2013 Goofy Challenge: Week 5 – Travel

Week 5 Recap:

I didn’t follow the plan this week.   I missed a run and didn’t bother to make it up.   Lame, I know.   There were no excuse as I could’ve gone to the (air-conditioner) gym at the hotel and did at least 30 minutes as supposed to glue my bottom to the couch at the hotel room.   I am not too happy with myself at the moment, however, I also am not going wallow about it.   It’s in the past.  Hakuna Matata.

One thing that I realized this week though, I definitely stronger and better.   My pace is slowly increase and I am no longer huffing and puffing the entire run (only in the first 10 mins as my muscle and the rest of me warms up).    This part made me so happy.

5 weeks down, 23 weeks to go!

Plan for this week:

Tues: Run for 45 minutes

Thu: Run for 45 minutes

Sat: Run for 6 miles

Tuesday 7/31

I felt like kaka and didn’t really want to get out, but I did it anyway.   I went to the gym and tried to put in 45 minutes, however, I can’t seem to get my rhythm.   Everything off, so after a half hour or so — I gave up and stopped.   I put it 2.7 miles in 30 minutes

Thursday 8/2

I arrived at Chicago around 7pm and was really surprised on how hot it was.  It’s not only the heat, it’s the humidity.   I believed the temperature was hovering between 95-98 degrees at 9pm with (or so it felt) 100% humidity.   I quickly surrendered with the weather and decided to hang out at our air-conditioner hotel room instead.   Lame, I know.

Sunday 8/5

It was too chaotic to run on Saturday, the day we came back after our trip, so I did my run on Sunday.   We dropped the girls at grandma-camp, and head out on the trail.   I have to note here that it was HOT.   It wasn’t as humid as Chicago, but it was very warm.   I struggled the first couple miles due to the heat and had to take sip of water every walk break but I finished the distance and more.  7.5 miles in 1 hour 27 mins.   Not too shabby

2013 Goofy Challenge: Week 4 – Double Digit

Week 4 Recap:

My first double digit run this year!!  I was actually excited and nervous for the long run this week as I wasn’t sure how I’m going to do.   I started the week with a really crappy news on my health, so I was NOT in good mood but somehow I managed to re-focus and redirect my energy towards my run.   My mid-week run was great and I even did one of them during my vacation, even though the husband had to nudge me a bit in order for me to get going.    In overall, I had a really good week.  I felt stronger than a week before and am very looking forward to become even stronger as the weeks goes by.

4 weeks down, 24 weeks to go!!

Plan for this week:

Tues: Run 45 minutes

Thu: Run for 45 minutes

Sat: Run for 10 miles

Tuesday 7/24

I got home a bit earlier and head straight to the trail.  I had a very crappy day and I just want to go out for run.   I did the usual route and set my Nike app to do 45 minutes and went out my way.   I ended up having a really good run and even run a bit longer than I planned.  4.0 miles in 49:13

Thursday 7/26

Our family took a couple days off on Wednesday and head out to Rosyln, WA — about an hour east from where we live.   We stayed at this awesome resort called Suncadia Resort and had an awesome time.   I did pack my running gear with me but had a motivation issue to actually did my run (who actually run on their vacation, right?)   However, after a serious smack-down from the husband, I finally put my shoes on and head out for a run.   I followed the path around the property and set my app for 45 minutes.   It was beautiful scenery and I was so glad that I did my run!   I got lost for a moment and had to text the husband so he can figured out where I was at (gotta love technology) and it was pretty hot out there.   I did 3.51 miles in 46 minutes

Saturday 7/28

Double Digit!  It’s my first double digit run since… well, my half-marathon in January.   I was pretty confident and asked the husband to drop me at the very beginning of the trail and run west.   He parked the car around the 10 miles mark and rode his bike towards me.   The first 3 miles went by fast.   I did my usual 2-1 ratio and I did great.   At half-point, I decided to change things up a bit and started to do 5-1 ratio instead (okay, it might’ve start as an accident as I miss the cue for the walk break).   Surprisingly, I did really well with that ratio and felt strong the entire half of the run with it.   I finished my 10.02 miles within 2:07:49.   Not too bad!

2013 Goofy Challenge: Week 3 – Progress

Week 3 Recap:

I had so much going on this week, between hectic work, challenging health-news and family obligations, but I am very pleased to look back and know I didn’t miss any scheduled run.   I felt stronger and finally found some rhythm during my run, which made my run more pleasant.   The weather been very good, not too hot for summer and even though the humidity was high, the trail that I was running have a lot of trees, which make the run very comfortable under the shades.

I am currently using Saucony ProGrid Omni 10 and I love it.   It’s a good stability shoes that replace my old Asics Gel-Equation 4 that I used for my last 3 races.    However, I want to have an alternate shoes during this training so I went ahead and buy Saucony ProGrid Omni 11 which pretty much the same shoes, but newer model.    I used the new shoes for all my run this week and plan to put equal miles on this shoes and alternate with my other one.

I am still not incorporating any strength training.   I know I have to, and have absolutely no excuse.   My bad.   I’ll make an effort to really put that in place this coming week.

In summary, despite everything that happen – I had a great week running-wise.   I’m making progress and that’s always a win.

3 weeks down, 25 weeks to go!

Plan for this week:

Tues:  Run for 45 minutes

Thu:   Run for 45 minutes

Sat:  Run 7 miles

Tuesday 7/17

A few of us at work decided to go a group run together around lunch time.   We took a nice jog towards the waterfront and start running at Elliot Bay trail and go into Myrtle Edwards Park.  I had such a great time with the group run and enjoy the conversation with my co-workers.   It felt awesome to be able to break the work day, run and enjoy the day.   The weather was perfect!   We did 5k in about 45 minutes

Thursday 7/19

My good friend, Elysia, met me at Starbucks after work and we head out to Snoqualmie Valley trail.    I had such a great time with her as we chatted and had a really nice conversation.   We did 2-1 ratio and run 3.7 miles in about 45 minutes

Saturday 7/21

Me at Miles 7. Looking good, eh?

My training plan called for 7 miles today, but I decided to do 8 miles to put on some mileage for this week.   My husband and I headed to the trail around 10am and I started to run west from where we park at Fall City.   Usually, I turned around on the half point and headed back to where we park, but I didn’t feel like it and wanted to kept going.   I asked my husband to moved to the car around mile 3 to further west so I can keep running.

I did 2-1 ratio and my overall pace were better than any of my run in the last 3 weeks.   I felt strong for the entire 8 miles and my split were pretty even.   I hydrated myself well prior the run as well as during the run.   I know that I am making tremendous progress because a few weeks ago, I felt winded on my 4 miles run and now I can breezed through my 8 miles with no problem.

I finished 8.04 miles within 1:43 minues.

Another one small win.

2013 Goofy Challenge Training: Week 2 – Getting Better

Week 2 Recap:

This week been an interesting week.   Some of you know, and some of you don’t but let just say — it’s not the best week for me healthwise.    I received not-so awesome news that moved the ground under my feet a bit but my loved ones and friends were there for me, ready to catch me when I lost my balance and tumbled.   It humbled me.   You know who you are.   I love you all.

On the running front – this week is a way better week than last.   I felt a wee bit stronger and for the first time in weeks, I actually want to go out and run.   I don’t whine about it and pout and drag my behind out to the trail for my long run.   I was actually looking forward to it.    I still haven’t incorporate strength training into this other than abdominal routines that I did every other night.   I know I need too and will try to get together with my trainer, Weston Williams, very very soon.

2 weeks down, 26 weeks to go!

Plan for this week:

Tue:  45 minutes run

Thu:  45 minutes run

Sat: 6 miles run

Tuesday 7/10

I had a very, very crappy day.   The husband took my girls to their piano lesson, with full intention so I can go out and run and not worry about the girls.   What did I do?  I changed to my running clothes and sat on the couch.   For two hours.   I was exhausted.   Emotionally and physically.   I just received not-so-awesome news and I was just trying to digest it.   My energy level went to negative and I really, really didn’t want to go.    I felt somewhat defeated.   Then I got mad.   To myself.   For feeling defeated, so I put on my running shoes and head out.    It was a hard run.   I can’t find my rhythm,  and I was all over the place.    I did my 45 minutes though, crawling and hobbling.   I logged 3.38 miles.

Thursday 7/12

I arranged a sitter for my girls, and had the husband to come with me on my run.   We loaded his bike to the truck and head out to the trail shortly after work.   I decided to run west on the trail instead of east just to change things a bit as I haven’t been to that side of the trail since last year.   I had waaaay better run.   In fact, I enjoyed every single minutes out there.   I felt strong the entire time and ended up logged in 4.08 miles for 53 minutes.

Saturday 7/14

Snoqualmie Valley Trail – Courtesy of Elysia Pitt

For the first time in months, I actually want to go out for a run.   I didn’t whine about it and was actually looking forward to be back in the trail this morning.  It was sunny, 68 degrees morning.   A wee bit warm for my running weather, but I know the there’s a lot of trees on the trail.

My awesome friend, Elysia, joined me for this run.   We got to the trail around 10:15am and we ran west on the trail.   First 2 miles went by really quick as I was really enjoying her company.   She turned around on the 2 miles mark, but I kept on running for another mile before turn around.   I felt strong the entire time and had a really good meditation time while I ran alone.  It was one of those run that you can run for hours.   It was a good day!   I finished my 6.04 miles within 1:22mins.

2013 Goofy Challenge Training: Week 1 – Baby Steps

Week 1 Recap

First week of my official training. I made it and didn’t miss the three runs that was schedule for this week. I had to admit though, I wasn’t just up and preppy about the whole thing. I was dragging my behind as I would rather to sit and did nothing, but I didn’t really have any excuse and couldn’t face certain people that will constantly nagging me to go out running on my training day (Hai Erin and Jes! Yes, I’m talking about you).

In other words, be patience with myself

Lesson learned for this week — I have got to hydrate myself well before long run, well, any run.  Drinking more water daily already been my goal, but I do need to do more the night before my run.  I also need to start incorporating a strength training. I noticed that I’m not as strong as I was last year (or earlier this year) and I need to be better.  I’m going to start doing that at home, and schedule sometimes with my trainer/coach in the next few weeks when things are calming down a bit between summer, child care, work and stuff.  I know last year that I felt stronger when I start running, but that right after the climb and months of training for the climb.

This time around is different. I have to be a bit more patience with myself and not comparing where I am today with where I was 7 months ago. I am starting over. Baby steps, Yanni, baby steps. I will get there.

Plan for this week:

Tue: 45 minutes run

Thu: 45 minutes run

Sat: 4 miles run

Tuesday 7/2

My first ‘official’ training run.   Yes, I know it’s a mindset but I was excited about it.   I decided to go to the gym and ran on the treadmill.   Yes, I know – it was boring, and I was contemplating to run outside after I parked my car in front of the gym but decided to stay inside as I forgot my running jacket and it was somewhat cool evening.

I set my app for 45 minutes run and start a 2-1 ratio.   I ran 4.01 miles within 45.25 and felt great the entire time

Thursday 7/5

It’s a HOT day out. Well, it’s not as hot as the rest of the country, I know, but it still hot for our Seattle standard. I was dilly dally since I got home from work, and decided (again) to run at the gym. Wrong choice, bad decision as it turn out, it was HOTTER inside the gym. I was completely miserable, but finished my 45 minutes and did 4.12 miles using 2-1 ratio.

Saturday 7/7

Another (somewhat) hot day.   Okay, it’s 55 degrees when I woke up and the sun was out.   I was waiting for our sitter to arrives so both the husband and I could do our run/bike together.   We got to the trail around 10:20am and it was nice and cool as there are so many trees around the trail.   I paced myself really well, but felt very sluggish the first mile and a half.   Note to self – HYDRATE, hydrate, hydrate on the night before the long run.  Always.   I was feeling it.   The warm air didn’t help either.   Good thing the husband rode his bike around me, carried my icy bottle of water.    I did really well after a mile and a half though.   Finished 5.05miles in 1:07:18.

Yes, I have a lot of work to do to get me on the pace I wanted to be but hey, first week out of 28 weeks is DONE.

2013 Goofy Challenge Training: Week 0 – Building Baseline

I’ve been trying to establish my running baseline so I know where I am at and am able to see the improvement during the course of the training.   It is always fun to look back and realized how far you have become which will boost your confidence and sometimes pick you back up from the slump days during the course of your training.

I also just try to be active again and get used with the routine.    After a few months off, it seems really hard to get back to the routine that I used to have and I want to at least have that before my official training start.

Here’s what I’ve been doing in the last 2 weeks:

Friday 6/22

I was off from work, so I decided after I dropped the girls to their school, I’m going to run 5k around the neighborhood.  I started very slow, and use 3-1 ration for my run/walk.    I wasn’t happy with this run, as I was struggling the entire time and did not enjoy it a bit.  I think part of it was I ran too fast.   I pace myself on the comfortable pace that I used to be not the one I have now.   So half way through, I was really struggling.   I completed the entire 5k though with 42.47.

Saturday 6/23

I woke up sore and didn’t feel like running.   Thankfully, my husband said something about it and I wasn’t going to quit it so I put my running shoes and go out for run.   I ran around the neighborhood again, same route.  This time, I paced it really slow.   I went through the first 3 miles without even thinking, and decided to ran a bit more.   Completed 3.73 with 52.42

Tuesday 6/26

I had this headache since the morning and it just stayed the entire day!  I almost didn’t go for a run, but my running date, Elysia, call me out on it and I was supposed to meet her at 6:30pm.   So I put my shoes on as soon as I got home, and met her.   We ran at the neighborhood for 5k.  It was fun to run with someone and I actually chatted with her the entire time and didn’t think about the time or distance.   There were a few times in the first miles that I felt my chest was tight due to my breathing, but it went away.   Overall, I had a good run!   Completed 3.17miles for 44.32

Thursday  6/28

I absolutely had no motivation to go for a run.  In fact, I pleaded to the husband with excuses and such, and basically told him that I was just going upstairs and rest.   He didn’t really fight me on it and I had my mind made to just rest.   I sat next to my 4 years old on the couch and she gave me this look.  I asked her what’s with the look, and she said ‘Mama, if you don’t go out for a run, I’m not proud of you‘   I was like.. WHA?  So, I put on my running shoes and gear, dragged my behind to the gym.   I was’t in the mood to run outside, as it started to rain a bit.   I grumbled for the first 10 minutes on the treadmill, but then I found my rhythm.   I tried to run faster, but that just ruined it – so I dropped my interval to 2-1.  I finished 3.16 miles in 35.43 and came home to my baby girl who said ” I’m sooo proud of you, mama”.

Saturday  6/30

I woke up feeling crabby.  I slept way too late and I didn’t feel like going anywhere as usual.   Good thing for peer pressure and public accountability, cause I didn’t feel like finding an excuse that acceptable to skip it.    The husband was busy with some work issues, so I head out to the trail myself.   As I parked the car, I realized how much I miss the trail!.   I haven’t been there since last year!   The weather is somewhat warm, but comfortable.   There are many trees on that trail, so I never had to deal with direct sunlight on a sunny day.   I set up my running app and did 2-1 ratio today per Jeff Galloway‘s advice.   I was fortunate that early this year, he gave me his email address after TinkerBell Half so I can ask him questions.   Pretty awesome, huh?   I finished 4.07 miles in 54.39 minutes and felt great afterwards.

Conclusions

I am out of shape.   That’s my conclusions.  My baseline is not even close with what I thought I should be, but hey, that’s what training for, right?   I definitely need to include strength training in the upcoming weeks, but I can’t schedule anything yet with my trainer.  I will, however, vow to do it at least once a week at home or at the gym.