Week 2 – Half Marathon Training

July 9, 2012 by 15 Comments

So week 1 of my new training plan is in the books. After Tuesday’s heat fest/race and a little over indulging on the 4th (read lots of great food and sangria!), Thursday’s run was sluggish at best. I ended up shortening my tempo run by a mile because my dead legs just couldn’t hold the target pace. There was lots of yoga on Friday and Saturday’s run felt good in spite of the crazy humidity!

On the plan for this week:

Monday — Steady state (5) w/negative split on the back half
Tuesday — X-Training
Wednesday — Easy Fartlek (3)
Thursday — Tempo (6) plus Yoga
Friday — Rest day
Saturday — Race pace (6) plus warm up and cool down miles
Sunday — Rest and Yoga

For cross-training this week, I’ll be volunteering at my youngest son’s camp on Tuesday organizing games and generally running around with a bunch of 6 & 7 year olds for 4 hrs — could be my toughest day of the whole week! I didn’t get to try out my new Merrells on Sunday so I think I’ll test them out on the Fartlek run – it’s killing me that they’ve been in the box for this long 🙂

What have you got planned for the week?

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Filed Under: half marathon training, Merrell Dash Gloves

Finish at the 50 Race Report

July 6, 2012 by 10 Comments

On Tuesday the whole family headed down to Gillette Stadium (home of my beloved Patriots) for the Finish at the 50! We arrived in plenty of time to score a prime parking space for the fireworks later, and headed over to the entrance to the stadium for the kids races. All of the event emails had said that the kids races started at 3 – well at 3:05 we along with 700+ kids and their families were still waiting outside the gates, melting in the sun. We finally got in and seated according to age-group heats only to hear our master of ceremonies announce that the races would kick-off at 3:30 — more waiting in the sun and heat! Uggh!

Finally the first group of kids were called down to the field to get started. There were kids as young as 2 participating – they were so cute! And with some many kids there were multiple age group heats, plus each age-group was split by gender. Watching the kids all give it their best was a lot of fun and parents did there best to whoop it up and make a lot of noise for them. Each kids race crossed the same finish line the 5k & 10k would use later and they could see themselves on the jumbo-tron as they finished!


with the Patriot’s mascot!

Once my son’s race was done we made a beeline for the covered part of the stadium and the concession stands! Despite doing my best to keep downing Nuun throughout the kids races I could feel my energy level draining. There was still an hour and a half until my race so we decided to avoid the very crowded expo/mall and headed back to the car to hang out. I grab a banana and Luna bar and more water. Soon it was time to head over to the start. It was approaching 6 PM and unfortunately wasn’t cooling off (my phone showed a temp of 85).

Pre-race with my favorite cheer squad!

I waited as long as I could before heading down into the corrals. Unfortunately, the race didn’t start right at 6 and waiting in that heat with 7000 of my closest friends was a little tough! I chatted with a couple of people and tried not to think about how hot it was. Finally the crowd started to shift forward and everybody let out a cheer -We were off!

My only plan for this race was to run on feel so I just tried to settle into among the crowd and find a pace that felt comfortable. I was holding up pretty well for the first 3+ miles but as I neared the 4 mile marker I could tell the heat was starting to take a toll. I walked the water station drinking some water and dumping the rest over my head. The 5th mile became a run/walk death march – I was ready to be done! We were running through residential neighborhoods and people had brought out hoses and set up makeshift water stations to help. There weren’t many spectators but the ones that were along the course were really enthusiastic! I was so happy to see the 5 mile marker! We were looping back towards the stadium now and I started to hear the music and race announcer. For the last stretch of the race, we came through the same tunnel that the NE Patriot players use to come on to the field, and then down the center of the field to the 50 yard line finish! Truly a cool way to finish a race, especially with the announcer calling your name and your finish up on the giant screens both above and outside the stadium!

Happy the race is over!

J and the kids were right where they said they were going to be in the stands so we had no problem finding each other. There were pre-packaged goodie bags for all the runners – I grab a bag, some water and a greek yougurt  and was ready to head out. We made our way back to the car and set up the picnic blanket and chairs to wait for the fireworks. It was a great fireworks display!

All in all despite the heat it was a fun day! The course itself was a nice route and I kept thinking I would have love to have run it first thing in the morning (or as one runner and joked during the race – in October!) I didn’t love running late in the day – and it showed in my slowest 10k time ever. I think if I run another summer race that I’ll stick to the early morning starts! But it was a fun event for the whole family to participate in and a great way to kick off the 4th of July celebrations!

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Filed Under: 10ks, 4th of July, Finish at the 50, race report

Monday Motivation – Let Training Begin!

July 2, 2012 by 14 Comments

Training for my two fall half marathons kicks off this week! Yeah I’m just a little excited!

I’m running the Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 10k tomorrow evening – should be a ton of fun! I’m not going into this race with any big goals. Given the heat ( mid to upper 80s projected), the start time (I am exclusively a morning runner) and the fact that I haven’t run a 10k race since last October, my main goals are to put in a solid run and have fun. In June, my speedwork went well, but overall I didn’t get in as many miles as I’d hoped (recovering from my May malaise lasted a bit longer than I wanted). So the bottom line, as I told Coach Bennett the other day is that I just have no idea what to expect for this race. I’m going to run by feel and see what happens.

So Week 1 training looks like this:

Monday — Yoga, rest and hydrate!
Tuesday — Race
Wednesday — Rest
Thursday — Tempo run (5)
Friday — Yoga
Saturday — LSD (7)
Sunday — Rest**

** I may through a light shake out run of just a couple of miles cause I’m dying to try out my new Merrell Dash Gloves!

What have you got planned for the week? Any 4th of July racing?
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Filed Under: 4th of July, Finish at the 50, half marathon training, Monday Motivation, Quotes, running coach

ZOOMA Cape Cod Kickoff Party

June 29, 2012 by 8 Comments

Tuesday night was the ZOOMA Cape Cod kickoff event at City Sports Boston! It was a great chance to meet Brooke (ZOOMA’s events director), fellow ambassadors Bethany & Samantha, as well as to see Nancy & Jessica again! The night was a great mix of running, meeting new people, fun swag, and shopping!

Me with Bethany, Nancy, Samantha, Jessica & Brooke

We started off the evening with a group run. City Sports Boston has a great running group that meets every Tuesday night, running either a 3.5 mile loop or a 5 mile loop. And, lucky for us, Bethany regularly runs with them so she led our ZOOMA group! We ran a little over 3 miles with a nice stretch along the Charles River (one of my favorite spots for a run). It was a great chance to chat and meet some of the women who’d come out for the event – for some of the women ZOOMA will be their first half marathon and for others it will be their first 10k – how cool! I was also really happy to get to meet up with Vicma, one of the lead ambassadors for Black Girls Run’s Boston chapter – after being in touch online it was so fun to meet her in person!

Post-run there were snacks and the folks from Muscle Milk were handling out samples. There were also  massages for the runners, raffles and with a 20% discount on everything in the store, a chance to shop!

Yes I walked out with these – Merrell Dash Gloves!

It was a great party and people left really excited about the race! Personally I cannot wait! I think this party is a perfect indication of what September’s race will be like – a great mix of running and fun!

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Filed Under: ZOOMA Cape Cod

Working with a coach

June 25, 2012 by 9 Comments

As I gear up to start training for my two fall half marathons, I’ll be adding a new twist – working with a running coach!

My new coach is Bennett Cohen — he’s a running coach to women boomers (read those of us 40+), and is also the President of the International Association of Women Runners. We connected over a year ago and have been in touch off and on via email ever since. I’ve been feeling a little stalled in my progress and was starting to spin myself in knots trying to find the “right” training plan. Working with Bennett, I’m really looking forward to having someone else make my training decisions, monitor my progress and work with me to make the necessary adjustments!

After a great conversation last week, a review of my race results, recent runs, and my goals, Bennett sent me the first 6 weeks of my customized plan. Training officially kicks off next week and I cannot wait to begin! I’m both nervous and excited! This plan is definitely going to push me out of my comfort zone a bit and I’m looking forward to the challenge of it and seeing where it takes me.

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Filed Under: running coach, training

Fall Racing

June 22, 2012 by 10 Comments

Last night I started my 2nd 6-week session of “Yoga for Runners” – a 2-hour torture session gloriously zen experience, where I and 7 other runners attempt to get our hamstrings and hip flexors to release…just a little bit from their usual death grip-like existence. After class our instructor mentioned fall racing and it was funny to see everyone light up and immediately start comparing notes on which races were on their fall calendars, training plans, etc. It was a little like watching kids talk about Christmas – you could just feel the excitement!

I’m happy to say that I think my fall schedule is pretty much set:

ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon — 9/22
Tufts 10k for Women — 10/8
Canton Fall Classic (5k) — 10/28
Chilly Half Marathon — 11/11

I think it’s a good mix of distances to help keep things interesting, but not so many races that my legs will rebel.

Have you got a big race (or two) lined up for the fall? When does training begin?

By the way – if you are thinking of heading to the Cape this fall to run ZOOMA don’t wait to register, price increase kicks in tomorrow. And remember to use the code in my sidebar for a discount on either the half marathon or 10k.

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Filed Under: fall racing, keeping it interesting, race calendar

Settling into Summer

June 20, 2012 by 8 Comments

After a whirlwind weekend of lacrosse tournament games (my son’s team won the whole thing!), t-ball, birthday parties and …oh yeah a little running, we officially wrapped up the school year yesterday and have flipped the switch to “summer.”

As first mornings go we’re off to a good start – my youngest is sleeping in, my oldest is deeply engrossed in a book and the dog and I are lounging on the deck enjoying coffee and the quiet (hope this lasts for a bit!) It was so nice not to face the morning scramble to get the door in time for the bus! I’m looking forward to some down time before camps start, where we just take each day as it comes – kind of nice to leave schedules behind for a bit.

Since I ran yesterday morning, I’m going to try to get some strength training in before the boys and I get out and about for the day. According to the weather folks, summer heat is suppose to kick in full force today and stick with us for the foreseeable future — should make tomorrow’s track work torture… challenging! I refuse to complain – it is summer after all (someone please remind me I said that as the temps start climbing!) With a serious focus on hydration today and an extra early start in the morning, hopefully it will be manageable.

Have you faced the summer heat yet? How are you fairing so far?

 

 

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Filed Under: summer mode, weather

Discombobulated

June 15, 2012 by 7 Comments

Perhaps it’s that my youngest finished Kindergarten on Tuesday, while my oldest doesn’t finish 4th grade until next week….

Perhaps it’s that post-ear doctor visit I still cannot hear clearly out of my left ear (apparently it will clear on it’s own…and it takes time…note my skepticism)….

Perhaps it’s end of school-year fatigue (how many concerts/art shows/class project presentations, etc can one attend in the course of a week?)…

Perhaps it’s that I haven’t been sleeping well – I deal with bouts of insomnia from time to time…

It’s probably a combination of all of the above that’s left me feeling just a step off all week. It hasn’t been a bad week at all…and I’ve even managed to get my workouts in. There’s been a little less running due to the inability to get up uber-early (not sleeping well will do that!) – but there has been some running, even track work today, along with strength training, yoga and running around in whatever new game my son has invented for us in the backyard.

I’m sure next week will be a bit more of the same until 4th grade is complete  and lacrosse and t-ball season wind down. Then we can all shift gears into summer mode!

How about you? Have you shifted to a summer routine yet?

 

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Filed Under: kids, Schedule vs Training, school vacation, summer mode

Running without Music

June 11, 2012 by 20 Comments
Source: Gamer Melodico

I swore running without music was one of those things that would just never happen (kinda like my kids spontaneously cleaning their rooms!) 

But, one of the lingering symptoms from my May malaise is that I still can’t hear completely out of my left ear – sounds muffled like I’m underwater…..so I figure running with my headphones is not a smart choice.

So I’ve been running sans music…gasp!

And what have I learned these past two weeks?

  •  Running without music I am obviously much more dialed into my breathing. I’ve tried to start letting my breathing dictate my pace/effort before checking my Garmin.
  • I also have tuned in to my footfall. Is it soft and light? Am I scuffing my feet? I’ve noticed that when the scuffing starts my form is starting to fall apart.
  • Overall, because I’m concentrating on other things, I seem to be checking my Garmin less.

All good things, right? However, I seriously miss my tunes, especially on runs of 6 miles or longer. In fact I found myself humming Bruno Mars during one run when I was starting to flag a bit (and trust me, no one wants me to start singing out there!).

For me, music is definitely a motivational tool – especially late in a long run or during speedwork. When I get this ear thing resolved (off to the ear doc on Wednesday), I will be returning to my headphones. But, I have decided that there is valuable learning to be gained from not always having the tunes, so I will try to rely on my music less. I’m going to aim for one run a week to be music-free and, perhaps use it a bit less during my long runs.

Do you run with music? Have you ever tried to give it up?

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Filed Under: no music, tuning in

Fun ZOOMA Lunch

June 7, 2012 by 3 Comments

Jessica, me, Nancy, Ann Curry Peisig, Brae Blackley

Part of my National Running Day celebration was to down head to Falmouth to the beautiful Sea Crest Beach Hotel for a lunch hosted by ZOOMA race founder Brae Blackley. Brae had invited some of the local media, coaches and local runners plus the Ambassadors to get together for an informal preview of the ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon & 10k. 

It was great meeting fellow ambassadors Nancy & Jessica – it’s going to be fun working with them! And after meeting Brae and learning about how ZOOMA got started and her vision for creating a really special experience for runners, I can say I’m even more excited for this race!

A little ZOOMA Swag!

The Sea Crest is newly renovated and is going to make a great host hotel for the race! The hotel is waiving the standard 2-night minimum and is offering a great rate to ZOOMA runners of $199 per night. Definitely a great deal for Cape Cod in September!

And, don’t forget, you can use the discount code in my side bar and receive $10 off the half marathon or $5 off the 10k. I have no doubt this race is going to sellout so don’t wait to register!

All in all it was a fun way to spend an afternoon! And yes I did do a little race shopping when I got home – I’m still trying to flesh out anniversary plans with J so I didn’t officially register for anything, but I’ve got my eye on a couple that should help make for a busy Fall!

 

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Filed Under: Nat'l Running Day, ZOOMA Cape Cod