Each Day Is a Gift

Marathons/races I ran in 2012 (Stress fracture of the right 5th metatarsal in Feb & May)

Total miles ran in 2012:  1,584.58

3 progressive TM miles. Myrtle. 3 circuits Pfitz's CSE 30 reps Flanagan stability ball planks 10 reps x 3.

After hubby came home from skiing we went to the pool and ran into Chad and his handsome tall boy coming out of LC! :). Did 45 min TI drill. The special students (Down syndrome folks) from Hive always play in the pool on Monday afternoons. They make me appreciate simple things of life when I watch how they give/share from their hearts, so pure and childlike! :)

With less than 14 weeks left 'till Boston (8 weeks 'till Phoenix), I am starting to panic that I won't be ready.  I have not done any speedwork forever, 2 or 3 year?  The last couple years I just ran whatever and enjoyed "doing" marathons.  In 2012, with two stress fractures (Feb and May), asthma (March) and tachycardia issues (July), I did minimal training and merely survived the 10 marathons.  I have gained quite a bit of weight, gotten very out of shape and basically pretended to be a runner! 

It is time to rebuild and get a training plan in motion.  But I need to be careful and build my base gradually to avoid injury.  I feel that my current fitness level is similar to back in 2007.  As a newbie I had only run two marathons (4:38 in SGM'05 and 4:28 in'06).  I think I used the Hal Higdon's Intermediate 18 weeks training plan in 2007 and running the Grand slam to help me BQ in SGM'07.  So, I feel that with a bit more experience, I'll use the same training plan for mileage guideline and tweaked it a bit to add speedwork and hill work when the body is ready. 

This morning was the first time I awake with no knee pain since the last marathon 16 days ago.  The plan says to run 6 miles.  So I warmed up for 19 min starting at 5mph to 6mph and then began the one min on/off.  I ran the ON at 8mph and OFF at 6mph.  It's disheartening to think that I used to run the ON at 9mph.  I thought perhaps I could do 10x but when I realized I was short on time, I just kept the on/off going 'till I reached 6 miles.  Lo and behold I hit 6 miles right at 54 min flat so that was 18x.  Yay, may be next time I can do 20x. :)

Felt good to run fast again albeit for one minute at a time (sadly 7:30 is fast for me now).  I really don't know what my marathon pace is any more.  Good news is that now 12 hours later my knee is not hurting.  Been busy all day though so will see how it feels when I wake up in the morning.

On a side note, I received a new calling to be Webelos leader last Sunday.  Tonight I held my very first Webelos Den Mtg.  I have not done any cub scouting for 13 years when I was a Bear Den leader for my youngest boy.  I was a little nervous at first, but thankfully I have a co-leader who is a 4th grade teacher and knows how to handle 10 year old boys.  It was a lot of fun having one of the boys' father, a Geologist come to teach them.  I learned quite a bit about geology myself too!  The only "bad" thing is I have to miss my favorite Yoga class on Tue nights.  :(

Oh, and I booked our flights to Boston this afternoon!!!! :)  I better train smart and get to the start line healthy! :)

Ran 3 miles on the track, not sure about the pace, based on the clocks there probably 9:20 pace.  Each time I lapped hubby, he'd say:  "you are going too fast!" :)  Then we went down to the pool and was delighted to see Karen and her daughter Amy there.  We swam and chatted for 45 min or so.

Was tempted to run outside when I saw the mountains!!!! meaning inversion is outa here...but what blows the inversion away, WIND, is just as evil for my pulmonary system! So went back to my original plan...HILLWORK!!!

Warm up 1.75 miles from 5-6.3mph at 1.5 % grade.

Increase incline 0.5% every .25 mile at 6.3 mph (9:31 pace)

Reached mile 5 at 8% and had to hang on. So decrease the pace 0.1mph with each 0.5% increase until I reached 10% at 10:40 pace!

Cool down @2% at 7mph (8:34) for 0.5 mile and 0.25 mile at 6.5mph (9:13).

7 miles in 68:20 (AP 9:45), not sure about vertical gain for the 5.5 miles climb.

Myrtle 15 reps. 3 circuits Pfitz CSE 30 reps. Stability ball planks 10reps x3.

Foam roll and stretch.

3 miles on the track. 45 min in the pool.

Karen and I went to the LC and luckily found two TMs side by side. Oh, it was great to see Chad there already put in an hour of run. Stopped to gu after 10K then restart the TM and ran another 6.3 for 12.5. Then we got off the TM so someone else can use it and ran 2 more on the track. We were booking it those two mile took ~15 min. Got to chat with Melanie a little as she was finished with her TM speedwork AFTER she had already done her long run in Provo/Orem. So dedicated!!! :)

Core. Yoga.