Friday, October 30, 2009

One last spin...

Saturday is the final day of my Y membership for now, so I managed to get in one last spin class. It was fun as usual and for some reason, maybe because I knew I wouldn't be spinning for awhile, I gave it my all. I pushed up those hills, ran fast across those flats, you name it. Good times!

I am soooo looking forward to this weekend! Friday is my day off and I have a 9-miler on tap...of course, that depends on our crazy weather! It's 12:30 am here and raining cats and dogs. I am wondering if I will even be able to get the kids to school in a few hours...I know the kiddo hopes so, because it's the school's Fall Festival and she is looking forward to wearing her Halloween costume. Of course, Saturday is Halloween and I can't wait to see the kids all excited to go trick-or-treating! Sunday is church and Mary Poppins with the kiddo - I'm supposed to get a run in here too, but we'll see! To make the weekend even better, the weather is supposed to be awesome! (could I have any more exclamation points in there? LOL!)

Hope you have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Workouts

Thanks to everyone who commented on my post yesterday! And, if you haven't read yesterday's post, please do...I'd appreciate your input too!

Here are my workouts so far this week:

Monday, 10/26 - no workout
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, no workouts on Monday! I had a meeting at work that ran through lunch and then I went to see the "So You Think You Can Dance" tour. Maybe my judgement was influenced by the 2 margarita's I had at dinner, but I thought the tour was just awesome! I was a dancer from age 4 until my senior year in high school. I took a few classes while in college and even a year or two after I got married, just for fun and exercise. Let me tell you - in my 14+ years of dance, I was nowhere close to the level that these folks are at! They are simply amazing to watch!

Tuesday, 10/27 - 5 mile neighborhood run (sort of)
Tuesdays mean spin classes! I love spin class! I headed over to the Y at lunch and remembered that all the construction that has been going on there for months was finally over! And, when I arrived at the Y, I learned that the new spin bikes had arrived and we were using them for the 1st time! Whoot! Of course, it took us all about 15 minutes of the class trying to figure out our settings on the new bikes, but it was worth it. The new bikes are pretty cool and the seats are even a bit more cushy for the tushy!

Tuesdays also just happen to be the kiddo's dance class nights, so that means we don't get home until 6:30-6:45-ish. By the time I changed clothes and said hello to my munchkin and hubby, it was already beginning to get dark outside. Grrrrr, the only reason to not like the Fall! I made it 1/2 way around my 3-mile neighborhood loop when the skies seemed to go from a little light to dark in a matter of seconds. So, I hurried on my way to get back to the house, then ran 2 of the 1/2 mile loops around our little section of the neighborhood. By that time, it was really dark, so I decided to go inside and run that final mile on the treadmill. Not what I really wanted to do, because the temps outside were sooooo awesome! But, I got the run done and that's what counts. I'm really not too sure of my pace, because I forgot to charge my Garmin (again!). Based on my watch for my 1st 4 miles, I was around a 10:36 pace. The final mile on the treadmill was at a 10:28 pace.

Wednesday, 10/28 - 6 mile 3 mile treadmill run
I've been trying to follow the schedule that the neighborhood running group's coach has been sending out. However, since I have not been running as many miles as the group, I decided to cut this run short and work my way up to more mileage slowly....anything to prevent injury! Plus, I have been needing new shoes for awhile now and I am feeling some aches and pains in my feet and ankles that aren't normally there. I am assuming this is related to needing new shoes, so I figured I'd save that area from more pounding than necessary. The good news...I finally got around to ordering my shoes and I got a sweeeeetttt deal on roadrunnersports.com! If you use the code RM090510, you get 10% off your purchase. Plus, if you join their VIP club from $1.99, you get an additional 10% off and free shipping! My shoes are normally $124 at the local running stores and I paid less than $95.00 for them on-line. They'll be here on Monday, so I can't wait!!! It's almost like Christmas! :o)

So anyway, I wanted to utilize my Y membership once more before it ends on Saturday, so I headed to the Y during lunch for a quick 3-miler. The best part was being able to use the shiny, brand spanking new, Precor treadmills! You know, the ones with the cute little TV screens attached. Unfortunately, I didn't figure out how to use the cute little TV screen until I was 10 minutes from finishing my run. LOL! Oh well, it was a good run anyway - 3 miles at a 10:29 pace.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Too slow for too long?



Hello internet people!

Just curious about your opinions on this....but first a little history for you:

I have been running since the summer of 2001. I began running because I had a "to do" list of things I wanted to accomplish before my 30th birthday. The goal was only to be able to run a 5k without stopping...little did I know that little goal would turn into an obsession. If you would have told me then that I would be running a marathon a little more than a year later, I would have told you that you were C-R-A-Z-Y!

By October of that same year, my friend Marlina talked me into training for Houston's very first 1/2 marathon. I decided to go for it! I ran that 1/2 marathon and was hooked. Later that year, I joined Houston Fit and trained for my 1st full marathon - the 2003 Houston Marathon. My friend Marlina and I were running buds. We didn't get to see each other during the week, so we could catch up on everything during our long runs. I was a "social runner"....I didn't realize it then though. We didn't care about our time all that much, we just wanted to have fun and finish. She had an injury and couldn't run Houston with me in 2003, but we ran NYC together that same year and Houston in 2004. After that my good friend stopped running. Well, I did too, but only because I got pregnant with my sweet Kiddo. I came back to Houston Fit in the summer of 2005 to train for Houston again. That's when I decided I didn't want to be slow anymore. I still enjoyed socializing during my runs, but I also went to the track and hill workouts and ran my arse off. Coming back from my pregnancy was one of the hardest training years ever for me. I made it back to my previous pace, but had an injury before getting much faster than that.

I ran 3 marathons in 2006 - Houston, Austin and Chicago, but then started grad school and knew right away that I did not have time for marathon training anymore. But, I did continue to run with the intent of doing 1/2 marathons. At the end of grad school, I got preggers again with my lil' Munckin. :-) Again, a loooonnnnggggg break from training. A little over a year ago, I returned to training. I was slower than ever last year. It was depressing.

And then came the triathlons! Triathlons ignited a spark in me that hadn't been there before. It's funny, because in running I've always been a mid to back-of-the-pack runner. But in triathlons, I was in the top 1/2 and top 1/3 of the group - and that was fun! (Of course, these were mostly smaller triathlons, so that makes a difference too.) I realized that if I could increase my mph on the bike a bit and get my running faster that I could rank even higher. Don't get me wrong, I am not looking for an AG win or anything, I am just competing with myself...that's what matters, right? So, this year I have been working harder and have decided to stop being such a pansy ass runner. I really do feel stronger.

So why am I bringing all this up? Well, I guess I want to know is this - is it too late to get faster? I've been slow all this time...I've read up on the whole slow twitch/fast twitch muscle fiber thing. I am just wondering if I've been working those stupid slow twitch muscles for this long, is there any hope for the fast twitch ones? Am I wasting my time trying to get faster, or will it eventually happen with more hard work?

What's your take on this?

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Cheater

I'll admit it, I've been cheating.


Cheating on my Vanilla Bean Gu.

It has served me well for the past 7 years, but now there are so many newer, more tempting products out on the market, that I figured it was time for a little experimentation. In fact, I've been moving from one product to another for the past few months - trying them out, tossing them aside if I don't like them, then quickly moving on to another. User.

So here's the run down:


Jelly Belly Sport Beans





I tried these 1st....I mean, they're jelly beans! Who wouldn't like these? Yummy flavor, but the lemon lime jelly beans left a nasty residue on my teeth that seemed to last for days. And, I didn't notice much difference in my energy levels after consuming.


Cliff Bar Shot Bloks




Okay taste, but too gummy for me. I don't like the consistency - it makes them hard to chew and they stick to my teeth (I was trying to get them off my teeth for the remainder of my run). And, I think the blocks are a little too big in size. Again, I didn't notice much difference in my energy level. I do like the newer packaging - definitely makes them easier to carry!



Luna Moons - Watermelon and Pomegranate



I like the size of these - easier to pop in your mouth and chew. They taste yummy - I prefer the watermelon flavor over the pomegranate, but that's just me. I had 2 awesome runs with these, so I think they work!


Bee Stingers - Cherry Blossom & Fruit Smoothie



This was my overall favorite! The chews are a little on the large side, but the 2 flavors I've tried - cherry blossom and fruit smoothie - were super yummy! And, the consistency was good and easy to chew. I have had at least 3 great runs with these in various temps, so I know it wasn't just a fluke because we were having nice weather.


Gu Roctane - Blueberry Pomegranate




The consistency and flavor alone made me want to gag. I didn't notice any major difference in my energy level compared to regular Gu...although, I have several friends who swear by these! I'll pass thankyouverymuch!


Gu Chomps - Blueberry Pomegranate




For some reason the blueberry pomegranate flavor in the energy chews doesn't bother me as much in this form. I do really like these chews! I felt great before, during and after my run. My only complaint is that they are a little large.


Sharkies - Berry Flavor
These are cute and they taste great. At first. I noticed a bit of a yucky aftertaste after chewing them. And, I didn't get a "boost" of energy from them either.

I still have a few more new products to try - Hammer Gel, Perpetuem (energy drink from Hammer), Cytomax, etc. I am reluctant to try new gels, because it took me awhile to find my Vanilla Bean Gu...some of the other gels, like Chocolate Gu, are sooo much thicker and more difficult to choke down.

And, keep in mind that these are just my opinions on these products - there were some products I hated, but my running peep absolutely swears by! What works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. In other words, take my opinions with a grain of salt and try some of these for yourself!

Monday, October 26, 2009

More of the week...

Thursday, 10/22 - Rest Day
I had lunch with a friends, so no lunchtime spin! And, I met up with my running peeps at Crush in The Woodlands for dinner and drinks, so no evening workout. I was a good girl and only had one glass of wine. An older gentleman gave us a hard time, because no one seemed to have more than one drink. We explained that as runners, many of us had a run to do the next morning. :-) Yeah, we're such party animals!!!

Friday, 10/23 - Neighborhood Run - 10 miles
I got a late start on my run, because I had to take the munchkin to the doctor. We've had a very difficult time getting rid of his ear infections, so this was a follow-up visit to see how he was doing. Good news - his ears are all clear! Hooray!

My run was a pretty good one. My overall pace was quite a bit slower than the 10 for Texas despite similar cool temps...makes we wonder if that pace was just a fluke. Then again, this was just a training run! But, it was a good run and I felt strong through the 1st 8+ miles. My average pace was 10:48...not bad, but a little too close to the 11 minute miles I am trying so desperately to stay away from!

Afterwards, I cleaned the house and did the grocery shopping, so it was anything but relaxing. But, it's good to get all that stuff done while the hubby and kids are not home!

Saturday, 10/24 - scheduled rest day
No workouts...unless you count chasing kids around the backyard and local playground a workout. The weather was soooo perfect that we just had to stay outside! And, we headed over to the neighborhood clubhouse for an outdoor movie night. Fun times!

Sunday, 10/25 - neighborhood run, 4 miles
I was planning to meet up with the running club for a run, but that didn't quite work out. As I was running, I heard footsteps coming up behind me - it was the running group coach. We talked a bit about training and decided that I would continue doing my long runs on Fridays, but meet with the group on Sundays and just run part of the run with them as a shorter weekday run with me. I forgot to charge my Garmin, so I don't know my final pace - before it died I was averaging a 10:40 pace, but I know I sped up in that final 1/2 mile so who knows!

Monday, 10/26 - no workout!
Normally, this would be a treadmill-run-during-lunch-day. However, I had a meeting that went through lunchtime and tonight I am going to see the "So You Think You Can Dance" tour. Woohoo! So, tomorrow I may have to make it up by going to spin and running! :-)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Workouts this week (so far)

Monday, 10/19 - Treadmill Run
I went to the Y during my lunch break for a treadmill run. My schedule called for 60 minutes, or ~6 miles. Unfortunately, since it's lunchtime, the most I can manage to fit in at my pace is 5 miles...and even that makes me a bit late coming back from lunch. Fortunately, I work for a pretty flexible company and can make up the time by coming in early/staying late, etc. Of course, I don't want to take advantage, so 5 miles it was!

Mile 1 - warm-up - 10:45 pace
Mile 2 - 10:30 pace
Mile 3 - 10:20 pace
Mile 4 - 10:10 pace
Mile 5 - cool down - 10:50 pace

Tuesday, 10/20 - Lunchtime Spin Class
This week our class was held indoors. Still, it was a great time. It always is! Our instructor, Richard, had us riding from Houston to New Mexico...he narrated the entire ride and gave us updates on the locations and different landmarks. Good times!

Wednesday, 10/21 - Treadmill Run
Even though I haven't been running with the neighborhood run group, I have been following the recommended schedule that comes from the group's coach. Here's what was on tap for today:

5 minutes easy, 30 seconds hard
5 minutes easy, 1 minute hard
5 minutes easy, 1.5 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 2 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 1.5 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 1 minute hard
5 minutes easy, 30 seconds hard
5 minutes easy, 15 seconds sprinting

The result? 4.66 miles in 48 minutes....a 10:18 pace! I enjoyed this workout. Even though it was only a little over 7 minutes at a "hard" pace, it was fun and challenging and I sweated my butt off! At least I remembered to bring my towel...I don't like to sweat all over the equipment if I can help it. :-) Oh, and I a LOVING my lunchtime workouts! Too bad my Y membership is ending at the end of the month. Bummer.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Ten for Texas Race Report

Let me just say that I was a bit nervous about this race. I started feeling a pesky sore throat coming on by Thursday, so I was afraid I’d get the normal progression – sneezing by Friday, stuffy nose by Saturday. I decided to just ignore the sore throat and hope for the best! Fortunately, by Saturday I only had the pesky sore throat and nothing more. I did register for the race at packet pick-up and got this cool swag:


Okay, so the shirts are not as cute as last year...grey is not really my color. But, it's another new shirt, so no complaints from me!

I arrived at the race around 6:40 and met up with my running peeps. It’s been a long time, since I’ve run with anyone, so it would be great to at least start the race with friends. We headed to HEB for to use the bathrooms and then got to the start line with a few minutes to spare. We heard the anthem and then the gun. We were off! We started out the race at about a 10:08 pace and kept it there the first couple of miles. I was running with my former Woodlands Fit friends, Kelly and Katie. They’ve both been working really hard this year with a new running group, Strides, and doing lots of speedwork. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them. I knew for sure that I would not be able to hold a 10-minute pace for 10 miles. But, we all seemed to get into a nice groove at a 10:30 pace and kept it there for pretty much the entire run. By mile 2, I was already sweaty…it may have been 60 degrees at the start, but it was humid as heck!


Me (on the left) with running peeps Kelly and Katie. They're so much fun to run with!

I did question my ability to maintain a 10:30 pace for 10 miles. A year ago, I would have been content with an 11-minute or maybe even an 11:15 pace for 10 miles.

That was then.

This year, I have been pushing myself on all my runs. I’ve grown tired of being complacent and just getting the runs done. I think the Tri training has helped a ton with me getting more fit and stronger than last year, too. Tri training has also made me want to push myself harder. I’ll admit, there were a couple of times that I thought to myself, “Just keep this pace until mile 5” and then you can slow it down. But then, I reached mile 5 and thought, “Damn, I’m halfway there…and I feel good!”. Next thing I know, we were headed back towards the start and at mile 6. Our pace stayed between a 10:30 pace and 10:31 pace the entire time. The miles seemed to pass pretty quickly – mile 7, mile 8….At that point, I really felt great. Up until around mile 8, the three of us stayed together. And, we were super excited about our pace. We only walked through 2 water stops and even then, it was a short walk break. Around mile 8.5, Katie took off – she was having an awesome run! I wanted to pick up the pace, and I did just a bit, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with Katie. Before I knew it, I was heading back into the Market Street parking lot and could see the finish line. I reached the finish at 1:45:10 (per my Garmin) – an average pace of 10:28!

Yay me! And yay for Katie, who finished before me and Kelly who was right behind me!

I am extremely proud of all three of us, because:

1) We’ve gone from 5/1s to running straight through. I’ve been doing 5/1s since 2002 when I trained for my 1st marathon….you know the saying “old habits die hard”, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be!

2) We’ve really picked up the pace! Seriously, I’ve never run a 10-mile race, but I know on my training runs, I’ve never run a 10:30 pace. In the heat of the summer, I was happy to run 10 miles in less than 2 hours…maybe 1:50 on a cooler day. We’ve come a long way baby! And, it felt great…not that I could have run any faster, but it didn’t feel that difficult.

3) For me, not whimping out at the end was a big deal. I was the girl who got to the bridge and said "SCREW IT" and walked up. I was the girl who reached mile 12 and said "SCREW IT" and took an extra walk break...notice I said "was" - not this time! Nope, I got up that little overpass and said "SCREW YOU" instead and didn't stop till I reached the finish line. No more of that crap.

I will be honest here too - the nice cool temps were helpful…I KNOW I would not maintain this pace if it had been 80 degrees! And, having my friends there next to me helped a great deal too. I may have taken an extra walk break (or three), or slowed down a bit if they had not been there. That’s what I am worried about the most, as we get closer to the Houston ½ Marathon in January…Katie and Kelly are doing the full. What happens if I don’t get to run with them? Will I be able to maintain a 10:30 (or better) if I don’t have them there to keep me going? I think the next couple of months of training alone will be interesting. I have to work hard not to let myself slip in to “Slacker Christy Mode”. When you’re running alone, the only on there to hold you accountable is YOU. I want to run Houston no slower than a 10:30 pace and I think this run helped me realize that I can do it.


I think I am up for the challenge.

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Slacker


I don't know what my problem is this week. I didn't work out last night. Instead, I caught up on Glee and tried to catch up on some So You Think You Can Dance.

This is so NOT like me.

I am not a couch potato. I am the opposite. I suck at being a couch potato! But, for some reason, I just haven't felt like working out this week. I've only done P90X once and I ran 5 miles on Tuesday. That's it. I'm not being too hard on myself this week about my slackerness. I know that I have days that I work out harder than the average Jane works out in an entire week. I know I will be back to my normal self soon. I think I've just been going and going so much lately, that I really need time for myself. Time to veg. I'm not good at it, but I am enjoying it.

Let's face it - getting up at 5 am everyday, getting yourself and kids ready each morning, getting them off to school followed by sitting in traffic for an hour, followed by a day of work with a lunchtime workout, then off to pick up kids after sitting in traffic for another hour, making everyone dinner, getting the kids bathed and in bed, getting everything ready for the next day (my clothes, kids clothes, lunches, etc), trying to keep the house clean and then working out in the evening usually starting around 8:45 pm - well, it does get kinda tiring. You know? Fortunately, DH does help with all the evening stuff when he's not at Hapkido...without him, I'd be an even bigger mess!

Not that I mean to complain. I love my hubby, kiddos and I love to be busy...I'd hate it if I were bored. :-) I guess I'm just sayin' is that sometimes we all need a little break. I'm taking mine now. It wasn't planned, but I am enjoying it while it lasts.

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Back to the grind...

Monday, 10/5 - No workout (gasp!)
Monday meant business as usual. I didn’t get to workout during lunch and we made it home later than usual. By the time I got the kiddos into bed, I was not feeling like working out. I guess we all have those days from time to time, right?

Tuesday, 10/6 - Spin Class 5-Mile Run and P90X - Chest and Back Ab Ripper X
I headed to the Y with the intention of going to spin class, but when I saw the instructor heading outside with the spin bikes, I decided I’d run on the treadmill instead. Sorry, but when it’s 90 degrees before the heat index at 11 am, I’m not working out on my lunch break outdoors. Yeah, I’m a wuss like that.

I got started on the treadmill and realized it felt warmer than usual. When I mentioned that to the guy on the treadmill next to me, he told me that the a/c isn’t working properly so it wasn't as cool as usual. I looked out the window and saw the trees moving in the breeze and suddenly wished I had just stuck with my original plan and gone to spin class. But I kept running. As I approached my 3rd mile, I realized that since the dressing rooms were closed (I had to change in the “Family Changing Room”), I would not have access to a hair dryer. CRAP! I decided to stop and 3 miles and cool down. After 3 minutes of walking, I decided that my hair was already a sweaty mess and that I might as well run awhile longer. So, I decided to run for 50 minutes and then try to cool down for 5 minutes. So, that’s exactly what I did. I was pleased that I maintained a 10 minute pace for the remainder of the run. When I did finish my cool down walk, I had gone 5 miles in 54:27…so, even with almost 8 minutes of walking, I had gone 5 miles in under and 11 minute pace. Yay me. Now I’d like to know what my pace would have been without the walking. Hmmmm….

One thing I didn’t realize is that the shower in the family changing room was out of order…so not only did I not have a hair dryer, I had no way to shower off before returning to work. Ugh! I did talk one of the Y employees into letting me sneak into the dressing room to use the hair dryer real quick…thank God I didn’t have any important meetings in the afternoon. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to get too close to me. LOL!

Tuesday evening, I was going to do P90X Chest and Back and even started the workout. However, I quickly realized that my sliced finger was not going to like the pressure from the push ups. I tried to do them on the side of my hand, but that just made my hand hurt. After a few attempts, I fast forwarded to the Ab Ripper X workout and just did that. Oh well! That gave me a little time to catch up on last week’s episode of Glee and last night’s episodes of The Hills and The City. I don’t get to watch much TV, so it actually felt good to have a little couch time! I think by Thursday, the finger will be ready for P90X again!

Monday, October 05, 2009

Best.Weekend.Ever.

Okay, maybe the best weekend in a loooonnnngggg time.



I just have to say that last weekend was a particularly awesome weekend! The hubby didn’t have to work on Friday, so while the kiddos were in school we headed to the Greek Festival for some lunch. Yummy! Souvlaki, Tiropita, Dolmades, Spanakopita and Baklava…I swear I must have been Greek in another life, because I could eat this stuff every day and not get tired of it!

Saturday, the kiddo had her musical theatre class and then a “tea party” to attend. The rest of the day was all family time until some friends came over for burgers and beer later that day. Other than the finger slicing incident, it was a fun day!

Sunday was laid back too…the hubby went to the Texans game, so after church the kids and I hung out at home where we could stay nice and dry. We laid out a blanket on the floor with lots of pillows and watched “Monsters Vs. Aliens”, while having an indoor picnic. I did manage to fit in P90X - Legs and Back later that afternoon. Good stuff!

A love letter

Dear 305,
I am so happy to have you back. I have missed you so much and hope we never part ways again (except of course, to get one of your bad-ass siblings - the 405 or the 310XT). While you were away, I longed to know my mileage, my pace, even my heart rate. In your absence I am sad to say that I did stray. Yes, that's right, I went back to your predecessor, my trusty Timex. But the Timex cannot give me the joy and satisfaction that you bring to me run after run. I will never stray again. It is so true that you don't know what you have until it's gone...I will take good care of you, charge you fully and proudly wear you on my wrist for years to come.

Love Always,
Tx Runner Mom

Sunday, October 04, 2009

A Quick PSA

If you own this veggie slicer from Pampered Chef....



photo from Pampered Chef website


Please, please, please watch your fingers! Better yet, do not operate this thing without the handy, dandy veggie holder (which also protects your fingers). I know the veggie holder is a pain in the ass sometimes - and I do have an older version of this thing, so maybe it's better now - but use it anyway!

We had invited friends over on Saturday night for burgers and beer, so I was using my slicer to slice tomatoes and onions. I had a huge tomato, so I didn't think I needed the holder just yet. As I was slicing away, I managed to slice of a huge chunk of skin (and nail too) from my right pinky finger. I know, I know - disgusting! But, just let that be a warning! I am now sporting a not-so-fashionable white bandage on my finger and I'm not sure if my nail and finger will ever look "normal" again. Sigh. Thank God my hubby was home to help me bandage the finger up!

Oh well, at least I know the blade is still sharp after having this contraption for about 10 years now! :0) I think it might be awhile before I am ready to use it again.

Saturday, October 03, 2009

9-miles and some burn

Thursday, 10/1 – P90X, Shoulders and Arms
Again, this is my favorite P90X arm workout! It alternates between biceps, triceps and shoulders over and over again. Call me crazy, because I love to “feel the burn”, lol!

Friday, 10/2 – Most.Awesome.Run.Ever.
I decided that I would run 8 miles on Friday. I was a little freaked out when I realized the Ten for Texas is NEXT WEEKEND. For whatever reason, I thought I had a couple more weeks to prepare. Let’s face it, with the triathlon training, I got a bit behind on my weekly mileage increases. I should have gotten into the double digits ages ago. Instead, the most I’ve run at a time lately has been 7 miles. Yeah, time to step it up.

Fortunately, the weather Friday morning was PERFECT! Well, okay 40 degrees is perfect in my book, but when the temps have been in the 80’s at 6 am, 64 degrees feels like HEAVEN!!! I ran most of my run all through the neighborhood – anything to avoid doing multiple loops. I wish I had my Garmin, because it felt faster than normal. And, I don’t think my pace ever slowed down. During the entire run, I just kept thinking about how great the temperature felt and how great the run felt. By the time I hit 7 miles, I just thought, “Wow, I feel great!”. By that time, I was already at the entrance to my section of the neighborhood and still had quite a bit of Gatorade left in my handheld bottle, so I decided to make one more loop around the ‘hood for a total of ~9 miles. I checked my pace on this handy dandy on-line pace calculator, and it looks like it was somewhere between at 10:20 & 10:33 minute pace. I may have been a tad bit short of the 9 miles even though I did run a bit extra at the end to hopefully make up the difference.

Now, if only we could have these temps again next weekend for the Ten for Texas!!!

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Tuesday & Wednesday

Tuesday, 9/29 - P90X, Day 2 Week 2 - Plyometrics Spin class
Tuesday means it's time to spin. I am trying to take full advantage of my last few days of my Y membership, so I headed to spin class like a good girl. As always, it was grueling and it was fun. It was also outdoors again, which can be embarrassing and fun at the same time.

I decided to not workout after work...sometimes, it's just nice to hang out with the hubby and kids without having to think about how you're going to squeeze in laundry, making lunches, kids baths, etc. and still get in a good workout.

Wednesday, 9/30 - P90X, Day 3 Week 2 - Arms and Shoulders Running
Okay, I fully intended to do both the P90X workout and the run. My schedule only called for a 30 minute tempo run, so I thought I could do both. However, I had an exhausting day going to Dallas for work and made it home with the kiddos later than usual...so needless to day, I settled for the shorter workout - running. And, since I have my long run on Friday morning, I thought it made more sense to postpone the P90X workout to Thursday night. I didn't want to postpone the run, because then I'd be running the night before my long run.

So, 30 minutes - 5 minute warm-up, 20 minutes @10:18 pace, 5 minute cool down.

Yeah, so I don't seem to really be following the P90X program very well. Hmmm.....


**************************************

I spoke to the people at Garmin International and got GREAT news....my 305 is on it's way back to me and I should have it within a couple of days! Whoot! Let's just hope it actually works!