Posts Tagged ‘running’

Last year, Jared and I enjoyed picking blueberries at Trax Farms as a fun way to enjoy a summer day.  Well, I am pleased to report that just by nature of looking into “what to do” this weekend, Trax now has pick-your-own strawberries available!  As much as we love Janoski’s, we have the option of picking our own which is fun. 

Since I dropped the ball on a CSA this summer, this seems like a fun alternative. 

Hope we make it!

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Marathon Training

Training has been moving along slowly but surely.  I’ve needed to get through my Harrisburg Trip and wedding activities to be able to fully focus on the big picture.  Nothing else “huge” is planned for the summer so refocusing myself should be no problem =)

I can say, however, that if I work from 7a-9p and not feeling pressured to return to work at 7a the next day is amazing.  I rarely take advantage of “flex” time now because Council isn’t receptive to it.  “We [Council] do it, so you should, too” is their belief.  I agree, to some extent, but I did take advantage of my own flex time yesterday, I managed 40 hours in 3 days, so I took my time to get to work on Friday morning and boy, did I feel refreshed.  I need to do that more.  Or at least have a conversation that suggests workers perform better when they can balance work and life.

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Personal Bizness

I will know this next week if I get called back for round two!  In the meantime, the lovely Miss Andrea has suggested some Philly bloggers I talk to regarding neighborhoods.  I will say, the idea of moving to Philly is really exciting!  I want public transit (via train) and flat running, please!

Today was not about being the first Borough Employee to cross the finish line.

Today was about seeing how hard it would be for me to comfortably run at a faster pace.

 

And today I succeeded. 

Boy, do I love that Borough…

 

The first mile I was on fire.  And I was comfortable.  That was the key.  That was this whole three months.  Unfortunately I am a race klutz and after the first mile, my shoe came untied and I needed to stop and fix it.  That was so frustrating.  I don’t think it took me a minute and a half to tie it, however, I was trailing my competition by yards at that point and I looked down to see my shoe.  Figures.  That first mile was awesome.  I was feeling good.  Then the intern passed me and I got even more frustrated. 

Someone tell me how to turn my frustration into positive energy. 

At the end of the day, I am pleased with how it came out, but I know at work I will never live it down.

There’s always next year, right?

Every 5k I’ve ever ran I’ve gotten mayja race anxiety…

This weekend will be no different

 

In fact, I can already feel the race anxiety hitting me hard.  I’ve been workin the speed for months.  In fact, that is all I have been doing, running wise, with a few “easy” runs here are there…

 

My parents taught me if I want something, I have to work for it.  Damn, I never thought they’d be so true about this. 

 

All the anxiety I feel is only increased by the fact that I’ve got not only my name, but my professional name on the line.  No bets have been made, though I may add some fuel to my internal fire and ask the CPD to wash my car after the race.  Just kidding!

 

I have been working the past 3 months for this race.

 

I didn’t think I could go faster.  So I did.  I didn’t think I could run longer.  So I did.  I didn’t think I could wake up after a 16 hour work day and bust out 5 miles of speed work.  So I did.

 

I don’t think I will win.  So I will.

The first race of the 2010 racing season was not bad…  I’d love to say that all the speed work I have been doing is making me wildly faster.  Let’s start from the beginning, though…

 

 

Not certain where exactly New Brighton was, I used my moms GPS (which she had left in my car from a few weekends ago) to guide me to the starting line.  It actually took me along the Ohio River Towns of Sewickley, Ambridge, Aliquippa.  Not a way I normally would have drove to get to this place (my parents are about 20 minutes north of here). 

 

When I arrived, I noticed one other runner parked to the side, so I knew it was going to be a small race.  I was fine with that, too, because I was excited to run through their business district. 

 

The race course kept things interesting.  We ran through their park along the river, over a bridge along the other side of the river, up a hill to the turnaround point, back across the bridge (fun!), and then through the business district.

 

I dropped my car keys twice (pre-race jitters).  The roads were horrible and need paved(!!) there was seriously a half mile stretch I slowed down so much  because I was scared of falling!  I think slowing down a bit that second mile (came in at 10:38) allowed me to run my last mile in less than 8:00.  My first mile was full of “getting my car keys and swearing at myself”.

 

I finished in 27:00 which is average for me… The rain held out which was nice as well.

 

 

Before all of the key dropping, though, we were heading to the starting line when a girl I immediately “knew” came up to me and said “I knew you ran races!!”.  It was a fellow LA Fitness member.  Our paths cross constantly in the early mornings at the gym.  She was very nice we started to talk about races, and the one’s she’ll be running, and the one’s I’ll be running.  She was super-speedy, though and finished way ahead of me. 

 

Similarly, I’ve had a few people find me through their standard Google search of “Pittsburgh Marathon” which is strange because I’m not running the Pgh Marathon.

 

Small world, eh??

By far, I prefer running (as cardio and some strength) as my main “source” of exercise.  It’s tough.  It’s fun.  I think a part of me will always prefer running over strength training. 

 

Strength training, or my series of killer workouts have, at times, made me so sore that I can’t or don’t run.  Not sore in an injured sense, but in the sense of you need to rest and heal. 

 

I have always preferred running over strength training because strength training is more difficult and more confusing that running.  Though, I think any bodybuilder would disagree and feel the opposite way.  Maybe I spent a lot of time “figuring out” running where I never did this with strength training.  I am only using weights twice a week and I see changes in my body.  My arms are more muscular (or as muscular as they will be having lost 100 pounds.  eek!), randomly, I felt a hamstring the other night on my leg that seemingly popped up out of nowhere.

 

My speed is getting better which I chalk up to both speed workouts and lifting weights.  Though I find it hard to gauge if I am getting stronger.  When you run to get better you can feel it immediately.  The pace that was once unattainable becomes a breeze and you know it.  Lifting weights is still tough.  Maybe someday doing vertical rows will be easy, but not for now.

 

Any thoughts?