Denouement

Corrida de Noel

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Location:

Kowloon Tong,Hong Kong

Member Since:

Jul 02, 2007

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Olympic Trials Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Unaided:

5K - 17:11 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:48 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:34 (road - Shek Mun 10k 12/12)

1/2 Marathon 1:19:44 (UNICEF HM 11/12)

Marathon 2:47:08 (ING Hartford Connecticut 10/10)

Aided:

St. George Marathon 2:50:40 (10/08)

1/2 marathon - Hobble Creek 1:17:14 (8/08)

10K - Deseret News 10K - 35:02 (7/08)

Short-Term Running Goals:

PR 1/2 marathon AGAIN


Long-Term Running Goals:

Break 2:46 in Boston!

Personal:

I used to run for BYU, but only after trying out three times and finally walking on, so I was never a star. However, it was wonderful to run with great people and under Coach Shane. When you run with fast people, you can't help to improve! I graduated BYU in 1998, and didn't run a race until 2002, after having my second child. My hiatus and other crazy life commitments have made my competitive running suffer, but the last couple of years I have tried to get back into it the best I can. I have been married since 1996, to Paul Lowry, who is a runner himself. I have three boys (my three rascals), ages 12, 10, and 8.

After a great 2008 season, I was injured and eventually diagnosed and cross-diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a type of arthritis disease, which precludes running for all but the most stubborn.  So I am on medications, trying to stay healthy, and seeing my PT often.  And running!  Now beating the streets in Hong Kong.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
NB RC900 Black/yellow Lifetime Miles: 183.31
NB RC1300 Red/Black Lifetime Miles: 195.31
2012 MTR Lifetime Miles: 4035.70
890 Blue Lifetime Miles: 310.55
NB RC 1600 Lifetime Miles: 96.76
RC 1400 Lifetime Miles: 90.60
NB 890 Baby Blue Lifetime Miles: 233.26
NB 890 Electric Blue Lifetime Miles: 319.67
NB 890 Tokyo Turquoise Lifetime Miles: 163.54
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
293.1723.0020.557.810.000.000.00344.53
Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 68.07Brooks Defyance #2 (blue) Miles: 70.39Asics Stratus 2.1 (purple) Miles: 58.33Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) Miles: 81.89Mizuno WaveRider #2 (aqua) Miles: 41.20Saucony Type A2 Racers (red Baby) Miles: 14.25
Night Sleep Time: 144.50Nap Time: 8.00Total Sleep Time: 152.50Weight: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
11.510.000.000.000.000.000.0011.51

Ran 6 miles with MacK and about 4 with Clay.  My right shin was tight to start but felt better after stretching.  My pain under my knee was much better on Sunday and I can only feel it today when stretching.

 ave pace 8:22

weight 125 (oh dear, time to tighten up)

Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 11.51
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
12.330.000.000.000.000.000.0012.33

Dr. Brady yesterday said my sub-knee pain is probably from too quick of a start on Saturday and advised me to start walking then start my runs always slow to warm up.  Is that a sign of being old or what?  This is the advice that James gave me a year ago and I laughed at it.  So I started slow today.

 ave pace 7:47

weight 124

Brooks Defyance #2 (blue) Miles: 12.33
Night Sleep Time: 6.75Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 6.75Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
4.2310.000.000.000.000.000.0014.23

Woke up before alarm - good - no snow.  The weather so far has been highly cooperate for my training.  

I met TylerS and Steve K.  The plan was 10 mile tempo.  We started with the hardest miles (about mile 1.5- mile 4 of the SF half), then some downhill, then some flatish miles at the end.  The first three miles were by far the hardest for me.  I felt like Tyler and I took turns being the strong one.  I know I for sure threw some surges in there when I was feeling good, and I tucked in behind when I wasn't.  It's just an easy way to stay on target pace-wise.   Splits (6:38, 6:31, 6:36, 6:11, 6:10, 6:19, 6:20, 6:21, 6:17, 6:18), 1:03:46 for whole tempo, or 6:22.6 ave.  This was a hilly course, and the splits show that, and there was a net uphill of about 50 feet over the whole tempo.  It was a good workout. 

Thanks so much, Tyler and Steve for meeting me.  It's so much easier and more enjoyable with company.

ave pace 7:12

weight 123

Asics Stratus 2.1 (purple) Miles: 14.23
Night Sleep Time: 5.75Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 5.75Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
12.010.000.000.000.000.000.0012.01

Slept in, but felt yucky when I woke up (sore throat), but felt better after some time.

Legs felt heavy at the start, then felt good in the middle, then upper right calf hurt for the last 4 miles.  That's not good.

ave pace 7:58

Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) Miles: 12.01
Night Sleep Time: 9.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 9.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
10.010.000.000.000.000.000.0010.01

Ran 2, then met with MacK for 6, then 2 more on my own.  calf felt much better.  Off to work early.

ave pace 8:06

weight 123

Brooks Defyance #2 (blue) Miles: 10.01
Night Sleep Time: 6.75Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 6.75Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
16.011.003.000.000.000.000.0020.01

Josse worked on my right calf yesterday, the top of which hurt on my Thursday run and has been twingy since.  She did deep tissue massage and scraping.  I harassed her about not having bruised before, so she favored me with some nice bruising on my calf and upper ham.  Thanks babe!  I actually told her, "can you stop now?' it hurt so bad at one point.  My legs felt fine today.

Couldn't sleep last night!  And such a funky tummy! Note to self:  5 egg rolls don't make a good dinner, even if prepared in a lowfat, baked in oven way (stomach felt funky since last night).  Tyler and I were planning on 2x5 mile tempo, but he had to finish early, so he would only get in one of them, then we started late, so we could only do 4 miles.  Ali was with us and a new guy Travis.  Ali ran with us for about 1/2 mile of the tempo and the 9.5 miles before.  I felt semi-nauseous for most of my run.  We started our tempo after about 9.5. I said I wanted it to be more like tinnman tempo (so like 6:45) to start and see if my stomach would cooperate.  We started at osbornes and the first mile has some pretty good climb.  THen the rest was a mixture of downhill and flat (6:47,6:13, 6:05, 5:54), 6:15 ave pace.  Tyler was with me until the last mile and did that mile 2-3 sec faster.  I think we were both hungry for a sub-6 mile.  He was just hungrier.  I didn't want to do the next set without him since I wasn't feeling hot and I knew it'd be slower without him and liked ending on the 5:54 high.  I went back after the tempo with Travis to look for Ali but never found her.  The last .5 mile my right foot started hurting.  Time to jump in the ice bath.

weight 122

Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) Miles: 20.01
Night Sleep Time: 4.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 4.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
13.020.000.000.000.000.000.0013.02

6 with MacK, then the rest on my own. Foot felt fine the first mile, then got hurty, then subsided after a couple of miles.  I still feel like I need to run gingerly on it, though.  Saw Clay, all in black like a ninja :)

ave pace 8:18

weight 124

Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 13.02
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
8.380.002.002.210.000.000.0012.59

 Finally got to blogging today.  For those who don't know, I am leaving for Paris in less than 48 hours, and between doing tax planning for my clients before leaving, laundry, planning the trip, packing and cleaning the house, I have been very busy.

 Easier hard workout today.  I am doing a 10k in Paris on Sunday. Sweet!  Haven't raced since St. George.  Paris elevation is less than 200m so it will be my first sea level race in forever.  Plus it is a 3 loop course through the city so it is likely to be fast.  Translation:  I should get a good time.  I am hoping to break 37:00.  There's euros for the top 5 women too so hopefully I'll get enough euros to pay for a nice dinner in Paris.

Same workout as I did on August 26th, 2008.  6x2min on, 1:30 off, then 2x1 mile, 3:00 rest between those.

Last time was with Darin, Steve K and Carl.  This time with Tyler and Steve K.  As we got into our first one, I felt physically heavy, and the feeling stayed with me, though it lessened a little by the last couple 2min pushes.  I wanted to do the 2:00 in 5:30 pace, which I wasn't quite able to do, but when I look back on how I did in August, when it wasn't 25F outside, I was amazed that I did better today hands down.  So I guess I can't feel too bad.

Excuse for sluggishness:  took 1/2 an Ambien at 9:22, then did some stuff, turned off the light at 9:47, alarm went off at 4:30 (though I woke up at 3:59 and I think I did go back to sleep after that).  So taking the pill with 7:08 until the alarm goes off but actually laying down with 6:43 until alarm is not enough time.  I've now found the limit of this drug for me, at least for this day. Took a morning nap to chase some cobwebs away.

No pain in legs, just some soreness after (below left knee, slight, right ham, slight, right foot, slight, right upper calf, slight). 

Endurox and stretching after.

weight 122.

 #

 Time Distance Pace Rest after
 1 2:02 .37 5:30 1:30 (8:17 pace)
 2 2:01 .36 5:37 1:28 (8:39 pace)
 3 2:03 .36 5:38 1:23 (9:02 pace)
 4 2:03 .36 5:40 1:28 (8:36 pace)
 5 2:01 .37 5:281:26 (9:04 pace)
 6 2:02 .39 5:16 7:40 (10:58, obviously some standing around included in there)
 1 5:47 1 mile
 5:47 3:00 (11:43 pace, sweet)
 2 5:52 1 mile
 5:52

 na - done

Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) Miles: 12.59
Night Sleep Time: 6.75Nap Time: 0.50Total Sleep Time: 7.25Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
12.111.000.000.000.000.000.0013.11

Ran with MacK and Ali, dropped MacK off after 7 then Ali after 11.  Felt good last mile so went marathon pace.  Have a GAZILLION things to do today.

ave pace 7:56


Mizuno WaveRider #2 (aqua) Miles: 13.11
Night Sleep Time: 5.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 5.50Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
7.410.000.000.600.000.000.008.01

Not alot of sleep, so thought I would feel yucky.  Felt my left groin and my right ankelf or the first mile, ankle felt better after stretching. I have some tape around that foot to hold an herbal patch in place, so that was likely causing the trouble.  Felt speedy, so threw in 6 strides.  Off to the airport now!

Ave pace 7:29

weight 122

Mizuno WaveRider #2 (aqua) Miles: 8.01
Night Sleep Time: 5.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 5.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(9)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00

No run today. I travelled to Paris yesterday, not getting here until 6am, but not getting to our hotel until 8am.  Will be doing lower mileage, but a ton of walking.  We took too long of a nap when they let us check in early, but this afternoon/evening we went to the Dome church, the military museum at the Hotel des Invalides, and we went up the Eiffel Tower at night.  It was so cool, all lit up in blue, and at one point they added sparkly white lights, which sparkled on and off.  It is freezing here, and we took over an hour shopping in a shopping district for scarfs and hats.  Fun!

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.000.000.000.008.00

Good news - there's a big park by my hotel (several times bigger than central park - Bois Boulogne, with lots of dirt trail so I ran in the park, and after about 3 miles the gps watch found where it was, so that was good news. It was cold (32F but felt much colder because of humidity) and raining so I was concerned about my comfort but I warmed up just fine. Passed lots of guys and gals, but the guys were especially gratifying. There is also a public track right across from my hotel so perhaps a speed workout on Wed or Thur?

Race tomorrow! I think its going to be raining :(

Lots of walking around. Saw the Opera House this morning, so ornate and beautiful. It was all I could do to not dance around like I was some Princess of the Blood in a ball gown. I had to shove myself into a totally packed subway car, so happy my assertiveness served me well.

Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 8.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Race: Corrida de Noel (6.25 Miles) 00:36:38, Place overall: 4
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
4.500.006.250.000.000.000.0010.75

Really fun race, though not pancake flat like I hoped.  I will write details later. 

I won 150 Euros - almost enough to pay for dinner tonight :)

Ok, so a thousand Information Systems geeks have descended on this hotel and have hogged the wifi bandwidth, so the internet crawls and is unstable in normal hours now.  But it is 5:20 am and I can't sleep anymore, so this is my long version:

The night before the race, they had a paella party which they invited us to for free, and they had someone pick us up from our hotel for it.  His name was Sayed (sp?) and he didn't speak English, and we do not speak French, but he speaks Spanish, and we speak enough to be somewhat conversant with him.  He was a very kind gentleman.  The car ride was about 35 minutes.  The table we sat at at the party had no english speakers (supposedly) but we did speak enough for them to ask us how we felt about Obama and we gave them a big thumbs up on that.  There was a table for the Kenyan runners, which made my stomach turn.  Chocolate eclair with chocolate mousse inside for dessert.  Sayed said he would take us through downtown Paris, which should take 5-10 minutes longer than the other way, to give us a look at some of the sights by night.  Well, he gave us the GRAND tour, took us all the way around the cities to see Notre Dame lit up at night, through the Louvre (driving illegally at one point, telling us to close our eyes to his driving), past the opera house, on the Champs Ellyses and the Arc de Triumph, and then finally to our hotel, 1 hour and 20 minutes from when we started our tour.  He was so kind to do that for us.  It has been very cold here, so a tour in a car at night was very welcome.  I have to say the drivers here are very crazy, but there is little honking and next to no anger. They have fewer rules, their roundabouts seem lawless, but they don't get their feathers ruffled - must be all the wine gets them in a good mood. 

Got to bed pre race day at 11pm, woke up at 8:20.  Race starts at 11:40.  The hotel's breakfast is very elaborate and free, but I stuck to toast, some fruit and a wheat roll.  I stopped drinking about 2 hours before the race.  We left for the subway at 9:50 and got to the race by 10:30, there were thousands of people to participate in the races (10,000 the organizers said, about 2500-3000 in my race).  The veteran (masters men got their own race) race started at 10:40, and I did 3k with that race as part of my warm up.  I got access to a locker room that only the elite women used (I saw about 5 women) and a bathroom, so that was sweet.  I did strides and stretching while hoping my gps watch would pick up reception but it never did.  Luckily on the bus I had calculated in my head what the 1k splits would need to be for 5:50 pace - 3:38.  So I kept splits for the first 5k, although my split recorder on the watch didn't seem to work either. 

At the start, there was a place for the elites, then everyone else.  They announced my name and my country at the start.  Cool!  No pressure! There were about 10-15 ladies in the elite section, including at least two Kenyan ladies, who were in low 30's shape, so I was staring around and saying, I have to beat most of these white chicks to get money (money for top 5).  It made me nervous.  It was a cloudy day and threatening to rain, but not as cold, so I wore shorts and a long sleeve shirt (blog shirt of course), but the other ladies were wearing more technical clothes in general so that didn't instill confidence in me.  There were a line of volunteers across the starting line, and they all went at once, which looked to me and a couple of other runners like the race had started so we went, but it wasn' t the start of the race, which was apparent within seconds, and we had to sheepishly turn around and go back to the start.  At least I wasn't alone, but my fear of a false start because of the language barrier came to pass.  Oh well.  The start happened minutes after (turns out those volunteers went early to run the course, leading the way for us).  The course is a three loop course, but the second and third loops add a steep hill up and down (about 400m each way) Here's the race:

1k - 3:33, I start out with a little pack of women, with the two Kenyans ahead of us, but by the end of 1k it was me and a french woman with a scarf on her head, slightly uphill, so a fast start

2k - 3:34, mostly flat, scarf woman and I keep trading places, I learn I am third/fourth woman here

3k - 3:31, slight downhill (completing a loop), still trading places with scarf woman

4k - 3:42, slight uphill, slight panic that pace has dropped off, and I let scarf woman gap me by about 5 sec, bad move, now in fourth

5k - 3:36, flat, much better pace, 17:56 for 5k, earning me a PR for a road race inside a 10k sweet, but I know the 2nd half will be harder because I am coming up on the hill for the first time, scarf lady is now 10 or so seconds ahead.

6k - started to rain (cold rain) which continued through the end, no splits from now on, just focusing on effort - uphill

7k - downhill, done with 2nd loop, pass some guys, start to have lots of traffic from the hundreds of people I lap.

8k - trying to catch blue shirt guy who is right in the middle between me and scarf lady,

9k  catch monsr. blue shirt on the last hill, as I crest hill, and start downhill notice  the 9k mark, and start booking it down the hill.

10k - pretty strong finish, 36:38, but didn't catch scarf lady

In retrospect, I wish I hadn't let the #3 girl go.  Paul was cheering me on at one location where he saw me three times, and he said the #2 girl was hurt (she said after the race she was having hamstring problems).  Paul said #2 wasn't that far from #3.  While in the race I felt like I was working hard (granted, I did have weak parts and had to surge to wake myself up a couple of times), but after the race I didn't feel like I had run a race, at least not to the point of dry heaving or anything.  I think I could have done better, but I also think I did well.  I wanted to break 37:00, and try to break 36:30, and I came close to that harder goal, so I am happy overall.

Highlights were the french folk cheering me on, most in french, but every once and a while in english, and of course the santa race after my race, which included hundreds dressed as santa, some christmas trees and reindeer, a smurf, some ghost busters, a guy without a shirt and with long hair dressed as Jesus with a cross on his back.  So cool to watch.  The race workers were so kind and helpful to me, and I needed their help so I appreciated it alot.  They gave Paul a t-shirt as well as me, so that was cool.  Check's in the mail!

PS my legs did feel sore and like they had raced by evening, and it's funny to be glad that I am sore.  It's like validation that I didn't wuss out too bad in the race.

Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 4.00Saucony Type A2 Racers (red Baby) Miles: 6.75
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(28)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
12.250.000.000.000.000.000.0012.25

Ran 3.5 with Paul in Bois de Boulonge, then he went off to his conference, and I ran down to the Arc de Triumph, down Champs Elysees, through the garden de Tuileries, around the louvre, onto the left bank, to Notre Dame, to St. Germaine Church, which is an awesome gothic church, with gargoyles and ornate stonework, just to the east of the Louvre.  I stopped and walked through the church.  It was noon when I started and the bells chimed a song.  Inside a service started and the priest sang and the congregation sang after him (the congregation was small, about 10 people who weren't tourists, about 10 people in the church who were).  Then ran back the same way to hotel.

 

Asics Stratus 2.1 (purple) Miles: 12.25
Night Sleep Time: 6.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 6.50Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
9.001.000.000.000.000.000.0010.00

3.5 miles with Paul, then 6.5 on my own.  Attempted a tempo but legs weren't fresh and it was hard to keep pace with street lights and traffic.

Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 10.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
5.500.000.000.000.000.000.005.50

Cold and rainy!  Didn't feel like running long all sopping wet. 

Asics Stratus 2.1 (purple) Miles: 5.50
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 1.50Total Sleep Time: 8.50Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
5.000.000.005.000.000.000.0010.00

Wanted to do speed at the track by my hotel as my farewell to sea level.  I thought a Yasso 800 would be perfect.  Only problem was we went to Versailles on Tuesday and walked about 6 miles that day, followed by dancing that night, then did the Louvre and other sightseeing on Wed, with miles of walking that day too, and our legs ached both days. I took some IB before going to bed, hoping I'd be up for speed Thursday morning.  I warmed up on the streets since it was still dark.  It was starting to lighten up when I got to the track, but it was near empty.  More people came as I did the workout.  The goal was 2:45 for 10 800's, with 2:45 rest (one lap slow jog).  The track had a short straight away with huge curves, making the inside of the track a squat rectangle.  In fact, soccer is practiced on the short direction of the field.

1 - 2:44, 2:57 rest - oops need to make my way around that track on the rest faster

2 -2:45, 2:45 rest

3 - 2:43, 2:49 rest

4 - 2:45, 2:46 rest

5 - 2:43, 2:47 rest (bathroom and drink instead of around track)

6 - 2:43, 2:45 rest

7 - 2:45, 2:46 rest

8 - 2:46 dang it!  I must have fallen asleep behind the wheel, 2:46 rest

9 - 2:43, that's better, 2:45 rest

10 - 2:39, revenge is sweet

2:43.6 ave for the 10, so other than the 2:46 8th one, which I highly resent, I was really pleased with the workout.  Yasso's aren't reliable predicters for marathons, but they are a good faster workout and still give me an emotional confidence boost.

Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 2.50Saucony Type A2 Racers (red Baby) Miles: 7.50
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 5.00Total Sleep Time: 12.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
10.400.000.000.000.000.000.0010.40

I had made a running "date" with KellieS before the trip.  I haven't had internet access for days so I was concerned she wouldn't come without confirmation, but she was there with a girl posse (MacK and Ali).  It was nice to run with them.  Dang!  Winter came while  I was gone.  

weight 124


Night Sleep Time: 5.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 5.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
20.080.000.000.000.000.000.0020.08

Met the SF group which was just Jill, Travis and I to start.  Travis and I scared away Jill with our pace within .75 miles, which was sad, but we went to Bishops and were rewarded with Hal and Steve's company.  We ran with them to junk mail and back, then met up with Kellie, Tyler and Kelli, and Travis and I joined them for a jaunt around the golf course and back to Bishops.  Then Travis and I finished up our 20 miler back to his house.   I wanted to do some tempo today, but the roads were icy and I got less excited about it as time went on, so I just told myself I'll do an excellent workout on Tuesday.  20 milers are by definition hard runs anyway, right, even if done at an easy pace?  Some one back me up on this ;)

ave pace 8:08

weight 121

I let each one in my family choose one Christmas treat for me to make, so here is the list:

Ben - popcorn balls

JJ - Danish cookies

Mickie - marshmallow fudge

Paul - Pecan toffee

Michelle - My signature pumpkin, chocolate chip, raisin bread

Time to go shopping!

Mizuno WaveRider #2 (aqua) Miles: 20.08
Night Sleep Time: 6.25Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 6.25Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
14.000.000.000.000.000.000.0014.00

Ran with MacK this morning for 7 then reran that same route alone since my GPS watch wouldn't start today.  1:54 for run, about 8:06 ave pace.  Snow and ice on road, but warmer (around 31F), some wind.

weight 120

 

Brooks Defyance #2 (blue) Miles: 14.00
Night Sleep Time: 5.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 5.50Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
6.0910.000.000.000.000.000.0016.09

AM:  Decided to do 10 mile tempo on the treadmill.  Bad idea.  I am not used to long distances on the treadmill, my longest being 5 or 6 since last winter. 

Started with 1.5 warm up, stopped and stretched, then .5 more warm up, then ramped up to 9.3 mph, which made my first mile 6:30 (ramping up) and 6:22 I think for the second.  I was not feeling good, whoever said the treadmill is autopilot is smoking crack.  I stopped after 2 miles for a bathroom break, then hopped back on, did .25 slow, then ramped up to 9.2, which ends up around 6:27 pace, but I felt yucky yucky and had wild fantasys of pushing the stop button and nightmares of being flung off the back of the treadmill. Stomach uncooperative, and I have to go to the bathroom again after doing 2.25 more tempo.  I am on the pot gasping for air and this wakes up Paul who asks me what's wrong, just a low level heart hemorrage, go back to bed.  Ok so back to the treadmill, where I am thinking I'll just do two more miles, but after .5 mile fast I have a cramp and am thinking I am seriously going to get tossed by the treadmill, and in the last quarter mile of the mile I admit I grabbed the bars and the console once, afraid I was going to get flung but at least wanting to make it a mile, and I finish the mile and call it good for the tempo portion.  I only run .25 more on the treadmill, and in a wild, treadmill induced craze I decide anything was better than this, so I throw on a coat and gloves and head outside (had only sports bra and breezy shorts).  My driveway has 6-8 inches of new snow, so the powder ices my lower calves as I go down the hill, have to jump snow embankment.  Well, it was cold outside, turns out about 20F, so I guess just cooling down outside could count as icing.  Ice all over the road, stomach crampy, but at least it wasn't the treadmill.  Total miles in AM 10.05

Late lunch, nap, then out again at 4:05.

PM Need to get in 6 miles, after one mile I am feeling decent and my second mile starts fast so I say what the heck, I'll try to tempo, miles were 6:12 (slight downhill), 7:02 (big uphill), 6:00 (reverse of mile 2, so big downhill), 6:49 (reverse of mile 1, so slight uphill, did I mention it is snowing!), .75 at 6:52 pace (uphill, bad form, sunglasses all foggy from bad breathing, body is exhausted).  It was a net uphill tempo, ave pace 6:34 for 4.75 miles, not bad for conditions, but I felt wasted by the end.

No appetite tonight, so I ate the nasty Rocket Fuel cereal.  I figure if I'm not going to enjoy what I'm eating anyway it might as well be healthy.

Abs, hamstring strengthening and stretching in evening

weight: 119 first time in teens since 9th/10th grade or so.  A testament to my stomach issues during the treadmill run :)  I told myself I was going to get in the teens this week, so since it came early does that mean I get to pig out now?  I guess I'll wait for my appetite to kick in at least.

Ok sorry for the long rambling post. 

Asics Stratus 2.1 (purple) Miles: 10.05Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 6.04
Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 0.75Total Sleep Time: 8.25Weight: 0.00
Comments(11)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
15.030.000.000.000.000.000.0015.03

Slept in, and met Ali and MacK at 7am. They had already run 6 miles.  I ran 6 with them in 51:00 (8:30 pace), then ran 9 miles alone, looping up Goosenest, and averaged about 7:30 which was hard to do with the ice and snow, but felt pretty good.  My right ham is flaring up again.  Dr. Brady worked it really hard at my Monday appt, then I had lots of miles and speed yesterday, which probably didn't help.

No bathroom breaks at all during the run - a Christmas Eve miracle.

ave pace 7:53

 weight 120


Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) Miles: 15.03
Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.50Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
10.040.000.000.000.000.000.0010.04

Ran on my own just after noon.  Glad my morning fudge and other baddy goodies didn't upset my stomach too bad.  I actually had raisin bran for breakfast, very exciting I know.  I told my family they were out of luck on a fancy breakfast since I am making a nice dinner, and made lots of stuff yesterday and I want today to actually feel like a holiday.  Imagine that!

Felt good in the run so did 10 strides.  Small snowflakes most of the run, but roads were mostly clear. Some bad wind part of the time from the north or north east which was rare and weird.  

ave pace 7:36

Notes regarding effeminate ball-- so guys typically like weights. Big metal heavy masses, which can stub your toes.  Women want to do some strengthening and what do they buy?  They buy a huge rubber ball full of -- AIR.  We like our apparatus to be squishy and light.  Those huge exercise balls are totally marketed to women, and women love em.  So I felt bad when my doc told me to buy one and showed me some exercises on it.  I just don't want a wussy ball full of air in my exercise arsenal.  So anyway, I bought one, and like to fall off it when trying new exercises, its a real treat.  No elegance here.  This relates to Christmas because Paul bought me an illustrated book on core exercises with these blow up balls, so I'm going to start working on that six pack today.

Merry Christmas everyone!


Brooks Defyance #2 (blue) Miles: 10.04
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
13.000.000.000.000.000.000.0013.00

Dull and dreadful 13 miles on the treadmill, because we got 18 inches up here (Paul just measured).  I didn't get flung off, but I did start way slow (8:30) and only gradually increased.

Ave pace 7:51

weight 119 - I didn't pay for my Christmas sins in weight like I thought I would.  Paul got me two chocolate oranges, and between JJ, Paul and I we ate all two while watching August Rush last night (such a sweet film).

Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 13.00
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
22.250.000.000.000.000.000.0022.25

Made it to 90 miles in a week when it snowed about 28 inches all told up at my home, a victory of sorts. 

Wanted to do a threshold run today, but with icy roads, single digit temperatures, and no company I figured a long run would have to do.  

Ran 6.95 alone (stretching after 2.3 miles), then met up with the SF group, but essentially just ran with MacK for 14, then a little over 1 on my own to finish up.  My body feels fine, with the exception of soreness in my right Ham.  Ice bath after, as if the run wasn't icy enough, to baby the hamstring, then a long, long hot shower.   Then sledding with my kids, husband and extended family.  Then eating out and games in Orem.  Fun day!

ave pace while alone: 7:30, total 8:07

weight 120

Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) Miles: 22.25
Night Sleep Time: 6.25Nap Time: 0.25Total Sleep Time: 6.50Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
12.350.000.000.000.000.000.0012.35

Met MacK and ran together for 7, then more on my own.  

8:18 ave pace

weight 122


Brooks Defyance #2 (blue) Miles: 12.35
Night Sleep Time: 6.25Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 6.25Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
7.000.009.300.000.000.000.0016.30

Sasha was kind enough to wheel out a 5k (ok it was 2.5k with a 180 - his favorite as he joked).  We planned a 3x5k workout, with 19:00 as the target.  Conditions were good.  There were only a few icy spots the rest was clear.  Tail wind out, head wind back, but Sasha blocked for me.  Mary Ann and TylerS and Daniel joined, Daniel bowed out of the speed.  Mary Ann was going to do one 5k.  

My splits were very close to Sasha's so I am going off garmin:

5k #1: 18:58 (6:03, 6:06, 6:03), lots of rest between (about .75 mile, but about 10 minutes)

5k #2: 18:49 (6:06, 6:01, 6:01)

5k #3: 18:43 (6:02, 6:01, 6:02) Sasha said our last quarter was a 1:24, and that's when I started to dry heave bent over.

I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable I felt at this pace (though I generally was hurting the last .5 mile, or last .75 mile on the last one).  So hopefully I can continue to improve and this will be closer to marathon pace soon.  Right now it's probably more like 10 Mile - 1/2 marathon pace ish.

I would venture to say with the negative split over the three pieces and the consistency within that this is my strongest workout I have done this year.  Just when I needed it.

TylerS did part of each interval with us and was really strong on the first one until he pulled up in the last mile. I'm sure he'll be hungry to kick my pants again next time.

Mary Ann stuck with us for about a mile of the first interval, and kept up the tempo for the full 5k.  She's easing back into speed I think and it was great to meet up with her and get to know her better.

A special thanks to Sasha for pacing me beautifully (he had me sit behind him and tell him whether to speed up or slow down if needed, and we paced the tempos just right I think) and for Tyler and Mary Ann for helping make the workout happen. 

weight 122

Asics Stratus 2.1 (purple) Miles: 16.30
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
11.660.000.000.000.000.000.0011.66

Set alarm for 6:10am but woke up alert at 5:44.  Dang!  A sleep in wasted.

Putzed around at home, then went out.  Boy it was freezing!  My thermometer had the temp at 16F but it felt much colder, it was foggy so perhaps humid, which I hear makes the cold bite more.  Well, my face was pinched and fingers frozen and my arms felt like frozen buffalo wings.  

My first mile I took really slow, both hams sore from yesterday. They warmed up, and at 1.6 miles I hit a gas station restroom and stretched in there rather than in the cold.  As wussy, cheesy move, really, but it staved off frost bite :)

In the last mile I was going slowly, but then I saw a lady on Salem Canal road I thought might be KellieS, so I caught her, but it took some effort, but right as I came up on her I realized it wasn't her so I continued to buzz the chick.  I didn't wave, which is bad sportsmanship, but I was ticked it wasn't Kellie and we both had on mp3 players anyway.  I'll try to be nicer next time.

Confession over.

ave pace 8:06

weight 120

Brooks Defyance #2 (blue) Miles: 11.66
Night Sleep Time: 7.25Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.25Weight: 0.00
Comments(23)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
293.1723.0020.557.810.000.000.00344.53
Brooks Defyance (blue) Miles: 68.07Brooks Defyance #2 (blue) Miles: 70.39Asics Stratus 2.1 (purple) Miles: 58.33Mizuno WaveRider (aqua) Miles: 81.89Mizuno WaveRider #2 (aqua) Miles: 41.20Saucony Type A2 Racers (red Baby) Miles: 14.25
Night Sleep Time: 144.50Nap Time: 8.00Total Sleep Time: 152.50Weight: 0.00
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