Yikes - I'm slacking...

Wow, I knew I had been slacking off with my blogging, but I had no idea it had been this bad. Oh well, guess it's a good thing the blog isn't really picking up traction and I'm the only one reading it. I've tried blogging in the past, but fell into the same trap.

With 111 days to go until my half-marathon, things are slow. Mark is out of town for about 10 days so I'm going to be facing the dreadmill this week for my training. After running my first 10K two weekends ago, I took a week off to let myself rest and recover - plus, we had days of torrential, non-stop rain and Halloween, so I wasn't able to get in the miles. I don't have another 10K until the end of this month, so I'm going to focus on improving my pace and distance running while increasing my mileage by 1-2 miles before the 10K.

I'll recap my 10K later this week - and I need to evaluate my goals for the week too.  Ugh, I'm such a slacker. I need a little inspiration.

I ran with the penguins...and then brought one home.

I'm a few days behind in my posting, but life gets in the way sometimes, ya know?

On Saturday the 5th, I ran my longest race yet - the Kansas City Zoo Run for the Penguins - a 4 mile run. I've only trained at 4 miles once or twice, so I wasn't sure how I would do, but I felt pretty confident overall.  My best 5K time so far was 35 minutes, but my best 4 mile time in training was 56 minutes. I set my goal to come in under 48 minutes - that would be a 12 minute mile and that would be a big accomplishment for me.

I felt really good when I woke up - I even slept well the night before. That should have been my first clue. I always eat before I run - sometimes less than 30 minutes before my training runs due to the fact that it's getting dark earlier. I decided I wanted to give myself some good fuel for the run, so I made eggs and added a little cottage cheese to the side for some protein. Holy hell, what a horrible idea. The race started 2 hours after I ate, yet halfway through the race I quickly learned what a bad decision I had made.

Overall, 1,931 people took part in the 4 mile race. I knew it would be a big one so I really tried to mentally focus on running my race (and not taking last.) Before the race began, I ran into my son's kindergarten teacher who is a marathoner. Since I run alone and my husband stays home with the kids on race mornings, it was really nice to have someone to chat with before the race started. Her friends were delightful to talk to as well - I think it helped me settle down before the run.

Ms. Kranz (my son's kindergarten teacher) and me before the race started

By accident, I signed up for the wrong wave. Multiple times I considered joining the wave behind, which is the one I should have been in, but I decided to stay put. I felt that it would help my psyche if I stayed in the faster wave and let myself settle into a groove. It ended up being a good decision. While everyone smoked me when we crossed the finish line, and several people from the wave behind me caught up, I was able to move all the way to the right, find a groove and just run. I crushed the first 1-1.5 miles. I know I ran that entire way and I was feeling pretty good. I also knew that I had started out FAST. Unfortunately, I somehow managed to set my RunKeeper app to cycling instead of running before the race so I have no idea what my 1 and 2 mile pace times were, but I have a feeling I was pushing sub-10. I was crushing it.

Then, it happened. The eggs reared their ugly head. I got almost to the 2 mile marker and began to feel like I was going to be sick. A couple times I looked for a place to throw up. I was so miserable. I would stop to walk, but my legs were not happy. They wanted to keep running - that had me excited once I had a chance to think about it. My body felt good and didn't want to stop running. My breathing was good - and my brain wasn't telling me to slow down or stop or you can't do it. My stomach was though. I got myself calmed down and began to try to find a comfortable interval to finish the race at.

I ended up walking almost the entire 3rd mile - I felt that sick. It upsets me to think about now as I know I could have kept running and turned in a really good time. But, I didn't want to throw up in the lion exhibit. So, I took it easy. Somewhere between miles 3 and 4 we got rained on.  The temperatures were cool, it was really some nice weather to run in.

As we cruised closer to the finish line, the people that were coming out to cheer on the finishers was pretty incredible. So far, the largest cheering squad I've experienced. They were yelling at us to finish strong, encouraging us to keep pushing, and incorrectly telling us the finish line was just around the corner :-) I did yell at someone for that. Suddenly, I realized that everyone was wearing a cute little penguin medal - I had no idea this race gave out finisher medals. That was all the motivation I needed - I kicked it into gear a little faster and pushed to the finish line.

At the post-race party with my cute little penguin medal

Overall, it was a fun race. I wish I wouldn't have felt so nauseous - I would have liked to have pushed it a little harder and finished better. I also wish it wouldn't have been so cold because a lot of the animals were hiding from us, trying to keep warm. But, I'm really happy with how I finished. This is a race I will do again - I'm already excited for next years - plus, I can't wait to find out the animal the race will be supporting and my medal will be sporting. 

I crossed the finish line at 46:15 with an 11:34 pace (seriously, I had to have destroyed my miles 1&2 pace times).  I finished 1,030 out of 1,931 racers; 578 out of 1,265 female race; 123 out of 256 F 30-34. There isn't a number in that mix that I'm disappointed with. I am sure there are 30 more people I could have passed to break 1,000th place, but that's okay. I know what mistakes I made that held me back and I will definitely not make them again! 

Logan's teacher told me that when she told the kids she was doing a penguin race, he asked her if that meant we were going to bring home a penguin after the race. It was really cool to come home and tell him I did get to bring home a penguin, and then show him my medal.

I mapped out a 4+ mile trail by my house, so I'm ready to begin training for my longer runs. I have a 10K in just a couple weeks - and I'm already really excited about it. I think if I train hard the next couple weeks, I can do a 1:03 time for that race. That would be so crazy, but I think I can do it. I'll just have to settle in, find my pace and run my own race. We'll see.

Goals for this week:

Going to rest today and then head out tomorrow to get in my 4 miles. Plan to try to keep the pace I ran the race at and see if I can run at least half the miles.

I'm a brand ambassador!!!

I never imagined becoming a brand ambassador for any kind of running company. I figured I would have to have 8-9 minute miles or a ton of followers or something like that.

When I learned that Swirlgear was looking for ambassadors, I was curious. I filled out the application, which surprisingly was far more concerned with info about my support system and why I run then how far, how often, etc. I was surprised to receive an e-mail back inviting me to be an ambassador. There had to be a catch, right? Well, there is, sort of. You have to purchase 2 pieces of clothing - at 50% off. That's it. Wear their gear - tell people about their gear - provide a code for free shipping. Now, I'm a cheapskate. Really, I am. I hate to pay more than $10 on any article of clothing. When I saw the prices of their gear I almost choked. Now - their stuff isn't expensive. It's really not more than the Nike or Under Armour gear I see in the stores. But I don't pay those prices and head straight for the clearance racks. So, was the opportunity to be a brand ambassador worth the price - even at half off.

I took a week to think about it and decided to bite the bullet. At the very least, I have a new shirt and a new jacket to wear when I train. Depending on how much I enjoy the gear, I just may buy the yellow shirt they have as the final piece of my Belle costume for the Princess Half Marathon. I'm excited about my purchases and impatiently waiting for my package to arrive.

What has impressed me so far is the enthusiasm and communication from their corporate office. I received 3 welcome to the team e-mails and a plethora of info to help me get acquainted. There was also a private Facebook group for brand ambassadors so we can share pictures and personal accomplishments as well as a place for the corporate office to provide us with new information.

So, with that said, I encourage everyone to check out Swirlgear's gear: http://www.swirlgear.com/  Want free shipping on your order?  Use the code swirlon at checkout.

In the meantime, when I get my gear I'll get some pictures online so you can see my new duds. Happy running!

Third 5K - I beat my own mental game....

I was not feeling it this morning. I had a 5K race this morning, the last one of my training that I have scheduled, and I was not feeling it. I woke up unprepared, especially mentally. I had a feeling it was going to be a rough morning.

I really wanted to PR this morning. I also wanted to run the first mile of the race, possibly more. I spent the drive to the course getting myself pumped up mentally.  Lots of "you can do this" and "you got this" on the drive. I knew it was going to be a big race in terms of numbers - I also knew there would be a lot of walkers. I felt like if I got myself in a good mid-pack start at the starting line and kept a slow, but comfortable pace I could make this a great race. 

I managed to beat my mental game.

For the first time in a race, I ran the first mile. I slowed down to remove my sweatshirt, which ended up being the worst decision I made all day. I was in a groove and moving well - and just like that, my momentum was gone. All the muscles started hurting, my breathing became labored and I had to start alternating my running with walking. From that point on, I struggled breathing. I had a hard time catching my breath and getting myself relaxed to the point I could run well again. I pushed through and managed to finish strong, but was just a little disappointed. Overall though, I felt fantastic and was really proud of myself for the race I ran today.

I PR'd by 1 min 20 seconds - my avg pace was nuts. I really wish I would have ran my RunKeeper during the race because I'm curious what my splits were. I really think I ran a 10 minute mile today.  I took 27 out of 50 in my age group and 360 out of 657 participants. 

On a side note - this was really a great race. The Panera Bread Diabetes Dash for Life 5K - it was an inaugural event and the organizers did a great job. They had bagels, bananas and coffee for us before the race and bagels, bananas, cookies, scones, coffee and water after the race. We also got some pretty incredible finisher medals. This race is on my list for future years - I'll definitely participate again. 

Today's Stats:

3.1 miles
35:40 minutes
11:22 avg min/mil
If the half-marathon was today: appox. 2:45:08

Goals for next run
Going to take a couple days off to recover. The left knee and ankle are sore, which is normal for me on a non-running day, but a running day only exacerbates the issue. My runs from here on out have to be at least 4 miles as my next race is a 4 mile run on Oct. 4. 

Yes, that was 1.5 miles I ran today....

I haven't been very good about my training the past couple weeks. I've struggled with life getting in the way and my runs have been pushed to the side. Luckily, tonight I was able to get back out and get in a run - and let me tell you, it was a good one.

I knew I needed to get in a 4 mile run no matter what I did tonight. So, I hit the Y and decided I wasn't getting off that treadmill until I hit 4 miles. I hate running on the treadmill. My pace is slower than normal, I start hurting earlier than normal - I just all around hate it. But I know that sometimes it's the only option I have for getting my training in.

Tonight, I felt good. I was a little tired and was trying to talk myself out of going while I was driving to the Y, but once I got there I started pumping myself up and had myself convinced that I was going to run the first mile. Not only did I run the first mile, I managed to run the first 1.5 miles - I couldn't believe it. I was so excited. I thought about running a little more, but decided to stop for a water and stretch break. Was probably a bad idea as my momentum was gone. I ran/walked the remainder of the time, trying to run as much as I could before stopping and also trying to limit my walk breaks to short distances. I really think I could have kept going - possibly to 5 miles. But, I figured I better stop while I was in a good place - no reason to try to hurt myself. My pace was slow, but I don't care. I made it 4 miles.

Training continues this week - have another 5K on Sunday then my races increase in mileage from there. 159 days to go!

Today's Stats:

4.1 miles
56:00 minutes
13:40 avg min/mil
If the half-marathon was today: appox. 3:19:30

Goals for next run
The family is going roller skating tomorrow, so fingers crossed for no injuries. That'll be a fun way to change up my training. Probably won't get out for another run until Friday - will try to hit 4 miles again that day. 

Today's Inspiration

I've taken a couple days off from training for a few reasons. First, I'm on solo duty with the kids and time is a luxury. Second, during a training run last week I tweaked a muscle in the back of my thigh. Not bad, but it was tight and sore. I felt okay once I got to running in my race on Monday, but it was still pretty sore after the race and yesterday. I figured I should let my body recover a little bit, especially since I probably wouldn't have a chance to get to the Y at all. So, I've rested and I'm okay with that. Hopefully this weekend I can find a time to hit the road and get 4-5 miles in. I need to start increasing my mileage or I'll never meet my goals.

Second 5K = SUCCESS!!!

I had my second competitive 5K this morning and it was just what I needed. The weather was gorgeous and the race organizers said on several occasions that they believed PRs would be set today. In my case, they were absolutely right. I needed today's race - for my training and especially my confidence.

I had a pretty rough dream this morning - apparently my negative voice has traveled into my dreams. In my dream I quit halfway through a race and went home. My family was waiting for me laughing and telling me they knew I couldn't do it and should try to find a 2K now. I woke up from that dream when my alarm went off and did my best to not let it overtake my mind. I tried to think motivational and positive thoughts throughout the morning and did everything I could to not let any negativity enter into my brain.

From the race brochure

This was a great race. Only a small hill - flat and easy to run. The course was really simple and quiet pretty. I didn't think I started out fast, but boy did I. I stopped probably at the .5 mark to start walking a little. Before I even hit the 1 mile mark the runners were returning towards the finish line - I started to get discouraged but instead, decided to start clapping and cheering them on - it was a great mind swap. Not long after that I realized I was coming up on the 1 mile marker - I couldn't believe how quickly I had reached it. And, I should have been surprised - I ran almost an 11:26 mile. I thought I was going to cry I was so excited. I kept telling myself to keep pushing, keep pushing, you are going to PR. That was my goal - to PR.  By the time we made the turn and started heading back I knew the 2 mile marker was coming up - but I knew I had slowed down some as well. I pushed my runs as hard as I could and tried to keep my walks limited. Came up to mile marker 2 and was shocked to see it was around 24 minutes. I knew I could PR. 

I kept telling myself to keep your head up, keep running, you're almost done. I really wanted to finish strong and run as much of the last mile as I could. My 3 mile was not as good as I would have like it to be but I ran hard across that finish line. The clock said around 37:19 and I was blown away. I had PR'd - and not by a little but by a ton. Once I realized my official time would be even quicker than that you would have had to beat the smile off my face.  

When I got my print out, I started to get upset with myself. I finished so far behind everyone, especially in my age group. But, I had to remind myself that this is only my second 5K and I've only been doing this for a couple of months now. I have no right to be disappointed - I crushed my PR and ran a great race. And, at the end of the day, I didn't take last!

These little slips make me happy

Of the above slip, there's one change that I know of already. My finish position was out of 321 - not 295. Everything else has remained the same. 37:01:5 - are you kidding me???????  

Training continues as my next 5K is in 3 weeks, with a 4 miler two weeks later. 

Today's Stats:

3.1 miles
37:01:05 minutes
11:57 avg min/mil
If the half-marathon was today: appox. 2:51

Goals for next run
Probably won't get out much this week but will try to get at least one training run. I have got to get my daily mileage up to 4 miles. The back of my quad hurts a lot too so I may let my body rest up a bit. We'll see.