a race

I just registered for my 1st race since having Andrew – a local 10K on Saturday.

This is the longest “post having a baby” race I’ve done.  When Sarah was 4 months old, I loafed my way through a 5K.  When Cora was 4 months old, I ran did a 5 mile trail race and was in decent shape.  So it’s about time I run a race since Andrew is 10 months old!!!

I’ve been getting in a good rhythm, getting ready for the half marathon on March 4, so this is good timing for a tune up/reality check.  I honestly am not sure what to expect out of myself.  Ideally I’ll hit 43:30 (7 min pace), but as long as I’m under 46 minutes I’ll be happy.

Last week was another high – 30.8 miles.  Saturday’s long run was 12 miles – longest run since before Andrew.  And already, January is my best month since he was born.  It’s been encouraging to have some good weeks.

This morning, I did a bit of a different workout … 10 minutes warm up, and then 5 minutes hard, 5 minutes normal, 4 hard, 4 normal, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1 and then cool down.  I got progressively faster in each interval (the goal) and stayed solid during my normal segments (the other goal).  It was good.

So tomorrow I’ll do a recovery base, take Thursday off, easy Friday and race Saturday.  I’d long to get a long-ish run in on Sunday (8 miles or so) but we’ll see.

mile repeats

This morning I did mile repeats.  The last time I did this workout was mid September.  Considering how NOT consistency the past 4 months have been, I was quite happy to improve from September!

The workout is 1 mile warm up, then 3 x mile with 1/2 mile recovery jogs, then cool down.  My miles were 7:30, 7:13, 7:01.  It’s a far cry from where I’d like to be.  But it’s progress.  And that’s what it is about right now.  Last time, I did  7:47, 7:19, 7:09.

high

Last week, I ended the week with 28.2 miles – my highest week yet since Andrew was born almost 10 months ago.  Saturdays 10 miler was GREAT.  I averaged just under 8 minute pace, and felt solid the whole run.  Last week was also 1 of the few post-Andrew weeks where I have actually been able to get 5 runs in during the week.

I hope to “hit it hard” in the next few weeks, and then back off a bit leading up to the half marathon on March 4.

good week (thus far)

This week, I finally feel like I am getting back in my groove.  Last week was good, this week (so far) has been better.  Actually, the last 3 weeks have been pretty consistent.  The last week of December, I ran 19.8 miles.  Last week, I ran 18.9 miles, and it was better quality than the week before.  This week I’m at 15 miles so far.  Tomorrow is a rest day, then I’ll go easy 3-5 miles Friday and 10 miles on Saturday.

Here’s what I’ve done this week …
Monday - easy 5 miles – 8:33/mile
Tuesday – 5 miles, with middle 3 miles tempo.  I averaged 7:28/mile for the tempo.
Wednesday – 5 miles at a steady pace – 8″-7/miles

So if all goes according to plan, I’ll hit 28 or 30 miles this week.

trail run

While “back home” for Christmas, my sister-in-law took me on an incredible trail run!  I hadn’t run technical trails since I sprained my ankle in August 2009. (that Fall, I did run a lot of super easy trails – that are more like dirt roads)

I had lived on Lookout for almost my whole life but had never been to High Point (aka the highest point on the mountain).  We did a 7 mile loop from her house that took as to High Point and back.  We ran a bit, then walked up the ridiculously steep part and scrambled across the ridge of boulders, etc.  The views were spectacular.  It was breathtaking.  We then ran down the gravel road for a bit (steep, quad killer) and then onto the new Connector Trail and ran the 4 miles back to her house.  It was so so so much fun!!!

It had been so long, that I had forgotten how much I LOVE trail running.  Regardless of where we live, I doubt I’ll ever end up a solely trail runner, but I do hope to be able to run trails more at some point.  The trails in FL are sand … so I don’t really have the desire right now.

And I will say, HOLY COW, I was so unbelievably sore after that run.  Wow :)

good bye 2011, hello 2012

2011 did not go as “planned” in terms of running.  I had hoped to hit 500 miles in the 7.5 months of running since Andrew was born, as I did in 2009 in the 7.5 months since Cora had been more.  I was not even close.  There are BIG gaps of no running – all are with “good reason” yet it still is discouraging.  I haven’t even run a race since Andrew is born.  That is sad to me.  I so enjoy racing.  It motivates me to train.  I love competing against others.  It’s just plan FUN to me.

Aiming high but trying to be somewhat realistic, my 2012 goals are …

• run 1,000+ miles
• break 1:30 in the half marathon
• run a full marathon
• consistent tempo and speed work

tempo run

I did my 1st tempo run this morning since October 19. Almost 2 months ago!  It was short, and nothing spectacular, but at least I did it!  I warmed up 1 mile, tempoed 2 miles in 15:08, and cooled down 1 mile.

Baby steps :)

12 days

I have already run more in December than I did in all of November.  No, I have not been running like crazy in December.  Yes, November was THAT BAD.  With how sporadic my running has been lately, waking up in the mornings has been that much harder lately.  I have to DRAG myself out of bed, constantly reminding myself how I’ll be bummed all day if I am lazy and stay in bed.

rules

I’m not even going to talk about my recent runs. It’s pathetic. Ridiculous. Sad.  Gets me depressed if I dwell on it. 

Last winter, I was pregnant, and NOT waking up early for runs. Actually, not running at all.  The winter before that (so 2009-10), we moved to Florida in January.  Before we moved, Lookout was having a serious cold snap.   In 2 of my last runs before we moved, it was 18 degrees and 11 degrees.  So to run in Florida’s cold snap of temps in the 20′s made it feel like home.  People thought I was crazy and I felt tough.  1 time an old woman actual YELLED at me to wear more clothes.

Fast forward to now.

I’ve been a Floridian for almost 2 years, and my blood is thinning.  I’m adapting.  I feel wimpy.  This week has been our 1st taste of cold. By cold, I mean temps between 29-40.  This is where I feel I need to make rules – rules of what to wear based on the temps.  I’m ok adapting a bit, knowing that I’ll adapt again in the next place we live, but I do NOT want to become 1 of those people that is wearing tights, long sleeves, and gloves when it is 50 degrees.  No lie. People do that here.

putting the wheels back on

Crap, since my last post, the wheels came off.   It’s been 1 thing after another.  Right after my last post where I mentioned twisting my ankle, I got a NA-ASS-TY cold and couldn’t run for 2 weeks.  2 whole dang weeks.   Since then it’s just been up and down – or actually, mostly down.

Thank goodness I hadn’t registered for the Pensacola Half which is THIS Sunday.

I still had a hope for the Snickers Marathon on March 4, but made a drastic, somewhat impulsive, decision today.  That is the same day as a local half marathon, which always fills up quickly.  Running this morning I thought to myself, there is no way that by March 4 I can be ready to run a marathon the way I want my next marathon to be, so I came home and registered for the local half.

And I am okay with it.  I want to do my best to train hard for a HALF over these next 17 weeks.  I want to run a PR.  Plain and simple.  And that’s it.  We’ll see after that.  Another half?  Full? Maybe wait until the Fall for a full?  We’ll see.  1 thing at a time.

So I am putting together a training plan (yes I love my “plans” – but I really do need the help – it’s a form of accountability for me) to run a great half marathon on March 4!!