getting colder...

Well, I've started wearing long pants and sometimes even long sleeves on my runs. I think it's officially fall.

I forgot my watch when I went to speed work last week, so I have no idea whether I succeeded at the 200m cut downs. I ran four sets though, when the coach only suggested three, so I felt ambitious. Most of the rest of the team is tapering for the marathon, and there's really no reason for me to do that.

I did 5K on the treadmill on Friday at a 10-minute mile. I forgot to change the incline, though, so it didn't really mimic running outside. Oh well.

I ran 8 miles on the lakefront path on Saturday morning. I felt pretty good doing it, too. I didn't get tired until the last mile. I think my pace was somewhere between a 10- and 11-minute mile.

Then I ran 5K outside on Sunday (I didn't want to have to run Monday morning because my mom was staying with me Sunday night). I went around the parks again -- it's a nice route. Eventually I might experiment with running through the parks, but I might have to get a GPS for that because otherwise it would be hard to know how far I was going.

I went to speed work last night. We did a mile repeat, then a 1000m repeat, then an 800m repeat. It's supposed to be a really good workout for preparing for the marathon Sunday. My friends left after that, but I did 3 more easy laps to get my mileage for the night up to 5 miles. I'm a control freak like that.

Tomorrow I need to do another 5K, then Saturday I'm shooting for 8.5 miles. Then Sunday I am volunteering at the marathon, which entails being on my feet for almost 8 hours and becoming completely covered in Gatorade. Yet I'm really looking forward to it.

Let's see if I can remember it all...

Well, I got behind again, but here's my best recollection of my running in the last two weeks or so...

I woke up Monday the 14th feeling nauseous, probably from dehydration, so I skipped my run. Instead, I did a 5K on Tuesday morning. (No clue how fast I did it, but it was nothing memorable.)

That Wednesday's speed workout was a fun one. It was 400 m relays. We worked with a partner, and one person ran one lap, then took a recovery as the partner ran a lap. It made it go by really fast.

Then I got up Thursday and did my last 5K on my regular Lincoln Park route. I felt no nostalgia at all.

I moved on Saturday (woo hoo!), so I did not do a long run. But I went on Sunday, and ran 7 miles on the south part of the lakefront trail, close to my new digs. It was very pretty! Next summer is going to be really nice. I ran at just barely under a 12-minute mile.

I used my new fitness room for the first time last Monday, and ran 30 minutes at a 10-minute mile. The room was not crowded, so I should not have trouble getting a machine when I want one. That's good news for the winter.

Wednesday's speed workout was NOT fun. It was mile repeats, which are never fun to begin with, but this time they involved running up and over a giant hill four times per mile. I hated every second of it, except for seeing a beautiful sunset during my cool down run back to the train.

I got up on Thursday and ran 3 miles outside, basically doing a lap around Millennium Park and Grant Park. Again, very pretty, and should be more so in the summer when there is more light.

I went home for a wedding this weekend, and I did not have time for a long run. But, I ran 3.7 miles by myself on Saturday and 2.9 miles with my mom on Sunday, which is only a mile short of what a long run would have been. Both were at about an 11-minute mile.

Yesterday I did a 5K on the treadmill at a 10-minute mile. Tomorrow's speed workout is 200 meter cutdowns (doing each repeat a bit faster than the last). (I never actually succeed at that.)

Four and a half weeks til my last race of the season. Should be a good one.

Another week down...

Wednesday's speed workout was nuts. Things are really gearing up, as most of the people on the team are in the final preparations for the marathon. We did "200 meter sandwiches." We had to sprint 200 m, jog 15 seconds, bound for 15 seconds, jog for 15 seconds, sprint 200 m, jog 15, bound 15, jog 15, sprint 200 m. Then do a recovery. Repeat 3-4 times.

I was tired when I left that one....

Friday I did a 5K in the morning, and Saturday I did a 7-miler at about a 10:45 mile pace. Tomorrow is another 5K day, then I'm back at speed work Wednesday.

I'm not sure I will get in a long run this weekend since I am moving (eeeeeee I'm so excited!), but I think even if I skip a week, I am still in good shape for the Hot Chocolate 15K on November 1.

No shin pain in several weeks. Some pain in my thighs, though. I think it is mostly soreness, but I should be careful not to push too hard at speed work. If I get another injury this year, I think I will scream. Like, for days. Stopping only to breathe.

Well, that was happy. Haha. Still loving the weather! Routing for no snow til after my last race. As it snowed for my first one this year, I feel it should wait for my last one to be over. (You hear that, Grandma Rich? I'm counting on you!)

My Grandma Rich was always in charge of the weather. :-)

Still going....

I'm still keeping up my regular training schedule! Last Monday I ran a before-work 5K, then on Wednesday I went to speed work. We did 200 m repeats, and I REALLY pushed myself. On the plus side, I did all 14 of my repeats in 56 seconds or less. (OK, OK, the last one was actually 56.08 seconds. But the rest were under 56!) So, that's less than an 8-minute mile pace. Granted, I could not have kept up that speed any longer than 200 m (about an eighth of a mile), but still. I'm pretty proud.

However, I was hella sore for DAYS. Actually, I'm still a little sore. But it was worth it.

Friday I did another before-work 5K, and Saturday I did a 6-miler at about an 11-minute pace. I think I could have gone faster if I hadn't still had screaming thighs from speed training.

Today I did another 5K, and I should return to speed work on Wednesday, barring any weather issues. No updated schedule yet, so I don't know what the workout will be.

Less than 2 weeks until I move! I'm excited to start using the in-building weight room on my non-running days. (Though I bet after I find out how hard it is, the excitement wanes. Haha.)

I'm still not as fast as I was last year or before my first injury, but I running pain free and enjoying myself, so I'm not too torn up about it. I have one more race this year -- a 15K. I'm not sure yet what my goal will be next season. This is the first year that I'll have a treadmill to use through the winter, and who knows how that will affect my aspirations by spring.

Loving the weather. Fall is the best time to run.

Wow, did I ever get behind on this....

So, it's been almost 3 weeks since I updated. Oops. I've been busy, but I've also been running!

I returned to speed training once a couple of weeks ago. It was sort of embarrassing how slow I was, but still good to be back. The next two weeks were rained out though. Weather for Wednesday looks clear so far, so I'll probably go back then for 200 m repeats. (Hey, I'll take anything that's not mile repeats.)

Otherwise, I'm back into my pattern of 5K Monday, speedwork Wednesday, 5K Friday, and long run Saturday. So far I've only upped my long run to 5.5 miles, but I'm increasing by about a half mile a week from now until the Hot Chocolate 15K on November 1.

I'm running pain-free these days, and I've been able to complete a couple of 5Ks in under 30 minutes. I haven't done that in almost 6 months, so I'm happy.

Just a little push...

I went for a 5K this afternoon, and pushed my pace a little for the first time in quite a while. I was able to finish a 5K at a consistent 10:20 pace. Not exactly a PR, but faster than I have run in quite some time, so I'm happy with it.

A couple of twinges in my shins, but nothing bad. Still, I'm longing for the day I run completely pain-free.

Coming off the high.

Well, it's been a week since the race now. I didn't run for four days after the race. I had several reasons for this: I was sore, I was still cautious about my injuries, and I was on vacation. I did go for a 4-mile run with my mom on Thursday, and that went reasonably well, though I wasn't pushing at all. I went for a 5K today, and actually had to walk a little ways, but I'm choosing to blame that on the heat.

In the interest of remaining injury free for the rest of the season, I am going to take it very easy for a while. This week, I'm planning to run Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with each of those just being 5Ks except for Wednesday, when I hope to go back to speed work. I plan to just take each week as it comes and not try to start long runs again until September. I'll gradually work my way up again starting in September, with my new goal being to finish the Hot Chocolate 15K on November 1 without walking.

In the interest of savoring my half-marathon finish just a little bit longer, here are a few memorable things from the race:

1. Twice along the route, I saw a man with a sign that said, "Mortuary ahead. Look alive." It made me laugh both times.

2. Somewhere between the 10 and 11 mile markers, a woman just ahead of me yelled, "11!! Where are you 11?!" I must admit I was feeling the same way at that point.

3. 2.2 mile from the finish, there were two girls standing on the sideline chanting, "Two point two to beer! Two point two to beer!" Classic.

4. Somewhere around mile 4, a girl on the sideline yelled out to one of the runners, "Yay! You're still running!"

I'll update if I remember any more.