Slow & Steady Wins the Race :-)

Outside around the neighborhood again with the GARMIN!  Love it so much.  7 laps around the neighborhood. 

TM 3 @ 6.7 (8:57), .75 @ 7 (8:34), .25 @ 8 (7:30)

.5 walking cool down

Not really a race, I just wanted to mark it special so I can find it easily in the future.  I've been wanting to reflect on 2008 and how far I've come, especially because I feel like I've been dissapointed with my winter training and how I seem to be getting slower (aka, my 10k decline at the Christmas Rush race).  

In October 2007 I realized that I for sure needed to lose the 10 pounds or so I'd gained while moving from Las Vegas to Washington - eating bad, not working out, etc.  Plus though I've never been overweight, I've always had 10 pounds or so to lose, so the extra 10 pounds did not help.  So I started working out - a lot!  At one point I had worked out 52 days in a row, which I was so proud of, and definitely jump-started the weight loss.  However most of these work-outs were on the elliptical, its crazy to think now how I hated running, never did it - it was so much harder than using the elliptical and I was so terrible at it!  But I tried to keep running every so often, and it was usually at 5.3mph on the treadmill.  Over the course of 6 months or so (October-April) I lost 25 pounds!  I am definitely the thinnest I have ever been, none of my clothes fit, and I'm now a happy size 6.  I still think I could lose 5-7 more pounds, but now I really want think that losing that extra weight would help me be a faster runner!  So in 2009, if possible (my body seems to really like the weight I'm at now, losing anymore might be difficult), I'd like to try to get down to 130.  We'll see how that goes.  

The turning point from elliptical to running came on a cruise I took with family.  I kept working out while on the cruise, and one day (about January 2, 2008), I ran 5 miles on the treadmill.  This sounds like nothing now, especially considering I ran 8 miles today (today is actually 1/19), but I had not run 5 miles before really, except maybe 2-3 times before in my life (one of which was a terrible half marathon I hadn't trained for).  After this, I decided I would do what I had always wanted to do - train for a marathon! So I did, and on June 8, I finished the North Olympic Discovery Marathon in 4:45.

So those are the things that I need to remember in times when I'm feeling dissapointed with lack of progress... that in one year I lost 25 pounds, went from being a non-runner to being a "runner", something I imagine will stick with me for life.  The drive to "PR" is now inside and all of my New Years resolutions revolve around PRs.  Last January I was running on a treadmill at 5.3mph, this year I'm running at 6.5mph (and trying to push it to 6.7-7.0).  Last year I was running outside at 10-11 min/miles.  Today I just ran 8 miles at a 9:06 pace.  These are the things I must remember, and be thankful that I'm healthy, and have been injury free thus far (knock on wood).

So before this gets more lengthy - on to my new years resolutions for 2009 and beyond!

1) As mentioned before, if I can lose a few more pounds, try to get down to 130ish. 

2) Run the Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon in less than 4:20!  I think this is a goal for this year.  I'm thinking I will try to run one marathon a year (the time committment is just so much, so I will do lots of halfs and probably just one full a year), so 2010's goal will be less than 4:00, and 2011's goal will be to qualify for Boston with less than 3:40.  As time goes on we'll see how likely this is! 

3) Run a 10k in less than 49:00.  This will definitely require a great deal more speed workouts than I'm doing now, as will #4.

4) Run a 5k in less than 24:00. 

5) Run a half marathon in less than 2 hours.  I feel confident that I'll be able to reach this goal this year (knock on wood again!), so for the rest of the year and 2010, strive for less than 1:55. 

6) Run consistently!  In 2008 I ran 1,058 miles - try to consistently run 25 miles/week or more in 2009, track it consistently, and run a total of 1,300 miles or so in 2009!

I was worthless this weekend - I hate that.  Had great intentions of getting 2 long runs in outside (5 & 6 miles), but then yesterday we helped someone move and it ended up taking the whole day and we didn't get back until 10:30pm or so, which was unexpected, and all day today I was just feeling blah, unmotivated, and slightly sick feeling.  So I ended up walking all 6 of these miles on treadmill - SO terrible!  Tomorrow will be better.

Still feeling sick to the stomach today, blah.  Tried to run, ran about 1.5 miles at 6.5/6.0 before I had to stop, I felt so worthless!  Walked the rest. 

And we're back!  Finally felt good today - ran 5 miles at 6.5 (9:13), .25 walking cool-down. Felt good to finally run not feeling sick.  The winter is neverending though, I cannot wait until summer - running outside and daylight to run in after work.  That is the dream. 

I don't really remember this workout but I wrote it down on my handwritten log that it was 3 miles running, 1.75 walking.  

1 mile walking, 2.5 miles running @ 6.5, .5 miles walking.  

Actually got to run outside today!  With the GARMIN.  Maybe I'll even put in splits later.

Ran 9 laps around the neighborhood, some of the middle miles (4ish) with Cooper, until he was too tired and I had to run him home before I finished.  Poor dog!   Feeling very slow and sluggish today, Garmin showed average of 9:40 miles or so, though there was a decent amount of walking in there with taking Cooper to/from house and a few short breaks.  Defeinitely didn't make me confident at all!  I have to run at LEAST a 6 miler every week outside.  Hopefully I'll be able to get in another decent run outside tomorrow before the work week starts again.  I hope it doesn't rain...

Went for a run this morning, intending to do 5ish.  Was feeling sluggish and blah, I don't get this!  Usually I feel great when I get to run outside.  Was dissapointing, ran 2, then walked an additional 1, feeling like a running failure!

So I did an evening run too, on the treadmill, 4 miles at 6.5-6.7 (9:13 or 8:57).  Felt much better, though that familiar side ache did start to creep up on me again.  

2 walking miles at 4.0, 2 running miles at 6.5.  I guess the thing to say about treadmill running is that I at least put in more time walking just because I want to finish watching stupid tv (like the bachelor!)

2 @ 6.5, 2 @ 7, 1 @ 7.5

I need to start trying to run more at 7mph, that's more the speed I'm expecting my body to go outside.  It was nice to actually feel good and motivated while running today.  Though I guess Bob Harper screaming at that Joelle girl about working out is enough to get anyone motivated!

1.5 @ 6.5, 1.5 @ 7.0, except for last .15 or so that were at 8.0

3 miles @ 6.5, .25 miles walking cool-down.  Played tennis earlier today for the first time in almost a year (1 hour, 15 minutes), and I am going to be hurting big time from it, I can tell already.  I hope I'm still able to get in my long run tomorrow or Monday.

Still SO sore from the tennis.  I can barely walk.  4 miles walking on the treadmill at 4.0, this even seemed excrutiating!  I guess tennis was a really bad idea.

Still a little sore from tennis today but actually did a long run outside!  Was proud.  Ventured outside of my little neighborhood loop as well.  Planned to do 7 but had run a little farther from home than I thought, ended up being perfect though.  My legs were definitely tired.  

Garmin says 1:13 running time, average pace of  9:07. 

Mile splits: 9:05, 9:20, 9:12, 9:24, 9:01, 8:45, 9:16, 8:49

Total ascent (& descent!): 825 ft

Only 2.5 of that was running today, but tried to make it a mini-tempo run.  Walked the first mile at 4.0, ran .5 miles at 6.5/6.7 and then ran 2 miles at 7.0 (8:34).  Walked last .5 miles.  

2 miles running, .5 miles walking cool-down.

5 miles running @ 6.5, .3 mile walking cool-down

3.5 running at 6.5, .5 miles cool-down walking.

Later, felt guilty about a terrible day of eating pizza and candy so did 2 miles on the elliptical and 1 mile walking on the treadmill! :-)

Still in Missoula which is FREEZING, so unfortunately no outside run this weekend.  I have eaten a ridiculous amount of food this weekend, which I'm sure has done some damage despite getting a decent amount of treadmill miles in at the hotel!  2 pizza meals, ughhhhh.  

Anyway, 6 miles on the treadmill, 3 @ 6.5, 2.5@ 6.7 (8:57), and the last .5 increasing every .1 or so up to 8.0 (7:30).  .25 walking cool-down.

Back on the wagon tomorrow!

6 miles on the treadmill while watching the biggest loser.  :-)  1 mile walking warm-up, 1 mile walking cool-down, 4 miles in between at 6.5, increasing at the end up to 8.0 in the last half mile or so.

Got up early to do 3 quick miles at 6.5 since my dad has been in town and I have class tonight.  Not getting in as many miles this week as I would have hoped.

I can't remember exactly, but it was something like 1 at 6.5, 2 at 6.7, 1 at 7.0, and the last .25 speeding up all the way to 9.0.  The first time I ever ran 9.0 on our treadmill, even if it was only for .1 miles!  Then a .4 cooldown or so. 

9 miles in Justin's hilly neighborhood.  Went down the the dog park, did a loop there, then went down to Palisades market, which was great on the way down because I just flew down, and then when I turned around I wanted to dieeeee, it was such a long, torturous hill and I never really felt as good afterwards.  Did two more laps at the dog park then headed back up to justin's house.  Average of 9:00 min miles exactly, total time of 1:21.  Probably would have been less except the last mile itself was 9:31 as the last mile was pretty much all up hill and I was sooo tired!

Splits of:

9:18, 8:46, 8:40, 8:39, 9:08, 8:40, 9:01, 9:10, 9:31

Total Ascent: 1,292.  I thought it felt super hilly!  :-)  My calves think so too, as they're still super sore 2 days later.