via lehigh valley marathon

T-Minus 30 Days

August 11, 2011 by Kristy 7 Comments

In 30 days I’ll be running marathon #9, trying to qualify for Boston. I’m in a much better place right now then I was for the NJ Marathon. I’m training for an actual BQ time, instead of just trying to wing it. In hindsight (it’s always 20/20) I should have never tried for a 3:45 at NJM. I trained for a 3:50 and I should have stuck with the plan. Always stick with the plan!

If I could come up with a race day wish list (key word being wish, not magic) here’s what I would request:

1. Obviously, perfect weather. For me, that’s overcast skies with temps in the high 40s/low 50s. Or, for September, I’d be happy with no humidity 🙂

2. An 8:34 pace will feel just as easy at mile 23 as it does at mile 5.

3. I have no dehydration issues and resulting quad cramps.

4. No phantom chafing! You know…the kind that never happens on a training run but rears its ugly head on race day?!

5. I look photogenic in a race day picture. Hey, this is my wish list…

6. And the big one – I cross the finish line with the biggest smile on my face because I am finally a Boston Qualifier!

What are some things on your race day wish list? What do you consider “ideal” race day weather?

Lehigh Valley Marathon: Week 10 Recap

August 10, 2011 by Kristy 9 Comments

8/10/11
7 miles easy / 1:05 / 9:17 avg pace

Thanks for your comments on my running etiquette post. The verdict? Those guys were in the wrong and total creepers!

I had to double-check which week I was recapping. It’s all starting to mush together towards the end.

MON: 7 at marathon pace
TUE: 8 speed
WED: 8 easy
THU: REST!
FRI: 15 long
SAT: 5 easy
SUN: 10 tempo

53 miles for the week and 6 days of running (normal for me is 5 days per week). I figured I’d give it a shot but I really prefer 2 rest days.

I was looking over an old post I wrote at the beginning of this training cycle, where I laid out my plans for changing things up and doing things different. Overall I’m doing pretty good:

increase overall mileage — CHECK
switching between hill repeats and track workouts — decided against this since I need the speed work to BQ and my long runs are plenty hilly.
trail running — CHECK. Every tempo run has been done on a trail.
long runs (do some at LSD and some at MP) — CHECK. Thanks to the humidity, the choice as to which runs were LSD was made for me 🙂
cross-train (yoga and strength train) — FAIL! I haven’t been to a single yoga class yet and I went to 1 strength training class.

Somehow, I always imagined that running alone could transform my body into this…

(via)

I’m delusional but I can dream, right? I know it takes a steady dose of strength training (and good genes) to look like Kara. So yesterday I did an at-home, completely made-up, 20 minutes of ST. And it only confirmed that I need to go back to a class. Baby steps, right?

Unrelated question of the day: what do you use to track your runs? Daily Mile, etc? I’m thinking of ditching my excel spreadsheet for something more high tech!

Running Etiquette

August 8, 2011 by Kristy 17 Comments

8/9/11
7 miles speedwork
*1000m, 2000m, 1000m, 1000m – all done at 10K pace (7:30-7:40) with less than 400m rest interval. I loved doing intervals at 10K pace. What a treat compared to 5K pace! My breathing felt smooth and controlled.

When you go out for a run, do you generally keep a respectable distance between you and the runner in front of you? I always do and treat it like I would driving – I don’t generally drive up someone’s ass so why would I run up someone’s ass? I thought this was plain and simple running etiquette but I’m not so sure after this weekend. (Note: I’m not talking races, just training runs).

Situation 1 (Friday’s long run)
I was on my first mile and I could hear feet slapping and breath sounds coming closer. I was expecting the sounds to pass me but they just hung around…for awhile. I immediately start to get annoyed for 2 reasons: (1) if I can hear you breathing, you are way too close and either need to pass me or back off; (2) I start to get a little nervous when it’s a male and I’m running by myself – you should never run that close to a female running alone! I finally decided to slow down and let him pass. Thankfully he diverged onto another part of the trail.

Situation 2 (Sunday’s ugly tempo run)
There was a guy ahead of me for a few miles (I was keeping my distance behind him). He started to slow down and I decided to pass him. As I pass him he speeds up (errrrr!), as I slow down he slows down. I dig deep (remember the run was ugly) and pick up the pace to try to get rid of him. Not surprisingly, he keeps up with me. THEN he tells me that he is not being creepy, it’s just that I’m keeping a good pace for him!! I shoot him a weak smile and try to ignore him. I “paced him” for another mile until he took off in another direction. He was being creepy in my book.

So what gives? Did both these guys break running etiquette? I think so.

Do you keep a respectable distance behind other runners?

An Ugly Tempo

August 8, 2011 by Kristy 14 Comments

8/8/11
6 miles easy / 57:50 / 9:38 avg pace

Sunday’s tempo run was downright ugly. I was supposed to do 1 mile easy and 10 miles at MP (8:35). I’ve been doing my tempo runs each week on a trail since my marathon has 12 miles of towpath. All week I kept thinking how good of a practice tempo this would be…really mimicking race day terrain and pace.

The result? An ugly tempo. I ended up with 10 miles total – 1 mile warm-up, 6 miles at MP, and 3 miles cool-down. The only highlight was my MP miles – a complete disaster in terms of consistency – but all at or under MP: 8:09, 8:17, 8:27, 8:09, 8:32, 8:33.

How did this run go from having great potential to ugly? It makes total sense now…

It was ungodly humid…repeat ungodly humid.
I was dehydrated. Matt and I were out and about all day Saturday and I wasn’t drinking enough water. Then we went to dinner and I had a few beers 🙂 The beers tasted especially good, since I was so thirsty!
I didn’t bring any salt caps with me.
I didn’t sleep much on Saturday night. We finally watched Paranormal Activity and I was terrified. I slept with one eye opened.
So…I was tired. And mentally I just wasn’t there. I really wanted to be back in bed sleeping.

I can’t be too upset. My long run was pretty much done at MP pace on Friday. So I know I cando it. I’m dropping back a few miles this week so I can rest up for my final 2 weeks before taper time!Let’s end on a positive note. We ended up going out for Matt’s birthday on Saturday night. We went to a very causal place so we could sit outside with Hawk.

DSCN1514 — Put me down and let me get back to my ice cubes

Do you like scary movies? I like them and then regret watching them all the time. Paranormal Activity was scary but still doesn’t top The Exorcist. That is hands-down the most terrifying movie I have ever seen.

Happy Birthday Matt!

August 5, 2011 by Kristy 9 Comments

8/5/11
15 miles / 2:09 / 8:36 avg pace

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!

Amazing canine daddy…

Son…

Uncle, brother, and brother-in-law…(Matt’s family: lots of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, brother-in-laws, and sister-in-laws)!

Friend…(Matt doesn’t wear his collar up, he was making fun of the kiddies that do)!

And retired runner…

We are headed out to happy hour/dinner tonight!

Today’s long run was pretty unremarkable, except that it was cooler! However, my shorts were still soaked (blurry picture due to foggy lens…my camera got too close to the cold chocolate milk).

Long run plans for the weekend? I’m running easy tomorrow and then have a 11 mile marathon-paced tempo on Sunday.

What I Think Thursday

August 3, 2011 by Kristy 14 Comments

When I run, my mind tends to calm down and just be at peace. All day long my mind thinks, analyzes, debates, goes crazy (!) but as soon as I begin running all that noise is gone. This is probably (besides the endorphin addiction) my favorite thing about running. Of course, if something is bothering me I will think about it during a run but for the most part my mind is free to roam.

So what do I think about when I run? Well, there’s the peace and quiet I described above and also lots of random thoughts. These random thoughts pop in quickly and leave just as quickly. Susan did a post a few weeks ago about what she thinks about on a run. I thought the post was genius and decided to steal the idea!

Do people think I run fast or slow?
Do I look funny when I run?
Damn, I need to pick it up.
Slow down, this supposed to be an easy run.
I can’t wait for chocolate milk.
I can’t wait for a Miller Lite.
Shot Blok time!
I don’t feel like going to work.
Can’t I just coach full-time?
Eww, I run into cobwebs all the time.
I hate bikers.
I know they are supposed to be called cyclists. Whatever.
Damn, it’s hot.
I wonder if people think I sweat too much for a girl.
This hill sucks.
Where should Matt and I travel to next?
We need milk.
Is it OK to walk into the grocery store to buy milk all gross and sweaty?
Fatigue is your friend.
Wow, that person is running fast.
Should I get highlights?
I think I can qualify for Boston.**
I need to qualify for Boston.**
Boston, Boston, Boston!!**

**These thoughts occupy a lot of miles 🙂

Are you a deep thinker when you run? Or are you more of a random thinker like me? What do you think about?