Changes are a comin'

This week I've been sleeping in quite a bit. I think my mind is tricked. I keep reading everyone else's posts about how it's not that hot everywhere else, so my mind seems to think that it must be the same way here. Well, it's not. It's still upper 90's here and pretty miserable to be outside midday. My mind needs to remember when it's ignoring the alarm in the morning that it may be Fall everywhere else, but it definately has not come to Houston yet.

On the bright side, I have gotten to see more of the trails just outside of downtown lately. I usually only run these in the winter when it's cool enough to run during lunch. Looks like we've got some changes coming to Eleanor Tinsely Park.

Newly paved paths, perhaps? I'm not sure how I feel about it. Right now, it sucks because I'm having to avoid the dust and workers and run around the construction. But I also think putting in new concrete will loose some of the parks personality. You could really see the wear and tear from all the years of runners, walkers, hikers, bikers and everyone else who's used these trails over the last who-knows-how-many years. It gave it its rustic charm that I love so much.

It's my new Lulu shirt again. I'm telling ya, I'm addicted!

But I'm sure I'll love the newly paved park, too. I'll miss the little quirks though.

ATP Weeks 10 & 11

Here I am again, behind as usual.

Week 10 went pretty well for me:

Monday: 4 Miles (The group took it easy after our 15 miler the Saturday before)
Tuesday: 6 Miles
Wednesday: GSTs 1200s (had the fastest girl pace me for the last sprint - kinda amazing)
Thursday: 5 Miles Off (dang work got in the way)
Friday: OFF (picked up my bike with CLIPS!)
Saturday: 10 Mile LSD
Sunday: 3 Miles Off (practiced with my clips)

Week 11 started off really bad with tons of stress at work and no time or energy for running.

Monday: SST 3 Storms at 5am cancelled our workout!
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: SST 3 + 14 Mile Bike
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: OFF 5 Miles
Saturday: 14 Mile LSD
Sunday: 5 miles 35 Mile Bike

Sunday's ride was really fun. It is my longest distance to date and I can definately tell my body isn't used to riding yet. Luckily, the route was mostly flat, but there were some pretty windy spots that made it very challenging.

I'm glad I got out there and did it. It was a great start to my Sunday and really makes me want to saddle up more often.

ATP Week 9

So the weather was fairly cool all week. But my motivation? Right out the window. Last weeks' workouts:

Monday: GST 800
Tuesday: 7 Miles
Wednesday: GST 800 (done by myself after work, FML)
Thursday: 5 Miles
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 15 Mile LSD
Sunday: 5 Miles

So I kind of accidentally took a rest week. I guess I needed it, not sure. Time just seemed to get away with me and I had trouble getting out there. Wednesday's workout was hard since it was a GST, but also because the smoke from the wildfires had started to invade Houston. I'm very sensitive to smoke, so the workout left me coughing all night hence my lack of running on Thursday. By Saturday, I really had no excuses for skipping my long run. And I'm glad I didn't. 15 miles was awesome! It was hilly (which hurt my not-trained-on-hills legs), but we kept a great pace and it wasn't miserably hot outside. A great run to motivate me for the week to come!

Nerves

Do you ever get nervous before a training run???

I'm sitting here at work, watching the clock tick the minutes by until I can get to the park to tackle my missed run from this morning, and I've got butterflies in my stomach. Butterflies! It's only training - not racing, but how do I convince my tummy of that?

It seems if I don't do my run first thing in the morning, my stomach does this to me. It's like it's telling me I shouldn't do afternoon runs, only morning. I don't get like this before a yoga class or before a bike ride. Only running. How wierd.

Anyways, it's a beautiful 88 degrees and sunny here. I'm gonna get some fuel and head to the track (before my motivation fails). Happy running!

ATP Week 8

Catching up!

I had a really good week last week when it came to my training! (Finally!) I even managed to get up super early on Tuesday and get in my 4 miles before my flight to Dallas (talk about a long day!)

Monday: GST 600

Tuesday: 4 Miles

Wednesday: GST 600 + 24 Mile Bike

Thursday: 7 Miles 5 Miles

Friday: OFF

Saturday: 9 Mile LSD

Sunday: 6 Miles

Not bad if I do say so myself. Thursday I decided I wanted to sleep in, but that left the only time to schedule my run was at 5pm - at 102 degrees. I did my best, but I had to call it quits at 5 miles. I took my shirt off I was so hot - guess there's a first time for everything! (Note to self: need to do more ab work!!!)

Saturday came and so did our holiday weekend to visit family. I got up before the sun to tackle my 9 miles solo and was surprised by 75 degree temps! I ran an awesome long run with 3 miles at marathon pace and felt like I could have kept going. 

Ai, short hair!

Speedy legs!

Here's hoping this weather continues!

ATP Week 7

(I know, I know, but better late than never right? Since I started documenting my training on here, I'd hate if I missed a week just because I'm lazy. So I'm going to post this a week late and then immediately catch up with the most recent week's training.)

First week of GSTs! (That exclamation point is there to show pure fear, not excitement)
Here's the low down:

Beginning of the General-Strengthening Period

Speed-Strength Circuit: Use the Special Warm-Up (SWU), and then perform the following exercises in order. Move quickly from exercise to exercise, but don't perform the exercises themselves overly quickly - in other words, don't sacrifice good form just to get them done in a hurry. The idea is to do each exercise methodically and efficiently - and then almost immediately start on the next exercise.
(1) Run 400 meters (or 1/4 mile) at what feels like 5-K race pace (on a scale from 1-10, your effort should feel like a "9" as you run)
(2) Complete 12 squat thrusts with jumps (burpees)
(3) Do 2 chin-ups
(4) Perform 30 ab crunches
(5) Do 12 push-ups
(6) Complete 24 body-weight squats (fast)
(7) Run 400 meters at 5-K intensity again
(8) Do 10 squat and dumbbell presses with 10-lb dumbbells
(9) Perform 30 low-back extensions
(10) Complete 8 feet-elevated push-ups
(11) Do 20 lunges with each leg
(12) Complete 20 bench dips
(13) Run 400 meters at 5-K intensity
(14) Repeat steps 2-13 one more time (for two circuits in all), and then cool down with 2 miles of light jogging

This workout is hella hard and completely exhausting. Each week, we'll be increasing the amount of exercises and the length of the sprints. I wanted to puke after each day's 3rd sprint.

Monday: GST 400
Tuesday: 4 Miles
Wednesday: GST 400
Thursday: 6 Miles
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 12 Mile LSD
Sunday: 4 Miles 25 Mile Bike with group to Katy

The GSTs really took it out of me. My body was sore and tired and I needed those extra rest days. By Sunday, I was feeling great and ready for the next week's training to start.