I made it through another week…and met my goals again. I’m still waiting for the runs to get easier and am hopeful that will happen in the next week or two. The weather cooled down a lot this week, which makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. In the next couple weeks I’m planning on not adding much to my distance, and instead really focusing on my form. I can tell it’s a little off, causing me to use a lot more energy than if it were correct. It’s hard to know exactly what you’re doing wrong without having someone who knows better telling you. It’s also hard to keep proper form when you’re body is tired.
I’ve been incorporating some cross-training along with keeping up on some weight training. I look forward to getting out for some hiking soon, now that the weather is cooling off. I like to take the dog, and it’s too hot for her…and me…in the dead of summer. It’s such a great way to get exercise and add some variety to training…not to mention the views you get from the top of a mountain.
I also found out this weekend a few more friends are joining in for the half. Melissa and Adam have started training…good luck guys! I also found out Dan is running the half instead of the full this year. I’ll have to hit him up for tips along the way since he seems to be a regular pro at this running! I just think it’s great so many people are committed…it’s such a great way to do something good for your body and mind. I look forward to the party at the finish line. Still 16 weeks to go, so if any of you are considering it, there’s plenty of time to get there! Even starting from zero, I believe anyone could train for it…it just takes a little commitment, lots of consistency, and a fair amount of conviction.
Week 2 Summary: Goal 15 miles, long run 4.25 miles. I completed four runs for a total of 15 miles. I ran my longest run (4.25 miles) in 38:01 (8:57). My average pace for the week was 9:02 miles. I’ve completed a few back to back runs also.
Week 3 Goal: My goal this week is going to be 15.5 miles. I’m going to bump my long run up to 4.5 miles…I anticipate this to be a bit painful, but I want to keep pushing upward each week.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
One down, 17 to go...
I reached my week one goal on day seven on the nose. It feels really good to have a week under my belt, although the runs haven’t been easy. I’m having to remind myself each day to be realistic, but it’s hard to not want to pick up where I left off just a few months ago. I guess it goes to show how important consistency is in running…and while my sporadic runs on the treadmill over the summer may keep me from starting at zero, they certainly haven’t kept my endurance up. So my long run for the week was 4 miles, and my average pace for the week was 9:00 miles. A pretty good pace to start…in fact I’m thinking I may need to slow it down a bit in order to lengthen my runs.
I’ve been running with a Garmin Forerunner. It’s a GPS system you wear on your wrist. It tells you your real-time pace, along with distance and time. It’s a pretty great tool…keeps me honest on exactly how long and how fast each run is. Hopefully it’ll help me to figure out my best pace for adding some distance.
The great news for this week is the forecast has it cooling down so our lows are in the mid-70’s (10 degrees cooler than last week’s lows). It is considerably less painful running in cooler temps, so I’m looking forward to it. I did start out this week with a 3.5 mile run yesterday. That was my first back to back run so far…and probably my hardest. It was humid, hot, and my legs were a bit tired from previous runs and visits to the gym, but I made it. That’s one of the greatest feelings I get from running…when a hard run is over! Ah, I love that feeling!
Week 1 Summary: Goal 15 miles. I completed four outdoor runs for a total of 15 miles. My average pace was 9:00 miles. My fastest pace was my Thursday run at 8:54, and my slowest was also my longest (4 miles), on Sunday at 9:04.
Week 2 Goal: My goal this week is going to be 15 miles again. I’m going to try for a long run of 4.25 miles. I’m hoping the cooler weather may make these runs a little easier so I can add a little distance next week.
I’ve been running with a Garmin Forerunner. It’s a GPS system you wear on your wrist. It tells you your real-time pace, along with distance and time. It’s a pretty great tool…keeps me honest on exactly how long and how fast each run is. Hopefully it’ll help me to figure out my best pace for adding some distance.
The great news for this week is the forecast has it cooling down so our lows are in the mid-70’s (10 degrees cooler than last week’s lows). It is considerably less painful running in cooler temps, so I’m looking forward to it. I did start out this week with a 3.5 mile run yesterday. That was my first back to back run so far…and probably my hardest. It was humid, hot, and my legs were a bit tired from previous runs and visits to the gym, but I made it. That’s one of the greatest feelings I get from running…when a hard run is over! Ah, I love that feeling!
Week 1 Summary: Goal 15 miles. I completed four outdoor runs for a total of 15 miles. My average pace was 9:00 miles. My fastest pace was my Thursday run at 8:54, and my slowest was also my longest (4 miles), on Sunday at 9:04.
Week 2 Goal: My goal this week is going to be 15 miles again. I’m going to try for a long run of 4.25 miles. I’m hoping the cooler weather may make these runs a little easier so I can add a little distance next week.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Getting started...
I got out for my first day of training yesterday. Had to get out early on account that it’s still hot here, and the coolest hours are first thing in the morning (even then still in the mid-80’s)…and the Vikings played at 10a! I made my way out with the intention of a 3-3.5 mile run. I figured my body might need a little time adjusting to running outdoors again, so I planned on a short run. As always, the first mile to mile and a half is pretty rough…seems to take my body that long to get into a rhythm, but after that it usually gets a lot easier…and it did. So much so, that I opted to add a little distance and finished out a four mile run for my first day. Ran it in 36:15 (9:04 miles), so my time is still pretty good, and I’m feeling pretty encouraged for my first day of training. I will note that my pace on the first three miles was much faster than the last mile. Going to be a little work on adding distance, but I know if I keep at it and build little by little, I’ll be there in no time.
I am looking to run a 10k or maybe a 10 mile run sometime in November or December, although I’m still trying to decide which race. I figure it will be a good shorter-term goal to keep me on track.
And I found out some great news yesterday…I have two people who are hoping to run the PF Changs also (CB and AA:))! While I tend to run better by myself, it sure is a great motivator to have others to share in the journey. I’m excited for them both…I know they’re in for a very rewarding experience. Hopefully we can get out for some runs together soon!
Goal for Week 1: I may need to run a few of these indoors, but I’m hoping for 15 miles this week. I’d like at least three days of running outdoors, one of which was yesterday.
I am looking to run a 10k or maybe a 10 mile run sometime in November or December, although I’m still trying to decide which race. I figure it will be a good shorter-term goal to keep me on track.
And I found out some great news yesterday…I have two people who are hoping to run the PF Changs also (CB and AA:))! While I tend to run better by myself, it sure is a great motivator to have others to share in the journey. I’m excited for them both…I know they’re in for a very rewarding experience. Hopefully we can get out for some runs together soon!
Goal for Week 1: I may need to run a few of these indoors, but I’m hoping for 15 miles this week. I’d like at least three days of running outdoors, one of which was yesterday.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Warming Up...
Hey all! So once again, I’m training to run the PF Changs Half Marathon in January. I decided to blog my progress for a couple of reasons…first, it’ll keep me on track those days I really don’t want to run, and second, it’ll allow you to see how I’m doing (and hopefully send me some encouragement:)).
I tend to do best on any long-term goal when I break it down into shorter-term goals. This worked great last year training, so I’m going to try a similar approach this year. I have the advantage of my experience from last time around…but I've also increased my goal by quite a bit. No sense in not improving, and I figure since I proved to myself I can complete the run, I may as well aim higher this year.
A little on my running history…I didn’t grow up a long distance runner…in fact I hated it. I was always a fast, short-distance runner. In college I started to work running into my workouts. But I still dreaded it. I worked my way up over the years, but was often plagued with knee injuries (or the frequent broken bones, serious cuts to my feet and knees that occur when you’re a complete klutz and require months of healing time). About five years ago I dedicated myself to really adding some distance…the only trick was, I did it all on the treadmill. After probably a year of not much running (see comment above regarding self-induced injuries), I decided last September I was going to try to run the half in January. It took about a month, and a move back across the state, to really motivate me…and I began training last October. Pretty much starting from zero, I began training entirely outdoors for the first time in my life. My initial goal was just to finish the 13.1 mile run on January 13th. There were a lot of days I wasn’t sure that would happen. But I kept pushing…I really wanted to do this race…it was ultimately the biggest physical goal I’d ever placed on myself. So week after week I went out there and just aimed to add time to my previous week.
The week of the race, I had yet to hit my training goal of 90 minutes. I was close, but wasn’t quite there. The holidays had made December a tricky month for training with several trips out of town (and fun to be had in town). Five days before the run, I went out for what was going to be my last attempt for my longest run yet before the race. It was one of those days where I could have run forever…but I stopped myself at 92 minutes (9.5 miles), knowing I had plenty of opportunity to push myself the coming Sunday. It restored my confidence, and I knew I’d not only finish the run, but that I’d do it in my newly set goal of 2 hours and 11 minutes…ten minute miles. I thought it was a pretty fair goal for my first half.
The day of the race, I woke up to the coldest weather Phoenix has seen…ever. It was 27 degrees that morning when I left my house. I was pretty nervous, and my feet were darn near freezing as I waited in my corral to start the run. I was smack in the middle of 30,000 people all feeling the same nervous-energy, dancing around trying to keep warm. I’d opted to place myself amongst those with a goal finishing time of two hours and 7 minutes…figuring it might give me a little push and keep me on track with my goal of 2:11.
As we took off, I quickly got into my rhythm, and by mile two could start to feel my feet…a good feeling while you’re running! I’d never participated in any race before, so I was learning quickly how the drink stations work, and how to navigate the huge group of runners. I found myself easily moving ahead of the pack I had started with. Each time I passed a mile marker, I’d spend the next several minute doing the math in my head to figure where I was on track to finish…and that alone kept propelling me mile by mile. I realized by mile 11, that not only was I going to finish this race (first goal), but I was going to blow away my hoped finishing time of 2:11 (second goal). So, I decided to set myself a third goal…to do my best to complete it in less than 2 hours. I realized moving into the last mile, that I may have been aiming a little high, but I sure did try for it, finishing at two hours and 24 seconds…just 24 seconds shy of the two hour mark. As silly as it sounds, I was really disappointed (but got over it quickly…heck, I just ran 13.1 miles, gotta give myself a break!). I did manage to run at 9:11 miles, which is 49 seconds off my per mile goal time, and as any runner knows, considerably faster. So all in all, I was extremely proud of myself. I found the whole experience to be one of the most satisfying in my life. To set out from pretty much zero, and work your way through a process internally, and come out with the result considerably better than you ever could have hoped…well it just feels plain old good!
All this brings me to my goals for this race…first off to complete it (you just never know what can get in your way), second to complete it in 9 minute-miles, which is 1:57:54, a full two and a half minutes off last years time. And third, is to find a cause to raise money for in the process. I’m working on figuring out the third, but I’ll share details as I have them.
As some of you may know, on account of being my targets, I’ve also been trying my best to recruit others to run. I’d love for any of you to have this accomplishment for yourself. I have a few people who seem to be considering it, and regardless of your level of running, I truly believe with just over 18 weeks until the race, anyone could train and complete it. I hope you try…I’d love to celebrate with you at the finish line!
So this Sunday, September 9th, my official training begins. Although I’ve continued to run indoors (hey, summers in AZ are a little brutal), I’ve had minimal running the past several months. Wish me luck…and follow my progress. Maybe I’ll come up with a few new goals along the way.
(I promise all my postings here forward will be MUCH shorter!)
I tend to do best on any long-term goal when I break it down into shorter-term goals. This worked great last year training, so I’m going to try a similar approach this year. I have the advantage of my experience from last time around…but I've also increased my goal by quite a bit. No sense in not improving, and I figure since I proved to myself I can complete the run, I may as well aim higher this year.
A little on my running history…I didn’t grow up a long distance runner…in fact I hated it. I was always a fast, short-distance runner. In college I started to work running into my workouts. But I still dreaded it. I worked my way up over the years, but was often plagued with knee injuries (or the frequent broken bones, serious cuts to my feet and knees that occur when you’re a complete klutz and require months of healing time). About five years ago I dedicated myself to really adding some distance…the only trick was, I did it all on the treadmill. After probably a year of not much running (see comment above regarding self-induced injuries), I decided last September I was going to try to run the half in January. It took about a month, and a move back across the state, to really motivate me…and I began training last October. Pretty much starting from zero, I began training entirely outdoors for the first time in my life. My initial goal was just to finish the 13.1 mile run on January 13th. There were a lot of days I wasn’t sure that would happen. But I kept pushing…I really wanted to do this race…it was ultimately the biggest physical goal I’d ever placed on myself. So week after week I went out there and just aimed to add time to my previous week.
The week of the race, I had yet to hit my training goal of 90 minutes. I was close, but wasn’t quite there. The holidays had made December a tricky month for training with several trips out of town (and fun to be had in town). Five days before the run, I went out for what was going to be my last attempt for my longest run yet before the race. It was one of those days where I could have run forever…but I stopped myself at 92 minutes (9.5 miles), knowing I had plenty of opportunity to push myself the coming Sunday. It restored my confidence, and I knew I’d not only finish the run, but that I’d do it in my newly set goal of 2 hours and 11 minutes…ten minute miles. I thought it was a pretty fair goal for my first half.
The day of the race, I woke up to the coldest weather Phoenix has seen…ever. It was 27 degrees that morning when I left my house. I was pretty nervous, and my feet were darn near freezing as I waited in my corral to start the run. I was smack in the middle of 30,000 people all feeling the same nervous-energy, dancing around trying to keep warm. I’d opted to place myself amongst those with a goal finishing time of two hours and 7 minutes…figuring it might give me a little push and keep me on track with my goal of 2:11.
As we took off, I quickly got into my rhythm, and by mile two could start to feel my feet…a good feeling while you’re running! I’d never participated in any race before, so I was learning quickly how the drink stations work, and how to navigate the huge group of runners. I found myself easily moving ahead of the pack I had started with. Each time I passed a mile marker, I’d spend the next several minute doing the math in my head to figure where I was on track to finish…and that alone kept propelling me mile by mile. I realized by mile 11, that not only was I going to finish this race (first goal), but I was going to blow away my hoped finishing time of 2:11 (second goal). So, I decided to set myself a third goal…to do my best to complete it in less than 2 hours. I realized moving into the last mile, that I may have been aiming a little high, but I sure did try for it, finishing at two hours and 24 seconds…just 24 seconds shy of the two hour mark. As silly as it sounds, I was really disappointed (but got over it quickly…heck, I just ran 13.1 miles, gotta give myself a break!). I did manage to run at 9:11 miles, which is 49 seconds off my per mile goal time, and as any runner knows, considerably faster. So all in all, I was extremely proud of myself. I found the whole experience to be one of the most satisfying in my life. To set out from pretty much zero, and work your way through a process internally, and come out with the result considerably better than you ever could have hoped…well it just feels plain old good!
All this brings me to my goals for this race…first off to complete it (you just never know what can get in your way), second to complete it in 9 minute-miles, which is 1:57:54, a full two and a half minutes off last years time. And third, is to find a cause to raise money for in the process. I’m working on figuring out the third, but I’ll share details as I have them.
As some of you may know, on account of being my targets, I’ve also been trying my best to recruit others to run. I’d love for any of you to have this accomplishment for yourself. I have a few people who seem to be considering it, and regardless of your level of running, I truly believe with just over 18 weeks until the race, anyone could train and complete it. I hope you try…I’d love to celebrate with you at the finish line!
So this Sunday, September 9th, my official training begins. Although I’ve continued to run indoors (hey, summers in AZ are a little brutal), I’ve had minimal running the past several months. Wish me luck…and follow my progress. Maybe I’ll come up with a few new goals along the way.
(I promise all my postings here forward will be MUCH shorter!)
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