Frozen Foot 5K #3

This was race #3 in the 5K series. The weather was the best of the 3 races. 40 degrees, with some sun and no wind! I felt like I had a chance to PR in this race, but alas, I was a little short of my goal (again). I think maybe the fact that this race takes place at 2pm is a factor in me not going as fast as I think I am capable of.  I had gotten up early for church, attended Mass at 9 am, then taught CCD class to 7 preschooler/kindergarten kids. At 12, I went home, grabbed a bagel, some Nuun, changed my clothes, and headed out the door for the 45 minute drive to Elizabethtown.  Not necessarily ideal race preparation, but it is only a 5K, right?
 I did my normal 1 mile warm up on the track adjacent to the race start, then lined up at 1:55. I chose to wear myLong-sleeved 50/50 green t-shirt from Oiselle (in honor of St. Patricks Day), my singlet, my new Bum Wrap,   plus a new pair of orange compression socks.  Quite the color combination! I was thrilled to wear the Bum Wrap. I have had it for a few weeks, and the weather has been so cold, I haven't had the opportunity to wear it.  Verdict: LOVE! I think it's going to be one of my favorites for spring/summer running.  Super comfortable and super cute!
  I felt pretty good for the first mile, doing well with the first long and substantial hill. First split was 7:49.  At 1.5 miles, my legs starting dragging. I was telling them to go faster and they were not responding.  I knew at that point it was going to be a struggle to continue at a good pace.  Mentally gave up for a while there, not counting on a PR for this race. Couple more hills, 2nd mile split 7:59. Somehow in the final mile I rallied a bit.  Just knowing it was almost over helped me to get through it. And a couple of little downhills! 3rd mile split: 7:30.  Pushed it out at the end (not the easiest since there is another incline right before the finish!). Time on my Garmin: 24:25. 5 seconds slower than last month's race, 16 seconds off PR.  UPDATE: 3/21: Found out I placed 4th in my Age Group for the Series. Pretty good. I'm going to aim to place higher next year!
 I was a little disappointed at the end, but pleased with myself that I was able to run the last mile the fastest.  Negative splitting is my goal in future races, so maybe someday I will actually figure out how to do that!
 Ran a mile on the track to cool down and then headed home.  Skipped the post-race food (chicken soup again), and opted instead to eat a Picky Bar on the way home.  Post race fuel of champions!
 I have decided that the next 5K I run will be a FLAT course.  Then I will actually have a chance of a PR.  Next race coming up is the Cherry Blossom 10 miler in DC on April 7.  Looking forward to an Oiselle Team meet up, and a fun race. Definitely feel like a have a PR in me, since I rarely race 10 miles.  Looking for a sub 1:30, which according to my recent training times, should be fairly easy. Bring on the Cherry Blossoms!

One Year Wiser and Faster!

I am happy to report that I was successful in my quest to run 43 miles last week in order to celebrate my 43rd birthday. I enjoyed every run, and ran with joy.  I truly do love running, and to do it without pain is just the best gift I could ever wish for. 
 Monday was a 10 mile run, and I set out for it with a little bit of trepidation. I don't think I have ever run 10 miles on a MONDAY! It just seemed a bit unnatural.  I had to plan the timing just right so that I would have time after dropping off my daughter at preschool, and when she need to be picked up 3 hours later.  I wanted to make sure I could allow for stretching and a shower.  Success! I ran fairly easy, and was still able to run an average pace of 9:08.  That is a great pace for me. I've been reflecting lately how my "easy" pace has gone from 10 min/mile to 9 min.  This has all happened in the last 18 months or so.  It seems that the more I train, even though I am aging, I am getting faster.  Not sure how long this trend will last, but enjoying every moment of it!!
 Tuesday I ran 7 miles.  The weather was mild, 34 degrees, and sunny. Beautiful day for a run.
Wednesday was my actual birthday, and I had planned to run 4.3 miles with 3 running friends.  We were all to meet at my home and run in a local park, and then go for coffee.  The weather had other plans. Tuesday night, starting after midnight, the snow started.  It came down heavily, and at 5:30 in the morning we received a call from the school, letting us know that school was cancelled for the day. I turned off my alarm, and went back to sleep.  Once I got up at 7, the snow was still coming down heavily.  I texted my friends and let them know that I was still planning on doing my planned miles, and they were off the hook.  I wasn't expecting anyone to drive to my home to run with me.  An hour later, one friend called to say she would still join me.  She lives less than a half mile away, and she was going to run to my home, and we would leave from there.  How great is that?  So, I convinced my husband to go out and shovel the driveway and walkway so she could get to the door.  He shot me a look, then reconsidered and silently went out to shovel.  Luckily it was my birthday!! My friend showed up, and we trudged through the heavy, wet snow for 4.3 miles.  I gotta say, this was the toughest run of the week.  My legs were tired from the previous days, and running through snow is not easy! So glad I did it though. Thanks Chrissie!!

 The rest of my birthday was spent at home, with the kids and my husband, who also had the day off. I share my birthday with my oldest son, who turned 12.  We had fun opening our presents, and just hanging out.  Later that evening, the weather had cleared up, and we were able to go to our local Red Robin for dinner. I had a yummy veggie burger, sweet potato fries and a Guiness beer.  We finished off the meal with chocolate cake we had bought at a local grocery store.  Delicious!
 Thursday called for 7.7 miles. I figured out a new loop from my house which I really enjoyed.  I have never done it as a loop before, just out and back.  It actually worked out very well, and ended up being 7.5 miles.  I ran a small loop around my neighborhood to add the .2 miles and was done for the day. Still feeling great. I was careful all week to stretch, foam roll and hydrate/fuel well. Every afternoon, I took the time to ice my shins which kept shin splints away.
 Friday was a day off. First day off since the previous Wednesday, so a very welcome day off.  I attended my monthly book club meeting, where we discussed the book The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Great book, and a great discussion with my group! I always look forward to our meetings, and 2 of the members are also my running buddies, so we made plans for the following morning to get together for our long run. Friday night I did go with my 2 sons and 3 other preteen boys to play Laser Tag. My oldest son was having his birthday party with a sleepover, so no rest for me that evening!! It was fun, but a bit tiring, I have to say.  I handed off the party to my husband at 9pm and wished him luck.  This old lady needed some rest before the early morning long run!!
 Saturday I met with my running group and we figured out a 14 mile loop to run.  The weather was a bit cool, but the sun came out and it quickly became much warmer.  My two running friends and I enjoyed a great conversation as the miles just flew by.  The only time the conversation was paused was during the many hills we conquered that day. This photo shows the elevation profile of our run:

 

All in all, it was a great run. We were able to run an avg. pace of 9:25/mile for the run. Not bad for some tired legs over rolling hills. After a very large breakfast of pancakes with blueberries, home-made latte and orange juice, I was a happy lady.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing and recovering. 
 So, what did I learn from this week?  I learned that I am strong, determined, and motivated.  I love setting goals for myself and accomplishing them.  I learned that no matter how many miles I run, I run with JOY.  I actually loved every mile I ran this week.  Some people cannot relate to this, but running is truly my passion.  I am so blessed to have found this passion more than 15 years ago.  I only wish that I had found it 30 years ago!! I plan on running as long as my body will allow.  Hopefully another 43 years!!

 

 

 

Birthday Plans for this Old Lady

 I was recently studying in my ACE Fitness Exercise Science textbook about how during intense exercise, some of the blood flow is diverted from the brain to the active skeletal muscles.  So, if the following plan seems to lack some of the common sense that I usually display, I am going to blame it on coming up with the idea during a 5 mile run on Tuesday. 
 My birthday is coming up next week, number 4-3 to be exact.  I always try to mark my birthday in some personal way.  Since the birth of my first child, on my 31st birthday back in 2001, my birthday tends to be pushed to the side in order to celebrate his birthday.  So, I tend to come up with something quiet, personal and only for me to mark the occasion.  Sometimes it is just a little on-line shopping spree, hair appointment, massage, or coffee with a friend that week.  This year I would like to mark my birthday with a special running goal.  About a month ago, when I started thinking about my birthday, I thought I would run 4.3 miles the day of my birthday and invite some of my running girlfriends to join me, followed by a trip to the local coffee shop for some "girl" time.  That is a very nice idea, and I still plan on doing that.
  But, on my run on Tuesday, the idea to run 43 miles during my birthday week popped into my head.  It seemed like a fantastic idea at the time.  I love those moments during a run, when various thoughts pop into your head, in between singing along with Pink and Fun. (my 2 current faves). Sometimes these light bulb moments pass, and I give them no more thought.  This one has been sticking there during the last 2 days.  I even sat down last night, looked at my training plan from Train Like a Mother 1/2 Marathon Training Plan, and contemplated if I can work the extra miles in.  It looks doable, even while taking my requisite 2 rest days.  I just need to make sure to make them easy miles and not push the pace, which could cause increased chance of injury.  I will be on week 6 of a 13 week plan.  The scheduled long run is 14 miles on Saturday.  My proposed plan looks as follows:

 Monday 10 miles
Tuesday 6.7 miles
Wednesday (birthday) 4.3 miles
Thursday 8 miles
Friday off
Saturday 14 miles
Sunday off

Total: 43 miles

It seems a bit daunting, but if I keep the miles "easy", and with alternating shorter and longer days, with the 2 rests days before and after my long run, I think I can do it.  I have been running 30 miles/week (with many of those miles as tempo and interval training) so this isn't totally out of reach.
 Important things to remember:
 - stretching and foam rolling is necessary post run, not just an optional activity.
- icing my shins with the 110 % compression ice sleeves will be done daily post run to prevent those nasty shin splints that may crop up
- I will listen to my body, and any signs of injury I will back off and rest as needed
- this is a personal goal, and even though I tend to be stubborn when it comes to meeting a goal, the world won't end if it isn't met.  Life can get in the way sometimes, with 3 kids, a husband, and all the demands on my time, running could be pushed to the side.  Things like illness and weather could also derail my efforts. I will be kind to myself, no matter what.
  Why am I setting this goal? I was just asking myself that as I decided to write down my goal in my Believe I Am Journal.  I wrote that I wanted to set and meet this goal in order to celebrate my birthday, and to feel "alive and well".  The "alive and well" thing is huge for me.  As I age, my mortality follows me like a shadow sometimes.  I know that sounds dramatic, and 43 is really not "that old".  It can feel old when you have a family history of heart disease.  My mother suffered a heart attack in her early 40s.  She passed away from heart disease at the "young" age of 62.  I do need to remember that she was overweight, did not exercise regularly, and did not eat the most optimal diet.  Her father also died in his early 60's  I need to remember that I am of a healthy weight, I exercise regularly, and eat a mostly vegetarian diet, with some healthy fish thrown in.  But, I also have had issues with my heart, including Wolffe-Parkinson-White Syndrome.  I'm not going to get into this during this posting, but I will share my story of that in a future post.  I had ablation to correct that condition, and came away from it mostly unscathed.  I see a cardiologist annually and am cleared to participate in vigorous exercise.  No complaints here.  Just stating all this to say that 43 does not feel so "young" when you are literally attempting to outrun your genetic makeup and mortality.  But I'm going to focus on setting and meeting this goal to "celebrate" my birthday.  I will run all these miles with joy in my heart, knowing that even as an "old lady" I am capable of doing it.  So, questions: Have you set a birthday running goal? What do you think of my proposed goal?

Wish me luck!

 

 

2013 Race #2: Frozen Foot 5K #2 Race Report

I love the Lux layer in Poppy! Perfect with the Oiselle singlet.

This was the 2nd race in a series of 3.  The final one will be March 17. The first one was on Jan.20, and I was recovering from having the flu and subsequent bronchitis.  The race was a tough one for me, so I was hoping that after one month of healthy running, I would fare better. I chose to wear my new Oiselle Lux layer in poppy color (LOVE !), my singlet on top and Lesley tights.  Because of the wind, I also wore a winter cap and gloves. 
  The weather was not the best, 25 degrees, with big gusts of wind and a wind chill that made the temperature feel like 15 degrees.  I headed to the race on my own, my family opting to stay home this time.  I arrived at the race 45 minutes before the start, picked up my number and timing chip and made a bathroom stop.  I relaxed for a few minutes, sipped on water and listened to music on my iPhone.  With 20 minutes before the race, I headed out for my warm up. Because the race starts at Elizabethtown College, there was a track next to where the race was starting. I decided to do 10 minutes of very easy warm up, with a couple strides thrown in at the end.  After a couple more sips of water, I headed to the start.  I felt great, and ready to go.  The wind was picking up, and I didn't want to wait around too long to start.
  And then we were off! The first mile is challenging, because there is a significant hill from .75 to 1.1 miles.  I was ready for it this time though, and my first mile split was 7:47.  At this time, snow flurries had started, and the wind was hitting us pretty hard.  I was grateful that this was only a 5K, and not a longer race.  The second mile had a couple of small hills, and I felt like we were running into the wind, so second split was 7:54.  I knew I had to pick it up in the last mile.  The last mile has a couple of good downhills, so I was able to pick up the pace, and completed mile #3 in 7:35.  I pushed it through the last .1 and my final time (according to my Garmin) was 24:23.  So close to a PR, but not quite! (my PR is 24:10, on a flat course).  This was still more than a minute faster than the 5K of last month, so I was happy with the result.  I know if I stay healthy I can beat my time next month. 
  After the race, I headed back to the track and did a nice slow cool down for one mile. Then inside the building to stretch and sip more water.  They had chicken soup for the runners, but since I don't eat meat, I did not partake in that.  Too bad, hot soup would have actually tasted pretty good.
So, headed home with a smile on my face.  Good improvement in the last month. I know a PR is in my near future.

Teaching an Old Dog

I haven't blogged recently, because life got super busy over here.  I started studying to become certified as a Personal Trainer.  I chose ACE Fitness, and so far I've been really happy with the online support and the study materials. 

 The difficult part has been finding time every day to focus on my studies.  The last time I was a student, I was single, and without children.  And it was many, many, years ago!! I am trying to clear the cobwebs, and find room in my brain for all this great information! I studied to become an RN, and graduated in 1994. I worked as a nurse until 2001. Then motherhood, moving overseas, and moving every 2 years got in the way of my working.  I have been a stay at home mom since then.  So, I did study some of this information, especially the anatomy and physiology.  But that was more than 20 years ago! Wow! How the time flies.  So, while the information is familiar to me, I feel like I'm starting over. The good news is, I have a passion for physical fitness and exercise physiology, so it is worth the effort to absorb the information once again.
  Studying while having the demands of home and family is definitely different. Luckily, I tend to be super organized and scheduled.  The days that I have actually set aside a block of time to study, I have for the most part, been successful.  It's just like running and training for races for me.  If I don't have it scheduled, it just won't happen.  Life still gets in the way, like all the school delays and cancellations we have had lately because of the crazy weather here in PA.  So, I have had to resort to popping in a movie in the DVD player when I need 90 minutes of quiet study time. You do what you can, right?
 I know once I earn my certification, it will all be worth it.  I am hoping to incorporate my nursing skills, along with the new knowledge of personal training, to inspire and teach people how to live healthy, active lives!

2013 Race#1: Frozen Foot 5K series Elizabethtown, PA

     I wasn't sure how well I would do in this race, considering that I had the flu and bronchitis just a few days ago.  But, I had a couple of decent, cough-free runs this week, so I was optimistic that it would be okay.  I haven't been able to do any decent speed work leading up to this, so  PR was not likely in the cards.
     The weather was pretty good. 45 degrees, sunny, but windy: 16 miles/hr with gusts up to 45 miles/hr.  My husband was enlisted to go with me to this race, because I needed an official photographer to get some shots of me in my Oiselle singlet.  Although I have been part of this great team since Nov.1 of last year, this is my first race that I was able to don the singlet.  What an honor it was for me!  I had an extra dose of motivation just knowing that I was representing this great group of women.  My kids also came along, always eager to cheer on Mom!
     The race started at 2pm, and we live approx. 45 minutes from Elizabethtown.  We arrived at 1pm, picked up my race number, and waited for the race to start.  My second son, who is 10, went with me during my warmup. He runs track and cross country, and he likes getting me through my warm up run and dynamic moves to get me ready.  We warmed up for 20 minutes, and then it was time to line up for the race.  There were approx 300 runners at the race (just a guess- they said it was the largest turn out for this race).  I started out feeling good, went out a bit fast, but the first hill at 3/4 of a mile in slowed me down quite a bit.  It was a long, gradual hill that finally finished at the mile mark.  First mile split: 7:52.  The second mile was tough, more hills and my lungs were starting to feel it. Maybe I wasn't completely recovered from being sick.  Second split: 8:22.  I was glad to know I just had one mile to go.  My breathing was heavy, but luckily they hills were not as bad in the last mile, with some down hill near the end.  My husband and son each had a camera at the end and snapped a couple pictures at the end.

I pushed as much as I can, with the last mile split being 8:11.  Time on my Garmin was 25:26.  Not a PR, but a solid effort. 
     This is #1 of 3 races, the next races will be on Feb.17 and March 17. Now that I know the course, I hope to improve my time.  I have speed work in my schedule, and the wind most likely won't be an issue for all the races. 
  Overall, this was a good race.  It seemed well organized, with water and chicken soup for the racers at the end.  As I don't eat meat, I handed off soup to my kids so that they could warm up.  They loved it!  If I complete all 3 races, I will receive a long sleeved technical tee in March.  I am looking forward to completing the series, and hopefully getting a PR out of it!

Feeling Human Again

Turns out I don't have pneumonia, so that was great news.  I am continuing on the antibiotics to clear up the bronchitis.  It's amazing what a couple of days of antibiotics can do.  I went to my book club meeting yesterday, finally putting on "regular" clothes and makeup.  But only after getting out for a 3 mile, almost comfortable run.  Still some coughing, and not quite 100 % yet, but getting there... At book club we discussed the book The Light Between Oceans. An interesting read, with many intriguing themes.  I recommend it to any one who is looking for something easy to read, and wants a "page-turner".
 This morning I joined my new running group, hosted by Appalachian Running Company. There were 9 of us out there today, including 4 women.  I managed to get in 6 miles, at a slow pace.  Feeling better everyday.  Looking forward to my race on the 20th, the Frozen Feet 5K in Elizabethtown.  It will be the first time I can wear my new Oiselle Team singlet. I know it will most likely not be a PR, but it's good to get in the first race of the year.  The first of 13 planned for 2013!
Wish me luck!