Sunday, January 30, 2011

This is what I did today - PNWORCA Winter Series - Jericho


This is what I did today*

Outrigger race at Jericho - approx. 10km out to bell can and back.

What looked to be a completely flat (and boring) paddle turned into awesome messiness - wind and waves.

Had a good run back in thinking of Johnny Pukea who taught me to surf the backside of the waves and passed Tanja at the second dolphin.

Breakfast at the swan afterwards with good friends... perfect Saturday!

*This photo is not from today but rather from three weeks ago from the NY's challenge in Seattle

Friday, January 28, 2011

Tonight's Run...

Another long week night run with Kimberley in the darkness... it was great.  Planning on doing it once a week even after the half marathon.

We did 8 x 10 on 1 and though the third piece really seemed to hurt the rest wasn't too painful UNTIL... she made me do sprints at the end - first it was 20 strides (approx. 15-20 seconds) each minute (starting with 3:30 left) then it was the entire last 30 seconds of sprinting.

GPS fail tonight - it stopped somewhere along the line and said we only did 1.64 km in 88 minutes (um, no).  Estimated our distance and it seemed about 13.7km (8.6 miles)

10.2 min/mile (6.4 min/km) - though taking that in stride due to gps fail...
17 days til the half marathon!!! OMG!

Oh, and freezing again... why oh why?!?!?

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Tonight's Run...

Tonight I ran... it's been almost a week due to life and laziness and fear - my training is all gearing up big time - HALF MARATHON is in 18 days!!!  So I let myself just run today - no specific workout... goal was really only 5km - ran in 33:27 (3 pieces of 10 min run, 1 min walk, plus a bit more run).  When I was done that I kept going for another mile (1.6km) which made me feel accomplished.  Workout success.

Run recap:
4.12 miles (6.6 km)
33:27 for 5km, 44:41 for 6.6km
No pace calcs, tonight it was just about the running.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Today's Run...

10 x 8 min on 1 (90 minute)
12.4 km (7.8 miles)
7.25 min/km (11.5 min/mile) - much slower than I have been running

ran outside at lunch time - found it hard to figure out what to eat before my run... ended up having half a banana before (though it normally doesn't sit well with me I had no problems today probably because I just ate half) and finished it off right after the run (which was good)

Extra credit to: Lady Gaga, Pink, Liz Phair (who gave me a rendition of 'I am extraordinary' at just the right time)

Other details to track: quads hurt afterwards today - new soreness, the 5 flights of stairs I had to walk up before my last piece killed my hip flexors again, chafing - for the first time (I've been lucky I guess)... funny because I wore the same style sports bra that I normally do (I have two that are identical except for colour) though this version rubbed in the wrong place - didn't realize til I got into the shower though which is good, blister on the bottom of my left baby toe (and slightly on the right)...

I was judgemental today - mostly to myself... I had to quiet the voice in my head that kept reminding me how slow I was and trying to change it with the voice that was cheering me on just for being out there and knocking it out...  The last 3 pieces were the worst though my speed dropped halfway through the 7th piece.  I guess it's an accomplishment that I maintained a consistent (albeit slower) pace for the first hour.  More on the judgemental thing later... that requires it's own post and discussion...  but to celebrate I DID IT!!!

Though this picture kinda represents how I felt after the workout (about my relationship with running at least):

Friday, January 14, 2011

Last Nights Run...

Last nights run was (finally) outside... I convinced my friend Kimberley to run with me (hopefully once a week) and it was a long one...

12 x 6 on
84 minutes
6.93 miles (11.08km)
avg. pace 12.12 min/mile (7.58 min/km)

Slower than on the treadmill but also by far the longest run I've done to date and it was outside in the crazy wind.

Ran out to Stanley Park past the pool at second beach - was nice to knock two pieces off before even getting on the bridge.  Was nice to be outside and running with someone my speed - made it go by faster. 

Running back up the stairs to the bridge on the way back my hip flexors cramped (new soreness) and I could barely walk up the last three flights but then managed to run up the hill at the top no problem so I think it was just the extra height of lifting my leg.

Last piece Kim made me work... we did 10-20 stride sprints for the first part of each minute and then alternated the sprint/easy for the entire last minute.  It hurt but was a good push.

An easy run...

This is a easy week for my 1/2 marathon training, and by easy I mean easy now... I can remember not that long ago the dread I would feel at having to run four minutes straight, and then having to do that 7, 8, 9, 10 times... it was horrifying and now that I've knocked off runs of 6 and 8 minute pieces, it's not so scary. Training for the win!

Last nights run:

7 x 4 on 1, 3.03 miles (4.85 km), 35 minutes

Average pace: 11.55 min/mile (7.22 min/km)

I was actually running the on pieces faster (between a 10 - 11 minute mile... 5.5-6 on the treadmill speed) but since there was more walking in this run my average pace doesn't reflect that.

Reminder to self: Say no to peanut butter before working out... celery and peanut butter snack must be confined to morning time only to allow for sufficient digestion.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Tonight I was a Nike Ad...

Just do it... I wasn't giving myself any time for excuses, I just laced up my shoes and off I went...
Another treadmill run because of darkness and cold but accomplished.
The stats:
8 x 8 on 1
6.15 miles (9.84 km)
Average pace 11.7 min/mile (7.32 min/km)
Definitely slower on the last two pieces but made it through them all.
Good tunes and mind games.
Did feel a little nauseous when I would stop to drink, had to keep moving.
Feels good having checked it off...

Friday, January 7, 2011

Last Nights Run...

10 pieces 4 minutes run, 1 minute walk, treadmill, 4.14 miles, 6.6 km, 2% incline on average, 50 Cent, Robyn, Roxette... success!

Glad to have put my shoes on but pretty sore today - I think it's where my IT band connects at the top, have to find some good stretches for this or perhaps plan to hit up a yoga class soon (though not sure when exactly I'll have the time)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

In November I signed up for my first ever half marathon - February 13th - not because I have a goal to run a 1/2 but rather because I need something to get my butt out running - and not because I enjoy running but it's good for me and I know I should be doing it and way back when at one time in my life it was something I did enjoy and with that...  instant motivation (kinda).
I have to admit that I slacked off quite a bit over the past week and a half with the holidays and -30 degree (Celsius) weather while visiting my folks - one freezing run and that was it.  It was hard to get back to BUT... last night I did.  I jumped on the treadmill even though there were many things inspiring me to do anything but run... I did it and I felt like a rockstar.  The (old) guy beside me was giving me odd looks when I mouthed the words to songs a little to intensely and the (cute) boy on the other side gave me an amused smirk when my arms shot into the air triumphantly (it really is the little things) at having finished my workout (9 by 6 on 1 - the longest I've ever run on a treadmill in my life - 63 minutes of hurt - 5.22 miles covered though).
I was thinking of the little things that helped me through this run and decided to note them for future reference:
-My wonderful ipod for choosing the perfect mix of music to keep me motivated...
-Madonna, Lady Gaga, Cindy Lauper and other cheesy music giving me an extra spring in my step
-Em from Emphasis Added for chronicling her marrathons (and training) - somewhere she talked about starting to run and doing it by song rather than by time or distance and this helped me get through the pieces last night - just two songs (or less) and I knew my piece would be done
-These awesome new shoes complete with awesome purple accents: