I’m up to 33 miles now…which is not too shabby! I had hoped to get all the way to 39 miles before January but I think I’m going to be stuck at topping off at 36 since I need to get some tapering done. The mileage difference isn’t enough to make it a real issue for me, I think, but it’s simply easier to run all of the miles and then run then again…if that makes sense…? I guess I could say that it’s easier on my body to have done the full length before the actual day…but 36 miles are close enough so I’m happy with it.
It has been rather chilly in Florida lately—not that I’m complaining!! I honestly prefer the cooler weather to what I was dealing with back in August. I usually will warm up during a run but cooling off in the sauna of Florida is really difficult…and I’m always a bit worried about heat stress during the summer.
I’m TDY right now so I had to break up my run into more days this time (I refuse to get up before 0400 so 6ish miles is about what I can get in before I go to work). I did a 6/6/6/15 split, so here are my times for those:
Wednesday: (1-6)
Distance: 6 miles
Total time: 1:15:56
Average pace: 12:39
Best pace: 0923
Weather: 40*, humidity 83% (feels like 36*)
Song o’ the run: “Uprising” (Muse)
Thursday: (7-12)
Distance: 6 miles
Total time: 1:15:56
Average pace: 12:39
Best pace: 0902
Weather: 30*, humidity 90% (feels like 24*)
Song o’ the run: “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” (The Proclaimers)
Friday: (13-18)
Distance: 6 miles
Total time: 1:11:49
Average pace: 11:58
Best pace: 0839
Weather: 37*, humidity 87% (feels like 33*)
Song o’ the run: “Barbie Girl” (Aqua)
Saturday: (19-33)
Distance: 15 miles
Total time: 3:08
Average pace: 12:36
Best pace: 0848
Weather: 47*, humidity 62% (feels like 47*
Song o’ the run: “Intergalactic” (Beastie Boys)
I’ve managed to collect $700 so far! Woo-hoo; thanks so much to everyone that has donated!!!
I’m hoping to be able to get the total up to an even $1K, but I only have about four more weeks of training left. So please donate, if you can!!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Week 21
Okay, so…my 30-mile run got bumped another weekend because of an illness in my husband’s family. But everything seems to be going much better now, in that regard, so I was able to complete my run this weekend.
I had intended to go for a 10/10/10 split, but my first five mile run on Saturday was so good that I didn’t want to mess it up by running the second one, lol. But I did get everything done over four days instead of three (a 10/5/10/5 split) and here are my stats for those runs:
Friday: (1-10)
Distance: 10 miles
Total time: 2:15:57
Average pace: 13:36
Best pace: 9:37
Weather: 39*, 57% humidity (feels like 34*)
Song o’ the run: “G6” (Far East Movement)
Saturday: (11-15)
Distance: 5 miles
Total time: 1:06:53
Average pace: 13:15
Best pace: 8:55
Weather: 40*, 64% humidity (feels like 40*)
Song o’ the run: “Tik Tok” (Ke$ha)
Sunday:
(16-20)
Distance: 5 miles
Total time: 1:04:45
Average pace: 12:57
Best pace: 8:52
Weather: 55*, 87% humidity (feels like 55*)
Song o’ the run: “Beautiful Dirty Rich” (Lady Gaga)
(21-25)
Distance: 5 miles
Total time: 1:05:07
Average pace: 13:01
Best pace: 8:42
Song o’ the run: “Walk Like An Egyptian” (The Bangles)
Monday:
(26-30)
Distance: 5 miles
Total time: 1:10:30
Average pace: 14:06
Best pace: 9:21
Weather: 64*, 94% humidity (feels like 64*)
Song o’ the run: “Put A Ring On It” (Beyonce)
My last run (on Monday) was kinda poopy—I have a PT test next Tuesday and when my calf really began to hurt during the run I decided to walk it and save my muscles for that instead of pushing out the last mile or so. But I feel like I accomplished something…mainly running 30 miles.
I’ve managed to collect $550 so far! I’m hoping to be able to get the total up to an even $1K, but I only have about seven more weeks of training left!! So please donate, if you can!!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Week 19
Week 19
I have to tell you about my bike ride before I talk about last weekend’s run…I did it. All 100 miles of the P-Nut Douville Memorial Bike Ride. It. Was. Awesome.
And exhausting. Though not in the running a marathon kind of way…hard to explain, but in some ways the marathon and a half over two is way more difficult. I think mainly because of all the impact of running, but biking that far definitely had its challenges. Like pressure. On my butt. For a really, really long time.
The scenery was beautiful and the company was good. I kept a pretty steady pace the whole time, though around mile seventy I really conked out…but by then, what was thirty more miles, lol?? On the way out, the bridge into Port St Joe was simply a really nice challenge. The way back, I swear that thing turned into Mount Everest. It was a painfully long climb, especially since that was right about mile seventy.
Okay, I had to get that out there. Unfortunately, I think the 27-mile run followed the next weekend’s 100-mile bike ride really wore me out, so my 30-mile weekend turned into a 20-mile weekend. So, it’s another re-do run. I’m going to Vegas this weekend (UFC fight!!!!!!); the next run will be in a couple of weeks.
But here are the stats for last weekend:
Friday:
Distance: 5 miles
Total time: 1:00:38
Average pace: 12:08
Best pace: 9:00
Weather: 41*, 75% humidity (feels like 41*)
Song o’ the run: “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (Metallica)
Saturday:
Distance: 15 miles
Total time: 3:20:22
Average pace: 13:21
Best pace: 9:24
Weather: 44*, 70% humidity (feels like 44*)
Song o’ the run: “Suds in the Bucket” (Sara Evens)
I have to tell you about my bike ride before I talk about last weekend’s run…I did it. All 100 miles of the P-Nut Douville Memorial Bike Ride. It. Was. Awesome.
And exhausting. Though not in the running a marathon kind of way…hard to explain, but in some ways the marathon and a half over two is way more difficult. I think mainly because of all the impact of running, but biking that far definitely had its challenges. Like pressure. On my butt. For a really, really long time.
The scenery was beautiful and the company was good. I kept a pretty steady pace the whole time, though around mile seventy I really conked out…but by then, what was thirty more miles, lol?? On the way out, the bridge into Port St Joe was simply a really nice challenge. The way back, I swear that thing turned into Mount Everest. It was a painfully long climb, especially since that was right about mile seventy.
Okay, I had to get that out there. Unfortunately, I think the 27-mile run followed the next weekend’s 100-mile bike ride really wore me out, so my 30-mile weekend turned into a 20-mile weekend. So, it’s another re-do run. I’m going to Vegas this weekend (UFC fight!!!!!!); the next run will be in a couple of weeks.
But here are the stats for last weekend:
Friday:
Distance: 5 miles
Total time: 1:00:38
Average pace: 12:08
Best pace: 9:00
Weather: 41*, 75% humidity (feels like 41*)
Song o’ the run: “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (Metallica)
Saturday:
Distance: 15 miles
Total time: 3:20:22
Average pace: 13:21
Best pace: 9:24
Weather: 44*, 70% humidity (feels like 44*)
Song o’ the run: “Suds in the Bucket” (Sara Evens)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Week 17
Twenty-seven miles is far. Really, really, really far…maybe not so bad in a car or on a bike but running it is…well, far.
I survived without too much drama. No flying dogs or anything too crazy…just running for a few hours; but it did give me time to think. One of the things I thought about was the question that people normally ask me when they find out I want to run the Goofy Challenge again: why?
Simple question, though the answer is a bit more difficult. When I returned from Iraq on my 2007 WIT deployment, I wanted to run a marathon…mainly because I was alive. So not too long after my return, I signed up for a half marathon and thought I’d give it a try. The training was not good—I was guessing how to do it and hoped for the best. I tried to learn how to eat while running (which made me yak…thankfully my body got used to it fairly quickly) and basically hoped for the best. So when I ran the half, I got to mile 13 and thought, “This. Is. Insane. These people are insane and the ones running the full marathon need to get their heads examined,” and I thought I was done with it.
Fast forward six months. I’m in Florida and I signed up for a running club—mostly to watch my weight and to make certain I would do okay with PT test. And after talking to the people who got the club together, I decided to run another one. But this time, not a half marathon…nope, I signed up for the full one. In four months. For some people that may have worked…the couple in charge of the run club had philosophy: “if you can run 18 miles, you can run 26.” But I’m here to tell you—for my body to run 26 miles, 18 miles was not NEARLY far enough for training. I crashed out around mile 20, limped along to mile around 22 and I had to walk about the last four miles of that run—it took forever.
But I did notice that I was feeling better. I’m a very high-strung/tense person and I had some serious issues after my year in Iraq (which lends to the EOD theme I have for running…I was deployed with them; but the kind of job I normally do did not prepare for what I saw and did). But it was therapy for me. Just to keep moving, to feel so challenged and alive…as much as I still (!) don’t like the actual physical act of running, I love the challenge, I love proving that yes, I can go that far. I love saying things like, “yeah, I did 27 miles this weekend” and seeing the expression on people’s faces as they do the math.
And now I can’t seem to stop! I get chaffing in the worst places (sports bras are not kind to sensitive skin when you sweat in them for hours), dehydration headaches, leg cramps, exhaustion, sunburns, it’s extremely time consuming…and yet I know I’ll probably sign up for the challenge yet again in 2013, provided my job allows my schedule to let that happen.
So here are the stats for the runs:
Saturday:
Distance: 13.5 miles
Total time: 3:10:07
Average pace: 14:05
Best pace: 8:58
Weather: 67*, 80% humidity (feels like 67*)
Song o’ the run: “Alejandro” (Lady Gaga)
Monday:
Distance: 10 miles
Total time: 2:15:18
Average pace: 13:32
Best pace: 9:17
Weather: 67*, 85% humidity (feels like 67*)
Song o’ the run: “Bathwater” (No Doubt)
Quick break (about 10 minutes) and then finished the last 3.5
Distance: 3.5 miles
Total time: 46:40 (3:01:58 complete time)
Average pace: 13:20
Best pace: 10:04
Weather: 66*, 82% humidity (feels like 66*)
Song o’ the run: “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” (Georgia Satellites)
I’m up to $550!!! Please donate, if you can! =^)
P.S. For you, Gibby--I miss you.
I survived without too much drama. No flying dogs or anything too crazy…just running for a few hours; but it did give me time to think. One of the things I thought about was the question that people normally ask me when they find out I want to run the Goofy Challenge again: why?
Simple question, though the answer is a bit more difficult. When I returned from Iraq on my 2007 WIT deployment, I wanted to run a marathon…mainly because I was alive. So not too long after my return, I signed up for a half marathon and thought I’d give it a try. The training was not good—I was guessing how to do it and hoped for the best. I tried to learn how to eat while running (which made me yak…thankfully my body got used to it fairly quickly) and basically hoped for the best. So when I ran the half, I got to mile 13 and thought, “This. Is. Insane. These people are insane and the ones running the full marathon need to get their heads examined,” and I thought I was done with it.
Fast forward six months. I’m in Florida and I signed up for a running club—mostly to watch my weight and to make certain I would do okay with PT test. And after talking to the people who got the club together, I decided to run another one. But this time, not a half marathon…nope, I signed up for the full one. In four months. For some people that may have worked…the couple in charge of the run club had philosophy: “if you can run 18 miles, you can run 26.” But I’m here to tell you—for my body to run 26 miles, 18 miles was not NEARLY far enough for training. I crashed out around mile 20, limped along to mile around 22 and I had to walk about the last four miles of that run—it took forever.
But I did notice that I was feeling better. I’m a very high-strung/tense person and I had some serious issues after my year in Iraq (which lends to the EOD theme I have for running…I was deployed with them; but the kind of job I normally do did not prepare for what I saw and did). But it was therapy for me. Just to keep moving, to feel so challenged and alive…as much as I still (!) don’t like the actual physical act of running, I love the challenge, I love proving that yes, I can go that far. I love saying things like, “yeah, I did 27 miles this weekend” and seeing the expression on people’s faces as they do the math.
And now I can’t seem to stop! I get chaffing in the worst places (sports bras are not kind to sensitive skin when you sweat in them for hours), dehydration headaches, leg cramps, exhaustion, sunburns, it’s extremely time consuming…and yet I know I’ll probably sign up for the challenge yet again in 2013, provided my job allows my schedule to let that happen.
So here are the stats for the runs:
Saturday:
Distance: 13.5 miles
Total time: 3:10:07
Average pace: 14:05
Best pace: 8:58
Weather: 67*, 80% humidity (feels like 67*)
Song o’ the run: “Alejandro” (Lady Gaga)
Monday:
Distance: 10 miles
Total time: 2:15:18
Average pace: 13:32
Best pace: 9:17
Weather: 67*, 85% humidity (feels like 67*)
Song o’ the run: “Bathwater” (No Doubt)
Quick break (about 10 minutes) and then finished the last 3.5
Distance: 3.5 miles
Total time: 46:40 (3:01:58 complete time)
Average pace: 13:20
Best pace: 10:04
Weather: 66*, 82% humidity (feels like 66*)
Song o’ the run: “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” (Georgia Satellites)
I’m up to $550!!! Please donate, if you can! =^)
P.S. For you, Gibby--I miss you.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Week 15
Last weekend’s run went soooo much better! I did 8 miles on Friday, 4 miles on Saturday and 12 miles on Sunday, for a total of 24 miles. Nothing too crazy went on during the runs, though the original intention was for me to do 8/8/8 instead of 8/4/12….but I did the 4 mile run after a night of drinking, so the fact I got in 4 miles made me pretty happy…though it wasn’t pretty, lol!
Here are my stats for those runs:
Friday
Distance: 8 miles (1-8)
Total time: 1:41
Average pace: 12:38
Best pace: 9:30
Weather: 70*, 100% humidity (“feels like” 70* at 0430)
Song o’ the run: “Black Betty” (Ram Jam)
Saturday
Distance: 4 miles (1-4)
Total time: 53:56 minutes
Average pace: 13:29
Best pace: 9:45
Weather: 69*, 97% humidity (“feels” like 69*)
Song o’ the run: “The Sweet Escape” (Gwen Stefani)
Sunday
Distance: 12 miles
Total time: 2:41:36
Average pace: 13:28
Best pace: 9:10
Weather: 69*, 94% humidity (feels like 69*)
Song o’ the run: “Telephone” (Lady Gaga, featuring Beyonce)
There were more AF EOD guys injured this past week…so far I’ve gotten together $525, but it would be awesome if more could be donated for them. Please donate, if you can! =^)
Here are my stats for those runs:
Friday
Distance: 8 miles (1-8)
Total time: 1:41
Average pace: 12:38
Best pace: 9:30
Weather: 70*, 100% humidity (“feels like” 70* at 0430)
Song o’ the run: “Black Betty” (Ram Jam)
Saturday
Distance: 4 miles (1-4)
Total time: 53:56 minutes
Average pace: 13:29
Best pace: 9:45
Weather: 69*, 97% humidity (“feels” like 69*)
Song o’ the run: “The Sweet Escape” (Gwen Stefani)
Sunday
Distance: 12 miles
Total time: 2:41:36
Average pace: 13:28
Best pace: 9:10
Weather: 69*, 94% humidity (feels like 69*)
Song o’ the run: “Telephone” (Lady Gaga, featuring Beyonce)
There were more AF EOD guys injured this past week…so far I’ve gotten together $525, but it would be awesome if more could be donated for them. Please donate, if you can! =^)
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Week 13
Week 13
I’m so slow!! Since my husband got back from his deployment, I’ve been feeling rather contentedly lazy…and we were in St. Augustine, Florida last week being contentedly lazy somewhere else. So, I didn’t do much running until this past weekend…and then, not only did I not run on Saturday due to a migraine headache, I kind of crapped out at mile 14 instead finishing 16 miles on Sunday. Frustrating! But it happens so here are my stats for all of the runs:
Friday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 50:23 minutes
Average pace: 12:36
Best pace: 9:15
Weather: 71*, 71% humidity (feels like 71*)—fantastic running weather in St. Augustine!!!
Song o’ the run: “Return of the Mack” (Magic Time Travelers)
Saturday should have been 4 more miles; instead it was an Excedrine kind of a day…bleh.
Sunday (I broke it up into four segments to make it seem less daunting):
Distance: 4 miles (1-4)
Total time: 50:45 minutes
Average pace: 12:41
Best pace: 9:45
Weather: 64*, 73% humidity (feels like 64*)—fantastic running weather!!!
Song o’ the run: “Pumped Up Kicks” (Foster the People)
Distance: 4 miles (5-8)
Total time: 53:59 minutes
Average pace: 13:30
Weather: 73*, 65% humidity (feels like 73*)—fantastic running weather!!!
Song o’ the run: Ran with a friend, no music
Distance: 4 miles (9-12)
Total time: 59:27 minutes
Average pace: 14:52
Song o’ the run: Ran with a friend, no music
Distance: 2 miles (13 & 14)
Total time: 28 minutes
Average pace: 14:00
Song o’ the run: No music for the last one…
This weekend’s run is going to be a do-over 24/25 September. I just wasn’t happy with the way everything turned out so I need to do it again. Luckily, I started running early enough this year to be able to redo some of the runs. Oh! Also, I’m doing the century ride in a month…very nervous about that but I still like the idea of the challenge. I’m going for a ride on Saturday (hoping 40ish miles) but a 9 mile run on Sunday. Should be a very tiring weekend! =^)
I'm at $525 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause..and so would I! Please donate! =^)
Monday, August 29, 2011
Week 11
Ah, the best laid plans of mice and (wo)men…sometimes life really does get in the way of running plans. I did run the 7 miles over Thursday and Friday but I wasn’t feeling well on Saturday so I pushed the long run to Sunday, intending to do 14 miles. But then my husband called from Germany and needed me to rearrange his flight plans home (which I was more than happy to do, lol) but it took quite some time. So, before it got too hot, I was only able to get in ten miles. But I did four this morning so I completed the total number for the weekend, but not in the way I would have liked to do it. I try to be realistic though—my life does not revolve around running. Running is a part of my life, but I will not allow it to take over other things the things that are really important to me.
Anyhoo, run stats:
These are for the 7 mile run:
Thursday:
Distance: 3 miles
Total time: 35 minutes
Average pace: 10:50
Best pace: 9:45
Weather: 78*, 95% humidity (feels like 78*)
Song o’ the run: No song…kinda forgot to charge my iPod. It was dead.
Friday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 50 minutes
Average pace: 12:50
Best pace: 9:30
Weather: 77*, 92% humidity (feels like 77*)
Song o’ the run: Still hadn’t charged the iPod. No bueno!!
And these are for the 14 mile runs:
Sunday:
Distance: 10 miles
Total time: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Average pace: 12:30
Best pace: 9:28
Weather: 73*, 65% humidity (feels like 73*)—fantastic running weather!!!
Song o’ the run: Ran with friends, no music
Monday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 53 minutes
Average pace: 13:16
Best pace: 9:28
Weather: 73*, 65% humidity (feels like 73*)—again!! Fantastic running weather!!!
Song o’ the run: “Cruel Summer” (Blestentation remix, featuring Bananarama)
The first two miles of the Monday run, I brought my dogs along. They’re not really fans of running--especially my Josie. She’s a pit of the Staffordshire bull terrier mix/variety and her thick frame and short little legs were not made for distance. But she tries really hard and that’s all I want. (Well, that and to tire her out really well.) Come to think of it, that sounds really familiar somehow… ;^) D’Argo, my boy dog, is a pit mixed with, I think, whippet. So my “runs” with him equates into a nice little trot that he could probably keep up indefinitely…if he wasn’t more interested in going back to bed.
Random thoughts:
-- My husband is due back today (yay!) so I’m putting this out a day early.
-- And my total mileage for the month of August: 65 miles.
-- Also, my total cycling miles for August: 85.5 miles.
I'm at $525 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause..and so would I! Please donate! =^)
Anyhoo, run stats:
These are for the 7 mile run:
Thursday:
Distance: 3 miles
Total time: 35 minutes
Average pace: 10:50
Best pace: 9:45
Weather: 78*, 95% humidity (feels like 78*)
Song o’ the run: No song…kinda forgot to charge my iPod. It was dead.
Friday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 50 minutes
Average pace: 12:50
Best pace: 9:30
Weather: 77*, 92% humidity (feels like 77*)
Song o’ the run: Still hadn’t charged the iPod. No bueno!!
And these are for the 14 mile runs:
Sunday:
Distance: 10 miles
Total time: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Average pace: 12:30
Best pace: 9:28
Weather: 73*, 65% humidity (feels like 73*)—fantastic running weather!!!
Song o’ the run: Ran with friends, no music
Monday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 53 minutes
Average pace: 13:16
Best pace: 9:28
Weather: 73*, 65% humidity (feels like 73*)—again!! Fantastic running weather!!!
Song o’ the run: “Cruel Summer” (Blestentation remix, featuring Bananarama)
The first two miles of the Monday run, I brought my dogs along. They’re not really fans of running--especially my Josie. She’s a pit of the Staffordshire bull terrier mix/variety and her thick frame and short little legs were not made for distance. But she tries really hard and that’s all I want. (Well, that and to tire her out really well.) Come to think of it, that sounds really familiar somehow… ;^) D’Argo, my boy dog, is a pit mixed with, I think, whippet. So my “runs” with him equates into a nice little trot that he could probably keep up indefinitely…if he wasn’t more interested in going back to bed.
Random thoughts:
-- My husband is due back today (yay!) so I’m putting this out a day early.
-- And my total mileage for the month of August: 65 miles.
-- Also, my total cycling miles for August: 85.5 miles.
I'm at $525 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause..and so would I! Please donate! =^)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Week 10
This last week was not really a running one for me—I went to Panama City Beach with a couple of friends and actually slept in! But it felt so good to get some down time and now I’m feeling back up to anything! =^)
My longest run last week was on Friday. Here are my stats for that four-miler:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 46 minutes
Average pace: 12:02
Best pace: 9:20
Weather: 77*, 91% humidity (feels like 77* @ 0500)
Song o’ the run: “Notice Me” (by Alexa Ray Joel)
Sorry this blog is late—I had someone I needed to see last night. Funny how people wind up meeting…random chance, sometimes caused by good things, sometimes by bad…and thank you for meeting with me, Melissa.
Okay, so! I’ve got a long one planned for this weekend. I think I’m going to do 3/4/14 (7/14 is what I need to complete for my schedule). For the 14 miles, I plan to run 4 by myself, 7 with Jolene and 3 with Sarah. Breaks things up and keeps it interesting! =^) Must be certain to hydrate though.
OH!! I have the best news! I am up to $525 in donations! That’s so awesome and a big “Thank You!” to everyone who donated (or will donate! ;^)) for this cause.
And in other awesome news, my husband will be home soon! Wow—I’m full of sunshine today, lol!!
My longest run last week was on Friday. Here are my stats for that four-miler:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 46 minutes
Average pace: 12:02
Best pace: 9:20
Weather: 77*, 91% humidity (feels like 77* @ 0500)
Song o’ the run: “Notice Me” (by Alexa Ray Joel)
Sorry this blog is late—I had someone I needed to see last night. Funny how people wind up meeting…random chance, sometimes caused by good things, sometimes by bad…and thank you for meeting with me, Melissa.
Okay, so! I’ve got a long one planned for this weekend. I think I’m going to do 3/4/14 (7/14 is what I need to complete for my schedule). For the 14 miles, I plan to run 4 by myself, 7 with Jolene and 3 with Sarah. Breaks things up and keeps it interesting! =^) Must be certain to hydrate though.
OH!! I have the best news! I am up to $525 in donations! That’s so awesome and a big “Thank You!” to everyone who donated (or will donate! ;^)) for this cause.
And in other awesome news, my husband will be home soon! Wow—I’m full of sunshine today, lol!!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Week Nine
This weekend was another set of hydration reminder runs. Even when I think I’m good to go…I should drink more water. The first run was six miles on Friday. The second was six miles on Saturday and the third was six miles on Sunday, plus a ten mile bike ride.
I thought for the Friday run that I had rehydrated myself from the “stupid hot” PT session the day before…turns out, not so much. Here are the stats for that one:
Distance: 6 miles (1-6)
Total time: 1 hour, 23 minutes
Average pace: 13:45
Best pace: 10:26
Weather: 77* with 90% humidity (feels like 77*) at 0530
Song o' the run: The Pretender (Foo Fighters)
Saturday felt much better—I hydrated like crazy the night before so here are the stats on that one:
Distance: 6 miles (7-12)
Total time: 1 hour, 18 minutes
Average pace: 13:01
Best pace: 10:20
Weather: 74* with 96% humidity (feels like 75*) at 0600
Song o' the run: No song, ran with a friend
And Sunday morning I did a bit of a “brick” workout. I ran four miles then later rode my bike for ten and a half miles and then ran two more miles. More like walked the last two—it was damned hot and I’m not used to running that late in the day (around 1130); I normally prefer to be done before 0800.
Distance: 4 miles (12-16)
Total time: 53 minutes
Average pace: 13:23
Best pace: (Garmin malfunctioned on that one)
Weather: 77* with 90% humidity (feels like 76*) at 0630
Song o' the run: Fuel (Metallica)
Distance: 2 miles (17-18)
Total time: 27 minutes
Average pace: Slow
Best pace: There wasn’t one
Weather: Bloody hot—I was afraid to look.
Song o’ the run: No song, ran with a friend
Even though this whole weekend seemed to be my reminder on running/working-out in hot temps, it did make me realize that I needed to start adding in my cycling. I think it’ll give me a bit better run time, even if it’s just minimally better. I’m thinking maybe I should start looking into a swim coach too…hmmmm…that could add a whole new dimension to things…
I'm at $275 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause..and so would I! Please donate! =^)
I thought for the Friday run that I had rehydrated myself from the “stupid hot” PT session the day before…turns out, not so much. Here are the stats for that one:
Distance: 6 miles (1-6)
Total time: 1 hour, 23 minutes
Average pace: 13:45
Best pace: 10:26
Weather: 77* with 90% humidity (feels like 77*) at 0530
Song o' the run: The Pretender (Foo Fighters)
Saturday felt much better—I hydrated like crazy the night before so here are the stats on that one:
Distance: 6 miles (7-12)
Total time: 1 hour, 18 minutes
Average pace: 13:01
Best pace: 10:20
Weather: 74* with 96% humidity (feels like 75*) at 0600
Song o' the run: No song, ran with a friend
And Sunday morning I did a bit of a “brick” workout. I ran four miles then later rode my bike for ten and a half miles and then ran two more miles. More like walked the last two—it was damned hot and I’m not used to running that late in the day (around 1130); I normally prefer to be done before 0800.
Distance: 4 miles (12-16)
Total time: 53 minutes
Average pace: 13:23
Best pace: (Garmin malfunctioned on that one)
Weather: 77* with 90% humidity (feels like 76*) at 0630
Song o' the run: Fuel (Metallica)
Distance: 2 miles (17-18)
Total time: 27 minutes
Average pace: Slow
Best pace: There wasn’t one
Weather: Bloody hot—I was afraid to look.
Song o’ the run: No song, ran with a friend
Even though this whole weekend seemed to be my reminder on running/working-out in hot temps, it did make me realize that I needed to start adding in my cycling. I think it’ll give me a bit better run time, even if it’s just minimally better. I’m thinking maybe I should start looking into a swim coach too…hmmmm…that could add a whole new dimension to things…
I'm at $275 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause..and so would I! Please donate! =^)
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Week Eight
Hot, hot, hot. That's pretty much how my run was on Saturday; here are the stats for it:
Total time: 1 hour, 05 minutes
Average pace: 13:11
Best pace: 9:56
Weather: Temp was 86* at 0545, 98% humidity ("feels like" temp was 94*. At 0545. 94*.)
Song o’ the run: none
No "song o' the run" this time! I had a running partner (thanks Jolene!) so I didn't wear my iPod. We did see an armadillo though...funny animal, it just meandered across the street, like we weren't even there. Seriously, we had to stop and wait for it to get out of the way. I guess natural selection isn't always about the fastest thing out there (thank goodness ;^))...
I did discover a new hobby this week--cycling!! I got a bicycle on Friday and rode 11 miles on it Sunday. It was awesome. Now I'm also in training for a 100 mile ride...it's going to be challenging training for both a century and a marathon and a half, but I'm pretty sure I'll manage. Stubbornness isn't always a bad thing, lol!
I'll have more to post next week when I do my 6/12 split, although I'm planning to do more like a 6/6/6 split, just because I'd have to get up at 0300 to run before the sun really starts beating down. I am doing a "brick" workout on Sunday though--bike 8 miles and then run my last 6 mile split.
I'm at $275 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause..and so would I! Please donate! =^)
Total time: 1 hour, 05 minutes
Average pace: 13:11
Best pace: 9:56
Weather: Temp was 86* at 0545, 98% humidity ("feels like" temp was 94*. At 0545. 94*.)
Song o’ the run: none
No "song o' the run" this time! I had a running partner (thanks Jolene!) so I didn't wear my iPod. We did see an armadillo though...funny animal, it just meandered across the street, like we weren't even there. Seriously, we had to stop and wait for it to get out of the way. I guess natural selection isn't always about the fastest thing out there (thank goodness ;^))...
I did discover a new hobby this week--cycling!! I got a bicycle on Friday and rode 11 miles on it Sunday. It was awesome. Now I'm also in training for a 100 mile ride...it's going to be challenging training for both a century and a marathon and a half, but I'm pretty sure I'll manage. Stubbornness isn't always a bad thing, lol!
I'll have more to post next week when I do my 6/12 split, although I'm planning to do more like a 6/6/6 split, just because I'd have to get up at 0300 to run before the sun really starts beating down. I am doing a "brick" workout on Sunday though--bike 8 miles and then run my last 6 mile split.
I'm at $275 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause..and so would I! Please donate! =^)
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Week Seven
This last weekend was my 5/10 run. The weather wasn’t too bad, just kinda soupy. I don’t know how else to describe the humidity that hangs all over Florida in the summertime.
Here are my stats for my long run:
Distance: 10 miles
Total time: 2 hours, 12 minutes and 58 seconds
Average pace: 13:18
Best pace: 9:11
Weather: 77* with 90% humidity (feels like 77*) at 0530
Song o' the run: Respect (by Aretha Franklin)
Oh! I meant to add my monthly total: 63 miles for July
This is the point where I start backing off on the number of long runs I do. I find it to be too hard on my knees to run over 10 miles every single weekend, so I push it back to every other weekend now. This Saturday I’ll run 5 miles, but the one after that I’ll run 12…plus I’ll run 6 on that Friday, so a total of 18 miles.
I'm still at $225 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause..and so would I! Please donate! =^)
So this week I’m hoping to have some questions to answer…feel free to leave me a comment and I’ll answer pretty much anything! =^)
Beth
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Eight miles and 4/9
So I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, but last weekend was so miserable and rainy that I just couldn't run in it. It wasn't the slow drizzly kind of rain, it poured. Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday. Bleh.
I wound up splitting my eight mile run and completing it on Monday and Tuesday--here are the stats for those two runs:
Monday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 50 minutes, 4 seconds
Average pace: 1231
Best pace: 910
Weather: 73* with 98% humidity (feels like 73*) at 0500
Song o' the run: "Crazy Love" by Van Morrison
Tuesday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 48 minutes, 13 seconds
Average pace: 1201
Weather: 76* with 96% humidity (feels like 79*) at 0515
Now is about the time I sart combining runs. I have had very good luck with dividing runs up over three days...one day is for the half marathon distance, the other one or two days is for the full marathon distance. For example, this week I ran four miles on Friday and then ran nine miles on Saturday. Doing the 39.3 miles takes quite a bit of a toll on my body, so I've managed to stay injury free (so far, knock on wood) by not doing 30 miles in one day or anything crazy like that. I tend to back them off a bit and allow my body some recovered time. When I do need to do a total of 30 miles (10 one run, 20 the next) I might do three consecutive days of 10milers or I might divide it into two days of 15 miles each. Or I might just bite the bullet and do the 10/20 split. It all depends on what else is happening around that time.
I have seen some odd things while running, and this week was no exception. For example, one day I ran very early in the morning--about 0430. Now, I wear a headlamp when I run that early, mainly so cars can see me I don't get run over. As I'm running, I'm watching the bugs that are attacted to my light...then a bat swoops down about two feet in front of my face to grab some of the bugs. Lemme tell ya--if you've never had that happen, it'll wake you up, lol.
Yesterday, I'm running along and I see a car coming towards me and hear the dogs that are getting a ride in it barking at me, which happens quite often. Then I see a dog head hanging out of the window...then I see that the dog looks like it's going to jump, I'm about to yell "NO!" to see if I can get it to stop, but it jumps out anyway. It's a little Sheltie and it tumbled tip over tail for a couple of seconds then walked over towards me. I grabbed it, gently, and held it in a sitting position while the lady that was driving got out of her car and came to get it (if the dog was injured, it didn't know me and I don't want it to either get the dog more upset or get bitten from a pain/fear reaction). She tells me she thought she had locked the windows but everything happened too quickly to stop it once she realized what was going on. The dog seemed very shocked but okay...I asked her if she needed help getting it to the vet (which I hope she took it to one--seems like the dog might either have broken bones or had internal injuries) but luckily her husband was walking up to us at that point and they left. Lesson learned by me: lock the car windows.
Distance: 9 miles
Total time: 2 hours, 6 minutes and 14 seconds (yup, it was a slow one)
Average pace: 1402
Best pace: 1015
Weather: 80* with 96% humidity (feels like 86*) at 0545
Song o' the run: "Pain Killer" (by Freestylers, featuring Pendulum)
I'm still at $225 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause. Please donate! =^)
I wound up splitting my eight mile run and completing it on Monday and Tuesday--here are the stats for those two runs:
Monday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 50 minutes, 4 seconds
Average pace: 1231
Best pace: 910
Weather: 73* with 98% humidity (feels like 73*) at 0500
Song o' the run: "Crazy Love" by Van Morrison
Tuesday:
Distance: 4 miles
Total time: 48 minutes, 13 seconds
Average pace: 1201
Weather: 76* with 96% humidity (feels like 79*) at 0515
Now is about the time I sart combining runs. I have had very good luck with dividing runs up over three days...one day is for the half marathon distance, the other one or two days is for the full marathon distance. For example, this week I ran four miles on Friday and then ran nine miles on Saturday. Doing the 39.3 miles takes quite a bit of a toll on my body, so I've managed to stay injury free (so far, knock on wood) by not doing 30 miles in one day or anything crazy like that. I tend to back them off a bit and allow my body some recovered time. When I do need to do a total of 30 miles (10 one run, 20 the next) I might do three consecutive days of 10milers or I might divide it into two days of 15 miles each. Or I might just bite the bullet and do the 10/20 split. It all depends on what else is happening around that time.
I have seen some odd things while running, and this week was no exception. For example, one day I ran very early in the morning--about 0430. Now, I wear a headlamp when I run that early, mainly so cars can see me I don't get run over. As I'm running, I'm watching the bugs that are attacted to my light...then a bat swoops down about two feet in front of my face to grab some of the bugs. Lemme tell ya--if you've never had that happen, it'll wake you up, lol.
Yesterday, I'm running along and I see a car coming towards me and hear the dogs that are getting a ride in it barking at me, which happens quite often. Then I see a dog head hanging out of the window...then I see that the dog looks like it's going to jump, I'm about to yell "NO!" to see if I can get it to stop, but it jumps out anyway. It's a little Sheltie and it tumbled tip over tail for a couple of seconds then walked over towards me. I grabbed it, gently, and held it in a sitting position while the lady that was driving got out of her car and came to get it (if the dog was injured, it didn't know me and I don't want it to either get the dog more upset or get bitten from a pain/fear reaction). She tells me she thought she had locked the windows but everything happened too quickly to stop it once she realized what was going on. The dog seemed very shocked but okay...I asked her if she needed help getting it to the vet (which I hope she took it to one--seems like the dog might either have broken bones or had internal injuries) but luckily her husband was walking up to us at that point and they left. Lesson learned by me: lock the car windows.
Distance: 9 miles
Total time: 2 hours, 6 minutes and 14 seconds (yup, it was a slow one)
Average pace: 1402
Best pace: 1015
Weather: 80* with 96% humidity (feels like 86*) at 0545
Song o' the run: "Pain Killer" (by Freestylers, featuring Pendulum)
I'm still at $225 for my contributions! I know it's a long way out but if you have a couple of dollars to give, I know the EOD MasterBlasters would appreciate your efforts to help their cause. Please donate! =^)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Week Four
I had to run my seven miles this on Friday morning because of a funeral I went to on Saturday. The running seems almost irrelevant this week—I’m feeling very reflective on what I heard and saw yesterday.
What I experienced almost seemed to reinforce my goals for running, in a sideways sort of way. LaShana Douville, the widow of TSgt Daniel Douville, said at one point “your tears do not impress me. If you don’t like something, then do something to change it. Do something.”
While I cannot change what happens in Afghanistan, I feel like I’m doing something by raising money to help those that are injured. I don’t know, maybe this seems off the wall, but it feels to me like this is the only REAL way I can contribute to what is happening to these men and women. I know they do what they do, not for glory, but to simply help. To stop others from being injured or killed, to contribute in a way that only they, as a collective group, can contribute.
My efforts seem minor to me but at least I feel as though I’m doing something.
Thank you, TSgt Douville and to all of those who proceeded you in this war.
Miles: 7
Total time: 1 hour, 22 minute
Average pace: 11:45
Best pace: 9:27
Weather: Humid temp was 74* at 0600, but it was 96% humidity
Song o’ the run: Ready to Run by The Dixie Chicks
What I experienced almost seemed to reinforce my goals for running, in a sideways sort of way. LaShana Douville, the widow of TSgt Daniel Douville, said at one point “your tears do not impress me. If you don’t like something, then do something to change it. Do something.”
While I cannot change what happens in Afghanistan, I feel like I’m doing something by raising money to help those that are injured. I don’t know, maybe this seems off the wall, but it feels to me like this is the only REAL way I can contribute to what is happening to these men and women. I know they do what they do, not for glory, but to simply help. To stop others from being injured or killed, to contribute in a way that only they, as a collective group, can contribute.
My efforts seem minor to me but at least I feel as though I’m doing something.
Thank you, TSgt Douville and to all of those who proceeded you in this war.
Miles: 7
Total time: 1 hour, 22 minute
Average pace: 11:45
Best pace: 9:27
Weather: Humid temp was 74* at 0600, but it was 96% humidity
Song o’ the run: Ready to Run by The Dixie Chicks
Monday, July 4, 2011
Week Three
I forgot the golden rule of running. The night before a long run, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I did drink quite a bit in the morning before I left, but even still I could feel this run within minutes of beginning. Then I got a dehydration headache at mile four. Bleh. But since I was already at mile *four*, I figured two more miles wouldn’t hurt me (I was hydrated enough to be sweating the entire run and didn’t have chills so I knew I was okay to finish, at least). But it made for a long run…and not in miles.
But I did see lots of things as I was running. Turtles were my biggest audience on Sunday. There was one that I thought was a leaf until I got right up on it and realized it was a baby and another one that had to have been the size around of a five gallon bucket…I didn’t even know that got that big here. I’ve had pretty good luck at the wildlife I’ve seen. Nothing dangerous (though there is a bear that lives in my neighborhood) or too questionable (coyotes always make me worry) just turtles, a raccoon, deer, lots of bunnies and squirrels, and several types of birds (the hawks are cool, the buzzards are creepy).
When I run in another area--Timberlake—I see a lot of footprints back there, though not so much the animals themselves. But I’ve seen bear, raccoon, deer, a very large coyote (or some other canine species) and a few other prints. I always like going back there though; the dirt road kind of records the life around us that tends to hide when it sees humans coming.
This week I’m at $225! I’m moving slowly, but I am moving. =^)
Here's my weekly stats (per my nifty Garmin):
Miles: 6
Total time: 1 hour, 19 minutes
Average pace: 13:17
Best pace: 10:21
Weather: Humid temp was 74* at 0600, 96% humidity
Song o’ the run: Ex-Girlfriend by No Doubt
But I did see lots of things as I was running. Turtles were my biggest audience on Sunday. There was one that I thought was a leaf until I got right up on it and realized it was a baby and another one that had to have been the size around of a five gallon bucket…I didn’t even know that got that big here. I’ve had pretty good luck at the wildlife I’ve seen. Nothing dangerous (though there is a bear that lives in my neighborhood) or too questionable (coyotes always make me worry) just turtles, a raccoon, deer, lots of bunnies and squirrels, and several types of birds (the hawks are cool, the buzzards are creepy).
When I run in another area--Timberlake—I see a lot of footprints back there, though not so much the animals themselves. But I’ve seen bear, raccoon, deer, a very large coyote (or some other canine species) and a few other prints. I always like going back there though; the dirt road kind of records the life around us that tends to hide when it sees humans coming.
This week I’m at $225! I’m moving slowly, but I am moving. =^)
Here's my weekly stats (per my nifty Garmin):
Miles: 6
Total time: 1 hour, 19 minutes
Average pace: 13:17
Best pace: 10:21
Weather: Humid temp was 74* at 0600, 96% humidity
Song o’ the run: Ex-Girlfriend by No Doubt
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Week two
This week has been a bit crazy with all the emotional ups and downs that are going on... BUT I was able to keep on my running schedule, which is something that can be so difficult to maintain. I did another five-miler on Sunday, but it was after a week of running twice after 45-minute Spin classes (Tuesday and Thursday) and a four mile tempo (Wednesday) and running a PT test with a friend on Friday. Saturday was a much needed rest day.
Things that run through my mind as I run: "Ooooh, I love this song!" "Is that a raccoon? Yes, it is." "Hm, wish I remembered my Camelbak--I'm pretty thirsty." "What do I need to do at work next week?" "How much longer until Rob comes home?" "I hope (insert person's name here--there are several people I think about) will be okay...very worried about them." "Better not rain right now." Also, things like: the meaning of life, whether or not I know what I want to do when I grow up and things of that ilk. Nothing all that interesting, and so random! But it always amazes me when I get to the higher miles how my mind will wander all over the place, just to not think about what I'm doing.
So far I've raised $175 for my MB fund. That's a pretty good start, no doubt, but I really hope that I can raise so much more.
Here's my weekly stats (per my nifty Garmin):
Long run length: 5 miles
Total time: 1:02
Average time: 12:29
Best time: 9:12
Weather: Not quite so hot, but still typical early summer Florida.
Song o' the run: Love Dump by Static-X
Song o' the run: Love Dump by Static-X
Sunday, June 19, 2011
First day
This morning began my second trek to complete the "Race and a Half Challenge" in January. I was excited about it last night, but this morning I got up and remembered: it's June. I live in Florida. Even at 0530, it's HOT. But I finished my five miles and that's what this is really about, I think.
Here are my stats:
Miles: 5
Total time: 1:04
Average pace: 1258
Best pace: 0830
Weather: Hot--temps were actually in the upper-70s but the "feels like" temperature was in the mid-80s.
You may have noticed that I'm a slow runner. I decided when I starting marathoning that finishing was more important to me than finishing in a certain time. It may not be for everyone, but it works for me. And since I'm the one training to run almost 40 miles in two days...well, I just don't mind being slow. In the words of OMM "I may not pass you, but I will outlast you."
Beth
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