Jacob's Ladder

Tonight was another fun round of track repeats at TC Williams (Remember the Titans!). After a frenzied search for a parking spot, which was a total ordeal, I finally made it to the track. And since I was all hot and bothered about trying to get to the damned place, I was already warmed up too!

The plan for this evening was to run what is known as the ladder. Basically, you increase the distance for each "rep" then come back down. I checked with my intended marathon pace timing and came up with the following times for each of the different splits (Ch-ch-ch-check out my HTML table building skillz below).

Rep	Distance	Goal Time	Actual Time
400m	434m	2:11-2:19	2:10
800m	756m	4:34-4:45	4:09
1200m	1223m	7:01-7:32	6:45
1200m	1223m	7:01-7:32	7:10
800m	708m	4:34-4:45	3:58
400m	434m	2:11-2:19	1:30

Both the HTML table and my awesome splitz. 

(PS: Yes, I know there's supposed to be a 1600m rep in there, but it was lightening out and was getting dark, and I did not want my good friends Joe and Sonia to get electrocuted. Also, if you look at the garmin info, you'll note the last rep is shorter. That is because in my excitement to get a-moving, I forgot to turn on my watch. But I know I was freaking flying, so the last one is a guesstimate).

Double Recap

(Written at 4pm today)

This month has been insanity.

When I'm not running, I'm volunteering, or going out on a date, or going to a happy hour, or working. I literally have 0 actual time to myself, which is why last night I decided to not volunteer and take a night for myself. 

But that's not what this blog is about is it?

The week before last, here's the rundown (hah, see what I did there?)

Monday: Booz Allen Gym like a Boss

Tuesday: 4 miles up the hill

Wednesday: 400x repeats

Thursday: Speed demon (3 miles)

Saturday's run was a hot mess. Just narsty narsty. It was the Alexandria Triangle (Garmin info below)

---

This week, there was a lot of social events. First, on Monday, Pacers had another Port City run, which was and continues to be a lot of fun. Tuesday I had a really crappy day and felt sorry for myself, so I only did 3 miles and they were slow. Wednesday I had a date (GASP!) at the same time as the Hill Repeats, so I did my own Hill Repeats up Beacon Hill (~3 miles total). 

One of these days, I will actually be able to run up a hill without falling over dead.

Thursday I did not run, as I had a happy hour instead. Although there was some dancing after the happy hour ended (don't ask), so I count that as a quad workout.

And today I did 16 glorious miles up the Capital Crescent Trail. I was randomly booking it, and actually finished in just over 3 hours (full Garmin info below). I'm going to go back and see if that's a 16 mile record for me, because it might actually be. Although it was super nice outside today so I'm sure that had something to do with it.

It was so nice, in fact, that I actually found myself having difficulty breathing from the "coolness." I forgot my inhaler (dummy), and really felt like I could have used it today. But I pushed through, stopping every so often to cough like a pack a day smoker.

Also - I stopped eating at 7 last night and did not have coffee this morning (had some earl gray and soy milk instead), and did not have any stummy issues (still none). Trying to figure out if it's the coffee or if it's the eating late that causes the gastric distress. It's my 15 week experiment.

---

In other news, I'm going to go buy some compression gear from my buddies Joe and Kristen. I noted right around mile 7 that my legs started to feel fatigued, and I think maybe having some tightness to keep the muscles in place will help with the long term pain.

So I get to go spend money at Pacers, which is one of my most favorite things to do. Right after I go take an hour and a half yoga!nap at Pure Prana.

EDIT (8pm)

I would just like to document that 2 weeks ago, I ran 15 miles in 3:03, and today I ran a full mile longer in just the same amount of time.

Sonia was right to be proud of me. I'm kicking ass!

Fifteen Miles and Remembering the Reason(s) why I'm doing this

Saturday's run was hard.

Not physically (well, yeah okay physically because there were some narsty hills).

But it was actually tougher mentally.

This week has been a crazy one - between dog rescuing, working, unabashed flirting, and running, I actually hit my limit and did not do speed work on Wednesday. But that's okay, because my body was saying "Hey doll, you're kind of killing us both here, so why don't you take it down a notch."

So this week's running went a little like this:

Monday - 3.32 Cross Fit Outside (which, let's face it, killed me)
Tuesday - 2.3 miles (+ a new pair of shoes! Thanks Zack at Pacers!)
Wednesday - Glorious sleeping time
Thursday - 3.12 miles (Posted below, because it was actually a total boss run)
Friday - Volunteering with Lost Dog 5k
Saturday - 15 miles

So let's pause for a second on the Thursday run, because for some reason I was keeping up with the cool kids for a mile and a half into the run (10 minute mile. Outside. What?!) Then I turned off and ran on my own, where I proceeded to wuss out and walk a lot more than I should have.

But still. Sonia is right, I am getting faster. (more on how awesome she is later).

Saturday was like "OOMPH. FIFTEEN. WHAT." At first, anyways.

Then I got a little confused at the directions (hah, shocker). So for the first five miles, I kept pausing my damned Garmin and checking my phone, like "Where the heck is this turn off for the W&OD trail?" Yes, friends, I have lived here for almost 10 years. But I had runner's brain.

Luckily, I kept running into fun runners smarter than me who were doing less than fifteen miles (like, you know, 10), who kept me pointed in the right direction. Then, I finally realized where I was going, and was like, "Okay, this is great."

Except by that point, I'd floundered for probably half an hour, and my schedule was all off. So there I was, on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, 8 miles left to go in my run, and I started to really wish that I could just go home.

But, you know, I was way out in the boonies (figuratively speaking, you will note in the map below that I was right smack dab in the middle of Arlington County). And there was only one way to get back to my car, sitting at Gravelly Point.

On the run, I was reminded of a saying that will say, "Never give up on a dream just because it will take time to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway (Earl Nightingale)." And, in my deep dark thoughts, I realized that the eight miles back to the car would happen anyways. So I could either run them or walk them, but they were going to happen.

And guess what? Happen they did. Although I did take a little detour through Crystal City vice heading all the way back to the trail.

And even through all the stopping and starting and whining and whathaveyou, I still managed a 12 minute mile pace.

Which, let me say, when I got back to Gravelly Point, I was in no mood for life. Seriously. But, you know, my friends were hanging out there waiting for me to come back. Because they are seriously the most supportive people on the face of the planet. And I love them, although I don't know if I was that vocal about my affection after the run.

But I do, Pacers People. You guys are the reason why I continue to run. <3

Here's the Garmin data for the awesome Arlington Triangle.


Also, I was successful in staving off a migraine. I'm not sure if it was because it was cooler, or if it was because I downed a chocolate (soy) milk immediately after I got back and a nectarine, or if it was the gallon of Powerade I drank during the day, but I did not get a migraine. So thank God for small miracles.

HEY.

Fun Run and Beer

Today's run was supposed to be at the gym.

As you can see, the promise of socializing with fun runners drew me to the Port City Brewery for a Beer and Run fun run. Which is ironic as I don't drink beer, but you know, I'm single and I have to be "out there" I guess. 

And, of course, my buddy was there leading his crossfit run of doom. And because I am a pushover, I went along until I could do no more. Then got lost for a bit. Then found my way back.

All in all, it was a fun night with my buddies. 

Marathoning....take 2....

I really fail at blogging lately, but I'm trying to get back into it.

So since my last post, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon in just under six hours (5:57:39 to be exact). Kind of disappointing, especially because I had an internal mental breakdown at mile 14 (MILE FOURTEEN I TELL YOU!). Basically, did not take Tums, got feeling ill, didn't eat or drink for 2 hours, and by that time...well it was just finishing at that point.

And because I am my own worst critic and a self-described perfectionist in everything I do (with the exception of cleaning, LOLZ), that only meant I had to try again.

And I tell you, I had a great plan back in December:

1. Train for a fast 5k in February
2. Train for a fast 10 miler in April
3. Train for a fast half marathon in June
4. Train all summer for a fast(er) marathon in October.

Boss, right?

WELL....as I have found out repeatedly this year, planning is useless. (Seriously, ask me about that wedding I'd planned to have sometime next year....)

1. I plum-ass FORGOT to sign up for the 5k, which was Love the Run You're With. Like....walked up to the registration desk, checked bank statements, etc. before it dawned on me that I FORGOT TO SIGN UP FOR THE RACE I WAS TRAINING FOR.

2. Right around March I started to have really bad hamstring pain, which put a huge damper in my training. I was actually considering pulling out of the race, but then the Boston Marathon bombing happened. And let's just say, it dawned on me that this could very well be my last race (I mean, you never know, see post above about planning). So I ran the GW Parkway Classic in something...who knows. Because I had SERIOUS GI issues; the difference between my watch time and bib time was something like 15 minutes.

Oh, and that hamstring pain? Turns out my left butt was "asleep" (not firing correctly), and causing my gait to be off. Pain was gone in about three days. WTF.

3. I knew going into the VA Wine Country Half that SOMETHING was going to go wrong. I mean, I was 0 for 2, how could this one go any better? And, I was right (hooray?). It was humid, hot, gross, and miserable. And it had been a ridiculously cold spring, so I was woefully unprepared for the humidity. In fact, I actually considered going to the medical tent and/or passing out. But if I passed out, they would call my emergency contact, which happened to be my ex-boyfriend (see aforementioned comment re: wedding above). So I finished in - literally - my worst time ever.

Which brings us to #4 - train all summer. Well first thing, I was in Florida, and my great dreams of keeping to my running schedule were dashed due to high humidity and high alcohol levels (hey, I'd just gotten out of a long-ass relationship, quit judging). Then, during week 1 of training, I was driving my baby cousin all over south Florida looking at colleges. Then aforementioned cousin got me sick, like - fever-sick (I can't remember the last time I had a fever). So two weeks went by with very little running, and the running that did happen was slow and miserable.

HOWEVER.

Last week, I finally got back on schedule, due to a couple of things. I realized that being sick with a gross-ass lung infection + asthma + humidity + pollution = nearly fainting, so I did something I haven't done in at least three years - run on a treadmill.

But I was sprinting 9 minute miles. Easy. Like, I might have been able to do 8:30s. And I wasn't coughing my face off. And I wasn't dizzy. At ALL.

Then I was able to do 7 miles yesterday on my first "long run" of the marathon training season. And I actually enjoyed it - I was like, "Damn, Whit, you're drinking your Nuun, out at 7am, it's only 75 or so and cloudy, and you're at Haines Point. This is exactly where I want to be right now." And I even smiled (You should click on that link to hear how I am saying "smiled").

In all, I did a grand total of 19 miles this week: 3 on Monday in my neighborhood, 3 on Tuesday with Pacers, 3 on Wednesday in the gym, 3 on Thursday with Pacers, and 7 on Saturday with Pacers.

Next week, I am aiming to do 21 miles:

Monday: 3 Miles + Weights and such at the gym (In lieu of killing myself in the heat and humidity, I'm going to take advantage of the gym, free weights, and dog-less stretch time.)
Tuesday: 3 miles with Pacers (depending on how I'm feeling, maybe 4)
Wednesday: Speed Work with Pacers (distance is maybe 2-3 miles)
Thursday: 3 miles with Pacers
Saturday: 10 miles with Pacers

I'm planning (dammit Whit, what have I told you about planning!!!!) to do a little more building of my base mileage until I am completely caught up, 21 this week, 24 next week, 28 week after that, before dropping down during my off week. I'm also going to start off only doing 3 every day during the week, before gradually upping my mileage to 4 miles (during the long run off week), then 5 miles at the next long run off week. I think the biggest thing I didn't do last year was keep up with my mileage during the week.

So that's a long story of what's happening in the Full-Whit universe. I really am going to try to continue and blog this marathon training this year, because I feel like it motivates me and allows me to overanalyze every single thing that I do, which is kind of my cuppa tea.

So with that, I leave you with a little bit of running humor. I'll be here in just a few weeks....

Early Mornin' With Pacers!

In addition to the Tuesday and Thursday runs, Pacers also has a fun run early on Saturday morning. These are designed for those who need a long run - either preparing for a marathon or half like me. I, however, chose to run with Pacers butt-crack early on Saturday morning because my training called for running a 10k race on Saturday. With no 10ks to speak of (and I didn't want to spend any money :P), I opted to run out with them.

The long run this week began at Gravelly Point and worked its way up the Potomac. Talk about the most gorgeous view of DC you can get! I passed the Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument (of course, I can see that from my house, it's so damn big), and the Capitol.

I also began my experimentation with CLIF Energy Shots. Pacers had them out for sampling, so I took four. For this run, I tried the Mocha one - simply because it had caffeine in it, and I didn't feel like breaking out my coffee. I was a little nervous because sometimes too much sugar or caffeine - combined with my inhaler - can give me the shakes, but surprisingly, I had no real issues. Not even a digestive issue! So I'll look into these.

RunKeeper Result

Total Distance: 6.22 Miles
Total Time: 1:11:41
Avg Pace: 11:32 min/mile

The first half I actually ran at a race pace - 10:44/mile. Then I decided to call my folks (why? I dunno, just because). Unfortunately, that slowed me down a bit, because I had to be able to talk and run at the same time. Oh well - got a good 30 minute talk in with my parents anyways!

I definitely felt the 4 miles I had done the night before, but the GU stuff actually helped keep me not braindead. Definitely only going to be used for the longer runs - it's hard to eat, actually.

All in all, pretty good run!

Oh yeah, and while I only did 6 - the rest of the group did 15.5. One day Snickle, one day...

Kicking Ass and Taking Names

Last night was Tuesday, and Tuesday means the Russell Route for Pacers.

So I start out, back of the pack, running my merry way. Right around the normal point - about 1 mile in when it starts to get a bit hilly - I lose the rest of the group - as they are much better at running up the hill.

Then my music stops and I hear my phone ringing.

"...This is Whitney..."

"HEYYYY!"

".... Hello?"

"HEY WHITNEY!"

It's my baby cousin.

"H-Hey bubs, how are you?"

"I'm bored."

(Starting up the Hill of Doom (R))

"That's cool, how's school going?"

"It's good, I like my classes."

"(puff puff) That's awesome! What classes are you taking?"

"Oh, you know...." (tells me his classes)

"(puff puff puff puff) Uh-huh!"

(Continuing to talk)

"(puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puiff) That's wonderful!"

(Continuing to talk)

"Hey bubs, I'm going to have to call you later, I'm at the top of the hill."

"Oh Ok."

"Love you KIDDO!"

---

Yeah, you read that right, ran to the top of the hill, still able to talk.

Not only that, but the awesomeness continued with running with a couple of fun runners all the way home.

RunKeeper Result

Total Distance: 5.4 miles
Total Time: 56:41 (new record!)
Avg. Pace: 10:30/mile (new record!)


I also read an interesting article today that talked about lactic acid build up. It basically said that you have to train to increase your ability to exercise without lactic acid build up, and that everyone's body had a different threshold. I can honestly say though that I did not have any pain or soreness after this run.

Hooray!

Hill of Doom and Increasing my Mileage? Am I Nuts?

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.

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....:(

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 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.

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!

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!