The best laid plan....

Remember that cold I was catching a week ago today? Thursday it was diagnosed as pneumonia. Needless to say, my training plan was out the window this week. I actually got in some decent cross training on Monday and a 2 mile run on Tuesday before my body just gave out on Wednesday. Yesterday, I was scheduled to run 9 miles. I WALKED 2 - slowly. I finally got my appetite back today - just in time for Easter Dinner - and I finally feel some of my strength finally returning. I can't imagine what this is going to do to my training for my Half Marathon on 4/20 but all I can do is the best I can do!

I know I probably got sick from all the traveling and activity that has been going on in my life since the middle of February but it is not going to slow down until at least the end of May. I hope my health, strength and stamina holds out!

This weeks semi-plan:
Monday: 2 mile run
Tuesday: cross train
Wednesday: am cross train, pm run - I'm hoping for 5 miles.
Thursday: cross train
Friday: 2 mile run
Saturday: run. I don't know how far. I will have to play it by ear. Right now, I hope 8 or 9 miles.

How to you get back to your training after an illness?

Hanging on

It has been an insane couple of weeks but I'm doing my best to hang on to some bit of sanity. I was proud of myself that I was able to run each of the 3 mornings that I spent in Puerto Rico. 2 three milers and 1 5.5 miler. I ran on a KILLER golf course on the side of a 300 foot cliff. The hills were MASSIVE and combined with the heat, even these short runs were quite the workout!

I didn't get to run in St. Louis but got a good 4 miler in as soon as I got home. I also participated in a Zoomba class this week which all culminated in a super fast 8 mile run yesterday. 1:24 for 8 miles made me happy!

This week should be relatively normal but, of course, now I am trying to catch a cold. I have laid on the couch all day sucking on Cold-eez and vitamin C lozenges. Thankfully, we have Friday off work. I am going to need it to get caught up on wedding preparations!

I am just going to take training one day at a time and get in as many miles as possible prior to my 2 half marathons in a 3 week period on 4/20 and 5/5!

A New Week, a New Trip!

Last week's training went really well. I only missed my Wednesday morning run due to about 2 inches of slush on the roads! This week's plan will be affected by yet another trip. This time we are headed for Puerto Rico on Thursday. I REALLY hope to be able to fit in a good long run. At least 7 miles. My tentative plan looks like this:

Monday: 2 miles
Tuesday: morning-cross train, evening-5 mile run
Wednesday: cross train
Thursday: travel day
Friday or Saturday: 7 mile run. The other day will be cross training

The craziness begins in earnest from now until the end of May!

Hey, Look! A Blog!

Do I still have one of these things? I know I took some time off from blogging. I was right. After my last 12 mile run (almost a month ago) I was ready! The PHM was a BLAST! I wish I had a better finish time but I had a wonderful time doing the race. I'll give a more complete recap soon. The heat and humidity resulted in me not being able to get my breathing into a comfort zone and all of the stopping for pictures messed with my head but I didn't mind that part!

After spending a FANTASTIC week at Disney World, I'm ready to get my diet and training back on track TOMORROW! Saturday is the Nike Women's virtual 10k and the next half marathon is April 20th!

My tentative plan for the week is:
Monday - 2 mile run
Tuesday - Cross train
Wednesday - 2 mile run
Thursday - morning cross train, evening 4 or 5 mile run
Friday - Cross training
Saturday - Virtual 10k

Here's a couple PMH pictures:

I'm Ready!

I got in all of the distance and speed I was looking for this past week. I will be out of town Tuesday though Thursday of this week but I am not even going to worry about running those days. I am mentally completely ready for PHM and I am tapering the next two weeks.

The last time I did a 12 mile run was on 6/2/12. It was at a 12:09 pace. I am so impressed with myself for how far I have come in 8 months. I can't wait to run this race - TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!

On a side note, I registered for my fifth Half for 2013. I think I'm crazy but that's okay. It feels so good!

MIA and SAD (this post was from 2/5)

.... I think I totally screwed up this post by editing it and saving it wrong. It's all out of order now!

Ugh. It's that time of year. The Holidays are over but it is still dark, cold, and snowy. Last year, running through the winter helped with my Seasonal Affective Disorder tremendously. This year - not so much. I know I feel a million times better than if I weren't running but I am frustrated and sick of trying to run in the snow.

I ran the Chase Your Shadow 5k this past Saturday. I was so pumped! I was feeling so good and really thought I could best my previous PR of 28:50 until we got several inches of snow Friday night and the wind chills were -2. Bubble burst. It was way too slippery to PR.

I haven't had a long run since the dreadful and painful 11 mile run almost two weeks ago. I need to get in some serious miles this week and then taper for PHM! So far, so good. I got 2 miles in yesterday and 4 today. Hoping for 4 or 5 on Thursday and then 12 on Saturday!

My last bit of news is that I registered for the Flying Pig Half taking place on May 5th! Gotta have a reason to keep training!

A Bad Case of the Runs

Yep. In more ways than one.

Yesterday was an 11 mile run. It was crappy (pun intended). I don't know what happened. I have my "pre long run" routine down pretty good and I didn't think I changed anything. After much introspection, I think it might have been a lack of hydration on Friday. I was really busy at work and I know I didn't drink as much as I have in the past.

It figures. The weather was almost perfect. I'd have liked about 10 more degrees of heat but the sun was shining and the trail was perfectly dry. This week will be another story. We're expecting our coldest air of the last several years. Some mornings will be below zero. I think I have enough warm clothes. It will certainly be a trial!

What do you do when your GI tract doesn't cooperate with your long run?