Only 3 weeks until my big day! Getting SO PUMPED for Bayshore! :)
Today is was like winter out there! I ran my first run at 5:30am before my mom and I were off to the Science Olympiad thing. The wind was gusting like CRAZY which was super-annoying for it being so early. I actually felt really good though- 8 miles in 1:00:52, with mostly negative splits and the last one at 7:20. So nice to finish strong for a change!
Then, my mom and I were on the road by 7:30. The competition went well, and we should have been out by 12noon, but the scoring people messed stuff up and we had to stick around until after 2pm! Then do a million errands on the way home. By the time we got home it was post 4pm, and windier than ever. I knew my mom wanted to get a run in, and I wanted to hit my milage for the day, so we set out on a 3 miler. Windy, but good. Plus, I'm obsessed with running with my mom. I love it. Grocery shopping and a good dinner out, and here I am. I'm nervous because.....
I'm attempting my 'jinxed' long run tomorrow morning. Remember how last week it was literally the worst run of my life? Yeah, I'm trying really hard to not have that happen again. I seriously think that I am cursed. So I need to break that. Although I'll still be up early-ish to do it, it won't be quite as bad of conditions as last week when I had to get up soooo early because of work. So anyway, moral of the story is - please send your strenghtening/fast thoughts my way! :)
Hope y'all are having a great weekend and that the weather is better than 40 degrees/rainy/windy of here!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
22- end of the longest week ever!
Finally, the week(s) are over! I'm home with my mom, we set up the science competition and are all set to go back and do it in the morning. Both jobs + a run too today. My run was super short because I trying to squeeze it in between jobs. Since it was really cold/stormy out, I took the opportunity to check out my apartment gym that is REALLY nice. It was actually fun to run on the treadmill and watch the rain. As I was running, I noticed a sign that said our pool was open! I was sweating so much as I was running and looking at the pool and put the idea together in my head. Done running -> out the door -> take off shirt -> jump in pool! It felt amazing- rain and all! I wanted to stay in forever, but alas, job #2 called!
Anyway, tomorrow will be a busy day with running very early, followed by the science competition all morning, and perhaps another run later with my mom if I don't have enough time to get my milage in in the morning. I'm just happy to not be at either job tomorrow or Sunday. Simple pleasures.
Off to enjoy some mom-time! :)
Anyway, tomorrow will be a busy day with running very early, followed by the science competition all morning, and perhaps another run later with my mom if I don't have enough time to get my milage in in the morning. I'm just happy to not be at either job tomorrow or Sunday. Simple pleasures.
Off to enjoy some mom-time! :)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
23- tempo love
Oh man, can I just say that I'm SO READY for the weekend!?!?! Tomorrow will be my 12th day of work in a row between the two jobs (cuz I had to work last Sunday which is usually my 'weekend.') Good news is, once I'm done with bakery + teaching tomorrow, I get to go home to my parents' house and don't have to work Saturday! Well, I am helping my mom with this volunteer Science Competition thing, but that'll be cool. I'm just ready to NOT be teaching/at the bakery for a few days.
But enough of my whining, cuz y'all know I love being busy...... ;)
Today = some good runs. Began the day with a lovely 7 miler through the country. 7:38 pace = not too shabby. My paces are slowly dropping back down (since Boston) without me trying too hard, which is good. I didn't want to do anymore than that because evening = tempo run with my friend Mike. He told me to pick what we were doing, and I decided on a progressive tempo.
The plan:
1 mile warmup - 8:30ish pace
Tempo miles = 7:15, 7:10, 7:05, 7:00
2 mile cooldown - 8:30ish pace
The actual:
1 mile warmup - 7:35 (yikes, I guess we were excited!?!?)
Tempo miles = 7:12, 7:04, 6:59, 7:01
2 mile cooldown - 7:57, 7:17!!
Total = 7:17 pace
So I was pretty pleased with this. Honestly, it bugged me not to get that last mile under 7, but whatevs. Our warmup and cooldowns were fast! Our normal loop is a bunch of dirt roads that had recently been 'graded' which basically meant that every car that passed put up a huge cloud of dusk for us to choke on and the footing was really rocky and bad. Overall, it was a good run. 14 mile day. All good.
Tomorrow = bakery -> running -> teaching -> meeting my mom to set up the science competition Hopefully some good eats in there with the mother! :) I'm off to pack for the weekend!
But enough of my whining, cuz y'all know I love being busy...... ;)
Today = some good runs. Began the day with a lovely 7 miler through the country. 7:38 pace = not too shabby. My paces are slowly dropping back down (since Boston) without me trying too hard, which is good. I didn't want to do anymore than that because evening = tempo run with my friend Mike. He told me to pick what we were doing, and I decided on a progressive tempo.
The plan:
1 mile warmup - 8:30ish pace
Tempo miles = 7:15, 7:10, 7:05, 7:00
2 mile cooldown - 8:30ish pace
The actual:
1 mile warmup - 7:35 (yikes, I guess we were excited!?!?)
Tempo miles = 7:12, 7:04, 6:59, 7:01
2 mile cooldown - 7:57, 7:17!!
Total = 7:17 pace
So I was pretty pleased with this. Honestly, it bugged me not to get that last mile under 7, but whatevs. Our warmup and cooldowns were fast! Our normal loop is a bunch of dirt roads that had recently been 'graded' which basically meant that every car that passed put up a huge cloud of dusk for us to choke on and the footing was really rocky and bad. Overall, it was a good run. 14 mile day. All good.
Tomorrow = bakery -> running -> teaching -> meeting my mom to set up the science competition Hopefully some good eats in there with the mother! :) I'm off to pack for the weekend!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
24- positivity post
I was thinking on my run today that the last few post I have written have been rather negative. Normally, I'm a really postive person, so I decided to focus on the good things during today's post.
Good thing #1:
I live in an AMAZING area for running. Seriously. I thought my town was great before, but now it is even better after I moved to the north side. Today, I was running yet another new/amazing route on dirt roads, through cornfields, and more horse farms. A couple miles later, I was in the hustle and bustle of the city. It is pretty hilly 98% of the time, but apparently that is supposed to make you a better runner? I dunno, the jury is still out on that one...lol....
Good thing #2:
I'm feeling *mostly* not injured. Little things that were cropping up post-Boston when I rushed back into training (ie nagging soreness, blisters, etc) seem to have resolved for the most part. Now, my legs just feel tired, but not injured. I'm really hoping that having quality (and high-ish) miles for a couple more weeks, then dropping back to a TRUE taper will make them feel fresh and springy. Again, we will see.
Good thing #3:
My crock pot cooked me dinner last night and in doing so, lunch for today. 'Nuff said.
Good thing #4:
Teaching has been going really well (except for yesterday!) I feel like I have a good relationship with my students, and I am well-liked. And they make me smile and laugh everyday. Both feel good.
Good thing #5:
Spring in Michigan. ALMOST makes up for what we have to indure all winter.
Hmm, ok, I'll stop with my good things. Today's run was a pretty good thing though. I ran 15 miles with my big/hard repeat hill at the 11 mile mark. That was character building! Overall, kept it at a 7:57 pace. I'm hoping because it is so hilly here and my upcoming marathon is not, pace will drop automatically. It was still 10+ seconds/mile faster than last week's Wednesday 15 miler. Success.
And I'll leave you with Good thing #6:
Although I'm behind on prep work, and my apartment is a mess, I'm going to crawl into bed and read for PLEASURE for a bit. Reading = good thing!
Hope your day was filled with good as well! :)
Good thing #1:
I live in an AMAZING area for running. Seriously. I thought my town was great before, but now it is even better after I moved to the north side. Today, I was running yet another new/amazing route on dirt roads, through cornfields, and more horse farms. A couple miles later, I was in the hustle and bustle of the city. It is pretty hilly 98% of the time, but apparently that is supposed to make you a better runner? I dunno, the jury is still out on that one...lol....
Good thing #2:
I'm feeling *mostly* not injured. Little things that were cropping up post-Boston when I rushed back into training (ie nagging soreness, blisters, etc) seem to have resolved for the most part. Now, my legs just feel tired, but not injured. I'm really hoping that having quality (and high-ish) miles for a couple more weeks, then dropping back to a TRUE taper will make them feel fresh and springy. Again, we will see.
Good thing #3:
My crock pot cooked me dinner last night and in doing so, lunch for today. 'Nuff said.
Good thing #4:
Teaching has been going really well (except for yesterday!) I feel like I have a good relationship with my students, and I am well-liked. And they make me smile and laugh everyday. Both feel good.
Good thing #5:
Spring in Michigan. ALMOST makes up for what we have to indure all winter.
Hmm, ok, I'll stop with my good things. Today's run was a pretty good thing though. I ran 15 miles with my big/hard repeat hill at the 11 mile mark. That was character building! Overall, kept it at a 7:57 pace. I'm hoping because it is so hilly here and my upcoming marathon is not, pace will drop automatically. It was still 10+ seconds/mile faster than last week's Wednesday 15 miler. Success.
And I'll leave you with Good thing #6:
Although I'm behind on prep work, and my apartment is a mess, I'm going to crawl into bed and read for PLEASURE for a bit. Reading = good thing!
Hope your day was filled with good as well! :)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
25- good runs, bad day
Today wasn't a great day- outside of running. Stuff went poorly as a teacher, that left me feeling bad, although the situation wasn't my fault. I seriously have trouble letting go of stuff. So this is me trying to let go by stating it on the blog.....
But onto the run(s). This morning was a glorious sunrise 10 miler around the corn fields. Parts of this run felt so FREE(ing) which was good for a change. 7:45 pace, which I'm OK with although I'd like to get back to 7:30s more regularly. I'm trying not to downplay the fact that it is really hilly where I'm running and my upcoming marathon will be mostly flat. Besides, the pace felt like an easier effort than the last week or so. So I'll take it. I even managed to negative split. Another good thing.
Tonite I met up with a few peeps at the track. Everyone was feeling injured (besides me), so we just did an easy 5 mile loop. That was OK by me because I want to get in really good milage/intensity in the next two days. (not that a 15 mile day is not good milage for me)
Anyway, highlight of today was coming home to chicken sausage and tomatoes in the crockpot that I set up this morning. Sooo much better than my constant dinners of sandwiches or frozen yogurt. Sure made for a nice ending to a not-so-great day.
And I'm off!
But onto the run(s). This morning was a glorious sunrise 10 miler around the corn fields. Parts of this run felt so FREE(ing) which was good for a change. 7:45 pace, which I'm OK with although I'd like to get back to 7:30s more regularly. I'm trying not to downplay the fact that it is really hilly where I'm running and my upcoming marathon will be mostly flat. Besides, the pace felt like an easier effort than the last week or so. So I'll take it. I even managed to negative split. Another good thing.
Tonite I met up with a few peeps at the track. Everyone was feeling injured (besides me), so we just did an easy 5 mile loop. That was OK by me because I want to get in really good milage/intensity in the next two days. (not that a 15 mile day is not good milage for me)
Anyway, highlight of today was coming home to chicken sausage and tomatoes in the crockpot that I set up this morning. Sooo much better than my constant dinners of sandwiches or frozen yogurt. Sure made for a nice ending to a not-so-great day.
And I'm off!
Monday, May 3, 2010
27, 26- the worst run ever, and the day after
I was going to put off this post another day until tomorrow because I have to go through 2 days in one because my internet (that I mooch from a neighbor) wasn't working last night. Which stunk. Because......
I HAD THE WORST RUN EVER YESTERDAY.
I'm not an overly dramatic person, so when I say this, you better believe it is true. Absolutely everything went wrong on this run and it left my confidence shaken. I had planned 20 miles, but ended up with the slowest, most panstaking 11 miles of my life. Literally. And when I mean everything was wrong, I mean EVERYTHING. I had to wake up at 5am to do the run because I had to work on Sunday, which I never do. I HATE having to rush into a long run (unlike other shorter runs that I do at the butt crack of dawn all the time.) I was starving when I woke up, however, I realized later that it was more dehydration than anything from the day before and my tummy troubles. Anndd, my blisters that I got from some new shoes I'm trying were throbbing before I started. I gulped down some yogurt (which I always eat without a problem before runs) and headed out pre-6am. It was dark, but 1/2 mile in it started thundering and lightening. I had my ipod on, but was waiting to turn it on. Before the mile mark, I was absolutely drenched. Everything. I must have looked ridiculous running in the rain/storm, at 6am on a Sunday, completely soaked. Around this time too, I started to feel REALLY nauseous. I can't remember this ever happening to me before on a run. I tried to fight through it and quicken my pace, but everytime I did, the feeling just got worse. I pushed on, but knew I wouldn't make 20 miles because a) I felt so horrible and b) I was running so freaking slow I would run out of time. 6 miles out, I stopped to stretch under a tree while trying to ring out my shirt. I couldn' t even turn on my ipod to distract me because it was soaked. And I felt even more sick when I stopped so I didn't know how I would get home! I started running again and felt really angry at everything. Mad that I had to work (ie no weekend) so I couldn't do my run at my ideal time. Mad that I had to drive so much during the weekend to help my parents out (babysitting the cat.) Mad that I was running at a pace that I literally didn't think I was capable of. Mad that my awesome training week last week would be overshadowed by the total RUN FAIL of that day. Somehow I made it back home. I had to stop a few times along the way because I thought I was going to puke. I think my last mile was 10-11 minutes. Unreal. By that point, I really had stopped caring.
Needless to say, I've been questioning my ability ever since. The main thing I need to do in the next few weeks is having quality long runs, and I blew it. I'm slowly getting over it, but it is taking time.
26- Today was much better.
I considered chucking my phone at the wall when the alarm went off at 4:45am. My 4th day at the bakery in a row (my Wednesday shift was switched to today). It was tough because I'm not at all prepared to teach this week because I was working/driving all weekend. Anyway, my problems were solved by the infinity of coffee I drank between 6am-12pm at the bakery. Usually caffeine doesn't effect me, but I was seriously shaking on my drive to teach. After teaching I met up with my pops for a run! As I mentioned before, we work in the same area. I ran 2 miles to warmup while he changed and then we ran 8 together. Both of us had dead Garmins so we just did the 8 miles as 72 minutes because my dad is consistent with the 9min/mile training pace. I'm happy to report that it felt EASY. Which is good considering my runs are 7:30-8min pace. This slightly helped my confidence. Plus it was so nice to run with my pops! I'm not sure if I have mentioned it, but he is running the same marathon as me- it is his first (and he says ONLY) marathon! Soooo excited for him.
Ok, this post is getting ridiculously long. Today was a long day, but better than yesterday. Sorry if this post turned into a bitch session about my life. Everything is really good overall, and I know I am fortunate, but sometimes I just get fed up with how hard I am working at everything (ie running, jobs, money making etc) for so little, and wonder if it is all worth it.
I HAD THE WORST RUN EVER YESTERDAY.
I'm not an overly dramatic person, so when I say this, you better believe it is true. Absolutely everything went wrong on this run and it left my confidence shaken. I had planned 20 miles, but ended up with the slowest, most panstaking 11 miles of my life. Literally. And when I mean everything was wrong, I mean EVERYTHING. I had to wake up at 5am to do the run because I had to work on Sunday, which I never do. I HATE having to rush into a long run (unlike other shorter runs that I do at the butt crack of dawn all the time.) I was starving when I woke up, however, I realized later that it was more dehydration than anything from the day before and my tummy troubles. Anndd, my blisters that I got from some new shoes I'm trying were throbbing before I started. I gulped down some yogurt (which I always eat without a problem before runs) and headed out pre-6am. It was dark, but 1/2 mile in it started thundering and lightening. I had my ipod on, but was waiting to turn it on. Before the mile mark, I was absolutely drenched. Everything. I must have looked ridiculous running in the rain/storm, at 6am on a Sunday, completely soaked. Around this time too, I started to feel REALLY nauseous. I can't remember this ever happening to me before on a run. I tried to fight through it and quicken my pace, but everytime I did, the feeling just got worse. I pushed on, but knew I wouldn't make 20 miles because a) I felt so horrible and b) I was running so freaking slow I would run out of time. 6 miles out, I stopped to stretch under a tree while trying to ring out my shirt. I couldn' t even turn on my ipod to distract me because it was soaked. And I felt even more sick when I stopped so I didn't know how I would get home! I started running again and felt really angry at everything. Mad that I had to work (ie no weekend) so I couldn't do my run at my ideal time. Mad that I had to drive so much during the weekend to help my parents out (babysitting the cat.) Mad that I was running at a pace that I literally didn't think I was capable of. Mad that my awesome training week last week would be overshadowed by the total RUN FAIL of that day. Somehow I made it back home. I had to stop a few times along the way because I thought I was going to puke. I think my last mile was 10-11 minutes. Unreal. By that point, I really had stopped caring.
Needless to say, I've been questioning my ability ever since. The main thing I need to do in the next few weeks is having quality long runs, and I blew it. I'm slowly getting over it, but it is taking time.
26- Today was much better.
I considered chucking my phone at the wall when the alarm went off at 4:45am. My 4th day at the bakery in a row (my Wednesday shift was switched to today). It was tough because I'm not at all prepared to teach this week because I was working/driving all weekend. Anyway, my problems were solved by the infinity of coffee I drank between 6am-12pm at the bakery. Usually caffeine doesn't effect me, but I was seriously shaking on my drive to teach. After teaching I met up with my pops for a run! As I mentioned before, we work in the same area. I ran 2 miles to warmup while he changed and then we ran 8 together. Both of us had dead Garmins so we just did the 8 miles as 72 minutes because my dad is consistent with the 9min/mile training pace. I'm happy to report that it felt EASY. Which is good considering my runs are 7:30-8min pace. This slightly helped my confidence. Plus it was so nice to run with my pops! I'm not sure if I have mentioned it, but he is running the same marathon as me- it is his first (and he says ONLY) marathon! Soooo excited for him.
Ok, this post is getting ridiculously long. Today was a long day, but better than yesterday. Sorry if this post turned into a bitch session about my life. Everything is really good overall, and I know I am fortunate, but sometimes I just get fed up with how hard I am working at everything (ie running, jobs, money making etc) for so little, and wonder if it is all worth it.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
28- Obama- mania!
Today was nuts at the bakery/in town in general, as President Obama was the commensement speaker at my college's graduation. Sadly, I don't even remember who our speaker was last year....hmm, wasn't too memorable..... Anyway, the city was jammed and there was lots of security and traffic. Luckily, I got to work (in a crazy lightening storm!) before it all began. Annd, since I got out of work at 2pm and there was still lots of traffic to get out of town (I had to drive back to my parents'), I took the opportunity to do my "bakery loop" run. I ran from the bakery down to campus. It was super hot and windy, which felt nice and summery. I purposely tried to keep my pace slow because my legs were feeling so dead and I have my LR tomorrow morning. It was fun seeing parents' sitting on couches in nice clothes on front porches of student ghetto houses, looking awkward and uncomfortable. Seeing the graduates also was another reminder of how happy I am to be DONE with school and how much I fully love the 'real world.' (vs. the 'student' world). The tail end of my run was a bit...uncomfortable...due to some digestive distress. I just hope I get it all out of my system (literally) before my LR tomorrow.
Tonite is all about accomplishing stuff. As I mentioned I have to work for the Bakery again tomorrow. I say 'for' because I won't actually be working there, I'll be doing a 'demo' at a local upscale market that sells our products. This means talking it up with people with lots of $$ for four hours/giving out samples/trying to sell stuff. Good times. The worst part is, the market that I'm going to is right by my parents' house. Sooo, I have to drive an hour to pick up the stuff from the bakery, drive and hour back to the market, demo for four hours, then drive an hour back to the bakery to drop everything off! It wouldn't bug me so much if I didn't have to do my LR BEFORE hand. Looks like it will be another wakeup in the 4s....
It's all good though. Working is good. Demos are fun. Making money is necessary to the extreme right now. Waking up early is character building ;)
Looks like I'm destined to be in bed when the sun is still up.....again.....
Tonite is all about accomplishing stuff. As I mentioned I have to work for the Bakery again tomorrow. I say 'for' because I won't actually be working there, I'll be doing a 'demo' at a local upscale market that sells our products. This means talking it up with people with lots of $$ for four hours/giving out samples/trying to sell stuff. Good times. The worst part is, the market that I'm going to is right by my parents' house. Sooo, I have to drive an hour to pick up the stuff from the bakery, drive and hour back to the market, demo for four hours, then drive an hour back to the bakery to drop everything off! It wouldn't bug me so much if I didn't have to do my LR BEFORE hand. Looks like it will be another wakeup in the 4s....
It's all good though. Working is good. Demos are fun. Making money is necessary to the extreme right now. Waking up early is character building ;)
Looks like I'm destined to be in bed when the sun is still up.....again.....
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