A spring in your step! Running 3/22 and on

Thanks, again Oak. Perhaps I should clarify that by intervals, I just mean that I run/jog at what is a moderate (not sprint by any means) pace. I'm more or less following the Couch to 5k program. The idea is that you eventually build up to a sustained run, again at a moderate pace. Even when my cadence quickens, I'm not running at anything close to a sprint. I'm not sore at all during or after my runs. It's my aerobic capacity and the mind game I'm playing with myself that seem to be my big limiters at the moment.

Well, I think intervals is anything at a pace that you can't sustain continuously. It's a different pace for everyone. I know all about comparing myself against what I used to be able to do ... and I also know that that is really un-helpful for improving from where I am now. (Not that I've been able to get past it on the piano the way I have on the bici... :()

That alone might be a reason for you to try shorter, more intense intervals with shorter rest periods. You could run at an intensity that's at least somewhat familiar to you from the past, for a duration that's possible for you in the present.

I'm not consciously comparing myself now to where I used to be, at least I don't think I am. :rolleyes: It's more a question of what feels natural to me as far gait and cadence. Running at a slower pace just feels sort of weird to me. I have to really concentrate, or I'll lapse into a faster run. For that reason, I think I will look into a chi running workshop to see if I can retrain myself in that regard. Thanks for that suggestion.

I hit another great milestone last night- 5 miles. It took me 57 minutes and change. I ran pretty slow, but my body felt so good that I could've gone farther. I'm trying to increase slowly and safely though. It was a great feeling.

I have a 4 mile trail race on saturday that should be a lot of fun. I'm glad I had such a great run leading into the race!

Today was my Fitness Center's lunchtime 5K fun run.
Day went like this:
Meeting with my boss all morning.
(sign out for leave...yes, I was honest about this)
Walk 1 mile from office into park.
Run.
Walk 1 mile back to fitness center.
Shower.
Go back to office (sign back in) and run quarterly reports for my team while noshing on a PowerBar and an orange.
:cool:

I have been doing precious little running lately. Between my Colorado ski vacation, a horrible head cold, and a lack of motivation, I think I've run 1 x/week for the past month or so. I managed to get the 5 mile "speed" work last weekend. Then....nothing. Some cycling. Some jump rope. Until today. So I have to admit to being somewhat shocked (yes...SHOCKED! :p) when I saw that my average pace was 11:06 for the race. Now...for some of you, that's slow. For me, that better's my Baltimore 5K last October, when I was (theoretically) in shape and training for the event. Not quite as fast as the Celtic Solstice 5 miler, but that one, I REALLY trained for.

Sunday, I have an 8K. If I match this pace, I'll be stoked!

Another 3.5 miles on the treadmill today. Still a bit chilly (in the 40s with wind), and I didn't have appropriate clothing to try to run outside (the treadmill is in the gym at work). Next week looks warmer and nicer, so I'm hoping for some outdoor running and riding!

I ran about 2.5 miles outside on Thursday and 30 minutes on the TM on Monday. I am now just about able to run continuously outside for 3 miles, almost back to where I was last year.
I'm being really careful, though. I see to be developing a little hamstring thing in my left leg, when I start either increasing my speed or mileage. Not sure what is going on.

Yesterday should've been a bike day, but between a bad case of allergic conjunctivitis, damp roads, and a plane to catch, I decided to do a little barefoot run on the beach. Just a mile, it had been so long since I tried it, but it went well. With a lot of trigger point work and yoga, I'm starting to be able to put my big toes closer to the ground so my second metatarsal heads don't get smashed. Yay!

Then this morning I did 4.5 along the eastern shore of Long Island. Not enough beach to run on, but I was able to see it anyway. Pretty area, I've never been here before.

Today I started out bright and early for a 20 miler... but my left hamstring was tight when I started out (it has been for a couple days). Thought it would get better after a couple miles (it has in the past), but no... At about half a mile in, it went from tight to OW. I stretched a bit, walked a bit, and it felt better for a while, then Ow again. So 20 miles turned into three. I'll try again tomorrow, maybe...

Beautiful day today - high 40's during my run - dumped the tights for the capri's for the first time this winter.

Today's run was 12 miles, we are startng to taper for the marathon. I took the first half easy then the second half at my target marathon pace (9min mile) for an overall 9.17 pace. Felt a little tired at the end, guess still recovery from the 20 last week. Guess that's why we need to taper :-)

I did it! I did a 35 minute sustained run! I have no idea how far I went, but I'm thrilled that I didn't stop at all and that I felt good the entire way. When I started to get a little too out of breath, I just slowed my pace and worked on controlling my breathing. Yoga is extremely helpful in that regard. I especially had to watch it when I was going into the wind. Yay for me!!!!! Now I just gotta work on being able to do that consistently.

I wasn't able to find a Chi Running workshop in Indy, but I did order the book. I'm eager to see if it might help.

Much much better today-- my balky hamstring felt fine for the first 5 miles! Then I stopped to use the restroom, and when I started off again, it started tightening up. No pain, and I stopped at 8 miles, hoping to keep it that way.

I ran 11 hilly miles on Saturday. It was an o.k. long run for me. Rode 41 today. Now I am POOPED! Rest day tomorrow.

HillSlugger paced, cajoled, prodded, and basically pushed me through today's Wild Woman 8K road race in Frederick MD today. :o:p

Other than last week's track interval session (which was run/walk for essentially the same distance), this was the longest run I've done since the Celtic Solstice run in December. I was pathetically under-trained for this run and needed Slugger's aide - or I never would have met my goal of 55 minutes (as it was, I came in at 54:25, or I think I saw 33 out of 53 in my age group). Soundly in the back of mid-pack as is my accustomed place. :p So, MAJOR PROPS to HillSlugger!!! For her, it was an easy training run. Little did she realize how easy it would be for her. She probably went home and ran sprints! ;) Me...I went to the LBS to test ride bikes, so I got about 12 miles of bike riding in after that. Ugh... and no...I didn't buy anything...not impressed with what I rode...took home a pair of Dura Ace wheels - on loan - to try in the thoughts of yet another re-build of my old Axiom to serve as my dedicated "go fast" bike.

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Originally Posted by 7rider

HillSlugger paced, cajoled, prodded, and basically pushed me through today's Wild Woman 8K road race in Frederick MD today. :o:p

Other than last week's track interval session (which was run/walk for essentially the same distance), this was the longest run I've done since the Celtic Solstice run in December. I was pathetically under-trained for this run and needed Slugger's aide - or I never would have met my goal of 55 minutes (as it was, I came in at 54:25, or I think I saw 33 out of 53 in my age group). Soundly in the back of mid-pack as is my accustomed place. :p So, MAJOR PROPS to HillSlugger!!! For her, it was an easy training run. Little did she realize how easy it would be for her. She probably went home and ran sprints! ;) Me...I went to the LBS to test ride bikes, so I got about 12 miles of bike riding in after that. Ugh... and no...I didn't buy anything...not impressed with what I rode...took home a pair of Dura Ace wheels - on loan - to try in the thoughts of yet another re-build of my old Axiom to serve as my dedicated "go fast" bike.

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I was glad to help you achieve your goal. Maybe you were dying inside, but you never complained, except maybe for the last pickup pace.

No sprints for me; I actually fell asleep on the couch later in the afternoon. :rolleyes: