Spring break is here for me and I didn't go anywhere. I finished writing tests and grading papers so I'm fairly free to get my running in like I had planned. Monday, I ran three miles in 27:52. I was surprised because I hadn't run that fast in many months. Tuesday, I figured would be rough due to going back to back and the 84 degree heat--not to mention the cream cheese and ice-cream shake I fed my lactose intolerant body.
As expected, the first mile was rough, but I settled into a somewhat comfortable pace. I figured I would try for four miles today because I'm not very smart when it comes to training. Into mile two, I ran up on what I thought was a snake, but it turned out to be a bungee cord. Those things look like snakes in the dirt. After calming my heart down, I powered up a long incline and decided I could do 4 miles. The last six tenths of mile four were rough. I thought that there was no way I'd finish in under 40 minutes, but the Dropkick Murphys came on the Ipod playing Do Or Die. I thought I'll either do this or die trying. Being Irish and so close to St. Patricks Day, I mustered whatever Irish stubborness and stupidity I had and finished in an even 39 minutes.
So far, so good. Like Bob Dylan, I'm a keep on keepin' on.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Jump Around
Since I haven't written anything since December 2010, I guess that really was a tough thirty. Running wise, things were going well during the summer. I was easily running 15 miles every Saturday and getting ready to make the push to twenty so I could take on the 50 mile ultra races. I took a teaching job and it has consumed my entire week. Weekends are spent grading and planning for the next week. Only recently have I begun to feel like things are slowing down.
Prior to today, I had only run once in the last 5 weeks. I had been playing some basketball with my team though. Today's run was a short 3.1 miles in 29:33. It didn't feel super easy, but I wasn't gasping for air either. I was fading with 3/4 of a mile to go, but then Jump Around by House Of Pain came on and I had to speed up. If you're Irish and that song doesn't get your blood pumping faster, you must have been adopted. I kicked it in the last half mile to get under thirty minutes.
The goal for 2012 is to run 40 miles in 8 hours. We've (the "we" include myself and the voices in my head that talk to me when I run) got a long way to go (literally and figuratively), but Summer's coming and I plan to have a solid base in by then.
Until next time,
Jump Around, Jump Around
Jump Up, Jump Up, and Get Down.
Prior to today, I had only run once in the last 5 weeks. I had been playing some basketball with my team though. Today's run was a short 3.1 miles in 29:33. It didn't feel super easy, but I wasn't gasping for air either. I was fading with 3/4 of a mile to go, but then Jump Around by House Of Pain came on and I had to speed up. If you're Irish and that song doesn't get your blood pumping faster, you must have been adopted. I kicked it in the last half mile to get under thirty minutes.
The goal for 2012 is to run 40 miles in 8 hours. We've (the "we" include myself and the voices in my head that talk to me when I run) got a long way to go (literally and figuratively), but Summer's coming and I plan to have a solid base in by then.
Until next time,
Jump Around, Jump Around
Jump Up, Jump Up, and Get Down.
Friday, December 24, 2010
A tough thirty
I can't believe it's been 3 months since my last post. I've been pretty busy, and running, and most everything else had to take a back seat to school. In that time, I haven't really run more than a handful of times, so there wasn't much to write about anyway.
With the end of the school year, I had been hoping to do more running, but I was sick since it ended. Last night, after a full four hours of sleep, I woke up at 4 am and felt the best I've felt in a long, long time. I hopped out of bed and was out the door by 4:30. I set the modest goal of 30 miles in 6 hours.
I set out and the first five miles were fine. The next four miles seemed like they were all uphill. It was too dark to tell exactly. This stretch sapped my legs of all they had. By mile ten, I knew my legs were in trouble. I figured if I could go fifteen miles out, then I'd have no choice but to finish thirty if I wanted to get home.
If my legs were a car, the transmission started slipping after ten miles, and completely fell off after thirteen. The cold temps fooled me into thinking I wasn't thirsty. I had consumed 22 ounces of fluid in 18 miles--far too little. My hamstrings and calves were locking up. I was only able to run around 150 meters before the lactic acid flooded my legs and forced me to walk. I gutted it out like this the rest of the way.
In the end, I missed my goal time by 27 minutes, but I did get that elusive 30 mile goal.
Total time was 6 hours 27 minutes and some seconds.
With the end of the school year, I had been hoping to do more running, but I was sick since it ended. Last night, after a full four hours of sleep, I woke up at 4 am and felt the best I've felt in a long, long time. I hopped out of bed and was out the door by 4:30. I set the modest goal of 30 miles in 6 hours.
I set out and the first five miles were fine. The next four miles seemed like they were all uphill. It was too dark to tell exactly. This stretch sapped my legs of all they had. By mile ten, I knew my legs were in trouble. I figured if I could go fifteen miles out, then I'd have no choice but to finish thirty if I wanted to get home.
If my legs were a car, the transmission started slipping after ten miles, and completely fell off after thirteen. The cold temps fooled me into thinking I wasn't thirsty. I had consumed 22 ounces of fluid in 18 miles--far too little. My hamstrings and calves were locking up. I was only able to run around 150 meters before the lactic acid flooded my legs and forced me to walk. I gutted it out like this the rest of the way.
In the end, I missed my goal time by 27 minutes, but I did get that elusive 30 mile goal.
Total time was 6 hours 27 minutes and some seconds.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Introspection
We've all heard or been told that we need to listen to our bodies, but I think we also have to know our bodies. If your body is like mine, then you know that it lies. The trick is in knowing your body well enough to be able to figure out when it's lying to you and when it's telling the truth. We've all heard our bodies tell us we need to slow down or quit, but we overrode those messages and found that we were able to push farther or faster. When the body does tell the truth, we can usually figure that out pretty easily. If we try to ignore the truth, the body sends us a message through our pain receptors. These messages are generally scary enough to get our attention, and all but the most stubborn of us will end the run at that point. Those of us who continue after feeling the pain shoot through a body part are courting injury.
To complicate the issue even further, the mind sometimes gets involved in the discussion. I know that I often have conversations in my mind like there are two beings in my head. The conversation usually involves "the mind" telling me that I should slow down, quit, or question what I'm doing. The hard part is trying to figure out if you're listening to the body or the mind. I can tell that it's the mind speaking when it's telling me I should slow down or quit, but my legs and breathing are fine. In this instance, the body is silent because it's okay, so I know it's the mind that is speaking. When my legs are heavy or my breathing is labored, and the conversation in my head is turning negative, then it's pretty difficult to assess whether it's the body or mind doing the speaking.
I don't want to ignore those exceptional runs where everything seems to be in sync. The body is telling you that everything is good and it can go faster. At the same time, the mind is filled whith positive thoughts or images of finishing future races and accomplishing goals. Those are the days when you feel like you could run forever, and I often find myself running with a smile on my face.
I did another 2 mile run with Kody today. It took 24:23 this time. That's over a minute faster than his time last week. I think he may have some running ability.
To complicate the issue even further, the mind sometimes gets involved in the discussion. I know that I often have conversations in my mind like there are two beings in my head. The conversation usually involves "the mind" telling me that I should slow down, quit, or question what I'm doing. The hard part is trying to figure out if you're listening to the body or the mind. I can tell that it's the mind speaking when it's telling me I should slow down or quit, but my legs and breathing are fine. In this instance, the body is silent because it's okay, so I know it's the mind that is speaking. When my legs are heavy or my breathing is labored, and the conversation in my head is turning negative, then it's pretty difficult to assess whether it's the body or mind doing the speaking.
I don't want to ignore those exceptional runs where everything seems to be in sync. The body is telling you that everything is good and it can go faster. At the same time, the mind is filled whith positive thoughts or images of finishing future races and accomplishing goals. Those are the days when you feel like you could run forever, and I often find myself running with a smile on my face.
I did another 2 mile run with Kody today. It took 24:23 this time. That's over a minute faster than his time last week. I think he may have some running ability.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
My First Sandwich & Kody's PR
I completed my first sandwich run today. For those who don't know, a sandwich run is where you do a long run on one day and then a shorter run the next day. Usually the second day's run is about half the distance of the longer run. After yesterday's 20 miles, I felt pretty good today, but was not going to be able to do 10 miles. I ran 4 miles in 49:11. I did it outside in the 100 plus degree heat, and I felt it. Surprisingly, my legs felt pretty good during the 4 miles, and I had to hold myself back at certain points.
My 8 year-old, Kody came along for the first 2 miles today. For the first mile, we did a 5:1 run/walk ratio. For the second mile, I lowered it to a 4:1. He held up strong and didn't show any signs of duress. we finished the 2 miles in 25:34, which was a lot faster than I had intended. Kody set a personal record in both distance and time today. His previous long run was a mile, and that was around 9 months ago. Looks like we may have another runner in the family.
My 8 year-old, Kody came along for the first 2 miles today. For the first mile, we did a 5:1 run/walk ratio. For the second mile, I lowered it to a 4:1. He held up strong and didn't show any signs of duress. we finished the 2 miles in 25:34, which was a lot faster than I had intended. Kody set a personal record in both distance and time today. His previous long run was a mile, and that was around 9 months ago. Looks like we may have another runner in the family.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Challenges--Do We Run To Or From Them?
Today's run--20 miles in 3 hours 45 minutes.
I got up at 4:30 am this morning so I could get to the YMCA when they opened at 5:00. I hadn't been able to get a run in since the 17 miler in the heat a couple of weeks ago. I got to the gym and began running at 5:10. I started out really slow and steadily increased my speed. I did the majority of the miles at 10:20 pace. Miles 12, 13, and 18 were where I felt the best.
Overall, the run was okay. I'm not a morning person, and not a morning runner either. I don't like to eat in the morning, so I didn't have anything other than a couple of gels during the run. I hit the day's goal of 20 miles. Maybe because it was so early, I had a hard time feeling enthusiastic while I was doing the run. Usually I have to concentrate to hold my emotions in check, less I burn too much energy in the early stages. Today was just a workmanlike, get it done kind of run. Around mile 15, I noticed that my cardio was not where it needed to be even though I wasn't going very fast. I don't know if that was a product of not doing anything for two weeks or not. I hope it was.
Maybe my mood has been tempered by knowing that I'm nowhere close to being prepared to run a 50 mile race through mountains. Registration for the ultra marathon I've had my eye on is in a month or so. Once I sign up, there's no turning back, and that's scary. One of the reasons I decided to do the 50 mile race is for the challenge. For me, it really is a challenge, because I'm not sure if I can finish it. That means there's a chance of failure, and no one, especially me, wants to fail. I'm sure there are people who go about their lives never attempting anything if theres a strong possibility of failure. There are definitely times when playing it safe is the right choice, but I've always been a competitive person, and these days the only competition I get is with myself. If I had the time to train properly, I'm pretty sure I could finish a 50 mile race. As things are now, I average one run a week. Part of my brain lights up at the challenge this presents, and another part is definitely fearful. When it comes to physical challenges, I've never been one to shy away.
I got up at 4:30 am this morning so I could get to the YMCA when they opened at 5:00. I hadn't been able to get a run in since the 17 miler in the heat a couple of weeks ago. I got to the gym and began running at 5:10. I started out really slow and steadily increased my speed. I did the majority of the miles at 10:20 pace. Miles 12, 13, and 18 were where I felt the best.
Overall, the run was okay. I'm not a morning person, and not a morning runner either. I don't like to eat in the morning, so I didn't have anything other than a couple of gels during the run. I hit the day's goal of 20 miles. Maybe because it was so early, I had a hard time feeling enthusiastic while I was doing the run. Usually I have to concentrate to hold my emotions in check, less I burn too much energy in the early stages. Today was just a workmanlike, get it done kind of run. Around mile 15, I noticed that my cardio was not where it needed to be even though I wasn't going very fast. I don't know if that was a product of not doing anything for two weeks or not. I hope it was.
Maybe my mood has been tempered by knowing that I'm nowhere close to being prepared to run a 50 mile race through mountains. Registration for the ultra marathon I've had my eye on is in a month or so. Once I sign up, there's no turning back, and that's scary. One of the reasons I decided to do the 50 mile race is for the challenge. For me, it really is a challenge, because I'm not sure if I can finish it. That means there's a chance of failure, and no one, especially me, wants to fail. I'm sure there are people who go about their lives never attempting anything if theres a strong possibility of failure. There are definitely times when playing it safe is the right choice, but I've always been a competitive person, and these days the only competition I get is with myself. If I had the time to train properly, I'm pretty sure I could finish a 50 mile race. As things are now, I average one run a week. Part of my brain lights up at the challenge this presents, and another part is definitely fearful. When it comes to physical challenges, I've never been one to shy away.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Respect The Heat
I didn't get a chance to run last week, so I had high hopes for today. I woke up at 5:00 this morning so I could get this run in. I woke up and there was no sunlight. I ended up waiting until 5:55 for it to be light enough to leave. I would rather leave while it's still dark, but I have to watch for snakes. For some reason, I was expecting it to be cold when I left. I checked, and the temperature was 82 degrees with 35% humidity. For some reason, it didn't resonate in my head that this was going to be a hot run. I figured I'd run outdoors since the YMCA was closed because of Labor Day. I picked up one of those Gatorade pre-workout fuel packs. It said to drink it 15 minutes before working out. Counting waiting for the sun and the higher than expected temps, this was the third thing that went wrong today. I brought my hydration backpack and no-grip handheld water bottle holder.
Anyway, I set out expecting to do an easy 20 miles. Right off the bat, things just didn't feel good. I was going due East and running directly towards the sun. I had gone 2.68 miles and was struggling. I had a rock in my shoe at this point so I stopped to take it out and, along with the rock, my metatarsal pad also fell out. This pad absorbs and redistributes the shock forces away from my metatarsals. The pad sticks to the top of my insert and when it breaks off, it doesn't go back on. I was really worried now. The metatarsal problem was the root cause of all my feet problems way back when. I decided to keep going, but to keep a close watch on it.
I started again and noticed a wetness on my back. My backpack was leaking water. It's done this in the past and I hate it--you get what you pay for. The backpack was digging into my shoulders and really irritating me. At 5 miles, I decided to use a gel, and check my water supply. All of the water had leaked out. I was so disgusted with that backpack that I would have left it on the side of the road if it wasn't carrying my other supplies. My stomach was hurting a little the entire way. I never have stomach problems while running--I blame the Gatorade pre-workout stuff. I kept expecting to be able to find a groove and settle in, but it never happened. I trudged on into the sun.
Finally, at 10 miles I stopped at a convenience store and got a bottle of water, re-applied Body Glide to my toes, and put on a fresh pair of socks. Hoping this pit-stop would energize me, I hit the road again. My feet felt better, but I just couldn't get anything going. It was a struggle. I thought (numerous times) about calling my wife to come pick me up, but I hate to quit. After a couple more miles, I was able to turn towards home and put the sun at my back. After 14 miles, I stopped at a store and bought a Powerade. At this point, I knew that I had around 3 more miles to go before I made it home. I was so done that these last miles became like a death march. I'd run the flats and downhills as long as I could, and then walk the inclines and hills.
I made it home after a long, long 17.5 miles. When I got home, the temperature was 93 degrees. I don't mind admitting that the heat destroyed me today. It beat me mentally and physically. I don't view today as a total failure because I did not quit. This is why I didn't give in and make the call to come pick me up. I knew that I would take some pleasure in knowing that I finished.
Oddly enough, I thought I'd be laid out for the rest of the day, but my legs actually felt pretty good after a couple of hours. I saw 5 snakes today--4 dead and 1 alive. The live one was only about a foot long, and I didn't see it until I was next to it. Fortunately, it was a few feet away from me when I went by.
Today's totals: 17.50 miles 3:47:49.
Anyway, I set out expecting to do an easy 20 miles. Right off the bat, things just didn't feel good. I was going due East and running directly towards the sun. I had gone 2.68 miles and was struggling. I had a rock in my shoe at this point so I stopped to take it out and, along with the rock, my metatarsal pad also fell out. This pad absorbs and redistributes the shock forces away from my metatarsals. The pad sticks to the top of my insert and when it breaks off, it doesn't go back on. I was really worried now. The metatarsal problem was the root cause of all my feet problems way back when. I decided to keep going, but to keep a close watch on it.
I started again and noticed a wetness on my back. My backpack was leaking water. It's done this in the past and I hate it--you get what you pay for. The backpack was digging into my shoulders and really irritating me. At 5 miles, I decided to use a gel, and check my water supply. All of the water had leaked out. I was so disgusted with that backpack that I would have left it on the side of the road if it wasn't carrying my other supplies. My stomach was hurting a little the entire way. I never have stomach problems while running--I blame the Gatorade pre-workout stuff. I kept expecting to be able to find a groove and settle in, but it never happened. I trudged on into the sun.
Finally, at 10 miles I stopped at a convenience store and got a bottle of water, re-applied Body Glide to my toes, and put on a fresh pair of socks. Hoping this pit-stop would energize me, I hit the road again. My feet felt better, but I just couldn't get anything going. It was a struggle. I thought (numerous times) about calling my wife to come pick me up, but I hate to quit. After a couple more miles, I was able to turn towards home and put the sun at my back. After 14 miles, I stopped at a store and bought a Powerade. At this point, I knew that I had around 3 more miles to go before I made it home. I was so done that these last miles became like a death march. I'd run the flats and downhills as long as I could, and then walk the inclines and hills.
I made it home after a long, long 17.5 miles. When I got home, the temperature was 93 degrees. I don't mind admitting that the heat destroyed me today. It beat me mentally and physically. I don't view today as a total failure because I did not quit. This is why I didn't give in and make the call to come pick me up. I knew that I would take some pleasure in knowing that I finished.
Oddly enough, I thought I'd be laid out for the rest of the day, but my legs actually felt pretty good after a couple of hours. I saw 5 snakes today--4 dead and 1 alive. The live one was only about a foot long, and I didn't see it until I was next to it. Fortunately, it was a few feet away from me when I went by.
Today's totals: 17.50 miles 3:47:49.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Getting Stronger
Today's run was the only one of the week. My classes have begun and I'm not sure how many days a week I'll be able to fit runs into. With this in mind, my goal is to do a speed workout during the middle of the week and a long run on the weekend.
I set out to the YMCA with a goal of 13 miles. Everything was fine for the first four miles and then my left shin started acting up. Shin splints are something I don't have much experience with. After 5 miles, I stopped for a few seconds and stretched the legs. I hit the 5 mile mark in 50:12. I grabbed some powerade and a Powerbar gel and set off again. At this point I was thinking that my new goal for this run was 15 miles. There were no problems until mile 8. The ball of my right foot suddenly felt like there was no cushioning between the bone and my shoe. This feeling set off alarms in my head and I knew this run was in jeopardy if that feeling remained. As in life, I'm a pretty patient person so I waited to see if the situation would work itself out and it did. I finished the second 5 miles in 50:06. At this point, I felt really good and knew I'd get that 15 miles done. I consumed another gel and some water and started the last leg of the run. I wanted this leg to be faster than the others, so I increased my pace. I don't know if it was because I had initially stated that the goal for this run was 13 miles or because I increased the pace, but I was tired after 13 miles. I kept going and got through the last 2 miles to clock the last 5 mile leg in 47:28.
I know that I'm increasing mileage far too fast, so I plan on doing a cut-back run next weekend--maybe 10 to 12 miles. There's something liberating about not being tied to a running schedule. I used to have my daily runs planned out and I would try to stick to the schedule no matter how I felt. Now, I just run when I can, and I pay attention to the messages my body gives me. One thing I'm looking forward to is cooler weather. I can't wait to hit the roads so I breathe fresher air and can look at something other than the Great-Grandmas that frequent the YMCA.
I set out to the YMCA with a goal of 13 miles. Everything was fine for the first four miles and then my left shin started acting up. Shin splints are something I don't have much experience with. After 5 miles, I stopped for a few seconds and stretched the legs. I hit the 5 mile mark in 50:12. I grabbed some powerade and a Powerbar gel and set off again. At this point I was thinking that my new goal for this run was 15 miles. There were no problems until mile 8. The ball of my right foot suddenly felt like there was no cushioning between the bone and my shoe. This feeling set off alarms in my head and I knew this run was in jeopardy if that feeling remained. As in life, I'm a pretty patient person so I waited to see if the situation would work itself out and it did. I finished the second 5 miles in 50:06. At this point, I felt really good and knew I'd get that 15 miles done. I consumed another gel and some water and started the last leg of the run. I wanted this leg to be faster than the others, so I increased my pace. I don't know if it was because I had initially stated that the goal for this run was 13 miles or because I increased the pace, but I was tired after 13 miles. I kept going and got through the last 2 miles to clock the last 5 mile leg in 47:28.
I know that I'm increasing mileage far too fast, so I plan on doing a cut-back run next weekend--maybe 10 to 12 miles. There's something liberating about not being tied to a running schedule. I used to have my daily runs planned out and I would try to stick to the schedule no matter how I felt. Now, I just run when I can, and I pay attention to the messages my body gives me. One thing I'm looking forward to is cooler weather. I can't wait to hit the roads so I breathe fresher air and can look at something other than the Great-Grandmas that frequent the YMCA.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
I'm a runner again
Over the last 2.5 weeks, I've been building up my mileage. I began with 2 miles a day and then moved up to 3 and 4 miles over the next two weeks. Last Saturday's long run was 5 miles. Today's long run was 10 miles in 91:12. I guess I violated the 15% rule. I did it on the treadmill because the heat and humidity are just too much for where my conditioning is at. I read that you lose 100% of your conditioning if you don't do anything for 6 weeks. I had somewhere between 6 and 8 weeks off and I believe that statistic. The first week back was a real struggle. I also believe in muscle memory. The cardio conditioning may have gone, but the muscles still retain some memory of what they used to do. I think this is what has allowed me to increase my mileage and speed so quickly. I felt good during today's run, and had to stop myself from going further. I really wanted to go 13, but I was already doubling my previous longest distance and didn't want to risk injury. If things go well this week, I'll try for that 13 miles next weekend. Hopefully, I'll get back to 20 miles again in 5 weeks or so, and then to 30 miles in another 5 weeks after that. I don't really care about how far or fast I go during the week. The only run I care about is the long run. The only reason I'm keeping track of the other runs is to let me know how many miles I've put on my shoes. Anyway, it feels good to be back.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Another Beginning
My insane summer is over. If you remember, I entered an accelerated Master's program that devoured my life for the last 7 weeks. Not one run was to be had. I have a 2 week respite before classes begin again. I'm hoping that these won't be as intense. I set out yesterday afternoon with a belly full of Coke Zero and a Chipotle chicken burrito. It was 108 degrees and the wind was blowing something fierce. After 100 meters, I was breathing like I was giving birth. It was one of those grind it out runs. I managed 2 miles in exactly 20 minutes--I had to hurry at the end to get that time.
Today, I set out with a belly full of Diet Coke and pizza. The temperature was a much nicer 96 degrees, but the humidity was pretty high--no wind though. After 200 meters, I was winded, but kept the pace up. This one was also difficult, but didn't feel as hard as yesterday--possibly due to the lack of wind and heat. Anyway, today was the same 2 mile course, but I finished it in exactly 19 minutes. That's pretty weird to have back to back runs end on exact times like that. I have no plans other than to try and increase distance. I'm still planning on running the Old Pueblo 50 miler in March. I'm going to try and catch up on reading your blogs too.
Today, I set out with a belly full of Diet Coke and pizza. The temperature was a much nicer 96 degrees, but the humidity was pretty high--no wind though. After 200 meters, I was winded, but kept the pace up. This one was also difficult, but didn't feel as hard as yesterday--possibly due to the lack of wind and heat. Anyway, today was the same 2 mile course, but I finished it in exactly 19 minutes. That's pretty weird to have back to back runs end on exact times like that. I have no plans other than to try and increase distance. I'm still planning on running the Old Pueblo 50 miler in March. I'm going to try and catch up on reading your blogs too.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Got No Time
Not much to say this week. School has consumed my life. I managed to squeeze in an hour run on Sunday night--7 miles in 59:59. Next weekend isn't looking much better right now. I'll have to get a lot of things done in the next few days if I'm going to have any chance for a long run. If I do get the chance, I'd like to try for an easy 22 miles.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
An Easy 20 Miles
As the temps are now steadily in the 100's, I'll be doing almost all of my runs on a treadmill. I got a solid 7 hours of sleep last night. I woke up and drank some water and then headed to the YMCA. As I was walking up the steps to get inside the YMCA, my foot slipped off the step and I hit my knee on the ground. I wondered if this was an omen. The first couple of miles were okay. My legs felt a little sluggish. I decided to run for 6 miles at 10 minute pace and then I would try a run/walk style that I read about on Hal Higdon's site. I couldn't remember if it was supposed to be run for 5 or 6 minutes and then walk for one minute. I decided to do a 5:1 ratio. I also tried the Powerbar strawberry banana gels because they were the only ones carried by Walmart. They have a strong taste that some might not like, but I thought it was okay. Unlike the Hammer gels I tried a few weeks ago, there were no noticeable effects. Anyway, I maintained the 10 minute mile pace and felt good all the way through 15 miles. I picked up the pace for miles 16-20 and felt good. Overall, it was a good run and I'm happy with my progress so far. I'm hoping to be able to build up to 30 miles for my long runs. I guess I'm 2/3 of the way there. The time for today's run was 3:19:48.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
16 Long miles
Last Saturday I did 8x400 meter repeats and then finished with 2x200 meter repeats. It was a good workout. Unfortunately, that was the last time I was able to run before today. I had hoped to get 17 miles in. As it turned out, I was only able to do 16 miles, and the last 4 were a grind. I don't know if it was because I haven't been getting much sleep or not. I woke up today and ate a piece of wheat bread with some water. I then headed out to run. I didn't have any gels this time and I sure missed them. At the 9 mile mark, I was thinking that I could use a gel, and after 12 miles, I knew I should have brought some. Miles 13-16 were such a grind. My fingers were tingling and felt like they were going numb. My heart rate was a steady 178. I got through it and my legs hurt. They really hurt--they felt like they did after the last marathon I ran. This run was the complete opposite of the one I did 2 weeks ago when I felt like I could have run forever. I couldn't have gone much further today. Hopefully next weeks long run will be better.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Hot
Well, the week isn't going as well as I had hoped. Today was my first opportunity to get a run in. I figured an easy 3 miles would be good, so I set out around 12:30 or 1:00. I figured it would be warm, but didn't realize that it was really hot and a little windy at times. The temperature was in the 90's during this run and I felt it. It took me 27:16 and turned into a mini mental struggle to keep running near the end. I had forgotten how much the heat takes out of you. With this in mind, I'm now concerned over how my 200 meter repeats are going to turn out. I'm going to try and get them in Friday or Saturday.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Successful Saturday
I went to the Y on Saturday and ran 15 miles on the treadmill. It was one of those runs where everything clicks. I felt as fresh after 10 miles as I did when I started. I used the Hammer Chocolate gel at mile 5. It tasted like a thick chocolate pudding. I enjoyed it. I really noticed it kick in towards the end of mile 7--all of a sudden, I became really alert and felt good. I used another Hammer Unflavored gel at mile 10. I thought it tasted like a muted vanilla. It was also good and took about 18 minutes to kick in. As far as the gels go, I'll be getting more of the Hammer Chocolate ones for future runs.
This was one of those days where I felt like I could have kept running forever. I only stopped because of time constraints. After 15 miles, I still felt really good. I ran the first 10 miles at 9:40 per mile. For miles 11 and 12, I increased the pace to 9:22 per mile. Miles 13-14 were back at 9:40 pace. I finished the last mile in 9:30. I ran the entire 15 miles without stopping. I'm hoping to be able to run 30 miles without stopping. When I can do that, I think I'll be ready for a 50 mile race.
The achilles tendon flared up a couple times in the first 8 miles, but I made adjustments and it stayed calm for most of the run. I'm using Kinesio Tex Tape on my balky achilles. It's too early to tell if it really works, but so far the results are good. My achilles feels better than it has in quite a while. It was a little tender after the run, but not the usual piano wire tautness I've been used to.
I'm thinking about doing some 200 meter repeats during the week, but that'll depend on my schedule. I'm not sure how much time I'll have because my Master's program begins Monday. Like everything else, I'll adapt and figure something out.
This was one of those days where I felt like I could have kept running forever. I only stopped because of time constraints. After 15 miles, I still felt really good. I ran the first 10 miles at 9:40 per mile. For miles 11 and 12, I increased the pace to 9:22 per mile. Miles 13-14 were back at 9:40 pace. I finished the last mile in 9:30. I ran the entire 15 miles without stopping. I'm hoping to be able to run 30 miles without stopping. When I can do that, I think I'll be ready for a 50 mile race.
The achilles tendon flared up a couple times in the first 8 miles, but I made adjustments and it stayed calm for most of the run. I'm using Kinesio Tex Tape on my balky achilles. It's too early to tell if it really works, but so far the results are good. My achilles feels better than it has in quite a while. It was a little tender after the run, but not the usual piano wire tautness I've been used to.
I'm thinking about doing some 200 meter repeats during the week, but that'll depend on my schedule. I'm not sure how much time I'll have because my Master's program begins Monday. Like everything else, I'll adapt and figure something out.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
A Rough 10 Miles
Here's a recap of the week. Last Tuesday, I decided to do some speed work. I settled on a 5k. I went to the YMCA and warmed up with 1.5 miles. The first mile of the 5k was done in 7:38. I felt good, but wanted to hold back so I didn't blow it in the end. I sped up mile 2, and finished it in 7:24. Entering mile 3, I told myself that I would go faster and then try to hammer the last 800 meters. Mile 3 was done in 6:58. This wasn't exactly how I had planned it. I felt okay after 2 miles, but after 2.5 miles, I was gassed. There was no increase in pace for the last 800 meters--I just held on and maintained. I was pretty happy until I realized that I still had .1 miles to go to finish the 5k. After finishing the 3 miles, I was able to lower the pace to 6:52 for the last .1 miles. Final time for the 5k was 22:18. Not too bad. Actually, that was my best 5k time of the year.
I figured I would take a few days off and then do a long run of 16 miles on Friday. Friday came and I was really tired. Some of my kids have been sick and I really wanted to avoid getting sick too. I opted to sleep in and hopefully build my immune system up. Saturday came and went. I was still really tired. Sunday and Monday were the same. I knew that I had a meeting at 12:45 today, so I would have time in the morning to get in my long run. I put the kids on the bus and headed back to the sand river. I got there at 8:00 and the temps were already in the 60's. I was prepared for the heat this time. I brought my Camelbak, handheld water bottle and put two 16.9 oz. bottles in the backpack. Another difference from the last 14 mile run was that I didn't do it on a completely empty stomach. This time, I ate a piece of raisin bread before heading over there. I also used sunscreen and chapstick with spf 15. I also brought some Hammer gels. Last time, I didn't bring any of this stuff and paid the price.
I set out on the run and after around 400 meters, I notice the weight of the Camelbak with all the extra water bottles and stuff in there. It was digging into my shoulders and felt really heavy. I ignored it. I figured the weight would lessen as I drank the fluids. The fist 2.5 miles felt pretty fast. I should have slowed myself down, but I was a little concerned about getting back home in time to get ready before my meeting.
At mile 3.86, a big problem came out of nowhere. My stomach started feeling funny, and before I knew it I was dry heaving while running. Yes, I take some pride in the fact that I didn't stop moving to vomit. Because there wasn't anything in my stomach, nothing came out. My stomach contracted around 5 or 6 times in anger, but it had no success. This got me really concerned. I've never had this problem before. I didn't know if I needed more water or less. Not knowing what to do, I kept moving forward. After another half mile or so, I began to feel slightly better. Right around 4 miles, I was running a hill and felt my calf muscle yell at me. Like a barking dog, I hoped it would just go away if I ignored it. I ignored it, but it didn't go away. I decided to turn around after 5 miles hoping that I could lighten my load back at the car and continue on. After 6 or 7 miles, I knew I wasn't doing any more than I had to and that was 10 miles. Today's 10 miles was done in 1:36:39. All in all, a disappointing run. Some days, you just don't have "it". I don't know what to do about the calf problem. Maybe it was due to my carrying such a heavy load. My posture wasn't as upright as usual. I actually noticed myself leaning forward quite often. I'll rest a little and see if it comes back. I'll make more adjustments to the load I carry for the next long run. Hopefully, I can try it again on Friday or Saturday.
I figured I would take a few days off and then do a long run of 16 miles on Friday. Friday came and I was really tired. Some of my kids have been sick and I really wanted to avoid getting sick too. I opted to sleep in and hopefully build my immune system up. Saturday came and went. I was still really tired. Sunday and Monday were the same. I knew that I had a meeting at 12:45 today, so I would have time in the morning to get in my long run. I put the kids on the bus and headed back to the sand river. I got there at 8:00 and the temps were already in the 60's. I was prepared for the heat this time. I brought my Camelbak, handheld water bottle and put two 16.9 oz. bottles in the backpack. Another difference from the last 14 mile run was that I didn't do it on a completely empty stomach. This time, I ate a piece of raisin bread before heading over there. I also used sunscreen and chapstick with spf 15. I also brought some Hammer gels. Last time, I didn't bring any of this stuff and paid the price.
I set out on the run and after around 400 meters, I notice the weight of the Camelbak with all the extra water bottles and stuff in there. It was digging into my shoulders and felt really heavy. I ignored it. I figured the weight would lessen as I drank the fluids. The fist 2.5 miles felt pretty fast. I should have slowed myself down, but I was a little concerned about getting back home in time to get ready before my meeting.
At mile 3.86, a big problem came out of nowhere. My stomach started feeling funny, and before I knew it I was dry heaving while running. Yes, I take some pride in the fact that I didn't stop moving to vomit. Because there wasn't anything in my stomach, nothing came out. My stomach contracted around 5 or 6 times in anger, but it had no success. This got me really concerned. I've never had this problem before. I didn't know if I needed more water or less. Not knowing what to do, I kept moving forward. After another half mile or so, I began to feel slightly better. Right around 4 miles, I was running a hill and felt my calf muscle yell at me. Like a barking dog, I hoped it would just go away if I ignored it. I ignored it, but it didn't go away. I decided to turn around after 5 miles hoping that I could lighten my load back at the car and continue on. After 6 or 7 miles, I knew I wasn't doing any more than I had to and that was 10 miles. Today's 10 miles was done in 1:36:39. All in all, a disappointing run. Some days, you just don't have "it". I don't know what to do about the calf problem. Maybe it was due to my carrying such a heavy load. My posture wasn't as upright as usual. I actually noticed myself leaning forward quite often. I'll rest a little and see if it comes back. I'll make more adjustments to the load I carry for the next long run. Hopefully, I can try it again on Friday or Saturday.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Rillito River Run
It's been a while since I last wrote anything, and that's because I've been trying to figure out what direction my training should take as well as dealing with what I called the unholy trinity of pain. As far as direction goes, I have settled upon distance over speed. Once I get my long runs in the 20 mile range, I'll think about doing some speedwork. After my 13 mile run and 6 mile hill workout two weeks ago, my right hip, achilles tendon, and plantar fascia forced me to rest and seek out some kind of treatment. Last week, I logged a whopping 3 miles. The good news is that the hip and plantar fasciitis seem to be okay for now. The achilles tendon is still delicate, but the research I did says that the culprit for this pain is the hill workout that I did.
I did two short 3 mile runs on Monday and Tuesday. I rested on Wednesday and, because of a potentially busy weekend, decided to give a long run a try today. I decided to run along the Rillito river--a route that I read about from other runners here in town. I arrived at my destination at 10:00 am and stretched very lightly before setting off for what I was hoping would be a 14 mile run. The temperature was in the low 70's, but the winds were really blowing.
I set off alongside the tall green trees while looking at the skies reflection on the gently flowing water. Umm, no. This is someone else's reality.
I live in Tucson. Here's what we call a river. Unfortunately, and for at least another year, this is my reality.
I've been looking at ultra running sites and really feel the itch to try a 50 mile race. One of the tips the ultra runners consistently gave was to walk the hills. I figured I'd give it a try, but couldn't pull the trigger early on. I was afraid that my body and mind would get used to walking and start to look for excuses to do it even when there wasn't a hill. I waited until mile 4.5 to walk up a steep incline. I did the same at mile 5.5. I must say that my body felt pretty good after taking these walking breaks and so did my achilles tendon. The problem came later when I was getting tired and saw a long steady incline ahead. My body saw the incline and wanted to walk, but I overruled it. You can't walk every incline and come out with any kind of decent time. After that, I told myself that there would be no walking of inclines, but steep hills would be okay.
Not having run this route before, I had no idea how far or where it went. When I started out, I took a right down the path only to discover that it dead ended after a mile so when I arrived back at the car, I had gone 2 miles. I kept going and when I was coming up on 6 miles, I started wondering if I should turn back because I didn't want to outrun my water supply. I was wearing my Camelbak which holds about 2 liters. I figured that if I ran another mile further before turning around that when I got back to the car I would have 12 miles in the books and could decide whether or not to keep going. That's what I did. I turned around after 7 miles and headed back to the car. Just as I was coming up to mile 10, I noticed the toes of my right foot were telling me that they weren't happy. At 10 miles, there happened to be a table just off the path so I stopped to take care of the toes. Fortunately, I was carrying a bottle of Body Glide, so I took the sock off and lathered the toes. I also drank the last of my water. I forgot to mention that the temps had picked up and I had been running into a ferocious headwind since turning around. I wasn't happy with myself for running out of water. The car, with plenty of fluids, was a mere 2 miles away, but I had been conserving the water for quite awhile, so I was pretty thirsty.
I trudged on and after around a mile, saw a snake coming out of a hole in the ground on the side of the path. The portion that was out of the hole was around 4 feet long. I must say that I don't like snakes. My wife says I have an irrational fear of them. This is exactly the kind of scenario where runners get bit. You're tired and thirsty and your concentration level is fading. You don't pay as much attention to your surroundings when all of a sudden, you get too close and startle a snake you never saw. Now you've been bit and have to determine if it was a rattlesnake or not. I made it back to the car and downed around 60 ounces of fluids. I then got back on the path and knocked out another 2 miles to hit my goal of 14 miles for the day. I was pretty happy with the time--2:13:05--but even happier that my hip, achilles tendon, and plantar fasciitis seemed okay.
I was pretty stiff for a while, but went outside and shot a few baskets in the backyard to loosen up. I still have to keep on eye on the achilles, but so far so good.
The 50 mile race I'm thinking about is the Old Pueblo 50 Mile. The 2011 race hasn't been announced yet, but I think it's held in early March in Sonoita, Arizona.
Click the link below to see the map and splits for today's run.
Untitled by fkelly3d at Garmin Connect - Details
I did two short 3 mile runs on Monday and Tuesday. I rested on Wednesday and, because of a potentially busy weekend, decided to give a long run a try today. I decided to run along the Rillito river--a route that I read about from other runners here in town. I arrived at my destination at 10:00 am and stretched very lightly before setting off for what I was hoping would be a 14 mile run. The temperature was in the low 70's, but the winds were really blowing.
I set off alongside the tall green trees while looking at the skies reflection on the gently flowing water. Umm, no. This is someone else's reality.
I live in Tucson. Here's what we call a river. Unfortunately, and for at least another year, this is my reality.
I've been looking at ultra running sites and really feel the itch to try a 50 mile race. One of the tips the ultra runners consistently gave was to walk the hills. I figured I'd give it a try, but couldn't pull the trigger early on. I was afraid that my body and mind would get used to walking and start to look for excuses to do it even when there wasn't a hill. I waited until mile 4.5 to walk up a steep incline. I did the same at mile 5.5. I must say that my body felt pretty good after taking these walking breaks and so did my achilles tendon. The problem came later when I was getting tired and saw a long steady incline ahead. My body saw the incline and wanted to walk, but I overruled it. You can't walk every incline and come out with any kind of decent time. After that, I told myself that there would be no walking of inclines, but steep hills would be okay.
Not having run this route before, I had no idea how far or where it went. When I started out, I took a right down the path only to discover that it dead ended after a mile so when I arrived back at the car, I had gone 2 miles. I kept going and when I was coming up on 6 miles, I started wondering if I should turn back because I didn't want to outrun my water supply. I was wearing my Camelbak which holds about 2 liters. I figured that if I ran another mile further before turning around that when I got back to the car I would have 12 miles in the books and could decide whether or not to keep going. That's what I did. I turned around after 7 miles and headed back to the car. Just as I was coming up to mile 10, I noticed the toes of my right foot were telling me that they weren't happy. At 10 miles, there happened to be a table just off the path so I stopped to take care of the toes. Fortunately, I was carrying a bottle of Body Glide, so I took the sock off and lathered the toes. I also drank the last of my water. I forgot to mention that the temps had picked up and I had been running into a ferocious headwind since turning around. I wasn't happy with myself for running out of water. The car, with plenty of fluids, was a mere 2 miles away, but I had been conserving the water for quite awhile, so I was pretty thirsty.
I trudged on and after around a mile, saw a snake coming out of a hole in the ground on the side of the path. The portion that was out of the hole was around 4 feet long. I must say that I don't like snakes. My wife says I have an irrational fear of them. This is exactly the kind of scenario where runners get bit. You're tired and thirsty and your concentration level is fading. You don't pay as much attention to your surroundings when all of a sudden, you get too close and startle a snake you never saw. Now you've been bit and have to determine if it was a rattlesnake or not. I made it back to the car and downed around 60 ounces of fluids. I then got back on the path and knocked out another 2 miles to hit my goal of 14 miles for the day. I was pretty happy with the time--2:13:05--but even happier that my hip, achilles tendon, and plantar fasciitis seemed okay.
I was pretty stiff for a while, but went outside and shot a few baskets in the backyard to loosen up. I still have to keep on eye on the achilles, but so far so good.
The 50 mile race I'm thinking about is the Old Pueblo 50 Mile. The 2011 race hasn't been announced yet, but I think it's held in early March in Sonoita, Arizona.
Click the link below to see the map and splits for today's run.
Untitled by fkelly3d at Garmin Connect - Details
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Not A Fun Run
Today's run was the furthest of the year: 12 miles in 1:57:44. It took me about 4 miles to loosen up and start to feel good. The next 4 miles felt okay. The last 4 miles were tough. I battled negative thoughts
right from the start. Thoughts like: this doesn't feel too good, let's cut it short and it's really hot, there's no way we can do 11 miles. 11 miles was the goal for today, but lately I've been beating the mileage goal. It didn't help that the first half--6 miles--were all basically uphill. It also didn't help that I went out at 12:45. I think the temps were in the mid 70's, but it felt warmer.
I beat the excuses the same way I always do. I tell myself that the runs that are the most difficult to do are the ones that I gain the most benefit from. I've been dealing with allergies or a cold for the last week. I decided it was allergies so I wouldn't have an excuse not to run. This was the most physically difficult run of the comeback. Not only was it the longest, but the temps were not ideal which led to me feeling very thankful upon reaching my front door. If I could have gone further, it couldn't have been by much. This was not my typical enjoy the scenery and feeling type of run--this was a grind. The 13 mile mark is also where I've hurt myself in past training which caused me to shut it down. For now, I feel good. The feet feel better. I had to put vaseline on my toes before today's run due to their less than pleasant feeling over the last week.
I ran three days this week for a total of 26 miles. I don't plan on running tomorrow, but you never know.
Click the link below to see the stats and map of today's run.
Untitled by fkelly3d at Garmin Connect - Details: "Share"
right from the start. Thoughts like: this doesn't feel too good, let's cut it short and it's really hot, there's no way we can do 11 miles. 11 miles was the goal for today, but lately I've been beating the mileage goal. It didn't help that the first half--6 miles--were all basically uphill. It also didn't help that I went out at 12:45. I think the temps were in the mid 70's, but it felt warmer.
I beat the excuses the same way I always do. I tell myself that the runs that are the most difficult to do are the ones that I gain the most benefit from. I've been dealing with allergies or a cold for the last week. I decided it was allergies so I wouldn't have an excuse not to run. This was the most physically difficult run of the comeback. Not only was it the longest, but the temps were not ideal which led to me feeling very thankful upon reaching my front door. If I could have gone further, it couldn't have been by much. This was not my typical enjoy the scenery and feeling type of run--this was a grind. The 13 mile mark is also where I've hurt myself in past training which caused me to shut it down. For now, I feel good. The feet feel better. I had to put vaseline on my toes before today's run due to their less than pleasant feeling over the last week.
I ran three days this week for a total of 26 miles. I don't plan on running tomorrow, but you never know.
Click the link below to see the stats and map of today's run.
Untitled by fkelly3d at Garmin Connect - Details: "Share"
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tarahumara Frank?
I took a day off yesterday after Sunday's 10 miler, but decided to get out there today for an easy 5 miles. I ended up going 8 miles today in 1:15:02, and it felt great.
I finished Born To Run last night. I thought it was a great book--especially the chapters devoted to actual racing. The arguments for the less is more approach to running shoes was made pretty well. I'm not about to go barefoot, but I'm not at all averse to trying to strengthen my feet. I walked barefoot around my backyard for about five minutes. Having battled plantar fasciitis, I'll try just about anything. I think my method of Ibuprofen, icing, stretching the ligament with a water bottle, taping and finally elevating the feet after each run is working. I didn't feel any worse after Sunday's 10 miles than I did after today's run.
One thing I thought sounded really reasonable was how the running styles of the Tarahumara Indians and Scott Jurek were described--backs straight, heads up, arms up high and each foot strike and push off occurring behind the body so that the center of gravity of the body is actually behind the runner. You may recall that I've been trying to shorten my stride to be less of a heel striker.
I tried this style out today and felt really comfortable with it. With the back really straight, it makes it nearly impossible to extend your leg out too far and heel strike. If you tried to heel strike with a straight back, you'd look like a goose stepping Nazi. I noticed that my stride was much shorter and that my feet really did seem to be striking the ground behind me. The great part about this was that I became a natural mid to forefoot striker in this style, and it felt comfortable. Every so often, I unconsciously reverted back to my old style and was leaning forward. For a while, I had to take assessments of my posture to be sure it was straight, and, for the most part, it was. I didn't have any problems until I hit 4 miles. My achilles heel flared up a little, so I concentrated more on my posture, and everything cleared up within a few steps. I hit a rhythm and started thinking about other things around mile 5.5. I was just running without thinking and before I noticed what happened, I hit the 7 mile mark. I felt so good that I figured I'd do one more. I would have done more, but I only had an hour and a half window.
I'm really excited to get back out and try this new form again. My body feels strong. Hopefully, my foot is healing. My only dilemma is wondering whether to keep going with these longer runs or take them down a notch. 20 miles is my highest mileage for a week this year. If I keep this up, I'll smash that by a good 50%. I guess tomorrow will tell. If I wake up and everything feels good, then I'll probably head out for 5 miles or so. What a joy it is to finally get close to where I was before injuring myself. As far as speed and endurance are concerned, I'm not where I was, but I'm getting really close.
Click the link to see today's map and stats: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/28494365
I finished Born To Run last night. I thought it was a great book--especially the chapters devoted to actual racing. The arguments for the less is more approach to running shoes was made pretty well. I'm not about to go barefoot, but I'm not at all averse to trying to strengthen my feet. I walked barefoot around my backyard for about five minutes. Having battled plantar fasciitis, I'll try just about anything. I think my method of Ibuprofen, icing, stretching the ligament with a water bottle, taping and finally elevating the feet after each run is working. I didn't feel any worse after Sunday's 10 miles than I did after today's run.
One thing I thought sounded really reasonable was how the running styles of the Tarahumara Indians and Scott Jurek were described--backs straight, heads up, arms up high and each foot strike and push off occurring behind the body so that the center of gravity of the body is actually behind the runner. You may recall that I've been trying to shorten my stride to be less of a heel striker.
I tried this style out today and felt really comfortable with it. With the back really straight, it makes it nearly impossible to extend your leg out too far and heel strike. If you tried to heel strike with a straight back, you'd look like a goose stepping Nazi. I noticed that my stride was much shorter and that my feet really did seem to be striking the ground behind me. The great part about this was that I became a natural mid to forefoot striker in this style, and it felt comfortable. Every so often, I unconsciously reverted back to my old style and was leaning forward. For a while, I had to take assessments of my posture to be sure it was straight, and, for the most part, it was. I didn't have any problems until I hit 4 miles. My achilles heel flared up a little, so I concentrated more on my posture, and everything cleared up within a few steps. I hit a rhythm and started thinking about other things around mile 5.5. I was just running without thinking and before I noticed what happened, I hit the 7 mile mark. I felt so good that I figured I'd do one more. I would have done more, but I only had an hour and a half window.
I'm really excited to get back out and try this new form again. My body feels strong. Hopefully, my foot is healing. My only dilemma is wondering whether to keep going with these longer runs or take them down a notch. 20 miles is my highest mileage for a week this year. If I keep this up, I'll smash that by a good 50%. I guess tomorrow will tell. If I wake up and everything feels good, then I'll probably head out for 5 miles or so. What a joy it is to finally get close to where I was before injuring myself. As far as speed and endurance are concerned, I'm not where I was, but I'm getting really close.
Click the link to see today's map and stats: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/28494365
Monday, March 29, 2010
Unanswered Questions
I had a good 10 mile run today. I ran 2.1 miles from my house to the YMCA where I finished it with another 8 miles on the treadmill. It took an hour and 24 minutes. At around mile 8, I started thinking about doing 13 miles until my wife came over and asked how much longer until we could leave. The goal for today was 10 miles and I'm happy with it. It's the farthest I've been able to run this year. I logged 18 miles for the week even though I only ran 2 days.
Like the rest of the running world, I'm reading McDougall's Born To Run. I'm two days into it and about 2/3 of the way through. I really love this book. I'm not about to go off and try barefoot running though. I have always had the most sensitive feet of anyone I've ever known. What I'm gleaning from the book is just the simple joy that comes from running. I'm finally getting back into the shape that allows me to have fun while running. To the non runner, it's a feeling that is difficult to describe. As I set out from my door this afternoon for the YMCA, I felt a calmness that mixed with playfulness. The feeling is kind of like the one that movie and T.V. directors hope you experience when they show a young child's expression while running for fun. There isn't much like the feeling you get when your body warms up and falls into a rhythm. It's like you're suddenly gliding down the road and the surface consciousness that runs our daily lives slips away allowing you a glimpse of a deeper level. As opposed to the quiet gentleness with which one entered this tranquil state of being, one erupts forth--forced out into the piercing light and monstrosity of sound like a baby from the womb. Immediately one is overjoyed to have transcended this world, but also slightly saddened at being back.
Lately, I've been wondering about how many days I should or could run. Do I run 5 days a week or 3? Do I follow a plan or just wing it? I'm the type of person who likes a lot of structure. I like knowing what I am supposed to do today, tomorrow, next week and next month. I'll tell you a secret though. I am enjoying just running for distance. I have the desire to just set out and see where I end up.
I've missed all of my races this year, so I'm not actively training with a purpose other than to get stronger and faster. I realize that, from my last post, it might seem like I've thrown in the towel concerning my plantar fasciitis, but that's not true. I've begun taping my feet for more support. I am stretching my achilles more than ever. There's a part of me that says I should just go out and run until my body is hardened. There's the other part that says I should take it easy and follow the 10% rule.
I guess time will tell which way I go with all of these questions. My main goal with running has been to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and then to do ultras. From what I've been reading, I think I've got the mentality of an ultra runner, but can my body keep up with my spirit?
Like the rest of the running world, I'm reading McDougall's Born To Run. I'm two days into it and about 2/3 of the way through. I really love this book. I'm not about to go off and try barefoot running though. I have always had the most sensitive feet of anyone I've ever known. What I'm gleaning from the book is just the simple joy that comes from running. I'm finally getting back into the shape that allows me to have fun while running. To the non runner, it's a feeling that is difficult to describe. As I set out from my door this afternoon for the YMCA, I felt a calmness that mixed with playfulness. The feeling is kind of like the one that movie and T.V. directors hope you experience when they show a young child's expression while running for fun. There isn't much like the feeling you get when your body warms up and falls into a rhythm. It's like you're suddenly gliding down the road and the surface consciousness that runs our daily lives slips away allowing you a glimpse of a deeper level. As opposed to the quiet gentleness with which one entered this tranquil state of being, one erupts forth--forced out into the piercing light and monstrosity of sound like a baby from the womb. Immediately one is overjoyed to have transcended this world, but also slightly saddened at being back.
Lately, I've been wondering about how many days I should or could run. Do I run 5 days a week or 3? Do I follow a plan or just wing it? I'm the type of person who likes a lot of structure. I like knowing what I am supposed to do today, tomorrow, next week and next month. I'll tell you a secret though. I am enjoying just running for distance. I have the desire to just set out and see where I end up.
I've missed all of my races this year, so I'm not actively training with a purpose other than to get stronger and faster. I realize that, from my last post, it might seem like I've thrown in the towel concerning my plantar fasciitis, but that's not true. I've begun taping my feet for more support. I am stretching my achilles more than ever. There's a part of me that says I should just go out and run until my body is hardened. There's the other part that says I should take it easy and follow the 10% rule.
I guess time will tell which way I go with all of these questions. My main goal with running has been to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and then to do ultras. From what I've been reading, I think I've got the mentality of an ultra runner, but can my body keep up with my spirit?
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