PFTW #3

I ran 5 whole miles last week, so I'm probably marathon ready RIGHT NOW.

Last week...
Monday: 10 minute butt and thigh (killed me dead), abs/upper body (hard to do when you can't use your legs anymore...)
Tuesday: 3 miles easy* - was scheduled for 4 at run club, but work went berserk and I couldn't make it.
Wednesday: total body strength and cardio
Thursday: rest
Friday: 2 miles easy, arms and upper body
Saturday: Spectating CDM5K
Sunday: Nothing!

*I've been doing a run/walk interval (4:30min run, 30sec walk), while I get back to running regularly, and I really like it.

It's a mystery to me how I ever trained for marathons with a real job that forced me to keep regular hours. My current (awesome) job is incredibly flexible, I just haven't really taken advantage of it.


This week!
Monday: Strength. Maybe those same videos up there. Maybe.
Tuesday: 4 miles with Run Club
Wednesday: Total Body
Thursday: 3 miles easy
Friday: Arms
Saturday: 4 miles
Sunday: rest

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I am SUPER DUPER excited for the new frap flavors from Sbux. I'm so ridiculous, because I don't ever really get fraps, but if it is limited release, then I MUST HAVE IT. I'm a marketing team's best friend.

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Saturday AM I spectated while #1 ran CDM5K - #2 was going to run, but wasn't feeling well last week. WOMP.

Somehow (because she teleports, probably), she was this far behind this woman 50m from the finish line, and ended up beating her by a second.

#1 ran a 45 second PR, at 20:01 - which landed her 8th female overall, and SIXTH in her age group.

No wonder XC and Track in OC are so competitive. O.o

Guess what's back. back again.

Ohhhh yeah.

I am registered for iTRYathlon (a Renegade Race Series event) again this year, and in hopes of bettering my time from last year, I've started training!

Thank goodness I keep a blog account of my stuff, because in my BRAIN, I thought I was unhappy with something. In real life, it turns out, my recap tells me that I had a great time and I even PR'ed the 5k! So the bar is set preeeetttttty high already.

I have literally for real not swum or used my bike since last year's event. I know, I'm the greatest. I just found that I didn't really like the bike, and.... that I was too lazy to keep up with swimming (actually, I thought that the pool I used was under renovation for some reason, but then it turned out I was just trying to go every day while they are closed for cleaning, as posted - I am not smart).

So last week I busted out the swim stuff, and hopped in the water for 20 minutes of laps and... spoiler, it's still hard! Who knew if you don't do something, it gets more difficult.

I drafted up a training plan for the next 11 weeks, and hopefully I will mostly stick to it. Like last year, I am running more than the swim/bike - I really want to maintain a decent running base so marathon training this fall isn't the Worst Ever.

I have some vague goals in mind already, but I'll have to see where I'm at realistically as I start training.

Yay!

If you're in SoCal, and you're tri-curious, I can't recommend this event enough! It's super low-key, and impeccably organized. Plus, as far as tri's go, it's priced reasonably - right now just $85 for the tri. Also available are a junior tri, a 5k, and a kids' fun run. You can check out pricing here, and - AND - you can use HEATHERDISCOUNT for 10% off.

Also, it's women only for the tri, which means no men running amok in tri gear. If you've experienced this phenomenon, you know what I'm saying here.


So with THAT said, this is what my PFTW looks like...

Monday: arms
Tuesday: 3-4 easy, XT (tried a new total body video last week that I really liked)
Wednesday: swim - 20 minutes easy, arms
Thursday: 5 easy, bike 30 min easy (not together)
Friday:  swim - 20 min easy
Saturday - 6 easy
Sunday - bike 30 easy

I'm not putting anything in stone yet - we'll see how this plays out next week, and I'll adjust as necessary. Like, I don't know how well the arm/XT work will go on the days I have it scheduled for, so... work in progress. I threw the bike in on the weekend, in case The H wants to ride with me, since that's his most favorite thing to do.

I'm also vaguely tossing around the idea of trying to PR at a July 4th 5k, but... I'm not super committed to it. But I might toss some extra speed work in if I feel feisty.

Regarding my last race... well, I'm still disgruntled about it. I mean, not enough to be, like, on edge or anything. But I spent a few days pouting, and generally being irritated about it. It's over, nothing to do about that now, except pick a redemption race and try again. I am going to have to really figure out this summer running nonsense, because I'm struggling with the heat and staying hydrated. GROSS. I hate summer.

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Over the weekend, #1 ran one of our favorite local races - Corona del mar Scenic 5k. Many years ago, this was my very first 5k, and the biggest reason this race was selected was for the promise of a "complimentary restaurant-row feast" at the finish line.

Why, yes, that IS a whole baguette. Right on top of the pizza and mini creme brulee and pork tacos and breakfast burrito and scones.

Because I have other places I'm planning on spending my race budget, only the kid ran this year, but man, did she kill it.

20:44 for a new pr on a hilly hilly hilly course (and knocking 4.5 minutes off her time on this course!), and 14th place overall in the female race. She was pretty psyched that she could pull this out during her off season, and after a long season of track work, and no hill work.

XC is going to be so fun.

So... That's over. What's coming up?

First thing on my schedule, is Gabby's port removal. FINALLY. Her surgery went fine, and she's still knocked out in recovery right now. I hope she's prepared for some boredom, because no school for the week, and no activity AT ALL for 2 weeks. Zoinks.

Oh well. LATER, Port.

Switching gears... I took all of last week off as a recovery week. It was kind of nice. The most I did was some stretching and foam rolling, and I'm feeling pretty good - as in, the IT band/quad are quiet.

I dropped down to the 5k at PCRF yesterday (I'll recap that separately), and had a TON of fun. I went out without my garmin, just intending to run on feel, and... luckily, I felt pretty great. I had one tiny twinge running up a hill, but I walked for a few seconds and then it was fine. I'm super excited that there happened to be a photographer RIGHT THERE to capture that, too. Awesome timing.

I ended up coming in faster than I thought I would, which was kind of nice. Certainly wasn't FAST, but it was better than I anticipated for an easy effort.

I'll get back to running this week, I think, but everything at easy pace. I am not really interested in aggrivating the right leg, so I'll see how it goes, and maybe add in some hills/intervals something interesting next week.

So, what's next?

Corona del Mar Scenic 5k, the land of the creme brulee, is June 1st. I PR'ed there last year, and that was fun, but I think this year, I'm just going to go in for a speedy tempo run, and try to kill the hills. I'm certainly not in shape to PR a 5k (ouch), and I don't anticipate being ready in 4 weeks, either.

Speaking of hills.... after CDM5k, I have San Francisco Marathon!!! I'm running the first half this year, which... it's hilly.

I haven't run a half marathon for realsies since PCRF last year (so my 2:11:20 PR stands...). I don't think I'll be trying to PR here, but I'd like to at least run a good, hard effort.

So hills hills hills are in my future.

And after that, I'm empty until Dumbo Double Dare!

I spent last night furiously searching the internet machine for any half marathons in close proximity in the next 4 months, but was unsuccessful. What is that about, SoCal???

So now I'm on a fall/winter race hunt. I'd like to pull out a half and full PR by year's end, so.... CIM is a contender, but we'll see.

Any race suggestions? Only demand is that it has plenty of oxygen. And preferably close by.


PFTW:
Monday: Strength (WHAT?)
Tuesday: Run - 4 miles
Wednesday: Strength again (for real!)
Thursday: Run - 4-5
Friday: Rest
Saturday: hike?
Sunday: 6-8

Corona del Mark Scenic 5K

Coincidentally, this race coincided with a virtual race that I participated in... Alicia Runs Race for Autism 5K!

Direct from the horses mouth....

The race finishes along the bluffs of Big Corona State Beach with restaurant row, merchant booths and live entertainment. The Corona del Mar Scenic 5K Race, 2 Mile Fun Walk and 1 Mile Kids Dolphin Dash is a signature special event that you will not want to miss.

The H and I ran this race last year with The Snork's, and it was pretty fun. We mainly were interested in the promised gourmet breakfast. They weren't lying, it was pretty rad.

Mrs. Snork went and got pregnant, and had a baby last week, so unfortunately, she was out for the race this year. Mr. Snork, despite not running for... a year... claimed he would beat me.

So obviously, it was my mission to not let that happen. Which looked shady, thanks to The Ankle, and a supreme lack of running in the last month.

#1 wanted to run with us, this year, so the three of us arrived in Corona del Mar bright and early, at 7:30 (I love small races).
Seriously.

The course is NOT easy, but it sure is pretty. It's constant hills - small hills, but rollers the entire way. They really aren't kidding when they label one part "Killer Hill".

So, knowing that I was unprepared, I decided early on that I would walk a few of the uphills. I planned on definitely walking Killer Hill, and two others that I knew were tough.

That turned out to work great. I recognized in the first half mile that I was passing a bunch of people, and slowed down, and maintained a comfortable pace from there.... then ran like hell the last half mile... There was a stroller I wanted to beat. The end.

Look! I can run with my eyes closed! (ps, I'm not on team Grandbob, and this chick is blocking me, and I don't like her).

Hello, heel strike....

Oh. That looks better.

Splits:
1 - 11:25
2 - 10:29
3 - 11:05 - Killer Hill, and water stop
.2 - 0:52

Official chip time, 33:05 (yes, that's 4+ minutes off of last year, after a month off for The Ankle).

Mr Snork's time, 34:32. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

HOWEVER.

Putting us both to shame, was #1.

She looks like a rock star, doesn't she? Check her out, beating the spandex booty short fuzzy chick back there.

Like a pro.

Her first race, without ANY training, or running for a month, or ever running more than a few miles at a time....

25:38.

Good enough for 2nd in her age group.

(There would be better pictures, except the photog company apparently sucks, and doesn't post them. Nor do they post finish line pictures by your bib number [in my case] or even take one [in her case] [bastards]).

With a fancy schmancy plaque to go with it...

In her words...

it was hard to know where to turn, there weren't that many
people in front of me.

The problems she has...

And breakfast was, again, rad. They were handing out mini creme brulee's in the line...

And then... there was all.of.this.

Totally an annual event.

**Giant thank you to Team Sparkle for the skirt - LOVED it!**

April Recap

April was good to me. I felt good the whole month, my runs got better, faster. I hit 66 of a scheduled 66.5 miles (I skipped my last run pre-half last week, due to crappy scheduling on my part). I even went to yoga twice, and did some at home. Which was great, and makes me wonder why I don't do it more often.

I started speed work about 3 weeks ago, and have seen my paces drop a TON. I mean... 11:45-11:30, to comfortably maintaining 10:45-10:35.

Amazing what you can pull off when you train for it ;).

Suck Less Challenge: I sucked at it. I skipped 1 full week, because... for no reason, other than I was just TIRED. It's back on for May, though.

I'll cover the PCRF half in a separate post. I will say, that I PR'ed significantly (hard not to when there aren't costumed characters every mile...), I did ALL of my training right and felt really strong going in, and completely failed on executing. Bombed.

What's on tap for May?

Not sure. It's the first month since October that I've not had a training plan to work off of. I start training at the end of the month for Disneyland in September - gives me a 16 week schedule to work on. I'm putting this one together on my own, so we'll see how that goes. I've got a 5K at the beginning of June, my Corona del Mar vindication. My time last year was 37:57. I hit 35:XX in Dana Point after that... and pulled out a 32:xx yesterday during the half. So I'll probably fill in May with some shorter runs, focusing on speed work and hills.

All in all, it was a good month. I'm bummed about how things went for me yesterday, but... meh. I did everything right heading in, so that really good to know.