“You want peace, chase down your war every morning and get it out of the way.”
So says my ever-present and usually annoying alter ego.
4:00 a.m. (hell even 5am for that matter) always sucks. Always. Always. Always. It is never going to be one of those things body or mind naturally do (on a weekend when there is no good reason really), and I do not give one single flying #*$@ what anyone says. As long as we’re all clear on that, we’re good.
See, I have a big problem with things and people who are not straight forward… if something is going to suck like a Hoover, just give it to me, don’t wrap it all up with a frilly little bow the shade of someday and call it communicated. In this respect, I do not like surprises.
So, folks, here it is for you - you NEVER get used to getting up at {insert ungodly hour here} in the morning for anything, in fact, unless your house is on fire, all of your receptors and responders will not, in fact, engage in any sort of conscious behavior for at least 20 minutes. Do not drive during this time. Do not leave your house during this time. Do not go up or down stairs during this time. Trust me.
There. Said. Done. Moving on.
I am not weak. I am not faithless. That said, I have earned the right to bitch a bit about the first few miles of a run (or the last couple for that matter). ESPECIALLY that early in the morning. On a Saturday (or a Sunday). When it’s awful, icky, humid ass weather. Or its not (as was the case this morning, with low humidity, no wind to speak of and a nice chilly 32 deg at the start, with 49 deg at the end). Or that I am just plain ass tired. Or just because its the weekend. I mean really?
So – let’s recap:
-- Getting out of bed to do anything at 4:00 a.m. will, until the end of time, FORever, damn near cause me to become violent. Depending….
Get up.
It sucks.
Then it doesn’t.
Go train.
It sucks.
Then it doesn’t.
Always, in that order.
No games. No bows. No tiaras.
In the words of Nike: Just Do It.
And thats exactly what we did this morning...12-23 miles of the marathon course covered, which included the Westpark Bridge (not so bad after all this time). 21 miles total. Was supposed to be 22, but F a bunch of that :) After 21, we just said OK, thats enough. I had 3 previous 20+ milers under my belt, not to mention the 17, 18 and 19 milers along the way. We ran the first couple nice and slow before starting with the group, then started out. We decided to run the long way around the park to add on a mile and then finish up around base instead of doing Allen Parkway. I finally figured out what was wrong with my Garmin but not till after daylight so I dont have splits; I was only able to monitor pace. The history was full. Go figure. As I monitored the pace fluctuated between 10 and 10:30's so all is well.
Now we rest. Recouperate. Re-energize.
And on race day, may my preparation meet the task at hand, and with that hand, I hope to hand the marathon a big old helping of whup ass.
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tis The Season
I have only 2 things I really wanted for Christmas, well 3, but Daddy can't be here, so we'll leave it at just the 2.
I sure hope those 2 things find their way underneath the tree...oh and maybe one under some mistletoe. I found some mistletoe right outside my front door this morning (hmmmm) as I was loading a bazillion gifts into the car...
Merry Christmas!
p.s. a great, injury free 22 miler on Saturday would also be greatly appreciated Santa :o)
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
I Hate Running Sometimes
A warm front is upon us (till tomorrow) and I had mile repeats, 7 miles total. Since I have plans for early evening out in Kingwood, I had to run my speed workout mid-day. Ugh. It sucked.
1.5 mile warmup
4 x 1 mile w/ 1 min rest in between (between 9:18 and 9:26)
1.5 mile sloooooooow run back home
My body feels like its shutting down on me but I know its just because I am exhausted and we are in the last full week of high mileage before taper. And it was just soooooo humid out and we've been so blessed with cold temps...till today...
I have to try and squeeze in a run tomorrow before work, or between work and heading to my sisters. I honestly dont know if thats going to happen as I wont be home till late and I know I am going to be that much more exhausted come tomorrow morning...
Sigh.
1.5 mile warmup
4 x 1 mile w/ 1 min rest in between (between 9:18 and 9:26)
1.5 mile sloooooooow run back home
My body feels like its shutting down on me but I know its just because I am exhausted and we are in the last full week of high mileage before taper. And it was just soooooo humid out and we've been so blessed with cold temps...till today...
I have to try and squeeze in a run tomorrow before work, or between work and heading to my sisters. I honestly dont know if thats going to happen as I wont be home till late and I know I am going to be that much more exhausted come tomorrow morning...
Sigh.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Bitchy, Whiny and Moany
I am sore from yoga.
I am exhausted from running 38-50 miles a week.
I am moany because thats what I do when I am sore and exhausted.
I didnt want to go to hills, but to hills I went. If Megan would have responded No to my text then I might not have gone. But she said Yes and there ya go.
Did a 1 mile warm up around base and then 3 loops of the cloverleaf. Ran them about a minute slower than we normally do and I did in fact, bitch, moan and groan the entire time.
Only got 4 miles in today and I guess I am just going to have to live with that.
Tomorrow will be better. I am sure of that.
I am exhausted from running 38-50 miles a week.
I am moany because thats what I do when I am sore and exhausted.
I didnt want to go to hills, but to hills I went. If Megan would have responded No to my text then I might not have gone. But she said Yes and there ya go.
Did a 1 mile warm up around base and then 3 loops of the cloverleaf. Ran them about a minute slower than we normally do and I did in fact, bitch, moan and groan the entire time.
Only got 4 miles in today and I guess I am just going to have to live with that.
Tomorrow will be better. I am sure of that.
Whew!
I am finally a Female again. The timing company finally fixed the results from the Turkey Trot. What sucks is that it was 10 sec between me and 3rd in my age group :o) 4th out of 105 women? AND 296th out of 2,643? I will take that and a bag of chips. :o)
Sheltering Arms Turkey Trot 2009
Overall AG Bib Name Gun Avg Pace Chip
296/2643 4th/105 3633 June F 46 26:04 8:42 25:55
Sheltering Arms Turkey Trot 2009
Overall AG Bib Name Gun Avg Pace Chip
296/2643 4th/105 3633 June F 46 26:04 8:42 25:55
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Turkey Trot - 5K
I don't like this race. Its about 6000 people and mostly people who run twice a year. This one and the Rodeo Run in February. Its full of walkers, strollers, soccer moms, grandparents and gangs of high school kids. But since this year the 5K was chip timed and I got a free entry, I decided to do it.
Glad I did. I smashed my 5K PR. Some say the course was short and thats fine...I have run many 5K's where the course was long and I always have to hear 'well it was the course and thats your time, for good or bad'. Well if thats the case then if its a short course I say 'well it was the course and thats your time, for good or bad'. My watch showed less than .1 short on the course, but again its all how you run the course; tangent or no tangent, weave or no weave. Even if I had to run that extra...I still would have come in at about 26:30? Still not shabby :o)....buuuuttt...I didnt have to and it is what it is...
Today there was no weaving whatsoever. I knew better than to line up at my goal pace, and as much as I hate to do this, I lined up near the front where the 6 min mile sign was. I knew looking around me that NONE of those people were running 6 min miles...
Once I went over the mat, I moved right over to the far right and fell into my stride. I wasn't in anyones way thats for sure.
Just past the 1st mile marker, the 5K'ers split off from the 10K'ers, and my first mile came in at 8:39. Right what I was hoping to do. I knew that once I made the next turn I would be fighting a headwind but I also knew it wouldnt be for very long...Ran right past the water stop...no need for water on a 5K in these conditions (temp was about 48). The headwind didnt bother me that much, but my split at mile 2 came in at 8:51 and this was due all in part to that I started to feel the lactic acid build up and I slowed a bit (but not wanting to post anything with a 9: in it), knowing that I wanted something left for the last mile, and of course the last 800m.
Once we made the turn onto San Felipe I knew I had a PR I just didnt know how much of one. The last 5K I did on Halloween when I posted a 27:14 that never got recorded due to my chip not registering, well as they say if its not officially recorded it doesnt count...so having said that, my PR for a 5K was 28:31...My hopes today were to go sub 27...I was trying to do the math in my head...I remember looking at my watch at 2.5 miles and thinking...oh. wow. We are so going to do this...
Last mile came in at 8:38... and then of course the change for the remainder.
Giving me an OFFICIAL (chip) time for the 5K of 25:55. Watch showed 25:50 but at one point where we run under the tunnel for the Williams Tower I heard my watch beep and it showed Auto Pause as if I had stopped. As I exited, it read Auto Resume. So thats where the time difference is I suppose.
Since everyone is saying the course was short, then well I guess I have my work cut out for me at the next 5K...to at least get that time...I wont have any more 5K's till the Spring though...
The thing that I am most proud of is that I did this during marathon training. Where there is no training going on for short distances. No 800m repeats, nothing like that. Its all about the endurance training and hitting your training paces with some MPace in there from time to time. I feel certain that once I hit Spring training, I should be closer to 25 or sub 25....thats the goal...
The other thing that I am most proud of is that looking back...to a time where I ran 36 and 37 min 5K's...just a mere 3 years ago...taking 3 min off per mile is something that I, and I am sure others, dont take too lightly or without some semblance of respect for the effort. And the training...
At least I like to think so.
Next up? Las Vegas Rock and Roll Half Marathon. Next Sunday.
I smell another PR....
Glad I did. I smashed my 5K PR. Some say the course was short and thats fine...I have run many 5K's where the course was long and I always have to hear 'well it was the course and thats your time, for good or bad'. Well if thats the case then if its a short course I say 'well it was the course and thats your time, for good or bad'. My watch showed less than .1 short on the course, but again its all how you run the course; tangent or no tangent, weave or no weave. Even if I had to run that extra...I still would have come in at about 26:30? Still not shabby :o)....buuuuttt...I didnt have to and it is what it is...
Today there was no weaving whatsoever. I knew better than to line up at my goal pace, and as much as I hate to do this, I lined up near the front where the 6 min mile sign was. I knew looking around me that NONE of those people were running 6 min miles...
Once I went over the mat, I moved right over to the far right and fell into my stride. I wasn't in anyones way thats for sure.
Just past the 1st mile marker, the 5K'ers split off from the 10K'ers, and my first mile came in at 8:39. Right what I was hoping to do. I knew that once I made the next turn I would be fighting a headwind but I also knew it wouldnt be for very long...Ran right past the water stop...no need for water on a 5K in these conditions (temp was about 48). The headwind didnt bother me that much, but my split at mile 2 came in at 8:51 and this was due all in part to that I started to feel the lactic acid build up and I slowed a bit (but not wanting to post anything with a 9: in it), knowing that I wanted something left for the last mile, and of course the last 800m.
Once we made the turn onto San Felipe I knew I had a PR I just didnt know how much of one. The last 5K I did on Halloween when I posted a 27:14 that never got recorded due to my chip not registering, well as they say if its not officially recorded it doesnt count...so having said that, my PR for a 5K was 28:31...My hopes today were to go sub 27...I was trying to do the math in my head...I remember looking at my watch at 2.5 miles and thinking...oh. wow. We are so going to do this...
Last mile came in at 8:38... and then of course the change for the remainder.
Giving me an OFFICIAL (chip) time for the 5K of 25:55. Watch showed 25:50 but at one point where we run under the tunnel for the Williams Tower I heard my watch beep and it showed Auto Pause as if I had stopped. As I exited, it read Auto Resume. So thats where the time difference is I suppose.
Since everyone is saying the course was short, then well I guess I have my work cut out for me at the next 5K...to at least get that time...I wont have any more 5K's till the Spring though...
The thing that I am most proud of is that I did this during marathon training. Where there is no training going on for short distances. No 800m repeats, nothing like that. Its all about the endurance training and hitting your training paces with some MPace in there from time to time. I feel certain that once I hit Spring training, I should be closer to 25 or sub 25....thats the goal...
The other thing that I am most proud of is that looking back...to a time where I ran 36 and 37 min 5K's...just a mere 3 years ago...taking 3 min off per mile is something that I, and I am sure others, dont take too lightly or without some semblance of respect for the effort. And the training...
At least I like to think so.
Next up? Las Vegas Rock and Roll Half Marathon. Next Sunday.
I smell another PR....
Monday, November 2, 2009
Raced on Saturday.
5K.
Huge PR (1 min 20 sec). Broke 28 min, almost broke 27. would have too if not for shoes coming untied TWICE...finally double knotted...plus the rocky 3/4 mile path in mile 3 around the race track. stupid.
dtag didnt register. still getting that worked out with timing company.
27:14. Good enough for FIRST in my age group.
Go figure. Even when they adjust the time and add me...i highly doubt the woman who got the bad ass plaque for 1st in our AG aint gonna give it back. woe is me.
48 miles this week. 19 on Sat or Sun coming up. Not sure what day i am actually going to do them. Run with KW on Saturday, or do the 25K. Gonna discuss with Sean tonight and see what he thinks.
************************************************************
Entered the lottery today for NYC marathon 2010.
************************************************************
And people...if you're going to talk the talk, run the run. Nothing makes me roll my eyes more than a person thats just plain ass lazy and really good at excuses.
Seriously.
Put up or shut up.
5K.
Huge PR (1 min 20 sec). Broke 28 min, almost broke 27. would have too if not for shoes coming untied TWICE...finally double knotted...plus the rocky 3/4 mile path in mile 3 around the race track. stupid.
dtag didnt register. still getting that worked out with timing company.
27:14. Good enough for FIRST in my age group.
Go figure. Even when they adjust the time and add me...i highly doubt the woman who got the bad ass plaque for 1st in our AG aint gonna give it back. woe is me.
48 miles this week. 19 on Sat or Sun coming up. Not sure what day i am actually going to do them. Run with KW on Saturday, or do the 25K. Gonna discuss with Sean tonight and see what he thinks.
************************************************************
Entered the lottery today for NYC marathon 2010.
************************************************************
And people...if you're going to talk the talk, run the run. Nothing makes me roll my eyes more than a person thats just plain ass lazy and really good at excuses.
Seriously.
Put up or shut up.
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