Still Kicking

I had thought my brief stint at blogging was over. With moving to a new city, traveling for a billion weddings all summer and learning a new job, the blog too a backseat to pretty much everything in my life--including house cleaning. So when I found myself with a Saturday with NO PLANS (woot!), I thought I might as well post.

Sadly, I haven't done a race since May. I began training for a half, but ended up derailed because of life (read: 6 weddings this summer and all of their related events that were all out of town). So a half remains my next race--hopefully the Shamrock Half in Va. Beach or the Rock N Roll in DC, which are both in March.

I am also considering getting a running coach. Now I know I will never be setting the world on fire with my running, but I'd like to be the best runner I can be within my ability level. That best might be someone else's worst,  but I'm OK with that. After reading a few other bloggers, they all have seen a miraculous improvement with a coach. I saw an improvement this year just by joining a running club, so I hope this takes me to another level.

Anyone have any experience with coaches--the good, bad, ugly?

Capitol Hill Classic Race Recap

Eek, it's been awhile since I've written about running. Today I ran the Capitol Hill Classic 10-K in Washington, D.C. with my running group, and I learned three very important lessons in running:

1. Training with a group makes racing and training MUCH more enjoyable. I was new to D.C., so I joined the group in March and made some great friends who don't mind me obsessing about negative splits and finding the right running socks. It's nice to look around at points in a race where you want to die and see a familiar face slogging it out with you. Plus when I wanted to walk, one of the coaches wasn't having it and came to get me. He got me through the last 1.5 miles.

2. You CAN get faster. I thought I never would. I just thought I was slow and that was that, but looking at last summer/fall when I was running 11-minute miles (10:30 when I was lucky) to 9:20 miles is a feat I never thought would happen.

3. If you fold the top of your water cup during the race it's possible to run and drink.

Here's the recap:
I set a goal when I first joined the group of finishing the race in an hour. My first and only other 10-K race was in 2010, and I ran like an hour and 15 minutes--BAD. I was feeling more confident this time around, especially because my running group raced the route via sidewalks last week, so I knew the course and knew I could finish. I managed about 1:01 last week, so the under-hour mark was in sight.

On race morning, my husband, who I signed up for the run last week, and I made our way to the park to meet with my running crew. We did some stretches and then headed to the start. One coach, dubbed "Big Guy" shuffled us up closer to the start line saying, "We need to get out ahead of the plodders." I was thinking, "Umm, I might be one of those plodders, but OK." He then told us we'd run pretty even 9:30 miles, and we'd be fine.

But once we cross the start line, that was not what we ran. We did the first mile in 9:22, the second in 9:20 and the third in 9:13 and the fourth in 8:55. By the close of mile 4, I was dying. My throat felt chalky, I was running up a hill and the finish still seemed far away. I looked left and I saw people heading in the opposite direction and thought I must be nearing a turnaround. I keep on going and realize the course ahead seems endless. Where is this effing turnaround is all I can think. Then I started counting to 100 to distract myself from wanting to stop. The curb was looking mighty appealing from my vantage. But Big Guy saw my struggles, came to get me and motivated me the rest of the way.

So as you can imagine mile 5 was slower--10:08. So much for negative splits. Mile 6 was 9:24. I was trying to dig down deep to finish fast, but it was like my legs were done listening to me. I managed to get up to 8:14 for the last .2. Aannndddd goal accomplished! 59:09 time! A PR as well! Hmm, speaking of PRs, can I count this as a 5-K PR too?

Oh, and that turnaround I kept looking for in mile 5 wasn't a turnaround--it was people about a mile behind me just heading into that part of the race. Since I was generally a back-of-the-pack runner and not a midpack one, no wonder my brain couldn't process it.

Definitely gearing up for my second half-marathon this fall. Does anyone else say things to themselves while running a tough race like "I'm never running again," but minutes after the race is over you suddenly find yourself talking about what race is next?

First D.C. Run

After many days of packing, moving and slowly unpacking boxes, I set out for a run in my new city. It was 68 degrees, sunny and I wasn't at work, so basically a perfect day. I only did 2 miles because I had many boxes to get back to unpacking, but it was wonderful! I did a city run and not through Rock Creek Park as I originally planned so I could try to get my bearings for navigating the area.

I also wanted to see where I would be meeting the running group I joined on Saturday morning to train for a 10k on May 20. Should be doing a half, but this group training was starting my first Saturday in D.C. so I just went for it. This is my first time training for a run with a group and I'm excited to meet new runners and to hopefully improve my speed.

Contemplating Some Changes

Since change is on my brain with moving to a new city, I have been thinking about other changes I want to make. One of them is including more cross-training in my workouts. Last night, I just couldn’t convince myself to get on the treadmill, so I rode a bike instead for an hour and set it on hills. I kinda liked it, and I do own an actual bicycle, so it’s my goal to really bike some miles when the weather turns. Rock Creek Park is supposed to be some kind of amazing, so I hope to be running and riding over the trails next month!

The second change is one I’ve thought about for years but never done much about. I think I want to go vegetarian. Not only because I love animals and don’t like the way many are treated but also because I think it will be healthier. I don’t eat a ton of meat to begin with, but much like I wouldn’t go run a half marathon with no training, I’m not going to dive into cutting out meat all at once. I’m going to start by slicing out red meat, which I eat maybe one or two times a month at most anyway and only eat chicken once or twice a week. Once I’ve said goodbye to red meat and chicken totally, then comes the seafood. So it will be a process, but one I think will be a good choice.

If anyone knows of any good vegetarian recipes or cycling training, let me know! Or if you live in D.C. and want to be my new friend, I’m looking for those too!

Making Running a Priority

Running always seems to take a backseat when something else is going on in my life. Last week, I was sick and didn’t set one foot on a treadmill or trail. My last run was Feb. 3. Today, I am back at the treadmill after work, hoping and praying my week off doesn’t mean any ground I gained with speed has already diminished.

I’m also preparing to move to Washington, D.C. My husband tells me I will find so many people to run with there.  I hope this is true because I need a very specific running partner—a slow one. So while the next few weeks are doing to be insane with moving and starting a new job, I am going to try to get out and run 4 days a week. I hope that putting it in writing will make me more likely to do it!

Adventures in Cross-Training

I know cross-training is a good idea. I read about it, hear about it on podcasts and see my own friends doing it, yet I rarely do any myself. One of the biggest reasons I got into running was because you only had to do one activity. I’m not a switch-machines-at-the-gym-for-two-hours kinda girl. I hate working out inside. I’d rather be shivering outside on a trail running than sweating my butt off on the treadmill watching whatever annoying program the person next to me picked out.

However, I have two issues that I need to work on that I think will need cross-training to be resolved.

1.)    I overpronate. I don’t know how to fix this other than by trying some strengthening exercises.

2.)    I want to be faster.

So I’m not going to get crazy with the cross-training. We’re talking one day a week of cycling and another day of the week where I will do strengthening moves.

Anyone find cross-training hugely helped them? What kind of exercise do you do when you’re not running?

2012 Running Goals at a Glance

With the new year, everyone's resolutions are kicking into high gear. I am channeling my own resolution energy to  make a plan for my running this year. I think my first half marathon will be in May and it will be the New Jersey one in Long Branch.

Since I have one race under my belt, I'm actually going to set a time goal for this one (TBD). I'm debating shelling out $14.95 for one of Hal Higdon's plans. Has anyone done this and found it worth it? I know it's a minimal investment, but I'm more interested in if you felt getting the daily emails and detailed workout plans helped you more than the free version you can grab online.

Happy 2012 running!