Workout Stolen from Runners World.

Forgive me for putting this on my blog (err.... maybe you may find it useful), but I am in the middle of purging my apartment of all the clutter since Kyle and I are moving into a house next month and let me tell you ... I am a pack rat.  The things I am stumbling across make you cock your head to the side and ask "why do i have this?!" YIKES. 

I want this for (I don't really know why) and I am sure Kyle does not want to pack pulled out magazines pages so I am typing up key points of treadmill running workout tips from Runners World.  Granted - I have not done any of these yet ... but I do plan on it since they're made for beginners and my lazy butt is a beginner again!  AND I want a point of reference.

Pace Boosting
warm up for 6 minutes by alternating 30 seconds jogging & walking.  Increase speed - walk 30 seconds run 30 seconds. Continue the 30/30 ratio. Increase speed with each run segment

Fast workouts
Jog 3 minutes. Increase speed, run for 2 minutes. Walk 30 seconds. Repeat, increase run part to 3 minutes. Walk 30 seconds. Repeat....

Distance Run
increase speed till running comfortably. run 2 minutes, walk 1. Repeat 2:1 ratio 3 times. then bump up the ratio to 3:1 repeat 3 times. end run with 2 more 2:1 segments and then 1:1

Hills
gradually increase speed until you're at an easy run pace. run for 3 minutes. raise incline to 2% for 1 minute then to 4% for 1 minute. Lower incline and rest for 1 minute then raise to 4% and run for 2 minutes. alternate running 2 minutes at an incline with 1 minute on the flat for as long as you can.


....and as i typed these up i think i should totally incorporate them into my workouts once the snow goes away and i get out of the apartment to run on the treadmill .... maybe tomorrow

2011 Goals Created.

as well all know from my previous post i did not do so well on my 2010 goals. but no fear - I am not going to be too hard on myself for I will be the first one to stand up and say I (a) let work rule my life (b) chose to be a runner who slept in on weekends and (c) was a slacker.


for 2011 i wanted to set both goals for my running and personal life. and with that statement - here are my goals for the year ahead of me.

RUNNING

goal one. find a work.life.relationship balance with the world of working out and running. 2010 was all about getting the job done and sacrificing runs. 2011 will be about getting the job done but also getting my work out in. how this will happen... tbd.
goal two. blast900. it is pricey but i want to do it at the minimum 2 times per month. it is a killer work out and can do/will do a lot for my stamina and running.
goal three. focus on the little races and increasing speed and stamina. I would like to run a sub30 5k this year and run a 10k in under a hour and a 2 hour half marathon.
goal four. vary the workouts. if that means rejoining a gym, that means rejoining a gym to get in swimming and spin. or just finding the local rec center and seeing what they have to offer.
goal five. run more than 500 miles in 1 year.
goal six. find a running buddy or group to hold me accountable
goal seven. train for big races. fully train. stick to the training schedule.
goal eight. not run a marathon. (you're probably saying WHAT?) but i would like to focus more on finding and making a routine and a balance between life, work, and running so when i do decide to do another one I am 100% committed to all the runs and workouts.


PERSONAL

goal one. floss more. wear my crest white strips more often. i have a wedding that i need REALLY pretty teeth for.
goal two. read more. i'd like to read at least 1 book per month. 12 books per year.
goal three. save more. spend less. 110% stick to my monthly budgets.
goal four. find a house to rent here in atlanta to give my crazy dog a backyard to run in.
goal five. volunteer with an organization. no idea yet. if you have ideas, please send them my way.
goal six. one diet coke per day. all year long. cut back on the sweets. eat healthier.
goal seven. take kyle to an alabama football game. in bryant denny.
goal eight. take 1 bubble bath per week. 4 spa days per year. learn to decompress.

....i hope everyone has a safe and happy 2011!

Random Ramles.

I have had a million and one random running thoughts going through my head today (and some not so running related) ... so I decided to share them with you. Enjoy.

• Yesterday I ran a really awesome half marathon and I think the awesome-ness wasn't in the PR but the actual course and volunteers. I am still stunned how well it was run for only being the 2nd year here in Atlanta.  One of my favorite bloggers Tim did his recap and you can read it here
• I am about 3 weeks out from the Marine Corps Marathon which means it is cram time. While others start to taper and trust their training, I start to freak out and build a little more endurance and strength. Yeah... not the best planner.
• I was running today and saw pumpkins.  I know Halloween is creeping up, but will the pumpkins still be alive come October 31?! Won't they rot?!
• Somone "hmmm'd" my Race Recap from yesterday - isn't a hmmm like a "huh interesting" or a "huh i don't get it" or a "huh you have me thinking" ... I personally didn't think a race recap was "hmm" worthy - but to each their own.
• Hills - I know they make you stronger and faster and build your endurance but why do they have to be so menacing?!
• Some of my favorite bloggers have been posting some awesome posts lately - super informative. For example Erin gave me some Pre-Race Moves (that I did not use, but want to/need to) ... Aron reminded me about taking care of myself you know sleep.stretch.foam roll.recover
• I pulled a fun little training plan and I am implementing it starting today.
• I am going to start doing speed work to try and get faster. But question: how exactly do I do speed work? I need insight & help. Pretty please.
• Beauty and the Beast comes out of the Disney vault tomorrow - I am really hoping Kyle comes home from work with it.  To drop hints I have been singing "tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, bitter sweet and strange..." I hope he has gotten the hint, but he is a boy so that is doubtful. :o)
• I really hope you all have a good week and the weather is getting nice for everyone.  Fall is coming which means fun runs await!

So here is my training week:
Monday: 45 minute run. Tuesday: 60 minutes cross training Wednesday: Speed Intervals 4 times Thursday: Cross Train 60 minutes Friday: 30 minute run Saturday: 7 miles Sunday: Rest

10k - cannot check off list.

You read the title right. The 10k did not happen yesterday. I am so bummed about it you have no idea. Race start was 7:45 am. I thought leaving my house by 7:00 would give me plenty of time to get there, park, get on a shuttle, stretch, and be ready to run up some hills. But, I really never venture to that part of Atlanta and I got insanely lost. Roads were closed. The directions included in the packet sent to me were less than stellar. And at 8:00 when I was still on 285 and now crossing over Cobb Parkway I could see the hundreds of runners descending the first hill and I felt defeated. I know I know... you can normally start races late and with my Garmin I could have accurately known how long it took me... but with the sense of failure and still being lost and knowing there were killer hills I figured it just was not meant to be and headed back home. I am a true believer that all things happen for a reason and there must have been some reason why I was not to run that race. There is always next year right?

....however. I am running the Big Peach Sizzler 10k at the end of this month. And there is no way I can get lost since it literally starts in my backyard. So I have longer to train for my first 10k and it won't be such a butt kicker. Or so I hope. I kinda want to finish that run with a grub meal from Flying Biscut. Barbie, let's just try to get to the starting line before the race starts this time.

Last blog I was talking about how I am stuck at a 12-13 minute mile. And my twitter, dailymile, and blogger pal Tammy mentioned speed work and how long my long runs are currently. I felt like discussing my lack of long runs because honestly, the farthest I have run is a little under 6 miles. I think I could go farther but it just gets so dark earlier and I don't want to be out running alone in the dark in Atlanta so I tend to pack up shop and head back to my car. Yeah... and I have to run 13.1 in a little over a month. I have no excuses I really have not taken this half marathon nearly as serious as I should have.

She also mentioned that I need to be running 3-4 times per week to really work on it. I run at the least 3 times per week - life just seems to get in the way sometimes. ....And then there is speed work. Which I do not think I quite understand what it is or how to do it so I have been googling it (I found this article which gives some insight). I am wondering if this is something that I need to do on the local high school track or do I need to incorporate hills since I am running in San Francisco.

I guess I really am a newbie at this running, racing thing.

Lastly: in honor of blood cancer awareness month think about donating to the cause that is fighting the fight against blood cancers and help the researchers find a cure and give those battling a blood cancer hope for a brighter future! http://pages.teamintraining.org/ga/nikesf09/bvines