Redemption MP 4/27/18

Training is mostly very much about your mental state. Yesterday, I expected my quad to feel good when I stepped on the TM. When it didn't, I talked myself into an almost hysteria. Mental fear gripped me. The fear that I had trained for months and might not get to the start line AGAIN! I really felt like I could pass out during the run. When I got back to the house, my son asked me if I had used positive self talk. I told him that positive self talk was the furthest thing from what I was doing. He advised me to tell myself that I was a beast.

So, this morning I was determined. It didn't matter if the leg hurt or didn't hurt, I was running, and I was going to run at MP pace. If necessary, I was going to actually use the words, "I am a beast." That isn't usually my preferred mantra, but I was desperate.

When I got on the TM, my quad just didn't hurt very much. I could feel a twinge of confidence, and I grabbed it. The run was successful, but my leg hurt a great deal after.

I haven't mentioned much about this yet in this log, but I think that I have a hernia. It doesn't hurt, so I am hoping to completely put it on the back burner until June 1st.

Marathon Pace Friday, 4/20/2018

Yesterday was a good MP I was hobbling the rest of the day.

Marathon Pace Run

MToday, I woke up with poison oak rash on my arm and a weird lump on my abdomen. I was sure that I had a hernia, but I was able to get in to see the doctor. He said that it wasn't a hernia, but a swollen gland. Humm...I hope he is right.  No running today.

Fueled by Positivity Marathon Pace Thursday, 4/5/2018

Today's Training

Today's training was a beast. I ran 8 at marathon pace with some serious hills, and then 8 easy. Including warm-up, I ran a total of 16.65 miles. The MP run was very difficult. I was running against a headwind for the entire time, and I probably started a little dehydrated. I had Ucan before I started, but I carried an empty handheld that I could fill up after the MP portion, so no water during the run. The 8 easy were extremely difficult. I stopped something like 5 times to give myself a pep talk. I'm at the 60 mile mark for the week and honestly, I'm exhausted.

I lost my super expensive Oakley Commit sunglasses. I bought a cheap pair of Goodr. I can't lie. No matter what anyone says, they don't perform as well as my Oakley's, but they were close. During an easy run, I'm sure they will be just as good.

During the second half of the run, my legs had an overall pain. It felt like the pain you get all over near the end of marathon. The pain wasn't localized. There was no particular injury, just general pain.
My legs are truly unhappy with me. I've got twenty miles to go, including a half this week, so I've got some rehab to do. I soaked in the spa, used the compression unit and used my new roller. I haven't mentioned my medical grade compression unit that I bought off ebay, but I'll get to that soon.

Fueled by Positivity Episode Recommendation

I've recommended a few Fueled by Positivity Episodes, but I think the episode titled Why We Run is my favorite thus far. What I like about the episode is that is isn't deep and theoretical. It is practical. In this episode, people talk about why they run and truths about runners. Nicole said that she started running, because it was the only sport open to her in 6th grade. One of the things that I love about running is that running is sometimes challenging. It is sometimes easy, but if you get out the house, you are a runner. Anyone can run and even compete at the age of 10 or 85. It is a great sport!

Marathon Pace Friday 3/30/201

This morning, I did my marathon pace run. I got up late, but I decided to get out the house quicker rather than waiting to run in the afternoon. It is so much more difficult for me to hit my paces in the afternoon. It is usually windy, and I, often, don’t eat enough at lunch.

This was the first MP run where I felt good. Actually, that isn’t true.  I felt terrible, but I knew that I had a good pace and that I could do it. My MP route is very difficult, but it does mirror the actual race course. The marathon route starts with an increase in elevation for several miles. Then, there is a downhill portion, followed by a hill at the end. I had an excellent pace until the last mile. The last mile just killed my pace. My goal pace is 7:53, but my last mile was 8:15. I still had an overall pace of 7:51.

I have been a real slacker with my ab work lately, but sometimes I can get my kids to do them with me.

Marathon Pace Tuesday, 3/20/2018

Yesterday, I had easy miles on the schedule, but I did not run at all. It is supposed to rain for the next three days, so I decided to do my MP run this morning to make sure that I got it in this week. I can run easy miles in the rain, but I wouldn’t try running MP in the rain.

I was thrilled when I looked at my watch and saw that I had made my pace. I ran 8 miles at 7:53 which is right on target. The run was difficult. There is a middle uphill portion that kills my pace and the last 1.5 miles was very difficult as well. You'd think that there are more significant hills than the one at the 5 mile mark, but the hill at mile 5 gets me every time.

Elevation Profile

Laps

Marathon Pace Thursday, 3/15/2018

Training:  This morning I ran 7.6 miles at the perfect marathon pace of 7:53.  I remembered to take a couple of puffs of my inhaler, and I had a scoop of Ucan before the run. It was difficult, as always, but it was a successful MP run.

I'm planning on a double after work. I only have four miles on the schedule, but I might make it 9 and cut tomorrow's run short. I'll let you know tomorrow, what I actually did.

News:  Skirt Sports Sale

Skirt Sports Sale

Skirtsports is having a Sale on the Sale! I’m still kicking myself for missing the last sale. This is a good one. Use LUKYYOU20 for an extra 20% off of sale items, no additional coupons or discounts can be used on the same order. The sale runs through 3/18/2018.

Marathon Pace Friday, 3/9/18

This morning I had trouble getting up. Are you detecting a pattern? I had wanted to run 10 miles in total, but since I was late getting started, I only ran 7 but all at marathon pace.  My pace was good, 7:53, but it was so difficult! I actually had planned to run 7.5, but I just couldn't do it. My stomach was growling when I opened my eyes. I was hungry before I even started, and a scoop of Ucan did nothing to curb my appetite. I didn't eat nearly enough food yesterday to sustain an eleven mile run. I didn't have breakfast, yesterday, and I probably had 400 calories for lunch. I ate a big dinner, but that was after the run. I've got to plan better, because lack of food is a real problem. This morning, I was  on empty and still tired. I knew that it would be difficult, but I had no choice but to make it happen. I have no idea why, but my asthma went crazy after this morning's run. I had to take a couple of hits of the inhaler.

Marathon Pace Thursday, 3/1/2018

Rain was predicted for the afternoon, so I had no choice but to run before work. Oh how I didn’t want to. Watching yesterday’s track meet was fabulous, but grueling. My kids have been running track since they were very young, but they have never been on the same relay team.  They are two years apart, but that is just old enough so that they have never been in the same age group (at least that I can remember).  My youngest son is a freshman, and he ran varsity in his first high school track meet. He ran the third leg of the 4 X1. His older brother ran the first, and the team won the race. It was very exciting. They also ran in the same heat in the 200. The older one won the heat and the younger took second. The younger one may not run varsity again this year, so I was so excited to see them both together.

However, it was cold, bone chilling, freakishly cold. I thought I was all set to deal with the cold, because I packed my old, warm, red coat. When I got to the meet, I realized that I was wearing the color of the team that was hosting. I had to take off the coat and carry it. I had on a long sleeve running shirt,  a padded vest, beanie and gloves. I had the coat on my lap and a blanket, but I was still so cold. Everyone was freezing.  My poor husband gave me his sweatshirt, but it didn’t even seem to help. Families huddled together. Eventually, I was snuggling with friends under another blanket. I got there at 1:45. I didn’t leave until 7, and I shivered the entire time. When I got home, I started asthma coughing. I’ve never gotten asthma from just being in the cold before. After a couple of shots with the inhaler, I was fine, though.

Thursday Marathon Pace Training
Back to this morning...I was dehydrated, and I had had enough of being cold, but the weather was actually not too bad at all (a little windy) and would get much worse. There was a storm predicted this afternoon. I planned to take my inhaler right before I left for the run. I, also, prepared some tailwind for my handheld, and I was going to take that with me.  I forgot to take a couple of whiffs of the inhaler, and I left the handheld on the counter.  I remembered all this about a half mile into the run.  I had 11 miles with no water and certain asthma symptoms in front of me. I managed to screw that up. I could feel my lungs constricting from the very beginning of the run. It actually was a problem, but I figured I wouldn’t die and there was nothing to be done in the middle of a MP run. I struggles, especially with that last ½ mile.

The minute I stopped, I started coughing crazily. There was nothing to do but get home, but I still had a few miles to go. It was a little bit miserable, so I figured what the heck? I’m practically dying anyway, I might as well just do another MP interval. So, after a ½ mile recovery, I did a mile at a fast MP. Don’t be too impressed. It was mostly downhill. When I stopped after that interval, the coughing wasn’t nearly as bad. It was a slow crawl home after that. I tried listening to my book, but I couldn’t pay attention. I didn’t care. Finally, I had to pull out the emergency tactics. I turned on The Dog Pound. The best and worst of gangsta rap all in one album. Something from that album will get me home. I might have a detailed, intellectual discussion with myself about the effects of misogyny in rap music on black culture, or analyse the social markers in Murder is the Case that They Gave Me, or just roll to Gin and Juice. I save Snoop for desperate times...lol

Believe it or not, in the rush to get to work, I still forgot to take that darn inhaler, so I coughed through the first hour of work. I’m glad I made my paces. I’m glad that run is over. I’m glad that I don’t have to run in the cold rain this afternoon. I stretched my calves and rolled my my feet. It’s a wrap!

Marathon Pace #Neverdo Friday, 2/23/2018

Prescription Oakley Commit

This morning, I did a marathon pace run of 7:24 miles @ 7:54 pace.  I wore my prescription glasses. I need bifocals, but that doesn't work so well with running glasses. With thick gloves and a handheld, it was too tricky to lift my glasses to actually be able to read the the numbers on the watch. I basically had to guess most of the way. My pace was good, but I thought that I was going faster than I was.

The temperature was cold, but not too bad. It was probably in the low to mid 30s. My hands were fine during the MP run, but my fingers got painfully cold during the 3 miles of easy running. My total miles were just a hair under 11.

Skirt Sports Neverdo Challenge

1st backpacking trip

Skirt Sports has given ambassadors a challenge to post about something that they thought that they would never do. Growing up a city girl, I never saw a mountain growing up. I never hiked. I never camped. I didn't go on nature walks. What a surprise it was for me to discover, when I moved to California, that I love the outdoors. Here is a pic of my fist backpacking trip. A friend and I went out for a few days. We had a great time, and I came home with a lot of stories that are still pretty funny.

Marathon Pace Double Thursday, 2/8/2018

I had a great run this morning.  Finally, a successful MP run!  The weather was perfect and no wind.  I was well rested, and the pace was perfect: 6.3 miles at 7:47. I had a scoop of Ucan, warmed up for 1/2 mile on the TM and did a .86 mile cool-down, after the MP run.  I need to do a double to catch up my mileage.  I'm hopeful that I can get it done.  I'll update this post if the double happens.

UPDATE:
I ran 7.25 at a recovery.  I'm still behind, but the double is complete!

Marathon Pace Thursday, 1/1/2018

After Tuesday’s great run, I was expecting another fabulous run, today. I felt good mentally, but my pace was slow.  My legs were heavy and not completely recovered.  I’m giving myself the month of January to get my marathon pace where it needs to be, or I will readjust the goal. I think that I can do it.  Last week my pace was good.  This route that I’m doing pretty harsh, but Mountains 2 the Beach starts with a climb for the first few miles.  I did a little over 10 altogether.  I warmed up on the TM for 1/2 mile.  The first 6 was at a 7:59.

I ran 1.3 easy, but I was going so slow that I figured it would take me too long to get home, so I did another mile interval at MP.  Again, I did not really get up to MP.  The pace was 7:58, but I was really working hard.  I had over a mile to go to get home and it was tough. 

I have a half on Saturday, so I'd like to take tomorrow off.  I need four more miles to make 50 for the week (including the half).  Maybe I'll run a double this evening.  That really sounds terrible, but I might do it.

Marathon Pace, Thursday 1/2/18

I am using Hansons, again, for this training period.  Hansons has a few key features.  First, you run 6 days a week.  Second, there are two fast runs per week.  On Tuesdays, you run speed or strength (5K pace in the beginning & -10 MP during the second half), and on Thursdays, you run at marathon pace.  The third feature is a long run on the weekend.  I like a long run, so I usually look forward to that one.  Speed is difficult, but I can usually wrap my mind around it. My marathon pace run is, by far, the hardest of the week for me.  It is a mental challenge.  I start to worry about it on Wednesday.

I had really hoped to go for my marathon pace during this run (7:53), but the wind was blowing 16 MPH when I left, and I knew that I would have a headwind for most of the run.  I figured that I would try for 8:05.

I ended up doing 5.4 miles at 7:55. I feel pretty good about it because I was so much improved from last week. The run is difficult. It starts uphill and ends uphill. Today I had the added problem of a headwind starting at abut the 2.25 mile mark.

Elevation Chart

I took a recovery jog of almost 1/2 mile and did another mile interval at 7:43. Including warm up and cool down, I ran almost 9 miles in total.

I wore the show with the Milestone Pod. Data was about the same as last time.

Marathon Pace Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018

I wanted to try out Garmin's tracker feature on this run, so I decided to run with a vest.  I didn't fill the bladder.  Instead I used soft-bottles and loaded them in the front.  I also packed a headlamp and my phone.  You have to run with your phone for the tracker feature to work.  The minute I put on the vest, I knew it was a bad idea.  It was too heavy for me to do a six mile marathon pace run, especially one that started with hills.  I knew, but I did it anyway.  My husband wanted to run a mile with me to warm up, so after a slow mile, I stopped at home to pick up the vest and headed out.


I think that I'll never find a vest that I like.  It was uncomfortable from the start, but I really thought that I could gut it out.  At about the 2 1/2 mile mark I knew that I would pass my house.  That knowledge just sucked the will out of me.  I decided to stop and ditch the vest.  I couldn't even make it home.  I stopped at the 1.9 mark and just jogged home.

It was a longish break at home, because I had to fill my handheld.  My plan, at that point, was to run four miles at marathon pace.  So off, again, I went.  There were hills to be had, but I had no excuse at all to quit at 2.7, but that is exactly what I did.

The fog descended on me.  I left my light at home.  My glasses were wet.  I could barely see a thing, and I just tried my best to interval myself home.  When I got home, I was a wet mess.  Despite the fact that I looked like I had jumped into a swimming pool with my clothes on, my little handheld was not empty.  Somehow, I had managed not drink hardly anything.  I was nauseous, but despite feeling like crap, I drank everything in those soft bottles.

When my husband asked me about my run, I said that I failed on every level.  He reminded me that at least I got in my mileage.

This epic failure had two causes.  First, the minute I put that vest on, my mind decided that I was going to fail. Before I left the house, I knew that I was going to stop and put the vest down at the 2.5 mark.  I was determined to try out the tracking feature, so I didn't want to admit it.  I'm not sure if I could have salvaged the run after I stopped under any circumstances.  Training is more about your state of mind than that of your physical state, but I also didn't have nearly enough food during the day to sustain the run.  I had a scoop of UCAN before I left, but I had a small lunch, and I wasn't even really hydrated.

I can't do this two weeks in a row.  Next week's marathon pace run is going to be magnificent.  I'm promising myself right now that I am going to do everything right, or at the very least, make different mistakes.

Easy Run Wednesday, 1/10/2018

I had six miles on the schedule today, and six miles tomorrow.  I really want to take two days off in a row before racing, so I combined them for an 11.5 mile easy run, today.  I ate with free abandon before I went out for the run, and my GI tract made me pay.  I was pretty uncomfortable the entire run. For recovery I got in the spa & spent about 30 minutes compressing.  I have a medical unit that I got off of eBay.  I’m out of my recovery drink, so I had a glass of milk when I got in.  I’m considering trying Fluid recovery instead of Physiophyx, because it is cheaper, but I’m not quite ready to make the purchase.

I haven't decided how I want to handle the race.  I could go all out and just see what I have.  The disadvantage to that is that it will effect my training next week.  Another option is to run it at fast MP, that would be great training, but I would miss out on the fun of racing.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

Marathon Pace Tuesday, 1/9/2018

I didn't eat much for lunch, so when I got home I had a UCAN bar.  I really hate the taste, but it curbs hunger for sure.   I went for a run about 1/2 hour after eating.  I ran 4 miles at marathon pace (7:53).  I had a head wind, but I managed to just make the pace. I suffered from a pretty severe bout of asthma after the 4 miles.  I have an inhaler, but it is expired and the doctor won't give me another one without an appointment.  I've got to get that.  I finished up with another 6 for 10.43 all together.

Garmin 310XT, Wednesday, 1/3/2018

I have a Garmin 310TXT and my husband has a Garmin 310XT.  Mine fell apart in my hand on the 1st, and my husband's doesn't seem to hold a charge.  Good grief!  The last thing I want to do is buy a new watch.  Yesterday, I ran 11 miles and went to a stretch yoga class.

I pulled out the Garmin 205 for today's run.  That is my last hope.  I charged it and went for a run.  I don't want to go through the hassle of figuring out how to sink it unless I am going to use it for a while.

I did a mile .75 mile warm-up on the TM., then a 4 mile marathon pace followed by a 1.75 mile cool down.  The MP was actually slower than last week.  I'm not going to get too concerned, yet.  The route is extremely hilly.  I'm running a pretty flat 8 mile race in a couple of weeks.  If I can't maintain marathon pace for at least 5 miles, I'll adjust my goal.  I still have a couple of weeks before official training starts.

Thursday, 12/28/2017

Yesterday, I did a bunch of nothing.  Today, I ran 4 at what was supposed to be MP, but was in fact pretty slow.  I've guess I can blame the big hill, but I still have got to do better than 7:58.

I ran one mile exactly before I got started to calibrate my new footpod.  With warm-up, & cool down, all together I ran 6.5.