Monday, March 18, 2013
Week 11: 30 miles and New Bedford long run
Couple spin classes, a lifting class, a run on the roads in Keene including Chapman Hill and then the half marathon in New Bedford Sunday. Pretty solid week, the first in awhile. I was pretty nervous going into the half marathon Sunday that I would totally tank and hate it, but I went out conservatively, was honest with myself that I really hadn't been running, and decided that I just needed the long run. It was a beautiful day- it amazes me that this race always has great weather- especially considering the snow coming tonight! It was windy though. I went out real conservative- started 3 minutes back- mainly because I was still in line for hte portopotty during the national anthem. I thought the first mile was going to be over 10 minutes but it was 8:40 and I felt like it was easy. I didn't waste a lot of energy trying to get around people but rather just let it be. I knew the first 3 miles were hilly (although I always forget about the two smaller hills before the killer at mile 3). My plan was to run slow and then pick up a bit if I felt like it for miles 4-8- slightly downhill or flat. I felt pretty good- and didn't push it at all. Picked up a couple 8-8:15 miles in there. Got to 9 and still felt good surprisingly! Only thing bugging me were two blisters on the balls of my feet (great, I'd been running so little my feet were soft!) I could feel the skin being pulled and then resucking to my foot with every step. Really was annoying and quite painful after awhile, but my body felt good and I decided I should pick it up the last 3 miles and just get done close to what I ran last year. Well we made the turn to head into mile 10 and unfortunately also headed into the wind! It's not usually windy at this point, but this year it was and I found it hard to pick it up because my feet were burning iwth the extra push needed due to the wind. So I accepted that and just kept going- a little slower, but with a good effort. I knew that hill was coming and felt pretty good still going up it! I finished at 1:53 (8:38 pace), way off the PR, but not bad for no training whatsoever. I even had enough pep to run back to the car, but boy my feet were hurting!! We ate the chowda and fish sandwiches and headed home. It was a good day and I don't think we vowed never to do that race again like usual, we'll see. My blisters feel a little better this morning. I'm a little shocked at how sore I am NOT. But like I said I was conservative and didn't want to get myself injured. Ended up being a good workout and a good motivator. Might have to snow shoe tomorrow! It's a process and I love it!
Friday, March 15, 2013
New Motivation
So I haven't been motivated to run a lot of miles- I'm lucky I've been logging anything at all. Work has been nuts, but I'm getting a handle on it, so that's no excuse. I just haven't been motivated. I don't know how else to put it. It's been a relief to just accept it. I know it'll change. I've been going to my lifting class and to spin classes and running enough to get a work out and that has sustained me, for now. I have dropped a few pounds. I have a few more to go to get to a racing weight, but with no race in sight I haven't worried about it. Well that changed today.
Greg decided he was doing the Mt Washington Road Race this year. Great- I'll never get him to hike it with me so I decided to put in for the lottery (never thinking in a million years I'd get in). Well, I got in. I'm happy because it'll be "fun" and beautiful (hopefully good weather) and it'll give me a reason to do the other mountain series races. I don't feel like I have to do a ton of miles and my friend and I were thinking about maybe working on our 5K times. I want to do another marathon - no doubt, but maybe I should wait another year. Mountains and 5Ks may be the focus this summer- who knows maybe I'll suddenly be in some kind of shape for a fall marathon. There's time and always another race. (Nevermind the half marathon this weekend- let's just hope I finish under 2 hours). It's a process, and I still love it!
Greg decided he was doing the Mt Washington Road Race this year. Great- I'll never get him to hike it with me so I decided to put in for the lottery (never thinking in a million years I'd get in). Well, I got in. I'm happy because it'll be "fun" and beautiful (hopefully good weather) and it'll give me a reason to do the other mountain series races. I don't feel like I have to do a ton of miles and my friend and I were thinking about maybe working on our 5K times. I want to do another marathon - no doubt, but maybe I should wait another year. Mountains and 5Ks may be the focus this summer- who knows maybe I'll suddenly be in some kind of shape for a fall marathon. There's time and always another race. (Nevermind the half marathon this weekend- let's just hope I finish under 2 hours). It's a process, and I still love it!
Week 3-10: 161 Miles
Week 3: 30 miles
First snowshoe race with Greg and Ferenc - Hoot, Toot, and Whistle. FUN! It was a beautiful day, a pretty easy course, and a doable 3 miles. A perfect introduction to snowshoe racing. On Sunday Grif and I had our own epic adventure in Pisgah State Park. We ventured out to Snow Brook Trail and took it to the end and back. No snowshoes, just hard packed snow. another beautiful day. I can't wait to get on this trail when the snow is gone!
Week 4: 18 miles
Grif was very limpy this week, I guess our adventure was too long for her ;(. But she was better within the week and has been great ever since. This is where I start doing a lot of treadmill because I can't stand leaving Grif behind at the house. Been going to the strength class on Tuesdays- it's called "anything goes" and it is just that- mostly strength stuff but includes sprints sometimes, ball tossing, and interval work. Good stuff.
Week 5: 33 miles
Grif was better this week. So much better that when I did a couple runs "with" Greg she as able to come back and check on me like usual. So cute.
Week 6: 8 miles
Another snowshoe race- this time at Prospect Mtn. Antoher beautiful day, not as easy a course (up to the summit and back down for 5.4 miles), but pretty. I had a good attitude and didn't stress myself out about the "race" but enjoyed the day. It worked. It was great.
Week 7: 13 miles
Treadmill and spin classes. I've been trying to do a day of running drills each week.
Week 8: 19 miles
Just more treadmill, spin classes, and a beautiful Sunday run with Griffin on new snow. (Instead of DH Jones)
Week 9: 21 miles
Greg had break this week, so we got to go on two morning runs together- with Griffin running in between again. We get like 6 miles and she gets 8! Another snowshoe race- Hawley Kiln. I only made it a mile in before I had some stomach issues and decided I shouldn't get too far away. By the time I got back out to the snowmobile trail (the single track was TOUGH) I felt a little better and ran a mile or so on my own before getting back to see Greg finish. I missed that. Oh well. It was a cold day but the amount of snow up there was awesome!
Week 10: 19 miles
Did my first road race of the year- the Spring Ahead 3 miler. I knew this was not going to be a stellar day, but I had to get on the roads and my friend wanted to go, so whatever. We had a good day. I ran 23:15 (7:45pace) and was happy with it. We did a long warmup and another mile cooldown so I finally got some road miles. I was third female master and would've been second Philly but I declined to mark that on my app! I shouldn't be a Philly! :O anyway, I'm not as far off as I thought, so maybe it'll motivate me to get going.
the next day we did our final snowshoe race- another at Mt Prospect (5.7ish miles). Not to the summit but it was a killer course! I went in with the same laid back attitude and took a lot of pictures and video. That was a long one. But another gorgeous day and it was fun to play in the snow as we look toward spring. I was glad to get back in time to see the Newfoundland dogs! They were soooo cute! And Big!
First snowshoe race with Greg and Ferenc - Hoot, Toot, and Whistle. FUN! It was a beautiful day, a pretty easy course, and a doable 3 miles. A perfect introduction to snowshoe racing. On Sunday Grif and I had our own epic adventure in Pisgah State Park. We ventured out to Snow Brook Trail and took it to the end and back. No snowshoes, just hard packed snow. another beautiful day. I can't wait to get on this trail when the snow is gone!
Week 4: 18 miles
Grif was very limpy this week, I guess our adventure was too long for her ;(. But she was better within the week and has been great ever since. This is where I start doing a lot of treadmill because I can't stand leaving Grif behind at the house. Been going to the strength class on Tuesdays- it's called "anything goes" and it is just that- mostly strength stuff but includes sprints sometimes, ball tossing, and interval work. Good stuff.
Week 5: 33 miles
Grif was better this week. So much better that when I did a couple runs "with" Greg she as able to come back and check on me like usual. So cute.
Week 6: 8 miles
Another snowshoe race- this time at Prospect Mtn. Antoher beautiful day, not as easy a course (up to the summit and back down for 5.4 miles), but pretty. I had a good attitude and didn't stress myself out about the "race" but enjoyed the day. It worked. It was great.
Week 7: 13 miles
Treadmill and spin classes. I've been trying to do a day of running drills each week.
Week 8: 19 miles
Just more treadmill, spin classes, and a beautiful Sunday run with Griffin on new snow. (Instead of DH Jones)
Week 9: 21 miles
Greg had break this week, so we got to go on two morning runs together- with Griffin running in between again. We get like 6 miles and she gets 8! Another snowshoe race- Hawley Kiln. I only made it a mile in before I had some stomach issues and decided I shouldn't get too far away. By the time I got back out to the snowmobile trail (the single track was TOUGH) I felt a little better and ran a mile or so on my own before getting back to see Greg finish. I missed that. Oh well. It was a cold day but the amount of snow up there was awesome!
Week 10: 19 miles
Did my first road race of the year- the Spring Ahead 3 miler. I knew this was not going to be a stellar day, but I had to get on the roads and my friend wanted to go, so whatever. We had a good day. I ran 23:15 (7:45pace) and was happy with it. We did a long warmup and another mile cooldown so I finally got some road miles. I was third female master and would've been second Philly but I declined to mark that on my app! I shouldn't be a Philly! :O anyway, I'm not as far off as I thought, so maybe it'll motivate me to get going.
the next day we did our final snowshoe race- another at Mt Prospect (5.7ish miles). Not to the summit but it was a killer course! I went in with the same laid back attitude and took a lot of pictures and video. That was a long one. But another gorgeous day and it was fun to play in the snow as we look toward spring. I was glad to get back in time to see the Newfoundland dogs! They were soooo cute! And Big!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Week 2: 34 miles
Mon: 6 miles roads from YMCA
Tue: Anything Goes Class
Wed: 6 mi TM ; Spin class PM
Thu: 6 mi roads while doing laundry; 4 hill sprints on Wildwood
Fri: 2 mi TM + 1 mile YMCA track with drills
Sat: Pisgah with Grif, LOG 8
Sun: 5 mi TM
Not a bad week...increased mileage a little bit while keeping a spin class in the mix. Also did hill sprints and drills - I think they are really helping my strength and stride efficiency. Feel like I'm getting a little weight off and can feel my fitness slowly making an appearance...very slowly. Will try to keep the drills/hills in next week while getting a few more miles. Can get to a couple spin classes this week before school starts- won't have time when classes/lax begin so I need to take advantage of it while I can. It's a process, and I love it.
Tue: Anything Goes Class
Wed: 6 mi TM ; Spin class PM
Thu: 6 mi roads while doing laundry; 4 hill sprints on Wildwood
Fri: 2 mi TM + 1 mile YMCA track with drills
Sat: Pisgah with Grif, LOG 8
Sun: 5 mi TM
Not a bad week...increased mileage a little bit while keeping a spin class in the mix. Also did hill sprints and drills - I think they are really helping my strength and stride efficiency. Feel like I'm getting a little weight off and can feel my fitness slowly making an appearance...very slowly. Will try to keep the drills/hills in next week while getting a few more miles. Can get to a couple spin classes this week before school starts- won't have time when classes/lax begin so I need to take advantage of it while I can. It's a process, and I love it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)