FITCHBURG 10K; 50:55 (3min PB)

Hmmmmm.  Well I'm not sure what to think.  This was a very lowkey race-only 50+ runners maybe?  And I mean lowkey...popsiscle sticks and everything.  The course was on a very busy road making me even MORE excited to hit the trails....also a very negative split return out and back...interesting.  BUT  this was the first race I could kind of pick people off and not get constantly passed- even on the downhill return.  My lower legs hurt again and I still feel like I don't have much of a "stride"or a proper or efficient one- like I'm slapping the road (ouchie), not sure what it is- these are things I need to work on.  In any case I wasn't comfortable until mile 4 like usual, which is why the half marathon is my favorite distance, and I need to come up with a warm-up routine because i think those early miles are uncomfortable because I don't have one....another thing to work on.  I did PB by over 3 minutes in 30 days of work so I guess I can't complain really.  I did ammend my goal for New Bedford to 1:52 - its only 2 minutes, but I don't want to set myself up for disappointment- sub 1:50 for another year.  I think that is more realistic- after taking off 12 minutes last year I have to be aware that the chunks of time will be harder and harder to take off! Don't want to get greedy and end up discouraged.

It was a good way to get a quality run in, I wouldn't push myself that hard on my own I don't think.  And chatting about running, running people, and upcoming running goals is always fun with a friend (that's your shout out Karen G!).  Karen picked a great place to eat afterward and I think we have a lot of miles to put in together as she prepares for Boston. 

So the take home lessons today:
1. GET A WARM-UP ROUTINE!
2. GET COMFORTABLE/EFFICIENT IN STRIDE
3. FIX LOWER LEG PAIN (I wish I knew an athletic trainer....oh wait...)
4. CAR EXHAUST SUCKS, CAN'T WAIT FOR TRAILS!
5. MORE RUNNING WITH OTHERS (Karen G, Jenny P)

I'm not going to run the Half at the Hamptons, but rather Foxboro 10miler and then Amherst 10miler the following weekend (almost just want to watch that one, all the fast boys and girls will be there).  I think I may ammend my HM goal after those- who knows.  It's a process....and I love it....

WEEK 4: 27 miles (Jan 24 - Jan 30)

Sunday, 2pm: Burt Hill Road run, 6 miles
Monday, 5am: Random Treadmill Hills, 4 miles
Tuesday, 7am: Strength Circuit Madness #6 plus .25 & .5 mile pickups x 4 each; 7 miles in all
Wednesday, 5am: Spin (endurance ride) + Core x 2
Thursday, 11am: Unplanned (and unwelcomed) day OFF!
Friday, 5am: Spin (endurance) + 3 miles TM
Saturday, 8am: TM Speed Ladder, 7 miles
This week so far: 27 miles

Strange week.  Got a little anxious about my long run being lost and rescheduled to next tuesday and feel like I'm missing pieces of training that I should be doing.  I think I'm antsy about not being outside and maybe feel like I'm on a treadmill too much.  I can't decide if I have a hill for repeats or what it should look like so I stick to the TM; BUT MWF I have no daylight time no matter the weather, so it is what it is.  Have to change my lifting schedule schedule to Mon/Thu I think.  Next sunday will be off because I'll be going to the Indoor State Championships with the high school kids- a planned and worth it day off.  Also anxious about the aches and pains, but today kinda made up for the week.  Did a Treadmill speed ladder that I haven't done in months and I could feel the difference in my fitness for sure.  This speed ladder I used to dred but today I added minutes to the higher speeds and added some higher %grade.  In fact I dare say when I felt some aches and pains- when I sped up I felt better?  weird.  So what is usually a 5 mile workout ended up being 7 and I really wanted more!  Had to go to meet the track team for treatments though and since I am doing a 10K tomorrow it's probably better I didn't push it more.  SO I'll just keep going along and get in what I can, my focus will come back- it always does but the anxiety in the meantime eats at me a little.  The true test will be the 10 milers next month (Foxboro/Amherst), then I'll know what I need to do before New Bedford...I hope...:)  It's a process....and I love it....

Unplanned Day Off

I like plans and organization...so today was a lesson in planning- replanning and not losing my mind in the process.  So when i woke up this was the plan....

doctor appt with an athlete to schedule ACL surgery 8am
get back home (dropping water for my run on the way) and out the door for 13 miles by 10am
make lunch, pack dinner, off to work by 1:30. PERFECT DAY.

OK after watching a fox play with some kind of rodent in the field while drinking my morning coffee, I'm off to the hospital.  Welp doctor appt took longer because I ended up chatting it up with a couple of the docs I hadn't seen in awhile (who knew I was a chatter??) and visited Tate too....so plan became start run late, quicker lunch and frozen dinner to pack for work....Eh not so bad- still get to run.

So driving home - behind the SLOWEST people in the area because there were a few flakes of snow in the air that had turned into a squall (somehow people here can't drive in snow, its weird) -the plan went anxiously from run 10 miles to 8  miles to a 7 mile run up to Pisgah park along the rail trail....Eh not so bad but will have to add miles somewhere else.....I'll live

Got it...out the door, still snowing but 25 degrees so comfortable...I'm feeling a little rugged.  Welp, 1/2 mile turn left onto rail trail....WHOOSH!  ICE!  I'm sure the whole trail isn't like that but since the snow is now covering the ground I can't see the trail well enough to tell....onto the roads....REALLY don't like my ACG structure triax on the roads, but oh well I'm sure it's all in my head....Route also because a 4 mile run since the road kinda ends....Oh well, I can handle that...although I'm getting anxious....

1mile.....GIRL CRAMPS, anterior knees hurt from all the hills last week still and my lower legs hurt because these sneaks really do suck on the road, maybe its not in my head.  Hmmmmm, Walk for a few seconds, cramps get under control, pains subside (they usually do), ONWARD......20 yards....Cramps are back, knees really ache, never wearing these shoes again.....turn around today is a BUST....

So I kinda started feeling better by the time I got close to the house but by then I was resigned to a day off. 
At least I can make a good lunch and pack a good dinner for work....oh well....I'd move the long run to sunday but I have plans with a friend (KAREN G) to run a 10k in Fitchburg; was going to ride the trainer in morning but since I don't need a recovery ride I guess i'll let Ramona kick my ass in spin class and maybe run 3 on the treadmill afterward before work.....Ice knees tonight.....

Run and Learn,

Pasta's done.....

Winter Track in NH

I had to have this somewhere and since it is about running (just not mine) it can go here....The high school kids got a little stir crazy and were sick of running in the hallways last week....it's only January and we are all wishing the snow away already!  Why do we live here???  Got a lot of rain yesterday though so we'll see what it looks like today...GO HUSKIES!!

WEEK 1 & 2: 55 miles (5 miles snowshoe running) January 1 - 16

January 1: 10k Road Race, 54:00 (my watch 53:56); ok race. No mile markers which is really really annoying for someone like me who has no idea what pace I am running by feel alone…pretty hilly course and otherwise uneventful race…will probably opt for the big time Lowell First Run next News Years Day.
Finally broke out the snowshoes this week. 3 miles walking on my little trek in the field on Saturday.
Sunday, Jan 3: 8.5 miles on TM
Monday & Wed: Spin class with Acea + Core
Tuesday: Strength Circuit Madness #3 + Intervals for 3.5 miles in all.
Thursday, Jan 7: Snowshoe .25 mile Run:.25 mile Walk x 4; better but still hard, 2 miles
Friday, Jan 8: TM Run, Random Hills 20min x 3 = 6 miles
Saturday 9th and 16th: Plyopower + upper Strength
Sunday, 10th: TM 6 miles (Speed Play)
Monday, Jan 11th: Snowshoe 3 x 1mile with .25 recovery in between. (13:30, 13:00, 12:00) LOL + 10miles on Indoor Bike Trainer
Tuesday, Jan 12: Strength Circuit Madness #4 + Speed (1mi each pace: HMP, 10K, 5K)= 5miles in all
Wednesday, Jan 13th: 4 uncomfortable miles TM, pathetic core workout; Crappy workout day
Thursday, Jan 14th: 10 miles outside on snowpacked Rail Trails out to Old Spofford Rd….fun; wore Nike Structure Triax ACG
Friday, Jan 15th: 10miles on Bike Trainer, core
Overall a good start to the new year. I don’t plan days off anymore, but rather just take them when needed- looks like I needed a couple at the end of this 2 weeks! But I am getting pretty good at listening to my body and not freaking out if I take a day off (kinda)...

WEEK 3: 23 miles (Jan 17th - Jan 23)

Sunday: 6 miles Hills - Burt Hill Road
Monday: 1.5 mile Snowshoe + 1.5 mile road run - wasn't feelin it- kept getting hit with snow falling off trees/powerlines...i took it as a sign
Tuesday: Circuit Madness #5 (weightlifting plus treadmill speedwork) ...4.5 miles in all
Wednesday: Spin class plus Core
Thursday: 12 mile long run - Old Spofford Road (HILL)
Friday: OFF
Saturday: Plyopower class plus upper body strength

Overall a good week, lots of hils and my legs are a little sore but after a big dinner out last night I actually felt ok on today's Burt Hill Road run...unfortunately I can't compare my time from last sunday as I pushed the wrong button on my watch and didn't start the timer until I was almost to the top of the first mile hill...dumbass.

just getting started

Just a place to keep track of my running progress and plunge into obsession...there has been much....