(Long and less long) Runs - 12/17 to 12/24

[Grog]

It's the week before Christmas ladies!

And by the end of the week the days will start getting longer again!

Well I've had my end-of-year run with my partner today, as she's going home for the holidays on Wednesday. We ran a (self-organized) half-marathon!!! Plus, we had some sun with us, which was a great bonus!!!

We had planned to run in Stanley Park but with all the fallen tree around here we thought it was maybe not the best idea. We wanted to run on the flats because 21.1 km is the longest distance we've ever done (from a max of 17km last weekend) and we wanted to give ourselves a chance. Stanley Park would have been great, but that's life in the PNW!

So we ended up running 2 loops of our 10 k route, plus small detours to get to 21.1. The course is not hilly but it's definitely always ups and downs, mostly long progressive ups and sharp downs. The GREAT part about that course is that it finishes with a 300m downhill, instead of our usual mile-long hill!!!

We started at a 5m20s pace on the first kilometer and I was a bit worried we'd burn out before the end, but we kept up. We walked for one minute every 15 minutes or so, even when we didn't need to. Well, we finished in 1h55m18s, which is just above a 5m20s/minute pace!!! I could not have been happier.

We were rewarded with views of the ocean and of the snow-covered mountains, and a big bowl of vegetarian chili on rice when we got home (thanks to my borrowed-slow cooker).

Now on to training for that sprint triathlon in March! Training for speed, not distance.

Life is good! I'm really thankful to have the ability to run like this. I didn't think I would ever do that...

[seychelle]

Life is good! I'm really thankful to have the ability to run like this. I didn't think I would ever do that...

Yes it is. Enjoy it.

I, on the other hand, continue to walk. Did 2.6 miles today with some weird heel/ankle tingly, numbness that I haven't had before. Hopefully one day I'll be able to run again.

[EBD]

Law school exams are over, but the exam-time pudge remains . . . doesn't help that I bake biscotti to relieve stress. I was at peak fitness in October, for my first Olympic tri, running up to 8.5 miles on my long runs. I haven't maintained as well as I could have - and I always have a little trouble adjusting my lungs to running in colder weather . . . and you know, it's an old sob story. But ANYWAY now I have no excuse, so today I tried to get back on the horse by running about 6 miles. It went mostly well - slow, and stopped to walk for 30 seconds or so a couple of times, but I made it. (Didn't hurt that it was about 68 degrees and sunny here today). My legs were feeling it by the end! But just fatigue, no IT band or other pain, so I'm happy. Now I just have to keep it up through Christmas with the parents and New Year's vacation with the boyfriend! Yikes.

[Grog]

I, on the other hand, continue to walk. Did 2.6 miles today with some weird heel/ankle tingly, numbness that I haven't had before. Hopefully one day I'll be able to run again.

Running is such a harsh sport for your body. I keep thinking that what I'm doing to myself is senseless. Yet... I wish you can start doing it again sometime! You will.

[KSH]

Well on 12-17-06 I rode my bike for 37 miles and then I ran for 2 miles.

The 2 miles were HARD! Very hard. I walked some, but still kept a 10 minute mile.

My running miles are really down this month, which isn't good. I am going to try to run 2 miles at lunch today, 12-19-06.

I need to run 4 miles on 12-20-06, but it's been raining here... and I dread the idea of running that far on a treadmill. UGH. So, I might just spread it out in 2 mile stints over 2 days. Not sure yet.

On 12-24-06, I will do another 37 mile ride and 2 mile run.

[KSH]

Well I've had my end-of-year run with my partner today, as she's going home for the holidays on Wednesday. We ran a (self-organized) half-marathon!!! Plus, we had some sun with us, which was a great bonus!!!

Great job on going the distance! Very impressive!

[rocknrollgirl]

My only run so far this week was a modified brick workout. I have a short commute to work, and Monday I rode home and then got off and ran 2 miles in 17:03....not too bad for a mt biker chick! I would have maybe one or two more miles in me at that pace, and then I would have to slow down.

I hate running on the road. The next run this w/e will be on the trails.

[tattiefritter]

Have managed two runs this week, one on Saturday morning and one yesterday.

Saturdays was an 11 miler - was supposed to be 10 but I miscalculated my extra loop and added two miles on instead of one . I thought my legs were going to fall off on the last mile! I was still knackered from that on my 2 hour MTB ride on Sunday - I need to seriously look at my all round fuelling and hydration because I think I've got it very wrong at the minute, I feel so tired.

Yesterdays run was a five miler with 8 x 1min intervals/I min recoveries thrown in, the advantage of having done 11 miles on Saturday is that 5 feels so short but it did take me a full two miles to relax into it properly. One more five miler this week then I take it easy for a few days over Christmas, will try and fit another 11 miler in before the New Year.

[rocknrollgirl]

Funny you should say that about fuel and hydration and being knackered. I feel the same way. I did a two hour mt bike ride on Sunday. One that I considered to be moderately paced, so good hills, a challenging place to ride, but not crazy.

I would have liked to have pushed harder on Monday's workout...but knackered seems to be it. I know that it is preholiday right now, and there is more running around and stress, BUT

I am starting to think that I may not be fueling correctly. I think I have my hydration down, but I am hungry all the time.

hmmmm.....

[limewave]

I got in a 6-miler last night. I borrowed DH's garmin forerunner so I could get accurate distance and pacing. I averaged 9:20 min/mile, that's fast for me. I really pushed myself, there was no way I could participate in a conversation at that pace.

I'd really like to start working on my speed, hopefully the weather keeps for awhile and the pavement stays clear of snow. My goal training schedule: Tuesday--repeated hill climbs, Tues--Speed work, Thurs--slow recovery run, Sat--distance run. Of course, there is spin class and the occasional mtn bike ride mixed in with that.

Running Goals for 2007:
26:30 5k
56 min 10k
2:05:30 1/2 mary
4:35:00 marathon

PR's for 2006
28:15 5k
59:02 10k
2:13:22 1/2 mary
4:58:00 marathon

[colby]

Wow, my runs feel so short compared to your guys'!! This week I've been doing 20-25 minute runs on a 5k loop, with 20-25 minutes of walking to make it 45 minutes total. My "long run" last weekend was 12 minutes, and I cross-trained with a day of snowboarding on Saturday.

My pace must be somewhere at or below a 9-minute mile for these 1-3 miles, but it's a pretty short distance. My "best" (most even paced and comfortable) distance is 5-6 miles, so I'll be curious to see how that goes when I get back to that point. It's been pretty cold outside lately (low 20s when I am running), so it'll be nice when I figure out how I want to schedule bike and swim workouts to go with my running workouts. Going to have to review my triathlon books and maybe talk to some people to see.

[tattiefritter]

I am starting to think that I may not be fueling correctly. I think I have my hydration down, but I am hungry all the time.

hmmmm.....

I have almost the opposite problem - I know I need to be eating more but I just don't want to, I seem to have no real appetite, which is a bad sign for me (usually means my blood sugar levels are not brilliant). I could eat extra chocolate no problem but I don't seem to want to eat more of the things I should (fruit, complex carbs etc) as I find they make me full quite quickly and I just can't seem to fit any more in.

I'll eat plenty over the christmas period but first thing I'm going to look at is fuelling on my long run, I think this is key.

I do my long run on Saturday morning - I can't eat anything solid before so I have 500ml of sports drink then head out the door. I had one Powerbar gel half way round my run but was starving by the last mile. I have a recovery drink when I get in then some proper food. Next long run is going ro be another 11 miler so I will try to have at least two gels and maybe carry some energy drink instead of plain water? Anyone do both on a run? I also need to drink more when actually running as I just don't. Then I need to work on eating regularly throughout the day, I'm really bad at it on weekends.

Its all getting complicated! I also think the extra running is quite a shock to my system and I just need to let my body adapt for a while.

[kaybee]

I've run a grand total of SIX miles this week! It's supposed to rain in the morning, so we probably won't get out, and Saturday we'll be in the car for 11 hours, driving to see family. I'm bringing my running gear with me, but doubt if I'll have much chance to run. I'll be itching to get back to it by New Year's Eve.

Happy Holidays, everyone! Please be careful and stay safe.

KB

[alpinerabbit]

I did my first intervals today - warm up, 8x1 min tempo with 1 min slow in between. Had to walk some after #4 or 5. Lactate was painful in the second 4.... but went away again with the slow jog. Now my legs are heavy. Which might also have to do with the christmas champagne consumed at the office after the run....

My treat was the offroad dash through the trees in the end.