run 5.23

Time: before work
Where: gym treadmill
Workout: four miles, race pace for miles 2 & 3
Notes and observations: At least the weather outside was crappy so I didn’t feel so bad doing an indoor workout. My desire to try to wake up early and run before catching the bus just ain’t happening. This is the next option, as my workdays are filled with meetings now. Did I mention it’s been busy already? I did? Oh. Right. One benefit about the treadmill is that I can really control the rates. It helps sometimes.
Music: I forgot my iPod! Was forced to listen to the gym radio while watching a combination of GMA, CNBC and ‘Supernatural’ reruns on TNT. Nice mix.

run 5.19

Time: 8:30am start time
Where: Ran to Hec Ed start line (2 miles); Race Course (5 miles); ran most of the way home (1 miles); walked rest of the way home (1 mile) = 9.
Workout: The goal for this week’s training was 11 but I ran those 5 miles at a 9:05 pace, so I’m ok with skipping out of the last 2 miles. I also spent a 2-3 hours walking around the Zoo later in the day. We’re good.
Notes and observations: My race time was not much different over last year.9:05 in 2012 vs 9:06 in 2011. Total time 45:07. However the difference for me was that I ran twice as much as I did last year. I also learned … and pushed my way towards the faster paced runners so I could having to bob and weave around the slowpokes for the first mile. Here’s what people do at Beat the Bridge. You see, the goal is to run over the University Bridge before they raise it, 20 minutes after the last runner crosses the start line. So the slowpokes try to start with the elite runners so that they have more than 20 minutes to make it over the bridge. No one told me that. You see lots of out-of-shapers huffing and puffing their way through the U-District. Meanwhile us honest runners, the ones who will actually make it within the time limit minimum huffing and puffing, are forced to stop and go around all the huffers. It’s harder that way.

Not that I’m complaining. All for a good cause. Good practice to run with loads of people. Yadda Yadda.

The weather was much nicer, though by the time I was jogging home on the trail it started sprinking and I had become quite cold. Had a little bit of a runny/stuffy nose thing going for a couple of days afterwards. Ah well.

Good race. Glad I did it.

Music: Foo Fighters. Also softly. For no good reason, really.

run 5.18

Time: nap time (2:30)
Where: B-G trail
Workout: 4 miles easy
Notes and observations: I missed my interval running workout this week. First time I missed it since March, when I was travelling for work. Work is again messing me up! I decided at the very last minute to run “Beat the Bridge” this year, so on Saturday ran to Husky Stadium to sign up. Only they didn’;t take credit cards and that’s all I had with me. So I ran home, showered then drove back to HS to sign up. Sheesh. All this to pay race-day fees and run with thousands of others around my neighborhood. Oh, and to fight juvenile diabetes as well.
Music: Hot Fuss

run 5.16

Time: before work
Where: gym treadmill
Workout: 4 miles,  miles 2 & 3 at race pace
Notes and observations: Had to run inside on a beautiful day. Well, didn’t have to but chose to for mental/sanity reasons. Work has picked up quite a bit. The days of taking time off during the workday to run may be over for now. You’ll also notice I’ve cut out two workouts per week. I’m just barely getting in my runs, but that’s the bare minimum I seem to be able to afford these days. I hope at some point the busyness dies down. Hope hope hope.
Music:

run 5.13

Time: morning
Where: Bryant to Lake Union, around Lake Union and back via B-G Trail
Workout: 12, yes! 12 miles LSD
Notes and observations: Woot! Finished right at my goal, 2 hours. For the first time tried both bringing water and taking a sip every mile, and also doing a gel at the 60 min mark. Not sure if that is what caused my stomach pains or what. But, I’ll have to keep trying as I know I’ll want to for the race. Great weather for running.
Music: Foo Fighters on very softly. My ipod did not charge well even though it was plugged into a charger all night. Boo.

Aiiiieeee 5.22

Not surprisingly, my failure to record my workouts coincide with 2 events … a) a new job combined with my current job, b) loss of Internet service for about a week at home earlier in the month. It’s astounding to realize how much one relies on the Interwebs (you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone!)

The memory on my fancy Timex watch is filling up, which is another clue that iI haven’t been recording my notes, but I’ll get to it soon … just not tonight.

I will say I am up to 12 miles, and that I had a great Beat The Bridge experience earlier this week.

Cheers.

How I’m feeling these days …

Actually it’s a self-portrait by the toddler. Amazing skills she has, no?

Run 5.11

Time: lunch
Where: DT Bellevue Park
Workout: the usual 5 miles interval routine
Notes and observations: Long work week. I was out of gas and could feel it. Gearing up for 12 miles on Mother’s Day. Woot!
Music: random running playlist

run 5.9

Time: before work
Where: gym, treadmill
Workout: 4 miles, with half of it (or more) at a higher tempo, around a 9:10 pace … 39:30
Notes and observations: Sometimes you just gotta do your time on the treadmill. Pretty uneventful. So it goes.
Music: Beat the bridge playlist. Thought I’d take the time to tell you what is on this playlist:

  • Immigrant Song – Zeppelin
  • Say Hey (I Love You) – Michael Franti & Spearhead
  • Radio Nowhere – Bruce
  • Hands Open – Snow Patrol
  • When I Come Around – Green Day
  • Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa – Vampire Weekend
  • Ring The Bells – James
  • Supermassive Black Hole – Muse
  • Daughter – PJ
  • Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes
  • Tainted Love – Bizarre Love Triangle
  • Love Song For No One – John Mayer
  • Black Dog (my run today ended on this one)
  • A Little Respect – Erasure
  • You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift
  • Let My Love Open The Door – Pete Townshend
  • Walls (No. 3) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Bet you never thought you’d see a mix with Led Zeppelin AND Taylor Swift! Am i right or am i right?!?

Cake Break

Finally downloaded this to the PC, and finally finally uploaded it to Flickr. This is our “go-to” cake from Metropolitan Market, with the added flair of a personalized message.

Oh. And someone at work mentioned that he thought I was like 30 or something.

What the wha?!?

run 5.6

Time: 7:45 am
Where: Burke Gilman Trail heading towards Fremont
Workout: 10 miles LSD
Notes and observations: The most important thing I learned is that Fremont’s section of the B-G does not have mile markers, that I could see at least. So miles 5 & 6 were slightly more than expected. Couple of interesting notes. 1) At some point in the run, I get cold. On this day it was around mile 8 that I had to put my long sleeve shirt back on. 2) Almost immediately following putting the shirt back on, I felt a second wind. I can’t entirely explain it except that I found myself running much faster than the previous couple of miles, and it felt really really good. My splits may not show this, because there was an extensively long traffic light I had to wait for during this time. But, it felt surprisingly good and I really took note of it. 3) I really need to learn to take and drink water during these longer runs. Gels, too. I could feel myself emptying, which is just a terrible feeling.
Music: Foo Fighters on shuffle, of course! “The Pretender” is a good song that picks me up whenever it plays. Same goes for “Times Like These” and “These Days”. Yeah!