Twas' the Night Before, Racemas?

Tomorrow morning is my first Half-Marathon. My nerves are finally showing themselves. Everything is set for tomorrow, hopefully it goes off without a hitch. My shoes are by the front door, chip attached. My breakfast is waiting for me on the counter, just need to heat and eat. Dual alarms are set. And my race clothes are laid out hanging on my bedroom door. 8 hours, 43 minutes until the gun sounds, I really need to get to bed.

"Trust your training, trust your taper."

Zooma Annapolis Half-Marathon Right Around the Corner

Yesterday I picked up my race packet for the Zooma Annapolis Half-Marathon on Sunday.  This has been the main focus of my training for the past couple of months.  The nerves are starting to set in.

I pulled up to Fleet Feet, where the packet pick-up was being held.


My bib.  I hope to see some signs with encouraging words for #1470 Sunday.


Got a nice technical shirt too.  This won't be worn until I can call myself a finisher.

Last Run Before The Half

Today was my last run before the Half-Marathon on Sunday.  This was just to be a quick run, just to keep my legs loose and to let me know if I had any injuries lingering that I needed to nurse for the next couple days.  I went out for what was supposed to be an easy two miles, well easy wasn't what my pace ended up being.  I ran those two miles in just over 17 minutes, oops.  As I lay here typing this, my fingers are twitchy, my legs won't stay still.  Needless to say, its going to be a long 60 hours.

Mile Splits

Mile 1 - 7:36

Mile 2 - 8:48

2-2.08 -  :41 (8:48min/mi pace)

Race Day is Looming.

As I write this the countdown to the gun is at 3 days, 12 hours and 48 minutes.  It's finally starting to hit me, 13.1 miles.  In one outing.  At the same time.  What was I thinking?  Too late to back out now, In 3 days and 10 hours I *hope* (can't jynx it) to be a Half-Marathon finisher!  So, today I went on my next to last run before the race.  I set out looking for a calm and relaxed four miler.  The miles ticked off, one by one.  I was feeling very good the whole way, my pace slipped just about a minute from mile one to mile four.  Mile three was even a bit quicker then mile two.  If this is any indication of how things are going to go Sunday, I will be so excited!  As usual, I will finish my post with my mile splits from the run.

Mile Splits

Mile 1 - 8:11

Mile 2 - 9:05

Mile 3 - 9:00

Mile 4 - 9:37

4-4.08 - :45 (9:24min/mi pace)

Training Partners ROCK!

Kate, this one goes out to you! Today was my first run with my marathon training partner. I drove to her house so we could run on the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail, which just so happens to be where the majority of my Half-Marathon is going to be run. As we set off toward the trail we jibber jabbered about random stuff, her graduating, school, life in general. It was great to talk to someone besides the little voice in my head. As we approached the trail we had the option to turn left onto it, or to turn right onto it. We decided to turn left, after looking at a map later, had we turned right we would have overlapped my Half-Marathon's course a little. We cruised along the trail for 4 miles before turning back. The miles just seemed to pass, didn't even realize how far we were going and how far we went. Around mile 6ish we were both getting tired, and thirsty. Luckily there was a water fountian just ahead. We stopped and got some water and took a quick potty break before finishing off the run. The final couple miles were hard, after the water break my legs seemed to think we were done and didn't want to come back. Perseverence paid off and we ran the trail back to the streets to get to her house. The total mileage on the day came to about 9.3 miles. Since we ran this one electronics free I don't have mile splits, or even an accurate time. Judging by the clock in my car at the time we left and time we got back we spent about 1:40:00 on the run. That would come to an average pace of about 10:43min/mile. Having a training partner is great! Two more weeks until we really start to train for the MARATHON!

New 5k PR?!

Today I was going to watch my little cousins baseball game. He was playing up the street from my house so I mapped out a 5k route to the field he was playing at. I hit start on my timer and never looked back. I ran the whole thing, never even slowed to a jog. When I finished I was really feeling good, like I could have gotten back home running the same pace. If my GPS was accurate, this would have been my fastest run ever, fastest mile by 1:02 and fastest 5k by about 2 minutes!

Mile Splits
Mile 1 - 5:48
Mile 2 - 6:26
Mile 3 - 8:43
3-3.11 - 1:00

5k Total - 21:57

3.11-3.46 - 4:00

Total - 25:57 - 7:29min/mi

Quick Loop, Great Run

Today when I got home from work I wasn't feeling very much into running. I forced myself out anyway though, just for a quick loop around the neighborhood. Three miles later I got home feeling great. Aside from pushing mile one hard I was able to finish running my normal three mile pace. I was surprised when I still had a little juice left in the tank after finishing my run. I guess there is a bit of get up and go in me after all?

Mile Splits
Mile 1 - 7:21
Mile 2 - 8:27
Mile 3 - 9:29
3-3.26 - 3:29 (13:17 had I finished, cool down walk)

Total - 28:47 - 8:49min/mi

Rainy Days Make for Crappy Days.

Since its the weekend, I think we all know what today is...Long Run Day! I woke up this morning to grey skys, and wet roads. I've done a run or two in the rain before, and they were the worst expierence ever. I followed my normal routine anyway though, toast and oatmeal, let it settle, hope the clouds clear out. As the morning pressed on, the clouds hung on, and the forcast wasn't looking good. At 10:30am the clouds started to clear so I got dressed and out the door I went. As usual, miles one and two were a bit faster then they should have been, but I was able to hold an O.K. pace for miles three through eight, with only a couple blips. As I got into mile six I felt some drops, its alright, only a drizzle, I'll survive. I pressed on, mile seven brought some more drops, at this point I was about to loop by my house before the last three mile loop back to it. I decided I'd run a series of smaller loops to get to my mileage, that way if the rains came I wouldn't be a mile or two away from home. This was a good decision, at I entered mile eight the heavens opened. I was caught in a downpour, and the sky all around wasn't showing any signs of it letting up any time soon. I made my way home and finished 8.68 of my scheduled 10 miles. I showered, ate and napped, it was still raining.

Mile Splits for the day
Mile 1 - 8:24
Mile 2 - 9:19
Mile 3 - 10:38
Mile 4 - 10:06
Mile 5 - 10:52
Mile 6 - 11:37
Mile 7 - 10:24
Mile 8 - 11:29
8-8.68 - 7:31 (11:08 had I finished the mile)

Total - 1:30:23 - 10:25min/mi

Slowly adding distance to my mid-week runs.

When I started running, my long runs weren't even this long! Today I set out on a trek that took me 3.84 miles before arriving back home. Like usual, my first mile was much too fast, and I paid for it in my last. One day I will learn how to properly pace that first one! Not much more to write about today, more to follow later.

Mile Splits
Mile 1 - 8:18
Mile 2 - 9:18
Mile 3 - 9:06
3-3.84 - 10:07 (12:02 had I finished the mile)

Total - 36:51 9:35min/mile

Three and a quarter, no GPS

Today as I was getting ready for my run I went through all my usual steps. Put on the shirt, change into some shorts, lace up the Brooks, turn on the GPS. All was well until I got to the GPS part, when I turned it on it sounded a low battery warning, ok, so its staying home today. Without my GPS I knew it meant that I'd have to mentally pace myself since I won't have anything to keep track of it for me. Out the door I went, I ran the 3.27 mile loop rather consistently, or atleast it felt like it was consistent. I finished the loop in 29:17, which is an average pace of 8:56min/mile. No mile splits today, since I didn't have any way of measuring them.

10 Miler, Number 2

I woke up right on time, had a nice breakfast then watched some TV while I let my toast and oatmeal settle. Nothing worse then the side-stiches that come while digesting on the run (literally.) At 11:23am I set out. It was good weather, the sun was starting to come out, but it was still staying cool. My first three miles were effortless, then I had a bit of trouble in mile four but worked through it. Mile five my pace dropped back to my starting pace, which I was very happy about. The final five miles were tough, but I held a steady 10:30min/mile pace through them. This was probably my best long run to date!

Mile Splits
Mile 1 - 8:17 (too fast)
Mile 2 - 9:14
Mile 3 - 9:22
Mile 4 - 10:50
Mile 5 - 9:28
Mile 6 - 10:33
Mile 7 - 10:26
Mile 8 - 10:28
Mile 9 - 10:17
Mile 10 - 10:36
10-10.19 - 3:10 (16:35/mi had I finished walking it out)

Total - 1:42:45 - 10:04min/mi
My pacing is defiantly getting better, I still need to work on the first few miles though.

Blisters Suck!

When I bought my newest pair of shoes I had a series of blisters follow, all on my right foot, all in the same spot.  I finally thought I had them taken care of, apparently I was wrong.  During my long run today, scheduled for 11 miles, the blisters came back.  I felt them begin around mile 6, and as I moved through mile 6 and into 7 they were becoming un-bearable.  My pace was beginning to reflect that as well.  I ended up cutting my run short, only ran 7.91 miles in a total time of 1:22:29.  My pace was very steady, until the blisters hit.  I was averaging about 9:40/miles.

::Today's Mile Splits::

Mile 1 - 9:13

Mile 2 - 9:43

Mile 3 - 9:25

Mile 4 - 9:59

Mile 5 - 9:44

Mile 6 - 8:33

Mile 7 - 12:46

7.00-7.91 - 13:02

My pacing was very good on this run, now I need to work on the blister control again.  The worst part is that I went about 30 miles without a blister, then all of a sudden I get a couple huge ones on the same run.  

Pain Free Runs Rock!

Wednesday I went out for my last run in the month of April. Heading into this run I had 66.1 miles under my belt, and I knew that I was going to break 70 miles in April. I got home from work and laced up my shoes, and out the door I went. As I was off I felt a sense of calm come over me. The miles were just ticking off, almost effortlessly. Before I knew it 3 miles had passed, only .9 miles to go before I broke 70! I was still feeling good so I kept on running. Another mile passed, and with that came a huge sense of satisfaction, that I ran so far in a month. I finished my route with another 2 miles and change. The total distance of the run came to 6.07 miles. The total time of the run was 57:16.

Todays mile splits were:
Mile 1 - 8:35
Mile 2 - 8:12
Mile 3 - 9:38
Mile 4 - 10:13
Mile 5 - 9:52
Mile 6 - 9:39
358ft (cool-down walk) - 1:04

At the end of the run I was feeling good, no lingering pain in my legs. During the run there was no pain. Well after the run there wasn't any pain. It feels great to run pain free! My mile splits were much more controlled this time around, I hope to be able to continue to hold a steady (for me at least) pace in my 11 mile run tomorrow. Until then, happy trails.