GAAAAAAAAARRRRrrrrrgh

It may surprise you to know that I am not always as smart as I look.

Or perhaps that will not surprise you.

Yesterday's running plan was to do 4 miles of neighborhood with some pretty major hills. My goal was to complete all my 5/1 intervals, but because of the ups and downs, I wasn't too concerned about overall pace. However, on the way back, I saw that I had the possibility of completing the first 3.1 miles in under 40 minutes--something I've been wanting to do ever since I almost did in the Tomato 5K in August. So I picked up the pace a bit and kept checking Minnie to see my progress. When she hit the magical 3.1, I pressed the "lap" button, so I would be able to have a record of my exact time.

EXCEPT. I didn't press the "lap" button. I pressed the "start/stop" button.


I realized my mistake after I kept going up an interminably long hill, towards the top of which I couldn't believe my interval was not yet up. And then I realized that the accrued time still read "39:24" and distance was at 3.1, even though I had by now run beyond that. So I cussed, pressed "start/stop" AGAIN, and *then* hit "lap."

Hitting "lap" turned out to be my second mistake. Apparently when running intervals, "lap" indicates the athlete's wish to switch to the alternate interval (in my case, running or walking). So in hitting the button, I effectively screwed up my intervals for the remainder of the run.

GAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRrrrrrrrrgh.

It was still great weather for a good run, and I guess now I know not to be so cavalier with my mid-run button pushing.

All the runnin' ladies (all the runnin' ladies)

(That title makes a lot more sense if you can see me singing and dancing it.)

Ever since my first experience as a race spectator, I have been hooked. But I never really realized how much of a difference it made to see people out cheering until I completed my first half marathon this past April. Anytime you have to do something hard, having people who love and support you around just makes it a little easier. So, since I had two friends running in it, I had lots of motivation to go cheer for the Women's Half Marathon here in Nashville last Saturday.

My friend the Wiz and I stationed ourselves at about the 9.5 mile mark, just off the (in)famous circle at Demonbreun and Music Row.

The official title of this public work of art is, "Musica." Most Nashvillians simply call it, "The Naked Statue."


There were a lot of FANCY running outfits.

I was waiting to see my friend Stephanie and snap a great photo of her. Missions 50% accomplished.

The picture-taking went better a few minutes later when Aparna came by.


Congratulations to all the awesome ladies (and gentlemen--who knew?) who were out there on Saturday! I was so inspired that I went right home and ran 4 miles in 52 minutes . . . slow, but on target to meet my goal in November!

WARRIOR DASH!

I have been very negligent in providing an update on the 3.1 miles I most recently added to my tally. However, my friend and fellow Warrior Emily is way more on top of things than I, so you can read her synopsis of our experience HERE.



To Emily's observations, I would add the following of my own:

• It was really fun! I actually enjoyed the climbing obstacles a lot more than I would have expected--partly, I think, because I was surprised that I could actually do them all.
• However, in spite of this, I would most likely not sign up for Warrior Dash again in the future. My feeling going in was that in order to absorb the true "Warrior Experience," I should participate in all of the challenges--including the final slog-through-the-mud-pit one. Which was really gross. Actually, the pit itself was not so terrible (although I did keep finding other people's abandoned socks down at the bottom), but trudging around afterward to get a "shower" (no joke, a dude with a fire hose) and making our way back to the car in mud-saturated attire was not an experience I'm anxious to repeat.
• 3.1 miles may not be a long distance, but after all that climbing over stuff, I was REAL TIRED.

6.2 miles completed out of 40! Next up is the Nashville Half Marathon on November 12--which means lots of training for the next 7+ weeks. So far I am up to 8 miles on my weekly "long" runs.

I did algebra today.

(Who said I'd never use it again?)

After my 8-mile training run, I wanted to figure out what ratio of running/walking I should plan on for the half in November. I did today's run at 5 min run/1 min walk intervals, which seemed to work out fairly well--I was tired without being completely spent, and I was able to maintain the intervals for the entire distance, even running on the uphills! I would love to be able to cut 30 minutes off my previous finishing time of 3:40 (I would also love not to have a meltdown at mile 11), which requires an average pace of 14:30/mile. So, using my average pacing for today's intervals, I devised the following equation:

13.5R + 17.5W = 14.5 (R+W)

where R is the distance spent running at an average pace of 13:30/mile, and W is the distance walking at an average pace of 17:30/mile. The second equation is:

R + W = 13.1

to indicate the total distance of the race.

Solution: R = 9.825, W = 3.275

which means that to finish the half marathon in 3:10, I need to run about 9.8 miles and walk 3.3. Multiplied by my average paces, this would put my intervals at 5 min running/2 min walking.

Nerdiest blog post ever? Extremely likely. But I do enjoy knowing that my goal time is within reach if I can continue to maintain my current pacing, AND even allows for an additional minute of walking per interval (those 60 seconds sure do fly by)!

The weather for Manchester on Saturday

. . . LOOKS AMAZING!


I'm getting pretty excited!

(T)Raining

It hit me last weekend that Warrior Dash is/was only two weeks away. GULP! And I don't feel like I've been training nearly hard enough for it. Unfortunately, the realization of the fact that I needed to get out there and log some miles happened to correspond with a wet snap here in Middle TN. By Monday afternoon, I gave up waiting for the rain to stop and decided to get out there.

Pre-run. Dry and happy.

Post-run. Does the term "drowned rat" mean anything to you?

It wasn't a long run, or a particularly hard run, but it was wet. And thankfully, it was done! 8 days 'til Warrior Dash, and then training starts in earnest for the Nashville Half Marathon!