Three Months Away!

I ran 11 miles on Saturday and the run was pretty perfect. I used to do my long runs out at Creve Coeur Park, but the last time I ran there it was totally boring. Too flat and too much of the same scenery. I like going there in the summer b/c the trees provide a lot of shade, but just too bland in the winter. Anyways, I ran from home over to Tower Grove Park, then to Lafayette Square, on to the Soulard Farmers Market, and then around the AB Brewery. I thought about running up the bitch hill for a glorious finish, but eh...it felt better just to walk it out.

You can track my run here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/139667587.

So far, training for a Spring marathon has been ten times better than training for the Fall half-marathon. Running in the summer heat was super hard. Training in the cooler months is definitely the way to go, although we have been blessed with super gorgeous weather. I might change my mind when it's below freezing outside.

This is what my week looks like:
Monday - 3 mile tempo
Tuesday - 30 minute cross train
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - 5 mile short
Friday - rest
Saturday - 8 mile long
Sunday - recovery

I'm really liking my training plan. I have high mileage weeks followed by lower mileage weeks. Makes it easy on my social life. I am thinking about running the President's Day Half-Marathon this weekend, but I'm also looking forward to a nice 8 mile run. It's supposed to be a sunny 43 degrees. I have until Wednesday to decide if I want to register...we'll see.

I just wonder if I'm running enough during the week? Pretty soon I'll be picking up more miles during the week. The Marathon is still 3 months away, so I don't want to over do it.

This video really made me laugh:

Rants and Raves

How about we start with the rants first...

Rant #1: We celebrated New Years in downtown St. Louis with friends. We had dinner at a nice restaurant (Copia), then went to a bar next door for countdown drinks. It was a great time!! Later we find out that some 25 year old girl was SHOT, not only once, but TWICE, right outside where we had dinner and only a block away from where we were celebrating the New Year. This happened at 12.03 am. Sometimes I really hate St. Louis, but this shit does happen everywhere else, right?

Rant #2: I ran 10 miles on New Years Eve. Not going to lie...it was a lot of work. I'm starting out way too fast and I am having a lot of trouble slowing down (until I get really tired). I was feeling really good at 4 miles. So good I was contemplating running a 1/2 marathon. But at mile 6 or 7, I changed my mind quick. It wasn't a bad run...it just wasn't a feel good run.

And now for some raves...yeah!

Rave #1: I got a Garmin Forerunner for Christmas/Hanukkah! I am in love with my new little device: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/137827086. Yup, definitely starting out way too fast. The weather was nice and warm on my 10 mile run, although it was a bit windy. That wind definitely made me feel more tired.

Rave #2: I'm scheduled to do an 11 mile run this weekend...ugg, I hope it isn't a struggle. But thank goodness we are supposed to have nice weather on Saturday (highs in the low 50s).
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I'm slightly nervous about the April Marathon. 26.2 miles is going to be a lot of work.

Here is a photo I snapped from New Years. I thought the bar lights were so cool... I probably took this picture as that poor lady was getting shot. C/mon St. Louis shitheads, stop killing our beautiful city.

Reindeer Run 12k

I ran the Reindeer Run 12k on Saturday. I signed up just to get my butt out in the cold and it was a chilly morning. It was in the high 20s when the race started. We ran in Tower Grove Park and although it doesn't appear to be hilly, there are a few long inclines that were pretty tiring. I really ran my heart out. My time was 1:10:05 and I finished at 150/251. I thought I'd place better, but I can't keep comparing myself to these other runners. I ran a really good race for me. We were also running with the 5k group (494 people), so the first lap around the park was rather crowded. I passed the finish line 2 times before crossing for the third time to finish the race.

I'm signed up to run the Christmas Lights night run this evening, but I don't think I'm going to make it. It starts at 6 p.m., and I don't even get home from work until 5.30 p.m. By the time I drive there and find parking, I'll be too late. Also, they are not closing off the roads, so 700-ish people will be running on the SIDEWALKS. Unless they are letting people go in waves, this just sounds like hell to me. Oh, and rain is in the forecast.

Confused

So, this post might be sort of confusing, lol.

My goal after my last half-marathon was to start running faster. I knew I was running at a pretty slow pace (I mean, I was in corral 16 at the Rock 'n' Roll 1/2). But then again, I knew what my body could handle and running faster just wasn't an option at the time, I just needed to finish the race...successfully.

I ran 8 miles yesterday and it wasn't easy. It always starts out nice, but I eventually get a mean stomach pinch. And it sucks. I know I wasn't hydrated enough, but even when I do hydrate correctly (at least what I think is correct), I still get that stomach pinch. This one yesterday came at 3 miles, a little early as I usually get them around 6 miles. What am I doing wrong??? I took a GU at 3 miles, way too early I know, but it did seem to make my side feel better. Running just plain sucks when your side hurts.

But the good news: I completed my 8-ish mile run (RunKeeper w/ GPS says 8, Daily Mile says 8.30) in 01:18:54. The 8 mile run I did just after the rNr 1/2 in October I completed in 01:22:03 and my first ever 8 miler in September I completed in 01:26:00. So, I am getting faster and that I am happy for.

But after the 8 mile run, I thought to myself...can I really keep going for 18.2 more miles?? And is it really necessary to keep improving my pace when I really just want to complete the April Marathon? My only goal is to finish, not to beat a set time.

Here is where I really wish I signed up for the April 1/2, just so I could beat my time of 02:19:22. I really would like to finish at around 2 hours. But it has always been a goal of mine to finish a full marathon...and how perfect to do it at age 30.

I know the best thing to do is just sign up for another 1/2, preferably before the April Marathon, but running in the cold is another thing I hate. ...and I just don't have the money to travel for a race at the moment.

I am, however, signed up for a couple of the winter races to get my sissy butt out in the cold.

December 17: Reindeer Run
December 19: Christmas Lights Night Run
January 14: Frozen Buns Run
...and hopefully I'll do one of the Frostbite Series in Forest Park or a Snowball Series. These races start to get expensive!

Another thing I'm doing differently: I haven't been running w/ my fuel belt. I've been training without it because it really chafes my sides pretty good.

I really had no idea about my route when I took off running. I knew I wanted to stay close to home and away from the hills in the beginning, and this is what I ended up with. The end of the route got pretty hilly and I wasn't too winded! Only thing really bugging me, other than stomach pinches, is my right knee, but I feel it more when I'm running on the treadmill.

December Training

Training continues for the April Marathon. Mileage will really start to pick up next week. I'm not as strict on my training schedule as I was for the 1/2 Marathon. I was so afraid that if I didn't run on my scheduled day, I'd totally miss it. This time, if I can't run a certain day, eh, I'll make it up at some point. This makes me feel good!

So good, I even ran yesterday...on my 30th birthday. Usually on birthdays, I feel exempt from everything and eat just about anything. I ran for 30 minutes to celebrate 30 years of life. I feel much stronger at 30 than I did at age 20 (when I first started to run to lose the Freshman 15).

I have a nice 8 mile run planned on Sunday. It's supposed to be a tad bit warmer (a high of 43°F). I'm a huge sissy when it comes to running outside in the cold. I've been doing a lot of my shorter runs on the treadmill. I hope it's good enough.

Totally unrelated, but here is my first attempt at HDR photography. This is a little antique shop near my house, they always have the neatest store fronts.

"Off-Season"

I went to the gym last night to run a short 3 miles on the treadmill. Wow, the gym was packed!! It had been rainy all day and it was dark outside. I sucked it up and drove to the park to run outside. Running on the treadmill is boring anyways.

I haven't officially started to train for the Marathon, but I've been running a little here and there. Really, I'm just trying to improve my pace. I'll officially start training in December. I'm a bit scared about the race, but I'll continue to train on hills (and in the cold, brr). The Marathon route is pretty hilly. Here she is in all of her glory:

This is the 2011 route, but I'm told it will be pretty similar.

I think I'll do a lot of my training runs at Carondelet. It's the perfect amount of hills and it's actually lit at night!

Celebrating St. Louis

On Sunday I set out for a run. I've been pretty bored with my running routes, so I decided to run where the rainbow takes me. I had no idea how long I wanted to run, I just knew I needed to mix it up a bit. I first headed over to Lafayette Square and originally thought I could turn back home after running around the park, which would be about 4 miles. Instead of turning back home, I decided to run farther and picked my next destination...Busch Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals had just won the World Series Championship so I figured I'd go pay homage to my home team...well, err, their stadium at least.

Source: St. Louis Cardinals
Way to go Cards!!

My next destination was crossing over the Ead's Bridge into Illinois and back. I used to run this bridge all the time when I lived in downtown St. Louis. There is a glorious view of downtown on your way back into Missouri. I love this view!! It's also pretty spectacular at night...obviously.

I then ran the Arch grounds and figured I could call Josh to come pick me up...or I can just run all the way home. That I did. I finished by running up Sidney Street (aka the Bitch Hill) and 8 miles later, I was home!

Distance: 8.38 miles
Time: 1:20:03
Pace: 9:33