35 Minute Long Run -NRC

Today was my first long run as I prepare for my marathon in October. As an added bonus, I was able to use 2 of my Christmas presents, running gloves and bone conduction headphones. I am still working with the starter program on the Nike Run Club app. I have also decided to use what I have learned from Galloway by using the run/walk method. I can feel myself becoming a stronger runner and am liking the coaching advice given as I go. 

My run today was a 35 minute long run with 1 minute run and 30 second walk intervals. For the most part, this run felt great. There was a bit in the middle that the chips and nacho cheese I had with dinner was not agreeing with the exercise, so I walked for about 2 minutes. I also ran down any hills that I could (hills are relative when one lives this far from the mountains). I am happy to say that I didn’t ever feel a pain in my right arm and shoulder like I have been when I run for the past few months. I am hoping that means I’m getting healthier rather than it being a fluke. 

My next run should be a 10 minute run. I only have a few weeks left before I need to choose a new plan. 
 

Gazelle Day

For exercise today, I did 30 minutes on my Gazelle. I was going to do it while watching TV with Chad, but it is Wednesday aka Chad-and-Sean-Dr.Who-Day. That meant I needed to either watch Dr. Who with them or watch something alone in my room. I chose my room, and Chad nicely brought the Gazelle to our room. Thirty minutes was quite easy to get through while I watched Mom on CMT. Tomorrow will be my next run. 

“First” Speed Run - NRC

 

I did my first speed workout in a long time today. Really, it was kind of like what I have been doing with the run/walk intervals. I did it with the “coaching” from the Nike Run Club app. I started with a 5 minute warm up with 1 minute of running and 1 minute of walking 8 times followed by 30 seconds of all out running and a 2 minute cool down. The app really only counts the time during the intervals. 

This run felt good! It was supposed to be done on a track, but I didn’t feel like driving to one. The parking lot at the local elementary school worked just fine. I loved being able to gage how much further I was able to go with each interval. One thing that was discouraging was that in the seventh interval the coach kept talking about how it was the hardest one. It made it feel harder than it should have felt. 

My next run should be a 35 minute long run. 

22 Minute Easy Run -NRC

 

Today, I did a 22 minute easy run through the Nike Run Club app that u have on my phone and watch. This is the app I use to train for the half-marathon I ran with Chad in 2021. I am currently doing a beginner program to help me get going again. After all, I need to be marathon ready by October, and it will be here before I know it. 

My run was good. I knew going in that the focus of this app was to run the allotted time from start to finish not intervals. That made it a bit more challenging, but that’s what I wanted. I am happy to say that I ran 8 minutes nonstop before I had to walk. At this point, I walked for 2 minutes before I started running for 1 minute and walking for 30 seconds for the rest of the run. When I got to 18 minutes 30 seconds, I ran for the next minute and a half thinking that I was only going 20 minutes. Then the trainer chimed in with a 2 minute reminder, and I knew I couldn’t make it without a walk break. I walked for 30 more seconds and ended with a minute and a half running around my cul-de-sac. I was tired when I was done but felt accomplished. This is why I run, to feel that sense of accomplishment. 

20 Minutes with Noel

Tonight, I did 20 minutes of run/walk with my daughter. We ran for 35 seconds and walked for 35 seconds. She could have had longer run intervals, but that was all I had in me. I am hoping to be in shape enough to bump up the run time next week, but we’ll see. 

Running with my daughter is harder than going out alone because I feel compelled to keep up with her. She is much faster than I am, but she doesn’t like going out alone. I know I slow her down, but she is willing to be slower to stay with me. It is a mutually beneficial thing. She gets to have someone with her as she runs. I get to be pushed in a way I would not be if I were alone. I don’t know how long she will want to do things like this with me. I’m going to soak in the experience for now. 

ColderBolder

 

Today, Chad and I ran the ColderBolder. It is an annual 5K that we have ran every year since 2018 (2020 was a virtual race). This year was probably the coldest one we have done. I was so scared of getting cold to the point that it took a long time to warm up, so I wore a long sleeve running shirt, a warm riding jacket that was Chad's dads, mittens and a cowl I knitted, the ColderBolder hat for this year, and a fleece lined jacket that I bought after we picked up our packets. I didn't get too cold. I actually ended up tying the the hoodie around my waist and putting the mittens in my pockets within the first mile and considered taking of the cowl in the third mile. 

Overall, this race gave me the increased confidence that I need. Chad left me behind at the beginning, so I was on my own for the entire race. I didn't know he had planned to leave me behind because we have always mostly walked this race together, so I didn't bring anything to listen to. For the most part, that didn't bother me too much. At about the midpoint I wished I had something to distract me though because the right side of my body was hurting from right under my ribs up through my shoulder. I was not a fan, but I know I could have worked past it with proper breathing like I have in the past if I had something to distract me from the pain a bit. For the fist two miles of the race, I ran every time there was a downhill. I was going to do 30 second walk/run intervals, but the hills in the fist mile are difficult because it is in Boulder, CO, and I live further a way from the mountains. Once I got past mile two, I ran and walk when my body said it was ready. It felt good. I know this is not the way most people do it, but it is what was working for me. In the end, I was glad I did it alone to show me what I can do when I put my mind to it and pay an entry fee. (Let's be real right now. I would not have gone out in that cold if I hadn't already paid to do so.)

My next goal is to PR in the BolderBoulder next year. If I get out consistently now, even when it is cold, I might have a chance.  

Turkey Trot Day

 

We did it! Chad, Noel, and I completed the Loveland Turkey Trot. Chad went ahead of us pretty much as soon as we started. That was to be expected since he has kept up with his training. Noel stayed back with me since she hasn’t ran much since our August 5k and I haven’t run in a few weeks. I actually got a better time than I would have without her because I had to walk faster than I usually do just to keep up with her. She ended up ditching me for the last quarter mile. I gave it all I had for about that length as well. Overall, I’m happy with my performance. Now, on to next week’s 5k, the ColderBolder. 

3.63 Mile Ride

It has been unusually warm this fall, so I decided to take advantage of it again and ride my bike. I would really like to do this more, but I’m struggling with time management. 

Today, I made a commitment to myself to exercise. When my daughter said she didn’t feel like going to the gym, I was more than happy to change my plans and do something outside. With music playing in my ears, I set out on my bike. I rode around the older part of my town and relaxed. It felt great to be one for a little while. I wish I had gone a different way and been out longer. I’ll do that next time. 

Week 3 Day 3

 I know I skipped day 2. Thursday was a crazy day. I take a walk with my friend and our dogs after work on Thursdays. Then, I had to pick up Noel and stop at the store on the way home. We got home just in time for me to have my class Zoom. During that, I had my camera off as I got ready and drove to a work dinner. Finally, the work dinner was 3 hours, and I didn’t get him until about 10. I was exhausted! I didn’t run. 

Today was day 3 of week three on my plan: warmup 3 minutes, run/walk for 2 miles, cooldown 3 minutes. It wasn’t too bad, for the most part. I went up into the neighborhood next to mine, back into my neighborhood, past the elementary school, and home. I realize about half a mile in that I had talked about changing my intervals but wasn’t sure I did. If I had, it still wasn’t quite right. Forty seconds of walking seemed too long, so I changed it while I was walking. I am now running for 35 set and walking for 35 seconds. It feels about right. I may need to extend the run time a bit. I love that I get to listen to my body and decide what works best for me. I know the intervals will continue to change as I train. I can’t imagine speeding up and slowing down this often during a marathon, but I think it will work for the Turkey Trot and ColderBolder. 

Week 3 Day 1

 

 I didn’t run at all last week, so I’m still on week 3. I’m ok with that because I am doing the ColderBolder the week after the Turkey Trot. I’ll just change my training plan to the date do December 2 instead of November 23.

Today, I did 3 minutes for the warmup and cooldown with 20 minutes of walk/run intervals. Since it is Halloween and I don’t want to run trough trick-or-treaters, I went after I got off work before I had to leave to pick up my daughter from school. I ran up the main road near may house which is basically all uphill. I hate uphill runs. By the time I hit the halfway point, I was struggling. My right side and shoulder were hurting, but I kept going. I figured I need to get used to pain if I’m going to do a marathon in a year. 

4.6 Mile Ride

Today was a cross training day. I planned to go to the gym, but it is such a beautiful day that I decided to take a bike ride instead since I don’t know how many of these day we have left before the weather goes sour. 

It felt so good to be outside in the sunlight! It also felt good to get out of the house by myself with no expectations. The combination was wonderful! I hope we have more nice days so I can do this again. I keep forgetting how nice it feels to ride my bike. 

Week 2 Day 3

 Today was my day for a long run. That doesn’t mean what it did a few years ago, and I’m still trying to accept that. I am starting over, and that is just how it is. 

What did a long run look like for me today? I did my run/walk intervals of 30 seconds running and 45 seconds of walking for 1.5 miles with my 3 minutes of warmup and cooldown. I chose a route today that was mostly uphill for the first half so that I could go downhill as I went home. It was perfect! Just when I felt like it might be getting too hard, I got to do the easier half. I feel like it gave me just enough of a challenge to help me remember why I want to do this so much. I can’t wait to see what my training does for me as I get closer to the Turkey Trot!

Week 2 Day 2ish

 

Today was week 2, day 2 on the schedule, but I didn’t run Tuesday. I went out for ice cream instead. (I know that wasn’t the smartest choice.) I still did what I was slated to do, though. I did a 3 minute warmup and cooldown with 17 minutes of run/walk intervals. For the most part, it felt good. In fact, it felt so good that I think it is time to change my intervals to run a bit longer and walk a bit shorter by 5 seconds. I probably won’t change it until after my long run on Saturday because I want to be able to do the full 1.5 miles. (It is a bit odd that 1.5 miles is a long run for me considering I did a half marathon a few years ago.) 

A Bit Chilly

 Today, I did my first “long run” on this training plan. It was a 3 minute warmup and cool down with a mile run sandwiched between. There was a point where I was questioning why I ever liked running, but that passed. The second half of the run went smoothly. I was actually able to relax into it like I used to. This is why I loved it and why I keep going back to it. 

Turkey Trot Training

 We are doing a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, and I am training before this one. I need to be marathon ready in about a year. Since I have not been running as much as I would like, I am starting with this. 

My goal for the Turkey Trot is to finish the 5k in less than 45 minutes. I am using a training plan on Galloway’s app. Today, the run kind of sucked. I have let myself go in so many ways. I lungs were burning, my heart was pounding, and my lips were numb. It can only get better from here. Right?