Its been awhile since posting. Fixing up our new foreclosed house, getting married in a week, and a low desire to run over the past months have kept me away from the board lately! First race was the Bear Water 10 mile a few weeks back. The race went pretty well considering it was my first race since the marathon. My goal was 1:25:00 but due to a tight field the first 2 miles it was hard to get into my pace.
Twin Cities 10 mile was yesterday and it went very well. I ran with my brother for the 6 miles until pulling forward. The final mile I dipped into the 7 minute mile range for the first time ever and took full advantage of the hill in the last half mile and posted a sub-7 minute mile! By no means that will be the norm but it was awesome to see my watch at that level. I am looking for more races so stay tuned!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Post Marathon Thoughts!
Well it was exactly a month since the marathon yesterday. I had to take about 10 days off and I have run mostly 3 mile runs since returning. I have snuck in a 5 miler that felt pretty good. The IT band is still a little sore and I will probably do some more therapy work with it.
The good news is that my brothers and I were accepted into the Twin Cities 10 mile race on October 5! It will be a day after my birthday so there will be little partying. This is actually the first race I am setting a goal on for my time. I am shooting for a 1:25:00 which works out to about an 8:30 mile. I started training this week for it. The difference between this training and the marathon training is that I am aiming for 4 days a week this round and throwing in my cross training and gym work. I had my first gym workout today and it absolutely killed me. Lets just say I am regretting lunges at this point!
Thanks for all the congrats after the marathon! It was much appreciated!
The good news is that my brothers and I were accepted into the Twin Cities 10 mile race on October 5! It will be a day after my birthday so there will be little partying. This is actually the first race I am setting a goal on for my time. I am shooting for a 1:25:00 which works out to about an 8:30 mile. I started training this week for it. The difference between this training and the marathon training is that I am aiming for 4 days a week this round and throwing in my cross training and gym work. I had my first gym workout today and it absolutely killed me. Lets just say I am regretting lunges at this point!
Thanks for all the congrats after the marathon! It was much appreciated!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Grandma's Marathon Weekend!
Well with all the work and anticipation Grandma's Marathon has come and gone! We stayed in a cabin about an hour north of Duluth and took in many of the state parks and sights on the day before. I would have loved to do more hiking but I wanted to stay fresh for the morning.
On Saturday I was up around 4:45 to get ready for the drive into Two Harbors, MN to make it to the bus in time. The buses transported everyone to a scenic stretch of highway on the coast of Lake Superior. Festivities started around 7:15 when the held a moment of silence for Wesley Ngetich who was a two-time Grandma's Marathon winner that was killed several months ago in his home country. After the moment of silence there was the national anthem and a flyover by 2 F-16 fighter jets.
I lined up near the 4:15 pace team and wanted to stick with them until the finish. The first 10k flew by at a 1:00:06 which was on pace with the group. Despite the race course being on the coast in an isolated area there were people up and down the highway. I even saw comedian and senate hopeful Al Frankin along the way cheering on the crowd! I hit the 13.1 mark with a time of 2:07:43 and was able to stick with the group. Around mile 19 the scenic highway opened up to packed Duluth streets with people cheering on both sides. Its also the time that I hit the wall.
I hit the 20 mile mark at 3:17:41 and at this point I was hurting. I started cramping in my quads about every half mile and I would be reduced to a walk/ slow hobble for about 1/10 of a mile before the cramps subsided. I pushed through the last 6.2 miles with cramps through the legs. I lost the pace group at this point but I was more concerned with just pushing and getting through. As I hit the 25 mile mark at 4:14:08 I knew I could finish. I kept pushing and as I turned the corner and saw the finish line a quarter mile away all pain disappeared and I ran. I don't know how fast I ran but I moved and pushed. I finally crossed at 4:27:22! It was a little slower then I hoped but I knew I gave it my all and left all I had on the race course!
Coming down the final stretch in the last 100 yards! (White shirt, Dark Blue Shorts)
Post Race Celebration!
On Saturday I was up around 4:45 to get ready for the drive into Two Harbors, MN to make it to the bus in time. The buses transported everyone to a scenic stretch of highway on the coast of Lake Superior. Festivities started around 7:15 when the held a moment of silence for Wesley Ngetich who was a two-time Grandma's Marathon winner that was killed several months ago in his home country. After the moment of silence there was the national anthem and a flyover by 2 F-16 fighter jets.
I lined up near the 4:15 pace team and wanted to stick with them until the finish. The first 10k flew by at a 1:00:06 which was on pace with the group. Despite the race course being on the coast in an isolated area there were people up and down the highway. I even saw comedian and senate hopeful Al Frankin along the way cheering on the crowd! I hit the 13.1 mark with a time of 2:07:43 and was able to stick with the group. Around mile 19 the scenic highway opened up to packed Duluth streets with people cheering on both sides. Its also the time that I hit the wall.
I hit the 20 mile mark at 3:17:41 and at this point I was hurting. I started cramping in my quads about every half mile and I would be reduced to a walk/ slow hobble for about 1/10 of a mile before the cramps subsided. I pushed through the last 6.2 miles with cramps through the legs. I lost the pace group at this point but I was more concerned with just pushing and getting through. As I hit the 25 mile mark at 4:14:08 I knew I could finish. I kept pushing and as I turned the corner and saw the finish line a quarter mile away all pain disappeared and I ran. I don't know how fast I ran but I moved and pushed. I finally crossed at 4:27:22! It was a little slower then I hoped but I knew I gave it my all and left all I had on the race course!
Fulfilling a lifetime dream was an amazing experience and I am grateful that I had so many family members there to celebrate it! As of now I will be taking a week off and letting the legs heal. I have to walk down the stairs backwards until the quads improve! Time to figure out what race is next on the calender!
Coming down the final stretch in the last 100 yards! (White shirt, Dark Blue Shorts)
Post Race Celebration!Thursday, June 19, 2008
It's just me and 26.2...
Well it is finally here. I have put in 433 miles, ran the Irish for a Day 10 mile, Earth Day Half Marathon and the Northern Lakes 30k all in preperation for this weekend's marathon in Duluth, Minnesota. I am hoping to finish between 4:00-4:15 if all goes well. I am excited, scared, nervous, and anxious all in one. Running a marathon has always been one of my three lifetime goals and now I am on it's doorstep. I am thinking I might shoot for one more after this (maybe Chicago or New York) but I am pretty sure I will be sticking with the half marathons from here on out. I will log with pictures next week upon my return from Duluth!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Northern Lakes 30k and 3 Weeks to Go!
It was quite the exciting week in my little world of running. I hit my first 100 mile month and ended up with 120 miles during May! Its exciting that I have been running this much and do not have any major injuries. The IT band is slightly more sore than it has been but I am not too worried since the taper began after the race today. I have a 12 mile, 8 mile and then the marathon.
Today was my longest race yet. It was the Northern Lakes 30k (18.6 miles) in White Bear Lake. The weather was absolutely beautiful and was around 65 degrees and sunny. The race was mostly on the roads without trees so needless to say it got quite warm. I was shooting for around 3 hours which would have been under a 10 minute/mile. The flew during the first 15 miles and hung just under a 9 minute pace and then the heat and direct sun took its toll and I slowed down the last 3 miles. I finished at 2:53:16 well under the 3 hour mark! Right now I am contemplating running a half marathon next week as part of the taper but that is yet to be seen. So far so good and I hit the 400 mile mark on the year which is half way to the goal! Stay tuned pictures to come!
I was never happier to be done with a run then I was in this picture!
Today was my longest race yet. It was the Northern Lakes 30k (18.6 miles) in White Bear Lake. The weather was absolutely beautiful and was around 65 degrees and sunny. The race was mostly on the roads without trees so needless to say it got quite warm. I was shooting for around 3 hours which would have been under a 10 minute/mile. The flew during the first 15 miles and hung just under a 9 minute pace and then the heat and direct sun took its toll and I slowed down the last 3 miles. I finished at 2:53:16 well under the 3 hour mark! Right now I am contemplating running a half marathon next week as part of the taper but that is yet to be seen. So far so good and I hit the 400 mile mark on the year which is half way to the goal! Stay tuned pictures to come!
I was never happier to be done with a run then I was in this picture!
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