Rest

31 Oct

Rest
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Rest--Once again, I rode my bike all over town, which felt pretty good. When crossing the street (AKA playing Frogger in Bethesda), I hustled/"jogged" across the street in my attempt to avoid becoming a hood ornament. Let's just say the quads aren't quite ready to rejoin Team Steph yet.

Goals--Although I have many goals pertaining to all aspects of my life (career, spiritual, social, etc), this time and space seems appropriate to reflect upon and reevaluate my athletic goals. I am 2 for 3 so far (listed in my profile). Each day is another opportunity to work on making goal #3 for the season (finishing JFK 50 Miler) a success. This leads me to the...

Project--I have learned so much in the past year about triathlon, marathon, and snowshoe it's ridiculous. My project is to train for an entire year for a blazing fast (for me) marathon next fall. I will disclose the time later, after I figure out what is truly realistic. This year's experiment was testing my body with the higher mileage and my mind with longer tempo runs, which I think worked beautifully. This is the first time I will attempt to look ahead past the spring marathon at a speedy fall marathon. My project is challenging, extremely flexible, and the variety will keep me motivated. I am very excited! Here's the rough draft of my 2007 project:

Late Dec/Jan--Maintain base, lots of x-training, swim 200 fly, snowshoe!!!
Jan-Apr--Experiment with FIRST method for Boston (run just for FUN, no time goal), lots of short/fast intervals and shoot for 5K/10K PR (sub-7:00 pace goal)
Jan-May--Increase x-train volume for kick-butt Oly tri (sub-2:45, yay!)
Jun-Jul--Test speed in short races, Oly tri race, transition x-train volume to run mileage
Jul-Nov--Marathon training (similar to what I did this time, higher/more consistant mileage)
Nov--Crazy fast marathon!

Rest

30 Oct

Rest
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Rest--I did ride my bike to class this morning, but I left 15 min earlier!

(New) Total Time for MCM 3:33:30

Pre-Race "Rest"--Fri before the race was one of the most hectic days I've ever had, and included two runs, one of which was in combat boots. It was actually supposed to be my quality rest day before the race. I think this is where I hurt my left a** cheek and right calf. Ugh.

Pre-Race Nutrition--Again, let's just forget about Friday! Friday did end with Greek salad, homemade pizza, ice cream, and some Smirnoff! Saturday, I ate a lot of foods I really like: sushi, salmon, pasta, pizza, and a piece of cake. Breakfast on Sunday: baked salmon, baked potato, piece of cheese pizza, OJ. Just before the race I had my usual frappuccino and snickers bar. My stomach felt AWESOME!

Pre-Race Ritual--I totally jammed to my favorite tunes to get psyched for the race while riding the Metro. I reread the list of people who made the day possible for me and who continue to provide inspiration and motivation. I also wrote the miles where I would eat my gels (water stops were in weird places) and my splits (1-10, 11-16, 17-20) on my hand.

Miles 1-10--My a** cheek wasn't feeling 100% at the start line, so I decided it was going to be a Goal B day (sub-3:40), which was just fine with me. The first 10 miles were ~8:30/pace. It was so packed for the first 9 miles, no one could move anyway. Plus I'm patient and I welcomed the slow pace.

Miles 11-16--We finally spread out, and I picked it up just a little bit. It takes me a while to get warmed up anyway. The wind coming down the mall toward Haines Point near the 1/2 marathon point was just ridiculous though. I passed some guys from the Air Force Academy and from the University just after the half. I was pretty confident of my ability to negative split the marathon when I saw what my 1/2 marathon time was. Considering, I felt pretty good.

Miles 17-20--My FAVORITE part of the race! I needed a break from the tons of people and the crowds. In mile 3, a bazillion people passed me on the way into Georgetown. After mile 16 no one passed me, and I must have passed several hundred people after that. People didn't look so great running around Haines Point. But my TNT friends gave lots of encouragement!

Last 10K--Wind rears its ugly head at this point (BAD wind started on 14th St Bridge). A friend ran with me for the last 7.2 miles, and it sure was nice to have the company! He didn't dictate pace, which was fine. I could not believe how HARD it was to run up that hill at the Iwo Jima memorial!!! The medals this year are awesome.

Post-Race--A friend and I collected my stuff, checked in at the TNT tent, and watched people finish for about 3 hours afterward. I don't have a voice today! It was incredible! My right shoulder hurt the worst out of everything, but my legs weren't that sore. I'm ok today, and the bike ride this morning felt ok. I don't even feel dehydrated.

Overall--Given Friday's horrible day and the wind, I don't think I could have ran any faster. I really did leave it all out on the course. I didn't walk at all, and I ran through EVERY water stop (first time in 9 marathons!).

What went wrong:
Friday. Everything went wrong on Friday.
Too much taper! I should maintain higher mileage.
Wind (no control, but hey)

What went right:
Training to hydrate only every 4 miles
Pre-race fueling
Pre-race ritual (quotes, music, inspirational people, etc)
5 gels (6, 9, 13, 17, 21)
Breaking race down into chunks by pace (1-10, 11-16, 17-20, 10K)
Running for a charity was fun and motivational
Wearing gloves
Writing splits and when to eat gels on my hand
Wearing sunglasses and contact lens
Pinning gels to outside of shorts, then folding inside
Wearing my bigger size socks
Being boxed in for 9 miles
Foot powder in socks
Running through all water stops (pinch cup at the top and sip)
Cheering for runners
A, B, and C goal plans worked well
I have learned patience!!!
Boston Qualification!
Marathon #9
(Most important) I had FUN!

Still need to work on:
Adverse weather conditions
Better pre-race Fridays
More strength training!
Developing a faster "slow" pace (next goal is 7:40/mi)
Not being paranoid in the first 10 miles

Run

29 Oct

Run: MARINE CORPS MARATHON
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Total time 3:33:31

Splits:
Mile 1 8:46
Mile 2 8:54
Mile 3 8:19
Mile 4 8:15
Mile 5 8:11
Mile 6 8:13
Mile 7 8:19
Mile 8 8:28
Mile 9 8:18
Mile 10 8:00
Mile 11 7:48
Mile 12 7:55
Mile 13 8:13
0.1 mi 0:56 (1/2 marathon in 1:48:38)
Mile 14 6:56 (rest of the mile, entire mile was 7:52)
Mile 15 8:04
Mile 16 7:48
Mile 17 7:47
Mile 18 7:48
Mile 19 7:43
Mile 20 7:57
Mile 21 8:03
Mile 22 8:02
Mile 23 7:58
Mile 24 8:07
Mile 25 8:09
Mile 26 8:20 (ouch!)
Last 0.2 mi 2:03 (Iwo Jima climb!)

1st Half 1:48:38
2nd Half 1:44:53
Last 10K 50:42
AG 30/891
Women 143/8096
Overall 1228/20855 (but 34000 were registered... hmm?)

I'll write more later. Time for a cough drop!

Run

28 Oct

Run: 2 mi
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Run--Just short quick run around the neighborhood to loosen everything up. Windy as HECK outside!!!

Run

27 Oct

Run: 2.5 mi
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Run--I did NOT want to run on Friday! I had to drive to school, then run home. Then there was a delay on the Metro (very sad story...), so I had to run in combat boots and the like back to the university so I wouldn't be late. I was NOT happy!!!

Run

26 Oct

Run: 3.5 mi
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Run--Holy moly, my new running shoes arrived today in the mail, the newest edition to the family! My reward for my thesis protocol (finally) being approved by the human use review board is a new pair of Brooks Cascadias. Since I'm fully in taper mode, my run today was a short little ditty around the block, a perfect day to take the shoes on a maiden voyage.

Shoe Review--Have you ever had a puppy (or two)? Do you remember that face they give you when they BEG you to take them outside for a walk?? My shoes gave me that same puppy face when I opened the box. Do you remember how puppies' tails wag and flop uncontrollably when you finally take them on a walk, how happy they are? Oh, my shoes' tails were a-waggin'! I can tell you, these shoes are a trip! I just hope I say that 50 miles later in just over three weeks... I have a feeling the dogs will be a-barkin'!

Race--Less than 3 days until MCM. Tomorrow morning I am going to jet over to the DC Armory to do the packet pick-up thing. I actually lost sleep last night due to anxiety. I am very, very excited. Just need to relax...

PS--I will be wearing the tried-and-true purple Asics (with the proverbial 75 miles on them) for the big dance on Sunday!

Run

25 Oct

Run: 7 mi
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Run--A little running, a little post-run mint hot chocolate with my teammates, a little time to chill out. A little tapering!

Run

24 Oct

Run: 6.4 mi
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Run--A marathon: just one foot in front of the other until they tell you to stop. I'm feeling better about this already.

Rest

23 Oct

Rest
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Rest--Today wasn't really "restful," but there was no running (or any athleticism, really). Ocular science is taking over my life! Grad school and I have a common law marriage at this point.

Run

22 Oct

Run: 6.4 mi
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Run--1.7 WU, 3 mi at 3:51/half mile (quasi-marathon pace), 1.7 cool.

Splits
3:44
3:44
3:54
3:57
3:49
3:49
Total 3 mi in 22:59 (7:40 pace)

3:5x were not-so-easy today. It's not quite time to freak out... yet. Relax.

Ritual--I am NOT superstitious at all. But I do have some special ways to achieve my special peace of mind before a race. These include but are not limited to:

-Bringing my JTS hat to the race to wear afterward
-Eating a Snickers bar and drinking a Frappuccino minutes before the start
-"Secret Weapon" (to be disclosed at a later date)
-Purposely putting a song into my head. This year it's this song. With a healthy dose of these guys.
-Writing splits and stuff all over myself
-Reading and reflecting on some quotes

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--I do not run to add days to my life--I run to add life to my days. –Ronald Rook (my favorite)

--We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon. – Emil Zatopek

--I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart. – Mike Fanelli

--Enjoy your pain, you've earned it. – Anonymous

--A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they're capable of understanding.– Steve Prefontaine

--Winners don't do different things. Winners do things differently. – Anonymous

--The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them. – Anonymous

--No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes. More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes. – Don Kardong

--Running is my church. – Joan Van Ark

--Running won't kill you... you'll pass out first. – Anonymous

--Pain is weakness leaving your body. – USMC

--Do what others won’t do today so you can do what others can’t do tomorrow. (USAFA Basic Training credo)

--Lesson learned here is that good and bad miles come and go in the marathon and in all races.

--You have to have a dream so you can get up in the morning. – Billy Wilder

Run

21 Oct

Run: 13 mi
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Run--1.5 WU, 10 with TNT, 1.5 cool back home. Last long(ish) run before the big day. Freak out time is coming soon, I can feel it...

Run

20 Oct

Run: 5.4 mi
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Run--Today was THE most perfect day for a run! Sunny, cool breeze, leaves falling from the trees, not much traffic out on the bike path. I also loaded some new songs onto my mp3 player (which is only 128MB I found out today!), and I was a-rockin' out on the trail. This taper stuff might actually be working.

Goals--It's so fun to think about goals. I have some specific running goals to keep me motivated, but I have also reached two huge academic goals as well this week. One more step closer to that masters degree! Physics is phun!

Swim

19 Oct

Swim: 3000 yd
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Swim--I had a meeting tonight, so I went to the pool before class this morning to knock out a few yards. It's time to gear up for that 200 fly in a few short months! It was refreshing to start my day with a pool workout. Here's the set I made up on the "fly" (pun intended).

The Set
400 SKPS (100 swim/kick/pull/swim)
4x100 IM
2x(4x50)--25 drill/25 swim IM order
50 easy
5x200 free w/paddles
50 easy
6x(2x25) sprint--odd fly, even br
4x25 sprint fr
300 kick

Run

18 Oct

Run: 7.4 mi
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Run--A short slow run. Need to rest these legs! X-training coming up! Yay for triathlon!

Goals--It might be too premature, but I have started thinking about my goals after the 50 miler. My goals for this past spring/summer/fall were pretty simple, and I'm 1 for 3 so far (enjoying the first season of triathlon). I love triathlon, and I really like the olympic distance, so it would be fun to focus on that next season. I also really love the challenge and complexity of the marathon. It would also be a great experiment to focus a year-long effort on a fall or early winter marathon (I'm probably moving to TX this summer, so a Nov/Dec marathon in TX might be golden). Just some random thoughts...

Motivation--The tri podcasts are so fun to listen to! I remember hearing a segment on the GYGO podcast called "why I tri" where people call in to give their reasons for "tri'ing." Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but I haven't heard it in a while. We're all in the offseason I guess. I think today I nailed down some reasons why I love triathlon.

Why I Tri/Run
1) It's fun
2) It's rewarding to meet a goal (time or just to finish a race)
3) X-training prevents injury
4) Pain and burning lungs feel GREAT!!!
5) Cool peeps
6) Military officers need to be in great physical condition*
7) Our bodies are works of art and one our most precious gifts

(*There's a sign in the base gym: "Someone who wants to kill you worked out today.")

(Warning: The following consist of random thoughts on my run today. I'm about to go all rabbinical here.) Like many others, I believe that our bodies are merely vessels that hold who we truly are (HaGuf vs. HaNefesh). We are given the gift of our bodies so our souls can talk to each other and hence create meaning in our lives, a communion of souls perhaps. Because we are given such a wonderful yet finite gift, it only seems fitting that we take responsibility to cherish it and nurture it as best we can (Shmirat HaGuf v'Shmirat HaNefesh).

Our bodies are means of expression. We can tattoo it, we can pierce it, we can lase and exfoliate, we can wash it. We can also pour alcohol into it, we can fill it with smoke, we can overwhelm it with UV radiation and smoke. Or we can give it tasty healthy foods, we can water it, and we can make sure it is in a clean environment.

We are not only able, but we are required, to use our bodies. Our hearts are made to pump a lot of blood, to the point where we can hurl ourselves down the track as fast as our legs (or arms) can take us. Our lungs are supposed to suck in as much air as we can as we try not to blackout from doing the 200 fly. Our muscles should burn like blazing, iron-melting furnaces as our legs crank our bicycles up and over mountain passes. Our sweat is supposed to sear our eyes as we round the last corner to complete yet another 20+ mile run.

My mission as a triathlete and marathon runner is to discover the physical and mental potential and limit of this Guf v'Nefesh. My goal is to take one more swim stroke, bike pedal, and running step further and faster every day. After all, it is what we are made to do.

Run

17 Oct

Run: 13.1 mi
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Run--Today was also pretty busy (thesis and laser survey). I managed to make it to the gym (in the pouring rain) and run a 1/2 marathon pace run on the treadmill. My mp3 player is one of those older ones (512MB) so it repeats songs quite frequently. But it works perfectly! I ran 7:47/mi for most of this run, which was right on target.

Splits (?)
7.34 in 60:00 (8:10/mi)
5.76 in 42:54 (7:27/mi)
Total--13.1 in 1:42:54 (7:51/mi)

Rest

16 Oct

Rest
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Rest--Monday was one of the busiest days I've ever had! Fortunately I also managed to do a lot of important tasks (i.e. thesis progress!!!). I took my friend (and honored teammate) Wendy to the Team in Training dinner at Maggiano's for the Marine Corps Marathon runners. The food was pretty good, and it was neat to pick up our official TNT stuff. Being a TNT coach would be a LOT of fun.

Run

15 Oct

Run: 9.4 mi
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Run--I missed the pace run on Friday, so I just did it today. I was supposed to run 3:51 half-miles. Oops. I'll try this run one more time before the marathon to practice consistent marathon pacing. The purpose was to test a pace I could hold for a marathon.

Splits
Home to Capital Crescent Trail (1.7 mi) 15:20
3.5-4.0, 4:02 (downhill half)
4.0-4.5, 3:48
4.5-5.0, 3:50
5.0-5.5, 3:42
5.5-6.0, 3:43
6.0-6.5, 3:37
6.5-6.0, 3:51 (uphill half)
6.0-5.5, 3:37
5.5-5.0, 3:48
5.0-4.5, 3:50
4.5-4.0, 3:47
4.0-3.5, 3:39
CCT to home (1.7 mi), 14:04

Experiment--Even though I’m a research scientist (my day job), I managed to royally screw up my personal experiment. I had some stomach problems, and suddenly I feel a LOT better! Even though I managed to botch all of my controls, a combination of changes in my daily life seemed to work:

--Drinking a LOT of fluids (esp. in the morning—huge glass of OJ, several glasses of chocolate milk, lots of water, Gatorade, cups of hot tea)
--Eating a lot less(this seemed to make the biggest difference)
--Nutrition plan (see below)
--Rest: go to bed between 9:00 and 9:30, read a book for an hour, meditate en route to sleep
--Do at least one fun activity during the weekend to unwind!

Nutrition--I am obsessed with the Food Pyramid website. I have a checklist of all veggie and fruit colors and number of servings per week, as well as different types of grains and protein sources. I have been pretty diligent about trying to eat all colors and types of everything throughout the week. My new rules: 1) drink a huge glass of OJ, eat a dairy source and piece of fruit in the morning, 2) salad with either lunch or dinner. I don't mind having rules because it helps me better track what I eat, I like those foods, and I can resist the urge to go out of control food-wise during this taper phase.

Weekend--Wow, where do I start?! Friday night (my night to stay home and relax) included the hip hop dance instruction video (MUCH FUN!). Saturday included the TNT run, mini DC tour, friends taking me out to lunch in DC, and a great evening at the 'gogue for some singing, dancing, sweets, friends, and liquor. Sunday morning included the most fun and meaningful service of my life. This holiday is crazy, and it's my favorite. Dancing around with the scrolls is one of the most meaningful and memorable experiences I cherish. This great day included the run mentioned above and great weather. (Needless to say, I neglected a LOT of blog reading.) Such a fantastic and beautiful weekend!

Run

14 Oct

Run: 15 mi
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Run--The DC/MD/VA Team in Training people scheduled the last long run at the Iwo Jima memorial, which was amazing. We saw the sunrise at the memorial over our nation's capital. An amazing, surreal experience. Then we ran around, and I ran down the Mall to the Metro. I stopped in the Lincoln Memorial. I can only imagine how revolutionary, and maybe even crazy, his ideas must have sounded back in the day. The ducks in the reflecting pool were acting really weird too. They all had their duck butts in the air, heads under the water, feet waiving in the air to stabilize their bodies. It was hilarious. There were also a million Japanese tourists everywhere, which blows my mind. It's amazing how people from other countries flock to our capital to study the foundation and history, not only of our country, but our country's influence around the world. A great run.

Pictures--From the wedding a few weeks ago when my family came to town. Thank you triathlon for some arm definition and endurance for dancing! OH! And my entire outfit (shoes and dress) was less than $30!!! Heck ya!

Busting a groove!

Steph (being weird) with Mom, two peas in a pod!

Rest

13 Oct

Rest
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Rest--Friday was a long day: working all day up in Baltimore, getting lost in Baltimore on the way home (and ending up at Ikea concidentally!), fighting Friday traffic, and then sundown. BUT my hip hop dancing instruction DVD from Netflix came! I gave it a try... for 2 hours... and I still can't do any of it! No worries, I am going to work on this everyday when I get home. J Lo will be knocking on my door any minute to recruit me as a flygirl, I know it.

Pictures--Here are some from the Army Ten Miler. I totally didn't see the camera for ANY of these. Also, I forgot my sunglasses at home. I look like I was dying and hating life, but I really was enjoying myself! Really!

Flying through the air with a Canadian guy

Oh the sun and a double chin! (Where did that come from??)

Closing the eyes conserves energy

Poofy shirt and shorts and concentrated face

Swim

12 Oct

Swim: 3900 yd
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Swim--Only 3900 yd, you say?? Well, about 3000 of that was fly. I wish I was kidding. The rest was a happy mix of the other 3 strokes and 500 yd of kicking. My shoulders are sobbing right now! The set was AWESOME! I LOVE this masters coach! He knows all about my quest to train for and finish (sans DQ) the 200m fly this winter... and he supports it. In the form of a satanic fly workout. Much to the dismay of my teammates. Bwahahaha!

Experiment--Day 1. Today was crazy liquid day. This morning I had a huge glass of Gatorade, a bottle of water, 2 classes of chocolate milk, and 2 glasses of OJ. I did some running around (being a grad student rocks!), and I drank some water on the go. I came home and drank some more chocolate milk and water. I do feel a bit better, but the baseline problem isn't gone. Someone suggested it might be a food allergy since I've had this stomach problem for some time. "Food for thought." Hahaha!

Mental--School, family, research, marathon, random stuff has me pretty stressed out right now. I was thinking about what I would do if I wanted to do something really fun (besides mtn bike, of course). Then it hit me like a big yellow school bus. I LOVE GOING TO IKEA! Few things make me happier than that super warm, happy feeling I have when I walk through the doors to Ikea, when I smell the $1 gooey cinnamon buns begging me to eat them, when I see all that furniture with all the funny Swedish names (my desk is called the Jerker). Next time I am feeling down I am going to Ikea!!! Perked me RIGHT up today!!!

Blogs--This is to the 1 or 2 people who read my blog every once in a while. If you guys make a comment, where do I comment to your comments? Right in my blog? On your blog? In the comments section in my blog?? Help! I am not aware of the proper blog etiquette! I do enjoy reading all of the blogs in the Alliance though, and I sincerely appreciate your comments. I am just now figuring all of this out. Please accept my apologies and help me! Thank you.

Strategy--The phases of my customized periodization are almost complete. X-training this winter is going to be fun! More on that later. I also finished my marathon pace/split time spreadsheet. It's broken down like this: miles 1-10, 11-16, 17-20, last 10K. I will take a split at every mile, but I just don't like to look at my watch much. So I'll write those special mile splits on my arm and when I hit the 11, 17, and 20 mile markers I can adjust accordingly. I bought more gels today, and I haven't quite decided what flavors to use for the race. BUT the best way for me to pin them on my shorts is by the top of the gel flap to the OUTSIDE of my shorts. Then I just flip them into my shorts, two in the front and two in the back. I will eat the front gels first. I can just rip the gels from my shorts and the safety pins and ripped off gel tops will be on the outside of my shorts, causing zero chaffing. I've practiced this. For you marathon runners, if you want my spreadsheet for those splits, let me know.

Run

11 Oct

Run: 23+ mi
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Run--My stomach hurt from the first step and still has not let up. On my run I was thinking of doing an experiment. I need to know if my diet is causing this, my fluid intake, stress, lots of miles, or what. I think the hard part will be controlling for everything. Taper time has arrived, so I want to figure out what this problem is. The order of my experimentation: drink twice the amount of fluids, including more Gatorade. If that doesn't work, then figure out what I am eating (I'm a veggie-saur 90% of the time). Maybe the mileage decrease from here on out might help. I am having trouble eliminating stress, but maybe I can figure out how to deal with it better. Ok, Mad Scientist Steph is putting the thinking cap on. If none of those works, I'm going to see a doctor. Oh, and pace was ~8:40 yet again (and I ran extra AND I slowed down to run with my TNT buddies). Yay!

Rest

10 Oct

Rest
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Rest--Yes, it's supposed to be a hard week, but I needed a rest day. I don't know what is going on with this stomach thing. I've been having stomach issues for a few months, but yesterday I couldn't take it anymore. I feel as bad as garbage smells! Should I go get it checked out? This has been going on for a few months now...

Run

9 Oct

Run: 15 mi
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Run--This is the last hard week before MCM. No more important, no less important than any other hard week so far. Pace avg was about 8:40, which was a bit too fast than I wanted to run, but whatever. I passed a man walking an apricot-colored tiny poodle. The poodle wanted to run with me! So its owner picked up his pace, and we ran together for about a mile. The man was probably in his 50's; he and the poodle had spunk! His name was Dexter, or according to his master "You're so cute!" He responds to both I was told. It was really nice to run with them. Overall though, an uneventful run with some minor stomach problems, but it's nice to know a 15 mile run won't destroy me this late in the game.

Core--No, I didn't do any core today. I am having some huge problems controlling these bad stomach feelings/pains. Maybe I should start doing abs/back in the morning so my run doesn't interfere with my strength training. My GI system is NOT the boss of me!!!

Mental--Grad school is hard. It's also hard not to be distracted by the local library. Some good reads: Tuesdays with Morrie, 5 People You'll Meet in Heaven, The Radioactive Boy Scout, The Sunflower. Next up, Radiation Shielding, Laser Safety, and Nuclear Engineering. WOO HOO!!!

Motivation--I update my TNT page every once in a while, and I track my mileage from the day I committed to the TEAM through today. I'm not sure it matters to most people, but maybe some people are pleased that I put the rubber to the road on a regular basis. My passion for helping people, especially cancer patients, goes hand-in-hand with my passion for running.

Run

8 Oct

Run: Army 10 Miler
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Run--I had the race of my life today.

Army Ten Miler 2003--1:13:11 (7:19 pace)
Army Ten Miler 2006--1:12:59 (7:18 pace)

What went wrong:
Going to bed LATE (i.e. past 12:00AM)
Eating too much during an easy week
Not enough warming up (shins, ankles hating on me)
Not drinking enough fluids before
I forgot my sunglasses at home
Endurance Gatorade needs a water chaser

What was good:
Extremely relaxed, and had FUN
Started running hard, but controlled
Ran hard, but still NEGATIVE SPLIT, BABY!!!
No fear
Took some splits, but didn't look at the watch
Purple Asics are MCM weapon of choice
Salmon, potato, bread and OJ was a GREAT breakfast!
Ran in the middle of the road, no knee/feet problems
Saw a lot of friends

Still need to work on:
Going to bed earlier (in general, no wiggity-whack naps)
Balanced diet
Discipline during taper weeks

I've used the Army Ten Miler as a gauge for marathon fitness before in 2003, and I ran Richmond a few weeks later in 3:34. Back then I peaked at 72 miles per week and only ran two 20-mile runs. I have a lot more mileage under my belt, but a lot less speedwork. According to the McMillan Calculator, this race indicates I'm capable of a 3:24:25, but I just don't know... At any case, I'm in good shape for my 3:40 necessary to re-qualify for Boston. And a new 10-miler PR to boot! Halfway through next week the taper begins, and it will be time to strategize for the big race on 29 Oct!

Splits
7:48
7:29
7:31
7:22
7:21
7:07
28:18 (last 4, 7:05 pace)

Run

7 Oct

Run: 3 mi
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Run--Just a short run around the Huntington Loop with some accelerations to wake the legs up. I took 3 (loooong) naps on Saturday, maybe because it was so cloudy. I ate a lot of food, which probably wasn't the greatest idea, but hey, it's an easy week! (There's a theme here...)

Rest

6 Oct

Rest
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Rest--I was just a huge dork and didn't take advantage of the morning hours to run. Oh well, it's an easy week. Who cares about mileage!

Bike, Swim

5 Oct

Bike: 12.5 mi (14.9 mph)
Swim: 4200 yd
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Bike--Yeah, yeah, yeah, I said I wouldn't ride my bike, but The Man can't keep me down! I hadn't ridden LUCKY since the IronGirl triathlon, and maybe we were ready to make amends. I took off the aero bars for the fall/winter. I only dropped the chain once, and I think that was my fault. LUCKY hasn't bitten back... YET! I think the high cadence is good to practice leg turnover for running.

Swim--Some fly, some back, some breast, some free. It's all good!

Rant--Ok, it's Bethesda drivers, the IRB for my thesis and now Congress are on the Axis of Evil! This world really has me scared. Especially now because my South Dakota absentee ballot just came in the mail. Can we say a Mi Sheberach for our world??

GOOD NEWS--NOTHING CAN STOP ME! Oh it's ON! Snowshoeing is my FAVORITE sport, hands down! Yes, even MORE than mountain biking!

Blog in General--I know this blog is super boring. Oh well, I guess. I'd rather be running, reading good books, daydreaming, eating, and saving the world. All in a day's work.

September in Review

Swim: 20520 yd (11.6 miles)
Bike: 18.8 mi
Run: 255.6 mi
Strength/Core: 6
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Swim--Probably could have done more swimming, especially after the longer, harder runs. It's a great x-training activity for now during this crazy running mileage. After the marathon, it will be time to focus on my 200m fly debut!

Bike--I am NOT going to ride my bike anymore until I move out of Bethesda. I commute 2 miles a day to class/work on SPOOKY (the trusty mountain bike), and that's enough for me. It's a shame, because I really like riding. I just don't like staring death panim el panim.

Run--This is where it's at. I think I'm on track to requalify for Boston at Marine Corps in a few weeks. In Sept I had a 73.7 mi week, a 77.3 mi week, and a 100+ mile week (with an easy week of about 20 mi). Some good pace workouts were run too. This week is an easy week, a race, one more long run, then it's taper time! Discipline during the taper weeks is the hardest!!!

Strength/Core--Yes, I did sacrifice some core work to run more miles. I admit, by the time I got home from these runs I would eat and just zone out. GI issues cramp my core workout style (pun intended yet again!). I'm excited to start a hard-core strength training routine after the marathon. I like throwing the weights around! I also like being able to do a bunch of pull-ups. It's an ego thing, I guess.

Run

4 Oct

Run: 11 mi
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Run--A nice easy run with the Team and Training peeps. I am not feeling so great: slow legs, achy body, not too much pep. Every run in Bethesda is like a speedwork session in itself trying not to get killed by cars. It'll get better; this is a nice easy week with a Sunday race.

Safety--I don't care if you're a bike, car, runner, moped, whatever. Traffic and pedestrian laws apply to EVERYONE! If cyclists and runners jaywalk and run lights, why should we blame cars when they do it too? Safety is a two-way street (pun intended).

Rest

3 Oct

Rest
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Rest--The zero calorie and fluid intake from Monday knocked me out for another day. It was probably wise to take two days off from running anyway. Last week was a long one.

Rest

2 Oct

Rest
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Rest--A complete day of community, reflection, introspection, and examination. A day of teshuva, tzedakah, and tefillah. A beautiful day.

Run

1 Oct

Run: 8+ mi
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Run--I finally made it to my first 100 mile week. I still can't decide if this was ridiculously bold or ridiculously stupid. Either way, it was a great experiment, and I survived. Injury free!!! My average pace was faster than 9:00/mi, which is cool too.

Safety--Ok, I go on and on and on and on about stupid drivers that I HATE here in Bethesda. Well, this morning on my way back home on my run I saw a guy get hit by a car on his bike. It scared the living shit out of me. I am not kidding. I was the first person to reach this guy. No, he was NOT wearing a helmet though. A stupid moron ass hole idiot butt plug girl ran a stop sign and plowed into the side of this guy! I was about 20 feet away. I will never forget that crunching sound... LUCKILY the man was ok, and I am still thanking Our Source of Life for that. Holy cow... Ok, Bethesda drivers, you're now on my LIST!!!