Hurrah for Me!

I had a surprisingly good run this weekend.

The thing is, I felt REALLY SLOW. I kept telling myself "That's okay. You slacked off this week and it's just paying you back. Don't worry about the time. Just get the miles in. You can worry about the time next week."

I know that I should have an idea of my pace, but I seriously canNOT look at my watch during a run. Bill is the opposite. He asks me about every two minutes if we are on pace. We've even fought about it during a run. So, when I'm on my own, I do not look at my watch at all. It just seems to make my run longer if I do and also I then become obsessive about going too slow or too fast. I suppose on my longer runs I try to keep track of it more, but this was a 9-miler, so I figured that I shouldn't obsess about it. I had some other signs that I was just about at the right pace anyway. Like, in my running mix every time I get up to Harlem at the top of the park "Pump It" is finishing and "O.P.P." is starting. Since I listen to one of two mixes every single time it is a good way to figure out my pace. I thought I was a little off because "O.P.P." didn't start when I thought it should have.

Turns out I was actually going FASTER than usual. When I started moving across town to Riverside Park I looked at my watch and didn't believe it! Seeing my time gave me an extra boost of energy and I finished with a 1:18.52!!! NO WAY!!! That is an 8:45 pace for NINE MILES!

I was so very excited.

Yassos Again

I am starting to not like these Yassos.

I don't know why, but suddenly they seem very very difficult. I know that they seem that way because I am adding more and more on with each week (this week I did 7...the most Yassos I've ever actually done!). But the thing is, I start to get tired after the third one! It has crossed my mind that maybe I am going too fast. But it has also crossed my mind that this is speed work and that it is supposed to be fast.

All I know, is that they make me sweat like none other. I always feel sorry for the other people in the gym, who must be smelling me. I REALLY feel sorry for the people who get in the elevator after me. It hadn't occurred to me that it was that bad until one night Bill got in the same elevator that I was in about 5 minutes after I had gotten back from my workout and said "Were you in the elevator on the right? The one nearest us?" And I was like, "Yeah, why?" And he said that he could tell that I had come back from a workout. Whoops. Gross.

But I must say, after a hard, sweaty workout like that, I do feel really good. I feel like I accomplished something, which I never usually feel on my weekday runs (I know you really aren't supposed to on recovery runs).

Oh, and another thing? Do NOT watch cooking shows while you are doing speedwork. Someone was watching Emeril in the gym last night and I had to keep averting my eyes (which was difficult because I also didn't want to watch the clock continuously) from it so that I wouldn't feel sick. He was making non-traditional lasagnes. Bleh.

Busy Week

This week has been so busy that I have had a hard time getting my running workouts in.

Tonight is supposed to be 7 Yasso 800s. I am going to really have to try and motivate myself all day to do these. For one, I will be getting home from work later than usual. Secondly, my last Yasso workout was HORRIBLE because the gym was so so hot. I am not hoping for much better (temperaturewise) from the gym tonight because it is supposed to be in the 60s today and it seems like it takes the building awhile to adjust (it's been in the 30s). I'll just remember all of the Yassos I did while training for Chicago...outside...on the hot track :)

I have also thrown off my running schedule a little, by doing my 18 on the first weekend in April (running with the Roncker group) instead of my 20. I'm not sure how to compensate for this. I guess I will ask the Roncker runners if they are doing their 20 the following week and follow THEIR program from there on out. I figure that I've followed their program the other two times, so I should be okay.

There is NO chance I am even THINKING about picking up the pace anymore on these Yassos. I think I've found my speed...fast enough to make me exhausted by the end of each one, but by the time the next one rolls around, energized again!

I'm a Sad Athlete

Bill and I have finally gotten the wii we were looking for since before Christmas. It is so much fun! My favorite game is boxing, although I must say, I don't have a lot of strategy, I just punch a lot. For anyone who doesn't know...the wii is different from other video game systems because you use the controller in a very intuitive way. Like, if you are playing tennis, you swing it like a tennis racket. If you are boxing, you use controllers in two hands and punch and guard (or in my case, you just punch). I was laughing as I was playing tennis and told Bill that some sad people on the wii site say that the game has changed their lives and they've lost all sorts of weight and things like that. I was thinking what a sad state our country must be in if that's the case. Although I did break a pretty big sweat during the boxing.

Anyway, I woke up this morning and my back and arms were KILLING me. I am so sore. I guess my weight training hasn't been helping as much as I thought. Maybe I should just ditch my free weights in favor of the wii. It would definitely be more fun. (I am just kidding of course). All of this makes me feel like a pretty weak athlete. But then again, I was punching pretty hard. Bill said he thought I was going to go through the tv at one point.

And unrelated wii injuries from this weekend...
I keep getting these HORRIBLE CRIPPLING charleyhorses. They are only in my left calf but they really really hurt. Lack of potassium? That's what I've always heard. I try to make sure I eat a banana every morning with my breakfast, but I haven't had one for the past 5 days or so. I will make sure to eat two of them this morning because charleyhorses suck!

Stripping Down in the Gym

Last night, Bill and I headed downstairs to do our Yasso 800s on the treadmill. I should have never said I was looking forward to them, because I think I jinxed them.

Immediately after the first one I was sweating buckets (this is not like me. I hardly ever sweat. On Y800s it usually takes me until the 3rd one to break a sweat). I was out of breath, tired, and my right hamstring was straining a little. I looked over at Bill and told him all these things. You see, when I looked at my running schedule I was wrong, I actually had a rest night last night and a Y800s night tonight. But I figured I should run since I had skipped the night before. So I figured that if I went down to the gym and the treadmills were full, I would do my workout Thursday. So, after my first Yasso I was about to throw in the towel and just do the workout Thursday. But all Bill said was "Yeah, it's hot in here." So I figured, if he was going to finish them, then I had to as well.

It was so hot and the minutes were CRAWLING by. I tucked my shirt into my sports bra...poor Bill had on long pants! The second one was hell, and I wasn't even halfway through.

I stripped down again, shoving my shirt in the cupholder. I didn't care. It was too hot in there. The back of my hair was soaking wet.

The last 4 for excruciating. On my breaks in between I had to go to the bathroom and splash water on my face. I started thinking "Maybe this pace IS too fast for me." I guess we'll see next week when I have 7 Yassos. I hope it was just a bad night.

I'm sure Bill and I made the elevator reek on the way back up.

Bad Girl

I opted for a glass of wine after work with friends instead of running. Whoops. At least I knew when I accepted the invitation that running wasn't going to happen. I even IM'ed Bill and said "Do you think I can skip my run tonight to go out for a drink?" Not like he could have changed my mind or anything. If he would have said that I should probably run I probably would have spent the next 5 minutes trying to convince him that I didn't need to run. I guess I just needed validation for skipping my workout. :)

Tonight I'm sure I will pay for it. I have a Yasso 800 workout. Even though I logged a 10:20 pace for my 16 miler, I'm still going to do them at 4:22s (which would be a 10 minute pace for the marathon). I'm up to 6 of them, and I have to say, I sort of am looking forward to them.

I noticed on the Flying Pig Site that they have an "updated course". I took a look at the map and don't see where it's different...maybe where we run on Linn Street? For some reason I don't remember going that far west in downtown Cincinnati. I don't know. If that's not it, I'm not really sure what the change is.

Ergh. Aches.

I am sooooo achy from my run yesterday. It is crazy, but my back and arms hurt the most.
I feel like I did a weight lifting routine.

I knew that I was going to be in trouble when around mile 12 I felt my arms. I know that sounds weird, but I don't really notice my arms when I'm running. I mean, I know they go back and forth the whole time, but I don't really FEEL them or pay attention to them. Sometimes though, when I get up into the double digits on my mileage my arm will move a little right or left (instead of just straight back and forth) and THAT'S when it hits me. It's like I'm suddenly aware of pain, as if my arm was asleep and I get that pins and needles feeling...but it's not pins and needley.

My legs do this too, but I have heard other people talk about that, so I guess it is at least a little more common.

Like yesterday when I was heading across town. In the park, there aren't any stoplights, but on my long blocks home I get stopped at every crosswalk. It wouldn't normally be a big deal, but if I am feeling good on a long run and then I STOP I suddenly am aware (in my body) that I've just run 15+ miles.

It's like "I feel great! I could do another 10 miles!" and then when you stop you realize that you can't walk without looking like, well, you can't walk. I remember this from my first super long run with the Roncker team. NO ONE looked like they could walk after one of the practices...then after 15 minutes of stretching we all walked out of there like nothing happened.

I think it all looks kind of scary. Which is why I told Bill and my parents right after my first marathon "I'm going to get up, and it's going to look like I can't walk. But really I'm fine. It's just you get like this after 26.2 miles." They all laughed and looked at me like I was crazy and then said something to that effect, like 'No kidding. You just ran 26.2 miles.'

Anyway, I look like a tool at work today, because I am having trouble doing simple things with my arms, like pinning up work on a board. :)

Bathrooms, Please!

Today I had my 16 miler. I must say, it was SO much better than last week's run. After a bad run like that I was sort of unsure about running this week. Especially since my run involved loops. I hate repeating anything, but it especially stinks since I basically run the same route every weekend.

I started out with Bill but then he was too fast for me so he took off right before the bottom of the park (which is where we usually split up). He only had 4 miles today, so he was going to catch the 97th street Traverse back home while I continued the loop. I was happy to see him waiting for me. Especially since I had to pee...really badly. And I wasn't really up to going into any of the park bathrooms without someone waiting outside. (I've seen way too many movies about serial killers). So we looked on the map, and conveniently, there was one right by East Meadow, which was right by where we were.

It was closed.

I had to go really really badly. Bill and I weighed the options. There was another one close by, but on the other side of the park. The trees around us didn't offer much cover and besides, being a girl, it is not all that easy...plus there are tons of cops in the park. I could run across the traverse and go home, but that would mean I had to reconfigure my route, since I was adding some odd-miles on by doing that, and cutting out others. I was about 4 minutes away from the hockey rink, and I was pretty sure they would have an operating bathroom. I said goodbye to Bill and headed uphill. Unfortunately, you had to pay to get beyond the gates of the hockey rink. So plan B...I headed back to my apartment. The running was making it worse and I had like 30 minutes to go.

I did have to reconfigure my run, but luckily I didn't have to run all the way up to 120th like I thought I would have to.

I had a pretty good run after that, though by mile 14 I was pretty exhausted. I was exhausted in the way that I used to be exhausted on my long runs (like "26.2? Are you kidding! That's like 10.2 more miles, there's no way I could do that!").

I ended up somewhere in the neighborhood of a 10:20 mile pace (which is what my watch said), although it could have been a little faster. I don't know because my watch didn't stop on my bathroom and Gu break like it was supposed to :(

I am very tired, so I'm looking forward to a nice night of doing nothing!

Gambling

Let's hope that I'm lucky with odds...

I was online today trying to figure out what my odds are of getting into the New York Marathon. I have been holding off on my application, because I JUST joined the NYRR, and there is a section on the application that asks for your membership number. I don't think it makes a difference, because I didn't join until this week and I haven't run 9 races with the NYRR anyway (if you registered by January 31st of last year and ran 9 NYRR races, you are guaranteed entry). But when I got my email receipt it said to wait for your membership number if you were going to register for the NYC Marathon. So I figured that was important.

Anyway, what sucks is that I don't get my number until next week via email and it's 2-4 weeks before I get my actual card. I KNOW it shouldn't really matter since the whole thing is a lottery and they don't start drawing until June, but I am still antsy about the whole thing. I want to get in really badly. (It's kind of like how I sent my college applications in waaaaay ahead of time even for the schools that didn't have rolling admission).

The other thing that stinks is that I was reading this thread on Runner's World. Apparently, it's MORE DIFFICULT to get in if you are a New Yorker!!! What?! No fair!
I don't know where this comes from, but two people mentioned it. Of course the official website is of no help on this issue.

I guess I just have to cross my fingers.

Hurrah! So Excited! (And Yasso 800s)

Last night I had another Yasso 800 workout. This time I had to do 5 of them. I don't know what it is about the Yassos, but I really love them (even though they make me sweat like a pig). This time I also pumped up the time to an 8:44 pace. It WAS an intense workout, but I did still have energy at the end. Which makes me think that my revised, revised goal of 4:22 is possible. If I could do that, it would mean that I took 54 minutes off my time from last year. (If you believe the whole Yasso method...I mean, I know I didn't do 10 yet. But by the time I have to do 10 I know I can). I am trying to not get too far ahead of myself with this goal setting, but really it is very exciting.

I am also excited because I have been talking to my running buddy, Sarah ,from the training group. I found out that the Roncker group is doing their 18-miler on the 5th of April. I, coincidently, will be in Cincinnati on the 5th of April. So I emailed Coach Joe and asked if I could join them for their Saturday run and he said of course. Yay! It will be so fun to see everyone and to run with Sarah again! I have been following HER blog and it seems that we are both making the same improvements...so we'll be able to pace together!

It will also be great to get to run some of the course, because after doing the Central Park roads over and over, I have no idea if the hills compare, or pale in comparison. :)

Yasso 800s

Tonight is Yasso 800s again. This time I have to do 5 of them. I am kind of looking forward to them. I decided to do these with a 1% incline on the treadmill to make up for wind resistance. I ALSO decided to pick up the pace a smidge, based on my last few runs, which have been at sub 10:00 paces. I would be so pumped if I could run a marathon at a 4:22. I think I can do it. And I might as well start training that way now, right?

Last night, Bill and I stuck to our goal of maintaining a recovery pace. It was difficult to do at first, and I kept wanting to speed up. I felt like I was just trudging along (which is funny, because that used to be my pace not all that long ago). I could definitely tell the difference though, because on the short and middle runs I usually hold a conversation with Bill. Usually , I can feel myself taking deeper breaths while I am doing this. But last night I talked the whole time and it was almost as if I wasn't running.

It was nice, because I just felt like it was a nice opportunity to shake out my legs and warm up my muscles a little bit (which I guess is the point of an SRR). Then I went home and did an arm weight workout in front of "The Biggest Loser." I think Bill thinks that it's funny that I do this every week during the show. But I asked him "How could you watch that show and NOT feel like you have to do something?" Besides, we all know that strong arms make you run faster. :)

In Marathon News...

Haile Gebrselassie, the favorite for the marathon in the Beijing Olympics , is pulling out of the race.
If you're interested you can read the article here.

Randomness

You would think that in one of the biggest cities in the world, that there would be no way that you would run into anyone that you know, unless you had made plans.

I was walking into work today when I heard someone call my name. I turned around and saw Jill, who was one of my teammates on Team CdLS in the Chicago Marathon. She is only here for 2 days and we ran into each other! I think it also confused her because when I ran Chicago everyone knew I was from Cincinnati. I just thought that was totally random!

Tonight I have a SRR of 20-30 minutes. Now usually, since this is only a 20 minute run AND I'm running with Bill, who unintentionally makes me pick up the pace, I end up running this faster than most of my other runs. Usually I clock about a 9 minute mile. But tonight I am going to really concentrate on keeping it in the 10:30 pace area.

I read this article in this month's issue of Runner's World that said that a common mistake that runners make is running too fast on their SRRs. It said that by doing that, you are actually fatiguing your body. Your body needs the rest of the recovery runs, so you should take them at a recovery pace. I think it is going to be difficult to do this. I have a very hard time varying my pace. It's easier for me to go faster than it is for me to go slower, so we'll see. I'm going to map out an exact route that goes with my slower pace so that I can stick to it.

BAD Run

Today I had a HORRIBLE run. I mean, really, really horrible.

I really didn't want to go out in the first place. And I wasn't looking forward to the 16 miles (two loops in the park, run back to Riverside, up to 120th and back to my apartment). Usually though, I start running and after a mile or two I get psyched about finishing. Or I get into a runner's high. Or I just sort of meditate.

But I could not shake my bad mental state today. Every turn I was like "Yes! I'm almost at the hockey rink!" (where I was going to catch up with Bill for a Gu break). But then I would turn the corner and be like "Nope, not here." I was noticing every small incline. I was alternating anger and sadness and apathy. I just DID NOT WANT TO BE THERE. And the fact that I had not reached our 5 mile rest spot and I STILL would have to run 11 miles after that was not making it any better. I have not ever thought of for real quitting a run in the middle (unless I was injured...even then I usually stupidly, finish my run). But I really really really wanted to quit.

Bill waited for me on the hill and asked how things were going. I crossly responded "Sh*tty." We pulled over on a trail where I usually take my Gu and I explained everything to him. He pulled me over to the steps so that we could talk about it. He told me I should finish. He said the one thing he admired about me is how I finish anything no matter what. And that sometimes it is crazy, but I still do it. And if he asks me why I am like "Because. I just need to do it." Normally I would agree with him. But I just felt too crappy. And I told him that for me running is 90% mental and 10% physical. And if my mental is this low it would sort of be like me running with the flu. We sat there for what seemed like forever. And I felt guilty because he was supposed to be doing his 9 miler, which was his longest run so far in his training. Here I was, stopping him at 5.4 miles and being a poop.

We decided that I would finish his 9 miler with him. I would switch my long runs. Next week, instead of doing a 10 (my low mileage week) I would do my 16. I'm not worried about not having a down week between my 16 and 18 because that's actually how I've trained in the past 2 marathons.

Bill stuck by me for the rest of the run (even though I know I was slowing him down). I still was feeling pretty awful for those last 3.6 miles, but it definitely helped. And amazingly, I still logged a 1:26:26 for those 9 miles (a 9:36 pace). That just tells me that it WAS a mental and not physical thing.

Anyway, I'm glad Bill was there. Sometimes it's hard to run on your own and you need a running buddy. :)

Y800s < 140, 29

Those are three different things.

First, tonight was my Yasso 800 workout. All training season I've been kind of mad that I couldn't find a track to do them. I didn't think about doing them on the treadmill until this morning. I always dread Yasso 800s like I dread going to the dentist. But, like going to the dentist, I know that they are good for me. Unlike going to the dentist, I always feel better after doing them. Since I've recently revised my marathon goal to a 4:30 I also had to revise my Y800 pace. I was freaking out about this until my husband pointed out that it is the same as my 10k pace. I had to do 4 of them this time, and I must say, I had a pretty good workout. I am feeling more and more psyched about my new goal. This weekend is my 16 miler, and I want to see how my new pace fits into that. I can't believe I'm already at that high mileage!

The other good news is that when I hopped on the scale today I found that I've lost a pound from last week. Not a big deal, I know, BUT my big plateau seems to be 140...and with my 1 pound loss I've FINALLY gotten under it! Maybe I will only be Alcoholic this year instead of Alcoholic Athena. I'm also losing inches everywhere! 2 off my belly since the end of January. I attribute this to my healthier diet (which actually includes eating MORE calories), all the walking around that I do and the fact that I've added a workout or two to my regimen.

And the last number...29. Tomorrow is my birthday! Which means NO WORKING OUT. And eating cake.

Gym Etiquette

Last night I hit the gym again for my 20-30 minute recovery run on the elliptical and I have never seen the gym so crowded! All the machines were taken except for the upright stationary bike. So I decided that I would bike until one of the ellipticals opened up. I was a little bit wary of the bike though, because those stationary bikes tend to aggravate my knees a little, which would kind of defeat the purpose of me working out in the gym instead of outside.

Well, 10 minutes into my 20 minute workout, I noticed that the elliptical behind me was open. Hurrah! I jumped on and started programming it. I had just started working out, trying to make up for my time on the bike by jumping into a harder pace than normal when a girl showed up next to me. It was the girl who was on the elliptical before and she said "sorry" and I gave her her keys that were left on the machine. And she was like "No, sorry. I put those on there to save that machine." I didn't realize that you could do that. Every gym I've been to, if you hop off the machine it is fair game for everyone else. And it's not like she was gone for 2 seconds to get water or anything. I mean I had time to look behind me, see it was empty, program it and start my workout. I was ticked off, which I guess she could see, because as I got off the machine she said, "I'll only BE a few MINUTES." in an annoyed sort of way. I thought about saying something to her, but then I realized that I was in the gym with a bunch of other residents that I was sure to run into some other time in the gym and I didn't want to be 'that crazy girl who went bullistic on that other girl'.

So I hopped back on the bike for another 10 and irritated my knee, which I didn't realize until I was finished. Back to icing and anti-inflammatories. Tonight is a rest night and I am going to take full advantage of it.

Elliptical

So, yesterday when I started my run, I noticed a sharp pain in my right knee. I turned around and ran back down the hill to see if it was still there, and it wasn't. But when I ran up the hill on the other side, it came back. I've never actually felt pain like that. It was on the inside of my knee and my knee pain usually comes right above my knee. I also didn't think it was a good sign that it was only in one knee.

So yesterday I took it easy. I iced it a couple of times and took some Aleve.

I decided to try the elliptical tonight (since my knee injuries are usually impact injuries).

The elliptical EXHAUSTS me. And it always looks like you aren't even moving on the elliptical, no matter how hard you are working. I set it to the crazy hill workout and threw in an 8 for resistance. 40 minutes and I was so tired!