Distance: 12.07 miles
Route: Clyde Fant Parkway
Time: 2 hrs. 12 mins. 13 secs.
You gotta love the weather in the South. Really. One hour it is beautiful and the next it's snow. You wake up and it's pouring and then 2 hours later it's stifling. I had originally scheduled this run for Sunday, but seeing as Mother Nature has had a wicked sense of meteorological humor as of late, I decided to move it to Saturday. The only catch was that Mark had a 10-mile trail run at Lake Bistineau (30 mins away) at 8:30am. So, I'd either have to do it super duper early or just wait until later in the day. The day was so beautiful that I decided to wait until after Mark's run. Can I just say that Lake Bistineau is stunning?! Mark did great on his run...no ninjas, no veering off-course and lots of splashing through mud and pine needles.
When we got home, I threw on my gear. It was 72 and perfect outside, so I opted for shorts and a tank top. I haven't had to break those out in a REALLY long time. I made sure to slather on the sunscreen and also filled the camelbak all the way. I had a feeling that I may end up using all of it. I decided to reverse the route. I started down at Hamel Park and ran the big loop at the park and then headed up toward Sciport. There was no shade at all. Luckily, there was a breeze, so that was a nice saving grace. Lots of people out today...walkers, bikers, runners. It was nice to see. I hit 4 miles and my left foot started bothering me. I think it's leftover from last week when I tried the new shoes (I ran in my old shoes today). I tried to ignore it as best I could.
I was on my way back and saw a dad biking with his three kids. I was at the hill right before Stoner Boat Launch when one of the kids veered off the trail and ate it right in front of me. I ran over to him and helped him shake it off and helped pick up his bike. His dad thanked me and I just smiled and said no problem...I have two kiddos myself. They went on their merry way and I went on mine. I started to get tired around 9 miles. I didn't prep myself as well as I usually do for long runs, so I was getting mentally tired too. The sun was beating down and I just kept reminding myself of how nice it was to be warm rather than freezing for a change. I made it back down to Hamel Park and did another loop to make sure that I got all of the mileage in.
It was nice that it was 12 miles today. Taper always freaks me out because I feel like I need to be doing more and pushing harder and harder. Taper is time to rest the muscles and let them recover. This way they'll be able to perform optimally on race day. I didn't hit the gym this past week, and I can tell the difference without having done weights. I need to make it a point to do a little cross training and some weights. I think I feel more well-rounded when I do.
One more long run remaining, and even then, it's not too long. I have 8 scheduled for next Sunday (provided I don't have to build an ark between now and then) and then the race is set for February 13th. I received my race confirmation and bib number. So, if you get bored and feel like checking up on me, my number is 17116. :)
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
NOLA Week 9: Twice as Nice...
Distance: 20.08 miles <-- yep, I earned those .08 miles.
Route: Clyde Fant Parkway Trail x 2
Time: 3 hrs. 42mins. 23 secs.
I didn't blog my run last week, mainly because I kinda punked out. No, I take it back, I didn't punk out completely. My mom came to visit! The last time she came to see us was when Lauren was born. I got up early last Saturday with every intention to do 14 miles, but alas, it was beginning to rain and I decided (wisely) that spending time with my mom was much more important. She left on Sunday, and of course it was pouring down rain all day. I hit the gym and did 4 miles of intervals and then did 8.3 miles on Tuesday. Kind of made up for it, but I decided to let bygones be bygones and focus on the run scheduled for today.
20 miles. Sometimes it's hard to fathom how far 20 miles is. When I write it, it looks almost easy. Kind of like "Pshaw! 20 miles...what's the biggie?". To put it in perspective, 20 miles will take you from our house to the Texas/Louisiana state line. For my California peeps, 20 miles is equivalent of going from Dixon to Travis AFB or from San Diego International Airport to the Mexican border. The sad thing is that isn't even the total mileage for a marathon. I get to add a 10K (6.2 miles) to those 20 miles in order to equal a marathon.
I woke up at 5:20 this morning and got all my gear together and hit the road. I decided to run Clyde Fant today. You may ask yourself, how on earth do you get 20 miles out of a 10-12 mile trail? Simple...you do it twice. I was getting a little tired of the base trail and I knew that I needed to see other life today. Often on the base trail, you're absolutely alone. I think in the past 6 weeks on the base trail, I have only run across one other person. Clyde Fant is also more challenging, as there are rolling hills and I'd have to be in the game mentally the whole time since I'd have to run it twice.
It was cold outside when I started...34 degrees with a windchill of 26. My mom had bought me a new pair of running gloves, so I was happy that I got to try them out this morning. :) I felt pretty good. The legs were good and I warmed up pretty fast. I didn't check the time, as I really just didn't want to know. I made it down to Hamel Park and shot my first Gu. I ran the big loop at the end of the trail just to make sure that I got enough mileage in. I did my first turn around and headed back to my starting point. I saw my car and shot my second Gu. Once I did my second turn around, it was really hard. I'm not used to doubling back, and the lure of the car was pretty strong. It was still cold out, so I didn't need to deposit anything to the car and I just kept going. By this time, the wind had picked up and it made it a little more difficult. I hit the boat launch area and started to get a little tired. I realized that I only had 2 miles until my final turn around, so I just kept plugging away. I hit my final turnaround and shot my last Gu. I made sure that I had a caffeinated one just to make sure that I had enough umph to get me through the last 4 miles.
At this point, my legs were getting tired. Kind of sad, considering that during the race, I'll have 10 more to go. I shook that thought out of my head and just focused on the run I was currently doing. I hit the finish and was quite happy to be done. It was a beautiful morning and a really good way to finish the ugly training runs. I did an ice bath on my legs this morning and I'll be rolling them out before I go to bed. I feel pretty good while I write this, but I know tomorrow morning may be a whole different story. :)
So, there you have it. No ninjas, no crazy people or animals. Just a good run all around. Taper starts next week...12 for next Sunday, 8 the following and then the marathon. I'm as ready as I'm going to be. :)
Route: Clyde Fant Parkway Trail x 2
Time: 3 hrs. 42mins. 23 secs.
I didn't blog my run last week, mainly because I kinda punked out. No, I take it back, I didn't punk out completely. My mom came to visit! The last time she came to see us was when Lauren was born. I got up early last Saturday with every intention to do 14 miles, but alas, it was beginning to rain and I decided (wisely) that spending time with my mom was much more important. She left on Sunday, and of course it was pouring down rain all day. I hit the gym and did 4 miles of intervals and then did 8.3 miles on Tuesday. Kind of made up for it, but I decided to let bygones be bygones and focus on the run scheduled for today.
20 miles. Sometimes it's hard to fathom how far 20 miles is. When I write it, it looks almost easy. Kind of like "Pshaw! 20 miles...what's the biggie?". To put it in perspective, 20 miles will take you from our house to the Texas/Louisiana state line. For my California peeps, 20 miles is equivalent of going from Dixon to Travis AFB or from San Diego International Airport to the Mexican border. The sad thing is that isn't even the total mileage for a marathon. I get to add a 10K (6.2 miles) to those 20 miles in order to equal a marathon.
I woke up at 5:20 this morning and got all my gear together and hit the road. I decided to run Clyde Fant today. You may ask yourself, how on earth do you get 20 miles out of a 10-12 mile trail? Simple...you do it twice. I was getting a little tired of the base trail and I knew that I needed to see other life today. Often on the base trail, you're absolutely alone. I think in the past 6 weeks on the base trail, I have only run across one other person. Clyde Fant is also more challenging, as there are rolling hills and I'd have to be in the game mentally the whole time since I'd have to run it twice.
It was cold outside when I started...34 degrees with a windchill of 26. My mom had bought me a new pair of running gloves, so I was happy that I got to try them out this morning. :) I felt pretty good. The legs were good and I warmed up pretty fast. I didn't check the time, as I really just didn't want to know. I made it down to Hamel Park and shot my first Gu. I ran the big loop at the end of the trail just to make sure that I got enough mileage in. I did my first turn around and headed back to my starting point. I saw my car and shot my second Gu. Once I did my second turn around, it was really hard. I'm not used to doubling back, and the lure of the car was pretty strong. It was still cold out, so I didn't need to deposit anything to the car and I just kept going. By this time, the wind had picked up and it made it a little more difficult. I hit the boat launch area and started to get a little tired. I realized that I only had 2 miles until my final turn around, so I just kept plugging away. I hit my final turnaround and shot my last Gu. I made sure that I had a caffeinated one just to make sure that I had enough umph to get me through the last 4 miles.
At this point, my legs were getting tired. Kind of sad, considering that during the race, I'll have 10 more to go. I shook that thought out of my head and just focused on the run I was currently doing. I hit the finish and was quite happy to be done. It was a beautiful morning and a really good way to finish the ugly training runs. I did an ice bath on my legs this morning and I'll be rolling them out before I go to bed. I feel pretty good while I write this, but I know tomorrow morning may be a whole different story. :)
So, there you have it. No ninjas, no crazy people or animals. Just a good run all around. Taper starts next week...12 for next Sunday, 8 the following and then the marathon. I'm as ready as I'm going to be. :)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
NOLA Week 7: Old Houses and Half-Ninjas.
Distance: 18.01 miles
Time: 3hrs 19 mins 08 secs
Route: Base Trail (Museum - Capehart Housing - Museum)
Number of Ninjas: 1/2
I had a choice to make regarding this run. Either run in cold weather or run in blizzardy/icy cold weather. I like to think of myself as having a smidge of common sense, so I moved the run to this morning instead of tomorrow. Whether or not these conditions will even happen remains to be seen, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. :)
I got up early and headed out. It was cold this morning, but I figure if the weather is 30 degrees on race day, I will have a bunch of practice under my belt. I actually warmed up a lot more quickly than usual. I was feeling pretty good by the time I hit the East Gate. I did my loops at ALS and still felt really good. I was about a mile from Cullen Park when it almost happened. My right ankle rolled and had I not been wide awake it would have most likely been a full ninja. I heard the nice crunchy sound in the ankle and ended up doing a couple of hops on my left foot in order to keep myself from falling. It was probably the smart thing to do. I stopped and walked it out for about a quarter of a mile. My ankle was hurting pretty good when I tried to run on it, so I decided to walk a little more. I reached the park, debated on calling it a run and decided that I wouldn't quit. Even if I had to walk the whole MFing thing, I was going to finish it. I did a run/walk routine until the top of the hill by the shoppette and by then the ankle went numb, so I went back to running.
When I reached the Capehart Housing area, it was eerily quiet. The houses are slated for demolition, so it is completely empty and very desolate. They have fenced off the side roads and the houses, so I had to do the main loop through the housing (which was perfect, since halfway through was my turn around spot). I always love walking/running by these kind of places. When we lived in Texas, they were demolishing old houses. We used to take walks through them and even walked through a few places. So much life has been lived in these old houses. Many different families have come and gone...oh the stories these houses could tell! I'm sure some are haunted, but they just fascinate me so much.
The second half of the run was pretty uneventful. I shot another Gu when I hit the park again, but I've realized that I probably should have brought another one. By the time I hit the flightline, my legs were really tired and I was ready to be done. I was still good to go mentally (aside from the various expletives that would escape every now and then), but my body was just tired. I was very happy to hit the static displays and finally the museum. I looked down at the time and was very surprised to see that I had PR'd. The fastest I had previously run 18 miles was in 3:38 and I was running with Sparky in Sacramento. She's quite a bit faster than me and she helped push me on that one. I think maybe I was channeling her a bit today. :)
A good run, half-ninja and old houses to boot. I thought a lot about my sisters today, two in particular that are having some rough times. I'm sending a lot of good juju, since I can't send myself. :) Week 7 is done and it's time to just keep moving forward. One foot in front of the other.
Time: 3hrs 19 mins 08 secs
Route: Base Trail (Museum - Capehart Housing - Museum)
Number of Ninjas: 1/2
I had a choice to make regarding this run. Either run in cold weather or run in blizzardy/icy cold weather. I like to think of myself as having a smidge of common sense, so I moved the run to this morning instead of tomorrow. Whether or not these conditions will even happen remains to be seen, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. :)
I got up early and headed out. It was cold this morning, but I figure if the weather is 30 degrees on race day, I will have a bunch of practice under my belt. I actually warmed up a lot more quickly than usual. I was feeling pretty good by the time I hit the East Gate. I did my loops at ALS and still felt really good. I was about a mile from Cullen Park when it almost happened. My right ankle rolled and had I not been wide awake it would have most likely been a full ninja. I heard the nice crunchy sound in the ankle and ended up doing a couple of hops on my left foot in order to keep myself from falling. It was probably the smart thing to do. I stopped and walked it out for about a quarter of a mile. My ankle was hurting pretty good when I tried to run on it, so I decided to walk a little more. I reached the park, debated on calling it a run and decided that I wouldn't quit. Even if I had to walk the whole MFing thing, I was going to finish it. I did a run/walk routine until the top of the hill by the shoppette and by then the ankle went numb, so I went back to running.
When I reached the Capehart Housing area, it was eerily quiet. The houses are slated for demolition, so it is completely empty and very desolate. They have fenced off the side roads and the houses, so I had to do the main loop through the housing (which was perfect, since halfway through was my turn around spot). I always love walking/running by these kind of places. When we lived in Texas, they were demolishing old houses. We used to take walks through them and even walked through a few places. So much life has been lived in these old houses. Many different families have come and gone...oh the stories these houses could tell! I'm sure some are haunted, but they just fascinate me so much.
The second half of the run was pretty uneventful. I shot another Gu when I hit the park again, but I've realized that I probably should have brought another one. By the time I hit the flightline, my legs were really tired and I was ready to be done. I was still good to go mentally (aside from the various expletives that would escape every now and then), but my body was just tired. I was very happy to hit the static displays and finally the museum. I looked down at the time and was very surprised to see that I had PR'd. The fastest I had previously run 18 miles was in 3:38 and I was running with Sparky in Sacramento. She's quite a bit faster than me and she helped push me on that one. I think maybe I was channeling her a bit today. :)
A good run, half-ninja and old houses to boot. I thought a lot about my sisters today, two in particular that are having some rough times. I'm sending a lot of good juju, since I can't send myself. :) Week 7 is done and it's time to just keep moving forward. One foot in front of the other.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Resolution Schmesolution.
It's the start of the New Year. I've always wondered whose brilliant idea it was to come up with a resolution for the new year. If you break it down into two words you have the prefix of "re-" (which means to do again) and "solution" (which, duh...is an outcome or answer to something). It seems kind of funny...resolve to fix something that is broken in your life. I guess with the start of a new year, it's like starting over--you get a clean slate and voila! All is new again! Only, it doesn't quite work that way. For instance, my bills don't get wiped clean from last year. Not only that, but usually, when you make them, you break them within 48 hours of making them. Where's the fun in that?
This year, I resolve to not make any resolutions. Sure, there are things that I would like to do, but I need to fix a few things in my life before I can do anything. I am VERY proud to say that I am starting this new year 27 pounds lighter than the last one. I have lost 3 sizes and I feel fantastic. I did not do any crazy diets or go hog wild on the exercise (no...marathon training does NOT count here). I watched what I was eating and more importantly how MUCH I was eating. Stomachs are small. Why am I putting a ginormous shovel of processed crap into it, only to feel like a ginormous pile of processed crap later? Yes, I still eat pasta. I still eat meat. I still have dessert. But the important thing is that I don't have to have ALL of it, so I don't. I always keep it in my mind that I am fueling my brain and my body. I don't need it for anything else but that. :) Depriving yourself isn't good. Binging yourself isn't good either. The happy medium is to have just a little bit. Then, get up and move. It sounds simple and you know what, it truly is. We are all busy, and sometimes you have to find a spot to stick it in. But eventually, it becomes a habit. Running has become a part of my life. I am planning this training as the last marathon for awhile. I won't say that I'll never do another one, but this one is it for awhile. So, basically weight loss = Watch what and how much you eat + Getting Butt off Couch and Moving. :)
On to this year with the non-resolutions. Instead of saying, "I resolve to become debt-free sometime in the future--preferably in the year", I'm saying that I need to curb my spending habits and not incur anymore debt. I'm really good at rationalizing purchases. I'm the queen of "If I put it on the card and just pay it off next month or put a bigger chunk on it next month, then it's okay to buy". In reality, I don't pay it off and I don't put the bigger chunk on it next month. It has gotten us into trouble. When the douchebag skimmed my ATM card, it may have been a blessing in disguise. We went through all of our finances: checking, money market account, credit cards and auto loans. We have come up with a monthly budget, so we'll see how well we do with it. I have removed the credit cards from my wallet and have made them inaccessible to me. Well, I have access to them, but it would require me to thaw them out. We refinanced a loan for a lower interest rate and managed to pull enough equity of it to pay off a credit card. It feels good to have a plan.
In addition to curbing spending habits, one other non-resolution is the word "No." I am a big doormat. I hate saying no to people. I am a people pleaser. If you need my shirt, here you go. If you need me to make you dinner, what would you like? You want my Christmas presents, just jot down your address. Okay, I wouldn't go quite that far, but if you have a compelling reason, then probably. Unfortunately, because of this inability to say no, I have a) incurred a lot of the aforementioned debt and b) managed to completely overwhelm myself. I like to stay busy and I like to be social. But there has to be a line drawn. For instance, working and helping out in a child's classroom is busy and social. Working, going to school, volunteering for the OSC, being a stay at home mom (I work from home), as well as all the day to day nitty gritty is stupid and effing insane. Seriously. Because of my inability to say no, I sometimes resemble the living dead. There are days when I will come home from a social and literally pass out. I just can't do it anymore. It's not good for anyone. So here it is: no. No. NO. NO!!!!! See, it is possible. Now, I just need to make sure that I do it when it really counts.
There you have it. I don't have to re-solve anything. I just need to fix the things that need a little tweaking here and there.
This year, I resolve to not make any resolutions. Sure, there are things that I would like to do, but I need to fix a few things in my life before I can do anything. I am VERY proud to say that I am starting this new year 27 pounds lighter than the last one. I have lost 3 sizes and I feel fantastic. I did not do any crazy diets or go hog wild on the exercise (no...marathon training does NOT count here). I watched what I was eating and more importantly how MUCH I was eating. Stomachs are small. Why am I putting a ginormous shovel of processed crap into it, only to feel like a ginormous pile of processed crap later? Yes, I still eat pasta. I still eat meat. I still have dessert. But the important thing is that I don't have to have ALL of it, so I don't. I always keep it in my mind that I am fueling my brain and my body. I don't need it for anything else but that. :) Depriving yourself isn't good. Binging yourself isn't good either. The happy medium is to have just a little bit. Then, get up and move. It sounds simple and you know what, it truly is. We are all busy, and sometimes you have to find a spot to stick it in. But eventually, it becomes a habit. Running has become a part of my life. I am planning this training as the last marathon for awhile. I won't say that I'll never do another one, but this one is it for awhile. So, basically weight loss = Watch what and how much you eat + Getting Butt off Couch and Moving. :)
On to this year with the non-resolutions. Instead of saying, "I resolve to become debt-free sometime in the future--preferably in the year", I'm saying that I need to curb my spending habits and not incur anymore debt. I'm really good at rationalizing purchases. I'm the queen of "If I put it on the card and just pay it off next month or put a bigger chunk on it next month, then it's okay to buy". In reality, I don't pay it off and I don't put the bigger chunk on it next month. It has gotten us into trouble. When the douchebag skimmed my ATM card, it may have been a blessing in disguise. We went through all of our finances: checking, money market account, credit cards and auto loans. We have come up with a monthly budget, so we'll see how well we do with it. I have removed the credit cards from my wallet and have made them inaccessible to me. Well, I have access to them, but it would require me to thaw them out. We refinanced a loan for a lower interest rate and managed to pull enough equity of it to pay off a credit card. It feels good to have a plan.
In addition to curbing spending habits, one other non-resolution is the word "No." I am a big doormat. I hate saying no to people. I am a people pleaser. If you need my shirt, here you go. If you need me to make you dinner, what would you like? You want my Christmas presents, just jot down your address. Okay, I wouldn't go quite that far, but if you have a compelling reason, then probably. Unfortunately, because of this inability to say no, I have a) incurred a lot of the aforementioned debt and b) managed to completely overwhelm myself. I like to stay busy and I like to be social. But there has to be a line drawn. For instance, working and helping out in a child's classroom is busy and social. Working, going to school, volunteering for the OSC, being a stay at home mom (I work from home), as well as all the day to day nitty gritty is stupid and effing insane. Seriously. Because of my inability to say no, I sometimes resemble the living dead. There are days when I will come home from a social and literally pass out. I just can't do it anymore. It's not good for anyone. So here it is: no. No. NO. NO!!!!! See, it is possible. Now, I just need to make sure that I do it when it really counts.
There you have it. I don't have to re-solve anything. I just need to fix the things that need a little tweaking here and there.
NOLA Week 6: Rain Delay
Distance: 6.78
Route: Teague Parkway Trail
Time: 1hr 12mins 19secs
Number of Ninjas: 0
It was a good run. I'm a few days behind the curve on posting this one, but we've been out of town for a few days, so I'm finally getting down to it. I did this run on Friday. I meant to do 12, but Mom Nature had a different idea.
I slept in a little and hit the trail around 7:15am. It was really warm outside for this time of year...almost 72 degrees. It was humid, cloudy and windy. I miraculously found my Nike+ receiver, so I turned on the iPod and off I went. I had a tailwind for the first half of the run. I made it to the marina and looked up at the sky. It was looking pretty threatening and the wind was starting to shift direction. I ran past the marina, up to the third pagoda and then decided it was probably best to turn around. Often, these kind of storms have thunder and lightning embedded in them, and I don't mess around with that. Rain doesn't bug me, but lightning and thunder do. I made it to just past the marina when the rain started. I passed some folks that started yelling at me that it was raining. I looked at them, smiled and just kept right on going. A) I can obviously see it's raining; B) going back to the marina won't do me any good when my car is parked at the other end; and C) it's only rain. :) I was about a mile from the car when the wind shifted direction AGAIN and this time I had wind and rain smacking me in the face. I finished and looked down at the time. I was pretty surprised. I felt like I was going a LOT slower than what I really was. My legs had felt heavy the whole time and I was just a little tired. It was a good run though.
Six weeks under the belt and six weeks left to go. I have 18 miles this upcoming Sunday, so we'll see how it goes. I haven't run at all with the base group, but I'm actually okay with it. I thought it would be lonely doing it alone, but it gives me time to just think about things and sometimes just let my mind wander. I miss my running buddy, but it's important for her to heal herself before she jumps back into anything. :)
All right. Let's get this party going. Bring on the pain for next week.
Route: Teague Parkway Trail
Time: 1hr 12mins 19secs
Number of Ninjas: 0
It was a good run. I'm a few days behind the curve on posting this one, but we've been out of town for a few days, so I'm finally getting down to it. I did this run on Friday. I meant to do 12, but Mom Nature had a different idea.
I slept in a little and hit the trail around 7:15am. It was really warm outside for this time of year...almost 72 degrees. It was humid, cloudy and windy. I miraculously found my Nike+ receiver, so I turned on the iPod and off I went. I had a tailwind for the first half of the run. I made it to the marina and looked up at the sky. It was looking pretty threatening and the wind was starting to shift direction. I ran past the marina, up to the third pagoda and then decided it was probably best to turn around. Often, these kind of storms have thunder and lightning embedded in them, and I don't mess around with that. Rain doesn't bug me, but lightning and thunder do. I made it to just past the marina when the rain started. I passed some folks that started yelling at me that it was raining. I looked at them, smiled and just kept right on going. A) I can obviously see it's raining; B) going back to the marina won't do me any good when my car is parked at the other end; and C) it's only rain. :) I was about a mile from the car when the wind shifted direction AGAIN and this time I had wind and rain smacking me in the face. I finished and looked down at the time. I was pretty surprised. I felt like I was going a LOT slower than what I really was. My legs had felt heavy the whole time and I was just a little tired. It was a good run though.
Six weeks under the belt and six weeks left to go. I have 18 miles this upcoming Sunday, so we'll see how it goes. I haven't run at all with the base group, but I'm actually okay with it. I thought it would be lonely doing it alone, but it gives me time to just think about things and sometimes just let my mind wander. I miss my running buddy, but it's important for her to heal herself before she jumps back into anything. :)
All right. Let's get this party going. Bring on the pain for next week.
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