Sunday, Sept. 26
This run was harrrd. clearly my quads are not where they should be. My buddy John who I always see out walking, was near my house walking and I welcomed the excuse to stop 1/2 mile from my house and chat with him for a bit. I'm bothered by the fact that it's not just that these 12 miles were tough...it's that it was really tough after 6 miles which is normally easy for me. My knees were really bothering me today and they haven't bothered me in months! Why now?? I had a nagging sidesticker...not enough to stop me completely, just uncomfortable, and I was just counting dowwwwwn the time for it to end after 6-7 miles. Luckily, this is my last long run before next weekend...one more long run and then this is overrrr!! I've enjoyed the process, but i'm anxious to get back to strengthening and toning.


Miles Run today: 12
Total Miles Run for 2010: 588.5

Saturday, Sept. 25
Miles Run today: 6
Total Miles Run for 2010: 576.5

Saturday, September 18, 2010
Still Slacking...BUT I had a great 9 mile run on Saturday before getting ready for the wedding. I didn't run yesterday and I didn't run this morning because I'm still recuperating from my lack of sleep over the weekend and didn't go to bed until 12:30 last night! I plan on pushing through this week with some good long runs, closing out with a 12 miler on Saturday or Sunday and then tapering off before the race in 2 weekends!! It's getting close, and I do feel ready. I just need to keep my head in the game for this last hard-core week.

Miles Run today: 9
Total Miles Run for 2010: 570.47

I feel like this always happens to me in the last two weeks before a race. I get lazy. I think "well...I can't get much better by this point anyway..so what's the point? what's done is done!" Plus, it's sooo dark outside at 6:15 when I set my alarm..I think "I can't run in the dark!" But the race is 2 weeks away!! 2 weeks!! I HAVE to stay on target. I've done pretty well so far...just two more weeks of early morning runs and then I can switch over to some DVD's and get back to weight training.

I slept in this morning...again...and only had time for 3 miles, even though I was supposed to run for 55 minutes as my schedule told me. So I did 3 miles...I power-housed through the last half mile. It was HUMID this morning and I was dripping with sweat by the end of the run, which believe it or not, is pretty unusual for me. Anyway, tomorrow I am running for 2 hours, which should equal about 12 miles if I stay on pace. I need to do this by 10:00am because my friend is coming over at 11:00 to do my makeup for the wedding I'm going to and I'll need a good hour to shower and cool down before that. That means I have to be out the door by 8:00 tomorrow..can I do it?? The answer is: I have to.

Miles Run today: 3
Total Miles Run for 2010: 561.47

Today I did my interval speed training. The same routine I did last week. 
My times for each 1/2 mile fast run were as follows:

1. 3:33
2. 3:37
3. 3:39
4. 3:41
5. 4:11

so my first three were faster than ALL of my times last week, and my 4th one was exactly right where my first one was last week. I was surprised I knocked 8 seconds off my time for my first run! However, during the 4th run...my left hamstring was really bothering me. And, I could tell my legs were going to be reallly sore again, so I needed to take it easy for my last fast 1/2 mile. So...I just kind of jogged it out at my normal pace and came in at 4:11. All in all, I ran 3 miles this morning with warm up and cool down.

Miles Run today: 3
Total Miles Run for 2010: 558.47

My legs were reallly sore after last Friday's run. I'm supposed to run 4 fast miles with a break in between this week...but honestly, I think I'd rather do the same routine I did last Friday again. I think I need to do more shorter sprints on my own, instead of on a treadmill before I move ahead to fast miles on my own. It's amazine what different muscles you use sprinting than from regular jogging. So, I didn't run on Saturday...but I was also in Vermont and didn't know where to run.

But even worse than that....I didn't run on Sunday. My long run :( It was cold and dreary by the time we came home on Sunday and I used that as an excuse to not run. Just like I used the dark, dreariness as an excuse not to run yesterday, too. Boooo, I've been bad. And after my amazing 10 mile run last weekend, I really wanted to have a repeat run like that again!!

I'm going to attempt 10 miles before I leave for the wedding I'm going to on Saturday. I have to get up at 8 if I want to do it, because I have a friend come over to do makeup at 11, so that's a little ambitious but I can do it!! I will!!!

This morning, I felt realllly refreshed. I was in bed before 11 last night, which NEVER happens lately and got a full 7 1/2 hours of sleep. Glorious!! Got up a little later than usual, but still fit in my 4.86 mile run.

Miles Run today: 4.86
Total Miles Run for 2010: 555.47

Crazy hard run this morning. I realized yesterday that I didn't do my interval training this week..so I had to do it this morning. I mapped out a street in the neighborhood across the street from me that's exactly .5 miles from start to finish. I had to do 5 fast 1/2 mile runs with a cooldown in between each one. 

Here were my times for each 1/2 mile run. I realllly wanted my best one to be my last..but I couldn't do it. The first two were the fastest, for obvious reasons.

1. 3:41
2. 3:41
3. 3:46
4. 3:46
5. 3:51

This was HARD. It was the first time that I did an interval training on my own and NOT on a treadmill. Keeping up the pace was entirely up to me, and it is such a mind game to keep yourself going fast. I will def. be trying this one again next week to see if I can improve my time. It's also amazing the different muscles you use sprinting..my legs are extremely sore today!!


Miles Run today: 2.5
Total Miles Run for 2010: 550.61

So I thouuught I had been running 5 miles, but mapmyrun actually tells me it's 4.86 now. :(  Close enough..but I'm going to keep an accurate count of miles and so below I am actually putting 4.86 miles for today. Call me Crazy...it's ok. LOVING this cooler weather :)


Miles Run today: 4.86
Total Miles Run for 2010: 548.11