getting nervous

I have run half marathons before.  I think The Hapalua will be number 6.  My last one I finally managed to break 2 hours.  I wasn't really training to, I just knew I wanted to break 2 hours.

However, this time I am getting very nervous about my times.  The Hapalua has Diamond Head at mile 9 to run up.  It isn't much, probably about half a mile and 150 feet of elevation gain.  However that is way more than I am used to, with any of my races.  (I have done most of my runs in Florida after all).

I went to Waikiki over the weekend to give Diamond Head a go.  I am so happy with the choice to do this.  Diamond Head isn't too bad.  Though, I did start it at around mile 3 or 4, so my legs were still fresh.  Like I said, we don't get to the hill until about mile 9 in the race.  There is a nice downhill after, and really, it is pretty much flat or downhill until the end of the race - that shouldn't be too hard.

In a nutshell, my worries:

• I worry that my long run pace is too slow. (I'm averaging a 9:30min/mile for the long runs)
• I worry that there is a hill - at mile 9.  Are my legs going to be able to handle that?
• I worry that when I do mile repeats at race pace I have trouble sticking to 'race pace'.  I go too fast.  How will I be able to keep on track?
• I worry that I won't break 2 hours again.

That's it.  I think this is the first time I have put in dedicated hill runs, tempo runs and intervals into a training plan.  I haven't just been going out to run.  I have been following my plan (mostly).  That's a good thing.  So I guess an over view of the good things:

• I have been training 5 - 6 days a week - consistently.
• I have been doing hills, tempos, intervals, long runs.
• I have been resting and foam rolling.
• I have practiced on the course.

Maybe I am just over-thinking everything!

One thing I know for sure - I am excited!!

weekly recap - week 11

This week wasn't so good.  It was all about being dedicated.  Most of these runs were hard to get through.  Sunday I wasn't feeling too good, so I will try to fit in my long run Monday morning.  Only two more weeks until the half marathon!

Monday:

• Morning surf

Tuesday:

• Morning interval run, 4 x 1600m with 0.25miles rest.  1 mile warm up and cool down: 7 miles. (9:20min/mile)

Wednesday:

• Morning easy run: 3 miles. (9:27min/mile)
• BBG - Legs & Cardio: Week 5.

Thursday:

• Rest

Friday:

• Morning hill run.  5 miles. (8:48min/mile)
• BBG - Arms & Abs: Week 5

Saturday:

• Morning 'tempo' run (actually more of a 3 x 1600m run): 5 miles. 8:48 pace)

Sunday:

• 
  

Weekly mileage: 20.00 miles.

intervals and race pace

This morning I actually woke up well rested and ready to run.  Well, at least my mind was ready to run.  As soon as I started the excuses also started up.

On the cards was 4 x 1600m.  I was planning on a mile warm up and cool down, and a quarter of a mile rest between repeats.  I went out nice and slow.  My legs felt tired.  I worked it out, if I did what was planned it was 7 miles.  7 miles!  That is ridiculous! I can't run 7 miles as a 'normal' run (i.e. not a long run).  I thought about doing half a mile warm up and cool down.  But at the half mile point, my legs didn't feel warmed up.  I kept going.

I thought about only running 3 repeats.  That means 1 mile less.  Take off the recovery, that means 1.25 miles less.  Yea.  I can do that.  So after my mile warm up, I went on to try and find my race pace.

I went a little too quick.  8 minutes 30 seconds for the first mile.  I was feeling a little better.  I walked for 0.1 of a mile, then jogged for 0.15 to reach a quarter of a mile.  I decided I could turn around half way through my next repeat and head back.  I tried to go easier, and focus on slowing down.

Half way through the repeat I thought I would go a quarter of a mile more, let's make it an even 3 miles, then I can turn around - for a total run of 6 miles.  That sounds good.

I reached three miles, and thought, well - I only have a quarter of a mile to go until the end of my repeat.  I can do 4 repeats.  And that was it.  Four repeats in the bag!  Sometimes you just need to trick your mind.

My splits:

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:05:37.6	7.00	9:23
1	9:50.7	1.00	9:48
2	8:30.1	1.00	8:30
3	3:16.0	0.25	13:04
4	8:36.8	1.00	8:37
5	3:08.8	0.25	12:32
6	8:30.6	1.00	8:31
7	3:03.6	0.25	12:15
8	8:18.8	1.00	8:19
9	3:03.3	0.25	12:14
10	9:19.0	1.00	9:21

The second mile I tried to slow it down a little.  The third I just ran comfortable hard, and didn't look at my watch.  The fourth was tough.  I ran faster than my race pace, and the end hurt.  By the end of it I was happy I was done!

I am so happy I managed to convince myself to go out and run this workout.  It was tough, my legs felt tired - but not sore in anyway.  A huge motivation is knowing there are great runners out there, and they do it.  They are fast, but they work for their speed.  

If I want to get faster I need to put in the hard work.

rest days

My training plan said to run today.  The BBG workout said to exercise today.  Never miss a Monday. That's what they say.

But I did everything 'they' told me not to do.  I didn't run.  I didn't work out.  I missed a Monday.

I was feeling a little guilty.  But then I have been doing so well.  My body needed a full day of rest.  (Technically it wasn't - I did go surf for a few hours... And walked the dog...)

Tomorrow is another day.  I have my mile repeats on the training plan for tomorrow - and because I have had this extra day I am looking forward to it.

Don't feel guilty - take it as a rest, then get on with business!

weekly recap - week 10

This week had an extra rest day thrown in.  On Saturday I just didn't feel like running.  It happens.  I'm still happy with how this week went.  On to week 11.

Monday:

• Rest

Tuesday:

• Evening easy run: 3 miles. (9:43min/mile)
• BBG - Abs & Arms: Week 4

Wednesday:

• Evening easy run: 3 miles. (9:02min/mile)
• BBG - Legs: Week 4.

Thursday:

• 45 minute tempo run: 5.27 miles. (8:33min/mile)

Friday:

• 5 x 800m repeats, with a warm up and cool down: 6 miles.  (9:00min/mile)

Saturday:

• BBG - Full body: Week 4.  (1/3 of the way through!!)

Sunday:

• Long, 1 hour 45 minute easy paced run: 11.4 miles. (9:20min/mile)

Weekly mileage: 28.67 miles.

i have a confession to make...

I hate running.  That's it.  That is my confession.  I hate stop cuddling my husband and dog in the morning to get out of my comfy bed to go and run.  I hate having to put my evening on hold, when I don't get out of bed to go run.  I constantly wonder why I am doing what I am doing - that it would be so much easier to just give up.

When I start to run I constantly think of ways to finish my run early.  I could put off the run I was meant to do to today, tomorrow.

But I do it.  I do it because I want to improve.  I want to get faster.  That, and the fact that after I finish I run I feel my absolute best.  There is really a runners high.  I always thought it was meant to happen during a run, which I guess it does.  I've had it occur once or twice.  But I always feel great after a run.  Maybe not right away, but give it 10 minutes and I feel like I can conquer the world - or at least my next race.

If you want something, you fight for it.  I want to be faster.  So I get out of bed, I put my evenings on hold and I run.

This evening was 5 x 800m repeats.  Something necessary for getting faster, intervals.  And I did them successfully!  I almost died at the end, but I am so happy that each one was faster than the next.

This is one of those reasons I keep running.  The feeling that I gave it my all, and I succeeded.  Running is one of those things that you get out what you put in.  And in a way, that is also why I love it.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	53:58.7	6.00	9:00
1	10:35.0	1.14	9:16
2	3:55.8	0.50	7:52
3	2:48.5	0.25	11:14
4	3:51.7	0.50	7:44
5	2:44.9	0.25	11:00
6	3:50.2	0.50	7:40
7	2:45.1	0.25	11:01
8	3:48.5	0.50	7:37
9	2:49.4	0.25	11:18
10	3:48.1	0.50	7:36
11	2:38.6	0.25	10:32
12	10:22.8	1.11	9:23

Weekly recap - week 9

Wow! Week 9 already!

Monday:

• Afternoon run, at an easy pace: 3 miles.  (min/mile) 
• BBG Workout - Legs & Cardio: Week 3

Tuesday:

• Morning interval run, 3 x 1600m, plus warm up and cool down: 6 miles. 

Wednesday:

• BBG Workout - Abs & Arms: Week 3

Thursday:

• Morning hill run, easy up hill, trying to push the pace a little down hill.  1 mile warm up and cool down: 6 miles.  (8:41min/mile)

Friday:

• Afternoon surf.
• Evening run, easy pace: 3 miles. (9:12min/mile)

Saturday:

• Morning run, at race pace with half a mile warm up and cool down: 5 miles. (8:38min/mile)
• BBG Workout - Full Body: Week 3

Sunday:

• Morning long run, at an easy pace: 11.13 miles. (9:26min/mile)

Weekly mileage: 34.13 miles.

improvement

This week has been a little slow on the running front.  Well, it feels like it, but I think I am actually doing well.  I took a rest day on Wednesday, but I am run today instead.

I did a interval run on Tuesday - 3 x 1600m.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	54:56.0	6.00	9:09
1	10:37.8	1.12	9:31
2	8:26.4	1.00	8:26
3	3:07.9	0.25	12:32
4	8:19.7	1.00	8:20
5	3:04.6	0.25	12:16
6	8:04.0	1.00	8:04
7	2:43.3	0.25	10:53
8	10:32.2	1.14	9:16

I am happy with this.  My training plan says to go faster, but I think that is too fast.  I don't know where I got those numbers from - I think I need to re-evaluate my times.  These 1600m are meant to be at race pace, so I was going for anywhere between 8:20-8:45 minute/miles.  I tried to stay comfortable, but hard.  The last 1600m was a little tougher though, but I really wanted to push myself.

I did read somewhere if you can't run a certain (maybe under 8 minute mile) pace you should do 1200m repeats instead of the 1600m ones.  I forgot about that, and set my watch.  I think it worked well, and I may implement more 1200m repeats at a later stage so I can attempt to run closer to a 8:10min/mile for all repeats.

Then my hill run. I had a 50 minute tempo run on the cards, but I opted to run up a big hill again, instead of the tempo.  Hal says I am allowed to do this.  I ran on a flat path for a mile, then started up hill.  My main goal was to try and keep going for at least 15 or so minutes, so I would be half way through my run.   Really, I just wanted to go further than my last run.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	52:06.6	6.00	8:41
1	9:31.6	1.00	9:31
2	9:32.4	1.00	9:32
3	9:22.9	1.00	9:22
4	7:44.9	1.00	7:44
5	7:07.0	1.00	7:06
6	8:47.8	1.00	8:47

My elevation gain was 447 feet, as opposed to two weeks ago, where my gain was 365 - almost 100ft more.  That was in half a mile of running, as I added on an extra mile to the total distance.  You can see in my splits above where I started running down hill!  I am happy with my splits - Especially the 7:06.  I am trying to push myself downhill too - working on my leg turnover and letting gravity help me.

To compare with my hill run (same road, same warm up) from two weeks ago.  I am extremely happy that I ran one mile more and my average pace is down 8 seconds per mile!  That is a win!  I was honestly expecting it to be a bit slower.  My goal is to go a bit further every time.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	44:05.3	5.00	8:49
1	9:23.1	1.00	9:23
2	9:24.6	1.00	9:25
3	9:12.3	1.00	9:12
4	7:24.6	1.00	7:25
5	8:40.7	1.00	8:41

Then last night the husband and I went into the big smoke of Honolulu to catch a college baseball game.  What an amazing stadium for a college!  You can even see views of Diamond Head from the stadium.