I am feeling on top of the world.
No right to be, really, work is stressful this week and I'm behind on stuff with no expectation of getting fully caught up until next month sometime.
But who cares today!
It's a beautiful day. My oldest and his dad are playing hooky to go see a baseball game. In a few hours I will leave here, stop by Fleet Feet Sports to get my Elvis Is Alive packet, and pick up the GooGoo monster.
My extra weight is coming off steadily and slowly, I feel good about how I'm going about it and good about how I feel.
I just registered for the Ready To Run CARA supported 20-mile run September 22, exactly three weeks before the marathon, with a run/walk pace group. I had not planned to do any group runs but I was having a hard time figuring out when I was going to do my 20-miler. Our weekends coming up are packed and quite honestly it's hard to recover from a long/hard effort with the kids around, which is why I've been taking half days at work and doing most of my long runs on Mondays. But this run is fully supported - water stations, pace groups, food/beer and massage afterwards - so by the time I get home I should be in halfway decent shape to roll around with the rug rats.
I've finished one quilt I've been working on for over two years (photos soon) and have planned out another one.
And I've figured out my bucket list... that's been on my mind since Ali wrote about hers... there was one piece that I couldn't quite articulate and it fell into place last night, so I've been buzzing on that. I then had a dream that I told the family about it and everyone was like, yay, mom, that's great, we'll help! Didn't have that reaction when I told The Dude about it this morning, ha. Don't mean to be cryptic but I don't have the time right now to post on this (that work stuff I mentioned before).
Hope you're having a great day!
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Some Photos
It's been a while since I shared any photos... I wouldn't say these show us at our most attractive, but certainly with our typical energy!
The family at play.
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| The room that had a grocery delivery guy ask if I ran a daycare. |
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| That belly! |
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| That grin! |
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| Ready for a big day at Kings Island |
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| "Resting" at Kings Island |
The family at play.
That Half (Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken)
Getting the recap out of the way, 'cause it's a crazy week and I want to move on to other things.
Good news: I had a good strategy and executed it well.
Bad news: The course/event was poorly organized and in the end I don't trust the results. (Won't go into a lot of details but I think the course was short based on my Garmin and the reports of others around me. Or if not short then something went wrong with all the turns out there. Plus lots of other little things.)
Lesson learned: Stick to events I know will be well organized (Fleet Feet or the major Chicago races or word of mouth) or if I'm doing it just for fun.
It was a beautiful day. It was close enough to walk to so by the time I got there I was completely warmed up and ready to go. I took the first third conservatively, eased up to goal pace for the middle third, and then went faster in the last third, especially in the last mile and again in the last quarter mile. I felt good but definitely left it all on the course, which also felt good. Their results aside, I shaved at least a couple of minutes off my previous half. I used my race vest with bladder and felt like I was getting adequate nutrition/hydration throughout. My plan of walk breaks every mile seemed to help with the heat - I definitely got hot but never felt close to overheating, and was able to skip a couple of the walk breaks towards the end.
I wanted to report on something I experienced at the end of the race, in the last third. I worked those first nine miles, I felt very conscious of the effort I was putting out there to move up to pace and then try to stay at pace. And of wanting to slow down and not doing it. (Except mile 8, I seem to always slow down in mile 8. Plus I needed to retie my shoes, which I never need to do. Three times to get it right!)
And then I hit the ninth mile and started to fly. It just felt... effortless. Beautiful. Heavenly. Wow.
Very grateful.
I walked the two miles home which meant a total of 17 miles on my feet that morning, which makes me just that little more confident about the marathon now only 8 1/2 weeks away. But only a little bit. Mostly I think, am I crazy? Or wish that I could properly race it instead of enduring it, but I'm not that good and am not willing to put in the effort to become that good, I've got other things I'm working on.
So why do another marathon?
I guess, as someone in my online running group wrote, for the adventure of it.
And maybe, just maybe, another taste of that wow.
Good news: I had a good strategy and executed it well.
Bad news: The course/event was poorly organized and in the end I don't trust the results. (Won't go into a lot of details but I think the course was short based on my Garmin and the reports of others around me. Or if not short then something went wrong with all the turns out there. Plus lots of other little things.)
Lesson learned: Stick to events I know will be well organized (Fleet Feet or the major Chicago races or word of mouth) or if I'm doing it just for fun.
It was a beautiful day. It was close enough to walk to so by the time I got there I was completely warmed up and ready to go. I took the first third conservatively, eased up to goal pace for the middle third, and then went faster in the last third, especially in the last mile and again in the last quarter mile. I felt good but definitely left it all on the course, which also felt good. Their results aside, I shaved at least a couple of minutes off my previous half. I used my race vest with bladder and felt like I was getting adequate nutrition/hydration throughout. My plan of walk breaks every mile seemed to help with the heat - I definitely got hot but never felt close to overheating, and was able to skip a couple of the walk breaks towards the end.
I wanted to report on something I experienced at the end of the race, in the last third. I worked those first nine miles, I felt very conscious of the effort I was putting out there to move up to pace and then try to stay at pace. And of wanting to slow down and not doing it. (Except mile 8, I seem to always slow down in mile 8. Plus I needed to retie my shoes, which I never need to do. Three times to get it right!)
And then I hit the ninth mile and started to fly. It just felt... effortless. Beautiful. Heavenly. Wow.
Very grateful.
I walked the two miles home which meant a total of 17 miles on my feet that morning, which makes me just that little more confident about the marathon now only 8 1/2 weeks away. But only a little bit. Mostly I think, am I crazy? Or wish that I could properly race it instead of enduring it, but I'm not that good and am not willing to put in the effort to become that good, I've got other things I'm working on.
So why do another marathon?
I guess, as someone in my online running group wrote, for the adventure of it.
And maybe, just maybe, another taste of that wow.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Three Days To Go
...before my next half marathon.
Two days ago I was a bit worried. There's been a wee bit of stress in my life this last week and my sleep was suffering horribly, every day I was waking up more tired than the day before. Monday I even had to skip my run which I almost never ever do.
Thankfully some of that stress was resolved on Monday (work stuff) and I've been sleeping better since then and also making a point of going to bed earlier. Amazing what a couple of nights' better sleep will do for my mood. So now I'm beginning to be a bit hopeful again.
The weather forecast is for 77 degress, a bit cooler than the half I suffered through in June. We've been having on-and-off rain all week so it's a bit steamy out there right now, which worries me more than the heat, really. I'm hoping that eases a bit in the next couple of days.
I plan to run without headphones and have been doing all my recent runs without to get used to running "naked" again. I also think I have a more accurate idea of what I can hope for pacing-wise, so I'll be more conservative at the start than I was before. I plan to take walking breaks every mile, and I'll have my water on my back instead of on my chest, which will be more comfortable. The course is also near me, on the north lakefront, so it will be familiar to me (and offer more shade). So all-in-all, I think that I'll be better able to enjoy this half, regardless of what my end time is.
Though of course, ahem, I'll be hoping to PR.
Two days ago I was a bit worried. There's been a wee bit of stress in my life this last week and my sleep was suffering horribly, every day I was waking up more tired than the day before. Monday I even had to skip my run which I almost never ever do.
Thankfully some of that stress was resolved on Monday (work stuff) and I've been sleeping better since then and also making a point of going to bed earlier. Amazing what a couple of nights' better sleep will do for my mood. So now I'm beginning to be a bit hopeful again.
The weather forecast is for 77 degress, a bit cooler than the half I suffered through in June. We've been having on-and-off rain all week so it's a bit steamy out there right now, which worries me more than the heat, really. I'm hoping that eases a bit in the next couple of days.
I plan to run without headphones and have been doing all my recent runs without to get used to running "naked" again. I also think I have a more accurate idea of what I can hope for pacing-wise, so I'll be more conservative at the start than I was before. I plan to take walking breaks every mile, and I'll have my water on my back instead of on my chest, which will be more comfortable. The course is also near me, on the north lakefront, so it will be familiar to me (and offer more shade). So all-in-all, I think that I'll be better able to enjoy this half, regardless of what my end time is.
Though of course, ahem, I'll be hoping to PR.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Under Water
My swimming has taken a hit over the last month as I've upped my running mileage. I'm tired and have no "kick". That doesn't surprise me.
I have been surprised at how choppy my swimming has been, I just cannot get into a groove. I think some of that is because there are just a lot more people in the pool in the summer - more people at all different speeds. The water is more turbulent and I constantly have to be aware of people passing me and trying to pass people.
I also think my body has changed. I know I have more muscle in my legs and butt and am a bit lighter on top. When running upright that doesn't much impact my sense of gravity, but in the pool I'm very aware that I'm not riding in the water in the same way I used to, and I haven't managed to rebalance myself. Same thing happened when I've been pregnant, too.
Well, the swimming is the only thing keeping my body from being completely given over to aches and stiffness right now, so I'll keep at it. But it is hard to enjoy feeling so unnatural in the water.
I have been surprised at how choppy my swimming has been, I just cannot get into a groove. I think some of that is because there are just a lot more people in the pool in the summer - more people at all different speeds. The water is more turbulent and I constantly have to be aware of people passing me and trying to pass people.
I also think my body has changed. I know I have more muscle in my legs and butt and am a bit lighter on top. When running upright that doesn't much impact my sense of gravity, but in the pool I'm very aware that I'm not riding in the water in the same way I used to, and I haven't managed to rebalance myself. Same thing happened when I've been pregnant, too.
Well, the swimming is the only thing keeping my body from being completely given over to aches and stiffness right now, so I'll keep at it. But it is hard to enjoy feeling so unnatural in the water.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Lately
I switched up my training plan a few weeks ago and have just finished my first three-week block of increased mileage (25-30 per week). Feeling good!
I noticed overall my runs were slower - not a great confidence booster - so today I took the last half of my run at slightly slower than tempo pace (but faster than goal pace for the half). Score! Feeling much more confident now.
Of course it made a BIG difference going out in 70 degree temps instead of 85. We've had a few days now that feel like fall and I have been so happy. I know it's going to get hot again and I don't care, I'm just so happy to have some cooler weather for a little while.
It's been nice as well to have cooler temps at night. Though last night was a doozy, my dreams were super wild and woke me up several times.
Another constant I noticed while reading through past race reports was that I'm always commenting on not getting enough sleep. It's actually been getting better the last week or so (last night excepted) - I've made a truce with the Princess Kitty and she has been not quite so annoying in the night. I've also reluctantly given up full-caf again and am back to decaf everything (except for my first cup of tea in the morning). I was falling asleep just fine when I first went to bed so could tell myself I wasn't affected by the caffeine, but it was keeping me from being able to fall back asleep easily if woken up in the night. By say, oh, a small child with a nosebleed. Or a cat. Or the other cat. Or the first cat again. Or a husband coming to bed late after rehearsal. Or that first small child having wet the bed. Or the baby waking up early. Or... You get the picture.
Spent the weekend with The Dude sorting through stuff to discard or better manage. And then cleaning up all the dust (and worse) discovered in the process. Walking through I don't think anyone would notice a difference, but things do feel more manageable now. More possible. Hence the dreams, I suppose... We have a lot more to do over the next few weeks before my parents come into town (they are not staying with us but still). Our annual fall cleaning/reorganizing, done a bit early.
And the fall temperatures make me think about Scary Movie Month! Oh, time to start planning.
I noticed overall my runs were slower - not a great confidence booster - so today I took the last half of my run at slightly slower than tempo pace (but faster than goal pace for the half). Score! Feeling much more confident now.
Of course it made a BIG difference going out in 70 degree temps instead of 85. We've had a few days now that feel like fall and I have been so happy. I know it's going to get hot again and I don't care, I'm just so happy to have some cooler weather for a little while.
It's been nice as well to have cooler temps at night. Though last night was a doozy, my dreams were super wild and woke me up several times.
Another constant I noticed while reading through past race reports was that I'm always commenting on not getting enough sleep. It's actually been getting better the last week or so (last night excepted) - I've made a truce with the Princess Kitty and she has been not quite so annoying in the night. I've also reluctantly given up full-caf again and am back to decaf everything (except for my first cup of tea in the morning). I was falling asleep just fine when I first went to bed so could tell myself I wasn't affected by the caffeine, but it was keeping me from being able to fall back asleep easily if woken up in the night. By say, oh, a small child with a nosebleed. Or a cat. Or the other cat. Or the first cat again. Or a husband coming to bed late after rehearsal. Or that first small child having wet the bed. Or the baby waking up early. Or... You get the picture.
Spent the weekend with The Dude sorting through stuff to discard or better manage. And then cleaning up all the dust (and worse) discovered in the process. Walking through I don't think anyone would notice a difference, but things do feel more manageable now. More possible. Hence the dreams, I suppose... We have a lot more to do over the next few weeks before my parents come into town (they are not staying with us but still). Our annual fall cleaning/reorganizing, done a bit early.
And the fall temperatures make me think about Scary Movie Month! Oh, time to start planning.
Monday, July 15, 2013
No, Really, I Love This Stuff
I realized last week that I may not have expressed how much fun I had with my last race, despite the copious room for improvement I actually wrote about. So I just want to make it clear...
I love racing.
Even when I don't think I've done as well as I could have. I love the people, the music, the crowds, the excitement. I love thinking about the course, figuring out a new course, feeling familiar with an old one. I love talking to the volunteers at packet pickups. I love being a volunteer at packet pickups. I love talking to other race participants (and seeing who will actually talk to me). I love getting up early and leaving the house before anyone is awake and moving through the city early. I love coming home and feeling that no matter what else I do that day I am a badass for getting up early and running a race. (And for having license to eat extra treats.) I love thinking about racing strategy and I love it even more when I not only plan things well but keep to that plan and get the results I hoped for. And then I love sharing about it afterwards. (I don't always love race photos but I've had some good ones lately.)
So, with that in mind, I've created a new page here which has all my race results and links to the ones I've written about. In going through these I have found some unfortunate trends (though typical)... going out too fast, not taking the heat/humidity seriously enough. But also a happy one... that my best experiences are when I run what I feel was a "smart" race, regardless of time: one where I start off conservatively, pick up the pace progressively, and then have enough left for a strong finish at the end. I also see that these are the ones I've done without music, so I am going back to racing without an iPod (I reserve the right to keep one on me for the marathon). Though I may need some new mantras then.
And as an extra treat, a link to a very funny comic strip (be forewarned about the swearing): God of Cake.
I love racing.
Even when I don't think I've done as well as I could have. I love the people, the music, the crowds, the excitement. I love thinking about the course, figuring out a new course, feeling familiar with an old one. I love talking to the volunteers at packet pickups. I love being a volunteer at packet pickups. I love talking to other race participants (and seeing who will actually talk to me). I love getting up early and leaving the house before anyone is awake and moving through the city early. I love coming home and feeling that no matter what else I do that day I am a badass for getting up early and running a race. (And for having license to eat extra treats.) I love thinking about racing strategy and I love it even more when I not only plan things well but keep to that plan and get the results I hoped for. And then I love sharing about it afterwards. (I don't always love race photos but I've had some good ones lately.)
So, with that in mind, I've created a new page here which has all my race results and links to the ones I've written about. In going through these I have found some unfortunate trends (though typical)... going out too fast, not taking the heat/humidity seriously enough. But also a happy one... that my best experiences are when I run what I feel was a "smart" race, regardless of time: one where I start off conservatively, pick up the pace progressively, and then have enough left for a strong finish at the end. I also see that these are the ones I've done without music, so I am going back to racing without an iPod (I reserve the right to keep one on me for the marathon). Though I may need some new mantras then.
And as an extra treat, a link to a very funny comic strip (be forewarned about the swearing): God of Cake.
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