First Indoor Track Meet

Run 1: 2.5 mile w/u + strides, stretching3k race in 10:201+ mile c/d + stretchingRun 2: 1.5 mile w/u + strides, stretching800m race in 2:3x?2 mile c/dTotal: 9.5-10 milesWell. This was quite the experience. First indoor track meet ever, first track meet since high school (which we all know was a loooong time ago), first time to race the 3k. As I mentioned before, Jeff just wanted me to use this meet as a solid workout effort and an opportunity to get a feel for racing on an indoor track (or, furthermore, for racing at all). I had no idea what to...

Read More

East Tennessee State University

AM: 59 mins.8 milesPM: 27 mins. + strides, stretching~3.5 milesMy morning run found me touring familiar territory in Freedom Park and on the bike path before the team embarked for the Niswonger Invitational at East Tennessee State University. The school is located in Johnson City, TN (wherever that is), and was roughly a three hour drive from Charlotte.We arrived at the meet site just after 5pm and set up camp inside the stadium. I've never been...

Read More

Freedom Park Double

AM: 73 min.10 milesPM: 4 milesOverall the legs felt much improved from yesterday, which is a relief considering I will run my first track race in roughly 36 hours. The air was cool and crisp and the sun shined brightly all day, so both of my outings were quite pleasant. For my longer run I basically ran down the greenway to Freedom Park, ran three big loops and then returned the way I came. The third loop started to get monotonous, but the park is still enough of a novelty to be enjoyable so I didn't mind.In the afternoon Jeff and I moved most...

Read More

Heavy Legs

AM: 58 mins.8 milesPM: 10 mins. active stretching15 mins. coreI picked Jess up at school around 9am and drove us out to McAlpine for an easy recovery run. Both of us were feeling pretty banged up from yesterday, and by the last few miles I was hurting in a serious way. I don't think it would've felt any better if we'd run 9-minute pace; that's how bad I was feeling. Thank goodness I had some company or else I would've probably scrapped this run after two miles. We did plenty of stretching afterward and I followed it up with some of Blake's stretches...

Read More

I Hate it When I Can't Think of a Title

AM: 3 milesPM: 2 mile w/uTarget: 1 mile @6:20 w/3:00 rest; 12x300 w/100 jog cut down 61, 59, 57; 8x100m strides @17 secsActual: 6:02, 12x300 w/100 jog for total 3 miles in 18:17; 8x100 strides hard1.5 mile c/dTotal: 8 milesThe track workout this afternoon was unlike anything I've done recently, in that it sort of combined a tempo-like mentality with bursts of shorter (and harder) efforts. The first mile was prescribed in 6:20 but 90-second quarters...

Read More

Return to Oz

AM: 4 miles~20 mins. corePM: 59 mins.+ strides (2x150, 4x30, 2x100)8+ milesThere's no better way to start the day than to drag your butt out of bed for morning practice, only to discover about 20 minutes too late that it's been canceled. Turns out that because "Jeff from cross country is our biggest problem" or some similar reason, Scott wasn't allowed to get the keys to the room where we do our morning core routine. Awesome. Since Tanya and I were already at school before sunrise we decided to go ahead and bang out our morning run. I was a good...

Read More

Week in Review

78 miles2 core sessions3 new pairs of Oxy Socks12 fast food sandwiches consumed (only one by me)6 days until my first track meetI'm pretty sure I said this last Sunday, but this definitely caps off my best week of training in quite some time. I kept the mileage at a comfortable level while still getting in three reasonably hard efforts. The 2x3 mile on Friday was the highlight of the week, although finishing up today's long run with a bit of pep in my step was also a pleasant surprise. I had a blast hanging out with Jeff and Blake all week and...

Read More

Lucky 13

90 mins.13 milesSolid long run this morning with Tanya at McAlpine. We started out a bit slower than last week, somewhere in the neighborhood of 7:20, and kept things slightly above 7-minute pace for the first half of the run. During the second half we gradually, almost unnoticeably, started tightening things down, and by the time we passed the 9-mile mark we were clipping along just over 6:40 pace. Tanya wasn't feeling her best and I was feeling...

Read More

Hitting the Books

AM: 49 mins.6.5 miles25 mins. poolPM: Homework?!?!This morning I enjoyed a recovery run with Blake down the bike path and through Freedom Park. The pace and conversation flowed naturally, and the run almost ended too quickly. Blake leaves Monday to head back to Colorado Springs and I gotta say, I'm gonna miss this kid. He and I hit it off pretty much instantly upon his arrival last Monday and have spent a solid amount of quality time together throughout the week. It's rare to genuinely call someone a friend after knowing them for such a short time,...

Read More

"Jeff From Cross Country is Our Biggest Problem"

AM: 3 milesPM: ~2.5 mile w/uTarget: 2x3 mile w/4:00 rest; first set @6:10, second set @6:00 or fasterActual: 17:55 (5:52, 6:03, 6:00); 17:46 (5:50, 6:03, 5:53)~1.5 mile c/dTotal: 10 milesThe title of this post actually refers to a sign I read this morning while visiting Campus Police with Tanya to update our ID cards. I noticed a piece of paper posted on the filing cabinet that could be paraphrased as the following:"The dance studio keys and pool keys are to be given out by appointment only. Coaches should have photo ID to check these keys out....

Read More

I Can't Stop Eating

AM: 73 mins.10 milesPM: 4 milesThe weather was absolutely beautiful this morning, mid 30s with a light breeze and plenty of sunshine. I rocked the Oxysocks as part of a fabulous mismatched outfit today and felt pretty good about myself. Blake joined me for about half of the run, as he was looking to get in a longer effort this afternoon, so we ran from Jeff's down the pike bath to Freedom Park and did one loop before heading back. I dropped him off near the entrance to the apartment complex, then turned around and basically replicated our loop...

Read More

Fast Food Nation

AM: 20 mins. core25 mins. poolPM: 59 mins.8 milesAnother early morning core routine, this time followed by a team session in the pool. I'll be honest, I don't really love it in there, and not just because it makes my hair frizzy. I actually find it pretty monotonous. Jeff tries to keep things upbeat by incorporating fartlek-type efforts throughout, which definitely helps. Overall though I'm not a huge fan.In the early afternoon Blake and I met Tanya and Sean for an easy run at McAlpine. I was sporting a new pair of Oxysocks courtesy of Jeffrey,...

Read More

Snow Day...Sort Of

AM: 3 milesPM: 3 mile w/uTarget: 12x400 @78-80 w/1 min. restActual: 77, 79, 79, 80, 78, 79, 79, 78, 79, 77, 78, 772 mile c/dTotal: 8 milesJust as I'd hoped, I awoke this morning to a beautiful dusting of snow and ice on the ground and classes canceled for the day at Queens. Unfortunately they just canceled daytime classes, which meant I still had to attend my first day of school tonight, but nonetheless it lent a festive atmosphere to the inauguration...

Read More

Running with People is Fun

AM: ~20 mins. core4 milesPM: 58 mins. + strides8 milesAfter a fun night out bowling with Sean, Tanya, Jeff and Paula last night (and yes I did break 100 in two out of our three games), I met the team this morning for their usual Monday core workout. Immediately following, Tanya and I took in a relaxed jaunt along a route that is commonly known in Charlotte as the "booty loop," which primarily follows the streets and neighborhoods in the Myers Park area adjacent to Queens. According to Jeff, this is called the booty loop in part because it is frequented...

Read More

Week in Review

78-79 miles900 trips up and down the stairs1 new car1 discarded futonThis was a pretty chaotic week, but a solid block of training nonetheless. I'm pretty excited to have some new training partners, including but not limited to Jeff (as long as it's less than 8 miles) and Tanya (until she kicks it into another gear and leaves me behind). Seriously though, being in Charlotte in an environment that's completely focused on my training is huge. I know...

Read More

McAlpine Long Run

86 mins.12.5 milesThis morning was my first long run at McAlpine with the team, and I was hoping to get in a hard effort. I know Tanya likes to keep a pretty brisk pace on her long runs, so my goal was to stick with her for as long as possible. We took things out at just under 7-minute pace and never really backed off from there.With the way the trails are set up at McAlpine, the best way to do a run of this length was to run from our parking lot to the start of the Footlocker South course (2 miles), run the course three times (15k, but cutting...

Read More

Green Lightning Driving

62-63 mins.8-8.5 milesThis morning I took in a recovery jaunt with Jeffrey from his pad. He bested his previous 5-mile record run by putting in a solid 7 miles today. We jogged down to the now familiar Freedom Park via the Sugar Creek greenway and put in a few laps on the bike path. On one out and back section he stopped for a stretching break (clearly I was absolutely destroying him), so I put in about 10 minutes solo before rejoining him. Temps...

Read More

13 Feels Like 3

AM: 3 milesPM: 2 mile w/uTarget: 6 mile tempo; first 3 @ 6:20 then cut down to 6:00Actual: 6:17, 6:23, 6:16, 6:13, 6:10, 6:03~1.5 mile c/dTotal: 9.5 milesThe title of this post obviously refers to the weather in Charlotte today, which Jeff says is the coldest day he can remember here. I know many of my fellow bloggers are enduring conditions even worse than this, but as a born and bred Southern belle I can say without hesitation that this is about...

Read More

Please Forgive Me, Jilane

AM: ~20-25 mins. core60 mins.8 milesThis morning I met more girls on the team at our 7am core session in the campus fitness center. It was absolutely freezing outside--though not as cold as Jordan's 5 degrees, so I suppose I shouldn't complain--and the walk from the parking lot to the fitness center was brutal. So was the workout, for that matter. It's one of those things that didn't feel at all difficult at the time but worked some underused muscles,...

Read More

Gone to Carolina

AM: 37-38 mins.5 milesPM: 60 mins.~8.5 milesWell, this was a long day. It began with Jeffrey and I awaking to the freezing temperature in my house, which gives you an idea of how cold it was outside. We decided to go for a quick jog before loading clothes and miscellaneous items into his truck in hopes that the run would warm us up enough to make things tolerable. We were wrong.The run itself was decent--and, more notably, Jeff's longest run in approximately...

Read More

Everything Must Go

AM: 31 mins.4 milesPM: 46 mins.6+ milesI was out the door early this morning to put in a few minutes on my feet before the moving pod arrived. The company said I should expect it between 9am and 2pm, a time frame that was oh so helpful, but just in case they arrived at 9 on the dot I wanted to be ready. As it turns out, they came shortly after 10, and from there my day was thrown into a whirlwind. Pack a box, take it downstairs, put it by the pod,...

Read More

Manic Monday

AM: 59 mins.~8 milesPM: 38 mins. + strides, drills5 milesToday could be summed up as packing with a few bursts of running in between. Oh, and throwing things away. You would think that someone who moved a mere six months ago wouldn't have that much useless crap. You'd be wrong. At some point you lose sentimentality and realize you're never, ever going to wear that leather cross necklace you hand wove during 6th grade church camp and you move on with your life.But I digress. The running today was fine. Legs were a bit fatigued, in equal parts from...

Read More

Week in Review

80 miles1 delay at O'Hare3 people to keep me company on my long run98 trips to and from the dumpsterFor a week that started out sniffly and lethargic, this unexpectedly blossomed into my best bout of training in a very long time. I got in a solid set of doubles during the week, did plenty of strides and drills, surprised myself with my track workout on Friday and capped off the weekend with a solid two hour run on my feet. I'm starting to actually feel confident in my fitness--both in where it's at right now and in its potential--and I'm coming...

Read More

Farewell Group Run

120 mins.15-16 milesI had a fabulous long run today with Jim, Meredith and Ashley at the river. Ashley picked me up at 8:30 to carpool for the drive, and we met the other two just before 9:00. Ashley was attempting her longest run ever and I realized this would be my longest run since MCM (sad, I know), so we all agreed to keep the pace slow and easy. We embarked on a circuitous route that kind of took us everywhere--started out on the flat loop,...

Read More

I Should Be Packing

60 mins.8 milesI took this run nice and easy, a result of yesterday's workout and last night's outing with Jennie and Ashley to Neighbor's. Surprisingly my legs felt pretty bouncy and fresh despite the speed workout, so I enjoyed this jaunt through the Emory campus and Lullwater Park. Hopefully this trend will continue for my long run tomorrow and hopefully I won't have any mishaps like Jilane.The rest of the day was spent procrastinating packing for my move that's set to take place in, oh, four days. To anyone in Atlanta who's reading this, I'll...

Read More

Fast Times at Grady High

AM: 4 milesPM: 16 min. w/u (2 miles)Target: 8x800 @2:55 w/2 min. restActual: 2:56, 2:54, 2:52, 2:52, 2:53, 2:52, 2:49, 2:4516 min. c/d (2 miles)Total: ~8.5 milesI don't known if it was the gallon of coffee I drank at Panera, or perhaps the panic induced by learning that my landlord found someone to move into my place in five days, but for whatever reason I was itching to get out the door for my afternoon run. Since I'm feeling almost 100% recovered from my cold, I decided to attempt Tuesday's track workout. The wind finally died down and the sun...

Read More

Oh Crap I Forgot a Title

AM: 4 miles + strides, drillsPM: 62 mins.8+ milesI was slated to meet Meredith this morning for a reunion run of sorts down at the river, but she had a fitful night of sleep and decided to postpone. She had the day off work so we agreed to meet around 4pm. Since I now had the morning free, I decided it would be prudent to put in a few easy miles. I suppose I could've gone off in search of this guy's house, since apparently he lives in my neighborhood...maybe...

Read More

Feels Like Oklahoma

AM: 31 mins.4 milesPM: 60 mins.8 milesWhile Jilane was getting up before daybreak to crank out her 12-mile workout (and no doubt my dad was already done with his run and second breakfast by the time she finished her warmup), I was busy sleeping in for the second day in a row and justifying it because I'm sick. I mean, I am still sick, but in reality I figured I might as well sleep in since I have absolutely nothing to do in Atlanta right now except sit around and wait.Anyhow, when I finally did get around to running today I was greeted by some...

Read More

All By Myself

AM: 4 milesPM: 57 mins + strides, drills~8 milesAfter a delayed flight and, consequently, late arrival back to the ATL last night I was understandably sluggish this morning. Add to that my burgeoning cold, which I first noticed Sunday and is now raging, and I was in a pretty sad state. Oh, and it was warm and muggy and drizzly and gross outside. Yucko bucko. All this meant I didn't get out the door until well after 10 for my morning run.In the afternoon I was supposed to work out, but I was too runny/stuffy/sneezy to seriously consider it. On the...

Read More

Until Next Time, San Diego

61 mins.8 milesJordan and I woke up fairly early this morning to finish/start packing for our respective return trips home. I can't believe our entire 10-day stay in California is already over and I must admit I was feeling quite sad as I organized my suitcase. Once we had most of our belongings situated we headed out the door for our final run in Balboa Park. We meandered around in the upper portion for a while before taking a new route on the sidewalk all the way to downtown San Diego. We passed within inches of San Diego High School and I suggested...

Read More

Week in Review

75-76 miles2 quality workouts4 different cities (Santa Rosa, Palm Springs, Brea, San Diego)3 entire days of Team MJ togetherness1 fantastic New Year's EveThis week was pretty much awesome. Not necessarily from a running perspective (although that wasn't bad either), but just having the opportunity to visit with so many great friends. Obviously I loved spending the entire week with Jordan and several consecutive days with Jilane, but I also enjoyed...

Read More

Balboa Park Long(ish) Run

88 mins.~12 milesWe awoke to a beautiful sunny morning in San Diego and headed over to Balboa Park to put in a longer effort. I had 15 on tap and was remarkably not sore from last night's drills, so I was hoping to complete the run fairly easily. Jordan planned on staying on his feet for another hour or so in order to bang out his longest run in his Austin Marathon training cycle, so we each packed a few GU's before heading out the door.Despite the auspicious beginning, I could tell after 30 minutes or so that my legs were pretty dead. I'm not...

Read More

I'm With Stupid

AM: 59 mins.8 milesPM: 4 miles, drillsFor our first run in San Diego, Jordan and I made plans to meet up with his college buddy Ryan Graddy at the Torrey Pines State Beach. Graddy's folks live just around the corner and he was quite familiar with the area. Jordy and I suited up and left Hillcrest around 8:30 to make the ~20 minute drive up north. The day was surprisingly dreary and blustery and I was already abandoning all thoughts of laying out...

Read More

Santa Ana Bike Path Tempo

22 min. w/u (~3 miles)Target: 6 mile tempo @6:20Actual: 6:23, 6:33, 6:26, 6:18, 6:18, 6:1015 min. c/d (2 miles)Total: 11 milesJilane, Jordan and I woke up at her parents' house in Brea and were greeted with a dense, pea soup-y fog that refused to lift. We debated heading out the door several times throughout the morning, but kept delaying it due to hunger/fog/laziness. We finally hopped in the car around 12:30 and drove out to a flat, measured bike path that Jilane thought would be a good location for a hard effort.After an easy warmup and detour...

Read More

Happy New Year!

AM: 3+ miles~10 minute walkPM: 61 mins.8 milesMy first thought in the new year was, "Sweet Lord, every single part of my body hurts." My legs were throbbing from the drills/workout. Everything from my shoulders to arms to lower back was absolutely wasted from the Wii--no joke. And my head was a bit achy from one too many glasses of Brea's finest vino at the Yard House. All in all, I was in pretty rough shape.Thankfully neither Jordan nor Jilane were...

Read More