Finding our stride; Week of June 02 Miles!

[Kimmyt]

Tattiefritter's last post and pics inspired me. I just loved the juxtaposition of the first picture where she looks unsure with the next where it looks like she's literally trying to keep herself from flying off into the air!

So post your runs for the week!

I did 3.5 of hills today. I felt much better, temperature-wise, than last time. No cold sweats at my desk. I'm still working on figuring out the warm-weather thing. I'd much prefer it to be 50 and overcast all the time when it comes to running*

So, speaking of finding strides, I've been feeling much better. I had a hell of a week last week, feeling tired and beat down. I ramped up the training, with the upcoming tri, and was feeling it. But like usual, it just took me a bit to adjust, and I feel great and 'into it' right now.

A friend invited me to her track workout tomorrow morning at 5 a.m. I really want to go (they posted a set list that looks intriguing and fun!) but I think it would be better if I just focus on slow and steady distance until after the tri. Then I can work some speedwork into my weekly training for the halfmarathon in the fall.

What do you guys think? Is it dumb to add speedwork in this late before the tri? Should I do like my brain is trying to tell me, and wait a few weeks before joining them for the track workouts?

K.

[rocknrollgirl]

Kimmy, when is the race????

[Kimmyt]

It's June 22. I'm not as prepared as I'd like to be, but we'll see how it goes...

[roadie gal]

I ran 32 minutes yesterday. I have no idea how far. I ran with a friend who is slower than me. I'd run ahead, circle back, and then do a sprint to catch her.

My first race (an oly) is on Sunday, so I'm taking it easy this week.

[teigyr]

Good luck to everyone racing in the near future :D

Since my half-marathon was saturday (and we did a LOT of walking that day), I only did a short walk on sunday. Yesterday I decided I had to do something and I wasn't that sore really so I did a 3 mile light jog. It felt great! Around 2.5 miles or so I could feel that I had a bit of fatigue still so I walked a bit.

It was kind of cool, actually. I felt like more of a runner than I usually do on my short slow runs.

[alpinerabbit]

triple brick today (20 mins bike, 8 [shoulda been 10] mins run each). It took some self-butt-kicking to go but it was fun.

Got into a major downpour on the way home, never practiced so much super slow cycling. Had to "dry off and feed" my horse before feeding myself, just like a good owner would.

[limewave]

I just did about a 3.5 mile run through the neighborhood with one of my running friends. It was really muggy and rainy, but we survived!

[kelownagirl]

Got up at 5:20 to go for a run. Only did 4k before I had to come in to use the bathroom. Argh.

[teigyr]

No run today. I'm still technically resting and the weather was really bad. I had a lot to do at home and I was/am so tired....so this is how I justify sitting on my backside :D

Kimmyt, I am sure you will do well. What distance is your tri?

I fully recommend track workouts though to me, they are not fun. The results (kinda, for me but then again I'm slow) are fantastic. Every once in a while one goes really well and I actually almost feel studly but that isn't the norm :D

[tattiefritter]

Having an easy week so far, 3 mile run through the local park on Monday to ease the legs out. It was supposed to be flat but I'd forgotten how hilly that park is, oh well I did keep it nice and slow and felt much better by the end. A quick flat 26 miles on the roadie last night (no hills again), though could've done without the wind which seemed to be in my face which ever way I turned.

I have a 4 mile road race tonight! My club puts on a 4 miles series over the summer, one in May, June, July and August. I want to do some shorter fast races over the summer to try to address my lack of basic speed.
My plan was to try to get a bit faster at each one but hadn't comprehended how soon after my trail race this month's race really was. My legs did feel quite tired on the bike last night. Ah well, I don't think I'll be beating last months time of 31:50 but then again I don't want to be too much slower as there was only about another 15 runners behind me last time.

It's only 4 miles, it'll feel so short in comparison to Saturday (just keep telling myself that).

[limewave]

My friend informed me that this weekend is the Rectifier 5k. I had missed it on the calendar but I'm excited because we don't have any plans and will be able to race.

It's a European X-Country style race on a farm. There's all sorts of obstacles: hay bails, large wagons, fallen trees, ditches, and an infamous mud pit. Surprisingly, I have one of my best 5k times ever recorded doing this event.

And they have a 1k race for the little kids, so DD will get to do her first race. She LOVES running. And it has the bonus of being on a farm with all the farm animals. It should be a really fun day. I'll post pictures this weekend.

[Kimmyt]

Kimmyt, I am sure you will do well. What distance is your tri?

I fully recommend track workouts though to me, they are not fun. The results (kinda, for me but then again I'm slow) are fantastic. Every once in a while one goes really well and I actually almost feel studly but that isn't the norm :D

It's an Olympic... June 22. I think I'll be ok, just the usual pre-race stressing about a new distance 'omg i'm not gonna be able to do it...'. The distances individually are not much of a problem, the run being my main concern. I am getting an ows in next weekend.

I think I will hold on the track workouts until after the race. I can fit them in while I train for my HM but not for the tri, since I still have swimming right now. Once that wraps up I have more free time so can fit some speedwork in.

[teigyr]

The OWS is always what worries me. Hanging onto the buoys to rest is bad form :o

I'm sure you'll do great, Kimmt.

I did a recovery type run today. I'm not so good with the half-mary being over and I feel the need to have structure. I ran 3 miles with 15 second intervals every 3 minutes. The good thing was, without trying, my average was the fastest I've ever done! It was 10.43/mile but still, I came home feeling good and not even that tired.

Yay. One of these days I WILL maintain a sub-10 minute mile :D

[limewave]

I did something I haven't done in a long time--speed work! It actually felt good to push myself for once. I had gotten really complacent in my running and cycling, staying at a comfortable pace or cadence. Hopefully I'll be better about doing speed work on a regular basis so I can actually get faster :)

[jesvetmed]

Yesterday's run for me was "speedwork" also.
4.5 miles, 43 minutes.
22 minutes "at tempo" -- meaning an uncomfortable cadence. I took 30-60 sec breaks 4 times in there, in order to be able to continue! The rest was at a comfortable jog.
And the RAIN CAME DOWN SIDEWAYS... ugh! It felt like March out there!

[teigyr]

Am going out in the rain right now. I've been watching it through the window debating on if I should just go to the gym. I guess I'd rather get wet than experience treadmill boredom :D It's getting old though, very very old.

And why does it rain every day I have to go to Costco?

***

Ok, I ran about 8 miles. It was great! I always dread running in the rain and I always love it after I do. I saw a nun, a robin, and a parking enforcement officer. I spoke to each of them though the robin looked mildly concerned.

[limewave]

This morning I ran a European Style XCountry Race. It was a lot of fun. We started in large barn and then ran out into the fields where we had to jump hay bales and over mud holes (we had huge storms come through the night before). Then up and over two steep muddy hills and into the woods where there were downed tree after downed tree that we had to jump/climb over.

I was feeling very sluggish and the humidity was killing me. I'm a cold-weather runner, I don't do well in heat. But I pushed on, one foot in front of the other. Until I finally made it to the mud-pit just before the finish line. I was so wiped out by this point that I walked through the pit and then sprinted to the finish.

I have no idea what my time was, I was just focusing on finishing. IT was a GREAT TIME! All the finishers received a tree to take home and plant.

DD participated in the kids 1k race. Her event was much more exciting than ours. There's a race report on "Sage's Plunge Into Racing" (http://momrunningon.blogspot.com/) on my blog. Worth checking out ;)

[kelownagirl]

Had my 5k race today. Wasn't sure if I'd push or not but I felt good so I did. Didn't PR but came close. Last year's time was 26:17, 5th place in my AG, and 23rd over all.

This year I ran 26:26, 3rd place (won a prize!) and 18th over all. I haven't a 5k faster than 30 minutes this year so wasn't sure I had it in me. Now I think I can get it down to 25 minutes if I work at it.

[OakLeaf]

Good job with your races Lime & KG!

It was so hot today I actually thought about putting up an accountability post here earlier, and didn't even want to do that :p But when I got a call asking me to sub for an aerobics class tomorrow I knew I had to run today. I hadn't had a real workout in a week - airplanes, aerobics, the heat, getting another tooth capped, and an all-day kayaking clinic ate up all my energy this week. I'd been ready to blow off running today and hope that I'd be better acclimated to the heat tomorrow... but with having to teach again tomorrow I knew I'd better get that run today.

So I waited until at least the sun was low - the thermometer temperature doesn't really start to drop much until after sunset, but it feels a lot cooler without direct sun on my skin - hydrated profusely, and reminded myself that my tendons, ligaments and fascia would be ever so much happier running in this weather than they were when it was chilly. I told myself I'd try to keep my HR under 170. Okay, 175. Okay, 180. Will you settle for 182? :rolleyes: Once I was on the other side of the hills, I had to get back, right? :o

4.35 miles, my usual out-and-back from home, at a pretty slow pace. Was on the edge of getting cold chills like I do when I'm overheated, but managed to avoid them. The dogs who live on my road were too hot to do much but bark halfheartedly, and the cattle didn't even have the energy to get spooked.

And now I'm over it ;)

[jesvetmed]

Great job on the races this weekend, ladies!

I ran Sat am 5.7 miles in 52 minutes. Felt ok -- after third mile I slowed a bit -- was also heading into the wind at that point! Man it was chilly Saturday here! Didn't have my gloves and I was sorry! ... gloves in JUNE? :(

Then went and walked all day/night at the Relay for Life here in town.... 7 hours of walking around a track off and on. Could break anytime and did ! But the 6 miles earlier in the day were causing havok in my right hip! All for a great cause :rolleyes:

Worked all day today and am MUCH more tired tonight than last night!