Hitting 200!

I hit the 200 mile mark today!  This is a great milestone, but it's almost 6 months into the year, and I'm less than a 1/3 of the way towards my goal for the year - which is 700 miles.

I'm not too worried at this point, because  most of my training in the begining of the year was for shorter races, and I'm just now getting into the "long" runs for my SanFran training.  And I know once that once my full marathon training starts, the miles will add up quickly.

I decided to try out the 2:1 ratio on the treadmill this morning.  I didn't stick with the 2:1 the whole way through - around the middle of the run I decided to do some 1:1 intervals to make sure I had enough in me to finish out the full 45 minutes.  Knowing that I'd had to slow down in the middle, I don't know why I was so surprised by my slower average pace, but I was.  Wow.  That's slower than I've been in a LONG time.  Obviously I've got some more work to do!

Today's stats:

• 10 min. warm-up walk
• 45 min.; 3.36 mi; 13:24 min/mi avg. pace

First Group Run (Ever)

Well, to round out what has been a whole host of new experiences lately, this morning was my first (ever) Galloway Group run!  The group meets at 6:30am, and I needed to get there early since I missed the first official run two weeks ago - this meant I had to leave the house at 5:45!  I joined the WWF (We Will Finish) group for this first run - they do a 2:1 run:walk ratio.  I was a little concerned about the higher ratio, but figured I'd see how I felt after the run and make adjustments next week if needed.  Also, even though it isn't considered a truly "long" run, it was on the schedule as one, so they said we were going to try to run 2 min/mi slower than race pace.

As we were running, I took the opportunity to run with several different people and really enjoyed having other people nearby to chat with.  However, once again I was surprised by the hilliness of Dallas (175 ft of elevation gain)!  It turns out we were in the same area as that dreaded hill up to the exchange point for the Rock'n'Roll Dallas Relay.  Our planned 4.8 mile run ended up being a little longer than planned due to a missing street sign, which resulted in us missing a turn, and suddenly 4.8 miles turned into 5.6!  Oh well - what doesn't kill you..., right?

Did I mention it was steamy!?!?  Temps in the high 70s/low 80s and humid.  I ended up having to cut short each of the last three run intervals and walk a little longer inbetween - my legs were ok, but my breathing was too fast and I was seriously huffing and puffing!  I talked to the group coordinator about it after the run and she suggested either dropping back to the back of the pack of my group or perhaps even switching to the next slowest group for the longer runs.  I think this will be something I'll have to play by ear as we continue - maybe stick with the current group for short runs and fall back for the longer ones?

All in all, it was a good morning!  I'm excited about the group and what lies ahead of us in marathon training!

Today's run:

• 5.6 miles; 1:15:51; 13:33 min/mi avg. pace
• Total mileage includes some walking at the beginning, but I didn't keep track of when we switched.
• Also, once again, I forgot to turn my Garmin back on, so I'm using the "total elapsed time" from start to finish of the run - a little longer than actual running time.

National Running Day

Today, June 1st, is National Running Day!  The purpose of the day is for "...runners everywhere share their passion for a lifestyle that is one of the best, and simplest, ways to stay fit—and so much more."

Obviously, since you're reading this blog, you know that I'm pretty passionate about running (but not in they way you'd think - more on that later).  And if you know me in the "real" world, you've probably heard me babble on about training plans, shoes, gear, races, and "bling."  You've probably even been a victim of my scheme to coerce my friends and family to register for races with me.

A co-worker told me today that she hates running.  Hates it.  She said it's boring, it hurts, and it's just no fun.  I looked her squarely in the eye and said "I know."  She was shocked.  I explained that I don't, actually, routinely enjoy the process of running.  It is boring.  It does hurt.  So why do I do it? 

It's a question asked not just by her, but also by the NRD page today, and one that I ask myself a lot.  Why?  The conclusion I've reached over the many miles of pavement is that it's the feeling of accomplishment afterwards.  I'm a late convert to running.  I was not athletic in high school or college - I preferred curling up with a good book or movie to going outside and doing something.  If you'd told me 5 years ago that I'd be running half marathons and training for a full, I'd've suggested you visit a shrink.

Maybe it's because of that history that today, whether it's the shortest training run, a 5K or 10K race, or a Half Marathon, there's just that feeling when I'm done - no matter how much it may have sucked at the time, when it's over, it's something I'm proud of - really proud of.  That's why I run.  Every time I start out, it's with the anticipation of being done and the pride of having done it.

That's a long explanation for something that's really very simple: I run because I can.  I run because I didn't.  I run because I'm proud.

Today's stats:

• 10 min. warm-up walk
• 3.44 mi run; 00:45:00 min; 13:04 min/mi avg pace