My goal this week was to follow the training schedule religiously. In other words, not skimp on my daily mileage and actually follow through. And I am here to say: I did it!
Monday - 3 miles
I went to happy hour with coworkers after work on Monday. In the back of my head I knew I had 3 miles to finish, and I knew if I wanted to run outside, it needed to be before dark. And well, since I don't have a treadmill hidden away somewhere, that was my only option. After a bottle of wine and some appetizers, I made my way over to the park to run my 3 miles. And I succeeded! I forget how beautiful Balboa Park is at dusk and just after dark. Since I've started documenting my training, I've been stopping more to "smell the roses" and enjoy my surroundings. I kind of like it. It's less about getting to my end point and enjoying the run along the way.
Tuesday - Cross
2nd verse, same as the first. Or in this case, Fit Camp Tuesdays! Exercises and circuits are different, but the intent is the same. That's my favorite part about Fit Camp. I never know what's coming, but I know it will be good.
Wednesday - 4 miles
My friend from high school and her friend came to San Diego to visit on Wednesday for a few days. They live on the east coast and it was their first time in San Diego, so I, of course, had to show them the sites. We went downtown to the Gaslamp district for dinner and drinks. A first for me: I changed and wore my running clothes to dinner so I would keep myself accountable. After eating too many french fries, I left them to wander a bit and
explored a new route. I ran down to the bay and along the water for a
couple miles. It was really nice that time of night and there were
plenty of people out so I felt safe too even though it was getting dark.
Thursday - Rest
My
friends twisted my arm and instead of running on Thursday, we had a
picnic in the park. Whole foods salad bar and a bottle of red for the
win. It was nice to relax in the park. I've lived in San Diego for 5
years and I've never taken the time to just chill out in the park.
Friday - 3 miles
I
got up before work and knocked out the 3 miles I was supposed to cover
on Thursday. I love when I am able to get myself in gear and get my run
in before work. I always feel so great for the rest of the day. It's
just so hard to pull myself out of bed. I took my friend with me on
this run, to show her my Balboa Park route. She seemed to really enjoy
it.
Saturday - 9 miles
Up
until this week, I feel like my long runs really haven't been all that
long. Creeping up on double digits, however, were a wake up call. I
went back to Mission Beach to run the 6 mile boardwalk and then crossed
over to the bay side to finish it up. I found that if I ran 3 miles,
walked to compose myself for a few minutes and then continued for
another 3, I felt better about myself. Compartmentalizing the run
really helped. I think I will continue this throughout my training.
Sunday - Rest
Enough said. I succeeded in getting in every run on my schedule this week and it felt great. I felt very accomplished!
Sorry
for the lack of pictures on this post, I wrote it (obviously as you can
tell by it's posting date) almost 3 weeks ago and hadn't put pictures
in. In the interest of time, that's how it's going to stay. I promise,
this won't happen again.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Are We Getting A Hang Of This Yet: Training for Philadelphia {Week 3}
How did week 3 come and go already? While I may not have been successful in getting in some quality runs this week, I definitely did a good job at kicking my own butt.
Monday - 3 miles
I was still in Boston visiting my friend on Monday, and I knew I had to get out and run before we started our day. I ran down along Commonwealth Avenue, and then made myself a loop running back to her apartment via Beacon Street. I didn't realize until the next day, when we were exploring the city, that Commonwealth is one of the main thoroughfares for the Boston Marathon. It was a great run, again with some more hills thrown in. I never realized how spoiled I am by running in San Diego. Sure you can find a hill (or mountain) to do hill training, but you can also easily run for miles on flat ground. Thanks, New England for killing my confidence. At least the trees and houses were pretty to look at.
Tuesday - Rest
I went with my friend to do some more exploring in Boston around the Boston Common and the Prudential Center. We explored the public library, walked down Newbury Street window shopping and stopped in at the Marathon Sports store right on the finish line of the Boston Marathon. It was definitely surreal to walk on Boylston and think about what had happened earlier this spring. I bought a Boston Strong shirt at Marathon Sports (and a tube of Nuun, of course). I was so excited to wear my shirt to changed into it at the airport for my flight home.
Wednesday - Cross
After a full week off from Fit Camp, I returned on Wednesday for leg day. Little did I know, it was also a hill day. Yay! About 1/3 of a mile from the park where we normally do fit camp, there is a series of streets with some serious inclines. About once a month, we'll head that way to do some exercises. Ever think your calves are getting lazy? Just walk yourself backwards down a steep hill. Seems easy, right? Until you wake up the next morning and fall over because you can't stretch out your legs. Go ahead, try it. I dare you. My goal in life is to do this at least once a week so that my calves finally become strong enough to not hate me for 3 days. The perks of hill day? A great view of downtown San Diego! And of course, killer calf muscles.
Thursday - Cross
Only 12 hours after I finished leg day, I decided to get my second cross training exercise of the week done and over with. I miss the 6 a.m. fit camp class. I love the way I feel after I finish an early morning work out, but it's so hard to convince yourself of that when you're dragging yourself out of bed when the sun isn't up yet. Some early morning sprints and push ups got me going though. And it was great to have my workout done before work.
Friday - 3 miles (half running, half stumbling)
Lesson of the day: You cannot successfully run on just peanut butter M&M's and pasta salad. Needless to say, my day at work as a little crazy on Friday and I became one of those people I hate that says "I just forgot to eat". Halfway into my flat, calming beach run, my vision became blurry and I realized if I didn't stop to walk, that someone might be picking me up on a stretcher. I walked (more like stumbled slowly) back to my car where I shoveled Doritos and popcorn in my mouth for a good 20 minutes until I felt normal again. Great mental picture, right? Imagine those passing by silently judging the girl in running clothes sitting on the grass gorging herself on Doritos (orange fingers and all). It was a low moment. Never again.
Saturday - 6 miles
Since my running record was pretty horrible for the week, I knew I had to successfully finish my long run this week. I made sure I was properly hydrated and fed before heading out to the beach to finish what I started the day before. That is, until I got down to my car and realized I had locked my keys in the car the day before after my Doritos episode. Whoops. An hour later, roadside assistance arrived to save the day. In the meantime, I balanced my check book, painted my nails and did an ab workout. All was not lost.
Once I got the beach, I was successful in making it to the end of the boardwalk and back. I may have muttered a few expletives under my breath to the families walking 6 abreast on the boardwalk and I may tripped over a stroller or two, but I made it!
Sunday - Rest
I had my first adventure to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Sunday. I only bet on one race ($2 bet, big spender, back up!). But it was a great time hanging out with friends and people watching.
Goals for next week:
Monday - 3 miles
I was still in Boston visiting my friend on Monday, and I knew I had to get out and run before we started our day. I ran down along Commonwealth Avenue, and then made myself a loop running back to her apartment via Beacon Street. I didn't realize until the next day, when we were exploring the city, that Commonwealth is one of the main thoroughfares for the Boston Marathon. It was a great run, again with some more hills thrown in. I never realized how spoiled I am by running in San Diego. Sure you can find a hill (or mountain) to do hill training, but you can also easily run for miles on flat ground. Thanks, New England for killing my confidence. At least the trees and houses were pretty to look at.
Tuesday - Rest
 |
| Make way for ducklings! |
 | |
| Boston Public Library |
Wednesday - Cross
After a full week off from Fit Camp, I returned on Wednesday for leg day. Little did I know, it was also a hill day. Yay! About 1/3 of a mile from the park where we normally do fit camp, there is a series of streets with some serious inclines. About once a month, we'll head that way to do some exercises. Ever think your calves are getting lazy? Just walk yourself backwards down a steep hill. Seems easy, right? Until you wake up the next morning and fall over because you can't stretch out your legs. Go ahead, try it. I dare you. My goal in life is to do this at least once a week so that my calves finally become strong enough to not hate me for 3 days. The perks of hill day? A great view of downtown San Diego! And of course, killer calf muscles.
Thursday - Cross
Only 12 hours after I finished leg day, I decided to get my second cross training exercise of the week done and over with. I miss the 6 a.m. fit camp class. I love the way I feel after I finish an early morning work out, but it's so hard to convince yourself of that when you're dragging yourself out of bed when the sun isn't up yet. Some early morning sprints and push ups got me going though. And it was great to have my workout done before work.
Friday - 3 miles (half running, half stumbling)
Lesson of the day: You cannot successfully run on just peanut butter M&M's and pasta salad. Needless to say, my day at work as a little crazy on Friday and I became one of those people I hate that says "I just forgot to eat". Halfway into my flat, calming beach run, my vision became blurry and I realized if I didn't stop to walk, that someone might be picking me up on a stretcher. I walked (more like stumbled slowly) back to my car where I shoveled Doritos and popcorn in my mouth for a good 20 minutes until I felt normal again. Great mental picture, right? Imagine those passing by silently judging the girl in running clothes sitting on the grass gorging herself on Doritos (orange fingers and all). It was a low moment. Never again.
 |
| My halfway "let's stop to take a picture, but I'm really dying" photo. |
Saturday - 6 miles
Since my running record was pretty horrible for the week, I knew I had to successfully finish my long run this week. I made sure I was properly hydrated and fed before heading out to the beach to finish what I started the day before. That is, until I got down to my car and realized I had locked my keys in the car the day before after my Doritos episode. Whoops. An hour later, roadside assistance arrived to save the day. In the meantime, I balanced my check book, painted my nails and did an ab workout. All was not lost.
Once I got the beach, I was successful in making it to the end of the boardwalk and back. I may have muttered a few expletives under my breath to the families walking 6 abreast on the boardwalk and I may tripped over a stroller or two, but I made it!
 |
| Resisting the urge to plow right through them like a bowling ball. |
 |
| Beautiful day. |
Sunday - Rest
I had my first adventure to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Sunday. I only bet on one race ($2 bet, big spender, back up!). But it was a great time hanging out with friends and people watching.
 | |
| And, they're off! |
Goals for next week:
- Get my diet back in check. This week and last week were pretty out of control with traveling and everything. I haven't had a banana in 3 days. Not normal.
- Stick to the mileage plan.
- Foam roll & stretch. I realized this week, and I don't know if it's because of my leg day workout or what, that my legs and hips are unreasonably tight. Must work on that.
- Find somewhere (kind of) new and excited for my 9 mile long run on Saturday!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Running on Vacation Success: Training for Philadelphia {Week 2}
Look everyone: I successfully completed week 2! Half of this week I was on vacation on the east coast for my high school reunion. Needless to say I was a little worried that I wouldn't get my miles in. I'm pretty infamous for packing my running shoes on vacation and never using them. BUT, I succeeded and actually followed my training schedule, pretty much to a tee.
The week went a little bit like this....
Monday - 3 miles
Not going to lie, it took me a minute to remember these miles. Oh that's right, it was my first adventure in a running skirt. This is how that went:
There should be a disclaimer on the tag: Do you have large thighs? Don't buy me, then.
As a result, I suffered through 3 miles along Mission Bay, stopping every quarter mile to {ahem} adjust my shorts. Never again. But at least I finished!
Tuesday - Cross
Another week of biceps, triceps and cardio circuits with Mission Fit Camp.
Wednesday - 3 miles
I had a redeye on Wednesday night to New York and didn't think I could get a run in. I scrambled home and changed quickly and managed to run around the neighborhood before my flight. Having just moved a month or so ago, I haven't found a good route yet that is easy to calculate. I used to have the perfect mile loop figured out from my front door. Clearly, I have some investigating to do.
Thursday - 3 miles
Home sweet home.... I arrived in Connecticut on Thursday to torrential downpours, early Spring-like temperatures and gusting wind. It was beautiful, to say the least. <insert sarcasm here> My dreams of running along the water were shattered. That is, until after dinner, when a pause in the rain came. I dragged my friend down to the local boardwalk for a couple of miles. Unfortunately, due to Hurricane Sandy, the once mile long stretch of boardwalk has now been reduced to a half mile. Three quick out and back loops did the job. It was the perfect time of day, just before dusk. The bay was smooth and the light sprinkle was just what I needed after a day of dodging horizontal rain.
Friday - Rest
I took advantage of my rest day and used it for other activities. Like this one:
Saturday - 5.56 miles (of 7 attempted miles)
Why hello, east coast humidity, I have not missed you. I set out for my long run of the week at 9 am on Saturday. That was my first mistake. My friend and I had calculated a 7 mile route around her neighborhood the night before. Basically, my goal was to hit every cul-de-sac in the development. Sounds thrilling, doesn't it? After 4 miles of this, I could have died of boredom, and there was no shade to speak of. So, I decided to head out of the development to the nice winding tree covered lane. I now know why this road is called Grassy Hill.
If you ever need a bit of hill training, just head to southeastern Connecticut. I went between running and walking for a few miles until I decided I was over it and walked home. But hey, at least I got out there, right??
My high school reunion was that night. Of course, I forgot to take pictures. I was too busy handing out drink tickets and trying my best not to be awkward.
Sunday - Rest
I headed up to Boston on Sunday to visit with another friend from high school. We did a bit of walking through the North End, followed by an amazing Italian dinner (caprese salad and eggplant lasagna) and a cannoli (a must). What a way to end the week!
The week went a little bit like this....
Monday - 3 miles
Not going to lie, it took me a minute to remember these miles. Oh that's right, it was my first adventure in a running skirt. This is how that went:
 | |
| Epic fail. |
There should be a disclaimer on the tag: Do you have large thighs? Don't buy me, then.
As a result, I suffered through 3 miles along Mission Bay, stopping every quarter mile to {ahem} adjust my shorts. Never again. But at least I finished!
Tuesday - Cross
Another week of biceps, triceps and cardio circuits with Mission Fit Camp.
Wednesday - 3 miles
I had a redeye on Wednesday night to New York and didn't think I could get a run in. I scrambled home and changed quickly and managed to run around the neighborhood before my flight. Having just moved a month or so ago, I haven't found a good route yet that is easy to calculate. I used to have the perfect mile loop figured out from my front door. Clearly, I have some investigating to do.
Thursday - 3 miles
Home sweet home.... I arrived in Connecticut on Thursday to torrential downpours, early Spring-like temperatures and gusting wind. It was beautiful, to say the least. <insert sarcasm here> My dreams of running along the water were shattered. That is, until after dinner, when a pause in the rain came. I dragged my friend down to the local boardwalk for a couple of miles. Unfortunately, due to Hurricane Sandy, the once mile long stretch of boardwalk has now been reduced to a half mile. Three quick out and back loops did the job. It was the perfect time of day, just before dusk. The bay was smooth and the light sprinkle was just what I needed after a day of dodging horizontal rain.
Friday - Rest
I took advantage of my rest day and used it for other activities. Like this one:
 |
| Nothing but pure class. |
Saturday - 5.56 miles (of 7 attempted miles)
 |
| Small town life. |
 |
| Looks picturesque, don't let that fool you. |
My high school reunion was that night. Of course, I forgot to take pictures. I was too busy handing out drink tickets and trying my best not to be awkward.
Sunday - Rest
I headed up to Boston on Sunday to visit with another friend from high school. We did a bit of walking through the North End, followed by an amazing Italian dinner (caprese salad and eggplant lasagna) and a cannoli (a must). What a way to end the week!
 |
| Worth the line out the door. Tip: there is no real line, if you're a local. |
Friday, July 26, 2013
{Flashback Fridays} Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Recap
Looking at my race calendar, I realized I've ran a few (just a few) races in the past year that (obviously) have not made it on the blog. So in an effort to share my racing adventures, I will be doing a little series I like to call "Flashback Fridays". Each Friday I will be recapping one of the races I've done in the last year for your reading pleasure. Just humor me. Ready, go:
Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon
Saturday, June 22nd, 2013: Seattle, Washington
Since I ran the San Diego Rock n Roll Half last June, I figured I would switch it up a bit and pick a different June Rock n Roll. Enter Seattle. My friend Sheena and her college roommate were planning to do this race, and it looked like a great course in a great city, so I decided to tag along. After visiting Seattle in December, I really wanted a chance to see the city when it was warm (hopefully) and sunny (hopefully). This seemed like the perfect opportunity.
We arrived in Seattle on Thursday afternoon, just in time to make it over to the expo to pick up our bibs and check out the booths (read: get as many free samples as humanly possible). The Expo was held at the CenturyLink Field Event Center. For someone who hasn't spent much time in Seattle (like myself), this is where the Seahawks play and is also conveniently located right next to Safeco Field where the Mariners play. A lot of parking, but most of it is expensive, so be careful. Bib and packet pickup was surprisingly easy. I'm not sure if that's because we were there 2 days before the race and only the locals were picking up packets that early, or if what, but there was barely anyone in line.
After a quick lunch across the street at Pyramid, my mom and I revisited the expo hall to see how many free bags of pop chips we could accumulate. See below. And then headed off to Bothell where we would be staying with family for most of the weekend.
On Friday, the day before the race, I told my mom I only wanted to do one thing: take a ferry. So we did. Lunch in Port Angeles, a drive through Poulsbo, and another ferry back into downtown.
Because the race starts and ends at Seattle Center, I really wanted to stay close to, if not, in downtown the night before the race. We found a great deal online to stay at the W Hotel downtown. It was only 5 blocks from the monorail which takes you directly to the start line. It was also convenient that the course ran right by the hotel not once, but twice. It made for easy spectating for my mom. The monorail was one of the many organized options of getting to and from the race. It worked great! The race started at 7am, so I took the monorail at about 6 am. No lines, no waiting, just a lot of semi-nervous looking runners, some holding a banana.
The monorail drops you off right at the Armory in Seattle Center. Word to the wise, the Armory has 3 floors of inside bathrooms with flushing toilets. All were open and operational. Forget the port-a-potties. Also, Starbucks was open and ready for those who can actually drink coffee before a race.
After dropping things off at gear check and doing a bit of stretching, we hopped into our corrals ready to start the race. Being in corral 28 (or maybe it was 27), we didn't actually cross the starting line until almost 8am, one of the main drawbacks of a large race. Hurry up and wait, for sure.
I really enjoyed this course. The first 2 miles run through downtown Seattle. Quite a few spectators make it outside their hotels to cheer on runners as they pass. Just before mile 2 there is quite a downhill. While I enjoyed it, I also had the "what goes down, must come up" mantra in the back of my head. We made the turn onto Dearborn, and I saw a bunch of people on the side of the road at what looked like a makeshift water stop. I realized that it was a Nuun waterstop! I yelled to Sheena (who enjoys Nuun much more than I do and bought 8 tubes at the expo) in excitement. It was such a welcome change from the gatorade along the course. Yay for Seattle races with Nuun!
Miles 3 through 6 ran through sparsely populated areas of town. Lots of trees overhead, which was great considering there were almost no clouds in the sky. It was a beautiful day!
Miles 6 and 7 were probably some of the best, most emotional miles I've ever run in a race. This course has a full mile of remembrance for soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Signs line the path with pictures and names of those who served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice. These are followed by a line of people holding American flags. This sent chills down my spine and gave me goosebumps. It's additions like this to races that make me take an extra moment (or mile) to think hard about why I run and how appreciative I am to have the opportunity.
At mile 8, we made a left turn onto the I-90 freeway (yes you read that right) and made our way into a mile long tunnel back into downtown. This part was pretty killer. It was as hot as a sauna in there, and my GPS watch was not entertained. This was not my first foray in freeway running, as the San Diego Rock n Roll runs along the curvy and slanted 163 freeway. This wasn't nearly as slanted. Sheena went on ahead after I slowed down and yelled "save yourself" in her general direction.
The remaining miles of the race were ran back through downtown, passing CenturyLink, and out on to the Alaskan way Viaduct. At this point, I was just working through the miles, counting down to 13. We ran through another tunnel right at mile 12. Not nearly as sauna-like, and a nice reprieve from the sun.
In the home stretch, right at the end of the race, we turned the corner to what seemed like would be the start of the finisher's shoot. Enter, small but killer hill right at mile 12.9. I was not a happy camper. In fact, I think I said "you've gotta be freaking kidding me" out loud. As I attempted to sprint up the hill, my will to live quickly dissipated and I began to walk. As I ran/walked through the finish line, I said goodbye to my hope of a PR and just started to look forward to the water and free Jamba Juice.
Final time: 2:29:33.
Moral of the story: I would love to do this race again next year, with some hill training.
After the race, we raced (again) back to the hotel to shower quickly before check-out time (note to self: schedule late checkout), had breakfast at Pike's Place with a great view of the water and went to my first Mariners game. Overall, I would say the weekend was a success!
Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon
Saturday, June 22nd, 2013: Seattle, Washington
Since I ran the San Diego Rock n Roll Half last June, I figured I would switch it up a bit and pick a different June Rock n Roll. Enter Seattle. My friend Sheena and her college roommate were planning to do this race, and it looked like a great course in a great city, so I decided to tag along. After visiting Seattle in December, I really wanted a chance to see the city when it was warm (hopefully) and sunny (hopefully). This seemed like the perfect opportunity.
We arrived in Seattle on Thursday afternoon, just in time to make it over to the expo to pick up our bibs and check out the booths (read: get as many free samples as humanly possible). The Expo was held at the CenturyLink Field Event Center. For someone who hasn't spent much time in Seattle (like myself), this is where the Seahawks play and is also conveniently located right next to Safeco Field where the Mariners play. A lot of parking, but most of it is expensive, so be careful. Bib and packet pickup was surprisingly easy. I'm not sure if that's because we were there 2 days before the race and only the locals were picking up packets that early, or if what, but there was barely anyone in line.
After a quick lunch across the street at Pyramid, my mom and I revisited the expo hall to see how many free bags of pop chips we could accumulate. See below. And then headed off to Bothell where we would be staying with family for most of the weekend.
 | |
| Expo Loot |
On Friday, the day before the race, I told my mom I only wanted to do one thing: take a ferry. So we did. Lunch in Port Angeles, a drive through Poulsbo, and another ferry back into downtown.
 | |
| Ferry adventure! |
Because the race starts and ends at Seattle Center, I really wanted to stay close to, if not, in downtown the night before the race. We found a great deal online to stay at the W Hotel downtown. It was only 5 blocks from the monorail which takes you directly to the start line. It was also convenient that the course ran right by the hotel not once, but twice. It made for easy spectating for my mom. The monorail was one of the many organized options of getting to and from the race. It worked great! The race started at 7am, so I took the monorail at about 6 am. No lines, no waiting, just a lot of semi-nervous looking runners, some holding a banana.
 |
| Race Morning: I was ready (and I think I have an addiction to all things green) |
The monorail drops you off right at the Armory in Seattle Center. Word to the wise, the Armory has 3 floors of inside bathrooms with flushing toilets. All were open and operational. Forget the port-a-potties. Also, Starbucks was open and ready for those who can actually drink coffee before a race.
After dropping things off at gear check and doing a bit of stretching, we hopped into our corrals ready to start the race. Being in corral 28 (or maybe it was 27), we didn't actually cross the starting line until almost 8am, one of the main drawbacks of a large race. Hurry up and wait, for sure.
I really enjoyed this course. The first 2 miles run through downtown Seattle. Quite a few spectators make it outside their hotels to cheer on runners as they pass. Just before mile 2 there is quite a downhill. While I enjoyed it, I also had the "what goes down, must come up" mantra in the back of my head. We made the turn onto Dearborn, and I saw a bunch of people on the side of the road at what looked like a makeshift water stop. I realized that it was a Nuun waterstop! I yelled to Sheena (who enjoys Nuun much more than I do and bought 8 tubes at the expo) in excitement. It was such a welcome change from the gatorade along the course. Yay for Seattle races with Nuun!
Miles 3 through 6 ran through sparsely populated areas of town. Lots of trees overhead, which was great considering there were almost no clouds in the sky. It was a beautiful day!
Miles 6 and 7 were probably some of the best, most emotional miles I've ever run in a race. This course has a full mile of remembrance for soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Signs line the path with pictures and names of those who served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice. These are followed by a line of people holding American flags. This sent chills down my spine and gave me goosebumps. It's additions like this to races that make me take an extra moment (or mile) to think hard about why I run and how appreciative I am to have the opportunity.
At mile 8, we made a left turn onto the I-90 freeway (yes you read that right) and made our way into a mile long tunnel back into downtown. This part was pretty killer. It was as hot as a sauna in there, and my GPS watch was not entertained. This was not my first foray in freeway running, as the San Diego Rock n Roll runs along the curvy and slanted 163 freeway. This wasn't nearly as slanted. Sheena went on ahead after I slowed down and yelled "save yourself" in her general direction.
The remaining miles of the race were ran back through downtown, passing CenturyLink, and out on to the Alaskan way Viaduct. At this point, I was just working through the miles, counting down to 13. We ran through another tunnel right at mile 12. Not nearly as sauna-like, and a nice reprieve from the sun.
In the home stretch, right at the end of the race, we turned the corner to what seemed like would be the start of the finisher's shoot. Enter, small but killer hill right at mile 12.9. I was not a happy camper. In fact, I think I said "you've gotta be freaking kidding me" out loud. As I attempted to sprint up the hill, my will to live quickly dissipated and I began to walk. As I ran/walked through the finish line, I said goodbye to my hope of a PR and just started to look forward to the water and free Jamba Juice.
Final time: 2:29:33.
Moral of the story: I would love to do this race again next year, with some hill training.
After the race, we raced (again) back to the hotel to shower quickly before check-out time (note to self: schedule late checkout), had breakfast at Pike's Place with a great view of the water and went to my first Mariners game. Overall, I would say the weekend was a success!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Training for Philadelphia {Week 1}
Cue the Rocky music now (I promise I'll only use that line once or seven times in the next 4 months).
While I may have posted at the beginning of the month that my training had officially started, according to Hal Higdon, it really didn't start until last week. I've decided to use a modified version of his Novice 1 schedule, an 18 week program. Basically, I've moved around the days I'm running and added in an extra cross training day so I can continue twice a week boot camp sessions (more on my amazing boot camp in another post, I promise).
I like Hal Higdon's schedule because it requires 2 rest days. I feel like so many of the plans I was looking at scheduled 6 days of running. While that may work for some people, I know I would get burned out pretty quickly on that schedule.
Here's how Week 1 went for me:
Monday - 3 miles
One of my favorite places to run in San Diego is down at Mission Beach boardwalk. It's flat, it's simple, and it provides endless people watching opportunities, especially during the summer. I know the mile markers like the back of my hand, so I don't spend so much time stressing over my watch or even my pace.
Tuesday - Cross
Mission Fit Camp is a comprehensive fitness boot camp that I've been participating in since Spring 2011. It's what got my butt in gear in the first place, and I love going every week. Tuesday classes focus on biceps, triceps and a cardio circuit. I have finished class on many a Tuesday wondering how I will blowdry my hair on Wednesday. I'd say that's a success.
Wednesday - Cross & 1.5 miles (walking)
Because I had plans on Thursday evening, I went to fit camp on Wednesday instead. Wednesday classes focus on legs, shoulders and agility training. Think squats, lunges, shoulder presses and obstacle courses. After I finished, I attempted to get in some miles at Balboa Park (my other favorite running venue in San Diego), but my legs weren't feeling it. I walked through the park, instead, to stretch out my legs.
Thursday - 3 miles
I returned to Balboa Park on Thursday to finish what I started on Wednesday. Though I love the park, I find that I have become a bit bored with my typical 3 mile loop, so I changed it up a bit. There are so many paths and directions you can go in the park it doesn't matter if you want to get 1 mile or 6 miles in.
Friday - Rest
I enjoyed this.
Saturday - 7 miles (6 miles planned)
My first long run of the training cycle called for a 6 mile run. This isn't so bad since I'm used to do 5-6 milers every so often. My friend Kacey is training for the New York Marathon, so I figured she might also be running longer miles on Saturday. And, of course, she was! We decided to meet (at the insane time of 6:45am) on Saturday morning at Mission Beach and see where the morning took us. This was probably one of the easiest longer runs I have done in forever. Kacey doesn't care about mile markers, or pace, or how much distance is left. She just sets her watch for a particular amount of time that should be about how far she needs to go, and just starts running. I like her style. We talked about anything and everything: race mishaps, babies, running outfits, what we were going to eat for breakfast. And before I knew it, we had done 7 miles. I will *definitely* be calling her again when I get up into the double digits.
Sunday - Rest
I had planned on going to a free boot camp on Sunday morning, but instead I decided to sleep in and walk to pick up my car from where bachelorette festivities had begun on Saturday afternoon. A nice leisurely mile walk finished off by iced coffee & a bagel was just what I needed to end the week.
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I'm traveling for my high school reunion this week, and will be home on the east coast for 6 days. I'm not going to lie, I am a little worried of getting in the miles in the midst of east coast humidity and catching up with friends. Wish me luck!
While I may have posted at the beginning of the month that my training had officially started, according to Hal Higdon, it really didn't start until last week. I've decided to use a modified version of his Novice 1 schedule, an 18 week program. Basically, I've moved around the days I'm running and added in an extra cross training day so I can continue twice a week boot camp sessions (more on my amazing boot camp in another post, I promise).
I like Hal Higdon's schedule because it requires 2 rest days. I feel like so many of the plans I was looking at scheduled 6 days of running. While that may work for some people, I know I would get burned out pretty quickly on that schedule.
Here's how Week 1 went for me:
Monday - 3 miles
One of my favorite places to run in San Diego is down at Mission Beach boardwalk. It's flat, it's simple, and it provides endless people watching opportunities, especially during the summer. I know the mile markers like the back of my hand, so I don't spend so much time stressing over my watch or even my pace.
Tuesday - Cross
Mission Fit Camp is a comprehensive fitness boot camp that I've been participating in since Spring 2011. It's what got my butt in gear in the first place, and I love going every week. Tuesday classes focus on biceps, triceps and a cardio circuit. I have finished class on many a Tuesday wondering how I will blowdry my hair on Wednesday. I'd say that's a success.
Wednesday - Cross & 1.5 miles (walking)
Because I had plans on Thursday evening, I went to fit camp on Wednesday instead. Wednesday classes focus on legs, shoulders and agility training. Think squats, lunges, shoulder presses and obstacle courses. After I finished, I attempted to get in some miles at Balboa Park (my other favorite running venue in San Diego), but my legs weren't feeling it. I walked through the park, instead, to stretch out my legs.
Thursday - 3 miles
I returned to Balboa Park on Thursday to finish what I started on Wednesday. Though I love the park, I find that I have become a bit bored with my typical 3 mile loop, so I changed it up a bit. There are so many paths and directions you can go in the park it doesn't matter if you want to get 1 mile or 6 miles in.
Instagram summary: miles, architecture & a downtown view
Friday - Rest
I enjoyed this.
Saturday - 7 miles (6 miles planned)
My first long run of the training cycle called for a 6 mile run. This isn't so bad since I'm used to do 5-6 milers every so often. My friend Kacey is training for the New York Marathon, so I figured she might also be running longer miles on Saturday. And, of course, she was! We decided to meet (at the insane time of 6:45am) on Saturday morning at Mission Beach and see where the morning took us. This was probably one of the easiest longer runs I have done in forever. Kacey doesn't care about mile markers, or pace, or how much distance is left. She just sets her watch for a particular amount of time that should be about how far she needs to go, and just starts running. I like her style. We talked about anything and everything: race mishaps, babies, running outfits, what we were going to eat for breakfast. And before I knew it, we had done 7 miles. I will *definitely* be calling her again when I get up into the double digits.
Taken on a different day, but same amazing view.
Sunday - Rest
I had planned on going to a free boot camp on Sunday morning, but instead I decided to sleep in and walk to pick up my car from where bachelorette festivities had begun on Saturday afternoon. A nice leisurely mile walk finished off by iced coffee & a bagel was just what I needed to end the week.
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| Wine tasting is the best form of bachelorette celebration. |
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I'm traveling for my high school reunion this week, and will be home on the east coast for 6 days. I'm not going to lie, I am a little worried of getting in the miles in the midst of east coast humidity and catching up with friends. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
And so it begins... {Philadelphia Marathon Training}
Three months ago I made the plunge and registered myself for the Philadelphia Marathon... 15 minutes after registration had begun. Clearly, I was excited (for the significantly discounted registration fee for the first 1000 registrants). As of yesterday, according to the June issue of Runner's World, I should be starting my 20 week training plan.
When I stop to think about the fact that I will be running 26.2 miles on November 17th of this year, I can't even believe it. I vividly remember myself saying, at least 2 or 3 times in my life, "I will never run a marathon, I can't even picture myself doing anything for 5 hours, let alone running for that long". Well, start the visualization, Suzanne. It's happening.
Day 1 of training was simple, just a quick 3 miles. I left work yesterday feeling inspired and ready to start this journey, excited for the next 20 weeks of challenging myself physically and mentally. I hadn't really given much thought to my goals or how I would really move forward to accomplish this goals. So, as I started my 3 mile "easy jog" in the blistering hot sun of what is San Diego during a heat wave, I realized that maybe I should take a few miles to think about it and maybe I should have waited until the sun went down to attempt anything outdoors. Here is what I came up with, and hopefully these goals will push me to successfully complete my first marathon!
When I stop to think about the fact that I will be running 26.2 miles on November 17th of this year, I can't even believe it. I vividly remember myself saying, at least 2 or 3 times in my life, "I will never run a marathon, I can't even picture myself doing anything for 5 hours, let alone running for that long". Well, start the visualization, Suzanne. It's happening.
Day 1 of training was simple, just a quick 3 miles. I left work yesterday feeling inspired and ready to start this journey, excited for the next 20 weeks of challenging myself physically and mentally. I hadn't really given much thought to my goals or how I would really move forward to accomplish this goals. So, as I started my 3 mile "easy jog" in the blistering hot sun of what is San Diego during a heat wave, I realized that maybe I should take a few miles to think about it and maybe I should have waited until the sun went down to attempt anything outdoors. Here is what I came up with, and hopefully these goals will push me to successfully complete my first marathon!
- Blog about it: I started this blog last fall as a way to keep myself accountable for my running and to share my adventures. Clearly, I have not done so well, as my last entry was in December of 2013. So I'm going to use this logical "beginning" as a fresh start for keeping people (or maybe just myself) in the loop.
- Be flexible: Training schedules are easy to follow when the rest of your life is constant. Looking at my work, and play, schedule for the next few months, my life is anything but. I have a trip to Europe planned for work, I'm in a wedding, and I'm apparently also very good at planning every waking moment of my weekends through the end of the year. My goal is to keep up with the weekly mileage on the suggested days, but also know that if I have to swap out a day for another, it won't be the end of the world.
- Be smart about the weather: I realized yesterday, while suffering through 3 miles which should be easy, that I HATE running in the heat. In fact, I'm pretty much a baby about it. I just hate that feeling when you're running along and a blast of heat hits you in the face. Give me cold weather running any day. I'd rather not be able to feel my ears than feel like I'm stuck in an oven. So, I realized I may have to reintroduce myself to morning runs, maybe even before the sun comes up, until October rolls around and San Diego returns to its 70 degree self. Or as Runner's World said this month: "When a long run coincides with extreme heat and humidity, consider moving the run to a different day or splitting it in two and doing the second half of the run on a treadmill in an air-conditioned gym." Air-conditioned gym, here I come. Yuck.
- Maintain excitement: Not only for completing my first marathon, but for running itself. Looking at my weeks in September and early October, I realize that my life will be dedicated to training. I'm excited for this challenge, and I'm excited to be dedicated to something that intensely. But at the same time, I want to be conscious of burn out. I want to enjoy every run, every mile and come out in the end excited for my next race after Philadelphia.
- Find a group to run with: My gaggle of running friends has significantly dwindled in San Diego in the recent months, and I find myself bored and lonely more often than not. Joining a running club without knowing anyone is almost as frightening as your first day of kindergarten. Will anyone talk to me? Will I be the slowest one? Will anyone like my outfit? It's ridiculous. My goal for the summer and for this training cycle, is to finally get over myself and make it to a group run with complete strangers. Hopefully, after a few awkward miles, I might make a friend!
- Continue to improve on speed: In the past year, I have improved my per mile pace by almost 1 minute. Sometimes I almost can't believe it. I want this to continue! Perhaps I should find a coach?
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Walla Walla Half Marathon Recap
Walla Walla Half Marathon
Sunday, October 14th, 2012: Walla Walla, Washington
My mom has lived in Walla Walla for the past 6 years, and I've only visited once. When it comes to family get togethers, would you prefer Christmas in sunny San Diego or (sometimes) snowy Walla Walla? Exactly. Anyway, I figured I was due for a visit. Once I found out Walla Walla hosts a marathon and half marathon in October, it was decided.
San Diego weather the past few weeks had been unseasonably warm, as in 100 degrees in October. This is not "normal". So I was excited to get out of the heat and up to Washington for some Autumn weather. The weekend did not disappoint.
The Walla Walla Half Marathon is the second smaller race I have participated in. There were approximately 400 runners registered in both the Half Marathon and the Marathon. Packet pickup on Saturday was held downtown in one of the nicer hotel lobby's. It was well organized and didn't take too long, even though there was a small line. After picking up our bibs, we decided to drive the race course just to get an idea for any inclines, boring sections, etc. This is the second time I've done this for a race, and I have to say I kind of like it. I like being able to mentally prepare myself for what I'm in for. It also seems to make the race go a bit faster, as I know what's up the road. Needless to say, I was excited and ready to go!
My cousin drove down from Spokane to run this race with me. I was excited to see her and to catch up, since it's been a few years. What better way to do that, then to run 13.1 miles together. I wasn't really sure if I would be able to keep up with her, but I did my best.
The race started at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, just after the Marathon at 8 a.m. The starting line had only 3 porta-potties. That, right there, should tell you the small size of the race. The race started and ended in Pioneer Park. There was a lot of parking around the edges of the park and in the neighborhood nearby. We started around the middle of the pack, not really knowing what to expect from the other runners, but it turned out to be a good spot.
Seeing as it has taken me a good 2 months to finish this race recap, the play by play has escaped my mind, but I'll give it my best shot.
The first 2 miles were in town, zig zagging through a the streets briefly before making our way out into the farm lands of Walla Walla. Around mile 3.5 we made a short detour off the main road in a local neighborhood. The houses in this area were beautiful, large sweeping lawns, horses and cows. It was a welcome distraction to say hello to the cows as we went by. Up until this point, the race was relatively flat. Just before mile 6, we went down a small hill with a bit of a steep decline. Stopping at the water stop for a few minutes, I realized that the rest of this race was going to be painful.
I had decided earlier in the week that it would be a brilliant idea to go to "leg day" at boot camp. I figured, "it's Wednesday, I should be fine by Sunday". Wrong answer. My calves hated me for the rest of the week, and my IT band was irate. Never again. I figured I would give it my best to keep trucking, and try not to walk, since it would only take longer to get to the finish line that way.
Mile 6-9 is pretty much a straight away with the exception of a little jont in the road around mile 8. The scenery is beautiful, looking at the foothills outside of Walla Walla. But I have to say, driving down the road the day before made it seem a lot easier. Don't be fooled, there is a very slight incline, so while it looks flat it isn't a simple stroll.
The only significant hill was right around mile 10. It's short, though, and not too bad at all. Walking my way up the hill, cursing the lungs and squats I had done 4 days before, I was focused on the finish line. The remaining 3 miles of the race are very similar to the beginning 3: returning to the flat streets of Walla Walla on the way back to Pioneer Park.
I'm not going to lie, I was very disappointed with my performance during this race. I was originally really excited about the course because it was most flat, had great scenery and was completely different than any other race I had done. But my legs just weren't in it that day. Regardless, I crossed the finish line feeling accomplished and excited to receive a medal to add to my collection. Every race is a learning experience. I would love to do this race again next year.
Sunday, October 14th, 2012: Walla Walla, Washington
My mom has lived in Walla Walla for the past 6 years, and I've only visited once. When it comes to family get togethers, would you prefer Christmas in sunny San Diego or (sometimes) snowy Walla Walla? Exactly. Anyway, I figured I was due for a visit. Once I found out Walla Walla hosts a marathon and half marathon in October, it was decided.
San Diego weather the past few weeks had been unseasonably warm, as in 100 degrees in October. This is not "normal". So I was excited to get out of the heat and up to Washington for some Autumn weather. The weekend did not disappoint.
The Walla Walla Half Marathon is the second smaller race I have participated in. There were approximately 400 runners registered in both the Half Marathon and the Marathon. Packet pickup on Saturday was held downtown in one of the nicer hotel lobby's. It was well organized and didn't take too long, even though there was a small line. After picking up our bibs, we decided to drive the race course just to get an idea for any inclines, boring sections, etc. This is the second time I've done this for a race, and I have to say I kind of like it. I like being able to mentally prepare myself for what I'm in for. It also seems to make the race go a bit faster, as I know what's up the road. Needless to say, I was excited and ready to go!
My cousin drove down from Spokane to run this race with me. I was excited to see her and to catch up, since it's been a few years. What better way to do that, then to run 13.1 miles together. I wasn't really sure if I would be able to keep up with her, but I did my best.
The race started at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, just after the Marathon at 8 a.m. The starting line had only 3 porta-potties. That, right there, should tell you the small size of the race. The race started and ended in Pioneer Park. There was a lot of parking around the edges of the park and in the neighborhood nearby. We started around the middle of the pack, not really knowing what to expect from the other runners, but it turned out to be a good spot.
Seeing as it has taken me a good 2 months to finish this race recap, the play by play has escaped my mind, but I'll give it my best shot.
The first 2 miles were in town, zig zagging through a the streets briefly before making our way out into the farm lands of Walla Walla. Around mile 3.5 we made a short detour off the main road in a local neighborhood. The houses in this area were beautiful, large sweeping lawns, horses and cows. It was a welcome distraction to say hello to the cows as we went by. Up until this point, the race was relatively flat. Just before mile 6, we went down a small hill with a bit of a steep decline. Stopping at the water stop for a few minutes, I realized that the rest of this race was going to be painful.
I had decided earlier in the week that it would be a brilliant idea to go to "leg day" at boot camp. I figured, "it's Wednesday, I should be fine by Sunday". Wrong answer. My calves hated me for the rest of the week, and my IT band was irate. Never again. I figured I would give it my best to keep trucking, and try not to walk, since it would only take longer to get to the finish line that way.
Mile 6-9 is pretty much a straight away with the exception of a little jont in the road around mile 8. The scenery is beautiful, looking at the foothills outside of Walla Walla. But I have to say, driving down the road the day before made it seem a lot easier. Don't be fooled, there is a very slight incline, so while it looks flat it isn't a simple stroll.
The only significant hill was right around mile 10. It's short, though, and not too bad at all. Walking my way up the hill, cursing the lungs and squats I had done 4 days before, I was focused on the finish line. The remaining 3 miles of the race are very similar to the beginning 3: returning to the flat streets of Walla Walla on the way back to Pioneer Park.
I'm not going to lie, I was very disappointed with my performance during this race. I was originally really excited about the course because it was most flat, had great scenery and was completely different than any other race I had done. But my legs just weren't in it that day. Regardless, I crossed the finish line feeling accomplished and excited to receive a medal to add to my collection. Every race is a learning experience. I would love to do this race again next year.
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