Wow, woke up this morning after having many weird dreams and just.did.not.want.to.run long!!! I went to bed semi-early (10 pm) and set my alarm for 6:15...promptly shut it off and went back to sleep for an hour and a half. Finally got out of bed, did normal pre-long-run stuff (PB & J, hydrate, a bit of coffee) and then signed on to Monster.com to update my profile a bit and make my resume public. I don't know, maybe it was all the stress about the job search and maybe I shouldn't have done that work stuff right before my run. I just wasn't in the mood. But I got ready anyway and Derek even said he'd run the first mile with me, then turn around at Steelyard Commons and run home.
Got my ipod ready, got my gels and phone and keys and ID and cash (I'm beginning to feel like a crazy bag lady with pockets and pouches and fanny packs instead of bags, it's really annoying) and strapped on my new Amphipod double-bottle doohickey...and almost IMMEDIATELY the pouch started bouncing and then when I went to adjust it, one of the bottles fell out. Then, I tried tightening it and putting it up higher, but then my elbows kept banging into the bottles because they stick out to each side. WOW. I got TOTALLY frustrated, and even (I'm not proud to say this) threw down my visor, pouch, and ipod and pretty much had a hissy fit. (Derek is the most patient husband ever, and didn't freak out at me for freaking out, he just tried to calm me down. Thank you, honey. :))
This is not the first time I've had a major freakout at nothing while training. But, when you try so hard during the week, and on the weekend, to prepare and do everything right (get to sleep early, not drink alcohol, etc.), the last thing you want to have happen is some minor inconvenience that COMPLETELY affects your run. I was really upset about my Camelbak getting stolen, and I thought this Amphipod would be an ok substitute, but it's just not. And I'm annoyed at myself for listening to the guy at the store who said that the hydration backpacks are really only for cycling. I don't know, but I'd rather have the weight distributed among my shoulders and back than only on my lower back, with these bottles getting in the way and not even staying in place. Then of course I remembered that women's bodies (uh, hips/butt!) are not built like mens', and of course this dude at the store wouldn't have realized that while he could wear this thing anywhere he wanted, I have certain curvature that wouldn't allow for that. And I know I could have just carried the bottles, but that's annoying too, and I am the type of person who just needs a lot of water during these runs, especially in the summer.
The last time I had a nervous breakdown was around the same point in my training for Phoenix. My training had taken me just past the half-marathon distance, but I was not yet comfortable with that 14-16 mile range, and I felt like I just couldn't do it. Derek was there for that episode as well, when he met me in Central Park and ran the last 5 miles with me. I don't know, there's something about breaking through that barrier to the "long" runs and then getting comfortable with running them every week. Now Bob Glover and some other competitive marathoners who have made training guides don't think long runs are actually long unless they are 18-20 miles. Most "commoners" would say anything over 8 is long. For me it starts to get tricky at 10 and up. Last week I was scheduled to do 15 but stopped at 11.5, mostly because my family had plans (we were at Walloon and had to go into town) and I didn't want to hold them up. This week I am saying I want to do 14 (not sure I can jump up to 15). But I just couldn't hang on today. After that whole freakout, Derek gave me another lightweight backpack to use, which was ok, and we started running, but my heart wasn't in it. So we turned around together, and then I did another 2 or so on my own for a total of 4 miles for today. Tomorrow we shall try again. But it's supposed to be 92 tomorrow, which is why I felt extra pressure to do my long run today. Oh well.
I guess I'm just not having a good day.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Stuff to eat and stuff to wear
Well, I promised I'd show you pictures of the stuffed cabbage. Here it is!!!
Before I put it into the oven:
After I took it out (almost looks the same...)
And being enjoyed by Derek!!!
The entire reason I made this dish was because we got a head of cabbage in our Fresh Fork package this week (oh, and because sometimes I like to remember that I'm of Polish descent). It tasted awesome, although it took FOREVER to make - lots of prep involved and then an hour in the oven. Nonetheless, it was delicious and kind of fun to make, and now I have lots of leftovers - which reminds me, I should heat some up for lunch. (By the way, you can find the recipe I used here.)
In other news, my friggin' Camelbak hydration backpack was stolen off my steps yesterday, while it was "airing out," (haha) sooo I had to get a new one. Ended up going with an Amphipod Profile Lite 32 with two 16-oz bottles and a pouch to store keys, gels, etc. Will try it out on the long run (14 miles!) tomorrow morn.
What I won't be trying out on my long run are my new Saucony Fastwitch 3s that I picked up today for racing/speedwork. I know it's probably not NECESSARY, but I do love that extra "light, speedy" feeling that a lightweight shoe provides. Maybe it's all in my head, I don't know. For the past year I have been using the Brooks Trance 8 for 5Ks and intervals, which are AWESOME but now they have the 9s out and...well, like with the Asics 2140s, it's just not the same.
Part of the reason I went to Second Sole and got myself this stuff today is because I've been feeling a bit down lately...still jobless! So I'm a bit bummed. Nothing a little running/retail therapy (oh, and did I mention a mani/pedi?) can't fix. ;)
Before I put it into the oven:
After I took it out (almost looks the same...)
And being enjoyed by Derek!!!
The entire reason I made this dish was because we got a head of cabbage in our Fresh Fork package this week (oh, and because sometimes I like to remember that I'm of Polish descent). It tasted awesome, although it took FOREVER to make - lots of prep involved and then an hour in the oven. Nonetheless, it was delicious and kind of fun to make, and now I have lots of leftovers - which reminds me, I should heat some up for lunch. (By the way, you can find the recipe I used here.)
In other news, my friggin' Camelbak hydration backpack was stolen off my steps yesterday, while it was "airing out," (haha) sooo I had to get a new one. Ended up going with an Amphipod Profile Lite 32 with two 16-oz bottles and a pouch to store keys, gels, etc. Will try it out on the long run (14 miles!) tomorrow morn.
What I won't be trying out on my long run are my new Saucony Fastwitch 3s that I picked up today for racing/speedwork. I know it's probably not NECESSARY, but I do love that extra "light, speedy" feeling that a lightweight shoe provides. Maybe it's all in my head, I don't know. For the past year I have been using the Brooks Trance 8 for 5Ks and intervals, which are AWESOME but now they have the 9s out and...well, like with the Asics 2140s, it's just not the same.
Part of the reason I went to Second Sole and got myself this stuff today is because I've been feeling a bit down lately...still jobless! So I'm a bit bummed. Nothing a little running/retail therapy (oh, and did I mention a mani/pedi?) can't fix. ;)
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Not Half Bad
Greetings from Slackerville.
Man, I have been sitting at this computer for roughly three hours now...mostly to update stuff on here. It has felt like the longest day EVER, probably because I got up before the sun rose and made Derek an egg-and-cheese sandwich - yum! (Had one myself later). Drove with him to work, then did 6 miles on the Erie & Canal Towpath in Independence. The body didn't feel awesome, but the mind did...it just felt great to do an early morning run, before the heat struck, on a serene trail.
Yesterday's speedwork session was awesome though, and I thought I'd share. Now on Tuesday, I had to do 6 miles and since I didn't have the car, I couldn't drive to a scenic spot, sooo I decided to do what I call the "two bridges run" -- Tremont to Downtown and back, via two different bridges. Let me say, it was HORRIBLE. I've done this run before, and it was fine, but Tuesday's heat and humidity were god awful and I felt as though I would melt within the first mile. But sometimes, ya know, the first mile hurts but then you fall into a rhythm. Nope. The entire. run. suuuuuucked! I even got back to Tremont and it was only 5 miles and I was like, "WTF?" so I had to run more. Ugh.
But I digress. Wednesday's speed session called for 4-6 x a half-mile @ 5K-10K pace, 5 miles total including warmup and cooldown. I was apprehensive about this because I had slept in, AGAIN, and didn't want to face that heat once more. HOWEVER. It was breezy and there was NO humidity so it was great!!! And here's the best part: my splits shocked me! In a good way. I usually consider 5K pace for me around 9:50 - 10 min/mile, and 10K is more like 10:30 min/mile. So I was expecting times of roughly 5:00-5:15, with the hope of not falling on my face by the last repeat (i.e., pacing myself properly to not go out too fast during the first two or three and not have enough energy left for the last ones). I know that, with intervals, you need to keep a consistent pace and make sure that your last repeat has as much "push" as the first. I also had in mind that I should have the feeling that the last one really HAD to be the last one, and not really "store" that much energy at the end. Otherwise, it's not really a workout, right? ;)
So here were my splits:
1 - 4:29 (uh-oh, reign it in!)
2 - 4:33 (hmm...that didn't feel that hard)
3 - 4:32
4 - 4:32 (whoa, that's even!)
5 - 4:25
6 - 4:17 (giving it a bunch more but not ALL-out)
I am thinking that perhaps the park was slightly under a half-mile all the way around...I did not have the Garmin with me but I looked it up on g-map pedometer and it said 0.52. I bet they measure from the curb, though, which accounts for a little shorter time. All in all, though, even if it was a little short, it would be spot-on with where I wanted to be...and if it was accurate, even better! It's amazing how much easier it is to do this workout, by the way, after doing the same thing a few weeks earlier with full miles. Now I kinda like half-miles. ;)
Rest day tomorrow, good thing, because I need to get bloodwork done in the morning, and that needs to be on an empty stomach, so that's not the greatest recipe for a run afterwards. On tap for tonight....STUFFED CABBAGE! My first time, but not my first experience with Jewish (well, Polish) cuisine. Pictures to follow, perhaps.
Man, I have been sitting at this computer for roughly three hours now...mostly to update stuff on here. It has felt like the longest day EVER, probably because I got up before the sun rose and made Derek an egg-and-cheese sandwich - yum! (Had one myself later). Drove with him to work, then did 6 miles on the Erie & Canal Towpath in Independence. The body didn't feel awesome, but the mind did...it just felt great to do an early morning run, before the heat struck, on a serene trail.
Yesterday's speedwork session was awesome though, and I thought I'd share. Now on Tuesday, I had to do 6 miles and since I didn't have the car, I couldn't drive to a scenic spot, sooo I decided to do what I call the "two bridges run" -- Tremont to Downtown and back, via two different bridges. Let me say, it was HORRIBLE. I've done this run before, and it was fine, but Tuesday's heat and humidity were god awful and I felt as though I would melt within the first mile. But sometimes, ya know, the first mile hurts but then you fall into a rhythm. Nope. The entire. run. suuuuuucked! I even got back to Tremont and it was only 5 miles and I was like, "WTF?" so I had to run more. Ugh.
But I digress. Wednesday's speed session called for 4-6 x a half-mile @ 5K-10K pace, 5 miles total including warmup and cooldown. I was apprehensive about this because I had slept in, AGAIN, and didn't want to face that heat once more. HOWEVER. It was breezy and there was NO humidity so it was great!!! And here's the best part: my splits shocked me! In a good way. I usually consider 5K pace for me around 9:50 - 10 min/mile, and 10K is more like 10:30 min/mile. So I was expecting times of roughly 5:00-5:15, with the hope of not falling on my face by the last repeat (i.e., pacing myself properly to not go out too fast during the first two or three and not have enough energy left for the last ones). I know that, with intervals, you need to keep a consistent pace and make sure that your last repeat has as much "push" as the first. I also had in mind that I should have the feeling that the last one really HAD to be the last one, and not really "store" that much energy at the end. Otherwise, it's not really a workout, right? ;)
So here were my splits:
1 - 4:29 (uh-oh, reign it in!)
2 - 4:33 (hmm...that didn't feel that hard)
3 - 4:32
4 - 4:32 (whoa, that's even!)
5 - 4:25
6 - 4:17 (giving it a bunch more but not ALL-out)
I am thinking that perhaps the park was slightly under a half-mile all the way around...I did not have the Garmin with me but I looked it up on g-map pedometer and it said 0.52. I bet they measure from the curb, though, which accounts for a little shorter time. All in all, though, even if it was a little short, it would be spot-on with where I wanted to be...and if it was accurate, even better! It's amazing how much easier it is to do this workout, by the way, after doing the same thing a few weeks earlier with full miles. Now I kinda like half-miles. ;)
Rest day tomorrow, good thing, because I need to get bloodwork done in the morning, and that needs to be on an empty stomach, so that's not the greatest recipe for a run afterwards. On tap for tonight....STUFFED CABBAGE! My first time, but not my first experience with Jewish (well, Polish) cuisine. Pictures to follow, perhaps.
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. ;)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Doing Nothing, Well
It's been a little while since my last post -- I guess I've been "doing nothing well," as some of my fellow teachers used to say about kids who wouldn't behave. ;)
But seriously, I have been spending my days doing the following things, more or less in this order but with some variety:
This has pretty much been satisfying for the most part, even though I am really doing not much of anything. I think it's the joy of summer vacation. A lot of people plan trips to new places, go to the beach, go explore the great things a city might have to offer during the summertime (damn you NYC and the High Line among so many other things I want to do and see!), but I worked myself so much into a stupor this past year that I am content to do pretty much nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I am very excited to go to Walloon Lake, Michigan at the end of this month (more to come on that) or for a VERY brief visit to New York for Heather's wedding at the end of August (wish I could stay longer!). But I pretty much don't feel like I need to make any other major plans right now. My life, for the last year or even two, has been filled with excitement, stress, change, etc. (moving twice AND getting married!) so I am fine right now. I would say I like being lazy, but marathon training and lazy don't really mix, so I will say I am being active physically and mellow mentally. Hmm, that doesn't sound great either. Oh well. But I am happy.
Training schedule for this past week has been as follows:
Monday - Off
Tuesday - 3 miles (I ran this one easy on the Ohio Erie Towpath, and then had a rather invigorating pilates session at Studio 11 in the evening)
Wednesday - 5 miles, with 2-4 x a mile @ 5k - 10k pace. This was a GREAT workout, and I enjoyed it far more than I expected. (I usually dread speedwork.) Ran a mile slowly to warm up until I got to the Steelyard path, then did my first fast mile @ 9:08, which was TOO FAST for my 5k pace, but it was mostly downhill (plus I saw some sketchy dudes on bikes so I thought I would pick up the pace...just kidding Mom). Then cooled down for a mile, and did the second fast mile @10:40, a little slower than 10k pace, BUT I noticed on my Garmin that I spent a good portion of this mile at just around 9:53 pace, which is great for 5k. What killed me is that humongous hill--the same one that got me shooting down at first, really pulled the brakes on my speed at the end. Still, I am glad for that split because I usually struggle up that hill. :) Then cooled down for a mile on the way home.
Thursday - another easy 3 miles
Friday - Off!!!!
Saturday - 13 miles
Sunday - 3 miles.
I may switch Saturday and Sunday, and substitute the 3-miler for this "Skinny Bitch" class at the yoga studio Saturday. I don't usually like changing the schedule around, but this class is awesome and I haven't gone to it in a few weeks. I've heard it's often good to change around your workout; once you reach a weight-loss "plateau" it's good to vary the exercises you do and stuff. Plus I need upper-body and core work and this class takes care of that for sure! Speaking of which, I am annoyed that since marathon training I have actually gained 2 pounds! Arggg! I am hoping it's just that I've built muscle tone...and not that I've been overeating as a result of overrunning...haha. I looked this up online and actually found an about.com blog written by Christine Luff, one of my former TNT coaches! She is awesome so of course I had to read it.
Anyway, that's about it for now. Oh, one more thing -- Derek and I signed up to be members of Fresh Fork Market, a food co-op, in order to support local agriculture. We get our first package tomorrow! More on that later!
*Note: I did remember sunscreen on my Wednesday and Thursday runs!
But seriously, I have been spending my days doing the following things, more or less in this order but with some variety:
- Get a mediocre night's sleep; drive Derek to work or sometimes sleep in
- Drink coffee and make fun of the Today show; eat something; talk to Mom
- Run a short to medium distance, more often than not in heat and humidity
- Kick self after forgetting to wear sunscreen and then vowing to do so next time*
- Shower and put on something "normal" (i.e., NOT pajamas or running clothes)
- Eat lunch while watching Netflix DVDs
- Attempt to get some part of the apartment looking nicer, in spurts (e.g., putting up 2-3 framed pieces of artwork; obsessively scrubbing kitchen floor)
- Take a walk/do something productive outside (like go to the West Side Market, walk around the neighborhood, or read on the balcony)
- Change back into pajamas and take a nap
- Pick Derek up from work/cook dinner
This has pretty much been satisfying for the most part, even though I am really doing not much of anything. I think it's the joy of summer vacation. A lot of people plan trips to new places, go to the beach, go explore the great things a city might have to offer during the summertime (damn you NYC and the High Line among so many other things I want to do and see!), but I worked myself so much into a stupor this past year that I am content to do pretty much nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I am very excited to go to Walloon Lake, Michigan at the end of this month (more to come on that) or for a VERY brief visit to New York for Heather's wedding at the end of August (wish I could stay longer!). But I pretty much don't feel like I need to make any other major plans right now. My life, for the last year or even two, has been filled with excitement, stress, change, etc. (moving twice AND getting married!) so I am fine right now. I would say I like being lazy, but marathon training and lazy don't really mix, so I will say I am being active physically and mellow mentally. Hmm, that doesn't sound great either. Oh well. But I am happy.
Training schedule for this past week has been as follows:
Monday - Off
Tuesday - 3 miles (I ran this one easy on the Ohio Erie Towpath, and then had a rather invigorating pilates session at Studio 11 in the evening)
Wednesday - 5 miles, with 2-4 x a mile @ 5k - 10k pace. This was a GREAT workout, and I enjoyed it far more than I expected. (I usually dread speedwork.) Ran a mile slowly to warm up until I got to the Steelyard path, then did my first fast mile @ 9:08, which was TOO FAST for my 5k pace, but it was mostly downhill (plus I saw some sketchy dudes on bikes so I thought I would pick up the pace...just kidding Mom). Then cooled down for a mile, and did the second fast mile @10:40, a little slower than 10k pace, BUT I noticed on my Garmin that I spent a good portion of this mile at just around 9:53 pace, which is great for 5k. What killed me is that humongous hill--the same one that got me shooting down at first, really pulled the brakes on my speed at the end. Still, I am glad for that split because I usually struggle up that hill. :) Then cooled down for a mile on the way home.
Thursday - another easy 3 miles
Friday - Off!!!!
Saturday - 13 miles
Sunday - 3 miles.
I may switch Saturday and Sunday, and substitute the 3-miler for this "Skinny Bitch" class at the yoga studio Saturday. I don't usually like changing the schedule around, but this class is awesome and I haven't gone to it in a few weeks. I've heard it's often good to change around your workout; once you reach a weight-loss "plateau" it's good to vary the exercises you do and stuff. Plus I need upper-body and core work and this class takes care of that for sure! Speaking of which, I am annoyed that since marathon training I have actually gained 2 pounds! Arggg! I am hoping it's just that I've built muscle tone...and not that I've been overeating as a result of overrunning...haha. I looked this up online and actually found an about.com blog written by Christine Luff, one of my former TNT coaches! She is awesome so of course I had to read it.
Anyway, that's about it for now. Oh, one more thing -- Derek and I signed up to be members of Fresh Fork Market, a food co-op, in order to support local agriculture. We get our first package tomorrow! More on that later!
*Note: I did remember sunscreen on my Wednesday and Thursday runs!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
How many Clevelanders does it take to put together an Ikea bookshelf?
Hey! It's been awhile since my last entry, partially because I've been going crazy trying to get this apartment looking "decent" for my mother's visit TOMORROW, and partially because I was away for the weekend. Derek and I went to Troy, Michigan, to visit his parents and sisters. We had a great time. I did my long run of 8 miles (at least part of it) on the beautiful and serene Clinton River Trail, and it felt great. I wish I could run all of my runs on trails and not on city streets.
Which brings me to today's run. It felt good for the most part, but it was a little bit hotter than last week. The breeze was nice, however, especially over the Lorain bridge (also known as route 10) that goes east into downtown Cleveland. Here's what it looked like: Tremont/Lorain Bridge
The map says it was 4.2 miles, but my Garmin Forerunner said 4 pretty much exactly (in fact, I had to circle the block once more to get to 4 miles). Oh well, no biggie, just as long as I'm logging around the right amount.
Mileage for this week is as follows (by the way, in case you're wondering, I'm following a 16-week training program outlined by Bob and Shelly Lynn Glover from their book The Competitive Runner's Handbook) :
Monday - Off
Tuesday - 4 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles (with 3-4 long-hill repeats)
Thursday - 4 miles
Friday - Off
Saturday - 10 miles
Sunday - 3 miles
Total Mileage: 25 miles.
I am also going to try my best to do some "core" work as well as strength training/flexibility (pilates, yoga, weights). I figure I have the summer free, why not make the most of the training? Plus I have a tendency to get (minor) injuries...I want to make sure that I protect my muscles and stretch often, and also build core strength so that I don't get any more back pain - what a nuisance.
In other news...Derek and I went to Ikea on the way back from Michigan! We got some stuff for the apartment but plan on ordering a few bigger bookcases online. I'll keep you posted.
Which brings me to today's run. It felt good for the most part, but it was a little bit hotter than last week. The breeze was nice, however, especially over the Lorain bridge (also known as route 10) that goes east into downtown Cleveland. Here's what it looked like: Tremont/Lorain Bridge
The map says it was 4.2 miles, but my Garmin Forerunner said 4 pretty much exactly (in fact, I had to circle the block once more to get to 4 miles). Oh well, no biggie, just as long as I'm logging around the right amount.
Mileage for this week is as follows (by the way, in case you're wondering, I'm following a 16-week training program outlined by Bob and Shelly Lynn Glover from their book The Competitive Runner's Handbook) :
Monday - Off
Tuesday - 4 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles (with 3-4 long-hill repeats)
Thursday - 4 miles
Friday - Off
Saturday - 10 miles
Sunday - 3 miles
Total Mileage: 25 miles.
I am also going to try my best to do some "core" work as well as strength training/flexibility (pilates, yoga, weights). I figure I have the summer free, why not make the most of the training? Plus I have a tendency to get (minor) injuries...I want to make sure that I protect my muscles and stretch often, and also build core strength so that I don't get any more back pain - what a nuisance.
In other news...Derek and I went to Ikea on the way back from Michigan! We got some stuff for the apartment but plan on ordering a few bigger bookcases online. I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Training Time
I started training for my next marathon this week (New York City folks!!!!) and so far, so good, although it doesn't really start getting "weird" until the double-digit long runs start taking over the weekends. That's when I resign myself to finishing my 15-miler or whatever, taking a shower, getting a burrito bol from Chipotle (which Oh My God, HAS SO MANY CALORIES!!!!), and watching America's Next Top Model reruns all day.
But that's not happening yet. This week, I'm just doing/did the following:
Monday - Off
Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles (2 miles @ tempo)
Thursday - 4 miles
Friday - Off
Saturday - 8 miles
Sunday - 3 miles
Total Mileage: 22 miles.
I've been using google's gmap-pedometer to create routes around my new neighbhorhood, although to be honest, I really hate running on sidewalks. I've been able to get to a couple of paths here and there, but there just not as accessible as in Madison (where it seemed like everywhere you turn there's another continuation of another bike/running path) or in NY (hello, Central Park and Riverside Park!). I know about the Cleveland Metroparks, but they are not within walking/running distance so I'm going to have to take a couple trips in the car. But when our friends in the area took us to one in Rocky River, I was amazed at how beautiful it was, and how the paths stretched on for miles and miles. Those parks will be worth it for long runs, I'm sure.
Also, nearby (about 1 mile away) there's this development called Steelyard Commons, which was put there fairly recently and has a Target, Staples (yay teacher supplies), Best Buy, Old Navy, Home Depot, Wal-mart (my soul dies each time I set foot in there), Starbucks, and, as fate would have it, Chipotle! Anyway, all this stuff was constructed on the site of an actual steelyard, and there's a paved bicyle/running path that curves down along the side of it and then winds behind it. Apparently this turns into 30-something miles of bike path, called the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath. It's pretty cool. I've only ventured a couple of miles down it, but I'll try more on the longer runs. The added bonus for this route is that there is a huge hill that you have to run down to get down to the Steelyard area...and thus, will need to run back UP to finish. :) Do I see some long-hill repeats in my future? Yes, I do.
Also, our landlord just gave us this addendum to our lease granting us access to the fitness center in one of his other buildings downtown, which is great! This means that I don't have to suffer through the winter as much. Plus, I do like the treadmill for the sake of having headphones on without worry, and a water bottle you can just sit next to you, plus it's a little easier on my legs than pavement :)
In other news, Derek and I plan on visiting his family in Detroit for the long weekend (Derek gets tomorrow off!), so that'll be fun. It's always nice to be surrounded by family :) And my mom visits next Wednesday! Look out, Cleveland...
But that's not happening yet. This week, I'm just doing/did the following:
Monday - Off
Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles (2 miles @ tempo)
Thursday - 4 miles
Friday - Off
Saturday - 8 miles
Sunday - 3 miles
Total Mileage: 22 miles.
I've been using google's gmap-pedometer to create routes around my new neighbhorhood, although to be honest, I really hate running on sidewalks. I've been able to get to a couple of paths here and there, but there just not as accessible as in Madison (where it seemed like everywhere you turn there's another continuation of another bike/running path) or in NY (hello, Central Park and Riverside Park!). I know about the Cleveland Metroparks, but they are not within walking/running distance so I'm going to have to take a couple trips in the car. But when our friends in the area took us to one in Rocky River, I was amazed at how beautiful it was, and how the paths stretched on for miles and miles. Those parks will be worth it for long runs, I'm sure.
Also, nearby (about 1 mile away) there's this development called Steelyard Commons, which was put there fairly recently and has a Target, Staples (yay teacher supplies), Best Buy, Old Navy, Home Depot, Wal-mart (my soul dies each time I set foot in there), Starbucks, and, as fate would have it, Chipotle! Anyway, all this stuff was constructed on the site of an actual steelyard, and there's a paved bicyle/running path that curves down along the side of it and then winds behind it. Apparently this turns into 30-something miles of bike path, called the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath. It's pretty cool. I've only ventured a couple of miles down it, but I'll try more on the longer runs. The added bonus for this route is that there is a huge hill that you have to run down to get down to the Steelyard area...and thus, will need to run back UP to finish. :) Do I see some long-hill repeats in my future? Yes, I do.
Also, our landlord just gave us this addendum to our lease granting us access to the fitness center in one of his other buildings downtown, which is great! This means that I don't have to suffer through the winter as much. Plus, I do like the treadmill for the sake of having headphones on without worry, and a water bottle you can just sit next to you, plus it's a little easier on my legs than pavement :)
In other news, Derek and I plan on visiting his family in Detroit for the long weekend (Derek gets tomorrow off!), so that'll be fun. It's always nice to be surrounded by family :) And my mom visits next Wednesday! Look out, Cleveland...
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