Trial and Error Speedwork

Workout Today: 10 mile warm-up at a 10 minute pace. 2 (6 X 400) 1:30 RI, 2:30 RI between sets.

Tomorrow's Workout: 6 mile run 1/2 uphill

Thought: "There are clubs you can't belong to, neighborhoods you can't live in, schools you can't get into, but the roads are always open." -NIKE

To be honest, I don't really know how to do speed work. Shoot, I'm less than two weeks away from race day and I haven't even figured out what all the abbreviations mean on my running schedule. With that disclaimer, the following is a breakdown of my workout tonight. Basically, I had to run 400 meters 12 times in 2 different sets, so I broke it down below at a per mile pace, even though I was only running quarter miles.

1. 6:00 pace
2. 7:17
3. 6:35
4. 6:58
5. 6:58
6. 6:40

7. 6:07
8. 6:15
9. 6:07
10. 6:15
11. 6:20
12. 6:53

I realized I had more to give after my first set so I ran my second set a little faster. If there is a mathematical equation for doing speed work, I wish I knew what it was. I just try and run faster than my normal pace and hope that equates to being faster on race day. That being said, due to my own low standards, I met my goal during this workout. At least I'm attempting speed work now. I used to not even do it.

12 miles or something like that

Today's Workout: 12 mile intervals 1-3 miles at 8:00 pace, 300m resting interval, 3-6 miles 7:46 pace, 300m resting interval, 6-9 miles 8:00 pace, 300m resting interval, 9-12 miles 7:52 pace.

Tomorrow's Workout: unsure

Thought: "To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." -Anatole France


I wasn't supposed to run my 12 mile run in intervals today, but I did. I don't know how that will translate race day, but I hope it doesn't set me back too badly. The positive thing about today's workout was that I hit my goal race pace, (8:00), and didn't ever run slower than that. I don't know why I decided to run intervals...because I was lazy I guess. At any rate, I haven't been really in the mode for running long distances because of the heat, so I'm glad that run's over and it's time to taper.

Blading with the Baby

Today's Workout: Rollerblading 5 miles with Baby J

Tomorrow's Workout: 12 mile run

Thought: “Moderation is a virtue only in those who are thought to have an alternative.” -Henry Kissinger

Today Baby J and I headed to the river trail to go rollerblading. The trail is the only place I feel safe blading with him because I'm not the world's best stopper. There are probably better things I could do for cross training, but I've decided that I want to cross train with Baby J more so I can spend more time with him outside and feel like training isn't ruling my life, just enhancing it.

I really hope my children enjoy the outdoors as much as I do. When I take Baby J, whether I'm rollerblading or running, I don't bring my music so I can talk to him and point things out to him. I don't think he understands half the stuff I say, but I know someday he will, so that's all that matters. I think I get more out of having him with me than he does at this point. At any rate, I had a fun workout today and I'm pumped for tomorrow's 12 mile run.

Feeling Back on the Horse...Speedwork

Today's Workout: 5 minute warmup. 2 X 3200. First 2 miles 7:24 pace, 400m resting interval, Second 2 miles 7:19 pace. Holla!

Tomorrow's Workout: Rollerblading with Baby "J."

Thought: “Never, never, never, never give up.” -Winston Churchill

I took a few rest days because I was feeling really negative about last week's runs. Yesterday, the esposo came back from his backpacking trip. Consequently, I wanted to get back on board with my training and make today count at the gym.

Often during interval training, my times get slower as I go on. After my first 2 miles (or 3200m), I felt like I needed to prove to myself that I was fast and strong, so I decided to do the next 2 miles at a faster pace. Granted, the difference was only seconds, (a 7:19 pace in comparison to a 7:24 pace), but it was a small accomplishment for me today and it felt good. I walked out of the gym feeling fast and strong, and that was exactly what I needed.

Resting and My Favorite Summer Salad

Today's Workout: Rest

Tomorrow's Workout: 6-7 miles, hills with Baby J in stroller

Thought: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” - Charles Darwin

Since the esposo is out of town and I had a cruddy workout yesterday, I decided to take the day off. I realized today while menu planning, that I have one more week than I thought I did before my next half. That is a very good thing! Since my 10 mile run didn't go so well this week, I'm excited to have a 12 mile run, then 8, and the following weekend is the half. My best half-marathon experience happened when I ran a half marathon 2 weeks before the actual race, so I'm glad that I have that 12 on the schedule 2 weeks before this one.

Anyways, I thought I'd start sharing more recipes on rest days. Here is the recipe for my favorite summer salad. I never measure the ingredients, but you don't really have to. The recipe is self-explanatory. The esposo and my brother love this recipe as well. It's a great side to a lot of things. On www.foodpyramid.gov, I evaluated my diet and realized I need to eat more vegetables. So, this is a great way to get those greens in. If I was going to create my own world, it would definitely have a lot of strawberries and balsamic vinegar in it. They are the perfect pair.

Strawberry, Walnut, and Balsamic Salad

Mixture of Baby Spinach and mixed greens
strawberries, sliced
raw walnuts, chopped

Dressing:
Two parts balsamic vinegar to every one part olive oil
Oregano to taste
sugar to taste (optional)

(Make the dressing a few hours beforehand so the flavors meld together.)

Terrible 10 mile run

Workout Today: 10 mile run at a crappy pace. (Just under 10 minute miles.)

Workout Tomorrow: Not sure...

Thought: “The people and circumstances around me do not make me what I am, they reveal who I am”- Laura Schlessinger


Today I really had one of the crappiest runs of my life. I decided to do my long run early this week because the esposo is going backpacking and I thought I should make sure I got it in before he left. So, not only did I do it two days early, but I decided to go running outside at noon. I don't mind hot weather running, but running 10 miles in the heat, I found, was almost unbearable.

I became really depressed around mile 3-4 when I started to really slow down and couldn't get my mind off the heat. I was hoping for a really awesome run as I taper down for my next half. Next week I run 8 miles on Saturday for my long run, and then the next week is the race.

Anyways, back to my nasty run, the sun was blazing, and I kept playing mind games with myself to keep going. I drank all my water and had to stop to refill my water bottles and drench myself in a water fountain at mile 6. I felt like a new woman for awhile after that, but then it became drudgery again.

One of my favorite things about running is how amazing I usually feel after wards. I didn't feel that today, and I'm still in a bad mood. I've been doing a lot of speed work at a much faster pace than any training I've done for past half marathons. Consequently, I've been hoping that will translate into an awesome PR in my next race. Today totally made me doubt myself and question whether I'm a better runner, or just worn out.

I've been having so many awesome runs, I guess maybe I needed to be brought down to earth and realize that knocking 4 minutes off my half marathon time isn't just going to be handed to me. On a positive note, I wanted to stop running so badly today, and I didn't. I kept on trucking. That's the only positive thing I can think of about this experience. (That, and the course was really beautiful.) Oh, and strawberry shot blocks aren't half bad.

So I'm a Blader...

Workout today: 4 miles of rollerblading on the river trail with Baby J.

Workout tomorrow: 10 miles at an 8:00 minute per mile pace

Thought: "It's better to play than do nothing." -Confucious

I thought I'd swim or cycle today, but the esposo found my rollerblades in a box and I couldn't resist. At one point in my life, I loved rollerblading. Since moving to Utah from California, I hadn't really done it because I live in a pretty hilly place. I decided to make the effort to go to the river trail though, and it was totally worth it. Baby J seemed like he enjoyed himself too. Sometimes you just have to kick back and enjoy the world around you...and so we did. Tomorrow I'm doing my long run because the esposo is going camping this weekend and I didn't want to have to put Jackson in the gym daycare for too long. At any rate, the outdoors during the summertime ARE AWESOME!