November Running Stats

Well this past month of running has gone pretty well - didn't really skip anything, but I think I may have postponed a run because I wasn't feeling 100%. Overall I ran 41.6 miles which equals 8:55:59. That's pretty good for me...I tend to quit half way through because I make myself believe that I can't possibly do what the running plan is suggesting. There are just over two months of training left and I hope to continue doing what I'm doing because it seems to be working. I need to take a look around at what I should be doing once I finish my plan and I'm running that 8K distance. More research!

This morning was just a two mile run. You would think that after doing six miles for a long run that a two miler would be easy. For some reason that wasn't so. It takes a while for me to find my rhythm for the day and on the treadmill sometimes it take all of the time I have to figure that out. So by the time I'm feeling pretty good I'm done. Sure, I could do more, but I am trying not to deviate from the plan too much. Sometimes I throw in a short run just for the fun of it...I'm sure that won't hurt anything, but I like my rest! There will be a day that I'm adding an extra day of running, so I'm not going to push it too much.

Wednesday is speedwork on the treadmill. I couldn't finish the tempo run, but I think this might be different. I hope at least. Speedwork is my least favorite of all the training runs...blah...with my asthma it's hard to get a good session in and not feel like I'm going to die or something.

Sooo.....1 mile warmup then 3x800's @ 5:24 with 400 recovery in between and then 1 mile cooldown. These are the kinds of work outs that I don't necessarily like to do on the treadmill, but what else can I do? It's dark at the track in the morning and the evening. At least on the treadmill I can control the speed to a point.

And the training goes on....

Run Baby Run!

Tempo

Check out the run chart...it is so very cool to see progress - I LOVE IT!

This week I do a tempo run on the treadmill...YIKES! It is to be 5 miles...YIKES!

I can do it...I can do it...I WILL do it!

Run Baby Run!

Accessories...

Today I was at the bike shop rifling through the socks - because you can never have too many socks - and found the socks that I have been wanting since my birthday. What a sad thing, wanting socks. Anyway, these weren't just any socks, these were Run-Girl-Run socks and they did not have my size when I went in on my birthday. Today I found the socks in my size. It's really the little things in life.

The other sad thing is that they MATCH my new running shoes.

I swear, it's an illness...

So, did you ride this weekend?

Did I ride this weekend? Nope...haven't ridden in many weekends. Tom and I got out one Sunday afternoon for a short loop a few weeks ago, but I don't remember when that was.

Anyway, have been hitting the treadmill quite a bit and running on the road or trail on the weekends. I like that the chart is multi-color now - well, two colors at least. When I add my tempo runs and intervals there will be FOUR colors! Woo hoo! Okay, it's the little things that keep me going.

Today I got to do three miles on the treadmill. I say "got to" instead of "had to" because it sounds better and I had a huge mental block. Two miles no problem...three miles...hmmmm, I'm not so sure. The three miles went by pretty quick, so quick that I almost ran out of time. Yeah, no I didn't increase the speed except when I realized that I wouldn't have enough time to finish the last "lap". Note to self...program 45-50 minutes for future easy runs. Looking forward to 5 miles on Saturday!

Run Baby Run

Shoes

I think I have a problem...I like athletic shoes. These are three of the latest pairs that I have purchased since March 2008. The sad thing is I have 3 more pair that are in different stages of use - from well used to not so much because I thought they would be good for running and they really were not.

That would be the case with the first pair of shoes in the picture. The Asics felt pretty good, but training in them for Livestrong was a chore from the beginning to end. I'm pretty sure that with all the training and then eventually all the cycling that I did after Livestrong caused a stress fracture which I did not find out about until December of last year and was told that running would have to wait until after the new year.

The second pair are my well loved New Balance 768 Stability running shoe. These shoes were awesome! Running became so much more fun with these shoes! Training in these was so much different than with the Asics it was amazing. Just in the last month or so I have really enjoyed running - even on the treadmill...WOWIE!

Today, Robin and I went to Fit Right NW so I could buy new pair of running shoes New Balance 760 Stability running shoes along with a pair of speed laces which I will start to rotate with my current pair. New shoes for my long runs and older shoes for treadmill runs. I'm excited to run in these shoes I almost can't wait until Saturday for my "long" run.

Before the year is over I'll have to donate the shoes I'm not using to my podiatrist who collects shoes for a charity that he is involved in. No sense for me to keep more shoes than is necessary.

Run Baby Run!

Technique...

Crazy things happen when you start to focus on running techniques. On Saturday we did our run on the track near our home and after shuffling along for nearly two miles and starting to notice my left calf was becoming a little sore. I read something about lifting your knees while running, so I did and by-golly if that didn't change pretty much EVERYTHING! The last mile felt really good and I finished feeling good.

Here's to paying attention to running tips!

This or That

I want this...

But this is more likely...

Not as much fun as the slick, fast bike...but more pocketbook friendly. A time trial bike would be so cool though...

I like to dream big [sigh]

COUNT DOWN BEGINS (EARLY)

Okay, so the Spring Classic Duathlon is still a ways off, but to keep myself motivated I decided to put a countdown clock on my blog as a reminder of what I have planned for 2010. It’s not likely that I will forget what I have planned for next year…but slowing down with my training might be happen.

This is week 3 of my 8K running plan. Tom and I ran the Salmon Creek Trail on Saturday and got myself a decent time. I hadn’t run 3 miles for a while, so it was interesting to see how the run would go. It felt good, no whining as I am prone to doing and very little pain. I was a little disappointed that my breathing was somewhat labored, but that isn’t anything new really. The temp was perfect hovering around 55 degrees and the trail was not that busy, another plus.

At the end of this particular run, after we settled in at Starbucks, I proclaimed that I LOVE running….WOO HOO! It’s true! I know I can do it and I have felt good after each run that I have done since starting the plan and I actually feel like I’m getting somewhere. Now I look forward to each run whether I am on the treadmill or the road. The track is a little boring, but at least it is accurate and I know exactly how far I have gone. The only problem with the track is that I have lost track of how many laps I have completed in the past and I’m sure that I’ll lose track in the future.

The only other thing that I know I need to do is buy another pair of running shoes to rotate with my current pair. They are starting to wear a little so this is a good time to get another pair – kind of thinking ahead a little I guess. I don’t want to get to the point where the shoes are just unusable and I don’t have a pair of shoes to run in. OOOH…transitioning a new pair of shoes for the next season – what a plan! Looks like a trip to Fit Right Northwest is likely before the month is over.

So, the countdown clock is here as a reminder that I have something to work toward. As time goes on I know that I’ll be running more miles in the middle of the week and the thought of spending 6, 7 or 8 miles on the treadmill is not far from my mind. I’m having trouble with the thought of 3 miles which is what I might have to do this coming Wednesday…blah. No matter, I’m having fun with my running and wishing I was riding instead, but I am satisfied with the next best thing.

Run, baby, run!