Finishing Week 4 of Training!!

I just got home from this week's long run! Woo! It was ten miles, so a little shorter than last week, but went okay. But hey, let's backtrack!

Friday was a 6 miler. It was ROUGH. I feel like my legs were pretty tight and that I really just struggled to get through it. I ended up with a just over 13 minute pace, which I guess isn't awful. I was disappointed, because I did so well on the 6 miler I had done earlier in the week that I thought I could continue on at that pace. Unfortunately that didn't work out on Friday. It was definitely hotter on Friday, too. I did persevere and finish, though. I didn't really want to during some of the run, buuut... I did it. I finished at just over 6 miles at a 13-something pace. Not terrible.. but not incredible either. Oh well.

(Shout out to Kath though. I sat down and called her and asked her to say encouraging things in the middle of my run. She came out and met me to keep me company on the run back home.)

Today, I had 10 miles! First, I worked this morning, which made me more tired than I anticipated. I got home and got changed to run without being too mopey about it. (I'm actually starting to get excited about this running thing, which is SO cool. and unexpected.) Kath went with me! We usually go out and back on a path near our apartment, but this time we decided to keep going when we got to the end of the path. We went around and back on the sidewalks rather than the path, which was fun. Sometimes, it's exhausting going out and then turning back. It was fun to change it up!

We had a great pace (about 14:30 for the first 7 miles) Then we slowed to a walk. My left hip was starting to bother me a little. It almost felt like it was tight and that it needed stretched out. I stopped and stretched a handful of times, but it only would get better for like fifteen minutes and then tighten up again. I'm a little worried about it, but tomorrow is a rest day and then on Tuesday, I'll just see how it feels when it's time to run again. I'll make a decision on Tuesday about whether I should run or not. Fortunately, this week at work should be pretty easy. I don't have stocking shifts and the shifts that I do have are pretty short. I won't be straining my muscles, that's for sure.

I'm really sore right now. It's weird how achy my muscles get after a long run. I'm really not accustomed to it, considering how awful I have been at following through with training for races. This is the first race that I've actually trained properly for. Crazy.

And with that... Week four of training is now complete. Oh SNAP!

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 361.44 miles/197 days
To go: 638.56 miles/169 days

(almost in the 400s! Wooo)

Chicago Training Day 18

I was soo slow today. I'm actually a little bit disappointed in myself. I intended to push it pretty hard, but that didn't really happen. It was hotter than yesterday, although I left at the same time. Today, I was on more of a time crunch, too. (Zoe had an appointment at the vet this evening. Routine check up, but we wanted to get there early so that we could fill out paperwork. Today was our first time trying this vet.)

(Zoe)

Anyways, I left at 4, thinking that I could be back, showered, and dressed by 5. By the time I was a half mile in, I knew that it was going to be a tough run today. It was a four miler, but my legs were super tired from yesterday. I walked way more than I wanted to.. and my pace was 15-something. I'm a little disappointed. At the same time, though, I'm glad that I got out there and did it. I ended with exactly 4 miles, which was really surprising. I'm not used to getting exact numbers when I run.. unless I'm on the treadmill. (which I despise..)

I've been really missing personal training a lot. I haven't hit the gym since spring semester ended in May. I feel like my body has gotten flabbier over the past two months and that I really need to make a change. ...the problem is that I'm really not getting many hours at work, so I can't really afford going back to it until I find another job. I'm toying around with the idea of working at a gym. I feel like it would be a major motivator for me, while helping pay the bills. I've NEVER worked the low amount of hours that I've recently been working. It's frustrating. I guess I need a full time job, but it's going to be difficult to manage when the semester starts again. hmm...

Also... I'm really getting frustrated with the amount of laundry that I'm going through. I'm continually running out of shorts, spandex, and sports bras. I feel like I'm constantly rewashing stuff, just to dirty it up again. Sad.

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 345.24 miles/194 days
To go: 654.76 miles/172 days

Exciting Run!! (Chicago Training Days 16 and 17)

I'm so excited about my run today!!! (I'm also not sure I have ever actually written that in a blog post before.) Bear with me, though, because I have two training runs to write about.

Let's start with yesterday, because, chronologically, Tuesday comes before Wednesday. I do kind of enjoy being chronological from time to time.

Yesterday was a 4 mile "easy" run. I really struggled with it for some reason. I think that my muscles were pretty tight from work. I probably should have stretched before I went out to run. Actually, I generally should stretch more than I do.

Anyhow, yesterday was a really tough four miler. My pace ended up being close to 15 minutes per mile, which was awful, because it was such a short run. I walked almost the same amount as I ran. I'm a little disappointed in myself, but I am glad that I got the mileage in. I know that I took so much time off of running for several months, which is much of why it is so difficult to get myself back to where I was before. (Although where I was before really wasn't so impressive either.)

I guess that it wasn't terrible and I didn't only walk the entire time. I switched it up a little. I'm going to try adding some stretching into my routing.

--

Today was a 6 miler. I went into it with a little bit of a pessimistic attitutde. I thought that I would probably be too slow and actually spent several hours putting running off this morning. (the threat of thunderstorms did not help push me out the door.) Eventually, after I ran out of excuses (and bad television to watch. ha.), I got dressed for my run and went outside.

My first mile was just over twelve minutes which was decent. I can (and usually do) run my first mile in a little over ten minutes and then continuously slow my pace for the rest of the run. I decided to try to push it a little bit more than usual today. When I checked my average pace again, when I was at about two miles, I was at about a 12:20 pace, so I had cut some time off. That wasn't too bad, so I kept pushing it. At three miles, I had slown down a little and was at a 12:58 pace. That's when I decided that I'd finish in under 13 minutes.

I don't believe that I've ever run a training race longer than 3 miles in under a 13 pace. Even my fastest half marathon is at just OVER a 13 minute pace. I just checked and the only 10k race that I've done was a 12:08 pace. I think that's the only time I've actually run a decent distance at that pace.

Anyways, I finished in a 12:55 pace. I slowed down a lot during the last mile. I tried really hard to continue pushing it, but just had to slow down. I am definitely a little disappointed in that, because, at 5 miles, I was at 12:45.

However, I'm really excited that I finished in the time that I did! I feel like I'm starting to finally improve in ways that I was beginning to give up on.

The only major change that I need to make is that I  need to crosstrain and that I need to start lifting weights more. I haven't lifted in a long time. ...and I miss it. Just a thought...

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 341.24 miles/193 days
To go: 658.76 miles/173 days

Chicago Training: Day 15

Intense day! I'm already almost out of time before I have to leave to go to work. Boo!

Katherine and I got up and went for a 6 miler this morning with one goal: make it home in time to shower and go to church... and we did it! I feel like I finally was able to push myself a little harder today than I have in a while, though my pace still hasn't EVER gotten to my race pace during a training run. I know I can get there. I also know that I took several months of being a lazy "runner" and only running a few times a month. Now, though, I feel like I'm improving a lot and that I can get there.

Anyways, today finished out week three of training! It's really hard to believe that I'm three weeks into this and that Chicago is three months away (exactly!) from yesterday. Life is pretty intense.

I'm looking forward to my rest day tomorrow. I might go for a short ride on the spin bike and do a little bit of lifting. (I do really need to start incorporating weight training.) Otherwise, I'm going to read a little and work on getting a "grown up" job. It's time that I work full time... mostly so that I can afford more races. (and have health insurance when I'm kicked off of my mom's insurance in October. Am I really less than three months from being 26...?!)

Anyways... fun, busy day so far. Now work time. (less fun... but that's okay.)

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 330.94 miles/190 days
To go: 669.06 miles/176 days

Chicago Training: Days 12, 13, 14

Once again: decent runner, terrible blogger. Oops.

I'm still working on the training thing. haha. It's a little crazy how excited I am about my ridiculous tan lines. I'm pretty sure I haven't had this crazy of a tan since right after my senior year of high school when I played softball and went to the lake all summer. I just need to get to the pool sometime so even out my lines a little bit.

Today, Katherine and I did a long run. 11 miles. I slept later than I wanted to, unfortunately, so I started my run later than I had intended. That may have been a little bit stupid, because it was pretty hot out, but I really just want to get my body accustomed to running in the heat so that I can do it during a race if I need to. I took it pretty slow today. I'd say that I almost was too slow. I'm a little disappointed in my pace, but at least we went out there and finished it. It was a pretty rough run. Extremely.

We ended up walking a lot and our water got really hot, which was awful. But we did persevere and finish. Well, I think that I ended up with about a mile longer than Kath, because she went home before me. It was fun, though. I'm getting really excited about my training. I'm pretty nervous about Chicago, but I think that I will be okay. I just need to start working on my pace. I think that I need a goal finishing time, but I'm not sure what that should be.

and quickly...
Training days 12 & 13 were good! Day 12 was a 6 mile run that ended up a little over 6 and a half. We went in the morning on the 4th, whih was fun! I was glad that Katherine was off so that we could run together. Day 13 was a quick run in the early afternoon. I ran 4 miles before I went to meet a friend for lunch and finish up birthday shopping for Kath. It was a pretty easy run.

--
I've also been thinking more about how, eventually, I'd like to try a tri. I really need to start saving up for a nice bike. I have my spin bike that I love, but I do also need to be able to train outdoors. The bike that I have now is functional, but not great.
--

Tomorrow is a 6 miler! Woo hoo!

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 324.93 miles/189 days
To go: 675.07 miles/177 days

Week THREE of Chicago training: Day 11

"Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself." -John Bingham

 Today I ran 4  miles... it was reaaally hot. I was really slow, which was okay. At this point, with the  heat the way that it is, I'm just glad that I'm getting the distance accomplished and I'm less worried about the speed. I'll definitely get there with my speed, but right now is not the time.

Now I have to work, so this blog post isn't too exciting. haha.

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 303.24 miles/185 days
To go: 696.76 miles/183 days

Finishing out week TWO: Days 9 and 10

I've been doing okay at my running, but terrible at my blogging about it. Oops!

My work schedule has been a little different this week than the past few weeks. I've been working a lot more during the day and not at night, which makes it a little tough. I LOVE running during the day, when it is beautiful outside. Running at night creeps me out a little bit, although it is a little cooler out. It's a give and take, I guess.

Anyways, so instead of running before work, I've been running after work, which has been pretty intense. I'm trying not to overexert myself. At the same time, I don't want to miss any training runs unless I really need to. It just is really difficult to time manage.. and I know that it is going to get worse. School starts again in a month and a half. (right about at the time when training is really going to kick up.)

...I'm getting really overwhelmed.

It has been crazy hot out for a week or so. (ever since the week of rain ended. ...I complain too much.) So I've been running at an extremely slow pace. Extremely. Is snail crawl a pace? ha. I'm kidding. A little. I have SO many races to think about, which I love. I'm just so overwhelmed. Starting Labor Day weekend, I literally have at least one race a month until... January (unless I decide to do the Princess again next year. That's probably ...a 70% chance). That feels intense to me. Add school, plus I REALLY need a full time job. ...it all feels like a lot right now.

I'm a decent time manager. I just have to prioritize my "free" time in order to get important things accomplish. (that is a task that I am working on... and slowly improving.)

I ran 9 miles today. It was really tough at first, but I got into it at about mile 3 or so. Then I did pretty well. I cut a few minutes off of my 9 miler from last week. I think I'm doing okay. I just wish I was doing better. I know that there is definitely room for improvement. Always.

My long run for week three is 11 miles. Kath and I have planned out our route and everything. We're going to run to Panera and back! I'm excited.

(shout out to Megi for being encouraging while I had a brief freak out about everything to do with running. I love having friends that run.)

Goal: 1000 miles/366 days
So far: 299.1 miles/184 days
To go: 700.9 miles/182 days

(p.s. OMG. 299?! I should've thrown in an extra mile for good measure!)