Yup, I’m sure I’ll be grinning and levitating the entire 26.2 miles
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Saturday, May 05, 2012
Look for Me
This is what I’ll be wearing tomorrow morning, as I run the full Flying Pig Marathon for the second time. If you are watching the race, I’d love it if you said, “Go, Kasmira!” when I fly on by.
Yup, I’m sure I’ll be grinning and levitating the entire 26.2 miles
Yup, I’m sure I’ll be grinning and levitating the entire 26.2 miles
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sporty Sunday: 2012 Heart Mini Marathon
Today, I ran my 5th half marathon and my 2nd Heart Mini Marathon. I didn’t set a personal record, but ran well and practiced some of my race day habits.
I didn’t do well practicing my race day preparations. I forgot to check my Gu supply until the morning of the race. I had only one packet, but needed two for a 13 mile race. I was hoping that, like last year, Gu would be handing out samples at around mile 9.5. I was in luck. Gu wasn’t there, but Honey Stinger was and I got the energy boost I needed for the last half of the race.
I left the house without my hat (and I always run in a hat), but it wasn’t disastrous. I did remember my watch and ipod.
I was planning to run the first half of the race at 10 minute miles, the third quarter at 9:45 miles, and the last quarter at 9:30 miles. This was to be practice for my Flying Pig marathon pacing progression.
I started the race next to Iain, from The Running Spot, who was the 9:55 pace leader. (There was no one representing 10:00 minute miles.) I was running comfortably with that group until I broke away, about a mile in, to use the port-a-potty. The wait was much longer than I would have liked. As I stood in line, I watched Iain run off into the distance. And I saw the 10:15 pace leader run by. Then the 10:33 pack passed me. When I finally finished my turn, two minutes had gone by and the 9:55 group was not in sight.
I shouldn’t have done this, but I started running a bit faster than I would have liked in order to catch Iain. At mile 4, my watch read 36:52. (I had paused my chronometer for the pee break.) I was running less than the 9:30 mile pace I had been saving for the end. Still, I kept it up until I rejoined Iain’s group, just past the turn-around.
When Iain told me that the group would be walking up the Terrible Torrence hill, I just shrugged and agreed. Last year, that hill was a total shock. I thought the run would just be out and back Columbia Parkway. Imagine my surprise when, with the city skyline looming ahead, we took a right, up an incredibly steep hill, only to turn around and run right back down it again. I remember feeling like I might collapse on the way down the hill. My legs had totally turned to jelly. This year, after a fast walk up the hill, I felt great on the downhill and was able to use it to my advantage instead of feeling like I might fall on my face.
I left the 9:55 pace group around mile 8 and started running at a faster, but comfortable, pace. I continued to push the pace for the rest of the race. I didn’t keep track of my paces for each mile, but I did descend the times. According to the chip information, I was running the following pace (for the distance noted) at these waypoints:
5K - 10:09 pace
10K - 9:52 pace
15K - 9:45 pace
13.2 miles - 9:40 pace
So, despite my foolish catch-up run, I did manage to, overall, build my pace over the course of the race. I hope to replicate that in the May marathon (but starting at 11 minute miles).
I’ll also be checking my energy gel supply in advance and wearing a hat!
My watch time was 2:04:15, but my chip time was 2:06:36. Damn my bladder
Sporty Sunday is a recurring feature in which I share my fitness routine and offer and solicit advice. While this content might seem a little out of place in an outfit diary, a healthy, strong body is the foundation of my wardrobe. I hope to inspire my readers to be fit as well as stylish!
I didn’t do well practicing my race day preparations. I forgot to check my Gu supply until the morning of the race. I had only one packet, but needed two for a 13 mile race. I was hoping that, like last year, Gu would be handing out samples at around mile 9.5. I was in luck. Gu wasn’t there, but Honey Stinger was and I got the energy boost I needed for the last half of the race.
I left the house without my hat (and I always run in a hat), but it wasn’t disastrous. I did remember my watch and ipod.
I was planning to run the first half of the race at 10 minute miles, the third quarter at 9:45 miles, and the last quarter at 9:30 miles. This was to be practice for my Flying Pig marathon pacing progression.
I started the race next to Iain, from The Running Spot, who was the 9:55 pace leader. (There was no one representing 10:00 minute miles.) I was running comfortably with that group until I broke away, about a mile in, to use the port-a-potty. The wait was much longer than I would have liked. As I stood in line, I watched Iain run off into the distance. And I saw the 10:15 pace leader run by. Then the 10:33 pack passed me. When I finally finished my turn, two minutes had gone by and the 9:55 group was not in sight.
I shouldn’t have done this, but I started running a bit faster than I would have liked in order to catch Iain. At mile 4, my watch read 36:52. (I had paused my chronometer for the pee break.) I was running less than the 9:30 mile pace I had been saving for the end. Still, I kept it up until I rejoined Iain’s group, just past the turn-around.
When Iain told me that the group would be walking up the Terrible Torrence hill, I just shrugged and agreed. Last year, that hill was a total shock. I thought the run would just be out and back Columbia Parkway. Imagine my surprise when, with the city skyline looming ahead, we took a right, up an incredibly steep hill, only to turn around and run right back down it again. I remember feeling like I might collapse on the way down the hill. My legs had totally turned to jelly. This year, after a fast walk up the hill, I felt great on the downhill and was able to use it to my advantage instead of feeling like I might fall on my face.
I left the 9:55 pace group around mile 8 and started running at a faster, but comfortable, pace. I continued to push the pace for the rest of the race. I didn’t keep track of my paces for each mile, but I did descend the times. According to the chip information, I was running the following pace (for the distance noted) at these waypoints:
5K - 10:09 pace
10K - 9:52 pace
15K - 9:45 pace
13.2 miles - 9:40 pace
So, despite my foolish catch-up run, I did manage to, overall, build my pace over the course of the race. I hope to replicate that in the May marathon (but starting at 11 minute miles).
I’ll also be checking my energy gel supply in advance and wearing a hat!
My watch time was 2:04:15, but my chip time was 2:06:36. Damn my bladder
Sporty Sunday is a recurring feature in which I share my fitness routine and offer and solicit advice. While this content might seem a little out of place in an outfit diary, a healthy, strong body is the foundation of my wardrobe. I hope to inspire my readers to be fit as well as stylish!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sporty Sunday: Fitness Routine, February 2012
Whenever anyone asks me the details of my fitness routine, I feel like I have to start with, “Well, right now, I’m . . .” My routine is always changing, depending on my goals at the time.
Right now, I’m training for my second, full marathon: Cincinnati’s Flying Pig. I was unhappy with my performance last year, so I’m training with the Run Less, Run Faster method this year. It includes three “key runs” (more on those runs in a later post), cross training, and strength training.
The following is my current routine (more “training” than “maintenance” at the moment):
Monday
- Rowing (30 min) followed by a strength circuit
Tuesday
- Masters swim practice (60 min)
- Track repeats (4 – 6 miles) on a treadmill
Wednesday
- Yoga DVD followed by body-weight strength exercises
- Masters swim practice (90 min)
Thursday
- Tempo run (6 – 10 miles)
Friday
- Rowing (30 min) followed by a strength circuit
Saturday
- Masters swim practice (90 min)
Sunday
- Long run (13 – 20 miles)
The first thing you might notice is that I have no rest day. Because my schedule has to flex with work, social, and theater commitments, I usually drop a workout a week. However, I never drop a run. If I have a conflict with a run, then I shift it a day, replacing a non-running workout. If I’m not feeling well, I take a day off. So, although, I don’t have formal rest days on my schedule, I do rest one or two days per week.
Quite honestly, Tuesdays suck. I get home late from rehearsal on Monday night and have to be up again by 4:30 a.m. the next day to make swim practice. After my lunchtime speed work, I’m pretty pooped. I have to keep my energy up, though, for the rest of the work day and then rehearsal again that night. I don’t take my blog pictures until 10:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, so I might look a little ragged. Thankfully, I can sleep in on Wednesday morning.
So, this is what I’m doing right now. I’ll provide the next fitness routine update after the Pig, when I’m (hopefully) training for the Pike’s Peak half marathon.
Sporty Sunday is a recurring feature in which I share my fitness routine and offer and solicit advice. While this content might seem a little out of place in an outfit diary, a healthy, strong body is the foundation of my wardrobe. I hope to inspire my readers to be fit as well as stylish!
Right now, I’m training for my second, full marathon: Cincinnati’s Flying Pig. I was unhappy with my performance last year, so I’m training with the Run Less, Run Faster method this year. It includes three “key runs” (more on those runs in a later post), cross training, and strength training.
The following is my current routine (more “training” than “maintenance” at the moment):
Monday
- Rowing (30 min) followed by a strength circuit
Tuesday
- Masters swim practice (60 min)
- Track repeats (4 – 6 miles) on a treadmill
Wednesday
- Yoga DVD followed by body-weight strength exercises
- Masters swim practice (90 min)
Thursday
- Tempo run (6 – 10 miles)
Friday
- Rowing (30 min) followed by a strength circuit
Saturday
- Masters swim practice (90 min)
Sunday
- Long run (13 – 20 miles)
The first thing you might notice is that I have no rest day. Because my schedule has to flex with work, social, and theater commitments, I usually drop a workout a week. However, I never drop a run. If I have a conflict with a run, then I shift it a day, replacing a non-running workout. If I’m not feeling well, I take a day off. So, although, I don’t have formal rest days on my schedule, I do rest one or two days per week.
Quite honestly, Tuesdays suck. I get home late from rehearsal on Monday night and have to be up again by 4:30 a.m. the next day to make swim practice. After my lunchtime speed work, I’m pretty pooped. I have to keep my energy up, though, for the rest of the work day and then rehearsal again that night. I don’t take my blog pictures until 10:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, so I might look a little ragged. Thankfully, I can sleep in on Wednesday morning.
So, this is what I’m doing right now. I’ll provide the next fitness routine update after the Pig, when I’m (hopefully) training for the Pike’s Peak half marathon.
Sporty Sunday is a recurring feature in which I share my fitness routine and offer and solicit advice. While this content might seem a little out of place in an outfit diary, a healthy, strong body is the foundation of my wardrobe. I hope to inspire my readers to be fit as well as stylish!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Raccoon Mountain
Running certainly takes you places. For instance, if I hadn’t required 5 miles of road to run this morning, I never would have discovered Raccoon Mountain, near Chattanooga. Beefy dropped me off at the visitor center and I ran down the mountain, 5 miles.
(Then we drove back up for a few pictures.)
As I alluded to in Style Sample’s interview, I’m training for the Air Force half marathon in September. I want to run it in under 2 hours, so I’m using the FIRST training method to improve my speed. Today’s run was a tempo run. My goal was 9:04 miles. I thought running downhill would do the trick, but there were a few steep uphills too, and I ended up running a 9:20/mile pace.
Next, I need to find a fairly flat (and safe) 10 miles near Stone Mountain, GA. Any recommendations?
Photos by Beefy Muchacho
(Then we drove back up for a few pictures.)
As I alluded to in Style Sample’s interview, I’m training for the Air Force half marathon in September. I want to run it in under 2 hours, so I’m using the FIRST training method to improve my speed. Today’s run was a tempo run. My goal was 9:04 miles. I thought running downhill would do the trick, but there were a few steep uphills too, and I ended up running a 9:20/mile pace.
Next, I need to find a fairly flat (and safe) 10 miles near Stone Mountain, GA. Any recommendations?
Photos by Beefy Muchacho
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Sweaty Sunday - Flying Pig Marathon
Today, I ran my first, full marathon.
How did I do against the goals I shared in February?
1. Finish – check!
2. Run 11 minute miles – a bit slower…more like 12 minute miles
3. Feel good when I’m done – I’d say the pictures speak for themselves!
A behind the scenes look at the jump shoot:
I can jump, but I can’t walk.
Photos from the race:
Thank you to my friends for their support before and during the race! A special thanks to Abby and Tony for watching me finish and Colette for accompanying Beefy on race day. An extra, extra special thanks to Beefy for supporting me during my training and spending his second rainy Pig bouncing around the race course to cheer me on.
My next fitness goal is to run a half marathon in less than 2 hours…maybe even 1 hour 57 minutes. After I recover from this run, I’ll start speed drills, plyometrics, and strength training. I will discontinue regular Sweaty Sunday posts, but I will definitely still be sweating!
Photos by Beefy Muchacho
How did I do against the goals I shared in February?
1. Finish – check!
2. Run 11 minute miles – a bit slower…more like 12 minute miles
3. Feel good when I’m done – I’d say the pictures speak for themselves!
A behind the scenes look at the jump shoot:
I can jump, but I can’t walk.
Photos from the race:
Thank you to my friends for their support before and during the race! A special thanks to Abby and Tony for watching me finish and Colette for accompanying Beefy on race day. An extra, extra special thanks to Beefy for supporting me during my training and spending his second rainy Pig bouncing around the race course to cheer me on.
My next fitness goal is to run a half marathon in less than 2 hours…maybe even 1 hour 57 minutes. After I recover from this run, I’ll start speed drills, plyometrics, and strength training. I will discontinue regular Sweaty Sunday posts, but I will definitely still be sweating!
Photos by Beefy Muchacho
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sweaty Sunday - 7 miles
I had to cut today’s run short. I was scheduled to run 13.1, but stopped after seven miles. A tendon in my right ankle has been achy since my 20 mile run and flared up again today. I decided it was best to give it a break (especially considering I had a matinee performance this afternoon).
Once the dancing started, I was glad I had stopped the run early. Still, hopping and skipping on my right leg was not fun during the show. I sucked it up, though, for our final performance of Annie Get Your Gun.
The mileage shortage shouldn’t affect my preparation for the marathon. After the 20-miler, one of my coaches told me, “You’re trained!” Now I just have to take care of myself for the final two weeks.
Photos by Beefy Muchacho
Once the dancing started, I was glad I had stopped the run early. Still, hopping and skipping on my right leg was not fun during the show. I sucked it up, though, for our final performance of Annie Get Your Gun.
The mileage shortage shouldn’t affect my preparation for the marathon. After the 20-miler, one of my coaches told me, “You’re trained!” Now I just have to take care of myself for the final two weeks.
Photos by Beefy Muchacho
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