1 MR and K-Otic

My supervisor at work is always trying to get my to test out these work-out concoctions and I almost always tell him he's crazy and that I don't need magic potions to make myself run faster or farther, I just need to run more.  That being said, he brought me a few different kinds several weeks ago and I finally decided to test them out. 

The first test was a few weeks ago when we were in Rigby visiting my in-laws.  We went to lunch and had a few bloody marys and a few hours later (and several glasses of water later) I decided to take the 1MR (One More Rep) and head out for a 4 mile run.  The packet claimed it was fruit punch flavored but it tasted TERRIBLE. The run itself wasn't horrible and probably would have been worse without the 1MR, but I really have no way of judging that for sure. I ran at an average pace of 10:58/mile which is fine for having 2 bloody marys and being at a higher elevation. 

The next test came on the 25th when I decided to test out the K-Otic during a lunch time run.  Chris claimed K-Otic tastes better (WAY better) and that I would like the effects better than 1MR (I did!!!).  Ho-ly cow.  I felt amazing during this run!  The temperature coudn't have been more perfect (50 degrees) and I felt so so so good throughout the entire run!  I ended up doing 3.1 miles at an average pace of 9:51/mile.  I did stop a few times to walk, not because I was tired or sore or out of breath, but more because my heart rate was pretty high (177 at one point) and I didn't want to have a heart attack while out on a run.  Even with the walking, I averaged 9:51/mile.  Woah.  The K-Otic made me feel pretty crazy afteward though and I need to be sure I only take it from now on when I'm going to go out for a long run. 

Freeze Your Thorns Off 5k!

Let me first say that I HAVE been running, just not as much as I had planned by late January.  In fact, I had one of the best runs of my life the other day, but I'm not writing about that yet because today was the Freeze Your Thorns Off Virtual 5k hosted by The Boring Runner!  I found out about Adam's blog through another blogger who touted him as a fantastic running coach.  One night I thought it would be fun to get intoxicated and e-mail him to ask him to be my coach....and when he responded and was completely reasonable, I backed out and told him I should have talked to my husband before venturing into the unknown such as having a running coach....which is basically a big fat lie.

Anyway, Adam hosted his 2nd annual FYTO5k today and I decided to participate.  Of course, I also decided to make things a little more interesting and did the following:

1) Skiing at Bogus Basin with the family starting at 9am

2) Bloody Mary at 11:30 am in the bar at Pioneer Lodge

3) Another ski run 

4) 2 beers and a sandwich before driving back to Boise

5) Nap on the way home

6) Water and 1MR 

7) 3.22 mile run in beautiful 40 degree Boise weather

8) Rehydration with a few more beers while writing this FYTO5k recap 

I forgot to print out the race bib for today's events so I was without a bib for my ski runs and run run.  One would think that I've learned not to drink alcohol before going out to run 3 or 4 miles, but I haven't.  I could have run my 5k tomorrow, but that would have made for a less eventful FYTO5K day, and I couldn't have that.  Even still, I didn't run too terribly bad today.  Overall, I ran 3.22 miles in 33:06.  I would have expected worse with the alcohol consumption an hour or two prior, but they were Pabst Blue Ribbon Lights, so maybe I shouldn't be too surprised that I managed to run a decent pace!

So there you have it.  Maybe I'll run the Sweat Your Thorns Off 5k this summer...if I'm not rafting.  Actually, maybe I'll run, raft, and drink beer that day.... 

2011 Overview and 2012 Hopes

It really doesn't feel like 2011 is done and over with, but it is.  I'm pretty proud of some of my accomplishments this year and figured they were worth a little review:

Miles run: 343
Half Marathons run: 3
Races run (1/2 marathons, 10k, 5ks, Sawooth Relay): 7
PRs at races: 6 (basically improved my time with every race this year)
Fastest mile: 9:08
Smallest dress purchased: 6
Smallest jeans purchased: 8

I'm pretty sure I now own better running gear than work attire and have made more running purchases than rafting purchases this year.  It's been a pretty crazy year of focusing on my mental and physical health and keeping all health issues pretty much under control.  I was sick once this year in February and only went through one bad spell of depression when we relinquished our dog back to the Humane Society.  And although the past few months have been quite out of control in terms of eating and drinking, my physical well-being has fared well and I'm proud to say I felt fit for most of the year.

I'm excited to see what 2012 has to bring.  I've got a few plans (not resolutions) floating around in my head and am hopeful that I'll be able to make them happen, including running 500 miles and the possibly running a race this summer wearing a sports bra and running skirt and not feeling ridiculously self-conscious.  I'm excited to start exercising with the kids at work doing Crossfit later this month and am hopeful I'll be able to finish my graduate program by implementing a running program with some of the kids and staff members culminating in everyone finishing a 5k.  Again, these are all still thoughts and not anything set in stone, but I'm excited to see where things go from here!

Attempt at a trail run

I joined up with that running group yesterday morning. I had to get up earlier than I have for work over the past few weeks to get there on time, but I justified going because 1) it's good to do something new and 2) they were giving away a pair of Soloman shoes!  The crew seemed like a nice enough bunch, but I didn't fair well.  I started out with a pair of women who indicated they were not very fast and I thought they would be good to run with.  They were very nice ladies, but they lost me after about 3/4 mile.  The second my feet hit the ground, I knew it wasn't going to be a good running day.  In fact, it was downright awful.  I ended up running alone the rest of the time.  I turned around at the 1.3 mile mark and came back to the parking lot.  I started to feel a bit better by then and ran around the neighborhood until I reached the 3 mile mark.  I briefly stretched by my car before heading back home.  My lungs were destroyed and I nearly hacked one up as I drove home.  No matter how terrible of a run it was, I was glad I went out on the last day of 2011 to get a few more miles in! 

Who knows if I'll join the group again for the trail run.  It would be nice to do more of this kind of thing, but I fear getting lost on the trails if I end up running alone again. 

December has been slow...

Slow with the running, anyway.  My Grandpa Keyser died on the 14th, almost exactly a year after my Grandma Keyser died last year.  My parents, siblings, and I went back to South Dakota for the funeral and I was smart enough to take my running gear with me.  I only got a 2 mile run in while I was there, but my Garmin said I ran one of them in 9:08!  Woah!  I'm pretty sure it was because the first mile was a lot of downhill stretches followed by flat stretches, but I'll take it!  I forgot that the little town where we were staying has a lot of rolling hills, so it was a surprise to do the slightest bit of hill work while I was there. 

Fast forward to Christmas Eve.  I met up with Renee and her sister and managed a slow 3.5 mile run, 1/2 on pavement, 1/2 on the trails.  It was nice to have a nice, easy run in the books. 

Fast forward yet again to today.  Our Director let everyone off work an hour early (yay!) so I went home with the intention of going on a longer run of 4-6 miles.  When I started out, I noticed some dark clouds and lightening in the distance, but it seemed fairly far from where I was that I didn't worry about it too much.  I got about a mile down the road and took a look around.  The dark clouds had started to come closer and it was pretty gloomy, so I turned around and headed home.  Within 5 minutes of me being home the lightening was crazy and it turned into a torrential downpour.  I was pretty damn glad to be home!  I don't even remember what my pace was, but I do know I ran about 2 miles. 

I'm thinking about trying to get up to join the Shu's trail running group tomorrow to get in a few more miles before the year ends, but that also means I'll have to get out of bed earlier tomorrow than I have for the past few weeks.  We'll see what happens...

Destination Run: Truck Retrieval

The title of this entry probably seems way more exciting than it really was, but it is technically the truth, so I'll let it be.

Josh completed his 2011 goal of rafting every month this year by heading up to the river to go boating  with his friend, Ted, on Saturday.  Later that day, my mom called and invited us to their house for lasagna for dinner.  When Josh returned to Ted's house from boating, he was rather intoxicated, so I offered to go pick him up and take him with me to my parents' for dinner.  Josh went straight to be upon our arrival home and I ended up mapping the route from our house to Ted's.  Before laying down for the night, my plans were made for Sunday: I'd run to Ted's to pick up the truck.  It's just over 9 miles from our house to Ted's.

I didn't get started until 11:30, which was fine because it was still pretty chilly outside (30-ish).  I wore my hydration belt for the first time since my 10-miler in the heat several months ago, which was a smart move.  My shins were tight for the first few miles and I had a difficult time shaking it off and/or ignoring the tightness.  It wasn't painful though, so I plugged along.  Somewhere around mile 4 I stopped at a Walgreens for a pit stop and forgot to turn my Garmin back on for about 1/2 of a mile, so my overall distance and time were off.  I ate some Clif Shot Bloks and remembered how much I love Nuun and was disappointed that I had run out on Tuesday.

I started to weaken around the end of mile 6 and by mile 7 I started to question my decision to make this destination run.  I played my "make it to that landmark and I can walk" game and actually walked this time.  Miles 8 and 9 were slightly easier but I still walked a bit...and all of the sudden, there was the house and the truck!  My Garmin read 8.8 miles but I mapped my route on google maps and it was exactly a 1/2 mile more for a total of 9.3 miles.

My body ached for several hours after I finished but Ted and his wife, Deb, graciously let me into their home for some much needed water (I ran out just as I got to their home) and Ted gave me a much deserved PBR!

Semi-stats for the time my Garmin was actually running today:
8.8 miles at 10:59/mile average pace

Trying again: Running group success

I mustered up some courage and went down to See Jane Run again on 12/6 after work for the group.  I swear I crossed my fingers and my toes on the way there hoping they didn't cancel the run without any communication again.  I walked up to the store front a few minutes before 6pm and (thank god) there were girls inside.  The door was locked (weird, because they are supposed to be open until 6pm and it wasn't 6:00 yet), but they let me in when they realized I was wearing running gear.

Turns out I was the only person who showed up for the group that night, but Olive (my fearless very-early-20s-something leader) and I went out anyway.  I didn't give myself enough time to let my Garmin locate the satellites so I didn't have it on for the first half of the run.  I have no idea how fast we were running.  I do know this, however: Olive is a much faster runner than I am.   We got to the turn around point and we stopped so I could catch my breath a bit.  I turned the Garmin on and off we went again.  We did about 3.25 miles that night; the 2nd half a bit slower than the first (with the second half at a 10:01/mile average).  I know this much is true because I felt much more at ease during the 1.64 miles back to the store than the first 1.64 miles.  Olive kept me company and gave me a heads-up that most folks tend to call the store the day before the group runs to let the girls know if someone is joining them for the run.  While I don't think this is a very good way to judge who is or isn't coming to run, I did let Olive know I'd give them a call if I planned to join them on Saturday.  We'll see how things pan out throughout the rest of the week!