Daydreaming

Call it stir crazy. Call it plain nuts. But I keep finding myself searching the inter-webs for 2014 races and triathlons.  

Since I started running 6 years ago, this is the longest stretch of time that I haven't been training for something. Whether it be a simple 5k, triathlon or marathon, I have always had a goal on the horizon and something to work toward. (Let's clarify: I haven't actually finished a marathon, but I've trained for two so that totally counts. Kind of).

Obviously being pregnant changed that. I couldn't push myself like before and to be honest, I didn't have much motivation. I know myself- if there isn't a race to train for, why train? Why get up early or out in the cold when there is no "real" reason to. 

(This is where someone can say, "But Alex, being healthy and active, especially during pregnancy IS a real reason." Apparently that isn't good enough for me.  Who cares about that stuff, really?) 

2013 was the year of zero fitness accomplishments. I am totally okay with that. And I'm even okay if this year doesn't amount to much either. Because let's get real, I have no idea what my life is going to look like after Baby. All the time I had for myself- mornings, evenings, weekends- I'm giving a lot of that up to snuggle, love, and take care of my sweet baby. 

On top of that, my pending thyroidectomy and subsequent radiation therapy puts another big question mark on what my life will look like. I would love to plan for a late triathlon but what if treatment, which should be around July, kicks my booty and sets me back? I would hate to have a self-imposed expectation that might only cause disappointment.

So, as I read race reviews and calculate possible training schedules for the 2014 year, I do so with a healthy amount of hesitation. I promise that I will complete at least one half marathon, and I would love to add a triathlon to that as well. But we shall see.  

Fayetteville Half Marathon Recap

Last weekend I ran the Fayetteville Half Marathon with a goal to set a massive personal record. Seeing how I was the poster child for this race, I knew I wanted to do well.

Why yes, I love this very flattering picture of me, so of course you can plaster it all around Fayetteville.  You're welcome. 

Let's back track a little here. The first months of my training were awesome. I was consistent with my tempo, speed, hill and long runs and was hitting ideal paces for my 2:00.00 goal. Then November came around, as did some IT band issues, parties, holiday gatherings, and other lame excuses that affected my training. By the time December was here, it had been weeks since I had a quality run, much less the amount of weekly mileage I needed.

Story of my life: Dish out some awesome training, then screw it up a month before the race. Why even do the work if I'm going to throw it all out the window. I suck.

Flash back to March 2012, when I spent months training for 26.2 miles only to back out weeks prior to the race and only run the half. Again, story of my life.

As race day crawled closer, I altered my plans. I decided 2:10 was a more realistic time goal, but still seemed like a dream. Worst case scenario, I was hoping for anything under 2:17 (which would give me a PR).

SPOILER ALERT: I wanted to drop out by mile 8. Worst. Case. Scenario.

You would thinking, living in Fayetteville, I wouldn't be surprised by the hills. And you would think, looking at the elevation chart, that the hills wouldn't be too unbearable. But my friends, for this flat-road loving girl, you would be wrong. The hills kicked by sweet booty, and I cursed each one.

Half mile hill at 1.5-I got this.
1.5mile climb at miles 6 and 10- I hate you.

Looking at my splits, you can see the exact correlation between a hill and my dropping pace (i.e.: miles 2, 7, 8, and 12). 

Mile 1- 10:07
Mile 2- 10:51
Mile 3- 9:25
Mile 4- 10:04
Mile 5- 9:33
Mile 6- 9:47
Mile 7-11:04
Mile 8- 11:26 *Seriously wanted to quit.
Mile 9- 10:19
Mile 10- 10:10
Mile 11- 10:29
Mile 12- 11:37
Mile 13- 9:31
.13- 10:00

I really think I should win the award for most consistent splits ever. NOT!

I was never able to get in a rhythm during this race (obviously). Each hill totally screwed up my breathing and left me mentally defeated; by the time I got settled into a good stride, the next hill came and did the exact same thing. I knew Josh was waiting for me at mile 8, so I put every effort into just making it to him. If I wanted to quit at that point, then I would.

When I finally saw him, he could tell I was struggling. I told him I wanted to quit; I was miserable, I hated my training and my goals were out the window. He let me vent a little, then kindly encouraged me to keep going for "only five more miles."

That's when I remember that my husband basically walked this course last year because of an injury, and that didn't cause him to quit. If he could finish, I could too. I was going to cross that dadgum finish line, even if I had to crawl!

Fayetteville Half 2011
aka: Clark Walk-a-thon

While I went slower the second half, I hunkered down and finished. After seeing Josh, at every mile marker, I tried to do the math to find out what pace I needed to maintain to get me there under 2:17.

..."If I'm at mile 9.25 with x total time of running, how fast do I need to run to get there under 2:17." Yea, impossible for me, even with a calculator.

But I must have done some kind of calculations right, because as I rounded onto the John McDonnell Track I knew I'd be crossing the finish line with 2:15:xx on the board.

Alex Clark

2:15:34

10:21 pace

F25-29: 15/40

Overall: 343/520

Look, a blurry picture of my medal.
Please ignore the unwrapped presents under our tree. 

A new shiny PR, and hopefully, a lesson learned: If you don't give 100% in training, then you can't give 100% on race day.

Happy Racing,
A.

In Case the Anticipation is Killing You...

...I finished!

Now I am just waiting for the official results so I can upload my race recap.

Spoiler: It was amazing!

Ozark Valley Triathlon Game Plan

Remember when I was all gung-ho (gun-ho? gun-hoe? Seriously, what is this word?) about this triathlon and I was all "I don't want to merely complete it, I want to compete in it" and I made lofty declarations of this being my "speedy summer". Well, true to Alex-fashion, this spunkiness has worn off. After almost 3 months of training, I'm no longer tackling each workout with full force. I am merely checking them off and wondering to myself if my "dog walks" could count as the day's workout. 

What? This pup can walk a mean 15min-per-mile pace.

So, to confess, I'm currently coming to the end of a 3 week long taper. (What? Taper weeks are only suppose to be about a week long? I'm such an over achiever.) Because my workouts have been slacking in intensity, I knew that I wasn't going to be winning any awards, but then I had a look at the treacherous elevation charts:

Bike: 19 miles

Run: 2 laps of this course= 4 miles

Yikes! ( And you know how much I love hills.) 

And then I found out that this race is a regional championship! Holy shnikies! Talk about intimidating. 

As a result, I gladly scaled back my intensity going into the race and have developed the concept of "just have fun." Monumental, right? 

Now that I'm using this race as just a really good workout I'm sure all the other 25-29 year old females are ecstatic that they now have a chance to place in the age group. Go ahead and pass me. You're welcome. 

So what are my actual goals this Sunday?

Goal A: Don't get a flat tire because 1) I don't have an emergency repair kit, and 2)even if I did, I have no clue how to change a tire. 

Goal B: Finish under 2:17. I'm a little unsure of how I am going to do on the run because I'm sure to be exhausted by then. Fingers crossed that I'm not wiped out by the time I get off the bike. Here are my hopeful splits:

Swim-24:00

T1- 4:00 

Bike- 1:07

T2- 2:00

Run- 40:00

Total- 2:17

Goal C: Finish under 2:20. If things aren't going well, this is my backup plan.

Goal D: Have fun experiencing my first outdoor triathlon! My dad is coming up and I have some friends participating as well so it should be a blast!

Wish me luck!

My New Lady

Since I'm taking triathlons and cycling a bit more seriously, it's about time I got a bike that can hold up. Introducing my new lady- The Black Pearl.

Yes I named my bike. What of it?

My sweet little hybrid bike has done me well over the past few months, but no matter how hard I huffed and puffed, I couldn't keep up with the big boys on their fancy road bikes. I have been searching for something used within my price range and knew I had to find a bike ASAP if I planned to ride it during the Ozark Valley Triathlon. Riding a road bike is way different compared to a hybrid or mountain bike and I need amble time to get accustomed.

On Saturday, following my brutal 5K, Josh found Pearl and I was immediately in love. We promptly took it on a 20 mile bike ride and I was flying! Even though it took me a while to get use to the new positioning, the ride was much more efficient! I easily knocked 13 minutes off that 20 mile route with minimal effort. 

Oh, how I love going fast(er). I'm definitely going to love this.

Ozark Valley Triathlon Training Schedule

Well, since I announced my next adventure about three weeks ago and I'm already five weeks into my training schedule, I might want to re-address the topic. Ya know, cause I try to be a good blogger when I can. Fail. 

I am lucky to have a boss who is training for a full Ironman Triathlon. In case you don't know what that is, it's a 2.4 mile swim + 112 mile bike ride + 26.2 mile run. So practically, the baddest slash coolest thing you can do. And he volunteered (read: I annoyed him until he agreed) to create a 12 week training schedule for me.

He has given me my schedule a few weeks at a time so it won't feel so daunting. I easily become bored with training plans, so only knowing what I'm doing a few weeks out has helped this mentality.

Here is the link to my Ozark Valley Triathlon training schedule.

The first few weeks were a little chaotic since I was trying to find the balance of living a life + training for three different sports. By week 5, I now hopefully have the hang of it:

Monday: Long Run

Tuesday: Rest or Yoga/Pilates

Wednesday: AM Speed Run + PM Swim

Thursday: Long Bike

Friday: Speed Swim

Saturday: Brick workout 

Sunday: Rest or Yoga  

This sprint triathlon is a 1000 meter swim, 19 mile bike, and 4 mile run. I know if I had to, I could go out tomorrow and complete the distance, but I actually want to do well during this race. I want to push myself and be proud of my finish time. I want to compete. With only 8 week left until race day, I sure have my work cut out for me.

My Next Adventure

Initially after my last half marathon, I was determined to jump right on the running train again and tackle another half marathon before May. After a couple of weeks went by, my overly ambitious self settled down and I was able to think more clearly.

Do I really want to train for another half marathon? Not really. As fun as the New Orleans half marathon was, training for the full sort of burned me out on running. Looking back, I had been training for some running race since last June! Yikes!

It was time to switch things up a bit.

Introducing my new adventure:

As of today, I am signed up for the Ozark Valley Triathlon on June 24th! Thats right! In just a mere 10 weeks, this wannabe athlete will wake up ridiculously early on a Sunday morning and swim 1000 yards, bike 19 miles, and run 4 miles. 

I can't wait! 

I think this is exactly what I need! Since I will be training for three different sports, ideally I won't become so easily burnt-out and injured like I am when I training for marathons. I'm actually already two weeks into training, but the specifics of my training is another post for another day.

Until then, please enjoy some triathlon-related humor:

Confession

I've been dreading writing this post. Avoiding it like the plague. Pretending like it didn't exist. That I could just ignore it and no one would notice. Maybe no one will. That would be nice...

For the past 15 weeks I have logged over 240 miles training for the New Orleans Rock N Roll Marathon. I started off training in October super excited about the possibilities before me. Quoting myself (can you do that?), "Food will be for fuel. Sleep will be for recovery. And I will be counting the waking hours until I can pull on my Asics and hit the pavement."


I had some great runs:
10 solo miles where I pushed myself to go further than scheduled, and

proving to myself that I can run faster than I think.


I even proclaimed that 2012 was going to be the Year of the Marathon.

But oh, how the mighty have fallen.

It is time to confess that I am no longer running the full New Orleans marathon. I have given this countless hours of thought and consulted multiple people. While advice and opinions vary, my feeling towards running the full 26.2 miles has not.

Training for this marathon has been less than stellar. Early on, sickness and a minor injury set me back and I've been playing catch up since. I haven't been running the weekly mileage I should have been and my training has felt rushed.

Additionally, these past few weeks of running has been tortuous. I've been dreading all my runs and it was no longer fun for me. Although I am already logging 18 miles for long runs and only have 3 weeks to go until race day, forcing myself to do something that I dread will only result in injury or burn out.

Despite my long runs being accomplished (and productive)

they haven't been efficient or acceptable in my book. I realized I didn't want to "merely finish" my first marathon. I saw myself run/walking the last 6-7 miles solo and that seemed purely miserable.

I'm downgrading to the half and I am completely stoked about it. I'm not saying I will never run a full marathon, but now is not the right time. I miss loving to run and I feel completely relieved to have the pressure off of me.

Say hello to the new, carefree, running Alex. It is so very nice to meet you!

Well, I finished!

Well, I finished!

Recap to come soon. 

Spoiler alert: Awesome race. Awesome weather. Awesome run.

My St. Louis Half Marathon Goals

The laundry is not done.

The Garmin and Ipod are not charged.

My bags are not packed.

The music playlist has not been made.

The car is on empty.

So believe it or not, I am totally ready for the St. Louis Half Marathon!


As mentally ready as I am, I'm nervous thinking about my goals for this race. I obviously want rock this race's face off, but I don't want to set myself up for failure. So to avoid that, I am going to prioritize my goals. That way I can at least accomplish something!

Saturday goals: (yes, pre-race goals totally count)
1. Have an awesome road trip with no junk food.
2. Limit my spending at the Race Expo to $25.
3. Eat a filling, yet healthy pre-race dinner.
4. Get a good night's sleep without anxiety or nightmares of sleeping through the race.

Sunday goals:
5. No regrets. Give it all I've got!
6. Cross the finish line with a smile on my face.
This is not what I mean. That race was not entirely fun.

7. Run the second half of the race faster than the first half.
8. Set a personal record (under 2:28)
9. Finish at or below 2:20.

Since this is my fourth half marathon, I want to leave everything on the course and give it all I've got! NO REGRETS! If I don't finish below 2:20, I'll be okay, but only if I give 110% and couldn't have pushed myself any hard.

So, friends, wish me luck! Cause I might just need it...

St. Louis Half Marathon Training in Numbers

I can't believe the Rock and Roll St. Louis Half Marathon will be here in 1 week. A mere 7 days away before I toe the line of my 4th half marathon, before I can cross another state off my running list. I am so excited to be starting this race off injury free and feeling the strongest I've ever felt. I only hope that my progress during training will reflect in my abilities on October 23rd.

Since this has been such a long process, I thought I'd break down my training into some numbers. Lucky for me, I keep a detailed calendar of each run so I can look back and see what I did right and wrong:

Number of

...training weeks: 12

5 weeks of 'pre-training' and 12 weeks of official training

...long runs: 10

Definitely skipped a few, oops!

...long runs with friends: 9

Makes the miles fly by.

...speed workouts: 5

Oh, so now I know why I'm not any faster...

...speed workouts completed solo: 4

Despite being a low number, at least it's better than zero!

...runs with the puppies: 0 

Ajax couldn't keep up and Sully is too young

...runs with the Husband: 5

Life and running are better when he's around

...runs in the rain: 0

Lets hope I'm as lucky on race day

...toast with PB consumed before long runs: at least 20

I easily ate 2 before each long run. Why fix it if it ain't broken?!

...coconut waters consumed after long runs: 8

Refreshing and replenishing! 

While I didn't cross off every run on my half marathon training plan, I am happy with my dedication to this race and my injury-free body. (Number of times I've mentioned my excitement over not being injured...countless!).

Next time I will share with you my goals for this race and what I hope to accomplish! FYI: I probably won't be breaking any amazing records.

Am I Crazy?

I think I'm coming down with something.

It is definitely something in the air.

And it is very contagious.

I think I've caught the Marathon itch.

After reading post after post of marathon recaps, and feeling so strong at this point in my half marathon training, I think I am ready to sign up for my first full marathon.

Cue the dramatic music.

I am slowly trying to recruit as many people to join me in NOLA. My husband, who has never ran more than 6 miles, has agreed to help me train, and if all goes well, he will run it with me. I'm also currently trying to recruit some of my favorite friends to take on the adventure as well. Woo Whoo!

Since my step-dad is from New Orleans, he and my mom are also trying to make the trip down for support. This is going to be a huge event, and I can't wait.

Now, the real question: Am I crazy?

A List in Disguise- My August Goals

One thing I have noticed about fellow-bloggers is that many of us love lists. I have professed my love for lists many times- they keep me organized, focused, and motivated to get through each day, week, or even month. I have even rubbed some list-love off on my husband, who (whom?) actually requests for a daily to-do list for things I need accomplished around the house.

Yes, my husband is awesomely amazing. Yes, I know how lucky I am. Yes, I really just want some flowers. (Hint Hint Husband)

But really, lists are just goals in disguise. And like many other bloggers, I have decided to create official monthly goals which I will proclaim for the entire world to see/read/ignore.

August Goals:

Professional- Read 5 Research Articles pertaining to speech language pathology. When in graduate school, I had a deep-pitted hatred for research articles and vowed to never read one again. Now strangely, I LOVE them! I miss learning and I crave the knowledge again. I suppose since I’m not required to read them, I want to read them. Crazy how that works. However, I haven’t been devoting near enough time to expanding my knowledge-base. This month I plan to make steps in changing that.

Personal-Intentionally Improve My Marriage. Yes, the past 14 months have been the best months of my life. And no, we are not having ‘marital problems’. But I want to keep it that way. It is so easy to get caught up in my daily list of to-dos that I forget to spend quality time talking, listening, and snuggling with the husband without distractions. This month I want to make a point to have quality dinner-time each night. Also, I really need to be more respectful to my amazing husband in the words I choose and the tone I speak. I quickly become annoyed, impatient, and snappy at those closest to me and I want to make a conscious effort to speak more with love. I want to be quick to encourage, not snap. Because my goodness, I honestly don’t know how my Husband puts up with me!

Personal- Read 2 Books. I want these to be fun reads. Completely thoughtless reads. Something I can escape to and live in a world created by words. Any suggestions?

Fitness-Complete All Speed Workouts and Long Runs of my half-marathon training schedule. This is pretty self-explanatory. I just really want to kick-butt in training this time around; I CAN’T miss these vital workouts!  

So there you have it. My official list for August. Small and VERY doable.

Eek- just looking at this list makes me excited for this month! It’s going be the best one yet!

What are your August goals?

Do you have any book suggestions?

Blast From the Past

My alarm went off at 5:00am for my Saturday morning run. Why do I continue to do this to myself?

The plan was to meet with Ft Smith's running club at 6:00am, so I woke up extra early to have plenty of time to choke down some toast and peanut butter, take out Sully and Ajax, and arrive early for a little warm up jog.

Once everyone arrived at 6:00, we headed out for a loop through Ft. Chaffee, a military base close to town. I averaged a nice 10:21 pace for 5 miles, using the 4:1 run/walk method for the first 3 miles then kept a 9:45 pace for the last 2 miles. I felt strong the entire time and I could definitely have pushed myself a little harder.

Does anyone know how to find the individual stats of each mile on a Forerunner 305? I'd like to know my splits (hoping they were negative) but I can't figure out how to view them. The Garmin Training Center only shows the average pace. 

I felt especially sluggish during the first mile because the night before Josh and I were partying it up 90's style with Jacob and Jessi. The Leonards threw a 90s-themed party in honor of the recent Nickelodeon addition of The 90's Are All That. 

They put together a taco spread for dinner- just what I was craving! I stayed away from the meat and cheese and stuffed my taco with refried beans, black beans, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce.

 

Pic via Jessi

But there was NO WAY I was resisting Jessi's slime-inspired cupcakes. Seriously, they were moist and covered with green slime. I felt 11-years-old all over again! Holy yum!

Pic via Jessi

After chowing down, we sat ourselves in front of the TV and watched DVR recordings of Doug, All That, Melissa Explains It All, and Kenan and Kel. Blast from the past!!! When I wasn't crashing from my sugar high (yep, I passed out on my husband's shoulder at 10:00...I'm so cool), I was laughing my butt off! 

And for a little 90's flash back, here is one of my favorite skits from All That: Cooking with Mandy and Randy.

I may or may not have tried to recreate this scene with a childhood friend, thinking if we sent in the tape we could totally be their understudies. Who cares that we were both females, white, and were horribly not funny. We thought we were legit.

Did you grow up watching these shows in the 90s? 

Do you think shows for kids these days even compare to the shows growing up?

Summer Snapshots {Week 6}

As I sit back and think about this week's events, it becomes obvious to me that I am a grandma. I am an OCD, schedule-loving grandma who loves Judge Judy, BlueBell Fruit Bars, and naps. 

Hi. My name is Alex and I am boring.

Curious that such a boring person has a blog to document all of her boring antics. And I am by no means implying that you must be super boring if you read a blog about a person as boring as I. I would never suggest such a thing...

But I digress.

My day typically looks like this:

6:15-Wake up to take out Ajax and Sully

6:30-Get ready for work

8-4:30-Work

5:00-Gym with the Mister

6:30- Make dinner

7:30- TV/Hubby time

9:30-Bedtime

Hi. My name is Alex and I am boring times 234817739. 

At least I made some really yummy and healthy dinners this week.

And I really spiced it up by painting my nails. Oh La La. 

And I played with Ajax and Sully (Yea, I know, I'm an amazing parent). They'll do anything for a treat. They are addicted- it's like crack I tell ya!

Yes, I know. Sully is getting SO BIG! She is now 9 weeks old and it makes me want to cry.

Highlight of my week: I went to the eye doctor, who proceeded to dilate my eyes. But he gave me these cool glasses to wear since lights were too bright.

Yep. That is a shade under my actual eyeglasses. Live Long and Prosper.

And, of course, I'm continuing in my training. Apparently "thumbs up" has become a new thing of mine. Too bad my thumb is small and misshaped- please divert your eyes.

 

How was your week? Please tell me it was more eventful than mine!

Group Run and A Sign

This morning my alarm clock went off at 5am. My first thought was "No way is it time to get up; it's still dark outside!" But alas, I double checked my watch and the kitchen clock and they were both reading the same thing "it's time for your run!" (Yes, my clocks are pretty high tech and display time-appropriate phrases...)

I'll be honest, if I was running alone I would have turned off my alarm clock and would have continued to snuggle with my hubby. But I had running buddies to meet! Say hello to the wonderful men and women of W.A.R- Western Arkansas Runners, Fort Smith's local running club.

We all ran at different distances and paces, but it is always so encouraging to have friends to cheer you on.

My run was nice and easy, but more importantly I got to sport my new purple visor-I sure have my priorities straight this morning. Josh told me that no one has worn visors since the 90s. But I just told him to talk to the hand, then he proceeded to 'free-willy' (BAM! Junior High reference!).

And on a random note, I found this short film and it brought tears to my eyes. It is all about perspective! 

New Rules of Lifting For Women Stage 1 Recap

Almost 1 month ago I read and started the New Rules of Lifting for Women, an 8-stage weight lifting program designed specifically for women. My goal was to do strength training 3 days a week with the hopes of 1) getting stronger-duh, 2)increase my running speed, and 3) decrease running-related injuries.

I enjoyed Stage 1, but I'm glad to see it go. The workouts never took me more than 30 minutes, which rocks!, but I was becoming a little bored and I was ready for a change. Looking ahead at Stage 2, I can already tell there will be more core-work which I like.

10 workouts and 3.5 weeks later, am I stronger? Did I increase my running speed? Are there any new injuries?

I am definitely faster than I have been, but I think that is due to my increase in speed-works via my half-marathon training schedule. 
I have no new injuries. I continue to nurse my right hip to prevent my IT band from flaring up. But so far, I have kept this at bay.
Am I stronger? Let's take a gander...

Workout A:
Squats:   Workout 1- 50lbs; Workout 8- 90 lbs
Seated Rows: Workout 1- resistance 4; Workout 8- resistance 6  (I don't know the weight value on these pegs)
Step-Ups: Workout 1-30lbs; Workout 8- 50lbs

Workout B:
Deadlifts: Workout 1- 75lbs; Workout 8- 95lbs
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Workout 1-10lbs; Workout 8- 20lbs
Wide-Grip Lat Pull Down: Workout 1- resistance 4; Workout 8- resistance 6
Lunge with Dumbbells:  Workout 1- 20lbs; Workout 8- 50lbs

As you can see, I definitely became stronger across the board, more than doubling in some areas. And I really surprised myself with the strength of my upper body. Go me! One thing this program has really given me confidence in the weight room. Move over big bulky boys, this strong runner is coming through!

Now for the nitty-gritty pictures:

Before on 6/23/11:

After Stage 1 on 7/21/11:

Measurements:

                                     6/23/11         7/21/1

Chest                             33in              34in  (<--How did those get bigger?)

Right Bicep                  11.75in         11.75in

Left Bicep                    11.75in         11.74in

Waist                            30.5in            27in 

Hips                              35in             32.75in 

Right Thigh                  22.75in        23.25in (<--gotta love those thighs)

Left Thigh                    22.5in            23in

I think I measured incorrectly on my waist and hips; I know I didn't lose that many inches because my clothes still fit the same. I made better notes this time around so hopefully I will have more accurate measurements. 

Luckily, I now have a week off to rest my muscles and prepare for Stage 2. And I won't lie, I like being able to have my entire week to focus solely on running and cross training- seeing how running is my first true love. Come back in a few weeks for stage 2's recap! You might not even recognize me by then....

Importance of Speed Work

If you're looking to increase your pace, speed workouts are the key. While I was training for my first few half marathons, all my runs were the same effort and pace, mainly because I only cared about completing the distance and not the time it took me to get there. Now that pacing and time are more of a goal, I am incorporating speed workouts into my weekly training schedule. Speed work helps you run faster because it teaches your body to tolerate running at an uncomfortable pace for longer periods of time.   

Here are a few types of runs which I incorporate into my training schedule: 

Easy Runs:

Top coaches and exercise physiologists believe that most runners should do 80-90% of their weekly training at the easy run pace (this includes your long runs). Easy runs build your aerobic fitness and muscular and skeletal strength. They also help you burn more calories and recover for harder workouts. 

Fartlecks:

Isn't that a funny name? Fartleks is actually Swedish for "speed play" which is exactly what this is. It is an unstructured and fun way to introduce speed workouts into your run. Imagine being a child just running around, and then all of a sudden a burst of energy comes and you run as hard as you can- that is what fartleks make me feel like, that I'm a kid just running around with spurts of energy ever-so-often. While running at an easy pace, inject spurts of speed at varying speed and distances. The bursts can be anywhere between 15 seconds to 2.5 minutes long, and the speed should merely be harder than your easy pace. There are no rules, so it is hard to describe fartlecks- so just enjoy it and see how far you can push yourself!

Tempo Runs:

Tempo runs help you improve your running economy and your running form. Different from farlecks and intervals because tempo runs force you to hold an uncomfortable pace for longer periods of time; these are more endurance speed workouts opposed to sprinting. They are sometimes described as "threshold" or "hard but controlled" runs. Tempo sessions generally fall into one of two categories: steady runs of 2 to 6 miles; or long intervals with short recoveries. Here is an example: 4 x 1 mile at tempo pace with 2 minutes of recovery jogging between efforts. You should do tempo runs no more than once a week, and they should make up no more than 10-15% of your total training. 

Intervals or VO2-Max Runs:

With these runs, you are running at or near 100% of your maximum oxygen capacity, which scientist call VO2-max; this is a dead sprint! These runs help you improve your running economy and racing sharpness. Here is an example: 4 x 400 at max pace with 200 recovery jogging between efforts. The key during the recovery time is to not let your heart rate drop; you're training your body to sprint when it is uncomfortable. You should do interval workouts no more than once a week, and they should make up no more than 6-10% of your total training. 

Tips I follow for speed work:

1. I do speed training once a week and usually alternate between the different workouts, which keeps me from become burned out from doing the same workout over and over again. 

2. You may hate to hear it, but during speed training the track and treadmill are your friend. You'll learn to love them because of the predefined distances which takes away the guess work. 

3. If possible, I always do speed work with friends; having a running buddy keeps me motivated and always pushes me farther and faster than I would have normally gone on my own. I can always see a significant difference in my speed when I compare my solo workouts to those done with friends. 

Last note:

Are speed workouts necessary? No way! If you're the kind of runner who loves to just lace up and go and these types of workouts seem way too structured, then just get out there and run! By no means do you need to have speed workouts to be a runner; I didn't do them for years. However, if you want to improve your speed or endurance, doing some kind of speed training would be beneficial. 

Do you do speed work? What is your favorite type of training run?

St. Louis Half Marathon Training Plan

Look what I did!

Whoop Whoop! I am super excited to have finally signed up for my fourth half marathon! I've been scouring my Runner's World magazines and the inter-web in search for my next race, and the Rock'n'Roll St. Louis Marathon quickly made it to the top of the list. This is the first Midwest race for the Rock'n'Roll tour and I'm pumped to be apart of this inaugural event. The Rock'n'Roll series is known to have wonderful organization, great courses, and spectacular support and I can't wait to experience it first hand. And bonus: St. Louis is an awesome city known for the soaring arch, great cuisine, and beautiful riverfront. (No I am not being paid to promote St. Louis or the Rock'n'Roll tour, I'm just stoked to have finally signed up for a race)

Random fact: All 3 (now 4) of my marathons have been in different states. I've run races in Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and now Missouri. At this rate, I may as well up the ante and set an ultimate goal of running a race in all 50 states!

I'm surprised that I love races as much as I do. Inflamed IT bands and runner's knee have been the bane of my running existence and I have yet to start a half-marathon without an injury holding me back. This time around I plan to do things a little differently.

All of my training mistakes and errors have helped me learn to listen to my body and be in-tune with what it needs. I know that I must slowly increase my weekly mileage and that my body needs two rest/stretch days focusing on loosing up my hips. And I also know my body needs strength training while I'm increasing my mileage, specifically in my hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. I believe running can be trial-and-error and hopefully I have worked out most of the kinks!

So, without further adieu, here is my St. Louis Rock'n'Roll Half-Marathon training plan:

Yea, I don't expect you to be able to read that. Here it is in a Google Document.

I loosely based the plan on Hal Higdon's 12 week intermediate half-marathon program. And for the first time, I am serious about the speed-work! You will also notice where I incorporated my strength training from New Rules of Lifting for Women. The orange weeks show the 'pre-weeks' before my official marathon training begins (which is in the blue). In the weeks leading up to August 1, my main focus will be hitting those weights!

When it comes to training schedules my motto is flexibility, flexibility, flexibility! If I'm feeling good that week and want to kick it up a notch, you better believe I will! And if three days of full-body strength training becomes too much, I'll will be quick to scale it down to two.

I'm really excited about this plan and even more excited about the possibility of completing it injury free! And hopefully, in four months, I will have a new PR under my belt!

Disclaimer: I designed this training plan for my current fitness and commitment level. I am not a professional, I am not saying this plan will work or is safe for you

My Running Story: Goes On

Way too long ago I began a series of posts retelling of my relationship with exercise and running; however I never finished. Today I want to share with you that spark which has led me into the person I am today. To catch up, please read the following posts:

My Running Story: The Beginning

My Running Story: Continued

Not only was my running buddy unable to train with me, we also found that she was unable to run the race with me. WHAT?! I was heart broken. I was semi-okay with training the final 4 weeks alone (2 were taper weeks, so it wouldn't be so bad), but the thought of running the entire 13.1 miles solo was completely horrifying.

So I did what any insane normal person would do and stopped training. I didn't pick up my ipod or running shoes for that entire 4 weeks. I was in denial that I would be running the Mid-South half-marathon by myself and I didn't want to face the truth. However, reality was that I had already paid my entry fee and booked my hotel and I was way too frugal to waste money. So on November 7th 2009, with fears and anxiety at it's highest, I arrive at Wynne with absolutely zero confidence in myself.

Don't let the smile fool you, I was shakin' in my Asics. 

 

Luckily, my boyfriend at the time (now husband) was there to cheer me on and encourage me to give it all I got.

Looking back, I was so clueless about what to expect. I showed up at the start line with 200 other runners and thought this was a BIG race. Since I had only been in local 5Ks, I was excited to see all the support! And on top of it all, they even had these people called "pacers"- a then foreign concept to me of people who volunteered to run the race and give you a steady pace. 

I attached myself to this man in the yellow, who was the 11:00 minute pacer; God bless this man. I don't remember his name, or anything about him, but he kept me laughing and talking the entire time I was with him. He made the first 6.5 miles fly by!

However, since I was only doing the half (and the course was an out-and-back) I turned around at 6.5 while my amazing pacer continued on with the full marathoners. Before turning around, I had a fleeting thought to continue onto the full just so I'd have the company. Yes, I was that scared to finish by myself; I truly didn't believe I could do it. But I quickly came to my senses and turned around knowing I would have to tackle the next 6.5 miles on my own.

Worst 6.5 miles of my life. I was hurting, bored, tired, hurting, hungry, thirsty, hurting (did I already mention that?) and completely done.

But after 2 hours and 31 minutes and an average pace of 11:50, I finally crossed the finish line. I had completed my first half-marathon.  

I had done something that I never thought I'd be able to do, all within less than a year's time. My biggest reward? Knowing that I didn't let fear or anxiety stop me. That I accepted that I was scared and unconfident, but did it anyways. I fought hard to accomplish the goal I had set out months earlier and it was one of the proudest moments of my life.

This one goal, this one experience has changed my life forever. Since then I have completed 2 additional half marathon, a sprint triathlon, and countless other races. I have found a love for exercise and healthy living that I never knew existed. And I don't intend to stop. My life has changed for the better.

So if you have some audacious dream which you think people would merely laugh at, don't be so quick to throw it out. With determination, you can accomplish anything. If you really want it, it's yours. And it might just change your life in ways you can't even imagine. 

"I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept my faith." 2 Timothy 4:7