It seems like life somewhat slowed down this week...finally. Work is still crazy, but it seems like we didn't have a million things going on all week that kept us out of the house...or did we? I can't remember really, probably because I had almost all day off from work yesterday! More about that later.
My weight has been hovering around 3-4 pounds higher than my goal weight and I felt chubby and cranky from not working out very consistently over the past few weeks. Plus, there are A LOT of changes going on at work right now and people are going crazy with anticipation about what's going to happen next which makes everything seem heightened and intense. I decided I needed to kick it into gear again, so I made plans to take lunches to work and to try to work out as much as I could. Josh was out with his boyfriends on Saturday night and Sunday, so I went rafting with some friends on Sunday which was much needed. I made Josh go grocery shopping with me on Monday night so I could have some food to make breakfast and lunches. I went for a 2 mile run with Seymour on Tuesday morning (10:17 avg pace) and I started feeling better about myself...and it was only Tuesday!
I got a lot accomplished in the office on Wednesday and was feeling great...until I got home. It was then that I discovered Seymour had chewed his way out of his crate in the living room and escaped the kennel and fence in the backyard. He was picked up by Animal Control and taken to the shelter. By the time I found out where he was (the Animal Control lady called me but didn't leave a message earlier in the afternoon), it was too late to go pick him up. He had to stay the night in the shelter and I had to bail him out on Thursday morning. Wednesday went from being a pretty good day to being pretty crappy. I love that damn dog so much and his separation anxiety is getting to be a bit much. I went for a 4 mile run that night (well, 4.19 miles) at a 10:31 pace and thought about how in the world we are going to make this dog figure out that we really are going to come home again anytime we leave. I decided that after picking him up from the shelter in the morning I would take him to doggie daycare at Escape the Crate for the day and that I'd schedule a vet appointment for Friday to address the possibility of putting the dog on medication.
Part of that plan worked. Our vet didn't have anything open for Friday, so Seymour went to daycare for about 4 hours before heading to the vet on Thursday afternoon. I spent $50 on a vet exam only to have him tell me he doesn't know much about behavior issues and referred me to another vet. Really? They couldn't have told me when I scheduled the appointment (I was pretty detailed about the problem at hand) that the vet doesn't know much about behavior issues?! Gah! I was SO frustrated leaving the office...I guess I still am. So we don't have a solution yet. I'm hopeful we can get a new crate with better reinforcement that he won't chew through, but we'll see.
Now, about Friday! I worked fairly hard at work to establish a collaboration with a local police department to go out on bike patrol and Friday night was my first night out on the town, so I was off during the day on Friday and went out on my bicycle with patrol that night. I spent about 5 hours on and off my bike last night helping with crowd control at a local event, riding around making sure nothing terrible was going on, and helping officers by looking up to see if kids were on probation. It was a pretty good night establishing myself in the crowd. I need to brush up on my police lingo though so when they ask if a kid is 10-99 I can actually respond instead of giving a blank stare!
Today, I've got plans to do some are going to do some housework and maybe some yard work and possibly head over to cousin Cathy's for some swimming! We have an old friend in town with his wife and dogs so I'm hoping to get Seymour over to play with them at some point in time too! Josh is out of town, of course, so Seymour and I are home alone (by choice). I am hopeful for a productive weekend!
Oh, and about the weight-hovering issue: I weighed in yesterday and was right at goal weight. I took a few minutes to go to my doctor and weigh in for the 10% deal so I can get my $100! I weighed in at 11% weight loss!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Meridian Barn Sour 10k
Awhile back I signed up to be on Team Beef through the Idaho Beef Council so I would be more inclined to keep myself in good running shape. The deal is this: I wear the Team Beef shirt for sponsored races, take a photo of myself with my race bib and the Team Beef shirt on, send it to IBC, and I get my race fee reimbursed. That's pretty much awesome. I couldn't do the May run due to being in Vegas and I knew I wouldn't be able to do the July run due to my sister's wedding, so I signed up for the June 10k thinking it would be a nice little fun run to do.
Once again, none of my friends were running this race so I showed up all by my lonesome and wandered around stretching by myself. During the 1-mile kid/family run I got the guts to chat it up with a woman wearing a Chi Running shirt and hat. I casually said to her, "you know that by wearing that shirt I'm going to be watching your form throughout the race, right?" Turns out Karen is a Chi Running instructor. I told her I'd read 1/2 the book and am interested in learning more in a clinic and we ended up running the first 1/2 of the race together. She promised to get me her business card at the finish line so that I might get more info about her Chi Running clinics. Perhaps more will come of this in the future.
Karen and I ran right behind another woman, Jacci, for the first 3 miles. When Karen dropped off to get some water, I caught up to Jacci and ended up running the last 3.2 miles with her. She kept a steady pace and every now and then we talked about things like how hot it felt, what our husbands do for a living, or how Karen is a Chi Running instructor. Jacci was a great person to run with and we kept great time.
I carried my iPhone and was using my cyclometer app to keep track of my current and average pace. The mileage wasn't quite consistent with what the mile markers said (the iPhone always being a bit behind), but I figured the pace had to be fairly accurate. Jacci and I rounded the corner to the finish line and I busted out as fast as I could, partially to see how much I really had left in me and partially to try to beat Jacci! Turns out we were two of the last 3 participants in the race to cross the finish line. By the time I got my iPhone out and turned off the tracking, it said my time was 1:03:06 and that my average pace was 10:30. It also said I only ran 6 miles. A true 10k is 6.2 miles. When I got home and was able to check the actual posted time, it said I finished in 1:02:59 and according to this site my average pace was actually 10:08/mile for the full 10k. Woah!
I can't believe I ran at 10:08 pace (personal best, by the way) for 6+ miles and came in third from last. Those folks running yesterday were wicked fast! Jacci, Karen, and I were the only people to finish in over an hour. Jacci is 48 years old, Karen is 63 years old, and measly me is 32 years old. Karen took first for her age group....because she was the only woman entered in her age group! Now there's a reason to run when you're 63, right?!
Overall, this was a fun race. It's nice to know I have something to aspire to for next year's Barn Sour - that I will finish higher than 37th place :)
Once again, none of my friends were running this race so I showed up all by my lonesome and wandered around stretching by myself. During the 1-mile kid/family run I got the guts to chat it up with a woman wearing a Chi Running shirt and hat. I casually said to her, "you know that by wearing that shirt I'm going to be watching your form throughout the race, right?" Turns out Karen is a Chi Running instructor. I told her I'd read 1/2 the book and am interested in learning more in a clinic and we ended up running the first 1/2 of the race together. She promised to get me her business card at the finish line so that I might get more info about her Chi Running clinics. Perhaps more will come of this in the future.
Karen and I ran right behind another woman, Jacci, for the first 3 miles. When Karen dropped off to get some water, I caught up to Jacci and ended up running the last 3.2 miles with her. She kept a steady pace and every now and then we talked about things like how hot it felt, what our husbands do for a living, or how Karen is a Chi Running instructor. Jacci was a great person to run with and we kept great time.
I carried my iPhone and was using my cyclometer app to keep track of my current and average pace. The mileage wasn't quite consistent with what the mile markers said (the iPhone always being a bit behind), but I figured the pace had to be fairly accurate. Jacci and I rounded the corner to the finish line and I busted out as fast as I could, partially to see how much I really had left in me and partially to try to beat Jacci! Turns out we were two of the last 3 participants in the race to cross the finish line. By the time I got my iPhone out and turned off the tracking, it said my time was 1:03:06 and that my average pace was 10:30. It also said I only ran 6 miles. A true 10k is 6.2 miles. When I got home and was able to check the actual posted time, it said I finished in 1:02:59 and according to this site my average pace was actually 10:08/mile for the full 10k. Woah!
I can't believe I ran at 10:08 pace (personal best, by the way) for 6+ miles and came in third from last. Those folks running yesterday were wicked fast! Jacci, Karen, and I were the only people to finish in over an hour. Jacci is 48 years old, Karen is 63 years old, and measly me is 32 years old. Karen took first for her age group....because she was the only woman entered in her age group! Now there's a reason to run when you're 63, right?!
Overall, this was a fun race. It's nice to know I have something to aspire to for next year's Barn Sour - that I will finish higher than 37th place :)
Saturday, June 18, 2011
See Jane Run 1/2 Marathon Recap
I had been thinking of running the See Jane Run (I Run for Chocolate and Champagne) 1/2 marathon for awhile and never signed up. When I finally started thinking about it seriously, the registration cost had increased to $95 (from $75) and I didn't think it was worth it to pay the extra $20...until yesterday. I don't really know what got into me, but I couldn't get this thought out of my head: I wanted to run the 1/2. After talking to Josh, we decided the $95 registration fee wouldn't break the bank for us and off I went to my local See Jane Run shop to register.
I awoke early this morning, enjoyed a cup of coffee, and made myself some eggs for breakfast before heading to the run. I was there plenty early so I took some time to drink a full Nalgene of water and about 12 ounces of Powerade then walked over to pick up my race packet, bib, and timing chip. Last night I decided to make a new music playlist and took out my old iPod Shuffle to use instead of my iPhone to avoid having to wear my runners belt (aka fanny pack). Of course, using the Shuffle also meant I wouldn't have any way to know my pace other than my heart rate monitor watch. More about that later.
I stretched and walked around a bit before I heard, "Miranda? It's Leslie!" I expected to see two girls I knew from high school, but not this one. It was a pleasant surprise to see someone else and take some time to chat before the group warm up.
Speaking of the group warm up, it was pretty cheesy. If I had been there with a big group of girlfriends, it probably would have been a little more entertaining. As it was, it was pretty awkward. The race started not too long after that. The announcer said something about water stations every 2 miles and I thought I heard somewhere that there would be markers at every mile, so not having my iPhone to check my pace wouldn't be too bad.
I typically don't drink a whole lot of water while I run to avoid getting side cramps, but at mile 4 I was hot and thirsty and was really looking forward to the water station. Unfortunately, the guys at the station were very much behind on filling the cups and I didn't feel like waiting around for them to get a glass for me, so I continued on. Before I knew it I was at the mile 6 marker. I grabbed some Gatorade to drink right away and grabbed a Gu for later. Miles 7 and 8 flew by. I choked down the Gu (I hate that stuff but didn't have time to stop to by some Clif Shot Bloks last night) and chased it with some water at mile 8. FYI, mile 8 was at Bown Crossing and the volunteers at this station were amazing! They cheered and yelled as everyone approached the station as if no one else had come through yet. It felt great!
The greenbelt turned into a gravel path just after mile 8, which slowed me down a lot. Not cool. We finally wove through a neighborhood and got back on pavement which, I realize, most people don't like, but that's what I've trained on and I was glad to return to it. A woman came up behind me between miles 9 and 10 and struck up conversation. It turned out she had been right behind me for most of the race. It was nice to have someone to talk to. We commiserated together for a short while about not knowing how we would make it through the last 3 miles. I really wasn't sure. I could feel myself weakening but didn't want to walk yet. She eventually slowed to walk and I trudged on.
It felt like it took forever to get through the next 3 miles. I had been following a gal in a pink tank top for most of the race and she was slowing down too. I slid up next to her around mile 11.5 because I couldn't believe we hadn't seen the marker for mile 12 yet. She swore it would be coming soon. Again, it was nice to have someone to talk to. We stayed together through the end. I won't lie, I walked a little. I kept thinking to myself that I could run another mile and then my body just wouldn't let me so I'd walk for a few minutes. We finally hit the marker for mile 13 and I still couldn't see the finish line. That last 1/10 mile felt like the longest stretch imaginable.
I finished in 2:31:19, just over my goal of 2:30 and 9 minutes faster than my first 1/2 marathon time last November in Indianapolis. My average pace was 11:33/mile. I was so happy to have my sister waiting for me at the finish line; it would have been a little lonely otherwise after the race!
I do wonder if I would have finished sooner if I had kept track of my pace throughout the run and kept a more consistent pace. I'm a little disappointed in myself for walking because I know I would have met my goal of 2:30 if I had pushed through. That being said, I'm still elated that I shaved 9 minutes off my 1/2 marathon time!
The after race expo was OK. They gave out a champagne glass with 3 chocolates inside and a glass of champagne. There were a few vendors including massages, but the line for a 1 minute massage was a little long for my taste and I didn't partake. I waited around for my official results and then headed out, sister in tow.
Now, for my review of the race:
**I didn't see much food. I had a fruit strip/snacks and I saw some bagels but didn't partatke. I really could have gone for a banana but I didn't see anyway.
**I got a glass of champagne, and that tasted great (!), but I think I heard while waiting for my results that they had run out of champagne. Really? I thought the theme was "I run for chocolate and champagne" and they ran out of champagne?! Also, I paid $95 for this deal and I got ONE glass of champagne?
**The t-shirt is really nice. It's nice and light and purple (oh, how I love the color purple)! The best part is that it seems like a good fit and it's not too short, which is my main fear when picking up race tees. Good work, See Jane Run.
**Overall, I think $75 for the race is a bit steep for what you get: ONE glass of champagne, 3 pieces of chocolate, a champagne glass, and a t-shirt. Just sayin'. I'm thinking I probably won't participate next year based on this bit, especially since there are so many 1/2 marathons in the Boise area at a much cheaper cost and for which I can be reimbursed for race fees. I can do without the champagne and chocolate and will get booze and dessert wherever I go to lunch after the next race.
The best thing about this race? My time :)
Next weekend is the Meridian Barn Sour 10K and then I'm going to try to focus on rafting for the summer instead of running races.
I awoke early this morning, enjoyed a cup of coffee, and made myself some eggs for breakfast before heading to the run. I was there plenty early so I took some time to drink a full Nalgene of water and about 12 ounces of Powerade then walked over to pick up my race packet, bib, and timing chip. Last night I decided to make a new music playlist and took out my old iPod Shuffle to use instead of my iPhone to avoid having to wear my runners belt (aka fanny pack). Of course, using the Shuffle also meant I wouldn't have any way to know my pace other than my heart rate monitor watch. More about that later.
I stretched and walked around a bit before I heard, "Miranda? It's Leslie!" I expected to see two girls I knew from high school, but not this one. It was a pleasant surprise to see someone else and take some time to chat before the group warm up.
Speaking of the group warm up, it was pretty cheesy. If I had been there with a big group of girlfriends, it probably would have been a little more entertaining. As it was, it was pretty awkward. The race started not too long after that. The announcer said something about water stations every 2 miles and I thought I heard somewhere that there would be markers at every mile, so not having my iPhone to check my pace wouldn't be too bad.
I typically don't drink a whole lot of water while I run to avoid getting side cramps, but at mile 4 I was hot and thirsty and was really looking forward to the water station. Unfortunately, the guys at the station were very much behind on filling the cups and I didn't feel like waiting around for them to get a glass for me, so I continued on. Before I knew it I was at the mile 6 marker. I grabbed some Gatorade to drink right away and grabbed a Gu for later. Miles 7 and 8 flew by. I choked down the Gu (I hate that stuff but didn't have time to stop to by some Clif Shot Bloks last night) and chased it with some water at mile 8. FYI, mile 8 was at Bown Crossing and the volunteers at this station were amazing! They cheered and yelled as everyone approached the station as if no one else had come through yet. It felt great!
The greenbelt turned into a gravel path just after mile 8, which slowed me down a lot. Not cool. We finally wove through a neighborhood and got back on pavement which, I realize, most people don't like, but that's what I've trained on and I was glad to return to it. A woman came up behind me between miles 9 and 10 and struck up conversation. It turned out she had been right behind me for most of the race. It was nice to have someone to talk to. We commiserated together for a short while about not knowing how we would make it through the last 3 miles. I really wasn't sure. I could feel myself weakening but didn't want to walk yet. She eventually slowed to walk and I trudged on.
It felt like it took forever to get through the next 3 miles. I had been following a gal in a pink tank top for most of the race and she was slowing down too. I slid up next to her around mile 11.5 because I couldn't believe we hadn't seen the marker for mile 12 yet. She swore it would be coming soon. Again, it was nice to have someone to talk to. We stayed together through the end. I won't lie, I walked a little. I kept thinking to myself that I could run another mile and then my body just wouldn't let me so I'd walk for a few minutes. We finally hit the marker for mile 13 and I still couldn't see the finish line. That last 1/10 mile felt like the longest stretch imaginable.
I finished in 2:31:19, just over my goal of 2:30 and 9 minutes faster than my first 1/2 marathon time last November in Indianapolis. My average pace was 11:33/mile. I was so happy to have my sister waiting for me at the finish line; it would have been a little lonely otherwise after the race!
I do wonder if I would have finished sooner if I had kept track of my pace throughout the run and kept a more consistent pace. I'm a little disappointed in myself for walking because I know I would have met my goal of 2:30 if I had pushed through. That being said, I'm still elated that I shaved 9 minutes off my 1/2 marathon time!
The after race expo was OK. They gave out a champagne glass with 3 chocolates inside and a glass of champagne. There were a few vendors including massages, but the line for a 1 minute massage was a little long for my taste and I didn't partake. I waited around for my official results and then headed out, sister in tow.
Now, for my review of the race:
**I didn't see much food. I had a fruit strip/snacks and I saw some bagels but didn't partatke. I really could have gone for a banana but I didn't see anyway.
**I got a glass of champagne, and that tasted great (!), but I think I heard while waiting for my results that they had run out of champagne. Really? I thought the theme was "I run for chocolate and champagne" and they ran out of champagne?! Also, I paid $95 for this deal and I got ONE glass of champagne?
**The t-shirt is really nice. It's nice and light and purple (oh, how I love the color purple)! The best part is that it seems like a good fit and it's not too short, which is my main fear when picking up race tees. Good work, See Jane Run.
**Overall, I think $75 for the race is a bit steep for what you get: ONE glass of champagne, 3 pieces of chocolate, a champagne glass, and a t-shirt. Just sayin'. I'm thinking I probably won't participate next year based on this bit, especially since there are so many 1/2 marathons in the Boise area at a much cheaper cost and for which I can be reimbursed for race fees. I can do without the champagne and chocolate and will get booze and dessert wherever I go to lunch after the next race.
The best thing about this race? My time :)
Next weekend is the Meridian Barn Sour 10K and then I'm going to try to focus on rafting for the summer instead of running races.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
I Survived the Sawtoth Relay!
The Sawtooth Relay is seriously the craziest thing I've done for a really long, long time. I am SO glad I did it and even more happy I trained well for it! We met up at our campsite near Redfish Lake on Friday night and enjoyed some time around the campfire. After a few beers we decided it would be a good idea to estimate the amount of time it would take for each person to run her two assigned legs of the relay. Our total estimated time was 10 hours, 46 minutes. By 10:30 we decided it would be wise to get to bed, since our start time was ridiculously early. Three hours later we woke, packed up sleeping bags, and headed out to the start line.
Our team, Running Like We Stole Somethin, had the unfortunate start time of 2:45 AM. No joke. Our first three runners ran in complete darkness for most of their legs of the 62-mile relay. I got lucky and started my first 4.43 mile leg right around sunrise, and it was absolutely breathtaking. About 10 minutes into the run two herons crossed the highway right in front of me and the scenery reminded me of why the Sawtooth Mountain Range is one of my most favorite places in the world.
Our exchanges went off without a hitch throughout the entire run. A few of the girls struggled with knee or IT band issues and we worried they might not be able to finish their individual legs. Thankfully, that wasn't the case and everyone was able to complete each run. I made sure to drink plenty of water and stretched at every moment possible which, I think, really helped me in the long run.
My second leg at 6.23 miles was a lot more difficult. My heart rate was decent, but it was tough. My one conclusion from the day? Running at 6,000 feet is hard! I mean, running can be hard anyway, but running at 6,000 feet is really hard!
Knowing my phone wouldn't calculate the GPS due to lack of reception, I kept my time on my heart rate monitor and calculated it here when I got home. I was pleasantly surprised by my pace per mile for each leg. My number one goal was to finish. My second goal was to be under 11:00/mile average.
Done and done!
Here are my stats:
4.43 miles - elevation start 6,880, elevation finish 7060 feet
48:47; avg pace 10:47/mile
6.23 miles - elevation start 6,590, elevation finish 6,220 feet
1:07:58; avg pace 10:54/mile
Our total time in the end was 11 hours, 03 minutes, only 17 minutes off our estimated time. We were all quite pleased. After some food and a beer at the finish line, we drove the entire 3+ hours home that afternoon. It was a really, really long time to be in the car and I was certainly glad to be home when we got there. There is no doubt in my mind, however, that if I do this again there's no way I'm driving home that same night. No. Way.
As exhausted as I was, I promised my friend, Mike, (who was also our required volunteer for the Relay) I would take him to Brewforia before he left town. Since he was scheduled to depart the next day, it was only right that I suck it up and take him over there. It was a great end to the day!
Our team, Running Like We Stole Somethin, had the unfortunate start time of 2:45 AM. No joke. Our first three runners ran in complete darkness for most of their legs of the 62-mile relay. I got lucky and started my first 4.43 mile leg right around sunrise, and it was absolutely breathtaking. About 10 minutes into the run two herons crossed the highway right in front of me and the scenery reminded me of why the Sawtooth Mountain Range is one of my most favorite places in the world.
Our exchanges went off without a hitch throughout the entire run. A few of the girls struggled with knee or IT band issues and we worried they might not be able to finish their individual legs. Thankfully, that wasn't the case and everyone was able to complete each run. I made sure to drink plenty of water and stretched at every moment possible which, I think, really helped me in the long run.
My second leg at 6.23 miles was a lot more difficult. My heart rate was decent, but it was tough. My one conclusion from the day? Running at 6,000 feet is hard! I mean, running can be hard anyway, but running at 6,000 feet is really hard!
Knowing my phone wouldn't calculate the GPS due to lack of reception, I kept my time on my heart rate monitor and calculated it here when I got home. I was pleasantly surprised by my pace per mile for each leg. My number one goal was to finish. My second goal was to be under 11:00/mile average.
Done and done!
Here are my stats:
4.43 miles - elevation start 6,880, elevation finish 7060 feet
48:47; avg pace 10:47/mile
6.23 miles - elevation start 6,590, elevation finish 6,220 feet
1:07:58; avg pace 10:54/mile
Our total time in the end was 11 hours, 03 minutes, only 17 minutes off our estimated time. We were all quite pleased. After some food and a beer at the finish line, we drove the entire 3+ hours home that afternoon. It was a really, really long time to be in the car and I was certainly glad to be home when we got there. There is no doubt in my mind, however, that if I do this again there's no way I'm driving home that same night. No. Way.
As exhausted as I was, I promised my friend, Mike, (who was also our required volunteer for the Relay) I would take him to Brewforia before he left town. Since he was scheduled to depart the next day, it was only right that I suck it up and take him over there. It was a great end to the day!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
HUB Gives 5k
We went to Eastern Idaho last weekend to visit Josh's parents and attend a graduation party. We had planned on this for quite some time, so when our friend Mike said he was going to come visit us in Boise we figured he would just come with us to E. Idaho. And he did. About 3 days before our departure I was informed another friend, Skinner) planned to run a 5k in Idaho Falls. I jumped on board and signed up and just a day before the run I let Mike know about it as well. He immediately confirmed he wanted to run it. I should preface by saying Mike has been riding his bicycle across the country (I intend to write more about this on another date and time), but he's not a runner. I had a goal to try to finish in under 30 minutes but was informed just before the race that the original route was flooded so they changed it a bit and the mileage was closer to 3.2 than 3.1. Skinner hoped to run in less than 25. Mike had no goal other than to finish. In the end here were our results:
Mike 25:26
Skinner 25.52
Me 31:19
Wouldn't you know it, Mike won for the 31 - 40 age division. I was happy being the #10 finisher (of 27 who finished) and the 4th top female (of 17)! It was a really fun little run that I think I could have run a little faster if the elevation hadn't been 2000 feet above what I'm used to in Boise and if I hadn't had so much coffee right before the race. There's always an excuse, right?
Mike 25:26
Skinner 25.52
Me 31:19
Wouldn't you know it, Mike won for the 31 - 40 age division. I was happy being the #10 finisher (of 27 who finished) and the 4th top female (of 17)! It was a really fun little run that I think I could have run a little faster if the elevation hadn't been 2000 feet above what I'm used to in Boise and if I hadn't had so much coffee right before the race. There's always an excuse, right?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Catching up
Last week was just a little hectic. Josh was gone on a long rafting trip which left Brooke and I home alone for the week. I was also in training on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for work which required extra work afterward to prepare for the presentations I had to give throughout those three days. It's not that it was a lot of extra work, but it was enough to make things a little more difficult to get a run in when I wanted to. So when my friend, Renee, asked if I wanted to go for a run on Tuesday during our lunch break, I jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, I still had some presentation prep to do during lunch, so we only went out for a quick 1.75 miler. After work, I took Brooke, her friend, and Seymour to the park down the road to explore a little bit. I had no idea the park had so many trails held within! I had planned to go out and run another 3 miles or so, but my body felt otherwise. I was exhausted and my stamina was lacking. Instead of a steady run, I decided to let the girls play on the playground and I decided to do some speed work. I really should do that more often.
1st run - 1.77 miles at 10:20 avg pace
2nd run - 2.18 miles at 10:24 avg pace
Thursday was spent shopping and packing for our annual Memorial Day trip to the Lochsa. I took Friday off from work so I could go up and get Josh from his long trip and then head up to the Lochsa. I intended to go to boot camp at 6am and then out for a run afterward before heading out of town, but Friday morning came along and the run just couldn't happen with the amount of things I had left to do. I packed my running shoes with high hopes of running while up at the Locha, but that just didn't happen either. We got home last night (Monday) and I was up and at 'em this morning at boot camp. I came home and was determined to run, so I did just that. It felt really, really good. I flew through the first 2 miles and never kept a pace more than 10:35 for all 5 miles. The run today makes me feel fairly confident that at some point in time in the near future I might be able to run a 5k in less than 30 minutes, which is one of my goals for running.
Today's stats:
5.03 miles in 51:02
10:08 average pace
To make this post even longer, I've decided to run a 5k this weekend in Idaho Falls. We have been planning to go to E. Idaho this weekend anyway for a graduation party but didn't have any solid plans other than wanting to go rafting on the Falls River. Josh informed me today that his friend from high school is going to run a 5k in the morning and then go to a beer festival, and I thought that sounded like a damn good idea! There is more running to be done before that, but I'm excited about another organized run.
1st run - 1.77 miles at 10:20 avg pace
2nd run - 2.18 miles at 10:24 avg pace
Thursday was spent shopping and packing for our annual Memorial Day trip to the Lochsa. I took Friday off from work so I could go up and get Josh from his long trip and then head up to the Lochsa. I intended to go to boot camp at 6am and then out for a run afterward before heading out of town, but Friday morning came along and the run just couldn't happen with the amount of things I had left to do. I packed my running shoes with high hopes of running while up at the Locha, but that just didn't happen either. We got home last night (Monday) and I was up and at 'em this morning at boot camp. I came home and was determined to run, so I did just that. It felt really, really good. I flew through the first 2 miles and never kept a pace more than 10:35 for all 5 miles. The run today makes me feel fairly confident that at some point in time in the near future I might be able to run a 5k in less than 30 minutes, which is one of my goals for running.
Today's stats:
5.03 miles in 51:02
10:08 average pace
To make this post even longer, I've decided to run a 5k this weekend in Idaho Falls. We have been planning to go to E. Idaho this weekend anyway for a graduation party but didn't have any solid plans other than wanting to go rafting on the Falls River. Josh informed me today that his friend from high school is going to run a 5k in the morning and then go to a beer festival, and I thought that sounded like a damn good idea! There is more running to be done before that, but I'm excited about another organized run.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Change in shoes and a solid 8 mile run
I finally took my Brooks Adrenaline shoes back to See Jane Run yesterday and exchanged them for some Asics. I can't even tell you which style running shoe they are. They felt pretty good in the store, but that hasn't proven to be the true tell anyway. I will admit that I left feeling a little skeptical about the shoe with which I had just left. I wasn't convinced they were the best, but they felt the best of any of the shoes I tried on in the store. I'm going to come back to this later.
I decided last night that I was going to go on an 8-mile run today. No question. I was going to do it and that was that. My last few runs have not been very good, but I also know that the good ones will come back. I got up and made myself a cup of coffee and sat down at the computer to map out a few choices. I finally settled on one that would take me a few miles out of the area I've been running for the past few years but not completely out of the area. I made myself a strawberry and banana smoothie and ate a granola bar, then went upstairs and got ready to go out for my run. I came back to check my map and get mentally prepped and decided to tweak my run a little bit...and then I screwed up the entire map. Oops. I started over and decided on a much different route that would take me out of my normal running circle for all but 2.25 miles, and then I got really excited to head out. I was nervous that I'd take a wrong turn in one of the neighborhoods, so I wrote out my route on my hand (right next to my new Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor!)
I started out and felt pretty good about everything. I kept my pace slow to start (~11:00/mile) and went from there. I stopped at about mile 5 and took a picture. It's not like it was a spectacular view or anything, it's just that it was SO NICE to have a view other than houses and yards.
That being said, the rest of my run felt pretty good. At about mile 8 (which was my goal), I thought "I could just want the rest of the way home" but didn't. I made it home, but the tips of my toes just plain hurt. They ached from about mile 6 until I got home and even after I took the shoes off and walked around barefoot for awhile.
Stats:
8.65 miles in 1:33:31
10:51 avg pace
So here's my frustration with shoes: I've had my gait analyzed at 2 different stores. The first was at See Jane Run in Boise. They put me in the Saucony ProGrid Guide a few years ago, and the Sauconys were good for me for quite a long time, but I never ran over 3 miles in those shoes. I then went to Shu's Running in Boise, as recommended by a co-worker, to have another gait analysis and compare their results to those of See Jane Run. I ended up leaving there with Saucony ProGrid Guides as well, and they were great shoes for running under 5 miles. Anything over 5 miles hurt the ball of my foot, which made training for long distances more of a pain than anything else. I suffered through it, mostly because I had no idea these weren't the right shoes for me until I had them for a few months. My Sauconys have finally worn out and I went back to See Jane Run to get new shoes. I tried on Brooks and they felt amazing in the store, but lacked cushion in the ball of the foot. That was a deal-breaker, so I went to exchange them yesterday. Here's where I have a problem. I love the women at See Jane Run. I think they are extremely nice and really want to help. Unfortunately, I've found that the 3 times I've been in there, the sales person really pushes for the type of shoe that fits her particular foot. I am beginning to wonder if they know the actual differences between each shoe or if I need to do more research before I go into a running store. I really don't want to do this; isn't there a reason these people work at a running store? Shouldn't they know all of the differences between each shoe and be able to figure out from there the type of shoe I should wear?
I'm frustrated with this, obviously. So, if you wear a stability shoe, what's your shoe? If you work at a running shoe store, what would you suggest next?
I decided last night that I was going to go on an 8-mile run today. No question. I was going to do it and that was that. My last few runs have not been very good, but I also know that the good ones will come back. I got up and made myself a cup of coffee and sat down at the computer to map out a few choices. I finally settled on one that would take me a few miles out of the area I've been running for the past few years but not completely out of the area. I made myself a strawberry and banana smoothie and ate a granola bar, then went upstairs and got ready to go out for my run. I came back to check my map and get mentally prepped and decided to tweak my run a little bit...and then I screwed up the entire map. Oops. I started over and decided on a much different route that would take me out of my normal running circle for all but 2.25 miles, and then I got really excited to head out. I was nervous that I'd take a wrong turn in one of the neighborhoods, so I wrote out my route on my hand (right next to my new Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor!)
I started out and felt pretty good about everything. I kept my pace slow to start (~11:00/mile) and went from there. I stopped at about mile 5 and took a picture. It's not like it was a spectacular view or anything, it's just that it was SO NICE to have a view other than houses and yards.
That being said, the rest of my run felt pretty good. At about mile 8 (which was my goal), I thought "I could just want the rest of the way home" but didn't. I made it home, but the tips of my toes just plain hurt. They ached from about mile 6 until I got home and even after I took the shoes off and walked around barefoot for awhile.
Stats:
8.65 miles in 1:33:31
10:51 avg pace
So here's my frustration with shoes: I've had my gait analyzed at 2 different stores. The first was at See Jane Run in Boise. They put me in the Saucony ProGrid Guide a few years ago, and the Sauconys were good for me for quite a long time, but I never ran over 3 miles in those shoes. I then went to Shu's Running in Boise, as recommended by a co-worker, to have another gait analysis and compare their results to those of See Jane Run. I ended up leaving there with Saucony ProGrid Guides as well, and they were great shoes for running under 5 miles. Anything over 5 miles hurt the ball of my foot, which made training for long distances more of a pain than anything else. I suffered through it, mostly because I had no idea these weren't the right shoes for me until I had them for a few months. My Sauconys have finally worn out and I went back to See Jane Run to get new shoes. I tried on Brooks and they felt amazing in the store, but lacked cushion in the ball of the foot. That was a deal-breaker, so I went to exchange them yesterday. Here's where I have a problem. I love the women at See Jane Run. I think they are extremely nice and really want to help. Unfortunately, I've found that the 3 times I've been in there, the sales person really pushes for the type of shoe that fits her particular foot. I am beginning to wonder if they know the actual differences between each shoe or if I need to do more research before I go into a running store. I really don't want to do this; isn't there a reason these people work at a running store? Shouldn't they know all of the differences between each shoe and be able to figure out from there the type of shoe I should wear?
I'm frustrated with this, obviously. So, if you wear a stability shoe, what's your shoe? If you work at a running shoe store, what would you suggest next?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)