Rest day

After tutoring this afternoon, I had an additional obligation so I was unable to train this afternoon. So I will call it an impromptu rest day. Back on the horse tomorrow. Hopefully it will be the last day of snowy runs. 

At least I can get a head start on the upcoming report cards that are due next week.

Martinsville Half

This was a great race! Well run and such a positive vibe. It was a real easy going, in terms of packet pickup, parking packet pick up.  This is one of the reasons I like small races.  I personally need lots of people cheering me on. Fun Race. It took place in town and then on a park trail.  I really liked seeing the super runners in the front several times. Everybody was real positive cheering each other on. There were some great hills and coming from the Fredericksburg area, I was a little worried. Post race swag, was great. I really like the blanket, I was hoping for at best a Mylar blanket at the end because it was chilly. But a fleece blanket was a nice change.  

My race was great. I've been working on strict heart rate training and tried to make sure that I didn't over extend myself and I felt great the entire time. I started out real slowly and picked it us as the race went. At the half way point, I was at 1:20. At the end I 1:09.40. I have some work to do on my racing strategies. So ended up with a 2:29.40. There were some sweet hills.

Pre race day

Getting ready to go to a race on Saturyrsy 3/22 made for a hectic Friday. Wanted to make sure heat I was ready for Monday in terms of school but had to go pick up my car from the repair shop then jumped in the car and drive close to four hours to Martinsville, Va for a Half Marathon. Oh well, all the Monday work will get done at some time. When will I get the report cards started? I have only a  little over week to get them finished.

Training runs missed

I missed several training runs this week because of extra curricular activities. In taking an extra class, I find myself so tired to not be able to run 5 miles or do a training run. It has been very challenging lately. Now, I find myself in pretty decent shape so I will be able to do today's 12 mile long run, even having not run for several days.it won't be easy by any stretch but it will be attainable. However, my reward for this will be to come home and grade some homework, as well as create next weeks homework.

Training run 3/6

Thursday night training log: cold weather there was a stiff breeze the entire run. Coming off yesterday's wonderful run, tonight's was hard. Feeling pretty good in the training. 5 miles.

Running Log 6/4/12

Today I was back on the track. My friend was supposed to run with me but he didn't make it.  I ran a nice 5 Miles on the track.  I timed myself doing an 800 at 4:30.  Not too bad.  The weather was wonderful, the temperature was fantastic.  All in all a great day to run. I did a nice warm up.  Some tempo runs on the track, and a nice wrap up.

Compression Socks

I saw them on a couple of races where people had been wearing them.  I then recently started speed work and realized that my legs began to hurt.  So I bought a pair this afternoon.  I am wearing them now for the rest of the evening just to see if they help out in making my legs feel a little better.  I will do a later review when I have had the opportunity to use these more than one time.  But for this evening they are making my legs feel better.

Running Log 6/2

It would have been criminal not to run today. The weather was spectacular.  I ran around 6  - 7 miles.  The foot felt better but it got a little squirly towards the latter part of the run.  I felt slow all day today. I can't tell if it is because I am tired from the school year nearing to its end or from running.  It was meant to be an easy run.  And it was.

Running Log 5/31/12: Rest Day

Rest Day.  I needed a day off.

Running with a Partner - Laziness foiled

For the last few years, I have been trying to get people to run.  Many of my friends are not as interested in getting in shape.  It was really kind of funny today.  I texted my friend that is starting to run to get in shape for the James River Splash and Dash that we are doing in July.  I was being a bit of a smart ass because I knew he didn't really want to start running this week.  

So... I was all set to go home and unwind and skip running today because I am a little worn out from the end of the school year. I got a response at 5 today. So are we going? And with a couple of muttered swears I ended up going to the track to encourage my friend and doing a speed workout for myself as he started his running program. So I guess, I can benefit from having a running partner. Look at me I am learning, growing, and a little less lazy. 

Running Log 5/30/12

Today the weather was hot but I am beginning to become acclimated to the humidity.  Did a speed workout today, and did 12, 100's as a part of this. Whew. It was quite a start.  The foot felt funky again today. Not sure if it is the new shoes, or what, felt funny though.  All said and done did 6 miles.  Not a bad showing.

FARC Cross Country Schedule

The Fredericksburg Area Running Club published their 2012 Cross Country Series schedule.  I am so excited.  I was hoping for the evening runs that they had done in the past.  But I suppose that I can wake up early in the morning for a race.  They run the Best kind of 5K. Cheap.  Plus, I like the course.  Pratt Park is Great.

Running Log 5/29/12

Ran about 5k

Very humid. Foot feeling strange. 

Plan to run easy 4 miles and had to stop. Walked the rest of the way.  I feel like I didn't eat enough today. I am going to have to make sure that I eat a little more at lunch.  (Hard to stuff it all in, in the allotted 12 minutes.)

Running in the Cold / Boring Treadmill

Lately it has bee really cold outside. So wanting to continue to run, I have had to run inside. I had initially though of buying a treadmill. I had looked them up online through craigslist. I had even contacted someone about buying theirs. Then I spoke with a friend, and she reminded me, "Don't you have a gym membership." I replied, "Oh, Yeah." Then remembering this, I have since gone back to the gym. Running on the treadmill stinks. I don't like it at all. I can't run the distances that I want. I don't want to take up the time on the treadmill during the busiest time of the day. Because all the people right now are still upholding their new year's resolutions and so the gym is very crowded. But at least I am still running.

Night Running

During my summer reading, I read that many of the long distance runners had to resort to running at night. This is something that I not particularly interested in doing. Sometimes it's spooky. But when your goal for the day is to run 7 miles and it is dusk when you begin, there is great chance that you will be running in the dark. Well, last night was the first time that I had to run in the absolute darkness. I had run at night before. I used to drive to Fredricksburg where there are street lights. I moved a ways away from Fredricksburg so that is no longer an option.

I ended up running in my subdivision. I live in lakeside area. There are a lot of trees that block out the light of the stars. So there were moments of complete and utter darkness. It was not only difficult to see but also it was also kind of dangerous. I could not see my footfalls. Now is not the time for an injury so I will have to do something like get a headlamp. So today, begins my search for a headlamp.

Gotta run.

My Inspiration

I have always been a runner. I didn't know it until I was 36. I was thinking about who got me running and first and foremost it was my father. As a child, he wanted to get into shape and we would go to the local track as a child. He would run his 2 miles and I would would run around a couple of times and then spend my time splashing in the puddles of the pole vault pit and bounce on the rubberized mats for the pole vault landing zone. As I got older, I would run a couple of laps while he did and as I got into high school we would run together.

There are a couple of points that stand out in my memory about running with my father. One thing he said to me was that he could not run really fast. That sat well with me as well because I have never been fast. But, he said that he could run forever. I could always run far. Thus far in my training I am just figuring out how far I can go.

The second thing that I received from him regarding running is the patience to coach students. Right now with the running club at our school, I encourage all the children to do more than they think they are able to. I am really pushing the students in our club to be able run the 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. I really believe that they will be able to complete it, which for some of my students will be a real accomplishment. However, it was through his patience that I was able to develop my own and see running for what it is, a way to make a person better than they already are. I believe that these and any children can attain a goal that they don't yet know they are able to.

Thanks Dad.

Running Sick

Last week, in an effort to continue my training even though I have been sick, I went on a disasterous run. Right now generally on a daily basis I am capable of running 7 miles at the drop of a hat. My training schedule has me running about that every day. My life schedule does not. Being a teacher and having just started school again, I have a lot of responsibilities. Not to mention the exposure of germs from my children. So working hard, running lots and not resting all caught up with me. I went out for a 5 mile run. I barely made it. All I wanted to do was throw up and lay down. I got through but I am not sure that I made the right choice. because since then for the past 7 days, I have been unable to run. I have to run with my kids during Running Club and will continue to see how well it goes.

School Startup and Training

This was a rough start up to the school year for me as a runner. I had so much to do. Nothing more than everyone else but I had trouble training and working. During the summer vacation, I had plenty of time for work and training. I am at the stage of training for the marathon that I need at least an hour a day, for training. After working 11 hours, it is sometimes difficult to fit it in. I fought through the first few weeks. Not getting as much in as I had wanted but enough to keep me going.

Getting acclimated to the school year. I did too much. Not training but work. I ended up getting sick and have since not run in a week. I am beginning to worry myself about my training. Knowing full well that I will be able to run the marathon. Not getting to train makes me a little nervous. I hope I can get back on the horse.

During the startup of the school year, there is a lot of things that need to be done to get my room in order for my little ones. Many of the tasks that need to be completed are not necessarily hard but really time consuming. For example, I had to come in to set up my classroom the Saturday before the school started and worked for 7 hours and you could not even tell that I had been there. So that day's plan of running 7 miles didn't work.

Gotta Run...

Running Club 2009 - 2010

Tomorrow after school, we will have our first Running Club meeting for our school. I got the permission slips out a little late. So far I only have a few people signed up but this year is a little better. I am also encouraging other staff to participate as well as parents. Running is good.

I have more adults helping out. This will make my job easier. My job, in my opinion, is to make sure that all the kids run. I like to run with them until they are all done. I want the kids to feel like they are not last. Myself, as a child, I was always the last one and I don't want the children to be the last one done. Let's go Running Club.

Hydration Experiences

Yesterday, I went out for my biggest run to date. I went out for 13. I knew it was hot but didn't know that it was going to be 95 degrees out. But I brought with me a lot of water. I went to a new place to run and parked my car near the center of where I was going to run. So not only did I have my handheld. (A water bottle that straps to your hand for those who do not know ) I also had my new water bottle that straps around my waist. I had that full as well. I tore through my first water bottle rather quickly. Again my ignorance in knowing what the temperature was made for a quick drinking of that first first bottle. After mile 7, I was about destroyed. I was hot and exhausted. When I reached the halfway point of the run. I decided to drink the little gatorade bottle that I had prepared as well.

Well, that was amazing. With a little rest and a lot of stretching, I was ready to go again. That was the first time that gatorade was beneficial to me. Having read a number of articles about hydration, stating that most runners and exercisers need only water, an idea to which I subscribe. This was the first evidence to the contrary. Now, I will not be prompted to drink gatorade on all my runs. Mostly, I just want water. However, at that moment, it was exactly what I needed.

When I made it back to my car. I refilled my handheld and drank the all of my waste pack bottle. After which I felt pretty good, relatively speaking. I continued to drink and fill up my bottle at my car throughout the rest of the run. I will admit that this was a difficult run, for two reasons, new distance for me and the heat.

Remarkably, I feel reasonably well this Monday morning. Last week, when I ran 12, I felt destroyed the next day. Again, I had a greater focus on my form for the entirety of the run. I will discuss this in a later topic.

Things to be gleaned from this post: First, park in a central spot, so that you may have access to your water. Second, on long runs sports drinks should be used. My standard is generally going to be runs longer than 10 miles. Third, be smart. Look at the weather report before going out blindly.