Arvada Running Club *** BOOK Club

I LOVE my running club! They are a group of AMAZING women of all ages! I joined them after moving to Arvada and we meet on Sundays for long runs and Tuesdays for track workouts. We take turns setting out water stations on Sundays so when you are on a 14 mile run, for example, you run by several aid stations with water, Gatorade and sometimes fun snacks! The club is only for women and we are all very supportive of one another.  We also have a  fundraiser and give the money to a high school girl from Arvada that will run in college. We discuss races we want to do and train for them together and carpool to races. It's soo much fun! It's like being on an adult cross country team.

For this session people are training for the Portland marathon or half and the Denver Rock and Roll full or half all on October 9th. I am excited to race but also am so excited to see how my fellow (teammates) club members do!! There is a women doing her first full and I bet she will run a 3:40 or faster. There is another lady that kicks butt on the track workouts and I hope breaks 4:00. I LOVE that feeling of thinking of others and wanting them to succeed! We will be texting back and forth between Portland to see how everyone does.

So being the super dork that I am I decided to have a running club book club!!! Who else can I talk to about running and running books!This is the first one and we are reading Running on Empty by Marshall Ulrich. I LOVED the book. It's so fun to see the gang dressed up (normal clothes) instead of running attire and no make-up. It's like "who are you?" We had a really good discussion and a great time! They almost had me convinced to run a full marathon in January!! We'll see....I haven't run a marathon since 2005.

Goals for Denver Rock and Roll Half Marathon

The Denver Rock and Roll Half is in 2 Weeks!!! I am getting excited and nervous! I have done pretty well on my training although I have had some injury type issues throughout....

Goal A: 1:45 ( 8:01 pace)  This technically should not be a problem. I have put in the training to achieve this. I am confident that I can do this. It will hurt of course but that's ok :)

Goal B: 1:40-1:44 (7:38-8:00 pace) This would be amazing! The course is at altitude and not flat or hilly so this could be doable if everything falls into place...weather, fresh legs, mental toughness.

Goal C: 1:39 (7:34 pace) My recent PR is a 1:40 so to break that would be wonderful and I would be so happy!!!!!!

Goal D: 1:37:00 (7:25 pace).... My true DREAM to get a guaranteed entrance to New York. It could happen...with running anything is possible.

Garmin vs. Good ol' Timex Thoughts.................

Last night I had a track workout. 3 X 1600. First of all only one other lady from the running club showed up!! I was a little dissapointed that more didn't show up.

We warmed up and started the first one. I ran 4 laps in 7:03. HOWEVER according to Garmin I ran 1.05 miles and that would be a 6:43 mile, which sounds way better than 7:03. Back in the day I would have just known that my mile time was 7:03 ya' know.....so in my running log I entered 7:03 because I feel that was my time. It's just crazy how the Garmin gets you thinking so much. I just need to relax and work on form and my feel for the mile instead of the Garmin. Now this track is dirt and parts of lane 1 are full of weeds so I probably did run over a mile. The next one was 7:04 and the last 7:03. In the end I was super happy. 3 weeks ago my times were 7:06, 7:13 and 7:07. The same exact workout, track etc. so according to plain old school timing I am getting faster and that is all that matters YEAH!!

Yes to the COMBO!

3 weeks until the Denver Rock n Roll Half! This week was a hard week and to top it off Tuesday after track my right hip started to hurt!!

I ran easy Thursday and had a 5k on Saturday.This is what I would call a "Fun Run". It was a fundraiser for a local gymnastic gym so there were maybe 50 total people and about half were kids! I was 2nd place and 1st female! That part was cool, but we didn't have bibs, we didn't have it timed except off a lady's phone. So it was interesting! I ran a 22:57. Then Sunday I ran 14 miles at a 9:07 pace so I was so pleased that my body could go back to back like that. I bought new shoes Friday so my injuries are doing much better!

After the 14 mile run my husband and I took the motorcycle to downtown Denver and watched the Bronco game while eating 50 cent wings, $2 PBR's and an order of Fried Twinkies LOL!!!!

A busy week ahead but I know I can do this!
Tues:  3 X 1600
Wed: bike/lift
Thurs: 6 mile pace
Fri: OFF
Sat:  6EZ
Sun: 10

The Arvada Running Club. Half marathoners ran 14 and marathoners ran 20!

I went to the DARK SIDE....

Last night we had 6 X 800 on the track. I was excited and nervous. I had a great 12 mile run Sunday but then Monday my body was shot!! I felt ok on the warm-up. My first 800 was 3:30 which was great! I wanted to stay consistent and have all of them at 3:30. I was a bit tired and knew the next 5 would be tough and it was humid out. I went to my bag and got.....my headphones!!!! I have NEVER done a track workout with music but I just needed that extra something to get me through 5 more 800's. Guess what? It worked!!

My splits were 3:30, 3:25, 3:19,3:16, 3:20 and 3:17. Again after the workout I could barely walk to my car but I was very happy with this workout!



The track...although now there is football practice so all the parents watch us run kinda funny!



4 week Count Down!

Last week was my down week dealing with all my weirdo injuries. I  biked Wednesday and lifted, ran Thursday, felt good, and ran 12 miles Sunday and felt good! I am hurting today a little but I am confident to run the half. This week will be a hard week as I have a 5k Sat and a 14 mile run Sunday. If I can do this that will really help my confidence! My old coach is in town and she gave me some stretches and they really helped! She said do them 12 X a day and my PF will go away!! YEAH!! She also said I am way too young (I am 35) to stop running marathons again YEAH!!! So my plan is to run a FULL marathon in the fall of 2012 or 2013 depending on baby making ;)

This week's plan:

Monday: OFF
Tuesday 6 X 800
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: easy run/lift
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 5k
Sunday: 14

Labor Day Adventure

David and I love having adventures. In the fall, since we can't hike as much, we take day trips. Yesterday we drove up to an old train pass called Rollins Pass. It was gorgeous and lots of history! Can't wait for the leaves to start turning.




I saw runners at the Trail Head might be a cool running trail to try next time :)



Once the Moffet Tunnel was built they didn't use Rollins Pass anymore. It was too dangerous.

View from the beginning of Rollins Pass (12 miles to top).

The tunnel that is now closed....About a 2 mile hike from where you can't drive anymore.

What is left of the tracks.

It was a gorgeous day!

Craft Time and Running injury??

Hope Everyone is having a fun Labor Day weekend!

I am  5 weeks out from my half marathon and still struggling with PF, something on the top of my foot that is not a stress fracture (according to x-ray) and now today on my 12 mile run cut down to 8 a hamstring issue?? What's up? Is my body telling me something? I am going to take a few days off and see. I did get some inserts, which I have never used and hope they help with pain....I am determined to run this half!!!

Time for craft time! I saw this on pinterst.

It's from a Women's Day article.

By Woman's Day Staff Posted October 20, 2010 from Woman's Day; November 1, 2010

So I thought why not? I have a few empty wine bottles!

So I cut out 2 triangles and a mouth with painters tape and put it on the wine bottle then primed it. I also paint taped the top of the wine bottle. Then I painted it orange.

Ta Da!! How cute and easy is that!!! We usually have a mini Halloween party so I will maybe make a few more!