A gal on a mission to save Cuyahoga County streams one storm water facility at a time. An ex runner of many facets including marathons, pacing, ultras and more. Chronic left side issues have me cycling more than running these days but I'm attempting to get back to my running roots.
Posted by
Pepper on
Not a bad running week but a light fitness week overall. We got on a bowling kick because my husband decided we needed lessons to step up our game for our weekly fun “league”. Hopefully this week will have more strength, equal or better running, and maybe a little less bowling ;)
Monday – 3 easy miles
Tuesday – Bowling lessons
Wednesday – Bowling
Thursday – 30 minute run & Bowling League
Friday – Rest
Saturday – myofascial session,
6 mile run
Sunday – 12 mile trail run
Posted by
Pepper on
Another light week on my part. Tried to save it with weekend efforts, but overall a lackluster week of training. You know your steps have been light when you fitbit friend (aka your father) calls to make sure you are still alive, oi.
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 30 minute shoulder workout
Wednesday- Rest
Thursday – 30 minute run
Friday – 20 minute run, upper body circuit workout, 10 minutes on the stair stepper
Saturday – 50 minute walk
Sunday – 10 mile run, last mile pick up
Posted by
Pepper on
There wasn’t much to say about last weeks training so I’m lumping it in with this week. Between my husband being sick, a busy work week and a weekend of funeral services for a family friend, training didn’t really rise to the top of the priority list. Working on getting back to a regular schedule this week despite the late arrival of winter and ice.
1/4/15-1/10/15
Monday-Rest
Tuesday-37 minutes run
Wednesday-30 minute indoor spin
Thursday-Rest
Friday-30 minute indoor spin
Saturday-Rest
Sunday-Rest
1/11/15-1/17/15
Monday-40 minute icy night run
Tuesday-15 minute run, upper body strength circuit, 15 minute run
Wednesday-15 minute run, lower body strength circuit, 15 minute run
Thursday-Rest
Friday-Rest
Saturday- 60 minute yoga, 30 minute run
Sunday-87 minute run, 60 minutes at Ray’s indoor MTB park
Posted by
Pepper on
Happy New Year Salty Readers! I rung in the New Year with a bike ride and an evening of dancing and plenty of walking to get to our various haunts for the night and then got up early the next morning to join the Salty Running Crew for two loops of the Cleveland Bridges. Here’s hoping for a great year of fitness in 2016.
Keeping up the no caffeine and no alcohol routine and still doing pretty well on the 3 meals a day despite the craziness of the holiday’s (cookies for breakfast totally counts right?).
Monday- Rest
Tuesday- 10 minute run, upper body circuit workout, 10 minute run
Wednesday- 60 minutes at Rays Indoor Mountain Bike Park – Focusing on jumping
Thursday- 30 minute indoor spin, ~1.5 hours walking
Friday- 60 minute run with the Salty Crew
Saturday- 30 minute indoor spin, 60 minute yoga session focusing on shoulders (ouch)
Sunday- 15 minute run, lower body strength circuit, 15 minute run
Posted by
Pepper on
Another good week! Not quite as hero as last week, but it’s the holidays so you get to cut yourself some slack.
Monday – Rest. Just couldn’t bring myself to run or ride after a long day at work.
Tuesday – 10 minute run to the gym, 30 minutes lower body workout (hamstrings, quads, calves, hips, core), 10 minute run home
Wednesday – AM – 40 minute Adductor/Abductor flow PM – 60 minutes at Rays Indoor MTB Park – focusing on pumping/jumping
Thursday – 30 minute run
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 30 minute indoor spin, 60 minutes yoga – core/hamstring/shoulder focus
Sunday – 60 minute run with the Salty Running Crew. Pace was a wee bit fast for me, but company was great.
Posted by
Pepper on
My adult running “career” came about after realizing running was my strongest of the three triathlon sports. It all started when I trained for a triathlon with Team in Training and raised money for cancer research along the way. Maybe it’s because of this philanthropic start that I almost never say no to an opportunity to give back to the running community.
I’ve been fortunate to be able to support my fellow athletes in many ways. While fundraising was not my strong suit, it was the start of a running career filled with giving back and I’ve definitely found other ways of giving back that I’m much more suited for since.
Tis’ the season of giving and I’d like to share some of the ways I’ve enjoyed giving back to or through the sport of running with you. Read more >>
Posted by
Pepper on
Back on the wagon this week. In addition to getting some sort of training in every day, this week marked the introduction of 3 meals each day (I tend to skip breakfast and work through lunch), no coffee, and no alcohol. And I even managed to get all the Christmas presents wrapped and cards out. From zero last week to hero this week. That’s how I roll!
Monday – 40 minute abductor/adductor flow followed by 30 minute run
Tuesday – 40 minute walk
Wednesday – 4 mile run
Thursday – 40 minute abductor/adductor flow
Friday – 30 minute indoor spin
Saturday – 60 minute yoga/myofascial work
Sunday – 30 minute run
Posted by
Pepper on
Well Salty readers some weeks just don’t go as planned. Started the week off with a sinus infection and played catch up on work, life, and the holiday shopping season instead of running. Did manage to get two rounds of 9 holes of golf in with my husband on the weekend (walking), a few rounds of bowling with friends, and a massage. So I did more than nothing, but not the start of a training comeback week for sure.
Here’s hoping for better this week!
Posted by
Pepper on
North Country Trail Marathon in Michigan was my 26th marathon. It was supposed to be just for fun, just my husband and me on a little trail racing adventure. I left marathons and all serious racing in 2013, as I was aiming for the Olympic Trials. Unlike my build-up for #25, I did not have a big mileage base, wanted to ride bikes more than run, and my idea of fast was very different as I prepared for marathon #26. Still, my competitiveness wasn’t completely gone; I wanted to race, whatever that meant that day.
My husband nailed every workout on our FIRST training plan, but I was not as successful. I struggled with fatigue or lack of motivation in the middle of the training cycle and bagged several workouts in favor of doing more hills or going by effort with no watch. Cross training also slipped towards the end, but I went into race weekend relatively optimistic because by the last few weeks of training running seemed more natural. During race week I was pleased to feel that familiar prepared feeling I used to get before a marathon; the feeling that I’m fully rested and holding myself back from doing all the things you’re not supposed to do because of your upcoming marathon. Read more >>
Posted by
Pepper on
Social outings and work took priority this week and working out went to the bottom of the priority totem. So much for internet accountability!
Monday – 55 minute run/walk with hills
Tuesday- 30 minute walk
Wednesday – Salty night out – No workouts
Thursday – Night out with friends – No workouts
Friday – Ditto Thursday
Saturday – 10k Run pacing 10:00 group at the Christmas Story Run. 1 mile evening jog to see a friend band.
Sunday – 4 mile easy run.
The left hamstring has been a little cranky this week and I did not spend enough time doing strengthening work. Here’s hoping for better next week!
Posted by
Pepper on
Yep that’s right, someone has decided to do some actual training again, logs and all. Expect posts soon, but suffice it to say I’ve signed up for a spring race, I’m working on muscle imbalances, and I intend to run with a bit more consistency than I have been, warranting some actual blog posts and a training log to keep me honest. Don’t expect any speed training or high mileage, rather more the building blocks of a broken, busy, used to be sub-elite who is falling back in love with running, albeit very slowly.
Without further ado the stats:
Monday – 5k easy run of the Cleveland bridges with the No Meat Athlete Crew
Tuesday – 30 minute easy spin on the KICKR
Wednesday – 40 minutes walking
Thursday – Canton, Michigan Turkey Trot 5K. Not bad for no training. 22:16 and 2nd age group. Sometimes it pays to be old ;)
Friday – Rest day, 4 rounds of bowling and some light stretching
Saturday – Hour session working on abductor/adductors and stretching. 30 minute easy spin on the KICKR
Sunday – Nada, cleaning day and hosting friends. Note to self, fixing fancy French vegan dishes takes way too much time.
Posted by
Pepper on
In my newbie running days, I ran with two great training groups who taught me many things about the world of post-collegiate running. One of the lessons that stands out the most was the cardinal rule of race shirt etiquette: wearing a shirt from a race you hadn’t run was a huge no-no. I mean, it was the equivalent of lying! For years I didn’t dare wear a shirt for a race I didn’t run.
Sometime later I realized I don’t give a damn what race shirt so-and-so is wearing, and who cares if they did or didn’t run the race? More than a few times I’ve grabbed friends’ race packets when they didn’t plan on racing and you know what? I don’t care if they wore those shirts or not. Um, it’s a t-shirt!
There are a few situations in which, to my mind, it’s perfectly fine to wear a race shirt even if you didn’t run the race. I guess you could call them fashion dos and don’ts … that is, if race shirts can be considered fashion! Read more >>
Posted by
Pepper on
My coach is fond of saying that I have only raced a few marathons. What, you may ask, was I doing the other 20-some times I toed the marathon line? According to Coach I was just running. Is there really a difference between running and racing a marathon? I think so.
I know countless great runners who do not race their marathons; they run a few marathons year after year always finishing in the same 10 minute range, and I wonder what they could do if they were just willing to put it all on the line. Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with simply running your marathons without racing, but any way you slice it, you still have to cover 26.2 miles! Crossing the finish line is a big deal in itself! It’s not for everybody but if you suspect you’ve never really raced a marathon, I encourage you to consider taking the leap. You might be surprised by what you’re capable of!
If you’ve never done it before you may be wondering, “How exactly do I go about racing a marathon rather than simply running to the finish?”
Read more >>
Posted by
Pepper on
Whether the goal is to finish the race or to PR, we train to earn results, and it’s easy to feel like the stakes are high on certain goals. But hey, life happens, and when it gets in the way of a runner meeting her own expectations for herself, that goal-driven inclination can backfire. It can be oh-so disappointing to miss the mark.
Coming back from a long drought after big peak in fitness I can vouch for this mental state. One night in Montana, I had just enough daylight to squeeze in the track workout I thought I’d have to miss. Let’s just say running 800s right after dinner during a week when you are getting little sleep isn’t the best way to make your goals seem attainable.
But instead of throwing my hands up and saying, “forget it!” I realized there is a much better way to set workout, race, or training goals so that a missed split or even a missed workout or bad race doesn’t set you back from your overarching goals down the road. Read more >>
Posted by
Pepper on
Back to marathon training as planned! Three weeks to the NCTM. I accidentally assigned myself and my husband next weeks tempo instead of this weeks, which made it easier for me to do the workouts for sure coming off the 50 mile night last weekend because it was a 3 mile tempo as opposed to 5.Whoops. The track workout went surprisingly well and I was actually excited to run this week so maybe I am coming out of my funk finally.
Monday and Tuesday – Rest
Wednesday – 1.5 mile warm up, 3 miles at tempo effort, 1.5 mile cool down. Just ran the 3 miles hard on the towpath, no watch.
Thursday – 30 minutes easy
Friday – 2 mile warm up, strides and drills, 6*800 with 90 second rests, 1 mile cool down (3:25, 3:19, 3:15, 3:14, 3:12, 3:05)
Saturday – Rest (18 holes of cart golf and house cleaning took priority over cycling)
Sunday – 13 miles, started with 6 easy paved then picked up the effort and hit the trails
13 miles easy bike ride playing sherpa to my husband on his long run in the afternoon
