Wednesday, September 28, 2011

This week is kicking my butt!

First off, I finished my second week of training.  It went alright but I had to shift my workouts around a little because of the weather and tiredness. 

Monday: walked 2.2 miles on the treadmill

Tuesday: walked 2.2 miles on the treadmill

Wednesday: Ran 3.62 miles in 45 minutes with a run walk ratio of 3 minutes running, 1 minute walking

Thursday: walked 2.2 miles on the treadmill

Friday: Ran a 5K with one of my best friends Amy.  It poured but we did it in 36 minutes.  It was her first race.

Saturday:  Rest

Sunday: Ran 7 miles in 1 hour and 26 minutes with a run walk ratio of 3 minutes running, 1 minute walking.

The race that my friend Amy and ran on Friday was called Run for a Beer.  It was in Gardner MA and was hosted by Fitness Concepts.  The start and finish line in two different places.  I have never done a race like that before.  All of the races I have done in the past were either an out and back or a loop.  We left my car at the finish line and took hers to the start line. 

It was pouring cats and dogs on Friday here in the Massachusetts area but I was ready to get wet.  A little rain never hurt me before.  Check in was a little backed up.  I think that they were planning to do it outside but had to move it in due to the rain.  They did not have bibs for the runners which I found odd.  They gave us a small slip of paper with our names and home towns.  They told us to pin them to our shirts.  The course was hilly but most of it was a gradual incline.  There was what felt like a monster of a hill at mile 2.5. 

This was Amy's first race so I let her set the pace.  It was a nice run.  We were not aiming to impress anyone so we didn't kill ourselves trying to set a record.  There was a police officer following us in his car for the first mile.  He kept telling us to stay on the right side of the yellow line.  If we crossed it he could not protect us.  Amy and I found this being broad casted over the loud speaker quite funny. 

As we ran we saw a lot of people had lost their slips of paper with their names.  They were just not holding up to the amount of rain that was coming down.  I did not wear my Iphone because of the weather so there were no tunes during the run.  Amy had to put up with my constant jabbering instead.  Once we got to the finish line volunteers were giving people Popsicle sticks as you came through the chute.  They had the number in which you finished.  I have also never seen this type of timing before.  It doesn't seem terribly accurate. 

Amy and I went up to my car to change out of wet running shoes and tops.  I had flip flops and a waterproof jacket in the car.  We then got in line to turn in our sticks and get our free beer.  I wasn't as excited about the beer as I was about the commemorative glass that it came in.  I have sworn off alcohol while I am training for my half marathon.  I have been pretty good at following it too.  I have only had a couple of mouthfuls of beer in the past couple of weeks, not that I am a lush to start with. 

The organization of the beer line stunk and we were in line in the rain for about a half an hour.  There was very little in the way of food for the runners afterward but we did find some quartered bagels tucked in a corner by the table you turn your sticks in to. 

All and all it wasn't a horrible run but the organization was a little lacking.  I hope that the race that I have been involved in planning is not as unorganized.  Our race, the BridgeFest is this Saturday at 10am.  I am still looking for donations, if anyone would like to donate that would be appreciated. 

This is all I have in the way of photos from this race.  It was too wet for my camera.  Do you see me there in the left hand corner?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

It is almost here, BridgeFest.  I can not believe my co-workers and I have been planning this 5K for over a year now.  I have run in a bunch of races but I never really thought about all of the work that goes into planning one.  I now have first hand experience in all of the problems and craziness that makes up organizing a race.  The race is in a week and a half. 

I had lofty fundraising goals for this but it just didn't work out that way.  I always raise a lot of money for the MS Walk.  But I think that it is easier to ask people to donate money for a disease that you have.  Most of my family and friends donate to the MS fundraisers because they know someone with the disease, me. 


The money from my work's fundraiser goes to our human service agency's health and wellness initiative.  Most people living with a major mental illness die about 20 years earlier that those people without them.  We are working to stop this trend. 

The day will start early for me.  I have to be at the site at 6am to help set up.  Then I am going to run in the race.  Then my belly dance troupe is going to perform at the festival that follows the race.  I think that I am going to sleep well the night of October 1st.  It should be a great day. 

Gourmet Runner: Banjee Review and Giveaway!

Here is a cool giveaway brought to you by the lovely Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner. These look really cool. I would love to get my hands on one.

Gourmet Runner: Banjee Review and Giveaway!: So excited to bring you all another giveaway. While this one is definitely an amazing product for runners, it's also great to have with you....

Sunday, September 18, 2011

1/2 Marathon training Week 1

The training program that I am following this year is from the Disney Half Marathon Website.  It was made by Jeff Galloway.  I figured I have been following his training program all summer, I might as well use his half marathon training program too. It is an 18 week program.  This program only has you running 3 days a week.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are a 45 minute run.  There is no mileage goal just that you run for 45 minutes.  On Tuesdays, I should practice various run-walk-run strategies at race pace.  On Thursdays after a standard warm up I should run a "magic mile".   A "magic mile" is a time trial.  Jeff Galloway feels it it the best predictor of your race pace.  Generally this should be done on a track so that you can accurately run a 800 meter segment.  You time yourself running the 800 meter segment.  The first 800 meters you do not run all out.  You should run slightly faster than your current gentle pace.  You only do one "magic mile" each Thursday and then do 30 minutes of gentle jogging after the "magic mile".  Each week the goal is to beat the previous time. 
Long runs are done on Saturdays, which works out well for my work schedule.  Every other Saturday is a speed workout.  These don't start until week 3.  He says it is fine to do cross training on other days but doesn't feel it will help your running but will improve your overall fitness. 

Week 1

Sunday- Walked 3.3 miles on the treadmill

Monday- Walked 2.3 miles on the treadmill, 50 minutes of belly dance practice

Tuesday- Run 45 minutes.  I did 45 minutes with my new Garmin.  Had some trouble with it.  I accidentally turned it off .5 miles into the workout.  I did run-walk-run the 45 minutes at race pace.

Wednesday- Walked 2.2 miles on the treadmill.

Thursday- Run 45minutes.  I did 45 minutes and did get the new Garmin working for the whole time.  I did 3.58 miles.  I did not do a "magic mile" however.  I completely forgot.  I will do it this week.

Friday- Walked 2.2 miles on the treadmill. 

Saturday- Run 5.5 miles.  I did my "long" run on Saturday.  The weather was perfect.  I woke up at 7am and it was 43 degrees outside.  I got out my long sleeve running shirt and took off for a tour of my town.  I felt really good.  The cool air and low humidity really helps my breathing.  It also keeps the MS symptoms at bay.


I am pretty happy with my weeks training.  I think that I am getting the hang of my new Garmin.  I am going to have to sit down and figure out how to work the interval program.  I am hoping that this new training schedule keeps injuries down.  I did have trouble with my sciatic nerve last year during training.  It only started when my mileage started getting over 10 miles a day.  I am worried that it is not intense enough.  But we will have to wait and see.  Next week's long run is 7 miles. 

Thursday, September 15, 2011

So, I should get this right?

I do IT for a living.  I should understand how most technology works right?  I am embarrassed to say when I first used my Garmin Forerunner 405 on Tuesday it was a disaster.  I didn't read the manual, why would I right?  I got this I am a smart girl.  Oh, big mistake.  I wasn't able to figure out how to get the intervals on it to work.  Good think I had my iPhone with my Jeff Galloway app on it with me.  And then some how I accidentally turned it off 1/2 mile into my four mile run. 

Today's run with it went much better.  I didn't attempt to set the intervals on it this morning.  I did a simple work out and used the iPhone for my intervals.  I turned the bevel off as soon as I started the run.  I think that is how I turned it off on Tuesday.  I have to say I really enjoy having a heart rate monitor.  And I was pleasantly surprised when the Garmin told me my split times while I was running.  I have to say that the Nike + was off on my mileage most days.  It really was just a high tech pedometer.  I also really liked the ease in which I was able to sync my run this morning with Garmin Connect.  The graphs and info it gave me about my run were very informative.  I think that this new gadget can really improve my running. 

I think that I am going to have to sit down tonight and look at the instructions that came with the thing to figure out how to make it do what I want.  I guess I am in this Run/Walk/Run training for the long haul and I need my gadgets to help me make it happen.

Thanks Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner for suggesting that I get this model.  I would also like to thank Lauren @ The Running Cook and Christina @ The Athletarian for their helpful comments.  You guys really helped me decide to change from Nike + and I am very grateful for it. 

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Sore Knee and Belly Dance

I have been feeling kind of lazy this week.  It has been raining most days.  I really thought we should be building an arch at one point this week.  I do have a treadmill but I hate running on it.  So while it has been raining I have really only been walking on it.  I walked 4 miles on Thursday night on the treadmill.  When I got off the treadmill my left knee was a little tight.  I stretched, showered and went to bed.  I got up Friday morning and the back of my knee was a bit swollen and sore.  Crap, I have a performance on Saturday.  I also just got my Garmin Forerunner 405 Thursday afternoon and I wanted to use it that morning.  Sigh, I couldn't run because I have to make sure I can dance on Saturday.

So, besides being a runner, I have another hobby.  I belly dance.  I have been taking classes in belly dance off and on for about 10 years.  About 3 years ago I started taking classes with a beautiful woman named Val.  Along with a couple of my friends we joined her Troupe, the Eves

Saturday we performed at Canal Fest in Worcester MA.  I think it went very well.  The crowd seemed to be really into it.  Our troupe performed 3 pieces and one of the ladies did a solo.  We do a fantastic piece where the 12 of us dance with swords.  I love to belly dance.  I love that woman of all shapes and sizes can do it.  I love the woman I dance with. 

Here are some photos from the event.

I have a hard time smiling when I dance.

This is me, my friends Heather and Amy



We dance with swords






Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Mommy Miles: Sneak peak...goodie bag

Help Mommy Miles reach 50 followers. Only 5 more to go! You can then enter to win this awesome goodie bag.

Mommy Miles: Sneak peak...goodie bag: I am so close to reaching 50 followers!!! And you know what that means, one of my followers will receive an awesome goodie bag. Here's a s...

Garmin 405 Coming Soon

I ordered a Garmin Forerunner 405 this weekend.  Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner highly recommended it.  And a bunch of other fellow bloggers said that Garmin was the way to go. 
 I am looking forward to having a heart rate monitor.  I have been wanting one for quite a while.  I think it will help me keep my body in a fat burning zone.  I also like that the Garmin will sync when it is within 10 feet of my PC.  No more struggling to try to sync something.  I have yet to decide if I am going to fork over another 50 bucks for a shoe pod.  My mother recently has given me her treadmill so that I can workout on rainy days inside.  If I bought one I could track my indoor runs but I still have my stupid Nike+ if I want to do that.

It was very nice to hear that I am not the only person that was having so much trouble with their Nike +.  Funny thing is the day I wrote my post about switching to Garmin Nike emailed me.  This is what they said:

"It's been a tough couple months for Nike+. We know from the feedback that there have been a number of issues, including logging in, syncing devices, sharing runs and editing profiles. Not everyone has been affected, but if you have experienced any of those problems, I'm genuinely sorry. Running is supposed to be pure, simple and uncomplicated. And Nike+ is supposed to enhance it, not make it more complex."

While I am impressed that Nike is able to take ownership that yes, they are having a problem, I am still frustrated that I can't get their product to work the way it should.   I decided this weekend that I have had enough of Nike and their Nike+ sensor.  It infuriates me when it stops working in the middle of a run and is so annoying when it won't sync. 

I should be getting the Garmin by Friday of this week.  I ordered it through Amazon.com.  It was about $190 with the heart rate monitor.  Hopefully the weather clears up by the end of the week so that I can use my new toy.