Race day!

I did it! Completed my first 10k (run only) race! I feel great that I did it but there are definitely things I would do different.

First, I would not have biked 8 miles to get to the race, run 6.2 miles then bike home another 8 miles! My legs were tired before I got there and I underestimated how far it really was from home. I was tired after the race and having to do the ride home again AFTER just running a 10k - what was I thinking???

I ran the first 3 miles straight thru and afterwards did an inconsistent  run/walk the rest of the race, walking thru water stations or when I was feeling a little tired. I ran at 10 min pace first 3 miles then slowed it down after at about 3.5 miles in,  finishing the race at around 1:05 - (final race time not in yet).

There was a man in his 60's running near me keeping me motivated and was so happy running- high fiving the other old guys running as we ran past them on the other side of the street. He said I was looking strong and said he was very old, slow and likely senile but I told him he looked pretty strong to me running this race and told him if he can do it, I can do it!

I think next time I will walk more regularly and I need to work on turning off the time clock in my head.  They screamed the time at you at each mile marker, which made it hard to stop when I thought I was doing pretty good on time..I can see how running with a group or pace group could really help me get thru these in the future. Looking forward to it!

Now I am at home icing my sore knee, and made an hour & half massage appointment to celebrate!  I can't imagine how I will do that half marathon yet but good to know I am getting stronger every run! 

Best motivating race song: Jackson Five- Dancing Machine

10k or bust

Well, I wish I could write that I was feeling totally ready for this run but considering I only ran 3 miles this week and was stressed out in continual corporate meetings instead - I am feeling physically & emotionally unready for a challenging run. Add in dancing into the night mid week in ridiculously high heels and having swollen, tender and blistered feet, this is likely the worst prep I could have possibly done for a long timed run.

Did I mention that I also have to ride 6 miles to the run first??? Aaaaaah!!!!!!

Ok- at this point, tomorrow's race  is about finishing a 10k and not about form, timing, or pace. I am going to take this run slow and easy before I have to ride the additional 6 miles back home. (Sigh)

Thank god for real training on the horizon that I can feel good about! 

Wish me luck on this one! 

Running in numbers !

Today I joined the LA Leggers! A Santa Monica based running club that trains runners to do half marathons and more specifically the LA Marathon next March. There must have been 200 people there all with the same dream and scared look on their faces. The best surprise to me - most of them were not that 'Uber fit' athlete you imagine taking on a marathon. They looked like regular people, all shapes & sizes!

I was tired (5:30 am wake up) and nervous going to the new member orientation but immediately all my fears were put to rest. I met some people, compared goals and listened to the leaders talk about how they work and what to expect. Many are simply walking the marathon, others are just slow runners with a goal…I began to feel more at ease and more like I fit in this group of hopefuls.

We then got into small groups and did a timed mile- they ask you to not race but to run a comfortable speed to carry a conversation but to be honest it is really hard not to race those around you. I had to pull myself back a couple times but still came in at 8:59 and was then put into the 10:00 min mile group. (though thankfully, I am told I can vacillate between running groups on days I feel faster or slower)

Following registration I picked up our training kit and shirt and met my minute mile leaders. Quick intros and discussion on tips for my upcoming 10k and they wished me well and gave me happy "See you in 2 weeks!"

I am both scared and excited to begin and now they have me wondering if I can take on the LA marathon next March with the rest of them...hmmm, maybe….but maybe I should take this one week at a time, no need to jump ahead of myself just yet.

And, I am off to races! Today I made a promise to myself aloud,  I WILL run that half marathon- and after that- well, hope springs eternal! 

5 Mile run accomplished !

My run this week was probably not my best- but I did it... I ran 5 miles and actually I think I ran more than that but how much more is still in question. It seems as I was rounding my way closer to home I checked my iPhone run tracker app to see if I might need to add another block or two to get to 5 miles. At that point I see 4.65 miles and realize I just need another block run and back and I have hit my goal! Tired but still determined, I ran around the block and as I was rounding the corner to my house, I was dragging and looked at my tracker to see if I might have already hit it and I can walk finally....but instead I see 4.65 again!!!  WHAT?????!!!!! 

I realized at that moment I must have hit the stop button somehow when I checked it...my heart sank.  I am exhausted, and I have no idea if I just hit my all time best distance or not. As I walked back the rest of the way, I was angry and disappointed. Can I really celebrate an estimated win? 

I remembered that I still had my fitbit tracker on and synced it with my iPhone - it said I had hit over 5 miles but it is also not the most accurate in matching my tracker and it underestimates often. But somehow it all felt anticlimactic and I was disappointed I had no record of the great run I had anticipated. 

It took me most of this week to get over it and let go of perfection, I need to enjoy the fact that I did what I set out to do- run 5 miles!!! 

I am stronger than I thought I was and getting stronger and that is enough. 

Sidelined by a virus.

So my run on last Tuesday was horrible - 3.23 mi, 11 min/mi but I felt awful. I could not figure out why it was so hard and I began to doubt that I will ever be able to do a half let alone the upcoming 10k. You doubt yourself on bad run days- negative thoughts fill your mind...what are you  doing??? You are not a runner! How on earth will you run the 10k and its right around the corner..3.23 just nearly killed you!

My legs were hurting, my body was not feeling it and I just decided to stop & rest. However, the next day I felt worse and I began to get a fever intermittently. No appetite, feeling super tired, and I just simply could not shake the fever for more that a couple hours with advil.  I stayed home from work 2 days last week and did not exercise. I was still thinking the whole time I laid on the sofa resting and sleeping, that I may end up regressing from being sick and not running. I worried about the first day back...Would I have lost the momentum I gained thus far?

Saturday: Still not feeling 100% but feeling better than I had all week. I was supposed to join the LA Leggers, a local running/training club that helps people train for Half & Marathons, on Saturday for orientation & a timed run to know what group I would be running with from August thru next March. Thankfully, they have another orientation next Saturday which I will make- come hell or high water!

Sunday: I felt more like myself and went for a short run- it was hard, my body was still kinda fighting me but I got interupted on my cell phone nearing mile two and had to run home to see a friend that dropped by that morning. To be honest, I was grateful she interuppted my run, I had more time to recoup and still got a short little run in my weekend. Tomorrow I will run for distance- 5 miles, I hope! I have my 10k run on Aug 24 which is right around the corner! I have to make up for lost time and get back some self confidence in my running abilities! To my surprise, running is not just a test on my body's fitness & endurance, it is also becoming very challenging for me mentally.

Wish me luck tomorrow morning!

Hills & sprints

After doing nothing yesterday and eating 3 cupcakes while watching TV...I decided to vary my run today. I took on the higher hilly neighborhoods of Redondo. With a cloudy day and a late start - you would think 68 degrees would feel better but with 85% humidity, my run was a muggy one. 

Beautiful homes help break up the thoughts of taking on each hill and higher climb as I rounded each corner. The downhills were sweet relief! I ended the run with a cool down walk and added all out sprints all the way home. None the less I had a great and challenging run that was not based on my time or distance, just me vs. me. The hardest person to please. 

Today's run: 2.6 mi

Weight: post cupcake day- 131

Pace: 11:18 (with 8:36 at fastest clearly downhill)

Music : P!NK

Tough Thursday turns Great!

After 2 days off not exercising (due to a conference) getting in a good run this morning I knew would be challenging. I decided to just go out and see how I feel & go with it. 

I have to admit at the start I was still half asleep. I felt like I was fighting the first mile- and having the news reported  in my ears did not provide any inspiration. Lucky for me, the streaming radio signal fell out and while in mid run I had to take my iPhone out of the arm band and choose my playlist music. The tunes really helped me get up some of those hills. Oh no! I had suddenly realized, was I trying for distance, pace or simply running to run?

I had set the meter on my cell but was running without a clear intention and now well into my run...I was so tired when I started that I was just putting myself in motion to help me feel better. I decided to just run slow and steady and not try to improve anything...but the longer I was out the more I wanted to run. So today I was out for over 45 minutes and I was thrilled to have done so non-stop..and on a day I was feeling so blah at my start!! 

I think I am on my way to becoming that runner after all! 

Today's run: 4.57 miles

Weight: after the conference I was too afraid to get on the scale!

Pace: 11:19 ish

Music: Gnarls Barkley