Oh, yeah! I KILLED IT!! Woooooooooooooooo!
Today was the Fiesta 10k. I parked downtown, met up with Jen (from the Tuesday night runs), and we caught the shuttle up to PSC. We found ourselves pretty close to the start line and when the gun went, so did we! She took off like a rocket and had a great race.
It was a great race -- a really great race! I started out faster than I had intended, and had to concentrate on maintaining a speedy yet maintainable pace. I think I succeeded. AND I finally broke an hour and obliterated last week's PR!
Splits: 8:49, 9:27, 9:34, (28:56 at the 5k point), 9:43, 9:39, 9:20, 1:52 (=8:19 pace). Looks kind of like a bell curve. But I got some good negative splits at the end! YEAH!
Total is 6.23 miles in 58:23 for an average pace of 9:23! I finished 209 out of 384 and 7th of 24 in my group.
I FEEL GREAT!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
W1D3 and Strideouts
I was remiss and forgot to post Friday's workouts. First, let me say that the weather was wonderful! The humidity was low and so were the temps. The dogs enjoyed the better weather, too. We completed Week One with a great workout. We did 2.02 miles in 32:16. All nine of their runs were pretty steady between 10:00 and 10:05. I could tell they wanted to run longer, but I want to ease them into it. I think this training will be good for me, too, especially if they keep getting so speedy! I may have trouble keeping up with them!
After I dropped them back here I went out for my training run. I was supposed to have a 2.5 mile warm up but I decided to just do a mile. The I was supposed to do 4x strideouts. Strideouts are short (50 to 100m distance) where you start out at about 60% of your max pace and speed up to 90% max. While I don't know what those numbers are, I started sprinting fast and concentrated on running faster. Then you do a light jog or walk to bring the heartrate down before doing another. Since I didn't know how to set this up, I decided to do 20 second strideouts and one minute cooldowns. The distance was between 220 and 240 feet and my slow runs in between I kept at around an 11:05 pace. My strideouts were around 7:30. It was fun. My totals were 1.6 miles in 17:06.
After I dropped them back here I went out for my training run. I was supposed to have a 2.5 mile warm up but I decided to just do a mile. The I was supposed to do 4x strideouts. Strideouts are short (50 to 100m distance) where you start out at about 60% of your max pace and speed up to 90% max. While I don't know what those numbers are, I started sprinting fast and concentrated on running faster. Then you do a light jog or walk to bring the heartrate down before doing another. Since I didn't know how to set this up, I decided to do 20 second strideouts and one minute cooldowns. The distance was between 220 and 240 feet and my slow runs in between I kept at around an 11:05 pace. My strideouts were around 7:30. It was fun. My totals were 1.6 miles in 17:06.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Productive Thursday
I woke up this morning to beautifully chilly temperatures and a day off from training. What?! It was perfect out! I really wanted to say the heck with the training schedule -- I'm going to run! But I really want to do well Saturday, and I know Coach Mark puts rest days where I need them. So I resisted. Bummer. I hope the cooler weather continues for the next few mornings. I really do not want to run in a sauna Saturday.
I had breakfast and then started cleaning. Today's small bite was taken out of the bedroom and bathroom. While I still have not emptied Bill's suitcase from the trip yet, I did clear off my dresser (a huge undertaking!). I feel incredible about that. Then I cleaned out the small chest of drawers in the bathroom and that felt liberating. I found a half dozen goodie bags from visiting the dentist. We won't need travel toothbrushes, toothpaste, or floss for a while.
After lunch I went and ran some errands. I went to Books-A-Million to get the money from the books I brought in last week. Thirty-seven books and two audio books earned me a whopping $20.94. It just didn't seem like a good deal anymore. I think I could deduct more from our taxes if I donated it and and claimed the donation. Oh well. Live and learn. In the parking lot I saw this bumper sticker on a truck. It made me smile.
Cherryl called me while I was in the parking lot. She was wondering if she'd see me at the hail & bail tonight. I didn't think so since it was at 6 and I was teaching until then all the way up off Olive Road. The function was out in Perdido, so I'd be lucky to get there by 7:30. What I forgot was that this was the Kingry's farewell. Doh! She was up at the hospital and then went to Cox. I was up at that part of town running errands, so we met at Starbucks and chatted for a while. That was really nice. I feel like I haven't seen them in forever. They are leaving tomorrow to take two weeks off and go to New York and Virginia. They'll be back and Karl will be here for a few days before he heads to Whidbey and then Cherryl will follow a few days later. I won't get to see much of them :-(. They'll be there for 6 to 10 weeks and then it is off to Cherry Point. She is still thinking about doing the NFCU 5k with me. I'm excited about that. If she does, I won't care about my time, I will run with and support her. If she decides not to do it, then I will strive for a PR (a sub 28:00 time). Either way, it is a win for me.
So here is what I did on my next errand, after the bookstore and before I saw Cherryl:
Yup, I took the first step and went and got swim gear! Per Coach John's instructions I went to All-American Swim, told them that I was working with TeamMPI and Coach John, and they would know exactly what I need. Well, I walked in and told the saleswoman exactly that and she said, "Oh yeah, that's my dad!" Well how about that! Sure enough, she got me fitted for everything I needed. I had to try on just about every single pair of goggles in the store until I found one that fit, but she didn't mind. She wanted me to get the right ones, and I really appreciated that. In the picture from top to bottom (it was landscape, but somehow it rotated when I inserted it): a curious cat, a mesh bag to carry everything, fins, a pull float, a kickboard, goggles, hand "fins", a swim cap, and another curious cat. The pull float goes between my legs to hold them up while I work on my arm stroke, sort of the way the kickboard enables one to work on kicks without doing arms at the same time. The hand fins, I am not sure about, although I have an idea. The rest is self explanatory.
Linda (John's daughter) said that she's been swimming since she was 3 and her dad threw her in the pool. Yeah, if he thinks he's going to do that to me, he had better be prepared for a battle to the death. She also said that he is not going to let me drown. If he wasn't swimming for his own fitness, he was either teaching swimming or lifeguarding. He seems to be quite the fish. I am really nervous about this, but I am excited as well. I am excited at the idea of conquering this fear. I am generally not one for shying away from a challenge. This is certainly a challenge. Overcoming this will benefit me every day. Even if I never do a triathlon, I will reap rewards from succeeding at this for the rest of my life. Yeah! LET'S DO THIS!!!
PS - the lesson tonight went really well. I think Mary was thrilled that I taught her to knit and purl and that the experience with me was far and above the experience she had at "that other shop"!
I had breakfast and then started cleaning. Today's small bite was taken out of the bedroom and bathroom. While I still have not emptied Bill's suitcase from the trip yet, I did clear off my dresser (a huge undertaking!). I feel incredible about that. Then I cleaned out the small chest of drawers in the bathroom and that felt liberating. I found a half dozen goodie bags from visiting the dentist. We won't need travel toothbrushes, toothpaste, or floss for a while.
After lunch I went and ran some errands. I went to Books-A-Million to get the money from the books I brought in last week. Thirty-seven books and two audio books earned me a whopping $20.94. It just didn't seem like a good deal anymore. I think I could deduct more from our taxes if I donated it and and claimed the donation. Oh well. Live and learn. In the parking lot I saw this bumper sticker on a truck. It made me smile.
Cherryl called me while I was in the parking lot. She was wondering if she'd see me at the hail & bail tonight. I didn't think so since it was at 6 and I was teaching until then all the way up off Olive Road. The function was out in Perdido, so I'd be lucky to get there by 7:30. What I forgot was that this was the Kingry's farewell. Doh! She was up at the hospital and then went to Cox. I was up at that part of town running errands, so we met at Starbucks and chatted for a while. That was really nice. I feel like I haven't seen them in forever. They are leaving tomorrow to take two weeks off and go to New York and Virginia. They'll be back and Karl will be here for a few days before he heads to Whidbey and then Cherryl will follow a few days later. I won't get to see much of them :-(. They'll be there for 6 to 10 weeks and then it is off to Cherry Point. She is still thinking about doing the NFCU 5k with me. I'm excited about that. If she does, I won't care about my time, I will run with and support her. If she decides not to do it, then I will strive for a PR (a sub 28:00 time). Either way, it is a win for me.
So here is what I did on my next errand, after the bookstore and before I saw Cherryl:
Yup, I took the first step and went and got swim gear! Per Coach John's instructions I went to All-American Swim, told them that I was working with TeamMPI and Coach John, and they would know exactly what I need. Well, I walked in and told the saleswoman exactly that and she said, "Oh yeah, that's my dad!" Well how about that! Sure enough, she got me fitted for everything I needed. I had to try on just about every single pair of goggles in the store until I found one that fit, but she didn't mind. She wanted me to get the right ones, and I really appreciated that. In the picture from top to bottom (it was landscape, but somehow it rotated when I inserted it): a curious cat, a mesh bag to carry everything, fins, a pull float, a kickboard, goggles, hand "fins", a swim cap, and another curious cat. The pull float goes between my legs to hold them up while I work on my arm stroke, sort of the way the kickboard enables one to work on kicks without doing arms at the same time. The hand fins, I am not sure about, although I have an idea. The rest is self explanatory.
Linda (John's daughter) said that she's been swimming since she was 3 and her dad threw her in the pool. Yeah, if he thinks he's going to do that to me, he had better be prepared for a battle to the death. She also said that he is not going to let me drown. If he wasn't swimming for his own fitness, he was either teaching swimming or lifeguarding. He seems to be quite the fish. I am really nervous about this, but I am excited as well. I am excited at the idea of conquering this fear. I am generally not one for shying away from a challenge. This is certainly a challenge. Overcoming this will benefit me every day. Even if I never do a triathlon, I will reap rewards from succeeding at this for the rest of my life. Yeah! LET'S DO THIS!!!
PS - the lesson tonight went really well. I think Mary was thrilled that I taught her to knit and purl and that the experience with me was far and above the experience she had at "that other shop"!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Note to self:
Lay off the garlic.
I had a garlic pizza last night at Hopjack's. The menu says that you don't have to worry about vampires. Heck, I don't even want to get close to me. Oofah. My gut was not happy this morning. It was making sounds that I've never heard before. These sounds rivaled the best dolphin songs ever recorded!
First up today was Week1 Day 2 of the Dog Bed to 5k program. The dogs did really well. We ran 1.97 miles in 34:22 for an average pace of 17:24. They did their runs at around 10:30. I'm really happy with them. Then I left them in the backyard with some water and went and did my run.
Intervals today! I used the run with the dogs as part of my warm up. I ran one mile then did the intervals and then the cooldown. I felt good overall, but my gut took some of that good feeling away.
Lap Distance Pace Time
1 1.00 11:04 11:04
2 0.12 8:44 1:03
3 0.35 11:23 3:58
4 0.11 8:48 1:01
5 0.36 11:09 4:00
6 0.12 8:31 1:01
7 0.36 11:01 4:00
8 0.12 8:18 1:00
9 1.01 11:06 11:16
I'm very happy with the run. I didn't feel like I was running in the 8s. I was running hard, but I felt like I still had room to go. That is a good feeling. Perhaps I am getting stronger!
This run totaled 3.56 miles in 38:23 for an average pace of 10:47. Now the rains can come.
I had a garlic pizza last night at Hopjack's. The menu says that you don't have to worry about vampires. Heck, I don't even want to get close to me. Oofah. My gut was not happy this morning. It was making sounds that I've never heard before. These sounds rivaled the best dolphin songs ever recorded!
First up today was Week1 Day 2 of the Dog Bed to 5k program. The dogs did really well. We ran 1.97 miles in 34:22 for an average pace of 17:24. They did their runs at around 10:30. I'm really happy with them. Then I left them in the backyard with some water and went and did my run.
Intervals today! I used the run with the dogs as part of my warm up. I ran one mile then did the intervals and then the cooldown. I felt good overall, but my gut took some of that good feeling away.
Lap Distance Pace Time
1 1.00 11:04 11:04
2 0.12 8:44 1:03
3 0.35 11:23 3:58
4 0.11 8:48 1:01
5 0.36 11:09 4:00
6 0.12 8:31 1:01
7 0.36 11:01 4:00
8 0.12 8:18 1:00
9 1.01 11:06 11:16
I'm very happy with the run. I didn't feel like I was running in the 8s. I was running hard, but I felt like I still had room to go. That is a good feeling. Perhaps I am getting stronger!
This run totaled 3.56 miles in 38:23 for an average pace of 10:47. Now the rains can come.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Terrific Tuesday
Today was a good day. I cleaned off the dining room table, which may not seem like a huge accomplishment, but it was. I felt a little better about Angela coming over today. She and Hazel spent about an hour or so and it was good. The cats were pretty much invisible, but the dogs were fantastic. They were laying in their beds and didn't even flinch when Hazel started "nesting" them with their toys. She put toys all around them and they didn't even bat an eye. They don't get much exposure to little people, but they always surprise me with how good they are around kids.
Then I met Ginger and Kathleen for lunch. They are customers of mine and have been saying that we should go to lunch for months now. We met at Dharma Blue along with Jane, another customer. It was great spending time with them. They are all long-time Pensacolians and travel in far different social circles than me. It was interesting to learn about the Pensacola elite. Yet they are pretty down to earth ladies and I have enjoyed getting to know them over the past few years. I think Ginger was in one of my early Learn to Knit classes. She has really taken to the craft, so much so that her daughter made a point of coming into the shop and congratulating me on getting her mom to sit still. No one had done that in decades.
After lunch I went to the "shop" and got the pieces to fill two orders that had come in yesterday. One through artfire and one was a phone order. Then I went to the vet and got bordatella boosters for the dogs and some cat food. Rava is at 57.4 pounds and Tawny is at 64.7. Dr. Stillwell is completely on board with running them, but she said to let Rava tell me when enough is enough. She may only be able to handle slower shorter runs with her arthritis. It was funny when I got in the exam room. One of the other techs poked her head in and said, "So girls, how's the cough? Still eating those drops?" I thought it was pretty cool that she remembered them from the fateful cough drop incident. Thankfully they have not been that bad. I did mention the Cadbury chocolate incident and Dr. Stillwell was glad that the chocolate was milk chocolate and not dark chocolate. We talked about the Xanax and that I think it is helping some. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain with severe weather later in the day. I have two lessons to give tomorrow, so it will be interesting to see what happens.
Tonight I met up with Chris and Jen and we did the McGuire's run. Jen felt good and took off fast. Chris has been having heart trouble, so we went a little slower than typical. I did 3.16 miles in 32:01 for an average of 10:08. On my schedule for today was a slow 40 minute run. This doesn't exactly fit the bill, but what was awesome was that I was (that's a lot of "was") able to maintain a conversation with Chris while we were running. I have not been able to do that at that pace. I was able to do that with Shelly and Caroline when we did our long runs at 11:15 or more, but not any faster. I am happy about that accomplishment. Splits: 10:18, 9:56, 10:18, 1:30 (=9:19 pace).
After the run we went to Hopjack's for dinner. Yum. Jen is a wine drinker and we may go to the Perdido Wine Festival together next weekend. I don't know of any of my other friends who would be willing to go. Can you believe that?! I really enjoy Jen, Chris, and Jackie. I look forward to these Tuesdays. I hope Bill will be able to spend some time in Pensacola when he gets back because I really want him to share in this experience.
Then I met Ginger and Kathleen for lunch. They are customers of mine and have been saying that we should go to lunch for months now. We met at Dharma Blue along with Jane, another customer. It was great spending time with them. They are all long-time Pensacolians and travel in far different social circles than me. It was interesting to learn about the Pensacola elite. Yet they are pretty down to earth ladies and I have enjoyed getting to know them over the past few years. I think Ginger was in one of my early Learn to Knit classes. She has really taken to the craft, so much so that her daughter made a point of coming into the shop and congratulating me on getting her mom to sit still. No one had done that in decades.
After lunch I went to the "shop" and got the pieces to fill two orders that had come in yesterday. One through artfire and one was a phone order. Then I went to the vet and got bordatella boosters for the dogs and some cat food. Rava is at 57.4 pounds and Tawny is at 64.7. Dr. Stillwell is completely on board with running them, but she said to let Rava tell me when enough is enough. She may only be able to handle slower shorter runs with her arthritis. It was funny when I got in the exam room. One of the other techs poked her head in and said, "So girls, how's the cough? Still eating those drops?" I thought it was pretty cool that she remembered them from the fateful cough drop incident. Thankfully they have not been that bad. I did mention the Cadbury chocolate incident and Dr. Stillwell was glad that the chocolate was milk chocolate and not dark chocolate. We talked about the Xanax and that I think it is helping some. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain with severe weather later in the day. I have two lessons to give tomorrow, so it will be interesting to see what happens.
Tonight I met up with Chris and Jen and we did the McGuire's run. Jen felt good and took off fast. Chris has been having heart trouble, so we went a little slower than typical. I did 3.16 miles in 32:01 for an average of 10:08. On my schedule for today was a slow 40 minute run. This doesn't exactly fit the bill, but what was awesome was that I was (that's a lot of "was") able to maintain a conversation with Chris while we were running. I have not been able to do that at that pace. I was able to do that with Shelly and Caroline when we did our long runs at 11:15 or more, but not any faster. I am happy about that accomplishment. Splits: 10:18, 9:56, 10:18, 1:30 (=9:19 pace).
After the run we went to Hopjack's for dinner. Yum. Jen is a wine drinker and we may go to the Perdido Wine Festival together next weekend. I don't know of any of my other friends who would be willing to go. Can you believe that?! I really enjoy Jen, Chris, and Jackie. I look forward to these Tuesdays. I hope Bill will be able to spend some time in Pensacola when he gets back because I really want him to share in this experience.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Slacker
Yup, that's me. I feel like a horrible slacker. I had grand intentions today of starting the process of organizing this place and I haven't done a thing. It's late evening and I still haven't. I thought of a thousand other things that needed to be done and I did them instead. Granted, they did need to be done, but ...
Tomorrow morning my friend Angela and her daughter are coming over to hang out. I have a lunch date with two of my former customers tomorrow and I planned to run with my friends at McGuire's tomorrow night. That eats up a lot of the day. How about Wednesday, you say? Maybe. I'm giving a knitting lesson at lunchtime.
I'm pretty sure the problem isn't time. It's motivation. I should be motivated to clean up this place, as it looks like a tornado hit it and I don't like living in this much clutter. But I am unmotivated because I have to deal with it and I don't want to. It is such an overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable task that I don't know where to begin so I keep putting it off. That has to change. I have to get moving on it. I'm sure I've said this before, but I just want to rent a dumpster and chuck everything into without regard for whether it is recyclable or reusable. I think that would make the process easier for me. But it would go against what I believe in, so I can't do that.
I just need to start small. For example, I am going to vacuum tonight. That is a great place to begin, as I will see immediate results. I can reward myself and go to bed early. Then tomorrow morning I am going to clean off my dresser and night stand. If I can do that, then I can reward myself with the visit from my friend. After lunch, I'll clean out my closet. Then I will have earned my McGuire's run reward. And so it will go. One small bite at a time. Isn't that the saying about how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The journey of a million miles begins with one step. And so on.
In other news, I have taken a big first step today. I set up my first swim lesson! Of course Coach John thinks I'm making this challenge out to me more than it really is, but little does he know that I'm not kidding when I say I'm petrified of the water. He told me that he had a client last year (not a TeamMPI client) who was afraid to even put his face in the water but did a sprint triathlon three weeks ago. Well, that's me, and that's where I'd like to end up. Even if I don't actually swim competitively, I'd like to have the knowledge of how to swim so I could if I wanted to. I really would like to get in the lake at the family reunion this summer. I'd like to enjoy it too, but I'll be happy if I can do it without breaking into a cold sweat or freaking out with a panic attack. That is my immediate goal.
Coach John is awesome. He's super supportive and positive and a really nice guy. When we were trying to come up with a time to meet he said that he swims, bikes, and then runs early in the morning before meeting with his clients. I am amazed that he does a full workout and then works out with his clients. He says he's trying to get fit, since it is triathlon season. That cracks me up. He is fit. I saw the pictures from the NO 70.3. I wish I could be as fit as he is now! It is that self-deprecating attitude and the "I'm no better than you (even though I can do an Ironman in my sleep)" vibe I get from him and Mark that makes me think that they will be super successful in their business and that I will learn tons from them.
So anyway, I took the step and I have a lesson set up. I need to acquire some gear in the next few days. I hope that it will not be a huge financial hit. I have an appointment set up with my doctor for next week to discuss the results of the blood work we did today. I'm eager to see numbers on how much improvement I've made this past year.
Enough procrastinating. I need to get out the vacuum.
Tomorrow morning my friend Angela and her daughter are coming over to hang out. I have a lunch date with two of my former customers tomorrow and I planned to run with my friends at McGuire's tomorrow night. That eats up a lot of the day. How about Wednesday, you say? Maybe. I'm giving a knitting lesson at lunchtime.
I'm pretty sure the problem isn't time. It's motivation. I should be motivated to clean up this place, as it looks like a tornado hit it and I don't like living in this much clutter. But I am unmotivated because I have to deal with it and I don't want to. It is such an overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable task that I don't know where to begin so I keep putting it off. That has to change. I have to get moving on it. I'm sure I've said this before, but I just want to rent a dumpster and chuck everything into without regard for whether it is recyclable or reusable. I think that would make the process easier for me. But it would go against what I believe in, so I can't do that.
I just need to start small. For example, I am going to vacuum tonight. That is a great place to begin, as I will see immediate results. I can reward myself and go to bed early. Then tomorrow morning I am going to clean off my dresser and night stand. If I can do that, then I can reward myself with the visit from my friend. After lunch, I'll clean out my closet. Then I will have earned my McGuire's run reward. And so it will go. One small bite at a time. Isn't that the saying about how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The journey of a million miles begins with one step. And so on.
In other news, I have taken a big first step today. I set up my first swim lesson! Of course Coach John thinks I'm making this challenge out to me more than it really is, but little does he know that I'm not kidding when I say I'm petrified of the water. He told me that he had a client last year (not a TeamMPI client) who was afraid to even put his face in the water but did a sprint triathlon three weeks ago. Well, that's me, and that's where I'd like to end up. Even if I don't actually swim competitively, I'd like to have the knowledge of how to swim so I could if I wanted to. I really would like to get in the lake at the family reunion this summer. I'd like to enjoy it too, but I'll be happy if I can do it without breaking into a cold sweat or freaking out with a panic attack. That is my immediate goal.
Coach John is awesome. He's super supportive and positive and a really nice guy. When we were trying to come up with a time to meet he said that he swims, bikes, and then runs early in the morning before meeting with his clients. I am amazed that he does a full workout and then works out with his clients. He says he's trying to get fit, since it is triathlon season. That cracks me up. He is fit. I saw the pictures from the NO 70.3. I wish I could be as fit as he is now! It is that self-deprecating attitude and the "I'm no better than you (even though I can do an Ironman in my sleep)" vibe I get from him and Mark that makes me think that they will be super successful in their business and that I will learn tons from them.
So anyway, I took the step and I have a lesson set up. I need to acquire some gear in the next few days. I hope that it will not be a huge financial hit. I have an appointment set up with my doctor for next week to discuss the results of the blood work we did today. I'm eager to see numbers on how much improvement I've made this past year.
Enough procrastinating. I need to get out the vacuum.
Week 1 Day 1 DB25k and my first "brick"
I rode my bike this morning. The weather was beautiful for a bike ride. I went 5.99 miles (if only I had a few more feet in the driveway!) in 29:13 for an average speed of 12.3 mph. It was a nice ride. As soon as I finished, I got Rava and Tawny and we went for a run. I guess this isn't technically a "brick" since I didn't jump off the bike and start running. I did take about three minutes to put the bike away and get them leashed up.
Anyway, DB25k stands for Dog Bed to 5k. It's my own program, modeled after the Couch to 5k program which got me in shape. We did a 5 minute warmup walk, then alternated 60 seconds of running with 90 seconds of walking until we had completed 9 runs, then did a cool down walk (about seven minutes) until we got back home. They did pretty well. First seven runs were at a pace of 10:21 to 10:50. Last two were around 11:20. We did a total of 1.92 miles in 32:46 for an average pace of 17:04. I could tell they were really dragging at the end, but they hung in there. We'll see how the next few runs go.
Anyway, DB25k stands for Dog Bed to 5k. It's my own program, modeled after the Couch to 5k program which got me in shape. We did a 5 minute warmup walk, then alternated 60 seconds of running with 90 seconds of walking until we had completed 9 runs, then did a cool down walk (about seven minutes) until we got back home. They did pretty well. First seven runs were at a pace of 10:21 to 10:50. Last two were around 11:20. We did a total of 1.92 miles in 32:46 for an average pace of 17:04. I could tell they were really dragging at the end, but they hung in there. We'll see how the next few runs go.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Happy Easter
Today was Easter. I spent the morning driving, the afternoon unpacking, and the evening at a friend's for dinner. It was a great day. I'm sorry it wasn't as great for my husband, who suffered with the traditional Easter Enchiladas the dining facility offered. I know he did his best to make the most of a crummy situation. Just a few more months and he'll be home!
I left New Orleans pretty early this morning. I had debated on going to Camellia Grill early for breakfast but ultimately decided against it. I grabbed some Starbucks and hit the road around 8. I happened to pass by the French Quarter RV Resort, a place I didn't know existed, and I've filed that away for potential future reference. The drive back was just as uneventful as the drive over, which is good. I made it back early but the place where I boarded the dogs doesn't have Sunday morning pickup, so I just went home.
After unpacking and relaxing a while, I went over to the Wheelock's. Angela made quite the spread, and Dave did wonders (or so I'm told) with grilling the lamb. I had "sausage" stuffed mushrooms (Angela has been enamored with the Gimme Lean fake sausage I introduced her to at Thanksgiving), rosemary potatoes (made with fresh rosemary from the garden), garlic green beans, and asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Yummy! For dessert she made Italian egg bread, which is bread with full eggs (still in the shell) baked in. She put an anise icing on it. Now anise (aka black licorice) is near the top of my list of least favorite flavors. However, I tried a slice of the bread and surprisingly it was good. I still would have preferred it without the icing, or with a different flavor icing, but it was still good, and I took a piece home. I also got to take the leftover mushrooms home. I really like Dave and Angela and truly value their friendship.
I brought over two bottles of the recently bottled Barolo. One to drink tonight as a test, the other for them to age and enjoy later. We tried a taste of the wine when we opened it and it still has an effervescent, slightly carbonated taste. Then we ran a taste through the aerator, and what a difference it made! So we decided to run it through the aerator. I had a little splash at the end of dinner that wasn't aerated, and it made a big difference in the enjoyment. I think one of them is in our future, but the Barolo still needs several months or years to age, aerator or not.
I did get to Skype with Bill this afternoon, and that was really cool. I look forward to it! He did a 10k yesterday and was able to run outside for a change. His time was great, but he said he wasn't able to do it all at once, so he doesn't think it should count. He's going to do another next weekend (while I'm doing the Fiesta 10k) so we'll see how that goes. He said again how proud he was of my time and effort Saturday. He also reminded me where I was last year at this time. So, let's step into the "way back machine", shall we?
April 19, 2010: Week 3, Day 3 of the Couch to 5k program. Two reps of run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes.
April 20, 2010: Week 4, Day 1 of C25k. run 3 mins, walk 90 secs, run 5 mins, walk 2-1/2 mins, run 3 mins, walk 90 seconds, run 5 mins.
April 21, 2010: Week 4, Day 2 C25k. Same as W4D1.
April 24, 2010: Week 4, Day 3 C25k. Same as W4D1.
I was in DC with Bill (the first time I visited him since he left, and the first time we ran together) for the first three runs and in Atlanta for Stitches South for the last one. I am not positive we did all these runs, but that is what was on my calendar and all I have to go by. So to make this short story even longer, I was struggling to run five minutes at a time. I remember running around Bill's apartment complex huffing and puffing. I was on the verge of tears because it was so hard. Five minutes seemed like forever, and the two and a half in between went by in the blink of an eye. That pain is still fresh in my mind. And to think I ran a half marathon since -- two of them -- still blows my mind!
I am incredibly proud of how far I've come this year. I want to go farther, but I can look back and really smile.
I know I would not have done this without Bill's support. I am sure that when we ran around the complex he was thinking "C'mon, it is only three minutes!" but he never ever let that show. He was encouraging and positive every step of the way. My pace was probably around 12 minutes per mile or slower during the runs, and I know he can do much faster than that (especially for such a short time!) but he ran with me and walked with me and kept my spirits up. He didn't let me get down. I couldn't have done it without him!
On a similar note, I appreciate the support I get from my Daily Mile friends. I haven't met half of them in person, but they leave positive comments on my workouts and that makes me feel great! Their encouragement fuels me. My coaches' encouragement also fuels me. A LOT! They treat me just like any of their athletes. I feel like they are just as thrilled with my 10k PR of 1:01:08 as they would be of one of their other athlete's PR which may be half that. I may be their slowest athlete, but I feel like they are just as proud of me. I felt bad about Saturday's run, but Coach Mark came back with a positive comment. He said, "Hey Molly, It happens! And it's OK. Let's make sure your rested and mentally FIRED UP next weekend with positive thoughts! This is all part of being a terrific athlete - which you are! And it makes us appreciate the truly great days. You WILL break it!" That makes me happy!
I know this sounds more like a Thanksgiving post (listing what I have to be thankful for) rather than an Easter post, but in this time of rebirth, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what I have: my health, the world's greatest husband, a great family and set of friends, two super dogs and super cats, and overall a good life. I do truly feel blessed.
I left New Orleans pretty early this morning. I had debated on going to Camellia Grill early for breakfast but ultimately decided against it. I grabbed some Starbucks and hit the road around 8. I happened to pass by the French Quarter RV Resort, a place I didn't know existed, and I've filed that away for potential future reference. The drive back was just as uneventful as the drive over, which is good. I made it back early but the place where I boarded the dogs doesn't have Sunday morning pickup, so I just went home.
After unpacking and relaxing a while, I went over to the Wheelock's. Angela made quite the spread, and Dave did wonders (or so I'm told) with grilling the lamb. I had "sausage" stuffed mushrooms (Angela has been enamored with the Gimme Lean fake sausage I introduced her to at Thanksgiving), rosemary potatoes (made with fresh rosemary from the garden), garlic green beans, and asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Yummy! For dessert she made Italian egg bread, which is bread with full eggs (still in the shell) baked in. She put an anise icing on it. Now anise (aka black licorice) is near the top of my list of least favorite flavors. However, I tried a slice of the bread and surprisingly it was good. I still would have preferred it without the icing, or with a different flavor icing, but it was still good, and I took a piece home. I also got to take the leftover mushrooms home. I really like Dave and Angela and truly value their friendship.
I brought over two bottles of the recently bottled Barolo. One to drink tonight as a test, the other for them to age and enjoy later. We tried a taste of the wine when we opened it and it still has an effervescent, slightly carbonated taste. Then we ran a taste through the aerator, and what a difference it made! So we decided to run it through the aerator. I had a little splash at the end of dinner that wasn't aerated, and it made a big difference in the enjoyment. I think one of them is in our future, but the Barolo still needs several months or years to age, aerator or not.
I did get to Skype with Bill this afternoon, and that was really cool. I look forward to it! He did a 10k yesterday and was able to run outside for a change. His time was great, but he said he wasn't able to do it all at once, so he doesn't think it should count. He's going to do another next weekend (while I'm doing the Fiesta 10k) so we'll see how that goes. He said again how proud he was of my time and effort Saturday. He also reminded me where I was last year at this time. So, let's step into the "way back machine", shall we?
April 19, 2010: Week 3, Day 3 of the Couch to 5k program. Two reps of run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes.
April 20, 2010: Week 4, Day 1 of C25k. run 3 mins, walk 90 secs, run 5 mins, walk 2-1/2 mins, run 3 mins, walk 90 seconds, run 5 mins.
April 21, 2010: Week 4, Day 2 C25k. Same as W4D1.
April 24, 2010: Week 4, Day 3 C25k. Same as W4D1.
I was in DC with Bill (the first time I visited him since he left, and the first time we ran together) for the first three runs and in Atlanta for Stitches South for the last one. I am not positive we did all these runs, but that is what was on my calendar and all I have to go by. So to make this short story even longer, I was struggling to run five minutes at a time. I remember running around Bill's apartment complex huffing and puffing. I was on the verge of tears because it was so hard. Five minutes seemed like forever, and the two and a half in between went by in the blink of an eye. That pain is still fresh in my mind. And to think I ran a half marathon since -- two of them -- still blows my mind!
I am incredibly proud of how far I've come this year. I want to go farther, but I can look back and really smile.
I know I would not have done this without Bill's support. I am sure that when we ran around the complex he was thinking "C'mon, it is only three minutes!" but he never ever let that show. He was encouraging and positive every step of the way. My pace was probably around 12 minutes per mile or slower during the runs, and I know he can do much faster than that (especially for such a short time!) but he ran with me and walked with me and kept my spirits up. He didn't let me get down. I couldn't have done it without him!
On a similar note, I appreciate the support I get from my Daily Mile friends. I haven't met half of them in person, but they leave positive comments on my workouts and that makes me feel great! Their encouragement fuels me. My coaches' encouragement also fuels me. A LOT! They treat me just like any of their athletes. I feel like they are just as thrilled with my 10k PR of 1:01:08 as they would be of one of their other athlete's PR which may be half that. I may be their slowest athlete, but I feel like they are just as proud of me. I felt bad about Saturday's run, but Coach Mark came back with a positive comment. He said, "Hey Molly, It happens! And it's OK. Let's make sure your rested and mentally FIRED UP next weekend with positive thoughts! This is all part of being a terrific athlete - which you are! And it makes us appreciate the truly great days. You WILL break it!" That makes me happy!
I know this sounds more like a Thanksgiving post (listing what I have to be thankful for) rather than an Easter post, but in this time of rebirth, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what I have: my health, the world's greatest husband, a great family and set of friends, two super dogs and super cats, and overall a good life. I do truly feel blessed.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Crescent City Classic 10k
Today was the big day! Chris and Jackie walked me to the start line. They had us (the orange numbers) back so far, I decided to move up. I got pretty close to the start. In fact, I crossed the start line about 1:15 after the gun. On the shuttles back I overheard people talking who crossed the start line almost an HOUR after the gun! I chose wisely. Although in the general scheme of things, we had chips, so it really didn't matter. The only thing it counted for was your overall place was computed based on gun time.
I forgot to turn the auto-lap feature on the Garmin back on, so I don't have any mile splits. I will take a look at the download and see if I can figure out the times at the miles, but the bottom line is I ran 6.29 miles in 1:01:15.
I'm not completely happy with this result. I am thrilled that I made a new PR (by 20 seconds), but I am extremely frustrated and dissatisfied with my performance. I've been in a funk all afternoon. Granted, part of the funk is due to the fact that my phone had NO service at City Park and I only got to talk to Bill for about two seconds. He even called and left a message. The phone never rang. I was mad at AT&T because I really needed to hear him tell me that I did well and that I should be proud of this effort and not disappointed. Granted, there were 22,000 runners today. I should be thrilled to have done that well!
HOLD THE PRESSES! I just checked the official results! They only have the first 17,000 finishers online, but here are my stats:
Place Name Gender Age Place Gun Time Chip Time Pace
2785 Molly Evans F 39 Pensacola FL USA 1:02:27 1:01:08 9:52
I feel great now! I finished in the top 15%! Or at least in the top 20%, depending on how many people actually finished. That really makes me realize just how goofy I've been for the past five hours.
Now, I really did think I had it in me to break an hour. I thought with Tuesday's great 5k, I was prepared. There were a lot of people there, and I probably lost some time in the first mile, just trying to get out there. Next Saturday there will probably only be about 600 people competing, so that should not be quite a limiting factor. I should be able to perform better with fewer people to hurdle.
So, even though I think I should have done better, I'm still happy with how I did. I'm done stewing and I am going to celebrate. I mean, it is kind of dumb to be mad at a performance that ended in a PR. A PR by 27 seconds! Next week I will train and I will be mentally in the game next weekend. Besides, it was a really fun run today. Where else do you have beer stops and margarita stops and jello shots being handed out with the water at the water stops? Only in New Orleans!
I forgot to turn the auto-lap feature on the Garmin back on, so I don't have any mile splits. I will take a look at the download and see if I can figure out the times at the miles, but the bottom line is I ran 6.29 miles in 1:01:15.
I'm not completely happy with this result. I am thrilled that I made a new PR (by 20 seconds), but I am extremely frustrated and dissatisfied with my performance. I've been in a funk all afternoon. Granted, part of the funk is due to the fact that my phone had NO service at City Park and I only got to talk to Bill for about two seconds. He even called and left a message. The phone never rang. I was mad at AT&T because I really needed to hear him tell me that I did well and that I should be proud of this effort and not disappointed. Granted, there were 22,000 runners today. I should be thrilled to have done that well!
HOLD THE PRESSES! I just checked the official results! They only have the first 17,000 finishers online, but here are my stats:
Place Name Gender Age Place Gun Time Chip Time Pace
2785 Molly Evans F 39 Pensacola FL USA 1:02:27 1:01:08 9:52
I feel great now! I finished in the top 15%! Or at least in the top 20%, depending on how many people actually finished. That really makes me realize just how goofy I've been for the past five hours.
Now, I really did think I had it in me to break an hour. I thought with Tuesday's great 5k, I was prepared. There were a lot of people there, and I probably lost some time in the first mile, just trying to get out there. Next Saturday there will probably only be about 600 people competing, so that should not be quite a limiting factor. I should be able to perform better with fewer people to hurdle.
So, even though I think I should have done better, I'm still happy with how I did. I'm done stewing and I am going to celebrate. I mean, it is kind of dumb to be mad at a performance that ended in a PR. A PR by 27 seconds! Next week I will train and I will be mentally in the game next weekend. Besides, it was a really fun run today. Where else do you have beer stops and margarita stops and jello shots being handed out with the water at the water stops? Only in New Orleans!
I know what it means to miss New Orleans
On Thursday I dropped the dogs off at the Parkway Pet Retreat and hit the road. I was off to New Orleans and a fun weekend. I registered for the Crescent City Classic 10k a few months ago and this was the weekend.
The drive over was extremely uneventful. I stopped for a Starbucks frappe and unfortunately she didn't hear me say (twice) "double blended" so I got a thick shake. I did learn something though, I asked for it with an extra shot of espresso (to help combat the highway hypnosis). That makes the "coffee frappe" an "espresso frappe". Who knew?
I checked into my room and valet parked the car. It was the only option. It costs a lot. Three nights here is actually costing me four nights if you figure in the parking. Cherryl was supposed to come with me, but she was not feeling well and decided to stay home. Bummer. I was on my own.
Thursday night dinner was with Angela, Greer, and their son, John. I went to their house and we chatted for a while and figured out where to go. We decided to go to Venezia's up on Canal Street (near where JazzFest is held). Unfortunately I couldn't eat the red sauce, but we had a great dinner. Following dinner we went down a few doors to Angelo Brocato's for some gelato. Yummy! I needed to be rolled home after that! We went back to their house and chatted a while longer until I realized it was past 11:00 and Angela's last day at the Corps was the next day. I excused myself and headed back to the hotel.
Friday morning I got up and went to CC's Coffee House and got breakfast and walked around Audubon Park. I remember doing that with Amy when she and I visited NOLA a year and a half ago. I wish she had been able to join me. It was a beautiful morning. From there I went down Magazine Street and visited the Garden District Needleworks shop. It was a very nice shop. After browsing for a while I decided to search for lunch. I headed back Uptown and thought about stopping at a few places, but ended up at Whole Foods. Yum! From there it was back to the hotel.
I came down to the lobby to get band-aids and then sit and knit for a while, but ran into Chris and Jackie almost as soon as I got off the elevator. Chris was full of bad news. He couldn't park at the hotel since the lot was full so he had to park down the street and there was no in-and-out. So he didn't know what to do about getting Cherryl to the finish line, as she was going to ride up there with Jackie. I said that wasn't a problem since she wasn't here. Then the real bad news came out. He wasn't going to run the race! He has been having some serious problems with an uncontrollable heart beat. He was running Thursday and felt several blips in his heartrate that caused him to have to stop. He is going to get in to see the doctor next week to see what is going on, but he and Jackie (a nurse) decided it would be best that he didn't run it.
We went to their room and dropped off their bags then headed to the Expo so he could at least get a shirt. Then they walked with me to get band-aids. Then we said we'd meet in an hour to go get dinner. I sat and knit for a while and then we left. We found ourselves at the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. I was able to fuel up with an eggplant pizza and some Abita Purple Haze. Then we came back and I got all my stuff ready to go and tried to get some sleep.
The drive over was extremely uneventful. I stopped for a Starbucks frappe and unfortunately she didn't hear me say (twice) "double blended" so I got a thick shake. I did learn something though, I asked for it with an extra shot of espresso (to help combat the highway hypnosis). That makes the "coffee frappe" an "espresso frappe". Who knew?
I checked into my room and valet parked the car. It was the only option. It costs a lot. Three nights here is actually costing me four nights if you figure in the parking. Cherryl was supposed to come with me, but she was not feeling well and decided to stay home. Bummer. I was on my own.
Thursday night dinner was with Angela, Greer, and their son, John. I went to their house and we chatted for a while and figured out where to go. We decided to go to Venezia's up on Canal Street (near where JazzFest is held). Unfortunately I couldn't eat the red sauce, but we had a great dinner. Following dinner we went down a few doors to Angelo Brocato's for some gelato. Yummy! I needed to be rolled home after that! We went back to their house and chatted a while longer until I realized it was past 11:00 and Angela's last day at the Corps was the next day. I excused myself and headed back to the hotel.
Friday morning I got up and went to CC's Coffee House and got breakfast and walked around Audubon Park. I remember doing that with Amy when she and I visited NOLA a year and a half ago. I wish she had been able to join me. It was a beautiful morning. From there I went down Magazine Street and visited the Garden District Needleworks shop. It was a very nice shop. After browsing for a while I decided to search for lunch. I headed back Uptown and thought about stopping at a few places, but ended up at Whole Foods. Yum! From there it was back to the hotel.
I came down to the lobby to get band-aids and then sit and knit for a while, but ran into Chris and Jackie almost as soon as I got off the elevator. Chris was full of bad news. He couldn't park at the hotel since the lot was full so he had to park down the street and there was no in-and-out. So he didn't know what to do about getting Cherryl to the finish line, as she was going to ride up there with Jackie. I said that wasn't a problem since she wasn't here. Then the real bad news came out. He wasn't going to run the race! He has been having some serious problems with an uncontrollable heart beat. He was running Thursday and felt several blips in his heartrate that caused him to have to stop. He is going to get in to see the doctor next week to see what is going on, but he and Jackie (a nurse) decided it would be best that he didn't run it.
We went to their room and dropped off their bags then headed to the Expo so he could at least get a shirt. Then they walked with me to get band-aids. Then we said we'd meet in an hour to go get dinner. I sat and knit for a while and then we left. We found ourselves at the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. I was able to fuel up with an eggplant pizza and some Abita Purple Haze. Then we came back and I got all my stuff ready to go and tried to get some sleep.
A walk in the park
On Friday I woke up in New Orleans. I didn't feel well, having not slept well overnight. I decided to take a walk rather than do the run that was on my schedule. I went to CC's Coffee House and got a coffee and had a bagel. Then I went to Audubon Park and walked the path. I enjoyed it so much I did it twice.
I walked 3.4 miles in 1:10.
I made the mistake of walking it in my sandals, which caused me to develop hot spots on the balls of my feet. Bummer. I went and got some band-aids to put on them which helped.
I walked 3.4 miles in 1:10.
I made the mistake of walking it in my sandals, which caused me to develop hot spots on the balls of my feet. Bummer. I went and got some band-aids to put on them which helped.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Hot!
It was 74 degrees with 94% humidity, but it felt HOT! I should have rested more since my incredible performance last night, but I knew it would only get hotter. So I got out there at 7:00. It was nice to do an early morning run again.
Today's run was supposed to be 20 minutes slow and 20 minutes steady. I think I did 20 minutes slow and 20 minutes faster than steady. My understanding is that the runs can be easy, steady, tempo, fast, and hard (in order of increasing difficulty). I'm still trying to get the hang of learning my paces and trying to keep them.
Lap time distance avg pace
1 20:01 1.8 11:07
2 22:12 2.31 9:37
total 42:13 4.11 10:16
It was a tough run, but a good one! I'm pleased.
Today's run was supposed to be 20 minutes slow and 20 minutes steady. I think I did 20 minutes slow and 20 minutes faster than steady. My understanding is that the runs can be easy, steady, tempo, fast, and hard (in order of increasing difficulty). I'm still trying to get the hang of learning my paces and trying to keep them.
Lap time distance avg pace
1 20:01 1.8 11:07
2 22:12 2.31 9:37
total 42:13 4.11 10:16
It was a tough run, but a good one! I'm pleased.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
I rocked it tonight!
I did the McGuire's Tuesday night run tonight. I decided early on today that I wanted to try and run a 9:00 pace. This would help me feel what I had to run in order to make my stretch goal Saturday. I told Chris and he was good with it. He and Jen eventually got out in front of me, but I kept them in my sights nearly the whole time.
I like to start out at pace and keep going. They like to start slower and speed up. So I got out in front of them at first, and they caught up and passed me a little past the first mile. I felt really good with my time and my pace. Now for the numbers: 3.1 miles in 28:14 for an average pace of 9:06!!! That is a 5k PR for me by 34 seconds! And I felt better after this run than I did after the McGuire's Prediction Run (which is where I PR'ed).
Splits were 8:50, 8:58, 9:28, 0:58 (=9:30 pace). I am really happy with this! Granted, it will be hard to maintain this pace for twice as long, but I have learned two things from tonight's run. First, I will probably break a 28:00 5k. Second, I will probably break a 60:00 10k. I think the race environment will help me speed up.
As long as the weather cooperates, I'll be OK. Tonight's temperature was good (around 70), but it was windy. I know I was running into the wind at times, and I think that slowed me down some. It was humid too. I expect it to be warm and humid Saturday morning. I hope that there will be some breeze, but not enough to slow me down and that it won't be too hot. We shall see. In the meanwhile, I'm going to smile about this run for a while!
I like to start out at pace and keep going. They like to start slower and speed up. So I got out in front of them at first, and they caught up and passed me a little past the first mile. I felt really good with my time and my pace. Now for the numbers: 3.1 miles in 28:14 for an average pace of 9:06!!! That is a 5k PR for me by 34 seconds! And I felt better after this run than I did after the McGuire's Prediction Run (which is where I PR'ed).
Splits were 8:50, 8:58, 9:28, 0:58 (=9:30 pace). I am really happy with this! Granted, it will be hard to maintain this pace for twice as long, but I have learned two things from tonight's run. First, I will probably break a 28:00 5k. Second, I will probably break a 60:00 10k. I think the race environment will help me speed up.
As long as the weather cooperates, I'll be OK. Tonight's temperature was good (around 70), but it was windy. I know I was running into the wind at times, and I think that slowed me down some. It was humid too. I expect it to be warm and humid Saturday morning. I hope that there will be some breeze, but not enough to slow me down and that it won't be too hot. We shall see. In the meanwhile, I'm going to smile about this run for a while!
Monday, April 18, 2011
First real day of retirement
Today was the first real day of retirement. I got up and rode my bike. Then I talked to Bill for a few minutes. Then I went and did some work. I had two sales on Artfire over the weekend, so I went to the storage unit and got the yarn and some shipping supplies. I went to the bank to deposit some money and pay some bills. That's about it. Wow. I sound like a slacker.
I went to dinner with the Kingrys tonight. We went to Mellow Mushroom. That was a lot of fun. I think Cherryl is going to come with me to New Orleans this weekend! It will be fun to have a friend around. I was going to go with Liz and Monie from the Humane Society, but Liz is staying out of the sun after a particularly bad episode of sun poisoning and Monie had to get stitches and isn't supposed to race. But now I hear she still wants to go, but it depends on what her doctor says tomorrow. I guess it will all work out somehow.
I went to dinner with the Kingrys tonight. We went to Mellow Mushroom. That was a lot of fun. I think Cherryl is going to come with me to New Orleans this weekend! It will be fun to have a friend around. I was going to go with Liz and Monie from the Humane Society, but Liz is staying out of the sun after a particularly bad episode of sun poisoning and Monie had to get stitches and isn't supposed to race. But now I hear she still wants to go, but it depends on what her doctor says tomorrow. I guess it will all work out somehow.
Nice ride
I had a thirty minute ride on my schedule today. I took the road bike out, but it didn't sound right. I traded it in for the comfort bike. The weather was fantastic, though a little breezy. It was cool and not too humid. I knot it is supposed to be warm tomorrow morning, so I'm glad I went out today.
I rode to Mobile Hwy, on Pine Forest to Blue Angel, back to Mobile Hwy, and into Beulah. Then I turned around and rode to Blue Angel and then to Bellview. It was an 8.12 mile ride and I did it in 40:41, for an average pace of 12mph. It was interesting looking at the splits. I could see exactly which miles I was going into the wind (10mph) and with the wind (16mph).
I am going to see if Bikes Plus or Cycle Sports offers a bike maintenance/repair class. I should learn a little about how to care for my bike if I am going to be riding it more.
I rode to Mobile Hwy, on Pine Forest to Blue Angel, back to Mobile Hwy, and into Beulah. Then I turned around and rode to Blue Angel and then to Bellview. It was an 8.12 mile ride and I did it in 40:41, for an average pace of 12mph. It was interesting looking at the splits. I could see exactly which miles I was going into the wind (10mph) and with the wind (16mph).
I am going to see if Bikes Plus or Cycle Sports offers a bike maintenance/repair class. I should learn a little about how to care for my bike if I am going to be riding it more.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
It has been a long time since I ran this long
I did a long run today and it was a nice way to recover from the 5+ hour drive from Atlanta. It has been a while since I ran for this long. Several weeks. It felt good. I've missed the long runs. Weather was in the low 70s (at 4pm!) and it was a little breezy. Not too humid.
I ran down Bellview to Mobile Hwy to Michigan to Memphis to Bellview Pines to Chicago to Bellview to Blue Angel then back to the start. It was 5.79 miles. This was supposed to be an LSD run, but I probably took it a little faster than Coach would like. Time was 1:00:48. Splits: 10:40, 10:37, 10:23, 10:30, 10:32, 8:06 (=10:15 pace).
I got a chafe mark on my inner thighs from the shorts. I forget that the shorts do that if I run farther than three miles. I may have to order another skirt or get some tight shorts.
I ran down Bellview to Mobile Hwy to Michigan to Memphis to Bellview Pines to Chicago to Bellview to Blue Angel then back to the start. It was 5.79 miles. This was supposed to be an LSD run, but I probably took it a little faster than Coach would like. Time was 1:00:48. Splits: 10:40, 10:37, 10:23, 10:30, 10:32, 8:06 (=10:15 pace).
I got a chafe mark on my inner thighs from the shorts. I forget that the shorts do that if I run farther than three miles. I may have to order another skirt or get some tight shorts.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Track workout without the track
I wanted to run today, even though it is a day off on my schedule. Partly because we are going out to a big dinner tonight (one that has dessert included). There is a section on the main road near the hotel that is flat for one block (about 0.234 miles).
First lap was a warm up, then I tried to make each of the next seven faster than the one before, then the last two were cool downs. I feel pretty good about this workout.
Lap Time Avg Pace
1 2:28 10:10
2 2:15 9:51
3 2:08 9:05
4 2:11 9:19
5 2:04 8:44
6 2:08 9:07
7 2:06 9:00
8 2:05 8:59
9 2:29 10:41
10 2:30 10:50
The seven speed laps average out to 9:09. That's pretty good! That's the pace I want to maintain at the Crescent City Classic. I've got my work cut out for me, but less than a week to do it in.
First lap was a warm up, then I tried to make each of the next seven faster than the one before, then the last two were cool downs. I feel pretty good about this workout.
Lap Time Avg Pace
1 2:28 10:10
2 2:15 9:51
3 2:08 9:05
4 2:11 9:19
5 2:04 8:44
6 2:08 9:07
7 2:06 9:00
8 2:05 8:59
9 2:29 10:41
10 2:30 10:50
The seven speed laps average out to 9:09. That's pretty good! That's the pace I want to maintain at the Crescent City Classic. I've got my work cut out for me, but less than a week to do it in.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Stitches South
I'm here in Atlanta for Stitches South, a knitting conference. I am signed up for two classes: one on steeks and one on double knitting. I'm looking forward to learning these two (new to me) techniques. My friends Liz and Michelle are here. Steeks is this afternoon and Double Knitting is tomorrow.
The hotel is nice. It is a converted apartment complex. Our windows look out into a wooded area with a little creek running through it. It is easy to forget where you are. A hot breakfast is included in the room so we took advantage of that after the run this morning. I was amazed that nearly everyone there opted for plastic cutlery and styrofoam bowls and plates rather than the silverware and china that was out right next to it. And these people were eating in the dining room. I can understand if you want to take your meal back to your room to eat, but to sit there? Come on! Un-stinking-believable. That makes me want to scream.
Last night we went to the Market preview. There did not seem to be as many people there as last year. Sanguine Griffon's booth is usually hit first and hard. If you don't get there in the first 15 minutes, you've lost out on some of the best yarn. Her yarns are rare and popular. This year I wasn't sure I was in the right booth. There were only three people in it. I picked up a really pretty color in the Irregular bin (at 50% off!) for Angela, as she is watching the cats this weekend, next weekend, and for a week in May. I looked at the yarn made from recycled jeans and I am in debate on getting some. It's a little pricey, but it is nice and I know exactly what I'd make with it. However, I'm going to stew on that for a while.
I also bought a small handmade project bag. I really liked the design of the bag as well as the fabric. The vendor is a mother-daughter team. The daughter had her iPhone with a credit card swipe attached. She ran my card, I signed the phone, and she emailed me the receipt. Incredible! If I ever go to a show to sell my inventory off I think that is something I would pursue. The company is paypro.com I think she said.
I ran into Sarah Peasley at the market last night. I had to thank her for teaching me Cut and Paste last year. I have used that technique several times with incredible results and I am very appreciative. That knowledge won me accolades from customers who didn't have to rip out a whole project and reknit it. Awesome!
------------------------------------------
Here are a few things I forgot to blog. Wednesday was the last day in the shop. I turned in the keys late Wednesday afternoon. It was weird. Dale said we did a great job with the place and he was very happy to have us as tenants. He is holding on to the security deposit for the moment. He's working on getting estimates to fix the floor where there is a little mold from the dog's bowl. Michelle mentioned that Hal can lay flooring and he is willing to do so (if that's OK with Dale, and if Dale has the material). Hal wants to get in there and take a look at the section. I'll try to do that Monday evening if it works for all of us. It would be great to do it that way.
Am I sad about the shop closing? Yes and no. I am a little sad because it was something I put a lot into. I enjoyed what I did and I feel like I accomplished a lot. On the other hand, I was starting to get tired of doing it all and I feel like I lost the enjoyment I got from knitting. I hope that will come back soon. I've got too much yarn in my stash now to give up knitting and crocheting. I am not worried about not being busy, as I have more than enough to keep me going for a while. It won't be stuff I enjoy, but it is stuff that needs to be done. If I wasn't so crazy about recycling, I'd rent a dumpster for two weeks and just chuck half the house into it! But no, I will take my time and carefully go through it all.
The hotel is nice. It is a converted apartment complex. Our windows look out into a wooded area with a little creek running through it. It is easy to forget where you are. A hot breakfast is included in the room so we took advantage of that after the run this morning. I was amazed that nearly everyone there opted for plastic cutlery and styrofoam bowls and plates rather than the silverware and china that was out right next to it. And these people were eating in the dining room. I can understand if you want to take your meal back to your room to eat, but to sit there? Come on! Un-stinking-believable. That makes me want to scream.
Last night we went to the Market preview. There did not seem to be as many people there as last year. Sanguine Griffon's booth is usually hit first and hard. If you don't get there in the first 15 minutes, you've lost out on some of the best yarn. Her yarns are rare and popular. This year I wasn't sure I was in the right booth. There were only three people in it. I picked up a really pretty color in the Irregular bin (at 50% off!) for Angela, as she is watching the cats this weekend, next weekend, and for a week in May. I looked at the yarn made from recycled jeans and I am in debate on getting some. It's a little pricey, but it is nice and I know exactly what I'd make with it. However, I'm going to stew on that for a while.
I also bought a small handmade project bag. I really liked the design of the bag as well as the fabric. The vendor is a mother-daughter team. The daughter had her iPhone with a credit card swipe attached. She ran my card, I signed the phone, and she emailed me the receipt. Incredible! If I ever go to a show to sell my inventory off I think that is something I would pursue. The company is paypro.com I think she said.
I ran into Sarah Peasley at the market last night. I had to thank her for teaching me Cut and Paste last year. I have used that technique several times with incredible results and I am very appreciative. That knowledge won me accolades from customers who didn't have to rip out a whole project and reknit it. Awesome!
------------------------------------------
Here are a few things I forgot to blog. Wednesday was the last day in the shop. I turned in the keys late Wednesday afternoon. It was weird. Dale said we did a great job with the place and he was very happy to have us as tenants. He is holding on to the security deposit for the moment. He's working on getting estimates to fix the floor where there is a little mold from the dog's bowl. Michelle mentioned that Hal can lay flooring and he is willing to do so (if that's OK with Dale, and if Dale has the material). Hal wants to get in there and take a look at the section. I'll try to do that Monday evening if it works for all of us. It would be great to do it that way.
Am I sad about the shop closing? Yes and no. I am a little sad because it was something I put a lot into. I enjoyed what I did and I feel like I accomplished a lot. On the other hand, I was starting to get tired of doing it all and I feel like I lost the enjoyment I got from knitting. I hope that will come back soon. I've got too much yarn in my stash now to give up knitting and crocheting. I am not worried about not being busy, as I have more than enough to keep me going for a while. It won't be stuff I enjoy, but it is stuff that needs to be done. If I wasn't so crazy about recycling, I'd rent a dumpster for two weeks and just chuck half the house into it! But no, I will take my time and carefully go through it all.
HILLS
I'm running in Atlanta and it was all uphill. Even on the way back! The weather was cool (55) and breezy and nice. I was supposed to do 20 minutes easy warm up and 20 minutes at a steady pace (somewhere between easy and hard). The first 20 mins averaged an 11:37 pace for 1.74 miles and the last 17 minutes averaged 10:30 for 1.6 miles. Total of 3.34 miles in 37:00. The hills were tough. I should do more of them.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
What a day
I got up this morning intending to run, but I noticed that a skin condition I have developed had worsened overnight. I called to get an appointment with my doctor. After the shower I went in the living room, trying to figure out what the smell was. Someone (canine) had taken a rather large and not so solid poop in the living room. On the carpet, not even a foot away from the tile. Yuck. That took quite a bit of time to clean up and it wasn't fun. I'm not sure who was responsible, but I can't (and didn't) yell at them. It looked like something didn't agree with them; it's not their fault. However, it was still pretty nasty and I gag at the memory.
Anyway, here's what's going on. In New Zealand a few days after the hike I saw a couple of bites on my fingers that looked different from the sandfly bites in that they were raised and not flat. I remember pointing them out to Bill saying that I thought I had gotten bitten by something else. Well, that was that until a few days ago. I started being itchy on my upper arms and when I went to scratch it, I felt bumps. They looked just like the non-sandfly bites. Then more appeared on my lower arms. This morning they were at the hairline and in my scalp and on my neck.
So I am a little freaked out. The doctor says they are not bites (I certainly would have remembered getting bitten that many times), but something called "folliculitis". According to the all-knowing Internet and Wikipedia, "Folliculitis starts when hair follicles are damaged by friction from clothing, an insect bite,[citation needed] blockage of the follicle, shaving, or braids too tight and too close to the scalp. In most cases of folliculitis, the damaged follicles are then infected with the bacterium Staphylococcus (staph)." Yikes! I don't want a staph infection! Those can be deadly. I guess it is possible that one of the sandfly bites started this chain of events, but I don't know why it took so long to kick in after it started. Weird.
Anyway, so I have some antibiotics and some topical cream. The cream eases the itch for about five minutes. Oh well, I hope it will clear up quickly.
I did some stuff around the shop and then met Liz and Michelle and the girls for lunch at Hub Stacy's. The food was good. We finalized our plans for the big trip to Stitches on Thursday. After lunch I went back to the shop and took two truckloads of stuff back to the house. I think I have one more truckload and then I can clean. Tomorrow I turn in the keys!
This evening I did the McGuire's run and had a good time. Dinner was really good. However, I have to stop eating so well. I think I've gained back three or four pounds since I left for New Zealand!
Anyway, here's what's going on. In New Zealand a few days after the hike I saw a couple of bites on my fingers that looked different from the sandfly bites in that they were raised and not flat. I remember pointing them out to Bill saying that I thought I had gotten bitten by something else. Well, that was that until a few days ago. I started being itchy on my upper arms and when I went to scratch it, I felt bumps. They looked just like the non-sandfly bites. Then more appeared on my lower arms. This morning they were at the hairline and in my scalp and on my neck.
So I am a little freaked out. The doctor says they are not bites (I certainly would have remembered getting bitten that many times), but something called "folliculitis". According to the all-knowing Internet and Wikipedia, "Folliculitis starts when hair follicles are damaged by friction from clothing, an insect bite,[citation needed] blockage of the follicle, shaving, or braids too tight and too close to the scalp. In most cases of folliculitis, the damaged follicles are then infected with the bacterium Staphylococcus (staph)." Yikes! I don't want a staph infection! Those can be deadly. I guess it is possible that one of the sandfly bites started this chain of events, but I don't know why it took so long to kick in after it started. Weird.
Anyway, so I have some antibiotics and some topical cream. The cream eases the itch for about five minutes. Oh well, I hope it will clear up quickly.
I did some stuff around the shop and then met Liz and Michelle and the girls for lunch at Hub Stacy's. The food was good. We finalized our plans for the big trip to Stitches on Thursday. After lunch I went back to the shop and took two truckloads of stuff back to the house. I think I have one more truckload and then I can clean. Tomorrow I turn in the keys!
This evening I did the McGuire's run and had a good time. Dinner was really good. However, I have to stop eating so well. I think I've gained back three or four pounds since I left for New Zealand!
Pi in 30:30
I was supposed to do a tempo run today, but I didn't run this morning since I called and got an early appointment with the doctor (more on that later). I hustled to get everything done so I could do the McGuire's running club run tonight. I made it and had a great time!
My friend Chris was there along with his wife, Jackie, and another DailyMiler, Jen. I have been friends with Jen on DM for a while, but this was the first time we had met in person. She's an engineer working for the Air Force at Eglin. It was fun running with them. I thought we were doing a good pace. I was having trouble keeping up the conversation, but I was running it without any trouble.
I did 3.14 miles in 30:30. That's 45 seconds faster than the last time I did the McGuire's Tuesday run (3/2). I feel pretty good about it. Afterward we all went to Jaco's at Palafox Pier and I had a mushroom flatbread that was quite tasty.
Splits: 9:37, 9:44, 9:56, 1:14 (=8:38 pace). I need to go faster than this if I am going to make my goal at the Crescent City Classic.
My friend Chris was there along with his wife, Jackie, and another DailyMiler, Jen. I have been friends with Jen on DM for a while, but this was the first time we had met in person. She's an engineer working for the Air Force at Eglin. It was fun running with them. I thought we were doing a good pace. I was having trouble keeping up the conversation, but I was running it without any trouble.
I did 3.14 miles in 30:30. That's 45 seconds faster than the last time I did the McGuire's Tuesday run (3/2). I feel pretty good about it. Afterward we all went to Jaco's at Palafox Pier and I had a mushroom flatbread that was quite tasty.
Splits: 9:37, 9:44, 9:56, 1:14 (=8:38 pace). I need to go faster than this if I am going to make my goal at the Crescent City Classic.
Monday, April 11, 2011
On the bike again
It was another warm and muggy morning. There wasn't much in the way of fog because there was a good breeze. I took the bike out for what was supposed to be a 30 minute easy ride. I decided to take the comfort bike. I had to pump up the tires (no real surprise).
I went out Bellview to Cookie Amy's and back to Mobile Highway. They I went up Mobile Highway to Blue Angel and back to Bellview. It was a nice ride. Drivers were generally paying attention. I even had a motorcyclist change lanes to "avoid" me!
It was a 7.00 mile ride in 35:39 for an average of 11.8mph. Not stellar, not setting any speed records, but it was a nice ride.
I went out Bellview to Cookie Amy's and back to Mobile Highway. They I went up Mobile Highway to Blue Angel and back to Bellview. It was a nice ride. Drivers were generally paying attention. I even had a motorcyclist change lanes to "avoid" me!
It was a 7.00 mile ride in 35:39 for an average of 11.8mph. Not stellar, not setting any speed records, but it was a nice ride.
Saturday, April 09, 2011
A taste of what is to come
I ran this morning. It was supposed to be an easy 50 minute run. I set out and this was a difficult run. I thought I was going slow, per coach's direction. It felt like I was walking fast, not running. The weather was hot, foggy, and humid. And this was at 7am. I am dreading the weather coming up. I think the temperature is only in the low 70s, but it felt hotter. The humidity was at 100% and it was thick. The fog lifted for the most part when the sun came out.
Anyway, I ran 4.48 miles in 48:16. Splits were 10:45, 10:47, 10:51, 10:46, 5:07 (=10:45 pace).
The good news is that Tawny did not get into any trouble while I was gone.
Anyway, I ran 4.48 miles in 48:16. Splits were 10:45, 10:47, 10:51, 10:46, 5:07 (=10:45 pace).
The good news is that Tawny did not get into any trouble while I was gone.
Friday, April 08, 2011
Been a while
I know I haven't posted in a while. I've been enjoying vacation too much. I can't even begin to describe how incredible this vacation was. The scenery was stunning. We took our time seeing what we wanted to see and not trying to rush and cram to much in. Best of all, we were together! It has been over a year since Bill left the house for this new phase of his career. Yet it didn't feel like he had been gone a week when we got together. We fit back together like peanut butter and jelly, or ham and eggs. It was so nice!
I will be blogging about our adventures and posting photos, but not tonight. It has been a long day at the shop packing things up and I'm still exhausted from the jet lag. There are plenty of stories to tell and I'll try to get them out as soon as possible so I don't forget the details.
I will be blogging about our adventures and posting photos, but not tonight. It has been a long day at the shop packing things up and I'm still exhausted from the jet lag. There are plenty of stories to tell and I'll try to get them out as soon as possible so I don't forget the details.
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