Mad Monday Update 11/24...Hello Winter!

FIRST and foremost, congratulatins to my girl, Beth, who is heading to BOSTON!!! SHE ROCKS and I knew she was going to do it! She kicked butt at the Philly mary and has had quite a breakthrough year! So sending a huge HOODIHOO to her!

So winter has arrived in Cleveland to the tune of over a foot of snow at my house. It appears the snow and lingering chilly temperatures are here to stay. I miss my warm sunshine so much already!

Yet, one special fella in my house seems rather excited about this change in seasons. Oh how he loves the snow and chasing snowballs and biting snow. The one drawback is he needs an area shoved to take a squat as he will not go when the snow is super high!



I am still not hitting the targets I want to hit so I need to plan out my workouts a little better I think. My salvation is that I tell myself this is my off season so it is OK to miss some stuff and do what I want.

Monday- 5 miles 39:30, upper body workout
Tuesday- 1000 yard AM swim, 3 hours at Rays Mtn Bike Park (~12 miles)
Wednesday- 55 minute spin class, abs, 7 miles on treadmill (5 X 1000's at 6:07 pace)~57:30
Thursday - 1600 yard AM swim, 4 Miles treadmill
Friday - 3 hours at Rays Mtn Bike Park (~12 miles)
Saturday - 4.5 miles (Pigskin Run)
Sunday - 15.7 Miles on Buckeye Trail

Weekly Totals
Road / Spin Bike - 17 Miles
Mtn Bike - 24 Miles
Ran - 36.2 Miles
Core - Upper Body (1), Abs (2)
Swam - 2600 Yards (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??)

Pigskin Run
Ran my first 5K in a couple months. Lesson learned was that I need to rely more on myself than other runners. I felt like I was really holding back the first 1.5 miles and did not taken full advantage of the downhill and wind at my back. Then when I tried to close the gap on the 6 ladies in front of me (3 of whom were ages 15,15 & 16) it was in to the wind and uphill and just too late! Even though the course is far from a PR couse I was a bit disappointed in my time and will need to work harder next time. I will call it a draw though as I beat my time from last year and was the first female from the RR series so that is good for my standing.

Mile 1 6:17
Mile 2 6:39
Mile 3 7:15 (W3rd hill)
Total Time: 21:04, 6:49 pace

I am running the 5 mile Turkey Trot in Cleveland Thursday and I think my goal will be hold that pace for 5 and hopefully break 34.

Other Tidbits-

After an incident over the weekend, I am planning to carry my cell phone on a regular basis while training outdoors. You just never know what may happen and it is better to be safe.

For my spring marathon, I am moving forward with planning to run the Pittsbugh Marathon and am pretty excited about it!

Dang Rob & Big

So my husband hates reality tv. Yet we have discovered this new show that is totally messing up my sleep schedule, Rob and Big. I just can't seem to go to sleep when this is on. I sit there and laugh non-stop at the things they come up with like netting spider man, miny horse, special buddies cereal, world record breaking and more. I can't take it. It is too addictive and I keep staying up way past my bed time and mornings are torture. Oh well, at least I am still getting up in time for my AM workouts! And thank goodenss for Rockstar and coffee!

Speaking of AM workouts (maybe you should sit down) I have already got in two swim workouts this week!!! Tuesday and Thursday morning. I am struggling with deciding where to fit in my 3rd one that I am supposed to do. I guess I will need to cut back to two spin classes (M/W) if I am going to get in that third swim. Unfortunately I definitely prefer the spin class.

Other fun lately has included Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park. I am now clearing some of the jumps and having tons of fun!!! The only bad thing is my legs are just bruised up and down. Finally I broke down and bought some shin & knee guards after a nice smack to my knee on the bruise from last week when I jumped into the foam pit Tuesday. Despite all my bruises, this PLACE RULES!


In other training news, I was pleased with my track workout (or should I say treadmill workout?) on the yesterday. I felt as strong as I have on my 1000's, which for those who know me, know that I don't like longer intervals. I think this was due in part to the fact that work has been stressing me out and banging out a hard workout helps me to work through what is on my mind.

Almost Friday............thank goodness!

Mad Monday Update 11/17

Well the last week was just another stressful busy week. Several workouts got shuffled due to life and the running mileage ended up being way down from where I had meant it to be.

Of note, I am getting back into the swing of morning workouts and not feeling so much like death when I pull myself out of bed in the mornings. Yet, last night we finally took the window air conditioner unit out of our bedroom window. This resulted in my husband accidentally flipping the surge protector button and resetting my alarm clock. I was having one of those days yesterday when I could not do things right-spilled the oil air freshener, knocked the mirror off the wall into the dog's water bowl, hurt my ankle, and capped it off with setting my clock for AM instead of PM. So I woke up too late for spinning this morning. Ughh, not how I wanted to start off the week.

Saturday, ran the Buckeye Trail with the VR group and the girls. VR had quite a large group taking off despite the rain! It was pretty warm out and was not a bad day for a run. I was quite muddy by the end and I give major props to CV who ran those trails for the first time and even braved the big river crossing which had a strong current steadily flowing over the rocks. All and all, a good run and felt great.

Sit down everyone as this may come as quite a shock.....
I have decided to spend some time focusing on swimming this year!!!
I signed up for Rob Reddy's swim training way out in Oberlin (which is on the opposite boonie side of town from mine!). BH and I met Sunday morning for the first swim training session and hit Starbucks on the way out there.

This brings back memories to my first CTC swim clinic that I attended where I did not realize I should bring a swim cap and I inhaled half the pool pretending I could breathe with my face in the water. Totally demmoralizing!

Yet this Reddy's swim clinic was awesome. I was working hard, having fun and think that perhaps I will become a better swimmer. I really find that I take a liking to sets and swimming with other people....makes it way more fun for me! So I am planning to get in the pool three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. (Repeat, MUST find a way to do this!) So stay tuned for more on that! I had hoped to get a run later in the day but I ended up coming home ravenous, ate a bunch of food and was lazy the rest of the day watching Street Kings and What Happens in Vegas.

Monday 11/10 - OFF, work screwed up the planned run
Tuesday 11/11 - 6 miles with E, hit the track for 6- 400's. Consistent 1:28's in lane 5 (lane 4 is accurate)
Wedneday 11/12 - 6AM Spin Class, 1 hour
- noon-4 Miles treadmill
Thursday 11/13 - 6 AM - 5.3 Miles Treadmill
Friday 11/14 - 6 AM 45 minute spin class, 10 minutes abs
- evening- Ray's-3 hours
Saturday 11/15 - 13.25 Mile Trail Run
Sunday 11/16 - Reddy Swim Clinic

Totals

Run -28.55 Miles
Bike - 33 mile spin, 15 miles mtn bike
Swam - ? 2000 ? yards

The Realization

Spring marathon maybe?

I was thinking all along that I would probably run Cleveland Marathon.

I am really not that busy and have plenty of nights without much to do, but everytime I seem to have a big event planned something big comes up the night before.

Cleveland Marathon-the night before there was a Sunday in June (which I was co-directing) planning party

Silver Springs Du-Cousin Wedding

Greater Cleveland Half-High School Friends Wedding

Akron Towpath Mary-30th birthday party and friends house-warming party

So in thinking about next year I was hoping things might change but apparently this streak is set to continue.

I was leaning towards planning to do the Cleveland Marathon because it in my back yard which would mean no travel expenses. Yet, I just got a save the date for my cousin's wedding which of course would be the night before. Sigh! It would be that weekend. How dare her for not consulting my preliminary racing schedule! Just kidding...this special doll deserves to get married whenever she wants!

So anyway I guess I will think about some alternatives. There is always Boston but that would probably get expensive. Flying Pig and Pittsburgh are both 5/3 which seem to be the closest alternatives. Thoughts anyone???

Sleepy

So it seems I have been going to bed earlier and earlier these days. About the time I finally take some time to relax and load up a favorite show on the DVR, I always fall asleep half way through. This week I have slept through Heroes and The Unit...dang I hope my hubby saved them because now I still want to see them.

Then I sleep (of course with a break to go upstairs and my mutliple bathroom trips) until the last possible moment I need to get up after giving my snooze button a workout.

This morning after nearly a week of foiled weekday attempts, I got my butt out of bed (which was sheer agony) to drag my butt to 6 AM spin class about a half hour away in Beachwood. I was sooo sleepy the whole way there.

Then I woke up for an hour and a half to sweat my weary butt off as I sprinted and climbed relentlessly before I grabbed the much needed shower.

Once again I parked my butt in the car to finish the drive downtown Cleveland and again the wave of sleepiness took hold. I fought it off as I sat in traffic and decided today I would treat myself to a Starbucks NonFat Pumpkin Spice Latte. Oh I hope it helps me wake up soon.

Mad Monday Update 11/10

Monday 11/3 -7 mile run with CV & E ~8:00 min miles
Tuesday 11/4 - 7.75 mile run with E inlc 8X100 striders
Wedneday 11/5 - 3.75 mile Run
Thursday 11/6 - 5.5 (2 mile, 1 mile, 1/2 interval) M track workout, 6 mile easy run
Friday 11/7 - 16.5 Mile Road Bike Ride, 1.25 M on treadmill, upper body weights, 3 hours at Ray's Indoor Mtn Bike Park
Saturday 11/8 - 10 Mile Buckeye Trail Run with VR
Sunday 11/9 - 8.5 Mile Run (8:20 pace) with SERC

Totals
Ran-53.25 Miles
Mtn Biked-3 hours
Road Bike-16.5 Miles
Weights-1 session

Work stress has been weighing on me greatly. I am going to go home and try to forget about it and spend the evening with the hubby who is the big 3-0 today. We did have a fun little get together for him the last two nights!

Mad Monday Update 11/3

Just going with the flow at this point. I jumed into a half marathon training plan as I am contemplating signing up for the Fall Classic in November. I am still undecided on the half or if I will just stick to my animal races the rest of the year (Pigskin, Turkey and Reindeer).

Monday 10/27
6AM Spin class (50 minutes), Abs (10 Minutes)
1PM 4 miles treadmill easy, upper body workout

Tuesday 10/28
1 PM -5.5 miles on treadmill (track workout with 10X400's at 6:00 pace, 1% incline)
-abs, streched

Wednesday 10/29
1 PM - 3 miles easy, lower body workout, 3 sets of lunges (8 lb dumbbells), 2 sets of squats, 1 set lateral squats (squats with 15 lb dumbells) OMIGOODNESS IT HAS BEEN FOREVER AND I WAS ACHING BY THE TIME I HIT THE SHOWER!
5 PM - 3 hours at Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park---so much fun, lots of breaks talking and watching others but probably got in about 10 miles or 1.5 hours of riding

Thursday (SORE!) 10/30
1 PM - 7 miles at 8 min mile pace with E (this felt waaay harder than it should have felt)

Friday (Still Sore) 10/31
1 PM -2 miles easy on treadmill, stretched with band
6 PM - 10 miles mtn biked at West Branch--great night for a ride!

Saturday (Still Sore) 11/1
15 miles ran with CV and E ~ 8:20ish pace

Sunday 11/2
9 AM CTC Du -3 miles ran, 15.5 miles biked, 3 miles ran (definitely not fresh for this)
3 PM - 7 miles mtn biked (skipped the last 3 miles as hubby and I were exhausted and hungry!)

Totals-
Ran - 42.5 Miles
Road / Spin Bike - 30.5
Mtn Bike-27
Core-1 LBWO, 1 UBWO, stretching, abs-2

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On the gossip front, I was looking forward to today to listen to Howard Stern talk about his wife Beth and the marathon. I have really enjoyed listening to him talking about her training and I think the mainstream marathon media exposure is pretty cool! Congrats Beth on a very respectable 4 hour 15 minute finish!


Also ever since Van Wilder Party Liason, I have been a huge Ryan Reynolds fan! Watching him in Blade Trinity, Just Friends, Waiting and Definitely Maybe was good stuff! Funny and good looking! He also ran NYC marathon in 3 hours 50 minutes--dang, to think I could have ran that marathon with such a nice view and did not take advantage! Talk about some poor marathoon planning on my part!


What female would not run well with that eye candy???! :-)