Day 8: Sunday Was Race Day...The Hannukah Hustle

Yesterday was a great day to run.  The weather was warm and the sun was peaking out.  Mike and I were in Hamilton for the Hannukah Hustle.  It's my 3rd year running this race and I love it!  The course is so pretty and VRPro puts on such great races!  This year was no exception.

Here we are before the race.  It was a bit chilly standing around.

I hadn't run since Wednesday so I knew I wasn't going to go much faster than my best time.  River ended up with a cold and couldn't run Friday.  My schedule got all thrown off because I had to take her to the vet so I didn't get out for a run either.  River really keeps me going.

The race starts with a downhill and since it's an out and back that means it ends in an uphill.  Ugh...It's not a big hill, but it's still a hill.  I felt really good the whole race.  I knew I was going to slow down a bit at the end going up the hill so I tried to push a bit more than normal at the front end of the race.  I could feel that I did push harder around the 3k mark.  I really tried to keep my pace up though.  It always seems that the hills that are the gentle rolling hills are the hardest for me.  Yep, I felt this hill!  I was not a happy camper going up it.  Once I got to the top there is about 100 yards to the finish.  I tried to push it, but my legs wouldn't go as hard as I wanted them to go.  I need to get more speed work in starting this week.  Here I am crossing the finish line and after the race.

I was off my best time by about 50 seconds.  I ran my 5k in 30:53.  Not bad and about what I expected.  After getting some water, a hot dog, and a potato latke, we checked the results.  I ended up first in my age group!  I have never placed in a race in the 4 years I've been running.  I was really excited!  There were 5 other women in my age group.  It was pretty cool to place.  Here I am getting my medal and then posing for pictures.

Here is what the medal looked like.  I think it's pretty cool!

I really love the races that VRPro puts on and am looking forward to running the Santa Race Hamilton with James on Sunday.  Right now I'm getting ready to head out for a quick run with River.  She's allowed to go on short runs for now.  It's going to be a windy one though!  Hope we don't blow away!

Day 3: Brrrr.....

Yesterday I just took River for a walk.  I was supposed to do speed work, but Mike was out of town and I just couldn't get motivated to get to the gym later in the day.  Today we woke up to snow and cold temperatures.  After dropping James off, I came home and got ready for my run.  River was excited like she always is.

We started out a bit slower since there was snow on parts of the sidewalk.  I didn't want to slip and fall.  It was cold, but sunny and that made for a nice day to run.  I never really hit my groove today though.  The run just felt off the whole time.  It didn't hurt or fell hard, it just felt off.  My pace was okay even with the snow.  I just wasn't feeling it this morning.

River had a good time though.  She was in her element with this cooler temperatures.  She was happy and smiling the whole time.  Towards the end she was ready to come home though.  She has a point in the run where I think she just gets bored, but then all of a sudden she's back in the run.  It makes for some great interval training for me though.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to be in the gym.  I have to get back in that routine.  I'm back on a running schedule so now I have to get back to the gym.  It's a cross training day so I'll do the bike and weights.  I just have to make myself get up and go.  Friday is my long run day.  Going to try to get 10-12k in that morning.  Saturday is my rest day and Sunday I run the Hanukkah Hustle.  It should be a good next few days!

Day 1 of Training For My Next Goal Race

Today is my first day of training for my next goal race; The Robbie Burns 8k in January.  It will be my first race as a 40 year old.  I've run this race 2 other times and I love it.  The course is flat and the route is nice.  My first year, it was my first run longer than 5k.  Last year I ran with a strained hamstring.  This year I want to kill it!  My goal is under 55 minutes.  My 8k runs with River have been pretty good.  I'm feeling good since I've been back after my half marathon.  Last week was my first week of good solid running and I felt really strong.

Yesterday I was able to get out for a long run before the swim meet.  River and I ran 6.5 miles.  I had to really force myself out the door because I was tired.  I was only going to do a short run, but I started getting my water bottles together and River's water bottle together.  Pretty soon I was out the door and heading down my long route.  We ran through the country on a crisp morning.  The wind was blowing, but there was only about a mile that we were running into the wind.  That was a tough mile though.  I felt good for most of the run.  There was about 10-15 minutes that were rough, but River pulled me through it.  I felt really good after the run and River was sacked out for Mike and James while I was at the meet.

This morning we went for a short 2.5 mile recovery run.  Last week we were lucky in missing the rain.  Today not so much.  We had just started the run when it started raining.  Because of the temperature, the rain was slushy and icy.  River didn't like the rain and slush at all.  She is very much a fair weather dog.  She was pouting a bit on the last half of the run.  She is a trooper though.  I'm glad that she will come out running with me.

I wanted to be back in the gym tomorrow, but I'm not sure if I can since Mike is out of town and James gets dropped off so early.  I might have to do speed work with River at the "track" between the schools.  She'll like that as long as it's not raining. 

Now I'm off to get my week started!  Take some time today to remember all those who have served our country.  Thank you for you service!

First Snowy Run of the Winter!

Okay, so it was just a little snow, but it was still snow!

I got to sleep in a bit this morning since James' mother was taking him to school today.  River got me up at the time I normally get James up for school and she was anxious to get going.  She danced around me as I got ready to head out for what I wanted to be at least 5-6k this morning.  When she saw me put on my running shoes she got really excited.  Then we walked out the door.

She saw the snow, turned and looked at me, and sighed.  She is not a fan of snow at all.  She is a fan of running though.  We started out and she kept looking back at me as if to ask why all this snow was there.

About halfway through the run I snapped this picture.

She's happy to be out, but not happy about the snow. 

After a mile she wanted to go back home.  I directed down a street that led away from home, but she wasn't having it.  She found her way back home.  I was able to get 2 miles in this morning before she drug me back to the house.

She had her after run snack and is now curled up on the couch sleeping.

Hopefully Sunday there isn't any snow on the ground so I can get a 10k run in with her.

To be fair, Mulder wasn't to thrilled with the snow either.  He walked out on the deck and you could see his shoulders just sink as he realized that there was snow.  Anya is the only one that is happy that is snowed.  She rushed out and rolled around in it with a huge smile on her face.

I like the temps and the snow, but I really don't want the ice and covered sidewalks.  I want to run outside as long as I can.  I hate running on treadmills!

Off to start the rest of my day!  Enjoy yours!

Back on Track!

After taking about a week off after my half-marathon and then another week off due to a bad cold, I'm back in the swing of things.  Monday River and I ran 3 miles and today we did 5 miles.  The temperatures have been great for running!  Monday was a little on the cool side, but today was perfect.

Today was a bit rough getting out the door though.  I really had to talk myself into this run.  I was starting to get a headache because of the rain that was moving in.  I'm still not completely 100% after my cold, but I had to get River out for a walk so I figured I should just suck it up and run.  I put my Suck It Up Cupcake Bondi Band on to keep me motivated.  Once River saw me putting my running shoes on and getting her water bottle ready she got really excited so that made me even more excited.  We went out and River just wanted to start chasing all the leaves and things blowing around.  I got her settled on a pace and she was all smiles.

We have a 5 mile run that we do that takes us through a park and past the dog park we take her too.  there is some path running and it's a nice run.  Today we ran it backwards.  It made for a nice change.  She loved running the path as she got to chase squirrels and more leaves.  When we got to the dog park she kind of half-heartedly tried to get me to go in, but she was really enjoying the run. 

We did take a different side road to avoid some construction on the main road.  It gave her some new things to smell and some new things for me to look at while running.  We did see a few houses that already have their Christmas decorations up.  I'm so not ready for that!

Once back on the main road, River got to race a few buses.  I don't know why she loves chasing those, but she does.  It gives me some great interval training though.  The last mile was into the wind and it started raining a bit.  It was a nice finish though.

I'm so glad I went out for this run.  It just felt so good!  Now I have to get some lunch and get my work done.  On to the rest of the day!