Just for the record

Training log 1-6-09

I'm mostly just recording this so I have some sort of record of what I'm doing...

I started my cross training in earnest yesterday concentrating on overall strength, especially involving the core.

Even though I'm training for the half marathon in February, I'm shortening up some runs during the week to substitute those with strength training. Winter is a good time for this since running outside has been hard to come by lately.

This has been my training schedule as of late:

Mondays: Walk/Run 20-30 minutes. Lower body weights. Stretch.
Tuesday: Warmup walk/jog. Core. Stretch.
Wednesday: Tempo run, hill, or speedwork 4 to 7 miles. Stretch
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 2-4 miles. Upper body weights.
Saturday: Long run.
Sunday: Rest or walk/stretch.

Weights: (upper and lower body): Up to 9 different machines. 3 sets of 25-35 reps each.

Core: I've added about 3 different routines for a total of around 7 or 8. Pushups total 100 now (2 sets of 35 and 1 set of 30 with 60 second rest in between). Reps for other core exercises are 15 to 20. Sit up variations are 3 sets of 35-40. Planks are held for 2 minutes.

All of this is no different than what I did last winter, but the reps have increased almost two-fold along with the weight. Quite a few elements were added to the leg and core workouts, with the upper body workout staying mostly the same.

The more rigorous workouts are early in the week as far away from the long run as possible so I'm not so tired. This entire routine will take me all the way into March before the St. Louis marathon in April. With my weekly mileage going into the upper 30's in March, I'll need to tone back on the heavy cross training to save energy.

For now, I'm concentrating on my long runs and trying to do negative splits. My 12 miler this past Saturday was a great start, even clocking a speedy 8 minute mile near the end.

Let's hope it keeps up!

20 mile run: With every fiber of my being

Miles: 20
Total time: 03:22:51
Date: 8/30/08
Where: Chicago lakefront

I'll have to admit I came into this 20 miler with a little bit of a cocky attitude about it. Hell, I've already plowed through a nice finish in a 13.1 mile half-marathon, and battled a 16 mile run the weekend before. What's another measly four miles? I can run four miles with my eyes closed.

Well, let me tell you straight out, I was brought safely, yet very painfully, back to earth after this run. To run twenty miles is NOT a force to be reckoned with. This thing chewed me up and spit me out and lay me there to suffer.

Lets do a play by play, shall we?

The start:

I made the decision to drive to my start point near Irving Park Rd. and Lake Shore Drive instead of the usual public transport. I did this so that I can have a "support vehicle" waiting for me at the finish with a cooler full of fluids, food, and air conditioning. Good call.

Mile 1:

Right off the bat, two of my hydration bottles were seriously leaking near where the top screws on to the bottle. I fought for almost 10 minutes trying to remedy this to no avail. I got so pissed I considered emailing the company the next day to complain. I ended up dumping my special concoction of water and electrolyte mix that I would pay for later (read on..)

It wasn't until a couple of hours into my run that I figured out what may have gone wrong: Because I brought a cooler with me, I left my 8oz bottles in there to keep them cold. I never do this. I'm no scientist, but I'm sure that plastic shrinks when it gets cold. That would explain why the top never sealed tightly around the bottle hence spilling the liquid as I ran. Doh!! Makes sense.

Mile 2 to 8:

These were fairly uneventful and at a nice, easy pace. Maybe a little faster than I should have been going. I hadn't stop to walk at all up to this point, and as I look back, I probably should of taken a few breaks considering what was ahead.

Mile 9 to 11:

My first walk break to take some water and a Power Gel. Mile 10 is my turnaround point near E. 63rd. St. on the southern half of the bike path. I take a minute to look at the Chicago skyline and it struck me just how far I was from my start. This was a scary feeling.

Half-marathon mile 13.1

At 2hrs. and 15mins. I was about 15 minutes slower than my half-marathon time. This is pretty close to where I want to be. I also had my first pee break during my run. Never did that before.

Miles 14 to 16

It's almost noon and I've been running for 3 hours now. It's gotten hot. Very hot. My Gatorade is gone and I'm running on water and Power Gels. I can tell I'm a bit hungry now. I walk for a minute and start to feel a bit light headed. I run for 7 minutes and walk for 3.

Mile 17

I start to fall apart here. I start to get intense cramps in both of my calves and it's hard to walk, let alone run. The water/electrolyte mix that I should have been taking up to this point to stave off the cramps lay on the ground at Mile 1. I hadn't taken a gel for 6 miles, so I take one down which keeps the cramps away. I begin to run again. Easy does it.

Mile 18-20

I'm starting to feel very fatigued, but the cramps have stayed away. The finish is in sight and I keep a good pace on my last mile.

The end was something amazing. I'd done it. I suffered, but I finished. It's hard to explain the feeling, but it was heavenly. I'm finding it very difficult to walk now and I battle through more cramping in my legs which left me sore for two days!

It was quite the experience, and I gained a bigger respect for the distance of the marathon and what it takes to finish. I have one more 20 miler near the end of the month and hope to apply what I learned here for a stronger finish.

Race Report: CDC 8-10-08

Chicago Distance Classic
Date: 8-10-08
Start: 6:30 a.m.
Location: Chicago lakefront
Miles: 13.1
Official time: 2:01:54

Ok, here we go. Grab a cup of coffee....

Wow. What a great race. Although my official chip time isn't under my goal of a sub 2:00 hours (close though!), I'm still very happy with it considering I've never done anything like this in my life. I had an incredible time, and it was some kind of an experience.

Overall, everything went perfect. I got there on time, stretched, and my legs felt fresh the whole way through. The weather was absolutely perfect, and the crowds were great.

Pre-race: I got freakin' nervous. I was fine about 30 minutes before the race, but once I got in line, I had no idea what to expect. The feeling is WAY different that doing a small 5K race. You have to respect the 13.1 mile distance. If you don't, and start out too fast, it's over.

The start: Due to the sheer number of registered runners, the race organizers decided to do a wave start. The best way I can describe a wave start is like waiting in line for a roller coaster. You can see the trains go ahead of you, and you wait in anticipation for your car to be next. Once it starts to roll, you get all shaky and feel the adrenaline rush. Off I go around 6:40 a.m. in the 3rd wave.

Miles 1-3: I spend some time trying to find my groove averaging about a 9:15 mile. There are a lot of obstacles on the route- pylons, curbs, grass medians, and trees! At one point, the route took us inside of McCromick Place. I think it was some sort of pedestrian concourse. It was dark and I had to remove my sunglasses for fear of falling into a pothole and face-planting it.

Miles 3-5: The field is still really crowded, but the road is wider and I find a good rhythm at a 9:00 mile pace. The legs are feeling great and I spend the time listening to a couple of runners talking about how great their boyfriends are.

Miles 6-7: Coming up on some crazy hairpin turns. The route gets really narrow- only 3 people wide at times. Runners get really bunched up and are nearly shoulder to shoulder. I'm still feeling really good and I start to take it one mile at a time. Seeing the mile signs at this point is a bit intimidating considering I'm only half way done.

Miles 8-10: I've only stopped by the fluid stations to pour water on my head. The sun is really making it warm, but after making the turn back north, the cool wind off the lake was invigorating. The route brought us really close to the crashing waves along the shoreline, and the mist was a welcome relief. The view of the Chicago skyline from here was simply breathtaking. Still feeling surprisingly good, and I bring the mile splits to 8:45 a minute.

It still surprises me how runners can keep up a conversation this deep into the race just as I'm huffing and puffing to stay on pace. Conversations between runners ranged from how to bake a chocolate cake, to a couple who were arguing on the course because her boyfriend ran ahead and left her behind!

Miles 11-12: I'm starting to pass a lot of the runners that passed me in the early miles, which made me feel great! I feel good enough to bring my mile splits close to 8 minutes now, and still feeling amazing. The route is familiar now, as it's the same route I've trained on for many weeks taking me through the museum campus. Mile 12 is the furthest I've run in training, and I can hear the finish line crowd just around the corner. This made me fire up the after burners and I think I was averaging a 7 minute mile at this point. I can feel the pain now, but the end is near and I'm too zoned on finishing strong to care.

The finish: I let loose and just ran as fast as I could! The pain I'm feeling is numbed by the adrenaline and the cheering crowds at the finish. It was so incredible, and I take it all in. I struggle to find my legs which I left back at mile 11, I think, and grab my medal.

It's hard to describe what I'm feeling at this point. I've trained so hard, and I never would of imagined I could accomplish something like this even a year ago. It's almost like I wish I would of kept going, but my legs weren't having it! The feeling was bliss- incredible.

So that's it! The training only gets more intense from here on in as I prepare for the Chicago Marathon in October. As always, I've learned a few lessons that I can apply to my training to get even faster. The good thing is is that I'm loving every minute of it, and can't wait for 26.2.

Thanks to those of you offered me some great advice on this race, my family and friends for coming to see me finish, and you for reading!

12 Mile run: Did I just do that?

Miles: 12
Total time: 2 hrs.
Avg. pace: 9:20 per mile
Location: Chicago lakefront path

Good god! Did I just spend two hours straight running?

Whatever doubts I had about completing the longest run of my life to date were whisked away as soon as I hit the pavement. I had twelve miles ahead of me- TWELVE! As in 1 - 2. Just a little over a year ago I was struggling to make it through one measly mile. I continue to surprise myself.

Today was my 12 mile "simulated" half-marathon training run to prepare for the 13.1 miles of the Chicago Distance Classic just 28 days away (crap!). This was going to give me a pretty good idea as to how long it will take me to complete the full distance. I wore everything I am planning to wear at the Classic, right down to where I was going to pin my car key to make sure everything was right.

For the life of me, I can't get the shoe on my right foot to cooperate. It's either too tight, or too loose. Too loose and I kept getting little pebbles in my shoe. Too tight and the arch on my right foot started to ache in the early miles. I'm fairly certain I need new shoes, but I dread having to break them in with the marathon coming up. The thin, Nike Dri-Fit socks I wear on my runs make tiny little pebbles feel like boulders when they get in my shoe- absolutely annoying!

I started out at an easy 9:30 per-mile pace during the first 6 miles, then gradually worked up to 9:00 minutes for miles 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. I took two walking breaks at mile 6 and 10 to take a Power Gel with Gatorade. I kept telling myself to relax and breathe. Once I got the shoe situation straightened out, the last few miles went surprisingly well, and I finished in almost exactly two hours.

So, barring any unforeseen disasters during the Classic, I'm predicting a finish time of around 2 hours and 15 minutes for the half-marathon. I feel really good about a sub-2 hour half marathon, but I'll need to work on it!

Next Saturday I have a 14 mile run on my schedule before easing off the miles in the weeks leading up to the Classic.

These days, my running is like a drug now. It makes me feel incredible, and I feel like a piece of my life is missing if I can't do my run for some reason or another.

It's part of my lifestyle now, and it feels damn good.

Run Log 6-28-08: 10 Mile Run

This particular 10 mile run was hard, very hard.

I knew it was going to be a challenge even before I got on the 5:45 a.m. train to Chicago after hearing it was alreay 75F on the lake. I figured as soon as that sun got up, the temperature was going to go up along with it.

I was right.

At the start of my run near 8 a.m., it was already 80F in the shade. As soon as I hit the lakefront near Millenium Park, that sun was hot, hot, hot. I decided to take all four of my hydration bottles with me, and I'm glad I did. I filled two bottles with a 70/30 mix of Gatorade and water respectively. The other two were straight water.

I made sure to drink water every 15-20 minutes during my run, and saved the Gatorade mix for after mile 5 for a carbohydrate boost. I took one Power Gel at mile 7 to get me to the end. Thanks to the angels at the Fleet Feet water station that serves the runners on the lakefront, but the straight shot of Gatorade I took at the station made me cramp up. I followed it with some water, and after a few minutes it went away. I knew there was a reason I mix that stuff with water!

I had a bicyclist nearly run into me near mile 7.5! This guy was pedaling towards me, and I noticed he wasn't paying attention to what was in front of him. All I could do was yell, and wave my hands around. Fortunately, he saw me at the very last minute and swerved. It gets crowded down there!

I'll have to rate this long run as one of the toughest to date due to the intense heat, but I battled through it. At times, I felt so relaxed that I was just cruising along. Still, I really had to push it and almost gave up near the end- it got that bad. Seeing the other runners that were still out running in the heat inspired me to keep going.

This week is a recovery week, so I'll be taking it easy with very little running through the holiday weekend.

Running Log 6-25-08: Speed work

Action shot: I think that's my game face I have on. Taken just before my speedwork workout.
Click for a larger view.

Date: 6-25-08
Total miles: 4
Total 1 mile splits:
1- 11:27 (walk/jog warmup)
2- 8:27
3- 11:30 (walk/jog)
4- 8:25
Finish: Cool down or throw up, whichever comes first.

Where: Independence Grove FP, Libertyville.
Weather: BLAZING.

Whoa crap. I thought I wasn't going to survive this hard workout considering the blazing sun was, well, blazing.

What is speedwork you ask? In a nutshell, it trains you to go faster when you need it most- like at the end of a fast 5K run. It's a fast sprint done at 1 mile intervals with jogging breaks in between. I'm not sure if this is the fastest I can run, but it's pretty darn fast.

I left the Garmin GPS at home, so it was just me and my stop watch.

I picked a one mile chunk of trail and just ran back and forth. I would jog it for one mile, and then sprint it back to the start. I did this four times.

It was close to 80F outside, and it seriously felt like 101F. I don't know, but I must be doing something right... no cramps, steady (but super high) heart rate, and the pain in my right foot was non-existent after icing it up for a couple of days. I made sure to cool down in shady areas before my sprints because I was seriously warm. No harm done, though, thank god.

Note to self: DO NOT slack on hydrating during my runs in hot weather. Always have water or Gatorade- always, always, always. And make sure a toilet is nearby for the pee breaks.

Now I rest until my 10 mile long run on Saturday. I think I'll take the train to the city and buy a weekend pass so that I can swing back up to the Taste of Chicago this weekend...

...and pig out.

Run Log 6-16-06: 4 Mile Run

Today I decided to run at Van Patten Woods forest preserve near Wadsworth, IL. I hadn't run here since November of last year when I was still healing from a knee injury.

The trails today really sucked. The gravel on the trail is made of larger pebbles, instead of the powdery, limestone gravel found in other Lake County forest preserves. It felt as though each step was slipping out from under me, and I kept fighting to keep a grip. The trail is also run down by horses, making it really uneven in places. It took forever for me to find a good groove, and the paved streets were so tiny, I didn't want to run on them for fear of getting hit.

My legs were SCREAMING to stop running today.

This after running a fast 5K on Saturday, and doing five miles on the bike on Sunday, I was taking it easy completing the four miles on my schedule today. I had to take a couple of walks to shake off the intense pain in my shins.

I sucked it up, though. I know there will me more days like this.

Here is my training schedule for the upcoming week:

Tues: Rest
Wed: 6 miles
Thurs: 3 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: 8 miles

Race Report- Skirtchaser 5K

Girl power- the top three finishers (left to right)

Race: Skirtchaser 5K, Arlington Heights, IL.

Gosh, I was so, so close to having a new personal best time in the 5K.

00:26:37 (Garmin time)

My best is 00:26:01.

It was hot folks; really hot. Almost 38 seconds off- 38 seconds which seems an eternity in the final stretch. I got one good kick in just before the finish, but it was a little too early, and I had pretty much exhausted what I had left in the tank.

Surprisingly, my Garmin finished clocking 3.11 miles within sight of the Finish banner, and I wasn't even at the finish yet. I heard from one other runner (thanks Kelly!) who said her Garmin clocked a total of 3.25 miles on the course. Perhaps the measure was off, which would kill any chance of me beating my time anyway.

It was HOT out there. I had made a very last minute decision to strap on my hydration belt with one bottle of Gatorade, and I'm glad I did. There was one water station on the entire course near mile 1.5. The folk at the table, bless their hearts, were behind in pouring the glasses, so the line got backed up. All I wanted was a glass over my head.

If only I hadn't stopped, I would of made my PR. Oh well, that water sure felt good going over my head.

I'm happy with my time considering the conditions.

It was a good time, and learned a couple of good lessons for the next one.

As for the final results? The top three finishers were all women- apparently a first for the Skirtchaser series. The guys were left in the dust... way to go ladies!

On to my first 10K (6.25 miles) race on June 29th in Wauconda.

A little luck of the Irish

Running Log
Race: Shamrock Shuffle 8K
http://www.shamrockshuffle.com
Date: 3-30-08
Distance: 8K (5 miles)
Start: 9:45 a.m.

It's just after 6:30 a.m. as I write this. I hopped the first train out to Chicago at 5:45 even though my start time isn't until 9:45 a.m. The train after this one would arrive in the city around 8:30, and I felt that was pushing it a little- I just rather not rush.

My goals:

-Arrive at gear check at 8 a.m. and meet my group to diddle daddle a bit and eat something.

-8:45: Stretch for 30 minutes and find my start corral (as in cows). Looks like it's near the back of the field.

-9:30: Find the 9 minute-per-mile pace group and line up.

-9:45: Off I go!

Time to beat is 00:54 (8K personal best). Start off at a steady 9 minue pace for the first 3 miles and then up to an 8:20-8:35 pace the last two... Or something like that.

I've prepared for rain, but I've yet to see any. I feel good after a couple of days rest. Anything can happen, but I'm sure going to enjoy myself.

There's a free drink ticket attached to my running bib for the after party.

You better believe I'll need it.

----->
Sent with a Sprint Palm Centro Smartphone

My Little Milestone

So I wanted to log this for history sake...

I was at the gym this past Wednesday to do five miles on the dreadmill. Now, I try to avoid that god forsaken thing as much as possible, but since lovely mother nature keeps finding ways to derail my running schedule, I have to make due to get my miles in.

Flash back to six months ago, I would normally get on that thing and go no faster than 5.5 miles an hour for close to fifteen minutes before tiring and running out of breath. Fifteen minutes at that speed works out to about 1.5 total miles. I've probably been on that thing no more than three times since then, preferring to run outdoors.

This past Wednesday, I was able to run just over three miles cranking that thing up to 6.7 mph for a straight 25 minutes without stopping. That doesn't include the 2 miles I did on each end of that, which were slightly slower. This equals out to an average 8:43 minutes-per-mile pace through three miles. This is fast, for me anyway!

I felt zero pain, my breathing was incredibly stable the entire time, I really enjoyed myself, and I wasn't sore afterwards! I guess doing the run on the dreadmill, with all of those numbers clicking by, kind of amplified the experience.

It just goes to show that my hard work is paying off. I still have a long road ahead before Chicago, but at least I know (or hope) I'm on the right track with my conditioning.

This Saturday I plan on doing seven miles on the Chicago lakefront path- my 2nd seven miler to date.

Wish me luck!

My Mother would be Upset

"Stay inside! It's too cold!"

I could hear her now...


Date: 1/20/08
Time of day: 9 a.m.
Total Time: 1:10:56
Where: Lincoln Park, Chicago lakefront
Miles: 6 (or so due to my electronics freezing up!)
Temp: -3 (cold!)
Windchill: -24 (fu@#ing colder!)

So there was a comfy treadmill just downstairs, which I passed by on my way out the door this morning, determined to plow through 6 miles in the bitter Chicago cold. Why? Why not?

I've been terrible with running this past week because my schedule has been so busy with the start of classes and all. I had only done less than two miles on Wednesday and that was it.

It was cold. Period. But I've never seen the Chicago skyline so beautiful heading south along the lakefront path. There were only a handful of runners out there, and some crazies running in shorts and a t-shirt. I felt sorry for them.

Right off the bat, my breath was freezing my eyelashes shut, and my water bottles froze solid only a mile into my run. The iPod Nano that was on my arm failed around mile 3-it just seized up and wouldn't play. The Garmin GPS on my wrist was in no better shape as the display was freezing up and I had to tuck it under my jacket so it could continue to record my miles.

It was super tough. I had a hard time feeling my feet after 5 miles, but I was comfortably warm. The sun was my only saving grace, and I loved it. I suffered some minor wind burn on my nose, but all of my limbs are intact.

I will remember this day when I'm plugging away at the last six miles of the half-marathon and marathon I am training for.

I will remember the pain.

I will remember the struggle to finally finish this run.

I will remember my motivation to get out on the coldest weekend of the year.

Most of all, I will remember the joy of doing something I've never done before.

And know that I can.

This One's Gonna Hurt!

Oh my goodness.

I got up early Saturday to head down to Chicago's lakefront to do my 7 mile run. I got there just after 8 a.m. to meet a group I was running with, but there were so many runners around, I never did find my group. Oh well, off I went...

I was a bit tired. I've been horrible with my sleep as of late. I've been getting about 5 1/2 to 6 hours a night. It's just a bad habit I need to break and it caught up with me this morning. I was really ready to run, but I was feeling it a bit in my legs. It didn't help that I was running around Friday night and didn't get to relax much.

Still, it was productive. I was doing much better after mile 5, and decided to do the last two miles at my 5K race speed - 8:35 minutes-per-mile! (fast!) This after averaging 10:35 most of the run. It was really invigorating- tomorrow I will pay!

I've been experimenting with some power gels and energy shots during my long runs. Gels and powershots speed carbohydrates, electrolytes, and other nutrients to your muscles to keep you from wearing down too fast during intense exercise- and yes these are legal! And available at most sport retailers or supermarkets... :-)

I've tried two so far. Rocket Shot (left) and PowerBar Gel (right).

I'm not quite sure if they do anything for me yet, since I've been taking one during both of my 7 mile runs. I took the Rocket Shot during my 7 miles today around mile 5. Would that explain my boost to a 8:35 minute-mile and feeling damn good while doing it? Perhaps, but I would of probably done it anyway with the help of a good, rockin' tune on my iPod!! (click to play The Generators - So Many Miles)

The reviews? The Rocket Shot is disgusting! Think Red Bull stuffed into a four inch capsule and the taste multiplied by ten. Ick! The top has a seal on it that I would of fumbled with if I hadn't taken it off before my run. Come to think of it, my Garmin clocked a 7 minute mile near the end there.... nah... coincidence I suppose!

The strawberry/banana PowerBar Gel is a bit more palatable, but the goo is hard to take down at first. I have to wash it down with a gulp of water. The seal at the top has a razor sharp edge that can scar your tongue if you're not careful! I prefer this one over the Rocket Shot, but the goo is sticky, and makes a mess of everything if let loose.

This talk of goo's and gels is making me hungry... time to grab the best source of nutrients on the planet- a fat, juicy cheesburger!

Running Log 1-9-08: With action shot!

Action shot- Taken during my 6 mile run tonight somewhere in Round Lake, IL. Yup- that's a headlamp I'm wearing, and there's another flashing light behind my head.

Warning: Do NOT try this at home kiddies (i.e. prepare for some face plant action while fumbling with a camera phone in the dark while traveling at high speeds).

Miles: 6
Time: 1:04:08
Avg. Pace: 10:24 mile
Time: 6:50 p.m.
Temp: 39 deg.

This one was a little tough. I think I was still a wee bit sore from my 7 miler on Saturday. I was also a little over dressed, and got quite warm pretty quick for it being near 40 degrees outside. Still, once I got into a nice groove after mile 3, things went smoother and was able to finish strong.

This was my scheduled "tempo run". A tempo run is done at a "comfortably hard" pace, just hard enough to make you really work, but it's not a racing pace. In a nutshell, tempo runs teach your body to use oxygen for metabolism more efficiently during a run. The faster pace is held for the entire run, with a warm up of about a mile or so before and after the actual run.

Yea- there is actually a science to all of this running stuff, which was a surprise to me when starting up running again. Each training session serves a particular purpose, and conditions your body to run the long distances required for the real thing (marathon, half-marathons, etc.)

Check out this link for an explanation of some of the various elements involved in training for long distance running.

No running until another 7 miles on Saturday- probably in the city again!

Seven Mile Milestone

I took on my longest run to date Saturday of seven miles. Both my Garmin Forerunner and Nike+ system calculated just over 7.5 miles, but that's OK by me. I had a great run!

I decided to run along Chicago's lakefront trail beginning in Lincoln Park at Irving Park Rd., with my turnaround point at 3.5 miles just north of Navy Pier at Oak Street beach. I've never run here before and I felt like a little lost kid in a giant park surrounded by skycrapers- a weird feeling considering I've been clocking six milers near home.

Don't get me wrong, it's convenient running near home, but the scenery is getting BORING! Plus, being around so many other runners in Chicago was a neat feeling.

Here's a photo I took near my turnaround point:



I've been blessed with relatively pain-free runs since my nagging knee issues late last year. During the last mile, my left ankle felt like a knife was being plunged into it and being wiggled around. Fortunately, it only lasted for about 15 steps and I took it as a sign that I needed new running shoes soon. I've had my current shoes for close to two years now, and it's time for a newer pair.

My maintenance training continues this week:

Mon: 2 miles easy
Tue: cross train/weights
Wed: 6 miles
Thu: Rest
Fri: cross train/weights
Sat: 7 miles
Total miles: 15

My actual training schedule for the Rockford Half Marathon won't start until the first week in February, and I'll be joining the Chicago Area Runner's Association half-marathon training program in mid-February.

Bring it on!

Ice Ice Baby

I was wondering why I was having trouble getting water from my bottle during my six mile run Saturday - it froze!

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 1:06:06
Date: Saturday, 12/29
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Temp: 23 deg.

I don't remember feeling as strong on my other long runs as I did on this one. I could of run forever the way I was feeling. Looking at the numbers, I find it hard to believe I ran for over one hour straight. The temperature was the lowest I've run in to date, which would explain my water bottle freezing up. As long as I was comfortable, I was good.

I have absolutely loved my outdoor runs this winter. Everything is so peaceful. Nothing moves at 23 degrees except the pavement beneath my feet and the occasional barking dog. My focus is so intense that I forget all of my troubles, and when I'm done, everything seems right with the world, at least for that moment. I wouldn't trade that for the world.

I also noticed that this makes 100 miles run since I started recording them in October! That's an incredible number, and a nice goal to wrap up 2007.

Some other running goals I've reached:

- Ran my first 5K race in September after not having run a competitive race since high school.

- Beat my first 5K's time by 1 minute, 34 seconds at my 2nd 5K in October.

- Finished my first 8K in 00:53:54.

- Reached 6 miles after thinking I'd never get past 3.

- Registered for my first 13.1 mile Half-Marathon in 2008.

- 100 miles, baby!

My 2008 goals, running and otherwise, soon...

Running Log 12-15-07

Miles: 6.3
Total Time: 1h:07m
Avg. Pace: 10:40 /mile
Start Time: 11:00 a.m.
Temp: 27 degrees. Light snow.

Awesome! Great! Wonderful! Rad! Intense!

The last time I attempted a six-mile run I failed miserably due to a nagging knee problem at the time. Days of rehabbing the knee led up to a great, but careful, 5 mile run on Nov. 10.

Over a month later, the knee feels great, and I was elated to complete my 2nd attempt at 6 miles in about an hours time today. What makes it extra special is that I ran the WHOLE way through except for two one-minute walks for a drink. My pace the whole way through was 9 to 10 minutes per mile.

The outside temperature was about 27 degrees with a light snow. The streets were mostly wet with a snowy patch here and there. There was a light wind and a slight wind chill. What makes these runs in my neighborhood interesting is that there are a couple looong, gradual uphills which really make you work. It's hard to tell when I'm going up them until my breathing starts to get harder, and I have to make adjustments to get over the top without breaking pace.

The fun part was seeing the faces of people driving by me thinking I was wacko for running in this winter weather, and under a snow advisory.

Yea... it makes me happy to know that I can.

A glorious run yesterday

I had a wonderful run this past Sunday, after only going to the gym to run once last week- ONCE- a quick 2 miler on the track. I've been babysitting a left knee that bothers me when I'm in a mile or so into a long run. It's been frustrating because it bothers me NO OTHER time but when I need it most.

My attempt to run six miles last Saturday was a disaster, and_barely_did three after the knee acted up. This past Sunday, I went to Independence Grove to try the knee out on an easy four miles doing five minute run/one minute walks all the way through. I was ELATED to have completed a total of five miles!

You don't understand how happy I was. I had a little discomfort about three miles in, but it slowly went away- and NO DRUGS this time! I started at an 11:43 minute-per-mile pace and finished at around a 9:30 pace.

I just threw my hands up and smiled.

OK, so I wasn't running the whole time, but I'm still being careful not to overwork the knee. The temperature was about 43 degrees and perfect. I was just coasting and SO GLAD to be off of that running track for a change.

The 5-mile Chicago Turkey Trot is Thursday, and I'm thinking of using the same run/walk strategy, unless I feel otherwise. I'm NOT looking forward to the predicted 35 degrees and snow, though! I'm not thinking about time, but I would hope to finish in under an hour.

The course map and the distance involved looks quite daunting from above!

Running Log 11-10-07

I had a disappointing run today.

My intent was to run six miles this morning that turned out to only be three as my left knee began to hurt not even a mile into my run.

I'm a bit confused as to what happened. I was doing so well with my lighter runs the past couple of weeks, with no pain whatsoever- I'm talking walking, light running, weights, bikes, steps... the only difference this morning was that I was outdoors and around 50 degrees. I specifically chose to run at Van Patten forest preserve in Wadsworth because of its vast network of softer gravel trails.

Perhaps it was the colder temperatures? Although I was dressed warmly, I elected to run in shorts because I knew I was going to get warm the further I ran. I've run in these temperatures before, although not much. Either way, something is still wrong and I have to take care of it.

My feelings right now? I'm finding it hard to keep my spirits up since the morning, but I know I will get through this- I have to.

It's important to me.

Holy Grocery List Batman!

Meh... the post title is kind of lame... oh well... it's late!

This is sort of an addendum to this post where I talk about the fact that I'm considerably hungrier ever since I've ramped up my marathon conditioning.

Well, I spent the most I've ever spent on groceries this week! I've got some serious food here people... we're talking all the healthy goodness to keep me fueled up for these 13 mile weeks that I've been putting in- with even more miles to come.

Still, my weight has remained the same, never really moving out of the usual 125 to 128 pound range that I've registered most of my life. I no longer crave the junk I usually spoil myself with when I'm constantly on the go:

• Coke (now usually replaced by chocolate milk)
• French fries (I get an upset stomach nowadays when I eat these)
• M&M's and LOTS of sweets (my dentist will thank me for this one)
• Fast food joints (OK, so I cheat SOMETIMES)

Miles since Saturday: 14.20

Here's my schedule for the next few days as I prepare for the Turkey Trot in Chicago!:

Today: 3 miles (done)
Thurs: Rest
Fri: 3 miles
Saturday: 6 miles (unless my knee tells me otherwise)
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 3 miles
Tues: 3 miles
Wed: 3 miles

I've got a super busy day at the office tomorrow. Catch ya on the flip side...

I Knee'd this to work, please.

Dammit!

I'm babysitting a pain in my left knee that popped up while I was on the tail end of doing 3 miles on the treadmill last Saturday before a planned long run on Sunday. I've only logged slightly over 9 miles since my last 5K on Oct. 21- that's down from my weekly 13 miles to date.

I just don't feel like I'm running my natural pace on a treadmill. It almost seems like I'm forcing myself and not relaxing properly. Both of my knee problems came from running on that damn thing, so I'm sticking to something a bit more natural like trails or the running track. I'm just not doing something right, and it pisses me off.

Positive #1:
I'm taking a few days rest to ice it up. On a "pain scale" of 1 to 10, I'd say it's only 1 or a zero when I walk on it. I was further encouraged by some rigorous weight lifting sessions and some serious walking with no pain whatsoever.

Positive #2:
I successfully rehabbed my right knee from some pain I suffered on the treadmill while training for my first 5K back in September. It's encouraging to know I did this on my own, and if I do things right, I'll lick this one in no time.

Negative #1:
I feel the need to RUN! I have so much energy right now, I feel I can run 100 miles in one hour- SERIOUSLY. But I'm patient and hold high hopes that I will get through this one too.

As my mileage increases, I expect my body to go through some changes. I'm already seeing incredible results physically, and am accomplishing things I never knew I was capable of. It keeps me motivated and happy.

Only 22 days until the 8K Turkey Trot in Chicago!

This will be my last race until 2008. I've got plans to run the big guns (26 milers) next year, so I've got work to do.