Running into June - May 30-June 5

[Susan Otcenas]

Well, V, it's probably my own d@mn fault. You, smart girl that you are, ran 1.2 miles today.

Me? I ran 15 miles 3 days after my 600K. It was on my coach's training plan, yes, but it really was too much. I was cooked at 12 miles, and should have called for a ride. Instead, I sucked it up, and ran it. Now I'm paying the price.

[OakLeaf]

Aw, bummer Susan. Roll those feet out (or walk on pebbles), do your toe skrunches, you'll be just fine in time for your HIM.

[colby]

Well, V, it's probably my own d@mn fault. You, smart girl that you are, ran 1.2 miles today.

Me? I ran 15 miles 3 days after my 600K. It was on my coach's training plan, yes, but it really was too much. I was cooked at 12 miles, and should have called for a ride. Instead, I sucked it up, and ran it. Now I'm paying the price.

Do a nice warmup (on the bike, perhaps) and stretch those hamstrings, calves, glutes, hips, quads! I have had on and off heel problems on my left foot that I'm still working on diminishing, and it's often that I need to stretch the backs of my lower calves from my arch to my calf more than anything else. You can get them from a good lunge (feel the stretch across your heel), then farther up by putting your toes on the edge of a step and letting your heels drop. You might be able to make 10k in a walk/run (do not heel strike!) or feel good enough for a cautious jog, but planning for a DNF is probably safest for your toesies.

I don't want to be an enabler () and you might already know what you need to do, but these stretches have made a world of difference for me when I have that nagging heel pain. I find that I have to go all the way up to my hip flexors, hamstrings, and quads, because they are so interconnected. Your body definitely would have preferred a few days of yoga to 15 miles on the feet Rolling them out after stretching sounds like a really good idea - and maybe some ice.

Most of all, hang in there! Your priorities are straight, you'll get a nice race simulation in and get a chance to get used to a swim that is not too far off the distance of the HIM swim in the scheme of things. And, a nice bike ride.

Hoping to go out and get my 45 minutes of running in here pretty soon, I have had quite a day. I won't get to go to the pool tonight, but I did get to go to my chiropractor earlier who oooh-ed and ahhh-ed about my body being in such good condition considering this last few weeks have been maximum training volume. I have never had such uneventful chiro visits. FiveFingers, I love you. I should get my Bikilas in the mail this week, I had to get the womens ones because they don't make mens in my size. I really really want to run barefoot inside of them and can't in my KSOs.

[colby]

Got my almost 5 miles in today. Toward the end I did feel the weekend's half marathon, 4:15 ride+quick run, and yesterday's 1:30 bike ride with intervals all put together.

Pictures from the half marathon (still no update to the timing):
~Mile 11: http://kmorris.exposuremanager.com/p...da_2999_23_4_5
Steps from finish: http://kmorris.exposuremanager.com/p...a0726_23_4_3_5

Both are pretty weird parts of my stride. The way the first photo was snapped it looks like I'm heel-striking but one frame forward and my fore/mid-foot would obviously hit first. The way the second was taken it looks like I'm not moving when I was actually hauling to the finish.

I do love my Sugoi skulls arm warmers though, thanks TE! - http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSU_99920U_1.html I had a pair of the non-skulls ones that I lost at a triathlon when I threw them to the side and someone else claimed them as their own, so I took the opportunity to buy the awesome skulls version. I considered taking them off once or twice, but the wind and clouds and changing conditions made them appropriate for the whole thing. I got them so they fit close to skin, which makes the changing tent attendants hate helping me put them on at Ironman, but I really forget they are even there.

Also, the t-shirt I'm wearing is from Brooks - http://www.brooksrunning.com/product...0/Glycerin%20T - and it's really interesting. The fabric has a soft, cottony feel, but is very functional. For me, the seams in the armpits chafe way less than other more silky technical fabrics - I can go well over 3 hours running/walking in it and not have nasty red marks (even without the arm warmers to save the pits). A friend of mine and I bought them for our 12k based on style and originality (yeah, we dress alike, we're dorks) and we were surprised but happy with them. I also got the Glycerin support tank and tried it on, it's not quite as full coverage as my regular CW-X sports bra and I'm not sure I'm ready for running in it myself, but I like the way it feels (I wish the pink/purple were reversed, I got the blue/orange) so I'll at least wear it for yoga and definitely riding: http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodBR_220249.html

Worth mentioning, those Zoot shorts have seriously lasted me probably 3 years and countless miles of training. I think they are an earlier version of the TRIfit short: http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodZT_S0WTB53.html - I had bought 2 shorts on Sierra Trading Post to try out and these ones would have been worth full price. I also got my CW-X Firm Support bra off of a lucky find on Steep and Cheap and it's been great for running - worth the retail cost if you like firmer support without being super-mashy and going quite as far as the Xtra support (which must be awesome) - http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodCW_165101.html

This ends your clothing endorsement!

[rocknrollgirl]

I am sorry to hear the some of you guys are injured. I hate to even use that word. Let's say that you are...."sore". I had to learn to listen to all of those little.."you should turn around now" voices the hard way. I will wish you speedy recovery from your "soreness".

I bailed on my run yesterday. I actually bailed on my ride too. I think it has only happened one other time in the last 7 months. It so hot and humid, and we had an air quality alert.

I went to the pool as a default, and 10 mins into my swim, they pulled us because of thunder. Indoor pool, so that was frustrating. They told us we had to wait 45 mins past the last boom. I said, no thanks and went home.

So all in all I swam for 10 mins.

Oh well, today is another day and one unscheduled rest day will not sink the ship!

[Crankin]

OK, ladies. I am home from my trip and have this 5k run event staring me in the face on Saturday. I haven't run since May 17. I am tired and generally worn out from the hilly riding in Spain, as well as the walking, and traveling. I had a massage after the day we did the 10 mile climb and the therapist told me my right calf is a bit tweaked. It's not hurting, but it does feel different than the left. I think walking on cobblestones aggravated this.
I know I can run 5k, although I may be DFL. I plan to go on an easy ride today, run tomorrow, and either rest or ride Friday.
My question is: How does one warm up for an "event" that is so short? Usually, I walk for about 1/3 of a mile on my regular 5k runs. I thought about riding to the run (8 miles), but that might tire me out too much.
Help!

[OakLeaf]

Colby, cool pictures! Rockin' those VFFs.

Crankin, your trip sounded wonderful (in spite of your bike not being perfect). Nothing like a 5K to shock your system back to reality, BTDT. The general rule is the shorter the race, the longer the warm-up - since you'll be going harder right from the start. Before a 5K I'll do 10-15 minutes of very easy jogging, and throw in a handful of short bursts or strides (50-75m).

I'm still trying to get back into a routine. Taught aerobics yesterday for the first time since November, teaching two strength classes tomorrow. Today is National Running Day but it's club ride night too. Probably ride today, run tomorrow.

[Grog]

Oh no Susan, I hope your heel feels better soon. What a bummer. We don't realize how much work our feet do until they let us know that it's been too much......

Hang in there.

[colby]

Got my official HM time corrected today - 1:56:31, or ~8:50 miles. 30/136 AG finish. Top 3 are 1:35:26, 1:37:27, and 1:42:09, so there's a TON of tight times in the 1:40s and 1:50s between 4 and 30 I am still super excited about finishing under 2 hours, and finishing 15 minutes faster than last year. Though I am still not a runner, I feel like I finally have the base mileage and muscle and whatever else to build on and get faster. Really looking forward to the short races I have planned to see how that pans out, and maybe someday I'll plan in a HIM to see how that distance feels. But, first thing's first...

Did a hard 30 minutes after 10 min wu today for my LT testing. I was dragging the dog for the last 10 minutes, so it wasn't exactly ideal. I have a good feel for my numbers, so we'll see how this goes.

And... massage today! Hooray.

[Jolt]

Ugh. This is the time of year where it's getting hot and I have to suffer through trying to acclimate. 80 degrees, humid, yuck! I got about halfway through my short neighborhood loop, my GI tract didn't feel so good, so I had to walk for a while and then was able to run the rest of the way home. Then I went back out and did a couple of barefoot laps around the little park on the corner. Anyone have any good tips on speeding up the heat-acclimation process or making it less miserable?

[rocknrollgirl]

Jolt, I am having the same issues, hence the runs at 4:15 am. I do not know what else to do. It is either 4 am or 4pm. It was miserable here today.

[OakLeaf]

Um, Colby... you ARE a runner.

Good deal on getting the time corrected.