June Bug Running

[OakLeaf]

So who got out for National Running Day?

I did 8.5, a hillier loop and my legs were a little heavy from yesterday so it took me almost as long as 9.5 did yesterday. No worries, it was a beautiful day, again.

I'd interviewed some coaches last month when I was thinking I might be running Columbus marathon this fall. Since I'm not going to be running another marathon until the spring, I haven't started a program yet, but the guy I've decided to hire suggested that I do shorter races a little more often as part of my base. This weekend I have a choice between a small, more or less local 5K, or a big 10K in the "big city." I've never done a 10K and it was tempting, but not having to drive so far won out. Anyway, the 5K is a benefit for a scholarship fund for female athletes from my county, which is cool, so I'm signed up for that and looking forward to breathing hard for the first time in a while.

[yellow]

Oak, I am TERRIFIED of shorter races (and races on pavement in general). That said, I've chatted with more than one very talented distance trail runner who believes in the training power of short races on pavement. One of these days I might get brave and sign up for a 5k. It would be interesting, to be sure. I'd have no clue how to run the damn thing

For national running day I treated myself to a short but beautiful, shady, flower-laden trail run. My legs are kind of trashed right now, but I am tapering for a June 15 event and soooo happy about the lower volume for the next week. I kind of fought with my long runs last week (very long back-to-back runs), and my body is just now starting to feel like it's recovering.

[OakLeaf]

It would be interesting, to be sure. I'd have no clue how to run the damn thing

Easy, just run until your lungs pop out your eyeballs, then kick the last kilometer.

I had a good run this morning. Like the last 5K I did, way back in Turkey Trot season, today was just to breathe hard and see where I am, and I'm happy. Wore my watch but didn't look at it, just ran by feel which is another thing I'm trying to develop, negative splits the whole way (not too hard considering it was pretty much all uphill to the turnaround and then back down again).

It was pretty emotional since the fund is in memory of a young woman who was murdered 10 years ago, and her family is still very involved in putting on the race; her mother won her age group.


Yellow, enjoy your taper - where are you running next week?

[skhill]

Funny, my attitude is the shorter the race, the better! We have just one annual 3k here, and it's the highlight of my racing year. Every time I've run it, I've placed in the top 5 of my age group, despite a very large field. I'd really like to try racing even shorter distances, maybe a mile or 800, just to see what I could do. Maybe my training is inadvertently geared towards short races, maybe I'm pysiologically more suited to short distances, I don't know. In any case, next week is the "5k on the runway." They shut down the short runway at the airport, and run the race there, almost 2 laps of the runway. The surface is very hard (too hard) but it's flat and fast. Lots of fun!

But today was a long run, 10 miles. I had intended a 9:15/mile pace, ended up averaging 8:55/mile, but I felt like I could easily have gone a couple more miles at the end so that was OK. And this despite a couple miles being quite hilly. However, my legs were a bit grumpy when I hopped on the bike to head to the farmer's market a little later in the morning!

[skhill]

Well, I was going to do intervals on the track this morning, but it didn't work out that way. I knew when I started out the door that I was forgetting something, but it wasn't until I was half a mile down the road that I realized it was my watch. At 6 a.m. it was already 75 F and muggy, and I knew that if I went home to get it I probably wouldn't leave again, so I kept on going. Instead of intervals, it was about 5 miles worth of fartlek, including several laps of the track since I was planning on going there anyway.

And it's going to be our first 90+ day of the year today, yuck

[skhill]

I should do a long run Saturday, 12 miles. But I just found out the Bluegrass State Games track and field competition is Saturday as well, just a 45 min drive away. Distances from 100 m to 3k, and you can do 3 events. Hmmm maybe the 800 and 1500? The thought of 3k on the track is just too grim. Might be fun to do an even shorter event, too. I'm tempted...

[Catrin]

I didn't want to start another thread for this, and it DID happen in June

Today was the first time I've run when I didn't HAVE to. While my body has become accustomed to running 200-400 meters at the gym (usually only once or twice), and a couple of weeks ago we sprinted 100 meters ten times in a row...I don't think that my body is REALLY prepared for running. The repercussions of those 10 sprints took days to get over - and I though later that first day that I had injured myself but I didn't.

So, on Indy's advice, I checked out the Couch to 5K website. I wanted to get outside today but after my neck problems on the bike yesterday I figured that I should mix things up - so on went my running shoes! With no little trepidation I headed outside. After a 6 minute fast fitness walk I started a jog/walk combo on both pavement and trail that lasted about 25 minutes. At that point my hip flexors in one leg started complaining so I just walked it home - which was only about 5 minutes anyway.

It wasn't that bad! I found the trail part more enjoyable, though I don't think my running shoes are designed for off-pavement. I could run longer on the trail before I remembered that I was supposed to be stopping to walk parts of it I focused on keeping my head up and not stretching out my legs.

What I didn't like was carrying my water bottle, that was distracting and it seemed to interfere a bit with my movement.

[indysteel]

Good job, Catrin! Yesterday was a great day for a trail run I bet.

I am so not a hot weather runner, but I've been hankering to run lately. I don't think I'll ever be anything more than on again, off again. But I bet I'll be ready to run by the fall.

[Crankin]

Catrin, you can get a Nathan waist pack thing with small bottles, if you continue. I use it, even on short local hikes, when my hiking/x country ski waist pack is too much.

[Catrin]

Catrin, you can get a Nathan waist pack thing with small bottles, if you continue. I use it, even on short local hikes, when my hiking/x country ski waist pack is too much.

If I continue I will check it out. I DO have a very tight heel cord that I am currently working on to loosen - I think that needs to loosen if I am going to do this more often. I've some mobility exercises to work on that - and other things.

[OakLeaf]

Very nice Catrin!

I can't stand a handheld bottle either. Waist packs - try before you buy, if you can, and be aware that once you put water in the bottles they have the potential to bounce like crazy. I still say two liters of water in my Nathan Intensity rides lighter than 24 oz in my three-bottle Amphipod waist pack, but that might be more money than you want to spend.

Any water (extrinsic weight) is going to throw your movement off - the best you can do is keep it symmetrical and as centered as possible. You might even experiment with carrying *two* water bottles, one for each hand - some people do that. Handhelds put a bunch of weight at the end of your arm ... waist packs pull your lumbar spine straight and make it hard to rotate your pelvis ... vests make you want to lean forward to center your total upper body weight over your hips. It's whatever is least uncomfortable for you and least aggravating to your particular biomechanics, I think...

I did 9.5 yesterday, rode a little bit today, thinking I might do 10 tomorrow. Depends on the weather.

[Catrin]

Thanks for the tips - I am trying not to spend any more on fitness this summer since I am moving at the end of September. I may focus more on running the gym this summer with the occasional short run outside this summer since my shoes are right for that environment and there is a handy table to stash my bottle. Hoping to get get riding than running in, but we will see.

[skhill]

Catrin, that's great!

I have a Nathan waist thingy, and find it quite annoying. It's supposed to be one size fits all, but it's a bit too big. Trying on before buying is great advice.

Ended up not racing this weeked, just did 11 miles instead. It was a bit of a slog; should have eaten better before running, probably. I felt out of gas the last couple miles. And today my right knee doesn't feel quite right, I'm wondering if it might be the dreaded IT band. It doesn't hurt, really, just feels off. I'll see how it feels tomorrow...

[Crankin]

My Nathan pack came in sizes, so I guess it must vary with different models.

[OakLeaf]

skhill, hope your knee feels better.

I just wound up doing my same 8.5 mile loop again yesterday - my legs were pretty heavy from riding, and it was getting late in the day after I waited for the rain to clear out. It's a beautiful loop though, I just love running from home.

Yep, that's annoying to me too - most of the race belts, hydration belts and carry belts I've tried on are too big at their smallest adjustment, and I'm not small for a female runner. I might be smaller than your average Ohioan, but in my race pictures you can always pick out the chunky one - I take a medium in most brands of bottoms that come in both small and extra small - so knowing that this stuff is too big for all but a small minority of women runners is pretty aggravating, in this day and age. But, since I was thinking about it, Catrin - although it's probably a good idea to have water on the trails where getting lost is a possibility, I think a lot of gym rats can get married to their water bottles. I don't ever carry water on runs of less than an hour and a half, longer in cooler weather. And I typically carry more water than most runners - I think I'm the only non-ultra runner in the world who uses that three-liter Synergy pack, and I'll use it whenever I go over 18 or so, particularly if it's hot. Are you sure you need to be thinking about water carriers yet?

Speaking of how far things have come for women runners, I read Kathrine Switzer's book Marathon Woman and really enjoyed it. It's quite a readable memoir. I knew the story of her first Boston run, but hadn't realized how much she's done over the years to advance the cause of women's running, and how she unexpectedly fell into that role. I met her at the Boston expo - there was a long line of women and a few men waiting to meet her, because whoever she was talking to got her full attention, in spite of the line, the distractions, the fact that she was having to run the checkout at the booth herself ... She'd run out of copies of her book at the expo, so I ordered an autographed copy, and when it came, there was a personal note tucked into it hoping that I was okay. So I sent her a note via her website and actually received a personal response, obviously not a form reply. She truly has made it her life's work to encourage women runners at every level, not just by advocacy, not just by example, but by living it with apparently every woman runner she meets, which over the years must be tens of thousands. I'm a fan.