Five days in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, paddling and portaging into the woods. It was wonderful but a very great deal of work. This boat is about 65lbs, 75 as carried with paddles and lifejackets strapped in. There's also a 30-40lb pack on my back, for extra credit. I thought about renting a Kevlar boat which weighs in about 42lbs. Next time it's Kevlar, just not tough enough anymore for carrying these loads around. The longest portage was half a mile, and quite long enough too.
Ther
Big Mac and the new SIL came in for a visit last weekend. Got all my runs in around the related activities, though. Only a few grumbles from Mrs. Dave about doing 15 miles on Saturday, but I went out early enough it wasn't so bad. More on that run later.
Last time I was grumbling about my performance running through Hell. Apparently I'm not ready for hills. I felt like I wasn't ready for running, but the next Monday restored my faith a bit. Monday is tempo day, you know. This run was almost
I've been running this series for several years now. It's a series of 5 x 5k trail races from mid July to mid August. It is completely free put on by the Vineland Park and Rec Department.
People of all different ages and abilities show up to take part. The Vineland Cross Country kids use it to get into race shape. Marine candidates have used it for PT. Moms and Dads who want to get some exercise run it with their kids. This race has some seriously fast little kids -- 13 year old ran a 24:05
When I laid out the plan for a fall marathon, I of course penciled in a Saturday for a half on the 17th of August, the end of week 10. Despite the fact that with an early October race, this would make it a half marathon in the middle of August. What kind of idiot runs a half marathon in August?
This kind, of course.
Then, to complicate matters, Big Mac and the new SIL planned a visit to the mitten state. Although he's a well-traveled young man, he's never been to Michigan. Why they tho
That's right.
But it's not for me.
Mrs. Dave has been doing C25K the last several weeks. She hates running. She hates exercise of any kind, truth be told. But she knows it's important, especially since she's been diagnosed with some early osteoporosis. And there's her weight that she struggles with. Having hit a long term plateau with her diet, she's out on the streets three days a week, because she's the queen of determination. No matter how she hates it, she's decided to do it. And s
I’ve been following very loosely a RunSmart training plan. By loosely I mean if it says run 6 at 9:11 pace I run 6 however quickly or slowly I feel. It’s been hot and I’m mostly running on trails so I figure I can be loose with the pace.
I’ve been using my Vineland Trail 5ks as “speedwork.” This past weeks race was canceled due to lightning and general flooding. Boo!!
I did some speedwork on Friday. The speedwork was 8 x 400s. I ran them between a 7:35-7:50 pace. I was just trying to h
July 2019 in Review
Total mileage for the month: 310
July 1-7: 53.3
July 8-14: 70.9
July 15-21: 81.1
July 22-28: 70.9
July 29-Aug. 4: projected at 84
My best photo of the month
Races:
July 13: Sweatfest 2 mile in 11:38 and 10 mile in 1:06:16. This race lived up to it's name, with temperatures of 80-85 degrees and a dew point of 76 degrees for the 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. starts. I jumped in this on
Thinking you may never run again is a frightful thing. I'd like to imagine I could be philosophical about it. Some day it will certainly happen to me. But I'm not ready for that day yet. I still have plans.
One of those includes another marathon this year. Something else I'd like to imagine is that I can train hard and consistently the rest of the summer and do well when race day comes.
So, the other day when I tweaked a groin muscle doing intervals, I got worried. I always get worried
Tuesday - 7 easy miles, interrupted (of course) by a stop at Rotary Park for the bathroom.
Wednesday - 12 x 400, total 9 miles. 400s are so easy. The first 4 were solid. Sub-7, all within 1 second of each other. Turned the corner at Seven and Middlebelt, started on rep #5, and just as I was passing the Discount Tire store my right adductor muscle said, "Nope!" I did not swear because I don't, but this would have been a appropriate occasion for it. I hobbled on it a little, tried a tentative
I know every summer we all talk about it being hot and humid. And every year this is true, but this summer in NJ and Delaware it has been an inferno.
For the past 5 days the temperatures have been well over 100* and yesterday we had feels like temperatures of 113*! Seriously this is not Atlanta or Orlando.
I’m back at my free summer 5k trail series. The 1st race we had really nice temperatures of 82* and lowish humidity. I saw lots of the regular people there - the guy who my husband
Actual temperature = 99*
Heat index = >110*
antsy to get outside and move
105 minutes on the schedule = 20 minute short run just to burn off some energy, be smart, and stay safe
mile 1 = lots of sweat, but happy to be moving (9 minute mile)
mile 2 = one single rain cloud- summer downpour!
splashing through puddles, soaking wet, unconsciously increasing speed = joy and uncontrollable laughter = looking like a grinning crazy lady running
mile 2.25 = perfect ra
The short:
I decided to jump into a race that my local running club OMRR hosts, accurately called Sweatfest, in Missouri's July heat and humidity. Albani and I both ran the 2 mile, which started at 8 p.m., and I ran the 10 mile, starting at 9 p.m. The state records in both events for my age were very weak, so I was able to break them. I also broke the overall female 2 mile state record (which was also clearly very weak - we all know short races are not my forte!) with 11:37 chip/11:39 gu
I normally don't do monthly reviews, but May was just such a special month that it deserved it's own highlight. And, the reason why I don't do monthly reviews is because it takes me a good 4 weeks to write one (I started this June 12th).I entered the month of May with high anticipation, lots of exciting things on the calendar. I was nearing the end of the best half marathon training cycle I'd ever had, and also nearing the end of 10 months of preparation for the biggest event of my life thus far
I've made a commitment! Sort of a commitment that is. I picked a marathon to attempt a BQ, but I have until August 31 to sign up before the price increases. As such, I have not signed up yet, and really haven't made any commitment to the race yet. (Working on baby #2 might come first--we'll see) The commitment part is only that I started a training plan (good training for possible future pregnancy too). The goal race is the Atlantic City Marathon, and my training plan started on July 1st. I'
Assuming that New Hampshire 2019 is still the target, as of Saturday I am now officially 1/3 through training.Last week had some good days and a couple of bad ones. The summer is killing me this year. No doubt it's the same as always, I just can't remember from one year to the next how terrible running in humidity is. Then there's the fact that I'm old. And I hear everything gets harder as you get older. Since I've never actually done that, I suppose it's a matter of seeing up close what all tho
There were no tanks or flyovers, but I tried to show I was Keeping Bangle Great by doing my annual 4th of July 5K, here in beautiful Redondo Beach.
This would be my 17th year doing this one. In keeping with my current blasé attitude toward racing, I was not super excited and didn't have any special goals. Since I seem to continue to get slower as I age (go figure!) it gets a little depressing to find a consistent goal (like sub-20) getting further and further away. So I don't stress it - vo
Tuesday - 75o and sauna-like, with the alternative of 95+ in the afternoon, so I accept. Seven miles @ 9:03.
Wednesday - Intervals. This week I did a 1600 ladder (400-800-1200-1600-1200-800-400) on the streets. With the morning runs I don't want to take the extra effort to go to the track. This keeps my warm up/cool down shorter since the two closest tracks are almost two miles away. Another soaker (not rain, just humid). Happy enough with the paces, though. 7:06 for the 400s, 7:09 & 7:
Somehow I never remember what happened before until after it's happened again. I swear I've never been as gob-smacked by the summer heat as I was last week. This is not fair.
Last Monday's tempo was not bad. 77o, 16 mph. Ran north and south. 7:51, 7:50, 7:52, 7:36. That's a 7:44 average and felt strong the whole way. Heart rate stayed around 160, slowly climbing throughout.
Tuesday was 84o and normal for the day after a good tempo. That is, I felt pretty tired. And like every summer da
June 2019 in Review
Total mileage for the month: 252.1
May 27-June 2: 70.1 (2:03 strength training)
June 3-9: 77 (2:08 strength training)
June 10-16: 62.6 (1:44 strength training)
June 17-23: 51.7 (0:25 strength training)
June 24-30: 32.2 (0:30 strength training)
After my final little workout before Grandma's
Farm road running
The short version:
One of my race day mantras for Grandma's was "When God is your everything, you can do anything!" I hoped that "do anything" would mean accomplishing my Big Dream Goal of a 2:45:00 or better marathon, but instead on June 22 it meant holding on for a 2:47:44 through a rough final 4.5 miles. Although I didn't grab an OTQ, I had an amazing experience working with numerous other women who were pursuing the same dream. I never felt like I was racing anyone, but instead that
Monday night. I was sitting on the couch having my heart broken via text when I saw a shadow move across the wall. Something big – so big I could hear its wings – was flying through the air.
Fthpth fthpth fthpth
Before I could process what I was seeing, the creature landed on the handle of a broom I have leaning in the corner and I could see that it was a waterbug aka American cockroach aka palmetto bug. I might have uttered some of my finest combinations of swear words but I don’t
The traffic girl on the morning news is always crying for the weatherman to forecast afternoon highs in the 80s. What's wrong with her?
End of Week 3. Feels like I'm starting to settle in to a nice training rhythm. Hitting all the miles, dialing in on GMP better. This is how it's supposed to work. Forty miles total.
Tempo Monday - Cloudy. 71o. No wind. Four miles that I ought to be able to run at 8:00-ish easy. And I probably could have, except I started out at 7:36. I've also learned
It's 7:02 and I just hopped off my friend's Vespa at the entrance to the park. I run to Lakeside for bib pick up. The lady tells me, "It's 7:04."
FuckFuckFuckFuckFuck. The race starts at 7:10 sharp and I'm still a good 10 minute walk from the start line and my left shoe is on wonky. My hair is stupid from squishing my ponytail into the helmet and my hat is in my hand. What does a ten minute walk translate to in running?
I find out soon enough when I hear the horn blow and I'm stil
Vertical Mile Challenge – June 15, 2019
Rocky Face Park | Hiddenite, NC
Race 6/12 for 2019 goal! Halfway there!
It’s been a minute since I’ve written anything, and that’s because my world has changed quite a bit in the last month. I’m now living back in my home state of North Carolina, and have a lot of time on my hands while I find a job. I haven’t been using all that time to run though. I’ve let the stress of everything (that I’ll write about some time) get to me and haven’
Two things I can think of why Monday's tempo went better than awful. The last few years I've needed a couple of days after donating blood to feel back to normal. So I had plans for an easy run instead of Monday's normal tempo. I hydrated more than normal, and it was only 65 degrees again. June has been pretty good that way around here so far.
The week before I struggled to average 8:15's for 4 miles. This time it was a smooth 8:04.
Tuesday was not bad, either, although there were stoma
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