I'm One with the Trail

Bad News:

I lost my watch so I'm guestimating my time.

Good News:

Sunday I was suppose to run 5 miles, my hubby guessed where the 2.5 mile turn around was, we ended up running 5.94 miles.  Awesome!  about 12 minute miles

Bad News:
I fell on the trail today.  I was halfway through my 3.25 jog and woop there I go.  Scrapes on my leg and hands, it hurts and cleaning it was nasty but I kept jogging .......

Good News:
I still kept to my 11 minute mile.  Not bad.

Since I lost my watch I'm debating whether to get an ipod touch.  I've always wanted one but it may be a waste of money, since most people tell me you need a service to really get use out of it. Hmmmmm.....

I ROCKED IT!!

After a couple of months of running 12 minute miles I was at my wits end on Tuesday.  Everyone I know seems to run 9, 10 and even 7 minute miles.  Granted this is my first year running ever, I know I've done a 10.5 minute mile but I have not been there in months.  Close to tears I call my sister.

Two things changes for me this morning:

First, my sister reminded me that it is not the time but the finishing I should be focused on.  I must admit I would come out strong and then be so wiped by the time I headed back that I ended up walking most of it.

Second, I took a slightly different path because I was curious about a trail I had not been down before.  While on it, my mind turned to wow so this was paved once and this trail looks under used and why did they put a fence there to separate the McMansions from the rest of us :).  When I got back on to my normal trail, I was surprised to find most of my running was done.

So now I think it is time to start switching my routes occasionally to keep the mind active while running.  OH I FORGOT TO MENTION ..... I RAN A 10.8 minute mile for 3.25 miles. WOO HOO!!!!

Vacation This Week

I went on vacation this week in the mountains and I forgot my running sneakers.  I didn't run but I hiked and walked and went tubing (which is work in some ways).  This morning I am all in disarray because today is our big moving day.  I can't find any clean clothes and we are preparing the house still for the movers arrival (lots of lifting).  I like to think that because I am constantly moving, it is contributing to my physical well being but not doing alot for my mental.  I will say this moving is taking a toll on me and maybe if I could conquer the stress of moving, it will help me with the mental aspect of running.

96% Humidity

I'm not sure if it was correct but my thermostat said 96% humidity.  I ran up to 17 minutes with my interval training and then I was lucky to run 1 minute.  I hit a wall hard.  Strangely enough I ran 3.24 miles in 37.2 minutes, even with my erratic running in the end.  This makes me believe that I was running a pretty fast pace in the beginning.  I wonder what it would have been if I was able to keep the running up.

An acquaintance of mine started running after she swore she would never run further then her 25 minutes a day.  She loves working out, taekwondo, P90X and now running.  I told her in June that I was training for the Disney half marathon and if I could do it she could.  That I hate running but I'm doing it.  No no she said, I could never run that far.  I bumped into her yesterday and she is now running back to back 20 miles a day, 7 minute miles, and will be running her first marathon in October.  (She lost a toenail and is losing another one .... weird.)  I feel quite confident that she thought, damn if Joanne is doing it should be easy for me :).  I know that is true and I'm happy for her but feel she is stealing my thunder.  Sigh, I still persist.


I thought of her on my run today, thinking that perhaps I can push myself out of my boundaries and make the get past my 5 mile wall that I have not past.

3.24 miles in 37.2 minutes
11.43 minute mile

Starting a New Training Program

Since my foot got me off track for a bit, I needed a new plan to keep me motivated and goal oriented.  I found a half marathon training program the Marathon Rookie website.  I copied it over to a spread sheet and put in dates instead of Week 1, Week 2, etc. I like it this way because I seem to be able to visualize what is going on in my life during these months.  This week is:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday 3 miles
Wed:  rest
Thurs:  3
Friday: 3
Sat: Rest
Sunday: 4

So I did a bit more then 3 miles today, I did 3.24 in 38 minutes.  The last half mile I felt really sick, like wanting to throw up sick.  When I got back I saw it was 70% humidity.  It had just rain and the temperature was 80, so steam was coming off the road and I guess it was hard for me to take.  Luckily I was in my last half mile.  I thought of George S. Patton, "....the body is always tired..."

And I guess I will see you tomorrow for my next 3.24 miles.

Running in the Heat

As most of you know this summer has been a scorcher.  I've decided to take it easy.  My girls are showing their sheep at the fair and we just moved into a new house.  I am frazzled.  I've decided to just run a couple of miles every other day.  I continue to go to taekwondo which we do some running there as a warm up.

Starting next week I hope to get up before the sun to run.  We'll see.  I almost think I need a week to recover from this week.  Alas, with the new house I think we will be constantly moving for a month.  I want to go away for vacation but when the hubby is stressed he gets sick.  Of course, if I don't get away, I'm going to go insane, so what do I do?

Running in Humidity

I stepped outside and I could feel my skin tingle, it was humid out.  As I started my run I could feel the thickness of the air.  In less then 15 minutes into my run, a drip of sweat came down the side of my head.  In less then 30 minutes, it was dripping in my eyes.  I didn't expect to do well.

My accomplishments today ..... mmmm, I ran 4 miles in humid weather.  I was able to do 5 continuous intervals of 5/1.  I figure when I get up to 7 intervals I will be able to do the 5 miles again.

My obstacles:  I ran slow, 4 miles in 51 minutes.

My mantra was take it easy and it appears I did.  I'm disappointed that I seem to get worse and worse with each passing day.

I just read the Runner's World magazine, link below, that said that for each 5 degrees above 60, can slow your pace by 20-30 seconds.  Wow!

I've been looking up tips of hot humid running and I found these sites pretty good:
Runner's World: Beat the Heat - this one relates to me the most.
Cool Running: Hot Weather Running
Tips for running in the hot humid weather