RunKeeper Result
Total Distance: 6.19 Miles
Duration: 1:13:49
Avg Pace: 11:56
Avg Speed: 5:03
Elevation: 202
Today's schedule called for 5-6 miles plus some AIs and GPs. I figure if I just run up the Hill of Doom it'll be enough. But even the full course, I would still be only at 5.4 miles. So I had the bright idea to park at my boo's house and run up to Pacers. So that gave me an additional .8 miles.
It was an awkward run because I had a bag with me, but I muddled through.
Once the real fun run started, I found myself actually keeping up with people for the first mile or so (bonus!). This was even up the hill a little ways. Unfortunately, due to my allergies flaring up and my failure to push myself to keep going, I ended up walking up the last part of the Hill of Doom. But even so, I couldn't talk at the top and was coughing up narsties, so perhaps it wasn't so awful that I walked.
By the bye, can I just say Allergies Fail?
I ended up running downhill with a friend at ~10 min/mile - which is technically an AI for me :) but then my stomach was cramping and I just had to walk for a bit, so I let her run on. Then I delved deep into my reserves and ran for the majority of the way back.
As per usual, last one to finish - but I finished :)
After wine tasting, it dawned on me that if I ran .8 miles to get to Pacers, I would have to walk the .8 back to my car. And I was sad. But I did it.
I did get a bit of stretching in and I'm icing as a precaution, but I feel pretty good - just exhausted. No awful pain during the run - just tiredness. It was about 75 degrees at run time though - which helps.
I will say though that I feel myself progressing each week - and every time I run a little bit farther with somebody, or push myself a little bit more, or find myself running for a longer distance at a faster pace, I can't help but celebrate a little bit.
But now it's 10:00 and I am ready to climb into bed and watch some more nerd!tv.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!
This is an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal:
The first half isn't really pertinent to running, but the second half was very interesting:
"While we seem to need a break from focused work at some point, people can push themselves beyond what they might think they are capable of, according to a study published in Psychological Science in September.
The notion of willpower as a resource that people can strengthen with exercise has gotten recent attention with the publication of "Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength," by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney.
In the September study, Stanford University researchers showed that people who believe they have an unlimited amount of willpower were able to work longer—without performing worse—than people who believe that they have only limited willpower.
Both groups reported feeling tired. But researchers subtly suggested in questionnaires to some participants that they had stamina that could be replenished, and this group appeared to overcome the fatigue. A possible reason is that forcing themselves to not think about being tired freed up some additional cognitive resources to work longer on the task at hand, says Veronika Job, a study author now at the University of Zurich.
The message, says Dr. Job, is that you can power through a period of high concentration, such as a final exam, if you believe you have unlimited willpower. The researchers are currently studying whether people can make lasting changes to their lives, based on their belief in their willpower. Such research could eventually help people, for example, stick to healthy diets or better regulate their emotions.
"When you have a limited mindset, maybe you'll be able to push yourself through a task, but in the evening you'll think, 'Now I'm done,' " says Dr. Job. Having a sense of increased willpower might make it easier for a person to say no to indulging in candy bars, even after a long day, she says."
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Final Run, Hurricane, and the End of Week 3
Wow, what a week.
Left Sunday for Tampa.
Missed the Earthquake Tuesday, but ran in a Monsoon.
Massage on Wednesday
Hot, awful run on Thursday
Flight home and final Lost Dog 5k on Friday
Hurricane Saturday
And gorgeous, albeit windy, Sunday
So today's schedule called for pulling back a little on the mileage (for that I am thankful). It said to do 4-5 miles, so I compromised (since I had Zoe) and did4.5.
RunKeeper Result
Total Distance: 4.51
Duration: 56.52 - This has to be off by at least a minute or a minute and a half. It didn't pause when I told it to pause, and I didn't realize it until it had been there for a minute.
Climb: 117 ft
For some reason, the urge struck me to bring Miss Priss with me on the run today. So out we went!
The first mile was rough - I had some lactic acid build up in my calves which I had to run through. But blessedly, no knee pain. I guess sleeping all day Friday and all day Saturday was what I needed to repair my body.
I also seemed to hit my stride just as we were coming up on the last mile, going about 10 min/mile. I honestly felt like I could have kept going.
So this week was not the best week, but it wasn't the worst week. I'm looking forward to returning to a normal schedule next week so I can focus on my fourth week of training.
Next Friday will be one month until my half marathon!!!
Left Sunday for Tampa.
Missed the Earthquake Tuesday, but ran in a Monsoon.
Massage on Wednesday
Hot, awful run on Thursday
Flight home and final Lost Dog 5k on Friday
Hurricane Saturday
And gorgeous, albeit windy, Sunday
So today's schedule called for pulling back a little on the mileage (for that I am thankful). It said to do 4-5 miles, so I compromised (since I had Zoe) and did4.5.
RunKeeper Result
Total Distance: 4.51
Duration: 56.52 - This has to be off by at least a minute or a minute and a half. It didn't pause when I told it to pause, and I didn't realize it until it had been there for a minute.
Climb: 117 ft
For some reason, the urge struck me to bring Miss Priss with me on the run today. So out we went!
The first mile was rough - I had some lactic acid build up in my calves which I had to run through. But blessedly, no knee pain. I guess sleeping all day Friday and all day Saturday was what I needed to repair my body.
I also seemed to hit my stride just as we were coming up on the last mile, going about 10 min/mile. I honestly felt like I could have kept going.
So this week was not the best week, but it wasn't the worst week. I'm looking forward to returning to a normal schedule next week so I can focus on my fourth week of training.
Next Friday will be one month until my half marathon!!!
Lost Dog 5k #4!
So I got back from my conference early Friday morning and then proceeded to sleep for the rest of the day. Then I got up, did NOT go to yoga like I was supposed to (bad me) and went to go do my LD 5k.
RunKeeper Result
Distance: 5k
Duration: 33:12
Avg. Pace: 10:31
Race was hot and muggy, but I still think Zoe and I did a fairly good job. I came in 9th of 21 overall - not a bad score anyways.
RunKeeper Result
Distance: 5k
Duration: 33:12
Avg. Pace: 10:31
Race was hot and muggy, but I still think Zoe and I did a fairly good job. I came in 9th of 21 overall - not a bad score anyways.
Tampa Run the Sequel
Sequels are never as good as the original. Thus is the same with this run.
I had been canvassing the Tampa Convention Center all day, trying to rid myself of the 1200 pamphlets I had brought down with me. Around 4:30, I decided to go out for my run - seeing a big black cloud in the distance and hoping I would have a repeat of Le Monsoon.
No such luck.
So not only was I exhausted from running around a conference for four days, but now it was supah!Hot and sunny outside. That and I had a 6pm dinner date with my clients. So I decided to rein it in early, and only did a little bit:
Runkeeper Result
Total Distance: 4.29 miles
Duration: 53:50 (yikes)
Avg. Pace: 12:32
Avg Speed: 4.79
Elevation: 178
Avg heart rate: 157
My immediate comments were "Blargh - Exhausted from Conference." Think that sums it up.
I had been canvassing the Tampa Convention Center all day, trying to rid myself of the 1200 pamphlets I had brought down with me. Around 4:30, I decided to go out for my run - seeing a big black cloud in the distance and hoping I would have a repeat of Le Monsoon.
No such luck.
So not only was I exhausted from running around a conference for four days, but now it was supah!Hot and sunny outside. That and I had a 6pm dinner date with my clients. So I decided to rein it in early, and only did a little bit:
Runkeeper Result
Total Distance: 4.29 miles
Duration: 53:50 (yikes)
Avg. Pace: 12:32
Avg Speed: 4.79
Elevation: 178
Avg heart rate: 157
My immediate comments were "Blargh - Exhausted from Conference." Think that sums it up.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Going for a swim in Tampa!
So I'm down here in Tampa and swore to myself that I would continue with my half training in the middle of this conference craziness.
So last night, I had the brilliant idea that I would get up at o-dark-thirty and go for a run in Tampa.
O-Dark-Thirty came around and I was like, "blargh." Not to mention it was pitch-black.
Let's see, go for a run in the dark in a city that I am not familiar with? Ok sureeeee!
So I rolled over (and was not able to go back to sleep) and went along with my day, keeping in the back of my mind how awful it was going to be to run.
Around 6:30, I decided to head out, just as a black cloud decended over Tampa. And then it monsooned.
Now, I'm actually the kind of person who loves to run in the rain. I get overheated really easily and the rain is always there to cool me off.
So out I go into the rain shower. And it was a shower, indeed. My hotel shower has less pressure than the rain coming down.
Here's my runkeeper result:
RunKeeper
Total Distance: 5.0M
Duration: 1:01:28
Avg. Pace 12:17
Avg Speed: 4.88
Climb: 108ft
So not the worst, considering my shoes were soaked, I was running through about an inch of water and being unable to see for the second half due to rain pelting me in the eye.
What was odd was that I wasn't even focused on the run. Yeah, my knees hurt, and yeah there was a little soreness at the end of it, but I ran it and did pretty well for running through rain!
So I've had a glass and a half of wine, so that's all for now. Main points of the run: Rained like hell, didn't really feel good or bad (or even feel like I ran five miles), and now I'm icing my ankles, then my knees.
That's all for now, folks! More running on Thursday :)
So last night, I had the brilliant idea that I would get up at o-dark-thirty and go for a run in Tampa.
O-Dark-Thirty came around and I was like, "blargh." Not to mention it was pitch-black.
Let's see, go for a run in the dark in a city that I am not familiar with? Ok sureeeee!
So I rolled over (and was not able to go back to sleep) and went along with my day, keeping in the back of my mind how awful it was going to be to run.
Around 6:30, I decided to head out, just as a black cloud decended over Tampa. And then it monsooned.
Now, I'm actually the kind of person who loves to run in the rain. I get overheated really easily and the rain is always there to cool me off.
So out I go into the rain shower. And it was a shower, indeed. My hotel shower has less pressure than the rain coming down.
Here's my runkeeper result:
RunKeeper
Total Distance: 5.0M
Duration: 1:01:28
Avg. Pace 12:17
Avg Speed: 4.88
Climb: 108ft
So not the worst, considering my shoes were soaked, I was running through about an inch of water and being unable to see for the second half due to rain pelting me in the eye.
What was odd was that I wasn't even focused on the run. Yeah, my knees hurt, and yeah there was a little soreness at the end of it, but I ran it and did pretty well for running through rain!
So I've had a glass and a half of wine, so that's all for now. Main points of the run: Rained like hell, didn't really feel good or bad (or even feel like I ran five miles), and now I'm icing my ankles, then my knees.
That's all for now, folks! More running on Thursday :)
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Long Run #2 and Lost Dog 5k #3
Wait a minute, you may ask, where's the race report from the LD Race #3?
Here it is....
Long Story Short - Rained out. Not heartbroken about it or anything because I think I needed an extra day off. Not that it did any good....
Long Run #2
Yesh, I got like 7 more of these don't I?
RunKeeper Result
Distance: 7.00 miles
Duration: 1:28:48
Avg. Pace: 12:41
Avg. Speed: 4.73
Elevation: 113ft
Avg. Heart Rate: 162
Peak Heart Rate: 186
Weather: Breezy and Hot - last mile was intense :P
I knew this run would be rough because A) I started an hour later than previous B) My boo spent the night and so I didn't get to bed on time C) It was hot, sunny, and not raining
I hate half a balance bar this morning, and half a cup of coffee, which were not digesting easy for me. So I opted for some yogurt too and downed almost 20 oz of water.
The first .75 miles I must have slept through because I don't even remember getting that far.Knees started to hurt around that time, but I kept going. Took basically the same route I had taken last time, though I didn't take as many detours so it was a little farther. Knees started to really kill me around mile 2, so I stopped and stretched for a minute, letting them shake out a little bit.
Hopped back on it and kept going, all the way to 3.5 miles. Stopped again in the shade and stretched. Felt my second wind and then turned to go home. I took a small detour by the water, but I did stop to grab some water (and didn't turn off run keeper, so there's at least half a minute of me standing around). Headed back the same way and felt the sun starting to beat on me, which slowed me down.
Like I said above, the last mile was rough, and I even allowed myself to walk some of it because the sun was really starting to bear down (it was around 10AM at this point).
But the bottom line is that I did my full mileage today, and even though it was bad, I am still proud of myself.
Now, we'll see how I feel on the plane tonight. :P
I also decided that the next long run that I do I'm going to go south on the GW parkway, so I can actually practice on the route I will be taking.
Here it is....
Long Story Short - Rained out. Not heartbroken about it or anything because I think I needed an extra day off. Not that it did any good....
Long Run #2
Yesh, I got like 7 more of these don't I?
RunKeeper Result
Distance: 7.00 miles
Duration: 1:28:48
Avg. Pace: 12:41
Avg. Speed: 4.73
Elevation: 113ft
Avg. Heart Rate: 162
Peak Heart Rate: 186
Weather: Breezy and Hot - last mile was intense :P
I knew this run would be rough because A) I started an hour later than previous B) My boo spent the night and so I didn't get to bed on time C) It was hot, sunny, and not raining
I hate half a balance bar this morning, and half a cup of coffee, which were not digesting easy for me. So I opted for some yogurt too and downed almost 20 oz of water.
The first .75 miles I must have slept through because I don't even remember getting that far.Knees started to hurt around that time, but I kept going. Took basically the same route I had taken last time, though I didn't take as many detours so it was a little farther. Knees started to really kill me around mile 2, so I stopped and stretched for a minute, letting them shake out a little bit.
Hopped back on it and kept going, all the way to 3.5 miles. Stopped again in the shade and stretched. Felt my second wind and then turned to go home. I took a small detour by the water, but I did stop to grab some water (and didn't turn off run keeper, so there's at least half a minute of me standing around). Headed back the same way and felt the sun starting to beat on me, which slowed me down.
Like I said above, the last mile was rough, and I even allowed myself to walk some of it because the sun was really starting to bear down (it was around 10AM at this point).
But the bottom line is that I did my full mileage today, and even though it was bad, I am still proud of myself.
Now, we'll see how I feel on the plane tonight. :P
I also decided that the next long run that I do I'm going to go south on the GW parkway, so I can actually practice on the route I will be taking.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Pacers is Teh Awesome
Run tonight was awful, but ended with a piece of good news that means I can continue my march towards Marathoning.
Run first:
RunKeeper Result
Total Distance: 4.56 (more on this later)
Duration: 52:32
Avg Pace: 11:31
Avg Speed: 5.21
Elevation: 118
Heart Rate: HAVE NO IDEA B/C I FORGOT THE DAMN MONITOR.
This run was awful - no bones about it. I was tired, cranky, and hoping that the blob of rain hovering over DC would shift down to Alexandria so I could have a good reason not to run. No such luck.
So the run started out bad because I lost the group immediately. I tried to catch up with them, but was unable to make the lights they were making, and thus had to run it alone. Sad. :(
I made it through my first batch of intervals and felt like awful, and then number 2 and so on and so forth. Then I made it to the halfway point where I stopped and stretched a little bit because my knees were starting to ache (more on this later).
On the way back, I caught up with the dude guy leader of the fun runs who was sprinting with a couple of gazelles. I was on my "fast" interval, so I joined up with them, running a good portion of the "fast" minute at 7 minutes/mile (!). Then I dropped back and started to feel AWFUL.
Not sure if it was a combination of not having NUUN (though I did have gatorade for lunch) and not having an egg for breakfast and having a salad for lunch (which actually filled me up quite nicely), but I just had no energy to run with and my knees hurt, and my head got light and I made the command decision to cut my run short.
I still was the last person to finish, but oh well.
Now, onto the piece of good news!
So from time to time, Pacers has a physical therapist stop in to make sure we're all functioning correctly and to listed to us whine about what hurts. She is my buddy :)
So I mentioned to her that my knees hurt and she did a few things with me, and determined that when I get tired, the mechanics of my run get lazier and my knees start to press inward, which causes pressure on the knee. So she told me to do some squatting exercises on one foot to get stronger.
But even better, she also told me that I do NOT have runner's knee - which means I don't have to stop running!
Hooray for small miracles!
So tomorrow is the Lost Dog 5K number three, and I'm starting to long for a day off. Just have to get through tomorrow, and tomorrow night, and then I (kind of) get a day to myself.
I'll be going on travel to the big city of Tampa next week, so we will see how my runs stay up. Not looking forward to the long run on Sunday....:(
Run first:
RunKeeper Result
Total Distance: 4.56 (more on this later)
Duration: 52:32
Avg Pace: 11:31
Avg Speed: 5.21
Elevation: 118
Heart Rate: HAVE NO IDEA B/C I FORGOT THE DAMN MONITOR.
This run was awful - no bones about it. I was tired, cranky, and hoping that the blob of rain hovering over DC would shift down to Alexandria so I could have a good reason not to run. No such luck.
So the run started out bad because I lost the group immediately. I tried to catch up with them, but was unable to make the lights they were making, and thus had to run it alone. Sad. :(
I made it through my first batch of intervals and felt like awful, and then number 2 and so on and so forth. Then I made it to the halfway point where I stopped and stretched a little bit because my knees were starting to ache (more on this later).
On the way back, I caught up with the dude guy leader of the fun runs who was sprinting with a couple of gazelles. I was on my "fast" interval, so I joined up with them, running a good portion of the "fast" minute at 7 minutes/mile (!). Then I dropped back and started to feel AWFUL.
Not sure if it was a combination of not having NUUN (though I did have gatorade for lunch) and not having an egg for breakfast and having a salad for lunch (which actually filled me up quite nicely), but I just had no energy to run with and my knees hurt, and my head got light and I made the command decision to cut my run short.
I still was the last person to finish, but oh well.
Now, onto the piece of good news!
So from time to time, Pacers has a physical therapist stop in to make sure we're all functioning correctly and to listed to us whine about what hurts. She is my buddy :)
So I mentioned to her that my knees hurt and she did a few things with me, and determined that when I get tired, the mechanics of my run get lazier and my knees start to press inward, which causes pressure on the knee. So she told me to do some squatting exercises on one foot to get stronger.
But even better, she also told me that I do NOT have runner's knee - which means I don't have to stop running!
Hooray for small miracles!
So tomorrow is the Lost Dog 5K number three, and I'm starting to long for a day off. Just have to get through tomorrow, and tomorrow night, and then I (kind of) get a day to myself.
I'll be going on travel to the big city of Tampa next week, so we will see how my runs stay up. Not looking forward to the long run on Sunday....:(
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Hill of Doom (R) Part Deux
I did it!
I ran up the Hill of Doom (R)!
It was awful and my heart rate peaked at 188, but I did it!
Runkeeper Result
Distance: 4.05 M
Duration: 47:22
Avg Pace: 11:42
Avg Speed: 5.13
Elevation: 159
Avg BPM: 165
Peak BPM: 188
So I did a fairly consistent pace, and actually got a bit faster in the last part! What worked for me today was looking down and keeping focused on the completion of all of the areas that normally I don't do well on (hills, and the last quarter mile). The problem was my knees began to ache in the last mile, and I started to feel sluggish.
So I'm icing with my friend the bag of corn, and hoping that it's just my body adjusting to longer miles. I'm very proud of myself for running up that hill today, and as I told Carson earlier, now I have to do it every week.
Kind of exhausted now, so I'm going to let my chocolate milk chill, have that, and then go watch nerd!TV and fall asleep.
No yoga tomorrow, as I will be up the street in Baltimore all day. So we'll see how Thursday goes...:/
I ran up the Hill of Doom (R)!
It was awful and my heart rate peaked at 188, but I did it!
Runkeeper Result
Distance: 4.05 M
Duration: 47:22
Avg Pace: 11:42
Avg Speed: 5.13
Elevation: 159
Avg BPM: 165
Peak BPM: 188
So I did a fairly consistent pace, and actually got a bit faster in the last part! What worked for me today was looking down and keeping focused on the completion of all of the areas that normally I don't do well on (hills, and the last quarter mile). The problem was my knees began to ache in the last mile, and I started to feel sluggish.
So I'm icing with my friend the bag of corn, and hoping that it's just my body adjusting to longer miles. I'm very proud of myself for running up that hill today, and as I told Carson earlier, now I have to do it every week.
Kind of exhausted now, so I'm going to let my chocolate milk chill, have that, and then go watch nerd!TV and fall asleep.
No yoga tomorrow, as I will be up the street in Baltimore all day. So we'll see how Thursday goes...:/
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Sunday Long Run and the End of Week 1
Runkeeper is down and so I cannot post my results. But here are the basics:
Distance: 7.15 miles
Time: 1:26:11
Avg Pace: 12:03/mile
Avg. BPM (New!): ~166 (more on this later)
Peak BPM: 181 (I think)
So today was my first "long run" - on schedule to do 6-7 miles. I've done 7 miles previously, when I was training for that 10K-that-became-a-5K, so I knew I could do it.
This morning was mercifully grey, rainy, and windy - a miracle for August. I woke up at 6:30 to the glorious sound of my coffee being ground and brewed, and took Miss Priss out for a morning walk to loosen up the joints. Came back and alternated a cup of coffee and water, along with my balance bar. Around 7:30, I strapped on my brand new heart rate monitor, turned on my tunes, and headed out.
So that heart rate monitor is a new acquisition. I've been concerned with my hill work that I'm over exerting myself, and wanted to check and make sure. So I invested $35 and bought a real simple one on Amazon, the Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor Watch. It comes with a watch and a chest strap to keep track.
Now, I goofed and accidentally started it again when I quit running, so I don't know if my average or peak are right. What I do know is that every time I looked at my watch, I was somewhere around 160-165, and when I did run up the one hill, I did see a 181 at one time.
But I digress, back to the run!
The first mile was awful - I was creaky, I was sore, my left knee was bothering me, and I wondered if I was going to finish. I run this mile at least three times a week as part of my normal 5k run, so it's pretty familiar to me. I tried to quiet down and just run, and before I knew it I was at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and turning downwards. Glorious wind, GLORIOUS WIND blew in my face, and it started to rain. I love running in the rain; it's so cooling and refreshing.
I turned into Old Town Alexandria and was reminded again why I love where I live. Beautiful old townhouses greeted me as I jogged on, right around 5mph. Down on Wilkes St, there is a small tunnel that takes you under the big hill in Old Town Alexandria that runs the length of the city. I think it might be an old railroad thing, but I've never gone to look. Should probably do that.
During this point, my left earbud crapped out on me, which was very sad, but I kept going anyways. Really, Steve, can we please hurry up with that iPhone 5? My 3GS is dying over here.
Then I was on Union Street, right by the water. I took a detour down a gravel path and ran right up the water, which was high from the rain. Then, back on Union, I crossed King Street, and headed towards Oronoco Bay Park, taking another detour on the gravel. Surprisingly, I had gone about 3 miles at this point, and was still feeling good. I went up my first hill from Oronoco Bay Park back onto the Mount Vernon Trail, and watched my heart rate spike from 165 to 175. Definitely felt it in my head as well - something to keep an eye on.
Kept going all the way to the 3.5 halfway mark, and then took a minute to stretch the knees and drink some water. I had filled my two water thingies with NUUN-water that had been diluted (not intentionally, but it was dark and I was filling all of my water bottles and didn't realize it until it was too late). I actually liked having just a little bit of NUUN; it was so cool out I wasn't sweating nearly as much as I have been.
Starting the long 3.5 miles back, I felt a bit sluggish getting back, but worked through it. My one working earbud was floating easy slow running music, which is the best for longer runs. I had run a little farther than 3.5 miles, just in case I took a shorter route back. I hate having to run past my house in order to get a full mileage in.
Back on Union Street, past King Street, and into the residential area. I passed these two guys who I think I had passed on the way in, and they were walking, up to the point where they saw me, then they started running again. They turned up hill, and I decided to take a detour closer to the water around Ford's landing.
That's my favorite spot in Old Town and I am reminded again of how much I miss living near the beach. Around the townhouses I went, taking stock of the WWB nearby, and gauging the slope of the bridge for the race. I also decided that I need to figure out exactly where the race is going to end, and run at least three times past that point.
Up ahead, there was a muddy, unpaved hill, and I made the strategic decision to walk up it. Not worth destroying my ankles. Then I continued past Lee street back to Royal , and back to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
To get back to the Mt Vernon trail, you have to climb up a big ol' hill (not as bad as the Hill of Doom (R)). I made the decision to run up the hill, watching as my BPM went from 165 up to 180. But kept going!
Then it was an easy run, and I realized that I was actually .25 miles farther than if I was running a 5k, which meant that I could run 7.25 today if I were to run the whole thing. That makes the last mile and a half a lot easier when you realize it's only 1.25 miles instead.
It wasn't until I was at 6.75 that I started to feel myself dragging al little bit, and it was the first and only time I had to tell myself to not quit. That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment for me.
I saw those two guys again, walking, and took great pleasure in passing them as I dashed to victory.
All in all, I did 7.15 miles today, and then came home and was licked to death by Miss Priss. Did perhaps 15 minutes of stretching afterwards, and put on the ankle brace, as my right ankle felt like it was swelling a little bit.
I feel incredible about my run today, and after this entire week, I feel like I can do this half marathon. I won't be the fastest, but I will be able to run the whole thing. I also have decided that I kind of like longer runs. I can get into a rhythm and just let my mind wander.
So that's all for today, friends. I'm feeling a little sore in the joints, but working to stretch them out (probably put some ice on the knees as well).
Actually thankful for tomorrow's rest day.
/W
Distance: 7.15 miles
Time: 1:26:11
Avg Pace: 12:03/mile
Avg. BPM (New!): ~166 (more on this later)
Peak BPM: 181 (I think)
So today was my first "long run" - on schedule to do 6-7 miles. I've done 7 miles previously, when I was training for that 10K-that-became-a-5K, so I knew I could do it.
This morning was mercifully grey, rainy, and windy - a miracle for August. I woke up at 6:30 to the glorious sound of my coffee being ground and brewed, and took Miss Priss out for a morning walk to loosen up the joints. Came back and alternated a cup of coffee and water, along with my balance bar. Around 7:30, I strapped on my brand new heart rate monitor, turned on my tunes, and headed out.
So that heart rate monitor is a new acquisition. I've been concerned with my hill work that I'm over exerting myself, and wanted to check and make sure. So I invested $35 and bought a real simple one on Amazon, the Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor Watch. It comes with a watch and a chest strap to keep track.
Now, I goofed and accidentally started it again when I quit running, so I don't know if my average or peak are right. What I do know is that every time I looked at my watch, I was somewhere around 160-165, and when I did run up the one hill, I did see a 181 at one time.
But I digress, back to the run!
The first mile was awful - I was creaky, I was sore, my left knee was bothering me, and I wondered if I was going to finish. I run this mile at least three times a week as part of my normal 5k run, so it's pretty familiar to me. I tried to quiet down and just run, and before I knew it I was at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and turning downwards. Glorious wind, GLORIOUS WIND blew in my face, and it started to rain. I love running in the rain; it's so cooling and refreshing.
I turned into Old Town Alexandria and was reminded again why I love where I live. Beautiful old townhouses greeted me as I jogged on, right around 5mph. Down on Wilkes St, there is a small tunnel that takes you under the big hill in Old Town Alexandria that runs the length of the city. I think it might be an old railroad thing, but I've never gone to look. Should probably do that.
During this point, my left earbud crapped out on me, which was very sad, but I kept going anyways. Really, Steve, can we please hurry up with that iPhone 5? My 3GS is dying over here.
Then I was on Union Street, right by the water. I took a detour down a gravel path and ran right up the water, which was high from the rain. Then, back on Union, I crossed King Street, and headed towards Oronoco Bay Park, taking another detour on the gravel. Surprisingly, I had gone about 3 miles at this point, and was still feeling good. I went up my first hill from Oronoco Bay Park back onto the Mount Vernon Trail, and watched my heart rate spike from 165 to 175. Definitely felt it in my head as well - something to keep an eye on.
Kept going all the way to the 3.5 halfway mark, and then took a minute to stretch the knees and drink some water. I had filled my two water thingies with NUUN-water that had been diluted (not intentionally, but it was dark and I was filling all of my water bottles and didn't realize it until it was too late). I actually liked having just a little bit of NUUN; it was so cool out I wasn't sweating nearly as much as I have been.
Starting the long 3.5 miles back, I felt a bit sluggish getting back, but worked through it. My one working earbud was floating easy slow running music, which is the best for longer runs. I had run a little farther than 3.5 miles, just in case I took a shorter route back. I hate having to run past my house in order to get a full mileage in.
Back on Union Street, past King Street, and into the residential area. I passed these two guys who I think I had passed on the way in, and they were walking, up to the point where they saw me, then they started running again. They turned up hill, and I decided to take a detour closer to the water around Ford's landing.
That's my favorite spot in Old Town and I am reminded again of how much I miss living near the beach. Around the townhouses I went, taking stock of the WWB nearby, and gauging the slope of the bridge for the race. I also decided that I need to figure out exactly where the race is going to end, and run at least three times past that point.
Up ahead, there was a muddy, unpaved hill, and I made the strategic decision to walk up it. Not worth destroying my ankles. Then I continued past Lee street back to Royal , and back to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
To get back to the Mt Vernon trail, you have to climb up a big ol' hill (not as bad as the Hill of Doom (R)). I made the decision to run up the hill, watching as my BPM went from 165 up to 180. But kept going!
Then it was an easy run, and I realized that I was actually .25 miles farther than if I was running a 5k, which meant that I could run 7.25 today if I were to run the whole thing. That makes the last mile and a half a lot easier when you realize it's only 1.25 miles instead.
It wasn't until I was at 6.75 that I started to feel myself dragging al little bit, and it was the first and only time I had to tell myself to not quit. That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment for me.
I saw those two guys again, walking, and took great pleasure in passing them as I dashed to victory.
All in all, I did 7.15 miles today, and then came home and was licked to death by Miss Priss. Did perhaps 15 minutes of stretching afterwards, and put on the ankle brace, as my right ankle felt like it was swelling a little bit.
I feel incredible about my run today, and after this entire week, I feel like I can do this half marathon. I won't be the fastest, but I will be able to run the whole thing. I also have decided that I kind of like longer runs. I can get into a rhythm and just let my mind wander.
So that's all for today, friends. I'm feeling a little sore in the joints, but working to stretch them out (probably put some ice on the knees as well).
Actually thankful for tomorrow's rest day.
/W
Friday, August 12, 2011
My old friend...the bag of frozen corn
Tonight was the Lost Dog 5K#2 race. We'll get to specifics in a hot second, but I would like to take a moment to state that my old friend, Mr Frozen Bag of Corn, has re-appeared.
Knees began to tweak a bit during the race today - might need new shoes (can't remember when I bought these) or most likely new inserts.
So for now I am icing as a precaution. Hopefully Sunday's run will be less painful as I will be resting all day tomorrow.
On to happier things :)
LOST DOG RACE #2!
Zoe and I got there late because Mommy took a nap and then watched Stephen Colbert and then said, "oh snap!" and Route 7 is teh awfulz. But we got there before the race started anyways, so that was good.
First mile was pretty decent, I think we ran it under 11 minutes (full pace thingy once Pacers gets it uploaded). They moved the race 600M south on the trail in order to give us more room to race, and the race actually went a lot better.
I had a smoothie on the way to the race this time (and a Panera brownie around 4pm) but didn't drink as much water. Felt it, but pushed through anyways. I'm learning that when I want to quit, I have to keep going. Then, when I want to quit again, I keep going. The third time in succession that I want to quit, I can walk. That's how I ended up running 5 miles yesterday at 10:30.
I think my finish time tonight was around 33:30, which is a full minute and a half better than last week's. I'm happy with it - Zoe still didn't win for her size group. Sad :(
That's all for now, and here's hoping my knees can rest up during rest day tomorrow.
/W
-----
Here's the official results
Knees began to tweak a bit during the race today - might need new shoes (can't remember when I bought these) or most likely new inserts.
So for now I am icing as a precaution. Hopefully Sunday's run will be less painful as I will be resting all day tomorrow.
On to happier things :)
LOST DOG RACE #2!
Zoe and I got there late because Mommy took a nap and then watched Stephen Colbert and then said, "oh snap!" and Route 7 is teh awfulz. But we got there before the race started anyways, so that was good.
First mile was pretty decent, I think we ran it under 11 minutes (full pace thingy once Pacers gets it uploaded). They moved the race 600M south on the trail in order to give us more room to race, and the race actually went a lot better.
I had a smoothie on the way to the race this time (and a Panera brownie around 4pm) but didn't drink as much water. Felt it, but pushed through anyways. I'm learning that when I want to quit, I have to keep going. Then, when I want to quit again, I keep going. The third time in succession that I want to quit, I can walk. That's how I ended up running 5 miles yesterday at 10:30.
I think my finish time tonight was around 33:30, which is a full minute and a half better than last week's. I'm happy with it - Zoe still didn't win for her size group. Sad :(
That's all for now, and here's hoping my knees can rest up during rest day tomorrow.
/W
-----
Here's the official results
104 16/28 119 Whitney 25 F 33:28.9 (GUN) 33:01.2 (NET) 10:38 (PACE) 105 329 Zoe D 33:29.7 (GUN) 33:01.8 (NET) 10:38 (PACE)
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Here are some pictures:
Thursday, August 11, 2011
I can haz intervals?
I am feeling fairly proud of myself tonight!
Not only did I run 5 miles with somebody else (bonus!) but I ran five miles (even more bonus!) and I even did the right workout for my training (ding! ding! ding! extra super bonus round!)
On with the run report....
RunKeeper Result
Distance: 5.13 Miles
Duration: 53:55
Avg Pace: 10:30 (!!!!! more on this later)
Avg Speed: 5.71 mph
Climb: 113 feet
Weather: Balmy 83 degrees, low humidity
What I ate:
- Pasta for lunch, NUUN around 5pm, then water and two mozzarella sticks during happy hour, and a banana on my way to run - though I felt the banana around mile 3.5. 2 full bottles of water, starting around noon.
Tonight's run was 2 miles steady, then 7 1 minute intervals of run fairly fast, then rest, then 2 miles steady. I began running with a Pacers friend for the first two miles and mentioned that I was half training. She indicated that she too was training for the same race, but was without her GPS watch. I told her I was running intervals and she obliged to join me.
Hooray!
Well her "running steady pace" was probably an aerobic interval for me (oh well) so the first two miles we averaged about 10:23 per mile - which is pretty awesome for me! I think I goofed on the splits, because looking at the pace, it's all over the place, but we did seem to get two splits of under 10 (even an 8:11!) Finally, the last 2 miles was run at a pace of 10:40/mile.
I would just like to point out that this is the fastest I've ever run a pacers run - let alone a 5M pacers run.
<-- Gold Star
So that's all for tonight - I'm rightfully exhausted and ready to sleep. Tomorrow is Lost Dog 5k #2, so you'll see more about that tomorrow.
Not only did I run 5 miles with somebody else (bonus!) but I ran five miles (even more bonus!) and I even did the right workout for my training (ding! ding! ding! extra super bonus round!)
On with the run report....
RunKeeper Result
Distance: 5.13 Miles
Duration: 53:55
Avg Pace: 10:30 (!!!!! more on this later)
Avg Speed: 5.71 mph
Climb: 113 feet
Weather: Balmy 83 degrees, low humidity
What I ate:
- Pasta for lunch, NUUN around 5pm, then water and two mozzarella sticks during happy hour, and a banana on my way to run - though I felt the banana around mile 3.5. 2 full bottles of water, starting around noon.
Tonight's run was 2 miles steady, then 7 1 minute intervals of run fairly fast, then rest, then 2 miles steady. I began running with a Pacers friend for the first two miles and mentioned that I was half training. She indicated that she too was training for the same race, but was without her GPS watch. I told her I was running intervals and she obliged to join me.
Hooray!
Well her "running steady pace" was probably an aerobic interval for me (oh well) so the first two miles we averaged about 10:23 per mile - which is pretty awesome for me! I think I goofed on the splits, because looking at the pace, it's all over the place, but we did seem to get two splits of under 10 (even an 8:11!) Finally, the last 2 miles was run at a pace of 10:40/mile.
I would just like to point out that this is the fastest I've ever run a pacers run - let alone a 5M pacers run.
<-- Gold Star
So that's all for tonight - I'm rightfully exhausted and ready to sleep. Tomorrow is Lost Dog 5k #2, so you'll see more about that tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Wednesdays are for Yoga
Short blog tonight.
Did not drink NUUNs today - figured, oh hey, not running, no need.
WRONG.
Had major dizziness/light-headedness at yoga, and it had nothing to do with going up and down. Too much water + Not enough salt = Low Blood Pressure
I actually had to stop at the BF's house and cry for some gatorade to make it home (Biked it ~3.5 miles roundtrip). He happily obliged and let me pick at his pasta dinner. (<3)
Moral of the story: Eat More Salt!
Did not drink NUUNs today - figured, oh hey, not running, no need.
WRONG.
Had major dizziness/light-headedness at yoga, and it had nothing to do with going up and down. Too much water + Not enough salt = Low Blood Pressure
I actually had to stop at the BF's house and cry for some gatorade to make it home (Biked it ~3.5 miles roundtrip). He happily obliged and let me pick at his pasta dinner. (<3)
Moral of the story: Eat More Salt!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Run #1 - Up, Up, and Ergh
So today was the official kick-off for my half training. According to my Runner's World Half Marathon Schedule, today was supposed to be 2 miles, with 7x1:00 (minute) Aerobic Intervals, then another two miles.
Tuesdays are also Pacers Fun Runs, which include the Hill of Doom © (more on that later), which doesn't lend itself to doing intervals, as you're just trying to make it up the hill.
So looking ahead to Thursday, I noted that there was a 4 miler scheduled, with four "gentle pick-ups" (slowly running faster until you can't run anymore).
Ah-ha!
So I'm switching up the routine, much like I'm switching Saturdays' 3-4 miler to Friday as the next Lost Dog 5k. Looking forward to my first long run on Sunday though.
So back to today's run:
RunKeeper Result
Total Distance: 3.91 Miles
Duration: 45:10
Avg Pace: 11:32
Climb: 175 Ft
If you click on the RunKeeper result, you can see that smack-dab in the middle of the run is the Hill of Doom ©. I have been able to run up this hill once in the 5 months I've been running with Pacers, and that was the first night I attempted it. Tonight's running buddy, Carson, said that it might be a mental block - now that I know how bad it is, I psych myself into not doing it.
So I'm telling you, internets, that I will run the hill next week.
Today's run was smattered with a random asthma flare-up, which may have to do with the fact that I took my inhaler about five hours early, and didn't puff again until I was in the middle of running, which meant I didn't get any medication. Not to mention the intense burning in my boot-ay from the Hill of Doom ©.
However, running with Carson on the way down proved to be a good way to keep going, so barring any more random asthma attacks, I will run the hill next week.
You hear that? I will run the hill next week.
Two other points of note from tonight's jaunt:
1. I think I need to hang back and run slow and not get caught up in all of the supah!runners that go springing off towards the hill like antelope. Looking at my pace, for the first half mile I'm running a good 9 minute mile - which is waaaaaay too fast for me.
2. I also am flirting with the idea of trying the hill by myself, and seeing what I can do without the self-inflicted pressure of having to run "fast." If I can prove to myself that I can run up and down the hill with no problems, then I think I can do it with the group.
So, all in all, first "training" run was ok. A long way to go to get to 13.1, but I feel like I'm on my way!
Tuesdays are also Pacers Fun Runs, which include the Hill of Doom © (more on that later), which doesn't lend itself to doing intervals, as you're just trying to make it up the hill.
So looking ahead to Thursday, I noted that there was a 4 miler scheduled, with four "gentle pick-ups" (slowly running faster until you can't run anymore).
Ah-ha!
So I'm switching up the routine, much like I'm switching Saturdays' 3-4 miler to Friday as the next Lost Dog 5k. Looking forward to my first long run on Sunday though.
So back to today's run:
RunKeeper Result
Total Distance: 3.91 Miles
Duration: 45:10
Avg Pace: 11:32
Climb: 175 Ft
If you click on the RunKeeper result, you can see that smack-dab in the middle of the run is the Hill of Doom ©. I have been able to run up this hill once in the 5 months I've been running with Pacers, and that was the first night I attempted it. Tonight's running buddy, Carson, said that it might be a mental block - now that I know how bad it is, I psych myself into not doing it.
So I'm telling you, internets, that I will run the hill next week.
Today's run was smattered with a random asthma flare-up, which may have to do with the fact that I took my inhaler about five hours early, and didn't puff again until I was in the middle of running, which meant I didn't get any medication. Not to mention the intense burning in my boot-ay from the Hill of Doom ©.
However, running with Carson on the way down proved to be a good way to keep going, so barring any more random asthma attacks, I will run the hill next week.
You hear that? I will run the hill next week.
Two other points of note from tonight's jaunt:
1. I think I need to hang back and run slow and not get caught up in all of the supah!runners that go springing off towards the hill like antelope. Looking at my pace, for the first half mile I'm running a good 9 minute mile - which is waaaaaay too fast for me.
2. I also am flirting with the idea of trying the hill by myself, and seeing what I can do without the self-inflicted pressure of having to run "fast." If I can prove to myself that I can run up and down the hill with no problems, then I think I can do it with the group.
So, all in all, first "training" run was ok. A long way to go to get to 13.1, but I feel like I'm on my way!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Important things for half marathon preparations
Probably the hardest thing to get used to on this marathon schedule thingy is the rest days. I'm used to running Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays (sometimes), and Saturdays (sometimes). Now I'm relegated to Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. I'm going to fill some of those rest days with my yoga practice, but today, the very first Monday of my 8 week course, I found myself antsy.
That, and my feat still hurt from walking around on Saturday.
Let's see - nothing to do, feet hurt....I think that says pedicure.
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| Nice and Clean! |
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Yoga for Runners
(Last Post tonight, I promise)
So the other thing that I make sure I do on a weekly basis is to attend a yoga class. I developed a bout of runner's knee last October due to lack of stretching, and have been working a Wednesday class into my routine since March. But I saw a class that caught my eye:
Yoga For Runners!
Oh heck to the yeah!
The two hour class was awesome. My legs haven't felt so loose in forever, and I was even able to sit cross-legged without pain. None of the poses were anything I hadn't done before - and happily, I was one of the most limber people in the room (hooray for being good at something!). But to be honest, I was thankful to have been practicing yoga weekly, because I could tell the pain that everyone else was in, and remember the first yoga class I had taken after a while.
Learned some things too, like how to take a tennis ball and work tension out of your butt, thighs, calves, and ankles. Also learned that I need to stretch the tops of my feet, as it means I have ankle tightness. Most importantly, I had a good two hours of intense stretching.
I asked dude-girl teacher about doing yoga on my "rest" days, and she said to make sure I take a class that doesn't do too much, and that twice a week would be great. I think I might double up on yoga classes over the next two months, just because I will be increasing my mileage so much. Won't hurt, anyways!
I also told dude-girl teacher if she'd consider teaching a yoga for runners as a weekly class - I would totally sign up for that!
So the other thing that I make sure I do on a weekly basis is to attend a yoga class. I developed a bout of runner's knee last October due to lack of stretching, and have been working a Wednesday class into my routine since March. But I saw a class that caught my eye:
Yoga For Runners!
Oh heck to the yeah!
The two hour class was awesome. My legs haven't felt so loose in forever, and I was even able to sit cross-legged without pain. None of the poses were anything I hadn't done before - and happily, I was one of the most limber people in the room (hooray for being good at something!). But to be honest, I was thankful to have been practicing yoga weekly, because I could tell the pain that everyone else was in, and remember the first yoga class I had taken after a while.
Learned some things too, like how to take a tennis ball and work tension out of your butt, thighs, calves, and ankles. Also learned that I need to stretch the tops of my feet, as it means I have ankle tightness. Most importantly, I had a good two hours of intense stretching.
I asked dude-girl teacher about doing yoga on my "rest" days, and she said to make sure I take a class that doesn't do too much, and that twice a week would be great. I think I might double up on yoga classes over the next two months, just because I will be increasing my mileage so much. Won't hurt, anyways!
I also told dude-girl teacher if she'd consider teaching a yoga for runners as a weekly class - I would totally sign up for that!
Lost Dog 5k #1
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| Miss Priss (Zoe) |
Ever since I rescued Miss Priss in Feb 2009, I've been a little nutso about animal rescue. Yeah, I've turned into that person who will give you the evil eye if your dog is not spayed or neutered (for serious people, just do it. there are plenty of dogs out there who need homes, we don't need your litter of puppies too).
I digress.
So, Zo-bo came from Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, and therefore, they are my "charity of choice." Every Sunday, from 1-4, I hang out with some pooches in need of good homes. It's a great way to spend an afternoon, if you have nothing else to do.
I digress again.
So, I had been going a couple of weeks, running with Pacers Running Stores on Tuesday, volunteering with Lost Dog on Sundays, happy to have my two organizations separate.
Until I saw this:
Lost Dog 5k Series
FOR SERIOUS? ANIMAL RESCUE AND RUNNING? SIGN ME UP!
So we had the first one last Friday, and Zoe and I were so ready! Well, I was ready, Zoe....has not been running with Mommy as much because it's been so hot (seriously, the DC metro region has been slammed recently). But realizing that we sort of had a 5k coming up, Mommy started dragging Zoe out with her late at night to run.
Race Report
We got there super early because I'm my mother's daughter. LDCRF was doing a cool thing called "Rent-A-Mutt" where we had 10 of our own dogs available for runners who either did not have their own dogs, and they went like hotcakes before the set up had even finished! Dogs of all different sizes and shapes were there - and everyone was happy to be out with their pooches.
The only problem seemed to be that the race was held on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail - which they did not get the permits to shut down the trail.So we had to deal with some obnoxious bikers (one who used colorful language. I proceeded to scream back at him that he was a tool). But the weather was mercifully beautiful, and with Zoe strapped around my race, we were off!
There were only 250 runners in the race, and, looking around, I heard lots of people say things like, "I haven't been training" or "It's so hot!" So I was all, "Hey, maybe I'll actually get a decent place in this race!"
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| Final Stretch! |
I was so excited about all of the excitement that I forgot to eat close enough to the race. So before we even started, I was hungry. And Zoe was totally more interested in smelling everything on the side of the street. So I had a 18 pound dead weight for a lot of the race, and was hungry.
Off to a good start. /sarcasm
We did the first mile pretty easy, and the trail was pretty. Towards the end was a rather large hill, and somebody lying to us that water was right around the corner (it was, just not RIGHT around the corner). Zoe with her bottle nose drank straight out of the cup, and I was actually feeling fairly hydrated - just HUNGRY.
We looped around and came back, and I started to feel the pangs in my stomach turn into light-headedness (damn physiology). I was running with one of Lost Dog's Foster Moms (of which I am one, just not right now), and she started to pull ahead of me by a while.
Perhaps the most annoying thing were these two girls. So I am slow and steady running, running, running, and these girls would run, then walk, then when I either just passed them or was about to pass them, they'd put on a burst of speed and start running for a minute. Then repeat. And repeat. And repeat.
Look, I'm sorry my dog is 18lbs and faster than you. Just let me freaking pass you.
ANYWAYS, we made it to the end, and got some good pictures! Not to mention I looked hott in my Lost Dog "Ask Me About My Fosters" Shirt (no picture of that yet - will post when I find it).
So here are our results:
135 329 Zoe D 35:06.8 (GUN) 34:26.7 (NET) 11:06 (PACE) 136 19/34 119 Whitney 25 F 35:06.4 (GUN) 34:26.7 (NET) 11:06 (PACE)
RunKeeper
I'm not super thrilled with 11:06, but I'm not horribly upset by it, considering I was hungers and Zoe was more interested in sniftering.
Besides, I have 3 more races to improve - and dang it, we will get that medal !
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| Zoe and Me Before the Race |
Week 1 - Here We Go!
Ok, so I think I'm going to start a blog to track my 8 week half marathon progress. Why? Because I think my boyfriend/mother/friends/facebook friends are tired of hearing me talk about my running progress. And I have to talk to keep myself motivated. And I kind of miss having a blog. So there.
For those who don't know, I'm an asthmatic/formerly fat kid with lots of excuses as to why I "couldn't" exercise as a child. In January of 2009, I went to a new doctor that wasn't my best friend's dad (love ya Richard :)). I told him I was running inside, on the treadmill. "Why can't you run outside?" he queried. "Oh, because I'm an asthmatic." I replied. "Bull shit, here's an inhaler, get your ass out there and run."
Well ok then.
Since then, I've completed five 5k races, I run with Pacers Fun Runs every Tuesday, and have *gasp* signed up for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half-Marathon on 2 October. And thus we get to the point of this blog.
8 weeks from today, I will be running 13.1 miles from Mount Vernon to National Harbor. To date, the longest I've ever run was 7 miles in preparation for a 10K the day before my 25th birthday (jerks changed it to a 5k due to "high humidity"). So we've got some work to do.
We can do it!
Half-Whit ho!
For those who don't know, I'm an asthmatic/formerly fat kid with lots of excuses as to why I "couldn't" exercise as a child. In January of 2009, I went to a new doctor that wasn't my best friend's dad (love ya Richard :)). I told him I was running inside, on the treadmill. "Why can't you run outside?" he queried. "Oh, because I'm an asthmatic." I replied. "Bull shit, here's an inhaler, get your ass out there and run."
Well ok then.
Since then, I've completed five 5k races, I run with Pacers Fun Runs every Tuesday, and have *gasp* signed up for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half-Marathon on 2 October. And thus we get to the point of this blog.
8 weeks from today, I will be running 13.1 miles from Mount Vernon to National Harbor. To date, the longest I've ever run was 7 miles in preparation for a 10K the day before my 25th birthday (jerks changed it to a 5k due to "high humidity"). So we've got some work to do.
We can do it!
Half-Whit ho!
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