Back up to six miles

I am not sure why I made this a milestone for myself, but being able to run six miles again makes me feel like a real runner. Finally, after two setbacks since having Hailey I can run a straight six miles again.

I didn't do it by following any particular training program. I just followed what I know from training for my other half's. Once I felt strong enough on my three mile runs, I did four mile runs for two weeks. Then I did two weeks of five mile runs. Now I am finally at six. I'll probably do another week or two at six before I try for seven. I have been taking things really slow speed wise. My pace per mile is 11:30 and I will admit I stopped to walk up some hills twice. My three mile pace is finally down in the low ten minute mile range. My goal is to work my way up to an eight mile run on the week ends and then work a little more on speed. As I build distance the speed on the shorter runs will get easier.

Here is what my current weekly work out schedule looks like:

Monday - rest
Tuesday - 3 mile
Wednesday - Crossfit
Thursday - rest
Friday - Crossfit
Saturday - 3 mile
Sunday - long run

I'm using Crossfit for all my speed work, since we do run in there on occasion and it is usually sprints when we do run. Speaking of Crossfit, I got some new work out gear. The first thing I purchased was a much needed new gym bag from Running Warehouse. My old one did not hold all my shower supplies very well. My new one also has a separate zip section for my shoes. I know this is not break through technology, but it is a big deal to me.

I also purchased New Balance minimalist running shoes for Crossfit (from the Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale). I had heard minimalist shoes are great for Crossfit because it allows you to really feel the floor while lifting. I can say after my first day wearing them in the gym, I did notice a difference. I did not feel as stable in my old running sneakers. I haven't run in them yet, so we'll see how that goes.

My new babies

Eating healthy is going okay. Having to get up at 5 or 6:30 in the morning to work out is great motivation to eat well the nights before I have to get up to work out. I do tend to go a little crazy on the nights before a rest day though (vodka anyone?). We also have a ton of smores stuff in the house left from our forth of July BBQ. H doesn't eat it so I feel like I have to.

More lifting work outs

I am enjoying my lifting work outs right now, so I thought I would share what I did at the gym today (on top of my 30 minutes on the elliptical).

Weighted lunges - I grabbed two five pound weights (light kettlebells work well too) and let them hang from my sides. (Do 20 lunges on each leg, or walk down a long hallway and back)

Step ups or hops - This is really good to do in between exercises to keep your heart rate up. I did hops onto StairMaster with two lifts underneath it before I got pregnant. Now the only place I hop is into bed, so I step up and down. (Do for one minute)

Push Ups - Use the StairMaster again so you are on an incline and do 20 push ups.

Hamstring Curl Machine - Do 20 each leg on a low weight. I did 20 pounds.

Chest Press - Lie on a bench and keep your legs up in the air to work those abs, even being pregnant I can still feel them. (20 times)

Kettlebell Obliques - Pick up a pretty heavy kettlebell in one arm (I used 20 pounds. A weight will work, but I find kettlebells to be more effective) and work those obliques (the muscles on your sides, you know where love handles grow). Let the weight drag your shoulder down and use your oblique on the opposite side to bring your shoulder back up. (20 each side)

Diary of a long run

Sunday I went on a 9 mile run on the Sammamish River Trail with H another good friend of ours. If you have ever wondered how a normal long run goes this is a break down of how it went.

I started out about two hours before we had to leave to meet up with our friend to go on the run. I wanted to update my iPod with a play list to listen to on my run. I had made a play list on the blog here but didn't actually do it in iTunes yet. In trying to get some of H's music into my iTunes I ended up duplicating my entire iTunes library in. Therefore, my priority then became to delete all the duplicates so I could go back to working on my original plan. I was able to delete about 600 duplicates before we had to leave, but no new play list got created. The good news was my recently added tracks were updated, so I ended up using that on my run.

I scrambled to get ready to go so we would not be late. In the process I saw H had out our shot blocks on the counter. I figured he had them out to bring them along. Turns out he just had them out to eat some before we left. We had gotten in the car about five minutes from our house when I asked H if he had the shot blocks. We had to turn around and go back home to get them. I prefer to fuel during my run rather than before (on these longer runs at least). I wasn't about to attempt my first nine miler in a month with out fuel on hand.

We arrived at the trail and meet our friend. We all stretched out and walked our way to the closest mile marker. The boys had decided they wanted to stay with me for at least the first half of our run. I started off and the boys paced behind me. We chatted our way through the first two and half miles going at a comfortable pace.

After the two and a half miles we all either ran out of things to talk about or the cardio work was just taking effect. Either way we all stopped talking and I put in my other headphone ear bud, and continued running along. At about four miles is where I started to feel the effects of the repetitive movement in my joints. That is nothing new so I just kept on going.

At four and a half miles (or the three mile marker, we started at the seven and a half mile marker) is where we turned around. It was also where opened up my shot blocks and ate three of them. I munched them down and drank some water with out slowing my pace at all. At this point the boys decided they wanted to speed up a little bit, so off they went and I was left to my own. They picked up their pace about 30 seconds per mile faster than me, so they were almost always in eye site. My fuel was starting to take effect and I felt great.

At mile six and a half is when my muscles started to get tired. I could feel my quads and hamstrings start to ache a little. This is usually the point where I need to start paying attention to my pace. It is too easy to slow down and make it more comfortable (although I have to say I was pretty comfy the whole time). I also try to concentrate on different muscle groups to keep up my pace.

Mile eight is when my awareness shut off. A lot of runners might notice this. The motion just became automatic and I was numb to my surroundings. At this point I knew the last mile would be a piece of cake. I speed up my pace to match or better what the boys were doing so I could finish not too far off them.

A quick 9:50 later I was finished! The entire run felt really good. I did not have any mental struggles keeping it from being fun. I could have easily gone at least two more miles if I wanted to. It was a confidence making me feel really good. I stretched out and it was time for our reward. The three of us went out for delicious warm meal from Teddy's. I got a veggie burger, sweet potato fries, and even opted for the chocolate shake too. It was so good and my favorite reward for a long run, besides the long hot shower I took once we got home.

Run Fail

This week has been a really crazy week for me to get things done. I feel like I am sprinting everywhere. Even now as I write this I have to head to the gym for class in four minutes, but I am taking the time to get this blog post started so I can post it for my loyal fans. I really need to post more photos for you guys. This is one of my goals in the upcoming year. Once I get a new cell phone, with better picture resolution, hopefully it will get easier.

Lets start out with the failures this week. I wanted to do an eight mile run this past week end on Sunday, but went out late with friends Saturday night. I also had plans to watch football with friends on Sunday so I didn't have much time to squeeze in a run. Turns out I slept in too late and only had time for a four miler. Sleep = more important than running (most of the time, and since I slept so long I think I really needed it). I did five miles on the treadmill the next day as my punishment. It was not fun, but I did it. One of my good friends told me five mile on the treadmill equals 15 miles outside. I like that math.

My eating habits have been okay. My thought process is I am never on a diet. I just try to eat as healthy as I can in any given situation. Football has had a big impact in my eating too. We had pizza on Sunday for lunch. I made an effort to fill up on the fresh fruit that was also there before I went for the pizza. When we went out for dinner the same night I got a veggie burger (which I have fallen in love with again since last fall) instead of a real one. I did not drink any beer, but did have rum with Coke Zero (and two cocktails the night before). It could have been worse and I am not officially training for a race right now, so in my mind the little extra indulgences are okay.

Even though I am feeling slightly disappointed about the past week, I did do some things well. I worked out five days in a row. I could have easily skipped a work out. I don't like to do that many work outs back to back. I find I have higher quality work outs if I have a rest day after two or three days, but my schedule didn't allow it.

My runs did go pretty well. I was able to do that five miles on the treadmill, even though it felt like torture (my heart rate got up to 191!). I did a four mile run that goes up and down hill most of the time (300ft elevation). Usually on the up hill portions my pace is in the upper 10 minute or lower 11 minute mile range. I stayed under 10 minutes the entire time. During my interval training on Tuesday I was easily able to stay at a 9 minute mile pace. Granted I probably should have speed up, but at this point I was happy to even be doing it. I think I should be able to make my 9 minute mile pace goal for my 5k I have coming up in two and a half weeks.

Overall my pace is getting faster and I can tell I have been pushing myself since my heart rate is getting so high. Here is to a week of some quality training (and the next two days off!).

Thursday - Rest
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 3m run (weights too if I have time)
Sunday - 9m run
Monday - off
Tuesday - Intervals on the treadmill, 3.5 miles
Wednesday - Gravity and Elliptical for a warm up