Just Plodding Along

You know when life comes around and smacks you in the face and says 'hey this is not Burger King, you can not always have it your way'. In other words life has not been overly conducive to my obsessive compulsive marathon training schedule. An impromptu trip to visit family in Kentucky led to two things. 1) Outside run!!!! Look I ran outside!!!! With a photo to commemorate the occasion.  I ran there! 2) Missed long run. It was snowing. Not cool Kentucky, not cool. oh well This week I have seen a lot of this and a lot of this due to training in Chicago which equals about a three hour train commute each day. Fun but equals early, early mornings. So far I have fit in all the mileage just not in the order on the calender. The true test will be tomorrows 9 mile tempo run. Will I get up early enough to fit in 9 miles (hello 4a.m.)? Will I opt to try to split the run into two parts? Will I hit snooze and ignore the whole thing instead? Tricky, very tricky. ...

Confession: I didn't do my workout yesterday. 7 miles of hills. It went a little something like get up super early, get dressed, obtain water bottle and Ipod. Start treadmill. Run a few steps. Hit stop. Chuck off shoes. Get back in bed. My body and my mind just said no. And that bothers me. I have a training schedule. It is giant and plastered to my wall. MUST RUN ALL RUNS. But I am tired. My legs ache. I just didn't want to run. Which doesn't happen often so I am trying to listen. There was a moment or several moments when I wanted to make up the mileage today which is my rest day. But I couldn't do it. I just didn't want to run. The not running part doesn't bother me so much. I know that the runs that really matter at this point are the long runs. The time on my feet. The mind numbing and joint punishing hours of moving forward that is distance running. What bothers me is that the schedule said I was supposed to run and I didn't. But sometimes not ru...

This weekends runs were less than perfect but at least I got to be outside. Saturday was an easy three that got more complicated when I gained a buddy. A stray dog that at first I thought was trying to run up and nip at me was actually just wanting to be my friend. The dog ran with me all 2.5 miles and then tried to come home with me. After calling the PD and the vet, taking the dog to the vet to get chip scanned and coming up empty I had to relinquish the dog over to the community service officer. I felt so bad handing it over but with two dogs of my own I couldn't keep it at our house. I hope her people found her. Sunday the weather was not horrible but not great. It was 25 degrees out and cloudy so I went for it. The plan was to run a mile on the road and then hit the bike trail which is snowy so I needed to bring my yak traks with me. Well I got to the bike path and guess what was not in my hand- the yak traks. Epic fail. I decided to just go with it. 9 miles on the s...

This weekend I had to switch my runs around. On the schedule: 3 miles for Sat/ 9 for Sun. Actual: 9 miles Sat and 3 miles Sun. Due to weather- Saturday a balmy 46 degrees. Sunday- 18 degrees. Is it just me or does switching your running schedule kind of bug you? I did it to avoid another 9 mile mental test on the treadmill but after a six mile run on Friday this 9 miler was tough. But the good thing was I headed to the Forest Preserve to run on the trails. I love running on trails. Being outside and running along the river is a lot of fun. Even when it is cold, windy and slightly frozen it is still fun. The only thing that is a bit frustrating is that I have to slow down a bit. For some reason this frustrates me. I know that running on trails is harder and yet I still want to go at the same speed. I need to learn how to relax a little bit. Trail evidence The best part about the weekend trail exploration is the fact that I have found the perfect place for my long runs for mar...

okay the 8 miles at the Saguaro East Loop were not that bad but man I really struggled. Poor Erica who ran with me had to deal with my whiny, hamstring B.S. the whole way. Sorry dude. But it was really fun to run and chat with someone for a change. (It probably doesn't help that if I am walking and chatting I get distracted and forget we are supposed to be running, whoops). We ran 8 miles of death hills through the desert in 1:29 which was pretty good for me. Erica barely broke a sweat. Hmmmm maybe I need to kick the fitness up a notch. But at least I had on a cute outfit so even though it was hard I looked good which we all know is the most important aspect of running. Yay awkward bathroom photos  After running I hit up the grocery store and then felt like I was dying of hunger so swung by Einsteins for coffee and bagel thin sandwiches. Delicious.  Now the rest of the day will probably look a little like this Lazy And if anyone saw the track & field tria...

Saturday is the so I need some goals besides stay upright and don't die (though these goals may reappear when I run the Horsetooth 1/2 and the Mount Lemmon 1/2 ). As always drinking while trying to run or move forward at a rapid pace without drowning, choking or soaking anyone but myself seems like a good goal to keep. I have conquered taking a gel while running pretty well so at least I can feed myself in motion I guess. The weather currently forecasts a low of 57 and a high of 72, so potential for perfect running weather for the 7:30 a.m. though I guess it will be a little on the warmer side but I have been running around that time while training (on purpose of course not because I am too lazy to get out of bed earlier or the fact that I refuse to leave the house without sipping my cup of coffee).  I have been training hard and even doing speed work once a week the last two weeks (though today's 5 mile speed work turned into a regular run after my shines were...

thou shall not run inside on a treadmill when the weather is so awesome. Sunny, warm but not yet die of dehydration hot. With this decree I had to take the speed work workout to the street yo. Or in this case the river path. What do you mean where's the river? It is right there....during monsoon season And something magical happened I ran the same workout that I have been doing on the treadmill (1200 warm-up, 400, 800, 1200, 1200, 800, 400 with 400 rests between) ten minutes faster than I have done on the treadmill (5 miles in 49:56). Whoop. All intervals were between 8:30 and 8:40 with recovery between 9:50-10. Pretty quick for this plodder and that is with hills (baby hills) thrown in here and there. Maybe this means I am getting quicker and/or stronger. I felt pretty good the whole time, though it was getting slower towards the end. I had to write the workout on my hand so I would remember it but then I had to keep reminding myself not to wipe my face with my...

Well once again I think I am totally hot stuff because I completed a treadmill workout. I am fully aware that people run on treadmills all the time at a mileage and a speed I can't comprehend. But just let me ride my pathetic little high for awhile. It is probably easier to broker a peace agreement in the middle east than it is for me to convince myself to get my bodacious bubble butt to the gym and on the treadmill. Excuse # 1: I am tired Response: Um so is the rest of America, no one cares. Excuse #2: My legs are sore Response: They are the you have been working out hard sore, not the you are gonna break yourself sore so doesn't count. Reality check you are on a new training plan and running harder so it is gonna hurt, get over it. And stretch. Excuse #3: I don't need speedwork I am already fast. Response: That statement is so false it is funny. Excuse #4: The treadmill makes me sweaty Response: Everything makes you sweaty. Argh. So after reviewing every possib...

Last week I did pretty well sticking with my running plan for the week. Mon= 2.4 miles around the neighborhood Tues= 5 miles speedwork on the treadmill Wed= Off Thur= 6 miles easy run Fri= Off Sat= Off Sun= 13.1 miles Arizona Distance Classic Total mileage= 26.5 miles Plan for this week: Mon= swim (shake out the aches from the 1/2) Tues= thinking speedwork but if still sore might just run an easy 6 Wed= Off Thur= speedwork or 6 miles depending on Tues Fri= 3 miles Sat= 6 miles Sun= 8 miles Mileage aim= 28 miles

This morning I woke up at 5:30 to head to the gym for my speed workout.I had to be awake and presentable by 8:30 this morning and since it is still dark out until 6:30 there was no way I was fitting in a five mile speed workout on the street. That is how I found myself once again on a treadmill. And I freakin killed it. I forgot these mighty pop songs you  make everything easier so I was pretty sure the workout was going to suck the big one. I even contemplated turning around and driving home to get them but then would have had to cut my run short so........I just sucked it up. It is always funny to workout at the university gym. Girls with tons of makeup on and color coordinated outfits. Guys in tight tees doing random crossfit moves in the corner. And then there is me. No makeup, crazy hair, raggedy t-shirt sweating buckets, plodding and wheezing in the corner on the treadmill. Just keeping it real I guess. Hey young people....this is your future. Back to my treadmi...

Run Tuesday: 6 miles in 1:01 Run Thursday: 6 miles in 1:02 Leg feels better with new shoe inserts whoohooo. I need to pay more attention to the mileage on my shoes and inserts. So happy to be running again. Today I tried to set up an Adsense account for the blog. I don't quite understand how it works (too many words, so lazy) but from what I read it appears if someone clicks on an ad on your sight you get paid some amount of money. Seems like a win to me. I don't expect more than a check for 30 cents every six months but every little bit helps this 'starving' (so not starving) graduate student or more likely helps to fund the next half marathon. So if the selling out offends any of my 12 readers I apologize and as always am open to donations to fund future half marathons/ purchasing of running gear. Or if it is to your liking, click on an ad when they are up so I can start rolling around in the dough coming in from all the advertising profits. I kind of have this dr...

I have been taking some time off of running and doing lots of cross training. My calf and hips have been feeling better the last few days after hours of stretching and strengthening exercises so I thought I would try to run. My first thought, because I am dumb, was that I should go between 4 to 6 miles. Because every knows when you are coming back from an injury or potential injury on the way the first thing you should try to do is re-injure yourself with a longer run. But luckily because I was trying to run on a treadmill I was not able to achieve this bout of stupidity. Because treadmills suck. Mightily. I ran two miles (pain free) and in the twenty minutes it took me to achieve that I sweated through my shirt, contemplated jumping off a zillion times and then almost flew off when I stopped paying attention for twenty seconds. Why is the treadmill so hard? My thinking was that I would do my next couple of runs on the treadmill since they are more cushy and I have mor...

Six mile run this morning. Threw back some coffee (oh coffee how I love you) and some cliff bar chewy things (official name there) and headed out. And then I ran. Surprisingly fast. Mile 1 9:58.0 Mile 2 9:45.1 Mile 3 10:01.7 Mile 4 9:47.0 Mile 5 9:57.1 Mile 6 9:42.6 6 miles in 59:15 woot ALMOST ALL IN THE 9s. FREAKIN AWESOME. For someone who is used to seeing mile times starting with 10:XX, 11:XX and 12:XX to see a nine repeatedly is just weird. In a good way. Happy Dance Now I must confess. I ran three miles. Took a quick walk/ water break and then ran the last three miles (truth comes out). But considering the last two miles were uphill some of the way that is still pretty good. Since running fairly well at the last half my new goal is to step up my game. It is a three part plan  run faster more consistently Try to keep my form and pace when I get tired   Run my long runs with the second half faster than the first since I tend...

Nine pounds away from glitter shoes ......you will be mine (whaaahaaaa evil laughter). In other news  Just a Colorado Gal  is having her first giveaway so check it out! I know I like free stuff and giveaways so betting everyone else does too. This morning I ran 8 miles. I decided to try out my new running shorts because I am slow and thought wearing shorts when it is 35 degrees out would be fine. On the plus side I did look fairly decent and less homeless for once. I work a long sleeve pink tech shirt that matched my new running shoes and black shorts. Pretty coordinated for me. But my legs were numb for the first four miles. This did result in the first mile being under 10 minutes. I had to recover from a mini-heart attack after about a mile at a stop light. That is when I realized things were getting out of hand. Unfortunately when I started to feel my legs they said NO. The first four numb miles were fine and the last four miles were slow tort...

...of dawn is when I got up this morning to go running. 4:45 a.m. Since it is so dark out now I have to drive over to the lighted park so I don't fall into a hole and kill myself (actually lighting doesn't prevent this only makes it slightly less likely. I broke my foot stepping off a stair wrong in high school. I am not the most graceful or coordinated swan). The park is nice- three mile loop, next to a police station with other runners and walkers as crazy as I am so I feel pretty safe plodding along when it is pitch black out and normal people are still curled up in their cozy beds. I wore my new shoes always takes awhile to get comfortable. But since my knees were a little achy after my Wednesday run of awesome I thought it might be time to start rotating the new ones in and using the old for short distances. My run was kind of blah. I just felt off the whole time. It is funny how some days are awesome and some not so much. Not sleeping well last night might have some...

I headed out this morning intending to run 4 miles but instead ran 8. That rarely ever happens. But it was such a nice day out I just wanted to keep going. I felt like Mr. Happy I am hoping this means that I am getting stronger as a runner.  October in Review: I ran 73 miles in October 1 half marathon 6 hour long swims Longest run: 12 miles Shortest run: 2 miles 2 days of weight lifting= fail Goals for November: Lift weights twice a week Complete the Shun the Sun 1/2 Do more stretching Run 80 miles 

In preparation for the Mount Lemmon half I decided that a few training runs up the mountain would be in my best interest. So this morning I gathered up my road crew and we hit the road. What did our wedding vows not include early morning ridiculousness...   Look at my awesome fluorescent shirt so I won't get run over on the mountain- safety first   I was a little more excited than D (probably something about me waking him up at 6am to chauffeur my butt up a mountain only to have to sit around for almost two hours as I puffed it up the mountain and then having to sit with my sweaty self while I complained about feeling car sick on the way down, in my defense I did take him out to breakfast after, choc chip banana pancakes for me, b-fast burrito for him).  Isn't marriage grand! Thank you hubby! After D tossed me out of the car at Windy Point I huffed and puffed and walked ( a lot) 7.3 miles uphill (yes uphill the whole way). ELEVATIO...