Saturday March 21st - and 13 miles it is

Today is a 13 mile run for me today, a big run in my eyes. I have this run and my 16miler next weekend to be ready for the marathon. I know that I have done this type of training schedule before and that it has proven to work well for my body - however it is still very nerve wracking to be doing a training schedule so different than the rest of the team.
I headed out and just started running however I was feeling comfortable, fast and had a great run. We did the city run today starting at Forever Fit, heading to Walnut st. out to Comm Ave following the marathon course until it was time to turn around and head back.

Run Info:
Distance: 13 miles
Total time: 1:58:42

• Mile 1: 9:19
• Mile 2: 9:11
  
• Mile 3: 8:56
  
• Mile 4: 8:52
  
• Mile 5: 8:48
  
• Mile 6: 9:18
  
• Mile 7: 8:40
  
• Mile 8: 9:22
  
• Mile 9: 9:45
  
• Mile 10: 9:15
  
• Mile 11: 8:44
  
• Mile 12: 9:08
  
• Mile 13: 9:05

Average Pace: 9:06 min/mi

Thursday March 19th - Can I run the stiffness out of me???

To begin with I am STILL sore from my Kettlebell workout on Monday. This is not helping my training between now and marathon time. I will not be doing that again anytime soon. I also woke up still this morning so I decided to try and see if I could run my stiffness out of me. I left my Garmin at home, grabbed my ipod and just headed out along the river.
I ran 3.5 miles and by the ended was finally loosening up and not feeling quite so sore. All is good and I will be resting up tomorrow before running my 13 miles on Saturday.

Wednesday March 18th - I'm still sore

I am still sore from my Kettlebell workout on Monday! So I decided to skip my normal lift and do just a core strengthening workout. Today consisted of several crunches & stretching.

Tuesday March 17th - Happy St. Patick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!
This morning I headed out by myself early for a short fun run. I had to get it done quickly so I only did 4 miles. It was chilly this morning but I knew it was the only time I had to get it in all day.

Overall time: 38:20 ...and that's all I know :)
course: out to the marathon course and back.

Monday March 16th - Kettlebells Are NOT My Friend

This morning I met with Jake, one of the personal trainer's at Forever Fit, to do a kettlebell workout. For those of you who have never heard of kettlebells (go google it!) it is a bell like weight with a handle. The entire workout is about momentum - as I soon found out. I unfortunately do not know which exercises we did I just know there was quite a few and a lot of work!!
However this workout took a treamednous toll on my legs so I will probably not being a Kettlebell workout again between now and the marathon!

Sunday March 15th - Time For A Down Week

Today was a down week for me before going back up in my mileage to get ready for the marathon. My longest run will be in 2 weeks during the charity run. (To be celebrated by our Hawaiian Luau party that night!). Christie and I got up early to go drop my Jeep off at mile 8 so I could run the first 8 miles out with her. Our run's today were followed by massages by students at the Cortiva Massage Institute!

Run Info:
Distance: 8.0 miles
time: (ok so I don't have it because Christie borrowed my watch for the rest of her run and I don't have a total time for my run)
Splits:
Mile 1: 10:09
Mile 2: 8:51
Mile 3: 9:21
Mile 4: 9:52
Mile 5: 9:45
Mile 6: 10:22
Mile 7: 9:25
Mile 8: 9:44

Friday March 13th - I've been sick

Well as you can see there have been no posts this week. I woke up sick with a cold Monday morning and have been fighting it off along with taking 2 exams this week. I made the hard decision that my body needed the sleep and rest to get through this cold & the exams and skipped my workouts.
Today however Christie and I hit the streets looking for businesses to donate raffle prizes for us. We then went to the gym to do a very light upper body lifting to be followed by core work!!

Saturday March 7th, 2009....What A Great Run!

Today was my longest run yet this winter - 12 miles. The sun was shining and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day for a run. We got started and the sun was shining warming all of us up quickly. As I shed my layers and felt my legs wanting to move faster I finally give in to them and see how long it lasts. Lucky for me, my legs held out and I had a super fast run!! Check out all the info below.
Run Info:
Distance: 12.18 mi
Overall Time: 1:50:53

• overall average pace 9:06min/mi
• first 3 miles 28:13 with an average of 9:24 min/mi
• mile 4: 9:18
• Mile 5: 8:59
• Mile 6: 8:38
• Mile 7: 9:00
• Mile 8: 10:02
• Mile 9: 8:03
• Mile 10: 8:56
• Mile 11: 9:03
• Mile 12: 8:48

Course: Out to Comm Ave, up Heartbreak hill and return
Weather: warm and sunny

Thursday March 5th, 2009

This morning I hit the roads for a short run in between all of my studying. I didn't bring my watch or anything else, I just went out to enjoy my time running.

Wednesday March 4th, 2009 - Strength Training

Tonight I met up with one of my other teammates, Jess Zahka to do a strength training workout. I am pretty sure she will be cursing at me for a while.

• Chest Press x 3 sets 15 lbs
• Bench Crunches
  
• Pull Backs x 3 sets 20lbs
• Bench Crunches - diamond's
  
• Skull Crushers x 3 sets 5 lbs
  
• Bench Crunches x 3 sets
  
• Butterflies on ball x 3 sets
• Leg Raises
  
• Butterflies seated x 3 sets
• Scissor Kicks x 3 sets
• Overhead press x 3 sets
• 1 Hand deadlift x 3 sets
• Pendulums

Tuesday March 3rd....It's still snowing

Well after my 10 mile run last Thursday I was out of town for the weekend and enjoyed the break from working out. However Mother Nature decided to make her presence known yet again. Monday all of the east coast (all the way from Georgia through Maine and VT) were hit by a significant snow storm. It made getting back home a little bit challenging but eventually I was there and ready to run in the morning. I was anxious to run outside despite the snow banks but I was out voted by Emily & Bob so the treadmill it was.
Run Info:
Distance: 3.5mi
Not sure of time etc.... oops!

Thursday February 26th, 2009 What a gorgeous sunrise over heartbreak hill

I am traveling this coming weekend but realize how crucial this run really is for me. I decided to do my long run Thursday morning and have that out of the way. Christie is a wonderful friend and agreed to do 9 of the 10 miles with me. I figured if I do 9 of the 10 miles with her I can do my last mile easily. Christie and I met at Forever Fit at 5:30AM to head out. It was a little chilly to begin with but we quickly warmed up. Christie and I had a fun enjoyable run together. We chatted at a nice casual pace the entire way. As we came up to the top of Heartbreak hill we saw the most gorgeous sunrise. What a really enjoyable moment.
Christie and I finished our 9 mile run at Forever Fit and I headed out to do my last mile, feeling great that my 10 miles were accomplished before most people were out of bed!
Run Info:
Course: Out to marathon course, into the city and back
Distance: 10 miles
Over all time: 1: 44: 23
Average Pace: 10:23 min/mi
Splits:

• Mile 1: 10:28
• Mile 2: 10:47
• Mile 3: 10:14
• Mile 4: 10:13
  
• Mile 5: 10:49
  
• Mile 6: 10:49
  
• Mile 7: 10:50
• Mile 8: 9:29
  
• Mile 9: 10:05
  
• Mile 10: 10:17
  

Tuesday February 24th, 2009.....Way Too Cold Out

Emily and I met up at Forever Fit this morning for a run, Bob bailed on us. We decided it had dried up enough outside to heat for our run. (Yay! No treadmill!). Or so we thought. Emily and I headed out and it was cold....we ran about 0.25mi down the road and it was so cold out we turned around and went back to the club! We then hit up the treadmills for a 3.0 mi run inside. Hopefully it will warm up before Thursday....