Monthly Archives: March 2011

Preparation is Key

Leave a reply

P3280057

I prepped for my Tuesday workout by placing my clothes out early since I had a 6:30 wakeup call for a 7am workout.

The workout was a 2 x 3mile tempo and the worst workout of my life.

1st set – 21:11 ran by myself
7:13
7:05
6:52

2nd set – 21:07 coach ran with me
7:09
7:08
6:50

I felt like a big piece of poop the whole time hah.

I was supposed to average 7:00 for each set I believe. I hit 7:04 and 7:02 which isn’t too bad. I guess I just felt worse than that so it didn’t feel too good.

Total mileage for the day: 7.6 miles

Then I spent my night with this guy:

P3280058

How wonderful right?

Today’s workout was quite different.

I cross trained to help my foot recover.

63 minutes on the spin bike

IMAG0064

IMAG0063

Yes that is my good friend, the literature book, up there. I got all my reading done in the 63 minutes biking.

I worked up a sweat and was probably huffing and puffing during my biking because all I was thinking about was this weekend and next weekend and my racing. How everything I do now will make me better. Hopefully my sweat and heavy breathing wasn’t too gross/disruptive.

IMAG0066

Good news!!!

I got a second interview for a summer job this summer. Which is exciting because I need one!

Q: Did anything exciting happen to you today? Obviously my phone call I received about my job was exciting!

Q: Don’t you hate when you aren’t allowed to run? I usually do, but today I actually enjoyed the bike. It was nice to get off my foot and the pounding. Plus I got to get all of my homework done!

sig

Tangent Tuesday!

Leave a reply

1. I’ve recently posted these sticky notes all around my room, okay, actually Alex (the bf) did. I wrote them and he posted them. Anyway, they are simply a reminder of what I want to accomplish this Saturday and what I have to do to make it happen.

204634_1663131900679_1308660552_31602612_3416004_o

2. CSN offered me a $25 code to get something from their website and out of everything they possibly have to offer I ordered a backpack. Why? Because the side pockets to hold my water bottles broke on my old backpack. However, this backpack doesn’t even have side pockets. But I just absolutely loved it and spent $12 extra to get it. I also found a spot for my water bottle anyway.

P3290094

3. I got so excited making pages in my running journal that I made pages before I even have anything to write on the page next to them. These are my favorites:

P3280075

Quotes from the page:

  • “The workouts you do in the weeks before the big race are the ones that benefit you on race day, not the one you do a few days before.”
  • “The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender” – Vince Lombard
  • “Some people run a race to see who is the fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts” – Steve Prefontaine
  • “It’s YOU vs YOU”
  • “You can’t run from your problems, but you’ll both feel a little lighter when you get back”

P3280076

  • “I used to run with doubt. Now she can’t keep up.”
  • “Sure you’ve flirted with quitting every now and then. But as long as you don’t act on it, running with pretend not to notice.”
  • “Run hard, play hard”
  • “Running seems to break down barriers. We are so exposed, huffing and puffing, purified by effort. Briefly removed from our defense, we feel less need to hide our private thoughts, loves and fears we share.” – Amby Burfoot

P3280077

P3280081

The picture in the top left is Kara Goucher and her sister hah.

P3280082

P3280084

  • “When you feel the sting of sweat in your eyes, push through”
  • “Run with Passion”
  • “Fear No Run”
  • “Haul Ass”
  • “When exhaustion gets tired. When agony doubles over in pain. When defeat waves a white flag. I will still be out here. Running”

Q: What are your favorite running quotes?

Q: What do you do for inspiration?

sig

It Was a Sad Day Yesterday

Leave a reply

First of all, Kansas lost. Sad smile

Oh well, you can’t win them all. I just hope the Morris Twins, also my buds, stay next year. Otherwise I will cry.

IMG_9348
IMG_9349

The second sad thing that happened was my long run. It went from 8 miles to 7 very painful miles.

Resulting in this:

P3270055

On Thursday we did 8 x 150m sprints and I’m guessing I bruised the bottom of my foot. It has got increasingly worse when it comes to pain and yesterday during my run I just wanted to stop after two miles.

So I got some padding to put in my shoe for the spot. It helps, but doesn’t make the pain go away. Let’s say the pain is now at a 3 when casually walking, a 5 when walking fast/putting lots of force on the ground and a 7-8 with no padding at all.

So it helps and makes things a bit better for me. I will find out tomorrow if it helps during running since I have 2 x 3 mile tempo’s tomorrow.

Here’s the stats from my run anyway

7 Miles in 58:11 [8:18 per mile]
8:38
8:25
8:13
8:09
8:23
8:02
8:20

 

Now onto some hopeful news.

I am running my first 5k on the track ever, this weekend. Ready for the goal?
Break 20 minutes!

I’ve made a plan to just stay as close to 95-96 seconds for each 400m and run between a 19:45-19:59. Should be interesting!! I just hope my foot gets better by then because this weekend it was all I could think about during my race.

Q: What frustrates you? Injuries frustrate me. Especially when I am in great shape!

Q: What team were you cheering for in the tournament? Kansas, of course!

sig

Recap From the Week

Leave a reply

School and running have consumed my life. Therefore blogging has been put on the back burner Sad smile

I will do a short recap of my running for the week for those who it interests.

Monday

Morning slog: 2 Miles in 17:57 [8:58 per mile]

Afternoon easy run: 3 Miles in 25:35 [8:31 per mile]

Weight lifting

Tuesday

Hard workout: 24 x 400m with equal rest

24x400

1 mile warm up, .5 mile cool down

Afternoon: core and smoothie king

Wednesday

Morning slog: 2 Miles in 18:47 [9:23 per mile]

Mid week long run turned into a regular run: 5 Miles in 42:57 [8:35 per mile]

Weight lifting after

Thursday

Morning slog: 2 Miles in 18:40 [9:20 per mile]

Regular Run turned to Mid week long run: 6 Miles in 48:59 [8:09 per mile]

8 x 150’s after: at around 26ish-28ish pace

Friday

Morning run before leaving for Nashville: 5.5 Miles in 45:49 [8:19 per mile]

Slog when we got to Nashville: 2 Miles in 18:12 [9:06 per mile]

Saturday

RACE DAY

warm up: 1 mile

cool down: 2.5 miles

RACE = 3K = 1.86 miles

I’m going to keep you in suspense of the race because I’m going to recap it later once I get pictures.

 

Today’s run will be about a really easy 8 miler

So mileage for the week looks like this: 49.1 with slogs

Without slogs: 41.1 miles

P3070013

 

sig

Hill Workout = Success

Leave a reply

Here are my steps to getting out the door. But first the cons I had to doing the workout.

Cons

  1. It was raining outside
  2. I had 25-30 minutes of hills instead of a nice 20 minutes.
  3. My calf muscles have been extremely tight lately.
  4. I haven’t had that great of training this week.
  5. It was 48 degrees and yesterday it was 83.
  6. I HATE HILLS (you should know that by now)

 

Keys for motivation

Talk to team members about how much you hate hills and don’t want to do them.

  • Hope they motivate you by saying “aww it won’t be too bad”

When that doesn’t work, make a new playlist with new songs and good oldies

  • Playlist:
    Like a G6 – The Cata
    Buzzin’ – Mann
    Angel – Akon
    All of the Lights – Kanye West
    All I Do is Win – DJ Khaled
    Yeah 3x – Chris Brown
    Tonight – Enrique Iglesias
    E.T – Katy Perry
    S&M – Rihanna
    We R Who We R – Ke$ha
    Blow – Ke$ha
    Bite to Break Skin – Senses Fail
    Walk on Water or Drown – Mayday Parade

If that still doesn’t work then text your coach for motivation

  • Sam “I need motivation to run this hill workout. It is cold windy and raining Sad smile and my calves need a good rub out hah.”

    Coach “ You should do it because it will make you better, wind and rain are things you will see at track meets so you have to practice in that as well. If you want to reach your goals you have to do the work. And I am air massaging your calves as we speak.”

That worked and I put my garmin on, my ipod in and the dog away and I was out of the door.

Thoughts to get you through the workout:

  1. Thank mother nature for stopping the rain and actually making it great conditions to run in
  2. Thanking that it got a bit too hot so you get a break from the workout to remove your long sleeve and tie it around a stop sign
  3. Figure out what form makes you run faster up hills(arms lower, digging deep with elbows and pretending they are the ones pushing against the wind moving you)
  4. Make a goal to break on the hill repeats (break 1 min for the .15 hill)
  5. Think about the elites and how even your fastest hill rep doesn’t come near to their pace for a full marathon. (Oh wait, that’s not motivating) PRETEND you are Kara Goucher! (much better)
  6. Think about how you only have a few more hills left and then you get a nice relaxing cool down
  7. Actually take a nice relaxing cool down, don’t even look at pace. You deserve recovery!
  8. Treat yourself with a yummy yogurt  with candy pieces and a powerade. But not together because that is gross.

I also thought of my competitors and the 10k from conference last year and what I needed to run in order to score points.

P3070014

(yes I know it’s blurred. I wrote some personal things there)

I pasted the conference times in my running journal. I actually have a ton of pages done that don’t have writing on them yet that I’m going to share throughout the blog in the next few weeks! I think it will motivate some!

Breakdown of the workout

1.75 warm-up

1:11 up (7:53 pace)
1:23 down
1:10 (7:47)
1:28
1:07 (7:27)
1:30
1:05 (7:13)
1:30
1:04 (7:07)
1:29
1:05 (7:13)
1:27
1:02 (6:53)
1:31
1:03 (7:00)
1:32
1:01 (6:47)
1:33
0:58 (6:27)
1:30

1.75 cool down

total daily mileage – 6.5 miles

elevation

Pro’s to nice weather/sunny weather: Tan lines = COLOR!! YAY!

 

Q: What motivates you?

Q: What music do you enjoy while working out?

sig

Friday Favorites!

Leave a reply

1. Overcoming a hatred of hills and having a great hill workout!! (you’ll read all about it tomorrow!)

2. My dog Graham!! He’s so cute Smile

DSCF6126

3. Yogurt with candy pieces!

[source]

I had this one today after my hill workout

4. The idea of going shopping tomorrow!

I have a $50 gift card to Victoria’s Secret that I want to use, because the one at school is SO small.

———————————————-

Q: What are your friday favorites?

Q: What kind of animals do you have? I love dogs!!

Q: What would you buy at Victoria’s Secret/PINK if you had $50?

sig

I Cut My Run Again

Leave a reply

Sam: 0                      Wind: 153252

I feel like that has been my life all week. Well yesterday was the worst. Winds were gusting at 20 mph and exactly against me and to the side of me the whole run. I had to turn around after 2 miles because I could not run against the wind. Every step I took, it pushed me back. I even almost ran right into the street when the wind was to my side.

4 miles
30:28 @ 7:37 pace

splits:

7:35
7:43
7:33
7:34

Thoughts on the run:

  1. Holy cow, this wind is rough.
  2. How am I even maintaining a good pace right now?
  3. I really need Katie (our trainer) to rub my calves out.
  4. It’s going to hurt so bad.
  5. I bet people think I look ridiculous right now in my green polka dot spandex and hot pink sports bra.
  6. Well they can suck it because it’s 83 degrees out and I am burning up.
  7. OWWW I forgot how bad it hurts when sweat is in your eyes.
  8. I cannot do this anymore, I have to head back.
  9. Mother nature sucks.
  10. My back is still hurting. I wonder what I did to it.

 

March Madness!

My bracket is doing pretty amazing. I have only got 3 picks wrong.

Belmont over Wisconsin

Michigan over UCLA

Penn State over Temple

Oh well, can’t win them all!!

 

Today’s run is a hill workout and I absolutely hate hills.

Pretty sure my hill is almost like this one:

[source]

This is how thrilled I am:

125239

Very, can’t you tell?

It’s also raining and what do you know, WINDY AGAIN!!

Q: What’s your least favorite workout?

Obviously mine is hills.

Q: How’s your bracket doing for March Madness?

Mine is doing great!!

sig

Plan of Action

Leave a reply

Ever have a run/workout that goes horribly wrong and you feel like utter poo?

Welcome to yesterday’s run for me.

6 miles
46:49 @ 7:48 pace

Absolutely awful!! Pace was great, considering I felt like death and that I was going super slow. Ever experience those side cramps or sharp pains in your mid section that make it hard to breathe? :enter pain: It happened during my run. It was awful.

End result: cutting run to 6 miles instead of 7. Yes it’s one mile, and yes it’s a big deal.

Why such a big deal?

It’s going to be a bit hard to hit mileage this week.

Goal Mileage: 37 miles

Mileage so far: 11 miles

Miles scheduled for the rest of the week:

  • Thursday – 5 miles
  • Friday – 6.5 miles
  • Saturday – 4 miles
  • Sunday – 8 miles

As you see that only puts me at 34.5 miles for the week. So this is what I think I’m going to do

  • Thursday – 5.5 miles
  • Friday – 6.5 miles
  • Saturday – 5 miles
  • Sunday – 8 miles

This puts me at 36 which is close enough. We are supposed to end our last week of peak mileage (mine being at 40 miles) in about 2 weeks, so next week I want to hit 40 and then the week after hit 40 miles.

Which means I am giving up a rest day. For the next two weeks I won’t take a rest day. It will essentially still be rest, because it will be an easy three miler with a slog of 2 miles. But that day will help my daily mileage out a lot!

Q: Have you ever cut a run down?

I tend to do this a lot, but I make up for it with the other miles ran.

Q: Do you take rest days?

I usually ALWAYS have a rest day a week. Another reason I’m foregoing my off day and making it a really really easy day is because I will be racing starting next weekend and I don’t want to get stiff which I do when I take a day off.

sig

What a Wonderful Workout!!

Leave a reply

My workout yesterday went amazing! Especially because it was insanely windy and a bit cold. The weather was in a limbo between cold and warm. It was cold enough for a long sleeve but wear shorts. Too cold for just short sleeve but a bit too warm for long sleeve after the warmup. Probably a perfect day for arm warmers. Those are at school.

Workout: 6 x 800m with 2:00 rest in between

Warm-up: 1 mile

Goal times for 800m were 3:18-3:20 which is 6:36-6:40 pace

splits went:

  • 3:15
  • 3:15
  • 3:15
  • 3:15
  • 3:16
  • 3:17

So 6:30 pace, 6:32 pace and 6:34 pace.

I’m feeling great, that was at 5k pace. So to put it in perspective for you and I,

  • 6:30 pace 5k = 20:11
  • 6:34 pace 5k = 20:24

So EXTREMELY close to breaking 20 which is my goal!!! How exciting!!

Cool down: 1 mile

Total mileage for the day: 5 miles

It also helped I was rockin’ some awesome spandex shorts from Val’s Customized.

P3150053

Q: Do you own any funky training clothes?

I love spandex and crazy designs!!

Q: How do you celebrate a good workout?

I devoured some skittles on my drive home!!

sig

Recovery Days Really Are My Favorite

Leave a reply

Yesterday was my recovery day and thank goodness for that!!! It snowed!!! Yeah seriously, snow on Spring Break and now it’s going to be 60’s and 70’s. I guess I’ll forgive it.

How’d I spend my recovery day?

Catching up on One Tree Hill!! I absolutely LOVE that show.

Don’t ruin what happened yesterday on it because I still need to watch last night’s episode!!

Because I was busy watching Pretty Little Liars.

So intense hah.

I pigged out on skittles and ice cream as my recovery food too. Gotta love um!

Check out my new earrings I got!

P3150033

Aren’t they cute?!

Q: Do you watch one tree hill or pretty little liars?

I am obsessed with both!! Now I just got to catch up on Hellcats, Royal Pains and American Idol. Smile

sig