Have a great half Anne! I'm assuming its the Phoenix one? My friend is going up for that too.

Just to make you feel better about the rain, it was 24 degrees here this morning. I know to the Canada gals that will seem like nothing, but I know those Arizona runners and they bundle up in the 40's.

How did I survive living in Minnesota and Texas?

Good luck and have fun Anne!

I managed 30 minutes of vague speed on the treadmill this morning. I've not been on it for nearly a month so I took it a bit slower than I have been doing, but I still got a decent workout done.

I ran in 21f this morning it was awesome, I LOVE this cooler weather... I did 6.13k/3.81m...

I ran 4 miles today in 5 degrees F weather. I like winter running much better than summer! I have been averaging 10 minute miles, glad to hear that I am not as pokey as I thought I was.

12.5 miles, it's lovely running weather here, cool but clear blue skies and bright sunshine. I've never seen so many runners out there, it must be the combination of good weather, new years resolutions and the start of the London training season. it felt really good so I'm a lot more confident for next weeks half now. I wasn't sure how I'd go with being on holiday just before, but my two long runs this week have given me a bit more confidence and now I can have a bit of a rest next week in the build up to the race.

I hate heat, but I'm not sure about this weather, its not the cold, its the footing..worried about ice...its 20 here and not expected to warm up much today

Half Marathon Results
 

Well, the good news is that I finished. There was a lot of bad news. The weather was literally freezing at the start, and the start was delayed. Not good news for this Arizona girl. I couldn't feel my feet until mile three. I was on target pace until about mile 7.5. Then I started to bonk, and was pushing through it until the gel I took had a chance to kick in. At 8.5 miles though, something in my ankle just gave, I screamed and scared everyone around me. I found I could still walk, just not run. I hobbled to the next medical stop and they taped up my ankle pretty hard. That took about 6 minutes, and I got another couple of miles of running after that. Then it was swelling and hurt so much that I walked in the last 2 miles. So I finished in just a touch over 3 hrs. It was a pretty disappointing race, because I was feeling so strong from my training.

Sigh.

Anne

Oh anne, so sorry. I hope your ankle heals quickly.

Anne, you poor thing! I broke my ankle a few years ago and every time I hear about ankle injuries I really really cringe!! You finished anyway, though, which is very impressive. You hardcore runners are so inspiring!!

I did a 35 minute jog this morning and I swear it seems like I'm losing the progress I've made. I had to take a walk break after 14 minutes, and then another after 4 more minutes. Then I finished off with 13 minutes of really slow jogging. I think maybe my first 14 minutes I was going at too fast a pace for me and it just wore me out. I guess I'm trying to get faster when I should just worry about endurance. I don't know, but I'm really worried about this 10k training team I signed up for. I don't know if I'll be able to keep up!! I'm still going to do it, but I'm a little freaked out after the way I struggled this morning.

Oh, Anne, I'm so sorry to hear about your ankle and your disappointment in your race :hug: Hope you feel better very soon...

Anne, that's such bad luck, I hope you're on the mend soon.

LisaMarie - I broke my ankle too a few years ago, it really isn't nice is it...

Tonight I managed 7.2 miles with running club at 9 minute mile pace. That included possibly the nastiest uphill stretch I've done with them right at the start, which was a really horrible horrible stretch, but I made it up OK, and the rest of the run didn't seem nearly so bad after that. Considering I didn't want to run at all tonight, I was really pleased. I'm feeling quite confident of a good run in my half at the moment, fingers crossed it all comes together on Sunday.

Helen -- 9 minute mile pace:eek: that's totally awesome!!! I doubt I will ever get that fast :(

Wow!
 

You guys all continue to inspire me. I've started running! Actually not too bad.. amazingly enough, I am no longer having pain from the heel spurs since I started running. I can run a half mile now without stopping at all, and am planning on working up to a mile this week. Hopefully, I will be able to run most of my 5k in Feb. it's on the 17th. Honestly though, I need some advice. Do you think I will be able to run 7 miles by April 21? There is a 7mile bridge run that I really would love to do here in the keys, but not sure If I'll be up to that by then.... Any advice would be loved.

Thanks, and wow everyone!
The other Dee

dee - that would be a pretty fast ramp..is it a fun event? If so then the option of run/walking combo is there. Check to see if there is a cut off and if you can find last years results you can see if there are walkers.

What do you do right now, you say you can run 1/2 mile, is that part of a 2-3 mile walk? The best way to build running endurance is to slowly increase your total time out there even if you walk some of it.

It is a pretty fast ramp, but I think you can walk too.. I will definitely check.. It's not likely that I will get in, the entrance is done by a type of lottery. I just want to do it because it may be the last year it is run. Right now I usually walk 2+ miles... sometimes 4 or more.. I am working up to running more each time.

I did much better on the treadmill today. I kept it at the same 12:30 pace and I managed to go for 1.5 miles, then take a 2-minute walk break, then do another 1/2 mile of jogging. Taking a break from it tomorrow and doing the elliptical and a body sculpting class, then I'll run again Thursday. Getting ready for a group run on Saturday, and I'm nervous!!

Just under 6 miles this evening - and really FAST!!! I ran with the fast group for the first half of the run :carrot: I almost got back down to 8:30 pace, which I'm really really pleased with. Roll on sunday!

Ugh. no run today, its just glare black ice here. Cant even drive to the gym. Blah blah blah

35 minutes on the treadmill this morning. It's hard work but it's definitely worth it to get my speed up a bit. I did take it a bit easier today though because I'm trying to wind down a bit before my half on Sunday. Hopefully the weather will have cleared up by then, I wouldn't have fancied running outside yesterday unless the wind was behind me all the way!

Well, I've done absolutely nothing this week, but walk the dogs a couple times. I was supposed to swim yesterday, but it was cold and raining, and well, I just didn't want it that bad. My ankle is better, so I'll probably try to run again early next week. I did finally step away from the dessert table today, and my eating is back on track!

Anne

Anne, I'm glad to hear your ankle is better!

Today I did 2 1/2 miles on the treadmill with one short walk break after the second mile. I jogged at a 12:30 pace for 2 miles and a 12:00 pace for the other half. I'm trying to slowly build in a faster pace. Of course, my husband was on the treadmill next to me absolutely FLYING.

Tomorrow is the first group run for the 10k training team I've joined. I'm nervous, because I've never run with people, but I think it will be fun. We're just doing one mile, so I think I'll be ok. Woohoo!! I'm actually becoming a runner!

go lisa! I like running with a group occasionally it helps knock me out of my comfort zone.

Have fun on your run Lisa!

I don't know what I was nervous about! The group run went great, and I wasn't the slowest person at all! Lots of people took walk breaks and really slowed down, but I kept a nice pace and finished the mile with no problem. I didn't expect to have a problem with a mile since I've been doing more than that, but I was worried about keeping up. The coach said we finished in about ten or eleven minutes, but she was estimating. They gave us a schedule for the runs we should do during the week, and we have a 2-mile run next Saturday.

Good for you Lisa!!

:carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

I knew I had a good run in me! I've felt really good in training since Christmas, and thought I might manage a PB in my half today - but I didn't think I'd go quite so fast! My previous PB was 1:54:something, I was thinking I might get down to 1:52 or so, but actually managed to get round in 1:49 :faint: :carrot:. I never even considered the possibility of going under 1:50 before the race. I honestly thought I'd set off too fast when I kept on seeing mile markers go past at just over 8 minute mile pace, but I just seemed to keep going and finished with an overall pace of about 8:20 - for perspective that's a faster pace than the 10k I did in November, and I passed the 10 mile marker about 10 minutes under my 10 mile PB. Those treadmill speed sessions really do the job!

(The only problem is that having thought pre-race that I'd use this one to get back to where I was this time next year and the next one to have a bash at 1:50, it means I'm going to have to find a new target for my next half at the end of February!)

:carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

Helen, that is awesome! Congrats! I was thinking about you this morning and it is good to see some good news.

Anne

:woohoo: Helen!

I have had a pathetic week this week, first we had ice and then dh has been too sick to be allowed near the baby with his lungs from the RSV. Hopefully I can get one in tomorrow.

Helen, you're such an inspiration!

According to my training team schedule, I was supposed to rest today and run a mile tomorrow, but I knew it was going to snow and sleet tonight, so I went ahead and ran this morning in case tomorrow's too icky. It was a chilly 27 degrees, but it wasn't bad. I ran two miles in 22 minutes -- woohoo! I'm so addicted now!

Lisa, I usually rest the day before a "long run" and run the day after, it doesnt really matter as long as you get a rest day in there somewhere. Once your group runs get longer make the next run an "easy" pace.

WOOHOO :woohoo: Helen that's great time!!

Thankyou everyone, I'm still bouncing about feeling very pleased with myself :dance:

I ran about 5 miles with running club last night, my legs felt as though they'd hardly done anything (big contrast with my last half) so it was good to get out again. I'm now pondering what approach to take for my next half at the end of February. There are pacers at that one, and there will be an 8 minute mile group. I know that on Sunday I managed to keep to 8 minute miles almost spot on for roughly the first half of the route, so I'm wondering whether to give it a go and run with them to see how long I can keep it up for if I've got a group to run with. I'll give it another month though to see how I'm running by the time it comes round.

Helen, you are so inspirational. I think you should definitely go with the pace group if you feel like it.

Well, the bonk in my half was most likely due to pregnancy. I found out for sure today. It is still too early to tell in the real world, but it will obviously affect my running. I ran until about 10 weeks with my first pregnancy, at less intensity, until I got grounded for complications. We'll see how this one goes.

Anne

Wooohooo Anne!

I was able to run for about 32 weeks this time and I couldnt my first time so you never know. Well I should say run for 26-28 weeks, after that calling it "running" was pushing it.

Wow, CONGRATS Anne!!!

Tonight I ran with the running group and it was awesome... It felt like Christmas, a light pretty snow and only about -2C, BEEEAUTIFUL!! Everyone was on a high after that run...

Today I ran much faster than I'm ready for, I think. I didn't even mean to, but I ran one mile in about ten minutes and the second mile in just under eleven. When I was done, my legs were shaky and really hurting. I'm clearly not ready for that pace! It's hard to know what kind of pace you're doing, though. I guess I just have to get used to it.

Congratulations Anne!

I'm probably doing about 10k with running club. I'm a bit annoyed with the official results from the half, they have me down at 1:50:12, when I know from my watch and the clock at the line that I was 1:49:something, and a guy from my running club who finished just behind me (I was determined to beat him over the last five or so miles when I spotted him ahead of me) said that he thought he'd got 1:49:40 so if the official clock was still under 1:50 when he went past why are we both showing as over?? It seems they had a problem with people swopping numbers or running without proper numbers which messed the results up, so I don't know whether to take my watch time/what I remember the clock saying as my time, or take 1:50:12 and be doubly determined to get under 1:50 officially at the end of February. It's not a huge thing as it's a PB and a good run anyway, but I like getting under these milestone numbers and being able to point at official results to prove it.

I hate events that aren't chip timed. I'd go with your watch.

I don't mind about the lack of chip timing, I've done some great events without chips that are a lot cheaper because of that with perfectly accurate results (and I've done and heard about too many events where there have been problems with the chips to think they're the answer to all the problems), but it's just frustrating this time round.

Never mind, I have three more halves between now and my marathon in May so there's plenty of time to get under 1:50...

I'm feeling so good about my running at the moment, I just want to bottle the feeling. I ended up doing just over 7 miles tonight. The bloke I beat on Sunday in the race is the main organiser of training nights. He always leads the middle group (guess I have no excuse to think I'm not fast enough for it now ;) ) and midway round suggests a detour for a slightly longer run. I don't often go with the group doing the longer run because I'd assumed they'd be too fast for me, but now I know that if he can do the run I certainly can I have no excuse! Anyway, today I went with them despite the fact that it was starting to try to snow, and I was actually having to slow down a bit to let the others catch up in places! I guess that's my last skiving excuse out of the window...