So it's now Monday of week 3. Yikes! The only reason I remembered to blog about Saturday's run aside from the fact that I'm eating lunch, is that my calves hurt. I mean, hurt. And, I cleverly decided to wear super high heels today, but they are super cute. :)
Friday morning I went for a 21ish mile bike ride with a friend along a nearby canal. It was a pretty ride, but given the water, it was very windy. It was definitely a great workout, especially since I have two, not one, but TWO 100 mile bike races in the next 3 weeks. And, a half. There is potential I have really lost my mind. Life is short, live it up while you can. Right?!
Friday afternoon I ate some pasta for my run on Saturday and cleaned my mess of a condo. Saturday morning came quickly, at 5:30. When I wake up earlier than I do for work to train, I've clearly got some reason to be up.
I met my two co-workers at a nearby school. These are not your normal meet for 3 miles friends, these are the crazy I'm doing a trail ultra, and running my first full marathon friends, i.e. they are crazy like me.
So we started running around 7ish..on hilly trails where most people bike. Now I run trails every now and then, but typically pretty slow. I'm always afraid I'll twist my ankle, so I totally look like a granny when I trail run. I felt like I'd never run before, and was definitely lagging in pace a bit. I also decided it would be fun to fall about 2 miles in, so in addition to my bike bruises and cut, I added some more to my knees and hand. I look like a 4 year old kid who is constantly playing outside!
Thankfully the first 7 miles were on trails and the remaining 7 were on the road. Nicole and I got into a groove and knocked out the last 7 miles on the hilly road. Some of the hills were more of a struggle than others and our pace drastically decreased. The final hillly stretch we ran up required a lot of motivation as we questioned what we were doing.
But we then got to the light, made a left and .03 miles later were done!
My Garmin wasn't cooperating with the woods, but I think we ran 14 in 2:35ish.
Roughly 3 months to go!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Week 1 of 13: 11 miles in 1:53
Second marathon, here goes nothing!
I've been so wrapped up in biking and doing speedwork that I forgot I had a marathon coming up (or didn't want to face it). In less than a month I've got a half-marathon and two 100 mile bike events, then the marathon. See, no real need to acknowledge it yet.
Since I started blogging last year to account for marathon training I figured I should do it again to compare. I unfortunately didn't run 11 miles at all during training last year, so I've got no comparison this week. I did run 10 miles in 1:45 and 12 miles in 2:20, that being said I'm doing better! :)
I decided to look at my long runs differently than last year. Last year I was pushing my limits just to see if I could in fact do it. Now that I know I can, I am much more relaxed and don't stress out about the long runs.
Friday was one of my best friend's weddings, so I needed to run 11 in the morning. Because there was no chance I was running Saturday am. I woke up at 6, filled my CamelBak, turned on my garmin and was out the door.
Living in a hilly area provides great interval training during my easy, long runs. I decided any pace would be ok, but given that I want to run a half next month under 2 I couldn't run at a 12-13 minute pace. I settled in around a 10-10:30 pace, which is now a lot easier than it was last year.
This was a great run and wasn't bad. When I started training last year, I really felt my life was taking a hit with all the training. Training has now become an ordinary workout schedule. I exercise 6 days a week, sometimes twice a day.
This year I also decided to watch my caloric intake. I don't want to lose weight, but I want to make sure I'm no overeating my 11 mile runs. Because let me tell you, after a 20 mile run I think about food the last 5 miles. I also eat like there is no tomorrow when I return, I just don't need to gain a pound per additional mile!
3 months till to go, marathon under 4:30!! :)
I've been so wrapped up in biking and doing speedwork that I forgot I had a marathon coming up (or didn't want to face it). In less than a month I've got a half-marathon and two 100 mile bike events, then the marathon. See, no real need to acknowledge it yet.
Since I started blogging last year to account for marathon training I figured I should do it again to compare. I unfortunately didn't run 11 miles at all during training last year, so I've got no comparison this week. I did run 10 miles in 1:45 and 12 miles in 2:20, that being said I'm doing better! :)
I decided to look at my long runs differently than last year. Last year I was pushing my limits just to see if I could in fact do it. Now that I know I can, I am much more relaxed and don't stress out about the long runs.
Friday was one of my best friend's weddings, so I needed to run 11 in the morning. Because there was no chance I was running Saturday am. I woke up at 6, filled my CamelBak, turned on my garmin and was out the door.
Living in a hilly area provides great interval training during my easy, long runs. I decided any pace would be ok, but given that I want to run a half next month under 2 I couldn't run at a 12-13 minute pace. I settled in around a 10-10:30 pace, which is now a lot easier than it was last year.
This was a great run and wasn't bad. When I started training last year, I really felt my life was taking a hit with all the training. Training has now become an ordinary workout schedule. I exercise 6 days a week, sometimes twice a day.
This year I also decided to watch my caloric intake. I don't want to lose weight, but I want to make sure I'm no overeating my 11 mile runs. Because let me tell you, after a 20 mile run I think about food the last 5 miles. I also eat like there is no tomorrow when I return, I just don't need to gain a pound per additional mile!
3 months till to go, marathon under 4:30!! :)
Friday, August 2, 2013
Eat.Pray.Bike?
I clearly should've done some extra praying before today's bike adventure...
As much as I love, love, love running, running in the heat I hate. Like most other runner's I perform much better in cooler temperatures (like snow and rain). Every year there is a local Bike to the Bay event to fundraise for MS, and every year I want to join. This year I finally signed up, after coming nowhere near my half-marathon goal and needing a change. Then realized I needed a bike..
I shopped around a bit and wasn't having much luck, so I settled (sigh) for a performance hybrid in turquoise. The bike itself I wasn't so impressed with, but I LOVED the color. I am a very visual person so anything in blue/green/aqua I'm all about. After riding 50 miles in total I realized it was time for a road bike, my comfort was shot after more than 10 miles at a time. And, said turquoise bike is now on Craigslist pending a buyer. :)
I'm signed up for a lot of exciting events in September: a 62 mile bike tour, another half-marathon, and a 75 possibly 100 mile bike ride. While I'm training a lot, I realized I'm essentially training for a half ironman, minus the swim. Why hadn't I signed up for a sprint triathlon?!? I am now potentially adding a sprint tri in October. The swim just happens to be in the ocean, because I obviously swim all the time in the ocean (yeahhh, right). Oh yea, and I'm doing my second full marathon in November!! Needless to say, my workouts are hmm hectic.
I've been building my base mileage for these bike rides and have gone on two 30ish + rides. I am now that person on the road that everybody hates, or in my Mom's case causes constant worrying.
Today's ride was good. It was earlier in the day so we weren't smoldering and traffic wasn't too cumbersome. We road out and it was a great ride, sun was shining, I wasn't getting sunburnt, we waved at some amish families, and we saved a turtles life!
The ride back wasn't as great. Sun was still shining, but we had crazy rednecks yelling at us to get off the road. They clearly are putting on blinders when they pass these signs.
And, aside from these signs and marked bike lanes all over, Delaware is number 5 for the most bike friendly states: http://bicycling.com/blogs/thehub/2013/05/01/washington-tops-2013-bicycle-friendly-state-ranking/. They clearly didn't interview this crazy lady.
We were 3/4 of the way back when it happened, I wasn't paying as much attention to the beveled road, and I fell. Hard.
The closest comparison I can come up with is when you get into a car accident. You know what's happening, but your mind has almost disconnected. At least that's what I'm telling myself, because if not I shouldn't have wiped out that much.
Somehow my handles dented and cut up my leg, and I now have two very large bone bruises and am finding walking difficult. My bike chain fell off, the whole left side of the bike was scratched, I ripped up all the comfort grip on my handlebars, and I had blood dripping down my leg. I looked like a hot mess.
Thankfully I went biking with a friend and she stopped and helped get compose myself and fix my bike. This is why you don't bike alone.
We then had a very sweet older man stop as he was driving to make sure we were ok. Thank you sir, you totally made that crazy woman null and void.
This is just the beginning of putting on spandex shorts that make my thighs bulge, and getting yelled at as I dodge cars and the beveled road.
Make a donation to stop the fight against Multiple Sclerosis: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/DEDBikeEvents?px=12285616&pg=personal&fr_id=20707
As much as I love, love, love running, running in the heat I hate. Like most other runner's I perform much better in cooler temperatures (like snow and rain). Every year there is a local Bike to the Bay event to fundraise for MS, and every year I want to join. This year I finally signed up, after coming nowhere near my half-marathon goal and needing a change. Then realized I needed a bike..
I shopped around a bit and wasn't having much luck, so I settled (sigh) for a performance hybrid in turquoise. The bike itself I wasn't so impressed with, but I LOVED the color. I am a very visual person so anything in blue/green/aqua I'm all about. After riding 50 miles in total I realized it was time for a road bike, my comfort was shot after more than 10 miles at a time. And, said turquoise bike is now on Craigslist pending a buyer. :)
I'm signed up for a lot of exciting events in September: a 62 mile bike tour, another half-marathon, and a 75 possibly 100 mile bike ride. While I'm training a lot, I realized I'm essentially training for a half ironman, minus the swim. Why hadn't I signed up for a sprint triathlon?!? I am now potentially adding a sprint tri in October. The swim just happens to be in the ocean, because I obviously swim all the time in the ocean (yeahhh, right). Oh yea, and I'm doing my second full marathon in November!! Needless to say, my workouts are hmm hectic.
I've been building my base mileage for these bike rides and have gone on two 30ish + rides. I am now that person on the road that everybody hates, or in my Mom's case causes constant worrying.
Today's ride was good. It was earlier in the day so we weren't smoldering and traffic wasn't too cumbersome. We road out and it was a great ride, sun was shining, I wasn't getting sunburnt, we waved at some amish families, and we saved a turtles life!
The ride back wasn't as great. Sun was still shining, but we had crazy rednecks yelling at us to get off the road. They clearly are putting on blinders when they pass these signs.
And, aside from these signs and marked bike lanes all over, Delaware is number 5 for the most bike friendly states: http://bicycling.com/blogs/thehub/2013/05/01/washington-tops-2013-bicycle-friendly-state-ranking/. They clearly didn't interview this crazy lady.
We were 3/4 of the way back when it happened, I wasn't paying as much attention to the beveled road, and I fell. Hard.
The closest comparison I can come up with is when you get into a car accident. You know what's happening, but your mind has almost disconnected. At least that's what I'm telling myself, because if not I shouldn't have wiped out that much.
Somehow my handles dented and cut up my leg, and I now have two very large bone bruises and am finding walking difficult. My bike chain fell off, the whole left side of the bike was scratched, I ripped up all the comfort grip on my handlebars, and I had blood dripping down my leg. I looked like a hot mess.
Thankfully I went biking with a friend and she stopped and helped get compose myself and fix my bike. This is why you don't bike alone.
We then had a very sweet older man stop as he was driving to make sure we were ok. Thank you sir, you totally made that crazy woman null and void.
This is just the beginning of putting on spandex shorts that make my thighs bulge, and getting yelled at as I dodge cars and the beveled road.
Make a donation to stop the fight against Multiple Sclerosis: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/DEDBikeEvents?px=12285616&pg=personal&fr_id=20707
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