A Week's Worth

WOW!  It's been a week since I last wrote.  Bet you (all 3 or 4 of you that read this!) thought I was fizzing out eh?  Not me!  I've stuck to the plan without missing anything since the big 8 miler I skipped in WY.

I will say that keeping up is getting harder.  Now that my runs are no longer 30 and 40 minutes long I am feeling guilty taking as long as I do to run and then sitting down to blog afterwards.  I will try to be more diligent though!

SOOOOO.....

I did the cross-train Monday that I told you about last week.  Then I did 6 miles (SIX MILES!!) of fartleks on Tuesday.  That was a PR for me because up until then I had only done 4 miles of fartleks.  I kept to the same rhythm as usual: 10 minute mile for 5 minutes then 11 minute mile for 5 minutes x 6.  It was awesome!  Wednesday was rest day.  YAY!  Thursday I ran 4 miles.  Friday was rest again.  YAY again!  Saturday I ran 5 miles and it was nice and easy.  Then Sunday was the big whopper...NINE MILES!!  I did the first 3 miles at 11 minute miles and then slowed down to 12 minute miles for the last 6 in the hopes that I could sustain it for the full ride.  And I did it!  1 hr and 47 mins of running!  THAT'S NUTS!!  After mile 3 I would dribble a bit of honey on my finger and suck it off at the beginning of each mile.  I think that really helped.  I think I will start trying some gels on my Sunday runs. 

I seriously cannot even explain how cool it is to say that I ran 9 miles.  And that even though I did it, it so doesn't feel possible.  Up until yesterday I had never run farther than 7 miles and I had only done that twice.  Again...I'm amazed at what God is allowing this body to accomplish.  I feel blessed to be discovering this side of myself.

I also feel sore!  Tonight is cross train.  They gym is still closed for 2 more weeks for maintenance so no swimming or classes.  It's raining outside so no bike rides.  I guess I'm just going to do some weight lifting at home.  I don't think it will be too much because I feel tired and I know I have to do the 6 miles of fartleks again tomorrow.  I will do my best to lift and stretch for at least 30 minutes tonight though.

I picked up a book that caught my eye at the library.  It's called You are an Ironman.  I'm loving it!!  It's about 6 people and their journeys to the Ironman competition.  Can I just say that these people amaze me!!  They also inspire me!  I've been thinking about trying out a triathlon in the Spring of next year.  I've even gone so far as to tell you all about it and now probably be held accountable.  If you know of any please share!

I'll leave you with the link to a video that just blew my mind.  Julie Ross crossing the finish line at Ironman in 1982.  Keep in mind she was just a student doing a research paper on Ironman and she ended up being in 1st place the whole way.  No go watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbWsQMabczM

Have a blessed week!  And Keep Running!

On Vacation Time

We took a family trip to WY this weekend.  And it was lovely! 

Friday was a rest day for the drive.  YAY!

Saturday I had to do an easy 3 miles and utilized the hotel treadmill to get it done.  Can I just say that the newer treadmills suck?!!  I have a very old one that was given to me for free and I love it.  However, whenever I run on a newer one I realize that mine is completely and truly flat.  I can raise it but don't usually.  The one in the hotel has a natural incline even at 0.0 incline.  And this isn't the first time I've noticed it.  Trust me...I can feel a less than 1 degree incline.  My body hates them!  And I hated this treadmill!  But I got three miles in.  I may or may not have said some not very nice words while getting them in...

Sunday I was supposed to do 8 miles.  I just couldn't make myself get back on that treadmill.  I was already feeling lethargic and relaxed and completely on vacation time.  I just couldn't do it.  And so I didn't.  I just completely skipped a day.  I felt terribly guilty but I still did it.

Today we drove home and I didn't know what to do tonight.  Do the 8 miles I skipped?  Then would I be able to do the required 6 miles tomorrow night?  I started to run at an 11 minutes mile and 7 minutes in had an idea.  Today was cross training day...I could make up my own cross training.  So I did.  I got off at 7 minutes and lifted weights for a whole song.  Then ran a 10 min mile for  a song.  Then weights, then a 9:50.  Then weights, then a 9:40.  Then weights, then a 9:20.  It was awesome.  I was dripping sweat like never before.  I only did 2 miles which was fine because today I wasn't supposed to run.  But I got in a good 45 minute workout by the time it was all said and done.  And I'm back on schedule.

I'm pretty sure tomorrow's 6 miles of fartleks will kill me. 

But what doesn't kill me will make me stronger.

Here's hoping I'm stronger tomorrow night and not dead!

Hope you had a blessed Labor Day weekend.  Keep Running!

OUCH!!

There is a 4 day succession on my training that I have come to loathe.  It's a Saturday run, Sunday run, Monday cross-train and then Tuesday run.  It scares me before I even get started.  And it thrills me when I conquer it!

Since I have been trying something new every Monday for cross-training, last night was another new class.  Chisel.  OH! MY! GOODNESS!!!  It was like a Pump class.  High reps of low weights mixed in with cardio spurts that make you feel like you want to die.  Something I learned: I can run for an hour and twenty minutes but 5 minutes of jumping jacks makes me want to puke and pass out!!  It was an awesome class and my friend and I had a lot of fun doing it.

However, this morning I woke up at 6:18 and had 2 thoughts.  1: OUCH! 2: How in the world am I going to stand at work for 7 hours today and then run 5 miles tonight??!!

I came home and got right to it.  I wanted it done.  I wanted to stop thinking about it.  So I ran 3 miles at 11 minute miles and then did a progressive last 2 miles for 5 miles in 54 minutes.  It felt fantastic!

I continue to be amazed that I am able to do this training schedule.  I look at it and say "No Way!  Not Possible!"  But then I do it and am blown away by how much my body has learned and how much it can accomplish.

So this past 4 day succession was a 4 mile run, 7 mile run, 1 hour chisel and 5 mile run.  WOOHOOOO!!

Saw a quote yesterday and even though it's Tuesday I'd still like to leave you with this thought:
"Guess what? You have a brand new week ahead of you to slay dragons, achieve goals, sweat more, gripe less and ditch the fear!  Go!"

Have a blessed week!

Keep Running!

It's all in Your Head

Sunday long easy 7 miles...DONE!

You know, people often say to me that they don't know how I run so much.  Or so far.  (And let me be very clear that I don't think I run much or far compared to most runners!!)  They say it as if I enjoy it.  As if it comes naturally to me.  And I never know how to answer them.

And when I'm running, I wish they could be in my head.  Because  it's not fun.  And it's not easy.  And in the midst of 99% of my runs I swear I am never going to run again.  I absolutely loathe running when I am running. 

Then I come up on that last mile.  And it's almost over. And I know I only have 11 minutes to go.  Heck, I can even play with my speed and push my limits now, it's almost over.  And I do.  And I finish.  And I swear that feeling at the end is the best feeling in the whole wide world.  The adrenaline.  The euphoria.  The realization that I pushed my body to do something it hates and I made it through.  I finished. 

Today, I am a runner.

Running is 99% mental. 

Your lungs can take it.  Your legs can take it.  Your heart can take it.  It's tearing down the walls you put up in your head.  That's always your biggest hurdle.

Happy Sunday everyone!  Be blessed!  And be a blessing!

Still Running...

I did it!  On Thursday I woke up at 5:25 and was on the treadmill by 5:30 to run my 4 miles of the day.  It sucked when the alarm went off.  But the run wasn't so bad.  And since Friday was a rest day it was great going through the day knowing I didn't have to run again until Saturday morning.  At least I know it is a viable option if I have another busy day on a training day.

This morning was 4 miles.  I did it in 44 minutes because Jimmy came down to talk to me and I had to walk to be able to talk to him.  HA! 

A little nervous about my 7 mile run tomorrow morning.  It will definitely be a Starbucks Mocha morning before that run!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Happy Saturday and Keep Running!

Roller Coaster

There is nothing like an awesome run to make you feel like you are on top of the world! 

This journey is really a roller coaster as the title suggests. 

Did I even tell you about Saturday's 4 miles?  It was so epic!  I went on a coffee date with my husband to finalize some surprise things we are doing for the kids.  When I got home I was so psyched up about our plans and I had that mocha coffee running through my veins...it was like I flew for the whole 4 miles!

Then Sunday sucked.

Yesterday I painted for my cross-training day.  Kaylee wanted her room done so she bought the paint and I did 4 hours of ladders and rolling.  Trust me...it counts!

Then back to today which was 4 miles of fartleks (giggle) and they rocked!  I even played in the 9:50 and 9:40 minute ranges for a bit.  I finished at 41:30 and I was happy with that time.

I'm also trying to liven up our dinners with some new recipes.  Today we tried one that I found on Pinterest and not only did I love it...the kids thought it was amazing!  And all of us mothers know that when you find a dish that all the kids will eat...it stays on the rotating menu!!  You can find it at the link below.  Also, another plus, it's clean eating!  However, I cheated a bit with the salsa.  I just used Pace Restaurant Style Salsa.  We heated up some tortillas and just ate with those...no sour cream or any extras needed!  YUM!

http://pinterest.com/pin/45387908717717104/

Tomorrow is a rest day!  Yay!

Thursday is looking so busy that I think I may have to get up at 5am to get it done.  Not really looking forward to that.  But I will for the cause!

Keep Running!

Food and Fuel

I have such a hard time with food when I'm running.  Today was the worst running experience I've had in a long time.  Not because my legs hurt.  Not because my lungs hurt.  But because I wanted to throw my lunch up the whole time!!

I normally take one of two runs.  In the morning sans any fuel.  Get up and go.  It's hard work but it gets done.  The other run is after I work.  I take a break and eat my lunch at around 10:30am so when after I've picked up my kids from school and get started on my run I've had at least 5.5 hours for the food to settle.  These runs are usually my best runs.  They are in the afternoon and I'm completely fueled up.  Perfect!

Today I ate lunch at 12:30.  I had a small cup of corn chowder and a petite bistro salad (Thank you Mimi's Cafe!).  I don't think that is heavy at all!  Then I started my run just before 3.  By the end of mile 1 my stomach was rebelling.  By the end of mile 2 I had cold sweats and it was taking everything in me not to throw up.  I got off.  Came back upstairs, drank some water, sat under the fan and started to feel much better.  I waited a bit longer and then went back down to get the last 4 of the 6 miles I was required to do today done.  The first (third at this point) was just OK.  By mile 2 I was queasy again.  I pushed myself to get through and finish the third mile.  Then that was it.  I walked my last mile outside. 

What does a girl do??

So 5 hours is perfect.  2 hours is awful.  There has to be a happy medium.  I don't want to be doing my Sunday long runs on an empty stomach.  But then we go to church and I'm hungry after church.  I also don't want to wait until dinner time to do my long run.  I'm going to have to experiment with this one a bit I guess.  The half is obviously 13.1 miles...I can't do that on an empty stomach.  But the way things look now I may have to wake up at 3am just to eat something then try to sleep a bit more and hope that fuel works for the race.  Hmmmm

Suggestions??