A story of going from being a non-runner to planning for a marathon in three years...

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A Fast Deal

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In an "I'm in denial that it can still be cold outside" moment I packed capris and a short sleeved shirt for my lunch time run yesterday. Thank goodness the sun was out and I definitely warmed up on our three mile jaunt, but standing at the corner waiting for the light to change before we started running I was COOOOOLD. It may be spring, but it's still nippy outside.

Even though all three of us women were complaining that we were sore from our various Monday night workouts we still pounded out three miles at just over a nine minute per mile pace.

Our splits?

Mile 1: 8:58
Mile 2: 9:21 (we stop to regroup at the 1.5 mile mark)
Mile 3: 8:54

Average pace: 9:05

We chatted about massages and racing and losing things only to have them come back to you in the strangest ways. I told the story about how my step-dad lost his iPhone while at an outdoor Christmas market in downtown Chicago and was frantically retracing his steps for it, but when I called it I found it out was being held in the beer tent. Someone had turned it in to the ladies manning the kegs. Phew!

We also talked a little bit about training and speedwork. I just found out on Monday night that my running group's track workout sessions start on May 5th. For $130 you meet every Wednesday from May 5th to October 6th at a local track where you run intervals with a local coach and former All-American college track runner. I saw them out there last year and it looked like they were working hard but having fun.

I'm thinking about doing it but I just don't know if I should when I'm training for my very first marathon. I don't really have a time goal for the marathon but I'd still like to run it the best I can. Plus, Wednesday nights are my favorite aerobics class! But, I always want to get faster and I know that speedwork will help. Plus, it comes out to like $5.45 a week. I can't think of a better deal! I guess this means I'm probably going to do it. I'll just have to apologize to my aerobics instructor :-) I'm sure that as a former Ironman triathlete he'll forgive me.

Speaking of deals, here are two giveaways in the blog world I'm interested in. They don't have to do with running but, hey, we all need to eat and we all need to wear clothes!

Holly is giving away coupons for free Greek yogurt in her Oikos giveaway.

And Jess is giving away a $50 Macy's gift card. Plus, she links you to an awesome time-wasting website where you can build outfits out of featured clothing items.

6 comments:

Lacey said...

hmmmm i don't think i would pay that much money. but if you have the $$ to spend on it, i would DO it. i wouldn't NOT do it b/c you are training for a marathon. i think it will make your training more enjoyable and keep you on track (lol). it's so easy to get complacent/bored in training, esp marathon training cuz it tends to be a long training plan. need things in there to keep it spicy :)

also your long run pace will feel that much easier compared to speed work.

Pining for Pinterest said...

The interval club sounds interesting! That would be something I would want to try, but I would need something a little cheaper.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the link back!

Wow - that definitely sounds like a deal. I mean, think of it this way - you pay the money now, but the things you'll learn will last forever. (Oh my, that sounds like it's from an after-school special....but you know what I mean!) I think the knowledge would be invaluable, especially if you're looking to get faster. I definitely think your aerobics teacher would forgive you!

Jess said...

Intervals can help with marathon training too! Sure, the general gist of marathon training is focusing on the long slow run on the weekend, but speedwork helps build a different kind of endurance, and Wed is a good day to do that in most training plans.

RunningLaur said...

For my phone when running, I use either an arm band or a spibelt. http://www.spibelt.com/
I'll probably do a follow-up post on this too, bc I had a bunch of questions! I've found it's a lot easier to take it in and out if I'm listening to music on my little shuffle and don't have to worry about the headphones. I also tend to leave it on the camera function after my first photo.

kilax said...

Oh gosh. It was so chilly on Tuesday! We went to that restaurant in the Art Museum (Terzo Piano) and it was so cold on the walk there. I thought of you and wondered if you were running!

The track workouts will be a lot of fun! You'll just have to be careful you are not overly speedy the rest of the week :) (in training for the full, so you don't get an injury, I mean)

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