We Shall call this Week 5 pre-cap

I have titled this the pre cap because I know I usually give you the run down after my week is over but today not so much. I will break down this weeks earlier workouts but will be giving you the pre run gitters update for today's 10 miles.

Tuesday: 3x1600- I had to do this little work out on the treadmill so I tried to really crank up my speed and I did for the first mile 10 min mile baby!!! Then the second was a 10:20 and the last one went up to a 10:54 with a fast quarter mile at the end. Currently my goal is to run the Half at 11:30. So my speed training for a mile should be 10:45 secs so I need to work on not giving it all to my first miles and learn to save some energy. I will learn. I was thinking to myself that this was such a short run that I would be able to wear whatever I wanted, and I would be fine... Well I was wrong I went with a loose cotton tee and tucked it into my sports bra strap and I would find out during my shower that was a terrible idea. I had rubbed my shoulder area raw NOT FUN. I was at work the next day and chatting with my boss and he asked me what had happened. I said " oh it was from running last night bad shirt choice." He said "well that's good someone asked me if you were sporting a hicky." Oh perfect that had not even crossed my mind so it turns out I have a new reputation at work and its not "oh she's the biker girl who rides to work everyday." Lesson learned!!!

4 Mile tempo:

I did not want to run it was cinco de drink-o and well I had zero motivation and was running behind schedule. My sister saved the day (wahoo sis!) because she was having the same problem and so we met up and did our 4 miles together. 43 mins and I was done. Thanks to a partner in crime I didn't miss a beat and got to chat the first 2 miles while I still had breath enough to chat. Running with someone, so makes a difference I have never ever done it before. I guess running had just been my "me time" turns out I like it when it is "we" time.

10 Mile PRE cap:

Today's goal beat the stomach issues!!! So last night I headed out to REI ( Super Jock and Jill was closed) to get some pre run, during run, post run fuel. I am not REI's biggest fan so I was hoping to in and out in less then 10 mins!! Although it was there for more then 10 mins I picked up what I needed. Cytomax ( my during run hydration), GU 2 packs this time, and GU recovery drink. I was doing research yesterday while I was at work and I think the reason I have stomach pain after is because I don't take enough in during my run. This time I have 2 GU gels and I am counting my water intake before and looking at my carb protein ratios for my pre race meal. Well all this is done and I am sitting on my couch trying to figure out when i should run.... So I blogged so I could put this off a little longer. I always get nervous/anxious before I run I convince myself its excitement so that I have a happy little attitude and that works most of the time. But I have realized I forgot to buy my next life changing product.... Body glide. Once again this is a product that can change your world its the miracle hot spot eraser. I hope that I don't need it but we shall see. Well I am off to run in the beautiful rainy spring weather of Seattle. Wish me luck:)

-RR-

Week3/4 recap

Week 3 Recap
-I skipped my long run and I skipped my tempo run so I Failed at week 3!

Week 4
Monday squeezed in a bonus run because I did so terrible in week 3.
Tuesday- 6x400's loving this training program I like that each work out is different and I don't just run. This was a great little run to get back into things. Pushed myself pretty hard and felt great after.

Thursday- 6 mile tempo- Its begun I am getting hot spots when I run and I don't like it. It is not bad when you are running it is the post run shower that this pain sneaks up on you. So this got me thinking about my 9 miles on Saturday that was fast approaching.

Saturday 9 Miles: Saturday Started with me being nervous because I skipped my long run the week before yeah oops. I know that I will pounding the pavement for about 1 and 45 mins so I need to start thinking about water and fuel on my run. So I went to my running store Super Jock and Jill, and I looked at ergonomically correct hand held water bottles. I tried a few out and settled with a flat 12 oz one. Then I made my way over to the underwear section to see if I could solve some problems there. I found some hot running undies and I was almost set to go but i wanted to speak with the checker first. I asked her if the underwear were going to change my life and she said yeah there is a good chance. So after I dropped 20.00 bucks on my new roos ( under-roos that is). I was out the door and ready to run. I went home and had a chicken sandwich and a baked potato and waited about 2 hours for my run. I filled the water bottle with a sports drink (some running one I can never remember its name it is whatever is on the course during the R&R) and threw on the roos and was out the door. Well I had never run with water/fluid and I did a very good job of just taking a few sips here and there. At mile 5 I ate some GU and kept powering on. I was good to go until about mile 8.5 and the last .5 miles I was getting some pain but I had rationed my fluid perfectly and in 1 hour and 48 mins I was done with my longest run to date. I felt great the next day the worst part of long runs for me is right after they're over I get stomach cramps and can't eat. But I forced down some chomps when I got home and then had a beer ( carbs people!!) or two and those did the trick...ish still had a hard time with real food but got over it. That pretty much wraps up the 9 miler and weeks 3/4.
-RR-
P.S. The underwear saved my world and I would spend up to and including $50.00 for the relief I experienced.

Week 2 recap

Wow I have been a busy bear!!

Run#1 4x800:
I have mentioned a place where I live call Green Lake and it is a 2.8 mile loop and has 1/4 mile marking along the whole thing which I have found to be very helpful on my Interval training runs.
Instead of doing them on a track and getting very bored because I would be making about 14 loops around it. I get to run near water and have a little less repetition. I felt pretty good on this run it is amazing how when you have a few small task to finish it make you time feel like it flies by. You just concentrate on keeping up your speed for just one half mile that's it. Then you get to rest ( and by rest I mean jog at a slow pace to let you HR recover). I got done with my work out and was faily impressed on how short it felt come to find out it was because it was short 31 mins actually. Good run.

Run#2 Tempo 4 miles:
This run started out BAD all my bells and whistles decided not to work so I had no timing, no pace and no distance metering. I did have my trusty stop watch and I have already knew how far I had to run so it worked out. I did this Run in 43 mins. These i feel are the most difficult runs because they are made for you to push through your comfort zone. So for me this means finishing up the run with a side ache ( which I despise). I know these will get easier I hope but for now still on track.

Run#3 7 miles:
After disusing a good route for this run with my boss, Sunday rolled around and I was trying to think of a reason to push this thing until Monday. But I bit the bullet and ran, and well, it felt good no side ache...ish just a nice slow cruising pace. I did get a little bit of a side ache and had to concentrating on breathing for about a half a mile and then I was good to go again. This run however I got some stomach pains they didn't last long but it was kinda weird. When I was done the farthest thing from my mind was food. Which is weird because I have mentioned I sometimes run to eat:) but I thought if I ate I might puke. My run was 1:22.56 long and so I may have needed to take a supplement when I was running but oh well the feeling passed and I had a great dinner about 1.5 hours later. I think it may be time to start really looking into what I am eating on my long run days. Also my activities the night before probably didn't help I did a little "fast living". While I was making dinner I looked down and before I knew it I had powered down a bottle of wine. I then thought, what am I going to drink with this delicious steak I just grilled. Instead of making the wise decision (water) I decided in my one bottle down the hatch state of mind that wine would be delish!! So I may not have prepared myself in the best way possible for a nice little 7 mile jog, but I finished and it was not too bad, lesson learned.
-RR-

6 miler down.

Well after my long run for the week I feel pretty good. I did it last night even though I was supposed to do over the weekend but with my travel plans (helping my sister shoot a wedding in Cali) I made the executive decision wait until Monday. I Had plenty of time off from my last workout which was last Thursday oops. I will be getting better at a schedule but at least I am getting my mileage in. During this program of mine I am supposed to do my long runs at HMP plus 30 secs so last night run should have been about 1 hour and 12 mins. As of right now my HMP is 11:30 secs. I feel that will get faster because I have been away from consistent running for so long..ish that my pace is slow!! Last night's run took 1 hour and 15 mins so I was close to my goal but missed it. The good news is that the 6 mile mark is when I got injured last time I was training for a half. So to be done with it and not be injured and feel pretty good I do have some soreness but nothing really out of the ordinary. I did do ice last night just to be sure and reduce my soreness. I have the running bug and am now excited about training once again so that is great and this running only 3 times a week is fabulous. Pumped for tomorrow speed work.
Now for the cross training portion of the program. I have recently picked up a road bike thanks to Santa and My mother. I have had it for a day and I love it I have not gotten to ride much because well I've had it for one day, but have decided to ride to work when I can. So today I set out on my quick 10 min ride to the office which I did not realize is ALL UP HILL. So my quads were burning just a touch due to the run the night before and the not so leisurely stroll to work. I have it planned that after my long runs I will have a day off but the short bike ride to work took me by surprise not that it was long by any means but it was sure a burner on the old quads. I'm looking forward to cross training on my bike and being able to put in some real miles.
Week 2 Plan
4x800
4 Mile tempo
7 mile long run.
-RR-

Week 1's Recap

Training run #1: 4x400:
This was a great little run to get thing started and well it felt easy probably due to the fact that is was short. I cruised through it with no problems at all but because I had taken some time off of my pre training I was a little more sore then I have been in past runs. All in All I give this run a 8 on a 10 scale.
Training run #2: 3 mile tempo Run:
The goal of these runs are to increase my speed I was set for a pace of 11:15sec miles. I missed this goal by about 1 minute meaning I did not run 15 secs under my HMP so this was not a successful tempo run I felt like I was moving pretty good but apparently not. Next time I guess.

First long run is happening today and it is set for 6 mile and I am supposed to run this at my HMP plus 15 secs. This help with stamina to make sure I can continue running for a longer period of time. I should be done with this run in 1 hours and 10 mins. We shall see how this goes it is the longest run I have gone on in quite some time. I am sure I will struggle through it at times so I am just going for finishing the whole thing:)
I will give you the update tomorrow or tonight if things go well.
-RR-

So it begins.

Well today I know I have my first official training run set up and well to be quite honest I am not looking forward to it and I am also figuring out a way to fit it into my day. I know that getting back into things is not so easy and well with the rain outside I have ZERO motivation. The only thing that keeps me motivated is that if I do not start out committed to this I will have wasted 125 bucks and well I tell you what I am not okay with that. So it is a mind over matter for today not excited not happy about it and would skip it. But that aforementioned 125 bucks would look great hanging on my wall in the form of a TV ( because that money would have gone to my new TV fund.) and if I throw my training down the tube on day one I might as well have fuel my couch potato attitude and bought the TV with my entry fee. So that being said I must make this 125 dollars worth it and maybe once I complete this I get that TV for myself. Fake it til you make it coming at you hot here is a list to make sure I keep on track ( like actually start today) and healthy. I think if I can make a list right now then I'll be pealing out of work ready for my 4x400 run (p.s. so happy that I can pound out this run in like 20 mins:):

1- Remember how I felt on mile 11 last 1/2 marathon ( trust me I don't want to go back to that place) lack of training equals lack of enjoyment and misplaced anger toward everyone in your vision.
2- Thinking that this will help me with my bikini body, like help me get one. I have a body that should be kept far from bikinis. Right now if I look at them in the store people must think I'm buying it for a friend.
3-Stress relief, I'll be happier if I am running.
4- accomplishment: there is something to be said about the way you feel when you finish your longest training run that you have ever had to do. Mine will be 7 miles when I hit 7 miles that will have been the longest run I have ever completed in my life. I did already do a 1/2 yes, but it was a walk/jog/walk.
5- I will be able to come to work and tell my boss I did run yesterday. SO TAKE THAT! My recent trend has been nope I did no running this weekend, waiting for official training date (SHOOT ITS HERE!!).
6- I'll feel Better about going out to dinner.
7- It will keep me from doing an after school nap.
8-I'll get to cross off a day on my training day schedule that's hanging in my office (cube lets be real I am no big wig here) at work.

Well that's it. Those are the only things that will get my butt moving today. some maybe silly but they work.......I hope. I shall report back tomorrow with the glorious triumphant break down of today's sad small run.
WORKOUT:
4x400- This is today (and every tuesday's) workout. Interval training designed to make me faster. How this works is I will be running the 400m at a pace that is 75 seconds faster then my HMP ( half marathon pace). Then I get my heart rate back down and once it has recovered I go into my second 400m leg. I will be doing a 10 min warm up then the work out begins and I will finish it with a cool down. These workouts will very between 400m, 800m, and 1600m. Depending on the distance of the interval that will deterime my pace 400m - 75 sec faster then HMP, 800m- 65 seconds faster then my HMP and last with the 1600m- I will be going just 65 seconds faster then my HMP. I may have to do this interval on a treadmill tonight due to the fact that I can not make it to a track before dark this evening.
until next time;
-RR-

Sorry yet again!!

I feel that I often start my post with sorry, due to the fact I blog once every 8 weeks :) Not any more!! Today I bit the bullet and have decide to eat top roman for the next 8 days while I wait for my next paycheck because I paid my entry for the Seattle Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon. I was sacred it would sell out and after talking with my sister she said that I should just do free activities until next week and I should be fine. I have been keeping up with running about 12-15 mile a week not great but enough to where I do not feel overwhelmed by running. I am getting done with pre training this week and start speed training and tempo runs next week. Like I have mentioned before this time I will be doing just three days of running a week to make sure I stay healthy. Recently I have had a groin problem that has flared up on my last two runs ( nothing that I couldn't run through but I do not want to go down the road of injury again so I am keeping an eye on it). I will be doing this half with my sister Dawn who is a little running bean I think. By little I mean she is about 5'10'' and so she groves at a fast pace. She tells me all the time that she does not run that fast and that she would slow it down for me. We shall see how that goes when she is walking and I am at a dead sprint. Wish me luck and that I will not get sick of top roman int he next 8 days ( maybe I can snaggle me a date for one meal to save myself from the roman).

Training for Week 1:

Tuesday: 4x400
Thursday: 3 mile tempo
Saturday: 6 mile long run

Next week I will explain in detail what these trainings do and what it means for me and what my pace will be for each.