Workout Plan 9/30 - 10/6

I have a tendency to make workout schedules for the week and not follow through. I can make any excuse and sell it to anyone who asks. For the most part I think I fail at it because I try to do too much at once.

I have my regular routine that I try to stick to, which involves a 1.37 mile walk and a 2.1 mile walk at work on my break and on my lunch. I try to do this Monday through Friday with my best friend and coworker. We do our best to go on both walks every day and it helps to have that accountability. 

On top of these walks I also try to run 2-3 days, including my long distance training run. 

Unfortunately I am not losing much weight with this alone. And I am also paying for a gym membership monthly that I'm not going to. Thankfully it's not breaking the bank, but it's something I shouldn't be paying for if I'm not using it.

Now that I am well into half marathon / marathon training it's time to get back into the gym for cross training and dust off the workout DVDs and weights for strength training.

The important thing for me to remember is that going to the gym does not necessarily mean an hour. I can go for a half hour before work a couple days a week and can do 30 Day Shred for a couple days a week instead of all seven. It's all doing something that is taking steps in the right direction.

The other part of this puzzle is, of course, what happens in the kitchen. Unfortunately my self control isn't what I would like, but I know that running will be easier to do and easier on my body when I get down to a healthy weight.

I also need to remember that I can't expect to see results right away. Just because I don't see the changes overnight does not mean they are not happening. It's going to take a while to notice the changes that my body is making and it's going to take a while for this to become a habit. I just need to continue to work at it and do my best every single day.  

The following is my planned workout. I have full intentions to do every scheduled workout, however I am well aware that life happens and plans change.

Monday: 30-45 minutes gym- bike, 30 Day Shred level 1

Tuesday: 30-45 minute interval run- hill training

Wednesday: 30-45 minutes gym- elliptical 30 Day Shred level 1

Thursday: 30-45 minute interval run- speed training 

Friday: rest

Saturday: long distance training run (3 miles)

Sunday: rest

Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run- Race Recap

It only took me three months to sign up for another race after finishing the Agoura Hills Great Race 5K. I not only challenged myself by increasing the distance, but I also added obstacles.

The opportunity to enter a 10K never really presented itself. Partly because I was still mentally recovering from a tough first 5K and partly because I didn't look for one. I never really thought about it much, considering a 10K is only 6.2 miles and I had already completed and knew I could make it through 3.1 miles.

My brother in law ran in the World Famous Camp Pendleton Mud Run in 2009 as a part of a group through his work. At that time I still had no interest in running, but we had gone to cheer him on.

It looked awesome!

As we waited at the finish line, watching people swim through mud, my sister and I knew that this was something we wanted to do and decided that we would enter the race next year.

Sometime between watching my brother in law finish the race in June and sign ups at midnight on January 1st we had also talked my husband (boyfriend at the time) to enter with us. We didn't have enough people to sign up as a "team", so we signed up as individuals. But that didn't keep us from having fun with it.

I guess I didn't learn from the 5K, but we didn't start training until about 2 weeks before the race. We kept saying we had plenty of time and then there wasn't a lot of time left. We trained as much as we could those two weeks though. It was the longest distance I had to train for and the most intense training my sister put me through. I hit so many mental and physical walls.

But it was worth it. In June 2010 we ran in and completed the World Famous Mud Run. It was intense, but it was the most fun I've had while running. We were sprayed by fire hoses, swam across a lake, ran up "suicide hill", climbed over walls, crawled through tunnels and swam through mud pits. Who wouldn't have fun doing that?!?



From left to right: me, Patrick (my husband) and Rachel (my sister)

A nice cold beer really is the way to refresh after a run!



Two years later we decided to tackle the course again. We had such an amazing time the first year that it was an easy decision when my sister suggested we participate again this year.

I felt like I had a much easier time the second year going through all of the obstacles, and running the course in general. Possibly because I had been running a lot more than I had before and in preparation for the race. Possibly because I knew what to expect. Quite possibly even because I had lost some weight within that two year period of time. No matter what the reason, we had a great run, improved our times and the pictures are proof that we got down and dirty!



I feel like we also had a lot more fun with the whole day, instead of just during the 6.2 mile run. It really did make a difference getting us ready for the physically challenging course. 







Training Run Recap- 6.70 miles

Today marked the fifth week of our official training schedule, bringing our long distance/early morning training run to six miles.

My sister has been an amazing help in support and in organizing a training schedule for us. Sometimes we are able to run together, but other times life happens and we have to go out for the run on our own. It's definitely difficult to motivate yourself when there is no one there to keep you going, but it's those runs alone that you have to dig deep and motivate yourself.

This morning was one of those mornings that our schedules did not match up, so it was up to me to plan a six mile course.

I only made it out once this week for a run. Not ideal, but I am happy that I did get out for the one 3.14 mile run. Normally I try to get out for at least two short runs during the week and one long run on the weekend, but sometimes I am just not able to for a variety of reasons.

This week I also decided to bump up my intervals from 1 minute 15 seconds running: 1 minute walking to 1 minute 15 seconds running: 45 seconds walking. It was a little more difficult than I would have liked, but I also know that any adjustment where I'm running more and/or walking less means more of an effort on my part and that it takes some time to get used to.

The course I planned on included a lot of hills. Probably not the greatest decision. I tell myself while running up a hill that I love hills. It's part of the mental game I sometimes have to play with myself to make it through. Unfortunately the hill at mile two won the mind game and I ended up having to walk up the entire mile.



View from the bottom.

View from the top.

I may not have been able to make it up the hill using running intervals, but I did make it up the hill walking. It may not seem like much considering this was a training run, however it motivated me to make this hill one of my goals to conquer. I will make it to the top using my intervals and no extra walk breaks.

 

Unfortunately this hill also took a lot out me and made the rest of the run a little more difficult. I was able to make up time on the downhill, but as soon as it got a little more difficult than I was comfortable with I began to walk more. I let the physical affect the mental.

 

Reminders to myself

• Do not use higher intervals on a long distance run when you have only attempted them once.
• Stop going all out the first two miles and using most of your energy when you are out for a long distance run. Save the speed for your weekly runs and for race day.
• Do not attempt a mile long intense hill that you are not prepared for and expect to make it up the entire way without extra walk breaks.
• Taking extra walk breaks for physical reasons is a smart decision and not something to be disappointed about.
• Taking extra walk breaks for mental reasons is giving in and something that you will most likely regret after.
• Your body needs fuel on a run six miles or longer. Fuel every 45 minutes or the end of your run will feel more difficult.
• Burning extra calories on a long run = eating extra calories. Use them well.
• Long distance runs are supposed to be 1-2 minutes slower than your regular and race day pace. Your pace is currently 12:30 minute miles, therefore your average pace was right on track. Celebrate it instead of thinking about what you could have done differently.

GPS watch.

Distance: 6.70 miles

Time: 1:30:48

Avg Pace: 13:34

Avg Speed: 4.4

Max Speed: 11.0

Elevation Gain: 825 ft

Calories: 826

Temperature: 57*, winds 7 mph SSW, 51% humidity

 

Mile 1- 13:03

Mile 2- 12:13

Mile 3- 15:42

Mile 4- 12:19

Mile 5- 13:07

Mile 6- 13:56

Mile 0.70- 10:31

 

This week was a good reminder for me that I do need to go out more than once in order to get through my long distance run on the weekend. It just makes it easier. I'm in no way a speed runner and I never will be. I do have goals in regards to speed, but I am more focused on distance.

 

I feel like the 12- 12:30 minute miles that I am doing now is enough to push me while not risking injury. I will always be amazed and impressed by those that can run fast, but to me it's just not a part of who I am. I am just happy that I am able to get out and do it.

 

The plan for next week is to get out twice to run and to do strength training three times, then do an easy 3 miles on the weekend. I don't see it being a problem to get that accomplished. It's time to get my body back into shape to make it easier to run these upcoming long distances.

A Brief History

As I mentioned in my first post, I have completed a total of six 5Ks, two mud run 10Ks, one 10K, seven half marathons and three full marathons. Seeing it typed out like that makes me realize that I wish I would have done more.

But I can't sit around and think of the could have/should have/would have. I have to appreciate the experiences I did have and be proud of the things I have accomplished in three and a half years. And maybe use that desire to have more completed races as a push to run a lot more in the next three and a half years.

I hope to be able to post race recaps from most of the races because they were each such wonderful experiences, however the following is a brief photo history of my running past.

March 27, 2010- Agoura Great Race 5K- 36:24

June 5, 2010- Camp Pendleton Mud Run 10K- 1:45:10 

April 17, 2011- Gator Run 5K- 41:42
November 13, 2011- Calabasas Classic 5K- 38:38

November 24, 2011- Turkey Trot 5K- 34:16

December 11, 2011- Santa to the Sea Half- 2:49:47

January 22, 2012- Rose Bowl Half- 3:04:00

March 18, 2012- LA Marathon- 6:15:11

April 7, 2012- Hollywood Half- 2:59:10

June 3, 2012- Love Run 10K- 1:15:00

June 9, 2012- Mud Run 10K- 1:37:01

June 24, 2012- Arroyo Creek Half- 2:39:00  

September 2, 2012- Disneyland Half- 3:02:53

October 28, 2012- Rock N Roll Half- 2:58:20  

January 5, 2013- New Years Race- 3:27:12  

March 17, 2013- LA Marathon- 5:52:58

September 21, 2013- Simi Valley 5K- 43:44

Where it all began...

I started running in 2010. I didn't necessarily want to and I definitely didn't enjoy it, but I was asked to do a 5K with my sister and I decided that it might be fun.

I completed my first 5K on March 27, 2010. Three and a half years ago today (which boggles my mind). It was the 25th Annual Agoura Hills Great Race and it was on my 25th birthday. I thought it would be a good bonding experience with my sister and I thought 3.1 miles wouldn't be too difficult.

I was wrong.

It could be possible that the amount of time I had to train compared to the amount of time I actually trained had a lot to do with how I felt that day. It could be possible that the amount of running/walking my sister told me we would do compared to how much we actually did had a lot to do with how I felt (we ended up running a lot more than I thought we would be). It could also be that I are oatmeal for breakfast, which I had never had before a run. Whatever excuse I want to use, the look on my face when I crossed the finish line is priceless.

Crossing my first finish line.

What happened that day was something I will never be able to describe. I hated running so much prior to and while we were running the race and yet it sparked something inside of me. I loved the racing bib, I loved the finishers medal, I loved running across the finish line (probably because it meant I was done running), I loved completing something, I loved spending that time with my sister, and when I finished I realized that I love running.

Completing this race with my sister formed a bond between us. Although she had completed other races before, this was our first 5K together and it was not only an accomplishment for me to finish, but it was an accomplishment for her as our finishing time gave her a new personal record. (We have gone on to run other races together including 10Ks, half marathons and full marathons).

I will always be thankful to her for pushing me to do something I didn't want to do. If it hadn't been for her I would have never known I had a passion for something I thought I hated.

I committed the superstitious sin of running in the race shirt.

I really cannot believe how fast time goes by. The fact that it has been three and a half years since I ran my first race is just unbelievable to me.

Since then I have:

• run a total of six 5Ks, two mud run 10Ks, one 10K, seven half marathons and three full marathons
• made goals for myself, some that I have acheived and some that I am working towards
• pushed myself to new limits and past breaking points
• tested my physical and mental boundaries
• hit road blocks and taken detours 
• met some amazing people
• found a friendship with my sister that I always hoped for and never knew was possible 
• and am learning that I am more than I give myself credit for.

Running has changed my life. It has taught me a lot about myself and I continue to learn new things each time I lace up my shoes to go out for another run.

The most important lesson I have learned from running so far is that it does not make me a selfish mom to go out for a run. It makes me a better mom. Running makes me happy. It is my passion, my therapy, my sanity and I think that taking the time to better myself and treat myself to something I love can teach my daughter a lot. Who knows... Maybe one of these days we will be running races together.