Well the miles this week didn't quite add up. Even with five days of running, I never quite had the time, or energy to finish. Especially today. I forgot about daylights saving, woke up late to begin with and lost that extra hour so I only ran two miles today. I decided to run despite the late starting time, because I skipped yesterday completely and was cranky as a result. I also didn't get in any strength this week. I was just so focused on just trying to get the track and class that I didn't have energy for weights.
The good news is that I was able to pick up the speed this week. The bad news is that I was only able to get in a total of 12 miles. Holy Moly I never would've thought I would end on that number this week, but that's just the way it went. The good news is that because I didn't run hard today I don't have to take tomorrow off. And my morning will entirely free as tomorrow is the first day of spring break! I'm thinking speedwork for tomorrow.
Hopefully I won't be running on empty this week as much as I was. I'm going to try to meal plan, stick with it and get up early enough to strength train, or warm up and eat breakfast. I also recieved Girl Scout Cookies in the mail yesterday. Mmm. I love cookies ( I tried to make oatmeal ones on Friday night and they turned out awful no idea why I can't make cookies!) So they will be my reward for completely finishing a planned workout this week seeing as how I chucked all the cookies from Friday.
I'm really hoping that I will be able to get in 30+ miles again this week, but I'm not going to push it if I think I am loosing steam, because I want to be really stoked for Saturdays Half! Canyonlands Baby! Here's to one last week of training and fueling well!
Meagan
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Goal Success!
I made it! And it only took nine weeks of workouts into the new year to get there! Wohoo! As you know on my goal list for the year I wanted to make it to thirty miles a week on average and last week I finally felt like I am getting these goals off the ground: I ran a total of 31.5 miles! I ended up taking Friday off then doing an easy warm up run on Saturday of three miles and then strength traning. On Sunday I resolved to do at least 8.5 so I could make my goal. I got up plenty early ( still not early enough though) and made it to the track after eating my gu. After stretching I started my last run of the week. The first three miles were tough as always, but then each lap got easier and easier. I was kind of resolved to quitting at 8.5, but then I thought that I wanted to even out the mileage so I would end at 9, but then that would leave me with a 30.5 for the week. I didn't like either option and decided I might as well end solidly in the double digits for miles, because if I ran 9.5 I knew I could push to ten. Those last four to eight laps are really more mental than physical anyway.
I took Monday off (and did a ten minute ice bath on Sunday after the run) Yesterday I ran, was just going to be an easy run so I ran two and half miles. Today was supposed to be the tempo run of five to six miles, but I was running out of time and cut it short to two and a half again. However my pace, was twenty-eight seconds faster per mile today so I was happy with that and I will try to do awesome on speed work tomorrow. I'm not sure how that happened, becuase I am dead tired today, but one of the things that I think attributed to the faster speed today was that I had karate class this morning before my run. It was also "hard" day where we do stretching and strength and bag work so I think that warming up really helps increase the speed. I'm just not sure how to incorpotate it before every run, becuase I get psyched out so easily and usually if I am doing it during the week I am running between classes ( to avoid going during the track teams practice) and before work and am always just squeezing it in. I know that its not a fluke though during the summer my fastest times were again always at night and thats probably because I had a whole day of moving to warm my body up. I will have to find some way to get warm ups in before regular runs. I also have to find a way to fuel better in the mornings than I do. Food does not really sound good when I wake up ( unless its bacon, ham and cheese omletes, but that's not healthy and I don't have time to do that usually), thus probably why I have always gravitated to my morning Dr. Pepper, becuase I can drink it at my own pace and it is calories. In the mornings I always crave salt. I never know what to eat though. Usually it is a cheese stick, but that's only fifty calories. I used to eat cheesetoast with ranch in the morning that was perfect, but I always ended up throwing away half the loaf, because I never finsish the whole thing and usually can't handle more than 300-400 calories tops in the morning. Hard boiled eggs worked well for a while, but I haven't gotten around to boiling them yet so maybe I will do that this week.
Only 25 more miles to go this week! I would like to get in a swim, but I don't have a gym pass. Hopefully I'll get one this summer so I can train really hard for a sprint triathalon this summer. Last years was so awful! I was so slow and as people were finishing I was just coming in with my bike for the run part so I would like to find a trainer for a few sessions of help with either swimming or biking. I must get faster. It was such a slow race last year, that will not happen again! Part of the problem was that the run part was horribly marked so I will try to learn the route part early if possible.
Here's to the rest of the week! May you accomplish all of your goals, get your zzz's and get to your destinations on time! ( Yeah I'm still working on that!)
Meagan
I took Monday off (and did a ten minute ice bath on Sunday after the run) Yesterday I ran, was just going to be an easy run so I ran two and half miles. Today was supposed to be the tempo run of five to six miles, but I was running out of time and cut it short to two and a half again. However my pace, was twenty-eight seconds faster per mile today so I was happy with that and I will try to do awesome on speed work tomorrow. I'm not sure how that happened, becuase I am dead tired today, but one of the things that I think attributed to the faster speed today was that I had karate class this morning before my run. It was also "hard" day where we do stretching and strength and bag work so I think that warming up really helps increase the speed. I'm just not sure how to incorpotate it before every run, becuase I get psyched out so easily and usually if I am doing it during the week I am running between classes ( to avoid going during the track teams practice) and before work and am always just squeezing it in. I know that its not a fluke though during the summer my fastest times were again always at night and thats probably because I had a whole day of moving to warm my body up. I will have to find some way to get warm ups in before regular runs. I also have to find a way to fuel better in the mornings than I do. Food does not really sound good when I wake up ( unless its bacon, ham and cheese omletes, but that's not healthy and I don't have time to do that usually), thus probably why I have always gravitated to my morning Dr. Pepper, becuase I can drink it at my own pace and it is calories. In the mornings I always crave salt. I never know what to eat though. Usually it is a cheese stick, but that's only fifty calories. I used to eat cheesetoast with ranch in the morning that was perfect, but I always ended up throwing away half the loaf, because I never finsish the whole thing and usually can't handle more than 300-400 calories tops in the morning. Hard boiled eggs worked well for a while, but I haven't gotten around to boiling them yet so maybe I will do that this week.
Only 25 more miles to go this week! I would like to get in a swim, but I don't have a gym pass. Hopefully I'll get one this summer so I can train really hard for a sprint triathalon this summer. Last years was so awful! I was so slow and as people were finishing I was just coming in with my bike for the run part so I would like to find a trainer for a few sessions of help with either swimming or biking. I must get faster. It was such a slow race last year, that will not happen again! Part of the problem was that the run part was horribly marked so I will try to learn the route part early if possible.
Here's to the rest of the week! May you accomplish all of your goals, get your zzz's and get to your destinations on time! ( Yeah I'm still working on that!)
Meagan
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Embracing the Run
What a week! Do you ever approach the end of the week feeling like you've been holding your breath the whole time? Yeah thats how I feel this week. Its been okay, but I feel so exhuasted and don't feel like I've gotten as much done as I needed to.
Well Monday was the only day I worked, but it was an eight hour shift and while I felt really busy I am grateful that I have a job and that my schedule seems to be back to normal. ( Was only getting one day a week for a while.) Classes have been okay, but can I just put out this plea to the universe: if you are a pedestrian please use the crosswalks, sidewalks etc... I almost hit a guy this week, because he just stepped off the curb and into the street trying to dodge his way through traffic. Speaking of which traffic this week has been awful up on campus, but I think it will settle down now that the job expo is over. I have had two quizzes due this week I had such high hopes for the one, but I recieved a 77.5%. Grr. I know that I could do so much better if I had just five minutes more to finished them, but they are timed and online so even groveling wouldn't do me any good. Yes I will try to remember the cardinal rule of racing and testing: pace yourself!
On the running front I have done okay this week.
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 7 miles
Wendnesday: Speedwork: 3 miles warmup followed by a 8:29 min mile then a 8:46 min mile then 4:00 minutes for 800 meters.
Thursday 3 miles.
I am hoping to get a ten miler in tomorrow, a serious strength training session ( with just me and my weights and maybe a workout dvd) on Saturday and then a 4 or 5 mile tempo run on Sunday. I was supposed to do the tempo today, but I just quit today, because I couldn't talk myself into finishing all of it when I was loosing steam at one and a quarter. I am glad that I finished my speedwork on Wednesday though. It didn't start out that well. I went down to the track now that it is all snow free. I was about a mile and a half into it when the track gods and goddesses showed up. I continued running, but at about two and a almost a quarter they asked me to move to the outside lane. I said okay, finished the lap and drove to the campus gym.( I would've run on the outside lanes of the track with them if it had been just an easy run or even a long run, but it takes so much some days just to psych myself up for speedwork and I'm still not sure what the distance difference is between those first inside lanes and the outside lanes. Anyone know?)
I finished the rest of my warm up ( 1200 meters) and then did my first one miler. That first one miler is always the fastest one. In theory I believe you're supposed to be able to beat yourself with mile repeats, but I don't think that will ever happen unless I am really holding back. I was really hoping to do better than last weeks 8:17 minute mile, but nope that didn't happen. I did an easy lap and then started again. I ran as hard as I could, but the basketballs from the courts kept bouncing into my lane and people in general were as unaware of runners coming at them as the pedestrians outside were of cars. (I was unfortuneately guilty of this too as I finished the last lap of my first mile and stopped and then had to book it out of the way as these two guys were right on my tail.) The last half mile I really pushed. I think it really helps me to improve speed and speed work, because I'm sure that if I did a 3 X 1 milers I would always wimp out of the last mile, but the fact that I've modified it helps alot - it forces me to physically and mentally push myself those last 800 meters.
I am really happy that I am on my way to a 30+ mileage week especially since I will need to do some serious mileage makeup to even out what I will need to make my mileage goal for the year, but the weird thing is that I usually feel so incredible after runs and this week they seem so blah. I'm not sure why, but I just haven't felt that runners high I usually feel after workouts ( especially 7 milers like on Tuesday- it was kind of a make up long run since I didn't do one on the weeked) So I am going to try to make the most out of the rest of the week. And the good news is I will have tomorrow morning off so I can do a long run. Those are the best and I am going to try to do everything to make sure that it goes well. I am going to be grateful for the ability to run and for my beautiful track ( even though I know that its not mine I just get to use it.) I'm going to accept the off weeks where everything seems to make you late for the next thing and stop beating myself up for it and try to do better next week ( I think that will be better next week, because there were so many cars on the road and on campus for the job expo!)
All in all I have to remind my self to be grateful to run. I have to remember why I love it. Part of that reason was because it was soley mine. I could do what ever mileage or pace I wanted and feel good about it. It was one of those things I also started again, because no one could tell me that I had screwed it up. I defined the run. When I started up again two years ago I started because I wanted to be able to run again. I wanted that ability. Yes I wanted that old high school body back, but I also wanted the seemingly effortlessness that went into that body. ( It didn't feel like that then though. I still felt fat in high school lol) The funny thing is though I was much skinnier in highschool, but I didn't put in nearly the effort, time, or mileage that I am putting in now. I would drink on average four - sometimes more - Dr. Peppers a day. And though I "earned" them ( For every can I drank I would "debt" myself a half a mile run or 2.5 miles on the bike.) The effort never balanced out the calories. Now on my bad days I am drinking 3, but my time and mileage put into working out has tripled. I stress over my time and think about how I could've gone faster. I record not only my miles ran, but the miles I bike and the yards that I swim. I use to be really good about strength training, but slacked off a bit. I just don't love it. I can never find that rhythm that I love so much in the middle of a long run, but am trying to find a place for it.
On days where things don't go as planned I have to remind myself to embrace the opportunity to _________. Even if I have to use the opportunity I always use- the opportunity to move and run! I have to remind myself to embrace the opportunity to change. I didn't want to leave the track on Wednesday, but who knows maybe moving to the indoor track made my miles faster? It could have and now that spring is here I know I will have a full spring, summer, and fall season of running on that Heaven sent track where I can completely enjoy being out side and cranking up my awesome new blue ipod!! I love the solitary that comes with the scenery. I love seeing other runners show up with their furry running friends, because I understand that bond between dogs, people and running.
Hopefully next week will start out better, but more than that I hope to not let the negetive get to me and to remind myself as I did in painful parts of the Rodeo Half to "embrace the pain" :)
Love and forward motion,
Meagan
Well Monday was the only day I worked, but it was an eight hour shift and while I felt really busy I am grateful that I have a job and that my schedule seems to be back to normal. ( Was only getting one day a week for a while.) Classes have been okay, but can I just put out this plea to the universe: if you are a pedestrian please use the crosswalks, sidewalks etc... I almost hit a guy this week, because he just stepped off the curb and into the street trying to dodge his way through traffic. Speaking of which traffic this week has been awful up on campus, but I think it will settle down now that the job expo is over. I have had two quizzes due this week I had such high hopes for the one, but I recieved a 77.5%. Grr. I know that I could do so much better if I had just five minutes more to finished them, but they are timed and online so even groveling wouldn't do me any good. Yes I will try to remember the cardinal rule of racing and testing: pace yourself!
On the running front I have done okay this week.
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 7 miles
Wendnesday: Speedwork: 3 miles warmup followed by a 8:29 min mile then a 8:46 min mile then 4:00 minutes for 800 meters.
Thursday 3 miles.
I am hoping to get a ten miler in tomorrow, a serious strength training session ( with just me and my weights and maybe a workout dvd) on Saturday and then a 4 or 5 mile tempo run on Sunday. I was supposed to do the tempo today, but I just quit today, because I couldn't talk myself into finishing all of it when I was loosing steam at one and a quarter. I am glad that I finished my speedwork on Wednesday though. It didn't start out that well. I went down to the track now that it is all snow free. I was about a mile and a half into it when the track gods and goddesses showed up. I continued running, but at about two and a almost a quarter they asked me to move to the outside lane. I said okay, finished the lap and drove to the campus gym.( I would've run on the outside lanes of the track with them if it had been just an easy run or even a long run, but it takes so much some days just to psych myself up for speedwork and I'm still not sure what the distance difference is between those first inside lanes and the outside lanes. Anyone know?)
I finished the rest of my warm up ( 1200 meters) and then did my first one miler. That first one miler is always the fastest one. In theory I believe you're supposed to be able to beat yourself with mile repeats, but I don't think that will ever happen unless I am really holding back. I was really hoping to do better than last weeks 8:17 minute mile, but nope that didn't happen. I did an easy lap and then started again. I ran as hard as I could, but the basketballs from the courts kept bouncing into my lane and people in general were as unaware of runners coming at them as the pedestrians outside were of cars. (I was unfortuneately guilty of this too as I finished the last lap of my first mile and stopped and then had to book it out of the way as these two guys were right on my tail.) The last half mile I really pushed. I think it really helps me to improve speed and speed work, because I'm sure that if I did a 3 X 1 milers I would always wimp out of the last mile, but the fact that I've modified it helps alot - it forces me to physically and mentally push myself those last 800 meters.
I am really happy that I am on my way to a 30+ mileage week especially since I will need to do some serious mileage makeup to even out what I will need to make my mileage goal for the year, but the weird thing is that I usually feel so incredible after runs and this week they seem so blah. I'm not sure why, but I just haven't felt that runners high I usually feel after workouts ( especially 7 milers like on Tuesday- it was kind of a make up long run since I didn't do one on the weeked) So I am going to try to make the most out of the rest of the week. And the good news is I will have tomorrow morning off so I can do a long run. Those are the best and I am going to try to do everything to make sure that it goes well. I am going to be grateful for the ability to run and for my beautiful track ( even though I know that its not mine I just get to use it.) I'm going to accept the off weeks where everything seems to make you late for the next thing and stop beating myself up for it and try to do better next week ( I think that will be better next week, because there were so many cars on the road and on campus for the job expo!)
All in all I have to remind my self to be grateful to run. I have to remember why I love it. Part of that reason was because it was soley mine. I could do what ever mileage or pace I wanted and feel good about it. It was one of those things I also started again, because no one could tell me that I had screwed it up. I defined the run. When I started up again two years ago I started because I wanted to be able to run again. I wanted that ability. Yes I wanted that old high school body back, but I also wanted the seemingly effortlessness that went into that body. ( It didn't feel like that then though. I still felt fat in high school lol) The funny thing is though I was much skinnier in highschool, but I didn't put in nearly the effort, time, or mileage that I am putting in now. I would drink on average four - sometimes more - Dr. Peppers a day. And though I "earned" them ( For every can I drank I would "debt" myself a half a mile run or 2.5 miles on the bike.) The effort never balanced out the calories. Now on my bad days I am drinking 3, but my time and mileage put into working out has tripled. I stress over my time and think about how I could've gone faster. I record not only my miles ran, but the miles I bike and the yards that I swim. I use to be really good about strength training, but slacked off a bit. I just don't love it. I can never find that rhythm that I love so much in the middle of a long run, but am trying to find a place for it.
On days where things don't go as planned I have to remind myself to embrace the opportunity to _________. Even if I have to use the opportunity I always use- the opportunity to move and run! I have to remind myself to embrace the opportunity to change. I didn't want to leave the track on Wednesday, but who knows maybe moving to the indoor track made my miles faster? It could have and now that spring is here I know I will have a full spring, summer, and fall season of running on that Heaven sent track where I can completely enjoy being out side and cranking up my awesome new blue ipod!! I love the solitary that comes with the scenery. I love seeing other runners show up with their furry running friends, because I understand that bond between dogs, people and running.
Hopefully next week will start out better, but more than that I hope to not let the negetive get to me and to remind myself as I did in painful parts of the Rodeo Half to "embrace the pain" :)
Love and forward motion,
Meagan
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Speed Work(s!)
Okay I just had to share! I went running today at the indoor track on campus and after doing three miles of warm up on the tredmill I went down to the track to complete 3 X 1 miles. I felt really good and had my trusty new blue ipod with me and also did something I usually don't do - I stepped to the outside runner lane. I think the sheer act of doing so forced me to be faster. I felt like I had to prove my worthiness of taking up space in that lane by really running fast. I pushed and I pushed and I kept telling myself that I shouldn't be holding back just because I had two more miles to go after this, but I could tell I could've gone faster if I hadn't had two more on the schedule, but to my sweet surprise I managed an 8:17 minute mile! Man that was huge for me. It felt so good. Especially after my really really slow miles that I ran in the half marathon on Saturday. After a slow lap I prepped myself for another fast mile. I ran, but not as hard as I had before and I'm not sure how much of it was or wasn't physcological. I think it was probably a pretty even 50/50, becuase mentally I was still impressed with my first mile and secondly my legs were yelling at me and I could feel the fatigue setting in as I finshed that last lap for: 8:50, slower than I would've wanted, but I was happy that it was a sub 9 minute mile. I was also intrigued that this was my all out fast mile at the begining of my speed work last week so I know that there must be something to this speed work thing and to really allowing myself to warm up at a compfortable pace for at least thirty minutes. I fininshed the workout with 800 meters that rang in at 4:08 which again helped me mentally because I was pretty sure that it would've been a much slower mile, but I knew that I could push ( or trick!) those fast twitch muscle fibers into hanging on for just half a mile. It was an awesome workout today although I can feel my trusty or rusty old left foot starting to give me attitude again as usual, but I think that I will make real progress in the speed area this year.
My ultimate goal that I added to my full life list last week is to run a mile in 6:40 which sounds huge, but it is only 37 seconds faster than my fastest recorded mile. (five years ago) I think I may have run a 7:0X once, but I can't find it written so unfortuneatly its like it never happened then. I think also one of the things I seem to have forgotten is that I started with one milers and built up to longer runs after I had gotten faster. I have pages and pages of a running journal that is just one milers that are all sub 8:30, but then I didn't start adding miles for a while (I did find a 5 miler that I had done that I finished in 41 minutes flat that is going to be my new unoffical goal for a tempo run this year .) I hope you all had a great week and that your runs help you feel like you are moving more forward than backward. I know for me that I am now on the right track to faster and faster miles.
Happy speedy running,
Meagan
My ultimate goal that I added to my full life list last week is to run a mile in 6:40 which sounds huge, but it is only 37 seconds faster than my fastest recorded mile. (five years ago) I think I may have run a 7:0X once, but I can't find it written so unfortuneatly its like it never happened then. I think also one of the things I seem to have forgotten is that I started with one milers and built up to longer runs after I had gotten faster. I have pages and pages of a running journal that is just one milers that are all sub 8:30, but then I didn't start adding miles for a while (I did find a 5 miler that I had done that I finished in 41 minutes flat that is going to be my new unoffical goal for a tempo run this year .) I hope you all had a great week and that your runs help you feel like you are moving more forward than backward. I know for me that I am now on the right track to faster and faster miles.
Happy speedy running,
Meagan
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
2,490 Feet of butt kicking elevation, baby!
Thats right, I climbed over 2,490 feet in elevation in the most beautiful half marathon I have ever done- Rodeo Beach. The race was held in California and wow I've seen some pretty beaches, but this one takes the cake. Mom and I flew out on Friday morning and landed in Oakland, from there we went to the hotel. ( Hotel was nice enough, but the area was a little iffy). We went out to Alcatraz that day and had so much fun. I love history and seeing as how Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite movies I was excited to see an actual prison. The prision itself was a lot bigger than I imagined, but I was totally surprised to learn that the warden and staff all lived there on the rock with their families! There was once a school, grocery store etc. It was a real town, but everything has long since closed down. After Alcatraz we went to the Ghirardelli factory mmmm. Definetly worth the walk. It is amazing what that company has done by including one ingredient in everything they sell.
We got back to our hotel pretty early and I got all my running gear ready for the race in the morning. I had my mint chocolate gu ( four of them one for before the race, one for during the race, and a couple extras just in case I lost the first two lol) then my fully charged ipod, my trail running shoes, and the most important item: my brand new par of merino/silk scout wigwams! They are the most comfortable pair of socks I have ever worn or run in.
Race morning everything seemed to be going okay. We got up in plenty of time, but were worried that we wouldn't find the race start. We went down to breakfast-sigh... it really was just a continental breakfast: danishes, coffe and juice, but I wasn't really thinking about fuel though because I was way nervous. ( On a side note I will never again let anyone at the hotel I work at complain about anything in our continental breakfast we have everything!) Well we got our cab and after giving him our directions from the website - and then correcting the poor guy when he missed the turn off we got to the race way freaking early. I stretched and got my number and gulped down a ton of water as I had forgotten a water bottle ( stupid move!)I ate two of my gu's before the race, becuase we didn't realize how remote this place was (no restaurants, stores or even vending machines nearby) and all the food had been taken to the aid stations.
Hightlights of the race:
The start went off and I forgot to set my watch for about the first 200 meters! I tried to listen to music, but and this was the weird part - I couldn't find that rhythm/run beat so I bagged the ipod early. I was really surprised how well the birds, wind and other runners kept me entertained! I also got separated to the back of the pack quickly and ran alone for a about fifteen minutes until I caught up with another couple and she graciously let me stay on her tail as we cut through a ranch ( part of the course- not a short cut) and waved to the rancher. A few hundred meters later we saw the first wonderfully stocked aid station! I drank like three cups of water and ate a handful of red gummy bears and kept plugging along. I kind of caught up to the the group and we were going down a hill, when I tripped on a stick and got dirty and then basically jumped in a mud puddle. :) About two miles later I am completely behind everyone and running along and following the pink 200 meter markers when I missed a turn went left not right and went a quarter of mile out of my way until a woman and her dog said they hadn't seen any runners and said to go back the way I came, so I retraced my steps and found the trail again. I then took a phone call from Daddy (who was still in Salt Lake) and chatted on the trail while running. He asked when I had last seen someone and I said "Oh I saw people about a mile and half ago" he said I must be going the wrong way because he thought I said an hour and a half ago :). I made it to the second rest stop for more water and kept at it, but man it was hard. By about mile ten I saw Mom who had gotten worried about me (aww...) and was walking up to meet me and we ran the next three miles together and I finished! Whoo hoo! One of the best parts of the race was when I was going up a hill ( after this hill I tripped over a stick going down and laid there in the middle of the road for a while until I said "Okay Meagan get up- the full marathoners will be here soon" he he he) and off to my left was the beach and water and off to my right going up I could see the tips of the golden gate bridge. That was awesome! After the race I gobbled up oranges and water and a wonderful lady who also ran the race offered to give me and Mom a ride Sauslito (she was training for the Boston Marathon and ran this race with a broken toe! Yowza!) where we had an awesome lunch and shopped before taking the ferry to Fishermans Warf, then back to the hotel and then yummy pizza dinner.
On Sunday I could walk better than I expected and we went to China town and hung out there before getting on the subway and then on to the Bart system where we ran into neighbors of ours who had just come for the weekend to goof off too. ( Small world!) All in all it was a great weekend, trip and challenge and while I was so much freaking slower than I thought I was gonna be at least I finished and now I have a new bench mark of "level of toughness" with which to compare "hard" workouts to! Awesome race and I can't wait for Canyonlands in a month!
Love and blister free/broken toe free races,
Meagan
P.S. Thanks for the "Christmas" trip Mom and Dad!
Friday, February 5, 2010
My Untimely Need for Speed
I am not a fast runner. I am a distance runner and distance will probably always be my forte. I remember the week before my first half marathon, how nervous I was that I wouldn't be able to complete the distance. My longest "long run" for training up to that point had been eight miles and it was a slow eight miles. I had run only slighly longer than that a handful of other times (once at SUU years earlier I had run ten miles on a whim one day just to see if I could do it.)so I was really loosing it prior to my race wondering why I had signed up for this race. Also I had read in runnersworld that a usual training plan should be about sixteen weeks. I had given myself fourteen and had just come back from breaking my left foot.( for the second time.)
But something happened that day. As hard as that race was, most of it was magical. I was pumped with awesome music and the electric atmosphere of the start and loved running through the different neighborhoods. When the race got hard I thought of three things: My neighbor who had been diagnosed with cancer. I thought about how I wanted to finish so I could donate my medal to Medals4Mettle in his name. I thought about Christopher Reeve and all those who are paralyzed and how when the pain was awful how they would have loved to be able to feel this kind of pain, and I thought about my first running partner- Kenai, my Siberian Husky who loved nothing more that to run and had he been there he would have been pulled me the whole way. Towards the end I also kept replaying the song "Hurts so Good" by John Mellencamp and I pushed as hard as I could to the end. I did finish 13.1 miles. It was awesome. It was one of the most powerful feelings that I have ever had. The interesting thing was this though: I finished in 2:21:58.
An average of 10:50 per mile. Not only was it not fast, but it was mysteriously close to my all out pace when I ran tempo runs ( within about eighty seconds.) After my race about a month later when I decided to really push my tempo pace runs. I ran 3 miles full out for 27:22. Hard stuff. I thought I would be able to run faster now, but I have not always made speedwork a priority. I have tried to find a place for it these last couple months. I did speedwork two days ago and after warming up for almost half an hour I ran a 8:50 mile. It felt so hard, but the thing that makes me mad is that I know I was holding back. I was like "Meagan you sill have two more mile repeats to go, don't push that hard." As I was wheezing and doing my easy lap I talked my self out of more mile repeats and broke it up and did two 400's and one 800. At least I got in the milage that I wanted, but of course that wasn't the point of Wednesdays workout.
I went back yesterday just to do a maintenace run and then today for a tempo. I bonked today at two miles after realizing that I wasn't on pace not even close and quickly loosing steam. ( I wanted 9:50 min miles for six miles and ended at 20:15 for two!) I then talked myself into seeing if I could finsh on the treadmil- was gonna do four then said three and then I just quit at 1 and half. The point of all this is, if I hadn't been trying for speed I would have had no problem getting the miles in. I maybe would have finished somewhere around an hour. All I wanted was to shave an average of ten seconds off my usual mile pace and it psyched me out. Im going to try to really focus on my running objectives of the day. Yes a tempo run is trying to train your body to run at the pace you want, but sometimes it is not going to happen and I am just going to have to adjust especially if I want to get in the miles and stay focused on the fact that I have two half's coming up in the next six weeks! That what makes it so untimely, I know that speedwork is a part of training and that I shouldn't feel guilty about workouts that have me doing 6 X 800's especially when I know that the distance part is going to be on my side, but I always want to have run longer.
The good thing is though that regardless of the physcial characteristics of the race I know that I can do it. Distance is really all about two things: pacing and acting on what you believe. And I know I can do the distance. And I do know that one day the speed will come to me- it just might not come as soon as I would like it to!
Love and forward motion,
Meagan
But something happened that day. As hard as that race was, most of it was magical. I was pumped with awesome music and the electric atmosphere of the start and loved running through the different neighborhoods. When the race got hard I thought of three things: My neighbor who had been diagnosed with cancer. I thought about how I wanted to finish so I could donate my medal to Medals4Mettle in his name. I thought about Christopher Reeve and all those who are paralyzed and how when the pain was awful how they would have loved to be able to feel this kind of pain, and I thought about my first running partner- Kenai, my Siberian Husky who loved nothing more that to run and had he been there he would have been pulled me the whole way. Towards the end I also kept replaying the song "Hurts so Good" by John Mellencamp and I pushed as hard as I could to the end. I did finish 13.1 miles. It was awesome. It was one of the most powerful feelings that I have ever had. The interesting thing was this though: I finished in 2:21:58.
An average of 10:50 per mile. Not only was it not fast, but it was mysteriously close to my all out pace when I ran tempo runs ( within about eighty seconds.) After my race about a month later when I decided to really push my tempo pace runs. I ran 3 miles full out for 27:22. Hard stuff. I thought I would be able to run faster now, but I have not always made speedwork a priority. I have tried to find a place for it these last couple months. I did speedwork two days ago and after warming up for almost half an hour I ran a 8:50 mile. It felt so hard, but the thing that makes me mad is that I know I was holding back. I was like "Meagan you sill have two more mile repeats to go, don't push that hard." As I was wheezing and doing my easy lap I talked my self out of more mile repeats and broke it up and did two 400's and one 800. At least I got in the milage that I wanted, but of course that wasn't the point of Wednesdays workout.
I went back yesterday just to do a maintenace run and then today for a tempo. I bonked today at two miles after realizing that I wasn't on pace not even close and quickly loosing steam. ( I wanted 9:50 min miles for six miles and ended at 20:15 for two!) I then talked myself into seeing if I could finsh on the treadmil- was gonna do four then said three and then I just quit at 1 and half. The point of all this is, if I hadn't been trying for speed I would have had no problem getting the miles in. I maybe would have finished somewhere around an hour. All I wanted was to shave an average of ten seconds off my usual mile pace and it psyched me out. Im going to try to really focus on my running objectives of the day. Yes a tempo run is trying to train your body to run at the pace you want, but sometimes it is not going to happen and I am just going to have to adjust especially if I want to get in the miles and stay focused on the fact that I have two half's coming up in the next six weeks! That what makes it so untimely, I know that speedwork is a part of training and that I shouldn't feel guilty about workouts that have me doing 6 X 800's especially when I know that the distance part is going to be on my side, but I always want to have run longer.
The good thing is though that regardless of the physcial characteristics of the race I know that I can do it. Distance is really all about two things: pacing and acting on what you believe. And I know I can do the distance. And I do know that one day the speed will come to me- it just might not come as soon as I would like it to!
Love and forward motion,
Meagan
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Faith
It has taken me a while to understand what this word means. It is one of those words that you hear your whole life and take for granted its existance. Faith is said to be 'complete confidence in a person or plan'. I find it fitting, because as I was growing up and in school I believed in plans. I also had a lot of faith in people and in their intentions. I also believed that people were exactly what they appeared to be. I didn't understand pretenses for a long time. As a result of that as a kid I believed that all anger or happiness directed at me was a direct result of something that I did or did not do and sometimes even now I have to remind myself to beaware of false emotions and actions of others and to really keep the faith.
Fast forward a few years. I am twenty five years old, and I am still in college. I am working part time in customer service and it is one of those jobs where I am constantly looking for the good in people. I don't want this blog to be where I go to vent ( although I just might from time to time...) so I will try to make this short. I had a customer who was difficult yesterday. She called to state a problem and to yell. I tried to help her fix it and she hung up. We repeated this song and dance for a while and are still playing at this game again today. However there was man who was waiting for me and listening to my end of the conversation and as I hung up he asked if I needed a hug. Aww! :) ( I said, "No, I'm okayish") He told me not to worry about it. That there are people who are unhappy and need to make others feel like everything else is that person's fault. He was so genuinely nice. ( He also gave me a five dollar tip and told me to buy a drink. I did- a cold can of theraputic-cure-all-Dr. Pepper.) This man gave me faith yesterday. He gave me faith in people and in myself. I am going to try to remember that this year. I am going to remember him and not the woman on the other end of the phone. I am going to look for the good people at work this year and commemorate them on this blog.
I am also moving forward this year. Mentally, physically and emotionally. I am going to graduate from college. I am also going to build on the steps I took last year to run and train to become a better runner. 2009 was just about the action itself. Now it is about how can tone my running. I am also going to serioulsy enter training for a full marathon. ( Disney World 2011 here I come baby!) I am going to appreciate more fully my ability to run and my ability to live. Here are few of my 2010 goals:
1. Graduate
2. Train for Walt Disney World Marathon 2011
3. Run four half marathons
4. Do two trail races
5. Do one snow shoe race
6. Take a self defense class
7. Take a CCW class
9. Start a garden this year ( build a raised bed for it)
10. Start a compost bin
11. Do Pedal to the Point ( in August)
12. Visit Yellowstone
13. Read eight nonfiction books ( not for classes)
14. Find children’s books to read ( in Spanish and German)
15. Listen to 11 new artists
16. Find a piano to play
18. Cook 30 new recipes
19. Become a morning person
23. Participate in a sprint triathlon
24. Take scuba diving lessons
26. Apply to Graduate school or have a meeting with a counselor
31. Average 30 miles a week ( running)
32. Do one swim workout a week
33. Cover 1000 miles on the bike this year
34. Be on time to classes and don’t miss one class!
We'll see how it goes. I am definately going to give these goals my best and I am going to appreciate the gift of time this year and take advantage of it. This year is about a more motivated me,so I will end this post and start this new year off with a quote that I hope to constantly remember and put into action.
Our Greatest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others."
—Marianne Williamson
I hope that we will all have a fabulous and faithful 2010!
Fast forward a few years. I am twenty five years old, and I am still in college. I am working part time in customer service and it is one of those jobs where I am constantly looking for the good in people. I don't want this blog to be where I go to vent ( although I just might from time to time...) so I will try to make this short. I had a customer who was difficult yesterday. She called to state a problem and to yell. I tried to help her fix it and she hung up. We repeated this song and dance for a while and are still playing at this game again today. However there was man who was waiting for me and listening to my end of the conversation and as I hung up he asked if I needed a hug. Aww! :) ( I said, "No, I'm okayish") He told me not to worry about it. That there are people who are unhappy and need to make others feel like everything else is that person's fault. He was so genuinely nice. ( He also gave me a five dollar tip and told me to buy a drink. I did- a cold can of theraputic-cure-all-Dr. Pepper.) This man gave me faith yesterday. He gave me faith in people and in myself. I am going to try to remember that this year. I am going to remember him and not the woman on the other end of the phone. I am going to look for the good people at work this year and commemorate them on this blog.
I am also moving forward this year. Mentally, physically and emotionally. I am going to graduate from college. I am also going to build on the steps I took last year to run and train to become a better runner. 2009 was just about the action itself. Now it is about how can tone my running. I am also going to serioulsy enter training for a full marathon. ( Disney World 2011 here I come baby!) I am going to appreciate more fully my ability to run and my ability to live. Here are few of my 2010 goals:
1. Graduate
2. Train for Walt Disney World Marathon 2011
3. Run four half marathons
4. Do two trail races
5. Do one snow shoe race
6. Take a self defense class
7. Take a CCW class
9. Start a garden this year ( build a raised bed for it)
10. Start a compost bin
11. Do Pedal to the Point ( in August)
12. Visit Yellowstone
13. Read eight nonfiction books ( not for classes)
14. Find children’s books to read ( in Spanish and German)
15. Listen to 11 new artists
16. Find a piano to play
18. Cook 30 new recipes
19. Become a morning person
23. Participate in a sprint triathlon
24. Take scuba diving lessons
26. Apply to Graduate school or have a meeting with a counselor
31. Average 30 miles a week ( running)
32. Do one swim workout a week
33. Cover 1000 miles on the bike this year
34. Be on time to classes and don’t miss one class!
We'll see how it goes. I am definately going to give these goals my best and I am going to appreciate the gift of time this year and take advantage of it. This year is about a more motivated me,so I will end this post and start this new year off with a quote that I hope to constantly remember and put into action.
Our Greatest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others."
—Marianne Williamson
I hope that we will all have a fabulous and faithful 2010!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)