Miles: Big fat 0
So... went to the doctor. She says I have patellar tendonitis. So I'm probably not going to be able to run for a couple weeks. I'll be cross training back at the fitness center at school as of Monday, when it reopens, but still... :( I like running better!
This sucks. :/
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Day Thirty-Four
Miles: 6
Time: 53:34
Pace: 8:56
Splits: 8:44, 8:54, 8:45, 9:10, 9:10, 8:53
I HATE MY STUPID DUMB KNEE!
So I managed to get my dad to run with me, since he is home from work today. We ran 6 miles outside. The Weather Channel said it was about 10 degrees out and felt like 4, but our house thermometer said it was 24 degrees. It felt more around 20 than 4 degrees, so I am guessing the Weather Channel was just on crack.
Today's run was really, really painful; not gonna lie. My knee was starting to actually hurt around 1.75 miles, which is never good when you are running for another 4.25 miles. It wasn't feeling good when we turned around at 3 miles and around 4.3 miles, we went under an overpass and something twinged in my knee and it hurt REALLY bad. At 5 miles on my watch and about 5.1 on my dad's (our Garmins are way off from each other, it's weird) we went up this hill to go on a bridge on the trail and my leg slipped in some snow a little and my knee hurt a lot. And I just stopped and rubbed my knee and started crying. I felt totally pathetic and really frustrated.
We took it kind of slow the last mile back to the house, but my knee hardly hurt after the brief stop while I was crying like a baby. :/
But I have a doctor appointment set up for Thursday at 8:30 am. So I should be getting some answers soon. My dad told me not to run 8 miles tomorrow. I'll probably just do 2-4 before work. I'll wrap up my knee after I take a shower, and hopefully that helps. Meh. :(
Time: 53:34
Pace: 8:56
Splits: 8:44, 8:54, 8:45, 9:10, 9:10, 8:53
I HATE MY STUPID DUMB KNEE!
So I managed to get my dad to run with me, since he is home from work today. We ran 6 miles outside. The Weather Channel said it was about 10 degrees out and felt like 4, but our house thermometer said it was 24 degrees. It felt more around 20 than 4 degrees, so I am guessing the Weather Channel was just on crack.
Today's run was really, really painful; not gonna lie. My knee was starting to actually hurt around 1.75 miles, which is never good when you are running for another 4.25 miles. It wasn't feeling good when we turned around at 3 miles and around 4.3 miles, we went under an overpass and something twinged in my knee and it hurt REALLY bad. At 5 miles on my watch and about 5.1 on my dad's (our Garmins are way off from each other, it's weird) we went up this hill to go on a bridge on the trail and my leg slipped in some snow a little and my knee hurt a lot. And I just stopped and rubbed my knee and started crying. I felt totally pathetic and really frustrated.
We took it kind of slow the last mile back to the house, but my knee hardly hurt after the brief stop while I was crying like a baby. :/
But I have a doctor appointment set up for Thursday at 8:30 am. So I should be getting some answers soon. My dad told me not to run 8 miles tomorrow. I'll probably just do 2-4 before work. I'll wrap up my knee after I take a shower, and hopefully that helps. Meh. :(
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Days Thirty-two and Thirty-Three
Miles: 10
Time: 1:29:00
Pace: 8:54
Splits: 8:36, 8:39, 8:18, 8:51, 9:33, 8:42, 8:57, 9:08, 9:19, 8:52
FIRST: The 9:33 split is about 30 seconds slow because my Garmin screen went off training mode and I had to stop to get it back to normal and discovered that the time was running the whole time. Oops. That permanently upset my pace for the rest of the run (but not by much, looking at the later splits).
Okay, so it was cold out. Around 15 or so degrees, about 6-8 mph breeze. My mom dropped my dad and I off at this park at the top of the canyon only to find that the trail was closed. So my dad and I ran around 3.5 miles down the side of a highway to this park where we could get onto a cleared section of the trail. Then we found that the trail still had snow on it (but just a little bit) so we ran on that for about a mile until the parts that had basically no snow (during which time my Garmin got all funky).
Around 5 miles, my knee started to get tight and act up. By around 5.5 miles, it was a lost cause. By about mile 7.5-8, the miles just seemed to go on forever. I seriously had to try really, really hard to keep myself from getting upset and crying. Like, my miles weren't THAT bad for the last 3 miles, but it just hurt and was really frustrating. But I made it! 10 whole miles! :D
I really, really want to get my knee checked out. Just so I can figure out what to do with it so I'm not running half+ of my runs in pain anymore.
Miles: 4
Time: 35:08
Pace: 8:46
Splits: to be posted
Getting used to the altitude... only to go home Monday. Woooooo! It was really cold, about 8-10 degrees, but without the bitter Iowa wind which made it far more tolerable. It was mostly flat, which made it easier. Knee didn't bug me too much, so that is good. My breathing was horrible though because it was so cold and the whole second mile was a gradual incline. It got much better on the way back to the car.
Time: 1:29:00
Pace: 8:54
Splits: 8:36, 8:39, 8:18, 8:51, 9:33, 8:42, 8:57, 9:08, 9:19, 8:52
FIRST: The 9:33 split is about 30 seconds slow because my Garmin screen went off training mode and I had to stop to get it back to normal and discovered that the time was running the whole time. Oops. That permanently upset my pace for the rest of the run (but not by much, looking at the later splits).
Okay, so it was cold out. Around 15 or so degrees, about 6-8 mph breeze. My mom dropped my dad and I off at this park at the top of the canyon only to find that the trail was closed. So my dad and I ran around 3.5 miles down the side of a highway to this park where we could get onto a cleared section of the trail. Then we found that the trail still had snow on it (but just a little bit) so we ran on that for about a mile until the parts that had basically no snow (during which time my Garmin got all funky).
Around 5 miles, my knee started to get tight and act up. By around 5.5 miles, it was a lost cause. By about mile 7.5-8, the miles just seemed to go on forever. I seriously had to try really, really hard to keep myself from getting upset and crying. Like, my miles weren't THAT bad for the last 3 miles, but it just hurt and was really frustrating. But I made it! 10 whole miles! :D
I really, really want to get my knee checked out. Just so I can figure out what to do with it so I'm not running half+ of my runs in pain anymore.
Miles: 4
Time: 35:08
Pace: 8:46
Splits: to be posted
Getting used to the altitude... only to go home Monday. Woooooo! It was really cold, about 8-10 degrees, but without the bitter Iowa wind which made it far more tolerable. It was mostly flat, which made it easier. Knee didn't bug me too much, so that is good. My breathing was horrible though because it was so cold and the whole second mile was a gradual incline. It got much better on the way back to the car.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Day Thirty-One
Miles: 4
Time: to be posted
Pace: 9:17
Splits: to be posted
It is official, I hate higher altitudes. I can't breathe enough for running! :( I feel like I have bronchitis all over again. Ick.
Run today was slow. There was a lot of ice covered in a thin layer of snow, so my dad and I were running really cautiously. I almost fell about 12 times, and my dad hardly ever almost fell but did for real fall with about .40 left of the run.
I have no idea where/how we are going to run 10 miles on Sunday. My lungs just suck with the cold, dry, high altitude air. But we'll just get it done... very slowly. :/
My knee bothered me, as usual. But I have been wrapping it and that makes it feel better afterwards. So that's good at least.
Time: to be posted
Pace: 9:17
Splits: to be posted
It is official, I hate higher altitudes. I can't breathe enough for running! :( I feel like I have bronchitis all over again. Ick.
Run today was slow. There was a lot of ice covered in a thin layer of snow, so my dad and I were running really cautiously. I almost fell about 12 times, and my dad hardly ever almost fell but did for real fall with about .40 left of the run.
I have no idea where/how we are going to run 10 miles on Sunday. My lungs just suck with the cold, dry, high altitude air. But we'll just get it done... very slowly. :/
My knee bothered me, as usual. But I have been wrapping it and that makes it feel better afterwards. So that's good at least.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Day Thirty
Miles: 4
Time: to be posted
Pace: 9:05
Splits: to be posted
So we skiied yesterday, but aren't going today because it is supposed to SUPERSNOW out here and we don't want to ski in the mess. But skiing was not kind to me yesterday. The boots were really tight on my shins/calves because my calves are SO HUGE in their muscle-ness. My shins hurt a lot, and I stopped skiing around 2:45 while my dad and brothers skiied til, like, 4:30. I woke up this morning and my knees, shins and butt were all sore.
But my dad and I went out and ran 4 miles before the SUPERSNOW anyway. The first .75 of a mile (and the last) were all smoggy b/c the air here is all stagnant. It smelled like exhaust and it was gross. But then we got above it going up the canyon and it was better. But I felt like I did when I had bronchitis over the summer. It was hard to breathe and I felt like I was working hard, but I was still going really slow (especially b/c the first two miles were basically all uphill).
My left knee gave me problems by about 2.7 miles and my shins were sore for the first 2 miles and change, especially the right one. That one got the most squished in my ski boots. My hips were pretty sore too from skiing. Resting the rest of today + tomorrow = good idea.
Also: I have tried to Google what might be wrong with my knee, but I can't find anything. Like, it hurts below my knee and above it, but also when it gets bad every 10-20 steps will shoot pain across the front of my knee cap. I can't find anything online that matches those symptoms. I am going to the doctor when I get back home, but meh. I wish the internet could be more helpful. :/
Time: to be posted
Pace: 9:05
Splits: to be posted
So we skiied yesterday, but aren't going today because it is supposed to SUPERSNOW out here and we don't want to ski in the mess. But skiing was not kind to me yesterday. The boots were really tight on my shins/calves because my calves are SO HUGE in their muscle-ness. My shins hurt a lot, and I stopped skiing around 2:45 while my dad and brothers skiied til, like, 4:30. I woke up this morning and my knees, shins and butt were all sore.
But my dad and I went out and ran 4 miles before the SUPERSNOW anyway. The first .75 of a mile (and the last) were all smoggy b/c the air here is all stagnant. It smelled like exhaust and it was gross. But then we got above it going up the canyon and it was better. But I felt like I did when I had bronchitis over the summer. It was hard to breathe and I felt like I was working hard, but I was still going really slow (especially b/c the first two miles were basically all uphill).
My left knee gave me problems by about 2.7 miles and my shins were sore for the first 2 miles and change, especially the right one. That one got the most squished in my ski boots. My hips were pretty sore too from skiing. Resting the rest of today + tomorrow = good idea.
Also: I have tried to Google what might be wrong with my knee, but I can't find anything. Like, it hurts below my knee and above it, but also when it gets bad every 10-20 steps will shoot pain across the front of my knee cap. I can't find anything online that matches those symptoms. I am going to the doctor when I get back home, but meh. I wish the internet could be more helpful. :/
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Day Twenty-Nine
Miles: 5
Time: 41:50
Pace: 8:22
Splits: Too lazy to look
Dad and I ran 5 this morning. I got some awesome new cold weather pants for our early Christmas, and they were awesome. They're Adidas and super warm and fit a million times better than the Underarmor ones I bought last year (I bought mediums instead of smalls for the UA ones... uh, bad choice). It was an okay run. My knee was pretty sore at the end of it, and my Garmin was .06 of a mile behind my dad's watch (so I took his distance/time/pace).
Going to Utah tomorrow, so I won't be running Sunday, or Monday (my usual rest day). I may or may not run Tuesday, depending on if I ski or not. Then Wednesday is rest b/c it is an easy week. So it's gonna be easy this week! :D And hopefully, skiing will be kinder to my knee.
When I get back fro vacation, though, I am (for real!) going to go see a doctor about my knee. See if there's anything I can do about it. (Also on my list: orthodonist and eye doctor). Woo hoo, money to be spent!
Time: 41:50
Pace: 8:22
Splits: Too lazy to look
Dad and I ran 5 this morning. I got some awesome new cold weather pants for our early Christmas, and they were awesome. They're Adidas and super warm and fit a million times better than the Underarmor ones I bought last year (I bought mediums instead of smalls for the UA ones... uh, bad choice). It was an okay run. My knee was pretty sore at the end of it, and my Garmin was .06 of a mile behind my dad's watch (so I took his distance/time/pace).
Going to Utah tomorrow, so I won't be running Sunday, or Monday (my usual rest day). I may or may not run Tuesday, depending on if I ski or not. Then Wednesday is rest b/c it is an easy week. So it's gonna be easy this week! :D And hopefully, skiing will be kinder to my knee.
When I get back fro vacation, though, I am (for real!) going to go see a doctor about my knee. See if there's anything I can do about it. (Also on my list: orthodonist and eye doctor). Woo hoo, money to be spent!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Day Twenty-Eight
Miles: 6
Time: 52:50
Pace: 8:48
Splits: 8:28, 9:16, 8:35, 8:41, 8:56, 8:52
NOTE TO SELF: WEAR YOUR FACEMASK!
Another really cold run today. It was cloudy, instead of sunny, so the 24 degrees felt a little colder. It was 12 degrees with wind chill facotred in... so ugh. Basically, I ran half a mile to the trail, up the trail 2 miles, froze my face off going against the wind, and turned around and ran 1.5 miles back to the trail, another 1.5 down the trail and then back, then the half mile back to my house. So I got a good three miles of running mask-less against the wind. My face seriously HURT when I got home because it was so cold. And then I couldn't talk right because my jaw was frozen in place. It sucked.
The run itself was okay. I prefer running in the afternoon, and I woke up at 9 and ran at 10 this morning, so I was slower because I hadn't really drank anything and I hadn't eaten anything yet. I just have more energy in the afternoon. I have even convinced my dad to hop on the running-in-the-afternoon bandwagon. :)
My knee sort of hurt for the last few miles, but only when I had to go up/down hills, really. Which is better than usual. The second mile was slow because I had to run up two big hills and dodge ice while going against the wind, and the fifth mile was slow because I had to go over the same HUGE patch of ice twice on the out and back and it was a pain (the last mile was slow for the same reason, but more because people don't put down ice melt, wtf).
Five miles tomorrow, and five miles sometime before we leave for Utah at 8:50 in the morning... woo hoo!
Time: 52:50
Pace: 8:48
Splits: 8:28, 9:16, 8:35, 8:41, 8:56, 8:52
NOTE TO SELF: WEAR YOUR FACEMASK!
Another really cold run today. It was cloudy, instead of sunny, so the 24 degrees felt a little colder. It was 12 degrees with wind chill facotred in... so ugh. Basically, I ran half a mile to the trail, up the trail 2 miles, froze my face off going against the wind, and turned around and ran 1.5 miles back to the trail, another 1.5 down the trail and then back, then the half mile back to my house. So I got a good three miles of running mask-less against the wind. My face seriously HURT when I got home because it was so cold. And then I couldn't talk right because my jaw was frozen in place. It sucked.
The run itself was okay. I prefer running in the afternoon, and I woke up at 9 and ran at 10 this morning, so I was slower because I hadn't really drank anything and I hadn't eaten anything yet. I just have more energy in the afternoon. I have even convinced my dad to hop on the running-in-the-afternoon bandwagon. :)
My knee sort of hurt for the last few miles, but only when I had to go up/down hills, really. Which is better than usual. The second mile was slow because I had to run up two big hills and dodge ice while going against the wind, and the fifth mile was slow because I had to go over the same HUGE patch of ice twice on the out and back and it was a pain (the last mile was slow for the same reason, but more because people don't put down ice melt, wtf).
Five miles tomorrow, and five miles sometime before we leave for Utah at 8:50 in the morning... woo hoo!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Day Twenty-Seven
Miles: 7
Time: 1:00:09
Pace: 8:35
Splits: 8:37, 8:30. 8:30 8:34, 8:35, 8:38, 8:41
I skipped yesterday's 5 miler because I was going to be moving my shit/moving furniture in a new dorm room all day (it took us about 4 hours) and that counted as a workout. I totally worked up a sweat (especially when making my bed on my loft... eek!)
TODAY'S run, however, went really well. I worked up the courage to run outside. It was 24 degrees with about 9 mph winds (though they were basically CONSTANT for the first half of my run, so my face felt pretty cold/numb/windburnt when I got home). I ran REALLY consistent splits, which made me pretty happy. :) My knee hurt for miles 5 and 6, but really eased up on the last mile, which was good. I only stopped, like, 4 times, too. Twice for traffic, twice to try to warm up my face. :P
I ran on the trail because I didn't want to run on the treadmill or have to fight people's sidewalks or traffic, and it worked out pretty well. There were a few spots where ice was all the way across the path, so I had to run on the ice/snow bits on the side where the grass is, which was fun because it was really crunchy. I could tell where ice really affected my pace though, because the faster miles were also dry miles and they just FELT faster. It was nice to have something to think about (dodging ice) instead of just running, like on the track. Though the track is nice, I'm an outdoors runner at heart. :)
I totally saw a duck with a broken wing, though, when I was running around the lake, and it totally broke my heart. Because how is it going to fly south for the winter if it can't even fly away from me? I felt so bad for it, because it was scared of me but couldn't go anywhere. At least I'm a nice person and don't terrorize ducks.
On the subject of birds, though, there were a ton of geese and a few ducks still hanging around. WTF? Shouldn't they be flying south for the winter? I mean, it's December. And it's Iowa. There's ice and snow and COLD everywhere! Were they just as surprised by the foot of snow we got a week ago as all we humans were?
Hmmph. Anyway, pretty decent run. I have to work from 11-6 tomorrow, so I will have to run in the morning. 6 miles outside in the AM when it's colder, on the treadmill where I won't have any motivation? Ugh, temperatures will tell.
Oh, and my knee is sort of sore just sitting here. Ugh... I want to go see what's wrong with the damn thing.
Time: 1:00:09
Pace: 8:35
Splits: 8:37, 8:30. 8:30 8:34, 8:35, 8:38, 8:41
I skipped yesterday's 5 miler because I was going to be moving my shit/moving furniture in a new dorm room all day (it took us about 4 hours) and that counted as a workout. I totally worked up a sweat (especially when making my bed on my loft... eek!)
TODAY'S run, however, went really well. I worked up the courage to run outside. It was 24 degrees with about 9 mph winds (though they were basically CONSTANT for the first half of my run, so my face felt pretty cold/numb/windburnt when I got home). I ran REALLY consistent splits, which made me pretty happy. :) My knee hurt for miles 5 and 6, but really eased up on the last mile, which was good. I only stopped, like, 4 times, too. Twice for traffic, twice to try to warm up my face. :P
I ran on the trail because I didn't want to run on the treadmill or have to fight people's sidewalks or traffic, and it worked out pretty well. There were a few spots where ice was all the way across the path, so I had to run on the ice/snow bits on the side where the grass is, which was fun because it was really crunchy. I could tell where ice really affected my pace though, because the faster miles were also dry miles and they just FELT faster. It was nice to have something to think about (dodging ice) instead of just running, like on the track. Though the track is nice, I'm an outdoors runner at heart. :)
I totally saw a duck with a broken wing, though, when I was running around the lake, and it totally broke my heart. Because how is it going to fly south for the winter if it can't even fly away from me? I felt so bad for it, because it was scared of me but couldn't go anywhere. At least I'm a nice person and don't terrorize ducks.
On the subject of birds, though, there were a ton of geese and a few ducks still hanging around. WTF? Shouldn't they be flying south for the winter? I mean, it's December. And it's Iowa. There's ice and snow and COLD everywhere! Were they just as surprised by the foot of snow we got a week ago as all we humans were?
Hmmph. Anyway, pretty decent run. I have to work from 11-6 tomorrow, so I will have to run in the morning. 6 miles outside in the AM when it's colder, on the treadmill where I won't have any motivation? Ugh, temperatures will tell.
Oh, and my knee is sort of sore just sitting here. Ugh... I want to go see what's wrong with the damn thing.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Day Twenty-Six
Miles: 9
TIme: 1:21:05
Pace: 9:00
Splits: n/a
9 miles on the track. 63 laps in lane 3. Holy moly.
Well... we did it!
And a lot slower than we'd have liked. We started off at a good clip. The first mile was 8:25. Then the laps went from about 1:12 to 1:14 to 1:18 to 1:20... and it was a lost cause. My knee started hurting at about mile 4 and hurt until probably 8.5 miles. That slowed us down a lot. And I was pretty thirsty the whole time... meh.
It wasn't too bad though. My dad and I chatted quite a bit and whatever, and I got to watch a bunch of old guys play tennis and got passed (once, it took him a long time to catch up to us) by a professor who was running a couple miles. I was kind of disappointed by the pace, though. I hoped to run more of an 8:30-8:40 pace. I think I just got stuck in a slow rut because it was just going around and around in the same place and my knee hurt for so long.
My last lap though was 1:08. :) My dad was one lap ahead of me because at 6 miles I stopped while he ran a lap so I could massage my knee a bit (it felt better after that, but still hurt) and I wanted to get under 1:21:00. I went 5 seconds over... but that's close enough. :P
AND NOW! To study for my religion and western civ finals like you wouldn't believe. SO NOT READY FOR TERM TO BE OVER! I don't want to take finals!
TIme: 1:21:05
Pace: 9:00
Splits: n/a
9 miles on the track. 63 laps in lane 3. Holy moly.
Well... we did it!
And a lot slower than we'd have liked. We started off at a good clip. The first mile was 8:25. Then the laps went from about 1:12 to 1:14 to 1:18 to 1:20... and it was a lost cause. My knee started hurting at about mile 4 and hurt until probably 8.5 miles. That slowed us down a lot. And I was pretty thirsty the whole time... meh.
It wasn't too bad though. My dad and I chatted quite a bit and whatever, and I got to watch a bunch of old guys play tennis and got passed (once, it took him a long time to catch up to us) by a professor who was running a couple miles. I was kind of disappointed by the pace, though. I hoped to run more of an 8:30-8:40 pace. I think I just got stuck in a slow rut because it was just going around and around in the same place and my knee hurt for so long.
My last lap though was 1:08. :) My dad was one lap ahead of me because at 6 miles I stopped while he ran a lap so I could massage my knee a bit (it felt better after that, but still hurt) and I wanted to get under 1:21:00. I went 5 seconds over... but that's close enough. :P
AND NOW! To study for my religion and western civ finals like you wouldn't believe. SO NOT READY FOR TERM TO BE OVER! I don't want to take finals!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Day Twenty-Five
Miles: 4
Time: 32:14
Pace: 8:03
Splits: n/a
Now that I know that ACCURATE number of laps for running around the indoor track... I find that my pace is a lot faster. :P Just a really easy run today. Nothing hurt, it was really easy, went by pretty fast. No big deal.
Now to study for finals (EEEK) and continue to pack for break/get together things to move to my new dorm room.
Dad and I are running our 9 miles tomorrow on the track. 63 laps. :) The roads are just too slushy and gross for us to bear running on.
Time: 32:14
Pace: 8:03
Splits: n/a
Now that I know that ACCURATE number of laps for running around the indoor track... I find that my pace is a lot faster. :P Just a really easy run today. Nothing hurt, it was really easy, went by pretty fast. No big deal.
Now to study for finals (EEEK) and continue to pack for break/get together things to move to my new dorm room.
Dad and I are running our 9 miles tomorrow on the track. 63 laps. :) The roads are just too slushy and gross for us to bear running on.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Day Twenty-Four
Miles: 6 4
Time: 35:40
Pace: 8:55
Splits: n/a
So... my miles and pace for the last two days are inaccurate. Let me explain to you why.
Our indoor track has a tennis court inside, and the weird plastic walls for the tennis court lower down from the ceiling and hang in part of the track at the corners. Because of this, I just always run in lane 3. My friend Ali who runs track told me the track was 220 meters. But I measured it with one of those clicky-when-you-run-with-it things that measure distance and lane 3 is 230 meters. So yesterday, I ran 10,120 meters instead of my intended 9600. So I ran much faster than I thought I did. And today, I ran 6,670 meters instead of 6,400. Which would take about a minute off my time, and make my pace a lot faster. (You have no idea how hard all this math was just now. God, I'm out of practice.)
So now I have to go over all my distances on the track and revise them so they're accurate. Ugh.
But I cut my run 2 miles short and biked 4 miles on the stationary bikes because my legs were having a hard time. Nothing hurt, but I could tell I was really dehydrated because it was hard to keep myself going and I was really thirsty the whole time. I have been really thirsty all day, and I've been drinking water like it's my job. :(
But with the 4(+ change) miles on the track and the 4 miles on the bike, I feel like today was still a good workout. :)
Time: 35:40
Pace: 8:55
Splits: n/a
So... my miles and pace for the last two days are inaccurate. Let me explain to you why.
Our indoor track has a tennis court inside, and the weird plastic walls for the tennis court lower down from the ceiling and hang in part of the track at the corners. Because of this, I just always run in lane 3. My friend Ali who runs track told me the track was 220 meters. But I measured it with one of those clicky-when-you-run-with-it things that measure distance and lane 3 is 230 meters. So yesterday, I ran 10,120 meters instead of my intended 9600. So I ran much faster than I thought I did. And today, I ran 6,670 meters instead of 6,400. Which would take about a minute off my time, and make my pace a lot faster. (You have no idea how hard all this math was just now. God, I'm out of practice.)
So now I have to go over all my distances on the track and revise them so they're accurate. Ugh.
But I cut my run 2 miles short and biked 4 miles on the stationary bikes because my legs were having a hard time. Nothing hurt, but I could tell I was really dehydrated because it was hard to keep myself going and I was really thirsty the whole time. I have been really thirsty all day, and I've been drinking water like it's my job. :(
But with the 4(+ change) miles on the track and the 4 miles on the bike, I feel like today was still a good workout. :)
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Day Twenty-Three
Miles: 6
Time: 52:41
Pace: 8:46
Splits: n/a
I DID IT! I ran 6 miles, and I ran it indoors. How, you might ask?
INDOOR TRACK.
44 laps around a 220 meter track. It wasn't that bad at all, either. My legs felt way better than they would have outside (had it not have been a blizzard outside, about 10 degrees without wind chill, and all the sidewalks were unshoveled). It worked out pretty well, actually; I'll probably run on the track again tomorrow. It was a really nice temperature in there because there are metal panels that open up during the summer that go right outside, so there were three walls that were cool and one that was warm. I was still all sweaty when I got done, but at least I was sweaty after 6 miles, instead of half a mile like I would have been on the treadmill!
And my legs didn't hurt much. I stopped halfway through and stretched out my right hams, then those felt good. And my left knee hurt for about a mile, and then loosened back up. Even though I ran 44 times around a circle, it felt much nicer than running out on snow and concrete! It's a good trade-off.
Then my roomie and I split a large pizza when I got back... so now I'm full and my legs are all, "we ran 6 miles! don't use us!" and stuff. Now I must study for finals and be awesome like that.
Time: 52:41
Pace: 8:46
Splits: n/a
I DID IT! I ran 6 miles, and I ran it indoors. How, you might ask?
INDOOR TRACK.
44 laps around a 220 meter track. It wasn't that bad at all, either. My legs felt way better than they would have outside (had it not have been a blizzard outside, about 10 degrees without wind chill, and all the sidewalks were unshoveled). It worked out pretty well, actually; I'll probably run on the track again tomorrow. It was a really nice temperature in there because there are metal panels that open up during the summer that go right outside, so there were three walls that were cool and one that was warm. I was still all sweaty when I got done, but at least I was sweaty after 6 miles, instead of half a mile like I would have been on the treadmill!
And my legs didn't hurt much. I stopped halfway through and stretched out my right hams, then those felt good. And my left knee hurt for about a mile, and then loosened back up. Even though I ran 44 times around a circle, it felt much nicer than running out on snow and concrete! It's a good trade-off.
Then my roomie and I split a large pizza when I got back... so now I'm full and my legs are all, "we ran 6 miles! don't use us!" and stuff. Now I must study for finals and be awesome like that.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Day Twenty-Two
Miles: 5 4
Time: 34:28
Pace: 8:36
Splits: 8:29, 8:40, 8:40, 8:35
Well, I was consistent! That's a plus!
Conditions this morning were terrible. I snowed some last night, so the streets were all a mess today. Pretty much NO ONE had shoveled their sidewalk yet (but I can't blame them, to be explained in just a sec), so I was slipping around in snowy slush for 4 miles. I couldn't stand to go any further, and I was running out of time because I needed to get back to my dorm and shower and blog before class.
Why am I running at 8 in the morning, you may ask? Well... you see, we're supposed to get this huge BLIZZZZZZARD today. It is supposed to snow 2-4 inches this afternoon and another 4-6 tonight. I wanted to get outside once more before the huge snow hits and it is officially time for Yak Traks and slipping and sliding and hating life in general. :P (But one more week, and I will be able to use the treadmill at MY HOUSE where it is NOT 70 DEGREES with NO AIR CIRCULATION! Yay!)
Ugh... winter, you foul beast.
Oh, and for about half a mile coming back one direction, I basically couldn't see because the snow as being blown directly into my eyes. NOT A GOOD TIME!
My legs are tired. They're not used to working so hard just to stay balanced! Snow running = sand running... but slipperier.
OH! BUT NOTHING HURT! ::REJOICES:: The extra day off this weekend helped, me thinks.
Time: 34:28
Pace: 8:36
Splits: 8:29, 8:40, 8:40, 8:35
Well, I was consistent! That's a plus!
Conditions this morning were terrible. I snowed some last night, so the streets were all a mess today. Pretty much NO ONE had shoveled their sidewalk yet (but I can't blame them, to be explained in just a sec), so I was slipping around in snowy slush for 4 miles. I couldn't stand to go any further, and I was running out of time because I needed to get back to my dorm and shower and blog before class.
Why am I running at 8 in the morning, you may ask? Well... you see, we're supposed to get this huge BLIZZZZZZARD today. It is supposed to snow 2-4 inches this afternoon and another 4-6 tonight. I wanted to get outside once more before the huge snow hits and it is officially time for Yak Traks and slipping and sliding and hating life in general. :P (But one more week, and I will be able to use the treadmill at MY HOUSE where it is NOT 70 DEGREES with NO AIR CIRCULATION! Yay!)
Ugh... winter, you foul beast.
Oh, and for about half a mile coming back one direction, I basically couldn't see because the snow as being blown directly into my eyes. NOT A GOOD TIME!
My legs are tired. They're not used to working so hard just to stay balanced! Snow running = sand running... but slipperier.
OH! BUT NOTHING HURT! ::REJOICES:: The extra day off this weekend helped, me thinks.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Day Twenty-One
Miles: 9 0
Time: --
Pace: --
Splits: --
Sooooo my dad and I were supposed to run 9 today. But we are running 9 next Sunday, and I've been having lots of weird issues with my legs lately, and my dad got really drunk at his Christmas party Saturday night... so we called it off. Plus, it would have been a pain to put into our schedule somewhere, since I was super busy with college stuff all day (yay banquets!). So we're getting an extra recoup day this week. My legs are thanking the running gods, wherever they may be.
Time: --
Pace: --
Splits: --
Sooooo my dad and I were supposed to run 9 today. But we are running 9 next Sunday, and I've been having lots of weird issues with my legs lately, and my dad got really drunk at his Christmas party Saturday night... so we called it off. Plus, it would have been a pain to put into our schedule somewhere, since I was super busy with college stuff all day (yay banquets!). So we're getting an extra recoup day this week. My legs are thanking the running gods, wherever they may be.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Day Twenty
Miles: 4
Time: 33:13
Pace: 8:17
Splits: 7:59, 8:30, 8:24, 8:17
COLD! IT IS WINTERY NOW AND IT IS COLD! My lips are now in the begging stages of chapped-ness, my eyes are dry and trying to leak all over my face, my nose is running and my cheeks are numb. Wind + cold = NOT COOL.
And you know what else isn't cool? Waking up with a mysterious pain from your hip to your knee to your ankle, having it go away while you run, only to have a right ankle tendon thing spasm 4 times during your run. And to have various parts of your body just HURT. And then have your knee get all hurty and weird feeling so that you have to take the elevator to your floor of your dorm.
Today was not a fun run. We'll see how the 9 miler tomorrow goes. :/
Time: 33:13
Pace: 8:17
Splits: 7:59, 8:30, 8:24, 8:17
COLD! IT IS WINTERY NOW AND IT IS COLD! My lips are now in the begging stages of chapped-ness, my eyes are dry and trying to leak all over my face, my nose is running and my cheeks are numb. Wind + cold = NOT COOL.
And you know what else isn't cool? Waking up with a mysterious pain from your hip to your knee to your ankle, having it go away while you run, only to have a right ankle tendon thing spasm 4 times during your run. And to have various parts of your body just HURT. And then have your knee get all hurty and weird feeling so that you have to take the elevator to your floor of your dorm.
Today was not a fun run. We'll see how the 9 miler tomorrow goes. :/
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Day Nineteen
Miles: 5 3
Time: 25:18
Pace: 8:26
Splits: n/a
It was 29 degrees out today, and cloudy, and gusty, and it started snowing right when I was going to go run (though nothing has stuck yet). So I decided today would be a good day to try out the good old college treadmills! They actually have pretty nice equipment here, and the treadmills were nice.
However, I walked into the room with the treadmills/bikes/epliticals and holy fuck. It was about 72 degrees in there. No airflow. Bright lights. SAUNA-LIKE. I was dripping sweat after about half a mile. It was so hot that my calves were on the verge of cramping. I cut my 5 mile run down to 3 because I could not stand being in there any longer. It was horrible.
All in all, a very disheartening run. I have been reminded of how much I detest running on a treadmill. I am soaked with sweat, I smell horrible, and I feel like I accomplished basically nothing because I kept pausing the machine so I could stretch out my calves. Looks like I'm going to be (TRYING) to get outside for all my runs this winter!
It also sucks that I couldn't get myself through a 5 mile run (and thus making my week 26 instead of 28 miles) when next week, I have one 5 mile run, two 6 miles run and a 30 mile-week total. Uggggggh, winter!!!!
Time: 25:18
Pace: 8:26
Splits: n/a
It was 29 degrees out today, and cloudy, and gusty, and it started snowing right when I was going to go run (though nothing has stuck yet). So I decided today would be a good day to try out the good old college treadmills! They actually have pretty nice equipment here, and the treadmills were nice.
However, I walked into the room with the treadmills/bikes/epliticals and holy fuck. It was about 72 degrees in there. No airflow. Bright lights. SAUNA-LIKE. I was dripping sweat after about half a mile. It was so hot that my calves were on the verge of cramping. I cut my 5 mile run down to 3 because I could not stand being in there any longer. It was horrible.
All in all, a very disheartening run. I have been reminded of how much I detest running on a treadmill. I am soaked with sweat, I smell horrible, and I feel like I accomplished basically nothing because I kept pausing the machine so I could stretch out my calves. Looks like I'm going to be (TRYING) to get outside for all my runs this winter!
It also sucks that I couldn't get myself through a 5 mile run (and thus making my week 26 instead of 28 miles) when next week, I have one 5 mile run, two 6 miles run and a 30 mile-week total. Uggggggh, winter!!!!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Day Eighteen
Miles: 6
Time: 49:33
Pace: 8:15
Splits: 7:50, 8:14, 8:25, 8:29, 8:20, 8:11
As nice as the weather was yesterday, today's weather was shitty. Yesterday: 55 degrees, sunny, slightly breezy. Today: 35 degrees, cloudy, extremely windy (in about three directions). Yesterday: Ran in shorts and a t-shirt. Today: Ran in leggings, shorts, t-shirt and jacket (with the sleeves pulled down the WHOLE TIME which basically never happens!). Yesterday: Comfortable. Today: Very much not.
It was a decent run, though. The first 3-3.5 miles I had basically no traffic stops, which was really nice. I just kept going and going (sort of). But everything else the way back to campus had me stopping every couple minutes because I was getting back into the busy sections of downtown (I went down on the trail on the first half), and that sort of sucked.
Besides the first split, all my other miles were really consistent, so I guess I am getting better at that. :) My knee wasn't too bad today. I had weird tightness there and along the side of my right calf, but both of them sort of went away. My knee is a little sore still, but whatevs. I am just getting used to favoring it while going up stairs (because I go up and down 2-3 flights of stairs only about 10 times a day).
Now to shower/warm up and do HOMEWORK!!!!!!!!!!! Oh finals, how I love to loathe you....
Time: 49:33
Pace: 8:15
Splits: 7:50, 8:14, 8:25, 8:29, 8:20, 8:11
As nice as the weather was yesterday, today's weather was shitty. Yesterday: 55 degrees, sunny, slightly breezy. Today: 35 degrees, cloudy, extremely windy (in about three directions). Yesterday: Ran in shorts and a t-shirt. Today: Ran in leggings, shorts, t-shirt and jacket (with the sleeves pulled down the WHOLE TIME which basically never happens!). Yesterday: Comfortable. Today: Very much not.
It was a decent run, though. The first 3-3.5 miles I had basically no traffic stops, which was really nice. I just kept going and going (sort of). But everything else the way back to campus had me stopping every couple minutes because I was getting back into the busy sections of downtown (I went down on the trail on the first half), and that sort of sucked.
Besides the first split, all my other miles were really consistent, so I guess I am getting better at that. :) My knee wasn't too bad today. I had weird tightness there and along the side of my right calf, but both of them sort of went away. My knee is a little sore still, but whatevs. I am just getting used to favoring it while going up stairs (because I go up and down 2-3 flights of stairs only about 10 times a day).
Now to shower/warm up and do HOMEWORK!!!!!!!!!!! Oh finals, how I love to loathe you....
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Day Seventeen
Miles: 5
Time: 41:17
Pace: 8:15
Splits: 8:00, 8:26, 8:21, 8:20, 8:08
Not going to complain about the splits. They were fairly consistent, and the second split was so slow because I had to run uphill, against the wind, for about .1 of a mile. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :P
On a really really happy note: It is December 1, and it was 55 degrees outside. It was warm with sunshine and I was perfectly comfortable running in an Underarmor t-shirt and shorts. It was gorgeous. If this was a real fall-->winter time, there would be snow on the ground and it would be in the high 20s and low 30s by now. This is unusually warm, but I'm not complaining. :D
I felt like a total wimp today, though. I stopped probably 4-5 times in the first 2.5 miles because my right calf kept getting really tight. So I'd stop, stretch it out, shake it out, and keep going, only to have to get uncomfortable and tight and blegh all over again. It eventually stopped, though, which was a relief. My knee started getting sore around 3 miles. Not the same swollen feeling as Sunday (though would have been had I ran longer), but a pain/soreness across the top and along the bottom of my knee cap. I have no idea what it is, but I iced it and it feels okay now.
Another goal now: GET THE KNEE TO STOP HURTING. That would make my life. :P
Time: 41:17
Pace: 8:15
Splits: 8:00, 8:26, 8:21, 8:20, 8:08
Not going to complain about the splits. They were fairly consistent, and the second split was so slow because I had to run uphill, against the wind, for about .1 of a mile. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :P
On a really really happy note: It is December 1, and it was 55 degrees outside. It was warm with sunshine and I was perfectly comfortable running in an Underarmor t-shirt and shorts. It was gorgeous. If this was a real fall-->winter time, there would be snow on the ground and it would be in the high 20s and low 30s by now. This is unusually warm, but I'm not complaining. :D
I felt like a total wimp today, though. I stopped probably 4-5 times in the first 2.5 miles because my right calf kept getting really tight. So I'd stop, stretch it out, shake it out, and keep going, only to have to get uncomfortable and tight and blegh all over again. It eventually stopped, though, which was a relief. My knee started getting sore around 3 miles. Not the same swollen feeling as Sunday (though would have been had I ran longer), but a pain/soreness across the top and along the bottom of my knee cap. I have no idea what it is, but I iced it and it feels okay now.
Another goal now: GET THE KNEE TO STOP HURTING. That would make my life. :P
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Day Sixteen
Miles: 8
Time: 1:10:23
Pace: 8:48
Splits: 8:34, 9:10, 8:55, 8:56, 8:46, 8:47, 8:28, 8:45
Pretty decent run this morning. Headed out around 9:15 on a route my dad and I haven't ran in pretty much a year. It was a good route, not too many hills, but the one in the second mile is "Death Hill" and it kicked my butt. :P It was a nice run though, in a neighborhood we basically never run in, so it was cool. It was around 40 degrees, but a constant 10 mph wind for the first half, then it was at our back for the last half.
It went really well the first 4-5 miles. You can't tell from my splits (which were surprisingly even the last 6 miles!) but my knee was killing me. The hills were horrible. There was one short one in the fifth mile and in the second to last mile was an uphill followed by Death Hill going downhill. The last 3 miles were pain but I got through it OK, as the splits say so. :)
I really want to figure out this knee. It's still kind of sore, but it isn't swollen anymore. I iced it when I got home and I've been chilling all day, but I still have to work 6 hours tonight. :( Working 6 hours a day the last two days probably hasn't helped either, and is probably some of the reason my legs are sore. They were tired even when I woke up this morning.
ARGH MY KNEE. SAD FACES GALORE.
But my right ankle tendon thing didn't bug me today. :D
Time: 1:10:23
Pace: 8:48
Splits: 8:34, 9:10, 8:55, 8:56, 8:46, 8:47, 8:28, 8:45
Pretty decent run this morning. Headed out around 9:15 on a route my dad and I haven't ran in pretty much a year. It was a good route, not too many hills, but the one in the second mile is "Death Hill" and it kicked my butt. :P It was a nice run though, in a neighborhood we basically never run in, so it was cool. It was around 40 degrees, but a constant 10 mph wind for the first half, then it was at our back for the last half.
It went really well the first 4-5 miles. You can't tell from my splits (which were surprisingly even the last 6 miles!) but my knee was killing me. The hills were horrible. There was one short one in the fifth mile and in the second to last mile was an uphill followed by Death Hill going downhill. The last 3 miles were pain but I got through it OK, as the splits say so. :)
I really want to figure out this knee. It's still kind of sore, but it isn't swollen anymore. I iced it when I got home and I've been chilling all day, but I still have to work 6 hours tonight. :( Working 6 hours a day the last two days probably hasn't helped either, and is probably some of the reason my legs are sore. They were tired even when I woke up this morning.
ARGH MY KNEE. SAD FACES GALORE.
But my right ankle tendon thing didn't bug me today. :D
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Day Fifteen
Miles: 4
Time: 33:27
Pace: 8:22
Splits: 7:59, 8:18, 8:41, 8:30
(Note: The third split is so slow because I had to run over icy spots twice, and stopped for 10 seconds to tighten my shoe so my leg wasn't so hurty.)
COLD WEATHER ARRRRRGH!!!!!! I never know what to wear! It is 30 degrees. So I wear a thin, but insulating running jacket over a running t-shirt and a sports bra. Shorts over leggings. My ankle-height socks. SHOES. A hat. Gloves. The gloves come off around 1.2 miles. My arms start to get hot around 2 miles. I get home and I'm sweaty and gross because it is hot inside. I don't want to go out in just, like, a t-shirt and shorts/leggings (my legs were fine the whole run) because then I just look crazy. But my hands and arms get so freaking HOT! And they felt really heavy the last couple of runs, too. I've been taking vitamins, maybe I need to add something else in. :(
But I DO need to start eating more bananers (and probably drinking more water). My left quad/knee and my right ankle tendon thing were really tight the whole run, except the first mile. It is really, really annoying. I am glad that I've been running with my dad the last couple days or else I would chicken out of my 4 milers and run 3 instead. :( 4 mile runs just suck necause that is when my random aches peak, and then they go away after 4-5 miles. Yuck.
8 miles tomorrow; I get to pick the route. Excitement!
Time: 33:27
Pace: 8:22
Splits: 7:59, 8:18, 8:41, 8:30
(Note: The third split is so slow because I had to run over icy spots twice, and stopped for 10 seconds to tighten my shoe so my leg wasn't so hurty.)
COLD WEATHER ARRRRRGH!!!!!! I never know what to wear! It is 30 degrees. So I wear a thin, but insulating running jacket over a running t-shirt and a sports bra. Shorts over leggings. My ankle-height socks. SHOES. A hat. Gloves. The gloves come off around 1.2 miles. My arms start to get hot around 2 miles. I get home and I'm sweaty and gross because it is hot inside. I don't want to go out in just, like, a t-shirt and shorts/leggings (my legs were fine the whole run) because then I just look crazy. But my hands and arms get so freaking HOT! And they felt really heavy the last couple of runs, too. I've been taking vitamins, maybe I need to add something else in. :(
But I DO need to start eating more bananers (and probably drinking more water). My left quad/knee and my right ankle tendon thing were really tight the whole run, except the first mile. It is really, really annoying. I am glad that I've been running with my dad the last couple days or else I would chicken out of my 4 milers and run 3 instead. :( 4 mile runs just suck necause that is when my random aches peak, and then they go away after 4-5 miles. Yuck.
8 miles tomorrow; I get to pick the route. Excitement!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Day Fourteen
Miles: 4
Time: 32:33
Pace: 8:20
Splits: 7:57, 8:20, 8:30, 8:32
COLD. THIS RUN WAS FREEZING COLD. (And this update is seriously late.) Went out with my dad around 8 in the morning... to fresh 20-30 mph winds and a regular air temp of 35 degrees. COLD COLD COLD.
Other than that, it was ok. My knee started to get tight, and a tendon in my right shin/ankle was tight, but neither stayed long or hurt very bad. It was a really hilly run the middle 2 miles. The last one, my knee was still kind of tight, so I wasn't too motivated. And most of it was against the wind, so I was frozen. :P
But Thanksgiving was great. We headed to my grandparents' and had a delicious feast. It was well worth the running effort in the morning.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!
**PS: Does anyone know why I would be getting weird muscle spasm-y things in the tendon coming up from my right ankle to about halfway up my shin/calf? It's very uncomfortable and hurts for about 2-5 seconds, then goes away. What is UP!?
Time: 32:33
Pace: 8:20
Splits: 7:57, 8:20, 8:30, 8:32
COLD. THIS RUN WAS FREEZING COLD. (And this update is seriously late.) Went out with my dad around 8 in the morning... to fresh 20-30 mph winds and a regular air temp of 35 degrees. COLD COLD COLD.
Other than that, it was ok. My knee started to get tight, and a tendon in my right shin/ankle was tight, but neither stayed long or hurt very bad. It was a really hilly run the middle 2 miles. The last one, my knee was still kind of tight, so I wasn't too motivated. And most of it was against the wind, so I was frozen. :P
But Thanksgiving was great. We headed to my grandparents' and had a delicious feast. It was well worth the running effort in the morning.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!
**PS: Does anyone know why I would be getting weird muscle spasm-y things in the tendon coming up from my right ankle to about halfway up my shin/calf? It's very uncomfortable and hurts for about 2-5 seconds, then goes away. What is UP!?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Day Thirteen
Miles: 3
Time: 23:13
Pace: 7:44
Splits: Don't know, Garmin flipped out
Good run, despite the rain. As soon as I got to the end of the street, it started pouring. And the rain was COLD as it is unseasonably warm, but yet chilly, at 50 degrees. And then I realized my Garmin was freaking out. Apparently, it reset to factory settings. So it was showing me my "virtual partner" stats... not my time/distance/pace. And then after 2 miles I realized that it wasn't popping up my mile splits. So I fixed that in my settings and set off... only to have my watch beep "Lap Error" to me every FOUR SECONDS for the rest of my run.
So I didn't have mile splits. And I was annoyed most of the run. I was soaking wet and freezing... but I still felt good. Both my shins were sore for about half a mile, then felt fine. It was a nice change. :) I am just glad I wasn't going more than 3 miles, or else I am SURE I'd have chafed.
I wanted to throw my Garmin at the ground by the time I got home, given it's strange behavior and constant beeping, but I didn't want to rip my legs off and give them a beating... so I think today's run was basically a success. :)
Time: 23:13
Pace: 7:44
Splits: Don't know, Garmin flipped out
Good run, despite the rain. As soon as I got to the end of the street, it started pouring. And the rain was COLD as it is unseasonably warm, but yet chilly, at 50 degrees. And then I realized my Garmin was freaking out. Apparently, it reset to factory settings. So it was showing me my "virtual partner" stats... not my time/distance/pace. And then after 2 miles I realized that it wasn't popping up my mile splits. So I fixed that in my settings and set off... only to have my watch beep "Lap Error" to me every FOUR SECONDS for the rest of my run.
So I didn't have mile splits. And I was annoyed most of the run. I was soaking wet and freezing... but I still felt good. Both my shins were sore for about half a mile, then felt fine. It was a nice change. :) I am just glad I wasn't going more than 3 miles, or else I am SURE I'd have chafed.
I wanted to throw my Garmin at the ground by the time I got home, given it's strange behavior and constant beeping, but I didn't want to rip my legs off and give them a beating... so I think today's run was basically a success. :)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Day Twelve
Miles: 4
Time: 32:48
Pace: 8:12
Splits: 7:57, 8:18, 8:19, 8:12
Today, two very unusual things happened on my run.
1. I ended up running with no socks on! I accidently put on the shitty pair of socks that always fall down my feet. A quarter mile into the run, both socks had slipped off my heels and down into my shoes, so I stopped at a bench and took them off. I tucked them in my shorts and was on my way. It felt kind of weird, but kind of nice. My feet got a nice breeze... they got pelted by residual sand in my shoes... my shoes probably smell more like feet... but it was so much better than wearing falling-off socks!
2. NOTHING HURT! I was really, really surprised. I don't know if it is because I ran sockless or because I took ibuprofen 10 minutes before I headed out the door (mostly to try to delay my knee getting swollen, which helped on my 8 miler last week). But my right shin didn't hurt and my knee didn't hurt and nothing got uncomfortably tight! It was awesome. Let's hope it continues!
This was actually a really good run. I stopped, like... three times, though. Once was to take my socks off, though, another was at a traffic light, but the other time was so I could adjust my hat so it wouldn't fly off. At a traffic light, though, I put water on my left quad and that made it feel really nice (it was starting to get tight, but not uncomfortably so). Just another good reason for carrying my own water with me. :P
But really, the weather was great (cloudy, 48 degrees, breezy). And I can tell it is getting wintery. I walked by my running clothes, which I hung on my armoire doors at the dorm, and they smelled like winter-sweat. Really bad. I should most definitely wash that stuff ASAP so my roomies don't kill me.
I AM SO EXCITED FOR WINTER RUNNING! Sidenote: I put a bunch of running stuff on my Christmas list last night. :D
PS: I just noticed that my splits were pretty even. I started out slower than usual, but the last 3 miles were pretty consistent. Maybe that helped my legs, too. :)
Time: 32:48
Pace: 8:12
Splits: 7:57, 8:18, 8:19, 8:12
Today, two very unusual things happened on my run.
1. I ended up running with no socks on! I accidently put on the shitty pair of socks that always fall down my feet. A quarter mile into the run, both socks had slipped off my heels and down into my shoes, so I stopped at a bench and took them off. I tucked them in my shorts and was on my way. It felt kind of weird, but kind of nice. My feet got a nice breeze... they got pelted by residual sand in my shoes... my shoes probably smell more like feet... but it was so much better than wearing falling-off socks!
2. NOTHING HURT! I was really, really surprised. I don't know if it is because I ran sockless or because I took ibuprofen 10 minutes before I headed out the door (mostly to try to delay my knee getting swollen, which helped on my 8 miler last week). But my right shin didn't hurt and my knee didn't hurt and nothing got uncomfortably tight! It was awesome. Let's hope it continues!
This was actually a really good run. I stopped, like... three times, though. Once was to take my socks off, though, another was at a traffic light, but the other time was so I could adjust my hat so it wouldn't fly off. At a traffic light, though, I put water on my left quad and that made it feel really nice (it was starting to get tight, but not uncomfortably so). Just another good reason for carrying my own water with me. :P
But really, the weather was great (cloudy, 48 degrees, breezy). And I can tell it is getting wintery. I walked by my running clothes, which I hung on my armoire doors at the dorm, and they smelled like winter-sweat. Really bad. I should most definitely wash that stuff ASAP so my roomies don't kill me.
I AM SO EXCITED FOR WINTER RUNNING! Sidenote: I put a bunch of running stuff on my Christmas list last night. :D
PS: I just noticed that my splits were pretty even. I started out slower than usual, but the last 3 miles were pretty consistent. Maybe that helped my legs, too. :)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Day Eleven
Miles: 4
Time: 31:30
Pace: 7:52
Splits: 7:31, 7:48, 8:05, 8:02
I have decided that 4 mile runs are my least favorite runs ever.
They are too long to just hurry and get through, but they are too short to have all my aches and pains go away. Usually, that happens around 4-5 miles into a run. So 4 miles is like treating myself to a half hour of discomfort.
That said, today's run wasn't too bad. My right shin bugged be basically the whole time, but it was only 45 degrees out and I wore shorts, so my legs were cold and comfortable. I had to stop a bunch of times because my shin felt so weird and once because I thought it hurt because I tied my shoe too loose (that wasn't the case).
I really wanna know why my legs do this. They feel all weird and weak and achy and crappy for, like, 4 miles, and then it just goes away. (And then my knee gets swollen and hurty for the rest of the run.) I have no idea why they do it, but it is very bothersome. Any ideas?
Ugh.... short week next week, so 4 miles again tomorrow. Yuck. :/
Time: 31:30
Pace: 7:52
Splits: 7:31, 7:48, 8:05, 8:02
I have decided that 4 mile runs are my least favorite runs ever.
They are too long to just hurry and get through, but they are too short to have all my aches and pains go away. Usually, that happens around 4-5 miles into a run. So 4 miles is like treating myself to a half hour of discomfort.
That said, today's run wasn't too bad. My right shin bugged be basically the whole time, but it was only 45 degrees out and I wore shorts, so my legs were cold and comfortable. I had to stop a bunch of times because my shin felt so weird and once because I thought it hurt because I tied my shoe too loose (that wasn't the case).
I really wanna know why my legs do this. They feel all weird and weak and achy and crappy for, like, 4 miles, and then it just goes away. (And then my knee gets swollen and hurty for the rest of the run.) I have no idea why they do it, but it is very bothersome. Any ideas?
Ugh.... short week next week, so 4 miles again tomorrow. Yuck. :/
Friday, November 20, 2009
Day Ten
Miles: 0
Time: --
Pace: --
Splits: --
I was going to shift all my runs and then run Wed-Sunday, buuuuut I took today off. Because I need to get in th habit of taking Fridays off. And because my knee felt tight going up and down the stairs and I should rest it.
And because I really just wanted to relax for tonight. Watched Juno with Ali, watching So you think you can dance with Ali and Emily, will be attending a passion party later tonight, and getting TONS of sleep tonight. :D
Time: --
Pace: --
Splits: --
I was going to shift all my runs and then run Wed-Sunday, buuuuut I took today off. Because I need to get in th habit of taking Fridays off. And because my knee felt tight going up and down the stairs and I should rest it.
And because I really just wanted to relax for tonight. Watched Juno with Ali, watching So you think you can dance with Ali and Emily, will be attending a passion party later tonight, and getting TONS of sleep tonight. :D
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Day Nine
Miles: 6
Time: 48:46
Pace: 8:07
Splits: 7:33, 8:12, 8:26, 8:13, 8:15, 8:03
I have no idea how that first mile ended up being so much faster than the rest of my miles. Oops. So much for consistent mile splits... :/
I mapped out my run about 15 minutes before I left, and decided I wanted to go down to the trail to get to the other side of the river and run around down there a bit. I got to Czech Village and went out past there. I've never been down there before (for anything) so it was fun to look around. I managed to map a quarter-mile long hill into my route though... so double oops. (It was soon remedied by a nice downhill about a tenth of a mile afterwards.) At the bottom of the hill, these two old people waved me over and asked me if I knew where the fire that morning had been. I said I didn't know there had been a fire (after asking what they had said about four times because I suck at hearing/they had about five teeth between the two of them). Then they left and I continued on.
It was mostly cloudy outside, probably about two miles of my run were sunny-ish though. It was around 50 degrees with a slight breeze. It was pretty much perfect for running. It kept my legs cold (ran in shorts today... my leggings were bugging me yesterday) but my arms got hot in a long-sleeve tech shirt. I didn't even need a cold weather hat today, which was nice.
I had to stop about 5 times, though. Twice because my shin was bugging me (it stopped bugging around 3 miles, though, and that was good) but the rest were all traffic-related stops... which were just annoying. I felt really good today; my knee didn't even really bug me. It started to get tight around 5.3 miles, but then didn't get worse the rest of the last leg of the run. That made me pretty happy. (I iced my knee anyway... now it is red and frozen.)
See my route on my arm!
Time: 48:46
Pace: 8:07
Splits: 7:33, 8:12, 8:26, 8:13, 8:15, 8:03
I have no idea how that first mile ended up being so much faster than the rest of my miles. Oops. So much for consistent mile splits... :/
I mapped out my run about 15 minutes before I left, and decided I wanted to go down to the trail to get to the other side of the river and run around down there a bit. I got to Czech Village and went out past there. I've never been down there before (for anything) so it was fun to look around. I managed to map a quarter-mile long hill into my route though... so double oops. (It was soon remedied by a nice downhill about a tenth of a mile afterwards.) At the bottom of the hill, these two old people waved me over and asked me if I knew where the fire that morning had been. I said I didn't know there had been a fire (after asking what they had said about four times because I suck at hearing/they had about five teeth between the two of them). Then they left and I continued on.
It was mostly cloudy outside, probably about two miles of my run were sunny-ish though. It was around 50 degrees with a slight breeze. It was pretty much perfect for running. It kept my legs cold (ran in shorts today... my leggings were bugging me yesterday) but my arms got hot in a long-sleeve tech shirt. I didn't even need a cold weather hat today, which was nice.
I had to stop about 5 times, though. Twice because my shin was bugging me (it stopped bugging around 3 miles, though, and that was good) but the rest were all traffic-related stops... which were just annoying. I felt really good today; my knee didn't even really bug me. It started to get tight around 5.3 miles, but then didn't get worse the rest of the last leg of the run. That made me pretty happy. (I iced my knee anyway... now it is red and frozen.)
See my route on my arm!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Day Eight
Miles: 4
Time: 33:10
Pace: 8:16
Splits: 8:02, 8:21, 8:24, 8:19
This is coming to ya'll a day late, because all my runs are pushed back a day. Instead of running Tues-Thurs, resting Friday and running Sat-Sun, I am running straight Wed-Sun. My monthly monster (which only comes every 3 months realy, thanks to magic pills) arrived with a vengeance and I spent Monday and Tuesday curled up with a heating pad, barely able to motivate myself to do homework, let alone run (I hardly even wanted to move to go get dinner!). I felt a lot better today, though, so I got myself out the door.
It was cloudy. It was misting. It was gross and cold, but it was good for running. My left knee started to tighten up the last half mile, so I just kept going without pause. My right shin felt really weird (across it, which I hate) like it just had a big weak spot in the middle. It went away after 3.5 or so miles, which is then when my knee started to get tight... ugh. I had to stop a few times (once for a train!) which was disheartening.
Not the greatest run, but oh well. Still paced okay, and not in any real pain. The trainers weren't there when I got back, though, so I couldn't ice my knee, which kind of sucked. So I took a 30 minute shower instead. :)
6 miles tomorrow! I need to find a good route that'll keep me going... running by the streets usually helps, but the streets around campus have stop lights that usually hold me up at nearly every corner. So I will have to be quite clever...
Time: 33:10
Pace: 8:16
Splits: 8:02, 8:21, 8:24, 8:19
This is coming to ya'll a day late, because all my runs are pushed back a day. Instead of running Tues-Thurs, resting Friday and running Sat-Sun, I am running straight Wed-Sun. My monthly monster (which only comes every 3 months realy, thanks to magic pills) arrived with a vengeance and I spent Monday and Tuesday curled up with a heating pad, barely able to motivate myself to do homework, let alone run (I hardly even wanted to move to go get dinner!). I felt a lot better today, though, so I got myself out the door.
It was cloudy. It was misting. It was gross and cold, but it was good for running. My left knee started to tighten up the last half mile, so I just kept going without pause. My right shin felt really weird (across it, which I hate) like it just had a big weak spot in the middle. It went away after 3.5 or so miles, which is then when my knee started to get tight... ugh. I had to stop a few times (once for a train!) which was disheartening.
Not the greatest run, but oh well. Still paced okay, and not in any real pain. The trainers weren't there when I got back, though, so I couldn't ice my knee, which kind of sucked. So I took a 30 minute shower instead. :)
6 miles tomorrow! I need to find a good route that'll keep me going... running by the streets usually helps, but the streets around campus have stop lights that usually hold me up at nearly every corner. So I will have to be quite clever...
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Day Seven
Miles: 8
Time: 1:09:45
Pace: 8:43
Splits: 8:18, 8:26, 9:17, 8:40, 8:30, 8:47, 9:09, 8:36
So, I stayed over at my house last night because I had to work until 8 pm, then again at noon, so I figured it would be simplest for me to wake up and run at home with my dad. I got out of bed, checked the weather... and it was 32 degrees. I facepalmed, as I only had a long-sleeved tech shirt, an underarmor tech-cotton t-shirt and shorts. So I borrowed a fleece headband from my dad and we headed out at 8:15.
Surprisingly, I warmed up pretty fast. About a mile or mile-and-a-half in, my hands were warm and I rolled up my sleeves a bit. My legs numbed up from the cold, which was nice. My ears were warm but my cheeks were frozen. It definitely felt like winter running... and I loved it. :)
I think you can tell where the big hill was in this route. Mile 3, you might ask? DING DING DING! My dad dragged me up about a mile and a half of hills and I totally made him walk for about 5-10 seconds with me because my leg felt like it was about to cramp up, it was so tight.
It was nice running around in my general neighborhood again, on a route I already knew. Familiar territory, but we ran in the fancy neighborhoods and that is always a good distraction. We missed a little leg of it, though, and had to make up about half a mile at the end. There were lots of hills, but I got better with them after the first big one. I would much rather run up hills (generally speaking) than down them... much less pain involved in the knee area.
But around 5.5 miles, my left knee just started killing. I could feel that it was swollen all around it (below, outside, above) and it hurt across the top of my kneecap too. Around 6.5 miles, I just wanted to stop... so that mile was pretty slow. I made it home and sat down in the living room to ice it (not that it really needed it, as my legs were still so cold from being outside). Then I took a shower, and my legs feel okay now, just tired from running 8 hilly miles.
This week as SO MUCH BETTER than last week, even with the knee pain. My pace was pretty consistent and I felt so much better through the whole thing. We only stopped once, and that was the 5-10 second walk. I think that pacing under 9:00 is no problem, so hopefully I can keep it up when I get into the really heavy mileage early next year. Out of 10 stars, I would give this one probably... 7.5-8. Without the screaming knee, it would have been really great.
Time: 1:09:45
Pace: 8:43
Splits: 8:18, 8:26, 9:17, 8:40, 8:30, 8:47, 9:09, 8:36
So, I stayed over at my house last night because I had to work until 8 pm, then again at noon, so I figured it would be simplest for me to wake up and run at home with my dad. I got out of bed, checked the weather... and it was 32 degrees. I facepalmed, as I only had a long-sleeved tech shirt, an underarmor tech-cotton t-shirt and shorts. So I borrowed a fleece headband from my dad and we headed out at 8:15.
Surprisingly, I warmed up pretty fast. About a mile or mile-and-a-half in, my hands were warm and I rolled up my sleeves a bit. My legs numbed up from the cold, which was nice. My ears were warm but my cheeks were frozen. It definitely felt like winter running... and I loved it. :)
I think you can tell where the big hill was in this route. Mile 3, you might ask? DING DING DING! My dad dragged me up about a mile and a half of hills and I totally made him walk for about 5-10 seconds with me because my leg felt like it was about to cramp up, it was so tight.
It was nice running around in my general neighborhood again, on a route I already knew. Familiar territory, but we ran in the fancy neighborhoods and that is always a good distraction. We missed a little leg of it, though, and had to make up about half a mile at the end. There were lots of hills, but I got better with them after the first big one. I would much rather run up hills (generally speaking) than down them... much less pain involved in the knee area.
But around 5.5 miles, my left knee just started killing. I could feel that it was swollen all around it (below, outside, above) and it hurt across the top of my kneecap too. Around 6.5 miles, I just wanted to stop... so that mile was pretty slow. I made it home and sat down in the living room to ice it (not that it really needed it, as my legs were still so cold from being outside). Then I took a shower, and my legs feel okay now, just tired from running 8 hilly miles.
This week as SO MUCH BETTER than last week, even with the knee pain. My pace was pretty consistent and I felt so much better through the whole thing. We only stopped once, and that was the 5-10 second walk. I think that pacing under 9:00 is no problem, so hopefully I can keep it up when I get into the really heavy mileage early next year. Out of 10 stars, I would give this one probably... 7.5-8. Without the screaming knee, it would have been really great.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Day Six
Miles: 3
Time: 24:02
Pace: 8:00
Splits: 7:53, 8:12, 7:57
I woke up this morning, it was sunny. The sun woke me up, to be honest. However, when I went out to run half an hour later, it was cloudy. Weather, you are lame.
Pretty decent run. I picked a bad route and it was really start-stop. I had to wait for traffic about every 3-4 blocks. :( I didn't feel like I'd worked very hard by the end of my run. It was disappointing. Had some weird leg ouchies the first half mile or so, but they completely went away (except my ankle, but I stretched it out at a traffic light and now it feels fine). I don't think my knee is swollen today, so that's good. The 45 degree weather probably helped.
Now off to watch Glee, eat breakfast, take a shower, do homework and go to work. Busy day today! Excited for 8 miles with my dad tomorrow; I can tell that it's going to go way better than my 7 miler last Sunday!
Time: 24:02
Pace: 8:00
Splits: 7:53, 8:12, 7:57
I woke up this morning, it was sunny. The sun woke me up, to be honest. However, when I went out to run half an hour later, it was cloudy. Weather, you are lame.
Pretty decent run. I picked a bad route and it was really start-stop. I had to wait for traffic about every 3-4 blocks. :( I didn't feel like I'd worked very hard by the end of my run. It was disappointing. Had some weird leg ouchies the first half mile or so, but they completely went away (except my ankle, but I stretched it out at a traffic light and now it feels fine). I don't think my knee is swollen today, so that's good. The 45 degree weather probably helped.
Now off to watch Glee, eat breakfast, take a shower, do homework and go to work. Busy day today! Excited for 8 miles with my dad tomorrow; I can tell that it's going to go way better than my 7 miler last Sunday!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Day Five
Miles: 4
Time: 32:00
Pace: 8:00
Splits: 7:48, 8:08, 7:59, 8:03
Such a good run today! Nothing hurt in weird places, my knee didn't feel like it was the size of an orange when I got done and I managed to pace really well (and very consistent, if I do say so myself)! Defiitely an improvement from earlier this week. I only made 3 stops and they were ALL for traffic, none were personal, whiny stops. I think the chillier weather helped, too; kept my legs cool (though at one traffic stop I dabbed them with water from my waterbottle, and that was helpful, too).
I am icing my right shin and left knee, however, for good measure. I accidently added an extra .25 into my run because I thought I'd be short. So I walked from the corner I got to 4 miles on back onto campus and decided to get ice because those places felt pretty iffy. Now, however, they are just freezing cold because my legs aren't numb yet!
Hopefully, Saturday and Sunday's runs go as well as this one (though not nearly as fast!). My legs are starting to shape up again... the wear and tear of cross country seems to be fading away. :)
Though I did walk by my XC team on my way to the athletic training office to get ice... it was awkward, to say the least. My coach was a little cold and sarcastic (like, "Why are you running? I thought you were taking a couple of weeks off!" I only ever told her one week). Oh well. I do feel bad that I won't be able to make it to their last meet on Saturday. They run at 11, but the meet is an hour away and I work at 2, and I have to run 3 miles that morning. :/
Time: 32:00
Pace: 8:00
Splits: 7:48, 8:08, 7:59, 8:03
Such a good run today! Nothing hurt in weird places, my knee didn't feel like it was the size of an orange when I got done and I managed to pace really well (and very consistent, if I do say so myself)! Defiitely an improvement from earlier this week. I only made 3 stops and they were ALL for traffic, none were personal, whiny stops. I think the chillier weather helped, too; kept my legs cool (though at one traffic stop I dabbed them with water from my waterbottle, and that was helpful, too).
I am icing my right shin and left knee, however, for good measure. I accidently added an extra .25 into my run because I thought I'd be short. So I walked from the corner I got to 4 miles on back onto campus and decided to get ice because those places felt pretty iffy. Now, however, they are just freezing cold because my legs aren't numb yet!
Hopefully, Saturday and Sunday's runs go as well as this one (though not nearly as fast!). My legs are starting to shape up again... the wear and tear of cross country seems to be fading away. :)
Though I did walk by my XC team on my way to the athletic training office to get ice... it was awkward, to say the least. My coach was a little cold and sarcastic (like, "Why are you running? I thought you were taking a couple of weeks off!" I only ever told her one week). Oh well. I do feel bad that I won't be able to make it to their last meet on Saturday. They run at 11, but the meet is an hour away and I work at 2, and I have to run 3 miles that morning. :/
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Day Four
Miles: 5
Time: 41:01
Pace: 8:11
Splits: 7:59, 8:01, 8:24, 8:16, 8:17
This run felt so much better than the last few runs! :D Hallelujah!
The weather was absolutely gorgeous again today. Probably between 60 and 65. Sunny. Just fantastic for running and feeling good. Can November just be like this every year?
The first couple miles felt really good. I had pains that would come and go every half mile or so. But that's pretty typical for me to have moving, phantom pains like that. The next mile was pretty slow, and I'm not really sure why. The last two ended up being really even and pretty quick and I was pretty surprised. I did have to stop about 3 times, though because my shoe was hating on me and once because of traffic. (Those aren't counted in my time, though, because my dad says I'm a cheater that way.)
I'm icing my left knee right now, which I feel will be a regular thing for a while. It was visibly swollen again when I got back and it felt tight above my knee. I don't know what the issue is, but this should prevent it from getting worse and hopefully make it go away.
I am totally relishing in this weather, though. This is such a nice break from how November usually starts. It's beautiful outside! I am not looking forward to having to pile on layers of cold gear in a few weeks. Ugh. But as for now, I am going to go do tons of reading for the week outside while it's beautiful and pray for gorgeous weather again for my run tomorrow!
Time: 41:01
Pace: 8:11
Splits: 7:59, 8:01, 8:24, 8:16, 8:17
This run felt so much better than the last few runs! :D Hallelujah!
The weather was absolutely gorgeous again today. Probably between 60 and 65. Sunny. Just fantastic for running and feeling good. Can November just be like this every year?
The first couple miles felt really good. I had pains that would come and go every half mile or so. But that's pretty typical for me to have moving, phantom pains like that. The next mile was pretty slow, and I'm not really sure why. The last two ended up being really even and pretty quick and I was pretty surprised. I did have to stop about 3 times, though because my shoe was hating on me and once because of traffic. (Those aren't counted in my time, though, because my dad says I'm a cheater that way.)
I'm icing my left knee right now, which I feel will be a regular thing for a while. It was visibly swollen again when I got back and it felt tight above my knee. I don't know what the issue is, but this should prevent it from getting worse and hopefully make it go away.
I am totally relishing in this weather, though. This is such a nice break from how November usually starts. It's beautiful outside! I am not looking forward to having to pile on layers of cold gear in a few weeks. Ugh. But as for now, I am going to go do tons of reading for the week outside while it's beautiful and pray for gorgeous weather again for my run tomorrow!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Day Three
Miles: 4 3
Time: 23:49
Pace: 7:56
Splits: 7:53, 8:01, 7:53
I have a disease! It is called mobile leg pain. Saturday, it was my knee. Sunday, it was my knee/quad/hip. Today, it was my right calf/knee. Whaaaat is going on!? I cut my run short by a mile, but I don't feel like there's anything else I can do because my legs are just going to be sore somewhere else tomorrow. I think it's probably just because my legs are still recovering from the stresses I put them through during the last month of cross country, but it's really frustrating. I don't feel like I can actually do anything for them because they never hurt in the same place twice.
I was pretty happy with my pace though. I know it stayed so fast because I had to stop a few times because I was worried about my calf cramping, but it felt good to see a sub-8:00 pace on my watch the whole time.
Five miles tomorrow. I'm anxious to see how that goes/where my legs hurt next time.
Time: 23:49
Pace: 7:56
Splits: 7:53, 8:01, 7:53
I have a disease! It is called mobile leg pain. Saturday, it was my knee. Sunday, it was my knee/quad/hip. Today, it was my right calf/knee. Whaaaat is going on!? I cut my run short by a mile, but I don't feel like there's anything else I can do because my legs are just going to be sore somewhere else tomorrow. I think it's probably just because my legs are still recovering from the stresses I put them through during the last month of cross country, but it's really frustrating. I don't feel like I can actually do anything for them because they never hurt in the same place twice.
I was pretty happy with my pace though. I know it stayed so fast because I had to stop a few times because I was worried about my calf cramping, but it felt good to see a sub-8:00 pace on my watch the whole time.
Five miles tomorrow. I'm anxious to see how that goes/where my legs hurt next time.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Day 2
Miles: 7
Time: 1:02:34
Pace: 8:56
Splits: 8:32, 8:53, 9:10, 8:43, 9:12, 9:14, 8:50
A pretty decent run, but my legs didn't seem to want me to run at all. I started out and my shin under my knee felt really weak and weird, but that went away (thank God). Around my left knee and my left quad/hip got really tight the last 2.5 or so miles, though, and that kind of ruined it for me. It didn't hurt, really, but it made me feel slow and miserable.
But we started off from next to my dorm and went off campus and to Bever Ave, which is a really cool street (though, we found, mostly all a slight incline). There are HUGE, beautiful houses down there and it's a really cute neighborhood to run through. Then we went through Bever Park... where I accidently had thrown in a HUGE HILL at mile 3 when I mapped the route. My dad and I go to the top and we could hardly breathe. I apologized profusely. I'd totally forgotten that park had a hill, and it kicked my ass.
Most of then run after that was flat, though, just a little bit of hills around another college in the area that we ran around. My leg was all tight and bothersome, but I tried not to whine about it. It is just troublesome because that leg never gave me problems during all of cross country season. But it might just be because I took the last week off, so it's just out of practice.
Either way, we still managed to pace under 9 minute miles and we got back to campus at 7 miles on the dot (even though we accidently took two detours and had to make up where to go next to get back on track). I still have all the streets written (in Sharpie) on my arm:
Out of ten stars, I'd give this run about a 7.5. It could have been better, physical-body wise, but it didn't feel like a long run. But the scenery was nice, generally speaking, and the weather was AMAZING. Probably right around 55-60 degrees. Is this seriously November?!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Day 1
Miles: 3
Time: 25:01
Pace: 8:20
Splits: 7:58, 8:28, 8:33
First day back in a week, so my legs were a little out of it. The first mile I was super ready to go. My legs were excited to be hitting the road again, but by the second mile my legs were acting up and saying, "Wait! What are we doing? We don't remember this!" The side of my right calf felt really weird, a little like it did a week ago when I decided I need to take a week off to heal. So I iced it, as well as my left knee, because that knee is just weird and tempermental.
All in all, it was a good run. It is GORGEOUS outside. It is the 7th of November and it is over 60 degrees already. This is Eastern Iowa I'm talking about! This is crazy weather! Two weeks ago, I was bundled up awaiting snow! This was a nice change; I even had to run without a shirt on because I got hot. This is going to be an awesome weekend for running/being outside. Last one for months, I'm sure!
I'm really looking forward to my 7 miler with my dad tomorrow. Hopefully my legs behave themselves because today was way harder than it was meant to be.
Goal for before the marathon: Learn to go out at an EASY PACE and run MORE UNIFORM MILE TIMES.
Welcome!
So this is my running blog. I like writing up stuff about my runs, but people on my Livejournal, on the whole, don't care too much. And I really like Blogger.
A little background on me, as a runner:
I ran cross country my sophomore and junior years of high school. I hated it. But somehow, I thought that I wanted to run a half marathon. So I trained from March-September of 2008 and ran the Quad Cities half marathon with my dad at the end of September, with a time of 2:18:22.. And then I was hooked. I ran the Walt Disney World half marathon (again, with my dad) in January 2009 with a time of 2:06:45. And then in April of 2009, I ran the horribly rainy St Louis half marathon, this time all by myself, with a time of 1:59:19. And then I got a case of bronchitis that took months to finally heal.
Then I ran cross country my first semester of college. It was a fun team, and it definitely whipped me back up into shape... maybe even better shape that I had been in my year of half marathons. But my personal lack of control over what I was running drove me crazy. I ended my season two weeks early, opting not to be an alternate (I was slow by cross country standards anyway, and my bitter, negative attidue wasn't going to help them at all). And I prepared to run the marathon schedule my dad and I had come up with.
I took a full week off between conference championships and the first day of my marathon training. And this gets you to where I am at the moment: recovering from legs that have been abused and overused, ready to get going on my own schedule, excited for a marathon that is still seven months away and willing to share her pains and pleasures of running with the world.
A little background on me, as a runner:
I ran cross country my sophomore and junior years of high school. I hated it. But somehow, I thought that I wanted to run a half marathon. So I trained from March-September of 2008 and ran the Quad Cities half marathon with my dad at the end of September, with a time of 2:18:22.. And then I was hooked. I ran the Walt Disney World half marathon (again, with my dad) in January 2009 with a time of 2:06:45. And then in April of 2009, I ran the horribly rainy St Louis half marathon, this time all by myself, with a time of 1:59:19. And then I got a case of bronchitis that took months to finally heal.
Then I ran cross country my first semester of college. It was a fun team, and it definitely whipped me back up into shape... maybe even better shape that I had been in my year of half marathons. But my personal lack of control over what I was running drove me crazy. I ended my season two weeks early, opting not to be an alternate (I was slow by cross country standards anyway, and my bitter, negative attidue wasn't going to help them at all). And I prepared to run the marathon schedule my dad and I had come up with.
I took a full week off between conference championships and the first day of my marathon training. And this gets you to where I am at the moment: recovering from legs that have been abused and overused, ready to get going on my own schedule, excited for a marathon that is still seven months away and willing to share her pains and pleasures of running with the world.
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