As I mentioned yesterday, the year is flying by.
And while I’m not quite flying with it, I’m getting closer and closer every day.
I had some pretty lofty goals for the month. Let’s see how that worked out for me.
1. Log 65 miles.
Check out September’s total. Whoomp. There it is.
For the record, I started tracking my miles in February, and I had my surgery at the end of June, with recovery going through July. It’s kind of neat to see how i’ve progressed since then.
2. Pick up the pace.
Mmm…. Yeah. My pace has improved. Not by leaps and bounds, but a little. Yay, me.
3. Work out an in-run fueling routine.
Done. I am able to take a handheld bottle on a my longer runs, along with some honey-stingers. I don’t really drink a lot of the water, and I start taking the honey stingers after about 6 miles. One every mile or two. It seems to be working. However, I do generally need to take a bathroom break between miles 5.5 and 6.5, which is extremely annoying and inconvenient. Oh, well. It could be worse.
4. Figure out how to handle pre-race anxiety.
Working on it. I still have a few days.
Not entirely unimpressive, right?
October marks the beginning of my serious half-marathon training. I have two runs (one ten miler and one untimed color run) to get through, and then it’s on to building up my miles again for my very first half in December.
Without further ado, here are this month’s goals:
1. Log 75 miles. I will probably have more, but I’m not sure how things are going to go.
2. Build distance, then speed. Once I finish my Color Me Rad 5K, I am going to start increasing my long runs again. I left off at 11 miles, and I think I’m going to push for 15 as my longest. Maybe. It sounds like a good idea right now, but we’ll see how it goes. Once I know that I can hit 13, however, it’s time to start making those miles faster. I can do this.
3. Enjoy Tower of Terror. I’ve been really thinking about how this race is going to play out. I wasn’t sure if I was going to go for speed (or my interpretation of speed) or if I was going to just soak in the atmosphere and let the actual run go by the wayside. One thing that got me nervous is that I heard that there is a walking roadblock about halfway in. Unless you’re in the first batches of runners, there’s no way you’re getting through it. Kind of annoying, but I’m prepared to just take it as it comes and enjoy. If I see a photo op I want and the line won’t put me in danger of being swept, I’m going to go for it. It’s going to be a great race, and I’m going to be there with some amazing friends, so to sweat the small stuff seems silly.
4. Enjoy Color Me Rad. Are you noticing a theme here? Even though the Color Me Rad 5K will be an encore of my Daily’s 5K Stadium Challenge, with all the glory of the concourse ramps, I think it will be fun. I’m trying to figure out what to wear and how to take lots of photos without ruining my phone. Suggestions welcome.
5. Figure out a race for November. I am trending towards a race per month. I’d like to keep that going.
6. Help Mr PugRunner get his groove back. Like so many other, Mr PugRunner is experiencing a Runner Funk. I feel terrible about it, but I’m not entirely sure how to help him. He’s not excited about his race on Saturday and he’s not enjoying his training. He’s looking at a lot of different factors: his pace, his route, his routine, his shoes, his diet. He has asked me about incorporating compression socks, and has spent a lot of time reading online to see if he can find some solution to his problem. After much back and forth, he made the decision to take the rest of the week off, run on Saturday and return to the 5-10K training program next week. I’m thinking the variation of short and longer runs and speed work might help jumpstart his body into liking the sport again. Once again, if you have any advice, I’d love to hear it on his behalf.
How did you do on your September goals?
What do you have planned for October?
I had a pretty good September actually. I ran 100km (aka 60mi), which is not bad considering I was on holidays for 2 weeks.
I have a goal to run 1000km in 2013 (600mi), I’m going to smash that goal. Next year I might have to make that 1200km but we’ll see.
I don’t have any running goals for October. I have 1 fun run and that’s it I would like to get at least 3 long runs (over an hour) in though.
Matilda recently posted…September Running Stats
You’re back!!!! I hope you had a wonderful holiday!
Good luck hitting your October goals!
I did a Color Run last year, and my friend wrapped her cellphone in a handkerchief and put it in her bra (she runs with it like that sometimes, anyway) and we were able to get some pictures taken by spectators and her phone still stayed clean. =)
Congrats on meeting your goals for September!
Diana recently posted…Week 12 Recap
Great idea! I was thinking about some kind of cling wrap. I hope I can get some decent pics. I hope it’s as pretty as they make it look in photos.
My sept goal goal was 60 and I ran 79,, too.
Darlene recently posted…Hardest Long Run Ever
Whoo hoo!
Congratulations on smashing your goals 🙂 Can’t wait to see you on Saturday! October is going to be pretty chaotic for me, so I’m hoping to have some sort of running schedule after the ToT.
Rachel @ Undercover Diva: A Sitcom recently posted…Week 6 #TOT10Miler Training Recap
Can’t wait to see you, either! It’s going to be so cool to get to meet some bloggers that I only know via the internet!
Awesome job meeting those goals! You know how I am about goals. 🙂
I’m thankful for the reminder to “enjoy” the races. I have to keep that in the back of my mind as I tackle another half this month. No more beating myself up, I need to remember that I do this because I LIKE it! Why is that so hard for me to remember?
I’m so excited to hear about the TOT race!
Suzan recently posted…The Main Event
I’ve been hyping this run enough – I’m excited to write the recap.
I think enjoyment is a huge part of the experience. We’re paying sometimes a lot of money, and spending a lot of hours, and it’s good to try to savor that.
No beating yourself up!
great job on the goals!!!! I ran my half marathon without dying in September so I guess that’s a goal completed… right?
Heck, yes! Way to go!
I didn’t really make September goals…so I didn’t let myself down, haha!
But my October is going to be epic! I am starting marathon training and I have some challenges for myself!
Amanda @ There Are 2 Sides recently posted…Marathon Training Plan and the Challenge Begins
Epic! I love that!
I have 5 weeks of insanity left and then I am training for the Hot Chocolate 5k. I haven’t really ran for a long time, so I hope I can get in some runs on saturdays with C in the jogging stroller!
Meg @ Meg-in-Training recently posted…I’m a Hot Chocolate 5k &15k Blogger!
That sounds like such a great run! I can’t wait to hear about it!
I have my main event for October. The reason I started running in the first place. Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco with Team in Training. I know I can do the distance but at the moment I’m a little frustrated with myself because I know I could have trained harder and done better. My goal has always been just to finish, but now that I’m almost there I’m wishing I’d done more to do better.
Guess that’s what the next race is for!
I’m kind of nervous that I will slide when this is all over and I don’t want to. I have a couple smaller events lined up after but nothing major. I need to work on the after plan. I’d really like to get leaner and a little faster.
Shannon recently posted…Dirty Girl Mud Run Recap
You’re going to do great! And if you’re disappointed, that’s absolutely what the next race is for!
Definitely sign up for some more. If they’re on the calendar, you’re invested and you won’t slide!
Get it, girl!! I can’t believe this year has flown by like it has!! I have a half at the end of the month that I need to REALLY crack down on!!
Sarah @ Sweet Miles recently posted…Running Gear Essentials – My Wish List
It’s crazy!
So excited to read about your half!
Enjoy your color run! I did that last summer and it was a lot of fun! 🙂 I wanna join again !:)
Ja @Ja on the RUN recently posted…Coast-to-Coast Trip Part 4: Jackson Hole, WY
Those are great goals!! I think distance first, speed second is ideal. That is my method too. I’m in a bit of a funk right now too, or at least my hip is! My I could hang out with Mr. PR and we could commiserate. 🙂
jan recently posted…Wonder
LOL! I hope your hip starts feelings better soon. It’s hard when you want to run but your body says “nope.”
Way to go on your miles! I’m way behind so at this point, I hope you enjoyed Tower of Terror too! As for November races, I think I’m doing one in Jax on Thanksgiving Day. I was going to do the Subaru Classic Half Marathon but now with my knee injuries, I’m not sure. Thinking maybe just the 5k for the race.
Andrea recently posted…Disneyland Day 3