The Chase 5k

I did the second annual The Chase 5k in memory of four month old Chase Ruffner who passed away from SIDS. The charity is First Candle, an organization committed to safe pregnancies and infant loss awareness. It is a small race, which is good for runners my age. There were only two in my age bracket and I won first. I think the other mostly walked. Didn't break any records and was only a few seconds faster than last year. Today was a tough run. Very humid. Yucky. Why are they sometimes so tough?

Glad I did it. No matter how bad the run is, I always feel really good afterwards.

 

Below is the quilt I made for little Chase's parents, from his clothes.

 

Long run

Made a decision today. I'm not going to do a half marathon this fall. Well, at least that is how I feel today about it. I did 8 miles at 5/1 intervals. It was tough. My heart rate seemed awfully high the whole time. Avg HR was 161, max HR 172. At my age my max is supposed to be 165. The weather was nice and cool. I feel wonderfully tight and tired tonight, but still....I have a lot going on in the next month or two-- vacation, the hubby's biopsy, and possibly a trip to Scotland to see the kids.

Here are today's stats.

 

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 1:40:10.3 8.01 12:31 1 12:53.6 1.00 12:54 2 12:53.3 1.00 12:53 3 12:40.4 1.00 12:40 4 12:18.7 1.00 12:19 5 12:23.2 1.00 12:23 6 12:21.0 1.00 12:21 7 12:00.4 1.00 12:00 8 12:36.3 1.00 12:36 9 :03.4 0.01 9:16

So, it feels a little disappointing to say I'm not going to do one this fall. I plan to keep my three weekly runs going at least three miles each. Can't imagine not doing that.....and I do have plans for two 5ks for the next couple of Saturdays. Not my favorite race but maybe I will focus on getting better on those.

Strength training

The Jeff Galloway half marathon training method I am using has the long run increasing every other week. The alternate weeks back up a few miles. This week I only had three miles on the plan (week 6). I did my three inside. Easy peasy.

I decided to try to do some strength training. Remember I am 55 and only been running for a year and a half. In other words I am not a very fit athlete. I found this plank challenge I am trying. Honestly, I don't know if I will make it even to two minutes, but I am going to give it a try. I'm on day 8.

This week I also did a few walking lunges. 20. My rear end has been sore for three days! I guess that means I need to do them more often. I think I'll try side lunges and just try to work up slowly. The goal is to be strong enough that I won't hurt my knees, hips, ankles, etc. while I am working towards the half marathon. We'll see how this goes....

 

Friday long run

I didn't feel that great today. Either allergies or a cold coming on, but I knew if I ran I'd feel better. My HM plan had me doing 6.5 miles today. So, after my hair cut I swung by my worksite workout center. It was great. Cool room with nobody else there. Except for a potty break at two miles, I took no walk breaks and ran the 6.5 miles. Felt pretty good. I used the garmin and I don't know why it didn't register the full six and a half like the treadmill.

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 1:15:12.7 6.34 11:52 1 12:20.5 1.00 12:21 2 12:04.8 1.00 12:05 3 12:15.3 1.00 12:15 4 11:57.9 1.00 11:58 5 11:50.6 1.00 11:51 6 11:02.8 1.00 11:03 7 3:32.0 0.33 10:37 8 :09.0 0.00 49:02

I considered this a good run. I love that spent feeling after a good run, and how tight and tired my legs feel. I did the foam roller afterwards. No real soreness anywhere, just a good tired tonight. I think that is the farthest I've run since my last half marathon when I hurt my knee in April.

Great long run!

Don't have a picture today but just had to share about my long run. It was so hot I decided to run on the treadmill at my work site. I don't think I've been on a treadmill since last winter. It was nice and cool in the room. I started out slow and easy at a 12:30 pace. Ended up bumping it up to 10:30 pace and the final mile and half was at a 10:00 minute/mile pace! One of my goals for the year was to run a ten minute mile. Yay! I did 5.53 miles and felt awesome, and with no walk breaks.

For most of the summer I've just not felt I was getting any better/faster, but I must be. I know a ten minute mile is considered pretty easy for most runners, but for me it is a great accomplishment!

I was wanting to do the Jeff Galloway Magic Mile. He says every few weeks in your training you should do a hard mile. Multiply it by 1.2 and that is what he predicts you can do in a half marathon. That would make mine about 2 hours and 37 minutes. I'll take it. My best HM was 2:43.

Long run

...well, kind of long. I did four miles today, but it did include an eight minute warm up walk while I talked on the phone. I'm thinking that I will go ahead with my half marathon training for the November 30th race in Oak Rodge. It is flat and I'd like to do it, unless I am visiting the kids in Scotland that week. I'll wait a bit before I sign up but I'll follow the training plan. I've been trying to do three miles two times a week then the longer run on the weekend. I like the Jeff Galloway method, although I'm adjusting it a bit. Sometimes I don't do the walk run intervals and sometimes I do. Today I did 4/1 most of the time. Earlier this week I just jogged the full three miles no stopping. Of course it was on my "inside track" which is easy.

I really like my new watch now. Since I've used the GPS quite a bit, the watch uses the accelerator to track my inside pace and distance. Below is my inside track....(iPhone pano pic)

I know some people think it is wierd that I actually run in the house, not on a treadmill. But I do. It works. It is slow but sometimes I need that to keep my heart rate down. I think my average pace was about 13 min/mile. I jog my little circle around my kitchen, dining room, and living room.

 

 

Weekly long run

I've been pretty busy lately driving back and forth to Louisville helping my son and his family get ready for the big move across the ocean, to Scotland. They are here with us now until Monday when they will drive to Nashville for an early Tuesday flight. I managed to get my long run in today. It sure helps with all the stress. It's a good time to do some heart felt praying for them too.

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 1:02:45.1 5.00 12:33 1 13:21.8 1.00 13:22 2 12:37.2 1.00 12:37 3 12:20.9 1.00 12:21 4 12:14.6 1.00 12:15 5 12:09.7 1.00 12:10 6 :01.0 0.00 12:25

Even though it was only 68 degrees, the humidity was in the 90's and it was a very hot, sticky run. Glad to have it over with. I did 3/1 intervals (jog 3 minutes, then walk 1 minute). Not fast, but I do like those negative splits.