Great Quote

If your heart is hurting too, take heart, because we will run it out, sweat it out, breathe it out, and work it out. We will ache until it’s time to stop aching, pine until the time for pining is past, learn whatever lessons were ours to learn and release the ones meant for other people. We will label our heartache as a growing pain, and grow up and through the cracks, blooming gloriously on the other side.

-Kristin Armstrong

Track - Fail

4:55 am wake up
BCAA w/ h2o
2 pieces of toast.

Left house at 5:10

Got to track did 1 mile warm up.

I was feeling good when I woke up and on the drive over. I really thought that I was going to have a great day at track....

Workout:

400 - 400 - 800 - 800 - 1200 - 1200

The warm up mile was kind of a struggle, but usually it is just a shake out and things get better.

He put me in group 5 to start. Which I thought was going to be doable...

We came in on the first 400 at 98 minutes - - it was supposed to be 95. My watch didn't start so I had no idea what was going on. I did feel like I was pushing it, so when I found out we were slow I started to realize that it wasn't going to be a good day.

Next 400 - 94 - back on pace.

800's were difficult and slow. My body just didn't have the energy to run fast. Heart was racing, legs felt dead - I had nothing. Breathing was deep. It was rough

3:18
3:20

Slower than the plan

When we got to the 1200's he moved me back a group.

Well, we were approaching the 800 mark and I couldn't go any further. I kept slowing down and knew i had to stop.

1200 fail --> 800 = 3:22 --- slower than the other 800s!

Next 1200 I told myself to push it and get it done. No excuses...

5:01

Today was really discouraging. The feeling of having no energy to run and to feel like you have never run before sucks. Especially when you LOVE to run. Having people that have always been slower than you beat you feels horrible.

I was a little sore from the workout with J yesterday, but I don't think that was what was pulling me back.

I sort of think it is my diet. I don't know if I am fueling properly throughout the days. I shouldn't feel dead on my runs. My body shouldn't feel like it just wants to quit and sit down and give up.

Easy Tuesday

4:50am Wake up

Eizekl Toast w/ yogurt butter
1/2 glass BCAA with h20
Stick Rolling

Plan was 8 miles with strides.

I decided to take a somewhat different course today so that I could hit a water fountain. The humidity is still unreal at the beach which makes every run a struggle.

Starting out I was feeling good, but I was really trying to just maintain pace and not get too crazy.

8:32-8:27-8:27-8:24-8:29-8:22-8:28-8:17

I was pretty happy with the run overall. The paces were pretty even. I am starting to feel better on the daily runs which is making me happy.

I have a ton of work to still do, but I know it will come back.

At lunch I met J at the gym for some weights

5x5 Jammers

10x3 Cleans

(5/5/5 Pullups --> 25 Squats) x 4

Planks (:30 reg, :30 right, :30 left) x4

Pretty sure that workout is going to be leaving me feeling sore for track tomorrow!

Monday Tempo!

Tempo:

1 Mile Easy
2 x 7:00 minutes fast w/ 3:00 easy in between
1 Mile Easy

I had to be at the airport at 7:45 am this morning, so I had to start early to get this done!

Woke up at 4:50am had my cup of coffee with Stevia and Almond Milk.

As I was getting dressed I had a 1/2 glass of BCAA mixed with h2o

I did some Stick Rolling

And then I was off.

I decided to stay in my neighborhood for this run and just do loops. I figured this run would put me around 4 miles, which would make a little over 2 loops.

Workout ended up:

Mile 1 - 8:30

7:14 @ 7:36 pace = .95 Miles

3:00 @ 8:19 pace = .36 Miles

7:00 @ 7:24 pace = .95 Miles

Workout ended up being 3.3 Miles - So I made it 5 Miles

Cool Down

1 Mile @ 8:27

.7 Mile @ 8:08 Pace

Total Avg = 5 Miles at 8:03 pace

This workout pushed my heart rate for sure.

It was 80* with 90% humidity.

I think it really showed me where I am at and that I am close to being better. It's just going to take drive, determination and keeping my goals on my mind.

No excuses. Just Do It. Every.Day.

Saturday Failure

Woke up at 4:30am feeling tired, but excited about the run. Since getting accepted into Boston I have been pumped and ready to train!

1/2 Cup Coffee
Ezikel Toast x2

Met friends at 5am to head to Fort Desoto.

Drank 1/2 cup of BCAA mixed with h2o on the way to the park.

The plan was to run
4 easy
4 @ 7:30
1 easy
3 @ 7:30

This was really aggressive for me right now, so I was just going to "pick it up" on the fast miles.

I ran the 1st mile really slow with my Friend, so when I hit the 2nd mile I took off. I could tell at this point the run wasn't going to be good.

My stomach hurt, I felt bloated, my legs didn't want to run. They were sore from a Spin Class the day before. My head hurt. It just wasn't good.

I made it to mile 5, stopped, stretched my legs. My heart was racing and I just wanted to call it a day.

I made it to the car, which put me at 6. I decided to call it quits, my pace was bad, I was needing to stop to recover and knew it was just going to continue to go down hill.

As I drove home I started feeling bad about quitting and hated that I made that decision. When I got to the house, I immediately hopped on my bike and went out for 13 miles. I figured another 50 minutes of cardio would make up for some of the miles I lost.

I was pretty depressed about quitting for the rest of the day. Part of me wanted to go out the next day to tackle it again, but end in the end I decided to just continue with my schedule.

Obviously my body needed rest, so I took today off and will resume the schedule tomorrow!

#Boston2014: I AM IN!

I got the email yesterday. I am Boston 2014 Bound!!!

It isn't going to be easy.

It is going to take dedication and will power.

I am going to be focused.

This is it.

This is game time!!!

So pumped!!!

Feelin' Good & I'm Lovin' it

This week running has been a lot better than usual, and it is making me a HAPPY runner again!!!!

Tuesday: Easy 5
Wednesday: Plan was 5-6 went 7
Thursday: Plan was 5-6 went 10.5!!!
Friday: 2.5 Miles on Treadmill then 1 hour Spin Class
Saturday: 12 Miles!!!

Since moving to the beach running has been a struggle. I don't know if it is the humidity, the change of paths, the extra 5 pounds or the fact that I have just been really run down mentally and emotionally. Regardless of what is causing it, I have been letting it get to me way to much - but I refuse to throw in the towel.

This week I was feeling so good while running, stops were not needed, mental games didn't exist, it was coming so easy & I was feeling GREAT!

Thursday's run of 10.5 miles really came out of nowhere. I thought since I did the 5 miles then 7 miles the previous 2 days that I was just going to need some easy miles... WRONG :)

I hit my 2.5 mile mark and told myself, ok go to 3 and turn... then next thing you know I said 3.5... etc. etc... I made it past the Don Cesar and kept trekking down to Pass a Grille. I really think I would have gone 12 miles, but I forced myself to turn back.

I had that feeling of bliss while running that morning. I felt so happy inside, and my energy was soaring. I have come to realize that I need that feeling in my life. It puts me in a better mood, kick starts my day and fires my motivation through life.

When I woke up on Saturday morning I had texts on my phone from my Brother... Stephanie was in labor!! I was within hours of becoming an AUNT!! I thought I was going to meet my friends for their long run, but with this news I didn't make it out of the house in time. So I set out alone, not know what I was doing as far as distance or pace.. well.. I ended up with 12 miles at 8:20 pace.... faster than my 10.5 on Thursday and feeling amazing again!!! Only needed 2 stops and only had about 6 Honey Zinger balls.

Today is gym day for some cross training!!!

Life is so much better when you are running happy

I suck

Today I was supposed to wake up and run 10 miles. I kind of was thinking I would go farther if I had the time.

I woke up, but I was exhausted. At 4am that is normal and usually when I start running I wake up and forget how tired I was when I opened my eyes.

This morning I started out, and I knew at mile .5 that things were not going to get better - but I continued with my plan.

Well after the first 2 miles I just wanted to stop and sit down. I made myself make it to mile 2.5 -- I told myself, every 2.5 I could stop... 2.5 miles is nothing! (well, it shouldn't be ....)

Well, 2.5 came and went and then I hit 3.5 and stopped again... then I hit 4.3 and sat down.

All I wanted to do was get a cab back home.

After I felt I had sat enough, I got up and headed home. Things were getting worse. I didn't even make it a mile before I was WALKING!

I decided I would run .5 miles... walk.... .5 miles.... walk ... all the way home.

Thats.how.bad.it.was.

It wasn't that I was winded or out of shape.

My legs just wouldn't move. They were dead. There was nothing in them. I couldn't lift them.

As depression settled in on the way back, I started thinking...

I technically have not had a day off in over 2 weeks AND I did 2 very long runs that I haven't done in a while.

On my "off" day this week I woke up and ran 3 miles.

On my supposed to be off days I did stair climber and weights (the day after the 16 miles) and then Spin and weights yesterday.

So, perhaps I am not giving myself the rest.

Then on top of all this, I want to lose weight so bad that I don't think I am eating right. I think I am consuming the calories, but just not the right types of food to fuel and recover.

So now I sit here in defeat. I feel depressed, fat and out of shape. This attempt happened at 5 am and its almost 5pm and I am still feeling like the worst runner in the world and that perhaps I should just give it all up..... uuuuuuughghghghghg

3 rest days = fresh legs!

So True

May!

May is here! Usually this is my favorite Month of the year. Not because it is the Month of my Birthday, but because the weather, the flowers and the feeling that Summer is almost here!! Unfortunately it hasn't started out on the right foot. I am determined to change this though!! Attitude is everything and if you don't like something, change it... thats the motto right now :)

So... after Tuesday night's Track Attack...

Wednesday - 1441

I got up and did my 2 mile run. I was feeling pretty tired from Track the night before

7:53 - 7:33

Then the workout was a lot of pilate like moves. Flutter kicks, V-Ups, planks etc., It didn't feel like a true strength training day, but it was pretty intense at times!

Thursday - Easy run 8 Miles

I started out at  Ballast Point and went 4 out and 4 back. Felt good, but still not back to my normal running self.

Friday - Easy run 9 Miles

The plan was to do 10 miles. For whatever reason I wasn't feeling great. I felt worn down and didn't even want to run. I stopped at 2.5 stretched the legs and kept going. I made it to the hospital, went to the bathroom and started back. I stopped at mile 8 and walked some and made it back. Only 9 miles.

Saturday - 4 Miles

I was planning on taking Saturday off, but woke up and needed some fresh air. I didn't start until after 10 am . It was hot. The pace was actually faster than expected. 7:46 avg.

After the track practice my training went down hill fast. I sometimes wonder if stresses in life hinders my running. Some people say that stress brings out the beast in them. I on the other hand just get defeated. 

The goal this week is to move on, smile and not stress about things that are out my control!!

Night Track!

I think this new obsession with wanting my 5k time to get faster has completly changed my mindset on TRACK!

I dread track every week. This week I was so excited about it that I decdied to go on Tuesday evening! Night track is something I avoid at all costs, but I found myself racing to get there after work to get it in!

The workout was:

400 - 800 - 400 - 400- 400 - 400 - 400 - 800 - 400

It doesn't look like it would be bad, but the recovery was short and the times were FAST

He put my in group 4b. My goal was 91 on the 400's and 3:06 on the 800's

Actual:

85 - 3:06 - 87 - 87 - 87 - 87 - 87 - 3:00 - 84

Not only was I SO pumped about track this week, I was also FAST!!! I was beating group 4 times!!!

My heart rate hated this workout. I felt like it never calmed down, because we literally only had about a minute in between runs!!

I left happy and satisfied

When I got home we took the dogs for their 2 mile walk, but stopped and got ice cream sundaes for dinner!!!

Happy Monday!

It has been a succesful Monday in the training life!  I woke up at 4:30 am - did my 2 fast miles and hit the gym.

Mile Splits:

 7:40 and 7:10

The goal is to get these miles to 7:00 flat, but I need to get a mile easy in before that happens. I just need to get myself out of the house earlier to get 3 miles in and then make it to the gym on time!!

The workout today was weight focus and lots of SQUATS. Hoping i'm not feeling it tomorrw. I have 8 miles on the schedule!



Conquering Fears - TIA 5K

I am a runner and anyone that knows me knows this. There is one thing about running that scares me to death and that I avoid at all costs because of the anxiety it causes.... its called a 5K

Now, with the amount of miles I log a week and the number of races that I place #1 in my age group, it would seem odd that 3.1 miles would cause such panic in me. But, it does. So what typically happens, is the marathon season comes and goes and then I don't register for any races for the entire spring/summer.

This weekend I ran/raced a 5k. I faced the fear and I did it. All week leading up to Saturday I was stressing out and dreading the sound of my alarm clock. I didn't know what to expect, but I was definitely expecting the worst.

Saturday came, the alarm clock went off and I was up. I did my usual coffee and oatmeal and then headed to the race. I met up with my friends Jen and Sarah. They are super speedy with 5k's and have been training hard core for some fast times. They were shocked to see me there because they also know how I feel about these races.

We did our warm up and towed the line. I kept telling myself to just maintain a 7:30 average pace and if I felt good at mile 3 to take off.

First Mile: 6:48

I was feeling good, I wasn't hating life, so I kept it up.

Mile 2: 6:54

Still feeling good and suprised at how fast it was going by

Mile 3: 6:45

I came in at 19:30

The course was short. It only measured 2.9 miles. I was a little upset by this because I wasn't hating the race and would love to see how I could have finished with a true 5k. I predict I would have still finished under 21:00.

I was really happy with how I felt and how I did. I was still in pain from the workout I did on Wednesday at 1441 and I also have not done a tempo run in the past year. I now have this urge to start backing off on the miles and start picking up some speed to see what I have in me. I can't even believe I feel this way!!

When we got back I jumped on my bike and got 16 miles in so I could flush the muscles out.

I am so happy I faced the fear and did the race. I am not as fast as I would like to be, but now I have the desire to get better and to put the fear behind me!!!!

Gasparilla 15K: First Race with Jaime

Today was awesome. I ran my first race with Jaime!!

She and I became friends through running. Something that started out as running friends quickly budded into best friends for life. It is kind of strange how we have never ran a race "together". We have been in the same races, but never stuck by each other's sides.

Jaime is 5 months pregnant. I ran a marathon last weekend. It was the perfect formula to run together. Honestly thinking about it, it is kind of sad that something like this would create such a formula. We should have done this a long time ago. Maybe it takes things like this to happen to realize what you have been missing out on?

All week Jaime kept telling me she was going to be slow. I didn't care, I didn't have any expectations for myself and just wanted to keep it easy because of the recovery. I didn't think about the race all week. I didn't even get registered until race eve. It was 10pm the night before when I found out what time the race started! We were 100% stress free and just looking forward to the race <-- how all races should be!!

I was invited to be on a race team this week. I even had to tell them that I was going to sport their shirt, but was just having fun. This "fun" approach is something very new to me. For the past years I have spent every race trying not to stress and pretending not to care about outcomes. Then pushing myself to no end during races and trying to always be happy with times. Sometimes I am legitimately happy, other times I pretend to be and then beat myself up <-- how races should NOT be.

We got to the race start around 6:10. I decided to carry my phone in case I wanted pictures. People were starting to crowd towards the start. Looking around you notice people's faces. Some very happy, some stressing out and then those looking clueless. Runners were warming up and getting ready. Jaime and I were just taking it all in and laughing and trying to figure out where the start was! We didn't even know!

Once we reached the start we ran into a lot of our friends. Everyone was congratulaing Jaime on her pregnancy and we were wishing everyone good luck. The gun goes off and Jaime immediatly says... I have to go to the bathroom. We literally just started running! So we take off and she decides to wait till after the first mile.

Mile 1 - Porta Potty stop!! I decided to go too. What the heck. Might as well!

Then we were off again. We stopped at a bunch of mile markers to take pictures. I carried her water and made sure she was hydrated. I tried my hardest to talk and keep her entertained the entire time. It was so much fun to spend the time with her this way. Doing something we both loved. Adrenaline flowing. When she wanted to take a walk break we did, but then she found the strength to keep going. She really was a trooper. The humidity was at 93% and the heat was almost reaching 80*! At 5 months pregnant, maintaing a 9:19 average - she did awesome. We watched all of our fast friends run by and we cheered them on. It gave us both a second wind. We talked to runners along the way. We even saw some of our friends and ran with them for a while.

This race was a whole new experience. It gave racing a new meaning. It was fun.

Afterwards we went to Four Green Fields to have a drink with our group. Runners are some of the happiest and fun people around, so of course the bar was packed with high, glowing spirits.

Such a fun day!!

Sick, Drained & 0 Miles

After last Saturdays Crossfit session, which was after my 10 mile run... I became extremely sore.

I don't see how the Crossfit would have done it to me, it was only 20 mintes and wasn't anything my body isn't used to.

Saturday I hung out with JP - we went to the mall and then hit the bowling alley. Sunday turned into Sunday funday with Beer and Football.

I didn't want to tell him, but my throat was on FIRE all day Sunday. I knew I had NYE coming the next day and didn't want to worry him.

Monday came around. He went to work, I went to 1441

I wanted to run. So I went out for 5 miles. It ended up being a sub 8 minute pace, but my thoat was burning from it.

Monday night - rang in the New Year.
Tuesday - Drank the New Years day away
Wednesay - Died a slow painful death and the couch... sore throat/cough/chest on fire.

Thursday - today... I AM RUNNING!