Get over it

  So, there is a race looming in the distance.  No, not the BIG 1/2 marathon I've spoke of, but a small town Earth Day 10K and 5K.  No big deal right...well, I've got a decision to make.  Am I gonna do the "oh, I'm so comfortable and confident" 5K, or the "break out of my comfort zone and suck it up" 10K.  I have trained plenty for the 10K, in fact, I'm in the middle of 1/2 training, so the distance isn't an issue, just the fear.  I feel like in a 10K I have to run fast the entire time to finish in a respectable time.  (fast being a relative term of course)  I can just buck up for 3.1 miles, but 6...UGH!!  I'd like to finish in less than 54 minutes and I am so competitive that failing is hardly an option.
  So...last night I did a test run.  I ran 6.2 miles in 54:30.  That brought me in at something like an 8:47 pace, which I would be happy with.  The real problem is that I am so confident on the TM and I panic on the roads.  Weird huh??  Everyone I know hates the TM and loves the road.  I'm this weirdo strange runner who started on the treadmill and I've gained so much speed and confidence on it that I get scared when I'm forced to step out of the box. 
  Alrighty, so here it is....I am gonna get it out in print, which means I have to do it, right.  I am gonna do the 10K.  There, I typed it..now it will become reality.  Now let the positive self talk begin...I can do this..I CAN DO THIS!!!I CAN DO THIS!!

Doing the best I can

  I am just finishing up my second week of uninterrupted 1/2 marathon training.  I say uninterrupted because the first few weeks were hampered with chest colds and shin splints.  It has felt good to get in some quality workouts and feel my speed increase.  As I progress, I am really loving the speed and even tempo workouts that build my confidence and tell my brain that "I can", indeed pull of these once believed superhuman feats.  I have been improving my 5K time to just over 8:00 pace and have recently run 6 miles all under 8:50 pace.  These runs all took place on the treadmill, so hopefully they translate to good times on the pavement soon.
  I'd be lying if I said eveything was all rosy.  I seem to be hopping from one injury or ailment to the next.  Right now I spend my days icing my right knee that is swollen and sore.  I can run through it, but not sure that is the "right" thing to be doing.  I am motivated by the fact that I need to see my miles increase for the May 1st marathon I am planning for, yet I don't want to do anymore damage.  It also seems that mid week (after 2-3 hard runs) my shin splints start reappearing.  While I can deal with the knee pain, the shin splints are an entirely different story.  The pain of running on them is sometimes unbearable.
  The temps this weekend are supposed to be in the high 40's, so I'm hoping for my first long run outdoors.  I have become a winter wimp and have done nearly all (okay, all) of my training on the treadmill.   I know that I need to get these legs ready for outdoors and the changing conditions that brings. 
  So, here's hoping for some great weather and miraculous recoveries.  Have a great weekend everyone, and RUN ON!!

Back in the saddle

  So, I am back on track and it feels great!!  I vowed to get back to the plan on Monday, after having a terrible chest cold that wouldn't let go.  Monday I ran 3 miles in the morning at the rec center and then ran out of time due to the 30 min. max.  The treadmills got full, so I did the only decent thing and got off after my 30 minutes.  I decided to go back in the evening to finish the final 2-3 miles and had the BEST run I have had in a while.  I have a goal of doing a 5K at an 8:00 pace at some point this summer.  Monday I sights on completing 2 miles at 8:00 pace to see where I was at.  After 2 miles I felt great and decided to go for it.  I finished the 3 miles and even had some energy for a kick at the end.  Woo Whooo!!  It felt great!!  I have a really great relationship with the treadmill, and typically I can run faster times on the treadmill (I've been told that is rare) so, I'm hoping I can duplicate that pace on the road. 
  Tuesday I took a rest day and did some core work on the stability ball and Wednesday morning I ran 5 miles at an easy pace.  Tonight (thurs) I am heading out for a pizza with some girl friends, so I'm not sure if I will get the run in tonight or not, but the rest of the week I have runs scheduled, along with volleyball on Sunday. 
   What I need to do now is actually press the REGISTER button for my first 1/2.  I keep saying I"m doing one on May 1st, but haven't actually registered.  Need to do it before I become a big chicken and back out.  Here's hoping I stay healthy and motivated.

Do you have lots of races on your 2011 schedule?  When?  Where?

Completely Craptastic

  Okay, so I am forwarning you that this post will be filled with more negativity than you might need to hear.  If you are an "only fill my mind with fluffy positive thoughts" kinda creature, then you may want to skip it.  Weird thing is...I am usually one of those people who doesn't care to hear it, yet I also find the need to just get it out sometimes.
  Here's the thing, I am feeling completely craptastic the last few weeks.  I pretty much had one good week of 1/2 marathon training and it's been all down hill from there.  I started by running a few too many miles in my Kinvaras (Can you say SHIN SPLINTS??) , For the next entire week I iced, wore my compression socks to bed and used the marathon stick daily.  by the following week I was able to get in a semi long run and they've felt good since then but... since then I have had a terrible chest cold on and off.  I was miserable for 3 or 4 days and then it seemed to clear up for a day or two, now it is back, rearing it's evil head again.  I am coughing so hard at night I nearly need an adult diaper to stop from wetting myself.  Seriously, after you've had 5 kids, much of the control is out of your hands.  I start to feel better mid day, but by the time I can get out for a run, I'm exhausted and congested again.  Ugh!!  I'm trying to be positive...atleast my legs will certainly be fresh after this.
  I guess the bright side is that it is very early in training and I will be able to rebound, but it is frustrating nonetheless. 
  Okay, so there's my pity party.  I'm feeling much better now!!  Have a GREAT day!!

4 down, 1 to go

  Well, I got through the first full week of 1/2 training without too much deviation, despite the fact that kid #4 became sick.  Now, 4 out of the 5 have been sick in the past 2 weeks.  Hopefully, this is the end of the stomach bug at our house.  I have been lucky enough to escape so hopefully I'm clear.  My son asked me the other day  "who holds the bucket when mommy is sick"?  It was so sweet, he was genuinely so concerned and said he would take care of me, since I take care of him. 
  We had a crazy busy weekend and I knew I wasn't gonna be able to run long.  I was short a few miles this week, but I was proud of myself for rearranging my schedule and getting the long run in on Thurs night. I was a few miles short of where I wanted to be because my run was interrupted at mile 8 with the call that Rylee (daughter #3) was sick.   I think that will be the key to my training...flexibilty.  With 5 busy kids and a dear hubby who works swings shift I am thrown all kids of challenges any given week.  I just need to keep my mind open. 
  Anyway, I'm feeling great and after yesterdays fast 5K, well...I'm feeling fast. (atleast at the short distances)  I think it might be a while before I'm confident in pushing to my 9:00 pace on an extended run.  I tried it Thurs and well, lets just say it was HARD.  I just need to be patient I guess. 
  Hope everyone is having a great weekend and staying healthy.

So, my first training challenge

 So, I know this might sound silly, because I know there are sure to be much bigger hurdles ahead (like how in the world I'm gonna work up to a 9:00 pace for 13 miles), but this is my first training challenge and I just officially started.  I guess being a busy mom to 5, I should expect many of these to arise, but I am intent on following my training plan as closely as possible, while accommodating the needs of 5 kids, 10 daycare kids, and the world's best hubby.  (just looking for the brownie points I'm sure I'll need on occasion to get out of the house) So, the issue....I continue to read that the "long run" is the most important in training.  No matter what, don't skip the long run..blah, blah, blah.  Well, turns out that Sat. (my preferred long run day) my oldest daughter has her first basketball tourney that pretty much lasts the entire day.  Immediately after the tourney hubby and I have to head out to bowling league.  Sunday brings 6 games of volleyball.  No, it's not hard core, but not so sure I want to run 9-10 miles from 1-3pm them play volleyball at 3pm and 7pm.  Hmmm, what to do???  If it was warmer out I would run really early on Sunday, but I still find myself a fair weather girl and really don't want to brave temps under 15 degrees.  So, there's the dilemma, simple as it sounds, I'm stumped and don't want to stray from the plan so early.  Just might have to hit the gym for 9 miles tonight.   Not sure my body (or brain) would no how to handle a 9 mile Thurs, but it just might have to.

Are you good at following your training plans?

What do you do if you have to deviate?

I wish

  So, I've been doing my daily check of the blogs I love and I have been finding myself increasingly jealous.   I hear stories of 60 degree + weather, I see pictures of gorgeous running trails and I yearn for the breeze coming off the lake and the sunrise over the ocean that some describe.  Wow, I keep thinking to myself, if I only had these idealistic conditions, the motivation wouldn't be hard to come by.  Instead, I live in the cold tundra and flatlands of Iowa, where every day recently has been filled only with the view of the 4 gym walls and the pounding of my feet on the hamster wheel.  I long to rediscover the great outdoors, even if it is running round and round in circles in my itty bitty town.  It may be a few more months before I can consistanly get an outdoor run in.  I am hoping that the 8-10 mile long runs I've been putting in on the weekends translate to long runs outside, so I'm not losing too much conditioning.  As I sit here typing this out I'm trying to look at the bright side.  Along with the "green with envy" posts about gorgeous scenery and weather are scattered posts of injury.  I am thankful to be free of pain (at the moment) and able to run, if only on the treadmill. 
  On another note, I am thrilled with my progress.  It seems that my standard daily run of 3 miles as somehow turned into nearly 5.  I have discovered that if I hit the gym in the latest evening hours it is open that the treadmills are open and I can run to my heart's content, ignoring all 30 minute max. notices.  I have been entertained by many a reality show and been able to steadily pound out the 5 miles on a regular basis.  Yippee for me!!!

Does your gym have max times on the equipment?
How is your winter training going?