the gorgeousness that is Austin

Just read Hal's tip of the week regarding preparation, and thought I'd add my two cents. Hal says:

"Practice makes perfect. Practice not only running, but everything else related to race day. That includes equipment. Do you know what shoes you'll wear on race day? Buy a new pair now! How about shorts and singlet? Test your clothing in training to make sure nothing chafes or causes a blister. Do you expect hot or cold weather race day? Weather can be unpredictable. Will you be prepared if the temperature suddenly drops (or rises) 30 degrees on race day? Consider every scenario you might encounter."

I've been meaning to share a few tips that will help y'all prepare for the Austin Marathon.

First, y'all should know that Austin has VERY variable weather. It's totally unlike Portland, which will be consistently in the 40/50s all winter. One day we will have a crisp morning in the 30s, the next day it will be 80 degrees and sunny. Yesterday the high was 80 degrees, and I went running in a t-shirt and shorts! So, bring multiple racing outfits, because there is no way to predict the temps on marathon day. However, you can safely assume that it will be sunny. It hardly rains here!

Another thing to mention is that the marathon course is very hilly. Parts of it are rolling hills like Helvetia, other parts have long gradual uphill and then downhill stretches. Check out the course elevation graph. In my training group, we have been including hills in a lot of our long runs, including running parts of the course. In Portland, I'd say run Terwilliger every few weekends, and maybe some runs on the east side around Faith's neighborhood.

Hm, what else? It is pretty dry here, so plan on constantly being thirsty while you are here, and drinking lots of water. Pack your short shorts, cowboy boots, and sunglasses. It is usually gorgeous and sunny during our Sunday morning runs, so I'm thinking we are in for a beautiful marathon!

Sick!

I've been sick since Thursday with what started out as a sore throat and ear ache.  Since then, it has become a cough, sneezing, runny nose, headache, chills sort of cold.  Then, to top it all off, I woke up barfing yesterday.  I got in all my runs last week but I didn't run yesterday (or go to work!!) or today.  I'm hoping to run tomorrow but it will all depend on my below the shoulders situation - basically, I'll take another day if I'm still coughing.  

Other than this week, I've only missed one other run during this training session.  So, I'm probably okay but I just HATE missing workouts.  I worry that this will be the one that I really regret come marathon day if things don't go right.  But, I've got to get over this and running with it probably didn't help me much (although I'd also argue that it probably didn't hurt me much either).  I'd guess that not getting enough rest is more to blame...  but that is a constant struggle for me.  

Anyway, I'll get this week's email and last week's update out tomorrow!! 

weekly recap

Tough week for me!

Monday - biked to work (16 miles round trip = good cross-training!)
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - 5 miles
Thursday - 3 miles
Friday - 3 miles, 2 @ 10k pace
Saturday - 7 miles @ marathon pace
Sunday - 13 miles

Now that the Austin Marathon course has been announced, we've been including pieces of it in our long runs. This weekend we ran the section from Mile 9 to Mile 13. I have never been on those roads before, it was a pretty nice little neighborhood, with some rolling hills that are reminiscent of the Helvetia Half. I think this marathon is going to be more challenging than Eugene because of the hills. I'll post more about the course as I run all the different areas.

Get 'er done early

Interesting article in the NY Times about the intersection of holiday indulgence, weight gain, and exercise. A pretty good argument for running first thing in the morning, regardless of the season. Bring on the eggnog, christmas cookies, and frigid early morning jogs!

Awesome Tempo Run

I had a great tempo run yesterday!!  It ended up being a solo run and I really kicked it's ass:

Mile 1 - 9:29
Mile 2 - 9:18
Mile 3 - 8:59
Mile 4 - 9:08
Mile 5 - 8:52
Mile 6 - 8:58
Mile 7 - 8:18

Overall - 1:03:03 (9:00)

I love running with a Garmin because it gives me this kind of information.  My perceived effort level was hard but not unsustainable.  If I hadn't sprinted that last mile, I think I could have kept going for at least a couple more at the 9-ish pace.  I'm beginning to think that the 9:30 - 10:00 range might be a reasonable marathon goal for me.  

I woke up yesterday with a sore throat.  Today, I woke up with a sore throat, filled up ears and some light coughing.  Cross your fingers that today's make up run (missed Tuesday because of the Icebreaker sale) makes me feel tons better!!   

Jbone's Weekly Recap

Monday - rest
Tuesday - 4 miles easy
Wednesday - 5 miles with 3 miles @ 10k pace (ave. 8:30 min/mi)
Thursday - 4 miles easy
Friday - rest
Saturday - hiked four miles (easy)
Sunday - 10 miles including hills

I was proud of getting the speedwork in on Wednesday, which is according to the TRC plan. Not quite as many miles as y'alls though, since I skipped both 7-milers. And a nice step-back weekend with the 10-miler. I love it when you get to the point in training where a 10 mile run feels easy and short.

Week 8

Weird week:

Monday - 4 @ 10:33
Tuesday - 7 @ 10:23
Wedneday - 4 @ 10:50
Thursday - 15 @ 11:00 (rain, rain, rain)
Friday - rest
Saturday - 1 @ 18:50
Sunday - rest

Yes, you read that right, 1 @ 18:50!!!  What the hell happened, you ask?  7,000+ feet of elevation.  We were in Santa Fe for the weekend and we decided to check out a local trail for our scheduled 7 miler.  First of all, the trail was super steep...  within a few seconds, I'm not exagerating, my lungs were searing and I couldn't catch my breath at all.  The trail was also fairly rough and rocky so that always slows me down since I run in FiveFingers.  We had to walk quite a bit but even the parts that we could run were ridiculously slow.  It was frustrating.  At the half mile point, I cried "uncle" and we turned around and hoofed it out of there.  This isn't the first time that elevation has really slowed me down.  I also had a really tough time in Tahoe but I was attributing that more to the 95 degree heat...  turns out it was probably the elevation.  Luckily for Ty, it doesn't seem to impact him nearly as much which makes me wonder how much of that I can chalk up to 16 years of smoking.  Oh well, I can't change that now and at least I haven't smoked in over two years! 

Speaking of Santa Fe, traveling always means eating out and, for us, we generally end up eating two big meals a day rather than a more sensible three.  We also ate a lot of meat - WAY more than I would usually have.  I feel like I didn't eat a single veggie in three days and the only fruit I had was the non-organic banana I bought at the grocery store.  BLEH.  I'm also super duper dehydrated from traveling and the sheer dryness of the desert.  All this resulted in a THREE pound weight gain in as many days!!  That'll slow a girl down.  Today, though, I am getting back on track.  I started my day with my standard Greek yogurt and granola and I've downed two Siggs of water...  and my tummy is already feeling more settled. 

Was that a run or a swim??

Tonight's run was quite the adventure.  It was a downpour when we started out and it kept coming down harder and harder.  As we were about a mile and a half in, we were running down hill up to our ankles because the side of the road had become a small creek bed and there was no sidewalk.  Onya was stopping to shake every block or two and I wished I could do the same.  The rain finally started slacking off after another couple of miles and I found my groove.  

Around the time that I was feeling really good, Ty turned to me and said that he wasn't going to be able to do the second lap around the lake.  His toes hurt and his nipples were chaffing from wearing the old, mesh reflector vest.  No problem, I thought, I'm in feeling great mentally and I'm ready to get this done - I'll just finish solo.  When we got back to the house, we'd done 8.4 so I didn't have much left to do.  I decided to do what I call a chicken run, which is when I never get more than a mile or two from home.  

By this time, the rain had let up and I started to regret not changing into something dry when I had the chance.  That didn't last long, though, because the rain inevitably did start up again.  I was getting cold, my feet were getting stiff and everything felt like it was uphill.  Around that time, I started thinking about why I get so determined to follow my plan and finish what I start.  I was thinking about how my Grandpa was the stubbornest man in the world and how I definitely inherited that gene from him - for good or bad.  Because it was a dangerous night to be out, I had a reflector, a flashing light and a flashlight but no music.  So I kept hearing Tim McGraw's The Cowboy In Me (http://www.cmt.com/videos/tim-mcgraw/26532/the-cowboy-in-me.jhtml) as I was running along. If you knew my Grandpa, you'd know how appropriate of a song that was to hear when thinking of him... 

Around this time, I reached my turn around point...  just over three miles until home!!  I picked up my pace a bit and finished it strong.  My lips were still blue when I got out of the shower but I'm fed and warm again now.  I've realized that the things that make runs miserable for other people are the things that invigorate me and make me push harder.  I really don't mind the rain.  I don't love being cold but it isn't the worst thing.  There's something comforting about running past houses with their lights on and their families  tucked in for the night.  Even though it was dicey at times with the dark and the traffic, it was still a great run. 

Here's what my feet looked like when I got done:

Santa Fe

We are headed to Santa Fe tomorrow for a weekend get-away!  That's the good news.  The less good news is figuring out how/when to fit in our long run of 15 miles.  We have three choices - run tonight after work in the dark and rain, run early early tomorrow morning in the dark and rain or run Saturday morning in the freezery and at 7,000 feet.  As of right now, running tonight is winning.  Then, Saturday, we'll do tonight's 7 miler instead.  The elevation of the high desert can be really challenging for some people and I'd rather not find out if I'm one of those people on a 15 miler! 

Wish us luck... 

week seven recap copycat

I'm going to start copying Jess and posting a weekly recap here for all to see. Seems like it will help me keep track of mileage and feel like I'm being held accountable for getting the runs in!

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - 3 miles fast
Thursday - 4 miles easy with Texas Running Company's group run
Friday - 2 miles really easy (with Eli!)
Saturday- 5 miles easy
Sunday - 14 miles easy with TRC

I was a bit nervous about the first 14 mile run of this training season, and was pleasantly suprised by how easy it was. Well, not easy, but I felt good at the end and felt like I recovered quickly from the high mileage. Possibly due to the massage I had on Monday night. Y'all - massages are the golden ticket, you deserve one, go get one!

Week 7

Monday - 4 @ 10:44
Tuesday - 7 @ 10:38
Wednesday - 4 @ 10:34
Thursday - 7 @ 9:21
Friday - rest
Saturday - 14 @ 10:20
Sunday - rest

Another good week but the exhaustion factor is definitely playing a bigger and bigger factor as the mileage builds.  I do still feel like my recovery times are shorter than the last two times I went through marathon training - but that really comes into play once the long runs get to be above 16 miles. 

Random Stuff

Today's run was on the tough side.  It was only a four miler but I just felt heavy, slow and leaden in my legs.  I ended up on pace so it wasn't that I was actually any slower than normal.  And, I did warm up about halfway in and the run did get easier.  I didn't get enough sleep over the weekend and I didn't fuel myself all that well yesterday.  The mileage is finally getting big enough that I need to pay attention.  I think my body was making sure I know that today!

This week, my running schedule will get kind of screwy because we are heading to Santa Fe for a get-away weekend.  So, I'll be taking a rest day on Thursday so that I can get on the road around 6 am on Friday to run my 15 miler.  Then, I'll do 7 in Santa Fe on Saturday.  The elevation there is 7,000 feet which can bother some people so I didn't want to be stuck doing a 15 miler in potentially bad conditions.  Also, it is much colder there than here so that can make a long run fairly miserable.  The exciting news is that our hotel has an indoor pool and hot tub - I plan on making good news of both!  

Lastly, the annual Icebreaker sale has been rumored to be next week!  If you aren't familiar with Icebreaker, you are really missing out.  They make these amazing merino wool pieces that are ideal for running.  You can really wear it year-round because it does regulate your temperature even in the heat.  That said, you will truly appreciate the greatness of wool when it gets cold out - it even will help you to stay warmer when running in a Pacific Northwest deluge.  Last year, I spent around $250 on merchandise that would have retailer for well over $1,000.  I've been looking forward to this year's sale since I walked out of last year's!  

14 miles of heavenly joy

How did everybody's 14-miler go last weekend?!

Please Advise

Ohhhh man. I am falling (what feels like) so far behind in our training plan. I've got the consistency of the long Sunday runs, but the mileage that my training group is doing is still lower than Hal's plan. And I'm stressing over getting the mid-week runs in. I really really want to run this marathon to the ground, and following Hal's intermediate schedule seems like a great way to take it to the next level. But. I haven't been able to follow the schedule for the last few weeks... my work schedule has been insane, and really tiring, and there were holidays, and visitors. Last week, instead of 3,6,3,6, and 9, I did 5,5,2, and 12. (It has also been so confusing trying to combine Hals' plan with what the Texas Running Company's group is doing). It just isn't feasible for me to complete 4,7,4,7 and 14 miles this week!

Is it time to adjust my goals and expectations for this training season and marathon - maybe by following the Beginner 2 plan again? Or is it time to amp up the hardcore factor and get 'er done?

What do y'all think? Bonus question - how do you plan to keep up with the training plan during the holidays?

And Faith, are you feeling this way too, having had a break for your foot? We can pick it up still, right?!!!

Ode to Beer

How have I never heard of this study before?!!! Yesterday, a friend told me about this study done at the University of Granada a few years back, that concluded, amazingly, that:

DRINKING BEER AFTER RUNNING IS GOOD FOR YOU

You heard me right.
No wonder we all love the Helvetia Half, and other races that have a beer garden at the finish line!

I read that many coaches: "recommend barley drinks to professional sportsmen after exercise." That's us! Professional sportswomen.

These researchers noted that athletes were better hydrated after a pint of beer than a pint of water. I totally see (and love!) their point. In my own experience, I have found that I reach a limit of how much water I can drink after a long run... I will drink and drink and still have a dehydration headache. They also point out that the bubbles help quench your thirst, while the carbohydrates can replace lost calories. It just gets better and better, doesn't it!

Another point I would make on behalf of beer that they did not address in the study is the effect of alcohol on your pain receptors. After a long hard run, sometimes you just need a barley drink to take the pain away!

Week 6

We are now one third completed with our training!!  Way to go, ladies:).  I'm feeling pretty good still, very strong.  Today, however, my jaw hurts, my knee hurts, my throat hurts and I have a headache.  Which I'm taking as a clear message that I need a true rest day so I'm not going to bootcamp tomorrow...

Monday - 3 @ 10:05 (solo)
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - 5 @ 10:50
Thursday - 6 @ 13:33 (Tryon), bootcamp
Friday - 3 @ 10:00 (treadmill), pilates, hot tub, sauna
Saturday - 9 @ 10:13
Sunday - rest

I am pretty aware of my weight.  When I was training for Portland, I just kept packing on the pounds...  I started around 130 and peaked at 140.  When I was around 130, I was already at my heaviest ever so hitting 140 when I was running that much was pretty devastating.  I vowed that I would lose the weight but by being smart and doing it more through exercising than dieting.  My diet is already on the healthy side so I didn't want to deprive myself of calories too much - running takes fuel!

As I trained for Eugene, I started shedding some of those pounds and I've continued ever since.  These days, I'm often swinging between 129 and 132.  On Thanksgiving, I weighed in at 128!!!  I haven't been that low in my 30's...  or at least not that I can recall.  Both yesterday and today, I came in at 129 - that feels like a major victory after all the holiday eating I've done:).  It is such a happy and empowering feeling to have my weight back under control.  It has been hard work but I basically have lost 10-ish pounds over a year so I know that I did it in a smart and sustainable way.  

I really feel like I'll be my fastest if I can get just get down to 125 but stay strong.  It might take me another 6 months but that's totally fine.  A runner friend of mine once told me that he considers each pound to be worth 3 seconds a mile...  by that calculation, shaving off 10 pounds would shave off 30 seconds a mile...  which can really add up over the course of a long race!!  Obviously, this equation would have diminishing returns if you got carried away with it but it feels about right to me!  

Week 5

Another week completed!!  I'm still feeling good but I've just hit 30 this week so I'll know more about how I'm really doing in two weeks when I start exceeding the 30 mile weekly mark.  According to Hal, that's typically the cusp for injuries to rear their ugly heads.

Monday - 3 @ 10:22
Tuesday - 5 @ 10:04 (solo)
Wednesday - 4 @ 9:54 (solo), bootcamp
Thursday - 6 @ 10:09 (solo), bootcamp
Friday - rest
Saturday - 12 @ 10:03 (with group for first 4.5, solo thereafter)
Sunday - bootcamp

I'm starting to wonder if my goal of 4:30 (10:18 pace) is too slow or if I'm running my workouts too fast.  I'd be interested in opinions on that.  For reference, I ran my last 10k at 8:22 pace - which the McMillan calculator converts into a 4:05 marathon.  I think that's quite aggressive but perhaps there's a middle ground?

Goals

I've been thinking a lot lately about my running goals.  Every run could be considered attaining a small goal.  When I plan to run an event, I find a training plan, put it on my calendar and then do all the runs.  I rarely miss a run or even cut it short.  I view it as a commitment and I tend to honor my commitments.  It can be overwhelming, though, to view the training plan as a whole so I find myself focusing on one run or maybe a week of runs at a time.  I rarely know what the plan holds beyond that because it is enough to focus on.  Therefore, throughout the four month process, I feel like I'm constantly achieving goals and that is a really good, motivating feeling.  

Sometimes, though, it is hard not to think beyond the next race.  Where am I going?  What is the goal for 2011?  What is the 5 year goal?  What is the goal that might not be attainable?  The goal that would really require buckling down and pushing myself to limits?  What would that look like?  Can I make the sacrifices to get there?


With running, it is always a building process.  Very few people can not train and successfully complete a marathon.  It takes weeks (months, really) of planning and slowly building up the mileage.  So, when planning out a multi-year plan, you should start small and build.  I already have two marathons under my belt and I'm currently training for my third.  Theoretically, I have a good base to build on - my body has a good level of endurance and I know I have the psychological fortitude to spend hours training and push my body.  I am lucky to have a spouse who also values running and supports me in my endeavors.  


I'm obviously starting 2011 with the Austin Marathon.  I'm toying with trying to squeeze in another marathon shortly thereafter - maybe Eugene again in May.  But the big event for 2011 will be applying for the McKenzie River 50k!  There's a lottery for only 150 spots so there's certainly no guarantee that I'll get in but I'm already thinking that I should start developing a training plan and getting my mind ready to tackle the distance.  I'm hoping to end the year with the Columbia Gorge Marathon in October which should be a breeze after McKenzie.  But all my goals for 2011 are focusing on distance and increasing my endurance. 


I think that 2012 will be a year that I focus on speed.  I'm not a fast runner which leaves a LOT of room for improvement.  I'm about an hour off of my age 35 BQ time and I have no idea what or how long it could take to shave that hour off.  I have three tiers of goals for Austin and I feel like this will be a good indicator of what I can shave off.  Goal C is 4:30, goal B is 4:20 and goal A is 4:15.  Depending on where I finish, I will fine tune my future race goals.  Hopefully, though, 2012 will be a year where I can start building enough improvements and speed to BQ sometime before 2015 - this is a huge goal and feels very unattainable right now so I'm making it very long term to allow myself plenty of time to build towards it.  It might not ever be possible but I think I'd like to give it a try...  because you never know what you can achieve until you give it a go!! 

Need More Sleep!

It is Week 5 of training and I'm tired!  I am friends with Hal Higdon on facebook and one of his tips of the day this week talked about needing more sleep when marathon training.  The calculation he used is that you need one additional minute per night for each mile you run that week.  So, this week, I ran 30 miles which would equate to needing an additional half hour of sleep a night.  I believe this.  I'm definitely tired earlier in the evenings.  As my mileage climbs, I am going to start making an effort to get to bed earlier and get more rest/sleep.  I know that it will help my running and not doing it will increase my risk of injury so, really, it is the obvious thing to do. 

Good weather

Sunday morning, 6:30 am: it's 70 degrees. Holy what!

Crazy Abs and Christmas Vacation

Look out Oregon!!! Booking my flight home at this very moment and I'm psyched to run on some familiar ground while I'm home for the holidays. Anyone want to do a long run with me in Portland on Sunday, January 2nd? (C'mon, we're all taking the 1st off, right?) Mark your calendars! I can almost feel the cold raindrops now.

Also, I have been meaning to put up a post about this crazy abs routine that the coaches at Texas Running Company put together. It takes about thirty minutes (thirty EXCRUCIATING minutes) to complete. They recommend doing it once a week after an easy run. Enjoy the burn!

Crazy Abs:

1. Plank - hold plank position for 30 seconds, work up to 60 seconds.

2. Pushups - 5 of the lower half, 5 of the top half, then 5 full, work up to 10 of each

3. Bicycle - first, do just one leg at a time, the other leg bent, 30 seconds each leg. Then, do 30 seconds with both legs, then 30 seconds in reverse direction.

4. Dying yet? Too bad! There's a lot more to go.

5. Count down - lying on your back with legs straight up in the air, slowly lower to 6" off the ground and back up to a count of 10. Do this 5 to 10 times. Advanced: do ten scissor kicks when you reach the bottom.

6. Bridges - lie on your back with knees bent, feet as close to your hips as possible. Cross arms over chest, perform 10 bridge-lifts with both feet on ground, then lift right leg, perform 10 bridge-lifts, lift left leg, perform 10 bridge-lifts.

7. Side plank - First hold side plank for 30 seconds. Then lie down on your side with your head in your hand, do 10 leg-lifts with top leg. Flip over and repeat all on other side

8. Plank leg lifts - hold plank position for 30 seconds, then lift each leg and hold for 15 seconds each

9. "Straight as a Broom" - lie face down with your arms extended overhead. lift hips, legs, knees, and arms so that just your forehead, chest, and toes are on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds, rest, and hold for another 30 seconds

10. Standing running mans - this is on the list and I have no idea what to do based on this description:

"Start standing on left leg, with right leg raised up as if in exaggerated running form (toes touching knee)
• Right arm is pulled all the way back and left arm is all the way up (as in exaggerated running form)
• Touch right arm down to ground in front of leg – repeat x10
• Switch legs (stand on right leg with left leg raised, left arm back and right arm forward) Touch left arm down to ground – repeat x10"

I'd love to see what everyone's interpretation of these movements looks like!
It might look something like this:


11. Backs against the wall - Start with feet 3 to 4 inches away from the wall, and press lower back against the wall to activate core. Lengthen through back and neck, tucking your chin, and hold for 30 seconds, using your core to press back against the wall (rather than your legs). Rest, move feet an inch closer to the wall, repeat.

Whew!
Did you follow along at home? If so, congratulations, you are guaranteed to have crazy sore abs tomorrow. Keep it up and you'll graduate to crazy abs in no time!



(Crazy abs modeled here by my Portland running hero Kara Goucher)

The Edge

Today in bootcamp, I felt my body getting close to the edge.  The edge is where improvements are made but it can also be the point of injury if I'm not careful.  I'm thankful that tomorrow is a rest day and next week is a step-back week.  I like working hard and pushing myself but I need to keep an eye on the overall goal so that I can get to Austin healthy and ready to race.  I have some lofty goals both for this upcoming race and for the next couple of years too.  I'll save those for a future post but I'm glad that I was able to hear my body loud and clear tonight. 

Need Advice

I love changing up my workout routine and I love Groupons.  Today's Groupon is for 5 weeks at the Riverplace Athletic Club for $50.  Normally, that would be a no brainer for me...  BUT, this Groupon has be started by 1/15/2011.  SO, I'd basically have to start using in in early December.  My concern is that it might be too much with the marathon training.  On the other hand, weight training two days a week combined with a couple of yoga classes a week might be just the right thing.  The last two times I was marathon training, I only did the running during training but I've been so loving having Warrior Camp and now bootcamp on top of the running...  I don't want to drop to just running and lose the improvements that I've been making or be sad that I don't have more variety.  

So, what do you think???

Week 4

Another good week.  I'm looking forward to building up some more during Week 5 before a step-back for Week 6.  I feel like I'm making good progress...  running 5 days a week feels amazing.  And, I'm getting mentally prepared for 26.2.  

Monday - 3 at 10:41
Tuesday - 6 at 10:29, bootcamp
Wednesday - 3 at 10:54, bootcamp
Thursday - 6 at 9:56
Friday - rest
Saturday - 11 at 11:14
Sunday - bootcamp

Although the overall week was good, yesterday's run was a train wreck for me.  The route we did started at OMSI and took us to the top of Mount Tabor and then through Laurelhurst Park before ending back at OMSI.  I was having really bad cramps and felt incredibly fatigued the entire run.  Luckily, Faith and Krista were incredibly understanding and allowed me to hang back and be cranky the whole run:).  The good news is that I had a horrible run during training and not on race day.  Bad runs help us to remember what a great run feels like and teach us how to dig deep.  It is not a bad lesson to know that I can get through any run as long as I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  

Lover, lover

When Faith and I do a tempo run, we have a no talking rule.  This means that I run with my music but Faith never runs with music.  With that in mind, I send this to her so she can have this playing in her cute little noggin ALL DAY!!! 

Lover, lover

Superstar!

Superstar! The last time I posted, I had just returned from a vacation in which I totally bagged every run for the first week of our training. And then proceeded to jump into Intermediate Marathon training. I was a little bit nervous at first about the sudden increase in running. Now, four weeks in, I am very proud of myself for sticking to the schedule so far, getting all of the runs in, and running a strong 9 miles last weekend and 10 miles on Sunday!

For last week's 9-miler, we ran through an extremely hilly neighborhood for the first several miles, before finishing up on the mellow trail that wraps around Town Lake. I have to go back and take pictures of these hills - they were so extreme! The views of downtown Austin from up there were amazing though. Jess and Faith - we'll have to drive that road when you are in town!



Town Lake Trail

This Sunday, we ran 10 miles, and again the route was more challenging than my usual flat-and-easy long runs. We ran up Shoal Creek Trail, which ranges from paved to rocky to literally hopping across the creek on boulders. Fun running trail! We ran three miles up, stretched and drank water, and ran three miles back down to the Town Lake trail to finish up the last four miles.


Shoal Creek Trail - the stream crossing section

As a newcomer to Austin, having a coach (Mike from the Texas Running Company) has been so helpful. He picks out the routes for our long runs, which is helping me learn about good places to run in Austin. Also, he picks more challenging routes for the long runs than I would normally choose for myself. And to top it all off, he drives around to various points in the run with water and gu and high fives to encourage us. Superstar!

Happy week four gang!

Week 3

Week 3 was a good week.  I love the break of a step-back week but then I also look forward to the fact that this week is some more good, hard work.  I've started reading Hal Higdon's Marathon again...  and I bought another running book over the weekend.  Partly to remind myself of keeping good habits and partly because I find reading about running to be really motivating.  Here's the recap:

M - rest
T - 5 @ 9:50 (solo), bootcamp
W - 3 @ 9:59 (solo), bootcamp
T - 5 @ 9:16 (solo)
F - 3 @ 11:02
S - 6 @ 10:38
S - bootcamp

Tempo Run

Other than some minor tummy troubles, I had a really good tempo run today:

Mile 1 - 9:34
Mile 2 - 9:18
Mile 3 - 9:22 (not including first trot stop)
Mile 4 - 9:15 (not including final trot stop)
Mile 5 - 8:49

Overall - 9:16

I'm not sure why my tummy acted up.  I had my standard breakfast of greek yogurt, granola and raspberries followed by my standard lunch of a half sandwich with deli chicken, dill havarti, cucumber and avocado on whole wheat.  For dinner, last night, I had a chicken burrito from Chipotle so maybe that was the problem?  I haven't had a beer since Saturday night but I have been feeling underhydrated for the last couple of weeks so maybe that just finally caught up with me?  Who know, who cares...  I'll take a 9:16 any day!! 

P.S.  Faith, I really hope you get to feeling better SOON!
P.P.S.  Jody, I'm going to go back and add paces now. 

Camp Whore

Another day, another camp!!  I'm a camp whore!  I just can't turn down a groupon if it is related to getting a good workout.  Tonight, Ty and I went to our first in a month unlimited at Bootcamp RDFT.  It was different than classes at ADAPT in that ADAPT attracts more men and more serious athletes.  That said, it was still a great workout - just more oriented to women and, perhaps, weight loss than strength and power.  I definitely got a great core workout.  Basically, there were five areas and we rotated through each area is groups of 7 or 8 (I think it was an unusually full class).  We then took a quick water break before breaking out again into four groups and rotating again through each area.  We did a quick warm-up and cool down too and the hour absolutely flew by!!

Tomorrow, we are taking the intro class so it'll be interesting to see how that compares to the standard class.  We are going to aim for 4 classes a week - Tuesday will be Bootcamp, Wednesday will be Intro Bootcamp, Saturday will be TRX and Sunday will be Bootcamp again.  We are having to make some exceptions to work around our work schedules but that's the basic plan for November - YAY!!  

I didn't do my three mile run yesterday so I'm planning to make that up on Friday but I did do five today and it felt amazing.  Faith was home sick (I hope you're feeling better!!) so I was solo with my tunes. 

Week 2

Week 2 was an exhausting week for me but more because of my extras than because of the running.  Here's my recap:

M - 3 miles at 10:26, Warrior Camp
T - 5 miles at 10:32, Warrior Camp
W - 3 miles at 11:13, Warrior Camp
T - 5 miles at 10:54, Warrior Camp
F - rest
S - 9 at 10:47 miles with group
S - rest

This is a step-back week...  something that I always look forward to!! 

Ow... ow... OOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!

We focused on arms last night at Warrior Camp.  I am so sore I could barely wash my hair this morning.  Shampooing is overrated. 

Warrior Camp

Holy hell, did I work out hard last night!!!  First, you should take a look at this video of the Warrior Camp instructor's phyisical abilities.  Okay, I tried embedding a video but it was just taking too long.  Follow this link instead and watch the video...  http://www.adapttraining.com/camps/warriorcamp.html.  Seriously, it's amazing! 

In last night's class, we did pre-testing.  If I were taking the four week class instead of just the free first week, we would spend the last day of class doing the post-testing and I imagine the improvement would be pretty impressive.  Alas, as it is, I'm pretty pathetic on the upper body strength.  But, then again, we don't call ourselves the T-Rex's for nothing!! 

First, the entire class did a timed wall sit together (I lasted over 2 1/2 minutes) and then we went to a variety of stations to be assessed.  I couldn't even manage one chip up but did manage four whole push-ups (boy style!).  Then, I couldn't get up to do the wall assisted handstand so I had to do 2 minutes of downdog instead - which was obviously a piece of cake and the only easy part of the testing!  Then, we did these flexed delt arm hang things...  I only lasted ten seconds there.  I did pretty good on the elevated lunges - lasting 28 seconds with my right leg back and 45 with my left leg back.  Lastly, we did this brutal exercise called ADAPT shuttle runs.  Two weight benches are placed 10 yards apart and you have to run back and forth 10 times for a total of 200 yards.  At each bench, you have to step or jump to the other side of the bench and back all while carrying a 7 pound medicine ball between both hands that you can not drop or take even one hand off.  I managed the first go round in 1:38.  Then we got a one minute rest...  and I finished my second round in exactly 1:38 - which was pretty impressive because they only tell you that you need to finish the second round within ten seconds of your first time. 

Needless to say, it was tough and also pretty depressing to find out how out of shape you can be and still manage to complete marathons.  Tonight's class will just a normal class so I'm really looking forwrad to it...  even if I know it's going to kick my butt!! 

Adventures in Cross-Training

I have a huge confession ladies: first week of marathon training and I didn't run a single step!

My excuse is rock solid, though. I've had a cold all week AND I just returned to Austin last night after a very fun vacation to California. So, instead of 3, 5, 3, 5, and 8 mile runs, my week went a little like this:

Monday - 8 mile mountain bike ride around Lake Tahoe (at over 6,000 elevation!), rock climbing in the evening



Tuesday - All day rock climbing

Wednesday - Rest / recover from cold
Thursday - Hike 7 miles into Yosemite wilderness (up to 8,000 feet)

Friday - Hike 10 miles out of wilderness
Saturday - Rest / fly home

So... my intentions were to make it to this morning's group run, but I am still so sore from backpacking ten miles the other day that I can barely walk up and down our stairs.

Last year, I started marathon training two weeks late and was able to catch up fairly quickly. Looks like I am continuing my tradition of playing catch-up - starting tomorrow, it's ON!!!

Week 1

Week 1 of training was a total success for me!!  I nailed all my runs and felt great doing them.  The return of the tiredness, hunger and leg burn feels unbelievably comforting.  I know it is very, very early in an 18 week process but I feel so positive and energized...  and that's a great way to start.  

M - 3 miles at 10:32, Socks class
T - 5 miles at 10:37, pilates
W - 3 miles at 10:35, aerial yoga
T - 5 miles tempo (9:59 pace)
F - rest
S - 8 miles at 10:09
S - rest

Am I Crazy?!?!

Today's Groupon is for a month unlimited TRX and boot camp classes at a gym SW.  Not only am I seriously considering it...  I'm trying to get Ty to agree to do it with me in November.  Looking at the schedule, we could hit the 10:30 TRX Intro and Recovery after our long runs on Saturdays.  On Sundays, we could make the 9:00 boot camp and still not miss too much football.  There is a class almost every evening around 6:00 - if we hit one or two of those a week, PLUS marathon training, it would be AWESOME!!! 

Anyone think this is too much and might lead to overtraining?  What if I promise to slow down and focus only on marathon training (with maybe a little cross training) in December and January? 

WTH?!?!

So, your reaction to this might be the same as mine - what the hell is that?!?!  For me, it was swiftly followed by - you do know that I'm marathon training, don't you?!?!!?  To answer your question, it's shredded beets, shredded turnips, shredded squash, julianned chard and diced green tomatoes sauteed together then topped with diced red tomato.  Shockingly, it wasn't all that bad.  Not great, either but not bad at all!  I cleaned my plate...  but then I was still hungry, as would be expected, so Ty graciously made me a plate of cheese and crackers. 

New Running Duds

I was at Costco last night picking up gobs of pasta (I am marathon training, after all!) and organic can sugar for my latest canning extravaganza.  So, natch, I had to check out their selection of workout clothing.  Of course, I NEEDED a couple of new things...  to celebrate the start of marathon training!  Two new jog bras and a pair of capris...  YAY! 

First Day of Training!!!

Wow - this day sure came quickly!!  It is our first offical day of training for the Austin Marathon!  While I am excited, I'm also preparing to be really tired for the next four months.  The good news is that I found my endurance to be higher and my recovery times shorter while training for my second marathon.  Hopefully that trend continues as I prepare for my third.  I'm also kind of ready for the beat down of training because the pay off always seems worth it:). 

Here's my weekly recap:

M - 3 miles and Socks
T - 3 miles and pilates
W - 5 miles and aerial yoga
T - 3 miles
F - rest
S - 6 miles
S - rest

Saturday Morning Group

About a year and a half ago, when Ty and I had decided to train for the Portland Marathon, we attended a Saturday morning free group run out of Fit Right NW, a local shoe/running store.  That day, we met Megan.  Two Saturdays later, we went back to meet up with Megan again and also met Krista - and immediately the four of us hit it off!  Since then, I've been regularly running with Krista's Saturday morning running group.  She sends out an email the week before to around 50 peeps (not sure on that number - totally guessing!) with the meeting place and route.  They are usually out and back routes so everyone can start together and pick their poison for the day.  

It was through this group that I was lucky enough to meet Faith and Jody - my training partners for the Eugene Marathon and, now, the Austin Marathon.  Over the past year and a half, I've met a lot of amazing people through this group.  Runners come and go as the hectic-ness of their lives and the distances in their training plans vary.  We saw Jody leave us for Eli's graduate work in Austin and today we're about to wish Luke a great 8 months of working in Alaska (at least he'll be back soon!).  

Luke is one of the more unlikely members of our group.  A regular smoker, his fabulous new-ish girlfriend has inspired him to become more healthy.  He's battled some knee pain but still managed to make a lot of the runs.  Luke usually ends up finding a place right behind the girls and he's had to endure many a conversation about poop, periods and other topics that I'm confident he'd rather not know exist!  My absolute favorite run with Luke ever was an out and back from Fit Right NW up to the top of Terwilliger Hill.  As we were descending, I heard a crinkle-crinkle behind.  I turned around and Luke was munching on a candy bar!!!  Technically, I think it was a Power Bar or something along those lines but still!!  A Gu is about all my stomach can handle on a run and here's this guy eating a CANDY BAR?!?!  Amazing...  I am going to miss you, Luke!

Where have I been?!?!

First, I must apologize to all my loyal readers for my hiatus.  What's that?  I don't have any readers?  Loyal or otherwise??  Oh... 

Jess and Jewel wo-manning the Run Oregon booth at the Portland Marathon Expo

Ty and I spent a busy two weeks of evening after work getting ready for Run Oregon's first marathon Expo.  We then both logged two 12+ hour days manning our booth at the Portland Marathon Expo along with our VERY good friend Jewel (who you may know from mentions on my other blog...  oh wait, that whole no readers thing again!!).  The three of us estimate that we personally talked to about 1,000 runners and we managed to get 630 entries into our Vibram FiveFingers giveaway. 

So, all this to say...  this is why I haven't found the time to blog as regularly as I would like.  But, as life returns to a normal level of activity, I'm hoping that I'll be back on here at least a couple of times a week. 

I'll use this post to update my weekly summary for last week:

M - 4 mile run, Socks class

T - 3 mile run, pilates class

W - hours of kickball

T - rest

F - rest

S - 3.5 mile run

S - rest

A little too much on the resting but I'm hoping to make up for it this week - stay tuned!! 

The Truth Hurts

So, I hurt my quad Monday morning and took Monday's run off. I was itching for a run today even though my leg was still tight. I thought a run would loosen it up, followed by some serious stretching. Jess and I started running and we were talking about my fears that my feet aren't ready for barefoot running, even after easing into it and running consistently in the Vibrams for the last 6 weeks. I've noticed that my feet are tender, especially in the morning, and my ankles don't warm up for a half mile or so.

Then I tripped.

I've always been kind of a klutzy runner, but in the fingers I snag my toes a lot. I remember my high school coach yelling at me "Pick up your feet, Donnally!" This time, when I snagged my toe I felt my right quad pull and snap. It was terrifying. While walking back to work, I stopped occasionally to massage my muscle because it hurt so badly. This was real pain, not just hurt. I made it back to the office and was smart enough (Thanks, Jess!) to do some internet research that told me to ice my thigh and NOT massage it. I stayed at work long enough to do the recommended "20 minute immediate icing" then left my bike at work and bussed it home.

A beer (which I fully believe helped me AND my muscle relax) and icing every 2 hours have made me less fearful, although I've decided to wait until the official day of training to run again.

Now, to the title of the post: I've never really had problems with running. I've been running since I was 14 (with some time off :). I ran cross country, indoor track and outdoor track for almost 4 years in high school and then ran for years afterwards in shoes and never had problems. After reading "Chi Running" two years ago, I changed the way I ran and it made it easier and fun. After reading "Born to Run" I felt like there was still a better way. I tried the Fingers for a while and then got worried after Ty hurt himself, so I took it down a whole lot. I tried "transition shoes", marathon racing shoes that would be my trainers. I ended up really hurting my Achilles. I went back to my Asics and everything was fine. Eight weeks ago, I started running again in the Fingers and thought the weakness and tenderness was from building muscle. After the last two weeks of long runs, I've had to ice my feet--after 6 miles.

I know that running in shoes will be better for me. Honestly though, I feel like a bit of a barefoot running failure.

I was born to run. Maybe I was born to run in shoes.

Sometimes running is hard

Look at that bright and shiny pool! This is the view from our living room window...

We moved into our new digs over the weekend. It's a two bedroom apartment in one of those complexes with a pool, a gym, and free cable. It feels like we are on vacation in southern California. I can't wait to host Faith and Jess for the Austin marathon! And anyone else who wants to travel to Austin, for the marathon or just for fun. E and I decided that having a guest room was our number one priority, so come on down!

As a result of all this moving - hauling all of my worldly possession into the U-haul, out of the U-haul, up the stairs - I have been SO tired. Yesterday I took TWO naps. And on Sunday, when I went to do a "long" run of 5 miles, I felt like each leg weighed about a million pounds. It was one of those runs that gets me thinking, "How will I possibly be able to run a marathon?"

Except, oh yeah, I already have run a marathon. Two actually. It's all part of the training I suppose. Some days you just have dead, million pound legs. Thanks, Sunday's run, for reminding me of something very basic: Sometimes running is hard!

---

Upcoming posts:

- Austin Marathon Project's brutal new abs workout (y'all are going to love this!)
- Backpacking as cross-training
- Debatable t-shirts that I found at Goodwill

Reflections

Monday mornings are a good time for reflecting.  Last week was a great one for both my running and my cross training.  I started the week with three exercise classes and ended the week with two bike rides.  I typically take Fridays and Sundays off but I ended up headint to the track on Sunday with a walker friend and running a pretty fast (9:00 average) three miles.  For this, I have Onya to thank - she had to be on leash due to a soccer game and she was singularly focused on catch up with our friend on each and every lap.  Needless to say, it was much more of a workout than I would normally schedule for the day after a long run!! 

All in all, I ran 23 miles and biked 7 plus attended three fitness classes. 

Brick?

I'm not really sure if today's workout would technically count as a brick because there was around three hours between my run and my bike ride.  It's okay, though, because I still feel like a total bad ass for running three miles AND biking three and a half today:).  Faith is still a sicko so I was solo once again.  It's odd how quickly I've gotten used to having a daily running buddy after years of running solo on week days!!  This has been a very active week for me and it has left me feeling pretty energized and looking forward to a good long run on Saturday;).  Wish you could be there with us, Jody!!  

 

Aerial Yoga

So, I had my first aerial yoga class today.  But, first, let me tell you about yesterday!!  Faith has been ill with a cough and the chills so she's wisely opted to rest.  Yesterday, I ran a fast 3 miles at 9:15 pace which was followed by some body work.  After that, I headed to my first Pilates class.  My abs were already fairly well worked from the Socks class so Pilates was a killer workout!!  We did a decent about of core work and then spent the second half of the class doing some good arm work.  Basically, all my muscle groups were well worked yesterday!!

Today, Faith was on rest again, so I opted for a longer 5 mile run which I did in a 10:10 pace - nice and slow as compared to my recent Wednesday night Red Lizard runs.  Then, I went to aerial yoga - which was both awesome and a little scary.  First of all, all the moves involved either a set of straps with three handles of varying lengths and/or a sort of fabric sling - both of which are securely hung from the ceiling.  A lot of the moves are done with one foot on the floor which allows for some really great stretching as the sling naturally sways.  I even had one successful inversion - the instructor could tell that I was super nervous so she really helped me through that one since I was the only newbie:).  The rest of the class was kind enough to clap for me once I'd completed the move which was both nice and welcoming.  Overall, it was different but in all the right ways.  I'm looking forward to more and I'd really encourage you to give it a try if you ever get the opportunity.  

Fitness Class

Aerial Yoga

 
All the strength training talk from Jody and Faith was inspiring me right about the time that a Groupon came up for the Diva Den.  The place is near my house, the Groupon was $32 for a month of unlimited classes and they had class that I was interested on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday around 5:30.  So, I bought one!  Then, when I was exploring their website, I found another deal for a week's free pass.  Add it all up and I have pre-registered for SIX weeks of classes!  


Tonight was the first class and it was called Sock It To Her.  Basically, there were eight of us in a big class room with eight poles and no shoes.  It was primarily a leg workout with particular focus on the inner and outer thigh areas but I can already feel that we did some good stuff for the abs too!  I'm impressed by how shredded my legs feel in just a thirty minute workout.  


Tomorrow, I'll be going to a 45 minute Pilates class and then Wednesday will be a 45 minute aerial yoga class.  I'm very anxious to see what the heck aerial yoga is all about...  stay tuned for updates on the other classes. 

Austin Marathon Project

Have you noticed that for each required element in marathon training, you have to drop a hundred bones (pardon the expression)? Nothing seems to be less than $100 - good shoes, entry fees, plane tickets, and, optionally, coaching. At least GU is cheap. And since our next marathon requires no travel on my part, I dropped some cash on a training program this morning instead.

I've been debating in my mind whether or not to join - it's cheaper to just train on my own and join free running clubs in town for the longer runs - but in the end I decided that this particular program will be worth it.

The "Austin Marathon Project" is being sponsored by the Texas Running Company, which is, like me, a newcomer to Austin this summer. Because it's new, the group is small, the coaching will be tailored specifically to the individual runners, and they are very enthusiastic. I had a great time running 5 miles with the half marathon group this morning, and am planning on bumping it up so I can run with the full marathoners soon. ALSO! There are Wednesday afternoon track workouts and core workouts, which sounds HARD but also FUN.

Also, it sounds like they are planning on doing a progression like Hal's with the step-back weeks, so hopefully it will align perfectly with my beautiful training calendar.

Since I won't have Jess and Faith to keep me company on the long runs ahead, I'm looking forward to meeting some new runners... but they will have some big five-fingers to fill!

Biking!

My fellow bloggers, Faith and Bones, are both accomplished bikers.  Faith doesn't drive so she does the vast majority of her commuting (both work and personal) by bike.  Jody and her boyfriend Eli have biked the McKenzie River Trail which is a 26 mile trail with several highly technical stretches.  I, however, have not been on a bike much since I was 15 years old.  

About two years ago, I decided that I wanted to start biking again to add a cross training  element to my running.  So, out we ran to the bike shop and bought two bikes.  Which have pretty much sat uselessly in our garage ever since.  After a trip to the bike shop last night to have my tires filled and get some advice, all that changed today!  

As Ty and Onya headed out on their three mile run, I was right beside them on my bike!  It was wonderful - it felt really good.  Growing up, my step-dad and I did a lot of biking.  I fondly remember the beat up, faded blue pouch on his handlebars where we could stow our books on the way to the library or the little treasures that we found along the way.  As we passed a bunch of fallen apples, I really wished that I had something like that so that I could bring some home to the chickens.  Once that childhood memory was triggered, I found that I was reliving some of the joy that I had as a youngster biking.  My mom never joined us so it was something that was just for the two of us and it was a special bonding time whether we were out running errands or on a ride for fun.  My step-dad, as seen below, was a man ahead of his time with the bike commuting thing!  

Joe and Jess dressed up for Halloween - he was dressed as a member of Devo and I was a witch;). 

That little tangent down memory lane aside, I'm really excited to incorporate biking into my regular exercise.  After a three mile run at lunch plus tonight's biking, my legs feel good but tired - just the way I like them:). 

Red Lizards!!

Last night, I did the Wednesday run with the Red Lizards for the third time.  They are a super friendly group and their unofficial Wednesday night motto is 'no runner left behind'.  The route starts at the Fulton Pub (YAY!!) and heads down to the Waterfront then turns south.  When the trail ends, we run along the railroad tracks and then cross the Sellwood bridge and continue to the Oaks Pioneer Church where there's one of Portland's famous bubblers.  There, people drink, catch their breathe and wait for the slower runners (me) to rejoin the group.  We then continue through a small park and then onto a mile-ish long dirt trail that ends up at Oaks Bottom - where the second break and regrouping takes place.  We then head out of Oaks Bottom towards the Springwater Trail and take the Springwater back to the Oaks Pioneer Church for the final break and regrouping before retracing our path back to the Fulton Pub. 

I must say, this is a group of generally fast runners.  Or, fast as compared to ME anyways!!  This run always ends up being a great mid-length tempo run for me - at least taking into account where my running is at the moment.  Here are my splits:

Mile 1 - 9:35
Mile 2 - 9:24
Mile 3 - 10:00 (trail)
Mile 4 - 8:58
Mile 5 - 9:09
Mile 6 - 8:35
Overall - 55:06/9:18 pace

The best part of this run might be the beer and burgers at the Fulton Pub at the end!!!  There are usually at least 6 and up to 20 or so runners who stay afterward to socialize, eat and drink.  It is a good time of comparing races and running experiences. 

Upcoming posts:  biking and fitness classes

Shorty Shorts

So, I'm currently obsessed with shorty shorts for running.  I've seen a couple of really well built women wearing them and I am toying with the idea of getting some.  They look super comfortable but I'm hesitant...  I mean, I'm just not as fit as some of the women who I've seen wearing them.  BUT, what better inspiration?  Or would it just trigger depression everytime I see them in the drawer and pass them over? 

Hmm...  to shorty short or not to shorty short?!?!  Stay tuned. 

Pumping Iron

I'm on a strength training kick this week. My inspiration (aside from Arnold, of course) is a conversation I had with Faith on our way home from the Eugene Marathon. We both felt like now that we had run the marathon, it was time to "get in shape" - how crazy is that! We had just completed an epic 26.2 run, finishing strong, and I felt out of shape. So, for this marathon, one of my goals is to maintain total fitness, not just running fitness.

I like the simplicity of the routine recommended by Hal. It's a quick six exercises that you could do at home or at the gym, and I've added a seventh. It only takes about 30 minutes. My plan is to do these two or three days a week, right after the shorter runs of 3 - 4 miles.

Strength Training, for running:

1. Chest - bench press or push-ups, 2 sets of 12
2. Back - rowing, 2 sets of 12
3. Shoulders - overhead press, 2 sets of 12 (my addition)
4. Triceps - overhead pull, 2 sets of 12
5. Biceps - curl, 2 sets of 12
6. Abs - crunches, 3 sets of 15
7. Legs - lunges, 2 sets of 12

Is anyone else inspired to get pumped up this marathon season?

Solo Run

Faith stayed home sick today so I ran my three miler on the Waterfront solo.  It was lonely but it also make me push myself.  After years of one minor injury after another, I am happy to say that I have finally gotten to a point where I am strong and durable enough to play around with speedwork.  Generally, the only kind of speedwork that I do is a tempo run.  Before Helvetia in June, I did do four weeks of track work but that's all that I've ever done.  Depending on how training for Austin goes, I may try to sneak in some track workouts during the last four weeks before I taper.  Anyway, today's three miles at 27:25 (9:08)counts as a speedwork day for me!! 

Long run??

It was a rough morning...  between the rain and the monster hangover, I did NOT want to run.  At all.  Much less a long run.  After sleeping in, Ty dragged my lazy butt out for a compromise run...  as in, I compromised by going at all and he compromised by running in slow motion and only 3.5 miles.   

Amazingly, I not only made it all the way home but I even feel TONS better for having done it!!  Now I'm all showered with a cup of tea and football!  Soon, chicken enchiladas will be coming out of the oven...  but that's better suited for my other blog:).  

Rest days...

...are the BEST days:).  After five straight days of running for the first time in a month or more, a day off feels pretty darn fantastic.  My knee was niggling me a little bit yesterday - nothing serious - but just a reminder to be careful and take rest days 'seriously'. 

It's raining, it's pouring...

Hello, RAIN!!!  The rain started last night and is still going.  We are supposed to have some breaks today but, looking at the extended forecast, it seems as though it is here to stay.  I must say, it is a welcome change from running in the heat of the summer.  And, I can't complain about MY waterfront path clearing out and becoming more private again. 

Today's lunchtime run will mark five days in a row.  I'm very glad to be back in my routine.  I'm golfing in a tournament on Saturday so this weekend's long run will have to be moved to Sunday...  which means that I'll be running five days in a row again next week.  Hopefully, though, I can get back into the M-Th plus Saturday routine again after that.  I find that I just feel best when I can get in five runs a week.  Otherwise, I start to feel sluggish and just less healthful overall.  It'll be nice to start this round of marathon training feeling strong, healthy and itching to train. 

Running in Texas

I have to admit that I underestimated a little bit how hard it would be to adjust to the climate of Texas. The heat here is brutal! No place is this more apparent than when I am running.

Yesterday, for example, I decided to check out Shoal Creek trail, which conveniently begins from Eli's work. I probably only made it a mile before I was ready to turn around, and this was the DOWNHILL half. I was completely exhausted, and barely ran 2.5 miles before walking it in.

Running here, you sweat like you have never sweated before. My running shoes are literally soaked with sweat when I get home from a run (sexy, I know). I have no stamina in this heat whatsoever, afterward I have to drink more than twice the amount I would have in Portland in order to feel hydrated.

My plan for survival is to include gatorade on all my sweaty outdoor runs, even the short ones, and to train on the treadmill if I have to run mid-day. Already since arriving, the average daily temperatures have gone down from 102 to 92; my hope is that when training begins in earnest it will be in the 70s and 80s, and it will be lovely.

Oh, but the perk of all this hot weather? Outdoor swimming as cross-training.

Week 1 of Pre-Training

Faith and Jess randomly showing up at Krista's birthday drink last night at the Muddy Rudder in the same 2010 Eugene Marathon shirt!!! 

I admit it - I've been lazy lately.  Today is my first week of 'pre-training' since marathon training doesn't officially start until October 18th.  Which gives me one month and 3 days to improve my fitness so that the real training is as productive and enjoyable as possible.  So far this week, I've logged 3 miles on both Monday and Tuesday - which doesn't sound like much but I did race a 10k on Sunday so my legs are a bit on the tired side.  Today, Faith and I are aiming for a four miler...  which will hopefully not be quite as slow as the last couple of days have been!!  My goal during pre-training is to get back in the habit of running Monday - Thursday with a long run on Saturday. 

~Jess - runoregon.net

AAUUU-YEAH-STIN!

So pumped for this round of marathon training! Even more pumped for my marathon outfit! I'm so excited to train with my awesome runner girls! BALLOOOOONS!

Signing up and booking my flight next Friday, y'all!

26.2, BITCHES!!!

I'm registered!!! That is probably the earliest I have ever registered for a race in my life - before training has even started! Can't wait to virtually kick ASS this training season with you ladies.

-jody

p.s. this group blog idea is a winner, i love it

Bright Idea!

This was Faith's bright idea...  but, being the impatient type, I had to set it up as soon as I got back from our latest run!!  The best ideas truly do come about while on the run;). 

The purpose of this blog is for the three of us - Faith, Jody and me - to post about training for the 2011 Austin Marathon.  We trained and ran the 2010 Eugene Marathon together before Jody ditched us to more to Austin with her beloved. 

I'll let each of us tell our own stories in our own way and time.  In the meantime, if you've stumbled across this blog, you are in for quite a treat!!  And, to Faith and Jody, welcome to our little corner of the world!!! 

~Jess