Running, running, running...

This week was full of surprises, old college friends passing through on their way to Alumni week at our old stomping grounds.  Surprise visits also equal unplanned lunches, breakfast and coffee/desert.  I am so lucky that while my own personal schedule didn't allow for me to join them at Alumni week that were I now call home is a perfect stopping point for a short visit on their way.  While my plan on cooking at home and staying on track with my Weight Watcher points might have taken a detour (up 1 pound this week) by running plans we met, followed and exceeded.  

Monday my running buddy and I logged 3.1 miles in 34:58 (not including a 4 minute pause that we took around 1.4 miles).  A great time for us as we are both recovering from taking off so much time this winter.  On Tuesday I ran solo with the plan going for a shorter run...which turned into 3.84 mile for me in 49:15 (with walking).  My running buddy and I were back again on Wednesday for our last long run before the race on Saturday logging 3.08 miles in 40:18 without stopping or walking.  Short run before the race was Thursday 1.41 miles in 17:38.  Saturday was race day, my first 5K since the end of October which holds my current PR (34:00.0 (10:58/mile).  This race has always been my favorite, the Delaware Girls on the Run 5K.  The entire atmosphere is so supportive and encouraging.  The Spring GOTR 5K was also the first 5K I ever ran 2 years ago.  This race was my third time running in it and it is still my favorite.  We had perfect running weather 55 degrees and sunny along the Wilmington Riverfront complex.  I had been a little worried about this race because over the past two months my calves have been giving me issues and getting very tight all week they were feeling great, no issues but when I woke up Saturday morning, there it was, the dreaded tightness.  I went through my normal prerace ritual, banana, coffee, toast with peanut butter and a litter of water followed by a warm shower and stretching at home before leaving and stretching and warming up at race location.  My running buddy and I arrived at the race along with our mini-cheering section (her husband and my mother who came down to visit for the weekend) and met up with a friend of mine from college who saw that I was running the race and decided to run it as well.  9:06a.m. to the air horn sounded and we were off.  The first mile and a half were fine and I was feeling no tightness in my legs until the water stop.  I could have gone on without the water and probably been fine but I didn’t and as I was slowing down to grab a cup for the volunteers one of the GOTR girls stopped dead in front of me to drink her water and in order to avoid running her over I swerved around her and there is was, tightness.  So I grabbed my water, went to the side of the route and walked as I drank the water maybe 45 seconds total, but the entire remainder of the race I would go back and forth between running and walking.  I finished 35:01.0 (11:18/mile) which is still a great time, but now what I had been hoping for. 

My running buddy and I have another race coming up soon on May 29 and it will probably be one of our last ones that we get to train for together before she heads off to Virginia to continue her Doctoral studies.  While it will be a little harder to motivate myself without someone to run with I’m already looking at the local 5Ks and planning on ones to train for.  Normally I register for a race weeks in advance to make force myself to continue running, but in the summer with the heat and humidity of Delaware I find it better to pick a race and train for it and register a couple days before just to keep an eye on the weather.  My first season racing I ran a race on the 4^th of July.  The weather was 95 degrees and humid, at 9:00a.m. and while I drank a liter of water and a large bottle of Gatorade it did me in and to this day it is my slowest time ever!  After that race I hung up my shoes until mid September when the heat broke.  This summer I want to keep running and I am so lucky to have a wonderful trail to run along the Delaware River that is fairly shady. 

Now to the Weekly Chase.

Last week’s goals:

So here are my goals for this week:‪#‎weeklychase

Goal #1: Run 3 times this week, not including Saturday's 5K – Yes 4 runs and my 5K a total of 13.9 miles logged this week.

Goal #2: Stretch daily. – Yes, did this too!

Goal #3: Log and stay within my points this week. I started Weight Watchers on Easter Sunday and have lost 6.1 pounds so far. – Nope, I went over my points each day, Sunday I went over by 3 points and Monday – Thursday I went over in points but made up for them in Activity points.  Friday and Saturday no such luck and I paid for it by gaining a pound.  On one hand I should be glad I did all that running because it could have been more than a pound so I will not beat myself up.  Its one week and now I know that I really need to plan every meal and count every point.

Goal #4: Cook most of our meals at home this week.  – I was good until Thursday night, after a long choir rehearsal I just couldn’t cook dinner at 9pm so we went down the street to a favorite local restaurant.  Where I went in saying I was going order the grilled chicken with a salad and ended up having a Philly Cheese Steak with a salad.  Friday was alright, I went over but only by 3 points and what pushed me over was Quinoa Black Bean Salad which is more points because of the carb/protein combination).  Saturday well that was my worst and I’ll just leave it that with three words Almond Joy Cheesecake.

Goal #5: Take at least 6 hours of online classes. I am taking my TECE1 &TECE2 online to become a certified Early Childhood teacher and have gotten behind in my classes.  I was close 5 hours of classes completed

Goal #6: Have a great race on Saturday. – Yes while I did not beat my PR I had a great race to start off the Spring/Summer season.

This week’s Goals:

So here are my goals for this week:‪#‎weeklychase

Goal #1: Run 3 times this week

Goal #2: Stretch daily.

Goal #3: Log and stay within my points this week. 

Goal #4: Cook most of our meals at home this week.  

Goal #5: Take at least 6 hours of online classes. 

Goal #6: Have a great interview on Tuesday morning.

2 year anniversary of my 1st 5K                       Me, College Friend, and Running Buddy post race photo

GIRLS ON THE RUN DELAWARE SPRING 5K 
Race Date 5/17/2014 
Weather Sunny 55 degrees

Overall Place 243 /1166
Age Group Place 33/246 F 30-39
Age Group Female 30 to 39
Chip Time 35:01.3
Gun Time 35:34.5
Pace 11:18/M