Does anybody have the answer to how to make yourself get out of bed in the morning?
I know, I know, it has to be motivation that comes from within. I just need to find an alarm clock that will play an unbearably loud noise, followed by turning on the light and TV in my bedroom. Is there an app for that?
I have had the best of intentions this week to get out of bed by 5am and run in the mornings.
Alas, it hasn't happened.
Starting next week, I will have to get my daughter to Driver's Ed by 7am every morning to drive. How will I ever do that and run too?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day
This morning, I met my friend C at Rend Lake to run 10 miles. When I left my house at around 6:30am, the temperature was 78 degrees, with the humidity at 94%. The air was heavy.
When we started running, we were both struggling to catch our breath. That humidity was taking its toll. Luckily, when C and I run together, her hubby runs support. He met us several times throughout the run with fresh water and Gatorade. I think I was dehydrated after the first time we stopped, I couldn't get enough to drink. About 4.5 miles in, C asked me if I was up for stretching it to 12 miles. I was undecided. At that point, I was starting to feel a bit better than I had at the beginning of the run. When we reached 5 miles, we went ahead for the extra mile before turning around to head back.
At the 10 mile point, I was thinking that we had made a big mistake. Ai yi yi.
We decided that the last 2 miles were bonus miles and walked more than we had in the first 10.
Finally, we reached 12 miles. Hallelujah!
I'm glad that we ran the miles because my parents had a cookout for Father's Day, and I indulged in burgers, dogs, and the works.
After running a 5K on Saturday and 12 miles today, I think I shall take a day of rest for Monday!
When we started running, we were both struggling to catch our breath. That humidity was taking its toll. Luckily, when C and I run together, her hubby runs support. He met us several times throughout the run with fresh water and Gatorade. I think I was dehydrated after the first time we stopped, I couldn't get enough to drink. About 4.5 miles in, C asked me if I was up for stretching it to 12 miles. I was undecided. At that point, I was starting to feel a bit better than I had at the beginning of the run. When we reached 5 miles, we went ahead for the extra mile before turning around to head back.
At the 10 mile point, I was thinking that we had made a big mistake. Ai yi yi.
We decided that the last 2 miles were bonus miles and walked more than we had in the first 10.
Finally, we reached 12 miles. Hallelujah!
I'm glad that we ran the miles because my parents had a cookout for Father's Day, and I indulged in burgers, dogs, and the works.
After running a 5K on Saturday and 12 miles today, I think I shall take a day of rest for Monday!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Sandoval Sesquicentennial 5K Race Report
This morning, I ran the Sandoval Sesquicentennial 5K. This was a one-time only race, they won't be having another. The course was out and back, very flat.
I arrived at around 7:45am and registered, hit the port-a-potty, and waited for the 8am race start. It was hot. It was humid. Yuck. Looking around, people were already sweating.
When the race started, I felt great, I ran the first mile in 9:13. I thought I could get a PR for 2009 anyway. The second mile was a bit tougher. After the turnaround, the sun was shining right in my face, and no air was moving. Mile 2 was 9:55.
After the mile 2 marker, I was ready to walk it in. I kept going, though, and mile 3 was 10:09. I wound up running the race in 30:33 (Garmin time). There was a decent turnout, so I didn't win anything, but I didn't mind that too much.
Here are the stats, from Garmin:
I arrived at around 7:45am and registered, hit the port-a-potty, and waited for the 8am race start. It was hot. It was humid. Yuck. Looking around, people were already sweating.
When the race started, I felt great, I ran the first mile in 9:13. I thought I could get a PR for 2009 anyway. The second mile was a bit tougher. After the turnaround, the sun was shining right in my face, and no air was moving. Mile 2 was 9:55.
After the mile 2 marker, I was ready to walk it in. I kept going, though, and mile 3 was 10:09. I wound up running the race in 30:33 (Garmin time). There was a decent turnout, so I didn't win anything, but I didn't mind that too much.
Here are the stats, from Garmin:
Distance: 3.13
Time: 30:33
Pace: 9:45/mile
Average HR: 177 (yikes, that's high!)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
July Half Marathon
All right, so my friend who I ran the non-official "Half" with on Sunday asked me to run the Joker's Wild Half Marathon again this year. I use the term "asked" loosely, since she has now asked me approximately 10 times.
Last year, I saw C the night before the race at Westport Plaza (the race begins and ends in the Westport area of St Louis). She was looking forward to the race. She wound up getting sick that night and was a no-show for the Half.
Today, I was thinking about how I tend to cultivate a few of my friendships and don't think twice about blowing off others. On the heels of that realization, I decided to go ahead and sign up for the race. So, it's official. I'll be running the Hoyleton Hofbraufest 5K on July 11, then the Joker's Wild Half Marathon on July 12. I'm looking at the bright side... with the weather in the 90's this week, maybe I can swap and have June-like weather for these races.
This Saturday: Sandoval Sesquicentennial 5K. This is the start of races pretty much every weekend for the rest of the summer, just like last year.
Last year, I saw C the night before the race at Westport Plaza (the race begins and ends in the Westport area of St Louis). She was looking forward to the race. She wound up getting sick that night and was a no-show for the Half.
Today, I was thinking about how I tend to cultivate a few of my friendships and don't think twice about blowing off others. On the heels of that realization, I decided to go ahead and sign up for the race. So, it's official. I'll be running the Hoyleton Hofbraufest 5K on July 11, then the Joker's Wild Half Marathon on July 12. I'm looking at the bright side... with the weather in the 90's this week, maybe I can swap and have June-like weather for these races.
This Saturday: Sandoval Sesquicentennial 5K. This is the start of races pretty much every weekend for the rest of the summer, just like last year.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
June Half Marathon
My friend C has given herself a goal of running one half marathon per month in 2009. She has been right on track until June. Her hubby had a surgery, and she missed her scheduled half marathon last weekend. She decided to go ahead and run the miles and call it a Half.
We met at 7am and drove down to the Tunnel Hill trail. We ran the portion from Vienna to the Wetlands Center. This was 13.25 miles, according to Garmin.
It was warm but overcast. When I left my house, it was 72 degrees. Ugh. Luckily, almost all of the trail was in the shade.
So, we ran the distance. It wasn't as fast as it would have been in a race, but we ran the miles. That's all I was really worried about anyway. About 10 miles in, I started feeling good. At 12 miles, I felt like I could run forever. Yeah, I'm a distance runner fo sho.
We met at 7am and drove down to the Tunnel Hill trail. We ran the portion from Vienna to the Wetlands Center. This was 13.25 miles, according to Garmin.
It was warm but overcast. When I left my house, it was 72 degrees. Ugh. Luckily, almost all of the trail was in the shade.
So, we ran the distance. It wasn't as fast as it would have been in a race, but we ran the miles. That's all I was really worried about anyway. About 10 miles in, I started feeling good. At 12 miles, I felt like I could run forever. Yeah, I'm a distance runner fo sho.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Crossroads Dash 15K Race Report
One thing about me that you may or may not have figured out is that I tend to be all-or-nothing.
It's only fitting then, that after 3+ weeks of no running, I would run a 15K race my first week back.
I was undecided up until about 10pm Friday night whether or not to run the race at all. A couple of my friends decided to go on Friday night, so I agreed to go along. There is a 5K as well as a 15K, so I figured I'd just run the 5K. On the way there, I decided to go for it and run the 15K. I know that this is a hilly race, having run it several times, but I convinced myself that it couldn't be THAT bad, and certainly there would be somebody there slower than me.
Ummm, it IS that bad, and all of the slower people ran the 5K.
Yes, I accomplished two firsts at this race. It was my slowest ever 15K, over 16 minutes slower than my time at this race last year. AND, I managed to finish dead last. In my defense, I would guess that there were less than 20 people who went for the 15K distance, and only 6 women. Yup, I finished dead last, but won first place in my age group.
Here are the stats from Garmin:
It's only fitting then, that after 3+ weeks of no running, I would run a 15K race my first week back.
I was undecided up until about 10pm Friday night whether or not to run the race at all. A couple of my friends decided to go on Friday night, so I agreed to go along. There is a 5K as well as a 15K, so I figured I'd just run the 5K. On the way there, I decided to go for it and run the 15K. I know that this is a hilly race, having run it several times, but I convinced myself that it couldn't be THAT bad, and certainly there would be somebody there slower than me.
Ummm, it IS that bad, and all of the slower people ran the 5K.
Yes, I accomplished two firsts at this race. It was my slowest ever 15K, over 16 minutes slower than my time at this race last year. AND, I managed to finish dead last. In my defense, I would guess that there were less than 20 people who went for the 15K distance, and only 6 women. Yup, I finished dead last, but won first place in my age group.
Here are the stats from Garmin:
Distance: 9.41 miles
Time: 1:49:12
Pace: 11:36/mile
Average HR: 170 bpm
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Coming Back...
Wow, has it really been a month since I've posted?
Well, I could bore you with all the details of what's been happening, but I won't.
Remember this?:
Yeah, well, my running has been very sparse ever since. And, as a result of minimal running, my weight loss has stalled. But, I'm not going to write yet another "poor me, I'm so fat" blog. If I am fat, it's my own fault, and I will take care of it.
I think I've found my mojo finally. I'm running again, for real. I went out for 7 miles today in the most beautiful weather. I think everybody in the county was outside, too. And, you know I can never stop to walk when somebody is outside to see me.
My average pace was 11:33/mile. Not great, but not bad for not running for almost a month!
I really don't have a lot to say, but I'll be back here soon and often!
Well, I could bore you with all the details of what's been happening, but I won't.
Remember this?:
Yeah, well, my running has been very sparse ever since. And, as a result of minimal running, my weight loss has stalled. But, I'm not going to write yet another "poor me, I'm so fat" blog. If I am fat, it's my own fault, and I will take care of it.
I think I've found my mojo finally. I'm running again, for real. I went out for 7 miles today in the most beautiful weather. I think everybody in the county was outside, too. And, you know I can never stop to walk when somebody is outside to see me.
My average pace was 11:33/mile. Not great, but not bad for not running for almost a month!
I really don't have a lot to say, but I'll be back here soon and often!
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