Great Day, Great Run!

Today is an amazingly gorgeous day - cool temps this morning, predicted 70's this afternoon, and not a cloud in the sky!!!  I rolled out of bed and eventually made it out on the trail about 9:15.  I wasn't feeling all that motivated to run, but I did want to take advantage of the nice day and get an outdoor run in before it got too hot.  While doing my warm-up walk, I decided to concentrate on working on an even cadence and steady pace and not worry about speed.  I listened to the beeps on my Garmin for the run/walk intervals, but wasn't "watching the clock."  I just enjoyed the day and people-watched, since there were so many to see on such a great day!  Turns out, I had an great run without feeling like I was working that hard!

Today's stats:

• 10 minute warm-up walk
• 3.02 mi; 0:36:58 min; 12:14 min/mi avg. pace

My Running Bucket List

Since starting the blog last August, I've done a lot of ...reading.  You thought I was going to say running, didn't you?  Well, that, too, but this post is about reading, and where it's taken me.  I've poured over publications like Runner's World  and Women's Running, begun following blogs of friends and fellow Disney runners, and "lurked" on forums like Running of The Ears - searching for every bit of information I can find on how, when, where, and what others are doing - anything that involves running.  As a relative newbie, I couldn't get enough information!

While all this was extremely helpful in my training for the 2011 WDW Half Marathon, it's also caused a bit of a problem - I contracted two viruses from all these sites: the Racing Bug and Bling Fever.  Reading and hearing about all the awesome races and running opportunities that are out there these days has made me want to do more; to reach higher and go further than I ever could have imagined when I took those first feeble running steps a couple of years ago.

So, I've created a Running Bucket List for myself.  Who knows if I'll ever manage to do these, but it can't hurt to have something to work towards, right?  Since I keep hearing about awesome races, it'll probably keep getting longer rather than shorter, but here it is, as of the end of January 2011:

Jenny's Running Bucket List:

• Disney Land Half Marathon - I want the Coast-to-Coast Medal!
• Wine & Dine Half Marathon - did the relay, want to do more!
• Princess Half Marathon - another Disney Race?  Sign me up!
• A Divas Half Marathon - a destination race where you cross the finish line in a tiara & boa?  Yes please!
• 3M Half Marathon - It's in Austin - need I say more?
• NYC Half Marathon - I want to run through Central Park!
• Marine Corps - Finishers medal awarded by real-life Marines!!!
• Nike Women's Half Marathon - A diamond finisher's necklace from Tiffany & Co.?  Now that's serious bling!
• Walt Disney World Full Marathon - I REALLY want that Mickey Medal!

Biker Babe!

Okay, so maybe not in the sense that the phrase has come to mean...but I'm gonna be a biker babe!  Keeping with the spirit of my New Year's Resolution to complete more of the non-running components of each new training program, I've purchased a bicycle!  That's one piece of equipment I haven't owned since my freshman year in college - I'm really hoping they mean what they say about never forgetting, because it's definitely been a while...  I'm really excited about having another cross-training opportunity, especially one that's easy on the joints!  The bike has been ordered, and a helmet and a few other accessories bought.  Now I just have to wait for it to arrive and deal with the "minor" assembly required, then I'll be off!!!

Today's stats:

• 10 min warm-up walk
• 2 mi run; 0:26:26;  13:13 min/mi pace
• 30 min resistance band strength training

Unimpressed When Not Compressed

This evening I decided to run in a pair of my TX Longhorn Nike Tempo shorts - I was only doing 3 miles and was running on the treadmill so no worries about running in public in shorts (something I just don't do!).  Obviously I've gotten used to running in my compression capris and tights - maybe too used to it?  [My theory has always been to use any tools available to me to make my running easier/better, and once I discovered compression, I hopped on that bandwagon and never looked back!]  Who knows, maybe it's a mental thing, but I just didn't feel that tight, slightly springy feeling that I've gotten used to feeling.  I don't know that it really made a difference pace-wise, at least not on a 3 mile run like tonight's, and not on a treadmill, where I'm slower anyways.  As much as I love my compression gear, I don't want it to become a crutch, so I think I'm going to go back to doing at least one of my weeknight short runs in non-compression bottoms and save the "springs" for the longer runs on the weekends.

Today's stats:

• 10 min warm-up walk
• 3 mi run; 0:40:38 min; 13:33 min/mi