First run in a week...

So i took a week off. There I said it. I felt like I couldnt run. Even starting out today, I felt heavy. LIke I need to shed 5 lbs. Or 10.

I ran 30 minutes which is a make up of yesterdays 5 mile run. Ha. And no, I didn't run 5 miles. I just did what fit.

Last night I was upset so I cleaned and organized and straightened. It's my OCD and outlet.

Tonight, is more running. Today's running that is. 3 1000s at 5:15 its going to be tough sans dustbowl. Then a pedicure. Then dinner. Then Britney.

YUM.

bust

No surfing, no tennis, no exercise from Thurs-Sunday. I can't even explain how guilty I feel/felt about it. Moving on though. My body is rested, I have a busy week in terms of both workouts and plans so I need to get it out of my head and move on.

The plan is to run 5 miles tonight, run 1000s repeats tomorrow, a 5k on Thursday, and a long run Sunday. Sat is off and Sun is a 5 mile run, we shall see :)

Monday, Tuesday rest, Wednesday work it!!

My gym routine was quite intense. My knee has been tight, my hips and inner thighs weak... so one day a week I'm going to kick it into high gear... So here it was:
set 1- 3 set- stepups with reverse lunge and twist w medicine ball (8 reps each leg), hip flexor strengtheners (12 each side), y squats (12 reps)

set 2-3 sets- simple back lunge 5 reps each leg, dumbell squat with high double pull (12 reps, 10 lb weights each hand)

set 3- 2 sets- hop and squat- 12 hops, dumbell crosspunch- 12 times each side- 10 lbs, knee back and forths with 4kg ball

set 4- 3 sets- side squats on bosu ball 12 total, single leg squat w single arm dumbell shoulder press (8 reps each side, 10 lbs), squats on bosu ball (10 reps)

set 5- 3 sets- hip adducters- 70 lbs 15 reps, hip aBductors 70 lbs 15 reps, prisoner squats (12 reps)

set 6- 3 sets- skull crushers- 15 lb bar (15 reps) , glute bridge (8 each side), tricep push backs (15 reps)

I'm thinking about not running too too much this week. We're goign out East so we'll be swimming, surfing, playing tennis. I'll try and stay active but I'm not going to stress. I will run 16 miles on Sat or Sunday depending, and 4 miles at least 2 other days which is way more than enough in so far as I'm concerned. I'm just pissed still about the race!!!

NYC Half was a complete let down

So yes, it was hot. So yes, I had mini food poisoning on Friday. So yes, my back was a mess on Saturday. So yes, not ideal.

Regardless I thought I could pull it off.

It was hot as hell. Humid as hell. I woke up at 520, got ready, did my biz, ate some total (my usual) and took a cab up to 97th and 5th. Check in/baggage was a breeze and I was in my corral by 6:25. Terrible. We didnt take off until about 7:16 which was ridiculously late and I was hungry. The first water stop- no water or gatorade. I had my fuel belt thankfully. Second water stop- no water or gatorade..> I kept chugging along; third water stop- no water nor Gatorade!!! Come on NYRR!!!!

I thought I could hack my time if I could make it out of the park, but I just couldn't, it was like there was no energy store from which to draw... I took a salt tablet at mile 6... I was starting to feel not right. By 7th avenue I had full blown goosebumps and felt terrible. I drank most of the diluted Gatorade my mom had to me at mile 9... but was disappointed, knew unless I could pick it up I wouldn't be breaking any records.

Down the West Side Hwy was even worse, my ear blew out and I couldn't hack it, I walked a bunch. Usually I can avoid my watch for a while, yesterday even 45 seconds I was back looking at it. Terrible.

Finished in 2:26. 5k was a 33:20 and the 10k was 1:08 so not too too terrible but fell off wildly.

Was NOT ok at the end. Ate more salt, took 2 glasses of Gatorade and sat for a few min before feeling OK enough to walk to the baggage claim. People were dropping like flies so I was happy that didn't happen. But still, sucked.

I was in tears yesterday pm. It's like my body has a mind of its own, cooperates when it wants... etc. My legs weren't even tired!!! I wanted to go to the gym after the run, that's how 'easy' it was. (except for the almost dying part). I had a heat rash all on my face and neck so that's also indicative of heat exhaustion.

I'm not as upset after crying on Matt's shoulder, but I'm still not happy. It always feels like the more I put in the less I get back. I had SUCH good runs on Wed and Thurs I was so pumped. To fall flat on your face is the worst!!

Anyway onward and upwards I suppose. I need to think about what my running goals really are... because to be honest, I'm not quite sure anymore.

it just keeps getting better

so last night i ran in the park... i was all up in arms about what i should do since i had to pick up my half marathon shirt and swag bag (thats an exageration because readlly its the shirt, a bag of popcorn (wtf?) and some chapstick). I'm ok with the race being so expensive, i mean, they shut down the city, BUT come on, a little something would be nice.

Anywho, I ran from my office up to the Drive and 72nd street, I wanted to run my 15 min tempo run but wasnt going to run with the group. I ran a 10:30 pace for the warmup mile but it didnt feel tough at all. I ran the lower loop clockwise in prep for sunday and ran the following 550s: 2:59, 2:54, 3:03, 3:09, and 2:53.. the 3:03 and 3:09 were on the uphills (however slight) so i am OK with that. I need to work on consistency for sure... still was a 8:25-9:09 pace. My cool down was from 72nd street to 89th street (to pick junk) and was at a 10:30 pace... which for up cat hill without stopping wasnt too bad at all. i was pretty happy with both myself and how i felt when it was over.

what else, d tag... thats an interestign developement. i hope i do it right for sunday. paula ratcliffe is running sun, also interesting and very exciting. the park shuold be fun. my mom and felix and matt will be along the course in their team tshirts i made for the marathon, also fun.

that's all i've got folks. carbs and rest until then!!!

SOOO Proud

I really am just so proud of myself. After a weekend of being slightly under the weather and then having a fever Tuesday at work after sleeping 11 hours on Monday night, I skipped Tuesdays workout and was feeling quite down about it yesterday. The skies looked they they were giong to open up any second but since weather.com begged to differ (showed 15% chance of rain) i prayed they were right (for once) and headed out around 6 pm for a 5 m (maximo!!! dijo danny) run in Central Park. Sunday's half will start on 5th and 97th and do a clockwise loop before heading down 7th ave. I wanted to mimic the hardest part of the course (for me at least) the west drive up through the east 90s.

The night was humid, the barometric pressure high, storms were brewing. I ran from my office on 52nd and 5th up to 5th and the park, darted left and went into the park on center drive. I stopped here to stretch. I was running in my Nikes and I'm not convinced they are the right shoe... With 7 pairs in my closet bought in 2009 you'd think one pair would be!!! But I digress... I struggled through the first 20 minutes of the run, it's been quite a while since I ran clockwise in the park- perhaps the Scotland 10k.... and that was in April. That's the last I can remember at least. The rolling hills in the 80s and 90s were tough but fine. Harlem Hill didnt break my breathing rythym (in fact I think at the top was the first time I breathed through my mouth)... part 2 of HH was tough, I always find that the length of the incline is tough for me.... Harlem HIll repeats are in my future fo suh.... after I hit 100 on the east side it's not paved. Actually, this is really annoying, it felt as if the earth was grabbing my foot each time they individually hit the ground, perhaps it was lactic acid, but still. Felt tough. I stopped at engineers gate, to get water and because I was late and took a cab back to work before a dinner date.

I ran 5.1m in 51:30. Fast for me. For sure. Gives me much confidence for Sunday and my 2:10 goal. If I can run CP in 10:30 splits I can pick up the rest going flat to BPC.... 9:30 will be fine (can you IMAGINE?? THis is me, Ms. Slowpoke saying this?) I am a speed drill convert. Thank you Urban Athletics. Bring on the Sunday.

Wed,Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun

The last half of the week was pretty heavy in terms of running. I ran Wed, Thurs, Sat and Sun. WOW. Who knew I'd be able to run 5 days a week (also ran Tuesday). Wednesday was a 3 mile at 11 min pace but i only made is 2.5m before my shins were just too tight to continue. I did a bunch of cross training and called it a night.

Thursday we were back at the dustbowl. Work had really taken a toll on me and emotionally I was drained, I thought the workotu would follow the path that work had, however, the opposite was true. I ran 1000s w the group and ran 7:45, 7:43 and 7:29 (4:50, 4:51 and 4:41)pace in the 3 1000s respectively. I was super impressed and really happy with these. The week prior I had run 5:03, 5:05 and 5:10 on the very same track. perhaps I wasnt pushing myself? Or was it that I was so uncomfortable on Thursday I didnt care if I was physically uncomfortable?

Friday was terrible. Let's leave it at that.

Saturday I woke up after not a ton of sleep (unrelated to the terribleness that was Friday) I took a cab just over to the other side of the queensboro bridge. (Imagine telling that to a cabbie- Queens please, just over the Queensboro bridge!) I ran over the Qboro bridge (huge non event, but perhaps at mile 15 its terrible? idk the hill on 5th ave at 23 is WAY worse), onto 1st avenue, up to 96th street (started having some shady characters and I wasnt in the mood) then west on 96th street until I hit the park, through the dustbowl onto the Loop. I was looking to running to 110th street and then up 5th ave, but I thought I needed to pee so I was going to run to the Great Hill and once I ran Harlem Hill I didn't feel like turning around and thought perhaps the half was counterclockwise (which i discerned was false just into the run since tons of people were talking about it) and continued onto the 86th street transverse, crossed the park and then ran down the Loop to 72nd, over to Park and down Park because it was summer streets. I finished at a respectable 1hr 53 min (10.5m) which was OK. It was tough though.

Sunday I ran a measly 2.5 m. Wasnt in the mood, was humid, had stomach issues. I dont know.

The half is Sunday, I'm looking fwd to taking it easy this week. We shall see.