Thursday, May 29, 2008

Question?

Love it that it's almost the weekend already(gotta love those short work weeks due to the Monday holiday). Did my usual x-training at the gym tonight. No surprises there. I've got my short run(2miler) tomorrow in the mid-80 degree heat. Thank goodness it's only 2 miles. But I know that even my long runs will be in this heat soon enough.

Wanted to throw this question out there. How many of you actually have x-training shoes? I'm using some relatively old running shoes to wear to the gym when I do the ellip & weights but I debating on whether or not I actually need x-trainers. I know that they are supposed to be designed a bit differently but not sure if I'm looking to spend the moolah for them. Also eventually I will wear out the running shoes & REALLY don't want to spend even more money(considering x-trainers are relatively cheaper compared to running kicks) on new running shoes to replace them when I'm not actually going to be using them for running. Decisions,decisions...

Monday, May 26, 2008

They're keepers after all

Looks like my new running kicks can handle the road(& me for that matter) after all. Did my 4miler this morning in 38:58/avg. pace:9:38. No blisters or pain anywhere else for that matter.

I know everyone is probably in food coma(from all the hot dogs & burgers-so this post is short) but I wanted to wish everyone a safe & happy Memorial Day!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

The long & short of it

Don't ya just love 3 day weekends? Nothing but laziness & sloth(I mean look,I haven't posted since Wed.) until Tuesday. Anyway a little bit of catchup. Did my 2miler on Friday. And I wasn't alone. Looks like I was willing to bend. Yeah,the r.b. & I ran together. I didn't wait until 5 or 6 to run but 1/2 hour later than what I normally do. The issue that I have w/ waiting is that not only do I run but I also do some strength training afterwards & I just don't want to put off doing my whole exercise routine(run included) for an hour or more. I mean it's not like I have a significant other(don't remind me) or kids where I can fill up the time doing something else. I would be just sitting waiting for the r.b. And Lisa,I don't see a prob(no issue of safety-yet,but you never can be too sure) w/ running solo. In fact I had been running that way for several months before I met the r.b. I love the advantages of doing my own thing,in my own time & not having to consider someone else. But I also love the benefits of running w/ someone else,having another person to b!tch to & whatnot.

Anyway the run was good. Finished in 19:16/avg. pace 9:30. I decided to set my Garmin for 9:30 instead of 9:55 just to see if my legs(former injured one esp.) could handle the faster pace. I knew I could & would slow down if I felt any pain. Didn't feel anything at all & haven't felt anything for the rest of the weekend. So I believe I have a new pace for my shorter runs.

Also managed to try out my new running shorts. They worked good for the short distance(even though I did feel self-conscious at first,not used to having shorts THAT short). I even joked to my r.b. that it almost felt like I was running in my underwear.

And I have finally replaced my running kicks. Picked up these babies...




They are the Mizuno Wave Inspire 4. Let me tell you there's a BIG difference between these & my Nikes. For one,the Nikes are a lot cushier but it's a more neutral shoe(I need something w/ light motion control). Also these are a lot stiffer(due to the motion control). Ran for about 10mins on the tread this morning & I have to say that I like em'. Didn't think that I would because of the less cushion they have a bit more stability(I know,that's the point..;-)) that makes me feel more sure of my footing. I'll be taking them on the road for my 4miler tomorrow so I'll report back how they handle it.

Hope everyone is enjoying the extra time off & I'll catch ya the flip side!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

This & that

Did the swim thing today & I have to say I think I'm getting stronger. My stroke still leaves something to be desired,but I'm feeling more comfy in the water.

In answer to Red's comment about whether or not I have a running club in my area,I do & actually I'm a member. But I have not gone to any meetings(they don't meet at a good time for me). When I first started running,I posted to their website looking for a running bud & no one responded. I get off a little earlier than most folks around here(4pm) & I'm not willing to wait until 5 or 6 to run. But maybe I'll try again or maybe not(may try running solo for a while). We'll see.

Monday, May 19, 2008

And then there was one

Well it's happened. The r.b. & I have parted ways. It was a amicable split. Who am I kidding? She dumped me! Said I was too inflexible about our running schedule. Claimed that I wasn't willing to bend,to compromise & run when she could fit us in. Ok,enough w/ the dramatics. But it's true her job has gotten crazy it was just too hard for her to meet at our regular time & I didn't want to meet later so I am runnin' on my own again. I have to admit that I'll miss running w/ her though & hopefully her job will settle down & we can tear up the road together again.

Speaking of tearing up the road,I did 3.5 miles today. Temps were low 70's,low humidity,good stiff breeze partly cloudy. Here are me splits:

Mile 1: 10:11
Mile 2: 9:46
Mile 3: 9:49
Mile .5: 9:11

Finished in 34:40/avg. 9:48pace. I had set my Garmin to alert me when I went faster than 9:55. Well you see how well that worked(for the record it did alert me,& I promptly ignored it). I'm thinking that might be a bit slow but then again I have to consider the distance. So I might play around w/ that pace a little but not too much because I'm still adding distance & trying to not to do speed.

And Steve,as far as I know you can't legally buy another human in this country but I would be too chicken to do an extreme makeover!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Running solo

So it's Sunday already. Where did the weekend go? Anyway did my 2miler w/o the r.b. on Friday. Finished in 19:20/avg. pace 9:35. Actually my 1st mile was around 10min & the 2nd mile was a good minute faster. Was I sleepwalkin' the 1st half?! I definitely pushed myself & I thought that my leg was going to be pissed at me but not a peep for the rest of the weekend.

Managed to pick up these at Target..



Too bad I couldn't get the body to go w/ the bra & shorts. Definitely needed a new sports bra(I have several in multiple colors & my red one was way past it's prime). I got the running shorts in the blue you see there & black.

I have a confession to make though. These are the first running shorts that I have bought. I know,I know how can I call myself a runner w/o running shorts!? I do have running tees,singlets,jackets,capris..etc. but no shorts. I have..hate to say the word..cotton. I do have some that are made of poly-blend but they don't wick. Most of the running shorts that I have seen have the built in undies. Which I know that would be the one place that you want to keep cool,but I like my underwear(even though they don't wick). The ones I bought yesterday are the first I've seen w/o them. Even though they are a little shorter than what I'm used to they felt good(even ran in place for a few mins in the dressing room). I know the true test is when I take them on real run so I will report back.

I wanted thank those who gave their opinion on which fins I should get. I believe I'm going w/ the red Zoomers. Hopefully they'll work out. I hope everyone had a good weekend. ((Hugs))

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Business as usual

Things have been going along good here. Been doing the x-training thang for the past few days. But I do have a question to ask. I normally use swim fins that my club provides but I'm looking into getting my own. Here's a couple that I'm looking at...




The red ones on top are by Zoomers. They say the way how their designed is supposed to reduce ankle strain(the short length). The multiple pic on the bottom are by Tritan. Both are roughly the same price(around $20). Don't want to spend too much but I do want something that will last thru at least one season. I have a decent kick & good running muscles but I don't how this equates in the water. Any suggestions,advice,info would be mucho appreciated!

Got my short run(2miler) tomorrow(t.g.i.f.). Good luck to all those who may be racing/running this weekend. Manana

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Who ordered a cold run?

Alrighty,yesterday's run was..shall we say..a bit chilly. Now you know I'm ALL for a cool run,but considering the fact it was a good 20 degrees cooler than it normally is this time of year(it was in the low 50's) was a shock! I had to dig out my cool-weather running gear. Managed to bang out 3 miles in 29:29/avg. pace 9:44. Also ran w/ the r.b. so that always make the run more fun(hey a rhyme..;-))

As you can see on the side bar I do have tentatively another race roughly 2 weeks from now but I'm not sure if I want to run it. My leg has been feeling good but I'm not sure if I want to push it just yet by racing again. I really want to concentrate on getting my distance back & building up my speed the right way. The r.b. is thinking about running it & I told her that I would be her cheering section. May sport some pigtails,poms-poms, & a cheer leading skirt just for her. She said she might just register just to see that! I've never spectated at a race before so I think it will be fun.

I wanted give thanks to all those who gave me mad props on my race this past weekend. It really means a lot coming from you(knowing the challenges that you have faced) & I will always be amazed by the outpouring of support from the running community. You guys rock!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

5k race recap

Well even though I didn't PR(last year's time was 28:41) I am proud of my time this year(28:58). I ran conservative & smart race. Plus I ran the whole(no run/walk combo) way. No pain from the leg the entire time. But this was technically a harder course than last year. They moved the course to a new location which provided a bigger space for the starting line(there were 9,000 participants compared to about 3,000 last year). But this year's course was a LOT hillier. Now normally that would not be a problem but I haven't done hills in about a month since my injury,so let's just say they were a unexpected surprise. They were some steep downhills & one uphill that although was not steep was gradual that went on forever. Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 9:36(had to maneuver around the walkers,strollers & people who thought that this was a chance to sight see)
Mile 2: 9:13(hilly part,some downhill & that monster uphill that felt like I was still on it 2 days later)
Mile 3: 9:14
Mile .1: 7:47(wicked downhill. You would think this would be a good thing at the end,but the grade was steep & unexpected).

Couldn't have asked for better weather(in the mid 50's & partly cloudy). Started w/ the r.b. but she was pulling away too much & I wanted do the race w/o pain & more importantly not have pain afterwards so I told her to go ahead. She however didn't fair as good on the course & to walk some due to stitches. But she did finish about 2mins ahead of me.

So far I have had no pain today(thank God) but I think instead of adding another 1/2 mile for my long run tomorrow,I'm going to stick w/ just 3miles(since I raced yesterday & give my legs a chance to recover a little more). I hope everyone is having a good Mother's Day weekend & ((Hugs)) to all the moms out there today.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Race anniversary

Well I'm prepping for my 5k tomorrow. Some mixed emotions here. It's one year ago that I started racing & I feel like I have ran(pun intended) the gamut in this year. From starting w/ run/walk combo to running for miles at a time to training,getting injured but finishing my 1st 10k,I have had a full year!

I wondered whether I'll be walking some tomorrow realizing that I walked(some of the race) the first time a year ago. Even though it will bittersweet if I do(I thought after a year I'd be runnin' that thang) I know that it's because I'm getting my running legs back from my injury & there's no shame in that. So I will stay positive because I know that there will be plenty of people out there who are going thru bigger ailments than I had,that will be grateful just to be there.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Graduated!!

Yup,I don't hav ta go ta pt no mo'. I still will do some of the exercises that challenge my balance & coordination,but I is freeee!! Can you tell I'm really happy about this? Anyway if I have any probs or questions I can pop my head in from time to time but that's it.

Did my usual 2 mile pool jog today & I swear I saw the hairiest man in existence! I kept looking to see if it was a sweater he was wearing. Ok,can we say manscape,please. Steve has nothing on this guy.

Gina that perfect runner's place also needs volunteers w/ water,Gatorade,whatever fuel we need & a guy named Sven to massage our sore muscles after we're done!

Monday, May 5, 2008

Holy moly it's HOT!!

Even though it was in the upper 70's & low humidity it was sunny & very little wind. Today's 3miler was a mite toasty. And I know I'm gonna be praying for these temps come August. Alrighty here are the splits:

Mile 1: 9:22
Mile 2: 9:33(went a little fast on that first mile tried to cut back)
Mile 3: 9:41(Better,see most runners want that negative split but I'm going against the grain w/ a POSITIVE split..;-))

Leg felt good the entire time but I was definitely a little more winded on this run. Ran w/ the r.b. & she went a little faster(I wanted to do a 9:45pace..oh well) than I had planned. I've got pt tomorrow(I'm hoping this the last appointment) & the gym. (Toodles)

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Run

So I didn't have to drag the r.b. back home on our 2miler on Friday. Howeva her friend didn't fair as well. He ended up getting a stitch about a mile into our run. Poor guy! He did manage to finish but I thought he may have needed the dragging back home. I had stitches when I ran for P.E. class in high school(many decades ago) so I definitely felt his pain. Finished the 2miler in 20:11/avg. pace 9:59. I'm getting faster. No pain from the leg for the whole weekend so I'll be doing 3 miles on Monday.

I've got a the Race for the Cure 5k coming up this Saturday so that(tomorrow's 3miler) will be my only long run(or run in general) before the event. I'll be running in memory of my Aunt who lost the battle a couple of months ago. She was a 3 year breast cancer survivor & it was because of this event that I started running in the first place. So this marks 1 year that I have running/racing & I had hoped that she was going to be still w/ us so that I could show her how far I had come(from doing the race the first time w/ a 5min run/1min walk to running the entire thing). But I know that she is looking down on me & I pray that I will make her proud. I know it's going to be an emotional day for me & I don't know how much running I am going to do but I am hoping to finish w/ a smile on my face. (Kisses)

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Little post

Things have been going good here. Did my 2mile pool jog & swum some laps yesterday. Did my 2x/week ellip & upper body weight training tonight. Tomorrow I have 2miles on the road w/ the r.b. & her friend who is a newbie to running. Hopefully we can impart some wisdom & keep him injury free!..;-) Told my r.b. to remember to bring water for herself(she has a bad habit of not doing that) which isn't a big deal in the winter & she's not going far but it's going to be in low 80's & even though we're going a short distance dehydration can be sneaky. Besides I told her,I'm not dragging her butt back home! ((Hugs))