Long run song of the day:
So today's long run was...epic. And awesome. And hands down the best long run of my life - I am not joking. What the hell is it about the combination of pouring rain, gusting wind, and general nastiness that turns me into some kind of run-dominating beast? I spent most of yesterday and this morning debating whether I even should set out for 22 miles in the craptastic weather - I seriously don't think I've ever been so unhappy about the prospect of going for a long run in my life. 22 miles just seemed so. long [okay well...it is...but yeah] and throwing the weather on top of that didn't help. But since this was really a KEY workout I had planned in my training schedule - 22 miles on the actual marathon course - I knew I had to just suck it up buttercup and get out there.
So I did - and I think once I realized that it wasn't as bad as I had made it out to be, I knew everything was going to be okay. I wasn't planning on really worrying about the pace, so I just fell into something that felt comfortable and easy and got into the groove. You know those days when things just fall into place and you find that sweet spot of pace where you feel like you could literally keep running forever? That was me today. Running on the course, as always, was a great plan because while there weren't a ton of runners out there, it seemed like everyone who was was a) wearing some kind of neon jacket or shirt that made them like a beacon of light in the endless gray of the rain and b) was equally happy to see a fellow runner partaking in this madness and would give a wave, hi, or at least a smile. Seriously, every runner I saw gave me an extra shot of energy - knowing I'm not alone, and that we're all out there for a reason, is such a boost.
It actually took me kind of awhile to notice that I was cold or wet. I think I had on enough layers that the gradual soaking-through process took about an hour haha. I stopped at the Marathon Sports on the course in Wellesley to grab a Gu and some water - perfect timing because I was getting really hungry and had the feeling I was on my way to being pretty dehydrated as well. Tried the new flavor of Gu - Jet Blackberry - it pretty much tasted the same as the Tri Berry, but I think it has more caffeine...anyway, after a few minutes in the store coming back into the deluge kind of sucked, and that was the first time I noticed the cold. And then I just kept trucking through Wellesley. There seemed to be a lot of hills [I really wouldn't notice that as much on the way back, maybe because anything that was uphill running the course backwards would be downhill going the right way]. I got nerdily excited when I saw the 14 mile/water mark with the BAA unicorn on the road, waved gleefully at a fellow runner on the opposite side of the street, and had to kind of laugh at the random empty Gu packets strewn around randomly on the sidewalk. [Definitely don't advocate littering...but it was just kind of funny...like, gee, do you think a lot of marathoners run out here or something?]. Generally I just continued to enjoy myself, finally reaching my turnaround point at Bacon Street [which...I seriously picked because I thought I would want some bacon at that point in the run. I really don't know what's going on in my head sometimes haha]
So I started the long trek back towards Boston, and honestly I kept waiting for my legs to do their usual seizing up/dying act that they always seem to do at the end of long runs, or for it to start feeling hard, or something...none of those feelings ever came. It just simply felt easy. Seriously, I don't know if there's magical fairy dust scattered all over the course or what, but every time I've run out there over this training cycle, it's been an incredible, effortless run...fingers crossed that the magic still works when I have to share it with 25,000 other runners. :) Also, my thought on this new part of the course that I hadn't seen before: really, not that many bad hills. It's funny because at first I thought "yes, well, you'll be running this at mile 12-20 of a marathon"...but then I realized that this section of the course was at mile 12-20 of my long run too...which was obviously the point haha. I guess the impression I get is that the course is never REALLY flat...but that you also spend more time running downhill than you do running up...and yes, that is the definition of a net downhill course, which Boston is, so sorry for stating the obvious haha. The one hill for me that was sort of a beeyotch, actually moreso than Heartbreak, was the one that comes right after the turn onto Comm Ave, at around the 18 mile mark. It's sort of a long hill that seems to drag, and I think since you've just had a big downhill it's kind of like...aww...a hill? Wah wah. But then there's like a mile of basically downhill before you have to deal with Heartbreak...I don't know, maybe it was just because my run went SO well on the course today, but I was left feeling a lot more confident about running a good race on this course than I was before.
You'll notice that I've only mentioned the crazy-ass weather once in this epic description of this run so far...really, I didn't pay much attention to it, and what thoughts I did give to it were basically along the lines of "this is so effing awesome. I am kicking so much ass right now. If the marathon was today, I would probably run a PR. I am so freaking glad I didn't skip this run. I love the rain". So the "song of the day" came on my ipod just as I had crested Heartbreak, and was headed onto the GIANT downhill through BC. Everytime I run that downhill, I want to put my arms up and yell like a little kid on a rollercoaster haha...it's like..I MADE IT! Combine that with The Who screaming about rain and the fact that there are less than 2 miles to go of a 23 mile run, and you have yourself a pretty amazing moment. I was also pretty impressed at how the run absolutely FLEW by...normally I get so sick of running by about 2:15 into a long run that the last 30-45 minutes are just a death march...but this time, probably since I was feeling good, it was totally no big deal.
Probably the funniest moment of the run actually happened after I finished. I finally made it back to my door, thrilled to be done, thrilled at how I was feeling, basically just on this massive runner's high...oh yeah, and also completely drenched and dripping a puddle into the foyer of my apartment building. My hands were COMPLETELY frozen, so I struggled for like 5 minutes to get my key out of my pocket...then struggled to actually get it in the door...and THEN once I got it in the door, I couldn't grip my hands enough to turn it...FAIL! I was just attempting to use the two-handed grip approach and looking like a giant idiot when a neighbor came in behind me and was like...uh...are you okay? [he probably thought I was trying to break into the place or something!] Just then I got the door open and let him in, and I was like oh, yeah, I'm fine, I just ran 22 miles though and so my hands are really cold, I couldn't get the key to turn. The guy was like oh...and then was like..wait...you ran 22 miles...TODAY? You have issues... Kind of reminds me of my boss who commented yesterday that "looks like you won't be getting any miles in this weekend". I'm pretty confident that 99% of the population [my mom, grandma, and boyfriend included!] think that what I did today was borderline insane...but seriously, having that great of a run in this disgusting of weather gave me such a HUGE mental boost - like whatever raceday throws at me, I'll be able to get through it. Maybe more importantly, it gave me the confidence that my training is actually working - that the higher miles and workouts and things I've been doing that I've bitched and moaned about really HAVE made me stronger, much stronger, than I was going into Baystate. Being able to hit 8:15 pace [haha, guess I didn't mention that I was actually running kind of fast for a LR...] for that long of a run without going downhill into my usual "run for a few minutes...legs tighten up...stop....stretch...start again" act that I usually wind up doing for the last 5 miles or so of any long run, was a total eye opener to me. And it was my longest run EVER...coming in at 22.9 miles [and yes, I kind of wish I had run around the block to get in that extra .1 mile, especially since I was feeling so good. Oh well!]
Sooo I will stop boring you all now with my epic account of my long run haha...I'm just really pumped about it and I feel like it's been so long since I had a run where I just wanted to run around shouting from the mountaintops about how awesome it was, that I had to let myself get a little excited about this. :) Running on the course was a great idea and one I'm going to continue to incorporate for the next few weeks...and probably for the rest of the time that I live near it too, since like I said, I think it might be magic. :)
Well, now I am comfy and warm [well, as warm as is possible in my apartment, where we don't pay for heat but the heat is also almost never on...], the rain is still blasting outside, and I enjoyed a delicious plate of pesto pasta, a Magic Hat #9, and some Ben & Jerry's as a post-epic-run treat. I actually have a lot of random things bouncing around in my head to post about, more musings than actual day-to-day running stuff....but I think this post is long enough, so maybe I'll just actually post more than once this week!
Oh...and it's a little late...but happy pi day! :P Thanks MarathonMaiden for reminding me :)
Showing posts with label great runs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label great runs. Show all posts
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Do you know the way to Heartbreak Hill?
I messed around with my workout calendar this week because doing a tempo workout inside on the treadmill sounded way more enticing than doing hill reps in the slush [yes, being on the treadmill won out...doubt you'll ever hear me say THAT again!]. I had an XT day scheduled for today, but now that my knee appears to be cool with my ever-climbing mileage, that second XT day is probably on it's way out anyway, and I was in the mood to get my second workout of the week out of the way...so hills it was! I've been planning ever since I put this workout on my calendar to do it on Heartbreak, because despite the fact that I live ridiculously close to the famed Newton Hills, I hadn't actually run out there yet...they kind of intimidated/scared me off with all that talk about them haha.
So I checked out the marathon course map to see where exactly this mystical hill was...now I realize the BAA wants to emphasize the history and all of the landmarks along the course but seriously? Worst course map ever. [Actually, it really is kind of cool, and I'm probably going to print it out and put it on my wall of motivation right now...but anyway...] According to that map, Heartbreak started somewhere near the intersection of Centre and Commonwealth, which I mapped as being ~2.8 miles from my house. OK, no big deal - my warmup and cool down can be a little longer, my mileage-whore mindset is ALWAYS ok with that!
I rolled out the door and instantly I was cruising...just one of those glorious runs where from the moment you start everything just clicks and it all seems effortless. I ran through my usual section of Comm Ave and onward into the Newton Hills...which is where the adventure began. I was filled with glee at the fact that I was running on the Boston Marathon course - this is a GREAT thing because it's the first time since I started training that I've legit gotten excited about the fact that I'm running this marathon. I started out on the sidewalk but switched over to the random frontage/side road pretty fast because apparently the Newton-ites aren't too big on shoveling or salting? The sidewalk was a mess. So I come to the cross street before Centre street, and I'm thinking to myself that I should be running down a big hill...right? But Centre Street comes and goes, and there's not a big, scary, hill to be found. I also tried looking for the famous Johnny Kelley statue...which I also couldn't find. Sooo I kept running until I reached something that kind of resembled a hill...another mile or so down the road. Woo hoo, looks like I'm running 10 miles today! I was feeling so fabulous, I didn't even care.
The workout was nothing too exciting, but I felt strong on my 2 minute hill intervals, running them all around 7:00 pace up a nameless Newton hill that I think I'm going to dub "Heartache Hill"...hehe. :) It wasn't terribly steep but definitely enough to know you were running up a hill. Apparently miles 18-20 of the course are where all the cool people hang at 6 pm on Wednesday nights, because the side road was a sea of runners in reflective vests and spandex. Also, to the person who decided to build a new house along the marathon route? The one with the Porta Potty outside? You are my hero, just fyi. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has taken advantage of this strategic location haha.
Hill workout finished, I headed back homewards. Lo and behold..I FOUND Heartbreak Hill! My impression: not really that steep, but looong. Definitely a climb I could see taking it out of you at mile 20 of a marathon, but all in all? Not too scary. Also, its followed by a long, glorious downhill which has got to be the best thing that can come after a long, hideous, uphill, right? Actually, I noticed the course inbound [the actual course] seemed like way more downhill than the course outbound. I totally felt like I was flying. Would I like to summon some flying feet at mile 20 of the marathon? Umm yes please! Now that I know that there are peeps out on the course day and night, I am going to make it my mission to know the last 10 miles of that course like it's my home. That freaking course is going to be paved with the rubber of my training shoes. I'm lucky enough to basically live on the course of that marathon, so if I didn't use that to my advantage in training, I would just be an idiot. And based on the surge of adrenaline and excitement I got today just BEING on that fabled route, if I can carry that over to the next 12 weeks, well that would just be utterly incredible.
Up until today, I have been kind of...shall we say...not pumped about the fact that I signed up for another marathon. It was like...I vaguely knew that I should be excited about this marathon that I worked really hard to qualify to run. But part of me was kind of like...okay, you worked your butt off so you could qualify to work your butt off AGAIN and then run another long-ass race and try not to die. And I have lamented my loss of speed as I've focused more on marathon training, and whined about trying to find time to run now that I have a job, and just generally got through the workouts but didn't really get jacked about them.
Today was different. Today I had the thought actually cross my mind that if I actually follow this semi-ambitious training plan that I have going, one that actually involves speedwork and pace training and not just aimlessly running all the time, that there is actually a chance in hell that I could race this marathon for a PR. It was like something hit me on that course today - that deep down, I know I'm capable of more in this distance. And as I plowed my way up Heartbreak, hardly even realizing it was THE Heartbreak Hill...it's like my mind figured it out - well DUH, silly, you didn't think you were going to do all this training to half-ass the race, did you?
The way to Heartbreak Hill for me is paved with pace work until I puke, mile repeats workouts that I dread, fartleks until I drop and long runs off into the sunset. But with this thought in my mind, of feeling like I did today, strong and powerful, on this famed hill when I run up it on April 19, I'll get through it. I'll do it. I know the way now, to Heartbreak Hill and beyond to the finish line. And it's going to be one hell of a trip. :)
So I checked out the marathon course map to see where exactly this mystical hill was...now I realize the BAA wants to emphasize the history and all of the landmarks along the course but seriously? Worst course map ever. [Actually, it really is kind of cool, and I'm probably going to print it out and put it on my wall of motivation right now...but anyway...] According to that map, Heartbreak started somewhere near the intersection of Centre and Commonwealth, which I mapped as being ~2.8 miles from my house. OK, no big deal - my warmup and cool down can be a little longer, my mileage-whore mindset is ALWAYS ok with that!
I rolled out the door and instantly I was cruising...just one of those glorious runs where from the moment you start everything just clicks and it all seems effortless. I ran through my usual section of Comm Ave and onward into the Newton Hills...which is where the adventure began. I was filled with glee at the fact that I was running on the Boston Marathon course - this is a GREAT thing because it's the first time since I started training that I've legit gotten excited about the fact that I'm running this marathon. I started out on the sidewalk but switched over to the random frontage/side road pretty fast because apparently the Newton-ites aren't too big on shoveling or salting? The sidewalk was a mess. So I come to the cross street before Centre street, and I'm thinking to myself that I should be running down a big hill...right? But Centre Street comes and goes, and there's not a big, scary, hill to be found. I also tried looking for the famous Johnny Kelley statue...which I also couldn't find. Sooo I kept running until I reached something that kind of resembled a hill...another mile or so down the road. Woo hoo, looks like I'm running 10 miles today! I was feeling so fabulous, I didn't even care.
The workout was nothing too exciting, but I felt strong on my 2 minute hill intervals, running them all around 7:00 pace up a nameless Newton hill that I think I'm going to dub "Heartache Hill"...hehe. :) It wasn't terribly steep but definitely enough to know you were running up a hill. Apparently miles 18-20 of the course are where all the cool people hang at 6 pm on Wednesday nights, because the side road was a sea of runners in reflective vests and spandex. Also, to the person who decided to build a new house along the marathon route? The one with the Porta Potty outside? You are my hero, just fyi. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has taken advantage of this strategic location haha.
Hill workout finished, I headed back homewards. Lo and behold..I FOUND Heartbreak Hill! My impression: not really that steep, but looong. Definitely a climb I could see taking it out of you at mile 20 of a marathon, but all in all? Not too scary. Also, its followed by a long, glorious downhill which has got to be the best thing that can come after a long, hideous, uphill, right? Actually, I noticed the course inbound [the actual course] seemed like way more downhill than the course outbound. I totally felt like I was flying. Would I like to summon some flying feet at mile 20 of the marathon? Umm yes please! Now that I know that there are peeps out on the course day and night, I am going to make it my mission to know the last 10 miles of that course like it's my home. That freaking course is going to be paved with the rubber of my training shoes. I'm lucky enough to basically live on the course of that marathon, so if I didn't use that to my advantage in training, I would just be an idiot. And based on the surge of adrenaline and excitement I got today just BEING on that fabled route, if I can carry that over to the next 12 weeks, well that would just be utterly incredible.
Up until today, I have been kind of...shall we say...not pumped about the fact that I signed up for another marathon. It was like...I vaguely knew that I should be excited about this marathon that I worked really hard to qualify to run. But part of me was kind of like...okay, you worked your butt off so you could qualify to work your butt off AGAIN and then run another long-ass race and try not to die. And I have lamented my loss of speed as I've focused more on marathon training, and whined about trying to find time to run now that I have a job, and just generally got through the workouts but didn't really get jacked about them.
Today was different. Today I had the thought actually cross my mind that if I actually follow this semi-ambitious training plan that I have going, one that actually involves speedwork and pace training and not just aimlessly running all the time, that there is actually a chance in hell that I could race this marathon for a PR. It was like something hit me on that course today - that deep down, I know I'm capable of more in this distance. And as I plowed my way up Heartbreak, hardly even realizing it was THE Heartbreak Hill...it's like my mind figured it out - well DUH, silly, you didn't think you were going to do all this training to half-ass the race, did you?
The way to Heartbreak Hill for me is paved with pace work until I puke, mile repeats workouts that I dread, fartleks until I drop and long runs off into the sunset. But with this thought in my mind, of feeling like I did today, strong and powerful, on this famed hill when I run up it on April 19, I'll get through it. I'll do it. I know the way now, to Heartbreak Hill and beyond to the finish line. And it's going to be one hell of a trip. :)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles
It's night, mist is hanging heavy over the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, the lights of the BC stadium seem extra bright reflecting across the water, against the haze. I'm wet but not cold in the least, and I'm flying along the reservoir with "Born To Run" blasting in my headphones. I haven't seen a single runner out tonight, even though it's 5:30 pm, usually a rush hour of runners up and down Beacon Street after work. But not tonight...tonight the reservoir is mine. I cruise along, finally stopping at a baseball/football field, abandoned at the moment but blazing with lights for some reason, a brilliant square of light. For some reason I'm totally caught up in the joy and awesomeness of having this field all to myself - I want to spin in circles with my arms out like a little kid, giddy in the rain. But instead I do the next best thing - I stride across the field as fast as I can, kicking up mud and leaves and rain, soaking my shoes through, half-tripping in holes and slipping on muddy patches. I'm just completely caught up in utter joy and this running, this crazy thing, that makes me feel more alive than anything else I can imagine. Rain flies off my face as I sprint down the field one last time, and I know this: I can have this, these moments of pure freedom and happiness, and I am infinitely grateful.
I don't mean to write a cliched "oh it's Thanksgiving, so I'm thankful for..." type post. There are more incredible people and things in my life than I can count, along with the less incredible things...so it goes for most people. But tonight as I was running, and thinking of how Thanksgiving is tomorrow, all could feel was the overwhelming emotion was that I am so thankful for this.
I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving...I am looking forward to cooking more food than the BF and I will ever be able to eat. :)
I don't mean to write a cliched "oh it's Thanksgiving, so I'm thankful for..." type post. There are more incredible people and things in my life than I can count, along with the less incredible things...so it goes for most people. But tonight as I was running, and thinking of how Thanksgiving is tomorrow, all could feel was the overwhelming emotion was that I am so thankful for this.
I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving...I am looking forward to cooking more food than the BF and I will ever be able to eat. :)
Monday, November 16, 2009
Fall frolickings
This past weekend my beloved Wisconsin Track Club raced at NIRCA XC Nationals [NIRCA being an organization for collegiate running clubs that is pretty sweet]. The boys repeated as national champs [woot woot!] and the girls got 4th, which is pretty awesome considering that last year we got 9th. It's CRAZY business though how much faster that team is getting, last year at nationals I was the 6th runner on our team [granted, in a mind-blowingly awful race in which I ran a minute and a half slower than my PR...but yeah] after generally hanging out around the #4 or 5 spot in the earlier part of the season. This year? My previous PR would have put me 10th on our team. Holy crap, my friends are FAST!
I really do miss cross country - both the team aspect and just the races themselves...running fast over hills and through the mud and whatever...it was just so cool and badass. I kind of missed out on the XC season at Franklin Park here because I was in marathon mode, and something tells me that next fall might be more of a return to the trails instead of marathon madness. I didn't really think about it or miss it until after I finished the marathon, when I saw all of my teammates busting out these amazing times and I couldn't help but wonder...if everyone I've been running with for 4 years is kicking ass now...would I be doing the same? Would I be dropping tons of time too? Or would I be getting left in the dust? It was weird looking at the results and thinking "oh, well if I ran in the same spot as I usually do...I would be PRing by a lot!" Obviously I was committed to a much different goal this season, and only one of those teammates has run a marathon [and she's way better than me in all distances anyway :)] so it doesn't really bother me, but it's just kind of...weird. As I think I said at some point previously on this blog, this is the first time my life hasn't been measured in track and XC seasons, and it's sort of strange not having all these races to improve upon throughout the year and instead just having this one BIG race. I'm thinking that for my Boston training cycle, I'm going to try to include more races in my training, because they're a good stimulus for me to run hard and not slack off, plus they let me keep my sanity a little bit. :)
So, I must have been thinking about running fast when I went on my usual Chestnut Hill Reservoir loop today, because I ran the fastest I ever have on that loop...I'm calling it an "unintentional tempo run" - 5.8 miles at 7:18 pace. It was such a gorgeous, crispy, sunny fall day, and I really got into a great rhythm for the first time in what feels like a looooong time. How has it been a month since the marathon?
On Sunday I actually sucked it up and ran 9.5 miles which was...interesting? It was super humid which didn't help my situation, but I was kind of sad at how exhausted I felt. Then I realized that my longest run in the past month had been 6 miles [once] and I didn't feel so bad anymore. I did keep a 7:49 average pace so that was pretty good, my life probably would have been a lot easier if I would have just slowed down but we all know that's not how I roll. :) Seriously though, I think it's time for this girl to get back into the running groove! My knee is still a little questionable at times, like at the end of todays fast run it was definitely tight and cranky, but I'm keeping an eye on it and stretching and doing strenthening exercises like a mofo...and I think as long as I'm not an idiot and completely overdo it, it will be OK.
I also decided...finally...that this winter, I am going to start doing ABS again! My core could definitely use some work, and it's been so long since I did any ab/back exercises...too long! My new ab workout is called...POWER HOUR ABS! It's kind of like 8 minute abs...ok..it IS 8 minute abs, but I keep track of the time using a playlist I made for a power hour a couple years ago. Exactly 1-minute songs that are all fun and get you excited to do some crunches? Heck yes! I'm also going to try to start working some pushups and other arm stuff into my routine because I am a weakling when it comes to my arms! And I figure, any kind of increase in strength anywhere is bound to help my running one way or another!
Well in non-running related news, I had a fantastic weekend. On Friday night the BF and I had an impromptu Mexican fiesta with a couple friends, complete with a couple Coronas with lime and Chipotle-style burritos the BF and I cooked up...yum! Saturday we headed to The Baseball Tavern and watched the Badgers kick the crap out of most-hated MICHIGAN so that was pretty sweet. We decided to go to the aquarium after the game because it was rainy and crappy, and being members, we get in for free whenever we want! They have a really cool jellyfish exhibit:
Cool sea nettles
This one is my personal favorite! His name is Bandalier and he's just a little guy...the aquarium does lots of sea turtle rescues around this time of year when turtles get stranded as they head south and get shocked by the cold. I'm a total sucker for random animals [llamas, goats, penguins...] and I think sea turtles may have been added to the list of ridiculous animals that I just love for some reason. :) [Also, I really like the name Bandalier for some reason, and I decided that when I finally get a road bike, that's what it's name will be. Just FYI, I like planning ahead on these things haha]
And finally, I just have to share the dinner I made yesterday....I was really excited about it haha. Being poor grad students/college graduates, the BF and often survive on such delicacies as mac & cheese, ham sandwiches, and black beans & rice...all delicious, but not much fun or excitement, and no real cooking involved! So occasionally we entertain ourselves and come up with something fun, delicious, healthy, and reasonably cheap to create. Last night I got the idea into my head that I really wanted some acorn squash with brown sugar...my mom always used to make it in the fall when I was younger, but I definitely haven't had it since going to college! I went to Whole Foods [which conveniently and somewhat horribly] is located like a block from my apartment, and picked up some squash, brown sugar, and some things to mix into pasta. The squash was super easy to just throw a little butter and sugar into and bake, then I threw together some pasta [I really like those curly ones, they're fun] with sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and olive oil. Add a Saranac Maple Porter to top it off and...ta da! A delicious fall dinner!
Hope everyone has a wonderful Hump Day!
I really do miss cross country - both the team aspect and just the races themselves...running fast over hills and through the mud and whatever...it was just so cool and badass. I kind of missed out on the XC season at Franklin Park here because I was in marathon mode, and something tells me that next fall might be more of a return to the trails instead of marathon madness. I didn't really think about it or miss it until after I finished the marathon, when I saw all of my teammates busting out these amazing times and I couldn't help but wonder...if everyone I've been running with for 4 years is kicking ass now...would I be doing the same? Would I be dropping tons of time too? Or would I be getting left in the dust? It was weird looking at the results and thinking "oh, well if I ran in the same spot as I usually do...I would be PRing by a lot!" Obviously I was committed to a much different goal this season, and only one of those teammates has run a marathon [and she's way better than me in all distances anyway :)] so it doesn't really bother me, but it's just kind of...weird. As I think I said at some point previously on this blog, this is the first time my life hasn't been measured in track and XC seasons, and it's sort of strange not having all these races to improve upon throughout the year and instead just having this one BIG race. I'm thinking that for my Boston training cycle, I'm going to try to include more races in my training, because they're a good stimulus for me to run hard and not slack off, plus they let me keep my sanity a little bit. :)
So, I must have been thinking about running fast when I went on my usual Chestnut Hill Reservoir loop today, because I ran the fastest I ever have on that loop...I'm calling it an "unintentional tempo run" - 5.8 miles at 7:18 pace. It was such a gorgeous, crispy, sunny fall day, and I really got into a great rhythm for the first time in what feels like a looooong time. How has it been a month since the marathon?
On Sunday I actually sucked it up and ran 9.5 miles which was...interesting? It was super humid which didn't help my situation, but I was kind of sad at how exhausted I felt. Then I realized that my longest run in the past month had been 6 miles [once] and I didn't feel so bad anymore. I did keep a 7:49 average pace so that was pretty good, my life probably would have been a lot easier if I would have just slowed down but we all know that's not how I roll. :) Seriously though, I think it's time for this girl to get back into the running groove! My knee is still a little questionable at times, like at the end of todays fast run it was definitely tight and cranky, but I'm keeping an eye on it and stretching and doing strenthening exercises like a mofo...and I think as long as I'm not an idiot and completely overdo it, it will be OK.I also decided...finally...that this winter, I am going to start doing ABS again! My core could definitely use some work, and it's been so long since I did any ab/back exercises...too long! My new ab workout is called...POWER HOUR ABS! It's kind of like 8 minute abs...ok..it IS 8 minute abs, but I keep track of the time using a playlist I made for a power hour a couple years ago. Exactly 1-minute songs that are all fun and get you excited to do some crunches? Heck yes! I'm also going to try to start working some pushups and other arm stuff into my routine because I am a weakling when it comes to my arms! And I figure, any kind of increase in strength anywhere is bound to help my running one way or another!
Well in non-running related news, I had a fantastic weekend. On Friday night the BF and I had an impromptu Mexican fiesta with a couple friends, complete with a couple Coronas with lime and Chipotle-style burritos the BF and I cooked up...yum! Saturday we headed to The Baseball Tavern and watched the Badgers kick the crap out of most-hated MICHIGAN so that was pretty sweet. We decided to go to the aquarium after the game because it was rainy and crappy, and being members, we get in for free whenever we want! They have a really cool jellyfish exhibit:
Cool sea nettles
They also do a lot with bigger sea animals like seals, sharks, and [my personal favorite] SEA TURTLES!!
Myrtle the turtle!
Myrtle the turtle!
This one is my personal favorite! His name is Bandalier and he's just a little guy...the aquarium does lots of sea turtle rescues around this time of year when turtles get stranded as they head south and get shocked by the cold. I'm a total sucker for random animals [llamas, goats, penguins...] and I think sea turtles may have been added to the list of ridiculous animals that I just love for some reason. :) [Also, I really like the name Bandalier for some reason, and I decided that when I finally get a road bike, that's what it's name will be. Just FYI, I like planning ahead on these things haha]
And finally, I just have to share the dinner I made yesterday....I was really excited about it haha. Being poor grad students/college graduates, the BF and often survive on such delicacies as mac & cheese, ham sandwiches, and black beans & rice...all delicious, but not much fun or excitement, and no real cooking involved! So occasionally we entertain ourselves and come up with something fun, delicious, healthy, and reasonably cheap to create. Last night I got the idea into my head that I really wanted some acorn squash with brown sugar...my mom always used to make it in the fall when I was younger, but I definitely haven't had it since going to college! I went to Whole Foods [which conveniently and somewhat horribly] is located like a block from my apartment, and picked up some squash, brown sugar, and some things to mix into pasta. The squash was super easy to just throw a little butter and sugar into and bake, then I threw together some pasta [I really like those curly ones, they're fun] with sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and olive oil. Add a Saranac Maple Porter to top it off and...ta da! A delicious fall dinner!
Hope everyone has a wonderful Hump Day!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
BQ!!!!!!!!
I DID IT!!
3:39:28, give or take a few seconds....
Quick stats: 40 degree temperatures, 20 mph winds, steady rain starting at about mile 8, almost even splits, and an absolutely incredible day. Full race report to come, for now I am just kind of basking in the glow of being a Boston Marathon qualifier....oh and hoping my legs don't fall off.
AHHH!!!!
3:39:28, give or take a few seconds....
Quick stats: 40 degree temperatures, 20 mph winds, steady rain starting at about mile 8, almost even splits, and an absolutely incredible day. Full race report to come, for now I am just kind of basking in the glow of being a Boston Marathon qualifier....oh and hoping my legs don't fall off.
AHHH!!!!
Monday, October 05, 2009
The hay is in the barn
All the hard work is done, the long runs have been completed, the workouts finished. All that's left to do now is taper and get my legs ready to run 26.2 miles in a little less than 2 weeks!
Last hard week summary:
Monday: off
Tuesday: track workout - warmup, 5 x 1000 @ ~4:18 w/ 400 recovery, cooldown [9.8 miles total]
Wednesday: 5.8 easy [7:49 pace]
Thursday: easy/fartlek 9.1 miles [7:38 pace]
Friday: 8.75 easy [7:39 pace]
Saturday: 5.8 easy [7:42 pace]
Sunday: 21-22 long [8:30-8:18 pace]
Total miles: 61.4
Unfortunately I'm not 100% sure what the distance was for my long run on Sunday, since I ran with my running buddy Kelly out in an area by her house that I don't know well, and we ran on some trails which made it pretty much impossible to map out, but my guess is since we ran for 3+ hours and weren't running terribly slow, I would guess the absolute minimum was 21 and the max was probably around 22. It was a GREAT run though...as usual, I woke up at 7 completely dreading the fact that I had to go run for 3 hours...just one more time. I wanted to test out my breakfast plan for the actual race, so I had what basically amounted to a peanut butter sandwich [two pieces of toast, one with peanut butter on it] and a glass of Gatorade. The combo seemed to work really well for me - I wasn't hungry during the run, and I didn't have digestive issues...so basically, I call that a WIN!
Once again, what a difference running with someone else made. I'm happy I did a couple of long runs alone just to get some of that mental toughness, but in this case it was utterly fantastic having someone to talk to. My legs didn't feel that great when I woke up but once I started running everything loosened up fast. We ran on a trail along the Charles River which was gorgeous, then turned out onto some more residential roads. Stopped at about 1:20 for Gu and Gatorade [I tried the tri-berry Gu which was pretty tasty...it kind of reminded me of raspberry pie filling or something?]. It was amazingly warm and humid for the beginning of October...like 65? The humidity didn't bother me too much and I was loving my new Nike tech shirt that I got for $9 when I bought my new shoes from runningwarehouse.com [I have to put in a plug for this site because seriously, it is amazing. The shoes are generally 15-25% cheaper than what you'll find in stores, and they always have some kind of perks like the cheap tech shirt, free cloth shopping bags, $10 sweatshirts, etc. And 2 day FREE shipping!]. After awhile we turned onto some trails in the woods which led up a STEEP hill...it was kind of crazy...but then downhill into what was basically a long, slight uphill grade for the rest of the way out.
We turned around at 1:31 and had to run up this crazy steep hill that we had run down on the way out...ouuuuch, it hurt after running for like 2 hours. Kelly was like "Heartbreak!" and if Heartbreak Hill really is as steep as this one was...well, I can see how it got its name. We ran back through the woods, this time on a downhill, and I was loving just scampering down the slope dodging rocks and stumps and stuff. At one point I leaped over a dead tree and thought to myself "seriously...you've been running for over 2 hours, and you still have the energy to hurdle a tree. This is a little ridiculous". On the way back we stopped at a college to grab a drink and had not one, but two people in cars ask us directions to various places...apparently we look like we know where we're going! After that I hardly even realized how much I was picking it up until I noticed that I had kind of lost sight of Kelly behind me. We caught up at a stoplight and she told me to just go for it...so the last half hour, I basically hammered it home. I'm terrible at judging pace but if I had to guess, I wouldn't be surprised if I was right around, or maybe even under, 8 minute miles. I felt like I was flying. My legs had none of the heaviness and cramping that I experienced in my other two 20+ mile runs...this was just glorious. I got done and I thought, could I run 4-5 more miles like this? Yes, yes, and yes.
So mostly I think this long run proved to me that a) my training is working and b) I am ready to run this marathon. The way it played out got me thinking about marathon strategy. I don't think obsessing over it during the race is going to be a good idea - honestly, this is my first marathon, I want to soak it in, enjoy every single second, and just have that feeling of "hell yeah, I am running a marathon!" But...let's be serious. This is me we're talking about here and I'm not the kind of person who runs races just to run them, not even something crazy like this. And I've had all sorts of A, B, C goals floating around in my head, but as my training has been going really, really, like...absurdly well the past month [seriously, is there something in the water in Boston?] those little letters "BQ" seem to be coming into my mind more and more. And I'm thinking, based on my long runs, that the best way to maybe make that happen in this race is to rock a negative split.
This is not a strategy I have EVER tried to employ before, honestly because it freaks me out...how can you count on going FASTER in the second half of a ridiculously long race? But when I look back at my long runs, I realize that if I run for 2 hours at a lower effort, I start gradually picking it up until I'm running full force for the last half hour and finishing really, really strong. Kelly was saying to me "you are really strong at the end of these runs...that's really good". So just based on that, I feel like negative splitting would be the way to go. I don't want to put myself in an extreme time defecit by going out TOO slow, but I think if I could get to the halfway point and feel like I really hadn't had to work for it yet, I could pick it up the second half and still finish really well. I also think going in with a plan of negative splitting MIGHT help to temper my usual kamikaze first couple of miles...which is definitely another key, key, aspect to my strategy for this race. I am not, under any circumstances, allowed to get caught up in the excitement and go out in under 8 minutes, or, if I'm really being smart here, under 8:30. This is a 2 loop race, so in a perfect world I would do the first lap at ~8:30 and the second lap at 8:15 or better. Obviously the world is not perfect and you never know what's going to happen on race day, but I am just feeling like based on my training, and my long runs in particular, that I am really ready to run a better race than I ever could have dreamed of 2 months ago, and negative splitting just might be the way to do it.
Hmm...can you tell I'm starting to get a little nervous? I keep alternating back and forth between excitement, nervousness, and "omg, I can't believe I am basically DONE with training?!". Tapering is going to be so weird. I have some 800s planned for Wednesday for a little tune up, 13 miles on Sunday [what? less that 2 hours for a long run??]...and everything else is pretty much just easy peasy. I just can't believe it's almost here...and I'm starting to feel the confidence that I CAN do this!
The hay is in the barn...welcome to taperville. 13 days.
Last hard week summary:
Monday: off
Tuesday: track workout - warmup, 5 x 1000 @ ~4:18 w/ 400 recovery, cooldown [9.8 miles total]
Wednesday: 5.8 easy [7:49 pace]
Thursday: easy/fartlek 9.1 miles [7:38 pace]
Friday: 8.75 easy [7:39 pace]
Saturday: 5.8 easy [7:42 pace]
Sunday: 21-22 long [8:30-8:18 pace]
Total miles: 61.4
Unfortunately I'm not 100% sure what the distance was for my long run on Sunday, since I ran with my running buddy Kelly out in an area by her house that I don't know well, and we ran on some trails which made it pretty much impossible to map out, but my guess is since we ran for 3+ hours and weren't running terribly slow, I would guess the absolute minimum was 21 and the max was probably around 22. It was a GREAT run though...as usual, I woke up at 7 completely dreading the fact that I had to go run for 3 hours...just one more time. I wanted to test out my breakfast plan for the actual race, so I had what basically amounted to a peanut butter sandwich [two pieces of toast, one with peanut butter on it] and a glass of Gatorade. The combo seemed to work really well for me - I wasn't hungry during the run, and I didn't have digestive issues...so basically, I call that a WIN!
Once again, what a difference running with someone else made. I'm happy I did a couple of long runs alone just to get some of that mental toughness, but in this case it was utterly fantastic having someone to talk to. My legs didn't feel that great when I woke up but once I started running everything loosened up fast. We ran on a trail along the Charles River which was gorgeous, then turned out onto some more residential roads. Stopped at about 1:20 for Gu and Gatorade [I tried the tri-berry Gu which was pretty tasty...it kind of reminded me of raspberry pie filling or something?]. It was amazingly warm and humid for the beginning of October...like 65? The humidity didn't bother me too much and I was loving my new Nike tech shirt that I got for $9 when I bought my new shoes from runningwarehouse.com [I have to put in a plug for this site because seriously, it is amazing. The shoes are generally 15-25% cheaper than what you'll find in stores, and they always have some kind of perks like the cheap tech shirt, free cloth shopping bags, $10 sweatshirts, etc. And 2 day FREE shipping!]. After awhile we turned onto some trails in the woods which led up a STEEP hill...it was kind of crazy...but then downhill into what was basically a long, slight uphill grade for the rest of the way out.
We turned around at 1:31 and had to run up this crazy steep hill that we had run down on the way out...ouuuuch, it hurt after running for like 2 hours. Kelly was like "Heartbreak!" and if Heartbreak Hill really is as steep as this one was...well, I can see how it got its name. We ran back through the woods, this time on a downhill, and I was loving just scampering down the slope dodging rocks and stumps and stuff. At one point I leaped over a dead tree and thought to myself "seriously...you've been running for over 2 hours, and you still have the energy to hurdle a tree. This is a little ridiculous". On the way back we stopped at a college to grab a drink and had not one, but two people in cars ask us directions to various places...apparently we look like we know where we're going! After that I hardly even realized how much I was picking it up until I noticed that I had kind of lost sight of Kelly behind me. We caught up at a stoplight and she told me to just go for it...so the last half hour, I basically hammered it home. I'm terrible at judging pace but if I had to guess, I wouldn't be surprised if I was right around, or maybe even under, 8 minute miles. I felt like I was flying. My legs had none of the heaviness and cramping that I experienced in my other two 20+ mile runs...this was just glorious. I got done and I thought, could I run 4-5 more miles like this? Yes, yes, and yes.
So mostly I think this long run proved to me that a) my training is working and b) I am ready to run this marathon. The way it played out got me thinking about marathon strategy. I don't think obsessing over it during the race is going to be a good idea - honestly, this is my first marathon, I want to soak it in, enjoy every single second, and just have that feeling of "hell yeah, I am running a marathon!" But...let's be serious. This is me we're talking about here and I'm not the kind of person who runs races just to run them, not even something crazy like this. And I've had all sorts of A, B, C goals floating around in my head, but as my training has been going really, really, like...absurdly well the past month [seriously, is there something in the water in Boston?] those little letters "BQ" seem to be coming into my mind more and more. And I'm thinking, based on my long runs, that the best way to maybe make that happen in this race is to rock a negative split.
This is not a strategy I have EVER tried to employ before, honestly because it freaks me out...how can you count on going FASTER in the second half of a ridiculously long race? But when I look back at my long runs, I realize that if I run for 2 hours at a lower effort, I start gradually picking it up until I'm running full force for the last half hour and finishing really, really strong. Kelly was saying to me "you are really strong at the end of these runs...that's really good". So just based on that, I feel like negative splitting would be the way to go. I don't want to put myself in an extreme time defecit by going out TOO slow, but I think if I could get to the halfway point and feel like I really hadn't had to work for it yet, I could pick it up the second half and still finish really well. I also think going in with a plan of negative splitting MIGHT help to temper my usual kamikaze first couple of miles...which is definitely another key, key, aspect to my strategy for this race. I am not, under any circumstances, allowed to get caught up in the excitement and go out in under 8 minutes, or, if I'm really being smart here, under 8:30. This is a 2 loop race, so in a perfect world I would do the first lap at ~8:30 and the second lap at 8:15 or better. Obviously the world is not perfect and you never know what's going to happen on race day, but I am just feeling like based on my training, and my long runs in particular, that I am really ready to run a better race than I ever could have dreamed of 2 months ago, and negative splitting just might be the way to do it.
Hmm...can you tell I'm starting to get a little nervous? I keep alternating back and forth between excitement, nervousness, and "omg, I can't believe I am basically DONE with training?!". Tapering is going to be so weird. I have some 800s planned for Wednesday for a little tune up, 13 miles on Sunday [what? less that 2 hours for a long run??]...and everything else is pretty much just easy peasy. I just can't believe it's almost here...and I'm starting to feel the confidence that I CAN do this!
The hay is in the barn...welcome to taperville. 13 days.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Longest. run. ever.
So today back in Madison was IM WI, which I was sad to not be volunteering at/watching this year. But here in Boston, I was experiencing my own personal challenge: an 18, possibly 20 mile run. I won't leave you in suspense...I did it!! Actually, 21.2 miles, to be exact...happiness! Joy! Fabulousness! And to be honest...it was absolutely awesome.
I was honestly really, really nervous about this run - maybe because my last 18 miler was so crappy, or because that was like 3 weeks ago...but I kept waking up hours before my alarm this morning like I was freaking out about racing or something. I finally just got up at 7:30 before my alarm and had a Special K bar with some peanut butter and a Hammer Gel...because that was literally the only running-acceptable food in my apartment [yeah, I miiight need to go grocery shopping] and met up with my running buddy at 8:30. And...we were off! We took off at a nice easy pace which I think made all the difference, and being with someone just took my mind off the distance I still had to go and made me just focus on getting there. We looped around by Boston College, went downtown, then crossed the bridge into Cambridge where we ran into some sort of charity walk...going in the opposite direction, obviously. After a little over an hour, we stopped for some Gatorade and Gu [Chocolate Gu tastes like frosting...wow. Best gel I have come across so far, by far] and then...just kept going! Really there isn't much exciting to say about the majority of the run...running...talking...eventually the sun came out and burned off some humidity which was nice...and there really wasn't any point in the first couple hours where I ever really felt tired. Weirdly, I even kind of felt myself picking up the pace a bit around mile 13 or 14. After about 16 miles, we stopped at a Dunkin' Donuts where we asked the guy behind the counter for some water...he never actually said yes, just walked away and returned with 2 big cups of not just water, but ICE water...amazing!
So then...we just kept going! By the time we got back to my house, ~17 miles, I had put a pretty good distance on my running buddy, and so we just kind of went our separate ways at that point. At the time, I thought I had to run 4 more miles to make it 20, and it was just kind of like...huh...why not...feelin' pretty good....let's do this! Of course, the last half hour of the run was like...HARD. As in, I definitely started regretting my decision to pound out the extra 4 miles, especially when I realized that after I turned around, my last mile was going to be up a giant hill...rockin'. But I just kept going. And eventually, there I was at the top of the hill. I had been running for a little over 3 hours. And there it was - I did it! I ran over 20 miles.
I hurt. I bought a Slurpee and ate some leftover gumbo, which was possibly the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. I've been totally ravenous the rest of the day [though I guess that's not much of a change from ordinary me haha] But I still kind of couldn't believe it when I mapped the distance and it was not 20+ miles, but 21+ miles! All along I kind of thought that was what it might end up as, based on my estimate of the pace...but still. Only 5 more miles, and that's a MARATHON! And it's like suddenly, my entire outlook on everything has changed.
The reason I don't have a super long-winded summary of this run is because...well...honestly, it wasn't that thrilling! I really never was particularly tired, besides the last 15 minutes. Legs, lungs, everything felt good throughout, but I think the most important thing I found is that despite getting psyched out before starting the run, once I was out there I didn't even give a second thought to how long/far I was running...I just...went. And now it's like...wow, I CAN do this. And I can do it reasonably well. I averaged 8:45 pace, which in my eyes is damn good if my super-crazy-insane-unlikely-best case scenario race pace is only 20 sec/mile slower. While the run didn't seem that mind blowing while I was in it, the aftermath is that now I really feel confident, 5 weeks out from this marathon, that when I start to doubt myself and the question bubbles up in my mind of "Can really I do this?" the answer should undoubtably be yes, yes, and yes.
And, related to the longest run of my life...I HIT 60 MILES THIS WEEK!! Did I ever think this would happen, like, in my life? Not at all. Then again, I guess until pretty recently running a marathon wasn't under consideration so...yeah. But I guess Boston is having a positive effect on me, since I've run more in my first week here than in any other week of my life...rock on.
Monday: off [planned]
Tuesday: 10.9 easy [7:53 pace]
Wednesday: 7.85 easy [7:43 pace]
Thursday: 6.5 easy [7:31 pace]
Friday: 9.75 w/ 4.75 fartlek - 5 minutes 10K pace/5 minutes easy [forgot my watch, because I fail]
Saturday: 4.2 easy [7:40 pace]
Sunday: 21.2 long [8:45 pace]
Total miles: 60.4 [ding ding ding ding!!! we have a winner!!]
Days off: 1
I don't even know...I'm so pumped about this week. I'm also very, very, VERY pumped for my planned day off tomorrow. :)
I was honestly really, really nervous about this run - maybe because my last 18 miler was so crappy, or because that was like 3 weeks ago...but I kept waking up hours before my alarm this morning like I was freaking out about racing or something. I finally just got up at 7:30 before my alarm and had a Special K bar with some peanut butter and a Hammer Gel...because that was literally the only running-acceptable food in my apartment [yeah, I miiight need to go grocery shopping] and met up with my running buddy at 8:30. And...we were off! We took off at a nice easy pace which I think made all the difference, and being with someone just took my mind off the distance I still had to go and made me just focus on getting there. We looped around by Boston College, went downtown, then crossed the bridge into Cambridge where we ran into some sort of charity walk...going in the opposite direction, obviously. After a little over an hour, we stopped for some Gatorade and Gu [Chocolate Gu tastes like frosting...wow. Best gel I have come across so far, by far] and then...just kept going! Really there isn't much exciting to say about the majority of the run...running...talking...eventually the sun came out and burned off some humidity which was nice...and there really wasn't any point in the first couple hours where I ever really felt tired. Weirdly, I even kind of felt myself picking up the pace a bit around mile 13 or 14. After about 16 miles, we stopped at a Dunkin' Donuts where we asked the guy behind the counter for some water...he never actually said yes, just walked away and returned with 2 big cups of not just water, but ICE water...amazing!
So then...we just kept going! By the time we got back to my house, ~17 miles, I had put a pretty good distance on my running buddy, and so we just kind of went our separate ways at that point. At the time, I thought I had to run 4 more miles to make it 20, and it was just kind of like...huh...why not...feelin' pretty good....let's do this! Of course, the last half hour of the run was like...HARD. As in, I definitely started regretting my decision to pound out the extra 4 miles, especially when I realized that after I turned around, my last mile was going to be up a giant hill...rockin'. But I just kept going. And eventually, there I was at the top of the hill. I had been running for a little over 3 hours. And there it was - I did it! I ran over 20 miles.
I hurt. I bought a Slurpee and ate some leftover gumbo, which was possibly the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. I've been totally ravenous the rest of the day [though I guess that's not much of a change from ordinary me haha] But I still kind of couldn't believe it when I mapped the distance and it was not 20+ miles, but 21+ miles! All along I kind of thought that was what it might end up as, based on my estimate of the pace...but still. Only 5 more miles, and that's a MARATHON! And it's like suddenly, my entire outlook on everything has changed.
The reason I don't have a super long-winded summary of this run is because...well...honestly, it wasn't that thrilling! I really never was particularly tired, besides the last 15 minutes. Legs, lungs, everything felt good throughout, but I think the most important thing I found is that despite getting psyched out before starting the run, once I was out there I didn't even give a second thought to how long/far I was running...I just...went. And now it's like...wow, I CAN do this. And I can do it reasonably well. I averaged 8:45 pace, which in my eyes is damn good if my super-crazy-insane-unlikely-best case scenario race pace is only 20 sec/mile slower. While the run didn't seem that mind blowing while I was in it, the aftermath is that now I really feel confident, 5 weeks out from this marathon, that when I start to doubt myself and the question bubbles up in my mind of "Can really I do this?" the answer should undoubtably be yes, yes, and yes.
And, related to the longest run of my life...I HIT 60 MILES THIS WEEK!! Did I ever think this would happen, like, in my life? Not at all. Then again, I guess until pretty recently running a marathon wasn't under consideration so...yeah. But I guess Boston is having a positive effect on me, since I've run more in my first week here than in any other week of my life...rock on.
Monday: off [planned]
Tuesday: 10.9 easy [7:53 pace]
Wednesday: 7.85 easy [7:43 pace]
Thursday: 6.5 easy [7:31 pace]
Friday: 9.75 w/ 4.75 fartlek - 5 minutes 10K pace/5 minutes easy [forgot my watch, because I fail]
Saturday: 4.2 easy [7:40 pace]
Sunday: 21.2 long [8:45 pace]
Total miles: 60.4 [ding ding ding ding!!! we have a winner!!]
Days off: 1
I don't even know...I'm so pumped about this week. I'm also very, very, VERY pumped for my planned day off tomorrow. :)
Monday, August 03, 2009
Into another dimension
Oh boy...
5Ks on the track, triathlons, and now marathons - 2009 certainly is a year of me pushing the boundaries and seeing what I can do. So here it goes - there were only 79 spots left, and if it was going to happen, it was going to happen now. I am officially registered for the Baystate Marathon on October 19, 2009. I'm scared as hell, but I ran 16 miles yesterday and it was absolutely incredible, so I think - no, I KNOW - that in 11 weeks I will be ready to toe that marathon line.
But first, the tale of my first 16 miler, longest run ever, etc, etc, etc, as told through the songs I was listening to during it...I made a sweet long run playlist and was absolutely loving it the entire time...so enjoy my ridiculous and random music selections. :)
Dimension - Wolfmother
After an incredibly hectic shift at work complete with a dog stealing my bagel out of my bag and wolfing it down in 2 bites (so much for a pre-run snack!) and getting off late, I finally headed out with one thought in mind - SLOW AND EASY. The first mile was around 8:45 pace - exactly what I was going for. Sweet.
Drumming - Florence And The Machine
Caves - Jack's Mannequin
Prince - Vanessa Carlton
Somewhere around mile 3, a nice downhill. "Willing and able to run, I am..." Yes indeed, yes I am. Only a half marathon to go, no sweat, right?
The Internet Is For Porn - Avenue Q Soundtrack
The Climb - Miley Cyrus (shhh...you can't deny its inspirational...)
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Headed onto the bike path, feeling a bit of fatigue already since I had been running around after dogs all day, but this song put me in a good mood and since it has a little slower, but bouncy beat, made me concentrate on noooot speeding up.
What Would Brian Boitano Do? - South Park Movie Soundtrack
Oh, hell. How can you not speed up when listening to this song?
Transatlanticism - Death Cab For Cutie
Slowing things down a bit, and it's an 8 minute song...so practically a mile had gone by by the time it was over! Nice.
I Am Free - Newsboys
"I am free to run..." I'm not really religious but this song has a fantastic beat and you can't beat those lyrics!
Laughing With - Regina Spektor
(Just Like We) Breakdown - Hot Chip
Starting into the Arboretum. I love this song to run to, the beat is perfect, its kind of weird, and you get into a good groove.
Baba O'Riley
Annnnd cue speeding up again. Duh.
Untouched - The Veronicas
Around 7 miles, still feeling awesome. This is going to be no sweat!
Purpose - Avenue Q Soundtrack
Swim - Jack's Mannequin
My absolute favorite pump up/running/inspirational song. If you've never heard it...do. It's incredible.
Blues Run The Game - Counting Crows
Doctor Jones - Aqua
Coming out of the Arb, around mile 8.5ish...still feeling great, and yeah. It's Aqua. Don't even worry about it.
Here It Goes Again - OK Go
Absolute - The Fray
If You Were Gay - Avenue Q Soundtrack
Avenue Q really brings some much needed humor into my runs...and I was getting really excited for...
Take Me On The Floor - The Veronicas
9.75 miles, I arrived at the beach with a bubbler. I was really excited for a bunch of reasons - WATER, I got to take my gel (and get my gel out of my sports bra, where it had been driving me nuts for the past hour and 20 minutes), and I love this song! Oh, and only a little more than 6 miles left..that's nothing, right?
Death And All His Friends - Coldplay
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - Iron Maiden
I really kind of can't believe this song exists, but it does and its completely awesome.
I Know You Want Me - Pitbull
On the bike path by Lake Monona, headed towards the Capitol...finally headed home! I also saw a houseboat on the lake that literally looked like someone had put their sun porch on a raft and thrown it into the lake...hilarious.
Peace Of Mind - Boston
Mount Gagazet - Final Fantasy X Soundtrack
This is so embarassing and I don't even care. It's the most calming song I can think of, and you can thank the BF for why I know it exists :P
Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom - Parry Gripp
This one just makes me laugh, I had to put it on the mix. Here it is if you've never heard it...
Yeeeeah.
Ease On Down The Road - The Wiz Soundtrack
Usually this is the song that picks me up when I feel like I'm about to die, but on this run, I was still feeling amazing...what the hell is going on??
On The Radio - Regina Spektor
Headlock - Imogen Heap
Unsung - Vanessa Carlton
Still Fighting It - Ben Folds
How Far We've Come - Matchbox 20
At this point, I had about a mile to go, and if anything, I was picking it up. I still felt incredible and I think, at this moment, I felt the fabled "runner's high" for the first time in my life. I was honestly grinning as I cruised down the bike path towards home.
Konstantine - Something Corporate
The perfect song to bring me home :)
16.25 miles - 2:12:59 (8:12 pace) :) :)
And now, because this post isn't long or boring enough, I'll just add on my week in review. 55.4 miles...a new weekly PR by over 5 miles!!
Monday: off
Tuesday: Yasso 800s @ 3:20-3:40 with about 3:40 recovery...total miles ended up at 9.7
Wednesday: 6.25 easy (7:49 pace)
Thursday: 8:15 easy w/ last 10 minutes hard (7:29 pace) This run really sucked, a lot, but I made it through somehow.
Friday: 10.9 easy (7:53 pace) Found some bike trails I'd never been on before!
Saturday: 4.2 easy (no watch) Felt soooo good to do a short run
Sunday: 16.25 long (8:12 pace) YAY!!
Total miles: 55.4
Days off: 1
Suckfests: 1 (there's always one....)
This is really quite a big step for me in my training. I really never expected to be able to do 2, almost 3, double digit runs in a week, but I didn't really feel like my legs felt any worse for the wear. I really think as long as I take 1 day off a week, I can handle relatively high mileage. I think pretty much things are going to stay pretty similar to this schedule for the next 10 weeks with the only real increase being at the long run, which I really want to get up to 22 miles before the marathon. It's going to be interesting working things out with moving twice in the next month and all, but I think as long as I make absolutely sure to get in my long runs, if I lose a few miles here and there it won't be the end of the world.
So, here it goes! I'm officially going to do the 26.2. I'm nervous...but man, am I excited. :)
5Ks on the track, triathlons, and now marathons - 2009 certainly is a year of me pushing the boundaries and seeing what I can do. So here it goes - there were only 79 spots left, and if it was going to happen, it was going to happen now. I am officially registered for the Baystate Marathon on October 19, 2009. I'm scared as hell, but I ran 16 miles yesterday and it was absolutely incredible, so I think - no, I KNOW - that in 11 weeks I will be ready to toe that marathon line.
But first, the tale of my first 16 miler, longest run ever, etc, etc, etc, as told through the songs I was listening to during it...I made a sweet long run playlist and was absolutely loving it the entire time...so enjoy my ridiculous and random music selections. :)
Dimension - Wolfmother
After an incredibly hectic shift at work complete with a dog stealing my bagel out of my bag and wolfing it down in 2 bites (so much for a pre-run snack!) and getting off late, I finally headed out with one thought in mind - SLOW AND EASY. The first mile was around 8:45 pace - exactly what I was going for. Sweet.
Drumming - Florence And The Machine
Caves - Jack's Mannequin
Prince - Vanessa Carlton
Somewhere around mile 3, a nice downhill. "Willing and able to run, I am..." Yes indeed, yes I am. Only a half marathon to go, no sweat, right?
The Internet Is For Porn - Avenue Q Soundtrack
The Climb - Miley Cyrus (shhh...you can't deny its inspirational...)
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Headed onto the bike path, feeling a bit of fatigue already since I had been running around after dogs all day, but this song put me in a good mood and since it has a little slower, but bouncy beat, made me concentrate on noooot speeding up.
What Would Brian Boitano Do? - South Park Movie Soundtrack
Oh, hell. How can you not speed up when listening to this song?
Transatlanticism - Death Cab For Cutie
Slowing things down a bit, and it's an 8 minute song...so practically a mile had gone by by the time it was over! Nice.
I Am Free - Newsboys
"I am free to run..." I'm not really religious but this song has a fantastic beat and you can't beat those lyrics!
Laughing With - Regina Spektor
(Just Like We) Breakdown - Hot Chip
Starting into the Arboretum. I love this song to run to, the beat is perfect, its kind of weird, and you get into a good groove.
Baba O'Riley
Annnnd cue speeding up again. Duh.
Untouched - The Veronicas
Around 7 miles, still feeling awesome. This is going to be no sweat!
Purpose - Avenue Q Soundtrack
Swim - Jack's Mannequin
My absolute favorite pump up/running/inspirational song. If you've never heard it...do. It's incredible.
Blues Run The Game - Counting Crows
Doctor Jones - Aqua
Coming out of the Arb, around mile 8.5ish...still feeling great, and yeah. It's Aqua. Don't even worry about it.
Here It Goes Again - OK Go
Absolute - The Fray
If You Were Gay - Avenue Q Soundtrack
Avenue Q really brings some much needed humor into my runs...and I was getting really excited for...
Take Me On The Floor - The Veronicas
9.75 miles, I arrived at the beach with a bubbler. I was really excited for a bunch of reasons - WATER, I got to take my gel (and get my gel out of my sports bra, where it had been driving me nuts for the past hour and 20 minutes), and I love this song! Oh, and only a little more than 6 miles left..that's nothing, right?
Death And All His Friends - Coldplay
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - Iron Maiden
I really kind of can't believe this song exists, but it does and its completely awesome.
I Know You Want Me - Pitbull
On the bike path by Lake Monona, headed towards the Capitol...finally headed home! I also saw a houseboat on the lake that literally looked like someone had put their sun porch on a raft and thrown it into the lake...hilarious.
Peace Of Mind - Boston
Mount Gagazet - Final Fantasy X Soundtrack
This is so embarassing and I don't even care. It's the most calming song I can think of, and you can thank the BF for why I know it exists :P
Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom - Parry Gripp
This one just makes me laugh, I had to put it on the mix. Here it is if you've never heard it...
Yeeeeah.
Ease On Down The Road - The Wiz Soundtrack
Usually this is the song that picks me up when I feel like I'm about to die, but on this run, I was still feeling amazing...what the hell is going on??
On The Radio - Regina Spektor
Headlock - Imogen Heap
Unsung - Vanessa Carlton
Still Fighting It - Ben Folds
How Far We've Come - Matchbox 20
At this point, I had about a mile to go, and if anything, I was picking it up. I still felt incredible and I think, at this moment, I felt the fabled "runner's high" for the first time in my life. I was honestly grinning as I cruised down the bike path towards home.
Konstantine - Something Corporate
The perfect song to bring me home :)
16.25 miles - 2:12:59 (8:12 pace) :) :)
And now, because this post isn't long or boring enough, I'll just add on my week in review. 55.4 miles...a new weekly PR by over 5 miles!!
Monday: off
Tuesday: Yasso 800s @ 3:20-3:40 with about 3:40 recovery...total miles ended up at 9.7
Wednesday: 6.25 easy (7:49 pace)
Thursday: 8:15 easy w/ last 10 minutes hard (7:29 pace) This run really sucked, a lot, but I made it through somehow.
Friday: 10.9 easy (7:53 pace) Found some bike trails I'd never been on before!
Saturday: 4.2 easy (no watch) Felt soooo good to do a short run
Sunday: 16.25 long (8:12 pace) YAY!!
Total miles: 55.4
Days off: 1
Suckfests: 1 (there's always one....)
This is really quite a big step for me in my training. I really never expected to be able to do 2, almost 3, double digit runs in a week, but I didn't really feel like my legs felt any worse for the wear. I really think as long as I take 1 day off a week, I can handle relatively high mileage. I think pretty much things are going to stay pretty similar to this schedule for the next 10 weeks with the only real increase being at the long run, which I really want to get up to 22 miles before the marathon. It's going to be interesting working things out with moving twice in the next month and all, but I think as long as I make absolutely sure to get in my long runs, if I lose a few miles here and there it won't be the end of the world.
So, here it goes! I'm officially going to do the 26.2. I'm nervous...but man, am I excited. :)
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Tri-fecta
It feels like its been a really long time since I updated about anything much...but for some reason I feel like I've been crazy busy lately. So in honor of my upcoming triathlon, I have 3 random topics to ramble about today! Warning: this post is LONG! [You can tell its been awhile since I last wrote :)]
Triathlon training:
Apparently normal people generally give themselves more than 2 weeks to get ready for one of these...who knew? Although in all seriousness, I'm going to go ahead and say that coming off of a 5 month track season/half marathon race, I'm probably starting off in better shape than most people I guess. I think the hardest thing about the past couple of weeks has been dealing with the fact that I just don't have time [or energy!] to run as many miles as I'm used to when I'm also trying to get in swim and bike workouts. I'm such a mileage whore...I love nothing more than seeing my weekly mileage go over 50, and to be honest I feel like I'm slacking if it's under 35 or 40. But I just have to keep telling myself that running is NOT what I need to be worried about in this triathlon - that's where I'm going to rock everyone's socks off because that's what I do [running that is, not rocking off socks...although I do that on occasion :P] - it's what I've been doing for the past 8 years. So I've been trying really hard to work on my swimming [mostly] and biking [less than I should] so I have less time to make up on the run. Swimming has actually been going a LOT better than expected, especially today! When I got in the pool 2 weeks ago, I was seriously concerned that I couldn't actually swim 400 meters without stopping. But then I went with my friend Nicole, who was a swimmer in high school, and she was talking about some drill they used to do for freestyle to get the proper arm form -like, you're not supposed to windmill your arm around because that just wastes energy. Well seriously, once I figured that out, it changed everything!
So today I went and was like...I am going to do 400 meters of freestyle without stopping [the past few times, I've only made it to 300, and I've had to go to breaststroke in the middle which I'm soooo slow at]. And I did it - 3 times! I got into a really great rhythm and just focused on my breathing and staying relaxed, not worrying about speed, and I honestly felt awesome. I decided to time the second 2 [I did 3 x 400 with 2 minutes rest] and the second one was 8:16, the third one was 8:07 - and that's with having to turn around. That's SO much faster than I thought I would be! Obviously open water swimming is a whole different ballgame, and I'm going to get my wetsuit Tuesday so hopefully I will get out in the lake before the weekend - but since the swim was what I was most worried about, I'm feeling so much better/more excited about everything now!
Today I also attempted to see what running is going to feel like after biking. The consensus: not fun! I first have to sidetrack and say: to the inventor of the Expresso exercise bike, you are my hero. Finally, someone has invented an exercise machine that keeps me entertained! Basically, its an exercise bike with a normal bike seat and handlebars that resemble a road bike. But the amazing part - you have a screen that gives you a 'virtual' route, complete with a pacer set to whatever time you want to do the ride in. I only wanted to bike for like 10 minutes, so I chose the "Evening Bliss" route...2.37 miles at sunset through a lovely town. There's stuff with stats for the elevation and you can see when you're going up hills, change gears, etc. SO ENTERTAINING! I can't even explain how amused I was. It reminded me of this thing I did at Disneyworld when I was like 9. I mean, I'm not all about stationary bikes or biking in general, but I am seriously so entertained by this thing that I might go to the Nat once in awhile to do it. But anyway, fun times aside, I did the bike thing which took not quite 10 minutes, and then I went out to run what actually ended up being about a 5K. The first couple minutes weren't fun, my legs felt like crap and I was still breathing really hard. But once I told myself to relaxxxx, everything started to feel a lot better, and I got through it just fine. As I said - not really worried about the run. I'm not sure about pace since I didn't have my watch, but I'd estimate it was in the 7:30-7:40 range, which I feel like is just fine for that point in my day. :)
Who knows...I might actually LIKE this triathlon business?? Insanity.
Magical runs:
So running itself hasn't been all that great lately, mostly just because I haven't had a lot of time for it due to being much more concerned about the other triathlon things, and when I have run its generally been crappy. I've been going back and forth on whether or not I like the shoes I got for free for winning the Black Tie 5K (Etonic Kendari's). It seems like a waste to buy a new pair of shoes when I got this pair for free, so I'm really really trying to like them. The first few times I wore them they felt really heavy, and I'm still not completely sold since sometimes my arches hurt a little bit after I run in them, but I went for a run on Saturday that made me feel like at least they have potential.
What a glorious, glorious run. You know how sometimes you really don't feel like going running and you keep on procrastinating and finally you just throw yourself out the door, convincing yourself that you'll keep it short and take it easy? That's basically how my Saturday was. I wasn't feeling that great [I think I had a sympathy hangover from the BF, even though I didn't drink Friday night, haha] and I just wasn't in the mood, plus it was like 50 out, which is just not June weather! Oh wait...except for 50 degrees is my favorite weather to run in...I'm not all about running in the heat. So I started off and was feeling pretty good. I was running on the bike path near my house that practically could have footprints worn in it just from me, that's how much I run there. We did a lot of higher intensity tempo runs there during track since it's flat and there are markers every 1/10 mile [this is the site of the infamous 6:10 :P], and I like doing longer runs there because its flat, pretty, and there are 5 roads to cross, each of which is a turnaround for a different distance - 2.5, 4.2, 5, 6.2, and 7.5 miles - so you can go further if you're feeling good, less if you're feeling bad, without having to completely complicate your life and change your route.
So I planned to go out to the 5 mile road, but was feeling good so I continued on to the next marker past the 6.2 road. [I kind of wish I had a Garmin or some other fancy gadget so I could see the exact distances...mapmyrun.com is all I've got :)] I started running back and was still feeling awesome...there was hardly anyone on the road because it was a gross day and I just felt like I was flying down the path. At the last street before the end of the path I decided to take a detour and run down a long hill to the lake and back, just to add on some miles. Even as I was running back UP the hill, I was still feeling great! I got home and figured out the stats: 7.75 miles @ 7:15 pace. Best run I've had in SUCH a long time!
It's runs like these that remind me why I do it. Sure, there are races and PRs and all of that is amazing - there's no feeling I've found in my life that compares to the high of running a PR. But there's also no feeling like cruising down a well worn path, feeling invincible, free, like you can fly. Like you ARE flying. And knowing that no matter what bad days you have, how tough your workouts have been, how tired your legs are...you will have that feeling again. You just have to remember those incredible days that make it all worth it. The runner's high...it's not a myth, I'll tell you that.
Super fast people:
My work shift on Sunday ended up getting extended from 7-11 to 7-2:30 [trust me, dog hotels are a busy place on Sundays!] so I really didn't get to watch as much of the Pre Classic as I had wanted to...sad day. Thank goodness for sites like flotrack and runnerspace that let me watch the videos online! So - women's 1500 meters - absolute insanity. Jenny Barringer ran a 3:59.90 to a) set a new collegiate record by a TON, b) get second place by .01 second, c) become only the 4th American woman ever to run under 4 minutes. INSANITY! I've been enjoying following professional running more and more lately, but its funny because I remember reading an article about her maybe...my junior year in high school? in some random magazine they gave out to the track team. She was already really impressive back then, and I remember hearing about her in steeplechase awhile after that, but seriously? She is ridiculously good. Sometimes its fun to watch really, really awesome people run. Super inspirational, for sure!
OK, well that will wrap up my mega-post for the day. Today is a day off after my triple sport fiesta yesterday...tomorrow will most likely be a run/swim combo platter. I really need to get on the damn bike again but I would so much rather run than do that...exciting virtual reality bike, I need you now! :)
Triathlon training:
Apparently normal people generally give themselves more than 2 weeks to get ready for one of these...who knew? Although in all seriousness, I'm going to go ahead and say that coming off of a 5 month track season/half marathon race, I'm probably starting off in better shape than most people I guess. I think the hardest thing about the past couple of weeks has been dealing with the fact that I just don't have time [or energy!] to run as many miles as I'm used to when I'm also trying to get in swim and bike workouts. I'm such a mileage whore...I love nothing more than seeing my weekly mileage go over 50, and to be honest I feel like I'm slacking if it's under 35 or 40. But I just have to keep telling myself that running is NOT what I need to be worried about in this triathlon - that's where I'm going to rock everyone's socks off because that's what I do [running that is, not rocking off socks...although I do that on occasion :P] - it's what I've been doing for the past 8 years. So I've been trying really hard to work on my swimming [mostly] and biking [less than I should] so I have less time to make up on the run. Swimming has actually been going a LOT better than expected, especially today! When I got in the pool 2 weeks ago, I was seriously concerned that I couldn't actually swim 400 meters without stopping. But then I went with my friend Nicole, who was a swimmer in high school, and she was talking about some drill they used to do for freestyle to get the proper arm form -like, you're not supposed to windmill your arm around because that just wastes energy. Well seriously, once I figured that out, it changed everything!
So today I went and was like...I am going to do 400 meters of freestyle without stopping [the past few times, I've only made it to 300, and I've had to go to breaststroke in the middle which I'm soooo slow at]. And I did it - 3 times! I got into a really great rhythm and just focused on my breathing and staying relaxed, not worrying about speed, and I honestly felt awesome. I decided to time the second 2 [I did 3 x 400 with 2 minutes rest] and the second one was 8:16, the third one was 8:07 - and that's with having to turn around. That's SO much faster than I thought I would be! Obviously open water swimming is a whole different ballgame, and I'm going to get my wetsuit Tuesday so hopefully I will get out in the lake before the weekend - but since the swim was what I was most worried about, I'm feeling so much better/more excited about everything now!
Today I also attempted to see what running is going to feel like after biking. The consensus: not fun! I first have to sidetrack and say: to the inventor of the Expresso exercise bike, you are my hero. Finally, someone has invented an exercise machine that keeps me entertained! Basically, its an exercise bike with a normal bike seat and handlebars that resemble a road bike. But the amazing part - you have a screen that gives you a 'virtual' route, complete with a pacer set to whatever time you want to do the ride in. I only wanted to bike for like 10 minutes, so I chose the "Evening Bliss" route...2.37 miles at sunset through a lovely town. There's stuff with stats for the elevation and you can see when you're going up hills, change gears, etc. SO ENTERTAINING! I can't even explain how amused I was. It reminded me of this thing I did at Disneyworld when I was like 9. I mean, I'm not all about stationary bikes or biking in general, but I am seriously so entertained by this thing that I might go to the Nat once in awhile to do it. But anyway, fun times aside, I did the bike thing which took not quite 10 minutes, and then I went out to run what actually ended up being about a 5K. The first couple minutes weren't fun, my legs felt like crap and I was still breathing really hard. But once I told myself to relaxxxx, everything started to feel a lot better, and I got through it just fine. As I said - not really worried about the run. I'm not sure about pace since I didn't have my watch, but I'd estimate it was in the 7:30-7:40 range, which I feel like is just fine for that point in my day. :)
Who knows...I might actually LIKE this triathlon business?? Insanity.
Magical runs:
So running itself hasn't been all that great lately, mostly just because I haven't had a lot of time for it due to being much more concerned about the other triathlon things, and when I have run its generally been crappy. I've been going back and forth on whether or not I like the shoes I got for free for winning the Black Tie 5K (Etonic Kendari's). It seems like a waste to buy a new pair of shoes when I got this pair for free, so I'm really really trying to like them. The first few times I wore them they felt really heavy, and I'm still not completely sold since sometimes my arches hurt a little bit after I run in them, but I went for a run on Saturday that made me feel like at least they have potential.
What a glorious, glorious run. You know how sometimes you really don't feel like going running and you keep on procrastinating and finally you just throw yourself out the door, convincing yourself that you'll keep it short and take it easy? That's basically how my Saturday was. I wasn't feeling that great [I think I had a sympathy hangover from the BF, even though I didn't drink Friday night, haha] and I just wasn't in the mood, plus it was like 50 out, which is just not June weather! Oh wait...except for 50 degrees is my favorite weather to run in...I'm not all about running in the heat. So I started off and was feeling pretty good. I was running on the bike path near my house that practically could have footprints worn in it just from me, that's how much I run there. We did a lot of higher intensity tempo runs there during track since it's flat and there are markers every 1/10 mile [this is the site of the infamous 6:10 :P], and I like doing longer runs there because its flat, pretty, and there are 5 roads to cross, each of which is a turnaround for a different distance - 2.5, 4.2, 5, 6.2, and 7.5 miles - so you can go further if you're feeling good, less if you're feeling bad, without having to completely complicate your life and change your route.
So I planned to go out to the 5 mile road, but was feeling good so I continued on to the next marker past the 6.2 road. [I kind of wish I had a Garmin or some other fancy gadget so I could see the exact distances...mapmyrun.com is all I've got :)] I started running back and was still feeling awesome...there was hardly anyone on the road because it was a gross day and I just felt like I was flying down the path. At the last street before the end of the path I decided to take a detour and run down a long hill to the lake and back, just to add on some miles. Even as I was running back UP the hill, I was still feeling great! I got home and figured out the stats: 7.75 miles @ 7:15 pace. Best run I've had in SUCH a long time!
It's runs like these that remind me why I do it. Sure, there are races and PRs and all of that is amazing - there's no feeling I've found in my life that compares to the high of running a PR. But there's also no feeling like cruising down a well worn path, feeling invincible, free, like you can fly. Like you ARE flying. And knowing that no matter what bad days you have, how tough your workouts have been, how tired your legs are...you will have that feeling again. You just have to remember those incredible days that make it all worth it. The runner's high...it's not a myth, I'll tell you that.
Super fast people:
My work shift on Sunday ended up getting extended from 7-11 to 7-2:30 [trust me, dog hotels are a busy place on Sundays!] so I really didn't get to watch as much of the Pre Classic as I had wanted to...sad day. Thank goodness for sites like flotrack and runnerspace that let me watch the videos online! So - women's 1500 meters - absolute insanity. Jenny Barringer ran a 3:59.90 to a) set a new collegiate record by a TON, b) get second place by .01 second, c) become only the 4th American woman ever to run under 4 minutes. INSANITY! I've been enjoying following professional running more and more lately, but its funny because I remember reading an article about her maybe...my junior year in high school? in some random magazine they gave out to the track team. She was already really impressive back then, and I remember hearing about her in steeplechase awhile after that, but seriously? She is ridiculously good. Sometimes its fun to watch really, really awesome people run. Super inspirational, for sure!
OK, well that will wrap up my mega-post for the day. Today is a day off after my triple sport fiesta yesterday...tomorrow will most likely be a run/swim combo platter. I really need to get on the damn bike again but I would so much rather run than do that...exciting virtual reality bike, I need you now! :)
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