Running: First Week of March 2010

You guys humble me.
I keep trying to get back to running; my back/hip hurts no matter what I do, but the yoga up dogs that Knott recommended helps a lot.
I did one of my regular interval run/walks on the treadmill this week. Forty minutes, with 5 intervals of running, for 2 minutes at a 9:57 pace. The rest is walking at 4.0 at various elevations. I found that I no longer am feeling like my breathing is really labored when running at this pace. Not sure why, maybe the winter training on the bike, core work, combined with the x country skiing.
This weekend is the beginning of the outdoor riding season for me. I really want to run outdoors this afternoon, but I don't want to compromise my body for riding. It seems no matter what kind of stretching I do, I am really sore and tired after running.

Another 7-miler for me today. With 3 acceleration strides. So happy to see the sunshine again this week. I do love winter, but I'm ready for SUN!

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Originally Posted by limewave

I have been increasing the intensity of my workouts and my runs. I've noticed I've been getting terrible chills afterwards.

Sometimes its so bad that after I've showered, put on thick socks, 2 heavy shirts, long underwear, drinking hot tea . . . I'll still need to draw a hot steamy bath or run a space heater directly on me.

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That happens to me too! Except mine involves painful white fingers (Raynaud's syndrome) in addition to general coldness--really not fun. I'm ready for spring...

It was so nice this afternoon when I got home, I did go for a run. No Garmin and I didn't even look at the time when I left. I did 3.2 miles. A third of a mile warm up, then intervals of running and walking, with a lot more running than walking until I was within a half a mile of home. Then the intervals got shorter and closer together. I stretched with the foam roller and did the up dogs when I got home. The hip is moderately cranky, but mostly the same as it always is. I went to the store after I showered and felt zonked. Came home and had a glass of wine and relaxed. Dinner revived me, but I am ready for bed at 8:50.

It was gorgeous out this evening not to mention almost 50 degrees when I headed out :D I intended to do a very slow easy run but got a little outta control with the weather and all and ended up with 3 or 4 speed intervals in there. I cut myself off at 4 miles though b/c I have been increasing mileage this week and Sunday I want to do a 7 miler for my long run.

Oh... started commuting again (2 - 3 days so far), OMG I forgot how much my bike weighs when she's loaded, yikes. Of course it didn't help I ran into some cycling friends on the way home Thursday night who were going to the local brewery and I couldn't resist. I'm trying to ride with people on their cross bikes and mountain bikes with slicks on my lead butt commuter. So needless to say my quads are shot right now. But the beer was great. :)

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Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Bike Chick,

I did go through what you are describing last year. My BF who is also a PT suggested I recuperate for a week and not run. All I did was spinning, swimming and walking for that week. The following week I returned to running, started a little lower in miles from where I had left off. I did help, it wasn't 'perfect' but I felt a whole heck of a lot better. I know now part of the issue was I was running on concrete which beats me up terribly. The other part of the issue was that I was a new runner and my bones and joints hadn't kept up with all the new pressure I was putting on them. They needed some extra healing time. I was icing and using ibuprofen too but sometimes your body needs extra recuperation time. I hope you start feeling better, don't be bummed you are doing great but maybe you should take it easy for a week and heal.

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Winding, thanks for the encouragement. It's just good to hear I'm not the only one. I started thinking it's all my age (51) but I'm realizing it's because I'm a beginner too. I think part of it is the weather as well. Once the sun starts shining and it warms up a little, I will get to feeling better.

This is my step-back week so that's good. I only run a 5k today and then I'm going to rest my legs until Tuesday.

Crankin, hang in there girl. We sound like we are in the same boat.

Yay! After three weeks recovering from that darned sprain, I finally ran today! 2.6 miles easy peasy in the Brooks with no pain! Yay!

The other day I noticed that the house where I grew up, on the other side of town, is just over 6.5 miles from where I live now. How perfect-- I'm getting ready for a half, and there and back will put me at 13+ miles. So this morning I did it. With a couple detours to check out the old neighborhood, it came out to just under 14 miles, in 2:12 (but I paused my watch when I checked out the playground at my old grade school-- the geodesic dome is still there, and still fun to climb on!).

It's 3 weeks till my first half-marathon, and finally I'm confident that I can do this!

And wouldn't it be cool if there were adult-sized playgrounds somewhere? It'd be a great workout, climbing on the monkey bars and all that...

Skhill - It is 3 weeks until my half too! I am scheduled for a 12 mile run but am going to do the whole hike/bike trail I run which is 6.75 miles each way. I need the confidence that I can do the full distance. After today it is already taper time.

Good luck to both of you, Skhill and Aggie. My first one is 6 weeks away. Be sure to post the outcome. I want to hear the details.

I ran 3 this morning and then put those sore legs on the bike and rode 20 miles. It sure did feel a lot better;)

Somewhere around 7-7.5 miles today in the five fingers, nothing to write home about. Took my dog out for 3 miles of it, she did really well. I ran some with her on grass where the path ran next to grass worth running on. Running in grass is MUCH easier with the five fingers. Was supposed to be my bike day, but I'll trade them. Not a big deal. The weather was perfect for both today but I felt more like running.

Off to celebrate my brother's 17th birthday... I feel old. ;)

I only did 12 miles after all. Didn't realize the new extension of the trail was all concrete, my hip could only take about 1/2 to 3/4 of it. There was a neat thing I saw in the concrete which kept me distracted. The trail cuts between a pond and a creek with woods and a prairie separating them. The animals must of continued business as usual while the concrete was wet as the trail now has tracks from them. I noted geese, ducks, raccoons, dog like prints (assumed coyote and fox) and another bird print I think may have been the blue herons that love the lake. It was cute to me. :) On the opposite end of the trail there are leaf prints from the trees the are over the concrete paths. The rest of the trail is mostly crushed granite which is much more tolerable on the knees and hips.

For the rest of the training I am going to switch to running on the road so my body doesn't scream when I do the race on asphalt.

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Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama

The trail cuts between a pond and a creek with woods and a prairie separating them. The animals must of continued business as usual while the concrete was wet as the trail now has tracks from them. I noted geese, ducks, raccoons, dog like prints (assumed coyote and fox) and another bird print I think may have been the blue herons that love the lake. It was cute to me. :) On the opposite end of the trail there are leaf prints from the trees the are over the concrete paths.

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The animal and leaf tracks sound really cool! I bet you could distract yourself over the course of several runs with them. ;) But, really, if you're going to pave a trail, why not pave it with something more forgiving like asphalt? :( I can really tell the difference when I run without regular shoes, I assume I'm feeling it when I'm in shoes, too, but not so directly.

I did it, I dunno how cuz I felt pretty lousy today (girl stuff). I got my long run in today. Did 8.25 according to my Garmin which I dunno if that's actually right. I haven't bought a new one yet :( I really hope it is though:) I ran for an hour and 20 minutes.

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Originally Posted by WindingRoad

I did it, I dunno how cuz I felt pretty lousy today (girl stuff). I got my long run in today. Did 8.25 according to my Garmin which I dunno if that's actually right. I haven't bought a new one yet :( I really hope it is though:) I ran for an hour and 20 minutes.

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No matter how far, that's a victory worth celebrating. ;)