Starting Training...

The best way for me to actually get a run in is to not go home first! So I packed my running clothes, went to my last client, changed and ran at the golf course near them.

It was absolutely gorgeous out, humid, and a bit of a breeze. I hadn't run there before so I wasn't sure what I was up against. Turn out: HILLS! Tons of them... so I did about 3 miles (no Garmin) running and walked a little more than a mile probably.

Today I got a break and had a client cancel so I can fit in a run, extra work, and happy hour!

Mileage Goal: 82/1000

Two Marathons Two Weeks Apart

Oops...

So T signed us up for the Marine Corp Marathon fund raising through the Organization for Autism Research. If you are interested in donating, please visit www.firstgiving.com/lauraperoutka
There's a link to T's page there as well!

It has been amazing to see old friend and coworkers who have come out of the woodwork and donated. :-D

Then just last week... Friday I believe, I got an email saying I had won the lottery and gotten an entry to the Nike Women's Marathon on San Francisco. Yep, the one where hot men in tuxes with silver platters give you Tiffany's jewelry as you cross the finish line!

Here's the kicker...
Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco: October 17, 2010

Marine Corp Marathon in D.C. : October 31, 2010

Yep, that's right folks, just a mere two weeks and 3000 miles separating the two marathons.

I'm going to have to really train this time... ;-)

Jess at Run Girl Run Contest!

Jess over at Run Girl Run is having a blog-aversary giveaway! It's good one too, some awesome shirts from Thriv. I've tried on there shirts before and they are SUPER comfortable! Check it out!

Marine Corp Marathon!!!

As most know, the Marine Corp Marathon is a favorite of many. Registration fill up in less than a day. We missed registration. We had vaguely talked about doing it this year. Thursday afternoon, I get an emailing asking me to sponsor T for the Organization for Autism Research for the Marine Corp Marathon. A few minutes later, he forwarded me my registration as well!!!

So now to start training. Since people have to donate money to a charity dear to my heart in order for us to get a entry, I'm even more motivated to train properly! If you are interested in donating, please visit:

http://www.firstgiving.com/lauraperoutka

THANKS!

1st Trail Race

Yesterday, T and I did our first trail race. Now T twisted his ankle some during the Cap10K and neglected to tell me he had it wrapped all week. He still went and signed up for the trail race with me. It was raining and muddy, and we decided just to have fun with it and bond. We ran some, we walked some, and overall enjoyed ourselves. I was SO tired the rest of the day and in bed before 10pm. It was an 11K and we think we ran a little over half of it, so I'm giving myself credit for 4 miles.

Mileage Goal: 79/1000

Cap10K Race Report!

I woke up last Sunday with heavy legs. The right one even ached a little. Waiting for the race to start, I was a bit apprehensive. I hadn't really run in a week. The Cap10K is a BIG race! There are a few costume and over 20,000 runners and walkers. It's usually a fun time: bands every other mile, lots of interesting people watching. I have done this race every year I've lived in Austin.

Mile 1: 9:48: As anyone who has done a big race knows, the first mile is always a little slow given the crowds. This mile was actually faster than I would have thought. The first mile is a slight uphill to the capitol and around it with a little downhill then. I began to feel strong!

Mile 2: 9:30: There is still a big crowd and will be the entire race, but it wasn't as tightly packed as the first mile. This miles had some good up and down hills, but I was surprised when I saw Mile 2 all ready. I was feeling SO strong on the hills and just powering up them!

Mile 3: 9:42: This mile encompassed the last set of big old hills! There were a little tough, but I powered up them and used the flats as recovery. I hit the mile 3 marker and felt the urge to run faster even.

Mile 4: 9:03: So faster I did run! A good amount faster! This mile had just little slopes up and down and I was feeling good!!! I felt as if I should slow down and pace myself more but it just feel too right at that pace. I forgot how good it felt to find a nice fast pace.

Mile 5: 9:16: I was a little tired from that last mile and the ground was really uneven here which bothers that stubborn toe. I kept pushing knowing there wasn't that much left. Since I don't tend to stop for water on 10Ks I just kept moving along. This mile definitely felt like I was going slowing than 9:16, but apparently not!

Mile 6: 9:24: This was my hardest mile of it all. It's a gradual uphill to the bridge then over the bridge. I was really feeling it in the legs; they were tired! But I am not one to walk the last mile!!! Not after I had come this far feeling this good. I remembered back to last year and how it felt much worse then.

Final .31 (by the Garmin): 2:21, 7:40 pace: Yep, I kicked it. I LOVE sprinting it in at the end of a race. So the Garmin had me running an extra .21 for the race. I finished, guzzled a bottle of water, saw I was under an hour and my negative split and felt AWESOME!

Garmin Totals: .6.31 miles , 59:08 , 9:23 mile pace
Race Site: 6.2 miles , 59:04 , 9:31 mile pace.

I love racing!

To round out the Cap10K, I was done a doctors appointment earlier than planned and had about a half hour to kill. I ran 1.7 miles, doing the first mile fast around 8:30 and jogging the .7 before jumping in the shower to head back to work.

Mileage Goal: 75/1000

1 Mile at A Time!

As I was typing the title, it seems I have used this title before... that says a lot!

Anyways, T's brother was in town this weekend. He had ACL surgery about 2 months ago and PT is going well. Since he said he could run a little, we ended up running the mile around the block.

In other not so fun news, just hiking, with occasionally 30 sec running with one of my clients, my toe was throbbing. I think I need to see an orthopedic.

Mileage Goal: 67/1000

Hungry All the Time

Since the half on Saturday, I am hungry all day long! It starts pretty soon after waking up and I have trouble staying satiated. Oddly it wears off in the evening... just in time for dinner with T. He made steaks last night that I couldn't turn down though!

So perhaps I need to adjust my diet, or tweak something. All ideas are welcome!

Getting Back to the Gym

The last two nights T and I are getting back into the gym routine. While we only work out for about 45 minutes it's still better than nothing. To just get the legs moving I biked an easy 5 miles on Monday and then stretched a ton.

Last night I headed for the treadmill! T has recently convinced me that it's best to set it to random, since it's never just flat outside. So I did a super slow 5mph at random, and did an easy 2.5. My toe started to really ache, and T has finished his weights, so I stopped and stretched.

Mileage Goals: 66/1000

Half Marathon Done!

So in my usual style, I went into the race without really training. I tried out some new socks Thursday night and did an easy mile and a half to put me at 50.5/1000 miles so far. I discovered that thick socks and my feet do not get along! It's so comfy at first, then quickly my feet feel like they are suffocating!

Saturday morning the alarm failed to go off. My roomie, who was also running, left without even knocking on my door. I woke up at 6:05 and hauled to try and make it to the shuttle stop at 6:45... We got there at 6:47. Doh. Luckily, one of the race coordinators was super nice and let me ride with him and I got dropped off right at the start line!

So this was the Zooma half... by far the hardest half I have done (I've only done three but still!) It was WAY harder than SF. The first 7-8 miles were just up and down hills, no real flats at all. Then some little hills, and then the last 2.5 is curving through a flat golf course. That means tiny lanes with lots of people and tons of tight turns. It was miserable. A little before mile 8 my knee started to lock. Not wanting to push it I switched to run/walking at mile 8.

I finished in just shy of 2:26... :-( I'm not super happy, but I still finished. My usual half time is 2:17. Next time...

So of course; despite being MISERABLE, I spent last night looking up other races. There is an 11K trail race nearby in about 3 weeks which would be fun to try! I have a 10K in two weeks. And there is also a 10K in 4 weeks.

It's funny how a half marathon doesn't seem that big of a deal anymore... even though I didn't run it all this time...

Mileage Goal: 63.5/1000

Foot Go Numb

I went out for a run this afternoon since my last client was sick. I was feeling good and moving fast for me. The first mile was 9:11, then 9:32, then 10:07. It was a hilly route especially the last mile. Then my foot started to go numb. Now my toe goes numb; I'm used to that. But usually not my entire foot. I think it had to do with some big uphills and downhills where I was running on the balls of my feet mainly. Anyways, I walked a little after about 3.75 and tried running for a block or two after a big hill, but my foot was one big numb block. It felt like I was wearing ski boats! Even after walking half a mile it was barely started to come "un-numb". So I went to Carrabba's and they let me call T, and he came and picked me up. So I'm counting it as 3.5 miles.

So mileage count: 49/1000

Missing my old running buddy

Last week my old roommate and running buddy, E, was back in town. It was so great to see her and we managed to get a few runs in together!

On Thursday, I ran a total of 5.5 miles... I did a a quick mile in the morning, then did ~1.5 waiting for her at the trail, then we did another 3 together. Wednesday and Friday were 12 hour work days, and T and I slept in on Saturday so I didn't have time for a run before work. As soon as I was done work we headed off to see his family about 2 hours away for Saturday and Sunday.

I have another 12 hour day today, so I'm not sure about a run... still have that sore throat too. But tomorrow I am done early and will definitely get a good run in and hopefully the gym too!

Mileage Goal: 45.5/1000

Another 4 Miles!

Last night one of my old roommates who is visited went running with me. She had already done 4.5, but went with me for another 3. We probably would have done another mile, but her stomach was not happy with her so we walked the last mile.

Then my other roommate, who is not a runner, but trying to get in shape wanted to go for a short 1 mile jog around the house, so I joined.

Slowly getting the mileage up!

Mileage Goal: 40/1000 = 4%!

(I know we are about 20% through the year...gotta pick it up!)

3 more down...

T and I headed to the gym last night... I thought about trying a yoga class, but just ran instead. I did a solid 3 (10 min pace) then some good stretching, abs, and legs. All in all a semi success....


We're off to the gym again tomorrow... I need to start upping the mileage soon! Next week is much lighter, so hopefully!

Mileage Goal: 35/1000

Funny Hips & Legs + short runs

I have been slacking on the running... it's probably been 2-3 weeks since my last run. It's pathetic I know! It's been a whirlwind of starting with 3 new clients, and one new contract position (without dropping anything) a semi unschedule quick trip that threw scheduling all off, and generally not feeling so well.

Still. I have 19 days until the half and need to get my butt in gear!

Friday, I went to see a PT about some other issues. I had mentioned that we have uneven hips in the family and perhaps that might have to do with the other issue. So she felt my hips and said, 'Oh! Something's not right." Basically, my right hip rotates forward; when she makes them even I feel like i'm pointing right a little. And apparently, my right leg is 1/2 longer than my left... go figure!

So Saturday, T went off to work briefly, and i went out running. The Garmin was having trouble getting a signal, but I ran a good 3 miles and walked 1. My right foot was hurting in a new way...

Sunday, I was sadly sore and went off to the gym in the afternoon. I ran an easy 1 mile, then did a bunch of stretching and lunges and abs, which felt good. Need to get a couple miles in this evening. I finish work early today so I should have no excuse! I also need to get new running shoes...

Mileage Goal: 32/1000

Saturday Yes... Sunday No

Saturday I got up with T a little after 6am. While he left for work, I putted around a little watching SuperNanny and working on a report until the sun came up. Then I headed out and did a nice slow 3.25 mile run around the neighborhood. While it was slow, I was happy to have done it.

The rest of Saturday was busy... I worked from 9:30-4:45, then went off to scrapbook for the night.

Sunday I woke up feeling miserable... my throat hurt and I could not stop sneezing. After lots of medication, I felt just well enough to run a couple of quick errands with T then curl up on the couch. Needless to say the 7-8 mile run did not happen.

Tonight I am babysitting right after work until 11pm or so, so I won't get to run today either.

So tomorrow... I need to do some major make up running!

3 Miles: Not as Planned

After work yesterday I met T at the gym with the plan to do 3 miles on the treadmill. I had not had a great day and was just generally grumpy. My legs felt tight and I wanted to do anything but run. So I trudged through a mile, then we stretched and headed to the pool. There we played. We played catch, we raced down water slides (yes, my gym does rock), we play catch while sliding down water slides! I needed play time :-)

So today... I had to do the remaining 2 miles. I got home, changed, and headed out quickly before dinner. I did 1.75 in 16 minutes for a 9:04 pace. The Garmin wasn't working right and only had me recorded at .72 miles, so I had to google map it.

I'm going to count that as 3 and just add a little onto tomorrow's 3 miler. T is working the day shift, so he should be out of the house by 6:15am. I have to leave for work at 9am, so that should give me plenty of time to run 3.25 and have time to prep for the day. I'll get next week's running plan hammered out this weekend as well.

Mileage Goal: 25/1000

Interval Success!

I went to the gym tonight with the goal of doing 7 X 400s at an 8mi mile pace. That's 2 minutes per 400. I gave myself a minute walking work up and 1 minute intervals between each 400. I walked the intervals at a 3.5mph pace. I wasn't sure if I could do it, but I was determined to give it a shot!

And guess what?!

I DID IT! It was awesome :-) After, I jogged out an easy remained 400m to make it an even 2 miles run. (I did a total of 2.5 with the walking intervals)

Tomorrow I just have the Fitness Pilates on the schedule :-) Maybe I'll fit in a walk with the puppies

Mileage Goal: 22/1000

4 down!

I headed to the gym after work last night and had just enough time to get in 2.5 quick-ish miles before the Core class I wanted to try started. I finished in 24 minutes for a 9:36 pace.

The Core class was okay; I liked the fitness pilates a little better, but it was just 30 minutes. After, I dragged myself to the treadmill to do another 1.5 slow miles (12:00min/mile pace) to finish up the 4 miles I had planned.

Mileage Goals: 20/1000

Half Marathon Training Plan

I have 8 weeks until my half marathon and I really need a plan. I have semi used Hal Higdon in the past and I'm a fan! Given that, I am going to use (and just slightly modify for my schedule) his intermediate half marathon training plan.

Today: 4mi run
Tuesday: 7 X 400 at 5K pace
Wednesday: Fitness Pilates (unless I have a meeting, then just stretching at home)
Thursday: 3 mi run + strength
Friday: rest, or strength
Saturday: 3 miles
Sunday: 8 miles