A Fool and her running - week of April 7

[Grog]

Ha!

I had a short but fast-ish run today, and it felt so, so good.

My left foot is a little sore, but not much.

I've spent my time waiting for the bus on one foot. I always forget how hard it is with my eyes closed, no way I can hold 30 seconds!! I might get back there eventually. Thanks for the advice.

[rocknrollgirl]

I've been running more but not posting lately. Time to be more consistent with the running now that it's not winter anymore--I can tell that I have gotten a bit out of condition from not doing as much for a while. In other words, SLOW (not that I ever was a speed demon anyway). Today's run was a short one--just over two miles on trails, took 25 minutes (12-minute miles, and this was running the whole time with NO walking breaks). Yesterday I was out for about an hour but did stop and walk a few times. Is it normal to have such a hard time getting better than 10-minute miles?

I can only speak for myself and I am by no means an expeert, but it took me a couple of seasons of consistent running and focused training to get under the 10 min mark. I was probably running 10+ mm when I first started a few years ago, now my "normal" pace is sub 9.

I never did any track work, but I did do tempo runs and intervals. It does work, and I think being consistent in your running is very important. I doubt that I will ever run the big mileage as some of the women on this board, but I have gotten faster and much, much stronger.

You can do it!!!!!!

[WindingRoad]

So I tried an ice bath for the first time last night cuz I was just feeling creeky and not really recuperating completely between runs. I have been doing some longer runs over the last couple of weeks. I've been drinking plenty, eating good, doing recovery drinks but still sore. I thought the ice thing might help so I did it and today all my aches are gone. That was amazing, it sucked for the first 4 minutes but after that my legs went numb so it wasn't so bad. I sat in it for 15 minutes and today I'm definitely better. Now I know why marathoners do that, it really works. Woot Woot!

[skhill]

It was a beautiful morning for a run here in Central KY. I got in my 5 miles, at a 9 min/mile pace, and it didn't feel like I was going that fast at all. My route took me through the part of downtown that's getting a facelift, both of sidewalks and streets, so it was a bit of an urban obstacle course. Fun!

But then when I was almost home, some idiot threw a can of pepsi at me from his car, yelling obscenities. His aim wasn't too good, thankfully. But why are some people so awful?? I don't get it... what's so threatening about a fit, healthy woman out for a run on a spring morning, to draw that kind of response?

[OakLeaf]

Six for me today. I'm still kinda sore from Monday. Which brings up a question for you experienced marathoners...

I've got one more long run to go before I start my taper. I'm newly back in the hill country, and 1100 feet of climbing in 15 miles was definitely more than my quads were ready for. (But for some reason, I was running a bit quicker than I'd done my flatland long runs, too, not trying to, but wound up with a sub-11 minute pace as opposed to my usual long run training pace of 11:30-11:40. So that might be contributing to the soreness, too... also a few days off due to moving which I'm almost always sore after a layoff.)

So far I've run 20+ six times, the last time being on March 29 when I did 26.3. The last three weeks, I did 18, then no long run because of the Achilles problem, then the hilly 15 on Monday.

So. I really think I ought to get one more 20-miler. The marathon isn't completely flat, but it doesn't have these kinds of hills either. (Which is exactly why I decided not to do Cincinnati Flying Pig or Pittsburgh, either one of which is probably a nicer race to run, but just too dang hilly after doing all my mileage-building in the flatlands.) Do I do my last long run in the hills and try to keep the pace down a little? Or drive to the next town and use the MUP which is almost entirely flat?

[Bike Chick]

But then when I was almost home, some idiot threw a can of pepsi at me from his car, yelling obscenities. His aim wasn't too good, thankfully. But why are some people so awful?? I don't get it... what's so threatening about a fit, healthy woman out for a run on a spring morning, to draw that kind of response?

How awful! I don't know why and I'm with you. There's a young man in our neighborhood that rides a Harley that DH and I have had issues with. He spits as he passes us and flung a cigarette at me last week. It's hard to understand, isn't it?

[Crankin]

That's disgusting. Can you get the license plate number?

Nothing to do with running, but after my hard ride on Wednesday, I tried the "cool" bath. I say cool, because I could never do icy. I sat in the tub as it filled with lukewarm-coolish water and gradually brought the temperature down until it was pretty cool, indeed. Also used Epson salts.
It worked wonders. Just a bit tight in the quads today. Normally, I would have been barely able to go up stairs.

[Grog]

But then when I was almost home, some idiot threw a can of pepsi at me from his car, yelling obscenities. His aim wasn't too good, thankfully. But why are some people so awful?? I don't get it... what's so threatening about a fit, healthy woman out for a run on a spring morning, to draw that kind of response?

This is disgusting. I'm really sorry some idiot ruined your run.

[colby]

So far I've run 20+ six times, the last time being on March 29 when I did 26.3. The last three weeks, I did 18, then no long run because of the Achilles problem, then the hilly 15 on Monday.

So. I really think I ought to get one more 20-miler. The marathon isn't completely flat, but it doesn't have these kinds of hills either. (Which is exactly why I decided not to do Cincinnati Flying Pig or Pittsburgh, either one of which is probably a nicer race to run, but just too dang hilly after doing all my mileage-building in the flatlands.) Do I do my last long run in the hills and try to keep the pace down a little? Or drive to the next town and use the MUP which is almost entirely flat?

Another long run is probably more about maintenance than it is about building up to your race, BUT you do still have some opportunity to build muscle (up to a few weeks beforehand). If you're confident you can go the distance, it probably doesn't matter significantly to your race which route you choose.

I can see both sides. With the # of long runs you've done, you're obviously well prepared for the marathon and this is the period at the end of the sentence. You don't want to overdo it and hurt yourself. Ideally you'd be able to do your long run on the course, but this is a rare commodity.

Advantage to hilly course would be confidence-building - you know your marathon is LESS hilly, so if you conquer a hilly course you know you can make the less hilly course even if it's longer. Disadvantage is that you'll feel more slow and/or sore.

Advantage to MUP would be faster pace and less likely to injure yourself - maintaining the strength you've built and just putting the period on the end of your training sentence. Disadvantage is that it's not quite as strenuous as your race will be, but race is different than training anyway.

Sometimes in racing my marathon I wished I'd trained on a more hilly course - but maybe for one of every 2-3 long runs, not every long run. If you feel like one uber hilly long run was enough to quench your curiosity for how hills will feel, hit up the MUP. If you really want to go out with a bang - this is after all your last super long run - do the hills. Either way, I think you'll be ready.

[colby]

skhill, that's terrible! What a jerk.

This week was something of a recovery week for me. I had a 40 minute run on Tuesday and then just 4 hill repeats today, half the normal number, basically another 40 minutes.

Saturday is a brick workout, Sunday an Olympic-distance race simulation (will likely be pool/gym as it is supposed to rain AND the water's not warm enough). Next week, baselining the LTHR. I hope to do it outside on my real bike/roads and not on the trainer/treadmill like last month since I was traveling. May 2 (week from Sunday) I'm running Bloomsday, the local 12k, and I hope to get down to 1:05 and toward 1:00... 1:07 is a 9:00 mile and 1:00 is an 8:00 mile. Last year I did 1:10, a 9:28 mile. I'm stoked, but the 4 hour bike ride the day before always makes it harder. Maybe I'll do my long bike ride on Friday and take Saturday off. Hmm....

First week of May steps up to 16-18 miles on the weekend (from 12-14).

66 days to Ironman. Recently entered the "yes, I can do this again" phase from the "ah, that's really far out, no big deal" phase. After starting brick workouts, I feel good about my decision to continue training in VFFs and do still plan to race in them. Really crossing my fingers that it's not HOT, but I'm going to start training with endurolytes to see how my stomach takes them just so I can adapt. If it's hot I know I won't survive without electrolyte replacement and gatorade is yuck.

[Grog]

Colby, I just love reading about your workouts! It's so impressive.

I have no doubt you can do this (again).

[colby]

Colby, I just love reading about your workouts! It's so impressive.

I have no doubt you can do this (again).

Thanks. Sometimes it feels a little like insane rambling, but even that part of it is satisfying. It helps me move on to the next step after writing my thoughts about the previous step down.

[Bike Chick]

5 miles last night and it felt pretty good.

Thanks for the advice, Rock 'n Roll. I'm running 11-12 mm now and don't think I'll ever get faster. It's encouraging to know that I will.

[WindingRoad]

Thought I'd try something different last night and quickly discovered not all MUPs are created equal. This 'new' one is much harder than the 'old' one, strange. My shins quickly explained this to me and I stopped after 4 miles cuz I am not going to risk shin splints with only 2 more weeks of 'real' training before the Mini. Decided to just go out again today on my trusted 'old' path and run again there. I am planning 12 miles for my long run this weekend, and this will be the last long one before the Mini Marathon. Immediately after the Mini is over I'm going to step up my cycling training for RAIN in July.

Bike Chick didn't you say you were doing the Mini or am I thinking of someone else?

[limewave]

I did my first group ride last night, 40 miles. We averaged 21 (you know that means we were usually riding at 23 mph). I was whipped.

And it showed on my run today. I was supposed to do 6.5 at my RP and that sure didn't happen. But I did do all 6.5 miles. The first half looked good and I managed to finish the second half. I'll call it good.