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Tag Archives: wellness

Training: Building Fitness and 10ks

May 13, 2019 By in Running, Training Tags: , , , , , , , 3 Comments
Training: Building Fitness and 10ks

Last weeks training was good. I got what I wanted for the week.  Over the summer, I plan to race as much as possible to get back into shape. That’s what I did when I set my 5k PR several years ago. I want to keep racing until I’m back in shape. I personally find I’m able to push myself harder in races versus workouts.

Monday: Easy 60 minutes
Swim 3000 meters
Tuesday: Easy 60 minutes
Swim 3000 meters
Wednesday: 3X1 mile averaging 6:30 pace
Thursday: 3000-meter swim
Friday: Easy 60 minutes
Saturday: Cape May 10k (42:35) Total miles with warmup/cooldown 10
Sunday: Long Run 12 miles averaging 7:58 pace (last 3 miles 7:08, 7:01, 6:56)

Thoughts:

After a rough Spring and putting the effort in, and not getting anywhere I’ve finally committed mentally to building back fitness. When I start trying to build back speed, I’m usually faster, so this feels as though I have a long way to go, especially considering Spring didn’t go my way.

My easy runs were just that, easy. There is never much more to say about them.

Workout Wednesday: 3X 1 mile (averaging 6:30 pace) with 2 minutes rest in between:

This was my first-speed workout in about a month. I intentionally took time off to allow my body some rest from hard workouts. It felt challenging, but I’m happy with my effort and getting back out there.

Swimming:

As most people know by now, I’ve been getting back into the pool more. I still plan to swim throughout the summer. I was a competitive swimmer through college, and it seems like a different lifetime ago. I’m having fun in the pool right now because I can mindlessly stare at the black line for about an hour. I can’t compare myself to previous fitness levels because there is no way I’ll get back in the pool for 10,000-14,000 meters 5X a week as we did in college (yes that’s 2-4 hours most days).

Cape May 10k: (42:35)

This pace was slower than my 10-mile pace at Broad Street. I have struggled to get the turnover in my legs faster recently. It feels as though my body as one pace for hard efforts and that is between 6:45-6:55.

This is another personal worst in recent years, but as I said on Instagram, my goal is to show up at races. The good, bad, ugly, I’ll be there. I still had a great time with friends, and I’m happy to have done it.

 

Long Run: 12 miles averaging 7:58 pace

My long run on Sunday felt better than my race on Saturday. My last 3 miles of my long run were 7:08, 7:01, 6:56. My last 3 miles of my 10k the day before were 6:58, 7:01, 7:01). Somewhat comical but that’s how the legs felt. I would have loved to run better at the race, but it wasn’t in the cards. I didn’t set out to run that fast, but it was motivational that I felt better for my long run.  

Posts from the Week:

Broad Street 10 Miler (1:07.35) 

Hiking Parker Loop at High Point State Park

Aftershokz Headphone Review

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. This week I talked about the differences between social media runners and running specialty.  In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are often giveaways as well as discount codes.

Questions for you:

How do you get your turnover faster?

What is something you struggle with in running? Long runs? Easy runs? Workouts?

 

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Broad Street 10 Miler (1:07.35)

May 10, 2019 By in Running Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment
Broad Street 10 Miler (1:07.35)

Every year at Broad Street brings a new challenge. This year was the least amount I’ve run, and I was in the worst fitness I’ve been in going into the race. Worst, shouldn’t be read as a bad thing as I’ve been enjoying other things such as hiking and swimming.

I knew I wasn’t going to be anywhere close to the 1:01-1:05 I’ve run every other year, but that was okay.  My dad drove up as he likes the race as well. This year, the weather was pouring rain. It never stopped, and in fact miles, 8-10 rained harder. It was warm rain, so it was mentally difficult to decide if I wore a jacket or not. Ultimately, I did, and I’m still not sure it was the best idea.  Although with the wind, I know without a jacket I would have been cold.

We got to the stadium around 6 am. Broad Street is a 10-mile race straight down Broad Street, so you have to take transportation up. With 40,000 people it’s imperative to be early. We made it up to the start line by 7 am. Once we got out, it was pouring rain. Like a significant race, you have to wait around. So we waited around for an hour. It was cold and rainy.

Broad Street Run 2019 dad and i

Finally, I found my way to the corral around 7:50. I had an elite bib, but I hadn’t run anywhere close to a time to qualify me there for about 8-9 months. I wasn’t going to start there and started right at the front of the purple coral. Purple was for anyone who wanted to go 1:05-1:10. I ran the Garden State 10 Miler in 1:08.30 so this seemed like the best bet.

Broad Street Run 2019

“Act as awkward as possible”
Me: Ok

Finally, we were off. I hadn’t started around purple before so it was a new experience being bumper to bumper with everyone for the first mile. You literally can’t move in any direction but straight.

The first mile went off without any note. I ran a 6:40 and I felt decent. My legs felt stiff. They didn’t feel ready to run hard, but I felt like I could run faster than the last 10 Miler.

Mile 2, I ran a 6:25. I was surprised it was that fast, but I was just running. It finally opened up, so I made more space to move.  Not that I was weaving around, but I wasn’t running on top of anyone.

I told myself to get to mile 3.  Then I would be 1/3 of the way there. I hit mile 3 in 6:38. It as too crowded for me to get any Gatorade, so I settled for water. I could have used electrolytes, but it is what it is.

The next two miles, I focused on getting to mile 5. Mile 5, is City Hall and brings a change of scenery. You run around City Hall and continue around Broad Street. It breaks it up, and by the time you’re through it, you’re nearly at mile 6.

In the last three weeks, I’ve run less, and I’ve only run 10 miles once. Most of my runs have been 6 miles, and I haven’t done anything fast since the Atlantic City Half. So it would make sense that at mile 6, I felt like I hit a bunch of bricks.

I ran a 6:56 and 6:51 and just kept telling myself to get to the finish line. By mile 8, I told myself only 15 more minutes.

I knew one of my closest friends, Shawn, would be hanging around mile 9 and I wanted to be able to see her. Suddenly, I did! Instead of just waving like an average person, I slid over and high fived her. Maybe it cost me a few seconds, but I was over it.

We went under the Navy Yard banner at 9.75 and just powered to the finish. I crossed in 1:07.35.

Thoughts:

I won’t say I’m thrilled with the time, as it’s over 2 minutes slower than any other Broad Street I’ve run. That being said, I haven’t been in the same shape, so I’m not surprised either. It’s starting my racing back into fitness. This summer I decided I’m going to run a lot of races and get back into fitness that way.

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are often giveaways as well as discount codes.

Questions for you:

Have you run a 10 Mile Race? 

What is your favorite distance? 

 

April Training

May 2, 2019 By in Running, Training Tags: , , , , , , 8 Comments
April Training

April was April.

I didn’t plan to take an entire week off from running, but then it happened.

I’ve talked to many people about it but running this Spring didn’t come together for me. I never got anywhere close to my PRs, and my training was inconsistent.  I still ran and consistently ran 1:30 half marathons from Carlsbad, to Shamrock, to Atlantic City.

I can look back and see why: I was mentally tired, plus I wasn’t doing all of the little things to gain fitness. Truthfully I felt like I didn’t have a goal except “get faster.” Well, that never happened, and when I crossed the Atlantic City finish line, I knew I needed a change. So I took a week off from running and refound the pool.

There are maybe two people that have been reading my blog since it’s birth in 2010 when I still swam. In fact, the original name for this blog was LOLZthatswim then LOLZthatswim(andrun) and now just FueledbyLOLZ.

The first LOLZ header in 2010.

Anyway, The later half of April was precisely what I needed: a change. I started getting into the pool and swimming. It isn’t tough to compare myself to my previous self. I used to compete in the mile for swimming, and now when I swim a mile in 28 minutes, I feel like I’m “crushing it.” The best example of that is thinking that you once ran a 5k in 18 minutes, but now you run it in 28 minutes.  There is nothing wrong with either, but it’s just different from what you’re used too.

That’s the difference. Swimming is so new again because I’ve taken a decade off. When I swim competitively, we didn’t use GPS watches to track laps; it was all in your mind!

And no, I have no interest in doing a tri. I don’t enjoy cycling.

Miles Run: 150ish 

Range of Pace: 6:06-10:40-untimed

Rest Days: 10 (does not include days I “just” swam). 

Swimming Days: 6 (12,000 meters total)

Next Month:

As I type this up on May 1st, I feel a strange feeling of wanting to run and train again. I haven’t felt that since NYCM. I’m putting together a racing schedule, but I want to run a lot of races and race my way back into fitness. That is what ultimately led me to my 5k PR. I just kept racing and slowly layered speed workouts on top of each other. I may not reach that fitness again, but I do want to try.

I’m also traveling a lot next month for weddings and to see my family. It’s going to be a hectic month on all fronts.

Posts from the Month:

Shoes:

Hoka One One Speedgoat Midi Shoe Review

Reebok Floatride Run Fast Pro

Altra Escalante 1.5 Shoe Review

Running:

The Difference Between Runners and Non-Runners

Hiking:

Hiking Watchung Reservation

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are often giveaways as well as discount codes.

Questions for you:

How was your April?

What is one goal you have for May?

 

Training: Swimming and Running

April 29, 2019 By in Running, Training Tags: , , , , , 6 Comments
Training: Swimming and Running

Over the past two weeks, I’ve been getting in the pool…a lot. My goal last week was to get 6000 meters, and I did over three swim sessions. This Spring my running never came together as I hoped, so instead, I’ve resorted back to the pool. I don’t know how long I’ll continue to log the mileage, but I’m enjoying it for now which is all that matters.

Monday: Run 60 minutes
Tuesday: Swim 2000 meters
Wednesday: Run 60 minutes/Swim 2000 meters
Thursday: Run 60 minutes
Friday: Swim 2000 meters
Saturday: Easy run with Alexis
Sunday: 10 miles average 8:06 pace

Thoughts:

My running last week was easy minus a harder effort long run. I originally was signed up for a race (yes I lost the entry fee) but life came up, and I couldn’t make it. I made the best of it and got a long run in later. The long run was a harder effort, and I had several miles under 8. It was my longest run in the last two weeks.

As far as actual running goes, I’m trying to ease back into running after last week off. It was hard for me not to do a speed workout on Wednesday, but I reminded myself (multiple times) that it would be dumb to do that.

Swimming:

Last week I made it my goal to get 6000 meters of swimming in for the week. Way back in college days, we would do 6000-7000 meters per practice! I was proud of myself accomplishing that. I swam my fastest pool mile in quite some time (28 minutes). I’m going to keep swimming until I don’t enjoy it anymore. I don’t know when that will be, but I’m going to keep doing it for now.

Next week:

I plan to ease back into mileage. I am running the Broad Street 10 miler next weekend. I’m far off from the 1:02, I ran last year, but I always enjoy myself at that race. It will be nice to see family and friends.  I didn’t plan to take two weekends off from racing, but my life schedule has been unforgiving lately. It’s been a busy month for both my husband and myself and running has taken a backseat.

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter?

It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are giveaways, coupon codes, and more. 

Posts from the Week:

 Hiking Watchung Reservation

Hoka One One Speedgoat Midi Shoe Review

Questions for you:

What is something you did before running?

How was your week of workouts?  

Training Last Week: Two Miles of Running

April 22, 2019 By in Running, Training Tags: , , , , , 5 Comments
Training Last Week: Two Miles of Running

Last week, I ran 2 miles. I’m not hurt or injured, but I didn’t feel like running. After the Atlantic City Half Marathon on Sunday, I needed a break from running. It didn’t go well, and I had no desire to run. On Monday I woke up and said eh maybe tomorrow. Tuesday I said, perhaps tomorrow…

Monday: 2000 meter swim
Tuesday: Hour Hike
Wednesday: 2-mile run/hike with Alexis
Thursday: 2050 meter swim
Friday: 2000 meter swim
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 13.4-mile hike at High Point State Park

Thoughts:

Spring never came together for me. I showed up and showed up and showed up. I ran hard workouts, I ran hard races, but other things got in the way. Life was busy and often mentally draining.  No big deal, but it played a role in my running. My Spring season isn’t mainly done, and I have plenty of races but will I run anywhere close to a 1:22 or even 1:25 this Spring, probably not. Rebuilding seasons are essential, and I know the rest will do me well.

So anyway, after the Atlantic City Half I decided I wanted to take a couple of days off. A couple of days turned into mostly a week (with 2 miles on Wednesday) because it was so beautiful.

Swimming:

The white elephant in the room…OMG, I went swimming. Yes, the rumors are true. As many people know, I grew up a swimmer (You can read my “growing up story” here). I swam competitively through high school and college. It was fun. I decided to get in the pool for the first time in a long time.

Back in my day (LOL), we didn’t have GPS watches to count laps and meters, so it was a new experience for me to have a watch that does it all. It’s so cool to see splits from each lap. I’m enjoying swimming. I don’t know how long I’ll swim and keep it up, but I’m enjoying it now. I swim 2000 meters straight.  I’m enjoying how I put my face into the water and don’t talk or know anything for about 45 minutes.

swimming me

13.4 Mile Hike:

This was one of our longest hikes yet. We’ve never been to High Point. We woke up early and treked along. It was a fun loop because there every mile was different from stream crossings to rain, to climbing up to the top. It was a lot of fun.  As it gets into the Spring and Summer, I’m looking forward to adding more hiking into my week (when time permits).

hiking high point state park me

Next Week:

The last week has been a nice break from running. I am going to start running again.  I think I’ll probably swim some too. I joined a gym and have at least a one month contract so might as well use it.

Posts from the Week:

Guide to Vital Proteins Products

April Fools Half Marathon (1:30.30)

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter?

It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. This week I’m talking about recovery!

Questions for you:

When was your last running break?

What is something you did growing up but not anymore? 

 

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