Running Down a Dream: Week of 8/22 - 8/28

I started my "Get a Fast 10K" plan today. That's my name for it. :p It's phase 1 of my Ironman plan. I was actually supposed to start tomorrow. But tomorrow is the first day of school, we're scheduled to have a mini heat wave of temps up around 100; (we've been incredibly cool all summer with highs in the low 80s) and Thom's working from home. Those things together spelled - there's no run in your future tomorrow afternoon. I have a trainer session in the morning.

Today was just a three mile run. I took it pretty easy. I can tell I have done very little running recently since the muscles on the front of shins got really tight during miles 1 and 2. They did loosen up some for mile 3.

Veronica

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Veronica

I started my "Get a Fast 10K" plan today.

---

I need that plan!

I managed another 8 miler in the heat. Negative splits for the most part. I didn't worry too much about my pace. My training schedule has me doing long runs on Sunday followed by medium length runs on Monday. Tomorrow I'm scheduled to run 5 miles.

OK, I am Moving On, proceeding as though I am starting to train for...something.

Well, I am signed up for an event in September (11th), with my goal being to just finish. For a while I wasn't sure I'd even be able to make the cutoffs, but I now think it's doable (for me, that is). I doubt there will be much running as it's at altitude, as in altitude that I can't train at here (where I regularly train at 8000-10000').

I did an accidental 11 mi hike/run on Friday (I missed a turn on the trail) and then my planned 12 mi on Saturday. That's the most I've done back to back in well over a year, and both days had a lot of ascending (and descending)! I actually feel pretty good, though my glutes are quite sore. :rolleyes: Today was a much needed rest day.

One more big hike/run next weekend and then I start a bit of a 2 week taper (mostly because I will be traveling). I will try to run 3x during the week this week and then on Sat or Sun.

Got in my 4 miles of running this morning. It felt pretty good despite the 4:30 AM wake-up call.

Today was supposed to be an easy 5 miles, but it turned into 6. It was such a beautiful morning, I kept on going! Seems I'm taking the training plan as suggestions, not mandates...

School's been in session for 1.5 weeks now, and so far I've seen 2 kids smoking cigarettes at a bus stop, smelled marijuana once, and today saw a pregnant girl. Oh well, at least they've all been in high school, and they're going... What's most depressing is the middle school bus stop by the trailer park where almost all of the dozen or so kids look to be seriously overweight...

It's a beautiful day - I did 9 x 1 minute intervals after my aerobics class.

Thinking I might increase the number of intervals next time (both on these and on the mile repeats). How do you decide when you're ready to do that?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skhill

What's most depressing is the middle school bus stop by the trailer park where almost all of the dozen or so kids look to be seriously overweight...

---

That makes me so sad. I was an obese child and it was a horrible experience. I'm trying to teach my kids healthy food habits. It makes me feel really great when I put a pile of broccoli and cauliflower (no cheese or veggie dip added) in front of DD and she says "mmmm, all yummy foods!" :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OakLeaf

It's a beautiful day - I did 9 x 1 minute intervals after my aerobics class.

Thinking I might increase the number of intervals next time (both on these and on the mile repeats). How do you decide when you're ready to do that?

---

Aside from the ol' "do them until you think you can't do anymore, then do 1 more", I either increase the quantity or speed so that I'm tired by the end. I'm not really sure how you know, honestly. I'm about to shift gears back into running (minus the whole cycling trip in October) so I might be finding out soon ;)

Finally a good run today! It was about 58 degrees with drizzle and I ran around town, going down random side streets with a general idea of the direction they would take me but not knowing for sure what I would encounter. I stayed out for about an hour, running almost the whole time (did have a couple of short walk breaks after tough hills and also had the occasional brief stop to get my bearings). Felt a little muscle fatigue setting in by the end but still was able to kick it up for the last quarter mile. Much better than I've been doing lately---not sure if it was due to the much cooler weather, the mental stimulation of some new territory, or the cup of green tea I drank shortly before heading out. Not sure what my mileage or speed was, but it did feel good. Now it's time to do push-ups!

There's a hint of fall in the air at last! It was 60 this morning when I headed out the door. Today was a tempo run: supposed to be a 1 mile warm up, 4 miles at 9:04/mile, then 1 mile cool down. But the 4 fast miles were a lot faster than that. The first was 8:28, then I tried to slow down and the 2nd was 8:25, slowed down again and went 8:19, slowed way down and ended up with an 8:14. Seriously. I kept trying to go slower and ended up going faster... Maybe when I try to slow down I relax a little, and that makes me go faster?

Since it's still pouring here, I experimented with the treadmill again (see the should I start running thread). I added in another running interval, same slow, pathetic speed of 5.6, but i increased the time of 3 out of the 4 intervals to 1:30 or 2:00. The rest was walking at 4.0, with inclines between 3 and 5%. I can't stand more than 30 minutes total on the TM, though. No hip/back pain so far.
I guess the key is to start (again) very, very slowly.

Well I have tried 3X this week to get up at 5 am then go run. I have had two experiences of my upstairs neighbors waking me up at about 3:30 one morning and 4 another morning:mad: Then when my alarm goes off I am dead to the world. So freakin' frustrating! So help me God I am at least gonna get a commute in tomorrow! This is my first week of professional school and I am struggling with getting my exercise routing worked in with my academic schedule which is pretty rigorous. For some reason I've been timid about riding and running in the new city. I feel like such a putz but I can't deny I'm still not in my comfort zone yet. It's been a crazy last 4 weeks. I moved halfway across the US, uprooted my entire life, but I have to get my running schedule back before my nerves go on overload! If any of you have any 'confidence' building techniques for me, feel free to share. :)

My "Get A Fast 10K" plan is on hold since my oh so cute new shoes give me horrendous blisters the first day of school. Even after I wore them around the house a few times. I guess walking up and down my hallway does not compare to the many miles I walk at school every day.

Oh and it's 103 degrees at my house right now. It was 78 at 4:45 this morning when I went to meet my trainer.

Veronica

I'm having issues.

I went for a run yesterday. I had plans for an easy 3.5-4 miles in my huaraches. It was much hotter than I like (95F) but I figured out a mostly shaded route. I was about 1.5 miles into it and I just couldn't take the pain anymore. I'm still having blister problems on my feet. This time, new location - right on the upper pad of my foot between my big toe and the first two on BOTH feet. I walk/jogged back to my car and drove home. Only 2,8miles and I am hobbling today.

I don't get it. When the hell are the soles of my feet supposed to toughen up? My leg and feet muscles are in GREAT shape. My heart and lungs could use a serious challenge. I'm being held back by skin, for pete's sake.

Frustration. :mad:

Girls do you think it's possible to do a half marathon with 11 weeks of training? I'm in good cardio shape from cycling but haven't been running over the hot summer months.

Just a short half-hour trail run today in the cloudy drizzle. Felt good to run on the trails again, especially with it not being hot out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Girls do you think it's possible to do a half marathon with 11 weeks of training? I'm in good cardio shape from cycling but haven't been running over the hot summer months.

---

Almost 3 months? Yeah, I would say that's doable, as long as you're not starting from zero cardio/zero running background. You will spend a few weeks rebuilding your running-specific muscles, but you should be able to make/find a plan that works.

(Hoping to get back to running myself this week, we're in the middle of a hectic work week and I'm trying to pound the shape of a bicycle seat into my spouse's butt in prep for our Italy cycling trip in October ;))

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Girls do you think it's possible to do a half marathon with 11 weeks of training? I'm in good cardio shape from cycling but haven't been running over the hot summer months.

---

Certainly. I used the Hal Higdon 12 week plan for mine last May and am getting ready to start it again. When is your race?

http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WindingRoad

If any of you have any 'confidence' building techniques for me, feel free to share. :)

---

MapMyRun. Plan your route beforehand. Write out a cue sheet (or draw a map) and stick it in your pocket.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Girls do you think it's possible to do a half marathon with 11 weeks of training?

---

I sure hope so since I'm trying to do a full on 11 weeks (including taper). :rolleyes: What was your longest recent run, and how long ago?

So I did not post my run from yesterday. It has continued to rain (drizzle to unexpected downpours) all week! So off to the treadmill I went. For this running plan all the mid weeks runs are 30 min (now we have moved up to a 35 min run). Since I feel a bit behind I decied on 4 miles. I set the TM to a low level hill program. My goal was to run at 5.4, not fast but steady. So after my warm up that is what I did! I did slow the pace a couple times after a "hill" but otherwise kept my pace. So 45 min. later I was done. This was a bit faster and 1 level up from last week, so I think I'll just keep increasing it slowly.

So this morning was the early AM work out with the trainer. We did a "pilates-like" work out. It was not raining--yet, saw some blue sky and the temp was barely 80. So I came home, had a small bite to eat, let it digest some and was out by 8:30. Since I work this weekend I cannot do my 6 miler on Sat. AM--so that was my plan today. I don't consider this a "long run" yet. I am still challenging myself speed wise so I was not tackling this at a "converstional speed". So I felt pretty good at the start and was warming up well in my first 1/2 mile. My goal was aroud 11, but IF I could run faster I would. Here is my pace for each mile:
1-- 11:20
2-- 10:33
3--10:47
4--10:45
5--11:47:(
6--11:21

So I took a walk break at mile 2 & 4. Takes a LONG time to get my pace back up. Not sure if it is the garmin taking so long to register my pace change or if it really takes me that long. So you see after I compled mile 4 I pooped out. But I felt the first 4 miles were good, so I allowed myself that. I even walked one extra time. But the I decide I need to PUSH on. So I did pick it up abit the last mile. Overall time 1:06:37 = 11:06 min mile pace. :)So I met my goal, although this pace is till tough for me.

So this week I need to do some negative split workouts on the TM. Continue to work on my pace during the week. Once I get over 7 miles I DO consider them long runs, so I should be at a more comfortable pace MOST of the run. Not only that when I do mileage between 6 & 9...those runs are tough for me. Maybe it's mental. I actually do better with runs of 9, 10, 11 or more. But 7 & 8 miles are weird mileage for me and give me a hard time. Maybe because I don't that specific mileage runs much except for ramps ups for the "big miles".

K

I was supposed to do 5 miles with the 3 in the middle at tempo (9 min/mile pace).

Well, that didn't happen. I was just tuckered out. I managed to run about 1.25 miles at that pace and then I got a horrible side stitch. Ended up averaging around 10 minute miles for the rest of the run. :(

Next scheduled run: 9 hilly miles on Sunday
3 weeks until 1/2 marathon . . .

Ran to work with my dog today, about 6 miles, probably only 3 of which were at any sort of actual pace, it was more for a dog-speriment and exercise's sake that we did it. She was in her doggie jacket. I didn't put enough water on it the first part of the trip, so we stopped past halfway (unfortunately, not many choices) and got it very wet at the well (though since I had to hand pump the water and it was kind of lukewarm, it wasn't ideal - next time I'll just go down to the river and soak it). When I took the jacket off, she was definitely MUCH cooler underneath, but she still wanted to go lie down in the muddiest mud puddle I've ever seen just before we got to work. Now she has a semi-dirty doggie cooling jacket, but I think we will keep working at it - I was worried she'd be too cold when we first started if I got it soaked in cold water from home, but I think she'd be okay with that on this route.

This is also the farthest she has gone in a while, I think it was a bit of a stretch, but she made it. She is now "too tired" to walk around the office. ;)

From a hotel in suburban freeway hell, there is a little walkway to a neighborhood where I could do half mile laps until I just couldn't look at the same houses one more time.So, tempo run - 3.5 miles @ roughly 8:30 pace - felt pretty good and the weather was beautiful aside from the ragweed pollen.

Sooooo.... I finally got out and did my first run yesterday! :D Wow was is harder than in Indiana, Philadelphia is so much hillier than the midwest! Every muscle in my legs is sore. I did a 65 mile ride today which helped but OMG still sore from Friday morning. I hope to get another run in tomorrow if some of this soreness subsides.

Discovered something on Sat.'s long run-- eating really helps! My training plan had me scheduled for 10 miles, and I ended up going 12 (missed my turn in an unfamiliar neighborhood). It was the first time I'd brought something to eat, and what a difference it made; had a couple bites of my granola bar at a stop light about an hour in, then another bite 30 minutes later, and instead of dragging home those last few miles, I had plenty of energy. Felt better later in the day too, and stronger today as well.

I just wish my half was sooner-- still 9 weeks to go...

Another ten laps of the little subdivision, for 5 miles. It was hot and I'd been on my feet all day and I really didn't feel like running, but when I thought of our Iron gals I knew I had to!

Some kids were playing with a hose and being very polite about not spraying me. I finally asked them to spray me on my last lap. :)