My Plans for 2015

I have been kind of holding off on making too many plans for 2015 because of my knee. I had an MRI on Sunday and I am hoping to get some answer soon. I am supposed to be running my first race of the year this Saturday but I am not quite sure if I am going to run it pending the results of the MRI.

I am not in any shape to race so if I am able to run it I will be taking it very easy. I don't like the idea but it is that or nothing at all. I would rather be running at my easy pace than not running at all. I don't have any pain while running which is why I have been given the okay to keep running. I have been keeping my runs in the single digits and the pain has been minimal the following day. My runs have been at my easy pace but I will take it over being completely sidelined which is kind of the worst feeling in the world at times.

As far as races, I have a few that I deferred last year for one reason or another so I am going to take care of those races this year. Here are the races that I have lined up so far:

April 10-11, 2015 So Cal Ragnar Relay

May 24, 2015: Mountains 2 Beach Marathon

June 6, 2015: Fontana Days Run

September 13, 2015: Ventura Half Marathon

I am also considering Phoenix in the end of February and Canyon City in November but I am holding off until I have the knee problem under control. I really dislike the feeling of registering for races and then having to sit them out. The pressure to run them anyway is just crazy!

I am also holding off on setting any big goals for 2015 but as soon as I have some answers I will sort it all out and see what I am physically capable of this year. I have to be patient and I am doing my best to get through this. I hope to get some good news this week so that I can set some goals and finalize my plans for 2015!

Do you have any big plans for 2015?

Lets Talk Goals for 2014 and Recap of 2013 Goals

 RECAP OF MY 2013 GOALS

1)  Accomplish (Beach Cities Challenge) and (Sub-Four Marathon) which were goals from 2012 which were not met due to an injury.

Status: GOALS MET! I finally earned my Beach Cities Challenge medal in October, 2013 and I ran two sub four marathons.

2) Stay Injury Free and be a smarter runner!   

Status: This is an on-going goal that I will always strive to meet but I can say that I have been smarter with my running this year and remained injury free in 2013. I have been better at foam rolling, stretching and using my Stick which may have saved me!

3) Continue to work towards that BQ. 

Status: This is another on-going goal that will stick around until I get that BQ! This has become my biggest focus and I WILL NOT GIVE UP!

4) Focus on the marathon!  

Status: I definitely focused on the marathon in 2013 and was able to improve my time by 16 minutes.  I will continue to focus on the marathon until I get that BQ!

 5)  Earn a PR or 2! 

Status: The only distance that I PR'd  in 2013 was the marathon but that was the most important to me in my quest to BQ.

6) Run 1200 miles in 2013!

Status: GOAL MET! I ran a total of 1355 miles in 2013!

MY GOALS FOR 2014

1) Run a Boston Qualifying Time of 3:45 or better!

2)  Run 1400 miles in 2014 which is an average of 117 miles/month.

3) Run a Half Marathon in 1:45. My PR in the half is 1:46:58 and this year I did not give much focus to the half marathon but mainly used the distance fortraining runs.

4) Put Speedwork back into my training.

5) Give trail running a try. I have been wanting to try it for a long time and I think I will go for it in 2014.

Did you meet your 2013 Goals?

What are your goals for 2014?

November Rewind and Pile On the Miles

November was a little tough for me since it took me a while to get back on track after the Long Beach Marathon. I had some hamstring issues during that race that scared me to death so I think the thoughts of injury in the back of my mind kept me from really jumping back into things like I really wanted to. My training for the LA Marathon had a rocky start but this past week I finally started to feel like things were getting back to normal again and then the hamstring issue tried to make another appearance.

I ran a total of 104 miles in November and thank God for Monica and Pile on the Miles or else I probably would not have come close to my goal. I set out to run 125 Miles in the month of November which is about average for me but I did not meet my goal. My hamstring started acting up again so I skipped my long run this past weekend and rested for 3 days. It was the smart thing to do even though it ate away at me.

I ran three races in November as well. I ran the Surfer's Point Half Marathon with my other half and I also ran a Turkey Trot (5K) on Thanksgiving Day. I also had the opportunity to run Ragnar Las Vegas with some incredible people. 

I also met one of my Running Goals of 2013 which was to run 1200 miles. I am really happy about having met this goal mid November because I know that I can to increase my mileage in 2014. I am thinking of setting my goal mileage to 1400-1500 for 2014.

What does December have in store for me? Well, I only have one race in December which is a fun run half marathon but LA Marathon training will be in full force and I will use this half as an easy long run. It is sometimes hard to stay on track with training during the holidays and when family is visiting from out of town but I am determined to stick with it!

How was your November?

What does December have in store for you? 

How do you stay on track with training during the holidays?

My Favorite Race Photo and Meeting a Running Goal

I don't think I have ever purchased a race photo in the last three years that I have been running races.  They are just too expensive and I haven't loved one enough to actually spend the money.  I just had to buy this one. Surfer's Point Half Marathon was a very small race and this photo only cost me $7.99. Best deal for a race photo that I love! I am behind on getting the race recap up but could not wait to share this photo of our first half marathon together. 

I also hit one of my Running Goals for 2013! My goal was to run 1200 miles in 2013 and to date I have ran 1202 miles! With one month and a couple of weeks left in 2013, I am going to more than exceed my goal! This makes me happy since last year was not a great year for me and I fell short of my goal of 1000 miles.

Which reminds that I should probably check in with the other goals that I set for 2013 to see how I am doing? I can't believe that 2013 is almost over.

How are your Goals for 2013 looking?

Weekly Recap (7/15/13-7/21/13) and My Favorite Treadmill!

The weather is still incredibly hot and we did not catch a break this week. Planning my long runs around this heat has been difficult to say the least. As soon as I plan my week out, I realize that I have scheduled my long run on the hottest day of the weekend.

Monday: Push Ups (4 X 10) and a 1:30 plank. My son loves to do push ups and planks so I have been doing them with him. He is getting better at both!

Tuesday: 8 Mile Tempo Run on TM@8:28 pace (Miles 1-3@9:00, Miles 4-7@8:19 and Mile 8@7:50. I have been getting really bored on the treadmill lately so changing the speed around kind of makes me feel like the run goes by quicker. I also found the coolest treadmill in the gym which gets the best air flow from the AC vent! It is now my favorite treadmill but it faces the mirror. I have to stare at myself and all of the people behind me for at least an hour!

Wednesday: 35 minutes on the bike trainer:  My goal is to add five minutes to my time every week until I am up to 45 minutes. 

Thursday: 7 Miles on TM@7.56 pace (Mile 1@8:45 Miles 2-3@8:00 Miles 4-6@7:47 and Mile 7@7:27) followed by a nice cold chocolate milk! That is my favorite drink after a good run!

Friday: REST DAY-It was definitely needed after a long week. I went to visit my Grandma after work to take her new glasses to her and to help her study for her written driving test. She has been studying hard and when I quizzed her she got all of the answers right! She is 85 years old and is still pretty sharp and driving is still safe for her.

Saturday: 35 sweaty minutes on the bike trainer

Sunday: 15 Miles@8:54 pace. This weeks long run was much easier with less miles. It felt good to slow things down a bit. Next week will be another 20 miler in the form of a "Fast Finish Long Run" where I will attempt to push the pace in the end of the run. I love these runs because they boost my confidence when they go as as planned. I am hoping that the weather is in my favor!

Total Miles: 30

Next Saturday I will be running a 5K. I am excited but nervous all at the same time. My current running goal for a 5K is to run it in under 23 minutes. I am 18 seconds away from meeting this goal. Should I just go for it?

Do you have a favorite treadmill at the gym? 

If my favorite treadmill is busy I sometimes wait for it. If I am short on time, I find another machine but keep watching to see if the person finishes!

What is your favorite drink after a good run?

Recap of My 2012 Goals and My Goals for 2013

I can't believe another year has past! It was not the best year because I lost my Grandpa and my Dad is still battling cancer. I may not have accomplished all of my Running Goals but I did accomplish other important things in my life like finally earning my Master's Degree. 

I battled two injuries this year with my hamstring and then with my shin which really set me back on reaching my goals. When I look back at my Running Goals for 2012, I started out with 3 major goals for 2012:

1) Run 3 marathons in 90 days and become a Bronze level Marathon Maniac.  

Status: Goal not met. Why? That damn hamstring injury that had me sidelined for a few months!

2) Run the remaining two half marathons/marathons needed to earn the Beach Cities Challenge Medal in the OC.  

Status: In Process.  Once again injury stopped me from running and I broke the series which has to be ran consecutively or you must start over! I restarted the series with the OC Half Marathon in May, then broke the series again by not being able to run the Long Beach Half in October due to shin issues. If everything goes as planned, it looks like I will be starting the series for the third time by running the Surf City Marathon on February 3, 2013! 

3) Run a Marathon in under 4 hours.

Status: Goal not met. The plan is to continue to strive for this and February 3, 2013 will be another attempt for me while I run the Surf City Marathon in honor of my Dad.

4) Run 1200 miles in 2012.

Status: Goal not met. I only ran 993 miles. I was shooting for 1000 miles but missed a run. 

Races: I completed 7 races in 2012: 4 Half Marathons, 2-10K's and 1-5K. The only distance that I PR'd was the half marathon with a time of 1:46:58.

 So what are my Running Goals for 2013?

I have to say that my injuries certainly changed things for me in 2012! Slowly working my way back into running has been a challenge because I was coming off of a year where I PR'd in three distances (5K, 10K and 13.1) and I I was so eager to keep that streak going to into the marathon. As I slowly worked my way back from my injury, I had to accept things that I really didn't want to.  I went from running a 1:47 half marathon to an almost 2 hour half marathon. My ultimate goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon so in order to accomplish this goal I have to become a stronger and faster runner. There is just no other way to get to Boston!

 Running Goals for 2013:

1)  Accomplish Goals 2 (Beach Cities Challenge) and Goal 3 (Sub Four Marathon) from 2012.  Goal #1 (Marathon Maniac) will be put on hold until I feel that I am strong enough to take it on and not risk another injury. Three marathons in 90 days is a lot of stress on the body and one needs to be in top shape to take on this challenge.

2) Stay Injury Free and be a smarter runner!  This should be Goal #1! I now know the warning signs of an injury and I need to be smart enough to back off when my body is sending me a message. I am also better at icing, foam rolling, stretching, using my Stick and knowing when a rest day is needed.

3) Continue to work towards that BQ.  I am not sure when it will happen or if it will ever become a reality but I am not giving up yet. 

4) Focus on the marathon!  I have yet to figure out this distance. I struggle the last 6.2 miles and I am not in love with the distance by any means. If only a marathon was just 20 miles!

5)  Earn a PR or 2!  I would love to improve my time in the shorter distances such as the 5K and 10K. I would also like to try a new distance. The 15K or 10 Mile race in 2013 interest me since I have been ran a race of these distances.

6) Run 1200 miles in 2013!

Races: So far I have five races on the Race Schedule including the Ragnar Relay which I am most excited about! I am also wanting to take on the Dumbo Double Dare but I am not sure yet.

I think that's it for 2013! I think these goals that are reasonable and achievable for me.

Did you meet your Goals for 2012? 

What are your Goals for 2013?  
I want to hear about them!

A Record Month!

July was a good month for me. In fact, it was a great month! I can't believe that I actually ran 140 miles! The most miles that I have ever ran in a month was 128 back in December, 2011 right around the time of my injury. I know that most of you put in way more miles than this but it is a huge accomplishment for me since I am trying to get back into things since my hamstring issue! I am way behind on meeting my Running Goal of 1200 miles for 2012 but that's okay...I will make a comeback in 2013!

What is the most miles you have logged in a single month? What about for the year?

A Family Reunion and Weekly Recap

Every June we have a family reunion and all of the families take turns organizing and putting the event together. My Dad is full Japanese so the reunion is hosted by my Dad's side of the family.  I enjoy it since it is the one time of year that I have the opportunity to see a lot of my relatives that I don't often see. I also get to see my Dad and I always look forward to seeing him. My niece, Taite, is in town for the summer so she came along with us and it was a great opportunity for her to see her Grandpa (my Dad) and spend some time with us since she lives in South Carolina. My brother-in-law is in the Navy so they have not yet found their permanent home.  I am hopeful that they will settle closer to California one day soon so we can see my sister and her family more often.

There were lots of games and activities for the kids and my husband and son won the Rock/Paper/Scissors championship and came home a few dollars richer! My husband was really getting into this game and was taking necklaces from the children and the elderly! In a nutshell, if you beat your opponent their necklaces which had a quarter attached, became yours. We had never seen the game played this way before and thought it was a great idea.

There was a ton of food and it was nice to see everyone especially my Dad! Taite decided to give chopsticks a try but after struggling for a few minutes she gave up! She is such a sweet and well-behaved little girl and I love her to death!

Weekly Recap

I ran 26.25 miles last week and met my goal of 25 miles for the week! I am still experiencing strange aches and pains and some issues if I try to run consecutive days. The good thing is that the pains goes away within a short period of time and I am pain free when I run. I usually try to run every other day and cross train in between but I am not quite there yet. The rest days are much needed and appreciated until I think I can handle more. I will continue to shoot for 25 miles a week and increase my mileage when I think I am ready for more. My goal is to run a strong half marathon in September and get closer to the 1:5o range again.

How was your weekend? Did you race or do anything special with your family?

Mid Year Check on My 2012 Goals

Most of us have Running Goals that we are constantly striving to meet but there are a few that stay on our running radars.  As for me, I haven't met any of my goals this year due to my injury. There are seven months remaining in 2012 so I am trying to remain positive/optimistic that at least one of my goals will be met. Me, positive? I know.  Positiveness is something that I have been lacking the last four months or so.  I am definitely trying to move away from that attitude and I am sure that it will fade away as my running improves.

The main goals that I want to remain focused on in 2012 are as follows, but in no particular order:

Goal One:  Run 1200 miles.  Right now I am at 239 and I should be at 500.  Not so good, right? I am hoping to put in at least 100 miles a month from this point forward so this year may be more like 950-1000.


Goal Two: The BIG ONE....Qualifying for Boston. This one is probably not going to happen this year since I have no marathons lined up to get me there! CIM is still weighing heavily on my mind but I am 90% sure that I won't attempt it this year. I have a few other marathons in mind but no solid decisions as of today. Boston is going to have to wait for me a little while longer.


Goal Three: Run a Sub-Four Marathon.  I think I need to accomplish this one before I accomplish Goal Two, right? I think there is a chance that this could happen later this year if I am feeling marathon ready. If not, it will definitely happen in 2013!


Goal Four: Run a Half Marathon in under 1:47. I feel most confident about this goal.  My half marathon PR is 1:47:43 so I am about 44 seconds away from accomplishing this goal. The only problem is that I need to work my way up to an 8:09 pace at this distance. Right now I am no where close.

Goal Five: STAY INJURY FREE! I blew this one big time! I think this injury has taught me: a) how to be a smarter runner b) to listen to my body and c) to take a few days off when things don't seem 100%. I get it now. Believe me, I do!!

How are your 2012 goals coming along? How do you hold yourself accountable to the running/fitness goals that you set for yourself?

One of the most important things for me is to set goals that are realistic and achievable. Blogging and logging all of my workouts are great ways of holding myself accountable for my goals. I log all of my workouts in Daily Mile, whether they are crappy or great. You can follow me HERE!  Checking my progress keeps me on track and puts me in check when I am falling behind or losing focus.

1000 and Counting!

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that I was 2.24 miles away from reaching my goal of 1000 miles for the year.  It was supposed to be a cross training day for me since my legs were a little tired after running a 10K the day before.  Not that 6.2 miles is anything fantastic but it was a really hilly course and my legs are not big fans of hills!

I went to the gym to do my 45 minute ride on the Life Cycle as my cross training workout for the day and once I spotted the treadmills I could no longer resist the temptation to run. Having 997.76 miles under my belt for the year and being so close to reaching 1000 was just too much for me to handle.....so what did I do.................

 

Yup, I put my crazy mind to rest and jumped on the treadmill and knocked out 2.24 really slow miles.  I still did my 45 minute cross training session on the Life Cycle too!  Yippeee for me for another Running Goal achieved! 

I guess it is time to set a new goal for 2012?  Hmmm...how high should I set that goal?

Mission Inn Run 10K: 11/13/11 (My First 10K)

 

Yes, I finally ran a 10K!  I went into this race without any real goal but simply to see where I stood with this distance.  I planned to run at a comfortable pace and use my time to predict times other predicted times at various distances.  Earlier this week, I squeezed a 20 mile run in (a day after my speed workout) so I really pushed my legs to the limit. They were not very happy with me this week.

I am a big time weather watcher if you haven't noticed by now.  I was worried that it was going to rain and I wasn't looking forward to running in the rain but I guess there is a first time for everything.  I was in no matter what.

This was a very small race but it offered a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and a Kids Run too. The 10K started at 8:30am and the weather turned out to be much better than I expected.  It was a little on the cold side at the start (48 degrees) but the sun was out so I found a spot in the sun and waited for the race to start.

The course seemed pretty hilly to me. The minute I went up a hill it seemed like I was turning a corner and heading up another.  Although I had no real goal in mind, my goal of running a 10K in under 50 minutes kept playing in the back of my mind.  I started out a little faster than I anticipated because the very first part of the course was downhill but after the first mile I slowed myself way down and tried to maintain an 8:00 minute pace.  If I was unable to hold that pace, I didn't have a problem with slowing down and sticking to a pace that was comfortable for me. I slowed myself down on all of the hilly parts of the course because the last thing I wanted to do was kill myself and run out of gas early on.

The last couple of miles were on a bike trail and even that darn thing wasn't flat.  I was starting to feel a little tired at Mile 5 but I told myself that I had one more mile to go and convinced myself to stay strong.  I gave it all that I had the last mile, and pumped out a 7:30 pace until I saw the finish.  I was really excited to see the clock since I knew that I had a chance to finish in under 50 minutes.  I finished in 49:39 and accomplished another one of my Running Goals!  I also earned an automatic PR since this was my first 10K!!

My husband and I hung around until they posted the official results and then another surprise.  He told me that I finished second in my age group which meant that I earned a second medal!  The medals are about as cute as the hilly course that they make you run but they are taking up more space on my empty medal hanger so it is starting to look better already! I love these small races since they are the only races that I am probably ever going to place in!

I felt much stronger in this 10K than I did in my 5K last month and I think it has something to do with those crazy speed workouts that I have been doing for the past few weeks! Thank you speed work but I am still not in love...

The race ended at the Mission Inn so we wandered over to take a few pictures and use the ladies room.  They use fresh hand towels, not paper towels, in their restrooms, so I took full advantage and washed my nasty, sticky, salty face.  Kinda of tacky..I know, but that cold towel on my face sure felt good!

Goals, Deals, Weekly Recap and a Thunder Shirt!

While I enjoy reading the "November Goals" posted on all of the great blogs that I follow, I haven't posted! Why?  Because I am so focused on my new training plan that I can't even begin to think of any other goals to set for myself.  The title of my blog really says it all for me...I want to run the Boston Marathon one day before I die!  I am very goal oriented but Boston occupies so much of my running goals that working towards it will remain my main goal until I finally get there. 

Super Great Deal:

I am excited to share that I scored another great deal this week!  A local mall near my house just opened a new Sports Authority so they sent $15 discount cards out to all of the local residents.  Well, I have been wanting to buy a hand held water bottle for a while now but just could not get myself to spend $20 on one.  I mean it's a plastic water bottle with a little piece of material on it!  When I saw this discount card, I headed down to Sports Authority to see if they had what I was looking for and they did so I finally have one and I paid $5.00 for it!!  Sometimes I don't feel like wearing my hydration belt and just want to carry water in my hand but water bottles are just too complicated to hold. 

  

Week Three Training Recap:

This week was a very productive week for me in terms of sticking to my planned workouts.  I was able to complete all of my workouts and meet all of my target paces.  I am still having some issues with sticking to the planned paces on my long runs because 9:30+ paces on long runs can take forever to complete.  I guess it's all part of building endurance so I have to get better at sticking to the plan.

Monday: REST DAY

Tuesday: Speed Work= 6 miles...these workouts are challenging the heck out of me but I am starting to kind of like it now. Beside the fact that I feel like passing out and calling 911 during the workout, I think speed work is going to make me a stronger and faster runner.

Wednesday: XT#1: 45 minutes on stationary bike (hills plus workout)= 12.3 Miles 

Thursday: Tempo Run=7.4 miles

Friday: XT#2: Spin Class-great workout and I was sweating like crazy!! I also did some weight training and focused on my arms and legs while waiting for the class to start.

Saturday: 17 miles= It was 44 degrees out there and I had to force myself out the door.  This was the first time I have needed to wear pants and a jacket on a run in a long time!

Sunday: MUCH NEEDED REST DAY/CUPCAKE DAY!

Total Mileage=42.7 (30.4 of those miles were running)

On Sunday I rewarded myself for a productive week and ate cupcakes!!  One of my favorite cupcakes is Vanilla Almond Salted Caramel and it is to die for!! These cupcakes are like heaven in your mouth and and I could live off of them!!  

My plans for next week include a 20 mile run and my first 10K so we will see how my 10K goes especially now that there is a 60% chance of rain in the forecast!  I have no goal in mind but just want to see where I stand at this distance so that I have a goal to work towards.  How should I dress for this race? Any advise?

The Thunder Shirt!

Totally unrelated to running but Buster is still living with us.  I have been told that I should buy him a "Thunder Shirt" to help him with his separation anxiety.  It is supposed to be like wearing a giant hug to relieve some of the anxiety that is associated with many types of disorders that dogs suffer from.  Has anyone ever tried a thunder shirt, as pictured above, on their dog?  I really want to help Buster before he destroys my entire house!  I don't have the heart to take him to the animal shelter because I am such an animal lover.

Did you have a great week?  Congratulations to everyone who was lucky enough to run the NYC Marathon!  Did you participate in any other races this weekend beside NYC?

Source

Vanilla Almond Salted Caramel Cupcakes!

Getting Closer to Accomplishing Another Goal!

I completed my second week of my new training plan which now includes speed work and a couple days of cross training per week. I was able to hit all of my target times and completed all of my workouts. I also managed to squeeze two days of cross training in which is incredible for me since my schedule is really hectic. 

Week #2 Recap:

Monday: XT#1: 45 minutes on stationary bike= 16.2 miles

Tuesday: Speed Work= 4 miles

Wednesday: XT#2: 45 minutes on stationary bike= 16.3 miles

Thursday: REST

Friday: Tempo Run=7.71 miles (was actually a long run gone bad)

Saturday: REST

Sunday: 15 miles

Total Mileage=59.21 (26.71 of those miles were running)

I have noticed some new aches and pains here and there and I think the speed work has something to do with it.  I am not used to it so I am hoping that my body adjusts quickly and that I don't end up with a new injury to hold me back!  I have been using Salonpas patches to deal with the minor aches and pains but I am beginning to look like a weirdo walking around with ten  of these pain patches all over my body! I have some areas that I need to work on, my long runs in particular. I have to work on running a slower pace on my long runs.  I am not used to running at such a slow pace but I know that time is not so important on the long runs and my focus should be on building my endurance. Sometimes I just want to get the long runs over with so I can start my day so I tend to go a little faster than I should.

One of my Running Goals is to run 1000 miles in 2011.  I just realized that I am really close to meeting/exceeding that goal. As of 10/31, I have banked 934.36 miles!  I think I can actually meet this goal in the month of November!  Oh how I love meeting my Running Goals!!  I get really excited to say the least!

I am looking forward to this week and the new challenges that my training is  bringing me!  I might have to attend jury duty later this week so I am hoping to get an early morning or late afternoon spin class in to change things around! I love feeling challenged and I am hoping to see some improvements in my next marathon. My first 10K is just a couple of weeks away and I will be running it with no real goal in mind but just wanting to see where I stand at this particular distance.

How did your week go?  Were you able to squeeze all of your planned workouts in?

Having a little fun at work for Halloween!

Have a Happy Halloween!!!

Change is Good and Weekend Recap

After finishing two marathons in about the same time, I think that it is time to change things around and incorporate a new training plan for my third marathon. I have committed to running the Surf City Marathon on February 5, 2012.  Yes, it falls on Super Bowl Sunday but I should be done and home in time to watch the game and eat a bunch of junk food!

Up until now, my training has mainly been 90% running and 10% cross training.  I go to spin class once in a while, I lift weights once in a while, I do some push-ups here and there but no real set schedule or commitment.  I definitely need to start doing some speed work and incorporating more long runs! I know that Boston is a long ways away for me but I have consulted with the McMillan Running website to see what I should be capable of doing before I can even imagine that running Boston is going to happen for me in this lifetime!

SOURCE

After reading these numbers I realized that I have some work to do. In some distances, I am close but in others it's a long shot!  In order to prepare myself to realistically finish a marathon in 3:45, these are the equivalent race times:

5K: Current PR is 24:16 and I need to be able to run a 23:05.

10K: I have never ran a 10K and I need to able to run a 47:57.  I guess I better sign up for one soon!

Half Marathon: Current PR is 1:47:43 and I need to be able to run a 1:46:41.

Marathon: Current PR is 4:05:16 and I would love to qualify for Boston with a 3:45 or better...one day before I die!

My new training plan starts this week since I am, as of yesterday, 16 weeks away from my next marathon.  I have a ton of small races from now until then to keep me busy but I need to conquer this darn 4:05 marathon finishing time!! I am running most of my races for the rest of the year for fun but will be incorporating them as part of my training whenever possible.

Besides losing another toenail and running my first 5K, I put in an additional five miles the following morning to ease the guilt before heading to IHOP to take advantage of the "Never Ending Pancake" promo.

My husband finally put my medal hanger up that he gave me for my birthday. I didn't allow him to hang it up until I had a few medals to display! It is placed on a wall that is clearly visible when I go upstairs so it reminds me to keep striving for my goals!  I love it!! (Thank You Honey!) My son hung his first medal up along with mine.  His is the one with the little octopus.

What am I going to do with Buster?

Buster's owner has yet to come forward and claim him! He is just getting more and more comfortable as you can see. Tomorrow marks two weeks since he ran home with me.

Now it's time for a Q&A session from all of you wonderful and talented people who pull off PR's without even really trying!  Your feedback is really appreciated!

1. Does anybody have any tips on how they have shaved some major minutes off of their finishing times?

2. What have you incorporated into your training that has paid off for you?

3. What about hiring a running coach?  What are the benefits?