Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Run, Chipper, Run
What Is This Thing They Call Running?
I Am No Longer A Runner
I have been struggling with what and how much I eat for some time now and have tried to fix it but have not yet been able to stop eating like I am running 40-50 mile weeks with long runs up to 20 miles. I don't eat horrible, I just make occasional bad choices and almost consistently eat too much.
If the eating was the only thing I wouldn't be taking the time to write this, but I have also had issues keeping motivation up lately. I really would like to fix this as well, but I am not sure exactly what is causing it or if it is a combination of things. I am not sure if the winter months have derailed me, or if it is the fact that I am trying to deal with a small thigh injury which has been causing me to miss many days of running that I otherwise would have enjoyed. There is also the possibility that I am depressed from being just 3 weeks out from the Publix Georgia Marathon, and no where near where I was in training for the first two marathons.
You Gotta Know When To Hold 'Em, Know When To Fold 'Em
This brings on a new and different challenge, knowing when the right thing to do is to take the day off, or when to cut a run short. Very few times have I not known what I need to do, as my body always seems to make it very clear to me, the problem is when I choose not to listen. I can be stubborn that way and all too often I will push through and make the run happen anyway, or keep going when I know a run needs to be cut short.
Things Are Looking Up
I am excited to get the mileage and training back to where it was but time will bring that soon enough (OK, soon enough may be a bit of an overstatement - I want to be back where I was NOW!)
How is the training coming?
A lot has been going on and I could go on and on about it, but I will keep it to just a few highlights. Tomorrow morning will be my first drop back long run week of marathon training. It is only 8 miles after the past two weeks being 10 mile and 11 mile Sunday mornings. My daughters will once again be running with me, and may even go the entire distance (wouldn't that be awesome!)
First long run of Marathon Training
Last year before starting Marathon Training using Hal Higdon's Intermediate II Marathon Training Guide for the 2009 Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon (My first 26.2) I was regularly running long runs up to 13 miles. This year I have built my shorter runs and started running 6 days a week (much more than I was running last year at this time) but my long runs have not been over 7.5 miles more than a few times.
Days like this will come..... and go
It was hard getting up, it was hard getting dressed, it was hard drinking water, and it was really hard to get out the door and start to move in a running like motion. This was one of those runs that I was certain I would give up half way through. I do have to say that this is one of the good things about being on a training plan, if I was just running day to day based on feeling I would just now be getting out of bed.... and would no doubt be mad at myself, but with a marathon looming the motivation is there to get up and get these runs in no matter how bad they are.
New Distances
The girls were not too happy when I woke them at 5:45, but this was kinda expected..... my body was also not too happy to be awoke at that time :) We had planned to meet our friend at 6:15 so this gave us just enough time to get ready, hydrated, and out the door. It was a cool 72 degrees, but really high humidity which was quickly evident as we took off.
Training for Cross Country
Payton will be a freshman this coming school year at Brookwood High School, and they are already starting to train for Cross Country.... before school is even out this year. I don't remember when we started training when I ran Cross Country back in "the day" but it seems like it is earlier now. I am not opposed to it, I am actually very happy that they do since it will make sure they are well prepared when it comes race time.
They officially don't start summer conditioning till school is out, but they have been given a schedule to start running till that time comes. I wanted to start running with her last week but then I started having trouble with my ankle and had to put it off for a couple days to get back on my (running) feet.
Monday morning was the first time I got out and tried out my ankle. It was a normal running day but I was not ready to head out for very far, and wasn't even sure I wanted to run at all with the way my ankle was feeling. I went to the gym and did some lifting. Once I finished I looked over at the treadmill and decided to give it a go. My ankle was a bit stiff still but the run felt good. I knew at that time that I would be able to start training with Payton.
I am going to try to keep my normal running schedule since I need the extra miles and speed, but also because I have a running partner in the morning to run with. That being the case it looks like I will be running every day this week and next, some in the morning, some in the evening, and some both in the morning and evening. I plan on doing her three miles on Saturday at the end of my long run so I will probably be much more forgiving that day.
Monday evening when I got home from work we set out for two miles. We took it easy because the only time previous that we had gotten close to two miles before she gave up on me at about 1.8 miles. I knew I needed to keep her at it till two miles, and if that meant slow, that would be fine. There would be plenty of time to speed up later.
The run started out good and we were nearing the one mile mark. She started to complain that she was hurting. We had run the first mile in just over 9 minutes so I knew we weren't going too fast. I asked her what was hurting and she told me it was her side. Me being the kind and compassionate type that I am told her she was going to have to run through it and in a week or two they would be a distant memory :)
The run went on, every couple minutes a complaint.... I can't go on, I hurt too bad, I can't do it, how much further, etc, etc. But like I mentioned above, I am kind and compassionate and I said..... yes you can do it, and no you won't die, and.... I will tell you when we get to 2 miles, not before.
We got to the two mile mark, and you guessed it... she didn't die, and yes she ran the whole way. I am very proud of her, and I know she will do great. I told her today that she will be running down in the 7 minute miles before the season is over. Time: 18:50
We went out again today for another two miler. She did better, and she did say it was easier. She only tried to quit on me one time. I took her a different way so she wouldn't know where the end was again today. I will not be able to do that too many more times before I run out of routes. :) Time: 18:47
Friday we are scheduled for two miles and then Saturday 3-4 miles. I am thinking it will just be 3 this Saturday..... because I am kind and compassionate. :)
Two Time Olympic Runner's New Marathon Training Website
A reader of my blog for some time, and fellow Complete Running Network member, Marius Bakken has started a new Marathon Training Website.Why not take a moment to stop by Marius' personal website and learn more about him. I suggest you start out at this page and browse from there.
Once you have read a bit about him to establish his credibility head on over to his new Marathon Training Website at www.marathon-training-schedule.com
January Temperatures Hit 80!
Well, no, the actual thermometer did not hit 80 degrees in January, at least not here in the Atlanta area, but there were two temperatures that did hit 80 here!When I use the term temperature, I am using the definition " Any of various standardized numerical measures......" and talking about my weight loss and running distances.
This month, January 2008 marked two milestones of great significance to me. This month I passed my 80 lb mark in weight loss since I started my weightloss journey in January of 2007. I also for the first time hit an 80 mile month in my Quest to a Marathon.
This mornings run was the run that catapulted me beyond the 80 mile mark. I was reading Eric's blog Marathoner in Training yesterday and he had hit 80 miles for the month. (yes - these are his pics - he gave me permission - his post is pretty funny!) While I was reading I decided to check, and I was only about 3.5 miles from doing the same. With my ankle problems earlier this week I didn't know if I was going to be able to hit it, but I stretched a lot and paid really close attention to my ankle and was able to get my scheduled 10k run in with no problems at all to get me to 82.8 for the month. I am still behind the pace bunny (by .8 mile) for the 1,000 mile club at Running Ahead, but I am gaining ground, and will pass him up this Saturday if all goes as planned with my long run.Here's to my first 80 lbs, and first 80 mile month!
The Morning After
Everything was feeling great so I headed out the door and walked to the starting block (OK, the corner) Once the light turned from red to green (OK, I got my little flashing red light turned on) and official clock had been started (OK, just my cheap watch) I was off.
I paid really close attention as I ran and everything seemed good. I ran the first 3 miles pain free, and then for about 3 steps my right ankle was a little weak. I was very pleased to see it pass as quickly as it came. The rest of the run went really good. I got home and stretched, and stretched, and then stretched some more.
I am sure my ankle is a little weak because of running the mile on it yesterday when it was hurting, but this mornings run was very encouraging.
12 - 4 = 8 = Shorter Long Run
Well.... that is what I thought. Life threw me a curve ball. As I was getting ready to head out the door something happened at home that I needed to take care of right away.... all the while I was getting more aggravated that I was going to mess up my run. I would have loved to just put my long run off till Sunday, but that would mess up my whole schedule. What started off as just a slight delay ended up costing me an hour, so I didn't get out the door until 7:50.
I still wanted to do 12 miles, because I am just a few weeks away from my first Half Marathon so I asked my wife if she could do the 10:00 drop off and I would be there ASAP. So, I took off, the run was going good and I was keeping a good pace for where I wanted to be. (two weeks ago when I ran 14 I ran the first two miles hard and paid for it in the end) I was running at just under a 10 minute pace which is where I wanted to be.
As the run progressed so did my anxiousness of putting my wife in a rough place of having to get two kids at two different places within just a few minutes of each other, so I begrudgingly took the only opportunity I had to cut my route a little shorter. I have a 8 mile circle, and I add an out and back just over half way to make it a 12 mile route. At just past the 5 mile mark I made the decision to cut the extra 4 miles out and run the 8 mile circle so I could get home in time to take the extra weight off of my wife's shoulders.
The 8 mile run went really good, but I did start it off at a 12 mile pace so it really should have gone good. My legs felt good throughout and so did my overall body. When I got home I was not completely spent so I know I could have gone a bit faster and harder.
I am bummed that I didn't get to do the 12 miles, but I feel like I made the right choice in getting home earlier. I am in a sort of holding pattern till race day anyway. I am not trying to increase my long run at this time because I know that the 14 miler was plenty long enough of a training run leading up to a Half Marathon. I don't want to push myself to hard and end up injuring myself this close to the race.
I will start to push on the mileage again once the Half has been completed and I turn my focus to the 26.2.
This 8 mile run put me at 22 miles for the week, not as good as I was hoping, but in the top three of my best weeks.
Until the next time.....
36 degrees, rain/sleet/snow - 8 miles
Well, I knew what the forecast was, but I still wanted to get my long run in.
The run started with 36 degrees and it was raining. I was taking off on a new course which was a 8 mile circle. (as a side note, you can see if you look at linked map of my running route, I passed by the Ronald Reagan Parkway - this is where my First Half Marathon will be run in less than a month) After mile two I started seeing and feeling sleet mixed in with the rain. By the time I got to mile 3 snow was starting to make it's appearance. I stopped at a gas station to get some gatoraide just about mile 4 and then continued on in the snow. As the run progressed, so did the snow. By the time I got to mile 7 it was starting to stick.
The run started with 36 degrees and it was raining. I was taking off on a new course which was a 8 mile circle. (as a side note, you can see if you look at linked map of my running route, I passed by the Ronald Reagan Parkway - this is where my First Half Marathon will be run in less than a month) After mile two I started seeing and feeling sleet mixed in with the rain. By the time I got to mile 3 snow was starting to make it's appearance. I stopped at a gas station to get some gatoraide just about mile 4 and then continued on in the snow. As the run progressed, so did the snow. By the time I got to mile 7 it was starting to stick.
The picture to the left was as I was walking back up to the house following my run. You can see I actually even have some snow on the front of my shirt just like cars have from driving into the snow. Wow! I must run fast! :) OK, maybe not.The forcast changed a couple times, but they are still saying we will get between 1 and 2 inches, which is a lot for here in Atlanta. I think I was turning a lot of heads this morning as people passed me by on the roads. I didn't see any other runners and only a couple people walking their dogs.
More than every other day?
I have read many conflicting things about running every day. Many people tell you that you should not run more than every other day. Because of this I have always had a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (long run) type schedule. Whenever I would try to add more days, I didn't have many options so I would try to run a short run on Wednesday. When I did that I was always hurting by the time I was done on Thursday because I would end up going 3 days in a row, instead of just 2. I am a creature of habit so I didn't want to change up my schedule. On the other hand, there are many people out there that run every day, or nearly every day. When we go to the local races, sometimes the people that are running run every one of these races, even if they are back to back.
I was asking on a forum about getting more mileage, and what they suggested was a schedule closer to Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, with my long run being on Saturday. I felt kinda stupid that I never thought of that, but starting next week that is what I am going to be doing. I am going to start with something like this and move up from there:
Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: Weight training
Thursday: 6 miles
Friday: Weight training
Saturday: 10 miles
Sunday: Rest
I am going to leave it that way for the one week, and then the next week will probably only change up the long run and go 14 miles again. I will probably flop back to this exactly the next week or maybe do 8 miles on the long run Saturday. That will get me very close to my Half Marathon Race Day.
Let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions. As always, thanks for stopping by and reading.
"The Slow Approach Is Better Than The No Approach"
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