Week 43: Day 5 - 2014

• bike ride = 7.35 miles, time = 37:35
• easy WALK with two dogs = 2 miles

I haven't been on a bike in awhile. I think it has been a month or so. The bike group that I usually go with on Monday mornings, stopped doing the rides...on Monday mornings (they wanted to take a break from riding Monday mornings for a month). While the group does meet at other times on other days of the week, it's hard for me to meet up with the group because of my work schedule (and now my training schedule). I'm not sure if the group will actually bring back Monday morning rides, but I think if I jot down bike rides onto my training schedule for one day a week (preferably on Friday), I should be ok with getting some cycling in.

Week 43: Day 4 - 2014

• easy trail/road RUN with one dog = 5.54 miles
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1.2 miles

I think I should or need to do a warm up before my run. My legs feel a little stiff in the beginning of the run, but after one mile, I feel really good. I know I need to do a warm up, but I'm generally not motivated to do it.

Week 43: Day 3 - 2014

• easy road RUN with one dog = 4.82 miles
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1 mile

I don't know what to write about, so I'm just going to do a shameless plug for my charity page. If you're feeling generous, please consider making a donation on my charity page. Any amount, small or big, is greatly appreciated!

Week 43: Day 2 - 2014

• very hilly trail run with one dog = 1.1 miles
• warm up = 1.1 mile
• cool down = 1.1 mile
• easy walk with two dogs = 1.5 miles

First week and first day of training for my half marathon race. I had every intentions to cycle yesterday, but I never got out of bed on time. I had planned to ride at least once a week while training.

Week 42: Day 7 - 2014

• easy trail/road RUN with one dog = 6 miles
• easy WALK with two dogs = 2 miles

Total Running Weekly Mileage: 20.70

Total Running Monthly Mileage: 47.75

Total Running Shoe Mileage: 42.89

Total Running Yearly Mileage: 483.33

Today was the longest run that my dog, Jubee, and I did together without stopping. This is an accomplishment for us. After being a runner for a very, very long time, I usually don't have time or patience for a person or a dog who is new to running and trying to learn. I started training/teaching my dog to run last March  (10 months ago). I spent all of my patience on this dog that I don't have any left to teach/train my other dog (who is becoming an elderly/senior dog anyway) or help a person new to running. My whole goal was so that I wasn't truly alone when I was training for a race or just running for fun.

I start training for my half marathon next Monday (not tomorrow). Since the course is not dog-friendly (dogs aren't allowed on the course for the safety of everyone participating), I'm having my dog do most of my training runs with me and I don't plan to make her run more than seven miles (I'm doing most of my long runs alone). I just want my dog to maintain her endurance/stamina for six miles so we can do the Chinatown-LA Firecracker 10K run on March 1....that course is dog-friendly and does allow dogs to run/walk with their people.

Week 42: Day 6 - 2014

• easy trail/road RUN with one dog = 5.77 miles
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1.9 miles

Tomorrow will be my dog's longest run to date and it will be six miles. She seemed to do just fine with today's run, so I think she'll do ok tomorrow too. After tomorrow, we'll take a break/rest from running for a week and then start training for my half marathon. But my dog won't do most of the long runs with me. I'm only making her do up to seven miles and just basically maintaining her endurance for such distance. Since I can't take her with me on the half marathon course (dogs aren't allowed there), I don't see the point of making her do all of my long runs, but I do plan to have her run the Chinatown-L.A. Firecracker 10K with me (which does allow dogs on the course)!

Week 42: Day 4 - 2014

• easy trail/road RUN with one dog = 5.63 miles
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1.6 miles

I went for a run a little later than usual. I think I'm ready for another break/rest from running because I'm sorta bored. I wonder how I'm going to keep up with my motivation for fourteen (14) weeks...it's going to be hard. On the other hand, I'm glad that the weather has cooled off.

Week 42: Day 2 - 2014

• very hilly trail run with one dog = 1.1 mile
• warm up = 1.1 mile
• cool down = 1.1 mile
• easy walk with two dogs = 1 mile

After a few weeks, I'm finally able to run on this hilly trail without stopping. It's pretty steep at times and challenging throughout.

I'm also glad for the weather change and it's starting to feel cooler at night. I wish it would feel really cold in the morning though, but I guess I'll find out in a few weeks if it does get really cold in the morning. I like to run when it's really cold.

Week 41: Day 7 - 2014

• easy trail/road RUN with one dog = 5.42 miles
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1.5 miles

Total Running Weekly Mileage: 22.19

Total Running Monthly Mileage: 27.05

Total Running Shoe (NEW) Mileage: 22.19

Total Running Yearly Mileage: 462.63

I've come to realize that I actually start training for my race during the last week of October. I think if I'm going to last at least six weeks (hopefully longer), I'd need to take a break/rest from running after next weekend. I know that I don't actually need 14 weeks and can get away with 12 weeks instead, but I like to start off a little easy and building my endurance. That way it doesn't feel like I'm overtraining by doing too much (like doing a seven mile run as my first long run). I really hope that I'll do ok for most of the training because I have a dog to run with. And my dog is doing well and hasn't given much problem with running.

Week 41: Day 5 - 2014

• trail RUN with one dog = 3.2 miles
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1.4 miles

I went running on the cross country course at a local junior college. The course is mostly on trails and has some challenging hills. I hadn't done this course in a long time that I had to walk a few times (on the challenging hills). I'm not really surprised that I don't have the endurance to run on challenging hills yet because I still don't for the very short very hilly trail run that I try to do once a week. Also since I hadn't been on this course at school in a long time, I've noticed that the trail/course looks a little different. There were less trees. The trees didn't look pretty (they were mostly dead), but the trail looks more boring now because there are less trees alongside the trail and there aren't any hiding places for rabbits and squirrels (I enjoyed seeing squirrels and rabbits randomly coming out from a hiding place and running across the trail). Oh well. I'm going to make myself run here more often anyway...just to build my endurance and strength on the hills.

Week 41: Day 3 - 2014

• challenging hilly RUN with one dog = 1 mile
• warm up = 1.1 miles
• cool down = 1.1 mile
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1.2 miles
• easy WALK (solo) to massage place = 1.13 miles (round trip)

I figured I'd get a massage done. My back always need to get worked on. I was hoping that they would work on my legs too. No all masseuses do when I go on, but I got one who did today and I was glad. My legs really felt like they needed to get massaged because they had been aching lately. I didn't even feel like running today because they were aching. My legs feel better now so I hope my running doesn't suck tomorrow.

Here is my charity page: http://tinyurl.com/runner4life Donate please!

Week 41: Day 2 - 2014

• easy trail/road RUN with one dog = 5.27
• easy WALK with two dogs = 3/4 mile

I didn't take my dogs out for a longer walk. I didn't realize that I was suppose to be at work earlier than normal until my manager called me. Whoops. But at least, I worked during the daytime instead and I get to go to sleep early tonight so I can feel better tomorrow morning.

Week 41: Day 1 - 2014

• easy WALK with two dogs = 1 mile
• easy solo WALK to Panera Bread (knitting group) = 3.2 miles roundtrip

I had a knitting group meeting this evening at Panera Bread. It finally cooled off enough that I was willing to walk to Panera Bread and I was really glad for the cooler, bearable weather. Had it been last week or last month with the crazy heat wave, I would have drove instead.

Week 40: Day 7 - 2014

• easy walk with dogs = 1 mile

Total Running Weekly Mileage: 18.42

Total Running (Sept) Monthly Mileage: 97.27

Total Running (Oct) Monthly Mileage: 4.86

Total Running Yearly Mileage: 440.44

Total Running Shoe Mileage: 255.04

I didn't do any real work outs today. I just wanted to update so I can keep track of my running mileage. Also, I start running in new shoes on Tuesday. My current shoes are seven months old now and it feels like my feet want to be in new running shoes. I also think it's time to start running in new shoes before I start training for my race next month.

Week 40: Day 6 - 2014

• easy trail/road RUN with one dog = 5.16 miless
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1 mile

So because I have a work meeting tomorrow morning, I did my run this morning instead.

I can't wait for this heat wave to be over with. I'm tired of it. Can we return to normal Autumn-ish weather now?

Week 40: Day 5 - 2014

• easy trail/road RUN with one dog = 5 miles
• easy WALK with two dogs = 1 mile

It's feeling like summer again...in October. I was glad for the cooler weather and the last heat wave being over. This weather is driving me nuts. I guess I'm glad that it doesn't feel as hot, humid or crazy as the last heat wave. That time was bad and it was harder to deal with. I'm glad that I'm not doing the Long Beach race this year (next weekend, October 12). I think the weather this year felt worse than last year.

Here is my charity page for those who are feeling generous: http://tinyurl.com/runner4life

Week 40: Day 3 - 2014

• very hilly trail run with one dog = 1.1 mile
• warm up jog/walk = 1.1 mile
• cool down jog/walk = 1.1 mile
• easy walk with two dogs = 1.1 miles

I hadn't done a challenging hill run in awhile. I'm ready to start that again and now is probably a good time to "pre-train". So I have to make this as part of my regular training schedule until the race in February.

Also for the next few, we're having a heat wave again. What is wrong with mother nature?!?!? I thought summer was over and I was really looking forward to cooler weather in the mornings!