Week 3.. I think?

9/22: Rest
9/23: 6 Miles. NOPE. Rest
9/24: 6 Miles, TM.
9/25: 6 Miles, hills
9/26: Rest
9/27: 9 Miles, outside. Slow. Chatty. 1:35-ish.
PERFECT weather. Overcast, light mist and fresh, fresh air.
9/28: 5 miles, recovery. NOPE. Rest

Total Weekly Miles: 21
Total Rest Days: 4
Total Strength Days: 0 - UGH

I have barely been training and I can't even remember what week I am in. Feels like week 30, but I am pretty sure it's week 3.

This was one long ass week. I had deadlines at work, evening functions to attend (nothing fun, just curriculum nights etc), ladies night in, and general life fatigue. I barely made it up two days this week to run on the treadmill, but as usual, I'm always glad I did. I took a couple extra rest days this week, so my miles and activity are low, but I have no regrets.

Saturday was a struggle. I politely finagled my neighbor into meeting me at 6:30am for a long run. I told her I had 10 to do, but that we would most likely not run that far since she hadn't planned on that many miles.  She said she wasn't sure she'd want to run more than 8.

So.

We ended up running 9.

This was kind of a calculated accident on my part. We were on par to run our usual 8 mile loop, but then I suggested an additional turn right, and then we ended up at 8 well before we hit home. So of course we just kept on running. I could have probably eeked out another slow mile but I felt slightly guilty having made her run so many unplanned miles. I mean, I was thrilled with the company, and our conversation flowed effortlessly but still, it was a lot of miles to run when you were not planning on it. We had to stop a couple of times to stretch because she felt her hips tightening up, and of course I welcomed the mini breaks.

I find that I don't fuel at all when I run with her, in part because we run at such a leisurely pace, but mostly because it feels awkward to be sucking down a Gu or chomping on a chew when I'm with someone. Also, I need to figure out a better water situation, as I am sure the fountains at the park will soon be shut off. I bought a fuel belt last year, with a tiny attachment for a water bottle but I just can't stand the sloshing and bouncing. I may look for some handheld options but I haven't yet found the perfect one.

I think in the next few weeks, I'm going to start incorporating more "real" speedwork on the road, as well as some true hill repeats around the neighborhood. I'm not sure how I will be able to fit those in on dark weekday mornings, but we'll see what I can do.

Sorry for the lame update. I had a pretty simple run week. Looking forward to amping up in the coming weeks. I am joining a friend for yoga on Tuesday, and also am going to attempt some hill repeats around the neighborhood. Enjoying the cooling temps and embracing the fresh air.

Snore-cap, week 2

9/15: Rest

9/16: 6 miles easy, TM 

9/17:6 miles, hills. TM

9/18: 5 miles, TM. Nope, Rest

9/19: Rest

9/20: 7 miles, TM. 1:04?

9/21: 5 miles outside.with D, slow minutes. 51+ min

Total weekly mileage: 24

Total strength days: 0 (whoops!)

Total rest days: 3

This week was boring and uneventful. I was extra extra extra tired this past week. Blame a busy schedule, impending monthly visitor and general fatigue but I just didn't have much in me. I took an unapologetic unplanned rest day, ran my weeks long run on the treadmill and skipped my strength workouts for this week. Normally I would be beating myself up over not sticking to plan, and not getting my ass up out of bed and moving, but man. This week kicked my ass. We had an incredibly busy weekend, and I don't remember one moment getting to even sit down for a few minutes. I have a sinking suspicion that this will my our new lives as the kids get older, busier and more demanding.

You thought babies were demanding? Ha! Babies don't demand money, extra food, and the entire toy aisle at Target. 

Run wise, it felt good to get some hill work into my weekly rotation. I can't expect to get stronger running flat on the treadmill forever, I suppose. I'm not back to feeling the speed in my legs the same time as training last year, and honestly, I'm trying not to get discouraged. But I have time. Right?

I skipped my run this morning because yes, an extra hour of sleep felt necessary. I'll resume reg scheduled programming tomorrow AM but I am slowly learning to not be stupid listen to my body, and rest when I need it. 

More stretching and rolling need to happen but I am always a bit pressed for time after my morning run. Read: running around trying to stop sweating before i pull my work clothes on as I try to prevent my freshly applied makeup from sliding off my face. I may need to make it an evening habit before bedtime, instead of stumbling into bed right after the kids are asleep. To clarify, *it* refers to the rolling, not the running in circles like a maniac... Although I'm always kind of do that. There's just always so much to do and the clock is always ticking ticking ticking. 

Who, me.. Uptight?

Yes. Yes I am. Why do you ask...

*pours large glass of wine*

Week 1, for the 4th time

9/8: Rest
9/9: 6 miles, TM. 54+min
9/10: 5 miles, TM. 20 minutes of strength. 45+min.
9/11: 6 miles, TM. Hills for breakfast. Literally. It was 4:30am. 58+ min
9/12: Rest
9/13: 11 lonely solo miles, outside. 1hr47. 10 minutes of strength
9/14: 5.2 miles, TM. Easy recovery pace. 49+min

Total weekly miles: 33.2
Total run days: 5
Total strength sessions: 2
Total rest days: 2

I am counting this as my official first week of training.

I. Am. Tired.

I had forgotten what it was like to be a slave to training. On one hand, I think it will help take the thinking out of the training. On the other hand, T-I-R-E-D. Back to consistent pre-5 am run sessions. This week felt pretty solid, even though I had a rough 11 miler yesterday. My friend was out of town this weekend, so I was on my own for my long run. 11 miles is the longest consecutive miles I've run since the half back in May. I couldn't find the wireless headphones and didn't want to worry about wires, so I just went sans music for my long run. I started about 7am, and the sun was starting to peek over the hills. The air was crisp and glorious. I wore shorts, a s/s t-shirt and my trusty hat. I haven't had a real need to fuel during any of my runs for a couple of months, and yesterday was the first time in a long time having to strategize about when to take in my GU and chews. I had some leftover watermelon GU chomps (like candy!) and a salted watermelon GU that I had received from one of the Stride boxes. Both were delicious - 1 chomp each taken at miles 2 and 5, and then a GU taken at mile 8, mostly because I hadn't planned well in the water department and I calculated that I wouldn't be passing a water fountain until I hit the near 9 mile mark. I was careful to take tiny "sips" of the GU to last me the mile to the water, and I think it helped avoid any cramping and stomachaches.

Yesterday I really struggled with my endurance and the distance. I can't believe I used to be able to run 11 miles at a much faster pace than I did yesterday. Sometimes the thought of going any faster or making anything hurt is just daunting. The thought of getting back to where I was last year feels impossible.

Overall, it was a solid week. My runs really didn't hurt, I got the miles in and I had plenty of movie reels playing in my head during my long runs.

Post long run was spent eating lots of curly fries and scones at the fair.
Gluttonous reward for a relatively successful first week of training.


BANANA SPLITS!

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:47:22.0	11.00	9:50
1	10:13.8	1.00	10:14
2	9:54.0	1.00	9:54
3	10:10.4	1.00	10:10
4	9:33.3	1.00	9:33
5	9:39.3	1.00	9:39
6	9:48.9	1.00	9:49
7	9:40.2	1.00	9:40
8	9:49.9	1.00	9:50
9	9:24.4	1.00	9:24
10	9:27.5	1.00	9:28
11	9:38.8	1.00	9:39
12	:01.7	0.00	8:53

Slow as ass but I got er done.


*Waaay T.M.I. but I kind of feel like we're there in our relationship.
So.. after any outside run longer than 6 miles, I definitely suffer from Runner's flu, and end up visiting the toilet about 5,6 times for the remainder of that day. It's very annoying and inefficient. 

End of the weekend, y'all

9/2: Labor Day! 

      Random Tone It Up workouts on YouTube. Including yoga, arms etc. total time: 40 minutes of burnnnn.

9/3: 6 miles outside with JB. Slow. 

      Easy not easy. 

      Cowboy strut from previous days        squats. Ow.

      (Posted earlier)

9/4: Rest
9/5: 6-7 miles, TM. Someone woke up late.
      4 Miles plus strength.
9/6: Rest
9/7: 8 Miles outside with D. 1:23-ish. Nice and easy
      Strength, arms.
9/8: 5 miles, TM. Strength, 20 minutes of arms and (fl)abs

Total weekly mileage: 23
Total run days: 4
Total rest days: 2

Total XT days: 1
Total strength days: 4

I am feeling pretty good these days. I am trying to get some easy miles on my legs before I start seriously training. I don't think I will be able to follow the stringent 14 week plan so.. I'm going to wing it this time around.

Hold me.

In the last few years it has become apparent that I am not as flexible and easy going as I once perceived myself. I am UPTIGHT, you guys.

I am having a hard time adapting when my day does not go as planned. I am one of those people who used to annoy me.

Linda = ANNOYING

Example: On Thursday, my alarm mysteriously failed to go off and I ended up waking up at 6:30, the time I am normally settled onto the train. I basically ran around the bathroom in tiny circles trying to decide which train to take and trying to calculate how long it would take me to get ready, blah blah. The unexpected failure of my alarm ended up causing the day to go in a downward spiral of unpredictability. I barely made it through the day. Just barely. Still annoyed by that day, honestly.

Go ahead. Roll your eyes. I'll wait...

I am finding that E is exhibiting the same type of rigidity and inflexibility when it comes to school. On Sunday we went panic last minute school supply shopping, and you should have seen her when she realized that Target was out of fine tip dry erase pens. You would have thought I told her Santa Claus is not real. The OUTRAGE.

Yes, she still believes in Santa Claus. Shut up.

I ended up semi yelling/lecturing her right there in the middle of the office supply aisle. It wasn't my best moment but nevertheless, it happened and we have since moved on. We have still not found those damn markers though. And yes, she is still asking me when Target will be getting a new shipment of supplies.

Anyways, I am going to try and embrace the "on the fly" training, and channel everything I've learned from my previous training cycles. While there is always something new even the most seasoned of runners can learn, I think it is important for me to really establish a base from which I can begin/stabilize.

In a nutshell, I've been enjoying my runs/workouts and am feeling pretty damn good. I mean, not great? But good. We'll start from there.

Oh, and still not eating meat (no beef, chicken, pork). I am incorporating some seafood into my diet but it's mostly been eggs, beans, greens and I'm feeling great. I need to find a vegan or dairy free protein powder that will work with my stomach and I should probably get on that liquid iron supplement my doctor told me about. I think it's called Floradix, if anyone (EC?) is interested.

Also, made a new granola recipe from Minimalist Baker.

Um. Remind me not to make granola at home, mmkay?
Herman is much too happy for his own good.

September, again

8/25: rest

8/26: 5 miles, TM

8/27: 4 miles, TM

8/28: rest

8/29: rest

8/30: 6 miles, TM

9/1: 8 miles easy, outside with D. 1:20

Total weekly mileage: 23

***

9/2: Labor Day! 

Random Tone It Up workouts on YouTube. Including yoga, arms etc. total time: 40 minutes of burnnnn.

9/3: 6 miles outside with JB. Slow. 

Easy not easy. 

Cowboy strut from previous day's squats. Ow. 

The problem with infrequent blogging is that I end up forgetting everything I had intended to recap last week. I can't remember my treadmill times and I'm having issues logging on to the iFit app. The runs have been pretty average and nothing to write home about. Saturday's treadmill run was slow and steady. It was also the first time in a very long time where I could have just kept going forever. 6.0 mph will do that to you. I had to move my long run to Sunday so I just took it easy and enjoyed the hour of Orange is the New Black. This was only after I so lovingly made chocolate pancakes for the kids for Saturday breakfast, only to come to the harsh realization that they clearly consider themselves pancake connoisseurs. Tiny, demanding, complainy critics. Did you know there is a wrong way to make pancakes? Did you also know that daddy makes the best pancakes? Did you?

Mmmmhmmm.

I guess next Saturday we're having cold cereal.

Annoying.

Wow. Sorry. Where was I?

Running. Yes. So last week felt pretty solid, and I saw a tiny glimpse of my old run self coming back to me. I think the difference this time is incorporating more strength training into my life. I am starting to feel more like myself these days, albeit with way more muscle. I may never be thin, flabby Linda again but I've accepted that this is the new healthier, stronger and non "Asian pancake assed" one. 

Also, I am contemplating a few different half training plans 

1) 14 weeks with heavy emphasis on high mileage

2) 11 week plan basing runs on total time run, not miles

3) random hodgepodge of plans, incorporating more xt..

The first two plans have little mention of strength training. The first one has me running 8 miles of hills on a weekday.

Ain't nobody got time for that. 

I may just play this training cycle on the fly and just mix up the weeks as I go along. It kind of kills me inside to not have a straight, "follow this" plan, but I just haven't found one that I love 100% or is completely doable with my life right now The last plan I attempted had me bursting into flames of disappointment around week 4 and I'd rather not repeat that glorious failure. 

Base building and a Pace recap.. get it?

8:17: 4 miles, TM to make 25 miles for the week! That hasn't happened in a long time.

Off on our group camping adventure!

8/18: Camping

8/19: Camping

8/20: Dur. Tired. Rest

8/21: 4 miles, TM

8:22: Rest

8/23: Seattle Marathon 10K with Yon.

         1:00:55 or something

8/24: TIU HIIT, 20 min

         TIU, arms. 10 min

***

It's been a crazy August, and I can't believe it's almost over. This month has drained all life out of me but I've also felt pretty productive. Slightly crazed but productive.

I've been focusing on base building and heart rate training in August so I can prep for my next half. Training begins in September and I want to be physically and mentally ready to get back in it. 

I hadn't planned on signing up for any races this summer after the half in May, but when my friend asked me to run the a race with her while she was visiting family in Seattle, I couldn't turn her down! She is training for her first half marathon in October, and wanted to use this as a training race, as well as to get to her 1 hour time goal after a disappointing 10k race in July. 

Normally a race I've done before would be motivation to push myself to PR but I offered instead to run with my friend, which turned out to work out well since she couldn't find her Garmin the morning of the race. Turns out I come in handy as a human GPS watch!

We started off steady, despite having to weave past walkers (hi, we just started the race... ?) and clocked our first mile at 10:30 pace. Y was planning on starting slow and steady, with 10ish min miles and a strong finish. I did my best to make sure she didn't burn out in the beginning miles due to adrenaline and excitement. This was her first time running/chatting with someone and she said it really made the miles manageable and enjoyable. We were steady and chatty until mile 5, when we decided to just save the air for running. Our last miles were definitely the fastest, with mile 6 being sub 9 pace. I decided to let her sprint ahead the last .5 miles because I wanted her to finish strong and let her cross the finish line before me. I yelled out encouragements as we rounded the corner to finish, and she came in juuuust over the one hourmark, which was still a 6 minute PR for her! She was slightly disappointed she didn't get under an hour but overall was pleased by her performance.

The best part of any recap. Splits!
Second only to the banana/ice cream variety

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:00:45.0	6.24	9:41
1	10:30.3	1.00	10:30
2	10:13.9	1.00	10:14
3	10:04.1	1.00	10:04
4	9:56.9	1.00	9:57
5	9:26.1	1.00	9:26
6	8:44.5	1.00	8:44
7	1:52.5	0.24	7:41

It was my first time pacing someone during a race, and you know what? 

It felt great.

And I had a lot of fun doing it. The entire time we were running, my motivations were, for the first time, Selfless. My role in this race was to encourage and support someone else in helping reach a goal. It wasn't about how many people I could pass, earning personal bragging rights or PR-ing. I was proud of my friend's accomplishments and her race effort! Her husband, kids and brother were at the finish line, and JB even got a badass finish line photo of her.

JB later commented how he almost missed seeing her at the finish because he assumed I would be ahead of her (maybe pacers finish first? Dunno...did I do it all wrong?!) but I told him that early on in the race, I realized that today was not about me and that I wanted to help someone else reach their goals. 

In no way am I taking any credit for her performance; instead it was a good life lesson for me :

It isn't always about me. Community is about building each other up, and the running community does that. Sometimes I feel like I can be a selfish and self involved runner. I forget how much support I've received from others to get where I am today. 

***

While JB was waiting for us to finish, he decided to sign us up officially for the Seattle Half Marathon in Nov. I guess training really does start in September!

Also, the day after a bunch of squats and lunges = Cowboy Strut Monday.

Ow...

So. It's August...

Whoa.

How'd we get here? 

Since the last time I posted (in July!!) :

I have run outside a handful of times

Started watching Orange is The New Black while on the treadmill

Watched the little one stand as a ring boy at my cousin's wedding

The big boy turned 8! 

Aaand now it's the middle of August. 

Wow.

Where the time is going, I do not know. 

I've started attempting regular workouts, and I am already feeling a shift in my energy levels and mood. I am also trying this "new" meatless thing. I'm finding that I don't miss meat except for the idea of a juicy red robin burger (note: RR boca patty substituted in the bonzai burger is just NOT the same.). I've been more mindful of my protein intake and have so far been incorporating more salmon, shrimp and eggs into my diet. Carbs are back in the forms of whole grain wraps, brown rice, and English muffins but I won't turn down a bowl of delicious homemade regular pasta. Whole wheat pasta not allowed. Ever.

Now, workouts for August:

8/4: rest

8/5: 4 miles,  TM

8/6: 3 miles, TM

8/7: rest

8/8: rest

8/9: 6 miles, outside. 56+ min

8/10: rest
*TM runs: still using the heart rate monitor during the TM runs. So far so good. Will report back more findings soon.

8/9 info

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	56:43.0	6.02	9:23
1	9:27.5	1.00	9:27
2	9:30.4	1.00	9:30
3	9:34.5	1.00	9:35
4	9:23.1	1.00	9:23
5	9:11.3	1.00	9:11
6	9:22.4	1.00	9:22
7	:08.5	0.02	8:43

8/11: rest

8/12: 4 miles, TM

8:13: 5 miles, TM

8:14: 4 miles, TM 

8/15: rest

8/16: (planned) 6,7 miles

8/17: ? 

As you can see, the mileage isn't much but it is enough to start getting my head/body back in the game. Running for me has been a struggle this year. I even contemplating just giving up and calling it a wash but I know that these tough times are just like real life.

You pick yourself back up, and you keep going.

So. That is what I'm doing.