Run of 12s RR....Run of a Lifetime

The stars aligned today.
12-12-12
I know the virtual race was to be a 12k but I ran 12 miles (I'll get to why later).
I chose a route from home to 12th Street:

I ran up and down 12th Street 12 times. (It's only 3 blocks long (about .35 miles), but let me just say GHETTO! I wouldn't normally run 12 steps on this road so 12 times up and down was a BIG deal....luckily I had a trusty Doberman with me....Thank you my beautiful Sentry for being a good running buddy today!) Here's a bit of my gps map showing my repeats on 12th St:

I wore a #12 bib:

It was 18 degrees when I headed out (was hoping for a 12 there but didn't get it). Although I did SCORE on the 12mph wind (said weather.com as I left the house).  HOORAY....another 12!  (I have NEVER said Hooray about wind and I probably never will again...hate the stuff...but today it worked).

I worked the whole time to remember all the proper words for the 12 Days of Christmas and I think I was successful.  (I never wear headphones so I am always counting or singing to myself....I wouldn't usually sing such an annoying song like the 12 Days of Christmas but it was definitely appropriate in that today is 12 days away from Christmas!)

So, here I am at mile 11ish:

So, why the 12 miles?
Why is today so special?
Why are the stars so aligned for me? Afterall, it's 12-12-12 everywhere today!
This is why:
On endomondo (my fitness tracker where I sync GarminGirl), there are challenges.  I entered the "2012 miles in 2012" challenge back in June when I had about 800 miles logged.  I had just run a May marathon and didn't have plans for another. Ran a Half in August.  In October I finally got my ducks in a row and registered for a January race.  About a month ago, I decided to look at my challenges and realized I only had a few hundred miles to go.  Did the math and had to run like 37 miles a week to make it by December 31.  No problem as I am in the height of training with numbers around 50-60 per week.  Last Wednesday I had 65 to go.  Just stuck to my program.  Saw the invite for the virtual 12k race on 12-12, but Wednesday is my REST DAY! NOOOO! Then Wednesday grew near.  Yesterday, I looked at Endomondo....2000 miles so far this year.  No stinkin way.  12 miles to go to make 2012 miles in 2012.  I texted Dad (my #1 fan).  He said I was crazy to even think of resting. I had to finish my 2012 on 12-12-12 (with a 12-miler, with 12 repetitions on 12th Street, with a 12 bib on).  He was right.  So I did.  But I did it so perfectly that it came out to 2012.12 miles total for the year...TODAY.  How do you like that for some 12s?

I'm a little speechless about this whole running thing. I'm proud. I'm tired. I'm skinny. I'm hungry (all the time). But one thing is for sure, I love to run.

Winter Marathon Training is really here

6 weeks until Arizona Rock n Roll.  Had a really fantastic Tempo Run last Thursday....9 miles at marathon pace and totally nailed it.  Felt great! Best one yet! Over the weekend, the weather turned to winter.  Sunday I ran 10 miles. It was 26 degrees with 10mph wind and blowing snow.  I did 4 of them with my DH and the other 6 with my sweet puppy.  This morning it was 12 degrees with a bit of a wind. Got in my 8 miles by choosing a new secret trail. A run out of downtown, up my favorite road, then up a big hill, and then a slight left between a few fence posts and magically I am transcended to the top of a huge mesa with 360 degree views of the Land of Enchantment.  I ran on top for about a mile and then turned around to head home. I will definitely be exploring this new spot some more.  All the beautiful scenery made me forget how stinkin' cold it was!  I will try to remember to take my phone sometime to snap a pic.

Turkey Trot RR

Saturday was our Turkey Trot through downtown.  The race is only in it's 2nd year.  It's a 5k (actually a bit short I think...3.04 miles).  Anyway, last year I managed 3rd place overall women and awesome Brown's Shoe Fit donates 6 pairs of free shoes of your choice to the top 3 men and women so I was out to win shoes again this year.

I'm pretty tired...9 weeks away from the next marathon and running some pretty tough workouts and over 50 miles per week.  I worked all week to prepare myself mentally "it's only 3 miles...who cares how bad it hurts for 21 minutes?? You got this!"  Last year I went out too fast and slowed a lot during the 2nd miles that has a really big hill in it (21:28 finish time).  This year I stayed cool the first mile....swift but not exhausting (I really wanted to break 21:00) a 6:45.  Second mile, big hill, start passing people (I live downtown so I know the hill very well) 6:50.  Third mile, work to hang on and push to the finish...and I do. 6:44.  20:21 finish time.  2nd place for women.  Wahoo!  Free shoes!  Felt pretty strong into the finish.  A very encouraging day in the midst of marathon training.  :)

The next day was a 15-mile "Long" run.  In Hansons marathon method, that means a pace-ish run.  Pace should be between marathon goal pace (7:40ish) and easy pace (8:45-9:15).  So my long run pace is 8:15-8:25.  The book says to just chill out and run it easy.  So I did the first mile easy 9:24, but felt good so I went with it. 8:33, 8:21, 8:26, 8:11, 8:14, 8:20, 8:06 (gees), 8:17, 8:28, 8:29, 8:33, 8:25, 8:19, 8:09.  Not bad after a PR in a 5k.  Two hours later I was tired and had some nice tightness in my calves and feet.  Is there anything that could make me feel better? Yep! We had Thanksgiving early so I got to eat like a pig (my mom is a wonderful cook).  I had extra helpings of dressing, gravy and sweet potatoes.  I never got full....that's the way to end a long run!

You can't judge how a run is going to go based on how you feel.  I was tired and sore for both great runs.  The more time I spend on the road, the more I realize that SOOO much of this running thing is just a mental game.  "How much pain are you willing to endure today?"

16 degree run...in NOVEMBER

Seriously, it was 16 degrees when I left my house this morning.  It's November 12.  That is quite early for a 16 degree morning in New Mexico. 8 miles easy.  12 mph wind.  8:55 average.

But I was running today. No matter what. Cold, hot, rain, snow, wind, whatever. Afterall, today is my Marathonniversary. One year ago today I ran my first marathon (Rimrock Marathon near Grand Junction, CO).  Rimrock Marathon RR

I remembered that day as I ran today; how I felt scared, empowered, strong, vulnerable.. It was a day that changed me forever...

Long Run....a good one...FINALLY

I've had an exhausting few weeks.  Concert preparation (lots of practicing), increase in mileage for marathon training, built a chicken coop and run out of random material laying around at my dad's wood shop and then researched and purchased 22 laying hens.  My right hamstring has been getting pissed weekly (after speed workouts and tempo workouts).  I foam roll, massage, compress, etc.It gets a little better, then I go out and run hard again and it all comes back.  Got a killer massage on Wednesday that I mostly cried through but felt SOOO much better afterwards. Thursday's 7-mile tempo run brought nearly a total mental breakdown with the tight-again hamstring.  I chose my "long run" route to do the tempo run since my river route was under construction, which means some pretty good uphill for the first 4 miles (400-500 feet of rise).  Well, I got to mile 3ish and just couldn't hit marathon pace.  I was pushing so hard and was so tired and it just wasn't happening.  I literally stopped (which I never do on a run) and walked (which I only do in absolute dire circumstances) and had a small temper tantrum and a serious discussion with myself about whether or not we are really going to do this thing....cause if so, we need to find a way to run 7:38s today.Period. After my 1 minute breakdown I only had another half mile of uphill, then there was some flat and then downhill.  My pace picked up (not 7:38 exactly but 7:41s were close enough for me).  When I got home I still felt angry and a little crushed.  Maybe the pace isn't right for me. Maybe my goals are too lofty. Maybe it's too soon to get that much faster.  Friday's run was easy and nice with my gorgeous puppy dog (I still call him puppy even though he is nearly 2 1/2).  7 miles. Hamstring was tight.  I went and got a new pair of shoes (both my other pairs are done...400 miles on one pair and at least 600 on the other). I got Brooks Pure Connects (my third pair of them)...this time in ORANGE:

Saturday was 7 miles easy and I kept going quite a bit faster than my "easy" should have been.  Kept having to tell myself to slow down.  Helped my parents do a bunch of painting on ladders and scaffolding and my hamstring screamed the whole time. Last night when I got home I decided to try using some heat on my hamstring, and then roll it and do some serious quad and butt stretching.  Woke up this morning feeling way better.

I'm doing the Hansons Marathon Method.  Speed and Strength workouts are faster than marathon pace.  Tempo runs are AT marathon pace.  Long runs are in between marathon pace and easy. Easy runs are...well, easy.

So, Long Run today.  14 miles.  Need to hold 8:18-8:42.
Today was the day I needed it to be. Beautiful. Fast. Good. Encouraging. Empowering.
DH decided to go with me on his bike (he has plantar fasciitis and has increased to running 2.5 miles) so we'd stop at the track first for him to do his running and then we'd head to the river trail. When we arrived at the track, the National Guard was there running....2 miles for time.  They were on the inside of the track so we took the very outside lane.  I kept having to slow down. I felt fast and strong. My first three miles on the track were too fast. When we got to the river, I was able to hold conversations with DH pretty easily.  Now, this is not a "pace" run but it's definitely not easy either...and it's on tired legs (rest day was Wednesday).  Pace needs to be 8:18-8:42.
Paces were:
8:48 (on the slower end to let the hamstring warm-up)
7:53
8:01
8:09
8:25
8:24
8:20
8:18
8:14
8:20
8:11
8:23
8:39
8:25

Finally, the run I needed.

Training for cake

So, here I go. Marathon training cycle #3.  I've been at it for a few weeks now.  I picked the Hansons training program out of the new book by Luke Humphrey.  On paper, I thought "No problem."  Well, it's not no problem.  It'd dang hard.  The way the workouts are lined out is so different than the Brad Hudson program I used before (which was a totally successful program for me...I just wanted to try something totally different for fun).  I was looking for a change and boy did I get it.  I'm a trash-fest.  Just exhausted and fatigued like I should be I suppose.  I'm still hitting the paces that I need to though (even the easy runs have a pace range dictated that is completely appropriate for me).  My favorite thing about the program so far is that in week 3 you begin 6-mile tempo runs at marathon pace. Throughout the program they increase in distance up to 10 miles. It is really building my confidence this far out to be able to run AT marathon pace for miles at a time.  Loving it.

So, tonight, after the big Tempo run today, chocolate cake nearly as big as my book...no it's not just the angle....the cake really is almost as big as the book.

Happy Training everyone!  And believe me, the cake makes it all worth it!

Dear Drivers,

First, I am not a zoo animal. I am a runner. No need to drive by at a snail's pace with your noses pressed against the windows. Just drive normally and get out of my way.
Second, if you drive a big-a** Dodge pickup that weighs more than any vehicle should and you have the giant mirror extensions, please take that into consideration when you drive past pedestrians as your mirror can hit us in the shoulder, or even worse our heads. This hasn't happened yet although my shirt sleeve has been grazed and that was enough to make me move to the inside of the sidewalk as far as I can every time one of these trucks drives by....which is every other car in Farmington!
Third, when driving on a gravel road I guess you don't know that when you accelerate you flip gravel all over the place and I am not wearing armor...enough said.
Fourth, honking is simply not necessary....EVER. Have you ever stood next to a car that is honking?  It's stupidly loud so that people inside their highly insulated cars with stereos blasting can hear it.  Believe me, I know that you are there in your car without you honking.
Fifth, when you are texting or chatting on the phone or simply being an unaware driver and you pull up at an intersection all the way so the sidewalk, approaches and everything is blocked by your giant car and then you notice me and get all flustered and try to apologize or scoot back or roll down your window for some odd reason (all while still just sitting there blocking EVERYTHING). Instead of wasting time, just get out of the way....I don't need an apology, I don't need sympathy...I just need you to move (especially when I am in the middle of a pace run...which you should be able to tell by the snarl on my face).
Lastly, if you don't like any of the above statements, get your giant butt out of your car and try going for a run.  It will change the way you handle yourself in a vehicle around pedestrians.
Thank you,
Violinrunning