Snakes on a Plane

Run: 2.52 miles
Time: 25:00
General Mood: Meh

Or, well, snakes on a trail.

After three days of non-running (two of which included deck-building – which DOES count as cross-training, I don’t care what anyone says), I was ready to get back to it.

I planned a 2 mile run along my usual route. After hitting the 1-mile split at 10:18, I continued onto a trail the cuts through woods to my neighborhood.

It was there that I met a new friend. A long black snake was sprawled across the path. After yelping (and then quickly checking to make sure there was no one around to hear me), I jogged in place for a few minutes, examining my options.

Option 1: Try to get past the snake without it realizing I was there (yeah, right).

Option 2: Turn around and run up the killer hill I had just run down while thinking, “I’m glad I don’t have to run back up this hill.”

I ended up running back up the hill. It actually wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, and I think I’m going to reverse my route more often to include that hill. Who knows how hilly the 10K will be?

I paused for a few seconds at the top to catch my breath, and then finished out the rest of the 2.5 miles. A couple of block sprints topped off the workout.

Today’s workout should be cross-training, but it's going to be a 2-miler on the trail behind my office.

Back up, snakes.

Success!

Run: 3 miles
Time: 35:44
General Mood: Ecstatic
 
Welp, folks. I did it. I ran three miles...finally. The 2.5-mile-breaking-point that's been plaguing me for weeks is finally a thing of the past. Yesterday wasn't technically my long run day, but I did it anyway. Gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet, am I right?

The pace was slooooooow, because I think I was too afraid to run faster and tire out before I hit the 3-mile mark. I've been hitting consistent 10 minute splits in my runs so far, and I think that I need to pull back my pace a little bit on the long runs until I am able to comfortably finish them. Distance before speed, people!

The rest of the week's workouts are on track, did a 2.2 mile run on Tuesday, rested Wednesday and did my long run last night. Today is a 30 min. cross-training day, and I'm thinking that the deck-building I'll be doing at my house tonight should cover it.

Next week starts the gradual mileage increase. I think I'm adding about a half mile to my long runs every week, and eventually will get up to 5.5 miles the week before my 10K. It sounds like a lot, but totally do-able.

Work it.

We live. We learn.

Training lesson: Do not attempt long run on a humid morning after an unintentional 12-hour fast. You will run out of energy. Your run will be an epic fail, and you will crawl home in misery.

Ok, so I don’t like to eat before I run. I just don’t. I know it’s the equivalent of running an engine without gas and that the body is a machine that requires energy in the form of food, but I still resist. And it finally caught up to me.

I was optimistic for my Sunday long run. Mapped out my route and laced up my shoes, ready to go. Everything was fine until I was about halfway through and realized my legs were getting extremely heavy and my strides were getting shorter. I literally looked down at my feet, expecting some sort of weight to be clinging onto my ankles. (No lie, I really did glance down in disbelief.)

To make a not-so-long story short, I ended my run early, about a mile sooner than I wanted.

I’ve decided to shake up this week’s training schedule, and am going to do a long run tomorrow after work, just to be stubborn and prove that I can.

When Momma's Happy...

Run: 2 miles
Time: 23:03
General Mood: Chatty
 
Let's all take a second to acknowledge the fact that Mother Nature is in one happy mood. The weather yesterday and this morning has been absolutely amazing. Yesterday's run was two miles (was technically only supposed to be one) with my coworker Stephanie. I know, my life is laden with Stephanies. I've collected three so far, four including myself - and each has a modifier to tell them apart.
 
Run was good, but slow because we were talking. It's actually relatively difficult to carry on a conversation while running, but I'm sure it's improving something in terms of breathing, right? No? Not doing anything good? Ok then.

Allie Stewart made this from scratch.

Last night was my roommate Jen's birthday celebration, which included wine, obnoxiously greasy pizza and insane chocolate cake. Needless to say, when my alarm went off this morning for my bike ride, I only considered hitting snooze for a second before thoughts of the previous evening's food debauchery propelled me out of bed.
 
Workouts this week = on track.

Tuesday

Run: 2 miles
Time: Time to remember to wear my watch
General Mood: Compact

I say compact because that's literally how I felt. I think it might be the fact that I had my hair in a knot, as opposed to a ponytail, so there was a lot less hair movement. Sounds silly, I know, but I literally felt like my form was tighter as well. (This is most likely all in my head.)

This just in. I remembered to stretch. Get excited, people.

Sunday Funday

Run: 2.5 miles
Time: 30:33
General Mood: Moot
 
It was a rainy Sunday, and I was...for lack of a more elegant term...a little hungover. (Happy Birthday, Jen) Nevertheless, I got in a run around the neighborhood.
 
It wasn't fast. It wasn't pretty. It was half a mile shorter than it should have been. But it was a run.
 
I've been trying to finish my runs with some speed, so I don't get stuck in the slower mid-run pace, and I managed to get a nice sprint at the end of this one. Ended up with my hands on my knees, gasping for air when I was done. I think I amused an old man on a walk with his dog. He literally looked like he was about to ask me if I needed assistance.
 
Again, didn't stretch. I meant to, but forgot after my half mile walk home, and I'm paying for it today. My bad, hamstrings. My bad.
 
Ended the weekend with a roommate dinner that involved some amazing food and too much wine. Happy today is a strength/stretch day.
 
Side note: I've gotten my first training blister. It's fantastic.

Sneaker Therapy

Run: 1.5 miles
Time: 15:35
General Mood: Torturous

First off, let's revel in the fact that this girl actually got out of bed and ran on a Saturday morning. Let that sink in.

I was feeling like torturing myself today (bad week), so I tried to run some extra hills...all the while with that "Bad Intruder Song" in my head. Seriously, if you haven't heard it, don't listen to it. It will run on repeat in your mind for a week straight. Running hills with that rolling like a broken record did the trick.

Running makes everything better.

Wednesday

Run: 2 miles
Time: Irrelevant
General Mood: Compliant

I turned yesterday into my "rest" day, and did my two mile run this morning. Which means I'm switching out Friday for the 25 minute cross-train I was supposed to do today. So if I carry the two and solve for x...I'll be able to get all the workouts in this week.

Good run, weather was muggy but decent. I find that when I get up on time to run in the morning, I end up doing chores and making breakfast before work. Who knew that was possible??

No, I didn't stretch before or after. I know, I know - I need to.

It's so hot...

Milk was a bad choice. (kudos for those who get the reference)

So it has been circling around the 100s here the past two days. Training officially started yesterday, and it wasn't technically a running day. But like my dad has been known to say: I do whatever I want. :)

The goal was a nice and easy run after work on the Capitol Crescent Trail - it was an epic fail. I didn't last long. One 10:00 mile and I was ready to throw in the sweat-drenched towel. Got the blood flowing, but didn't do much else.

Today is a 2 mile day. I think maybe we drink a little more water and run a little bit later in the evening.

Ok...a LOT more water.

On Your Mark...

My brother (a runner) said he'd like to run the Marine Corps Marathon in 2011. Like an idiot, I said I'd run it with him.

I used to run. Really, I did. In high school, I ran cross country for three years. Long runs, short runs, cross training - I did it all. I just wasn't any good.

So why would I commit to over 26 miles? The answer: I have NO idea, but I did.

The word on the street and in the general running community is that one should train for a marathon for about a year. Having put away my running shoes for more years than I care to admit, I've got a long road ahead of me (pun intended). I'm starting slow - in both speed and distance - and trying to work my way up. I'm starting this blog as a way to hold myself accountable for the next year, and as a way to track my progress.

The plan is as follows: run shorter races, gradually building up my distance over time.

I've been running a few times a week for the past month. I ran a 5K last weekend and finished in 33:00. It was a flat, fast course and a good race for my first time back (I beat the guy running in the hotdog suit, but was passed by the barefoot guy and the guy running in khakis).

The next race on the horizon is the MCM 10K at the end of October. I've done up my training schedule, mixing running with strength training and cross training, and the official plan starts on Monday.

Here goes nothing.