Running week of 9/28-10/4

[SJCzar]

Kacie - It must feel great for you to be able to feel almost back to pre-injury form. I don't know how you manage to find the time to get everything in. You must be super organized and totally committed to your training routine.

I originally began my marathon training with the same running friend that I did my half with in the spring. She was having knee problems and decided to concentrate more on the biking for now. I decided to keep on the plan and shoot for a Nov. or Dec. marathon. The plan was set up for the "Indianapolis Monumental" on Nov. 7th. I have not registered yet and now I am thinking that I may just switch to the "Rails to Trails" here in Wisconsin instead. Much less travel time and more low-key event. Sometimes I think that just in case this is my only marathon that I may want to pick a bigger, more destination type marathon. Maybe not doing that this time will keep me training for the next one.

While I miss the warm summer weather for everything else it does seem like fall is an excellent time to get out there and run. Sounds like everyone else here is feeling the same way.

[katluvr]

I did it...2 days in a row. (I really laid in bed and did NOT want to get up).
Same 3.4 mile loop. Maybe a "smidge" faster. Lower back acting up this AM.

Then when driving to work about 8, it is sunny and cool out and all these folks out running. I am jealous, I don't want to go to work. I want to run in the daylight (and sleep in some!).

K

[Susan Otcenas]

I want to run in the daylight (and sleep in some!).

Ain't that the truth!!

Nice work on getting out there 2 days in a row. I *never* run 2 days in a row. I like running, but not *that* much.

I was up at 4am this morning, out the door at 4:30. Two hours and 25 minutes later, I'd completed my first (unofficial) half marathon!! I'm slower than dirt, but I'm so tickled to have been able to gut out all 13 miles. It gives me a measure of confidence that I'll be just fine for the "real thing" on the 18th.

I've been trying to get a good measure of my sweat rate, so this morning I weighed myself before and after the run. Despite drinking 20 ounces of water, I was still down 1.5 pounds. So, nearly 2.5 pounds of sweat in 2.5 hours. Zowie. That's in 51 degree temps with no sunlight. Can't imagine how much I'd sweat if it were 80 degrees and sunny!

Susan

[katluvr]

Susan, very respectable time on your unofficial half marathon.
I used to always finish a race in about that time. (worked w/ a coachto get down to 2:10) Believe it or not that really puts in the middle of the pack. You'll probably cut off some time w/ the whole race excitment/adreneline rush.
And to do that alone at 4:30 in the AM...you go girl! Long run in the middle of the week? WOW!

[Susan Otcenas]

Thanks! I think I'll go a little faster on race day too. I lost at least 5 minutes to standing at intersections waiting for lights to change. And I'm sure adrenaline will carry me part of the way too. I'm hoping for a 2:15 finish, but truthfully I'll feel a huge sense of accomplishment regardless. Sometimes when I'm out there, I can hardly believe that I'm the same person for whom less than a year ago, 30 seconds of running was enough to get my heart rate up and a minute of running felt like a long time.

I have some big goals for 2010 and will start working with a coach on 11/1. One of the things I want to spend more time on is speedwork (aka less-slow-work??).

I always do my long runs mid-week. Actually, I almost never run on the weekends at all. Despite how it might appear, I'm essentially a lazy slacker at heart. Seriously. If I don't get my workouts done the very first thing in the morning, they pretty much don't get done. At the end of a work day, I simply don't have the energy or motivation to work out. Weekends are for cycling, being lazy, trying to catch up on the never ending mound of dirty laundry....

[indigoiis]

[QUOTE=Susan Otcenas;465527]Thanks! I think I'll go a little faster on race day too. I lost at least 5 minutes to standing at intersections waiting for lights to change. And I'm sure adrenaline will carry me part of the way too. I'm hoping for a 2:15 finish, but truthfully I'll feel a huge sense of accomplishment regardless. Sometimes when I'm out there, I can hardly believe that I'm the same person for whom less than a year ago, 30 seconds of running was enough to get my heart rate up and a minute of running felt like a long time.

/QUOTE]

I have a half on the same day! I haven't tried the actual whole thirteen though. My plan calls for ten miles on Sunday... I think I am about the same pace as you. I am a little nervous about going ten but I am just going to take it easy and enjoy it!
Kudos to you Susan!

[Susan Otcenas]

I have a half on the same day! I haven't tried the actual whole thirteen though. My plan calls for ten miles on Sunday... I think I am about the same pace as you. I am a little nervous about going ten but I am just going to take it easy and enjoy it!

Good plan!

The first time I ran 10 miles it felt like I'd crossed this huge barrier! After that, my confidence really soared. I know it's just a number, but there's something about breaking into those double digits that felt really significant to me.

My friend Angela, a very accomplished runner, told me I'll be the most over-prepared half-marathoner ever. I've been training for this for a year. My long run got one mile longer each month, and so I'd have 4 (ok, sometimes only 3 ) long runs of the same distance each month. I know most people ramp up their distance and mileage much more quickly than I did, but this slow buildup really worked for me, especially since a) I really didn't run much before and b) I was losing weight at the same time.

Just as in cycling where you don't really need to ride 100 miles before doing your first century ride with a group, I think running is the same way. Most of my friends who've run marathons didn't run longer than 20-22 miles before event day. So, I think you'll do just fine.

I think from here forward I'm going to start to taper down a bit. Probably just do 9-10 on my long run next week, with a really easy week the next leading up to event day. I can hardly believe the 18th is just around the corner!

[indigoiis]

I ran 6.15 - farms, dirt roads and suburbia, ending on a dirt trail full of roots and rocks. Nice to be able to switch off the headlamp in the last mile and watch the sun come up and -WHOOPS! trip over a rock.

Man my head plays games with me though. The inner me is a real snottypuss.

[OakLeaf]

Last (and actually the only) time I ran the full 13.1 was way back in the spring, on the flats. I've only made it to 12 in the hills (with about 1200 feet of climbing). But the race will be flat and I'm not expecting any trouble with the distance. Not sure what kind of pace I'll be able to maintain though... speed work has taken a serious hit over the summer, between training for the cycling event, and the recent travel.

This weekend I'm at a fitness convention and don't anticipate any running on top of all the indoor workouts/workshops. Ugh. Maybe get a run in before my flight Monday.... maybe, if I'm not too whipped.

In more interesting news, I FINALLY talked to one of the presenters here who is both a big advocate of barefooting/Vibram Five Fingers, and knows exactly the problems I have as a result of Morton's Foot and agrees that it's a true pathology and not a flexibility issue. He thought it would be perfectly appropriate and workable for me to pad my first metatarsals inside VFFs.

I haven't yet found the ideal material and height to pad them inside regular shoes - still working on different solutions - and I'm sure not going to try barefoot running before the half marathon. But I'm looking forward to trying it soon!

[Crankin]

Well, I've only run twice in the last 6-7 weeks. Today I went to see my rheumatologist for my fibro. check and asked him about my hip. It's just not getting better. He poked around, asked me where it hurt, and checked my rom. After he asked if it hurt somewhere in the front, around my hip/lower ab, and I reacted strongly, he brought me in the office and told me it's a disc problem. I knew a couple of my discs were a little degenerated, but pretty much what would be expected for someone my age, who did a lot of high impact stuff for years.
So, after a bit of wrangling, I am on a short course of prednisone. He wanted to add some heavy duty anti-inflammatory, but I can't hack those. Then he wanted to use a muscle relaxant, but when I saw the side effects, no way. So, I will try and do some Advil and take it with an antacid. He said if it is not better after a month, to call and he will schedule an interventional radiology shot of cortisone.
He didn't freak out when I told him I had been running for 7 months and I thought this was the cause. He said that I probably should not run over 3 miles, especially when the issue started around the time I increased my mileage to 4-5 miles. So, if it clears up, I will be happy to be able to do 5k a couple of times a week, because I miss it! He also didn't tell me to stop riding; however, no yoga (it really aggravates the pain).

[indigoiis]

Oh Crankin, that sucks. I'm sorry to hear.
Is there any PT you can do?

[Crankin]

He said to hold off on the PT, that it actually aggravates this a lot of the time. I have the prescription for it, so I can do it any time. But, I am going to give it a couple of weeks. The prednisone is only 6 days, so I am not concerned. It's been many years since I've taken it. I am mad at myself for doing yoga, though, when I knew it was really hurting to get into positions.

Off to ride!

[Chile Pepper]

I've been wanting new shoes for a while since mine were too big, and I finally got around to it last weekend. I had the good fortune of having an excellent salesman who is a runner and really wanted to help me find the right shoes. He pointed out that my feet are wide--8.5 D on the measuring thingy. Huh? How have I gone through my entire life without anyone ever mentioning that? But the measuring thingy doesn't lie, so we started looking at options. I have been buying shoes that were too long in an attempt to fit the width, so he switched me to a smaller men's shoe. I wound up with the Asics Kayano. I've had two runs in them so far, and I really love these shoes! Today I did 4 k (4.8 if you include my warm up and cool down). I ran the first k at 8 minutes and then the remainder at 7.5 minutes. I'm really pleased that I'm starting to go farther faster.

[Urlea]

I'm getting use to/enjoying the cooler weather here. It's just a matter of figuring out my layering again so that I'm comfortable. So far so good.

Ran 5 miles on Tuesday night, really bruised my foot doing crossfit on Thursday so I took a few days off, but with a little compression tape today I was able to do 13.6miles of trail running w/ Maggie. This was my longest run back since the 50k & it felt short/awesome.

Next wknd. I will run a 1/2 marathon, haven't raced that distance since last Sept. so I'm curious to see how the marathon/50k base will change my time. I'll let you ladies know how it goes!!

[Jolt]

I was a bum and didn't run for three days, and then of course today turns out to be an icky rainy day. I did about a 45-minute trail run anyway--put on shorts and a t-shirt as well as an attitude of "I don't care how wet or muddy I get" and had a great run. Puddles are fun to splash through!