Swimmer's Kick

Last night was a fabulous easy run with Ben. 5.25 miles, 83 degrees. There was nothing special about last night's run, but I felt good and strong. I wanted to keep running and now I'm kicking myself for not running longer.

This morning's swim team practice was fun! I almost made it all the way through the workout which is quite an accomplishment for me. The air was chilly this morning, but the pool felt great. I really enjoy swimming outside so much more than inside.

And...I have a great swimmer's kick! It might be the only thing that is great or right about my swimming, but I'm going with it. First swimming compliment from my coach! Woo-hoo!

Decision Time

Wow, this weekend FLEW by!

8 mile run Satuday morning and a fabulous Barbell class Sunday morning. Laying by the pool, dinners with friends, book club, shopping...and of course the weekend cleaning and laundry. No wonder it flew by!

Now it's time to vote: Should I do the Fit to Fight Triathlon the day after I get back from vacation? I have to decide this week!

To Loveland and Back

Ben and I had to switch up our weekly runs this week so that Marc and I could attend the visitation for his friend on Tuesday night. We ran Monday instead and I didn't get to run again until yesterday. Monday feels like months ago - I can't even remember what route or how far we ran.

Last night we met at the trail and ran to Loveland and back. A nice round 8 miles. It was beautiful out and the first time Ben had made it all the way to Loveland. Win!

We saw fawn twins along the trail on our way back. They were so adorable. I wanted to bring them home to play with Sid. I wish I had had my phone on me to get a picture.

It's finally Friday...enjoy!

Public Service Announcement

I've been running...and swimming...and doing barbell...and biking. I just haven't felt like writing about it. It hasn't seemed all that important in the grand scheme of things.

Tonight we will pay our respects to one of Marc's friends who passed away in a car accident last week. Marc is very close to his older brother and dad as well. It's been a rough week, an unfortunate eye opener.

So, here is my plug: Please, please, please wear your seat belt. 

http://static.emedco.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/Traffic-Signs-RM203-ba.jpg

Pet Peeves

Having done a few races with a lot of newbies in them recently, I'd like to share my list of pet peeves. It's not long, but I think other runners would share the same ones. So hopefully this will help cut down on newbies partaking in the following activities in the future.

1. Wearing your bib number on your back. It goes on the FRONT. Plain and simple. Race officials and photographers need it on the front. Plus you look silly with it on your back.

2. Wearing your race shirt to participate in the race. I feel the same way about concert shirts. Don't do it. Everyone will make fun of you.

3. Walkers waking 3, 4, 5, or more people across. This is especially irritating when there is a shorter and longer race that meet back up and the walkers of the shorter race get in the way of the runners of the longer race. Please be respectful.
4. Ipods. I know people love them. I can't stand running with one. If you insist on using yours, make sure you can hear people and cars. I've seen someone come close to getting hit during a race because she was listening to her ipod. True story.

I feel like I've made the world a better place now! Do you have any race or running pet peeves?

When it rains, it pours!

We look a little better here than after the Warrior Dash, huh?

After having a wonderful time at a beautiful wedding Friday night I got my booty out of bed bright and early to run with my running group. It was my first run with them since the Derby Marathon, and it felt great to finally be back. I got to catch up with friends and share our new goals for the fall marathon season.


Of course it was absolutely pouring. Thankfully it stopped at some point, I'm not even really sure when, maybe 3-4 miles in? Once you are wet you don't even really notice it anymore so it's hard to remember. I was only planning on doing 6.5 miles since we'd been out later and it stormed in the middle of the night so Sidney kept me up for quite a while...but somehow I ended up doing 9.5 instead. This is one reason I love the running group - incentive and motivation to do more and push yourself. I did start out slower with a friend, but she turned back and mile 3 or 4 then I ended up with some other friends. I eventually ended my run with new people and much faster than I had anticipated. I am very happy that I have continued to push myself and not let people hold me back. I hope I can keep that up!


This morning was absolutely gorgeous and Marc and I headed up for a bike ride. We rode from our place to Loveland, picked up the trail for a bit, then took the roads back to our place. Coming home from Loveland was HILLY! I was never so happy to see Montgomery Road. We ended up at 24.25 miles, which is the farthest Marc has ever ridden!

Thursday at the Track

Picture via http://www.usd219.org/Track.jpg

According to Smart Coach, this entire week was supposed to be easy runs. Boring!

So I pulled one of my favorite speed workouts out and convinced Ben to join me for it.

Yasso 800s. Basically you run 800 meter repeats in the minutes and seconds of the time in hours and minutes you want to finish your marathon in. For example, if you want to do a 4:05 marathon, you run each 800 in 4 minutes and 5 seconds. You work your way up to doing 10 of these in one workout. Between each 800 you do a 400 meter recovery jog. We ran a half mile warm up and a 3/4 mile cool down. It was cooler last night - low 90s instead of upper - but the track was HOT!  Poor Ben's feet in his vibrams could feel the heat of the track through his "shoes".

It felt great to be on the track again. I was allowed to run in the inner lanes this time too :)  Erin and Carter used to make me run out in lane 6 or 7 when I did track work outs with them. It was only so we could run the same pace, but it made for a lot of laughs.

Warrior Wounds

 These are my sideways knees....after the Warrior Dash.

 

The wounds are actually several days old (picture taken Thursday) so they are healing, they looked much worse on Monday and Tuesday.

Heat Emergency and Morning Swims

Yesterday I did what any normal girl does...get my hair done and then go straight out for a run. For some reason Ben and I decided to actually do something smart running-wise for a change, so we waited til after 8 to get our run since we were under a heat emergency and it was nearly 100 degrees. My original plan was to run, take a quick shower then get my hair done, but oh well! At least my hair looked pretty in it's ponytail for the first 5 minutes until it was soaked with sweat. We had a great run even though it was so hot - we kept it to 5 miles and only mildly hilly.

This morning was our first morning master's swim team practice for the summer. We are practicing from 6:30-7:30 so this means going into work later than normal. I got the boss's o.k. for this, but I still don't like it too much. I tried to put some extra time in Monday and Tuesday so I wouldn't have to stay late today. I got to the gym, put my bag and purse in my locker and headed to the aquatic area. No one was there. My friend Diana came out of the locker room and we headed to get our buoys, kick boards and flippers. Then she spotted them. They were outside!

Outside! The water will be freezing!

But it wasn't. It was so peaceful. The pool area is so pretty - and quiet with just us in the water. The sun was rising and casting a bright pink glow that slowly turned to orange. It was beautiful. 

I felt so calm in the water today. I needed a good practice and the confidence boost of feeling at ease in the water.

It was by no means an easy workout though"

Warm up: 50 freestyle, 50 kick, 50 pull, 50 freestyle

Drills: 100 zipper, 100 catch up, 100 pull

4 x 75 consisting of 25 kick right, 25 kick left, 25 freestyle

200 freestyle

There was more after that, but that is as far as I got. One day my goal will be to finish a whole work out. Right now I'm still just happy not drowning. And feeling calm in the pool was quite the win for today!

Weekend Warrior



Before Warrior Dash

I've been slacking with my blog posts, I apologize.


Thursday night Ben and I had a great tempo run. It was only 82 on Thursday - about 15 degrees cooler than it had been for our run on Tuesday.We were supposed to do 6, but he was worried about the speed at that distance, so we only did 5. However, we ran much faster than Not-so-smart Coach told us too, so I think that made up for the lost mile. I may have to re-run the training program for us since I am not liking the paces too much.


Sunday was the Warrior Dash. Marc and I headed up and over to Logan, OH to participate. It was our first race together in a few years! It was an all day adventure since Logan is a little over 2 hours away and you have to arrive at least an hour before your wave. We were in the 5:00 wave.

The race was actually harder than I thought it would be. I think this is for a few reasons:

1. I underestimated how much to eat on the way to Logan and by the time we were in the start corral my blood sugar had dropped and I was a little woozy


2. It was very HOT. In the 90s and humid. Thankfully it was overcast so while waiting to start in the big field we were in direct sun and the course was mostly in the woods so it was shaded.
3. HILLS. Straight up. Covered in mud. HILLS. And of course what goes up, must come down. Marc really didn't like me on one of these hills. He got over it though!


I took my time through most of it. Since this was just a silly, fun race I didn't want to risk getting hurt on any of the obstacles or in any of the mudslides.

Here are the obstacles that I can remember:

Car junk yard
Tires on the ground
Swinging tires (the Wii prepared me very well for this one)
Chest high (and higher) water with logs to swim over
Cargo net wall
Wooden wall
Cargo net parallel to the ground
Planks
Wading through a creek
Tunnel - this was the worst because you were crawling on sharp rocks
Mud pit with barbed wire over it
Fire pits

After Warrior Dash

I promise to post a pic with the viking hat soon!

Common Questions

The two most common questions I am asked about my running are:

1. How far is that marathon?

2. Why do you run (that far)?

So, in honor of national running day, I've decided to answer the why question.

I run to celebrate and to mourn

         to get happy and because I am happy

         because I am sad and away from sadness

         to be healthy and because I am healthy

         to challenge myself, push myself and make myself stronger

         to think and to clear my head of all thoughts

         to be alone and to be with friends

         to feel confident, powerful and alive

I run because it's who I am.

It's a Holiday!

Happy National Running Day!!!!

What are you doing to celebrate?