Zenaida Arroyo

A few weeks ago I read a post on Yasso 800s by Run with Jess.  Basically you run 10 x 800m at a consistently hard pace to predict your marathon finish time.  i.e. If you’re able to run each of those 10 intervals in 4 minutes, you can run a 4 hour marathon (source: Run with Jess).  Interesting concept.  I read more about it here.  On Thursday I set out to the gym for these Yassos.  I managed to do four, each one in 4:30.  Hmm, does that mean I will be able to finish a marathon in 4:30 too?  Whoa!  Not so fast.  I need to be able to do 10 and not just 4.  On Thursday I will do 4 again and slowly build up so that I am doing 10.  According to Bart Yasso, my last 10 intervals should be about 2 weeks before the marathon.

Do you incorporate Yasso 800s in your training plan?  Was it accurate?

Run Happy!

For the past three weekends I’ve had a race on Saturday and Sunday.  I know, crazy me.  Too many races and not enough time in between to rest.  My results are proof.  I’ve done these races last year and my finish times this year are not any better.   So frustrating!!  I have no one to blame but myself.  However, I did place 2nd place my age group in one of the races. I’ve listed the races below first listing the finish time from last year then this year.

Wrigley Start Early 10K-1:06:16; 1:05:19, CARA Lakefront 10 Miler-1:49; 1:49:43, Alivio y Salud 5K-29:48; 30:38, Run to Remember-31:14; 30:17, Palos Heights Half Marathon– 2:26:16, 2:28:03, Y-Me Race At Your Pace-30:59; 29:52.

On Saturday I ran the Chicago Spring Half Marathon.  Last year I registered for the half marathon but then changed to the 10K.  So glad I did because it was cold and windy.  I should have changed it to the 10K this year too.  The race was along the lakefront and I knew it was going to be flat.  However, I did not pay too much attention to the weather.  Ugh!  Big mistake!  I arrived downtown at  about 6:30 am.  The half marathon began at 7 and the 10K at 7:30.  I used the bathroom, dropped off my bag, and used the bathroom again.  I use the bathroom a few times before a race.  I get nervous EVERY SINGLE TIME.

I was off to a good start.  Weather was great and no wind.  Mile 1 came quicker than I expected.  I looked at my watch and noticed that it was only .80 of a mile.  After each mile I looked at my watch and it was still off by .20 of a mile.  Oh well.  Just keep on running.  The turnaround point was a little before mile 7.  When I saw the mile marker, my watch showed 7.05.  OK.  Much better.  By then it was windy, cold, and raining.  I did not prepare for the rain.  I was wearing shorts and a semi-cotton shirt.  I am a big fan of Champions shirt and bought a shirt that was supposed to wick moisture.  Umm, I guess it is not the same thing as rain.  I was soaking wet.  I was cold too.  I knew I was not going to finish the race.

I saw an ambulance a little before mile 8 and asked the driver if he was heading over to the finish line.  Not yet is what I was told.  I got in the van and was given a blanket and heating pad to warm up.  Also, one of the workers gave me a plastic blue gown to wear.  I was close to a major street and thought that I could get a cab to get my car and go home.  Why bother running?  I was so cold and could not run anymore.  I realized that I had no cash nor a credit card.  I was so mad at myself because I usually run with one or both of them.  This time nothing!  I had no choice but to walk.  I saw mile marker 8 and realized I still had 5 more miles to go.  That is more than an hour.

Runners passed me up.  I was angry because I had not prepared for the rain; no jacket and was I wearing the wrong shirt?  I was even more angry because I had no cash nor a credit card for emergencies.  I had an emergency and I couldn’t do anything about it.  I had no choice but to keep on walking.  The rain stopped but I was still cold.  There were no other runners.  I was definitely the last one.  I realized that I’d better hurry up because I had left my bag at the gear check and I did not want to lose it.  Around mile 11 I alternated between walking and running.  I caught up with two runners from the race.

Finally I arrived at the finish line but did not cross it.  I had thrown away my bib because the plan was to not finish the race.  I was wrong.  I managed to finish it whether I wanted to or not.  I have no official finish time but I know it was about 3 hours after I started the race.  That was my first “DNF”.  I picked up my bag and went home.  Oh well, I guess runners have at least one horrible race.  I learned to ALWAYS, ALWAYS from now on run with cash and a credit card.  No buts.  I never want to go through that again.

Run Happy!

1. I decided to go back to school to pursue my Type 75 Certification.  It is a two year program and once I receive my masters, I can continue to be a classroom teacher or be an administrator.  I knew from the beginning of this new career that I was not going to be a teacher for a long time.  I don’t see myself being 50 years old and still being a teacher.

2. I signed up for the Race Around the World Duathlon on June 24.  I will be missing out on the Chicago Women’s Half Marathon.  I guess it is OK.  I can still (hopefully) do one offered by the Divas Half Marathon Series or the Lady Speed Stick Women’s Half Marathon.

3.  I am toying with the idea of running a half marathon in each state.  Originally, I had thought of doing a marathon in each state but quickly changed it to a half marathon.  I’ve been following Kim’s blog at (Just) Trying is for Little Girls and told myself that I could do this too.

4.  During my race on Saturday I developed a pain in my left foot.  My first thought were the orthotics.  I’ve ran in them before but only on a treadmill.  Saturday was the first time I ran outside.  Once I got home I took them off and replaced them with the original insoles.  I wore my gym shoes to work today and my foot feels much better.  I am afraid to run in my orthotics this weekend.  Maybe the 5K on Saturday will be OK but definitely NOT the 10 Miler on Saturday.

5.  I know eventually I will need surgery on my right foot.  I have a bunion that is growing and is giving me trouble.  Usually the pain goes away for a few months with a visit to the podiatrist.  She injects this liquid in my foot and that helps with the pain.  However, I went last month and my foot still hurts.  It could be that the bunion is just getting worse or the podiatrist inserted the liquid in a different part of the foot (she did tell me that she was going to do that).  I am hoping it is the latter because I went all crazy and registered for almost every race I could find in the Chicago area.  My plan is to run until November of this year then take a few months off for the surgery and recovery.

I finally hit the 1,000 miles thanks to dailymile.  However, I’ve been keeping track of the miles I’ve ran (in an excel spreadsheet) since 2007 and it’s been more than 1,000.  My goal was to run 1,000 miles in 2011.  However, due to excuses and more excuses, I only banked 736.54 miles last year.   I set the same goal again but to run them before my birthday this year.  I am happy to report that as of today I’ve ran 392.33 miles.  Will I accomplish this goal?  Absolutely!  Now more than ever I am determined to achieve it!!