When, What, and Where

I started a running group. Too bad I don't have any idea how to lead a running group. I run whenever, wherever, and however long I feel like it. Now I'm going to have to make sure the time, pace, and location fit other people. At least if I setup a time to run with other people, that means I'll have to be there as well. So here goes. Since I actually have something to write about on this blog now, I'm going to use it to keep track of how each meetup goes including how I felt running and if I liked the route or not. Maybe then I'll be able to come back and find ones that I love and run them again.

First run is this Thursday at 6AM meeting at BSM, and it'll be between 3-4 miles.

51 Days to Go

My last post on this blog was on Sunday, June 28th. My last run was on Saturday, June 27th. I went on vacation the week after that and somehow just lost all motivation to run. I looked at my little half-marathon counter and realized I have exactly 51 days left until my next half-marathon. 51=less than 8 weeks. I've never trained for a half-marathon in less than 12 weeks, but not running isn't even an option so I better get moving soon.

I have great intentions and plan out my runs for each week and then somehow I never get them in. I need some motivation. Something more than me telling myself to run every day, something that actually forces me (literally) to get out there and run. I'm working on it but haven't come up with anything yet. What do you do when you don't want to workout? I've got less than 8 weeks, but those 8 weeks are going to be the best 8 weeks of my life- training wise at least. I'm doing it.

There's Such Things as a 5K Pace?

Whenever I see training plans, they always say things like run it at your 5K pace. Or a little faster than your 10K pace. It never really made sense to me because for me I have one pace- the pace I run every distance. Probably not the best way to train or get faster for a long distance race.

So I've tried to incorporate some tempo and speedwork runs into my training lately so I can develop a "5K" pace that's faster than my half-marathon pace. Or at least be able to run three miles faster than I would normally run the first three of a half. I ran three on Saturday and ran the entire thing at about a 10 minute mile pace, which isn't fast I know, but it's faster than I've been running and that's progess. A little bit at a time, and I'll be able to run faster for longer. I'm going to track my pace here.

5K Pace= 10:00 (6.0)

How do you do speedwork training? Do you have a set pace for each distance?

Two Down Two to Go

About a month ago I put together a Runner's World half-marathon training guide for the upcoming Iowa Storm. I haven't been doing real well sticking to it, probably because where the Hal Higdon training guide says run three miles easy, RW says run a six mile tempo run. But I need to get better, not just maintain my running, so I'm going to keep trying to stick to RW. Last night I was supposed to do six miles total, 4 miles at a 10:01 speed and the other two as a warmup and cooldown. I got in four and did the middle three at a faster than normal pace so just a condensed version of the training, and it felt good.

I think I might like this whole mix it up with tempo and pace training. We'll see how long it lasts.

Just a Number

I know not a lot of people read this blog, which is why I'm admitting this here. I don't know why because it's just a number. So here goes... my goal weight is 125 lbs. I've hit that once in the past six months and stayed there for about two weeks. Then I went to Europe, and it's been a struggle to get back into the swing of things. I've been back from Europe for almost a month now, and it's time to get moving and eating healthy again. So 125 here I come. By the way, isn't that just a very nice round number? Much nice than say 131, which may be where I'm at right now.

Workout Buddies

I started my online workout buddy program today...basically just emailed the four girls who said they'd do it to see if they worked out this weekend. And told them about my workout this morning, and you know what, I think it helped. I'm much more motivated right now to go run from 10-11 than I have been in a month.

Motivated because I don't want to be the one sending out the email that says oh I didn't work out because well I just didn't feel like it. And I don't want to be the one walking the 10K on Saturday, I don't walk in races. I don't.

And I'm off to watch the silly show Here Come the Newlyweds as I run since there is nothing else on Mondays during the summer. Just might have to sign up for Netflix again soon.

My First 10K

I've run four half-marathons and never run any sort of race shorter than that. Crazy I know but for some reason I've just never done the fun 5ks that people always talk about. So when Heather posted about the Lawyers Have Heart 10K in three weeks I figured I why not. My husband's going to be a lawyer, it's in Georgetown, it's on a day I have nothing else going on, and I need a new t-shirt. So I signed up for my first 10K today and am looking forward to it.

I haven't run in three weeks, but I should be fine. Training for my half (thanks to a specialized plan from Runner's World) starts on Monday.