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Week 12 Recap

March 27, 2011 by Kristy 4 Comments

3/27/11

8 miles tempo

1:08

8:30 avg pace

2 miles warm-up
5 tempo miles: 8:17, 8:02, 8:00, 8:09, 8:07 (on target: training plan called for 5 miles @ 8:09 pace)
1 mile cool-down

I ran this with “Maximus” my neighbor. I’m happy since these 5 miles were truly “comfortably hard” – the way tempo pace should feel. I was still somewhat able to talk (although it seemed to take forever for me to get a sentence out). Twelve weeks ago this pace wasn’t so comfortable and that is what makes me so happy. Seeing progress is motivating!

Here’s what Week 12 of NJ Marathon training looked like:
MON: rest
TUE: 7 miles speed
WED: yoga (I have to confess that I was sore for the next 2 days after this class)
THU: 7 miles easy
FRI: 18 miles
SAT: rest
SUN: 8 miles tempo

A total of 40 miles for the week. I cannot believe I only have 2 weeks left of the Monster Month and then it’s taper time. This training cycle has flown by. This coming week I’ll be switching things around a bit since I’m running the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler next Sunday! More on that in another post.

I feel like I haven’t posted pictures of Hawk in awhile. He got a new Spring ‘do last week so why not show it off?!

Have great Sunday everyone!

Friday Favorites

March 25, 2011 by Kristy 19 Comments

3/25/11

18 miles (12 outside / 6 treadmill)

2:38 total time

8:48 average pace

It’s freezing here. The wind chill was 19 degrees when I started running (Spring is in the air, huh?). I dressed appropriately and felt warm enough except my gloves got wet really fast. I normally carry a dry pair of gloves but today I didn’t. Big mistake. Around 11 miles, my left hand went from numb and tingly to downright hurting. I knew I needed warm, dry gloves so I ran back to my house which was only a 1/2 mile from where I was. My intention was to grab gloves and head back out. Once I got inside I just headed down to my treadmill for an additional 6 miles. When did I become such a wimp? About 2 months ago I ran in 0 degree weather! Apparently I get a taste of Spring and can no longer hang in cold weather.

This week’s Friday Favorites are all about summer. I’m trying to think warm thoughts since it feels like winter…

Summer Running
– The obvious favorite here is the weather. Give me hot and humid any day! You don’t have to worry about snow, sleet, ice, bitter cold wind, and if it rains, no big deal! Running in the summer rain is refreshing (minus the thunder and lightening).
– I love not having to obsessively stalk weather.com. It’s sunny and warm every day.
– Tanks and shorts are my summer running uniform. No need for tons of layers that take forever to put on.
– Since the sun rises earlier (for you AM runners) and sets later (for you PM runners), you can do longer weekday runs. I love to be out the door at 5:45AM and knock out a medium long run before work (maybe that’s just me though?).

Grilling/Eating/Drinking on the Deck
When Matt and I were looking for a house one of our requirements was for the house to have a deck. We have a deck that is totally private (no sharing hamburgers with the neighbors) and it backs up to trees. We eat out on the deck (and grill) almost every night. On Fridays, we have some ~~drinks~~ Miller Lites and it is so relaxing.

487 — Clearly this is not our deck...enjoying beers on a deck in Santorini, Greece.

Jersey Shore
My parents live at the shore (they retired there) and we love to go down and, again, hang on their deck.

The whole family at the Shore - can you spot Hawk?

048 — My Bachelorette Party at the Shore

Summer Weddings
There’s a reason Matt and I got married in the summer! Luckily I have 3 weddings to go to this summer (hi Camille, Wendy, and Amanda)!

419 — I think we were all starting to sweat at this point!

What are some of your favorite summertime things?

WOW!

March 24, 2011 by Kristy 14 Comments

3/24/11

7 miles easy

10:00 pace

7 miles on the boring treadmill while watching Teen Mom. It’s freezing here and doing the rain/snow thing. I kept the pace real easy since I have an 18-miler on schedule for tomorrow.

Moving on to more important stuff…welcome new readers! To say I’m overwhelmed by being yesterday’s featured cat lady would be an understatement! I’m still in the process of reading all of your comments (thank you!) and plan on responding to each and every one of them (all while stalking your blogs). To bring you up to speed, I figured I’d include some running fun facts in this post.

I’m training for my 8th marathon, the NJ Marathon, on May 1. I’m thinking of sporting a Snooki-esque bumpit and faux tan for the marathon….to, ya know, blend in. I kid, I kid…my parents live at the Jersey Shore.
You can read about my training plan here.
I’m obsessed with the Boston Marathon (trying to qualify, that is). I don’t plan on qualifying on May 1 (I hope to run a 3:50); just hoping to get one step closer.
I LOVE long runs – especially 18-20 milers.
I LOATHE speed work but do it each week.
I incorporated yoga into my training cycle this time around and it has made a huge difference in my flexibility. I didn’t realize how tight my hips and hamstrings were from running until I went to a class.

Speaking of yoga, last night I went to RYAH for a 75-min vinyasa class. Maura was the instructor; I’ve taken her Wake Up Yoga class before and really like her. Her class last night was kinda intense (holding poses for a long time) and kinda relaxing (letting us stay in child’s pose for just a wee bit longer). The only problem? The music! Didn’t help that I was right next to the speaker either. I know I tend to fixate on things while practicing yoga but this was like a techno song that never ended (but it was chanting…nonstop). During savasana all I could concentrate on was “om shanti om shanti om shanti shanti om”. Over and over. Eek! I’m still ~~singing~~ chanting it!

Is it just me or do you fixate on certain things during a yoga class? Or while running? Sometimes during races, if I’m iPodless, the sound of feet smacking the pavement gets to me after awhile!

A Whole Lotta Randomness

March 23, 2011 by Kristy 19 Comments

Happy Hump Day!

Warning: this post is very random.

1. I was featured on SkinnyRunner today! Holy blog views! Thanks SR! I’m officially a cat lady; I’m honored!

2. This is what I had for lunch (clearly I am no food blogger). Here’s proof that green beans are truly my favorite (a Friday Favorite, in fact). Brown rice + green beans. Looks disgusting but it’s not. I go through a bag of green beans in 2 days. No lie.

3. Today was supposed to be an easy run on the treadmill (it’s raining here) but I had no motivation to run on the treadmill (even with a new episode of Teen Mom 2 on the DVR). To me, treadmill season is OVER! So tonight it’s yoga and tomorrow an easy run when again it’s likely to be raining. This weekend I’m back up to 18-20 miles. It’s the final stretch to the taper.

4. Someone was referred to my blog by seaching for St. Joseph’s University Hawk Hill. Seriously?! Awesome, awesome, awesome.

Morning Track

March 22, 2011 by Kristy 4 Comments

3/22/11

7 miles speed

Apparently you guys like to read about the adventures of the Mains! I had a lot of blog views on Sunday (thank you!). Stay tuned, the Mains have some upcoming adventures this summer so I’ll be sure to post about them as well.

This morning I went to my local track for some speed work. Daylight savings is really screwing me up. I like to be running by 6am at the latest so I’m done and out of the parking lot before the first bus drops of students. Maybe it’s just me but I feel weird using the track when school is in session. I couldn’t start until about 6:30am today (6:00am = pitch black) so by the time I finished, all of the students were getting dropped off and the parking lot was full of buses. Fabulous. I thought I was going to get yelled at by a teacher or a safety (do they still have them?) because I wasn’t familiar with the “flow” of traffic. Not to mention it takes 16-year-olds numerous attempts to park their car (I waited patiently for this one; it was so funny too). After 5 minutes of chaos, I left unscathed and not yelled at.

My training planned called for:
1000m in 4:28 (4:29 actual). Right on.
2000m in 9:16 (9:36 actual – opps). I was trying to figure out what pace I needed to hit 9:16 and I thought I had it. Clearly I was way off. I blame early morning math and lack of oxygen.
1000m in 4:28 (4:36 actual). Damn, I thought I was going faster.
1000m in 4:28 (4:30 actual). I gave it all I got. I think the students on the school bus heard my panting.

My biggest pet peeve about the track? If you are running slower, please stick to the outer lanes. Same goes for socializing. If you are more interested in talking than running, definitely remain in the outer lanes. These 2 women kept hogging the inner lanes and yapped the whole time. Myself and 2 other people were trying to do intervals and had to keep weaving around them. So annoying!

Week 11 Recap and Saturday Night Fun

March 20, 2011 by Kristy 10 Comments

Before I get to the fun stuff, let’s recap Week 11 of NJ Marathon training…

MON: rest
TUE: 8 miles speed
WED: rest
THU: 6 miles easy
FRI: 10.5 miles tempo
SAT: 15.5 miles long
SUN: rest (really just a smidge hungover)

A total of 40 miles for the week. I’m happy I was able to maintain a decent pace on my long run the day after a long tempo run. A big fail this week was no yoga. No even 1 measly class. It was a rough week (cue the excuses) but I’ll get back on track this week.

Onto the FUN stuff. Last night was “Mains Night Out” or “Mains Gone Wild”. What the hell am I talking about right? What is a “Main”? That’s what my friends and I call ourselves — the Mains. The name started many years ago, when other people used to hang out with us.

“Who’s coming out tonight?”
“The Mains and x, y, z.”

It really stems out of laziness. Instead of naming all the Mains (8 of us), it was easier to just say “Mains”. So years later, it’s still just us Mains, minus the other people.

We talked about last night for months. For the past 2 years, at least one of the Mains has been pregnant at some point. It has been quite awhile since we all went out and everyone could drink and have a good time. No one is pregnant right now so a night out was planned and babysitters and hotel rooms were booked.

We went to a few different bars in Philly, some new and some oldies but goodies. We had a blast. So. Much. Fun. It was so nice to have everyone together. I think we are all feeling a little tired and hungover today, but it was totally worth it. I’m not sure how the Mains with kids are doing it today!

Some pictures: