Tuesday, February 28, 2012

too much too soon.

I was supposed to have a training session today, but my trainer called and cancelled, unfortunately. My plan was to train with him and then put in a few miles on the treadmill. By a few, I was planning on 3-4ish miles. Instead, I didn't train and I decided to shoot for 7 miles.

When I decided to run 7 miles, I didn't think about how my legs would probably feel, considering I raced over the weekend. I did check the weather, but it lied to me (I think). So I went out and, initially, my run went pretty well. I was at a 13 minute pace for the first three miles, but then I started to feel a little miserable. It was hot- probably in the mid 80s rather than the low 70s like I thought it was supposed to be. I started to cramp up in my stomach AND my legs felt like bricks. By that point, though, I was three miles away from my apartment, so there was no quick way to get home. I sat down on a bench for a little bit, but then got up and kept moving.

I decided to try to stick it out, so I ran to the end of the trail that I usually take when I go run, then I turned around and came back. I ran/walked the majority of the way back, but still felt a little awful. I ended up walking the last mile and didn't quite finish out the entire 7 miles (6.76 was my final distance). When I got home, I was still in a lot of pain and couldn't really get around. I think part of it was that I was really dehydrated, because, although I brought water with me, it was much hotter than I anticipated. I definitely lost a lot of body fluid due to sweat.

I even thought about skipping class because I felt so miserable, but I sucked it up and went.

Anyways, the moral of the story is: I need to spend more time listening to my body when I run. I need to stop expecting too much out of myself or I'll never accomplish the goals that I've set. I definitely set myself up for a tough run today. I'm glad I was able to make it home semi-okay, but it was probably a bad idea that I went as far as I did.

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 155.96 miles/59 days
To go: 844.04 miles/307 days

Monday, February 27, 2012

Race Recap: Disney's Princess Half Marathon and 5k

So, I ran a couple of races this weekend. Now, I'm exhausted, but it was well worth all of it.

Disney's Royal Family 5k (Saturday)

I ran on Saturday with Paula, a friend from work. The race started at 7, which was much better than the Disney 5k that I ran back in January. As usual, I made Katherine come with me to spectate... and in typical Disney Race fashion, we got there way earlier than we had to be there, but it wasn't too bad. We had some spontaneous dance party time, so it was worth it. Soon, Paula got there, and then eventually, it was time to get in our 'chutes' (since there were no official corrals).

Paula and I decided to run together. It was her first ever race and I was excited to be there for it. We made decent time, doing a walk/run combination to the finish. We stopped for a picture with Snow White and Dopey, then made our way to the finish.

After we were done, we hung out at EPCOT until Paula had to go to work. (poor girl, I would have been exhausted.) Kath and I played in the parks until we we close to collapse from exhaustion.



Overall, it was a great race and lots of fun. I really enjoy doing the 5ks, because so many people are so cheerful during the whole thing. Disney does it right. 

Disney's Princess Half Marathon (Sunday)

I was so nervous about the half marathon, because last year, I almost got picked up by the sweeper. I was terrified and I felt like I had to prove something to myself by not getting picked up. I started in an earlier corral this year than last, so I was excited about that...  but still nervous. Katherine came again as my favorite spectator (what a trooper!). 

The walk to the corrals was backed up for some reason- I think too many people stopped at the port-a-potties that were halfway down the trail, which caused a lot of congestion. I didn't get to my actual corral until during the National Anthem, which made me nervous initially, but there was still a lot of time until the start. I talked to a lady who said that she had run the Goofy Challenge in 2011 (I was wearing my shirt) and was wondering what other races we had done together. Then it was time! I was actually starting to feel a little excited about it. 

When our corral started, I decided to run it out and not take walking breaks until the crowd thinned out a little. Then my shoe came untied. (ugh!!!) So I had to stop before I even got to the first mile, when the crowd was extremely thick, just to tie my shoe. I heard Katherine yelling for me in the dark, but I couldn't see her, so I waved and kept going. When I just passed the marker for mile 2, I passed paramedics and a poor lady who had gone down on the route. :( So sad. 

I stopped for a picture right before the Magic Kingdom with all of the heroes, just like I did last year. This year, it was still dark out when I got there, so I took that as a good sign! haha. When I was waiting there, the winner passed by on the next street. She had a 3-4 minute lead and looked like she wasn't slowing down at all. Amazing.


I was starting to feel some cramps in my abdomen for a few miles when I got to the TTC, so I was glad to see Katherine waiting for me. I stopped and got some ibuprofen from her and kept going... after a quick port-a-potty stop. I knew I had to make good time, because I wanted to stop for pictures, but I also wanted to keep a 14-something minute pace. The bathroom stop and the intense crowding in some areas kept me in the low 15-minute pace time, but that was alright. 

Running through the Magic Kingdom was fun as it always is! I stopped for some of the pictures, but none with extremely long lines.. just because I didn't want to cut it too closely. Usually the stretch behind the Magic Kingdom (mile 7-8) has been pretty mentally tough for me, but it went okay that time. I used a few Gu gels that I brought with me, which helped propel me along the route. 

Kath was waiting in front of the Polynesian and she ran with me for a minute or so and it was good to see her. It helped get me through the rest of the race. 


When I got to mile 10 and then ran up the exit ramp toward mile 11, I knew that I had redeemed myself from last year. I couldn't even see the end of the line of people behind me. I had stopped for pictures and for a bathroom break and I was still at a 15:15 pace, which, naturally, is much slower than my typical pace, but decent for a Disney race, where I care less about time and more about pictures and fun. At that point, I knew I could do it.

It started pouring when I was at mile 11-12, which was rough, because the rain was so cold. I just sped up in order to push through and finish, because I was almost there. I was a little disappointed,  because I knew that Mrs. Incredible was up ahead of me, but I knew I wouldn't be able to stop and see her. She went back in the trailer due to the rain. I was definitely disappointed.

Then I saw my favorite spectator (well second favorite, considering Kath's been to almost every race that I've run that she hasn't run to spectate)... the lady in the power wheelchair with the sign that says "hey stranger, I'm proud of you!" That definitely got me to speed up for the last mile of the race. 

I finished with a "Disney PR", just meaning that I ran faster than I've run for any of the other Disney races- even though my time is about 30 minutes slower than my real PR, it's okay. I love Disney races for the entertainment and the pictures. Amazing. 



Time to start training for my next challenge!

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 149.2 miles/58 days
To go: 850.8 miles/308 days

Saturday, February 18, 2012

very hot 7 mile run today.

Happy Saturday!

Last night, I had to close stock, so I was at work until about 2 am or so, which made me not really anticipate being able to get up and run today. I was hoping that I'd  be able to, though. And I was!

I ended up waking up at 10 this morning and hung around a little bit before I went out for a run. For some reason, I definitely didn't check the weather before I left and it was almost unbearably hot for a little bit. I also wore a cotton t-shirt rather than a moisture wicking shirt, so that probably didn't help my heat and the sweating.  It was definitely a tough run. I ended up finishing 7 miles, though, which was my goal. I was a little slower than I wanted my pace to be, but maybe I just set my goals a little high. I don't know.

I am glad that I've started getting myself  moving again. It's fantastic that I got myself running again after a short-ish dry spell. I haven't been able to get myself out there after a dry spell very well before (usually it takes a race or someone pushing me out the door). I'm glad that I was able to do it. Yay me.

I'm getting pretty excited for my race next weekend! I'm actually shocked that it's next week! Princess Half Marathon Weekend. I'm hoping that I'll be able to do well without being overly paranoid about the fact that last year at the Princess Half Marathon, I almost got picked up by the sweeper. I was definitely injured and had a sprained ankle and I know that was part of the reason that I had such a hard time. The only problem is that it has been stuck in my mind ever since. I just don't want to ever be so close to the sweeper bus again. Ever. In my life.

I hate to cut it short, but I have to head to work (boo!).

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 132.62 miles/49 days
To go: 867.38 miles/317 days

Thursday, February 16, 2012

back at it. again.

I haven't blogged in a while. Frankly, I haven't run in a while. :( Oops. I've been kind of overwhelmed with life.

Sometimes, it feels like I'm just a quitter. I mean, I've never trained very well for a race and I didn't meet my goal for 1000 miles in a year the last time that I tried it. I wished that I would have a good job by now, but I don't. I think that I do spend too much time focusing on my failures rather than on the positive parts of my life. It's something that I definitely need to work on.

The past week and a half (or so) since I've really run have been pretty mentally tough. I've been overwhelmed with work and school, which has been getting to me.. and has caused  me to avoid running a little bit. I just "haven't felt like it"- which is the oldest excuse in the book. I do need to try to work on being more positive and remembering that running is a great escape when I need it.

I also haven't strength trained in a while, which is another thing that I need to get back to. I miss it. I'm planning to go to the gym tonight after I get out of class.

Anyways, today I went out there for a middle-distance type run. It was almost six and a half miles and it went okay. I was having some muscle cramps in my thigh, which I think are related to something that I did at work.. (too much heavy lifting. lol) It went okay, a little slower than I like, but that's okay. At least I got out there and pushed it.

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 125.16 miles/46 days
To go: 874.84 miles/320 days

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Florida Hospital's Lady Track Shack 5k: Race Recap

Race recap time!

Today was another 5k. I really need to stop getting up so early on Saturdays after Friday night closings. It's exhausting, but it's hard to say no to a good 5k every so often.

Today was Florida Hospital's Lady Track Shack 5k. I went into it without wanting a specific time, like last time. I disappointed myself in not being able to finish in 12 minute miles, because I honestly thought that I should be able to have done it. This time, I just wanted to PR. I was mad last week that I didn't PR, but that I tied it, exactly, to the last second. This week, I didn't really fret much about it.

It was a women's only race that ran through part of Winter Park. Once again, I was a little bit frustrated that too many people started in the beginning of the race who just wanted to walk. It's always tough to run a small-ish race without corrals, because at the beginning, it can definitely get pretty crowded. Other than that, I felt like I was doing a decent job to start the race off. I was keeping pretty good pace for the first mile, about 11 minute miles, but I knew I didn't have the endurance to keep that up.

The second mile, I walked a little bit, but still did an okay job, I thought. The third was the same. When I was at about mile 2.5, I could tell that I was pretty likely to beat my PR, unless something crazy happened. I was at an 11:40(ish) pace, which was well below the 12 minute pace that I wanted. I decided to push it at the end and push past the 11:40's, maybe ending in an 11:30(ish) pace. Not bad.

I ended up finishing in 35:50, at an 11:32.0 pace. I'm pleased. Not too shabby if I say so myself. Ha.

Anyways, off to work.

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 118.69 miles/ 35 days
To go: 881.31 miles/331 days