In which Dee gets it in her head to run a 25K

[MissDee]

Those beginner gains They're coming your way, too, baby.

Today I ran six miles. I didn't have any special purpose or even a specific distance in mind when I started running, so I decided to just go exploring. I went up a private road I usually skip, and found a trail. I took off on that, and ended up on a nature trail that I didn't even know about. So it was a cool run. Slow, hilly, hot, but nice.

[Kevin Littler]

Dee, I just noticed my post didn't make it to your log I was having connection problems, so sorry it didn't get through. Really wanted to congrat you on taking 5 minutes off - you took more off your time this year than Twins (shhh, don't let him know).

Good to hear you starting to love hills - hills rock in my opinion. How much longer to the 25K?

[MissDee]

Thanks! 25K is in two and a half weeks. It's almost time to start obsessing about the weather

Results came out. Sigh. I was hoping to be in the top half of my age group and/or the top half of the women. Didn't make it. But I did come pretty close to my nine minute pace goal, so I'll hang on to that. And I was number one alphabetically!

Today I did speedwork. 11 quarters, each under 2 minutes. I never left the street in front of my house. I ran past my house 23 times. My neighbors must think I'm crazy.

[MissDee]

4/24 6 miles
107.6/123=87.5%

Opps, wrong thread

[MissDee]

Is it just me, or are all the yankees having a hard time getting out there and running in this? I missed two days, but I got out there today. I did a five mile tempo run, increasing speed every eight minutes. I couldn't get down to an eight minute mile on that last increase, though. Maybe next time. I've DONE an eight minute mile before, but they don't come easy.

[GG300]

This Yankee just got back from from Indy and my business meetings there kept me pretty busy. I did squeak in a couple of early morning runs while I was there. We did get pretty spoiled with last weeks nice weather.

[MissDee]

Six easy miles

[BamaDave]

Have you placed in one of your races, yet?? I foresee end-of-race bling in your future!!

[MissDee]

You're a sweetheart, but no. Third place in my age group in my last race was 17 minutes faster (over ten miles) than me. I'm faster than I was last year, but I'm not that kind of fast.

Today I ran my longest run before the 25K - 16 miles. Elevations were rolling, between 600 and 850 feet. After 12 miles, I started thinking, you know, I'd just like to walk. Shows in my splits, too. I slowed down to 13 minute miles for the last three miles. Yikes, that's shuffling.

But, I did speed work twice this week, and six miles yesterday. So I can't complain. I'm almost into taper time.

I've been thinking about what to do for my next trick. There are two 5Ks close to home in June. One is near the homes my husband and I grew up in (we were next door neighbors). The other is more convenient, but will be bigger. So I'm a probably on the first one and a maybe on the second.

I'd like to re-do some of last year's races; a 10K in late July near my cottage, the 10M Bridge Run in mid September, and a 5K in my neighborhood a few days later.

There is a challenging half marathon in late September near the cottage. I'd like to do that.

Which leaves... October. The marathon. Is this the year?

My choices are race a half, finish a full, and race a full. Training to race a full means five days a week instead of four, with speedwork and longer long runs. That sounds like a bigger time committment than I can make right now. And it doesn't sit right with me to train just to finish it. So I think I'll leave the full on the table for next year.

So I'm leaning towards training through the summer to be able to race two half marathons, one in late September, and one in late October. But I'm not going to make my final decision in the couple hours after a challenging long run

[GG300]

I slowed down to 13 minute miles for the last three miles. Yikes, that's shuffling.

Ouch that hurts. Good Luck with deciding on your race calendar. I am betting you will end up choosing to run the full to get one under the belt.

[MissDee]

Glad to see you vertical again I was going to post something sympathetic on your log, but then you got all cocky on your team's log

I planned to run three miles, but it started raining, so I took a shortcut and ran only 2.6. I could have skipped it, but I had to go to the post office anyway, and this gets me over 110% on the monthly challenge.

[GG300]

COCKY, I know you aren't talking about me. Or at least when it comes to running. Dave, Kevin and Jeff threw up some big numbers over goal this month and I was getting a little cocky about that. All in good fun though. Thanks for the thoughts, I was pretty happy when I was able to stand without getting woozy myself. I really scared the crap out of my girlfriend.

[MissDee]

I'm a snot, sorry.

I took off Tuesday because of rain, then ran 6.5 Wednesday, but it was a crappy run. I've got issues. Those regular issues we girls get and that I'm glad I won't have at my race next week. I did could not get myself out the door on Thursday, then that night was hit hard with a cold that has kept my on the couch today. Again, better this week than next.

I'll either do a short run or no run tomorrow, depending on how I feel, then something longer on Sunday. Then next week is taper. Like I've said, I'm very good at tapering.

[MissDee]

I had a long easy run today after several days off. I ran 11 miles, pretty much along the challenging hills I've been taking throughout this training cycle. My times weren't pretty - over 11 minute average pace. But it felt good. I feel ready for next week.

[MissDee]

I had a Very Bad Run yesterday. I had planned six miles. I couldn't run until 8 pm which is not my habit at all. I had eaten a light dinner just before. All I drank all day was coffee, and not even much of that. It was also warm and humid here.

About a mile and a half in, I felt like I was going to pass out. I was clammy. Less than two miles, and my body wanted to walk. I tried to keep running, but I felt an overwhelming need to walk, so I walked on home.

I got home, ate a sandwich, drank some water, and felt fine.

[twinsavsvikingsfan]

I've had that happen a few times. It was explained to me as low blood sugar. Crappy feeling, huh? Don't worry about it. Just make sure you're eating well and taking in fluids with the race just a few days away. Especially with the weather finally turning warmer.

[twinsavsvikingsfan]

Nice! Did you have a good time? Lots of people, huh?

[MissDee]

Dude, I looked for you, but what a mass of humanity that was! I had three different sets of people who watched me finish and they didn't even find each other. It took almost an hour to find my husband after the race.

The start was well organized. There were pace groups with signs, and that helped everyone figure out how to start. It would have been madness, otherwise. We were packed in like sardines. And it stayed busy the whole race.

I kept up about 9 minute miles the first ten miles. This was, in retrospect, STUPID! If I ran 10 miles recently at 9 min/mi, I needed to slow down for this one. But, I didn't, and I paid.

Between ten and twelve miles I slowed down to 9:30, which was fine.

And then I hit mile twelve. Actually, it was when we turned away from downtown to run to the zoo. By the time I got around the zoo I was doin' the death march. My garmin crapped out and so did I. I don't know my pace at that point, but it wasn't pretty.

So I'm not very happy with myself. I didn't run it well. But there's next year.

My 9YO son ran the 5K! He ran the whole thing and finished sprinting.

I don't know what my time was. There were three clocks at the finish, and I don't know which was mine. I'll post later when I get them.