...on Jillian Michaels. When I first started watching her on Biggest Loser, I really disliked her. In fact, I still don't really like her on Biggest Loser. I think she is as much self-serving as anything else. However, I saw her on The Doctors (some hokey daytime show I came across the other day when I ran out of DVR stuff while I was folding laundry) and she really seems to know her stuff. Tonight I was cruising the internet looking for ideas for my class tomorrow and found some of her workouts. Great stuff! I love the way she does intervals and circuits and keeps the heartrate up. And her exercises work multiple muscle groups at one time. Look out, ladies... you are going to work tomorrow!! bwa ha ha ha (that was supposed to be my evil laugh). So move over, my other celebrity crushes*, Jillian's my gal this week. *wink*
This is an easy week for my training. Good thing, because I am feeling a bit beat up. Thank goodness I didn't have to do speedwork or a tempo run today. Our schedule calls for easy seven mile runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Tuesday, Kenny and I took an easy 14.5 mile bike ride down at the bay. While I didn't really even break a sweat, my legs definitely felt it. If a triathlon is ever in my future, I have a lot of work to do because my legs felt like jello after. I am not sure how well I would have run after that.
Today, I put off my run all day. I just didn't feel like doing it. The later it is, the less likely I am going to run. I finally did. However, I was running out of time before I needed to get home to fix dinner. Instead of seven, I did five miles. Instead of running it super easy, like I had planned (and what the schedule said), I ran it at my marathon pace. Well... I didn't think of it that way until the second mile. I started out in a nice comfortable pace. I wasn't holding back, I wasn't pushing it. When I saw that I ran the first mile at 9:14, I thought to myself that it was only four seconds slower than a four-hour pace. So I decided to see what it would feel like to keep it under that four hour pace for the rest of the run.
Turns out... it felt good. Can I keep that up for twenty six miles? I don't know. I ran the other miles right around nine minutes. The entire run averaged 9:03. Not bad for a run I almost blew off because I was REALLY wasn't in the mood.
At one point, I started thinking about Boston (crazy, I know). I think it had something to do with the podcast I was listening to. To qualify for Boston, I would have to average 9:48 per mile. It is not out of the realm of possibilities**, but definitely not likely. I pushed it a little in the fourth mile and ran an 8:52. A BQ pace would NOT be easy. I think I need to push Boston far out of my mind and focus on running smart and feeling good during the entire marathon. I am training for sub-four, but will be happy with 4:15. Heck, a 4:30 would still be twenty-four minutes better than last year's time. Maybe I'll think about Boston in three years.***
*I love having random celebrity crushes to keep life a little less serious (and I have enough seriousness in my life right now). My crushes have been various American Idol hotties, celebrity chefs (top on that list is Rocco Dispirito) etc.
**The Boston qualifying time for a 42-year-old female is 3:50:59. Based upon my half marathon PR, several calculators have said that I could run a 3:53 to 3:55 marathon. If you plug in some of my mile times from my speed workout a few weeks ago, the calculators say that I could get under the 3:50 mark.
***The BQ time for a 45-year-old female is 4:00:59!
This is an easy week for my training. Good thing, because I am feeling a bit beat up. Thank goodness I didn't have to do speedwork or a tempo run today. Our schedule calls for easy seven mile runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Tuesday, Kenny and I took an easy 14.5 mile bike ride down at the bay. While I didn't really even break a sweat, my legs definitely felt it. If a triathlon is ever in my future, I have a lot of work to do because my legs felt like jello after. I am not sure how well I would have run after that.
Today, I put off my run all day. I just didn't feel like doing it. The later it is, the less likely I am going to run. I finally did. However, I was running out of time before I needed to get home to fix dinner. Instead of seven, I did five miles. Instead of running it super easy, like I had planned (and what the schedule said), I ran it at my marathon pace. Well... I didn't think of it that way until the second mile. I started out in a nice comfortable pace. I wasn't holding back, I wasn't pushing it. When I saw that I ran the first mile at 9:14, I thought to myself that it was only four seconds slower than a four-hour pace. So I decided to see what it would feel like to keep it under that four hour pace for the rest of the run.
Turns out... it felt good. Can I keep that up for twenty six miles? I don't know. I ran the other miles right around nine minutes. The entire run averaged 9:03. Not bad for a run I almost blew off because I was REALLY wasn't in the mood.
At one point, I started thinking about Boston (crazy, I know). I think it had something to do with the podcast I was listening to. To qualify for Boston, I would have to average 9:48 per mile. It is not out of the realm of possibilities**, but definitely not likely. I pushed it a little in the fourth mile and ran an 8:52. A BQ pace would NOT be easy. I think I need to push Boston far out of my mind and focus on running smart and feeling good during the entire marathon. I am training for sub-four, but will be happy with 4:15. Heck, a 4:30 would still be twenty-four minutes better than last year's time. Maybe I'll think about Boston in three years.***
*I love having random celebrity crushes to keep life a little less serious (and I have enough seriousness in my life right now). My crushes have been various American Idol hotties, celebrity chefs (top on that list is Rocco Dispirito) etc.
**The Boston qualifying time for a 42-year-old female is 3:50:59. Based upon my half marathon PR, several calculators have said that I could run a 3:53 to 3:55 marathon. If you plug in some of my mile times from my speed workout a few weeks ago, the calculators say that I could get under the 3:50 mark.
***The BQ time for a 45-year-old female is 4:00:59!
7 comments:
I just love reading your blog! I am taking notes for training for running! Have you seen the Jillian Wii game? I bought it for my MIL for Xmas and hope I get to play it next weekend when we go visit. I like her style of training.
Lisa... running after riding is SO hard! Why do you think they call it a brick? ;) But... you sort of get used to it and each time it's not quite as hard.
Lisa, I totally have a celebrity girl crush on Jillian Michaelse too! I was going to tevo her on the Doctors, but totally forgot. Grr.
Anyway, great job getting out there despite not being in the mood! Isn't it funny how sometimes those runs turn out to be really great? Awesome job :)
I read the footnotes...Rocco? YUM. I adore him...arrogance and all. It's that smile.
I am with you on the Jello-legs after a bike ride. I thought about a bike ride this morning, but with 16 miles running on the agenda tomorrow, I decided to make today a rest day instead.
Have a great weekend!
The 45-year-old female definitely has the best chance to qualify for Boston, with the 10-minute jump in qualifying time and still being young enough to do it. I've thought about it many times... if I were ever able to step it up to that level (which is highly doubtful), that would be the time for it! (You, on the other hand--I have no doubt you could do it! But I'd wait for the 45 year level. You can qualify up to 18 months before the race, so depending on when your birthday is in relation to Boston, you might be able to start trying in a year or so! :)
My suggestion if you really do start thinking about Boston - the Bay State Marathon, in Lowell, MA. You'd have a place to stay for free - with me!! Seriously, we live two towns away. Did you see the article in Runner's World - it has the most qualifiers of all of them. That's because Lowell is SUPER FLAT!
Terri
There's no doubt in my mind that if you put your mind to it, and really wanted it, that you could qualify for Boston. Or, do like I'm doing, and apply for the NY City Marathon. If the reject you 3 years in a row, you have guaranteed entry in your 4th year. Good luck, and PLEASE dedicate a mile to me while I'm resting my heel! :-)
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