Brick
Bike: 50 minutes
2 min seated climb/2 min standing climb x 2
Run: 5K
Time - 27:16
Pace - 8:43
I woke this morning to sunny skies and was very hopeful I would finally get a swim in for the week. At 8:30 I pulled out of the garage and it started to sprinkle. I decided to bring my running shoes and Garmin just in case the pool was closed again. By the time I got to the gym it was a torrential downpour and the pool was indeed closed. I opted for a brick workout and figured if the rain kept up, maybe I could just swim home :o) The best part is that 15 minutes into my bike ride the pool re-opened! At this point I believe Mother Nature is taunting me *sigh* I thought about making it a short brick and I could fit in a short swim but then I wouldn't be getting the benefit of either workout. So I stuck with the brick.
I think it was a good choice. I can swim right up to race day but my timeline to do brick workouts is limited. A longer run Saturday and hopefully two swims before the race should get me ready. I'm glad the Tarpon Tri is a little shorter and seemingly easier because I'm going to do the Tarpon Super Sprint the next day with my hubby. I should be pretty exhausted on Monday!
The bike was great today and I feel pretty strong in that event. The run was tougher than I expected but I think I was just uncomfortable. I had my swimsuit on and ill-fitting socks so I had some wardrobe annoyances. I'm happy with my pace but 8:30 would be a much nicer race pace so we'll see how hard I can push at Tarpon. I'm very excited!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Mother Nature is on my nerves
Um, hello? Does Mother Nature not realize I have a triathlon next weekend?! My swims have been rained out for 4 days!!! I have to get at least ONE swim in this week! Hopefully, tomorrow will be the day *fingers crossed*
Monday, July 28, 2008
Too easy Tempo
Run: 4 mile Tempo
1/2 mile 9:40
Mile 1 9:11
Mile 2 8:50
Mile 3 8:20
1/2 mile 10:00
First I have to admit that I REALLY did not want to go to the gym. So much so that I did just about every chore I could to stall - laundry, cleaned bathrooms, organized closets and even fertilized the yard! By 1:30 I decided that I just had to get it over with. It worked out pretty well that I waited, the gym was almost empty so Avery had the run of the kids gym and I had my pick of any treadmill.
A tempo run was on the agenda but I ended up being pretty confused. The splits above are from the treadmill because my Garmin paced me consistently 20 seconds faster with an additional .25 in distance. Which made my splits; 9:22, 8:47, 8:26, 8:00: 9:40. I know my Garmin was accurate on my last neighborhood run so I should probably go with those stats but I'm a little hesitant to do so because the run felt easy. A 20 second discrepancy in a workout is not that big of a deal but it is on the race clock - if my Garmin is off, that would cost me a full minute in a 5k. Just to be on the safe side I'm going to take the slower treadmill times and keep the 20 seconds in mind on my next race.
I have an endurance run at the end of the week so I'll pick another treadmill and see how my Garmin measures up. Any suggestions on a good mill?
1/2 mile 9:40
Mile 1 9:11
Mile 2 8:50
Mile 3 8:20
1/2 mile 10:00
First I have to admit that I REALLY did not want to go to the gym. So much so that I did just about every chore I could to stall - laundry, cleaned bathrooms, organized closets and even fertilized the yard! By 1:30 I decided that I just had to get it over with. It worked out pretty well that I waited, the gym was almost empty so Avery had the run of the kids gym and I had my pick of any treadmill.
A tempo run was on the agenda but I ended up being pretty confused. The splits above are from the treadmill because my Garmin paced me consistently 20 seconds faster with an additional .25 in distance. Which made my splits; 9:22, 8:47, 8:26, 8:00: 9:40. I know my Garmin was accurate on my last neighborhood run so I should probably go with those stats but I'm a little hesitant to do so because the run felt easy. A 20 second discrepancy in a workout is not that big of a deal but it is on the race clock - if my Garmin is off, that would cost me a full minute in a 5k. Just to be on the safe side I'm going to take the slower treadmill times and keep the 20 seconds in mind on my next race.
I have an endurance run at the end of the week so I'll pick another treadmill and see how my Garmin measures up. Any suggestions on a good mill?
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Bridges Smidges! HA
Bike: 9.7 miles
Time - 36:32
Max speed - 38.2!!!
Avg speed - 15.9
Run: .83 mile (I miscalculated the route)
Time - 6:46
Today the Hubby and I headed to Sand Key for an early morning ride over the Sand Key and Clearwater Bridges. I was pretty nervous especially since there is no real warm up - you exit Sand Key Park and begin your ascent. Overall though, the ride was much easier than I anticipated. Once I got my gears dialed in I was fine. I got in my "granny gear" and started spinning! It's slower but definitely better than gearing up and standing - that pushes my legs to the point of no return and makes the run MISERABLE. Don't get me wrong, the bridges were still difficult and my legs were burning but it didn't completely kill me.
Interestingly enough, the bridges each have an "easy" side. I'm guessing it's the angles of the bridges as well as the wind. On the out route, Sand Key is easy but Clearwater is TOUGH and very long. It's the opposite on the way back. Clearwater is a short climb but a long and FAST decent - I hit 38 mph without pedaling!!! SOOO fast on a bicycle with nothing between my skin and the asphalt!
We followed up the ride with a quick run. It was supposed to be a mile but I miscalculated and we fell short. It was pretty fast though so I don't feel too bad about it :o)
Time - 36:32
Max speed - 38.2!!!
Avg speed - 15.9
Run: .83 mile (I miscalculated the route)
Time - 6:46
Today the Hubby and I headed to Sand Key for an early morning ride over the Sand Key and Clearwater Bridges. I was pretty nervous especially since there is no real warm up - you exit Sand Key Park and begin your ascent. Overall though, the ride was much easier than I anticipated. Once I got my gears dialed in I was fine. I got in my "granny gear" and started spinning! It's slower but definitely better than gearing up and standing - that pushes my legs to the point of no return and makes the run MISERABLE. Don't get me wrong, the bridges were still difficult and my legs were burning but it didn't completely kill me.
Interestingly enough, the bridges each have an "easy" side. I'm guessing it's the angles of the bridges as well as the wind. On the out route, Sand Key is easy but Clearwater is TOUGH and very long. It's the opposite on the way back. Clearwater is a short climb but a long and FAST decent - I hit 38 mph without pedaling!!! SOOO fast on a bicycle with nothing between my skin and the asphalt!
We followed up the ride with a quick run. It was supposed to be a mile but I miscalculated and we fell short. It was pretty fast though so I don't feel too bad about it :o)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Brick workout:
Bike - 40 minutes
w/ 2 min seated climb/2 min standing climb x 2
Run - 30 minutes @ 9:11
The bike was pretty tough with those darn "hills" but they were necessary with the upcoming bridges. This was my first brick without intervals and it was a nice change. I wasn't sure how fast to set my run pace since I was going a full 30 minutes. I started at 9:30 for the first half mile but decided a solid 9:00 would be a little tougher but still manageable. It's hard to "feel" for pace after a bike ride because my legs feel heavy and slow. It made it hard to determine how accurate the treadmill really was. Fortunately, there was a woman right next to me who was the same height, build and stride. I'm sure she thought I was some wacko looking over at her settings but I was just trying to verify my pace! Honest!
I felt good about the workout and I'm hoping a few more of those will be a tremendous help in my upcoming races. I really, really want to finish the run in the 27:XX minute range and solid brick work is the key.
Bike - 40 minutes
w/ 2 min seated climb/2 min standing climb x 2
Run - 30 minutes @ 9:11
The bike was pretty tough with those darn "hills" but they were necessary with the upcoming bridges. This was my first brick without intervals and it was a nice change. I wasn't sure how fast to set my run pace since I was going a full 30 minutes. I started at 9:30 for the first half mile but decided a solid 9:00 would be a little tougher but still manageable. It's hard to "feel" for pace after a bike ride because my legs feel heavy and slow. It made it hard to determine how accurate the treadmill really was. Fortunately, there was a woman right next to me who was the same height, build and stride. I'm sure she thought I was some wacko looking over at her settings but I was just trying to verify my pace! Honest!
I felt good about the workout and I'm hoping a few more of those will be a tremendous help in my upcoming races. I really, really want to finish the run in the 27:XX minute range and solid brick work is the key.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Update
MPM UPDATE:
The triathlon cannot be rescheduled so the event offered to pay for our registration fees for the Sand Key Triathlon in September. I didn't want to do any races in September because the Longleaf Olympic is the following month but I guess my plans have changed! I think Sand Key will be good practice though and I believe it all worked out for the best. Oh, one more little detail... the Sand Key bike course is an out and back over the bridges TWICE! LOL I can't help but laugh! I was dreading going over them once in the MPM but I guess I should have counted my blessings!
TRAINING UPDATE:
Sunday - Bike: 10 miles
We went to Orlando this past weekend to hit up Disney and Universal. It was our first Saturday ever at the parks and it will certainly be our last! LOL We are so spoiled to be able to go during the week as well as in the "off" season. I think the entire country of Brazil was there - we must have seen a dozen or so Tours with 30 - 50 people each. It was crowded but we still had a great time. I brought G-unit to see just how far we walk on these little excursions and I was totally surprised by the results. On Saturday we did 3 parks and walked a total of 6 miles! My guess was only 3 miles so 6 was a big surprise :o) We did one park on Sunday and came home mid-day.
That evening, Lee and I went for our first bike ride together on the trail. It was his first ride on the trail and pretty much his first "real" ride as well. We did 10 miles in exactly 35 minutes . My average speed was 20 with a 25 mph sprint at the end. It was nice to be on the bike again, I miss not riding every week. This Sunday we are heading to Clearwater to ride the Sand Key Bridge and Memorial Causeway. It's going to be a real challenge to run a 5k after biking those bridges so the more practice the better.
The triathlon cannot be rescheduled so the event offered to pay for our registration fees for the Sand Key Triathlon in September. I didn't want to do any races in September because the Longleaf Olympic is the following month but I guess my plans have changed! I think Sand Key will be good practice though and I believe it all worked out for the best. Oh, one more little detail... the Sand Key bike course is an out and back over the bridges TWICE! LOL I can't help but laugh! I was dreading going over them once in the MPM but I guess I should have counted my blessings!
TRAINING UPDATE:
Sunday - Bike: 10 miles
We went to Orlando this past weekend to hit up Disney and Universal. It was our first Saturday ever at the parks and it will certainly be our last! LOL We are so spoiled to be able to go during the week as well as in the "off" season. I think the entire country of Brazil was there - we must have seen a dozen or so Tours with 30 - 50 people each. It was crowded but we still had a great time. I brought G-unit to see just how far we walk on these little excursions and I was totally surprised by the results. On Saturday we did 3 parks and walked a total of 6 miles! My guess was only 3 miles so 6 was a big surprise :o) We did one park on Sunday and came home mid-day.
That evening, Lee and I went for our first bike ride together on the trail. It was his first ride on the trail and pretty much his first "real" ride as well. We did 10 miles in exactly 35 minutes . My average speed was 20 with a 25 mph sprint at the end. It was nice to be on the bike again, I miss not riding every week. This Sunday we are heading to Clearwater to ride the Sand Key Bridge and Memorial Causeway. It's going to be a real challenge to run a 5k after biking those bridges so the more practice the better.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Finally a swim!
Swim: 1000
200 warm up
600 freestyle with alt breathing
200 cool down
Run: 3.5
Time - 31:53
Avg Pace - 9:19
Mile 1 - 9:25
Mile 2 - 9:22
Mile 3 - 9:10
Last .5 - 3:54
I was finally glad to have a swim for this week. There's a bit of a back story to it though. I've been having a lot of discomfort in my neck and upper back primarily on my right side. It started causing headaches and I'm certain that is why I've had trouble sleeping these past few weeks. I go to the Chiropractor on a pretty regular basis and he's been telling me for months to get a massage because it's a muscular problem. I am not a big fan of massages, in fact, I can't stand them. It came to the point, though, that I couldn't stand the pain anymore so I begrudgingly went for a sports massage. Two words... "wow" and "ouch!" Turns out my neck is pulling on my shoulder which caused my shoulder blade to be visibly higher than the other which was in turn pulling the muscles to my ribs so I had two ribs out of place. Talk about a snowball effect! The crazy thing is that I thought the uncomfortable position on the bike was to blame but turns out the swim is the real culprit! Which makes sense since I only breathe on my right side. I must give a shout out to my masseuse, Denean Miller at Trinity Chiropractic. She was amazing and incredibly knowledgeable. I was impressed when she randomly asked me if I had ever sprained my left ankle (which I have) because she could tell by the way my feet hung off the massage table! Anyway, although it was painful (mostly because I'm a big wuss) I'm going to try for one a month.
So there's the story and here's how it relates to my swim... I have to learn to breathe on both sides so that's how I swam my 600. I drank half the pool but hopefully, as it becomes more comfortable I'll leave some water for the other swimmers :o)
The really good news is that I FINALLY calibrated G-unit. I used my cyclometer to determine the distance on my street and calibrated from that information. I was hoping it would be accurate enough and I think it worked. Last nights run with Barb was two loops around the 'hood which put us at 3.48. (I think it's right so if anyone can verify that I would appreciate it). The pace seemed spot on. It's nice to be able to guesstimate my pace by feel and not be completely dependent on my watch. It was not my most comfortable run though and it was clear that running needs to be more of a priority. I need to go back three runs per week including a tempo or sprint, a brick (bike/run) and an endurance.
200 warm up
600 freestyle with alt breathing
200 cool down
Run: 3.5
Time - 31:53
Avg Pace - 9:19
Mile 1 - 9:25
Mile 2 - 9:22
Mile 3 - 9:10
Last .5 - 3:54
I was finally glad to have a swim for this week. There's a bit of a back story to it though. I've been having a lot of discomfort in my neck and upper back primarily on my right side. It started causing headaches and I'm certain that is why I've had trouble sleeping these past few weeks. I go to the Chiropractor on a pretty regular basis and he's been telling me for months to get a massage because it's a muscular problem. I am not a big fan of massages, in fact, I can't stand them. It came to the point, though, that I couldn't stand the pain anymore so I begrudgingly went for a sports massage. Two words... "wow" and "ouch!" Turns out my neck is pulling on my shoulder which caused my shoulder blade to be visibly higher than the other which was in turn pulling the muscles to my ribs so I had two ribs out of place. Talk about a snowball effect! The crazy thing is that I thought the uncomfortable position on the bike was to blame but turns out the swim is the real culprit! Which makes sense since I only breathe on my right side. I must give a shout out to my masseuse, Denean Miller at Trinity Chiropractic. She was amazing and incredibly knowledgeable. I was impressed when she randomly asked me if I had ever sprained my left ankle (which I have) because she could tell by the way my feet hung off the massage table! Anyway, although it was painful (mostly because I'm a big wuss) I'm going to try for one a month.
So there's the story and here's how it relates to my swim... I have to learn to breathe on both sides so that's how I swam my 600. I drank half the pool but hopefully, as it becomes more comfortable I'll leave some water for the other swimmers :o)
The really good news is that I FINALLY calibrated G-unit. I used my cyclometer to determine the distance on my street and calibrated from that information. I was hoping it would be accurate enough and I think it worked. Last nights run with Barb was two loops around the 'hood which put us at 3.48. (I think it's right so if anyone can verify that I would appreciate it). The pace seemed spot on. It's nice to be able to guesstimate my pace by feel and not be completely dependent on my watch. It was not my most comfortable run though and it was clear that running needs to be more of a priority. I need to go back three runs per week including a tempo or sprint, a brick (bike/run) and an endurance.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
bike/run combo
Bike: 25 minutes
5 min warm up
5 min @ threshold
1 min seated climb
2 min standing climb
15 second seated climb
x 2
5 min @ threshold
Run: 2 miles in 16:52 (8:26)
5 min warm up
5 min @ threshold
1 min seated climb
2 min standing climb
15 second seated climb
x 2
5 min @ threshold
Run: 2 miles in 16:52 (8:26)
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
good swim, time to rest
Swim: 1100
200 warm up
700 freestyle
200 cool down
I had a nice swim today and I'm hoping I'm ready for Sunday. The program called for a faster pace with 30 second recovery after each 100. I ended up skipping the recovery time because I couldn't see the clock. Turns out I didn't need it anyway :o) I did have a couple quick stops for swim cap and goggle adjustments, though. Once I hit 600 I was going to go for 1000 but I didn't think that would be the "easy" swim I needed before the Tri. I added a short sprint the last 25 and finished with my cool down.
I'm ready to rest, carb load and hydrate!
200 warm up
700 freestyle
200 cool down
I had a nice swim today and I'm hoping I'm ready for Sunday. The program called for a faster pace with 30 second recovery after each 100. I ended up skipping the recovery time because I couldn't see the clock. Turns out I didn't need it anyway :o) I did have a couple quick stops for swim cap and goggle adjustments, though. Once I hit 600 I was going to go for 1000 but I didn't think that would be the "easy" swim I needed before the Tri. I added a short sprint the last 25 and finished with my cool down.
I'm ready to rest, carb load and hydrate!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
better day
Bike 10 minutes @ threshold
Run 1 mile at 7:30 pace (1% incline)
Bike 5 minutes at easy pace
x 3
I'm very happy with my workout today. I incorporated a steep two minute hill in the second and third bike intervals. I'm hoping that will help me with all the bridges on Sunday. I'm still very worried about the race but today's tough workout makes me feel a little more prepared. The run intervals were fine although the last 1/4 mile of each was a mental battle.
Tomorrow will be an easy swim and then it's time to rest up for the race!
Run 1 mile at 7:30 pace (1% incline)
Bike 5 minutes at easy pace
x 3
I'm very happy with my workout today. I incorporated a steep two minute hill in the second and third bike intervals. I'm hoping that will help me with all the bridges on Sunday. I'm still very worried about the race but today's tough workout makes me feel a little more prepared. The run intervals were fine although the last 1/4 mile of each was a mental battle.
Tomorrow will be an easy swim and then it's time to rest up for the race!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
It's not looking good
My first instinct about the MPM TRI was not to participate. I knew my training would be limited with the kids home plus being in TN for a week would set me back. But I went against my better judgement and signed up anyway. Now I am REALLY regretting that decision. I am sitting here mentally and physically exhausted. Not only from traveling by myself with 3 kids but I have had a terrible time sleeping for the past 3 weeks. The more I learn about the course the more I want to cry. The bike is going to be scary over the bridges and the swim is VERY long. We went to Sand Key today so my husband and I could swim and run the course. It wasn't pretty. The swim was okay - I can finish it but it will take me forever. The 350 ft run from the water to the transition area is going to be tough, though. The good news is the run course is much better than Dunedin. The sand is harder packed and easier for keeping momentum. The bad news is I had to stop after 1 mile. ONE MEASLY MILE! I'm hoping I couldn't manage the run because I'm not feeling 100% - I have been fighting a cold all week. Also, we were running at noon so it was pretty hot and I hardly had any water all morning, just a few sips. I'm really hoping those factors played a major part in my awful performance today. That way there is still hope for Sunday. I'm very worried and I need to be in a better mental state soon! Okay, enough whining already.Find a happy place, find a happy place...
Monday, July 7, 2008
Sprints
Swim: 1200
200 warm up
50 drill #1
50 drill #1, 50 Drill #2
50 drill #1, 50 Drill #2, 50 Drill #3
10 x 25 easy/25 sprint/15 second rest
200 cool down
Good swim today. I wanted to do 50 yard sprints but the 25 were tough enough. The last 3 sprints I skipped the 15 rest. I wasn't enough to help anyway :o) I have something else to mention. The last few swims, I've had an issue with a crazy current. The slide wasn't on so that was not the problem and the current was at the other end of the pool. It would push you towards the kiddy pool for about 4 strokes then back the other way. It was so noticeable the person next to me even commented on it today. Then it dawned on me that it was the senior's water class. They do walking laps of the pool and with 10 or 12, 200 lbs people moving like that, it makes a whirlpool that effects the rest of the pool. When I mentioned it to the swimmer in the lane next to me he said, "who knew manatees could do that?!" Ouch! His words not mine but I am guilty of a giggle.
200 warm up
50 drill #1
50 drill #1, 50 Drill #2
50 drill #1, 50 Drill #2, 50 Drill #3
10 x 25 easy/25 sprint/15 second rest
200 cool down
Good swim today. I wanted to do 50 yard sprints but the 25 were tough enough. The last 3 sprints I skipped the 15 rest. I wasn't enough to help anyway :o) I have something else to mention. The last few swims, I've had an issue with a crazy current. The slide wasn't on so that was not the problem and the current was at the other end of the pool. It would push you towards the kiddy pool for about 4 strokes then back the other way. It was so noticeable the person next to me even commented on it today. Then it dawned on me that it was the senior's water class. They do walking laps of the pool and with 10 or 12, 200 lbs people moving like that, it makes a whirlpool that effects the rest of the pool. When I mentioned it to the swimmer in the lane next to me he said, "who knew manatees could do that?!" Ouch! His words not mine but I am guilty of a giggle.
Back to training
Bike: 12.5 miles
Time - 38:40
Avg. Speed - 18.9
Swim: ocean 200 yards
I got to the Suncoast Trail around 6:30 in the morning. It was a gorgeous morning and a little bit chilly for the first couple miles. I warmed up the first two miles keeping my speed around 16/17 mph. After that I kicked it up to 20 mph and tried to maintain that speed. There were a few uphills and bridges where I dipped to 18 but I was pretty satisfied with my ride. I feel much more comfortable on the bike and I'm definitely going to ride it on Sunday's MPM TRI.
Speaking of the Tri... my family headed down to Redington Shores and we drove by Sand Key where the event will be held. I'm very glad we did because this whole time I've been freaking out about Clearwater Memorial Causeway when the real issue is the Sand Key Bridge! It is much shorter but just as high so it's ridiculously steep! I mean STEEEEEEP! The climb is not my problem it's gong down the other side with an almost 90 degree turn at the bottom! I'm very nervous so I'm planning on being cautious and riding the brakes the whole way down. There is no way I am going to pedal down it. I don't care how much time I lose.
My husband and I tried for an open water swim but there were storms everywhere. We managed two laps that we estimated around 100 laps each. The water was pretty choppy so it wasn't exactly a fun swim but it was better than nothing. Tuesday we are going to Sand Key so I can swim and run the course. The bike will just have to wait until the race.
Time - 38:40
Avg. Speed - 18.9
Swim: ocean 200 yards
I got to the Suncoast Trail around 6:30 in the morning. It was a gorgeous morning and a little bit chilly for the first couple miles. I warmed up the first two miles keeping my speed around 16/17 mph. After that I kicked it up to 20 mph and tried to maintain that speed. There were a few uphills and bridges where I dipped to 18 but I was pretty satisfied with my ride. I feel much more comfortable on the bike and I'm definitely going to ride it on Sunday's MPM TRI.
Speaking of the Tri... my family headed down to Redington Shores and we drove by Sand Key where the event will be held. I'm very glad we did because this whole time I've been freaking out about Clearwater Memorial Causeway when the real issue is the Sand Key Bridge! It is much shorter but just as high so it's ridiculously steep! I mean STEEEEEEP! The climb is not my problem it's gong down the other side with an almost 90 degree turn at the bottom! I'm very nervous so I'm planning on being cautious and riding the brakes the whole way down. There is no way I am going to pedal down it. I don't care how much time I lose.
My husband and I tried for an open water swim but there were storms everywhere. We managed two laps that we estimated around 100 laps each. The water was pretty choppy so it wasn't exactly a fun swim but it was better than nothing. Tuesday we are going to Sand Key so I can swim and run the course. The bike will just have to wait until the race.
Another hilly run
Run: 5 miles
I am SO sore! My calves are in knots from running uphill and my shins are aching from the downhills. We may have some crazy heat in Florida but I think we're pretty spoiled not having to deal with hills, altitude or snow.
I found out the Montgomery Bell National Park was just up the road so that was my destination today. I ran the mile up the road to the park and it was literally UP the road, almost hill the whole way. The park was beautiful and there were a lot of fun things to see - the historic church built in 1810 and a replica log cabin were my favorite. I was going to bring my camera but it's too big and bulky to carry on runs so I didn't get any cool pics. I had hoped to do some trails but the few I started to head out on ended up being more for hiking. I also felt a little uneasy running through the woods by myself. I could see the headlines already..."Body of Florida woman found on the trails of TN park" So I stayed on the pavement and managed another 5 miles but it wasn't pretty. I was so achy and sore from my previous runs it was hard to keep moving. I tried to run up the hills and walk down them. I ended up covering close to 6.5 miles but I only counted the five I actually ran.
This was my last run in TN and I'll be happy to get back to the flatlands!
I am SO sore! My calves are in knots from running uphill and my shins are aching from the downhills. We may have some crazy heat in Florida but I think we're pretty spoiled not having to deal with hills, altitude or snow.
I found out the Montgomery Bell National Park was just up the road so that was my destination today. I ran the mile up the road to the park and it was literally UP the road, almost hill the whole way. The park was beautiful and there were a lot of fun things to see - the historic church built in 1810 and a replica log cabin were my favorite. I was going to bring my camera but it's too big and bulky to carry on runs so I didn't get any cool pics. I had hoped to do some trails but the few I started to head out on ended up being more for hiking. I also felt a little uneasy running through the woods by myself. I could see the headlines already..."Body of Florida woman found on the trails of TN park" So I stayed on the pavement and managed another 5 miles but it wasn't pretty. I was so achy and sore from my previous runs it was hard to keep moving. I tried to run up the hills and walk down them. I ended up covering close to 6.5 miles but I only counted the five I actually ran.
This was my last run in TN and I'll be happy to get back to the flatlands!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Rolling hills of TN
Run: 5 miles
Time - 48:?? minutes
I opted out of the trail today because I really wanted to get in some mileage. I headed out on the road which I thought was just going to be a back country road but turns out it was a main highway. The traffic wasn't too bad (similar to Trinity Blvd) and drivers were considerate for the most part - there are always those idiots who like to honk. WHY???? I was hoping for 7 miles but those rolling hills were killer! Flat ground was nowhere to be seen - not even a few steps worth. I was either struggling uphill for 1/2 mile or bracing myself downhill. I gave up on keeping a steady pace not only because of the hills but G-Unit isn't calibrated correctly... again. I think my problem is that I calibrate it with a treadmill. Maybe I need to figure out another way. Anyway, that's another issue. I decided 5 miles of hills was equivalent to 7 miles of flat road and called it quits :o)
Time - 48:?? minutes
I opted out of the trail today because I really wanted to get in some mileage. I headed out on the road which I thought was just going to be a back country road but turns out it was a main highway. The traffic wasn't too bad (similar to Trinity Blvd) and drivers were considerate for the most part - there are always those idiots who like to honk. WHY???? I was hoping for 7 miles but those rolling hills were killer! Flat ground was nowhere to be seen - not even a few steps worth. I was either struggling uphill for 1/2 mile or bracing myself downhill. I gave up on keeping a steady pace not only because of the hills but G-Unit isn't calibrated correctly... again. I think my problem is that I calibrate it with a treadmill. Maybe I need to figure out another way. Anyway, that's another issue. I decided 5 miles of hills was equivalent to 7 miles of flat road and called it quits :o)
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
First TN run and it was a doozy
Run: 3.2 miles
I'm short on time but let me just say that I have a found the next worst thing to running in the sand... gravel. The "trail" at my in-laws house it pretty treacherous with loose gravel, unveven ground plus lot's of fun hills. I had a great run but it was not the 6 miles I had hoped for. I realized 10 minutes into my run that my original plan was out the window. There will be no speed work since I fear I would sprain an ankle. I decided to run the next three days and try to increase my distance by a mile each day and move as quickly as the trail will safely allow. Although I was surprised by the difficulty of the terrain, I think it's the perfect training for MPM's sandy run.
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