Phew. The holidays got a little busy for a minute there. I wasn't super healthy about eating (but who is around that time??) and I took a break from holding myself to any sort of training expectations. As it turns out, what happens when I do that is that I run a lot and pretty much do nothing else - although part of that was the unseasonably warm weather we had (shorts less than a week before Christmas - for a night run??) and some lovely off-season group runs that were going on. I had totally forgotten how awesome it is running with a group, and I've made some new friends now who run my pace. Oh, and right before Christmas I did my first ever pub run, which included drinks and a giant hill. Yes, drinking during the run. It's not as crazy as it sounds. It's crazier.
My pace, by the way, has now pretty consistently landed in the sub-10 category, even over hills (just not insane ones), and that IS my conversational pace, which I now know for sure because I've been holding actual conversations. This makes me happy. Running lately has felt great (with the exception of one bad run) and I know it won't ALWAYS be this way, but I'm trying to enjoy the strong, born-to-run feeling.
So the first week of 2012 brought me back into the game. Well, the first day was an off day because I may have been a little hungover to exercise. (I tried to get on the trainer, but lifting my head made me too woozy.) BUT I rallied hardcore for the first week of the year. I brought back biking this week. Next week, I need to reintroduce myself to the pool.
I'm working on getting with a swim coach for a little extra help in that area. I don't care so much that I'm a slow swimmer, but I'd like to be more efficient at least. And, ok, maybe not dead last anymore.
I have new year's resolutions that relate to exercise. I think I've mentioned it before, but I'm a bit opposite of a lot of people. I don't need motivation to exercise. I need motivation to calm the eff down. So my resolution is to go easy on myself, NOT keep trying to add on to exercise plans, and not try to deplete every ounce of energy I have. So this past week I didn't do everything I wanted, and I had the energy to channel into some other things I needed to do. (I have another new year's resolution to get more organized. Yeesh.)
I found an IM training plan - there are a few in Don Fink's book "Be Iron Fit" that are quite doable. I'm going to try for the competitive plan. It's not too bad - it starts out at 6 hours a week of training and tops out at 20, but only for one week. The heaviest training is during the summer when I'm least busy at work and have the most daylight to train in. However, I also have the option of dropping down to the Intermediate program if that turns out to be too much. There's also a a "Just Finish" plan but it tops out at 10 hours a week and I can't imagine feeling ready to tackle 140.6 on that.
They're all 30 week programs, which means I'll start sometime in February. I'm thinking of tweaking it so that I have a week off after the Pig and maybe a week off after the 70.3, even though a half ironman is actually built into the training (but it's like a week or two off if I do Muncie.)
In the meantime, I'm easing myself into the schedule. It's pretty easy to follow: 3 runs, 2 bikes, 1 brick (bike/run) and 2 swims a week (with a third weekly swim added in week 11.) I'm following the pig group training plan for the 3 runs, which will put me a bit over for the running part of the IM plan, but I'm going to try to follow the rest of it as exactly as I can, and stick with what the plan says for running in the aftermath of the Pig (right about when the workouts start getting looooong!) So working with the group runs and my work schedule, here's what looks like the best way to do it:
M - run AM/swim PM
T - bike AM (spin class) <--this is my long work day, so no PM workout
W - swim AM/run PM
Th - brick
F - off
Sat - long run
Sun - long bike
It gets tweaked weekly as my work schedule changes, but for the most part I can stick pretty closely to it.
And here's how my first week went - like I said, I didn't get back in the pool yet, but that's part of the "easing into it" thing. Plus, I was on call all week and that never works well with swimming.
M - AM 45 minutes on the bike trainer, moderate effort. PM 5.25 mile run.
T - :50 spin class
W - 6.11 mile run
Th - off (crazy work day)
F - brick: :30 on the trainer, 3.06 mile run (:30)
Sat - 6 mile run, first run of the Pig training group!
Sun - 1:00 on the trainer (moderate effort with some climbs and sprints thrown in after I figured out it was gonna get boring) and 1:30 yin yoga class. <---needed that. I've gotten some random twinges from the right calf lately. They feel like muscle or tendon. Interestingly enough, they predominately come NOT when I'm running or even walking on it, but sitting there doing nothing. Running is still fine, and they seem to be better the more I run. Not concerned yet.
Totals:
Bike: 3:05
Run: 20.42 miles (arrgh, my OCD hates that)
Yoga: 1:30
Total time: appx 8 hours
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Friday, December 2, 2011
more 2012 race options
I just became aware of the Racing for Recovery Triathlon. It has multiple degrees of awesomeness: for a good cause (a non-profit organization for substance abuse recovery, founded by an addict turned Ironman), flat course (used to live up there, it's a pancake), and OMG CHEAP.
I'm considering making that my 70.3 instead of Muncie half Ironman, except that it's a mere month after the Flying Pig marathon. Hmmm. Bad idea or not, ya'll?
Muncie is a month later, in July. It's also $145 more. Eep.
Other option would be to do Muncie and do Race for Recovery as a relay, because I really really want to do a triathlon as part of a relay team. (I'd be the biker. I have the swimmer and the runner picked out. They know who they are. :))
Choosing races can be soooo stressful sometimes. Why can't I just do all the races I want to do? Oh yeah, because time, money, energy, and the amount of stress my body can take are finite. Damn it.
I'm considering making that my 70.3 instead of Muncie half Ironman, except that it's a mere month after the Flying Pig marathon. Hmmm. Bad idea or not, ya'll?
Muncie is a month later, in July. It's also $145 more. Eep.
Other option would be to do Muncie and do Race for Recovery as a relay, because I really really want to do a triathlon as part of a relay team. (I'd be the biker. I have the swimmer and the runner picked out. They know who they are. :))
Choosing races can be soooo stressful sometimes. Why can't I just do all the races I want to do? Oh yeah, because time, money, energy, and the amount of stress my body can take are finite. Damn it.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
tentative 2012 race schedule
March 2012 - National Half Marathon (maybe)...or some other spring half
May 6, 2012 - Flying Pig Marathon
May 26, 2012 - Tri for Joe
July 7, 2012 - Muncie Half Ironman
September 8, 2012 - Rev3 Cedar Point
September 15, 2012 - US Air Force Marathon (I really want to do this race and I'll hobble through it...plus, I can earn my Marathon Maniac status!)
October 2012 - Army 10 miler (in honor of my bro-in-law, who, btw, was just promoted to sergeant...hooah!)
November 2012 - New York Marathon
That's a combination of my must-do and really-want-to-do races. That, and probably some other sprint tris - I want to do Fit to Fight again, and I want to do one of the ones at a state park. Probably the 5ks I usually do, too - Warrior Run and Newtown 5k.
Any other suggestions....as if I need 'em??? :)
May 6, 2012 - Flying Pig Marathon
May 26, 2012 - Tri for Joe
July 7, 2012 - Muncie Half Ironman
September 8, 2012 - Rev3 Cedar Point
September 15, 2012 - US Air Force Marathon (I really want to do this race and I'll hobble through it...plus, I can earn my Marathon Maniac status!)
October 2012 - Army 10 miler (in honor of my bro-in-law, who, btw, was just promoted to sergeant...hooah!)
November 2012 - New York Marathon
That's a combination of my must-do and really-want-to-do races. That, and probably some other sprint tris - I want to do Fit to Fight again, and I want to do one of the ones at a state park. Probably the 5ks I usually do, too - Warrior Run and Newtown 5k.
Any other suggestions....as if I need 'em??? :)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
race report - Cincinnati Half Marathon, and planning
First of all, the injury update: it's doing better. It's still there and annoying, but I've had a few sessions with my husband's chiropractor and I think they've helped. They've done some electro-stimulation on my tendon and muscle, and I've had two 30-minute massages entirely devoted to my lower left leg. However, I'm looking at the end of my PT insurance benefits, so I'm going to go it alone now and hope things continue to recover.
I'm able to run on it ok. I have some pain, but not enough to alter my running form, and it's pretty tolerable. I don't feel nearly as bad as I used to post-run, and recovery is faster. The chiropractor actually told me not to run. I was feeling awesome, so I ran anyway. I went back to see him, and he said if he knew my leg was going to feel as great as it did, he wouldn't have told me not to run. He gave me his blessing to run the Cincinnati Half.
I made some mistakes in this one. One of those was telling myself I wanted to run it because I knew a ton of people running it, but that I would run it purely for fun, not for time. I was deluding myself. Most of the people I knew who would be running it are faster than I am, and I am just not capable of doing a run for fun unless there are obstacles involved or it's otherwise an event I've never done before. Forget that. Of course I wasn't going to run it for fun. I was going to run it for a PR. I always run for a PR.
Except....I've been injured. I've been running twice a week since the marathon. I've been cross-training, but I've only been RUNNING twice a week. I signed up a week before the race, and the next day I came down with the cold from hell. So it's been a week of being exhausted the minute I wake up, coughing and sneezing everywhere, and collapsing on the couch. I took one day to work from home and catch up on paperwork, in my pajamas, kleenex by my side. I was starting to recover, but still not 100%.
Neither of those things sets me up for a PR, to say the least.
In theory, I should've been able to do it. My 13.1 time during the marathon was a PR, AND I ran 13.1 more immediately after that. So I figured it should've taken minimal effort to blow that away.
And when I didn't blow it away, when I didn't PR at all, I was pretty significantly bummed.
OK, here is the deal. I've been feeling bummed to a pretty significant degree lately anyway. I think it has to do with a lot of things - work got insane, post-marathon blues, not following a training plan anymore, less daylight - but ultimately, it's affecting my running and how I think about my running, and I've been doing more dwelling than I should on how I'm not as fast as I want to be. Heck, I haven't been able to recover the speed I had when I was training for the Pig. I get bummed that lots of people who have been running for a shorter period of time than I have can run way faster than I can and I wonder what's wrong with me.
It's time to end that. I'm not as fast as I was because I'm not training the same. I'm training enough to more or less maintain, but not improve. Of course, it's fun to say that right now because I'm not 100% healthy, which is the best time ever to increase training, right?
So I've figured it out. Much as I would love to do a sub-60 10k in a month, and much as I can get pouty when I allow myself to because there are people out there who have never NOT done a sub-60 10k, not even as a beginner....again, I'm trying to end that. I'm going to train for it as best as I can, after I go easy this week (to recover from the 13.1 and kill the end of the cold). I want to go up to running 4 times a week, but most of them easy pace, shorter distance runs. I want to *try* speedwork, but I'm gong to try that with a shorter 10k pace tempo run on the treadmill to test the waters there.
December is going to be for maintenance and for playing around with different combos of workouts to see what works for me. Next year I'll be hitting the triathlon training hardcore - especially if I DO sign up for a 140.6 - and I need to figure out what kind of multisport schedule is good for me. Two a days? Swim followed by run? Morning? Evening? How many rest days? Do I like running two days in a row, biking two days in a row, swimming two days in a row? Etc. and etc. However, with the holidays, I get to cut myself lots of slack for parties and entertaining and visiting because I won't be following a plan. Hmm...maybe I'll do swimming lessons in December, too.
January starts Pig training, and I'm going to figure out where to put the swimming and biking in there, too. I'll probably be doing some strength training that will taper down as other training increases.
Oh yeah. I planned to make this a recap. Sooo...the Cincinnati Half. It was freezing at the start, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that a trash bag actually keeps in a lot of body heat, so I tolerated the sub-40 temps. They also had coffee, which is AWESOME. I mainly carried it around for warmth, because I'd already had my ritual morning coffee and didn't want to get too jittery, but the half a cup I sipped on pre-race tasted awesome too.
My goal was a 2:15. I had a pretty decent pace going, but it was accompanied by a sinking feeling that I wouldn't be able to keep it up. I ran with an older guy named Bob for the first seven miles. He was nice, but I honestly got tired of talking after a while, and he kept going ahead of me (even though he said he wanted to go SLOWER than 2:15 as this was a training run for him.) So I let him. I'm so sick of shot bloks that I broke the cardinal rule - nothing new on race day - and had two gus instead. The vanilla orange one tasted awesome. The chocolate outrage was good, but waaaay too rich to be eating while running. I was happy with my pace, but 10 miles in, I knew I was done for. I SLAMMED into the wall at that point. I wasn't happy to be out there, I was getting annoyed with fellow runners (although to be fair, I had a right to be at times - like the one who was in the middle of the road right in front of me and suddenly stopped to walk, or the group of 8 run/walkers who would pass me, then stop to walk and force everyone to maneuver through their walking wall of people). It was just a bad time for those last 3 miles. I was pretty close - 1:45 at the 10 mile mark - but I ended up doing an 11+ pace for the last three miles and finished at 2:20:28. (Big note to add here: the course was .1 miles too long. That time was for 3.21 miles!)
I realized something, too - I don't think I like racing!! Last weekend, when I went out for a 10 mile run alone, and I genuinely had NO reason to feel one way or another about my time, so I was pleasantly surprised...and I cleared my head and enjoyed the weather and felt AMAZING - THAT is why I run. To be trying to hit a goal, and feeling like that is my ONE shot, and people are passing me and people are everywhere and I burn out too fast and barely make it across the finish line - that's just not enjoyable. Now, I know some of that has to do with the mental funk I've been in and my currently crappy attitude, but still - the pressure isn't fun. Now that the race isn't about being able to complete the distance, every one feels like it needs to be a PR, or what's the point? And it's just not fun right now.
I should mention that the last two races I've done (aside from the duathlon) have not been PRs at all. This is the first time since I started running that I haven't PR'd every race. It's not at all a good feeling to me.
Well, anyway....2:20 isn't bad. It's super close to where I was for Little Miami, and like I said, I've really been running to maintain and not improve, whether I like it or not. It wasn't all bad, not at all. Seeing friends on the course (two out-and-back parts) is awesome. Plus, Girls on the Run was doing one of the water stops and I said hi to all them. Running Buddy's mom was spectating and she cheered for me. Some of my coworkers were volunteering at the finish line. I got a medal. The river at sunrise, with fog sitting on top, was beautiful. And we all had a lot of fun hanging out afterward. That all made the race worth it, really.
And, as soon as I stopped running, I was coughing up half a lung, so I felt validated in my lack of PR, knowing that I'm still sick.
Now, I just can't wait until the stars align and everything is in a good place for me to start working on getting better, again.
I'm able to run on it ok. I have some pain, but not enough to alter my running form, and it's pretty tolerable. I don't feel nearly as bad as I used to post-run, and recovery is faster. The chiropractor actually told me not to run. I was feeling awesome, so I ran anyway. I went back to see him, and he said if he knew my leg was going to feel as great as it did, he wouldn't have told me not to run. He gave me his blessing to run the Cincinnati Half.
I made some mistakes in this one. One of those was telling myself I wanted to run it because I knew a ton of people running it, but that I would run it purely for fun, not for time. I was deluding myself. Most of the people I knew who would be running it are faster than I am, and I am just not capable of doing a run for fun unless there are obstacles involved or it's otherwise an event I've never done before. Forget that. Of course I wasn't going to run it for fun. I was going to run it for a PR. I always run for a PR.
Except....I've been injured. I've been running twice a week since the marathon. I've been cross-training, but I've only been RUNNING twice a week. I signed up a week before the race, and the next day I came down with the cold from hell. So it's been a week of being exhausted the minute I wake up, coughing and sneezing everywhere, and collapsing on the couch. I took one day to work from home and catch up on paperwork, in my pajamas, kleenex by my side. I was starting to recover, but still not 100%.
Neither of those things sets me up for a PR, to say the least.
In theory, I should've been able to do it. My 13.1 time during the marathon was a PR, AND I ran 13.1 more immediately after that. So I figured it should've taken minimal effort to blow that away.
And when I didn't blow it away, when I didn't PR at all, I was pretty significantly bummed.
OK, here is the deal. I've been feeling bummed to a pretty significant degree lately anyway. I think it has to do with a lot of things - work got insane, post-marathon blues, not following a training plan anymore, less daylight - but ultimately, it's affecting my running and how I think about my running, and I've been doing more dwelling than I should on how I'm not as fast as I want to be. Heck, I haven't been able to recover the speed I had when I was training for the Pig. I get bummed that lots of people who have been running for a shorter period of time than I have can run way faster than I can and I wonder what's wrong with me.
It's time to end that. I'm not as fast as I was because I'm not training the same. I'm training enough to more or less maintain, but not improve. Of course, it's fun to say that right now because I'm not 100% healthy, which is the best time ever to increase training, right?
So I've figured it out. Much as I would love to do a sub-60 10k in a month, and much as I can get pouty when I allow myself to because there are people out there who have never NOT done a sub-60 10k, not even as a beginner....again, I'm trying to end that. I'm going to train for it as best as I can, after I go easy this week (to recover from the 13.1 and kill the end of the cold). I want to go up to running 4 times a week, but most of them easy pace, shorter distance runs. I want to *try* speedwork, but I'm gong to try that with a shorter 10k pace tempo run on the treadmill to test the waters there.
December is going to be for maintenance and for playing around with different combos of workouts to see what works for me. Next year I'll be hitting the triathlon training hardcore - especially if I DO sign up for a 140.6 - and I need to figure out what kind of multisport schedule is good for me. Two a days? Swim followed by run? Morning? Evening? How many rest days? Do I like running two days in a row, biking two days in a row, swimming two days in a row? Etc. and etc. However, with the holidays, I get to cut myself lots of slack for parties and entertaining and visiting because I won't be following a plan. Hmm...maybe I'll do swimming lessons in December, too.
January starts Pig training, and I'm going to figure out where to put the swimming and biking in there, too. I'll probably be doing some strength training that will taper down as other training increases.
Oh yeah. I planned to make this a recap. Sooo...the Cincinnati Half. It was freezing at the start, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that a trash bag actually keeps in a lot of body heat, so I tolerated the sub-40 temps. They also had coffee, which is AWESOME. I mainly carried it around for warmth, because I'd already had my ritual morning coffee and didn't want to get too jittery, but the half a cup I sipped on pre-race tasted awesome too.
My goal was a 2:15. I had a pretty decent pace going, but it was accompanied by a sinking feeling that I wouldn't be able to keep it up. I ran with an older guy named Bob for the first seven miles. He was nice, but I honestly got tired of talking after a while, and he kept going ahead of me (even though he said he wanted to go SLOWER than 2:15 as this was a training run for him.) So I let him. I'm so sick of shot bloks that I broke the cardinal rule - nothing new on race day - and had two gus instead. The vanilla orange one tasted awesome. The chocolate outrage was good, but waaaay too rich to be eating while running. I was happy with my pace, but 10 miles in, I knew I was done for. I SLAMMED into the wall at that point. I wasn't happy to be out there, I was getting annoyed with fellow runners (although to be fair, I had a right to be at times - like the one who was in the middle of the road right in front of me and suddenly stopped to walk, or the group of 8 run/walkers who would pass me, then stop to walk and force everyone to maneuver through their walking wall of people). It was just a bad time for those last 3 miles. I was pretty close - 1:45 at the 10 mile mark - but I ended up doing an 11+ pace for the last three miles and finished at 2:20:28. (Big note to add here: the course was .1 miles too long. That time was for 3.21 miles!)
I realized something, too - I don't think I like racing!! Last weekend, when I went out for a 10 mile run alone, and I genuinely had NO reason to feel one way or another about my time, so I was pleasantly surprised...and I cleared my head and enjoyed the weather and felt AMAZING - THAT is why I run. To be trying to hit a goal, and feeling like that is my ONE shot, and people are passing me and people are everywhere and I burn out too fast and barely make it across the finish line - that's just not enjoyable. Now, I know some of that has to do with the mental funk I've been in and my currently crappy attitude, but still - the pressure isn't fun. Now that the race isn't about being able to complete the distance, every one feels like it needs to be a PR, or what's the point? And it's just not fun right now.
I should mention that the last two races I've done (aside from the duathlon) have not been PRs at all. This is the first time since I started running that I haven't PR'd every race. It's not at all a good feeling to me.
Well, anyway....2:20 isn't bad. It's super close to where I was for Little Miami, and like I said, I've really been running to maintain and not improve, whether I like it or not. It wasn't all bad, not at all. Seeing friends on the course (two out-and-back parts) is awesome. Plus, Girls on the Run was doing one of the water stops and I said hi to all them. Running Buddy's mom was spectating and she cheered for me. Some of my coworkers were volunteering at the finish line. I got a medal. The river at sunrise, with fog sitting on top, was beautiful. And we all had a lot of fun hanging out afterward. That all made the race worth it, really.
And, as soon as I stopped running, I was coughing up half a lung, so I felt validated in my lack of PR, knowing that I'm still sick.
Now, I just can't wait until the stars align and everything is in a good place for me to start working on getting better, again.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Bucket list races!!!
Who else has them?? I've decided that mine include....
The Goofy Challenge - Disney World half marathon on Saturday, full marathon on Sunday. You get a special goofy medal (and, as I saw on a car the other day, a mickey mouse head silhouette with 39.3 in the middle!)
Detroit Free Press Marathon - you get to run across the bridge to Canada, a few miles in CA and then you get to run through the TUNNEL back to the US. How often can you (a) hit up two countries in one run, and (b) run in the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel?? Although I'm guessing that a Garmin would miss that part of the race!
New York City Marathon - I love New York. It would be so cool to see it while running.
Chicago Marathon - same reason.
Any race in DC - same reason! (Rock 'n Roll half *may* be my out-of-town race for my 30 while 30.)
Any other suggestions? Anyone else have bucket list races??
The Goofy Challenge - Disney World half marathon on Saturday, full marathon on Sunday. You get a special goofy medal (and, as I saw on a car the other day, a mickey mouse head silhouette with 39.3 in the middle!)
Detroit Free Press Marathon - you get to run across the bridge to Canada, a few miles in CA and then you get to run through the TUNNEL back to the US. How often can you (a) hit up two countries in one run, and (b) run in the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel?? Although I'm guessing that a Garmin would miss that part of the race!
New York City Marathon - I love New York. It would be so cool to see it while running.
Chicago Marathon - same reason.
Any race in DC - same reason! (Rock 'n Roll half *may* be my out-of-town race for my 30 while 30.)
Any other suggestions? Anyone else have bucket list races??
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
possibilities....
Ironman 70.3 Muncie Saturday, July 7, 2012
Rev3 Cedar Point 140.6 Sunday, September 9, 2012
Totally doable, right??? 'Cuz if the world's gonna end, I'm gonna cross those two off my list first!!
Rev3 Cedar Point 140.6 Sunday, September 9, 2012
Totally doable, right??? 'Cuz if the world's gonna end, I'm gonna cross those two off my list first!!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
so....now what???
Post-marathon, I thought I'd take a week off to relax....but I've never been good at relaxing. The frustrating part, though, is that I think my legs would really really like me to.
I know the doctor diagnosed me with a generic "calf strain", but doing my own research, I'm pretty sure posterior tibial tendonitis (PTT) is more of what I've been dealing with. The day before the race, I noticed that it seemed to have migrated - I could pinpoint another, similar, bruise-like pain to the middle of the inside of my calf. Of course, it being the day before the race, the proper response was to freak the f out. However, KT taping not only the OTHER pain site but the new one seemed to keep everything together for the 'thon.
In the aftermath, my entire calf feels way tight. I'm still sorting out what pain's what, but as the usual (I'm guessing) 26.2 mile soreness wears out, that's what I'm left with. I was feeling that way to a slightly lesser degree the week before, too. Stretching and foam rolling don't seem to touch it, and it doesn't feel tight to the touch - I think everything's tightened up way the heck down in there.
So I'm getting myself a nice massage this weekend in hopes that THAT will do some good. According to the interwebs, PTT does well with a deep tissue massage anyway (although the pinpoint pain stuff is not nearly as noticeable as it used to be - and it's never again been as bad as it was in the aftermath of the Newtown 5k.)
Meanwhile, I'm a bit restless. I already want to run again (although today I've just felt super exhausted - I think it kicked in late.) Yesterday, I felt jumpy enough to take a 3 mile walk, thinking 4 mph would be a struggle. Nope - I was walking at an average of barely over a 14 minute mile, including up and down some insane hills. I was power-walking, ya'll. Then on the last downhill I decided to "run" although that wasn't really possible yet and I probably just looked like a big doof trying to propel my hobbling, uncooperative legs forward (and running at an 11 minute pace. Downhill.)
I totally want to do some more races - the Warrior Run 5k, possibly one of the versions of the Deer Creek triathlon, but that's the weekend of the first - eep. It's also my last chance for a tri this season, and they have a sprint, an olympic and a half ironman (no, I'm not going for the half IM yet!) Cinci half marathon is in less than a month. I wasn't planning on it, but after PRing the first half of my marathon, I'm really curious as to how fast I could do it. Aaaand I keep telling myself NO racing unless this calf thing is 100% gone. I'm not interested in prolonging it further; I'm also not interested in not running!!!
I also am big time in need of new shoes and in a new shoe/orthotic setup. I think I mentioned before that I've got too much of a good thing going on, and I'm now rolling my feet outwards instead of inwards, so it makes sense that I'm hurting the tendons on my inner leg, which are probably fighting back. I will be consulting a running store (maybe multiple running stores) this weekend. 'Cuz this pain thing? I'm pretty much over it, thanks. I'm just insanely happy that the most recent round of it wasn't nearly enough to keep me from a 26.2!!!!
I know the doctor diagnosed me with a generic "calf strain", but doing my own research, I'm pretty sure posterior tibial tendonitis (PTT) is more of what I've been dealing with. The day before the race, I noticed that it seemed to have migrated - I could pinpoint another, similar, bruise-like pain to the middle of the inside of my calf. Of course, it being the day before the race, the proper response was to freak the f out. However, KT taping not only the OTHER pain site but the new one seemed to keep everything together for the 'thon.
 |
| Isn't it pretty?? |
In the aftermath, my entire calf feels way tight. I'm still sorting out what pain's what, but as the usual (I'm guessing) 26.2 mile soreness wears out, that's what I'm left with. I was feeling that way to a slightly lesser degree the week before, too. Stretching and foam rolling don't seem to touch it, and it doesn't feel tight to the touch - I think everything's tightened up way the heck down in there.
So I'm getting myself a nice massage this weekend in hopes that THAT will do some good. According to the interwebs, PTT does well with a deep tissue massage anyway (although the pinpoint pain stuff is not nearly as noticeable as it used to be - and it's never again been as bad as it was in the aftermath of the Newtown 5k.)
Meanwhile, I'm a bit restless. I already want to run again (although today I've just felt super exhausted - I think it kicked in late.) Yesterday, I felt jumpy enough to take a 3 mile walk, thinking 4 mph would be a struggle. Nope - I was walking at an average of barely over a 14 minute mile, including up and down some insane hills. I was power-walking, ya'll. Then on the last downhill I decided to "run" although that wasn't really possible yet and I probably just looked like a big doof trying to propel my hobbling, uncooperative legs forward (and running at an 11 minute pace. Downhill.)
I totally want to do some more races - the Warrior Run 5k, possibly one of the versions of the Deer Creek triathlon, but that's the weekend of the first - eep. It's also my last chance for a tri this season, and they have a sprint, an olympic and a half ironman (no, I'm not going for the half IM yet!) Cinci half marathon is in less than a month. I wasn't planning on it, but after PRing the first half of my marathon, I'm really curious as to how fast I could do it. Aaaand I keep telling myself NO racing unless this calf thing is 100% gone. I'm not interested in prolonging it further; I'm also not interested in not running!!!
I also am big time in need of new shoes and in a new shoe/orthotic setup. I think I mentioned before that I've got too much of a good thing going on, and I'm now rolling my feet outwards instead of inwards, so it makes sense that I'm hurting the tendons on my inner leg, which are probably fighting back. I will be consulting a running store (maybe multiple running stores) this weekend. 'Cuz this pain thing? I'm pretty much over it, thanks. I'm just insanely happy that the most recent round of it wasn't nearly enough to keep me from a 26.2!!!!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
20 mile run recap!
First of all, the disclaimer is that I am not training the recommended way that one trains for a marathon. I increased the length of this long run by almost five miles from my longest run to date, since I skipped my 17-18 miler. I wish I coulda/woulda trained a little more, but at the same time, it may have done me in and caused another injury.
Anyway, yesterday was the long run - the 20. The most mentally grueling, dreaded, scary part of marathon training. I decided that 18 would be good enough, but I really wanted to hit that 20. To me, running 20 miles would be the ultimate test of whether I would really be able to complete a marathon without nearly killing myself in the process - something I've struggled with doubting for the last few weeks.
I went downtown to start the run, because I live uphill from everything, and there's just no way to do a 20 mile run solely in my suburb without doing multiple loops, and I hate loops. It's a total mental thing with me; I think, "I already ran this once, I'm not doing it again!!" So running 20 would mean leaving my neighborhood, and having to end the run with 2-3 miles of uphill to get back. Wasn't going there with a 20 mile run.
I passed the running spot group on my way downtown, running the same way I was about to run. It must've been the fast group, because they were all booking it. I saw Coach Joe and Coach Sarah and nobody else that I recognized. Yup - fast group! Parked the car, took a deep breath, and took off. At turtle pace. Go back and watch the Tosh.0 clip I posted. Slow Motion Girl - it was my goal to look like that. (Well, not necessarily in terms of gorgeousness, definitely not in terms of boob bounciness, but in terms of running speed!) It felt good and easy and while I felt slow (especially when there were a lot of FAST runners out that morning) it was easy to feel nice and relaxed. Plus, the weather was PERFECT.
I'll spare you all the details, but the highlights - it wasn't awful. It got harder as I went, but I kept the same 11 and change pace for the majority of the run. The main problem was boredom. That's just a long time to be doing anything, and I had nobody to talk to. The sun came up and got a bit hot. I found myself talking to bunnies along the trail without realizing it. At one point, I realized I was singing along with Pink and hadn't even noticed. My hydration/nutrition plan seemed to work great - sip of water at every mile, shot blok at every 3. I'm wondering if I wouldn't benefit from a little more nutrition - maybe add some gels, too, or gatorade instead of water - but I'm not sure if I was feeling tired from running or more from being bored!
13.1 miles in (2:28), I stopped at UDF to refill my water bottle and get some ice. I shoveled it into my bra in front of two somewhat amused men, one of whom warned me that I would probably go into shock. I would say post-13 was the most difficult part of the run. I slowed way down. The heat could've been partially to blame. At any rate, I kept telling myself to get to 3, get to 3, and then at 3 I wanted to be DONE. So I switched to a 5/1 Gallowalk. It helped a lot, although it got super annoying staring at my Garmin. Time was going sooo slowly. I finished my 18 mile route, got to my car, and almost almost almost decided to be done there....but I really wanted that 20. So I took a little bit of a break, switched out water bottles (I'd stashed a frozen one in my car - smart move, since it was thawed but nice and chilly!) and took off in the opposite direction through the downtown parks. My last two miles were actually easier than the previous two, even though my ipod died at 18.5. I was able to run a little faster and go a little longer between walk breaks. For the last half mile, I just kept repeating, "Get to 20, get to 20, get to 20!"
End result was that I didn't feel half bad. Sore and tired for sure, but better than last week after the half, which tells me that maybe I could've gone a little faster. I think that on race day, when I'm not all by my lonesome, I'll be better off mentally. Hopefully it'll be a little cooler. Plus, I'll walk at the water stops, and I think that'll conserve some energy - I was drinking while running and didn't actually take a walk break at all until 3 hours in.
At one point, I wanted to do a 4:30 marathon. I think I could, easily, if I had gotten more training in. This time, I'm primarily trying to finish, but I'd like to do it in under 5. My plan is to try to run with the 4:45 pace group for a while and re-evaluate around mile 20. I think that's doable, and that will give me some people to commiserate with. I'm also feeling better about my ability to do this. I was told (by one of the all-knowing advice-givers on the internet, of course) that I would probably re-evaluate doing a marathon after I attempted to run 20 miles. NOPE. I have no reason to - it felt pretty good. Physically, it felt better than I thought it would; mentally, it felt worse, but the mental part is easy to fix.
The plan after this is to get some new shoes, hopefully some that are better for my areas of injury proneness. I noticed recently that my current setup is overcorrecting my weakness - I usually roll my feet way in, but now, I'm actually running on the outside of my feet, and I don't think that's good either. I'd also like to be able to wean off the calf sleeves without hurting myself. All this is to be addressed post-marathon, as I'm not changing a single thing beforehand!!
Come January, I think I'll try training with the Pig group again. Hopefully as long as I keep running during the fall, I'll be in a good place to step up the run frequency and mileage. My speed improved a lot last time I ran with them; I may go for a slower improvement this next time, but I should be able to really PR when I do the Pig in May. This time, I'm just setting up my time to beat!!
Anyway, yesterday was the long run - the 20. The most mentally grueling, dreaded, scary part of marathon training. I decided that 18 would be good enough, but I really wanted to hit that 20. To me, running 20 miles would be the ultimate test of whether I would really be able to complete a marathon without nearly killing myself in the process - something I've struggled with doubting for the last few weeks.
I went downtown to start the run, because I live uphill from everything, and there's just no way to do a 20 mile run solely in my suburb without doing multiple loops, and I hate loops. It's a total mental thing with me; I think, "I already ran this once, I'm not doing it again!!" So running 20 would mean leaving my neighborhood, and having to end the run with 2-3 miles of uphill to get back. Wasn't going there with a 20 mile run.
I passed the running spot group on my way downtown, running the same way I was about to run. It must've been the fast group, because they were all booking it. I saw Coach Joe and Coach Sarah and nobody else that I recognized. Yup - fast group! Parked the car, took a deep breath, and took off. At turtle pace. Go back and watch the Tosh.0 clip I posted. Slow Motion Girl - it was my goal to look like that. (Well, not necessarily in terms of gorgeousness, definitely not in terms of boob bounciness, but in terms of running speed!) It felt good and easy and while I felt slow (especially when there were a lot of FAST runners out that morning) it was easy to feel nice and relaxed. Plus, the weather was PERFECT.
I'll spare you all the details, but the highlights - it wasn't awful. It got harder as I went, but I kept the same 11 and change pace for the majority of the run. The main problem was boredom. That's just a long time to be doing anything, and I had nobody to talk to. The sun came up and got a bit hot. I found myself talking to bunnies along the trail without realizing it. At one point, I realized I was singing along with Pink and hadn't even noticed. My hydration/nutrition plan seemed to work great - sip of water at every mile, shot blok at every 3. I'm wondering if I wouldn't benefit from a little more nutrition - maybe add some gels, too, or gatorade instead of water - but I'm not sure if I was feeling tired from running or more from being bored!
13.1 miles in (2:28), I stopped at UDF to refill my water bottle and get some ice. I shoveled it into my bra in front of two somewhat amused men, one of whom warned me that I would probably go into shock. I would say post-13 was the most difficult part of the run. I slowed way down. The heat could've been partially to blame. At any rate, I kept telling myself to get to 3, get to 3, and then at 3 I wanted to be DONE. So I switched to a 5/1 Gallowalk. It helped a lot, although it got super annoying staring at my Garmin. Time was going sooo slowly. I finished my 18 mile route, got to my car, and almost almost almost decided to be done there....but I really wanted that 20. So I took a little bit of a break, switched out water bottles (I'd stashed a frozen one in my car - smart move, since it was thawed but nice and chilly!) and took off in the opposite direction through the downtown parks. My last two miles were actually easier than the previous two, even though my ipod died at 18.5. I was able to run a little faster and go a little longer between walk breaks. For the last half mile, I just kept repeating, "Get to 20, get to 20, get to 20!"
End result was that I didn't feel half bad. Sore and tired for sure, but better than last week after the half, which tells me that maybe I could've gone a little faster. I think that on race day, when I'm not all by my lonesome, I'll be better off mentally. Hopefully it'll be a little cooler. Plus, I'll walk at the water stops, and I think that'll conserve some energy - I was drinking while running and didn't actually take a walk break at all until 3 hours in.
At one point, I wanted to do a 4:30 marathon. I think I could, easily, if I had gotten more training in. This time, I'm primarily trying to finish, but I'd like to do it in under 5. My plan is to try to run with the 4:45 pace group for a while and re-evaluate around mile 20. I think that's doable, and that will give me some people to commiserate with. I'm also feeling better about my ability to do this. I was told (by one of the all-knowing advice-givers on the internet, of course) that I would probably re-evaluate doing a marathon after I attempted to run 20 miles. NOPE. I have no reason to - it felt pretty good. Physically, it felt better than I thought it would; mentally, it felt worse, but the mental part is easy to fix.
The plan after this is to get some new shoes, hopefully some that are better for my areas of injury proneness. I noticed recently that my current setup is overcorrecting my weakness - I usually roll my feet way in, but now, I'm actually running on the outside of my feet, and I don't think that's good either. I'd also like to be able to wean off the calf sleeves without hurting myself. All this is to be addressed post-marathon, as I'm not changing a single thing beforehand!!
Come January, I think I'll try training with the Pig group again. Hopefully as long as I keep running during the fall, I'll be in a good place to step up the run frequency and mileage. My speed improved a lot last time I ran with them; I may go for a slower improvement this next time, but I should be able to really PR when I do the Pig in May. This time, I'm just setting up my time to beat!!
Monday, August 8, 2011
30 things while 30!!
*EDIT TO ADD: I have decided to keep updating this entry as I accomplish things!!*
So generally, I try to keep this as a running-specific blog. However, I'm going to venture outside that for a minute (although a lot of this is running-related and I could argue that it's all wellness-related and, well, it's MY blog and I can do what I want!) Apparently there are a few of us in the blogosphere who are turning 30 within a couple of months of each other, which is how I came to hear about the idea of making a list of 30 things to do while you're 30. I googled others' lists for inspiration, asked a few friends, and I'm pretty happy with what I came up with. I even have three days to spare! :) So here are my 30 things, with a bit of commentary.
Honorable mention 1: Learn to ride a motorcycle. Something I've always wanted to do, just don't know if the budget will permit a chopper this year.
Honorable mention 2: Get LASIK. Probably doable, provided that I can build my HSA back up and I don't have to blow it all on running/biking injuries again.
Honorable mention 3: Get something published. Besides this blog, I mean.
***Things I didn't think to put on the list but I accomplished this year:
9/3/11 - first urban adventure race
So generally, I try to keep this as a running-specific blog. However, I'm going to venture outside that for a minute (although a lot of this is running-related and I could argue that it's all wellness-related and, well, it's MY blog and I can do what I want!) Apparently there are a few of us in the blogosphere who are turning 30 within a couple of months of each other, which is how I came to hear about the idea of making a list of 30 things to do while you're 30. I googled others' lists for inspiration, asked a few friends, and I'm pretty happy with what I came up with. I even have three days to spare! :) So here are my 30 things, with a bit of commentary.
Run a MarathonDONE - 9/17/11- Do a half Ironman
- Do a trail race
- Do a century ride
- Get my PCC-S license - Stands for Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor. Technically, I'm eligible in March, and I'm currently supervising an intern at work to meet that part of the requirements. I just have to find 18 affordable, very specific hours of continuing ed. Groan.
- Do an unassisted pull-up - I've never. Ever. Ever. even come close. September update: I've been using the assisted pull-up machine at the gym....sometimes. I can do one with only 40 lbs to counterbalance, which is an improvement from the 60 it used to take. This is with very little actual work on my part.
Do a sub-30 5kDONE - 8/13/11- Do a sub-60 10k
- Grow a veggie garden - Now that we have a house, I can start on this in the spring! Yay!
- Take swim lessons - Technically I have - when I was eight. I want to improve my form for this triathlon thing. Not that I care about placing, I'd just like to not be last out of the water again!
- Visit a new country - My bro-in-law is going to be deployed overseas in March and we're already talking about saving up to go visit him, my sis-in-law and my nephew. I'd tell you where, but they're not telling anyone outside of immediate family at the moment. It'll be a good trip, though, and somewhere I've never been.
- Pay off my car - Easy. It's due to be paid off two months after my birthday next year anyway.
- Donate hair to locks of love - 10 inches is the minimum. I'm not sure what that actually looks like, but my hair is a few inches past my shoulders as it is, and it grows fast, so I'm sure I'll have enough to donate this year. I'll ask for more info next time I get a trim. September update: I asked. I could donate 10 inches right now...if I get a pixie cut, which I'm afraid will make me look like a 12 year old boy. More growing is in order.
- Learn to change my own oil - Always wanted to do this. Talk about a money saver.
- Learn to play and accompany myself on at least 3 songs - I went through a guitar phase for a while. I still have an acoustic guitar, but I all but forget how to play it. I took piano as a kid and I've talked about getting an electric keyboard for a while. Not sure if the gimpy finger will let me play guitar until it's healed, but I could probably do piano. Anyway, I think I've mentioned before, I love to sing. While I don't think I'm winning American Idol anytime soon, I've always thought it would be really fun to be able to accompany myself on some instrument.
- Do an out-of-town race - Dayton and Columbus don't count. If one can feasibly drive there on race morning, it doesn't count. I basically want to take a mini-vacation that includes a race.
- Get boudoir pics done - 'Cuz I ain't getting any younger here, people. Gotta remember what 30 looks like.
- Do something with wedding pics - I have scrapbooks that people got me. I have wedding pics in a box. This needs to be rectified. I need to enlist the help of a scrapbooking friend and make myself sit still for a few hours.
- Bench press 100 lbs for 3 reps - I can do three sets of 10 at 70 now, probably up to 85 max. I'm kinda stuck there. This means I'll have to do more strength training.
- Run the Flying Pig
- Get concealed carry permit - I do not yet own a gun, and I'm still slightly scared to shoot them, although I have. But I've talked about this for years too. September update: husband now owns a S&W .45. I have shot it and got over the panic attack caused by the loud noise it creates. I figured that was probably smart in case I ever need to use it for protection. I actually came to enjoy it. I now have a gun I can use for a CCW class if I should so choose.
- Ride a segway
- Take a belly dancing and/or pole dancing class - Who's in with me??? I guarantee that it's impossible to have less grace and coordination than I do, so you wouldn't be embarrassed!
- Organize school papers - I have all my notes and handouts from grad school, still. Many of them are helpful, and I've been told to hang onto them in case licensing requirements change and/or I pursue an out-of-state license. Especially since my school wasn't accredited, I could need to prove the content of my classes. I was doing really well and got some of them organized into a notebook. The rest....in a box. I graduated 2 1/2 years ago. I should fix this.
- Complete a knitting project - I know how to knit, but I've only ever completed two things - a scarf for my husband that was too short (ran out of yarn and couldn't find the same type/color again) and a scarf for myself that unraveled. I haven't knitted in a couple of years now, ever since I started a blanket that, you guessed it, never got finished!
- Visit a new state - Possibly in conjunction with #16
- Visit an out-of-town friend
- Go vegetarian for a week - I will have to enlist my husband's cooperation since I cook 95% of the meals, but I think he'll go along with it. Honestly, though, I don't think I'll attempt it until after the USAF marathon. I'm in the training stage where I pretty much swallow everything in the fridge whole after a workout and I'm not going to try to mess with my diet that much. (It's true. Marathons take your appetite to a whole other level. Last night I ate half a sleeve of ritz, cold meatloaf, a heaping spoonful of peanut butter and then a handful of pickles. Then I made popcorn. Then Huz was eating saltines and pb so I had some too. It wasn't even after a run. It was after a measly 5 mile bike ride. You'd think I was pregnant. <--I'm not!!)
- Do something nice and unnecessary for myself once a month - Like manicures, pedicures, massages, etc. I actually made this vow to myself after we went on a cruise earlier in the year. I forgot it for a few months but I've done it for a couple of months in a row now. I want to keep it up.
- August - mani/pedi/30 minute massage the day after my birthday
- September - pedi and new tattoo
- Create a signature dish - I love to cook, and I love to watch Master Chef and Hell's Kitchen and the like, where they always have to make a signature dish to present to the judges. Huz always asks me what mine would be, and I'm stumped. I have a year to figure it out. September update: I kind of have an idea to work on now. It involves comfort food and bacon.
Honorable mention 1: Learn to ride a motorcycle. Something I've always wanted to do, just don't know if the budget will permit a chopper this year.
Honorable mention 2: Get LASIK. Probably doable, provided that I can build my HSA back up and I don't have to blow it all on running/biking injuries again.
Honorable mention 3: Get something published. Besides this blog, I mean.
***Things I didn't think to put on the list but I accomplished this year:
9/3/11 - first urban adventure race
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