Running for Jen

This was a nice 10 mile run, although it was quite toasty outside.  This run took sweating to a whole new level.  Completing this run allowed me to hit 35 miles for the week, which was a goal for me.  My goal for next week is to make it to 40 miles.

These 6 miles were completed on the treadmill.  I am slowly trying to increase my base mileage, therefore I didn't run as fast as I normally do for this workout.  I averaged 10 minute miles for most of the run, increasing to a 9:50 minute/ mile pace for the last mile.

I took this run from about 4 miles to 6 miles as I continue to work to increase my base.  It went fairly well, although it was starting to get a tad warm by the time I got started.  I took my dogs on a 5K walk prior to this run.  I completed this run in just over an hour.

This was my 'Tread and Shed' class.  I ran a mile and a half before the class officially started to warm up as well as to continue to add to my base mileage.  We ran two miles worth of speed intervals and then ran the last two miles outside, which was a combination of speed and hills.  It was hot for those miles outside, but overall, a very good workout.

This was a nice run outside.  Everything went well until the last mile or so, when mother nature called.  Needless to say, I picked up the pace at the end.

This run was on the treadmill.  I have been trying to alternate running outside and at the gym to keep things from getting to stale.  Although, I will say, even with Sportscenter on to keep my entertained, it took a while for me to get in a good groove this morning.  I maintained a 10:00 min/ mile for the first half and finished with a 9:50 min/ mile pace.  This is similar to the pace that I keep outside.  I am not going to lie, I was happy to be done.

This was a nice 10 1/2 mile run outside.  My goal was to hit 10 miles so that I could reach 40 for the week for the first time since I trained for Jacksonville last year.  I was a bit slower than I would have liked, finishing in 1:46:30.  The only reasoning that I have would be the lousy night of sleep that I had.

I completed this run on the treadmill this morning.  It went fine, outside of some technical difficulties.  I averaged a 10 min/ mile pace starting a bit slower and ending a bit faster.

This run was ugly!  I felt a bit weak out there, which was due to a sore throat that I have had for a few days as well as the heat.  It had to have been in the 80's already when I started.  I walked up most of the hills, which I didn't even do when we first moved here.  The best thing that I can say about this run is that I did complete 7 miles and it is over.

These miles were completed on the treadmill.  I averaged a 10 min/ mile pace, starting a bit slower and finishing a bit faster.  Frasier, The Jeffersons and ESPN kept me company.

This run went much better than my last 7 mile run outside, which was on Tuesday.  The only negative was that my time was still a bit slower than I would have liked.  I run with a GPS and maybe when the signal became weak, which it always does, that it messed things up more than normal.  Otherwise, I am content as I continue to increase my mileage.

I decided to run this one outside instead of at the gym (I thought that if I ran from home, I could get home sooner just in case I got a call regarding a job.  It was a nice thought).  I ran my route a bit different than normal, but it seemed to work just fine.  I was able to complete the 7 miles in 1:10:04, which was fine with me.

I was a little nervous getting to the race, because the town is so small that I couldn't get directions for it.  Fortunately, I was told that it was prior to another town and was able to get there without any problems.  The race went off without any problems.  The roads were marked and volunteers were out there to guide you in the right direction.  My original goal was to complete this in about 42:30, but that was prior to running on the rolling hills that I encountered during miles 3 and 4.    When all was said and done, I was happy with how I did and enjoyed myself.  This was a small race, so it wasn't too surprising that there was only one other person in my age group.  I was still happy to be first though.

I completed 8 miles on the treadmill.  I warmed up with a pace just over a 10 min. mile and then worked up to a 10 min/ mile pace for a couple of miles, then to a 9:50 min/ mile pace.  At around mile 5, I took it up to a 9:40 min/ mile pace and completed the last mile at a 9:30 min/ mile pace.  Sportscenter and my Ipod kept me company for the duration.  Sometimes, running on the treadmill for this distance can feel painfully long, but this time it was alright.

I took this run to the streets.  It was a humid morning, but I fared alright.  I am still in the process of increasing my base.  My weekday runs are starting to feel similar to my long runs.  I have noticed for the last week or so that I have slowed down a bit.  I was at 1:22:36 when I hit 8 mile mark this morning.  I am always aiming to maintain at least the 10 min./ mile pace.  I am not sure if the decrease in pace is due to the increase in mileage.  I am not sure what else it could be.  My life hasn't changed much in the last few weeks.  I am still looking for work on a daily basis and stressing a bit over that.  I am fairly well rested.  I have been studying the last 2-3 weeks, but that has only been about an hour a day and my exam is this Saturday, so that will soon cease.  I guess I just need to give my body time to adjust.

The weight that I have listed is post-run.

I had to walk all but the first quarter mile of this workout.  Sometime yesterday afternoon, I noticed a pain by my hip area.  It feels as though it stiffens when I sit down.  When I get up, it takes a few steps for the uncomfortableness to dissipate.  I tried to run first, hoping that it would go away after a few minutes, but unfortunately it did not.  My average pace was a 15:22 min/ mile.  I tried a 15:00 min/ mile, but I would still notice the feeling.  It is not terrible by any stretch of the imagination.  I am not sure if it is maybe my hip flexor.  I am going to see what I can find online and on the discussion forum.

I was really happy to get through this run today since my hip was hurting me yesterday.  I had already told myself that I would walk if I had too.  I still noticed discomfort in that area, especially during the last mile, but overall it wasn't bad at all.  I was able to make up one of the two miles that I missed yesterday, since I added a couple of streets that I had not run on before.  One of the streets, of course, was a nice hill.  I was able to complete this run in 1:31:16.

I weighed 116.5 prior to my run and 114 post run.

I listed this under easy, but there was nothing easy about it.  I wasn't able to start this run until noon, since I had a job interview.  It must have been in the mid-80's out there.  Fortunately, I did get some cloud cover, but it was brutal.  My minimum goal was 8 1/2 miles, so that I was at least at 40 for the week.  I have an exam that I am taking tomorrow morning, so my goal was to get this long run in today and then give myself and my hip a couple of days to rest.  I felt the uncomfortableness in the hip area throughout my run, although the degree of pain varied to being very mild to, oh yeah, it's there.  I have also started putting some icyhot patches on it as well.

I was at 113.5 post run.

I ran this one at the gym on the treadmill.  I was a little worried at first, because I felt that pain on my hip right away.  After a minute, I got off and ran a few steps in the gym to see if that would feel any better, which it did.  I decided to try the treadmill again and just ease myself into my ten minute per mile pace.  That seemed to be effective as I was able to get through the rest of my run without any problems (I did have to stop after 3 miles to use the restroom, but this tends to be common when I am at the gym.).  I was able to finish the last mile at a 9:30 min./ mile pace. 

When I started this run, my goal was to run 8 miles.  Due to an unplanned restroom stop, I wound up completing 9 miles.  This was not a bad thing.  I was running my normal route and realized that I needed to answer mother nature's call.  I was a good 1/2 mile or so from the closest place that I could stop at, so needless to say, I turned around and answered the call.  This of course, added at least an extra mile that I wasn't expecting.  I then decided to go down a road that I didn't do initially, which added more distance.  Eventually, I got back to where I had originally turned around, realized that I could eliminate a couple of turns that I would normally make and still made it back home with the extra mile under my belt.  I completed the 9 miles in about 1:31:11.  I felt pretty good.  I have realized that I am making a slight adjustment at the start to make sure that I am not feeling that pain near my hip area.  I am starting off a bit slower to ease myself in to my pace, which seems to be helping.

My post-run weight was 114 lbs.

I took this run to the gym.  I warmed up for the first mile at just under a 10:00 min/ mile pace.  Mile 2 was at a 10:00 min/ mile, mile 3 was at a 9:50 pace and mile 4 was at a 9:40 pace.  After resting for just a few seconds (I paused the machine), I ran miles 5 and 6 at a 9:30 min/ mile pace, mile 7 was at a 9:20 pace and mile 8 was at a 9:13 min/ mile pace.  I am trying to get myself used to marathon pace. 

 I am concerned about one issue that I am having with my right leg.  It seems to feel weak as I run faster.  This has been going on for quite a while, but I have noticed it more over the last month or two.  I just feels as though my leg is going to give out.  As soon as I slow down, as in not moving fast at all, the leg feels fine.

This was the first time in a while that I had to get my run in within a certain time limit.  I had an exam at 9:00am and wanted to get my run in prior.  It was nice to "only" go 6.5 miles today.  I had an hour and five minutes to run and got exactly 6.5 miles during that period, which equates to an average pace of 10 min./ mile.  This run also gave me the opportunity to see how well lit the neighborhood near my house is early in the morning.  Unfortunately, it is not well lit at all. Now that I am aware of this, I will have to be strategic in planning my runs once I am employed again.  Hopefully, this will be sooner vs. later.

This was not what I would call a pleasant run.  I knew that I would be under a bit of a time constraint and I felt it.  I had an hour to workout, which for me is 6 miles.  Unfortunately, I had some GI problems (stress related, I believe) that delayed things as well.  I did get the 6 in, but I took it up the last couple of miles to do so.  When all was said and done, everything worked out.  I got to my appointment on time.

My weight of 115 was post-run.

This was my first run over 10 miles since my last half-marathon 6 months ago.  I was able to complete the distance in 2:16:33, which I am happy with.  My legs were definitely feeling some fatigue during the last couple of mils, but overall, I felt pretty good.  This run gave me the chance to try out some Clif Bloks again and figure out where I can stash water on longer runs.  I ran up at least 7 hills as well as some general inclines in the road.  There was nothing flat about this course, which is predominately neighborhoods near my house.  This run concluded my first 50+ mile week!

I ran 8 miles today on the treadmill.  This run was a bit hard on me mentally today.  It took me a while to get in a good groove.  I actually had some trouble getting motivated, but I know that it is due to the stress of still not having a job.  Eventually, I did get going and ran the 2nd four miles at a 9:40 min/ mile pace.  I was going to add one more mile, but decided not to when my right leg felt weak.  This is an occurrence that has been happening more times than not and I am not sure why.  It usually occurs the faster that I run, but this pace was not particularly fast.  It feels as though my leg was going to give.  Needless to say, I don't want to break anything!