Love you Dad!

I literally just posted about my mom, but my dad is an amazing person as well and this video sums up how much Dad's love their children.  I know my dad would do anything for me and I hope he knows how much I care about him.  My friend Kelly (Mrs.In Training), posted this the other day.  It is very touching but very emotional...just a forewarning...watch at your own discretion.  Love you Dad!

Happy Birthday Mom!

I have realized in the past few weeks that I am really bad about blogging.  It isn't that I don't want to blog, it's just that I am really busy.  Since April 3rd (the last time I posted anything) I have:

• Joined another running group (VA Runners) that meets on Wednesday night for a 5 mile fun run.  They are a great group of people and I am really enjoying running with them!
• Ran to DC to do Yoga on the Mall (I am NOT a yoga person), but it was fantastic!
• Had my sister from Germany visit for 8 days
• Ran Crystal City 5k and got a new PR of 26:36
• Ran 37.7 miles in a week (max I think I've ever done)
• Begun doing tempo runs and, wow, they are hard, but I have been pushing myself and I already see improvement!
• Ran GW Parkway 10 miler and got a new PR of 1:32:27 on what would have been my mom's 66th birthday

That's a lot of things on top of working full time during the week and part time on the weekends.  I am trying to blog, but sometimes, time gets the best of me.  So today after my race I have been able to have some time to myself (which is rare) and I am loving it!

Today is my mom's birthday.  She would have been 66, but she died 12 years ago when she was 54.  I was only 18 and I took it really hard.  My mom was my best friend and to loose her when I was just out of high school was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through.  Many times, as I run, I think of her.  So when I saw that the GW Parkway 10 miler was on her birthday I felt like the best way to represent her was to run for her.  I asked my dad make a shirt so others knew why I was running:

I wore this shirt today with pride.  My mom was my world and I think about her everyday.  It never is easy when you lose a parent, you just learn to move forward, but never forget.  There are so many times in my life that I wish my mom was with me.  It doesn't matter if I need a shopping partner, a shoulder to cry on, someone to tell me they're proud of the person I have grown into, a future grandmother, the person to one day help me pick out my wedding dress, to give me advice when I need it the most, or whatever the situation, there are times everyone needs a mom.  As I ran the 10 miles of the race today, I didn't think about time or distance or speed, I thought about the person who shaped me for many years.  It made a strong, proud, and ready to conquer whatever was in my way.  It even helped me PR!

After the race I met up with Jessica (Pace of Me), my stepsister, and she told me that my mom would have been proud of me for how far I've come with my running.  She's right.  My mom would be proud and I am going to take each day to remind myself of that.  No matter what I am doing my mom would be proud and even though she's not physically with me, she now has the best seat in the house for everything in my life so I better put on a good show!

Jess and I after GW Parkway 10 Miler

The other day,one of my other stepsisters, Jodi asked me why I run.  I realized, while I told her and tears filled my eyes, that a huge part of the reason I run is for my mom.  I run so I can be healthy, so I will be able to live a long, healthy life for my husband and children (whenever those things may happen), so I feel full inside, and to make sure that I always have something I am working towards.  My mom died from a torn aorta and heart disease is something that runs in my family.  The one thing that I can do to help prevent that from happening to myself is to strengthen my heart through running.  But I want to help others as well.  

When I got home from the race today I made a decision to raise money in her name for the American Heart Association by running and fundraising for Lawyers Have Heart 10k on June 9th (Donate Here).  I am not someone who asks for money for my runs, in fact, I really feel bad about it.  So please don't feel like you have to donate, but if you would like to, I would love the support.  I want to send a huge THANK YOU out to Jessica and Elizabeth who have already donated.  Your donations mean the world to me.  With your help maybe someone else will be able to spend that extra needed time with their mom through their own life events, big and small.

One of my favorite pictures of my mom

Another great picture of my mom

I made my day all about my mom and that makes me so happy.  Today is her day and always will be.  Of course, I wish she was here, but the next best thing is the memories that I have of her.  So take a minute to think about what makes your mom special to you and don't forget to let her know, it will mean more than you know.  Be grateful for what you have because one day it will be a memory.  Happy birthday Mom!  I love you!

My mom with me when I was born

Spring Training Plans

As I reflect on my last few races and the warm weather is become more consistent I have been beginning to think about how I can improve my running.  Two things come to mind: Hills and Speed.

Hills have always been my nemesis.  I hate them.  But then again I used to hate running.  I love running now and I will soon love hills.  It's as simple as that.  I need to maintain the same speed and tempo on the hills as I do on the flat distance.  They are hard, but if I want to improve my times, I will have to work on hills.  Let's face it, I'm not running in Holland.  This is Virginia and there are hills...everywhere.  Instead of fighting them and avoiding them, I will be embracing them.  I am going to seek out the hills and kick their asses!  If you have any suggestions of good hills in the area, let me know!

Speed is something I can do, but it's hard to maintain.  I enjoy getting in a pace and sticking with it.  Pushing myself is a challenge.  A challenge I am going to take.  I know that I can do it because I have done it in training runs, but I get nervous during races to push too hard.  I talked to my chiropractor today and he suggested I run with a metronome to count my beats.  He said that I should be running around 180 beats per minute, but I should push myself to 200 and then bring back down to 180.

As well as running with a metronome, I am going to make sure I do one tempo run a week.  This will be hard work, but if I do it right, it will pay off.  The first one I want to try will be a 1 mile warm up, 2 miles with a 5 min fast pace, 5 mins slow pace, then 1 mile cool down.  I am planning on doing my first one this week.  With each week I will add another mile.  Eventually, I will switch over to running a warm-up mile, then a consistent faster 4 miles and then a cool down mile.

The journey of a runner is always changing because we always want to improve.  When you see the results of the first change, you move on to the next.  I am determined to improve.  The change will come!

Race Report - Cherry Blossom 10 Miler

First off, I want to apologize because the last two weeks since Rock 'n Roll have been VERY busy.  Not only have I been busy at work and trying to keep up with my running, I also had a family member pass away and had to leave the state for a few days.  Although what happened was sudden and incredibly tragic, it gave me a chance to rejuvenate and spend time with family members that I had not seen in a long time.  When I came back last week it was back to the grind stone at work and trying to get my miles in.  This past week I ended up running in the mornings with my school's Girls on the Run Program and another running program we offer students.  On top of that, I also ran/worked out each afternoon.  Needless to say, I was too tired to type.

Anyway, onto Cherry Blossom 10 miler this morning...I have to say waking up this morning at 4:15 came way to soon.  I had worked 12 hours yesterday and was so tried after sleeping only 5 hours.  The only thing I could think of as I headed to the metro was my bed.  I met Brooke and Jeff, my running friends, at the metro and headed down to DC.  Brooke and I chatted about our last race (Rock 'n Roll 1/2 Marathon) and the fact that we hated all of the pictures that were taken of us.  We were both very relaxed about Cherry Blossom because we had just had the half 2 weeks earlier so we were just going to take everything in stride.  Of course, we wanted to do well, but we weren't stressing about it like we were 2 weeks ago.  This race was more about having a nice run.  When we got off the metro it was dark and cold, it felt about 10 degrees colder in DC than it was in VA.

Brooke and I as we got off the metro

Before the race we relaxed/shivered with some of the other runners from the Potomac River Running Training Group.  Finally, it was time to check our bags and head to the start line.  Brooke, Jeff, and I headed up to the start and ran into my friends Brigid and Morgan.  Brigid is training for a Half Ironman and had biked 30 miles and ran 4 yesterday, her plan was to run the last 5 miles, so Morgan joined us in the coral.  The wave start seemed to go smoothly, although there was a lot of time in-between each wave.  Once we got started, the race was crowded (which we knew), but we were determined to keep a steady pace.

The first few miles seemed to fly by.  Brooke and I ran one behind one another so we could easily weave in and out of the crowd.  Around mile 3 we saw a photographer and gave a great, big smile and a wave.  We were hoping to get better pictures this time around.  Although the miles flew by, we were both very quiet.  We were taking in the scenery and enjoying the race.  It was wonderful.  All of a sudden we noticed (although we didn't mention it to each other at the time) two runners who jumped out of the race and raced each other up some stairs that were to the left side of the course.  They looked like they were having a great time!  Everyone was enjoying the race, smiles on their faces, feeling strong, and getting into the swing of things.  Then came the bridge on Independence Avenue that crossed over the Tidal Basin.

Right before mile 5 we crossed over this bridge, the race still fairly crowed, and heard a runner say, "Thanks Sweetie!" to another runner.  The second runner, frustrated because she felt like she had been cut off, yelled, "Don't call me Sweetie!"  The first runner replied, "I'm sorry, I call a lot of people that, I didn't mean to insult you!"  To which the second runner again expressed her anger.  Brooke and I were appalled!  We were running a race, having a nice time, do we really have to have tension between us?  The course is crowded, you may accidentally bump another runner...GET. OVER. IT.

We continued on with the situation in the back of our heads, but were focused on how well we were running.  As we ran around Hains Point, just after mile 7, there was another confrontation.  This time between a man and a woman.  The man was older, and the woman cut him off.  Words were exchanged between the two, I wish I could remember the exact conversation, but it ended very harshly.  As the woman continued to run past the older man, she yelled at him, "Maybe if I tripped you and you fell, your bad attitude would be improved."  Again, Brooke and I had no idea how to handle this.  I know that neither of us would have ever talked to someone like that.  In fact, most runners would not talk to each other like that.  This is a positive community that we are involved with and we support each other...or at least we should!  It is unfortunate, when a few people make comments that bring down the positive aura of a great race.  Either way, we did not let it get us down.  We felt great and we were pushing it to the finish!

As we rounded the corner and headed up the hill in the last 400 meters of the race, Brooke took off up the hill (she is a fantastic hill runner!) and headed to the finish line, where I met her a few second behind.  We both agreed that this was such a great race!  It was well organized, great course, and we ran it strong and proud.  

Post race picture

Now instead of looking forward to going back to sleep, we wanted food!  Of course, we continued to take a few more pictures (we're still looking for the best race day photo) and then walked around to meet up with Jeff who had finished before us.  As we walked around, we first tried to talk the volunteers into giving us medals (you had to pay for them), with no luck, and then we ran into some other running friends, Dora and her husband Michiel.

Picture with Dora

Picture with Michiel

Finally, we met up with Jeff and were headed back to the metro and then to grab some food.  Without a doubt, the metro was packed, but the three of us were talking and one thing lead to another and we brought up the rudeness of some of the runners.  I was just about tell Jeff about the second incident when the train stopped to let some people out, so I sat down.  There were two people sitting right by me and Brooke recognized them as the two runners who had raced up the stairs.  The four of us had a good laugh about the odds of that.  The woman then commented about how she was surprised that we remembered her from that, cause she had really made a scene on the course with another runner.  Brooke and I looked at each other thinking, surely this is not the same runner that had raised her voice and we had witnessed it.  What were the odds of that???  Well, sure enough it was.  

The VERY upset runner around mile 7, now on the metro

She indeed was the runner who had basically told an older man that she wished she had tripped him.  Based on the continued conversation, it is clear that some runners get wrapped up in the race and forget about others around them.  They couple seemed nice, and in fact, they gave me an extra medal that they had taken.  The man even let Brooke take a picture with his medal!  We continued to talk and I found out that the woman was a former equestrian like me!  When we finally got to our metro stop we headed right over to grab lunch and relax.  

With our medals

I would have to say that this was a great race.  Everything went so well and looking back I have to say it was because I took the pressure off myself.  From the beginning to the end, I just ran.  I enjoyed every step and it showed in my attitude, my consistency, and my time.  It's ok to push in training because then you don't have to push come race time.  The training has already been done, take the pressure off and have fun!  I say that now, but will I follow my own advice???  The next race will only tell!

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Breakdown:

Mile 1 - 9:27

Mile 2 - 9:02

Mile 3 - 8:59

Mile 4 - 8:59

Mile 5 - 9:13

Mile 6 - 9:15

Mile 7 - 9:27

Mile 8 - 9:32

Mile 9 - 9:29

Mile 10 - 9:20

Mile 11 (0.07) - 0:35

Time - 1:33:18 (A NEW 10 MILE PR BY OVER 2 MINS!!!!)

Average Pace - 9:16

Race Report - Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon

As I woke up yesterday at 4:15 am, my nerves were all over the place.  I was excited, nervous, confident, strong, but ready to race Rock 'n Roll USA.  In my head I tried to remain focused by repeating, "You are healthy.  You are strong.  You are ready."  I feel like in the last week this has helped me focus my positive energy.  Those three sentences may be my new running mantra.  Even being focused I had decided to have fun with the race and wear my new green Team Sparkle skirt and get in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day.  Although I wanted to have fun, I also wanted to PR and I really wanted to run this half in under 2 hours.  I have been training for this and I knew I was ready.  The one part that made me most nervous was the weather.  We had been training in 40 degrees or under and in the last week the average temp had risen to around 70 degrees.  I was trying not to think about the huge change in temperature and just focus on running.

My fun sparkle skirt for Rock 'N Roll USA on March 17th, 2012

My running buddies Terri, Brooke, and I had decided to drive down to DC and get to the race early so we didn't have to fight with the metro.  Terri met at my house around 5am and we picked Brooke up shortly after to arrive at RFK around 5:45am.  We had plenty of time before the race to relax and prepare.  We headed up to the lovely port-a-potties and had a great surprise when we ran into some of our other running friends including my sister, Jessica (Pace of Me).  Jessica, was looking to qualify for Boston yesterday so I was excited to give her a hug and a good luck in person.  It really made my morning.

Race time was 8:00am, so around 7:15 Terri, Brooke, and I headed up to bag check in the DC Armory where we ran into even more of our running friends.  We exchanged positive messages to each other, took pictures, and then all headed to our corrals.

Some of the great PR runners before Rock 'n Roll USA

Terri, Brooke, and I remained together.  We all had the same goal, we had trained together, and were ready to run.  When we got to corral 10, Brooke ran into some friends and we hung out with them before the race began.  Each corral was sent off in about 1 minute shifts so we finally took off around 8:10am.  The three of us started strong.  We had talked about running a little faster than race pace in the beginning so we would have some wiggle room towards the end.  We did just that.

Me, Terri, and Brooke before the race

Mile 1, 2, and 3 were strong and they flew by fast.  I knew we were going faster than my body was telling me to go, but I kept pushing.  Even though I knew we were giving ourselves the wiggle room, I was getting nervous that I wouldn't be able to keep it up.  By the time we made it mile 4, I knew I couldn't keep up at that pace so I had to pull back a little and run my own race.  Brooke and Terri ran ahead, while I focused on myself.  Around mile 4.5 the race started an upward climb that didn't seem to end.  Hills have always been my kryptonite.  I know I need to work on them and this race really proved it to me.  As I began the uphill battle, literally, I felt myself not feeling well and slowed down a lot. I figured the sickness was just the struggle I was having with the hills and I continued, but in a much more conservative pace.  When I felt myself feeling ok, I would push, when I felt like I needed to slow down I would.  There was no consistency to my pace.  I had trained with a consistent pace so this was hard for me to wrap my head around for mile after mile.  The points where I was having a hard time I would have to get into my head in a positive way and say, "You are healthy.  You are strong.  You are ready."  It helped me refocus.  Looking at my pace each mile, I have realized that I would have tough miles back-to-back and then push it for a few miles and then have to bring it back.  My training did not reflect this race.  When I hit mile 12, I knew the last 1.1 miles would be hard, but I was going to push it and that's what I did to the finish.  I didn't PR, I didn't run under 2 hours, but I ran 13.1 (13.27 to be exact) miles.  That is an accomplishment.  Was it hard? Yes!  Could I have made changes?  Yes!  Have I reflected? Yes!

Mile by mile:

Mile 1 - 9:01

Mile 2 - 8:39

Mile 3 - 8:29

Mile 4 - 9:06

Mile 5 - 10:26

Mile 6 - 9:42

Mile 7 - 10:22

Mile 8 - 10:23

Mile 9 - 9:55

Mile 10 - 9:22

Mile 11 - 10:07

Mile 12 - 10:57

Mile 13 - 9:36

Mile .27 - 2:45

Time - 2:08:49

Average Pace - 9:43

After crossing the finish, I made my way over to where Terri, Brooke and I were meeting.  As I walked I began to feel sick, but I just thought my body was recovering.  In no time, the three of us had met up, and were headed back to pick up our bags.  They shared with me that they had both run great races Terri finishing in 2:00:20 and Brooke in 2:00:30.  They both PRed and had amazing races, but we will all be ready to race again to get under that 2 hour mark.  I am so proud of you girls!!!

As we walked into the DC Armory, a wave of sickness came over me, I threw my stuff at Terri and told her I had to run to the bathroom.  I couldn't get there fast enough, I felt horrible, almost to the point where I couldn't stand.  I regrouped after a few minutes, still feeling bad, and reconnected with my friends.  Brooke took one look at me and said, "You look grey!"  I felt the same way I looked.  I laid down on the floor of the armory trying to get my body to recover and I just couldn't, so they suggested I needed fresh air.  We headed outside to watch the marathoners finish.

Still not feeling well, I told them to go ahead and I would sit on the curb until I felt better.  That wasn't happening anytime soon, so I forced myself to stand up to try and find my sister, Jessica, who I knew was finishing shortly.  As I stood up, I felt a wave of nausea came over me so fast I couldn't find a trash can.  Then it happened again.  It was horrible, I felt like I was being hit by a truck.  It was then that I realized that maybe the heat had gotten to me.  Every time I drank water, I would just get sick.  I was able to cheer Jessica on and watched her as she finished and qualified for Boston with a marathon time of 3:34:48!!!  I watched my other sister, Jodi, finish in a fantastic time of 3:57:38, as well as my friends Amy and Dora who had great times as well, both of them PRing.  Each time I cheered for them I would stand up, cheer, and then run to some grass to get sick.  I know it sounds gross, and it was, but that's what happened.  My body was not happy with me yesterday at all. Once I got some Gatorade in me, my stomach started to settle.  It wasn't until about 4 hours later that I really feel whole again, but it finally did happen.  That's when I started to reflect...

Sucking it up for one picture after the race

Reflections:

• I know I can run a half marathon in under 2 hours and I will do it, yesterday was just not the day.
• I need to run my own race from start to finish.
• For my next race I am going to try and hydrate the day before by mixing in some electrolytes.
• Hills: More, more, more!
• I am not going to beat myself up about this race, I am going to learn from it.
• I AM HEALTHY!
• I AM STRONG!
• I AM READY!

 

I am Healthy. I am Strong. I am Ready.

The week before this 1/2 marathon has been really hard.  I should be resting, but all I want to do is run.  I know it sounds strange, but once you get in a pattern, it is really hard to stop yourself from wanting to exercise.  I have had to force myself to do less so I can do more on Saturday.

This morning I woke up feeling awful, with a terrible headache.  All I could think of was, "Really?  Today?  This week?"  I tried to push through the day at work, but it got unbearable in the afternoon and I left work a little early to rest, knowing I had my last track workout tonight.  On my drive home, I began to think about what my running buddy Terri always reminds us on our runs.  She says us to say things in a positive way to our bodies.  So instead of saying, "I won't get sick," say, "I am healthy."  I tried it.  On the way home, I repeated, "I am healthy.  I am strong.  I am ready."  When I got home I slept for a few hours with those words on my mind.  I woke up 2.5 hours later feeling fantastic!  Thanks for the positive thinking Terri!!!

I headed to the track to run my last few miles at race pace.  It was great.  My legs felt refreshed and ready to go.  Not only was I at running race pace, I was running faster than race pace!  I did 4 miles including a warm-up and cool down.  I am feeling stronger than ever and I am ready to RACE on Saturday.  After track, my running buddies and I went to carb load at Flippin' Pizza down the street.  It was a great way to celebrate an amazing season!

Mile 1: 8:50

Mile 2: 8:45

Mile 3: 8:51

Mile 4: 9:35

Average Pace: 9:00

Getting Flippin' Pizza with my sister Jodi!

After our last winter 2012 track workout!

Some of the most amazing runners and people I know!

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE RACING THIS WEEKEND!!!

I AM HEALTHY!  I AM STRONG! I AM READY TO ROCK 'N ROLL 13.1 MILES IN DC THIS WEEKEND!!!

8 Miles - Ready to Rock 'n Roll!

This morning I did my last long run.  It was 8 miles, first 4 easy, last 4 race pace.  I felt good for every mile except mile 5, when my chest started to feel tight.  I took a rest, then kept going.  I was really happy with how the run went and I feel like I am ready for the half next weekend!  Bring it 13.1...I am ready for you :)

Mile 1 - 9:39
Mile 2 - 9:44
Mile 3 - 9:44
Mile 4 - 9:24
Mile 5 - 9:15
Mile 6 - 9:00
Mile 7 - 9:09
Mile 8 - 9:13
Total - 1:15:10
Average Pace - 9:24

Race Report - Reston 10 miler

I know this may be a few days late, but better late than never.  On Sunday, I woke up after only 5 hours of sleep, feeling pretty exhausted, but determined to run a strong race.  I was headed to South Lakes High School to run Reston 10 Miler with my friends Terri and Brooke.  We normally run together during our Saturday long runs and we all have the same goal for the half coming up, so we were excited about this race just 2 weeks before our big run.

As the race started I was still running back from the bathroom, but right after crossing the start line, I caught up with them and we were on our way.  We had a great plan, to keep a consistent pace for the first few miles and then about every 2 miles kick it up a bit until we got to our race pace.  We all did a great job of having nice conversation, keeping to our plan, and sticking together.  Around mile 7 I looked around and I couldn't find either of them.  I was so confused because I thought we had stuck together.  As it turned out all three of us had gotten in the groove and I had totally dazed out.  I was running a 10 minute mile!  It has been a while that I have run at that pace in a race so it really surprised me.  Anyway, I picked up the pace and saw Brooke and Terri about a tenth of a mile ahead of me, but at that point we were all keeping a good distance and pace so I ran the last 3 miles by myself.  It took me a while to get back in the groove after slowing down.  It was a great race despite the fact that I got lost in my running.  I finished in 1:35:23.  A PR by over 4 mins!  I was so happy!  A great race with great friends...what better way to start a Sunday?

Here's the break down:
Mile 1 - 9:59
Mile 2 - 9:49
Mile 3 - 9:42
Mile 4 - 9:30
Mile 5 - 9:14
Mile 6 - 9:18
Mile 7 - 10:00
Mile 8 - 9:32
Mile 9 - 9:25
Mile 10 - 8:50
Time: 1:35:23
Average Pace: 9:30

After the race

Strongest Run On Record

This morning as I woke up after a refreshing and much needed 9 hours of sleep, I felt ready to run.  My quads were sore from Thursday nights kettlebell class, but I was looking forward to a nice, easy run.  I knew it would be tough because although it was 37 degrees outside, the wind was blowing strong with up to 40 mile an hour gusts.

When I got to our meet up at Potomac River Running Store the wind was still strong and not letting up, but 20 mins later as we started to walk down to the trailhead, well it was snowing.  My running buddy, Brooke and I were not expected that.  We were pretty excited as we started our run so we had to document it:

Definitely windy, but can you see the snow???

It was a tough beginning to our run.  We were cold, no hats, not many layers, and only she had gloves, but we wanted to get this 14 mile run done with.  Our plan was to keep it nice and easy, but strong.  We started running West toward Leesburg and the wind hit us every step, but we pushed on.  It took us a few miles to get into our run, running the first three miles at 10:03, 10:05, and 9:58.  The longer we ran, the stronger we got.  We had to remind each other that this was supposed to be an easy run, not a run that is pushing race pace.  As we ran, we talked about life and some personal things that really meant a lot.  She has not just become a running partner, but a good friend that I come to value and cherish, especially her advice and support during our long runs.  While we ran we began to reflect on our past runs and about how a few months ago we would have never imagined running this pace.  We were feeling great, the sun was starting to shine, but we still had the wind in our face!

When we got to out turnaround point at 7 miles we took a break and waited while our two other friends, Jeff and Russell, met up with us.  The four of us decided to run the last 7 miles together.  As we began our run back we wanted to the it easy so we decided that we needed to remind ourselves not to run too fast, even though we knew the wind would push us a bit.  We kept an even pace until we got to 11 miles.  At that point we all felt really strong and stopped reminding each other to slow down.  As we approached mile 12, I said, "I think I am going to slow down for the last 2."  Brooke turned to me and said,"I'm not going to let you, you can do this."  She was right, why did I need to slow down when I was feeling so great?  I continued to run at a pace that felt good, but not too fast for the last few miles.  During the last mile, there are 3 hills that I always dread, but with my 3 friends by my side they helped me push through and we finished strong.  I am so proud of all of us.  We all did an amazing job!

Directly after our run!

A few minutes later, back at the store...we rock!

We ran strong...here's the break down:

Mile 1 - 10:03

Mile 2 - 10:05

Mile 3 - 9:58

Mile 4 - 9:31

Mile 5 - 9:48

Mile 6 - 9:41

Mile 7 - 9:44

Mile 8 - 9:39

Mile 9 - 9:45

Mile 10 - 9:43

Mile 11 - 9:49

Mile 12 - 9:25

Mile 13 - 9:15

Mile 14 - 9:22

Time- 2:15:52

Average Pace - 9:40

As a reward and a much needed purchase, I bought a new pair of running shoes.  I love them!  They are the Asics Gel-Kayano 18.  They feel lighter and I'm looking forward to breaking them in over the next few weeks before the race.

My new running shoes!

After this run there are a few numbers to share:

33.5 = miles this week

106.3 = miles so far this month

210.45 = miles so far this year...I know I'll not only make my goal of a 1,000 miles this year, but I will be exceeding it!

What a great run!  I walked away from today feeling as though this is my strongest run to date.  I am looking forward to continuing my improvement!

Kettlebell Class

Over the last few years I have learned to love running as much as I used to hate it, which was a lot.  When I went to the gym, I was the person who avoided the treadmill at all cost.  I would get my cardio on the elliptical or the bike, but NEVER the treadmill.  I would always be sure to get some weights in as well by using the machines and for about a year I worked with a personal trainer one a week.

It's amazing how my focus has changed, especially the last two years, it seemed as though I couldn't get off the treadmill when I'm at the gym.  When I headed to the gym, I run a few miles and stretch.  That's all I would do.  In fact, a few months back, one of the trainers at my gym, Charles, mentioned that I should start working out with him to get some weight training in.  I knew it would be a good idea, but at the time, I didn't want to mess up my training schedule I had for MCM.  And let's be honest, I didn't want to fork out the money either :)

As I began this new training cycle for Rock N Roll Half Marathon, I thought that maybe adding something new would be a good idea. I wasn't seeing the results I wanted in my body, so I figured talking to Charles wouldn't hurt.  As we talked, he shared with me his inspirational story of how he became a trainer and it really made me realized that he cares about the outcome of his clients and he believes in what he does.  It was nice to hear and see a trainer that was involved in his clients lives.  And honestly, what really impressed me is that I happened to mention something about long runs on Saturdays and he remembered that detail.  I know, very small, but I could tell he was committed to being successful in what he does.  Anyway, he told me about different options that I had for classes within the gym.  He mentioned a new Kettlebell Class that was small and offered a more one-on-one experience without breaking the bank.

I started the class almost a month ago and I LOVE IT!  Twice a week, I meet up with a few other people (always less than 5) and take an hour weigh lifting class.  The question that you probably want to know is what is a kettlebell?  These are kettle bells:

These ball size weights with a horn on top vary in range from 5lbs to 35lbs (at least at my gym) and offer a total body workout because of the focus of control.  They offer a wider range of motion than a dumbbell.  I have really learned to push myself and become comfortable with these exercises.  I look forward to going to class and feeling it for the next few days.  I never thought that weigh training would improve my running, but I am finding that it is the only thing I have changed in the last month and I am feeling stronger and faster than I was before.  Of course, I still enjoy the treadmill, but this is a great change a few times a week!  Thanks Charles!

Charles, posing with his kettlebells

Off to kettle bell class...hope it's another good workout!

A Much Needed Run

If you read my post from last night, you can tell that I am in a place in my life where I am figuring things out.  This morning I woke and just wanted to run.  No pressure, just run.  I have been putting a lot of pressure on myself recently and it has become a little unhealthy.  I wanted to run on trail that I have missed because it is out of my way, but I am really glad I made the hike.  This morning, I made the trek to Roosevelt Island where I jumped on the Mount Vernon Trail.

I have run this trail once before, over 2 years ago, but I remembered that it was peaceful and had a great view of Washington from across the Potomac River.  The only goal I had was to run for 30 mins and then turn around and run back.  As I began at Roosevelt Island I focused on just one foot in front of the other.  I felt strong.  As I ran, I looked over to left and saw Washington, it was a beautiful site on a beautiful day.

Views of Washington from the Mount Vernon Trail

Then as I looked over to my right, I realized something.  I was running near Arlington National Cemetery and also the finish line to Marine Corps Marathon.  These 2 places reminded me that there are so many things that I should be thankful for.  I need to remember that millions of people have fought for our freedom and have allowed me to be able to run every day and have helped me fulfill many of my goals without even realizing it.  It gave me a new perspective.  Why was I getting upset because I wasn't making my goal every time out?  It is so stupid, there is no reason why I should be getting upset.  The big picture is much more important.  As I continued to run, I was feeling great!  I ran to Reagan National Airport in 30 mins where I turned around and started heading back.  

Reagan National Airport - Turnaround Point

My last 30 mins I felt so strong.  It was the best run I had ever had.  I know to get to where I need to be it will take more than one run, but this is definitely a great starting point.  I ended up running 6.5 miles averaging a 9:28 mile.  I wasn't thinking about my run and I ran great.  This is what running is all about.

Confidence?

I know it has been a while since I have written a blog, but I have been really busy.  Between working, running, and trying to have some sort of life it has been difficult for me to get on here.  With all that time though, I have had a lot to think about.  This post is really going to put a lot out there and it is a bit scary for me, but I am not one to sugar coat, so not reason to sugar coat here.

For those of you who know me, you know I am 1-very open and 2-very hard on myself.  I am my own worst enemy, but I will be the first to tell you that.  So here goes nothing...If I look at myself from an outsiders perspective, I see a great person who has a lot of things going for her.  I have a successful career, lots of friends, treat people well, traveled, been successful in riding horses and running.  But if I look at myself in my own eyes, I haven't met my own standards...and that is hard.  I try not to compare myself to other people, but I do.  I try to look at where I have been and where I am now and see the huge gains, but I don't see as much growth as I wish were there.  I am constantly fighting with my own thoughts.

Running is a sport where the LARGE majority of people run for themselves, not to come in first place in the race or their age group.  People run to live healthy lives, to push themselves, to see improvement, but not always to be the best in the sport.  I run for all those reasons as well, but I want to be better.  I push myself to be better and recently it has been hard for me to understand why it isn't coming as fast for me as it is other people.  Don't get me wrong, I love running and everything that comes with it, I just want to see my improvement sooner than I am.

Last weekend I ran the Run Your Heart Out 5k in Reston.  It was cold, freezing in fact.  The temp was 23 degrees, but felt like 10.  There was snow on the ground, but in my head I wanted to PR.  I wanted to run faster than 28:10, my PR from my New Year's Day 5k.  As I ran my first mile, I was right on track to do awesome...I was running a 8:45 mile, but after the first mile marker I slipped on a wooden bridge covered with snow and it really shook me...a lot.  I slowed my pace to 9:45 for the next mile and then picked it during mile 3 to finish in 28:42.  I was really bummed out, but I know I shouldn't have been.  I know I should be thinking, that last summer, all I wanted was to finish a 5k in under 30 mins and I am doing that now, but unless I see constant improvement, I don't see myself as doing well.  With each race I expect to improve, but that doesn't always happen and I have to learn that.  It is really hard for me.

Run Your Heart Out 5k

With Amy, Jodi and Jess

Yesterday I skipped my long run of 12 miles to run another race, the GW Birthday Classic 10k in Alexandria.  I worked really hard this whole week to push myself and feel confident to beat my PR and previous time at this race last year (58:39).  I had my eye on running it in 55:00 or under.  I was confident that I could do it.  Yesterday morning as I headed to the start line, I decided that I wasn't going to focus on my watch and just run strong.  I figured if I needed to push it the last few miles I could.  As it turned out, I ran by feeling and I finished in 56:59...a PR by almost 2 mins.  I should have been ecstatic, but I wasn't.  I just kept thinking, why didn't I do better?  I know I could have pushed myself, but I didn't.  I know if I had I would have been able to make my 55:00 goal.  I can't run the race again, but I need to learn to be proud of where I have come.  Instead, I decided that since I didn't make my time goal, I should keep running to at least get my distance for the day.  So I headed to Burke Lake to finish 12 miles for the day.  It may or may not have been the right thing to do, but I needed to feel successful in some aspect of my running for the day.

I am well aware that I currently have the wrong focus with my running and it is so hard for me to switch my focus.  I read the following quote today:

After reading this I realized I need to read this EVERY DAY.  I am a great person and it is amazing that I have been able to overcome challenges in not just my running, but in life.  I need to be proud of me.  Although I will still focus on improving my running, I also need to focus on the sentence above that says "Be confident with who you are."  It won't happen overnight, but one day I will learn to find the confidence within.

Reflections on 8 Miles

This morning I woke up moving very slowly and feeling tight in all my muscles, but especially in my adductor, which was causing me some frustration last week.  I would have been very happy heading back to bed and sleeping for a few more hours, but I knew my running buddy Brooke was waiting for me.  Being felt that you are held accountable for your runs always helps on mornings like this.  The plan was to run just 8 miles because this is a recovery week so the milage goes down.  Even though the long run milage is low, this is when we practice running race pace.  So for the first 4 miles we were going to keep it nice and easy and then pick it up for the last 4 to a 9:13 pace.  Brooke and I both have the same goal to run our half in under 2 hours, in order to do it we need to keep a 9:13 pace for 13.1 miles.  So here's how the morning went...

Mile 1 - 10:12
Mile 2 - 10:08
Mile 3 - 10:11

These first three miles Brooke and I took time to catch up and discuss the fact that we are working on saving money.  We weren't really paying attention to our pace other than knowing that we needed to use these miles as a warm-up.  After about the first half mile I wasn't feeling nearly as stiff and felt like I could nail this run.  The miles went by fast and the time to catch up was nice because it has been a few weeks since we had seen each other.

Mile 4 - 9:06

After the first 3 miles I was feeling really good and unintentionally ran in-front of Brooke and before I knew it I was running at a 9:06 pace.  After mile 4 we took a quick break, drank some water, had a chew and decided for the next 4 miles we would stay together, but pick it up 15 seconds every mile until we got to our race pace.

Mile 5 - 9:26
Mile 6 - 8:58

The next two miles we pushed it more than we thought, but we were feeling really strong.  Around mile 5.5, I started to feel dehydrated so I wanted to break again for a water stop at mile 6.  There we talked about slowing down to about a 9:10 pace.

Mile 7 - 8:46
Mile 8 - 9:29

Once we got back on the trail though we just took each step in stride.  We started off together, but then I slowed down after mile 7 and let Brooke run about 100 feet ahead.  I think that when we started working on race pace today we were feeling so good that we forgot that we still had more miles ahead of us.  Although we seem to be doing great with pace, I think we need to be aware that pushing too fast too soon can slow us down in the end.  Overall though, it was a great run, with great company and both of us walked away feeling proud that in just over a month we have really improved in not just our race pace, but also in our own confidence that we can rock this race in a little over a month and a half.

8 miles - 1:16:19
Average Pace - 9:32
I was also really excited that 5 of the 8 miles I ran were under a 9:30 pace and I was only planning on doing 4 miles faster than that!

800s

As I left the track tonight my mind wondered back to high school and my thoughts on running 15 years ago...yes, 15 years ago!  I HATED running, I remember that stupid ticket run at Robinson and I would dread it each time it came around.  A ticket run is where the gym teachers would punch a ticket for each lap we ran.  I would always do the minimum amount of laps required to pass.  My miles now are not even close to what they were in high school.  I was slow because I didn't want to put effort into running, cause I just didn't like it. I would run around a 13 minute mile and that was if I was trying.  In high school, kids are able to excel much more than as adults or so I thought.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I started running just a few years ago, yet I keep improving and today was one of those days where I was really proud of how far I have come.  15 years ago I would have never said that my adult-self would be running 5ks let alone a marathon.  Now I am running the best I have in my life.  This morning I even woke up to run 2 miles at the gym before I went to work, just to get some extra mileage in.  Then tonight we ran 800s, I started with a mile and a half warm, did my 8 800s, and then had a half mile cool down.  Just one month ago we did the same workout and I wish I had done my splits the way I did tonight because then I would have a true comparison, but I can tell I did much better.

Here are my splits from December 21st:
1st and 2nd 800 - 8:55 (about 4:23 each)
3rd and 4th 800 - 8:25 (about 4:13 each)
5th and 6th 800 - 8:30 (about 4:15 each)
7th and 8th 800 - 8:36 (about 4:18 each)
Average pace - 8:34

Here are my splits from tonight:
1.5 mile Warm-up - 13:56
1st 800 - 4:09
2nd 800 - 4:12
3rd 800 - 4:11
4th 800 - 4:10
5th 800 - 4:11
6th 800 - 4:13
7th 800 - 4:20 (I wanted to take the second to last one slow so I could push it during the last one)
8th 800 - 4:02 MY FASTEST!!!
0.5 mile cool down - 4:57
Average pace - 8:44
Total mileage at track - 6 miles
Total mileage for the day - 8 miles

Although the average pace is slower tonight, that also includes my warm-up and cool down.  I have come a long way in a short period of time.  I can't wait to see what each race brings, most importantly the one on March 17th!  Bring it Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon!  Oh, and that ticket run...I'll do one of those again too ;)

Perfect quote for the night!

A Race a Month in 2012?

After the first three weeks of 2012 I have surpassed my goal of 20 miles a week and that puts a huge smile on my face!  The first week - 21.7, week 2 - 22.7, and week 3 - 30.5!  This is much better than I had originally expected myself to do.  That means in the first 21 days of the year I have averaged just over 3.5 miles a day, that includes days off!  So now for a new goal...at least one race a month for a whole year.

I already completed the New Years Day 5k for January.  Now the schedule for the rest of the year, here's what I m thinking...

• February 12 - Run Your Heart Out 5k
• February 18 - GW Birthday Classic 10k
• March 4 - Reston 10 miler
• March 17 - USA Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon
• March 18 - Run for Haiti 5k (Maybe)
• April 1 - Cherry Blossom 10 miler
• April 22 - GW Parkway Classic 10 miler
• May - Any suggestions???
• June - Any suggestions???
• July 4 - Firecracker 5k
• August 19 - Leesburg 20k
• September 2 - VA Beach Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon 
• October 7 - Chicago Marathon
• October 28 - Marine Corps Marathon
• November 17 - Marine Corps Turkey Trot 10k
• November 22 - Turkey Trot (Not sure which one)
• December 9 - Run with Santa 5k

That all being said...what races is everyone else doing?  Anyone want to join me at any of these races??

1600s, 800s, and 400s

This week has been an interesting running week.  Although I have continued to keep up with my miles, my left hip has been quite sore/stiff since Sunday.  I made an appointment with my great chiropractor Dr. Wong at United Wellness Center in Herndon to have him check it out, but couldn't get in until tonight before track.  Yesterday I had a lot on my mind and what started as a brisk walk ended up as a 5.5 mile run.  My body wasn't feeling right, but I still pushed myself a bit farther than I should have because I just needed time to think about life.  After the run I was a bit sore and looking forward to what Dr. Wong had to say.  The only thing I didn't want him to say was, "You need to rest."

As it turns out it actually wasn't my hip that is the problem, it is my adductor muscle.  It just needed to be stretched out really well.  Dr. Wong was just the person for it!  It felt great when I left and I feel like I ran better than I had in a long time tonight.  I really need to be sure I continue to stretch it so it continues to feel this good.  And he didn't tell me to rest, if fact as I left, I told me to have a good run tonight...that meant I was good to go for track!

The track workout was as follows a 1600, rest 3 mins, 2 800s with a 3 min rest after each, and 4 400s with a 3 mins rest between each.  I started off with an easy 1 mile warm-up and was ready to rock the workout tonight.  My running buddy Brooke and I ran together because we are planning on supporting each other throughout the USA Rock n' Roll Half Marathon.  She has been a great running buddy and an even better friend.  I am really looking forward to both of us PRing on March 17th!  Anyway, tonight we focused on pushing ourselves (although maybe if we talked less we could have done more, right Brooke?) and we did great!

I should have done my splits on my watch based on the track distances we were doing, but instead I allowed it to do the automatic splits at each mile.  So here's the break down:

Warm-Up Mile: 9:02
1600: 8:33
2 800s: 8:22
4 400s: 7:39
Cool Down Mile: 10:18
Average Pace: 8:47

Feeling FANTASTIC after this workout!  Thanks Dr. Wong and Brooke!  Looking forward to my 12 miles on Saturday!

Brooke and I after one of our long runs!

Treadmill Thoughts

Running for an hour on the treadmill can sometimes feel like an eternity...not today.  Today as I looked around the gym I didn't get lost in my own thoughts, in fact I couldn't stop thinking about everyone around me.  There were a lot of interesting people at the gym tonight.  We have all seen these people, you know the ones, they go to the gym, but they don't work out.  You would think that on the 11th of January you would still have the people that are committed to their New Years resolutions, clearly I am wrong.  Don't get me wrong, I support people that go to the gym and actually work out.  It's the people that take up my oxygen that drive me crazy.  Tonight I saw:

• Women with more make-up on than Lady Gaga before she goes on stage...you are at the gym, if you are truly working out, you'll be a mess with all that on your face by the time it's over
• A man sitting on the stationary bike watching TV, yes, just watching TV, no leg movement what-so-ever
• A couple that stretched for 15 mins ON the two treadmills in front of me...it's January, there's practically a line for the treadmills...come on people!
• A woman who had on such a low cut shirt she couldn't even wear a bra...no bra to the gym...that's not gonna work!
• A handful of women that gone to the salon to get their hair done minutes before stepping foot into the building...if your hair looks just as good on the way out as it did on the way in...you probably aren't working out
• Many, many people that decided to head to the gym to waste time because if you don't sweat, you probably aren't burning calories
• A woman reading the latest about Katy Perry while running a 10 min mile...is that even possible???  I've never been able to achieve it
• A woman who changed machines every 3 minutes...I think she may have been Goldilocks
• A man who thought he had a 6 pack and decided to show it off by taking off his shirt...he should have though about that one for a few minutes longer

This all being said, it was quite an interesting night at the gym.  Again, I support all those people who are really working at the gym, but it seemed like tonight there were an overwhelming number of people who were more worried about socializing and how they looked then the actual workout part of the night...not a sermon, just a thought!

Running and Illness

Sometimes we come across hurdles while we are training and have goals in mind.  My current hurdle???  Strep throat.  I woke up a few days ago feeling like I was fighting a cold so I kept taking vitamin C and echinacea in hopes that it would fight off anything I was catching.  No such luck.  Yesterday, I felt HORRIBLE, but had to pull through for a big presentation at work.  This morning, after I was unable to swallow and my throat felt like I had sandpaper surrounding it, I decided to head to the doctor.  He told me that it was strep (which I figured), gave me a Z pack and sent me on my way.  After just two doses, I am already feeling better so tomorrow it is back to the normal routine.  Even if I don't feel 100%, I want to at least push myself to see what I can do.  I haven't run since Saturday and am starting to feel a little out of sorts.  It has been a long time since 3 days have gone by without a run.

It's hard for me to give myself a break especially since I have my goal of at least 20 miles a week for 2012. I have to keep reminding myself that without this break I could be feeling a lot worse.  As runners, we feel like if we give ourselves a break to take care of our body we are taking a step back.  We have to get our heads in the right place to understand that if we don't give ourselves a break, we could actually be doing more damage.  It doesn't matter if it is a illness or an injury, sometimes we just need a break.  Hopefully tomorrow will go well, but I know I won't go overboard with training, just an easy run to see how my body is feeling.

I'm Baaaaack!

After a very long hiatus and a lot of life changes I am going to get back on the running blog streak.  Since my last post in September I have:

• Become single one month before my marathon
• Ran my first marathon in 4:43:12
• Ran my first 15k in 1:33:06 (very poorly organized...never sign up for a Hot Chocolate Race)
• Signed up for my second Distance Training Program with Potomac River Running
• Signed up for the National Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon in March with a goal time of 2 hours
• Ran two 5ks one day after the next  PRing each time with 28:41 and 28:10 (I know I can do better because neither day was an ideal running day for me)

Jessica, Abby, and I before the News Day 5k

I am sure there have been a lot of other changes in my life, but one thing for sure is that I am the happiest I have ever been.  My running has helped me stay focused and in a great place.  If you had asked me a few years ago why I run, my answer would not have been to stay happy and now when I want time to self-reflect...I run.

As I begin the new year, I think about my goals for running.  I have two goals that I am going to focus on for 2012: 1-Run at least 1,000 miles and 2-Run National Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon in 2:00:00 or under.  The first goal seems like a HUGE goal, but when broken down it is just a little under 20 miles a week on average.  This first week, I ran 21.7 miles without pushing myself at all.  I have to say I think I'm off to a good start.  My second goal is one that I will really have to work at.  I am not a fast runner and I enjoy just running at whatever pace I feel like for the day, which ranges between 9:30-10:30 on average.  In order to run 13.1 miles in under 2 hours, I will have to run each mile in 9:09 mins or faster.  I know I can do it, but I will just have to focus on my goal during each run.  The race is on March 17 so I have just a little more than 2 months to push myself past my comfort zone.

In the mean time, I have already put together my race schedule for the next few months:

• Feb 12 - Love the Run Your With 5k
• Feb 18 - GW Classic 10k
• March 4 - Reston 10 miler
• March 17 - National 1/2 Marathon
• March 18 - Race for Haiti 5k (Maybe as a shake out run)
• April 1 - Cherry Blossom 10 miler
• April 22 - GW Parkway 10 miler

Be on the look out for more blogs as I reflect on my running MUCH more regularly than I have in the past few months :)