running blog....

Well...I'm moving my running blog to Runner's World. Go to Search for my blog here and type in ragtopcathy as the username.  I created one this morning and already received many comments.  All bloggers love comments.  My first blog was about one resulting issue of my long runs.  I'll still blog here, but my running blogs will be moved.

Week Ten -- Training for the Shamrock Half Marathon

This week, again, was missing one training run.  I ran 3 miles on Monday at lunch time. It was a nice day and a good run.  On Wednesdays, my Mike (hubby) and I started taking ballroom dancing and I was planning on running on the treadmill when we got home, but I instead succumbed to the tiredness that I was feeling. On Thursday, Mike and I took a night run together. Two miles around the lake and then I did another mile on the treadmill.  It was only a little icy in spots, but we didn't have a fall.  My training schedule was supposed to be 3/4/3.  I missed the 4 mile run.  I'm hoping to not miss a run next week though.  I'm scheduled for 4/5/3 mile runs along with the Saturday long run of 20K, which is 12.4.  This run is another Distance Series event with the Tidewater Striders .  This is their last before the half marathon.

Today I ran the Virginia is For Lovers 14K (just under 9 miles).  I was happy that Judy, one of my running buddies from my training group, ran the race with me.  We kept each other going.  We ran it all too and I think we finished at a good time according to Judy's watch, but the times have not been posted as of this posting.  I ran to my husband's RUN playlist and I so, so need to get that playlist from him.  Great to run to.  I've not heard of many of the songs, but they kept me going without the need to sing.  I'm not quite there yet...singing and running doesn't quite work for me.

After the last few long runs, I've been getting into the spa.  It really helps my leg muscles and my feet.  I used the bottom jets along the bottoms and tops of my feet.  Today spa soak was even nicer though because Mike joined me in the spa and massaged my feet and calves....nice!

Last week, I signed up for my next 1/2, The Virginia Beach Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon.  If I signed up now it's only $90 and I get a cool t-shirt.  Hey, it has waves on it ;-).   I am definitely going to join up with a training group for it.  I'm hoping that J & A Racing will do a training group, although I don't see them listed on the site.

Think I'll take a nap now...till next time...happy running!

Head in the Smoke

I am not a smoker...never have been and never will be.  I'm so happy that almost every work place is now smoke free.  When I moved here in 2007, restaurants still had smoking sections.  Being from California, I was not used to that and I was so happy when the law was passed to keep the smoke out.

Now can we outlaw people smoking in their closed up cars in the winter and coming back into the office with a cloud of smoke that doesn't leave them for hours?  This is my recent problem.  I am tracking my migraine headaches and they correspond to my cube neighbor's break time.  The smell waifs over my cube wall and into my nose and doesn't leave for hours.  I have a fan, but it does no good.  I'm typing this at 6:30pm, an hour and a half after I've left work and I can still smell cigarette smoke.  I think I need to neti pot my nose.  I googled migraines and smoke...bingo!  This is why I seem to only get these headaches at work.

Off to neti...

I don't make that face though...it's a really pleasant feeling most times.  Anyway, looking forward to not smelling smoke...

Week Nine -- Training for the Shamrock Half Marathon

Wow!  Nine weeks of training complete!

This weeks running was one run short of the training plan.  I ran on the treadmill on Monday.  I listened to a Podrunners' Speedbump mix that took me from 150 to 160 to 170 bpms and then back down.  Basically it's a temp run resulting in bringing up my speed.  My goal is not a difficult one, though.  I'm hoping to run a 10 minute mile consistently.  That will bring me in way under my original goal of finishing the half in 2:30....so if it's somewhere between 2-2:30, I'll be very happy.

It wasn't until Thursday that I ran again.  My husband and I did a night run.  These are fun to do together.  He's not running as far as me...yet, so we ran a little over a 1.5 miles together before I veered off to run the rest of my planned 5 miles.  My math was off though.  I was thinking I'd finish at 5 miles by combining two of my standard runs together; a two and and three mile route, but I missed a section...the part that would have taken me home and back out to start my other run and that's about the mile that I was short.  I ran 4 miles though and it really did feel good.

My group long run was in the rain along the Oceanfront.  We did 10 miles and I again had a running buddy.  Judy kept me on track.  We did do a little bit of walking on and off.  Only about 20-30 steps worth at a time. She and I were both tired today.  The rain didn't help either.  We finished at 1:57....about a 12 minute mile, so I'm happy with that.  It was brutal though and at about the halfway point, our coach was there cheering us on and all I could utter was, "I don't want to do this!"...as I continued on and finished up the 10 miles.

I am so happy that I joined up with my training group.  I'll do it again for the Rock n Roll Half in September too.  J & A Racing group training is my training group.  I would highly recommend a training group to anyone running a half or full Marathon.  It gets me up and out the door on Saturday morning where I otherwise would stay in bed.

Next week is the Virginia Is For Lovers 14K....that'll be fun!

Till next week....