sprints are painful

About 4.25 miles
4 x apx 100 yds

Thought I'd pass out after each sprint. I expect to be sore tomorrow.

Serious training now

I'm really gearing up for the Women's Distance Festival in two weeks. I'm entertaining the fantasy that I can beat 21 minutes. Maybe, maybe not but I'm going to train hard.

8/13/11

.5 warm-up
4 x 800 with about 2 minutes of staggering in between
.5 cool down

I tried to "kick it in" at the end of each. In the last one, I reached down and tried to pull out that extra bit of energy to sprint. If the word "sprint" is interpreted broadly, I succeeded. But, that little extra whatever-it-is was there. I have to work on bringing it out.

Recap

8/4/11 - 3 mile fun run 21:57! I felt good during the race and was very psyched about the time.
8/7/11 - 30 minute run including 4 good hills. Felt great!
8/8-8/10 - Busy at work and lazy. No running.
8/11 - 3 mile fun run 21:38!!! And I felt great during the race. I mean, it was a race so the term "great" has an non-standard interpretation but I think it was my best short race ever.

My new (crazy) goal is to break 21 minutes in the 5K in two weeks. For that, I need to do some training! Starting tomorrow (I wanted to go today but work was too busy).

Week in review

Monday 8/1/11 - 3 miles on the treadmill. I was trying to do a timed 3 miles but about two minutes from the end, I hit the wrong button and the treadmill turned off. I turned it back on and finished the run but don't know what my time was (around 22 minutes).

Wednesday 8/3/11 - Intervals!

400 yd warm-up
4 x (800 yds with 400 yd rest)
.75 mile cool down
Total: 4 miles

My 800s were around 3:06.

Thursday 8/4/11 - Fun Run
I was really nervous about the race today. I almost didn't go out of laziness. Before it started I was extremely anxious (afraid of the pain) so I made an effort to relax and get my mind in the right place. It worked. When I crossed the finish line, the clock said 21:56. I think the timing is a little screwy in this race series because the time they posted last week was 6 second slower than what I saw when I crossed the finish line. So, I made sure to look as I crossed and we'll see what they put online. Last week when I finished, I though I'd done 22:18 but they put 22:24 online. So, by my estimate, I improved 22 seconds. By theirs, 28 seconds. Either way, I'm really happy with my time. And, best of all. I felt good during the race. I was in control of my mind, which is really the most important thing in a race.

Fun run!!!

So, first here's the recap:

Tuesday 7/26/11 - 4 miles (no idea of the time)

Thursday 7/28/11 - 3 mile "fun" run!! 22:18. That's 10 seconds faster than the first race. I felt better too. I mean, these short distances are hellish but I really only felt despair and horror for the last mile or so. I'm really freakin' sore now.

treadmill, treadmill rollin' so fast . . .

I got on the treadmill yesterday but I just walked.

20 minutes, 1.7 miles.

too hot, too hot babe

Hot, humid and hellish twas the morning so I ran on the treadmill.

4 miles, 30:10

Not too shabby.

OMG intervals

Here's the way I tortured myself before work this morning.

2 x 1,600 yds
2 x 800 yds
2 mile run

5 miles total

It sucked but I'm keeping my eye on the prize - a better time at this week's race.

intervals intervals

So, now I'm in serious training. I'm going to do those weekly 3 mile races so I have the goal of improving every week. I've also signed up to do a 5K at the end of August and I want to beat my PR.

40 minute work out

.5 mile warm-up
2 x 800 yds
2 x 900 yds
1.4 mile cool-down

Total distance: 4.1 miles

First 3 mile fun run . . .

. . . as if a 3 mile race could ever be fun! So much pain in such a short time! Nevertheless, I had a good race. My time was respectable (22:20 or so - have to wait for official results) but not my best. I had been feeling a little weird all day in terms of my appetite. I didn't feel hungry in the afternoon. I didn't feel hungry until I got into my car to drive to the race. By the time the race started, I was numb and ravenous. So, given that constraint on my energy, I did pretty well. I was tied for first (woman) for most of the race but my co-runner pulled ahead in the last half mile and finished 7-10 seconds ahead of me. I'm content with second place. Overall, it was a great experience. The running club that puts on these races is awesome. They have these races every Thursday, all summer for FREE!!! Me eat now.

Treadmill . . .

It was way too hot to go out today so I had to run on the treadmill. This is what I did:

4 minutes running warm up (8.5 minute miles)
2 x 2 minute intervals (2 minute breaks)
2 x 3 minute intervals (2 minute breaks)
3 x 1 minute hills (1 minute rest)
2 minute running cool down
5 minute walking cooldown

35 minutes total, 4 miles.

I extended the 3 minute intervals a few seconds to make them a full .5 mile:

1st - 3:08, 2nc - 3:12

Soooo much nicer on the track.

Back at home

4 miles, 33 minutes. Felt good even though it was hot.

I'm still very sore from those sprints I did on Thursday. I guess I need to start doing intervals again!

My local running club has started weekly 5Ks (and they're free!). I'm going to do them whenever I can. It will be like being on my high school cross-country team! My first one will be this Thursday!

last vacation run

I ran a slow 4 miles today (35 minutes). I had some aches and pains along the way (hence the slower pace). I just got new sneakers and I'll be really annoyed if they turn out to be a bad investment. I felt great during the last mile so I decided to do some sprints.

4 miles, 35 minutes
5 x 100yd sprints, 100 yd rest (walking).

knee pain

I went out again today. In absence of a thunder storm, the weather was pretty hot. I had some knee-buckling knee pain on the right side. I had to stop, stretch and walk some but once I got warmed up it seemed O.K. Maybe I'll take tomorrow off. With all that stopping, my time isn't so great but I still did it.

3.25 miles, 31 minutes.

runnin' in thunder again!

Yep, once again, I'm running in thunder, doing loops staying close to home. The only difference is I'm on vacation so I'm staying close to a different home.
It's all flat here so I did intervals.

warm up - .40
8 x (apx) .15 miles (apx. .05 mile rest)
2 x (apx) .35 miles (apx. .05 mile rest)
cool down - .40

total = 3.0 (23 minutes)

All in the pouring rain with ocassional thunder and lightening.

runnin' in thunder!

Well, I tried once again to join my local running club for a run. I showed up and met the people and everything but then it started to thunder and there was lighting so the run was cancelled. I drove home feeling bitterly disappointed because it's really a bid deal for me to be out of the house on a weeknight and I really needed a workout. So, I decided to run around my neighborhood. I stayed pretty close to home in case the weather got bad. There was some thunder and lightening but it was O.K.

3.2 miles, 27 mintues.

6 miles

As the subject indicates, I ran 6 miles today. 54 minutes. Felt pretty good but the last 5-10 minutes was tough. I need to run more!!!

on the bike

I rode for 30 minutes today. My office has a free bike program and so we have four bikes that we can use for free. Today I took one out for the first time. It was O.K. It was a lot less of a workout than riding in Binghamton was (that was always uphill both ways). Anyway, a light workout. Next time I'll try to go faster or something.

running

3.5 miles, 29 minutes. Felt good. Had the pain in my side but it was an after dinner run so anything goes.

The uphill battle . . .

So, this is what I did today:

3.25 miles (26 minutes). I felt much stronger and less little-old-lady-like than my last run. What ever had been rickety and loose managed to put itself back together. And the side pain went away. Phew!

5 hills. I haven't done a hill workout since I moved. I can't say it felt good (because the feeling is the exact opposite of good) but I did feel stronger. This time the body was saying "I can". Last time I ran the body was like "Are you sure about this?"

I don't know when I'll get to run again but I'll be logging a couple short workouts during the week (hopefully).

Ta ta

A new member?

Dearest ladies, I invited a fourth person who is also aspiring to healthier living through physical pain and exertion. Saff, you'll know her from the old days. You know, she lived next door to me oh so long ago. I don't know what pen name she'll chose, should she chose to accept the invitation. But if she's reading right now, hey!!! Join us!!!! We want to hear from you.

OMG (running) shoes!!!

I finally went running!!!! I joined my local running club and they have group runs on Thursday nights. Well, it started raining a half hour before the meeting time and I wasn't sure if they would cancel. To save myself the trouble of showing up and waiting (maybe for nothing), I just ran on my own. Felt kinda fragile. My neck was a little stiff or sore or something by the end and I hate to admit I had a stitch in my side the whole time (wtf???). But, I did it. And I feel good.

6/16/11 - apx. 6.5 miles, 55-57 minutes.

I've decided, come hell or high water, I'm doing one long run per week.

AM Yoga???,

Wow, so in light of the fact that son has been sleeping until 6:00 am lately, I decided to try to get up early and do some yoga this morning. I was especially motivated because I had a bit of a pig out last night. Anyway, I got up at 5:30 and did 30 minutes of yoga. It felt pretty good. I'm hoping that by doing a little gentle yoga a few times a week I can strengthen my back and fix whatever occasionally goes wrong with my neck.

Been a while . . .

Well, I haven't managed to post in a while. I have done some workouts but they've been mostly the 20-30 minutes type when I manage to fit it into the workday. I got a Pilates dvd from Netflix and I've done that a couple times (which is not only boring but it makes me feel extremely spastic). I've decided I need to register for a race to get myself motivated. Haven't done it yet, but I've decided that's what I need.

6/8/11 - 25 minute gym workout (it was way too hot to go outside).
-10 minutes on the stationary bike (very boring, had to stop)
-6-7 minutes running on the treadmill (moderate pace). Had to pause the program because my shoelace came undone. Couldn't figure out how to resume. Had to start it over again.
-10 minutes running on the treadmill (fast pace). Decided to push it. Had some nice cramps associated with breathing.

I did this workout at the end of the day (instead of around lunchtime as usual) which saved me some time because when I was done I just grabbed my stuff and left (didn't have to shower and get dressed again). I think this will be a good strategy for the future.

Pitiful

3/27/11 - six miles

Haven't been able to go again. Life is getting in the way.

Before I forget . . . I've already forgotten

Here's the log:

3/19/11 4.5 miles (uphill on the way out, downhill back, forget the time)
3/20/11 6.25 miles (same)

3/24/11 3 miles

Tomorrow I do a long run. My ass is gonna be grass in Allentown.

the latest

Yeah, so it rained like hell on Thursday 3/10 so I couldn't run to work (well I guess I could have but I didn't). I did however (finally) go running today.

3/12/11 7.1 miles, 58 minutes. I haven't run that far in at least a year. I was very pleased with the time.

runnin' to work!

So, for as long as our schedules permit, husband and I will be sharing the responsibility of taking child to and from daycare so, two days a week, mommy can run to and from work!

Tuesday 3/1/11
- 2.00 miles in the am (took the shorter but hillier route)
- 2.36 miles n the pm (took the longer but flatter route)

Thursday 3/3/11
- 2.36 miles in the am (longer and hillier route) 19 minutes
- 2.36 miles in the pm (same route but I pushed the pace) 17 minutes.

Couldn't run Saturday for scheduling reasons.
Couldn't run Sunday because I felt like crap.

Tuesday 3/8/11
- 3.1 miles in the am (did a loop around the lake to add the distance, pushed the pace a little towards the end) 24 minutes
- 2.36 miles in the pm: 19 minutes.

Feeling very good about this creative way to get workouts into my schedule - also about doing double workouts.

Finally!

I have finally recovered from the stupid cough that plagued me for 3 weeks. After about 2.5 weeks, I broke down and went to the doctor. The good quack gave the the standard I-don't-what's-wrong-with-you-so-here's-some-antibiotics - and I was so desperate at that point that I didn't even want to bitch about it. So, either the addition days or the meds worked and I'm feeling much better. Here's the log:

2/26/11 - 4 miles (to and from work - test run!) 35 minutes
2/27/11 - 4 or 4.1 miles (tooling around the lake and the creek trail). 35 minutes

log entry

Saturday 1/22/11 5.3 miles(around Lake Artemesia).

Next week I'm going to figure out a workout schedule. There's a gym in my building that I can use. Details to follow.

running

1/16/11 - 4.7 miles. Ran to the lake via a different, shorter route. Did two laps around the lake. Was doing 8:06 minute miles (give or take). Felt fast. Was pleased. Am intent on making English a pro-drop language.

log entries

1/7/11 - Like 2 miles on the treadmill, miscellaneous calisthenics and 10 minutes on the exercise bike (in the hotel gym)
1/8/11 - 4 miles on the treadmill
1/14/11 - 4.8 mile run (give or take). Home to Lake Artemesia, did the loop and then some, then back home.

Saff? Saffy dear? Are you there?

Back at it too!

Well, I ran 3.5 miles on 12/23 and 12/24 but then I went about two weeks without working out. First the holidays came, and then the move. So now I'm at a conference and determined to work out everyday (so I won't feel dumb for lugging my workout clothes around in my backpack).

1/6/11 - 4 miles on a treadmill (about 31:40), crunches and stretching.