The day started off LAZY and slow. Cuddles, coffee, cartoons and celebrating the fact that my husband was finally home after a long week of being gone! Couldn't have drummed up a better start to a Saturday!
An hour or so after having some eggs and coffee, I grabbed my stylish water belt, some GU packets and I was off for my 16 miles and determined to nail 12 of them at a 7:30 pace or better. I drove to an area about five minutes from my house that had a flatter course than my usual hilly neighborhood course that I've run all my other outside runs. Just me, my thoughts (no ipod), gentle rolling hills, and farm land! And I FELT GREAT!
Here's how it went down:
Split | Time | Distance | Avg Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | 01:28:45 | 12.01 | 07:23 |
| 1 | 00:07:09 | 1.00 | 07:09 |
| 2 | 00:07:23 | 1.00 | 07:23 |
| 3 | 00:07:26 | 1.00 | 07:26 |
| 4 | 00:07:31 | 1.00 | 07:31 |
| 5 | 00:07:18 | 1.00 | 07:18 |
| 6 | 00:07:26 | 1.00 | 07:26 |
| 7 | 00:07:21 | 1.00 | 07:21 |
| 8 | 00:07:24 | 1.00 | 07:24 |
| 9 | 00:07:30 | 1.00 | 07:30 |
| 10 | 00:07:28 | 1.00 | 07:28 |
| 11 | 00:07:21 | 1.00 | 07:21 |
| 12 | 00:07:16 | 1.00 | 07:16 |
| 13 | 00:00:02 | 0.01 | 06:44 |
| 14 | 00:00:03 | 0.00 | 28:15 |
| 15 | 00:00:01 | 0.00 | 25 |
Not sure what those laps 14 and 15 are all about but I only ran 12:01 at marathon pace. The other 4 was warm up and cool down. Moving pace was 7:23 and average moving pace was 7:20...whatever that means. I guess I stopped when I was turning around.
Here's my Top 10 Contributors for my strong run today (in no particular order):
- Listening to my body and resting for a week or so when my body was begging for time off!
- Staying positive about the hard work I've put in and truly believing that there is a great plan for me and that this time off was probably for the best.
- A GREAT night's sleep!
- My husband being home again.
- An adjustment from my chiropractor. I believe this is is #1 on my list for why I felt so much better today! I am a BIG believer in chiropractic care, especially for athletes. I actually called my chiropractor on my run yesterday and tried to get in ASAP because of how OFF I felt. I came home, put the kids in the car and went to get adjusted.
- A sports massage with a fantastic massage therapist!
- New Running Shoes. Gosh, my new Brooks Launch shoes felt heavenly today!
- Great fuel. I am a new believer in the GU Roctane! It is disgusting and I was gagging putting it down. But OH MY I felt like it gave me SO MUCH ENERGY! I had to hold myself back for those first few miles. At mile 6 I had a regular GU. Chocolate Mint Flavor...very yummy!
- Great support and so many people encouraging me these past few weeks! Thank you!
- The New Handful Bra I bought and the Lululemon speed shorts might have helped a little bit! Ha!
Next Friday I have plans for an hour sports massage from the same therapist. He can finish getting out the crazy knots in my upper back/shoulders (all my stress is there and he didn't have time to finish). He will also spend a great deal of his time on my calves. I will also be getting another adjustment! Yay!
After my run I went to the store to get all the makings for my husband's AWESOME home-made PIZZA. Seriously TO DIE FOR! While in the store, I got many looks at my SHORT speed shorts. They are not that short but from the looks I was getting you'd think I was wearing my undies. Mostly women. Maybe they were just checking out my AFTER RUN muscles. Yeah, that's probably it. Or the salty sweaty rings all over my clothes. Ha ha! One older lady came up to me to ask if I'd been running. I told her that I had. Then she told me that she used to work at the Chicago Marathon and was impressed by the Kenyan runners. She made sure I knew that The Chicago Marathon was a 26.2 mile marathon. Thanks Lady. Good to know. I'll be sure to check that 26.2 marathon out.
I'm so excited about this potential Women's Group I plan to start this summer. Looks like I have a few people who are already interested. If you're in the Pacific Northwest (close to Portland) area, come on and join us! Remember, this isn't a competitive group...just a fun, supportive, motivating group of women runners/mommies/wanna be mommies/older mommies of all abilities, interests and walks! Check out what I'm thinking HERE.
And Thank you Thank you Thank you for voting for me on the Circle of Moms thing!! I love a good competition even if it isn't a big deal. So please, if you like my blog, help me move on up! Vote Here. And vote for some other blogs that you like too. It ends June 1st.
Happy Saturday Night!
Amanda
Just killer run, Amanda! Fantastic way to bring your marathon training to its pinnacle two weeks from now :) Is it going to be a 26.2 mile marathon like Chicago? lol So great that you are starting a group in your area... you all will have such fun! You are definitely getting some of my votes ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'll bet it feels just heavenly to have your husband home!
You are awesome! That was a perfect run. I am also a huge believer in chiropractic care. I could not live without it.
ReplyDeleteAwesome run! Blueberry Pomegranate GU Roctaine is AMAZING!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat run!
ReplyDeleteI dont know how you can keep that GU down if it is hard to get down in the first place..that is my problem...it does not go down...:(
I'm glad the random stranger want to just confirm with you that the Chicago mararthon is indeed 26.2 miles, like it is any different from the thousands of other marathons that occur accross the globe.
ReplyDeleteHoly speed lady! That is an awesome run, quite spectacular! You are going to knock it out of the park for this marathon. What a great workout going into a taper too. Man I'm excited for you, I feel like you are going to crush all of your expectations and enjoy every second of it.
I think it was definitely the new bra that helped :)
ReplyDeleteBut in all seriousness - Great Run!!
Awesome run!
ReplyDeleteAnd those 26.2 mile marathons are the tough ones, you know.
WAY TO GO, amanda!! Perfect timing for that perfect confidence building run before the marathon...the 26.2 marathon, that is. Hilarious!! Your pace is amazing. You've got this marathon in the bag!!! Get after it, girl.
ReplyDeleteFANTASTIC run! You were so smart to take that time off and not let it fester into a full blown injury! Okay, who is your massage therapist? I have a really hard time getting an appointment with mine. It would be great to have another option!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the great run! I think those runs are the most crucial to our mental training, because it's where we learn to believe in ourselves. Way to rock it!
ReplyDeleteGreat run Amanda!!! you're going to do SO well on your marathon!!! I bet you're excited and that is such a GREAT feeling to have!!! I can't wait to hear how it goes!
ReplyDeleteDamn, If I could have a time like that!! Great run!
ReplyDeleteToo bad your not close to the Seattle area or else I'd join your running club!
I plan on having a giveaway on my blog soon. Just need more followers! So tell your friends! http://runningfitnesshealth.blogspot.com/
Congrats on such an awesome run! Woo-hoo!
ReplyDeleteWow, a 26.2 mile marathon? What a random comment from that woman in the store!
:)
OK-now that I see that run on paper it looks even BETTER!!!! Awesome awesome! Starting AND finishing super STRONG!! I was on a little high yesterday myself just hearing about your run-inspiring like usual! Your splits were SO much faster than my "race"-ha ha!! I just can't wait for your marathon-You're gonna KILL it!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got the new shoes!! I tried the Roctane in the race yesterday. DISGUSTING and I could only manage a little bit! I'm going to give it a whirl before the 10K though!
I'm sure you got some stares in those speed shorts. I was looking at your profile pic and can totally see why!
26.2 mile marathon. Those people just crack me up!!
Hope you had a great night with your family! Off to vote:)
Great run!!! Hilarious about grocery shopping after a run. I do that a lot too & always get looks. Whatever.
ReplyDeleteI've been voting for you! :)
Awesome run, Amanda! That's too funny about the woman in the grocery store. I'm running Chicago this fall, so it's comforting to know that it's a 26.2 mile marathon. Hee hee!
ReplyDelete(Although I have noticed that quite a few Europeans refer to 5ks and 10ks as a mini marathon, so maybe there are generational and cultural differences.)
Awesome mom, awesome runner.. what more needs to be said!!!!!! Woot!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a fantastic run, Amanda! I am sure the adjustments and massages are helping a lot. I can't wait to see how well you do in the marathon. You will rock it!
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! Congrats on an awesome run! You did it!! What is that new bra you were talking about? I've been looking into getting a new sports bra and was just curious!
ReplyDeleteMan you are fast.
ReplyDeleteHow long did it take you to get this fast?
I think the Houston Marathon is 26.2 as well. What a conicidence. (wink)
wow and wow! I love how you SMASHED this workout. TIme off can do so much, i agree. I just did the same. What an encouraging post as usual Amanda!
ReplyDeleteYAY so thrilled your long one went well for you! I thought of you while I was at work and really prayed hard that you got what you needed out of it! I cannot believe how speedy Gonzales you are though for real GIRL...I know you are a tiny person but that is freaking fast :)
ReplyDeleteWow. Just wow. You are amazing!
ReplyDeleteWay to go fast pants!
ReplyDeleteThose women at the food store were probably just jealous at how hot you are ;)
ReplyDeleteNice run! Impressive splits. And hooray for the chiro :)
whoa, that is awesome! Nice run!
ReplyDeleteJust for good measure don't count this as comment 27, but rather comment 26.2 :)
ReplyDeleteOn to what I was actually going to say - you rocked it! I would be proud to be chicked by you.... but then again, there would be nothing I could do about it :)