And it only took 9 tries.......

Well after running nine marathons in six years, I FINALLY broke the four hour mark!   Here are my official results:

 Whitney Mallory

Your division: 30-39 F

Your chip time: 3:53:50.8

Your gun time: 3:55:00.3

Your mile pace: 8:55

Overall place: 374

Your gender place overall: 134

Your division place: 54

I can't believe I actually ran a marathon in 3:53.    You would think that after training for four months I would have had more faith in my ability to actually do it, but I think that deep down I was very doubtful that the race would go as I planned.    But, before the race, I can honestly say that I was genuinely okay  with any outcome because training for this race was a huge part of my sanity during Peter's absence.  So I knew that I had already reaped the benefits of my training regimen, with or without a good race result. In addition to filling up large gaps of time and giving me daily and weekly accomplish-able goals, training for this race gave me 2-3 hours a week of freedom.    (THANK YOU SHANNON!!!!)   During my weekly long run I would listen to a sermon, spend a long time praying for friends/family/situations that I don't normally make time for during my morning quiet times, listen to praise music, and sometimes, just chat with God.   Tell him what was on my heart and mind and give him time to respond.   It was always exactly what I needed.   I would drop Susannah off at Shannon's feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, frustrated, depleted, and inadequate.  Then I would return feeling loved, rested, revitalized, treasured, organized, and focused.   So even though I didn't really think that I would accomplish my training goals, I went into the race knowing that I had already gained so much more than a race time would ever give me.   I had spent time with Jesus and that was enough reward for me.   Any good results from the race would just be icing on the cake.    Lucky for me, God decided to give me some really delicious icing!  

While I have run 9 marathons, I have only run 3 for time.   My first was Disney and I was trying for a 4:15.   I finished in 4:40.    My second was in Nashville and I was trying to break 4 hours.   I walked/limped/jogged the last 5 miles and finished in 4:29.   My second attempt to break 4 hours was in Washington DC and I, once again, went out to fast and bonked in the end, finishing in a disappointing 4:10.   So, this time, despite promises and plans to run a smarter race, I was still shocked when I actually executed my plan, and ran (mostly) even splits.   I did everything exactly the way I had planned it.   I ran the first mile very slow and easy.   Then I picked it up incrementally for the next few miles, but kept myself at a conversational pace.   I even ran with a couple of other people and chatted with them to make sure I was still breathing easy.   After eating my first half of a power bar at mile 7, I put my earphones on, wished my new friends good luck, and settled in to what I was guessing was a slightly sub 9 minute mile.  (I decided not to use a GPS and just go by mile splits......this was definitely the right decision for me.)   

For the next hour, I listened to a sermon on Galatians 3-4.   The end of the sermon was about how God sees us as his children.  He wants to be our Dad.   Our "Abba Father."  The pastor gave an illustration of how he took care of his little girl when she was hurt and in the emergency room.    And I could feel God saying to me that he was going to be so proud of me at that finish line......He was going to swoop me up in a big hug and tell me how much he loved me.   This image of God as my loving Daddy, my doting father, that cares about all the aspects of my life, even my middle-of-the-pack marathon performances, carried me through the next 5 miles or so.   I had expected to need/want to turn on music after the sermon was over.   But I felt so incredibly energized that I decided to pray instead.   I could almost physically feel the prayers that I knew were being prayed for me.   (Thanks to all my friends and family......God answered your prayers)   I spent miles 13-20 the way I had spent so many of my long training runs.....just hanging out with Jesus.   Thanking him for his blessings and asking him for his help and guidance.   It was awesome.   

During this time I ate the other half of my power bar, stopped at a porta-potty, and refilled my water bottle.   This would be a good time to give a big shout out to the organizers of this race.   Everything was impeccably run....from the shuttles to the website to the water stops to the expo.....it was so runner friendly.   And the weather was perfect too......low 60s and cloudy with a very light mist/drizzle the entire race.  

I should be clear that I didn't feel amazing the entire time.   There were definitely times when I would start to feel crampy (I battled a side stitch from mile 14-17) or tired, but as soon as I refocused and started praying, I would feel my energy surge.   It was really amazing.   I don't know if I have ever felt the power of prayer in such a tangible, physical way.  Around mile 15 I passed the 3:55 pacer.   This felt great because it was an encouragement that I was executing exactly as I had planned.    

Around Mile 20, we had to run by the finish line which was really, really discouraging.   I put my music on but could still feel myself slowing down a bit.   While I had been passing people throughout the race, I was starting to be passed as well.   I was not a fan.   But speeding up just seemed too daunting because I knew I had over 5 miles left.   I just kept plodding along though, reminding myself to keep pushing and run with courage.   Around mile 21, I caught a pink flash in the corner of my eye and realized it was the 3:55 pace group.   They had caught me!!!    This realization sent a power surge from my brain to my legs and before taking off, I said to him, "I'm going to do everything I can to keep you behind me."   And with that, I was off.   I found one of my favorite songs on my iPod, turned up the volume, and focused on keeping my stride short and quick.   It worked and the last few miles I passed more and more people.   Susannah and Peter were at mile 26 and seeing them gave me another energy boost so I actually sprinted in to the finish and stopped my watch with a 3:53!!!  I did it!!!!  

Pre-race I sent this to Peter so he would know what shirt to be looking for.  

And here we are post-race.   Susannah didn't want to be in my lap because I was so sweaty, but I made her so we could have a picture.  ;)

Here are the splits from my watch.    I forgot to hit the split button on my watch once at mile 16 and then from 22 until the finish, but I managed to get most of them. 

9:29 (warm-up mile, exactly like I planned)

8:29

8:42

8:57 (mile 4 and 5 were almost completely uphill)

8:59

9:37 (stopped to refill my water bottle during this mile)

7:57 (must have subconsciously sped up to make up for the time lost at the water stop)

8:36

8:56

8:35

8:59

9:37 (porta-potty stop)

7:39 (once again, trying to make up lost time)

8:53

8:47 (This is where I missed the mile marker, so this is just the avg of mile 15 and 16. When I saw the 17 

8:47 marker, I thought "what a cruel joke".   Then I did some math in my head and felt a surge of joy.)

9:04 (Another water-bottle refill)

8:58

8:56

9:13 (This was that demoralizing mile where we ran by the finish line.   And I finished my last power bar.)

8:48

8:54

9:14

9:14

9:14

9:14 (I really wish I had remembered to hit the splits on the last 4 miles, but I was too busy forcing my legs to go.   I could have sworn I was running faster than 9:14 though.   I was passing so many people.   Just one example of how miles 21-26.2 are the twilight zone.) 

Final time:  3:53!!!!!!!   

**After proofreading this, I realize that I probably should have stated my race plan at the beginning since it was different than what I had been blogging the past few months.   I trained with a race pace of 8:31 and a goal of 3:43.   But, due to the cold that I battled the week before the race and my history of over-estimating my abilities, I adjusted my plans the last few days before the race.   My race day goal was to break 4 hours, with hopes that I could break it by 5 minutes or a little more.   I wanted to take the first mile super easy, the first 15 miles comfortably, and have enough energy in the tank to pass lots of people in the last 6 miles.   And, PRAISE GOD, that is exactly what I did.   It was a perfect race morning. 

1 week from tomorrow........

Well, race day is almost here and I'm nervous.    All the normal questions are running through my mind.... Am I ready?   Can I really hold the pace for 26.2?    What if I can't?    But unfortunately I have this additional question to add to the list....... Will my cold be completely better?   Yep, I came down with  a cold on Monday night and have been battling it since.   It seems to be on the way out, thou I did miss one of my runs this week in an effort to rest and recover ASAP.

I did make it out for 4 runs though.   And my pacing was super crazy.    I did feel good today on my 8 miler though, so that is good news.  

Monday was supposed to be an easy 4 miler but I was running a little late for a meeting and ended up running faster than I should have.  
9:02
8:24
8:21
8:45

Tuesday I was already feeling sick but ran anyway.   It was supposed to be a 5 mile tempo.   My GPS signal went crazy during mile 3 though so I don't really know if I made it into the sevens or not.   These are my splits according to crazy GPS.....clearly the third mile is innacurate.  
9:07
8:43
4:38  (this makes me laugh and laugh.)
8:38
9:05

Wednesday Susannah and I slept in and stayed in our PJs until lunch.

Thursday was a scheduled off day.   Then Friday I did a 5 miler with 4 miles at pace.    Our splits were
crazy......definitely not feeling confident in the pacing arena.  
9:25
8:00
8:11
8:37
8:38

Today I did my "long run" of 8 miles.   It went well and I felt good as evidenced by these splits:
9:28
8:55
9:10
9:11
8:59
8:57
8:53
8:52

Well, I guess my next post will include a race recap of my 9th marathon!!!   Wish me luck!

2 weeks out......Am I ready?

This week was my first of 3 tapering weeks.   It was perfect timing too because Peter came home on Thursday, so I was able to use my left over time and energy for homecoming preparations and activities.   I felt good all week and enjoyed the four runs I did this week.

Monday was a 7 mile tempo run.   Felt good even though we started later than usual (because I spent the whole morning cleaning out and reorganizing Susannah's closet and drawers) and the sun was blazing.   It was a perfectly executed tempo run.......just wish the splits had been a little faster at each mile.   Still pleased overall though:
9:12
9:06
8:34
7:42
8:41
8:59
9:27

Tuesday was supposed to be 6 x hill repeats which we usually do at Balboa park, but I decided to improvise and stay on the island for this workout because my to-do list was long, it was my birthday, and I was lacking my hill running partner.   So Susannah and I ran up and down the little bitty hill behind our house (probably 100 yards) 12 times without stopping for rest.   Then we jogged 3/4 mile to the playground and played.   Then jogged back.   I felt like this was a pretty solid alternative to our normal hill workout.   It was a good morning.   Happy 31st birthday to me.

Wednesday was a 7 miler with 4 miles at pace.   My plan was to warm up on mile 1, run an 8:31 for miles 2-5 and let miles 6-7 be a cooldown.  Unfortunately, I'm not too pleased with the consistancy on this run......it definitely reinforced my fear that I don't know what my 8:31 race pace feels like.   With only 2 weeks left of training, I think prayer is probably my best hope for good pace management on race day.  ;)
8:59
8:07
8:08
8:24
8:34
9:09
9:06

I took Thursday and Friday off and then today did a 12 miler.   It definitely wasn't the best run training-wise, but it was lots of fun and I am happy with my decision to make it a family event.  I did the first 5 miles by myself  and the last 7 with Peter and Susannah.    After an ipod malfunction and a unexpected meeting with a friend, I was running super late so I ended up running the first 5 way too fast.   It ended up okay because we took our time on the family 7 miler, and even stopped at the playground at mile 5.   My legs definitely feel more tired than they probably should after 12 though.   Here are the ridiculous splits:
8:29
8:10
8:35
8:15
8:06
10:13
10:23
10:36
10:00
9:48
9:45
10:14

Next two weeks are even easier and then comes the big day.....Ojai to Ocean Marathon, June 3rd 6:00 am!!!

And Let the Tapering Begin!!!

This week was the highest mileage of the entire training program and it was a surprisingly good week.   According to map my run, my Nike app is back to being accurate, so that has helped.   I had to switch my days around due to childcare scheduling, so I ended up doing my long run on Monday.   I really enjoyed getting the long one over with.   I was very pleased with my performance on my last 20 miler.   The pace was faster than my previous long runs have been (avg: 9:19).   I was tired by the end though.   So tired that I wouldn't let myself consider that race day I am planning on running 6 more miles at significanly faster pace.    My legs ached a little the rest of the day, but I wasn't tired or sore at all the following day so I take that as a good sign.   Here are the splits:
9:34
9:24
9:27
9:01
9:05
9:16
9:09
9:00
9:11
9:12
9:22
10:28 (left my gps running when I took a walk break to text.)
9:08
9:15
9:22
9:16
9:12
9:03
9:04
9:04 

Tuesday was an off day followed by a 10 mile pace run on Wednesday.   I had to take Susannah with me, so we cut it a little short....we did 9.4 miles.   I was able to maintain a pretty steady pace, but I have to admit that the idea of holding that pace for another 16.8 miles seemed extremely daunting.   I told myself that was because I had run 20 miles 48 hours earlier.   I'm praying that the three week taper I'm about to start will result in legs that are fresh enough to maintain the magic 8:31 pace for all 26.2 miles.   Here are the splits:
8:31 (nice start)
8:17
8:24
8:20
8:47 (I think this was slower because this was the turnaround mile and I took us over some bumpy driveways.  Also, I was probably unwrapping a granola bar or a piece of cheese for my hungry running partner.)
8:24
8:27
8:36
8:35
Avg. pace 8:28    Oh how awesome would it be if this could be my avg pace on race day????   Let us pray.......
I was so proud of my little running buddy and her good stroller behavior, that we stopped at the park on our way home. She had a ball:

Thursday was supposed to be a 7 mile tempo run.   I opted to cut it short in favor of being on time to bible study.   It was definitely a good decision.   The 5 miles I did complete were a little tough.....my legs didn't want to run fast.   But I was proud of myself for pushing through and getting into the 7's for mile 4.  
9:13
8:38
8:08
7:53
8:45

Friday was an easy 7 mile run.   I was expecting to drag after how I felt on Thursday, but I actually felt really good.  It is amazing how much more fun it is to run when you aren't pressuring yourself to hit certain paces.  I was having so much fun that I ended up running a little too fast for an easy day.   Definitely a problem I like to have.....running too fast.  :)
8:51
9:01
8:42
8:55
8:59
8:49
8:54

Today, Saturday, I did 8x800 repeats.   My friend Brittany came with me which helped so much.   Susannah was really patient and well behaved too.   And it was sunny with a cool breeze.   And my legs felt shockingly fresh.   All in all, a perfect morning.   I'm supposed to run my 800's in between 3:29-3:39.   I stayed in this range for every repeat except one, which I did faster, not slower.  :)
3:33
3:32
3:34
3:33
3:34
3:27 (this fast time is thanks to an older man who raced me and won.   And he wasn't doing repeats....he was just out for a jog.   Was at least 50 years old and wasn't even breathing hard.   Definitely a piece of humble pie for me.   He wasn't pushing a stroller though.)
3:36
3:34

And that concludes the peak week of my training for the Ojai to Ocean Marathon.    45 miles done!!

PS.   I went to one of those running stores that takes video of you on the treadmill and tells you your shoe type and correct size.   I was shocked to learn that my trusty Asics 2100 series stability shoes that I've been wearing since my very first marthon back in 2006 are completely wrong for my feet.  I bought some Asics Gel Nimbus 13s which are neutral cushioned and they are so amazingly comfortable.....like running on a really supportive pillow.   LOVE!!

1 week until taper begins!!!

This was a great week running wise, but a frustrating one technology wise.   I've become pretty dependent on my nikeplus app to keep track of my mileage and pacing and this week it has been acting crazy.   It has been giving me different mile markers than normal and really throwing me off.   So I've been required to use map my run to verify my mileage.   Then I use crazy math to try and figure out how off my pace report was on nikeplus.   So, to say the least, my splits for this week may be a little inaccurate.   I'm trying not to freak out with worry that I'm completely off base with my pacing goals for the race.   Saying lots and lots of prayers that God remind me that this is for fun and all I need to do is my best.   But then my brain wants to remind God that to do my best, I need to be able to pace appropriately.  And so goes the anxiety treadmill that is my mind.   Good times.  

Anyway, like I said early, this week has actually been a good running week.   Felt pretty strong and completed all of the scheduled mileage.   I do have to confess though that I'm super excited about starting the taper after next week.   It seems to be more mental than physical, but I've been feeling pretty worn out by the demands of this training schedule.   I love it, but I'm tired by it at the same time.  I'm really looking forward to June when I can do some strength training and just go for a jog without any prescribed distance or pace or purpose other than to have fun. 

Monday was a 7 mile tempo run.   This was one of the screwy GPS days, so these splits are questionable at best, but here they are regardless:
9:05
8:25
7:55
7:08
8:09
9:04
9:06
Fingers crossed that these are accurate because they are pretty strong numbers.

Tuesday was an easy 5 miler.  Avg. pace 9:10

Wednesday was a fall back week with a 12 miler.   Felt tired at the end, but still managed to run negative splits towards the end.   I didn't mean to speed up so much so I'm taking that as a good sign.  
8:45
9:28
9:24
9:42
9:45
9:36
9:36
9:21
9:47
9:02
8:48
8:40

Thursday was an off day.   Then today, Friday, I did a 7 mile run with 5 miles at race pace.   Race pace is 8:31.   I tried my best, but am not very pleased with my consistency.   Or I should probably say lack of consistency.
9:19
8:28
8:05
8:32
8:09
8:50
8:59

I'm going to keep focusing on race pace in these remaining 4 weeks until race day.   Definitely not there yet.  I feel like I have the fitness and endurance levels to break 3:45, but I need confidence in the pacing department.   Without it, I'm scared I'm going to psych myself out during the race.   We shall see.......

Happy Running everybody!!

Highest Mileage Week: 42 miles

This week was a good week.   All the knee pain is gone.   Lesson learned......listening to my body is always a good idea.   I'm so glad I took 4 days off last weekend because now (fingers crossed) I seem to be back to 100%.

Monday was a 7 mile tempo.   Felt good and thought the splits were right on target:
9:31
9:02
8:26
7:46
8:40
9:23
9:39

Tuesday was 7 x hill. I wanted to conserve a little energy for my second 20 miler on Wednesday so I didn't give full effort on the hills. I was proud to knock out all 7 though and then we headed to our hill repeat treat.....the petting zoo!! 

Wednesday was a pretty solid 20 miler.   I felt tired in the middle (as evidenced by my splits) but then felt pretty energetic towards the end and finished strong.   All in all a good run.
9:43
9:23
9:24
9:34
9:38
9:39
9:35
12:31
9:55
9:47
9:53
9:40
9:51
10:11
9:59
9:27
9:25
8:17 (I'm thinking the gps may have glitched here, but maybe I should just give myself credit.)
9:29

Thursday was an off day, followed by an easy 5 miler Friday.   Avg pace 9:14

Saturday was a 7 mile pace run.    I am still a little nervous about my lack of ability to find and hold my race pace.  I am always too fast, but I know that I couldn't hold the faster pace for the entire 26 miles.   I'm going to try this week to focus on pacing correctly.   Based on these splits, I clearly need it:  
Target pace 8:31
My Splits:
8:29
8:17
7:50
8:20
8:24
8:29
8:29 
I'm pretty sure that in this case, faster isn't better.   Really need to work on this. 

This week is a fall back week, followed by my third 20 miler week and then the taper officially begins.   yay!

Listening to my body, even when it hurts......

Well, this week started off MUCH better than it is ending.   Susannah and I both came down with colds last weekend, so I was dreading my Monday 7x800 workout.   It turned out to be really great though.   I felt good, only had to blow my nose a few times, the weather was beautiful, and Susannah was content in the stroller.........a recipe for a good morning.  Here are the splits:
3:29
3:29
3:27
3:29
3:32
3:33
3:28
I feel good about these because they are all in or below my 3:30-3:40 range and I did them all pushing Susannah, with 4/7 being into a headwind.   Even if my nike gps is a little generous, I still feel confident about this workout.

Tuesday was supposed to be 6 easy miles, but I had a baby-sitting committment at 9 and we didn't get out the door in time to do all 6 miles (And I opted to use 10 of the minutes we did have getting coffee) so we only did 3 at a 9:30 pace.

Wednesday was a 12 miler since this is a fall back week.   I felt okay at the beginning but by the turn-around I was feeling my hamstrings again.   I managed to keep a pretty consistent pace throughout the run, but I definitely felt pretty tired at the end.     Here are the splits:
9:22
9:22
9:15
9:21
9:27
9:08
9:37
9:22
9:18
9:08
9:02

Thursday was a scheduled rest day, which was a good thing considering my left knee was hurting even when I walked.   Not horrible pain, just a little ache, but still an ache.   NOT GOOD NEWS!!!!   My left IT band and glute are complaining too, so I've decided to take today off as well.   And probably tomorrow so that I will have a 4 day rest period before starting back again on Monday.   I'm going to stay positive and trust that God has even this in his hands and he will use whatever happens for good.   Definitely keeping fingers crossed though that his plan involves me being injury free, well trained and on the start line of the Ojai to Ocean Marathon in June.   ;)

Happy running (and resting) to everybody!

This week has been pretty solid.    My hill workout on Tuesday was a little disappointing.....my legs were tired and heavy.......but I found my strong and got it done.  (Just a warning.....I am a little obsessed with Saucony's new ad campaign and will probably be using the slogan an obnoxious number of times in my posts.)   I told my partner Brittany that sometimes Finding Your Stong just means finishing the workout and that was definitely the case.   So, while I didn't run up the 6th avenue hill as fast as I would have liked, I ran up it the 6 times my workout called for and that is all that really matters.   The other thing that really matters is Susannah got to go see the petting zoo goats after our run.   And oh, how she loves them!

  

The day before the hill workout, I did a 6.5 mile run with 5 at race pace.   Felt pretty satisfied with this effort.    Here are splits for that one:
9:35
8:51
8:31
8:14
8:24
8:18

Then Wednesday came the first 20 miler.  I was mentally prepared because the weather report said 100% chance of rain and predicted the rain to be "heavy and steady" for the hours I was planning to run.   So I was ready......dreading it, but ready.   Waterproof jacket.....check.    Hat.....check.   ziplock bag for phone.....check    A determination to run 20 miles even if it meant pneumonia......check.  
After all my meticulous planning and prayers for strength and will power though, God decided to give me a break.   So even though the weather forecast on my phone was still reading a "100% chance" of rain, I enjoyed 20 miles of sunshine with only one 5 minute shower that came at the perfect time and provided the perfect amount of refreshment I needed at mile 11.   Thank you Lord!!

The surprisingly good weather must have been symbolic of the entire run, too.   Despite my fears of heavy legs after running hard Monday and Tuesday, I was pleasantly surprised with my performance.   I averaged a 9:35 for the first 15 miles.   I felt good but wanted to stay conservative because I knew that this week was a 3:1 workout so I was supposed to run the last 5 miles at race pace.   And while my training plan author, Hal Higdon, would definitely frown on it, I decided to go pretty much all out for the last 5 miles so I could do a little mental training in preparation for the pain of race day.   It was tough, but I gave it my all and this was the result:
Mile 16  8:34
Mile 17 8:25
Mile 18  8:09
Mile 19  8:05
Mile 20 7:50
I think I Found My Strong on this run.   ;)

I took Thursday off to rest my legs and then did a 6 mile easy run yesterday.   Felt pretty heavy but averaged a 9:15 pace which felt slow and easy.

Today I was supposed to run 10 easy miles, but we are having a serious wind storm and the jogging stroller creates quite the resistance, so I ended up only doing 8.   My hamstrings are a little whiny with me so I decided cutting it short was the wise choice.   I averaged a 10:05 but that was with the crazy, crazy wind and several stops to give Susannah snacks.   I don't think she liked the wind either so she was whining along with my hamstrings.

Taking tomorrow off and then hitting it hard on Monday with 7 x 800 repeats.   Happy Running everybody!

I'm Back

So, what has happened with my training in the three weeks that have passed since my last post?   Thankfully, I am happy to report that I'm still on track and feeling strong for my first of three 20 milers this week.  

I just returned from a two and a half week visit to Georgia and Tennessee.   I didn't post from there because I don't like advertising on the internet that we have an empty house waiting to be burglarized.   But now we are home and Meadow is posted at the door, so I figure it is time to play some catch up.  
I'm not going to document every single run from the trip, but would like to highlight a few points.   First of all, I discovered that I miss hills.   After living in two flat cities, I had convinced myself that hills were the enemy, so I was sort of dreading my runs during our trip.....especially the fast runs.   But I was pleasantly surprised.  My first run in LaGrange was a tempo run and I was so happy when I remembered that, while the uphills are tough, the downhills provide a full rest period or a great time to make up for any speed that was lost on the uphill.   Luckily I had lots of grandparents willing to keep Susannah so I didn't have to tackle the hills with the extra 30 lbs.   I managed to hit all my target paces for my runs while I was home.  
My two long run days while I was away were great.   The first was a 17 miler that I did in Callaway Gardens.   It was so beautiful.....all the spring flowers were in bloom and the azaleas were so vibrant and bright.   I kept a sub 10 minute pace the entire first 13 miles and felt really good.   Listened to two good sermons and enjoyed the scenery and the rolling hills.   This week was a 3/1 run so I knew I needed to pick it up to race pace for the last 4 miles.   Considering the hills, I had decided to give myself a break if I was feeling tired, but luckily, I still had lots of gas so I reset my GPS, turned up some music and took off.   I was super happy with the results......an average of 8:22 pace for the last 4 miles with the last mile being a 7:45 pace.   Yay!

The next week's long run was a half marathon. This was the most perfect timing ever because that weekend happened to be the Knoxville Marathon weekend. Over Christmas vacation I had convinced my cousin Caleb to run his first half marathon and I was so excited to run with him. It was a great course and such a fun morning......I was so proud of Caleb for pushing through the pain of the last few miles and we were rewarded with cheers of friends and family at the finish and a delicious lunch prepared by Grandmama! I think cornbread is definitely my favorite post race recovery meal.

Caleb and me pre-race

Celebrating afterward with my best friend from childhood, Lyndsey and her precious daughter Ellie.

I also did one speed workout while I was home.....6 800's.   I was pretty pleased with the results, but also a little wary because I was depending on my GPS for distance.   According to Nike Plus though, I did all 6 under my training goal......I'm supposed to do my 800's between 3:30 and 3:40.   Here are my splits:

3:35

3:19

3:18

3:10

3:19

3:29

Last week we arrived home on Wednesday, got organized on Thursday and then Friday I did my longest run yet....19 miles.   My friend Brittany was awesome enough to come along on the bike to keep me company.   I was so thankful.   We chatted the entire way and it was such a successful strategy because I didn't even start to feel tired until Mile 14 or so.  And even then I felt relatively good.   It was a beautiful sunny day so that probably helped too.   My legs were super tired after I finished though and stayed pretty achy throughout the rest of the day.    Didn't have any soreness Saturday though and managed to push my legs (and Susannah) on a 7 mile tempo run.  I was expecting to feel super heavy and was considering changing from a tempo run to a recovery run, but I ended up feeling okay so I went ahead with the tempo.     

9:42

9:12

8:17

7:48

8;44

9:23

8:58

Tomorrow is 6 hill repeats and Wednesday is that first 20 miler.   It is supposed to rain and I don't have a partner for that one.   Going to need to use Saucony's slogan and "FIND MY STRONG."  I'm a total fan of their new ad campaign.  Happy running everybody!

. 

Some 800's, some hills, and a lost Luna bar......

This is a busy week, in both my training schedule and my other life, so I'm going to make this entry snappy.  

Last Saturday I did 4 800's with my friend Brittany.   It was a beautiful morning and despite battling a headcold, it turned out to be a great work out.   We ended up using a straight and flat street for the repeats instead of my normal route, which requires a couple of turns.   With a stroller especially, I think this makes a difference.  I was using my nike app for measurement, so I know it was probably a little off, but I am still pleased with my performance.   Much improved from last round of 800's.  
According to McMillan, I should be doing my 800's between 3:35-3:45.    Here were my times:
3:23
3:20
3:27
3:22

I took Sunday off and on Monday did 5 hill repeats.   It was a good workout.   Not seeing much improvement in my speed up the hill, but I could feel that my legs were still a little fatigued by the 800s.   The highlight of this workout was the post-run visit to the zoo.   Susannah played with the goat, slid down the big-girl slide and saw the tigers.  

Tuesday I did an 8 mile pace run.   My legs were definitely feeling heavy but I pushed through and felt pretty good after the first couple of miles.   Here are the splits:
8:54
8:19
8:28
8:31
8:49
8:28
8:22
8:19
All for an average pace of......drumroll please.......8:31!!  Yay!   I know it sounds crazy, but anytime I hit 8:31 right on the head, I know it isn't coincidence.....God is orchestrating those results and it makes me so excited for race day!

Then Wednesday, I had to do 16 miles.   I know that doing all of these runs back to back is a stupid idea, but with childcare and scheduling, it is the only way for me to make it work right now.   I figure if it doesn't completely debilitate me, it will only make me race better when my legs are actually refreshed from a nice long taper.   From the moment I took off I knew I was in for a tough morning.   I didn't feel awful, but I definintely wasn't excited about this long run.   (Usually long runs are my favorite work-out.)   I prayed that God would give me the strength I needed and that he would give me the faith to rely on his strength rather than my own.   Little did I know he was going to use my prayers for a little cosmic comic relief........I never felt great, but I never really felt awful either.   I had planned to take a break and eat the Luna Bar I brought with me at mile 10 so during the first 10 miles I was basically telling myself to make it to that point and then I could rest and refuel.   So you can imagine my dismay and horror when I grabbed for my White Chocolate Luna Bar and realized it had fallen out of my pocket somewhere on the trail.   All I could do was laugh.   I immediately remembered my earlier prayers and knew that God was laughing at me.   Now, for these last 6 miles I would HAVE TO depend on his strength.   I have never run 16 miles with no fuel.   My immediate future felt very daunting.  But I knew that finishing was my only option so I took one last swig of water from the fountain, turned up my music, and hit the trail.    My leg fatigue, the strong headwind, and my lack of nourishment combined into some pretty slow miles at the end, but I'm proud to have finished.   I'm refusing to listen to that voice in my head that says that my time goal is out of reach since I didn't stay in my pace range on this run (I dipped into the 10's 5 times).   I'm going to stay positive and remember that I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.  
Here are the splits:
9:15
9:18
9:24
9:26
9:23
9:24
9:26
9:46
10:05
9:53
10:01
10:04
10:17
10:13
9:42
9:31

Tomorrow is an 8 mile tempo........    Then:  2 days of REST!   Yay Rest!!

A bumpy fall back week

This week is supposed to be an easy week with a 10 mile long run and no added mileage for the other weekly runs.   And it is a good thing considering the week we have had so far.   Monday's run was supposed to be 7 mile pace run.    By mile three though, I knew I was way too fast, and since I was feeling good, decided to make a mid-run change and call it my 60 minute tempo run instead.  (I was planning on doing the tempo the following day.)    I felt good the whole time.   Definitely a confidence building run.   Here are the splits:
Mile 1: 8:44
Mile 2: 8:00
Mile 3: 8:04
Mile 4: 7:31
Mile 5:  8:21
Mile 6: 8:19
Mile 7: 8:48

I was looking forward to a 7 mile pace run on Tuesday since I had already gotten my tempo run for the week out of the way.   Unfortunately, Susannah did not react well to her 3 vaccination shots on Monday afternoon, so we were up most of Monday night with fever.   I made a mid-run pitstop at Rite Aid and ended up cutting the run short.   So my 7 mile pace run became a 4.25 mile run.   (avg pace 8:43)   It was windy and cold and Susannah and I both felt tired and yucky.   I could hear Hal Higdon's voice (Not really....I've never heard his voice.....probably more accurate to say I could see the words on his website.) saying "It is better to do less than more.   Always ere on the side of taking it too easy."   So I feel good about my decision not to push it.  

Today was my 10 mile run.   Susannah's Wednesday play date was cancelled because her friend was sick, so that meant that I was doing my 10 miler with the stroller.   It was a beautiful sunny morning and we were both feeling much better after a good night's sleep.   I felt good and was happy to hear that my "easy pace" was in the low 9 minute mile range.   For long runs I do an out and back down the silver strand bike path that connects Imperial Beach to Coronado.   There is almost always a headwind on the way back to Coronado, but today it was pretty strong.   And the stroller canopy acts as a parachute so the run back was significantly more difficult.   I still felt perfectly fine, but my speed was obviously affected by the wind.   As evidenced by these splits:

Mile 1: 9:41
Mile 2: 9:03
Mile 3: 9:03
Mile 4: 9:00
Mile 5: 8:55
Mile 6: 9:06
Mile 7: 9:26
Mile 8: 9:22
Mile 9: 9:39
Mile 10: 9:25

After looking at these splits, I've decided to start praying now for a non-windy race day. Thankful for all these stroller runs though, because I know they are making me stronger. Susannah was such a good sport too. She brought her baby doll along and only threw her out of the stroller once. I thought I would share a couple of photos of the views I enjoy on my long runs every Wednesday.....I can't imagine a more beautiful place to train.

The mountain backed bay on one side......

 And the beautiful Pacific on the other.   Perfect!

But I count it all as loss......

Last Sunday at church, the sermon was on the book of Ecclesiastes and the pastor attempted to answer the question of finding meaning in our lives.   According to Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, the key to a meaningful life is a relationship with God, our creator.  The apostle Paul, in the New Testament, takes this idea a step further by saying that all of the meaning in our lives should come from our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   The pastor ended his sermon with this verse from Phillipians:
"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ."   Phillipians 3:8

During the next few days after church, I spent a lot of time pondering over whether I could make the same claim as Paul.   Do I really count EVERYTHING in my life as a loss when I compare it with my my love for and from Jesus?   Do I really find my identity and self worth ONLY in my relationship with him?   Almost immediately I was able to answer these questions with a big, fat, resounding "NO."   I decided to make a list of all the things, that, if I'm honest, I do not count as a loss when compared to my faith.   And, for those of you who are wondering when I'm going to tie all this to running, one of the first things on the list was running, specifically my training for the marathon in June.  

After making this realization I felt sad and guilty and humbled all at once.   So during my Wednesdsay long run, I spent a significant amount of time praying, confessing to God and asking him to purify my heart and my intentions.   I told him that I knew this hobby was a gift from him and I wanted it to be only for his glory and his good purposes in my life.   Not for my own glory.   Because, when we are honest, setting personal records is all about pride.   It is all about us and what we can do and how much faster we are than the other runners on the course.   God allowed me to see the futility of this mindset.   After praying, I felt comforted, that God's grace would be sufficient to change my attitude towards running.   I felt a peace that he would, in his timing, transform my perspective to one that honored him and him alone.   I continued running, enjoying the beautiful desert scenery.   (and keeping a watch out for my beloved jack-rabbits.  The sighting count for this run was 2.  So cute!)   

I had been planning to run the last 3 miles at race pace.   (My training plan calls for this every three weeks as a way to train the body to run hard even on tired legs.)   I was sort of dreading it because I didn't feel super fresh and I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to hold an 8:31.    But God is good and he had a plan to answer my prayers, right there on the dusty Silver Strand bike path.   At mile 9, I accidentally ended the workout on my GPS and when I restarted the app, it occurred to me that this was a perfect opportunity to go ahead and pick up the pace a little.   I could let the last 5 miles be a different run in my mind; hoping that maybe the fresh technological start to the run would spread to my legs and they too, would feel a little more fresh.   I didn't want to speed up to race pace right away so I just decided to stop holding back and just run exactly what felt comfortable.   (on my long runs, I am almost always holding back to a certain degree to ensure that I stay in the mid 9's)   I was expecting the mile update to tell me I was running around a 9 minute mile exactly.   Imagine my shock when my Nikeplus man said, "1 mile completed.   In 8 minutes and 31 seconds.   Your pace is 8:31 per mile."   I know this may seem like a stretch for some of you, but I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was not a coincidence.     A few short miles before this, I had humbled myself before God, surrendered my prideful attitude and self-glorifying goals and what did he do?   He gave me the desires of my heart.   This was the first time that 8:31 didn't feel fast for me.   And it was on mile 10 of a 14 mile run.   And, to make it even better, check out my splits for the last 5 miles of the run:

Mile 10: 8:31
Mile 11: 8:47 (I think I slowed down because I was looking around thinking, "OMG! God is on this bike path with me!)  
Mile 12: 8:21
Mile 13: 8:09
Mile 14: 8:08
And they didn't even feel that fast!!!
But, the most amazing part?   The part that is even more awesome than the physical accomplishments of Wednesday morning's run?   After that morning, I can easily say that "compared with the infinate value of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord, I count a PR in June as a loss.....as garbage."   But I also feel gloriously free to keep training, relying on God's strength to motivate and encourage me; and to hope that it will be his will for me to run a fast marathon in June....for his glory.   Oh, how fun it is to run knowing that it is a gift from God, not something that I'm holding back for myself. And, as icing on this unbelievably delicious cake of a run, check out what I saw during mile 12......I had to take a photo. 

Yep....this is what you think it is.....UGA's cousin out for a morning paddleboard session.   Oh, what can't these dogs do?

Since this is already the world's longest post, I'm going to spare you any details of my 7 mile easy run on Saturday. It was 7 miles. It was easy. I averaged 9:04 pace. Susannah had a snack and a snooze. Fun time was had by all.


Definitely the best running partner I've ever had.  
  

Happy Running this week everybody!

Settling in

Thankfully, I'm starting to feel pretty comfortable in these pace ranges.    Have I mentioned that I'm using the Mcmillan Calculator to find these?   Check it out here.  It is such a useful tool.   I wish that I had started using it with my very first race.  I think I have mentioned before that my race pace is 8:31.   (I feel silly saying 8:31 instead of 8:30, but I figure on race day at mile 23, that one second per mile might be the key to holding the pace.)   Saturday called for a 7 mile run at race pace.   I decided to run mile 1 easyish and then find 8:31 at mile 2. 

When I heard my nikeplus guy say that mile 1 was done in 8:57, I thought, "Great, right where I wanted to be."    Letting that first mile be a true warmup no matter what the workout has really been such a wonderful thing.   So, mile 2 I concentrated on picking it up, but only a little bit.   I really wanted to resist my body's natural urge to push into the tempo pace range.   If I felt myself getting winded at all, I would put on the brakes a little.   I was happy at mile 2 to hear that I had done an 8:23.   I don't think I tried to pick it up for mile 3, I tried to remain steady, but probably due to the lack of sea breeze in mile 3 and my overall feeling of "this is a good running day" pushed me to a 8:17 third mile.   Here are the rest of the splits.....
Mile 4: 8:23
Mile 5: 8:18
Mile 6: 8:20
Mile 7: 8:20

These splits are very encouraging to me.   While this pace still feels like a pretty good clip, it is starting to feel more and more comfortable as the training weeks go by.   It definitely isn't an intimidating pace; at least for 7 miles......26.2 might be a different story.   But that's what the next 3 months are for, right?

After taking Sunday off  (and by off I mean no running and lots of yummy food at our church potluck....fried chicken, enchiladas, and chocolate chip cookies to name a few of the favorites), today I had a 60 minute tempo run planned.   I was a little nervous that my over-indulgent eating would make my legs feel heavy, but I think that it may have been much needed fuel because I felt GREAT today.   (I've been dieting the past couple of weeks and I think I may need to add more calories because I felt so strong after yesterday's buffet....I want to feel that way every run.   It is so hard to find that happy medium though.)    My plan was to do the first mile as a slow warmup, then an 8:45, then an 8 minute mile, then a 7:45 minute mile, then let the last 2 miles be easy.    My splits were:
Mile 1: 9:41
Mile 2: 8:36
Mile 3: 7:45
Mile 4: 7:43
Mile 5: 8:14
Mile 6: 8:18

And the best part was that I never felt like I was pushing super hard.   I was a little winded during mile 3 and 4, but in that "this feels great" way.   And then the last 2 miles I just ran what felt comfortable and was oh so pleased to hear that "what felt comfortable" was an 8:15.     Yay!

Tomorrow I have a 6 miler with 3 miles being race pace.   Then Wednesday, a 14 miler.  Hopefully my legs will feel less brick-like than during last week's long run.  Happy running everybody!  ;)

Heavy Legs

So maybe I was a little too optimistic on Monday after my tempo run...... Or maybe I was a little lacking in the wisdom department when I designed a schedule that called for 2 fast runs followed by a long run with no rest days in between.   Either way, yesterday's 13 miler was a tough one.   Let me start with Tuesday's hill workout though.    My schedule calls for hill repeats once every three weeks, but since I procrastinated and pushed the first set of repeats back until last week, that meant I had to do hills this week again.   Luckily my friend Brittany braved them with me.   We did the same workout as last week, except that we did 4 repeats instead of 3.   My goal was to do all 4 in under 2 minutes.   Definitely not there yet.......
Repeat 1: 2:09
Repeat 2: 2:11
Repeat 3: 2:13
Repeat 4: 2:13

All I can say about those numbers is: "Probably need to keep working on the hills."   Lucky for me, I changed my marathon plans and have signed up for the Ojai to Ocean marathon in Ventura Beach instead of the Rock N Roll here in San Diego.   The Ojai to Ocean has a negative elevation with very few hills, so that means I don't have to worry too much about these repeats, right?   Also, Susannah is heavy!   Safe to say I'm relieved that I have 2 weeks before I have to meet with the 6th Avenue hill again. 

Yesterday I was excited about my 13 miler because it was going to be uninterrupted.....I drove Susannah to my friend's house so I started my run from there.   This meant all 13 miles with no stroller, so sippy cup retrievals or string cheese opening pauses.   Yae!   Unfortunately, before I even hit my stride I could already tell that this was going to be a tough day.   My legs felt heavy, the sun felt hot, and the miles felt long.   I pushed through though, managing to keep each mile split between 9:22 and 9:25.   But I felt tired.   Really, really tired.    The one highlight of the run was that I saw several jack rabbits.   They are so cute and so so fast.   I really want to take a picture but I don't think my reflexes are fast enough.  

Next week is a 14 miler and I'm hoping it will be a little less daunting.   I haven't run this far since my November half marathon, so maybe it is normal for me to be feeling this tired.   I have to say though, that running a full marathon at a pace that is an entire minute per mile faster than what I did yesterday seems close to impossible right now.  Lucky for me I have 3 more months of training and I have the promise that "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me."  

Yay for improvements in pacing!!

But before I talk about the awesome tempo run that I'm referring to in the title, I'm want to report on my first hill workout.   I did it on Friday and my friend Brittany was kind enough to come with me.   Since we live on an island that has absolutely no hills, I've been putting this workout off for the first three weeks of training.  (My plan calls for hills once every three weeks starting with week one.   This means that since I procrastinated I now have to do hills 2 weeks in a row, but such is life, right?)   I googled "hill repeats in San Diego" since I had absolutely no idea where to do my workout.   I had considered running in the zoo because it has some monster hills and I know it would be safe, but found a better option during my googling.   It is a long, not too terribly steep hill in Balboa Park that I realized I had actually run on twice during a 5k and a 10k that I did last fall.   So, we parked at the zoo (which is in Balboa Park) and jogged the mile or so to the bottom of the hill.   Then we ran up it as hard as we could.  It took around 2 minutes.   Well, the first time it did.   Each of the three repeats were a little slower of course.   I have to say, hill repeats with a baby jogger are quite the challenge.   I was so appreciative of Brittany because things always seem brighter when someone is going through the same torture as you are.    All in all, I would count the workout a success.   I'm glad I have found "my hill."  And I think I'm just going to set my sights on the goal of doing all my repeats in under 2 minutes.    Here's to hoping that hill work + baby jogger = PR marathon. 
As a little sidenote, Matilda the Koala was in the zoo parking lot after our workout. Mommy had the bright idea to introduce her to Susannah.....

Mommy was definitely a bigger fan of Miss Matilda than Susannah.  

I took Saturday and Sunday off (walked 3 miles or so, but no running).   So I was ready for my 7 mile tempo run today.   My training plan actually calls for a 35 minute tempo, but since I am trying to fit 6 days of running into 4 days,  I'm adding easy miles to some of my runs and today was one of those days.   My plan was to run mile 1 super easy, then pick it up in mile 2 but really concentrate on holding back some too (I was thinking around an 8:45-9:00 for mile 2) then start really picking it up mile 3 and then hold my tempo pace of 7:45-8:05 for mile 4 and half of mile 5.  Then we would be to the grocery store where we needed to stop and pick up a few items.   Then we would finish the last couple of miles at an easy pace.  

Not sure if anybody besides me has noticed, but so far, I don't think I've managed to actually hit all my goals for a training run....yet.....until today.   Check out these splits:
Mile 1:  9:29
Mile 2:  8:25  (okay, so now I'm noticing that this was a little faster than what I had intended.)
Mile 3:  7:52
Mile 4:  7:46
Mile 5:  9:06
Mile 6: 9:09
Mile 7:  9:20

 I'm feeling really good about this run because I never felt super tired.   I finished feeling refreshed and energized which was a first.   I know I still have a looooong way to go before that 8:31 feels like my go-to race pace, but I feel like I'm making progress which is all I can be hoping for at this stage in my training.    Thank you LORD!! 

Doing Hill Repeat workout number 2 tomorrow.   This week is 4 repeats instead of 3.   Dreading/looking forward to it at the same time.   I think I like hill repeats more than 800's.   

Happy running friends!!

Fall Back Week

This week was my first "fall back week" of this training schedule.   Oh, how I love these weeks.   I love how they refresh you, and I love how, by the end of the training cycle, you find yourself saying things like: "Oh, this week is an easy week.   My long run is only 14 miles."   This week though, my long run was only 8 miles and it was a great run.   I forgot to pause my gps when I dropped Susannah off after mile one, so the entire run my splits were wacky because they were averaging with a 14 minute first mile.   I almost reset my gps so I could have an accurate pace reading, but then I decided I would just go by feel and run what felt comfortable and easy.   If I felt myself picking it up too much, I would try to pull back.   I love training with these strict pace guidelines because I'm finding that most of the time, I'm having to concentrate much more often to slow down than speed up.  So, I often catch myself thinking about how this plan seems easier and less intense. I'm counting on the mental and emotional benefits of this kind of training to carry me straight to the PR I'm looking for in June.   I finished the run feeling great and excited to look up my splits on the computer.   Unfortunately, I instead had to get in the car and drive back over our last mile route so that I could find Susannah's sock and shoe that she threw out of the stroller.    (The sock and the shoe were at least .5 miles apart and the sock was thrown out first, which I find so odd.)  

This morning though, when I finally checked the splits, I was happy to see these:

Mile 1: 14:06
Mile 2: 8:59
Mile 3: 9:17
Mile 4: 9:14
Mile 5: 9:16
Mile 6: 9:24
Mile 7: 9:24
Mile 8: 9:20

  So happy to see that even in the wind, this is my easy pace.   I have that wonderful feeling of being right where I am supposed to be for this moment of the training program.  

On Tuesday, I ran a 4.5 mile pace run.  It was supposed to be 6, but we got a late start and I needed to do two errands before lunch/naptime, so we had to cut it short.   My marathon pace is 8:31.   I have decided to let the first mile of pace runs be a warm up though because I think it sets the wrong mental tone for me to bolt out of the door.   I was pretty pleased with these splits too.....
Mile 1: 9:03
Mile 2: 8:24
Mile 3: 8:16
Mile 4: 8:45

I think the slower mile 4 was due to a redlight and my decision making moments when I was deciding whether to turn off my original intended route to make sure I got the errands in.    So, in sum, my last two runs have been really encouraging and I'm feeling hopeful about the goal I have set for myself.   Tomorrow I'm going to do my first set of hill repeats.   I'm pretty sure they will be interesting when I factor in the stroller.   By interesting I mean butt-kicking.   ;)

2 weeks in and already behind....

Well, when I decided to blog about this training plan, my intention was to post about each run on the day that I ran it.   Obviously, I have already fallen waaay behind on this.   I think I may revise my strategy and post twice a week.   I'm only running 4 days a week, so this means I can write about 2 runs in each post.   This seems like a more realistic goal.

But, before implementing the new plan, I need to play catch up.   So, since I last wrote I have completed 4 training runs.   The first being a 5 mile run with 3 miles at race pace.    I did this last Tuesday and was pretty pleased with myself.   Here are the splits:
Mile 1:  9:38
Mile 2:  8:15
Mile 3:  8:06
Mile 4:  8:13
Mile 5:  8:50
While technically this run wasn't a success since I ran too fast for the three pace miles(My race pace is 8:31.), I would rather be misjudging my pace in the too fast direction than the too slow direction.   But I know that the author of my training plan, Hal Higdon, would be none to pleased with my pushing too hard.   He harps and harps on his website about not ever pushing too hard.   So, tomorrow during my 6 mile pace run, I'm going to try extra hard to hit those 8:31s right on the money.

On Wednesday I did my long run of the week (THANK YOU to my friend Shannon who has volunteered to keep Susannah for my weekly long run!).   The run was a little disjointed.....Half mile to the dog groomer with Meadow and Susannah in tow.   Then a fast 1 mile to Shannon's house because I did the math in my mind wrong and thought that I needed to be fast because Meadow needed to be picked up sooner than I expected.   Luckily I eventually realized that I actually had plenty of time.   So after dropping Susannah off I had a nice, much needed 8 miles in the sunshine.   Have you ever had those days when you needed to run?   I mean really NEEEED to run.   Well, I have had a couple of those days this week, and Wednesday was definitely one of them.   I didn't even turn on my music.   I just ran.   And talked to God.   And ran some more.   And listened to God.    There is something about the combination of rhythmic steps and physical exertion that makes me more aware of the amazing creation around me and the creator that designed it all for us.   It took all 8 of my stroller-free miles, but I'm happy to say that by the time I picked Susannah up and headed back to the groomer for Meadow, my head and my heart were clear and content again.   Ah, the joys of this sport.  (I averaged 9:30 for this run.)

Thursday and Friday are days off for me because I am exclusively a morning runner and we have morning committments on both of these days.   As my mileage builds and it becomes tougher to combine two runs worth of mileage into one day though, I realize that I may have to sacrifice and run on Fridays which will mean a very sweaty and stinky bible study for me and all of the poor women in my group.  

On Saturday all the joy and peace that Wednesday's run had provided had long worn off, so I was once again in the "I ABSOLUTELY MUST RUN IN THE NEXT HOUR OR MY HEAD WILL EXPLODE" kind of mood.   In the course of our 7 year marriage, Peter has learned when to say, "Babe, I think you should go run.  Please, just go.   PLEASE, we will be fine."   Saturday was definitely one of those days.   So I left he and Susannah at the playground and took off.  Once again, with no music.   Just me, the gray clouds, the strong breeze, and the one who created it all.   I did 6 miles at an easy 9:30 pace.   (I must admit though, that the "easy" 9:30 pace didn't feel as easy as it should have.   I think the fact that it is girl scout cookies season may have something to do with my sluggishness on Saturday.... pretty sure two sleeves of do-si-dos is more than the recommended serving size for one person.    Even with the girl scout cookie induced sluggishness, though,  at the end of this run, just as on Wednesday, I finished feeling like the burden sack on my back only weighed 100 lbs instead of 1000.  

After taking yesterday off, I was ready to go this morning.   I had a 45 minute tempo run planned.   I forced myself to start slow, knowing that I would need energy to get me cranked up to an 8 minute pace by mile three.   So when my trusted NikePlus man told me my 1 mile split of 9:23, I thought okay, right on target.   I must admit though, that I didn't feel right on target.  I felt tired and winded.   (Possibly due to the conversation hearts and pizza I had last night?)   I picked it up anyway though, surprisingly feeling less tired as I picked it up.   By mile 2 I was feeling all right and felt GREAT when I heard that my pace avg for the first 2 miles was 8:33.   Wow!   That means I just did a sub 8 and it didn't even feel that fast!   Yes!   My tempo pace is supposed to be 7:45-8:01, so even though my goal was to just build to an 8 minute pace and hold it for mile 3, I decided to keep pushing considering my energy level.   I kept pushing, concentration on keeping my stride short and was excited to hear that by mile 3 my pace average was 8:15.   (My nike plus won't give me splits on each mile, so I have to do the math in my head to figure out my splits.   Yes, I could use my watch, but the math actually gives me something to focus on during tough runs.   And, it is oh so fun to check my splits online after I get home and shower.)  We slowed down after mile three, stopped at Boney's Grocery at mile 4, and jogged very slowly home for the fifth mile to avoid breaking any of the groceries I had stuffed into all pockets and crevices of the stroller.   So, in sum, this was a great run with very encouraging splits.  
Mile 1: 9:23
Mile 2:  7:51
Mile 3: 7:36
Mile 4: 8:32
Mile 5: 10:00

Hope everybody else is enjoying some good running this week!   Next post, I'll let you know how the first hill workout goes.......

Settling In

I'm definitely still in the "settling into a new training regimen" phase.   I'm a little stiff and tired after every run, but it feels good to be pushing myself again.   On Saturday I did my first 10 miler in weeks.   Before getting sick, my typical 10 miler would be an 8:30-9:00 minute pace, so I was looking forward to these 10 miles being really easy since McMillan prescribes my ideal long run pace at a 9:30.   I forced myself to start off really really slow and it felt awkward the first minute or so, but then it felt great.   That is, until my little Nike plus man told me my 1 mile split of 9:50.  I was expecting a 9:30, maybe even a 9:40, but 9:50?   I am very proud of myself for the amount of self control I used in that moment.   While everything in me was screaming, "PICK IT UP SLOWPOKE!  HOW ARE YOU GOING TO RUN A SUB 3:45 MARATHON IF 9:50 FEELS COMFORTABLE?" I managed to ignore that voice and listen to the calm, rational voice instead.   The calm voice was saying, "Remember, this was your plan in the first place.  Start really slow and you will have energy in the end."  Stay calm and keep the pace light and easy."   So, that is what I did and I had an awesome run.  (Take that evil, crazy voice!)  I ran down the bike path that travels from Coronado to Imperial Beach.   The morning was so clear and blue.   I  still marvel at the beauty of the desert landscape.   To have beautiful mountains on one side of my gaze and the sparkling Pacific on the other is pretty perfect.   And, on the way back I saw two rabbits playing on the trail.  They were darting in and out of the shrubs that line the trail and they were so cute.  They look just like the rabbits in the southeast, but with much bigger ears.   I ended up averaging exactly a 9:30 pace and finished feeling a little tired, but mostly grateful for such a perfect morning.    Looks like listening to the calm voice instead of the crazy voice definitely pays off in the end.  

After taking Sunday off, I did my first speed intervals yesterday.   The schedule called for 4 x 800.   I decided to add a mile warm-up and a mile cool down.   And I walked/jogged for a couple of minutes in between each interval.   My target time for 800's is 3:30-3:40.   I did them on the bike trail that is over on the bay side of Coronado.   I have done mile repeats over there before so I had a general sense of distance.   I used my Nike plus app too.   I am not too confident that my distances were exact, but I feel like for a middle-packer like me, a few meters here and there will not make any difference in my race performance. My first interval took 3:48, but that included stopping to pick up my phone and plug it back in when it fell off the stroller.   So, I'm going to call that a 3:40.   My second one was 3:43.   Third was 3:41.   And for the fourth, I have no idea because I was planning on running to my old mile repeat marker, but when I got there, my watch read 3:15.   So I kept pushing for another 15 seconds for good measure.   I have no idea how long that last one was though.   I would like to think I was running faster because I knew it was my last one, but I think the more realistic conclusion is that my last 800 was probably more like a 700.   Oh, well.  Hopefully by June I'll have the distances figured out.  The one mile cool-down I had planned turned into a 1.5 mile cool down with a stop in the middle at the grocery store.     I think I will use map my run to figure out a more exact 800 for next time.   Luckily, this training plan only calls for intervals once every three weeks, so I have some time to figure it out.   The good news is that Susannah did great in the stroller with the stopping and starting.   I was worried that she might cry to get out each time I slowed to a walk, but she did great.   I would appreciate any prayers for this to continue.  ;)

Today I am going to do a 5 mile run with the 3 middle miles being at race pace.   It is supposed to start raining sometime this morning so I'm hoping to squeeze it in before the rain starts falling.    Fingers crossed......

Race Pace

Yesterday I did training run #3, which was supposed to be a 5 miler at race pace (8:31).    As for the success of this run, let's just say that I'm glad I have 4 months to learn and practice holding race pace.   Even though I knew better, I ran the first mile waaaay too fast.   I always seem to do this, even though I know it is such a rookie mistake.   But no matter how rational I try to be, I always seem to succumb to that voice in my head that tells me I won't have enough energy in the last miles, so I should smoke the first miles to give myself some wiggle room at the end.   After years of missing time goals in races with this strategy, I know better.   But yesterday was like so many other days when knowing better doesn't translate to doing better.   So my first mile I felt good, but was breathing too hard and knew that it would be a struggle to hold this pace for the entire run.   Even after the first couple of minutes, I was almost positive that I was well under 8:31pace, but instead of trusting myself, I listened to the voice that tells me I'm not fast, not in shape, ect and forced myself to keep pushing.   Of course, when I hit mile 1, I was discouraged and encouraged simultaneously when I heard the nike plus voice telling me that my avg. pace was 8:03.  

I tried to pull back on the reigns and slow down, but again, that voice was in my head, whispering that I was probably pulling back too much; that I would be so disappointed at mile 2 when I realize I had slowed down to a 10 minute pace.   So mile 2 ended up being almost just as fast...8:08.   During mile 3, I was started to feel pretty tired and just wanted to be finished so I still didn't let myself let off on the effort.   The split was a little slower though (8:35) because of a stop we had to make to retrieve our sippy cup.  Mile four and five were the same....I was tired and dragging.   I was using the same effort as I had in the first miles, but I could feel that I was much slower (8:37).  

So, while my overall pace average was actually pretty close to target (8:21), I feel that this run was a perfect example of what not to do on my next pace run.   After all, the purpose of a race pace run is to build confidence.   Ending a run feeling as spent as I did yesterday is most definitely not a confidence builer.   Keeping that in mind I am promising myself that next week, I will start SLOW.   I will ignore the evil voice and I will listen to my body.   I will be even more recovered from the bronchitis so I will have the energy to make up any time that I lose in the first couple of slow miles.   This is my plan.   Keeping fingers crossed that I will implement it.   The good news is that I have approximately 15 more race pace training runs until the marathon.   It looks like I may need all of them.

Coming up:   First LSD run.....10 miles at 9:30 pace.  Long slow distance on an early Saturday morning.......definitely one of my all time favorite things.

Whitney v/s the Marathon: Part Deux

Well, it has been a little less than three years since I last posted on this blog and, MY, HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED.   To say that the last three years have been eventful would be quite the understatement considering that in this time period I:   moved to France, learned to live in a new culture and language, made new friends, joined a new church,  gave birth,  traveled to more countries that I have the energy to count right now, moved from France to Southern California,  lost and replaced half of our family's household goods due to mold, made even more new friends, and joined yet another new church.        

During all of these changes and chaos, though, two things have remained constant:  1.   my relationship with Jesus, and 2.   my relationship with running.    While this blog will be focused mostly on the subject of that second relationship, I'm sure that my faith will ooze over into my writing here as well.   I've decided to restart this journal as a way to document my training for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon.   The race is four months from now and I started my training program yesterday.   The last time I wrote about training I failed to meet my time goal of four hours for the National Marathon in DC, and I vowed to never again train for a marathon with a specific time goal in mind.  Until now, I have kept that promise.   (I ran two marathons while we were in Europe, Hamburg and Stockholm.   I plan to write up race recaps on this blog sometime in the future.)   But now the marathon sirens are calling to me and I am responding.   Inspired by an encouraging half marathon time this fall (1:45),  I have set a time goal of 3:45 and will be tracking all of my training here.   I will be doing most of my training with Susannah, my 14 month old daughter.   I'm hoping pushing 25 extra lbs for the majority of my runs will help me meet my race day goal.

Yesterday was training run number one, and considering the fact that I'm still on antibiotics for bronchitis and hadn't run in over a week, I was pretty encouraged with my performance.   I did 6 easy miles (according to the Mcmillan pace calculator, my easy run pace should be 9:00-9:30 pace.)   Including stops for redlights and sippy cup retrievals, I kept a 9:25 pace.   I finished the run feeling really encouraged that I hadn't lost as much fitness as I had feared during my illness.  

Today was training run number two and I again felt encouraged.   I was supposed to do a 45 minute tempo run.   According to McMillan, my tempo pace should be 8:00.    In the past I have always done tempo runs on the treadmill so I could moniter the pace, but since I no longer have access to a gym, I was left to my own devices for this one.   I ran the first two miles at what felt like an easy pace (mile 1 9:29   mile 2 8:45) then at mile three I picked it up to what I guessed was an 8:00 pace.   And by this I mean I ran pretty much as hard as I could for mile three.   I figured that I had lost some speed during my week off, so I thought that I would really have to kill myself to hold an 8 minute pace.   During that mile, I felt like I was dying which is most definitely not how one is supposed to feel on a tempo run.  My understanding is that one should feel like they are pushing hard, but also feel refreshed.   Refreshed is definitely not an adjective I would choose when describing how I felt during mile 3.   I was tired.   I was dragging.  I was sucking wind.   I was not refreshed.    My original plan was to run mile 4 and 5 at an easy pace.   When I hit mile 4 though, after allowing myself to slow down enough to catch my breath, I looked at my watch and realized we were going to be late to our ultimate destination, storytime at the library.   So, we cut our run short and instead of an easy mile 4 and 5, we did a faster mile 4.  

I am happy to report that we did make it to storytime and Susannah enjoyed herself immensely.   Thankfully she is too young to be embarrassed by her sweaty mother.   I usually try to arrive a few minutes early so I have time to cool down and change shirts.  I don't want to offend the other moms by dripping sweat on the alphabet carpet tiles.  Today there was no time though and I couldn't help but consider the irony as we sang the opening song, "The more we get together, together, together....The more we get together the happier we'll be."  I'm pretty sure that not one person in that room felt inclined to get anymore together with me or the sweat puddle around me than they already were.   Luckily, everyone was kind enough to pretend they weren't grossed out, even if they were.  

I am also happy to report that when we got home, I checked my splits for the tempo run and saw that during mile 3, I was sucking wind with good reason....7:32 pace!!   While this shows that I definitely need to work on getting to know my body concerning pacing, I am super happy that I had a 7:32 in me after battling this bronchitis for 2 weeks.  

Well, I guess I should draw this post to a close.    I am really looking forward to blogging about this training cycle.  Feel free to comment.   While I'm mostly doing this blog for my own entertainment, I would love to know that there is at least one or two other people who read this.  ;)  

Happy Running Everyone!