Ok, so I finished out last week, walking 30 minutes each day. I also went to yoga on Tues.

This week, I start back with my training. Monday, I jogged 3 miles, went to yoga, lunges and crunches. Tues. - jogged 3 miles. I am feeling the effects of my crazy life. It was an effort just to run the 3 miles at an easy pace. Currently, it feels like I have lost a lot of ground, but I think I will bounce back in the next week or two. Later this week I will attempt 6-8 miles.

Wed. - met Amber at Jackson Rd to attempt 8 miles. I am excited to say that we averaged 8:34 pace for the run. (note: I stopped the Garmin for one water break). I am really excited about the run. I was struggling, but it just felt good mentally and physically to run fast again (fast for me).

Wed. - met Amber at Jackson Rd to attempt 8 miles. I am excited to say that we averaged 8:34 pace for the run. (note: I stopped the Garmin for one water break). I am really excited about the run. I was struggling, but it just felt good mentally and physically to run fast again (fast for me).

Thurs. - walk 30, picking up sticks in the yard.
Friday - jog 3 miles
Sat. - couldn't sleep so I decided to go ahead an get my speed work finished really early. I started at 4:10 am. 2 mile warm up, 9 X 200, and 2 mile cool down. 200's were all between :41 (the last one) and :45 (only one at 45). Most were :43 & :44. It's been a long time since I have exercised in the dark. It is a spooky, but really awesome time run, love the dark, but hate to get up to do it.

Sunday - walk 30 and lunges
Monday - 5 miles easy
Tues. - tough run today, 12 miles at Canebrake, 9 with Amber. Several walking breaks, left the Garmin running during the walking breaks, and averaged 9:54 pace for the 12 miles. (Audrey, you may want to reconsider our plans for Mardi Gras if it's hot and humid.)

Wed - walk 30 min.
Thurs - hill repeats. 1 mile w/u, 8 X hill. The Garmin says the hill is .16. I averaged 1:11 for the repeats, 1 mile c/d. total of 5 miles today. minimal weight workout and went to yoga.

Since we have been remodeling, we took down my weight equipment. I always try to do leg extensions and feel that it helps to prevent knee injuries. I haven't done them in about 2 months between tapering and recovering for marathons and remodeling. After Disney, while recovering, and then when starting back with my running, my right knee has felt weak, or a little funny. I had to pull my weight bench out of storage to at least be able to do my leg extensions and some arm weights. I am hoping that the leg extensions will put an end to the knee issue.

Friday - jog 3 miles easy.
Sat. - walk 30 minutes with my sister before remodeling work starts.
Sun - am - 200's - 1 mile w/u, 10 X 200, and 1 mile c/d. Total of 4 miles.
pm - 4 miles on hills with Audrey, Charles, and Jim.

Ended the week with 33 miles.

Monday - walk 30 minutes
Tues. - went with Kelly to check out the MS Trail run. Kelly will be running the 20k. This was a GREAT run after we finally found the place, and after we figured out the trail. We ended up running about 2 hours and 20 or 25 minutes. Unfortunately, my Garmin wasn't cooperative and decided not to turn on today so I wasn't able to get the mileage, etc.

Wed. - walked 30 minutes

Thurs. - 12 X 200 with a 1.5 mile warmup, and 1 plus mile cool down. Total of 5 plus miles this morning.

Thurs. evening - jog 3 miles easy on soft surface
Friday - jog 3 miles easy
Sat. - walk 30 minutes pm
Sunday - 7 miles total. We had to make a trip to LA on Sunday and I was lucky to find a race in Harahan that would fit into our trip. I decided to run the 5k. It was very humid so I think that was a great decision, instead of the 10k. I wasn't sure how I would run. It has been a long time since I ran a 5k and for me it feels like starting over. In fact, just before the race I was trying to decide what pace to go out at, etc. Focusing on the marathons is a lot different for 5ks, for pacing, racing, etc. I did get in 3 weeks of speed work before this race, but for me, I really need to race into shape so I was REALLY wanting to start racing the shorter distances to start building up. I am happy to report that by my Garmin I ran 23:28, no official results yet. (my Garmin had 3:05 miles.) I am very happy to start at this point. I really didn't expect to run this fast, this early so I am excited about the spring and especially this fall. (I say especially this fall because we are still remodeling and it is taking a toll. I am still getting all of the workouts in, but I know that I would have better quality if I didn't have the added work and stress).

This spring, I am letting Chad make the calls on my speed training. He is planning the speed, and I decided the long runs and easy days. Anyway, what he has planned is lots and lots of 200's and hills. I normally do not do a lot of 200's, if any, so this is new for me. Normally, I do more 400s, and 800s. Basically, I am doing 1 day of hill repeats, 1 day of 200s and a long run (8-14 miles). The other days are easy runs or walking. I will be doing this for the majority of the spring, maybe into the summer. I want to average around 30 miles per week for the spring and summer. Not sure how I will do in the Azalea Trail 10k, on 200s, but I am going to stick to the plan and see what the short training does for me in the 5k and the 10k. So far, I am enjoying the quick workouts. Will keep you posted.

Ended the week with 30 miles running, 6 miles walking, 1 yoga class, and 1 day of weights. (need to get back to my ab, back, push-ups, etc., and lose those 3 pounds of stressed induced eating)

Great run on your 5K!! You are really making progress leaps and bounds with your training!! Congrats!! Sorry we could not make the race!! Family sometimes can get in the way, but, it's ok. It is all good, there will be another race, another day.

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Catch you on the run!! Audrey

Thanks Audrey! I am getting excited about the half this weekend. I hope all of the Pacers feel good and have great races on Sunday.

Monday - easy 6 miles
Tues - 12 X 200, total of 5.5 miles. Averaged around 43 seconds for the 200s. (training through the half marathon this weekend - not much of a taper. My focus is really on the 5k now, but I wanted to run the Mardi Gras half, for fun) Also, I did the www.yogatoday.com yoga class today. If you have DSL or cable internet, give this a try. These are good classes, with beautiful scenery, and best of all, they are free each day. Give it a try sometime.

Wed. - walk 30 minutes
Thurs. - 4.5 miles. 1 mile w/u, 9 hill repeats - average 1:11, .5 mile c/d
Fri.- walk 30 minutes
Sat. - walk 30 minutes
Sunday - 14.5 miles - Mardi Gras half marathon 1:52

Ended the week with 6 miles walking and 30.5 miles running.

Monday - 3 miles easy on soft surface
Tues. - leg extensions, push-ups, ab work, lunges, squats.
4 miles - 1 mile w/u, 12 X 200, 5 X 10 seconds, 1 mile c/d. getting spoiled to the 200s. Now I would hate to attempt an 800 speed workout. Anxious to see how all the 200s and hills work out for me in the 5ks.

Wow! Can't believe how the time is going by.

Wed. - jog 4 miles easy
Thurs - walk 30 minutes with Chad
Fri.- 9 miles with Amber @ Bent Creek. This is a really tough run. This run makes the Canebrake running seem really easy. If Bent Creek doesn't create an injury (or kill me), it should help me to make the next step in my training. Tough!
Sat. - walk 30 minutes with my sister, Linde. The rest of the day was spent painting the interior walls.
Sun. - 6 miles total - 1+ mile w/u, 12 X .16 mile hill, average 1:12, 1 mile c/d. Very quick weight workout. (still painting)
Ended the week with 4 miles walking and 26 miles of running. I had wanted to get 30 miles, but couldn't make it - close enough.

Monday - easy 5 miles, no Garmin, but very slow pace.
Yoga with Kelly Spiers in Oak Grove.

Tues - march 4th, now I am officially an old lady, celebrated with pizza and Brach's bridge mix. 12 miles with Amber on the trail. Very tough the last 2-3 miles. I forgot my gel and I could really feel it at the end.
weights and abs

Wed. - yoga at The Yoga Room, 5 miles on the trail, recovery run.
Thurs. - 4 miles total - 10 X 10 seconds
Friday - walk 30 min.
Sat. - 6 miles - Shamrock 5k 23:06
Sun - walk 30 min.
Ended the week with 4 miles walking and 32 jogging

Monday - this week I will be cutting my workouts and mileage, roughly in half, to give myself a little break. 4 miles total - 6 X200, 5 X 10 seconds

Tues. - walk 30 minutes