Long Run

OK, I will be honest - I have no interest in doing this whole blog thing right now. My computer is finally back from California, having been fixed by HP. Bruce is in the midst of updating it and such. Although I can't get on my own computer quite yet, I'm still anxious to see how it is going, so this will be short.

Ran my long run yesterday - 12.5 miles. I ran it in 2:26, which is not bad for a training run at all. I ran a course with rolling hills, working on keeping my intervals at 3:1. The temp wasn't too bad - about 74 or 75 in the sun - but it was all sun. I ran the length of Route 7 from Latham to just about where I work, in Niskayuna - 6.25 miles there and then back. It was a good run in that it was interesting and having traffic around me (I ran on the sidewalk, of course) gave me something to watch and look at. Being in the sun the whole time wasn't all that fun.
I completely bonked at mile 10 (bonking is the fun term for no longer being able to run). My legs seized up and I had to walk until mile 12.45 - I ran the final .05 mile as I vowed I would finish running! Silly, yes.
I think I bonked because I didn't hydrate and eat enough early enough in the run. I did drink and eat my jelly beans (I like the Luna Gels better though, I realized) when I thought it was time, but I think I should have either eaten more or drank more, or both. I had to get a Gatorade from the Rite Aid on the way back because I knew I wasn't going to make it on what I had consumed. It definitely helped, but it was too late to recover my legs to be able to run the final stretch.
I didn't start to feel the running until about mile 8....miles 1-5 were really no big deal and felt really good....6-8 were pretty good, but 8-10 started the degeneration of both my legs and my spirit. I did some positive pep talking through mile 9, but when I got to 10 and my legs started to feel like complete stones and seized up, I figured I'd rather stop then risk injury or passing out. Maybe I'll rethink trying a marathon next year and just go for another half...
So, lesson learned - that is what training is for!
And frankly, if I bonk on the big day, I bonk - I know I can finish - even if I have to walk it in, I'll finish! :)
After the run, Bruce asked me how I felt and I told him - my legs were achy and sore but they had this tingly sensation flowing through them that was just energizing and fun. Kinda weird - but I liked it! I've noticed the same feeling on the last two long runs - kinda makes me eager to do it again. Bizarre.

So, that was the long run. This week I have some hill training and drills....Friday I'll do my speedwork. No long run this weekend as it's a speedwork weekend. And, this Saturday is my cousin, Amy's 30th birthday party in NJ, so I will be out of town partying! :)

I'm not feeling the update of my weekly training schedule tonight (I have it written down on my pad next to the couch) so I'm going to log off now and do it another night.

Later!

Not Running Like A Girl

Frankly, I can't run like a girl because I haven't run this past week period. Well, Sunday...but that was it.

First full week of full-day Kindergarten. I was way too exhausted to get up early to run, and had no energy by the time I got home from tutoring at Sylvan to even think about putting on my sneakers.

So, this week I did nothing (well, I did chase my 22 kindergarteners at times at recess...but that isn't quite the same...)

I plan to go out today and do some speedwork/track repeats. And my hope is that this week I can get up early - thinking about 5:00/5:30 - and get to the gym in the AM before school. That means packing a bag and lunch and everything the night before...but I really don't want to lose what I've gained, so I'm going to see how it goes. I'm tired getting up at 6:00 as is...that half-hour earlier just sounds awful...we'll see how it goes.

In the meantime although I did basically take this week off from running, I don't feel too guilty - I am recalling the last time I took a full week off and how when I went back out I actually did better. Rest can help the body; hopefully I will see the results today when I get out there.

This past Sunday was the Brueggar's 5K and I ran my best time yet - 28:13 with a PR mile of 9:03. I was so happy. If the clock had been a bit bigger I think I might have been able to break 28:00 - I didn't want to turn up my pace too soon and then bonk at the end so I waited a bit longer than I probably needed to. I'm not going to complain though - 28:13 is still 3 minutes faster than last years Brueggar's 5K, and 1 minute faster than my last 5K. Personally, I think that is pretty good improvement.

I feel like this may be one of the best times for running for me. I know I will come to a time when my times and speed will plateau and I will not make significant time gains on races and runs...and I may actually run slower than I had on previous runs. So for now I am definitely enjoying the thrill and satisfaction that this season every race was an improvement on the last. I have one more 5K before the Half - October 4. It is the same course as the Freihoffer's Run and Missing Children run - it's definately a rolling hills course so I am not anticipating anything like my 28:13 time. If I can break 30:00 on it that would be good. The last 2 times I ran it the weather was really hot and sunny....I'm hoping that October 4 will be seasonably cool. I'm just looking forward to the run though - no time goal....

OK, so that is the update. Great 5K, not much of anything since then, going out today to give the track a few turns. My computer is officially at HP in California being diagnosed. I am using Bruce's when I get the chance. I probably won't post much this week...I'll do it as I can; in between teaching, running, tutoring, eating, sleeping and spending time with Bruce. Not in that order. :)

Hopefully this coming week will see much more of me running like a girl. Wish me luck!

The Good, the Bad, and the Holy Crap, it's Labor Day

Hello friends and other random people that may make their way to my blog...

Let's start with the Bad....

Well, on Friday morning I went to go on my computer and found that it was no longer working. It is literally one year old. So, I didn't panic, tried a few things, restarted, blah blahed, called Bruce...he tried some stuff and we both looked at each other and knew....
Virus.
Seems that I must have gotten infected by some virus that decided to eat my hard drive. I tried a new USB jumpdrive that I got from Staples for Teacher Appreciation about a week ago and that was it....the virus was either on the jumpdrive or my friend's computer...either way, had Staples not lured me to use the fancy jumpdrive I would be typing on my computer, not Bruce's. So, Thanks Staples! Happy Teacher Appreciation to me.
Bastards.
So....I lost everything on my hard drive, but I do have a back up of most of the stuff. Some pictures and videos I took with my webcam and stuff like that are most likely gone (Bruce and my 5th Anniversary video...sniff...sniff..), but what can ya do? I'm just glad that HP is sending me a replacement for free (still under warranty, thank God). I should be up and running (hopefully) by this weekend. I'll give an update on what I definitely lost...I'm still hoping that my back up software did its job and backed up everything (like it was supposed to. Bruce and I, when we checked my back up hard drive only found some of the files. We think that maybe the settings on the auto back up weren't what we thought and therefore only backed up certain files instead of all of them - like webcam stuff and photos...).
That was the bad (and why I haven't posted in so long)...

The Good...
I did my speedwork this past week and kicked butt (for me...still no Olympian, mind you). I really was concerned because my run schedule got all mixed up from my having to set up my classroom and meet with some parents and such. So needless to say, I didn't do much running this past week. I went out to do the speedwork on Thursday figuring that I would do crappy. But, I guess the week off (sort of) did me good. I ran about 1 minute faster than my projected time and I got faster with each repeat. I was very happy. I think the weather helped too - it was very overcast, a light sprinkle and cool. Plus, and I may be over thinking this...but I got about 5 inches of my hair chopped off. I think it took off some weight on my head - it feels lighter, I think it made me run faster. Ha ha! Just teasing.

So, it's freakin Labor Day...I can't believe it. I know that this next week back to school will be crazy and I'm not sure how the running will go. I've got a tentative schedule made out through the end of the month, but I'm going to do what I can. I know that I'm going to be tired and have to adjust and play it by ear. I am not concerned though...I will do what I can and not stress about it. I may get cranky from not running like I have become accustomed over this summer, but I will not be stressed about missing a run. I am trying to convince myself...I am going to keep trying.

On a side note, Alana - I have video from the Wedding Dress spectacular, and you are more than invited to the Second Annual bash next year! Kirstin has the pics, I think....If she gets me them, I'll post them. The video I will try and figure out how to post once I get my computer back, :)