Final Running Update....

It is time for my final running update. This weeks mileage was 31.5 miles. Thank you taper! All though I will say this has been a tumultuous week. I'm not starving like I was last week, but I've been exhausted, such as everyday during the 3 o'clock hour, I'm struggling to stay awake. Luckily, Friday was Good Friday, and my boss let us go home early, where I took a nap and slept through the Secret Lives of Bees for the 2nd time (the book was way better than the movie). Other than that, I've been kind of grouchy, but this seem to be a common symptom among fellow taperers. But it is time to get my head in the game and start visualizing my race. I hoping this is my year.
Here is what I'll be racing in on Monday, April 20, 2009. Unless it is raining and cold, than I'll probably wear the same thing I wore for my half. I might add some arm warmers and/or a tee shirt. Plus racing shoes and Garmin.

Can I just say that the most important part of my outfit will be my Garmin! Okay, the clothes are very important, but I would be a lost soul without this. And yes, it's old school, but I don't like the Garmin 405, too many buttons, and the price sucks. (no I wasn't trying to be artistic, I threw it on my journal, and decided to post it- voila)

Consider yourself lucky, I'm taking you on a racing ride. Sit tight.( couldn't find pictures of my 1st/worst marathon)2nd marathon. This was my BQ (Boston Qualify) race. I cried. It hurt so much. I think I'm the only one that would grace you all with my ugly pictures.

10k before Boston '07. Kate = happy. 10k = happy.

1st Boston. 1st Nor'easter. 1st cortisone shot in my foot.

Finish of 1st Boston. I'm crying, hence the squinted face. It hurt a lot.

I cried here too. Just thought I'd throw this in for good measure. I've turned into a cryer.

2nd Boston '08. Was totally worked over by the hills (thank you flat Chicago). I walked. I cried. I swore I'd never run another marathon until I could afford a coach.

half marathon, March '09. Kate = happy. Half Marathon = Happy!

Boston '09. I don't know. But I'm feeling good. I've got another week to rest. I've put in the work. I've done hill workouts, sprints, tempo runs, interval training, fartleks, and long runs. What more could I need? Well, a training partner. That would be nice. Cross your fingers for me. I'm going to need all the help I can get. And, this is the end of marathons..........for now.

Running Update

Boston countdown.........2 weeks from tomorrow! This week I came down a little bit in my mileage to 45.3 miles, which is fine. I had to throw out a few miles because my foot was hurting. Oh well. I did a 15 miler on Saturday in beautiful weather and felt pretty good. I was able to do my run at or faster than my marathon pace. So hopefully with a couple weeks of rest, I'll be good to go!
What is scary is that I was watching a video of Kara Goucher (American contender for Boston) of a 20 mile training run she was doing on the Boston course and there was tons of hype, lots of news crews etc there to document it. She said "this is the most over-hyped training run, it is just going to be an easy 7 min mile run for 20 miles." Yeah, I wish 7 min miles for 20 miles was easy.
Anyway, I bought my racing outfit, I'll post it soon. I almost went with a running skirt but Bill had an aneurysm when I walked out of the dressing room in a skirt. Boo. I've always been skeptical, but the one I tried on was really cute and better than I ever expected.

Take my poll if you haven't already!

Running Update

This is really what my run was like. Boo.
Picture from http://www.boatnerd.com/news/newpictures02/SH-wave-A%20-202.gif

Did you think I was done training because I hadn't posted a running update yet? Well I wish. Less than 3 weeks to go, and I can tell because 1) I'm exhausted, 2) I have ferocious appetite, and 3) I'm having a difficult time dragging myself out of bed every morning (at least since yesterday...which totally counts). Anyway, my weekly mileage total was...........54.4 miserable miles. It really wasn't too bad of a week, I did a great hill workout with a friend, hit all the times on my sets, but what made it was suck was my last 20 miler that I did on Saturday. Did I mention how much I dread and despise 20 mile runs? On Friday night, that was all I could think of, and I wanted to puke. Saturday rolled around and I had to push my run until around 1, because I went to the cannery (I'm working on my food storage). So I headed outside after that and ran up and back (5 miles each way) 2x because there was a storm coming and I didn't want to be 10 miles from home. The wind was horrendous, and during those hours, I really hated life. But I did it. It was probably a good simulation run for Boston, weather sucked, I was tired, and hit the hill (overpass) at mile 19 (which equates somewhat to heartbreak hill). But I'm done, now I've got 1 more week to crank out and then taper time!!! Oh hallelujah!

Running Update

I fell apart this week. This was supposed to be a about 57 mile week. I really wanted to break 60, unfortunately, but still fortunately, I got up to 51.8. I think my problem was the half marathon I raced, then on Tuesday, I did a big hill set with a friend from work (hills on an overpass, sounds like fun hu?). So I didn't really get time to recover. Then I had a 20 miler for Friday morning and I did 10 on the treadmill and 10 outside (can't run in the dark here) and I bonked at mile 11. I love to run, but I don't love 16 weeks of intense marathon training. 4 more weeks to go. I can do this. Our weekend trip for spring break has helped. I feel revived.

So stay tuned for our spring break gone wild....St Louis style.

Running Update

My usual glare of death, post race, and lucky me, I even have the pleasure of my hair looking like a crazy mane.

Time for my weekly running update. Sorry I'm late, Bill + finals = no computer for Kate :(
So I'm making up for lost time. This week I did a total of 51 miles. It was a lower mileage than I hoped for this week because I ran a half marathon. But, the race was great, killer but great. The course was full of horrible huge and long hills. Who would have thought there were so many hills in the state of Illinois. But because of the hills in the race, I'm beginning to feel more confidant for Boston. Anyway, the race went well, I placed 16th for the women in the race and technically 2nd in my age group. Don't bother looking me up, I had to buy someone else's registration to get into this race.

Running Update

This was the pose I hurt myself in. Just kidding.

This was my rest week and so my mileage is low. I topped out at 20.4 miles. Well it is really low because I hurt my achilles tendon, or something around there. There is a nice little bruise. Bummer. I talked to one of the doctors at work who runs, he asked me some questions, gave me some exercises to do, and told me if it isn't feeling better by Monday, that I should see a doctor. Luckily, it is feeling better. So I'm hoping to resume my running, for 3 more weeks of high mileage, and then I'll start my taper! I can't believe it is so close!
What was the culprit? I'm not sure, but I think it started after yoga on Tuesday. I think I might have strained something in one of the poses. Stupid I know. But at least it isn't a tear or fracture. My challenge for the next 6 weeks is just to stay healthy. Hear goes nothing.

Running Update

Tis time for my weekly running update. I know you all look forward to this post. This week I hit 55.8 miles. Stupid me, I should have done .2 more and I could have hit a mileage high of 56 miles. Oh well, that was poor planning. Anyway, I tried out a new location out in the suburbs, with hills of course, (see image above for Boston elevation map) and only did half of my long run there because it was too scary. The location was a forest preserve with a loop of 9.6 miles, and it was scary and gray. And the city that Drew Peterson, the guy whose 4th wife mysteriously disappeared, lives in the city around this forest preserve, so I felt creeped out by the fact that there could possibly be a body in the forest (I'm sure the police have checked there, but I couldn't stop imagining the worst since I was by myself). So I left after 1 loop and ran the rest of the run on the lake shore path, which was freezing and windy. I'm determined not to do any of my long runs on the treadmill this year. And hopefully, I'll be able to run with the club on Saturdays. This week is a rest week, hallelujah.

Running Update

It's time for my weekly update. This week I did 53.2 miles, and let me tell you, this was a hard week. I have pretty much gone to bed around 9:30 every night because I can't stay awake any longer. Anyway, I had a great week nonetheless, and managed to do my long run outside despite the snow. Oh and I ran with a club again in a hilly suburb and it was fantastic. I really have nothing else to say except that you should check out this link. It is pretty funny.

Running Update

I had a fantastic week of running. This weeks mileage was 51 miles!! I was pretty excited about breaking 50 miles this week, especially since my program calls for 2 rest days a week. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be down below 50 for a few weeks. Anyway, I did my long run outside at this place called Morton Arboretum, which is about a 45 minute drive out to the suburbs. But it was great. There are two loops you can do, one loop that is 4.5 miles with hills and another that is 3 miles with harder hills. I was very pleased with the run, I felt great, I held a great pace the whole time, and I ran with a doctor from work and her running club. And the weather wasn't too bad, about 34 degrees. Anyway, I like running again.
This week was also great because I bought "The Stick" from a friend at work who had an extra. See picture below. You all might be skeptical, and I was too (especially because they are expensive)but it is great. It is great after a long run and you calves are aching and you can't find anyone to massage your legs. I used it after my long run, and my legs felt way better then they normally do. I'm a believer. Bill should be glad I have one so that he doesn't have to rub down my legs. But he still gets to do my blistered feet. You win some, you lose some.As for this final picture, I was googling the stick and it came up with this picture of a fish. It is so big, I had to post it. Enjoy

Running Update

It's time for the weekly update. This week I put in 44.7 miles in, I was hoping for a few more, but oh well. Yesterday it was 57 degrees out and so I ran my long run outside and it was glorious!!!!
Well, it was glorious except for the fact that the snow that had been on the ground since Christmas time was finally melt, thus the trail was flooded in some areas. Oh well, it was still worth it.

I downloaded my Garmin onto Bill's computer and I had 1,336.72 miles on it. That is a lot of miles, and that only has warm weather miles on it. I can't wait for warm weather again.

Running Update

Lake Shore trail, obviously people are a lot more covered up, and lots of runners, a few cyclists

This week was a rest week, and it was definitely needed. My total mileage came to 38.4, it should have been a few miles less, but I did some hill repeats in the parking garage of my building. You do what you have to do when it is negative degrees outside. The best part about this week, was that yesterday it was warm outside. The high was 34ish degrees, so I decided to do my long run outside. The temp when I did my run was about 20 degrees with a windchill of about 15, it was warm enough (until I had to run into the wind, boo). But it was liberating, it made me remember that I don't hate running, I just hate treadmills.
And finally, I got a new pair of shoes, Asics Landreth 5. I have a couple of pairs that I rotate through, but one pair was making my arch hurt. At first I thought it was plantar fasciitis, but I stopped wearing them, and haven't had any problems since. I suppose that will give me something to look forward to, since I have a long set for tomorrow.

Late Running Update

I know you all don't care, but I need to post this. This last week was 45.8. I've got blisters on my feet. Love it. Lucky for me, this week is a rest week!

I'm just not feeling the love this year. Maybe it is training on a treadmill for the 3rd marathon in a row. I don't know.

As for my lack of blogging. Bill is never home, thus I don't have a computer. Plus my life is totally boring right now. Although I still have a job, so I guess there is a bit of excitement.

peace out.

Running Update

Check out this video. This girl is running the Flora London Marathon. Most people in this marathon have to raise money to participate. So this college student made this video, using hare Garmin. You can upload the route you've run onto your computer and it will draw out the course, just in case you were wondering. Check it out. It is awesome. By the way, she wrote "Hello I am running in the 2009 Flora London Marathon for ICYE [Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange]" Here is her website. www.justgiving.com/jennys_run "

Week 3 of running kicked my butt. My total mileage for the week was 43 miles. 8 miles makes a big difference, needless to say, I slept well and I've already started draining blisters. Why do I keep doing this.........I don't know.

It is time................Boston '09

It is your lucky day, I've signed up for the Boston Marathon again and thus will be posting my weekly mileage in order to hold myself accountable. Something about -5 degrees outside makes it hard for me to get my butt out of bed. But since I have to report my mileage, I'm miraculously able to get up and get moving.

So this week was a doosy. I wouldn't say I'm out of shape, but by no means am I in marathon shape. The first part of the week was a lot of tempo and marathon goal pace. I can run far, but I can't run fast. I'm still trying to decide what kind of a time I want to go this year, seeing as the hills nearly killed me last year even though I think I was in my best shape. Part of me wants to just have fun and not care about a time, but the real me comes out and feels the need to PR. A nice fast PR would be nice before I transition in to triathlons. But that won't be for a bit.
I digress, my total mileage for this week was........35 miles. I'm also doing a new training program from Runner's World instead of the Boston training plan that I usually do.
I posted this picture so that you could look forward to more awful looking pictures of me after suffering for 26.2 miles. yowza. Maybe I should make my avatar "Runner Chick". I totally look like this, all 5'3" of me.

Happy New Year- almost

Deena Kastor, she is a champ- this will be me! Happy New Year one and all!

Who knows if I will be able to wake my self up tomorrow to write and actual new years post, so you are getting it on new years eve. Here are my new years resolutions: eat right, get in shape, and start training for my new favorite day of the year- Patriots day, the day the greatest marathon in the world takes place. And to keep myself accountable, I just might be posting my daily regime on my blog, so if I'm a slacker, scorn me for it. I need to be tough!

Last night I was laying in bed thinking about the marathon and I got really excited, so I excited that I couldn't go to sleep. My adrenaline was rushing and all I could think of was the thrill of the race. Some of you may think that marathon and thrill don't belong in the same sentence, but once you run one, you will know better. Even now, I'm breaking a sweat thinking about the Wellesley girls that you can hear at least a mile away, heart break hill, the cheering crowd, Legal Seafoods, all the people you meet. It is incredible and I can't wait. To start off my training I had to get the shoes of champions. Gold shoes means gold medal right? Anyways, the training has begun so Boston here we come!!! (so clever, I should have written this whole post with a little more of a rhyming flare)