Today's 8 miler is the first since the week before the Half, 3 weeks ago exactly. It was a good run too, not easy or too easy but not hard either. I felt at the time like I could have gone on for another hour, except for the first 3 miles where I felt sick and I know it was because of the sausages I ate for breakfast (never again). Other than the sick feeling, the run was really good and my knees didn't really start to feel sore until around mile 5-6 and even then it was a good run. I kept it easy and slow, not worrying about pace or speed as is the right way when doing a long run. I ran 8 miles in 1:24:18 with an average pace of 10:32 min/mile, with an elevation gain of 167 feet and a loss of 177 feet.
Mile 1 - 10:21
Mile 2 - 10:40
Mile 3 - 10:45
Mile 4 - 11:09
Mile 5 - 10:44
Mile 6 - 10:31
Mile 7 - 10:30
Mile 8 - 9:37
It was definitely a good run, one of those runs you just can't help but enjoy and dwell on even after it is over. If I am ever asked why I run, other than the obvious reasons; my main reason is the feeling I get when using my body to take me places and just enjoy the scenery at a slow and steady pace instead of always going fast (in a car). I especially love doing my long runs out here in the country, it feels like I am out there forever, someday I hope to be running 13, 14, 15 + miles out on country roads that just go on forever.
Yeah, I run for fitness, I run for my sanity and I run to better myself, time and the pure joy of it but I truly enjoy it for the sheer fact that I am using my body to get somewhere rather than relying on some piece of machinery.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
An Easy 5.5 Miler
Tonight's run was out near the house on the streets, a lot of assholes out driving around and making me uneasy every time I would hear one driving up behind me. I kept myself just above 10:00 min/mile until the last half mile, at that point I just want to get home to my little boy.
It wasn't a bad run, my knees were sore but not bad and overall it was a pretty good one even though I did kind of freak myself out thinking there were things out in the fields and in the dark where I couldn't see. The moon wasn't out, and there were no street lights so I had to rely on my eyes, which wanted to play tricks on me.
I ran 5.5 miles in 57 minutes and 21 seconds with an average pace of 10:26 min/mile. It was definitely an easy and slow run, and I enjoyed being out there though it would have been more surreal had the moon been out and as big as it was last night.
My splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:51
Mile 2 - 10:22
Mile 3 - 10:32
Mile 4 - 10:16
Mile 5 - 10:24
.5 - 9:55
It wasn't a bad run, my knees were sore but not bad and overall it was a pretty good one even though I did kind of freak myself out thinking there were things out in the fields and in the dark where I couldn't see. The moon wasn't out, and there were no street lights so I had to rely on my eyes, which wanted to play tricks on me.
I ran 5.5 miles in 57 minutes and 21 seconds with an average pace of 10:26 min/mile. It was definitely an easy and slow run, and I enjoyed being out there though it would have been more surreal had the moon been out and as big as it was last night.
My splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:51
Mile 2 - 10:22
Mile 3 - 10:32
Mile 4 - 10:16
Mile 5 - 10:24
.5 - 9:55
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Probably my Fastest 10k Yet
Tonight I finally ran a sub 9 min/mile 10k tempo, it wasn't easy I will be honest. While my stupid Garmin Communicator Plug in is still trying to install, I will just state a few things.
I started out just above 10 min/mile pace, I hit 3.1 miles in 28:08 minutes and took a breather. I then hit 5 miles in 45:16 minutes, took a moment to breath as a side stitch was trying to attack me.
My plan was to run a 7 mile tempo, but I decided near the end to run a 10k tempo and then a 1 mile cool down jog then a .3 mile walk.
Overall I ran 6.2 miles in 55:14 with an average pace of 8:55 min/mile, my fastest PR before this was 58:55 with an average pace of 9:29 min/mile so I kicked 3 minutes off. Honestly I probably wouldn't have if I hadn't stopped twice for a minute break to breath and get over a side stitch. Anyways, my splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:08
Mile 2 - 9:00
Mile 3 - 8:20
Mile 4 - 8:49
Mile 5 - 8:58
Mile 6 - 8:26
.2 - 7:51
Then I tried to jog an easy 1 miler afterwards to cool down, I ran that in 9:30 so it was relatively slower and felt easier than the tempo run (go figure). Then I walked the remaining .3 miles back to my Tahoe and now I am dealing with trying to get my stupid Garmin to pair and connect and transfer to the computer so this is very irritating!
I wasn't going to do a tempo this week, I wanted to focus on what seems like a new found pace and speed, but I decided after mile 1 to just go for it and experiment and boy am I glad I did. Not only is this my fastest 10k yet, my goal this year was to break under the 9 min/mile barrier for a 10k and I did that tonight. Now that I have checked off......... I wonder when I'll be able to break the 8 min/mile barrier for a 5k (hmm....).
I started out just above 10 min/mile pace, I hit 3.1 miles in 28:08 minutes and took a breather. I then hit 5 miles in 45:16 minutes, took a moment to breath as a side stitch was trying to attack me.
My plan was to run a 7 mile tempo, but I decided near the end to run a 10k tempo and then a 1 mile cool down jog then a .3 mile walk.
Overall I ran 6.2 miles in 55:14 with an average pace of 8:55 min/mile, my fastest PR before this was 58:55 with an average pace of 9:29 min/mile so I kicked 3 minutes off. Honestly I probably wouldn't have if I hadn't stopped twice for a minute break to breath and get over a side stitch. Anyways, my splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:08
Mile 2 - 9:00
Mile 3 - 8:20
Mile 4 - 8:49
Mile 5 - 8:58
Mile 6 - 8:26
.2 - 7:51
Then I tried to jog an easy 1 miler afterwards to cool down, I ran that in 9:30 so it was relatively slower and felt easier than the tempo run (go figure). Then I walked the remaining .3 miles back to my Tahoe and now I am dealing with trying to get my stupid Garmin to pair and connect and transfer to the computer so this is very irritating!
I wasn't going to do a tempo this week, I wanted to focus on what seems like a new found pace and speed, but I decided after mile 1 to just go for it and experiment and boy am I glad I did. Not only is this my fastest 10k yet, my goal this year was to break under the 9 min/mile barrier for a 10k and I did that tonight. Now that I have checked off......... I wonder when I'll be able to break the 8 min/mile barrier for a 5k (hmm....).
Monday, April 22, 2013
An Easy but Fast 5 Miler
There are days when I wonder how I manage to run 9 min/mile pace or faster and then there are days when I can't seem to slow down. Today was one of those days, probably my fastest 5 miler yet and it really didn't feel like I was making a lot of effort BUT my brain felt like it and I started to get a side stitch around 3.5 miles but it went away after 5 minutes of standing. My legs did not feel tired or sore, I think they could have kept going if given a chance, but my head was feeling it and my stomach was feeling a bit sick.
Shauna did not run with me today, which is most likely why I was able to run 5 miles in 46:51 with an average pace of 9:22 min/mile. Our time probably would have been closer to 51 minutes had she been with me and it is sad to think that and know it, but I am going to have to find a way to stick to my training but make sure that she runs (she doesn't do too well if someone isn't pushing her, she'll just end up staying inside and watch t.v.).
My splits were:
Mile 1 - 9:41
Mile 2 - 9:31
Mile 3 - 9:34
Mile 4 - 9:30
Mile 5 - 8:33
Pretty close and even splits until the last mile, but I decided to go ahead and give myself a little push there. Then I gave myself half a mile to walk and cool down, overall it was a good run and I feel great. The only concern I have is, will I be able to pull off great tempos that will be faster than my what my easy runs are becoming? My easy runs are still a minute slower than my tempos were, at least during the final miles, but with me starting out much faster than I used to, I am a little concerned. I guess we'll just have to find out, maybe I'll just focus on getting my body and mind used to this faster pace where it becomes completely as easy as my old 10-11 min/mile paces were. Once all parts of my body become used to running at this faster pace, I'll get back to focusing hard on my tempo runs during Wednesday nights.
Shauna did not run with me today, which is most likely why I was able to run 5 miles in 46:51 with an average pace of 9:22 min/mile. Our time probably would have been closer to 51 minutes had she been with me and it is sad to think that and know it, but I am going to have to find a way to stick to my training but make sure that she runs (she doesn't do too well if someone isn't pushing her, she'll just end up staying inside and watch t.v.).
My splits were:
Mile 1 - 9:41
Mile 2 - 9:31
Mile 3 - 9:34
Mile 4 - 9:30
Mile 5 - 8:33
Pretty close and even splits until the last mile, but I decided to go ahead and give myself a little push there. Then I gave myself half a mile to walk and cool down, overall it was a good run and I feel great. The only concern I have is, will I be able to pull off great tempos that will be faster than my what my easy runs are becoming? My easy runs are still a minute slower than my tempos were, at least during the final miles, but with me starting out much faster than I used to, I am a little concerned. I guess we'll just have to find out, maybe I'll just focus on getting my body and mind used to this faster pace where it becomes completely as easy as my old 10-11 min/mile paces were. Once all parts of my body become used to running at this faster pace, I'll get back to focusing hard on my tempo runs during Wednesday nights.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Hope in Motion Color Run 5k
It was cold, fun but cold. Overall it was fun and I got colored, but I think I went too fast and ended up with some girls that had no idea where we were going around mile 2.3 and we ended up crossing the finish line. The volunteers said we did 3.1 but I knew we didn't, and as I was leaving I realized that we had missed a part of the course.
I tried to run the rest but ended up with 2.86 miles with a time of 26:09 so I estimated that if I had in fact ran 3.1 then it would probably put me around 27:38 with an average pace of 8:57 min/mile.
I am a little disappointed that I missed the other part of the route, it leaves me wondering how I really would've done. It would have been much more fun had Shauna been with me, and we could have laughed about it. Oh well I guess, I've got next month's 5k on the Runway to find out where I am at 5k wise. I'll have my new Garmin Forerunner 410 by either Monday or Tuesday, as my current Garmin broke last night. The wristband broke, didn't just pop out but broke it is done and retiring. I had to hold it during the race, kind of sucked but oh well.
I don't know if I should post the splits or not, I guess I will though.
Mile 1 - 9:27
Mile 2 - 9:11
Mile 3 - 8:45
.1 - ?
Lesson learned, stay with people who know where they are going even if I have to go slower than I want until I see the finish line.
I tried to run the rest but ended up with 2.86 miles with a time of 26:09 so I estimated that if I had in fact ran 3.1 then it would probably put me around 27:38 with an average pace of 8:57 min/mile.
I am a little disappointed that I missed the other part of the route, it leaves me wondering how I really would've done. It would have been much more fun had Shauna been with me, and we could have laughed about it. Oh well I guess, I've got next month's 5k on the Runway to find out where I am at 5k wise. I'll have my new Garmin Forerunner 410 by either Monday or Tuesday, as my current Garmin broke last night. The wristband broke, didn't just pop out but broke it is done and retiring. I had to hold it during the race, kind of sucked but oh well.
I don't know if I should post the splits or not, I guess I will though.
Mile 1 - 9:27
Mile 2 - 9:11
Mile 3 - 8:45
.1 - ?
Lesson learned, stay with people who know where they are going even if I have to go slower than I want until I see the finish line.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Last Night's Tempo
Unfortunately I am realizing that my sister's lack of running and training this winter has seriously slowed her down. I am going to go ahead and call last night a tempo run, I ran 6 miles in 1:02:43 with an average pace of 10:27. Granted, with the warm weather and wind, I am even still trying to get used to it and acclimated so I noticed it's effects last night. Shauna only ran around 3.4 miles, I got there early and because of the threat of serious weather I did some running before her, she got there right around .76 miles so I just kept an eye on the watch to keep track of her mileage. The first 3 miles were slowish, mile 2 wasn't bad but then I noticed she had slowed down a lot and I stuck with her even though I knew I could go faster. When we got back to the parking lot she did her cool down walk back to her car and I kept going, I picked up the pace the best I could though I was feeling tired. I think I was around 4.4 miles when she got off the ride (lol) and left.
I hope I get acclimated to this warm weather soon, otherwise my long runs are going to suffer tremendously, mainly cause I still don't feel very comfortable taking my shirt off, and my body wants to go faster but I can't quite handle the heat at that point.
My splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:04
Mile 2 - 10:34
Mile 3 - 11:05
Mile 4 - 10:34
Mile 5 - 10:17
Mile 6 - 9:08
I did a cool down walk, probably only .1-.2 miles but it was alright. I thought about doing a 2 mile run today, but didn't want to get up and take Dorian out in this sudden 40 degree weather thanks to that storm. Tomorrow's race will be around 40something and unfortunately Shauna won't be joining me. She got drafted at work for Saturday. Our plan was to make it a fun run, no worries about time but since she isn't running it I am not sure what I'll do. It's a color run, with no timing chips or anything. I might just go with my own pace and how my body feels, just to see how I am doing and to figure up on how I will do next month at the 5k on the Runway. I plan on pushing myself then, it's going to be flat ground so there won't be any hills. As much as I hate to say this, but I kind of hope that Shauna gets drafted then, because I want to PR but I don't want to leave her in the dust. She didn't leave me last year, when she could have and I appreciate it but now I feel so much more prepared and faster than last year, this winter has really helped me but unfortunately she did not use winter to train. She says it is alright if I need to run faster, and leave her behind but I would hate it, I mean I know my reason for last year was due to injury while her reason now is due to no training.
The Evansville Half Marathon is on a Saturday for the first time in years, she doesn't get drafted on Sundays so there is a chance that she would get drafted on the day of the Half Marathon. Other than that, the majority of our races are on Saturdays, so we will see.
I hope I get acclimated to this warm weather soon, otherwise my long runs are going to suffer tremendously, mainly cause I still don't feel very comfortable taking my shirt off, and my body wants to go faster but I can't quite handle the heat at that point.
My splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:04
Mile 2 - 10:34
Mile 3 - 11:05
Mile 4 - 10:34
Mile 5 - 10:17
Mile 6 - 9:08
I did a cool down walk, probably only .1-.2 miles but it was alright. I thought about doing a 2 mile run today, but didn't want to get up and take Dorian out in this sudden 40 degree weather thanks to that storm. Tomorrow's race will be around 40something and unfortunately Shauna won't be joining me. She got drafted at work for Saturday. Our plan was to make it a fun run, no worries about time but since she isn't running it I am not sure what I'll do. It's a color run, with no timing chips or anything. I might just go with my own pace and how my body feels, just to see how I am doing and to figure up on how I will do next month at the 5k on the Runway. I plan on pushing myself then, it's going to be flat ground so there won't be any hills. As much as I hate to say this, but I kind of hope that Shauna gets drafted then, because I want to PR but I don't want to leave her in the dust. She didn't leave me last year, when she could have and I appreciate it but now I feel so much more prepared and faster than last year, this winter has really helped me but unfortunately she did not use winter to train. She says it is alright if I need to run faster, and leave her behind but I would hate it, I mean I know my reason for last year was due to injury while her reason now is due to no training.
The Evansville Half Marathon is on a Saturday for the first time in years, she doesn't get drafted on Sundays so there is a chance that she would get drafted on the day of the Half Marathon. Other than that, the majority of our races are on Saturdays, so we will see.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
This Week is Almost Over
This week has been a crazy one, stressful, sad and enraging all at the same time. The only real happiness I find is my son, his growing personality and the athleticism he is already showing. I find comfort with him when I need it most.
Monday I ran the 5 miles, with Boston on my mind, Tuesday I ran a 2.62 miles for Boston victims and when it rained during the final half mile it was almost like the tears of runners all around the world pouring down on me. It was surreal, and it only lasted for 5 minutes before the downpour slowed back down to a trickle. I ran the 2.62 in around 29:03 taking it easy and just enjoying the run.
Wednesday I got my baby pull along for the bike, so Cameron and I took it out for a test drive and Dorian loves it. I was wanting 6 miles but I enjoyed the 3.5 miles, Cameron stopping about 3 or 5 times just to take a picture of something. This morning I ran 1 mile with a group at the Dunigan YMCA, 1 mile to honor the victims of Boston. I brought Dorian along with me, not knowing our route would be on a gravel track so it was difficult and probably the hardest 1 mile run I've ever done. I felt like I was literally shoving the front wheel through the gravel, thank God Dorian no longer needs the infant car seat adapter and can sit in the actual part of the stroller. Otherwise I think it would have tipped over.
I am hoping for a 6 mile run tonight, Shauna is going to run probably 4 miles of it with me. We have a 5k race Saturday morning, the Hope in Motion "Color Run" at 9:00 a.m. It isn't going to be timed so we're going to try and just have fun with it, then I expect to run 6 miles Sunday morning before we head to Pennyrile Forest State Park for the day.
If I can get up tomorrow morning, I might run an easy 2 miles with Dorian and see how that goes. Of course that all depends on the weather.
Monday I ran the 5 miles, with Boston on my mind, Tuesday I ran a 2.62 miles for Boston victims and when it rained during the final half mile it was almost like the tears of runners all around the world pouring down on me. It was surreal, and it only lasted for 5 minutes before the downpour slowed back down to a trickle. I ran the 2.62 in around 29:03 taking it easy and just enjoying the run.
Wednesday I got my baby pull along for the bike, so Cameron and I took it out for a test drive and Dorian loves it. I was wanting 6 miles but I enjoyed the 3.5 miles, Cameron stopping about 3 or 5 times just to take a picture of something. This morning I ran 1 mile with a group at the Dunigan YMCA, 1 mile to honor the victims of Boston. I brought Dorian along with me, not knowing our route would be on a gravel track so it was difficult and probably the hardest 1 mile run I've ever done. I felt like I was literally shoving the front wheel through the gravel, thank God Dorian no longer needs the infant car seat adapter and can sit in the actual part of the stroller. Otherwise I think it would have tipped over.
I am hoping for a 6 mile run tonight, Shauna is going to run probably 4 miles of it with me. We have a 5k race Saturday morning, the Hope in Motion "Color Run" at 9:00 a.m. It isn't going to be timed so we're going to try and just have fun with it, then I expect to run 6 miles Sunday morning before we head to Pennyrile Forest State Park for the day.
If I can get up tomorrow morning, I might run an easy 2 miles with Dorian and see how that goes. Of course that all depends on the weather.
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