Sunday, August 31, 2008

Happy Labor Day Weekend

Okay, so it's been a little while since I have posted and in all honesty I have lost track as to what week of training this is... 4, I think - but the training is going pretty well. I just finished a 9 mile run that went better than planned. Yesterday's run though - not so well. It was meant to be a 3 mile at pace. Well, the pace I have been aiming for is an 8:00/mile - not impossible, but certainly it has been awhile since I have run that pace. As it worked out, I didn't get out until 11:00 (mainly because I was supposed to run this on Friday, but put it off and then I put it off almost all morning). Lilli joined me since it was supposed to be a quick run through the neighborhood. I started out right on pace and felt great. I hit the end of the first mile and then I started slowing down. I tried to fight it, but I couldn't maintain the pace. I think the quickly rising temp's had everything to do with it, but the run was still a decent run - about an 8:30/mile average. So that is training... work is slowed down to an almost manageable pace - I had really hoped to take some time off before Labor Day to work on stuff around the house - I've still yet to finish anything I've started this summer... and Wow! where did the summer go?! Two weeks ago we went back to the zoo - twice - just us and Lilli. We had a great time. The weather was perfect once again and the crowds weren't bad at all. The second time we went back was for "Animals and all that Jazz" which basically was the zoo open after hours (free to get in for members like us) and we could walk around, or sit at a table and listen to a live jazz band. It was a nice thing to do on a Thursday evening. That is all for now. Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Week 1 - Weekend Edition

I was able to get my run in on Friday, but I was not able to settle in to my pace. Instead I settled on staring a minute off and working my way up to pace - which wasn't bad,but not what was scheduled.

Saturday's run went well - 6 mile run on some hills (actually part of the half marathon course). I think what was scheduled was a 90 minute run, but at this phase in the training 6 miles was appropriate. I am just a little behind in my base miles to have started with the training plan I have, but I'll be caught up by the third week I think.

If all goes well, I'll be able to hit all of my runs this week - weather looks to be phenomenal! So un-Indiana-like... it been great....

Friday, August 08, 2008

Week 1 Training Update

My first full week of training did not go as I had planned. I got in my 3 mile run on Monday, then Tuesday I had leave work early to take Lilli to the doctor and before I knew it the day was over, but I thought I would slide it to Wednesday since it was supposed to be a rest day. Unfortunately, Lilli was still under the weather so I kept her home form daycare and played Mr. Mom for the day and tried to get some work done at the same time...

Needless to say, I did not get my run in. And when Thursday came around, I was not able to get a lunch time run in (I had a meeting at lunch I had forgotten about) and then was meeting up with friends after work. Now I probably could have squeezed a run in somewhere, but I was too tired in the morning to make it out of bed early enough and too tired after work to give it a try. Sounds like excuses to me...

So today is my redemption (hopefully). I'm going up north to a job site to check out the progress, but then am planning to leave work early to get a run in. Keep your fingers crossed...

Saturday, August 02, 2008

It's On...

So Thursday I signed up for the Indianapolis Half Marathon. Last year I did the full marathon, but this year with the way my running has been going, I thought it best to keep it to the half. It will still be tough to train for, but I think I can handle it - and I had better as my training had to start this weekend. I got 5.25 mile in for my first "long run" - though my training schedule had me running for 90 minutes... yeah, wasn't going to happen. I know I could have run longer, but since last week was my first week back after three weeks off, I felt it was in my best interest to ease into it.

Next weekend is another 90 minute run, so maybe then, but we'll have to see how the rest of the week goes. Monday is 3 miles, Tuesday is some track work (7 x 400 at 5k pace), Wednesday will be a rest day, Thursday is tempo run , Friday is 3 mile at pace - a fun week for sure.

That's all for now. Happy running to all...