Cold Run....Soooo cold

Thursday....tempo run.  9 miles at marathon pace.....plus warm-up (and cool-down)....do I need a cool-down if I'm frozen????  Seriously.

When I left the house it was 11 degrees.  (with wind chill weather channel said "feels like 1").  When I got home it was 18 (weather channel says "feels like 12").  Burr. 

I headed to the river trail where I do my speedwork and tempo runs because it's as flat as we can get in this super hilly town and there's no traffic.  Turns out, it's buried in snow and ice so I had to create a course on the fly and ended up having some good hills mixed in. I came across DH finishing his morning run (I had to go feed the chickens and he had an appointment to get to so we couldn't run together).  I was frozen. He had an extra pair of gloves and he gave them to me.  Lifesaver! Just another reminder of why I married this man! I also had to deal with all kinds of snow and ice on every street in this town because of trees or buildings or other objects shading the roads and sidewalks so nothing can melt.  My brother calls it "ninja running".  Today was full of it.  I didn't manage to hold  the paces I did last week but I stayed within 20 seconds per mile which I guess is acceptable.  All were between 7:45-7:55....I'm supposed to be 7:38 so I guess I was close enough considering the circumstances.  When I got home, I was a popsicle. My face. My toes. So cold. Thermometer in the yard said 18. Ugh. No wonder. My warm blood doesn't like these temps.

Got inside and warmed up with eggs, homemade bagels and FOUR pieces of bacon....thicksliced. Oh yes!

Reindeer Romp 5k

Downtown Reindeer Romp 5k.
They used the same course as our downtown Turkey Trot a month ago. A bunch of runners were giving feedback after the Turkey Trot that the course was too short (GarminGirl said 3.04).  So they extended the course a bit to try to make it closer so it was 3.06 this time. My finish time was 1.5 seconds slower than the Turkey Trot.  I finished in 20:29.1.  First place for women!  Free Newtons!!!!!!!  Wahoo!

About an hour before the race, it started raining and sleeting.  It was cold (maybe 38 degrees) with a light breeze.  My feet were soaked from a 1 mile warm-up. I was worried about a couple spring chicken girlies in their 20s jumping around at the start in their cute outfits with WAY too much energy.  All these 50-mile weeks of marathon training have caught up to me and I'm just tired (and I haven't been in my 20s for almost 5 years now so there's definitely no jumping around at the start).  The top 3 women and men get free shoes from our local shoe store (Brown's Shoe Fit) so I really wanted to be top 3.  The gun went off and the 2 girls bolted from the line (probably 5:30 pace).  I stuck to my plan on no faster than 6:30 as I should be around 6:40-6:45s on average.  After a half mile, I was gaining on one of the girls.  By 7/10ths I passed her.  We turned the corner and headed up a big hill (over 100 feet of gain in less than a half mile).  About 100 yards into the hill, I passed girl #1.  I was in the lead.  I kept on chugging through to the end of the race, passing a few men on another incline towards the end, let myself roll down the hills and finished 11th overall.

Within the first mile. I was about to snot-rocket and then I noticed my sister taking the picture so I held off for a minute.

The finish....but I can't get it to rotate.

My nephew and I at the finish line having hot cocoa.  Yum!  It warmed me up  for about 20 seconds.

Wordquota and me at the finish.  It was SOOOOOO cold!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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.