. running on treadmills kind of makes me want to shoot myself, but you do what you have to do.
not sure how i feel about running a 10K at 6:30 am tomorrow morning when its supposed to be 35 and SNOWING....but hopefully i'll just run slow, feel accomplished that i dragged my ass out of bed on a saturday to go running, get my CHEESE (which apparently is the "prize"...only in wisconsin) and sweet shirt, and go right back to bed :P
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
tomorrow is another day, and there will be another battle
4/3 - 5 miles on lakeshore path, stopped at the track which appeared to be locked but conveniently was not to do some 400 hurdle starts. pretty much had to drag myself out the door...no desire to go running whatsoever.
4/4 - 2.5 miles easy before the meet...legs felt pretty crappy still
4/5 - oshkosh invite
1500 - 5:32.13 (31st/54)
400 hurdles - 75.83 (11th/17)
what can i say about a personal worst? that's one of those things you never really want to have to deal with. you want to go uphill, not downhill...and ESPECIALLY not 2 seconds slower than i've ever raced 400 hurdles in my life. but from the start, oshkosh was not going to be my day. first of all, i'm pretty confident that track is cursed. its gorgeous. its new. its olympic caliber. and i WANT to run well there...but i swear, i have never had a good race on that track...indoor or outdoor...and this is my 4th year in a row racing there. secondly, WIND. oshkosh is always windy...having the track situated 200 meters from a river doesn't help that...but saturday was worse than ever before. the flag was literally sticking straight out from the pole the entire day, and my face was windburned by noon. it was ridiculous. its bad enough sitting out in that kind of crap...now, try running a race in it! but it wasn't just the wind...my legs just felt like dead weight, and mentally i just wasn't there, which really didn't make me happy.
the 1500 was one of those terrible, terrible races where from about 100 meters in you know that its going to be absolutely awful, you know you don't stand a chance of running even a decent time, and there's nothing you can do but try to hang on and survive. i got passed by SO MANY people in the second and third lap...and i'm not good at getting passed. when i'm already suffering and struggling mentally, getting passed pretty much makes me about ready to give up, especially when i can't even make a challenge at the people passing me. i tried my best to stick it out and managed to pass a few people back in the last lap, but the fact that i got blown away by jade by 20 seconds just bothers me, especially since i beat her in the mile a month and a half ago. but maybe i could have dealt better with that defeat had 400 hurdles not also been so horrible. granted, the wind played a MAJOR role in that race...literally, i got blown sideways while over a hurdle...and i did manage to outkick a girl to the line which is always cool, but still, 2 seconds worse than i've ever run that race??!! i suppose i should realize that a) i haven't been doing sprint workouts, b) i haven't hurdled at ALL in 10 months, c) the wind was absurd and everyone ran like 3 seconds slower than their seed, and d) i had a cold anyway and my legs felt like crap, but geez. it wasn't the way i like to see my first race of the season go, that's for sure.
3/6 - took the day off. my voice was gone, my legs felt like crap, and after saturday, i just mentally felt like i needed a break.
3/7 - 7.5 miles total
workout: 3 x [2 x 200 @ 33-35 w/ 400 m jog, 400 @ 75-77 w/ 800 m jog]
for some reason, this workout almost broke me. i still have this cold going on so i was pretty much hacking up a lung the entire time and couldn't breathe, plus my legs still felt like absolute crap. the second 400 almost brought me to tears...it was like the culmination of all of my frustration of the last couple of weeks with my legs just not begin there. the last set was better, and by the end of the workout i could practically feel the endorphins shooting through me.
3/8 - 5.75 miles w/ nicole - bike path/cemetary/regent loop + to smith hall and back to check a class with nicole
it was about 45 and raining...and i loved every minute. this was the first day in quite awhile that i've been like wow, i can't WAIT to go running today. so hopefully that means i'm starting to come out of whatever funk i've been in.
i think my problem lately has been that we've been doing pretty intense workouts for awhile, and i've gotten a little bit burnt out. i just need to remember why i LOVE to run...regardless of whether i'm doing "well" in workouts and races or not, because i think that's what will get me back to where i want to be. its like in "once a runner" where they talk about training going in spirals...sometimes, you have to go backwards a little bit to catapault yourself into new and amazing territory. and i think i'm ready for a breakthrough.
4/4 - 2.5 miles easy before the meet...legs felt pretty crappy still
4/5 - oshkosh invite
1500 - 5:32.13 (31st/54)
400 hurdles - 75.83 (11th/17)
what can i say about a personal worst? that's one of those things you never really want to have to deal with. you want to go uphill, not downhill...and ESPECIALLY not 2 seconds slower than i've ever raced 400 hurdles in my life. but from the start, oshkosh was not going to be my day. first of all, i'm pretty confident that track is cursed. its gorgeous. its new. its olympic caliber. and i WANT to run well there...but i swear, i have never had a good race on that track...indoor or outdoor...and this is my 4th year in a row racing there. secondly, WIND. oshkosh is always windy...having the track situated 200 meters from a river doesn't help that...but saturday was worse than ever before. the flag was literally sticking straight out from the pole the entire day, and my face was windburned by noon. it was ridiculous. its bad enough sitting out in that kind of crap...now, try running a race in it! but it wasn't just the wind...my legs just felt like dead weight, and mentally i just wasn't there, which really didn't make me happy.
the 1500 was one of those terrible, terrible races where from about 100 meters in you know that its going to be absolutely awful, you know you don't stand a chance of running even a decent time, and there's nothing you can do but try to hang on and survive. i got passed by SO MANY people in the second and third lap...and i'm not good at getting passed. when i'm already suffering and struggling mentally, getting passed pretty much makes me about ready to give up, especially when i can't even make a challenge at the people passing me. i tried my best to stick it out and managed to pass a few people back in the last lap, but the fact that i got blown away by jade by 20 seconds just bothers me, especially since i beat her in the mile a month and a half ago. but maybe i could have dealt better with that defeat had 400 hurdles not also been so horrible. granted, the wind played a MAJOR role in that race...literally, i got blown sideways while over a hurdle...and i did manage to outkick a girl to the line which is always cool, but still, 2 seconds worse than i've ever run that race??!! i suppose i should realize that a) i haven't been doing sprint workouts, b) i haven't hurdled at ALL in 10 months, c) the wind was absurd and everyone ran like 3 seconds slower than their seed, and d) i had a cold anyway and my legs felt like crap, but geez. it wasn't the way i like to see my first race of the season go, that's for sure.
3/6 - took the day off. my voice was gone, my legs felt like crap, and after saturday, i just mentally felt like i needed a break.
3/7 - 7.5 miles total
workout: 3 x [2 x 200 @ 33-35 w/ 400 m jog, 400 @ 75-77 w/ 800 m jog]
for some reason, this workout almost broke me. i still have this cold going on so i was pretty much hacking up a lung the entire time and couldn't breathe, plus my legs still felt like absolute crap. the second 400 almost brought me to tears...it was like the culmination of all of my frustration of the last couple of weeks with my legs just not begin there. the last set was better, and by the end of the workout i could practically feel the endorphins shooting through me.
3/8 - 5.75 miles w/ nicole - bike path/cemetary/regent loop + to smith hall and back to check a class with nicole
it was about 45 and raining...and i loved every minute. this was the first day in quite awhile that i've been like wow, i can't WAIT to go running today. so hopefully that means i'm starting to come out of whatever funk i've been in.
i think my problem lately has been that we've been doing pretty intense workouts for awhile, and i've gotten a little bit burnt out. i just need to remember why i LOVE to run...regardless of whether i'm doing "well" in workouts and races or not, because i think that's what will get me back to where i want to be. its like in "once a runner" where they talk about training going in spirals...sometimes, you have to go backwards a little bit to catapault yourself into new and amazing territory. and i think i'm ready for a breakthrough.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
"running is made for neurotics" - chariots of fire
yeah, my biochem professor used a chariots of fire quote today...and talked about carbo-loading...sweet life. based on that, you'd think that class would be interesting....unfortunately, i tuned in for the 5 minute discussion of running and that's about it. anyway, on to my running...
tuesday - 5.4 miles with nicole (willy st/jenifer st out and back) - 42:03 (7:47 pace)
it was sooo nice out...finally starting to feel springish. and we went to panera afterwards...fannntastic.
wednesday - 8 x 400 @ 79-82 with 1 minute rest...killlllller! but it was the first workout on the outdoor track of the season, and great weather for a workout. apparently this is our last hard week of the season...i feel like that's a bit premature, but then again the workouts that we're apparently doing the rest of the season don't appear to be particularly "easy". and the meet schedule this year is kind of strange...i feel like the fact that we're sponsoring this 100k is kind of messing things up. were we involved in this last year? apparently we're only doing 3 college meets...and i'm kind of sad about that.
anyway...the schedule for the rest of the season (for now):
4/6 - oshkosh invite
4/12 - mad city 100k (in which i will be running a 10k leg of a relay...slowly haha)
4/18 - lacrosse invite
4/26 - club home meet? i have no idea what this is all about....personally i'd rather go to a college meet, but whatever...
5/4 - mifflin! (this has nothing to do with running, i'm just pumped we don't have a race on mifflin this year...)
5/10 - twilight!
i'm a little scared to race saturday, having not hurdled since...umm...last may? and of course, the 1500 will hurt, so that's always terrifying. the indoor/outdoor break is always hard since you forget how much racing sucks and at the same time think its going to suck so much more than it actually is. i guess we'll see what happens!
tuesday - 5.4 miles with nicole (willy st/jenifer st out and back) - 42:03 (7:47 pace)
it was sooo nice out...finally starting to feel springish. and we went to panera afterwards...fannntastic.
wednesday - 8 x 400 @ 79-82 with 1 minute rest...killlllller! but it was the first workout on the outdoor track of the season, and great weather for a workout. apparently this is our last hard week of the season...i feel like that's a bit premature, but then again the workouts that we're apparently doing the rest of the season don't appear to be particularly "easy". and the meet schedule this year is kind of strange...i feel like the fact that we're sponsoring this 100k is kind of messing things up. were we involved in this last year? apparently we're only doing 3 college meets...and i'm kind of sad about that.
anyway...the schedule for the rest of the season (for now):
4/6 - oshkosh invite
4/12 - mad city 100k (in which i will be running a 10k leg of a relay...slowly haha)
4/18 - lacrosse invite
4/26 - club home meet? i have no idea what this is all about....personally i'd rather go to a college meet, but whatever...
5/4 - mifflin! (this has nothing to do with running, i'm just pumped we don't have a race on mifflin this year...)
5/10 - twilight!
i'm a little scared to race saturday, having not hurdled since...umm...last may? and of course, the 1500 will hurt, so that's always terrifying. the indoor/outdoor break is always hard since you forget how much racing sucks and at the same time think its going to suck so much more than it actually is. i guess we'll see what happens!
Monday, March 31, 2008
unplanned days off make me crabby...
3/29 - 6.75 miles, including 4 x Copeland St hill loop @ threshold pace...despite one of the most absurdly drunken nights i've had in quite awhile on friday, this amazingly felt pretty good!
3/30 - woke up feeling like absolute CRAP...stuffy nose, sore throat, headache...the works. had to go to dance rehearsal all day but running was definitely not an option...boo :(
3/31 - 4 x 1000 @ interval pace - 3:53, 3:53, 3:51, 3:49...pretty damn good workout!! i actually was considering not even going since i felt a bit under the weather still today, but i never would have expected to drop time on the last couple! its weird...part of me feels like the workouts this year haven't been as hard as last year, but then i think about it and i realize that maybe they're not any easier, they're just different. not to mention i'm training for a different event, so i guess that changes things too. part of me thinks i should stop being such a lazyass and do the long runs on sundays, but as i look back at my training journal from last year i realize i didn't really do them then either...maybe next sunday if i'm not SICK...so lame.
also, shoutout of the day goes to the guys rugby coach...the girls were nowhere to be found today, but this guy looked out for us the entire time, made sure the guys didn't go if we were coming, and told them to go to the outside or inside of us...you, sir, are an inspiration to millions.
3/30 - woke up feeling like absolute CRAP...stuffy nose, sore throat, headache...the works. had to go to dance rehearsal all day but running was definitely not an option...boo :(
3/31 - 4 x 1000 @ interval pace - 3:53, 3:53, 3:51, 3:49...pretty damn good workout!! i actually was considering not even going since i felt a bit under the weather still today, but i never would have expected to drop time on the last couple! its weird...part of me feels like the workouts this year haven't been as hard as last year, but then i think about it and i realize that maybe they're not any easier, they're just different. not to mention i'm training for a different event, so i guess that changes things too. part of me thinks i should stop being such a lazyass and do the long runs on sundays, but as i look back at my training journal from last year i realize i didn't really do them then either...maybe next sunday if i'm not SICK...so lame.
also, shoutout of the day goes to the guys rugby coach...the girls were nowhere to be found today, but this guy looked out for us the entire time, made sure the guys didn't go if we were coming, and told them to go to the outside or inside of us...you, sir, are an inspiration to millions.
Friday, March 28, 2008
week of 3/24-3/28
monday -
1.5 mile warmup
1200 @ 4:39
2 x 1000 @ 3:58, 3:50
1200 @ 4:36
1.5 mile cooldown
total mileage: 6
tuesday -
cemetary loop (5 miles) with nicole
38:02
wednesday -
1.5 mile warmup
2 x 600 @ 2:09, 2:04 w/ 600 jog
2 x 400 @ 79, 78 w/ 400 recovery
2 x 300 @ 58, 56 w/ 300 recovery
3 x 200 @ 34, 33, 33 w/ 200 recovery
1.6 mile cooldown
total mileage: 7.1
thursday -
vilas park loop to arb + to biochem and back (5.75 miles) w/ nicole
43:15
friday -
off
i'll probably post more detailed commentary on workouts in the future, but right now i'm at work, i need to go to class in 5 minutes, and i'm just too lazy. i'm glad we didn't get the forecasted snow yesterday and am very much looking forward to the time when i can consistently run outside in shorts and a long sleeved shirt...yes please!
1.5 mile warmup
1200 @ 4:39
2 x 1000 @ 3:58, 3:50
1200 @ 4:36
1.5 mile cooldown
total mileage: 6
tuesday -
cemetary loop (5 miles) with nicole
38:02
wednesday -
1.5 mile warmup
2 x 600 @ 2:09, 2:04 w/ 600 jog
2 x 400 @ 79, 78 w/ 400 recovery
2 x 300 @ 58, 56 w/ 300 recovery
3 x 200 @ 34, 33, 33 w/ 200 recovery
1.6 mile cooldown
total mileage: 7.1
thursday -
vilas park loop to arb + to biochem and back (5.75 miles) w/ nicole
43:15
friday -
off
i'll probably post more detailed commentary on workouts in the future, but right now i'm at work, i need to go to class in 5 minutes, and i'm just too lazy. i'm glad we didn't get the forecasted snow yesterday and am very much looking forward to the time when i can consistently run outside in shorts and a long sleeved shirt...yes please!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
an open letter to the women's rugby team
dear rugby players,
i have had the opportunity to see you every monday and wednesday for the past 4 months or so at the indoor track. i am sure rugby is a very difficult sport and i'm well aware of the fact that many of you could most likely destroy me if given the opportunity. however, while i'm sure being a rugby player makes you many things, there is one thing you are most definitely not: runners. don't get me wrong, i realize that the track is open to everyone, fast and slow. however, if you are going to run one lap at a slower pace than i'm running six, then i have one thing to say to you: get the HELL out of lane 1. see the sign on the wall? it says lanes 1 and 2: SPEEDwork. i know you think what you're doing is considered speedy because its short, but i hate to break it to you, a 55 second 200 in no way resembles speed. and if you must take over this lane because you are so entirely convinced that you are such incredibly fast athletes, i have some more news for you: don't jump in 5 seconds before a bunch of people who you KNOW are going to pass you are about to start their interval. frankly, having to weave around 9 of you as you whine about how much pain you're in really doesn't make a 1200 repetition any easier. and while witnessing your "trail of tears" hike around the outer lanes of the track, clutching your water bottles after your strenuous 400-200-100 ladder, is moderately entertaining, it just doesn't make up for the fact that you are a pain in the ass to deal with on the track. so in closing, either get faster, or get out of my way.
yours truly,
the wtc milers
[with the demise of running-log.com, i'm most likely going to start my training blog/log up again...and i just felt that this rant would be a good way to start :)]
i have had the opportunity to see you every monday and wednesday for the past 4 months or so at the indoor track. i am sure rugby is a very difficult sport and i'm well aware of the fact that many of you could most likely destroy me if given the opportunity. however, while i'm sure being a rugby player makes you many things, there is one thing you are most definitely not: runners. don't get me wrong, i realize that the track is open to everyone, fast and slow. however, if you are going to run one lap at a slower pace than i'm running six, then i have one thing to say to you: get the HELL out of lane 1. see the sign on the wall? it says lanes 1 and 2: SPEEDwork. i know you think what you're doing is considered speedy because its short, but i hate to break it to you, a 55 second 200 in no way resembles speed. and if you must take over this lane because you are so entirely convinced that you are such incredibly fast athletes, i have some more news for you: don't jump in 5 seconds before a bunch of people who you KNOW are going to pass you are about to start their interval. frankly, having to weave around 9 of you as you whine about how much pain you're in really doesn't make a 1200 repetition any easier. and while witnessing your "trail of tears" hike around the outer lanes of the track, clutching your water bottles after your strenuous 400-200-100 ladder, is moderately entertaining, it just doesn't make up for the fact that you are a pain in the ass to deal with on the track. so in closing, either get faster, or get out of my way.
yours truly,
the wtc milers
[with the demise of running-log.com, i'm most likely going to start my training blog/log up again...and i just felt that this rant would be a good way to start :)]
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