KISS

I really came up short this week with trying to figure out what I wanted to accomplish as far as goals. I could have kept the same board as last week, or reverted back to weeks 1 and 2, but they just didn't call to me. As of Monday I could muster up was a weekly mileage of 27. And today I threw in 2 lifts. I guess I'll stick with the good ole acronym KISS: Keep It Simple Silly. I'll let you know later in the week how that goes.

Check marks the box

Snow

Week 3's goal board was pretty extensive and a little more specific. Now that indoor season's on the verge of starting up and I will likely be racing my first race of the season in 4 or so weeks I'm starting to go into crunch mode. One of the big things I want to get in check is my weekly mileage. I've never really been one to fret over how many miles a week I'm doing, I'm a sprinter it doesn't really matter as much. But my plans are changing and that means I need to make changes. I really want to concentrate on going a little longer indoors, and improving my 800 tenfold, this all to hopefully help out my endurance for the hurdles outdoors. I had a great improving season for my 8 last year but I want to continue that. Even though I'm a 400-800 800 runner (for those who don't know what that means, it basically means I train better with speed than with volume. I'd go deeper into the nitty gritty of training of the half mile but it's pretty complicated) I realized that my 5-10 mile a week regime probably isn't going to cut it to go much faster than my 2:19 PR.
First goal up 24 miles for the week. Although that might sound like a paltry number, it is quite the task for me to hit. My track workouts at best hit 3000m which it's only 1.89 miles, usually only one of my days of 3 hit that high, typically the rest are between 1000-2000. Combine that with a 1 mile warmup and 1 mile cooldown I'm ranging from 2.5mi to 4mi, times 3 that doesn't add up to be much. I have 2 rest days that leaves me with 2 days to make up a lot of miles to get to 24. I can take away one of those rest days but still quite a bit of ground to cover and as I get older my recovery time lengthens so that 2nds day is often necessary. All logistics (or we could say excuses) I need and will find a way to get it done.
Lucky for me funky weather has had it's eye on NYC (not so lucky for those still out of power and such from the hurricane that hit only a week ago. My heart aches for them). Wednesday threw in a Nor'easter with a dumping of snow. What do I love more than running, running in crazy weather. I've said it before and I continue to say it, I'm weird. This helped my mileage out for the sake that Wed was one of my off days and Tues track workout was super fast super short stuff (no real mileage there). I ended up going for a 3 miler in the snow, getting me closer to my goal.
By the time Sunday rolled around my days had added up perfectly for the 7 mile long run I planned (the 2nd goal) to equal out my 24 miles. The 7 miles def was no easy feat either, by my lonesome nonetheless, but I proudly chomped through it.
As for the rest of my goal board, I faired pretty well. I missed another stupid lift day, still mad at myself for that and really it's just me being lazy. The nutrition end I missed 8oz of water the 1st day but then rallied back the rest of the week never missing my min mark. And my sweet tooth got me an extra day. Overall I'm not too disappointed with my week. Baby steps to progression.

Week #3

I decided to bump up my goals this week to get a little more specific and also add in some nutritional aspects that I have trouble with.

No frills

Week 2, took off a race and decided to keep it simple and attempt the same goals from week #1.

It's a wrap

I finished up my first week of goals, one down many to follow. I also FINALLY got a preseason race in (yay! only took almost 2 months).
First order of business, the goal board. I am missing 2 checks on my list, not entirely thrilled about that. I guess I could technically check off the last run in conjunction with the race, but I had intended to get in 5 run workouts plus the race, though I may have overextended my expectations. I will let that slide, only because I need to gradually build back in and not injure myself. The one I can't let go is the lift, there is no good reason for me to not have lifted twice.
Now that the depressing part of my post is done, I can rally with the semi exciting. March 15, 2009 was the last time I raced a 5K, the last preseason I raced was 2008. It's been a long time coming and I've been dying to get a distance PR. I finally broke down earlier in the week when I received an email from USATF for a race at Ichan Stadium that they were offering $10 off the $35 registration fee. I peeked into the race info to see if it suited me, and of course what caught my eye was *prize money*. I like prize money. The next round of business when prize money's involved is looking at past results to see if you could possibly vie for the loot. Of course that is not always indicative of whether you can get it but it gives you a clue as to at least know what kind of comp to expect. From the past 2 years' results if I was in the shape I think I am/should be I could at least pick up 3rd. Ok I'm sold, $50 wins back my entry fee plus a little extra. A couple clicks, a credit card number entered, I'm signed up, entry is paid, I'm in, no excuses. Saturday rolls around when I get to the stadium I have 2 things on my mind a stellar 5K PB and 3rd place prize money. As I pick up my bib peeked down the list and spotted one of the distance girls. Rah-roh hopefully she's the only one, if not I can kiss the PM goodbye. I scan around but see only a couple guys from the team, I might be ok. Then I go into the stadium to stash my bag while I warm up and get a huge surprise. Nope it wasn't distance girls it was the sight of a Brand spanking newly resurfaced track!! I'm pretty sure I looked super silly jumping up and down and squealing like a little kid. Yes I know that makes absolutely no sense unless you've raced on Ichan's track in the past couple years, more however if you've ever raced a 100, 200, or 400 in those outside 7 lanes in the past 2 years. Horrible and atrocious, seriously I'm not kidding. I sort of got lost in the splendor of this surprise that I almost forgot I was racing. Focus. After I finally composed myself and warmed up it was time to go down to the start of the race (on the track! Yay! Oh my gosh I get to be one of first to run on the freshly minted track! Um sweet! Doh focus!). I happily only saw the 1 distance girl teammate I spied at the registration pickup table, 3rd place might not be off the table, though I had I feeling I'd definitely have to work for it.
The gun went off and I had to control myself from taking off especially with the start on the track. I eased into a comfortable cadence as I watched my teammate breeze ahead. Mile 1 6:26, ok good on pace but need to hold onto pace, place 2nd female. Turnaround point is a little over halfway, as I round the bend I can see whose behind me, and what do I see 2 girls running side by side way too close to me for comfort, if both pass me no PM for this chica. Plan now holds on for dear life to place. Mile 2 split 6:47, yikes fell way off pace PB now likely out the window, still holding 2nd female but afraid to look behind me to see how close those girls are to me. The last mile was a blur my legs and lungs were on fire, it was taking a lot of taking to myself to push through. Mile 3 split 6:45, at this point I'll take it, the last .12 finished on the track. The sad face part was I was 40 sec off of my PB, gah bummer. The hip hip happy face part of it, I finished 2nd female overall! Woosah! 1 place higher than I thought I would and that meant my first ever winning of prize money! Let's hear it for some PM! $100!!! Super duper stoked, made not hitting my time goal sting a little bit less, only a little bit. Yeah I know makes no real sense, but it's my real feelings.

My prize and plaque 

The newly resurfaced track!!