Hills for breakfast, hold the gnats

Week starting Nov 21, 2010

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Location:

Snoqualmie,WA,

Member Since:

Jan 31, 2008

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Marathon PR: 4:17 at Portland Marathon, Oct. 2007

5K PR 24:37 2009

10K PR 52:58 2010

Have run 22 marathons to date.

No injuries, ever.   :)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for Boston (4:05 for my age/gender) - or, perhaps, to use my desire for a BQ as a way to get in the hated speed work so I don't just get slower and slower over the years.  This goal is "under (re)construction" right now, until I figure out whether it is truly what I want. :) 


Long-Term Running Goals:

To continue learning about myself and about running, and to enjoy being a fit, happy runner for life.   To always know why I am running and the best way to get the most (both mentally and physically) out of my runs.  To keep a sense of humor and remain optimistic about myself as a runner.  To enjoy running more and more with every passing year. 

Personal:

Baby boomer generation.  Jogged a little in my 20's and 30's.  Started running seriously in 2002.  Low-carb runner since January 2010. 

I love long runs and cold, cloudy weather.  I don't believe in "junk miles."  I am an optimist.  I adore dark chocolate, fog, my family, and knitting -- not necessarily in that order.  

"As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are."  -- Joan Benoit Samuelson 


Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Brooks ST3 Lifetime Miles: 891.35
Vibram Five Fingers KSO Lifetime Miles: 23.77
Brooks ST3 II Lifetime Miles: 965.17
Lunaracers II Lifetime Miles: 198.23
Mizuno Wave Universe 3 Lifetime Miles: 104.14
Asics Piranha Lifetime Miles: 536.83
RunAmocs (Softstar) Lifetime Miles: 16.23
Piranha II Lifetime Miles: 219.53
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
30.290.000.000.0030.29
Asics Piranha Miles: 2.53Brooks ST3 Miles: 4.20Piranha II Miles: 15.40
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
2.530.000.000.002.53

31F, cloudy w/ an occasional flake of snow coming down.  Recovery run. Short & sweet. 

Asics Piranha Miles: 2.53
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
4.200.000.000.004.20

26F, occasional falling flake, less than 1" snow on the ground (much more now). Yaktrax run!  

Something about Yaktrax I don't like: they don't work as well on minimalist shoes. I can feel the straps/cords.  Still, very pleasant run. Some slippery spots w/ ice on the street, but easy to spot.

Introducing Pilot, my new cat - a little ball of love and fun.  

IMG_0295 

Brooks ST3 Miles: 4.20
Comments(9)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
4.660.000.000.004.66

18F, clear & starry w/ moonlight on snow.  Objective: safety!  (Not ending up on my butt or under someone's skidded-out car.)  Very beautiful run, though very slow.

The good: plowed roads that had a thin layer of snow on top for traction.

The bad: times when I had to use the sidewalks, about 6-7" deep in new snow; wearing my old Nikes so the Yaktrax would be comfortable (felt like feet encased in plywood). 

The ugly: roads where the plow had been that were bare ice. (Locals: stay away from Laurel Ave!)

Crosstraining: getting into all my layers, getting out of all my layers, shoveling my sidewalk and a path on the driveway. 

Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.500.000.000.003.50

12F BRRR!!!!  Roads: covered with ice and snow.

I'm guessing on the mileage. My Garmin literally froze. It's back to life now, thank goodness.  I got a super-late start, mostly from fear I think.  But it's going to be a long, hard La Nina winter so I need to toughen up mentally for this.  The run wasn't too bad, coldwise.  My eyes burned with cold at first and there was a steady stream of tears, but once I got going only my feet were unhappy.  I don't like wearing these heavy, stiff old Nikes but otherwise, in my minimalist shoes, the Yaktrax cut into my feet too much.  

Winter storms in Seattle:  1) Snow is infrequent; we don't know how to drive in it. 2) Because of our temperate climate, the ground is almost always warm when the snow first hits and so we begin with a layer of ice as the first flakes melt and refreeze.  3) Hills, hills, hills.  

Comments(8)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Ski day! :)  Then turkey at friends'.  

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
15.400.000.000.0015.40

30s, 20s & 30s again....  Snoqualmie Ridge into old Snoqualmie and North Bend, then back up the hill and more running on the Ridge. 

Slim pickins at the running club. The park where we meet was so covered with ice that anyone who did come would think it was a death trap.  

I got onto the SVT and found better footing there, but the trail got snowier and snowier as I went out from North Bend and eventually I had to give up on it.  It is much icier in the valley than here on the Ridge.  I saw a friend of mine on the trail and we decided to get in her car and go run back up on the Ridge. I don't know how I got so lucky, because the Leg Builder Hill would be pretty awful to climb. Coming down was scary enough.   

I don't like this low mileage, but considering all the white stuff we had this week I guess it's not too bad.  It's going to be a long, hard La Nina winter so I hope I cope better in the weeks/months to come.   

Piranha II Miles: 15.40
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
30.290.000.000.0030.29
Asics Piranha Miles: 2.53Brooks ST3 Miles: 4.20Piranha II Miles: 15.40
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