Just fine in '09

It's that time again... resolution time!

I've stopped making traditional resolutions years ago. They were always the same: this year I will lose weight, be better at finances, find a better job, become a super human who always has their stuff together, become a super hero while I'm at it, save the world, save money, save trees, save the children... that all comes back to that super hero thing.

Usually by around January 15 my delusions of grandeur had met cold hard reality: I'm human.

A couple years ago I realized that if I made resolutions I could actually keep I'd be a much happier person. Thus my new resolution was born: I will wear one article of black clothing everyday.

It was perfect. Totally something I could control, and each day I succeeded I felt good about setting a goal I could achieve. So this became my resolution every year. I kept this up for a few years until suddenly my entire wardrobe was black. I guess I was committed.

At any rate, this year I'm going to set goals rather than resolutions and here's what I have so far:

IN RUNNING:
- A 25:00 5K (I would need to shave 3 minutes off my current PR, and maintain an 8-minute per mile pace... hello track workouts!)
- A sub 1-hour 10k
- A sub 5-hour marathon

Race Schedule thus far:
- 1/18 Phoenix Rock N' Roll Half Marathon
- Love 'em or Leave 'em 5k (February)
- Vancover Sun Run 10k (April) this one is a maybe... a local 10k would be just fine
- Vancouver Marathon (May)
- Seattle Rock N' Roll Half Marathon (June)
- Disneyland Half Marathon? (Sept)
- Portland Marathon (October)

I realize I don't have to run every race, every year, but I think this is an aggressive year for me because ultimately, I want to do a 50k race in 2010. So in addition to all these road races, I'll also be trying out some trail running. I have yet to find a 50k road race, but I'll keep looking.

So that's the running plan for this year! This is going to be a good one, I can feel it! :)

Updates

Soooo... I ran my 16-miler and lived to tell the tale! It actually went surprisingly well! Having Holly riding her bike along side me really helped me miss a few miles and helped me to keep going!

Miles 1-10 went pretty smoothly. I stopped at mile 6 for some fuel, then again at mile 10. Then something magical happened... From mile 10-12 my body was totally in autopilot. It was the weirdest feeling! It was like I inhabited this robot that was just running. I honestly had no say in the pace (which was pretty good and maintainable), nor my ability to stop.

Holly stopped at one of the parks to use the facilities, and I continued on foot. Only I used her absence as my excuse to see how fast this robot body could go, and my pace picked up! Mile 12-13 was easily my fastest mile! Just slightly under 10 minutes!

I told myself I could stop at mile 13, to eat something and to stop at a water fountain. At this point I had been going for almost 3 hours and was running low on fluids in my hydration belt.

In retrospect, I shouldn't have stopped. Or walked for so long, I was walking for about 2 minutes when Holly caught up with me. This also coincided with the rigor mortis setting in. When I started back up again it felt like I was trying to run on wooden pegs. I slowed waaaaaaay down, too.

Miles 13-15 were painfully slow, yet satisfying. This trail is where a lot of my runs have ended, so I'm familiar with landmarks and things that let me know how much further I have to go. I kept trying to bargain with myself that I could walk at the two mile mark, or the one mile mark... but I know that I need to be a tougher mental athlete, so I didn't stop. Soon we were at the Wall of Death, which meant one more mile.

I don't know if it was a second wind, or just the sheer excitement to get this over with, but I was able to muster up enough energy to start picking up the pace again. Then some walkers were coming on to the trail, which gave me an excuse to pick up the pace, yet again. Before I knew it I was in an all-out sprint for the end of the trail!

I finished in 3:21:28... not terrible, but I wasn't too concerned with time for this one.

What was terrible, however, were the aches and pains that seemed to instantly inflame my legs. I went over to the grass at gasworks to stretch out, but ended up just sitting down. My legs couldn't support my weight any longer.

I spent a few minutes sitting there in shade while Holly practiced some of her bike-run transitions in the parking lot, then we went to grab some coffee.

Once we got to the coffee shop, my legs felt OK! I was a little stiff, especially on the stairs... but I didn't feel quite as destroyed as I felt right after the run was over.

I went home elevated my legs and took a short nap, then I was out amongst the normal people... and able to walk like a girl! I'm so grateful that my recovery time isn't what it used to be! I really only need an hour or so after the run to really relax, then everything seems to fall back into place!

Soooooo... this week I'm back down to 10 miles, then the next week is... dun dun dun... 18 miles! I need to figure out where I'll do my 18 and 20-milers. It might be kind of cool to go out 20 miles, and get picked up... just to see how far I can run...

to Kenmore perhaps?



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In other news, swimming laps is really flippin' hard! Yesterday was my first attempt at swimming laps. We went to the outdoor pool in West Seattle, and it was divine! The weather was nice and warm, and so was the water :)

The pool was 50 feet long (as opposed to most pools which are 38 feet long). I did 6 out and backs, with significant resting periods between each lap. I couldn't believe how quickly my heart rate shot up while trying to swim a significant distance. The most bizarre feeling is sweating while you're submerged in water...

Swimming proved to be the perfect cross-training activity, as I worked out the kink in my hamstring from my speed work the night before. Today I was walking on fresh legs!

So maybe after the marathon I'll learn to swim? I mean, there were plenty of other people finishing out their laps in a doggie paddle...

Oh wait..

that was just me...

Whatever, I ran 16 miles last weekend, AND I can doggie paddle with the best of them! :)