Intervals On The Track

I ran 5 miles this morning and did weights for my biceps that included things like curl with a bar and dumb bells, rows with the bar and dumb bells, incline curls, reverse curls, hammer curls, across chest curls and curls while my elbow is on my knee. I also did abs which included crunches a hundred different ways, russian twist with a 10lb weight and v-sit. In the afternoon, I joined the c-c team for an interval workout on the track. It was 2x400, 2x 800, 2x400 and 2x 100. They were tempo pace interval which is about 80% effort. The first 400's were at 90 secs. each, 800's were 3:16 and 3:17 and the last 4oo's were 91 and 92 secs. The 100's at the end were to be run like you were finishing a race. We did a mile warm-up and a mile warm-down. Total miles 6. For me, the pace was nice and relaxed and I tired to concentrate on form. It's been a long time since I have thought about my running form. I think as I have gotten older my form has suffered, mainly due to my back problems. I need to try and think about it more often! Total for the day-11 miles

It's cold!!!

Woke up this morning to hear the wind blowing outside and if I didn't know better, I would have thought that it was snowing. We left a couple windows open last night and it was cold in the house. I don't think I'm ready for winter yet!!! After Keith headed off to school, I ran 8.2 miles in a cold drizzle. I wore shorts, a long sleeve shirt and gloves, I'm not ready to break out the tights yet! After my run, I lifted and then went to the Y and swam 1 and 1/2 mile that included 500m pull. Went shopping at Sams Club because Corey needs some stuff at school and we will be seeing him down at Marietta this weekend. Now I'm tired and in a bad mood and all I want to do is take a nap but I know that won't happen, maybe it's PMS!! LOL Until tomorrow.........

More Speed and Hills

Yesterday I decided that if I want to get faster and more efficient in races, I have to quit doing what I call "junk miles" and start to doing intervals, tempo runs and different things to improve my leg turn over. I feel that I have the ability to run faster than a 7:00 min. pace per mile as I did on Saturday. I know that I will never be as fast as I was 10 or 15 yrs. ago but I still would like to improve my times in all distances. The key will be to stay healthy, train smart and not over do it like I have a tendancy to do.LOL With that being said, Today I ran an easy 5 miles in the morning followed by weight lifting. In the afternoon, I did a hill workout with the c-c team. Behind the Loudonville High School , there is a hill that everyone calls the football hill because years ago, the football team would have to run it for punishment. It's about 200 meters long and is straight up. We did about a mile and a half warm-up, 10 hills nonstop(I ended up going 13 because I ran 3 extra with the slower girls)and then 3 miles for a warm-down. Total miles for the afternoon was 6.5 because I also count the half mile from my house to the school and back. Total miles for the day-11.5. So far I'm off to a good start!!!

The Weekend

The above picture is the relay team for the Akron Marathon that was held yesterday. Lf to Rt-me, sorry forget the next girls name, my sister Pam, Michelle and Shannon.

Let me first start with Friday. Ran 6 miles, lifted weights and swam a mile. Keith and the Loudonville Redbirds defeated Johnstown with a score of 20-0. This is the first time we have ever beat them in the 6 years that we have been in this conference. This is the first game that Keith started on defense and had 7 tackles. So right now he is playing both ways. It has been a long time since the football team has had a record of 3-2. Go Birds!!!!

After only about 2 hours of sleep, I got up at 3:30 am on Saturday to meet my sister for the relay at the Akron Marathon. I was to run the 5th which is the last leg but decided to run the 3rd and 4th leg also with my sister and Michelle so I could get a long run in. It was exciting to see the lead runners come through while Pam and I were waiting for our 2nd leg runner to come in. Pam's leg was 6.8 and we ran a nice pace. It was good to be able to run with her a chat because we don't see each other much. She is 2 years older than I am and is a piot and Physical Therapist. She has run quite a few marathons including the Great Wall of China Marathon. She also struggles with back issues and sometimes I wonder if it is a hereditary thing. I ran just a little bit with a girl named Michelle, who was our 4th runner. I tried to pick it up to about a 7:30 pace for the 2.5 miles of that 4th leg. Once she handed off to me, I wanted to run 7:00 pace for the 7.9 miles. I was able to do just that because I ran it in 56 minutes so it probably was a little over. I was happy that I could maintain that after running 9 miles before that.
Through out the entire race I saw a lot of people from our area. I talked to Bob Schroer while waiting for our 4 th runner to come in. He seemed real excited because he thought the team he was on would place in the old age group. LOL. Also saw Joe Crawford after the race and he ran a PR in the Marathon. Good job to everybody!!! Oh, I almost forgot, I would like to thank the young man who shared his chocolate milk with me at a little store right down town by the finish. We were both looking for the milk and there was only one pint left, so we split it. Thanks a ton whoever you are!! Warmed down a little bit and then had to get home, take a shower and go to Baldwin-Wallace to watch Corey play football. Mariatta lost 34-14. Corey had 6 tackles, made one extra point and missed the other. He had his bicep stepped on which was giving him some trouble but today it was only sore. Next week Mariatta plays the big, bad Capital University. Please, lord keep everyone safe!!!

Now, on to today. A group was meeting at Mohican, this morning for a 21 miler on the trails. I was planning on going but, since Fri. night and last night I didn't get much sleep, I hit the snooze button and went back to bed. I feel like a wimp and some what guilty but I was sooo tired! I did run 12 miles later on in the morning and went to the Y and swam a mile with 450yd pull. total 1 and 1/4 mile swim. Tomorrow, I hope to do a hill workout with the c-c team. Enough talking for now...........

Two Good Runs

Ran 5 miles this morning and felt good:) Did weight lifting for my biceps, triceps, and back along with abs.

This afternoon I ran with the c-c team getting a total of 7 miles in. We did 5 x one mile repeats and the girls really rocked! Everyone was running under the times that they were suppose to run and I think all of us were felling pretty at ease with the pace. Not big on remembering the times but most were 6:30 to 7:00 minutes. Pretty relaxed pace!

Saturday, I will be running the Akron Marathon relay that my sister put together. I will be running the last leg which is 7.9 miles. I do not know the other girls on the team, except my sister, or what type of runners they are. I guess it really doesn't matter. I will just go with the flow and have fun!! I promise!! Until tomorrow.......

Total miles for the day--12

Is It Really Fall?

I can't believe this weather. The humidity is through the roof and when I got done running this morning it was like I jumped into a swimming pool. I was totally drenched in sweat like it was the middle of the summer! I have never really minded the heat but I can't stand the humidity!! The dear weatherman keeps saying that a front is moving in to cool things off, he had better not be wrong!! And for once we closed our pool before October, so I can't even enjoy a dip in our pool to cool off. Anyway, I ran 8 miles again this morning and decided to skip the weights and go straight to the Y. Swam a mile and a fourth and then went to spinning class for 45 min. I can still feel the soreness in my quads then standing up on the bike or it's because I am not riding as much as I did this spring?

I talked to my sister tonight, who is also a runner, and is doing the Akron Marathon on a relay team. A long story short, one of the girls on her relay team is sick so there is a chance I will be running the last leg for her team. Should be fun! I love not planning things and just jumping into races at the last minute, that way I don't have to think about it!

Tomorrow will be a two-a-day. I plan to run 5 in the morning, lift weights and then interval workout with the c-c team. Although things can always change! It's time to start getting on Keith to get ready for bed or it will be midnight before he makes it. He's my night owl!!!

A Special Friend

The above picture is Haley Young and myself before the home C-C meet this afternoon at Loudonville. Haley is a senior this year at Loudonville and has ran C-C and track all four years. I have trained some with her the past couple summers and I will show up every once in a while when the team does interval work to run with her. This year she has other teammates to push her but in the past I would try to help her with the speed stuff. Little did she know however, she would push me also! She is a great friend and runner! This year she is between third and fourth on the team and is the team captain. She runs in the 23's or 24's for a 5k. She has come a long way since the first time I ran with her a couple a years ago. I'm so proud of her!! She truely loves to run, has great determination and will and is a very hard worker. She will go far in life as she will with her running. I think that the longer distance races will be her true calling once out of school and college. This year her classmates voted her to be the senior homecoming attendant for their class. She was so excited and happy!!! She holds a special place in my heart and I will really miss her when she goes off to college next year.

As for my running, yesterday I ran 6 miles for a recovery run, lifted weights and swam a mile and a half with 450yd pull.

Today, I got in 8 miles, lifted weights and swam another mile and a half. Tomorrow, my plan is to do the same plus adding a spinning class. Until next time.............