10k Training- My last big tempo run!

(I call this my last "big" tempo run because I plan to do a short one about 5-6 days before the race!)

If you have been following my 10k training, you will remember that I originally wanted to run a sub 45 minute 10k. But then after an awesome 400s workout about a week ago, I wondered if maybe I should shoot for lower- say a sub 44 or a sub 45. I ultimately decided to make my last big tempo run- 5 miles- the test. I would see if I could run it at a 7 minute pace, and depending on how it went, decide on my official goal. Saturday was the magical day!

Here was my workout:

Mile 1 = 7:54 (Warm up, legs were fresh from two days of rest. I don't mess around!)

Mile 2 = 7:09

Mile 3 = 6:59

Mile 4 = 6:53          <------ TEMPO MILES!

Mile 5 = 6:56

Mile 6 = 6:38

Mile 7 & 8 = 7:37 (Cool down.)

That makes a 42:58 10k time... if I can hang on for another 1.2 miles!

I am very pleased with this! Especially because the course I ran wasn't entirely flat. Not huge hills, but the first half of my run gradually gained elevation the entire time. The 10k I am running begins on City Island, so I assume it's going to be around the Harrisburg Riverfront area and will be pretty flat.

Of course my IT band and general knee area was a little sore a couple hours later, but that always happens after a push myself. It felt better the next day, so that is good enough with me. Rehabbing my IT band and knee is just my new reality! I need to learn to live with it. (And keep stretching, foam rolling, and strengthening, of course!) Plus, after this event (and I'm toying around with the idea of running a half soon) I am going to lay off the speed work. My body needs to be pushed, and then it needs to chill out.

Goal talkin' time. Here we go...

Goal A: Sub 43 minutes <----- 6:55 pace (doable under favorable conditions)
Goal B: Sub 42 minutes <----- 6:45 pace (doable under PERFECT conditions and maybe some vomit)


I think I have a sub 42 in me, but I don't know if I'm going to get it on the first try. But those are my goals. If I only reach the "A" goal, I will be happy, but if I reach the "B" goal, I will be VERY HAPPY!

Do you ever set two goals for yourself? One that you will be happy with, and then one that if you make it, it's just icing on the cake?

Weekend Wrap Up!

What a week! Remember how I complained that last week was boring? Well this week was the exact opposite. School was crazy busy, I trained two new clients (meganmichaeltraining.com!), taught piano lessons, and rehearsed with my dance partner two nights. I am tired just reliving what all went down and hope next week gives me a little more sleep- but the same amount of fun!

Friday after work, I rehearsed (for the second time!) with my dance partner for Dancing with the East Pennsboro Stars. Guys, he is sooooooo good. He went to Julliard. How the hell did I get so lucky to dance with someone who went to Julliard? Seriously. I am having the time of my life because I love, love, love, love, love to dance. Here are some of my notes from our session...

I was so tired from my busy week, I was in bed by 9:37 pm. I don't know how people go out on Friday nights! I am too tired from the week to do anything on a Friday but crash!

When I woke up Saturday morning, life was pretty good...

Look who came to cuddle me Saturday morning!

He loves his mommy! Or was he just hungry?

If you don't have pets, you are missing out in life. They are the sweetest little

lovers in the whole world!

Then my morning took a turn for the worse when I read this article... Minnesota Prosecutors Won't Relent on Child Endangerment Charges Against Mom for Medical Pot. I have so much to say about this issue that I touched on here, but it definitely warrants another blog post, so look for that in the near future... But for now, I will leave it at this:

Next on my "to do" list was one last BIG tempo run before my 10k on October 19th! I will be posting more in detail about it tomorrow, but here is the short story...

BAM! I think I am ready!

That night, we went to Geoff & Bree's house for a backyard fire pit double date! Unfortunately, we didn't take any pictures, which means it didn't happen. Just kidding- we had a blast and are so fortunate to have awesome friends!

Since I slept in so late on Sunday, by the time I woke up, Kristina has already started her marathon on the West Coast! I immediately got online and signed up to track her. Then I went on a relaxing run in the new crisp, fall weather that decided to arrive this weekend. I thought about Kristina during my run and was hoping she could feel all of my positive thoughts I was sending her way!

That afternoon, I totally geeked out because I got to rehearse for Dancing with the East Pennsboro Stars at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet's studio in Carlisle. A real dance studio with huge mirrors and a sprung floor. I was also nervous to do our dance in front of mirrors for the first time. That meant I was going to have to see how ridiculous I looked paired up with a Julliard trained dancer. At least we I have a little over a month to keep rehearsing and getting better!

Did you do anything fun this weekend?
Have you ever taken dance lessons?

Sunday Funday - Playground Workout!

What is Sunday Funday you ask? Well, it's the day of the week I will share some new ideas for workouts. Most of you have your RUNday on Sunday. So after your long run, kick back with some carbs and check out the Sunday Funday workout you can use later in the week!

Today's Sunday Funday Workout is a playground workout! Did you know you can get an awesome workout in by using equipment at your neighborhood playground?

Here are some exercises you can try!

- Step ups/Step ups with lunge
- Inverted and decline push ups
- Tricep dips
- Inverted row w/ bar
- Pull ups/Pull up practice
-Monkey bar/Ninja warrior training
- Inverted row w/ swings

Enjoy!

Have you ever done a workout on a playground?

Disclaimer: I am a personal trainer, but I am not YOUR personal trainer. These exercises are not prescriptions. Please check with your doctor before starting any workout program.

GOOD LUCK, KRISTINA!

Friends, tomorrow, Kristina is running HER FIRST FREAKING MARATHON!!!!! I am so excited for her. Kristina has a passion for running and to say she has come a long way would be an understatement. She has been dedicated to her training plan and now the day has almost arrived!

Kristina's Blog

Kristina, tomorrow is YOUR day. Go get it! Have fun. Dig deep. Trust in your physical and mental capabilities and you will finish strong.

Also, Christmas and Jelly have a message for you...

Be sure to stop by Kristina's Blog and send her some well wishes for tomorrow!

Exciting News!

For the past couple years, the East Pennsboro Education Foundation has been holding a Dancing with the East Pennsboro Stars event to raise money for our schools. At the event, a professional dancer performs with an East Pennsboro "celebrity". Votes are cast, and in the end, one couple goes home with the trophy! Last year, the Education Foundation raised over $20,000 for our schools! The whole community comes out and the high school gym is packed.

My 4th Grade Chorus has performed at the event every year. My ensemble always sings and dances to Footloose! The students get all jazzed up in their fun 80's clothes. They look really colorful and bring so much energy to the event. They will be performing again this year!

However... I will not be able to lead their performance. I have had to delegate that job to a fellow colleague because.... this year...

*** I am a STAR! ***

That's right! This year, I finally got paired up with a professional dance partner and we will be dancing our way to that trophy! Well, I hope we win the trophy... and raise a lot of money for the East Pennsboro Education Foundation in the process!

If you want to come to the event, here are the details!

2014 Dancing with the East Pennsboro Stars 

Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 7:00 PM

East Pennsboro Area High School

BUY TICKETS! 

Vote for Megan Michael & Jason Reed!

10k Training- Time to reevaluate my goals?

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know I am currently training to race a 10k. I really needed a GOAL to work toward, so I decided to tackle this new race distance and aim to run it in under 45 minutes. The main training I have been doing to reach this goal is a tempo run and 400s every 9 days. I think I missed probably one tempo run and one 400s workout during the time I have been training. But otherwise, I did a pretty good job sticking to my plan.

The good news is, I am definitely getting faster! I am not in the best shape of my life, but I am back to where I was before I had knee surgery last January. It feels great to run at paces that used to be a great effort. I still have days that are tough, just like any runner, but if I look at the "big picture" of my running right now, I have definitely increased my speed. It is a relief to know that at least for now, my body is still capable of cranking it up a notch.

On Tuesday morning, after a pitiful 4.5 hours of sleep, I dragged my butt out of bed to do a 400s workout. It really sucked. I felt like puking and my head and face hurt. My shoulder also hurt. (My right shoulder tenses up when I run fast.) But I got it done. This is what I did:

Warm Up: 1/2 mile easy (normally I like to warm up for longer than this but I was short on time!)

Workout: 1/4 mile sprint, then 1/4 mile easy (repeat 10 times... minus the last "easy" 1/4 since I was short on time! BAD RUNNER!)

It was 5.75 miles total, and my Garmin said I averaged a 7:10 pace. That is a sub 45 minute 10k pace. And with less than a half mile to go, I totally could have reached my goal while doing my speed work that morning had I simply just cooled down and jogged the last 1/4 mile.

Which now has me thinking... Do I need to reevaluate my goal??? Is a 44:xx 10k what I should really aim for, or should I shoot for something faster?

Logic would say that with proper rest, proper SLEEP, proper pacing (aka, not 1/4 mile sprint, then 1/4 mile jog) and the excitement of race day, I should easily reach my goal. So maybe I should try for a sub 44 or sub 43?

I have another tempo run to do this weekend. I was thinking of trying to do 5 miles at a 7:05 pace and see what happens. If that goes well, maybe I will shoot for a 7:00 minute pace on race day- October 19th.

Any thoughts or strategies for these last two weeks or so of training? Don't worry, I plan to rest my ass for a full 3 days before the race!

Insomnia - How to feel sick tired the next day.

Monday night was horrible. My body was so incredibly tired but I just could not sleep. I tried reading… I ended up reading a whole book. I tried playing solitaire on my phone. That didn’t work. I got up and talked to Paul. Went back to bed. I got up and pet the kitties. Went back to bed. From 9:30pm until 1:30am (the last time I remember looking at the clock) all I did was toss and turn and think.

Guys, I hate thinking. Well, I hate the kind of thinking I do when I am trying to fall asleep. I basically think about everything on my to do list, everything I am behind on, any terrible thing that could happen, any terrible thing that has happened… I just can’t turn my brain off!

And then I get anxiety about not being asleep. I start counting down how many hours I have until I have to get up in the morning… which causes more anxiety. It’s just a horrible cycle.

To top it all off, I was scheduled to do speed work in the morning. And of all types of speed work, it was 400s! 400s on 4.5 hours of sleep!!!!!!!! (I did get up and do them, and it was PURE HELL, in case you were wondering.)

The rest of the day was off and on. I felt fine in the morning. In the afternoon I felt sick tired, but by 10:00pm I was wide awake, messing around on Facebook. I swear the time spent trying to fall asleep is always worse than the sick tired feeling I get the next day.

I would bet money that 95% of the people reading this post know what I’m talking about. When I told a couple people at work about my sleepless night, they all nodded and knew exactly the situation I was in because they had been there before.

My only hope is that tonight I am so tired that I am out like a light as soon as my head hits my pillow.

Anyone else out there have nights like this? I know I can't be the only one!