Running - Feb. 18 - 24

[emily_in_nc]

Wooh-hoo, PB today. I ran 4.5 miles today, my longest run ever. I was going pretty hard up until 3.5, then I cut the speed back (I was on the treadmill -- too chilly/rainy outside), felt like I could have gone all day at that pace! I definitely felt the endorphins kicking in, too. I wanted to go longer but decided to be sensible since I was already increasing more than 10% from the previous week, and I needed to get back to work anyway.

Next week, assuming no injuries, I'm going to <cross fingers> go for five miles for the first time in my 46 years!

I think I was extra motivated today because I bought a new Champion sports bra (recommended on TE), real Hind running shorts (with liner), and a Hind wicking top, so I felt fierce in the gym.

Emily

[teigyr]

Emily, congrats

I am starting to learn that sensible is a good thing. I bet you will do fine on your five mile run next week!

Just think, by the time it's nice enough to get outside, you will not be starting from scratch. You will actually enjoy it. That is so exciting!

[Shiraz]

I truely believe you run faster, bike harder and just feel good in new clothes! I think I'll go shopping tomorrow cause I need to run faster! I have a theory that each time you sign up to run a new race you need a new outfit.

I had a okay week:
I ran my long (slow) run 12 miles on Monday
Tuesday and Wednesday : spinning class lots of fun with friends
Thursday 5 miles
Friday : off
Not enough miles but taught pediatric advance life support Friday and Saturday. Just can't fit it all in.Hoping to run Saturday and a 10 miler on Sunday
Count down until SLC half 8 weeks

[alpinerabbit]

22 minutes today, in 3-minute bits!

[btchance]

I started to get sick about a week ago and finally gave into it Wed - Fri. Slept about 16hrs on Friday and woke up feeling better, but not perfect today. Went to the gym and ran on the treadmill for 3 miles, fairly easy pace, then did some weights afterwards (same weight as usual but 1/2 the number of reps). I am still feeling ok so let's hope I'm over the worst of it.

[kelownagirl]

I did another 30:00 walk/run this morning. Legs were tight for first 10:00 then warmed up and felt ok.

[Grog]

Oh my.

There is a lot of speedwork in my future.

Went out this morning with a bunch of friends with the intention of gently warming up with them (mostly beginners) and then trying something a bit more intense: trying to see if I could do 4-minute kilometers, times four. Somehow in my mind I had calculated that a 36-minute 8K (my race goal) was a 4min/km. (There is also a lot of arithmetics practice in my future!!) As planned, I warmed up with them for ten minutes and when I hit the flat part I took off.

I lasted one mile.

But I ran it in 6m26s, which I guess is pretty good since it's 45 seconds faster per mile than my race goal.

Two problems: 1) my heart rate was probably maxing out. I didn't have my HRM on but I'm pretty sure I was in the upper 190s there. (My max is a bit over 200.) 2) my ARMS - of all things - just couldn't keep up. 3) I need more mental training. I probably could have pushed that pace for another kilometer.

I walked for a minute, then jogged back to catch up with the group who had turned around earlier. I caught up with them quite close to the end of the run, and whatever small change I had left, I had to use!

Now that I realize that a 36-minute 8K is actually 4m30s per km, I am feeling immensely better and quite certain that it's a reasonable goal. But there is still significant speedwork in my future!! And tempo runs. And probably a bit of core muscles work too. It's time to bring those upper-body muscles back to life!!

Thanks for letting me debrief. (I didn't really give you a choice, did I?) It makes a lot more sense now.

ETA: And I was way too warm, at 4C, wearing 3/4 pants and a LS shirt and my "winter" running hat (thick cotton). There is a new pair of shorts in my future.

[emily_in_nc]

I did a 4.5 mile trail run today. Was wearing the perfect layers for 42-43 degrees and felt pretty good. Had to walk some after the hills to keep my heart rate below 90% of max, but my time was respectable for me (and for trails) at right around 12 minute miles. I used DH's stop watch to get my time for each lap, and I got faster with each succeeding one without trying, so that was pretty cool.

Emily

[yellow]

Wow, ladies, I'm sensing a lot of positive running vibes this week! Thanks for being so inspirational!

I didn't run as much as I would have liked this week, but, well...the snow is just too good! I was planning to do 14/8 Sat/Sun but ended up skate skiing 20k on Friday, classic skiing (on new "real" classic skis that absolutely kicked my @ss) 18 k Saturday, and then running 12 today. It's a close approximation, right?! I'll probably try to get in a mid distance run tomorrow. I'll see how I feel in the morning.

Still not enough time on my feet for the 50k in April. Hmmm. I wanted to do one in the spring before the BIG one in July (which I think will be a lot of power hiking). I might have to skip the spring one, though.

On today's run my feet actually touched dirt (mud) several times. That's the first time I've run on something other than snow since Dec. 1, 2007 (though it was mostly still snow and ice). The next couple of months will be a mudfest...I wish we could go from snow to rock/dirt.

Spring is coming!!

[OakLeaf]

3 minute push/3 minute jog x 5, total of 4.5 mi. My legs felt like lead but I got out there. Today's theme on the beach: little kids digging great big holes and not filling them in. But it wasn't that crowded that they were hard to avoid

Tuesday's run is intervals and I WILL be back to where I was before I got sick.

Although I think the extra upper-body work I've been doing is taking something out of my running, also. Hopefully I'll stabilize a little in the next few days and not be so sore.

[btchance]

I was supossed to do a long bike ride today - weather was perfect, upper 50s sunny with no wind. Left to go home from the barn at 1pm with above weather conditions, was still nice at 1:30, went outside to go at 2pm and the temp had dropped, wind up a bit, and cloudy - nothing on the radar. Went out and 5 miles in it started to sprinkle. By mile 7 I turned around. The temp had dropped over 15 degrees in less than an hour, and no weather report had predicted it. So inside onto the treadmill for another 3 miles. Unplanned brick, but it went well.

[teigyr]

I did a track workout today with single laps then double laps.

Um...ouch?! It's all good but at the time I was cursing whatever deity would listen to me.

I learned I need to know a lot more about pacing. I also need to relax more because with the "faster" mindset I think I either tighten my muscles up too much or something. I need to run like I always did, just a wee bit faster.

It was fun though in retrospect

[Wahine]

At least you weren't cursing your coach. That's what I do.

I did 10 miles today as a split workout of 5 and 5. Boring track workouts but I needed the flat to make sure my legs were OK and recovered enough to start back in.

[HillSlugger]

I got out this morning for a 3.7mi run. It was pretty good, a bit faster than last time.

I'm thinking about a race in late May that's a 4 miler. I've not yet run over 3.75 but I figure I've got lots of time to get comfortable at that distance.

[froglegs]

5k yesterday, I've been doing all my running on the treadmill, so it was nice to get back on the road.