Weekly Update 3/26 through 4/1

Monday, 3/26 - Rest day
Tuesday, 3/27 - Chest/tris/shoulders
Wednesday, 3/28 - 3 mile run, legs/abs, swim lesson
Thursday, 3/29 - 5 mile run
Friday, 3/30 - Back/bis/abs
Saturday, 3/31 - 10 mile run
Sunday, 4/1 - 1000M swim

I'd say last week was a pretty decent success - I cut Thursday's run a bit short since it was just POURING rain and so crappy, but I managed to run 10 miles on the TM on Saturday so I think that makes up for it. I also got in two swims and three lifting sessions, which left me super sore - hopefully we can stay into going three times a week instead of just once or twice. My eating was also good - I had a couple drinks and a Reese's peanut butter egg on Saturday night, but aside from that I made really good food choices, even over the weekend.

This next week is going to be a little busy with DBF starting classes, and the Easter holiday this weekend - so I'll just do the best I can to fit everything in. Running miles are going to be a priority!

Mercer Island 1/2 Marathon race report

I think the pictures pretty much sum it up - it was a lot of uphill, but a gorgeous loop around beautiful Mercer Island.

Background/Training - I went in intending to do this race as a hilly training run for the Wenatchee half next month. I didn't have super high expectations given the hills and the impromptu backpacking trip the previous two days. I turned my watch on at the start, but ran by feel and didn't look at it again until the finish.

The Race - After a bit of a directional mishap getting to the starting line, we enjoyed absolutely perfect running weather (for me) - sunny and clear, no wind, and a high of around 52. The course ran along the water around the edges of the island, and there were gorgeous views of water, mountains, and crazy expensive houses. It was hard to focus on the views, though, because the road was so steeply cambered/slanted the first 10 miles or so were spent looking down for anywhere that was remotely even to run. I am glad the road twisted and turned, so it wasn't slanted one way the entire time, but still - I think that bothered me more than the gradual uphill and the bigger uphills at the end. I kept a pretty steady pace most of the way through, and got to mile 10 feeling good - so I figured I'd let myself push a little for the last three miles. That ended up being a fun decision - almost everyone around me was walking/struggling on the bigger hills, and I felt great - such a fun feeling to go flying past everyone that passed you in the beginning of the race. I even managed a super strong finishing kick despite the uphill finish.

Ran the race in 2:22, 10:53/mile pace, which I am ok with given the course wasn't flat. The hills didn't really bother me feel-wise, but I'm sure they impacted my pace. I definitely met my two goals of a) not getting injured and b) running strong and finishing strong. Legs were a bit tight afterwards from all the hills, but I am feeling good two days later!

Weekly Update 3/19 through 3/25

Monday, 3/19 - 7 mile run
Tuesday, 3/20 - 3 mile run, back/bis/abs
Wednesday, 3/21 - Rest day
Thursday, 3/22 - 1600M swim
Friday, 3/23 & Saturday, 3/24 - Backpacking trip (~7 miles)
Sunday, 3/25 - Mercer Island 1/2 Marathon (2:22, 10:53/mile pace)

Ending weight: 130.2

I did really well on my diet/eating until Friday - then ate way too many carbs while backpacking and after my half on Sunday. Oh well, I guess my body probably needed them! I only got one lifting session and one swim in, and missed a run because of our impromptu backpacking trip, but it was worth it! The race was great - hilly, but I felt super strong even after backpacking the day before. I will post a separate race report later. My goals for this next week are to get in at least two lifting sessions, two swims, and all 3 of my planned runs, and to start cutting back down on the carbs a bit!

St. Patrick's Day Dash race report

This is probably going to be a quickie, mostly because I forgot my Garmin (and DBF forgot his too), so I don't have any mile splits or cool data like that. I figured from last time I ran the race that the distance was 3.8 miles, but my Garmin said 3.7, and I saw one website that said 3.5 and the official race website said "just under 4 miles" (gee, that's helpful). Either way, I figure that we ran sub 9 pace, which I am really pleased with! I ran with DBF, and we passed a lot of people over the course of the race. Luckily, the weather held off until we finished - it started snowing/raining as we were eating breakfast at my favorite cafe. Brr!

My goal for this race was sub 37:00, and my super secret goal was sub 9 minute miles, so I am happy with it. And it's super nice to be able to somewhat keep up with DBF and be able to actually run WITH him instead of far behind him! I will try to add some pictures of DBF and I once they are posted from the race website :)

Weekly Update 3/12 through 3/18

Monday, 3/12 - Rest day
Tuesday, 3/13 - 3 mile run, 800M swim, abs
Wednesday, 3/14 - Back/bis/abs
Thursday, 3/15 - 800M swim
Friday, 3/16 - 3.5 mile run, chest/tris/abs
Saturday, 3/17 - St. Patrick's Day Dash (~3.8 miles, 32:45)
Sunday, 3/18 - Horseback riding!

Ending weight: 131.2

Well, the exercise went well this week - I didn't run quite as many miles as I would have liked, but it was a cutback week anyways so that's ok. I did get two swims, two lifting sessions, and three sets of abs in! My goal for next week is to get all of my running mileage in (a lot!), plus three lifting sessions and two swims.

Eating was definitely not good - I totally bailed on myfitnesspal towards the end of the week/weekend. Time to get back on track this week - I wasn't too upset when I was just sort of maintaining, but I will not have the scale start going back up!

Cove to Clover 10K - Race Report

Very zoomed out picture of me (in the pink jacket) waving at my mom near the 5K start!


I am not in this picture anywhere, but I think it is a pretty good depiction of the hill - it began like this and continued even steeper for the next half mile!


I am not in this picture either, but yup - random hay obstacle time!


Background/training - Well, if you've been reading this blog at all, you'll know that I am training for a goal half at the end of April, and that training has gone pretty well so far (knock on wood!). I had actually never run a 10K before - and wasn't actually planning on this one, as I thought I'd run the 5K until my mom mentioned that "oh, you like to run so I signed you up for the 10K!".

The course - There was a brief hill at the very beginning, then a few rolling downhills (which, I will admit, were quite lovely), and then a hill called "The Snake" at just past the 5K mark, which gained almost 500 feet of elevation in half a mile (yeah, that was steep!), and a few more rolling uphills towards the finish. The weather was cold (it took my feet until past the 2 mile mark to become not numb - seriously, it's quite helpful for running when you can actually feel your feet!) but luckily dry and not too windy most of the time we were running.

Goal - Having never run a 10K before, and having not had the best of days prior to the race (too much stress eating crap food and drinking beer), I figured I'd be pleased with sub 11 minute miles, or around a sub 1:10:00.

Mile 1 - Off from the start, which was in the parking lot of Normandy Park Town Center (very nice to be able to sit in the car until almost time to start!). There were no timing mats at the start even though we had chips, so I'm not sure how or if they were planning on timing everyone... glad I had my watch with me! My feet were seriously numb, and the course started with a steep hill - it really sucked but it was good to get me warmed up a bit! Mile time - 9:20

Mile 2 - This mile was mostly downhill, just trying to settle into an easy-ish pace and get my feet not numb... finally successful towards the very end of the mile. Was quite pleased to see that my "easy-ish pace" has apparently gone from 10:30 or 11 min/mile to... Mile time - 9:10

Mile 3 - Just enjoying the nice last little bit of rolling downhills towards the water and the 5K start line, knowing that just past the 5K mark the hill karma would turn for the worse. I wanted to make it past 5K before the 5K race started (30 minutes after the 10K) so as to avoid being caught up in a crowd of people. I semi-succeeded - I made it to the 5K mark ahead of schedule but right in time for the kid's race.... Mile time - 9:29

Mile 4 - Saw Mom with her friend and my uncle waiting to start the 5k. Got caught up in the start of the kid's race - little kids running all around my ankles, stopping in front of me, dropping water bottles on my feet, running into my legs. Which is fine, except that just about a block past the 5K start began the hill. I am not quite as patient or forgiving (even of small children) while huffing and puffing up a steep-ass hill and slowly watching my race time (and secret possible hope of a sub 1 hour 10K) disappear. Even at the top of the hill, it took my legs and lungs a bit to recover. Mile time - 12:30

Mile 5 - More rolling uphill - the sad part of this race course is that there is no nice long downhill after the big uphill. I guess we used up all of that loveliness in the first half of the race! Mile time - 9:46

Mile 6 - Slightly less hilly than the previous two, which was nice. There was a nice random hay bale obstacle about half a mile in - my legs did not really appreciate that, being still jello-ish from climbing the hill. Mile time - 9:20

Last .2 - Why is this not downhill? Well, at least it's not up! Time at finish - 1:01:25.


I am quite pleased with the way this race went - so happy with my "easy-ish" pace when it's always been sort of stuck around 10:30 or 11 min miles. And, now I am getting antsy to run another 10K this spring - I can definitely break under that hour mark without a fat hill in the middle of the race!

Weekly Update 3/5 through 3/11

Monday, 3/5 - 1200M swim, abs
Tuesday, 3/6 - 3.5 mile run (2 @ sub 9 min miles w/DBF)
Wednesday, 3/7 - Chest/tris
Thursday, 3/8 - 14 mile run
Friday, 3/9 - Rest day
Saturday, 3/10 - Rest day
Sunday, 3/11 - Cove to Clover 10K (1:01:25, race report coming soon!)

Ending weight - 129 lb


I think I am seeing a pattern here... and not a particularly good one! My weight has been pretty much the same for the past few weeks, and I think it's because I've typically had 4-5 good days, and one or two days that are just complete binges. Yuck - definitely stress-related, but I haven't had that happen in a while! I need to get back to being super motivated - but it's hard when there are other things distracting me.

I know, excuses, excuses... On the bright side, I did get a decent amount of running in - including a good long run and a nice 10K (automatic PR!). My goals for this week are to get at least two lifting sessions in (somehow?), two swims, and do abs 3-4x, in addition to my running. It's a cutback week, with a 6 miler on Friday afternoon and then the St. Patrick's Day Dash on Saturday! Starting with Sunday's 10K, I have races three weekends in a row... fun!