Mile Stone: 18 Weeks Out

So this is how it begins ...

I just realized ING MIAMI is 18 weeks away!

This is a mile stone (at least to me) because that what most training plans call for.

Being that I am training concurrently for both a Half-Marathon and Marathon I keep tuning and fine tuning my training plan (in my special OCD way!)

I am excited.

What's not exciting is the fact that yesterday's run sucked.

I ran 12 min miles the whole way through. I used the Galloway Method again but I have a sneaking suspicion that my testing of the Jeff Galloway Method has been a crutch more than anything else.

I know I can run 7 miles all the way through. Sure, it's not elegant or fast but it sure is alot faster than if I use the Galloway Method.

Side Note: There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Galloway Method it's just that it isn't right for me right at the moment. I need to do speed work and do this right.

I am fine tuning and making sure to pencil in speed work (which my plan was lacking completely!)

On Deck is a tempo run ... my first I do believe.

Tomorrow is the Metallica Concert and Friday a well deserved day off ... from work, not training :}

Happy Hump Day!

Where did September go?

I feel like it slipped through my fingers a little bit. In two days we are in October. Poof! September is gone!

046:09:47:02 till the Half-Marathon!

123:09:46:39 till the Full Marathon!

Excited and Freaking out all at once! SIGH!

Yesterday, I was excited about running but knew I needed to stick to the plan and get my cross training in.

The session of went like this:

Used: 8 Pound Weights

Skipped the starters and went straight for the meat!

Exercise
Push-Ups W3:L3:D1
Sit-Ups W3:L3:D1
Squats W3:L3:D1
Tricep Push Down
Hammer Curls
Shoulder Press
Dips
Bicep Curls
Chest Flys
Dead Lift Squats
Side Leg Lifts
Bent Knee Crunch
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Leg Lifts
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Bicycle Crunch
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Calf Raise Squats

It could just be my imagination but I am starting to see shadows and highlights where I hadn't seen them before. Legs and Arms are starting to look pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Still a way to go but progress is very motivating. Something to consider though is I may need to start working on an alternate cross training session to alternate so I do hit a plateau.

Looking forward to today's run.

I have a 4 Miler on Deck.

Have a great day!

Weekends are Exhausting

I think I need a day off from my weekend!

This weekend kept me exceptionally BUSY! As always I planned to do a lot and ended up wanting to do more! Yes, I'm an over achiever ... it's a character flaw :)

So the plan was:

Planned: Cross training: A little P90x, challenges and all over workout!
Did: THE WHOLE WORKOUT! Finished it off! Did great!

Planned: A 4m Tempo Run for Saturday
Did: A 5 mile Run (used the Galloway 3:1 Ratio) WITHOUT MUSIC. Ended up with a 4.8 MPH run ... not great but not terrible.

Planned: A 7m Run on Sunday
Did: A 7 mile Run (used the Galloway 4:1 Ratio) WITHOUT MUSIC. Ended up with a 5.04 MPH run ... improving!

I wonder if the music would have helped? My earphone died like week so I have been Music Free for my last 3 runs ... during which I am noting a downturn on speed :(

I do like the Galloway Run:Walk Ratio because it makes the task of long runs so much less daunting but I'm wondering if that's not just me giving in to my own weakness :\

I mean, I am using a running ratio for much higher than I'm supposed to. I should be using the 2:1 or 2:30:1 ratio. But yet, I use the 4:1.

Maybe I should give the 2:1 ratio a try.

But the reality is that I have run 7 miles all the way through before. I CAN do it ... but I am giving in to the walking breaks.

I think I have developed a fear of long runs. I keep flip flopping between excitement and terror every time I realize I SIGNED UP FOR A MARATHON!?! .

Oh, and an added distraction, the Fall urge has stuck and I started knitting again.

I've decided that for this fall I will be making a replica of Lafayette's Afghan from True Blood.

True Blood is raffling off the real one but it's too late to enter :\ but someone was nice enough to write up the pattern so anyone can make up their own.

I'll post pictures when I'm done :)

In Review - Week of September 21st:

Half Marathon Training Week 5 of 12: Entering Phase 2

WORKOUT	DISTANCE	AVG Speed	TIMES
On the Run	25.68 Miles	5.02	5
On the Bike	0 Miles	N/A	0
In The Water	0 Meters	N/A	0
Strength Training	90 minutes	N/A	2

Total Running Time: 4:38:47
Total Training Time: 8:18:37

On Deck For This Evening:
I would like to spend a little time on my bike today. Just a couple of laps around the block and, of course I have my Cross Training and a catch up with Dexter, my favorite local serial killer :)

Happy Monday!

Weekending

Yesterday, on my co-worker run, I decided to test out the Jeff Galloway Run/Walk System. I had planed a 3 mile Easy Run so I figured what did I have to loose?

According to the chart, I should be Running 3 minutes and Walking 1 minute.

My first mile wasn't half bad (considering I was walking for 3 or so minutes of it). I followed the 3:1 ratio and did still managed to stay in the elevens range (if you recall yesterday: I ran the whole way and got about the same time :\ go figure!)

11:44.2

My second mile was less impressive. I tired to get smart and tried a 2:2 ratio, and then a 2:1 ratio ... which I don't think worked as well.

12:43.6

Then, I hit the hill. I ran it a bit slow but IT FELT AWESOME!

I forgot how much I like running hills ... they make you feel all tough and hard core :)

I was feeling good BUT then I passed my co-worker and she wanted me to walk with her for a bit. I looked at my watch and had 1 minute of walking ... OH BOY! What did I do that for!?! ... I never got started again.

17:13.8
07:35.8

DOH!

Afterwards, I made a new running buddy and am hoping for a Buddy run soon!

On Deck For This Weekend:

• Cross training this evening: A little P90x, challenges and all over workout!
  
• A 4m Tempo Run for Saturday
• A 7m Run on Sunday
  

I may switch Saturday and Sunday around and do my 7m run followed by an easy 4m. I read somewhere that after a long(ish) run you should do a shorter run the next day to loosen up the mus-ckles!

We'll see!

Happy Weekend!

Thankful Thursday

Well, last night's run stunk!

S.T.U.N.K.!

I felt like I might as well have been running backwards.

No, REALLY! I ran that slow!

I decided to go run at my 1 Mile Park Loop, which I hadn't done in quite some time and I did a little recalibrating on my Garmin (was just a little bit off ... not alot but I adjusted it).

Mile 1 0:11:02
Mile 2 0:11:43
Mile 3 0:11:45
Mile 4 0:14:25 (What the H.E.Double Hockey Sticks! I must have been sucked up into the chrono-synclastic infundibula and 2 minutes of time disappeared!)
Mile 5 0:11:30

Though I WAS impressed with the fact that I did 5 miles and I didn't feel very tired at all. I even caught up with my Mom and did an extra lap with her finishing up with a full 6 Miles.

Then when I got home I did some of the exercises for Yoga for Runners and a bit of Foam Rolling followed by my challenges. I wasn't sure I would even start them much less finish them but gladly I did both :)

Exercise	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Push-Ups W3:L3:D2	20	25	15	15	25+25
Sit-Ups W3:L2:D2	21	28	21	21	28+28
Squats W3:L3:D2	27	34	21	21	34+50

Not too shabby, if I do say so meee-self!

On, to my Thankfulness List:

1. I am thankful that Frozen Strawberry's work just as well as ice on Ginger Ale ... actually, they're even better :)
   


2. I am thankful that I am able to register for the ING Miami Marathon and physically able to take on this challenge.


3. I am thankful for the support of my blog-gy-peeps who are cheering me on this adventure! :) (Thanks guys!)
   


4. I am thankful that Mr. Boyfriend doesn't think I'm absolutely insane :D Well, maybe he does, but he loves me anyway! :}
   

I leave you with this VERY COOL video of the ING Miami Marathon Race Course:



Have a great day!

I SIGNED UP FOR MY FIRST MARATHON!

Ok, so I have weighed my options, done the pros/cons list, gotten a reality check and even tips from a Vet (Thanks, Jamie!) and it is now official.

I have signed up for the ING MIAMI Marathon.

I'm about 99% sure I will not be doing the Disney Marathon ... but there still is that 1% lingering :)


This will be my first marathon!

The first of many, so I hope!

Also, Don’t forget about the Nathan Hydration water bottle giveaway!

Wish me luck!

Wednesday

I am torn.

Suddenly yesterday, I became indecisive about whether I should do the Disney Marathon on 1/10/2010 or the ING Miami Marathon on 1/31/2010.

Here's the Breakdown:

• Disney Marathon has a better course. You do have to run on roads but there are people all the way through. According to some course reviews I've read the ING Miami course becomes a little desolate after the 13.1 breakaway. Your running in downtown, there are not as many people doing the full and you might spot some homeless people hanging out.
  
• Disney Marathon has a lot more people. The first mile (some said 3-4 miles) will be slow so I may not be able to gauge my true run time but then again my first marathon should not be about time, right?
  
• Disney Marathon has ALOT more photo ops. There are photographers all over the parks at key points. Giving opportunity for multiple race pics. ING Miami just has the end and I've had some narly end race pics :\ would hate for it to happen here.
  
• If I did the Disney I would need to stay at a hotel ... means I'd need to spend more $$$
• If I did the Disney, I could invite my uncle and his family to come see me and cheer me on. He lives in Tampa and I know he would (he did it when I competed in Judo). Also, could possibly invite my estranged father with the excuse that it is DISNEY and tell him to bring his family to come see me and ask him to bring my Puerto Rican Grammy (whom I ADORE!). Which would then give me the excuse of brining my Cuban Grammy who would love going to Disney ... it's win/win all over the place.
  
• Doing the Disney will push me up 3 weeks in my training ... not necessarily a good thing :\
  

I've asked for a couple of opinions (ok, two so far) and I've gotten the same response:

"Why not do both!"

Not entirely UN-feasible. They are 3 weeks apart.

But what if I decide after doing the Full that I NEVER WANT TO RUN 26.2 EVER AGAIN ... I've heard it said, so I dunno.

In my head, I think I will be HARDCORE and run in to the shute saying "Woo-Hoo, let's do it again" ... but that could just be the G.I. Jane/Lara Croft/Electra Me that lives inside my head! What if the outter me (the one that feels pain) doesn't agree?

I could register for both and then do the Disney Full and take the turn on the ING Half. That's alot of money though :\

Hmmm, So much to consider.

Anyway, Today's run has me psyched. It wasn't a personal record or anything near it. I had trouble getting out the door, my IPOD Shuffle's earphone (I HOPE IT'S JUST THE EARPHONES) died. I even had to stop for a 2-minutes at the end of mile 3 because my left foot was going numb (my Quads again? I think.) but it still got me excited about the Half and the Full Marathon. Woo-Hoo!

Mile 1: 10:24.4
Mile 2: 11:15.5
Mile 3: 11:12.2
Mile 4: 11:57.4
.03 M: 00:23.6

Avg HR 169
Max HR 180

Temp 88.0 °F
Humidity 63%
Scattered Showers (it was clear skies where I was)

After, I did Yoga for Runners (I love Polly!) and had a stab at Foam Roller (I think I'm gonna like it!)

Then I did:

50 Sit-ups
20 Push-Ups
50/50 Under-The-Leg Lifts

... while I watched the tail end of The Biggest Loser. I had never seen it before. It's not terrible ... would need to watch more to form an opinion.

On deck for this evening:
5 Mile run

Have a Happy Hump Day!