Hello friends,
Last week Dave and I went on a 10 mile run, which to be honest I didn't know I was capable of. However, it was really awesome and felt fantastic. It took awhile though approx. 1hr 50 min, so I'm not really on pace to do a 2hr half, but that's ok just as long as I finish I'll be happy!
We did this loop at Stanford around EV then up to the dish, then toward campus to make a loop and a half. I am proud to say that we ate the GU twice and it was not as bad as I thought it was. Definitely going to use it during the half to make sure that I don't crash and actually do finish my first half marathon O.O
After the workout however, I was exhausted. First things first was stretching and a shower to warm myself up --- apparently it's a thing to get cold after exercise? Well it happens to me. Then there was dinner 1 at 4:30, which was a very healthy tofu scramble. Then basically lying around for three hours in a pile of exhausted until dinner 2, which was lentils and quinoa then sitting in front of the TV for a couple of hours until it was a socially acceptable time to sleep (which is really what I wanted to do since 4:30 since I was feeling so out of it), ie 9:30. After like 10 hours of sleep though I felt great, and only partially sore the next day. Overall very good experience.
This past week has been the week of loooonnnggg workouts 1) to get my endurance up and 2) (see one). Well there was the normal speed work out, which was supposed to be a 4 x 1600. It was only a 2 x 1600 because I felt awful (and dehydrated). Actually, my face got all tingly so I stopped and of course googled my symptoms and came up with that I was having a heart attack, stroke or was dehydrated. Thinking back on the day and knowing that the only liquid I drank was coffee... I decided to push away my hypochondriac thoughts and determine that it was indeed dehydration that caused a momentary drop in my blood pressure. Regardless, the workout ended there and I commenced drinking lotsa water.
On Sunday (Saturday?) I did another long work out, a 6 mile tempo plus 2 miles warm up/cool down since it was raining outside so I couldn't do a long run. Then I got on the bike for 20 minutes (which is really all I can stand on the exercycle --- hehe) to get to an almost 2 hour workout. That...my friends is a long time in the gym, good for the endurance but not so good for the boringness.
Tonight was more exciting, I did the weights class (haven't been in weeks and most certainly felt it) followed by a speed work out that was super easy 3 x 800. I think I could have easily done 4 but I was exhausted and hungry and put my legs through a lot of squats already so they deserved a break. Maybe if I'm sore tomorrow I'll cross train on something else, just to get in the cardio workout. On Sunday I begin to taper because that is 1 week to the race!
I can't believe it's so soon! I'm very excited. I will probably start blogging even more as the time draws nearer. But until then... have a wonderful night!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Four weeks to go
Amazing how fast time flies when you don't write for 33% of the 3 months that you are training :)
I'm actually a little worried because although 4 weeks sounds like a lot I feel like it's going to go really quickly especially since the last week is a winding down and resting. So this week is the build up for next week, which is supposed to be the most difficult; then two weeks of winding down - although I might go a little bit harder the second to last week to really solidify my training. At this point I don't think that I'm going to make it under the 2 hr mark for the Feb 5. half, I mean I guess we'll see but i'm certainly not at that pace during the long runs.
So here is this week:
Monday - Rest
Tuesday -Rest (I was really sore -- and too lazy to cross train, i know, fail)
Wednesday - 4 x 1600 - tonight was difficult but more than anything it was looooonnnggg, I spent 1.5 hours in the gym total. There goes my night...not that I usually party on wednesday nights... do you?
Thursday - Weight training
Friday - Tempo 6- mile
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - 10 mile long run
Not super looking forward to the hard week next week (I'll post it later) but that's all part of the challenge :) I can't dread these things, just have to accept and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Maybe i'll even experience the "runners high" that i'm not entirely sure i've ever experienced. I assume it's one of those "know when you know" things - so we'll see. I'm clearly in a very nonchalant mood right now, haha maybe tonights workout took a lot out of me - and it's 12 minutes past my bedtime.
Till next time!
I'm actually a little worried because although 4 weeks sounds like a lot I feel like it's going to go really quickly especially since the last week is a winding down and resting. So this week is the build up for next week, which is supposed to be the most difficult; then two weeks of winding down - although I might go a little bit harder the second to last week to really solidify my training. At this point I don't think that I'm going to make it under the 2 hr mark for the Feb 5. half, I mean I guess we'll see but i'm certainly not at that pace during the long runs.
So here is this week:
Monday - Rest
Tuesday -Rest (I was really sore -- and too lazy to cross train, i know, fail)
Wednesday - 4 x 1600 - tonight was difficult but more than anything it was looooonnnggg, I spent 1.5 hours in the gym total. There goes my night...not that I usually party on wednesday nights... do you?
Thursday - Weight training
Friday - Tempo 6- mile
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - 10 mile long run
Not super looking forward to the hard week next week (I'll post it later) but that's all part of the challenge :) I can't dread these things, just have to accept and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Maybe i'll even experience the "runners high" that i'm not entirely sure i've ever experienced. I assume it's one of those "know when you know" things - so we'll see. I'm clearly in a very nonchalant mood right now, haha maybe tonights workout took a lot out of me - and it's 12 minutes past my bedtime.
Till next time!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Constantly hungry
Nothing profound.
Just thought I would tell you that I'm hungry....constantly. Blergh. This is uncomfortable.
Just thought I would tell you that I'm hungry....constantly. Blergh. This is uncomfortable.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Bonking
Hello,
After a long hiatus, I've decided to resurrect this blog. But fear not, an absence of writing was not simultaneous with an absence in training. Well, i've been training consistently except for the christmas week where I sat on my butt and ate anything sweet within a 10ft radius of myself. Well anywhos...as I expanded I knew it was time to get back to training so this past week (first week of january when everyone else s exercising too) I ramped up the training. Here is what the week looked like:
Monday - 2 mile tempo
Tuesday - 3.5 mile tempo
Wednesday - speed work out (4 x 800)
Thursday - none
Friday - 4.5 mile tempo
Saturday - none
Sunday - 8 mile long run
So not bad. The first couple of days were painful. That was what I thought the worst part of running was getting back into it after all. Really, really painful as your body is like 'oh, ok I guess we're doing this again...but I don't really want to, so maybe if I make everything painful you'll stop'. I also read somewhere recently that your body naturally runs in the gait that preserves the most energy. Thus, to burn more calories, and not hurt yourself you have to run harder and faster than you think you do. Just a fun fact for you to chew on.
The big moment of this month was "bonking", which I thinking means having sex if you urban dictionary it, but that's not what I'm talking about. To "bonk" according to cyclists and triatheletes (?) (ie my boyfriend) is to work out really hard and then in the middle lose all energy and just feel like collapsing. This is often preluded by a gnawing hunger that presents itself in the middle of your work out that gets worse and worse the harder you push. This had never happened to me, so I never believed it existed. Unfortunately, today I found out that I was wrong. On mile 6 of this long run I started feeling extremely hungry...like, feed me now type of hungry... so I called my boyfriend worrying that I would pass out and he advised that rather than walk the last two miles I should run them if I could. Which I could, so I did, but it felt awful. And by the end I was so tired that I went directly to safeway to get a vitamin water and a power bar all of which I ate in less than 5 min. I know I was out of it though because as I was walking in the aisles I was trying to figure out why 80 minutes was not 2 hours... it was truly, truly confusing.
Anyways, I feel much better now. And "the goop" has now been recommended to me... although hopefully they have snacks on the course so I don't have to eat gross processed liquid gel grossness. gross. Not to tell you how I truly feel.
Until next week!
:)
After a long hiatus, I've decided to resurrect this blog. But fear not, an absence of writing was not simultaneous with an absence in training. Well, i've been training consistently except for the christmas week where I sat on my butt and ate anything sweet within a 10ft radius of myself. Well anywhos...as I expanded I knew it was time to get back to training so this past week (first week of january when everyone else s exercising too) I ramped up the training. Here is what the week looked like:
Monday - 2 mile tempo
Tuesday - 3.5 mile tempo
Wednesday - speed work out (4 x 800)
Thursday - none
Friday - 4.5 mile tempo
Saturday - none
Sunday - 8 mile long run
So not bad. The first couple of days were painful. That was what I thought the worst part of running was getting back into it after all. Really, really painful as your body is like 'oh, ok I guess we're doing this again...but I don't really want to, so maybe if I make everything painful you'll stop'. I also read somewhere recently that your body naturally runs in the gait that preserves the most energy. Thus, to burn more calories, and not hurt yourself you have to run harder and faster than you think you do. Just a fun fact for you to chew on.
The big moment of this month was "bonking", which I thinking means having sex if you urban dictionary it, but that's not what I'm talking about. To "bonk" according to cyclists and triatheletes (?) (ie my boyfriend) is to work out really hard and then in the middle lose all energy and just feel like collapsing. This is often preluded by a gnawing hunger that presents itself in the middle of your work out that gets worse and worse the harder you push. This had never happened to me, so I never believed it existed. Unfortunately, today I found out that I was wrong. On mile 6 of this long run I started feeling extremely hungry...like, feed me now type of hungry... so I called my boyfriend worrying that I would pass out and he advised that rather than walk the last two miles I should run them if I could. Which I could, so I did, but it felt awful. And by the end I was so tired that I went directly to safeway to get a vitamin water and a power bar all of which I ate in less than 5 min. I know I was out of it though because as I was walking in the aisles I was trying to figure out why 80 minutes was not 2 hours... it was truly, truly confusing.
Anyways, I feel much better now. And "the goop" has now been recommended to me... although hopefully they have snacks on the course so I don't have to eat gross processed liquid gel grossness. gross. Not to tell you how I truly feel.
Until next week!
:)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A couple of long runs
For all of you who were holding your breath wondering if I was going to do the long run on Saturday or Sunday. The long run ended up being on Sunday! That's right, pay up.
The long run on Sunday was at Waterdog park in Belmont CA. Here is a lovely picture of the view of it...
It basically looks like the peninsula hills, but it's just a nice trail run. It's known for abundant mountain lions and apparently a ghost that steals people away never to return. I've been running there since high school and as of yet have not had an issue, but I might just be lucky. It's a tough run, once I get to the trail head it's basically 1.5 miles uphill and usually it's brutal. I felt pretty good on it though, usually I'm huffing and puffing by the end but I felt great at the end.
As I am writing this blog currently from outside of Park City, Utah. Utah is gorgeous and currently we are about 5,000 - 6,000 feet up. Literally Mount Timpanogos is right outside the window and is stunningly beautiful. Here is another picture:
It's a little less green, since it's winter but the overall point is that we are high up, like mountain level :P. Therefore, running should be interesting this week. While I will not be able to do speed workouts or even the temple run, I'm definitely going to take advantage of training in the altitude. In fact, despite waking up super early tonight (4:05am) my BF and I went for a quick 2.5 mile run, about 1/3 of which was uphill and sheesh my lungs were bleeding. That was quite tough, definitely did a number on me. It was a really beautiful run though, even though painful.
We'll probably run a little bit everyday and then by the end of the week, i'll hopefully be in better shape even though I won't be on my schedule. Will resume the specific speed and tempo workouts next week and let you know how I feel. This week is going to be pretty painful though I can already tell :) That's ok, at least it's beautiful here and not as cold as I would have thought.
Will keep you updated as the week goes on! I'm going to try downhill skiing one day so hopefully I won't be too sore after that to go on a run, or I just might push through.
Till next time!
The long run on Sunday was at Waterdog park in Belmont CA. Here is a lovely picture of the view of it...
As I am writing this blog currently from outside of Park City, Utah. Utah is gorgeous and currently we are about 5,000 - 6,000 feet up. Literally Mount Timpanogos is right outside the window and is stunningly beautiful. Here is another picture:
It's a little less green, since it's winter but the overall point is that we are high up, like mountain level :P. Therefore, running should be interesting this week. While I will not be able to do speed workouts or even the temple run, I'm definitely going to take advantage of training in the altitude. In fact, despite waking up super early tonight (4:05am) my BF and I went for a quick 2.5 mile run, about 1/3 of which was uphill and sheesh my lungs were bleeding. That was quite tough, definitely did a number on me. It was a really beautiful run though, even though painful.
We'll probably run a little bit everyday and then by the end of the week, i'll hopefully be in better shape even though I won't be on my schedule. Will resume the specific speed and tempo workouts next week and let you know how I feel. This week is going to be pretty painful though I can already tell :) That's ok, at least it's beautiful here and not as cold as I would have thought.
Will keep you updated as the week goes on! I'm going to try downhill skiing one day so hopefully I won't be too sore after that to go on a run, or I just might push through.
Till next time!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Failure & Success
Not all attempts at workouts are going to be successful.
For some reason I was more ok with this than I thought I would be. On Thursday night I was very excited for my tempo run. Hopped onto one treadmill did a great warm up and felt fantastic then hopped off to get some water (yes, when I run I spontaneously turn into a rabbit). Then I got back on my treadmill, but it had decided it wanted to sleep and would not wake up. I got onto another (old) treadmill just as I guy was switching to a new one.
Me: "Is this treadmill working?"
Dude: "uhh..."
Me: "more or less?"
Dude: "more or less"
Alright then, jump on and turn to my 8:57 mile pace and it immediately felt weird. My legs felt like you had attached lead weights to them. OH EM GEE. I was only able to run for 1.5 miles (much less than the 4), and I got off the treadmill thinking that maybe I was tired and today wasn't my day. OR maybe it was the treadmill that the other guy didn't like. Who knows? It was a failed work out. But these things happen you know? I went out to dinner with a few girlfriends to Coconuts, which has never failed to be fantastic (the friends and the restaurant).
Last night I attempted again. Although it messes up my schedule I think getting the runs into the schedule is more important than the schedule itself. I tried a new treadmill, and it was a new day, and I completed the 4 mile tempo run! With a 10 minute warm up and a 8 minute cool down (I was too hungry to finish the cool down), I ran for 55 minutes! That was great.
It was easier than last week, but it didn't feel like anything special. Less of a sense of accomplishment than a sense of "good, you finished what you had left unfinished". Odd satisfaction. Anyways, I'll most likely do the long run tomorrow, my calves are feeling a bit sore (yay!)
I'm going to start researching what to eat before and after runs....
NOM NOM NOM. Just a word of advice if you start training for anything: you will be thinking about food just about as much as you think about the training. Just a heads up. And now for the Dim Sum...
For some reason I was more ok with this than I thought I would be. On Thursday night I was very excited for my tempo run. Hopped onto one treadmill did a great warm up and felt fantastic then hopped off to get some water (yes, when I run I spontaneously turn into a rabbit). Then I got back on my treadmill, but it had decided it wanted to sleep and would not wake up. I got onto another (old) treadmill just as I guy was switching to a new one.
Me: "Is this treadmill working?"
Dude: "uhh..."
Me: "more or less?"
Dude: "more or less"
Alright then, jump on and turn to my 8:57 mile pace and it immediately felt weird. My legs felt like you had attached lead weights to them. OH EM GEE. I was only able to run for 1.5 miles (much less than the 4), and I got off the treadmill thinking that maybe I was tired and today wasn't my day. OR maybe it was the treadmill that the other guy didn't like. Who knows? It was a failed work out. But these things happen you know? I went out to dinner with a few girlfriends to Coconuts, which has never failed to be fantastic (the friends and the restaurant).
Last night I attempted again. Although it messes up my schedule I think getting the runs into the schedule is more important than the schedule itself. I tried a new treadmill, and it was a new day, and I completed the 4 mile tempo run! With a 10 minute warm up and a 8 minute cool down (I was too hungry to finish the cool down), I ran for 55 minutes! That was great.
It was easier than last week, but it didn't feel like anything special. Less of a sense of accomplishment than a sense of "good, you finished what you had left unfinished". Odd satisfaction. Anyways, I'll most likely do the long run tomorrow, my calves are feeling a bit sore (yay!)
I'm going to start researching what to eat before and after runs....
NOM NOM NOM. Just a word of advice if you start training for anything: you will be thinking about food just about as much as you think about the training. Just a heads up. And now for the Dim Sum...
Monday, November 14, 2011
Overview of week 1/diving into week 2
Helllooooo ...
Warning: some might construe the language in the Kei$ha section of this blog post to be inappropriate (surprise?)
So in the theme of being honest, I'm going to reflect on last weeks workouts:
Monday - Speedwork - Felt great, but it was too slow because I can't subtract (YAY MATH)
Tuesday - weightlifting, wonderful class, I think my mom is going to join me
Wednesday - nada
Thursday - Tempo run - Felt great, but was drained by the end and not feeling well
Friday-Sunday - nada- Feeling sick so no running or cross training
So not the most successful week, but I blame it on that silly cold that I had, plus like I said in an earlier post, it was an eventful week.
Here's to this week! Tonight I did the speed workout, which was honestly very intimidating when I looked at it at first. It was a warm up, 4 x 800m at an 8 minute mile pace, and a warm down. So a total of 5 miles for the whole workout. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The 800s go by pretty fast, except the last one I had a side cramp, for the last like .2 of the .5 mile, that was painful... like to the point where I was grimacing. Now I understand the grimace that you sometimes see runners do in those really intense photographs, but the pain quickly subsided when I slowed down. I definitely could not have done a whole 800m with that type/intensity of cramp.
Today was the first day I listened to music during my workout. I generally like to listen to pop music for running because of the beat and the electronic music is just plain fun, so today me and Kei$ha were hanging out. For those of you who thought Kei$ha was trashy but have only listened to the singles on the radio, phew you have a WHOLE nother thing coming to you. Her songs are ridiculously shitty, as in--- who knew you could objectify both men and women at the same time?----shitty. I mean, I'm regularly appalled by the awful messages about women in pop music (yet, they're so catchy... and if I was a better person maybe I would stop listening to it all together for this reason) but if there was ever a line to cross she crossed it by singing about how she wanted to dump a guy because he talked to much and so she didn't want to date a "vag" ---as in vagina. I mean seriously? Since when was having a vagina and all of the qualities that it represents used as a derogatory insult against a guy? I mean, I think it's in the same vein as stripping men of their masculinity by calling them other unmentionables that are feminine related. But still, the blatancy of it all was really appalling and...to be honest, just disgusting. Then again, that is her image... overall, I'm just struck at how silly I was to give Kei$ha the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I'll switch to pure electronica music.
I wonder if you're allowed to listen to music while running/ if it's like a "thing" during races. Are we supposed to be listening to our internal fights about whether or not our legs are supposed to give out? Or in my case calculating in as many freaking ways as possible how much time is left, how many miles I have run and how many more I have to go.... haha you would be surprised what a desperate mind can come up with. Or maybe you wouldn't, maybe you're not a naive Kei$ha giver of the benefit of the doubt as I am. :)
Looking forward to this week:
Tuesday - Weight training
Wednesday - 4 mile tempo run (ooops, apparently last week was supposed to be 3! at least I know I can do 4 now, haha)
Thursday - nada
Friday - cross
Saturday - endurance - 8 miles (this is what it says, I might do 7)
Sunday - nada (might switch the endurance run to this day because big game is on saturday!) --- WOOO GO STANNY - ahm, had to get that out of my system.
Until next time!
Warning: some might construe the language in the Kei$ha section of this blog post to be inappropriate (surprise?)
So in the theme of being honest, I'm going to reflect on last weeks workouts:
Monday - Speedwork - Felt great, but it was too slow because I can't subtract (YAY MATH)
Tuesday - weightlifting, wonderful class, I think my mom is going to join me
Wednesday - nada
Thursday - Tempo run - Felt great, but was drained by the end and not feeling well
Friday-Sunday - nada- Feeling sick so no running or cross training
So not the most successful week, but I blame it on that silly cold that I had, plus like I said in an earlier post, it was an eventful week.
Here's to this week! Tonight I did the speed workout, which was honestly very intimidating when I looked at it at first. It was a warm up, 4 x 800m at an 8 minute mile pace, and a warm down. So a total of 5 miles for the whole workout. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The 800s go by pretty fast, except the last one I had a side cramp, for the last like .2 of the .5 mile, that was painful... like to the point where I was grimacing. Now I understand the grimace that you sometimes see runners do in those really intense photographs, but the pain quickly subsided when I slowed down. I definitely could not have done a whole 800m with that type/intensity of cramp.
Today was the first day I listened to music during my workout. I generally like to listen to pop music for running because of the beat and the electronic music is just plain fun, so today me and Kei$ha were hanging out. For those of you who thought Kei$ha was trashy but have only listened to the singles on the radio, phew you have a WHOLE nother thing coming to you. Her songs are ridiculously shitty, as in--- who knew you could objectify both men and women at the same time?----shitty. I mean, I'm regularly appalled by the awful messages about women in pop music (yet, they're so catchy... and if I was a better person maybe I would stop listening to it all together for this reason) but if there was ever a line to cross she crossed it by singing about how she wanted to dump a guy because he talked to much and so she didn't want to date a "vag" ---as in vagina. I mean seriously? Since when was having a vagina and all of the qualities that it represents used as a derogatory insult against a guy? I mean, I think it's in the same vein as stripping men of their masculinity by calling them other unmentionables that are feminine related. But still, the blatancy of it all was really appalling and...to be honest, just disgusting. Then again, that is her image... overall, I'm just struck at how silly I was to give Kei$ha the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I'll switch to pure electronica music.
I wonder if you're allowed to listen to music while running/ if it's like a "thing" during races. Are we supposed to be listening to our internal fights about whether or not our legs are supposed to give out? Or in my case calculating in as many freaking ways as possible how much time is left, how many miles I have run and how many more I have to go.... haha you would be surprised what a desperate mind can come up with. Or maybe you wouldn't, maybe you're not a naive Kei$ha giver of the benefit of the doubt as I am. :)
Looking forward to this week:
Tuesday - Weight training
Wednesday - 4 mile tempo run (ooops, apparently last week was supposed to be 3! at least I know I can do 4 now, haha)
Thursday - nada
Friday - cross
Saturday - endurance - 8 miles (this is what it says, I might do 7)
Sunday - nada (might switch the endurance run to this day because big game is on saturday!) --- WOOO GO STANNY - ahm, had to get that out of my system.
Until next time!
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