sorry, i forgot about you.
alright. i'll quit being lazy- i'll starting using caps in the right places.
Hey! I've been running. I've been putting in my time. I haven't slacked too much. I ran a marathon 6 weeks ago so whatever. But I did about a 25 mile backpacking trip two weeks later and started running again August 5th. F U if that isn't enough, fictional judgmental hardcore running audience, FU!
Here's what I ran between then and today:
8/5- 3.43 @ 9:43 pace run
8/13- 4 mi @ 9:14 pace run
8/15- 20 mins of speedwork- sprint treadmill intervals- 5 x :30
8/16- 5 mi @ 9:13 "long" run
8/20- 4 mi @ 8:37 pace run
8/22- 7 mi @ 9:37 long run
8/23- 22 mins of speedwork- 4 x 100 yard track intervals
So that's a good way to ease back into a fairly rough but flexible schedule. I could be more Nazi but why should I? This will work just fine and I'm having fun.
With that said, I have two more pace runs and 3 more speed workouts at the track before my 10k on 9/18 and just a few easy runs after that before the 10/2 1/2 marathon.
At this point, I'm going to need some adrenaline and optimism race day. Fortunately for me, I have that, and if I don't, at least I'm in good shape for ski season.
Here is my (flexible) running schedule through the Oct 1/2:
8/26- 5 mi pace @ 8:25
8/29- Speedwork- 6 x 100 yard intervals
8/31- 9 mi long run
9/1- 6 mi easy run
9/2-9/3- Backpacking/Hiking Trip
9/7- 8 mi long run
9/8- 5 mi pace @ 8:10
9/11- easy bike ride
9/12- Speedwork- 8 x 100 yard intervals
9/14- 10 mi long run
9/18- 10k race
9/20- 3 mi easy
9/21- 6 mi easy
9/22- 4 mi easy
9/27- 4 mi easy
9/28- 2 mi easy
10/2- 1/2 marathon
Goals again are:
10k: 50 min
1/2 Marathon: 1:50
"Probably won't get them?"
Watch me!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Running Withdrawls
I haven't run now for 10 days, and I can't take it. Running has become such a big part of my life, it is almost part of my daily routine. I feel like I haven't brushed my teeth!
There are different philosophies out there on proper race/marathon recovery, but I made a decision beforehand that I (or rather, my joints) needed a good chance to heal up before I begin the highest intensity training I've done yet. After all, I started training for my first 1/2 in March 2010, and haven't given myself more than a week rest at any point since then, not even in the winter.
My knees still hurt when I walk up and down stairs. I need to stick with my plan.
The funny thing is that I've been doing other types of workouts plenty. I've been lifting weights and hiking, and will be going on a nice, long, 4 day hike starting this sunday. Its not like I'm going to get out of shape. But it just doesn't feel right. Running is such an efficient and easy way for me to burn tons of calories, that I've come to rely on it.
Like all addicts, I'll just have to survive through this until the next fix.
There are different philosophies out there on proper race/marathon recovery, but I made a decision beforehand that I (or rather, my joints) needed a good chance to heal up before I begin the highest intensity training I've done yet. After all, I started training for my first 1/2 in March 2010, and haven't given myself more than a week rest at any point since then, not even in the winter.
My knees still hurt when I walk up and down stairs. I need to stick with my plan.
The funny thing is that I've been doing other types of workouts plenty. I've been lifting weights and hiking, and will be going on a nice, long, 4 day hike starting this sunday. Its not like I'm going to get out of shape. But it just doesn't feel right. Running is such an efficient and easy way for me to burn tons of calories, that I've come to rely on it.
Like all addicts, I'll just have to survive through this until the next fix.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
VICTORY!
26.2- Conquered! Here are my thoughts:
#1- Miles 20-26 were not that much different than 18-20. It just lasted longer. I am certain that this is because I did everything mostly right, specifically during the race. I took it nice and slow, like I did during my training, ate constantly after mile 9, took ibuprofen, and stopped at every water stop after mile 6. This race was not, "hilly" it was "mountainy," so I eventually started walking every hill, even though I never did so during my training. I never ran hills that steep though, either.
#2- I can do that again. At times during my training, I thought this might be my last. I had the same conversations with myself when first training for the 1/2, and felt the same way after completing my first one. I should have known myself better.
#3- I'll probably never run a race that difficult again. Not because I don't want to, which I don't, but more because even the "50 state club" runners all around me were in awe at the difficulty of the course.
#4- I can improve a lot. Next time I train, I can set a goal for a P.R. and likely beat it. If you're a runner, you know that this is half the fun.
#5- I already have a goal! Boston 2013. The saga continues.
In the meantime, I'll keep this active. Right now, I'm resting for the rest of the month to give my body a chance to heal. Then I'll switch gears to my remaining two goals for the year:
sub-50 minute 10k
sub 1:50 1/2
To accomplish these goals in the condition I'm in and for my own sanity, I'm giving myself a pretty lax training plan. Since I know I will be fine with the distances, training is all about speed. I've never done much speedwork, so I'm sure even just a little will get me the 3 minutes I need in the 10k and 4 in the 1/2. When it gets closer, I'll update my current training plan to reflect changes.
#1- Miles 20-26 were not that much different than 18-20. It just lasted longer. I am certain that this is because I did everything mostly right, specifically during the race. I took it nice and slow, like I did during my training, ate constantly after mile 9, took ibuprofen, and stopped at every water stop after mile 6. This race was not, "hilly" it was "mountainy," so I eventually started walking every hill, even though I never did so during my training. I never ran hills that steep though, either.
#2- I can do that again. At times during my training, I thought this might be my last. I had the same conversations with myself when first training for the 1/2, and felt the same way after completing my first one. I should have known myself better.
#3- I'll probably never run a race that difficult again. Not because I don't want to, which I don't, but more because even the "50 state club" runners all around me were in awe at the difficulty of the course.
#4- I can improve a lot. Next time I train, I can set a goal for a P.R. and likely beat it. If you're a runner, you know that this is half the fun.
#5- I already have a goal! Boston 2013. The saga continues.
In the meantime, I'll keep this active. Right now, I'm resting for the rest of the month to give my body a chance to heal. Then I'll switch gears to my remaining two goals for the year:
sub-50 minute 10k
sub 1:50 1/2
To accomplish these goals in the condition I'm in and for my own sanity, I'm giving myself a pretty lax training plan. Since I know I will be fine with the distances, training is all about speed. I've never done much speedwork, so I'm sure even just a little will get me the 3 minutes I need in the 10k and 4 in the 1/2. When it gets closer, I'll update my current training plan to reflect changes.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Change of Plans
A few weeks back, one of the two friends that I have been planning on running the marathon with called me up and said that he wouldn't be running due to an ongoing hip injury. He said that he would still come up to Nova Scotia and cheer us on, but that there was definitely no way he could run.
The first thing I did was ask him to RICE it for a week or two and try and run and see if it got any better. I had just come off of a very similar type of issue and this strategy worked well enough for me return to training relatively hard.
He rested up and ran 20 a week ago today. He gave me a call right after to thank me for gently pushing him to give this a try before making a rash decision. We were back on!
However, we had decided on Nova Scotia primarily because of his interest in attempting to qualify for Boston. Most marathons are either in the spring or fall and the timing just worked well for a summer vacation. Plus, its cooler in Nova Scotia. But now, after not being able to properly train, he believed he had no chance to put up a qualifying time in 3 weeks.
So, I did some research, and found this:
www.madmarathon.com
It is two weeks sooner, but also 600 miles (4 times) closer. No offense to Nova Scotia, and road trips are badass, but we're going to be running a marathon. The following two days, I imagine, are going to be lost in a haze anyway.
Plus now we can plan an even more badass trip on the week that we are already scheduled vacation. We'll probably backpack the White Mountains, but those details are for a different blog.
So, here we are. I just finished my first and last 20 mile run. I only ran over 30 miles maybe three times. I am banged up and starting to question my ability to have a long career as a distance runner.
All this is true, but I am confident that I will accomplish my one and only goal here: finish and survive a marathon. And at that point, I will probably reflect on all the pain and suffering, all the hard work, and all the trash I talked about distance running and realize that in fact I loved every minute of it.
The first thing I did was ask him to RICE it for a week or two and try and run and see if it got any better. I had just come off of a very similar type of issue and this strategy worked well enough for me return to training relatively hard.
He rested up and ran 20 a week ago today. He gave me a call right after to thank me for gently pushing him to give this a try before making a rash decision. We were back on!
However, we had decided on Nova Scotia primarily because of his interest in attempting to qualify for Boston. Most marathons are either in the spring or fall and the timing just worked well for a summer vacation. Plus, its cooler in Nova Scotia. But now, after not being able to properly train, he believed he had no chance to put up a qualifying time in 3 weeks.
So, I did some research, and found this:
www.madmarathon.com
It is two weeks sooner, but also 600 miles (4 times) closer. No offense to Nova Scotia, and road trips are badass, but we're going to be running a marathon. The following two days, I imagine, are going to be lost in a haze anyway.
Plus now we can plan an even more badass trip on the week that we are already scheduled vacation. We'll probably backpack the White Mountains, but those details are for a different blog.
So, here we are. I just finished my first and last 20 mile run. I only ran over 30 miles maybe three times. I am banged up and starting to question my ability to have a long career as a distance runner.
All this is true, but I am confident that I will accomplish my one and only goal here: finish and survive a marathon. And at that point, I will probably reflect on all the pain and suffering, all the hard work, and all the trash I talked about distance running and realize that in fact I loved every minute of it.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
1:54:21
I would do that. I would PR after feeling like junk for several weeks before. Actually, this proves two things to me:
1. Tapering is just as important as anything else. It allows your body adequate time to recover/repair/rejuvenate and makes you feel great on race day.
2. Experience is power. I knew exactly how I would feel if I kept up with the pace I was at. I had a pretty good feel for when my knees would start to nag. I also knew exactly what to do pre-race to stack the odds in my favor.
This just proves that I have so much more in me in terms of lowering my finish times. Imagine if I had done speed work!
I'm excited to see what I can do in my next one in October.
1. Tapering is just as important as anything else. It allows your body adequate time to recover/repair/rejuvenate and makes you feel great on race day.
2. Experience is power. I knew exactly how I would feel if I kept up with the pace I was at. I had a pretty good feel for when my knees would start to nag. I also knew exactly what to do pre-race to stack the odds in my favor.
This just proves that I have so much more in me in terms of lowering my finish times. Imagine if I had done speed work!
I'm excited to see what I can do in my next one in October.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Uncle!
OK. I get it. I'll stop. I'll listen now. I'm a beginner marathoner and I should be doing beginner marathoner training.
I got hurt again on my long run last week. Yea, the one below. Actually, I think I hurt myself the prior week, but thought it was just innocent soreness, so I just ran through it. I did feel like junk all week so we had actually already decided to cut it down to 13.5.
Its pain in the back of my knee, on both of the tendons on the outside. About 10 miles into the 13.5, I started feeling a shooting pain on every third step. It continued until eventually all 3 of the friends I was running with demanded we stop because my form was all screwed up and I was yelping every few seconds.
Since then it has gotten a bit better but it is still bad enough that I have needed to take Ibuprofen to help with the pain even when I'm not running.
The best part is that I'm now 1 week away from a 1/2 marathon and I'm junk. All my friends are peaking right now and I'm junk. I hate it.
But I'll get through it. All you can do is RICE constantly, reassess your training, and give it your best without making things worse. Thats a fine line and much easier said than done.
I got hurt again on my long run last week. Yea, the one below. Actually, I think I hurt myself the prior week, but thought it was just innocent soreness, so I just ran through it. I did feel like junk all week so we had actually already decided to cut it down to 13.5.
Its pain in the back of my knee, on both of the tendons on the outside. About 10 miles into the 13.5, I started feeling a shooting pain on every third step. It continued until eventually all 3 of the friends I was running with demanded we stop because my form was all screwed up and I was yelping every few seconds.
Since then it has gotten a bit better but it is still bad enough that I have needed to take Ibuprofen to help with the pain even when I'm not running.
The best part is that I'm now 1 week away from a 1/2 marathon and I'm junk. All my friends are peaking right now and I'm junk. I hate it.
But I'll get through it. All you can do is RICE constantly, reassess your training, and give it your best without making things worse. Thats a fine line and much easier said than done.
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