Now I have to start this post off by reminding everyone that when I started this venture into running a half marathon I HATED RUNNING...I mean I pretty much LOATHED it. I used to watch people running by me around Green Lake thinking, "No one running ever REALLY looks happy to be doing it. That's just STUPID. I will NEVER think to myself at the end of a days work...wow I really wish I could go run 5 miles right now. That would feel GREAT!" Well....3 months into my training I'm sitting here eating my own words. Typical.
I should've KNOWN never to say never. It's like when I used to say "I will NEVER say that all I want is a nice cold beer right now." (Yeah that one was stupid too)...or "I will NEVER like coffee! It tastes like crap!".....Now here I sit an avid coffee drinker, who on a hot Saturday or Sunday afternoon while watching football, or at a baseball game, or just sitting at my house will think DAMN a nice cold beer would be AWESOME! Pass me one please! Yeeeahhhh...obviously I should realize by now that things I say NEVER about ALWAYS go the opposite way.
So here I am now and I'm pretty sure I've caught that runners bug...I've got the runners high. I'm sitting here still 2 months away from my first half marathon and I'm already planning my NEXT races. I'm adding to the list of what can I do next, where will I run?! And it changes on a daily basis at this point.
I've OFFICIALLY signed up for my second half marathon. The Cleveland Rite-Aid Half Marathon on May 20, 2012. I'll be running it with my Uncle Bill, cousin Lizzie, and any of the other cousins/fam that decide to participate :)
But as for the other races..those things are all still being tossed around in my head. Currently the races I'm considering are as follows:
Disney Princesses Half Marathon (Orlando, FL) - February 2012
Nisswa Marathon (Full - in Minnesota) - end of April 2012
Seattle R&R Half Marathon - end of June 2012
Las Vegas R&R Full Marathon - December 2012
Yeah.....lots of races....lots and lots and lots. I'll either stick with the half marathons for the first part of 2012, and then branch out to the Full Marathon NEXT December in Vegas, or I'll eliminate the other half marathons and do the Full in Minnesota...tough choices.
NOT to mention the fact that I'm trying to figure out when I will do my first triathlon now....crazy CRAZY CrAzY!!! The Seattle TriRock (put on by the same crew that does the Rock & Roll marathon series) is Summer of 2012....
Anyway. Needless to say I think the verdict is in and I'm officially addicted. Katie was right...she told me before she left that I would love it. That I just needed to get started and I would be hooked. Well Katie...congratulations on your prediction! It came true! :)
Now the question is...what's next?!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Halfway There!! Rock on!
Can you BELIEVE IT?! I can't!
11 weeks of 21 weeks COMPLETE! Over half way there and ALMOST half way through the mileage. We'll be running the 6 milers for a few more weeks, but then we up to 7 in week 14! And I will OFFICIALLY be over the half point in mileage.
YOU CAN DO IT BABY! ROCK ON!
11 weeks of 21 weeks COMPLETE! Over half way there and ALMOST half way through the mileage. We'll be running the 6 milers for a few more weeks, but then we up to 7 in week 14! And I will OFFICIALLY be over the half point in mileage.
YOU CAN DO IT BABY! ROCK ON!
Training Week #11
HALF WAY POINT GOT REACHED THIS WEEK! Wahoo!
BUT starting the week we've had a little snafoo....Not sure how but I seemed to have tweaked my right knee a little. I never felt anything weird on my runs or as I was doing yoga or whatnot...but Monday morning I woke up and had slight stiffness and soreness on the inside of my right knee. I was able to stretch it out and it didn't hurt at all on my run so I was thinking it was ok, but as the week progressed the weird feeling in my knee continued.
It never really HURT. Just felt...different.
I did a 4 mile run on Monday and a 3.2 mile run on Tuesday. Didn't push it to 4 on Tuesday because of my knee, and then Wednesday I took the day off to rest it, and only walked on Thursday (albeit 6 miles walked, but at a leisurely pace). And it actually felt GOOD to get my legs going. Warmed up the knee and the pain was gone. It only seems to really feel WEIRD when I've been sitting at work all day, in the cold office building and then get up to move around. Its just stiff.
So after a couple days off it seemed to be feeling a little better, and I was jonesing for a run....I know I should probably rest it more but it didn't seem to be hurting much. But to be careful I went to my local Road Runner sports (my fave store now) and asked the rep about something to help support my knee. I bought a Pro-Tec knee band and strapped it on for my 3.2 miler that night. And the knee felt great throughout the run! No pain no weirdness. And I stretched it super long that evening.
The pain seemed to be even less Saturday morning when I woke up so I'm thinking the band is helping majorly! I strapped it on that morning as me, Jenny and Jillian set off for our 8 mile roundtrip hike to Lake Serene (see Lake Serene post for pics and details). Got through the hike with no real pain in the knee and even went on a leisurely walk that evening to keep the blood flowing through.
Another walk the next morning and then our 6 MILE run that evening. FIRST 6 miler of the training block and finished it with a 9:30min/mile pace! Wahoo! Feels good to know that I'm almost half way up there in the mileage, and now I'm halfway through the training block. The 6 mile run was down on Alki. Which I have to say is surely becoming one of my favorite spots to run. Makes me feel like I'm in San Diego, but keeps me firmly grounded in Seattle as I watch the Seattle city skyline across the Puget Sound. Absolutely beautiful. And to make the run even better it was rounded out because I had Jenny and Jillian both along for the ride. I honestly feel like running with friends is one of the things that gets me through all these training sessions. Gotta stick together right?
At the end of the week my knee is feeling better, much more with the support of the knee band. And I'm hoping that if I continue to take it easy on the knee it will be all good to go. BUT to be safe I've scheduled a full physical on Tuesday, October 4th, just to be safe. Want to make sure the knee and everything else with the body is good and set for the last half of my training. :)
And now for the weekly recap of stats!
WEEK 11 STATS (Sept 19 - Sept 25)
Total Miles Run - 16.6
Total Miles Planned- 18
Long Run - 6 miles
Total Miles Walked - 12
Lake Serene Hike - 8 miles
BUT starting the week we've had a little snafoo....Not sure how but I seemed to have tweaked my right knee a little. I never felt anything weird on my runs or as I was doing yoga or whatnot...but Monday morning I woke up and had slight stiffness and soreness on the inside of my right knee. I was able to stretch it out and it didn't hurt at all on my run so I was thinking it was ok, but as the week progressed the weird feeling in my knee continued.
It never really HURT. Just felt...different.
I did a 4 mile run on Monday and a 3.2 mile run on Tuesday. Didn't push it to 4 on Tuesday because of my knee, and then Wednesday I took the day off to rest it, and only walked on Thursday (albeit 6 miles walked, but at a leisurely pace). And it actually felt GOOD to get my legs going. Warmed up the knee and the pain was gone. It only seems to really feel WEIRD when I've been sitting at work all day, in the cold office building and then get up to move around. Its just stiff.
So after a couple days off it seemed to be feeling a little better, and I was jonesing for a run....I know I should probably rest it more but it didn't seem to be hurting much. But to be careful I went to my local Road Runner sports (my fave store now) and asked the rep about something to help support my knee. I bought a Pro-Tec knee band and strapped it on for my 3.2 miler that night. And the knee felt great throughout the run! No pain no weirdness. And I stretched it super long that evening.
The pain seemed to be even less Saturday morning when I woke up so I'm thinking the band is helping majorly! I strapped it on that morning as me, Jenny and Jillian set off for our 8 mile roundtrip hike to Lake Serene (see Lake Serene post for pics and details). Got through the hike with no real pain in the knee and even went on a leisurely walk that evening to keep the blood flowing through.
Another walk the next morning and then our 6 MILE run that evening. FIRST 6 miler of the training block and finished it with a 9:30min/mile pace! Wahoo! Feels good to know that I'm almost half way up there in the mileage, and now I'm halfway through the training block. The 6 mile run was down on Alki. Which I have to say is surely becoming one of my favorite spots to run. Makes me feel like I'm in San Diego, but keeps me firmly grounded in Seattle as I watch the Seattle city skyline across the Puget Sound. Absolutely beautiful. And to make the run even better it was rounded out because I had Jenny and Jillian both along for the ride. I honestly feel like running with friends is one of the things that gets me through all these training sessions. Gotta stick together right?
At the end of the week my knee is feeling better, much more with the support of the knee band. And I'm hoping that if I continue to take it easy on the knee it will be all good to go. BUT to be safe I've scheduled a full physical on Tuesday, October 4th, just to be safe. Want to make sure the knee and everything else with the body is good and set for the last half of my training. :)
And now for the weekly recap of stats!
WEEK 11 STATS (Sept 19 - Sept 25)
Total Miles Run - 16.6
Total Miles Planned- 18
Long Run - 6 miles
Total Miles Walked - 12
Lake Serene Hike - 8 miles
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