Tag: team in training

Las Vegas Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon

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I’m just two days back from the Las Vegas Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon. This was my first race of this distance, and was a belated birthday gift to myself. I’m still rather beat up from it, but I’m so glad to have done it. It was a great event.

I feel like I’m still short of time and energy to share all that went on with this event. It wasn’t just a race, because I see this as an amazing step on a long journey. I’ve fought, kicking and screaming and at times, just quiet determination, to get to where I am today. The race was a rite of passage. Even though I’ve now run a distance greater than the distance between my home town (suburb) and the nearest urban area, I feel like I now should be striving to run farther. It may be a type of insanity – or liberation (or both?)

Last year, medical issues and profound loss seriously thrashed me. This year, I picked up the pieces, got back on track with weight loss (I have lost about 130 lbs in the past 3 years), and started training for distance. This race was my celebration of accomplishments in a tangible way. For the first time in my life, I’ve reached a point where I can do something I’ve never been able to do before.

My race time was 2:15:21, which was my conservative guess time. I wanted to do faster, but at 2000 ft above sea level (Las Vegas’ elevation), I think I was having trouble getting the oxygen I needed to do so.

Other than the race, I really enjoyed the weekend in Vegas, and really enjoyed our stay at the Wynn. I indulged in a post-run spa experience, which I can only believe has made my body feel SO much better than it would have otherwise.

I’m taking the week off of exercise (maybe stretching/yoga), and plan to get back into a regular fitness routine. I, however, am done with racing til spring (I think!) I’ll keep this blog posted (for my 2 readers!)

Changes in Plans

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Wow – long time no post! I’ve been in New York since last Wednesday, when my husband and I were called out here due to his grandfather’s health being rather precarious at the time. This meant that I had to cancel birthday plans as well as my plans to run the Seattle 1/2 Marathon, which was to also be my birthday celebration.

Luckily, fitness wise, my 1/2 marathon dreams are still in the running – I am scheduled to run the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon next weekend.

Of course, as I usually do the week of my birthday, I am coming down with a head cold, and am laying low, being whiney, and craving a burrito (where’s a good burrito near Scarsdale?!)

I was ab it ambitious when I logged onto Blogger today – so I think that’s it for the update. I guess a bit of recap – I’ve been able to do up to 9 mi (including yesterday) so I think I’m in good shape for the 1/2. I’m still debating on following through with the Bikilas, but I’ve come this far, so why not?

OK, more rest awaits!

Losing Steam, and Fast

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Uh-oh. I’ve reached the 2 workout per week zone. That’s not entirely true, but I only attempted jogging TWICE last week. I did, however, add weight training back into the routine AND did a 10.5 mile walk/hike between Ballard and Magnolia on Saturday (that took me up a cliff at Discovery Park). My calves are still a little tender from that one, though I made it through the entire hike rather remarkably.

I purchased some size 12 jeans at American Eagle Outfitters on Friday, and am waiting for them to be shipped (I had to have them shipped due to my short stature.) This makes these jeans the smallest size I’ve purchased as an adult. My weight is still hovering above the 160 mark, but I stand at over 100 pounds lost, and have decreased from a plus sized 24-26 to a misses 12. This still puts me at about a 14-16 when it comes to modern fashion sizing, but still, it’s a pretty far leap.

I was just reading the latest Marie Claire magazine about a woman who did a relay with her husband across New Zealand (heck if I can actually find the web version). She started at a size 12 and ended up a size 4 – and I don’t want to say that my hope in fitness is a smaller size, but there’s a novelty in it considering I’ve been large my whole life.

I have yet to go to a Team in Training practice – and it’s becoming something that I avoid because I keep avoiding it. I’m worried about overtraining, and wonder if crazy athletics is what I want to go towards.

One thing’s for sure, though. Hiking up that cliff at Disco Park was one of the most fun things I’ve done in a long time.

Good Run Thursday

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Yesterday I had a really great run. I walked for 4 minutes, jogged for 22, and then walked for the last 4 – and THEN did some strength training at my gym. Overall, it was a fantastic day, and though I’m achey this morning, yesterday’s work out felt really, really good. Some the the achiness I attribute to the strength training. I need to find a good way to tone my abs, as that I hate most of them, and the ones I don’t hate wrench my back (because I’m doing it wrong, I’m sure.)

My pace for my walk/run averaged at 11:10/mi. My heart rate still got a little high if I want to stay in the moderate training range, but wasn’t too crazy, so I feel like I’m doing well. I look forward to see how my run Saturday will be, since it will be my first 30+ minutes running during a week of regular exercise for a few weeks.

I haven’t managed to make it to a Team in Training practice yet – mostly because I’m still unsure as to my ability to do the event, both running and fundraising-wise.

Rethinking Training (with a little help from my friends)

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As I’m looking into braving the chill (damn chill!) of the outdoors today to get a jog in, I thought I’d take up my pal Emily‘s offer to calculate a training schedule.

2010-04-27: 10 20 30
2010-05-04: 11 22 33
2010-05-11: 12 24 36
2010-05-18: 13 26 39
2010-05-25: 10 21 31
2010-06-01: 13 27 41
2010-06-08: 15 30 45
2010-06-15: 16 33 50
2010-06-22: 13 26 40

I can still go out for my 30 minutes total (longer on my slow run days, right Emily?), but I can walk when I’m not jogging – or at least, I think that’s the way I plan it. Last week I did 1x30min and 1×20 min, and walked a fair amount during the week. Today, I might set up to do 10 minutes walk, 11 minutes run, and 9 minutes walk to get me through the end. It sounds about what I’m up for today, and will get me out there, which will be better than me continuing to just sit on the bench.

The sun is out – so perhaps it’s time to go out for a jog, eh?