long time no post

Quick post about December running thusfar:

12/4 - 4 miles (Greenway/Estes)
12/6 - 10 miles! (first double digit run! - friend's 8 mile plus a bit extra)
12/8 - 5 miles (evening run with buddies)
12/12 - 7.5 on the trail (PWTRx2, and first run with new Garmin!)
12/15 - 5 miles (Gimghoul)
12/20 - 9 miles (Carrboro/UNC/Gimghoul)
12/22 - 3 mile run in hood

oh yeah!

I eeked out 9 miles yesterday! Maybe that's unfair (to myself) - I ran them true and steady, with stops only for water at Weaver Street Market and the Old Well (twice). I ran my running buddy's 8 mile route with a little extra loop added on. I just squeaked in at 9 miles (including walking up the Bradley hill).

It was cool enough to not carry water (oh, the hassle!) but not cool enough to not need to stop. I'm actually kind of ready for true cold winter weather. I used Jelly Belly sports beans this time, which I like much better than the Gu Chomps which I'd used before. One whole pack of Jelly Bellies only has 100 calories and I probably only had half, but it's pretty cool how they give me a needed burst of energy.

Ready for 10 miles this weekend? Perhaps....

gallop and gorge

I completed my first second annual race on Thursday - the 8K Gallop and Gorge! And I beat my record from last year - down to 49 minutes+/- from 53 minutes+/-. That's better than a 10 minute mile!

I took a break from running on Friday and did a 3-miler in the hood today. Tomorrow: 9 miles!!! Yikes!!!

oh wow

I haven't written here in a while. Quick recap of most recent runs:

Sunday, 11/8 - another 8 mile run. First run through Carrboro, starting from home. I was running by myself and it was boring. When I was done, I had the bizarre ammonia smell in my nose. My internet research tells me that's due to either not enough carbs or not enough water - both possibilities.

Sunday, 11/15 - after a week of feeling crappy, I managed 2 loops of the pumpkin trail. It felt really good. It was very warm and the sun felt great. I was glad to be running again.

Weds. 11/18 - nighttime run with buddies in the hood and to VW - very nice run.

Sunday 11/22 - today! Ran 8 miles again with a running friend. A fun run though I admit I felt winded throughout, but I feel great now! Yea!

This Thursday (Thanksgiving) - Gallop and Gorge 5 mile run. Last year I did that for the first time; it was the first time I'd ever run as far as 5 miles. Wow - I've come 3 miles in one year. (Ha).

"tempo"

(In quotes.)

A tempo run is supposed to be fast. First though, I ran one mile at a comfortable pace as a warmup (ah, the 11-12 minute mile) and then after that, a "tempo" mile.

My "tempo" mile was about 9:30. That's not fast, at all. True, what I thought was a mile was actually a bit more than a mile but still. But - it was fast for me and I guess that's what matters. Sigh.

longest run yet!

It was not a good morning for a run, yet I did it, and finished 8 miles!

It was a rainy, cold (50's) and slightly windy Sunday morning after Halloween. I bundled up in my new running pants (from Dad and Luisa - they have a slight fleece layer on the inside) a few tops and my waterproof rain jacket. I also wore what I believe to be my best socks - wool. Despite all these protective measures, I ended up soaked but I managed to finish the run, only stopping to wait for traffic at road crossings.

I used my running buddy's 8 mile route on walkjogrun (not nearly as convoluted as my own 8 mile route, but similar). The only thing I don't like about this route is that it ends on the greenway, which is a boring end to a run. I've come to really dislike running on the greenway. Other than that, it's similar to the gimghoul run.

Yea for 8 miles!

ETA: I carried a paper with me that indicated each mile of the run so I could track my pace - I did 11 or 12 minute miles but by mile 5 or so the paper was so wet I gave up on tracking my pace.

And, the Wednesday earlier this week, I ran the pumpkin x 2.

back in action

After my last, ill-fated 8 mile "run" I took an 8 day break from running.

My next venture was on Sunday the 18th, and it was an enjoyable PWTR plus pumpkin, which I rounded up to 7 miles.

Weds. the 21st I did a 5 mile run in a buddy's hood in Carrboro.

This past Saturday morning I went back to my running roots and ran Wesley circle and onto VW, a hilly but fairly short 3.5 miles.

This afternoon after school I headed out to the pumpkin trail on my own. I ran it two times, at exactly 10 minutes per mile for each loop. (The loop is 2.4 miles and each time it took 24 minutes). That felt like pushing it for me. I wonder if I'll ever be able to run faster than that. I ran the second loop in the opposite direction, which is the first time I'd ever done that. It wasn't as freaky as I expected. Having done that loop so many times over the last few months, and ALWAYS going the same direction, I had believed that going the other way would be odd feeling. It really wasn't!

I want to try again for 8 miles this Saturday. I'm giving some thought to doing a half marathon in Austin in January. If so, I need to get going!

time for a rest

It's not been the greatest week for running.

Monday's run was just ok.

Wednesday's run was the best run of the week. I ran with my buddies and did the 5 mile gimghoul route. It was refreshing - the weather was good (cool and breezy) and I felt good afterwards. But running that route at 6:30 on a weeknight put us in the midst of a good bit of traffic, making it hard to have conversation.

This morning I attempted my 8 mile run, mapped out several weeks ago on walkjogrun. I've been looking forward to trying this route ever since I mapped it. But I had a weird feeling before I even headed out this morning. The weather was strange - cool yet very muggy. I just didn't have the energy to sustain a run. I did a lot of walking and made a few short cuts. Nothing hurt and I didn't have my low blood sugar feelings (although I did eat 2 chomps in the hopes of gaining some energy) but I just had no energy. I probably completed 8 miles today, since the original route was about 8.5 miles, and I'm guessing I cut off about a half mile in my short cuts.

Oh well. Good excuse for a rest week.

monday

I ran the 5 mile gimghoul route. Felt tired and not energetic but good afterwards. I plan to run Wednesday (~5 mi.) and Saturday (8 mi.) and then perhaps the following week, I'll do a little rest week, with just a couple shorter runs.

race! and wednesday

I ran the Carrboro 10K today - in 1:04 which is a 10:20 pace. (The results posted online does the math for you to figure out your per mile pace, which was nice). It was a beautiful morning, sunny and cool, and the run felt good. I did push myself harder than I normally would for a 6 mile run and I feel comfortably tired now.

Wednesday I ran the Gimghoul 5 mile route.

today and wednesday

This morning was cool and at times, lightly drizzly - perfect weather for my second 7 mile run ever! It felt good. I ran 7 miles in 1 hour 17 minutes, for an 11 minute mile.

Wednesday was a cool evening though very muggy. Yet, our 2 lap run around the pumpkin felt good.

Next Saturday is the Carrboro 10K, which will be my longest race yet.

tempo!

Lately, I've had it in my mind to do a tempo run. I understand this to be a shorter run than you normally do, but at a faster pace - "comfortably hard," I've heard. That sounds like an oxymoron to me. Still, I tried to reconcile this in my mind as I ran this afternoon.

There is a 1 mile loop in my neighborhood - perhaps the most boring part of my whole neighborhood - but it was useful for me today. I timed myself running the first mile at what I thought was a normal pace for me, and it ended up being 9:30. That's definitely faster than I normally run. I think of myself of more a 10-11-12 minute mile type. I think it was a bit of self imposed pressure.

So, I finished the first warm up mile and rested briefly before going all out for the tempo. It was hard, and I came in at 8:40. It wasn't especially fun, but I am strangely excited to do it again.

last 2 runs

How many times can I give a blog post that same title?

Wednesday was a very pleasant 2x around the pumpkin loop. It was cool and drizzly - perfect.

Today I ran my first 7 mile run! Actually, the run part was 7 miles and it was an extra .44 or so up the hill. I'm counting it as 7.5, since I always count walking up Bradley (my cool down) as part of my mileage anyway. And I round to the nearest quarter mile. :)

I did the gimhoul plus plus run, which took me through many parts of campus. Today was a home football game, so there was a lot of dodging of UNC and ECU fans. I ran right through several tailgate parties (had to! they were on the sidewalk and the roads were full of big SUVs looking for a place to park). There was much beer drinking and fried chicken eating at 10am. There was Tarheel Town, with its big inflated jumping things and marching band. I took a picture of a man and his daughter at the Old Well, where I stopped to fill up my water bottle. It was fun to be a part of it all without really being a part of it at all. Next time there's a home game, though, I think I'll find another route. One run through home football UNC land is probably enough.

hot

I ran after school today, the 5 mile gimghoul run. It was hot and sunny but I persevered!

recap *with updates

A few months back, dad asked for a summary of sorts of my running. I've been keeping track since sometime in May when I started with Team Sakina. I thought it would be interesting to see how much I've run, week to week, since then. (Also, it might help me know better when to get new shoes). So here goes.

Total miles run, week ending:

5/17: 12.5
5/24: 11 * shin splints started, thus low mileage for next 2 weeks
5/31: 6
6/7: 5
6/14: 7
6/21: 13
6/28: 17.5
7/5: 10
7/12: 10 * I think this week was the last week I ran with TS
7/19: 8
7/26: 14
8/2: 15.75
8/9: 14.5
8/16: 16
8/23: 11
8/30: 11
9/6: 15
9/13: 11 (don't plan to run tomorrow)
9/20: 17.5
9/27: 14.5
10/4: 11
10/11: 18
10/18: 7
10/25: 8.5
11/1: 18
11/8: 10
11/15: 5
11/22: 13
11/29: 14
12/6: 14
12/13: 12.5
12/20: 14
12/27: 9.5

See new post for 2010 weekly totals!

and again

Same as last week! Wedsnesday 2 loops around the pumpkin and this morning, the 6 mile gimghoul route. I ran alone this morning since I needed to sleep in (catch up on sleep) and really wasn't sure how I was going to feel. But happily, I felt good once I got going and was able to complete all 6 miles, slow but strong.

last 2 runs, again

Thrilling title for the post, eh?

Wednesday was the usual but great 2 times round the pumpkin trail.

And this morning, a 6 miler, the lovely "gimghoul plus." I've been hit with a minor head cold the last few days but I felt ok running this morning. I did take a rare nap this afternoon, no doubt due to the cold+long run.

last 2 runs

Saturday I did a 6 mile run through Carrboro with a running partner - yea! It felt good, too.

Monday was unusually cool, so I was able to run after school. Did the gimghoul run, minus gimghoul but plus campus. 4 miles, according to WJR. I was beat that evening afterwards.

more pumpkin

Ah yes, the much-loved pumpkin trail. Headed out tonight not feeling great and finished feeling great. Why did I wait til I was 38 to start running?

Pumpkin x 2 = 5 miles, in my generous calculation.

back to school

After my run on Monday night, I didn't get anything else in until this morning. Too busy with work and/or too hot. I think the little break helped - my plan was to do the 5 mile Gimghoul run. However, when I got to the Old Well and realized the rest of the way was flat or downhill, I decided I had enough energy to try to find another mile and make it a 6 mile run, which was really what I had hoped to do. Students are arriving at campus and there was a feeling of a new start in the air, so I found a shady and interesting loop to do around campus before heading back home. So, I got in 6 miles! That may be a first for me. (I think I ran 6 miles once about a year ago but I wasn't keeping close track - it was just an estimate based on how long I'd run). Today was the first official run of that length - yea!

pumpkin in the evening

We ran the pumpkin(x2) last night at 6:30. I found it to be noticeably harder than when I was running it in the morning. I had just done a run the day before, so maybe that's it.

to the arboretum

A run up Hillsboro street, cross through the edge of the arboretum and back down MLK. Not bad for a muggy morning. Much more fun with a buddy, too! 3.5 miles.

yesterday

2 times on the pumpkin trail, without stopping!

i did a strange thing

I got up and ran at 7am, before eating or having any coffee. Just up and out. It wasn't very fun. I did a slightly abbreviated version of my boring 'hood 3 mile run. I think I'll check out the exact mileage later and post it here. But I'm sitting still in a training all day, so it's good to have exerted myself before being sedentary for 7 hours straight. Boring run, boring training, oh well.

pumpkin times 2

And it was really hot. Today may be the hottest day of the summer thusfar. I can't complain though - it's been a really reasonable summer, temps-wise.

friday run

Ran the PWTR yesterday - we did it without stopping, in a little less than an hour. It was a nice, cool morning and it felt good!

new route!

I ran a new route today - it's called to "Gimghoul and back" on walkjogrun. It was nice - lots of shade and near/through campus. I even stopped in at the psych building to refill my water. 5 miles!

a good run

Yesterday we did the pumpkin trail, times 2 - yea!

round the town 2

Did my "round the town 2" run today (from WalkJogRun.com). That's 5 miles!

brief lil' run

Wasn't really feeling it this morning and had a bunch of other things to do, so just did a 1.5'er around the hood. I definitely need some new tunes on my ipod.

philosopher's way

that's right, that's right.

another run

on the pumpkin trail, times 2.

It was really muggy this morning and I was drenched by the end. But it felt good!

ran

Ran the loop around Williams and Bradley, in order to go up the hill! Then to Village West and back. About 3.5 miles. Also did a few fartleks (love that word). Not bad for the morning after a little "overindulgence."

trail run

We ran the Philosopher's Way trail yesterday, and it felt good! That plus dropping my car off at Lloyd's again, and I'll call it 4.5 miles.

bitty run

Ran just one mile this morning. I recently got the book Chi Running and wanted to try out the first exercise, which was "Posture." So, I did "Posture" for one mile today.

last 3 runs

Saturday - 3 miles in the hood
Sunday - 2 miles in the hood
Today - Pumpkin trail x 2, so 5 miles-ish

week off

I ended up not running for 8 days (I blame it on the beach!), resuming this morning. Had to drop off the car at Lloyd's, so took advantage of being near the greenway. A boring, hot 3 miles but it was good to run again.

dang

Another killer Team Sakina workout. I had to run the word "killer" by Daran, who tutors me in slang terms. I wanted to make sure it meant "hard" as well as "great." (It does.) In this context, I want it to mean "hard."

Now that that's out of the way, here's what we did: met at Mason Farms Preserve. (I remember this place from when I was a kid. My parents were part of a community garden out there. You have to drive over a creek to get there. There is a road that actually runs through the creek. I remember, as a kid, being in the car and going over the creek and water coming into the car. That didn't happen this time.)

Anyway, there is a 1.8 mile loop out there. We ran 3 minutes at a "6" then 1 minute at a "9" and just kept that up for two loops. Part way through the second loop, however, I was pretty much just running a "6." Six was the new nine.

Then we ran an 8 minute cool down. Then, after that, strides! 4 sets of strides. So I'm saying 5 miles for the warmup run, 2 loops, cooldown run and strides. It was a relatively cool and less-muggy evening than one would expect for mid-July. That helped.

back in NC

It was a pleasant, coolish morning. We ran the pumpkin trail 2x. Nice.

week of june 29-july 6

I ran thrice in Michigan. Cool, cool temps but a recurrence of shin splints, so ran sloooowwwwlllllly. Total of 10 miles or so for the week.

ick

Terrible "run" this morning. I skipped on the TS run for various reasons but decided to do a neighborhood run. Left around 9 and it was hot, sticky and sunny. I brought water but that didn't help. My stomach was funny before I left so that didn't help either. I made it to Village West and had to walk the rest of the way home. So about 3 miles in almost an hour. Sad. Plus, I'm feeling some shin pain! Argh.

tempo on pumpkin trail

Another killer workout with Team Sakina. After a 10 minute warmup run, we did a tempo run around the PT. The intermediate group (me) did 10 min tempo, 2 min walk, 5 min tempo, 1 min walk, tempo til done. It took me 25 minutes to circle the PT this way. It was hard. Tempo running was described as running as fast as you can without losing your form. I guess I did that.

Total: I'll say 3.5.

pumpkin trail, times 2

Which I like to count as 5 miles!

i love the pumpkin trail

I just ran it again (twice) with schwester and my other running friends. Yahoo!

another hot run

It is summer, after all.

But with dewpoint and temperature both hovering in the mid-seventies (heat index in the high nineties) when I headed out at 8:30 this morning, a steamy run was inevitable. Fortunately, there was someone else feeling as wiped as me, so we walked part of the way.

We did the Philosopher's Way trail run again, and I was glad to. I tried to pay more attention this time so I might run it myself sometime.

great hot workout

Phew! Ran with Team Sakina last night - we did a hills workout. It was hot and steamy and a hard workout but I felt great after! Just to recap (to aid my memory, in case I ever want to go back there):

1 set included:

- run up and down a short but steep hill - rest 30 seconds
- repeat
- run up the hill, then around a longer, flat loop, back down the hill, rest 90 seconds

I did 3 sets. This was all done at a level 7 exertion. I'm still not sure exactly what that means, but I know that I was going about as hard as I could. Oh my gosh it was hot.

pumpkin trail

I ran the pumpkin trail this morning with 2 running buddies (moms from Ruby' s school). I did this trail for the first time, and I like it! Simple 2.5 loop, and we did it twice! Excellent - I love learning more trails. Also, it was nice and cool and raining lightly - perfect. I never got hot or thirsty.

ran in texas

That's right, I'm not from Texas! But I ran in Texas anyway, with the schwester, on Sunday the 14th. We did 4 miles around Town Lake. (At my urging, we walked about a mile of it). I'm jealous of Town Lake - wish we had one!

ran yesterday

3 miles in the hot afternoon.

sunday run

3 miles in the hood. A little walking, galloway-style, though I'm not exactly training for a marathon yet/ever.

and again yesterday

I ran the same (almost) 2 miles again yesterday afternoon, catching a break in the almost all-day rainfest. So, 4 miles for the week. My lungs felt fine, but I didn't want to push it by going any further. I think I'll try for 3 miles tomorrow morning. Skipped Team Sakina meet this AM, since it was an ambitious (long) run, and in Cary. I hope to restart regularly on Thursday (missing Saturday since I'll be heading to TX to visit the Schwester!).

i ran and it was ok

I did run a little less than 2 miles on Sunday. I was fine! I walked part of the way, only to be on the safe side. (Ortho told me to avoid hills so I walked up/down the hills). Shins felt fine.

no stress fracture!

I went to Triangle Orthopedics on Wednesday and was dx with shinsplints - good! The PA told me to not run for 2-3 weeks and start back on a treadmill or at least on something stable. I have my new Smartfeet insoles and have been icing (some), stretching and taking ibuprofin. And yet, when I went to Thursday night practice and walked the trail, I came back with more aggravation of my shins. It was a wobbly trail and I was often walking on wobbly parts of it.

I'm thinking maybe of joining the Y for a few months this summer so I can use the treadmill, exercise machines and the pool. Pool running, treadmill running, eliptical, etc.

So, this past week's (Monday the 25 - Sunday the 31) exercise:

- about 40 min of trail walking on Thursday

That's all!

oh no (fingers crossed)

I'm worried I might have a stress fracture, not just shin splints. Based on my internet research, I learned that for the most part, the symptoms are the same. However, several sites mentioned a "hop test" - try to hop 10 times on one foot. If you have a stress fracture, the pain will be too severe. I got through about 8 hops on one foot, but on the other I could only do about 2 hops. NO! If it's a stress fracture (and it'll take an expensive bone scan or MRI to know for sure) that means 3-6 months of no running.

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. I suppose I should see how the next week goes before jumping to conclusions. I was so looking forward to this summer's runs. I'll be so disappointed if I have to give it all up.

saturday morning

Ran this morning in Duke Forest with Team Sakina. The consensus was that it was about 4.5 miles. It didn't feel that long to me. It was a hard run for sure, but it just didn't seem that long. But I'll count it as 4.5 anyway. I'm definitely feeling tired now, in the pm.

My calves have been bothering me (more or less since the end of my last pair of shoes). After getting a new pair about a month or so ago, it's gotten better, then worse again. Shin splints at the end of the old pair, calf soreness with the new pair that has now morphed again into shin splints. So, I went to Fleet Feet today and got some pricey insoles. I'm maybe a bit miffed that my new shoes could have caused the shinsplints, tho the lady at FF said they might have just been lingering around since the last time I had 'em. Who knows. I had to do something; it was getting worse and worse.

first speed run ever!

Ran with Team Sakina last night. We did speed intervals around a UNC cross country loop. We were supposed to run at an "8" exertion level. It was hard! But after each time around the loop, we walked for 2 minutes, and I felt ready to go again. I did 5x around the loop plus about a mile running to and fro, so a total of about 3.5.

tuesday

Yesterday I ran about 3 miles in the 'hood.

running with ham, and weekly mileage

Ran on Sunday to my mom's to get some ham she had for the split pea soup I was making. Took the long way there and the short way back so I didn't have to run too far with a fistful of frozen ham. Mom lives so close, my total mileage was only a little over 2 miles.

So, for the week of May 11-17*:

M - 4
Th - 2.25
S - 4.25
S - 2

total: 12.5

*all figures rounded to the nearest quarter mile

I think that's probably the most I've ever run in one 7-day period. Here's to joining a running team!

2nd Team Sakina run

We did the Philosopher's Trail - about 7k or 4.3 mi. It was much harder for me this time than it was during the race a few weeks back. I ran considerably faster (finished in about 45 or 50 minutes, rather than the 59ish minutes it took me during the race). I definitely like taking it a little slower. But it was beautiful.

I'm so glad this summer will be full of trail races. One thing I've missed since having Ruby is not camping or hiking. I never did much of either before she was born but I did manage to do a little of each every now and then. There's no real reason we can't take her camping now - we just haven't. So, getting out into nature, even if it's in the middle of CH, twice a week is a real treat. It smells like camp and reminds me of another time...

Also, doing the twice weekly trail runs with the team will make road running more fun. I get bored with some of the same road routes but now I won't need to do them quite as often. But I think I can probably manage to do mostly trail runs this summer.

first Team Sakina run

Merritt Pasture - 3x .75 mile loop =2.25 mi or so.

I'll get more wordy with this blog one of these days. For now I'm just trying to jot things down, so to speak, before I forget!

untitled

an unusually cool day for May (high of 60, if that?)

ran 4 mi, the greenway/estes/mlk loop.

running since last saturday

last sat: Philosopher's Way Trail Race - 7k

tuesday? 2 mi

thursday: 3 mi

saturday: 5 mi

Plan to start the 100 pushups program.

just starting up

I'm inspired to create a blog about running and trying to stay fit and healthy. So, here it is.