Monday, May 21, 2012

WEEK 20: 23 miles and Bedford 12K

Mon - core/strength
Tues: 30 min elliptical + core; massage!
Wed: Pisgah OAB with Griffin on Old Chesterfield Road; LOG 5
Thu: Keen Railbed; LOG 10
Fri: 0
Saturday: Bedford 12K, 58:33/7:52 pace; LOG 8
Sunday: core

I intended to do a little run on Sunday to have a little more mileage this week, but that never happened.  Cleaned the house and enjoyed a quiet Sunday with no racing and just hung out at home with my husband.  We seem to have a bunch of new life in our yard- baby cardinal (so cute), baby robin (huge!), and baby phoebe's by our front door (hungry! saw a parent grab a moth right out of the air!).  I was pretty distracted with watching them all day.  Greg found a turtle in the yard while he was mowing (no he didn't hit it) and I saw another on the road while walking Grif (have also seen a couple dead baby ones. wah.).  I wish I could see into the nest of the Blue Herons on the pond- I bet there's babies there too.  Anyway, enough about nature.

Saturday's race was fun.  I looked at it like a good tempo run and that's what I did.  It's a rolling course with lots of shade.  I had done this race when I first began running 3 years ago and ran 1:07.  Was pretty sure I'd PR. We started at 9am and it was probably about 70 degrees?  Really sunny. No humidity (that's key).  The miles clicked by quickly and I just tried to stay comfortable but working hard and concentrated on keeping my turnover quick.  Last mile and an older guy says "we're doing alright! Just stay relaxed and we'll be done in no time". And he was right, I just stayed relaxed and got to the last hill to the track and felt pretty good.  Even passed a couple people on the track.  Even had a smile for the finish as Greg cheered me on.  (That's my new thing, I'm going to try to smile more while running...I did it during this race and I gotta say it does help a little!  I know I smile in the woods when I am running with Griffin, so why not?)  I finished at 58:31- 9 minutes faster then 3 years ago.  And my miles were steady (7:36, 7:45, 8:02, 7:54, 7:52, 7:45, 8:10, 3:23 (.45mile)= 58:33(my watch)).  I'm not sure if the 7th mile was marked a little long or I just fell off pace- I didn't feel like I did, but whatever.  17th in my age group/28th female master.  Not too bad for a Grand Prix race.  I feel like I should be more consistently closer to and under 7:45 pace if not 7:30.  I'll work on that this coming year.  Greg had a one second PR.  He's pretty excited to get this marathon over with too. Hmmm just noticed on coolrunning my time is now 58:35...could have sworn it said 58:32 when Greg looked at it last night.  haha

So here we are, my last post before the marathon...this week, rest, hydrate and try not to do anything stupid.  "Hay is in the barn."  I'm excited.  I get more excited when I see a cool weather report, but after yesterdays report being high 71/low 45 it has now crept upwards...I have a bad feeling it will continue to do so.  BUT it is what it is and I'm trying not to stress about it (unless checking the weather every 2 hours on three different websites is considered stressing).  It's exactly like checking the weather for our wedding!  If it ends up being the same we're in good shape.  Anyway, I don't feel like I've had enough big mileage weeks, but I have to try to muster some confidence and just have fun with it.  I have plenty of things I want to work on afterwards!  After all, it's a process, and I love it!


Monday, May 14, 2012

Week 19: 52 Miles and heat

Monday: 22 miles in Keene; 3:11/8:40 pace
Tuesday: 0
Wed: 30 min elliptical
Thu: Treadmill progression run; LOG 6
Friday: Pisgah with Grif - Lily trail completely flooded; LOG 9
Saturday: Spin class, 50 minutes
Sunday: 15 in Keene; 2:07/8:30 pace



Good week, wish I had had a couple more of these under my shoes!  My legs feel good today even - tired, but good.  My longest run at 22 miles on Monday didn't go as smoothly as the last one- I think I already wrote about that in my last post.  But I did recover and decided to do another semi-long run this week.  Yesterday I started my run and it was about 60 degrees; it was about 75 when I finished.  I am going to suffer if it's hot in vermont.  And this wasn't even humid heat.  Oh well, I held on to my pace, but it was a struggle.  Maybe it helped me acclimate and it won't bother me so much if it is warm!  That's what I will tell myself.  Other than that a pretty noneventful week.  I'm getting pretty psyched.  It's a process and I love it!

Monday, May 7, 2012

Week 18: 35 miles and Chesterfield 5K

Monday: off
Tuesday: TM Progression run; LOG 7
Wednesday: Pisgah with Griffin; LOG 10
Thursday: spin
Friday: TM workout- tough, very warm; LOG 10
Saturday: Chesterfield 5K, ridiculous course; 25:23 or something

Not the big week I needed - again.  I should just start opening with that like I end with "its a process..."!  I don't have the mileage to back up a stellar first marathon, but it is what it is and there isn't much I can do about it at this point.  Just have to take it as a lesson for the next one!  I guess it's a good sign I'm already thinking I'll do another and even have my eye on Cape Cod in October.  That's positive.

Anyway, Saturday we did the Chesterfield 5K for Greg's school.  This runs right by the house (twice) so Griffin gets all in a tizzy, but at least I can run up our road without worrying about Pumba for once (they send out notices to have the dogs inside).  After this race I'm slightly glad for Pumba and not having to tackle that hill every time I want to run!  It is rough, but would be a good workout if I could add it to my run everyday.  I saved 4 newts on the way up, but still saw some crushed ones on the way back down ;(.  I can't remember my time ( I swore I would when I reset my watch), but it was definitely over 8 min pace.  The Mitchell's cows are funny because they were mooing on the way back while looking out the doorway of the barn, kinda like they were cheering. Cute.  I did get a win and Greg got a new course record. Fun morning.

Did my last long run this morning - I guess I would've had a bigger week had I not had to work on Sunday and did my long run then. In any case, it wasn't as encouraging as the last one.  22 miles and ended with an overall 8:40 pace although I was slowly chipping away a solid 8:25 pace through 15.  I couldn't tell if I started suffering because I was tired, hungry, warm, or just feeling sorry for myself because I didn't have anyone to join me for some of the route like usual.  I honestly think it was the latter, which will be good because that shouldn't happen during the marathon...although I can feel quite sorry for myself during any race.  I guess we'll see.  I fell apart at 16 miles and picked it up on and off over the last 3 but really just wanted some Dr. Pepper.  I might have to see if someone can have some Dr. Pepper for me on the sidelines in Vermont!  It was warm, but not at all humid and really nice running weather.

This week, recover from today's run - already sat in the cold whirlpool.  Get some more miles and spin classes.  Maybe lift a weight?  It's a process and I love it!

Monday, April 30, 2012

WEEK 17: 34 miles and James Joyce

Monday: off
Tuesday: 4 mi TM + lift; LOG 4
Wed: Pisgah trails (Lily-Nash-SW + Mini Vistas) with Griffin; LOG 14
Thursday: spin class
Friday: Roads with Tat joining me for the last 3...tough morning; LOG 8
Saturday: ellipitcal + core
Sunday: James Joyce 10K 48:32/7:49 pace; LOG 8

Not the high mileage week I had hoped for.  I guess the long trail run Sunday and then Wednesday pooped me out.  Friday I had planned 15 on the roads, but it just wasn't meant to be...a pit stop in the woods and the wind and generally feeling like crap put an early stop to that plan.  Would have only done 5 had Tat not come out to meet me for the last 3. Blah.  and then another blah day Saturday.  Just tired I guess.

Sunday we decided to go tot he James Joyce 10K.  I didn't have any expectations except to use it as a good workout.  I was having some serious stomach issues during my warmup and 2 stints in the portopotty didn't put me at ease.  I was really nervous I was going to have an accident on the course, but went anyway- it was 40 bucks afterall.  It was a really nice day, bit windy, but I started the race and didn't feel my stomach like I expected.  Not that I felt good, I didn't.  Just felt rickety?  Couldn't get into a comfortable stride and I had started so far back I thought my first mile was going to be 9 minute pace.  Well clearly I haven't gotten any better at judging pace because I came through mile 1 at 7:40.  It's the fastest mile on the course and I wasn't feeling taxed cardiovascularly so I just locked in for fear of straining any more would cause a stomach issue.  Apparently I did lock in; the remainder of the miles went like this...7:50, 7:50, 7:54, 7:51, 7:54, and 1:30 for the last .2 miles (7:30 pace- that's all I got for a "kick" even with my cute husband yelling for me to do so...sorry honey!)  So I may not know what pace I am going but I can lock in on one!  Greg had a PR day and I wish I had dug in a little harder to get one too as I was only 20 seconds off.  I was 13/161 40-44 year old females.  Pretty big race with almost 2000 runners, but well organized and a nice venue.  It's a tough course but I really like the rolling hills - the wind I could do without.  :) Maybe next year!

I really need to go out with the pacer at Vermont City or I'm going to blow up early.  I am still feeling confident I can run 8:30 pace and come in at 3:45ish. Also feel like I should be able to do a half marathon at the 7:50 pace- that's next years project.  First gotta get through the next 4 weeks and the marathon!  Trying to stay confident but this week wasn't at all the confidence builder I had hoped for.  I guess it's normal to have the high's and lows like this...that's been the hardest part of this training.

This week I am taking care of Griffin's running needs so we will be in the woods Tuesday and Wednesday.  She doesn't like the rain, but she doesn't like days off more!  So rain or shine we'll be out there tomorrow.  Since I have to work all day Sunday (KSC women's lacrosse LEC championship game in Plymouth) my last long run will be next Monday instead of Sunday. Supposed to be mid 60's so that will be a good test.  I almost wish it was the marathon itself!  It's a process and I am loving it!