Training Log – Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon (Week 3)

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Coco

This is my training log for the Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon. (You can read my training log for week one here and week two here.)

My main goal for Annapolis is to train without getting injured and pace myself during the Half so that I finish happy and want to sign up for another one. 🙂 I plan to train for a sub-9:00 min/mile pace, but I will assess my goal on race day depending on how warm it is. I just don’t do well in the heat, and think even the 60s is hot for a long run!

May 2
21 min elliptical
free weights:
deadlifts/military presses/push-ups
plie squats/tricep dips
lunges/bicep curls
squats/lateral raises
bent-over rows/hamstring curls/leg extensions (Bowflex)
chest flies/crunches (on fitball)
back extension/reverse leg lifts (on fitball)
side-lying leg lifts/crunches (on mat)

May 3 (Track Workout)
My overall Garmin data (4.68 miles, 42:03 min, 8:59 avg. page) doesn’t tell the story:
Warm-up: 1/3 mile walking; 1 mile running
Repeat 1: 2 laps (1/2 mile); 1/2 lap recovery
Repeats 2-4: 3 laps (3/4 mile); 1/2 lap recovery
Cool-down: 1/2 mile running, 1/4 mile walking
Notes: Most of my laps were in the 2:08-2:12 range. After a few laps I decided to ditch my iPod so I could set my own pace without being influenced by the beat of the music.

May 4
20 min TM: 5 min @ 3.7 mph, 5 min @ 5.7 mph, 8 min @ 6.0 mph, 2 min @ 3.7 mph
free weights:
deadlifts/military presses/push-ups
plie squats/tricep dips
lunges/bicep curls
squats/lateral raises
bent-over rows/hamstring curls/leg extensions (Bowflex)
chest flies/crunches (on fitball)
crazy stability ball tuck & pike from Yum Yucky’s Bikini Monday post
side-lying leg lifts/crunches (on mat)

May 5 (Treadmill Speed Intervals)
Warm Up: 5 min @ 3.7 mph, 5 min @ 5.7 mph, 5 min @ 6.0 mph
Speed Intervals: 3 min @ 7.0 mph, 1 min @ 6.0 mph (8 times)
Cool Down: 1 min @ 6.0 mph, 2 min @ 5.7 mph, 5 min @ 3.7 mph
Notes: I picked the 7.0 mph pace (8:35 min/mile) based on my track pace on Tuesday. It got hard for the last two intervals but mostly felt good. I took plenty of time to stretch and roll afterwards.

May 6
20 min elliptical
free weights:
deadlifts/military presses/push-ups
lateral raises/front raises/tricep dips
lunges/bicep curls
preacher bicep curls
bent-over rows/chest flies/crunches (on fitball)
wall squats/ French press
pike-tuck on fitball
side-lying leg lifts/crunches (on mat)

May 7 (full recap of my Glorious! run)
8 mile “speedy” neighborhood run (8:53 avg pace)

May 8
Yoga: “Forward Bends” program of my Rodney Yee A.M. Yoga For Your Week DVD

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Which Beatitude Are You?

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Coco

We don’t hear The Beatitudes (Matthew 5) very frequently in our normal church service, but they have come up quite often in the Morning Prayer podcast that I’ve been listening to for the past few months.

(source)

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
   for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

After hearing them a few times, I started wondering which blessed category I might even hope to fall under?    

I am not “poor in spirit” or “meek,” and I cannot say honestly that I “hunger and thirst” for righteousness. I have too many unkind thoughts to be “pure in heart” and I’m not always a peacemaker. Despite the promised blessing, I am grateful that I am not persecuted for any of my beliefs. When I feel mournful, I know that God is comforting me, but I am not living in a state of grief.

That leaves “merciful,” which I think fits me pretty well, as long as I am being judged by imperfect, human standards. I am quick to forgive and try to put myself in the other person’s shoes–or at least look at the situation from their perspective–before I pass judgement. I believe that some wrongs warrant consequences, but I am more interested in rehabilitation than retribution. I may not always “turn the other cheek,” but usually I will give you another chance.

The promise of being “shown mercy,” is meaningful to me. While I don’t believe that God holds every transgression against us–or that Saint Peter guards the gates of heaven with a long list of our sins–I can’t rule out the possibility that someday I may have to account for “what I have done, and what I have left undone.” If that happens, I will be pleading for God’s mercy, knowing that I don’t deserve it, but counting on His infinite love and grace to prevail!

Have you given much thought to The Beatitudes?

Which category might fit you?

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Relax And Enjoy The Run

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Coco

I don’t know where I first heard that phrase, but I do remember thinking it was crazy. How can you “relax” during a run?  But in the 10 years that I’ve been running, I’ve come to understand and believe in it as a way to approach running. Today was one of those runs when I reminded myself to relax and enjoy my run.

After unseasonably warm weather last weekend, we had *perfect* running weather this morning:


Right Now in Alexandria, VA
It’s 51°F, Cloudy

My stomach was a bit unsettled, so I opted for some whole grain crackers with a bit of peanut butter for breakfast. By 6:30 I was headed for the bike path, and at 6:50 I hit “start” on my Garmin.

I had planned on 10 miles, so instead of heading out to “kick ass” I had to pace myself. I think I did pretty well, with these mile splits:

9:39 – 9:06 – 9:18 – 9:23 – 9:10 – 9:37 – 9:27 – 9:16 – 9:22 – 9:12

(After the first, warm-up mile, the “slowest” miles were hilliest. )

I felt good during my warm-up mile. Nothing hurt, nothing twinged, and my pace was solid. I felt fine during the next few miles too, but I wondered why I didn’t feel great. Maybe I was more worried about the 10 mile distance than I thought. Or maybe work stress was weighing on my mind.

I reminded myself to “relax and enjoy the run”–if I had any expectations about hitting a certain pace, I was meeting them, so there was no pressure. I soaked in the gorgeous weather and started to notice the wildflowers and the blossoms on the trees–and then I was thankful that my allergies weren’t acting up!

Soon after I hit mile 5, I noticed that I was feeling great. Maybe because I had been thinking about going shopping with my daughter when she gets home from college (next week!), or because I had been day dreaming about my work trip to Key Biscayne at the end of June (a conference with most afternoons free!), or maybe I finally was relaxing and enjoying the run–it all just “clicked.”

I ended up finishing my run in 1:33 (9:21 avg. pace).

I took time to stretch at the park, and then headed home for coffee.  As the day wore on, I kept noticing how good I felt. No piriformis issues! No ITB pain! Now that will make any good run great.

Does it take you a while to find your groove in a long run?

What are your favorite running sayings?

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Yes, I Do Have Heart

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Coco

I’ve run the Lawyers Have Heart 10K many times, even though last year was the first year since they changed the course to an out-and-back route that I didn’t *hate* it. There is something about the time of year (mid-June) and the route (everyone agrees that the last mile in the blazing sun on the Whitehurst Freeway is brutal) that makes this 10K much harder than any 10 mile training run. But I am a lawyer, and I do have heart, so I keep running–especially when my law firm decides to pay for our entry fee!

This year is the first year that I am doing fundraising for this event, to raise money to support the American Heart Association, whose mission is “building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.”

Many of you know that I lost my Dad to heart failure this year, so this event holds special meaning for me now.

According to the Lawyers Have Heart website, for every $1 raised through Lawyers Have Heart, 88 cents is used to fund the American Heart Association’s mission.

The American Heart Association is the largest source of non-governmental funding for cardiovascular research in the country.

If any of these reasons sound good to you, please go to my my fundraising page and donate early and often!

Thanks for your support!

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Training Log – Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon (Week 2)

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Coco

This is my training log for the Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon. (You can read my training log for week one here.)

My main goal for Annapolis is to train without getting injured and pace myself during the Half so that I finish happy and want to sign up for another one. 🙂 After tweeting with some women who ran this Half last year, I am revising my pace goal. I still plan to train for a sub-9:00 min/mile pace, but I will assess my goal on race day depending on how warm it is. I just don’t do well in the heat, and think the 60s is hot for a long run!

April 25
10 min elliptical (shorter than usual due to an incident with the snooze button)
free weights:
deadlifts/military presses/push-ups
plie squats/tricep dips
lunges/bicep curls
squats/lateral raises
bent-over rows/hamstring curls/leg extensions (Bowflex)
chest flies/crunches (on fitball)
side-lying leg lifts/crunches (on mat)

April 26
4 mile hilly neighborhood run
RunKeeper Data: 41:05 min; Avg. Pace 10:13
Notes: Read my full report here.

April 27
17 min TM: 5 min @ 3.7 mph/1.5 incline, 10 min @ 5.7 mph/1.o incline; 2 min @ 3.7 mph/1.5 incline
Same free weights routine as April 25

April 28
TM: 45 min hill program (level 5)
Cycle 1 (4 hills): 5.7 mph
Cycle 2 (4 hills): 5.8 mph
Cycle 3 (4 hills): 5.9 mph
Cycle 4 (4 hills): 6.0 mph
Notes: No twinges, but I took lots of time to stretch afterwards.

April 29
20 min elliptical
free weights:
deadlifts/military presses/push-ups
plie squats/tricep dips
preacher curls
lateral raises
bent-over rows
French press
chest flies/crunches (on fitball)
back raises/pike raises (on fitball)
side-lying leg lifts/crunches (on mat)
Notes: Yes, I was glued to the royal wedding during my workout! I used the foam roller during the whole Bishop’s message–maybe that’s why my ITB did so well on Saturday. I also focused on upper body and abs to give my legs a break before my long run (my glutes still complained during my run, though).

April 30
10 mile long run on the bike path (full recap here)
Garmin data: 10 miles; avg pace = 9:21 min/mile

May 1
Yoga = 20 min Forward Bends program from my Rodney Yee A.M. Yoga For Your Week DVD

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