It doesn't matter if you wear wicking fabrics in Florida. There is still nowhere for the sweat to go.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Trips down Memory Lane
To make any sense of this post, you need to know that I'm currently in Boston. Somerville, more precisely. Right near the Cambridge/Somerville line.
Before I went out this morning, I found myself humming this:
Why? Because I am staying approximately one block away from where I lived when I first started running back in 2006. So maybe not 'memory lane' so much as 'memory routes.'
This morning I ran down to the Charles River (YAY!!!!). I saw the hotel where I stayed the last time I spent time in Boston. I ran by the boathouse where we used to row from. I got to enjoy this view. It's funny: I was really excited to go running and revisit these old places. Also, I got through my run with no problems, which is always a treat.
It was slightly more hot and humid than I would have liked, but really nothing on Florida. 'Warm' and 'damp' might be a better way to express that. There was a guy ahead of me near the end who kept having to stop and walk. This made me feel infinitely better about life, even though that's kind of mean.
Today was Day 1 of the official marathon training plan. Day 1 complete! Whoo! Only 3.5 months to go. Less whoo.
Before I went out this morning, I found myself humming this:
Why? Because I am staying approximately one block away from where I lived when I first started running back in 2006. So maybe not 'memory lane' so much as 'memory routes.'
This morning I ran down to the Charles River (YAY!!!!). I saw the hotel where I stayed the last time I spent time in Boston. I ran by the boathouse where we used to row from. I got to enjoy this view. It's funny: I was really excited to go running and revisit these old places. Also, I got through my run with no problems, which is always a treat.
It was slightly more hot and humid than I would have liked, but really nothing on Florida. 'Warm' and 'damp' might be a better way to express that. There was a guy ahead of me near the end who kept having to stop and walk. This made me feel infinitely better about life, even though that's kind of mean.
Today was Day 1 of the official marathon training plan. Day 1 complete! Whoo! Only 3.5 months to go. Less whoo.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Beach to Beacon 10k: recap
I had hoped to PR this race. I came nowhere close to PRing this race. If there is an anti-PR, I almost did that (it was almost as slow as my very first 10k ever! Maybe slower. For real). However, I had also not anticipated that it would be in the 70s with 80% humidity and 2 miles in the bright Maine sun to start.
I began too fast. Probably I should have slowed down. However, running at what I was hoping would be my race pace was so easy at first. It felt kind of like when I PRed on the half-marathon. So I suspect that I had it in me to make my goal, except that the situation made it impossible.
Here is where you end:
Even better, you don't need to run up the hill at the end!
The course was great (a little hilly, but not horrible). The support was great. There were tons of water stops and even ample portapotties at various points. The t-shirt is great (real wicking fabric!). Even the running expo was great (2 shirts and 2 bottoms for $33 total). The people along the route were great, particularly whoever was playing 'I like to move it' around mile 3. The only complain was the weather, and obviously no one could do anything about that!
I was asked by two EMTs if I was okay. That is always my acid test for whether I did my best on hot and humid days.
My one piece of advice: if you are doing this run, park at the South Portland locations if that is viable. They had by far the shortest line for the shuttle bus and it was really easy to get back on 77. Definitely the best choice I made all day!
I began too fast. Probably I should have slowed down. However, running at what I was hoping would be my race pace was so easy at first. It felt kind of like when I PRed on the half-marathon. So I suspect that I had it in me to make my goal, except that the situation made it impossible.
Here is where you end:
Even better, you don't need to run up the hill at the end!
The course was great (a little hilly, but not horrible). The support was great. There were tons of water stops and even ample portapotties at various points. The t-shirt is great (real wicking fabric!). Even the running expo was great (2 shirts and 2 bottoms for $33 total). The people along the route were great, particularly whoever was playing 'I like to move it' around mile 3. The only complain was the weather, and obviously no one could do anything about that!
I was asked by two EMTs if I was okay. That is always my acid test for whether I did my best on hot and humid days.
My one piece of advice: if you are doing this run, park at the South Portland locations if that is viable. They had by far the shortest line for the shuttle bus and it was really easy to get back on 77. Definitely the best choice I made all day!
Friday, August 3, 2012
The weather report from Maine
HUMID!
Ah well. I'm still having fun and the race should be beautiful.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Everything is coming together
In 6 days, I am running the Beach to Beacon run in Maine. Yay! Maine!
Florida and I are not getting along so well right now. It's too hot and humid (not surprising). I got back Tuesday and did get out once for a 6-mile run. Of course, it was more like a run/walk. I survived it, but I certainly didn't enjoy it.
I also sat down tonight and did my marathon training plan. It looks easy. Maybe too easy. Much easier than trying to do 6 half-marathons over 9 months, I can promise you that much. Part of this is because it is a beginner's plan, whereas I had been doing intermediate plans for the half-marathons and the impending 10k. Sure, there are long runs in the marathon plan, but only 4 that are over 12. Yay! And the other runs are relatively short, considering. Yay!
The best part is that the training plan fits perfectly with when I need to be out of town for work, so I don't have to do crazy rearranging to get everything to fit. This includes a weekend when I will be in Milwaukee for a conference. It just happens to be a taper week (only 5M for the long run! YAY!!!) and I am supposed to run a 10k that weekend. By even more awesome coincidence, I found one. It is the Colorama 10k that takes place at Lapham Peak. Why is it called Colorama? Because the leaves will have changed!
CHANGING LEAVES!!!! YAY, YAY, YAY!!!! Because we don't usually get so much of that here in Florida.
Yep, I'm excited. As you can probably tell. Even though I would still prefer being in the Melbourne winter.
Florida and I are not getting along so well right now. It's too hot and humid (not surprising). I got back Tuesday and did get out once for a 6-mile run. Of course, it was more like a run/walk. I survived it, but I certainly didn't enjoy it.
I also sat down tonight and did my marathon training plan. It looks easy. Maybe too easy. Much easier than trying to do 6 half-marathons over 9 months, I can promise you that much. Part of this is because it is a beginner's plan, whereas I had been doing intermediate plans for the half-marathons and the impending 10k. Sure, there are long runs in the marathon plan, but only 4 that are over 12. Yay! And the other runs are relatively short, considering. Yay!
The best part is that the training plan fits perfectly with when I need to be out of town for work, so I don't have to do crazy rearranging to get everything to fit. This includes a weekend when I will be in Milwaukee for a conference. It just happens to be a taper week (only 5M for the long run! YAY!!!) and I am supposed to run a 10k that weekend. By even more awesome coincidence, I found one. It is the Colorama 10k that takes place at Lapham Peak. Why is it called Colorama? Because the leaves will have changed!
CHANGING LEAVES!!!! YAY, YAY, YAY!!!! Because we don't usually get so much of that here in Florida.
Yep, I'm excited. As you can probably tell. Even though I would still prefer being in the Melbourne winter.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
This time I have a valid excuse
I have had limited internet on my computer. So that's why I haven't been posting. So there.
Australia running is going pretty well, for the most part. No one informed me that Melbourne is very hilly, but I am learning to compensate. I'm okay on gradual ups, just not extreme ones. I know that it's all good for building strength, it's just hard to get excited about hills when you are finding one impossible to run because the angle is too extreme.
The cool weather is divine. The locals seem to think that it is 'cold,' but after Canadian winters, I find it pretty temperate. It hasn't been below freezing and during the day, it is more in the 10C range. Yesterday, I thought that I was going to get stuck in cold rain (ew) but fortunately it held off. While I would still rank cold rain above hot and humid, it is not my favorite.
There were a few snags last week as I got back into a routine, but nothing too bad. No horrible aches and pains. No sore calves like last summer. Just a few runs where I felt slow. I keep reminding myself that the only way of feeling faster is to go out there and run.
Also, I realized that I have been lying to myself for years. I always thought that I had never taken breaks during runs. Turns out, I did for the first year and a half of my running career. During that time, I was running in cities (Boston, MA and Worcester, MA), meaning that I ran into traffic lights and other such necessary stops. So I was having some breaks, I just didn't need to do walk/runs like I have for the past summer in Florida. They've come in handy here as I am seeking to get back into shape. A few stops never hurt anyone or anyone's mile pace, in the end.
Australia running is going pretty well, for the most part. No one informed me that Melbourne is very hilly, but I am learning to compensate. I'm okay on gradual ups, just not extreme ones. I know that it's all good for building strength, it's just hard to get excited about hills when you are finding one impossible to run because the angle is too extreme.
The cool weather is divine. The locals seem to think that it is 'cold,' but after Canadian winters, I find it pretty temperate. It hasn't been below freezing and during the day, it is more in the 10C range. Yesterday, I thought that I was going to get stuck in cold rain (ew) but fortunately it held off. While I would still rank cold rain above hot and humid, it is not my favorite.
There were a few snags last week as I got back into a routine, but nothing too bad. No horrible aches and pains. No sore calves like last summer. Just a few runs where I felt slow. I keep reminding myself that the only way of feeling faster is to go out there and run.
Also, I realized that I have been lying to myself for years. I always thought that I had never taken breaks during runs. Turns out, I did for the first year and a half of my running career. During that time, I was running in cities (Boston, MA and Worcester, MA), meaning that I ran into traffic lights and other such necessary stops. So I was having some breaks, I just didn't need to do walk/runs like I have for the past summer in Florida. They've come in handy here as I am seeking to get back into shape. A few stops never hurt anyone or anyone's mile pace, in the end.
Monday, June 11, 2012
It has been forever, I know
Some stuff that happened over the past month:
1) A lot of bad runs as the temperature went up/humidity increased.
2) One very bad half-marathon, during which I felt sick around mile 4 and never got better.
3) One really good 6-mile run on a night where the humidity was low. That was fun! So it isn't all hopeless, apparently.
4) An 11-mile run on the treadmill, which seemed endless.
5) I BOUGHT A TREADMILL!!!!!!! Not the same one as the 11-mile run. But my very own. So I can run on it and watch the Red Sox.
Stuff that is happening in the future:
1) I am going to Australia. It's winter there. I hope that this bodes well for running.
2) I'm doing a 5k in Australia. Because hey, why not?
3) Then I get to do the Beach to Beacon 10k. I am hoping to set a new PR here. My goal is under 11:00 mile splits. Doesn't have to be much under them. Could be 10:59. But that would still be a PR. My current PR is 11:15 and I have spent years trying to break that one.
4) All that's left after that is a marathon. No biggie.
I am trying to stay positive in the face of much negative with running. Still working off the stomach bug that hit me during the half-marathon and running has not been going so well since then. Still trying to remember that it is only one glitch and sometimes glitches happen. Not doing great with all of these sentiments.
I'm sad that the half-marathon didn't go better for a number of reasons. The conditions were really good for running (in the 50s!). The course was really good for running: only one real uphill and very scenic besides. My stepmother would have done very well if we could have just run the course. So I was very annoyed at the outcome. At the same time, it's really hard to run when you're sick and there is a bug going around. I am not the only one to suffer through it.
1) A lot of bad runs as the temperature went up/humidity increased.
2) One very bad half-marathon, during which I felt sick around mile 4 and never got better.
3) One really good 6-mile run on a night where the humidity was low. That was fun! So it isn't all hopeless, apparently.
4) An 11-mile run on the treadmill, which seemed endless.
5) I BOUGHT A TREADMILL!!!!!!! Not the same one as the 11-mile run. But my very own. So I can run on it and watch the Red Sox.
Stuff that is happening in the future:
1) I am going to Australia. It's winter there. I hope that this bodes well for running.
2) I'm doing a 5k in Australia. Because hey, why not?
3) Then I get to do the Beach to Beacon 10k. I am hoping to set a new PR here. My goal is under 11:00 mile splits. Doesn't have to be much under them. Could be 10:59. But that would still be a PR. My current PR is 11:15 and I have spent years trying to break that one.
4) All that's left after that is a marathon. No biggie.
I am trying to stay positive in the face of much negative with running. Still working off the stomach bug that hit me during the half-marathon and running has not been going so well since then. Still trying to remember that it is only one glitch and sometimes glitches happen. Not doing great with all of these sentiments.
I'm sad that the half-marathon didn't go better for a number of reasons. The conditions were really good for running (in the 50s!). The course was really good for running: only one real uphill and very scenic besides. My stepmother would have done very well if we could have just run the course. So I was very annoyed at the outcome. At the same time, it's really hard to run when you're sick and there is a bug going around. I am not the only one to suffer through it.
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