Monthly Archives: September 2010

Not the greatest run today…

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…but I did it.

I don’t know if it was the weather (we’re awaiting the arrival of Nicole) and humidity or something else, but I just felt sluggish the whole workout. Still I managed about 3.8 miles to the best of my memory. (I say to the best of my memory because there was a glitch with my Garmin and while it didn’t upload enough to go on the record on the site, it did upload enough to delete the workout from my watch. THAT little box is unchecked now!!)

I also learned that I’m not so much a fan of shirts that have screen painting on the front and back. My JackRabbit training shirt has something on both sides, and I felt like it lost a lot of the breathability it was supposed to have. It just felt heavy in those spots…and I’m sure that didn’t help me very much. So…even though it’s supposed to be chilly on Sunday, I may go with one of the tanks I’ve been running in so far. Or wear a t-shirt. I know…everyone says no cotton. But trust me…cotton would be more comfy for me than this shirt. I’ll see if I can find a short-sleeved one at Paragon tomorrow maybe when I pick up my race packet.

I did order some training shirts today! Yay!! One has the Penguin motto on it (“The miracle isn’t that I finished; it’s that I had the courage to start.”), one says “Yeah I run like a girl. Try to keep up.” (kinda humorous considering I’m pretty slow, but oh well.), and one says “Will run for chocolate” (if it said “milk” after chocolate it would be perfect, but I like it anyway!)! :D Can’t wait to get them!!!!

Tomorrow is strength training, and then running into Manhattan to pick up my 10K packet and then go to First Friday Social with Front Runners! Woohoo!! Go me being social!

The workout I love to hate…

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That would be Bob Harper’s Pure Burn Super Strength.

Pure Burn is right. I don’t know that I ever understood what people meant when they said their muscles were “firey”, but I do now. I did the workout again yesterday and man. It’s TOUGH!!!! That said, I know it is working, and I know if I continue to use it I will see results. (The best part? I get chocolate milk afterwards to help in recovery! Woohoo for chocolate milk!!)

So after doing the workout yesterday, I got in a dilemma about what to do. I’d been thinking of doing one active rest day with this dvd and one with Yoga for the Warrior, but the more I thought about it, the more I started feeling like I really should do the strength one on those two days. But I really do want to keep yoga in there. What to do????

I asked my buddies on myfitnesspal and they all had differing opinions, but a lot seemed to think do both x-t days with the strength and use the yoga for a more thorough stretch on at least one run day. It sounded good, but I didn’t want to overtrain and wasn’t sure if that would work.

So today I emailed Coach Jenny (co-author of Marathoning for Mortals and columnist for Running World among other things) to ask her advice. After all, I am following her book’s plan for my training! Her advice was also do the strength training two days and use the yoga on a run day. So that pretty much confirms it. Strength on my two x-t days it shall be and yoga will be worked in at least once a week.

Guess I should probably get at least a set of 5 pound weights. LOL. Eventually the 3 pounders will get too light, right?

And stock up on my chocolate milk!! Reduced or non-fat of course!!

Thinking positive!

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Went to the gym for a run today (even if I’d wanted to go outside it was gross and rainy…and unless it’s a race I’ve paid to be in, just…no to rain. blech!) with the intent to push hard in an attempt to mimic race adrenaline and see how fast I could run/walk 4.1 miles. If you remember from my last post, I need to clear that in an hour – assuming of course we start right at 8:30.

I hit the 4.1 mark according to my Garmin at between 47 and 48 minutes!! Woohoo!! So assuming that was all correct, I’ve got about 12 minutes wiggle room to make that hour cut-off.

AND I felt pretty good about the run today! So far the weather’s looking good for the day – partly cloudy with a low of 53 and a high of 64!! Can’t wait!!!

I don’t think the other day was a fluke!

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I got up early this morning to hit the gym and get my run in. I wanted to do my best to get 10K in so my legs can see what it feels like. My average pace – including my running segments, my walking segments, and my warm up and cool down – was 12:06. So apparently I am going faster than I thought I was.

And I really hope it continues next Sunday at the 10K race. Because tonight the race director sends a bulk email to everyone whose estimated finish time indicates a slower than 13 minute mile pace (I overestimated I’m sure, especially given my average pace I’ve been hitting in training) because we have to be clear of the 4.1 mile mark within an hour, and over a 13 minute mile pace may not allow that. So…yeah… I’m feeling confident, but now very edgy. I have a feeling I may well go out too fast and bonk in the last couple of miles because I do NOT want to get swept.

I should note that nowhere on the race website does it state that you should be at a 13 minute mile pace. I’m just hoping that my training pays off and I CAN complete this thing!!! I don’t want a DNF on my racing record!!!

Sometimes I amaze myself…

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Hit the gym today to try and get in 4 miles since I have the 10K coming up on the 3rd.

Well…I ended up doing 5 miles in just over an hour. Legit! And I made a discovery as well thanks to my HRM.

What I learned today thanks to my Garmin: I run faster than the treadmill says. As in it says 5mph, but my pace is actually in the 10-11 minute mile range. And yes, the Garmin is calibrated correctly. I also walk faster than the treadmill says too, though not quite that much.

I also apparently have started using Chi running form and didn’t realize it – or I was today according to a coach of some type who was working with someone else and happened to glance over and see me. She asked how long I’d been doing Chi running. Um…I’ve heard of it, and sort of know the basics, but I’ve never officially studied it. But apparently I internalized what I learned. Upright. Mid-foot strike. Sort of like how running is described in Born to Run (Coincidence I’d just read that segment – when Caballo Blanco takes him for a run? Maybe or maybe not.)

But I guess that might explain why I really wasn’t getting tired. I did 5 miles at a 3 minute run: 2 minute walk interval ratio in just over an hour! Sometimes I surprise myself. If I hadn’t been going to meet up with my college roommate for dinner, I would have kept going to 6.2 miles just to see what kind of time I could pull on a first attempt at that distance. Because seriously I still felt amazing at 5 miles!

Heck, if I can do that and maintain that pace on the 3rd, I might find myself submitting a time that would get me in the 2:45 corral at Disney’s Half! (I’m going to work really hard to not be disappointed if I don’t maintain that pace outside.)

I’m not sure if I should be amazed or scared by myself!

Keep on keepin’ on

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Things are swimming along right now. “Official” training starts on 10/4, but I’m definitely not just sitting around doing nothing until then!

Saturday I met up with Front Runers New York – the LGBTQ running club in NYC – for a fun run in Central Park. The crowd was a little lower than usual because some people were doing a 200-mile relay in NH and it was also Yom Kippur. But there was still a good group there. I ended up paired with Sandi, who was really great about keeping her pace so that I could keep up with her. We did a loop that’s about 4 miles in 50-55 minutes – and even when I walked, I kept up with her as she ran. I felt so welcomed by everyone, and I love having a new group to hang with, so I’ve officially joined! Saturday they have a cross-country meet that I think I’m going to go to. It sounds like fun!

Yesterday was Bob Harper’s Body Rev Cardio Conditioning. I’m getting better at the dvd. It’s still tough, but I’m getting more able to complete most things all the reps.

Last night I went to JackRabbit for one of the marathon preparation lectures. Obviously it’s focused on the NY Marathon – and I decided last night I’m not getting new shoes until after marathon madness is over because it was crazycakes in the shoe area last night! I did get some stuff – a new sports bra (LOVE IT!!!), a training shirt with wicking fabric, a fuel belt, and some gel packs to try. AND my new Garmin FR60W heart rate monitor and training tracker! :)

I got it all set up and used it in the gym today. I love it already!!!! :) It’s pink and white! Hee!! Ran/walked for 3.7 miles doing 5:1 and 3:2 intervals. Felt pretty good at the end of it! Then I came home and did just the beginner segment on Bob Harper’s Pure Burn Super Strength dvd. I was feeling pretty tired after the run, so I didn’t want to push it too much.

And then *I* got all crazycakes and decided to sign up for a 10K. On October 3. Yes…October 3. As in not this Sunday but next Sunday. I was reading a forum about Disney races, and it sounds like it’s better to turn in *a* time even if it’s over their cut off to avoid being placed in the no-time corral. And they want 10K times. So I went hunting for 10Ks in NYC and found one on Governor’s Island – site of my first 5K. It’s flat. I already know part of the course. So… Yeah…we shall see what happens. Ha!

So…as much as I wanted to complete Bob’s 4-week dvd challenge (well, minus Bob’s Workout which I’m scared to even peek at), I’m changing it up. The workouts are runs now. I’ll do Yoga for the Warrior a time or two for cross training and flexibility. But the others not so much – maybe the beginner workout on Strength from time to time. We shall see.

I’ll keep you posted!

Yoga and more!

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I’ve definitely decided that Bob Harper’s Yoga for the Warrior is going to be what I do on one of my cross-training days. I love it, and it’s a great workout! I’m still deciding about the second day. I really want to like Bob’s Pure Burn Super Strength dvd, but it’s definitely HARD! And it seems like a lot of legwork in there too – though I did notice that there is still legwork in the cross-training stuff, so it’s not a deal breaker. I’m supposed to do it twice this week. I’ll see how it goes on repeat trials since a lot of times I find that I really don’t like an exercise the first time through, but on repeated trials it can turn into a favorite. I think a lot of times it’s the unknown aspect of that first time. So we shall see. There is a 20 minute segment that works mainly the arms, and the yoga dvd has a 15 minute abs segment, so I could in theory combine those. Jillian Michaels’ No More Trouble Zones could be a possibility as well – haven’t done that one in a while, but it’s mainly strength training if I remember correctly. I also went to the gym and played on the elliptical yesterday. Man…that thing can be tough! So it’s going on the list as another possibility. But I like the idea of strength training. So… We shall see.

I’m going in about an hour to meet up with a running club I’m thinking of joining. They welcome newcomers to come and run with them on their fun runs to see if we like it/them/etc. They pair up newcomers with club members who are supposed to be welcoming and run our pace and distance. So… We shall see. Hopefully my buddy won’t hate me since I’m so slow!! It would be nice to have a group to run with – especially when I get ready for my long runs. But we’ll see. I noticed on their calendar that there’s something I guess a lot have gone to at a beach somewhere – there’s usually a long run on Sundays and tomorrow’s is cancelled because of the beach thing. But maybe that’s just like real serious marathoners or something. So… I’ll check in afterwards – though it may be late. Today’s a busy day!!

Great run today!!

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I know I’m not formally in my training program for the HM yet, but I’m not going to sit around like a couch potato until October 4. I’m doing Bob Harper’s DVD series and peppering in some running with it. Today was a run day.

I decided to try throwing a towel over the display on the treadmill to see if that made it easier to go longer, and just like the race on Sunday with no times on the course, it worked. :) That tells me that the whole “I’m tired” thing at certain minutes is pretty much mental. I ran for 30+ minutes (the + because I accidentally hit the stop button and had to restart, so I ran probably a little longer just to make sure I got the 30 minutes in) at 4.8 miles per hour! And I felt great afterwards!!!

I’m not crazy…I realize I have a LONG way to go…but I’m feeling definitely confident about this HM!!! I can do it!!!

Rethinking the strength training I’d planned…

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Today was my first attempt all the way through Bob Harper’s Super Strength dvd (It’s part of his new 4-dvd series). I’d previously done the “beginner” segment, which pretty much just focuses on arms and it was good, but felt kind of short.

In setting up my training for the WDW Half, I’d thought I’d do the entire strength dvd on one of the cross training days and his Yoga for the Warrior on the second. But having gotten through the whole monster of a workout today, I’m really rethinking that plan.

Mainly because in reading Marathoning for Mortals the whole principle with cross training is to work other muscles than what you’re using while running – so upper body and abs, definitely fall into that! But this DVD has a lot of leg work too – squats, lunges, etc. (There are also the weighted side planks done in conjunction with push-ups, and doing one of them today I heard so much crackling and popping in my shoulder I did one on the other side to even out and then just did rolling ts (side planks that move from one arm to the other…but no weights) for the rest of that segment.) and I’m not sure I want to be pushing my legs that hard WHILE I’m also running, you know?

I definitely will keep in Yoga for the Warrior for one of the days. I do want to include SOME strength training besides that, so what I’m thinking right now is that on the non-yoga day I’ll do the beginner workout on the strength dvd and then do the abs workout on the yoga dvd. All together it’ll be about 30-35 minutes and definitely work my upper body.

Thoughts?

On my way!!!

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Well, today was the Komen Race for the Cure here in NYC! I’d signed up for it back in July – the first 5K I ever signed up for.

I ended up running the WTC Run to Remember last week – since it’s a small run and was on a flat course I figured it would be a good warm up. My official time last week was 41:36. I was happy considering I walked a lot more than I’d intended – and had to make a pit stop because of weird arrangements. I’ve learned the porta-potty lesson now!!

I honestly was not expecting to better that time today. To start with, rather than less than 1000 people, I’d be with somewhere around 25,000. Granted, a good portion of them were walking, but still. I knew there would be more runners at this. And then it was in Central Park. Which has hills. I’d done ok when I went to my parents’ house and dealt with their hills, but still. As I walked into Central Park before the race I actually said “Hey CP! We’re gonna get lots of quality time in the next few months!” :) Because we are – unless I decide to explore Prospect Park.

So anyway, I lined up in the backish section of the 10+ minute mile block – the last running segment before the mass of walkers. The elite runners and survivors took off on their 5 minute head start. Then we all shuffled to the start. Because this was a fun run, we didn’t have chips. So I checked the timer when I went under the starting gate. 7:22. Once we got through the gate, people started running. I was good and stayed to my pace – which until I get my HRM next week is whatever’s comfy for me until I do the math. I ran the entire first mile with the exception of the water stop which I walked because I’ve not mastered drinking while running yet. I made it a little further before I took my first walk break of maybe 2 minutes. Ran more – for most of mile 2. Then there was an uphill grade that wasn’t steep but went on for a while, so I walked it. Then ran the majority of the last mile. We could hear the music from the bandshell so I knew we were getting close. I sped up when we hit the mile 3 marker, and then we rounded the curve to the finish line.

I do believe the words “What the FUCK?????” left my mouth when I looked at the timer and realized that the number after the 4 was NOT 7 or above but in fact had JUST turned to 6. There were a lot of people still, so I couldn’t bust it out like last week, but I went as fast as I could and finished as the timer said 46:36.

Yep! I ran 5K in 39:14!!!! That even beats my record on the treadmill!!! And that’s a 12.63 minute mile pace!! WOOT!!!!

I’m so psyched and proud of myself! I know I can run for almost 3 miles already! AND I know I can navigate a crowd!!!

I WILL do this Half Marathon!! And maybe in better time than I’m anticipating!!