Ketchup Post

Catching up on a few things I haven't had a chance to blog in the past couple weeks....

5K PR Watch

I made another attempt to achieve a new 5K PR at the 2nd Merrell Summer Series 5K on 8/28.  It was in the 80's and very humid that evening. I think they tried to help us ignore the heat by using race bibs leftover from the Polar Bear Run, but they didn't really help.I carried water with me since there were no water stops in the 1st race, but I still struggled through the heat and slowed down rather than sped up.  I'm okay with that, though. A lot of the reading I've been doing lately has said to run by feel, not by pace or speed.  So when it's hot and the run takes more effort, it's okay to slow down.  I'm still working hard and getting the benefits of that conditioning. As always, I had a lot of fun running with my friends from the Indy Women's Fall Training group.  And got a bonus t-shirt! Carmel Road Racing Group was giving away old race shirts to people who had preregistered.  Everyone knows how much I love Christmas, so I'm sure it's no surprise I picked this 5Ks of Christmas shirt.

 

I Am A Spartan

One of my friends told me about the Spartan Workout Tour, a free group workout designed to teach you how to train for a Spartan Race.  I've never done a Spartan Race - they look pretty hard core - but the workout was free and included a free t-shirt. So how could I say no?

We checked in, were given our shirts, wristbands, and a ticket for a drawing for a free Spartan Race entry.  We could get one more ticket for doing 10 burpees.  I was feeling pretty energetic so I knocked them out.  I was surprisingly one of very few who did. We were told to stretch & warm up while we waited, so I went through my lunge matrix & walked briskly around the grounds. That's when it hit me that I really belong.  I am an athlete.  No one is more surprised at that than I am.  I used to feel odd & out of place waiting around like that, never really sure what to do.  But I don't feel that way anymore. 

The workout was super challenging. It was outside, it was raining at the start, and there is a very large steep hill right by the field we worked out in, so we did lots of hill sprints.  Burpees & hill sprints.  Push-ups & hill sprints.  Squats & hill sprints.  Hill sprints & planks.  A variation of a burpee called the hell raiser burpee. Leg raises & mountain climbers. Bear crawls up the hill, burpees at the top, & backwards bear crawls down the hill. Two hours of this on Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend.  And I thought it was fun.  Two years ago I could not have made it through a workout like that.  Now I can not only do it, but I enjoy it.  

Apparently in a Spartan Race, if you can't complete an obstacle you have to do 30 burpees. With push-up. And your chest has to touch the ground for it to count. I still can't do that, but I'm working on it. Of course the real point is to do the burpees in your workouts, so you don't have to do them in the Race. Not sure yet if I want to do a Spartan Race, but I'm definitely thinking about it for next year.

And if you have a chance to do the free Spartan Workout (tour schedule here), I definitely recommend it.  The instructors & volunteers were all great! They really took the time to make sure we were working out using the correct form.  And they were just the right mix between encouraging & pushing us.  I would do it again next year if they come back to Indy.

 

Rest Weekend

Laura: this is resting

While Laura may not know the meaning of "rest", I certainly do.  I didn't run at all this weekend.  I ran 3 miles on Thursday with my training group but I haven't run since.  I wasn't a complete slug.  Saturday we had our fall work day at church, so I spent a couple of hours there weeding the hosta beds. Today I weeded our front yard at home, and did some cleaning upstairs.

It feels a little weird not to have run, but I also feel rested, healthy, & refreshed.  I'm ready to get back at it this week, and excited to run the Hendricks County Half Marathon again this Saturday!  Last year this race was my first half marathon - you can read that recap here - and I'm looking forward to seeing how I do this year.  Of course I'm already stalking the weather forecast: low 47 high 64 mostly sunny 0% chance of rain.  That sounds perfect! I hope it turns out to be correct.

 

Birthdays Galore

Birthday goobers

Since I'm posting this on September 8th, I have to say happy birthday to both baby sis Cynthia, and my baby Josh.