NIKE HUMAN RACE

I was excited to get my information downloaded onto NikePlus for the Human Race Run, when I realized that the race was actually taking place tomorrow. I am a few runs behind so I think I might make up for them tomorrow and do the run.

One week til the race

Well let’s just say to start off my run was not as scenic as yours and I needed to use my IPod because I didn’t have the pleasure of waves crashing along the shore line. My run started in my house went up to Chagrin Falls then back to my house.
The first part of my run (down Bainbridge) was a little hilly and tough because it was on a main curvy road, and I would get nervous that a car would come zooming around the corner and not see me. Luckily I was safe and got onto another road that didn’t have as much traffic (Chagrin River Road). This road was equally as hilly but I just put my head down and tried to make my way up without thinking about what I was doing. After about two miles on Chagrin River Road I went on Franklin which took me to the downtown area. This part of the run wasn’t too bad because I was running on new asphalt (which seemed softer on my joints, which it probably wasn’t). Also along this part my father drove by and brought me water once again. This was a nice break, but I am really going to have to learn how to drink out of a water bottle when I run because I spill most of it on me when I run.
The second to last part of the run was on Solon Road, through Bentlyville, which wouldn’t have been too bad if they had sidewalks. While I was running on the side of the street which was about the length of a pencil, a car almost hit me. This wasn’t the normal almost hit by a car moment it was I actually had to just off the road to dodge the car because it was driving on the white line. That part of the run was a little nerve reeking because I almost lost a leg (and since I have paid for the ½ marathon and Vegas marathon I was going to be pissed if I didn’t get to run in them).
The last leg of my run was down liberty road, which wasn’t anything special or new because it was the same section I ran last week. The only thing different about the run was I had an empty water bottle in my hand and I dropped it off in the mailbox of the family you used to babysit (I think, not sure which house you worked at).

10 Miles on 17 Mile Drive

I woke up at around 6:30 AM today and got an early start to my run. After my banana and granola bar I was ready for the 10 mile run. It was very foggy and a cool 55 degrees outside. After finding my way to the boardwalk, I did a short stretch then start running the pedestrian path along the coast. It was absolutely stunning seeing the water and the hills around me. I didn't need to listen to my iPod when I had the sound of the breaking waves to run to. The only downsides were that occasionally I had to run in sand (tough on the calves) and that the smell of seaweed is not very pleasant (tough on the nostrils). There were a ton of bikers riding along the road and at one point it seemed that the whole Tour de France wizzed by me (a group of about 50 riders). At the halfway point, I did an about face and started my run back to the hotel. Around 6 miles, Joe and his mom and dad drove up and gave me some water and a moral booster. But overall I was feeling good. At about mile 7 I saw a coyote - we made eye contact and I was thankful he didn't come any closer. At mile 8, things started to get tough - my joints ached. But knowing that I was almost done pulled me through. I finished at exactly 10.00 miles with an 8:26 pace. Probably too fast for me to keep up normally, but the beautiful scenery motivated my good long run!

Treadmill again

Yesterday I ran on the treadmill at our hotel in Silicon Valley. It was nice that I was up early to do the workout since I'm still pretty much on Eastern Time. The 4 miles went fine - it was just boring. However, I'm still looking forward to my run tomorrow. The weather will probably be in the mid 50s in the morning - it will probably be foggy with a breeze coming off the ocean. I'm hoping it will be a breeze and not a wind which would make it tough to run against (unless it could be at my back, both ways). The path I'm running goes from our hotel to the lone cypress and back. It should be just over 10 miles! I'll let you know how it goes!

BIG DAY

Today was an important day in my Nike Plus running. I have been notified that I have reached 500 miles, have has 199 workouts, and have an average pace of 9:05 (my times have been coming down recently). I have very happy with my accomplishments and want to continue improving my mile times. The cool thing is that I can get a T-Shirt if I want that says I have ran 500 miles.

Playing In The Rain

Today’s weather wasn’t the best I have ever run in, but it was refreshing. I ran in my capris and a nice dry fit shirt. The weather was drizzling at a rapid pace and the only thing on my mind was I needed to run 5 miles. On my way home from soccer practice I was thinking of only running 4 miles because I played a bit at practice and took a lot of shots, so I figured my legs were going to be a little tired.

That all changed when I started my run, I decided since I was out I should do all 5 miles and not cut my training program short. The route I did was the Taylor’s neighborhood, and I started on one side and weaved in and out of the streets until I came out on the other side of the neighborhood. I was happy with my run and felt like I was keeping up a good pace (8:33).

IPod Stats:
Distance: 5.08
Time: 43:29
Pace: 8:33

Monday & Tuesday

Monday: I had to drop Megan's car off to get repairs so I decided it would be easy enough to run back from the service station. I ran from the Shell on the corner of Aurora and Solon Blvd. down the G street (I think that stands for Grandma?) of the ABC streets to Arthur Meadows. I did the big loop in there and headed home. It was a little over 4 miles at an easy pace.

Tuesday: I decided to run today rather than tomorrow since I will be traveling which would make the run difficult. I ran up 1.6 miles up to the Middle School track where I did 4 x 800 at a faster pace (probably around 8:00 min/mile) with a 300m jog in between. I liked that it was a different work out and wasn't just the long slow runs I tend to usually do. I jogged home - overall, it was 6 miles!

Half Marathon?

After our long runs this weekend, do you think you're ready to step it up a notch? Shall we take the plunge and register for the half marathon on September 7th? It would be good to get some race experience at a distance farther than a 5k or 5 mile run.

Dale Saves The Day

Today was my nine mile run which I planned out to run the north side of Solon, because I never really am out on the side of town, and since I was running alone I figured I should do a path I have never done before. To start out my run I ran my neighborhood then to North Huntington, this part wasn’t too bad but I figured I should get it out of the way so I didn’t have to run it on my way home. After that I continued to Timberlane so I could cut through to Solon Road and take Sherbrook to SOM (this was all a route I have done before so it wasn’t too exciting for me. Once I got onto SOM I encountered a small but steep hill to take me to Ledge Hill. This is a neighborhood I seldom go into because I don’t really know anyone who lives in here. Once I finished this neighborhood I was on Cannon, this is when my problems started to occur.
The reason I decided to run on Cannon was because I thought that there was only one hill, and that hill would be all downhill since I was coming from the west. To my surprise I was WRONG. I was correct that there was one BIG hill but I was wrong with that being the only one. The big hill that I went down was very steep and at some points of it, it was hard to keep my legs moving slow enough to get down it. Once I hit the bottom of this hill I realized that I was looking up at another hill, so I put my head down and ran up it (This patterned continued for about 4 hills). On about my third hill I decided that I needed a good stretch and some water. Since I only had control of one of those things I took a brief stop and stretched, 20 seconds into my stretch Dale (dad) came to save the day, drove and found me bringing me some water. After my water break I felt like I had the energy to continue running all the way home. To my surprise a mile later dale came again with more water, this time I took the bottle and ran with it all of the way home.
As I was finishing my run I turned onto Bainbridge where I thought I was home free at my slow pace. But there were three guys standing at the corner that just finished their run, and were talking. All of the sudden they stopped looked at me and started talking; I shortly realized that it was Mr. Rutsky (Samantha’s dad and my new neighbors). As I turned the corner he started running with me and pushed my all of the way home (about .75 miles). He seemed to be going very fast (and talking to me) which was even harder for me to keep up but I didn’t want to show up that I was out of shape so I continued running and pushing myself to keep up with him. He left me at the bottom of the hill on my street and my pushed myself all the way to my home.
Overall I was impressed with my run, because it was a distance I never ran before and I didn’t it with only stopping once for a good stretch and water.
IPod Stats:
Distance: 9.53
Pace: 9:11
Time: 1:27

Not Such a Good Run

Today's long slow run did not go well. It wasn't so much the running as it was the path. Last night I mapped out the below run. As you can see it says 9.58 miles for the distance. However, as I neared the end of my run, I was only at 8 miles and I ended at 8.38 miles. I was befuddled on how the distance I mapped the night before could be so different then what I actually ended up running. This is why it was a bad run - I am disappointed because I feel like I may have actually run less than the 9 miles we were supposed to run today.

Otherwise, I was pretty content with my pace. I average 8:41 min/mile. I started out at an 8:16 pace, which I knew was too fast and I couldn't keep for the entire distance. I need to work on slowing my starting pace so that I can be consistent throughout the entire run.

Killer Snakes and Oceans

Today we encountered another killer snake, this time the snake was not expected because we were on a road this time and not a trail in the woods. The worst part about the snake was that it tried to attack us, and we had to just out of the way to save our lives.

Other than the killer snake we encountered I think that our run went well, we were in a new neighborhood that neither of us were too familiar with so the new houses and paths were nice. Also you can see in the picture of our path how large the lake we ran by was.

Map It!

Here is our 5 mile run today - Suzi, you picked a much better path than I did on Monday. I really enjoyed looking at the houses as we ran through Signature I and II. The new scenery distracted me from the run and made it go by fast and painlessly. The only part I didn't like was running down Pettibone but that was the only downside and I would do this path again!

Back Together

Today was a different 5 mile run then we have ever done before which was done at a nice and easy pace (8:41); this pace is still faster then what I anticipate to run my marathon and half marathon in, but that is expected at these short runs. Luckily this week I don’t have morning practices so it has been nice to have someone to run with again, and keep me going. We started our run today by weaving all the way through signature II followed by cutting down a utility path, then over to a golf cart path to get to Signature II. I was kind of nervous to run on the golf cart path because I know the club doesn’t allow runners on the course. Luckily no one was on the holes we ran through and we made it to the other street (Signature I) before getting caught. We then finished our run by going down Pettibone, which was a little like playing Frogger expect we were running in a straight line and not trying to crossing the street. Most of the cars would give us a large amount of room when they passed but we had a few cars I think were trying to hit us. We finished our run by opening our strides at the end, and ending up back in Signature II.
IPod Stats:
Time- 46:45
Distance- 5.37 miles
Pace- 8:41

Run Part 2

After finishing my 5 mile run with Lauren I still had 3 more miles to go. The first mile of the run went well; I was at a good pace and felt strong. After that mile was up I hit a wall the next mile was a struggle for me. I felt like the temp was rising and my body couldn’t take it much longer. I tried to push through it as much as I could but had to take brakes along the way. This was very disappointing for me because it was the first run that I actually struggle with and had to take multiple breaks in. My goal is to try to put that run behind me and do better on the next long one.

Obstacle Course

I had trouble choosing just one title for this posting - I thought "worst path ever" or "wipe out" also could have been good titles for the run we just completed. I'm sorry for suggesting the power line run and I doubt I will ever want to do it again. The large rocks under the power lines was like trying to run on marbles, we ran by a KILLER snake, and the railroad tracks jumped out and tackled me. At least all of the obstacles somewhat distracted me from actual running. I ended up running 5.5 miles so that means one of my workouts can be a little bit shorter this week! Hope finishing your 8 miles on your way home went well!

I'm Back...!

First off I would like to apologize for my lack of posting over the past 6 days. So here is a quick review of my runs this week:

1. It was very nice running with you on Wednesday night. I usually run in the morning so I liked switching it up and running at night. It was also very enjoyable to have company and chat the whole way (it made the 5 mile run go by faster).
2. The Thursday 4 mile run was tough. I ran in the morning and since I had run at night on Wednesday I felt like I barely had 12 hours to recover before I was running again. After I got going it was fine though. I did a slow mile warm up followed by 2 fast miles and then cooled down with another slow mile.
3. Saturday was another landmark run - my longest ever! Every week will be a new landmark since we are increasing our mileage each week. The 8 wasn't too bad - I ran at Joe's. The unfamiliar territory had it's ups and downs - I liked the new scenery but it was hard to find a good long path since I'm not from the area. My knees/joints start hurting usually around mile 4 or 5 from all the pounding. I'll try to find somewhere soft to run my 4 mile easy run on Monday so that my knees can have a rest.

Want to run the power lines on Monday? We can explore!

Another One Down

I’m starting to think that the shorter runs are getting to be the harder runs. When I run the longer runs, it excites me because they are challenges, and something I have never done before. Whereas the shorter runs I have done before and know I am capable of doing. Today my 4 mile run wasn’t anything special. I ran in Cleveland Heights today because I enjoy looking at the houses in the area that at mostly old and brick. Today I went on the roads I have never done before so I got a chance to see all new houses.

I have realized that running after the first practice works well for me because I get it over with and don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. Tomorrow is a 5 mile run and maybe we could do it after my second practice together?

Running Times This Week?

These are times that I can run with you this week. Let me know what you want to do or what works better for you.

Tuesday: Between 11 and 3
Wednesday: Between 11 and 3 or after 7
Thursday: Between 11 and 5
Friday: Between 11 and 5

For the super long one on Saturday I think I will be running it on Sunday again. I have soccer games all day that start at 9 and end at 1, so Saturday I am going to be beat. Let me know what you think and I would be happy running with you any day that you can do it at these times.

Tough & Easy

The 7 mile run on Saturday was tough. At least it seemed harder than last week. As I had mentioned to you earlier, I think it was harder this week in compared to last week because last week it was the first time I had run that far. I think each time it is a new and longer distance, it is exciting! So hopefully the 8 this weekend will go well. The easy 4 today was just that, easy. Joe ran with me again - we did the first 2 and the last half mile together - which, of course, made it more enjoyable. Can we schedule a run together sometime this week maybe?

Anson Estate

Today was another one of those so called long days (7 miles). I decided to do Lauren route since it would give me the chance to run by the Anson Estate (I know I didn't call for the water but I decided on the run after I left my house). Since it was a path I never took before I was excited for what surprises it might bring. Of course my pace wasn’t as fast as Lauren’s but I was still happy with it (9:09 minute miles). The only down part of the run was most of it seemed to be right into the sun. This was a little difficult for me because I could feel my face burning and my lips chapping, but I still pushed through it (knowing the faster I ran the faster I would be able to get out of the sun). Overall my run was good and I got to run little extra (.69) since I did the entire block by the estate (so I didn’t look like a creeper and turn around in the driveway.

IPod Stats:
Pace- 9:09
Distance- 7.69
Time- 1:10:29

I've Been Thinking

After completing my 7th week of training I feel that I am getting much more confident that I’m actually going to finish the marathon. When we started the workout looking at it I never thought that I would ever be able to run 5 miles more than once a week, now I am running 7 miles without really stopping and having to walk (I stopped twice today for 5 second to apply chapstick). Another thing that is starting to surprise me is that I am actually enjoying running. I have been trying to take new paths each time, and even though I have lived in Solon my entire life I am noticing new things each run. I am excited to keep running and can’t wait for the marathon to get here!

Running Invite

Would you possible like to run the 7 miles together tomorrow? It's much more enjoyable to jog together! I'd want to probably do it around 8:30 tomorrow morning. Let me know and if you do, start thinking where you want to go!

Fast, Hard Workout

Joe ran half of my four mile jog with me today. It was nice to have someone to run with, especially on these easier days where I can run slowly and recover after my hard workout yesterday. Yesterday's workout was tough! I ran a mile warm up and then the hard work began. I ran the next mile as fast as I could (6:50), which wasn't as quick as I used to be able to (5:56). I was happy with my time since it had been a very long time since I ran a timed mile. After the fast mile, I was feeling pretty beat. I did an 800m recovery jog and then ran a second mile at 7:30 followed by another 800m recovery jog before doing one more fast 800m. I finished with an 800m cool down (I think that all adds up to 5 miles) and then stretched well and went home. It was a good workout and I sure felt it today.

A Week in Review

I know that I haven’t been keeping with up the posts lately, and I am completely sorry about that. It is not acceptable and I will work harder to change that. I can recap my week for you.

Monday:
Today I went on a 5k run around the neighborhood in Cleveland Heights. This was a nice quick jog. I don’t have my IPod in front of me at this very minute, but I think that the pace was around an 8:30 pace. When I first started my run I really had to use the rest room, and figured the more I ran the quicker it would go away. That was not the case so about 1k in I stopped by some hidden trees and released my bladder from the constant pain. To my surprise the “hidden” tree path was not very hidden, and when I was about complete I could hear the pedaling of a bike quickly approaching. When I heard this I moved away from the woods and stretched in the grass in front of the trees and pretended to stretch. Since the kid on the bike decided to play on the path I continued my run down all of the streets in the neighborhood. I was very happy with that and was being pushed hard to keep the pace up. The last 300 meters of the run was also up hill which I thought that I would give up on, but I pushed through it and successfully finished!!!

Tuesday:
Today was a day off; it was nice to be able to relax. I did get a chance to run a half mile with some of the girls on my team who needed someone to pace them. Unfortunately the girl that I was running with didn’t make the mile by 5 seconds, but she tried her hardest, and ran her fastest time.

Wednesday:
Today was a soccer day. I was suppose to run 5 mile, but I realized that I am not going to win my Nike plus, so I decided that my main focus was going to be training properly for this half marathon coming up in less than a month! To start the day I did some sprints with the girls on my team (one of the groups was a player short). This consisted on six 100meter sprints (which I felt good after). Then in the evening I had a soccer game, which I did running in their, the new way a get an extra half a mile in or so during the game, is when the ball goes out of bounds I volunteer to run after it. This keeps the game moving quicker, but it also allows me to run more.

Again I would like to say sorry for not keeping you updated, and I have not given up on the training yet!

Let's Goooooo!

C'mon Suz, where are the posts? The updates? I'm hanging here in wonder with how your work out went. Also, from the looks of your training blog, you haven't run since last Wednesday? Let's gooo - DEDICATION!

Running in Circles

I decided to run on the track today - I wanted to avoid cement after the 7 miler. I made today a true easy and recovery day - I warmed up with a half mile jog and then stretched well. I then ran 10 laps around the track at about a 9:00 pace and finished with some more good stretching. I have been reading that it is important to include different types of runs in your training, so I might go back to the track on Wednesday to do some tempo or speed work

Seven Down A Lot To Go.

Today I have also completed the longest run I have even done. When first starting the run I didn’t think that I could possibly run seven miles without stopping, but today I proved myself wrong. Starting the run at a solid 8:30 pace went well, I kept that pace for a majority of the trip, and was feeling good. Throughout the run I encountered some hills which slowed down my run a little. But the last .75 miles I really picked up the pace (7:15-7:30) and felt good.
I am starting to learn how to pace myself and I am getting a little faster. I think today was a good day for me and I am excited to start this next week of running.

Simple Seven

Yesterday was the farthest I have every run. I had run 5 and 6 miles before, but never 7! I have felt like I have been doing my long runs too fast which may have been the reason that I started to get shin splints (I read this in a marathon training book). For this reason, I decided to make the 7 miles, long and slow - I didn't want to overexert myself. I still ended up having an 8:30 min/mile pace but I felt like I was taking it easy.

I felt good throughout most of the run. After 5 and a half miles, or so, my knees started to feel the wear of pounding the cement so many times. I think it would be good for me to find some softer grounds for some of my other runs this week. Want to go for a run in the pool...?