Long distance running is a new thing for me. In the past, the most I would run was about 4 miles at a time.
My goal for this summer was to do 3 runs a week - 2 short, 3 miles runs during the week and 1 longer run, 6 miles on the weekend. Then once September comes around, I will begin the training schedule for the 1/2 marathons. My biggest obstacle now that I'm trying to extend my distance past 3 miles is that I'm getting burnt out by mile 4 or 5 and finding it hard to finish. I'm worried that if I can't do the 6 miles I set out to do, how am I ever going to make it to 13.1??
So a few weeks ago, I started playing around with my run/walk intervals. I started off at 10:1 but that was still too much, then I went down to 8:1, good for short runs but my long runs still suffer. I would start off at a great pace under an 11 min mile and by the end, I'd be over a 12 min mile. I want to consistantly be at or under an 11 min mile.
So this week I went down to 4:1. I felt a little weird taking time away instead of adding more time to my run time, it kind of made me feel like a failure, but I decided I needed to find what method works for me in order to get me through the whole 13.1 miles.
I'm happy to report that 4:1 seemed to be a good ratio for meI ran 6.2 miles, aka a 10K in 1:09:59, a pace of an 11:17 mile. Which was (almost) the exact same time as my 10k last weekend (todays was 3 seconds slower). Temp was the same as last week (but a tad more humid). BUT my splits were sooooo much better. I stayed consistantly around the 11:17 pace (except for mile 4... can't figure out why that one was slower), where as last week my splits were all over the place ranging from 10:26 up to 12:05. Felt much better this time and didn't seem to hit a wall at mile 4/5 like I usually do.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Flyers' Fitness 5k
After my bad experience at the Girls on the run 10k last weekend, I decided I needed to take a step back and run a 5k, which is probably what I should have started off with to begin with.
Early this morning, my husband, kids & I set out to my first 5k. The race was to benefit an elementary school so I hoped it would be kind of low-key. It wasn't as hot as the run last weekend, but still in the 70's, so I was hoping for a good run.
We arrived at the school about 20 minutes before race time and my kids ran off to play on the playground while I checked in and got my bib.
My kids & husband walked over to the start line with me where we took a few pics and waited for the race to begin.
Once again, my goal for this race was to follow my 10:1 interval schedule and hopefully finish around 33 minutes.
The countdown began and then "GO!" and we were off. I was careful this time to pace myself a little better in the beginning. The first mile took us on a loop out to the local main drag where we ran down a hill (YAY) and by the fire station. The fire trucks were out and the firemen were standing outside cheering us on. It was a great start. As we rounded the corner back to the school to set out on our loop around the neighborhood (which we had to do 2 times), I heard my kids yelling for me. That made me feel great that they were there cheering me on! My husband snapped this pic of me as I ran by
As I was starting the first of 2 loops around a quiet neighborhood, all of a sudden, a group of runners joined us from the right. It was people that had already done their first loop. I could not believe it!! But I didn't let it get to me. I just kept my head calm and continued on with my 10:1 intervals. Some very kind souls put their sprinklers on for us to run through and some were even sitting outside cheering us on. Finally, I was making my way into loop 2, that meant less than a mile to go. I was feeling great, a little hot, but great and my time was good. As I finished my second loop, I was in the home stretch, just .2 of a mile to go, and that's when I saw it.... a hill. It wasn't time for my walking interval just yet, I still had a minute to go, but I decided to stop for my walk a little early that way I could start the hill with a walk, since I was getting kind of tired. Once I was at the top of the hill, I could see it, the finish chute! I started picking up speed, I just wanted to get there as fast as I could. My eyes were darting back and forth, looking for the familiar faces of my kids and finally I heard "THERE SHE IS!"
Can you see the smile on my face in the next picture when I saw my kids standing inches away from the finish line cheering me on?
And then a second later, it was over!
Early this morning, my husband, kids & I set out to my first 5k. The race was to benefit an elementary school so I hoped it would be kind of low-key. It wasn't as hot as the run last weekend, but still in the 70's, so I was hoping for a good run.
We arrived at the school about 20 minutes before race time and my kids ran off to play on the playground while I checked in and got my bib.
My kids & husband walked over to the start line with me where we took a few pics and waited for the race to begin.
Once again, my goal for this race was to follow my 10:1 interval schedule and hopefully finish around 33 minutes.
The countdown began and then "GO!" and we were off. I was careful this time to pace myself a little better in the beginning. The first mile took us on a loop out to the local main drag where we ran down a hill (YAY) and by the fire station. The fire trucks were out and the firemen were standing outside cheering us on. It was a great start. As we rounded the corner back to the school to set out on our loop around the neighborhood (which we had to do 2 times), I heard my kids yelling for me. That made me feel great that they were there cheering me on! My husband snapped this pic of me as I ran by
As I was starting the first of 2 loops around a quiet neighborhood, all of a sudden, a group of runners joined us from the right. It was people that had already done their first loop. I could not believe it!! But I didn't let it get to me. I just kept my head calm and continued on with my 10:1 intervals. Some very kind souls put their sprinklers on for us to run through and some were even sitting outside cheering us on. Finally, I was making my way into loop 2, that meant less than a mile to go. I was feeling great, a little hot, but great and my time was good. As I finished my second loop, I was in the home stretch, just .2 of a mile to go, and that's when I saw it.... a hill. It wasn't time for my walking interval just yet, I still had a minute to go, but I decided to stop for my walk a little early that way I could start the hill with a walk, since I was getting kind of tired. Once I was at the top of the hill, I could see it, the finish chute! I started picking up speed, I just wanted to get there as fast as I could. My eyes were darting back and forth, looking for the familiar faces of my kids and finally I heard "THERE SHE IS!"
Can you see the smile on my face in the next picture when I saw my kids standing inches away from the finish line cheering me on?
And then a second later, it was over!
Monday, June 3, 2013
118 days PO
So I went to see my plastic surgeon today to talk to him about that bulge I'm feeling in my lower belly. He was pretty sure it was a pocket of fluid, so he stuck a needle in there to drain it out. I thought it was going to be clear fluid like what he has drained out of my arms in the past but it was BLOOD! He said it's probably been sitting there since the surgery but I only noticed/felt it now because the swelling has gone down everywhere else around it.
He drained 4 cc's of blood out of that area. But it still feels like there could be more in there. I have a follow up appoint in 2 weeks with him and he said if there's still more in there or if it fills back up, he'll drain it again. So we'll see what happens between now & then.
But it's good to know what it is, finally. I told him that I'm going to be running a 1/2 marathon early next year and I'm training for it & that the area was bothering me on my run yesterday and he said "Don't worry, we'll have it all situated & fixed in plenty of time." I sure hope so!!!!
He drained 4 cc's of blood out of that area. But it still feels like there could be more in there. I have a follow up appoint in 2 weeks with him and he said if there's still more in there or if it fills back up, he'll drain it again. So we'll see what happens between now & then.
But it's good to know what it is, finally. I told him that I'm going to be running a 1/2 marathon early next year and I'm training for it & that the area was bothering me on my run yesterday and he said "Don't worry, we'll have it all situated & fixed in plenty of time." I sure hope so!!!!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
10k.... errrr....no
In order to make sure that I don't start in the last corral at the Disney races, (gotta stay away from the scary balloon ladies I keep hearing about), I decided to do a 10k to get a proof time. It seems to be pretty slim pickings for 10ks in my area, so when I found one for today called "Girls on the run 10k", I signed up. The race was a 5k loop around a lake that we would have to do two times. It seemed innocent enough....right? Oh & did I mention that this was the first race I have ever done?!?!
For the last 2 days I kept my eye on the weather. The temp had been pretty mild lately, but of course, the day I decide to run 6.2 miles in my FIRST.RACE.EVER it decides to reach over 80 degrees at 9am in the morning. Last night I started to psych myself out about the weather, which is a baaaad thing to do!
This morning, we got to the race and had to walk about a mile just to get to the start line, which meant we were sweating before we even started. We chatted with a fellow racer at the starting line and jokingly said that maybe we'd take the easy way out and stop after 5k instead of doing the full 10k.
At 8:59, we were all itching to get started and soon enough we were counting down from 10 and then "GO!" and we were off. I was flying faster than I've ever ran before, I finished the first mile at my fast mile ever to date - 9:26. My running stratedgy (at this point) is 10:1 intervals (that's running 10 mins, walking 1 min and repeat). So soon after mile 1 ended, I started my one minute walking break and that's where I lost it. The heat just got to me and well, 60 seconds goes by way too fast... and then it turned into 90 seconds... and then 120 seconds and I still hadn't started running again. One more minute, I told myself, and I would start running again. Oh & did I mention we had hit a hilly patch? up & down and up & down. So finally, after walking for 3 or 4 minutes, I started running again. But that was short lived, I only made it a couple of long, agonizing, hot, up hill minutes before stopping again. I had set a goal in my head to finish this race in 68 minutes, but that goal was quickly slipping out of reach. I continued on with my horrible run/walk intervals until we reached the 5k/10k split. It was now or never - do I give up or push on?? My mom, who is 49 years old, was also running the race with me. She was struggling just as much as I was but there she was... headed down the lane towards her second loop of the race. So what was it, did I quit or keep going?
I must have been desperate or delierious or both because I opted to quit. I headed into the finish line chute and crossed at 36:56. I should have been happy right? WRONG! The second I crossed the finish line, I felt extremely guilty, upset & disappointed in myself. But it was over, there was nothing I could do about it, but never let that happen next time.
Overall, I will say that it was a good experience to have. After all this was my FIRST.RACE.EVER. I know I made a few mistakes psyching myself out the day before, not pacing myself correctly from the start.... I feel like I set myself up for failure.
Here's a pic of me & my mom before the start of the race
I don't have an after pic, of us, but here I am sporting my first race t-shirt and hanging out with my daughter later that day
For the last 2 days I kept my eye on the weather. The temp had been pretty mild lately, but of course, the day I decide to run 6.2 miles in my FIRST.RACE.EVER it decides to reach over 80 degrees at 9am in the morning. Last night I started to psych myself out about the weather, which is a baaaad thing to do!
This morning, we got to the race and had to walk about a mile just to get to the start line, which meant we were sweating before we even started. We chatted with a fellow racer at the starting line and jokingly said that maybe we'd take the easy way out and stop after 5k instead of doing the full 10k.
At 8:59, we were all itching to get started and soon enough we were counting down from 10 and then "GO!" and we were off. I was flying faster than I've ever ran before, I finished the first mile at my fast mile ever to date - 9:26. My running stratedgy (at this point) is 10:1 intervals (that's running 10 mins, walking 1 min and repeat). So soon after mile 1 ended, I started my one minute walking break and that's where I lost it. The heat just got to me and well, 60 seconds goes by way too fast... and then it turned into 90 seconds... and then 120 seconds and I still hadn't started running again. One more minute, I told myself, and I would start running again. Oh & did I mention we had hit a hilly patch? up & down and up & down. So finally, after walking for 3 or 4 minutes, I started running again. But that was short lived, I only made it a couple of long, agonizing, hot, up hill minutes before stopping again. I had set a goal in my head to finish this race in 68 minutes, but that goal was quickly slipping out of reach. I continued on with my horrible run/walk intervals until we reached the 5k/10k split. It was now or never - do I give up or push on?? My mom, who is 49 years old, was also running the race with me. She was struggling just as much as I was but there she was... headed down the lane towards her second loop of the race. So what was it, did I quit or keep going?
I must have been desperate or delierious or both because I opted to quit. I headed into the finish line chute and crossed at 36:56. I should have been happy right? WRONG! The second I crossed the finish line, I felt extremely guilty, upset & disappointed in myself. But it was over, there was nothing I could do about it, but never let that happen next time.
Overall, I will say that it was a good experience to have. After all this was my FIRST.RACE.EVER. I know I made a few mistakes psyching myself out the day before, not pacing myself correctly from the start.... I feel like I set myself up for failure.
Here's a pic of me & my mom before the start of the race
I don't have an after pic, of us, but here I am sporting my first race t-shirt and hanging out with my daughter later that day
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