Running Faster

Today's workout was a tempo run.  6 miles total - warm up then 4 miles @ 8:25 pace then cool down. It's all about learning to run faster. Right?  When I first set my Boston goal I talked to my big sister (who is my running idol) and she told me one of my goals needs to be to get very comfortable running at an 8:00 min/mile pace and tempo work is one of the ways I'm doing that.

I wore my garmin today to watch my pace since we were running outside (something I've been trying not to do much lately because I am trying to run where I feel comfortable and then let my nike + tell me my pace when I'm done). The 4 miles at tempo ended up being an 8:13 pace average and the full 6 miles was an 8:24 pace. Hooray!! 

During the tempo portion I kept thinking we should slow down but it felt good and we were holding the pace fine so we just ran that tempo. It felt good to push it a little more than normal. Plus the only way I'm going to qualify is if I learn to run faster!

X-Training Workout

Today I taught spin.  I thought endurance sounded like fun and since I control the mic that's what we did.  :)

Here's the workout:

10 minute hill - tap up the tension every minute.  Mix up seated and standing and occasionally when the music is good speed up.

5 minutes of hill sprints - 1 minute sprint followed by 1 min slow seated hill with high tension

2 minutes low tension high speed

5 minute hill - tap up the tension every 30 seconds until maxed out

1 minute hill isolation

5 minute tempo work on the hill - mix up seated and standing and do speed bursts

1 minute recovery

tempo endurance interval set:

4 minutes medium tension & speed

3 minutes higher tension & faster

2 minutes higher tension & even faster

1 minute higher tension & as fast as you can go

1 minute recovery

5 minute hill work - high tension w/ a good pace adding in 15 & 30 second speed bursts

After spin I did 25 minutes of weight training & finished it all off with a nice big recovery shake for breakfast.

A great buy

While grocery shopping I saw a sale on one of my very favorite winter runner items.  Black stretchy gloves.  4 for $5 - how can you go wrong?  I keep lots of them around the house so that I always have a pair even when I haven't done my wash (not that this is a common occurrence in my house... hee hee).  I love these for races too because it will be cold at the starting line and for the first mile or two then it warms up and I can just throw them away without any cares at all.

Seriously, if you see these gloves and run outside in the winter, or fall or spring buy them.  You won't regret it.

P.S.  today's workout was an "easy" 5 mile run.  I didn't sleep great last night and wanted sooooo badly to sleep in but since I didn't run last Monday I knew I couldn't dog out 2 weeks in a row.  I love the guilt of having running buddies waiting for me to keep me going!

1000 miles & Race Shirts

Today on my 9 miler I hit the 1000 mile mark for 2011!! It has been so fun tracking my miles. A great goal for any runner to set.

Here's a question for you. Do you wear your race shirts?

I have a long sleeved one that is one of my very favorites but other than that one I never wear them. I don't know why. Maybe because they are short sleeves and I prefer tanks? Maybe I don't like being tagged to a race? I really don't know.

I wore my Ragnar shirt today because it was a little too chilly for a tank. Half the run I thought about why it was the first time I've ever worn it. 

Pink Half Marathon

Last week I ran the Pink Series half marathon in Park City, UT. This is the first all women's event I've ever done and I have been looking forward to this race for months. I even did several long runs in different cute pink outfits trying to decide which one would be best for this race and then the week of the race it all changed. A cold front came in and ruined all my cute outfit plans.

The morning of the race it was 32 degrees with an awesome snow/rain combo coming down. I changed my outfit a few times and was very worried that I would freeze since all I had were capri's and no full length tights. I ended up wearing capris, a long sleeve shirt, my sleeves (which only lasted 5 miles), a water proof vest, gloves, a hat & ear warmers. I didn't take my camera with me so I only have a few iPhone pictures.

The girls and I huddled up before we got on the bus

The race itself was tough. The conditions were probably the worst I've ever run in and Park City is at a very high altitude and pretty hilly. I was so not looking forward to running in the cold that we sat on the bus until minutes before the gun went off then after the gun went off took off my sweats, threw my bag in the trailer and started running. I wasn't too worried since it was a chip run. The only bad part about doing that was that I had to weave around people for much longer than I like to at the start of the race.

After all 4 of us finished we were so cold that we didn't stay and mingle at all. The after race party looked like so much fun but it was just too cold. I didn't even get an after race picture until we were back at the hotel. The faces are just to show how we felt about the weather not the race.

Cuddled up in bed trying to get warm post shower - I love it!

I saw this quote on twitter yesterday and I think it sums up exactly how I feel about this race and running in general.

We may run a lot of miles, but it is important to take our friends with us along the way. The road will be a sweeter path

Day 1 of official training

Today I did speedwork. It's been a few years since I've done it and it felt great. I am using a program from Smart Coach on runnersworld.com to train for the marathon. It's not a typical 12 week program you start to get ready for a race. It just starts you as soon as you go online and you train from start until your race no matter how long. The sooner you start the faster & stronger you are for the race. I put in my age, gender, typical weekly miles, how hard I want to work and past marathon time (you can use any distance) and it spit out one heck of a plan for me.

Today's workout was 4 miles. Warm up for a mile then 1600 meters at 7:53 pace two times with 800 meter recovery. Rather than try to pace it using my garmin I met the girls at the gym and we did it on the treadmill. I actually loved doing intervals on the treadmill. I am a treadmill hater normally but it helped me set and maintain my pace without thinking about it. Plus I could do my quick 25 minute strength training workout right after and still get home in time to get the kids off for school.

I'm back

I haven't been on this blog in a while but it's time for me to get serious so I will now be blogging more frequently. I have decided that I am going to go for it. I'm going to do everything I can to qualify for Boston next year. I have signed up for 2 marathons. I turn 40 next year and I have a really hard program created that I am going to follow. I will get faster. I will get stronger and I WILL QUALIFY!