Wonderful Run

This afternoon I was sitting on my couch with my feet up after work feeling groggy and cranky. I was "off my game" and not feeling up to par. I knew that I had a run on my aganda for the day, but I wasn't feeling up for it. After much self talk, I decided to lace up the running shoes and head out, because I probably wouldn't feel any worse by doing it, and I just might make myself feel better...
And feel better I did. It was an AWESOME run. The sun was just starting to set and I was able to watch the sky turn from lavender, to pink to a bright orange. The temps had dropped to somewhere in the high 50s and the humidity felt like it was gone. I headed out without any clue on how far or how fast... I ended up cruising through 8 miles without hardly noticing it. I was plugged into my MP3 and simply ran for the joy of running. And you know what, after I was done, I felt great. It felt like the weight of the world was off my shoulders. (Now mind you, I'm not sure why I was carrying the weight of the world to begin with... but anyway..) I'm so glad I made myself get out there. Heck, I even treated myself to some Moosetracks Ice cream at the local Ice cream parlor tonight, too!
Last night I took the bike out for an easy 30 min spin around the polo club. I'm just trying to keep the frequency of biking up there, before I start adding on too many miles. I'm not training for anything just yet, so now is the time to enjoy it without the pressure of trying to get the miles in.
Well, tonight's my last night in the south for a couple days. Time to go to MI to celebrate "Belated Christmas" and I'll be back to running in the cold and slop again for a couple days... Just long enough to remind me why I winter in Florida...
Until Next Time.

Holiday Weekend

Yesterday I took the bike out for an 18 mile (hour +) ride. It was a beautiful day, although slightly windy. I left the Polo Club through the west gate, and headed out to the aero club and Palm Beach Point Going into the wind, I was able to maintain 16-17mph on average, when I was protected from the wind, or had a tail wind I was able to cruise at 20-23mph. It was really quite fun. I think my average speed was 17mph and my average cadance was 90. I felt like it was a good ride, for my 3rd time out. I think that buying a new bike seat was probably the best investment I've made on that bike. Wow! What a difference.
After I got off the bike, I laced up my running shoes and went for a mile and a half incredibly painful run. It only took about 5 minutes for me to stop thinking about how painful it was, and about 10 minutes to finally feel like I was hitting my stride.
Today I elected to go for a run. I thought I might go for a long run since I had the time, but I wound up with a mid-day headache, and legs that felt like lead (or bricks as the case may be - from yesterday...) I made myself go anyway, thinking that getting the endorphans moving might have additional benefits. I hoped they would improve my outlook on life and help get rid of the headache. I ran a slow 4.5 miles (or thereabouts) in 45 minutes. I allowed myself 1 min. walk breaks every 10 min. I could tell that my legs were fatigued from yesterday, and it's significantly windier today than yesterday, so that slowed me down too. (I was glad I biked yesterday for that reason). Mentally/emotionally I feel a little better from my run, and my headache is nearly gone.
So a funny Henry story - After my run today, I took Henry out to play ball in the parking lot while I stretched. It's pretty warm/humid out so it didn't take long for him to get hot. Behind my building is a fenced in pool and hottub. He's never been in the pool area before. But all of a sudden he takes off, and makes a beeline directly for the pool. The supports for the fence are far enough apart that he can get through - so he wiggles through the fence and gets in the pool!! I don't have my pool key, so I'm left to scold him from outside the fence until he decides he's had enough and comes back out. Much to the ammusement of the kids in the hot tub! It was really quite funny. If I didn't know better I'd think that he was part Labradore! I guess better the pool than the canals!
Until Next Time... Merry Christmas

Friday

Today I gave up the bike ride for a quick nap. It was a beautiful day, but and would've been perfect for a ride... but I came home from work, and was really tired, so I was only going to take a quick nap. Well an hour later I was nearly out of daylight.
So I headed to the pool and got in a 1000m swim. It felt better than earlier this week. I even did some 400 and 200 repeats, and I wasn't as winded as I was on wednesday.
I think that tomorrow I'll go on a long-ish bike ride with a brick at the end. I mean, where else can you go on a bike ride on Christmas Eve??
Happy Holidays!!

Thursday

As I'm settling into a schedule in here, I need to sit down and write out a training plan for the winter. I have one in my head, but it always helps to put it on paper. So right now I feel like I'm training without any real goals yet. I don't know if I'm going to do a full marathon or only a half in April, so I'm not sure how much milage I should be adding to my running yet, and then I want to also increase my time on the bike, but if I do a full marathon, then I should be running more.... ahh, all these questions.
I've decided though, that I'll let myself train "how I feel" between now and the end of the year (so about another week). And in that time period I'll attempt to figure out my training plan for the next 4 months.
Tonight I did a GF-type workout. I started with a 1.5 mile loop that put me back at my doorstep. So I did some spiders and pushups. Went out for another 1.5 mile loop, this time pushing the pace (I could feel that! Wow! The longest 1.5 miles ever!) Then I did situps, planks, and a 2 min wall sit before heading out for my last 1.5 mile loop. This time I ran the loop easy (but nicely, it still was a 9 min pace - ish) then I finished up with some additional pushups and stretching. It was a good solid hour workout that got a little bit of everything in.
I hope to get out on my bike again tomorrow, and hopefully hit the pool for a longer swim workout.
Until then...

Rebuilding the Foundation

Today is my day off from work, so I enjoyed sleeping in and a lazy morning. I was wide awake by 8am, but the true luxury was being able to lay in bed and watch T.V. until I felt compelled to actually get up. Those days are few and far between in my world, so I enjoyed it thoroughly this morning.
By 10:30 I was dressed and ready to take on the traffic and road hazards florida had to throw at me on my bike. I had planned to ride for about an hour. After 35 min or so, I found myself back at the gate of the Polo Club, so I decided to ride through the Polo Club and home. My total ride was 45 min. I averaged 17 mph and went 13 miles. All but one section of road was light traffic, and most drivers gave me plenty of room. It wasn't bad at all getting out there again.
Last winter I got a lot of experience by riding with a group of 'Roadies' on monday night. They were an intense group, riding in a pace line on roads without shoulders at night. There is nothing like riding in the middle of a pace line at night at 20mph with your only focus being the white line and the tire of the guy in front of you. You did what you had to to keep up! So I stopped into the bike shop this afternoon to inquire about the rides again. They are still holding them on monday nights, but then I asked about riding with a tri bike... yeah, just as I expected, they don't like us "Tri Geeks" riding in a pace line with aerobars. Looks like I'm on my own this year. That's ok, he gave me a good route with safe roads to ride on. Maybe next year I can swing a road bike and ride with them in the future...
After my bike ride, I headed over to the pool for a quick swim. Best to start getting in the habit of swimming a few times a week again. I can tell it's been a long time since I swam any distance. After a 100m I was breathing like I'd never swam before. So it's time to hit the pool on a regular basis and start rebuilding that aerobic foundation. I'd actually like to find a swim group to help me work on my technique a little bit, since I'm certain that is partially why I am so slow in the water.
Well, I've got some more errands to run, so I'd best be off. Catch ya' later.

Putting the wheels in motion

Monday I finally took the bike out for an inagural ride. I think I must have smiled the entire time. When I stepped outside, I thought it might be a bit chilly... but in no time I was working up a sweat. I didn't go far - about a 30 min ride, averaging 16 mph. It was nice to get out there again.
Tonight I went for a run - just over 6.5 miles. It was cool and overcast. Perfect for an evening run. I was running about a 9:30 pace with walk breaks every mile or so. All was well until the end when my stomach decided that it was not happy... guess I'll have to figure out what I ate last, and remember to NOT EVER eat that before a run again!!
Tomorrow is my day off, so I'm planning on taking my bike out for an easy ride to refamiliarize myself with the roads. I'll probably hit the pool as well. Until next time...

Acclimation

Sorry it's been awhile since I checked in last... But I'm finally in sunny south Florida. Yay. It's been sunny and high 70s, so it's been a great change from the sub-zero temps of Minnesota.
After driving for 2 full days it was time to go for a run. Matt and I did an easy 6.5 miles our first day out. It felt VERY warm, but in reality, it wasn't THAT hot, we just weren't used to it. It felt good to really sweat.
The following day we did a GF-type workout. With a 1.5 mile warmup then situps and pushups then a lap around the condo with more situps/pushups, spiders and of course, a wall sit. I can tell that it's been a couple weeks since I last did spiders - I definitely enjoyed them the next day :)
The past couple days I've been feeling a little tired, and Matt and I have been enjoying the "Palm Beach Experience" so I haven't worked out much. Lots of good food and a trip to the ocean. Next week I'll pay for all my extravagence - no more eating out and plenty of working out!
Until next time...

One Last Run

Tomorrow morning I'll hit the road, so today I'll enjoy one last winter run in Minnesota. I've gotten a couple easy runs in the past few days, but nothing to challenging. I did a nice hour run on thursday around Delano, and then an easy 4 or so miles yesterday. I'll probably put forth some effort today to start the calories burning for the road trip tomorrow!
Well, not much else to report, so I'll keep this updated from Sunny Florida later this week!
Until then!!

The countdown begins

One week from now I'll be enjoying warmer temps and a bit more sunshine. I'm in the final packing stages for getting ready for Florida. Today I checked out my bike, and made sure it was in good working order for some heavy duty riding. I pedaled around my basement, and now I cannot wait to get back out there! Yay!
I've gotten in a couple of good workouts this week. Probably not as many as I should, but that's why the call it the "off season," right? Monday night GF was held at the Interchange Bldg. 21 flights of fun... 5 times.... it was definitely hard, but I felt ok during it, and enjoyed getting my heartrate WAY up there. I thought I'd be really sore, but on Tuesday my quads were tired, but not so much sore, and my calves were tight. Tuesday night we did 2 laps around Lake Nakomis with the "Crazy Swimmers" and topped it off with Burgers and Beer. The snowy, chilly, evening run was very enjoyable, and it felt good to get the blood moving in my legs and work out some of the tightness from the previous day's workout.
Wednesday the soreness from Monday set in a little bit more, but not horrible. I spent the evening getting caught up on details for FL (and baking cookies.) So I didn't get a workout in. I took Henry for a couple long walks though, so that must count for something...
Today I'm planning on going for a run. I'm not sure how long... I'm going to take Henry and run around town here. We'll see how we feel. It's a beautiful sunny day, although a bit chilly, but it should be a nice day for a run.
Until next time!

Playing Catch Up

Geez, it seems like it's been forever since I've had a chance to update my blog. After returning from a relatively relaxing trip to Michigan, I had to hit the ground running...
The Sunday after I returned, I had to move and that was enough to send me spinning in all directions. Needless to say, I didn't get the workouts in that I had hoped, but I'm starting to get back on track again.
I made it to GF last wednesday, and that was the usual workout. I ran a short 30 minutes on friday in the snow with Henry, and then again on Sunday afternoon. Tonight it's off to GF again to do stairs in the Interchange bldg. That is supposed to be a tough workout. We'll see how it goes! I need to do some serious calorie burning! This will be my last GF workout before leaving for Florida. I am definitely starting to look forward to the sunny south after these sub-zero temps!!!
Until next time!

Snowy Run

My last Michigan run proved to be the snowiest, but not the coldest. Yesterday's run definitely takes the top prize for that!!
Today I did 7 miles heading south again towards the river. It was snowing big, fluffy flakes, and it was so pretty and peaceful. Almost made it feel like Christmas.
It got me to thinking what it would be like to spend a winter in the North again, where I could fully enjoy winter - skiing, snowshoeing, etc. There's a common misconception that because I go to Florida for the winter, I don't like winter - I do like winter, and I enjoy the snow. Going out in the cold, makes it so much nicer to come in, take a sinfully hot shower, and enjoy a warm beverage in front of the fireplace. Ahhhh...
Well, better get going. Nearly time to catch my flight back to Minneapolis. I'm looking forward to getting back to my own place. Until next time...

Frozen Snowbird Part 2

So if yesterday wasn't cold enough and snowy enough - today certainly is! I woke to temps around 10 degrees, and the wind howling around the windows and doors. The wind chill made it feel like -5. bRRR!
I waited until noon before heading out for a run in case the wind died down some or the temps came up. yeah, neither happened, so I put on all my layers and headed out. This time to the north into the wind. It was SOOO cold. I lasted 17 minutes before the wind and cold got to me. I turned for home, and with the wind at my back, it was nearly blowing me over. The gravel roads were icy and slippery, so combined with the force of the wind, my run was a little treacherous.
35 min. was all I could stand today. I had hopes of getting in an hour and a half run or more, but with the weather, I figure I'll make up for it another day. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Frozen Snowbird

Monday I finally got to go running again with my friend, Anne Marie. We had been talking about these hills at the park near her house for months. I love to run hills, and Anne Marie had been telling me how tough they were, and how I had to see them. So I get there Monday, and we drive to the park, only to find that it's closed!! What a bummer. We didn't risk running the park anyway, because they said it was closed due to "Deer Management." So we did a nice 5.5 mile run around her subdivisions. It was fun to chat, and enjoy her company like old times.
Afterward we went to lunch and shopping. It's a darned good thing that I carbo-loaded up at lunch because I needed all the energy I had to keep up with that girl in the Mall. Whew! I was exhausted by the time we were done. But I sure got a good lesson in Marathon Bargain Shopping (MBS 101!) It was such a fun day, and then for a recovery we went home and recarbo-loaded on pasta before heading out one more time to Meijer. We don't have Meijer in Minnesota, so we had to hit that before really calling it a day.
After shopping and running on Monday, I needed Tuesday as a recovery day. Well, maybe not really, but I didn't make time for a workout, and before long it was 9:30 at night, and I was sound asleep.
Today was another story though. There aren't many runs that I have where I can say that I froze my eyelashes, but today was one of those days! Michigan got hit with a winter storm this morning, and I was desperate to get a run in. I headed out this morning with temps in the 20s and the wind blowing so hard it was snowing horizontally. I put on my layers - 2 layers on the bottom, 3 on top, 2 pairs of gloves and ear warmers. For some, that may seem like overkill, but I was nice and toasty.
I did an out and back, starting into the wind with just over 6 miles total (Probably 6.2 or.3). The first half mile was the hardest, getting used to the snow in your face and howling wind in your ears. But as I got warmer, and the road got more protected, it wasn't so bad. I was actually enjoying myself.
There's not much that is more peaceful than making fresh tracks on a quiet country road in the snow. I ran down by the river, where the road snakes through the woods, so I was protected from the winds, and it was so beautiful. Then I turned for home, and with the wind at my back I was almost too warm.
I didn't set any speed records with that wind, but I know I got a good workout in. It is still snowing, and it supposed to all night. Tomorrow I'd like to do a long run to help rationalize the Thanksgiving feast. I'll be anxious to get out there tomorrow and make another set of fresh tracks in the morning. Until next time...

Week at a glance

Looks like I've been a bit deliquent this week in my entries. Sorry about that - time flys when you're having fun!
After tuesday night, I went to GF on wednesday. I got there a little early and ran probably 2 miles on the indoor track - I'm glad I don't have to do that very often - Booo-rrrr-iinnng! Then it was the usual 2 hour or so workout, and off to the Spur for reloading.
Thursday night I made it to the pool. I had good intentions of getting there early, but ended up only having a half hour to swim. Which ended up being just fine, given I felt like I was swimming like a water buffalo. Not Very Well!. The 800 yards I managed to get through were torturous. So much for my great swim on tuesday night. I thought there might be some carry over from that, but I guess not.
Friday I took as a rest day. My cough from last month was wanting to come back, and I was stuffed up most of the day. I had planned to run, since I knew Saturday there wouldn't be time. But in an effort to beat this cough before it becomes something like the last one, I opted for 2 rest days back to back.
Saturday I worked, and then flew to Michigan to visit my family. It was an uneventful flight, so that is always good!!
Today is sunday, and I managed a 5 mile run this afternoon. It felt great. As soon as I started to run, my mood lifted, and I felt like I could run forever. I don't know if it was the familiar roads, the kick start of the endorphens flowing, or the music on my Mp3, but it was good stuff. I don't call them "Therapy Runs" for nothing!
As a side note - the trip home hasn't been as good for Henry - the flight was no big deal for him (he's racked up as many frequent flyer miles as I do) but he managed to get himself into a dog fight with my parents dogs today, and had to go to the vet :( "Poor Henry" has 2 sutured puncture wounds on either side of his neck with drain tubes. The good news is, the drain tubes come out friday, but the stiches stay in for a full 2 weeks. No running for "Poor Henry" for awhile now.
Well, that's the news for now... Until Next time...

Energizer Bunny

Tuesday was a good training day. The weather was less than ideal - no snow, just 40s and rain. Yuck. But I got out there and put in a 4 mile run in the mud and rain. Sometimes it's so much more gratifying when you can out-train mother nature. It was one of those runs that you do simply because you love to run. And you think about how miserable you'd be if you couldn't run, so every step and every breath you enjoy what your body is capable of doing.
Later than evening I headed to the pool, with intentions of doing 400 repeats, to work on my endurance in the pool. Lately I've had trouble swimming more than 1000 yds in a workout. So I thought if I lengthen my intervals then the distance might go by faster. I did 100 to warm up and some stretches, then I settled into my first 400. It was easy. I just kept swimming - back and forth, back and forth. Sort of like a ping pong ball... I did 2 sets of 400 with 1 min of rest between them. Then I knew I only need one more set of 400 and a 300 to make a mile. So because I was on a roll I did 800 without rest. It was so great. I felt awesome. When I finished my 800, a group was getting organized for water aerobics that immediately follows lap swim, and one of the ladies says to me, " Are you training for the Olympics?" Then another one says, "How many laps did you swim?" So I explained to them I had just swam an 800 at the end, and a total of 1700 yards, and that I was hoping to train one day for an Ironman...
It was cool to have done my longest swim in a pool ever, and then have someone comment on how impressed they were by the distance. I smiled all the way home. It's good stuff.
It finally started snowing last night, and the temps have continued to drop. So it's mighty cold out today. If I'm feeling ambitious after I do some packing I may brave the great outdoors for a short run before GF tonight. Until next time...

Monday

Tonight it was off to the Lindberg center again for an evening of GF. Since we're not running much (or as much as I'd like) during the workouts, I try to get a few extra miles in beforehand. Tonight I went immediately after work with Henry, but we still ended up a little short on time and daylight, so we probably only did 3 miles. The GF workout was the usual circuits around the track. Maybe one of these days I'll have the abs to show for doing all those situps... yeah, that'll happen the day I give up beer and chocolate chip cookies!!
Tomorrow I'm planning a run in the morning, and a swim in the evening. Hopefully I'll be able to make tracks in the fresh snow... I love the first snowfall!

Weekend of Slacking

It's already Sunday night, and besides packing, well I haven't gotten much done.
I attempted to run on Saturday - here was my conundrum - get up early and run before having to be at work by 8:30am, get off work at 4:30 pm. Or get up early and be at work by 7:30 finish work at 3:30, run for an hour and be done by 4:30. I opted for going to work early, since at least then I was being held accountable by my boss for getting out of bed - those of you who know me, I am not one to get up early for a solo workout (I can meet anyone for a run at 5am, but to do so alone, ha! Not going to happen). But anyway, I went to work, and planned to come home, change and immediately go for a run - well, that was going great until a thunderstorm moved in about 3pm... I put on my "rain" jacket, and trail shoes and headed out the door. Within 8 min, the sky opened up and it started to "slush" (hail, but not) and the wind was blowing it horizontally into my face. If it hadn't started to thunder and lightening, I may have continued... but since I was the tallest point on the top of a hill, I decided to high tail it home. Quite literally, within 2 minutes, I was soaked to the skin. So apparently my "rain" jacket, is more of a wind barrier! Live and Learn, right?! My total run was 15 min. Hardly worth the effort. But it kept me inspired to do some situps and pushups and yoga stuff to almost call it a "workout". Then it was off for dinner and a night in downtown Minneapolis. From the Piano Bar to the English Pub to the Diner with AWESOME desserts, a good time was had by all. So I think next week, I'll be paying for my drinking and extravagence through twice a day workouts. Time to stop slacking. The holiday season is knocking at the door, so I best keep up the workouts so I can eat as I please. As my friend Anne Marie says, "Let the eating begin!"
Well, I best get on with more packing, so I can start to see some progress as I pack up the house. Until next time...

Where did all my energy go??

T.G.I.F. I think this has been the longest week ever!
Wednesday night I introduced Matt to the world of Go Fast at the Lindberg Center. It was a good overall workout, and I caught some flack for actually staying for the entire workout. Lately I've been leaving after an hour.
Since then though, I have been so tired. I'm not sure what the deal is. I'm eating well enough (no worse than usual), getting a fair amount of sleep (I haven't been out late all week), and taking my vitamins. So I'm not sure why I can't shake this feeling of fatigue. I didn't workout at all on thursday. I was going to swim, but by 6pm, I was done with the day. Tonight (friday) I made myself get out there for a short run/walk. I know how much worse I feel when I go 2 days without anything. I feel a little better, but a nap would have helped. My 20 minute power-nap-window of time got continually interrupted by a crazy dog, and a ringing telephone. Oh well.
Tomorrow I'm going to try to get an hour run in. Maybe even before work, if I'm really ambitious. I'm planning on enjoying some quality time on my own tonight to start to recharge my batteries.
Until next time...

Active Recovery

I think I may have finally recovered from the 10 mile PR on sunday. Monday and most of Tuesday my hamstrings were in knots, but today I'm finally feeling a little looser.
Monday night I went to GF for the strength training. I skipped the stairs, and ran the laps easy (as if I had any choice, running was downright painful). It was good to share my race story with other runners, and work something other than my legs.
Tuesday night we had a run planned, and I wanted to get in the pool before doing any more running. So I managed to get myself out of bed at 6am, and get 1000yds in. The first half was tough. My body was stiff and sore, but eventually the cool water helped loosen me up some. I had one horse to ride at work that day, and you don't realize how much hamstring strength riding uses until yours are sore! Needless to say, the horse didn't get much of a workout yesterday. The run last night was great fun. Our "crazy swimming" group met for a "Burger Bun Fun Run." Run 3-4 miles and then indulge in burgers and beer. Yum. It was dark when we met, so we doned headlamps and headed down the Luce Line trail. There were 8 of us, and 3 dogs, so it was quite fun. The pace for the first half was fairly quick, and I could feel it, but we slowed some on the way back, and my legs worked out the last of the soreness. I'm feeling pretty good today. Tonight I'll head over to GF again and this time add in the stairs and more running.

10 Miler

Today was the 10 mile race in White Bear Lake. And it was AWESOME!!!
I had hoped to run an 8:30 pace to PR after last year's 1:24 finish. I knew that an 8:30 pace would be a challenge, but if I was feeling strong and confident it would be "do-able." Well, it was more than do-able for me today. I'm not sure whose legs I had, but they were fast! Much faster than any I've done before. It was so cool to run fast, and be outside of your comfort zone, but also know that you were going to be ok.
I came in at 1:21:57. I put in 4 (Yep, 4!) sub 8 min miles. The first mile I clocked in 7:54, and I was almost certain it was going to be a long 9 miles. But then the next one was sub-8, and then it got a little hilly, so the next few were right around 8:10 or so. Then I walked an aid station at mile 6, took a gu, and put in a 8:40 mile. Then it was right back to solid 8's. Even when I was feeling like I was slowing, I just kept clocking them in. It was such a cool feeling. I don't know what the magic was - if it was the cool weather (although humid/damp), nutrition (magic bagel and peanut butter with coffee beforehand) or simply I knew that I had nothing to lose. I had no excuses. I wasn't over trained, under trained, or have another big race on the horizon I needed to save myself for. So I just ran. I tried to stay relaxed, and focused.
I thought of AnneMarie at mile 2 when I realized I forgot my jolly ranchers, and I could've used one.... I thought of my buddy, Ryan, who I always run well with, and we had ran this same race together the year before. And then I had a Gordon Lightfoot song running through my head on auto repeat... Go figure. Well, what ever it was, it worked, and I had fun day.
Then it was nice to relax for the remainder of the day, and not have an agenda. So many times I do these runs and races, and I have to hurry back to work that afternoon. Today it was nice to just enjoy some good company. ;)

Friday

Friday night was the last of the series of night adventure runs. So we had a team of 4 and attempted the long "championship" course. It was a lot of fun, running around in the dark searching for controls. In case we got separated, we came up with a call - instead of "Marco. Polo." We used our team name, "Booze. Cruise." It was quite funny. We found all the controls, and didn't finish last. Yay! Based on the course, I bet we ran close to 4 + miles.
Earlier in the day I had some extra time, so I took Henry for a long walk on the Luce Line trail. This time closer to Long Lake/Orno. I haven't been to that end of the trail, so it was a nice change of scenery. We walked for about an hour and 10 or 15 min, and went just over 4 miles.
Today (Saturday) I'm taking the day off from training. Tomorrow is my 10 mile race, so I figured tonight I can carbo-load (as if I really need to... ) hangout, and not worry about getting a workout in.

Thursday

Today I went for an easy 30 min run, to stretch my legs. It was nearly dark when I got home, so I headed right out with Henry and I both in our reflective vests. I could tell that I ran a little hard yesterday as I climbed the first couple hills. My legs were definitely feeling heavy.
Afterwards, I headed to the pool for a quick 1000 yd swim. Initially I did some drill work to spice it up, then added 4x100s with 20 sec rest. And a final 200 to cool down.
I was feeling a little tired, but overall it was a good workout.

Wednesday Run

Wednesday afternoon I headed our for an hour run on the Luce Line trail. It was another beautiful Indian summer day with temps near 65. I was able to go out in shorts and a t-shirt. It's hard to believe we're already into November!
I took Henry and we headed out towards Watertown, since I think that's the most scenic, and I'd have a headwind to start. It's great because that part of the trail passes lakes, fields, and huge stands of trees. My favorite section is about 3 miles out, and you run past a lake, and then into this canopy of trees that makes you feel like you're really out in the wilderness. I think I slow down, just to enjoy the crunching of leaves under my feet, and to gaze at the trees over my head. The sun was just starting to set, so it really illuminated the tree tops. It was so cool.
On the outbound 3 miles, I ran relatively easy, and averaged a 9:40 pace or so. I had my GPS on, so I figured I should check my race pace again before sunday. For the first 2 miles back I really pushed the pace, and found myself holding an 8:15 pace. And feeling good. The last mile in I used as a cool down. I could've run forever. It was such a perfect night, and you could feel the different temps of the air pockets as you ran through the different areas. And I felt strong, even at a faster pace, so I just enjoyed the feeling of running fast and listening to my mp3 player provide a soundtrack to the crunching of leaves under my feet.
Good times...

Tuesday

I think I've finally caught up on my sleep from our Sunday morning antics. Since I only got one workout in 3 days in, I figured it was time to start up on twice a day workouts again. I'm not going really hard right now, so overtraining is certainly not an issue! But I'd at least like to burn off the calories I'm taking in - especially now with Halloween behind us, and the major holidays on the horizon...
Monday I got in a 4 mile run on lunch. Running on my 1 hour lunch break is a time management challenge since there's just barely enough time. But it was good excuse to push the pace, and see how I felt before this sunday's race. I hope to run hard on Sunday, and possibly set a P.R. To do so, I need to average an 8:30 pace. Not totally out of the question, but definitely challeging. Later on Monday I went to GF for the first half of the workout. I had to represent the "7:20 Slackers" from Sunday morning. It was fun to share our story with the group, and now everyone thinks I've lost my mind!
Tonight I headed to the pool for a 1000 yard swim. I did 75yd repeats with 10sec rest between them, then an easy 100 after every set of 4x75's. I'm still working on bilateral breathing, and it is getting easier. And I'm feeling a little faster, too. Probably not much faster, but tonight I was definitely working, and that felt good.
Tomorrow is my day off, so between packing up my house (we're moving to a new one, a half mile away) I'm going to try to get some running and biking in. I hope the weather is good. Until next time....

Short on sleep. Long on fun.

Question of the day - do you log a 2am run for that day or for the previous day since you haven't slept? That is the question I'm struggling with this morning. Did my run at 2am sunday morning count as Sunday's run or Saturday's run?
It's a long story... but Minnesotan runners are certifiably crazy. No question about that. To give a quick recap - a group of us did a run in April the night Daylight Savings Time started. We did 14 miles ending close to midnight. It was a hoot. It ended up being myself, and 4 of my favorite married men. We had one incident with a crazy guy looking for hug, but otherwise it was a great run.
So now that Daylight Savings Time has come to an end, a discussion was started about doing a run similar to what we did in the spring. In a collective effort to not be the "party pooper" everyone agreed that running at 2am would be a good idea - that way it wouldn't take any time at all - you'd run from 2am to 2am. Talk about a new P.R. finishing the same time you started!
So we organized ourselves a few minutes before 2am on the shores of Lake Calhoun for a run around Lakes Calhoun and Harriett. The "typical" Sunday morning run. Our group managed to grow to 8 of us total. There had been a call for costumes since we were running the day before Halloween. Most costumes were of the "Marathon-Wanna-Be" variety, but one soul did show up as a Caveman. It was too funny. Club and all to keep the "huggers" away!
Before we had scheduled the run, I had agreed to meet a group of friends for a night at the bar. So instead of cancelling bar night for a run - it worked out perfectly - it was the best way to stay away until 2am! Go drinking!! WOO-HOO! So 4 beers and a Captains and Coke (for the caffine, of course) later, we were on our way... I didn't feel too bad until I realized how dehydrated I was, and golly our pace felt fast! But as someone said, "when the run takes no time at all, it's gotta' be fast!" It was entirely too much fun.
In an effort to prove to the Sunday morning group we actually did it, we inscribed our initials in sidewalk chalk beneath the statement "7:20 Slackers, 2am-2am"
Good times were had by all, and since I had to be at work and functioning at 7:30 later that morning, I skipped out on a quality breakfast at Perkins, but I'm sure there are stories from that, too.

Midweek Workouts

Wednesday night I headed to GF for a group workout. I had a hard time working up the ambition to get there, but once I was there it was a good workout, and I'm happily a little sore today. I figured if I didn't go, it could be all week before I saw anyone other than my boss - so a little social interaction would be a good thing!
Today was another beautiful day. With clear sunny skies, and temps near 60. I took my bike in for a new seat, and some handlebar adjustments earlier in the week, so today was a perfect day to take it for a spin. I wasn't sure how I'd feel given I haven't ridden much lately. I actually enjoyed it. I rode for a full hour (I think it's the longest I've ridden since my last tri...) and felt pretty good. I wasn't fast, and I wasn't pushing the pace either, but it was nice to get out on a nice evening. The sun went down while I was out, and the temps felt like they dropped a few degrees, so by the time I got home it was downright chilly. It'll be nice to ride this winter in sunny florida. I'll just have to remind myself of everyone here putting in the miles on the trainer when I'm having difficulty motivating myself to ride when it's 70 degrees!
Otherwise all is well. I'll try to get a short workout in tomorrow. Then I think my "long" run for the weekend, might just happen at 2am... But that's another story... I'll keep you posted! If I thought my tri-buddies were crazy, my running-buddies are at least equally crazy!
Until next time... Run fast, take chances.

Another Tuesday

Tonight I finally headed back to the pool. I've done a lot of running the past few days so it was time to cross train. I'm enjoying swimming more this year than last, but it's not nearly as much fun going to the pool as it was heading to the lake to meet our group. The water however, is much warmer than it would be at the lake though, so I won't complain too much! I managed a 1300 yard swim - just shy of a mile. I'm working on bilateral breathing, and I'm finally getting to the point where I can breathe to the right without feeling like I'm sinking.
Sunday I headed over to the Lakes to meet our 7:20 running group. I met a friend of mine early, so we could do a little extra and get in an even 8 miles. I found myself running a min or two behind, and had to sprint to catch up to him right off the bat. Nothing like getting your heart rate up right away! It was a dark, and dreary morning, but it ended up being a great morning for a run. Good conversation and comraderie made for a good start to the day.
I had Monday off, and had possibly planned a bike ride, but it was very chilly, so I opted for a short run instead. About 3 miles, easy with Henry.
I figured I ran about 20 miles between friday and monday, not bad given I don't have a big race on the horizon yet.

3 day weekend

Hoorray it's Saturday! And another 3 day weekend at that. It's so nice to have some extra time to call my own. And what am I going to do with that time? Train and sleep, essentially. Oh, and have some fun, too.
Here's a little update on what I've been up to. Wednesday night I headed over to GF for a little running and some sit ups and push ups. I find that I won't make myself do it on my own, so it's good to keep going. I had to cut out early since it was my roommate's birthday, and we had a night on the town planned. It was entirely too much fun.
Thursday I spent recovering....
Friday night was another Adventure Run, and my teammate and I picked up another recruit, so there were 3 of us, and were cruising through the woods checking off controls like we were old pros. Well, that might be a slight exaggeration - huffing and puffing up hills to keep up with the boys might be a better description! The good news was, this week we weren't last!
This morning it was off to a 5 mile race through apple orchards and corn mazes. There were 4 of us, and we agreed to keep the pace "leisurely." Ha! It wasn't a PR, but the pace was definitely not leisurely! Especially with the all out sprint to the finish... It was a lot of fun, and the day turned out spectacular. The weather forecasted was for 40's and rain, but the morning brought clear blue skys and plenty of sunshine. I think it's going to be a great weekend! Until next time...

Race Finish Times

5k
April Fools Race - April '04 26:45

8k
Minnetonka - June '04 40:10
Run for the Apples - October '05 47:3?

10k
Healthy Kids - May '04 52:26
Legends - July '05

10 Mile
Freedom - November '04 1:24
Freedom - November '05 1:21:57

1/2 Marathon
Urband Wildlands - August '04 1:55:35
Earth Day - April '05 1:55:31
Big Woods - October '05 2:01

Marathon
Honolulu - December '03 4:43
Twin Cities - October '04 4:09
Bayshore - May '05 4:38

Triathlons
Turtleman - August '05 3:09
1 mile swim 37:42
t1 2:04
25 mile bike 1:51:29 (flat actual 1:15)
t2 2:04
5 mile run 44:12 (8:40 pace)

Square Lake Long Course - September '05 6:48:37
1.2 mile swim 43:39
t1 3:32
56 mile bike 3:28:15 (16.3 avg)
13.1 mile run 2:30:19 (11:29 pace)

Tuesday

Another beautiful Minnesota afternoon, breezy, clear, low 70s. So I decided to give my running legs a break, and I headed out on the bike.
It was more than a little breezy - it was downright windy! My usual ride into Watertown, about 4 miles which takes me maybe 15 min on a good day, took me over 18 min, and an average speed of 15 mph.. feeling out of shape on the bike, I turned for home - You've gotta' love a tail wind! I was now cruising at 20 mph, and was back home in 14 min... The ride home was entirely too much fun. I wish all my rides were as fun as the return trip was today.
Then I headed back to the pool - first time in 2 weeks... So much for my goals of getting there twice a week... After 800 yards, my arms were on fire, and my legs felt like lead... So I called it a day. My arms may have been more tired than usual after throwing around 80 bales of hay today at work...
It felt like a decent workout night all in all.

The start of another week

Somehow the last few days have managed to slip away, and I've gotten slow on keeping up on my blog...
The good news is that I have gotten some fun and good training in since last wednesday.
Friday night was a fun adventure run in the dark. We had to find these points on a map using a compass and headlamps to get around. My teammate and I came in dead last... but we had fun, and probably ran close to 3-4 miles. It's totally different running trails in the dark, especially when you don't know your way around!
Saturday morning it was off to Nerstrand/Big Woods for a half marathon on trails. Having not gotten in a long run over 10 miles in three weeks, and not having ran a half marathon distance since Square Lake, I wasn't feeling overly prepared. Plus I was slightly sleep deprived (my own fault... but we'll leave those stories for another blog!!) My goal was to simply run the distance, maybe keep a 10 min/mile pace, and enjoy the woods in the autumn.
I started out at about 9:30 miles, and felt good, after about 3 miles, and leapfrogging through the crowd (and nearly getting hit by a deer - no joke!) my pace slowly started to increase, and I found myself running 8:30's when I could and 9 min/miles as the terrain got more challenging. I was a little nervous as I clicked off the miles, and found myself ahead of some of the other people I knew. I wasn't sure how much I had in my "tank" and didn't want to totally crash the last few miles. I felt myself starting to run out of steam at about 10 miles, and decided that I would hold onto what ever pace I could to take it in the last 5k. I ended up running it in with another triathlete who'd been running near me all race, and we struck up a conversation, and soon enough we were on our way up the road to the finish line outside a church. I finished in 2:01. I was so happy with that. It's not a PR, but for trail conditions and not being prepared, I felt I ran a strong race. It was a gorgeous day with blue skys and sunshine - cool temps before the race started, warming to the 60's probably. It was a fun morning. Then it was off to work for the remainder of the day... no post-race savoring of your acomplishment...
Sunday was a busy day, with being at work at 6:30 am, getting off later than expected, and plans that afternoon, my training went out the window.
Monday I went for a "therapy" run - and it was great. Another beautiful day, but very windy. I plugged into my MP3 player, grabbed Henry's leash, and ran until I decided to turn around. I didn't have much time, so it was only just over a half an hour, but I came back with a much better lease on life. It was great. It was one of those days that reminds you why you love to run, and why you keep getting out there day after day.
Well, another beautiful afternoon is beckoning -- maybe it'll be a bike ride and swim... so I'm off to seek inspiration.

Wednesday

Tonight I elected to head back to my running group. They've started doing workouts inside again since the days are getting shorter. It's not nearly as much fun doing circuits on an inside track as it is outside, but it's still a good workout. We don't end up running as much milage, but the running we do is a higher intensity and complemented with running stairs and strength training. Overall, it can be a tough workout.
Having not been in a few weeks, I felt a little out of shape when it came to the number of sit-ups and push-ups I was comfortable doing. Then we did this "lunge" type exercize called 'spiders' that doesn't hurt while you are doing them, but definitely come back to bite the next day -- having a half marathon this weekend, I only did a few of those, and I don't think I'll regret cutting it short! We also did the wall sit - ouch.. Haven't done that in awhile either. It was a good workout, and I'm glad I went. I think if I can make it once a week, it will be a nice complement to what else I'm doing.

Up the Ante

Tuesday night I found an open water swim workout on my calender. Hmm... who could be crazy enough for that? It is October, in Minnesota, and we've had frost almost every night this week...
Well, there is a small group of us who like to continue to "Up the Ante" so to speak. First it was the challenge of swimming in September without a race-goal, then it was a "full moon swim" then a "New moon swim." Now, I think we just lost our minds in Little Long Lake, and needed to go back to find them!
I had hoped to get a swim and run in beforehand, but I got out of work later than anticipated, and decided that the run would take priority. I had a very pleasant 6 + mile run. Then it was time to pull on the swimsuit under the warm fuzzies, grab the wetsuit and head to the lake.
There was a group of 8 of us, brave enough to "swim." One of our more crazy members stated that it wasn't a true workout unless you swam for 15min. I was happy to have lasted 5! The air temp was 52 degrees when I left my house (about 10 miles away), but it was still light out, so I'm sure that after it was completely dark the temp probably dropped at least 20 degrees! Ok,well not that much, but some I'm sure ;)
The air felt chilly as we stripped off our warm fuzzies, and pulled on the wetsuits. The chill was tempered by shots of Jack Daniels however, to get the inner fires burning. And off to the water we went. It was shockingly cold. It was so cold that it took your breath away, and 'stung' your bare arms (Most of us have sleeveless wetsuits). I wasn't willing to put my face in the water, so attempted to raise my body temp back up by a vigorus doggy paddle. Tonight's swim could also be called "How to drop your core body temp in 5 min or less." But there was something really neat about it (maybe it was the buzz from the J.D... but I regress)
The 1/2 moon, and crystal clear sky over the lake was amazing. And the comraderie really made it a super evening. Our "15 min Man" did make it for the full 15 min. But was overheard saying a few "choice words" when he checked his watch, and found out it'd only be 11 min...
Getting out of the water, and into our warm clothes, the air almost felt warm - well, at least not as cold as it did the 20 min prior! To raise our body temps back up, Aquavite was served along with some very tasty banana bread before heading off to the local Ox Yoke Inn for some real food (and Hot chocolate with Baileys.. yum) and good conversation.
I think one of the funniest parts was when we sat down for dinner, the waitress came over, and we said that we'd been doing an open water swim, and her comment was simply, "Because?"
And we all had to laugh, since we were rendered speachless.

Fall Goals

These are a few of the goals I came up with on tonight's run.

1. Stay consistant, healthy, and injury free.
a. Consistant training including no more than 1 complete rest day per week.
b. Cycling twice a week, at a minimum of 1 hour per workout.
c. Swimming twice a week, at a minimum distance of 1 mile per workout.
d. 1 easy brick (bike to run) workout per week.

2. Maintain a 10 mile long run base.

3. Execute each week's training plan (no excuses for missed morning workouts!)

4. Monitor eating habits, and make better choices.

Steps toward inspiration

Tonight I had planned a moderately long run - somewhere over an hour. After work I didn't keep moving, and found myself napping on the couch... oops! So I dragged my butt out the door for a 4 mile run. This was my compromise between my longish run and none at all...
But what I found while I was out there was a little thing called inspiration. It doesn't happen very often where I return from a run with so many ideas I have to write them down. Tonight as soon as I came in, I sat down with a pen and paper. It'll take some time to actually work them out, to where they are a little more comprehensive, but I've got them! What a cool feeling.

Good Intentions

Well, all of a sudden it's sunday night, and I'm not sure where the weekend went. I think I got a little spoiled by having all/part of the weekends off lately. I did have today off, and it was a gorgeous day. Sunny, clear skys, started cool (ok, downright cold) then warmed to low 60's.
Thursday's training was a nice evening trail run. About 5 miles, 50 min or so. It was nicely rolling, and the first cool day of running this fall.
Friday, I contemplated going out on the bike, but that's about as far as I got. I took it as my rest day - thinking I might long run saturday morning
I should know myself well enough by now, that if I'm going to run early, I should find someone to train with to help hold me accountable. Getting out of bed at 5:30am on a saturday morning to go for a solo long run, is highly unlikely to happen. I'm really good at setting my alarm, and then hitting snooze without getting up - and I can do that for a LONG time! Over two hours that morning! Yikes. I worked all day saturday, and it was a great day - sunny, cool, but warm sun. So I elected instead of running after work, to go out on the bike. The biking days are numbered, so I thought I should take advantage of my inclination to get out on the bike. I did an un-satisfying 14 miles, about 52 min. I felt slow, tired, and uncomfortable. Ah well... at least I got out there.
I thought I might have time today to get a long run in. I was volunteering at an Adventure Race, and figured that since the racers would be out for 3-5 hours, I might have a little time to get out there. I didn't... but it was fun at any rate. Chatting with the racers and enjoying the good weather was a plus. I liked being out there, and being a part of it... so I was ok with missing this workout. But this is where I know that I need to be a little more serious about my training if I'm contemplating an IronMan in the future. If I'm serious about my IronMan, then I need to be serious about actually getting up at 5:30 on a saturday morning for a solo training run... So at least I know what I need to focus on.
Until next time - Kate.

Wednesday

Tonight I finally made it to the pool, and after Monday night's open water swim I vowed I'd never again complain that the pool water was cold. I got in, and it actually felt warm! Some of the other swimmers were thinking it was too cold. Whimps :)
There's even talk of more open water swims... brr, especially now that the temps have dropped into the 40s. Welcome to Minnesota...
The swim workout in the pool was actually good. Driving home afterwards I was thinking that it was almost fun... Now there's a concept! I've never thought swimming at the pool as fun, but I think it's really helped that I swam a fair amount this summer, and know that I can do the distance. Now it's just the discipline to complete the swim at the pool. There it's easy to get out when you get bored (as I have done in the past) and call it a day.
I swam a full mile - something I hadn't ever done in the pool before. The most I'd done is 1200 yards. So this was good. I did some drills and 100 repeats. I avgd between 2:17 and 2:20 /100. I swam mostly easy, and really paid attetion to technique. It turned out to be a good workout.

Tuesday

Today I decided to try out my running legs again. After work, and some procrastinating, I headed out the door. The air was chilly, and there were some lingering raindrops from the thunderstorm that had just blown through. I left my driveway, and headed up the hill, to the gravel road. I've just started running this route, and I'm finding it very enjoyable. It's only a 1/2 mile of running along the busy-ish county road I live on to an endless maze of gravel country roads. The road immediately leads up a challenging incline, but from then on it's only slightly rolling.
I thought I'd go for 4 1/2 to 5 miles, but once I got started, I felt really good, and decided to make at an hour - so 30 min out and back. I haven't found a loop yet on the gravel roads, but the out and back is nice.
It reminds me of running in Michigan a couple of years ago when I was just starting to train for my first marathon. I didn't take my MP3 player or a water carrier or anything, I just went for a run. It was pretty cool, to remember what it was like to simply run and listen to your foot falls on the road. I enjoy listening to music when I run, but I think you lose something when you do that. There is definitely something soothing about being out there alone, and free to let your mind go where ever it wants, and to listen to the sounds around you. These roads are only lightly traveled, and surrounded by fields and farms, so I think I only saw a car or two total after getting off the main road. I didn't take my GPS, and didn't worry about pace or distance. Knowing my pacing, I probably ran 9:45-9:30 miles. It was pretty easy, but I was still putting out the effort.
I had some coughing issues, especially after the 1/2 mile hill on the way home, but it wasn't enough to slow me down too much. I'm still feeling way better than I did last week. :)
I keep saying I'm going to start back to the pool... I thought maybe tonight... well, maybe tomorrow...

The crazy few

Today it was back to work, and back to reality. The morning had it's moments when I wasn't sure if maybe I'd be better off going back to bed and pulling the covers over my head...
Luckily it didn't come to those measures, but after getting kicked in the leg by a horse after only being at work for an hour, I wasn't too sure! The good news is, I was far enough away that I didn't receive the full power of the kick, and came away with hardly a bruise. Whew!
My coughing is getting less and less, and I was even able to head out on the bike tonight and not cough up a lung when I finished! Yay!! I thought I might run, but it's unseasonably warm, so biking seemed appropriate. Soon enough it'll be a bit too cool for me to actually "want" to bike... I did a loop that is about 15 miles, avg. 16.8 mph, easy. It was nice to be out, and enjoy the ride, without coughing, and without legs of lead.
Tonight, we had planned a "Moonless Swim." We had a "Moonlit Swim" on the calender for this fall, so we figured a "Moonless Swim" would be just as fun. If not more so... It was a great night. There's only a few of us left that are crazy enough to still be doing open water swims in Oct. in Minnesota... but we have a good time doing it, none the less.
Tonight it was surreal... The air temp was still in the high 70's, but the water was MUCH colder. Even colder than last week, I'd say. We planned to start at 7:30 so it'd be dark. I bought glo-sticks for us to wear on our wrists, so we could keep track of each other in the water. Mark brought a stroble light to put on the dock so we could find our way back. Henry even had a glo-stick collar. We swam across the lake like we normally do, and the view was awesome. There was clear sky just above us, but thunderheads off in the distance. The lightening was luminating the tops of the thunderheads, so it was really cool. And watching everyone swim with glo-sticks on the their wrists was fun, compared to the darkness around us. Everyone agreed it was one of the coolest things we'd done. There was definitely a "wow" factor.
Afterwards we went to grab something to eat, and hear stories of the marathon from the previous day. It turned out to be a very fun evening.
I'm so happy to finally be feeling more like myself, and to get back on the training wagon!!

Marathon Weekend

It's been a busy few days, so I haven't been able to keep a daily log of activites. And plus, there hasn't been much training to follow anyway.
After wednesday night's coughing disaster on the track, thursday I took as a rest day. I even made an appointment with the doctor for friday morning.
Friday morning, it was determined that I had a sinus infection, and was given antibiotics. I relaxed for the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon before I had to volunteer at the pre-race expo. I elected to save my long run I had scheduled for saturday. It's rare that I have 3 days off in a row, so it's been a bit of a mini-vacation for me. Friday night was a blast. Where else can you talk running with fellow runners for hours on end. It was so cool to enjoy the excitement and energy of all the athletes there.
Saturday morning I attempted to run long. It got me about 2.5 miles. It was a splendid day - sunny, cool, the trees just starting to change color. I took Henry over to Lake Rebecca again, with plans to run the mountain bike course a few times. Well, that didn't happen. My energy levels were down, and it felt like all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. I decided it was back to the couch for me.
So I did something I rarely do, I sat down in the middle of a beautiful day, and read a book. Then met a friend for coffee before heading out to dinner.
Today I think the antibiotics are starting to kick in, because I'm feeling much more like myself. Even after cheering all morning, I'm hardly coughing, and not nearly as tired.
I've never watched a marathon before, so it was really neat to be on the sidelines cheering everyone on at the 20 mile mark. It was very motivating and inspiring. I can't wait to plan my next marathon. There is definitely something special about 26.2 miles. There is magic in the marathon.
So thoughts on my next marathon are possibly Disney in January (the Goofy challenge is already full... bummer...) then rumor has it some of my friends are doing a race in New Mexico in March... then there's definitely the Grand Island Marathon in July and TCM next October.
Until next time... Run Fast, Take Chances...

Wednesday

Tonight was GF track night. It's the week leading up to Twin Cities Marathon (sunday), so turnout was low, as everyone is tapering for the weekend.
Today feels like fall for sure - very windy, and temps in the low 50's. Time to dig out the windbreaker and long pants. The track was chilly as we did 400 and 200 repeats. I ran the warm up and 2x200s, then 4x400s and by that point I was coughing so bad, I could hardly breathe. The 400 repeats were a relay-style, so I had plenty of rest, but I would finish one and still be coughing when it was my turn to go again. After 4x400s I called it a night. There was no point in me coughing like that in the cold and wind.
Something's gotta' give with this cough. I have friday off, and depending on how I feel tomorrow, I may very well seek some "professional help" for this (Yikes, I never go to the Doc!) But it's been hanging on for way to long.

Tuesday

Another beautiful fall day. I scheduled an easy brick workout for today. Since I was lacking in the brick workout-department this summer, I figured now would be a good time to get into the habit of actually doing a brick workout, so by next year they'll be second nature.
The stiff breeze blowing over the hilltop was also blowing away my motivation when I got home from work, but I finally convinced myself that I'd ride into town and figure out where the pool is at the H.S. They offer lap swim twice a day for $2 a session - much cheaper and closer than the gym! But I needed to find the pool before I decide to go over there at the crack of dawn later in the week. So instead of driving, I took my bike. It was an easy 13 min ride there (so in theory, I could ride my bike to my swim workouts...yeah...right...) I figured once I was out on the bike, I might as well ride a bit before having to ride home into the wind. I got in an easy 45 min ride, and so as soon as I got home, I changed into my running shoes, grabbed Henry's leash and headed out the door. The run was for Henry's benefit... Whatever mind games it takes, I guess...
I felt good, even though I coughed the entire run - being on the bike does that, but the transition from bike to run wasn't bad at all today.
Tomorrow is GF track night, and then thursday I'll try to finally get to the pool.

Monday

Sunday morning I woke up tired and cranky, and as a result didn't have much motivation for my workout. It didn't help that the weather was rainy and dreary, so heading out on the bike wasn't sounding too much like fun.
Sunday I had to work, and by the afternoon, I wasn't feeling very good at all. My cough and cold are still hanging on, so I settled for some stretching - still sore from friday's run (go figure...) and a few sit ups and push ups.
Sunday night I manged to get a good solid 9 hours of sleep and woke up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world (well, sort of).
Today was beautiful, sunny, low 60's probably. I took the bike out for an easy 30 min ride working on keeping my cadence up. I avg. 16.3 mph and an avg cadence of 92. Afterwards, a group of us met for an end of season open water swim. The water is getting rather chilly, but once you're in and start swimming it's not so bad. We didn't swim for long, but it was fun, and it's good to get back in the water.
This week I plan on heading back to the pool. :( It'll be good to work on drills and getting more effeceint in the water this fall and winter. I compare open water swimming to trail running, and pool swimming to running on the treadmill - open water is much more fun!

Saturday

So after my long run yesterday, I can't believe it, but I'm actually sore. My quads and hips are very tender. I'm not sure why, given that I've been running consistantly, and I've been at the same milage for the past couple weeks. I may have ran the hills a little harder on trail, I'm not sure.
I can tell that my body is still trying to get rid of this cold, since I'm not recovering very quickly at all. Today I feel tired and run down, and sort of "off". I'm not looking forward to my afternoon workout at all. I think I'd rather have a nap.
I did manage to get out and do a short run with Henry. Maybe 2 miles. But I suppose it's better than nothing...
I'd have liked to get on my bike but, was a little short on time. The one thing I still love about running is it's effecient - running shoes and shorts, and I'm good to go. None of this blow up the tires, check the chain business, just lace up and go.

Friday

Today I went out for my weekly long run. My next event this fall is a trail 1/2 marathon on the 15th, so I wanted to do between 10 and 12 miles.
The morning was absolutely beautiful, clear blue skys, and cool temps. I took Henry (my training partner/Jack Russel Terrier) over to Lake Rebecca, so he could run with me. The mountain bike trail is a nice single track/grass trail that's about 3.5 miles over rolling terrain. I figured I could run that with some extra miles on the paved hike/bike trail. The first half of the run I did with Henry, just shy of 7 miles part of which was the whole mountain bike loop. I dropped Henry off at the car, and headed out for another 4+ miles. I picked up the last mile and 1/2 of the mountain bike trail, and then looped back to the car. The run was just shy of 12 miles total. I felt pretty good, although most my climbs were punctuated by boughts of nearly coughing up a lung, but I still felt remarkably good.
I wore my trail shoes, which I'm liking better with different socks, changing how I lace them, and heel lifts, that was until I took them off and found they'd given me blisters on the balls of my feet.. Ugh. I never get blisters.
Based on my GPS, I averaged a 9:40 pace, which I felt was good for a training run on trails. I'm not setting any time goals for the 1/2 marathon yet, we'll see how I feel as the day gets closer.

Thursday

Tonight I had good intentions of getting out on the bike for an easy spin. The afternoon turned out beautiful, and the wind died down, so really there weren't any excuses...
Especially with a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies calling my name - I think I could use a crash course in finding my willpower!
Last night I headed out to meet the ALARC GF group. It was track night, and I was feeling better with my cold. It was time to get a bit more intesity back into my workouts. We did some 400 and 200 repeats, and then a mile for time before the weather chased us back inside. My MFT wasn't spectacular - 7:46, but I was putting forth the effort, and was able to do a negative split. I guess that's worth something. Then it was inside for more crunches and pushups than I've done in awhile. It was gratifying to leave knowing I'd gotten a good all-around workout in again. Too bad that motivation didn't carry over to today...
I guess my excuse could be that today is my one rest day for the week, since I'm going to do my long run tomorrow - 10-12 miles with a section of on-trail running to start to prepare for my trail run in a couple weeks.

The first entry

Miles along the road of life
I think that the first entry into a new blog must be the hardest. Getting into putting thoughts down, and having them make sense. My plan is to use this to make notes on my training and progress toward long term training goals.
Two weeks ago I finished my first half-iron distance triathalon. It was a tough day, 90 degree temps and high winds (rumor has it, they were blowing at upwards of 35mph). I just kept moving forward, that was my goal - I didn't care how slow it felt, just as long as I was moving.
Since then, I been taking it easy, I caught a cold the week after the race. I'd been fighting a cough leading up to then, but now it's settled in good. So I've been trying to stay rested, and not train too much until I recover.
I figure now is a good time to get organized, and start setting goals for next year. I hope to stay up on the blog so you can follow my training even while I'm traveling for work.
Catch ya' later!