Day 1 of Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon training

Today is the first day of Zooma Annapolis training for me. Yup, I'm starting training on a Friday. Call me crazy. I can take it!

This has been a recovery week from Shamrock weekend. My legs and back hurt Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, I thought I was doing good, but then I went to work. I have a fairly physical job - I work in an archives and my job is to pull the documents researchers request. Our most popular documents are death certificates, which means I pull a 40-50 pound box off a shelf, take the document out of the box, photocopy it, put it back in the box, then put the box back on the shelf. For every document I pull, I lift that box twice. I can pull anywhere from 50-100 documents a day, meaning lifting 100-200 boxes a day. When I'm on the schedule, I will be on my feet 3-6 hours (one shift a day is 3 hours, both shifts is 6 hours). I had hopes of hitting the gym tonight, but my legs were just tired. I gave in and gave myself one more rest day.

But today, today means it's a new training cycle. I have 10 weeks to get my butt in half marathon shape. Yes, technically I am in half marathon shape now, but I want to be in better half marathon shape. I want to run strong. I want to run upright. I want to weigh less. I want to PR. I have goals people. GOALS!

1. Lose 15-20 pounds. I am tired of this extra weight I've gained. I.WANT.IT.GONE.

2. Tone arms. I need to wear a tank for this race because I'm anticipating warm weather (June in the northeast = heat). Currently, not comfortable with my arms. 10 weeks of arms should make me ok with no sleeves.

3. PR. This race does not give a medal for finishing. Instead you get a necklace. That's all well and good, but that won't go well with the medals hanging on my wall currently. So, in order to get a medal I either need to make this race a Get Out & Run race through U.S. Road Running or I need to PR because they will give you a medal if you PR at their race. So, people I need a 2:51:14 half marathon. I would prefer a 2:50:00 half marathon, but if I need that extra 1:14 for a medal so be it.

Those are the biggies. I need to do a lot of work over the next 10 weeks. Here's how I'm hoping to do it:

1. Go back to the trainer once a week (30 minute session).
2. Spin class on Tuesday nights.
3. 2 30 minute weekday training runs; one with hills.
4. Long training runs on Saturday.
5. Spin or outside bike ride on Sundays.
6. Yoga video twice a week.
7. Weight train 1-2 nights a week.
8. Eat on plan 6 of 7 days a week (1,543 calories a day).
9. Implement cheat day on Saturdays.
10. Weigh in every day (I know, I know. But, to stay on track I need to do this.)
11. Use my new Gaiam FitPlan Running book to keep track of food and training.

So, 10 weeks until Zooma Annapolis. The quest for the PR is on!

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13 in 2013

Hubby and I were talking last night about this challenge I decided to take on in 2013 - the 13 in 2013 Challenge. It's being hosted by Jill Conyers at Fitness, Health, and Happiness. See, in 2012 she ran challenged herself to run 12 half marathons. For 2013, she's challenging everyone (including herself) to 13 races in 2013. They can be all the same length - 5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2 or they can be a variety of lengths. The idea is to get out there and run 13 races next year.

So I counted up the number of races I did this year and if you count two virtual races and the Spartan Race, I managed a respectable (in my opinion) 14 races this year. Not bad. So, I am taking on the 13 in 2013 challenge. I'm going to run 13 races in 2013. I've opted for the variety challenge though. I could do all 5ks, but what would be the fun in that? I already know I have several races of varying lengths scheduled for 2013 so why not count them all?

March 10 - Kelly St. Patrick's Day 5k (Baltimore, MD)
March 16 - Shamrock 8k (Virginia Beach, VA)
March 17 - Shamrock Half Marathon (Virginia Beach, VA)
April 13 - Lager Jogger 5k (Pottsville, PA)
June 23 - Baltimore Women's Classic (Baltimore)

Then there are races I'd like to do, but I haven't seen a date yet:

Hershey 10k (Hershey, PA - it was in April 2012)
Sole of the City 10k (Hershey, PA - it was in April 2012)
Armed Forces 5k (Harrisburg, PA - it was in May 2012)
A Halloween race
A Turkey Trot
Celtic Solstice 5 Miler (Baltimore - December 2013)

Obviously I have to add in a few more races to make it 13, but there are TONS of races out there, especially 5ks. I am pretty sure I can do this. It seems like a fun thing to do and a nice challenge to make sure I get some running in next year. Though, I'll be honest the July and August calendar is going to awfully bare.

What about you? Want to join? Click on the link above to learn more and to sign up!

Goals for Atlantic City Half Marathon

My long runs are scheduled for Saturdays.  For some reason I always run long on Saturday and rest on Sunday.  Most plans have you run long on Sunday.  I go my own way.  I'm crazy like that.

This past Saturday I didn't get my long run in.  I woke up with the start of a migraine.  I took some aspirin (or some such) and grabbed a wash cloth, soaked it in cold water, and sat with it on my eyes.  About 45 minutes later I felt better.  Head didn't hurt as badly, but at this point I wasn't into running.  I was a tad bit afraid the migraine would come back with the pounding of my feet on the sidewalk and by the time I started feeling better it seemed too late to go out with what we had planned.

So, Sunday run it is!  Until I woke up about 11:15 a.m.  I apparently slept way too long after staying up until about 1:00 a.m. to watch the Olympics.  Olympic junkie here.  I freely admit it.  So, no run on Sunday for me either.

Woke up this morning and said "get your ass out and run!"  I had 4 miles on the agenda, so I knew it wouldn't take me forever.  I just had to go out and run it.  And I did.  I took a few sports beans with caffeine before leaving.  Then I made a conscious decision to run really slow.  The temperature was about 76 went I left and it was humid.  Last outside run had me start out too fast and I felt dead about 20 minutes into a 30 minute run.  Today?  Much better.  The beans helped and just slowing things down in the heat helped.  I managed my entire 4 mile run with the energy to have added another mile or two at the end.  Happy about that.  And happy I missed the pouring rain by the closing of my car door.  I shut the door and it started to rain.  Phew!

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Alright, alright.  Here's where I talk about what goal I have set for the AC Half Marathon.  I had a goal for this race before I ran Shamrock in March.  I wanted to run it in under 3 hours.  I ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon in 3:21:11 and I ran Philly in 3:16:43.  Shamrock was to be somewhere between 3:05:00 and 3:10:00.  And then I did something I didn't expect.  I smashed my goal for Shamrock coming in at 2:51:15.  Ummmmm....what the hell???  So, I far exceeded my Shamrock goal and beat my Atlantic City Half Marathon goal all at one time.  Crap.

So, when I finished Shamrock I figured out my pace time ~ 13:04.  So close to a 12:something mile.  That's when I decided I wanted to keep a 12:-- pace for Atlantic City.  Then I did some more math and saw I if I keep up that pace I can hit a 2:50:00.  That will give me a PR for the race and let me hit two goals - running under a 13 minute mile and beat my time from Shamrock.

I know these don't sound like big goals.  They are somewhat small, but I made such huge strides at Shamrock that I don't think I can top that type of PR.  I want something attainable.  Something that I think I can reach.  Something I think my training will prepare me for. 

There you have it. My AC Half Marathon goals: 12:59 pace and a 2:50:00 finish time.  Bring it on!

 Time to review those goals again.  How did April go?


1. Lose 5 pounds.  Well, this was again a failure.  More so than last month.  I gained .2 pounds in April.  Ah well.  I knew it was coming.  I didn't follow my plan for the first 15 days of the month and then decided the goal for the rest of the month was to just get back to where I was at the end of March.  Missed it by .2 pounds.  Onward and downward!

2. Run 25 miles. Got it!  Barely... I ran 2.5 miles on April 30th to get me to 25.4 miles for the month of April.  The two 10ks I ran this month really helped because I was slacking on the weekday runs.  I don't know why.  It seems like I need a big race goal, i.e. a half marathon, to get me running more consistently.  The positive is I still got those 25 miles in even if it was at the very last minute.

3. Bike 40 miles.  Oops.  Missed this goal for the month.  Ended up with 26ish miles.  We haven't gone outside on a ride yet, still using the stationary bike either at home or at the gym.  First month this year I haven't met the biking goal.  Which is funny since I hadn't planned on even starting the biking goal until April.  Well, here's to a better May!

4. More photography.  Took the camera to the Orioles Opening Day and the Phillies Opening Day. But other than that, I haven't done the best job...Though I did take a bunch of really cute pics of the kitties the other day.  Maybe I need to do a challenge for the month of May with my camera.  A photo a day?  Hmmm...

5. The big picture.  This hasn't been an issue lately.  Maybe I've gotten it in my head so well that it's natural now?  Not sure.  But, I am getting better at not letting the little things get to me.  Working hard on enjoying life as it plays out.  I'm guessing that's why I'm not stressing the above weight loss fails and the bike fail.  I have confidence it will happen.  Stressing out over it not being accomplished now will do me no good.  Focus on the positive and it will happen.  And you can read all about how here.

March Update

A quick check on the monthly goals.

1. Lose 5 pounds.

This did not happen in March.  I did lose 1.2 pounds this month, but with the races this month my eating wasn't completely on track.  Which is fine.  I'm not upset about it.  I still had a net loss for the month.  That's good enough for me!

2. Run 25 miles.

Accomplished this...and then some!  Managed 40.5 miles this month.  This is what happens when you have a long training run and a half marathon.  LOL!   It was also a great month with PRs.  I had three.  One at the Kelly St. Patrick's Day 5k (36:43), The TownBank 8k (1:01:51), and the Anthem Half Marathon (2:51:15).  That last one was a PR by 25:33!  It was a good running month.

3. Bike 40 miles.

I'm estimating about 40 miles this month.  I didn't keep the best records of my stationary bike rides this month.  Oops!  But, a conservative estimate of 5 miles per gym session times going to the gym 8 times this month would mean 40 miles.  I believe it would be more, but I'll stick with 40.  

4. Increase my photography

I did ok with this.  I had the camera in Virginia Beach and did take photos.  The issue is last year I didn't run in Virginia Beach, so I had time to take LOTS of photos.  This year I took some, but not as many.  And other than that...not too many.  Hopefully with the weather getting warmer I'll get out more and use the camera.

So, there you have it.  I think I had a pretty good March overall.  I obviously could have done a bit better with my diet this month, but overall I am still down.  My running was fabulous this month and bike goals held up.  Feeling good overall for March 2012.  Onto April!

New Year's Resolution - Run 25 Miles a Month

Next on the list of New Year's resolutions is to run 25 miles a month.  Last year I had three months where I only ran 5 miles each. It wasn't the worse thing in the world, but if I am a runner then I need to act like one.  I have to be consistent and that's what I want to try for this year - consistency.

With that in mind, hubby and I joined the local YMCA tonight.  I know you don't need a gym membership to get in a good workout or to train, but last January and February taught me that once the sun goes down I will not run.  So, the gym membership will help me get in my week day runs especially since the branch I will use is a 5 minute walk from my office.  I have high hopes that my weekday runs will actually happen now.

So, what's on the running agenda this year?

March 11 - Kelly Shamrock 5k
March 17 - Yuengling Shamrock 8k
March 18 - Yuengling Shamrock Half Marathon

And then there's the rest of the year.... LOL!  I would normally run the Baltimore Women's Classic, but I believe I'm heading out of town that weekend.  I've done the Harrisburg Mile several times, but after last year's debacle I'm not sure I want to do it again.  I have duathlon in my mind again.  Looking to the Catfish duathlon in July as a come back race.  Not sure of this though.  There's chatter about doing the Atlantic City Half Marathon in October.  Not sure about it, but it's been bantered about. 

So, that's my goal - 25 miles (or as close to it as possible) a month or 300 miles this year.  And of course, I have to figure out what races I want to run.  I have March covered, it's the rest of the year I'm at a loss for.