As much as I want to chronicle life and running, I suck at this blogging thing. I use what little time I have available to read other blogs but don't get around to saying what I want to say.
Ah well.
Recap from last week.
* Last Tuesday went for a run -- not quite 7 miles. It rained and I didn't do so well. But found trail from friends house to airport so that was cool. We could stay off the damn roads.
* Was supposed to run Thursday but it rained. And by rained I mean it poured. And I was so tired I left work early, came home and slept for about an hour and a half (until 5.30), got up, noticed it wasn't raining, decided to blow off run anyway, made dinner and was back in bed reading by 8 and sound asleep by 9. Apparently I needed to sleep more than I needed to run.
* On Friday I met friend I don't see enough for dinner -- was very good as was going to run 12 miles on Saturday.
* Did not run because it was pouring. I mean buckets.
* (Note to weather gods: this is California. Stop the rain. Even here in NoCal we don't want this much of it)
* Ran 12 miles on Sunday. Mr. Sun decided to show back up, a bit sheepishly I might add, but thank god he did because I was loosing my mind. 12 miles isn't easy because I don't do it often enough but at least I know I can manage half on the 10th.
* My lungs just suck. Or rather they don't. I'd been running fine and dandy all last summer with only occasional problems but then on Thanksgiving when I ran Turkey Trot at 32* temp my lungs decided to stop working for the last mile. That was a bit tough. It was suggested to me that possibly I have exercise induced asthma so I got myself to doc and he told me I had wonderful lungs (I passed the blow test! ha) but did believe me when I told him that running was making me wheeze and cough and all around struggle to get air in so he gave me an inhaler (technically he gave me a prescription for an inhaler but whatever). Which works fine when I remember to use it. Which I did on Sunday but it doesn't seem to last an entire almost 2 hours so by the end of the 12 miles I really couldn't breath. This happened to me the week before when we ran 10 miles and then last Tuesday when I ran almost 7 miles and forgot to use it at all. I find this not breathing thing a bit annoying.
* Last week I read Run Less, Run Faster and I think I've found my approach to this running thing. Because there was no way I was going to be able to run more than I am but I do like the thought of going faster (damn competitive genes). I have to add swimming in as cross training in anyway since I have (for some unknown reason really) told a friend I'd do a triathlon with her (it is on her bucket list, not mine - see how good a friend I am) so anyway, I can just swim and then follow his training program as it almost already fits with what I'm doing but with a bit more structure to my workouts. I'm going to follow this plan for the Disneyland Half on Labor Day weekend -- so we'll see where that gets me.
* Hopefully where it will get me is that I'll learn to swim. Oh yeah yeah, and I'll finish a triathlon (a baby one) and I'll bring down my half marathon time.
* Whew
I think that's it for now.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Rain, rain, go away....
Please?
Despite the crap weather we've been having, I did manage to do 10 miles on Saturday which was exciting for a couple of reasons. First, crap weather and I'm a wimp. Lucky it wasn't raining the moment we started or I probably would have just stayed in bed but I was up and out and met friend and it was just freezing so we started. Of course, a mile into the run it was raining but because it was mostly drippy rain (vs. downpour rain) we just handled it and eeked out 10 miles.
Second, I'd been out the night before. I tend not to go out the night before big runs because I can't seem to pass up that second, third, fourth.... glass of wine. Then I don't sleep and then I feel like crap and then I don't run. But Friday night I did well -- had wine, but not enough to impact the next day too significantly. Go me. Finally.
So I feel confident that I will finish the Half on April 10th despite the sucky overall training from the winter. Probably won't PR but who cares at this point -- my most immediate goal is finishing. I'm thinking maybe the first weekend in June needs to be a half marathon weekend. So deciding between San Diego or Vacaville. Vacaville is closer so that will probably win and the event (California Run Festival) sounds pretty nice actually. Now to get someone to do it with me.
God, it is pouring again...what do I live in Seattle?
Despite the crap weather we've been having, I did manage to do 10 miles on Saturday which was exciting for a couple of reasons. First, crap weather and I'm a wimp. Lucky it wasn't raining the moment we started or I probably would have just stayed in bed but I was up and out and met friend and it was just freezing so we started. Of course, a mile into the run it was raining but because it was mostly drippy rain (vs. downpour rain) we just handled it and eeked out 10 miles.
Second, I'd been out the night before. I tend not to go out the night before big runs because I can't seem to pass up that second, third, fourth.... glass of wine. Then I don't sleep and then I feel like crap and then I don't run. But Friday night I did well -- had wine, but not enough to impact the next day too significantly. Go me. Finally.
So I feel confident that I will finish the Half on April 10th despite the sucky overall training from the winter. Probably won't PR but who cares at this point -- my most immediate goal is finishing. I'm thinking maybe the first weekend in June needs to be a half marathon weekend. So deciding between San Diego or Vacaville. Vacaville is closer so that will probably win and the event (California Run Festival) sounds pretty nice actually. Now to get someone to do it with me.
God, it is pouring again...what do I live in Seattle?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Awesomeness
I totally want to be her in 17 years:
And either one of these women 7 years after that:
The two 70 year olds weren't even last -- there were 609 participants.
Just keep on moving on....
Place | Name | City | Bib No | Age | Overall | Chip Time | Gun Time |
1 | Jorjadeane Silva | Los Gatos CA | 1067 | 63 | 198 | 59:58.2 | 1:06:36.6 |
And either one of these women 7 years after that:
1 | Laura Hughes | Campbell CA | 744 | 70 | 598 | 1:46:02.2 | 1:47:54.3 |
2 | Judith L Halter | San Jose CA | 704 | 70 | 599 | 1:46:02.4 | 1:47:54.0 |
The two 70 year olds weren't even last -- there were 609 participants.
Just keep on moving on....
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A 6.5 mile 10K
Well well well.
In my fairly short running career the one thing I have learned is that every race teaches me something about my self. Today I learned that while I'm about a million times better at going with the flow than I used to be, I'm not perfect at it by a long stretch.
So today I ran a10K put on by this fairly new production company -- last year was their first race and was a 5K/10K with 700 participants. This year they added a Half Marathon and 800 people. I didn't run it last year but I heard it went well however it seems like it was very difficult for this group to double in size in one year. It was very disorganized at the start -- there were only 7 porta potties (in their defense, there were some permanent potties as this was at a park, but the one nearest the start was closed and the rest were a bit away from the start), the race started late, the trail couldn't handle this number of people and the 10K turn around wasn't well marked at all.
There are plenty of people who do justice to the disorganization and frustration. From the active.com reviews, plenty of people had much worse experiences than I did -- running a half when they intended to run a 10K and running a 10K when they intended to run a 5K.
I, like a bunch of people, missed the 10K turn around. Actually I saw the sign but it didn't say turn around for what -- and I thought as I was passing it that it was probably for the 10K but in race mode I'm a follower, not a thinker. There were plenty of spots where they had 3 volunteers so it wasn't like they couldn't have had someone there telling the 10K'ers to turn around. There were just so many people on a very narrow path it made it all the more confusing. But I figured it out fairly soon (considering what I've read in those reviews) and then even helped others as I went back passed the turn around. But it totally messed with me. I just could not let it go...and spent the rest of the race one minute being totally grumpy about the whole thing and then reminding myself it really wasn't a huge deal and that at least I was out running and who cares about time and then grump grump grump. Pathetic.
This was only my 3rd 10K and I've only run one 5K and one Half. Clearly I need to start running more races so the stupid stuff doesn't take me down.
In my fairly short running career the one thing I have learned is that every race teaches me something about my self. Today I learned that while I'm about a million times better at going with the flow than I used to be, I'm not perfect at it by a long stretch.
So today I ran a10K put on by this fairly new production company -- last year was their first race and was a 5K/10K with 700 participants. This year they added a Half Marathon and 800 people. I didn't run it last year but I heard it went well however it seems like it was very difficult for this group to double in size in one year. It was very disorganized at the start -- there were only 7 porta potties (in their defense, there were some permanent potties as this was at a park, but the one nearest the start was closed and the rest were a bit away from the start), the race started late, the trail couldn't handle this number of people and the 10K turn around wasn't well marked at all.
There are plenty of people who do justice to the disorganization and frustration. From the active.com reviews, plenty of people had much worse experiences than I did -- running a half when they intended to run a 10K and running a 10K when they intended to run a 5K.
I, like a bunch of people, missed the 10K turn around. Actually I saw the sign but it didn't say turn around for what -- and I thought as I was passing it that it was probably for the 10K but in race mode I'm a follower, not a thinker. There were plenty of spots where they had 3 volunteers so it wasn't like they couldn't have had someone there telling the 10K'ers to turn around. There were just so many people on a very narrow path it made it all the more confusing. But I figured it out fairly soon (considering what I've read in those reviews) and then even helped others as I went back passed the turn around. But it totally messed with me. I just could not let it go...and spent the rest of the race one minute being totally grumpy about the whole thing and then reminding myself it really wasn't a huge deal and that at least I was out running and who cares about time and then grump grump grump. Pathetic.
This was only my 3rd 10K and I've only run one 5K and one Half. Clearly I need to start running more races so the stupid stuff doesn't take me down.
Sunday, March 06, 2011
A New Week
Alrighty, time to get back at it. Last week was a very lazy week and I slept in every day. Now in my defense, I was sick. But I'd not been doing very well the previous weeks either. So tomorrow morning, no excuses.
After the last half in October, I was full of great plans. A friend did an amazing 20 week training plan complete with speed work and cross training but I could never just give it traction. I managed to stay running long enough to run the Turkey Trot and then have just been doing bits and pieces ever since. January was a tough month so I was just going to get serious in February and while I did start running more, I just don't think it is enough. I haven't done anything long since mid December -- I have become the master of the 4 mile run (what I could tolerate on a track in the dark!) Anyway, I did manage 10 miles last Saturday at a decent (for me) pace so I'm pleased. Next week we get some evening daylight back so I can put in more miles on my Tuesday night runs as well. I feel a bit more like I can manage the half in a few weeks even though I won't be setting any records.
After the last half in October, I was full of great plans. A friend did an amazing 20 week training plan complete with speed work and cross training but I could never just give it traction. I managed to stay running long enough to run the Turkey Trot and then have just been doing bits and pieces ever since. January was a tough month so I was just going to get serious in February and while I did start running more, I just don't think it is enough. I haven't done anything long since mid December -- I have become the master of the 4 mile run (what I could tolerate on a track in the dark!) Anyway, I did manage 10 miles last Saturday at a decent (for me) pace so I'm pleased. Next week we get some evening daylight back so I can put in more miles on my Tuesday night runs as well. I feel a bit more like I can manage the half in a few weeks even though I won't be setting any records.
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