14 Miles!!

I did it!! I did it!! I did it!!  I ran/walk 14 miles.  I survived!  I thrived!  Ok, so I did 2-1 intervals.  I still did 14 miles!

I had this route all planned out and Meg met me at the Y at 4:30 (that's in the morning).  We were going to try a new route, and so as we left, Meg told me that she wasn't feeling well.  We ended up going about 2.5 miles and turning around.  It was the quietest run we've ever had!  

We got back to our cars and I told her I was going to keep going.  I thought she would put up a fight - because she doesn't like people to run alone.  But she said, "Ok, let me give you your keys."  You know she's sick when she doesn't argue...

I figured I would do the 1.5 mile strip of Center Rd 3 times.  The thought of running that 3 times drove me crazy, but I wanted to do 14!  The other thing... I didn't have my iPod!!  So it was just me and me for another 9 miles.  If you had tracked me on a GPS you would have thought I was looney-tunes.  I didn't do the 1.5 stretch back and forth 3 times.  I did this funny little zig-zag.  I'd go a few telephone poles, turn around and go back and forth between the telephone poles.  I'm not sure how to explain it, but it kept my mind active and myself entertained - which I figure is important if I'm doing 9 miles, by myself, with no iPod...

So with the 9 on my own and the 5 with Meg, I did 14 miles!  It took just over 3 hours.  I think the 2-1's are faster.

I'm feeling confident - which is huge for me...  

5 miles

5 on Wednesday and 5 on Friday.  It's been pretty warm lately and we have sweat hard core!!  Each run has taken a minute or two over an hour.  I definitely do better when I'm running with Meg!!

The last 3 runs

Friday - we walked.



Sunday - 8.65 miles - I was pretty slow, so I ended up making myself consciously run faster. I didn't do any Sharkies. I wore my new shoes. I think they are too narrow because my toe nails hurt all day.



Monday - 4.65 (what's up with the .65?) I did 4-1 intervals. That wasn't bad but I was really slow! It took me 58 minutes to do 4.65. I wore my original shoes - they are wide - and my toes feel good, but I can tell they have not cushion left. I guess I need to get wider shoes!

Monday and Wednesday

On Monday, Meg and I just walked. I have a cold. Today I'm still sick, but we did 5 miles. It was a tough five because I was coughing a lot. I think I say they are all tough. Notice that?? Anyway, I did 5 and I am starving. I've been eating like a pig lately - but I'm so hungry! I need to stock up on healthy snacks!!!!

Making up for last week

I met up with Meg and Pam today for a morning run. Pam is good friends with Meg and she is in our Tuesday/Thursday weights class. Pam is WAY more fit than Meg and I - so we said she was slumming by running with us. Anyway, Pam is doing the Sarasota half and her running people aren't doing the distances Pam needs.

We set out to do 10 and I felt great! It wasn't until we were about a mile from the Y that I started to slow down. I decided, though that I needed to make up for last week's miserable 12 and do two extra miles. Pam didn't do two more with us because she had to go to teach Jazzercise. The last two were pretty slow, but we did it! We did 12 miles!

Not only did we do 12, we did them with the new 3-1 interval!! I feel like we just climbed over a major hurdle. I know there will be tons more hurdles, but we got over one!!

I used the Sharkies today and I really like them. The stick in your teeth, so it takes longer to eat them and so I don't use as many. I didn't do Gatorade with my water and I didn't have any stomach trouble. I think the Gatorade doesn't work for me.

Now if I can just not eat 2/3rds of the cookies I'm baking today, I'll be all set!

Wednesday

hey-hey it's Wednesday! That means telephone poles. But to up the challenge, I recommended sprint-jog-walk rather than sprint-walk-sprint-walk. At first the new sequence seemed easy, but after a mile and a half it wasn't so easy. We only did 3 miles, but they were some tough 3 miles! We were sweating and huffing and puffing. It didn't help that it was hot and muggy. I noticed though, our heart rates were back to normal pretty quickly after the workout was over. We're making progress!! Once finished, Meg and I felt we had a great run - so that's one week with 2 fantastic runs. I'm getting there...

Saturday and Monday

I will start with Saturday... We rested on Friday so that we could do 12 on Saturday. Those 11.5 were tough! To start with, I wasn't sure about my tummy and I was really thirsty. There is nothing like rationing water when you are out for 2.5 hours. I mapped a course and it was a little over 12. But we decided to skip running through Chestnut Creek a second time because I wasn't sure what was up with my stomach. We added an extra mile past the Y. Apparently that wasn't enough because when I went home and re-mapped, it was only 11.5. But that run was mentally hard. I didn't think I could do it and so my body must have listened to my mind!

Today though, we did 5 miles with 3-1 intervals. It was great! I loved this run. I felt envigorated when we were finished. I needed a good run to get my confidence back. It has been at least 2 weeks since we've done 5 without any problems. We ended up running the last 5 minutes straight. It took us less than an hour to do the 5 - so I was really thrilled!

Wednesday will be telephone poles with a twist... Tomorrow is weights.

telephone pole wednesday

We did telephone poles today - but only 2.8 miles worth. I'm feeling better that I did on Monday, but still not 100%. I got up extra early to eat my banana and see how I feel. I think that helped calm me down and get me mentally ready. I'm still nervous about 12 on Saturday, but Meg assured me that I am ahead of the game and will be well prepared for Nashville in April. I worry about losing ground since we've had some interruptions in the last few weeks and she said that we are fine. Ok... she's the boss!

Monday 12/1

Krystal, Meg and I were set to run 5 at 5 on Monday. We met at 5, but we only did 3.5. I ended up with some stomach issues and needed to walk the last little bit. The same thing used to happen to me previously and it's started again. I'm not sure what to do about it. I don't know if this is related to the cold I have or if it is the running. I did eat a ton of pizza the night before. But I've probably done that before too. So, I just don't know...

The turkey trot ten

I met Meg at 6 and we did ten. I had a tougher time today, but I contribute it to the Cliff bar I ate in the middle of the night. It sat like a rock in my stomach. I also did the beans and I think I prefer the gel. We went from the Y to River Road and then a little bit on Venice East. I hate the straight and back. I prefer the loops.

So while I was miserable, I will say this, running during sunrise is beautfiul. We headed east and the sky was gorgeous! We ran by some ponds and some fields. I loved the scenery!

Tomorrow? NOTHING!!

11.26

Well, today was my first day off during Thanksgiving break. Meg and I met at 5 and did telephone poles for 4.5 miles. Neither of us were going very fast! The first sprint was the tell-tale sign. She was stiff and I was just slow. I am actually sore from yesterday's workout. Didn't I say something about it not being that bad. But I did up my weights and I can tell.

Tomorrow is supposed to be 10 miles. meg wants to go from the Y to River Road. She thought that would be 10 miles roundtrip. It's not, it's only 8, so we have to add the neighborhood. I am not too excited about running all along Center Road. BORING!! But, then again, I'm never excited. What's up with that?? Maybe a marathon is not for me? Oops. I did NOT say that.

Stay tuned to hear about the Turkey Day 10...

11/25

Weights... the instructor didn't show up but we all punished either other by going on with class. I think our workout was pretty good. The pace wasn't as fast because we were constantly changing straps and such. Tomorrow it's 5 miles...

11/24

Today was supposed to be a 5 mile 3/1 kind of day. But... Meg wasn't feeling well so we ended up walking for 4 miles. We walked at a pretty good clip and I wasn't winded, but it wasn't a stroll either. I should probably run tonight, but I am pretty certain I won't. I guess it's ok to slack off once in a while! I just don't want to get out of the habit.

11/22/08 - 10.3 miles

Wow! I did 10 miles. That won't be much in a few months, but I feel like I just hit a milestone. I did it in 12 minute miles. I did intervals of 3/1 for the entire run. My muscles are hurting in my legs and shoulder blade area. Tomorrow is a rest day. Aaaahhhh... Now I just can't eat the calories I burned!

Nov 20 and 21

Yesterday I did weights through Free Motion. Apparently our instructor broke up with his girlfriend and is taking his angst out on us. Wow, did he kill us - especially the abs. We had the medicine balls. Even though I'm whining, I loved the work out. I just wanted to sit at the end and melt into the floor. It was a great workout!!

Meg ditched me today - she's definitely not feeling well, so I can't blame her. Anyway, I wimped out and only did 3 miles on the treadmill. I wasn't going to do anything at all, but I figured I probably won't hit the streets this weekend, so I better do something. I put the treadmill on a 1% incline because I read somewhere that mimics running on the street. That 1% kicked my butt. I did the 3 miles in 31 minutes - and that included a 4 minute walking warmup. Not bad for me, I guess. I just need to get out there this weekend and hit 8-10 miles. The question is... will I? Today's our 10th anniversary! Yipee... We are going to Phantom of the Opera tomorrow. I could probably get up and run in the morning, provided I get to bed a decent hour.

11/19/08 Brrrrr....

Wow, it was cold this morning! But in truth, the fear of the cold was worse than the cold. I wore my running tights, short sleeve shirt, long sleeve shirt, blue fuzzy, ear muffs, and gloves. After 3 miles, the fuzzy came off but the rest was still on. I need to get a running jacket that is warm, but not bulky. Meg's ear muffs were perfect. The coldest part of my body was the rear end! It stung from the cold. Maybe I should put shorts over the tights.

We did "telephone poles" for 4.5 miles. That's where we sprint to a pole, walk to the next, sprint to the next, etc. We usually only do 3 miles, but we felt that we needed to "kick it up a notch". I was breathing hard. Some of those poles are far apart! I noted that we have come a long way. In both speed and distance. Just imagine what we'll be saying in April!! By then, 8 miles will seem like a short day!

11/18/2008

I slept in today. I didn't have to be at the Y until 5:15. It's a weight day. The instructor had a bee under his bonnet this morning and we went pretty quickly from the start. It was a good work out, but I am still having trouble trying to figure out how much weight to use. No cardio today...

11/17/2008

Happy Birthday baby Ryan! I can't believe you are 4 years old.

Meg and I did 9 miles. It was brutal. I don't think it helped that we both ran yesterday. We tried the Jelly Bellies today. I like them better than the goo, but I didn't notice if they helped or not. I think we bit off more than we could chew doing the 9. I didn't get a very good stretch in and my legs are sore. I wonder if a better stretch would have helped?

I think I'm ready to jump to 3/1's. I haven't committed to Nashville, but I think about it all the time. I guess I better give it some prayer. After today's brutal 9, I realize that I will probably be physically ready, but the mental game will be tough. I will definitely look for a group to run with. Meg said there are Galloway tables so it shouldn't be hard to find a group.

The weather was cold - around 45. But by the end, we were running with just short sleeves. I thought 45 would be cold, but there wasn't the wind.

Today's gonna be a long day!

The goals

The short term goal? 10 miles
The mid-term goal? Grouper half marathon in Sarasota Florida
The long-term goal? Country Music marathon in Nashville

Can I do it?? Let's find out!

Today's workout - 9 miles
I felt great! I did 12 minutes of 3/1 intervals, then 12 minutes of 2/1 intervals. I ended up intervaling for 112 minutes.

I am a little sore, but it's good. I'm supposed to do 9 with Meg tomorrow. Yikes... I'm looking forward to the challenge!