One Bad Ass Runner

Last night the heat was back on.  It's little by little creeping back into our lives.  I had a 6 miler planned, 4.5 with the running group. First, I did the foam roller for 20 minutes.  Talk about painful.  The only thing that did not hurt was the hamstring which is the one I'm supposed to work on. After that, I ran 1.50 miles followed by a short drive (1 minute, LOL) to the running store to meet with the group.  I usually run there but since I have to pick up dinner afterwards, this was a better choice.  The running group started and I'm running today with three very fast runners.  One of them runs half marathons in 1:45 or something.  They were running slow but for me that was fast.  Since I've been running sub-11mm consistently, it was not bad, but after yoga and weights last night, my body was already beat. Running with them was nice, but the humidity was a little high.  It was 68 but I was sweating and hyperventilating like cr...

Yesterday, I set out to do a recovery run, since I just ran 16 yesterday.  Not that I have not run the day after a long run (like the run I did after the first 20 miler), but I did not want to push it.  Well, the legs had other plans. The weather was gorgeous (low 50s), the legs felt awesome, and the run was at sub-11mm.  Pretty good indeed.  I added a session of weights after the run and then I got ready to enjoy some BBQ ribs from Flannigan's.  Overall, a very nice Monday.

Today I ran my first real long run since the marathon.  16 miles in 18mph headwinds and 100% humidity and rain.  It was awesome.  I tried a new pre-long run dinner and a new breakfast combo.  If not now, when can I experiment, right? So my newest pre-run dinner was a nice Weight Watcher Chicken Coconut Curry recipe.  Awesome one, especially over quinoa.  I'll try it again with other pastas to see how they work for longer runs.  I've been also considering switching from cereal to a plain smoothie for the long runs, since I cannot eat that early on race day and carrying cereal, milk, etc., is not practical.  So, I tried a normal strawberry/banana/kefir/flax seeds smoothie. Both the meal and the smoothie helped a lot.  I never got hungry which is usual during my long runs, even though I also take Crank e-gels at every 5 miles.  I had so much energy today I could have run another 2 miles.  I even ran my best miles on the last 4 mile...

This week I've increased my mileage. I should finish at above 40 miles, which is the highest mileage week since the marathon.  The runs have gone well, although I'm tired, but it's mostly because I've increased the cross training and weights session this week as well.  Second visit to the chiropractor to work on my back, which feels much better.  Next week I'm going to the spinal orthopedist to get a second opinion on the cause and treatment for my lower back pain.  Moving makes it worse and kickboxing and weights have helped too. Today I had a grueling 7 miler, coupled with 1 hour of lower and upper body weights and stretching.  I feel good. Next run: 16 miles on Sunday.  Not the longest I've run but the longest I've run since the marathon.

I'm technically starting the marathon training today.  The first 2 weeks post marathon were mostly recovery weeks of less than 20 and 30 miles respectively.  This week is 43. I'm also down 7 pounds since I started eating healthier, although during tapering I went crazy and gained 4 of them.  I'm finally breaking the 164 mark and weighed 163.40 two days in a row.  That's huge for me.  I'm eating as healthy as I can, considering I have to eat out at least once a day for work. I'm also working on my form thanks to the chiro's suggestions to improve the lower back pain.  I ran 7.25 miles today and they were fast (for me).  I started at low 11mm and ended at low 10mm.  They miles felt too easy and they kept getting better and better.  I don't know what else could it be (apart from training), but I suspect is me trying to run with good form instead of slouching all throughout the miles.  It's hard when you're tired (last few miles the pace...

Well, except for the back and inner thigh issues, which I'm already working with the chiro to resolve.  I'm also going to the spinal orthopedist to check the back and get a second opinion as to treatment. Today I ran a 7 miler as a long run.  This was last week's long run until the crazy woman that inhabits my body decided to a half marathon race instead.  I took it easy or so I thought.  I ran by feel yet at every mile I kept seeing I was doing low 10mm to 10:30mm.  Finished with 7.28 miles at 10:34mm which is almost marathon pace and the miles felt too easy. By Mile 3, the inner thigh/groin area started to hurt.  I stretched it after I came back and it almost feels normal.  I'll talk to the orthopedist and the massage therapist to see what else they recommend. Tomorrow starts the mileage buildup again for marathon # 2.  I've asked some running friends and I've decided not to do speed work until the 5K in January and use the races I have on...

I finally went to the chiropractor to deal with the lower back pain I've had for ages.  I have some sort of issue with the lower vertebrae and the vertebrae has moved.  He believes that's the cause of my inner thigh and hip pain lately. So, I got instructions for some stretches, and therapy with massage included.  Once he cracked my back, I felt so much better and less tight. Today was my first run since the visit.  Runs have been slow (except for the half race) but I'm taking it easy.  Today I ran 6 miles at my normal pre-marathon pace (which is now faster than the easy pace I trained with).  By Mile 4 my hip was hurting a bit but considering all the stuff the chiro did, it's understandable.  The inner thigh was sore once I got home but my stretches eliminated most of the soreness immediately.  I'm very happy with having found a diagnosis and starting treatment.  Now every time I run I have to repeat, shoulders back, tighten the abs, move ...

I had signed up for this race thinking I would run my first marathon on Thanksgiving weekend, giving me extra time to get back on track.  So when I switched marathons I was like GULP!  at the idea of doing a half marathon a week after my full.  But hey, I thought I'd give it a try. It was very cold (low 50s), so I knew I could easily run a good pace because of the weather.  Unfortunately, humidity was 100%. Of course I overdid it!  By Mile 6 I was on route to a new PR and I said NO!  You're supposed to take it easy.  So at Mile 7 I started walking the water stations.  That first walk really helped me get back on track.  After that I was running at sub-11mm with the walking breaks at the water stations.  I started enjoying the race much more after I dropped the pace by one minute.  Other than my foot falling asleep at Mile 11 making me lose 15 seconds retying the shoe everything went great.  Support was great, lots of wa...

Today, I ran my first run since Sunday.  It was just a 2 miler @ recovery pace, but still. After the marathon, I had a massage which was heavenly.  That helped with the soreness and by yesterday I was walking fine and even sprinted.  So I decided to take the shot and run a little bit today.  I am still winded and have some congestion, but other than that and the swollen feet, everything is working as it should be.

Short:    I finished my first marathon today, the Palm Beaches Marathon.  It was not pretty and I failed to meet any goal I had, except finishing.  I walked a lot and finished somewhere in the 5:5X:XX, which is even slower than my long runs or recovery paces.  It was that bad.  But I am finally a marathoner. Long:  Please grab a drink, some popcorn, because I'm shooting for 1st place above Jason and Mandy, LOL. I don't know what happened.  I think it was the trip to Atlanta.  After I hopped on the plane on Thursday, I started to feel sick.  I had a sore throat and some chest and nose congestion.  I thought I was back to 100% but the chest tightened all throughout the race.  I've never been so out of breath running before.  I've never felt so out of breath while walking until today. Training:  I used a Smart Coach 18 week program that had me running from 41mpw on the first week to 59 on Week 15.  I cho...

After 19 weeks of training, years of preparation, it's finally here.  I cannot believe it! I'm still scared but excited at the same time.  I'm not looking forward to the 1+ hour drive to West Palm Beach, but otherwise, I want it to happen already. And it's tomorrow.  Yikes.

The last week is here!!!!!  At last.  I'm so nervous I'm eating everything in my path.  Especially if it's candy or fat.  I never get nervous about any race but this one really has me on edge. I ran 8 last night as my last long run.  4 miles today.  4 seemed so............short.  I guess my legs are resting more than they are running.  6 more days!

Wow, I cannot believe it's Winter. This race was HOT and HUMID in all caps. 75-80F and 83% humidity. Short: Old PR: 1:01:24 (from last month) Course PR: 1:02:08 Goal: 59:59 NEW PR: 1:00:20  Long: I did this race last year and as usual is chaotic, hot, humid, and rainy. The only thing it was not this year was rainy. As all of you know, I've been searching for that sub-1 hour 10K for a year now and I've come to believe it won't happen unless I move somewhere cold. We only have around 3-4 10Ks around here and they are all in warm weather (even the ones in November and December). But today, I wanted to give my all and see what happened. Pre-Race: Last night I tried a new pasta. I wanted to try something new to see whether it would work for my marathon pre-race dinner next week. I am so tired of the same pasta for 18 weeks! Anyway, went to bed at midnight because DH wanted to watch a movie. Slept around 4.5 hours. My neighbor was ...

Ugh, I've done two runs this week and I can barely keep up. They were a 6 and a 5 miler but my legs feel just dead. Nothing much more to say. Is this tapering madness?

Tapering continues and it's already driving me nuts. I did 6 miles yesterday. 6!!!!!! I have not done sick in months (except during my sickness days). I added weights and core because I felt like such a slacker. Today I did my long run since I won't be able to run it on Sunday as usual. 12 awesome miles in 2:15. That's the fastest I've run long runs this season. I'm sore though and because I won't be able to run Friday through Sunday, I'm supposed to do 6 tomorrow morning. Help!

I'm tapering for my first full! I'm already freaking out and it's not even race day. I had a 7 miles tonight and they felt so.....short. Is that normal? At least work has been awfully hectic so I've had no time to think that marathon day is less than 3 weeks away. And two days after my best half marathon, I ran a 7 miler at faster than pace and the miles felt too easy to worry. I think my training is finally coming together. The one that is falling apart is me, LOL.

Today I ran my 6th half marathon and I PR'd by 2 minutes (exactly). This half marathon has a special place in my heart because it was my first half marathon (last year). It's a well organized race, small (somewhere around 4000 I think) and with great crowd participation. I had planned to run this one as an MP run but since I DNF'd my PR seeking half two weeks ago due to illness (as you all know), I wanted to race this one to see how well I could do under the circumstances. Weather: The cold snap left on Tuesday and I've been running at 80F again. The temps started dropping just a tad yesterday and the forecast was 61F with 87% humidity. Fortunately, the forecast changed to 64 with 80% humidity, which I thought was much better. I finished the half at 75F. Those 10 degrees cost me some time in the second half. Pre-Race: I am training for my first marathon so I only took one rest day as taper. This week was not as bad as the previous ones, running onl...