Let's Turn It Up

Today was a bit of a breakthrough day for my running. I finally realized that I can be faster, I can push myself harder and each day I will get to my 7 minute mile, maybe even lower. I ran a great 7:56 minute mile pace and it felt good. I realized today that my training needs to be more thoughtfully planned out and I need to run with people that make me faster, that push me harder. I have a few races planned for the year, not too many, but I have them planned so that I can challenge myself and then focus my training on doing better the next race. 

I'm going to stretch more, do more yoga and work hard every day to keep my body strong and focus on reaching my goals. I want to push harder, run faster and meet and exceed my own goals. 2013 is my year to run strong. 

I wanted to run the Nike Women's Marathon in Washington DC so badly, but today I realized even though I didn't make the lottery, or win the entries in the contests from Nuun and Luna bar, I can still run the race from where I am. I'm running the NWM Virtual 10k on March 9 and 10 with thousands of other women around the world, why not do the same thing on my birthday, April 28, for the Nike Women's Half Marathon? I originally thought this race was planned for me because of my birthday, a little silly right? It obviously was not meant to be. Don't get me wrong, if another entry suddenly comes to me or more spots open up I'll be the first one there, but until then, I am coming to terms with running my own race on my own terms and posting my stats to Nike+ from where I am running. 

Nike runs great races, and from running two marathons in San Francisco at the Nike Women's Marathon, I have made  some of my best friends at these races. So virtual training buddies, let's turn it up together. Let's run this race in DC and around the world. How are you going to #turnitup with me?

Running to my Goals

This last week was a whirlwind of activity. I ran 22 miles last week, but they were not the distances called for on my plan. I was able to get my sprint workout done at the track and it felt great! I enjoy long distance running and the feeling of accomplishment when I finish a marathon, but I think the track is my favorite. I love the feeling of pushing myself at an all out sprint and going fast! If I could be in an Olympic sport involving running it would definitely be the track. 

Today I am gearing up for an 11 mile long run. I have the Shamrock'n Half-Marathon coming up in four weeks and my training has been a bit harder with so many life events getting in the way. Moving, coaching girls basketball and working all seem to be taking place of my running. I have still been getting in 3-4 runs a week, they just aren't as long or fast as I would like. That is all changing today, since I have a holiday from work I finally have some time to run!

I also have a very exciting interview planned this morning. I don't want to say too much about it because I don't want to get prematurely excited, but it is big! No matter how prepared I am, interviews can still be very nerve wracking. Wish me luck!

Puddle Running!

December has arrived and I have one month left to reach my goals for this end of the year and set new ones for 2013. Today was my last planned race until 2013. It was the California International Marathon Relay event. I ran the 7.6 mile second leg of the race and it was one of the most challenging races I have run because of the weather. It was a TORRENTIAL downpour this morning with winds gusting at 29 miles and above. I was soaked before I even started the race. I wore proper gear, wind and water resistant pants, my Nike rain coat and water resistant gloves, but my feet were soaked!

I think my shoes weighed an extra 10 pounds each by the end of the race. I should have invested in LunarGlide 4 Shield's before the race. By the time I realized the weather would be so wet, I could't find the shoe I wanted in town and there was no way to ship it to myself quick enough. Once I was off and running I barely noticed the rain. It was actually almost nice because it kept my body cool as I ran. It was in the high 50 degrees so I was warm enough.

I bounded through puddles all morning long and felt a bit like a child; leaping carelessly through water 2-4 inches deep and dodging other, much deeper puddles. I kept a steady nine minute mile pace and was happy with my time considering the weather. It was a great experience and now I truly feel like a #wind and #rain warrior.

 Well Earned Finisher's Medal!

A warm shower, hot Chai tea and being snuggled under a blanket while writing this are just some of the perks of my post race relaxation. I might head out for a little shopping later this afternoon, when the weather clears up.

In other news, I am leading the Athleta run club every Sunday at 9am. If you're in the Roseville area, come out and join me! I can hardly wait to lead my first running club and consistently help others share the joy of running. It truly is a blessing to be able to work with an amazing group of women runners.

This last week I finally caved and entered the lottery for the Nike Women's Marathon in Washington DC! I have no idea how much this is going to cost, where to stay, who to go with, or how I can afford it, but I just WON'T miss this race! It on my birthday, APRIL 28, so I really don't see how I can NOT go? I will get in, I will have a blast, and I will PR. Those are my goals for 2013.

How are you staying active in December? Have you ever had a race that was ruled by the elements? How did you handle it?

The Long Run

This week marked my longest run before my tapering for the Nike Women's Marathon on October 14! I was dreading this run a bit because it is a 22 mile marathon in itself. The run took me four hours exactly to complete. That is my goal pace for all 26.2 miles. I wasn't too angry with myself for the slow pace because long training runs can be slower since they are training your body to just keep going, not necessarily run for time. It is actually better to not push yourself too hard during a tough long run because pushing too fast too soon can result in injury. 

I began to feel a slight twinge in my knee around mile 16, but tried to push through. I was a bit scared by mile 18 because the pain was exactly like last year when I sustained a knee injury after my first marathon. I ended up taking the last three miles extremely slow to be careful not to exaggerate the injury. I definitely felt a twinge all yesterday and this morning. After icing, foam rolling and doing my physical therapy exercises and a Leah Kim yoga workout with Nike Training Club my knee is feeling much better. Luckily I have one more day to rest before my tempo run on Wednesday. I am going to continue my preventative treatment until then and all the way to race day.

I was also excited to see my run on the Game On World site at Nike. I have kept Roseville on the map and am doing pretty well in their challenge. It's exciting to be able to compare my running stats with others around the world. I have put in a lot of miles over the last few months and it is exciting to see them paying off in a tangible way. Another interesting stat I gleaned from the Nike Running site is the measure of when I run. I never thought I would see this stat, but I have become an EARLY MORNING RUNNER! This is huge for me. I never thought that I would be able to say this but I actually enjoy getting my run in early. It's challenging and exciting and I have loved seeing the changes in my body and lifestyle over the last month. 

This week also marked the day of testing for my first degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. I am excited to report that I passed! Now all that is left is my demonstration testing in Reno the week before the Nike Women's Marathon. This is a HUGE accomplishment for me and a bit remarkable. I had to make a commitment to this for the past two years and I am so proud to say that I succeeded. 

This past week has been a week of firsts and achievements for me. I am excited to see what the next chapter of my life brings. October is a big month for me and it is quickly approaching. With only a few weeks of training left I plan on giving it my all so I will be able to crush my goal on race day. 

Stay tuned this week for an exciting book review and giveaway!