The comfort of a familiar run.

As fun as it is to map out new runs there's something to be said about the comfort of a run that you know like the back of your hand. The streets are not very grid-like here and trying to map out a 5-6 mile loop that doesn't involve too many turns (so that I don't get lost) has been challenging! I tried an out and back run a few days ago and (1) it was boring, (2) I think I may have been heading into a sketchy area had I run further. I did I little better today, although I did get lost and had to backtrack a bit until I could get my bearings. I'm going to try out a running club this week, so hopefully I can meet some people who can give me advice on where the good places to run are. I must say, I do enjoy all the trees here and the shade they provide on runs that would otherwise be really hot. My running this week has been very inconsistent, but i'm trying not to be to hard on myself. In the next few weeks before marathon training starts i'd like to keep my milage between 15-20 miles/week. That definitely didn't happen this week, but now that we are unpacked (for the most part) and starting to settle in it should be easier to keep to a schedule.


Weekly Recap:

Sunday - 5.56 miles
Saturday - no running
Friday - no running
Thursday - 4.2 miles
Wednesday -no running
Tuesday - no running
Monday - 2.91 miles

Weekly Total - 12.67

Ohio

Well, we made it to Cleveland. I didn't run at all last week and unfortunately I seem to have come down with a cold so i'm pretty sure this will be a very light week of running as well. I'm going a little stir crazy from not running for so long. The 3 day drive from Denver to Cleveland wasn't as bad as I expected after running the half. My gas pedal leg started to cramp the first day of driving as I was still feeling pretty sore, but days 2 and 3 of driving felt perfectly fine. We are in our apartment now, but unfortunately none of our stuff has arrived yet, so we're still camping out on an air mattress and living out of suitcases, which is starting to get a little old. There has been far too much eating out and I definitely feel like a slug. As you can probably tell, i'm getting a little cranky about all of this.

I went for a short 3 mile run yesterday, hello humidity, I'm definitely going to have to adjust to that!

Colfax 1/2 Marathon Race Report

I got under 2 hours!!!! It's not a PR, but I am incredibly thrilled with this for several reasons: (1) I have not been able to do a 1/2 in under two hours since my very first half marathon and (2) I have gotten progressively slower times in every half-marathon (until now!). Woo Hoo! I broke my "slow streak" and got back under two hours.

The race went off without any hitches. I'd say the weather was pretty perfect. It was cold at the start and I started off in pants and a long sleeve shirt. The first 3 miles felt really easy and I was able to keep under 9 minute miles easily. For some reason, mile 4 was rough for me and I slowed down quite a bit, I think it may have been the first "hill" of the race (really it was all pretty flat- only slight inclines). Miles 5-7 flew by. I ate a bit of my Cliff shot block and had some water and felt like I got a little burst of energy. Around mile 8 I looked at my time and realized that it actually would be possible for me to PR if I really pushed it. At this point I knew I could get under two hours though and decided regardless of the PR that was what I was going for and decided to just concentrate on trying to keep a steady pace and enjoying the scenery. Miles 9-10 were nothing special. Around mile 11 my IT band started feeling really sore (which is the issue I always seem to have), so I just tried to keep the pace as close to 9 min miles as possible. The last mile was rough and I really wanted to just be at the end already, but the crowd support was great at this point and really got me through to the end. I looked at the clock as I was crossing and saw 1:59 and some change and was really happy, both to be done and to have gotten the time I was shooting for.

Here's the breakdown:
Unofficial Garmin time: 1:59:27
Official Race Time: 1:59:07

Mile 1 - 8:36
Mile 2 - 8:24
Mile 3 - 8:43
Mile 4 - 9:20 (what happened?!)
Mile 5 - 8:45
Mile 6 - 9:08
Mile 7 - 9:32
Mile 8 - 9:02
Mile 9 - 8:53
Mile 10 - 9:17
Mile 11 - 9:42
Mile 12 - 9:16
Mile 13 -8:49
Some change - 2:02

I could not be happier with the race. Now, off to finish last minute packing/cleaning and saying goodbye to friends. We drive to Cleveland tomorrow, so this will be my last Colorado post (sad).

Pre-Race Thoughts and Weekly milage

Well, we did have some snow earlier this week. Race day looks like good weather though! It looks like it will be 40's at the start and probably into the 50's by the time I finish. Now comes my decision of shorts vs. pants. I'm thinking i'll probably end up going with pants and hoping not to be to hot at the end of the race (Yes, I do get hot running when it's only 50 degrees!). I went and picked up my race packet this morning, so everything is set for the race.

As far as moving, all of our stuff was boxed and packed onto the moving truck friday, so things are all set to go there! We're sleeping on an air mattress for the next week or so. That should feel good after the race (hmmm).

This weeks running was very light. My legs are feeling rested and I think it's a definite possibility that I could run under 2 hours tomorrow, but I don't want to jinx myself too much, so if I don't i'm just hoping it's a good race for my last day in Colorado.

This weeks running:
Saturday - 2 miles easy
Friday - rest
Thursday - 3 miles
Wednesday - rest
Tuesday - 4.45 miles
Monday - rest

Total milage: 9.45 miles

Snow?

Today was my longest run this week leading up to the 1/2. A measly 4 mile run. My legs felt really strong and holding a 9-9:30 min mile pace felt very comfortable, which makes me feel like a 2 hour half marathon could be possible this weekend. It is supposed to snow tonight (really?!), but during my run it was still just spitting rain, so we shall see.

Things with moving are ... happening. The Lab was supposed to be moved Monday and Tuesday, but it seems they way underestimated the amount of time it would take and packing alone took up both days. Movers are supposed to be coming to our place Thursday and Friday and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will actually be completed in those two days so that I can have somewhat of a down day Saturday before the race.

Weekly Recap 5/3 - 5/9

Sunday - 5 miles. Nothing to exciting. I was getting over a stomach ache, but it was a really nice spring night to run.

Saturday - 3 miles

Friday - off

Thursday - 4.21 miles

Wednesday - Pilates DVD

Tuesday - 4.2 miles with 5 X 1 min speed intervals. Last speed workout before the half. The intervals were so short they felt really easy.

Monday - Off

Total Weekly Milage - 16.41 miles

Tapering

Well, this week has been fairly uneventful running wise. It almost feels as if I'm not running at all, my runs have been so short, just 4 miles tuesday and thursday and no strength training. Mostly I'm just preparing for moving. The lab has closed down and I'm working on packing stuff we will take in the car from home. We have a going away party with some friends tomorrow. Then, next week is moving madness. Monday and Tuesday movers are coming to the lab, Thursday and Friday movers are coming to the apartment. The reality that we're leaving is starting to set in and I'm a little sad.

Weekly Recap 4/26-5/2

Well, I'm in taper. This is by far the longest taper i've ever done for a 1/2 marathon, but i'm trying to trust that the training plan i'm following knows what it's talking about. I definitely felt a lot better on my runs this week. I felt like I was starting to get some speed back and my legs didn't feel so heavy and tired this week.

Sunday - A pleasantly rainy 7 mile run. It was raining, but not windy or cold, so the rain felt very nice and 7 miles felt super easy after last weeks 12.

Saturday - 5 mile tempo with 6 30 second hill repeats (which should have gone with Thursday's workout)

Friday - Rest

Thursday - 4.45 miles. I was supposed to do some hills, but I literally found myself caught in a blizzard with awful wind and sleet, so I decided to cut it short.

Wednesday - My last Boot Camp class, which was sad. This is by far my favorite class at the gym and I am definitely going to miss it!

Tuesday - 5.24 miles with 5 X 2 min intervals.

Monday - Body Pump

Total Weekly Milage - 21.69 miles

Moving Forward

Well, things are starting to move forward, so I don't have to have a complete nervous breakdown :-)

We have movers. Still no date, but at least a company. Hopefully the dates which they will be packing will come later this week.
I have been accepted at Case Western, but still waiting on my transfer credits to be accepted or declined.

Still a lot of things up in the air, but at least some progress.