arbitrary.

I have this new arbitrary goal. Well, I've sort of had this arbitrary goal and obsession since July. Either way. It is that I run 100 miles a month. Not a huge feat by any means, but compared to where I was most of last year, it's pretty decent. When I was taking time off, healing from multiple injuries, indulging in lots of pouting and even more eating... In the context of that? It's a pretty nice and attainable goal that will keep me motivated when I have zero races to train for.

As long as I run 6 miles tonight after work, my arbitrary goal will have been met every month since July. I plan to keep it up through December and all of 2011, especially as I transition back into marathon training in January. Yes, lots to discuss. More on all of that later. I have lofty goals for '11 in mind.

Speaking of goals, I have two more chances (two if need be) to finish up and meet my 2010 goal of getting a PR in every major race distance. I am doing a 5k in two weeks, and if that one doesn't go well, I can always hit up the New Years Eve 5k. I'm hopeful I can swing it on the next race though.

In that regard (the 2010 PR goal), clearly since I only have a 5K PR left to snag, that means I PR'd at Gobbler Grind! I've started a post, but honestly just lost motivation to write it. For now I'll share that I met and exceeded both my "safe" PR goal of 1:57 and and my "oh i would pee my pants from joy" goal PR that was in my head of 1:54. Apparently I had a good day. And peed my pants...

two weeks to gobbler grind.

I'm feeling wholly uninspired the past few days to blahg. But, per usual, I'm posting this so I can come back and see what I did right, and what I did wrong, just in case Gobbler Grind turns out in my favor.

Last weeks runnings went just okay, I didn't run the five days that I wanted to. Things come up, life and work get in the way. And sometimes for me sleep and rest just plain have to win so the ugly beast inside doesn't rear it's ugly head. The good news is that I got my 12 miler in on "hills," and my speedwork once again was spot on and I felt great afterwards. The injury-free fairy is blessing me lately. I'm still skeptical, but enjoying it.

As for this week, I plan to run hard. Including a round at the Graveyard Hill (creepy) near my house tonight. I'm only doing it because I insisted a friend join me, I refuse to do that sucker alone. It's creepy, I'll take photographic evidence tonight. I also plan to do my last (for GG training anyway) and longest speedwork session on Thursday. And also hope that my sinus' have mercy on my plans, so far this week they aren't.

Week of November 1 Training:
Monday = Nothing
Tuesday = 4 miles and yoga
Wednesday = 6 miles (4 with the group)
Thursday = Nothing
Friday = 7 mile tempo with 5 @ 8:13 (success!)
Saturday = Nothing
Sunday = 12 miles at 9:16 (i'm trying to keep my long runs under 9:30s, so far it's working)

I didn't run as many miles as I wanted last week, but I feet like what I did was mostly quality. Right now I'll take quality over quantity. I usually don't post my times either, but I'm working on speed, so I'm putting it out there for my own sake. It's good for me to put it out there! I just need to grow a pair really. I've spent so long being so careful and paranoid, it feels good to let loose and just RUN now. Without worrying about it.

Speaking of speed, I mentioned a few posts back that I have a goal for this year. I'll go ahead and put it out there while I'm at it.

My goal is to PR in every race distance (that i typically run) in 2010: 5k, 8k, 10k, half and full marathons. So far I have an 8k (my only), 10k and marathon PR. All I have left is a 5k (i have my eye on one in december) and the half marathon. It would be pretty sweet, after a horrible two years of running in 2008 and 2009 and even part of 2010, to meet that goal. So wish me luck!

Side rants complete. Feel free to now carry on with your day.

best part of my day.

You know those days at work that totally drain you? Suck the life out of you and beat you down? I have my fair share at my job, as I'm sure we all do. But Wednesday was not that day. For all the frustrations I have, there are those days that make up for it.

Days when say, I get to experience things like meeting Taylor Swift. Uh huh. It happened on Wednesday. And while I'm anything but a country fan, I sure do like me that Taylor Swift. That girl really has all her stuff together. She hugged me when I walked up to her, like I was her favorite bestie in the whole wide world and hadn't seen me in months! She is precious.

Just another day in radio people.... uh huh, um right.

*me and t-swizz... and a couple guys i work with*
please note this picture is also proof that i do clean up and get out of running clothes every so often

three weeks to gobbler grind.

Wowza. Three more weeks to the Gobbler Grind. The first half marathon I'll have ever 'officially' trained for in full (i always half-assed them in the past, if trained at all). I'm hoping it pays off. Really this post is nothing more than to track my training from the past two weeks and to note the coming week of training. You know, the really entertaining stuff.

I mentioned my training plan a few weeks ago and I'm happy to announce that besides skipping my long run (and missing my PR by a few seconds during a race) I ended up nailing all the runs, paces and all. Same for last week. All my training this year, yes all 10 months so far, has been done in "slow down and don't get injured so i can finish a marathon without getting injured" mode. So I've been itching to train at the paces I know I'm capable of, and that make me feel good. The kind of running that makes me feel like I've had a good hard run, all fresh and tired inside and out afterwards. Just totally spent. I love that feeling oh so much.

And contrary to what I usually do, I refuse to think I'm jinxing myself by writing this. The Edder reminds me on a regular basis there is no such thing as "jinxing," I'm choosing to trust him on this one. So if I fail, I can totally blame it on him. Clearly it's a win-win. Such a lucky man that Edder.

Week of October 25 Training:
Tuesday - 4 miles
Wednesday - 6 miles with the running group
Thursday - 6 mile tempo, 4 at 8:13 pace (success!)
Saturday - 4 miles
Sunday - 10 miles
Total miles =30

Total Mileage in October = 105.7
(lower than the past few months, but i let myself take it easy after chicago)

Goal for Week of November 1:
Tuesday = 7 miles
Wednesday = 6 miles easy with the running group
Thursday = 7 mile tempo run, 5 at 8:13
Friday = 6 miles
Sunday = 12 miles

I was slightly concerned over how I would feel with my new training paces, but so far I'm feeling good. Sore and tight on some days, but nothing worrisome. I'm actually kind of surprised. I plan to leave my paces where they are for now, I'm not going to speed up my paces anymore until after the half. My training the past few weeks has been comfortable, and I don't want to push it since I still do worry about injury. So I'm calling these paces good and sticking to them and pretty hopeful I can pull off my goal at Gobbler Grind.

Now, GO VOTE!

pumpkin run 5k. and pie.

A week ago Saturday I ran the WSU Pumpkin Run 5k with some of the girls, most notably, Batgirl (more on that later). The race was on my alma mater's campus, go shocks! On a windy, humid, warmish day.... after a night out at the Midwest Beerfest Beer Dinner.

Um, so I mentioned something about wanting to PR in the Pumpkin 5K race? Uh, yeah that so did not happen. I of course was ridiculously pissed off at myself for not running 5-6 seconds faster. But seeing how I thought I was going to vomit the last half mile, I totally dropped the ball. Pay no mind to the fact that I didn't take care of myself very well for the week leading up to this race. Yet, I was still quite pissed off at myself. Perhaps if I hadn't consumed three days worth of calories at a dinner the night before a 5k, or say, hadn't had more beer than I normally do (coughahem, it was a BEER dinner, i mean i had no choice in the matter!) I might have just pulled off a PR. But it's me. So you know..... that's a gooooood runner.

So in true FWR fashion I ate and drank and didn't sleep the night before and expected to pop off a PR. Right. But. this is where I mention PIE! Even though I didn't PR I still managed second place (uh, only because the fast girls weren't there) in my AG, and this race actually gives prizes for AG winners.

Oh my, you guys.... I won a PIE! Not just any pie, but pie from the Amish bakery in a town outside of Wichita. An Amish town. Horse and buggies, no electricity, the whole bit. AMISH PIE. Let me preface by saying although I love highly refined sugar I'm not much of a pastries fan. Not a fan of cakes or pies or other pastries for the most part (unless it's thanksgiving). But oh my if my mind hasn't been changed by that delicious Amish apple pie. It smelled and looked so amazingly perfect, it was sparkly on top. SPARKLY! I may or may not have eaten it for dinner that night. What? I won that sucker, and it was massive, I needed to get to work on it. No shame.

So me and my pie wallowed in the fact that I didn't get a PR, I got over the wallowing about halfway through said pie and all was right with my world. The pie didn't fare so well.

In other news, Batgirl (i.e. shelley) won first place for female costume and third place in our AG. However I was pretty disappointed that The Lawyer and I won nothing for our costumes, we went as "Freaking Awesome." What, can't you tell that's what we are? And no one understood Liz was dressed up as a runner. Boo race organizers, boo.

*batgirl, a runner, freaking awesome no. 1 & freaking awesome no. 2*