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Showing posts from August, 2010

Week 6 Has Started

After my first ever 20 miler, I felt fine. Almost no soreness, some issues with the ITB on my right knee, but otherwise ready to go. So, I decided to give a short recovery run a try, since I was on the verge of breaking into 200 miles this month. So off I went and by Mile 0.53, the skies opened and I had to go back home. While I waited for the rain to stop, I finished 30 minutes of kickboxing which improved my legs a lot. Then I finished the 3 miler at a pace so slow, I think the turtles were passing me by. I finished Monday with some weights. I thought that I would be sore from that workout today, but I felt even better. I had a 9 miler scheduled and the weather cooperated. It was cloudy and cool. A mere 84 degrees. Some sun but some rain and lots of clouds for the most part. I noticed the cool weather immediately since I was breaking sub-12mm as soon as I started. By Mile 2 I was breaking sub-11mm. I finished the 9 miles in 1:38:52 or 10:59mm, which is in the faster range

Day 35 - First 20 Miler

Wow! Who would have thought I would be able to run 20? And I ran it the whole way, except when I had to stop home for some reason or other. So, I'm very proud of myself. And I'm still moving so no major issues. This was a somewhat hard run. Everything that could happen was thrown my way to see whether I would quit. I twisted my ankle during Friday's run, my feet and legs were sore from Thursday's tempo fiasco, I am getting a cold and to top it all off, I have some symptoms related to women issues that I knew I had to deal with during this long run. In addition, there was a very hard rainstorm at Mile 2 and Mile 13. But I prevailed. Stats: Temp: 83-88F Heat Index: 93-102F Humidity: 82% - 73% Dew Point: 76-78F Goal Pace: 10:56 - 11:56mm Pace: 12:54mm Fuel: Gu Chomps every 2.5 miles, water at every mile, Gatorade after Mile 13 Here are the splits with some comments about the run: Mile 1 - 12:42 (soaked already from the sweat. It's also 5am and I'

Day 33 - The 8 Miler from Hell

The run was not that bad, but yesterday's run made me sore, which means this one made me sorer. And I twisted my ankle at Mile 7. I continued running and I hope is nothing. I have the beginning of shin splints, some achilles soreness and 1 day to prepare for m FIRST EVER 20 MILER. Not in the best shape to do it but I'm still going to. 8.35 miles tonight at 11:52mm which is long run pace. It was hot. When I came back home at 9pm it was 86 feels like 96. I did not want to look further. But I am still hoping for Winter to come soon.

Day 32 - When Everything Goes Wrong During a Run

I should have taken an SRD today but nope, I wanted to run no matter what. I had to go to the Apple Store to pick up my Ipod and of course, I decided to purchase 2 Iphone 4s for my husband and I. I left the store so late and the store is so far from home the trip back took 30 minutes without traffic. As soon as I got home, I dressed and went out. I had an 8 miler with 6 @ tempo scheduled for tonight but since it was already 7:30pm, it was too late for that. So, I exchange the 6 I had for tomorrow with the 8s and attempted 4 @ MP. Well, I forgot to check the weather; it was too hot for that. 86 (heat index 96) with 77% humidity and 76 dew point at 8pm! I was barely able to eek out 1 warmup mile and 2 miles @ MP when I had to walk. And run. And walk. Finished with 5 miles in the end but I felt deflated. Until I saw the temps and I felt better. So off I go and get back up. Tomorrow we have 8 and 20 on Sunday. The show must go on.

Day 31 - A Treadmill Run

The weather was horrible today. 100% chance of thunderstorms, 100F (heat index) and 100% humidity. So, since it was going to rain, I chose the TM. Usually the 100F would not deter me running outside, but I was glad it rained because the 100% humidity was not nice. Legs felt dead for about 4 miles. I had another sleepless night last night, so I have not slept well and that was probably the cause. After Mile 4, I was able to maintain a nice pace and finished at pace. Average 11:25mm. Still mulling over my first 20 miler this weekend. I hope I can do it and injury free.

Day 30 - I Never Learn

Time and time again I remember why I should take my allergy medication every night before going to bed. It always messes my runs; cannot breathe, nose runs, etc. In addition to that, I was unable to sleep more than 4 hours last night. Then, I spent all day walking around the office in high heels, followed by driving more than an hour to pick up an Ipod that was not ready to be picked up. Finally I made it back home in time to meet the running group and my miles feel like crap. It was hot but cloudy, which is good. Since Saturday, I've been finally running on pace. Today was my best run pace-wise, yet my worse run because I felt so bad. 7 miles at 10:55mm; not bad at all (it's actually one second faster than pace, LOL). And I'm taking my allergy medication right now!

Day 28 - The End of Cutback Week

Today I had an 8 miler scheduled as the long run for the week, being a cutback week. I've not felt my best throughout the week and my energy has been kind of down. I'm still fighting a cold that seems never to run away and a dry cough that came in last November, left in April, and came back last month. My husband (he's a doctor) had warned me that this type of cough comes back again and again without cure or explanation and he was right. Sometimes it bothers me while I run, but most of the time it's just there. Temps have been quite cooler lately (since it's been thundering and raining the whole weekend). By cool I mean 83 (feels like 93) versus 90 (feels like 103). My pace really felt it today. Goal Pace: 10:56 - 11:56mm Actual Pace: 11:25mm Temp: 83F Heat Index: 93F Humidity: 80% Dew Point: 77F Overall, a nice pace that makes me hopeful that when the temps finally come down, I'll be pacing all right.

Day 27

It's a shame that the thunderstorms arrived again today, cutting my 7 miler into a meager 4.07, because I was finally pacing at normal easy paces instead of the stupid slowness that has attacked me since the Summer started. So, I started the run after a nice nap. I've been so tired all week because of work. Good thing this was a cutback week. Left the house at 6:45pm with the sky cleared after a thunderstorm in the afternoon. I decided to leave the complex (which is 7 miles long) to vary my run a bit. Ran on the sidewalks and paced great at 11:21mm (I was going much faster the last 3 but as usual my first mile is my warmup and slow). At Mile 3 as I was coming into the complex, the sky was completely black and I could see lightning nearby. I decided to push for another mile at least and as I was finishing it, the wind picked up and the rain starting falling. I would not be surprised if there was a tornado warning somewhere in Miami. After I got home and hydrated, I did 45

Day 26

This cutback week is never-ending. Busy at work, feet hurt from one of the shoes I wore this week (for work), and the weather just took a turn for the worse. But, at the last moment, the sky cleared, the lightning left to bother somebody else, and the sun even came out. Lots of humidity, but at least the temps were somewhat cooler. The temp was at around 79F (feels like 82), with 82% humidity and 73F dew point. Pretty cool compared to the other days (although I forgot to look at the weather prior to running, this week has been one of Miami's hottest). Goal Pace was easy pace: 10:56 - 11:26mm Actual Pace: 11:39mm Pretty good, considering I'm tired, the weather was ugh, and part the route was flooded. I truly hope that the temps cool down soon because I've been running the slowest I've run this year.

Day 25

This week has been too hectic for my taste. I was unable to run yesterday because my ipod died on Tuesday, has two more days before the warranty expires so we went to the Apple Store to see whether I would get a new one. Well, the Apple Store we went to has no service for that, so I wasted my trip. But by the time we came back home it was past 11pm so I did not run. On to Thursday. Hectic at work with an appointment at another Apple Store at 6pm. Miami traffic as usual is the worst and I was to travel during rush hour down South from Flagler Street (Street Zero) to SW 136. I made it fine but traffic gave me a headache. They will be giving me a new shuffle but since mine has been discontinued they'll have to order it. So I get home at around 6:40pm and am able to run. Slow run. Legs feel dead, feet are swollen, and I did recovery pace. Using my Ipod classic I was able to entertain myself while watching the thunder clouds hover over my head. Some drizzling but no r

Day 23

This week is a cutback week. I have only 36 miles scheduled. Today was an easy 7. I went to the park to meet the Doral Runners. It was hot today; DH even commented on it being one of the hottest days this year. It was passed 90 and the heat index was above 100. 75% humidity and the like. I did not manage to write everything down before I left. By the time I arrived at the park, the sun was hiding behind rain clouds. Good because the temperature went down somewhat, or so I thought. My first mile was horrible. I was barely hitting high 12mm. It was humid!!!! Plus I ate something the night before and my stomach was acting up. The Ipod started turning off and on and even stopped working for a bit. I was able to put it back on and I continued on. Mile 2 through 4 went fine. Still a little slow but doing negative splits. I stopped at Mile 4 to get some Gatorade because it was still hot. The Ipod died forever at Mile 3.50 so I left it in the car. Miles 5 through 7 were boring be

Day 22 - Back on the Crosstrain Track

On Monday, I had an SRD (Scheduled Rest Day) and I decided to go back and cross train like I was doing earlier in the year. Kickboxing is a great workout for me and it helps me recover from the long run better. I was surprised I had almost no soreness since the 18 miler. In fact, I felt great all day long. So, I decided to give cross training a go. I've been doing the Turbo Jam series for years. I love Chalene Johnson and her mix of kickboxing, capoeira, and dancing moves. She just released the Turbo Fire workouts, which I think were designed as competition for the P90X workouts, which I also bought. Here is my opinion on both: I did the first DVD from the Turbo Fire series, Fire 30, Stretch 10. It was awesome as usual. The warmup was exactly as Chalene's usual warmups and the moves felt familiar. I was soaked by the time I finished. I then did the stretching portion and went on to try the P90X ones. I've heard so many great things about the P90X series. Everybod

Day 21 - My first 18

Today was my first 18 miler. I was a little concerned because my longest was 16 and the program jumped right to 18. But, I planned on walking, crawling, and just finishing. I have other 18 milers where I can actually perform well. This long run surprised me. Temps were super high so I was not expecting feeling that good. The energy never left and, although I had to walk a few tenths of a mile since Mile 15, I felt great. I had to drink the Orinoco River but all is well. Stats: Weight: 166 Temps: 82-89F Felt Like: 91-103F Humidity: 85% Dew Point: 79 Pounds Lost: 2 lbs. Goal Pace: 10:54-11:54mm Actual Pace: 12:39mm Average HR: 152 Here are the splits and some comments on them: Mile 1 - 13:24 (As usual, my first mile is too slow but I'm half asleep when I first start) Mile 2 - 12:59 (Last week I did not even break the 13mm so even though I'm already soaked, I know the run is going well) Mile 3 - 12:44 (I continue to do my usual negative splits per mile. I ha

Day 19

Today I ran an easy 6 miler. Nothing much to say about it. It was hot, uneventful, and slow. At least I broke the 12 mm mark even with the heat. Now off to hydrate and eat for my first 18 miler on Sunday.

Day 18 - A Not so Tempo Run

Today, I had a tempo run scheduled, 7 miles with 5 @ tempo pace. Two weeks ago, the tempo run was a disaster because the heat got to me. Today, I was even dreading it. I thought of just doing a simple 7 miler and be done with it, but after my mile 1 warmup I decided to try to run at least at MP. I ran just slightly slower than tempo (10 seconds), so the run was a success. Stats: Weight: 165 Temps: 90F Felt Like: 101F Humidity: 63% Dew Point: 76 Pounds Lost: 6 lbs. Goal Pace: 9:23mm - 9:53mm Actual Pace: 10:03mm Average HR: 169 Overall, a successful run.

Day 17 - Back to the Heat

I had a 7 miler scheduled for today and the day was HOT! I started earlier than usual because I was going to dinner and drinks with a friend. So I started at my normal Winter time of 6pm. Wow, what a difference even 1/2 hour makes. Here are the stats: Weight: 165 Temps: 88F Felt Like: 101F Humidity: 70% Dew Point: 77 Pounds Lost: 6 lbs. Goal Pace: 10:56mm - 11:56mm Actual Pace: 12:18mm Average HR: 149 I really hope that when the temps go down, so does my pace because I was running 7 milers (heck, I was running 14 milers) at 10:55mm earlier this year.

Day 16

I took Monday (Day 15) as a rest day after the long run. I scheduled another massage and it was wonderful. The only soreness I still have left is the one in my achilles tendon. I hope it gets better as the week goes by. Since it's been raining for the past 3 days, I decided to run on the TM at work. I finished 7.50 miles and they felt wonderful. No heat, almost no sweat, no stopping. I decided to do the 7 miler at recovery pace since my achilles was still sore, and they felt even better than Sunday's which was 1:05mm slower. Overall, a good run. The achilles tendon felt nice afterwards. Until the muscle got cold and it's back to sore :-(

Day 14 - First 16 Miler

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Today, I ran my first 16 miler. I had run 12, 13, and 14 with quite frequency. I've only run one 15 miler and it was at 35F so it was under 2:30 hours. I have not even hit a 12 miler at that pace so I knew I had my work cut out for me. Pre-Run: I had the usual Fruit Loops, milk, and OJ prior to the long run. I did not get much sleep because I woke up at 10:30am the morning before. I checked the temps and they were horrendous. A hot hot day. Miles 1-10 - The temps were so bad I wanted to quit from the get go. It was approximately 81F (heat index 88) with 100% humidity (I actually checked this twice because I could not believe it). I was not even close to last week's pace, least of all long run pace. I was not even going under 13mm. But my main focus was getting the miles in and forgetting about everything else. I was fueling once again with the Gu Chomps, eating 2 every 2.5 miles. At Mile 10 I went back home, change the tech shirt you see on the picture for another (s

Days 11 and 12 - Different Runs, Same Result

I did two sets of 7 miles yesterday and today. One was horrible, the other one was pleasant. I ran at the same pace. I don't understand why. Day 11 - I went to the park and met the Doral Runners. The car said it was 97 when I stepped out. The park had no shade. I started running and I had to stop at Miles 2, 3, and 4. My heart rate was too high. I got in the car, drove home and finished the last 3 in the shade. The last 3 were very enjoyable. Pace 11:54mm (long run pace). Day 12 - I ran in my complex. The run was pleasant, it was cloudy, the temps hovered at 84F (heat index 92) with 74% humidity and 75 dew point. Although I felt I was running at the same pace, I was getting slower. No issues, really. I loved the run. Pace 11:54mm. OK? All I can think of is that the humidity on Day 11 was much slower and because the last 3 were faster than the first 4, I ran overall faster than I would have had I stay in the park. Although not on pace, I really enjoyed today's ru

Day 10 - Mile Repeats

T oday I had a speedwork session scheduled. I knew it was going to be hard because I was all day on my feet in Court and thereabout and in high heels. But it was not. Schedule called for 2 X 1600 and a total of 6 miles. I warmed up with 2 miles at a slower than easy pace and proceeded to do 2 mile repeats with 800s recovery jogs. Then I ended the workout with another 2 miles at a slower than easy pace. Here are the stats: Warmup : Weight: 165 Temps: 89F Felt Like: 99F Humidity: 63 % Dew Point: 75 Pounds Lost: 0 lbs. (I still cannot comprehend this) Goal Pace: 10:56mm - 11:26mm Actual Pace: 11:37mm Average HR: 126 As soon as I left the house, the rain started falling, and the skies turned black. This benefited me although I don't run in the rain, because the temps started coming down. By the time I started the speedwork the temps were much lower. Mile Repeats : Weight: 165 Temps: 78F Felt Like: 78F Humidity: 88% Dew Point: 74 Pounds Lost: 0 lbs. Goal Pace: 8

Day 9: Week 2 Has Begun

Week 2 of marathon training has begun. Yesterday was a rest day and I took advantage of that and scheduled an 80 minute massage. After the bar exam and the stress of late, I wanted to relax and let all my soreness (mental and physical) go away. It was heaven. Today was a hectic day. I was in Court all day, but Court was in West Palm Beach, which means a 2-hour drive each way. So, I've been in high heels and on the run since 7am. It was supposed to rain today so I was also scared that the run had to be postponed. But after 6pm the sun came out and the heat came back in force. I finally decided to buy the heart rate monitor for my Garmin 405. I don't run based on heart rate but I wanted to see how many calories I burn with each run. What I found was a surprise (I was burning more than I thought). Here are the stats: Weight: 166 Temps: 89F Felt Like: 97F Humidity: 70% Dew Point: 75 Pounds Lost: 2 lbs. Goal Pace: 10:56mm - 11:26mm Actual Pace: 11:22mm Average HR:

First Long Run and Insights on the First Week of Marathon Training

Today, I had a 14 miler scheduled. Been there, done that, so I should not be worried, right? Except for the fact that I've been bunking all my long runs in the past 1.5 months and that I had not been able to finish 10 miles, imagine 14. I woke up at 5:15am, ate some Fruit Loops, milk, and OJ, and prepared my long run pack. I took a packet of gu chomps, a hammer gel (just in case), Mace and 20oz of water. My ipod and Garmin were also included and off we went. I started running at 6:08 AM. It was already hot and I could tell that it was going to be a hot day. I felt good throughout the first 5 miles, then throughout miles 5-10, then I make a quick stop at the park to refill my water bottle. There was no water! I had 1 oz of water and 4 more miles to go with hot (very hot) temperatures. Fortunately, there was another water fountain 0.50 miles away and they had opened that one. For some reason the city does not open all the restrooms and the water fountains at once. I have n