A cold 4 miler....

...and I'm an awful blogger. This is a solid 4 1/2 days late (been working on a lot here, sorry)

(Note: No pictures, this was an ipod-free, stroller-free, camera-free, dog-free run)

Saturday morning O woke up at 6:15am (!) after only having gotten up a few quick times during the night, none of which required intervention from yours truly. So, I fed him. Knowing that I would probably not, no, definitely not, get more sleep Saturday night - I got dressed for a run.  

A COLD run. It was a solid 18 degrees out when I hit the pavement (the "feels like 9" on my phone was killer), and warmed up to 21 degrees by the time I got home. This is exactly what I missed about running up here. I would take freezing cold over 95 degrees and 90% humidity any day of the week. 

I set out to do four miles, and I intended to do a two mile out and back. After I turned the first major corner, checked my Garmin and saw it said 1.7 (roughly), I figured the whole loop would be about 4. Yup! It was 4.16, but I used the last 0.16 to cool down. (Thank you OCD and love of even numbers). 

I did run with my watch, but forgot to click 'lap' at each mile, so I'm not sure how to get my splits. Anyone know? Anyway, I did 4.0 miles in 35:16, which breaks down to 8:49/mile. Not bad for a chilly day! 

Here's the loop, thank you to www.mapmyrun.com - does anyone use this site to log runs too?

Tomorrow I'm supposed to do three (last Thursday was POURING so I bailed - eeks), let's see if I can get up and do it early before the day starts!

Training Plan!

Here's my (tentative) training plan for the next few months. After reviewing three or four different 'suggested' training plans, I modified them to meet our needs. I can't really run 4-5 times a week, that's just not do-able.  I also just don't like to build on long runs, I enjoyed the three up, one back, mileage increase that Meredith and I did in preparation for the '09 MCM.  I based it off of a book (Here!) entitled "Four Months to a Four Hour Marathon" and it got me to within seven minutes (!) of my goal time. I tried to mimic the patterns, and I will most likely do the Thursday runs for speed, hills (if I can do them pre-wake-up time), or tempo runs. We will see.

I've already put in my cross training for the first week of this year, and will continue to do so. I like to keep track of it, especially when it comes to off days and yoga/pilates.

The ability to stick with this running plan will obviously depend a lot on the weather, whether I can get a membership (relatively inexpensively) to use the Rec Center or local Y once or twice a week (early morning or after bed time), and how O and I are both feeling on a weekly basis. I might add a few miles if it's beautiful out, and I'd be fine with cutting a few out here or there as well. As I'm learning, this whole "mum" thing is about flexibility. So don't hold me to this schedule, okay? :)

[You can click on each month to view a larger version in which you can actually read the mileages]

Where do you get your training plans from? Do you plot out your routes the night before?  Or do you just head out and see where the run takes you?

Six mile training run

 This morning was my first 'training run' in preparation for this spring's half marathon. Having only done a few runs recently, I decided to push myself and do 6 miles. We parked in Old Greenwich, ran down to Tod's Point, around and back for exactly 6.0 miles - good estimation on my part. Here is a recap of today's run.

Last night, I charged my Garmin, laid out clothes, and found my ipod in preparation. I've been missing my ipod charger (it's the old shuffle, with the odd headphone charger port) for a while, but haven't gotten around to replacing it. Needless to say, when I put the headphone in and pressed play, it didn't work. Oh well. An ipod-free run!

I love the scenery at Tod's Point (also known as Greenwich Point), it's so beautiful although it can sometimes be a bit windy.  From CVS (where we parked) to the entrance to the park, it was about 1.75 miles. My co-pilot was asleep before I even started the Garmin (I guess that's what happens when you are up at 10:30pm and 3:00am the night before). 

As we entered the park, I was overwhelmed with the smell of my Yankee candle, I mean... with the smell of fresh Christmas trees. (We rely on candles, due to that investment of fake tree - still up....).  I had seen a few cars drive past with their trees strapped to the top. Why? Here's why. Apparently this is the town dumping ground for old trees! Wonder what they do with them.... it sure smelled good!

As we hit the halfway mark of our run, the wind picked up a bit, and we got a wiff of seashore smells.  I just love all of the shells on this section of the beach. And the view of NYC in the distance. So pretty.

This has always been one of my favorite places, and I love that it's open to non-residents in the winter. PLUS, there was a very nice Parks and Rec worker (who gave me a thumbs up, thanks!) who was blocking the road from car traffic for "Safe Streets Sundays." How nice is that?! 

 Oliver had a good 4.5 mile nap, and then enjoyed watching the people, dogs and cars as we ran back along Sound Beach Avenue.

I'm glad he's so used to being (and napping!) in the stroller. 

Here's the breakdown of our mileage today, not shabby for run #1.

Mile 1 - 8:40

Mile 2 - 8:38

Mile 3 - 8:54

Mile 4 - 8:52

Mile 5 - 8:58

Mile 6 - 8:48

Average - 8:48/mile

(which if held consistently for 13.1 miles would result in a 1:55:16 time)

Next up for this week: 3 miles on Thursday!

Jersey Shore

[Insert fist pump here]   It's running tiiiiiiiiiiiiime....

Think any of them will be running too?

Welp, it's on the calendar.  I registered for a half marathon this spring, in 14 weeks. My sister, Amie, and I will be running the RunAPalooza! Jersey Shore Half Marathon beginning in Asbury Park on April 21st. (Interested in signing up too? Here you go!)

I always say I just need to put races on the calendar, it gives just that much more motivation and inspiration - to know a race is looming in the distance.... even 98 days away. 

I just put together my training plan, and will figure out the best way to post it on here sometime next week. First run tomorrow (pending how O is feeling - long story) is supposed to be 6 miles. Stay tuned.

Shoes, shoes, and more shoes.

Last Friday was certainly a day to put on the calendar. After much postponing and, well denial, we bought Oliver his first REAL pair(s) of shoes. I guess it's just another milestone that I'll have to deal with of our baby growing up...

After our stroller class, we ventured into a children's shoe store that shall remain nameless for now.  I politely asked the salesperson if O could be measured for some shoes. After telling me that he is a size 4 1/2, she guided us towards the 'pre-walkers.' I assured her that we needed REAL shoes. I kid not, I had to take the child out of the stroller, coax him to walk across the store (thank you dinosaur slippers nearby) before she believed me. Anyway, we came home with two pairs of shoes, and are slowly, but surely, getting used to them. Plus, now I don't feel like I need to bathe his extremities in Purel after he walks around on the carpet at the mall.  At first he looked as if they were two bricks attached to his legs, now they're a bit easier to deal with. 

Mine, his, his, mine. [As if that was necessary]

It got me to thinking about the importance of shoes, as a child is learning to walk, learning to run, and even running later on in childhood. I was assured that Oliver's shoes would last 3 months until he needed a half size bigger, at which point we will get new ones. As a child, you get new shoes when the old ones don't fit. As an adult, it's the 6 month rule. Which I never follow, certainly not for running shoes. In fact, I wore a pair of shoes the other day (granted, not for exercising purposes) that I wore across the Spanish countryside in 2004.... six month rule, times about 16? oops.

I was an Asics girl for years, as far as I've been concerned since I 'started' running a few years ago. This August I was convinced to try a pair of New Balance shoes and I love them.  I have pretty flat arches, but somehow get water blisters on the soles of my feet during long runs. (There's a picture on Facebook from MCM '09 if you're really that curious....)

This New Year, I make a resolution to visit a proper running store, have my stride analyzed, and get a GOOD for me pair of running shoes. I can't promise I'll replace them after six months though. That'll be a resolution for next year.

O's first pair of 'running' shoes