Xtrained 30 minutes
i slept in. woops.

Today I should have xtrained. But I have no time, 12 hour work day.
So I am going to rest today, and xtrain on friday (my normal day off).

Test #2
Fast Miles
About 7 weeks ago we ran Fast Miles. This is to see how fast we can run a mile.

This is how I did 7 or so weeks ago
1st Mile : 7:10
2nd Mile: 7:42 -
3rd Mile - 7:50

The ultimate goal is to have each mile within 10 seconds of each other.

this is how I did tonight

1st Mile 7:06 - 4 seconds faster. I was bummed about this, I really want to break the 7 minute mark

2nd Mile 7:41 - yikes! not much of an improvement

3rd Mile 8:27 - oh boy!

So I did not excell really at all. I don't know if it is because I just ran a half marathon 2 days before. Or that the ground was slick with rain, or that I just didnt improve.

I am falling asleep while tyoing this, that is how boring this blog is.

I am sore today, particularly my thighs.
X Training is on the schedule today. I am going to turn it into Stretch and Sleep.

But first - here is a photo of me in action yesterday, just finishing mile 13.

NYC Half Marathon - Presented by Nike
13.1 Miles
Time: 1:54:27
Pace: 8:44
Goal 2 hours
Secret Goal 1:55



The Boring Breakdown-
I recieved an email a week or so ago saying that I qualified to start in the "Purple Coral". There are a handful of corals - Yellow, Blue & Purple for Faster NYRR (New York Road Runners) and then the regular pace breakdowns. A lot of people snuck into the colored Corals, and paid for it. After the start bell, we were off, I was across the start line in about a minute, 30 seconds later a girl who could not keep up with the pace fell hard. 2 minutes later, a Dude fell hard. It was funny to me. People were also peeing in the woods less than 10 minutes into the race. I guess they forgot to pee.

Mile 1 - 8:42
I was going too fast, so I told myself to hold back a little.

Mile 2 - 8:36
I don't listen to myself much.

Mile 3
8:46
Was I going to be able to keep this pace up?

Mile 4
8:32
So far So good

Mile 5
9:02
A hill got in my way

Mile 6
8:48
One complete loop of Central, one more mile and I'm on 7th Ave heading south

Mile 7
8:32
Nice flat surface, the hills are in the past

Mile 8
8:40
Is that the drizzle of rain?

Mile 9
9:57
Down Pour, and it is cold and miserable. My muscles feel frozen, Did it really slow me down that much though?

Mile 10
7:28
Somebody fucked with the signs - because I did not just run that mile in 7:28

Mile 11
9:04
My shoe came untied. I stopped to tie it, I put my leg up on a ledge, because bending over was not going to happen.
My leg was shaking like crazy, as if an unfit mother mistook my leg for a baby and shook it

Mile 12
8:44
A little more than a mile to go

Mile 13
8:40
I just passed my husband, he took a photo of me running! (will upload later)
Holy shit, I see the finish line, the bands are playing, everyone is passing me because they conserved their energy, and I did not!

Mile 13.1
:53 seconds -
Finish Line crossed! Medal recieved, photo taken.
I need to take a shit.

Tomorrow is the NYC half marathon. So today we were instructed to do a light run - 1-2 miles, then stretch for 20-30 minutes. So I did 1.5 and stretched a bit.
I have to wake up in 4 hours to get ready for the race.
Hopefully i'll have some pics to post tomorrow.

Rest Day

5 Miles
45:51
pace 9:10

I ran the 5 miles, then when I got home, I had an email from the coach that said we should only run 2-3 today - since we are doing the NYC half marathon sunday morning.
Oh well!

Xtraining
45 Minutes on the Elliptical
I watched RW/RR Challenge - Fresh Meat - and Run's house.
Have I mentioned I have a gross toenail from running?
maybe I'll post a photo.

Group Run in Central Park.
I have no idea how far I ran, and only an estimate of how long - maybe 45 minutes? and I'll guess 5miles. Tonight was a slow social run - I tend to hate these because I just want to work and get faster, stronger, and anytime I have tried to run with someone in the past, they were too slow, or too into talking just about themselves. But I realized I should talk to other people - and tonight I was pretty much forced to, the coach was leading the run, so there was no way I could pass the coach. so I chatted with Erin, we both have the same mentor. It was a nice run, she was not obsessed with herself, we learned about each other, and at some point I told her I would email something to her, and I can't remember what it was now.
I've ruined any chance of a friendship already.

Xtraining
45 minutes on the Elliptical.
I felt strong today. I'm starting to get psyched for a big race on Sunday.
The NYC Half Marathon - presented by Nike!
If you're on broadway, 42nd street or the west side highway on sunday - look for me.

4.1 miles
37:04 minutes
9:02 pace

Group Run - Across the George Washington Bridge - and into the Palisades Park.
Distance: 15ish? I think? I hope?
Time - 2:26

Today was hard! I bought a new water belt, It fit in the store, but I didn't have if filled with water in the store. So this morning when I filled it up, It was way to big on me. 30 bucks, down the poopy pooper! So for the first 45 minutes, the belt was just annoying the shit out of me, moving all around, once I started drinking the water it got better - but still sucked dingle balls.
I ate Cliff brand gels today - much better! The Chocolate is pretty good, the Razberry was not that nasty.
Running across the GWB was a nice change of pace, and the park was nice and empty. These entries are so boring.

5.7 Miles
Time 52:21
Pace 9:11

Felt good. I woke up at 6:30 to eat my Cliff Bar for energy, fell back asleep and snoozed it till 8:30. I'm a jerk.

August 17
Rest Day

Hills!
I ran Bitch Hill this morning @ 6:30 am. Fun! I did about a 35 minute workout.
The Snooze button has been killing me in the morning.

I should not post what I am going to do the next day anymore, because I jinx myself!
I did not do hills this morning, I did do some Xtraining early in the am (rain and late wake-up cancelled the run)
tomorrow I will.......
post tomorrow about

Boooooo.
I am starting to feel like a jerk. I did not get in my scheduled xtraining workout today. My days are jam packed these day people. Have I mentioned I've returned to work full time after a year of sweet sweet unemployment? Well I have been working part time for a while, but now I have a full time & a part time job, and this week the part time job is basically full time, so I am double timing it this week. Is this an excuse post? Up your ass it is!

I am going to go do some ab work before bed, and then I MUST get up early in the morning to run some hills - as I will not be able to join in the group hill run tomorrow.

The Plan - Run 4 Miles EZ (easy pace)
The Result - 2ish miles
The Reason - Chafing

Ugh! Chafing is a common problem with long distance running. And yesterday I gots me some! The weather was cool yesterday so I was not sweating a lot, but I ran far - so my lose skinned arms (result of weight loss) decided to rub dry near my pit area. So now I have chafing. I could have prevented this with some runners lubricant - like Body Glide (which i put on my chub thighs) - but I didn't know there would be any rubbage. At the end of the run yesterday, I was feeling the chaf, and saw it when I got home, but ignored it while I geared up for todays run. And now I am sitting home 2 miles sooner than I wish - it was hurting too much, and I feared i would start to bleed and prolong any healing.

I'm just glad its not my nipples.

16.3 Miles
2:34:51
Pace: 9:30

16.3 Miles! That number is Retartar! We had a group run in Central Park, I ate some "Gu" for the 2nd & 3rd time. When you are running long distance, you need to sustain your energy, so portable food was created. There is a name brand called "Gu" so now like Kleenex or Xerox that is the name used. I ate Power Gel - made by power bar - not the yummiest stuff, but it worked. After hour 1 I had the Raspberry Cream flavor, which just tastes like really thick, warm yogurt - but the kind that comes already stirred, so very artificial. At hour two I had strawberry bananana - this was even thicker, and I found myself chewing it somehow. This stuff has to be taken with water also - by instruction and by the taste. I had Cliff Blocks last week, those were yummy, they are basically large gummy like blocks, that serve the same purpose.

I felt good most of the run, I had periods of time where I felt strong and fast (my 4 laps around the resevoir). And the final mile I was able to mentally/physically push through it. I have found myself in the past being much slower - but this week I did well. And keeping the 9:30 pace I'm supposed to have!

Rest day - tomorrow is our long run, so I'm just gonna use this as a mental and physical rest day

Intended to run 6 miles, but my water was thrown away. What does that mean?
I hid a water bottle in front of an abandoned house next to my apt building - at mile 3 when i went to retreive it, it was not there, but a foreign man with a broom (sweeping trash, leaves, sticks) was. He denied taking it, and thought I was crazy for putting it there. So I ran one more mile and called it a day, I was thirsty and dehydration is not fun.
4.1 miles
38:23
9:21
I should be running faster than this....





August 9th
Boooooo!
Did not get to my training today. Feel like a jerk.

Hills!
I finally made a group Hill Workout. My tuesdays have been hectic, but today I snuck away to get a real true Hill workout in.
Not sure how far I ran, but it was 1 hour and 3 minutes, and in there somewhere I was running up and down hills. I'm gonna feel it in the morning. I'll also feel it on October 23rd (day after the marathon).

FAILED!
I got lazy today, and did not do the scheduled xtraining.
not the end of the world, but I feel lazy.

August 6th
Morning in the Hamptons!
I don't get to hang out by a poo in the Hamptonsl much, so I took advantage and spent the morning in it.
I tried to catch a frisbee or ball mid-air as I leaped into the pool a million times.
I am considering this Cross Training.



August 5th
Fancy Weekend in the Hampton!
My funny friend Emily invited me and 9 other girls to a weekend in the Hamptons!
I arrived 3am Friday night - went to bed at 4 - was out and running by 8:20 am.
I did not map a route out - so I ran for a little less than 2 hours - and covered about 11miles.
The weather was beautiful! Then I showered, swam, drank & ate the rest of the day.

Rest Day

I woke up at 6 and ate two small bagels - with the intention of running 12 miles (I am going away for the weekend, leaving late t-nite). Alas - I decided to get the sleep I need. So tomorrow my weekend get-away will be interrupted by a 2 hour run.

Temp: 89 - Feels like 95
Miles 4.1
Time: 38:00
Pace: 9:16

My training schedule called for 4-6 miles. I opted for the 4 - the heat and my body told me so. And tomorrow I have to make an attempt to get up early and do my long run one day early.

Xtraining
40 minutes on the Elliptical
hot balls!

Heat Warning!
I took this seriously.
I ran this morning at 8:30am - and it was already balls hot.
I did a 1 plus mile warm-up - ran up "Bitch Hill" 3 times, realized I was already soaked through my sports bra and shirt - ran one mile for a cool down, showered, and went on with my day.
It is supposed to feel 110 in the city tomorrow - I will be Xtraining in my apartment with the AC on.