Tonight I went out to tackle my last training run before Boston's Run to Remember 5 miler on Sunday. It felt great and it was an awesome run. I completed 2.31 miles in 27:38 with an average pace on 11:56. I was even taking it a little easy! If I was able to manage keeping it under 12:00 per mile while taking it easy, I may very well succeed in coming in around 55:00 on Sunday!
The weather today was gorgeous and perfect for an outdoor run. I went out at 6:00 or so and the temperature was just over 70. When I went to run on Sunday it was the first time I had gone out to run in the heat (I only started running last October, so warm weather running is something completely new to me) and it was rough and I didn't last long out there at all. I managed to run about .6 miles before I stopped to take a walk break, but I felt that I could have run for longer. However, I definitely didn't want to overdo it with the race only three days away. I also decided to skip the park and do the neighborhood tonight so that I could get a little bit of inclines in instead of just the perfectly flat track. I also got a honk from one of my best friends as she drove by me!
I am completely psyched to run on Sunday and go to the expo on Saturday. It'll be really exciting to take on the new distance and then to get another medal to add to my Disney one. A friend is also running the half marathon taking place so I get to cheer her on at the finish line.
Tomorrow will most certainly be a rest day for me, and Saturday I'll be doing a lot of walking around the city, but nothing too strenuous. Sunday morning is going to be bright and early with a 5:00 wake up call, then getting ready in my cute new race outfit (which I tested out last weekend, so I know it'll work!) before heading into the city. The race course looks great, starting at the seaport, then running up around the Boston Common before heading back for the finish line.
I'm also going to make sure that I remember to put on sunscreen before I leave the house that morning! On Sunday it didn't even occur to me to put some on before I went out to run and I ended up with some tomato-y looking shoulders and a very pink forehead.
Look for my race recap on Sunday afternoon! I'll even try to take some pictures to add in to spice it up a little.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
one week to five miles
Wow, so it's been over two weeks now since I've posted. Things have been very busy around here and I haven't really been that great about getting out and running. I haven't been just sitting around these past two weeks though, I have managed to get out about four times to run, plus I have done all my weekly Zumba classes. Today I mostly just walked, but did three miles in 45:00 as my last long run/walk before the Boston's Run to Remember five miler next Sunday.
These past two weeks have been really rainy around here and I'm not one to go out to run through the rain and I'm also not a big fan of running on the treadmill. However, I don't like relying on the weather to determine whether I work out or not, so I think I'm going to have to learn to embrace the treadmill. This week's weather forecast looks to be rainy all week and gorgeous on the weekend again, so the weekly runs may have to be on the treadmill.
This week my plan includes today's long run and then two more short (two miles or less) runs during the week. There will be no Saturday morning Zumba for me this weekend, but I will be doing a little bit of strolling around Boston before and after the Boston's Run to Remember expo. Then Sunday I will tackle my next distance challenge when I take on the five miler. I'm really excited and I'm hoping to finish in under an hour, but my real goal is going to be 55:00.
These past two weeks have been really rainy around here and I'm not one to go out to run through the rain and I'm also not a big fan of running on the treadmill. However, I don't like relying on the weather to determine whether I work out or not, so I think I'm going to have to learn to embrace the treadmill. This week's weather forecast looks to be rainy all week and gorgeous on the weekend again, so the weekly runs may have to be on the treadmill.
This week my plan includes today's long run and then two more short (two miles or less) runs during the week. There will be no Saturday morning Zumba for me this weekend, but I will be doing a little bit of strolling around Boston before and after the Boston's Run to Remember expo. Then Sunday I will tackle my next distance challenge when I take on the five miler. I'm really excited and I'm hoping to finish in under an hour, but my real goal is going to be 55:00.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
going farther
This morning I dragged two of my friends to the park to run with me. My goal was to complete at least five miles in preparation for Boston's Run to Remember on Sunday, May 27th. Well, I succeeded today! I completed 5.22 miles in 1:10:01. My average pace was 13:25 minutes per mile, with three of my miles being under my goal 12:00 per mile for the race. I mostly walked miles 3 and 4, but it was good because it allowed me to complete the last mile strong. I hit the five mile mark at 1:07:24, so I have three weeks to get to that distance in under an hour. However, the adrenaline and excitement of a race somehow manages to make my legs fly a little faster than I thought they could, so I'm thinking that it will be no problem.
I'm proud of my friends too for staying out there with me for over an hour and completing a little over four miles themselves. They hate me (but really it's love) because I have pulled them into the running madness! The three of us are a team for The Color Run in Amesbury, MA on July 28th, which we are all really looking forward to and can't wait to participate in.
When I was out running today, all I could think about was the Tinker Bell Half. I'm looking past the five mile and the 10K and looking towards the big one, which is a little daunting. At the two mile mark I was thinking, okay, only three more miles to go. Then I thought to myself that at Tink, I'll be saying only 11.1 miles to go. Gulp. That's going to be a long distance to tackle, but I'm confident that eight months from now it won't seem so bad and it will be possible. I can't wait to cross that finish line and have that awesome medal put around my neck. Guaranteed I will burst into tears at that moment and it will be one of the best moments of my life. :-)
I'm proud of my friends too for staying out there with me for over an hour and completing a little over four miles themselves. They hate me (but really it's love) because I have pulled them into the running madness! The three of us are a team for The Color Run in Amesbury, MA on July 28th, which we are all really looking forward to and can't wait to participate in.
When I was out running today, all I could think about was the Tinker Bell Half. I'm looking past the five mile and the 10K and looking towards the big one, which is a little daunting. At the two mile mark I was thinking, okay, only three more miles to go. Then I thought to myself that at Tink, I'll be saying only 11.1 miles to go. Gulp. That's going to be a long distance to tackle, but I'm confident that eight months from now it won't seem so bad and it will be possible. I can't wait to cross that finish line and have that awesome medal put around my neck. Guaranteed I will burst into tears at that moment and it will be one of the best moments of my life. :-)
Thursday, May 3, 2012
clear it out
My plan for today was to either go for a run or do a pilates DVD after work. Well, it's one of those days where I just really don't feel like doing anything but sitting around in my comfy sweats and watching TV. However, so I wouldn't feel totally guilty, like I probably would have had I just come home and plopped on the couch, I took on a project.
Once I got home I put on the comfy pants and giant sweatshirt, turned on "Army Wives" (thank you Netflix and my handy Roku for making me addicted to this show), and opened my closet doors. This afternoon's project was one of the best parts about losing weight. I started getting rid of all of the clothes that are now too big for me! My closet looks pretty empty and there are now four huge shopping bags full of clothes to be donated sitting on my floor. It feels great to get rid of some of these clothes that last summer were too tight on me! Also, there's now plenty of room in my closet for new skinny clothes!
Getting rid of clothes and making room for the smaller ones is one of the awesome rewards that comes with all of the hard work it takes to lose weight. It's a tough road, but seeing all these bags of clothes on the floor filled with things I used to wear daily but are now falling off of me is an amazing feeling. It's a great accomplishment.
Today was my weigh-day and I was a little disappointed to see that I was only down .2 pounds for the week, but any loss is good and it's certainly better than gaining! Instead of letting this discourage me, I use it as motivation to just make the next week better.
This weekend is going to be another tough weekend that's going to require lots of willpower to get through without gaining. Tomorrow night is dinner and movies with the girls, Saturday is my friend's wedding, and Sunday I'll be in a town that has some amazing restaurants. So Saturday morning I'll be going for a nice long run to prepare. Come hell or high water, I WILL run five or more miles come Saturday morning. I've got three and a half weeks to get ready for Run to Remember!
Once I got home I put on the comfy pants and giant sweatshirt, turned on "Army Wives" (thank you Netflix and my handy Roku for making me addicted to this show), and opened my closet doors. This afternoon's project was one of the best parts about losing weight. I started getting rid of all of the clothes that are now too big for me! My closet looks pretty empty and there are now four huge shopping bags full of clothes to be donated sitting on my floor. It feels great to get rid of some of these clothes that last summer were too tight on me! Also, there's now plenty of room in my closet for new skinny clothes!
Getting rid of clothes and making room for the smaller ones is one of the awesome rewards that comes with all of the hard work it takes to lose weight. It's a tough road, but seeing all these bags of clothes on the floor filled with things I used to wear daily but are now falling off of me is an amazing feeling. It's a great accomplishment.
Today was my weigh-day and I was a little disappointed to see that I was only down .2 pounds for the week, but any loss is good and it's certainly better than gaining! Instead of letting this discourage me, I use it as motivation to just make the next week better.
This weekend is going to be another tough weekend that's going to require lots of willpower to get through without gaining. Tomorrow night is dinner and movies with the girls, Saturday is my friend's wedding, and Sunday I'll be in a town that has some amazing restaurants. So Saturday morning I'll be going for a nice long run to prepare. Come hell or high water, I WILL run five or more miles come Saturday morning. I've got three and a half weeks to get ready for Run to Remember!
Monday, April 30, 2012
run it faster
Tonight I went out for an easier run because my legs were a little tired from Saturday's run and then last night's two hour Zumbathon. I ended up doing 2.24 miles in 28:00. I managed to run my first mile in 10:29 and I ran every step of it! This is the fastest mile I have completed outside of a race. It's amazing how the pressure and excitement of a race can make me move faster than I thought I could.
For the first time I was able to run around the track two and a quarter times before I stopped to take my first walk break. The local park is my new favorite place to run because I can run until I can't run any more and I don't have to worry about trying to get back home. It's also helping me to see just how far I have come in my training when I make it further and further around the track before I have to walk.
Last night's zumbathon also showed me how far I have come in my fitness journey. The first zumba class that I took last summer wiped me out so much I felt like I couldn't move for a couple of days. I was able to keep my hips shaking for two straight hours last night and felt like I could probably keep going! It's an amazing feeling to see the process that I have made so far and I can't wait to see where else my journey towards fitness takes me!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
new milestones
Today I went out for a run with the intention of running four to five miles. I headed out to the park in town so that I could just run circles around the track until my legs were good and sore! I wanted to run for an hour and see how much distance I could cover. The last time I ran at the park, I could barely run a third of the half mile track loop, and this time I ran the entire loop plus some before I had to stop to take a walk break. This really showed me how far I have come in my running endurance. Back in October or November I never could have imagined accomplishing that.
The first mile went well and I ran it under my 12:00/mile goal race pace. At about a mile and a half however, I started having some pain in my hip. It started hurting really bad, so I took a break to stop and stretch before getting back on the track. I also decided that I would walk the rest of my time. I really didn't want to walk the rest of it because I was going for the most mileage I could accomplish in an hour, but I knew if I pushed it, I could end up seriously hurting myself. Plus, I have a 2-hour Zumbathon tomorrow night, so I need my hips in working order :-)
I kept walking the track for a while until RunKeeper told me that I had been going for 50 minutes and had gone 3.33 miles. At that point, my hip was feeling good, so I picked up the pace and managed to complete 4.18 miles in 59:45. While it wasn't quite what I was hoping to accomplish when I went out this morning, it is the longest run I have done so far, so that's an accomplishment in my book! Only .82 miles away from five! That 5 mile race is four weeks from tomorrow!
In the world of Weight Watchers this week I hit another milestone. This week I hit 26 pounds lost! When I stepped on the scale for my weigh-in (in my bathroom, I only do online, not meetings) I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had exceeded my goal of hitting the 25 pound mark. I am now about 10 pounds from my goal and it's really exciting and motivating to be this close to my goal.
Also this week, I made my decision on what will be my first half marathon. On January 20, 2013 I will be competing in the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. I am so excited but I really realize how much work I am going to have to do to get myself up to being able to complete 13.1 miles. Having a half marathon on the horizon is going to be a huge motivator to get me out on the road and start logging more miles. I can't wait to complete the B.A.A. 10K (which I will register for on Wednesday) so that I will have a time to put in when I register for Tink. I also managed to convince my roommate to run this with me, so we will be taking on our first half, and first 10K, together!
The first mile went well and I ran it under my 12:00/mile goal race pace. At about a mile and a half however, I started having some pain in my hip. It started hurting really bad, so I took a break to stop and stretch before getting back on the track. I also decided that I would walk the rest of my time. I really didn't want to walk the rest of it because I was going for the most mileage I could accomplish in an hour, but I knew if I pushed it, I could end up seriously hurting myself. Plus, I have a 2-hour Zumbathon tomorrow night, so I need my hips in working order :-)
I kept walking the track for a while until RunKeeper told me that I had been going for 50 minutes and had gone 3.33 miles. At that point, my hip was feeling good, so I picked up the pace and managed to complete 4.18 miles in 59:45. While it wasn't quite what I was hoping to accomplish when I went out this morning, it is the longest run I have done so far, so that's an accomplishment in my book! Only .82 miles away from five! That 5 mile race is four weeks from tomorrow!
In the world of Weight Watchers this week I hit another milestone. This week I hit 26 pounds lost! When I stepped on the scale for my weigh-in (in my bathroom, I only do online, not meetings) I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had exceeded my goal of hitting the 25 pound mark. I am now about 10 pounds from my goal and it's really exciting and motivating to be this close to my goal.
Also this week, I made my decision on what will be my first half marathon. On January 20, 2013 I will be competing in the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. I am so excited but I really realize how much work I am going to have to do to get myself up to being able to complete 13.1 miles. Having a half marathon on the horizon is going to be a huge motivator to get me out on the road and start logging more miles. I can't wait to complete the B.A.A. 10K (which I will register for on Wednesday) so that I will have a time to put in when I register for Tink. I also managed to convince my roommate to run this with me, so we will be taking on our first half, and first 10K, together!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
PR and it feels so good
This morning I ran the Race Against Extinction 5K race in Boston and I set a personal record that I can hardly believe! I ran my 3.1 miles in 34 minutes and 42 seconds, beating the time in which I ran my first 5K in November by FOUR minutes!
The race was at 11:00 am at Artesani Park in Boston with proceeds going to environmental organizations because after all, today was Earth Day! A looming rain storm had us a little nervous that the day may become a mud run, but mother nature held out and there were no drops felt as we ran through the park. Bib pick-up was quick and easy and we were surprised to also get a free WWF water bottle with our registration. We always love the freebies! There were not many participants, maybe around 200 people participating, but that meant that it was not crowded. People were also encouraged to run with dogs and strollers, so there were lots of dogs hanging around the course!
We took off at 11:00 am started our run through the park. Kristin yelled back to us "Meet you at the finish!" before she took off out on the course. Patty and I decided to keep pace with each other and we were each other's motivation to keep running harder and longer. I had RunKeeper going tracking the run, and when the 10 minute audio cue came up I could hardly believe that I had almost run a mile! We completed our first mile in only 10:11! It was great motivation to keep us going at that point. Patty and I kept up our run/walk pace and managed to average a 10:52 minutes per mile pace.
Overall, it was a great run and the weather held out for us, which was the best. People cheering us on towards the end (including Kristin who finished in an awesome 25:48) helped us keep up our run to the finish line.
This week was also another great accomplishment in the world of my Weight Watchers adventure. I needed to buy a dress for a wedding in two weeks and I have been putting it off to make sure that it'll fit on the day of, and Thursday night I bought a wicked cute polka dot dress... in a size SIX! Last year I started Weight Watchers the week of my birthday and the dress I bought to wear for my birthday celebration was a 10. All my efforts have resulted in two dropped dress sizes.
This has certainly been a great week for new personal records. I can't wait until my next run where I can try to set another :-)
The race was at 11:00 am at Artesani Park in Boston with proceeds going to environmental organizations because after all, today was Earth Day! A looming rain storm had us a little nervous that the day may become a mud run, but mother nature held out and there were no drops felt as we ran through the park. Bib pick-up was quick and easy and we were surprised to also get a free WWF water bottle with our registration. We always love the freebies! There were not many participants, maybe around 200 people participating, but that meant that it was not crowded. People were also encouraged to run with dogs and strollers, so there were lots of dogs hanging around the course!
We took off at 11:00 am started our run through the park. Kristin yelled back to us "Meet you at the finish!" before she took off out on the course. Patty and I decided to keep pace with each other and we were each other's motivation to keep running harder and longer. I had RunKeeper going tracking the run, and when the 10 minute audio cue came up I could hardly believe that I had almost run a mile! We completed our first mile in only 10:11! It was great motivation to keep us going at that point. Patty and I kept up our run/walk pace and managed to average a 10:52 minutes per mile pace.
Overall, it was a great run and the weather held out for us, which was the best. People cheering us on towards the end (including Kristin who finished in an awesome 25:48) helped us keep up our run to the finish line.
This week was also another great accomplishment in the world of my Weight Watchers adventure. I needed to buy a dress for a wedding in two weeks and I have been putting it off to make sure that it'll fit on the day of, and Thursday night I bought a wicked cute polka dot dress... in a size SIX! Last year I started Weight Watchers the week of my birthday and the dress I bought to wear for my birthday celebration was a 10. All my efforts have resulted in two dropped dress sizes.
This has certainly been a great week for new personal records. I can't wait until my next run where I can try to set another :-)
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