Agility / Boot Camp Type Drills

Workout was an hour of various boot camp type drills (incl some boxing)

• Side and front planks
• Pull ups (assisted)
• Front and side jumps and high knees as if using a ladder, but actually jumping over blocks
• Monkey bars
• TRX Arm Raises
• Push ups using Vegas Straps
• Jab/Cross Punches (worked on technique and form)
• Knees
• Jump rope
• Deep squats

Gonna be sore...

Back on track..kinda

"Training" RUN

• Day Count: 24 days until race day
• Mile Count: Just over 6
• Time Count: 55 minutes total; about 9:15 average pace per mile 
• Puke Count: 2x; wayy more than usual though (sorry for the graphic image)

Light jog after full day of travelling

Jogged 1.8 miles at a 9:30ish pace after spending a full day travelling home from St Thomas..will get back on the longer runs and faster pace tomorrow!!

Last day in St Thomas ;(

Today is our final night in St. Thomas as we head home early tomorrow morning...I know that I need to get back home and continue prepping for the relay (which is now only 26 days away!!!), but, I'm gonna miss the beautiful views, the gorgeous ocean water and the fun times spent with syd, laura and my ma!!

Starting tomorrow night, I'll be working double time to make sure I'm prepped and ready for the world's longest relay race..lots and lots of running ahead of me..

7th Day of Training

Still in St Thomas...so I jumped on the treadmill again and ran 1 mile at a consistent increase in incline, then one regular, flat mile at varying speeds.  I did both in under 9:45 and then did three 30sec sprints before finishing off the workout with some push ups, yoga and stretching.

Back to the beach... :o)

6th Day of Training

6th "Training" RUN - no path or car-free area outside so used the hotel treadmill

• Day Count: 28 days until race day
• Mile Count: 3; ran 2 straight and then did 10 30 sec sprints at varying inclines and speeds, finished off jogging the rest of the 3rd mile
• Time Count: First 2 completed in 19:15
• Puke Count:  zero, usually avoid puking when running inside

5th Day of Training

Agility drills for 50 minutes yesterday...sore today


In St Thomas for the rest of the week so may be MIA.... 

4th Day of Training

4th "Training" RUN

• Day Count: 31 days until race day
• Mile Count: 4; link to map depicting our course-http://bit.ly/MBG68U
• Time Count:  quick pace, most likely in the 7:35 per mile range 
• Puke Count:  2x, 2 hills
• Wii Mii:  Better balance at first, but then got destroyed by the peripheral vision game
• Wii Age:  Initially, 39, tonight, 44 -- UGH!
• Body: I feel ok, not so good with the ChiRunning techniques today, but the tension in my neck and shoulders is gone so I'll take that as a good sign
• Mind: Starting to have a slight panic attack over the fact that my second leg starts off with a 2 mile incline..oh, and this leg will be run in the middle of the night in pitch black darkness!!!  I foresee several pit stops to puke, a potential bear chase or attack, Jeepers Creepers jumping out and kidnapping me, and various other horrifying scenarios.  Damn my vivid, wild imagination!

**Link to complete description and map of leg 22 -- http://www.hoodtocoast.com/files/course_leg_22.pdf

This just in...

The first leg I will be running is leg 10 -- description below

3rd Day of Training

3rd "Training" RUN -- w/ my roommate

• Day Count:  32 days until race day
• Mile Count:  3.71; Also did some hill sprints, on gravel and grass
• Time Count:  7:24 average per mile pace, roomie kicked my butt and kept me moving
• Puke Count:  Once, not much food in system
• Body: Hot in the sun and hilly at times; ran 3.71 and then walked the rest of the way home --feeling a lot of tension in my shoulders and neck while running and think it's because my posture and form is incorrect
• Mind:  Concerned that I won't figure out the Chi Running form and breathing before the race

Map of Entire Course

2nd Day of Training

2nd "Training" RUN

• Day Count: 34 days until race day
• Mile Count: 3 total; 2 outside and 1 on treadmill
• Time Count:  Pretty slow (9:30 pace), humidity was definitely a factor 
• Puke Count:  zero, but I hadn't eaten anything for 5 hours
• Wii Me:  Did not test
• Body: Feeling some tightness in hamstrings, specifically on left side -- came home and did a Comcast workout called "Yoga for Athletes" to try and release some of the tension
• Mind: A bit nervous -- tried incorporating ChiRunning posture and breathing techniques during workout and then again before bed

Breakdown of all 36 legs

1st Training Day

1st "Training" RUN

• Day Count:  35 days until race day
• Mile Count:  Just under 5
• Time Count:  Watch was on the fritz, but probably averaged out to 9:15 per mile
• Puke Count:  3x
• Wii Me:  Deemed "unbalanced"
• Body:  Feeling good/energized, not too sore
• Mind:  Overall positive

Slightly Nervous, Still Puking

ITS OFFICIAL!!!  As of July 19th, I purchased my flights from IAD (Dulles, Virginia) to PDX (Portland, Oregon) for the 31st Annual Hood To Coast Relay, and paid my $110 towards the cost of the team van and hotel room...yep, I'm officially starting to schvitz!!  Not only is this the longest relay in the world (200 miles to be exact), but also something completely foreign to me.  I'm an athlete with fast twitch muscles who literally vomits every single time I run outside (yes, it's weird and probably TMI, but it's part of who I am as a runner and therefore, important to note in this blog).  Plus, if I can't laugh about it, well, then it would just be downright depressing.


What I experience is a "puke and rally" type of response, except without the enjoyment of drinking beforehand.  Ever since two a day preseason practices for high school Field Hockey, long-distance jaunts or timed runs (damn that timed mile), have resulted in a brief stop, turn, and up-chuck, regardless of any contents in my stomach.  I realize that this reaction has most likely become an unfortunate habit which I have come to expect each time I don my workout gear and lace up my Asics.  Maybe I have an aversion to running which is manifested by a physical response?  My body's way of telling me it prefers zumba or yoga to the oxygen-depleting action of carrying my ass uphill.  Whatever the culprit, I have yet to find a cure. 


So, we have established that I am going to be competing in the world's longest relay, on the west coast, amidst 13,000 other runners and starting at an altitude of 6,000+.  Not to mention, I'll be running farther and faster than ever before in order to help keep the team per mile average under a 9:45 pace.  Despite these odds and the obvious excuses I could make (I puke every time I run, I only have a month to train, I have poor running form and therefore bad feet and knees, etc), I choose to suck it up and go for it!  What do I have to lose? Other than my breakfast, lunch and dinner, of course ;p)

*In the case of sheer curiosity, and in my opinion, WAY too much time on your hands, feel free to peruse the race website ... http://www.hoodtocoast.com/