"Hard Run"

Whoever named this run the Hard Run is crazy. "Torture Run" is more appropriate. Last night I picked out this run and I knew that it was going to be hard. But I didn't know how mentally challenging it would be. Mentally, this run has been my most difficult run thus far in the whole training process. Before I even hit the one-mile mark I already encountered my first big hill (the hill is located in Carousel Park and it is a good place to do hill repeats for anyone interested). The Paper Mill Road hill was killer and I had to stop once I got to the top. I just couldn't think straight at that point (at the 6-mile mark). My thoughts were wondering, but I got it together and kept going. Once I was out on Limestone Road I could feel my stride getting better, but I hit another wall not too far down the road. At the shopping center where Purebread and Wilmington Trust are I stopped again. At this point I contemplated walking over to the fountain in the parking lot to splash my face and I also realized my house was closer than where my car was parked at Carousel Park. I just wanted to quit and walk home, but then I realized I wouldn't have been able to get in my house! So I manned up and started running again, but my body was really not feeling it. From now on I will not park my car in a spot that's further than my house. It really played with my head.

The hills in this run didn't necessarily kill me - it was dehydration and heat. I worked through it, but I had to keep telling myself positive thoughts. All I could think about was... dang, 26.2 miles is really going to be hard. But then I reminded myself that there will be water stops and hopefully it won't be super hot. I HAVE to start drinking more water. I am also thinking about buying once of those silly looking fuel belts. I don't know if I can wear it though. What are your thoughts on the fuel belts? If I don't buy one of those, I am just going to plan to have someone meet me at the halfway point of my runs with water. I ate 2 ShotBloks during this run and they did help a bit. I am also going to start looking at the weather forecast and use that in addition to my schedule to plan my long runs. Looking back on the past week this is what my training looked like:

Monday: Mountain cycling class (I'd really like to thank the instructor for making us do hill climbs for an hour straight. I honestly think they helped me get up the hills today)
Tuesday: 3.5 miles
Wednesday: Body Pump
Thursday: 5.25 miles
Friday: Body Pump
Saturday: Off
Sunday: 7.78 miles

This week (training week 3 of 18):
Monday: Cycling class
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: Body Pump
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: 3.5 miles
Saturday: Anywhere from 3-5 miles (my training schedule calls for my long run to be 5 miles this week)
Sunday: Off

Peace. Love. Run.

Blogging Machine!

My blog has been rejuvenated! I've jazzed it up a bit with a fun template and a new header!

This morning I ran 5 miles and, boy, was it hot!! I was really feeling it today. I definitely wasn't prepared to run. I need to drink more water. I was doing really well with my water intake last week, but I fell off the wagon. It's been 90+ degrees here in Delaware for at least five days now. I encourage everyone who wants to get their runs in to either do it early in the morning or in the evening as the sun sets.

I'm looking forward to this weekend's long run. I'm planning to do 8 miles and it will be my longest run since the half marathon on May 16. I like using mapmyrun.com to find new running routes.

Can't Think of a Title.

I'm going to be a better blogger. Today I learned that someone started running because of my blog and once I stopped blogging she stopped running. We can't be having that. Several of my friends are doing Couch to 5k training and I'm really proud of all of them. It's not easy to start a new running routine, but once you start many get hooked! I know I've been hooked!

I'm now into the second week of training for the marathon. I feel like my body is getting back into the swing of training. On Monday I went to RPM class, yesterday I ran 3.5, this morning I did Body Pump and tomorrow I'm planning to run anywhere from 4-6 miles. My long run this week is 7 miles. I will probably bump that up to 8 miles as I ran 7 miles on Saturday morning with no problem.

I'm ready for marathon training as you can tell by the picture on the right! I love training with ShotBloks. They really give me the energy to keep going on the long runs. I am also obsessed with peanut butter so I bought a jar of powdered peanut butter because it has a lot less calories than regular peanut butter. In addition to writing about my training I'm also going to talk about what I'm eating as I'm training. My new blog name is I Run So I Can Eat. I am no longer running slow so I thought it was time for a blog name change!

Most of my running friends run because they love to eat. If I didn't live such an active lifestyle I would probably weigh about 300 pounds. No joke. As I train for the marathon I am going to make a conscious effort to eat well, but I'll probably cheat... a lot.

While Sarah and I were running on Saturday morning she decided it would be a good idea for me to finish the Baltimore Marathon in under 3:55 because first-time marathoners who finish in under that time win a cash prize. I think it's unattainable, but she has confidence so I'm going to train this summer with that goal in mind. I'll need to keep a steady pace of 8:55. I ran the half marathon with a pace of 8:39 so it may be possible, but 26.2 miles is a lot further than 13.1!

Peace. Love. Run.

I'm a bad blogger

My bad. I haven't updated in over a month. Since the half marathon I've been running here and there (nothing too intense) and have been doing a lot of RPM and Body Pump classes at the gym. However, I'm back on the saddle and marathon training officially began on Monday! This time around I'm following Hal Higdon's 18-week novice marathon training plan. I originally was planning to do an intermediate schedule, but I still like doing classes at the gym, so novice worked better with my schedule. I'll probably not follow his schedule to a T - right now I feel 3 miles is too short. When the longer long runs come around, I will definitely be following his schedule. I'm also planning to incorporate some interval and hill training in my schedule

I'm excited for the marathon, but I know I have a lot of work ahead of me.

This week's schedule was/is: (what I actually did or will do is in parenthesis)

Monday: Rest (RPM class)
Tuesday: 3 miles (3.5 miles)
Wednesday: 3 miles (6 miles on the treadmill)
Thursday: 3 miles (3.5 miles)
Friday: Rest (Body Pump class)
Saturday: 6 miles (I think this will probably be an 8 mile run)
Sunday: Cross train (rest)

So my first post post half-marathon and pre-marathon. Bring it!

Peace. Love. Run.

13.1

I did it! I completed my first half marathon today and I didn't even pee my pants!! And I'm very pleased with my time! I completed 13.1 miles in 1:53:14. My pace time was 8:39. Holy crap. Everytime I think about my time I think holy crap, I finished a half marathon in under two hours. This is the same girl who used to walk at cross country practice. I guess this is why we train - to become better! The hardwork is paying off. I felt so strong today. The course was challenging and had a good mix of flats and hills.

I woke up at 4:45 this morning so I was wide awake by the time the race started. I was a little nervous going into this morning's race. After running Broad Street and coming in with a really great time on a very flat course, I wasn't sure how I would do on the half marathon since there were a lot more hills. While I was excited to run the half marathon this morning, I was super psyched for the Broad Street Run. I think there was just an excitment to be running with a friend, running with 30,000 people and running in Philadelphia. I didn't feel that super psychness for the half marathon. Because I had never run a long distance race before, I was really cautious about what I ate before Broad Street. However, some of my pre-half marathon meals from yesterday included chocolate chip cookies, cake, chips, pretzels and more junk. But I was sure to drink plenty of water.

Whatever it was, it worked, because this morning was awesome. The weather was perfect for running. Cool and overcast! I started the race feeling a bit crappy. Mile 1 was the hardest of all 13 miles. I felt a bit slow going out, but by the time I got to the first mile marker and saw that my time was 9:03 I was feeling good because I knew I was on pace... just another 12.1 miles to go!

The first three miles were flat and fast... we headed around the outlet stores back up near the start line and through the ghetto a few blocks away from the Sunday Breakfast Mission. I saw a homeless man sleeping on the side of the street. From there we made a left on 4th Street and then up Walnut Street. Walnut Street was a bit of an incline, but nothing bad. We made a left on 16th Street and then a right on Market and then made the first left onto the street that runs along the river and past the zoo. That was a nice part of the run. I was running with the same group of people for most of the race and my goal was to never lose site of them because they were helping me to set my pace. We continued up the river and then crossed at the swinging bridge and back down the river before heading up South Park Drive (a hill!!!!). I knew the next part of the run would be difficult. The next mile or so was all uphill.

Okay I don't feel like writing about each part of the run anymore. I don't even feel like writing right now, but I don't want to let my fans down... (all three of you) HAHA! So anyways...

As I was running I kept telling myself to keep pushing it because half marathons aren't supposed to be easy. Whenever I had a cramp or my feet or legs started hurting I told myself I'm supposed to be in pain. If there was no pain, more people would run half marathons. I kept chugging along. At mile 10 I was at 1:26 about 5 minutes faster than my time at the Broad Street Run. At that point I knew I was going to finish in under two hours and I kept telling myself you only have a 5k left to run and most of it would be down hill. I picked up some speed going back down S. Park Drive and when I got to the 11 mile mark I said this is it... I'm almost finished. When I made a right on to King Street, the last stretch of the race, we started going uphill again. At this point I was tired and, seriously, the only thing I kept repeating in my head was oh s***, oh s***... another damn hill. The hill wasn't big by any means, but I wasn't digging any sort of incline at that point. I got up the little hill and kept moving... there was probably one more mile at this point. When I turned the bend and saw the finish line I kicked it in high gear... I sprinted to the finish line. I was tired when I crossed the line. I limped to the refreshment tent. My calves, shins and quads were all burning. Stretching was not an option at that point. I just wanted to sit. I sat and ate a soft pretzel and banana. Eventually I found my mom and stepdad and we left.

After the race I went to breakfast, vacuumed my house and got a pedicure - my feet were a hot mess - and went shopping. I talk a lot about eating, but just like the Broad Street Run, I'm not really all that hungry today. No big post-race meal for me. My legs are feeling tight right now, but not anything close to what they felt like right after the race. Tomorrow will be interesting. It typically takes my body 24 hours to really start feeling the work. I'm hoping I'll be okay though.

Well that pretty much sums up the half marathon experience! It was an awesome feeling to finish and I'm still thinking I'm nuts because 13.1 miles just doesn't phase me when I think about it. I'm ready to train for the marathon. But before I begin I'm taking probably a week off from long distance running. On Saturday I'm running in a relay race for work. Each runner takes a mile leg. I'm not sure how I'll do with that... I want to go out and sprint it but I know I'll die doing that. I'm hoping to run an 8 minute mile. Maybe I can try 7:30.

Peace. Love. Run.

Strong is the new beautiful

Two days until the half marathon. Can you believe it? It seems like it wasn't that long ago that I began the official Hal Higdon half marathon training schedule. When I think about it, it REALLY wasn't that long I began training... probably about 13 weeks ago. Physically, I feel ready for this half marathon... mentally I'm psyching myself out. I need to get it together. I can't believe I'm running a half marathon. I keep telling myself I'm crazy because at this point I don't think 13.1 miles is far. I guess that's why we train.

I haven't run since Sunday, but everyone I've talked to says that's okay because my body needs to rest. On Sunday I did 12 miles and I felt great. The weather was brisk and the sun was shining so it was pretty much perfect running weather. I was a little worried about doing 12 miles 1. because it would be my furthest distance, 2. I spent the weekend camping on the ground, woke up every day with my back and neck hurting, didn't get much sleep because I was sleeping on the ground (ha) and 3. I spent the weekend eating cheese curls, smores, pretzels and chips in a chair in a field. Despite the bad eating habits and lack of sleep my run was a success. I finished 12 miles in 1:53. I'm happy with that time.

On Tuesday I did an RPM class at the gym and Wednesday I did Body Pump. Tomorrow I'm going to go on a short run in the morning to loosen up a bit and then continue to focus on hydrating and eating right.

Looking ahead to Sunday I'm not sure if I'm going to set a time goal. My goal as always is to finish and run 10-minute miles. I have been running 9-9:30-minute miles though so we'll see. Miles 5.5-6.5 is an uphill climb so that will be interesting. Some of my runs have included hills so I think I'll be okay.

Once the half is over I'm going to take some time off from running, but will continue to work out at the gym. I'm looking forward to going back to kickboxing and Body Step class. Over the summer I want to do some interval work and continue to work on speed in addition to long distance runs. My marathon training plan official begins on June 15, but I'm already way ahead of schedule from training for the half.

That's all for tonight.

Peace. Love. Run.

Running Skirts

This post is really just a bunch of nonsense because I blogged on Sunday and nothing much has happened since then. I walked yesterday with two friends and stretched. My quads hurt a bit, but I was able to walk and even ran the last quarter mile of my walk just for fun. This evening I went to Carousel Park and ran the Carousel Loop. I believe it's three miles because I finished in 29 minutes. There is a pretty intense hill around mile 2. In the next week and a half, I'm going to try to find more runs with hills to mix it up a bit. After the run I headed to the gym and stretched and did some weight lifting (arms only) and abs.

Okay, the reason for tonight's post. Running skirts. There were a lot of chicks at the Broad Street Run wearing running skirts. I've seen them at the gym on a few occasions and they're really annoying. I apologize to any readers who wear running skirts. Don't be offended. Maybe you can help us understand. A lot of Julie and my conversation as we were warming up for the race centered on the running skirt. They have shorts under them, but I just don't understand. They seem like they would be uncomfortable and what's the point in running in a skirt? (I did play lacrosse and we wore skirts, but it wasn't my decision).

That's all. This was all really pointless. But it's my blog.

Peace. Love. Run.