I am currently in what I call 'maintenance' mode which means that from now until June, my Saturday runs are gonna be pretty much 10 miles, maybe 11 or 12, depending. Since I somehow got hoodwinked into Chicago again :O), these weeks of 'short long' runs are going to be the only real break I give myself I guess. Of course I wont be doing any speed other than HIIT and a few hills here and there. All dependant on if I feel like it or not. Then full on Chicago Marathon training mode will kick in...
Hey as a crazed runner, and if you are one as well, you know thats a sacrifice and a 'break'.
Since I decided against running the 5K yesterday, I went to Kenyan and started a bit before the group just because I was ready to just get going. It was warm and humid (and will be for months and months so no sense in dwelling on it) of course, but surprisingly the run was a good one. Averaging about 10:30 pace overall, with the last 3 miles at 10:10, 10:06 and 9:52. I will always still go for the negative split because its been bore into my head by Coach for 4 years now. :)
This morning instead of just running I wanted to do something different (again giving myself a break of sorts) and headed out on the bike which I havent done since early last Summer. I didnt want to end up with any soreness so I just did a bit over 12 miles (12.25) and then after putting the bike inside, I took off for a short 1 mile run. That was tough. Been 2 years since I did that. I am thinking of doing a duathlon in June and maybe a Sprint tri (only if its a pool swim; no more open water swims for me!) Even if I dont, the bike and swimming will only help my cause and just give me the mental break and to hopefully insure that I stay healthy for marathon training.
I am also in the throws of completely overhauling my eating for dropping some weight, and I am really not going to go into how, why or what, because I dont need any scrutiny. I actually just got home from going to Whole Foods (for xanthum gum and damn how expensive is that stuff!?!?!?) and I ran into a fellow KW'er there and she was like "are you losing weight?" Its always nice to hear those words, I dont care who you are!
Hope you all are enjoying your weekend and are happy and healthy!!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Four 4 The Park Race Photos
Courtesy of Brightroom
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| I hate the pictures where they get you pretty much stopping after the timing mat...never attractive. :O) |
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Fun with Words and Pictures
I found this cute little site that lets you do fun stuff with pictures, so I did a few (click to see full size)
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| Oh Leann...quit tweeting about all the cinnamon rolls you are baking and eat one (or 10) already; your new fake boobs weigh more than the rest of your entire body |
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| Photoshop at its best (so far this week). That face is NOT Kim K |
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| What a woman looks like fo realz without Photoshop. Serena will pop a cap in yo ass, cellulite and all! |
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Just the Facts
Monday: 20 min on treadmill followed by 50 minutes on weights (with cardio bursts of JJ's and burpees). Then I got back on the treadmill for a cool down mile. I was going to start my hill work today by using the TC Jester bridge as my 'partner' but the weather had other things. I wasn't sure if it was going to still be raining, but I knew the wind was going to be brutal and out of the North. And since the bridge runs N to S, no way Jose. I hate that bridge enough as it is, so having to power up it straight into a N wind was not part of my plan. Bridge workout re-scheduled for Wednesday and one of my friends is going to be joining me. He is just getting back on the running grind, so it will be good for both of us!
Tuesday: Well it was supposed to be 90 minutes of hot yoga today, but one of my friends told me last night that the heaters in the hot studio were broken. I called today twice today and they are still broken :O( Sure I could still go do the class but unless I am sweating in a hot/humid room and about to pass out, yoga itself does not interest me in the least. Instead since the weather is soooo beautiful today I wasn't sad at all to 'have' to run. I went out and did my little 4 mile route through the 'hood. In addition to that I set the bike up on the trainer and rode for 30 min right after while doing laundry and watching the news. Then a few more times I would hop on for 5-10 minutes for the heck of it! :O) I havent ridden in forever so I didnt want to make my booty and the 'other' non-running muscles any more sore than they needed to be in anticipation of my 'hill' workout. :O) I should have just ridden outside, but the traffic in the early evenings around where I live isn't really worth all the trouble; plus I needed to do laundry etc. Blech.
Wednesday: Met a friend over at the TCJester bridge for a little hill work, which is quite funny seeing as how I havent done a hill workout since...ummmm...last Summer!! Ha! Now that I think about that, its hysterical!!! I figure its 6 weeks out from San Fran so might as well start now :O). Plus I do want to do hills again in the late Summer while training for Chicago, so off and on for now will help I hope ;o)
I got there a bit before Joe did, so I just walked the bridge twice and then when I saw him coming I went down and met him.
We started out with a 1 mile out and back before tackling the bridge.
The wind was blowing hard out of the South so we decided to just run North up the bridge then turn back to run down instead of going up and over etc. I set the intervals at 5 min of bridge running then a 2 minute rest. We did 5 sets total, although on the last set, Joe did the bridge again while I stayed down at the bottom and did the baby hill that was the 'side'.
Was a good workout and didn't suck half as much as I thought it would. :) Probably due to the fact that I had Joe to talk to!
Thursday: Doing a 4 mile run instead of hot yoga (which who knows if the heat will be fixed anyway), as I am working an event at Luke's Locker and I have to be there at 6:30.
Friday: Rest day. I have decided against doing the 5K tomorrow but running long with Kenyan Way instead. At this point its really kinda silly to run the race with no training. The only reason I was going to still do it was for the 5 pts to go towards a bib for Houston from HARRA. If I get a spot from them, great. If I don't I will just have to take my chances with the lottery. Really not a big deal to be quite honest.
Tuesday: Well it was supposed to be 90 minutes of hot yoga today, but one of my friends told me last night that the heaters in the hot studio were broken. I called today twice today and they are still broken :O( Sure I could still go do the class but unless I am sweating in a hot/humid room and about to pass out, yoga itself does not interest me in the least. Instead since the weather is soooo beautiful today I wasn't sad at all to 'have' to run. I went out and did my little 4 mile route through the 'hood. In addition to that I set the bike up on the trainer and rode for 30 min right after while doing laundry and watching the news. Then a few more times I would hop on for 5-10 minutes for the heck of it! :O) I havent ridden in forever so I didnt want to make my booty and the 'other' non-running muscles any more sore than they needed to be in anticipation of my 'hill' workout. :O) I should have just ridden outside, but the traffic in the early evenings around where I live isn't really worth all the trouble; plus I needed to do laundry etc. Blech.
Wednesday: Met a friend over at the TCJester bridge for a little hill work, which is quite funny seeing as how I havent done a hill workout since...ummmm...last Summer!! Ha! Now that I think about that, its hysterical!!! I figure its 6 weeks out from San Fran so might as well start now :O). Plus I do want to do hills again in the late Summer while training for Chicago, so off and on for now will help I hope ;o)
I got there a bit before Joe did, so I just walked the bridge twice and then when I saw him coming I went down and met him.
We started out with a 1 mile out and back before tackling the bridge.
The wind was blowing hard out of the South so we decided to just run North up the bridge then turn back to run down instead of going up and over etc. I set the intervals at 5 min of bridge running then a 2 minute rest. We did 5 sets total, although on the last set, Joe did the bridge again while I stayed down at the bottom and did the baby hill that was the 'side'.
Was a good workout and didn't suck half as much as I thought it would. :) Probably due to the fact that I had Joe to talk to!
Thursday: Doing a 4 mile run instead of hot yoga (which who knows if the heat will be fixed anyway), as I am working an event at Luke's Locker and I have to be there at 6:30.
Friday: Rest day. I have decided against doing the 5K tomorrow but running long with Kenyan Way instead. At this point its really kinda silly to run the race with no training. The only reason I was going to still do it was for the 5 pts to go towards a bib for Houston from HARRA. If I get a spot from them, great. If I don't I will just have to take my chances with the lottery. Really not a big deal to be quite honest.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Four 4 the Park - Race Summation
Yes, summation.
With all the pictures and really this just being a short 4 mile race, there isn't really much to break down here, so summation it shall be. :O)
I do love this race, its a fast and flat 4 mile course, but well, every year its the first weekend in April and every year its been hot (mid 70's) and sky high humidity. AND its an 8:30am start, which just means its hotter than at 7am when most races here start :O). Last year I didnt run it due to Bellaire being the same day, but since I know how 'that' went, I know that it was yet again, what could end up being a death march on a short course :O)
It was so damn humid when I walked outside I thought I was going to suffocate. It was also cloudy and it was 'drizzly'. Not raining, and not mist...but drizzle. By the start of the race, it was actually raining (although that didnt last long), then it just got steamy. Thankfully the sun didnt (as a mean prank) break through or we would really have been in deep ca-ca. But the streets were slicker than the BP oil spill which made for careful placement of footing.
I was wishy washy on what I wanted (or thought I could do) here. I haven't done any real speed work this Spring, other than here or there and that isn't what my body is use to, its use to some serious speed training with KW, so there was that. However....I also thought well...I did 10:05 pace easily last weekend in the half marathon in basically the same conditions...
So pretty much I thought maaaaaaaaaaaybe I could pull out a 9:00 average for the 4 miles.
Um. No.
My body wasn't having any of that.
I don't have my splits, but my first mile was 8:57 (faster than I wanted) Held on a bit in mile 2 and then just f**king cratered in mile 3 (which also is the only incline on the course and its a long, slow incline up Memorial Drive).
I actually walked quite a bit in miles 3 and 4, trying to settle a very nauseous stomach. Once I made the turn for the last mile home to the Finish though I tried, I really did, but there wasnt much there. The distance came in at .07 over and at least I got 8:38 for that part :O)
I finished 2.5 minutes slower than my time the first year of this race (2009) which was 36:58 and this year it was just over 39:30ish (barely faster per mile than at the half last weekend)...I really wanted to break 36: but again, no speed work and no short distance races for months and months just really doesn't lend itself to a good showing. :O( I just haven't practiced at all and its hard to figure shit out. :O)
I did manage to get 17th out off 88 women in my AG and was 614th overall out of over 1,550 runners..so that doesn't suck. Although this race is not typically known for having the fastest peeps show up for it (its getting better). It's more like a 'family' thing sort of race with a lot of run/walkers and walkers in general.
All I remember was sucking up it as hard as I could in the last 800m so that I didn't go over 40:00.
I had to kneel down after crossing the mat for at least 3 or so minutes because I honestly thought I was going to puke everywhere.
So now its on to Bellaire this coming Saturday...5K and one of my favorites. Although I need to really go into this with a better head and think about what I want to do to try and get a PR (goal is to finally break 27: but I just dont see it happening this Spring). Weather forecast doesn't lend itself to giving me much confidence either... but it is Houston and it is April.
Side note: other notable vendors there were Freebirds and Los Cucos (I forgot I ate a bit of chicken burrito from FB's but managed to pass on the chips and green/red sauces from LC!!) Seriously the food at this race is awesome!
With all the pictures and really this just being a short 4 mile race, there isn't really much to break down here, so summation it shall be. :O)
I do love this race, its a fast and flat 4 mile course, but well, every year its the first weekend in April and every year its been hot (mid 70's) and sky high humidity. AND its an 8:30am start, which just means its hotter than at 7am when most races here start :O). Last year I didnt run it due to Bellaire being the same day, but since I know how 'that' went, I know that it was yet again, what could end up being a death march on a short course :O)
It was so damn humid when I walked outside I thought I was going to suffocate. It was also cloudy and it was 'drizzly'. Not raining, and not mist...but drizzle. By the start of the race, it was actually raining (although that didnt last long), then it just got steamy. Thankfully the sun didnt (as a mean prank) break through or we would really have been in deep ca-ca. But the streets were slicker than the BP oil spill which made for careful placement of footing.
I was wishy washy on what I wanted (or thought I could do) here. I haven't done any real speed work this Spring, other than here or there and that isn't what my body is use to, its use to some serious speed training with KW, so there was that. However....I also thought well...I did 10:05 pace easily last weekend in the half marathon in basically the same conditions...
So pretty much I thought maaaaaaaaaaaybe I could pull out a 9:00 average for the 4 miles.
Um. No.
My body wasn't having any of that.
I don't have my splits, but my first mile was 8:57 (faster than I wanted) Held on a bit in mile 2 and then just f**king cratered in mile 3 (which also is the only incline on the course and its a long, slow incline up Memorial Drive).
I actually walked quite a bit in miles 3 and 4, trying to settle a very nauseous stomach. Once I made the turn for the last mile home to the Finish though I tried, I really did, but there wasnt much there. The distance came in at .07 over and at least I got 8:38 for that part :O)
I finished 2.5 minutes slower than my time the first year of this race (2009) which was 36:58 and this year it was just over 39:30ish (barely faster per mile than at the half last weekend)...I really wanted to break 36: but again, no speed work and no short distance races for months and months just really doesn't lend itself to a good showing. :O( I just haven't practiced at all and its hard to figure shit out. :O)
I did manage to get 17th out off 88 women in my AG and was 614th overall out of over 1,550 runners..so that doesn't suck. Although this race is not typically known for having the fastest peeps show up for it (its getting better). It's more like a 'family' thing sort of race with a lot of run/walkers and walkers in general.
All I remember was sucking up it as hard as I could in the last 800m so that I didn't go over 40:00.
I had to kneel down after crossing the mat for at least 3 or so minutes because I honestly thought I was going to puke everywhere.
So now its on to Bellaire this coming Saturday...5K and one of my favorites. Although I need to really go into this with a better head and think about what I want to do to try and get a PR (goal is to finally break 27: but I just dont see it happening this Spring). Weather forecast doesn't lend itself to giving me much confidence either... but it is Houston and it is April.
Side note: other notable vendors there were Freebirds and Los Cucos (I forgot I ate a bit of chicken burrito from FB's but managed to pass on the chips and green/red sauces from LC!!) Seriously the food at this race is awesome!
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Sunday morning: Ran/walked 6 miles in the nastiest conditions of the year (so far). I ran 7 minutes then 1 minute walk intervals. Even though yesterdays race wasn't fast, my legs still felt like they had run a lot faster than they did. :O)
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Four 4 the Park
I will write up the race mumbo jumbo later (like Monday probably :)) but here are some photo's; most are from the post race event which is seriously one of the best we have here. If you are a foodie (or a drinker) you can't go wrong with this one! Definitely worth the price of a bib (although I get a free entry due to it being a Luke's sponsored event)!
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| Awesome tech shirt, although they need to change the design or style; same design all 3 years now and 2nd year for this style on the womens shirt. Free Clif bar and Clif Blocks, plus a coupon for free sweet potato fries at Becks Prime and a free 1/3 turkey burger at The Counter! Also free coffee, but I dont drink coffee :) |
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| Memorial Park; on the walk over (I parked about 1.5 miles away) |
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| Approaching the hoopla! |
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| A very popular area at Memorial Park no matter what the day. Stretching area and general congregation for runners and walkers alike 365 days a year |
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| Coffee anyone? Blech. Unless its an iced white chocolate mocha from Starbucks for me! |
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| Who can tell me where this was taken? Yep inside the porta potty. Sorry couldn't resist. :) |
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| Kids Run! I love watching them! |
OK now for the food and drink, and believe me there was SO MUCH more than these photos; I just felt weird taking so many pictures! :)
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| The Counter (best burgers and fries!!) |
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| They were serving turkey and veggie burger sliders; I took a turkey slider and it was to die for! |
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| Tequila vendor? Margaritas anyone? |
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| Wine! |
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| 2 of my favorites! My Fit Foods and Muscle Milk |
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| Another wine vendor shot (How did that get out of order?) |
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| Sushi!!!! And brownies!!! |
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| The haul: Lots of packets of trail mix, hummus, pita chips and grilled chicken from TruMeals, Kashi GoLean bar, granola bars, packets of natural peanut butter and 2 bottles of Light Muscle Milk. 2 containers of chicken salad and couscous from Fresh Meals...I could have gotten a lot more but my bag was pretty full (due to my other stuff) and I was tired of walking around! I had about a 1/2 a large cup of Sangria (somehow that photo mysteriously disappeared off my camera) and the turkey slider along with some Indian style type rice that was from a vegan place here in Houston. I was not happy that I didnt get a pineapple again this year! They go so quickly and the line is always so long!! |
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