Rain, rain go away!

Saturday, March 26, 2011
Today's goal:  Easy run, 5 miles
Workout:  5 miles @ 10:26/mile
I haven't run as much as I intended this week.  The weather, too much to do at work and PMS have left me feeling blah.  I have danced everyday so at least I'm moving.
I put off running until 9:00 this morning which is at least 2 hours later than I like on a Saturday but at least I did it.  I was able to muster up negative splits for all 5 miles and I'm pretty happy with that.

Blast from the past entries for March 24-25, 2001

Saturday, March 24, 2001

Today's goal:  No workout

My head is a mess.  I got nothing done today.  I can't decide if I should run tomorrow's race or not.  Mom says to go.  I guess I will.

Sunday, March 25, 2001

Today's goal:  Houlihan's 12K

Workout:  12K, time 1:19

Weather:  Perfect

Saulsalito to Giradellhi Square.  Good hard run.  I was fine until the Presidio and the cemetery*.  The tears came and I couldn't stop them.  I ran like hell to get out of there.  Orin, Tony and Dru were at the last corner cheering me on and that was great.  I finished within a minute of Ramie and Sue, that's a first!  Can't wait to sleep.  I didn't fall asleep until 10:30 last night and was up at 2:30 to get to the bus this morning.  Couldn't sleep on the bus.  I think I am finally exhausted.

*My grandparents are both buried at the Presidio in San Francisco.  My grandfather had been laid to rest there in 1992 so running through the Presidio just two days after my grandmother's death was extremely hard for me.

A sad week

Monday, March 21, 2011
Today's goal:  5 miles
Workout: 5 miles, 11:45/mile
Weather sucks.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Today's goal: Run rest day/XT
Workout:  2 hours of dance

Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Today's goal:  5 miles
Workout: 5 miles, 10:40/mile
Weather still sucks.

Blast from the past entries, March 21-23, 2001

Wednesday, March 21, 2001

Today's goal:  6.25 with the Team

Workout:  None

Didn't go to workout.  Did therapy with Gram and spent time with the kids.

Thursday, March 22, 2001

Today's goal: 5-6 miles

Workout:  None

Didn't make it to rehab center in time for Gram's therapy today and I didn't make it to workout either.  I did get to visit with Gram and she looked better today.  She actually got out of bed and we had a great visit.  I'm going to keep going to therapy and really push her.

Friday, March 23, 2001

Today's goal: None

Grandma died today.  I am in utter shock.  She developed a blood clot in her lungs and her heart failed.  I am absolutely heartbroken.  Yesterday was such a great day.  I was sure she would come home soon.  I am not ready for her to be gone.

*This was a really awful time in my life.  I was very close to my Grandmother and I still miss her desperately even 10 years later.  The hole that she left behind has never really healed.  I remember sitting on the floor of our hallway with my sons, then 7, 5 1/2 & 2 1/2, and crying for what seemed like an eternity.  They were also very close to Gram. Her death was such a shock and my training never really recovered from it.  There will be a few more entries before I give up writing in my running journal.  In hindsight I wish I would have kept writing for therapeutic reasons.

March 14 - March 19

Monday, March 14, 2011
Today's goal: 3 miles, easy run
Workout:  3 miles, treadmill, 11:12/mi and 1 hour dance practice

Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Today's goal: 6 mile tempo run
Workout: No run, 1 hour dance practice
Had to be to work at 7:30 AM.  Thought I'd get to it in the evening but that didn't pan out.

Thursday, March 17, 2011
Today's goal:  3 mile easy run
Workout:  No run, 1 hour dance practice

Saturday, March 19, 2011
Today's goal:  11 mile long run
Workout:  11 miles @ 11:09/mile
I had my doubts that I could do this distance and keep up a halfway decent pace.  I wish I could be faster but that may not be in the cards.  It's only been 4 months since the surgery so hopefully there is still some room for improvement.

Distance for the week:  14 miles
Time for the week:  2:36:05
End of week weight:  113 pounds

Blast from the past entries 3/14/2001-3/19/2001

Wednesday March 14, 2001
Today's goal: 7.7 miles with the Team
Workout: 7.7 miles
Time: 1:17:23
Weather: warm
Good run, no complaints.

Thursday, March 15, 2001
Today's goal: 6 miles
Workout: None
Grandma fell and broke her hip today. Never made it to my workout.

Saturday, March 17, 2001
Today's goal:  12 miles with the Team
Workout:  12 mile hilly run
Time:  1:54:40
Weather:  Perfect
The hardest 12 miles ever!  Lot's of rocks, roots and sand.  One hill after another.  A great workout!

Sunday, March 18, 2001
Today's goal:  5-6 miles
Workout:  None
Feeling tired and want to see Grandma.  Have to work from Noon to 5:00 PM.  I'll try again tomorrow.

Monday, March 19, 2001
Did therapy with Grandma.  Julie, my Team in Training mentor, is her therapist.  Fate is a strange thing.

Distance for the week:  19.7
Time for the week: 3:12:03
Distance to date:  171.5
End of week weight:  109 pounds
Quote of the week:  You must do the thing you think you cannot do. 
-Eleanor Roosevelt, Aamerican First Lady

Not so sunny Sunday

Sunday, March 13, 2011
Today's goal:  Run rest day, XT
Workout:  5 mile walk with C and the pooches
Weather:  Overcast, cool

I love Sunday morning walks with C because we walk longer than usual and get to catch up without any of the kids with us.  I let Jack off the leash at the creek, he was in seventh heaven.  The ducks and egrets weren't too happy to share the water with him though.  Luckily he was a good dog and left them alone.

I can't imagine why the water fowl don't like sharing the water with him!



Truth be told I'm not a fan of daylight savings.  Let's just leave the clock alone and be happy for a little more daylight in the morning and let nature lengthen the evening.  Mmmmkay?  Thankyoueversomuch!  I know tomorrow is going to suck.  I prefer to run first thing in the morning and now it's going to be pitch black at 5:30 AM again.  Being that I'm Miss Fraidypants I will be forced to run on the treadmill instead of out in the fresh air because I'm afraid of the creepers out there who might just do me harm.  Take the pooch you say?  Well let's just say I am far from graceful and he is even farther from it.  He has tripped me twice in the past.  Once just a few short days before a race and it was no bueno.  So until I gain a whole lot of confidence or daylight starts breaking earlier I will be stuck on the dready.

Blast from the past, Tuesday, March 13, 2001
Today's goal:   No workout
Workout:  None

Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Thursday, March 10, 2011
Today's goal:  2 mile easy run
Workout:  1 hour dance rehearsal.  No run.

Friday, March 11, 2011
Today's goal:  Run rest day/XT
Workout:  2 mile walk with #3 and the dogs

Saturday, March 12, 2011
Today's goal:  Long run, 8 miles
Workout:  8 miles out on the lake.
Weather:  Gorgeous.
What a perfect morning for a run!  Heather picked me up at 6:00 AM so we could hit the trail nice and early.  I am so glad that we went at that time.  The trail was empty except for the two of us, no bikes to contend with.  We are both working our way back from injuries so our only goal was to run the entire 8 miles and we did it!  My foot feels nice and strong.  This was the best run I've had in ages! 

Notes from the week:  Overall a good running week.  I'm working running back into my daily routine and it feels good.  My head is in the right place and I'm falling in love with the run all over again!
Run distance for the week:  18 miles
Time for the week: 3:53:48
End of week weight:  113 lbs

Thought for the week:  In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that.

-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

Blast from the past, Saturday, March 10, 2001
Today's goal:  11 miles with the Team
Workout:  11 miles, hills
Time:  1:53
Weather:  Perfect
There are BIG hills in El Dorado Hills!  Felt like I could keep going if I had to.  I will be sore tomorrow!

Sunday, March 11, 2001
Today's goal:  No workout

Notes from the week 2001:  Motivations needs improvement.  Been in a slump.  Need a great run to help get back into a routine.
Distance for the week:  14.8
Time for the week: 2:33
Distance to date:  151.8
End of week weight:  109 lbs

Monday, March 12, 2001
Today's goal:  5 miles
Workout:  None
Still sore after Saturdays' workout.  Decided not to push it.  May try to make the miles up later in the week.

Hump Day

Today's goal:  Tempo run. 6 miles including warm-up; 4 miles @ 9:43; Cool
Workout: 6 miles 11:15/mile
Got up at 4:30 AM to fit this into my day. Gah!  Still not feeling 100% healthy and I have an hour of dance rehearsal today so I decided not to do tempo run.  I did run negative splits for miles 2, 3, 4 & 5 though.  Feeling pretty good overall.
Favorite tune of the day: Pretty (Fly for a White Guy) by The Offspring.  Word!

Blast from the past:  Friday, March 9, 2001
No training

Monday and Tuesday

Monday, March 7, 2011
Today's goal:  Easy 3 miles
Workout:  Easy 4 miles on dreadmill, 11:00/mile

Felt better than I have in a long time so I decided to go an extra mile.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Today's goal:  Run rest day/XT
Workout:  3 mile walk with C and the dogs.

Blast from the past, Wednesday, March 7, 2001
Today's goal:  5 miles with the team
Workout:  3.8 miles.  40 minutes, easy run
Weather:  Perfect
Got stuck in traffic was 20 minutes late.  Run was good and easy.

Blast from the past, Thursday, March 8, 2001
Today's goal:  6-7 miles
Workout:  None
Same as Tuesday.

Sunday

Sunday, March 6, 2011
Today's goal:  Run rest day/XT
Workout:  None

I signed up for my 19th half marathon today, the American River Parkway 1/2 in late April.  I'm pretty excited about it.  I don't have any idea what kind of time I will finish in and to quite honest I don't even care.  After being forced to take so much time off last year I have been re-evaluating my training strategy.  I fell into the bad habit of no cross training whatsoever.  That proved to be to hinder me in more ways than one.  I also realized that I got to be a lazy runner and I relied upon what others were doing.  I stopped running like me and tried to run like someone else.  My competitive nature made me miserable and I felt let down each time I fell shy of a time goal. 

I miss running with my friends though.  I'd like to be able to run with them a few times a month.  Hopefully after the last 9 months of surgery and recovery I can go back to the group setting without putting pressure on myself.  Only time will tell. 

I've got a busy week ahead  and I'm trying to figure out how to fit my runs in.  I'm going to be working 7 hour days as opposed to my regular 4 hours.  In order to get my run in before getting the kids off to school and myself to work I will have to get up around 4:30 AM.  I don't know if I can't commit to that but I'm not great at working in afternoon workouts so it may be my only choice.  In addition to running this week I am going to get to at least 3 of 4 scheduled dance rehearsals.  I love dancing with my homies and I feel like I'm getting stronger by using my legs in a completely different way.

Blast from the past, Tuesday, March 6, 2001.
Today's goal:  5 miles
Workout:  None
No excuses, just didn't feel like going.

Saturday

Today's goal: 7 miles
Workout: 6.5 miles.  1 mile walking warm-up.  4 miles at 11:30/mi.  1.5 mile cool down walk.
Weather:  Gorgeous.  Couldn't decide between shorts and capris this morning.  Should have opted for the shorts.  Way. Too. Hot.  Run was a struggle but I'm glad I got it done.  I'm still fighting off this bug but am on the mend.

Total mileage for the week:  6.5
Time for the week:  1:26
Total mileage on shoes: 21 miles
End of week weight:  112.6

Notes for the week:  This week was less than spectacular!  I started getting sick last weekend.  By Monday I had a full blown cold and had sprouted a big 'ol canker sore on the roof of the my mouth..  Monday morning also brought an early visit from Mother Nature.  Super!  Just what I needed!  Tuesday morning I awoke with pink eye. Bonus!  Visited the doc and she said sorry I can't help, you have a viral infection, let it run it's course.  Yippee!  I have been coughing all week and lost most my of voice for several days.  Thursday morning I woke up with a bloody nose.  Seriously.  This was my health week.  On the up side I lost 2 pounds because I had next to nothing to eat all week.  The canker sore was just too painful and the cold rendered my taste buds useless.

Thought for the week:  Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don't think about them, I just do them.
-PattiSue Plummer (American runner and Olympian)

This week

This week has been a training fail.  I am still sick.  Today I'm feeling a little better but I'm not ready to run yet.  I have been to dance rehearsal 3 times but I definitely do not feel 100%.

Here are a few blast from the past entries.  I hope to hit the road this weekend.

Wednesday, February 28, 2001
Today's goal:  60 minutes with the Team
Workout:  Didn't run.  B stayed home from school with the flu today.  I'm feeling tired.

Thursday, March 1, 2001
Today's goal:  55 minutes
Workout:  Started throwing up at 11 PM on Wednesday.  Haven't left the couch all day.

Friday, March 2, 2001
Today's goal: No training
Workout:  None

Saturday, March 3, 2001
Today's goal:  5-6 miles
Workout:  Tony changed workout to 80-90 minutes.  Sue and I ran 8 miles.  I'm still tired and weak but at least I finished.  The weather is supposed to bad the next few days.  May not get many runs in.
Time:  1:38
Easy run
Weather:  Cool and sunny

Sunday, March 4, 2001
Today's goal:  50-60 minutes
Workout:  Serious wind and rain.  I'll do aerobics and weights on Monday.

Notes from the week:
Not a great week.  Having the flu sucked.  I hope the weather starts improving.  I'm getting tired of running in the rain.
Distance for the week:  12 miles
Time for the week: 2:22
Distance to date:  137 miles
End of week weight:  108 pounds

Thought for the week:  All that I am, I am because of my mind. 
-Paavo Nurmi (Finnish 9-Time Olympic Champion)