Another long one.

I swear I'm still not right after that 1/2 marathon last month. I still feel "off" when I run. I can't put my finger right on it - I'm just more sore, slower and my hips still ache after a few miles. Well, since I wasn't able to run my long run this weekend (since we were in Wisconsin) I ran it today. It was only 11 miles because this week is one of the step back weeks. Good thing too because I didn't run last week except for soccer (medical issue). So I ran it - all 11 miles of it - actually it was 11.3 because I took two loops of 5.65 miles each. :) It took me right under two hours - not great but not terrible either - slower then I would have liked but I'm trying to cut myself some slack as I build back up to my normal training pace. The first loop was actually harder then the second - just the dread of two hours of running and two loops made the first one drag on and on. But then the second one got easier. I almost wimped out when it started raining lightly right at the end of loop one (and where I stop to go home), but I decided that if I didn't do it today I would have to do it tomorrow and the low tomorrow is in the 30s so I would rather get it over today then have to run in the freezing weather tomorrow. :) So, one more long run down - not too terribly many to go. And then I'm done for a while with the marathon thing - I think I'll stick with 1/2s for a while.

It's been a while. . . .

Well, it's been a while since I posted on this blog. For a few reasons. First, the half marathon was traumatizing and I wanted to come to peace with that before blogging about it. And second, for the past few weeks I've really been wavering on this whole marathon thing. Especially since the 1/2 was just so hard on my body, did I want to go through with the whole full marathon thing. But in the past few weeks I've come to some conclusions.
First, the 1/2 was much harder then it should have been because I trained not to run it for speed but to just finish it with a friend. When I then decided the day before race to run it for speed without training for it by running fast, I should have known I was setting myself up for something not too fun. How could I expect to run 13.1 miles of all 9 minute miles without running any of the long runs close to that fast?
Second, I was really wavering on the marathon because I didn't know if I could do it and because I didn't know if I wanted to put in the training. But then I reminded myself of point #1 and that I had ten weeks to train and would just do what I could with the time I had.
So after the 1/2 marathon, I sort of took off last week from a lot of hard running and just played soccer and went bike riding. This week I rode the bike on Monday, ran 4 miles on Tuesday, took Wednesday off and played soccer on Thursday. I took off Friday and ran 15 miles today. Yes, my first long run since the half marathon. And it hurt. 15 miles of a lot of pain. A lot of soreness still left from the 1/2 marathon and then some extra soreness from soccer on muscles I don't ususally use in running. I ran it in 2 hours, 35 minutes. Not great but not too too terible either. I was actually really disappointed that it was so difficult and my time was so bad but then I recalled point #1 above. I should expect to easily run 15 miles in 10 minute miles when I never trained at 10 minute miles in my long runs. So now not only am I training to increase my distance but I've also got to get back into my normal training range. But I'll work on it. We'll have to see. Right now I feel like I was hit by a bus. Every muscle in my leg feels like it was hit by a bus. But a few more weeks of the running faster and I should be back to my normal training range. We'll see. I'll update more on the 1/2 marathon experience later.

Week Update.

This week was "taper week" for the half marathon. So, Monday I wanted to take Pilates at the gym but the Pilates girl was out so a yoga girl filled in. Okay class but not the emphasis on strength and abs I apprecite with Pilates. Every now and then I need a non-aerobic relaxing class. All in all it was good.

Tuesday I just did a workout video at home - The Firm. Quite possibly the BEST workout video EVER! My legs hurt all day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and didn't really feel normal again until Saturday. Not the best work-out before a big race, but a good workout nonetheless. It kicks my butt - about a zillion squats, lunges and pliaes.

Wednesday was my first indoor soccer game where I'm actually on a team! Yup -I'm playing soccer! Amazing, huh? At my age (like I'm SO terribly old), I decided to give it a shot and see how it goes. I didn't play a lot (I asked not to) because my shins were killing me (shin splints still won't go away) but what I did play was super fun. We won 6-3 so that of course made it cool. I've never played organzied sports on a team, so this whole thing is new to me - fun but a lot of pressure (even if it is a fun league). :)

The rest of the week was easy walking to sort of rest and stay loose for the race.

Relaxing bike ride.

After yesterdays phenomenol run (for me at least), today I took it easy and went biking. Cody had soccer out at Creve Coeur Park so I just took the bike out there and rode around the lake a few times. It was nice and relaxing. My legs were certainly tired after yesterday but it was nice to loosen them up a bit and get outside.

Disappointing start, personal best in the end.

Saturday, we had on our "schedule" our final long run before the half marathon next week - two laps around Forest Park for 11.3 miles. Unfortunately, we got started late so it was warm when we started and she wasn't feeling too good. She made it to 2 miles and felt sick, so turned around to head back. I decided I was either going to run the whole 11.3 at a medium pace or just run one lap fast. I chose one lap fast. So I had 3.65 miles to go in the loop. The first mile I ran in 8 minutes! This is the fastest mile I've run in quite some time - possibly even since high school. I was quite impressed so kept pushing. I jogged the next .65 and then ran a 8:30 mile. I ended up finishing the 3.65 miles left in 30 minutes! An all time great for me! That's 8:12 miles! Yipee!

A good 5.65.

Today Marissa and I ran yet another 5.65 around Forest Park. We did it in 1 hour and five minutes, a five minute increase over last week. I was quite impressed with Marissa's effort and Kasha's as well! They did great! I really think we'll be able to get it down to 10 minute miles before too long. It's so cool to be training with Marissa and see how much improvement she has made in just a few short months. Months ago 5.65 was still a good distance and now it's an everyday run. I think she's going to do a lot better at the half marathon then she even thinks! I can't wait!

Yesterday - love my bike.

I'm not a "biker." When I first got on a bike last year after about a zillion years off, I was scared to death. Scared enough to buy the dorkiest helmet ever, to which I fondly refer to as my "Melon Protector," because I was so scared of falling and cracking my head on the ground. In any event, Cody and I wanted an activity we could do together so we found me a bike last year in the paper for $20 (that way if I hated it we wouldn't have spent a lot of money). Since I've really gotten used to being on a bike again (as an adult rather then an 8 year old). So, for my workout yesterday, I rode my bike to the auto parts store to get a tool to bleed my clutch and then rode around Forest Park for a while. I was going to go to the gym for Cardio Kickboxing but decided instead to ride around the park since it was such a pretty day. Good, nice, relaxing workout.

10 miles.

Tonight was our long run for the week. In our 1/2 marathon training schedule, usually we have the long runs on Saturday or Sunday but since we were both out of town this weekend, Marissa and I ran the 10 mile run tonight. We didn't get started until late, almost 6:30, so a good bit of the running was in the dark, but it wasn't too bad. It took us a while, but it got done. The first 9.5 miles actually went pretty easily but Marissa said she hit a wall around then. My shins were hurting pretty bad for a while but after running a few miles on the grass, rather then the pavement, they were doing better. Nothing a lot of ice can't cure. This weekend we tackle 11 miles and then next weekend is the half marathon. :)

Biking

Well, no running today (because tomorrow is a long run day), but I figured since most working out is marathon prep, I'll put it here anyway. Cody and I biked from our house to downtown (to my work) and back this afternoon as a mini-workout. The ride was rather hilly - much more then I expected. It was nice though. It's almost five miles I think and we made it in 32 minutes there and 36 back. We certainly weren't pushing ourselves, sort of a leisurely ride, but it should count as some cardio nonetheless, right? :) Since I run more then anything and don't do enough weights, my quads were certainly feeling it though. :)