Today will be the third day of temps in the 90's. With the heat index it feels like over 100. Definitely not a good time for the a/c to break down. Yeah.
I want to talk about the 14 miler that I did 2 weeks ago. It was the hardest run to date. I am doing the Galloway beginner plan (to finish). The longest distance I had run prior was the half marathon distance. I really wasn't worried about the actual distance because I had been building up to it. I was stressing a little bit about the course. It's hard to find out a course that's not too hilly. Then, I had to figure out where to plant water/gatorade. Suddenly, the weather was an issue (possible thunderstorms). Plus, I had to do the run on a Thursday rather than my normal Saturday because I was going out of town...which meant the kids were home since school was out. What I'm trying to say is there were a lot of things to worry about.
I was happy to wake up that morning and see that it was not raining or thundering/lightning. Phew. I drove around the course I had mapped out on Map My Run to drop the drinks and realized that this one section was extremely hilly (a road I had never been down before) so I decided we had to change the course around at the last minute. Not good because I had to estimate the miles and we ended up having to add on at the end which really messes with my head.
With all that said, what I really should've been worried about was the heat and humidity which I didn't give much thought to (stupid). I was drenched with sweat only a few miles into the run which is not normal for me. I don't sweat very much for some reason. I think it was around 9 miles that I realized I had some chaffing action going on in the thigh area. It wasn't long before I was trying to run while holding my shorts up above that area (didn't work). I only had chaffing one other time and it was years ago, but I do remember that it was also very humid that time.
By the last mile, I was so ready to be done that I stopped taking the walk breaks and practically sprinted to the end. My friend, Linda that was running with me just completely stopped at mile 13 (she's dealing with some plantar fasciaitis). When I finished, I backtracked to try to find her. By that time the temp had to be in the mid 80's. We were both hurting. Because we had to do so much adding on, we were probably a good half mile from my house when we finished. I had some weird cramping at the very top of my calves (never had that before). It did go away after a little while, but it was kind of strange.
I felt like garbage for the rest of the day. Up until that point, I had felt GREAT after doing my long runs using Galloway. This time was a completely different story. I was starting to get the headache that has become normal for me after a really long run. I knew I should eat something, but had no appetite. Looking back, I think part of why I felt so bad was because I was a little dehydrated. Even though we drank along the way, I don't think it was enough for the temps & humidity we were dealing with. Plus, I didn't bring any sort of nutrition..I usually at least have sport beans or Sharkies. I don't know what I was thinking not to bring anything. So stupid of me.
So, this Saturday is the next long run. 17 miles. I'm very nervous about it. I know I have to go get some body glide and beans. Maybe even bring a sandwich or something. We are going to a bike trail which is flat so that should help. I'm taking all the necessary precautions this time. I think that 14 miler was a good wake up call..you always hear "respect the distance" and I didn't do that. I took it for granted. I won't make that mistake again.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Update on Freihofer/Subway $5 discount
To get the $5 discount, all you need is a receipt from Subway that has their 5 digit store # or just call your local store and ask them for their #. I called the Subway I went to this morning (looking for the coupons) & explained that all I need is their store # to get the discount and they were happy to give it to me.
So, now it is "only" costing me $57 for 2 entries. I guess that's not so bad :)
So, now it is "only" costing me $57 for 2 entries. I guess that's not so bad :)
Good News..well, sorta
I was so happy when I found out that Subway will again have $5 discount coupons for the Freihofer's. The only problem is I've already been to two Subway shops today and neither of them HAS ANY!!! The first place at least said they should be getting them "soon." Hopefully, that's true because June 1 they raise the registration price AGAIN.
The second place looked at me like I had two heads or something..."Freihofer's"? "We don't have any Freihofer coupons." They might as well have followed that with..."idiot." Maybe they thought I wanted a discount on cookies or something? I don't know, but they were kind of rude.
The first place was at least nice enough to take my name & phone number down. She said they would call me when they got the coupons.
We'll see about that...I will be shocked if they call. In the meantime, I'll be stopping around the other local Subway shops.
I'll keep you posted...
The second place looked at me like I had two heads or something..."Freihofer's"? "We don't have any Freihofer coupons." They might as well have followed that with..."idiot." Maybe they thought I wanted a discount on cookies or something? I don't know, but they were kind of rude.
The first place was at least nice enough to take my name & phone number down. She said they would call me when they got the coupons.
We'll see about that...I will be shocked if they call. In the meantime, I'll be stopping around the other local Subway shops.
I'll keep you posted...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Race fees
Ever since I went through having a stress fracture last year, I have a thing about registering early for races. In 2009, I registered in January to run a marathon in October. I got hurt in June and couldn't complete the training. Fortunately, I was able to still run the half marathon so I didn't throw all of that money out the window. I did lose the difference between the two registration prices, but I could live with that. However, that did teach me a lesson and now I do not register for anything until I absolutely have to.
Which brings me to my gripe...race fees. They are getting outrageous. My specific gripe is about the Freihofer's Run which is less than 2 weeks away. You can usually save yourself a bit of money by mailing in the entry fee & registration the old fashioned way..using regular mail. Normally, when you register online you have to pay a few dollars extra in processing fees.
Not that a few dollars is a big deal, but for races that you are registering the whole family for (like I did last year for the Winterfest& Turkey Trot), those fees really add up. I think it cost my family of 4 well over $80 to register for a 5K. I just can't justify doing that anymore.
Back to my Freihofer's gripe...I went to the website and I see that the mail in registration is now more expensive than the online registration no matter when you mail it in. Apparently, they want to get away from the mail in's? So, right now if I register online before June 1, it will cost me $33.50 ($30 plus $3.50 "processing fee") oh..double that because I'm signing my daughter up so make that $67 total.
To their defense, if I had registered earlier online (by 2/28) it would've cost $20 plus the $3.50 processing fee, but there is no way I ever would sign up that early.
The race fees are just getting out of hand. I hate not to do the races because the kids love it, but I'm gonna have to start drawing the line eventually. It's getting ridiculous!
Which brings me to my gripe...race fees. They are getting outrageous. My specific gripe is about the Freihofer's Run which is less than 2 weeks away. You can usually save yourself a bit of money by mailing in the entry fee & registration the old fashioned way..using regular mail. Normally, when you register online you have to pay a few dollars extra in processing fees.
Not that a few dollars is a big deal, but for races that you are registering the whole family for (like I did last year for the Winterfest& Turkey Trot), those fees really add up. I think it cost my family of 4 well over $80 to register for a 5K. I just can't justify doing that anymore.
Back to my Freihofer's gripe...I went to the website and I see that the mail in registration is now more expensive than the online registration no matter when you mail it in. Apparently, they want to get away from the mail in's? So, right now if I register online before June 1, it will cost me $33.50 ($30 plus $3.50 "processing fee") oh..double that because I'm signing my daughter up so make that $67 total.
To their defense, if I had registered earlier online (by 2/28) it would've cost $20 plus the $3.50 processing fee, but there is no way I ever would sign up that early.
The race fees are just getting out of hand. I hate not to do the races because the kids love it, but I'm gonna have to start drawing the line eventually. It's getting ridiculous!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Mohawk Hudson vs. Hartford
I have a fall marathon weighing heavily on my mind today...well, not heavily. That's an exaggeration :) Actually, I have much more important things weighing heavily on my mind, the marathon is just mixed in with everything else.
I mapped out a training plan today using the Galloway method. Alyson, Larry and I experimented with it 2 weeks ago and it went really well. We used a run/walk ratio of run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute. We did a 10K training run and we started the run/walk from the very start.
We all felt great at the end. Even Larry - and he absolutely hates running. In fact, that was the farthest he has ever run. I think his exact words were "I think I found my niche." He also said he felt like he could keep going at the end. So, Galloway gets 2 thumbs up from Larry :)
Alyson and I felt really good, too. I have to admit I have a bit of a mental block about walking at all during a run. It's going to be hard for me to overcome that barrier, but I want to be open to giving this a chance.
To be honest, I think when we were running for the 4 minutes, our pace was faster than it would be if we had been just running (no walking). Overall, our time was almost exactly what it normally would be had we not been walking.
So, what does that mean? It means that even though we were walking for a total of 6 minutes - we didn't lose ANY time. Isn't that crazy? The biggest benefit of using this method is you feel better & less tired during your run. The recovery time is also much faster afterward.
The Galloway method also calls for running just 3 days a week + one day of an easy walk. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Plus, you can't argue with the success rate of this method. I think something like 99% people that Jeff Galloway has trained with this method complete marathons AND they do not get injured. There is certainly something to be said for that!
So, I think we're going to continue using this method for our Saturday long runs and see how it goes.
I have somewhat of a dilemma about which marathon I want to register for. Do I want to run local and do the Mohawk Hudson or do I want to stick with my original plan of running Hartford?
I love the Hartford race because it's so festive. There are tons of people there and there's a really great atmosphere. They also do an awesome job of putting on the race - top of the line. I've done the Hartford half 2 other times and my plan has always been to do my first full there.
I have a few friends who will be running the half locally - some of the women who were in my running group last year. I'd love to be there with them even though they will probably be home & showered by the time I finish my race ;-)
I don't know what to do...I also just found out that one of my "Running Wild" team members (Brian) already registered for Hartford. Not sure what the others are going to do..
Decisions, decisions.
I mapped out a training plan today using the Galloway method. Alyson, Larry and I experimented with it 2 weeks ago and it went really well. We used a run/walk ratio of run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute. We did a 10K training run and we started the run/walk from the very start.
We all felt great at the end. Even Larry - and he absolutely hates running. In fact, that was the farthest he has ever run. I think his exact words were "I think I found my niche." He also said he felt like he could keep going at the end. So, Galloway gets 2 thumbs up from Larry :)
Alyson and I felt really good, too. I have to admit I have a bit of a mental block about walking at all during a run. It's going to be hard for me to overcome that barrier, but I want to be open to giving this a chance.
To be honest, I think when we were running for the 4 minutes, our pace was faster than it would be if we had been just running (no walking). Overall, our time was almost exactly what it normally would be had we not been walking.
So, what does that mean? It means that even though we were walking for a total of 6 minutes - we didn't lose ANY time. Isn't that crazy? The biggest benefit of using this method is you feel better & less tired during your run. The recovery time is also much faster afterward.
The Galloway method also calls for running just 3 days a week + one day of an easy walk. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Plus, you can't argue with the success rate of this method. I think something like 99% people that Jeff Galloway has trained with this method complete marathons AND they do not get injured. There is certainly something to be said for that!
So, I think we're going to continue using this method for our Saturday long runs and see how it goes.
I have somewhat of a dilemma about which marathon I want to register for. Do I want to run local and do the Mohawk Hudson or do I want to stick with my original plan of running Hartford?
I love the Hartford race because it's so festive. There are tons of people there and there's a really great atmosphere. They also do an awesome job of putting on the race - top of the line. I've done the Hartford half 2 other times and my plan has always been to do my first full there.
I have a few friends who will be running the half locally - some of the women who were in my running group last year. I'd love to be there with them even though they will probably be home & showered by the time I finish my race ;-)
I don't know what to do...I also just found out that one of my "Running Wild" team members (Brian) already registered for Hartford. Not sure what the others are going to do..
Decisions, decisions.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Ocean City, MD Half Marathon
I got back from Maryland yesterday around 4:30. I had a GREAT race (we all did)! The weather was perfect..couldn't have been better. It was cool, but sunny with a slight breeze. Probably in the 50's or so. Kathleen, Brian & I all exceeded our goals..Brian finished in 1:55, Kathleen 1:58 and I was 2:05 (new PR for me by 6 minutes!). Gregg had a broken toe and couldn't run, but he came along and graciously agreed to be our coach/cheerleader/caddy/chauffeur. And, he did a GREAT job. We planned out where he was going to be around the course to give us drinks, etc. and it worked out great. It was really nice to have someone do that. We jokingly talked about possibly doing that for each other for future races. I think it made a world of difference.
My pace was 9:29 which I was very pleased with. It didn't seem to be a problem to keep that pace until about mile 10-11. By then, my legs were getting pretty tired and I felt like slowing down. I was trying to beat my first half marathon time (of 2:11) and even if I dropped down to 10 min. miles, I'd still beat it. But, I really didn't want to do that..if I could keep going at my current pace I could smash that time. And, that's what I did! I was soooo happy with that.
The course was totally flat other than the bridge at mile 12. The bridge takes you over to Assategue Island. I've never walked on that bridge before (just drove). I didn't realize how high it actually is. They made us use the narrow pedestrian bridge (rather than the one that the cars drive on) which was a little weird. I felt a bit nauseous. I'm not afraid of heights at all, it just felt strange running on it.
Right after I got my medal and was just standing around in the tent talking, a man right behind me collapsed. He landed face down on the concrete. We yelled for help and medics were right there. Within a couple of minutes they started giving him CPR, but you could tell he wasn't responding. They eventually took him away in an ambulance. We couldn't find any news online or on tv about the race so we kind of assumed he must be okay...
My sister-in-law emailed the race director to ask about his condition since we were right there when it happened. She was told that he didn't make it. He was 40 years old. They said his wife was also running in the race.
I just can't stop thinking about that and how tragic it is. You do hear about runners dying in races, but it's actually not very common when you think about how many people are running. Still, it's kind of scary. It makes me wonder what this guy's situation was..did he train, was he experienced, etc. More than likely, he probably had some kind of heart disease or underlying (possibly unknown) issue. I've even been looking online for his obituary. I don't know why. I haven't found anything yet.
Went for a 4 mile run today to loosen up. My quads are pretty tight. Everything else feels good though. Not sure what my next race is going to be...possibly the Freihofers if I can get my daughter to run it with me. I'll keep you posted :)
My pace was 9:29 which I was very pleased with. It didn't seem to be a problem to keep that pace until about mile 10-11. By then, my legs were getting pretty tired and I felt like slowing down. I was trying to beat my first half marathon time (of 2:11) and even if I dropped down to 10 min. miles, I'd still beat it. But, I really didn't want to do that..if I could keep going at my current pace I could smash that time. And, that's what I did! I was soooo happy with that.
The course was totally flat other than the bridge at mile 12. The bridge takes you over to Assategue Island. I've never walked on that bridge before (just drove). I didn't realize how high it actually is. They made us use the narrow pedestrian bridge (rather than the one that the cars drive on) which was a little weird. I felt a bit nauseous. I'm not afraid of heights at all, it just felt strange running on it.
Right after I got my medal and was just standing around in the tent talking, a man right behind me collapsed. He landed face down on the concrete. We yelled for help and medics were right there. Within a couple of minutes they started giving him CPR, but you could tell he wasn't responding. They eventually took him away in an ambulance. We couldn't find any news online or on tv about the race so we kind of assumed he must be okay...
My sister-in-law emailed the race director to ask about his condition since we were right there when it happened. She was told that he didn't make it. He was 40 years old. They said his wife was also running in the race.
I just can't stop thinking about that and how tragic it is. You do hear about runners dying in races, but it's actually not very common when you think about how many people are running. Still, it's kind of scary. It makes me wonder what this guy's situation was..did he train, was he experienced, etc. More than likely, he probably had some kind of heart disease or underlying (possibly unknown) issue. I've even been looking online for his obituary. I don't know why. I haven't found anything yet.
Went for a 4 mile run today to loosen up. My quads are pretty tight. Everything else feels good though. Not sure what my next race is going to be...possibly the Freihofers if I can get my daughter to run it with me. I'll keep you posted :)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Upcoming Local Races
http://www.powerhouseathleticsny.com/races
This is a new local half marathon you may be interested in. It's called Jog for Jugs in support of breast cancer. There is a half marathon & 5K. I think maybe I should start putting links to local races here. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of everything that's going on!
Congratulations to Evelyn on finishing her very first half marathon. I believe her time was 2:24..I hope that's right. That's awesome!
It's an exciting time for runners..it's getting warmer out & there are lots of great races coming up. I'm doing my third half marathon in a little over a week down in Ocean City, Maryland. I'm excited about that because first of all, it will be fun. I'm going down with my brother and his friend, Brian. We're going to have a great time. Also, the course is flat. We vacation down there so I'm very familiar with the roads. I've been going there since I was a teenager. It's practically my second home.
I have one last FREE registration for Sean's Run in Chatham..that race is April 25 (same weekend I'll be in MD)..anyway, if you would like to run that race, let me know I'll give you the form. Someone I know is one of the sponsors of the race and gave me several free registration forms. I have one left. I'd hate to waste it!
Happy Running :-)
This is a new local half marathon you may be interested in. It's called Jog for Jugs in support of breast cancer. There is a half marathon & 5K. I think maybe I should start putting links to local races here. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of everything that's going on!
Congratulations to Evelyn on finishing her very first half marathon. I believe her time was 2:24..I hope that's right. That's awesome!
It's an exciting time for runners..it's getting warmer out & there are lots of great races coming up. I'm doing my third half marathon in a little over a week down in Ocean City, Maryland. I'm excited about that because first of all, it will be fun. I'm going down with my brother and his friend, Brian. We're going to have a great time. Also, the course is flat. We vacation down there so I'm very familiar with the roads. I've been going there since I was a teenager. It's practically my second home.
I have one last FREE registration for Sean's Run in Chatham..that race is April 25 (same weekend I'll be in MD)..anyway, if you would like to run that race, let me know I'll give you the form. Someone I know is one of the sponsors of the race and gave me several free registration forms. I have one left. I'd hate to waste it!
Happy Running :-)
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