Another Mother Runner Challenge

Posted on May 25, 2012 by EngineerGirl

I love the Mother Runners Dimity and Sarah authors of “Run Like A Mother”. They have come up with an awesome challenge for the month of June. You can read the post and sign up here.

They made the rules simple:

You must move at least 5 days/week: Run, walk, cycle, downward dog, swim, squat, push-ups if your bottom half is injured. Whatever. Just move with purpose and focus and get your blood flowing.
You must have at least 1 rest day/week: Two days is fine too. Sorry if that doesn’t work for you. We insist—and your body will be happier and less injury-prone because of it.
Claim your prize: Your “finish line photo” is a picture (screen shot or regular shot) of your planned/finished workouts on this calendar. Send the pic to runmother@gmail.com to claim your AMR bumper sticker.

I needed a plan for summer. I was unsure how I wanted to proceed without any races on the calendar so I was excited when I saw this on facebook and immediately signed up. I haven’t filled out my calendar yet but I am looking forward to making June great!

I am only running 3 days a week right now and it has made all the difference in how much better I am running. I was feeling a little burned out going to the gym 5-6 times a week and working at a hard effort each time. I have loved how awesome taking it easy but running faster and longer is! However, I have just been flying by the seat of my pants. Whatever, whenever, no structure. It was a good break but I am ready to get back into something more structured but fun and pressure free.

Hello Summer!

Pre-Race Jitters and Dreams

Posted on January 27, 2012 by EngineerGirl

You know you’re ~~excited apprehensive~~ obsessing about something coming up when you dream about it. Last night I dreamed about my BIG PR {hopefully} Race tomorrow. I dreamed that I decided to go to the gym first thing in the morning to get some sweat on and then went to a huge sporting goods store to look around and ended up being late to the race. I didn’t actually race in my dream so I don’t know how the sweating and browsing affected my racing. It was, however, a frustrating dream. To say that I am obsessing about this race would be correct.

So, yes, THE 5k is tomorrow. The Hale Freezes Over 10k and 5k.

The race benefits the Hale Center Theater in Orem, Utah. We love this theater they do great work and it is always fun for a night out. As part of your swag you receive a ticket to one of their productions – score, date night!

Mmm-K. Here are my A and B goals for tomorrow.

A Goal – Run under 30 minutes. This is what I have trained for!
B Goal – PR. This shouldn’t be too hard. My last 5K time {August 2011} was a blistering 35:03.3. I should be able to at least make my B Goal.
Most importantly I really want to enjoy myself tomorrow. This is hubby’s first race and I think that we will have a great time. I want him enjoy the race and want to do it again sometime.

I have a rocking playlist downloaded to the iphone all ready to bring home an awesome PR. {Okay, it wasn’t there when I just checked, good thing I looked or I would have been super sad tomorrow morning!} It’s about 34 minutes long. I’m thinking about cutting Katy Perry. Sorry Katy, it’s nothing personal.

Rocking 5K PR Playlist

Lets’ Get It Started – The Black Eyed Peas
Float On – Modest Mouse
So What – Pink
I Wanna Be Sedated – Ramones
Dirty Little Secret – the All-American Rejects
American Idiot – Green Day
Fighter – Christina Aguilera
Stronger – Kelly Clarkson
Hollaback Girl – Gwen Stefani
Last Friday Night – Katy Perry

After the race we have a breakfast date planned. Hey, if you’re going to get a sitter, going out to eat must be involved. It’s a rule. Trust me.

Jan 8 – 14 Weekly Update

Posted on January 18, 2012 by EngineerGirl

I am getting closer to the 5K race I am hoping to run sub 30 minutes! I’m getting excited and nervous at the same time. But, I know I have to trust in my training and remember all the speed work I have done to smash my goal.

On the training plan for this week, Janurary 8-14, 2012

Sunday: - Training plan (TP) said – Rest. I actually went for a run this morning. When I built my plan Our church time was 9:00 am and getting myself and 4 girls ready for church and there on time made it imposible to run before. But now that church has moved to 1:00 pm I have time to run in the morning and I am loving it! It is so quite on a Sunday morning, it is a peaceful way to start my Sunday. Actual – Easy; 3.35 miles in 40:15 min
Monday – TP - 4 x 1000m Race Pace + 400 m Recovery Pace. Actual - 4 x 1000m Race Pace + 400 m Recovery Pace, total 4.32 miles in 52:14 min. And Yoga Class at night.
Tuesday – TP – 2-4 miles Easy. Actual – 3.39 miles in 38:24 min Easy. Ran with my new garmin outside – loved it. The garmin and the run.
Wednesday – TP – Rest. Actual - Worked Downtown so I walked about 1 mile. Yoga class at night.
Thursday – TP – 4 miles Easy. Actual – 3.26 miles in 41:33 min Easy.
Friday – TP – Cross Train. Actual – Weights with Tim (triceps, chest & shoulders) and elliptical 20 min.
Saturday – TP – Long Run 6 miles. Actual – Long Run 6.73 miles in 1:20:17. Outside in the sunshine!

I ran a new route and saw little ponies for sale. My girls would love me forever if I came home with one of these babies!

Weekly Recap

Posted on January 9, 2012 by EngineerGirl

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.

Tempo Success! Finally

Posted on December 29, 2011 by EngineerGirl

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!

A Virtual 10K & Week 6 in Review

Posted on December 28, 2011 by EngineerGirl

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

Posted on December 19, 2011 by EngineerGirl

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!

Posted on December 12, 2011 by EngineerGirl

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”

Posted on December 10, 2011 by EngineerGirl

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

Another Tempo Attempt

Posted on December 8, 2011 by EngineerGirl

Today I attempted another tempo run. Last week I was supposed to run 1.5 miles at 9:50 min/mile. I couldn’t go much past 1 mile at that pace so I wanted to try again this week even though it wasn’t on my training plan.

I felt good and strong this morning but still only eeked out 1.1 miles at 9:50 m/m before I had to walk for a while and then finish the last 0.4 mile at tempo.

I don’t know why I am having such a hard time with these tempo runs. hmmmm?

Total miles: 3.56
Total time: 44:55
1 mile warm up @ 13:20 m/m
1.1 miles @ 9:50 m/m
walked 3 minutes to recover
0.4 miles @ 9:50 m/m
walked 3 minutes
6 minutes @ 12:45 m/m
Cool Down 5 min

Runner in Training

My quest to get faster

Tag Archives: Training