Thursday, August 25, 2011

Longest Run Ever! NYRR Long Training Run

Sun I ran my longest run ever...15.18 miles! Thanks to the awesome people at NYRR I was able to get in an amazing training run with new running partner. I could have gone longer (I think) but followed my plan and stayed with the 15. Weird thing is my next 2 long runs are both 13 miles, although my weekly average is higher. Marathon training is strange, one coach differs from another, I'm trying to sync plans with new partner but hers calls for 18 miles this week....hmm.

Overall I felt really strong. I averaged a 10:28 pace and was consistent in my splits. My HR was also manageable which was a huge plus, all that HR training has really paid off. I also got a good dose of hill training in, man those mothers were killer! Really loving my training right now, who would have thought?!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

I'm Running a Half Marathon Before Work....WTF!

Yup, that's right, if all goes according to plan, I'll be done with 13/14 miles before I get to the office - on time!

My plan was to run with new running partner on Sat, but she can't make it, so gym partner who has 10 on the schedule can meet up early tomorrow, I just have to get 2 in before I meet up with her and she will add on whatever she has to so we come out on goal.

The most I have run before work has been about 9.....tomorrow is going to be interesting, but I know I can do it. I have no other choice and I will not miss a long run unless I am dying (knock on wood!).

Wish me luck!

UPDATE: I ran the 13, killed it actually, and I made it to work on time!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

88 Days!

Holey moley! 88 days till the FULL MARY!!!

AHHHHH!

I'm getting nervous, but super motivated. I have 88 days to shed some weight, run a ton of training miles, think positively and HAVE FUN because this is supposed to be fun, not a chore! This is what I have been waiting for...and dammit I'm going to ENJOY IT!

Friday, August 5, 2011

Fitness Friday

I love running early in the morning, even though lately I can barely get up...

I made plans to run 90 minutes with gym partner (we have been recently reunited). While I train by distance, she goes by time, but since we were running in the 10's so I could monitor my heart rate it worked. Gym Partner is speedy, so I felt bad, but we were consistent and finished the 9 at a pace of 10:18 and she felt good. She's tri training, so the pace worked.

I wish I took some pics, but the morning was so amazingly peaceful and calm. We ran the normally busy Montauk HWY from Babylon to Bay Shore and back. It's a straight run that I love, no turns no twists, just the calmness of the road and some nice scenery along the way.

Tonight I head back to Crossfit for the last of my Foundations training. I'm not exactly sure what I am getting myself into, but so far I'm really liking it. I can tell that CF will push me to limits that I can't get to alone. I just hope I don't get injured...I have never really been fearful of injury (except for when skiing) but I have heard some major injury stories with CF. Crossing fingers!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Queens Half Recap and Pics!

I'm going to start my negative post off with a super hot pic of myself. Ya know, just to stroke my ego after a TERRIBLE race.


Ok, I feel better now. And I should say that pic was taken at a friends annual Maryland Crab Feast a few hours after I wanted to die. Not bad, huh?

So yes, race report.

My official Garmin time: 2:21:05, 10:26 pace

My official Garmin distance: 13.52 (a lot of people complained the course was off and it was funny to hear all the "garmin chirps" going off at the same time, so I know my Garmin was not acting up!)

Official weather: Hot as hell!

I will say that I started off strong, with high hopes to come close to my PR. I mean, I've been kicking ass with my training, so why not, right? RIGHT!!

All jokiness aside, the heat was what did me in. It was hot, parts of it were for me, unbearable with no shade. I also had to pee, bad...even after I waited on this ridiculously long porta-potty line:


I won't do a mile by mile recap, but some highlights were the pee brake in an unauthorized porta-potty right by City Field at mile 6, my death march walk during mile 10 and on a serious note, all the awesome volunteers who made sure I had plenty of fluids which came in handy as I walked the water stops (which I believe is what saved me from heat stroke).

I was bummed and a little sad, my coach wanted this to be a training run, but I had other expectations. And to be honest, I was bummed out that I had no fans on the course (call me a whambulance!!) and the only person who even cared that I was running was my little cat Olive Marie (that's right, full dramatics in this post!!). I'm still a little bummed, but I know that I can't let one bad run define my running abilities or my goals for the full. I can and will kill my training and I will get through the full - now I just need to work on my expectations!!!

Oh, and I finally picked up my bike form the shop, where she has lived for over a year! Crazy!