1,000 Miles … Achieved!

August 27, 2013August 26, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

If you’ve been reading my blog for more than a few months, you may know that I like to run. I’ve trained for a marathon, run half marathons, tried running streaks … but I’ve never seemed to hit 1,000 miles in a year. So this year, as part of a 2013 goal (I’m not much of a Resolutions girl) I decided I would run 1,000 miles. The goal seemed achievable – but I still was worried. Even when I trained for the Cleveland marathon last year, I didn’t hit 1,000 miles. Would I be even close without marathon training?

Yes! The answer is yes. In fact, last week I hit my 1,000 mile goal! AND I didn’t even realize it until two days later. So much for anti-climatic, right?

See the cool chart? It’s proof!

handy dandy excel chart

This is me super excited to have reached my goal. And post a 10k run with B so please excuse the sweatiness.

I’m pretty pumped.

And some scenes from my week running – what a gorgeous few days it’s been!

Not a bad view!

Yup, pink skies in the morning – meaning the days are getting shorter!

Some questions for you:

Do you set running goals?
Do you set New Year Resolutions? How are you at keeping them?
What should my next running goal be?
How do you track mileage?

Belated April Running Update!

May 16, 2013May 15, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

This week is the Cleveland Marathon Week! It’s crazy to think about where I was this time last year. I had just finished my last long run and was ready for the race … and then found out that I couldn’t run because of the foot and tibia stress fractures. As you may recall, this year I did not sign up because I’ll be out of town – but I do plan to run this week AND give you all a running update. It’s been a while since I gave a running update – I have no idea where May has gone. I am embarrassed that May is halfway through and I haven’t told you all about how I’m meeting my goal. Spoiler alert – I am!

Last year on this date … My parents had come to watch me run the marathon and instead I had the boot for 2 days.

My goal is to get to 1,000 miles this year. I won’t tell you where I am now (since we are in the middle of May) but April was a good month, as you can see by my training screenshots (thanks Dailymile!). It’s actually even my best month thus far – I beat January by 3 miles.

Year To Date Monthly Miles:

January	136
February	111
March	113
April	139

Some April running highlights:

I can’t claim the weather helped me too much this month – April 1 it was flurrying out and later that week it was in the 20s. Which isn’t my happy running weather. I’ve decided my happy running weather is 55-65 – that’s the weather I enjoy the most to run in.
If I bring my phone, I can’t stop taking pictures while I run. I love it. As long as I’m not running for time, I don’t mind stopping and taking a photo.
The week of the Boston Marathon was rough for me. I had a few days where I just felt really down, emotionally, as a runner, a former Bostonian, and a human. Still, I made it my goal to run at least 26.2 miles that week (my typical goal is 20 mi/week), a goal I met easily.
I got in a few longish, unplanned runs – about 9 miles – over the weekends. I tend to only do these sorts of runs when I’m training for something, but with the weather being nice (toward the end of the month) and my motivation being high, I couldn’t help myself.
I did NOT run the Cleveland 10 miler. And, go figure, the weather wasn’t rainy and chilly as it had been in years past. I was out of town that weekend, but still was able to run 12 miles that weekend on my own.

A view from one of my runs. Yes, I stopped to take a photo.

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for – the mileage charts:

First week in April: 26 miles total

week of apr 1

Second week in April: 37 miles! Holy cow. Not sure HOW that even was possible without a training schedule?

week of apr 15

Third week in April: 30 miles

week of april 8

Fourth week in April: 35 miles

week of apr 22

Last week in April: 38 miles. Some of which will go in May’s mileage number.

week of apr 29

Some thoughts to ponder:

Are you still keeping up with your resolutions or goals for the year?
What’s your happy running weather? Do you have a certain temperature that you prefer to run in? Yes- 55-65 degrees. I don’t even mind a little drizzle. 40-70 degrees isn’t that bad, but once it gets colder or warmer, I don’t enjoy it as much. Plus it depends on the time of year – 40 degrees in December is much more enjoyable than 40 degrees in June!
What do you to track your mileage- a Garmin? A running app like MapMyRun or RunKepper? Or do you measure it out after the run? I do it all! B has a Garmin that he uses when we run (I bought it for him). I tend to just measure after the run using Dailymile unless I know I want to go out for a certain distance – then I use MapMyRun.

PS – Not running related, but HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD 🙂

April Update: 360 miles down, 640 to go to my 1000 mile goal

April 5, 2013April 4, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

Can you believe it’s already April? I can’t. From the colder than usual temps, occasional snow flurries, and general disbelief that April means B and I will soon be approaching my second wedding anniversary, it’s hard to believe that we’re already on Q2 of 2013. That being said, I’m still on pace to meet my goal of 1,000 miles this year! March was good to me. Despite the cooler temps, I managed to make 113 miles for March, which included quite a few treadmill runs, a few longer outdoor runs, and even a half marathon in South Bend, Indiana.

Photo stolen from the Holy Half

Month by month, here’s where I stand:

January: 136 miles

February: 111 miles

March: 113 miles

Year to date: 360 miles

Here’s how the weeks have gone:

First week in March

Highlights: got in an 11 miler on Friday after work! It made for a VERY enjoyable and relaxing Saturday:)
march running recap - 1000 miles
Second week in March

march running recap - 1000 miles
Third week in March

Highlights: Notre Dame Holy Half!
march running recap - 1000 miles
Last week in March

This month, I’m looking forward to so many things! In particular:

Warmer weather! I can’t wait to run in a t-shirt and shorts
New spring running clothes! I’m due for a new tank top or two
The Cleveland 10 Miler – B will be unavailable but I’m thinking of running this 10 mile race on my own! (You may recall last year we did the race as part of our 20 mile training run)
Reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running – my brother got me this as a birthday gift and I can’t wait to break it open! Thanks Greg 🙂

Some questions to ponder:

What’s your favorite spring running gear? Where is your favorite place to shop for running clothes?
Have you read What I Talk About When I Talk About Running? What did you think?
What’s your favorite running book?

So this has actually happened before, including this week – B will tell me to go run so I can be out of his hair while he cleans.

March Update: Well On My Way to 1,000 Miles

March 12, 2013March 11, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 4 Comments

It’s the second week in the month and I’m well on my way to meet my goal of 1,000 miles this year! This weekend we were lucky enough to enjoy some deliciously warm weather – 60 degrees – so even after a 11 mile run on Friday night, I decided to get out for a run on Sunday to enjoy some new sneakers plus a run in shorts.

There have been a few challenges – the weather hasn’t been the best and many of my runs in the morning have been on the treadmill at the gym, as opposed to outside as I would prefer. But it’s March and the weather will hopefully turn soon, meaning I’m on my way to warmer and less icy days!

Yes. (image from Pinterest)

Here are how the past few weeks have gone:

First week in February

week of feb 4

Wow… How did I get in a run every day that week?

Second week in February

week of feb 11

Third week in February

week of feb 18

Was due for a 10 miler on Saturday, but B’s knees and shins were hurting him , so I opted to go out for a run by myself on Friday after work. I felt decent for the first double digit run I’d had in a while and I was definitely glad to have gotten the run over with so I could relax and enjoy the weekend with B!

Last week in February

week of feb 25

I was out of town Tuesday and Wednesday this week, so I was thinking that getting a workout in wouldn’t be to easy — until I realized that I could set my alarm for 6:10 (instead of 5:35 a.m.) on Wednesday to work out before my meeting! It’s the little things.

We were due for a 10k on Saturday, but we were in Cincinnati and I honestly didn’t expect us to run at all – but we ended up doing the Bockfest 5k! Didn’t run for time, but felt good to get out for a run, even in the middle of a beer festival.

First week in March

week of mar 4

This past week was great, running-wise. We had an 11 miler scheduled for the weekend, but B and I decided to get it in on Friday after work. I felt much better than I did on my 10 miler (maybe because I actually drank a ton of water that day?) and it was great to just relax and use the elliptical on Saturday. Sunday’s weather was so nice, I couldn’t not go out and enjoy it? PLUS I had just gotten new sneakers! That’s right, I’m retiring the pink Sauconys (they were great though, just worn down) for some pink Nikes.

The view from my run on Sunday … BEAUTIFUL day!

As of the end of last week I was at more than 270 miles – meaning I’m 1/4 of the way there! This brings my monthly totals to:

January: 136 miles
February: 111 miles

Some questions to ponder:

How are you doing on your 2013 goals?
Do you find yourself running on off days if the weather is nice?
Does buying new running shoes or gear get you excited for a run?
What’s your go-to running shoe?

I leave you with the view on Lake Erie Sunday night as the sun was setting. Beautiful!

sunset over lake erie

End of January Resolution Recap

February 4, 2013February 5, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

this is probably why my non-competitive self likes running

I really can’t believe that January is over. Another month has passed in 2013, and I’m another year older! I’m also even more on my way of keeping up my my goal for this year: 1,000 miles. The constant cold, snowy weather and roads, and broken treadmill in my building have been rough – but somehow I’ve managed to find time to wake up at the crack of dawn and get in at least a few miles before my days begin.

Here are how my past few weeks have gone:

wee of jan 21

Week of January 21

January 21: 5 mi, outdoors while staying at my cousin-in-laws’ house in Columbus
January 23: Birthday run! 6 mi dreadmill run while in Toledo for work
January 25: NOTHING. Had planned on running during my day off, but instead was SURPRISED with a trip to Miami!!
January 26: 4ish mile run in shorts and t-shirt and 70 degree weather. Wish I were still in Miami!
January 27: Back to Cleveland and ran 7 mi outdoors

Weekly total : 22 miles

week of jan 28

Last Week in January

January 28: 6 mi
January 29: 5.65 mi
January 30: 6.25 mi
January 31: 3.5 mi
February 2: 7.78 mi

Weekly total: 29 miles

This week was a mix of weather, meaning a mix of indoor and outdoor runs. Monday started out cold and windy and forced me indoors, but Tuesday ended up in the 60s, letting me run outside in shorts! Alas, it turned cold again quickly and even snowy by Saturday so that our 8 miler (which we didn’t quite make) was a snowy, wet run. I swear, it may have snowed 2-3 inches while we were running.

this is what the weather was like when we started our 8 miler

Dressed in layers. Turtleneck, sweatshirt, vest and leggings. After taking this photo, B said, “You’re not going to share this with everyone online are you?” I hadn’t thought about it (was just gonna send it to my mom), but since he mentioned it …

So where does that leave me for the month? 136 miles run in January. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can keep this up without a hitch and even get in 1 or 2 half marathons this year.

How are your 2013 goals coming along?

More Than Halfway Through January … On My Way to 1,000 miles

January 21, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

It’s January 21! You know what that means? That my birthday is in two days? Well … yes … but not what I was going for – it means that we’re more than halfway through the first month of the year. And for those of you wondering, I’m still pounding the pavement and keeping up with my goal for this year: 1,000 miles. Well, it’s been closer to pounding the treadmill due to the cold/wintry weather we’ve been having … which makes it even more difficult for me to motivate myself.

That’s right, I’m still tracking my miles and getting in just above my goal of 21 miles/week. The past few weeks I’ve gotten even more than 21, mostly because I’m prepping for what’s ahead – cold days and some work trips that interfere with my routine and will likely keep me inside or not running at all (like this week – I’m only in the office 1.5 days!).

Since I forgot to provide a recap last week, here are the past two weeks:

(image via my dailymile account)

January – Week #2:

January 7: 6.3 mi
January 8: 5.1 mi
January 9: 5.5 mi
January 10: 4.5 mi
January 12: 5.1 mi
January 13: 5.5 mi

Weekly total : 32 miles!

january week 3 from dailymile

January – Week #3:

January 14: 5.7 mi
January 15: 5.6 mi
January 16: 6.4 mi
January 17: 4.3 mi
January 19: 6.0 mi
January 20: 6.0 mi

Weekly total: 34 miles!

I don’t plan on keeping up this mileage pace the next few months – or even this week when I’m traveling sans gym two days this week (and the HIGH temp is in the teens … low in single digits!), but we’ll see what I can do!), which is why I aimed so high the past few weeks. With 11 days left in the month, I’d just like to get 20 more in. I hope that’s doable!

How are your 2013 goals coming along?

A new year … A new running goal

January 7, 2013January 8, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

Last year, if you recall, I trained completely for and nearly ran the Cleveland marathon (if you must know what happened, read this post) … but after getting two stress fractures just two days before the race, I had to back out and take a month off from running. I haven’t signed up for a marathon since (but am looking into a few half marathons) but have a new goal for 2013 – to run more than 1,000 miles.

If you’re a runner, you know that 1,000 miles is nothing. Twentyish miles a week. Heck, a runner I follow on Twitter had more than 2,000 last year! Still, I haven’t yet been able to accomplish this goal. Two years ago I was at 820ish. Last year, even with all the running during marathon training, I was at 860ish. So this year, I’m going to try to get to 1,000.

2011 vs 2012 thanks to Dailymile

I’m only one week into the new year, but I’m already feeling slightly discouraged. What if I go on vacation for a few weeks and don’t run? What if I get injured again and can’t run for another month or so? What if I don’t make it? What if I don’t have enough time – between Bridge Builders, DCA City Advocates, a few other projects and of course work, the next few months are pretty crazy.

I’ll have to remember this when I think I don’t have enough time

Thank goodness for Dailymile … I already have words of encouragement from a few other runners:

running

So how did week 1 go? I did each workout on my beloved dreadmill at the gym (the treadmill in my building is broken) and got to the goal of 20 miles.

January 1: 5.6 mi
January 2: 5.1 mi
January 3: 5.5 mi
January 5: 6.1 mi
January 6: 4 mi

So in total, I got in about 26 miles! If I can keep up this pace, I’ll definitely make it. Sure, some weeks will be hard, but it will only get better as the weather improves.

What are your goals for 2013?