Weekly Training Update: August 20, 2010

Oh boy, it's the weekly training update and it's behind by 4 days!  I know my running partner, Tara, from 2 Saturday's ago from A New Ending is anxious what I might say about her so I guess I should attempt to recall my week leading up to the Ragnar Relay. 

So we left off last Friday when I hoped to get in a run but the weather just didn't cooperate.  I wanted to get in a long run Saturday so I decided it was OK. 

Saturday Tara came around 6 a.m. and off we went.  I almost can't believe I did 9 miles and it felt great!  New shoes, haven't run in 2 days, haven't run hills in a week, but the extreme humidity and heat was gone hurray!  The miles just seemed to fly by! I think I'm going to start enjoying running and chatting with friends now! :)

I had a few issues with this run but mostly successes.  First of all, I had to readjust my shoes a few times.  They were new so I had to break them in but mostly it was either they were too loose or too tight.  Eventually I got it right and it went just fine.   I am also running slowly still which is frustrating but I am hopeful still.  There are days I feel like I am just not going to ever be a "real" runner but I won't give up. 

Weekly Training Update: August 13th, 2010

I wish I had kept this up as the week progressed but it has been a busy week so here I go trying to recall!  As of last Friday, I had visited the PT and we decided a pinched nerve in my lower back was affecting my leg.  Now I don't know if it is the whole story but I can say that concentrating on my lower back has been helping quite a bit.  

Friday I did my strength conditioning workouts and did not run.  The weather around here has not been cooperating nor has my time.  Saturday was a planned birthday outing for a friend.  I did not run that morning either, but just planned a day of fun.  I was still limping around a bit on Saturday so I was glad I took the time off.  Sunday was yet another day of no running.  I did, however, get quite a bit of cleaning done over the weekend!  This is something I haven't done in quite some time.  I planned the family meals, finished my laundry, cleaned the bathroom, and shopped for groceries.  Yay me!

Monday I finally got out there and ran.  I did a flat 5 mile around both lakes.  It was the first day I felt absolutely no pain or tightness in my leg until I started the run!  My leg wasn't happy with me for a the first few yards but it warmed up.  It was a hard, hot and humid run.  The weather is just not cooperating for a comfortable run this past week.  I was determined to just get back into the plan and go.  I did it late evening and finished after dark.  It was still hot and humid.  I finished the run with my first real ice bath.  I am not taking any chances!

Weekly Training Update: August 6, 2010

As I said in my post Crazy Week of Running, I wasn't sure if I was going to run Friday or not.  I did end up just doing my strength conditioning DVD which felt great!   It stretched out my leg which has been stiffening up on me all week.

Saturday I had planned my 3X run but I just couldn't get motivated.  With my leg being sore, and so many commitments I couldn't make the time.  I did completely enjoy myself listening to my friends Gregg & Natt play the Midwest Music Fest at the Lyon Smith Art Gallery.  Then I got to hang out afterward and enjoy my evening.  I felt a bit guilty taking the day off but I was able to bump my training plans to Sunday.  I really needed to rest my leg another day which turned out to be a really good idea!

For my 3x run I ran my Ragnar legs which are 6.3, 3.2 and 3.7 miles. Sunday I ran the first 6.2 miles in hot humid 2 pm weather.  It must have affected my brain because I should have ran 6.3 instead. My leg was a little more stiff after this run. After the first leg I  drank a Gatorade Recover, then I ate 2 slices of wheat toast, one with tuna, the other with smart balance chunky peanut butter, and a little later I had a slice of oh so yummy Green Mill Pizza. Then I managed to sleep 1-1/2 hrs before I woke up to get ready. 

Crazy Week of Running

Well, it was a crazy week of running for me! After the 12.8 mile Saturday, I had a much needed day of rest on Sunday.

Monday was another crazy emotional day and I was determined to get my strength conditioning workouts in and a 5 mile run.

First thing I did was spend some time making Spicy Bok Choy in Garic Sauce.  I really have fun with cooking.  I haven't had the time for some real cooking in a long time.  I love to cook, both for family and to entertain friends.  It was great to take the time to make a kitchen creation thanks to SWOL Challenge #2.

Then I spent some time blogging about Saturday's run and the Bok Choy recipe and then finally I got to my strength conditioning DVD.  It was really getting late but I was determined. 

I got out for my run after 11 p.m. and It was still very hot and humid.  I was excited to take the Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp and Amphipod Xinglet's reflective vest for a trial run.   As I headed out I felt like such a dork but it was so cool!  I could see and be seen and I no longer fear after dark runs. I only managed to run 2 miles of the 5 miles I had planned but it was late and I just was glad to get enough miles in to push me over 100 miles for the month.  :)

The Long Run of Emotional Recovery

I originally had this run posted under my Ragnar Relay Training Diary but it was eventful enough for an entire post.

Saturday was a very emotional day and I had to get out the door to run it off. I had planned a 10 mile run. The schedule says 12 miles but last week I only managed 8 miles in The Run (Walk) of Mishaps so I planned 10 miles.

The Run (Walk) of Mishaps

It's hard to know where to begin. I guess I'll start from when I knew things were going wrong.  It seems like such a strong word though, it wasn't really going "wrong" I just knew things weren't quite right.

Thursday, I finally put together a training plan for the Ragnar Relay.  It's only 5 weeks away!  I have been just trying to get in the habit of running, running to lose the weight, and to increase my pace.   I went to the Ragnar Relay suggested training plan for intermediate runners and decided to pull from that basic idea to create my own plan. (The subject of my next post.)

First thing I noticed was twice daily runs so yesterday I did a 4M/4M.   At 7 a.m. I ran a nice 4 mile in beautiful weather then ran it again at 6 p.m. in hot, humid, overcast weather.  Amazingly I ran them almost exactly the same with a comfortable 12:11 min/mile and 12:13 min/mile average moving pace respectively.

A New Pace

I did it! I finally pushed a sub 12 min/mile.  Granted it was only a 3 mile run but that is what I think I'm going to use the 3 mile runs for, to push harder and train my body to endure.  So here's the stats:

Time: 00:35:57
Distance: 3.07 mi
Elevation Gain: 118 ft.
Elevation Loss: 139 ft.
Moving Time: 00:35:45 (accounting for stopping for traffic)
Best Pace: 8:44 min/mile
Avg HR: 175 bpm (this is up but I pushed harder)

Split 1: 10:25 min/mile
Split 2: 11:37 min/mile
Split 3: 12:59 min/mile

Avg Pace: 11:42 min/mile
Avg Moving Pace: 11:38 min/mile

As far as elevation, the first mile is basically downhill, some rolling but mostly down.  The second mile is basically flat, and the third is mostly uphill.  So the spit times make sense, right?

So I'm excited!  It is still embarrassing but it is improvement for me.  Now to just keep trying to maintain a more constant pace and keep pushing!  Again, a lot of 9 min/mile peaks in the graph so I just need to start eliminating more of the dips and my pace will be up.  Watching my pace really helps.

Realize, in 2008, my 5K PR is 33:07 but I was 28 lb lighter then.  Based on that I might actually be doing better.  I bet my could PR by a long shot if i was 28 lb lighter, right? 

An Upswing...and so much to share!

So much has happened and it is hard to know where to start. So I'll just dive into a topic.  I finished my first 10K race!   I started thinking my purpose was so the person in front of me was not last. Hey, it's a purpose...and best of all it was a PR since it was my first 10K.  It was a beautiful course, lots of rolling hills but nothing too difficult. I was as slow as I expected but I did it!

Now a few words about my "running partner".  I love my Garmin Forerunner 405CX.  I can't believe the stats it produces.  I'm so glad I had it on this race.  My best pace was 6:47 min/mile which is insane. My pace at the finish was 9:59 min/mile and my average moving pace was 12:35 min/mile.  The Garmin certainly gives me an overall picture of my progress.  If I can just make those dips in pace not dip so far so often.  I'm thinking there is hope for me yet! 

Training: July 3-7, 2010

Time to ramp it back up...again.  June was a difficult month.  I noticed I haven't lost weight since my last record on May 26th.  At least I'm not gaining, at least not that much.  If I keep running I should be able to catch up with my 5 lb a month goal.

Here was the plan: I started with a 5K run the morning I left for my trip.  Then I mapped out some runs on mapmyrun.com for both cities I traveled to and actually stuck with the plan!  I managed 4.15 mile on Sunday and 5.2 miles on Monday.  Tuesday was travel home day and instead of running I napped off the travel.  Funny how you can sit in a car for hours and be tired when you get home.

I also switched from (NOT) finding time in the evening to run to mornings.  MUCH better! :)  I just have to fight with the obeying the alarm clock and going to bed at a decent hour. 

This morning I did a 6 mile run.  My Avg HR is going down...again, and my average pace is going down...again.  So frustrated to have to basically start over but it's improving fast.  Distance still doesn't seem to be a problem but average pace needs to improve.  I'm concerned  I won't be running 10 minute mile pace by Ragnar but it's still possible.

So total mileage so far in July...18.

Training: Week of June 21st, 2010

Planned miles: 34. Actual miles: 10.2.  Well, at least I did something.

It was a sporadic week of intentions.  I am stagnant in my weight loss, I’m slowing down in my workouts and my periods of focus are few and far between but I’m still determined.

Today is another day.  Another day to start again, make goals and push forward.  I’m convinced life change is not easy.  I am shocked when I fall back into old habits.

I choose to make new habits and make the old ones die, though it is definitely a process.

Today is a new day, time to make a plan of attack for this weeks battles of life.

JUN 30 2010 http://runningitoff.tumblr.com/ post

Trail Running in Mill Creek Park

I love how this looks like a painting!

JUN 25 2010 http://runningitoff.tumblr.com/ post