Well, the sickness junk resulted in a big, fatty taper this week. I was actually nauseous last Thursday night and Friday, and then some congestion kicked in on Wednesday. I figured it was just allergies, and by Friday, Cliff and I were pretty miserable (but still managed to drink and watch one of our favorite cover bands perform). I finally went to Care Now (urgent care) today, and I tested positive for the flu. I would have never guessed I had the flu, but the nurse encouraged me to take the test (a nasal swab) because a lot of patients had cold and sinus symptoms but actually had the flu. So I guess it's going around in full force today. The lady who checked me out (that sounds a lot more exciting than it really was) at Walmart said that 10 people called in sick today. Fortunately I can work from home all week (the Steelers are staying in Downtown Fort Worth and practicing at TCU, so the traffic and road closures will be a bear), so I am looking forward to sitting in front of the laptop and wearing my PJs tomorrow while I go through a whole box of Kleenex. At least my recap will me short and sweet!
Run #1 (Tuesday afternoon): 3.63 miles @ 8:24/mile (30:33); Lake Country; Awesome tempo run. I split 9:01, 8:21, and 8:10. The last 0.63 miles was in 7:58 pace.
Run #2 (Wednesday afternoon): 5.50 miles @ 9:16/mile (50:59); Downtown/Trinity Trail; I eased up on the pace a bit, enjoyed the weather, and had a great lunch run!
Other Workouts:
Weights 12 min
Elliptical Machine 40 min
Walked Dogs 4.75 miles
Total Running for the Week: 9.13 miles, 1:21:32, 8:56/mile average
Total Workout Time for the Week: 2:13:30
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thursday Thirteen: Rocky Raccoon is LOOMING
1. We’re in transition. We’re still paying $8.65 for the Netflix instant queue (where the phrase “available on DVD only” appears more often than not), but now we have a 2-week trial of the Blockbuster 2-disc a month ($16.99 + tax) program. Once the two weeks end, we will cancel Netflix (no more “Family Guy” and “South Park” on demand… sad face) and continue with Blockbuster. We decided to convert since Blockbuster allows 5 exchanges a month and also gets the new releases 28 days before Netflix and Red Box.
2. Our first queue selections were “The Social Network” and “Big Love” (Disc 2 of the newest season). If you’ve seen interviews with Mark Zuckerberg (the founder of Facebook), you’ll appreciate Jesse Eisenberg’s amazing awkwardness.
3. Somehow I neglected to pay the cable and phone bills this month. Wifey fail. Situation rectified. Eeek.
4. I also spent way too much time on the phone with Citibank last night trying to explain to a woman in India that our extra mortgage payments should have been applied solely to principal. What. A. Beating.
5. Cliff made some kick bootie eggplant parmesan on Tuesday. He stuck to the recipe (for the most part) and substituted 2% mozzarella cheese. I made us a side Caesar salad (with Girard’s lowfat dressing), and Cliff was in charge of the garlic bread (which means there was real butter involved!).
6. Of course you can’t enjoy eggplant parmesan without some red wine! I’m noticing my alcohol intake is increasing as my running mileage during taper is decreasing.
7. We have been on a documentary kick lately since Netflix doesn’t have much available on the instant queue (I will stop whining about that now). We have enjoyed such classics as “Blood into Wine,” “Jesus Camp,” “Food, Inc.,” and “Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows.”
8. My allergies have been killing me the past several days. Most of it can be attributable to one shedding Basset Hound, Sir Hanky Panky:
9. The Rocky Raccoon 50-miler is becoming real. The Race Director emailed us last night with his pet peeves and some instructions. I still need to make some purchases, including a head lamp and/or flashlight!
10. I’m still unsure how I want to carry my water. I have one handheld, and I am thinking about carrying that with my spibelt for the first loop and then packing my fuel belt in my drop bag in case one handheld is not adequate. A lot of it will depend on the weather and temperatures. I am avoiding the camelback since I’ve never run with one before. I’ve had really bad luck with water in my last few races (including The Falls and the Fort Worth Marathon 20-miler) though.
11. Still no word on the job promotion. The suspense is building!
12. Incognito is playing at the Eagle’s Nest on Friday night. That is one of our favorite cover bands, so we will be putting our party pants on!
13. I’m going to try taking ALL THREE dogs to Fort Woof on Friday afternoon. I’m not too worried about them inside the dog park… it’s more the trek from the car to and from the gate of the park!
2. Our first queue selections were “The Social Network” and “Big Love” (Disc 2 of the newest season). If you’ve seen interviews with Mark Zuckerberg (the founder of Facebook), you’ll appreciate Jesse Eisenberg’s amazing awkwardness.
3. Somehow I neglected to pay the cable and phone bills this month. Wifey fail. Situation rectified. Eeek.
4. I also spent way too much time on the phone with Citibank last night trying to explain to a woman in India that our extra mortgage payments should have been applied solely to principal. What. A. Beating.
5. Cliff made some kick bootie eggplant parmesan on Tuesday. He stuck to the recipe (for the most part) and substituted 2% mozzarella cheese. I made us a side Caesar salad (with Girard’s lowfat dressing), and Cliff was in charge of the garlic bread (which means there was real butter involved!).
6. Of course you can’t enjoy eggplant parmesan without some red wine! I’m noticing my alcohol intake is increasing as my running mileage during taper is decreasing.
7. We have been on a documentary kick lately since Netflix doesn’t have much available on the instant queue (I will stop whining about that now). We have enjoyed such classics as “Blood into Wine,” “Jesus Camp,” “Food, Inc.,” and “Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows.”
8. My allergies have been killing me the past several days. Most of it can be attributable to one shedding Basset Hound, Sir Hanky Panky:
9. The Rocky Raccoon 50-miler is becoming real. The Race Director emailed us last night with his pet peeves and some instructions. I still need to make some purchases, including a head lamp and/or flashlight!
10. I’m still unsure how I want to carry my water. I have one handheld, and I am thinking about carrying that with my spibelt for the first loop and then packing my fuel belt in my drop bag in case one handheld is not adequate. A lot of it will depend on the weather and temperatures. I am avoiding the camelback since I’ve never run with one before. I’ve had really bad luck with water in my last few races (including The Falls and the Fort Worth Marathon 20-miler) though.
11. Still no word on the job promotion. The suspense is building!
12. Incognito is playing at the Eagle’s Nest on Friday night. That is one of our favorite cover bands, so we will be putting our party pants on!
13. I’m going to try taking ALL THREE dogs to Fort Woof on Friday afternoon. I’m not too worried about them inside the dog park… it’s more the trek from the car to and from the gate of the park!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Week #7 (January 17-23): Starting the Taper
This week was a bit of a challenge since I didn't feel well on Thursday night, Friday, or Sunday morning. But at least that forced me to sleep more, run less, and get a jump start on my taper.
Run #1 (Monday morning): 12.15 miles @ 9:58/mile (2:01:10); Trinity Trail; It took me awhile to shake off Saturday's long run. I split 10:09, 10:37, 10:31, 10:16, 10:06, 9:53, 10:09, 9:53, 9:53, 9:52, 9:33, 8:53. I like the average function on the Garmin. It really pushed me on the last mile or two to break a 10-minute average, and I was super happy with the 8:53 on the end!
Run #2 (Tuesday morning): 6 miles @ 10:07/mile (1:00:42); Downtown/Trinity Trail; I realized that more mileage results in a slower Nicole. It was a great way to start off my morning before leaving for a work trip. Plus there was a nice little drizzle.
Run #3 (Wednesday morning): 2.15 miles @ 11:37/mile (25:00); Horrible Hotel Dreadmill; If I was really running 11:37 pace, I would have been tripping on myself. But I guess I should have just been thankful there was a hotel gym.
Run #4 (Saturday afternoon): 5.12 miles @ 9:21/mile (47:23); Lake Country; Hooray for being back home. I was happy to get outdoors again, and the weather was great. Funny how 60 degrees seems hot now.
Run #5 (Sunday morning): 6.10 miles @ 9:50/mile (1:00:01); Trinity Trail; Stacy and I had planned on running 10-12 miles, but neither of us were up to the task. I woke up with a bit of a sore throat, and I decided to listen to my body. So we decreased the mileage and increased our socializing at Panera time!
Other Workouts:
Stationary Bike 1 hour & 25 min
Weights & Abs 15 min
Walked Dogs 1.5 miles
Total Running for the Week: 31.52 miles, 5:29:19, 9:58/mile average
Total Workout Time for the Week: 6:54:19
Run #1 (Monday morning): 12.15 miles @ 9:58/mile (2:01:10); Trinity Trail; It took me awhile to shake off Saturday's long run. I split 10:09, 10:37, 10:31, 10:16, 10:06, 9:53, 10:09, 9:53, 9:53, 9:52, 9:33, 8:53. I like the average function on the Garmin. It really pushed me on the last mile or two to break a 10-minute average, and I was super happy with the 8:53 on the end!
Run #2 (Tuesday morning): 6 miles @ 10:07/mile (1:00:42); Downtown/Trinity Trail; I realized that more mileage results in a slower Nicole. It was a great way to start off my morning before leaving for a work trip. Plus there was a nice little drizzle.
Run #3 (Wednesday morning): 2.15 miles @ 11:37/mile (25:00); Horrible Hotel Dreadmill; If I was really running 11:37 pace, I would have been tripping on myself. But I guess I should have just been thankful there was a hotel gym.
Run #4 (Saturday afternoon): 5.12 miles @ 9:21/mile (47:23); Lake Country; Hooray for being back home. I was happy to get outdoors again, and the weather was great. Funny how 60 degrees seems hot now.
Run #5 (Sunday morning): 6.10 miles @ 9:50/mile (1:00:01); Trinity Trail; Stacy and I had planned on running 10-12 miles, but neither of us were up to the task. I woke up with a bit of a sore throat, and I decided to listen to my body. So we decreased the mileage and increased our socializing at Panera time!
Other Workouts:
Stationary Bike 1 hour & 25 min
Weights & Abs 15 min
Walked Dogs 1.5 miles
Total Running for the Week: 31.52 miles, 5:29:19, 9:58/mile average
Total Workout Time for the Week: 6:54:19
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Week #6 (January 10-16): Going for the Big One
I was aiming for a big run on Saturday morning and ended up logging my longest training run in history (previous longest was 20 miles). I was hoping to finish the week with 60 miles, and I came up short. I needed a recovery day though... my legs are shot. Since tomorrow is a federal holiday, I'm hoping for a medium to long run on the Trinity Trail after my eye exam in the morning. Now it's time to start winding things down a bit with Rocky Racoon only 3 weeks away.
Run #1 (Monday evening): 5.30 miles @ 8:45/mile (46:25); Lake Country; I worked out some frustration and it felt great to just run... except my pants were falling down and I pulled them up about a zillion times. Great tempo work!
Run #2 (Tuesday afternoon): 10 miles @ 10:06/mile (1:41:07); Lake Country; I was aiming for mileage versus speed, and I got some good hill work done, including the Golf Club monster of a hill.
Run #3 (Friday afternoon): 6.24 miles @ 12:58/mile (1:20:55); Sansom Park; A much-needed trail run with Dan. We did a big loop, including the technical red trails. It was a bootie kicker!
Run #4 (Saturday morning: 24.05 miles @ 10:37 (4:15:36); Trinity Trail; I ran the first half with Dan in an 11:01/mile average and I ran the second half with Stacy in a 10:15/mile average. Our last mile was 9:51. Either we were highly motivated for some Panera coffee, I could have kept going, or I could have run faster (or a trifecta combo!). The distance (or maybe all of my suh-weet dance moves last night) caught up with me today though.
Other Workouts:
Stair Stepper 60 min
Weights & Abs 22 min
Weekly Running Totals: 45.59 miles, 8:04:03, 10:37/mile average pace
Total Workout Time for the Week: 9:26:06
Run #1 (Monday evening): 5.30 miles @ 8:45/mile (46:25); Lake Country; I worked out some frustration and it felt great to just run... except my pants were falling down and I pulled them up about a zillion times. Great tempo work!
Run #2 (Tuesday afternoon): 10 miles @ 10:06/mile (1:41:07); Lake Country; I was aiming for mileage versus speed, and I got some good hill work done, including the Golf Club monster of a hill.
Run #3 (Friday afternoon): 6.24 miles @ 12:58/mile (1:20:55); Sansom Park; A much-needed trail run with Dan. We did a big loop, including the technical red trails. It was a bootie kicker!
Run #4 (Saturday morning: 24.05 miles @ 10:37 (4:15:36); Trinity Trail; I ran the first half with Dan in an 11:01/mile average and I ran the second half with Stacy in a 10:15/mile average. Our last mile was 9:51. Either we were highly motivated for some Panera coffee, I could have kept going, or I could have run faster (or a trifecta combo!). The distance (or maybe all of my suh-weet dance moves last night) caught up with me today though.
Other Workouts:
Stair Stepper 60 min
Weights & Abs 22 min
Weekly Running Totals: 45.59 miles, 8:04:03, 10:37/mile average pace
Total Workout Time for the Week: 9:26:06
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Longest Training Run
So I went back-and-forth on how many miles I would do today. Ideally I would have liked a 30-miler, for both the confidence and the practice of staying on my feet for hours (and hours). But I've also been nursing an aggravated hip flexor (which allows me to put a bag of frozen peas down my pants, but I digress), and I wanted to play it smart. I was waivering on 20-30 miles, and I went with 24 miles. This way Dan and I could run 12 miles and then pick up Stacy for 12 more miles. Nice and pretty and symmetrical ;) So Dan and I set off at about 6:20 this morning and went a nice, easy pace. Dan was shooting for 30+ miles, but he didn't really sleep last night (bad combo). We left from Hoffbrau and headed out to 183, around the freeway (with a residential detour for an extra 2 miles), and back to Hoffbrau. We picked up the pace a bit around mile 7 or 8.
Splits: 11:00, 11:21, 11:31, 11:11, 11:08, 11:20, 11:37, 10:42, 10:29, 10:49, 10:35, 10:22
Nom Nom Nom: Gu at mile 5, 3 Cliff blocks (half a package at mile 10)
I had a fantastic Panera Potty Stop (what would we do with the convenient Panera location), Dan called it a day, and Stacy and I headed out (in the other direction) on the Trinity Trail after I gobbled down three more Cliff blocks and refilled my water. I felt pretty good. The mileage flew by pretty quickly since we talked for most of the run. I like how our last mile was sub-10. That definitely shows I have more in tank to speed up the run and/or run farther.
Splits: 10:12, 10:14, 10:29, 10:26, 10:21, 10:30, 10:07, 10:10, 10:06, 10:13, 10:11, 9:51
Nom Nom Nom: Gu at mile 17
Totals: 24.05 miles, 4:15:36, 10:37/mile
After the run we treated ourselves to some hazelnut coffee at Panera and then headed over to Zoe's for the veggie pita pizza. It was a good end to a chilly, misty morning full o' mileage!
Splits: 11:00, 11:21, 11:31, 11:11, 11:08, 11:20, 11:37, 10:42, 10:29, 10:49, 10:35, 10:22
Nom Nom Nom: Gu at mile 5, 3 Cliff blocks (half a package at mile 10)
I had a fantastic Panera Potty Stop (what would we do with the convenient Panera location), Dan called it a day, and Stacy and I headed out (in the other direction) on the Trinity Trail after I gobbled down three more Cliff blocks and refilled my water. I felt pretty good. The mileage flew by pretty quickly since we talked for most of the run. I like how our last mile was sub-10. That definitely shows I have more in tank to speed up the run and/or run farther.
Splits: 10:12, 10:14, 10:29, 10:26, 10:21, 10:30, 10:07, 10:10, 10:06, 10:13, 10:11, 9:51
Nom Nom Nom: Gu at mile 17
Totals: 24.05 miles, 4:15:36, 10:37/mile
After the run we treated ourselves to some hazelnut coffee at Panera and then headed over to Zoe's for the veggie pita pizza. It was a good end to a chilly, misty morning full o' mileage!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Four Things Friday
1. My interview yesterday was okay. I tend to interview quickly (probably a 20-minute average?). I think part of that is because I talk fast and I just want it to end. Some of the questions covered my weaker areas - procurement, union issues, etc. I felt more confident with how I answered the questions related to management philosophy and work ethic. So we'll see what happens. I should know something within 2 weeks. Either way, I'll be a happy camper because I am very appreciative of my current job.
2. We had a fun little post-interview celebration (station!) yesterday in lieu of our traditional "family dinner" night... a few drinks at Boo Ray's, dinner at Taste of Italy, and a few more drinks at the Eagle's Nest. Fortunately I got to sleep in a bit today since I had a Dr Brian appointment at 8:15.
3. My hip, or "sexy boy muscle" (as we like to call it), has been bothering me for weeks now. Dr Brian is seriously the greatest at pinpointing the exact spot (I wasn't even sure what I was pointing to!) and working out the "junk" (another medical term). It's just what I need before tackling a trail run with Dan this afternoon, a long run tomorrow morning with some friends, and a (possible) medium run on Sunday.
4. I had a "rest" day yesterday (with all of the crazy stuff going on at work, the interview and a big meeting in the afternoon, I didn't have time to squeeze in a workout) and I worked out at 24 Hour on Wednesday and did an hour on my stair stepper (I miss that machine... they removed the one at our federal gym) and some weights. Hopefully that gave my hip flexor a chance to recover a bit from the tempo run on Monday and 10-mile hilly run on Tuesday.
2. We had a fun little post-interview celebration (station!) yesterday in lieu of our traditional "family dinner" night... a few drinks at Boo Ray's, dinner at Taste of Italy, and a few more drinks at the Eagle's Nest. Fortunately I got to sleep in a bit today since I had a Dr Brian appointment at 8:15.
3. My hip, or "sexy boy muscle" (as we like to call it), has been bothering me for weeks now. Dr Brian is seriously the greatest at pinpointing the exact spot (I wasn't even sure what I was pointing to!) and working out the "junk" (another medical term). It's just what I need before tackling a trail run with Dan this afternoon, a long run tomorrow morning with some friends, and a (possible) medium run on Sunday.
4. I had a "rest" day yesterday (with all of the crazy stuff going on at work, the interview and a big meeting in the afternoon, I didn't have time to squeeze in a workout) and I worked out at 24 Hour on Wednesday and did an hour on my stair stepper (I miss that machine... they removed the one at our federal gym) and some weights. Hopefully that gave my hip flexor a chance to recover a bit from the tempo run on Monday and 10-mile hilly run on Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Big Day Tomorrow
Tomorrow I have an interview at 9 am and a big meeting at 1 pm. I, unlike my husband (who is a pro and gives me fantastic advice), don't have a ton of interview experience. I'm so afraid of a question that will leave me with a blank stare, while we all listen to the birds chirp outside the window. The interview is for two director positions (Deputy Director and Director of Finance, Budget, and Facilities Management) in the Office of Public and Indian Housing in HUD. The job would be a considerable promotion for me, and I would be supervising a team and working in the office (which is in Burnett Plaza, rather than the federal building) every day. So tomorrow I will wear my big girl suit into the office. Hopefully it fits... I was a little fluffier when I interviewed a year ago! I'm looking forward to having a good interview, getting through the day, and celebrating with family happy hour and dinner.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Week #5 (January 3-9): Rackin' up the Mileage
Run #1 (Monday evening): 8 miles @ 8:59 (1:11:53); Lake Country; We got back from California in the afternoon and I hit the roads in the evening. It felt good to get back in the routine, and I got faster as the run progressed.
Run #2 (Tuesday afternoon): 7.08 miles @ 9:23 (1:06:30); 7th Street/Trinity Trail; Lunch time run with Kit. I ran a bit easier with her and took off on the middle mile. I felt pretty good but I held back.
Run #3 (Wednesday morning): 4.22 miles @ 9:28 (40:01); Lake Country; Early morning run around my neighborhood to start the day. I also got a good swim workout in after work.
Run #4 (Thursday afternoon): 7.39 miles @ 9:13 (1:08:10); 7th Street/Trinity Trail; Lunch time run with Kit. We picked up the pace (compared to Tuesday's run).
Run #5 (Friday afternoon): 7.39 miles @ 9:32 (1:10:28); 7th Street/Trinity Trail; I repeated Thursday's run to figure out the exact mileage. I ran this one solo and just took it easy since my hip had been bothering me and I wanted to run longer over the weekend.
Run #6 (Saturday morning): 16 miles @ 9:36 (2:33:37); Trinity Trail; I didn't know what to expect heading into this run. I had already hit 34 miles for the week, and my right hip has been talking (grumbles, not sweet whispers) to me. Stacy and I planned to meet at 8 am for a 5-6 mile run on the Trinity Trail. I felt pretty good on Friday night and I got to bed at a decent time, so I decided to run 6 miles on the trail before meeting Stacy. Then we met up and we ended up convincing each other (hooray for positive peer pressure) to run 10 miles. The miles flew by, and the pace felt comfortable (especially considering we descended). Splits: 9:57 (1), 9:49 (2), 9:43 (3), 9:35 (4), 9:35 (5), 9:38 (6), 9:43 (7), 9:42 (8), 9:40 (9), 9:27 (10), 9:29 (11), 9:34 (12), 9:31 (13), 9:28 (14), 9:25 (15), 9:13 (16). We celebrated with some hazelnut coffee (always a treat!) at Panera. This was my first "long" run (excluding some medium runs in the 9-12 range) since the marathon, and my body seemed to respond well.
Total Weekly Mileage: 50.08
Total Running Time & Average: 7:50:38, 9:24/mile
Other Workouts:
Swim (3,600 yards, 1:07:27)
Total Workout Time: 8:58:05
Run #2 (Tuesday afternoon): 7.08 miles @ 9:23 (1:06:30); 7th Street/Trinity Trail; Lunch time run with Kit. I ran a bit easier with her and took off on the middle mile. I felt pretty good but I held back.
Run #3 (Wednesday morning): 4.22 miles @ 9:28 (40:01); Lake Country; Early morning run around my neighborhood to start the day. I also got a good swim workout in after work.
Run #4 (Thursday afternoon): 7.39 miles @ 9:13 (1:08:10); 7th Street/Trinity Trail; Lunch time run with Kit. We picked up the pace (compared to Tuesday's run).
Run #5 (Friday afternoon): 7.39 miles @ 9:32 (1:10:28); 7th Street/Trinity Trail; I repeated Thursday's run to figure out the exact mileage. I ran this one solo and just took it easy since my hip had been bothering me and I wanted to run longer over the weekend.
Run #6 (Saturday morning): 16 miles @ 9:36 (2:33:37); Trinity Trail; I didn't know what to expect heading into this run. I had already hit 34 miles for the week, and my right hip has been talking (grumbles, not sweet whispers) to me. Stacy and I planned to meet at 8 am for a 5-6 mile run on the Trinity Trail. I felt pretty good on Friday night and I got to bed at a decent time, so I decided to run 6 miles on the trail before meeting Stacy. Then we met up and we ended up convincing each other (hooray for positive peer pressure) to run 10 miles. The miles flew by, and the pace felt comfortable (especially considering we descended). Splits: 9:57 (1), 9:49 (2), 9:43 (3), 9:35 (4), 9:35 (5), 9:38 (6), 9:43 (7), 9:42 (8), 9:40 (9), 9:27 (10), 9:29 (11), 9:34 (12), 9:31 (13), 9:28 (14), 9:25 (15), 9:13 (16). We celebrated with some hazelnut coffee (always a treat!) at Panera. This was my first "long" run (excluding some medium runs in the 9-12 range) since the marathon, and my body seemed to respond well.
Total Weekly Mileage: 50.08
Total Running Time & Average: 7:50:38, 9:24/mile
Other Workouts:
Swim (3,600 yards, 1:07:27)
Total Workout Time: 8:58:05
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Some "Rocky" Encouragement
I didn't have huge expectations for this morning since I had already run 34 miles this week and my hip (which Stacy, my BFF who is conveniently a physical therapist when she's not engaging in BFF duties, diagnosed as "my sexy boy" muscle... and now you totally know what I'm talking about) has been a little annoyed with me. Stacy and I planned on meeting at 8 am for 5-6 miles. I got to bed at a decent time (9:45) last night, and my hip felt pretty good. So I decided to set the alarm for 6 am instead of 7 am and get in an extra 6 miles before meeting Stacy.
Splits - 9:57, 9:49, 9:43, 9:35, 9:35, 9:38
I met Stacy at 8:00 am and at the 3-mile marker I asked her "about about 7 miles?" So we ran out 3.5 miles and turned back. Then I asked "how about 2 more miles since I had 15 miles in the back of my mind?" And Stacy responded with "if we do 3 more miles I won't have to run tomorrow." Sold! The miles flew by! It's always better running with a friend. I'm hoping for a 13-miler tomorrow, but I'm afraid we'll be snowed in! Eeeeek... it's not often I get to say that!
Splits - 9:43, 9:42, 9:40, 9:27, 9:29, 9:34, 9:31, 9:28, 9:25, 9:13
Totals: 2:33:37, 16 miles, 9:36/mile average
Splits - 9:57, 9:49, 9:43, 9:35, 9:35, 9:38
I met Stacy at 8:00 am and at the 3-mile marker I asked her "about about 7 miles?" So we ran out 3.5 miles and turned back. Then I asked "how about 2 more miles since I had 15 miles in the back of my mind?" And Stacy responded with "if we do 3 more miles I won't have to run tomorrow." Sold! The miles flew by! It's always better running with a friend. I'm hoping for a 13-miler tomorrow, but I'm afraid we'll be snowed in! Eeeeek... it's not often I get to say that!
Splits - 9:43, 9:42, 9:40, 9:27, 9:29, 9:34, 9:31, 9:28, 9:25, 9:13
Totals: 2:33:37, 16 miles, 9:36/mile average
Friday, January 7, 2011
Friday Five
1. My blog layout looked so 2008, so I finally got around to fancifying it a bit. Plus I wanted to feature the Bassets (in addition to Gus) for equal opportunity doggy bragging.
Dog pile:
2. I ran the same route again today to get the exact mileage, 7.39. That being said, my hip is pretty angry with me for running 34 miles already this week.
A much $exier hip than mine:
3. I still have no clue how far I’m going to run this weekend. I know I should take advantage of the weather on Saturday before it turns to freezing (literally). I’m happy with the amount of mileage I’ve logged, but I know I need to be doing long runs to prepare for the 50-miler at Rocky Raccoon. So do I keep plugging away, or do I try resting and/or cross-training for a few days? Decisions, decisions.
4. I’m registered in the Tall Mom 1000+++ Challenge this year. I wanted to do it last year, but I was too slow on the uptake. I’m also in the “Good Guys versus Bad Girls 2011 Run Competition” on Facebook. So in addition to logging my mileage in Excel, Buckeye Outdoors, Daily Mile, and my blog, I have two more spots. Yikes. Good thing I’m an accountant and tracking numbers gives me warm fuzzies.
5. I’m looking forward to some hubby time this weekend. It will be nice to lounge around the house after being gone for two weeks. We’ll probably see “True Grit,” and I need to put my responsible pants on and start preparing for my job interview on Thursday.
Dog pile:
2. I ran the same route again today to get the exact mileage, 7.39. That being said, my hip is pretty angry with me for running 34 miles already this week.
A much $exier hip than mine:
3. I still have no clue how far I’m going to run this weekend. I know I should take advantage of the weather on Saturday before it turns to freezing (literally). I’m happy with the amount of mileage I’ve logged, but I know I need to be doing long runs to prepare for the 50-miler at Rocky Raccoon. So do I keep plugging away, or do I try resting and/or cross-training for a few days? Decisions, decisions.
4. I’m registered in the Tall Mom 1000+++ Challenge this year. I wanted to do it last year, but I was too slow on the uptake. I’m also in the “Good Guys versus Bad Girls 2011 Run Competition” on Facebook. So in addition to logging my mileage in Excel, Buckeye Outdoors, Daily Mile, and my blog, I have two more spots. Yikes. Good thing I’m an accountant and tracking numbers gives me warm fuzzies.
5. I’m looking forward to some hubby time this weekend. It will be nice to lounge around the house after being gone for two weeks. We’ll probably see “True Grit,” and I need to put my responsible pants on and start preparing for my job interview on Thursday.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Thursday Thirteen
1. Yesterday I did my first swim workout since October 7. I started off with a 1,000 warm-up, and I was extremely bored. I came up with a main set of 12 x 50’s, 4 x 150’s, 12 x 50’s, and 4 x 150’s, and that was much better. The total workout was 3,600 yards, and it was a pretty good challenge and change of pace. My breaststroke felt especially good (only 8 strokes per length, which was my old “norm”).
2. I realize that after swimming masters with Chuck, my workouts tend to be symmetrical. Speaking of Chuck, swimming with a masters team is ten times better. I keep procrastinating on rejoining though, especially since I need to focus on running right now.
3. It grosses me out when big, old, fat men jump in the pool after sweating in the sauna or steam room. But for some reason it doesn’t gross me out to pee in the pool.
4. It feels good to be back in the groove after two weeks of bad eating and drinking habits. I’m a little surprised the scale hasn’t budged (I’m up about 6 pounds from my lowest pre-California trip weight), but it might be because I’m scarfing down a huge dinner. I might try brushing my teeth and putting my retainers on right after dinner so I resist my routine bag of microwave popcorn.
5. I’m also more consistent with my running (nearly daily), but I need to get some long runs done. My hip (or hip flexor?) is still bothering me. I probably need to get that looked at. I’m hoping to get some long runs in this weekend (maybe 15 on Saturday and 13 on Sunday?), but it’s supposed to be cold and rainy.
6. (In honor of #6) We’re finishing Season 6 of Lost, and we’re getting more confused by the second. How many alternate storylines can there be? Yikes. Maybe it will all make sense at the end… but probably not.
7. We switched over to the “streaming only” option on Netflix since the price of three discs a month increased in 2011, but we are pretty unhappy with the selection. The majority of the shows we select are available on DVD only. I think we’re going to give Blockbuster a try. I like that you can exchange a DVD in the store five times a month.
8. Now that the holidays have come and gone, we have a huge stack of Christmas cards sitting on the counter. Do most people throw those away? It makes me feel a bit guilty, but I don’t want to be a hoarder.
9. I ran at lunch today with a friend of mine and I have been starting the Garmin before the satellite signal is fully acquired, and then I just multiply the second half distance by two to get the full distance (since we are on a work time crunch). I messed it up today, and I didn’t get any distance at all. So now (because I am completely OCD), I’ll have to run the same route again to get the exact mileage. Considering we ran our last two runs in a 9:23 average, I used that and worked backwards. But I still feel like something’s amiss. Fail.
10. I have an interview for a Director (supervisory) position (with HUD) next Thursday.
11. I got the phone call about the interview while I was teleworking in my PJs yesterday after taking a nap with my dogs during my lunch break.
12. Needless to say, it will be tough to make that decision… do I give up my plush job for a bigger challenge (and mo’ money)?
13. I can’t believe I went this long without a Sam’s Club membership. Not only that, but it’s the only place I can find Pop Chips!
2. I realize that after swimming masters with Chuck, my workouts tend to be symmetrical. Speaking of Chuck, swimming with a masters team is ten times better. I keep procrastinating on rejoining though, especially since I need to focus on running right now.
3. It grosses me out when big, old, fat men jump in the pool after sweating in the sauna or steam room. But for some reason it doesn’t gross me out to pee in the pool.
4. It feels good to be back in the groove after two weeks of bad eating and drinking habits. I’m a little surprised the scale hasn’t budged (I’m up about 6 pounds from my lowest pre-California trip weight), but it might be because I’m scarfing down a huge dinner. I might try brushing my teeth and putting my retainers on right after dinner so I resist my routine bag of microwave popcorn.
5. I’m also more consistent with my running (nearly daily), but I need to get some long runs done. My hip (or hip flexor?) is still bothering me. I probably need to get that looked at. I’m hoping to get some long runs in this weekend (maybe 15 on Saturday and 13 on Sunday?), but it’s supposed to be cold and rainy.
6. (In honor of #6) We’re finishing Season 6 of Lost, and we’re getting more confused by the second. How many alternate storylines can there be? Yikes. Maybe it will all make sense at the end… but probably not.
7. We switched over to the “streaming only” option on Netflix since the price of three discs a month increased in 2011, but we are pretty unhappy with the selection. The majority of the shows we select are available on DVD only. I think we’re going to give Blockbuster a try. I like that you can exchange a DVD in the store five times a month.
8. Now that the holidays have come and gone, we have a huge stack of Christmas cards sitting on the counter. Do most people throw those away? It makes me feel a bit guilty, but I don’t want to be a hoarder.
9. I ran at lunch today with a friend of mine and I have been starting the Garmin before the satellite signal is fully acquired, and then I just multiply the second half distance by two to get the full distance (since we are on a work time crunch). I messed it up today, and I didn’t get any distance at all. So now (because I am completely OCD), I’ll have to run the same route again to get the exact mileage. Considering we ran our last two runs in a 9:23 average, I used that and worked backwards. But I still feel like something’s amiss. Fail.
10. I have an interview for a Director (supervisory) position (with HUD) next Thursday.
11. I got the phone call about the interview while I was teleworking in my PJs yesterday after taking a nap with my dogs during my lunch break.
12. Needless to say, it will be tough to make that decision… do I give up my plush job for a bigger challenge (and mo’ money)?
13. I can’t believe I went this long without a Sam’s Club membership. Not only that, but it’s the only place I can find Pop Chips!
New Years (Horned Frog Style)
Fortunately I was able to take a fat 2-hour nap on New Years Eve, even though that only gave me enough time for a 2-mile run. My mom had to work, so I had a dinner date with the guys - Cliff, my dad, and my brother. I made reservations (which turned out to just be "call ahead seating"... but that's okay, I'm not one to complain about $3 happy hour bourbon 'n' diets) for 5:45. Cliff and I haven't had the best experiences the last few times we frequented the Outback in Fort Worth, but the Outback in California never disappoints me. I managed to avoid the Bloomin' Onion (or Awesome Blossom, I always get confused), and I had a yummy blue cheese salad (some sort of blue cheese crumble/nut/fruit concoction), a 9-oz filet topped with blue cheese, and a sweet potato. It was absolutely delish. I figured I would order the larger filet and give my last few ounces to Cliff, but I made a happy plate.
My dad won the gold star for the day after he volunteered to pick up my friend, Melissa, at LAX. Cliff, my brother, and I walked over to the Colorado Bar (a dive bar just east of all of the Colorado Blvd/parade madness) and had some drinks and my dad dropped Melissa off. We enjoyed the bar... the prices were fairly reasonable, and the crowd was rather eclectic.
Melissa, Me, and My Bro:
Some Wisconsin girls walked in, and I had fun talking to them (although I could talk to a door after a few drinks... and I would still probably laugh at my own jokes).
My Madison BFFs:
We rang in the new year and walked home at around 1 am. I tried not to over indulge, and I was ready for bed when we got home. The boys still had their party pants on though! I woke up at around 8 am and the bloody marys cured my minor hangover. It was a bit of a challenge for Stacy and Kristel (my other friends who stayed with a friend of theirs) to get to my brother's place in the morning, but somehow they managed. Cliff and my brother went on a field trip to get us donuts and coffee (so we were double fisting the coffee and bloody marys) and we had a quick breakfast. Once we heard the parade coming up Sierra Madre at around 9:30 am, we walked about 2 blocks and we had a great view of the action.
Rah rah TCU!
Spirited parade viewing:
We watched the first part of the parade and walked back to my brother's for a bathroom (and champagne!) break, and then watched the end of the parade (and by "end," I mean my brother stays until the emergency vehicles and protestors go by).
We all walked to Stacy and Kristel's rental car and my brother drove us towards the Rose Bowl stadium. He dropped us off at the Shell station on the corner of Walnut and Fair Oaks, and we walked a mile or two to the stadium. This was much less stressful than trying to drive down to the Bowl and park (even though we had bought two parking passes for $30 each).
We ended up going straight into the game, which was a good idea because there were a bazillion people. By the time we grabbed a beer and got to our seats, we watched part of the pre-game festivities, and it was time for the game to start! I had never been to the Rose Bowl stadium before (even though I swam at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center for 8 years and we would run the 2-mile loop around the stadium for "dryland") and I was amazed at the poor layout (but I guess that's why they're renovating the stadium now!). It was so exciting to be there though, and the football game was absolutely amazing. My only regret is that we didn't record it on DVR (it would have been fun to see it afterwards on TV), but I'm sure we can find the game somewhere. The celebration at the end was really exciting, and it was hard not to get a little teary-eyed.
I'm realizing that I'm not using the right settings on my camera. The night pics were horrible, so here is some pre-game action:
Cheering on our Horned Frogs:
Celebrating the victory!
My dad picked us up after the game (so we logged another walking mile or two) and we all headed to Island's (pause for nostalgic effect... that was my first job, as a hostess) for dinner. I endulged (once again) and ordered the "Bluenami" burger (I'm now fully realizing my Christmas break blue cheese consumption). I was fading fast though... such a long (but fantastic!) day. We were ready to call it a night after dinner.
During our last full day in California, we drove to Torrance and took my Grandma Marion out to lunch. I had the weirdest veggie omelette ever... they used a stir-fry vegetable mix (snow peas, carrots, etc.). After lunch, my dad drove us around Hollywood so Melissa could see the sites. It was raining, but she still got a bit of the LA experience. We went to Di Pilla's (again!) for dinner. I was a little adventurous and I ordered the seafood pasta and it looked like they scooped it out from the bottom of the ocean. Once I de-shelled everything, it was a bit more manageable. It was just very labor intensive!
My dad won the gold star for the day after he volunteered to pick up my friend, Melissa, at LAX. Cliff, my brother, and I walked over to the Colorado Bar (a dive bar just east of all of the Colorado Blvd/parade madness) and had some drinks and my dad dropped Melissa off. We enjoyed the bar... the prices were fairly reasonable, and the crowd was rather eclectic.
Melissa, Me, and My Bro:
Some Wisconsin girls walked in, and I had fun talking to them (although I could talk to a door after a few drinks... and I would still probably laugh at my own jokes).
My Madison BFFs:
We rang in the new year and walked home at around 1 am. I tried not to over indulge, and I was ready for bed when we got home. The boys still had their party pants on though! I woke up at around 8 am and the bloody marys cured my minor hangover. It was a bit of a challenge for Stacy and Kristel (my other friends who stayed with a friend of theirs) to get to my brother's place in the morning, but somehow they managed. Cliff and my brother went on a field trip to get us donuts and coffee (so we were double fisting the coffee and bloody marys) and we had a quick breakfast. Once we heard the parade coming up Sierra Madre at around 9:30 am, we walked about 2 blocks and we had a great view of the action.
Rah rah TCU!
Spirited parade viewing:
We watched the first part of the parade and walked back to my brother's for a bathroom (and champagne!) break, and then watched the end of the parade (and by "end," I mean my brother stays until the emergency vehicles and protestors go by).
We all walked to Stacy and Kristel's rental car and my brother drove us towards the Rose Bowl stadium. He dropped us off at the Shell station on the corner of Walnut and Fair Oaks, and we walked a mile or two to the stadium. This was much less stressful than trying to drive down to the Bowl and park (even though we had bought two parking passes for $30 each).
We ended up going straight into the game, which was a good idea because there were a bazillion people. By the time we grabbed a beer and got to our seats, we watched part of the pre-game festivities, and it was time for the game to start! I had never been to the Rose Bowl stadium before (even though I swam at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center for 8 years and we would run the 2-mile loop around the stadium for "dryland") and I was amazed at the poor layout (but I guess that's why they're renovating the stadium now!). It was so exciting to be there though, and the football game was absolutely amazing. My only regret is that we didn't record it on DVR (it would have been fun to see it afterwards on TV), but I'm sure we can find the game somewhere. The celebration at the end was really exciting, and it was hard not to get a little teary-eyed.
I'm realizing that I'm not using the right settings on my camera. The night pics were horrible, so here is some pre-game action:
Cheering on our Horned Frogs:
Celebrating the victory!
My dad picked us up after the game (so we logged another walking mile or two) and we all headed to Island's (pause for nostalgic effect... that was my first job, as a hostess) for dinner. I endulged (once again) and ordered the "Bluenami" burger (I'm now fully realizing my Christmas break blue cheese consumption). I was fading fast though... such a long (but fantastic!) day. We were ready to call it a night after dinner.
During our last full day in California, we drove to Torrance and took my Grandma Marion out to lunch. I had the weirdest veggie omelette ever... they used a stir-fry vegetable mix (snow peas, carrots, etc.). After lunch, my dad drove us around Hollywood so Melissa could see the sites. It was raining, but she still got a bit of the LA experience. We went to Di Pilla's (again!) for dinner. I was a little adventurous and I ordered the seafood pasta and it looked like they scooped it out from the bottom of the ocean. Once I de-shelled everything, it was a bit more manageable. It was just very labor intensive!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
2010 Running Recap
Total Miles for the Year: 1,099.56 (Oh so close to 1100! Obviously I didn't see the cumulative mileage 0n December 31, or I would have run 2.6 miles instead of 2.16!) I definitely blew 2009's mileage (633.34) out of the water, and it was nice to hit the 1,000 mark. I'm wondering if 2,011 miles in 2011 is a little too ambitious? Staying injury-free will play a big part in that (and my hip is already bothering me!).
By Month:
January - 87.58
February - 15.29
March - 66.17
April - 75.86
May - 88.95
June - 75.71
July - 95.68
August - 107.51
September - 96.56
October - 150.55
November - 100.59
December - 139.11
Races:
I'm not that enthusiastic about signing up for events, probably because I was so committed to that throughout my teenage years. I did the Ardmore half marathon for fun (and I wasn't in great running shape, but I was just over 2 hours), my first trail race (the 30K in Pedernales Falls), the Fort Worth 20-miler (as a training run for the marathon), and I achieved a PR in the marathon by 13 minutes. I also did a random 10K swim after not swimming much all year!
Looking Forward to 2011:
I'm doing my first "ultra" (50-mile run) next month. I'm trying to increase the mileage, but my hip flexor is a little aggravated. The good news is that I have 29 hours to finish, so I can essentially do a 50-mile walk. I'd rather keep it to about 15 hours though, because being out there for 29 hours sounds like misery.
I'm also hoping to break 4 hours in the marathon since I came so close in December. I know I need to hold back at the beginning and try to even (or negative) split. I've been training at around 9-minute mile pace now, and it's amazing how much easier my goal marathon pace has become. I still need to decide on a spring marathon (any suggestions???).
I also want to work on my speed and tempo and break 1:50 in a half marathon.
Lastly, I'd like to get back on my bike (but first I need to figure out why the brake pad rubs on the tire) and back in the pool (and not just for a random 10,000 for time!). I'm not sure if I want to race in a triathlon in 2011, but I at least want to do some more cross training and entertain the thought of getting back into it.
By Month:
January - 87.58
February - 15.29
March - 66.17
April - 75.86
May - 88.95
June - 75.71
July - 95.68
August - 107.51
September - 96.56
October - 150.55
November - 100.59
December - 139.11
Races:
I'm not that enthusiastic about signing up for events, probably because I was so committed to that throughout my teenage years. I did the Ardmore half marathon for fun (and I wasn't in great running shape, but I was just over 2 hours), my first trail race (the 30K in Pedernales Falls), the Fort Worth 20-miler (as a training run for the marathon), and I achieved a PR in the marathon by 13 minutes. I also did a random 10K swim after not swimming much all year!
Looking Forward to 2011:
I'm doing my first "ultra" (50-mile run) next month. I'm trying to increase the mileage, but my hip flexor is a little aggravated. The good news is that I have 29 hours to finish, so I can essentially do a 50-mile walk. I'd rather keep it to about 15 hours though, because being out there for 29 hours sounds like misery.
I'm also hoping to break 4 hours in the marathon since I came so close in December. I know I need to hold back at the beginning and try to even (or negative) split. I've been training at around 9-minute mile pace now, and it's amazing how much easier my goal marathon pace has become. I still need to decide on a spring marathon (any suggestions???).
I also want to work on my speed and tempo and break 1:50 in a half marathon.
Lastly, I'd like to get back on my bike (but first I need to figure out why the brake pad rubs on the tire) and back in the pool (and not just for a random 10,000 for time!). I'm not sure if I want to race in a triathlon in 2011, but I at least want to do some more cross training and entertain the thought of getting back into it.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Week 4 (December 27 - January 2): More Holiday Gluttony
Run #1 (Monday afternoon): 6 miles @ 9:08 (54:48); San Gabriel, San Marino, and Alhambra; Enjoyed the beautiful California weather and enjoyed/endured a 1-hour Shiatsu massage afterwards.
Run #2 (Tuesday afternoon): 6 miles @ 8:37 (51:42); San Gabriel, San Marino, and Alhambra; Pushed the pace and was very happy with my average. My hip was still quite sore though.
Run #3 (Thursday afternoon): 10.15 miles @ 9:16 (1:34:12); San Gabriel and San Marino; Slowed the pace a bit and aimed for more mileage. The true success was managing this after a HUGE bean and cheese burrito for lunch!
Run #4 (Friday afternoon): 2.16 miles @ 9:41 (20:56); San Gabriel; I took a 2+ hour nap, but I really needed it. I hadn't been sleeping well because of the cough/bronchitis. I thought I'd get out there and burn a couple hundred calories before stuffing my face at Outback though!
Total Weekly Mileage: 24.31 miles (3:41:38, 9:07/mile average)
Run #2 (Tuesday afternoon): 6 miles @ 8:37 (51:42); San Gabriel, San Marino, and Alhambra; Pushed the pace and was very happy with my average. My hip was still quite sore though.
Run #3 (Thursday afternoon): 10.15 miles @ 9:16 (1:34:12); San Gabriel and San Marino; Slowed the pace a bit and aimed for more mileage. The true success was managing this after a HUGE bean and cheese burrito for lunch!
Run #4 (Friday afternoon): 2.16 miles @ 9:41 (20:56); San Gabriel; I took a 2+ hour nap, but I really needed it. I hadn't been sleeping well because of the cough/bronchitis. I thought I'd get out there and burn a couple hundred calories before stuffing my face at Outback though!
Total Weekly Mileage: 24.31 miles (3:41:38, 9:07/mile average)
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