Sleep, what I have been needing and the reason I am having the hardest time getting running again. Ever since the 1/2 marathon I have had the hardest time getting going in the morning and getting myself on a run.
Well see how tomorrow goes.
Lord help me get my butt out of bed and back to training.
Amen.
This is a blog about me wanting to get in shape for myself, keeping my curves, and maybe venting about how much it can suck trying to be a Fat Bottomed Runner.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
1/2
Believe it or not but last Sunday I ran 13.1 miles in a race and didn't die!
I wasn't sure how I was going to do, so two weeks before hand I ran it in a training run through the neighborhoods around my house. I made it to mile 8 without a problem, but after that my left leg hurt and I just couldn't make myself run again. But I finished the 13.1 miles in 3 hours 30 min. Since then I have been running, but only 4-6 miles at a time, strictly working on keeping a good form.
So last Sunday was the race. My sisters and drove to Santa Rosa the day before, grabbed an over-priced pasta dinner and headed to bed with a new race day manicure. I was calm and ready to go with only minor butterflies in my stomach. We all set a goal of finishing in under 3:30, with a dream of finishing in under 3:15.
Come 5:30 in the morning I had slept on and off and was not totally rested, but off we went to the race. One of my sisters and I stood in line for the port-a-potties and were actually in them when the start shoot went off. We did up crossing the start line with our other 2 sisters and the race was on!
The loop was along the river and about 6 miles out and then a quick jog down a side stream and back to the start. The marathon runners would be doing the loop twice. In the first 2 miles my sisters and I had all broken up on our own, and were playing leap frog with each other. My goal was to stay on pace so I started with my new plan of 2 min run:1 min walk (~ 13 min/mile pace), but I was getting tired of flipping my wrist and checking my watch over and over. I woman in front of me had a beeper that keep going off at intervals. After a bit of chatting I learned that it was a GymBoss and was an interval timer. She was an interstate marathoner and it had worked wonders for keeping her on pace. Another woman was running in the same area and started chatting with us. She was an iron man competitor, using the marathon to strengthen her running time and she used a heart rate monitor to keep her pace. I ran with these lovely ladies from mile 3-5, and the miles just slid by. But at mile 5 I knew that I needed to start fueling so I grabbed a gel. I have yet to master the eating and still running so I soon fell behind my new friends. The next few miles, were fine. I keep my pace and while I was running by myself there were people in front of and behind me. At mile 8, I slowed as before and could no longer keep my pace. So I moved to a 2 min run : 2 min walk, and just kept moving.
Two of my sisters were about 200 yards in front of me, but I just couldn't bring myself u to catch them. My other sister was a ways behind me and I was always hoping she would surprise me, but alas I only saw her on the finish line.
Miles 9-11 were a bit of a blur, with my thoughts concentrated on "just keep moving". One of the worst things I did was calculate my time at mile 9 and I realized that if I made a 15 min pace, I could finish in under 3 hours. It also meant that I had another hour of running left, after the 2 I had already done. At mile 11, one of my sisters in front of me had fallen behind while fueling up and I was able to chat with her for a bit before she ran forward again. I kept drinking water and had a second gel.
At mile 12, the lead marathoners lapped me. Two amazing women making olympic trial times, flew by me and I'll I could do was cheer them on.
The last mile just seemed to continue to stretch out, but my ability to kick into a run was harder and harder. At mile 13 with just the last .1 of a mile to go, I once again found my steam. And ran to the end. I feel you must finish strong if you are even going to bother. I finished with a time of 2:53:something! Far below my original goal and even my dream goal.
It was a good run and I learned a lot. I already have bought a GymBoss interval timer, it's in the mail. I also learned that I have to find a better way of fueling my body. The gel are providing me with energy, and water is keeping me hydrated, but I am not balancing my electrolytes. This is getting tweaked so I can keep going. I also learned that a friend on the road is a good thing, so my sister and are are working together to get our paces in sync.
All in all, I'm glad I did it and proud of my accomplishment. It may just be the right length of race for me.
Now to prep for the big mamajama!
I wasn't sure how I was going to do, so two weeks before hand I ran it in a training run through the neighborhoods around my house. I made it to mile 8 without a problem, but after that my left leg hurt and I just couldn't make myself run again. But I finished the 13.1 miles in 3 hours 30 min. Since then I have been running, but only 4-6 miles at a time, strictly working on keeping a good form.
So last Sunday was the race. My sisters and drove to Santa Rosa the day before, grabbed an over-priced pasta dinner and headed to bed with a new race day manicure. I was calm and ready to go with only minor butterflies in my stomach. We all set a goal of finishing in under 3:30, with a dream of finishing in under 3:15.
Come 5:30 in the morning I had slept on and off and was not totally rested, but off we went to the race. One of my sisters and I stood in line for the port-a-potties and were actually in them when the start shoot went off. We did up crossing the start line with our other 2 sisters and the race was on!
The loop was along the river and about 6 miles out and then a quick jog down a side stream and back to the start. The marathon runners would be doing the loop twice. In the first 2 miles my sisters and I had all broken up on our own, and were playing leap frog with each other. My goal was to stay on pace so I started with my new plan of 2 min run:1 min walk (~ 13 min/mile pace), but I was getting tired of flipping my wrist and checking my watch over and over. I woman in front of me had a beeper that keep going off at intervals. After a bit of chatting I learned that it was a GymBoss and was an interval timer. She was an interstate marathoner and it had worked wonders for keeping her on pace. Another woman was running in the same area and started chatting with us. She was an iron man competitor, using the marathon to strengthen her running time and she used a heart rate monitor to keep her pace. I ran with these lovely ladies from mile 3-5, and the miles just slid by. But at mile 5 I knew that I needed to start fueling so I grabbed a gel. I have yet to master the eating and still running so I soon fell behind my new friends. The next few miles, were fine. I keep my pace and while I was running by myself there were people in front of and behind me. At mile 8, I slowed as before and could no longer keep my pace. So I moved to a 2 min run : 2 min walk, and just kept moving.
Two of my sisters were about 200 yards in front of me, but I just couldn't bring myself u to catch them. My other sister was a ways behind me and I was always hoping she would surprise me, but alas I only saw her on the finish line.
Miles 9-11 were a bit of a blur, with my thoughts concentrated on "just keep moving". One of the worst things I did was calculate my time at mile 9 and I realized that if I made a 15 min pace, I could finish in under 3 hours. It also meant that I had another hour of running left, after the 2 I had already done. At mile 11, one of my sisters in front of me had fallen behind while fueling up and I was able to chat with her for a bit before she ran forward again. I kept drinking water and had a second gel.
At mile 12, the lead marathoners lapped me. Two amazing women making olympic trial times, flew by me and I'll I could do was cheer them on.
The last mile just seemed to continue to stretch out, but my ability to kick into a run was harder and harder. At mile 13 with just the last .1 of a mile to go, I once again found my steam. And ran to the end. I feel you must finish strong if you are even going to bother. I finished with a time of 2:53:something! Far below my original goal and even my dream goal.
It was a good run and I learned a lot. I already have bought a GymBoss interval timer, it's in the mail. I also learned that I have to find a better way of fueling my body. The gel are providing me with energy, and water is keeping me hydrated, but I am not balancing my electrolytes. This is getting tweaked so I can keep going. I also learned that a friend on the road is a good thing, so my sister and are are working together to get our paces in sync.
All in all, I'm glad I did it and proud of my accomplishment. It may just be the right length of race for me.
Now to prep for the big mamajama!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Chutes & Ladders
Well a week long work vacation made my training plan take a serious hit.
I was in Portland for the Brewfest and had a wonderful excess of good times with friends, food, beer and booze and the heart of it. It was wonderful but did nothing for my diet and training. And I felt that back slide this morning as I tried to run 4 miles. (I did go 4 miles, but not by running the whole time).
What I realized is that dieting and training is a game of chutes and ladders, where all the ladders go back to the start and there are no slides.
Sad by true.
I was in Portland for the Brewfest and had a wonderful excess of good times with friends, food, beer and booze and the heart of it. It was wonderful but did nothing for my diet and training. And I felt that back slide this morning as I tried to run 4 miles. (I did go 4 miles, but not by running the whole time).
What I realized is that dieting and training is a game of chutes and ladders, where all the ladders go back to the start and there are no slides.
Sad by true.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Slow but Steady
Slow but steady...slow but steady... slow by steady:
The chant in my head as I made my way across 3 miles of pavement at a jog for the first time since I pulled my left hamstring weeks ago.
It felt incredibly slow, but good. And this run was just in the nick of time since this weekend I have a 6 mile race with my sisters.
Back to chanting....
The chant in my head as I made my way across 3 miles of pavement at a jog for the first time since I pulled my left hamstring weeks ago.
It felt incredibly slow, but good. And this run was just in the nick of time since this weekend I have a 6 mile race with my sisters.
Back to chanting....
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
It's a hammie!
I have done a wonderful job of pulling my hamstring!
On my long run of 12 mines last week I pulled my hamstring on my left leg. The entire back of my leg is tight. I can't even fully extent my leg. I rested it for six days, babying it, taking meds and stretching it. This morning I tried to run again, just six miles. At mile three, I was so tight I had to walk myself home.
So a call to my PT sister told me that I have to massage it with a foam roller. And hopefully soon I will be able to run again. As for this weekend.... no long run for me.
On my long run of 12 mines last week I pulled my hamstring on my left leg. The entire back of my leg is tight. I can't even fully extent my leg. I rested it for six days, babying it, taking meds and stretching it. This morning I tried to run again, just six miles. At mile three, I was so tight I had to walk myself home.
So a call to my PT sister told me that I have to massage it with a foam roller. And hopefully soon I will be able to run again. As for this weekend.... no long run for me.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Advice
by Barney Stinson
"Yon don't train for a marathon. You just run it.
Here's how you run a marathon.
Step 1: You start running. There is no step 2."
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
A new plan
After studying many marathon training plans, my sisters and I found one that seemed to be the newbie classic, so that was the plan of choice. The plan was 2-3 days a week of running 3 miles, with an additional day of a long run. The long runs generally increase to 20 miles in the 24 weeks leading up to the Marathon. Over the last eight weeks, I have been sticking to this plan, but the weekend long runs are just increasingly scary.
Over the weekend, I was speaking with a friend who ran a marathon a few months ago for the first time. She used Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon Training Guide.
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novice2.htm
The difference is a gradual increase in the baseline, or week running. It makes the long runs much less intimidating and hopefully makes the whole experience better.
Here's to a new plan!
Over the weekend, I was speaking with a friend who ran a marathon a few months ago for the first time. She used Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon Training Guide.
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novice2.htm
The difference is a gradual increase in the baseline, or week running. It makes the long runs much less intimidating and hopefully makes the whole experience better.
Here's to a new plan!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Shin Splints
Why do I do this to myself.
I have shin splints and yet I'm still running. But I must admit it looks really funny when I do so. : )
I have been keeping to my training plan, running 9 miles early last week (the longest to date). This week it's the normal 3 days of 3 miles and 2 days of cross training. My favorite cross training is a combo of yoga and yard work. The big scary item coming up is 11 miles this weekend. I was dying after mile 8 before and now I have 3 more to add to it. And with the shin splints I'm just not sure how I'm going to do it. My goal is to travel 11 miles. I hope the majority of that is running, but only time will tell.
Monday, May 30, 2011
8 days
I have been bad. I have spent the last 8 days of my life working and traveling. I have not run or exercised in those last 8 days.
So tomorrow will be painful, but its time to hit the pavement.
So tomorrow will be painful, but its time to hit the pavement.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Bay2Breakers
My sisters and I embraced the vibe and wore tutus and hats celebrating the sea (get it Bay2Breakers with a fish, shark and pirate?)
We actually ran/walked the 7.3 miles from the Embarcadero to the sea side of Gold Gate Park on Sunday in just over 1hr 45 min. It was beautiful with the best weather of sun, sprinkles and a bit of overcast making it a great day.
The company was good and the laughs were plenty.
Too bad every long run could be this fun. :)
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