Great run

8.5 miles, 1.24.43. I've been sick for three days and almost didn't go running, but I haven't ran in a week and I was feeling antsy! Glad I went, it was a great run.

Another rainy Wednesday

8ish miles, 1:14:45. It was a great night to run after the rain, although a little humid. It's so weird that it's getting dark at 8 pm nowadays.

Still "too fast," whatever that means

...oh yeah, it means if I don't learn to slow myself down I'll wear myself out too soon. Crap. Anyway, 3.85 miles, 33:34.

Awesome

Sixteen miles, 2:39:11. And, to top that, we were fast on the way back. Anyway, that's from my house almost to Museum Campus. Holy crap, so weird to run up toward the Field Museum. The run was so much better than last weekend; everyone was looking good, feeling good.

Awesome.

Getting back in the swing

7.85 miles in 1:13:04. I was about five minutes fast. My pacing is getting better, but is still really a weak point. My friend told me that for every minute you run fast in the beginning, you make up for it with four minutes slower in the end. While the numbers are pretty solidly old-wive's-taley, the idea rings true. Gotta work on pacing.

Oh, this was also the longest I've ever run on my own. Luckily that's not the longest, period, but still kinda cool to think about. Also, my iPod died halfway through, so it kinda a sinking ship.

New shoes good, old pains bad

Four miles, forty minutes. Still not feeling so hot. Man, it's tough getting back into it after two weeks of no running!

In the positive column, the new kicks run pretty smooth. Very few breaking-in pains. Nice.

Vroom-vroom!

It's about that time: New-shoes O'Clock. Who knew Puma made reputable running shoes? They fit like a dream.

Well, okay...

One of my pace leaders sent out an email to all of us today that basically said "yesterday was hot and sucked for everyone". He said he skipped a mile, took a breather, and still finished 10 minutes after everyone, feeling like crap. He reminded us that now is the time to start hydrating days before a run.

Right. Duh. I was pretty dehydrated yesterday. Still, I sucked. I'll be better next Saturday at the 16-miler!

Duh-saster.

Yikes. Is all I can say.

My 15-miler was just awful. In retrospect, I'm not sure why I thought jumping in after two weeks of no running was a great idea. I definitely walked more of the run than I care to admit.

Yikes.

All Downhill From Here

13.4 miles! Today was the longest I've ever run! Also, it was a little more than half a marathon. We finished in 2:16:43, which is pretty darn close to my goal split-time of 2:11.

One of my running mates said that she felt a little unsure after completing the run. I admit, I too was feeling a little sore and certainly didn't want to do another 13, but I gotta tell you: I felt confident. I have 10 weeks of training ahead of me and I feel pretty solid.

Oh, right, except for my darn ankle. I've decided to take 7-12 days off just to give it a solid chance to calm down. I'd hate to have to take that kind of time off in a month from now when my mileage will be half again what it is now.

Ouch

Today, right as I started out on a five mile run, I rolled my left ankle. I definitely have a history of doing this; it's never really a huge deal (in high school my coach just told me I had loose ankles). This time kinda hurt, though. I finished my run on it (51 minutes), and I felt basically normal for the whole run, but as soon as I stopped the pain came back. It's a little swollen, too, although my ankles have been swollen for months.

Uh oh.

Ugh.

Runners are effing crazy. Who the hell gets up at 6 am to go running?! I rolled out of bed today at 5:48 am and left my house at 6:10 to walk the three-quarters mile to our running site. Lame. I know we gotta beat the heat, but this is seriously early.

Anyway, I got there and kinda calmed down. The sun had just come up over Lake Michigan and there was a nice chill. It was actually pretty picturesque, so I got over my grumbling. I was pretty surprised how easily people struck up conversations this early, though. It took me a good mile before I said "hi" to anyone.

Six miles, 60 minutes. Solid.

The check's in the mail

I just mailed my check to CARA for my marathon training program and membership. I got a pretty nice discount by running for a charity. It starts in nine days.

It's getting real guys.

Fives

Uh...let's call it five miles? I'm getting really sick of figuring out how far I went, but I really should be. When I head out for a run, I head east to the lake and then go either north or south, but I generally try to not run the same course over and ever. Luckily I'll be starting my training group soon and it'll be someone else's job to tell me how far I ran.

Man, I want a GPS watch. With a videophone in it. Sweet...

About five miles.

Still chilly for May

Two mile fartlek. I've been doing these on the treadmill (which is basically mashing the buttons to alter the pace and pitch) as a way to make treadmill running not boring.

Long one

Five miles. Maybe six? I'm sick of plotting them.

Hehe...

Two mile fartlek. Grow up, it's Swedish.

Double whammie. Emphasis on the "whammie".

3.31 miles and yoga. My quads were pretty mutinous.

Go team!

Today I met with the rest of Team CIF, my marathon group, for the first time. There were only three of us there, but I've learned there are about 20 of us total. We gathered at the office of Center for Independent Futures and headed out from there for a 7.25 mile easy run. We were joined by three employees just along for moral support (there is one other than me who is both a marathon team member in addition to an employee) as well as a contingent of bikers. Along the way we stopped at the four residences operated by CIF to meet some of the program participants. After we returned to the office for bagels and fruit. It was a delightful intro to the group, and we plan on doing at least one similar even in the future.

It's funny the power of running with others; this run was longer than any other I have completed in years, but the group mentality got me through! I'm not even that sore, but we'll see how tomorrow is...

On a roll.

Hills again. I rolled my ankle (whoopsie-daisy), so short workout. Let's call it two miles?

Mapmyrun.com may be some bullshit.

Three miles and some change. Plotting it out on this site is unbelievable irritating (loose controls, unintuitive commands) but now that I know about it I keep on thinking "huh, exactly how far was that?" That's how they getcha!

Cricket..?

So, I live near what may well be the only hill on all of Chicago's lakefront. We're dealing with some seriously flat terrain here, people. It's called Cricket Hill, which is kinda dumb. Whatever, not the point.

Today I did some hill reps and, because it's infuriating to try to map it on Google Maps or mapmyrun.com, I'm just gonna say I did five reps with a little running before and after. Three miles? I'll take it.

Minus 528 Calories

I ran 3.85 miles today, according to this website I stumbled upon called www.mapmyrun.com. Who knows if it'll be helpful; I'll try it a couple weeks. I felt pretty good...erm, ok, I felt just fine. Hoping that this yoga plan of mine works on the impending shin splints.

Post Thought: hmm, why am I not just embedding these maps?


Also, today when I was stretching Leah blanched, pointed to a quarter-sized chunk of skin flapping on my foot, and shouted "is that a blister?!" It was at one point but had since flattened and popped. I guess this is the beginning of my nasty marathon feet.

Yoga, huh?

I've decided to participate in a weekly yoga class as my cross training activity (most marathon training programs I've read suggest doing a non-running activity to mitigate the amount of high-impact exercise). My hope is that the increased flexibility and tendon strength yoga can provide will be a sort of active first-aid as I run my ass off for the next couple month. Woot, let's hear it for no injures!

Anyway, the Chicago Park District offers all kinds of programs and I have found a $3 yoga class. Score. Tonight was my first time and it was really nice, through and through.

Back at it

Three miles and some change, 35-40 minutes.

Ouch

Not feeling so great. Three miles, 40 minutes. Legs in pain. Which is kinda nerve-wracking and I find myself having to repeat "you have five months to train."

Still windy outside...

I ran about 4.25 miles in about 50 minutes along the lake. It was windy, and I haven't been running outside much, so I'm pretty pleased with that time. I really need to get a running watch and start paying attention to mile markers because pacing myself has never been my strong suit and that skill is going to be paramount in this marathon.

Blah

I just ran a crappy 1.5 miles. At least I lifted a bunch. It's great, two friends from Mpls who have known me forever both mentioned that I looked a little pumped, and a coworker said to me a few weeks ago, in earnest, "Have you been working out?" I do feel bigger, especially in the chest.

I contacted the charity I'm running for, Center for Independent Futures, and I should have a url for my fundraising page shortly. I will definitely soon start pestering everyone I know en masse. Ad infinitum. Look, I'm worldly!

On a roll

Two treadmill miles. I read an article about running at a 1% incline in order to get an outdoor-equivalent workout (because of a variety of reasons: no wind resistence; less impact against the running surface; and treadmills actually kinda propel you forward by pulling your legs back under you with less effort), so I should probably start doing that. I kinda play around with the incline already, like running intervals flat and following with a mile at 1%.

Spring, finally

About three miles. About 30 minutes. I was running outside and not really paying attention to that stuff.

Running Redux

Ok Guys,

For a minute there, I wasn't sure that I was going to participate in the marathon, or even stay in Chicago. But now, it's official: I'm registered.

Yee-Ha.

Today I ran 3 miles in 30 mins. Race pace. Geez.

Oh, yeah...I'm sick of posting my lifting stuff. Maybe I'll be inspired again, but till then assume that I at least did crunches and at most threw a car into the Chicago River.

Today, yo

-4x one minute 6 mph/one minute 8.5 mph interval reps, about one mile, plus another 6 mph mile
-3x10 inclined bench press
-3x10 inclined pec flies
-3x10 inclined chest presses
-3x10 bidep curls, each side
-3x10 tricep pull-downs
-3x8 each forward, lateral, and bent shoulder flies
-3x8 lat pull-downs
-3x15 bicycle crunches

Today's Workout

-4x one minute 6 mph/one minute 8.5 mph interval reps, about one mile, plus another 6 mph mile
-3x10 inclined bench press
-3x10 inclined pec flies
-3x10 inclined chest presses
-3x10 bidep curls, each side
-3x10 tricep pull-downs
-3x8 each forward, lateral, and bent shoulder flies
-3x15 bicycle crunches

Sunday Sans Hangover

-2 miles, 6.5 mph
-3x15 bicycle crunches
-3x10 Roman chair

I've Been Had

That's right, I've purchased pretty much the dumbest gadget out there: an iPod shuffle. My real iPod has gone up to the big playlist in the sky. It all started to go downhill when I threw it across the room while on the treadmill and it stopped putting out stereo. Crap.

Turns out I actually love running with this thing...it weight, like, three Skittles so I can barely tell i'm carrying anything. Word.

Today's Workout

-Warm-up, 4x one minute 6 mph/one minute 8 mph interval reps, and cool-down totaling two miles.
-3x8 inclined bench press
-3x10 inclined pec flies
-3x10 inclined chest presses
-3x10 bicep curls (holy crap, check out the dude in this animation), each side
-3x10 tricep pull-down things. Who the hell knows that these are called?
-3x6 each forward, lateral, and bent shoulder flies.
-3x8 lat pull-downs
-3x15 bicycle crunches
-3x10 Roman chair

I've been training since early January by myself and two of my goals have definitely been weight loss and bulking up my arms a bit. Once I start an actual marathon training program I imagine I will be doing a bit less weight lifting and more distance training rather than interval training (which aids in losing fat). Lifting will still, however, be a really important part of my regimen, albeit less of a focus.

Today's Workout

-two miles at 5.5 mph pace
-4x one minute 6 mph/one minute 8 mph interval reps, totaling about one mile
-3x15 bicycle crunches
-3x10 Roman chair

New shoes gave me a little blister, but that's pretty much normal for the first few times.

Vroom!

Well kids, here we go. I have just purchased some flashy new kicks and am ready to run. October 11th, here I come.

Oh right. I still have to pick which charity to run for and then actually register for the race but, you know, the devil's in the details.