So once again, D and I had our 12 miler on tap. Back to Silver Comet Trail for 12 mile run. This is the only place we have ever run the 12 miler, so why change up?
We started off at 845. I felt a little off and I couldn't find my rhythm the first mile. I finally settled in at Mile 2 and felt more comfortable. I felt I was going faster by the time I got to Mile 3. I couldn't tell, really but I felt strong still. At Mile 4.7 I saw D. I realized I had not thought about anything for quite some time. I also wondered if he rode in the car in a blue shirt. I was convinced he had on a red shirt. I know he said it wasn't comfortable, but I really didn't recall him changing. Call me Perceptive!
With that, I concluded Mile 5 is downhill. Which if you look at my below times, you would agree too. Still I never passed this dreaded section between Mile 5 and 6. Or did I? I don't know. I was looking down a lot and I never saw the big V's in the road that I normally see. So finally I hit Mile 6 and turned back around.
Again Perceptive. The V's were right there (they are notches in the path I guess to slow down bikers. I'm not really sure why they are there). I still looked down because I know this section is an incline and a curve, and it can be discouraging. It isn't anything massive, but it is just discouraging at that juncture of the race.
During Mile 8 I started having trouble. I wanted to stop. I really dug deep to keep going. At Mile 9, I wondered what the hell that was about. I realized I had less than a 5K and to keep going. This is where the wheels fell off. I was running fine, and all of the sudden I had a massive itch in my calf. Not a cramp but an itch. It itched so badly, I had to stop and scratch it. I mean nails in skin scratch. I finally got it to be a nag, so I started again. By then, I lost my rhythm. I was paying to much attention to the time, so I told myself to run 2 songs and then I could look/walk a minute. This seemed to work, except now I just focuses on how sore my butt was. I kept going despite how slowly it was. Mile 11 ticked by. Mile 12, my butt was screaming. Not a bad pain. Just a "What the Hell are you doing to me?" pain. I walked 3 minutes and then decided to finish it up. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't great. But it was done.
D met me at Mile Marker 0 with Gatorade. It was glorious. We walked back to the car, ran some errands and then came home. I took a 3 hour nap and sat on the sofa the rest of the day.
12 Mile Comparison: 2010, 2011, and 2012
April2010 April2011 September2011 April 2012
Mile 1: 13:48 14:14 15:00 13:54
Mile 2: 14:19 14:19 14:32 13:40
Mile 3: 14:31 14:02 14:08 14:12
Mile 4: 14:36 13:35 14:07 14:07
Mile 5: 14:21 12:54 13:44 12:39
Mile 6: 15:28 14:22 14:02 13:43
Mile 7: 16:05 13:52 15:07 13:42
Mile 8: 15:17 13:59 14:15 13:36
Mile 9: 16:09 13:37 14:16 13:32
Mile 10: 16:17 13:20 14:02 14:42
Mile 11: 18:04 13:52 13:39 15:15
Mile 12: 18:03 14:05 13:55 16:07
Total: 3:07:03 (15:35/mi) 2:46:14 (13:51/mi) 2:50:55(14:14/mi) 2:49:10 (14:06/mi)
Weight I have lost
Monday, April 16, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
And I Saw This!
So I got this badge on Foursquare this morning.
Your congrats for the badge is, "Checking-in after 3am on a school night? Well done!" Well, it would be cool, except do you know where I was? At the gym, at 459 AM!!!!
Something is really wrong is really wrong with me that I would go there so early! So D and I decided to run.
We both decided to run 3 miles so we were in the same room.
Nothing was really exciting about the run. About a mile in, I decided to run 5 miles. I am a frequent checker of all things around me, so I was looking all around at my towel, my water bottle, my Gatorade bottle, and my HRM Watch. At 20 minutes I checked the HRM, and it was 160ish. Around 25 minutes, more people had arrived and D was done. I waved bye to him and looked around at the people and my feet. I watched some Psych. You know, occupied some space. At 34 minutes I looked at my watch. I saw this.
Ugh. Then it became a whole thing. I hit all the buttons, and nothing happened. This has happened once before and I knew I had to take the back of the watch off, but I certainly couldn't do it here. And I was doing 5 miles on the treadmill that I have to restart at 60 minutes. I have no pen. I have no phone (in the car). How am I going to remember all these numbers? That took me to 39 minutes. I checked the watch again. Still...
What to do. OK. Run for 10 more minutes and then think of a plan. So I did. It involved a lot of looking at this.
Can you believe it never changed? So I got up to 49 minutes and realized on was on pace to get a fast-for-me 5 miler. Of all the days!!!! So I decided I would watch the clock and the mileage and the calories on the tread mill. I hit stop at 53:00, 4.19 miles and 603 calories. I then restarted the treadmill.
I quickly calculated I had to run .81 miles (this actually took me .1 mile to figure out because I was trying to remember 603 and was confusing myself). Once I got that, I kept looking at the calories. Damn 22:38/165!!!!! The minutes ticked away and I finally reached .81 miles and I hit stop on the treadmill.
I ran 5 miles in 63:40, and 738 calories. I started my .5 miles walk at 3 mph (so I knew it would take 10 minutes) and kept repeating 63:40 738. I watched more Psych. When I was done, I left and texted D 5/6340/738 so I could remember. I know he just chalked it up to his nutso wife.
I sat in a meeting at work and looked at my watch. I saw
Gah! Luckily I found mini-screw drivers and took the battery out and back in.
All is well in the world!
 |
| The School Night Badge |
Your congrats for the badge is, "Checking-in after 3am on a school night? Well done!" Well, it would be cool, except do you know where I was? At the gym, at 459 AM!!!!
Something is really wrong is really wrong with me that I would go there so early! So D and I decided to run.
We both decided to run 3 miles so we were in the same room.
Nothing was really exciting about the run. About a mile in, I decided to run 5 miles. I am a frequent checker of all things around me, so I was looking all around at my towel, my water bottle, my Gatorade bottle, and my HRM Watch. At 20 minutes I checked the HRM, and it was 160ish. Around 25 minutes, more people had arrived and D was done. I waved bye to him and looked around at the people and my feet. I watched some Psych. You know, occupied some space. At 34 minutes I looked at my watch. I saw this.
Ugh. Then it became a whole thing. I hit all the buttons, and nothing happened. This has happened once before and I knew I had to take the back of the watch off, but I certainly couldn't do it here. And I was doing 5 miles on the treadmill that I have to restart at 60 minutes. I have no pen. I have no phone (in the car). How am I going to remember all these numbers? That took me to 39 minutes. I checked the watch again. Still...
What to do. OK. Run for 10 more minutes and then think of a plan. So I did. It involved a lot of looking at this.
Can you believe it never changed? So I got up to 49 minutes and realized on was on pace to get a fast-for-me 5 miler. Of all the days!!!! So I decided I would watch the clock and the mileage and the calories on the tread mill. I hit stop at 53:00, 4.19 miles and 603 calories. I then restarted the treadmill.
I quickly calculated I had to run .81 miles (this actually took me .1 mile to figure out because I was trying to remember 603 and was confusing myself). Once I got that, I kept looking at the calories. Damn 22:38/165!!!!! The minutes ticked away and I finally reached .81 miles and I hit stop on the treadmill.
I ran 5 miles in 63:40, and 738 calories. I started my .5 miles walk at 3 mph (so I knew it would take 10 minutes) and kept repeating 63:40 738. I watched more Psych. When I was done, I left and texted D 5/6340/738 so I could remember. I know he just chalked it up to his nutso wife.
I sat in a meeting at work and looked at my watch. I saw
Gah! Luckily I found mini-screw drivers and took the battery out and back in.
All is well in the world!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The Mixed-Up Kid
I can't believe it is 3 weeks until the half. I still don't know if I'm trained enough for it.
I was telling D about my attitude about the whole thing. Since I already got below 3 hours, I really don't care about getting faster. I'm just about enjoying myself. Except I do care when I'm on the treadmill (when I make it to the gym) or out for a long run. And my long runs are on roads I would have never dreamed of running prior to this training. They are hills. They roll. They incline slowly. They pitch straight up. I know they are there, and I choose to go up them. Down...I tend to walk. I have no clue what is going on in my head or my training.
My 9 and 10 mile run paces were all over the place from the moment, "Go!" My 7 mile was quite steady.
So I haven't been blogging because I don't know what to say. I'm slacking on my running except when I do it? I'm having a lot of fun looking around? When I'm out running, I'm looking around at neighborhoods, seeing people and places for the first time (despite driving past them every day). When I get back, I look at the times and go, "I guess I should have run faster." Who knows? The weather is gorgeous except for the pollen, so I'm going to continue to have fun and feel guilty all at the same time.
:P
I was telling D about my attitude about the whole thing. Since I already got below 3 hours, I really don't care about getting faster. I'm just about enjoying myself. Except I do care when I'm on the treadmill (when I make it to the gym) or out for a long run. And my long runs are on roads I would have never dreamed of running prior to this training. They are hills. They roll. They incline slowly. They pitch straight up. I know they are there, and I choose to go up them. Down...I tend to walk. I have no clue what is going on in my head or my training.
My 9 and 10 mile run paces were all over the place from the moment, "Go!" My 7 mile was quite steady.
So I haven't been blogging because I don't know what to say. I'm slacking on my running except when I do it? I'm having a lot of fun looking around? When I'm out running, I'm looking around at neighborhoods, seeing people and places for the first time (despite driving past them every day). When I get back, I look at the times and go, "I guess I should have run faster." Who knows? The weather is gorgeous except for the pollen, so I'm going to continue to have fun and feel guilty all at the same time.
:P
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Unrelated to Running
Of course, we all have seen this on Designing Women, or your dad tells this ditty repeatedly. I was reminded of it this morning, while in a meeting. It still makes me laugh.
Two ladies, a Yankee and a Southern Belle, are sitting next to each other on a plane. The Southern Belle turns to the Yankee and asks, "So, where y'all from?"
The Yankee replies, "I am from a place where we do not end our sentences with a preposition."
Without missing a beat, the Southern Belle bats her lashes and asks, "So, where y'all from, bitch?"
Two ladies, a Yankee and a Southern Belle, are sitting next to each other on a plane. The Southern Belle turns to the Yankee and asks, "So, where y'all from?"
The Yankee replies, "I am from a place where we do not end our sentences with a preposition."
Without missing a beat, the Southern Belle bats her lashes and asks, "So, where y'all from, bitch?"
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
No Statistics March
They are so out of whack, I'm not even going to bother.
Don't eat Chinese Food the day before a weigh-in, or you can gain 10 pounds overnight and seriously depress yourself.
Don't get sinus infection that falls into your chest and then go see the only doctor under the age of 50 in the free world who still gives out Amoxicillan instead of a Z-pack, thus delaying your running for a long time.
Don't think you can run 6 miles the day you're hosting a party.
Do focus on the fact you made your 8, 9 and 10 milers.
Do focus on the fact that you ran up a hill every time you've gone out for a run that made your car have trouble finding gears (automatic transmission) as you went up it.
Do focus on the fact that your new routes had your husband scratching his head of why you would run there (and not just for safety reasons). HILLS!!!
Do continue to find new recipes even if one of them is Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Cake.
Do focus on the fact that you are contemplating running 26.2 miles in the year 2013 to push yourself more than you ever thought you could.
Don't eat Chinese Food the day before a weigh-in, or you can gain 10 pounds overnight and seriously depress yourself.
Don't get sinus infection that falls into your chest and then go see the only doctor under the age of 50 in the free world who still gives out Amoxicillan instead of a Z-pack, thus delaying your running for a long time.
Don't think you can run 6 miles the day you're hosting a party.
Do focus on the fact you made your 8, 9 and 10 milers.
Do focus on the fact that you ran up a hill every time you've gone out for a run that made your car have trouble finding gears (automatic transmission) as you went up it.
Do focus on the fact that your new routes had your husband scratching his head of why you would run there (and not just for safety reasons). HILLS!!!
Do continue to find new recipes even if one of them is Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Cake.
Do focus on the fact that you are contemplating running 26.2 miles in the year 2013 to push yourself more than you ever thought you could.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
I'm alive, and I've Run 9 Miles
Long time no post...
I got sick (sinus infection fell into my chest), that took me out of work and life for a week, D went on a business trip that left me to clean the house myself (he did most of it when he got home) for the boys' birthday, and the pollen is out of control.
I did get a 5.68 walk in (instead of 7 miles) and I got in a 8 mile run (which was pathetic because it was with the sinus infection), and missed a whole bunch of running. Then I realized I had a month 'til my Half-Marathon and the shit was scared into me.
I got to the gym on Tuesday to run 5 miles. It sucks...I have to run in the hot room, because it takes me over an hour to run 5 miles. The TM's in the "cool room"...73 degrees... only last 60 minutes and I don't feel like starting over. So the hot room...75 degrees. I did that slowly (still don't have all my lung capacity back) and the next day did a 3miler. Had 5 miles for Thursday but then I realized I had a gift certificate that was expiring on Thursday for a brew pub, so you KNOW I had to go there.
Saturday came and I had 9 miles. Ugh. Pollen was really bad, so I took a Claritin-D. I didn't completely think that out. I drank 64 oz of water, D and I walked the dogs, and I was on my way. The first mile was pretty easy. I had told D I was going to a bit of an iffy area, and he said to be careful. My plan was thwarted by a train. So I turned around.
So I turned around and ran down back toward Turner Field. It was pretty boring and hilly. What's odd, are there are hills I'm scared of, and then I run up steeper ones because I can't see them when I first turn onto a road. I noticed I had a bit of "fire" going on in my thighs. I figured my compression pants had finally bit it and the hole on the inside of my thigh was rubbing. But I didn't know why the other thigh hurt. I got to the field and saw the parking lot I usually run in had a function going on (cars coming in and out). I also heard loud exhaust from the upper parking lot (some NOS function), so I ran in the Lexus Lot. I finally got to a walk interval and adjusted my pants. Then I noticed a women's motorcycle group hanging out in the parking lot. They were looking at me and laughing my adjustments. I smirked and restarted my run.
I ran up toward Oakland Cemetery. I got to the Greek Takeout place and decided to run to the Capital. I started toward the Capital but I didn't like the road, so I turned back around, and ran back toward the Cemetery. I realized my lips were glued shut and I was really hot. I had $1 in my pants, so I ran to the beer store and bought a water (mile 5.76). I wondered about the temp because it seemed really hot. It could have also be that I had no shade, or that Claritin. Whatever, I enjoyed the water. I ran slowly to the Cemetery and around it, and then I ran by the restaurants in the area. I was going to run through Cabbagetown, but realized I would be done and have a long walk back. I knew I could call D, but really didn't want to get in the habit of that (I called him after the 8 miler to come get me).
So I ran part of the route of the Grant Park Summer Shade 5K. Now why I would knowingly run PITA hills, I'm not sure. I got on BLVD and decided to run through the zoo top parking lot, rather than the sidewalk. I got out of the parking lot, and drank some more water. The road was really busy so I decided to walk to the end of the park, cross the street and run home.
I ran down the hill and got to the start of the incline up the last PITA hill. A guy who I ran by informed me that I was gorgeous even with the snot on my face. It made me laugh. 4 guys in a car wanted to know where McDonald's was. They probably thought I was a loon because I didn't know where it was (I was too disoriented...I did know where the Sonic was). I started up the hill. You can't avoid this hill, on this route and if you go down it, well there is one you have to go up (the one I just ran down). I got to a shortcut road and turned. I couldn't go up that damn hill any more. I was running at a 17 minute pace if you wanted to call it that. Anyway I ran down the hill and the watch dinged 9 miles (for all the walking and slowness, it was 16 minutes).
I walked home, .68 miles. I knew I was dehydrated.
Got home and quickly downed 2 bottles of Gatorade. In about 10 minutes, I felt/looked normal again. Except the thigh burning...2 chubrub burns on my thighs that Band-Aids are now covering. New pants are on order.
I got sick (sinus infection fell into my chest), that took me out of work and life for a week, D went on a business trip that left me to clean the house myself (he did most of it when he got home) for the boys' birthday, and the pollen is out of control.
I did get a 5.68 walk in (instead of 7 miles) and I got in a 8 mile run (which was pathetic because it was with the sinus infection), and missed a whole bunch of running. Then I realized I had a month 'til my Half-Marathon and the shit was scared into me.
I got to the gym on Tuesday to run 5 miles. It sucks...I have to run in the hot room, because it takes me over an hour to run 5 miles. The TM's in the "cool room"...73 degrees... only last 60 minutes and I don't feel like starting over. So the hot room...75 degrees. I did that slowly (still don't have all my lung capacity back) and the next day did a 3miler. Had 5 miles for Thursday but then I realized I had a gift certificate that was expiring on Thursday for a brew pub, so you KNOW I had to go there.
Saturday came and I had 9 miles. Ugh. Pollen was really bad, so I took a Claritin-D. I didn't completely think that out. I drank 64 oz of water, D and I walked the dogs, and I was on my way. The first mile was pretty easy. I had told D I was going to a bit of an iffy area, and he said to be careful. My plan was thwarted by a train. So I turned around.
 | ||
| Mile 1-- Behind the US Penitentiary |
 |
| Mile 4--Adjustments in the Lexus Lot...Olympic Flame |
So I ran part of the route of the Grant Park Summer Shade 5K. Now why I would knowingly run PITA hills, I'm not sure. I got on BLVD and decided to run through the zoo top parking lot, rather than the sidewalk. I got out of the parking lot, and drank some more water. The road was really busy so I decided to walk to the end of the park, cross the street and run home.
I ran down the hill and got to the start of the incline up the last PITA hill. A guy who I ran by informed me that I was gorgeous even with the snot on my face. It made me laugh. 4 guys in a car wanted to know where McDonald's was. They probably thought I was a loon because I didn't know where it was (I was too disoriented...I did know where the Sonic was). I started up the hill. You can't avoid this hill, on this route and if you go down it, well there is one you have to go up (the one I just ran down). I got to a shortcut road and turned. I couldn't go up that damn hill any more. I was running at a 17 minute pace if you wanted to call it that. Anyway I ran down the hill and the watch dinged 9 miles (for all the walking and slowness, it was 16 minutes).
I walked home, .68 miles. I knew I was dehydrated.
 |
| .45 miles into my walk home...Fat Fingers |
Thursday, March 1, 2012
February Totals
Totals for the month
I lost 1.1 pounds over the month for an annual total of 3 lbs. My birthday turned into a birthweek, so I know where the rocking loss I was experiencing went. But I got shots, Shamrock Shakes, Cookies, Fries, and Tacos out of my mind. Sometimes you just have to. But now I have to focus.
I kept my food journal every day...thus evidence and no, "I don't know why I didn't lose more."
I tried 16 new recipes.
I ran 53.67 miles in February. This makes my total for the year 90.89 miles.
Half-Marathon Training is in full gear. By days I completed 11 of 17 runs (64.7%). By mileage I completed 41.33 of 61.11 miles (67.6%).
I need to improve my commitment. I already knew this. I just don't know how to get the "spark" back. But I'll keep moving.
I did get a new Foursquare Badge yesterday.
I lost 1.1 pounds over the month for an annual total of 3 lbs. My birthday turned into a birthweek, so I know where the rocking loss I was experiencing went. But I got shots, Shamrock Shakes, Cookies, Fries, and Tacos out of my mind. Sometimes you just have to. But now I have to focus.
I kept my food journal every day...thus evidence and no, "I don't know why I didn't lose more."
I tried 16 new recipes.
I ran 53.67 miles in February. This makes my total for the year 90.89 miles.
Half-Marathon Training is in full gear. By days I completed 11 of 17 runs (64.7%). By mileage I completed 41.33 of 61.11 miles (67.6%).
I need to improve my commitment. I already knew this. I just don't know how to get the "spark" back. But I'll keep moving.
I did get a new Foursquare Badge yesterday.
 |
| Leap Year Badge, courtesy of Foursquare |
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