Running for Gold week of Feb. 14th - Feb. 20th

[OakLeaf]

Another 20. Had to trick myself into doing it... told myself I'd only go for 16-18, but took a route that allowed for some extra loops. As usual, by the time mile 10 rolled around, I was feeling pretty good.

I almost cut it short because I started getting a blister 19 miles in, just a quarter mile from my house. I took the walkway and started heading home, but once I got back onto pavement, it felt better and I went ahead and finished out the run.

Then I kicked the last 500 meters at 8:50 mm. Woot! When I got home my early registration bonus from the Cleveland Marathon was waiting for me... a pair of logo gloves. It's getting closer...

[katluvr]

I am just day's away from my first marathon Feb. 21st) I have not been posting my runs, but I have been out there. Definitely in a "taper". Plan this week is some very short and easy runs, get lots of rest and not strenght training! Last week the lunges kicked my butt!
I am not sure I am ready. I know I can get 26.2 done. But I suspect it will not be easy nor very pretty. My goal time has changed, I started with a 4:30 goal, then drifted towards 4:40 - 4:50. And I am still in HOPES of completing it in under 5 hours.
I am ready to get it over with. So wish me luck and I hope to have an fun and exciting race report to post on Monday or Tuesday.

K

[OakLeaf]

Good luck kat! I'm betting you'll do a lot better than you think you will. Race-day excitement and all that...

Here's something MapMyRun tweeted today that I saved for myself - don't know if you follow them on Twitter or not:

Run the first 10 miles with your head. Run the second 10 miles with your legs. Run the last 10K with your heart.

[GLC1968]

Good luck, Kat! I'm sure you'll do great. I can't wait to read that race report!

[Bike Chick]

Good luck, Kat! I'm cheering for you and I'm sure you will do just fine. Be sure to report back to us. Oak, DH is training for his first and I have passed your wise philosophy on to him.

I did 3.5 this evening and it felt great. I learned something on my long run this past weekend. My Garmin was using my foot pod instead of GPS for the pace of my first 3 miles. I had no idea it was doing this and my foot pod needs to be recalibrated. I thought I was running a 9:30 pace when I was actually running an 11:00 pace. I was pumped. It felt good. I felt like a real runner. When I realized what was going on and reset my Garmin, I was deflated beyond belief. My confidence was shot. I realized how I was mentally sabatoging my efforts by even watching the pace. Tonight I only displayed distance and went for my run not caring about my pace. I just ran and only looked at my Garmin a couple of times to check the distance and just enjoyed the run. Guess what? It was the fastest run yet. Hmmmm.

[spindizzy]

Run the first 10 miles with your head. Run the second 10 miles with your legs. Run the last 10K with your heart.

I like this!!

Kat- have a great race!!

[limewave]

Kat--GOOD LUCK! You can do it! You may just surprise yourself on your time

6 mile maintenance run for me this AM. Each mile faster than the previous.

[Susan Otcenas]

Coach gave me a heartrate-zone targeted speed workout today.

10:00 warmup
4 x (4:00 min Zone 2, then 3:00 min Zone 3)
1:30 Rest interval (HR to 120)
10:00 cooldown.

Did my Zone 2s at 6mph & my Zone 3s at 6.3mph. Felt pretty good. My HR drifted into the very bottom of Zone4 at the end of my last interval, but I went with it.

It's good to be back on track. I've been sick for a week and am finally feeling well enough to do something other than easy, recovery paced workouts. Yay!

[indigoiis]

I tried to run this morning but could not - the pain is still there despite icing & rest and little stretches. I really really hope this goes away in the next few days as I have Hyannis half next Saturday! The good news is, I can walk better now, but if I walk a certain way, I have pain. It sucks!

[colby]

Run the first 10 miles with your head. Run the second 10 miles with your legs. Run the last 10K with your heart.

This is awesome!!

Good luck, kat!! I'm rooting for you. I will now say some things that may be obvious, but I always repeat to myself:

Try really hard to stay positive. Don't let yourself get negative even if you're not meeting your time goals, the minute you let your brain turn negative you start to lose yourself. If you have to, start setting smaller goals: run to the aid station. Run to the corner. Run 200 steps. Run the backside of the hill. Run the flats. Whatever makes you hang in there.

Don't forget to drink water and eat in your first few miles - you will regret it later if you don't. It's really easy to get caught up in the race, being on pace, getting the feel for running, etc, but remember to eat and drink. It's easier to do later in the race once you establish a pattern earlier in the race.

Set all your stuff out the night before so you don't have anything to think about that morning other than getting up, eating, getting dressed, and going. Have your food picked out, have your number on your race belt (or shirt), have your clothes set aside.

ALWAYS PEE BEFORE YOU START, even if you don't think you have to. Trust me, you have to. Or, you'll have to at mile 1. Peeing at mile zero isn't on the clock and you don't feel as pressured to, uh, perform.

If you start hurting, ask yourself if it's pain or discomfort. Pain is permanent. Discomfort is temporary. Pain may mean stopping or changing your game plan entirely. Discomfort may mean pushing through or accounting for it in a way you didn't expect.

Be prepared to adapt. You can handle a lot of things if you are prepared to adapt. Some people get upset if the weather's not just right, they got a hole in their lucky socks, they got stopped up at the start longer than they expected, there was a line at the port a potty. You're racing for you, adjust to the circumstances and things outside of your control.

Eat soon after you're done. Eat chocolate milk, eat bananas, eat bagels, eat SOMETHING before you regret it and feel empty. Eat again an hour or so later. Then eat again a couple of hours later. Drink water like it's going out of style. The next day, you will be fungry, make sure to eat breakfast and listen to your body from there.

Try to have fun. There are probably going to be some un-fun minutes somewhere in there, I won't lie. You'll probably second guess something at about mile 16-18. Was my long run long enough, was it fast enough, did I eat enough, should I pee now or can I make it farther, maybe next time I'll carry water of my own, I should have put bodyglide there...

Good luck!

PS: For me, yesterday I ran 7x2min hill repeats. Jog down to the speed limit sign. Take a deep breath. Step off with meaning. Pass the grass they accidentally plowed when plowing the path. Breathe. Check out the golf course. Breathe. See the top of the hill. Breathe. End of the golf course fence. Breathe. Next speed limit sign. Breathe. Over the hill, push the pace. Breathe. Jog down the hill. Repeat.

Tomorrow is probably varying-distance/time intervals. Depending on how I feel, I'll run in my VFFs. Yesterday I wore my regular shoes to give my calves some time to relax after VFF Sunday. Running in regular shoes even felt different, once I adapted my VFF running posture and foot strike as best I could.

[Aggie_Ama]

Good luck Kat!!!

I did 30 minutes last night, just didn't feel great my legs were like lead. Today is my birthday and I gave myself a day off. Tomorrow I am squeezing in my 10 mile run before packing to head to Vegas this weekend.

[Bike Chick]

Good advice Colby! Kat, you are going to do great!

Did 2 miles on my lunch hour yesterday. I'm finding my appetite is increasing with my mileage. I ate everything I packed in my lunch box so I need to be careful not to eat bad.

[OakLeaf]

Happy belated birthday Amanda!

Great advice, Colby, I've saved your post for myself as well.

[colby]

Today was "step" intervals like last Thursday (100 steps fast, 50 slow, 200/100, 300/150, 400/200, repeat for 20min). Wore my VFFs. Felt pretty good, I was pretty tired as is customary for Thursdays, but I pushed through. About 5 miles.

Calves still get sore from the VFFs, but my shins are really loving them. I usually have tender shins, but even just doing the VFFs twice a week this week has made a huge difference.

Did my 2 strength workouts this week, and had a massage (HOORAY!!). Next week back on a swimming schedule, too, I haven't had time to be dedicated to 2-3x/week.

[limewave]

Hilly 5 miles for me today. I did the same route I did 2 weeks ago. My time was almost 4 minutes faster today! I even jogged up the "big" hill 2 times without having to walk.