9:36/153
That is what my, oops, I mean Shane's Garmin read after my 5mile run this am. I've been hijacking his Garmin for my speed runs so I could measure the distance of my repeats.
Prior to the hijacking, I was purley guessing, and I imagine slacking off. I would base my intervals on an 8:00/mile pace. But, if I was feeling tired, I think I would slow down... So, I put the Garmin on and Wa-la... I really was running an 8:00/mile. Sometimes 7:30, sometimes 8:30. But, I think having the speed knowledge is making me go a little faster. How do I know this? Well, because I've been pushing my HR higher.
See, a while back I used to go to track workouts with a local groups. My 400s would range anywhere from a 1:40 (ALL OUT) to a 2:05. That's where I came up with the 8:00 pace. Thing is my HR used to get up in the 190's during those workouts. Now, I know that after a couple of years with the Mark Allen training I have only seen 190's a couple of times, so I must just be getting more efficient.
When I wasn't wearing the Garmin I would see 177 and think I was dying. Somehow, magically WITH the Garmin I was able to push it into the low to mid 180s, dropping my speed significantly and what would you know... I didn't die.
With Shane out.of.commission, so to speak, I've taken the speed workout-garmin-hijacking to a whole new level. I've been wearing it on ALL my runs. I love it. I wish it were MY birthday coming up NOT his so I could get this as a gift..... Unfortunately, I've got a few months before my big old 3.0. b-day and I don't know if I can wait that long!!!
wait - did I just say UNFORTUNATELY it's not my 3.0. yet. what am I thinking....
Plus, then I wouldn't have it for the marathon... so, hopefully my hijacking status can remain in tact.
Now, why not go buy one you might ask? Well, they are $250 and as I mentioned before this girl spent like 2 years worth of exercise budget over the previous 3 months heading up to IM. So, I'm trying to be frugal.... I haven't even had a pedicure in 5 weeks. My feet hate me right now. My poor blisters are starting to build up.. and I really need to go get them pampered.
Also, even though I am 'small' per say, I'm not skinny my any means, but I have freakishly small wrists. So, this Garmin is like as big as my fist when I have it on. I have it on the smallest notch to prevent it from sliding down my arm. What I'm thinking is, this model (Garmin 305 Forerunner) has been out for over a year, and I'm really really hoping that maybe they'll come out with a new one soon. Soon like as in tomorrow. A smaller one. For little people like me. Or, short, chubby people with small wrists. THAT would be perfect.
For now, until Shane is up and atom, I'm going to continue 'borrowing' his toy... his toy which I bought him as a gift... which he later had to replace because he left it on the roof of the car after a bike ride and it was later smothered all over the road by numerous cars. And so far, I'm liking what I'm seeing.
Today the kids and I ran 5 miles, 9:36 pace, 153avg HR. Do you know how long it has been since I have seen a sub 10min avg pace. Yah, me either cause it's been FOREVER. Like, last weekend my long run pace was 10:41/mile avg, 151 HR.
Oh, and a little update. Yes, I took BOTH Baxter & Abby this am. Abby has been running around like a puppy on crack, so I guess she was feeling better. I decided to take her. She did GREAT. She pooped out the last mile, but was trying to pick up the pace before that. I'm still waiting the call from the vet. I talked to them yesterday and they hadn't received the titer count, which is what determines the levels of Valley Fever in her blood. They did get a "positive" on the Valley Fever which we already knew. Just need to know if the levels have increased & if we need to put her back on the medicine. For now she is ok. And much more calm.
It's scary how much these two dogs are just like Shane and I. They NEED.TO.EXERCISE. Ask Shane. He's been bouncing off the walls. I was ready to kill all of them yesterday. It was a threesome of A.D.Dness in this house. Maddening, I tell you..... At least I'll only have one of them to deal with tonight. Soon he will be exercising again. We are all counting down the days..
****Update****
I just got a call from the vet. Abby's blood work is complete and, despite her newfound energy and fantastic run this am, her valley fever levels are back. Her "titer" is reading 1-64. Last time we had it down to 1-4 for over 6 months. So, she's back on the medicine, fluconozile for 3 months until we'll recheck her. Poor thing... She's had this for 6 months, and most likely will for the rest of her life.
Here's a little description of what a "titer" is or measures.. and an article describing more about Valley Fever for anyone who is interested, or curious.
"Most cases of valley fever do not need to be treated. 30-60% of people in areas where the disease is highly prevalent ("endemic") - such as in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California and south-central Arizona - have positive skin tests, most of them being unaware of ever having had valley fever until they were skin-tested for the disease.
People with disseminated disease need to be treated with medicines. Dissemination - spread of the disease from the lungs to other sites in the body - happens because the individual's infection-containment system is not adequate to suppress the infection and keep it from spreading.
One measure of the infected individual's ability to deal with and contain the infection is the "complement fixation titer" of the valley fever blood test. This titer is determined as follows: a small amount of the infected person's serum - the clear part of the blood from which red and white blood cells have been removed – is diluted with an equal amount of salt solution and tested for valley fever. The serum is diluted more and more (one part serum to 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, etc. parts of salt water) and tested at each dilution until a positive test for valley fever can no longer be detected. In general, the more dilute the serum ("higher the titer") the more severe the infection.
When the body develops immunity to the valley fever fungus, the titer falls and the valley fever skin test becomes positive. High titers (1 to 64 and higher) indicate more severe disease and lead doctors to consider prescribing anti-fungus medicine."
Full article HERE
Prior to the hijacking, I was purley guessing, and I imagine slacking off. I would base my intervals on an 8:00/mile pace. But, if I was feeling tired, I think I would slow down... So, I put the Garmin on and Wa-la... I really was running an 8:00/mile. Sometimes 7:30, sometimes 8:30. But, I think having the speed knowledge is making me go a little faster. How do I know this? Well, because I've been pushing my HR higher.
See, a while back I used to go to track workouts with a local groups. My 400s would range anywhere from a 1:40 (ALL OUT) to a 2:05. That's where I came up with the 8:00 pace. Thing is my HR used to get up in the 190's during those workouts. Now, I know that after a couple of years with the Mark Allen training I have only seen 190's a couple of times, so I must just be getting more efficient.
When I wasn't wearing the Garmin I would see 177 and think I was dying. Somehow, magically WITH the Garmin I was able to push it into the low to mid 180s, dropping my speed significantly and what would you know... I didn't die.
With Shane out.of.commission, so to speak, I've taken the speed workout-garmin-hijacking to a whole new level. I've been wearing it on ALL my runs. I love it. I wish it were MY birthday coming up NOT his so I could get this as a gift..... Unfortunately, I've got a few months before my big old 3.0. b-day and I don't know if I can wait that long!!!
wait - did I just say UNFORTUNATELY it's not my 3.0. yet. what am I thinking....
Plus, then I wouldn't have it for the marathon... so, hopefully my hijacking status can remain in tact.
Now, why not go buy one you might ask? Well, they are $250 and as I mentioned before this girl spent like 2 years worth of exercise budget over the previous 3 months heading up to IM. So, I'm trying to be frugal.... I haven't even had a pedicure in 5 weeks. My feet hate me right now. My poor blisters are starting to build up.. and I really need to go get them pampered.
Also, even though I am 'small' per say, I'm not skinny my any means, but I have freakishly small wrists. So, this Garmin is like as big as my fist when I have it on. I have it on the smallest notch to prevent it from sliding down my arm. What I'm thinking is, this model (Garmin 305 Forerunner) has been out for over a year, and I'm really really hoping that maybe they'll come out with a new one soon. Soon like as in tomorrow. A smaller one. For little people like me. Or, short, chubby people with small wrists. THAT would be perfect.
For now, until Shane is up and atom, I'm going to continue 'borrowing' his toy... his toy which I bought him as a gift... which he later had to replace because he left it on the roof of the car after a bike ride and it was later smothered all over the road by numerous cars. And so far, I'm liking what I'm seeing.
Today the kids and I ran 5 miles, 9:36 pace, 153avg HR. Do you know how long it has been since I have seen a sub 10min avg pace. Yah, me either cause it's been FOREVER. Like, last weekend my long run pace was 10:41/mile avg, 151 HR.
Oh, and a little update. Yes, I took BOTH Baxter & Abby this am. Abby has been running around like a puppy on crack, so I guess she was feeling better. I decided to take her. She did GREAT. She pooped out the last mile, but was trying to pick up the pace before that. I'm still waiting the call from the vet. I talked to them yesterday and they hadn't received the titer count, which is what determines the levels of Valley Fever in her blood. They did get a "positive" on the Valley Fever which we already knew. Just need to know if the levels have increased & if we need to put her back on the medicine. For now she is ok. And much more calm.
It's scary how much these two dogs are just like Shane and I. They NEED.TO.EXERCISE. Ask Shane. He's been bouncing off the walls. I was ready to kill all of them yesterday. It was a threesome of A.D.Dness in this house. Maddening, I tell you..... At least I'll only have one of them to deal with tonight. Soon he will be exercising again. We are all counting down the days..
****Update****
I just got a call from the vet. Abby's blood work is complete and, despite her newfound energy and fantastic run this am, her valley fever levels are back. Her "titer" is reading 1-64. Last time we had it down to 1-4 for over 6 months. So, she's back on the medicine, fluconozile for 3 months until we'll recheck her. Poor thing... She's had this for 6 months, and most likely will for the rest of her life.
Here's a little description of what a "titer" is or measures.. and an article describing more about Valley Fever for anyone who is interested, or curious.
"Most cases of valley fever do not need to be treated. 30-60% of people in areas where the disease is highly prevalent ("endemic") - such as in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California and south-central Arizona - have positive skin tests, most of them being unaware of ever having had valley fever until they were skin-tested for the disease.
People with disseminated disease need to be treated with medicines. Dissemination - spread of the disease from the lungs to other sites in the body - happens because the individual's infection-containment system is not adequate to suppress the infection and keep it from spreading.
One measure of the infected individual's ability to deal with and contain the infection is the "complement fixation titer" of the valley fever blood test. This titer is determined as follows: a small amount of the infected person's serum - the clear part of the blood from which red and white blood cells have been removed – is diluted with an equal amount of salt solution and tested for valley fever. The serum is diluted more and more (one part serum to 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, etc. parts of salt water) and tested at each dilution until a positive test for valley fever can no longer be detected. In general, the more dilute the serum ("higher the titer") the more severe the infection.
When the body develops immunity to the valley fever fungus, the titer falls and the valley fever skin test becomes positive. High titers (1 to 64 and higher) indicate more severe disease and lead doctors to consider prescribing anti-fungus medicine."
Full article HERE
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