Tag: slacker

Sayonara September

September was synonymous with stress. Anyone else have that feeling? I didn’t even have to deal with the biggest stressor- back to school. Starting with the last 2 weekends of August, I had something going on every weekend since. Either work events or work, races or the festival. I call myself Slacker for a reason; I like a weekend where the only thing I need to plan is if I want to run before or after lunch. I am so looking forward to this weekend, I swear I am sleeping until after 9 on Saturday.

But all whining aside, let’s talk numbers. I said I needed to step back and have a few more rest days and I followed through. September is my lowest mileage month yet. But that’s ok because I am finally listening to my body, it only had to shout for a while. 🙂

Miles-61
Races-3

Ventura Half Marathon –
HOB Fun Run 10K
HOB Fun Run 5k Going forward into October (how is it October?!) I will continue to take it easy. Running only 3 days a week and hopefully cross training 2. I am trying to work on slowing down my paces until I figure out this asthma thing. That’s actually a lot harder than it sounds. Sometimes I feel like I am crawling but running a 9:00 minute pace, other times I feel like I am really pushing and look at my watch to see an 11:00 minute pace. Time to focus on trying to run by feel, fingers crossed.
Me these days.

I also want to have fun. Health issues aside, the 5k last weekend was fun. I wouldn’t mind a few more of those. At this moment, my race calendar is completely clear. I had wanted to run 2 half marathons in October and 1 in November, so now I am looking for fun 5k’s. I was also hoping to run a trail race in November with my mom again but it’s been pushed to January for some reason. However that actually works better. 🙂

Funny thing about my 62 miles? On Tuesday I was super tired but wanted to hit 60 miles for the month. I was at 57.5, so I told myself I only needed 3.5 miles to hit 60. See a problem there? While running I wanted to quit at mile 2.5 but my lack of math skills were still in full force. It wasn’t until I added the run into Nike+ that I realized my error. Seriously?! Basic addition and I mess it up.

Happy October! Happy Friday!

Anyone else add wrong running?

Any awesome October plans?

A Little Running and a Little Tom

Seriously, where has this week gone? Not that I am complaining that tomorrow is Friday but how is tomorrow Friday? Yesterday felt like Monday all day long. Nobody needs two Mondays in one week.

funny quote my week all mondays except friday and saturday — This week, yes. Thanks Pinterest

I still love my new desk even if it is taking me longer to adjust than I thought. I make it to about 1 each day before I need to sit; but I have adjusted to the chair finally. I almost fell off the dang thing on Monday. Between the wheels and the higher height of the seat, I had a few rough moments. My challenge gave my coworkers a good laugh though. 🙂

Tuesday’s run was rough. Just ugh. Not sure if it was partly due to tired legs or what but lets just leave it at 3.5 miles done. Wednesday turned into a rest day. I was supposed to go to the gym but I just wasn’t feeling it and work ran later than planned so rest it was. I switched back to heels as well that day and for some reason, standing seemed easier. I am so odd.

Tonight I had no desire to run the lake path so I headed back to my town and hit up the river path. My initial warm up walk extended itself because I was a little nervous to run. My last 2 4 “easy” runs have been the opposite of easy and throw in the Ventura half and I was just afraid of another rough run. I couldn’t even decide on how many miles to run. The Slacker in me was saying that 3 would be fine, the moderately reformed Slacker was telling me to do 5. That tiny bit of fear was telling me to walk the whole thing.

I still have the 8:30/1:00 intervals set up on my Garmin, so after walking the first 9:30 I decided to stick with that and started running. I tried to focus on my breathing and take slow, deep breaths. I wanted to see if it helped any. My old rule of thumb for most runs was to never be huffing and puffing even if it meant I was slower. It worked for me last year, so let’s try it again! I noticed after a mile or so that my form was better than usual. I felt like I was running tall and it felt good. Not sure if it was an added bonus of standing more or if it was the shoes. I was wearing my Sayonaras and I try to pay a little more attention to my form in them since they are a very neutral shoe and I tend to over pronate on the right side. I was also running with Tom Cruise hands. Why??? Again, I am odd.

I walked the 1:00 interval in both miles 2 & 3, telling myself I would try to run all of 4. Sounds like a little thing but I haven’t run a solid mile in well over a month. While I succeeded, I don’t think it counts. At 3.5 miles I have to cross a street to get back to the path. I tried to run across quickly but somehow my pepper spray leaped out my belt and landed in the cross walk. I got to the curb and somehow paused both my Garmin and Nike+ app while spinning around. I must have looked funny because every car was stopped staring at me. What do I do? Leave it or bolt and get it? I waved one car on and hoped no one on the other side would run over it. I then bolted out grabbed it and ran back. Dang it, that messed with my breathing! And I finally lost the Tom Cruise hands. 🙂 I carried the pepper spray the rest of the way. 1/4 mile later, I saw NikeC running my way, so we stopped and chatted a bit. So yes, I ran all of mile 4 but I had 2 breaks. 😦

Overall, this was the least stressful run I have had in over a month. For once I didn’t feel horrible. Now just to duplicate it and still take it easy. Easy, peasy right? Ha!

How has your week been? Anyone else have an extra Monday?

Anyone racing this weekend? Long running?

Ever Tom Cruise’d it up?

Fessing Up

Considering how badly I hurt after Ventura I was expecting to be in pain on Monday and Tuesday. Surprisingly, I felt fine. I only felt a couple of twinges here and there. Which was good as Monday was my first night back to volleyball. I had Monday and Tuesday as vacation days, so it was super nice to sleep in on Monday. I ran some errands and played on the computer, a nice relaxing day before volleyball in the evening. While we didn’t win, we played well. It was new team (sort of) and I hadn’t played in almost a year. I thought I was going to be more rusty but it felt very familiar.

The only downside was the niggling of headache that had been lingering for a few days. That niggling turned into a full blown migraine by Tuesday morning and I could barely walk, let alone get in my planned run. I spent Tuesday in bed in a dark room. Great vacation day right? That headache has hung around since, so I actually have not run since Ventura. I did make it to work the rest of the week though. I had to take a personality type assessment (similar to Myers Briggs) on Wednesday for a training seminar. Never take those when you have a headache. Your answers are just a little off. Oops! Oh well, at least I got a decent laugh out of it. And I think I figured out what triggered the headaches, so hopefully those will be easing. 🙂

My 6+ miles of walking in the Ventura half gave me plenty of time to think; plenty of time to fess up. Back in the beginning of June I posted my No Excuses Summer post. For the most part I stuck to it. But I shouldn’t have. My lovely GI issue flared up shortly after that and it’s now going on 3 months. Instead of stepping back and getting some rest, I turned in 2 of my highest mileage months ever. My body said one thing and my ~~head~~ ego said something else. Which led me to Ventura. I’m not even mad because honestly the writing was on the wall. My paces have gotten slower, walking breaks longer and I take a nap any chance I get- damn near everyday.

So, where am I going with this? Half marathons and I are taking a little break. I am dropping back to running 3x a week and capping my long runs around 9. I have run 4 half marathons this year, that is double any previous year so really I have nothing to complain about. But this means missing City to the Sea and that kind of pisses me off. This would have been my third year running it. I really like the course and the volunteers and this year the shirt is purple! I want that! But the race also falls 4 days after I go to USC so a smarter head must prevail. I’m not done racing though, I love races! I am just going to stick to 10K’s and under for a bit. I would love to run a half in November if I am healthy enough but I have accepted that Surf City (NikeC!) in February might be my next half.

At times I am ok with this scaled back plan and others I am irritated. But then I did it to myself. Now I have to stick to this plan and not let the lower monthly numbers play with my head. Which is what happened the last time I said I should scale back. I have the Avocado Margarita Festival this weekend so it’s going to be busy but hopefully my next post will have some actual running in it. I want to run 3 days a week not none!

Ever taken one of those fun assessment tests?

Ever run yourself into a hole or is it just my special talent?

What are you doing this weekend?

Anyone racing? (Good luck to Courtney at Don’t Blink Just Run!)

August Recap-So Close

I came pretty close but fell just short. August clocked in at my second highest mileage month of the year. As cool as that it was, I was also a little irritated. I had been on track to finally break 100 miles in a month, but life happens. Taking 4 days off due to a headache that wouldn’t quit and then turning a 10 miler into 4– well that hurt the numbers.

August Totals-

Miles- 87.7
Races- 0

I also managed to make it back to the track twice. None of that was speed work, but the track is still my happy place. I ran the lake path, the river path, from home, around the track and on the treadmill. I realized that my long runs may have too many hills to be called a long, easy run but they definitely meet the slow mark. However I did run my fastest mile in August-

Beyond that, I finally had my doctor’s appointment, attended the company picnic, got a new boss and took a lot of naps. Seriously, why do I nap so much? My doctor’s appointment gave some lovely antibiotics, which are kicking my ass, and a referral to USC. Anywho, hopefully something works, I miss speed work.

I also had a very scary run in with some dogs. Last Friday, the customer that has 2 Bouvier’s brought them in. I forced myself to give them a treat. Granted, I kept the counter between us, but they still good have bitten my hands. Mission safely accomplished. However I have yet to run/walk down my driveway since then.

Coming into to September, I have 3 races scheduled, half marathon, 10k and 5k. With that being said, I am not going to try to hit 100 in September. In fact I am thinking that I will run very little the week after Ventura. I start volleyball again on Monday and a boot camp class next Saturday. I also am volunteering at the Avocado Margarita Festival over that weekend, probably on both days. So it seems to me like it will be the perfect time for fewer miles. But I also have Monday and Tuesday off, so my feet may be itching to run, depends on Ventura. How well I will be able to squat and bump the ball at volleyball will also depend on Ventura, ha! 🙂

August was rough and I feel a little run down, between work and my stupid stomach and a few weeks of rough runs. With that in mind I have not registered for my October half yet. I have two options. City to the Sea (which may sell out) that I have done the last 2 years and the Harvest Marathon. Harvest may win just because it is the end of October and literally down the street. However running goes in ebbs and flows and it will be awesome again, I just have to bide my time. And maybe cross my fingers. 🙂

What are you doing in September? Any races?

What about boot camp- should I be scared?

What’s something awesome that you did in August?

The Slowest Mile

Happy Sunday!

I took Thursday and Friday as rest days. I had planned for a 8-10 mile run on Saturday. Yeah, that didn’t happen. Call it another rest day. Which was not so good because my lunch may have looked likethis-

Saturday night I was up late reading again, oops, so my alarm was quickly slapped in the morning. I had a BBQ to attend for work in the early afternoon. The weather was amazing and the view of the ocean from their back yard was awesome. I would have taken pictures but I felt that wasn’t cool doing that at an executives home. My ride had to be back early but even the short amount of time in the sun was too much. I guess when they put warning labels on medicine, they mean business.

I headed to the gym hoping for 8 miles but knowing that 6 was more realistic. Ha!! 4 very sluggish miles were all I could do. I warmed up with 1/2 mile walk then alternated between a 6.00 run and 3.8 walk. It was rough from the start. I never hit a groove, and it was all I could do to complete the 4. This not feeling well crap is beginning to make me cranky. I tried my Garmin again on the treadmill. I thought I turned off the GPS but apparently not. So I present to you the slowest mile, and actually it’s not even a mile-

Nice. Splits- 12:43, 10:56, 10:33, 10:41 — Nice.
Splits- 12:43, 10:56, 10:33, 10:41

So it is looking like I will end up with a 2 week taper for Ventura. I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. It’s closer to how I trained last year but I feel anxious missing that last long run.

Work has been a little stressful these last few weeks. My boss was offered a position at another location so now I have a new boss. So far it’s all good and I even took 2 full hour lunches last week, I almost didn’t know what to do with myself. Overall though, it still leaves you feeling a little wonky. I admit that I make poor food choices when stressed, so last week didn’t help that. Combine that with less running and I feel like even more of a Slacker than usual. It’s temporary and I will get back on track. Think positive right?

Hope everyone is having a good weekend! Do anything fun?

Ever have a training flub this close to race day?