Sparrows Experiment

Congrats on the house - now is definitely the time to buy.

Good luck with the foot and getting back into your training regime.
 
Its been almost 2 months since the last race and I've done a lot of goal searching. I had thought I'd just cool it for a while but I think once you get into the mode of goal=race and you do that enough times...it just becomes you. I coudln't make a goal without a race to follow....and I couldn't not make a goal.

I have dealt with this plantar stuff for half a year now and its been a bummer but I've learned how to balance my workouts so that it doesn't keep me out. I've continued to keep up my cardio with spin classes but I haven't been on my bike since the race. I have kept up strenth, and swim twice a week for recovery. The thing I started missing was my long running. I didn't think I could do the marathon but I missed running with my club and friends

So I decided to go for the California International Marathon (again), and see how far I could train. If it kicked my butt, then it did.

I'm happy to report that I'm up to 30 miles a week, 15 mile long runs and I'm doing fine! After long runs I take 2 days off running to recoup. I run 2 times during the week and then a long run. I swim and spin between the mid week runs. Today was my 15. I've decided to do my longer runs VERY SLOWLY so I don't get more hurt. Its really helping. Today was 8:42 pace and I felt awesome.

So thats that. I'm happy to be training again, happy to be running, happy to see my buddies and excited to do that marathon again. It was an amazing experience! I will be doing a half marathon this weekend
 
Half Marathon this morning and I knocked off 5 minutes from a previous PR. 1:38:37!
 
I'll turn this into a weekly update.

I was a tad sore from the race but mostly sore in my shoulders. VERY SORE in my shoulders. I felt like they were coming out of their sockets for a while. I must reallllly tense them up. I was out of town for the majority of the week but I did manage a 3 mile hill run (slow and steady), and a 6 mile tempo run (7:40) before I returned. Saturday I did an 18 miler. I was going to go only 16 but I was with a group that went longer. I was VERY pleased with how it went. I held a steady 8:45 that often felt too slow. My goal for the long runs is not speed, its time out there on my feet so I've been trying to slow up for them. Its also helping keep me healthy in the injury dept. I felt like I could have kept going, and that was a nice feeling after all those miles.

Next weekend I may do 18 again or go for the 20. I plan to go a tad above the 20 mark just to win mentally.
 
Still plugging along. I have been sick most of October but I got hardest hit in the past 2 weeks and was formally diagnosed with swine flu. It was HORRIBLE. I got the entire gauntlet of symptoms. During the first week with it I tried to keep up my running. I got as far as 10 miles for my long run last weekend and called it. I was very sick. I spent all last week in bed with the stomach part of it. Yesterday I felt almost 100%. It left almost as quickly as it came. Today I kept my long run of hills. I ended up with 18 in the hills. Some nice big wicked ones. I was very proud and very surprised at my strength despite the past few weeks. A prayer answered for sure. My average pace was 9 and the hills we ran today were far worse than those the marathon will provide so I felt confident with that. the next few weekends I will stay in the 20-22 range and then start tapering. I am not trying to qualify for Boston, but if it happens I would be really happy.
 
Marathon is less than a month away. I am still in disbelief how quickly it has come. Last year I felt like I was preparing for it FOREVER. This year its been much easier.

I have done all I really need to do. I've had a few hill runs with success. I actually prefer the hills, they don't beat my foot up as badly. I've done 2-20milers NOT with success (as i define it). One of them I started out too fast and crashed at the end (still finished but it was sad), my average was 8:36. The other was on the actual course. I was holding 8:10's for half of it, had a gu half way and it didn't agree. It came up at mile 15 and I had trouble keeping pace after that. I was tired and shaky. My ave that day was 8:28.

This is my last big week. Last year I topped out in training at a whoppin 26 miles a week. I'm still amazed I even finished the race with that. This year my longest week was 40 plus my biking and swimming. Still had to keep it in balance with the injuries. Anyway, this Saturday I will go for time and stay out there running slow for about 3:20. I hope to finish between 3:30-3:40 this year, but we'll see. My qualifying time is 3:40.

All in all I'm happy with it and looking forward to the race (not the taper). I feel like each year builds on the other and this year proved all around stronger, leaner and meaner than the others with PR's all over. Even if I bomb this race for some reason, I've had a heck of a year and I'm proud of that.
 
I will FF! As much as I hate them!

I just went back to my last years blogs on the training and taper for this race. I guess all that blogging IS good for something! I was happy to realize I am so much further in the game this year.

Even though I hardly post anymore I do have to say this site really gotten me through some tough goals! I came on here as a gym rat looking for more and moved into triathlons after being invited to attend one class, and now distance running! Its been such an exciting journey! I am doing things i never ever thought I would and thats cool. Now I just need to hurl myself out of a plane like FF does ;)
 
So I'm a day out from the race and I'm excited...nervous...all that blah blah.

I had my last "long" run this weekend and it was glorious. What was glorious was getting done and feeling cheated. It was nice to have a MORNING left. Did 8 miles at 8:15 pace. For anyone in N. Cali...you know Saturday was SUPER WINDY. I swear I was running in place for half of it. So anyway I was happy about the pace and it felt comfortable (discarding the wind factor)

I HATE TAPER...but since we all know that there's no need to shout it again. I don't feel like I can copy my last year's taper becuase of how different my training has been this year so I've stopped looking at my old posts for that.

I got in the pool today-the first time in many months and it was rough! I did 3000yds and was DONE DONE after that. I have puny little arms right now. Running has burned up a lot of what I'll have to get back for tri season. I've never not swam while training for distance running. Its amazing how much muscle gets burned up.

Anyway, my grand total this week is only supposed to be 10 miles....oh yeah, and then that 26.2 thing on Sunday ;) Starts at 7 and I hope to be done by 10:40. Actually my number 1 goal is NOT Boston. Its merely to not walk, and to keep it together the last 6 miles. I crumbled SO BAD last year in the final 4. I think I could walk away happy if I just do that part right-even if my time isn't what I hoped.

All I need to do really is to beat 3:58 and I will smile
 
Thanks!!Yesterday I met up with the running group. Ive hardly seen them this season between training for tris and family life. I paid for the coaching so I get all that pretty much through email, and train on my own. We did a mile warm up at 6x220's at just under race pace. Most of my times were around :45 which was probably much faster than marathon pace-whatever-it felt GREAT to shake out the legs. Then a mile cool down. It was so hard to stop.Today 2500 in the pool. Felt beter than the other day.

Tomorrow 3 miles around 8:30 pace

Friday a mile or 2 just for sanity

Then a day for the expo and race!
 
I've gotten away from keeping this up. Race came and went. It was fine. It was one of the record cold days for Sacramento on that particular day which wasn't a great omen :) A LOT of people had a hard time with the frigid air and wind chill. I was okay with it until about mile 15. I got very dizzy and had to sit out about 10 min to gather myself. it was very hard to eat or drink due to the freezing wind. I wanted to throw it at 20 miles but forced myself to keep going no matter how slow. I got lots of cramps between 20 and the end that forced the slower pace. it was a very pathetic race, but I was in similar company so we just kept on with the death march. I was faster than Boston pace until mile 15 when I had to sit out and was still within reach even with the 10 min time out, until I got cramped due to cold tense muscles. I never warmed up during the entire thing. finished and had to be proud of that. WAY off Boston by the end-although I have to smile that this time it wasn't because I paced it wrong. I actually still felt "fine" muscle wise at the end. I was just blue from cold. I didn't even get sore the next day.

Anyway, thats over and the New Year has come and gone. I have no race goals this year. I have a LOT on my plate. I have gone back to "school" to get an advanced degree for nutrition and personal training with an additional cert to train the disabled. i'm pretty stoked about it. I have a lot going on in my family and have my kids at home to homeschool. plenty to do without adding to it training. I am enjoying workouts for workouts' sake. I like just doing what I feel like doing and not worrying about a quota or a balance of some sort.

Despite it all i am still averaging 30+ miles a week of running-most of them fast miles because I'm frequently in a time crunch, some bike and very little swimming. I injured my shoulder a few months back and its taking its time to rehab. I won't miss the pool until summer anyway.

my running has gotten faster without trying for it on purpose. I did a time trial mile the other day and it was 6:01 which is WAY faster than I've ever gone. Its just fun for now not to have an agenda.

thats about it.
 
Nice to see you back around. Are you going to be posting more regularly again?
 
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