Tag: tempo

Accidental Tempo

First off, I want to say thank you to everyone for the thoughts left on my last post, they really helped 🙂

Today, I set no alarms.  After the past couple of weird days I just wanted to get some sleep.  I was hoping a good rest would help.  It wasn’t the best but I felt a little more level this morning.   Not to say that I didn’t have random moments throughout the day but I ignored them.

I met my mother for lunch where I did indulge a little, tri-tip sandwich and onion rings, yes please.   Then we hit up a favorite antique store for a little browsing.  I hadn’t realized I hadn’t been there since early November, so many things had changed.  I went in with the intention of spending no money, I didn’t need anything and as always, Christmas was more than I planned for 😦   I held strong to this until one of the back stalls.  I found this little beauty.  Then I saw the price.  30 bucks??? It’s mine.  Way too good of deal to pass up.  Plus I will never turn down extra storage.  Like I mentioned before, slight hoarding tendencies.

Score!!
Score!!

I was still kind of full from lunch but I knew I needed to get a run in.  Not only did my training plan call for it, but I needed one.  I was torn between doing the 8 that was on the schedule or backing it down to 6.     I had been text messaging with a friend who commented that her legs weren’t ready to run in shorts. I agreed that mine were the same, hello Holiday 4 7.  So what do I do?  I decide to try out my new running skirt.   So I changed and was out the door.

The plan was for this to be a slow and steady run between 6-8 miles.   So when the first 3 came in under 30 minutes, hills and all, oops.   My head knew what I needed to do but my feet were not listening at all.   Luckily I ran into my mother out walking Zoey again, perfect reason for a walk break to slow down.  Of course they were going up that damn hill from New Year’s again, but oh well.   We walked for a bit then I ran on.  Again my feet ruled my head and I went left up another hill, actually the same one I ran walked up 10 minutes previously.

Unless you count race fees
Unless you count race fees

I looped around and then ran up another hill.  Stupid feet.  Coming down, I hit 6 miles.   I was tired and feeling the too fast pace and hills.   I headed for home slowly, telling myself I was done when I hit my driveway no matter what the GPS said.  I was tired, my legs were heavy, I had had a too big a lunch, and my upper thighs had been regretting the skirt since mile 5.  Once again my feet ruled and when I ran passed my driveway, the Garmin said 7.57.  So I ran another .25 mile out and then back.  I stopped the Garmin as I began the crawl up my driveway.    I was so done.  But I felt good in a sore, tired kind of way.

Where's the escalator?
Where’s the escalator?

I started out way too fast and was crawling by the end but I finished it.  My feet chose to not listen to my head and maybe I needed that.  The true measure will be how sore I am tomorrow.  It should be a rest day, but I may try to make up some miles, but they will be really slow ones, I promise.   I rewarded myself with a nice hot shower (oh the sting!) and a yummy smoothie 🙂

While on my run, I passed an older lady out for a walk and she told me it was too hot for me to running.  It is January 4th and I ran in a skirt and tank top, 72º.   I can’t decide if her comment was funny or freakishly correct 🙂

Hope everyone had a good Saturday!!!

Anyone else like antique stores?

I’m not the only one who’ve had my feet overrule my head right?

Bring on the tempo

After Sunday’s long run, I decided to take Monday off.  Which turned out to be a good thing, my running partner canceled and I stayed late at work.   Why are Mondays always so crazy? Tuesday was a little calmer and the weather was supposed to be good, so I took the scenic route home and ran from there. 

photo
I love this tree!

 

I parked my car and set out with no real plan.  I did remember to take water this time, woo hoo!  After a little warm-up, I figured what the heck, let’s try for a tempo run.     Now I realize that I am no expert and may never be super-fast, but I consider a tempo run to be comfortably hard.   For me that would be a little slower than half marathon pace.   Which is definitely faster than my easy runs or just average runs.  Plus, when running a half marathon, you have that added adrenaline boost which helps with your pace.  It’s a RACE after all!

After a short warm up, I ran for 5 miles.  Nice way to start the week.  I followed that lovely run up with yummy tacos at taco Tuesday 🙂  Maybe counterproductive but so tasty.

This morning I had a meeting to drive to.  As I was driving down the freeway, I was checking out the half marathon route that I will be running in just over 7 weeks.   I have run it before but it was a good refresher.   I noticed that the first hill looks more like a gentle slope before it gets to the real hills.  Can’t wait!  On the downside, the meeting was held in a hotel conference room.  It was sad walking across the parking lot seeing all the people in swim suits and shorts heading to the beach or pool.  And me?  I was in an uncomfortable pencil skirt and heels 😦 Not cool.

After the meeting I headed back to work to finish out the day.  I headed to the park afterwards to get in a few miles.  Today’s run was all about speed.    I did 3 laps of the lake and I pushed; hard.   I ended up shaving 3 seconds off of my most recent 5k PR.  Not that I count it, I only count race PR’s.  I figure that’s been measured by someone else and I don’t have to rely on my possibly glitchy GPS app.    But still, I was excited!!! Maybe I felt like I had to live up to my shirt-

Felt like a smile, looks like a frown, oops!
Felt like a smile, looks like a frown, oops!

Fast or Last?  Because middle of the pack shirts just don’t seem to work as motivation starters!

I have a class tomorrow and Friday is my long day, so now for 2 days off.      I have a race to look forward to on Saturday morning.  I am excited, this race is supposed to be part hard pack sand, part road, part boardwalk and part soft sand.  All that in just 3.1 miles?     I have some friends running it as well, so it should be fun!!

Anyone have any big plans for the weekend?