New York Half Countdown: 6 weeks to go

Last week was okay. It was kind of lame not running in the beginning but I've learned that it's better to baby your injuries in the early stages so they don't take you out later on. I'm glad I took it easy because my shins felt 100% better and after our long run on Saturday I didn't have any troubles at all.

The real trouble I'm having is food actually. I put on a few pounds during the holidays; no big deal, except they're not coming off. I'm running again and exercising but I actually gained weight last week. The reason why is no mystery, I just can't seem to get a handle on my portion sizes and sugar cravings. I'm also a social eater and it seems that we always have something going on where there's lots of food and I'm like a cow in the pasture, grazing all night long till I come home ridiculously stuffed.

So my goal for this week, along with getting my training in, is to be more conscious about what I eat. I'm going to try to do all the things I know are good for me, eat more fruits and veggies, whole grains and lean meats. Go easy on the sugar, watch my portion sizes, and ignore the fact that the girl scouts are out with those dang cookies.

Here's how last week went:

Weekly Goals:

Mon: 4 miles
Tues: 2 miles of cross
Wed: 4 miles
Fri: 40 min cross
Sat: 6 miles

Outcome:

Tues: 45 min strength DVD
Wed: 45 min strength DVD
Thurs: 4 miles
Sat: 6 miles

Breaking in the new shoes

My shoes finally got here and I was so excited to take them out for a test run today. It was the first time I've run all week since I've been trying to recover from shin splints. The rest really helped and my legs felt awesome!

It was very refreshing to run outside. Today was beautiful, 40 degrees and sunny. Definitely not the freezing cold February I was used to in Minnesota! It was also so nice to be able to run during the sunny part of the day. With little kids I'm usually stuck with running in the wee hours of the morning, late at night, or inside on the treadmill. As fate would have it though, we moved in across from a family with a daughter who's in 6th grade, just took a babysitting course and wants to be a mother's helper. We've worked it out so she'll come over once or twice a week for an hour so I can run outside. Teya loves her and it's comforting to know that if anything happens, her mom is just across the street. So yeah, totally sweet set up!

Anyway, the run went great. I did 4 miles and finished in just over 36 minutes. I hit a few good hills and really tried to tackle them at full speed since hills tend to give me a huge mental challenge. When I was done I stretched for a long time and so far, 5 hours later, I have zero shin pain. I think the shoes did the trick! I'm looking forward to running outside again on Saturday. Good to be back in the game!

New York Half Countdown: 7 weeks to go

So last week I said my top priority was to get new shoes since the ones I was running in were "expired," having had more than 250 miles put on them. I wanted the exact same shoes, because I LOVED mine. They were my second pair of the same and why change when you know what works? Problem is, I couldn't find a store that carried them. I spent two days going to store after store with no luck.

I finally got online and found them but no one had my size! It was really frustrating but after surfing through several different sites I finally found my beloved Nike Zoom Elite 4 Trainers in a size 6.5! Whew!

So the good news is I bought new shoes. The bad news is, they aren't here yet. Without good shoes I knew I was at risk for making my shin splints worse but I wasn't thinking like a smart runner and decided to train as usual in my old kicks. The first few days were okay but after my long run on Saturday the pain is back. Dang it.

The good news is my shin splints aren't as bad as I've had them before. I mean, I could still run on them if I had to, but I'm forcing myself to stop running so they can get better. Rest, Ice, and massage is my plan for now. I'll cross train to strengthen my legs and hopefully by the time Saturday rolls around I'll have my new shoes and my legs will be ready to go.

On a happier note, I found a running buddy to train with! Her name is Becca, just like me, and she ran her first half marathon last fall. She signed up for the New York half and we did our first run together on Saturday. It was a 6 miler and she took us out on a course with some pretty decent hills! I had a great time though, having someone to chat with makes it go by so fast! She is awesome and I'm super excited to train together.

So here's how the week went:

Weekly Goals:

Mon: 4 miles
Tues: 2 miles or cross train
Wed: 4 miles
Fri: 40 min cross
Sat: 6 miles

Outcome:

Mon: 4.5 miles
Tues: 25 min strength DVD (squats, lunges, abs, and arms)
Wed: 4 miles
Friday: 45 min strength DVD (squats, lunges, abs & arms)
Sat: 6 miles

New York Half Countdown-8 weeks to go

My friend Natalie keeps tabs of her marathon training with a weekly countdown blog post. Anyway, I liked the format so that's what I'm going to do.

Last week went pretty well. I got all the miles I needed, but I didn't do a lick of cross training and I know I'm going to pay for that if I don't get on track. After my 5 miler on Saturday I was starting to feel shin splint pain coming on. I stretched really well, ice massaged and didn't run the next day. Still, I know I really need to get my cross training in to prevent injuries.

I'm also thinking the shin pain could be a sign that it's time for a new pair of shoes. I'm still running in the same ones I wore for my marathon last June. So yeah, new shoes are a top priority for this week. Anyway, here's how my training went:

Weekly Goals:

Monday: 3.5 miles

Tuesday: 2 miles

Wednesday: 3.5 + Strength

Friday: 40 min cross training

Saturday: 5 miles

What I actually ended up doing:

Monday: 3.5 miles

Tuesday: didn't get my run in

Wednesday: 3.5 miles + wall sits and planks

Friday: 2 miles

Saturday: 5 miles

I did all my running on the treadmill but I played with the speed and incline to make it feel more like an outside run. This week if it gets warmer I'm hoping to at least do my long run outside. My pace is still slower than I'd like, I'm averaging a 9:13 minute mile. (6.5 mph on the treadmill) But I'm trying to not worry about it and just be happy that I'm running again and building my cardio back up.

The one thing I do feel like I need is some fresh music for my playlist. My old songs aren't quite doing it like they used to. If anyone has any great running songs please leave some suggestions in the comments. : )

Happy running!

Boost of Confidence

My first few runs on our treadmill were rough, I'm not gonna lie. I was huffing and puffing and really struggling to finish 3 miles. The second run I did I seriously had to stop 3 times to catch my breath. It left me with some major doubts about tackling a half marathon in 9 weeks. I hung in there though and last week I made myself get on there and run every other day. I slowed up my pace and took it easy and by the end of the week the 3 mile runs weren't so bad.

Then on Saturday I attempted my first "long run" which was only 5 miles, but more than I've run in a very long time. I loaded up my iPod with the soundtrack to Wicked, hopped on the treadmill and steadily jogged along as I listen to the witches of Oz belt it out. I stayed at a nice 10 minute pace for the first 3 1/2 miles then bumped it up to a 9:13 pace to finish off the last mile and a half. It was a really great run! I felt good the whole time and definitely had energy left when I finished. It was a huge boost of confidence to know that I could do that run without any trouble, and it made me realize that if I scale back to the novice training schedule I'm still totally on track for the New York Half Marathon on April 3rd.

So, with my new found confidence and motivation I got online, registered for the race and booked a hotel right where the race headquarters are set up. It's officially ON! and I'm really excited to have something to work towards for the next 2 months.

Fresh Start

After a 3 week unintentional break from running, (what can I say, moving is tough!) I'm starting over and excited to get back in shape. Our treadmill is here! Finally! The first one they sent to our old house was damaged, so we had one shipped to our new place and finally got it all set up on Thursday! It's the NordicTrack 1500 Pro (pictured here) and after two runs I'm already smitten. Nothing beats the convenience of lacing up your shoes and walking downstairs to get a run in. No babysitter, gym pass, or warm gear needed!

That said, I've definitely got my work cut out for me if I want to run a half marathon in less than 12 weeks. My first run on the treadmill was a 3 miler that almost killed me! I couldn't really do much more than a 10 minute mile and I was tired at the end. Still I'm staying positive since last year at this time I was barely running 3 miles and I managed to do just fine for the spring running season. It's hard not being up to speed but I guess that's just more motivation to really hit it hard! And I plan to, thanks to my new friend : )

Getting back on Track

It's been awhile since I posted here, guess I followed through and REALLY enjoyed the holidays : ) Hoping to get back on track soon though. Movers are at my house as we speak loading all my household belongings onto their truck. This next week will be a little crazy as we tie up our lose ends, drive across the country and get settled in our new place. AFTER all that happens though I'm ready to get my work out on!

I've been doing some research looking for my next race and think I found a winner. The New York City 13.1 Half Marathon. I've never been to New York and thought an awesome way to check out the city would be to run through it! It's only 4 hours away from our new place so we can just drive over and make it a fun weekend for the family. The race is on April 3rd so even if my running legs are a bit rusty from the holidays it gives me the perfect amount of time to train and get ready. I've already downloaded my training schedule from the Hal Higdon website. Last year I followed the novice schedule but this year I'm stepping it up and going to intermediate. It includes more speed work and tempo runs and has you running 5 days a week. Hopefully if I stick with it I'll be able to improve my time. I finished the Maple Grove half in 1:59:10. I'd like to be able to shave at least 5 minutes off that.

So that's the plan. When we get to NH I have shiny new treadmill waiting to start logging some serious mileage. Happy running!!

Enjoying the Season

Last week I had kind of a freak out moment when I stepped on the scale and realized that I had gained 5 lbs in the last 5 weeks. I know that might not sound like that big of a deal but when you're 5 ft 1, believe me, 5 lbs makes a difference. I guess I really didn't need the scale to tell me I've been gaining weight. I mean, it's pretty obvious when I put on my jeans and my "Christmas rolls" are spilling out over the sides. Still, seeing that number really got to me. I started getting down on myself and feeling like all my hard work was quickly going to waste. It's been busy lately with traveling, moving preparations, and getting things ready for the holidays. We have family coming into town this week and next week. With everything that's been going on I've barely been able to fit in two runs a week. (Down quite a bit from the 5 I was doing during the summer) Add to that the decadent plates of goodies we've been getting on our doorstep and well, it's been an uphill battle.

So like I said, I was moping around and beating myself up and ended up venting to a friend about my holiday weight gain. Later that night she sent me an email with this line, "by the way, I don't think you need to worry about 5 lbs...you look amazing, seriously! You are truly my inspiriation as far as exercising and being healthy. Just enjoy the holidays!"

I don't think she realizes how much that little email has helped me. I felt like reading that email somehow gave me permission to do what it said, ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS! It's a busy time but a wonderful time. I might not get a work out in everyday but I'm still working out. I might be eating an unusually large quantity of sugary baked goods but it's not like I eat this way all year round. It's the holiday season and I'm enjoying it, Chritmas rolls and all : ) And the good news is, Taber and I are getting a treadmill this year as our gift to each other. So when all the holiday celebrations are said and done, we'll have a great motivator to get us back on track.

Turkey Trot Success!!!

On turkey trot morning I had my strategy all planned out on how I was going to set a PR and finish a 5K under 27 minutes. I wanted to go out at around a 9 minute pace for half a mile, then 8:30 for a half a mile, 8 for a mile and half and then push hard for anything under 8 till I finished. Only problem was, I forgot to bring a watch so I had no way of knowing what my pace was. So much for strategy! : ) Still, I've run the 5k distance so many times in training that I thought I'd have a pretty good idea of how fast I was going.

Taber and I did an easy 15 minute jog to warm up. It was actually the first time I've ever warmed up before a race. I should probably do that more often. We stretched for a bit and then headed toward the starting line and waited with nervous anticipation.

The horn blew and we took off. I meant to start out slower but with all the race day adrenaline I kicked it up and when we passed the first mile I hadn't even finished two songs on my iPod. most songs are around 4 minutes long so I figured I must be doing around an 8 minute mile. The second mile was tough because we went from being on the road to this little forest trail that was lose, rocky, twisty, and thin. We had to run in single file and Taber pulled ahead but I got stuck behind this slow guy. Finally we came out of the forest trail and I sprinted ahead of the guy and passed Taber in the process. I exerted way too much energy doing that though and at the higher altitude my lungs were burning. Taber easily caught up to me and passed me.

With one mile to go I was getting tired and depressed as I realized I wasn't going to be able to catch up to Taber. He was probably about 50 yards ahead of me when the temptation came to just stop running and catch my breath. That's when I noticed a girl who looked about my age about 10 yards ahead of me. I knew I couldn't catch Taber but I vowed I would catch her. I kicked it up and steadily started closing the gap between us. I could see the finish line and gave it everything I had left. I passed her about 20 feet before we crossed the finish line and finished just 2 people (and 9 seconds) behind Taber.

There wasn't a clock at the finish line and I was dying to find out my time. I knew I ran hard so I felt good about that, but I wanted to know if I had met my goal. Finally the results came out. I grabbed my card and a huge smile broke across my face as I read: Becca Rigg, female, age 29, finish time 25:46, average pace, 8:17 min/mile.

It was such an awesome feeling to set a PR! That's one of the things I love about running. I know I'll never be the fastest girl out there but it's fun to race against myself and improve. Last year when I started running I was doing 11 minute miles on the treadmill and that was tough. Kind of cool to see what a difference a year makes.

The next day when the official results came up online I found out that I also placed 10th out of 77 in my age division of 20-29 year old women. I wouldn't have made it into the top 10 if I hadn't passed that girl. Glad I didn't give into the urge to walk and finished strong instead!

I'll take what I can get

So, my last post was about combating the holiday bulge...hmmmm....Can't say I've done too fabulously with that one. As I predicted, my birthday and trip to Boston were both delicious and a little high on calories if you know what I mean. Also, with the travel and busyness of getting ready to travel again tomorrow I haven't done much working out. Ooops!

Still, I signed up for a Turkey Trot in Grand Junction, CO, where we're staying for Thanksgiving, And I made a goal to get a PR. My best 5K time in an actual race is 29:41. Shouldn't be too hard to beat that. My best 5K in training is 25 flat. Odds of me getting that are slim to none. Still, I'll take what I can get. Any improvement will be great. I think I'm shooting for around 27 minutes, right between my best and my previous. I ran on the track yesterday and finished in just over 26, but I only ran 3 miles, didn't do the .1 that is part of the 5K.

I hope I can run again tomorrow night or Monday morning while I'm in Utah so I can at least have few training runs at altitude. Even though it's just a 5K I'm still a little nervous because I actually want to do it kind of fast. So yeah, here are my main worries:
1) running at altitude could slow me down
2) I haven't run outside in a long time so not sure if my treadmill and track training will help or hinder.
3) I haven't exactly been sticking to a great nutrition plan. Not sure if all the cake and desserts I've eaten lately will affect my speed.

On a positive note, here are the things I've got going for me:
1) The few times I have run lately I've been trying to go for speed and I'm getting pretty comfortable in the 8:15-8:30 minute mile range, which is definitely fast enough to beat my last time.
2) I totally get serious adrenaline on race day so I think that will help.
3) Taber gave me a gift certificate to iTunes for my birthday so I'm going to have a sweet new playlist to push me.
4) I've done a little cross training lately so I'm hoping that will help too!

Anyway, wish me luck and I'll keep you posted on how it goes next week!