Week 1 of 18: 3 miles (1)

Distance: 3 miles
Course: 1 mile on track, 2 miles rolling hills
Weather: Crisp/Chilly, Dark
Pace: 11.16 per mile

Honestly, I don't believe the pace on this one. I know it's not actually that fast in the grand scheme of things, but for me, this is a good one.

I got some serious, uterus clawing it's way out of my stomach cramps on mile two and I slowed way down, and almost considered calling it a draw and coming home half way through, but I kept going and just let the pain run with me. After about a quarter mile I just had a stitch so I was able to push it again and came home at a super fast speed.

Great way to start the training.

Week -1 of 18: 3 miles

I was supposed to do this run on Tuesday, but as I've said earlier this week, I've been having some motivation problems. Anyway, the treadmill called out to me, and since I'd rather miss a cross training session than a run, I opted to do the run. I also wanted to challenge myself by increasing my speed. I think I actually accomplished that. I worry when I'm running outside about pushing it too hard for some reason, it's like I don't want people to see that I'm actually really sweating and breathing heavy. Something I'll have to work on in the future obviously.

Distance: 3 miles
Course: treadmill
Pace: 11.88 per mile

Tomorrow is thankfully a rest day, which means I get to do some cooking. Hooray!

Week -1 of 18: 6 miles

dear lord this was hard.

Distance: 6 miles
Course: treadmill
pace: (don't laugh) 13.1 per mile

I'm housesitting this weekend and they have a treadmill. Which I was really excited about. I remember it being such a good workout when I used to have a gym membership. I remember how fast the miles would go by. I must have been on drugs back then, because while it was a good workout, it was pretty tough to say the miles flew by. At mile 3.5 I was about to throw in the towel. Not only did I think I was hitting a wall, but also, I think I might have been a bit bored. So I told myself if I could get to 60 minutes I could quit, knowing that if I got that far into a run I totally would have to prove it to myself that I could finish it. Which is exactly what happened. I don't really understand how I can trick myself. I guess I'm easily swayed.

I had to walk a bit, but it was only for about a minute before I convinced myself to run again. It was a rough workout. But worth it. For tonight, I get pizza!

Week -1 of 18: 3 miles

I came home last night in a bad mood. Traffic was terrible. That was the only reason. It's an hour of traffic. Every night. I wish I could crochet and drive at the same time. Or there was a really direct bus that I could take.

Anyway, I got home and plopped on the couch, announced I wasn't going running and the guilt began. I sat there for a good 40 minutes, stewing about how my commute was ruining my training, when I remembered that last year I managed it. I would manage it again this year. So at 8pm, I got up and went running. It was painful, but I did it.

Distance: 3 miles
Course: 1 mile on the track, 2 miles rolling hills
Weather: crisp, dark
Pace: 12:00 per mile

Everything hurt. It was dark and late. There was a skunk in the neighborhood grossing everything up. Sometimes I wonder why I'm doing this to myself.

Week -1 of 18: 3 Miles

That's week negative one. I'm a dork and didn't read my calendar right. oops! So I have 19 weeks until the marathon, which strangely (or not, I don't know) makes me feel so much better.

Distance: 3 miles
Weather: Crisp, dark
Course: 1 mile on the track, 2 on rolling hills
Pace: 11:45 per mile

I felt good this run, I was pushing it a little (which you can't really tell by my pace) but I didn't feel like I was over doing it. I got whooped at 3 times (yes, I counted) and I enjoyed my music. Which incidentally, I've totally taken over Tavia's comment section with suggestions, if you're reading this and have any for her go on over and give her some, mine are veeeery pop and mostly old. I'm sure she'd appreciate a different view point.

It was a great way to start this training program. And I just want to remember that in 19 weeks. 19 long and hard weeks.

Sun. Oct. 22nd

Distance: Cross Training
Time: around 45 minutes to an hour
Weather: Warm

I went for a hike in Griffith Park. I don't know if it is technically "Cross Training" but I didn't feel like digging my bike out from under all the crap that is now stored on it. So, it had to do for this last week of non "official" training.

Real training starts tonight with a 3 miler. It was supposed to start last night, but I find procrastination to be a useful motivator. (Shut up. I know that doesn't make sense.)

Sat. Oct. 21st

Distance: 4 miles
Weather: Nice, dusk
Course: Up Los Feliz to Western and back
Pace: 12:40 per mile

I was feeling a little weird about posting how ridiculously slow I ran that 4 miles, but I figured there's about 2 people reading and I know those people will only silently judge me instead of sending me mocking e-mails about how I should just call it "Bouncy walking" and give up.

Anyway, I haven't run farther than 2 miles in... months? I don't know, it's been a long time. The last time I did I got such bad cramps I had to walk for a while. This time I got a small stitch in my side on one of the upsides of the rolling hills on Los Feliz Blvd. Other than that, I felt fine if not extremely exhausted. I think I need to start with the multi-vitamin again and get the Gatorade going before these longer runs.

Today, I cross train by going for a short hike in Griffith Park.

Friday, Oct. 20th

Distance: 2 miles
Weather: Moderate, dark
Course: Up to Vermont and back
Pace: 11:30 per mile

I was looking at all the training guides to see if I wanted to do anything different this time for the marathon and had a little heart attack. The marathon is two weeks earlier than last year. So my extra two week cushion to lose some weight and get my mileage up is kind of gone. Especially if I do the Hal Higdon program, which is 18 weeks.

Gah.

I have a 4 mile run planned for this afternoon. Wish me luck with that.

Thursday, Oct. 19th

Distance: 2 ish
Weather: moderate, dark
Pace: Fuck if I know, I ran for 24 mins. 50 secs.

I don't know why I get so frustrated about not knowing how far I've run or how fast I went, but it really irritates me that I can't figure out how long that stupid track is.

It was a good run, despite all that. I didn't get any cramps (heh, I typed that 'craps' first... which, would be horrible...) and I still pushed myself a little harder than normal. This time instead of sprinting the back curve, I just 'picked it up'. Anyway, I feel good about the work out.

I've somehow managed to gain weight in the last week, and I'm really hoping it's just that body change that happens when you're rebuilding muscle and not quite shedding the fat. It's frustrating because I don't feel like I've been terrible about what I've been eating. Oh well. I just have to keep an eye on it I guess.

Mon. Oct 16th

Distance: 2 ish?
Weather: Cold, dark
Pace: unknown, I ran for 26 minutes

I thought I would try and figure out the local high school track and see if it really is shorter than a regulation track, but I screwed up my own test by not running at my usual pace. I decided to do some sprints. So I arbitrarily chose the back curve of the track to sprint each lap. I managed to do that for 5 laps before I totally cramped up and thought I might die so I slowed way down. I ended up running 8 laps, plus to the track and back... so it's two and a 1/4 miles? Maybe.

The plus side is I got really worn out and there's nothing I like more than a work out that really works me.

Sunday, Oct. 15th

Distance: 2 miles
Weather: Overcast, brisk
Route: Down to the bridge and back
Pace: 11:30

They have fertilzer all over the field by the fountain on Los Feliz and Riverside Blvds. making for a not so pleasant run in that area. That might explain why I shaved off 5 seconds. (ha.)

Tomorrow I think I'm going to run the track, give my knees a rest.

Saturday, Oct. 14th

Distance: 2 miles
Weather: Cloudy and crisp
Per mile: 11:39

I gave myself some serious stomach cramps on this one. I'm going to have to step it up in the next couple of weeks so I'll be ready to start training again.

My sister is training to do her first 5k ever. I'm so proud of her. My parents aren't what you'd call 'athletic', although early in her life my mom was really into skiing and then later in life she's been into walking. My mom might very well walk faster than I jog. Um... oh yeah, so my point is, we didn't have a lot to go by with my parents, I was involved in sports early on, but then kind of went the drugs and drinking direction in high school, my sister was an actress and a club type girl in high school. So I'm proud of her. I hope she sticks with it, but I know how hard these things can be.

I think I'm going to do the LA Marathon again. I'll decide by Nov. 11th, that's when I started training last year, so that's my deadline to decide.

Sunday run

Distance: 2 miles
Weather: Crisp

Oops. I guess I haven't been doing what I set out to do. But at least I ran. Right?