Crystal City 5K Friday

 So baking lots of cupcakes (and doing multiple taste tests along the way) is not the best start to the summer bathing suite season.. I have tried balancing out my love of baked goods with running. I mean running twice a week makes up for 4+ cupcakes a week, right? I have also been experimenting with new things to top with cream cheese icing.. right now the winner is gram crackers. And in comes running. If you have read my past running entries there have been some inconsistencies. I signed up for a 10K but a family event took precedence. I went through the first part of training for the run anyways which helped get my millage up but finally I found a short race I knew I could commit to! Crystal City, in Arlington, has 5K Fridays every Friday in April so I signed up for the April 15th run. 

Starting three weeks before the run, I went on three weekly runs which averaged about 3.5 miles per run. My time was averaging about 10:30 a mile... I quite honestly was hoping to run the 5K in under 32 minutes, but I ended up doing much better! I think I caught the racing bug when I finished at 29:09 (the clock in the bottom picture shows a 30 minute time but I was so far back I didn't cross the start line until about 90 seconds in..). 

Note: This was my first official race. Was it a particularly long and strenuous race? No. But did I still treat it like I was running a marathon w/cheerers, signs, and way too many pictures? Yes :)

Jake made me an awesome sign to cheer me on :)

I'm somewhere in the far back...

 

Racers take your mark... Those people in the front were crazy. I think the winner ran the 5K in just over 16 minutes!

And I'm now sprinting towards the finish line...

And done!

I got greeted by Jake (who did not like his post race picture so is not on here :P) and my friend Ann who was visiting for the night! She also took the awesome pictures :) That huge thing on my wrist is my Garmin Forerunner.. I have the ridiculously old version*hint *hint for anyone that wants to buy me pricey x-mas and b-day gifts :)

We also ran into our neighbor Ben who also ran as his first official race. I need an awesome sweat band for my next race... jealousy...

A few take aways from the race:

1.) I really like running in races. Everyone is so nice, it's fun and motivational to run with a HUGE group of people, and you feel so accomplished at the end when all of your hard work training paid off. It also helps you to stick to your running schedule so you will be ready come race day.

2.) Since you are running in a crowd, the first mile I felt like I was running in zig zags trying to get around people while not tripping. The sides of the trails are your friends....

3.) I ended up running this race faster then any of the times I've ever run outside or on the treadmill. Running in a huge group really does make a difference to keep your motivation up and knowing that Jake and Ann would be waiting at mile 2 and at the finish line to cheer me on made me want to run faster to see them :)

4.) I'm going to sign up for more races!

Week 8 Runs and Final Decisions

Last Monday I was so excited that it was still light out after work due to day light savings, I immediately put on running shoes, grabbed my Garmin, and was off for a run. I was able to run 3 miles :) I tried to get Jake to run with me but he insisted on taking out the bike that needed some tire pumping action instead. We tried the "I'll catch up to you" plan... ya, that was a fail since we didn't agree on a set running route past .5 miles.. We ended up finishing at the apartment at the same time which I was particularly happy about since he had the keys. Jake also persuaded me away from my healthy dinner plans to celebrate day light savings at Chevy's Mexican Restaurant.. Pretty good start to the week :)

Friday was another beautiful day and since we had plans of going to Richmond for the weekend to see my friend Emily and her band East of Monroe perform, I wanted to get in a run before the weekend. My thighs have been pretty sore since our ski trip the weekend before so I felt like it was a solid but slow 3 miles. On another note, Emily's band was awesome! Seriously check out her songs (Careless thing by East of Monroe was one of my favorites).

Jake and I drove back from Richmond late Saturday night which gave us all day Sunday to relax, do laundry, and bike over to my all time favorite sub and pizza place in the DC area, The Italian Store. So freakin good!

Tuesday of this week rolled around and was able to get in a 3.38 run using mapmyruns.com. My legs were still pretty sore so I spent the remainder of the night stretching and getting in some protein by eating turkey burgers (the pictures came out badly so I will post the recipe next week when I make them again).

On another note, I have been struggling about what to do with my training for a 10K race that I will not be able to attend due to a family baby shower. I finally found a race that is near by, not too long, and looked fun. Chrystal City is about 5 minutes from where I live and beginning in April, they will be holding 5K races every Friday. This is something I feel like I can commit at least one Friday to. Not to mention I have begun recruiting some running buddies.. This means I will have to put my 10K Training Plan on hold and concentrate more on shorter runs to prepare for a 5K in April. I'm happy to be training for a race that I'll actually be able to participate in :)

Week 7 Runs

Tuesday I got home from work, put on my running clothes, and headed out the door for my run. I tried the mapmyrun.com site and found a new 2.3 mile loop that was pretty interesting. I ran by one historical site for the old Glebe House which served as a parish since the 1700s. Pretty good run all in all :)

Friday rolled around faster then I anticipated and I decided to hit the gym after work. I ran 2 miles on the treadmill in 18:10 minutes. I had some extra energy and walked at a 3.5 mph speed at an incline for .25 miles and then sprinted .25 miles at a 7.5 pace. I hung around the gym and did some weights and such after. I'm glad I did since pizza and quite a few beers followed once we met up some friends to watch the Virginia Tech basketball game (which we won!!).

My long run was once again side tracked by a ski trip. Jake, our friend Josh, and I decided to head up to Liberty Ski Resort on Saturday to get in one last ski trip before the season ended. The weather was warm and sunny but the conditions were on the slushy side to say the least. It was like trying to ski on a Slurpee. The trip was still fun and we stayed out for almost 8 hours. I also had made a deal with Jake that I would give snow boarding a shot by the end of the season. I stuck to my word and actually was able to stand up, stop, and slightly steer by the end of Jake's lesson :) I think I'll give it another shot next year.
 Anyways, the combination of the long time on the slopes and the hard to ski slush pretty much made my legs jello for the rest of the weekend and I had to forgo my long run on Sunday. It wasn't a total loss though. With my extra time, I did make some chocolate coconut cupcakes to bring to a our friends' Sunday dinner. I'll post the recipe later this week :)

Week 6 Runs

On Tuesday I got out of work on time and was determined to go for a run before the sun went down. I quickly got dressed, grabbed my ipod, forgot my Garmin Runner..., and was on my way. I think I was on an adrinalen high from trying to beat the sun that I felt like I was running at a pretty fast pace the whole time. Of course I would forget my Garmin during one of these better runs.. I ran around 2.25 miles.

Well I had the same problem this week as I did two weeks ago and had to stuck it up for an early morning Friday run. Wednesday was so nice out but my body didn't feel like running. Plus, I had to get the oil changed before our road trip this weekend. Thursday I had a friend's happy hour and I was not about to attempt running after beer and pizza. So Friday morning I made myself roll out of bed and hit the road. It was pretty chilly out and I'm pretty sure I was still asleep for the first mile of my run. I ran my 2.3 mile trail. I'm glad of course I ran and feel good that I was able to stick to my 2 short runs this week.

Jake and I will be heading on a ski trip with some of my girl friends from high school after work today! We are so excited! Pertaining to this running post, I doubt I will be able to do my long run since we will be skiing and drinking the majority of the time :) Oh well, I'll push this long run back a week.

Week 5 Runs

My new running strategy is to get in my runs between Monday - Sunday. As long as I get in 2 short runs and one long run I'm not going to beat myself up. This week was full of friend happy hours, work happy hours, and rain. On Tuesday I headed to the gym and hit the treadmill for a 2 mile run. Still hate the treadmill in case you were wondering. I was going to try to shoot for 2.5 but I was not liking the run at all and decided I would make it up in my next run which would hopefully be outside.

Distance: 2 miles

Time: 18:10

Time per mile: 9:05

I was bombarded with happy hours on the later part of the week which I needed to go to for work and wanted to go to for friends since I hadn't seen some of them in a while. I decided to try another early morning Friday run but I woke up to cold rain... ya that was definitely not happening. Saturday brought good weather and I hit the road for my late but better then never run. I didn't bring my Garmin but I know I jogged 2.5 - 2.75 miles.

Today was even more beautiful then Saturday. I woke up and immediately made myself some peanut butter toast and hit the road to tackle my 4 mile run I missed last week. It went surprisingly well and I enjoyed my run through some new neighborhoods I found. I also got semi lost about 2 miles in which was slightly nerve racking but made the time go by faster trying to get my bearings and trying new routes.

I'm excited I was able to make it through this run and can feel that I've made a lot of progress physically by sticking to my running plan (which isn't leading up to a race but whatever).

Pic of my post run Garmin runner :)

Time per mile: ~10:40

Week 4 Runs

On Tuesday of last week I was able to run after working semi late. One of the hardest things for me and running during the week is being flexible with my running time. I'm usually pretty good about running if I get off work on time, but if I even have to stay just 30 minutes late my running goes out the window. I know the spring will bring warmer temperatures and a later sun set which should help with this... Anyways, Jake and I live across from a high school track which is luckily lit pretty late into the evening. For safety reasons I like to stick to the track after sunset. I hit the track with my Garmin Runner and was able to run 2.5 miles at a 9:20 pace. The track helps me concentrate on my pace and work on some sprints as well since I know I'm running a set distance every lap. It's easy to get bored running in circles so sprinting half laps keeps things slightly more interesting.

Distance: 2.5
Time:  23:15
Time per mile: ~9:20

My next run that week proved to be more difficult. I was going to run on Thursday but my plans got derailed with working late and being pretty exhausted. Since Friday afternoon was the start of a long weekend and Jake and I were planning to head out to Luray, VA after work, I knew I would have to squeeze in a morning run on Friday. It was painful but I got out of bed and just did it. Not the most enjoyable early morning jog but I was glad I went through with it. I was still pretty sleepy so I forgot my Garmin run buddy..

Distance: 2 miles

Jake and I headed off to Luray that afternoon and I packed my running shoes hoping the trip wouldn't derail my long run goal for the week. However, we had so much planned I didn't get a chance to run. At first I was pretty distraught and felt like I had failed my running challenge but of course the big picture came to mind and I was ok with missing one of my runs. I was having a great time with Jake and the trip was giving us a chance to relax, spend time together, and explore Luray together. No sense in stressing over a run when we were having such a great time. Plus, we did get a good amount of exercise in by going on a 3 hour hike on Sunday in the Shenandoah mountains.

Week 3 Runs

Week 3, Run 1:

On Tuesday I headed to the gym still pretty upbeat and motivated from my long run on Sunday. I knocked out 2.5 miles on the treadmill in 22:20.

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 22:20
Time per Mile: 8:57

Afterward I did some weights and called it a night.

Week 3, Run 2:

Thursday I had to work a little late and keeping in mind that I needed to pick up Jake from his gym at 7, I was glad I had already knocked out my 2.5 mile run for the week. I ran a quick 2 miles and was out.

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 18:10
Time per mile: 9:05

Week 3, Run 3:

Today was so nice outside! It was 50 degrees and I was actually warm running in a long sleeve shirt. My time for this run was exactly stellar but I decided I don't want to concentrate on my pace and instead just getting through my long runs, period. I love running in Arlington. Yes, running in a city environment can be annoying with cars and stop lights, but my favorite places to run are the neighborhoods a few blocks away from the "city" areas. The houses are all so unique and adorable and I love finding new streets to run through and explore. Much to Jake and my disappointment, we found that these "cute" houses don't have such an cute price tag on them however... sigh...

Distance: 3.5 miles
Time: 36:34
Time per mile: 10:38

Week 2, Run 3

Today was my second long run which was 3 miles. Luckily it was above 40 degrees and sunny outside so I happily went on my first outside run in weeks. The run went so much better then my previous runs on the treadmill.

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 28:33
Time per Mile: 9:31

This run helped boost my confidence that I will be able to increase my mileage since I felt like I was running at a steady pace the whole time and wasn't overwhelmed by the distance increase.

Week 2, Run 2

I hit the treadmill once again after work today. This run went better then the last few actually and I didn't feel like death afterwards so that's a plus.

Distance: 2.3 miles
Time: 20:30
Time per mile: ~8:55 per mile

I walked an additional .2 miles at the highest incline at a 3.5 speed and then finished off with some weights.

I'm still undecided as to what to do with my training for a run that I won't be able to go to. I will keep up with the training as planned until I decide...

Week 1, Run 3 and more news...

This week I went on my Week 1 Run 3 which was my first long run of 2.5 miles. Ok so this distance isn't particularly longer then what I usually run, but on a treadmill I could feel/was aware of every step I took past mile 2. Once again, I can not wait until it is warm so I can run outside! I don't think I'll be able to do 3 miles on the treadmill for my next long run so I may have to brave the cold.

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 22:30
Time per mile: 9 minutes

In other news, I have some bad news regarding my 10K (but good news for my cousin!). I have a family baby shower that got scheduled for the same day as the race! Of course I will be attending the baby shower since that is more important then the run but I'm not sure what I am going to do with my training. I could finish my training plan and just not run the race, perhaps sign up for another race in the same general time, or move on to another exercise goal. Any suggestions?? I really am torn.

Week 1 Run 2

On Thursday I finished run 2 of week 1. I hit the treadmill and ran 2 miles in 18:13. As for my additional cardio, I stayed on the treadmill for an additional 5 minutes at the highest incline level to cover a .3 distance. I wish I was able to do more of the "additional cardio" but I forgot my ipod and the treadmill was sucking the life out of me. Next time I should opt for the bike or elliptical I guess.

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 18:13
Time per mile: 9:06

I really can not wait until the weather warms up and I can do these runs outside. The treadmill has been really beating me down.

10K Training Week 1 Run 1

My first run of 10K training is done. It was only 1.5 miles but I'm glad it was short since I've been struggling to get to the gym in the past two weeks due to a new job and getting use to my new schedule. Since it was a short run, I tried to run work on my time by doing 1-2 minute sprints though out.

Miles: 1.5

Time: 13:14

Time Per Mile:  ~8:50

Afterwards I did some weights and leg and chess presses.

I got off work early but had to use the treadmill due to this:

And that's just after 2 hours of snow.. There is suppose to be more to come tonight. It's so pretty but I think I'm looking at the treadmill for the next few days. Boo.

10K Training Plan

I researched a few 10K training plans before I came to the decision that I wanted to make my own. All the plans I found online had a few things in common. They all had a run that focused on pace with strength training afterwards, a run that was more relaxed but added in other cardio work, and a "long run" at the end of the week. Most of these plans took up about 5-6 days out of the week... Something I'm not ready to commit to for a 10K run.

My plan needed to be flexible and realistic for my schedule which means 3 days of runs per week.

Each week I will have a shorter run that focuses on pace and then strength exercises afterwards, a slightly longer run which will be slow and steady and then will do another form of cardio exercises, and finally a long run on the weekend to increase my mileage.
Here is my (color coded) plan starting January 22nd!

Week 1 :   1.5m + strength    2m + additional cardio        2.5m long run
Week 2:    2m + strength       2.5m + additional cardio     3m long run
Week 3:   2m + strength       2.5m + additional cardio     3.5m long run
Week 4:    2m + strength        2.5m + additional cardio     4m long run
Week 5:   2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio      4.5m long run
Week 6:   2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio     4.5m long run
Week 7:   2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio      5m long run
Week 8:   2.5 m + strength       3m + additional cardio      5.5m long run
Week 9:   2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio       6m long run
Week 10:  2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio      4.5m long run

Week of Race: 2.5 m + strength   3m + additional cardio     10K!!!

Not going to lie.. I'm kind of worried about the amount of miles towards the end of this plan but I'm going to do my best to stick to it!

1/11/2011 Run

Ever just have a bad work out? It happens at least once a month for me. I don't know why it happens. I guess a bad work out is just like a bad day - sometimes you can't control it and it just happens.  I got on the treadmill and after being on it for 2 minutes I knew the run was going to suck. I didn't enjoy one minute of it which actually improved my time since I was upping the pace to get off asap.

Distance: 2 miles
Time 17:58
Time per mile: 8:59

I did some leg and chest presses, ab work, stretched, and made a bee line out of the gym. I came home, drank a smoothie, and didn't move for the rest of the night.

Important things to remember with bad work outs are that they happen and don't be discouraged by them.

1/8/11 Run

Jake and I spend ALL of last night with more bedroom organization and furniture moving. I didn't think I was going to be able to move today after all the heavy lifting..

However, Jake woke up motivated to go to his boxing class and I decided to go for an easy run. I was not feeling the treadmill so I braved the cold and headed off for a scenic run through cute neighborhoods and parks. I didn't time myself or even really know how far I ran (probably 2-2.5 miles).

My NikePulse has completely given out on me so I am investing in a used Garmin Forerunner which I'm so excited about! Hopefully I will be picking it up tomorrow and giving an update on its cool functions and such.

In other news, my 10K Richmond run is coming up in 12 weeks! I will be posting my 10 week training plan later on this week which will begin January 22... I'm nervous about the amount of running I'll need to do but hopefully I can stay committed and this blog will help me keep to the schedule.

01/05/11 Run

Due to cold weather and lack of sunshine at 6PM, I hit the treadmill to get in a run. The treadmill actually gave me a good chance to work on my running time since I was able to control my pace. I ran the first 16 1/2 minutes at a 6.5mph pace and then ran the remaining 2 mile distance at a 7.3mph pace.

Miles: 2

Time: 18:12

Time per mile: 9:06

After I hit the two mile mark, I slowed down to 3.5mph and increased the incline to its highest height for 2 1/2 minutes. Here's what my finished run looked like including my inclined walk.

 After my run I did some leg and chest presses, ab crunches, and stretched. I am happy with my 9:06 per mile time but I know I will have to work hard to maintain a pace like that for the entire 10K.

Treadmill Tips (because it's January and freezing outside...)

The treadmill is never my first choice when it comes to running but since it's January (i.e. freezing outside and dark by the time I get home from work) it often becomes a must if I want to run at all. The treadmill is good for three things:

1.) It can be safer then running outside.

2.) You can run on it no matter the weather.

3.) It can improve your pace and running time.

There are a few things that can make your time on the treadmill more enjoyable.

• Entertainment. Listening to music, watching a TV show, or looking through a magazine will make your treadmill time go by so much faster and make the run easier.
• Vary your pace. Changing your pace every few minutes will help mix up and break up your run. It's a lot easier to tackle 2 or 3 minutes at a time then run at a steady pace for a long period of time.
• Don't look down! Or cover your time panel with a magazine or towel. Watching your time go by while running is a death sentence to your run. I'm convinced time as we know it actually slows down when I look at the treadmill timer... 
• Run next to someone. Ok this maybe awkward and unadvisable if your gym is empty. BUT if your gym is semi full and it wouldn't be weird to grab the treadmill next to one of the other runners - DO IT. I don't know why, but running near others sometimes helps keep you motivated. If you get bored you can also try to outrun or "race" the person next to you.

I will leave you with one safety tip I learned the hard way. Last winter I was walking towards an empty treadmill while staring down at my ipod. I proceeded to step on the treadmill unaware that someone had left the machine on full speed. I went flying across the gym and was lucky enough to have the cutest trainer there witness my utube worthy tumble and help me up... After receiving pity looks from everyone in the gym for the remainder of my work out, I learned that it is important to be aware of your surroundings and be alert while in the gym. That means not staring down at your ipod while walking around the gym and and getting on machines.

Enjoy your next treadmill run!

01/02/11 Run

Well my first run of 2011 wasn't exactly great.. We just returned home from skiing last night and my legs are still trying to recover. I however wanted to get in one more run before the work week so I decided to do my 2.3 mile lap. I was about a mile in when it started pouring. I continued on but hated every wet cold minute of it..
Miles: 2.3
Time: My Nike timer died on me so my time was around 22 min.

This puts me at just below 10 minutes per mile. I'm not so happy with my time, but considering the rain and having jello legs from skiing, I'm just glad I got through it.

12/29/10 Run

Well today was my first post Christmas run. So far this winter I have been going to the gym to run on the treadmill. While I hate the bordem of running on the treadmill, it beats running in windy cold weather any day. Today was different. A high of 47 degrees got me running outside for the first time since Thanksgiving. Yay! Running outside gave me the motivation to get through what might have otherwise been a sucky run.

Jake gave me a Nike Pulse last year and I have taken it out of storage to track my running for training for the 10K. Hopefully I can track my progress with it.

Here is what I ran today:
Miles: 2.3
Time: 21:33

That puts me at about 9:37 for each mile. Hopefully I can bring this time down.