setbacks.

This week has been a frustrating running week. I graciously accepted the baby's cold and have been fighting it all week, hoping it doesn't turn into my annual sinus infection.

Tuesday's run went relatively well but on Thursday I had to cut my five miler short (ran 3.77) and didn't come anywhere close to the needed splits. Then on Friday I didn't even make it out to run because I felt so lousy.

Today (Saturday) is an off day and then tomorrow is the long run for the week.

8 miles. Eeek.

I am beginning to feel better during the days, but am still super congested and wake up with a sore throat every morning. I am going to run 8 miles tomorrow. Period. No matter how slow, no matter how many goal splits I miss.

I am so disappointed that I couldn't finish that five miler earlier this week. I've decided that's it. No more quitting. Stubborn is my strategy. Genius, I know.

(And for the record, yes I know. 'You've been sick! Rest is what you need. It's okay.' Blah, Blah Blah. I know I did the right thing my cutting one run short and skipping the other. I did need the rest. That makes it no less frustrating.)

Setbacks.

How do you handle them? What are your strategies for getting around/thru those inevitable setbacks in life? Are they frustrating or a welcome break? Are they a necessary evil for later improvement? 

ready. set. RUN!

This is it. 10 weeks to go and we are set to begin the RunnersWorld Break 2:00 or Bust plan.

Monday's are typically rest or cross training days so this morning I did some abdominal work and a couple of sets with hand weights, concentrating on arms and shoulders.

It is always quite sobering to pick weights up after a protracted absence. Not to mention the fact that my abs were sliced through so as to surgically remove a baby 4 months ago...

Sobering, yes, but motivating also.

Tomorrow the first run is on the schedule, and the goal is to run 4 miles all at a 10:30 pace. I think with a concentrated effort this is totally within reason. I am currently hanging around in the 10:40-11:00 minute a mile pace, and that is usually with friends while chatting. I think if I can shut my big mouth, I can do 10:30. I guess we will find out in the morning.

Another big focus these next 10 weeks is nutrition. Time to get back on the wagon I suppose and cut out the junk. Again. In some weird way I think this plan will make it easier to do so because it is MUCH more involved. I will not have nearly as many rest/off days in which to feel like I can indulge.

I'm also shifting my focus in another, related area. So let me be perfectly honest for a second. I want/need to lose some weight and tone up. Big. Time. And, although my overall goal has been to finish the half and "don't die" I have also been fairly wrapped up in the "run to lose weight" idea. Yes, I do hope to lose weight while I run, but now I REALLY want to break 2 hours. So that is what I am trying to focus my workouts on.

Get faster. Get more fit. Break 2. Just Do it. (Thanks for that last one Phil Knight. :) )

I am also taking a more serious approach to the training in general. A couple of people close to me have noted that I am perhaps having a "little" too much fun running with friends and if I really am serious about doing this then I need to do less talking and more running. Like one of these people told me, "if you can talk, then you aren't running hard enough." Of course, she's a little hard core, but I think she's got a point too. I still enjoy the company of my Rez Running Buddies, that hasn't changed. Hopefully most of our runs will still be together, but maybe I will do more listening and less yapping!

I guess that means I can just do more talking here and less on the road.

Happy Running.

thorn ball of death

Yeah, so my "easy street" week has officially turned into a giant bust. I was going to run yesterday (Thursday) but on Wednesday afternoon I stepped on (what Addison called) a Monster goat-head thus leaving, to this moment (Friday morning), a red swollen and painful place on the middle of the bottom of my left foot. Awesome.

For those of you fortunate enough to NOT know what a goat-head is, it is a thorn ball of death. All of the weeds here are noxious...much like everything else here, if you ask me...

Anyway, so these little buggers are roaming around everywhere trying to wedge themselves painfully into any live being. This is why NO ONE goes out side EVER without shoes...except for genius me.

A friend stopped by unexpectedly and her daughter is nervous around big dogs so I rushed them out the back. FAIL. I was wearing socks but that didn't stop my foot from finding a HUGE goat-head. I pulled it out, but apparently part of it broke off in my foot. I haven't stopped whining since. :)

I will say that it hurts less this morning than it did yesterday, but now I am on such a time crunch to get ready for GIRLS WEEKEND (yay!) that I don't think I will find time to run anyway. Ugh.

I'm not going to lie, this sets off mild panic in me. I do NOT want to lose sight of my goal! I have to keep running! And not only that, next week is my first BIG week. Seriously. Yes, I wanted to be well rested going into next week, but this is bordering on ridiculous.

*deep breath*

Okay, venting session is now concluding. Until Monday friends. Look for a post early next week detailing the first week's runs.

easy street

I haven't felt great this week.

No real symptoms to speak of, just fatigued and a little sore. I have decided to take it easy this week and to try and let my body heal and adapt to what I have been asking it to do.

This decision is also predicated on the fact that come Sunday we are 10 weeks from race day and the REAL training begins. Beginning next week I will be running a minimum of 4 days a week and more than 20 miles a week. Yes, it seems daunting, but I am looking forward to it. I won't spend much time on it today though, because I have a whole other post rolling around in my head leading into next week.

So today I am going to run an easy 3 or 4 miles when the Hubs returns from work and I will do 5 on Friday before heading out of town this weekend for a much needed break with some girlfriends. I will also likely run one other time somewhere in there this week.

The balancing act of life is tricky. Remember your priorities. One of my priorities is jumping in his jumper and the other one is singing her little heart out as she plays... It's nice to jog down easy street every once in a while.

Happy Running.

signed and sealed.

Now it's up to me to deliver!

I am officially registered for the PF Chang's Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Phoenix, January 16, 2011!!

I am nervous and excited all at once. Also, I totally over shot my estimated finish time! I put 1:50! Bahahahahaha!!! All the advice I have received is to put faster, not slower on your time and then let people pass me and not get stuck behind the walkers. So I did. And it felt good.

Also, I ran 6 miles yesterday for the first time! I finished in 1:09:40, but was pleased because I ran the first 3.1 miles with a dear (but extremely slow) friend. She peeled off after her 5k was over and then I finished strong (running solo) the last 3 miles all under 11 minutes/mile. My final mile split was the best of the day at 10:34 AND that was running up the killer hill back onto the compound.

Yesterday was definitely a confidence booster for me. I can't wait to kick it up ANOTHER notch when I get back from Girls Weekend in Flag next week! Sub 2:00 here I come!!

4 miles for 4 months

Apparently fall here in Chinle lasts approximately 22 minutes, and time is already up. This is strange for an Okie who remembers short sleeves well into November some years........
Anyway, no matter. I am determined to keep up with my training (more on that in a second) and in order to do so it means I must brave the elements. So, dressed head to toe in my Icebreaker Merino Wool I set out this morning at 6:15 in 20 degree weather with Amber and Lisa, who are just as dedicated or crazy, depending on whom you ask of course, to run 4 miles.
I am still unsure of what to wear in cold weather because it can be such a delicate balance. Yes, it is freezing outside, but a mile or so into a run and I am hot. I think I had a pretty good selection today, and I definitely think I made the right decision to buy a wool base layer to go under my existing workout clothes. LAYERS PEOPLE! LAYERS!
We decided to run a "warm up" mile and then pick our pace up to (hopefully) around 10:30 a mile for the final three. Yeah...about that...we hung right around 11:45/mile for the whole run. None of us could seem to really find our legs this morning. That, or they both were fine, but were too nice to leave cold, stiff knees me in their dust... Either way, I was happy to get another 4 miler under my belt before this training schedule kicks into high gear.
As for that training schedule I have decided to let my competitive juices (see previous post) push me and not regret or wonder later "what could have been". This means though that I do still need to have a loose grip on reality and my current physical fitness.

The ever-changing-and-evolving plan is to take each workout of the sub 2 hour RunnersWorld plan and attempt it.

One. Run. At. A. Time.

I realize that this plan is totally over my head, but I like that. I need to push and be pushed. I also really like that each run has some sort of mini goal within the run itself.
For example: Run 4 miles (10:30 pace) or 1 mile warm up 2 x 1 mile at 8:54, then 1 mile cool down. I like this better than just "run 4 miles" because my natural tendency usually is to run REALLY slow if I am not chasing something or someone.
The plan is 10 weeks long and we are at just under 12 weeks to go, so I have a week and a half to step it up a couple of notches...and miles. I will run each workout with the goal of matching what it asks for. I am assuming at this point I won't be able to do each one perfectly, but I am okay with that as long as I run as hard as I can each time. I will do each one as best and as hard as I can and then come race day I get what I get. If I am sub 2, then WOW! HOORAY FOR ME! If not? Then I am willing to bet whatever time I do get will be faster than if I don't push myself to keep up with something a little out of my league.

Four miles in the cold is not bad considering L is only four months old today.

Happy Running.

juiced.

No. I'm not talking Barry Bonds. And no. I'm not "supplementing". But, a friend of mine HAS riled me up...in a good way. You see, for those of you who REALLY know me, you know that I like to win. Seriously. I have been blessed with my Dad's competitiveness and although I believe I am a gracious loser, I prefer to never lose if I can help it. Ever.
So when one of my favorite running buddies (who is already very fit) mentioned that she has decided to run the half in PHX with the goal of breaking 2 hours...the competitive juices started to flow. Now, to be clear, I don't really want to beat her. I just want to match her stride for stride. :)
My goal for this has always been, "finish and don't die" and that continues to be the goal. But now, oh now, I so badly want to see if I can break 2 hours too. Can I do the training? Can I log those kinds of miles? Can I really run that fast??
Reality though is a harsh thing. And the reality that I am facing is that
1. I am still only 4 months post-partum
2. Less than that from being hospitalized with serious post surgical infections
3. and still carrying 20ish extra pounds.
So I run on. I don't know that a 9:09 pace for 13.1 miles is anywhere in the realm of possible for me right now. I actually don't even have much confidence in my ability to complete the required training (via Runners World magazine), much less the race itself at that pace.
In fact, honestly I would be THRILLED to run between 10:30-11:00/mile for race day. I know that a sub 2:00 is totally possible at some point, but probably just not this go round. But, the juices are flowing. My focus is narrowing. And for me, nothing motivates me more than winning, or in this case keeping pace. So thanks Running Buddy, I appreciate you unknowingly pushing me. I love it.