It is hard to believe that Christmas is over! Aaron and I had a wonderful holiday. We saw many family and friends and attended numerous parties. The holiday flew by in a whirlwind, and Aaron is now back to work. Lucky for me, I don't go back until Jan. 4th!
Nothing really new on the running front. I only made it outside for one run last week: my 11-mile long run. With the holidays, I was so busy, it was just easier to jump on the treadmill to get a few miles in. I still don't feel like I am in training. The mileage is lower than normal, and I feel like I should be stepping it up. I don't want an injury, so I am trusting the program.
I got really lucky with the weather for my 11-miler on Saturday. I woke up, and Aaron wanted to run some errands for our basement remodeling project. Normally, I need to get right out the door for my long run, but it was rainy, so I didn't mind putting it off til later. Every place we wanted to go was closed, so I headed out the door for my run around 11ish. I don't know what I was thinking when I got dressed, but I wore way too many layers. I wore my under armour shirt, a tec shirt, and my fleece. I then put on a headband with a baseball hat on over it. I looked silly, but it was rainy and I like to keep the rain out of my eyes and I hate it when my ears get cold. Well, about a mile into my run, I was dying! I could feel my face getting flushed, so I took off my fleece and tied it around my waist. I planned to run a 6 mile loop, but the weather cleared up, so I jetted into Wilkes-Barre. Since it was the holiday weekend, I decided to check out downtown Wilkes- Barre. There were tons of people around which was nice to see. Downtown has come a long way in a short amount of time!
After looking around the square, I ran over the Pierce St. Bridge. There was this weird guy on the opposite side of the bridge. I think he was trying to race me! He was walking, but when he saw me running, he started running. I would speed up, and he would too. I would slow down, and he would as well! So weird! I was getting really annoyed, so I finally crossed the street and ran right behind him for awhile. He finally slowed down, so I passed him and that was the end of him! I took my 20oz handheld water bottle, and I drained that with about 3 miles left, so I was glad I had it. My pace was 9:03, which surprised me.
One more thing I wore on my run....my new runner id bracelet! Lex and Greg got me one for Christmas. I have had several events while running that have made my family nervous that I don't run with a cell phone or any id. They have been on my case for awhile (along with mace, which I still need to get), so I was very happy to get this gift! Now when I fall (it's only happened twice!) or almost pass out (once), or get dehydrated (twice), I won't be lying on the side of the road with no id!
Yesterday, my knee was sore. It wasn't my IT band, but my actual knee. It made me nervous, but i went running today and it was fine. I just have to keep an eye on it.
Here is the schedule for Week 3
Monday: 3 miles (completed this morning on my treadmill...too chilly for me outside)
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: 4 x 800 (8.7 speed with 1% incline on the treadmill with about 4 minutes recovery in between)
Friday: 6 miles pace run (I aim for 8:20 pace.)
Saturday: It is a cutback week and I am supposed to run 8 miles, but I will probably run at least 10.
On a personal note: Our basement is almost done! My job is to paint the crown molding, so I did the first coat this morning. I will probably do another coat this evening. The goal is for the entire basement to be finished for the Super Bowl. This has been an enormous project, two years in the making, so we are very excited. Poor Aaron has been busting his butt lately just to finish it. It is going to add a lot to our house, and it is great that the end is in site!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Week 1 Recap
Well, my first week of training was fine. It was actually so easy, I don’t even feel like I am in training mode yet! I am definitely enjoying that feeling! I actually ran outside 3 times last week! I did Monday’s easy 3 miles outside, as well as Friday’s 5-mile marathon pace run outside. Surprisingly, my pace run was at 8:12. Usually when I run outside after work on a Friday, my pace is slower because of traffic and stoplights, but I think the cold made me run faster!
I did my hill workout on the treadmill. I put the incline up to 9 and ran for three minutes at 7.3. I repeated this three times with a 3 minute break in between. The total workout was 3 miles including a warm-up and cool down. It wasn’t easy, but it is definitely a harder workout running up Pringle St. Hill. It is not comparable, so I am not sure what my strategy is going to be. I don’t think I am going to worry about that yet.
I also got my long run of 10-miles on Saturday completed outside. It was very chilly! It was 18 degrees when I left in the morning. I actually contemplated waiting till the afternoon to run, but I really like to just get it out of the way first thing in the morning. With the cold weather, there is no need to get up early and beat the heat, so I headed out around 8:30 and got home about 9:50. I was dreading the run. I know runners are supposed to be tough, and 18 degrees isn’t THAT cold, but I HATE running in below freezing temps. I wore my under armour shirt (not cold gear, just a thin shirt), my Nike cold weather turtleneck, and my fleece jacket. On my legs, I just wore my Nike cold weather tights. I wore my under armour gloves and a knit hat I got from Target. I didn’t carry any water because it was only ten miles, and I didn’t want to carry cold water in my hands. The only part of my body that was cold was my face. I really want to get a balaclava, but Aaron told me that I will look totally ridiculous running around town in one and that he has never seen any runners using them. He did, however, volunteer his camouflage one that he has for hunting, and if it wasn’t fleece, I would use it! I honestly don’t care what I look like when I run. No one will know it is me anyway! I am going to research them, and probably buy one if I can get a good deal. It will be great for skiing too. Overall, it was a fine run. I finished the run at 9:02 pace, which is kind of fast for a long run, but again, it was cold, and I just wanted to get it done. Breathing the cold air gets me the most. I was up on the levee for about a half mile, and the wind was a killer! Plus, I ran over the Market and Pierce St. bridges, so my face was frozen by the time I got home.
My skin gets so red and itchy when it starts to get warm again. I just want to scratch and scratch. It’s not dry skin either. I think it is just the return of circulation. Now, I have scratch marks all over my stomach and thighs…fabulous. Thank goodness it is winter and not shorts/bathing suit season!
I decided that I really want to get the cold gear under armour. I just hate the idea of spending $50 on a shirt and $50 on tights that I will wear only for running and skiing. I wouldn’t mind spending the money on clothes I can wear to work! Surprisingly, I was cleaning out an old purse from last year, and I found two Dick’s gift cards. I called for the balances, and I have $50! I was so happy at this nice surprise. So after Christmas, I am getting my cold gear! Anything that will get be through these winter runs!
Here is my schedule for week 2. I am switching up some days, so I will have Christmas off. I will be too busy to run anyway.
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: 30 minute tempo run (5 min. warm-up, 20 minutes at 7.9 (7:40ish pace) on the treadmill, and 5 min. cool down )
Thursday: 5 miles
Saturday: 11 mile long run
I did my hill workout on the treadmill. I put the incline up to 9 and ran for three minutes at 7.3. I repeated this three times with a 3 minute break in between. The total workout was 3 miles including a warm-up and cool down. It wasn’t easy, but it is definitely a harder workout running up Pringle St. Hill. It is not comparable, so I am not sure what my strategy is going to be. I don’t think I am going to worry about that yet.
I also got my long run of 10-miles on Saturday completed outside. It was very chilly! It was 18 degrees when I left in the morning. I actually contemplated waiting till the afternoon to run, but I really like to just get it out of the way first thing in the morning. With the cold weather, there is no need to get up early and beat the heat, so I headed out around 8:30 and got home about 9:50. I was dreading the run. I know runners are supposed to be tough, and 18 degrees isn’t THAT cold, but I HATE running in below freezing temps. I wore my under armour shirt (not cold gear, just a thin shirt), my Nike cold weather turtleneck, and my fleece jacket. On my legs, I just wore my Nike cold weather tights. I wore my under armour gloves and a knit hat I got from Target. I didn’t carry any water because it was only ten miles, and I didn’t want to carry cold water in my hands. The only part of my body that was cold was my face. I really want to get a balaclava, but Aaron told me that I will look totally ridiculous running around town in one and that he has never seen any runners using them. He did, however, volunteer his camouflage one that he has for hunting, and if it wasn’t fleece, I would use it! I honestly don’t care what I look like when I run. No one will know it is me anyway! I am going to research them, and probably buy one if I can get a good deal. It will be great for skiing too. Overall, it was a fine run. I finished the run at 9:02 pace, which is kind of fast for a long run, but again, it was cold, and I just wanted to get it done. Breathing the cold air gets me the most. I was up on the levee for about a half mile, and the wind was a killer! Plus, I ran over the Market and Pierce St. bridges, so my face was frozen by the time I got home.
My skin gets so red and itchy when it starts to get warm again. I just want to scratch and scratch. It’s not dry skin either. I think it is just the return of circulation. Now, I have scratch marks all over my stomach and thighs…fabulous. Thank goodness it is winter and not shorts/bathing suit season!
I decided that I really want to get the cold gear under armour. I just hate the idea of spending $50 on a shirt and $50 on tights that I will wear only for running and skiing. I wouldn’t mind spending the money on clothes I can wear to work! Surprisingly, I was cleaning out an old purse from last year, and I found two Dick’s gift cards. I called for the balances, and I have $50! I was so happy at this nice surprise. So after Christmas, I am getting my cold gear! Anything that will get be through these winter runs!
Here is my schedule for week 2. I am switching up some days, so I will have Christmas off. I will be too busy to run anyway.
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: 30 minute tempo run (5 min. warm-up, 20 minutes at 7.9 (7:40ish pace) on the treadmill, and 5 min. cool down )
Thursday: 5 miles
Saturday: 11 mile long run
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Week One/Hills
I start Week 1 of training tomorrow. Here is how my week looks:
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: 3 x hill (total of 3 miles)
Friday: 5 miles pace
Saturday: 10 miles
This is obviously an easy week for me (minus the hills). I have been running higher weekly mileage, so last training cycle, I bumped up the first few weeks to make it more difficult. Since that resulted in an injury, I am going to follow the plan. Training won't get hard until January, but that is okay. I'll run some easy miles and take it easy for a few weeks. There will be plenty of hard weeks to come!
It is very important that I train hills for Boston and this presents a problem since it is winter. Last cycle, I used Pringle hill as my "hill." This is the steepest hill I could find relatively close to my house. Plus, it is exactly 400 meters which is ideal for a hill workout. I had an ideal situation in the summer. I would drive to my parents house, and jog to the hill. My grandmother lives at the top of it, so she would often come out and watch me run up the hill (of course, telling me how crazy I was!). It helped knowing someone was watching me, since, damn, that hill was STEEP! It took every ounce of will power to keep running up that darn thing. I wanted to look good with her watching! Plus, sometimes her neighbor would come out and watch too! Corny as it was, it was nice to have a cheering section for this difficult workout. When I would finish, she would give me a drink and I would jog to my parents' house and spend the day at the pool!
Well, now that it is winter, I am not so lucky! By the time I get home from work, change, get to my parents' house, and jog to the hill, it is dark out. I am not running up that hill in the dark. The incline is steep and the sidewalks are crappy, so I need to run on the road and cars just would not see me. So that option is out. There really are no quality hills within close running distance of my house (since the workout is hills, not mileage, i don't want to run 3 miles to get to one), so I think my best bet is on the treadmill. I plan on cranking the incline up to 8 and running at 7.3-7.5 for 2-3 minutes and repeating. That will be a hard workout! I am missing the downhill aspect, which I haven't quite figured out what I am going to do about that yet. It is important that I get my quads used to the pounding of downhill running, since Boston has a lot of downhills. I am hoping that towards the end of the cycle, I can outside for this workout. We'll see...for now, this will work!
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: 3 x hill (total of 3 miles)
Friday: 5 miles pace
Saturday: 10 miles
This is obviously an easy week for me (minus the hills). I have been running higher weekly mileage, so last training cycle, I bumped up the first few weeks to make it more difficult. Since that resulted in an injury, I am going to follow the plan. Training won't get hard until January, but that is okay. I'll run some easy miles and take it easy for a few weeks. There will be plenty of hard weeks to come!
It is very important that I train hills for Boston and this presents a problem since it is winter. Last cycle, I used Pringle hill as my "hill." This is the steepest hill I could find relatively close to my house. Plus, it is exactly 400 meters which is ideal for a hill workout. I had an ideal situation in the summer. I would drive to my parents house, and jog to the hill. My grandmother lives at the top of it, so she would often come out and watch me run up the hill (of course, telling me how crazy I was!). It helped knowing someone was watching me, since, damn, that hill was STEEP! It took every ounce of will power to keep running up that darn thing. I wanted to look good with her watching! Plus, sometimes her neighbor would come out and watch too! Corny as it was, it was nice to have a cheering section for this difficult workout. When I would finish, she would give me a drink and I would jog to my parents' house and spend the day at the pool!
Well, now that it is winter, I am not so lucky! By the time I get home from work, change, get to my parents' house, and jog to the hill, it is dark out. I am not running up that hill in the dark. The incline is steep and the sidewalks are crappy, so I need to run on the road and cars just would not see me. So that option is out. There really are no quality hills within close running distance of my house (since the workout is hills, not mileage, i don't want to run 3 miles to get to one), so I think my best bet is on the treadmill. I plan on cranking the incline up to 8 and running at 7.3-7.5 for 2-3 minutes and repeating. That will be a hard workout! I am missing the downhill aspect, which I haven't quite figured out what I am going to do about that yet. It is important that I get my quads used to the pounding of downhill running, since Boston has a lot of downhills. I am hoping that towards the end of the cycle, I can outside for this workout. We'll see...for now, this will work!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Last week before training begins
I cannot believe that I am about to start another training cycle. Honestly, I am just not feeling it. Running through the winter does not thrill me at all. I dread the thoughts of long runs on cold early Saturday mornings. It drives me crazy that it gets dark so early. I can't even really get much running in after work outside. I used to love running on my treadmill, but after being outside so long, I have really started to dislike it. I need to find better television shows to watch! I can't wait til my basement is finished since we are mounting a tv directly in front of my treadmill. I can't imagine running on a treadmill staring straight ahead!
I did my "long" run outside on Friday after school because I was going to NYC on Saturday, and really, just don't like to run long on Sundays. I rushed home from school, immediately changed, went to fire up the Garmin, and it was dead! Was I annoyed! I decided to stick to Wyoming Avenue, since I know the exact mileage from my house, plus it is relatively safe to run in the dark. I ran 2.5 miles to the Gateway Shopping Center, back to my house, and repeated! BORING! Plus, traffic was heavy, so I got stuck at many of the lights (and no, I am not one of those people who jog while they wait for the light to change....so unnecessary!). I saw my sister at the bank, so I stopped and chatted with her for a few minutes. My legs didn't feel great. I had pulling in my hamstrings and quads for the last half of the run. I guess I was still recovering a bit from the Diamonds and didn't realize it. I ran through it and was fine. Since it was only 10 miles and it was a little chilly, I didn't take any hydration with me. Probably not the smartest thing to do, since I have already dehydrated myself twice, but, again, I was fine. I don't know my pace and I didn't really pay attention to what time I left, not to mention my chat with Shelby and numerous stops at intersections, but I made it home by 5:15. It was pretty dark, but it made me feel a little better to know that by the time I am doing 10 miles runs mid week, I can get them done before 5:30.
I think I am going to take it easy this week. There will be plenty of weeks where I will HAVE to run, I will just enjoy not HAVING to. I really hope my attitude changes as the weeks go on or it is going to be a LONG winter.
I did my "long" run outside on Friday after school because I was going to NYC on Saturday, and really, just don't like to run long on Sundays. I rushed home from school, immediately changed, went to fire up the Garmin, and it was dead! Was I annoyed! I decided to stick to Wyoming Avenue, since I know the exact mileage from my house, plus it is relatively safe to run in the dark. I ran 2.5 miles to the Gateway Shopping Center, back to my house, and repeated! BORING! Plus, traffic was heavy, so I got stuck at many of the lights (and no, I am not one of those people who jog while they wait for the light to change....so unnecessary!). I saw my sister at the bank, so I stopped and chatted with her for a few minutes. My legs didn't feel great. I had pulling in my hamstrings and quads for the last half of the run. I guess I was still recovering a bit from the Diamonds and didn't realize it. I ran through it and was fine. Since it was only 10 miles and it was a little chilly, I didn't take any hydration with me. Probably not the smartest thing to do, since I have already dehydrated myself twice, but, again, I was fine. I don't know my pace and I didn't really pay attention to what time I left, not to mention my chat with Shelby and numerous stops at intersections, but I made it home by 5:15. It was pretty dark, but it made me feel a little better to know that by the time I am doing 10 miles runs mid week, I can get them done before 5:30.
I think I am going to take it easy this week. There will be plenty of weeks where I will HAVE to run, I will just enjoy not HAVING to. I really hope my attitude changes as the weeks go on or it is going to be a LONG winter.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
November Mileage and other ramblings
Well, I hit 115 miles for the month of November. This is the lowest nonmarathon month I have had since December 2008. It is more than I ran last November (108), so I am happy about that. I hope this means that my body will be rested come training in a month. I have tried to just run by feel and not overdo it since Steamtown. I have been averaging about 30 miles per week, although I slacked last week because of the race. I feel strong and painfree, so hopefully, my strategy works when I start ramping up the miles. Training officially starts Dec. 14th, but the mileage is relatively low until Jan.
On another note: Diamonds kicked my butt! I was so sore after that 9-miler. I took two complete rest days afterwards. I felt like I was hit by a truck. Apparently, that mountain worked more muscles than I normally use! My core was extremely sore, which tells me I need to work on it! I added abs and plank work into my training this week to compensate!
This week also marked my return to treadmill running. I admit it, I am a baby when it comes to cold weather! Plus, it is getting dark so early, I really can't get many miles in when I get home from work. I can't run on the levee when it gets dark because it wouldn't be safe, and I really need to watch the sidewalks when I run around town. I already had two nasty falls on my early morning routes, and I don't want to add to that number! I figure as long as I keep the incline on 1% and complete my long runs outside, I will be fine. It just slightly worries me because I did alot of my NJ training on the 'mill last year, and I had a crappy race. It probably is just a coincidence. This is the first year I am going to be doing any quality workouts on the treadmill and I think it will help my training in the long run. Haha, no pun intended!
On another note: Diamonds kicked my butt! I was so sore after that 9-miler. I took two complete rest days afterwards. I felt like I was hit by a truck. Apparently, that mountain worked more muscles than I normally use! My core was extremely sore, which tells me I need to work on it! I added abs and plank work into my training this week to compensate!
This week also marked my return to treadmill running. I admit it, I am a baby when it comes to cold weather! Plus, it is getting dark so early, I really can't get many miles in when I get home from work. I can't run on the levee when it gets dark because it wouldn't be safe, and I really need to watch the sidewalks when I run around town. I already had two nasty falls on my early morning routes, and I don't want to add to that number! I figure as long as I keep the incline on 1% and complete my long runs outside, I will be fine. It just slightly worries me because I did alot of my NJ training on the 'mill last year, and I had a crappy race. It probably is just a coincidence. This is the first year I am going to be doing any quality workouts on the treadmill and I think it will help my training in the long run. Haha, no pun intended!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Run for the Diamonds 9-miler
Today, Thanksgiving, I ran my 2nd Run for the Diamonds 9-miler in Berwick. 9 miles doesn't sound bad for a marathon runner, but honestly, it really sucks! After I ran it last year, I swore I would NEVER run it again. I can't pass up a good local race. Plus, it is a good indicator of how my training is going year to year. It lets me compare apples to apples!
It is a very difficult race. Pretty much, miles 2-4 is up a mountain. After that, it is rolling hills. Every time I thought I was at the top of the last hill, there was another one! Overall I was extremely happy with my time. I cut 5 minutes off my last year's time, which I thought was pretty good! Other than the NJ Marathon, every race I ran in 2009 was a PR. It is nice to see rewards for all of my hard work. Here is how my race looked:
Mile 1 - 7:20
2 - 7:11
3 - 8:39 (MOUNTAIN!)
4 - 8:00 (still hill)
5 - 7:32
6 - 6:42
7 - 7:01
8 - 7:15
9 - 7:19
Total time: 67:02 minutes! Average pace: 7:27
Places: 371/1973 Overall
54/735 Gender
13/94 Age group
It was nice to sleep in the morning of a race, since it didn't start until 10:30. When I got to Berwick, I was shocked at how many people were there already. It was the 100th running of the Run For the Diamonds, so I think about 2000 people were running. I had to wait about 15 minutes just to pick up my packet. After I got my packet, I hit up the Porta Potty, attached my chip and number, took off my sweatpants (I actually got to wear shorts in November), and just waited around. I ran into my college roommate and her husband, so I caught up with her for a bit, then headed over to the starting line.
This race is neat because you need to be seeded to get in the front row (I was not seeded...I'm not that good, but I liked seeing all the "elites."). I lined up towards the front, but not too close. As I was walking to my spot, I heard my name being called. I saw several of my former students, one of whom I knew would kick my butt! It was nice to see them though. I then ran into another local runner who I talk training with via facebook, so it was nice to talk to her in person. As I was waiting for the gun, someone told me that there really weren't chip times. The chip only recorded the time at the finish. So when the gun went off, I hit my garmin. I really wish new runners would learn race etiquette. I don't like to be that person who thinks I'm better than everyone else because I'm definitely not, but really, if you've never run a race of any distance before and know you aren't going to be running that fast, you don't belong towards the front. I dodged so many people in the first mile who were barely running, it was ridiculous. I felt like I wasted so much energy running around people. Oh well, that's enough of a rant.
I ran a really good first two miles. I went out kinda fast for me, but I felt confident in my training throughout the past few months. I knew the hill was coming, so I wanted to bank some time. About mile 2.5, the mountain really started. It really sucked for about 2 miles (til about mile 4.4). I slowed down, but I was going as fast as I possibly could. I passed one of my former students (a 9th grader) who was a district all-star in cross country, so I felt good about that!
After the HILL, there was a steep downhill, which I really held back on. I didn't want to pound my quads, which would have been really easy to do. I purposely held back, since I didn't want an injury, however, I did make up some time. For the rest of the race, it was rolling hills. Every time I thought it was all downhill to the finish, there was another hill. It was really frustrating, but I managed to hold pace. One thing I noticed, that as my times are improving, I am running more with the guys. Not the 20-something really fit guys, but the 40ish crowd. I thought that was pretty cool.
Around mile 7, an older lady (about 50) blew by me like I was walking! There was no way I could catch her. Every time I get cocky while running, something always humbles me!
The last two miles felt good. The crowd support in Berwick was awesome. I heard my name as I was running to the finish. It turned out to be a mother of one of my students. That helped alot, since I was getting tired! As I was running to the finish, I saw the clock about to turn to 67:00 minutes, so I really tried to pick it up to be in the 66 range, but I just missed it!
However, I was excited about my finishing time! I got a nice finisher's medal, waited for Aaron to find me, then we went to look for the results. Aaron told me that my 8th grade student ran around 62 minutes, which amazed me! The talent at this race was phenomenal! I ran as hard as I possibly could and still came in 13th in my age group! No diamond for me (haha, I wasn't even close), but I had a good experience, and am proud of what I accomplished! People from all over came to this race, and it is nice it is in my back yard. I don't race often, so when I do, I want to see results. I think I really need to run a half marathon in the near future, so I can set a pr. My current time isn't a match for my ability (I think!). I also set a PR today in the 10k! I've only ever run one and my time was crappy (50ish minutes). Today, I was around 46 minutes including the mountain, so that was encouraging!
For the rest of Thanksgiving, I ate my face off, and enjoyed a few adult beverages. In fact, I am drinking a glass of wine as I write this, which I never do! It is nice to indulge after a good experience! Too bad I forgot my camera, so I have no pics!
It is a very difficult race. Pretty much, miles 2-4 is up a mountain. After that, it is rolling hills. Every time I thought I was at the top of the last hill, there was another one! Overall I was extremely happy with my time. I cut 5 minutes off my last year's time, which I thought was pretty good! Other than the NJ Marathon, every race I ran in 2009 was a PR. It is nice to see rewards for all of my hard work. Here is how my race looked:
Mile 1 - 7:20
2 - 7:11
3 - 8:39 (MOUNTAIN!)
4 - 8:00 (still hill)
5 - 7:32
6 - 6:42
7 - 7:01
8 - 7:15
9 - 7:19
Total time: 67:02 minutes! Average pace: 7:27
Places: 371/1973 Overall
54/735 Gender
13/94 Age group
It was nice to sleep in the morning of a race, since it didn't start until 10:30. When I got to Berwick, I was shocked at how many people were there already. It was the 100th running of the Run For the Diamonds, so I think about 2000 people were running. I had to wait about 15 minutes just to pick up my packet. After I got my packet, I hit up the Porta Potty, attached my chip and number, took off my sweatpants (I actually got to wear shorts in November), and just waited around. I ran into my college roommate and her husband, so I caught up with her for a bit, then headed over to the starting line.
This race is neat because you need to be seeded to get in the front row (I was not seeded...I'm not that good, but I liked seeing all the "elites."). I lined up towards the front, but not too close. As I was walking to my spot, I heard my name being called. I saw several of my former students, one of whom I knew would kick my butt! It was nice to see them though. I then ran into another local runner who I talk training with via facebook, so it was nice to talk to her in person. As I was waiting for the gun, someone told me that there really weren't chip times. The chip only recorded the time at the finish. So when the gun went off, I hit my garmin. I really wish new runners would learn race etiquette. I don't like to be that person who thinks I'm better than everyone else because I'm definitely not, but really, if you've never run a race of any distance before and know you aren't going to be running that fast, you don't belong towards the front. I dodged so many people in the first mile who were barely running, it was ridiculous. I felt like I wasted so much energy running around people. Oh well, that's enough of a rant.
I ran a really good first two miles. I went out kinda fast for me, but I felt confident in my training throughout the past few months. I knew the hill was coming, so I wanted to bank some time. About mile 2.5, the mountain really started. It really sucked for about 2 miles (til about mile 4.4). I slowed down, but I was going as fast as I possibly could. I passed one of my former students (a 9th grader) who was a district all-star in cross country, so I felt good about that!
After the HILL, there was a steep downhill, which I really held back on. I didn't want to pound my quads, which would have been really easy to do. I purposely held back, since I didn't want an injury, however, I did make up some time. For the rest of the race, it was rolling hills. Every time I thought it was all downhill to the finish, there was another hill. It was really frustrating, but I managed to hold pace. One thing I noticed, that as my times are improving, I am running more with the guys. Not the 20-something really fit guys, but the 40ish crowd. I thought that was pretty cool.
Around mile 7, an older lady (about 50) blew by me like I was walking! There was no way I could catch her. Every time I get cocky while running, something always humbles me!
The last two miles felt good. The crowd support in Berwick was awesome. I heard my name as I was running to the finish. It turned out to be a mother of one of my students. That helped alot, since I was getting tired! As I was running to the finish, I saw the clock about to turn to 67:00 minutes, so I really tried to pick it up to be in the 66 range, but I just missed it!
However, I was excited about my finishing time! I got a nice finisher's medal, waited for Aaron to find me, then we went to look for the results. Aaron told me that my 8th grade student ran around 62 minutes, which amazed me! The talent at this race was phenomenal! I ran as hard as I possibly could and still came in 13th in my age group! No diamond for me (haha, I wasn't even close), but I had a good experience, and am proud of what I accomplished! People from all over came to this race, and it is nice it is in my back yard. I don't race often, so when I do, I want to see results. I think I really need to run a half marathon in the near future, so I can set a pr. My current time isn't a match for my ability (I think!). I also set a PR today in the 10k! I've only ever run one and my time was crappy (50ish minutes). Today, I was around 46 minutes including the mountain, so that was encouraging!
For the rest of Thanksgiving, I ate my face off, and enjoyed a few adult beverages. In fact, I am drinking a glass of wine as I write this, which I never do! It is nice to indulge after a good experience! Too bad I forgot my camera, so I have no pics!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
My road to Boston
Many people continue to ask me about my running, so I thought I would start a running blog to share my experience. Plus, I wanted to document my training for Boston. Although I qualified for Boston on October 11, 2009 at the Steamtown Marathon with a 3:37:03 chip time (8:17 pace), my running journey started several years ago. I want to write my experiences down for myself, but I thought others may learn from some mistakes that I made throughout the last two years.
Although I was a runner in Junior High and High School, I was never really that good, perhaps slightly above average. I didn’t get reinvolved (is that even a word?) in running until June of 2007 when I entered my first 3-mile race for the 4th of July. I did alright, so I entered several other races that summer and fall. Surprisingly, I ended up placing in my age group in a few of them. Around November of 2007, my sister-in-law and I decided to enter the Lehigh Valley Half Marathon in April of 2008. We wanted the challenge and it gave us a way to stay active over the winter. I quit the gym and my aerobics classes, and bought a treadmill. This was the best investment! Over the winter, I didn’t follow a training program. I ran 6 miles twice a week and increased my long run each weekend. Now, I laugh at what little mileage I ran. Lex and I ran that half side by side and finished in just under 1:49. To date, that is my only half marathon and I can’t wait to see what I can really do with some real training for a half!
After that half, I decided I could do a full. The thought terrified me, but I wanted the challenge. This time, I researched a bit. I decided to follow Higdon’s Intermediate I program for Steamtown 2008. I followed this exactly and had no problems in my training. My goal was to finish in under 4:00. I finished in 3:49:28. I felt great afterwards! I was so shocked that I ran that time. During the race, I felt something just took over my body and just propelled me forward!
After Steamtown, I didn’t plan to run another marathon so soon, but Lexi, my cousin, Amy, and her husband, Chad, all got the marathon fever, and wanted to run the New Jersey Marathon (near where Amy and Chad live). Well, if they were all running it, I was, as well! I wanted to improve my time, so I wanted to increase my training a bit. This time, I followed Higdon’s Intermediate 1 with the long run schedule of Intermediate II. This would get me 3 twenty milers before the race. I found training through the winter to be tough. I ran most of my mileage on my treadmill, but tried to get outside for my long runs on Saturdays (although I did a 14-miler on the treadmill). Towards the end of my training, I started to get really tight calves, and was very nervous come race day that my calves would tighten up. I was fine calf-wise, but had a terrible race.
On May 3rd, 2008, we ran the NJ Marathon in the pouring rain. It was terrible, but I can’t blame the weather. It just never felt “easy” for me that day. I struggled to keep a decent pace. Towards the beginning, I felt pretty good, and had visions of “maybe I can qualify for Boston, although I didn’t train to,” run through my head. I surprised myself at Steamtown, so I thought that could happen again. Well, I was certainly humbled. That’s what I love about the marathon. On any given day, you don’t know what could happen. I struggled the second half. Around mile 24, I got Charlie horses in my quads and I struggled to run through them. My hands also felt really funny, almost numb. It was like they weren’t attached to my body. I finished in 3:55:11, over a 6 minute increase from Steamtown. This wasn’t the worst part. When I got done running, it was pouring rain. I just stood in the rain and didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t think clearly. I was just dazed. Aaron came and found me and led me to a tent. I sat down and immediately started vomiting. I vomited for the next 5 hours. I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t keep anything down, which is terrible because the first thing you should do after a marathon is refuel. We had to walk about a mile to our car, drive back to the hotel (about a half hour away). I just lay in the bed trying to get warm. I finally managed a shower, couldn’t even comb my hair, and stumbled to the car for a 4 hour drive home (while vomiting and dry heaving the whole way). Once I got home, I ate some soup, felt better, went to bed, woke up the next morning feeling fine, so I went to work and taught all day.
That was the first time my body failed me. I was so confident that I was going to smash my Steamtown time, I made many rookie mistakes. After reflecting, I didn’t hydrate properly, I took too many gels (5!), and I ran too quickly in the first half. Honestly, I was devastated by my time. I trained harder, it was a flatter course, I should have done better. I viewed NJ as a failure. I was cocky and I paid for it. The marathon is a distance that you have to take seriously. What feels good at mile 8 will kick your butt at mile 24. I immediately knew I was going to run Steamtown that October.
I jumped right back into training. I decided I was going to do a harder program, so spent some time researching. I bought the Pfitz book, but I honestly thought it was too scientific for me. I decided to stick with Higdon, only this time, I was going to do the Intermediate II with Advanced I’s speedwork/hill work. It was the first time I ever did any speed.
In July got my first running injury: IT Band Syndrome, an overuse injury. My knee would start to hurt around 4-miles into every run. It was such a frustrating injury. As soon as I stopped running, the pain would stop. I found a chiropractor who specialized in sports injuries and began going about twice a week. While the pain continued, it became much more manageable. I bought a foam roller, iced, took advil like it was candy, and started doing many exercises to strengthen my hamstrings and lower back muscles. Surprisingly, I only missed about 2 days of training the entire cycle and completed every run.
Towards the end of my training, I felt great. During my taper, I felt really strong and was running fast times. I was afraid to push the pace at Steamtown after what happened in NJ, so I had no idea what my marathon pace would be. I trained for 3:40 (Boston qualifier), but didn’t tell anyone about my long shot goal of qualifying. In the back of my mind I knew I was going for it, but I didn’t want the pressure of not qualifying to affect my race, so other than Aaron, I kept it to myself. I promised Aaron that I would tone the running down a notch after Steamtown unless I qualified, as my body needed the break.
My 2009 Steamtown race was the best race I will probably ever run. I totally shocked myself. I honestly have no idea how I was able to run 8:17 pace for 26.2 miles. I guess you just have to trust the training and taper process. Everything came together and I have honestly never been so amazed at what my body is capable of! I had a great recovery and have had no lingering ITband issues (knock on wood)!
My Boston training officially starts on December 14th. I debated following an easier program, but I just can’t do it! I am going to use the same exact program as last time. It is going to be tougher as it is not the summer, and I am working full time, but I will do it. I just hope my body holds up and allows me to run one more race. Then, I promise, I will give it a break!
If you read my entire running saga…thanks! I want to have everything documented. Like I said before, many people are always asking me about my running and training, and I know many people who recently started training themselves, so I hope I can help share some of my experiences with others.
Although I was a runner in Junior High and High School, I was never really that good, perhaps slightly above average. I didn’t get reinvolved (is that even a word?) in running until June of 2007 when I entered my first 3-mile race for the 4th of July. I did alright, so I entered several other races that summer and fall. Surprisingly, I ended up placing in my age group in a few of them. Around November of 2007, my sister-in-law and I decided to enter the Lehigh Valley Half Marathon in April of 2008. We wanted the challenge and it gave us a way to stay active over the winter. I quit the gym and my aerobics classes, and bought a treadmill. This was the best investment! Over the winter, I didn’t follow a training program. I ran 6 miles twice a week and increased my long run each weekend. Now, I laugh at what little mileage I ran. Lex and I ran that half side by side and finished in just under 1:49. To date, that is my only half marathon and I can’t wait to see what I can really do with some real training for a half!
After that half, I decided I could do a full. The thought terrified me, but I wanted the challenge. This time, I researched a bit. I decided to follow Higdon’s Intermediate I program for Steamtown 2008. I followed this exactly and had no problems in my training. My goal was to finish in under 4:00. I finished in 3:49:28. I felt great afterwards! I was so shocked that I ran that time. During the race, I felt something just took over my body and just propelled me forward!
After Steamtown, I didn’t plan to run another marathon so soon, but Lexi, my cousin, Amy, and her husband, Chad, all got the marathon fever, and wanted to run the New Jersey Marathon (near where Amy and Chad live). Well, if they were all running it, I was, as well! I wanted to improve my time, so I wanted to increase my training a bit. This time, I followed Higdon’s Intermediate 1 with the long run schedule of Intermediate II. This would get me 3 twenty milers before the race. I found training through the winter to be tough. I ran most of my mileage on my treadmill, but tried to get outside for my long runs on Saturdays (although I did a 14-miler on the treadmill). Towards the end of my training, I started to get really tight calves, and was very nervous come race day that my calves would tighten up. I was fine calf-wise, but had a terrible race.
On May 3rd, 2008, we ran the NJ Marathon in the pouring rain. It was terrible, but I can’t blame the weather. It just never felt “easy” for me that day. I struggled to keep a decent pace. Towards the beginning, I felt pretty good, and had visions of “maybe I can qualify for Boston, although I didn’t train to,” run through my head. I surprised myself at Steamtown, so I thought that could happen again. Well, I was certainly humbled. That’s what I love about the marathon. On any given day, you don’t know what could happen. I struggled the second half. Around mile 24, I got Charlie horses in my quads and I struggled to run through them. My hands also felt really funny, almost numb. It was like they weren’t attached to my body. I finished in 3:55:11, over a 6 minute increase from Steamtown. This wasn’t the worst part. When I got done running, it was pouring rain. I just stood in the rain and didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t think clearly. I was just dazed. Aaron came and found me and led me to a tent. I sat down and immediately started vomiting. I vomited for the next 5 hours. I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t keep anything down, which is terrible because the first thing you should do after a marathon is refuel. We had to walk about a mile to our car, drive back to the hotel (about a half hour away). I just lay in the bed trying to get warm. I finally managed a shower, couldn’t even comb my hair, and stumbled to the car for a 4 hour drive home (while vomiting and dry heaving the whole way). Once I got home, I ate some soup, felt better, went to bed, woke up the next morning feeling fine, so I went to work and taught all day.
That was the first time my body failed me. I was so confident that I was going to smash my Steamtown time, I made many rookie mistakes. After reflecting, I didn’t hydrate properly, I took too many gels (5!), and I ran too quickly in the first half. Honestly, I was devastated by my time. I trained harder, it was a flatter course, I should have done better. I viewed NJ as a failure. I was cocky and I paid for it. The marathon is a distance that you have to take seriously. What feels good at mile 8 will kick your butt at mile 24. I immediately knew I was going to run Steamtown that October.
I jumped right back into training. I decided I was going to do a harder program, so spent some time researching. I bought the Pfitz book, but I honestly thought it was too scientific for me. I decided to stick with Higdon, only this time, I was going to do the Intermediate II with Advanced I’s speedwork/hill work. It was the first time I ever did any speed.
In July got my first running injury: IT Band Syndrome, an overuse injury. My knee would start to hurt around 4-miles into every run. It was such a frustrating injury. As soon as I stopped running, the pain would stop. I found a chiropractor who specialized in sports injuries and began going about twice a week. While the pain continued, it became much more manageable. I bought a foam roller, iced, took advil like it was candy, and started doing many exercises to strengthen my hamstrings and lower back muscles. Surprisingly, I only missed about 2 days of training the entire cycle and completed every run.
Towards the end of my training, I felt great. During my taper, I felt really strong and was running fast times. I was afraid to push the pace at Steamtown after what happened in NJ, so I had no idea what my marathon pace would be. I trained for 3:40 (Boston qualifier), but didn’t tell anyone about my long shot goal of qualifying. In the back of my mind I knew I was going for it, but I didn’t want the pressure of not qualifying to affect my race, so other than Aaron, I kept it to myself. I promised Aaron that I would tone the running down a notch after Steamtown unless I qualified, as my body needed the break.
My 2009 Steamtown race was the best race I will probably ever run. I totally shocked myself. I honestly have no idea how I was able to run 8:17 pace for 26.2 miles. I guess you just have to trust the training and taper process. Everything came together and I have honestly never been so amazed at what my body is capable of! I had a great recovery and have had no lingering ITband issues (knock on wood)!
My Boston training officially starts on December 14th. I debated following an easier program, but I just can’t do it! I am going to use the same exact program as last time. It is going to be tougher as it is not the summer, and I am working full time, but I will do it. I just hope my body holds up and allows me to run one more race. Then, I promise, I will give it a break!
If you read my entire running saga…thanks! I want to have everything documented. Like I said before, many people are always asking me about my running and training, and I know many people who recently started training themselves, so I hope I can help share some of my experiences with others.
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