So I did it….I guess when I really want to, I can focus, buckle down, and get the shit done. Although the plan did change mid run. It went from running the first 4 miles at around 11 minute miles to running the first two around 11 minute miles….the middle four at 10 min. miles or less…and the last two at 11 min. miles. And it sucked, and it was hot, and it was hard….but you could say all those same things about me :). Here are the splits. The only one I missed was the first mile…it was 12 minutes….but I was half asleep and made up for it later..
Mile 1 - 12:07
Mile 2 - 11:06
Mile 3 - 09:48
Mile 4 - 09:33
Mile 5 - 09:53
Mile 6 - 09:36
Mile 7 - 10:43
Mile 8 - 10:44
So that little experiment went ok. My average pace for the whole run was in the 10:26ish range..which is over a minute faster pre mile then my usual long run pace. I think I’ll keep my distance in the 8 mile rage for my long runs…but work on increasing the amount of time I spend in the 9:30 range until I can do the whole thing that fast….then work on upping the distance slowly. I’ve got time to tweek and plan….marathon training won’t start till the middle of winter.
In other news…my little brother has agreed to give me two months to teach him to run…and love it. I am SUPER stolked about this!!!! He needs something new, some change…something.. that he’s just not finding in his life right now. I’ve also thrown this out to my older brother..but haven’t gotten him to agree to it yet. He also needs something…..and I’m hoping. Running threw me such a lifeline that I didn’t even know I needed….and I’m getting down on my knees tonight and praying I can pass this on to both of them…because frankly….I don’t know what to do/don’t have anything else to give either of them….if that makes any sense.
So V and I start Dragon Boat practice tomorrow. This ought to be interesting.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Bitching Running
So I clocked my fastest pace to date outside of a race this morning. Five miles at a 9:38 pace…and it felt fantastic. Windy, beautiful and I ran hills….which made it that much more cool. I’m going to make running my bitch this summer….enough already. Maybe I progressed too quickly…increasing my distance but never really my speed. So that is the new and improved summer plan. My last race of the summer has been scratched because I had the date wrong and it’s this coming weekend instead of next…and I just don’t have the time to do that this weekend with Dragonboat starting this weekend as well. So I have all summer and most of the fall to bitch running. I AM capable of running faster and I’m going to do it. I’m going to do all my weekday running at sub-10’s and I’m going to try something different on my long runs. This weekend I’m going to only run 8 miles….the first 4 at around 11 minute miles…and the second 4 at 10 or less minute miles…and see how that goes. I know I can do distance….that’s really not an issue…anyone can if you give it enough time….so I’m going to try decreasing the distance…starting from scratch…and teaching my body to run faster, longer. I’m still lifting 3 days a week…that seems to be going well. So we’ll play with speed this summer…and see how that goes.
In hair loss news….I’ve been using Rogaine for going on 2 months now….and it’s not falling out like it was….but I have seen no new regrowth. But….the doc says…along with what the instructions say…it takes many months to start seeing anything new. Shit..I’m happy it’s not falling out anymore…but I would like to grow some back. But I think my days of having the long beautiful crazy hair are over. I don’t think I can ever wear it long again….sorry Skip…you’re stuck with your butchy lookin wife…HA!
That’s it….all I’ve got on a beautiful Thursday morning. I think I’m going to take my spawn to the quarry today to swim…and then I’ve got a date with the dentist. Hope everyone has a great day!
In hair loss news….I’ve been using Rogaine for going on 2 months now….and it’s not falling out like it was….but I have seen no new regrowth. But….the doc says…along with what the instructions say…it takes many months to start seeing anything new. Shit..I’m happy it’s not falling out anymore…but I would like to grow some back. But I think my days of having the long beautiful crazy hair are over. I don’t think I can ever wear it long again….sorry Skip…you’re stuck with your butchy lookin wife…HA!
That’s it….all I’ve got on a beautiful Thursday morning. I think I’m going to take my spawn to the quarry today to swim…and then I’ve got a date with the dentist. Hope everyone has a great day!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Lighthouse Run 2010
*WARNING...FOUL MOUTHED BLOGGER AHEAD*
So I guess running uninjured, in slightly cooler weather, having tapered, having WAY better mileage, distance and strength training under my belt has NO bearing on improving my time. Pulling up my splits after I got home I see that I actually hit my pace 2 out of those 10 fucking miles. It just wasn’t there…this seems to always be the case on race day. Do I choke? Do I psych myself out? WTF is it about a race that makes me incapable of running at paces that I know I am perfectly capable of? My time for 10 miles 1 week ago was 1 hour 42 minutes..and my official chip time for this year is 1 hour 46 minutes, 59 seconds….only beating my time last year…when I was injured..and everything was wrong....by MAYBE 30 seconds. TOTAL BULLSHIT. I would say that I’m swearing off racing..instead I say..FUCK YOU RACING…I WILL CONCUR YOU AND YOU WILL FUCKING LIKE IT. I am not one of those awesome bitches that discovered racing later in life and was like ‘wow..I’m fucking fast and awesome and can rock out an insane pace like I’ve run all my life.’ Hell no…I am an awesome bitch that found running later in life and have fought like a crazy mofo for every inch I’ve run. Who trains like crazy doing all the right things, that STILL isn’t fast and get out there every day and do it anyways. The only thing I ask is that on race day…for shits sake…let me run how I KNOW I can…that I’ve run before…because dammit..I work hard.
Anywhoo….wow..that feels better. Still with me? Here’s the recap.
Pre-race
Wonderful! Julie, Amy and Traci picked up Dom and me about 45 minutes till start time. We got a great parking place, the girls were stolked..and Dom was Dom. He was our camera man, race bag dude and inspiration. If you’re ever going to have kids, have a Dom…can’t beat him. We walked around, checked out the start line…hit the portapotties. I think the girls were surprised by how things looked at a real race…but I think they liked it. The 10 mile started 15 minutes before their race..so I left them and squeezed in towards the back. I felt good…that feeling would leave me pretty quickly…HA!
Race-
Even though I had just peed…..I needed to go by the end of mile one..and was already unhappy because I hadn’t hit my goal pace the first mile. It was heating up and there are NO bathrooms on the coarse…not sure why. I kept checking my Garmin because I felt like I was hitting my times..and was always surprised that I wasn’t..my breathing felt off. Mile 2 was one of the two miles that I did hit pace…that one takes you through the Racine Zoo and it was pretty….the Mountain Goats were jumping around and the lake was to my right and very beautiful. It’s funny how they warn you on the info sheets to leave the animals alone….I’ve always wondered if there were animal bothering incidents that lead to these warnings.
I caught up with my next door neighbor Mike around mile 5. I loved his comment about screwing the PR..that this race was now a death march. My sentiments exactly Mike. We backed and forthed for a couple miles until he finally ditched me around mile 7 and finished about 4 minutes ahead of me. I was so freakin happy to see the finish line I almost cried….just wanted the shit done. And although I didn’t see a one of them…that’s how out of it I was…my girls, Skip, my boys and Amy’s family that includes her husband Rod….another of my close long time friends…..were all there…screaming for me…so the race wasn’t a total wash. I finished…got my chip cut off…and the first one to greet me was Dom. As I walked away from the line I also saw one of my patients….a crazy little gangster looking dude in his late 40’s who I’ve become friendly with after finding his picture in the race pics from last year. Awesome to see him…mostly because he looks like the only thing he runs from is the law….but he’s fast as shit.
Got my beer, got my banana….hung out with the girls who were so happy with the race….and went home.
Official Times-4 Mile
Julie- 1:01:32
Traci- 57:29
Amy- 54:48
Official Times-10 Mile
Me- 1:46:59
Mike- 1:43:40
Crazy Gangsta Patient- 1:17:27…crazy right? This was his slowest year!
So that’s that…and here’s the pics. Next year this bitch is mine!
So I guess running uninjured, in slightly cooler weather, having tapered, having WAY better mileage, distance and strength training under my belt has NO bearing on improving my time. Pulling up my splits after I got home I see that I actually hit my pace 2 out of those 10 fucking miles. It just wasn’t there…this seems to always be the case on race day. Do I choke? Do I psych myself out? WTF is it about a race that makes me incapable of running at paces that I know I am perfectly capable of? My time for 10 miles 1 week ago was 1 hour 42 minutes..and my official chip time for this year is 1 hour 46 minutes, 59 seconds….only beating my time last year…when I was injured..and everything was wrong....by MAYBE 30 seconds. TOTAL BULLSHIT. I would say that I’m swearing off racing..instead I say..FUCK YOU RACING…I WILL CONCUR YOU AND YOU WILL FUCKING LIKE IT. I am not one of those awesome bitches that discovered racing later in life and was like ‘wow..I’m fucking fast and awesome and can rock out an insane pace like I’ve run all my life.’ Hell no…I am an awesome bitch that found running later in life and have fought like a crazy mofo for every inch I’ve run. Who trains like crazy doing all the right things, that STILL isn’t fast and get out there every day and do it anyways. The only thing I ask is that on race day…for shits sake…let me run how I KNOW I can…that I’ve run before…because dammit..I work hard.
Anywhoo….wow..that feels better. Still with me? Here’s the recap.
Pre-race
Wonderful! Julie, Amy and Traci picked up Dom and me about 45 minutes till start time. We got a great parking place, the girls were stolked..and Dom was Dom. He was our camera man, race bag dude and inspiration. If you’re ever going to have kids, have a Dom…can’t beat him. We walked around, checked out the start line…hit the portapotties. I think the girls were surprised by how things looked at a real race…but I think they liked it. The 10 mile started 15 minutes before their race..so I left them and squeezed in towards the back. I felt good…that feeling would leave me pretty quickly…HA!
Race-
Even though I had just peed…..I needed to go by the end of mile one..and was already unhappy because I hadn’t hit my goal pace the first mile. It was heating up and there are NO bathrooms on the coarse…not sure why. I kept checking my Garmin because I felt like I was hitting my times..and was always surprised that I wasn’t..my breathing felt off. Mile 2 was one of the two miles that I did hit pace…that one takes you through the Racine Zoo and it was pretty….the Mountain Goats were jumping around and the lake was to my right and very beautiful. It’s funny how they warn you on the info sheets to leave the animals alone….I’ve always wondered if there were animal bothering incidents that lead to these warnings.
I caught up with my next door neighbor Mike around mile 5. I loved his comment about screwing the PR..that this race was now a death march. My sentiments exactly Mike. We backed and forthed for a couple miles until he finally ditched me around mile 7 and finished about 4 minutes ahead of me. I was so freakin happy to see the finish line I almost cried….just wanted the shit done. And although I didn’t see a one of them…that’s how out of it I was…my girls, Skip, my boys and Amy’s family that includes her husband Rod….another of my close long time friends…..were all there…screaming for me…so the race wasn’t a total wash. I finished…got my chip cut off…and the first one to greet me was Dom. As I walked away from the line I also saw one of my patients….a crazy little gangster looking dude in his late 40’s who I’ve become friendly with after finding his picture in the race pics from last year. Awesome to see him…mostly because he looks like the only thing he runs from is the law….but he’s fast as shit.
Got my beer, got my banana….hung out with the girls who were so happy with the race….and went home.
Official Times-4 Mile
Julie- 1:01:32
Traci- 57:29
Amy- 54:48
Official Times-10 Mile
Me- 1:46:59
Mike- 1:43:40
Crazy Gangsta Patient- 1:17:27…crazy right? This was his slowest year!
So that’s that…and here’s the pics. Next year this bitch is mine!
Dom and I at home.
Jules, Me, Amy and Traci.
Amy finishing...ignore the clock..that time is next to the 10 mile finish.
Traci finishing...look how happy this girl is!
Jules...SMAK...how bout dem apples?
And me...Skip wasn't quite at the finish...maybe wanted to get a pic before I collapsed?
Amy and I on our way to the beer booth.
Two fisted...this is Wisconsin folks.
Traci...who actually thanked me for making them do this.
Finding some shade...lil T, Skip, V, Traci and I.
Our camera man.
Traci, Amy, Julie and me. 3.1 to 4 Mile for them..success! Shitty 10 miler for me..success!!!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Saturday!!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
It's Wednesday!!
What an incredible day today was! Crazy crazy crazy at work with 3 back to back lacerations requiring both internal and external sutures….good stuff….always like to see good, legitimate injuries.
So tomorrow is my last training run before Lighthouse. Last year I didn’t back off at all coming up to the race and I’m trying something a bit different this year…as in cutting my mileage in half after my long run last weekend. And speaking of that long run….I did 10 miles *the distance of Lighthouse* and beat my goal time from last year….so I’m thinking….I’ll hit the 1 hour 30’s minute range this year. They’re calling for high of 84 degrees that day…so it’s looking like a repeat of last year’s bullshit weather. Hopefully they’re wrong. Here are the things that I’m doing different this year in order to make this race awesome.
1. Carrying my handheld water bottle…saving time by avoiding the water stations.
2. Using only gels and only gels that I know I do well with.
3. Not running on an injured knee.
4. Knowing roughly the paces I need to be at to hit my goal time.
5. Wearing shorts that I KNOW don’t chafe or ride up my ass.
6. Running towards 3 amazing women that have already completed the 4 mile race.
7. Not wondering if I will die completing the distance because I’ve done the distance and more EVERY weekend for the last 6 months.
So that’s what’s different….here’s what’s the same.
1. The fact that my awesome husband will be there waiting for me when I’m done…with tears in his eyes because he’s so freakin proud of me.
2. It’s going to be miserably hot…even though it hasn’t been all week.
3. I guess there are only 2 things?
Anyways…we haven’t heard anything on D.C. The job actually didn’t close till Tuesday afternoon…so I’m guessing we won’t hear anything this week after all. I’ve been doing a lot of looking online at areas around D.C….Arlington actually….since we don’t want to be near the city. Fredricksberg has caught both of our eyes…but we’re open to suggestions….Destination???
Hope everyone is having a wonderful week..and we’ll see you on the flipside of Lighthouse.
So tomorrow is my last training run before Lighthouse. Last year I didn’t back off at all coming up to the race and I’m trying something a bit different this year…as in cutting my mileage in half after my long run last weekend. And speaking of that long run….I did 10 miles *the distance of Lighthouse* and beat my goal time from last year….so I’m thinking….I’ll hit the 1 hour 30’s minute range this year. They’re calling for high of 84 degrees that day…so it’s looking like a repeat of last year’s bullshit weather. Hopefully they’re wrong. Here are the things that I’m doing different this year in order to make this race awesome.
1. Carrying my handheld water bottle…saving time by avoiding the water stations.
2. Using only gels and only gels that I know I do well with.
3. Not running on an injured knee.
4. Knowing roughly the paces I need to be at to hit my goal time.
5. Wearing shorts that I KNOW don’t chafe or ride up my ass.
6. Running towards 3 amazing women that have already completed the 4 mile race.
7. Not wondering if I will die completing the distance because I’ve done the distance and more EVERY weekend for the last 6 months.
So that’s what’s different….here’s what’s the same.
1. The fact that my awesome husband will be there waiting for me when I’m done…with tears in his eyes because he’s so freakin proud of me.
2. It’s going to be miserably hot…even though it hasn’t been all week.
3. I guess there are only 2 things?
Anyways…we haven’t heard anything on D.C. The job actually didn’t close till Tuesday afternoon…so I’m guessing we won’t hear anything this week after all. I’ve been doing a lot of looking online at areas around D.C….Arlington actually….since we don’t want to be near the city. Fredricksberg has caught both of our eyes…but we’re open to suggestions….Destination???
Hope everyone is having a wonderful week..and we’ll see you on the flipside of Lighthouse.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Untitled
So I haven’t lifted a weight in almost a week and my shoulder is on the mend. I had our PA at work check it out on Monday and although I didn’t like the recommendation….I have followed his advice of laying off the weights for an entire week and let the damn thing heal or I wouldn’t be paddling shit…his words not mine…and bless that foul mouthed man….it’s feeling better.
In ever-present other news…Skip is going for a job in D.C. that he’s certain he can get….I believe nothing till I see it….but am curious as to how it will play out. It closes on Monday..so we should know something before next weekend..as far as whether or not he makes the list. I feel funny though…something feels different this time…like maybe this one will happen..and what then? I am mostly not thinking about it because it’s way to overwhelming….but when I let myself think for just a minute….I’m scared to death. The kids are mostly on board for anything….with the exception of Dom…who is so in love with his school that he can’t see past that….but willing to go if we get a bigger house…LOL. I’m torn though…blah…we’ll see.
So my last long run before Lighthouse will take place in the AM. I am undecided if I should just do the 10 miles..which is race distance…or go a little lighter in honor of my mini-taper. I guess I’ll figure it out while I’m out there.
And because this post is lame..and I really have nothing interesting to say….I’ll end it and hope that everyone has a great weekend…etc etc etc
In ever-present other news…Skip is going for a job in D.C. that he’s certain he can get….I believe nothing till I see it….but am curious as to how it will play out. It closes on Monday..so we should know something before next weekend..as far as whether or not he makes the list. I feel funny though…something feels different this time…like maybe this one will happen..and what then? I am mostly not thinking about it because it’s way to overwhelming….but when I let myself think for just a minute….I’m scared to death. The kids are mostly on board for anything….with the exception of Dom…who is so in love with his school that he can’t see past that….but willing to go if we get a bigger house…LOL. I’m torn though…blah…we’ll see.
So my last long run before Lighthouse will take place in the AM. I am undecided if I should just do the 10 miles..which is race distance…or go a little lighter in honor of my mini-taper. I guess I’ll figure it out while I’m out there.
And because this post is lame..and I really have nothing interesting to say….I’ll end it and hope that everyone has a great weekend…etc etc etc
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Dragonboat, Sunday Morning and Kite Festivals
So I got a text from Jule saying she was bailing but Amy and Traci would still be there. But let me preface this with my seriously tweeked shoulder story.
Yesterday I took V and lil T to the park. V grabbed a bat and ball and asked if I’d hit him a few at the park. Well…a ‘few’ turned into like 30 and I ended up with MAD pain in my rear delt of my right shoulder by last night. This morning rolls around and I always lift weights before I go run with my girls. I wake up in more then a bit of pain and of course I decide to rest it like a rational adult….except I’m not rational…sometimes I even wonder about the adult part. I hit the weights knocking out an hour workout even though my delt is screaming. Oh well..at least I don’t run with my arms…I may even take tomorrow off the weights .
Meeting the girls was great as usual. I snapped a few pics and with the exception of Brian acting like a jackass when he sees other dogs…it was a peaceful morning. We turned around at two miles because they both had things to do today and when we were about halfway back we ran into Jules. I was so happy to see her! Amy and Traci continued on and I finished out Jules run with her. They are totally ready for Lighthouse…and I’ve been trying to talk them into running the first mile together and then separating…and running their own races…just so they have an idea what each of them can do..something to work against. They all have different styles and strengths…and if they run this whole race together…they won’t really know what each of them are capable of. I think I have them talked into it…but this is a MUCH bigger race then the last one..and that may make them nervous…we’ll just have to see.
While I was running…I got a text from another friend Jenny telling me that there was a kite festival at the lakefront in Kenosha today….so after I got home and showered….I rounded up the crew and headed down there…it was beautiful to say the least.
In other news..I signed up for the Great Midwest Dragonboat Festival again…this year with V. Now I hate the water…but since we paddle in shit that isn’t even over my head I’m ok with this. Click *here* if you don’t know what dragon boat racing is. It’s really cool to watch…and a bitchin workout. The festival falls in mid July so my racing is done for the year and I am free to injure myself in any stupid way I choose.
Yesterday I took V and lil T to the park. V grabbed a bat and ball and asked if I’d hit him a few at the park. Well…a ‘few’ turned into like 30 and I ended up with MAD pain in my rear delt of my right shoulder by last night. This morning rolls around and I always lift weights before I go run with my girls. I wake up in more then a bit of pain and of course I decide to rest it like a rational adult….except I’m not rational…sometimes I even wonder about the adult part. I hit the weights knocking out an hour workout even though my delt is screaming. Oh well..at least I don’t run with my arms…I may even take tomorrow off the weights .
Meeting the girls was great as usual. I snapped a few pics and with the exception of Brian acting like a jackass when he sees other dogs…it was a peaceful morning. We turned around at two miles because they both had things to do today and when we were about halfway back we ran into Jules. I was so happy to see her! Amy and Traci continued on and I finished out Jules run with her. They are totally ready for Lighthouse…and I’ve been trying to talk them into running the first mile together and then separating…and running their own races…just so they have an idea what each of them can do..something to work against. They all have different styles and strengths…and if they run this whole race together…they won’t really know what each of them are capable of. I think I have them talked into it…but this is a MUCH bigger race then the last one..and that may make them nervous…we’ll just have to see.
Amy and Traci...lube or sunscreen....hmmmm
View to south of our meeting spot.
Brian very distraught that I'm behind him.
Kenosha Harbor
Jules..very happy to be done.
Brian...also very happy to be done.
Skip and lil T
The spawn.and doesn't V look like an arrogant little ass.
Dom
Skip, Dom and lil T putting kites together for the childrens 'MadDash'
This is what happens when you give 100 little kids kites and tell them to fly them.
Photos brought to you by....Skip and Claire.
Our Dragonboat team last year.
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Pics and Miles
So I took my newer camera…the other one finally puked out…on my long run today. I didn’t have a specific mileage in mind as long as it was over 10….and I was feeling alright so I did 15. This is my last long run before Lighthouse. I’m going to do a minitaper and see how that goes for the race. We’ll see.
Back to the camera…..I can usually find a million things that I want to take pictures of when I’m out….but today…I had nothing but a couple pretty ugly ponds. It was not a beautiful run….I should have headed down towards the lake…but with the thunderstorms threatening…I stuck fairly close to the house. So here's what I did take...with a few others thrown in.
Back to the camera…..I can usually find a million things that I want to take pictures of when I’m out….but today…I had nothing but a couple pretty ugly ponds. It was not a beautiful run….I should have headed down towards the lake…but with the thunderstorms threatening…I stuck fairly close to the house. So here's what I did take...with a few others thrown in.
3 Mile Road @ 6 AM
My Brian
Soulfull Eyes
Irish Eyes? Well...green anyways.
My crazy..messy haired girl.
So tomorrow morning I meet my Sunday girls for their 3rd 5 miler...have I mentioned how impressed I am with these girls? Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Destined to be Slow?
As soon as a blogged that I was consistently logging under 10 minute miles….I stopped doing that. I can’t hit it AGAIN! I’m close…like 10.1 minute miles…but just can’t seem to shove it under. No gas in the tank…by the end of mile one…I feel like I’ve already done 5 or so. If I keep up this garbage I’ll never be able to hit my goal for Lighthouse. And that’s my last ‘big’ race of the year…so I really want to. Am I forever just doomed to be slow? Is it that I am still considered a heavy weight runner? I’ve been doing the work that’s supposed to increase my speed for MONTHS and it really hasn’t. I guess I just wish I could know if it’s ever going to help because damn…if it’s not going to do anything anyways…I’ll stop the speedwork…because doing it BLOWS!
So there was *this* article in Runners World last month with a bunch of different tests for strength, speed, endurance…etc. I’ve done two of them and I’ve learned that in spite of being a ‘heavy weight’…my core strength is excellent…I was able to hold a perfect plank for over 2 minutes. And my cardiovascular strength is great…I did the three minute step test and my pulse rate was 84 beats per minute after I was done. I’m going to try a couple of the other ones today. So you see….technically..I should be awesome…HA!
That’s it…that’s all I’ve got. It’s beautiful out today and I think once lil T makes her appearance…we’re going to go find us some ducks to feed the cereal that no one in our house will touch. Have a great Thursday everyone!
So there was *this* article in Runners World last month with a bunch of different tests for strength, speed, endurance…etc. I’ve done two of them and I’ve learned that in spite of being a ‘heavy weight’…my core strength is excellent…I was able to hold a perfect plank for over 2 minutes. And my cardiovascular strength is great…I did the three minute step test and my pulse rate was 84 beats per minute after I was done. I’m going to try a couple of the other ones today. So you see….technically..I should be awesome…HA!
That’s it…that’s all I’ve got. It’s beautiful out today and I think once lil T makes her appearance…we’re going to go find us some ducks to feed the cereal that no one in our house will touch. Have a great Thursday everyone!
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