Passed With Flying Colors

On Sunday, instead of doing a training run by myself, I opted to meet up with a friend of mine in Massachusetts and run the Newburyport Green Stride Half Marathon! Newburyport is a cute little town in the very northeast corner of the state, just before you get to New Hampshire. It's about an hour north of Boston, so we stayed the night in Boston, where we did our carb loading at Nebo, in the North End. My friend is gluten intolerant and they have a full gluten free menu!

All I wanted to do was to beat my last time (1:53). I wanted a new PR.  

Before the Race

I woke up on Sunday morning with a sore throat. I had been feeling a little under the weather but was hoping it would hold off until Monday, but it didn’t. The drive from Boston to Newburyport was not too long and the fall colors got better and better as we headed north.

The weather was about 45 degrees at the start of the race and warmed up into the low 50s as we ran. This time I got towards the front of the line before starting, since last time I was farther back and it took a while to cross the start line. I think it took me only about 5 seconds to get over the line this time! The race started downtown, which was filled with spectators, and headed north at first. The first hill came around mile 1 and that is where my running buddy and I split up. 

The course wound around town and had a few ups and downs along the way. The best part was around mile 4 or 5 and then again around mile 8 when we ran past lakes surrounded by orange trees. The water and the reflection of the trees in the water made me want to shout out, “This is beautiful!” But I didn’t. 

I ended up using the Pink Lemonade Honey Stinger Chews as my fuel (Thanks to Jill for the suggestion!) They are great. I would recommend them to anyone who can’t stomach the Gu or the gels! I took one at mile 6 and one at mile 10. This was enough to keep me going but not too much to make me feel sick. The package comes with ten chews. I will probably need to split it up pre-race so I am not carrying around excessive fuel. 

This was the inaugural race for the Green Stride Half Marathon. It was pretty good overall, but there were a few kinks they will need to iron out for the next one. 

THE PROS: Water every two miles. There were plenty of volunteers to tell you where to go during the race. Gu at mile 6. Lots of spectators! Beautiful course that was mostly flat with several small hills. Great fall colors! Good sponsors – 2 free beers, pizza and plenty of snacks at the end, as well as a local band. Chip timer was on race bib rather than shoe. There were plenty of port-a-potties at the start line. T-shirts were sponsored by Life Is Good. 

THE CONS: Mile 10-12 was run right in the middle of a traffic-filled street that we had to cross! Also mile 12-13.1 was run on a single track wood/asphalt path along the harbor. It was like one of those cattle chutes, and I had a hard time getting around people at the end, when I usually try to sprint. The start and finish was in a fenced off area, which only had one door for entrance and exit, which was not good. The start and finish was also surrounded by a parking lot and people (runners) were trying to get out of the parking lot while others were still finishing the race! Also the room for spectators at the end was quite sparse and unorganized. At the beginning of the race, the first 500 people who signed up got a long sleeved t, but they did not have a good system of telling people who got one and who did not. No port-a-potties on the race course. Only the first 500 registrants get a wicking shirt. 

Right before the finish -- see the parked cars!?

THE VERDICT: I would run this race again. I really hope that they figure out better logistics for the finish line, so that the runners can run without being worried about getting run over by cars as well as having space to run and to pass other runners at the end. I also think they need at least 3 port-a-potties along the route. 

I ended up coming in at 1:49:21, which is an 8:21 mile. So I got my PR! I placed 13/119 in my division and 345/1103 overall. The fastest woman was around 1:10!! I “only” have to shave 39 minutes (roughly 3 mins/mile) off my time to beat her next time!  **(I was looking at the placing and IF I was in the 60-69 age group, I would have gotten 3^rd. Otherwise I wasn’t very close to the top 3 in any other category!)**

Did you race last weekend? Or, if you are not a runner, are the fall colors showing themselves in your neighborhood? 

Don't forget to go to Jill's for more Fitness Friday blogs! 

I Run New York

50 cent ain't got nothin' on me! So you may have heard the song that he sings? I Run New York? I think he's talking about how long his gun is and how important he is in the City, but I, I actually RUN New York. Yeah. MOVE OVER, 50 (fitty); I will do the running of New York, thank you very much.

Last weekend I spent a marvelous weekend, if you can't guess where, in New York. Knowing I had to do a long run of 15 miles, I got prepared before I went. First I found the local running store and found out that, yippy, they had a group long run on the weekends. I emailed them. I did not get a response. Next, I contacted this runner, who lives in the city, and asked her if she could give me some advice. Hurray for the running community. Not only did she give me advice, she gave me a play by play of where I should run. So I google mapped it to figure out which specific streets I would need to go on to get in enough miles (and not accidentally do too many!)

So, as you can see from above map, I started in Midtown, ran East to the East River and then south along the East River to Battery Park. Here are a few examples of the views I had while running on the East River.  These photos were taken with my phone, which I carried.

I also carried a pack of Black Cherry clif shot bloks and a bottle of water. I still have not purchased a fuel belt, since the only one I have been able to physically try on is the Nathan Speed 2 and the Nathan Trail Mix. I like the feel of both of them, but want to have something to compare them to before making my decision.

FYI, in case you were wondering how my Fuel Experiment was going...the Bloks taste okay. They are a little sweet, but pretty easy to eat. I drank lots of water and only took two bloks over the entire 15 miles (one at mile 6 and one around mile 10). The only thing I did not like is that the aftertaste is a bit like cough syrup; it's a little medicinal.

After running to Battery Park, I headed north along the Hudson, which was a nicer path but in my opinion, the views from the East River were better. By the time I got to this side, I was pretty tired and did not take any photos. Also by this time (around 9 a.m.) there were TONS of other people out jogging and riding bikes and walking dogs. I may suggest getting an earlier start than I did (7:45).

From there I cut across to Central Park at 72nd St and then around the park and back down to my starting point. All in all, although my legs were screaming, the rest of my body, lungs and stomach felt great. To celebrate my longest run ever, we went to Zabars to fight the crowds for the last piece of lox meet up with some friends and have a huge (and I mean HUGE) turkey and pastrami sandwich on rye. Yummy.

Where did you run this weekend? Have you ever been to New York City? What's your favorite place to run and/or eat there? What fuel belt (or bottle) do you use?

Don't forget to link up with Jill for Fitness Friday! And if you have not already done so, go and Enter My Giveaway for Fun Scrapbooking and Photo Software! Ends October 16th! 

Hal's Schedule: Take II

source

"Do one thing every day that scares you" - Eleanor Roosevelt

So you have probably already heard me say this...a dozen times last week...or on Facebook...on on Twitter. Yes, I have been wondering for the last week or so what the heck I was thinking when I decided to bite the bullet and...

...sign up for my first Marathon! I have been wanting to do it for a while (it's on my Life List) but I have had doubt in myself. And then I talked to a bunch of wonderful runners, who have faith in me, even when I don't have it in myself. They are encouraging and strong and they made me feel like a rockstar. So.... I signed up. Then I immediately began to be scared. Are you happy Eleanor?

It's not like I didn't think about it for a while before doing it. 

It's not like I am not ready for the training. Although running in the dark and the cold, especially for 20 miles, does not sound that fun right now, as I sit in my warm room in my pajamas. However, since I had already run a half marathon a couple of weeks ago and have another one scheduled in three more weeks, I fit right into week 9 of the Hal Higdon Schedule of Hell (which will be even MORE hellish now, I bet!) **you can keep track of my progress HERE**

It's the ice baths that scare me. Like we don't already torture ourselves enough.

No, in all seriousness, I think that I can do it, but the training is a bit daunting. The other thing that I don't know a lot about is fuel. I have never eaten a Gu. I don't like Gatorade. All of those sports drinks are too sweet. So, I went to Walmart and got one each of some of the different types of candy fuel (I also have a Cliff Shot, not pictured). I plan to gag a lot practice with them over the next several weeks. I also need to get a hydration belt. I already bought a Road ID. What am I missing?

So, I need your help. Does anyone know of a fuel source that is not too sweet? Any training tips? All you seasoned veterans out there, what should I do to keep motivated?

Also, I just want to say thanks for ALL the support so far. To the running and blogging community, which Rocks and makes me feel so much more confidant that I normally would alone. To my friends and family, who don't get it but still like me anyway (and have already promised to come and cheer me on!) And for the future, because I know I am going to be bugging people about this for at least the next...8 weeks. Thank you!

Don't forget to link up with Jill for Fitness Friday!

Do You Yasso?

Have you ever carried around something that you didn't ever use? Are you an expert packer? Do you love to travel? If you can say yes to any of these, hop on over to Women Rockin' The Road, where I have a post up about Things That I Could've Done Without!

__________________________________________________________

Where I Run These Days

And now for our regularly scheduled program: Jill's Fitness Friday link up.

My friend Lisa joined a running club recently and although she had her doubts beforehand, she loves it now! She has talked a lot about the fact that they are running less, but longer and stronger and each run has a focus. She has told me some of the details of her training runs and I have taken some of her group's ideas and run with them (he.he.he.)

The other night she mentioned that she had just finished doing Yassos and they had really kicked her butt. I wasn't sure what language she was speaking but asked her to elaborate. She explained them as this.

Take what your goal marathon pace is. For example, mine would be 4 hours flat, since I am attempting to run the half marathon in 2 hours flat. Now, run 800s meters (half a mile) at your goal time, but in minutes. For example, my goal is 4 hours. I have to run the 800 meters in 4 minutes. In case you are having trouble with the calculations like I did at first, that is an 8 minute mile. So I asked her, "and then what?" She said then you have a 400 M (.25 mile) "shag", which is a recovery period, where you run a slow jog. She suggested a 10 minute mile. I looked online and it says to run it in the same amount of time you ran the 800 meter, which for me would have been a 16 minute pace, which is a walk.

You are supposed to start at 4 intervals and work your way up. Her group did 8!! I decided to try it, and the next day, started with 4 of them. First I did a 1.5 mile warm up. Then I did 4 repeats and a 1.5 mile cool down. I did not run at a 16 minute pace during the recovery; I just ran at what felt comfortable.

Let me tell you, these things are magic! I have been doing intervals once every two weeks and hating them, although they DO usually get me about a 9 minute mile (which is my goal pace for a 2 hour half). They are strange because even though you run fast, then walk, then run fast etc, you still end up with a good combined pace. However, the Yasso beat my puny little intervals to shreds.

Don't get me wrong. These were hard. An 8 minute pace for me...is hard! But not impossible. My normal pace is about an 8:45 or 9 (for 6 miles). So my total was 6 miles and my average pace was about 8:25, which is 20 seconds per mile faster than normal! This week I decided to make sure it was not a fluke, so I did 5 of them this time. I ended up running 6 miles at an 8:10 pace. I was tired afterwards, but not completely dead, although I did almost lose my lunch around mile 3. But I recovered.

So, my question to you is this: For my half on Sunday, should I do this, or a variation of this, the whole time? Or maybe just part of the time? Have you tried doing intervals during a long race? If so, at what point during the race -- the beginning, middle or end?

I feel like I may not be sure of what I am doing, since the farthest I have gone on a Yasso day is 6 miles. Will it last for 13 or will I hit the wall somewhere in the middle? What do you think?

Have you tried to Yasso? 

PS EEEKKK... If you've popped out of Reader, note the "1 day and some odd hours left" until the Half!

Go over here

for more Friday hoppers!

Mental Anguish

"Methinks that the moment my legs began to move, my thoughts began to flow." - Henry David Thoreau 

See that little counter over on my left sidebar? Oh, you are reading this in Reader? Okay, well I will read it to you. What it says is, "8 days (and some odd hours) until the City of Roses Half Marathon".

Yes, 8 days.

I am not ready. Physically, I am fine. It is my mental capacities that are lacking. Although I KNOW I can do it, I am still nervous/scared/doubting myself.

Why? I don't know. I have done it before and it really doesn't matter if (a) I run really slow, (b) I have to walk or (c) I don't finish at all.

But I am my worst critic and am hardest on myself and I want to do well, even though I keep telling myself that it doesn't matter what happens. If I were you and you were me, I would tell you that you are going to do fine and to just have fun with it and that it Doesn't Matter! But I am me and even though I try to tell myself the same thing, I am feeling a little strange.

This always happens to me before a big race. It's like stage fright. Like cold feet. Like speaking in front of a bunch of people even though you KNOW you are prepared and you know the material. It's self doubt for NO reason.

Usually it is gone after the first mile.

However, until that first mile is under my belt (in 8 days and some odd hours), I will wonder: did I eat enough today / last night / yesterday / last week? Did I train enough this week / for the last 12 weeks? Did I train too much? Am I strong enough? Is my alarm going to go off on time? Do I really need to pee or am I just nervous?

And then, the first mile will go by and I will do what I know how to do. I will do what I have done before. I will do what I have been doing for the last 12 weeks (and years before that). I will run. I will enjoy myself. I will be reminded that those nerves are just a part of being excited.

I will be reminded that races are my FAVORITE part of running.

Have you ever run a race? If so, did you like it? Did you get nervous beforehand? Do you have any upcoming races? 

This post is linked up with Jill at: 

Food for Thought

{Training}

This week is week 9 of 12 for my training schedule (otherwise known as the aforementioned Hal Higdon Schedule of Hell). 

My long run this Sunday is supposed to be a 15k, which is about 9 and a half miles. I can do that. Last weekend I ran 10 miles, and it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I have mentioned before that most weeks, I just take it mile by mile and like I said in this post, many times I want to stop before I even finish the first mile! So every time I look at the training schedule and see the looming long run, I cringe a little. However, every time I finish a long run, I feel so good, physically (even if it was hard) and definitely mentally. 

I feel good when I rise to the challenge. Personally, I feel great. When I can challenge that distance and conquer it, I feel awesome. I want to run farther and faster each time, just to prove to myself that I can. My competitors are not the other runners. My competitor is me. Sometimes I beat myself up. And sometimes I beat myself.

{Fueling}

Speaking of beating myself up, a few times before my long run, I have not eaten enough. Then I hit the wall hard. So I am trying (and still learning how) to eat smarter. I have been eating more rice, beans and sometimes even toast, which I wasn't eating before. But I know I need to feed my body in order to have enough energy for the long runs. I eat tons of veggies and fruit! 

So, endurance folks, what is your pre-race/long run energy-boosting meal?

I usually have beans and rice the night before and toast with almond butter or cereal and fruit the morning of the run.

{Racing}

I have never done a marathon. It is one of my goals in life. However, I admit to you people, I am scared. (Hold me) I run alone. My 10 mile run last weekend took me an hour and a half. That is a long time! I don't know if I can train and run for 2 or 3 (or 4?) hours. Not only is that a long time, and there is only so much time in a day, but isn't it BORING? 

I am thinking of signing up for a 20 miler. Maybe that is a good stepping stone.

{Thoughts}

I need your help. 

Training advice: How do you stay motivated? Do you run alone? If so, do you prefer that? Do you get bored?

Food advice: What do you eat the night before/the day of a long run or race? 

Races: I want to run a marathon! HOW do I make the training a good thing and not something I am dreading? How was your first marathon? Please tell me if you have any tips! 

Do I just need to buck up and sign up and deal with it!?

This post is linked up with Jill at Life as I See it: 

Deep Thoughts

One would think that when you are on a long run, you would have plenty of time to hash out some very important things, make some important life decisions and figure out all the problems in your life. In my case, one would be wrong. Here are, in chronological order, some of the things that go through my head on a run. This run was 9 miles long.

Mile 0.1: This isn't too bad. Thank goodness it's not too hot.

Mile 0.12: I have to pee.

Mile 0.4: (I stop at the bathroom. Nothing comes out.) Hm, guess I was just nervous.

Mile 0.5: My left knee hurts. Maybe I should stop.

Mile 0.7: Man, my knee is really hurting. Maybe I will do my long run tomorrow.

Mile 0.8: Should I stop? I will just run one more mile and then if my knee is still hurting, I will stop.

Mile 0.9: I really want to stop.

Mile 1.0: I'm thirsty.

Mile 1.5: Man, I've only gone a mile and a half? Crap. I gotta stop looking at my Garmin.

Mile 2.0: Everyone on this path sure is happy and smiley today.

Smile for me babe. 
Whatchu looking at?
I wanna see your grill.
You wanna see my what?
Yuh grill, Yuh, Yuh, yuh grill.

Mile 2.5: Well it is a nice day. Hello bikers! Hello joggers! Hello man wearing street clothes and smoking a cigarette on the running path at 7 am on a Sunday! Wait, what?

Mile 2.7: Darn it. I've only gone 2.7 miles? Maybe my Garmin is broken.

Mile 3.0: I need a wrist sweat band. Is that like totally 80s? Do people still wear those? Will I look like Jane Fonda if I have one? Do I have to wear a thong leotard and listen to Michael Jackson if I have one? Maybe I should feather my bangs too. Wow, this could be a lot of extra work just to get the sweat out of my eyes.

Mile 3.5: Am I to the turn around point yet? This run is taking forever. I gotta stop looking at my Garmin.

Mile 4.0: I'm hot. I should have started running earlier in the day.

Well woman the way the time cold I wanna be keepin' you warm
I got the right temperature to shelter you from the storm
Oh lord, girl I got the right tactics to turn you on...
And girl I, wanna be the poppa, you can be the mom.
Oh oh. 

Mile 4.5: Turning around. Yay! Dang, I'm thirsty.

Mile 5.0: What the heck kind of shorts is that girl wearing? Helloooo butt cheeks! And a sports bra! What is this, a beauty pageant? Here she comes, Miss America!!

Mile 6.0: Hey only 3 miles left. Thank goodness I have my Garmin.

Mile 6.5: My right knee hurts now. 

Mile 7.0: Oh look, a doggie!

Who let the dogs out!! 
Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof. 

Mile 7.5: I am so tired. I think I just hit the wall. I could take a nap right here. 

Mile 8.0: Oh here come three girls running towards me taking up the whole path. One of them will get out of the way so I can pass. Maybe they will do it right before I get there. I know they see me. Huh. They are not moving. Um. Hello ladies? No?

Mile 8.1: Bitches! I can't believe they didn't move! Happy Sunday to you too ladies!

I do know one thing though,
Bitches they come and go, 
Saturday through Sunday, Monday
Monday through Sunday yo.

Mile 8.2: My knee hurts, I am so tired and I need to pee. And I have sweat in my eye.

Mile 8.5: Alllllmossssst thereeeerrrrre.

Mile 8.9: Pant, pant.

Mile 9.0: -------- So hot. So thirsty.

Mile 9.001: Hm. That wasn't so bad! 

So, as you can see, running is not really making me any smarter. But I am improving my knowledge of rap music, my meteorology skills, my fashion sense and my attitude.

Music credit: (1) Nelly (2) Sean Paul (3) Baha Men (4) Eminem 

What do you think about when you are running or working out? Are you solving world problems or do you think about silly things like I do? Have you ever worn a sweat band?  

In other news, I signed up for a race: 

City of Roses Half  -- Cape Girardeau, MO

September 18, 2011

You can read more about the other races I've done HERE. 

Also on THIS PAGE I made a list of  good places to run in the cities I've run  in. 

Stop by and check it out and comment with your favorite place to run in your city! Or any city!

This is part of Jill's:

Also, if you are new here, make sure to check out some of these other running posts:
Running with Music (and other ways to get faster)
Running with Heat and Fatigue
Running and Hills

What a Difference a Day Makes

I run, but I am not a runner.

I wear a ratty old t-shirt; I don't have the newest lululemon quick-wicking, poly-propylene, fire-resistant $78 dollar t-shirt. I still struggle a lot. I lack motivation. I dread going out some days, even though I feel great once I am done. I still think, as I am running, about how much I would like to walk. This happens all the time. But I always tell myself, "just one more mile, just one more mile."

And that is how I run. One mile at a time, for 3 miles, or 6 miles, or 8 miles. Or 13.1 miles. And someday I will run for 26.2 miles. And then I might move to Turkey and lie on the beach all day eat dolmas and hummus and never move again.

On Saturday, my thermometer said it was 93 degrees. While this is hot, I have been running in the evenings most of the time and it is generally around 90 degrees then, so I thought nothing of it. I went out and did what Hal Higdon calls an "easy pace run", where you run only 3 miles at your half marathon pace. Sounds like a cinch, right? But I was dying. Literally. The sweat/humidity was dripping off of me; my face was the color of lobster bisque; I was panting like a Pomeranian. It was Hell.

So, my next day on the Hal Higdon schedule of Hell was Sunday, the long run day, and my goal was 8 miles. After my 3 mile "easy pace" run, I was sitting in the car crying/hating running with the AC blowing full speed on my face and as my brain cooled off a bit, I (got really smart and) decided that in order to not fall over dead of heat exhaustion and to keep myself from hating running completely from now on, the long run would have to be at a cooler time. So, along came the 5:30 am wake up plan. This is all well and good, except that Sunday is my ONE chance to sleep in. Out the window that went in the name of running. Ciao sleep (sorry mommies, I know you are thinking, "Dude, I never get any sleep and this girl is complaining about one little Sunday morning. Boo hoo her")!

Sunday morning I got up, had a cup of coffee and some breakfast and hit the trail running. Literally. It was 78 degrees outside. I ran. I kept waiting for the feeling to come back, you know, the one that I have had pretty much EVERY DAY that I have run in MO, but it didn't. I ran and was happy, not too sore, not too hot and not feeling like walking! One hour and 18 minutes later I was done. It wasn't even 8 o'clock yet. I was already done.

And I felt good. Not just physically good, and believe me, I felt physically GREAT, but mentally good. I felt confident that when my race comes in the fall, I am going to nail it. I am going to finish, not with dread in my heart but with a good feeling. I have been doubting that a lot. The runs I have been doing have been draining, even the short ones. And, while I may not be running at my goal pace (9 minute miles for a half marathon, which would bring me to a sub 2 hour half), I am feeling better about myself and my running.

Even if I am not yet a runner.

This post is a Fitness Friday linkup with Jill at: 

I have a couple of questions for the more seasoned runners (or smart people in general!). One: My iPod keeps dying. I think it's from the humidity. Does anybody know a way to protect it/fix it? Two: The strap that keeps my iPod on my arm is giving me chafe. Three: I have never used Gu or any of those supplements. What is your take on that? Any tips? 

You Can Do it, Put Your Back Into It

I think I've mentioned THIS SONG before. It really gets me going. There are several songs that really get me going. And lately I have been getting going more than ever! I contribute this to my new play list.

Running is hard. There are many things to contend with. You have to work late; you are tired; it is getting dark earlier; it is too hot outside; It is too early; It is too late; You just ate; you are hungry; Your friends are going out for happy hour. THERE ARE TOO MANY BUGS! The excuses not to sometimes come at you like bombs. Getting out there is hard, but once you do it, you feel better for it.

Even if I beat all the excuses and go out and do it, I am lucky if I can run a 10 minute mile. However, the last couple of days I have been running faster. And I think I partially have Jay Z and Ice Cube to thank for it. My original play list was a mix of genres, but lately it has been more of the rap variety, and I do declare it makes my feet move a little quicker.

Here are a couple of other things that may be helping my running speeds.

Liquids: I know that everyone says this. “Drink lots of liquids. blah, blah, blah.” We have heard it all before. However, as much as you have heard it, I am going to say it again. I have been drinking coffee in the morning and then tea and water throughout the work day and I am ending my runs cooler and not as worn out. On the downside, I have to pee at least once an hour ALL DAY, but it is helping me later in the evening.

Food: This one is a hard one for me. I get hungry so I eat. Then it ends up being too soon before the run and I end up remembering what I ate for the entire run (ick). However, lately I have been having an early (non-spicy) dinner and then running about 2 or 2.5 hours later and my stomach HAS been happier for it. And my energy levels are higher.

Intervals: Oh, how I dislike intervals. They have always been on my marathon training schedule and I have ALWAYS ignored them. Well this time I decided not to. Once a week, whether I like it or not, I am doing intervals. What is this, you ask? For me, it is a 1 mile warm up, then a quarter of a mile where you run as fast as you can (or at your 5k pace), then a one minute break where you can walk or jog. You repeat the .25 mile/1 minute “interval” 5+ times (as many as you want). Then when you are done you do a 1 mile cool down. It doesn’t sound very fun, right? Well, it definitely kicks my you know what! However, I went from 10 minute + miles last week to 9 minute miles this week, so something must be working!

Time: You can’t discount the results you get over time. Just from running 3-4 times a week, getting used to the pace and the heat and everything, I think that this alone would make me a little faster.

Heat: This one is hard, as it is still 90 degrees out at 8:30 at night, but I have been trying to time my run right before it gets dark, so I can maximize any coolness there may be. Even a few degrees helps! 

What tips do you have for me? How do you deal with the heat? What music is on YOUR running play list?  

Sidenote: Also, I finally joined Twitter. Yes, now I have one more internet thing to waste my time on occupy my time! Here I am: @travelspot06. If you have an account, let me know what it is and I will come over and follow you. Oh and since we are talking about wasting time, I also have a WWF account: kywils. Come see if you can beat me (you probably can.)

This post is part of Fitness Friday at Life as I See It. 

To Eat, To Sweat, To Walk

Yesterday started like this. 

I have to get my butt in gear! Even the internet is telling me this.

{To Eat or Not To Eat}

Today I wasn't sure whether to eat or not before I went running. I was super hungry, but yesterday I ate beforehand and, well I won't get into details, but it's probably NOT a good idea to eat a bowl of chili before running 3 miles. Or any miles at that. So I didn't eat today. But let me tell you, I was slow. And tired. 

{To Sweat or Not To Sweat}

It was 90 degrees at 7:30 pm. I kept making excuses not to run waiting for the heat to go down, but it never did. I hoped thought it was about to rain, but it never did. Finally I just went out and ran. And it was hot. SO hot. My face and a tomato are about the same color. 

{To Walk or Not to Walk}

Last weekend I was playing volleyball and I slipped on wet grass and twisted my ankle. Yesterday it hurt a little while I was running and was pretty stiff once I was done. Today it got stiff right around mile 2. I stopped and tried to stretch it out a little and it did get looser eventually. However, I was afraid of hurting myself, so I took it easy. 

So, all in all, today was NOT the best day of running I have ever had. I am finding myself making excuses not to run beforehand. However, afterward I am glad I did it. That's how it is with running for me. I hate it, but I love it. It is hard. It is not always fun. I like the challenge but don't always like the work.

Lisa invited me to join her a 10 mile race in September and I am going to try to make it! I downloaded the Hal Higdon Half Marathon training schedule (which seems like it has a lot less miles than the last one I used!) This week the longest run is 5 miles. We shall see!

30 is Not So Bad After All!!!

Last night I decided to do a "test run" - to run outside in the cold to see if I was going to do okay in Mass. If you don't already know, it snowed over a foot in the Boston and surrounding areas last weekend and the weather now is in the 20s...and I have less than two weeks until the race!! So...I decided to run outside last night. It was 30 degrees in Des Moines (with a windchill -- feels like -30! No, just kidding, it was in the teens with the windchill). My plan: Run 10 miles. I mapped out a route, I got off work early enough so it would be light outside. I went to my hotel and put on my test outfit: gloves, hat, pants, sweater and long socks.

I started off. The first mile was HORRIBLE!!! I knew I was never going to survive the cold of the race!! My lungs were on fire, my cheeks were numb, my feet hurt...I was running through snow and frozen grass. I decided that maybe I would only run 3 miles (the shortest loop I could do without just turningn around and giving up). I missed the treadmill for once.

At mile two, the wind was lesser (or I had gotten used to it?) and the sun started to set, leaving me with a nice view of the sunset. I hit a "hill" in the sidewalk -- great training for the race! It was getting better... By mile three, I decided to do another loop. It wasn't so bad afterall.

So, after my original thought that I was going to die, I decided that it may not be TOOOO bad after all. I hope!!! Pray for sun, that's all I can say!

Gonna Run Baby Run!!

I think the Kings of Leon said it great when they said, “Gonna run baby run like a stream down the mountainside…with the wind at my back, I wont ever even bat an eye.” There is more to the song, but I like that line, because when I am running, and I am feeling like not running, it makes me run just a little bit faster.

Maybe you have guessed what I am getting at; I am running again. Still not love-love-loving it, but somehow there is a peace to it once you hit a certain pace that is…pretty nice. And of course when you are done, it is great. And I don’t mean great because it’s over, but great because it does give you a certain high feeling which is nice. A long run and a glass of wine and I am toast!

All the experts say the best way to make sure you keep up with your training is to sign up for a race. That means you have to train, because if you don’t train you will either run really badly at the race, or skip the race all together. So, on top of that they tell you to sign up for a race and tell a bunch of people. So that way you will hopefully NOT skip the race OR do badly because now people are going to watch you and ask you about it later and you will want to save yourself the embarrassment.

Having said that, I feel the need to inform everyone that I signed up for a race. I signed Mr. Lovely up too, so now he can’t flake out either. He actually is the one that suggested it – the New Bedford (his home town) half marathon. He has wanted to run a half marathon for a while now and what better than one in his very own home town! So he finally convinced me to do it as well, although I have not been running for the last year and now I am in Iowa, where it is negative many frosty toes wind chill factor degrees outside!

Running in Louisiana was interesting – it was usually very hot, sometimes kind of chilly and once in a while (winter time mostly) perfect. There are running trails everywhere and when Mira and I needed a long run, we just ran from the office; it was about 10 miles to our hotel from there. Here in Iowa, in the middle of winter, there are not many choices. Apparently, from what I can see, they DO have a lot of running trails, but right now they are not really accessible. I did try to run outside one time – it was probably about 20 degrees outside. I ran for about 4 minutes, and then walked the rest of the 2 mile loop. I have not gone back there again. I have been running on the treadmill, which is a drag. It is already hard enough to run for an hour straight but on the treadmill all you have to stare at for an hour is the wall. Needless to say, I have been staring at the wall a lot.

Ironically enough, I am a little worried about the weather in Massachusetts; it will be cold. Perhaps I should go outside and run after all. Do a little “weather” training instead of strength training…

So, will my treadmill training pay off? I don’t know, but yesterday I ran 8 miles, so now I know that I can run 13 – once you get going, it gets easier and easier. So, I may not finish fast, but I will finish! Will I freeze before reaching the finish? Maybe I will, but if I do make it to the end, I expect a nice glass of wine waiting for me!

Slacker!

How quickly we forget how difficult it is to go back to exercising after a break. So I am supposed to be training for the NYC Half. Ha! I went on vacation, which was luckily an “active” vacation, meaning hiking and biking. However, I did not run the whole time I was there (about 10 days). Then I got home and immediately got sick. So… a couple more weeks pass by.

We now come to last week, my first week trying to get back into the swing of things. I went to the gym on Monday and was going to run (really!) but I forgot my socks (darn it!). I had just read an article about making excuses and how we need to stop doing it, so I put my shoes on (sans socks) and made my way to the treadmill. However, after about a mile I could feel a blister forming, so I walked a little and then lifted weights instead.

Day Two of “the revival” was spent procrastinating running by doing the elliptical and then lifting weights again. On Day Three an attempt to run was made, but was ended when Top Chef started due to a conflict of interest. On Day Four I committed to running a two mile race in City Park, and almost flaked at the last moment. Instead, I dragged my lazy butt to the park and ran two miles in the 850 heat and 80% humidity (at 7:15 pm!)

I almost died.

My lungs hurt; my legs hurt; I could feel my face burning bright red like a beacon in the night. Once finished, I walked with quivering legs to the line for water and drank about one hundred and forty tiny Dixie cups full of water.

Turns out I ran my fastest mile so far – about 8 minutes. However, this is only the beginning of a very long journey which ends in New York City and lasts for 13.1 miles. So, two miles at a time, day by day, I struggle to reach that path. I have a long way to go before I am ready.

Practice Makes Perfect

Tomorrow, Saturday May 12th, at 8:30 a.m. I will be standing in a group of people, getting ready to run. This is a small run; we can't run very far in New Orleans in the summer without falling down from heat stroke or dehydration. It is only 3 miles, which is roughly 5K, which is a good distance for a practice run. Ha - a 15 dollar practice run, where I will get another "free" shirt (I love it - pay 15 dollars and get a free shirt! Or sometimes it is more like - pay 50 dollars and get a free shirt!)

I have started training again. I dont know if I am going to get into the NYC Half or not, but if I do get in, I plan to have at least 12 weeks of training, which is what I had for the Mardi Gras Marathon. This way I am keeping up a steady schedule of running, keeping in shape and training all at the same time. If this week were week 1, I would have a 13 week training schedule.

Luckily this week I only have to run...lemme check my schedule...16 miles! What?!

So. It has begun. Again.

Countdown to Kentucky

Whew. I think I mentioned in my last post that I only had 4 weeks to train for the next half marathon - the Kentucky Derby Mini-Marathon... Well, now I am down to...4 days. Ouch. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, I spent a total non-fitness week at the beach last week, where the closest thing I did to "training" was to walk to the cooler for a beer or to the water to cool down.

Having said that, I have not done a very good job at training this time around (if you can even call it that at all!) However, it will be interesting to see how I do on Saturday. Perhaps I will finally prove that training is not the answer! But then what would I do for the next few months?

After this is over, I have decided to do a couple of things:

1. Next vacation: ACTIVE vacation - aka. hiking, biking, rafting, kayaking, tree climbing or all of the above.
2. Run the NY City Half (if they will have me - this is done as a lottery) on August 5th
3. Triathlon - still TBD

If anyone knows of any fun activities I have overlooked, let me know!