Apparently as a red heads I can run faster. My logic: I ran my fastest race yet, and I had red hair. Thus, I as a red head can run faster than as a blonde! ;-)
Tonight, Matt & I participated in the Herndon Turkey Trot along with 5 of our neighbor. This is my first race since the Marine Corps Marathon. I have done a lot better about continuing to run since the marathon. (Unlike the Honolulu marathon where took me a long time to run again).
My HTT
3.1 miles
20:40 mins
9:14 pace (!!!)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Back trail runs
I have found myself extra busy, and since running isn't one of my top priorities any more, I find myself putting it on the back burner. I have managed to squeeze in 1 or 2 runs a week. My feet are still giving me some issues. To be exact, 2 of my toes are causing issues. I would love just go to run barefoot on the golf course.
My runs:
November 13th: Since Matt & John S were going running I decided I should also be productive and go for a run. It was a little dreary, but at least it has stopped raining. (Oh, that is the other thing, the days that I have actually had a chance to run Mother Nature has decided she needed a shower. Since I don't have to run any more & running in the cold rain isn't a lot of fun, I decide I am not going to.) I ran 2 miles at a 9:30 pace (19 minutes).
November 20th: The weather was perfect for running so I pulled myself away from watching the Bill Cosby award special on tv and went for a run. We had a bit of a time constraint so once again I went 2 miles (in 20 minutes). It was a bit of a rough run. Sure made me wish I was running more.
My runs:
November 13th: Since Matt & John S were going running I decided I should also be productive and go for a run. It was a little dreary, but at least it has stopped raining. (Oh, that is the other thing, the days that I have actually had a chance to run Mother Nature has decided she needed a shower. Since I don't have to run any more & running in the cold rain isn't a lot of fun, I decide I am not going to.) I ran 2 miles at a 9:30 pace (19 minutes).
November 20th: The weather was perfect for running so I pulled myself away from watching the Bill Cosby award special on tv and went for a run. We had a bit of a time constraint so once again I went 2 miles (in 20 minutes). It was a bit of a rough run. Sure made me wish I was running more.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Through the Dark Leaves
Tonight Matt and I went for a run together. This is the first time since really before all of the Marathon training. I swear if you saw me run now you would not believe I ran a marathon 2 weeks ago. It is funny how fast you lose it all.
Tonight's run took us through part of the golf course, along the leaf covered trails, and by our neighbor's soon to be new home. We ran 4 miles in 41 minutes. (10:15 pace). I tried to keep track of my heart rate but my monitor stopped working for most of the run.
The Course:
Tonight's run took us through part of the golf course, along the leaf covered trails, and by our neighbor's soon to be new home. We ran 4 miles in 41 minutes. (10:15 pace). I tried to keep track of my heart rate but my monitor stopped working for most of the run.
The Course:
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Back in the laces
I am now trying to get back in the habit of going for a run most days of the week. (Or at least doing some sort of exercise). I took advantage of the nice weather yesterday and put on my shorts and headed out. At the start my knees were very sore and the down hills were painful. But, as normal, by 1/2 mile or so they started to loosen up. My plan was to go for a 5k and instead ended up going for 4 miles since it felt good.
I had noticed during my training runs that if I kept my heart rate below 160 I felt good and was able to hold a decent conversation. I also saw that by doing the slower long runs my performance improved fairly quickly. So, now that I don't have a major goal I am working towards I think I am going to try and work on my pace.
Yesterday's Run:
4 miles
43 minutes
10:45 pace
168 avg heart rate (HR monitor stopped then restarted part way through the run).
420 calories
I had noticed during my training runs that if I kept my heart rate below 160 I felt good and was able to hold a decent conversation. I also saw that by doing the slower long runs my performance improved fairly quickly. So, now that I don't have a major goal I am working towards I think I am going to try and work on my pace.
Yesterday's Run:
4 miles
43 minutes
10:45 pace
168 avg heart rate (HR monitor stopped then restarted part way through the run).
420 calories
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Time Helps to Forget
I went for a run on Friday, my first one since the marathon. Overall I felt pretty good. My knees were a little sore, but it was more a soreness from not running in almost a week. It was strange going from having to run 5-6 days a week to not. It is nice being back to running just for fun.
I had said during and after the marathon that that would be my last full marathon. I would do some 1/2 marathons and shorter races. All of the time that the training takes up a too much.
However, that said...As I sit here watching an American Male win the NYC Marathon, it is funny how fast you forget all of the pain of a marathon and just remember the feeling of running and hearing the people cheer you on...
Marine Corps Marathon!
I have successfully completed my 2nd marathon. My time was 25 minutes faster than my first marathon. This alone makes it a success.
However, I do not feel like the race itself was that good. I feel like I could have broke 5 hours which I did not end up doing. The first 1/2 of the race was good. The 2 up-hills near the beginning were not too bad and the downhills were wonderful. I just had to pick up my feet and down I went. I had to pee at one point, and I stood in line for a port-a-potty, but decided I couldn't waste that much time so I found a tree. Funny, any other time in DC you would be arrested, but during the marathon there was no second thought about it. About 1/2 way through the race I started getting horrible cramps in both of my calf muscles. I tried to stop and stretch some but to no avail. Matt, the Gatorade, and the Miniature Butterfingers (thanks Kim & Jim) around the 16.5 mile mark were life savers. Mine 4 was my best, while mile 20 was my worst. Along the 14th street bridge I managed to ignore some of the pain by shutting my eyes. I would look ahead, shut my eyes and take a few steps, open my eyes to make sure I didn't run into anyone and repeat. With this I was able to "beat the bridge". I decided that no matter how bad I felt I was going to gut out the last .2 miles up the hill to the finish. I had been dreading the end, but truthfully I didn't even notice it. (!)
It definitely helped knowing where Matt & friends were going to be along the course. They were a great motivator. Just knowing there was going to be a known friendly face cheering me on helped propel me further along the course. Even saw some of my other friends surprised me and came out and it was a great boost to see them on the corner near the end. Many thanks to everyone who was cheering me on in person and from afar.
My final time: 5 hr 46 minutes 14 seconds.
My professional photos can be found here
However, I do not feel like the race itself was that good. I feel like I could have broke 5 hours which I did not end up doing. The first 1/2 of the race was good. The 2 up-hills near the beginning were not too bad and the downhills were wonderful. I just had to pick up my feet and down I went. I had to pee at one point, and I stood in line for a port-a-potty, but decided I couldn't waste that much time so I found a tree. Funny, any other time in DC you would be arrested, but during the marathon there was no second thought about it. About 1/2 way through the race I started getting horrible cramps in both of my calf muscles. I tried to stop and stretch some but to no avail. Matt, the Gatorade, and the Miniature Butterfingers (thanks Kim & Jim) around the 16.5 mile mark were life savers. Mine 4 was my best, while mile 20 was my worst. Along the 14th street bridge I managed to ignore some of the pain by shutting my eyes. I would look ahead, shut my eyes and take a few steps, open my eyes to make sure I didn't run into anyone and repeat. With this I was able to "beat the bridge". I decided that no matter how bad I felt I was going to gut out the last .2 miles up the hill to the finish. I had been dreading the end, but truthfully I didn't even notice it. (!)
It definitely helped knowing where Matt & friends were going to be along the course. They were a great motivator. Just knowing there was going to be a known friendly face cheering me on helped propel me further along the course. Even saw some of my other friends surprised me and came out and it was a great boost to see them on the corner near the end. Many thanks to everyone who was cheering me on in person and from afar.
My final time: 5 hr 46 minutes 14 seconds.
My professional photos can be found here
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