A Fool and her running - week of April 7

[limewave]

Just wrapped up a 5 mile progressive run.

My legs are tender since my 13 mile tempo run last Sunday. For some reason I had the urge to do a long set of squats, lunges, and leg lifts on Tuesday. Then I did a 45 min. interval Spinerval ride yesterday. As soon as I was done with that DH called, he'd dropped the kids off at G & G and wanted to know if I would go on a road ride with him. Phew!

I am cashed. I can hardly stand up, or sit down, or go up or down stairs.

[Susan Otcenas]

Wow, Susan! That's awesome. 186 miles on the bike then 14 running??? That's impressive. Don't see any reason why you shouldn't be training for an IM but will agree with you about the marathon. The training for the half is enough for me. I get bored doing the same thing day after day.

Jeff says my coach is secretly training me for an IM, and just isn't telling me.

In truth though, she doesn't actually want me to ride those distances. But that's too d@mn bad. Cycling is my passion, and I'm perfectly happy to give up the ideal triathlon "training plan" in return for having more fun!

[Susan Otcenas]

Did one of my first hard training rides of the season yesterday AND I ran 6 miles afterwards!!! That's a PR for me!

WooHoo!! Those kinds of days make you feel like a rock star, eh?

[TsPoet]

Jeff says my coach is secretly training me for an IM, and just isn't telling me.

Ok, I give - I've googled "run IM" and "bike IM" and Google just assumes I've left the ' out of I'm -
what da heck is an IM?

[Veronica]

Ironman

2.4 mile swim
112 mile bike
26.2 mile run.

[Bike Chick]

In truth though, she doesn't actually want me to ride those distances. But that's too d@mn bad. Cycling is my passion, and I'm perfectly happy to give up the ideal triathlon "training plan" in return for having more fun!

I understand completely! I'm training for this HM and it's killing me not being on the bike. All our biking buddies are doing 50-60 mile rides already and I'm falling behind. My training plan calls for a 3 mi. run or cross on Wednesdays and I opt for the bike instead of a run. Probably not the best for my training but it is the best for my mental health

I ran 5 miles this evening after work and am feeling stronger. I came back with my first blister tonight. Ewwww! and this achilles tendon is threatening to become a problem. Oh.......I realized this evening that I haven't used ibuprofen for two weeks--before or after the run. That's progress in my book.

[Red Rock]

Well, I went out today and had a very good run. I went on the trails near town, so I was on dirt and sand the whole way. It was very nice and peaceful. There was almost no traffic and lots of sunshine. If I go out more, I will have to start wearing sunblock. Of course between 12-2 PM the sun is at its apex, so its not the smartest thing to do. The best part was that I was warm. So I think that makes up for it at least.

I did approx. four miles round trip. I walked the first and the last to rest and warm up. The middle two I ran and walked. I stayed within my heart rate zone (thanks to new HRM). It is so nice to have feedback while exercising. I balanced my walk breaks by my heart rate, not time. Everything has been good since. I came home showered, ate, and rolled/streched afterwards.

Now the goal is to bike tomarrow.

Red Rock

I will have to post some pics of the lovely desert for everyone.

[colby]

My side stitch removal technique is to breathe in DEEPLY through the nose and breathe out ALL THE WAY through the mouth, expelling ALL of the breath. If it's truly a side stitch, doing that a couple of times and relaxing does wonders.

I also get similar pain that's caused by my hip flexors being tight, which usually is a "deeper" feeling than a side stitch that covers more muscle area, and often for me happens on both sides at once. For that I usually have to stretch, or grin and bear it and it eventually goes away.

[colby]

Nice work everyone.

A lot of people run their first marathons as a part of their first (or only) Ironman. If it's a "bucket list" thing, you might as well knock two out at once?

Today I did intervals, 2 minutes on 2 minutes off, and strength workout. This weekend is probably 14 miles. Weather's supposed to be warm, so I'll have to get out earlier than usual.

I had a massage today, he referred to my FiveFingers as "a good addition" and I'm learning about how to modify my stretching to help the muscles I'm using differently that he's releasing. Soreness isn't very acute anymore, but my quads, hamstrings, adductors, glutes, and calves all have to work differently and need to be stretched more as they adapt and work. I am so happy to be FREE of tight shins! <3

[skhill]

Anyone racing this weekend?

Today was my first long run since the HM, 3 weeks ago-- 10 miles, at a 9:30 pace. And it felt great. It was a beautiful morning for a run, since we finally got some rain overnight. Some of the pollen got washed out of the air, and the temperature dropped to something more normal for this time of the year. I went past the back of the police stables, and there were 2 big police horses frolicking in the pasture. How cool...

[rocknrollgirl]

I am. Tomorrow. Road duathlon. It is only 5 mins from my house which is just loverly. Usually I am schlepping all over creation to race. I am using it as a training workout to see how hard I can go before I blow up.

I let you know how I make out with that plan.

[Bike Chick]

Good luck on the duathlon tomorrow, Rock N Roll!

I was the same here this morning, SKHill. It rained last night washing some of the pollen out of the air and it really cooled off. Great morning for a run. I got 9 in-----don't think I had another 4 miles left in me but I'm gonna have to find them before May 1

The River to River Relay was today and they had glorious weather for it. They were really worried because it has been unseasonably warm. Don't know if anyone has ever heard of this race but it's a classic in our area. http://rrr.olm.net/. It's a very hilly race from the Mississippi River to the Ohio River. Each team member runs a 5K three times. They opened it up to 250 teams this year and the registration closed almost as soon as it opened. It's a very hard one to get into. I hope to do it someday.

[Red Rock]

I have not run since I last posted, as my body said "I need a break". So I did. I went cycling instead. Friday 10 miles (road), Today approx. 15 miles maybe more (mountain). So I am thinking Sunday as rest day (work core), then Monday run again.

I have been going out for about 1.5 hour trips. I seem to be handling them ok on the bike, its the running that is killing me right now. Perhaps I just need to give my body time to adjust and build "running" muscles. Then hopefully it will be better.

How long does it take to build running legs? Of course there is variation in the plans, but generally speaking?

Thanks,
Red Rock

[OakLeaf]

Good luck tomorrow R&R!

I've been packing up the house for two days and on the road for the next two... gotta run tomorrow.

[Crankin]

I fell off the running wagon.
Seriously, it's been raining since Thursday night. Friday I did hill walking intervals on the treadmill. But yesterday, I knew I had to ratchet it up, since there may be no riding today, either. I did a 5 minute warm up, then interspersed my 3 functional training circuits (weights, ball, core) with 2 15 minute intervals on the treadmill. These intervals consisted of 2-3 two minute runs, interspersed with hill walking at 4-6% grade, at 4.2 mph. The running was very slow, about a 10:45 pace. Since my hip/back was already aching, I figured, what the heck? It actually felt better for quite awhile afterwards. I even did the 10 minute stretching program on my dvd... pain is a little more localized now and feels like all I need to do is stretch and roll it out.
Met a fellow student in Newton, to discuss a final case study we are doing. There were tons of runners out, in the cold, pouring rain. Since I was very close to Heartbreak Hill, I wondered if they were doing their last run before the marathon. But, they didn't look like marathoners; running in cotton t shirts in 38 degree rain. I guess marathon fever has taken over.