Running, Riding, and Rest -- OH MY!

I fell behind on updating... I was too busy training?

A beautiful 42 mile loop around Lake Hodges last weekend:  http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/71342219  My legs were not happy with me in the beginning of the ride for some reason.  Muscles were all tight... kept stretching but they were just not cooperating.  Still, I made it to the finish line -- that's what counts!

Frustrating run around Lake Murray -- lap 1 went great, but then my legs gave out.  Part of the same problem (muscles all wound up, calves and IT band pain, yuck).  http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/71507288  Thank heavens for my trainer and PVC pipe (read: PAIN), that has finally cleared up.

Lunchtime 5k + HILL:  http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/71947331  My usual 5k route, plus a run down and back up a big hill.  Gotta prep for Washington...

And a new PR for distance today, 11.1 miles!  http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/72381037    By mile 6, I was ready to give up, but I ate some Cliff Shots and drank some water, and promised myself I'd make it at least to the 7.7 mile mark, so that I'd done better than last weekend.  Then, somehow, I just kept going.  Looped Fiesta Island and felt amazing.  Race day in 2 weeks... I'm so ready.

Lunchtime 5k

http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/70804643

Another 31 minute "easy 5k".  Perfect weather for it, nice and cool, slight breeze.

A fitness weekend!

Friday 2/09:  commute to and from work via bicycle:  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/148507591 and http://connect.garmin.com/activity/148599999

Saturday 2/10:  new distance PR (9 miles in 1:40):  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/148878029

Sunday 2/11:  Biking in icky weather.  30+ miles with my favorite GPS buddy:  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/149230577


So yeah, busy weekend.  And I'm HUNGRY.  :-)

Official ALC Training Ride!

Awesome ride today, 50+ miles (including to and from home):  http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/69603853

I've been fighting a knee thing (a tracking problem, apparently) which has been hampering my ability to run lately.  I've been doing what I can, but will be taking some time to rest, stretch, and strengthen.

New PR

It may not have been on race day, but I set a new PR for 5k distance -- 29:02.  http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/67871276  It didn't even feel that hard!

Thursday's WOD:
20 burpees
40 pushups
50 squats
60 situps
20 burpees
Completed in 11:44.  I strung together more burpees in a row than I ever have (12) and pushed myself on the pushups to keep going until my arms collapsed under me, rather than stopping when my brain said "ow".  It may not sound like much, but for me it was a victory.

Later today, I'm heading out to do my weekend distance run (early due to scheduling conflicts this weekend).  target 8 miles... more to be posted later.

Climb Ev'ry Mountain...

My training buddy and I went out for a challenge ride Sunday... including the tallest, steepest climb we've ever done!

http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/67598608

We reached an elevation of 1620 feet at the top -- the highest I've ever been on a bike.  And a lot of fun new swear words uttered along the way.  Still, riding back down the other side is simply the most amazing experience I think I've ever felt... cold wind in my face, fresh clean mountain air... WOW!

Bring it, ALC.  Bring it.

When it rains... I run

Rain canceled this morning's training ride, so what choice was I left?  I had to run!

http://runkeeper.com/user/music2mychakras/activity/67427220

7 miles in 1:12... avg pace 10:18/mile.  That is apparently my "slow sustainable pace" now... not the 10:40-11:00 I thought it was.  If I could keep that pace up for the full 13.1 miles, I'd finish the race is about 2:15, which would certainly meet my goal of a 2:20 finish.  It's nice finding out I'm doing better than I had thought!