Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Vote for our Corporate 5k t-shirt design
Victor designed our Corporate 5K an awesome team shirt (see design below) and now we need your help to win the best shirt design contest. Visit the Corporate 5K Blog and vote for "UCF CDL" in the poll to the right. Everyone can vote, even if you are not participating, so spread the word!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Monday Brain Exchange: Favorite Races!
This week's Monday Brain Exchange topic is Favorite Races. The question: Name your top 3 favorite events to date. When were they and why are they your favorite?
This was a tough choice -- like choosing your favorite child. LOL. Ok, maybe not. Anyway, I narrowed it down and here they are in order of occurrence. Click on the race name to read the race report.
Run for the Trees 5K - April 25, 2009 in Winter Park, FL
I've run this race every year since I began running, which is only 2 times lol, but I'm going back this year. Last year I ran it in 33:12, my current 5K PR, and had a blast because I had my mom and friends there. One of the things I love most about this race is the focus on the environment. Everyone that finishes the race receives a young tree, and the race awards are also (bigger) trees. It's close enough to home that I can bike there. The course is gorgeous and unique, ending on in the tree-canopied, wilderness dirt road of Genius Drive, a privately owned glimpse of old Florida opened to the public only once a year, for this event.
26.2 with Donna Marathon Relay - February 21, 2010 in Jacksonville, FL
The big selling point for this race is that 100% of the proceeds go towards breast cancer research and care. With such a great cause, it's not surprise that the support from the local community is amazing. I was impressed with the level of organization, support, and spectators in this race. The water stops were ample, as were the GUs and other food items. This being their first year of the relay, the logistics could be improved, but it wasn't a big enough issue to deter from my enjoyment or wanting to do it again. The weather was perfect, I ran a great race, and got to share a marathon with my family. What more could I have asked for? I'm already planning to return next year to run the full marathon by myself.
Gasparilla Marathon - February 28, 2010 in Tampa, FL
This was my first marathon, so of course it makes the top 3. The goodie bags were reusable tote bags, the post race food was great; I loved the pirate theme; and my heavy duty maiden voyage medal is gorgeous and can double as a weapon if someone breaks into my apartment lol I don't think the support and spectators were as good as BCM, and I prefer GU to PowerBar Gels, but it was an amazing experience that I will cherish forever, especially running the last 2 miles with my Dad! :)
Honorable Mentions: Corporate 5K for it's cheer size and running with co-workers; Central Florida Sprint Triathlon for the great goodie bag, course, and post-race food; OUC Triathlon Relay for a killer run leg with the best relay team ever!
As you can see, I don't venture too far from home, but that is all about to change in 2010 :)
This was a tough choice -- like choosing your favorite child. LOL. Ok, maybe not. Anyway, I narrowed it down and here they are in order of occurrence. Click on the race name to read the race report.
Run for the Trees 5K - April 25, 2009 in Winter Park, FL
I've run this race every year since I began running, which is only 2 times lol, but I'm going back this year. Last year I ran it in 33:12, my current 5K PR, and had a blast because I had my mom and friends there. One of the things I love most about this race is the focus on the environment. Everyone that finishes the race receives a young tree, and the race awards are also (bigger) trees. It's close enough to home that I can bike there. The course is gorgeous and unique, ending on in the tree-canopied, wilderness dirt road of Genius Drive, a privately owned glimpse of old Florida opened to the public only once a year, for this event.26.2 with Donna Marathon Relay - February 21, 2010 in Jacksonville, FL
The big selling point for this race is that 100% of the proceeds go towards breast cancer research and care. With such a great cause, it's not surprise that the support from the local community is amazing. I was impressed with the level of organization, support, and spectators in this race. The water stops were ample, as were the GUs and other food items. This being their first year of the relay, the logistics could be improved, but it wasn't a big enough issue to deter from my enjoyment or wanting to do it again. The weather was perfect, I ran a great race, and got to share a marathon with my family. What more could I have asked for? I'm already planning to return next year to run the full marathon by myself.Gasparilla Marathon - February 28, 2010 in Tampa, FL
This was my first marathon, so of course it makes the top 3. The goodie bags were reusable tote bags, the post race food was great; I loved the pirate theme; and my heavy duty maiden voyage medal is gorgeous and can double as a weapon if someone breaks into my apartment lol I don't think the support and spectators were as good as BCM, and I prefer GU to PowerBar Gels, but it was an amazing experience that I will cherish forever, especially running the last 2 miles with my Dad! :)Honorable Mentions: Corporate 5K for it's cheer size and running with co-workers; Central Florida Sprint Triathlon for the great goodie bag, course, and post-race food; OUC Triathlon Relay for a killer run leg with the best relay team ever!
As you can see, I don't venture too far from home, but that is all about to change in 2010 :)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Week 13 Recap
This has been a very busy week and I think I may have over done it a bit, so today is a complete day off. I managed to sleep in until 9:30 am! I tried to do some yoga, but quit after 10 minutes. My body just wanted to be, so I let it be :)
Workout Summary
See details on Dailymile
Workout Summary
See details on Dailymile
- Monday - 30 minutes of cardio kickboxing; ran 3.11 miles in 36 minutes
- Tuesday - swam 1200 yd in 35 minutes; ran 2 miles in 26 minutes + walked 1.65 mile
- Wednesday - bike to work: 29 miles roundtrip
- Thursday - swam 1500 yd in 42 minutes; ran 3.2 mile run in 42 minutes
- Friday - bike to work (one way) - 14.4 miles;
- Saturday - ran 10 miles in 2:13; 45 minute swim lesson
- Sunday - 10 min of yoga
Week Totals
- run/walk - 20 miles (4 runs + walks); longest = 10 miles
- bike - 48 miles (4 rides); longest = 14.5 miles
- swim - 2700 yds (2 sessions + swim lesson); longest = 1500 yds
- exercise hours - 10.5 hrs (avg 1.5 / day)
Goals for Next Week:
- run 3x; at least 12 miles
- run 10k without walking
- bike to work 2x; at least 34 miles
- swim 3x (including lesson); 3000 yds
- cross train 1x: yoga, kickboxing, core
- restart 100 pushup challenge using ful push ups
- 85% homemade meals
- 4/11 - World Record Bicycle Parade
Friday, April 2, 2010
Friday Five: Weekly Blog Features
Today I am taking a page from Running is Funny (and many other blogs out there), and hopefully this will become my 3rd weekly feature. I'm still wrestling with how I want this to go, but I will either pick a theme every Friday and post 5 things that match that theme, or I'll just post 5 random things that happened that week or come to mind that day =P I guess random is a theme ;)
Today's theme is weekly blog features. In an attempt to blog more regularly, I am implementing some recurring blog features. I'm trying these out for now and we'll see if I stick with them. I could use your help for more ideas since I may run out of material for some, or grow tire of it, and need to replace it eventually.
Today's theme is weekly blog features. In an attempt to blog more regularly, I am implementing some recurring blog features. I'm trying these out for now and we'll see if I stick with them. I could use your help for more ideas since I may run out of material for some, or grow tire of it, and need to replace it eventually.
- Monday Brain Exchange -- I plan to play along every week with the topic/question posted at Finishing is Winning.
- Wednesday One Green Thing -- This is my newest feature and one that will not likely last because I'll run out of things to post about. I guess I'll just need to find new was to save our environment :) I may just start going through green guides on the web (e.g. Green Guide or Planet Green) and post about which I'm doing and try those that I'm not.
- Friday Five -- You are here! =)
- Sunday Week Recap (needs a clever name) -- I've tried this before and it ever only lasted for a week or two, but I am going to give it another try now that I will be doing 3 sports regularly. This will also help make writing the monthly recaps easier.
- Random - I'll also regularly post about the following as they occur: race reports, monthly recaps (including progress on yearly goals), 101 things progress, yearly recaps, gear reviews, and much more!
So reading this, you'd think I'll be posting 5 days a week. Ha! I'll try, but it's entirely possible I'll skip one or more of these features on any given week due to lack of time or creativity :) But if I shoot for 5, I should be able to get in at least 3.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
March 2010 Recap
Marathon recovery is going great, but you wouldn't know I just ran a marathon with the level of exercise I've been doing this past month. I started swimming 3 times a week and biking to work 2 times a week (soon to be 3), and that is on top of running 3-4 times a week, including long runs of 6-14 miles every Saturday. I've been neglecting yoga, core, and upper body strength though, so I need to juggle things around in April to fit those in.
March Stats
The year is 25% over, so anything around that percentage means I'm on track to meet that yearly goal. In some cases (e.g. swimming and biking), I know the totals are low during winter months but they will increase drastically during spring and summer and I'll make up the difference then. Full stats in miles and percentage of goal accomplished are below, followed by a chart for those who prefer visuals :)
March Accomplishments
March Stats
- run / walk = 86 miles = 17 walk + 69 run; longest run 11 miles
- bike = 135 miles; longest ride 14.5 miles
- swim = 5 miles / 8100 yards
- total = 225 miles in 40h 25m (avg 1.3 hrs / day)
The year is 25% over, so anything around that percentage means I'm on track to meet that yearly goal. In some cases (e.g. swimming and biking), I know the totals are low during winter months but they will increase drastically during spring and summer and I'll make up the difference then. Full stats in miles and percentage of goal accomplished are below, followed by a chart for those who prefer visuals :)
- run/walk = 269 / 700 miles (avg 89/mo; 21/wk; 38%)
- cycling = 163 / 1750 miles (avg 54/mo; 9%)
- swimming = 5 / 60 miles (8%)
- tri 2010 challenge = 436 / 2010 (22%)
- total exercise hours = 110 / 365 hours (avg 1.2 hrs / day; 30%)
- 101 things = 7/30 done (23%); 11 in progress (details in separate post later)
- maintain weight around 125 lbs = spiked above 125 the last 2 weeks, but still mostly within "maintenance" range of give or take 2-3 lbs and I'm back to 124 lbs today.
March Accomplishments
- Winter Park Road Race - 8.2 miles Distance Dare - New 10K and 2 miler PR!
- Recruited 33 people for our Corporate 5K team at work (including a few friends and family)
- Began swimming again
- Began biking to work again
Goals for April
- run/walk 58 miles (14/week)
- bike 2-3 times per week, at least 146 miles (34/week)
- swim 3x a week and finish 0 to 1650 program (swimmer's mile)
- exercise 30 hours (1 hr/day)
- blog at least 3x per week
- eat vegetarian (or at least pescatarian) for the entire month
- swim lessons every Saturday for next 4 weeks -- hope to learn breast stroke and bilateral breathing
- planned fitness events:
- 04/15 - Corporate 5K
- 04/11 - World Record Bicycle Parade
- 04/17 - Earth Day 12k or 5K (maybe - if I don't do the 6K)
- 04/18 - Dow Live Earth / Run for Water 6K
- 04/24 - Run for the Trees 5K (PR?)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
One Green Thing: Bike to Work Day
Lately, with the exception of the February when I blogged every day, my blog has turned into one race report after another. As a way to blog more regularly, I'm going to begin posting some weekly features on my blog. The first you saw on Monday, and I will try to participate in Jillian's Brain Exchange every week as long as I have something to contribute to the weekly topic.
Jason gave me the idea for the 2nd weekly feature: One Green Thing. Every week, I will feature one thing that I am doing to help the environment. It may be something new I tried that week, or something I've been doing for a while that I want to bring to your attention with tips and resources on how you can do it too if you choose. I'll post every Wednesday until I run out of things. You may think this has nothing to do with running or biking or swimming, but this blog is about my lifestyle change, not just fitness :) And you will find that the two do intersect plenty.
So today's topic is Bike to Work Day, which took place last Friday on March 26. I should have posted about it then, but I'm a slacker =P May is national bike month, but because it's hot in Florida in May, we celebrate it in March and the last Friday is Bike to Work Day. Jason and I have been biking to work semi-regularly (read "when the weather is nice and are not training for a marathon =P) for 2 years now. We organize Bike to Work at the office each year with free bagels for all cyclists to raise awareness and get others to try it too. This year we went a step further and hosted a bike clinic the previous week to further raise awareness about cycling safety and how to change a flat tire.
There were 4 of us who rode to work together on Friday. The forecast called for rain earlier in the week, but the rain cleared out just in time to yield a beautiful morning for riding, and we spotted 3 bunnies along our route.
The ride home was a bit more eventful. We had 20+ mph headwinds the entire way, so we took it slow and enjoyed the alligator sightseeing safari. We spotted four gators on the Econ Trail, including this huge one. You can see more photos from bike to work day and the bike clinic on Flickr.
Bike commuting, wether to work or to the market, is a great way to go green because it is a win-win for all: you get some exercise while enjoying some fresh air and saving money on gas, and you help ease congestion and reduce pollution by having one less car on the road. I also find that I am much more productive at work in the mornings when I bike commute. It's probably all those endorphins from the exercise.
When we lived closer to UCF, we biked to work 3-4 times a week. Now our ride is 14.5 miles each way, so we only ride 1-2 days a week. I would love to ride more often, but time is the biggest limiting factor since it takes twice as long to ride our bikes than to drive there. This would not be such a problem since I get up by 6 am to exercise most days anyway (I can actually sleep in a tad on days when we bike to work), but if I spend all my time biking to and from work, when will I run and swim? We're going to try biking every day one week and see how it goes, but I don't think I'll have the time or energy to sustain that in the long run unless I gave up running -- yeah, that's NOT happening =P
Resources
Jason gave me the idea for the 2nd weekly feature: One Green Thing. Every week, I will feature one thing that I am doing to help the environment. It may be something new I tried that week, or something I've been doing for a while that I want to bring to your attention with tips and resources on how you can do it too if you choose. I'll post every Wednesday until I run out of things. You may think this has nothing to do with running or biking or swimming, but this blog is about my lifestyle change, not just fitness :) And you will find that the two do intersect plenty.
So today's topic is Bike to Work Day, which took place last Friday on March 26. I should have posted about it then, but I'm a slacker =P May is national bike month, but because it's hot in Florida in May, we celebrate it in March and the last Friday is Bike to Work Day. Jason and I have been biking to work semi-regularly (read "when the weather is nice and are not training for a marathon =P) for 2 years now. We organize Bike to Work at the office each year with free bagels for all cyclists to raise awareness and get others to try it too. This year we went a step further and hosted a bike clinic the previous week to further raise awareness about cycling safety and how to change a flat tire. There were 4 of us who rode to work together on Friday. The forecast called for rain earlier in the week, but the rain cleared out just in time to yield a beautiful morning for riding, and we spotted 3 bunnies along our route.The ride home was a bit more eventful. We had 20+ mph headwinds the entire way, so we took it slow and enjoyed the alligator sightseeing safari. We spotted four gators on the Econ Trail, including this huge one. You can see more photos from bike to work day and the bike clinic on Flickr.
Bike commuting, wether to work or to the market, is a great way to go green because it is a win-win for all: you get some exercise while enjoying some fresh air and saving money on gas, and you help ease congestion and reduce pollution by having one less car on the road. I also find that I am much more productive at work in the mornings when I bike commute. It's probably all those endorphins from the exercise.When we lived closer to UCF, we biked to work 3-4 times a week. Now our ride is 14.5 miles each way, so we only ride 1-2 days a week. I would love to ride more often, but time is the biggest limiting factor since it takes twice as long to ride our bikes than to drive there. This would not be such a problem since I get up by 6 am to exercise most days anyway (I can actually sleep in a tad on days when we bike to work), but if I spend all my time biking to and from work, when will I run and swim? We're going to try biking every day one week and see how it goes, but I don't think I'll have the time or energy to sustain that in the long run unless I gave up running -- yeah, that's NOT happening =P
Resources
- Biking Directions on Google Maps - fast and easy way to plan a safe biking route -- it even tries to avoids hills!
- Bike Commuting 101 - Are you new to bike commuting? Have a look through our Commuting 101 articles. Tons of info for the beginner to commute by bike safely and quickly.
- Bicycling Street Smarts - A compact tutorial on how to ride a bicycle in mixed traffic.
- Commute Orlando - This site is dedicated to Orlando Metro Area cyclists who are currently using their bikes for transportation, or want to.
- The Commute — Possibly the Safest Bicycle Trip You Can Make - Great article on the Commute Orlando blog
So what are you waiting for? Give bike commuting a try! If you already do, tell us about your experience in the comments, including tips, tricks, and tools you use to make your commute easier, safer and more enjoyable.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday Brain Exchange: All About Blogs!
Jillian, from Finishing is Winning, is starting a weekly Q&A called Monday Brain Exchange for bloggers to play along in an attempt to fill the void left by the Runner's Lounge TiaRT. Today is the kick-off with this great question:
What/Who influenced you to start a blog? Where did you get your blog title? How long have you been blogging?
I am not really sure who influenced me to start this blog, other than probably all the other great running/fitness/weight loss blogs out there. I've had a blog on livejournal for a long time, but that was more for silly stuff. When I finally realized I was overweight and was ready to do something about it, I started this public blog to document my journey. That was over 2 years ago, on February 10, 2008.
My blog was originally named "Road to Fitness" because I wanted to focus on improving my fitness instead of just losing weight (shedding the pounds was a nice side effect, but also a big driving force). I eventually changed the name to "Lifestyle Change" because I wanted the blog to be about more than just fitness, and because I wanted to change my entire lifestyle not just be on a fad diet until the weight came off.
I still struggle with maintaining my weight at whatever magic number I deem appropriate in my head, but there is no doubt I've changed my lifestyle. I eat far better than I used to, even if I can't kick my chocolate and ice cream habit; I eat out way less and cook at home more; and exercise is no longer a means to an end; it is now a way of life and I can't imagine my life without it.
So that's the story of my blog's birth :) I can't believe I'm still blogging 2 years later, and I am forever grateful to everyone out there who reads and comments on my entries -- whether here or on facebook or on twitter -- and continues to encourage me in my never ending quest for the next challenge.
I want to continue blogging regularly, not just race reports, so I may start doing more weekly theme posts like this but perhaps I should start others of my own. Any ideas?
What/Who influenced you to start a blog? Where did you get your blog title? How long have you been blogging?
I am not really sure who influenced me to start this blog, other than probably all the other great running/fitness/weight loss blogs out there. I've had a blog on livejournal for a long time, but that was more for silly stuff. When I finally realized I was overweight and was ready to do something about it, I started this public blog to document my journey. That was over 2 years ago, on February 10, 2008.My blog was originally named "Road to Fitness" because I wanted to focus on improving my fitness instead of just losing weight (shedding the pounds was a nice side effect, but also a big driving force). I eventually changed the name to "Lifestyle Change" because I wanted the blog to be about more than just fitness, and because I wanted to change my entire lifestyle not just be on a fad diet until the weight came off.
I still struggle with maintaining my weight at whatever magic number I deem appropriate in my head, but there is no doubt I've changed my lifestyle. I eat far better than I used to, even if I can't kick my chocolate and ice cream habit; I eat out way less and cook at home more; and exercise is no longer a means to an end; it is now a way of life and I can't imagine my life without it.
So that's the story of my blog's birth :) I can't believe I'm still blogging 2 years later, and I am forever grateful to everyone out there who reads and comments on my entries -- whether here or on facebook or on twitter -- and continues to encourage me in my never ending quest for the next challenge.
I want to continue blogging regularly, not just race reports, so I may start doing more weekly theme posts like this but perhaps I should start others of my own. Any ideas?
Sunday, March 21, 2010
0 to Marathon in 2 years!
Looking back through my logs and reflecting on my journey so far (oh no, it's far from over!), I realized that I basically went from 0 to marathon in just under 2 years. This blows my mind. I never thought I could do this.
I've tracked every race and milestone run in a handy spreadsheet, along with my pace, and it's amazing to see how far I've come. Take a look at the link below, and if you ever get frustrated see that it didn't happen over night but that a little patience and perseverance eventually pays off :)
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Race Report: Winter Park Road Race Distance Dare (8.2)
This morning I ran the Winter Park Road Race Distance Dare: 2 miles +10K. It was a fantastic race! The weather was perfect, I had my friends and family there, I ran perfect negative splits at both races, and I got 2 PRs! :)
Pre-Race
The race took place on Park Ave, less than 5 miles away, so we rode our bikes there. We got to try out Google maps biking directions, and they worked great. It took us along a nice route of side streets and managed to avoid Mills and Orange Ave entirely. The ride there was a little cold, but it was a great warm up for the race. The ride home was a bit more challenging because my legs were tired and sore from the race, and we had a headwind the entire time.
2 Miler
I first completed this race, my first race ever, 2 years ago. It was the reason I began running in April of 2008, so I've been looking forward to running it again ever since, but missed it last year because I was cheering on Jason at his first triathlon. 2 years ago, I walked most of the 2 miles with a few minutes of jogging sprinkled in and a sprint at the end. Today, I ran the entire 2 miles without walking, and pushed it pretty hard. I almost managed to run it in 20 minutes, but 2.04 miles in 20:47 @ 10:11 min/mile pace (per the Garmin) is pretty damn close! My clock time 2 years ago was 28:54; today's clock time was 20:59. That's almost 8 minutes faster! :)
More Stats:
I had a few minutes to spare after I finished the 2 miler, so I found Jason, gave him my arm warmers and buff, got a drink of water, then walked a bit towards the start line. Since I'm supposed to be recovering from the marathon I ran 2 week ago, I did not plan to race this too hard; instead I just wanted to use it as a training run to add millage. However, I really wanted to PR and run it in under 1:10 if the opportunity presented itself.
I told myself that I would not push it too much to make that happen, specially since I had pushed hard during the 2 miler, but I figured that I'm in such great shape from marathon training that I might be able to pull it off without exerting myself too much. To ensure I didn't totally screw myself if I tried to PR, I ran the entire race with 2:1 intervals. This helped me run much faster over all, but still allow for plenty of recovery and prevent injury. The weather was perfect, and I felt great, so I gave it my best shot and it worked! I felt strong the entire race, and I was still able to sprint to the finish in under 1:10!
The Garmin says I ran 6.3 miles in 1:08:36 @ 10:53 min/mile pace! It amazes me that I ran 6.2 miles at a slightly faster pace with walk breaks than I ran the 5 miles without walking at the BCM relay. This is a HUGE 10K PR. My previous official 10K PR was at Disney's Race for the Taste 10K in October 2008, where I finished with a chip time of 1:15:52 (6.34 in 1:15:16 per the Garmin). However, I did run the first 10K of the OUC Half on Dec 2009 in 1:10:31, so I'm happy that I even beat that time and that I finished in under 1:10 even by the clock! :)
More Stats:
I ate a banana before leaving the apartment, a pineapple gu roctane (no caffeine) before the 2 mile race, and a vanilla orange gu roctane (2x caffeine) about 1.5 miles into the 10K. This most have given me the energy I needed to push through the end.
Post-Race
After the race, I met up with Jason, Jen, Kerlene, and Shannon (whom I have not seen since High School) and we walked over to the Farmer's Market after getting a smoothie sample and eating a banana. We were going to get some omelets, but we all decided to head home instead. After we got home, I had a homemade egg beaters omelet with toast and a homemade smoothie. I was pretty tired and sore, so I took a 2 hour nap, then went for a swim. Now I'm plotting to go get some frozen yogurt, then relax the rest of the evening. I'm going to sleep great tonight! :)
 |
| Before the start of the 2 miler with Mom, Dad, Jen and Kerlene |
The race took place on Park Ave, less than 5 miles away, so we rode our bikes there. We got to try out Google maps biking directions, and they worked great. It took us along a nice route of side streets and managed to avoid Mills and Orange Ave entirely. The ride there was a little cold, but it was a great warm up for the race. The ride home was a bit more challenging because my legs were tired and sore from the race, and we had a headwind the entire time.
2 Miler
I first completed this race, my first race ever, 2 years ago. It was the reason I began running in April of 2008, so I've been looking forward to running it again ever since, but missed it last year because I was cheering on Jason at his first triathlon. 2 years ago, I walked most of the 2 miles with a few minutes of jogging sprinkled in and a sprint at the end. Today, I ran the entire 2 miles without walking, and pushed it pretty hard. I almost managed to run it in 20 minutes, but 2.04 miles in 20:47 @ 10:11 min/mile pace (per the Garmin) is pretty damn close! My clock time 2 years ago was 28:54; today's clock time was 20:59. That's almost 8 minutes faster! :)
More Stats:
- garmin mile splits = 2.04 miles in 20:47 @ 10:11 min/mile pace (no walking)
- mile 1 = 10:20
- mile 2 = 10:08
- clock = 20:59 (we had a chip, but there was no mat at the start)
- age group = 16 / 58
- gender = 111 / 381
- overall = 217 / 584
I had a few minutes to spare after I finished the 2 miler, so I found Jason, gave him my arm warmers and buff, got a drink of water, then walked a bit towards the start line. Since I'm supposed to be recovering from the marathon I ran 2 week ago, I did not plan to race this too hard; instead I just wanted to use it as a training run to add millage. However, I really wanted to PR and run it in under 1:10 if the opportunity presented itself.
I told myself that I would not push it too much to make that happen, specially since I had pushed hard during the 2 miler, but I figured that I'm in such great shape from marathon training that I might be able to pull it off without exerting myself too much. To ensure I didn't totally screw myself if I tried to PR, I ran the entire race with 2:1 intervals. This helped me run much faster over all, but still allow for plenty of recovery and prevent injury. The weather was perfect, and I felt great, so I gave it my best shot and it worked! I felt strong the entire race, and I was still able to sprint to the finish in under 1:10!
The Garmin says I ran 6.3 miles in 1:08:36 @ 10:53 min/mile pace! It amazes me that I ran 6.2 miles at a slightly faster pace with walk breaks than I ran the 5 miles without walking at the BCM relay. This is a HUGE 10K PR. My previous official 10K PR was at Disney's Race for the Taste 10K in October 2008, where I finished with a chip time of 1:15:52 (6.34 in 1:15:16 per the Garmin). However, I did run the first 10K of the OUC Half on Dec 2009 in 1:10:31, so I'm happy that I even beat that time and that I finished in under 1:10 even by the clock! :)
More Stats:
- garmin spits = 6.3 miles in 1:08:36 @ 10:53 min/mile pace (2:1 intervals)
- mile 1 = 11:25
- mile 2 = 11:13
- mile 3 = 11:00
- mile 4 = 10:53
- mile 5 = 10:47
- mile 6 = 10:39
- finish (.3) = 8:37 (2:32)
- chip = 1:08:35
- clock = 1:09:50
- overall = 1344 / 1779
- gender = 649 / 981
- age group = 91 / 133
- garmin = 8.34 miles in 1:29:24 @ 10:43 min/mile pace
- chip/clock = 1:29:33 (2 miler clock time + 10K net time)
- gender = 38 / 54
I ate a banana before leaving the apartment, a pineapple gu roctane (no caffeine) before the 2 mile race, and a vanilla orange gu roctane (2x caffeine) about 1.5 miles into the 10K. This most have given me the energy I needed to push through the end.
Post-Race
After the race, I met up with Jason, Jen, Kerlene, and Shannon (whom I have not seen since High School) and we walked over to the Farmer's Market after getting a smoothie sample and eating a banana. We were going to get some omelets, but we all decided to head home instead. After we got home, I had a homemade egg beaters omelet with toast and a homemade smoothie. I was pretty tired and sore, so I took a 2 hour nap, then went for a swim. Now I'm plotting to go get some frozen yogurt, then relax the rest of the evening. I'm going to sleep great tonight! :)
Monday, March 8, 2010
Marathon Aftermath and Virtual Race Report
It's been a week since my first marathon, and I'm still glowing a little :) I am no longer sore, and I'm ready to get back to training for my next adventure. I've applied for the NYC Marathon lottery, and am seriously considering the Flying Pig Marathon in May. You'd think after conquering something like this, I'd be ready for a break from running or at least the early morning Saturday runs, but I truly can't imagine not having running in my life. I'm so grateful for that.
Here's an overview of my post-marathon week:
Sunday - after I crossed the finish line, I kept walking to the food line and beer garden (for Sean, but they ran out just as I got to the front of the line) then to the parking garage to drive to the hotel. After showering, we went to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch. We drove home, posted our race reports and photos, then went to Texas de Brazil for a celebratory feast, then to bed early.
Monday - took the day off from work and had a day full of relaxation that began with a couple's massage at Massage Engy, followed by comfort food at Jason's Deli, then a short nap, then a short walk around Lake Eola. I was pretty sore and that walk was slow and painful.
Tuesday - It finally caught up to me and I got sick, so I stayed home in bed all day. I slept most of the day and was better by dinner, so went for another short walk with Jason after dinner. I was not as sore as Monday, so this walk was a lot more enjoyable and a bit faster.
Wednesday - I started the day with an hour of yoga. I felt much better all day and barely sore, so attempted my first run in the afternoon. I kept it short, slow and with plenty of walking: 2 miles at 1:1 in 29 minutes.
Thursday - Soreness is a thing of the past, but I can't seem to wake up at my usual 6 am. I hate sleeping late because then I wake up with a headache, but I figured I'd indulge my body this week. After work, ran with our corporate 5k team. 1.6 miles in 21 minutes @ 13:07 pace -- 2 rounds of 90s run/90s walk/3m run/3m walk + an extra 3 minute run at the end. Legs felt great!
Friday - Was going to do yoga before work, but slept in again. I figured that was best since I planned to get up early on Saturday for a "long" run.
Saturday - Met my Galloway group for 6 miles at 6 am -- my first long run since the marathon. Ran a total of 6.66 miles easy using 1:1. The run felt great and legs held up fine. I really think walking every day for the first few days, and the massage really helped speed up my recovery. I followed the run with "The Eleven" - 55 push ups and crunches (11 push ups + 1 situp, then 10 push ups + 2 situps, etc). I also rode 18.5 miles that afternoon, and walked a few miles that night to get some yogurt.
Virtual Race Report
Sunday's run was also my attempt at Razz's Virtual Race "Global Warming, My Ass!* 6.66 Mile Run." I ran 6.66 miles in 1:28 and felt good. Since this was 1 week post-marathon, I didn't have any goals for this race except to get it done. It was a pretty chilly morning, so it was an appropriate day to run this race. I started at 6 am and went out for 6 miles at 1:1 with my Galloway group. The first 6 miles of the course was an out and back from Glenridge Middle School to Brandiwines in downtown Winter Park, then I finished the .66 miles with few laps on the track. I took it nice and easy, but I tried to push it a little at the end. A 13:14 min/mile pace is not award winning, but maybe I can place in the bottom 3. I was just glad to be recovered enough to be able to cover this distance at any pace. Next week I tackle the Winter Park Road Race distance dare: 2 miles followed by a 10K. Hopefully I can do a little better then.
Here's an overview of my post-marathon week:
Sunday - after I crossed the finish line, I kept walking to the food line and beer garden (for Sean, but they ran out just as I got to the front of the line) then to the parking garage to drive to the hotel. After showering, we went to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch. We drove home, posted our race reports and photos, then went to Texas de Brazil for a celebratory feast, then to bed early.
Monday - took the day off from work and had a day full of relaxation that began with a couple's massage at Massage Engy, followed by comfort food at Jason's Deli, then a short nap, then a short walk around Lake Eola. I was pretty sore and that walk was slow and painful.
Tuesday - It finally caught up to me and I got sick, so I stayed home in bed all day. I slept most of the day and was better by dinner, so went for another short walk with Jason after dinner. I was not as sore as Monday, so this walk was a lot more enjoyable and a bit faster.
Wednesday - I started the day with an hour of yoga. I felt much better all day and barely sore, so attempted my first run in the afternoon. I kept it short, slow and with plenty of walking: 2 miles at 1:1 in 29 minutes.
Thursday - Soreness is a thing of the past, but I can't seem to wake up at my usual 6 am. I hate sleeping late because then I wake up with a headache, but I figured I'd indulge my body this week. After work, ran with our corporate 5k team. 1.6 miles in 21 minutes @ 13:07 pace -- 2 rounds of 90s run/90s walk/3m run/3m walk + an extra 3 minute run at the end. Legs felt great!
Friday - Was going to do yoga before work, but slept in again. I figured that was best since I planned to get up early on Saturday for a "long" run.
Saturday - Met my Galloway group for 6 miles at 6 am -- my first long run since the marathon. Ran a total of 6.66 miles easy using 1:1. The run felt great and legs held up fine. I really think walking every day for the first few days, and the massage really helped speed up my recovery. I followed the run with "The Eleven" - 55 push ups and crunches (11 push ups + 1 situp, then 10 push ups + 2 situps, etc). I also rode 18.5 miles that afternoon, and walked a few miles that night to get some yogurt.
Virtual Race Report
Sunday's run was also my attempt at Razz's Virtual Race "Global Warming, My Ass!* 6.66 Mile Run." I ran 6.66 miles in 1:28 and felt good. Since this was 1 week post-marathon, I didn't have any goals for this race except to get it done. It was a pretty chilly morning, so it was an appropriate day to run this race. I started at 6 am and went out for 6 miles at 1:1 with my Galloway group. The first 6 miles of the course was an out and back from Glenridge Middle School to Brandiwines in downtown Winter Park, then I finished the .66 miles with few laps on the track. I took it nice and easy, but I tried to push it a little at the end. A 13:14 min/mile pace is not award winning, but maybe I can place in the bottom 3. I was just glad to be recovered enough to be able to cover this distance at any pace. Next week I tackle the Winter Park Road Race distance dare: 2 miles followed by a 10K. Hopefully I can do a little better then.
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