worst run ever!

So I just finished my five mile easy long sunday run.  And it was the worst run of my life!
About 77 degrees, 80% humidity, rain showers (light), and only 1 hour after my salad.  Uh--bad.  As far as my pace, that was fine 10:53, right in line for long run pace.  However, the level of discomfort I felt was unbearable.  I need to get a heart rate strap for my garmin, because I am positive I had to be at about 90% for the duration of my run.  Right now, 15 minutes after stopping and cooling down, my hr is still 120.  I am drenched (part sweat and part rain, mostly sweat i think).  I am having terrible stomach ughiness and overall I think i might be better off dead.

Ok..I'm being dramatic, I know.  But really, this run was no fun. 
Glad it is over, and yes, I'm glad I did it and did not miss a training day.
Proud of myself for that.... :-)

A week away...

Ok, so my initial plan to update this after every run has not gone so well this past week.  It looks like my last update was the 21st so let's catch up.
6/23: 3 miles at 9:32; I ran in the neighborhood at 12 in the afternoon.  Pretty sure I didn't much feel like going out this day--oh it was supposed to rain. So I decided to stick to the neighborhood so if it did rain I could just turn around.
6/26: 7 miles at 10:27; second long run and I was really happy that I kept my pace slow.  I did a big loop in the park and then the small park loop and it worked out great.  Went out at 7:20 pm and it was in the high 70s (it has been for just about every run)
6/28: 3 miles at 9:37; my week day short runs are turning out to be at a bit of a faster pace than planned; however it keeps me entertained to see the faster numbers in contrast to the slow numbers of my long runs. I think it builds confidence in myself that I will be able to run at my planned marathon pace; I think if I just went out slow every day, I would be nervous that I wouldn't be able to run at marathon pace because it would feel so foreign to me. 
6/29: 4 miles at 10:18; just did one big loop of the park and worked to keep myself slower than the day before.  It was very hot this day; I believe still around 80 when I went out.
6/30: 3 miles at 9:32; despite heading out at almost 7pm, it was still around 80 for this run and I really am getting sick of the heat.  I ran down to narragansett blvd for this run, out and back.  I discovered that it is exactly 1.5 miles to the yacht club at the end of the road; glad I discovered this route, felt good, felt fast; again glad to see my pace at the slightly faster numbers as it is building my confidence.

I find that when I really don't want to run; I run much faster!  I have been really focusing on hydration and trying to stay ahead of the game in terms of that.  No palpitations lately; been eating kinda crappy the past two weekends b/c of cookouts but I'm trying not to beat myself up too much about it.
My left knee began feeling a bit tweaky last week, focused on stretching a bit more and now no pain.  Also started to feel some stress in my shins last week but again with the increased stretching, the pain has subsided.

Went out for 31 miles on the bike yesterday with Dad and Nick.  My longest ride of the season thus far.  I have had several 25 and one 26, but this was the first week I really wanted to and felt comfortable enough to bump up the mileage slightly.  31 felt good and I think next week I could comfortably do the 31 again.  I actually think i could bump it up to 35-40; but my long run bumps up to 9 miles next week so I don't want to do back to back stressful work outs.  I am thinking I should bump up the bike miles every third week; when the run mileage cuts back for a week.  We'll see how it goes.  My biking goal for this summer is only to hit a 50 mile ride; and really just be able to comfortably use biking as cross training for my marathon training.  After this year, I am going to focus on running in the winter and cycling in the summer.  I'd like to do my third century next summer; maybe even do two centuries next summer.  This winter I'd like do do another half marathon and depending on how this marathon goes, either another marathon or a third half in the early spring before I switch over to cycling as my primary exercise. 
Ok, about to head out for my 5 mile run; it is currently cloudy and 77; hoping it doesn't storm on my while I'm out there!
Happy 4th of July! 105 days till the race!

Rough Day

Not in terms of training, just in terms of life.  It seems the past few days have really sucked, and things just don't seem to be turning around.  Before my run, I got in two tax bills that are kind of messing with my budget and have me pretty damn stressed.  So, needless to say, I needed to run (both to stick to my plan but also for stress relief); however, I had little to no desire to run.
But I did.  I got my three miles in, 10:02 pace, felt easy--though it is pretty damn hot out. I forgot to check the temp before I went out but it is 73 now at 7pm and I went out at 6, so it was probably around 75 or so.  Sunny and nice out. Wore two pairs of socks today, per suggestion of the podiatrist I went to.  Haven't taken my sneakers off yet, so no clue how well it worked.  My feet are burning, so I am guessing there are blisters. 
Oh well.  I think 116 days till race day.

First Long Run

So today was the first long slow run of my training.  It was a six mile run, which is about one mile more than I have run in three months (and I've only run 5 miles once or so in the last three months...).  Needless to say, I was feeling a bit nervous about the run.  My stomach was actually a little bit nervy before I went out.  It was a bit odd.  I worked last night and slept from about 8-11, then ate an english muffin with pb&j, then went back to sleep from about 2:30-6.  When I woke up I had a bagel thin.  My plan was to run after the sun was starting to get lower in the sky, because I knew today would be a hot day.  So I went out at about 7 and it was somewhere around 78 degrees and sunny.  My goal was to really stick to a slow pace, as prescribed by my training program.  This has been a challenge for me in the past.  Last night I spent some  time on runnersworld.com playing around with their training calculator to determine what my lsd pace should be.  Based on a marathon time of 4:15 (9:44 min/mil), my lsd pace should be 10:52-12:13.  Today, my pace was 10:45.  While a bit faster than I would have liked, it felt very comfortable and I am proud that I was able to maintain a pace slower than what I am used to.  Typically, I start to run and I just settle into my "normal" pace, when I try to run at a set pace I have a really hard time with it.  So I'm really happy with today's run.  I felt good during the run, my feet were a bit uncomfortable but no other complaints.  Oh, I did have some issues with cramps in my chest/shoulder area, tried to breathe through and it seemed to work.  Finished the run with a  severe side stitch that almost had me doubled over, walked it out and it went away.  Walked Cooper after and drank a good amount of water.
The first week of training is behind me and I feel great.  My countdown till the race is a bit off, but I think I'm 119 days out!!

Cross Train Saturday

So yesterday was a rest day (which I totally blew up having clamcakes & chowder for lunch with copious amounts of wine at dinner--but it was a really rough day emotionally so it was kind of called for).  I did totally and completely rest yesterday aside from a bit of fishing but I would hardly call that a workout!  Today I rode with my dad for some cross training.  We did 26.29 miles at a 15.5 average pace.  I felt really good and my dad commented that my running through the winter is showing itself in my climbing ability.  I even was able to, without much effort, pass him on Nate Whipple (my arch-nemesis end-of-ride hill climb).  As far as fuel, I had pb&j on english muffin for breakfast with a chobani and then pre-ride I had a trail mix bar and a banana.  At about mile 18 I started to feel my stomach growling so I ate my sport beans and they held me over until I got home.  Drank 16 oz of water on the ride with 16 oz before.  Also had large glass of juice and about 12 oz of iced tea before ride.  After ride, I had a can of diet 7up and a large glass of skim chocolate milk.  I really enjoyed the ride today.  When we went out the temp was around 77 at 1pm, and when we got home it was 84.  Sun shined the whole ride, and we went out on a lot of roads I have never been on.  A lot of the roads intersected or ran parallel to roads I know, so it was cool to see the same areas from a different perspective.

I have my first long run tomorrow, it is 6 miles.  I am slightly nervous about it, but I know that six miles is not very long and it is well within my reach.  My goal will be to run at a slow pace and enjoy myself and try to enjoy spending the time outside doing something positive for myself.  I like to remember that all of this training and exercise is one of the many ways I take care of myself and replenish my spirit.  With wedding planning and the kind of day-to-day stresses everyone encounters, I need to remember that I am my priority right now and I need to provide for myself before anyone else.  I would like to put a little focus onto the idea that "you can only control how you react to situations, you cannot control the situations you encounter."  Hopefully the time I spend working out and working on myself this weekend will help give me some perspective to the crap I dealt with on Friday and I will end the weekend with a clearer head than I went into it with.
I am valuable and I value myself, it is my priority to care for myself and to treat myself the way I deserve to be treated.  I love my life, and I am grateful I have discovered the tools I have to deal with stress.  I am a lucky girl! :)
121

Thursday

So today was another three mile run, I ran it a bit faster than the other two runs this week, at a 9:35 pace (my pace was much more consistent--I think both things can be contributed to a slightly flatter course).  today I ran out to Pawtuxet.  I went out at 8am and it was sunny and 60 when I went out, sunny and 67 at the end.  No food before, walked cooper to cool down after.  I drank 24 oz after the run and ate a yogurt and planters trail mix bar.  Then I went to the beach and drank another 24 oz of water.  Felt good on the run, my feet hurt from the blisters a bit, but I made an appt to see a podiatrist next tuesday so that should be good.
123

2/125

So today was my second day of running.  Again, I ran three miles.  This time I ran at City Park for a change of scenery.  Today is sunny and 72 degrees, I worked last night and slept four hours today.  I had a bagel thin with light cream cheese and a greek yogurt with a glass of juice prior to my run.  After I had about 20 oz of smart water.  Average run pace 9:41.  My pace on hills slows considerably (from an average around 6.2 down to around 5.4), I would like to improve on that.  I felt good during the run, relaxed, breathing felt easy.  Palpitations during the first mile that were asymptomatic otherwise.  After the run, I walked another lap of the park (~2.4 miles) incorporating walking lunges up the hills during the first mile, side walking squats, and stationary squats.  Felt good to be outside, lots of salt left over after the run though so will have to be careful to replace that.  As far as my fears/excitement--don't feel any twinges anywhere and stretched thoroughly after run, was motivated to run today and had no trouble getting out the door.  Looking forward to tomorrow's run, excited to know Friday is a rest day and Saturday I will most likely be cycling.  Happy to have had another good training day!
124 days till the race
(Oh and Nick surprised me this morning and registered me for the race, so I am officially entered to run!)