Running through a rest day

Instead of going to 1441 on Friday morning I decided to go running. The plan was 4-5 miles and not to worry with the paces because Friday is technically supposed to be a rest day and I was running a 5k on Saturday.

I had my usual coffee and half a cliff bar then headed to my starting place. The weather was already really humid and I was beginning to think a real rest day sounded better than running!

Besides the humidity the run ended up being really nice. I stopped once at mile 3 and finished feeling strong.

8:40 8:20 8:15 8:11 7:56
41:25
8:16 avg pace

On the way home I started getting worried about the 5k that I was going to run the next morning. I had already run 30 miles for the week and my last rest day was over a week ago!

Then I reminded myself that I was doing it to test myself, not break records... Yet :)

Bliss

Before going to bed last night, I decided that I was going to run alone in the morning because I knew I was feeling tired during track which ment by Thursday mornings easy run I was going to be super tired. When I feel like that I don't like to be around people because I would rather just get in my zone and not worry about talking or thinking.

I went to bed really early and ended up with 8 great hours of sleep. When I woke up I drove to my starting place and decided if I felt strong I would try to go 7 miles (opposed to my usual 6). The weather was super humid and windy, so I really didn't know how it was going to go.

The first 2 miles went by and I started telling myself I was going for the 3.5 mile turnaroud... then I hit mile 3 and really WANTED to turn around because the wind was heading at me, but I kept thinking if I make it to 3.5 I would have no other choice but to do 7 total.. and the wind would be at my back! I also knew, that I hadn't stopped for water and the water was at mile 2.25... so I still had a ways to go before water.

I passed mile 3 and just kept trucking, smile on my face and feeling cofident.

I made it to my turnaround point, did not stop and took off for my water fountain... mile 5 hit and it was 8:03. I was so happy. Not only was I making it 7 miles, I was feeling GREAT and my times were not too shabby!!!

I finished and felt amazing. I had doubted myself all night about my energy and how it was going to go... but all of a sudden I was in total bliss. Life was good, because my run was good. I was ready (and DID) take over my day. All the stress at work throughout the day did not phase me at all, I was constant smiles.

8:34 - 8:23 - 8:15 - 8:12 - 8:03 - 8:08 - 7:58

7 miles

8:16 pace

Running on Fumes

The week caught up with me this morning on the track. I woke up thinking it was going to be another speedy day for me, but I was quickly corrected...


I did my .75 warm up and realized that I was still really sore from Monday and also was feeling fatigued, which I think could be from my poor diet at dinner - I had noodles with parmigiana and spinach - no protein.

The workout  (group 5b)

1200 - 400 - 400 - 400 - 400 - 1200 - 400 - 400

5:03 - 99 - 98 - 97 - 96 - 5:03 - 97 - 96

My group today consisted of a new guy and a guy that is speedy but was put in a slower group because he is racing this weekend and didn't need to waste all of his energy. Little did I know this was recipe for a disaster!

We started out and I was the only one wearing a watch, but the newbie started next to me and took off. I knew we needed to hit the 200 mark at 50 minutes in order to be on pace... well we hit that mark at 46 minutes, so when we came through the first lap - we were told we were going too fast... so then I started to back off a little. Then we hit the 2nd lap a little too slow and I had to try and catch up to the pace. Newbie took off and speedy stayed behind me. Well we hit the 1200 at 5:06 - I blame this on poor pacing.

The next 400's were a little off as well. 98 - 97 - 96 - 98 (I would have been happy with 95 as the last 400 to keep the trend)

I was determined to hit the 1200 and the remaining 400's spot on, so I ignored the guys and did my own thing 5:03 - 96 -95

Results

5:06 - 98 - 97 - 96 - 98 - 5:03 - 96 - 95

On the ride home I was beating myself up for not doing the optional mile, so when I got to the house I ran 2 miles - 8:34 and 8:18 pace.... don't ask why, I just felt like I needed to make up for the fact that I didn't push myself more. Retarded, I know.

Tomorrow is my other easy run day - With the way I felt today - I could be in for trouble!

soreness = a good run?

When I woke up this morning I was so sore from 1441 yesterday morning. My shoulders, quads and gluts were on fire and I was feeling pretty tired. My body wanted to just go back to sleep and forget about the run, but I knew I wanted to get my miles in…

I got up and made my usual coffee and grabbed some Gatorade and a cliff bar. I wasn’t feeling very confident about how fast or how I was going to feel, so I made sure I had my ipod in case the group wanted to take off.

For the past few weeks I have been suffering from “runners knee” or patellar tendonitis.  After talking with some other runners who have suffered from the same issue, I went and bought a patellar strap. I was kind of hesitant about it at first because I didn’t want to waste the money.  I tried it out for the first time on Sunday during a 3 mile run and my knee wasn’t bothering me too much, but I figured it was because I was only going 3 miles.  1441 usually aggravates my knee the most. After yesterday’s workout my knee was on fire for the rest of the day, there were times that I was thinking I wasn’t going to finish my run last night because of how sore it was.  I put the strap on for my fartlek last night and my knee did not bother me at all. I was SHOCKED. So this morning I made sure I put it on again, because it is quickly becoming my best friend.

Back to the run today…

We started out and I was feeling great! I didn’t turn the light on for my watch until we passed mile 1 because on easy days (Tuesday/Thursdays) I try not to let it bother me. Well… when I turned it on we were actually going at a decent pace 8:38 and the second mile going on 8:19’s! For how sore I was, this was GREAT!!! The great feeling stayed with me for the entire run…

8:38 – 8:19 – 8:10 – 8:17 – 8:12 – 7:58

After wards I did 8 strides and lots of stretching. They say the only way to get rid of runners knee is to  STRETCH, STRETCH, STRETCH … 

Beast Mode Monday's

Monday's I have to be in beast mode all day. I started going to a strength and conditioning workout (1441) back in January to help get myself back into shape. It is 90-110 minute workout. When I first started I thought I would only be doing it for a month to 8 weeks max. I really wanted to get back into running fast and thought going to this workout would just slow me down. Well here it is 6 months later and I am still going!! Monday mornings have always been Tempo time, but 1441 is also Monday mornings and I obviously can not do both - so enters Beast Mode - 1441 in the morning and Tempo's in the evening!!

Running in the evenings have always been my least favorite. I tend to feel drained, heavy and blah - not to mention it is usually 90+ degrees out and the wind is in full force!! I have to stay focused all day and get excited about the run that will happen when I get off. So, again - enter Beast Mode.

Oh and I forgot to mention, by the time 6pm rolls around, my muscles are starting to ache from the killer workout I did that morning. Legs are in pain from the millions of squats, lunges and jumps. Arms and back are tense from the pullups, pushups and olympic presses. And again - Beast Mode is in full force!!

So hear I am, I have survived another Monday and I am so happy. The workout this morning felt great and I left so energized and ready to conquer my day. Throughout the days on Mondays, I have to be very conscious of what I eat so I am not heavy and fatigued come 7pm. Today I made sure I was drinking electrolyes in the afternoon and had a cliff bar before I left work. I knew I had a a tough workout ahead of me and I wanted to get it done.

On the schedule:

2 miles easy

4-2-1-1-2-4-2-1 fast w/ half the time easy between

1 mile easy

(I had to write it on my forearm so that I could remember, 

and the line in between the ones was to tell me when to turn around)

The results:

8:27

8:19

Fartlek Paces:

7:38-7:43-7:38-6:57-7:23-7:41-7:36-7:04

8:34

TTL 

6:22 Miles 

50:37 

8:08 avg pace

The wind was really bad so after looking at this I am really happy. There were times that I thought I was running in place. The amount of effort I put into this run would probably be a lot faster times on a still day.

Inspiration

This past year I have basically gone MIA with the blogging. With being injured and then struggling to get my endurance and speed back, I have been so hard on myself and discouraged to even write or talk about running because it ends up getting me down about where I am. I don't want to dwell on what I should have done, but I do wish I had blogged through it all, because I have been working HARD to get where I am right now. There is a long way still to come, but looking  back on where I was in January... I have made a comeback, so I know it will only be a matter of time before I will be on top of the world again (in my own world that is)!!

The inspiration to start writing again (or attempt, because I know I am never the best at keeping up with this), came last night when I was at a friends Birthday celebration and found out a mutual friend was a big time BLOGGER!! She knows all the bloggers I follow and has an awesome blog herself!! So after talking the evening away with her about running and blogging, it made me want to get on here and type away!! 

So until the next time, I will leave you with one of my most recent race pictures... Miles for Moffitt