My Plans for the Remainder of 2014 and a Race for 2015!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have been feeling a little less than motivated lately. I am still running but not really following any type of schedule or plan. I guess you can say that I just run with no particular pace or distance. That has kind of been my spot lately and it feels like of nice to take a little break from it. I feel like I have been in a consistent training cycle and maybe I need a break. Not a break from running but maybe just a break from the pressure of training for a race.  

So what are my plans for the remainder of 2014? I have only committed to one race for the remainder of the year and I will be running it with my other half. It will be his second half marathon and he will be running it in one of his favorite places.

 

I have also thought about running a Turkey Trot (5K) on Thanksgiving Day but I have not committed to one yet. I can sign up at the last minute without worrying about a price increase so I will wait on this one. This is a fun one and I love that I get to see some of my local running buddies, like Megan, who also run this race.

Sometimes I feel like signing up for a race is the answer to getting yourself motivated so maybe these races will get me back into the groove. Having that said, I am going to commit to one more race that is more than six months out. I ran this race with a friend this year and paced her to a sub-2 half marathon PR. After experiencing the race, I really thought about running it to see what I could pull off on my own. I call it a cheat race because it is downhill but sometimes it is nice to fly without needing a pair of wings. It is local and cheap so what the heck. I am going to give it a try!

My running club also runs some local races that they incorporate into their training so they might twist my arm to sign up. I say no, but we will see.

 
Who else is thinking about signing up for some year end races? 

What about races for 2015?

My Running Plans for the Summer

Running races during the summer just does not appeal to me because I just don't do well in the heat. I can do a 5K or a 10K bu that is about it. I usually end up running a fall marathon and dread training through the summer heat but I guess it has to be done.

My next race is the Zooma Napa Valley Half Marathon in June. I won two race entries and I am really hoping that my friend can make it. Since she lost her husband last September, she has started running again but just does not have the desire to race. Her husband was at every race she ran and I think knowing that he will no longer be there just really bothers her. She is a great runner (3:17 marathon PR) and I really hope that she gets back into running in the future. Our plan for this race was to just take it easy and enjoy it. I am sure that running in Napa Valley is just beautiful so we want to take it all in. The host hotel is pretty pricey so we are treating this like a mini vacation not to mention she loves her wine.

I have no races on the schedule for July or August but I might throw in a 5K or a 10K. Then I have the Ventura Marathon on  September 7th which happens to fall on my birthday. September is still a hot month in California so at this point I have not decided if I will run the full or the half. In any case, I want to enjoy this race and not put any major pressure on myself but a "Birthday BQ" would be sweet wouldn't it? This race is a last minute BQ attempt for many runners since Boston registration opens right around this time. I usually sign up for one fun race a year and this just might be the one.

How do you feel about summer races?

What is on your race schedule for the summer?

Feeling Lucky!

My luck for winning giveaways has struck again! I won three giveaways this past week which include some Justin's Nut Butter from Marcia's Healthy Slice! Can't wait to eat this right up!

I entered a Hump Day Running Giveaway from Another Mother Runner for two entries to a Zooma Race of my choice. To enter the giveaway all you had to do was tell them who you would take with you and why. I entered with my friend who lost her husband in mind and we won! Her and I will be running Zooma Napa Valley because she loves it there. I had dinner with her on Sunday night and told her that she will be going to Napa with me in June and she was excited. She ran her PR half there a few years back and she celebrated her last wedding anniversary with her husband there as well. The plan is to enjoy the trip and run the race with no pressure and to enjoy the course. I am really excited about it and I hope it brings her some peace and relaxation because she love her wine and there is plenty of it in Napa!

I also find out today from Run with Jess that I won the prize for Week#3 of Winter Miles Challenge. I won a running shirt from Milestones Sports Jewelery & Apparel. It is super cute and I can't wait to wear it! This is the design on the shirt!

In other news, I survived my 20 miler this past weekend and I am looking forward to an easier week. I closed the week with 33 miles and my long run for this week will be 15 miles. I think my body is looking forward to cutting back this week.

How long is your long run this week?

I am feeling sad that I did not register for anything this weekend since the weather is going to be perfect for racing!

Adding to the Race Calendar

I was looking at my Upcoming Races and thought that it was looking pretty empty so guess what I did? I signed up for two more race! I haven't made a decision on a marathon yet but I plan to after I get a solid 20 miler in the books. I have been itching to run a 5K ever since I spectated the Pasadena 5K a couple of weeks ago. The combination of  zero speed work and the summer heat will most likely result in a non-PR but I want to do it anyway just to see where I am at in the 5K department. The course is pretty flat but I don't do well in the heat period so my expectations are pretty low. The Cypress 5K is a local race (anything that does not require a hotel stay is considered local to me) that is pretty cheap so it is hard to pass it up. They also offer bib pick up the morning of the race so I like having that option to so that I don't have to make a double trip since it is a 40 mile drive.

I also committed to running So Cal Ragnar again with the same group that I ran it with this past April.  A few of the runners were not able to commit so we are adding a few new faces to the team next year. We registered early to take advantage of the lower pricing so there is no turning back now! It will be fun and our team will again be sponsored by our captain's employer who sponsored us last year. They will be paying for the vans and the gas which is a huge help! We are very lucky and blessed!

How is your race calendar looking for the remainder of 2013?

Are you planning to add any big races to close out the year?
Another marathon is still on my mind..I just have to pick one and pull the trigger!

Weekly Recap (6/3/13-6/9/13) and Another Marathon in the Near Future

Last week was a really low mileage week (18.34 miles to be exact) plus I threw a little 10K in there last Sunday and felt pretty strong and pain free. I did better than I expected for not looking at my watch. I am not sure if I will do that again since I think I would have done better if I had looked at my Garmin a little sooner than Mile 6!

I am planning to start running at least 25 miles per week starting this week. It has been two weeks since my marathon so I feel like I have completely recovered and I am ready to get back into things. With summer making it's debut on June 21st, I have been hesitant to sign up for any races in the month of June or July. I do not run well in the summer heat but will probably end up training through the summer to prepare myself for another marathon at the end of this year or in early 2014.

I am registered for the Long Beach Half Marathon in October and may consider moving up to the full marathon if that is what works out for me. I have my eye on a ton of other marathons I want to run but I have not committed to anything as of yet. I really want to run an out of state marathon since most of my races have been local but travel costs can be expensive. I think I might consider planning a vacation which conveniently falls on the same day as a race!

I haven't ran a 5K in quite some time and I am considering running the Pasadena 5K on June 30th. Some other family members mentioned it to us the other day and I have kind of been thinking about it. Since it might be hot, the distance should not be so bad. I might even run it with my other half since he is starting to like this whole 5K thing and wants to improve his time.

Do you run races during the summer months? 

How do you survive marathon training in the summer months?

Some Preliminary Thoughts for 2013..

A full race calendar makes me nervous! I am not nervous about running the races but I fear the big "I" word.  Should I even say it?  INJURY!

At the beginning of this year I sat out quite a few races and I was not happy about it.  I was mostly disappointed because I had earned one too many DNS's and I also lost a lot of money!!! I think the only race that had any sympathy for me was Surf City! They allowed me to roll the marathon over to February, 2013 and this is the race I will dedicating to my Dad.

I am only signed up for a few races for the remainder of the year and I am mainly running them to see where I currently stand so I know how much work I need. I have no plans to PR this year. It's just not in the cards for me. My plan is to head into 2013 strong and hope for a PR or two! Here is what I have on the agenda for 2013 (s0 far):

January 13th: 13.1 Los Angeles  

February 3rd: Surf City Marathon

February 17th:Pasadena Half Marathon

April 19th-Ragnar Relay

**May 12th: Ojai 2 Ocean Marathon (This is not a for sure thing yet but I really want to give this marathon a shot.)

My main focus in 2013 will be improving my marathon time. I will be shooting for a sub four marathon and then working my way towards a BQ.  I am not sure when the BQ will come but I am certainly not giving up yet!

In 2013, I really want to try some races that I have not ran before but I have a few favorites like Disneyland, which I will probably end up running again. I also want to start focusing on setting some race goals again. I cannot get myself to set any goals right now. My main focus since coming back from my injury has been to regain my endurance and build a strong mileage base. My pace is not all that great either so I need to get back into doing speed work and all of that fun stuff. Oh how I hate love speed work!

"Me and running don't always see eye to eye. Some days it hurts more than others. But it doesn't mean I don't do it. I deal with it and I keep running because not everything that is good for you, always feels good for you." -Lance Armstrong

With 2012 almost coming to an end, have you started thinking about your goals for 2013? Is your race schedule pretty full?

Three Things Thursday

1. I finally bought a helmet and the puppies checked it out for me and made sure that everything was okay. Now I just have to put in on, get on my bike and go for a ride!

2. We are registered for the Color Me Rad 5K and will be doing it as a family. It will be the first 5K for all of them. I am excited and I am sure we will having fun more than anything so I am really looking forward to it.

 3. I will be running a 10K on September 22nd since I signed up for one yesterday. I got a Schwaggle from Active.com and the deal was for 50% off so I jumped on it. I am glad that I waited to register since it would cost me $50.00 + fees instead of $25.00 and then I would have been kicking myself for not getting the deal. I am due for a 10K since I have only ran one to date.

Is your race schedule getting pretty full? 

I know mine is and I am not done yet.  I still want to sign up for a Turkey Trot and possibly another run in December for the holiday.

Back to School...

2012 is going to be a very busy year for me and I feel it already!  Yesterday was my first day back at school.  I am finally finishing up my MPA (Master's in Public Adminisration) and I opted to take a series of tests instead of doing a thesis or a project. I am happy to say that this is the last course I need to complete the program and I will be done in mid March. Homework, projects and exams will be taking away from my running and energy levels so I know that I will have to stay even more focused and really push myself that much harder to stick to my training schedule. I never envisioned myself going back to school but when your job offers tuition reimbursement you really don't have an excuse not to take advantage of such a great opportunity. Earning my MPA will be well worth it for me so I am super excited to be on track to completing another goal this year.



Going to miss these people!!

My sister, my niece and my baby nephew hopped on a plane and headed back to Florida on January 4th so the house is empty and really quiet again. We only live in less than half of the house so when it is full of people it can be pretty crazy. I was starting to get used to a baby being around and all of the extra noise that comes along with house guests. I tried to spend as much time with my sister as I could, other than sneaking away on my runs, so I am way behind on cleaning up my Christmas decorations. I am enbarrassed to report that my Christmas tree is still standing with ornaments and all.  I promised myself that I would have it all taken down and put away by the end of this week. I am really behind on reading all of your blogs as well so I have to get back into my normal routine as soon as possible.  Your blogs keep me motivated so I need to keep current on those so that I don't get lazy.

Not that I need anymore sweets in my diet but how many of you have heard of Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour? These ice cream parlours were really popular when I was growing up and I had all of my birthday parties there.  Farrell’s is known for their yummy ice cream concotions which include the Pig’s Trough, the Zoo and the Gibson Girl. Farrell's seemed to disappear and now they are making a coming back. I was so excited when I saw the "Coming Soon" sign a few months ago. Unfortunately, I have to pass it on my way to the gym and believe me I want to go to Farrell's instead of spin class!!  Farrell's has been super crowded since their Grand Opening so we are being very patient and waiting for the newness to die down so that we can go and do some damage!

My very first race of the year is coming up in just a few weeks.  I am excited about my 2012 Race Schedule since I am running some inaugural races, as well as some that I have never ran before. I am also thinking about revisiting some of my favorite local races in hopes of improving my times.

What is on your Race Schedule for 2012?  Any new races for 2012 on the agenda?

Three Things Thursday

Happy Thursday!  It's actually like a Friday for me because I  work a 9/80 schedule and I love it!  I have a few things that I wanted to share with everyone because I am excited about them..

 

1) I finally registered for a 10K!  I will officially be running my first 10K on November 13, 2011!  I registered for the Mission Inn Run and since it's my first 10K it's going to be an instant PR no matter how good/bad it turns out!

2) I updated my Race Schedule and I am overloading myself excited for 2012.  I have quite a few races from 5K's to marathons that I am hoping to participate in.  I haven't committed to all of them quite yet but I am really hopeful that I can squeeze them all in and see some progress!  I am also hoping to redeem myself in Long Beach so wish me luck! I need to stay injury free and make some changes to my training so that I can earn some PR's and move a little bit closer to that BQ that I have been dreaming of!!

No pain...no gain!!

3) Speedwork is not fun! I have decided that I am not a big fan of speedwork because it kicks my butt and challenges the heck out of me!  I tried it for the first time this week and I just about died and thought I was going into cardiac arrest! I know that it is going to payoff for me in the long run because it is hard as hell!  I don't have a track close to my house so my neighbors are probably wonder why I am running up the down the street numerous times gasping for air! I need to be a faster and stronger runner so I am determined to do whatever it takes to get me there!  No more junk mileage!! I am determined to make each run count...quality over quantity, right?

So is anybody doing any fun races for Halloween? Are you running in a fun costume? 

Long Beach International City Bank Marathon: 10/9/11

Weather Report: 58 at the Start and 75 at the Finish 

The Course: The course was pretty flat and Miles 17-18 within the Cal State Long Beach campus are a little hilly but not that bad at all. They just sneak up on you when you are starting to feel the pain!

Race Report

The day had finally come and I was ready for it but a little worried about the Achilles tendinitis that had struck me one week before the race.  I decided that I would run the marathon regardless of the pain because it was not bad enough to stop me.  I got my carbs loaded in at Olive Garden the night before and took advantage of the never ending pasta bowl for $8.95!  I also visited Whole Foods for the first time and realized that a small box of hot food can cost you $10.00 if you aren't paying attention!

I had all of my stuff laid out the night before so I wouldn't be all stressed out looking for things in the morning.  I wore something nice and bright so that my husband/photographer and my son/biggest fan could easily spot me.  This outfit looks like something from the collection of Neon Blonde Runner! 

I ate a banana and half of a bagel and headed to the start which was a hop skip and a jump from our hotel. The weather was beautiful at the start at 6:00am but come 7:00am that sun was out and it warmed up quick!  I attempted to put my headphones into my iphone before the start and to my luck my head phones were not working..bummer! Not a good sign since I use my music to carry me through the rough times! Note to self: try out headphones prior to race day! I was feeling pretty good at the start..nervous but ready!

The Long Beach Hyatt

6:00AM

7:00AM: Hello Sunshine!

The course was great and very scenic.  I really enjoyed it! My favorite parts of the course were running by the Queen Mary and the bike path next to the  ocean/beach. There was a really cool breeze and it was very refreshing.  There were some really young kids running the half marathon and I thought it was pretty cool to see them running such a long distance.  The uncool part was watching them breeze right past me!!

My favorite picture even though I am not in it!

Easy Runner here must be 11-12 years old!

My husband/photographer and my son/biggest fan were there with me at the Start, and also waiting for me at Miles 5-6 and the Finish.  They made me another awesome sign too!  My son made good use of the chair he insisted that I buy him from REI! He hopes that one day I can pick up the pace so he won't have to cart that chair around with him anymore!

My achilles stopped me from even setting any real goal for the day, but in the back of my mind my goal was to run even splits of 9:09 and pick it up in the second half if needed, or should I say if I was still able.  

Although I started to feel a little discomfort in my leg at Mile 15, the first 18 miles were great. I GU'd at Miles 6 and 13 without really feeling that I needed to. I wasn't feeling tired at Mile 18 and I still had the energy to keep going. strong. It was definitely getting warm and I was keeping myself cool by dumping water over my head at the water stops. The volunteers were nice enough to throw water all over me too and then my shorts were glued to my rear!  That didn't feel real comfortable!

I knew that the fatigue would start to hit me around Mile 20 so I was prepared for that to happen but I was not prepared for the pain in my Achilles to hit me so suddenly and unexpectedly when things were going so well!  Shawna/Bandit was waiting for me at Mile 20 but as I was approaching Mile 17 I saw her and yelled out her name and she ran across the street and joined me.  She had no idea that she was joining me three miles too soon!  She thought I was doing great and had already reached Mile 20!  I wish!! Just to clarify, Shawna did pay her registration fees but had to pull out at the last minute due to an injury which caused her to miss too much of our training so she's not really a true Bandit. She does have a bib number!

I'm still smiling here as we leave CSULB!

Miles 1 through 18-The good...

The course was really flat for the most part and the elevation at Mile 17-18 was not as bad as I thought it would be. Those minor inclines changed things for me and were just enough to aggravate my Achilles! I GU'd again at Mile 20 and it didn't kick in! Shawna was being really supportive and hung in there with me. I was able to somewhat keep my composure up until Mile 21 and then I quickly fell apart! 

That would be me!

Miles 19 to 26.2-The bad and the ugly!

The crowd was great but I was so off focus that I wasn't able to  use their energy to push me to the finish line. The crowd in Cal State Long Beach was the best ever and I think I heard my name about 25 times while I was running through the campus.

The 4:00 pace group passed right by us at Mile 24 and it was tough watching them head to the finish when I had been ahead of them the entire race!! I did the best that I could to keep moving the last two miles and thank God that the last couple of miles were down hill!  I sucked it up and  headed to the Finish with my tail between my legs!  It just was not my race and I am still trying to process all of this today! I was on track for a sub four finish and didn't deliver! Shawna was a great support system for me and tried her best to keep me focused in spite of the issues that I was having.  Shawna told me that she uses profanity, gets really mean and cries when she hits the WALL so if I ever run a race with her, I will be running off the course when she starts cussing me out and hitting me!

Why is Shawna smiling while I am dying a slow death behind her?

Shawna exited to the left as I approached the Finish Line. When I looked up and saw the clock at 4:05:35 I wasn't a happy camper.  My watch was showing 4:02:20 so I am not quite sure what happened to my watch during the mess of those last 5.2 miles. My current PR is 4:05:16 and it was pretty painful to miss a PR by 20 seconds.  Even one second would have made me feel better after struggling like I did! I would have powered through it had I not screwed up the time on my Garmin and been aware of what my time really was! My watch had either lost connection or lost it's mind along with me!  It was more than three minutes slower than the official time and I didn't know that until I was crossing the finish line! I have not participated in too many races but the previous two races that I did run have the time posted at each mile marker and I usually compare to make sure that we are on the same page. In any case, I screwed up big time with the whole timing thing!

The look of defeat!

Getting my Medal!

In spite of having a less than perfect race and earning a PW, I didn't let that stop me from making up excuses to eat!  I was in the mood for an In and Out cheeseburger, fries and a vanilla shake. 

I couldn't wait to take a bite before I took the picture!

My son and my husband managed to drink 80% of my vanilla shake for me so I decided to make up for the loss of sugar with these! I only ate two..not all three!

Most people don't even think of running a marathon the day after they finish one, but I did!!  I wanted to go back and fix what happened and make it right but I know that I can't do that and I have to accept defeat when it happens.  I don't like to fail and it's hard for me to swallow!!  All of the elements of a good race seemed to be present for me on Sunday. I can't blame the warm weather, the minor hills of the course, the pain, the nasty blister on my toe, my malfunctioning head phones or anything but myself. It wasn't my race and it wasn't my day!

 

So what did I learn from this race? I learned that I need to stay focused on the race and my goal. I could have handled this race so many different ways and I think my way of dealing with it was not the best way. I know that Boston is a long ways away for me and I must train harder and push myself harder!  I also need to realize that every race that I run will not always be my best race.  Running a marathon is tough and if you can finish one, you have accomplished something that most people will not experience in their lifetime! I admire Shawna for always bringing me back down to earth and reminding me of these things.

Shawna and Me! Why does she look so refreshed and I look a hot mess??

Family Photo compliments of Shawna!

So, unlike this guy, I will be taking it easy this week...

 

and spending a lot of time with these three guys...

I have been doing a lot of this too...with Buster. We still have Buster hanging around the house and nobody has claimed him since he ran all the way home with me last Tuesday! He seems to like it at our place if you haven't noticed!

No marathons on the Race Schedule for the remainder of 2011.  I am going to try to enjoy the holidays and run a few small races just for fun! Congratulations to everyone who ran Long Beach and Chicago on Sunday.  We are all winners!!

I've got three words for you Long Beach...I'll be back!!