Author Archives: EngineerGirl

Finally a Cool Kid

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I finally got one! A Garmin!

My fabulous parents always give the gift of cold hard cash for Christmas, because they know what my brother, sister and I like best! So this is their gift to me even though when I sent the picture to my Mom to thank her for the gift she didn’t even know what it was!

Sure it’s an older model 305 and I bought it off eBay {I love eBay, don’t you?} but I am so excited to get out and use it. My dear sweet hubby agreed to come home early from work today so I could go outside and soak up some vitamin D while playing with my new toy! I am entirely confident that this little guy will make me a super speedy runner. Entirely. Confident.

Also, I just signed up to run in the Running Loving Living, 34th Birthday/1st Blogiversary 3.5 Mile Virtual Run. You can too! {I love virtual runs, they are so economical!}

Weekly Recap

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Last week was an other awesome weather week! I love that it feels like September most days instead of January!

  • Sunday: Resolution Run Virtual Race, awesome run and a huge confidence builder! Total miles, 4.21 in 33:02 min.
  • Monday: Beautiful day + hubby was home = outside run in the sunshine! I tried a new route by home and got lost! Not too bad, but it was kinda fun to be lost in an area that I have lived in for 11 years! 5.8 miles in 1:11:47  - Yoga class at night 60 minutes
  • Tuesday: Rest day – I had ran too many days in a row and my body was begging for a day off.
  • Wednesday: Also a “Rest day” – I had to go into work so I walked about 1 mile in downtown Salt Lake.
  • Thursday: Everyone is back to school and work so it’s off the the gym at 6:00 am so I can be back to get the 2 older girls off to school. Warmed up on the Elliptical: 1.25 miles in 19 minutes then Ran 3.25 miles in 40 minutes on the treadmill.
  • Friday: Strength with the devil himself. Seriously, I think my trainer is trying to kill me on the sly. Worked legs and I can still feel them today. 30 minutes of torture. Ran 2.79 miles in 38:01 minutes.
  • Saturday: Seriously can legs hurt this bad? had to ditch the long run, (it was only a 5 miler) today. But I’m not going to count it as a rest day because I spent the most of the morning early afternoon  at the mall with my oldest daughter exchanging her Christmas clothes that didn’t fit.So I’ll call this a Cross Training day. ;)
  • Total Weeks Miles = 16.05
  • Elliptical Miles = 1.25

Well, I have finally picked out the 5k that I will hit a sub 30 minute PR! I was looking at a race in Feburary but my husband want to run with me (yay!) and he is out of town that weekend. So I looked around and found a perfect race January 28th the Hale Freezes Over 5K! The training is right on track and I am getting really excited to test my self. This will be the first race I have “raced” with a time goal.

Resolution Run Virtual Race Recap

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I signed up to participate in Run To The Finish’s Resolution {Virtual} Run. The rules were simple:

Run at least 1 mile sometime on January 1
Then leave a comment about your run… yup it is just that easy.

I have been training to run a faster 5k {or 3.1 miles}. I am half way through my training plan and I wanted to see were I was. I have been feeling discouraged because treadmill workouts have been so difficult as of late. {I’ve been on the mill because it’s so dang cold here in Utah, no snow but super cold. I also don’t like to run in the dark because I’m a afraidy cat. And the lovely inversion does a number on my lungs.} Anyway the treadmill and I are not really friends. Every run is a challenge to finish on the beast. So, I wanted to see if I sucked as much as I feared.

So my GOAL for a 5K PR {personal record} at the end of January is

*to run a 5k in under 30 minutes.*

My Goal for today’s run was to try for a 10:00 min/mile pace which would put me around 31 minutes for the 5K.

For reference, I ran two 5Ks last year:

  • Lehi Round Up – June 25, 2011 – 37:34.8
  • Highland Fling – August 6,2011 – 35:03.3

Resolution Race Recap

  • Today is a beautiful day, cool, crisp, and super sunny. 32 degrees.
  • I started out with a 1 mile warm up. I feel great. My legs feel light and I am starting to think that I will be able to get close to my goal.
  • After 1 mile I stop Runkeeper, take off my jacket, take a quick drink, and get ready to run.

    Pre-PR picture. I'm apprehensive and excited at the same time.

  • I start up a new activity in Runkeeper and take off. I started off too slow, no I’m going too fast, I don’t know I still haven’t figured out how to pace myself. Runkeeper is set to give me an update every 2 minutes. 2 minutes roll around and dang the gps picked me up at the bottom of the gully instead of at the top where I really was. Argh, my distance and average pace are already messed up but it doesn’t seem to be by a whole lot. I am going much faster that I think. It said my current pace was around 9:30 m/m. I better slow down or I won’t be able to finish strong.
  • Mile 1 feels great. I tried to run by feel, trying to run at the same effort the whole time.
  • Mile 2 feeling pretty good at the start starting to feel the pace at the end of the mile.
  • Mile 3 I decide that if I am going to pass out I should aim for the strip of grass next to the road. I’m feeling the effort is getting harder but I know I can finish out the mile strong.
  • .1 – I’m not sure how far I have to go to make it to a full 5K because I’m not sure how far off my start was, so I try and make it a strong finish and push a little harder to the end.
  • Of course when I get home I immediately jump on Runkeeper to see how wonky my run was. It turns out it wasn’t too bad. I smoothed out the beginning of my run, the gps had me running up and down the side of the gully {which I didn’t do}. So I smoothed the path out and……..

distance = 3.17 miles
time = 30:50! Hello virtual PR!
average pace = 9:43!
Woot! I am so close to my goal. I know I can nail it by the end of January. Take that stupid treadmill!

What an awesome way to start out 2012! I am on a serious runner high right now. Thanks Run to the Finish for hosting this virtual run. I had a great time.

I forgot to print out and wear my race bib. Opps. Here’s what my resolution is:

Tempo Success! Finally

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Finally a Tempo Run success! Why is it so hard for me to run at a decent pace on the treadmill? Does anyone know why it is easier to run faster outside that it is to run the same pace on the treadmill? I was even battling a head wind that was pretty intense and I still managed to knock out an awesome tempo run! I’m feeling pretty good about my self right now. Bring on the speed.

On the Schedule – 2 mile Tempo run {My goal was 2 miles at a 10:00 m/m pace}

  • Warm up: 10 minutes
  • 1st tempo mile: 10:08 m/m
  • 2nd tempo mile: 9:48 m/m
  • total distance: 3 miles
  • total time: 32 min 17 sec
  • average pace: 10:39 m/m
  • Temps: Mostly cloudy, 50 degrees, 7 mile/hour winds

Lesson learned today – I can be awesome, stop beating yourself up because you will be able to run a sub 30 minute 5K by the end of January! Keep up the training plan and have faith sister!

I’m Joining the 30 Day Food Journal Challenge!

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I just joined the Food Journal: 30 Day Challenge over at Run to the Finish.

This is one huge area that I need to work on. I can make myself get out of bed at 5:20 in the morning to go to the gym but I can’t say no to anything with sugar in it. I plan on kicking this challenges butt this month and feeling better than I ever have.

Join me? Come on, I know you want to.

 

A Virtual 10K & Week 6 in Review

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Last week was week #6 in the “Get Faster” Training Plan. Here’s how it went…

  • Monday: 3.76 easy miles @ a 13:08 m/m pace in the morning; & 60 minutes of the best yoga class ever (Okay, I’ve only been to 2 classes including this one) @ night. I sleep great after a yoga class!
  • Tuesday: So very tired after yoga last night I skipped out on this mornings workout. We will call this a “Rest” day.
  • Wednesday: 4.28 easy miles @ a 12:56 m/m pace.
  • Thursday: 3.68 miles @ a 12:15 m/m pace. Tempo run. 2 miles tempo with a warm up and cool down. Killer, is the only word I can find that adequately describes tempo workouts. I get that they are supposed to be hard but seriously?
  • Friday: Weight training w/ Tim - triceps, shoulders, and chest plus 2.75 miles on the Elliptical @ a 11:38 m/m pace.
  • Saturday: Virtual Home for the Holidays 10K! 6.33 miles, 1 Hr: 18 min: 52 sec. a 12:28 m/m pace.

Virtual Home for the Holiday’s Race Recap…

I had 6 miles on the ol’ training plan for Saturday so I signed up for this awesome virtual 10K. I still don’t have any warm running clothing so I did the whole thing on the treadmill. There was an optional costume contest but unless you count my red face as a festive costume accessory, I didn’t dress the part. I guess I worried about what my gym cohorts would think of me sweating it out on the mill in a Christmas tree costume. Loaded onto the ipad for my viewing pleasure – I finished watching The Green Hornet {terrible movie, don’t recomend to anyone} and started Paul Blart Mall Cop.

I didn’t really push the pace because I really wanted to run the whole 6.2 miles but something about every one being sick (Bea has pneumonia and the Boss has a sinus and ear infection) wiped me out and I couldn’t go the entire distance. I only walked once and not for very long. All in all I feel pretty good about my effort. The race was a fun distraction from my normal. I enjoyed it so much I signed up for another virtual race on New Years Day! Our church block moved to 1 pm so I can now run in the morning before church! What a great way to start out the new year!

This Week’s Training Plan Schedule

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December 19 – 24

On the Training Plan for this week {WEEK 6}:

  • Monday: 3 miles; Easy {morning} & 60 minutes Yoga {night}
  • Tuesday: 2-4 miles; Easy
  • Wednesday: XT or Rest (I work today but from home so I might get some XT in today)
  • Thursday: 2 x 1 mile @ Tempo (9:45 m/m) w/ 1/4 mile Recovery (15:00 m/m) {Yikes}
  • Friday: Weight training w/ Tim & Elliptical
  • Saturday: 6 miles; Long Run w/ 10 minute Strong Finish (11:00 m/m)

Got in 3.76 miles this morning at an average 13:08 pace. I was starving. I need to think of a better AM fuel plan. I also woke up 5 minutes earlier that I have been to get in more foam rolling. I think it’s helping. My knee has felt really good the last couple of runs.

Fartleks are my Fave!

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On the training plan this morning – Fartleks!

4 miles with 6 X 1 min Hard (8:45m/m) + 2 min Recovery (15:00 m/m)

I rolled out of bed nice and early this morning so I could foam roll my legs before I left for the gym. The foam roller is the best running invention ever. I will not be living without it anytime soon.

  • about a 2 min warm up (I always walk for a couple of minutes to get my earbuds plugged in and everything arranged. How long I walk depends on how long it takes me to get arranged.)
  • 13 minutes (a little over 1 mile) @ 12:45 m/m
  • 6 X 1 minute Hard (8:45 x 5 & 8:30 x 1!)
  • 6 X 2 minutes Recovery (15:30 m/m ish) about 1.5 miles for the repeats
  • ended repeats at minute 33. Ran at 11:35 m/m for 16 minutes
  • walked the last minute
  • TOTAL = 4.11 miles
  • TOTAL = 51.13 minutes
  • AVERAGE PACE = 12:28 m/m
This was an awesome run. I felt strong from the beginning all the way to the end, even the harder fartlek sections! I love runs like this!
Yoga on tap for tonight. Should I shower first?

 

6 mile “Long Run”

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The training plan called for a long run this morning. 6 miles with a “strong finish” for the last 5 minutes. Overall the run was strong. It was rough between miles 2 and 3 but once I got past the half way point it got easier. I still don’t know how to run over an hour on the treadmill. Maybe gyms set it at 60 minuties as a time limit? Maybe I should find out if there is a treadmill time limit now that *all* the runners have been driven inside because it has gotten fr.ost.y outside in the morning.

  • 6.13 miles
  • 1:20:11 hr:m:s
  • 12:45 m/m
  • 10:50 m/m for the last 5 minutes
  • w/warm up nad cool down

My Version of a Jimmy John’s Sandwich

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I love Jimmy John’s. But I have already gotten take out from their lovely drive through twice this week. Once I even got Bea and The Boss a sandwich but that’s practically a waste because all they eat is the meat. How can you not want to eat the bread? I love the bread. So, being the frugal individual that I am, I saved their bread and made myself a sandwich of my very own. Now, I don’t have the yummy turkey that Jimmy has so it’s not as delish but but I have better lettuce and more tomatoes….

Yes, I have already taken a few bites out of it. I’m always famished after a hard work out at the gym (Gymcats that is.) Hey, you try and keep up with Bea while she is swinging on bars, walking on balance beams and jumping into the pit during the Mom and Tot class!