Saturday, January 29, 2011

You're outta here - with a new marathoner!

What a beautiful week for running! I did all my runs OUTSIDE this week! YEAH! It was great. We even took the WHOLE family out on a run. The schedule was 3.4.3.8 and I went out running four days. Yes, that's right four days. I didn't complete every run, but I was out four days this week...all outside!

My shin has been a little achy , but after a little into the run it seems to relax and be ok. After the advice of Vardotrichic, I have not been doing faster spurts in each run. My long run was just a normal 10 min/mile rate. Because of the achiness in my shin bone, I have been taking it easy. Haven't been icing or anything like that, just taking it easy.

OK, so I ran 4 days, but didn't complete all the runs. Let me explain. We still need to register for the Red Flannel Run, but we are preparing nonetheless. We took Noelle and the "babies" out for a run. We did 1 mile. They all ran about 1/2 mile before we had to stop and walk. They only walked about 1/2 block and then wanted to run again. I let them determine when they were running and when they were walking. If we walk the whole time during the run, that's fine, but I will let them set that. It was fun and Matt has been asking to go running again.

Rachael and I did the "long" 8-mile run today. She was kinda dragging her feet to go out. She decided this week that she may want to do a marathon so I urged her to go out with me. Bill came along for the first few miles and then broke off and went home. Rachael and I continued. We did lots of talking and she got excited for the marathon. I think we'll sign up this week for Grandma's. That will be fun to take her along and run a marathon together. Grandma's should be a good one for her to do. She is sooo excited. Eight miles is her record so far. She was dragging to go out because her 7 mile run was a little hard for her. By the time we were done she felt so great that she said she could have kept going. Bill even took a picture of her for his photo-a-day project when we were done!.



When we got home, I looked at my shoes to see the wear on them. Dang! I see that the outside heel is wearing. I have been very conscious of running more on my toes. However, when I start getting tired or lose focus, I find myself running on, what feels like, the outside of my foot and roll to the toes. It's not that I think I need supported shoes, but frustrated that I have tried to change my running style to be more effective/efficient and I'm still getting similar wear patterns on my shoes.

Total training mileage for the week: 16 miles = January total 56 miles

Sunday, January 23, 2011

A chilly week

This week was veeeerrrrrryyyyy chilly. Wind chills were consistently in the negative temps. The initial motivation to get out and start a run was really hard! I spent every run on the dreadmill. My schedule was 3-4-3-7. I repeated last week's schedule. Again, I missed the second 3 miler. I think I may just have to settle for 3 runs/week rather than 4. I will still feel like I am training and getting somewhere if I get at least 3 runs in, including the long run. I still feel very strong and full of energy with each run.

Monday's run was a quick 3 miles. I watched an episode of something online and that is great to get me through the treadmill. I ran 4 miles on Friday night, knowing that a Saturday run would probably be out of the question with our family schedule and the biter cold. If I ran Sunday afternoon (chance of warmer temps) outside, that would boost my motivation. Sunday I really really wanted to run outside, but the wind chills never got above -5. I just can't do that. That's my limit. OK, maybe I can if I talk myself into it, but I see no reason to.

All week since I am running on my own (not with Rachael or Bill) I can run any speed. So, I looked at the mileage go by and for each mile that I ran at 6mph, I ran 1/4 mile at 7mph. It was great. I have not been doing the cross training, but the speed work I love! I really like how my muscles are starting to take shape. The muscle on/next to the Achilles Tendon is really getting in good shape, perhaps the best it's ever been! I am very excited about this, hoping that this will make hill work easier for me later when I start to incorporate more inclines. It's also a good sign that my ankle is in good shape, too. This is still in the back of my mind as I run. So, anyway, tonight for the last run of the week I had 7 miles, 1.5 miles at 7mph. The first two miles just flew by that I completely missed them. I feel so strong and full of energy that I felt like I could have run another 3 miles. The last 7mph spurt was a little difficult, but it felt great.

We decided that we would enter the Red Flannel Run this year as a family so we have been looking for red flannel at Goodwill, clearance racks, etc. Everyone is getting excited for this. So glad the fam is getting into this, too. I'm sure Rachael and Bill will complete the quicker, longer 5 mile run.

Training mileage for the week: 14 miles

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Convenient Excuses

Well, I didn't do too well this week. It was a looooong exhausting week. One of my New Years' Resolution is to be in bed by 10:00. I haven't been doing terribly well with that either and I think I'm coming down with a cold. OK enough complaining! I mention this only because I didn't get all my runs in this week. It was getting late and I was nearing my 10:00 deadline. My ankle has been achy so I thought I would take it easy and not push it until I can get over 10 miles for one run. Being tired and having an achy heel was a convenient excuse for me this week. It was also rather cold out! Monday we got a bunch of snow so I shoveled out the driveway by hand. That was good arm work for me.

My schedule was 3, 4, 3, 6. I got the 4 mile run in, but missed the two 3 mile runs. I also finished the 6 mile run with Rachael since Bill has had a respiratory yuck. It has been bitter cold out so I ran the 4 miles on the treadmill. Today completed the 6 miles. Rachael didn't want to go around the Ethanol Loop so we just ran laps in town. I didn't know exactly how far we went, but I'm guessing it was about 6 miles.

Again, both runs were great once I got out there. I feel strong, like I could keep going forever, but have to consciously keep myself back. I think I am gaining speed, too. I am not super fast, but I think I am faster than I was last year. I have consciously been doing spurts of faster running in the middle of a run. On the 4 mile run, I sped up during the commercials and then ran at least a min longer. On the "big" run today I ran faster the last mile and pushed a sprint the last block. The problem with the run today was it was outside and the streets were full of snow and slush so it was like running through soupy sand; it was just hard to get a grip on the road. That made a good workout.

When I got done today I took my hat off and there were icicles hanging from my hair! I think it was cold out there. My gatorade was also getting slushy.

Total mileage this week: 11

Sunday, January 9, 2011

New Beginnings

Well, I thought I would create a new blog for my runs this year. I liked my chiconarun blog from last year, but needed to separate it from new goals. Mainly I want to improve my PRs and get more streamlined and effective in my form. I got a stress fracture the first day back to school last year and that took a mental toll on me. Since I am starting over with training anyway, I thought it would be best to start a new blog, too - fresh start all around.

This year I will blog weekly rather than daily. This may help free up some of my time as well for other resolutions I have. I am not completely sure which marathon(s) I will do, but late spring/early summer will be the first one. So, here are my thoughts on this week's training sessions.

My year started my training from pretty much ground zero, but it was great to get started in a training program again. Right before I got injured last year I had tried to change my form, but not my mileage, resulting in a stress fracture. Sometimes I can still feel some achiness a bit, but the dr assures me these type of injuries come back stronger than they were before. Starting over has forced me to slow down and do it right. Runner's World published an article on the Hanson-Brooks training program. I was very inspired by that and want to incorporate, at least some, of the ideas into my training as well. I am trying to increase speed and strength. I think my membership to Fuller Hall for swimming will be a good cross-training and will help the core and strength as well.

My mileage was 3-3-4-5 this week. It was supposed to be 3-4-3-5, but I messed up so I switched them when I realized I wasn't running the correct mileage this week. All my runs were GREAT! I think I am just so excited to be out pounding the pavement again. I got up at 5AM one day and ran 3 miles with J. It was good to be back running with her again. I miss that. This year Bill and Rachael are running with me so they are pushing the limits of themselves. There are some issues arising with that, however. I want to vary my speed as per the Hanson-Brooks Method, but they just want to go run for 30 min. I have been trying to start out slowly and towards the end speed up for a few blocks, then push it as hard as I can the last block to the "finish line". It is amazing how fast Rachael can really run at the end of a 4-5 mile run. Bill has also been messing with various running clothes because he has issues running in really cold temps, which has been another challenge this week. Temps have been in the 10s at the end of this week and into the weekend, wind chills in the 0s and -0s. I don't think the wind chill got over 0 yesterday! I did my long run Sunday morning on the "dreadmill" because the wind chill was -14! I'd like to think I can take a lot, but that just seems extreme, especially if I will never compete in those conditions.

The injury and lack of running has allowed *ahem* a few pounds to sneak back on. I am happy to be back to my pre-Christmas weight, but am still waiting for the post-marathon shape to come back. I know it will, I just have to keep working at it. I am excited that I don't have the strong chocolate cravings like I do when I'm not running. My appetite has changed to compliment the scale also. It will all fall into place in a few weeks I'm sure. I also liked how my complexion was better, I felt better mentally and physically, I know my physical body was in much better shape than it ever had been! I finished my week with my 41st birthday. I can honestly say that I feel better at 41 than 31, or do I dare say 21?! It has truly been a great year and I am really looking forward to this year.

Total week's training: 15 miles.