The Neccesity of Water

I've heard this over and over again but I think it sunk in a little deeper today. I've been doing this distance running for almost 2 years and I still have so much to learn. Something as basic as the need for water even when it is cold. During this cold weather I haven't been hydrating as much and I commented to Carmie that I could go 6 miles in the cold without water. Then she told me about some terrible cramps she got when she skipped water during the cold. I had noticed some tightness in my left calf today, hmm, must have been a need for water. Well, I rarely finish off a bottle of water after running but today, I downed one, and my calves have been fine. So, remember, even though you're not thirsty, pretend that you're in a hot, dry desert and drink accordingly. Cheers!

Chill Factor

Wind chill factor today was 6 with real temp at 22. brrrr! I ran with Carmie, Teresa and Cindy mainly because they were starting earlier than the rest of the RW group. The original plan was to run out to Gilcrease from Veteren's Park but with the biting wind, we did a point to point from Veteren's Park to 96th and Riverside, 12 miles. This was such a great idea, whenever we went north it was brutal and the worst was going east across the 71st street bridge. So heading south the majority of the time was a relief. It felt so good to finish and I tipped them off about some great bargains at http://steepandcheap.com/. I got some chocolate running capris by Sugoi there http://sugoi.com/item/76120/SUG40192F, can't wait for the temp to go up so I can wear them. I didn't run on Thursday because I pulled an all nighter at work so I was really glad to get out today even though it was so bitterly cold and windy.

Today it was so cold that:
Sweat froze on the outside of our jackets
Water bottles made their own ice

Oklahoma Highs and Lows

Oklahoma is known for its volitile weather, one day it's freezing and the next is balmy, the past couple of days have been no exception. Thursday it was 16 and my morning run was cut short by my buddies when we turned north with blowing wind and they wanted to go back home, so we did only 3.55 miles. I was so disappointed that I decided to go with Runner's World on Thursday night to get more miles in. It was still 16 degrees in the evening and breezy when we headed back north. I ran with Dave and Larry on the way back and we were in the 9 min./mile range and I sprinted the last block at the end. It felt really good!!! Dave is a great coach, knows just how much to push you w/o killing you. Wade and Nealy (sp?) really smoked at a sub 9 pace.

Saturday morning, we had a heat wave, got into the 50s by the end of our approx. 11 mile run. I've been studying Greg Macmillan (macmillanrunning.com) and my long runs were supposed to be no faster than 10:56 so my goal was to run no faster than a 10 min. pace and no slower than 11:00. The first three miles were in the 9:30 range but we slowed down after the 71st St hill and stayed around a 10:05 pace. I felt very good throughout the run, I felt a little tired from the fast run on Thursday but I had an easy time talking while running.

I'm sill having issues with my Garmin. I thought I had figured it out. I usually wear it with the screen under my wrist instead of on top of it because my wrist is so bony. Another runner had been doing the same thing and had trouble getting her satellite to fire off so she suggested that I try fastening the Garmin over the sleeve on my shirt and have the screen on the top. I tried it and it didn't work, it counted the 1st three miles as one lap so I guess I'll have to send it back to Garmin. We're having a Garmin clinic this Thursday so I'll wait until after that.

I think I'd like to do the Winter Classic out at Mohawk and I'm trying to decide b/t the 20K and the 30K. The 20K would be more of a race for me and the 30K would hover b/t a training run and a race.

Overall it's been an excellent running week for me, I was very focused as I ran. I really needed to have a good running week b/c work was very stressful, I had to tell someone they were included in our Reduction in Force. Even though I had other people I could reroute the tasks to, it required training and follow-up but I am very grateful for the help that everyone has given me.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

I love running in very cold weather. Today it was 22 when we ran at 5:15 this a.m. There was a slight breeze. We usually start out way too fast and go up a hill right away. I had already decided that I was going to start earlier and run a slow mile before the rest of my 3some ran, but I didn't do that this a.m. becuase it was so cold. Well, what do you know, we started out really slow, about a 10:30 pace and what a difference that made. By the first 1/2 mile, I was warm and ready to move faster. I stayed ahead of the group the whole time and didn't stop at all and backtracked after all the hills so I could stay with my group. I felt really good when I was done and averaged a 9:51 pace. I was hardly breathing hard at any point until the last block at the very end, so it was a very easy and fun run.

Bumps in the Road

Our run started out cold and windy, a “feels like” temp of 14, but it was actually 32. Regardless we had a good turnout of runners and we were rewarded with a bumpy (Kathy calls hills, bumps), beautiful run through the Maple Ridge area between Brookside and Utica Square. It’s so great to catch up on everyone and share running experiences. As I talked to one runner about my pitiful Dallas marathon (12/14/08), she empathized because she had a similar experience at Chicago. Then I met Wade, who is training for his first marathon, and I shared how life-changing the process of training and running my first marathon was and how much more respect I had for marathons after running my second marathon. After my first marathon, I couldn’t wait to run another one and after my second marathon, I questioned whether I would ever run another one, but I knew that would pass. So here I am, mapping out my strategy and runs for my Spring marathon, most likely the OKC Memorial. I’ve been reading an article by Greg MacMillan that Dave shared with me that will help me plan my runs better and maintain a reasonable pace while still getting stronger and faster.
I felt really good after today’s run, I tried to maintain a 10 min. pace but hovered around 9:30 and did 10:30 on the hills.

Goofy Garmin

I've been having challenges with my Garmin. It doesn't kick in immediately on my first mile and then it measures the first mile too long and my pace reading is too slow. It does this often on my Tuesday/Thursday run but not so much on my Saturday run so I think I'm not giving it enough time to load the satellite during the week. I know the pace readings were wrong today, I was breathing too hard to be running a 9:27 pace. I did stay in front of our threesome but was disappointed that I didn't average a 9:15 pace. We had no stops this morning and I even doublebacked at one point because I was so far ahead. I'm really trying to get mentally tougher to push myself harder on my weekday runs.

Thanks for the training tips Dave.

Still chilly

Our Tuesday morning route we run is a somewhat hilly 4.72 mile journey through our neighborhood. In the first block we start an incline immediately. What a way to start a morning! Today I ate a banana before I started, first and last time to do that, felt heavy the whole time, it just stuck there somewhere in my chest and I never felt the sugar from it. My neighbor overslept but the other one of our threesome was there and we charged on. Usually we walk the crest of the steeper inclines but we didn't do that this time until the last one before our last 1/2 mile home. We averaged a 9:32 pace but I should have pushed for a 9 min. Thursdays route is flatter and I'll push harder.

Toughing it out in the wind and cold

After a beautiful day yesterday into the 70s, the temperature dropped into the 20s overnight. My neighbor and I ran over to LaFortune Park. My Garmin was low on juice and gave out before we were done but it would have been about 5.5 miles. The wind was forceful when we turned around to head for home, it was difficult moving forward at some points. Our faces were numb, but it was good to get the run in.

2009 Plans, Hopes and Dreams

This is my journey to qualify for Boston, preferably for April 2010, if not then, then some year after that, I will run the Boston Marathon. I'll post some goals here to help me stay accountable.

So far this year, I've had a very good start. My husband, daughter and I ran the "Race Into The New Year" on New Year's Eve. It is a 5k, I ran 28:52, which was a PR for me. My 18 yr old daughter ran 25:11 and my hubby ran 25:40 and finished 3rd in his age group, not bad for someone who doesn't like road running, prefers the treadmill. He's going to do more 5ks this year, so it will be fun to enjoy this together.

Today was a long run day. We ran 10 miles, met up at 69th & Riverside, which we hadn't done in a long time. We went south out to the Creek Turnpike and back. I ran with Gregg, who I hadn't seen in months and it was great to catch up with him. I also saw Becky and Janet, who I hadn't seen since early November. I had a good training run, my goal was to average 9:30 and my average was 9:38 so I felt good about that. I also asked Kathy about the tightness I have below my right knee after running and it is a stretching issue, so I need to stretch my quads more.