Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Week 11 of The Plan

I picked the training program I am using for the half iron because it included strength training. I know I need to do more toning so I wanted a plan that said what to do and when.
So here it is week 11 and yesterday was the first time I did the scheduled strength workout. So much for The Plan.
I know this is shocking to those of you that know me. Remember, I am the one who "if the plan says trip at mile six, I trip"???
I can make excuses but what is boils down to is I just haven't made the effort.
So this week I decided it is time to buckle down. gotta get in ALL the workouts. I paid for this plan, time to start following it.
Saturday was a 2:30 ride. I planned to do it outside but then it was colder the I thought and I wanted to get it over with. Ronnie wasn't home so I just did it on the trainer. The Plan called for hills so I did the Pedaling Strength DVD.
Sunday was back on the trainer for 45 minutes of easy spinning. I did the Carmichael DVD. Not exactly easy spinning but it was all small gear stuff.
Monday was hills per BT and speed per FIRST. I did my best to combine the two. Ran repeats on Jail Hill and Thrill Hill again. 6 miles in 57:18. Then I hit the pool for 2000 yards per BT.
Tuesday was the strength day. Nothing else. I was so tempted to sleep in and enjoy a rest day. I got up and use the weight set we have upstairs. I did all the required sets.
Today, I paid for yesterday. I had a 10 mile PMP run and a 1500 yard swim on schedule. I got up at 3:30 and went to the Rec Center. I decided to just run my 2 mile loop 5 times, I was feeling a little spooked this morning. This route includes Sage Hill but nothing that should have killed my pace. My hamstrings were tired and my pace was slow. 10 miles in 1:33:23. I kept with the slow trend and took 34:33 to swim my 1500 yards.
Tomorrow is an 1:15 trainer ride, Friday is a 15 mile run, and Saturday 2:30 bike that I hope to get outside for.
Well, I can't keep my eyes open any longer. It has been a LONG day.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Training Goes On

I got to run my long run outside this morning and it wasn't raining!!!! I was slow and barely squeaked in under goal pace but it sure was nice to be outside. I don't know if my legs are fully recovered from the beating I gave them last weekend. But training goes on.
I am still trying to mesh the BT half iron program with the FIRST marathon program.
This is what I have done this week:
Sunday-1:15 on the trainer, did the Carmichael Cycling for Power DVD
Monday-Non speedy speed work. warm up, 1k, 2k,1k,1k with 400 RI. I came no where close to pace but was happy that my legs felt even as good as they did. Then I hit the pool for 2000 yards using the program workout for the first time.
Tuesday-back on the trainer for an hour
Wednesday-6 mile hill run. I ran from the rec Center to Jail Hill and then over to Thrill Hill, turned around and repeated 7 times. Then off to the pool for 2500 yards.
Thursday-swim 3100 yards

Hope everyone is enjoying their Good Friday, I am off work with the kids. It is beautiful out and I am heading outside now to enjoy the sunshine. Have a great weekend!!!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Tom King Half Marathon

When the alarm went off, I laid in bed and listened.
Nothing but silence. Yippee!!!
I was still holding on to some hope that the forecast of 100% chance of rain was wrong.
I got up, ate, got dressed, and headed to Nashville.
My house is 3 miles from the interstate. I didn't even make it to the interstate before it started raining. So much for my hope.
It rained off and on for my entire trip and there was even some lightening.
I got to LP Field about 6:55. I ran in to pick up my packet and asked if the races would be starting on time. They said yes that the lightening wasn't close enough.
I went back to my car and waited. I had forgot to bring a garbage bag but found a windbreaker type pull over in the back seat. It did help keep me a little dryer.
I met up with David and his daughter.
We made one last trip to the restroom then went to the start line.
It was still raining. I have never minded running in the rain, I just hate starting a run in the rain. We didn't have to stand around waiting for long, the gun went of right on time at 8:00. We wished Amy luck and were off.
A PR for me required an 8:30 pace. I didn't know if I could run a PR race in this weather but I was giving it a try.
David and I talked and ran. We kept an eye on our pace and the miles just ticked off. It continued to rain. We avoid the puddles that we could and trudged through the ones we couldn't. Didn't matter too much since we were already soaked.
I pulled off the windbreaker just after the halfway point. It was starting to get heavy.
The rain lessened some but still continued to fall.
About mile 11 I really started feeling the pace but said nothing. David had given up running with his daughter for her first half to run with me, I was going to continue to tough it out and get us a PR.
At about mile 12 you can see the jumbotron inside LP Field and people finishing. We picked up our pace. Then it was around the stadium, down inside, and out onto the field. The field was muddy and there was a strong head wind. We made our way to the far right side of the field where it was dryer and made our final push.
I crossed the finish line in 1:50:23. A new PR.
David and looked for his wife really quick but did not see her. Then we walked out of the stadium and ran back out to find his daughter. We got some very strange looks and lots of comments. The head wind was unbelievable but it had finally stopped raining. We found Amy. She looked great and had the biggest smile on her face. We turned around and ran in with her. I turned off and ran into the stadium so that I could watch them cross the finish line. I saw them enter the field and yelled. Amy had a strong finish and crossed with a huge smile. Conrats!!!!
I found David's wife and some of Amy's friends and we went back out to find David and Amy.
We got some food.
Trisonq was there. He had a great race.
Then I saw Lisa and Wayne. Lisa wasn't feeling so great, couldn't get warm.
I chatted with everyone and then made the long drive home.

the numbers:
8 place in age group (of 58)
62 female



Lisa, David, and me

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Great day for racing
Michele

Thursday, March 13, 2008

4 for 6

Of my last 6 workouts, 4 have been inside. The good news, none of them were on the dreadmill.
Saturday was a one hour trainer ride
Sunday a two hour trainer ride in the morning and 1750 yard swim in the afternoon
Monday 8.82 miles run OUTSIDE. It was cold but great to be outside.
Tuesday was back on the trainer. It was suppose to be a 2 hour ride but I guess I used up all my mental toughness on that 20 mile treadmill run because I gave up after 1:38.
Wednesday back outside for another cold run. 10 miles at PMP.
Today 1 hour on the trainer and 1750 in the pool.

Tomorrow morning I will be on the trainer again then swimming after work.

Tom King half marathon is Saturday. The forecast sucks. Major rain. Wonder if they will let me run it on a treadmill?????

Friday, March 07, 2008

Another Long Run Friday

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Splat, Splat, Splat

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Alarm goes off, I hear rain on the sky light, another long run on the treadmill!!!

So, I got the kids to school and myself to the Rec Center.

The FIRST plan called for 20 miles at PMP+(30-45 seconds).

I ran the first 6 at 9:50, the second 6 at 9:40, the third six at 9:30, and then I kept bumping it down for the last two. I ended up with an overall pace of 9:38.

As I was slowing it down when I finished, the man next to me said “Wow, does that say 81 laps? How far did you walk? I have never seen anything like that before. Why are you walking so far?”
I told him I was training for a race.
He asked “Are you going to win? Are you the best?”
LOL

They are calling for 3-5” of snow tonight. Guess it is going to be a trainer ride tomorrow. Bring on spring already!!!!

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Flexible

My body is tired. I did not hitting pace on my speed work Monday or my tempo run today. My bike Tuesday went well but it was suppose to be slower. Tomorrow the plan calls for a bike and a swim. I am skipping them and resting. I have a 20 miler on schedule for Friday, which might have to be done on the treadmill AGAIN!!! Yuck. More adjustments will be made next week to prepare for the Tom King half marathon. Flexible-I am trying!

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Long Weekend

This training plan is going to kill me!!! My last rest day was February 21st and my next one isn't scheduled until March 25th.

Since I last posted I have done:
1 hour Spinerval DVD
6 mile tempo run
45 minute trainer ride
18 mile treadmill run
61.25 mile bike outside
1 hour trainer ride

Just typing it make me tired all over.

The weather here has been all over the place. Wednesday I ran in the snow. It was a tempo run and I wasn't able to run as fast as I should have because of the ice.

Then Friday it was raining. The forecast didn't show any end in sight so I went to the Rec Center. I can't even tell you last time I ran inside. I debated between the track and the treadmill. I finally decided that I could not deal with having to run around all the social walkers and grabbed the only open treadmill. 18 miles and a reminder of just how much I hate running inside.

Saturday was beautiful out. I had a 4 hour ride on schedule and was glad to be able to ride outside. It was a little windy but the sun felt great. I rode 61.25 miles in 3:52:52. At that point I was home and could NOT sit on that bike a second longer.

It is beautiful again today but Ronnie was golfing so I did my one hour ride inside on the trainer.

It is suppose to start raining tomorrow and I even heard snowing on Tuesday. Looks like I still have some inside training ahead.