One at a Time

I haven't posted much because honestly I haven't run much lately. Part taking it slow so not to get injured and part lazy.

I tend to have an all or nothing problem. I am all about running or I am all about sitting on the couch. Getting back to where I was before getting injured is so overwhelming. How am I ever going to be able to run 10 miles again when I haven't even been able to run one straight mile without walking is what I think.

Yesterday on the way to the gym I told myself just run one mile, that's all you have to do. Just run, no walking, don't worry how long it takes just go the distance.

My first mile took 12 mins 30 seconds. I walked 5 minutes to regroup. Ran mile 2 in 10 minutes. I am just going to focus on one mile at a time. Hopefully building a quarter mile at a time with the goal of getting to a straight 3 mile mark by the middle of June. First distance, then speed.

Race Ready

13.1 miles yesterday. I am now mentally ready for the race.

12 Plus Concrete

Equals a little over 6 miles. My plan was 12 miles but I thought I would venture from the neighborhood for a little less hill and different scenery. I didn't take into account having to run on concrete and at about mile 5 my left shin really started to hurt. So I called it a 6 mile run and a lesson learned.

Stay in the neighborhood

I have trouble pacing my walk/run ratio if it's not caused by a hill

Stay off concrete

Right now I am resisting the urge to panic. It's about 3 weeks till the Nike Half and I was hoping for a somewhat easy 12 miles. It just run, tomorrow could be a how different game right?

Penny for your Thoughts

I finally made the time committement and did an 11 mile neighborhood run Monday. I'd like to take credit but the credit really goes to Penny who was in head through out my run. Thanks Penny!

Fear of Commitment

Why I'll never really be a long distance runner - time commitment. It's not that I am too busy, although I am busy. It's the anxiety of knowing that I will need to spend the next hour or two running rather than cleaning, doing laundry, getting to work, sitting on my butt watching tv, or just being accessible to the world at large who may need something at any given minute. An hour, that's all I have to give. That's my time threshold. I'd love to change it and I hope to chip away at it because everyone should be able to dedicate time for themselves to do the thing they love.

With the Women's Nike Half quickly approaching next month I am not feeling so great about this time issue I am having. I hope to do better with this weekend's long run, because the last two weekends there were no long runs. Wish me luck...

Cut The Cord

I finally cut the umbilical cord to the treadmill and ran 10 hilly miles outside this morning.

I had to silence the voice in my head worrying about giving the general public a view of my cellulite and flabby arms but once I got over that crazy notion it felt great to be running outside.

It's Mental

Battling that "October will be here before you know it, you're not ready" ongoing conversation in my head.

I did run 10 miles today (run 4min/walk 1min). It took 2 hours!! UGH!!! Now I just need a nap...

Peachtree Results

I had planned to post prior to the race but have been in the middle of a move so things are a bit out of whack. I ran 4 miles on Thursday and took Friday off.

The stats for Saturdays race was 5007 finishers (26170 Male/23837 Female)

Knowing I would be run/walking my goal was to finish in at least 1:10

My official stats were

Division: Masters
Age:42

Chip Time: 1:05:48

Clock Time: 1:36:24
Overall: 18702

Sex Place: 6591

Division Place: 2467

Age Grade 48.4%

I am pretty happy with that. I tried to stick to 4 minutes of running/1 minute of walking.

I am sure if I would of/could of ran in a straight line rather than dodging people ALL 6.2 miles (6.29 according to my garmin) I could have shaved a little time.

What I am not so happy with is the fact that my non-running husband came in 7 minutes after me. His first 10K, little training, longest run being 4.2 miles, and drinking 4+ plus beers the night before. Did I mention the only thing he's ever run was a 1 mile fun run. I wasn't expecting him to do awful but I was expecting at least 10 a minute difference. I am going to have to step it up next year.

I am also not so happy that it looks like I might have started a tradition, finishing the Peachtree with a shin splint. I have done myself a big disservice by not forcing myself to get outside and run. I am not sure why the road vs the treadmill makes such a big difference on my shins but it does. I took yesterday off and was hoping to be able to ease back into running today. But that was wishful thinking. Super sore! I am going to try and be patient so it will heal as quickly as possible so I can get on with training for the Nike 1/2 in October. I was hoping to build to 9 miles this week but that could be questionable.

Keep It Simple

Today's Conversation: " I am unstoppable"

8 miles then I stopped.

Selective Memory

10 Years in Georgia and I still forget that every year from June till about Sept, you can't get up early enough or stay up late enough to find a time to run outside when the humity and heat won't kill you.

whine over.

Frenemy

That's you treadmill! Last week's long run on you seemed easy giving me a false sense of running power. Reality hit on this weeks hilly 8 mile outside run. Ouch, my shins hurt and my body is so stiff I feel like an old woman. And that was with a few walk breaks.

Next week's long run will be a do-over.

Mile After Mile

on the treadmill today. Suprisingly, 7 miles went by fairly fast for running in place.

Sunday was my first training run after Running School. I used the 10mile plan that called for a 5 mile run (run/walk). 1:02:44. at 5.3/3.6 (3/1) on the treadmill. (sticking with the plan and running 2 minutes slower than your race pace)It felt like I would never hit the 5 mile mark. Running outside probably would have helped with the boredom factor but I hadn't planned ahead and don't have a 5 mile course marked out. I will say that I felt good after 5 miles and probably could have continued on.