Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Dry Run

There are days where everything seems to point to questions. Questioning judgement, ability, career choice. Those days are wearing. For me, they lead to a desire to just disappear from the world for a little while.

Instead, I went for a run. Met a friend at the Ferry Building, then took the route that I *think* I will be running on Sunday. As predicted, the Ft. Mason hill is more then I can complete. The rest of the run isn't so bad-the route is flat and the tourists only slowed me down twice. The setting sun was beautiful-it threw the people walking toward me into shadow relief.

Sunday is going to rock. So excited to earn another t-shirt, and another memory.

Who wants to find a 5K to run in November?

Sunday, September 25, 2011

4.5 Miles!

That 4 Step plan I posted last week? Guess what. I mostly followed my own plan.

Step 1 ---> Run 3x week. Check. Still two of those days are weekend days, but it's still 3 days in a week! And went for a walk on Tuesday. So that counts as exercise.

Step 2 --->Increase Distance. Did a run 4.25 miles last week. Today, see headline.

Step 3 ---> Incorporate a few hills. Check. Today, I took that hilly route, the longer version. For the FIRST TIME EVER I made it up the hills without stopping. That does mean the pace was slow. The only people who didn't pass me were the walkers. BUT I DID IT!!

Step 4 ---> Dry Run. Still planning on it. Aiming for this week.

Today's run suffered a slight rain delay. Once that was over, I set out. That route you've heard me mention, the one with the darn hill? You know, moan, grouse, complain. This time I slowed it down. Seriously slowed it down. Down the hill, hardly lost my breath. Up the hill, moan, grouse, complain. It was hard. It was foggy. It was humid. I still finished.

The reason why I need to hit 4.5 miles is pretty simple. My race bib arrived in the mail, along with a race pamphlet. Turns out the course is 4.5 miles, not 4.3. So I need to keep the distance going.

Again, I say I'm training for anything longer then a 5K, please remember to talk me out of it. :p

Anyone want to go for a run this week?

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Bridge to Bridge Training

The Bridge to Bridge is coming up in a few weeks. That means I need to get to 4.33 miles of distance with two notable hills. The Fort Mason monstrosity and then the hill at the end of the race into the Presidio.

Of course I have a plan.

Step 1: Keep jogging at least 3 days a week. ---> I'm just barely making this one. Weekend runs are easy, weekday runs require more planning ahead. This week, I hit 3, though two of the runs are Sunday and Saturday.

Step 2: Increase distance. ----> Today I hit 3.75 miles of sunny City jogging! The secret is that I'm going just a tad slower then before. This eliminates gasping for breath at the end of the run.

Step 3: Incorporate a few hills. ---> Working on it. That loop with the hills at the end is still beating me. The incline I can handle, it's the steepness at the end that currently conquers me.

Step 4: Dry run the week before. ---> Anyone want to meet at the Ferry Building on the 29th for a dry run? I figure if I can do the run a few days before the race, I can do it day of.

This is a foolproof plan. It incorporates realistic goals and several steps are currently in place. All I have to do is stick with it. Which is the downfall of every plan ever invented-sticking too it. :)

On a side note, I've been pontificating the Couch to 5K program lately. For those who are interested, here are the links to the program, and another to the podcast that I relied on to get myself going. Both are easier then I expected, and it doesn't take that much time.

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/couch-5K-running-plan.aspx

Shout out to Pam for the lovely compliment at the end of a long work week. Thanks, Pam!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Saturday jog

I love the fog. It keeps things cool and I don't sweat like a pig (yes, I know pigs don't sweat-that's why they wallow). There's a beauty to jogging through a puff of cloud to come out on the other side.

I love the park. It's full of beautiful plants. The people are generally nice, even if they do walk in the middle of the path and I have to jog around them on the hole-y grass. Lots to see, interesting people to watch.

I don't love the part of the park that meets the Haight. Today I jogged past a man who was rolling a joint (not a big deal) who smelled like feces. That always ruins that part of the city for me.

Such a comfortable jaunt, I kept going. And going. And somehow ended up jogging almost 4 miles.

That bodes well for the 7K I'm looking at for Oct. 2. Anyone out there want a jogging partner who is running a little over 12 minute miles?