I love to compete in Virtual Races. They are FREE! It is motivating because once you sign up, you feel like you are accountable to run that distance. There is no pressure. It doesn’t matter what your finishing time is. You can fit it in whenever you have time. You discover NEW blogs. And sometimes you can win a random prize just for entering. Below are two Virtual Races coming up:
Non – Virtual Races
I love to compete in Non Virtual Races even more. They are not free but most of the entrance fees do go to charity and you get a teeshirt. It is motivating because once you sign up, you feel like you have to TRAIN to run that distance. There is pressure. But that’s a good thing. Under pressure is when I do my best running. They are scheduled so you have to organize your life and rearrange things. You meet other runners. You feel like you are part of a community that shares the same interest – racing. And sometimes you can even win some bling. Below are some of the Non Virtual Races that I may run (the purple ones are definites):
4-10-11 Delmar Dash 5mi
4-23-11 Lake George Half Marathon
4-30-11 Great Mom’s 5-K Fun Run or YMCA 5k or St. John’s/St. Ann’s Center Spring Run-Off 5k/10k or Brink 5k or 5-01-11 Sean’s Run 5k or Literacy 5k ??
This Week’s Question: Regardless of the distance you train for, or whether it be road racing or triathlon, training is time consuming. What are your tricks for fitting all your training into your schedule? How do you balance family, friends, work and training?
Balance is the hardest part of running, especially if you are training for a long race. I have to fit in tennis contracts, tennis matches, yoga, work, appts, mah jongg, my mentee, my friends, and my hubby.
I plan all my running for the week on Monday. I post my running schedule on my blog. It keep me accountable.
I arrange my running around my life and my life around my running.
So far, I have luckily been able to do it all.
However, you have to be realistic and flexible. So sometimes, the running part gets cut short because other things are more important.
Last week update:
My goal was 24 miles and I ran 5 times for a total of 24 miles. YAY!! I played tennis once and did Yoga once.
This was Week #9 of my 2nd Half Marathon training. 3 weeks to go!
Goals for this week:
This week’s schedule:
Mon – dentist
Wed – yoga
Thurs – meet bf at the mall
Fri – OFF from Work, mah jongg
This week’s running:
Tues – 4 miles after work
Wed – 3 miles after work
Fri – 12 miles
Sun – Delmar Dash 5 mile race
Weekly Running Goal = 24 miles
April Monthly Running Goal = 80 miles, a race, a Half Marathon
Most people just go out and run more often or run longer.
Not me! I get pysched by planning my running outfit!
first half marathon outfit
That was my first skirt and I loved racing in it. I liked the pockets to carry my phone, camera, gu but my hubby said it made my hips look HUGE! I will wear my ASICS shoes again and the Compression Socks! Why ruin a good thing?
So here’s what I have:
running skirt
shirt if it's warm
shirt if it's cool
a black Spi Belt (to carry my phone, camera, gu)
and a black baseball cap or visor.
“It’s the training that gets you to the starting line. It’s the pacing and energy management that gets you to the finish line.” – Kenneth Harkless
So true!
As I struggle with the weather and time commitments, I know that I must train if I want to run another half marathon. I also know that my training runs are always my worst runs. I can’t run fast. I can’t run without stopping. But somehow when I get to the start line of a race, I can run at a decent consistent pace and I can run without stopping. It is this enthusiam that will get me to the finish line of my next race (first 5 miler) and my 2nd half marathon.
Yesterday, I struggled with the wind and my weariness and ran a slow 4 miles. At least, I had negative split times. Before yoga, I plan to do the same today (It’s supposed to be warmer & less windy). Then hopefully again tomorrow before our forecasted snowstorm. Yes, I said snowstorm!!!!!!!!
Another new race but in a location where I have run a 5k before (Cardiac Classic on Thanksgiving 2009). I haven’t run a 5K since December and I have had problems running with any speed. (Longer distances do that to you!!) I was lazy about my runs this past week. (I cut my 3.5 mi to 1.5 and my 3 mi to 2) So I had no idea how this would come off. Unfortunately it was colder than it should have been this time of year too.
I had the same dilemma as my last race. Do I try to PR or do I save some energy to run 8 more miles after the race????????????
So I did the same thing as my last race – run my fastest but be realistic about the results…
It was 23 degrees when I left the house. I tried not to over dress because it was sunny. I left behind my thermal gloves & hat and wore thin gloves, baseball cap, tights, shorts, a turtleneck, vest and a red fleece . Red because this race was to raise money for heart disease.
I got to the race about a 1/2 hour early. It was freezing!!!! It felt a lot colder because of the WIND! Luckily the pavilion in Central Park had 4 fireplaces where everyone was huddling to keep warm.
Then we had to walk almost a mile (at least it seemed that way) to get to the start of the race and wait in the freezing cold. There were almost 600 runners in the race – a lot of firemen and a lot of young runners.
I started out fast. The first mile wasn’t as hilly as the 2nd & 3rd. The course is pretty scenic but the hills weren’t fun and the WIND was a killer. My hands didn’t thaw out til the 3rd mile.
I wanted to run a good race but also I wished that I could PR. However, I ran out of steam at the end. When I saw 29 minutes on the clock, I was disappointed but I ran as fast as I could — I did not want to finish over 30 minutes!!
Official time: 29:22 Pace – 9:27 Place – 270 2nd in AG (55-59)
6th in AG (50-59)
Splits (according to my Garmin):
mile 1 – 9:16
mile 2 – 9:54
mile 3 – 9:33
.1 – 6:48
Not even close to a PR but on this same course in 2009, I finished in 30:12.
I hung around for a little while. There was soup, pizza, bagels, fruits, etc. They only gave awards (trophies) to first place in each 10 year age group. No hope there!
after the race
I was debating on where or not to add more miles to make today my long run day but I was too COLD!!! It was still 23 degrees when I left.
I called my hubby and we decided to go take pics of his plane (the one that was destroyed when the hangar collapsed from the snow).
before
Now
To cheer ourselves up, we went to a boat show and then to Lake George and out to dinner.
Tomorrow am I am subbing in a USTA tennis match. I hope to win this time.
Then I am going to do my long run. I haven’t decided if I am going to run 11 miles or just 8 (since I ran 3 today). Maybe it will be warmer and less windy!! One can hope!!!
A year ago (actually March 14, 2010) Felice (The Happy Runner) organized a group of young mothers who had NEVER run before. She asked me and several local bloggers to help out.
I participated in the group training runs and got to follow them from the “wondering if they could run 2 minutes without stopping” stage to finally running a 5K race.
at the Freihofers Run for Women 5K
Well, they didn’t stop there!! They ran more 5ks and got faster!!! They ran a 10k!! Then they signed up to run a Half Marathon – in their first year of running!!!!!
Whoa!
I was so proud of them!! But at the same time, a little jealous… This is my 3rd year of running and I’m still entering 5ks!! (51 of them….) And I am happy when I break 30 minutes.
These ladies made me realize that I could push myself. So I did!!
I finished the Turkey Trot 5k well under 28 minutes!!
Then believe it or not, I ran a HALF MARATHON.
So thanks “Running Mamas” for lighting a fire under my feet!
Let me know when you sign up for a Marathon. I have no plans for running one…but you never know…
I finally registered for the Lake George Half Marathon yesterday that I have been training for for the past 6 weeks…(it’s on April 23)
I haven’t run my 2nd half yet and I signed up for a 3rd Half Marathon (Adirondack Half Marathon)- it’s on September 25, 2011 and it goes half way around Schroon Lake. (The Half Marathon will begin at the 13.1 mile marker and will end at the Full Marathon Finish Line. The runners will run on the easier section of the marathon course. The first five to six miles are flat; then there are long, gentle hills on Route 9. Time to complete this race will be 5 hours.)
Am I nuts? Have I been possessed by the Ides of March?
At least I will have 2 months off before training for my 3rd half marathon. I will have to change my long runs to Thursdays after work to accommodate the boating season of July & August and I will be able still fit in my Sat 5k races. Yay!!!
(On another note – I haven’t run in 3 days!!! I am recovering from Daylight Savings Time and playing tennis 3 days in a row. Running begins tomorrow or else!!!)
Another new race for me. Not a new distance because I already ran a 4 mile race last month. So I was hoping to have a better time.
That is the course map – but had no idea if it would be hilly or flat. This is a very popular race. Around 800 registered which was a record.
The forecast was: Cloudy periods with scattered wet snow and/or rain showers. Nothing heavy. Highs 43-48
I was hoping for an hour of dry weather. (I’m a wimp about rain!!)
It was a challenge to decide what to wear and not be over dressed. I decided to wear tights, shorts, a turtle neck under my lime green half marathon shirt and bring a green sweatshirt, hat, gloves, just in case.
I received an e-mail that the parking would be difficult so I left extra early. I got a spot in the closest lot and hung out in the legion hall till the start of the race. I bumped into several runners that I knew.
I took some pics before the race and didn’t have a pocket to carry my camera during the race.
You can see that you don’t run this race for the scenery. Green Island is an old factory town.
The weather seemed colder than I had thought – it was damp and cloudy. I decided to wear my green sweatshirt, cap & gloves for the race. I was fine – just a little warm toward the end.
The course, though not scenic, was pretty flat. I thought that I would not race since I had planned to run 10 miles today. But as soon as the race started, I wanted to do well. I also wanted to do better than my last and 1st 4 mile race. So I just ran!!!
When you finished, there was a screen with the LIVE results – mine said: 37:56.
My splits according to my Garmin were:
mile 1 9:06 mile 2 9:46 mile 3 9:40 mile 4 9:24
I got nervous after the 1st mile than I would run out of gas so I slowed down. Then I wanted to PR so I sped up during the last mile.
My Garmin time was 37:56 but the clock time was 38:02. I’ll take it. It’s a PR by 2 minutes 9 sec.!!
You can watch me cross the finish line on video (at 2:35):
I grabbed some food and water and left to complete my long run.
I parked my car at work and ran into Albany and ran around Washington Park and through the streets for 6 more miles.
The St Patrick’s Day parade had ended and there were a lot of drunk people and people wearing funny green outfits & accessories! Pretty entertaining.
I didn’t continue at my race pace, of course. (The 6 miles were all over 11 min/mi) But it is my best long run ever. I didn’t need to walk much. I think the 4 mile race was just what I needed.
Last week I ran 9 miles in 1:54. Today I ran 10 miles in 1:45!!
To celebrate, I stopped at Starbucks. A cocoa cappuccino and a tiramisu cake pop – YUM YUM!!!
On the way home, I stopped to watch my USTA tennis team play its first match of the season. We lost 3-2 (in a tie breaker). I play next Sunday.
Now it’s time to spend time with the hubby – restaurant and maybe a movie.
I signed up for Detroit Runner’s Virtual 5k which was supposed to be run on Saturday, March 5. Saturday I did my long run and then Monday I ran 4 miles on the treadmill.
So yesterday I ran my 5K race.
I was tired of the treadmill at the gym so I braved the 14 degree temps at 7 am in the morning. I dressed in my usual winter layers and hoped that the roads wouldn’t be too icy.
They weren’t – just here and there you had to slow down and walk over the icy patches.
Ever since October when I started training for my first half marathon, my pace has slowed to a crawl – sometimes over 12 min/mile. Always over 11 min. That’s OK for long runs but not for a 5K.
Even when I was training for 5ks, my runs were slower than my actual race pace. I can’t seem to motivate myself to not stop when I get tired. In a race, I can push myself because I am very competitive.
So on this cold morning, with teary eyes and runny nose, I finished at 32:19. Not even close to my 27:20 PR but under 11 min/mi is a good run for me these days. (The last mile was 10:15)
Today it was raining!! I stayed after work and used the treadmill. For the first time!! Yes, we have 2 treadmills at work. They are on the stage in the gym. Lucky the curtain is closed. It is dark and there are no TVS and no people. Kinda creepy. I watched an episode on “The Good Wife” on my iPod and ran my usual SLOOOOOW 3 miles.
Tomorrow is a REST DAY! I have a race on Saturday — Runnin of the Green – 4 miles. A new race for me!! I’m excited!
My First 5K and More... 
