Isn't it true everyone should have goals, big or small, shouldn't we all be striving in life and trying to reach the top in anything we do? My goal this year was to work on speed to bring my 5k race time down. Hard thing to do when your 42 and are not running like your 22 anymore. I have made it though I finally got under 24 minutes this week two times! Tuesday nights race in Lansing with Crissy I was able to run 23:34 and then again today in Concord I ran a 23:30! I was not too sure about my time today after Wednesday but there is no stopping me now.
New goal now is to get under 23 minutes in a 5k. I think training for the marathon last year and getting that hellish base built up that I maintained all winter long has fueled my fire! I am in great shape, eating well, sleeping well, enjoying my job, my life, my family. There is always room for new goals.
The other goal pertaining to my running is to go for a 1:45 in the 1/2 marathon, if I can't do it in Chicago I should be able to by October for the Wildlife 1/2.
Another goal this year is to support Abbie in her school year. This will be a transitioning year for her since she will be attending the Career Center in the mornings. The girl does not like change and does not like her schedule messed up so there will be some adjusting the first month of school. We will get through it together with me supporting her and trying to stay calm and understanding.
So all in all this has been a great week and I am totally looking forward to my nice cool long run in the morning. I have not picked a route yet I guess I will figure that out when i leave the driveway tomorrow!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The Joys of Summer Break
Summer break started this week for me. The break is shorter now for me since I crossed over from teaching into administration this year. No more beginning of June to the end of August off anymore, now it's end of June through the end of July off. It's ok I used to get stir crazy by the first of August anyway. Now on my 5-6 weeks off I can concentrate on my running more and i do not have to worry about planning or making things for next school year like I always did when I was a teacher.
I have been really working hard on speed work this summer and it is paying off! Last night I finally ran under 24 minutes in a 5k! My official time 23:34 my best yet as a Masters Runner! I know I will never get those low 20's like back in the day and I am ok with that once I get below 23 minutes in a 5k I will be happy! Last summer I was totally focused on my marathon and speed went by the wayside. This year I only have 1/2 Marathons planned and it is much easier for me to add the speed work into my running schedule.
I also believe that being part of the Team MARATHON Bar has really enticed me to step it up. The team is very encouraging and enthusiastic about running and that helps tremendously plus I want to do well in the Chicago Rock and Roll 1/2 in August since I will be representing Team MARATHON!
So far my summer break is going great I am gearing up for a trail run in the UP on the 4th of July and really looking forward to my trip to Montana to see my friend and run in some higher elevations! July should be an exciting month!
I also believe that being part of the Team MARATHON Bar has really enticed me to step it up. The team is very encouraging and enthusiastic about running and that helps tremendously plus I want to do well in the Chicago Rock and Roll 1/2 in August since I will be representing Team MARATHON!
So far my summer break is going great I am gearing up for a trail run in the UP on the 4th of July and really looking forward to my trip to Montana to see my friend and run in some higher elevations! July should be an exciting month!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Reflective Running
Sunday was a time for reflection. About a month ago or so I posted on Facebook that if I would have trained the way I do now back in high school I would have went on to a bigger and better school to run for rather than a small private Christian college. But hey I was able to run in college and I did set a record while I was there. I am still running now and that is all that matters. I guess it is that "could have, would have, SHOULD have" thoughts running through my mind lately. Natural talent can take you so far, but to be better you must hone that skill and train hard.
I was thinking about my journey on becoming a runner, it all started when I was little and did not have a bike so i had to run to keep up with my friends around town! When I was going into 6th grade I would wait for my brothers cross country team to come running through Horton and I would run with them through town until they headed back out of town and up to the high school. That was cool.
When I finally reached the middle school doors our school district decided to cut all middle school sports and they did. We had intramural sports that the gym teachers would do after school. It still was not the same. In 8th grade I practiced basketball everyday with the girls Varsity team and then took their stats at the games. I was still running to get places.
Finally high school came and I was able to run track and it was on a dirt track! I set many school records, our coach really sucked but he was nice and he gave us Snickers Bars when we did good. I did every event in high school except throwing the discus. I had to try them all and i was good at them all but I decided middle distance was my thing the 400 and the 800. Ran the 400 in 64 on dirt and 62 on all weather, the 800 2:30 on dirt 2:24 on all weather. Not bad for a kid who barely trained, but if I had trained hard who knows what could have become of it.
No I did not run cross country in high school I played basketball in the fall that was my first love. I did however run cross country my freshman year in college and ran in the low 20's. 20:12 was my PR in college. I Only ran one year. That's a whole another story for another time. My sophomore year I started training to do the Heptathlon in my senior year. Well I never made it to my senior year that goes along with the other story.
My running journey did not end I ran until about 21-22 years old, had my son when I was 23 and turned to bike riding then because jogging strollers back then cost around $200-300! SO I would put Joey on the back and away we would go. Then we had Abbie so Barry had to put a seat on his bike so we could do family bike rides. Back to school i went finishing up my degree, raising my kids and running went by the wayside for about 10 years. I started walk/running again and finally after Joe started in cross country in middle school and I heard that gun go off I was hooked and back to running and I have been running ever since and just started road racing about 4 years ago again.
So that is my running journey in a nutshell. I was also blessed to watch my son and his teammates grow from little middle school runners into State Champs in both Cross Country and Track. I will never forget in my sons Senior year they had just won the State Cross Country meet and he was an All State runner he was crying and thanking me for pushing him to run and in his running. That was an all time great "Mom" moment. What a talented group of runners!
So enough reflecting it is time to look forward and see what I can do in "master" years of running and hopefully I will have lots of years left!!
I was thinking about my journey on becoming a runner, it all started when I was little and did not have a bike so i had to run to keep up with my friends around town! When I was going into 6th grade I would wait for my brothers cross country team to come running through Horton and I would run with them through town until they headed back out of town and up to the high school. That was cool.
When I finally reached the middle school doors our school district decided to cut all middle school sports and they did. We had intramural sports that the gym teachers would do after school. It still was not the same. In 8th grade I practiced basketball everyday with the girls Varsity team and then took their stats at the games. I was still running to get places.
Finally high school came and I was able to run track and it was on a dirt track! I set many school records, our coach really sucked but he was nice and he gave us Snickers Bars when we did good. I did every event in high school except throwing the discus. I had to try them all and i was good at them all but I decided middle distance was my thing the 400 and the 800. Ran the 400 in 64 on dirt and 62 on all weather, the 800 2:30 on dirt 2:24 on all weather. Not bad for a kid who barely trained, but if I had trained hard who knows what could have become of it.
No I did not run cross country in high school I played basketball in the fall that was my first love. I did however run cross country my freshman year in college and ran in the low 20's. 20:12 was my PR in college. I Only ran one year. That's a whole another story for another time. My sophomore year I started training to do the Heptathlon in my senior year. Well I never made it to my senior year that goes along with the other story.
My running journey did not end I ran until about 21-22 years old, had my son when I was 23 and turned to bike riding then because jogging strollers back then cost around $200-300! SO I would put Joey on the back and away we would go. Then we had Abbie so Barry had to put a seat on his bike so we could do family bike rides. Back to school i went finishing up my degree, raising my kids and running went by the wayside for about 10 years. I started walk/running again and finally after Joe started in cross country in middle school and I heard that gun go off I was hooked and back to running and I have been running ever since and just started road racing about 4 years ago again.
So that is my running journey in a nutshell. I was also blessed to watch my son and his teammates grow from little middle school runners into State Champs in both Cross Country and Track. I will never forget in my sons Senior year they had just won the State Cross Country meet and he was an All State runner he was crying and thanking me for pushing him to run and in his running. That was an all time great "Mom" moment. What a talented group of runners!
So enough reflecting it is time to look forward and see what I can do in "master" years of running and hopefully I will have lots of years left!!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The HEAT is ON!!
Among all of the heat and stinky dead stuff out there I have seen some really beautiful things these past few days. I see the geese with their goslings, the swans with their babies, beautiful wildflowers, some amazingly colorful birds and of course lots of deer. The other morning when I was running down the trail a deer snorted to the others that I was approaching I never saw them I just heard them take off through the thicket! One road I run down is just one solid wall of Jacob's Ladder in purple and white. It is just gorgeous! The most amazing sight on my runs this week was watching the sun rise while I was running this morning. It was just a big red ball in the sky. I took a picture on my phone but it did not do it justice. While others are hitting their snooze buttons in the mornings I am out in all of God's glory!
The best thing about the heat is at least now I can condition my body to it in small increments. Short quick runs to help the old body adapt. This is good since last summer I kept sucking air whenever it was hot and humid now I am taking a proactive approach against the heat. Bring it on I say!!!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Running on Empty
Running on empty the song is going through my mind right now and what a nice title lets see if it fits tonight's blog post!
So I have neglected my blog this week. It was a very busy week since Monday was Memorial Day and then it was the last week of school and a endless list of things to do. I managed to get all of runs in of course.
To recap the week, on Monday was a nice easy quick run followed by Tuesdays night of 800 repeats in between thunderstorms. I ran 3 then had to stop for about 45 minutes and then resumed the last 3. Held them at 3:40 each. Wednesday was quick run with some strength training and on Thursday I did 8 hill repeats. Friday was a rest day and today I ran 4 miles on some trails with my meet up group.
On Friday I received my box of goodies from Snickers MARATHON Bars they are my official sponsor this year. Yes I am almost a professional runner. In exchange for some really nice running gear, all I have to do is promote the product at races and at group training runs etc. They sent cases of product to be handed out and coupons and tattoos. For me it's an incredible opportunity because I always wanted to run professionally when I was a kid. So it is my dream come true. Who knows it could lead to something else in the future. I and 249 others were picked out of 1000's who applied for our commitment to an active lifestyle filled with nutritious energy bars!! :)
Just really bummed that Barry could not get the week off of work for when I wanted to do my first 1/2 marathon for this year. Been training since spring break for this. I might just drive up to the UP myself, but it seems silly because 6 days later we will be leaving for the UP. I will just have to settle for the local 10k in Manistique when we go up. We will see I could change my mind and hop in the car and go!
I think my next blog might be a little more "colorful" because i have been having some really deep thoughts on my runs and working some things out. We will see running on empty in my thoughts tonight!
So I have neglected my blog this week. It was a very busy week since Monday was Memorial Day and then it was the last week of school and a endless list of things to do. I managed to get all of runs in of course.
To recap the week, on Monday was a nice easy quick run followed by Tuesdays night of 800 repeats in between thunderstorms. I ran 3 then had to stop for about 45 minutes and then resumed the last 3. Held them at 3:40 each. Wednesday was quick run with some strength training and on Thursday I did 8 hill repeats. Friday was a rest day and today I ran 4 miles on some trails with my meet up group.
On Friday I received my box of goodies from Snickers MARATHON Bars they are my official sponsor this year. Yes I am almost a professional runner. In exchange for some really nice running gear, all I have to do is promote the product at races and at group training runs etc. They sent cases of product to be handed out and coupons and tattoos. For me it's an incredible opportunity because I always wanted to run professionally when I was a kid. So it is my dream come true. Who knows it could lead to something else in the future. I and 249 others were picked out of 1000's who applied for our commitment to an active lifestyle filled with nutritious energy bars!! :)
Just really bummed that Barry could not get the week off of work for when I wanted to do my first 1/2 marathon for this year. Been training since spring break for this. I might just drive up to the UP myself, but it seems silly because 6 days later we will be leaving for the UP. I will just have to settle for the local 10k in Manistique when we go up. We will see I could change my mind and hop in the car and go!
I think my next blog might be a little more "colorful" because i have been having some really deep thoughts on my runs and working some things out. We will see running on empty in my thoughts tonight!
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