This morning I went on an early run. I like running with other people sometimes (depending on the person, haha), but this morning a solo run was just what I needed. The setting was lovely. The sun had just risen, dawn had just broken. I am thoroughly enjoying that the sun rises before 5:30 AM these days and doesn't set till 9, oh the joys of summer. The skies were a little bit gray with light rain clouds, and it had begun to drizzle when I set off on my run. I ran from my apartment, to Balboa Park's museum area, through some of the botanical garden, through some dirt trails, and back home. I passed a couple runners, but for the most part no one was out. I was alone with my thoughts, and considering the minor drama in my life right now, it was nice pound the pavement and sweat it out.
It was my first real run since my marathon, and I wasn't sure how it would go. I skipped anything involving exercise on Monday, I deserved a break after 26.2 miles the day before. But I did a light workout Tuesday and did spin class (although took it easy) on Wednesday. I didn't work out Thursday, but I could feel that my legs might still be a little tired this morning. My knees were a little bit creaky as I started out, but I completed my 4.75 mile loop, and it was hilly at that. Although I felt more sluggish than normal, I felt so good afterward. Totally worth getting up early and resisting the urge to hit the snooze button a few more times (after the 5 times I had already hit it...)
I was also maybe a little bit more light on my feet than normal because I had ordered a new running skirt the week before and was finally trying it out. I had been skeptical about them; before I started running I had no idea people ran in skirts. I could barely run in shorts without chafing. But Body Glide does wonders. I slathered myself up in some of that and, after conquering running in shorts, tried out my running skirt. So comfy. I could definitely see buying another. I bought one because runningskirts.com was having a National Running Day special, 15% off. So maybe I will wait for another deal like that. But it's so cute. Black, teal, and purple argyle. I am not going to lie, I got a couple honks from cars this morning. The skirt made my legs look rather awesome if I do say so myself. And I got a matching sports bra. I think my new exercise goal will be getting my stomach to the point where I am comfortable just wearing a sports bra and shorts (or skirt) to work out. I will probably still never do it, but I would still like my abs to look nice.
That morning run definitely set the tone for the rest of my day. I am feeling happy, and I love the feeling. Plus I earned that beer I am going to have after work today! :-)
Friday, June 10, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Rock n Roll San Diego 2011
I finished my first marathon!!!!!
It is seriously one of the best feelings I have ever experienced. It's been a day and a half, and I am still overwhelmingly elated. It's incredible.
Saturday I went with Jeff to the expo for the marathon, and it was awesome. We took the trolley down there, which ended up being a great choice. I hate driving down there in the first place, but traffic was even worse than usual. We went early and good thing we did- it was already packed. It was a huge expo, but very well-organized. According to the announcer, SD's Rock n Roll was the first one so I guess they've figured it out by now. I got my bib, my tracking chip, and my shirt, plus some Clif Shots (I have always used Gu chomps, but Clif shots taste a lot better!), and we were out of there.
I decided that since I needed to be carb-loading, we needed to have brunch at Pappalecho. They have the BEST cappuccinos I have ever had- tied with Twiggs, which is conveniently right across the street from our new apartment. I ate my entire plate plus a side of potatoes. But it's okay, because I needed the carbs... yeah... this was followed by pasta, mushrooms, and asparagus for dinner. The perfect pre-run meal nom nom nom!
The morning of the race went really smoothly, better than I could have asked for. I woke up at 4:30 to give myself time to make a little coffee and eat breakfast (Honey Bunches of Oats with soy milk- not really common pre-race fare but it's what I had been eating before my long runs, so I figured it was probably a good choice), and make sure I had everything ready. Oh yeah and the most important thing- I foam rolled. I think it saved me during the race. Jeff drove me to the start line, and it was already light outside which amped me up to run. Right before the race, I got my fill of my trashy tv stars- Ali and Roberto from the Bachelorette were there, and so was Tamra from the Real Housewives of the OC (with her boyfriend, Eddie). Um- awesome. If I had to pick anyone to see, it would have been them anyway. Jeff's mom can confirm this. I am a little obsessed with my shows...
Before the race, I got to my corral and just wanted to get going. Unfortunately, the race started by corral, which was dependent on your estimated finish time. Mine was 4:20 so I was in the middle. Instead of starting at 6:15, I ended up starting closer to 6:35. But by then I was excited and just wanted to get going! It was a beautiful day in Balboa Park, perfect for running. Finally, after bouncing around to warm up, our corral (number 17) got started.
The first part of the run was actually the same as a 10K Jeff and I did last year, the AIDS walk San Diego. We are doing it again this year. It goes around Balboa Park and then through some of the museum area. I was fully focused on my run except for one thing- even though I had used a port o potty before the race started, 1 mile in I REALLY had to pee. Like, badly. I kept waiting to see which port o potties were least crowded, and somehow they were all really crowded. Ugh. Finally at around mile 3 there were 3 people in line for 3 bathrooms and I decided now was my chance. Even though it added 5 minutes to my time, it was worth it. Better then than that mile 18 when I wouldn't be able to start back up again.
After that I felt refreshed. I ran the next 10 miles nonstop. It was an awesome run. I got to run on the 163 freeway, a road I have to drive all the time. I have never seen it without cars; it was a little creepy but really cool at the same time. It was hilly but so fun that I barely noticed. Plus a group of guys carrying a flag that said "England" ran by in their tighty whities- interesting things like that help keep the focus off the actual running part of the race.
After mile 14, things got a little more difficult. The run was just as pretty, through mission valley past the mall and to the ocean. But since I am used to half marathons, anything beyond 13.1 miles got immediately difficult. I was okay until about mile 18 and then I realized, WOW this is tough. I slowed down a lot. I walked and ran off and on, luckily more running than walking. Getting to mile 20 was hard but once I got there, I realized that it was the furthest I have ever gone at one time. That made me feel awesome. After that it got even tougher, but the race organizers planned the race well. The last 6.2 miles were right on the ocean, through mission bay and then around fiesta island. The temperature was warmer but not too warm.
I really started to struggle during the last 5 miles. I was surprised that I ended up hurting where I did- my feet, my lower back, and my knees. My knees didn't surprise me, but I figured it would be my hamstrings and quads hurting. I had brought my phone with me knowing Jeff was going to meet me at the end, and I texted him that I would probably be another hour. The response I got back seriously almost put me to tears. Let me explain. I was already emotional. I have this thing that I get emotional when I work out. It's really weird, I admit it. I remember one time I was on the treadmill and "Hoarders" was on. It was an episode in which this lady owned a barn and kept all these animals in horrible conditions. There was a goat that was pregnant and had gotten hurt months before and it wasn't treated. It's leg was torn up and probably broken. It made me tear up. I think strong feelings + crazy adrenaline pumping through my system= Amanda crying. Awesome. Anyway, Jeff texted me that I was great and he couldn't wait to see me at the finish. And it was the encouragement I needed to finish the race. So even though I walked a lot in the last few miles, I ran the full last mile and felt strong. I was soooo happy to be done, not only because I was physically exhausted, but because 16 months of training had amounted to this. I had definitely not trained as much as I should have, but I was still able to finish. It was such a great feeling of accomplishment. Yayyyyy!!!
Jeff just barely missed me cross the finish line. Not his fault- the way the spectators had to get the finish line was ridiculous. There was no parking and instead they were encouraged to take the trolley to the nearest stop- over a mile away. But he was there at the finish line and I found him, and seeing him there made my day. I walked with him back to the trolley stop (after 26.2 miles, what's another mile?), and went home to soak in the bath tub before my beer consumption began.
A bunch of friends and I went to Small Bar for some beers and food, and it was just what I needed. Having my friends there to celebrate my accomplishment made me so happy. I spent the rest of the day eating (I earned that Cold Stone ice cream!) and resting, and just feeling great. That feeling lasted through today, and I hope it will last a while longer. I had a cappuccino with Ashley and Twigg's this morning and we hung out with our dogs in the sunshine, and this afternoon I had a 90 minute hot stone massage and pedicure to complete my post-run pampering. And now I am watching the Bachelorette with Jeff and Toby (yes, Jeff puts up with it- one reason I am marrying him). The perfect ending to a perfect day. This has been a perfect weekend. I am happier than I have been in a long time and I am excited about it. I want this feeling to last, and I am confident that it will. I am going to savor this feeling for as long as I can :-)
It is seriously one of the best feelings I have ever experienced. It's been a day and a half, and I am still overwhelmingly elated. It's incredible.
Saturday I went with Jeff to the expo for the marathon, and it was awesome. We took the trolley down there, which ended up being a great choice. I hate driving down there in the first place, but traffic was even worse than usual. We went early and good thing we did- it was already packed. It was a huge expo, but very well-organized. According to the announcer, SD's Rock n Roll was the first one so I guess they've figured it out by now. I got my bib, my tracking chip, and my shirt, plus some Clif Shots (I have always used Gu chomps, but Clif shots taste a lot better!), and we were out of there.
I decided that since I needed to be carb-loading, we needed to have brunch at Pappalecho. They have the BEST cappuccinos I have ever had- tied with Twiggs, which is conveniently right across the street from our new apartment. I ate my entire plate plus a side of potatoes. But it's okay, because I needed the carbs... yeah... this was followed by pasta, mushrooms, and asparagus for dinner. The perfect pre-run meal nom nom nom!
The morning of the race went really smoothly, better than I could have asked for. I woke up at 4:30 to give myself time to make a little coffee and eat breakfast (Honey Bunches of Oats with soy milk- not really common pre-race fare but it's what I had been eating before my long runs, so I figured it was probably a good choice), and make sure I had everything ready. Oh yeah and the most important thing- I foam rolled. I think it saved me during the race. Jeff drove me to the start line, and it was already light outside which amped me up to run. Right before the race, I got my fill of my trashy tv stars- Ali and Roberto from the Bachelorette were there, and so was Tamra from the Real Housewives of the OC (with her boyfriend, Eddie). Um- awesome. If I had to pick anyone to see, it would have been them anyway. Jeff's mom can confirm this. I am a little obsessed with my shows...
Before the race, I got to my corral and just wanted to get going. Unfortunately, the race started by corral, which was dependent on your estimated finish time. Mine was 4:20 so I was in the middle. Instead of starting at 6:15, I ended up starting closer to 6:35. But by then I was excited and just wanted to get going! It was a beautiful day in Balboa Park, perfect for running. Finally, after bouncing around to warm up, our corral (number 17) got started.
The first part of the run was actually the same as a 10K Jeff and I did last year, the AIDS walk San Diego. We are doing it again this year. It goes around Balboa Park and then through some of the museum area. I was fully focused on my run except for one thing- even though I had used a port o potty before the race started, 1 mile in I REALLY had to pee. Like, badly. I kept waiting to see which port o potties were least crowded, and somehow they were all really crowded. Ugh. Finally at around mile 3 there were 3 people in line for 3 bathrooms and I decided now was my chance. Even though it added 5 minutes to my time, it was worth it. Better then than that mile 18 when I wouldn't be able to start back up again.
After that I felt refreshed. I ran the next 10 miles nonstop. It was an awesome run. I got to run on the 163 freeway, a road I have to drive all the time. I have never seen it without cars; it was a little creepy but really cool at the same time. It was hilly but so fun that I barely noticed. Plus a group of guys carrying a flag that said "England" ran by in their tighty whities- interesting things like that help keep the focus off the actual running part of the race.
After mile 14, things got a little more difficult. The run was just as pretty, through mission valley past the mall and to the ocean. But since I am used to half marathons, anything beyond 13.1 miles got immediately difficult. I was okay until about mile 18 and then I realized, WOW this is tough. I slowed down a lot. I walked and ran off and on, luckily more running than walking. Getting to mile 20 was hard but once I got there, I realized that it was the furthest I have ever gone at one time. That made me feel awesome. After that it got even tougher, but the race organizers planned the race well. The last 6.2 miles were right on the ocean, through mission bay and then around fiesta island. The temperature was warmer but not too warm.
I really started to struggle during the last 5 miles. I was surprised that I ended up hurting where I did- my feet, my lower back, and my knees. My knees didn't surprise me, but I figured it would be my hamstrings and quads hurting. I had brought my phone with me knowing Jeff was going to meet me at the end, and I texted him that I would probably be another hour. The response I got back seriously almost put me to tears. Let me explain. I was already emotional. I have this thing that I get emotional when I work out. It's really weird, I admit it. I remember one time I was on the treadmill and "Hoarders" was on. It was an episode in which this lady owned a barn and kept all these animals in horrible conditions. There was a goat that was pregnant and had gotten hurt months before and it wasn't treated. It's leg was torn up and probably broken. It made me tear up. I think strong feelings + crazy adrenaline pumping through my system= Amanda crying. Awesome. Anyway, Jeff texted me that I was great and he couldn't wait to see me at the finish. And it was the encouragement I needed to finish the race. So even though I walked a lot in the last few miles, I ran the full last mile and felt strong. I was soooo happy to be done, not only because I was physically exhausted, but because 16 months of training had amounted to this. I had definitely not trained as much as I should have, but I was still able to finish. It was such a great feeling of accomplishment. Yayyyyy!!!
Jeff just barely missed me cross the finish line. Not his fault- the way the spectators had to get the finish line was ridiculous. There was no parking and instead they were encouraged to take the trolley to the nearest stop- over a mile away. But he was there at the finish line and I found him, and seeing him there made my day. I walked with him back to the trolley stop (after 26.2 miles, what's another mile?), and went home to soak in the bath tub before my beer consumption began.
A bunch of friends and I went to Small Bar for some beers and food, and it was just what I needed. Having my friends there to celebrate my accomplishment made me so happy. I spent the rest of the day eating (I earned that Cold Stone ice cream!) and resting, and just feeling great. That feeling lasted through today, and I hope it will last a while longer. I had a cappuccino with Ashley and Twigg's this morning and we hung out with our dogs in the sunshine, and this afternoon I had a 90 minute hot stone massage and pedicure to complete my post-run pampering. And now I am watching the Bachelorette with Jeff and Toby (yes, Jeff puts up with it- one reason I am marrying him). The perfect ending to a perfect day. This has been a perfect weekend. I am happier than I have been in a long time and I am excited about it. I want this feeling to last, and I am confident that it will. I am going to savor this feeling for as long as I can :-)
Friday, June 3, 2011
Jitters!
Bahhhhhh!!!
That is how I am feeling right now. It couldn't have anything to do with my iced latte from Twigg's this morning.. T-minus 1.5 days until my marathon. The San Diego Rock n Roll starts at 6:15 AM sharp on Sunday, and I am actually feeling ready. This will probably change at about mile 18, but for right now I am savoring how I feel. Angela said that the miles will go more quickly than I think and that I should savor every mile. I am sure I will "savor" every mile... it will probably feel like every mile is taking forever!
The last month has been quite an adventure. I found my wedding dress (so happy!!) and moved into a new apartment in a lovely area called University Heights. I love being within running distance to the park, especially when the weather is as good as it has been recently. It makes me want to run. Moving is always an ordeal, and we are still unpacking, but somehow amidst everything else going on, I found a little time to train. Jeff has started running with me again too, which is always nice. The time always goes by a lot more quickly when I run with him!
This past month has been great overall, but this past week has been a rollercoaster. I am sure this happens to everyone at some point or another, but sometimes when things seem to be going really well for me, something unexpectedly flies up and hits me in the face. Figuratively, of course. Hitting me in the face literally would probably be a bit worse. Anyway, that happened this week. I thought everything was running really smoothly in my social circles, but apparently it was not running as smoothly as I thought it was. I won't go into details. The point is that I almost let it affect my mood, which would in turn affect my training and my outlook going into this race. Instead, I realized that what was happening was out of my control, and I had done everything I could to prevent it. I had done my best, and at the end of the day that's all I can do. Everyone has their own opinion and their own way of seeing the world, and I can't change someone else's outlook. But I can control mine. Epiphany! No negativity for me. I feel fantastic going into this race! :-)
My 16-week training is coming to an end, and more than anything it has taught me what to do and not do next time I want to train for a full marathon. I did some things right and a lot of things wrong. I am sure next time will not be perfect, but I know more what will work for me and what won't. I ran into a few roadblocks, mostly when it came to my schedule, but it hopefully will all work out and I will finish my race. Next time I train for a full marathon, I definitely won't be planning a wedding (one is enough for me! haha), and I hopefully won't be moving. I can't believe that in the span of 4 months I will have started planning a wedding, moved into a new apartment, and completed a marathon. I just joined a site called The Daily Mile, which is a forum for runners and other athletes looking for some advice and encouragement. I have already made a few new running friends and I am looking forward to their kind words.
I know I have said this many many times, but I am soooo thankful for those people in my life that have supported me through my training. Number one goes to Jeff, who encouraged me to take 5 hours out of our Sundays together to go on my super long runs, and who put up with me not being able to move after said runs. He also gets double brownie points for driving me to the start line on Sunday at 5 in the morning- he's a keeper! My sister, parents, and friends have been more than supportive, and I have learned a lot from both the runners and non-runners in my life.
You can tell you have ADD when you are not just thinking about the race you've been training for for months, but also what your NEXT goal is going to be. I am definitely focusing on the marathon, but my mind can't help but wander to what I will attempt to accomplish after this accomplishment. My goal for the end of the summer will be a sub-2 hour half marathon at AFC. I completed last year's at 2:03:54, and that was my very first half. So I am confident that with the right training I can meet my goal. And if not, then oh well! I will be happy with my best!
The next goal will be triathlons!
But for right now, all I can say is... I am ready to Rock N' Roll! See you at the finish line :-)
That is how I am feeling right now. It couldn't have anything to do with my iced latte from Twigg's this morning.. T-minus 1.5 days until my marathon. The San Diego Rock n Roll starts at 6:15 AM sharp on Sunday, and I am actually feeling ready. This will probably change at about mile 18, but for right now I am savoring how I feel. Angela said that the miles will go more quickly than I think and that I should savor every mile. I am sure I will "savor" every mile... it will probably feel like every mile is taking forever!
The last month has been quite an adventure. I found my wedding dress (so happy!!) and moved into a new apartment in a lovely area called University Heights. I love being within running distance to the park, especially when the weather is as good as it has been recently. It makes me want to run. Moving is always an ordeal, and we are still unpacking, but somehow amidst everything else going on, I found a little time to train. Jeff has started running with me again too, which is always nice. The time always goes by a lot more quickly when I run with him!
This past month has been great overall, but this past week has been a rollercoaster. I am sure this happens to everyone at some point or another, but sometimes when things seem to be going really well for me, something unexpectedly flies up and hits me in the face. Figuratively, of course. Hitting me in the face literally would probably be a bit worse. Anyway, that happened this week. I thought everything was running really smoothly in my social circles, but apparently it was not running as smoothly as I thought it was. I won't go into details. The point is that I almost let it affect my mood, which would in turn affect my training and my outlook going into this race. Instead, I realized that what was happening was out of my control, and I had done everything I could to prevent it. I had done my best, and at the end of the day that's all I can do. Everyone has their own opinion and their own way of seeing the world, and I can't change someone else's outlook. But I can control mine. Epiphany! No negativity for me. I feel fantastic going into this race! :-)
My 16-week training is coming to an end, and more than anything it has taught me what to do and not do next time I want to train for a full marathon. I did some things right and a lot of things wrong. I am sure next time will not be perfect, but I know more what will work for me and what won't. I ran into a few roadblocks, mostly when it came to my schedule, but it hopefully will all work out and I will finish my race. Next time I train for a full marathon, I definitely won't be planning a wedding (one is enough for me! haha), and I hopefully won't be moving. I can't believe that in the span of 4 months I will have started planning a wedding, moved into a new apartment, and completed a marathon. I just joined a site called The Daily Mile, which is a forum for runners and other athletes looking for some advice and encouragement. I have already made a few new running friends and I am looking forward to their kind words.
I know I have said this many many times, but I am soooo thankful for those people in my life that have supported me through my training. Number one goes to Jeff, who encouraged me to take 5 hours out of our Sundays together to go on my super long runs, and who put up with me not being able to move after said runs. He also gets double brownie points for driving me to the start line on Sunday at 5 in the morning- he's a keeper! My sister, parents, and friends have been more than supportive, and I have learned a lot from both the runners and non-runners in my life.
You can tell you have ADD when you are not just thinking about the race you've been training for for months, but also what your NEXT goal is going to be. I am definitely focusing on the marathon, but my mind can't help but wander to what I will attempt to accomplish after this accomplishment. My goal for the end of the summer will be a sub-2 hour half marathon at AFC. I completed last year's at 2:03:54, and that was my very first half. So I am confident that with the right training I can meet my goal. And if not, then oh well! I will be happy with my best!
The next goal will be triathlons!
But for right now, all I can say is... I am ready to Rock N' Roll! See you at the finish line :-)
Monday, April 25, 2011
Confidence
I don't know what happened over the weekend, but for the first time in a couple months I am actually feeling pretty confident about this upcoming marathon. I think it's a mixture of things. I had a great long run yesterday, had a fantastic picnic on the harbor with my boys, had an awesome workout with Angela this morning (I usually have terrible workouts post-long runs!)... but mainly I think it's knowing how many people are supporting me. Not just in running, but in all aspects of my life.
My fiance Jeff is the one I rely on the most. He is my best friend. And he has been nothing but supportive. Training takes up a lot of time on Sundays, which is the only weekend day we both have off from work. But he always encourages me to go when I say I have to take off for a 4 hour run, even if it takes up a big chunk of our day together. Knowing that he genuinely wants me to be happy and achieve my goals keeps me motivated.
My friends have also been really supportive- even if they do try to get me to drink with them the night before my long run! Haha... I heartses them.
My trainer Angela has instilled some confidence in me. Not only does she give me killer workouts (like she did today), she is a runner herself. Today she told me that before her first marathon, she never ran more than 18 miles at one time. And for any marathon she has done, she's never run more than 20 at one time. Considering I worked myself up to 19 miles, that makes me feel a TON better. Only one reason I heartses Angela!
Time to celebrate my recent workout success (and my completion of folding the laundry) by cuddling with Toby!
My fiance Jeff is the one I rely on the most. He is my best friend. And he has been nothing but supportive. Training takes up a lot of time on Sundays, which is the only weekend day we both have off from work. But he always encourages me to go when I say I have to take off for a 4 hour run, even if it takes up a big chunk of our day together. Knowing that he genuinely wants me to be happy and achieve my goals keeps me motivated.
My friends have also been really supportive- even if they do try to get me to drink with them the night before my long run! Haha... I heartses them.
My trainer Angela has instilled some confidence in me. Not only does she give me killer workouts (like she did today), she is a runner herself. Today she told me that before her first marathon, she never ran more than 18 miles at one time. And for any marathon she has done, she's never run more than 20 at one time. Considering I worked myself up to 19 miles, that makes me feel a TON better. Only one reason I heartses Angela!
Time to celebrate my recent workout success (and my completion of folding the laundry) by cuddling with Toby!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
19 miles!
So... it's been a while since my last post. I didn't realize just how busy I would be- work, friends, fiance, Toby, wedding plans- I love every bit of it. And honestly, if I have to give up something, the blog has to go first. But I am glad I have a few minutes now to just spend on writing therapy.
To share what happened with the 20 (I think it was 20) mile run that I was supposed to complete last time I wrote, it didn't happen. I had been in a running funk and I completed 14 miles. Definitely not shabby, but not what I needed. My marathon is in less than 2 months and I have yet to run 20+ miles. But today I got a little bit closer.
I ran 19 miles today!! Personal best for me. The training schedule (which I had rearranged a bit with all of the Sunday activities that have been going on lately with family and friends) called for me to run 21 miles. Do I didn't quite get there, but 19 miles is pretty damn good considering my previous best was about 16. I ran from the harbor (I have discovered a nice little park across from the airport that I like to park in and run from) to downtown, up 6th street to Balboa Park (which is no small feat, it is rather steep), over to Sarah's place to see if she was home and wanted to run for a bit with me (she wasn't home), ran trail 2 of Balboa Park (which goes through the museums) twice, and then ran back to my car and stretched. I have realized that stretching is key. It's the difference between not being able to move and slightly being able to move (haha) after a long run.
I think one reason I was in a running rut was because I was getting bored. Running for more than a half marathon just gets boring, I ran for about 3.5 hours today and it just got a little old. A half marathon is perfect for me, and I think I can really improve my time if I stick with it. We will see what happens in my full marathon, but as it is right now, I don't know if I will be tempted to do another. But today gave me a glimmer of hope. I think I am finally out of my running rut. I need to check when my next long run is, but as long as I can get to over 20 miles, I think I will be feeling a lot more confident.
The park that I ran from today (not sure of the name) is actually where I brought Jeff and Toby today for a sunset picnic. It's a cute little park, and even though it's right by the airport in a really high-traffic area, it's never too crowded. In one direction it has an awesome view of the harbor and the San Diego skyline, and in the other it has a great view of Point Loma, and even Bali Hai, where Jeff and I are getting married. I love running from there because for miles you can just run along the water, either to downtown or to Point Loma. Jeff and I both agreed that it would be a great place to take our engagement pictures :-) With Toby of course! Not only is running good for my health, but it has allowed to me to see much more of San Diego than I probably would otherwise see. And it's such a beautiful city, I want to see as much of it as I can!
To share what happened with the 20 (I think it was 20) mile run that I was supposed to complete last time I wrote, it didn't happen. I had been in a running funk and I completed 14 miles. Definitely not shabby, but not what I needed. My marathon is in less than 2 months and I have yet to run 20+ miles. But today I got a little bit closer.
I ran 19 miles today!! Personal best for me. The training schedule (which I had rearranged a bit with all of the Sunday activities that have been going on lately with family and friends) called for me to run 21 miles. Do I didn't quite get there, but 19 miles is pretty damn good considering my previous best was about 16. I ran from the harbor (I have discovered a nice little park across from the airport that I like to park in and run from) to downtown, up 6th street to Balboa Park (which is no small feat, it is rather steep), over to Sarah's place to see if she was home and wanted to run for a bit with me (she wasn't home), ran trail 2 of Balboa Park (which goes through the museums) twice, and then ran back to my car and stretched. I have realized that stretching is key. It's the difference between not being able to move and slightly being able to move (haha) after a long run.
I think one reason I was in a running rut was because I was getting bored. Running for more than a half marathon just gets boring, I ran for about 3.5 hours today and it just got a little old. A half marathon is perfect for me, and I think I can really improve my time if I stick with it. We will see what happens in my full marathon, but as it is right now, I don't know if I will be tempted to do another. But today gave me a glimmer of hope. I think I am finally out of my running rut. I need to check when my next long run is, but as long as I can get to over 20 miles, I think I will be feeling a lot more confident.
The park that I ran from today (not sure of the name) is actually where I brought Jeff and Toby today for a sunset picnic. It's a cute little park, and even though it's right by the airport in a really high-traffic area, it's never too crowded. In one direction it has an awesome view of the harbor and the San Diego skyline, and in the other it has a great view of Point Loma, and even Bali Hai, where Jeff and I are getting married. I love running from there because for miles you can just run along the water, either to downtown or to Point Loma. Jeff and I both agreed that it would be a great place to take our engagement pictures :-) With Toby of course! Not only is running good for my health, but it has allowed to me to see much more of San Diego than I probably would otherwise see. And it's such a beautiful city, I want to see as much of it as I can!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Lazy!!
Ever since the Safari Park half marathon, I have had no desire to run. At all. I don't think I have run during the week (Tuesday-Saturday) once in the last two weeks. Which is abnormal for me. I ran my 6 mile training run (the shortest one yet) on Monday. I have just been so extremely busy. Jeff and I are more than a year away from our desired wedding date (we haven't even set a date in stone!) and I feel like we are completely engulfed in wedding planning. I am not going to lie, I love it. I love planning, as most of my close family and friends know. I am not complaining. But it's not very conducive to a solid running schedule. And on top of that, I have been lazy.
I thought that after taking a vacation I would be totally ready to get back into the full swing of things. The opposite is true. I want to continue the vacation! Ugh. It's frustrating. I have still been spinning and doing yoga and occasionally lifting. But I really need to concentrate on running. The Rock n Roll full marathon is in a little over 2 months and I have yet to do more than 16 miles.
Tomorrow is supposed to be my first 20 mile training run. I am feeling optimistic. This morning was the first morning I have woken up at a reasonable time, 6:45 AM (late for me but still pretty early), and actually have not wanted to keep sleeping for another hour. I don't care how long it takes me to finish my 20 miles tomorrow, I am determined to do it. I think I will stick to Balboa Park. I haven't run there in quite a while, and after visiting the Prado (as a potential wedding venue), I realized that I miss it.
Tonight I am going out with the girls to the gaslamp for the first time in at least six months, which I am stoked about. But again, I don't know how conducive it will be to my running date tomorrow... I guess we will see! When I am determined, I can make myself do something no matter how painful (sometimes a bad thing).
I think the hardest part about training for this marathon is not the mental grit I need to finish my training runs, or the physical toll the runs take on my body, but being able to fit the training runs into my busy schedule. I don't want to give up any other part of my life. I love hanging out with Jeff and Toby and my friends, so I have to make them a priority. Hence why I tend to run at 5 in the morning (not ideal, needless to say). I like feeling busy, but this is a little much. I think it will be worth it though. I may feel differently after running 20 miles tomorrow...
I thought that after taking a vacation I would be totally ready to get back into the full swing of things. The opposite is true. I want to continue the vacation! Ugh. It's frustrating. I have still been spinning and doing yoga and occasionally lifting. But I really need to concentrate on running. The Rock n Roll full marathon is in a little over 2 months and I have yet to do more than 16 miles.
Tomorrow is supposed to be my first 20 mile training run. I am feeling optimistic. This morning was the first morning I have woken up at a reasonable time, 6:45 AM (late for me but still pretty early), and actually have not wanted to keep sleeping for another hour. I don't care how long it takes me to finish my 20 miles tomorrow, I am determined to do it. I think I will stick to Balboa Park. I haven't run there in quite a while, and after visiting the Prado (as a potential wedding venue), I realized that I miss it.
Tonight I am going out with the girls to the gaslamp for the first time in at least six months, which I am stoked about. But again, I don't know how conducive it will be to my running date tomorrow... I guess we will see! When I am determined, I can make myself do something no matter how painful (sometimes a bad thing).
I think the hardest part about training for this marathon is not the mental grit I need to finish my training runs, or the physical toll the runs take on my body, but being able to fit the training runs into my busy schedule. I don't want to give up any other part of my life. I love hanging out with Jeff and Toby and my friends, so I have to make them a priority. Hence why I tend to run at 5 in the morning (not ideal, needless to say). I like feeling busy, but this is a little much. I think it will be worth it though. I may feel differently after running 20 miles tomorrow...
Monday, March 14, 2011
Best week EVER
So many things happened this past week I don't know where to start. Well okay, yes I do...
Jeff proposed!! On our first night on the cruise, he popped the question! I am so excited, I keep catching myself looking at my new shiny ring...
We had an awesome time in Cabo- we snorkeled, parasailed, shopped, drank, and just enjoyed the sunshine. We met some great people on the cruise, we got extremely lucky. Shout out to the Boyds, we are so lucky to have met you!
Another shout out to Samantha, I am so sad we couldn't celebrate our birthdays together this year but I was definitely thinking of you and I hope you had a drink for me!
Back to focusing on running (if I must)...
Yesterday, March 13th was not only my friend Sarah's birthday but also the San Diego Safari Park (formerly the Wild Animal Park) half marathon. I didn't do much in terms of training this past week since we were on the cruise. I ran once for a mile on the cruise ship and then got worried that I would either barf or spaz out and fall off the treadmill because of the way the ship was rocking. Saturday, Najia the Ninja had a JT-filled 90-minute spin class as a birthday celebration for me and Sarah, which was awesome. So that was a good jump-start to my weekend.
Going into the race, I was not mentally or physically prepared. Physically, I was sore from spinning, and I got 5 hours of sleep. Why they decided to have a 7 AM race on the first day of daylight savings time is beyond me. We had to get up at 5 AM (it's good that we did because traffic was bad on the one lane road getting into the park). Plus I may or may not have stayed up till 11 the night before reading the bridal magazines Jeff's mom got me... Mentally, my only thought about the race was that I wanted to finish. I didn't care about my time, I just wanted to have a good run and be done with it. Sarah and our other friend Ashley and I had a joint birthday celebration planned for after the race, so that's pretty much all I was thinking about.
As it turned out, not caring worked quite well. I beat my previous best time (or as they call it in the running world, personal record) by about half a minute. The course was really hilly so I am still not sure how I did that but I got a time of 2:03:21. Yay! I think it helped that we passed the rhinos and the cheetahs coming into the finish... the cheetah was staring me down haha. I would definitely do that race again, it was probably the most fun half marathon I have run so far. It definitely helped that Jeff was there to cheer me on at multiple points during the race, it made me really happy. I think I was just so excited about being engaged that I wanted to finish and see him!
I can't wait until Sarah plans my bachelorette race. Yes, I said race. In addition to my parties (plural, because I know that will be the case), we are going to run a race to celebrate. I don't know how long of a race, that's up to her as long as it's not a full marathon!
Did I mention yet that I can barely move today? Not only was I the most sore I have ever been after a race, I worked out with Angela. And as I've explained, I always feel like jelly afterward. We did mostly upper body, but with Angela, upper body workouts are always lower body workouts too. But that's fine because other than laundry, I will spending my afternoon cuddling with our dog Toby and catching up on all the shows I missed (currently it's The Bachelor: Women Tell All). Sounds like the perfect end to a vacation to me :-)
Jeff proposed!! On our first night on the cruise, he popped the question! I am so excited, I keep catching myself looking at my new shiny ring...
We had an awesome time in Cabo- we snorkeled, parasailed, shopped, drank, and just enjoyed the sunshine. We met some great people on the cruise, we got extremely lucky. Shout out to the Boyds, we are so lucky to have met you!
Another shout out to Samantha, I am so sad we couldn't celebrate our birthdays together this year but I was definitely thinking of you and I hope you had a drink for me!
Back to focusing on running (if I must)...
Yesterday, March 13th was not only my friend Sarah's birthday but also the San Diego Safari Park (formerly the Wild Animal Park) half marathon. I didn't do much in terms of training this past week since we were on the cruise. I ran once for a mile on the cruise ship and then got worried that I would either barf or spaz out and fall off the treadmill because of the way the ship was rocking. Saturday, Najia the Ninja had a JT-filled 90-minute spin class as a birthday celebration for me and Sarah, which was awesome. So that was a good jump-start to my weekend.
Going into the race, I was not mentally or physically prepared. Physically, I was sore from spinning, and I got 5 hours of sleep. Why they decided to have a 7 AM race on the first day of daylight savings time is beyond me. We had to get up at 5 AM (it's good that we did because traffic was bad on the one lane road getting into the park). Plus I may or may not have stayed up till 11 the night before reading the bridal magazines Jeff's mom got me... Mentally, my only thought about the race was that I wanted to finish. I didn't care about my time, I just wanted to have a good run and be done with it. Sarah and our other friend Ashley and I had a joint birthday celebration planned for after the race, so that's pretty much all I was thinking about.
As it turned out, not caring worked quite well. I beat my previous best time (or as they call it in the running world, personal record) by about half a minute. The course was really hilly so I am still not sure how I did that but I got a time of 2:03:21. Yay! I think it helped that we passed the rhinos and the cheetahs coming into the finish... the cheetah was staring me down haha. I would definitely do that race again, it was probably the most fun half marathon I have run so far. It definitely helped that Jeff was there to cheer me on at multiple points during the race, it made me really happy. I think I was just so excited about being engaged that I wanted to finish and see him!
I can't wait until Sarah plans my bachelorette race. Yes, I said race. In addition to my parties (plural, because I know that will be the case), we are going to run a race to celebrate. I don't know how long of a race, that's up to her as long as it's not a full marathon!
Did I mention yet that I can barely move today? Not only was I the most sore I have ever been after a race, I worked out with Angela. And as I've explained, I always feel like jelly afterward. We did mostly upper body, but with Angela, upper body workouts are always lower body workouts too. But that's fine because other than laundry, I will spending my afternoon cuddling with our dog Toby and catching up on all the shows I missed (currently it's The Bachelor: Women Tell All). Sounds like the perfect end to a vacation to me :-)
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