2012 Indoor Preview

Friday:
Goal: 3k @ sub 10:15. . . win
Actual: 3k @ 10:09 (5:26 pace). . . 1st place

Saturday:
Goal: Mile @ sub 5:10. . . win
Actual Mile @ 5:08. . . 1st place

Results

Anthony and I made our grand debut last weekend for our 2012 season! We headed back down to Joplin to run at our old school, Missouri Southern. It was great! I feel like the "Golden Child" whenever I go back there to run :) Everybody knows me and is glad to see me, and I get to see all my friends again.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. The thing about being really good in college, is that when I go back there to run everyone expects me to run just as fast I did 2 years ago. My training has changed so much from college though, but it goes to show that I have the strength to still run fast. A few weeks of speed training and I would be running much closer to my PR's. Although, I must say that I'm closer than I thought I would be :)

We drove down Friday afternoon to run the 3k later that night. It was just like the old days. I did my normal loop around campus that I used to run for warm-up, then got dressed, checked in, and grabbed my hip numbers. Surprisingly, the meet was running on time, so I toed the line at precisely 7:10 pm, and took off at the shot of Herald's (he starts a lot of the meets) gun. All worries went away. After a mere 4 laps I managed to give myself a little cushion. This was a weird race for me as I ran negative splits. I sometimes have the tendency to start out fast and simply try to hold on. It felt good to finish strong though. I came through the first mile in 5:28 and worked the second one down to 5:20 pace (a 3k is actually 200m/one lap short of 2 miles). It felt awkward to be racing so close to bedtime, but it didn't seem to hurt us. After the race we said goodbye to my Mom and Dad, cooled down, then headed home.

Victoria, Me, and Krista. They came to watch me run both days! I miss them. I also got to meet Jonathan, Krista's second child.

Saturday morning we decided to sleep in, although I woke up at 7:00 am anyways. Our mile race was later in the afternoon, so we were able to eat a decent breakfast, then head to the track. For those that know me, the mile is definitely not my best race. It is way too short, and I get better as the distance gets longer. After having a good race the previous day, my nerves weren't to crazy for the mile, but I was still a little nervous because it isn't considered "my event". I must tell a funny story about this particular race. Many people think the mile is 1600 meters (4 laps on the outdoor track). A mile is actually 1609 meters (just over 8 laps on the indoor track), so the start line isn't the same spot as the finish line. Well. . . here we all come striding down the straight-a-way on our way to the start. Being the veteran, I decide to lead the way because I know what I'm doing and I want to look confident, and go figure. . . I'm toeing the wrong line! Herald then looks at me like I'm crazy and asks me what I'm doing at the meter mark rather than the mile mark. I laugh, slightly embarrassed (because the crowd could hear him ask me this), and line up at the correct spot. Herald wonders why after 4 years of racing, I still can't make it to the correct start. Herald is one of the guys certified to start track races. He starts almost all of our home meets, and I have even seen him start meets outside of Joplin such as meets at Central Missouri and the KU relays. He has a tradition of giving the winner of the race the bullet that started the race (usually he only does this at big meets like Conference and KU relays). He has had the pleasure of watching me run for the 4 years I was in college, and now we are on a first-name basis. haha.

Anthony running the 3k - He ran a PR

I managed to again get a nice cushion after about 3 laps and win my second race of the weekend :) This was a nice meet to run in because it was low-key, but I would like to find a meet to run that is a little more competitive. I managed to pull off a win, and while that feels good, I think I could have run faster if the competition was tougher. I'm surprised at how easy and short these races felt and can't wait to see how much faster I run when I have someone pushing me, or perhaps I'm chasing someone down! I felt like I was running smooth, and I felt so good and fast.

Bell lap of the Mile - 1st place

Last Desperate Attempt

1.5 w/u
Goal: 200, 200, 800 with 200 between reps and 400 between set; 800's sub 4:40
Actual: above
   splits - 35, 35, 2:36. . . 36, 36, 2:35. . .35, 35, 2:35
1.0 c/d

This was my last desperate attempt to gain some turnover before heading to MOSO to run the indoor track meet. I ran this workout solo Tueday afternoon between classes. I had about 2.5 hours, so I high-tailed it over to the track and jumped right out to start warming up.

I was quite surprised to run my first set of 200's at 35 (this is a fast 200 for me). My first lap of all my 800's I came through in about 76 or 77, which would be good times for a simple quarters workout. It's weird because usually when I'm running fast, I feel like I'm going fast. However this workout felt awkward; I was running fast and great, but felt sluggish.

Tomorrow Anthony and I are going to MOSO for a two day track meet extravaganza :) I'm really looking forward to seeing some of my old teammates, and of course, my coaches! I'm thankful that my Coaches care enough about their alumni and they let me come back to enjoy my passion of running. That's more than I can say about another coach at MOSO. Hopefully tomorrow goes as good as I'm expecting it to!

6 mile tempo / Week in Review

2 w/u
Goal: 6 mi @ 36:00 (6:00/mile)
Actual: 6 mi @ 36:04 (6:01/mile)
         Splits - 6:00, 6:01, 6:02, 6:02, 6:03, 6:04, 5:51
1 c/d

I was a little intimidated at the thought of doing this tempo run. First, I opted out of wednesday's workout since I couldn't keep pace and second, 6 miles is a long way, especially when running fast. I wanted this run to be at half-marathon goal pace which is about 6 minute miles. I'm not sure how much this workout will help me next weekend as I'm getting ready to run some track races, but it was a confidence builder (especially after Wednesday's failed attempt for some 1k's) for some of my future half-marathons. It shows that I have a lot of strength, endurance, and determination.

We started our run at the trail head at Roe, sitting in the car for 10 minutes with me refusing to get out. I was already cold and we hadn't even started. By the time we were getting ready to start, the weather had warmed up to 22 degrees with a wind chill of 11 degrees (thank goodness for my Brooks utopia mittens). After another 5 minutes of my internal battle and debating the pros/cons I finally got out of the car, deciding that my will to run fast and win races meant that I'd have to run this tempo. Thankfully I did because we ran awesome!

We started out running right around goal pace and kept trucking along. I would have rather had a few more miles dip under 6 minutes, but I can't really complain. Halfway, mile 3, I told Anthony that I wanted at least one mile to be under 6 minutes and preferably a fast last one. Which is what ended up happening. At mile 4, I told Anthony that I would take hime out for ice cream if we could get our average down closer to 6 minute pace. I'm not sure how much motivation that was, but I noticably felt us start working harder (the splits don't show this because this mile was into the wind).

Week in Review
54 miles
1 workout (sort of did 2)
12 mile long run
2 weights
1 midnight cookies-n-creme ice cream

This was our highest weekly mileage so far for 2012. I'm content for right now to hover around the 50 miles/week mark. Since I've started school back up, I feel like I've made great strength gains now that I can go to a "real" gym rather than the one at our apartment complex. Not that Rockhurst's gym is all that great, but it does have more than one weight maching.

Anthony and I are going to make our 2012 debut next weekend by running in a track meet at MOSO. It is going to be quite a shock to the body to try and run fast rather than far, but I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do. I think the meet is going to be big enough that there will be girls there to help pull me though to my time goals.

Anthony went to an Active Release Technique (ART) seminar last weekend and is now ART certified, so he has been treating my hamstring issues that I've been fighting for like the last 2 years. It always seems to be worse when the weather gets cold, but I think the ART has been helping. It's still to early to tell, but maybe after another week or two I'll be pain free.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Avacado - new recipie Anthony and I tried from Runner's World
Delicious but spicy

Mile Repeats; Week in Review

1.5 w/u
Goal: 4 x mile @ sub 5:45 with 3-4 min recovery
Actual: Above
       Splits - 5:39, 5:37, 5:43, 5:34
1.5 c/d


Anthony was at a seminar this weekend, so I ended up running these mile repeats solo. Sometimes I think maybe I feel less pressure if I run workouts by myself, but it gets hard and lonely once you start getting tired. I did these at my usual spot over on the Indian Creek trail, and must say I'm very happy with the workout. I know only four repeats sounds kind of weak, but they were fast!

I decided to take a different approach to this workout. Lately I have been starting out hard and end up crawling at the end, but this time I wanted to feel comfortable and strong at the finish. After a couple of deep breaths I took off, and willed myself to be confident and run with a comfortable stride. It felt like college again! when every workout wasn't a struggle and for some reason they just felt easy. Again, I think it was because I was by myself and could simply run "my own" workout like I used to. I made it through the first two okay, but then the 3rd one was a hard mile (as you can tell by the drop in pace). However, being by myself I didn't feel guilty about the drop in pace, instead I just shook it off and tried again. The first two were with a cross wind/tail wind, and this 3rd one was mostly into a head wind. In my mind I was thinking I wanted to challenge myself by running the hard mile, afterwards I didn't know why on earth I wanted to. I almost decided to stop after the 3rd, but (surprise) I ended up doing the 4th one. I told myself to start out conservative and run the second half hard, but I felt surprisingly light and quick on my feet. And of course, it was last one fast one :)


Week in Review
53 miles
2 workouts
12 mile long run

2 mi w/u
Goal: 6 x 800m with 400m recovery @ sub 2:45
Actual: Above
     Splits:  2:44, 2:44, 2:42, 2:42, 2:39, 2:39
2 mi c/d

Anthony and I decided to do some 800's on Tuesday of this week. We contemplated doing it Wednesday, but after looking up the weather decided Tuesday would be better. We also opted to run this workout on the trail rather than the outdoor track. Sometimes the track is intimidating, and we just wanted to have a relaxed workout. I'm very pleased with the results of this workout; I'm thinking if this workout was done on a track several of the splits would have been under 2:40 :)

I know everyone is tired of hearing about the weather, but seriously it was really nice on Tuesday. I was overdressed with my capris, and wanting shorts. Now (Thurday), I'm mentally preparing myself to go outside and run in 20 degree weather with a windchill of 5 degrees! This is by far the coldest day we've had this winter :(

Back to the workout, we ran the same stretch of the trail which always helps because we can then compare times. It was a pretty uneventful workout. The only amusing event was that Anthony and I got passed by another runner during our warm-up!? What. . . we never get passed, in fact, we do the passing. I always like to think that the other runners are racing us, they just don't know it ;) In summary, the workout went better than either of us thought. Both of us felt like we had some turnover and speed. I'm nervous as we start counting down the days until our track meet this winter season.

Now it is time to go freeze. . . the plan is to go 8 miles; hopefully I get to 6! I really hate the cold.

Tempo Run - Week in Review

2 mi w/u
Goal: 4 miles in sub 24:00 (sub 6 min pace)
Actual: 4 miles in 23:42 (avg - 5:55 per mile)
          Splits - 5:53, 5:53, 5:58, 5:55
2 mi c/d


Anthony and I planned on getting up early to run this workout Saturday morning. Well, with no coach telling you when to be where, things don't always go as planned. We actually didn't end up arriving at the trail until almost noon. No worries though. . . it allowed it to warm up outside almost to the point of shorts weather. *Gasp* in January!

After several minutes of procrastinating, (Anthony likes to think of it as procrastinating, I like to think of it as giving myself a pep-talk) I bargained that we would see how we felt when we got to three miles and decide from there whether we wanted to continue on for the last mile. I make these deals with myself before every workout but ALWAYS end up going with my original plan. Anthony would humor me anyways even though he knew we were going to run 4 miles. I was a little apprehensive about running fast this morning because my legs had felt heavy and lethargic ever since we did the 600m workout last week. Part of me thought this tempo run was going to hurt.

I should know better by now. I almost always feel great for tempo runs (at least through most of it). I think I thrive on tempo runs because they allow me to get into a rhythm and feel better as I keep going. For me, 4 miles is just enough to feel like I'm getting some endurance mixed in with my speed. I was pleasantly surprised to click off a 5:53 for the first mile. I kept thinking to myself, please don't let this mean I started out to fast. However, the second mile split again in the low 5:50's. Yes! But then I started to think, please don't let me die (not really die, but drop off pace). At this point I really felt like I was flying and could sustain this pace for the next 2 miles. Sure enough, all miles were under 6:00, which this in itself is a great feat for me. We finished off with a strong last mile, caught our breaths, and then began the 2 mile journey back to the car feeling accomplished and ready for lunch :)

I'm in much better shape this time of year than I was compared to last winter. Last winter was rough, and by this time last year we had already had a couple inches of snow and some treadmill runs. I remember late January attempting some 3 mile tempos that weren't even at 6:00 pace because it was so cold.

Week in Review
51 miles
2 workouts
11 mile long run
1 weights
one run with Jamie

The beginning of this week we were still in Joplin so we got to enjoy a few more runs with Jamie. Tuesday after our workout we said our farewells and promised to come back down to run in a home meet. Anthony is back at school, so I'm at home by myself bored. I've been keeping myself busy by reading and I finally took down our Christmas trees and decorations. I've been helping Anthony learn his Active Release Technique (ART) be being his patient, and I think it is something I'd like to learn when I become a PT. Who knows, maybe this will help with the pain in my butt/hamstring.

Indoor Bust

2 mi w/u
Goal: 3 sets of 3 x 600m with 200m recovery and 400m between sets @ sub 2:00
Actual: Slow
           Splits: 2:02, 2:02, 2:01. . . 2:00, 2:01, 2:02. . . 1:59, 1:59, 1:58
1.5mi c/d

I may have gone into this workout feeling too confident and either overestimated my current abilities or underestimated the intensity of this workout. Probably the first since this really isn't too bad of a workout; it went by really fast. After our spectacular 400m workout last week, Indoor Extravaganza, I expected blazing fast times Tuesday morning. If fact, I'd go as far as admit that I thought they would all be 1:57 or under, instead not a single one was. It's not that the workout was bad per say, just not well.

Once we got to the track, I just had this feeling that things weren't going to go our way. First, before we even started to warm-up, there was a Genie Lift (big vehicle with a crane) blocking our lane. For those that are unfamiliar with the indoor track, we run our workouts in lane 4 because it allows you to take wider turns and prevent injury when running lots of laps. About halfway through the warm-up, the custodian comes over, turns on the machine, and starts taking down flags. We went around to all the door and propped them open to try and get rid of the fumes. It helped a little, but we had the unfortunate luck have having him go to work right when we were starting our run. Why they couldn't take the flags down after graduation (MOSO is a big foreign exchange school, so at graduation they have flags from all the different countries that students are visiting from), instead of weeks later is a mystery to myself, Anthony, and Jamie.

We met Jamie there again, so he could help coach us and get our splits. I don't think he even realized I wasn't too happy with the workout. In fact, I'm pretty sure he thought we did just fine. Again, he kept us honest with our recovery and we zipped right through this workout. I want to make a note that the pace didn't really leave me out of breath (like the ladder workout), but my breathing was completely fine after the repeats. The problem was that I didn't have any turnover. I'm puzzled because I have been developing some speed and turnover. . . so I have come up with some excuses as to why this workout wasn't top notch. Okay, so they are just to make me feel better, but I think some have potential to be legitimate reasons

Reasons:
1. Too much too soon - this is the first time I've been on an indoor track in about 2 years; it kind of made my left (inside leg) hip sore

2. Carbon Monoxide poisoning - not enough clean oxygen for my muscles

3. I'm tired

4. My left butt pain started to act up. I don't want to call it sciatica because it doesn't radiate, but sometimes I get this "giving out" feeling at my left gluteal fold. It seems to be exacerbated when I get tired (long runs), cold (winter time), or on a track. I think it had something to do with a change in my stride.

5. Didn't get into a rhythm. We had to run the first 2 repeats in lane 1. The remaining we had to swerve slightly to get around the Genie Lift.

This workout leaves room for improvement. I'll be reporting better splits the next time we attempt this. To conclude 2011, I decided to gather up all my medals and trophies for the year. It's good motivation to kick off 2012 in the right direction.

2011 awards

Indoor take two - Week in Review

Indoor Take Two

1.5 w/u
Goal: ladder - 1k down and back up (1k,800,600,400,200,200,400,600,800,1k) with 400-200 recovery
Actual - above @ 40's (5:20 pace)
             Splits - 3:22, 2:40, 1:59, 79, 38. . . 37, 77, 1:59, 2:42, 3:21
1.0 c/d

To celebrate New Year's Eve and have a good finish to 2011, Anthony and I got up early started this workout before the sun was even up. The college was hosting a pole vault camp that went from 8:30-3:30, so we met up with Jamie and got straight down to business. We kicked off with a 1k, and boy did it feel awkward from the get-go. I don't know if it was because it was early but we managed a 3:22 even feeling like I had no turnover. Looking back at the splits makes the workout look smooth, but the way up the ladder felt way easier in my opinion. I'm guessing it is because some of the pole vaulters showed up, so we had an audience, which is always more motivation to run good. What I took away from this workout is that we couldn't quite get through that 4th lap (the 800 mark). We'd be running consistent and fast through 600, then that 4th lap was always slower.

It was nice to have Jamie there to give us our splits (he doesn't do workouts on the indoor - it's really hard on the body with all those tight turns). He also kept us honest with the recovery, and knew just the right moments to give us some encouragement. I'm surprised how much it helped to have someone there.

Updated Outdoor record board - 5k, 10k

Updated Indoor record board - 5k (missed the 3k by .3 second)

Week in Review

50 miles
2 workouts
11 mile long run
3 runs with Jamie
1 Wedding with friends

I didn't get in as many miles as I would have liked this week, but that is because I didn't run on Friday. I'm going to use Anthony as my excuse because I would have felt bad making him run some two-a-days to catch back up to me, so I made it easy on him ;) He has been trying to catch up to my yearly mileage so that we could finish with the same yearly total . . . which was a whopping 2742 miles this year!!!! This is most miles I've run per year so far; I haven't decided what the goal is for 2012. It all depends on whether I want to start marathon training yet or wait till next year. Mom put the idea of the Disney World Marathon next December in my head, which had sparked my interest. They do have a half marathon also, but if I'm going to travel that far I might as well go big!

Updated All-American Wall :)

Next to my two buddies; this is the year MOSO took 3rd at the NCAA DII Championships

This week ended with one of my friends getting married on New Year's Eve, so I got to spend time with some of my former teammates/ friends that I haven't seen in a long time! I'm really glad I went, but upset that I didn't get any pictures to post :(

I hope everyone had a safe, happy, and fun holiday season. Anthony and I are heading back to KC tomorrow because he has to start school on Wednesday the 3rd. Poor guy, I still have 2 weeks ;)