Made it!

I made it to the gym today... did a good 3 miles on the treadmill. I ran hard and I felt strong which is good. The first minute I was just walking as I untangled my headphones. Despite that, I still finished all 3 in about 28:30. I kept realizing I was taking smaller steps so I could take more, so I kept upping the pace and just making my stride a little wider. Felt great!!! :-)

I forget sometimes how great a good run can feel.

Here's to another 3 or maybe 4 tomorrow!

Mileage Goal: 16/1000

Hiking, but no Running

So yesterday, despite my best intentions to make it to the gym, the lure of Target and having to clean the house before people came over led to no gym or run for me.

However, I do respite care with a little boy and we did go hiking for 3 miles. It's better than nothing I guess.

I'm at Starbucks working now, but as soon as I leave it's straight to the gym! I really need to get cracking on that mileage goal and half marathon training!

Quick Update from Roatan, Honduras!

Hi from Roatan!

Just a quick update... the Thursday before we left, I went for a 3 miler and finished at a 9:36 pace. I was excited. I also LOVE my Garmin watch! It's just too cool.

We brought it with us and on Friday we walked over 3 miles around town.

We'll be back to the States tomorrow night and regular life resumes on Wednesday. It's so gorgeous here; I'll miss it!

Mileage Goal: 13/1000

Another 2 Miles & New Fitness Class

I went the gym after work yesterday and did 2 miles at a 10 minute pace. Afterward, I did an hour long Fitness Pilates class.

I have never done Pilates before... and at least this class was 45 minutes of Abs, 10 legs, and 5 stretching. Ouch! But I'm glad I did it, and I want to do it again. It''s offered most evenings at the gym at a time I can make.

Tonight around midnight, we drive to the airport in a city about 2 hours away to catch our 4:15am flight to Roatan, Honduras!!! We have our quiet little beach place reserved and we're going to dive, and relax. I'm super excited to have this time with T. We need this :-)

Mileage Goal: 10/1000 (1%!)

1 mile at a time

I woke up this morning and took the NutPuppy out for a quick 1 miler around the block. Just over 10 minute mile...

Sadly, even with a big vacation coming on Friday, I think I'm sick. Slight fever, just generally snotty...

The scuba lessons over the weekend probably didn't help. Due to the scuba lessons, which left me exhausted, I didn't run and just counted scuba as cross training.

One day I won't feel stretched beyond my limit all the time!

Mileage Goal: 8/1000

Morning Run!

I got up the 2nd time the alarm went off (instead of 45 minutes after the second alarm like I have been doing) and had just enough time to do a quick little mile around the block with the puppy. Running with the puppy is always a little slower, but I finished around the 9:45 min time. It was also foggy and a bit drizzly.

Although it was only a mile, I'm happy I went out in the morning. I like starting my day that way. When I get the 30-Day Shred video I think I'll do that in the mornings.


Mileage Goal: 7/1000

Slowly getting into it!

I left a client's last night and ran around their neighborhood. I think this might be a good method! Most of my clients live in nice family communities, so I could just go for little runs at the end of the work day each day.

So run stats: 2.07 miles, 19.58 minutes, 9:36 pace.

Slow, but I'll take it!

That evening T and I went to a Churrascaria... so lots of protein. Still not hungry this morning!

Run Goal: 6/1000

Artic Invasion!!!

Down here in Texas when it drops below about 50 or 60, you'd think the whole world was ending!

So I took the older pup with me today for a quick little jaunt around the neighborhood before the National Championship game... it was chilly! 34* feels like 24* I managed two miles at about a ten minute pace. I'm still learning to use my garmin. (Figured out how to reset it about a mile in from Monday's run stats!) Hopefully, I'll start having more accurate times/paces.

Mileage Goal: 4/1000!

Slow Progress!

Goal Updates...
I signed up for the Zooma Women's Half Marathon! It's all women and there is a post race party with mini spa treatments and wine tastes. Two friends from work are probably going to do it too!

So the slow training begins. Right now I feel rather out of shape, combined with my body adjusted to the Gluten Free. I did an random (according to the button on the treadmill) 10 minute mile last night, followed by stretching core, and 20 minutes on the bike. Quick gym trip but it is better than nothing.

Monday night my roomie and I did a super easy 1 miler run as well. I should have time for just a quick 2-3 miles around the neighborhood tonight.

So goal: 2/1000

New Year, New Goals!

It's time to get back into this whole running thing again! I feel like I'm ready, here's why:

- No more classes, well, except for SCUBA the next two weekends!

- Making my work schedule a bit lighter

- Awesome gym membership

- Got the Garmin 405 for Christmas

- Super inspired by bloggers like Aron and Jess

So here are my running related goals:

1) Run (at least) 4 times a week, even if just the quick mile or so around the block

2) Pick a half marathon training plan and stick to it 80% (hey, I'm realistic)

3) Run a sub 2:15 half marathon

4) Run another marathon and beat my previous time (which shouldn't be hard)

5) Run at least 1000 miles... (only half of Aron's fantastic 2000!)

Just might have the bug

Despite the last three miles being horrible... I think I want to do more marathons! It's that curiosity of how could I do. Three days later, I have my right calf that's a little tight still but otherwise I feel great! (yay recovery socks!!!)

One thing I need to start doing again is much more strength workouts. I went to the gym after work today and rode the bike for a little over 30 minutes. Then I did a whole bunch of abs and a tiny bit of tricepts and legs. It felt really good.

I got new shoes while I was back in the bay... along with insoles cause I apparently have super high arches and pronate some... which is a strange combination I was told! They feel a little funny, but i'm going to give them a shot.

SO which marathon should I do next???

DONE!

So despite only having my toughest training run be 7.5 miles of big hills... I FINISHED! And I ran the ENTIRE TIME!

Race Results:

7113 L F 25-29
Full Marathon Start: Gun 5:30:00 Chip 6:31:30
Splits:	7.6 Mi	Half	20 mi	Finish	O'All	Sex	Div
Times:	1:30:47	2:39:01	4:12:22	5:34:02	4497	1453	345
Pace:	11:57	12:08	12:38	12:45

Between miles 23 & 26 I almost cried three times and felt like I was going to hyperventilate.... but I pushed through and T and I finished together.

yes, the time was long... but imagine if I had actually trained ;-)

Perhaps the next one!

L

Burning Toe

So I went out for my 10 miles yesterday... tough one... my toe started burning part way through.  Too much... much more than usual... and much more on the giant hills.

So I turned around and ran back home... I ran for a solid hour, so probably about 6 miles.

So total running debt is: 2+4 miles:  6 miles!  Oh boy oh boy... :-(

Wednesday Update

I went to the gym after work yesterday... supposed to do 4.5... legs were really stiff and given I'm doing 10 today, I just did an really easy 2.5 then stretched a lot. I figured I can walk two miles for my cross training on Thursday.

Here's to a 10 miler... that will be the longest I've run in over a year!

Revamping the Plan

More like catching up to the plan actually... so after a surprise birthday trip to Vegas, combined with a stressful last week... I did my version of a sunday nine mile run (7.5 hill run + 1 mi walking cool down) on Thursday night, and then was wisked away to Vegas until late Sunday night. Lots of walking and running but no dancing...

So yesterday I sat down to play catch up with my Hal Higdon plan and I'm going to post it to keep myself more accountable. Due to a quick scheduling break yesterday, I only did 3.5 instead of 5, so I'll make that up today...

So
Tues 4/28: 4.5 mi
Wed. 4/29: 10 mi
Thurs 4/30: easy XT
Fri 5/1: 3 mi
Sat 5/2: Rest
Sun 5/3: 5 mi
Mon 5/4: 3 mi
Tues 5/5: 7 mi
Wed 5/6: easy XT
Thurs 5/7: 4 mi
Fri 5/8: 6 mi
Sat 5/9: 3 mi
Sun 5/10: 12 mi

Then picking up with 8 of the Hal Higdon Novice I Plan!

Oh boy oh boy...

7 mile Sunday!

I was a little sore after the Cap10K combined with a busy week and slacked a little. Friday, I had a client cancel so I was able to make it home and take the dog out for just under 30 minutes and just under 3 miles. My calves were tight the first 2 miles then finally loosened. Funny how it took a run to make them not sore. I need to make a mental note of that one!!!

So this weekend we had 7 miles scheduled. We're moving Hal's schedule one day over since Sundays are much better long run days for us.

We headed down to beautiful Town Lake and went on the 6.9 mile loop. We ran all the way out, stopped and stretched and got water (Austin is awesome and the runnning have water coolers set up!) walked about 5-10 minutes than ran the rest of the way back. We did probably a little under a 10 minute mile pace. T is working on his breathing and being able to pace.

Today we are doing an hour of XT, which means I get to sit on the bike and read for an hour. Pretty excited about that!

Here's to a happy running week!

Cap 10K

This past Saturday we ran the Cap 10K! It's a fun, huge (18,000 people) 10K race. I've done it every year I've lived here.

I ran w/ the roomie and we finished in 59:52! Yay Sub 1 hour!!!!

T got distracted by hills (sprinted), Krispy Kremes (ate), water stops (water fights), and trying to find us, so he jogging in a few minutes after us!

We were a little sore, but it got me motivated. The first half of it was hard... my feet and legs were frozen from waiting for an hour, but the second half felt REALLY good!!! And we ran it all no problem! :-)

Left Leg Weirdness

So I went for my run on Tuesday, just 3 miles. Last weekend my leg knee was a little funny... like if I stepped down a step and put all my weight on my left leg, my knee felt weak.

So when I went for my run, at about 1.5 miles my left leg from knee to ankle felt really tight. I did another mile half walking half running then stretched it out a bunch.

I took yesterday off. I'll do another 3 miles today and see how it goes...

Oh silly leg

Oh! I just realized that this week was the 18th week away so I'm starting at Week 1 of Novice. I realized I was being WAY too amitious thinking about doing the intermediate. I may add a little extra cross training onto the Novice though.

Thoughts?

Staying Somewhat on Track

So I've been running, almost on the plan I set. Last week, I got in my Tuesday 3 miler (on Tuesday) and Wednesdays hard 3 miler on Thursday (3.1 miles: 27 min, ~8:42 pace) The third 3 miler never happened...

This weekend was supposed to be 7 miles. T and I went to the gym last night, running a little late, and I did a nice slow 5.5 mph jog while he did weights. When he got back I had done 5 miles. I stopped there... we were having people over... excuses I know!

Tomorrow is a 3 miler, easy; Wednesday is 4 miles, and Thursday is 3 again. This weekend drops to 5 I think...

Then I have to decide what 18 week program I am going to do. I am going to do the Hal Higdon Novice... or get bold and try to do the Intermediate... (which might be setting myself up to fail)

Stay tuned....!

Long Run Done... not Quite As Long!

We were scheduled for a 6 miler today and head out a little after 8pm.  It was nice and cool and the sun was setting.  :-)  Perfect running conditions.  We brought the NutPuppy which T worked on training as well ran.  We ran nice and slow... just an easy jog, and the run flew by.  We ran about 2.5 to Walgreens so I could pick up subscription, and then we headed home.  We did about 4.9 in just under an hour.  Super slow I know, but it felt easy and I felt strong and steady.

Tomorrow is an off day and T and I are off to the Rodeo (the Cali girl in me just shook her head!)

Then Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are all 3 miles variations :-)