A spring in your step! Running 3/22 and on

[limewave]

12 miles for me yesterday between storm fronts. Really crummy weather in Michigan. Snowing and pouring rain at the same time with thunder, lightning and strong wind gusts! Yuck.

I'm going to go back and read everyone's run updates at my morning break in an hour when I have my coffee and oatmeal cookie

[skhill]

ACHOO! spring allergies have kicked in... there's a big, beautiful maple tree in my back yard, and it's making me sneeze and wheeze these days...

But it's been a good running week anyway. I turned 40 on Wednesday, and I'm definitely running faster now than I did in my 30's. Wed. was 5 miles at 8:37/ mile, Thur. was 6.5 miles at 8:54, and today was 4.25 miles at 8:25. It's felt like I'm running fast, but not all that fast. I like being 40!

[indysteel]

Great job and happy birthday!

[indysteel]

I got my copy of Chi Running earlier this week. It's a lot to digest, but I hope to spend some time on it it over the weekend. Some of it is similar to what I've learned in yoga. Certainly, the body and breathing consciousness I've learned in yoga will be of some help, at least I hope so. Plus, I'm already a mid-foot striker, so that helps. I'll keep you posted!

[sgf726]

8 miles today, took it easy as my left hamstring is a little tight and have only 9 days til the marathon. We are tapering now this will be my longest run until the 18th just a couple of 6 mile runs planned for next week.

[indysteel]

Did yet another three miles yesterday. I mapped my ride on mapmyride.com, and it looks like I'm averaging a 10-minute mile. I'm happy with that, although I'll ultimately be happier with a 9-minute mile!

[HillSlugger]

I did my first ever 6 mile run yesterday. I felt good, I felt relaxed, I felt strong, I felt like I could have kept going, at least for a little while, and I did it faster than anticipated!

[7rider]

Excellent, Slugger! If today was a "long bike ride" day for you - you totally should have joined us for a C-ride with the shop today. We gratefully got dropped off the back and 6 of us did our ride at our own pace and had a grand time.

As for running, Saturday I did "speed work" at the local HS track. Except, the track team was practicing when I got there () so I did my intervals around the football field (which the HS athletic director had recommended when I contacted him about using the track in the first place). But...after a few days of rain, the edge of the field was slick mud, so the footing was less then sure and it was a VERY challenging set of intervals.

I think I attached the file from the workout. It shows just HOW small a football field is compared to a track. I had no idea, but suspected something was up, as I had to run 2 2/3 trips around the field to get my 1/2 mile interval in, vs. 2 laps on the track.

Saturday is my first official duathlon. I hope I'm ready. I really want to get one more run-bike-run workout in with my tri club on Wednesday. After that...it's "either I do it or I don't" - and I think I will...I just don't think I'll be setting any records.

[HillSlugger]

Excellent, Slugger! If today was a "long bike ride" day for you - you totally should have joined us for a C-ride with the shop today. We gratefully got dropped off the back and 6 of us did our ride at our own pace and had a grand time.

As for running, Saturday I did "speed work" at the local HS track. Except, the track team was practicing when I got there () so I did my intervals around the football field (which the HS athletic director had recommended when I contacted him about using the track in the first place). But...after a few days of rain, the edge of the field was slick mud, so the footing was less then sure and it was a VERY challenging set of intervals.

I think I attached the file from the workout. It shows just HOW small a football field is compared to a track. I had no idea, but suspected something was up, as I had to run 2 2/3 trips around the field to get my 1/2 mile interval in, vs. 2 laps on the track.

Saturday is my first official duathlon. I hope I'm ready. I really want to get one more run-bike-run workout in with my tri club on Wednesday. After that...it's "either I do it or I don't" - and I think I will...I just don't think I'll be setting any records.

Looks like you would have been better off running around the edge of the baseball fields, instead.

My long ride today was 42 miles. I felt good, until the last 4 miles when things started to hurt.

I never feel ready before a race. You should think of your first as a learning experience. You gotta do it so that you'll be that much more ready for the one's you really care about.

[7rider]

Looks like you would have been better off running around the edge of the baseball fields, instead.

Actually, the more I thought about it while I was running, the more I wondered if the Athletic Director said "baseball" field, vs. "football" field, and I just coudn't recall!

My long ride today was 42 miles. I felt good, until the last 4 miles when things started to hurt.

I got in 36 myself. We should connect next time you do a long ride on Sunday.

I never feel ready before a race. You should think of your first as a learning experience. You gotta do it so that you'll be that much more ready for the one's you really care about.

This will be my "learning" race. I'm actually glad I'm doing this one solo, without a posse or team. Those run-bike-run workouts will be helpful for learning about transitions, but the second one I can do is just 3 days before my race, so I'll likely be taking it easy this Wednesday.

[limewave]

Sunday I had what I would consider the most important training runs for the 25k, a 14-mile progressive run.

Almost all of my long runs up to this point have been at an "easy" pace. And they have also been a shorter distance. In the past, I've averaged very similar pace during the race as to my 14-mile tempo or progressive run.

We had a dramatic shift in weather over the weekend. My last run it was 40 degrees and then on Sunday it was 80! And SUPER windy! It was quite an adjustment.

I managed to average 9:15/miles for the first 5.5. 10min miles for 6-7.5 mile marker (this was a very hilly section). And then averaged about 9:10s/mile from 7.5-12 mile mark. The last two miles I averaged 8:33's.

For nutrition: I carried a bottle of Endura and took half a Gu at 4.5 miles and the rest at mile 11.

All in all, I'll call it a success. Based on this run, I am hoping to average 9:10's for the 25k. I was hoping to go under a 9 minute mile, but I think that is an unrealistic goal for me at this point.

I have a 10 miler, 16 miler and another 10 miler before the big day. The home stretch . . . .

[Veronica]

All in all, I'll call it a success. Based on this run, I am hoping to average 9:10's for the 25k. I was hoping to go under a 9 minute mile, but I think that is an unrealistic goal for me at this point.

I bet given the right weather conditions you could. No matter what you do on race day, I think you're pretty amazing.

Veronica

[skhill]

Sounds like everyone has had a great weekend!

Without intending to, I ended up doing 7 miles on Saturday at just 1 second off my 10k PR pace. Not counting the time spent waiting at a stoplight, of course.... So today, as my speed work for the week, I set out to beat my 10k PR. The weather had me on the treadmill, and I don't entirely trust the treadmill's data, but still-- 6.25 miles in 53:14, more than a minute under the PR. Now to find a race this weekend, to try out this new-found speed!

[sgf726]

5 miles today at an "easy relaxed" pace per my coach with a couple of hill repeats thrown in the middle. Continuing to taper, longest run this week will be 6 on Wed, then 5 on Friday. 15 minutes on Sunday to get the blood flowing then 26.2 next Monday.

[kacie tri-ing]

Good work! I have been running, but not posting! Recovering from my last huge training week, and I have two more big weeks before my taper for Ironman St. George. Just have to stay in one piece a little longer!!!