peaking

hi gals...

the taper period is officially here! I did 12 yesterday and that's it...now it's all maintenance and tweaking from here. I'm loving this absolutely gorgeous weather and hoping it bodes well for race day.

It sounds like we all vote for hitting the expo on Friday evening. Juli, what time do you think you can be up here? Becky, will you come up then, too? Lisa lands at 350p, so depending on time and traffic, we may just head straight downtown to meet ya'll. Expo closes at 7p, so we could meet up around 5:30-6 and then grab dinner? What do you all think?

I just wanted to poke my head in to say hi cuz I was thinking of you all as we head into these last couple weeks.

xoxo
Jen

CONFIRMATION!

WooHoo!!
Did you'll get your confirmation emails?! Please let me know what Corral you guys are in. I am in Corral 5. And I'd love to plan on meeting everyone at the Colorado Convention Center to pick up our registration packets and go through the EXPO. I'm open to Friday or Saturday!
I'M SOO EXCITED!
juli

Yikes!

Wow I can't believe it's only 3 more weeks until the Rock n Roll half marathon! I have an 11 mile run this Sunday so keep me in your thoughts ladies - I am hoping to run it in 9:30 min/miles in preparation for 9 minute mile run on Oct 9th. I have a little competition going on with my brother who ran his last 1/2 marathon in 2:02:45 (I beat him by 25 seconds) and want to stay in the lead! Not that I am normally competitive but it's different with a sibling (especially a brother who thinks he can beat me at everything). I hate to put my "goal" out there because that sets me up to fail in front of you lovely ladies, however it also makes me more accountable and really stick to my interval training.

Did someone mention interval training? yes - this week my coach had me run 1 mile EZ and 1 mile Fast for 4 miles and also run a STRONG 5 mile two days prior. Phew! What a workout! I read a something I wanted to pass along that I may try - Rowing apparently is a very good cross training tool and actually can be used in place of an interval run! Who knew? I guess rowing for 12 - 18 minutes will give you the same aerobic workout as a full 4 - 5 mile run. Hmmmm, very interesting - and the best part of rowing is it is Low Impact or No Impact so if you are nursing a sore muscle (knee, IT band, etc) this can replace a weekly run.

Happy Training my friends. I will be thinking of you this Sunday while I am out there running (and making sure I thank the universe for such lovely, strong, wonderful woman in my life)

xxoo

t minus 4 weeks

hi ladies,

Four weeks from this moment we'll be relaxing after having run our race, basking in the glory of having worked hard and been diligent. In the meantime, it's a strange day, what with it being the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and all. My folks are in town, so this weekend has been a combo of fun and rememberance, duty and leisure.

How are you all doing?

I'm loving the cool weather. We're going on several weeks straight of no A/C. I even had to bust out the fall clothes a couple of days this week. I'm not ready to make the official season switch, and yet I do enjoy not melting on my runs. This morning was 10 miles and I felt better than I thought I would. I got new shoes last week--my right foot and knee clearly told me I was due. My heart and lungs are strong...I just hope that my legs and feet will hold up for the duration.

Tell us how ya'll are doing!!

Be well.
Jen

Two Fun Blogs & Articles

Hi Girls,

I found a rather inspirational article in This Mother Can Run magazine at the following link;
www.thismothercanrun.com Download the current issue and read from page 3. Just in case you are still looking for Mo or Jo this should do the trick. Also Beth's Blog is usually pretty comical and I love to read her stuff. She is pretty inspirational (at least to me) especially since she is an "age grouper" like me - and started late so this wasn't something she was great at as a youth (like me too). If you have extra time check out her blog:
www.shutupandrun.net

And now I'm off to go check out Jen's most recent post - I love trianing gadgets!

neat tool

I just found this tool: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/trainingcalculator/0,7169,s6-238-277-279-0-0-0-0-0,00.html?cm_mmc=Mag_URL-_-2010_November-_-trainingcalculator-_-Training_Calculator_Tool. You enter your last race distance and finish time and under the "Training paces" tab will give you your targeted paces for a slow run, tempo run, speed work, etc. No more guessing! This will help with my interval workouts.

WEEK 6!!

Hey girls! WE are starting WEEK 6. Things are ramping up! 6 weeks to go! The food is going down in thoughtfully, enormous sizes. And, side note (YES! JO is back in my llife- Thank GOOdness!)
OK I need some feedback from ya'll, Becky and I were talking the other night and wondered what training schedule everyone else was one for the final 6 weeks for LONG RUNS. Is it better to go up (4 weeks) then down for last 2 weeks ( 8miles, 10miles, 11miles, 9miles, 8miles)?" or go up, down, up, down, such as, 8, 10, 8, 11, 12, 6)
What do you think veterans??
Have a great week of running girls!
Can't wait to meet you guys at the start line.
p.s. What are you wearing? (It had to be asked!)
JULI

options, options, and more options!!

I totally agree, Jacquline...I'd rather get my butt kicked on intervals than slog through a long run, most days anyway. Thanks for the additional workout! In the spirit of having as many options as possible for interval workouts, here are a couple more. But first, I also must comment on how freakin' cool it is to see the rockstars of cycling in our own backyard!!

repeat to reach 3 miles
1/4-mile fast, 1/4-mile EZ

repeat to reach 4 miles
1/4-mile EZ, 1/2-mile fast
increase speed on each "fast"

And for some perspective, when I go "fast" it's about 60-90 seconds per mile faster than my "EZ" pace. The average of my EZ and fast paces turns out to be my race pace. I read somewhere to make the EZ reeeeeeallllly easy and to make the fast reeeeeeallllly fast. Make a big difference, in other words.

happy interval training ladies!
~ Jen

Ah Yes, Intervals

I am in complete agreement with Jen that my interval training is making me a stronger, faster runner. I would also agree that doing an interval within 48 hours of your long run would be inadvisable. The whole idea of an inveral is to "kick your butt" and quite frankly, if I do the interval as prescribed, I find it is easier to run a 10 mile run then the interval. Here is my next interval workout - try it if you have a treadmill you can run on as I'm sure it's going to be a doozey!

Run 3 miles total - 1/4 mile EZ at a 2.0 incline then 1/4 mile Fast with no incline - Repeat until you reach 3 miles.

Interval workouts may help you find "Jo" once you realize you only need to workout 30 minutes and you will see a immediate results on your next long run (as long as you wait at least 48 hours).

I know this is a half marathon training blog but hey - How about those USA Pro Cycling boys???? I really can't post a comment without mentioning how excited I am about the race and every single little thing involved with it!!!!

have shoes, will travel

hi gals!! how's it going? Juli, have you found JO to go along with your MO? :-) How's training coming along for ya'll?

I'm making my way around Colorado this week for work--Vail Monday night, Aspen Tuesday night, Durango tonight...tomorrow I head home after class. I hop at the chance to hit the road, especially when I get to go to places like these. And one thing I love about running is that it goes wherever I do. I can't and don't always bring my bike when I travel, and even finding a swimming pool with public lap hours is often a shot in the dark...but my running shoes never let me down! This morning I ran along the bike path right outside my hotel. And I especially love running in places where it's not weird, ya know? I don't get strange looks...or even worse, concerned looks, as if I'm running away from something or someone. Nope, rather, the only people out at that time in the morning are other runners and the construction crews.

This morning was a fun interval workout--yes, I just used "fun" and "interval" RIGHT NEXT to each other! It was a 30-min run: 1 min EZ then 4 min fast, 2 min EZ then 3 min faster, 3 min EZ then 2 min fastest...and repeat the whole sequence to make 30 min. The intervals are working...I can tell a difference in how I feel overall and I actually look forward to them. This is my "easy" week--reduced load overall. Saturday will be a 7-miler, and then it'll pick back up next week. How many weeks til race day? SIX weeks from Sunday!

Meanwhile, my neck has me a bit concerned...it's a tad aggravated and has been for about two weeks. Mercifully, I'm not having the awful nerve pain I had before, but my pain-free existence is on hiatus. I'm still running, biking, etc, mostly without pain or discomfort, and am monitoring the neck closely. Such will be the rest of my life, I imagine.

I'm off to outline my September running plan! nighty-night...
~ Jen

I think I found MO!

I knew you guys would help me!!!! I found MO and hopefully JO will be with me on Saturday for my 6 mile run. This week has definately been better for me mentally. I have done many of things you have suggested. Jen, Jacquline and Becky, You are such wise souls. Thank you for caring and watching my back:)
As I was running tonight, I kept thinking of all my blessings, and just like one of the tips in that article Jen gave us, every quarter mile I thought of a new one and it made my run go so fast. A friend of mine in Columbia, MO runs while listening to books on tape instead of music. That makes her run go fast. I'm not sure if I'd like that but maybe for a change from my ancient relics on my shuffle. I just can't get over how good I feel after a run, even a bad one. CHEERS to the Run!

in search of mojo, continued...

hi gals...this article showed up in my inbox today. Very timely, no?

http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/18-Motivation-Tips-From-the-Pros.htm?cmp=306&memberid=115120032&lyrisid=22866001

xoxo
Jen

still trying to get this right...

Juli and Jen,
I commented to Jen's post instead of posting myself for all to read. Please read my comment there. I like this blog page but am still trying to get to the right page/section to post. Think I got it now.
We are all working to balance so many things which are important but also, tiring at times. Congrats to all of you who are doing what you can these busy weeks leaing up to the 1/2. Pat on the back, big breath, do what you can!! I appreciate the inspiring words/conversations and the feedback!

Becky

Lessons learned from sad days

hi ladies,

Juli my friend...I'm so sorry to hear that your mojo has taken unapproved vacation time. I'm glad you have this blog and US to vent to!! That's what we are here for cuz we've all been there, in our own way. So use us to commiserate with, complain to, and seek encouragement from.

My heart goes out to you particularly because I see you as someone who embraces life fully, who seeks out fun, excitement, and adventure, and who knows how to nurture and care for herself. I KNOW you will find your way through this and emerge happy, re-energized, and in love with running again. In the meantime, it sure stinks to go through it.

Ultimately, you need to discover what works for you. We're all different and I know everyone else on this blog has advice on what's worked for them, too. Fresh off my own summer-of-lost-mojo, here is what I've learned works for me.

1. Let it happen. Lost motivation is often my body's way of telling me to chill out, that there's a better way to spend my time. It may last one day or one week. This summer, it happened to last several months. Did I wish things were different? yes. Did I firmly believe there was a higher purpose? yes. That higher purpose wasn't clear at the time, but I had faith it was there. Trust your body to tell you what it needs.

2. And yet sometimes it is mind over matter. A friend once gave me this advice: When the last thing you want to do is run, AGAIN, give yourself a different goal. Start with the goal of just putting on your running gear. If that feels okay, then have the goal of running to the end of the street. If it still feels good, run around the block. And so on. I'm definitely guilty of "all or nothing" thinking, as in "if I can't run the full 6 miles, I might as well not run at all." This summer reminded me that I feel better after a 10-min walk than I do sitting around. And if sitting around is all I can accomplish, that's okay.

3. Check the self-talk. I've become aware of what I tell myself about training. When I wake up and say "I need to run 6 miles" or "I should ride 20 miles" I know something is wrong. I change the "shoulds" into "want tos" and see if that pushes me out the door. More often than not, the shoulds go away. 

4. Draw on the energy of those around you. Running in the park does wonders for my motivation...it's so much easier to keep going when I know there are others around me, even if I don't know them and even if we're not running together. All it takes is to be running near others and the energy is contagious. Better yet, call me and I can be in Castle Rock lickety-split!!

Meanwhile, I'm checking my interval workouts off my list and finding them more enjoyable than I thought! I think they're making a difference in my long runs. Yesterday was 8 miles (run 9, walk 1) and the other two runs this past week were 5 and 4. I MUST find a way to make yoga a permanent part of my training again--if for no other reason than to help balance everything out--life, work, training, family, etc.

How's everyone else? Lisa, how was Tennessee? Becky, how was Wisconsin?

xoxo
Jen

In Search of my MoJo

Hi Guys,
Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. I have been having a hard time staying motivated. Last week sucked! I ran once then again today. Being back at work and the change of schedule for me has been tougher than I expected. Where is my MoJo???? (deep sigh)......
I've been trying to get up early and run in the morning before work, but...., then when I get home from work I am so exhausted, and the heat is a factor.
I think I'll read some of the information from those websites you gave us Jen, and see if doing some research can reignite my mojo.
Is anyone else having a hard time?
SAD DAYS
juli

good reading material

hi gals,

Becky, your post is so timely...I was just reading one of my e-newsletters and they had an article for 1/2-marathon training (written mostly for first-timers, but I still learn something regardless of what I read). Here's the link: http://www.active.com/running/Articles/7-Training-Tips-for-Your-First-Half-Marathon.htm?cmp=282&memberid=111651835&lyrisid=22783954.

I subscribe to e-newsletters from the following websites (which means SHORT articles, not books!):
http://www.active.com/ (look under "Resources")
http://www.runnersworld.com/

Lots of great stuff...some will come weekly, others every two weeks, depending on content. Active has newsletters for running, tri, nutrition, women's fitness, etc. I also find Runner's World mag very helpful.

Happy reading! and Becky, I'll get those booty mix CDs to you via Juli at some point very soon! Have fun in WI.

Lisa, how was TN? I hope you didn't melt!

xoxo
Jen

still runnin

Well, still running but with a busy week and travel ahead, I hope I stick to my schedule. I was curious about food too because I keep buying the same snacks and Im getting tired of them. I like the smoothie idea.

Is there a good running information website anyone uses? I like getting little tips/ideas without reading a whole book (just a time constraint--I actually love to read).

Im heading to sea level for 5 days so Ill see if the running is easier there. Of course Ill have to take the WI humidity into account. Ill get to see and maybe run with Nikki this weekend for our 5 mile. Yea!

Have a good week!
Becky

eat...sleep...eat...train...eat...work...repeat...

Juli!! Poor you! I hope you're able to find relief from the toe-stubbing. That stuff is so annoying. To say nothing of painful. In the meantime, experiment with totally wild nailcolor to cover the boo-boo. :-)

This past week had me doing two 3-milers and a 6-miler that I supplemented with a pool workout and a couple of bike rides. This coming week, I ramp the mileage back up and also start doing interval workouts. I've never been a fan of intervals...I know they're supposed to make me stronger and faster and build my endurance, blah blah blah. That doesn't make me like them any more. This is the first time I'll incorporate weekly interval workouts into my training. We'll see if I grow to like them. It may be one of those fake-it-til-I-make-it situations!!

Okay, let's talk food! Juli, I can totally relate to what you're going through. Your metabolism has always been sky-high, so add into the mix regular intense activity, and you have to get creative about how to eat enough without sabotaging your hard work. Easy enough to eat a lot of calories...harder to eat enough high-quality calories. The best foods are sometimes the lowest in calories (see: fruits and vegetables). And seriously, how many carrots can one person stand?

I've learned that the benefits of training come not when we're running or zumba-ing or swimming or whatever...but rather when we're not. What we do "off-hours" is almost the most important factor, specifically, how much sleep we get and what we eat to recover and refuel. It's so important not only to eat and drink enough to replenish what's been depleted from training, but also to eat and drink enough all the time. When my training volume gets really high I end up resorting to recovery smoothies. As much as I love food, I get tired of eating, so it's easier for me to drink my calories, especially right after working out, and recovery drinks can pack a lot of calories in a small package. There are so many out there...experiment and find several you like. My faves have olive oil as a main ingredient, which leads me to my next suggestion...

...make sure you're eating enough fat. Earlier this summer, before the wheels fell off the bus, I stopped worrying about buying the low-fat versions of this-and-that. Bring on the full-fat yogurt and nut butters and avocados and cheese!

PS--I'm up to my eyeballs in articles and books on this kind of stuff, all of it really helpful. I'm happy to share.

Those are my two cents! Now, can anyone tell me how to get more sleep??!! Sure wish there was a fast-track recovery-smoothie for sleep...

I'M HUNGRY!

Hi Everyone! What a wonderful weekend it was! What did ya'll do? Today was a great day of rest except for stubbing my toe so bad I think I may lose my big toe nail!!!  I'll see if it impacts my run tomorrow. Stay tunned!

This coming week will bring some 3's, 4 and a 5 mile run. Am I ready?  I'm amazed at how mental this sport is.  I am so thankful that I have close friends to talk with and that continiue to motivate me.  When my energy is low, I think about Jen, Nikki, Lisa, Becky, Jacqulin, and Erica are out there busting the pavement or trail, so I better get a move on it:)))

I think this week we should consider and talk about FOOD.  I am so hungry all the time, all day l ong, but especially at night.  I know I need to probably eat more, but it needs to be the right things.  I'm going to do some research on that, but in the mean time, maybe you guys know the answer!

11 Weeks

Wow I couldn't believe it when I read that our 1/2 marathon is in 11 weeks! For some reason that sounds much sooner than October 9th. I am really looking forward to seeing old friends again and meeting new friends who love to run as much as I do. I have started off my training by biking 56 miles yesterday morning as I find cross training is the best way for me to train for a run. I will run 5 miles tomorrow and 7 miles on Saturday. I love the 9,1 which is run 9 minutes and walk 1 minute and have found it a very useful tool. Does anyone else use this tool or have any other helpful training tips? One more thing - I read in Runner's World that eating a Popsicle or ice before running in the heat really helps - I haven't tried it yet but it sounded like a great idea.

Happy Training!

DENVER 1/2 - Here I come!

Hi Running Friends and Friends of Friends!

I bought my plane ticket BOS to DEN this morning. It makes the race so much more real - now I REALLY need to start training. My "Summer of Dessert" celebration must come to an early end and I will be at the mercy of the treadmill (tho it is climate controlled, so I can't complain) until the kids are back in school (Aug 30th). Slightly worried about the difference in altitude... but from what I've read I don't think there's anything I can do about that. But if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them! I ran 3 miles yesterday on a 2.0 incline - today will be some strength training. After being away from home (and my exercise routine) for 3 weeks, I have a lot of catching up to do and soreness to work through, but it's all good. For those of you running out in the heat - don't forget your water! Drink up! ~ Lisa

11 weeks to go

Well, running in heat is hard for me so I agree with the early 5 a.m. running. I am finally in a routine of lifting a little so I think that is helping too. I'd love some rocking tunes to add to my ipod to keep me going if people have any suggestions. Also, like Juli, I start back to work this week so I will have to adjust my sleep schedule to keep energy up for training. Best to you all--hope this week running goes well. Ill have to try the pool running--never have!!

Amen sister...

...the heat is a real buzzkill!! Pretty much the only good thing about running at 5 am is that it's nice and cool. And I get it over with early in the day. Did 3 miles this morning. Thursday will be another 3. This is my "light" week. I'm looking forward to a pool workout later this week. I'm totally digging running in the pool--have any of you tried it? It's fun!!

~ Jen

I love this!!

Juli!! Thank you for connecting us all, my friend. I'm excited to hear from ya'll, about what and how you're doing. I love that we're coming from near and far for this race. I think Lisa (Boston) wins for being the farthest away, yes? I've sent the link to Jacquline, too, as she's also racing.

Let this be a place for us to celebrate our successes and download our frustrations, to seek advice and give support. I'll start.

This race holds much meaning for me. I've desperately missed racing this year. More than that, I've desperately missed simply being active this summer. As I get back into training, I sometimes feel like I'm starting over. My pace isn't what it used to be. And yet, I don't care. I just want to RUN. To MOVE, to feel the breath in my lungs, to be among the living.

So this race meaning many things--doing what I love with the ladies I love in the city I love.

I have a hat from a previous race that says "I run, therefore I am." I get it now. Nothing makes me feel more alive than pure movement.

What makes you feel alive?

~ Jen

Getting the kinks out

Hi Lisa, Becky, Jen and Nikki!  Sorry for the initial difficulty getting on.  This is my first Blog so I'm just learning:)))  I'm still waiting to hear from my niece Erica to get on.
OK.  Today was a lifting/crosstraining day for me, so I got up early and did ZUMBA at the Rec Center, then lifted.  I'm focusing more on strengthening my knee muscles and lower back. I'm alittle tired today but am invigorated by all you training with me.  Yesterdays 3 mile run was great, but hot even at 8:00 in the morning.  I start back to work with the district this thrusday so I'm gonna have to start a new work out routine to accomodate more things on my schedule. Late runs will be brutal, so we'll see if I can squeeze myself out of bed earlier to get it in before work.  How's it going for you guys?

WELCOME!

Hi Everyone! This is Juli!
It's time to get geared up for the Denver Rock-n-Roll Half-Marathon!! What a beautiful place to RUN!!  I'm so proud of everyone that has committed to this great feat!    Hopefully everyone has begun a little training since we are 11 weeks out. This is going to be a fast 11 weeks I'm afraid.  It's been very difficult to run in this heat, to say the least, so I'm hoping this blog can help motivate, stimulate, and provoke us to get out there.  We have several friends of all ages coming together to accomplish this goal, so lets do it together and talk about it.  We have an expert/veteran amongst us, then there's the ones that have done a little of this and a little of that, some have one half under thier belt and ready for the next, then we have the virgin!  The common goals and interests we share are LOVE, PEACE, HEALTH and HAPPINESS (and a little wine too)! 
Please comment, add your thoughts and questions whenever you feel like it, or just read what others have said.

Who's out there??