Running Down a Dream: Week of 8/22 - 8/28

[Jolt]

Just a short half-hour trail run today in the cloudy drizzle. Felt good to run on the trails again, especially with it not being hot out.

[colby]

Girls do you think it's possible to do a half marathon with 11 weeks of training? I'm in good cardio shape from cycling but haven't been running over the hot summer months.

Almost 3 months? Yeah, I would say that's doable, as long as you're not starting from zero cardio/zero running background. You will spend a few weeks rebuilding your running-specific muscles, but you should be able to make/find a plan that works.

(Hoping to get back to running myself this week, we're in the middle of a hectic work week and I'm trying to pound the shape of a bicycle seat into my spouse's butt in prep for our Italy cycling trip in October )

[Bike Chick]

Girls do you think it's possible to do a half marathon with 11 weeks of training? I'm in good cardio shape from cycling but haven't been running over the hot summer months.

Certainly. I used the Hal Higdon 12 week plan for mine last May and am getting ready to start it again. When is your race?

http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm

[OakLeaf]

If any of you have any 'confidence' building techniques for me, feel free to share.

MapMyRun. Plan your route beforehand. Write out a cue sheet (or draw a map) and stick it in your pocket.

Girls do you think it's possible to do a half marathon with 11 weeks of training?

I sure hope so since I'm trying to do a full on 11 weeks (including taper). What was your longest recent run, and how long ago?

[katluvr]

So I did not post my run from yesterday. It has continued to rain (drizzle to unexpected downpours) all week! So off to the treadmill I went. For this running plan all the mid weeks runs are 30 min (now we have moved up to a 35 min run). Since I feel a bit behind I decied on 4 miles. I set the TM to a low level hill program. My goal was to run at 5.4, not fast but steady. So after my warm up that is what I did! I did slow the pace a couple times after a "hill" but otherwise kept my pace. So 45 min. later I was done. This was a bit faster and 1 level up from last week, so I think I'll just keep increasing it slowly.

So this morning was the early AM work out with the trainer. We did a "pilates-like" work out. It was not raining--yet, saw some blue sky and the temp was barely 80. So I came home, had a small bite to eat, let it digest some and was out by 8:30. Since I work this weekend I cannot do my 6 miler on Sat. AM--so that was my plan today. I don't consider this a "long run" yet. I am still challenging myself speed wise so I was not tackling this at a "converstional speed". So I felt pretty good at the start and was warming up well in my first 1/2 mile. My goal was aroud 11, but IF I could run faster I would. Here is my pace for each mile:
1-- 11:20
2-- 10:33
3--10:47
4--10:45
5--11:47
6--11:21

So I took a walk break at mile 2 & 4. Takes a LONG time to get my pace back up. Not sure if it is the garmin taking so long to register my pace change or if it really takes me that long. So you see after I compled mile 4 I pooped out. But I felt the first 4 miles were good, so I allowed myself that. I even walked one extra time. But the I decide I need to PUSH on. So I did pick it up abit the last mile. Overall time 1:06:37 = 11:06 min mile pace. So I met my goal, although this pace is till tough for me.

So this week I need to do some negative split workouts on the TM. Continue to work on my pace during the week. Once I get over 7 miles I DO consider them long runs, so I should be at a more comfortable pace MOST of the run. Not only that when I do mileage between 6 & 9...those runs are tough for me. Maybe it's mental. I actually do better with runs of 9, 10, 11 or more. But 7 & 8 miles are weird mileage for me and give me a hard time. Maybe because I don't that specific mileage runs much except for ramps ups for the "big miles".

K

[limewave]

I was supposed to do 5 miles with the 3 in the middle at tempo (9 min/mile pace).

Well, that didn't happen. I was just tuckered out. I managed to run about 1.25 miles at that pace and then I got a horrible side stitch. Ended up averaging around 10 minute miles for the rest of the run.

Next scheduled run: 9 hilly miles on Sunday
3 weeks until 1/2 marathon . . .

[colby]

Ran to work with my dog today, about 6 miles, probably only 3 of which were at any sort of actual pace, it was more for a dog-speriment and exercise's sake that we did it. She was in her doggie jacket. I didn't put enough water on it the first part of the trip, so we stopped past halfway (unfortunately, not many choices) and got it very wet at the well (though since I had to hand pump the water and it was kind of lukewarm, it wasn't ideal - next time I'll just go down to the river and soak it). When I took the jacket off, she was definitely MUCH cooler underneath, but she still wanted to go lie down in the muddiest mud puddle I've ever seen just before we got to work. Now she has a semi-dirty doggie cooling jacket, but I think we will keep working at it - I was worried she'd be too cold when we first started if I got it soaked in cold water from home, but I think she'd be okay with that on this route.

This is also the farthest she has gone in a while, I think it was a bit of a stretch, but she made it. She is now "too tired" to walk around the office.

[OakLeaf]

From a hotel in suburban freeway hell, there is a little walkway to a neighborhood where I could do half mile laps until I just couldn't look at the same houses one more time.So, tempo run - 3.5 miles @ roughly 8:30 pace - felt pretty good and the weather was beautiful aside from the ragweed pollen.

[WindingRoad]

Sooooo.... I finally got out and did my first run yesterday! Wow was is harder than in Indiana, Philadelphia is so much hillier than the midwest! Every muscle in my legs is sore. I did a 65 mile ride today which helped but OMG still sore from Friday morning. I hope to get another run in tomorrow if some of this soreness subsides.

[skhill]

Discovered something on Sat.'s long run-- eating really helps! My training plan had me scheduled for 10 miles, and I ended up going 12 (missed my turn in an unfamiliar neighborhood). It was the first time I'd brought something to eat, and what a difference it made; had a couple bites of my granola bar at a stop light about an hour in, then another bite 30 minutes later, and instead of dragging home those last few miles, I had plenty of energy. Felt better later in the day too, and stronger today as well.

I just wish my half was sooner-- still 9 weeks to go...

[OakLeaf]

Another ten laps of the little subdivision, for 5 miles. It was hot and I'd been on my feet all day and I really didn't feel like running, but when I thought of our Iron gals I knew I had to!

Some kids were playing with a hose and being very polite about not spraying me. I finally asked them to spray me on my last lap.