Training update, weeks one and two

I wrote out a training plan for the Buffalo Half Marathon, focusing on a few things that I need to target more to hopefully push me past my rut and closer to a nice shiny PR.  It includes faster paced intervals, longer tempo runs, and higher mileage than I've been doing as of late.  I'm also supposed to be supplementing my running with more strength training, to provide better overall fitness, help with endurance/power, and hopefully help avoid injury.

Week one was tough, no lie.  I wrote in three major workouts:

• 6x.25 @ 9.0 mph(6:40) on the treadmill. incline 1%
• Tempo/progressive run: 6 miles starting at 7.8-8.3 and back down until mileage was finished. incline 1-1.5%  did 6.3 miles.
• Long run of 10 miles.
• Overall mileage: 40.0

I do a lot of my pace runs on the treadmill in order to keep it controlled.  I actually did better with the interval workout than I thought I would and decided to throw a seventh rep in.  My long run felt good, and I was happy with a sub 9:00 pace.  

Love my Pro Compression socks for tough
workouts!

My tempo run KICKED. MY.  BUTT.  I hurt. I probably was pushing the pace too much with how tired I was after, but it was so motivating to succeed and push the pace, things I haven't been feeling much of lately.  I failed on the strength training.  My week was ridiculously busy, with something pretty much every evening after work, so fitting in my runs was a challenge.

Week two:  

• 8x.25@ 9.0 (6:40) inc 1.5%
• Tempo/progressive run: 7 miles starting at 7.8-8.3 and back down until mileage was finished. incline 1-1.5% 
• Long run of 12 miles
• overall mileage 42.3

My tempo run from week 1, which I did on Sunday, left my legs dead for a few days and I didn't do my next workout until Thursday, the intervals.  I was nervous about increasing the incline .5, but was able to do the 8 reps, so I was happy.  The long run was strong on Saturday.  

Fastest 7 mile run ever!

The tempo was today, and I was quite nervous about it. After how I felt last week, I was anxious that adding .7 on was going to be too hard, but I nailed it.  I even spent more time at a higher incline.  Comparing my Fitbit Charge HR 2 data from both runs (I know, not totally accurate, but I figure good for comparison), I spent less time in my "peak" heart rate zone.  That just confirms that the run was easier. So I'm already showing improvement.

I also did better with strength training. I did the P90X3 pilates workout and a butt/leg strengthening workout.  The pilates was a great core workout, leaving me a little sore for a day or two.  I did the legs/butt today, so we will see how that goes.  

Hoping my next two weeks of training go as well.  This week is going to be a hard one to fit runs in, but I'm determined to make it work.  I start an online Graduate class this week, may get called to jury duty, have my normal teaching and coaching schedule, on top of driving out to a State Championship meet for my gymnasts all day Sunday.  So getting the longer workouts may be trickier than normal, but will just make it more rewarding when it gets done.

Escaping the Plateau

I'm frustrated.

I love running.  It's truly like the one thing I do for myself, generally my stress relief, and my outlet for my competitive drive that often ruins game nights because I like to play to win.  Nothing makes me happier than achieving a goal in running, setting that shiny new PR...

Pre-5k on Sunday

Only, that hasn't been happening.  I've been trying to figure out what my most recent PR is, and I think the last one I got was in early 2015.  I'm actually afraid to look, because I think that will make me feel even worse.  It's been nearly two years since I've been overly excited about my time, really felt like I achieved something.  I often feel that in longer distances something has gotten in the way- weather, injuries, illness,etc.  But saying that makes me feel like I'm just making excuses, finding something to blame.

The Polar Bear wanted a selfie

All last week I was sick.  As a teacher on my February break, let me tell you I WAS NOT excited to spend my time off on the couch, but it is what it is.  On Wednesday I went out to run because it was 60 degrees in Western New York in February, and I thought I was going to die.  On an easy three miler.  I had been planning on doing a small 5k on Sunday and ended up doing it despite not being recovered. It was easily my worst 5k in four or so years and did not help my mental status.  I know, I was sick, body was recovering, blah blah blah.  It just felt like another hit, another excuse for another sub par performance.

I know to break plateaus you need to change up what you are doing in order to get new results, so I've been doing a lot of thinking and I'm looking to make three tweaks to my running, targeting the Buffalo Half Marathon in May as my goal race.


Changes to hopefully escape the evil plateau I'm trapped in:

1. Run more.  I used to throw down 200+ mile months and I am currently around 150-160 on average.  As I haven't seen a PR since my mileage has dropped, I am looking to increase my mileage.  Maybe not 200, but I'd like consistently be pushing it.
2. Faster intervals.  I like to do my intervals on the treadmill for control in the speed, so I'm going to really start hauling butt in them and increase the incline on them to make them harder and hopefully reap more benefits.
3. Consistently strength train.  I love lifting weights and doing different strength workouts.  However, it has not been a priority for me lately and I can tell I am not as strong as I used to be.  I want to rectify that for injury prevention and hopefully to improve my endurance and power, equating to faster running.

I'm going to do some 5ks and a 10k a long the way to gauge how it's going, and hopefully I will see some improvements to encourage me a long the way.  I'm not planning on racing at all in March, so I'll have some time to get some training in before I start testing.

Wish me luck as I try to break my frustrating race trend!

Surviving The Dreadmill

After a lot of deliberation, I really think that running a 5k this weekend would not be in my best interest.  Last week I said I wanted to do it, but after running 10.5 and 3.5 miles outdoors last weekend, I've been suffering from a sore foot.  There were points in the beginning of the week where I struggled to stand or walk in bare feet, though I was able to run without little pain on the treadmill with my more cushioned running shoes.

Dr. Google brought mixed results.  Metatarsalagia/capsulitis seemed to be the most likely culprits. It's doing a lot better this morning and I think I'll attempt a 10 miler on the treadmill, but I'm not ready to subject it to the pounding of pavement yet.  I'm hoping I can get out for the 5k next weekend instead.

Running on the treadmill all week brings me to write this week's post.  I run on the treadmill.  A lot.  I think it's the reason I have been able to maintain a run streak for 5 years and counting.  I'm not always pounding my joints outside.  Plus, I find there's a lot of benefits of it.

First off, I like the convenience.  Bad weather?  No problem.  I don't like running out in the rain or slippery conditions.  I also hate running in the dark, and with my job it's still dark when I leave the house and in the winter I don't have a lot of daylight left when I get home.  I also like that I can watch tv, movies, and catch up on my DVR, things I don't always have time for when life gets super busy.  I also like how I can control paces on it.  Outside there's a lot of variables, but for pace specific workouts I can set it and go, not worrying about cars/other things that could get in the way.  I know the pace is not always accurate, but I adjust so that it feels solid.

They are not always fun runs, which I know many runners can agree with.  I've done up to 22 miles on my treadmill, so I know three plus hours of running in place can be tedious, but I've got a number of things I've done to make it a little more tolerable.

First off, I recommend using at least a little incline on the treadmill to help make it feel more like outside.  There's a lot of theories on it, how much you need to counteract the lack of wind resistance and the fact that the treadmill belt is moving so you aren't actually propelling yourself forward, and I've found that 1.5-2% works best to replicate outdoor running for me.  I play with incline through workouts because running at the constant incline can be stressful on your shins/ankle/feet, but I usually try to do a lot of running at a minimum of those.

Different ways to keep yourself from dying from boredom...

• Fartlek style: This one I've been doing a lot lately and you need access to a tv.  I start at a speed, usually a slower one for me.  Let's use 6.0 (10:00 mile pace).  I run that pace for 5:00, then bump up .1 for the next 5:00 chunk (0-5 @ 6, 5-10 @ 6.1, 10-15 @6.2, etc).  I will run that pace for 5:00- UNLESS a commercial comes on.  Then I bump up .5 (so in this case 6.5) for the duration of the commercial break.  Once the show is back on I return to what speed I should be going during that 5:00 chunk.  So if a commercial goes from 4:00-6:00, I'll resume at 6.1 when it stops.  It keeps me busy because it is constantly changing, no workout is exactly the same, and you can play with a lot of factors: time at each pace, how much you bump up, even incline.  I usually start slow so it doesn't become a full workout, just enough change to make the time go faster.

•  Another fartlek I've used is similar, but with playing cards.  I stick them on the console and flip one over.  I run my starting pace for however many minutes the card dictates.  Number cards equal their number, and I put face cards at 10:00.  Next card is an increase in speed or incline for that time period.  I've done the up and down paced work out above (up .5 then down .4, working my way up) and just a steady climb to decline in pace.  Once again, you don't know what to expect, so it keeps it a little more interesting.

•  Long run: I've used both workouts above for long runs, as well as this one, which I modified from one on the Internet.   It's great because it changes a lot, trains specific paces, and pushes you to run fast on tired legs at the end, challenging, but makes me feel like a champ at the end!

•  0:00-20:00: start low and go up.1 every minute for 10:00 and the down .1 a minute until you hit 20:00 

•  20:00-40:00:  at marathon pace.

•  40:00-50:00: recovery pace

•  50:00-65:00: half marathon pace.     

• 65:00-75:00: recovery pace. 

• 75:00-85:00: 10k pace

• 85:00-90:00: recovery pace. 

• 90:00-95:00: 5k pace   

• 95:00-100:00: recovery, cool down pace

•  Intervals:  Many runners who follow training plans/work to improve race times do intervals.  They are some of my favorites.  It's great because it once again changes paces, challenges you mentally, and makes time fly.  A basic one is quarter mile repeats, but you can do this at any distance.  You do a mile warm up, then run .25 at a pace that is challenging, usually faster than 5k pace, but it doesn't kill you on the first few reps.  The last few should feel hard.   It may take a few tries to try and find the perfect pace.  Then you do .25 recovery at a slower, conversational pace.  Start with 4-6 and work your way up to 12 repeats for 5k, more for further distances.  I try to do one of these a week at varying distances. 

• Tempo run:  These are good for building your stamina at harder paces.  A lot of coaches/programs tell you to do this at roughly 10k pace.  I like to do more of a progression tempo run.  I'll start at a little slower than 10k pace and increase pace every .25/.5/etc until I am at 5k pace or even a little faster.  I like this one because it doesn't give you a rest period like interval or fartleks, so it pushes you mentally.  

I've mentioned workouts that talk about pacing.  If you are unsure I have found this to be helpful: McMillan Running Calculator.  It gives you training paces and race time predictions.  It's a good starting point.

I hope someone finds some of these workouts helpful, interesting!  On that note, I think it is time to go prep for my run.  Happy running, everyone! 😊😊😊😊😊

Race nerves

Shorts in January?  Crazy!

First, I just want to celebrate... The fact that it was in the 50s here in Upstage New York on January 21st is quite amazing.  I did a great 10.5 miler out on a bike path near me and it was great to see tons of people out enjoying it.  We return to the normal cold and snow this week,  so it was great to break out the shorts and go.

Now, to what I've been thinking about a lot this week.

I haven't run a 5k race since the beginning of October.

After my last 5k

That might seem normal to most people, but not to me.  In my area there's a 5k almost every weekend and people race between 100-200 a year!  That's never been my style, nor could I afford it with the races I like to travel to, but I used to do at least one a month.  The 5k used to be my favorite distance.  I loved pushing myself hard, setting new PRS, hanging out with runner friends at the after parties.

Now I just get nervous, and my anxiety makes me not want to do them.

I feel stupid typing that, but it is true.  I am not sure what it is exactly.  Perhaps the idea that I might fail myself?  That I can't live up to my own expectations?  My own hopes?  At the start line the nerves kick in and the doubt begins to creep into my brain once the gun goes off.  You're legs feel heavy... Why are you breathing so hard?  You should be better than this!  All these thoughts circle in my brain as I run, eventually resulting in me not hitting paces I know I can, falling below expectations, continuing the cycle.  It sounds stupid, but I beat myself up afterwards, knowing I could have done better and that I screwed myself, which is not really fun.

A cross country 5k, placed even
though I didn't race well.

I want to get over this.  I think part will come from training, pushing workouts hard and lots of easier miles, but honestly I think I need to get out and race.  Avoiding will not make it better.


There's a race next weekend that I might run, if my legs are recovered enough from the marathon.  They still feel a tad heavy, but I'm slowly getting back.    If not, then I'm planning on doing one on Super Bowl Sunday.  They probably won't be great, since I have been doing mostly long slower runs for the marathon.  But they will get me out there, give me a starting point.

And if anyone has any tips on how to fix my brain (short of surgery), I'm all ears!

The Goofy Challenge that Wasn't

One week ago I finished my third marathon, my first one in three years.

The path to getting there left a lot to be desired.  I had high aspirations for this race, even thought about making it a Boston qualifying attempt, but life got the way, and slowly that dream drifted away and was replaced with lower expectations and revised hopes.

I signed up for the Goofy Challenge with my husband the day the registration opened.  This would be my husband's first marathon, so why not run a half the day before?  We were going to run/walk the half together, stop for all the character pics, and actually enjoy a Disney race versus always trying to PR or go for a decent time.  Then we would both do our own thing for the full.

My running at the midpoint of 2016 felt flat and uninspired.  I sought out a coach (who is awesome and I am hoping to use again this year) to target some races in September, but one was derailed by a calf cramp that left me in pain for my back up race and through much of October. I went into the Wine and Dine weekend undertrained and stressed, teaching was taking a lot out of me, and trying to juggle school, coaching gymnastics, running, and life continued to take a toll.  I woke up my first morning in Disney in November sick.  I tried to race the 10k and realized early on that my body was not going to allow it.  I ended up pulling back in the 10k and running the half for fun, having a great time, but not getting the race times I had been hoping.

I spent most of December on the treadmill, trying to recover from my illness and I don't like running when it's dark, so due to my schedule it was often the only option.  Then the week before Christmas I started sparking a fever, missing my last 20 miler, after once again feeling very undertrained.  Just a few days before Christmas the fever came back, even higher this time, leading me to go to the doctor and get diagnosed with bronchitis. I was forced to slow down my training runs, cutting many short.  I pushed on, trying to stay optimistic, hoping for the best.

My husband left for Disney Tuesday night.  We had gotten the Race Retreat, so we had the VIP expo pass, so he took advantage and went and got me race merchandise he thought I would like.

Expos are way more expensive now that we both run

 I didn't go down until Thursday night.  My school was amazing and actually let me leave early because a storm was entering the area and I was worried it would cancel my flight.  I ended up landing in MCO before my flight even would have taken off.

One of my fav routes:  the lake at Pop

We had a great room at POP for my first night there.  I did a nice cool run around the resort to shake out my legs and we checked out before heading to the expo so I could pick up my bib.  We were switching to Beach Club, one of our fav resorts, for the rest of the trip,

I was impressed with the amount of merchandise left at the expo when we arrived, and the ease with which I got my bib.  I heard horror stories of the first day of pick up, but luckily by Friday there were no issues.  I got my stuff, we hit up Epcot for bit, where we got the notice that the half was cancelled.

Opening of the Expo on Friday

To state I was devastated is an understatement.  I was looking forward to the fun half almost more than the marathon, so to find out it was cancelled was disappointing.  It was amusing when we went back to the resort because there were tons of upset half marathoners in the resort bar and up getting to talk to some nice people.  I guess when runners can't run, they drink, right?

We're going to run when we don't have to!

Making our own photo stops

We got up in the morning and went out to run a few miles. I had debated doing 13 miles on my own, but was clinging to the idea of a marathon PR, so I decided against it.  It was truly awesome to see all of the people out running that morning, some in costume, some with their bibs.  There were spectators out, people providing race support, as we circled the Boardwalk area, and people went out to officially earn their race medals.  It made me want to keep running, but I restrained myself.

We laid low most of the day, getting lunch at Portabellos in Disney Springs, hitting up the expo so I could return my Goofy stuff and see if they had any marathon stuff, and we hit up Magic Kingdom for a bit.

Sunday we made sure we were on the first bus and I was THANKFUL we had the race retreat.  It was only 40 degrees with wind chills in the 20's.  Plus some super nice people had a pile of throw away clothes to pick from, so I got extra pants and my husband found retro Buffalo Bills sweatshirt.  Go figure!

We stayed in the race retreat as long as possible and then started the nearly 30 minute walk to the corrals.  I always forget how long it is, but it was nice not to have to wait too long before starting.

In usual Disney splendor, we were set on our way with great fireworks and fanfare.  Of course my nervous bladder acted up, and I stopped at the first set of porta-potties. I felt so much better after that and was able to get in a groove as people spread out.

I worked hard to maintain my new modified goal pace, a good PR pace.  I always like to go way too fast at the beginning, so it was hard to reign in my enthusiasm.  I felt good.  I hit the Magic Kingdom mile 5ish) feeling awesome, slightly below pace, and happy.  I stopped for my castle pic, and loved the miles through the park.

The ensuing miles were boring, and around mile 7 I felt my bronchitis starting to bother me bit.  I kept looking forward to Animal Kingdom, roughly mile 11, looking for some entertainment.  I saw my husband in a little out and back part of the course and noticed him grimacing a bit.  I hoped he was ok, and continued on.

At this point I was still rocking my pace.  I was noticing some pain in my hip/butt area, and I think the hills in Animal Kingdom really aggravated it.  Leaving the park I was focused on the next destination, ESPN.

Around mile 16 I started putting more walk breaks in to try and get my leg to hurt less.  My pace dropped, but I was still trying really hard to hold on to my PR,but ESPN got the best of me.

I literally squealed for Donald!

I stopped for few pictures, and by the time I came out of the complex I knew my PR hopes were gone.  At times I feel like I looked drunk.  My leg was not quite working right, to the point where I bet I looked drunk at times, and of course mile 20/21 were into a major head wind.

My husband texted me around this time saying he was struggling, and I guess misery loves company, because it made me feel better that I wasn't the only one hating life.  I pushed to get to my favorite parts of the course, Hollywood Studios, through the boardwalk, around the world in Epcot, and to the end. 

Trying to act like I'm not in pain

 At this point my walk breaks were frequent and not just through water stations like they were up until mile 20 or so,

The finish is so close!

but I was able to run across the finish line smiling and giving Minnie Mouse a high five.


While I sat waiting for my husband to finish I felt a rush of disappointment.  I didn't achieve any of my goals.  I felt like I had failed, and I fought to keep the mindset that it is our struggles that make us stronger, better.  This struggle proved that I wouldn't let anything beat me, not bronchitis, not physical pain, not stressful life.

Woooo!  Minnie Mouse!!!!

Now I'm looking to 2017, figuring out some new goals, some new hopes.  I am going to try for a half PR sometime this spring, and I have Chicago in October.  The hubs and I just signed up for Wine and Dine Half again, and we are considering returning to marathon weekend in 2018, both thinking about seeking redemption, and we have the transfer to use from the cancelled half.  Not sure if I want to go for Dopey again, like I did for the inaugural year, or do Goofy,  I am just hoping 2017 brings me a better running year so I can go into whatever race feeling more confident and prepared!

Tink 10k and Tink Half!

Life has been so crazy (end of the school year insanity) and today is my first full day of summer vacation, so what better way to start it off than get my delayed race review done?

Tink weekend is definitely one of my favorite race weekends.  I absolutely love the courses, particularly the 10k course.  You spend so much time in the park, vs running down random highways like you do in the world.  I haven't done Tink since 2013, so the start line and course was a little different, but I still enjoyed it.

One thing I love about Tink weekend is being able to walk from the hotel to the race.  No annoying 3am bus rides.  Plus, being from the East, I don't feel like the race is overly early.  The 10k morning started with a chance of rain, and of course it started to pour RIGHT AFTER I checked my gear.  I hid under a tent, trying to wait it out.  Of course I was wearing my new RunDisney Tink shoes, so I was kicking myself as I didn't want to destroy them the first day.  Eventually the rain slowed and I made my way to the start line.

The first mile of the race has some overpasses and such before you enter the parks to loop around, so it's definitely my least favorite part of the race.  And my shoe came untied!  That never happens.  Guess this is why you never wear something new on race day.  I tied it and got back in my groove, entering the backstage area of the park.  Less than a mile later the same shoe came undone again!  I knotted it like four times and hurried along, knowing the PR I was eying had drifted out of reach.

The hubs ended up coming to the race unexpectedly, so he got a pic of my running through Downtown Disney.  I loved how many people were out cheering us along.  

After the race we changed and wandered back to the expo for a bit and then spent the afternoon in California Adventure.  Needless to say, with all the walking, I was not anticipating a half PR.

The staging for the half was much more chaotic than the 10k.  They had a narrow walkway to the start line area lined with not nearly enough portapotties... So you A.) walked into a brick wall of people waiting in line and B.) likely didn't have a chance to get through the lines if you were in a front corral.  I found it very stressful.  I eventually made it to corral A, with little time to spare.

I carried my phone in my hand for the race, which I don't normally do, but I had bought a RooSport pouch to carry my 10k medal in so I'd have it for finish line pictures.  The RooSport worked really well.  I liked how it was magnetic, so no belt, and it didn't move.  Usually I'm messing with my belt every mile or so.  It was also nice to have my phone in my hand because I kept getting text updates about how my husband was doing behind me, which motivated me to run a little faster at times.  

We decided to do the photopass option for the day of the half.  For $40 per day, we were able to link our bibs to the same account and get all our pics from the day.  SO much better than their old system!  Plus, I actually got decent castle shots for once.

I did stop for pictures with Goofy and at the water.  I am not usually a big stopper, but I couldn't resist those two shots and there was no wait.

The roads of Anaheim were a little boring, but I knew the Red Hat Ladies were coming around mile 8.  Talk about an energy boost!  These women are amazing, sitting outside so early and cheering us along- I can't even describe it.  They make you feel awesome, like you are famous or something.

Biggest complaint about the course was where mile 5 and mile 12 ran parallel to each other.  As I was nearing the end I had to dodge walkers from mile 5 who decided to walk in the mile 12 area.  I found that frustrating.  Later, in the results, I also saw that so e women actually ended up cutting the course there and just finishing the race.  Some even supposedly took some of the top places.  RunDisney quickly altered the results, but behavior like this angers me.  If you are going to sign up for a half then TRAIN.  Don't cut the course, parade around in your medal, and live a lie.  This may upset people, but I'm about integrity.  If you can't earn it this time, try again next year.  That's the end of my rant.

For some reason I really struggled in mile 11, but I finished strong, highfiving Mickey at the end.  I then hovered, knowing my husband was only a few minutes behind.  I walked as slow as possible and kept stopping in inconspicuous areas until someone would tell me to keep moving, then I would find another discreet spot to wait in.  He eventually caught up and we got our pic together.  

We got our medals engraved and hung out at the finish area for a bit before heading back to the hotel. That's when I realized I had checked all of my Glass Slipper Medals to do a full pink coast to coast picture.  My husband helped me stage a nice picture, which had many people looking at me funny as I laid In he walkway with medals spread out all around me.  

Tink is definitely a race weekend I can recommend to anyone who can make the trek out to California. I love how it is so much more relaxed than the World races.  Starting from the expo, where there was no extreme chaos or nasty people, to being able to wander leisurely from the hotels to the start and enjoy the race courses.  A few small issues didn't ruin the awesome experience and I hope I can save up enough money to do this race again sometime.

One week freak out

I used to always question football players when I heard they weren't playing due to turf toe.  Really?  You're making mega bucks and can't play because of a TOE? Toughen up, Buttercup!  

Cue the big toe pain...

I don't know what happened. 

I finished the Flower City Half feeling good.  Confident for Tink weekend.  I did 1 mile Monday and Tuesday to keep my streak alive and 2 on Wednesday.  I was noticing a little soreness in my left big toe, but didn't think much of it.

Yesterday it was still sore, but jumped on the treadmill and ROCKED a short tempo run.  I mean, it was the kind of run where I was flying high and felt like I owned the world.  Epic music played as I finished the run and people cheered for its greatness.

Then my night went on.  Slowly I noticed more and more pain in my toe.  I went to bed thinking that staying off of it over night would make me better, but this morning it still hurt.  Just random motions, and very generalized.  I couldn't pinpoint what hurt.  A day on my feet at school teaching didn't help, though when I got home I was at least able to point to two painful regions.  The top of my toe, one that seemed to run the top tendon, and the ball of the foot immediately under the toe.

Now tonight was supposed to be my last 10 miler before race weekend.  It's killing me not to do it.  Especially after my day at school.  Running is my stress release when my students suffer from justendtgeschoolyearalready-itis. 

 I did 1.5 miles on the treadmill and stopped to play it safe.  I hate doing the "right" grown up thing.  I wanted to continue plodding on.  Honestly, it's not overly painful running, but afterwards it hurts like a beast.  I must say, I apologize to all football players who I ever judged for not playing with turf toe.  

Now Pixie Dust Challenge starts in about one week.  I was planning on racing the 10k hard and the half moderately, with my goal half two weeks after that.  Now I'm worried about being able to run, let alone race.  So I guess for now I'll suck it up and do the right thing, taking it easy and icing and such.  Just hoping my stupid toe will be cooperative next week 😡.

Sunny skies= renewed spirits

Throw back to my first Tink in 2013

It's about time... We are finally going to have a whole weekend with temps into the 60s and sun.  After having such a mild winter, our spring has truly been hiding this year, but waking to the sun shining brightly has put me in a good mood to train.  I've got A LOT to train for, too!

One week from today I will be attempting my first duathalon.  I managed to get out on my hybrid bike (yup, don't even have a road bike) for the first time since last summer on Wednesday.  First I did a 9.3 mile fartlek run since running is still my top priority.  Then I layered up (it was only 45) and went out.  My first 5 miles were into a headwind and made me doubt my ability to do this.  I was struggling through 5, how was I going to hit 20?? My legs felt like lead and I wanted to give up.  Luckily I did a out and back route, so the wind was with me on the way back and I finished my 10.25 with a little more optimism than I started with.  All night my legs felt exhausted, but I never was actually sore, which surprised me. I guess the 10 mile rides I did on my exercise bike really did help.  Heading out for 15 miles today.  I figure if I can get through that, I'll survive next weekend.

Next Sunday is a hilly half marathon.  Yup, following my first du with a half the next day.  All part of the Flower City Challenge in Rochester, NY.  I'm not planning on racing this half at all.  It's just my final long run for Tink.

Three weeks from now is Tink weekend at Disneyland.  I'll be just getting ready to start the 10k.  I was hesitant about my ability to race this event, but my work out last night made me feel better.  I like doing pace work in the treadmill, so I warmed up with 1.25 miles, then did 1 mile at 7:09 pace, followed by .25 at 8:00 pace.  I repeated that four times on an incline of 2% and felt pretty good.  If I could keep near that pace for the 10k I could get a pretty big PR!  

The next day will be Tink half, which is one of my fav Disney races.  Still would like a PR there, but probably not as big as I originally hoped as I am now planning on going hard in the 10k.  I am super pumped about the race now, though, as we just received our bib and corral assignments for the race!  I get to be in corral A!  I've heard a bunch of people in different Facebook groups discussing how they got put in the wrong corral, so I always get worried I will end up that way at some point.  My husband is happy that he will be in B, since no men are allowed in the first corral.  He's hoping to get a PR at this race as well, and since it's only his second half, he definitely has a shot!

So as I type this I've eaten my breakfast and am getting ready to run.  I think I'm staying on the treadmill this morning again for my 15k, despite the sun, in order to minimize the pounding on my legs.  Planning on 10 or so miles outside tomorrow, so not sure my legs can handle that much stress two days in a row.  I like to be extra careful to avoid possible injury.  Now that nice weather is here I need to ease back outside, since I hate running in the cold and hide on my treadmill most of the winter.  

After my run I'll be heading out for my 15 mile ride, then plan on actually relaxing outside with a book.  Here's to good weather and sunny afternoons!

4 weeks to go...

(Picture from RunDisney)

So Tinkerbell Weekend is just 4 weeks away... Time for the second guessing to begin!  Like most runners, I'm now wondering if what I've done since Princess has been enough to achieve my goals.

I didn't follow a full out written training plan.  I decided one of my major issues after my A1A Half and Princess weekend experiences was endurance and lack of long miles in training.  So I've thrown down more double digit runs at this point in my training than I did for my entire Princess cycle, sometimes getting in two a week, hitting 15 twice.  I've also done tempo runs and have quickened my interval pace, but was all this enough?

I've got a 14-15 miler planned for today, but it'll be on the treadmill since its 27F and I've been fighting something the past few days.  Next weekend will be a 13 miler, then the following weekend I'm doing my first duathalon on Saturday, which I'm totally not ready for.  I haven't been out on my bike since last year, and there's a twenty mile bike portion.  I've done a couple 10 milers on my exercise bike, so hopefully that helps!  Oh, and should I add that I have a hilly half the next day?  😮 Should be a fun weekend... Lol.

ANYWAYS...

I really want to PR at both the 10k and half at Tink, which is stupid, I know.  I just really want some more recent times for those distances.  I have another half, the Buffalo Half Marathon, at the end of May, so I have a back up race for that goal, so I guess I should really focus on the 10k.  Plus, if I race the 10k at my best, I have an outside chance of placing in my age group.  

On that note, I guess I should go stop being a bum and hit the treadmill... Here we go!

Goals check in!

So scarily enough we are a quarter of the way through 2016, so I figured I'd take a moment to check in on my goals and see where I stand.  

1.) 2016 miles in 2016.  I'm doing pretty well with this goal, especially since I had a lot of race miles, so fewer weekly miles, in February.  I'm currently at 513, which is just 4.1 miles off of where I should be.  On the positive side, I'm running injury free and have been much better about throwing down some consistent miles.  I'd like to start banking some miles to help with some tapers and recovery weeks through out the year.  But at least I'm currently on track.  

2.) Sub 1:40 half.  I haven't raced a half since Feb, where I fell short, but I've regrouped and realized I wasn't running long consistently enough.  So since the end of February I've done seven 10+ mile runs, two of which were 15 miles, some on consecutive days.  Tinkerbell is in the beginning of May, so I plan on at least three more double digit runs prior to them and we shall see where I stand.

3.) Sub 21:00 5k.  This hasn't been my focus yet, this will be my main goal through early summer, but I have been doing various length repeats st 6:40 and more recently 6:00 pace.  I think this is one of my harder goals to achieve.

4.) place at a Disney race.  I was shut down at Princess.  A fast field and rough day for me didn't go well.  Still have Pixie Dust and Wine and Dine.

5.) Qualify to Boston.  I'm working towards this by building a base and running more double digit runs. I've also begun looking at which marathon(s?) to attempt at.  I'm thinking of trying two... To have a back up just in case.

So with three months already gone I feel like I'm working towards my goals.  February gave me some feedback through racing and I've really been able to make some adjustments that should be able to help.

Now if Mother Nature would just cooperate.  We had snow last night and a winter storm warning for tonight as well.  I hate running on ice/snow, so I did my ten miles on the treadmill this morning.  Thank God for DVR,

Princess expo take 2

I

We returned to the scene of the craziness again on Friday, missing the opening.  I really just wanted to go back so I could actually see the vendors as we left in a hurry on Thursday, frustrated by the chaos and the crowds.  (Sorry for the blurry pic, but barely any lines!)

The crowds were definitely much more manageable, especially in the RunDisney merchandise areas.  Most items were still in stock, including those pink jackets that caused so much drama.  

The vendors were there in full force

And I loved walking around and looking at them.  A few of my favs were Inspired Endurance, Sparkle Athletic, Sports Hooks, and the New Balance area.

Even the New Balance area was cleared out enough that I could wander in and look at, albeit not try on, shoes.  Definitely love the Minnie and Ariel shoes- but I'm so picky about my footwear that I'm afraid to take the plunge, so for now I'll just admire from afar.

As we were getting ready to leave we noticed Jeff Galloway speaking so we stopped and listened for a bit.  He's always fun to listen to! He gives out great advice and has a great personality that draws you in.

After his talk he said he'd be going back to his booth for pictures and stuff.  My husband and I tailed him back into the expo... A little stalkerish almost as we kept just far enough not to be obvious but close enough not to lose him.  MAN can he weave through a crowd quickly!  But we got there and I was excited to get my pic with an Olympian!  

After this we did leave, checking out the RunDisney medals as we went.  I snapped a pic of all the medals I'll have after Pixie Dust in May (yes, I'm a bling-aholic).  Can't wait until they are all mine! 

Conclusion:  if you don't mind missing out on a few of the most coveted items (this year the tervis and wine glass) then going early the second day is much less stressful than trying to survive the first.  There were great things to see, buy, and do that I enjoyed much more on Friday!

A1A Half Marathon Recap

Who doesn't want to run a half or full marathon that runs along the ocean at sunrise?  That's what you get with the A1A Marathon and Half.  My husband grew up going to a time share on A1A, so this was an obvious choice for his first half marathon.  

It starts nice and early at 6 am- but that's good to avoid potential heat and humidity issues if it were to go later, especially for the full marathoners who have six hours to finish (the half course stays open as well as it is the same course).  With such an early start, my husband and I got a drop off at the start around 4:45.  We were anxious about porta potty lines and bag check so we wanted to be pretty early.  Race instructions also encouraged runners to get there early to avoid any traffic issues.  Luckily it was smooth sailing as we got to the start area with no problems.  There were plenty of porta potties and bag check was an easy process.  No stress!  

We were in the corral roughly 25 minutes before start.  A great rendition of the National Anthem was played on a saxophone and off the wheelchair racers went!  

My only complaint about the starting corral was that people didn't start according to their pace/expected time, which is not the race's fault as they asked people to, but it did make for a lot of weaving in the first mile as I dodged slower runners and even some walkers that had lined up at a 7:00 or better pace. 

The only MAJOR hill happens in the first few miles when you run if a drawbridge overpass, so it was a nice and relatively flat course.  They had aid stations and bathrooms nearly every mile it seemed, which is really convenient for runners.  

The course itself is pretty.  We got to run through some nicely lit up streets before hitting the beach, being welcomed by a statue of a snowman made of sand.  

There was a rough headwind once we turned on to A1A.  My husband estimates 20mph sustained with gusts, but I don't know for sure.  That's where I realized a PR was likely out of my grasp as a plodded through the wind.  About 4.5 or so miles in we turned into a park that was very pretty and virtually wind free, so it was a nice break before returning to A1A and pushing through a few more windy miles.  I can honestly say I was never more excited for a turn around point than I was when we finally saw the sign for the half marathon.  The wind wasn't nearly as bad as we started back in the direction of the beach and the finish line party that awaited us.

Having run on A1A a lot while on vacation, I was familiar with the landmarks and knew about how much farther things were, but the miles dragged on as I was tired from attacking the wind.  Luckily there were a fair amount of people out cheering, especially as we hit the park, and it kept me moving.  Crossing the finish line at 1:46:56 was well off of my goal for the race, but I tried to stay positive.  Weather conditions weren't the best, but it was the first half I ran nonstop (minus to tie my shoe) since I hurt my foot last August.  So hopefully this meant some new PRs are in my future.

The finish line area felt a bit chaotic.  Once we received our medals we were inundated with all sorts of goodies- Mylar blankets, water bottles, towels, Gatorade, water... All as we were hurried through the chute.  I was super excited to see the sand sculpture finishing area.  I took another girl's picture and she took mine.  

After that I went back to watch my husband finish his first half in under two hours!  It was exciting to see him finish and capture a finisher pic for him. 

 

The after party was pretty cool.  It was right there in the park on the beach.  There were lots of free samples of things.  Including some wine from Barefoot that I enjoyed.  They had a tortilla/taco building area and burgers among the usual fruit assortment.  A live band entertained runners as we celebrated our accomplishments.

It did get a little crowded as more and more runners flooded the area, but it was definitely a nice party.

The medals were spectacular.  They were three tiered, with a blue sand dollar, a fish with the race name, and then a turtle that opened like a locket with a runner mural inside.  You can tell they take great pride in creating a medal that captures the spirit of Ft Lauderdale.  

I really liked this race and would recommend it.  The people were great, the race support was awesome, and the finish area and party are perfect for those runners who enjoy the beach.  I am definitely thinking about returning if it fits into my race schedule again!