speed racer.....

So, as I stated in my last post, I am going to sign up for my next 5k. Because the race is so big to have a timed run, you are supposed to be able to run the 5k in 35 minutes. I’ve looked over previous year’s results and this hasn’t always been the case, but I’d like to make a concerted effort to be as close as possible.

Why not just sign up for a non competitive run/walk wave and run it anyway you ask? Well, you can’t. The race is so big that you cannot find a rhythm in the main waves. My sister-in-law and I tried to run/walk it two years ago and gave up and just walked the whole way. And trust me, I need to take avoid any opportunity to give up.

So, I need to increase my mile time. I went for a run yesterday (I have been dying to be able to say that for years!!!!!!!!) and I wasn’t planning on a certain distance or a certain time, just going to a jog in the morning. I ended up running 1.77 miles in 24 minutes. So a 13.5 minute mile. This would put me at a 42 minute 5k. So I need to shave off 7 minutes of time.

I’ve done a bit of reading about this. I know that I shouldn’t increase my speed too much, or I’ll aggravate my shin splints, but I’ve been thinking about speed training. Running spring/jog intervals. Does anyone have experience with this? What works….what doesn’t.
Help!

race day

So, on Saturday I had my 5k race.

I woke up at 5:30 and couldnt' get back to sleep (the alarm was set for 6:00am). I got up putzed around, and got dressed. My stomach was a ball of nerves. I had planned on eating a half of a peanut butter and jelly sammie when we got to the race site. I knew I would need to eat before then so I forced down half of a banana. Here is my...i'm eating and I'm nervous face....

We got to the park, and were extremely early. I picked up my race chip, and walked around, stretched and went to the bathroom like 10 times before the 5k started. Prior to the 5k starting, about 100 women took off on a Half Marathon! About 20 minutes after they left, the 5kers lined up. I got behind the 12+ minute mile sign. The gun went off and it took me about 45 minute to cross the start line....and I was off...

It was hard for me to get my pace at first. My pants were a little loose and they kept sliping off until I started sweating enough for them to stick to me. Gross right? Anyway....It was interesting for me to run a course I've never run. It was so much easier to no worry about how far I had gone, or how long we had been running when I didn't know distance. I also didn't wear my watch. I was feeling pretty good through mile one. The course didn't have mile markers, but I had studied the race map relgiously, so I had an idea of where the mile markers were. Right after mile one we headed up a small hill. Post hill there was a water station...I remembered from the race packet that the first water station was supposed to be at mile 2. I thought there was no way that I had run 2 miles already, and that i didn't think that mile 2 was until further down the course. I had a gulp of water and threw my cup on the ground feeling like a real runner. At this point I was feeling tired. There was a group of three women in front of me and two women behind me. Both grous were run/walking and we kept passing eachother.

I wasn't too familiar with the course, but since I could see several people infront of me, I wasn't too worried about going the right way.....before i knew it there was an arrow on the ground (i'd been following them all along) but this one had the word "finish by it" at the point we re-entered the park and i knew i only had about half a mile to go. I fought every urge not to walk.

But I didn't. And I ran across the finish line!

The clock had 1:00 hour on it. It didnt' take me an hour, the 1/2 marathon had started 30 minutes prior. I was doing the math and realized It had only taken me 30 minutes! I could hardly believe it......

A volunteer handed me a medal, and took off my race chip. I was still in disbelief about my time. I was truly expecting it to take me 40 minutes. But...I didn't think about it too long and i was so proud of my self for not walking at all...


After the run Scott and I had a picnic with his parents. A ham sandwich at 9:30am has never tasted so good....

So....later that day, I was anxious to see what my race results would be, and I knew that they would be online at spondoro.com.

My chip time was 27:56. Meaning 8:59 minute miles. I was in disbelief. I pulled up the PDF of the race map and realized that there was no way we had run the whole course.

I was still feeling good about my race, but had a nagging feeling about my time and the distance. last week my practice 5k took me 41 minutes. No one cuts that much time off, even if they do run the whole way. I told my husband and he reassured me that even the first finishers had come in super fast. I formulated the theory that the course had been mismarked.

Today, I started feeling a little down about the whole thing. It's just not possible to run sub 9 minute miles on Saturday, when you were running 13 minute miles on Tuesday. While I was in the shower, my husband called the store that sponsored the race. They confirmed that "the course had either been mismarked, or the participants took a wrong turn." Damn.

I feel so jipped! I was so nervous about this 5k and I truly feel let down. I am proud of myself for signing up for the race and going and being prepared to run the whole thing, and running the whole distance regardless of how far it was...but I wanted an authentic time and authentic race.

It's ok though, I'm going to sign up for another local race that is in September. It's also a 5k. It's a HUGE race, literally 10,000 people (women only again) in the race. to have a timed race, you are supposed to be able to run a 35 minute 5k. So....that is my new goal. Aim for a 35 minute 5k in my training, increase my speed and endurance...and try again.

Dork Alert

So, I'm going to a conference in Salt Lake City in October.

I just realized that the conference site is ONE MILE from a WHOLE FOODS!

I'm super excited. Not because I think Whole Foods is the best, but because I've never been. I know it's super expensive etc, but i live in a town with out a Co-op, Trader Joes, etc. NOTHING! No Publix Fresh Market, no Earth Fare....i'm excited!

That same weekend i'm going to Reno for a Wedding...and there is a Trader Joes..i'm stoked for that as well.

And i'm a huge dork.

And getting super nervous for my race....TOMORROW!

Race coverage will begin tonight with packet pick up!

breathe in...breathe out....

This is the race I am running on Saturday. EEEEEEEEEAKLJASLDJALSKJDAS>
I am getting pre-race nerves. Like seriously. Not so much about my ability to do the race, but about having on the right clothes, and not forgetting my sunscreen and what the route is going to look like, and if the XL race t-shirt will fit, and where we are going to park.
Like I said: aajweroiukjanvbopaiufboieng!

I’ve been reviewing my race packet and printing off parking maps and looking at the sponsors website and it’s just going to be so cool!

So for the running part. I can jog 30 minutes with out stopping. But during those 30 minutes my feet only carry me about 2.25 miles. Right, less than a 5k. I’m not sure yet how I am going to work out the amounts of running vs. walking. I really want to run the whole thing without taking a walk break, but I don’t want to push my shins and back. I think my tentative plan, if I need to walk is to run for 20 minutes, take a 5 minute walking break and then run through to the finish.

Or just plod along slow and steady.
This weekend I am running for Chocolate and Champagne…both of which will be at the finish line…what do you run for?

...and I ran

Today I ran for 30 consecutive minutes. No walking, no stopping.
Just run for 30 minutes.
And I am so damn proud of myself.

oh man...

It’s has been way tooo long. The last week of may and the first two weeks of June are always my most busy time of year, gearing up for all of our summer recreation programs.
So I’m going to do an update of sorts, in list form. I love list updates. Hooray.

1). 5k training. My 5K is next weekend!!!!! Eeeek! I’m so excited and nervous about it!. I’ve been following the Couch 2 5k training plan, and tomorrow will be my final run of week 8. It so happens that my last training workout co-incides with race day.
I injured my back two weeks into training, and it set me back a week. I was hoping to have an extra week before, but that is ok.

About a year ago I posted that one of my fitness goals was to run a mile…I can now proudly say that I can run 2 miles….Seriously, I don’t take the time to think about that often, and I often compare myself to marathoning bloggers, but…I should be proud of myself.

2). My husband and I joined a new gym last weekend. I joined Gold’s Gym almost two years ago when we first moved here, and am ready to let that membership go. We joined Anytime Fitness, a franchise near our house. It’s a small gym, but adequate enough, and it’s not super crowded and for the two of us we are only paying 20 bucks more per month then I paid for JUST ME at Gold’s.

Tied into number two, my husband and I have started working out together. He hasn’t been regularly exercising in along time….it’s so exciting to be getting healthier together. Our goal is to run a 5K together in the fall…I’m hoping that training with him for a 5K will make me a faster runner.

3)I’ve been working on cleaning up my eating. I just tried almond milk in my morning smoothie (green monster style) this morning. HOW COME NO ONE TOLD ME ALMOND MILK MAKES SMOOTHIES THE BEST THING EVER????

an open letter to my body

Dear Body,
You are really throwing a kink in my 5k training. First you had the r2d2 stomach ache and now you have lower back pain. I’m not sure what caused the lower back pain, and I promise I’ll take care of you by going to the chiropractor tomorrow if you are still hurting. I know we only get one shot at a spine, and it's important to take care of.

Also, why is it necessary to have period cramps and a twinge in my lower back? It sort makes sitting….really uncomfortable.

I love you body and I want you to be healthy…..but it would be really great if you could cooperate!
Love always,
Mind.

n1h1, r2d2?

I'm bummed. I was all set yesterday to move forward with my training for my 5k. I got up at my normal time, went to the bathroom ,and realized I had some sort of stomach/digestive thing going on....and forced my self not to run.

That is right, I had to "force" my self. I have this problem, when I am excited about exercise and starting a new problem...I don't like to take a day off due to sickness. I'll take a day off if I don't feel like exercise, but if I feel like an outside force (illness) is forcing me to rest..I don't like it.

I stayed home from work, and told everyone I had swine flu, which of course i don't. I'm feeling better today, and debated doing my planned run from yesterday this morning, but I decided to wait it out one more day and do my scheduled run for Saturday.

Man....I was so stoked to use my new stopwatch to time myself too!

this and that...

Yesterday I completed week 3 (my first week) of the Couch to 5k program, for the training I am doing for the 5k I signed up for on June 20th.
Here is a picture of me after my run on Saturday Morning. It was pouring rain and I was sweating…hot isn’t it…
Tomorrow I start week 4. I’m a little nervous about week 4. Not the amount of running, the lack of tracking ability of distance that I have.
When you start the C25k plan, it tells you that you can train by distance or by time. (IE run either 200 yards or 90 seconds). I’ve always used the time option, but I realize that the training plan assumes you run 10 minute miles. HAHAHAHAHAHA. I do not run a 10 minute mile. I actually don’t know how fast I run a mile. My pace for the run/walk intervals of week 3 was 14.5 minutes per mile yesterday ,which is not much faster than my walking pace. I run sllllllooooooowwww.
So, I realize, if I really want the endurance to run for a 5k, I have to use the distance factor. The loop around my subdivision is .6 of a mile…..almost a half mile, so I’m just going to wing the distances.
I still feel good about the 5k and I was really feeling motivated after the Biggest Loser last night. If Ron, can walk for 13 HOURS! I can run for 30 minutes…

I’m changing topics with no transition now…..breakfast.
A few weeks ago I posted about how I’d been having green spinach smoothies for breakfast. I continue to do that, but this week my husband did the shopping and got the small box of spinach, so I’m spacing my smoothie eating out.

I’m sick of oatmeal. I just have no desire for another bowl of banana oatmeal with toppings for a while. But…I like oats for their whole grain qualities and their health benefits, so today I decided to attempt the famous “breakfast cookie.”
I used Meghann’s most recent recipe, as a base for mine. Last summer when I didn’t want hot breakfast I tried a bowl of “cold oats” that everyone around the blog world seemed to be eating and it was disgusting to me…cold and gloppy…so I’ve been wary of the “breakfast cookie”

My recipe:
½ cup oats
2 spoonful’s applesauce
1 spoonful peanut butter
Some craisins-didn’t measure..maybe 2 tbsps?
Cinnamon.

I mixed it all together, spread it out on a salad plate and put it in the fridge.
This morning I topped it with 1 spoon full plan non fat yogurt, ½ a banana and some pecans.
I didn’t count the calories in this bad boy….but I’m guessing it was around 500-550?

This was much better than I expected. It wasn’t soggy like overnight oats are, but it wasn’t hard either. Like a thin flat soft cookie…eaten with a fork. I think I’ll be adding this in to my summer rotation of Kashi cereal and Green smoothies.

now i've done it....

Well...I went and signed up for this race.

I first read about this 5k when I was in the See Jane Run store a few weeks ago buying my new walking/jogging shoes.

How cool is a race called "I run for champagne and chocolate."

I had kind of written it off, until this week. I recieved an email while I would out of town about the Wellness challenge that we've been having here at work. Our final "monthly challenge" is to put in as many miles (walking, running, biking, whatever) until May 15th. On May 18th we are going to have a 3.5k (random) "race" as a culmination to how of how fit we all are now. We'll after being in Georgia last week, and feeling motivated...I wanted to RUN that 3.5k.... Then I started thinking about running and that old bug to be a "runner" caught on again. So I looked up other races in the area...and found the See Jane Run 5k and remembered how cool I thought it was when I was in the store the other day.

So, I dusted off my old print out of the Couch to 5k training program...and on Tuesday I jumped in at week three. And it was great, and I felt great and I felt so motivated that today I signed up for the race. No backing out now!

So...now you know. I've signed up for my 3rd ever 5k.

Last time I did the couch to 5k program I was 20 pounds heavier and I crapped out on week four. I already know that I can do the distances of week four....but I'm still a little nervous!

I'll keep you all up dated on my training and how everything goes!