Hill Repeats

Yup, did those today.  Too bad it takes 2.6something miles to get to the hill that I like to repeat.  Got it done though...with other smaller hills.  I did 2 repeats of the entire hill!  Up to the top, rest, and down the back, rest, up the back, rest, down the front, rest.  Up the front for the 2nd repeat, rest, down the back, rest, up the back, rest, down the front.  So really 4x the hills.  So friken hard!  I'm gonna keep doing these at least 1x a week.  I need to get back to my speed, and if this is how I get it all back, then hill repeats are where it's at!  I am a happy girl.

Goals for 2014

My Coach told me write them down & tell someone, so I'm telling you all.

1. To pass both licensing exams for my LCSW.
2. Drop 10 - 15 lbs.

3. Sub 2 @ my goal half marathon. 

4. PR @ the Oakland Marathon, I'm Legacy btw.
5. Run a 50k.

6. Stay injury free. 

There, now it's written. Let's see what 2014 will bring me. 

Hope you all are well. 

Lovies,

E

                             

Merry Christmas!

The years almost over & it flew by fast. Didn't PR this year, but I do better in even years than odd...so next year it's on! I'm working with a Coach now, so we'll see what the new year will bring.

I signed up to take the 1st LCSW Exam again, so this next month I'll be practice exam testing & studying my butt off. In fact, I have this week off & will be working out & studying. Well, and reflecting on the past 10 years...

I'm going to be 40, FOURTY!! The last 10 years went by crazy fast. But I set out to make something of myself & even if I'm still working on that, I've gotten pretty far. I mean, I now have a Masters Degree in Social Work from Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. I'm working in my field & I'm trying to get Licensed. I have a most wonderful boyfriend & the best puppies a girl can have. 

I'm healthy, I quit smoking in 2007 & took up running. I've ran 18 marathons & 41 or more half marathons. Still focusing on speed because I want to sub 2 a half so bad & I want it to be my time, not someone else's...kinda upset that happened. 

They say your 40's are the new 30's & life doesn't really begin till then. We shall see. I'm excited to see what the new year will bring. 

That's it for now. 

Hope you all are well!

Lovies!

It's been 5 months...

Time flies when you're having fun.  I know, I've neglected my little blog.  Who knows who's still reading this.

So here's what's been happening.

I'm working with a fabulous Coach, and even if I didn't PR this year, I'm way stronger than I was in July.  I stopped doing Runners Yoga & Yogalosophy in July, but I incorporated it back into my routine 2 weeks ago.  My legs are already feeling the extra strength.

I'm waiting to re-take my expensive Practice Exam.  Do you see the re-framing I did there?

Still working at the same place that I transferred to at the beginning of the year, and I can honestly say I am a stronger Social Worker because of this move.

I'm signed up for my goal races, and a few before.  March, it will be on and cracking.

That's all for now.  Hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday Season!

Loves!

And now I swim.

I at least tried to. Today I joined my friend, Roxanne at the local Y & swam. At first I used the paddle board a couple of times to get used to the water. That went well. Then she showed me this thing to stabilize my legs, I was still kicking so we stopped using that. 

After that I learned the breast stroke. I would take a breath & go under water & blow bubbles through my nose.  I tried it & got halfway...then I saw the deep end & freaked out. Once I got my footing & swam back to the end of the pool, I felt better.  Roxanne asked me if I was done, of course I wasn't. I just needed a breather. So I did breast strokes to the middle & back several times. Concentrated on my breathing & tried to stay calm. 

I checked the time & we were at the halfway point of the hour. I grabbed the paddle board & from there I did laps. Boy that was tough! I ended up doing a total of 8. 

So in total, I believe I did 0.30 - 0.40 of a mile. I only counted my full laps, but I did a ton of half laps...so really I'm guesstimating. 

That was one of the toughest things I've done. Coughed up some water, but I kept moving forward. It felt really good. 

After, we hit the warming or hot water pool. Felt so relaxing & good after my 16 miler yesterday. While Roxanne went in the sauna, I let the bubbles hit my muscles for a mini massage. Oh man it was good. 

Can't wait to go again, I think I'm gonna look into membership. That is an amazing cross-training & will so help w/ my running. 

Lets see how I feel tomorrow for my 60 min Moderate run. I just received my heart rate monitor & connected it to my Garmin. I'm excited to see how it works & how much I can push myself. 

Hope you're all well in Internet land. Have a most beautiful weekend!

Lovies,

E

Capitola Half - 2:19:18

**Before I start, I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my boyfriend...I dragged him (and made him wake up early) to the race. =) =) <3

There were hills from the beginning to the end. I was prepared for hills, I was not prepared for the never ending hills. My friend found me after mile 3 or 4 & I got through a little over the 5th w/ her, then I had a coughing attack. 

I decompensated slowly from that point on. I've been having ankle issues, then around 9/10, it just got pissed at me. I started feeling pain around my hips too at that point. 

Took it easy on 11 & 12, by the beginning of 12 I was out of the hills. I told myself if I can run what I just ran...I'm running this out till the end.  Before the last mile marker, Francis & Christine were ringing cowbells at me (thanks for coming down from SF btw, and it was nice meeting you Christine!).

So here's the new plan. I'm on a break, at least for long distance running. My ankle needs to heal & I'm tired of not enjoying my races. I'll be doing kettlebells, Yogalosophy, Runners Yoga, short runs & when I'm ready, speed work. But nothing more than 6...for now. I want to hit some PR's in the Fall. 

Last year was the year of the PR. This year appears to be injury year.

Pre-race Eve

Hmmm, so what to say. I recovered nicely from the hot-as-hell half. Was speedy this week & took it really easy for the most part. Weather in Capitola/Santa Cruz looks to be nice & cool. I've been ready for another PR attempt, it's getting my mind focused. 

I've done the training, the weekly yoga & kettlebell. Done a tempo & a few recovery runs. My massage was last weekend. Ankle is getting stronger & I've done Epson salt soaks, icing & heating. I've done what I could...now it's focusing my mind. 

They say trust your training. I'm the strongest I've been since I've focused on the longer mileage. I got this, I want this, I'm seconds away. 

There's gonna be hills, I love hills more than flats. The sights will be lovely. I just gotta focus. Focus my mind. Believe, I gotta believe I can do this. 

I know I can. Check in w/ ya'll after the race. 😊

Happy Cinco De Mayo

Before I forget, happy Cinco De Mayo!! It's my BF's holiday, so I'm allowed to celebrate.

My head finally feels normal, I woke up w/ a headache. I didn't hydrate properly after that hotter than hell of a Half Marathon that I ran the other day.

Anyway, Happy Cinco De Mayo!! Or La Batalla De Puebla!! I'm glad you don't speak French!!

Brazen Western Pacific Half Marathon

So yesterday I ran the Brazen Western Pacific Half Marathon.  It was hot!  I don't mean hot, I mean HOTTER than a mutha.  Suffice it to say, I didn't come close to a PR...actually, I haven't done that in over a year.  The year is still early, I have high hopes for myself...to not just get that PR, but to run injury free.

The thing is, it's the day after, on Cinco De Mayo...and the weather is perfect.  Should I have run the Diva's Half Marathon in SF (a more expensive race, and a bit farther), I might have done better.  But, that's okay, I'm using this race as a training race for the Capitola Half Marathon.  It starts at 7AM, and that area is beautiful.  My friend Carla will be pacing me as well, and I will push and do what she says, because I've been working on a Sub 2 since 2010.  I've been knocking at 2:00 for the past 3 years.  I've finally got it down to 2:00:14, which was set at the Brazen Hellyer Half Marathon in 2012.  Since 2010 I have at least hit 2:00 at least 1 or 2x a year.

Lately I've been working on my speed, but it's getting to the hotter months and I don't know about you, but heat is my kryptonite.  It just sucks, and when it's a flat trail, which has nothing but nothing to look at, it just doesn't do it for me.

So we'll see how I do in a few weeks.  Next weekend I'll be getting my monthly massage, and I'll do a few speed workouts during the week.  At least I'm "tapering" again. hee!  Half marathon tapering is nothing compared to Marathon tapering.  I'm really enjoying tapering again, and I'm enjoying training again.  I think I pushed myself way to hard for the Oakland Marathon.  The training was good, it's the lack of rest days that I deprived myself of...which I knew better, but I'm stubborn.  So for the Nike Women's Marathon (I usually get in *cross-fingers), I'm gonna be smarter about my training...and hopefully injury free.

Anyway, here's a few pictures from the race.  That's the beauty about Brazen Racing, they give out free pictures!  You just have to find yourself, it's not that bad really...you just have to remember who you were around.  That's how I figure it out anyway.

Hope everyone is doing well, and if you're still reading...thank you, much appreciated.

It's been a while...

Yeah, haven't really written in a while...and I just figured out how to make this not private.  Ha!  Yeah, it's different when you're using the free service as opposed to the pay service.  Anyway, so what's been going on?  I've been studying for me Standard Written Exam for the Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  Finally finished my hours, and classes...now it's down to the 2 exams.  I have a good plan, so I'm not too worried.  Just trying to retain the information, and be able to read the actual questions...they say they're not tricking you, but the questions are so particular!  Anyway, I hate standardized tests.

Other than that, I've been working on my speed.  I have the      http://www.brazenracing.com/westernpacific.html next week, it's supposed to be speedy.  So here's hoping for a Sub 2.  I'm at 2:00:14, so close yet so far.  Of course, I hit that time last year, so it's been a little while.  If I don't get it there, I'm gonna try for it at the http://www.surferspathmarathon.com/.  My beautiful friend, Carla, will be pacing me for that event.

It's been an amazing weekend, except that the Giants are losing to the Padres.  UGH!!  Well, my people, hope you're all doing well...I will try and write more.  I just get busy with studying, running, or hanging with the boyfriend.

If you're still around, thanks for reading.  I'm also on Twitter and Facebook.  Anyway, hope everyone's doing well!  Take care!