Another major breakthrough must be coming soon!

The good news is ...another major breakthrough must be coming soon. That seems to have been the pattern in the past and so this is me trying to put a positive spin on my horrible last 3 runs (today included). Today was my 3rd day in a row, it was much warmer than I'd prefer, there was no shade because I was in the neighborhood, and Sooooooo, I had another horrible run. I'm guessing this weeks' difficulties are because of the slacking I've done in the last 2 weeks due to vacations and so I'm trying not to get too discouraged again. Did 7 miles this afternoon but walked probably 2 of them. My left hamstring was nagging me and I had a horrible stitch in my side that I couldn't even WALK off. I thought the "stitch in my side" days were over months ago...thought I had gotten past that problem but it seems to have reappeared today. So anyway....hopefully this is just a prelude to an incredibly wonderful 14 mile run on Saturday. Tomorrow is a rest day and I intend on taking full advantage of it!

A "not so good" running day

I'm not sure what made me think that not eating before running would be such a wonderful idea....I'm sure I was full at the time....but I'm thinking maybe I should reconsider. Today didn't go well. Ran 6....sort of....the first 3 went fine, the last 3...not so fine. I was starving....felt very weak, even a little dizzy, and developed an excrutiating headache in the left side of my brain at 3.5 miles....ended up walking for almost a mile. My other problem.....my face was on fire. I started using this ProActive knock-off stuff that I found at costco ....for treating acne....and apparently it works by burning off the first 2 layers of skin because once I started sweating....OMG....the pain.... I felt like someone had taken sand paper to my face and then poured salt water in the wounds.

And then there's the chub-rub factor...I guess I was thinking that after 2 days of not eating before my runs I would miraculously have thighs that don't rub....my running shorts were too short and they did in fact rub! Chaffing is becoming a real problem. I'm chaffed under my boobs, between my thighs, and in other places that I'll keep to myself. Getting in the shower after a fresh chaffing when you're covered in salty sweat is not my idea of fun.

On another note....my dear friend Dianne recommended this stuff called Endurox...it's a replacement drink mix that is suppose to help in recovery after runs. But there are 2 different versions of this stuff...one is a drink mix and the other is a pill...They both contain completely different ingredients and I didn't know which one to buy so being the shopaholic that I am....I bought both....using the "if 1 is good 2 must be better" theory. If you haven't read the book "Confessions of a Shopaholic"....you really should....funny, funny book....and I relate very closely to the main character.....minus the financial crisis......anyway, I tried it after today's run...I'll let you know how it works.

need fuel!

Ran 7 miles this morning and purposely didn't eat anything before I went because I wanted to see how it would feel. To be honest, I can't believe that I'm running all these miles and not losing any weight so I wanted to see if I'd burn more fat if I didn't eat before going out. It was a lot harder but doable. I'll try doing that during the week and then stick with my banana on the long run days. My average pace this morning was 11:08. I had a few jelly bean fuel thingys during the run...had to or I'd have never been able to keep going. Beautiful morning, sunny and pleasantly cool. No pain....feel'n great!

12 miles-my best run yet

Ran 12 miles straight this morning for the first time....minus about 15 seconds to refill my water bottle. Felt awesome...the weather was beautiful. My average pace was 10:46....my best pace yet!

vacation is over

Our "vacation" is over....THANK GOD!.....in an effort to keep a positive attitude I'll just say....the kids had a blast! Justin got up on skis for the first time....Brendan went tubing.... (all on the 1 day that it wasn't raining and the boat wasn't being repaired) and Jordyn got her 1st kiss...LMAO!

I'm way behind in running my miles this week. I only ran twice. 6 miles on Monday? (I think...lost track of the days) and 5 miles on wed or Thurs. The weather was awful (oops....there goes the positive attitude)....and I wasn't getting any sleep....sleeping accommodations sucked....(screw the positive attitude...lol)...lets just say that 3 sides of our mattress were touching the walls.....there was mouse poop on our comforter and an earwig under our sheets when I stripped the bed....just didn't have the running spirit in me this week....the entire week was like a huge comedy of errors! And it didn't stop when we got home....got home to find our computer was fried!....brought it in to the Geek Squad for fix'n...thank God it was repairable or I'd really be cry'n right now. All of us actually left to come home an entire day early because it was so bad up there. So I'm sure I'll pay dearly tomorrow when we're all doing our 12 miles! No more slacking...vacation time is over so I'll try to get more serious about getting all my miles in now. ONLY 10 MORE DAYS TILL SCHOOL STARTS!!!! YIPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! I'll be on my street corner in my jammies escorting my children on the bus and doing the happy dance!

14 miles and going strong!

Had to get one last entry in before we leave so that when I return I don't forget how awesome I felt today! I had my best run yet this morning and it was the toughest....14 miles! The weather was absolutely perfect....55-60 degrees and sunny! 14 miles in 2:32:12!!! That's a 10:52 mile pace average!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY COW!!!!!!! My best mile lap was the first at 10:09 and my worst was the 12th mile at 11:45. My pace stayed below 11 min/mile for the first 10 miles. I didn't have to stop to pee even once the entire 14 miles......I think I've finally got this pee/hydration thing licked.....YAH-HOOOOOOO!!! I stopped real quick at 6.5 to refill my water bottle which took a matter of seconds....then at the 11th mile I decided to take a quick walk break because my left ankle was nagging me....big mistake....now that the miles are picking up walking breaks are not in my best interest I've decided. Once I stopped that was it....my legs didn't want to start back up again....I walked again at mile 13 because my hips were really starting to freeze up. But all in all it was a perfect day for me....I essentially ran for the first 11 miles straight.....OMG!!!! I love these feel good days....it makes me look forward to the next run to see if I can top it! I'm off....for a week of fun and relaxation??? Yeah right! 12 kids under 1 roof....well....2 roofs.....and according to the weather forecast the week could potentially be a total wash out....I'll need a vacation from this vacation!!

Im very consistant

Did another 7 miles this morning in exactly 80 minutes....5 seconds slower than yesterday...LOL! BUT today I had to make a bathroom stop....so technically my running time would have been faster than yesterday if I hadn't stopped. Felt really good...although the humidity was a bit suffocating this morning. I'm loving my new Garmin...it keeps lap times for each mile and I can go back and review. Yesterdays average pace was 11:25....my fastest mile lap was 10:56 (5th mile) and slowest pace was 12:03 (6th mile). Today's average pace was 11:28....fastest mile lap was 11:03 (2nd mile) and slowest mile was 12:11 (3rd mile...potty break). I might do an easy 3 or 4 tomorrow depending on how I feel to make up for some of my lost miles this week but I'd really like to take a rest day before Saturday's long run. Doing 14 miles Saturday...OMG! NOW the miles REALLY start to pick up....EEK! I'm scared! And then after the 14 miles I have to sit in a car for over 3 hours for our week long vacation with friends. All of us marathon friends are going to Higgins lake for a week long vacation with our families...CAN'T WAIT! This trip should prove to be a true test of wills....trying to get our runs in after long days of drinking....I'm guessing running a marathon drunk is probably frowned upon! But they say to test every scenario before the big day....so we'll just consider this part of the training...LMAO!

took 3 days off

I had every intention of running Sunday before leaving for Cedar Point and then running 1 morning while in Cedar Point.....it didn't happen. Saturday night we were at friends' house for a birthday party...didn't get to sleep until late and when I woke up Sunday morning it was raining....it was only drizzling but I hadn't even started packing yet...so that was my excuse. I had no excuse while in Sandusky other than after walking at Cedar Point for 12 hours straight....I just didn't think my feet could stand the beating. So I guiltlessly took a few days off.

Went out this morning after 3 days off and did 7 miles in 1:19:55. I took 2 - 2minute walk breaks....1 at 2.5 miles and another at 5.5 miles. Felt really good. No complaints. 8 hours later I sit here with an extremely stiff left ankle....nothing that a little ice can't cure.

I was reading an article in Runner's World on the way to Cedar Point and found a couple of paragraphs in an article that I love and wanted to share.....I've said from the beginning that I really wanted my kids to be at the race on marathon day. It's very important to me but I couldn't articulate why....I just knew that it was important...the author of this article summed it up beautifully!

"The way I see it, the only way to run counter to our toxic image-centric society is to literally run by example. I can't tell my daughters that beauty is an incidental side effect of living your passion rather than an adherence to socially prescribed standards. I can't tell my son how to recognize and appreciate this kind of beauty in a woman. I have to show them, over and over again, mile after mile, until they feel the power of their own legs beneath them and catch the rhythm of their own strides.
Which is why my parents wake my kids early on race-day mornings. It matters to me that my children see me out there, slogging through difficult miles. I want my girls to grow up recognizing the beauty of strength, the exuberance of endurance, and the core confidence residing in a well-tended body and spirit. I want them to be more interested in what they are doing than how they look doing it. I want them to enjoy food that is delicious, feed their bodies with wisdom and intent, and give themselves the freedom to indulge. I want them to compete in healthy ways that honor the cultivation of skill, the expenditure of effort , and the courage of the attempt."

Another breakthrough!

Perfect day....weather was absolutely beautiful! 12 miles with the TNT group this morning and I ran the first 6 straight through!! No walk or pee breaks!!! Took my 1 minute walk breaks at 6 miles, 8 miles, 10 miles, and 11 miles.....kinda fell apart the last 2 miles but felt really good for the first 10. I shouldn't be admitting this but there's just noth'n like a little of Eminem's "Shake that Ass" to put a little boogie in your step! Everytime I have a bad week of training I always seem to follow it up with a breakthrough...I'll start trying to look at these bad weeks as my body's way of preparing itself for a breakthrough! Still in love with this sport!

Quote of the week

This weeks quote kinda goes along with the whole "The Secret" philosophy...which I am a true believer of by the way...The law of attraction!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it.” - William James

Resting my aching body today in preparation for tomorrow's 12 miler.....say a prayer....lol!

6.5

Did 6.5 on the treadmill again. ran 2 at a time and walked the last 1/2 mile. Felt pretty good. 1st 2 are always hard until I get into a rhythm. Looking forward to tomorrow's rest day. I think I'm going to go back to the 5 days of training instead of trying to get all my miles into 4. Although, I won't be able to do that next week because were leaving for a 2 day trip to Cedar Point. We'll see.

Back in the Groove

Did 6.14 in 1:11:52. Felt pretty good...kinda felt like I was getting back into the groove....I thought it would be another bad 1 because of the heat and humidity but I felt much better than I thought I would. Ran 2 miles at a time with an extra walk break the last 2 miles. I bought a newer model Garmin that has a better GPS on it so it actually worked today in the park! AND.....not 1 potty break.....MAJOR bonus!

6 on the Treadmill

Ran 6 on the treadmill....didn't look at the forecast this morning and as soon as I got to the park they announced on the radio that there would be thunderstorms and rain all morning....it was already 75 degrees out and 100% humidity....not my idea of fun so I turned around and headed to the gym. Didn't keep track of my time because I had to stop and use the restroom 1/2 way through...which is downstairs and all the way on the other side of the building. UUGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ran 2 at a time. Felt pretty good but my quads were screaming today! I really wish this gym had a bathroom on the 2nd floor!

10.17 miles

Today was a little better than this past week has been but still didn't feel great. Did 10.17 miles in 2 hours exactly which turns out to be a little less than a 12 mile minute. Tried to run 2 miles walk 1 minute....but I took a couple extras. The weather was MUCH more runner friendly this morning....it was beautiful actually.

bad week

been a horrible week for me...as far as training goes....time to move on to the next! Did 6 today but walked alot of it. I'm really hoping it's just this cold and the humidity because I'm getting really discouraged.

quote of the week

I like this weeks quote...I seem to say that every week. This week's quote is a good reminder to be nice....to everyone....no judging.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." - Unknown

I'm taking the day off from running. I think my body needs a break. I probably should run since the last 2 days have been such duds but I need a day to rejuvinate....I may try to do a little on my elyptical later....still don't know how to spell that....but it'll be a low intensity level.