Oops, not a lot of time - 8 miles for me today - chat more soon!
Heather

Thanks, Kara and Laura, for sharing. I might try that some time, when I've got more jogging miles under my belt.

No jogging for me today, since I had skating.

Cheryl

3.5 miles today

45 min jogging today.

I've been a bit quiet recently, one of my hamstrings has been playing off so I decided to take a couple of days off running before attempting a long run this weekend. Then typically the weather today was horrible, the sort of wind that it's very hard to run into, and I picked a route I'd never tried before which had rather steeper hills than I remembered!

At about 13 miles I just wanted to give up. My leg wasn't hurting particularly, but I was fed up of battling the wind and my head was trying to convince me that my leg would benefit from another short run this weekend, but I hadn't done anything over 13 for 3 weeks so I made myself push on, on the basis that even a bad 20 miler is still a 20 miler. In the end I managed 20.25 and although it was slower than normal, it was still within a minute per mile of target marathon pace so hardly a disaster.

I think I'll skip cross country tomorrow though. I wanted to run it, because it's the last this season and will seal our victory in the league, but I don't think my legs would thank me.

Helen, I hope your leg feels better soon! Isn't it funny when you feel that divide between your head and your body. My feet can be running along fine and my head is whining and complaining about nonsense and then I realize, "Hey, I'm still running!" It always makes me laugh at myself!

Heather, you're a machine! Keep up the great work!

I got in four miles in between rainstorms this morning, so I didn't have to do it tonight (I hate running at night) on the treadmill (I hate running on the treadmill). YAY! I've got eight on the schedule for tomorrow and it's supposed to be VERY windy so we'll see how that goes. I tell myself I'm burning extra calories when it's windy. Do you think that's true?

Kara

45 mins jogging for me today

Diva, what's the word on that ankle of yours?

Everybody else, WTG on the mileage.

Hi, sorry I havent been on here much. dh is hogging the computer and I havent been very much in a weight watching mood lately

Anyway...I was sick with the flu last week which bummed me out because i had been training so hard for this 10K...so here is my race report:

Second 10K of '08

After spending the week sleeping and coughing, I forced a gentle run friday to loosen things up. I've had some chest colds respond well to that and this was about the same, wheezed and coughed, left 1/2 a lung out on the road, but in the end it seemed to open up my breathing. Started to feel that I would be ready to race by Sunday

Saturday I drove down to the race not sure what to expect. My original goals were 8:05, 8:10, 8:15 (perfect, target, backup) pace. Warm up felt a little sluggish but not too bad. I decided to go for it.
Mile 1 I struggled to hit the 8:15 backup pace...came in at 8:14 but I was worried. Halfway through mile 2 I hacked up the other 1/2 lung and started to breathe easier. 8:11. Really got in to a rhythm after that. Garmin was useless on this run so I had to pace myself and I just really focused on holding a 2-3 breathing pattern (for me that seems about right for a 10K...if I go to 2-2 I am too fast, 3-3- I am too slow). Just focused on the breath the rest of the race. Mile 3 was 8:00, mile 4 was a little hilly 8:03, mile 5 7:59 - nice even pacing I felt. Looked at the watch and decided to go for it. Started alternating segments of 2-2 (end of race/5Kpacish) breathing in ...some intervals. Mile 6 7:50. Then I went all out for the finish 1:32 (7:40) TT 49:52 (8:02)Woohoo!

But hey...that was my whole 2008 10Kgoal and I have 6 more 10K's

Funny stuff on the course...it took me about 5 miles to lose this guy who from the beginning was breathing with this weird moan. If I heard that elsewhere I would have thought "oh ****, heartattack" Finally at mile 4 I relaxed and figured since he was still running 8mm he was PROBABLY ok. But dang...at least 20 years older than me.

Then there was one guy who was pacing me a little closely. At about mile 4 1/2 he said.."I really like your pace". We exchanged pleasantries and he tucked in back aways. It was less flattering when I reached the end and he did the turnaround to head out on loop 2 of his 30K. He was 20 years older than me too.

Hey Helen ,now that Paula is sitting out that podium is all yours

Congrats on your race, Ennay!

I have a 15k tomorrow morning that I'm actually a bit nervous about. Last week was my ski trip, so I didn't do my weekly long run outside, and during the week I never really get to run much (mostly just walking on the treadmill with a few short speed bursts). I did run outside on Thursday morning, and I ran really slowly and felt terrible. Hoping I haven't gotten out of shape that quickly! This morning I went for a short 2.7 mile run, trying for speed, and I managed 8:13, but felt out of breath the whole way. This in contrast to a few weeks ago when I did a 4 mile race at an 8:00 pace! Hopefully tomorrow will be okay... I'll let you ladies know.

Good luck with the 15k!

ennay, I think I'll need to speed up a bit before that happens, but I did get my registration pack through yesterday so it's starting to feel real now. I'm on the same start as the elites, but I'll be a long way behind them Well done on your 10k!

My leg actually feels a lot better now, and I'd probably have been OK doing the xc, but I've got a bit of a cold too so I thought I'd play it safe. The marathon is getting too close to trip over a tree root or aggravate my leg.

The race is done (report on my blog). I did a 9:13 pace and felt pretty yucky throughout. I really need to get back to doing intense cardio more often - I think that's what's been killing me and getting me out of shape. Cardio is one of those things that I dread, because it takes so much energy, but I feel so great AFTER I do it. I just need to suck it up and start doing it right when I get home from work.

Have to smile at this, Ennay. Three cheers for the old guys, though! I've been in that situation when I do my 5K races. Being passed by someone who looks like she's in her 70s is a bit demoralizing.

Finally worked up to a little over 3K today, and at a pace I liked. I think the aqua jogging class I do three times a week (HIIT) is helping my breathing, etc.

Ennay, I'm glad you did so well on your race! And that you kicked that flu.

Helen, I ran a cross country 8 miles for you today. Not really, but the winds were so bad yesterday and today that so many tree branches were down all over the place and I had to keep high stepping over them. I thought of you while I was doing it, and dedicated my run to you!

Sheila, way to go on your running pace!

Laura, congrats on the race finish!

I think I am really getting the idea of pacing myself. I did eight miles today in winds that were UNbelievable. I seriously thought I was running in place for part of the time! But I haven't done eight miles for awhile so I started off at a really comfortable pace, ran through the wind, and was still able to speed up for my last mile. I came in at a little over 74 minutes, which I was VERY happy with, given the conditions. ('Course I'm very happy with anything under a ten minute mile.)

Kara

Hi guys...it sounds like you all have experience with running! I need some motivation and advice...one of my lifelong goes has always been to run in a marathon...well most likely nothing like the Boston, but even just a community one...I mean run..i just want to run and I think I need some advice and support...ideas how to get started, what works best for everyone...etc..etc...any advice...id appreciate! Thanks!