Yay! Here's for more summer races. In the heat. And in the rain.
On Saturday night, I ran the Lakewood Summer Meltdown 5K in my neighborhood. It was part of the Lakewood Streetwalk (which sounds weird, but was pretty much just a street fair. Get your head out of the gutter!), and for once it didn't start and end at Lakewood Park!
I'm always torn about night races. On one hand, I love them because a) they're different; b) you can eat and hydrate plenty throughout the day and don't have to worry about all the morning rushing to eat and drink; and c) the sun isn't beating down on you. On the other hand, I dislike them because you're waiting the entire day to do it, and you get tired by the time it's supposed to happen. At least, that's what happened to me.
Add that to the fact that it was ridiculously hot this whole week, and that I was feeling like I wouldn't do so well at the race. But I went anyway, and I'm so glad I did!
I left our place at around 6:35 and walk/jogged there as a warmup. The clouds were forming and I heard thunder. Right after I got my bib (but no t-shirt; apparently they were out. What?! And I had pre-registered!), the sky finally said "I give up" and it started pouring. I hid under an awning at Panera because I didn't want to get soaked before I started running (my thoughts were more about chafing and wet socks than about being cold or uncomfortable -- believe me, the latter would have been impossible!).
Finally, we were off, and I remember laughing pretty hard during the first half mile or so. We started downhill on Belle Avenue towards Clifton, and then we stayed on Clifton for a good mile or so. We even passed by my house!
Shortly after the 1st mile marker (which by the way was 10:34 according to my watch!), we heard the horns and we saw the fastest runners coming back towards us. I always love that part. This time, I didn't shout out to them or clap, because I wanted to conserve my energy, but I sent out positive vibes, especially to the first female runner I saw!
We did a bunch of turns, and I was pretty happy with how I was pacing myself. I had the same few people in sight that I tried to pass, and I succeeded in some cases. Overall, I kept thinking about the fact that I wasn't really that tired, and that even though I wanted to walk, I didn't have to. I passed mile 2 and that split was 11:45.
The last mile wasn't really that bad, despite the ridiculously long block we had to come back up (Belle again, this time towards Detroit) and the biatch of a hill at the very end. There was someone on my tail, who said, "One more minute, or I'm finishing without you!" (Or she might have said "I'm not finishing without you," but that would be way too nice. Haha!) She gave me the motivation to keep pushing and not walk, which I really really wanted to do by this point. (I did take a short walking break for water nearing mile 2). Mile 3 read as 11:46, and then as I ran through the chute, I saw 34:xx but I forgot to stop my watch so it came out as 35:04 when I did click it. (Annoyance: the Hermes Cleveland site still doesn't have results up, nor does it have them for the Fairview Park one I did last weekend!)
[Edited to add: The results were in fact posted this afternoon. My official time was 34:56, or 11:14/mile.]
Well, even if I do go by 35:04, that's still better than the last two 5Ks I did, and better than my first one ever. Feeling good about stuff! Gonna get that time back down if it takes all year. ;)
My only other beef with this race? They ran out of water at the finish. What!?! How many people were they expecting, and how many actually ran? Did non-runners take water? Did runners take more than one? I was kind of pissed off. At least they had watermelon, and I went into Panera where they nicely let me have a cup of their water, but still, that's never happened to me before.
But all and all, a very good time, a fun race, and a nice cooldown jog home!
Showing posts with label racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label racing. Show all posts
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
All's Fair(view) in Running and Eating
Surprise! I ran a race yesterday. Actually, it was sort of a surprise to me as well.
We just got back on Saturday night from a week at the Jersey Shore (Beach Haven). I ran three times when I was there, and I was thinking I might want to try and find a race this weekend.
I really wanted to do the Winking Lizard Shot in the Dark 4-miler on Saturday night, but we were still on our way back when that one started. So I looked at my good ol' Running in the USA site, and found out that there was a race in Fairview Park on the 17th: The Fairview Youth Association Run for Fun 5K.
I have been extremely lucky, by the way, that the baby has been sleeping through the night. It just makes things like working out and, oh, I don't know, staying awake long enough to eat cereal, that much more bearable. So she got up at 6:40 and after I tended to her, I got ready to go. I got to Bohlken Park, where the race was held, at around 7:50 (start time of 8:30). Registration was painless, got my bib and was good to go! No chip timing for this race. You know what that means! It's so small that I just may come in dead last!!!!
After a little speech welcoming us and thanking us for running the (2nd!!!) annual race, we were off. I thought of NYRR's Mary Wittenberg, and how she needed to use a microphone for all the runners to hear her announcments and speeches before races in Central Park. This was so different, but cool!
I started off a bit faster than I thought I could handle, but was still getting passed left and right. Whatever! Oh, I should also mention that it was hot as balls and even though I was probably in better shape than when I did my last race in April, the heat was stifling so I had very few expectations for this race as far as time was concerned.
The first mile passed by really quickly. I was relieved, because I was sort of having a hard time already. There were no volunteers calling out the elapsed time, and I'd forgotten my watch, so I really had no clue what we were looking at here in terms of my speed. However, a volunteer standing about a tenth of a mile past the first mile marker shouted out, "You're not last!" as I ran by. Gee, thanks. Do you think that really makes me feel confident? How about "Looking good!" or something!!!?!?!
The second mile did not pass by as quickly, but at least I had the water stop to look forward to halfway between these miles. I took two cups, and poured one down my back (I learned the hard way a few years ago not to pour it on the top of your head or on your face unless you want to become temporarily blinded by your sweat stinging your eyes!!!).
Now here's where I began to pass some people. My motto, if you can call it that, is "I won't get passed again" (which of course always makes that Who song get stuck in my head for a chunk of a race when I think about it). In other words, if I pass you, I'm going to make it my mini-goal for the rest of the race not to get passed back. This doesn't always work, but if I can get a good enough lead, it sometimes does. I even psych people out on occasion by surging forward long enough for me to lose them (or better yet, to turn a corner or something) making it mentally harder on them to catch up because I "have so much energy." (Yeah right! It's all an act, and the whole time I do this I'm praying that you don't take the bait and run faster to catch up.) Well anyway, yesterday I passed three people (four, if you count this one guy who was running with his daughter), and I didn't get passed by them again! I consider that small feat an accomplishment, especially considering I could feel the heat emanating from my body. Note to self: SLEEVELESS SHIRTS FOR SUMMER RACES. Duh! I'd put on my black (of all colors) River Run technical tee from 2009.
Anyway. The end of a race is always like running through a fog for me. But at least it propels me forward. People clapping from their front stoops, watering their lawns. A nice guy who set out a cooler and fashioned an unofficial water stop in the third mile. And the volunteers who kept shouting, "Less than half a mile to go!"
I reached the entrance to the park (which I kind of assumed was mile 3) at 35:50 -- this is what the guy with the watch told me. Then I just had a little ways to go. I had to rip off the bottom of my bib in order for them to get my time, which, based on the time I entered the park as well as my fuzzy memory of the clock, was 36:xx. Not bad for a scorcher and only my second race since getting back down to business.
So here are some goals for racing:
-Train and run for River Run half marathon on September 11 (already registered). I'm sort of stuck at this 3-3.5 mile zone for my runs, and I'm looking forward to getting some long runs in again!!!
-Slowly bring my 5K time back down to the low 30s by the fall/winter...and then hopefully back to 28:xx by the time I consider myself really "in shape" ;)
-Much more important than both of these: LEARN TO ENJOY RUNNING AGAIN. It's been so long since I've done it with any consistency that I'm feeling kind of down about it. I've been going out more, and doing it, but it's taking awhile not to feel slow and sluggish and just...tired!!
In other news....
-We moved from Tremont to Lakewood! That's partially why I haven't blogged in awhile. No internet for about two weeks, then we went on vacation. So that's that. So far, I am loving the new apartment and the new neighborhood.
Oh, and speaking of Tremont -- went to the Taste of Tremont yesterday, for the first time as a non-resident ... um, not sure I'll ever do that again! Parking was a nightmare. And it was so hot. Ugh, I guess I'm just getting old! But I sure did take advantage of burning some extra calories to indulge in some of the treats there.
We just got back on Saturday night from a week at the Jersey Shore (Beach Haven). I ran three times when I was there, and I was thinking I might want to try and find a race this weekend.
I really wanted to do the Winking Lizard Shot in the Dark 4-miler on Saturday night, but we were still on our way back when that one started. So I looked at my good ol' Running in the USA site, and found out that there was a race in Fairview Park on the 17th: The Fairview Youth Association Run for Fun 5K.
I have been extremely lucky, by the way, that the baby has been sleeping through the night. It just makes things like working out and, oh, I don't know, staying awake long enough to eat cereal, that much more bearable. So she got up at 6:40 and after I tended to her, I got ready to go. I got to Bohlken Park, where the race was held, at around 7:50 (start time of 8:30). Registration was painless, got my bib and was good to go! No chip timing for this race. You know what that means! It's so small that I just may come in dead last!!!!
After a little speech welcoming us and thanking us for running the (2nd!!!) annual race, we were off. I thought of NYRR's Mary Wittenberg, and how she needed to use a microphone for all the runners to hear her announcments and speeches before races in Central Park. This was so different, but cool!
I started off a bit faster than I thought I could handle, but was still getting passed left and right. Whatever! Oh, I should also mention that it was hot as balls and even though I was probably in better shape than when I did my last race in April, the heat was stifling so I had very few expectations for this race as far as time was concerned.
The first mile passed by really quickly. I was relieved, because I was sort of having a hard time already. There were no volunteers calling out the elapsed time, and I'd forgotten my watch, so I really had no clue what we were looking at here in terms of my speed. However, a volunteer standing about a tenth of a mile past the first mile marker shouted out, "You're not last!" as I ran by. Gee, thanks. Do you think that really makes me feel confident? How about "Looking good!" or something!!!?!?!
The second mile did not pass by as quickly, but at least I had the water stop to look forward to halfway between these miles. I took two cups, and poured one down my back (I learned the hard way a few years ago not to pour it on the top of your head or on your face unless you want to become temporarily blinded by your sweat stinging your eyes!!!).
Now here's where I began to pass some people. My motto, if you can call it that, is "I won't get passed again" (which of course always makes that Who song get stuck in my head for a chunk of a race when I think about it). In other words, if I pass you, I'm going to make it my mini-goal for the rest of the race not to get passed back. This doesn't always work, but if I can get a good enough lead, it sometimes does. I even psych people out on occasion by surging forward long enough for me to lose them (or better yet, to turn a corner or something) making it mentally harder on them to catch up because I "have so much energy." (Yeah right! It's all an act, and the whole time I do this I'm praying that you don't take the bait and run faster to catch up.) Well anyway, yesterday I passed three people (four, if you count this one guy who was running with his daughter), and I didn't get passed by them again! I consider that small feat an accomplishment, especially considering I could feel the heat emanating from my body. Note to self: SLEEVELESS SHIRTS FOR SUMMER RACES. Duh! I'd put on my black (of all colors) River Run technical tee from 2009.
Anyway. The end of a race is always like running through a fog for me. But at least it propels me forward. People clapping from their front stoops, watering their lawns. A nice guy who set out a cooler and fashioned an unofficial water stop in the third mile. And the volunteers who kept shouting, "Less than half a mile to go!"
I reached the entrance to the park (which I kind of assumed was mile 3) at 35:50 -- this is what the guy with the watch told me. Then I just had a little ways to go. I had to rip off the bottom of my bib in order for them to get my time, which, based on the time I entered the park as well as my fuzzy memory of the clock, was 36:xx. Not bad for a scorcher and only my second race since getting back down to business.
So here are some goals for racing:
-Train and run for River Run half marathon on September 11 (already registered). I'm sort of stuck at this 3-3.5 mile zone for my runs, and I'm looking forward to getting some long runs in again!!!
-Slowly bring my 5K time back down to the low 30s by the fall/winter...and then hopefully back to 28:xx by the time I consider myself really "in shape" ;)
-Much more important than both of these: LEARN TO ENJOY RUNNING AGAIN. It's been so long since I've done it with any consistency that I'm feeling kind of down about it. I've been going out more, and doing it, but it's taking awhile not to feel slow and sluggish and just...tired!!
In other news....
-We moved from Tremont to Lakewood! That's partially why I haven't blogged in awhile. No internet for about two weeks, then we went on vacation. So that's that. So far, I am loving the new apartment and the new neighborhood.
Oh, and speaking of Tremont -- went to the Taste of Tremont yesterday, for the first time as a non-resident ... um, not sure I'll ever do that again! Parking was a nightmare. And it was so hot. Ugh, I guess I'm just getting old! But I sure did take advantage of burning some extra calories to indulge in some of the treats there.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Proud to be an Athena
Ok, kids! Time for a race recap.
As I've mentioned about a jazillion times, I ran the Jog Into Spring 5K yesterday. Here's how it went:
It was a new experience being a mom and running a race. Just the little things that you take for granted (like being able to go to bed "early," for example, or waking up and doing your pre-race routine, get thrown for a loop when you have to tend to a little person). Luckily, Derek was there for support just in case it turned out to be a poor sleeping night for Lorelei. It wasn't really that bad, but she did get up at around 5 am. By the time I was done feeding, burping, and changing her, it was 5:45. My alarm was set to go off at 6:45, and I tried to go back to sleep, but after a little while, I thought: If I fall back asleep now, there is NO WAY I'm going to feel ok in only one hour. I'm going to be miserable, cranky, and groggy, and I'll probably snooze my alarm and then have to rush and feel panicked.
So, instead, I just took a hot shower, made some coffee, and had a leisurely breakfast. Then, in about an hour, Derek woke up, and we got ready together. We timed it pretty well, and Lorelei got up at around 7:30 for the day, so I fed her and we were ready to go by around 8.
We got to the Independence Civic Center by 8:20 or so, and I got all my race-day stuff. It felt so good to pin on a bib again! And I almost forgot how to attach the D-tag. Ha ha.
It was a bit chilly (like around 40 or 45 degrees), but I knew with a little warm-up, it would be fine, and I always appreciate that kind of weather for running (for me, 60 is already too hot!). Derek walked Lorelei around in the stroller while I did some jogging around. I was still feeling a bit sick (no voice, cough), so I knew I wasn't going to push it. (I did make sure I could breathe deeply, and I could -- there was no mucus in my lungs or anything.) I was still happy I was racing.
As I was getting ready to start, I saw my mom and Jack, who were waiting there, and my mom got this picture of me:
As I've mentioned about a jazillion times, I ran the Jog Into Spring 5K yesterday. Here's how it went:
It was a new experience being a mom and running a race. Just the little things that you take for granted (like being able to go to bed "early," for example, or waking up and doing your pre-race routine, get thrown for a loop when you have to tend to a little person). Luckily, Derek was there for support just in case it turned out to be a poor sleeping night for Lorelei. It wasn't really that bad, but she did get up at around 5 am. By the time I was done feeding, burping, and changing her, it was 5:45. My alarm was set to go off at 6:45, and I tried to go back to sleep, but after a little while, I thought: If I fall back asleep now, there is NO WAY I'm going to feel ok in only one hour. I'm going to be miserable, cranky, and groggy, and I'll probably snooze my alarm and then have to rush and feel panicked.
So, instead, I just took a hot shower, made some coffee, and had a leisurely breakfast. Then, in about an hour, Derek woke up, and we got ready together. We timed it pretty well, and Lorelei got up at around 7:30 for the day, so I fed her and we were ready to go by around 8.
We got to the Independence Civic Center by 8:20 or so, and I got all my race-day stuff. It felt so good to pin on a bib again! And I almost forgot how to attach the D-tag. Ha ha.
It was a bit chilly (like around 40 or 45 degrees), but I knew with a little warm-up, it would be fine, and I always appreciate that kind of weather for running (for me, 60 is already too hot!). Derek walked Lorelei around in the stroller while I did some jogging around. I was still feeling a bit sick (no voice, cough), so I knew I wasn't going to push it. (I did make sure I could breathe deeply, and I could -- there was no mucus in my lungs or anything.) I was still happy I was racing.
As I was getting ready to start, I saw my mom and Jack, who were waiting there, and my mom got this picture of me:
I was excited, but also a bit nervous. What if I couldn't finish? What if I came in last? It's funny to have these fears after having raced so much. But still, it had been a long time, and what if I was rusty?
We started off with a little jingly bell, which was funny. Shortly after we began running, I realized two things: 1) this course was kind of hilly and 2) this course was SUPER boring! Ack! All school buildings, convention center circumferences, and the like. Oh well.
For the first mile, I really had to keep talking to myself: Don't worry if people are passing you; just let them go. Don't worry if you feel tired; you're still warming up. Don't worry if you have to walk; you're only human. And so on! Oh, and I didn't wear a watch this time, but as I passed mile one the woman keeping time said, "11:04." Ok! Much better than I thought. Based on my "training" for this race (or lack thereof), I was expecting more like 12:xx or even 13:xx.
During the second mile, this older guy caught up to me, and we exchanged hellos and "good job"s. It turns out that he hadn't been racing since '09 either, and that Renee Roche (who this race is dedicated to) was a relative. That gave me a little more motivation to keep going. It's always good to find someone really close to the cause to send the message home: I can run. I can keep going. Some people aren't as lucky.
We did run through a fairly nice (and again, hilly!) residential section during the second mile, as well as a water station (thank god), during which I walked to drink. But that was the only time I walked! Yay! At the second mile, my time was 23 minutes. So just under a 12-minute mile.
The third mile was ok. It wasn't as bad as it usually is. It was a sort of modified out-and-back course, so I started recognizing things, and the end went fairly quickly. Right at the 3-mile mark, a stroller mom passed me (dammit! How on earth do they race with those things?!), but I kicked it into high, or maybe medium-high, gear. The clock read 35:50 with about 100 yards to go. I tried to make it under 36:00, but it didn't happen! Oh well!
But the online official time was actually 35:53, due to the good ol' 10-second delayed start or what have you. So that made the last mile around 12 again, and the last .12 around a minute. Not bad! That made my pace for this race 11:38/mile.
I am really satisfied with this. Based on how I was feeling leading up to this race, and the wild card of no sleep, I would have expected a time closer to 40 minutes. This 5K time was just about a minute slower than my first 5k ever, during which time I was admittedly in much better shape (although inexperienced at racing). I am very confident that I can get my time back down in the low 30s by the fall. (Hello goals!)
 |
| Me, Derek, and Lorelei after the race |
Also, I hadn't mentioned this before, but I entered into the Athena (150 lbs. +) division for women. Did I place? Wellll... I got fourth. Out of five. HAHA! But still, I was super proud to enter into that division. To me, "Athena" doesn't say "overweight" or "lumbering." It says "powerful," "strong," and, at least for me, "determined."
So all in all, it was a good race, and a great birthday present to myself. And I'll consider this a PRPB (PR Post-Baby!).
Hope everyone else had a great Saturday!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Birthday Race
I did it! I finished my first 5K since December 2009!!
Official time: 35:53 / 11:38 pace
More details to follow!
Official time: 35:53 / 11:38 pace
More details to follow!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Not just a cookie anymore
Yay! I finally spent some time yesterday using Picasa to create a collage of special things/moments/people in my life to put as the new image on my blog. I'm really happy with it!!!
Yesterday, I was supposed to have a "mom's night out" with this meetup group I've joined. We were going to go to Shinto's steakhouse in Strongsville and I was gonna have sushi and a (strong) drink. But I got only ten minutes out of the neighborhood and I could hardly see in front of me (it had started snowing earlier in the afternoon) so I had to turn around and go back! BOO!
Well, that's ok, because I treated myself to a Left Hand Milk Stout at Edison's Pub in Tremont, while awaiting the delicious pizza I decided to pick up for me and Derek. Watching the snow was very relaxing (and of course the beer helped too!).
Tonight, I've got a yelp elite event at Visible Voice Books here in the neighborhood, so it looks like I will get some time to myself after all. And Derek's home today, so...perhaps a run? We'll see. Only nine days 'til my race ... YIKES!
Yesterday, I was supposed to have a "mom's night out" with this meetup group I've joined. We were going to go to Shinto's steakhouse in Strongsville and I was gonna have sushi and a (strong) drink. But I got only ten minutes out of the neighborhood and I could hardly see in front of me (it had started snowing earlier in the afternoon) so I had to turn around and go back! BOO!
Well, that's ok, because I treated myself to a Left Hand Milk Stout at Edison's Pub in Tremont, while awaiting the delicious pizza I decided to pick up for me and Derek. Watching the snow was very relaxing (and of course the beer helped too!).
Tonight, I've got a yelp elite event at Visible Voice Books here in the neighborhood, so it looks like I will get some time to myself after all. And Derek's home today, so...perhaps a run? We'll see. Only nine days 'til my race ... YIKES!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Your registration is complete
Hell yeah, bitches! First registration since December 2009. Wow, that's scary.
Registration Steps:
1. Registration Options2. Accept Waiver3. Complete Form4. Submit Payment5. Print Receipt
Print
Your registration is complete!
You will receive an email in the next few minutes confirming your registration.
Purchased at: March 17, 2011 08:06 PM
Event Confirmation #: 26153143-031711200629
Want some company? Invite a friend to participate!
Event Name: 9th Annual "Jog Into Spring"
Date & Time: April 09, 2011 09:00 AM
Location: Independence Civic Center
(map)
Click here to print a copy of your waiver.
Click here to print your receipt.
Seek and share advice with other runners--Connect in our Discussion Forums
Important Information Regarding Your Registration:
You may still pick up your packet the morning of the race beginning at 8:00 AM at:
Independence Civic Center
6363 Selig Road
Registration Steps:
1. Registration Options2. Accept Waiver3. Complete Form4. Submit Payment5. Print Receipt
Your registration is complete!
You will receive an email in the next few minutes confirming your registration.
Purchased at: March 17, 2011 08:06 PM
Event Confirmation #: 26153143-031711200629
Want some company? Invite a friend to participate!
Event Name: 9th Annual "Jog Into Spring"
Date & Time: April 09, 2011 09:00 AM
Location: Independence Civic Center
(map)
Click here to print a copy of your waiver.
Click here to print your receipt.
Seek and share advice with other runners--Connect in our Discussion Forums
Important Information Regarding Your Registration:
You may still pick up your packet the morning of the race beginning at 8:00 AM at:
Independence Civic Center
6363 Selig Road
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Yet another race I'm not doing
Can I vent?
I know that in my last post I was really excited because I have a plan to run a 5K on my birthday.
But, a few days ago, I came up with the plan that I was going to "spontaneously" run this quick 2-mile race this morning nearby (the St. Malachi run). I was really excited, thinking that this is what I need, and it'll be great.
Well, it snowed about a foot yesterday.
But then it stopped, and warmed up. Most of the snow was cleared away, and I thought, "Ok, I'll still do it." (Not registered yet)
I even talked Derek into driving with me early enough to register ...
Until last night was HORRIBLE and Lorelei kept us up for like 2 hours in the middle of the night screaming. Ugh! This morning, I could not even get out of bed. Not to mention the fact that I didn't want to wake her to nurse after she had slept so horribly.
For the first time, I resorted to putting headphones on and blasting music super-loud (thank you Alexi Murdoch and Adele) so I wouldn't have to hear her screaming. Derek was soothing her during this time, but she was just too upset. And she had already eaten, so I don't know what's up with that. (She's teething, which sucks, but the doctor said she doesn't like to blame sleeplessness on teething. I don't know if that's right.) And the whole time I was lying there, trying not to feel selfish or resentful, but I did. I know, right?
Confession! I still think about myself. I want to do things that make me happy, and I feel that now, I just can't. It doesn't mean that I don't love my baby, but I am feeling like I will never be able to race again, because I cannot get a good night's sleep. EVER.
So, yeah, no race this morning, and I'm really bummed about it. Sorry to be depressing today, but I am so sad.
At least it's sunny out, so I think I'll try to get out there later today.
I know that in my last post I was really excited because I have a plan to run a 5K on my birthday.
But, a few days ago, I came up with the plan that I was going to "spontaneously" run this quick 2-mile race this morning nearby (the St. Malachi run). I was really excited, thinking that this is what I need, and it'll be great.
Well, it snowed about a foot yesterday.
But then it stopped, and warmed up. Most of the snow was cleared away, and I thought, "Ok, I'll still do it." (Not registered yet)
I even talked Derek into driving with me early enough to register ...
Until last night was HORRIBLE and Lorelei kept us up for like 2 hours in the middle of the night screaming. Ugh! This morning, I could not even get out of bed. Not to mention the fact that I didn't want to wake her to nurse after she had slept so horribly.
For the first time, I resorted to putting headphones on and blasting music super-loud (thank you Alexi Murdoch and Adele) so I wouldn't have to hear her screaming. Derek was soothing her during this time, but she was just too upset. And she had already eaten, so I don't know what's up with that. (She's teething, which sucks, but the doctor said she doesn't like to blame sleeplessness on teething. I don't know if that's right.) And the whole time I was lying there, trying not to feel selfish or resentful, but I did. I know, right?
Confession! I still think about myself. I want to do things that make me happy, and I feel that now, I just can't. It doesn't mean that I don't love my baby, but I am feeling like I will never be able to race again, because I cannot get a good night's sleep. EVER.
So, yeah, no race this morning, and I'm really bummed about it. Sorry to be depressing today, but I am so sad.
At least it's sunny out, so I think I'll try to get out there later today.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Birthday 5K
Thanks to those who voted/commented on the 5K poll. I've made a decision! (Well, sorta.)
I subscribe to Active.com's newsletter, and the most recent one showed not one, but two races in Cleveland on April 9 (my birthday). So I thought, what better birthday present to give to myself than a 5K race?!!?
This gives me just about a month to "train," i.e., to run when I can and just hopefully gain a bit of fitness so that I can finish without passing out. (Yes, mom, if I really do feel like I'm going to pass out, I will walk. Duh.)
So now, the only decision left is which one to register for? Here are the choices:
1. Run For Your Life!
I subscribe to Active.com's newsletter, and the most recent one showed not one, but two races in Cleveland on April 9 (my birthday). So I thought, what better birthday present to give to myself than a 5K race?!!?
This gives me just about a month to "train," i.e., to run when I can and just hopefully gain a bit of fitness so that I can finish without passing out. (Yes, mom, if I really do feel like I'm going to pass out, I will walk. Duh.)
So now, the only decision left is which one to register for? Here are the choices:
1. Run For Your Life!
- Berea, OH
- 9:00 am
- $15 in advance, $18 on race day
- Promoting increased physical activity for children
- Also has 1 mile walk
- Independence, OH
- 9:00 am
- $15 in advance, $20 on race day
- Renee Roche memorial race
These both seem like they support a really great cause. My favorite half-marathon ever, the Cleveland Clinic River Run, starts in Berea, and it's really beautiful. I guess the only downside is that it's a bit far away (like maybe 20-30 minutes to drive there). Jog Into Spring is good because it's in Independence, which is right near where Derek works and we know how to get there easily (race-day worries are annoying, especially when you don't really know the area well). Looking at the course maps of both of these races, I'm pretty sure Run For Your Life is probably more scenic, but which could also mean more hills. Also, this race has a 1-mile fun walk, which Derek could do with Lorelei.
Hmmm, decisions, decisions!
In any case, I'm so glad to have a plan now. Maybe Lorelei's pediatrician will give us the OK to start using the jogging stroller soon, and I can take her out for a spin sooner than later.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Poll: How Should I Handle My "First" 5K?
Ok. This is getting ridiculous.
I need to run!!!
I was actually going to go today. I really was. But it hailed and snowed last night. So, after about a week of no snow (and just, oh, you know, massive flooding in the area), there's snow again. Dammit.
But I am really feeling hopeful because it's March, which just sounds ten thousand times better than February. And as I was reading Steel Springs' blog the other day, she wished everyone racing good luck. And I was like, "Huh. Remember when I used to race practically every weekend? What happened to that?!"
I mean, I know what happened, but still...
So I am gearing up towards running a 5K. I've had this in the works for a long time now, actually since before I gave birth. Make fun of me if you want! But towards the end of my pregnancy, I was seriously going, "Ok, I'll probably need to take six weeks off, so that's November-ish, so then December-January...I can probably race again in January or February!" Yeah, right. Even if I had the ability to train, even if the weather was great, even if I weren't tired out of my MIND ... etc.
So I keep stalling, and that's making me feel very bad. Not "bad about myself," like I should be doing more, but just ... not like myself, if that makes any sense. I need to be racing. It's a part of me that's missing.
Which brings me to this poll I referenced in the title: How should I go about this 5K? Should I diligently train and try to "race" it? Should I train a bit and then just try to run the whole thing? Or should I keep training to a minimum and then just try to finish it? Ha ha.
Vote please! (I guess I'll figure out how to put a poll up here somehow). And leave your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to hear what you think.
I need to run!!!
I was actually going to go today. I really was. But it hailed and snowed last night. So, after about a week of no snow (and just, oh, you know, massive flooding in the area), there's snow again. Dammit.
But I am really feeling hopeful because it's March, which just sounds ten thousand times better than February. And as I was reading Steel Springs' blog the other day, she wished everyone racing good luck. And I was like, "Huh. Remember when I used to race practically every weekend? What happened to that?!"
I mean, I know what happened, but still...
So I am gearing up towards running a 5K. I've had this in the works for a long time now, actually since before I gave birth. Make fun of me if you want! But towards the end of my pregnancy, I was seriously going, "Ok, I'll probably need to take six weeks off, so that's November-ish, so then December-January...I can probably race again in January or February!" Yeah, right. Even if I had the ability to train, even if the weather was great, even if I weren't tired out of my MIND ... etc.
So I keep stalling, and that's making me feel very bad. Not "bad about myself," like I should be doing more, but just ... not like myself, if that makes any sense. I need to be racing. It's a part of me that's missing.
Which brings me to this poll I referenced in the title: How should I go about this 5K? Should I diligently train and try to "race" it? Should I train a bit and then just try to run the whole thing? Or should I keep training to a minimum and then just try to finish it? Ha ha.
Vote please! (I guess I'll figure out how to put a poll up here somehow). And leave your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to hear what you think.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Choosing Not to Lose
So, I am currently watching the season premiere of The Biggest Loser (DVRed) from Tuesday night, and I was rather shocked when I watched contestants in Portland, OR compete in a one-mile race and this happened:
For anyone who saw this, how did you feel about Tina pushing past Corey for the final spot? One one hand, I know she was just trying to help herself, and she felt that coming in second place, and thus guaranteeing her entry onto the ranch, would help save her life. On the other hand, is there no compassion and sportsmanship even in a competition? I'm pretty sure if she and her crew would have stopped and tried to help Corey up, and then continued on, she still could have made it (Corey was in no way running any more after his second spill).
It made me think about this little clip in this past Runner's World (from the "What it takes to.." section) which talks about a woman who was aiming to win a race, and saw one runner ahead of her about to cross the finish line. When the woman in the lead collapsed suddenly, the other runner didn't just ignore that and run past to victory. Instead, she stopped, helped the other runner up, and they crossed the finish line together. (Can't find the story online, but it was in the October '10 issue I think.)
I know that personal gains are important in competitions, whether for weight loss or for PRs. But I couldn't just turn my head like that if someone were in trouble. Thoughts?
Burgandy is first to finish. Tina passes Corey, who falls down after pushing himself too hard. It was painful watching Corey fall for everyone except Team Tina, who was like "yay!"
 |
| Photo courtesy of media.oregonlive.com |
For anyone who saw this, how did you feel about Tina pushing past Corey for the final spot? One one hand, I know she was just trying to help herself, and she felt that coming in second place, and thus guaranteeing her entry onto the ranch, would help save her life. On the other hand, is there no compassion and sportsmanship even in a competition? I'm pretty sure if she and her crew would have stopped and tried to help Corey up, and then continued on, she still could have made it (Corey was in no way running any more after his second spill).
It made me think about this little clip in this past Runner's World (from the "What it takes to.." section) which talks about a woman who was aiming to win a race, and saw one runner ahead of her about to cross the finish line. When the woman in the lead collapsed suddenly, the other runner didn't just ignore that and run past to victory. Instead, she stopped, helped the other runner up, and they crossed the finish line together. (Can't find the story online, but it was in the October '10 issue I think.)
I know that personal gains are important in competitions, whether for weight loss or for PRs. But I couldn't just turn my head like that if someone were in trouble. Thoughts?
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Hitting the Wall, Part II
Ok, so I feel like I have hit a new kind of "wall" this week. The "I can't friggin run ONE MILE without stopping to walk" wall!!!
I'm not even that big yet. I'm showing, yeah, but really I just feel oaflike and sluggish on the road, not glowing and pregnant. Ugh!
And I don't want to stop running. I won't, not at least for another month or two. But I am seriously having to redefine my expectations of what I can do.
Yoga has been an enormous help. And walking is great too. But DAMMIT, I want to RUN! Forget that, I want to RACE!
There was a local 5k today (the Lakewood Hospital Ambulance Chase) that I thought I could possibly run...jog? Run/walk? But I didn't. I don't know why. There was even a 5k walk associated with it that I could have done. But I was afraid. Afraid of being disappointed in my time, in myself for not being fit. Which is ridiculous! But still. Eh, I probably should have gone, just so I could have participated in something and felt "the buzz" of race day once again. Haven't felt that since December.
Any suggestions? I really don't want to become "a walker" but I also want to be able to participate in local events. I could possibly lightly train for a 5k if I knew I had to go at least 1-2 min/mile slower than I used to. Well, maybe that would get me out of my non-running funk.
I'm not even that big yet. I'm showing, yeah, but really I just feel oaflike and sluggish on the road, not glowing and pregnant. Ugh!
And I don't want to stop running. I won't, not at least for another month or two. But I am seriously having to redefine my expectations of what I can do.
Yoga has been an enormous help. And walking is great too. But DAMMIT, I want to RUN! Forget that, I want to RACE!
There was a local 5k today (the Lakewood Hospital Ambulance Chase) that I thought I could possibly run...jog? Run/walk? But I didn't. I don't know why. There was even a 5k walk associated with it that I could have done. But I was afraid. Afraid of being disappointed in my time, in myself for not being fit. Which is ridiculous! But still. Eh, I probably should have gone, just so I could have participated in something and felt "the buzz" of race day once again. Haven't felt that since December.
Any suggestions? I really don't want to become "a walker" but I also want to be able to participate in local events. I could possibly lightly train for a 5k if I knew I had to go at least 1-2 min/mile slower than I used to. Well, maybe that would get me out of my non-running funk.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Join the Club
Hey all,
Well, I've gotta get something off my chest that's been bugging me.
I feel like I have left one "club" and have joined another. And I want to be a member of both!
What I'm talking about is "being a runner" vs. "being pregnant." Now, I know I can do both, but I am finding it so incredibly difficult to run these days! Whether it's because of my EXTREME exhaustion, making it impossible to get up an hour earlier for a morning run, or to drag myself out after work for an evening run....or because it is like my body feels like a ton of bricks WHILE I'm running..I just feel so out of it.
And out of the loop! Now that Spring is here, I am aware of all these great races around me, including half-marathons, 10-milers, and a slew of 5ks. In another other year, I would be signing up for them all. Yesterday I went to (easy) yoga, and then to a diner where about twenty runners with medals were hanging out stuffing their faces because they had just done an awesome race! A race I was sad not to have run.
I know, I know - pregnancy is WONDERFUL. The thought of being a mom is awesome. And I am embracing the changes in my body as well as possible. But I cannot stand not running, and racing, the way I used to.
I realize this is not permanent; that once I feel up to it I will begin to run again the way I like. And it's not like I have completely stopped running now. It's just that I feel so incredibly tired and slow right now. And left out.
I make myself feel better by saying that running will always be there, and that it's not going anywhere. But pregnancy, and motherhood, are opportunities for growth and for giving life a greater meaning, and these things have presented themselves NOW. I am really happy about that! And Derek also knows that once I recover from childbirth, if I am not able to run to relieve stress or get a moment to myself, he will be the one hearing about it. :) So I am sure he will be more than willing to watch the little one while I run laps around the block.
In other news...we find out the sex of the baby tomorrow! I am so excited and nervous. I just want to make sure that everything is ok and that he or she is healthy.
Anyway, happy Sunday!
Well, I've gotta get something off my chest that's been bugging me.
I feel like I have left one "club" and have joined another. And I want to be a member of both!
What I'm talking about is "being a runner" vs. "being pregnant." Now, I know I can do both, but I am finding it so incredibly difficult to run these days! Whether it's because of my EXTREME exhaustion, making it impossible to get up an hour earlier for a morning run, or to drag myself out after work for an evening run....or because it is like my body feels like a ton of bricks WHILE I'm running..I just feel so out of it.
And out of the loop! Now that Spring is here, I am aware of all these great races around me, including half-marathons, 10-milers, and a slew of 5ks. In another other year, I would be signing up for them all. Yesterday I went to (easy) yoga, and then to a diner where about twenty runners with medals were hanging out stuffing their faces because they had just done an awesome race! A race I was sad not to have run.
I know, I know - pregnancy is WONDERFUL. The thought of being a mom is awesome. And I am embracing the changes in my body as well as possible. But I cannot stand not running, and racing, the way I used to.
I realize this is not permanent; that once I feel up to it I will begin to run again the way I like. And it's not like I have completely stopped running now. It's just that I feel so incredibly tired and slow right now. And left out.
I make myself feel better by saying that running will always be there, and that it's not going anywhere. But pregnancy, and motherhood, are opportunities for growth and for giving life a greater meaning, and these things have presented themselves NOW. I am really happy about that! And Derek also knows that once I recover from childbirth, if I am not able to run to relieve stress or get a moment to myself, he will be the one hearing about it. :) So I am sure he will be more than willing to watch the little one while I run laps around the block.
In other news...we find out the sex of the baby tomorrow! I am so excited and nervous. I just want to make sure that everything is ok and that he or she is healthy.
Anyway, happy Sunday!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Run, Run, Rudolph
Hey guys! Here's the race report for the 10th Annual Reindeer Run 5k.
I went to Derek's company party on Friday night, and was a little annoyed that I couldn't really drink a lot because of this race. Oh well. I had one drink and then lots of water. It's probably a good thing I held back anyway, because I was really tired from the week.
Got up Saturday morning at 7, and for a minute there, considered bailing. It was just so warm in bed! But then I realized that I'm not only accountable to myself now, but to people reading this! (Thanks for motivating me by doing nothing other than reading this and checking up on me!)
I dragged myself out of bed, made a PB&J sandwich (pre-race meal o'choice), and skipped the coffee actually. I figured it might just make me have to go to the bathroom and that I'd consider it a treat for when I was done.
I didn't really know what to expect from this race. It was my first race post-marathon, and I didn't do any speed training leading up to it except for a little bit of a faster interval workout on Wednesday. I wanted to try my best, but also didn't want to risk further injuring my foot, which had just started to feel sorta normal. That being said, it's the last race of the year on the Hermes calendar, and I wanted to go out with a bang. Let's see how it went.
Left the house around 8 and got to Lakewood Park by 8:25. Got my stuff and thankfully it was warm inside the park's building, because it was FREEZING outside! 29 degrees! I wore my tights, a hat, and gloves and was still chilly getting there. I did a good, long warmup (according to Runner's World, you should do 15-30 minutes of warmup for a 5k because you start off pretty fast from the start). So I did about 20 minutes, then wanted to make sure I had enough time to drop off my heavy sweatshirt at the car and line up.
Felt nice at the beginning, not cold anymore and I could actually feel my fingers. A lot of people were dressed in goofy costumes, as I had predicted. Reindeer antlers, red and green outfits, etc. There were 800 runners there, too! Wow! Much bigger than any race at Lakewood Park I've done.
I wanted to go out pretty strong, but was tied up at the start and didn't cross the line for about a minute. No matter, because these race organizers had finally gotten the memo about the D-Tag chip timing (previous races in this park had just been start whenever, and rip off part of your bib at the end and give it to the guy in the chute). I had conveniently forgotten my watch today - D'oh! but I knew there'd be someone yelling out times at the mile markers.
I passed a bunch of people in the first mile, which I felt good about but also made me feel like I was going too fast. When I approached the first mile marker, I heard "9:56...9:58..." and when I crossed, "10 minutes." I was a little discouraged, as I thought I was going faster than a 10-minute mile, or at least my effort told me I might not be as ready to race as I had hoped. Then I thought about the delayed start and I felt ok.
I did my usual self-talk during a 5k....Mile 1: Hold back, Mile 2: Hold pace, Mile 3: Hold on. It worked to a certain degree, but it was really cold and I wasn't used to running fast in that just yet. At one point, I overheard an oft-told running joke:
Guy: Hey, How're you doing?
Girl: I can't seem to catch my breath.
Guy: Well, then you'd better keep running after it!
Ha, ha.
I got a little water but it had turned partially to ice - bleck! Forget that idea. The second mile marker was 19:20 according to the volunteer, which would be 9:20. That's more like it!
I always dread the last mile of a 5k. I feel like I'm crawling, yet I'm trying my best. I start seeing others who have finished, just chatting away. Arg, this is taking forever!
Plus, I was stuck directly in front of a woman with the louuuudest breathing EVER! And it was right on rhythm. I just kept hearing, "HUHHHHN [step step step} HUHHHN [step step step}" over and over. I had the feeling she was trying to catch up to me, or use me to pull her along because it was right over my left shoulder and I couldn't get rid of her. I used this to force myself to run a little bit faster just to get out of earshot. Finally the third mile marker came - 28:45 (same as last time!), or 9:25. Not bad considering I felt like crap. At the turn into Lakewood park I frickin' kicked it in like nobody's business and finally lost the loud breather! I felt like my kick was great yesterday. I ran in when the clock said 29:30 but I checked the actual results online today and it was actually 29:10! So, not a PR but 30 seconds faster than the last 5k I did.
I felt like I had gotten run over by a bus after that, though, and really had to cool down. I wasn't exactly thirsty or hungry, but I had a banana and a bottle of water for good measure. I just kept feeling the cold in my lungs. Plus, today I am actually sore! Haven't gotten sore after a race in a while...I guess it shows I wasn't that prepared this time and that the month of recovery actually did bring me a little bit out of the zone. It's ok though; I have never rested and recovered that well and now I feel fresh and happy about the upcoming months.
Then Derek and I did a little holiday shopping, as well as some furniture shopping for ourselves! We got a La-z-Boy - finally something else to sit on in the living room! This is the one we ordered:
The style is called the Lancer. It is so comfortable!!!! We're going to pick it up on Saturday.
Other than that, not much else to report. Having a great, relaxing weekend. By the way, does anybody else feel that it is much easier to get up early on weekends than on weekdays? What up with that!?
I went to Derek's company party on Friday night, and was a little annoyed that I couldn't really drink a lot because of this race. Oh well. I had one drink and then lots of water. It's probably a good thing I held back anyway, because I was really tired from the week.
Got up Saturday morning at 7, and for a minute there, considered bailing. It was just so warm in bed! But then I realized that I'm not only accountable to myself now, but to people reading this! (Thanks for motivating me by doing nothing other than reading this and checking up on me!)
I dragged myself out of bed, made a PB&J sandwich (pre-race meal o'choice), and skipped the coffee actually. I figured it might just make me have to go to the bathroom and that I'd consider it a treat for when I was done.
I didn't really know what to expect from this race. It was my first race post-marathon, and I didn't do any speed training leading up to it except for a little bit of a faster interval workout on Wednesday. I wanted to try my best, but also didn't want to risk further injuring my foot, which had just started to feel sorta normal. That being said, it's the last race of the year on the Hermes calendar, and I wanted to go out with a bang. Let's see how it went.
Left the house around 8 and got to Lakewood Park by 8:25. Got my stuff and thankfully it was warm inside the park's building, because it was FREEZING outside! 29 degrees! I wore my tights, a hat, and gloves and was still chilly getting there. I did a good, long warmup (according to Runner's World, you should do 15-30 minutes of warmup for a 5k because you start off pretty fast from the start). So I did about 20 minutes, then wanted to make sure I had enough time to drop off my heavy sweatshirt at the car and line up.
Felt nice at the beginning, not cold anymore and I could actually feel my fingers. A lot of people were dressed in goofy costumes, as I had predicted. Reindeer antlers, red and green outfits, etc. There were 800 runners there, too! Wow! Much bigger than any race at Lakewood Park I've done.
I wanted to go out pretty strong, but was tied up at the start and didn't cross the line for about a minute. No matter, because these race organizers had finally gotten the memo about the D-Tag chip timing (previous races in this park had just been start whenever, and rip off part of your bib at the end and give it to the guy in the chute). I had conveniently forgotten my watch today - D'oh! but I knew there'd be someone yelling out times at the mile markers.
I passed a bunch of people in the first mile, which I felt good about but also made me feel like I was going too fast. When I approached the first mile marker, I heard "9:56...9:58..." and when I crossed, "10 minutes." I was a little discouraged, as I thought I was going faster than a 10-minute mile, or at least my effort told me I might not be as ready to race as I had hoped. Then I thought about the delayed start and I felt ok.
I did my usual self-talk during a 5k....Mile 1: Hold back, Mile 2: Hold pace, Mile 3: Hold on. It worked to a certain degree, but it was really cold and I wasn't used to running fast in that just yet. At one point, I overheard an oft-told running joke:
Guy: Hey, How're you doing?
Girl: I can't seem to catch my breath.
Guy: Well, then you'd better keep running after it!
Ha, ha.
I got a little water but it had turned partially to ice - bleck! Forget that idea. The second mile marker was 19:20 according to the volunteer, which would be 9:20. That's more like it!
I always dread the last mile of a 5k. I feel like I'm crawling, yet I'm trying my best. I start seeing others who have finished, just chatting away. Arg, this is taking forever!
Plus, I was stuck directly in front of a woman with the louuuudest breathing EVER! And it was right on rhythm. I just kept hearing, "HUHHHHN [step step step} HUHHHN [step step step}" over and over. I had the feeling she was trying to catch up to me, or use me to pull her along because it was right over my left shoulder and I couldn't get rid of her. I used this to force myself to run a little bit faster just to get out of earshot. Finally the third mile marker came - 28:45 (same as last time!), or 9:25. Not bad considering I felt like crap. At the turn into Lakewood park I frickin' kicked it in like nobody's business and finally lost the loud breather! I felt like my kick was great yesterday. I ran in when the clock said 29:30 but I checked the actual results online today and it was actually 29:10! So, not a PR but 30 seconds faster than the last 5k I did.
I felt like I had gotten run over by a bus after that, though, and really had to cool down. I wasn't exactly thirsty or hungry, but I had a banana and a bottle of water for good measure. I just kept feeling the cold in my lungs. Plus, today I am actually sore! Haven't gotten sore after a race in a while...I guess it shows I wasn't that prepared this time and that the month of recovery actually did bring me a little bit out of the zone. It's ok though; I have never rested and recovered that well and now I feel fresh and happy about the upcoming months.
Then Derek and I did a little holiday shopping, as well as some furniture shopping for ourselves! We got a La-z-Boy - finally something else to sit on in the living room! This is the one we ordered:
Other than that, not much else to report. Having a great, relaxing weekend. By the way, does anybody else feel that it is much easier to get up early on weekends than on weekdays? What up with that!?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Eye of the "Tiger"
Lalala...today is one of those days. Don't want to get into details as to why, but...let's just say it was hard.
This weekend, however, was great!
Did a "brisk" 10-miler on Saturday, and felt very good during it, even at the end (although really, who ever feels excellent at the end?). First half - 59 minutes; second half - 56 minutes for a total of 1 hr 55 minutes. That's good! (Of course, it would have been harder to keep up that pace for another two or three hours! But still.) One minor setback was that one of the water fountains I have come to rely on in the park was shut off! BOOO! At least I still had one, or else there would have been trouble. It's crazy how much longer you can go in chilly weather though...I (almost) wasn't even that thirsty.
Then on to Sunday. I had had a conversation with myself that went something like this.
Me: Should I do this Pumpkin 5k tomorrow?
Self: Why not?
Me: Well, I just ran 10 miles today. What about that "no race and long run in the same weekend" rule?
Self: But 10 isn't really "long" anymore. Remember you just ran 20 a couple weeks ago! 10 is like a walk in the park.
Me: I wouldn't exactly say that. But I see your point.
Self: I thought you would.
Me: Should I run this 5k all-out, or what?
Self: Well, you can and you won't have to worry, but I know you, and you'll worry anyway. So maybe run it at 75-80% of your 5k pace. So you can relax, ya worrywart.
Me: Yeah, you're right. Plus, I read recently on a running discussion board that running your best 5k two weeks before the marathon is kind of a bad sign. You want to still be fatigued from training, and have been doing marathon-specific workouts, accounting for a slower time.
Self: I guess we are both super running nerds.
Me: Glad we had this conversation.
ANYWAY. So yes, I did the Great Pumpkin Run on Sunday, and it was...great! Many people were in costume, and it was a lot of fun. They had good food at the finish, including yummy bagels, apples, bananas, and a bake sale (which I did not partake of).
I think that I ran a really good race. I listened to my, uh..."self," and ran it almost all-out but not quite. I especially held back in the beginning but was pleased to note that I passed TONS of runners in this race, including Wonder Woman and, of course, a Tiger! Didn't run my best time, but still broke 30 again!!!!
And to think, my pre-race dinner the night before was none other than a Wendy's burger and fries (Derek and I went to see Kelly Clarkson (!) on Saturday night and stopped for fast food on the way home...ohhh how deliciously evil.)
Here are the splits:
Finishing time: 29:36.
I love how my splits get progressively faster by 30 seconds each mile! Yay! And I was thinking during the last mile especially what a difference a couple of months makes. This race had the same exact course as the Patrick Joyce Scholarship 5k in August, and the brutal heat & humidity in that race were awful! That last flat mile seemed to take forever last time with the sun beating down...and yesterday, with the streets all shaded and the cool breeze...it felt almost pleasant.
Also, got my bib info today!!! Will be in the green start, and the third wave. Can't wait to see everyone there cheering!!
This weekend, however, was great!
Did a "brisk" 10-miler on Saturday, and felt very good during it, even at the end (although really, who ever feels excellent at the end?). First half - 59 minutes; second half - 56 minutes for a total of 1 hr 55 minutes. That's good! (Of course, it would have been harder to keep up that pace for another two or three hours! But still.) One minor setback was that one of the water fountains I have come to rely on in the park was shut off! BOOO! At least I still had one, or else there would have been trouble. It's crazy how much longer you can go in chilly weather though...I (almost) wasn't even that thirsty.
Then on to Sunday. I had had a conversation with myself that went something like this.
Me: Should I do this Pumpkin 5k tomorrow?
Self: Why not?
Me: Well, I just ran 10 miles today. What about that "no race and long run in the same weekend" rule?
Self: But 10 isn't really "long" anymore. Remember you just ran 20 a couple weeks ago! 10 is like a walk in the park.
Me: I wouldn't exactly say that. But I see your point.
Self: I thought you would.
Me: Should I run this 5k all-out, or what?
Self: Well, you can and you won't have to worry, but I know you, and you'll worry anyway. So maybe run it at 75-80% of your 5k pace. So you can relax, ya worrywart.
Me: Yeah, you're right. Plus, I read recently on a running discussion board that running your best 5k two weeks before the marathon is kind of a bad sign. You want to still be fatigued from training, and have been doing marathon-specific workouts, accounting for a slower time.
Self: I guess we are both super running nerds.
Me: Glad we had this conversation.
ANYWAY. So yes, I did the Great Pumpkin Run on Sunday, and it was...great! Many people were in costume, and it was a lot of fun. They had good food at the finish, including yummy bagels, apples, bananas, and a bake sale (which I did not partake of).
I think that I ran a really good race. I listened to my, uh..."self," and ran it almost all-out but not quite. I especially held back in the beginning but was pleased to note that I passed TONS of runners in this race, including Wonder Woman and, of course, a Tiger! Didn't run my best time, but still broke 30 again!!!!
And to think, my pre-race dinner the night before was none other than a Wendy's burger and fries (Derek and I went to see Kelly Clarkson (!) on Saturday night and stopped for fast food on the way home...ohhh how deliciously evil.)
Here are the splits:
Mile 1 - 10:09
Mile 2 - 9:34
Mile 3 - 9:00
last .12 - 00:51 (woulda been faster if the chute hadn't been so small...had to slow down a lot towards the finish because there were 3 girls running RIGHT ahead of me and we couldn't all fit in the chute at the same time! Guess that only happens once in awhile.)Finishing time: 29:36.
I love how my splits get progressively faster by 30 seconds each mile! Yay! And I was thinking during the last mile especially what a difference a couple of months makes. This race had the same exact course as the Patrick Joyce Scholarship 5k in August, and the brutal heat & humidity in that race were awful! That last flat mile seemed to take forever last time with the sun beating down...and yesterday, with the streets all shaded and the cool breeze...it felt almost pleasant.
Also, got my bib info today!!! Will be in the green start, and the third wave. Can't wait to see everyone there cheering!!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The Tale of the Towpath
Hey, folks!
Here's my race report for the Towpath Half-Marathon (Sunday, October 11, 2009).
Let me first say that this was a beautiful weekend in Cleveland town. Both days were DRY, finally, for the first time in over a week! The sun came out both yesterday and today. The high temps were a little lower than would be considered my "dream" temperature (mid-hi 50s), BUT they are ideal for running.
As you know, this past week was a high-mileage and high-intensity week for me. After my three six-mile runs on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I took Friday off completely (was gonna go to yoga at Inner Bliss, but had to wait for UPS to deliver a package...hinted at by Derek.. :)
(A gift for our first anniversary tomorrow! Love you, sweetheart!)
Anyway, I was then going to go to Studio 11 at 6 pm for a different yoga class...but fell asleep. D'oh. I chalked it up to needing extra rest (hadn't taken a full "off" day with no exercise in over a week).
Yesterday morning (Saturday), Claire and Rob picked me up -- he decided to run the 10K portion of this race -- and we went to get our bibs and goody bags. It was a really nice drive, scenic and quicker than I had expected to get down to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Peninsula, OH.
View Larger Map
I was really excited to see a section of Ohio that I hadn't seen before (kinda like when Kristin visited). It's amazing just how much green land there is over here! I'm realizing that just because my immediate area doesn't have that much in terms of parks...the "Emerald Necklace" of Metroparks in and around Cleveland is a real find and worth scouting out.
Got back and I went to my first training session for work, during which time I was starting to feel a bit under the weather...chills, queasy. Hope this doesn't get worse! Turns out I just needed to eat something. Got a Dunkin' Donuts tea and a raisin bagel with cream cheese on the way home and all was well again. :)
So on to today and the race. Got up at 6 am, did my usual routine. I've been trying a few variations on different pre-long run and racing meals. This morning I had two pieces of whole-grain toast with White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter (the best!) and slices of banana on top. I did not have coffee, finding it made me quite a fan of the port-o-potties (and boy, a story about that!) Claire and Rob got me at 6:45, and off we went. The start was at Brandywine Ski Resort and it was beautiful - but COLD. It was 37 degrees there compared to the 45 degrees in the city. Yikes! We dealt with it, though, and parked easily. Then of course, came the infamous wait for the bathrooms.
Online, they said they would have "plenty of bathrooms." Um, yeah. There were ten total port-o-potties for like 1,000 people (don't know the actual number of registrants, but the half was sold out!). The 10K runners also started at the same spot. So we were waiting and waiting..finally Claire and I did the unthinkable, and ran behind a building. It's ok, it was a "ladies only" zone (designated by...the ladies!). Poor Rob waited in line until like one minute before the start (it started late), and finally got in there. Whew, that was close.
Started off..with some hills. Now, when I went to the website, I checked the FAQ, where someone asked specifically about this:
Is the course flat?
YES. The course is VERY flat. There are no hills to speak of anywhere on the course.
Well, ok, there were no SKI SLOPES on the course, but....there were hills! I'm just sayin.' So I already knew not to anticipate a fast time like the River Run which was a really fast, mostly downhill course. This was a little discouraging to discover in mile one. However, mile one clocked in at 9:52. Hokay! Too fast!
I'm thinking about proper pacing, and I'm confused. I was planning on trying to run this race similarly to the last one, to see if I could beat it by a little bit. Because I did my last LONG run last weekend, I wanted to make this a solid speedwork effort to make it a bit more challenging. But I do know that marathon pace is going to be more like 11:30 ish pace for around a 5 hr and change goal (more on goals in another post). So I knew that 10:30 pace was going to be great because it will make MP feel easier on race day.
That being said, I was a lot more inconsistent this week with my pacing than last time, where it was like I was a robot and everything felt "right." This could be due to a few factors:
One, the course was very narrow, especially on the Towpath, and it wasn't as easy to "open your stride."
Two, the course was more turny and windy than the River Run, including a really awkward turnaround at mile 8, which slows you down.
Three, we were being passed the other way (toward us) by the 10K runners during the first half of the race coming in to the finish, and then on the way back, by the marathoners. So we really had to be on our toes - literally - and watch where we were going. It got a bit claustrophobic.
That being said, the course was beautiful, and the Towpath part itself was crushed limestone and was very very easy on the joints. (Of course, ironically enough, this would be the day that I got a bloody toe: not because of pressure or a nail falling off, but because when I trimmed my toenails last night, I guess I left a little sharp edge on one nail, which proceeded to cut into the adjacent toe...Ouch!! (this is Ouch #1)
Also? Remember NNORD (Nothing New on Race Day)? Didn't really think that applied to me because I have worn these particular pants numerous times before, including runs of 10 miles or more, so I didn't think there would be a problem with them...but DUH, I had never raced in them, and the intensity of running fast does weird things with clothes and...let's just say I experienced some VERY uncomfortable chafing and should have used more Body Glide. Ouch #2.
So anyway, that all being said (sorry for the disclaimers!), here are the splits:
Mile 1: 9:52
Mile 2: 10:50
Mile 3 and 4 together (there was no mile 3 marker! WTF?!?): 20:56
Mile 5: 10:09
Mile 6: 11:27
Mile 7: 10:38
Mile 8: 10:59
Mile 9 (where supposedly Derek was cheering but we were so focused we didn't see him!): 11:05
Mile 10: 11:45
Mile 11: 10:12
Mile 12: 10:55
Mile 13 plus .12 (again, no dang 13-mile marker!): 11:37
Finishing time: 2:20:30, or 10:43 pace. Not bad! Only 3 minutes (or 13 seconds/mile) longer than the River Run three weeks ago.
Also, dammit, I am at the end of my hard training! I'm tired! I'm sore! It's ok I didn't beat my time. And now I get to taper!
Went through the chute (thanks to Derek and Rob for cheering at the finish!), got my medal and an apple and water, and then we all got grossed out by the smell of kettle corn at the finishing tents that we left pretty abruptly and went to Tap House for brunch. YEEAAAH.
The third "Ouch?" Feeling that chafing in the shower (as well as my cut-up toe) caused me to seize up and keel over....and promptly get a bad upper ab cramp!!!! And I don't mean gastro issues...I mean a hard knot! Had to massage that one out!
More tales to come...Marathon Goals, Tapering Trials and Tribulations, and Dedications!
Here's my race report for the Towpath Half-Marathon (Sunday, October 11, 2009).
Let me first say that this was a beautiful weekend in Cleveland town. Both days were DRY, finally, for the first time in over a week! The sun came out both yesterday and today. The high temps were a little lower than would be considered my "dream" temperature (mid-hi 50s), BUT they are ideal for running.
As you know, this past week was a high-mileage and high-intensity week for me. After my three six-mile runs on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I took Friday off completely (was gonna go to yoga at Inner Bliss, but had to wait for UPS to deliver a package...hinted at by Derek.. :)
(A gift for our first anniversary tomorrow! Love you, sweetheart!)Anyway, I was then going to go to Studio 11 at 6 pm for a different yoga class...but fell asleep. D'oh. I chalked it up to needing extra rest (hadn't taken a full "off" day with no exercise in over a week).
Yesterday morning (Saturday), Claire and Rob picked me up -- he decided to run the 10K portion of this race -- and we went to get our bibs and goody bags. It was a really nice drive, scenic and quicker than I had expected to get down to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Peninsula, OH.
View Larger Map
I was really excited to see a section of Ohio that I hadn't seen before (kinda like when Kristin visited). It's amazing just how much green land there is over here! I'm realizing that just because my immediate area doesn't have that much in terms of parks...the "Emerald Necklace" of Metroparks in and around Cleveland is a real find and worth scouting out.
Got back and I went to my first training session for work, during which time I was starting to feel a bit under the weather...chills, queasy. Hope this doesn't get worse! Turns out I just needed to eat something. Got a Dunkin' Donuts tea and a raisin bagel with cream cheese on the way home and all was well again. :)
So on to today and the race. Got up at 6 am, did my usual routine. I've been trying a few variations on different pre-long run and racing meals. This morning I had two pieces of whole-grain toast with White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter (the best!) and slices of banana on top. I did not have coffee, finding it made me quite a fan of the port-o-potties (and boy, a story about that!) Claire and Rob got me at 6:45, and off we went. The start was at Brandywine Ski Resort and it was beautiful - but COLD. It was 37 degrees there compared to the 45 degrees in the city. Yikes! We dealt with it, though, and parked easily. Then of course, came the infamous wait for the bathrooms.
Online, they said they would have "plenty of bathrooms." Um, yeah. There were ten total port-o-potties for like 1,000 people (don't know the actual number of registrants, but the half was sold out!). The 10K runners also started at the same spot. So we were waiting and waiting..finally Claire and I did the unthinkable, and ran behind a building. It's ok, it was a "ladies only" zone (designated by...the ladies!). Poor Rob waited in line until like one minute before the start (it started late), and finally got in there. Whew, that was close.
Started off..with some hills. Now, when I went to the website, I checked the FAQ, where someone asked specifically about this:
Is the course flat?
YES. The course is VERY flat. There are no hills to speak of anywhere on the course.
Well, ok, there were no SKI SLOPES on the course, but....there were hills! I'm just sayin.' So I already knew not to anticipate a fast time like the River Run which was a really fast, mostly downhill course. This was a little discouraging to discover in mile one. However, mile one clocked in at 9:52. Hokay! Too fast!
I'm thinking about proper pacing, and I'm confused. I was planning on trying to run this race similarly to the last one, to see if I could beat it by a little bit. Because I did my last LONG run last weekend, I wanted to make this a solid speedwork effort to make it a bit more challenging. But I do know that marathon pace is going to be more like 11:30 ish pace for around a 5 hr and change goal (more on goals in another post). So I knew that 10:30 pace was going to be great because it will make MP feel easier on race day.
That being said, I was a lot more inconsistent this week with my pacing than last time, where it was like I was a robot and everything felt "right." This could be due to a few factors:
One, the course was very narrow, especially on the Towpath, and it wasn't as easy to "open your stride."
Two, the course was more turny and windy than the River Run, including a really awkward turnaround at mile 8, which slows you down.
Three, we were being passed the other way (toward us) by the 10K runners during the first half of the race coming in to the finish, and then on the way back, by the marathoners. So we really had to be on our toes - literally - and watch where we were going. It got a bit claustrophobic.
That being said, the course was beautiful, and the Towpath part itself was crushed limestone and was very very easy on the joints. (Of course, ironically enough, this would be the day that I got a bloody toe: not because of pressure or a nail falling off, but because when I trimmed my toenails last night, I guess I left a little sharp edge on one nail, which proceeded to cut into the adjacent toe...Ouch!! (this is Ouch #1)
Also? Remember NNORD (Nothing New on Race Day)? Didn't really think that applied to me because I have worn these particular pants numerous times before, including runs of 10 miles or more, so I didn't think there would be a problem with them...but DUH, I had never raced in them, and the intensity of running fast does weird things with clothes and...let's just say I experienced some VERY uncomfortable chafing and should have used more Body Glide. Ouch #2.
So anyway, that all being said (sorry for the disclaimers!), here are the splits:
Mile 1: 9:52
Mile 2: 10:50
Mile 3 and 4 together (there was no mile 3 marker! WTF?!?): 20:56
Mile 5: 10:09
Mile 6: 11:27
Mile 7: 10:38
Mile 8: 10:59
Mile 9 (where supposedly Derek was cheering but we were so focused we didn't see him!): 11:05
Mile 10: 11:45
Mile 11: 10:12
Mile 12: 10:55
Mile 13 plus .12 (again, no dang 13-mile marker!): 11:37
Finishing time: 2:20:30, or 10:43 pace. Not bad! Only 3 minutes (or 13 seconds/mile) longer than the River Run three weeks ago.
Also, dammit, I am at the end of my hard training! I'm tired! I'm sore! It's ok I didn't beat my time. And now I get to taper!
Went through the chute (thanks to Derek and Rob for cheering at the finish!), got my medal and an apple and water, and then we all got grossed out by the smell of kettle corn at the finishing tents that we left pretty abruptly and went to Tap House for brunch. YEEAAAH.
The third "Ouch?" Feeling that chafing in the shower (as well as my cut-up toe) caused me to seize up and keel over....and promptly get a bad upper ab cramp!!!! And I don't mean gastro issues...I mean a hard knot! Had to massage that one out!
More tales to come...Marathon Goals, Tapering Trials and Tribulations, and Dedications!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
I Walk the Line
As sure as night is dark and day is light
I keep you on my mind both day and night
And happiness I've known proves that it's right
Because you're mine, I walk the line
I keep you on my mind both day and night
And happiness I've known proves that it's right
Because you're mine, I walk the line
Even though Mr. Cash wasn't talking about running in this song...it works.
My reflective musing of the day is...there is always a feeling of "Walking the Line" with training. Why can I never choose between "pushing it" and "risking it"? We're always told to try harder, do more, leave it all on the _____________ (fill in blank: dance floor, course, field, whatever). Heck, we've all see The Biggest Loser.
But then there's an opposite voice saying don't do TOO much. Don't do 2 hard days in a row. Don't do hills and speedwork. Don't do a long run and then a race. Don't run on a mild injury; it might turn it into a worse injury. Blah, blah, blah.
It's "hell week." The last week of marathon training before the taper. Did my last 20-miler on Saturday, and I have a half this coming Sunday (Towpath Half in Peninsula, OH). And this week has just been six-milers every day.
Tuesday's and today's run were the same path: home to end of the Steelyard, then around the neighborhood for one more mile. Yesterday I ventured out to the Towpath and had a great scenic (and also hilly) speed session.
I have been nursing different minor injuries this month. Shin splints in the left leg (now almost completely better due to Kinesio tape and ice), now this weird pain in my right foot - like around my arch area, on the inner foot. Not plantar fasciitis, thank god, but still pretty uncomfortable. Do I rest? Or do I run? It's the last week of high-mileage, high-intensity training, so I just went for it. I can rest during the taper and hope that's enough to heal it.
Yesterday I started off taking it easy but then eased right into a hilly tempo run and felt great for the most part. I really felt that I was consciously "holding back" to not do too fast a pace. Good sign?
Then today I started off sluggish and blah, but by the end I just killed it. I was even planning on cutting it off at 5 miles because my foot was hurting -- but by the time came, I don't know if I was just numb or what, but it wasn't bothering me anymore so I added a loop around Tremont. A little over 6 miles.
But the whole second half of both of these workouts were filled with cautionary thoughts: is this too much? Am I going to be sorry on Sunday 'cause I expended all my energy today? Is it wrong that I ran a hilly workout two, well actually three, days in a row? Am I not looking towards the ultimate goal, which is running a comfortable (and hopefully faster than last time) marathon? Or is all this, in essence, like a "Last Chance Workout?"
When thinking about the arc of my training since July, I am probably doing the right thing by going a little harder when it feels appropriate because I spent a bunch of time in the "easy" training zone. I am definitely feeling more fit these days, and faster with more endurance and stamina. I ran the second half of all my workouts faster than the first this week, which should mimic the actual race. But I guess I just don't want to make a mistake or burn out. (Hmm, I guess this is where wearing a heart rate monitor throughout this process would have actually come in handy.) But hey, it's the last week, I guess it's supposed to feel like a lot, and I guess everything is supposed to hurt (Advil & Tylenol = my new B.F.F.s) and I am supposed to be super tired and therefore getting more sleep. I guess my lack of a job is sort of a blessing in disguise for this last grueling part of training. I don't know how I would have been able to handle both this week.
So...week in review/upcoming weekend:
Monday 10/5 - Off (Yoga)
Tuesday 10/6 - 6 miles (Steelyard)
Wednesday 10/7 - 6 miles, 2x2 miles @ tempo (Towpath)
Thursday 10/8 - 6 miles (Steelyard)
Friday 10/9 - 4 miles
Saturday 10/10 - Off
Sunday 10/11 - Towpath Half-Marathon (8:00 am)
Editorial comments: I might switch the 4-miler tomorrow out for yoga instead, and then run my "traditional" easy 2-miler on Saturday to loosen up the legs for Sunday. I figure I need a good stretch tomorrow, and I can give my poor arch a break. Maybe it'll also help me feel more refreshed for Sunday. I am going to try to "race" this half, as opposed to just use it as a training run, because it is still 3 weeks out. Well, I will play it by ear and see how I feel. I'd really love to use this race as a gague for how I might do on marathon day! The last half I did (2:17:30) was unusually fast for me, and that was a net downhill course, so we'll see if that was just a fluke or if my training really has been working its magic. :) This course is supposed to be flat as well...yay!
Will update with a race report on Sunday (if I don't have something to blab about sooner)!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Let the River Run
Ok, so, remember all that complaining I was doing? It was stupid. Why? Because I just ran the best half-marathon ever! So, here's the race report for the Cleveland Clinic River Run...
Claire and I ran this one together, which was great, because even though we didn't really chat during the race, it was great to have someone there going through it with you. We are about the same pace, so there was no "pressure"...although we agreed that if one or the other needed to run ahead or fall back, it was o.k.
She picked me up at around 7, and we got to Wallace Lake in Berea by 7:15 or 7:20. This was a point-to-point course, so we both signed up for the shuttle that would take us from the finish (Memorial Field in Rocky River) back to the start where we parked. I was excited to run this race, because I had recently discovered (thanks to Claire) the Rocky River Reservation, part of the Cleveland Metroparks, which is spectacularly beautiful. Plus, I read online that it was a net downhill course, and that it was fast -- and I had never run a course like that for a half-marathon...or any race, for that matter, other than the Patrick Joyce 5k in August.
The start was "cute"...by this I mean that it was small, and they kind of rang a little bell when the race began. They did, however, have mats and the new "shoe tag" technology. Started off a little fast for my pace, but we were at the WAY back of the crowd and I would have felt a bit embarrassed going any slower. So I said to myself, "you held the pace for the 5k, and this isn't that fast, you've done tempo runs before, just do it, it'll be good practice." I was thinking for quite a while that the McMillan Calculator didn't quite work out with me...that I could hold an ok pace for a bit, but that once I got past the 5 mile mark, I just slowed and slowed. Therefore, 10ks, halfs, and the one marathon I did were MUCH slower than they should have been according to this calculator. So I said to myself, "you've been training really hard, and maybe you just haven't been trying as hard as you could during those longer races to maintain that 'comfortably hard' threshold pace in order to get the most of your training." And you know what? I DID keep the pace today, and it worked!
I'll break this race into thirds. The first third's splits were as follows:
Mile 1 - 10:08
Mile 2 - 10:16
Mile 3 - 10:05
Mile 4 - 11:13 (hmm, a bit slower)
Mile 5 - 9:49 (that's why!)
At this point, Claire and I had been running pretty much side by side. But then she had to use the bathroom, and ran up ahead to do that, and said she'd hopefully catch up with me. The next few miles are the "solo" ones:
Mile 6 - 10:35
Mile 7 - 10:57
Mile 8 - 10:48
Mile 9 - 10:15
It was around this mile when a huge-ass hill presented itself...I was prepared because Claire told me it was coming. Speaking of Claire, just as we were climbing the hill, she caught up to me. We supported each other throughout the last part, which is always kind of the hardest. (Actually, for me, the "Rodney Dangerfields of running" -- the middle miles -- are the worst.)
Mile 10 - 11:04 (by the way, cumulative time at this point was 1:45, the fastest ten miles I have ever run!)
Mile 11 - 10:18 (can't believe I am STILL under two hours! Wow!)
Mile 12 - 10:42 (OMG, cumulative time is 2:06, I can't believe it!)
Mile 13 - 10:12, and the last .1 - 52 seconds.
Finishing time: 2:17:12 -- a new PR by over ten minutes!! Wow!
So the moral of this story is...even when you feel disgusting and that nothing is working...TRUST YOUR TRAINING :)
Got water and a banana - was "proud" of myself for not partaking of the pizza and ice cream they had in abundance...I say that in quotes because to be honest, I thought I would be sick at the thought of it. :) But I really did feel great afterwards, not delirious like the last half in Madison, and I hardly even got that "brain drain"/gross fatigue that sets in during these races. I guess running 18 miles the previous weekend puts things a bit in perspective :)
Anyway, on to other things...tried two new recipes this weekend: Eggplant Parmesan last night, and Tea Cakes with Jam in Citrus Glaze (!) today. (My mom recently got me this book by Martha Stewart on the art of making cupcakes.) Speaking of which, I've got to go make and glaze my cakes. Pictures to follow. :)
Claire and I ran this one together, which was great, because even though we didn't really chat during the race, it was great to have someone there going through it with you. We are about the same pace, so there was no "pressure"...although we agreed that if one or the other needed to run ahead or fall back, it was o.k.
She picked me up at around 7, and we got to Wallace Lake in Berea by 7:15 or 7:20. This was a point-to-point course, so we both signed up for the shuttle that would take us from the finish (Memorial Field in Rocky River) back to the start where we parked. I was excited to run this race, because I had recently discovered (thanks to Claire) the Rocky River Reservation, part of the Cleveland Metroparks, which is spectacularly beautiful. Plus, I read online that it was a net downhill course, and that it was fast -- and I had never run a course like that for a half-marathon...or any race, for that matter, other than the Patrick Joyce 5k in August.
The start was "cute"...by this I mean that it was small, and they kind of rang a little bell when the race began. They did, however, have mats and the new "shoe tag" technology. Started off a little fast for my pace, but we were at the WAY back of the crowd and I would have felt a bit embarrassed going any slower. So I said to myself, "you held the pace for the 5k, and this isn't that fast, you've done tempo runs before, just do it, it'll be good practice." I was thinking for quite a while that the McMillan Calculator didn't quite work out with me...that I could hold an ok pace for a bit, but that once I got past the 5 mile mark, I just slowed and slowed. Therefore, 10ks, halfs, and the one marathon I did were MUCH slower than they should have been according to this calculator. So I said to myself, "you've been training really hard, and maybe you just haven't been trying as hard as you could during those longer races to maintain that 'comfortably hard' threshold pace in order to get the most of your training." And you know what? I DID keep the pace today, and it worked!
I'll break this race into thirds. The first third's splits were as follows:
Mile 1 - 10:08
Mile 2 - 10:16
Mile 3 - 10:05
Mile 4 - 11:13 (hmm, a bit slower)
Mile 5 - 9:49 (that's why!)
At this point, Claire and I had been running pretty much side by side. But then she had to use the bathroom, and ran up ahead to do that, and said she'd hopefully catch up with me. The next few miles are the "solo" ones:
Mile 6 - 10:35
Mile 7 - 10:57
Mile 8 - 10:48
Mile 9 - 10:15
It was around this mile when a huge-ass hill presented itself...I was prepared because Claire told me it was coming. Speaking of Claire, just as we were climbing the hill, she caught up to me. We supported each other throughout the last part, which is always kind of the hardest. (Actually, for me, the "Rodney Dangerfields of running" -- the middle miles -- are the worst.)
Mile 10 - 11:04 (by the way, cumulative time at this point was 1:45, the fastest ten miles I have ever run!)
Mile 11 - 10:18 (can't believe I am STILL under two hours! Wow!)
Mile 12 - 10:42 (OMG, cumulative time is 2:06, I can't believe it!)
Mile 13 - 10:12, and the last .1 - 52 seconds.
Finishing time: 2:17:12 -- a new PR by over ten minutes!! Wow!
So the moral of this story is...even when you feel disgusting and that nothing is working...TRUST YOUR TRAINING :)
Got water and a banana - was "proud" of myself for not partaking of the pizza and ice cream they had in abundance...I say that in quotes because to be honest, I thought I would be sick at the thought of it. :) But I really did feel great afterwards, not delirious like the last half in Madison, and I hardly even got that "brain drain"/gross fatigue that sets in during these races. I guess running 18 miles the previous weekend puts things a bit in perspective :)
Anyway, on to other things...tried two new recipes this weekend: Eggplant Parmesan last night, and Tea Cakes with Jam in Citrus Glaze (!) today. (My mom recently got me this book by Martha Stewart on the art of making cupcakes.) Speaking of which, I've got to go make and glaze my cakes. Pictures to follow. :)
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Boo-yah!
Without further adieu, here is the race report for the Patrick Joyce Scholarship 5K:
This was my race. I could feel it. I don't know why, but I had a good feeling about this one. I've been doing a few 5Ks recently, and I had the complaint of not being able to break 30 minutes, which has been really frustrating, because it makes me feel like the slowest runner in the world. But there have always been obstacles in the way (heat, cold/snow, excessive crowding, hills, etc.). I had no idea what to expect from the course yesterday, except that it started and ended at Lakewood Park (corner of Lake and Belle streets in Lakewood, OH).
I had my new Fastwitch sneakers, which, if nothing else, made me feel fast.
And Derek even decided (with much deliberation) to run it with me.
My plan was to give it my all. In the past I had played it conservative, holding back a bunch in the first mile, and then being subsequently unable to make it up in the last stretch. (Another thing I have done before is going out too fast in the first mile, shocking myself with the time, and then panicking/tiring out in the middle. I had recently read in a Runner's World article that if you go out 6 percent faster than normal race pace in your next 5K, it might be your fastest. Was it right?????? ;)
Well, here we go. Started out with Derek, but (sorry honey) lost him after about a quarter of a mile...didn't want to be mean, but there was a slight downhill and I just had to take advantage of it! First mile was fairly easy, watched my breathing, and passed a few people. Clocked in at 9:25 - a bit faster than "normal," but very good for what I wanted to accomplish today. Now, if I can just hold it...
A great quote by Bob Glover: "The middle miles of a race are the Rodney Dangerfields of running. They get no respect." How true. Mile 2 was ok, with a slight incline, but was mostly shaded through the sidestreets of the Lakewood neighborhood. Felt strong, and able to hang on. I was a little bit nervous to see my time for this mile, because in a 5K, this is where I usually run into trouble. But I was thrilled and surprised to hear the race volunteer call out "18:40" when I passed him...and sure enough on my watch, that split was 9:13! Whew!
At this point, I was doing fuzzy calculations in my head. Even if I run the last mile at a 10:00 pace, I can still break 30 because I need less than a minute for the last .12. But that's the kind of talk that got me in trouble at the Frosty 5K in Madison last year - around 18 minutes at mile 2, but that last mile was a trip...with snowy hills and what seemed like an endless last tenth of a mile. Okay, just push it...don't stop. Slowed for water (thank God, and I poured most of it over my head) and was grateful this race wasn't any longer because a good portion of that went into my right shoe! The last mile was brutal...hot hot hot, sun beaming down. At least it was flat. But it was endless. I just kept thinking, "This is what you've been waiting for, you can do this," although in my head I was nervous - I had never done three consecutive miles at this pace...my heart was racing and I didn't know what my "breaking point" would be. But I FINALLY saw the entrance to the park, and as I passed by the race volunteer at mile 3, I heard "28 minutes!" Holy crap! Mile 3 was 9:18. I've got this. I pushed as hard as I could, and to be honest, didn't have any "close competitors" to outrun, so my kick wasn't as strong as it could be (but then of course I was outwitted by a woman that I passed a quarter of a mile back who then FLEW past me at the last second - I guess I was HER close competitor! ;) Last .12 was 45 seconds, for a new Personal Record of 28:43!!!!! (According to my watch - the race results still haven't been posted online yet.)
Ran into a woman who asked me if I ran the triathalon in NYC (she saw my TNT NYC shirt) - we struck up a conversation. She's originally from Cleveland, but now lives in Manhattan and will be there watching the marathon! Also, she let me in on the cause behind this 5K...Patrick Joyce was a student who went to school with her who passed away their graduating year, and they do events each year to raise money for a scholarship in his name for a kid in need. Pretty noble cause!
After that, made some blueberry-walnut pancakes, then went to Best Buy to do research on TVs...more on that later - we made a purchase today!! Review to follow when it is delivered. :)
Also saw the Hurt Locker (was so hot that a movie was a must) and then hung out with Rob and Claire for Rob's 30's birthday at the Tremont Tap House. Today, did 11 in Rocky River (um, was SUPPOSED to do the "Perfect 10" Miler this morning...but overslept. D'oh! Was a good day anyway.
This was my race. I could feel it. I don't know why, but I had a good feeling about this one. I've been doing a few 5Ks recently, and I had the complaint of not being able to break 30 minutes, which has been really frustrating, because it makes me feel like the slowest runner in the world. But there have always been obstacles in the way (heat, cold/snow, excessive crowding, hills, etc.). I had no idea what to expect from the course yesterday, except that it started and ended at Lakewood Park (corner of Lake and Belle streets in Lakewood, OH).
I had my new Fastwitch sneakers, which, if nothing else, made me feel fast.
And Derek even decided (with much deliberation) to run it with me.
My plan was to give it my all. In the past I had played it conservative, holding back a bunch in the first mile, and then being subsequently unable to make it up in the last stretch. (Another thing I have done before is going out too fast in the first mile, shocking myself with the time, and then panicking/tiring out in the middle. I had recently read in a Runner's World article that if you go out 6 percent faster than normal race pace in your next 5K, it might be your fastest. Was it right?????? ;)
Well, here we go. Started out with Derek, but (sorry honey) lost him after about a quarter of a mile...didn't want to be mean, but there was a slight downhill and I just had to take advantage of it! First mile was fairly easy, watched my breathing, and passed a few people. Clocked in at 9:25 - a bit faster than "normal," but very good for what I wanted to accomplish today. Now, if I can just hold it...
A great quote by Bob Glover: "The middle miles of a race are the Rodney Dangerfields of running. They get no respect." How true. Mile 2 was ok, with a slight incline, but was mostly shaded through the sidestreets of the Lakewood neighborhood. Felt strong, and able to hang on. I was a little bit nervous to see my time for this mile, because in a 5K, this is where I usually run into trouble. But I was thrilled and surprised to hear the race volunteer call out "18:40" when I passed him...and sure enough on my watch, that split was 9:13! Whew!
At this point, I was doing fuzzy calculations in my head. Even if I run the last mile at a 10:00 pace, I can still break 30 because I need less than a minute for the last .12. But that's the kind of talk that got me in trouble at the Frosty 5K in Madison last year - around 18 minutes at mile 2, but that last mile was a trip...with snowy hills and what seemed like an endless last tenth of a mile. Okay, just push it...don't stop. Slowed for water (thank God, and I poured most of it over my head) and was grateful this race wasn't any longer because a good portion of that went into my right shoe! The last mile was brutal...hot hot hot, sun beaming down. At least it was flat. But it was endless. I just kept thinking, "This is what you've been waiting for, you can do this," although in my head I was nervous - I had never done three consecutive miles at this pace...my heart was racing and I didn't know what my "breaking point" would be. But I FINALLY saw the entrance to the park, and as I passed by the race volunteer at mile 3, I heard "28 minutes!" Holy crap! Mile 3 was 9:18. I've got this. I pushed as hard as I could, and to be honest, didn't have any "close competitors" to outrun, so my kick wasn't as strong as it could be (but then of course I was outwitted by a woman that I passed a quarter of a mile back who then FLEW past me at the last second - I guess I was HER close competitor! ;) Last .12 was 45 seconds, for a new Personal Record of 28:43!!!!! (According to my watch - the race results still haven't been posted online yet.)
Ran into a woman who asked me if I ran the triathalon in NYC (she saw my TNT NYC shirt) - we struck up a conversation. She's originally from Cleveland, but now lives in Manhattan and will be there watching the marathon! Also, she let me in on the cause behind this 5K...Patrick Joyce was a student who went to school with her who passed away their graduating year, and they do events each year to raise money for a scholarship in his name for a kid in need. Pretty noble cause!
After that, made some blueberry-walnut pancakes, then went to Best Buy to do research on TVs...more on that later - we made a purchase today!! Review to follow when it is delivered. :)
Also saw the Hurt Locker (was so hot that a movie was a must) and then hung out with Rob and Claire for Rob's 30's birthday at the Tremont Tap House. Today, did 11 in Rocky River (um, was SUPPOSED to do the "Perfect 10" Miler this morning...but overslept. D'oh! Was a good day anyway.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Two Weeks in Review
Well, I'm back! Not that I've been "away" for THAT long, per se, but the last two weeks have been crazy. Not that I couldn't have blogged, but...I chose not to. For whatever reason. Let's recap:
Saturday, July 18: Weird Ale Fest going on at Lincoln Park; was gonna go, but didn't. Ate at Dish with Claire and Derek for lunch and then at the Bistro on Lincoln Park for dinner.
Sunday, July 19: Taste of Tremont! People were trying to explain what this was to me, and they were like, "All the restaurants come out onto Professor Avenue, and you can buy stuff..." I don't know about you, but to me that sounds like a STREET FAIR! And it was glorious! Tried Edison's Pizza for the first time, which was actually very good. Also, Derek had the loaded chips from Farenheit which he loved.
Week of July 20: Study, train, study, study, train, train, study, cram, pratice test, train, study.
Friday, July 24: Drive over an hour to Ashland, OH to stay at a weird hotel the night before the NTE/Praxis-II exams (yes, I had to take those even though I've been teaching for 7 years. Go figure). Figured out where the exam was to be held (at Ashland University - nice campus!), got some mango sorbet at the supermarket and watched What Not To Wear and Say Yes to the Dress in the hotel room ;)
Saturday, July 25: Exams at 7:30 and 10:30. Busted outta there and came home. Stuffed my face with delicious rolls from Blackbird Baking Company (which we had gotten in this week's large CSA package from Fresh Fork Market), drank some gatorade, and then...ran 2 miles downtown to the Winking Lizard's A Shot in the Dark 4-mile race! I love night races. It started at 5:25, so I left around 4:45 from the apartment to make sure I made it there in time to use the restroom and find the starting line (uh, no problem there; there were burgers grilling and Chumbawumba playing, not to mention that most people were drinking BEFORE the race - not my way to get a PR! ;)
The course was really great, we went through Ohio City and part of downtown. I saw bits of Ohio City that I had never seen before which was awesome. The only part(s) that were a little annoying were 1) there were not one, but TWO bridges involved - but of course I was thinking about the NY marathon and how this is just good practice for that!, and 2) I had to listen to two women talk about ovulation, and trying to get pregnant, for the middle 2 miles or so (that gave me the motivation to run faster to avoid hearing this conversation). I mean, does anyone else feel as though people talk about the most personal things during races that, like, nobody else really wants to hear? I don't know.
Started strong, kept it going through the middle, and finished VERY strong. A great race overall, although I didn't PR. But I am still happy that I rocked those bridges and I ran negative splits!!! That almost never happens. I was definitely reigning it in at the beginning, which is why that probably happened. But I usually have trouble pacing myself at the start because I get so excited and end up running at least one min/mile faster than I intended. Actually, for this race I was very shocked when I saw 10:40 for the first mile because, based on the huge bridge and the fact that I was trying to go slowly, I thought it was going to be around 11:30 for that mile.
Mile 1 - 10:40
Mile 2 - 10:36
Mile 3 - 10:13
Mile 4 - 9:39
Finishing Time: 41:08, 108/144 women 25-29. Hey, maybe I'll place better in these races next year....when I turn 30!!!! Yikes!
And on to last week...
Monday, July 27 - Put together IKEA bookshelves! All by myself! Wow!
Wednesday, July 28 - Sent my Ohio state teacher license application out, finally (although they have to wait to process it until my Praxis scores come in in 3 weeks - D'oh!), and then went to the airport to DETROIT! Becca picked me up and we drove 4+ hrs to Walloon Lake, Michigan. Paradise...pictures to follow (perhaps - I forgot my camera!! But Amy brought hers).
Now, back to the grind...training, looking for jobs (sent out 2 more resumes this week), etc. Roasting beets as we speak, actually! Always better to multitask. ;)
Saturday, July 18: Weird Ale Fest going on at Lincoln Park; was gonna go, but didn't. Ate at Dish with Claire and Derek for lunch and then at the Bistro on Lincoln Park for dinner.
Sunday, July 19: Taste of Tremont! People were trying to explain what this was to me, and they were like, "All the restaurants come out onto Professor Avenue, and you can buy stuff..." I don't know about you, but to me that sounds like a STREET FAIR! And it was glorious! Tried Edison's Pizza for the first time, which was actually very good. Also, Derek had the loaded chips from Farenheit which he loved.
Week of July 20: Study, train, study, study, train, train, study, cram, pratice test, train, study.
Friday, July 24: Drive over an hour to Ashland, OH to stay at a weird hotel the night before the NTE/Praxis-II exams (yes, I had to take those even though I've been teaching for 7 years. Go figure). Figured out where the exam was to be held (at Ashland University - nice campus!), got some mango sorbet at the supermarket and watched What Not To Wear and Say Yes to the Dress in the hotel room ;)
Saturday, July 25: Exams at 7:30 and 10:30. Busted outta there and came home. Stuffed my face with delicious rolls from Blackbird Baking Company (which we had gotten in this week's large CSA package from Fresh Fork Market), drank some gatorade, and then...ran 2 miles downtown to the Winking Lizard's A Shot in the Dark 4-mile race! I love night races. It started at 5:25, so I left around 4:45 from the apartment to make sure I made it there in time to use the restroom and find the starting line (uh, no problem there; there were burgers grilling and Chumbawumba playing, not to mention that most people were drinking BEFORE the race - not my way to get a PR! ;)
The course was really great, we went through Ohio City and part of downtown. I saw bits of Ohio City that I had never seen before which was awesome. The only part(s) that were a little annoying were 1) there were not one, but TWO bridges involved - but of course I was thinking about the NY marathon and how this is just good practice for that!, and 2) I had to listen to two women talk about ovulation, and trying to get pregnant, for the middle 2 miles or so (that gave me the motivation to run faster to avoid hearing this conversation). I mean, does anyone else feel as though people talk about the most personal things during races that, like, nobody else really wants to hear? I don't know.
Started strong, kept it going through the middle, and finished VERY strong. A great race overall, although I didn't PR. But I am still happy that I rocked those bridges and I ran negative splits!!! That almost never happens. I was definitely reigning it in at the beginning, which is why that probably happened. But I usually have trouble pacing myself at the start because I get so excited and end up running at least one min/mile faster than I intended. Actually, for this race I was very shocked when I saw 10:40 for the first mile because, based on the huge bridge and the fact that I was trying to go slowly, I thought it was going to be around 11:30 for that mile.
Mile 1 - 10:40
Mile 2 - 10:36
Mile 3 - 10:13
Mile 4 - 9:39
Finishing Time: 41:08, 108/144 women 25-29. Hey, maybe I'll place better in these races next year....when I turn 30!!!! Yikes!
And on to last week...
Monday, July 27 - Put together IKEA bookshelves! All by myself! Wow!
Wednesday, July 28 - Sent my Ohio state teacher license application out, finally (although they have to wait to process it until my Praxis scores come in in 3 weeks - D'oh!), and then went to the airport to DETROIT! Becca picked me up and we drove 4+ hrs to Walloon Lake, Michigan. Paradise...pictures to follow (perhaps - I forgot my camera!! But Amy brought hers).
Now, back to the grind...training, looking for jobs (sent out 2 more resumes this week), etc. Roasting beets as we speak, actually! Always better to multitask. ;)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Tryin' to Break 30
No, not 30 years of age, although that'll come in less than a year. I'm talking about 30 minutes for the 5K.
I've been running for about three years now, and I think I've improved quite a bit in terms of consistency, stamina, and endurance. In fact, the first 5K I ever ran (The Coogan's race in Washington Heights) was 35:13. Little by little I ran faster, but for this distance, I have never been able to beat that 30 minute mark! The closest I have come was last Fall, in Madison, at The Free to Breathe 5K (30:13). This past winter I ran the Frosty 5K, also in Madison, in 31:23 -- I attributed that to the snowy, slippery conditions.
But again today. I ran A Most Excellent Race -- my first race in Cleveland! I thought I had it - I thought I paced myself well. And it really wasn't bad - in fact two of my miles were under 10 minutes, which is good for me. I even got to the three-mile mark in under 30, but...it's always that last .12 that kills me! I did have to pat myself on the back, though, for my finishing kick. I can't go that long at that speed, but I did outrun quite a few in that last tenth of a mile.
Splits were 9:53, 9:38, 10:20, and 54 secs for the last .12. Finishing time was 30:37.
All in all, I was happy with today's run. I am still getting acclimated to warmer weather (averaging about 10 degrees warmer than Madison). Plus I have started going to yoga again (and even tried a pilates class!) at Studio 11 in my new neighborhood, Tremont.
Also on tap...about to start my training for the New York City Marathon!!! A toast to my hometown!
More later. I think I'm going to become obsessed with this.
I've been running for about three years now, and I think I've improved quite a bit in terms of consistency, stamina, and endurance. In fact, the first 5K I ever ran (The Coogan's race in Washington Heights) was 35:13. Little by little I ran faster, but for this distance, I have never been able to beat that 30 minute mark! The closest I have come was last Fall, in Madison, at The Free to Breathe 5K (30:13). This past winter I ran the Frosty 5K, also in Madison, in 31:23 -- I attributed that to the snowy, slippery conditions.
But again today. I ran A Most Excellent Race -- my first race in Cleveland! I thought I had it - I thought I paced myself well. And it really wasn't bad - in fact two of my miles were under 10 minutes, which is good for me. I even got to the three-mile mark in under 30, but...it's always that last .12 that kills me! I did have to pat myself on the back, though, for my finishing kick. I can't go that long at that speed, but I did outrun quite a few in that last tenth of a mile.
Splits were 9:53, 9:38, 10:20, and 54 secs for the last .12. Finishing time was 30:37.
All in all, I was happy with today's run. I am still getting acclimated to warmer weather (averaging about 10 degrees warmer than Madison). Plus I have started going to yoga again (and even tried a pilates class!) at Studio 11 in my new neighborhood, Tremont.
Also on tap...about to start my training for the New York City Marathon!!! A toast to my hometown!
More later. I think I'm going to become obsessed with this.
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