December 03, 2012

Cat tales

I hate tempo runs. Especially when they are scheduled for a certain amount of time rather than distance. (A tempo run is a run where you go faster than normal--not as fast as if you were racing, but fast enough to wear you wish you could slow down). Here is a quick rundown of the basic runs that I do:


When I do a tempo run for time (rather than distance), I have no motivation to go faster because I know I'm going to be running for x number of minutes, no matter how fast I'm going. When I run for distance, I tell myself that I will be done sooner if I run faster, so I have more motivation ;)

This morning on my schedule was a 40 minute tempo run, and I just didn't want to do it. Since I've been running most of my runs at more of a tempo pace lately (pushing myself to go faster), I decided to run intervals this morning instead--1/4 mile really hard, and then 1/10 mile walking. Repeat that for a total of eight times. Same exactly interval workout as last week.

I started with a short warm-up just to the end of my street, and then I started the first interval. I felt like I was flying! I've been wearing my Mizunos Wave Inspires for fast runs, and my usual Brooks Adrenalines for easy runs and long runs. The Mizunos are much squishier, where I feel more like I'm running on clouds (unfortunately, they give me blisters if I run more than eight miles in them, otherwise I'd wear them all the time).

Each interval I ran, I thought, "Ugh, there is no way I have another one in me." But then after my 1/10 mile walk, I somehow mustered up enough energy for another. When I finished, my lungs were burning and I was dripping with sweat--it was great!! My split times have improved again, even since last week (first number is time to complete the interval, in parenthesis is the pace per mile for that interval)

Interval 1- 1:48.2  (7:13/mi)
Interval 2- 1:42.4  (6:50/mi)
Interval 3- 1:49.7  (7:19/mi)
Interval 4- 1:47.1  (7:09/mi)
Interval 5- 1:49.2  (7:17/mi)
Interval 6- 1:51.1  (7:25/mi)
Interval 7- 1:52.3  (7:30/mi)
Interval 8- 1:42.5  (6:50/mi)

Average pace for each interval today was 7:11; last week it was 7:25; and a month ago, it was 7:40. It doesn't sound like a huge difference, but I am thrilled to see that I'm constantly improving with all the hard work!

I have a 5K race on Sunday--this is the race where I'm praying to break 26 minutes. I've done it a few times during training, but I'm the type of person that totally chokes when it comes to the race. I almost always run faster during training than I do during races--I get SO nervous to race (which is ridiculous, but I do).

To finish in 25:59, I'd have to run an 8:23/mi pace--and that's if I run exactly 3.1, but since I usually end up running a little longer than the actual course (due to weaving in and out of people), I'd like to try and stick with more of an 8:18 ish pace. Yikes!! My previous PR was an 8:42/mi pace, so this will be tough.


My cats have been cracking me up lately, and I just have to post a few pictures. (I apologize if you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, because I've been posting all about my cats lately!)

Yesterday, the boys and I were watching Homeward Bound (movie about two dogs and a cat), and I noticed that Phoebe was totally engrossed in watching the movie. She couldn't take her eyes off the screen. And then Estelle noticed too, because she started watching the movie as well. The two of them sat on their cat tree watching the movie for probably about an hour!

This morning, I noticed that Phoebe was eyeballing the Elf on the Shelf that was perched on top of the TV (my kids know that we are the ones moving the elf, but they still like to look for him every day). So I moved the elf to the curtain right above Phoebe, and she had a blast trying to knock him down.



When the elf actually did fall down right on top of her, she jumped up so high she about hit the ceiling, and she fell off the cat tree. I wish I had gotten pictures of that part!

Estelle is obsessed with boxes and anything else that she can sit in or on. She thinks we bring everything in the house just for her. I got a package in the mail a couple of days ago, and within minutes she was sitting in the box. And she stayed like that for about 30 minutes, just chillin' in a box in the middle of the floor.
(If you want to take a guess as to what was in the package, you can check out this Etsy site. It's the final part of my Ragnar Relay outfit ;) For now, I'll bombard my blog with cat photos).

Phoebe found a box of her own (Christmas stuff that we aren't using):

Chandler is so fat that he can't really fit inside of anything--but on the cat tree, there is a little platform without sides. That's the only spot that he can fit. But I use the term "fit" loosely, because there isn't even enough room left for his head...
And poor Paolo... I don't really take many pictures of Paolo, because he never does anything except for sleep. I'll try and catch him doing something picture-worthy soon.

15 comments:

  1. I really need to work on what time should be my Tempo and Race pace - I for the moment just run at a comfortable pace all the time it seems.

    Cats can be so funny with their crazy different personalities. I wonder what they were thinking with the talking cats and dog!

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  2. Isn't that what Instagram is for, taking photos of your cats? That's all I use it for... :)

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  3. I have a cat that loves to sit in boxes and bags too! When we were decorating for Christmas she found the bag that I keep my wreath in and sat in it long enough that she fell asleep. She sits in empty boxes, laundry baskets...anything that she'll fit in. I take lots of pictures of my cats too (I also have 4). They do such funny things! How can you resist? :)

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  4. i love the cat pictures. i just started using instagram today (i just got an iphone 4s on sunday) and i took 3 pics, one of my christmas tree, one of my cats and one of my dog so yep your noter about that is what instagram is for is right. :)

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  5. Good luck on the race Sunday, hope you beat your PR.

    I love cats, we can't have one though because four of us are allergic :(. We have a dog that loves to sit in boxes or on paper. I like to put a single piece of paper on the ground sometimes just to watch him try to fit himself on it lol. Animals are so funny!

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  6. At least intervals keep things interesting!

    4 cats is a lot! You must being scooping the litter box all day!

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  7. I love your cats, especially Estelle. She looks just like the cat I had growing up, and believe it or not, her name was Cookie! :-)

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  8. Very cute cats!

    Good luck with your race :)

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  9. I love all the cat pictures. The Elf ones are too funny!

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  10. I'm not much of a cat person but yours are cute and mischievous ... lol!!!

    Good luck on your 5k this weekend ... you have inspired my husband and i to sign up for one here in houston for feb. 2. the 5k color run ... i figured for our first one we should make it fun!!! We went running last night we did the distance between light poles alternating from run to walk with each distance for 2.7 miles ... it wash't too bad!! after a couple days we will go for 2 light poles for running and one for walking to get closer to the full run and i need to map out a new route that is exactly 5k and start working on that.

    thanks for the inspiration

    thanks for sharing you with us!!!

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  11. I think you can keep that pace for a 5K. the first one I did I ran 8:49 mile and my normal pace is more like 9:30- 9:50.

    Good luck!

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  12. CUTE cat pictures. Poor Paolo--sleepy guy. I wish my Bull Dog would start sleeping more. I had heard that's what Bull Dogs are famous for--but our 6-month old terror from Hell is way too active. She's as curious as a cat. As I run around the house putting up Christmas decorations, she follows me everywhere I go, trying to grab whatever I have in my hand that might be dangling down, and is too darned interested in everything I'm doing. Drives me nuts.

    I LOVE that movie Homeward Bound. Watched it repeatedly with my boys when they were younger. We love the part where The Michael J. Fox dog (What what his name? All I can remember is Chance and Sassy) runs across the field towards home and stumbles. We played it over and over to hear what he says as he falls, and it's "Ooof, Gopher Hole!" So now whenever anybody stumbles in our family, that's what we say. And I like the part where the little girl squeezes Sassy at the end and Sally Field (Sassy) says, "Honey, Sassy can't breath."

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  13. Have you ever gotten a picture of all four of them together? I have three cats and rarely will they all lay together.

    Good luck on your race! I love your blog.

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