July Run Log

Took part in a photo shoot to advertise the Rival 5k.  Best jump photo ever.

Ran the Zucchini Run with Melissa and paced her to her first sub-30 5k.  It was a TOUGH course.  The last 2.5 miles were UPHILL ~ and I mean Chardon UPHILL.  At the bottom of the first of the two big climbs, I asked her how bad she wanted this.  She said she wanted it...so we went for it.  I didn't have an overall time on my watch (duh) but Mike was standing at the top of the second big climb yelling we had a minute and a half to finish...it was awesome.  Melissa put her head down & ran.  So Awesome to see her accomplish that.

At the finish.

July 21 ~ celebrated 27 years of happily ever after to this guy.  What kids.  What a great life.

And to celebrate ~ we went Big Foot hunting in Salt Fork State Park.  We were part of 200 other people Big Foot hunting ~ and they were a bunch of drunk hillbillies... But it's ok.  We found him.

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And we took the XC girls to Cedar Point.  Always a good time.  Best coaches around.

July was a rough month for me physically. Started the month totally dying at the Captains Grand Slam 5k.  Didn't say anything about this earlier...because it still hurts.  I was running with Leslie and doing well & my right leg just gave out...weird.  Limped the last .5 & ended up with a big knot in my calf and quad.  Took a few days off to heal, went to Colorado, ran in the altitude and felt great.  Come home & end up tweaking my left hip/glute/hammy/lower back.  It's FINALLY feeling way better...after an hour massage with Cora today :)  

I need to STRETCH & take care of this so it doesn't come back.  Heading into August feeling strong & hitting all my workout times.  77 days till Columbus.

July Run Log:

July Totals:

126.65 miles for the month 
862.92 miles for the year 

245.51 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ not worn at all this month.

436.11 miles in my old pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

408.44 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

510.61 miles in my teal Brooks Glycerin 13  ~ turned these into hiking shoes in Colorado. May become Camp Stig shoes.

302.85 miles in my purple Brooks Glycerin 14 

19.49 miles in my Black Brooks Glycerin 14  ~ NEW SHOES

Training for:  BQ @ Columbus Marathon October 15, 2017

Cross Training: Core Challenge ~ squats ~ push-ups ~ leg lifts... working up to 100 squats ~ 40 push-ups ~ 100 leg lifts by August 9.  I am going to continue some sort of routine yet-to-be-determined once that's done ~ along with my little yoga stretching routine.  Hopefully at the end of August I can say I did this.

My WEIGHT: I was 137...and I was 139...and yesterday, I put on a dress that really showed my growing belly.  I'VE BEEN SO HUNGRY.  

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   14.03

What hurts?: bad month for hurts.  But better today as I type this.  left lower back/IT band are tight.

Weekly mileage this month:  23.46 ~ 22.53 ~ 37.55 ~ 39.02

Favorite place to run this month: Colorado...the bike path over the dam

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:

1 mile: 6:43 (Memorial Mile 6/10/17)

5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)

marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

Fairport Triathlon

I'm a triathlete.

aka ~ Lake Erie v Me.

I think the score is even.  Lake Erie - 1/2; me - 1/2.  In practice I could finally swim in Lake Erie... Game day came & I was a bundle of nerves.  Self talk was all about going out slow in the water.  The race started with the kayaks going out at 8:00, followed by four waves of swimmers every five minutes.  Being an old lady, my wave was at 8:20.  The water was perfect ~ no waves, good temperature ~ and I was going to start slow.

Mike, Rick, me & John ready to start

And 8:20 came and I got 10 strokes in & couldn't catch my breath...so I started breathing every stroke...so I started hyperventilating...so I started the breast stroke...so I went slow!  I kept trying to swim...and kept failing.  I got to the turn and stood up, talked some sense into my head, and swam back.  Got out of the water & everyone was running to the transition...I didn't want to run, that swim was hard.  But I bent to peer pressure & ran to the bike.

Yep, that's how my swim went & "Why is everyone running?"

Being the last wave, the transition area was basically empty when I got there to get my bike.  Dodd & Mike were both long gone, so my bike was the only one on the rack...and I had no idea what I was doing except hurrying to get my socks & shoes on...helmet...gloves...pull on my flipbelt & bib...eat the gel...get out.  I guess I did ok, because I had all my stuff.

Rode up the hill (oh my, what a way to start the ride) and got going.  My speedometer wasn't working ~ so I moved the sensor...too much.  It was clinking and dinging the spokes the whole time.  UGH.  Tried to move it back, but kept pinching my fingers (can't stop and fix this)  Luckily I threw chapstick into my flipbelt...pulled it out and used it to push the sensor out of the way.  Didn't know my speed the whole time, but it stopped clanking.

Passed people the whole ride.  My quads were working, but I remembered what Dodd said about doing each event well...and holding back didn't really equate to better times in other events.  So I rode hard.  I averaged 17 mph, above what I did in training.

talking to someone, I'm sure

So thankful to have so many people fanning ~ it's motivation to see a familiar face & someone yelling your name. And, there lots of pictures of the adventure afterward.

The transition to the run went much faster ~ no shoe change.  Threw off the helmet & gloves, chugged some water and off.  On the way into transition John yelled, "power walk the hill."  I ran out of transition, and he yelled it again at the bottom of the hill.  So I walked it.  I think that really helped, because I took off at the top & passed a whole bunch of people.  He had told me to not get passed, and I didn't.  Not a single person passed me on the run ~ and I ran it negative.  I never run a race negative.  I felt very strong on the run.  It was one of those moments when it hurt & I was working hard & I KNEW I was strong enough to maintain and finish strong.  The 5k was 3.29 miles (UGH) I ran it at an 8:04 minute pace according to my Garmin.  

the final turn to the finish

I missed 3rd place in my AG by 26 seconds (Lake Erie's final word) but I'm really happy with my first tri.  Sat at the award ceremony (I beat Mike timewise, and he placed 3rd in his AG) saying to myself, "well, that was fun & I don't ever need to do it again."  It was HARD.  Not as hard as a marathon, but hard.  By Sunday night Mike & I were both talking about next year.  What is wrong with us.

Woke up Monday with really sore shoulders and tight hips.  Weirdest after race aches I've ever had.  This tri stuff is taxing on the body.  I can't even imagine what Dodd will go through with his full ironman in October.  Total respect.

Mike's finish

PR ice cream

The gang ~ minus BJ

Mike's award

Could not have done this without my friend Leslie & Brenda