In my uneventful down week this is all I have for you, but it works, take it and run with it.

Blame it on the sugar

That's what I'm going to start using as my excuse for anything crazy & off the wall I do. I'm just going to blame it on the lack of sugar in my diet making me do insane things. I mean you have to put the blame on someone or something, right?
I thought that I ended my season on Monday and though technically I did, I found myself lining up on a line to "race" on Thursday. For some reason unbeknownst to me I thought hoping into a 1500m race was a superbly brilliant idea. What sprinter in their right mind thinks that a mile is a good idea, seriously I don't know any. Also what runner who's weekly mileage amounts to about 10-15 miles a week decides to run a distance like that. See lack of the white stuff, mmhhmm. Originally I was going to the track to join a leg of a the ridiculous relay I did last year that went into the wee hours of the morning, because I hadn't gotten a chance to get to the track to do my workout earlier in the day. It was promised this year that the same thing would not happen by only hosting 1 open race beforehand. I'd do the relay as a workout 5 200's with about 3-4min rest, just 1 200 shy of what I was supposed to do for my workout. No problem. Then somewhere during my day I said to myself I should do the 1500, just to see. Really not so sure what I wanted to see, but alas I saw. I jogged up to the Armory, paid my fee, with 10 min to spare being late per usual, chatted with a fellow teammate. Beyond the look of what in the world are you thinking, she asked if I'd pace her to 4:48. Sure since I of course ran through what splits I needed to hit to go about 4:50 (yea I was being a bit ambitious but if I was going to do it may as well attempt to go for it). I may have scared her when I told her what I was going to go through for the first 800, but she figured that she would stay a few lengths behind then take over after. I went through the first 400 exactly what I aimed, then fell a little short on the next 400 where she took over, then in true unconditioned mileage I fell off in the the 3rd quarter. Held on for the last 300m. Clocked in an impressive 5:02.5, making a 7 for 7 races all personal bests. Sweet deal, considering my lack of endurance. On top of it was able to help my teammate procure a PB as well, not so shabby for not planning to race.
Race out of the way I had a little break before the relay while the rest of the women's heats and men's heats went off. Once all the races finished up low and behold the 1st heat of the relay went off at 8ish pm, there'd be no Friday morning at the race. Nice. I managed even after a hard race an hour before to churn out some decent but painful 200's in 29-30-30-31-30.  A second faster in every 200 than last year and I didn't run anything before that one (granted it was pretty late).
Some serious strength going on right now, hope I can hold on to it (*knock on wood* injury free) for the next couple months. Good things, good things...ok so maybe the lack of sugar isn't sooo bad.

Sugar High

In my newest resolutions section I mentioned that I wanted to monitor my diet a little better and cut down my sugar intake. For those who don't know me I have an insane sweet tooth, and I don't mean some sweets here and there, I'm talking I've eaten an entire cake in one sitting without blinking an eye then going for something else sugar laden, this is on a semi daily basis too. Not good, especially when I'm trying to take my training to the next level. I can honestly say if the rest of my diet wasn't fairly healthy, I drank and I wasn't as active as I am I'm sure that I'd be severely overweight. 

Well in the spirit of Lent beginning Wednesday, what better way/day to sacrifice/give up a vice for an extended period of time. Obviously this is not just a 40 day thing it will hopefully spill over into the rest of my daily life but I sadly needed something to hold me accountable. I've attempted many times before but success rate is not very good for more than a few days. In the past I've given up baked goods for Lent but made sure to keep a loophole so I could still indulge in my sweet tooth. This time I decided I to give up all desserts! Eek! Oh but I couldn't just stop there in my typical over the top way I decided that I would throw in no refined sugars for good measure! Cut the white stuff out. Natural sugars are ok like honey, agave nectar and fruit.

 A serious undertaking to say the least. I went through my cabinets and cleared them out from all my goodies, read EVERY single label and had to rid of more than I thought. Then to the grocery store to restock the cabinets I emptied. I may have pulled out some hair during that excursion. On a normal basis I read labels, I make sure that I can read all to most of the ingredients in the products I consume. Now I was reading labels to see if there was sugar in them, and let me tell you it is amazing how much sugar is in the things you wouldn't think have sugar. I would pick up an item that I thought was "safe" only to have to put it back because of that five letter word. I did eventually cave in make an exception for cane sugar since technically it's not refined but I tried to not pick up too many things that had it, so not to defeat the whole purpose of cutting back on sugar. I thought my training was hard this is going to take so much more dedication. I know it's for the greater good as an athlete and I hope to bring more awareness to the things we put into our bodies. I look forward to  sharing the awesome things that come from this and like I said before carry it on after Lent ends. 

To a sugarless 40 days...

Goals: Take 2

As an earmark to the end of the indoor season and a way to make myself into a better athlete not only in body but in mind and spirit as well, I have started compiling my new season goals/resolutions.

Resolutions for Outdoor 2012 Season:

1. More consistent weekly mileage. Aim for 20-30miles/wk
2. Keep lifting consistently throughout the season not just the beginning
3. 1-2 days hurdle work in addition to regular Tue and Thur team workouts
4. 1 day additional track/speed workout if not doing 2 hurdle days
5. Monitor diet a little more closely. Mostly my sugar intake
6.  Sleep more.

These are all no brainers, but I need to remind myself about them on a regular basis, and the key for me is staying consistent.

Goals for Outdoor 2012 Season:

Race-800
Outdoor PR-2:24.81
Last Season Best-2:27.??
Goal #1-2:18.5
Goal #2- 2:17.2
Goal #3- 2:16.4

Race-400 IH
PR-71.05
Last Season Best-71.05
Goal #1-68.5
Goal #2-66.3
Goal #3-64.1

Race-400
Outdoor PR-64.14
Last Season Best-64.03
Goal #1-60.5
Goal #2-59.3
Goal #3-58.1


Race-200
Outdoor PR-28.98
Last Season Best-29.87
Goal #1-28.5
Goal #2-27.9
Goal #3-27.3


Eventually I'll break these into the index cards like I did for indoors. I also decided to use outdoor PRs instead of overall PRs because there is a difference between the 2 tracks (not to dismiss my most awesome season that I just completed). Last season also refers to the outdoor 2011 season. Oddly too I realized that previously almost all of my overall personal bests were made indoors, besides the hurdles only because they're not run inside. Quite bizarre since typically most run faster on an outdoor track. Hopefully that will change this time.

Let's hear for the olutions...

Resolutions, revolutions & evolution... 
At the very beginning of the 2011-2012 season I resoluted (yes I made that word up) that I'd blog once a week no matter what. While I admit I don't always post in immediately, I have held up my end and successfully had at least a post a week since October. Then by the beginning of the indoor season there was a new revolution to openly share my goals, something I've never done. Now at the completion of one season I feel like not only the physical changes in my training, but my attempt to vanquish bad old habits by adding new healthy positive habits have sincerely evolved me into a more round athlete. Of course there is always room for improvement but I know that I'm on a greater road to success now.

An end to the beginning

And a sad goodbye to another indoor season ending, like in the past I will continue to train inside until I my membership ends April 15th since I paid for it I'll milk every last bit out & it's still a bit cold outside. I say sad because I feel like I just started to get rolling and poof it's done, only racing a total of 5 times, 6 races, the entire 3 month season (a personal worst & I wasn't injured either). I set my goals and was only able to actually cross 1.5 of them off. The .5 goes to the 500 since technically I ran a half second off from the 1:20.0 I set for myself. I was so amped after my 1st race that I just wanted to see cross marks at least across the set #1 for all the goals, and the 2nd goal for the 800. I will admit that all of my goals were a good couple seconds faster than my previous personal bests (most made back in 2009), but I did feel like my strength in my training made them very much plausible and attainable. That being said not racing as much does make it harder to tackle goals. And just clarify any confusion I'm absolutely always stoked when I PR, even though I will account it as a bad race, it's more the way the race unfolds that gets me down and not happy with a race. Minus my little disappointments here and there with not executing the races to quite what I know I'm capable of and hitting my effervescent goals, I will give myself a big pat on the back because out of all 6 races I did set a PR every time. I'm in the best and strongest shape I've been since I hopped back onto the track in 07. I will continue on into the upcoming outdoor season with maybe a little more gusto and more PBs.

Ahhhhhmazing

All in a week's work

Definitely been an eventful week chock full of experiences. My workout/racing load was on course to being one of the more intense, a few heady back to back practices (one even in a jock strap! yikes) and 2 races. Also been trying to hustle a little more at work to build up my client base. Didn't realize it was tornado season just yet.

Last minute early on the week I found out that my team was going to run a "B" team for the DMR at the Millrose Games and I was a leg. Of course not knowing this ahead of time is a serious disadvantage for me since my 2nd job is weekend nights and I have to put in for time off 2 weeks prior and I had originally taken the Sat off the weekend before to run a relay that was nixed. Anywho I had to really shuffle back and forth and to and fro about what I wanted to do since not working the weekend before put me a bit behind on the finance side. The relay was the very 1st event to go off so I could potentially run, literally step off the track after my leg and race to get to work (late but not too late), but then I'd miss the great meet filled with spectacular athletes to follow and be ridiculously exhausted standing on my feet in uncomfortable shoes for the next 6-8 hours. It took a lot of reasoning then realized that I could find a way to make the money back but I wouldn't be able to get back the experience of taking in a historical meet and enjoying myself.

With that decision made I faced another...I'm thinking I might invest in a Magic 8 Ball to start making up my mind for my indecisiveness...did I want to get one last 800 race in before the end of the season to get my 2nd goal for that distance, 2 days before I race a leg in a relay?? I fought this one for a large number of reasons, one is even though I'm in great shape I've really been pushing in practice so I'm not so sure how my body will recover from back to back races (though this is something I need to be able to do). Second is since I gave up that shift I'd be shelling out $20 to race. Last is because the meet I was considering is such a low key meet the field may not be as fast as I need to race what I want (this was the biggest factor...I didn't want to spend money on a mediocre result). In the end I chose to race, it made sense, and of course when it came to seeding the heats my concern with the field not being "up to speed" was there. At that point I couldn't turn back I had to make do with what I could. When the gun went off I got out, and when I say I got out I mean I got out. As I rounded the turn to the 1st 200 at about the 155ish mark I could see the clock and it read 22!! Yikes I was about to hit my 1st 2 in 30, WAY too fast. Where I should have just went with it and let my body naturally slow down on its own I braked so I came through in a reasonable but still fast 32/33. Kept pace through the halfway mark at 66ish, running completely alone then I tried to stay focused with 1:43 through the 600 but by the last lap which is typically strong I lost my drive and fell a little bit apart. I saw the clock as I passed through and thought that I saw 2:18. Second goal?Yes?Maybe? Results said not so much 2:19.1. A little bummed, only a single stride to break the second mark, but another PR which makes all my races thus far PBs, 4 for 4, can't be too down at that. I know that I shouldn't rely on others but I believe that I can run faster with the right field. I always thought leading out of the line was my strong suit but now I'm learning that that's not the case, I need to be a better strategic runner in the 800 if I want to become better. Outdoors it's on.

Now back to the Millrose Games. My 1st large stage indoor meet and my 1st 400 leg in a DMR (by the way for any non track people that stands for Distance Medley Relay 1200m-400m-800m-1600m legs). I've run many DMRs but I've ALWAYS run the 800 leg, always.  I've mostly been racing 800s this indoor season so I was stocked to see what I had for my speed. It was definitely a fun time but unfortunately no one was able to get splits for the "B" team so I wasn't able to actually see my time. Beyond that snafu it was an exciting experience. I got to watch Bernard Lagat set an American record in the 5000 and see other truly amazing athletes perform. Worth every lost penny of not working.

And here we go again

Yet again I find myself in a challenge, actually a bet with a boy. My sassy mouth got the best of me this time. I'm not a gambler by nature, if I do getting into any betting wars it's usually with some crazy act, I work too hard for my money to just throw it to caution.

This bet was with a fellow teammate whom I already have a standing bet for a race (another post on that at a later date). This was running related but was sports related...the Super Bowl. Back story we've actually been bantering back and forth with football since Jan 1, he's a Giants fan, I'm a Cowboys fan. That crucial game that sent the Giants to the playoffs and the Cowboys home left me a bit bitter, so naturally I was against them for the entirety of the post season. Then comes the Super Bowl, which just so happens to feature my secondary team the Patriots (I'm from New England so it is only natural to default to them). I had no doubt in my mind that the Pats weren't going to let a repeat of the prior SB game to happen again. Halftime Pats are up and I get a text message 'We need an outrageous bet I just decided'. Sassy Miss here says ok what are the terms. It's halftime I should have known better than to make a bet in the middle of a game and on my secondary team at that. Terms the next practice Pats win he wears a tutu for his workout, Giants win I wear a jock strap over my shorts for my workout. Of course we all know the turnout of that game....Doh! Yep I was burnt. Let me tell you that might have been the most uncomfortable thing I have EVER worn and I'm a woman we wear uncomfortable things all the time. At first I was completely mortified then I just made the best of it, I made my bed so if I'm going to lie in it may as well make it fun. Here's the hilarity at the track:

Laugh away, I certainly am

What should have been

Though my racing this indoor season has been on par to being the best season I've ever raced, it's been quite dismal as well. I only say dismal because this is the least I've ever raced. Up to date not including the race I'm about to recap has only been 2 and it's the end of January which in turn is closing on the end of the season. Usually by the end of December I've got 2 races under my belt coming into peak for February. Granted December going into the beginning of the New Year was super crazy for me with the whole move and whatnot, so I'm not too surprised.
Race #3 brings me to Boston to the very meet that started this blog BU Terrier Invitational. Though I'm in a very different stage in my running career than then, I still get stuck in those same disappointing reveries sometimes. This race in my mind turned into a bomb (some will disagree with me). I think that the lead up to the race was most likely what the "downfall" was. My day didn't quite start off in the most relaxing way possible and everything I usually do beforehand didn't happen. I didn't make matters any better by getting anxious & not sitting still the hours leading up to my race. My execution definitely was far from how it should have gone and though I ended with a PB, I didn't feel good about how it panned to be (this is where the disagreement is). I'm trying not to be too hard on myself because yes a best is a best, BUT I know that my racing shape should have put me at least 2 seconds faster. I'll leave it at that because I really don't want to hark on what should have been. Lesson learned staying consistent with pre-race rituals and relaxing the mind & body beforehand are key to performance. On to the next...

To all the non believers

For most of my athletic life I've come across so many people that have little faith or underestimate my abilities. I won't lie, there were times that I let others non belief in me hinder my potential. But on the counterpoint there were many times that it has fueled me to push myself even harder. I try not to let either be the driving point of my ambitious ways, because it's not healthy, mentally or physically.  Doing something because you want to prove someone wrong is not a way to peak performance, as letting someone else's lack of expectations is not a reason to take a blow to your own confidence. Of course it's finding the equilibrium of the two extremes.

Right now I'm fighting an opposition from someone that should be supporting me. I know that I'm physically in the greatest shape that I've ever been in my running career and clearly I've proven myself but yet that opposing force is still there. Thankfully as I learn more about myself and limits this season, I am able to find my calm and that inevitable middle ground (having 2 encouraging coaches and great teammates make it a whole lot easier). I will not let this person get the best of me and I'll be sure to continue to thank those people that make it all happen. I will drive myself to be my best.

Breaking barriers

After the past couple weeks being all about getting my new apartment, piecing it together and putting all my energy into only that, I wasn't quite sure how much of my training had plummeted from it. Practice had been ho-hum, and the relay leg I ran on the 6th was dismal.

Finally a week and a half later my apartment was livable, and my spirits began to lift, I decided I could put myself to the test and race an open race. One the table, another 800. I made sure I was seeded in a fast enough heat that I couldn't sit I had to push. I was confident but still a little weary from my sporadic training. There was no turning back I had to do it. I stuck with my same game plan as the 1st 800, my splits at 33-34-35-35 and not lead the majority of the race. Stepped on the track, runners take your mark, bang, I was off. Tucked my self on the lead girl's right shoulder and surprisingly held myself there. I was stepped on after the first 100 then again at the 250, which tends to happen due to the nature of my stride but rather than it deferring me it only fuels me to pick up my pace and get out of it. Went through perfectly again for the 200, and 400. Then something happened that has never happened racing an 800, I didn't loose my cadence in the 3rd lap, I came through in a 36. When I saw the clock at the 600 at 1:43 I knew as long as I didn't fall completely down a hole I was good. I pressed through, didn't kick like I had wanted but when I looked up to see my final time my fist pumped up and a super wide grin came upon my face. After years of chasing a sub 2:20 half mile, I had finally broke that barrier! Not only was it another PR it also was my goal #1 for the distance for the season. The best part that makes me giddiest of it all is, it's just the beginning and I have so much to look forward to the rest of this indoor season and most definitely the outdoor season.

It's only been since 08 I've been trying to get to this point (not that I've been counting )

When one doors closes another opens

It never ceases to amaze me that I still manage to do things big and with a huge bang/hurrah. And always last minute, like my new apartment that I sit in right now. Barring a roller coaster ride of being scammed, dealing with financial craziness and finally signing for a place on Dec 29th, when I had to be out of my place on Jan 1. In the end it all worked out but it certainly put me on edge, to a point where I put my running on the back burner (something I promised myself I wouldn't do). With it all said and done I knew it meant for new changes that I was in need of.

So here's to a 2012 opening more doors for not only me but my family & friends as well. 

Holidaze

My holiday week was spent working due to travel for me being a little bit on the difficult side and the fact that I was on the last stretch to have to find an apartment to live in by Jan 1. I took the opportunity to make some extra cash, since I did need that too. When I originally planned this I thought it was a good idea, it didn't seem so bad on paper. It turned to be a 14 hour day on Christmas Eve to be followed by midnight mass ending at 1:30am to wake up a few short hours and spend 13 hours standing with no break on Christmas Day. Only to be followed the next day with my opening indoor season meet.

As I prepped myself race day, the exhaustion was just stifling. I wanted to call it off and not run. After a long inner conflict with my body and mind, I decided to suck it up and just run, chalk it up to a practice if anything. While I warmed up and did drills I played my race in my head how I'd go through in each 200-33, 34, 35, 35 is what I wanted to pull out. Realistically I could do it, my training says so. Though I knew my head could also possibly get in the way.
I seeded myself in 2:20 with 1 girl ahead. I knew it wasn't a fast meet but I was hoping to not have to lead. As a change up from my usual lead, I decided that I'd shoulder myself with the lead girl for at least the first 2 laps then see what happens from there. Of course that didn't happen. I tried to tuck behind but the pace was too slow so I pulled out and lead for the entirety except the last 20 meters in which I didn't respond to the girl coming down my back. I did manage to go through the 1st 2 laps exactly where I wanted to be 33, then 34 for a 67 through the 400. I fell off per usual in the 3rd lap in a 38 but didn't have anyone there to really push me and came back with a 36 in the last lap for a final 2:21.72. 2nd place and a PR!! A HUGE improvement from my opening meet last year where I opened with a 2:30 something. I knew training was well beyond last year but it was better than it's ever been. I didn't hit my first goal in goal list, circumstances prevailing I knew I could have so I couldn't be too disappointed.
My original plan was to double up with the 200 to make it a good practice and to get my money's worth. After the 8 I was bombed so I teetered back and forth if I'd still race the 2. I still had some time to decide then a wave of energy hit me so I shrugged my shoulders and told myself to just do it. I lined up to seed myself at 30 since I was pretty sure that's all I had in me, with maybe a possibility of a 29. Popped on the track when it was time for my heat, crouched down into down start, and just went. I thought I came through in 29 and change then looked up at the jumbotron and low and behold it was 28.92. Another PR! it was only by 6 one hundredths but still.
I managed a meet that I wasn't 100 percent sure about to a double PR. A great way to start off my season. Only to know there's so much more potential to be harnessed in the next couple months. A great Christmas present.

Let the Track season begin

Countdown is one week till I open my indoor 2011-12 season. Hoping these past couple months of hard work will pay off. Let's go!

Hello muscles I forget that I ever had

Just when I thought I had gotten over the hump of crazy muscle soreness, I was reminded of the muscles in my hip region aka all the hurdling muscles. I decided it was time to add in an extra day focusing on my hurdle technique. I can't do too much indoor because all I have at my access to train on them are approximately 60 meters of straight away and a sometimes busy track. Though not conducive to 400 hurdles it does help to work on form, something I need to really focus on if I want to get better. The disadvantage of starting hurdles later in life is not learning proper mechanics for hurdling form, it's a little harder to shape those muscles. Not impossible just takes A LOT more work.
One area I've had trouble with the past couple years is learning to switch lead legs. I started off as a left lead leg and I really haven't taken the time to develop the right. In the short hurdles that's fine, but with long hurdles you have to have the ability to switch or you'll waste time stammering to a hurdle that comes upon the "off" leg. Another big area is my trail leg doesn't come as parallel to the hurdle as it should. That's mostly a muscle memory and making sure to keep the hip flexors loose.
I'm thankful that my schedule has allowed me to take an extra day to work on these problem areas and that my coach is free to watch and correct whatever may be off. Even just after one day I feel a little more confident in being able to lead with my right. Now I just need to get over the hump of DOMS in my hips and translate it to outdoors when the time comes.

Breakfast of Champions

Just when you think it stops it keeps going and going...oh how I love me some hills

Goals a Plenty

My week was broken pretty short due to Thanksgiving on Thursday taking away a day of practice. Nothing too exciting or noteworthy other than moving days around and somewhat leaving myself exhausted. My annual Turkey trot has become null since I can't seem to find a local 5K race to save my life, everything I seem to find are 5 milers. I'll pass on that distance.
With a rather meh week I decided to ink my goals for the upcoming indoor season. I've never actually physically penned goals, I've had target goal times I've wanted to hit, or more so a sub number I've wanted to hit, but they've stayed in my head. I've also never really shared them with anyone. So when my coach asked me to start thinking about my goals and PRs and when I'd like to hit them, I knew those sub whatever numbers I was itching to hit and pinned them to my head. Then curiously I came across a former teammates blog and pedaled back a few posts and came across a mine field. It was about her goals and how she broke them down. BAM! It was PERFECT! 3 goals per race, it made sense for me. I wasn't just looking at 1 single number I was looking at a progressive aim. For my mental realm it fit. I took the 4 races that I'd likely run in this season and thought about what I really wanted to achieve, pulled out some index cards and went to town. Of course it took about a zillion tries and cards before my prototype was to my perfection standards, but alas I was able to produce exactly what I needed and wanted. I made card after card, sticking them in places I'd always see them, then I typed up an outline of each goal and emailed it to my coach. It was one of those aha moments.

The final product

 As I make these changes in my training regimen and old habits, I'm learning more about myself and gaining perspective on how much I can push my limits. I'm feeling less stuck and things seem to be moving forward. I'm ready to bring myself to a new level, which leaves me grinning on the inside & outside.

I am thankful for my past that has taught me lessons, the present to be able use those lessons, and the future to look forward to learning more.

Happy Triple T-Day (turkey, thanks & together)!

Indoor voices please

The cold is upon us which means the move from the nice wide-turned cushiony 400 meter outdoor track to the tight banked fast 200 meter indoor track is here. I sold my first born away so I could train at pretty much the only accessible indoor track in Manhattan. Ok so maybe I sell anything but ugh it sure does seem like it. I always cringe when I have to pony up the cash to the Armory, I get that it's a good track and it's non-profit but $300 is a lot of money for ridiculously super limited hours and just the track (yes I've made this complaint about this a few time in past posts, I will leave this one at that).

Monday left me with the case of the Mondays, or better yet a lovely cold of some sort. I woke up with an elevated heart rate, a sore throat, nagging cough, oh and yes no voice. I decided to call into work, cancel client appointments, not run and rest up. I thought that was a smart move. Tuesday I was feeling a little better (less fatigued) so I bellied up went to work, whispered workouts to clients, and trekked my way to 168th St for practice. Though the fatigue was gone I should have known better that indoor track and somewhat bum lungs don't mix well. Breathing in extremely dry air at an extremely rapid pace with a cough already on top left me hacking up at least one of my lungs and almost my lunch. By Thursday I had my voice back but the nagging cough wouldn't budge. Still I managed to crank out my workouts for the rest of the week taking another extra day off over the weekend. Hopefully I'll be back to my normal self next week, 1st meet of the season is in 4 weeks, need to be set to go (because there ain't not rest for the weary).