Saturday, November 30, 2013

Day 3: Hustle then bustle

Today's task:  8 miles @ 8:40 pace (marathon pace +30)

Today's outcome:  8.08 miles in 1:02:09 (7:41 min/mile)

So I ran a little faster than I was supposed to today.  With a 10 mile race next weekend, I wanted to get one more fast longish run in, so I aimed for my long tempo pace of 7:55 min/mile.  I had to shower and get to a vendor event by 8am, so I put a little pep in my step and ended up running my fastest time for this particular route by about 16 seconds.  I have this arbitrary running goal of completing 8 miles in under and hour, so it felt good to see I'm slowly chipping away at my time.  

My mind is all over the map on these Saturday morning runs, and I couldn't help but be in the holiday spirit as I ran past houses lit up with Christmas lights.  I even ran the last 3 miles with this little ditty I made up in my head to the tune of Jingle Bells:

Wheezing throat,
Runny nose,
Hacking all the way;
Oh what fun
it is to run
with a chest cold on its way-ay!

I had a great view of a stunning sunrise for the final half mile...turned out to be a gorgeous morning!  Got a quick stretch in before the world's hottest shower, then it was off to a small business celebration at a local real estate agency to sell my wares to the masses.  


We had a great showing and I met lots of new people who seemed excited about all the Fancy.  May get in a little more stretching before heading out to restock on ornaments...wearing 3 inch heels mere minutes after finishing a run is never a good idea!  Looking forward to a beverage by the fire and a day off of running tomorrow.  Have a great weekend!

Friday, November 29, 2013

Day 2: Tempo Turkey Trot

Today's task: tempo run - 2 miles easy, 2 miles @ 7:25 min/mile, 2 miles easy

We had the whole family signed up for one of the events for Charlie's Race, which has been held on Thanksgiving the past couple of years and raises money for the families of fallen Navy SEALs and remembers the Normile family's two children who died in separate tragic accidents. I was running the 5k by myself and then the 1 mile with Brynn, so I modified this week's tempo run to accommodate the race. 

Today's outcome: 5k PR of 21:08 (6:49 min/mile) 
Awesome 1 mile run with my mini me (who took off too fast for me to realize I hadn't reset or started my watch, so I have no idea what her time was)
1st place 19-39 year olds
4th place overall female (that chick in blue came out of nowhere the last 1/4 mile and nabbed a 3rd place finish)

Let's not get too excited...this was a very small race (as you may be able to tell by a 19-39 year old age group!). But I've never placed in a race before, so to come in first felt pretty darn good. A win is a win, right? What felt even better was knowing I performed better than I expected myself to today. First off, the past few weeks have been pushing me into depths of exhaustion I'm not sure I've experienced before. My plate has been full, and my heart has been heavy. In addition, today's weather conditions were rather challenging...temps right around freezing (there was a thin film of ice covering the puddles in the street), and the headwinds for the second half of the race were stiff. I'm really excited about averaging a sub-7 pace for the first time ever in a race, and only the second time in my own personal history of ever. I may never run as fast as Ryan, but can sure as hell try to close the gap a bit! 

Here are a few race highlights:

Group hug...everything is more fun with the Smiths!

I love running with this girl.  Brynn, not the turkey.  She is all business, and she's completely focused on finishing.  She fired up the afterburners on the homestretch and earned herself a glazed donut and a medal.

This girl was a trooper.  She wasn't quite feeling 100%, and she was bundled up in the stroller for an hour and a half prior to her race.  But once that horn went off...pure joy.  I could eat her.


It's a major award!  I couldn't be happier with my trophy.  I mean, that shit lights up.  Fancy.

This race was exactly what I needed yesterday morning.  I woke up feeling incredibly sad, but a great run with my favorite people lifted my spirits and helped me face a tough Thanksgiving with a smile on my face.  

Monday, November 25, 2013

Day 1 - $#!+ just got real

As I embark on the next 16 weeks of training for my first marathon, I thought I'd regret it if I didn't chronicle the journey, if for no other reason than to look back at it myself.  Maybe others can relate and share their own experience or offer insight, encouragement, or trash talk along the way.  My goal is to write about each training day, no matter how brief...write about the actual run, my mental state that day, what's going on in my life when I'm not wearing my running shoes.  So here goes.

Day 1:  Shit just got real

Today's task:  3x1600 intervals @ 6:52 min/mile pace (10 minute warm up/cool down, 400 meter rest intervals)
Today's weather (6am):  24 degrees (wha-huhhhhh?), light northwest winds
Today's outcome:  6:30, 6:43, 7:01

I wasn't really sure what to expect from today's run.  I hadn't done any speed work since the Wicked 10k three weeks ago, and the past week has truly tested me, mind, body, and soul.  I cringed a little when I saw the start date for this training program was smack dab in the middle of the busiest time of year with Fancy Fonts (along with usual hustle and bustle that afflicts us all this time of year).  But I'm hoping if I keep repeating that line I saw on Pinterest - "Someone busier than you is running right now." - I'll get those runs in no matter what.  

Conveniently, my next scheduled run is a tempo run, which I'll tweak a little to accommodate the 5k I'm running on Thanksgiving.  I think it's been nearly a decade since I've run a 5k (the only one I've ever done, actually!), so I'm really excited to put these little legs to the test.  I get to run a 1-miler with Brynn immediately following the 5k, which I'm really looking forward to.  Her game face is epic.  Should be awesome.

I plan to end each post with a question to you, so here's the first one:

How do you convince yourself to get out from under the covers when it's cold and dark but you have to get that run in?  

As for me, my inner monologue sounds a lot like Cameron from Ferris Bueller when he doesn't want to get out of bed for a joy ride..."Fine.  I'll go.  I'll go.  I'll go."  Or I ask myself, "If not now, then when?"  There's usually no better time than early morning, so it's up and at 'em.