13 Down, 13 To Go.

Hey-O!

This was a loooong week, exercise-wise. =/

Monday: PT with Trav; good 50-minute conditioning run.

Tuesday: 45 minutes strength (full body circuit x 3); TKB. Count me exhausted.

Wednesday: not-as-good 30-minute conditioning run; soccer game

Thursday: 45 minutes strength; soccer game

Friday: god bless a day off!!

Ok, let me be clear to all those half-marathoners who go around saying they're running a "marathon" (here's looking at you, annoying TPI girls): they call it a HALF-marathon for a reason. It is half of what a marathoner runs. I say this because I ran half a marathon this morning, and I can't believe I am dumb enough to do it twice, one continuously right after the other.

I decided to run a modified Disneyland Half course because I can't run the actual one. =( Although, Snail's Pace is offering a spot plus a one-day park hopper ticket for $195. Um, that's an expensive race, no? I was disinclined to to acquiesce to their request.

Anyhoo, here's the route:

Ok this looked a lot bigger on my desktop...

It's technically 13.5 miles. I did the whole route, buuuuut I did not hit the start button on my watch hard enough to actually start it and realized it 0.5 miles in (at Disneyland Dr.) See, DUMB.

I felt pretty good until the 8th mile. I got the GI problem again (come ON with that!!!) so it was pretty uncomfortable. By 10th mile, my legs were moving pretty slowly and were verrry fatigued. It was molasses-city.

Also, here's a point worth noting: uh, the mile on Euclid between Ball and Katella is dodgy at best. I was scared for my life... and it was 8:00 am. So maybe I don't run over there anymore.

So I somehow managed to get to Harbor and Katella, and there I ran into a hotel and used the toilet. Sweet relief. I think it was affecting me more than I realized because as soon as I left that hotel, pistons were ON, kids. I booked it the last 1.5 miles. I made up most of that lag time. I felt SO good. My legs weren't as fatigued and I finished super-strong.

Finish time was [1:57:48], which doesn't include that 0.5 mile in the beginning. Which is fine because 1) that'll be my warm-up, and 2) I managed to do my half-marathon in under 2 hours, which was my goal! AWESOME. When I was done, I walked for 5 minutes, did some post-run drills, walked some more, ate a protein bar, and downed 32oz of Gatorade.

Unfortunate calamity #1: chafing. Turns out, my best sports bra and favorite shorts aren't as "best and favorite" after 10 miles. They totally chafed me. I wanted to take a pic but I thought a photo of my underboob might be inappropriate. Sorry all you men out there.

Unfortunate calamity #2: my streak of "no injuries" is fading into oblivion. I have a tight groin on my right leg. It pulls when I do the runner's lunge and run downhill. I think I need to take it easy this week and see if it finds it's way out on it's own. And my right IT band is giving me some grief. I bought a new foam roller though, so that should help a lot, as well as my kick-ass Tiger Tail (ahhh, my boyfriend the Tiger Tail... he massages all my knots out). Fingers crossed I have no major injury reports next post.

So, to sum up, I only have to run that entire route one more time and that's 26 miles and that's what I will be running in January. Plus 0.2 miles. (There's an "EEEK" moment).

Side note: HO-HO-HOLY CRAP IS IT HOT OUT HERE! This weather blows! I can't run in this!

"In Your Face, Last Saturday Me!"

"Think about it... you'd be in competition with yourself."

"That's my favorite kind!"

After stewing about that damn tenner on Saturday, I took Sunday to calm down and decide it wasn't a big deal to not run the full 11 like my schedule says to.

And then I said, "Eff that, I'm running 11."

So today, after training with Trav (who Tiger Tail-ed a HUGE knot in my left quad, ahhhhhhh), I ran 12. That's right, kids. 12.

SUCK IT, SATURDAY MELISSA! MONDAY MELISSA KICKED YOUR ASS!

Melissa, really? You couldn't do one more mile and make it a half-marathon length?

No, wiseass. Well, yes I could have done one more mile. However, I am scheduled to do the 13 a week from Saturday so I thought I should just wait. So shut it.

12 miles, 3 hills (Gilbert hill part II, Harbor hill, annnnnd Rosecrans hill East), and a total time of 1:52. woohoo, that's like a lower 9-minute pace. Solid. Which means, that on a flat course and one more month of training, I should run that half-marathon in under 2 hours no problem. Awesome.

Oh, and note to my digestive tract: any chance I could get in a long run sans the fear? That would be great... thanks. I'm sick of running into fast food joints and messing up my "groove."

PS: HAPPY (2-HOURS-TIL) BIRTHDAY, PRECIOUS! (Scott turns 25 tomorrow, Aug 16!)

It's (only) a Ten!

Ten, ten, ten. Stupid ten.

I was supposed to run 11-12 miles today. My own stupidity made it only a 10. I got the wrong route in my mind and failed to check my mapmyrun account prior to running, and I only ended up with a tenner. DAMN. I was all ready to run 12.

The good news is that

1) my route included 2 hills (Harbor hill .71mi and Gilbert hill 1.09mi)

2) I averaged 9:30 pace, and

3) best of all, my body felt great. No leg pain, no blisters, no lung anguish. Ended my run barely winded and feeling fine.

So hooray. I know I could have done 2 more miles. I am very disappointed I didn't get to execute. Now I'm worried I will be behind on my training. I'm going back down to 5 miles next weekend (hopefully doing a 9:00 pace). Maybe if I do 3 miles tomorrow it will make up for it? Ahhhhh hating life right now.

In body news, I think my abdominals are really changing, albeit slowly. Travis estimates I will be exactly where I want to be in December. Fingers crossed. I will need to do a "Before and After" pic and testimonial for him. And my arms are always killer. Sometimes I will just stare at my arms in windows as I pass. Does that make me narcissistic? Yes, but I deserve to be because I work hard for these arms!

Let's talk about music, shall we?

I've got a couple ("COUPLE!") of songs I *must* have on my running playlist.

Best for pacing: "My Life Would Suck Without You" - Kelly Clarkson

Best for taking your mind off the actual running: "Yakko's Nation's of the World" - Yakko Warner

Yes, you read correctly. I've almost got it memorized.

Best for slowing pace down: "Only You" - Yazoo

Best for powering up hills: "Club Can't Handle Me" - Flo Rida or "Shots" - LMFAO

Yeah yeah, I know. but seriously, great running song)

Best for final push: "Requiem for a Dying Song" - Flogging Molly

Other must-haves:

"Resistance" - Muse (YES!! Top 5)

"Shine A Light" - McFly

"Nowhere Left to Run" - McFly

"About You Now" - Sugababes

"Check Yes Juliet" - We The Kings

"3" - Britney (because I NEED my girl in there somewhere!)

Ugh, I'm still depressed about the tenner. Maybe I'll be over it tomorrow. "But I douuuubt it"