General update-> tracking continues to be buggy.

Last weekend I did a fun run on Saturday where I ran at one of the local nature preserves. I got incredibly lost but it didn't really matter because I was running hills and ended up doing my six miles. There was an abandoned castle on my run and below are some pictures from my run. I also practiced running with my backpack and it was ok, but not fantastic.

On Sunday we ran our 11 miles and my tracker screwed up again :(. This makes me very unhappy. I'm going to try using a different tracking program but I fear that it is an issue with my phone. It was really hot that day but we managed to do the whole run. We listen to music for the majority of the run.

On Monday I did Insanity and was very sore the next day.

On Tuesday we did another fartlek workout, this time we did workout from last time twice.

On Wednesday we ran our 7 mile run and we were running pretty fast. I was frustrated with things in my life so I guess I was pushing us faster than usual. Again the tracker failed. I also used a anti-chafing solution that worked really well but discolors fabric. So it looked like I peed myself until my running buddy let me borrow a spare pair of shorts.

I failed to do my run on Thursday because sometimes I'm a lazy bum.

Today I ran my 13 miles by myself. I accidentally ran in a bad neighborhood (that I didn't know was a bad neighborhood when I planned my route). My tracker failed AGAIN. So, do you now understand my frustration???

Buggie Tracking & general update

So the last two runs I kept forgetting my spi-belt at school and when I tried to carry my phone in my hand the tracking was really bizarre. That's why I haven't updated my graph. However, on Wednesday morning GR and I went for a 6 mile run that was very challenging because it was very hot and humid. 

This morning we did our speed workout for the week by doing hills. We did a 1 mile warm up jog and then found a really long and steep hill in the local cemetery. We did a series of 4 hill runs where we really pushed ourselves up the hill and walked down the hill, before finishing with a 1 mile jog. This was to preserve our knees and allow us to do a better job running up the hill. Going up those hills, I felt like a tub of lard. I can't believe how hard it has gotten for me to run hills.

Last week's long run was completed however GR wasn't able to finish the full 10 miles so we are going to cut it down to 11 this week to avoid causing injury.

First Speed workout!

Yesterday my friend and I did our three miles as a fartlek. For those of you who don't know, fartlek is a sweedish word for "speed play". It consists of segments of fast running and segments of jogging for various amounts of time. Our schedule was:

10 min warm up
0:30 Hard 
1:30 Easy 
0:30 Hard 
1:15 Easy 
0:30 Hard 
1:00 Easy 
0:30 Hard 
0:45 Easy 
0:30 Hard 
0:30 Easy 
0:30 Hard 
0:15 Easy 
0:30 Hard 
10 min cool down

With this schedule, the rest time decreases by increments of 15 seconds and is called a Gerschler Fartlek. Often people repeat the middle part several times, but we only needed to run three miles so we only did one set.

I didn't turn on my tracker by accident so it won't show up in the chart with quite as much information as usual. Also, I'm really slow right now!!! :( But that is why we are doing the speed workouts. It is awesome how patient my running buddy is! She is faster than me but doesn't mind slowing down to my pace.

I have been running I promise!

Hey guys!
So it looks like I haven't posted in a while but if you check the little chart at the top of the blog I have been tracking my runs!!

I did my first real long run this past Saturday and it was 8 miles in the humid Ohio summer. We slightly modified our program because neither my buddy or I ran the 7 mile run we had scheduled on 7/11. So do avoid jumping 4 miles in one run, we switched it from 9 miles to 8.

We ran roughly a 9:40 min/mile pace and took a few rests. I really want to get that down to a 9:10 pace sometime if at all possible because I would LOVE it if we could finish in roughly 4 hours. So we are going to do a speed workout tomorrow! I hate speed workouts! But much like vegetables, they are good for you. :)

I love my running buddy, she makes it so easy for me! Last week we were supposed to run 3 miles on Thursday and I was super unmotivated because I had a stressful and exhausting day. But she drove to my house at 7:30 pm because I told her I needed the motivation. (She has less difficulty motivating herself so it was definitely just for my benefit). What a great buddy!

Anyways, today I am doing an exercise class to maintain my muscle strength and burn some calories!

Strong start but now slacking

I ran five miles last Thursday and Saturday with my medical school friend. It was really good! On Friday I ran a mile with my boyfriend because he is trying to start running again and I want to support him in that. On Monday and Tuesday I was at a retreat where I got stung by a wasp. They put my on Benadryl because I have a family history of allergies. This made me so tired I just slept all day and couldn't get myself to go running. Tonight I plan on doing my 5 mile run and have just asked my friend to harass me about it so that I actually go. I am also going to buy some earbuds so that I can run with music when my friend is away. I really like the chart and spreadsheet I have added at the top of the page. The "description" part corresponds to the initials of the person I ran with. Feel free to comment so I know you are reading.
Thanks!
Zita

ANOTHER MARATHON!!!!

Hello!  I decided it's time for marathon #2!  This is partly due to a need for running motivation and also because I have often called myself a "marathoner" only to realize that this implies have run several marathons (which I haven't).  Lastly, for my previous marathon I purposely did not push myself to run fast during the marathon and even though l finished, l know I can do better.  Therefore, l signed up for the Towpath marathon which is in the near by national park!  It will be October 11th and I will be running with my friend! Yay!!!!!

 Anyways, my weekly schedule will be at the top and a count down on the side. Stay tuned!

DONE!

All right dudes, yesterday I ran the marathon! It was great! I honestly didn't even feel super tired! I had asked the pacer who I should run with and they suggest I run with the 4:30 finishing the group. My final the was 4 hours 26 min because I left the group in the last two miles. Last week I had squeezed in another 20 mile run on Wednesday before getting violently ill with a stomach flu for a few days.  This week I only got a four mile in on Wednesday.

I am ecstatic that I did it! I teared up a little crossing the finish line because I was so happy. :) I ran with two different people during the race, a woman who was in the Army Reserves and a man who worked for the military for his whole life.  My pacer has run over 200 marathons! The crowds were really fun, handing out water, candy,  fruit, paper towels, and even balloons!  I have so many memories and not enough time to write about them all!  I saw a blind runner with her helpers, I learned how to eat while running, listened to a talk by Hal Higdon (the person who wrote my training program), got a really cute headband for running, and so much more!  I also used the app called "Glympse" so that my friends and family could watch me finish.

Some cute headbands that were only $5 at the running expo.

Running past my family at mile 3.

 Running up to the finish!

 My family watching me finish using the tracker.

 Being sassy after the race!

 My boyfriend watched the second half of the race and meet me at the finish!

Thursday & Today

I did my run on Thursday. My Wednesday morning run just didn't happen.... :(. My run today was kind of a fail too. I asked my boyfriend to bike with me so that I could run through some of the "not so safe" neighborhoods. However, he had to use my bike (because his has a flat tire) and was miserable the whole time. I felt really bad that I had dragged him out to run with me, so after 11 miles, we went home. It was terribly windy but otherwise the weather was fairly nice. I have my 24 mile rescheduled for Wednesday and I think it will actually happen because after Monday, my schedule frees up quite a bit. So I can at least finish my training strong. I think if I do another marathon, I will find a training buddy with whom I can do my long runs. I would be much more disappointed in myself, but I know I could have finished my run today. Mostly it just sucks because everyone is asking me how my run went today, so I keep having to re-explain it.

Traveling

Last week I ran on Tuesday  and Thursday. I ran the correct distance each day. Wednesday and Sunday l didn't get a chance to because I was traveling. I ran yesterday but probably won't get a chance to today. I wanted to go this morning but couldn't get myself out of bed.  :(  Saturday it's my last long run! I'm getting a little disappointed in my current track record  so it's good that my training is almost over. I've learned that the middle of the week runs are much more likely to happen. I have missed very few Tuesday & Thursday runs. So next year I will try to plan my workouts for the middle of the day.

this past week

Sorry that I haven't been posting! I actually did 3/4 runs this week I just didn't write about them yet. So here is the recap.
 Tuesday: 5 miles  and weights.
 Wednesday: l was a lazy bum and ate ice cream.
 Thursday: 5 miles + an exercise class that had me run another mile.
 Friday/Saturday: rest days
 Sunday: 20 mile run!

 My run yesterday was out into the country. I've gotten into a bad habit of stopping every few miles to stretch or adjust clothing. I know it isn't a big deal but I think it has made my mental endurance weaker.  I'm going to break the habit by not letting myself stop on my mid-week runs at all.  Also my allergies ore acting up a little. I think the farmers are plowing right now so it makes me very mucous-y (blech).  But all in all I am happy that I only have one more long an until the race!

frosty fourteen

I just came back from my 14 mile run. It was a little chilly but I've been using this: link website to help me properly dress and it has been surprisingly accurate. Also, I found a pair of underwear that doesn't make me chafe! My body wasn't really happy about going running today so many of my joints are complaining. I'm going try and lose a little weight these next few weeks because I think that will help my joints. I'm sleepy now, but I can tell I could have run further which is very good.

Like a dog chasing the mailman.

Today I ran 5 miles outside in beautiful weather and enjoyed every minute of it! At one point I was running behind a mail truck and catching him every time he stopped at a mailbox. It was a little awkward but also gave me a fun challenge! I ran faster than usually and can really feel the endorphins, but my stomach isn't too pleased...

Running short on time (pun intended)

I was supposed to run nine miles yesterday but ran out of time because I needed to go to a ceremony. So I only ran 7, but I'm not too upset about that. I wasn't feeling too great regardless.

New shoes!

 This morning, we went to the local athletic shoe store and I got a new pair of minimalist runny shoe. Now, I can run at the gym without being smelly or bloody. The shoes I have been wearing to the gym cut the back of my heel until I bleed.The new shoes are bright colors, which I don't very like, but they feel good so it is  worth it. I ran 5 miles in them today at less than 10 min /mile.The man who helped me pick them out commended on my foot/toe strength and said that l must train my feet well. Awesome!

18 whole miles!!!

 Today I ran 18 miles outside in the sun. It was nice because I was listening to music and enjoying the great weather. I did realize that I need to carry water or at least plan to drink some from a fountain because I was feeling a little weak at mile 14. I stopped at a Jimmy Johns and they let me have some. Also, I ate a fruit leather and it was crazy delicious! But I read online that eating or long runs is not actually necessary unless you pass out (which I don't). For fun I drank an espresso before my run and it was quite pleasant. I ran 10 min/mile which isn't too bad. Next week is only 14 so that should be pretty chill.  Also I'm writing this with my new tablet which I am still getting used to I so my writing sounds a little choppy.

Le workout fail

Today my body was like.... no. It wasn't because I of my injuries. It just really wasn't feeling it. So I ran 1 mile on the treadmill, 1 mile on the elliptical, and roughly half a mile on the track. Pathetic. But I have been biking everywhere today so I guess that helps. I think I didn't get enough rest between my run last night and my run today. Tomorrow I hope to do a fun exercise class and then this weekend I have a big scary run!!!

9 miles at 9

I went to the gym late on Wednesday because I was busy all day. But thanks to the help from my boyfriend, we mustered up the motivation to go to the gym at 9ish pm. After, I could barely sleep but at least I finished my run!

Side note, my body continues to be angry. In addition to my foot and knee, my right hip hurts and I get crazy blisters. I switched to a different type of shoe for the gym (because my other ones smell too gross) and I don't think they are any good for me at all. However, I really don't want to drop $100 on a pair of shoes right now. gah. I am hoping that the weather is good enough that I can just run outside, and then there won't be any issues!

I have been lazy about posting :/ Sorry.

Tuesday I ran 4 miles outside. It was warm. It was beautiful. I also accidentally ran about 20 ft behind a random girl for 2 miles before I decided to pass her (oops). I was running much faster than usual. I may have run through some cow poop because I ran through the farms on the edge of campus. Meh, it was worth it! :)

12 miles outside!

I ran 12 miles outside today! It was nice weather and really not that tough. It is amazing how much easier the second 6 miles is compared to the first. I also did a Body Combat class yesterday and a yoga class today. I probably won't have time to do anything tomorrow because I have an exam on Tuesday. But for the rest of the week I will kick EXERCISE'S BUTT.

P.s. Thursday afternoon I also did elliptical, biking, and a climber. To replace the four miles I was supposed to do.

eight miles outside

I didn't run Tuesday because I was freaking out about my exam on Wednesday. I didn't run on Wednesday because I decided to drink wine and hang out with my friends. So... this morning I did my eight mile run that I was supposed to do yesterday. The weather is finally conducive to running! I did slip a little but it felt great to be outside.