Tonight was my first official track workout since, like September (pre-break). HRRC met at the outdoor track. Some new faces, plenty of the old gang. Minor problem: it was 30 degrees. It was dark. It was snowing. We ran anyway.
Ladder workout - 5.8 miles in 56min
1200 meter warm up
2000 @ 9:10 pace
400 easy jog
1600 @ 8:50
400 easy jog
1200 @ 9:00
400 easy jog
800 @8:20 pace
800 cool down
Despite it being dark, cold, snowing, and very windy by the end, this was actually a pretty good workout for me. I kept it even on the pace for the entire workout and actually did my last 800 faster. Felt good and strong the whole time and was glad I went, despite the weather. It's running in this kind of weather that make you stronger. And appreciative of the daylight. And sun. And temps above 40.
Showing posts with label cursed snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cursed snow. Show all posts
3.10.2010
2.09.2010
Superbowl 5K: PR?!
Ah, more like DNS.
Yeah, so I bagged the 5k last Sunday. Reasons why (all excuses, I know; feel free to chastise me in the comments):
Yeah, so I bagged the 5k last Sunday. Reasons why (all excuses, I know; feel free to chastise me in the comments):
- It was snowing, with full snow groundcover, at racetime
- I ran 11 on Saturday and technically was supposed to "rest" on Sunday (per my very official marathon training plan which only calls for 3 days of running per week...best not to contradict the Marathon Training Plan Gods, I know what happened last time I did that, hello fress stracture)
- Hubs wanted to sleep in (if I had raced, he'd have had to get up to deal with Shorties, which he had already done on Saturday so I could long run and meet up w/running group)
- I hadn't registered, so I wasn't out any money by choosing not toget out of bed and go get soaked and cold in the snow. In fact, the raceday registration would have cost me $10 more than had I registered early, so I actually saved myself money by sleeping in--win-win! (see how I can manipulate anything to my "benefit" Yeah, it's a skill.)
- I wasn't really going to race it anyway
- Did I mention it was snowing--and cold--at racetime...and...cold, and snowing? Only the hard core runners come out to race in that $hit, which means I would have probably finished 10 out of 10 in my age group, instread of the 10 out of 200 like I might otherwise (who are we kidding, it's probably more like 30/200, whatev). No it wasn't DC-level snow, but it was snow all the same.
- Needed sufficient time to prep for the Super Bowl Pizza Orgy that was scheduled to occur that afternoon
- 99% chance the t-shirt was ugly anyway (per the HRCA racing series Offical T-Shirt Design Guidelines)
1.06.2010
Conquering the Treadmill Beast vs. Yaktrax
So it did indeed snow yesterday, as promised by the weather forcasters. When I woke up it was actually clear--but as I looked out my back windows to the full mountain view, I could literally see the front rolling in over the foothills (it was pretty cool-looking, if I were clever, I'd have taken a photo of it...or better yet, video...but alas, I'm not clever). Within an hour, it had arrived and was lightly flaking down in the Ranch. So, clearly this meant I would have one of two runs: a snow-glory run in the Yaktrax or treadmill make-out session at the rec center. Only time and 9News would tell which it will be...so, to please the few readers I have and keep you reading, I offer two delicious bloggy nuggets for consumption today.
A Sample of the Treadmill Workouts in This Month's Runner's World
"Race Simulations - Do it to train for the course
Some treadmills offer simulations of famous races, like the Boston Marathon and Bolder Boulder, to let you mirror the topography indoors and practice the hills in a condensed run.
A Sample of the Treadmill Workouts in This Month's Runner's World
"Race Simulations - Do it to train for the course
Some treadmills offer simulations of famous races, like the Boston Marathon and Bolder Boulder, to let you mirror the topography indoors and practice the hills in a condensed run.
The workout - if your treadmill doesn't have your race as a preset course, you can use a race's elevatin map to time your ups and downs on the treadmill to mimic the course. For instance, say you know there's a killer hill two-thirds of the way into a 10-k you've entered. Hit that "up" incline button at the same point in your treadmill run, and get used to the feeling.
Inside scoop - Don't let yourself be surprised on race day. When you get to that hill, you can think that you've done it before--and it felt much worse when you were in your basement."
M2Marathon's Puke Threshold Treadmill Workout
Select the "hills" program. Set treadmill for 50 minutes. Select a difficulty of level 10 or above (out of 20). Set the speed to whatever is your tempo pace (or choose 8MPH if you are treadmilltarded, like me). Cover up the display. Start running. Absorb yourself in the tv show Heroes, of which you know nothing about and have never watched, in Closed Caption, and try to figure out what the hell is going on and who's who. Don't stop or slow down at all, because that would involve pulling your attention and eyes away from Heroes in order to punch the treadmill buttons, and then you'll miss out on something happening that you already don't understand and will become ever more desperately Lost (another show which would probably work for this workout as I have no clue WTF it is about or what is going on) and unable to fully absorb in Heroes (this is a critical element of the workout). Ignore pukish feeling--right when you think you will surely hurl, the incline will go down and the feeling will subside...untl the next time. Stop running 50 minutes later, when the treadmill slows down and Heroes is over. Wring sweat out of shirt and ponytail (it's ok, they have papertowels and disinfectant spray you can lightly douse the sweatpool with). This workout is particularly effective if you execute it 30 minutes after eating dinner. Good luck runners!
Description and Photos of the Heavenly Winterlands Running Animal That is the "Yaktrax"(runningus yaktraximus)
Yaktrax are rubber and metal coil contraptions you strap on your shoes to give you traction thus allowing one to [more] safely run on packed snow. Note: you cannot run on plain pavement in them. Nor do you want to walk indoors on your mother-in-laws new tile floors (or your own wood floor) in them. The box tells you this, but I also know from experience, which I will not go into at this point. Just trust me on that.
M2Marathon's Puke Threshold Treadmill Workout
Select the "hills" program. Set treadmill for 50 minutes. Select a difficulty of level 10 or above (out of 20). Set the speed to whatever is your tempo pace (or choose 8MPH if you are treadmilltarded, like me). Cover up the display. Start running. Absorb yourself in the tv show Heroes, of which you know nothing about and have never watched, in Closed Caption, and try to figure out what the hell is going on and who's who. Don't stop or slow down at all, because that would involve pulling your attention and eyes away from Heroes in order to punch the treadmill buttons, and then you'll miss out on something happening that you already don't understand and will become ever more desperately Lost (another show which would probably work for this workout as I have no clue WTF it is about or what is going on) and unable to fully absorb in Heroes (this is a critical element of the workout). Ignore pukish feeling--right when you think you will surely hurl, the incline will go down and the feeling will subside...untl the next time. Stop running 50 minutes later, when the treadmill slows down and Heroes is over. Wring sweat out of shirt and ponytail (it's ok, they have papertowels and disinfectant spray you can lightly douse the sweatpool with). This workout is particularly effective if you execute it 30 minutes after eating dinner. Good luck runners!
Description and Photos of the Heavenly Winterlands Running Animal That is the "Yaktrax"(runningus yaktraximus)
Yaktrax are rubber and metal coil contraptions you strap on your shoes to give you traction thus allowing one to [more] safely run on packed snow. Note: you cannot run on plain pavement in them. Nor do you want to walk indoors on your mother-in-laws new tile floors (or your own wood floor) in them. The box tells you this, but I also know from experience, which I will not go into at this point. Just trust me on that.
Yaktrax Exhibit 1.0 - do not walk on your wood floors in them.
A link to someone who knows a lot about Yaktrax
Yaktrax Exhibit 1.1 - they are a little effort to get on, but completely worth it
Yaktrax Exhibit 1.2 - do not attempt to climb trees inthem--just stick to the running
Again, if I were clever, I would host a Yaktrax giveaway at this point. Also, if I were rich. However, as is obvious by the lack of giveaway1, I am neither.
---------------------------------1 - Yaktrax, a note to you if you are listening: if you want to send me a free pair to raffle off to blogland readers, I will gladly host a giveaway
12.30.2009
Yaktrax: 3, Blizzard: 0....Starbucks: 473
I made it out two more times over the holiday trek to Nebrasky for a couple of decent snow runs. That bitch-a$$, weak-thumb, lame-o, second-tier Nebraska "blizzard" didn't slow me down, oh no, I had to keep on mooovin...but I digress to the dangerously precipitous edge of falling into a full-on "Break My Stride" song-and-desk-dance.
Starbucks, however, did manage to kick my doo-pah1. I lost count but there were faaaaarrrr too many visits to that little den of heaven/hell for one week-long trip. We are talking multiple-visits on some days. Yeah. So now I am back at work, in steep withdrawl...but surely nothing a little New Years Eve 5k can't cure?
Stay tuned for an insightfully (though perhaps caffeine-depleted) crafted post on my 2010 goals--running and otherwise--tomorrow. Should be more fun than cleaning out my pantry, which is what I did last NYE. Cheers to being over 30 and having kids...and not being able to get a dependable babysitter.
---------------------------------
1 - Nebraska-Polish terminology for "butt"
Starbucks, however, did manage to kick my doo-pah1. I lost count but there were faaaaarrrr too many visits to that little den of heaven/hell for one week-long trip. We are talking multiple-visits on some days. Yeah. So now I am back at work, in steep withdrawl...but surely nothing a little New Years Eve 5k can't cure?
Stay tuned for an insightfully (though perhaps caffeine-depleted) crafted post on my 2010 goals--running and otherwise--tomorrow. Should be more fun than cleaning out my pantry, which is what I did last NYE. Cheers to being over 30 and having kids...and not being able to get a dependable babysitter.
---------------------------------
1 - Nebraska-Polish terminology for "butt"
12.25.2009
Yaktrax: 1, Blizzard: 0
I am back in good ole Nebrasky for the holiday festivities again. Luckily, we arrived at the in-laws the day before a nasty, windy, wintry blizzard hit. However, Shortie2 being the not-good secret keeper she is, inadvertently slipped and mentioned that one of my Christmas gifts was a pair of Yaktrax. SCORE! So, when the snow rolled in on Wednesday, I promptly started begging (and pleading and whining and begging some more) the hubs to open that gift early, so I could go for a run in the snowy glory. (I may or may not have used guilt and dangled the horror of another broken bone or head-injury possibility, resulting in a costly medical bill and sad, sad holiday in front of him. And more importantly, in front of my young, impressionable, and easily frightened Shorties. Yes, yes, once again I get the Mother of the Year Award...)
Of course I won. Gift swiftly opened, instructions skimmed, rubber contraptions strapped on, winter tech layers laid, fleece headband secure.
I had a superb 6.13 mile run in the snowy, non-windy goodness. It was the perfect snow run and after 2 days cooped up in the house due to the horrid 50-mph winds, I am extra glad I weaseled the Yaktrax gift and went. Plus, the looks of shock and open-mouthed gaping stares on the faces of all the snowblower folk and neigborhood drivers was well worth it, "Is she MAD?!" Why yes, I am. Thanks for noticing.
Thursday brought a slightly less-satisfying indoor 3 mile run at the local Y before it closed for the holiday/blizzard. On a 1/20 mile elevated track. Yeah, that was 60 hardcore laps. You better believe my ass was cruising faster than usual to get that over with. But, now I don't have to feel guilty about the holiday goodies and extra beer consumption. Here's to hoping the snow wind ends and I can get those Yaktrax out for another spin.
Happy Christmas! Hope you all are enjoying food, family, and good running [gifts] yourself.
Of course I won. Gift swiftly opened, instructions skimmed, rubber contraptions strapped on, winter tech layers laid, fleece headband secure.
I had a superb 6.13 mile run in the snowy, non-windy goodness. It was the perfect snow run and after 2 days cooped up in the house due to the horrid 50-mph winds, I am extra glad I weaseled the Yaktrax gift and went. Plus, the looks of shock and open-mouthed gaping stares on the faces of all the snowblower folk and neigborhood drivers was well worth it, "Is she MAD?!" Why yes, I am. Thanks for noticing.
Thursday brought a slightly less-satisfying indoor 3 mile run at the local Y before it closed for the holiday/blizzard. On a 1/20 mile elevated track. Yeah, that was 60 hardcore laps. You better believe my ass was cruising faster than usual to get that over with. But, now I don't have to feel guilty about the holiday goodies and extra beer consumption. Here's to hoping the snow wind ends and I can get those Yaktrax out for another spin.
Happy Christmas! Hope you all are enjoying food, family, and good running [gifts] yourself.
10.29.2009
How Glad Am I Not To Be Wearing The Boot in The Blizzard?
Very.
20" of snow at my house, so far. Still snowing through the day.
In running news, I did manage to complete 4/10 mile (4 laps at the indoor track) on Tuesday night. No pain, no tenderness. Progress. Though I am thinking I won't be doing the running club group run scheduled for Saturday morning. Unless at least 10" of snow can melt by then...
20" of snow at my house, so far. Still snowing through the day.
In running news, I did manage to complete 4/10 mile (4 laps at the indoor track) on Tuesday night. No pain, no tenderness. Progress. Though I am thinking I won't be doing the running club group run scheduled for Saturday morning. Unless at least 10" of snow can melt by then...
4.21.2009
I Ran My Kids Off a Curb
Just as a good run often follows a bad one, the weather the last 3 days has been gorgeous in response to the cursed snow last week. I had 400 things to squeeze in today before leaving town tomorrow morning, and at the end of that list was running. Not because I didn't want to do it, just because the 399 things before it were all stupid, time-consuming things I didn't want to do but had to pressing issues that must be dealt with today. (Or so they kept yelling in my face.) ANYWAY, I got a free timeslot when Shortie1's rescheduled soccer game got cancelled, due to...mud. (Mud? Really? Whatever.) And just like that, a run was in.
Because the weather was outstanding and both hubs and I wanted to take advantage of it, and because we only planned to do a short loop around the neighborhood, we decided to attempt the double stroller. It is important to understand that the stroller plus Shorties probably weighs 100 pounds (they are technically probably too big to be in there, but we're risk takers like that) so this decision is not taken lightly--it was that nice out.
We started off, me pushing and all was going well. Until we encountered a lingering snowbank blocking the sidewalk ramp-thingy down the curb at a corner. Ok, no problem, I'll just bump over down the curb and go around it....and then I promptly face planted both my children in the [wet] gutter with the stroller on top of them. Much crying ensued. There was a scraped knee. There was finger pointing and fist shaking. And mommy will never hear the end of how she is "not safe" enough to drive the stroller. While I feel bad about the wreck, I am also secretly glad to permanently recuse myself from stroller duty. :-)
Today's run: 3.8 miles, neighborhood loop
Because the weather was outstanding and both hubs and I wanted to take advantage of it, and because we only planned to do a short loop around the neighborhood, we decided to attempt the double stroller. It is important to understand that the stroller plus Shorties probably weighs 100 pounds (they are technically probably too big to be in there, but we're risk takers like that) so this decision is not taken lightly--it was that nice out.
We started off, me pushing and all was going well. Until we encountered a lingering snowbank blocking the sidewalk ramp-thingy down the curb at a corner. Ok, no problem, I'll just bump over down the curb and go around it....and then I promptly face planted both my children in the [wet] gutter with the stroller on top of them. Much crying ensued. There was a scraped knee. There was finger pointing and fist shaking. And mommy will never hear the end of how she is "not safe" enough to drive the stroller. While I feel bad about the wreck, I am also secretly glad to permanently recuse myself from stroller duty. :-)
Today's run: 3.8 miles, neighborhood loop
4.18.2009
More Laps and Potential Bra Pics
This is the snow that has accumulated in my backyard as of 3:00 today. It's more than 14 inches and I think it's more like 20 inches so far (insert appropriate "20-inch" double entendre here)--that taller snow on the back of the table is the full amount, as we scooped off a section of it yesterday at 3:00 to see how much more we got today. I had hoped to do a long run today of 12-14 miles, but I have to say that though I may be loco enough to do 70 laps indoors, I refuse to go upwards of 100. So I decided to do a shorter easy run today, with the sincere hope that the big ol' hot mountain sun will come out tomorrow and melt all this wet nastiness to where I can at least traverse the sidewalks. The one chink in that plan is that is was supposed to stop snowing at noon today; it is now 3:30 and still snowing. Hmmm...that better be some sun tomorrow.
A bit of good news though, the kind folks at ittybittybra.com have agreed to send me an itty bitty bra to test out on my itty bitty girls. Look out for a review in the not-so-distant future and, as I am not an indian giver (drumroll please)..... a picture, I suppose. (f&ck, I never actually thought they would really send me one...now I'll have to join the ranks of quasi-famous, pseudo-moralistic, massively-sketchy internet semi-nudies...hey, life is looking up!)
Today's stats:
-Run 4 miles/40 laps in 38:07
-little bit of upper body weights
-sledding and steamrolling down hills, then hiking back up. Also worked in some snow plyometrics as it was the only way to move through this knee-deep, wet, muck
4.17.2009
70 laps, 14 inches, Ridiculous NYC Housewife
Item 1: Due to the recurring snow phenomenon, I was forced indoors last night for my 7 mile run. Now those of you who tolerate, nevermind enjoy, the cursed treadmill probably are saying, "well that's not as nice as outside, but hey the treadmill isn't so bad, and that's not such a long run..."
Except that I loathe the treadmill. I simply cannot run in place for more than about 10 minutes without wanting to pull all of my hair and teeth out, or biting off every one of my fingernails. So, that means when I am forced inside....it's the 1/10 mile track at the rec center. 7 miles = 70 laps. (The only thing worse? The 13 miles/130 laps hubs did at the indoor track last week. Cannot fathom how he made it.)
The nice thing about running on the track is that I tend to run faster because 1) it's completely flat, yo and 2) I just want to get the hell done and have all the people working out and lifting weights stop staring at me like I 'm a crazy person because yes, after 45 minutes, I am STILL THERE RUNNING AROUND THAT DAMN LITTLE TRACK.
So last nights run stats: 7 miles in 1:07...which interestingly, is only a minute longer than it took me to complete my 10k last weekend. Sigh. If only every race were flat.
Item two is the 14-22 inches of snow they are saying we will get throughout today and tomorrow morning. IT'S F-IN APRIL: SNOW YOU GET A FAIL FOR MISSING WINTER COMPLETELY. If we do indeed get that snow, I will post some fun buried-dog-and-shorties shots. Stay tuned.
And finally, I saved the best for last. I finally watched last week's episode of Real Housewives of NYC that I recorded (Because, honestly it is just too fun to watch those ladies and their horrifically inflated senses of self-importance prance around talking about how great they are and play-fighting with one another. They are awful, and I cannot get enough. I can admit it.) and I was blessedly rewarded with a truly fabulous montage of Kelly....running. In the traffic of NYC. She makes some dim-witted [naturally] self-important comments about how she is just the same [fabulous, beautiful, stunning, better-than-you] person in her teeny-tiny running shorts that show off her [clearly-superior-to-any-other female, and probably male too for that matter, homo-erectus-specimen legs] that she is in her [fabulous, beautiful, stunning, better-than-you'll-ever-be] evening gowns...and that running in NYC is the most exhilirating thing you can ever do, you just put shoes on and go! And how she is right with everybody in the trenches running in the middle of NYC traffic...and I am thinking the whole time, "oh yeaaahhh, I am sure the cabbies and other drivers feel exactly the same way...right after they run your ass over." Good times. Please do enjoy her ridiculous pomposity for yourself:
God, I think I love her! Almost as much as Alex and her clearly-gay husband Simon!! She has been likened to a giraffe (I agree, though I always thought of her as a yippy, whiny, annoying little chihuaha--maybe Jill''s little Ginger!--but the giraffe metaphor works)...so I think I'll consider this a "wildlife encounter" as well. Happy Friday!
Except that I loathe the treadmill. I simply cannot run in place for more than about 10 minutes without wanting to pull all of my hair and teeth out, or biting off every one of my fingernails. So, that means when I am forced inside....it's the 1/10 mile track at the rec center. 7 miles = 70 laps. (The only thing worse? The 13 miles/130 laps hubs did at the indoor track last week. Cannot fathom how he made it.)
The nice thing about running on the track is that I tend to run faster because 1) it's completely flat, yo and 2) I just want to get the hell done and have all the people working out and lifting weights stop staring at me like I 'm a crazy person because yes, after 45 minutes, I am STILL THERE RUNNING AROUND THAT DAMN LITTLE TRACK.
So last nights run stats: 7 miles in 1:07...which interestingly, is only a minute longer than it took me to complete my 10k last weekend. Sigh. If only every race were flat.
Item two is the 14-22 inches of snow they are saying we will get throughout today and tomorrow morning. IT'S F-IN APRIL: SNOW YOU GET A FAIL FOR MISSING WINTER COMPLETELY. If we do indeed get that snow, I will post some fun buried-dog-and-shorties shots. Stay tuned.
And finally, I saved the best for last. I finally watched last week's episode of Real Housewives of NYC that I recorded (Because, honestly it is just too fun to watch those ladies and their horrifically inflated senses of self-importance prance around talking about how great they are and play-fighting with one another. They are awful, and I cannot get enough. I can admit it.) and I was blessedly rewarded with a truly fabulous montage of Kelly....running. In the traffic of NYC. She makes some dim-witted [naturally] self-important comments about how she is just the same [fabulous, beautiful, stunning, better-than-you] person in her teeny-tiny running shorts that show off her [clearly-superior-to-any-other female, and probably male too for that matter, homo-erectus-specimen legs] that she is in her [fabulous, beautiful, stunning, better-than-you'll-ever-be] evening gowns...and that running in NYC is the most exhilirating thing you can ever do, you just put shoes on and go! And how she is right with everybody in the trenches running in the middle of NYC traffic...and I am thinking the whole time, "oh yeaaahhh, I am sure the cabbies and other drivers feel exactly the same way...right after they run your ass over." Good times. Please do enjoy her ridiculous pomposity for yourself:
God, I think I love her! Almost as much as Alex and her clearly-gay husband Simon!! She has been likened to a giraffe (I agree, though I always thought of her as a yippy, whiny, annoying little chihuaha--maybe Jill''s little Ginger!--but the giraffe metaphor works)...so I think I'll consider this a "wildlife encounter" as well. Happy Friday!
3.30.2009
More Vile Snow
So all weekend I was all, "Yeah hahaha I totally missed the blizzard by going out of town hahaha, no snow for me, it will probably be all melted by the time I get back, Colorado sun-n-all hahaha, back to nice spring runs outside in the hilly goodness, hahaha..." ah, not so much laughing and gloating now. More snow this morning completely destroyed the lovely outdoor Birthday Run I had planned for 5:30 this morning. I am tough, but I am not running-in-the-falling-snow-at-dark-thirty-tough, apparently. So now I have to either bundle up and slog in the slush or buck up and go over to the rec center for like 3,000 laps around the tiny little track. Either way, it WILL be followed with some sort of birthday confectionary tonight. There has to be something to look forward to.
**Update: I decided to bundle up and go outside.
Did my 6-mile neighborhood street out & back, plus added a little for good measure. Evidently the cold kept me moving and I ended up at 6.8 miles in 48:09. So I guess we'll call that a tempo run. And there was devil's food cake with funfetti frosting for reward.
**Update: I decided to bundle up and go outside.
Did my 6-mile neighborhood street out & back, plus added a little for good measure. Evidently the cold kept me moving and I ended up at 6.8 miles in 48:09. So I guess we'll call that a tempo run. And there was devil's food cake with funfetti frosting for reward.
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