Weekly Recap and a SWELTERING Hill workout

Recap:
Saturday - Rivertrail 15K race - GREAT run!
Sunday - 6 miler in the afternoon - sore and tired legs from race.
Upper body weight workout - did NOT even attempt leg's since they were sore
Monday - 50 minutes on the Spin bike - FUN!
Tuesday - 6 miles (2 miles easy - 2 miles tempo - 2 miles easy) good run but tough
Wednesday - 5 mile easy run at lunch - ran with Chris F - great run but warm.
Upper body weight workout.
Thursday - 6 miles with hill workout thrown in - good run but instead of pushing it on most of the hills - we girls (me, Lisa F, Cindy C and Vicky V) were too busy discussing American Idol - Robert did the workout much better than we did :) Guess he didn't watch American Idol - lol!
Tonight I will probably get a few miles with the Women Can Run ladies - I am excited about our first workout. We have 200 ladies total and I have 37 in our Intermediate/Advanced group I am helping to lead.

Today's temperature at run time (5:05AM) was 65 degree's and HUMID!!!! barely any wind. I run 2 miles to Lisa's and meet up with the gang who then run me back and we add in 2 miles of MORE hills in the middle. By the time I got to Lisa's (2 miles) I was SOAKED and all I had on was shorts, sports bra and a small lightweight reflective vest. We had a slight breeze going back the other direction but it was still humid. When I got home hubby was up and said "wow - you are SWEATY". Oh really!!!! I was trying to cool off and enjoy my cereal but he kept on and on about how sweaty I was. I knew he was going running later so I thought "ha! ha! just wait until you run". He had to go to Jonesboro today and was going to stop off at a trail and do his run so I will find out this evening if HE sweated - LOL!!!

I can't hardly wait until this evening to start the Women Can Run clinic - but I have 37 NEW names to learn :-)

Saturday will be my long run of 15 miles and we are doing the Little Rock half marathon course which should be FUN! It is also Jane's birthday so we will be celebrating with Latte's and toast and jelly at Boulevard Bread Co.

Have a good Friday.

Rivertrail 15K race report - WHAT FUN!!!

Today was the Rivertrail 15K race (9.3 miles). I just LOVE this race even though the weather pretty much sucks every year. When I woke up this morning and went to pick up Lisa F I said "WOW the weather is PERFECT - couldn't be any better" - BIG MISTAKE. Yes, at that time the temps were 48 degrees and cloudy, which is my IDEAL running weather. By the time we got to the race, picked up our packets and made a pit stop it was raining. We went to do our mile warmup and it POURED on us. Weather is always a big worry for all runner's but no matter what we still get out there and give it our best :) My goal for this race was to beat my PR (personal record) on this course which was last year with a 1:19:38 (8:33 avg pace). I didn't care if it was by 1 second but I WANTED to beat this time. My plan was to go out at a 8:30 avg pace and then see what I had left coming back. 8:30 felt VERY comfortable so I had to really watch myself not to pick it up any faster. My mile 1 was a 8:35 and at mile one my shoes were COMPLETELY soaked so they weighed about 5 lbs each - lol!!! At the turnaround I was right on mark with a 8:27 avg pace. This is when my plan went to - turn on your Ipod, run as hard as you can and PICK people off!!!! After mile 1 no one had passed me so I was very happy with that and at the turn around I told myself NO ONE will pass me coming back the last 4.6ish miles. At mile 6 Robert (my training partner) caught up to me and we chatted a little and then we either ran side by side or me on his heels all the way in - so technically one person did pass me but it was Robert so it was okay :) I think he ended up about 3 seconds ahead of me at the finish. I finished in 1:18:34 (official time not posted yet) but I was THRILLED - this put me at about a 8:20ish avg pace and helped my confidence for the Little Rock Half Marathon in 3 weeks. I guess the tempo runs are paying off :)

After the race we had awards - I got 2nd place in my age group - and then we had Pizza and the Arkansas State Grand Prix awards. It was a GREAT day to spend running and visiting with about 20 Cruiser running buddies - they are the BEST!!!!!!

Also have to say it was great to have Cindy C back racing today. I am not sure of her time but it will not be long before she is kicking my butt again but I LOVE it - just makes me have to try even harder to keep up with her. She was THRILLED to be back after about 8 months off with an injury.

Tomorrow all of us that raced today are sleeping in and doing an easy 6 miler at 1:30PM - yah!!!!

Have a GREAT weekend :)

Weekly Recap and time to revamp my schedule for Women Can Run Clinc

Recap -
Saturday - 13 miles. Good run with Cruisers (already blogged about)
Sunday - 6 miles. Good run with Lisa. Weight routine (upper) at home.
Monday - 45 minutes on spin bike with TOUGH workout and then an easy one mile on dreadmill to test out my hamstring - which is fine :)
Tuesday - 8 miles with Cindy, Annette and Michelle. Cindy and I threw in 2 miles of tempo running at the start - good run :)
Wednesday - 4 miles at lunch on the trails. Deep tissue massage after work to work out the kinks because racing this weekend.
Thursday - Early morning 5.5 miles with Lisa, Robert and Vicky V. - good run. Will do upper body weights when I get home today.
Friday will be rest.

Saturday will be my favorite race of the year - the Rivertrail 15K. I love the course, the distance and the scenery on this run. I also like the fact that it is only about 20 minute drive from Cabot. Bad news is that it is going to be VERY cold Saturday morning and possibly rain :( - will post Saturday about the race.

Next week I start working at the Women Can Run clinic for 11 weeks. I am a leader for the Advanced and Intermediate groups. I have decided that I will get all of "my" runs in the morning so I will have quality runs and then just run with the ladies on Monday/Thursday evenings and not stress about pace and distance - just enjoy working with the ladies. So below is my new proposed schedule which includes having to get up at 4:30 or 5AM most mornings instead of my usual 5:30. The good news is all runs will be "out the door from my house" runs.

Monday - spinning before work (in the garage) - afternoon WCR clinic (3 - 4 miles)
Tuesday - Morning 6 miles with 2 mile Tempo Run - afternoon maybe fun run with Annette and Michelle if they are running.
Wednesday - 4 easy miles in the morning or lunch. Upper body weights at home after work.
Thursday - Morning 6 mile hill workout. Afternoon WCR clinic (3 - 4 miles)
Friday - REST - much needed!!!
Saturday - Long run - 13 miles
Sunday - Easy run - 6 miles

This will give me double workouts on Mon/Tue/Thurs but as long as I keep the miles easy this should work and as Annette and I have talked about this should keep our metaolism going so we will burn more fat :)

Have a GREAT weekend.

BUSY Weekend and 2 good runs

Saturday was just go, go, go ALL day from the time I got up to run at 7AM with the Cruiser's until I got home for the day at 9PM. Our 7AM Cruiser run had a GREAT turnout. I think we ended up with 17+ runner's, which was really good considering alot of our runner's were at the Val5K in Russellville. We had 4 new runner's - Reed, Steve, Tara and Chana. All the new runner's seem to fit into a pace with all the different groups we had. Tara and Steve ran with my group. I wanted 13 miles and so did Lisa and Robert. I started my run with a large group and then when they turned off (only wanting 6.5 miles) I went on and ran with Andrea, Steve and Debbie B. Andrea and Debbie B turned off (only wanting 10.2 miles) and then Lisa turned back to finish out with me. We pushed it and caught up with Robert and Steve (new guy). Steve decided he only wanted 12 miles so we sent him off when we hit Candlewood. Me, Lisa and Robert ended up with 13 at about a 9:20 avg pace. It was a very good run although my hamstring tugged the the whole time. After getting home and showering and then heading out for groceries etc. I could feel my hamstring and knee really tightening up. I had a hair appt. at 1:30 so it was just rush rush all morning. When I got back from my hair appt. about 3:15 Tony was ready to go out to dinner and a movie. We were planning on Outback but ended up just staying in Cabot since the movie we wanted to see was in Cabot. We ended up going to the new Italian restaurant (can't remember the name) and LOVED the food and service. Be both really overindulged since we have been being so good for the last few weeks on nutrition. I didn't feel guilty one bit :) After dinner we went to see "Taken" at the Cabot theatre and ran into Robert/Reed and Andrea/Scott at the same movie. The movie was very good - we all enjoyed it. After the movie when I got up to walk OUCH - my knee/hammy's were killing me. When I got home I immediately iced it and took 2 Aleve's. I woke up several times in the night and could feel it everytime - gotta baby it now :(

Sunday morning I met Lisa Feldt for our usual 6 mler at 8AM from her house. We have a new route that we like BUT we both keep commenting that we told each other we would run flat and easy on Sunday's but this route it very hilly and we usually run sub 9:00 - so we are not doing what we both agreed to do :). Today my hamstring/knee was really hurting so we took the first mile at about a 10:00 but as usual we had good conversation, good weather and ended up with a 9:10 avg pace for the whole 6 miles. Something about when I run with Lisa alone makes me run much faster but it always feels comfortable :)

Today I will do weights but am thinking I should skip legs because of my knee/hamstring - we'll see. I did text my massage therapist and BEGGED to get in this week. She is going to work me in on Wednesday or Thursday - yahoo!!!

Hope everyone has a great week.
Brenda

GREAT weather and weekly recap

This week the weather has been great for running (except Monday). On Monday's I start planning my strategy for getting all my workouts in. Monday is always easy since it is short mileage and the spin bike. Tuesday's are the days I usually dread since it is long mileage AND a tempo run (this week I shook it up to have some fun). My main focus is making sure I can get my Wednesday run in at lunch so I can do my hill workout with Lisa, Cindy and Robert on Thursday morning. If I can't run at lunch then I have to move my workout to Thursday evening. Thursday evening has become my cook a nice dinner and watch LOST with my hubby :)

So here goes and yes I got all workouts in except Tuesday I only got in 6.4 miles instead of 8 because I stupidly parked my car in the park at the NLR lake and the "gate nazi" came early and made me move my car and I happen to be at 6.4 miles so I didn't want to get in the car (all sweaty), move it and get back out and run so I just called it at 6.4 and left.

Saturday - 12 miles (already posted about this run - tough at the end)
Sunday - 6 miles (great run) - weight routine at home.
Monday - 3 miles on dreadmill at home and then 35 minutes on spin bike. I really get a good workout on the spin bike. I do 25 minutes of jumps in the middle and this week I had to put a towel on my handlebars to catch the sweat!!
Tuesday - 6.4 miles. Instead of doing a 16 minute Tempo run I decided to "play" by doing 16 - 1 minute Fartleks. After warming up I would run hard one minute and then easy X16. It was fun and kept my mind thinking :)
Wednesday - 4 miles at the trail at the Y - good run - very easy pace. Weight routine at home.
Thursday - 6 miles of hill workout with Lisa and Robert. My legs were feeling my weight workout from Wednesday night. I made a mental note to change my leg workout to ONLY on Sunday. How stupid was I to do legs and then in less that 12 hours to a hill workout :)
Friday - will be rest day.

Saturday we are planning 12 - 13 from Southside with the Cruiser gang. I sure hope we have breakfast at Denali's!!

Hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day. Tony and I plan to go to Outback Steakhouse and then go to the movies :)

Saturday TOUGH run and then GREAT Sunday run

Saturday I met for the regular Cruiser run and we had a very large group. Everyone was going different distances but several of us (Mark, Eugene, Robert, Lisa, Donna (new person), Vicky V, Me, Cindy and Gabby) were doing 10 - 13 miles so we took off on our regular 10.5 route (modified to take off some of Hwy 321). Robert had GMAPPED us a route to add on 3 miles on the back end. I could tell right away that the weather although cool in the parking lot was going to be hot and humid. I wouldn't say I had a bad run but it was definitely tougher than last week's Lila Loop VERY hilly run. The last couple of miles I felt pretty sucked dry of all energy. We still ended up with a 9:30 avg pace with no walk/stop breaks but I was DEPLETED! After the run several of us met up at The Diner for breakfast. The last few weeks we have met at Denali's and although The Diner has more food choices I prefer Denali's for the relaxed atmosphere and GREAT coffee and latte's. After breakfast I went home and decided to just stay in and do my usual Sunday chores on Saturday because I didn't feel like getting out. So off and on I would do my chores, watch a few DVR'd shows and even took a short nap (I NEVER nap!). By late afternoon I felt much better (After having my SUPER PROTEIN SHAKE!!) and made a nice dinner and then Tony and I watched Biggest Loser from earlier this week. Tony was really proud that he had lost 4 lbs. last week and then when watching Biggest Loser he said "WOW - I guess 4 lbs. isn't much". I told him that the people on this show workout 6 hours and day with a trainer and also have ALOT more to lose so him losing 4 lbs. to their 12 lbs. is doing GREAT. I also think the faster you lose the easier it is to put back on. This is the first time in 20 years of marriage that Tony has lost weight the way that I have wanted him to - by eating healthy and exercising. Years before he would do that crazy Low/No Carb diet and always gain the weight back.

Now on to Sunday. I met Lisa at her house at 8AM (YAHOO - slept in). I gmapped us a new 6 miler but at the time didn't think about how hilly it would be :) Sunday's are supposed to be VERY easy pace and as flat as possible. We had a GREAT run and were chatting and really enjoying ourselves not even paying attention to our pace. Heading back we both remarked "wow this is a pretty hilly route back". We were both thrilled to see at the end of our "easy hilly" run that our average for 6 miles was 8:47. I am sure I will pay for the pace and hill's later with my knee but we sure had a good time.

I am going now to lift weights (full body workout) and then hopefully get in a nice easy ride with Annette and some others.

I am trying out a new Spinach Fettuccine recipe tonight that I hope turns out good so I can have leftovers for work next week :)

Enjoy the great weather.

DONE and Recap

This morning I started my EARLY morning Hill workout with Lisa, Cindy and Robert. I left my house at 5:05AM and met the group at Lisa's (2 miles away) and then we all ran back toward's my house doing Hill's and some extra mileage with again "HILLS". I got in 6.6 miles of some HUGE hills. The reason I don't start from Lisa's is because I need to be done my 6:10ish so this works out and I only have to run 2 miles by myself. This morning was VERY cold but we had a great run with a great workout.

I got in all my workouts this week and may even go home today and do another 30 - 35 minute spin workout before I cook dinner. Tony is doing the Treadmill tonight so I am SURE he would enjoy my company beside him while he runs - lol!! This is a joke because the last time I did my spinning while he was doing the treadmill I kept trying to talk to him and he couldn't and finally said "I cannot talk while I am working out" so I just kept quiet the rest of the workout. I am so used to my running buddies and we talk while we run - Tony cannot :)

Recap:
Saturday - 13 miler out at Lila Loop (beautiful course but very challenging) GOOD run!!
Full body weight workout
Sunday - 6 miles from SSES - semi flat route.
Monday - 3 miles running at home then 35 minutes on Spin Bike
Tuesday - 8 miles at NLR Lake with 16 minute Tempo run included
Wednesday - 4 miles run at lunch then home for full body weigtht workout
Thursday - 5AM 6.6 miler from home (hill workout)
Hope to get in 35 minutes of spinning
Friday - REST!

I am really enjoying this new schedule :) I am such a schedule/routine person that when I have a schedule and I complete it for the week I am happy :) I am the same way at work when I first get in I make a "To do" list and am not happy until I am completely done and my desk is cleared - of course I am thrown 100 new things during the day but I MUST have my To Do list finished or I will skip lunch or stay late - what does that say about me??????

I am looking forward to Saturday's run - it will be another 13 miler and the weather is looking GREAT!!!

Also can't wait to watch LOST tonight - I have it DVR'd from last night. Lisa Feldt and I get into some deep conversations about LOST on Saturday's during our long run. We discuss our theories and then see who is right the next week.

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend - get out and enjoy the weather.

Good Running and following my Buddies

Let's start with Saturday - We planned a long run at Lila Loop (tough route but BEAUTIFUL!). We planned on meeting at Andrea's for a 7AM start. Gabby had some problems and was running late. We took off about 7:15 since we had such a large group and Andrea said she would wait and bring Gabby to us since Andrea was driving to mile 2 to meet us. Well Gabby got "a little" lost and ended up driving her self out to meet us. Gabby - I am soooo sorry we left - I really thought Andrea would be driving you to us :(

We had a big group - me, Cindy C, Lisa F, Vicki V, Andrea, Gabby, Gary Davis, Mark Oliver, Melisha and Diane Novotney. This route is very challenging but there are hardly any cars and also has some beautiful scenery. Lisa and I ended up getting our 13 miles in and everyone else got various miles from about 8.5 - 14 miles. We had our usual Denali's coffee. I didn't feel hungry so I just got some coffee and went home and fixed a Quinoa muffin (from Andrea) which was DELICIOUS!!!

I did a little shopping (Goody's, Tuesday Morning and Lowe's) and then picked up my dog at the groomer's and came home to a GREAT dinner I had cooked in the crockpot all day and Tony and I watched a movie.

Sunday I ran 6 miles with Lisa and Cindy from SSES and then got my groceries for the Super Bowl party and for the week. I came home and cooked Deer chili and Pineapple Angel Food cake for the party we will be attending at Tony's son's house. The rest of the afternoon I spent doing housework and then doing weights while constantly checking my phone and the computer for updates on Annette and Bailey. They just finished and I am sure are sipping some REALLY good drinks and eating Mexican by now. I also had two friends running the New Orleans marathon so I kept up with them also.

Gotta go for now and get ready to head out to the Super Bowl party - let's see if I can be good and not gorge on all the junk food I KNOW will be there :)

Have a good week.