Marathon Training: Week 2

Tuesday 4.09m
Wednesday 5.12m
Thursday 4.07m
Saturday 3.5m
Sunday 8.2m

Week 24.97

Saturday was on the treadmill.

Sunday was outdoors. It was 7* with wind and snow. I was fine with the temp, but the snow made it a bit slippery (fell once). Then I forgot my extra key at home and locked myself out of the car. I had to add a loop back home to pick up the extra key. Ended up about 0.8miles below goal, but still feel good with week.

Marathon Training: Week 1

Total Miles 25:46

Tues 4miles
Wed 5.25miles
Thurs 4 miles
Sat 4.07 miles
Sun 8.14 miles

Sun was an out and back run; last four miles were 6 minutes faster than the first four.

Overall, back is sore, but I feel good. I am confident that my slow month of running in December did not dig too deep a hole and I am ready for the 18week marathon plan.

6 Months Running

Just finished my first 6 months running:

431.58 miles

102 hours, 25 minutes, 32 seconds total

69,323 calories

Races:

4 x 5k
1 x 10k
1 x 8k


I have gone from barely able to run one minute without needing to walk to the ability to run 10-12 miles without a walk break. My resting heart rate, blood pressure and weight have all improved. I am about 1/3 of the way to where I want to be but I am enjoying the journey.

Cancelled Run Club????

Got home yesterday and stretched out my back. Then got bundled up and headed off to Running Club. Layered pretty good because the temp was below zero with a windchill advisory (-25* or so. . .). There was a sign up that said "cancelled due to WindChill!" I ran about 0.1 mile but realized that my eyes were getting too cold due to the wind; I think I could have handled it if I had goggles or something. . .

Anyway, I went home, took off the layers, grabbed shorts and a short sleeve tee and headed back to the office to run on the treadmill in the gym at work. Got my 4 miles in, but the legs this morning remind me that "treadmill miles" are not like "real miles." Also, the boredom factor of the treadmill is a real pain.

This morning, it is -13* actual with a -35* windchill, so I will be doing the treadmill for the next couple of days. . .

Sore back

I have a sore spot in my upper back. It is below my shoulder blades about 1/3 of the way down from neckline to waist. It hurts and prevents me from sitting for longer than about 10 minutes at a time. It also is impacting my sleep. Last night, I skipped a 4 mile run to avoid aggravating it. My frustration level is rising; I hate feeling bad and I hate not being able to train.

I know it will work itself out in about 5 to 12 days, but my frustration level at the discomfort is huge. My biggest frustration is its impact on focus and enjoyment. It dominates my thinking rather than focusing on the task at hand and enjoying what I am doing, including running.

Cold?

My four-year-old son Cooper asked this morning: "Why is it so cold?"

I replied: "Its still winter and it's only 17*; it will get colder."

Although Cooper does not understand why, we have been spoiled by a warmer than average winter. That's about to change. The fifteen day outlook calls for ten days with lows below zero with six of those days looking like windchills below -20*(two below -30*). It is time to dig out the windbriefs and the warmer clothing; we are moving into a normal winter just in time for the beginning of the spring marathon training season. The National Weather service lists our 90 day forecast as "Above normal", but that doesn't mean we still don't have some cold coming.

I need to think through everything from socks to hats and make sure I am prepared.

This weekend looks cold!!!!

Mileage up; weight down

Just finished a "bounce-back" week where I returned to higher mileage after a couple of weeks of holiday slacking. . .

Dropped 10 pounds this week, as my body returned to fat burning. Felt like I ate like a pig today, but it was all vegi's, salad, high fiber, etc. and I dropped weight. Feeling good!

Ice running

Ran tonight with ice on the ground for the first time. I admit that I have been a bit chicken. I am normally a klutz that is challenged by walking on ice. I also have a deep fear of falling and injuring myself. So the rain and snow we got on Saturday drove me to the treadmill. But that sucks also! Time to try the new no-slip thingies with the spikes on the bottom that fit over my shoes. Wunderbar!!! Felt like I was running normal with no slips at all. Even better, the greenway was "plowed", giving me a fairly level, albeit, ice covered surface. But it is better than dodging cars on the ice covered roads and it was a peaceful workout. In fact, I only saw one other runner out (at 9:00 to 10:00 pm in the 5* windchill!!!)

Looking forward to another late run tomorrow night.

New Year

It is a new year and I have a confession to make. I let my milelage slip some over the holidays. I was sick for a couple of days, weather was a bit yucky, I traveled, I had childcare issues, I ate poorly, and I was lazy. I start my eighteen week marathon program on 1/15. So it is time for some adjustment. I sat down tonight with my calendar, pencil, and eraser and adjusted my plan for the next 60 days. I knocked some miles off the first 3-6 weeks of training and I mapped out the next two weeks to get start moving my mileage base back up to where it was last month before I started being lazy.

I am comfortable with my changes and think they are definitely attainable.

20 weeks to 26.2!

Back running with sore back and legs

I had a week of low mileage due to travel, with some of those miles on a treadmill. Now I am back running and have added ice to the mix. These combine into a recipe for muscle fatigue and the leg and back muscles are sore!

I also am not sleeping very weell. I am waking up between 5:30 and 6am and cannot get back to sleep. This is even true on mornings that I can/should sleep in and mornings after I have been up a bit late the night before. I also have not been tired or looking for a nap any afternoon in over a week. Not sure what is up.

Maybe I am just getting old. . .

Poor week of training

I spent the week in Austin, TX for work. Temps ranged from about 38* to 85* which was much warmer than home. That said, I only got two runs in for about 7 miles.

1) I hate running on the road when I don't know where I am running.

2) I hate running from hotels that are not near parks, trails, or running paths. I don't feel safe on the streets with traffic and not know where I am going.

3) I hate running where I don't feel safe and know what kind of neighborhoods I am running through.

4) I hate being in meetings all day and then running after dark with the above conditions.

I will get runs in tomorrow and Sunday at home and then get back to my normal mileage next week.

The strangest thing about this is I love running in the dark at home where I know I am going. . . But on the road, I am afraid of getting lost, hitting a tree branch (happened this week!), getting hit by a car, etc.

Worst and Best 5k Ever!

I ran the Jingle Bell run this morning in -10* windchill. Officially, it was my worst 5k ever; unofficially, it was my best 5k ever. How does this happen? I had an emergancy at work that got me to the race late. I ended up starting 18 minutes late and meeting the winner coming back during the first quarter mile. I ran most of the race about 1K behind the sweeper, but a well painted course and a couple of volunteers that stayed out in the cold made it great. Official time was 53:12, unofficial on my GPS was 34:57 (and 3.2 miles!) for a PR (personal record).

Friends and family donated $220 for me to run and the total even took in almost $20,000 v. $4,200 last year. The money goes to Arthritis research.

I saw an older lady that had to walk with a crutch. Her fingers were twisted from the disease. When she sat down on a chair, one foot remained in the air because she could not bend her knee enough for her foot to reach the ground. Thanks to all who supported me; I ran because I could!

Tired Legs

I am on my third day of "vacation" and I am running a 5k in the morning. Training calendar calls for a 3mile short run, but my legs do not feel in the mood. I need to decide in the next 20 minutes or so, if I am going to go home and get the run in before I have to pick up the son from daycare.

BTW, I ate poorly this week; wonder if that made this worse?

Gumping

Tonight, I had my mp3 player loaded with music on "shuffle" instead of the podcasts I have been listening to for the last month or so. After I got back to Scheels and was talking with other run club members, two runners said they saw me running and I was "looking good!" They saw me around the 3.2 mile mark of a 5.31 mile run. There was 15 minutes in there when I felt great and don't remember my feet touching the ground. I have about 130 songs in the player on shuffle, but had an "almost perfect" section of music:

Springsteen -- Born to Run
Browne -- Running on Empty
McLean -- American Pie

I was truely "Gumping" -- that wonderful feeling where you feel like you can run forever while hearing "running on, running on empty, running on, running blind, running into the sun but I am running behind. I don't even know what I'm hoping to find. . ."

It was a great feeling and suddenly it felt like the first mile instead of the fourth, and it felt like about 558 instead of 3*. The shoes felt new, the darkness was replaced with sun, and the streets and cars were replaced with a meadow. Perhaps it was just endorphins, but it felt COOL!

Long long time ago, I remember how the music used to make me smile. . . ;)

Cold!!!!!

We had a visitor on Tuesday night, so I ended up doing my miles on Wednesday morning. It was around 2* with a 20 mile per hour north wind. I found a park route that avoided the wind as much as possible and I ended up with a full-face baclava. The biggest problem was my wire framed sunglasses froze to my face and were giving me a horrible headache. So I ran most of the time with them in my left glove covered hand.

I also had problems with an untied shoelace. No way to tie them with a glove on. Skin froze without glove. I was able to get one shoe tied and the glove back on and was able to feel my fingers again by the end of the run. . .

Tonight was again about 3*, but the wind was not there and I was able to run with the baclava off my face and the jacket unzipped 1/4 of the way. . .

Wondering what January and February will have in store for me!

Thanksgiving

We traveled to my parents for the holiday. We arrived Wednesday night around 7:30pm and I got Paige and Cooper fed for supper, the car unpacked, and then changed into my running clothes for an evening 4.3mile run. After the run, I had a salad and a baked potato and then went to bed.

Thanksgiving day started with a 4.4 mile run, breakfast, and a shower. After the big meal, I loaded Cooper and two of his cousins into a vehicle for a trip to the park. It was about 35* and overcast but we played on the swings, climbing bars and slides for about 40 minutes. Then it was back to the house for a quick nap and a drive home.

Jumped on the scale this morning and I lost 1.5# over the holiday. Given that we did not bring home any sugary leftovers, the opening half of the holidays has gone fine. I felt happy with what I ate, and did not gain weight. Still have Christmas parties and holiday to survive, but I am feeling pretty good!

Milestone -- 4 months running

This week was the four month anniversary of my starting to run:

Miles = 318
Time : 76 hours, 58 minutes
Calories 50,754

I have ran one pair of shoes into retirement and working on pairs two and three. I have dropped 6 inches off both my chest and waist; none of my suits fit me. My resting heart rate and blood pressure have both dropped. My arms and legs are starting to look good; my torso still has fat that needs to be run off. . .

This morning I ran at a sustained pace for 90 minutes. That is something I could not have honestly dreamed about 4 months ago.

My 8 month anniversary will come during the midst of marathon training and the one year anniversary will hopefully come after my first completed marathon and in the first week of training for my second marathon.

Run long and taper!

Vet's Day 8K

Very cold and windy at start. Temp was in the 20's and wind made it colder. This was billed as a "European-style" cross country and the course did not disappoint. Race registration suggested "trail shoes or spikes" and I wore trail shoes; I am glad I did. Much of the course runs through a park that has been created as part of the Grand Forks Flood control project after the 1997 flood that forced the evacuation of over 95% of the city. The starting line was at the top of a small but steep hill that was very near the site of the first apartment Paige and I shared 17 years ago. After a whort ceremony to honor Vetern's Day, we were lined up for the start. Course was out and back. Starting line was immediately down the hill, then along the bottom for about 50 yards and then turned and came back up the hill, across a road, and back down the hill. We then ran along the river through the brush. Ground was marshy and very uneven; I was glod for the vibram soles in my trail shoes. We crossed a dirt road and there was an area of grass on both sides that had been "mulch-seeded" with the green paper mulch and grass seed. I noticed one set of deer tracks crossing the line of run. At about the 1.25 mile mark, there was a short downhill that was VERY steep. I used trees and walking sideways to make my way down. Then we ran again along the river until we made it to the park entrance, near where our good friend Pete grew up. There we ran up the dike and started along the top.

I heard a loud "That's my dad, go dad!" at this point. Cooper was parked with Grandma and Grandpa on the street on the "dry-side" of the dike. He was proud of me and it gave me a much needed burst of energy and, more importantly, encouragement that carried me through the rest of the race.

After about 1/4 mile along the top of the dike, we ran down the dry side in the area that was posted "For public sledding". We then ran along the bottom through what used to be part of the old Lincoln Park Golf course, across the street from another friend's (Greg Norby) childhood home. Then it was back up the dike to run along the top. We ran for another 1/4 mile and reached the turnaround point.

As mentioned, the course was out and back. I won't do a play-by=play of recovering the route, but there were a few hilights. On the down section off the "sledding hill" portion of the dyke, two young ladies decided to lay down and roll down the hill for fun; it gave a laugh to everyone.

The "STEEP" hill I went down earlier now had to be gone up. About 78 runners had gone down and 71 had gone back up by the time I got there; the ground was all torn up and I had to struggle for hand-holds of grass and brush to help myself get up.

I almost fell twice. I caught my toe on a fist sized rock and stumbled. Then I got back to the rough, marshy ground. It too all my focus on the ground 2-3 feet in front of me to get through this. I even slowed down; I just wanted to get through with both ankles and knees intact so I could finish the last 1/2 mile of the race. I almost twisted an ankle once, and struggled the entire section to find a place to set my feet down that was solid. I also picked up 6-8 cockle burrs, three of which were on my ankle right above the shoe and poking through my sock with every step. I had to stop and pull them off my ankle, then remove my glove to get them off my gloves. . . The rest rode to the finish. My mom said one guy had about 60, so I guess I got off fairly easy.

I ran with a group of women most of the race. I was behind them through the first part, caught, passed, and opened up a lead on the dyke top where the running was fast, and then lost much of that gap when I slowed down in the marsh. I opened up again in the last 1/2 mile into the finish.

I was hoping to run 59:59 or better. Mom said the early runners were talking about how tough the course was after they finished. I won't use that as an excuse, but I will use it as a reason to be happy with my 1:01:40 and 72nd place.

Sent mom and Cooper home in my car and I ran the .89 miles back to their house for a couple of bagels, some Gatorade, and a shower.

Off to Vet's day 8K

I am leaving tomorrow afternoon for a race in Grand Forks. Cooper is looking forward to staying at Grandma and Grandpa's and seeing his dad run. I am looking forward to not finishing last. . . ;)

Actually, every step is a win. I am buying years and capacity to spend with Cooper in the outdoors in pursuit of our passions! Makes it priceless.

I will post results Saturday evening or Sunday.

Sporthill Running Clothing

Scheels' Running Club tonight had in the SportHill rep (TJ) to talk about their clothing. I owned one 1/4zip shirt and liked it, but had not looked closely at the rest of their line. Boy, was I missing some great running clothing!

1) Pursuit II top -- Front material (3SP) is windproof to 35mph. TJ used a windmeter and a blow-dryer to demonstrate. The output from the blowdryer measured about 37mph, he then put the front cloth of the jacket between the blow-dryer and the windmeter. The new measurement was between 0.6 and 1.4mph; the tiny blades of the windmeter barely moved. This is a soft and comfortable fabric that blocks the wind, but allows freedom of movement. the back of the two-tone jacket is a wicking and breathable material that is less windproof to prevent over-heating.

2) XC Pant -- Same great windstopping material (3SP). A pair of these came home with me and I will report more after I run in them! They are a soft pant that is designed to fit slightly loose, and provide warmth for Zone 3 (0* to 40*) running and XC skiing.

3) 3SP Mitten -- Again, a "thin" and comfortable mitten that is made with the wind-stopping 3SP fabric. I have to admit, I looked at these gloves two weeks ago and thought they would not be warm enough. Now that I have seen how the 3SP fabric performs, I added a pair to my running bag.

There are alot of great styles in the SportHill line. Check them out for yourself. I was surprised and pleased with what I found and I expect I will be adding more pieces to help me stay warm this winter.