Am I Training for Boston?

This morning I hit the treadmill for one bitch of a run.  It was a designed treadmill run which included 4 x 5 minutes at a 4% incline at a steady pace (8:30 miles).  Am I training for Boston?  This run was hard, sweaty, and yet, I kicked its ass.  I'm in such good running shape right now, it's scary. 

Here was my favorite moment from the run.

I was doing this run at the Y.  Anderson was at preschool and the Y allows me to fully concentrate on my workouts without getting caught up in what I should be doing at home instead of running.  Anyway, like everyone else, I have basically had a cold since Thanksgiving, which has included a lot of nasal drip.  It's worse in the morning.  As a run goes on, that drip turns into a lot of throat clearing and coughing.  I hate doing it and feel like an idiot.  And I especially feel bad for the people who are on the treadmills next to me.  However, the woman on the treadmill next to me this morning cracked me up.  I had been running for a solid 30-45 minutes so the cough was full-on.  The treadmill next to me had been empty for a while but was totally loaded up with my germs.  An older woman got on the 'mill next to me and started doing some walking.  Every time I cleared my throat or had a little cough, she would take a towel and cover her nose and mouth.  It was obnoxious and yet I couldn't help but giggle.  There one million treadmills at the Y and she could have seen I was grossing all over everything before choosing her treadmill.  Needless to say, she didn't last long next to me - three minutes tops.  Whatever.  The Y is a cesspool of germs.  My coughing is not going to change anything.

Goodbye to My Favorite Running Hat

In 2006 I ran Boston on my birthday.  My parents were there (I think my dad was running the race too??) and bought me a new hat to celebrate my birthday.  I loved that hat.  I wore it every week for 9 years.  I used it almost every race I've done.  It was lucky.  And if you've followed my blog for any amount of time you will see that hat in just about every picture.

Unfortunately, it's time to say goodbye to my favorite hat.  It has seen better days.

I once put my barrettes on my hat after a race and left them on there too long.  They rusted and left a good stain:

The bill has come unsewn twice.  Once I fixed it; this time I think it's time to just let it be:

The bill is quite frayed.  I look like a frat boy (or at least a frat boy from the '90s - I have no idea what those dudes are wearing now).

And, finally, parts of the hat are moldy.  Yes moldy.  Ick.

Do you have a lucky hat or other running gear that you just can't get rid of?

Fast Getting Faster

I'm not gonna lie, training has been tough.  Coach is really pushing me to new limits.  I'm doing speedwork that frankly scares me.  But I'm doing it.  And it's working.  A few weeks ago I did a run test where I averaged a 6:45 pace.  Since then she's given me long intervals where I have to average a threshold pace and then workouts with shorter intervals where I sustain an interval pace.  These are based on the Jack Daniels VDOT stuff.  (I don't understand it, but I know it works.)  I've been lucky to have some good weather where I've been able to get out on the track for the shorter stuff.  Even luckier, I've been out there while the lacrosse team has been practicing and the lights have been on and therefore, it wasn't dark!  The first time I ran I averaged around 6:30s and they felt hard.  The other day I noticed some paces on the treadmill that were starting to feel "easy".  This included a 6:45 pace segment.  Yesterday when I went to the track I had 5 x 2 minutes at interval pace followed by 1 minute easy.  As much as I tried to hold back and run correct intervals, I still busted out 6:20 paces.  My fast is getting faster.  I just hope this translates into some fast race times this year.  Next race is in a week and a half.

Anderson and Mommy Adventures

{Peers out the window at the snow falling}

It really hasn't been a bad winter.  It's not been all that cold; it hasn't snowed a lot; the roads haven't been terrible.  And yet, I feel like this has been the longest winter of my life.  Dragging the kiddo around and wrestling him into his winter coat (which he hates) has caused me to be a recluse.  The problem with being a recluse with a nearly three year old boy is that all I play is trains and trucks and watch hours and hours of Thomas.  Ugh!

A few weeks ago I implemented "Anderson and Mommy Adventures" which would help us get out of the house and do something different.  So far, we've gone on two adventures.  The first was toddler time at a local roller rink.  Each Tuesday you can bring your toddler for free and let him/her skate, play, and run around for an hour and a half.  We put on skates for all of about three minutes, and then he decided he would rather play with the toys and run around.

Today we went and played at a local community center where they have an awesome pool play area.  I had done my research and knew the price and yet I screwed up and didn't look to see if there were specific times available at the pool.  So when we got there we only had a half hour left of play time.  What was nice, though, is that they prorated my fee and we still got to play for a little bit.  Anderson had a great time pulling the levers and cranking the wheels and of course, splashing me.  I, of course, fell down the stairs and hurt myself.  Typical.

I don't know what next week will bring.  Maybe one of those trampoline parks?  Maybe ice skating (brr)?  Where do you like to adventure with your little ones?

Week in Review

Oh hi, blog.  I'm here, I swear.  Every day I think of you and have an idea I'd like to write about and every day gets away from me.  I'll try harder.  I promise. 

I went to Ohio State when it was on the quarter system.  It was 10 weeks of roller coaster!  I somehow started the first day off classes already behind; spent the remainder of time trying to catch up and doing as many assignments as I could; and finally then end of the quarter would come, only half of my assignments turned in, and somehow I'd still walk away with an A-/B+.

This is how I'm feeling about my training right now.  Between momming, adulting, and general winter malaise I'm barely keeping my head above water.  I do as many workouts as I can during the week, miss a few, make up a few, figure out how to combine some, and then the week ends.  Here's what I ACTUALLY did last week.

Swimming - 5700 yards 
I have been to masters once, maybe twice, in the last three weeks.  I used to be a great morning person and now the morning gets my middle finger and a few choice words.  Luckily, I have a lanemate who posts all her workouts to Facebook.  So, I "borrow" them and do them on my own.  I'll try again this week to make it back to masters.  Seriously.  I will.

Running - 24.9 miles
I started the week on the treadmill for a long run.  I was NOT going to run outside in stupid degrees!  My run was just to run steady, so I took a long warmup and then ran steady around a 9:00 pace.  I did two more workouts on the treadmill this week including another easy 5 miler and a short run with some pickups in it.  On Saturday I ran outside in the glorious weather, shorts and a t-shirt, for a great run.  I was strolling in the low 8:00s in zone 2.  I am getting in some serious shape!!!

This week I also turned over 350 miles on my shoes.  Generally they still feel pretty good, but my back and legs are disagreeing with this general-ness.  I'll be moving onto my next pair of Hoka Cliftons next week.

Strength - 0.25 hours
Yep, 15 freakin' minutes.  This was a core workout sweat-a-thon.  I really should do more of this.

This week was a rest week and I really took advantage of it.  Next week, back to the grind.

Swimsuits, swimsuits everywhere!!!

I got about one jillion swimsuits for Christmas. 

Okay, not a jillion but I did get 6 new swimsuits.  And I've worn them all.  A bunch.  There is so much swimming going on along with working at the pool.  I give these about 6 months before they are worn out and needing replaced.

January Totals

Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) I get overwhelmed at life.  There's so much to do, so much I want to do, but I'm not a superhero.  I can't get it all done.  Most times I just blame myself for being a horrible mother (seriously, moms don't we all think this?)

Anyway, I am accomplishing a lot.  I work part time, I stay at home with the boy, I make sure the house isn't a complete mess (please do not show up unannounced!), and I am getting in lots of training.

Seriously, I'm exhausted.  I'm doing as much swimming, if not more, than when I was training for Ironman.  I'm doing nearly as much running as I would if I were training for a marathon.  It's hard for me to wrap my head around when I'm training for a race that's going to take me less than an hour, but then I remind myself - it's the WORLD FREAKIN' CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!!

January, see ya later!

Swimming - 29,800 yards ~ 16.9 miles
I am soooo chlorinated!!!  My skin is cracked and flaky.  My head itches like crazy.  All I smell is chlorine.  And yet, I'm still loving swimming.

Running - 86.83 miles
I missed a few runs which probably would have gotten me over 100 miles this month.  I got the running bug back and I'm enjoying running again.  I had a good race this month along with a kick-ass run test.

Strength Training - 2.25 hours
Coach has a challenge for the month of February - do three strength workouts a week, every week.  I love challenges.  I'm hoping this number is a lot bigger in February.

YMCA Visits - 11
Cost Per Visit - $3.42