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...
Friday, November 11, 2005
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
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.
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.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
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. ;)
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. ;)
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