Today's workout called for 30 mintues with hills.
I woke up this morning tired. I did not improve as the day progressed and by the time I arrived home from work I was ready for a nap. I am determined not to skip workouts this year - barring injury I want to at least try each one. I can always bag them if I get out there and I'm still not up to it and I have done that. So I had a quick sandwich with Dave before he went to do softball. Then I headed to the couch to sip water and watch Action News for an hour. I could feel myself slipping so I also grabbed a handful of M&M's figuring the sugar rush would help get me out the door.
I ran an easy mile over and around to 8th street. I did remember a water bottle this time and put it down at the bottom of the hill. I don't think I put as much effort into it this week as last week but I did manage six times up the hill (one more than last week) and then a slow jog home. The running energized me (or maybe it was the high of knowing I fought through and finished..maybe a little of both).
After returning home I showered and headed to Kohls with my coupons to buy much needed socks and underwear. TMI, I know but that's life.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
2 miles easy
Today's schedule calls for 20 minutes. It's easier for me to plot distance. I hate looking at my watch all the time to see if I've gone the time yet so I plot out 10 minute miles for the time alotted. Since I don't run 10 minute miles I run more than the alotted time but that will not kill me! LOL
I had a nice run down Providence Road around Meetinghouse and Farnum then back home. It is a rolling hill run. I liked it. The weather helped. 80 degrees or so and very very low humidity.
Tomorrow 30 minute hill work out. 8th Street here I come!
I had a nice run down Providence Road around Meetinghouse and Farnum then back home. It is a rolling hill run. I liked it. The weather helped. 80 degrees or so and very very low humidity.
Tomorrow 30 minute hill work out. 8th Street here I come!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Definitely the half
Today I took a walk. It was another gorgeous day (two in a row) and I went for a 6.25 mile walk. I almost forgot how much I really enjoy walking. While out I mulled over quite a few things. The one I want share now is my decision to run the half marathon in November rather than the full. Given that the entrance fee goes up after June 30th, I decided the time was now to figure out what I wanted.
I will do a marathon again. I really want to. Before I do Philadlephia again, I'll do a full somewhere else. If you've been reading this blog you know that when I run I have two goals. To have fun and to finish. Although I don't always put them in that order they are. I finished Philly on November 22, 2008. I am very very proud of that. I worked hard, set a goal and did it. I finished.
I did not have fun.
I fell at mile 12. I struggled up Lemon Hill and by mile 17 I had to walk. I walked most of the miles from 17 to the start of 22. I cried through Manyunk. I was cold, tired, out of energy and desparate to get to the end. I couldn't quit though. One of the runners from my group passed me going the other way and turned back to hug me. Bless her. I made a point to thank her later and she never said a word about it again. Bless her.
All negative thoughts left me when I crossed the finish line to find my daughter and husband cheering wildly. They had waited in 26 degree weather for much longer than needed (Since I had to walk some) and they were cheering like crazy. I love them! And then when I got home I found my sisters had kept running emails between them tracking my progress. I love them too.. (the sistere I mean..although the emails were good :) ) Reading those made me smile and feel so good. That people cared enough to do all that and that I finished were the things I focused on in the months following.
I will train with Phillyfit as if I am running 26.2 in November but I will only do 13.1 (and then stay to cheer like crazy for the full marathoners). I will work hard this season to get stronger and to solve the fueling problems that caused me to hit the wall so early. And I may succeed which means physically I could be ready to run the 26.2...but I am fearful that I will get out there and the memories of how it felt will do me in.
So this year I will run two half marathons. One in September (Philly Distance Run) and one in November (Philly Half Marathon). And then I'll decide when and where to run a full marathon in 2010. After I complete one elsewhere successfully I'll return to conquer Philly. I know there are other full marathons in the fall of 2009, but my vacation time and budget will keep me from being ready in time or to travel to them.
So I've made my decision, it makes sense and I'm good with it.
Thanks for listening.
I will do a marathon again. I really want to. Before I do Philadlephia again, I'll do a full somewhere else. If you've been reading this blog you know that when I run I have two goals. To have fun and to finish. Although I don't always put them in that order they are. I finished Philly on November 22, 2008. I am very very proud of that. I worked hard, set a goal and did it. I finished.
I did not have fun.
I fell at mile 12. I struggled up Lemon Hill and by mile 17 I had to walk. I walked most of the miles from 17 to the start of 22. I cried through Manyunk. I was cold, tired, out of energy and desparate to get to the end. I couldn't quit though. One of the runners from my group passed me going the other way and turned back to hug me. Bless her. I made a point to thank her later and she never said a word about it again. Bless her.
All negative thoughts left me when I crossed the finish line to find my daughter and husband cheering wildly. They had waited in 26 degree weather for much longer than needed (Since I had to walk some) and they were cheering like crazy. I love them! And then when I got home I found my sisters had kept running emails between them tracking my progress. I love them too.. (the sistere I mean..although the emails were good :) ) Reading those made me smile and feel so good. That people cared enough to do all that and that I finished were the things I focused on in the months following.
I will train with Phillyfit as if I am running 26.2 in November but I will only do 13.1 (and then stay to cheer like crazy for the full marathoners). I will work hard this season to get stronger and to solve the fueling problems that caused me to hit the wall so early. And I may succeed which means physically I could be ready to run the 26.2...but I am fearful that I will get out there and the memories of how it felt will do me in.
So this year I will run two half marathons. One in September (Philly Distance Run) and one in November (Philly Half Marathon). And then I'll decide when and where to run a full marathon in 2010. After I complete one elsewhere successfully I'll return to conquer Philly. I know there are other full marathons in the fall of 2009, but my vacation time and budget will keep me from being ready in time or to travel to them.
So I've made my decision, it makes sense and I'm good with it.
Thanks for listening.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Signs of improvement
Today was an 8 mile run with Phillyfit. We met at the vistors parking lot at Valley Forge. Apparently there is a problem with our old meeting spot. I think the park wanted to charge us or something like that.
Anyway, I headed out with a group of 7; Angie, Doreen, Jeff, Brenda, Samantha, Maureen and I. I really should know better than to try to keep pace with Doreen and Angie (Jeff said the same thing at the end of our run) but it felt comfortable so I did. The good news is I kept pace with them for just about 5 miles. Then I had to drop back. Samantha dropped back with me. That was nice since we had not met yet so we had a lot of introductory talk to keep us occuppied.
It was pretty humid when we started today's run. We headed out over the betzwood bridge which may open to car traffic some day. Some day for Betzwood is defined about the same as "some day" was defined for the blue route and we all know how quick THAT was. If you don't know, the blue route planning started before I was was born and has only opened about 18 years ago; and I'll be 50 this year. Do the math..
Meanwhie Betzwwood is a convenient way to get to the 422 bridge over the Schuykill River and on to the Schuykill River Trail. We headed torward Oaks our previous meeting spot and turned around just before we got there. Most of the run was shaded except for the portion as you go outside of Valley Forge Park along 422 to the Perkiomen Trail. Dubbed the Sahara by some for its lack of trees. The exhaust fumes and car are somethign else too! LOL. This is where I had to drop back on the return trip.
Samantha and I took two short walk breaks and made it the rest of the way not too far behind the rest. The best news for me is that I still have energy. Last year, each Saturday was consumed by running. I had little left in the tank for anything else. I planned almost nothing on Saturdays and if there was something to do (involving other people and being presentable) I would have to pop lots of aleve and try to take a nap before going out again. Today I finished, feel great and have enough left that I'm going out to mow the lawn (with a push mower) in about half an hour. I'm getting better!
50 here I come...kicking and screaming! LOL
Anyway, I headed out with a group of 7; Angie, Doreen, Jeff, Brenda, Samantha, Maureen and I. I really should know better than to try to keep pace with Doreen and Angie (Jeff said the same thing at the end of our run) but it felt comfortable so I did. The good news is I kept pace with them for just about 5 miles. Then I had to drop back. Samantha dropped back with me. That was nice since we had not met yet so we had a lot of introductory talk to keep us occuppied.
It was pretty humid when we started today's run. We headed out over the betzwood bridge which may open to car traffic some day. Some day for Betzwood is defined about the same as "some day" was defined for the blue route and we all know how quick THAT was. If you don't know, the blue route planning started before I was was born and has only opened about 18 years ago; and I'll be 50 this year. Do the math..
Meanwhie Betzwwood is a convenient way to get to the 422 bridge over the Schuykill River and on to the Schuykill River Trail. We headed torward Oaks our previous meeting spot and turned around just before we got there. Most of the run was shaded except for the portion as you go outside of Valley Forge Park along 422 to the Perkiomen Trail. Dubbed the Sahara by some for its lack of trees. The exhaust fumes and car are somethign else too! LOL. This is where I had to drop back on the return trip.
Samantha and I took two short walk breaks and made it the rest of the way not too far behind the rest. The best news for me is that I still have energy. Last year, each Saturday was consumed by running. I had little left in the tank for anything else. I planned almost nothing on Saturdays and if there was something to do (involving other people and being presentable) I would have to pop lots of aleve and try to take a nap before going out again. Today I finished, feel great and have enough left that I'm going out to mow the lawn (with a push mower) in about half an hour. I'm getting better!
50 here I come...kicking and screaming! LOL
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tempo runs
I'm not really very good at these. Today's schedule called for a mile warm up which i took nice and slow as it was almost 90 degrees and humid... then 2 miles tempo... I don't have a running watch so I have to go on how it feels. I managed about a mile and then slowed back down. I felt like I was struggling. I finished 4 miles total but it was about distance not speed. I'll try again next week.
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