I ended up rearranging my schedule a bit this week and missed my Insanity Cardio Recovery day, but I am not too concerned about it :P
Friday and Saturday: Off
Sunday: Watermelon Crawl!
8am - 8 mi group run to celebrate 4th of July.
Weather - Great! Sunny, upper 70s at the start low 80s at the finish.
Shoe - New pair of Ghost 2's.
Recovery/Supplements - WATERMELON! and 12 oz Accelerade.
Monday:
11am - Insanity Cardio Power and Resistance, Approx 40 min (incl 5 min HR recovery) starting HR (bpm) 64, peak 193 (!), avg 151, 517 cal.
Shoe - Infiniti 2
Recovery/Supplements - 12oz Accelerade, did additional calf stretching.
Of note - Whew...I definitely brought it yesterday! The traveling push ups still kick my ass, but I am getting better. My knees are a little sore today, I was killing the power jumps, so it makes sense. I am finally starting to feel stronger and more powerful!
Today:
9:30am - 3 mi with the boyfriend, 3:1 intervals.
Weather - Partly sunny, 84*, 74% humidity.
Shoe - Wave Rider 12.
Of note - Ended up cutting this run short, but it was still good. Wore ourselves out a bit early sprinting and trying to only have one footfall per sidewalk square...it got really hard in the neighborhoods that have rectangles :P
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
2 for 1.
Yesterday:
10 am - INSANITY Plyometric Cardio Circuit, approx. 40 min, starting HR 63, peak 178, avg 147, 500 cal. Again my stupid upper body strength is killing me, but hopefully I'll get better soon!
Shoe - Infinti 2
Recovery/Supplements - 12 oz Accelerade
Today:
9:30am - 4.5 mi with boyfriend, .3 mi cool down...no watch, no HRM...very nice!
Weather - Overcast, drizzly, approx 79 degrees...awesome!
Shoe - Wave Rider 13
Recovery/Supplements - 12 oz Accelerade
Of note - Today was one of the best running days you'll get in SE GA in the summer, the weather was so perfect. My legs felt great and full of energy, my stomach was a little wobbly but I woke up not feeling so great and didn't give myself a full hour to digest breakfast. It was still a great run in spite of that!
10 am - INSANITY Plyometric Cardio Circuit, approx. 40 min, starting HR 63, peak 178, avg 147, 500 cal. Again my stupid upper body strength is killing me, but hopefully I'll get better soon!
Shoe - Infinti 2
Recovery/Supplements - 12 oz Accelerade
Today:
9:30am - 4.5 mi with boyfriend, .3 mi cool down...no watch, no HRM...very nice!
Weather - Overcast, drizzly, approx 79 degrees...awesome!
Shoe - Wave Rider 13
Recovery/Supplements - 12 oz Accelerade
Of note - Today was one of the best running days you'll get in SE GA in the summer, the weather was so perfect. My legs felt great and full of energy, my stomach was a little wobbly but I woke up not feeling so great and didn't give myself a full hour to digest breakfast. It was still a great run in spite of that!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
It's the 5-0!
10:15 am - 4 mi, 9 min pace.
Weather - 82*, 79% humidity, partly cloudy.
Shoe - Ghost 2
Of note - only one lonely little fiddler crab scuttling on the road today, thankfully. SCMP had some kind of sting going on today, there were cops driving around on every road I turned down and one was parked a little off the road in the trees down by the marshes. Luckily I didn't encounter any problems, and I felt a little safer with all the cops out in areas that are usually pretty desolate.
Luckily (knock on wood!) my AC seems to be doing ok. It was still acting up when I went to bed, but by morning it was working fine. I was definitely not up for another sweaty, frustrating day!
Weather - 82*, 79% humidity, partly cloudy.
Shoe - Ghost 2
Of note - only one lonely little fiddler crab scuttling on the road today, thankfully. SCMP had some kind of sting going on today, there were cops driving around on every road I turned down and one was parked a little off the road in the trees down by the marshes. Luckily I didn't encounter any problems, and I felt a little safer with all the cops out in areas that are usually pretty desolate.
Luckily (knock on wood!) my AC seems to be doing ok. It was still acting up when I went to bed, but by morning it was working fine. I was definitely not up for another sweaty, frustrating day!
Monday, June 28, 2010
A case of the Mondays.
9:30am - INSANITY Pure Cardio, approx 40 min, starting HR 68, peak, 177, avg 147, 500 cal.
Shoes - Infiniti 2
Recovery/Supplements - 20oz Cytomax, Flex-a-min, vit-pack.
Of note - I probably could've gotten a higher calorie burn, but the level 2 drills and push-up jacks about killed me...so I ended up mostly sprawled on the floor during those exercises. Hopefully this will whip my upper body back into shape.
I felt really great this morning after I was finished, then right after I got out of the shower the AC decided to stop working. So I spent the rest of the morning and a good part of the afternoon troubleshooting it...finally got it working again, woohoo! AND THEN...the thermostat decided to stop working. Good thing I already made a cold greek quinoa salad for dinner and maybe I'll get it fixed (again) before bedtime (please!) if not I am calling the HVAC place first thing in the morning.
Shoes - Infiniti 2
Recovery/Supplements - 20oz Cytomax, Flex-a-min, vit-pack.
Of note - I probably could've gotten a higher calorie burn, but the level 2 drills and push-up jacks about killed me...so I ended up mostly sprawled on the floor during those exercises. Hopefully this will whip my upper body back into shape.
I felt really great this morning after I was finished, then right after I got out of the shower the AC decided to stop working. So I spent the rest of the morning and a good part of the afternoon troubleshooting it...finally got it working again, woohoo! AND THEN...the thermostat decided to stop working. Good thing I already made a cold greek quinoa salad for dinner and maybe I'll get it fixed (again) before bedtime (please!) if not I am calling the HVAC place first thing in the morning.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Weekend workouts.
Friday: off.
Saturday:
7 am -8.5 mi, 3:30:1 intervals, .25 mi cool down, with running group from the store.
Weather - somewhat cool and cloudy start, quickly turned hot and sunny!
Shoe - Mizuno Wave Precision 10
Recovery/Supplements - Clif Mojo bar before run (5:30ish), 6 tropical punch shot bloks, some during and the rest when I finished, Gatorade and Luna protein bar.
Of note - Ugh, it got hot and nasty fast...plus I was starving! I am going to have to try eating a little later and/or more food. I also ended up a bit dehydrated and my stomach was bothering me a bit, but that could've just been the Gatorade, as it doesn't always sit well in my stomach. As soon as my Accelerade gets here, I'll be bringing that on my longer runs.
Today:
10 am - INSANITY Cardio Recovery and my own upper body weight circuit.
Shoe - Brooks Infinti 2
Recovery/Supplements - 10oz Cytomax, Flex-a-min, vit-pack.
Of note - Oh, this was really nice...a lot of stretching, yoga moves and slow strength and balance moves. I am trying to eat smarter, more fruit and veggies, less sugar and processed crap...but today I found myself super hungry (to the point I was lightheaded and shaky) between the recovery workout and my easy weight circuit. That is why I had to break out the Cytomax to get my blood sugar back up. My body is probably still trying to adjust to the new workout schedule, because I had a decent breakfast. I think I might just try to not worry about my diet for a while and see what happens, I always get a little obsessive when I am training for something :)
Saturday:
7 am -8.5 mi, 3:30:1 intervals, .25 mi cool down, with running group from the store.
Weather - somewhat cool and cloudy start, quickly turned hot and sunny!
Shoe - Mizuno Wave Precision 10
Recovery/Supplements - Clif Mojo bar before run (5:30ish), 6 tropical punch shot bloks, some during and the rest when I finished, Gatorade and Luna protein bar.
Of note - Ugh, it got hot and nasty fast...plus I was starving! I am going to have to try eating a little later and/or more food. I also ended up a bit dehydrated and my stomach was bothering me a bit, but that could've just been the Gatorade, as it doesn't always sit well in my stomach. As soon as my Accelerade gets here, I'll be bringing that on my longer runs.
Today:
10 am - INSANITY Cardio Recovery and my own upper body weight circuit.
Shoe - Brooks Infinti 2
Recovery/Supplements - 10oz Cytomax, Flex-a-min, vit-pack.
Of note - Oh, this was really nice...a lot of stretching, yoga moves and slow strength and balance moves. I am trying to eat smarter, more fruit and veggies, less sugar and processed crap...but today I found myself super hungry (to the point I was lightheaded and shaky) between the recovery workout and my easy weight circuit. That is why I had to break out the Cytomax to get my blood sugar back up. My body is probably still trying to adjust to the new workout schedule, because I had a decent breakfast. I think I might just try to not worry about my diet for a while and see what happens, I always get a little obsessive when I am training for something :)
Thursday, June 24, 2010
It's still hot.
Another day, another heat advisory. It is pretty sad that I would rather go run in the heat then spend another day inside doing Insanity!
9:30am - 6 mi, switched to 3:30:1 min intervals after a couple of mi to help keep my HR down, .3 mi cool down. (1:02 total time, avg HR 164, peak 178 yikes, 875 cal)
Weather - 87*, extra sunny
Shoe - Wave Rider 13
Recovery/Supplements - Clif Mojo bar (half before, half after), 3 margarita shot bloks, Flex-a-min, multi vit pack.
Of note - It was a pretty miserable start, very hot and sunny plus my legs felt like lead. By the third mile I felt a lot better...and even better knowing that tomorrow is a rest day! There was some kind of cicada convention going on...it was pretty nasty. Over the music on my ipod I heard a weird buzzing and crunching noise...on the ground just off the road, there were hundreds of cicadas crawling around in the dead leaves making their buzzing noise. Really gross, I hope to never see that again...or hear it!
9:30am - 6 mi, switched to 3:30:1 min intervals after a couple of mi to help keep my HR down, .3 mi cool down. (1:02 total time, avg HR 164, peak 178 yikes, 875 cal)
Weather - 87*, extra sunny
Shoe - Wave Rider 13
Recovery/Supplements - Clif Mojo bar (half before, half after), 3 margarita shot bloks, Flex-a-min, multi vit pack.
Of note - It was a pretty miserable start, very hot and sunny plus my legs felt like lead. By the third mile I felt a lot better...and even better knowing that tomorrow is a rest day! There was some kind of cicada convention going on...it was pretty nasty. Over the music on my ipod I heard a weird buzzing and crunching noise...on the ground just off the road, there were hundreds of cicadas crawling around in the dead leaves making their buzzing noise. Really gross, I hope to never see that again...or hear it!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Curses!
10 am - INSANITY Cardio Power and Resistance, Approx 35 min, starting HR (bpm) 58, peak 178, avg 149, 475 cal.
Shoe - Skylon, may try my Brooks Infiniti next time for more cushioning and moderate arch support.
Recovery/Supplements - 12oz Accelerade, Flex-a-min, and daily multi-vitamin/mineral/antioxidant pack. Did additional calf stretching.
Of note - This program is still killing me, but very worth it! My left knee has been swollen the past couple of days, so I am going to make sure I ice everyday. If after another week or so, that doesn't do the trick I may have to cut out the INSANITY :( This is more a case of it's not you, it's me...The cartilage in my left knee is damaged and I am not supposed to do too many squats or lunges. I was hoping that after a year of no squats or lunges it might be doing better.
I don't know exactly what is going on with me, but I have been retaining water like crazy. The next few days I am going to watch my salt intake a little more. I usually need more not less with all the sweating I do, but I may have been too heavy handed with it lately.
I found my last sample pack of Accelerade today...I forgot how delicious that stuff is! Plus the 4:1 carb to protein ratio is an added benefit. I found an online site that has amazing prices on it and these awesome protein bars we tried at the expo for San Diego RnR Marathon. So I got a large tub of orange, a small tub of mountain berry and a box each of Power Crunch bars in peanut butter creme and peanut butter fudge. Man, I am such a sucker for sports nutrition products!
Shoe - Skylon, may try my Brooks Infiniti next time for more cushioning and moderate arch support.
Recovery/Supplements - 12oz Accelerade, Flex-a-min, and daily multi-vitamin/mineral/antioxidant pack. Did additional calf stretching.
Of note - This program is still killing me, but very worth it! My left knee has been swollen the past couple of days, so I am going to make sure I ice everyday. If after another week or so, that doesn't do the trick I may have to cut out the INSANITY :( This is more a case of it's not you, it's me...The cartilage in my left knee is damaged and I am not supposed to do too many squats or lunges. I was hoping that after a year of no squats or lunges it might be doing better.
I don't know exactly what is going on with me, but I have been retaining water like crazy. The next few days I am going to watch my salt intake a little more. I usually need more not less with all the sweating I do, but I may have been too heavy handed with it lately.
I found my last sample pack of Accelerade today...I forgot how delicious that stuff is! Plus the 4:1 carb to protein ratio is an added benefit. I found an online site that has amazing prices on it and these awesome protein bars we tried at the expo for San Diego RnR Marathon. So I got a large tub of orange, a small tub of mountain berry and a box each of Power Crunch bars in peanut butter creme and peanut butter fudge. Man, I am such a sucker for sports nutrition products!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Ouch.
9 am - 3.75mi, 3:1 intervals with the boy, .25-.5 mi cool down. (40 min total, avg heart rate 151, peak 171, 511 cal)
Weather - 86*, 75% humidity, mostly sunny.
Shoe - Brooks Ghost 2
Recovery/Supplements - Clif Mojo bar (half before, half after), Flex-a-min, multi vit pack.
Of note - I am so sore from the past 2 days of cross-training, especially my calves and knees! So after the run today I slathered my legs from knees to ankles in Biofreeze, now they are blissfully cold and numb. It has been awhile since a workout made me this sore and the sadist in me kind of digs it :P Interesting animal life encountered today...a snail crossing the road, I almost want to go back now to see if he made it...and a hawk that kept swooping down in front of us. At least there were no rabid raccoons!
Weather - 86*, 75% humidity, mostly sunny.
Shoe - Brooks Ghost 2
Recovery/Supplements - Clif Mojo bar (half before, half after), Flex-a-min, multi vit pack.
Of note - I am so sore from the past 2 days of cross-training, especially my calves and knees! So after the run today I slathered my legs from knees to ankles in Biofreeze, now they are blissfully cold and numb. It has been awhile since a workout made me this sore and the sadist in me kind of digs it :P Interesting animal life encountered today...a snail crossing the road, I almost want to go back now to see if he made it...and a hawk that kept swooping down in front of us. At least there were no rabid raccoons!
Monday, June 21, 2010
It's on.
10 am - INSANITY, Plyometric Cardio Circuit, approx. 40 min, starting HR (bpm) 65, max 181, avg 150, 543 calories burned.
Shoe - Nike Skylon (tried Brooks Green Silence yesterday, not enough cushion for plyos and I feel better in a shoe with a more structured upper)
Recovery/Supplements - 21oz Cytomax, Flex-a-min, and daily multi-vitamin/mineral/antioxidant pack. Did additional calf stretching, worked out tight calves with my Stick and will also work on them with my foam roller later today.
Of note - Holy ass-kicking Batman! I'll say this, I have never sweat that much doing a workout dvd in my life. I am glad that I have finally found a workout that I feel gives me the same intensity as a hard run...normal workout dvds are either an add on to a run or done on an "off" day. If you are already in shape and looking for some extra ass-kicking, I definitely recommend this! I would consider myself to be in pretty good shape, but I had to take multiple breaks just to catch my breath and wipe away all the sweat that was pouring off of me!
Shoe - Nike Skylon (tried Brooks Green Silence yesterday, not enough cushion for plyos and I feel better in a shoe with a more structured upper)
Recovery/Supplements - 21oz Cytomax, Flex-a-min, and daily multi-vitamin/mineral/antioxidant pack. Did additional calf stretching, worked out tight calves with my Stick and will also work on them with my foam roller later today.
Of note - Holy ass-kicking Batman! I'll say this, I have never sweat that much doing a workout dvd in my life. I am glad that I have finally found a workout that I feel gives me the same intensity as a hard run...normal workout dvds are either an add on to a run or done on an "off" day. If you are already in shape and looking for some extra ass-kicking, I definitely recommend this! I would consider myself to be in pretty good shape, but I had to take multiple breaks just to catch my breath and wipe away all the sweat that was pouring off of me!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Catching up and INSANITY.
Friday (6/18): off.
Yesterday:
7 am -8.5 mi, 3:30:1 intervals, .25 mi cool down, with running group from the store.
Weather - forgot to check, roughly low 80s, partly cloudy at the beginning sunny the last few miles.
Shoe - Mizuno Wave Precision 10
Recovery/Supplements - 3 Margarita Clif ShotBloks, Clif C Bar (raspberry), stretched legs for a few minutes before hopping in the shower and getting to work!
Of note - nice easy long run, but very sweaty! Considering using the FIRST training program for my upcoming marathon. It is a 16 week program (so I'd start the week of 7/11) that only has you running three days a week and cross-training two days. All of the runs are quality, done at faster paces than "normal" marathon training. Since I almost always end up hurt once I get over 35-40 miles a week, this plan seems like a good fit for me as it peaks at 32 miles per week.
Most of my running friends that I have bounced this plan off of think it sounds pretty good. One or two have questioned if it is smart to try to set a PR in a marathon only running three days a week. Other than injury factors, I think the overall stress will be much less on this program. You never look at the schedule and wonder how on Earth you're going to get all those miles in. For me, the biggest obstacle to reaching my marathon goal is mental, so by having a less stressful training program, both physically and mentally...I think I'll be able to realize my goals.
Today? INSANITY!
So I need some great cross-training if I am going to only be running 3 days a week right? That is where INSANITY comes in. I only did the fit test today, which is less than 30 min...sweat was dripping down my face and my legs were (and are still) jelly! I will not be doing the program as prescribed, since I'll have hard runs three days a week, but I'll probably do three days of INSANITY with one day completely off each week.
I figure, if this doesn't whip me into shape nothing will! The past 6-8 months I have gotten pretty soft, not fat or out of shape by any means...just lost a lot of muscle tone due to laziness and my daily ice cream habit. I don't have the willpower to give up ice cream...so time for some ass-kicking workouts!
Yesterday:
7 am -8.5 mi, 3:30:1 intervals, .25 mi cool down, with running group from the store.
Weather - forgot to check, roughly low 80s, partly cloudy at the beginning sunny the last few miles.
Shoe - Mizuno Wave Precision 10
Recovery/Supplements - 3 Margarita Clif ShotBloks, Clif C Bar (raspberry), stretched legs for a few minutes before hopping in the shower and getting to work!
Of note - nice easy long run, but very sweaty! Considering using the FIRST training program for my upcoming marathon. It is a 16 week program (so I'd start the week of 7/11) that only has you running three days a week and cross-training two days. All of the runs are quality, done at faster paces than "normal" marathon training. Since I almost always end up hurt once I get over 35-40 miles a week, this plan seems like a good fit for me as it peaks at 32 miles per week.
Most of my running friends that I have bounced this plan off of think it sounds pretty good. One or two have questioned if it is smart to try to set a PR in a marathon only running three days a week. Other than injury factors, I think the overall stress will be much less on this program. You never look at the schedule and wonder how on Earth you're going to get all those miles in. For me, the biggest obstacle to reaching my marathon goal is mental, so by having a less stressful training program, both physically and mentally...I think I'll be able to realize my goals.
Today? INSANITY!
So I need some great cross-training if I am going to only be running 3 days a week right? That is where INSANITY comes in. I only did the fit test today, which is less than 30 min...sweat was dripping down my face and my legs were (and are still) jelly! I will not be doing the program as prescribed, since I'll have hard runs three days a week, but I'll probably do three days of INSANITY with one day completely off each week.
I figure, if this doesn't whip me into shape nothing will! The past 6-8 months I have gotten pretty soft, not fat or out of shape by any means...just lost a lot of muscle tone due to laziness and my daily ice cream habit. I don't have the willpower to give up ice cream...so time for some ass-kicking workouts!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Don't Sleep In.
Did you know that in one hour today the temperature climbed 5 degrees? I learned that one the hard way, because I was out running during that time. Hopefully while I am training my body to run further I'll also be able to train it to get up earlier.
10:45 am - 5.5 mi, 9:35 pace overall, after about 2 mi the heat got to me and I started 3:30min run:1min walk intervals, .5 mi cool down
Weather - 88*, 52% humidity, sunny
Shoe - Mizuno Wave Rider 12
Recovery/Supplements - 1 SaltStick electrolyte cap, 2 Tropical Punch Clif ShotBloks, chocolate milk, stretched out hamstrings and ITB (esp left) really well and also quads and calves.
Of note - I should start running with my phone again. Of course yesterday's incident is a good reason and today there was a crazy raccoon running around on the road...at 11:15 am in broad daylight. That is probably not a good sign and it would suck to have to walk or run 2 miles home after getting bitten by a crazy raccoon.
I need to decide if I am ok not having a rough idea of my pace. My Nike + keeps messing up my 4 month old ipod, as in it will just freeze up sometimes while the chip is plugged in...hmmm. Or I could get a new Garmin, I think they give pretty sweet employee discounts, but then I'll be back to my psychotic monitoring and graphing.
Other than the miserable heat, possibly rabid raccoon and my Nike + screwing up my ipod it was a good day. Lots of pretty butterflies flitting about and the hermit and fiddler crabs stayed off the road and in the mud by the salt marshes. Not many things squick me out more on a run than having to avoid stepping on little crabs while they brandish their one big claw at you...ewww.
10:45 am - 5.5 mi, 9:35 pace overall, after about 2 mi the heat got to me and I started 3:30min run:1min walk intervals, .5 mi cool down
Weather - 88*, 52% humidity, sunny
Shoe - Mizuno Wave Rider 12
Recovery/Supplements - 1 SaltStick electrolyte cap, 2 Tropical Punch Clif ShotBloks, chocolate milk, stretched out hamstrings and ITB (esp left) really well and also quads and calves.
Of note - I should start running with my phone again. Of course yesterday's incident is a good reason and today there was a crazy raccoon running around on the road...at 11:15 am in broad daylight. That is probably not a good sign and it would suck to have to walk or run 2 miles home after getting bitten by a crazy raccoon.
I need to decide if I am ok not having a rough idea of my pace. My Nike + keeps messing up my 4 month old ipod, as in it will just freeze up sometimes while the chip is plugged in...hmmm. Or I could get a new Garmin, I think they give pretty sweet employee discounts, but then I'll be back to my psychotic monitoring and graphing.
Other than the miserable heat, possibly rabid raccoon and my Nike + screwing up my ipod it was a good day. Lots of pretty butterflies flitting about and the hermit and fiddler crabs stayed off the road and in the mud by the salt marshes. Not many things squick me out more on a run than having to avoid stepping on little crabs while they brandish their one big claw at you...ewww.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Heat Advisory.
Yesterday: Off. Ran errands and got a haircut. Hair is overrated when it is 101 degrees F.
Today:
10 am - 3.5 mi easy intervals with the boyfriend, .5 mi cool down
Weather - 87*, 68% humidity, sunny
Shoe - Brooks Ghost 2
Recovery - Chocolate milk and a cold shower!
Of note - Saw a woman who was out walking get hit by a car. She was just clipped on the arm and was ok, but it was a scary reminder that you should always run or walk AGAINST traffic and never assume that they see you!
Today:
10 am - 3.5 mi easy intervals with the boyfriend, .5 mi cool down
Weather - 87*, 68% humidity, sunny
Shoe - Brooks Ghost 2
Recovery - Chocolate milk and a cold shower!
Of note - Saw a woman who was out walking get hit by a car. She was just clipped on the arm and was ok, but it was a scary reminder that you should always run or walk AGAINST traffic and never assume that they see you!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Accountability.
Well I got back from San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon last week, so I am officially done coaching for the year. That means it is time for me to start my own marathon training. I lucked into an entry for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC and it is going to be on Halloween this year...fun!
I do have some serious goals that I am trying to meet for this race:
Complete training and race uninjured - the last two marathons I have trained for I have either ended up having to drop to the half or take 3 months off to nurse an injury :S
Finish in under 4 hours. I am hoping the much cooler weather in DC and the miserable heat I will be training in will help me along with this goal.
Pipe dream goal...qualify for Boston. This will take a 3:40 finish or better for my age. Maybe a little out of reach, but I like to aim for the stars.
Most of my failures have come from poor training. I hope after a few years of not worrying about my own training that I will be more grounded and stronger. Hopefully I'll be able to follow the advice I give my trainees and not push myself too far into overtraining territory. So I will be basically using this as my training log, so I can have some accountability...even if no one reads this ;) If you do, it might give you some insight into the mind of a neurotic runner!
Todays training:
7:15am - 4 mi, 9:06 min pace, .25mi cool down
Weather - 80*, 80% humidity, sunny
Shoe - Mizuno Wave Rider 13
Strength - 30 sec planks (2), 20 pushups, oblique v-ups 10 per side, 24 modified raised-feet crunches, 24 bent-leg knee raises, "swim" 30 sec.
Recovery - stretch legs, focused on tight achilles (right) and 10 oz chocolate milk yum :D
Supplements - Flex-a-min and daily multi-vitamin/mineral/antioxidant pack
I do have some serious goals that I am trying to meet for this race:
Complete training and race uninjured - the last two marathons I have trained for I have either ended up having to drop to the half or take 3 months off to nurse an injury :S
Finish in under 4 hours. I am hoping the much cooler weather in DC and the miserable heat I will be training in will help me along with this goal.
Pipe dream goal...qualify for Boston. This will take a 3:40 finish or better for my age. Maybe a little out of reach, but I like to aim for the stars.
Most of my failures have come from poor training. I hope after a few years of not worrying about my own training that I will be more grounded and stronger. Hopefully I'll be able to follow the advice I give my trainees and not push myself too far into overtraining territory. So I will be basically using this as my training log, so I can have some accountability...even if no one reads this ;) If you do, it might give you some insight into the mind of a neurotic runner!
Todays training:
7:15am - 4 mi, 9:06 min pace, .25mi cool down
Weather - 80*, 80% humidity, sunny
Shoe - Mizuno Wave Rider 13
Strength - 30 sec planks (2), 20 pushups, oblique v-ups 10 per side, 24 modified raised-feet crunches, 24 bent-leg knee raises, "swim" 30 sec.
Recovery - stretch legs, focused on tight achilles (right) and 10 oz chocolate milk yum :D
Supplements - Flex-a-min and daily multi-vitamin/mineral/antioxidant pack
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
WTF Nike?
After years of scoffing at the Nike+ system, I finally caved. I had given up running with my Garmin, for many reasons. Its spotty coverage, long delays to acquire satellites and the overall paranoia it gave me - that I wasn't running fast enough, far enough and my heart rate was too high. I figured the less accurate and easier to use Nike+ would be a fun way to get me back on track without getting too competitive with myself.
It is definitely not accurate without calibration. I took it on a training run last Saturday with the group I coach, that day the route was 7.5 mi...without cutting a single corner (and we did cut a few). At the end, it told me my mileage total was 7.71 mi. Not bad, a nice estimate rounded up and that makes everyone feel good right?
Today I took it out for a run, that was just me at my own pace...no stopping for people to tie their shoelaces or downtown traffic to deal with. I know the route is 4.5 - 6 mi. depending on which side roads I choose. Almost at the halfway point, I stopped to stretch out my left calf which has been super tight the past few weeks, so I pause the workout on my ipod. I restart the workout and continue on my way, taking my normal 5 mi route, and hoping that I can calibrate the sensor with this run.
Once the run was finished, I pause the workout and start to go about recalling my workout. At this point I realized I had never resumed my workout as my daily total is only 2.54 mi. Stupid Nike+, and stupid me for not checking to see if I was doing it right! Now I don't even want to upload it to Nikeplus.com because I know I ran more than 2.5 miles today, dammit!
So, yeah, this thing is not really helping me with my competitiveness or any of the other things I got this to help out with. If anything it has frustrated me and made me regret selling out to Nike. Of course I was already sold out to Nike, you should see how many colors I have of their Tempo Shorts! So much for my nice stress free run, maybe hill work on Thursday will help me out with that.
It is definitely not accurate without calibration. I took it on a training run last Saturday with the group I coach, that day the route was 7.5 mi...without cutting a single corner (and we did cut a few). At the end, it told me my mileage total was 7.71 mi. Not bad, a nice estimate rounded up and that makes everyone feel good right?
Today I took it out for a run, that was just me at my own pace...no stopping for people to tie their shoelaces or downtown traffic to deal with. I know the route is 4.5 - 6 mi. depending on which side roads I choose. Almost at the halfway point, I stopped to stretch out my left calf which has been super tight the past few weeks, so I pause the workout on my ipod. I restart the workout and continue on my way, taking my normal 5 mi route, and hoping that I can calibrate the sensor with this run.
Once the run was finished, I pause the workout and start to go about recalling my workout. At this point I realized I had never resumed my workout as my daily total is only 2.54 mi. Stupid Nike+, and stupid me for not checking to see if I was doing it right! Now I don't even want to upload it to Nikeplus.com because I know I ran more than 2.5 miles today, dammit!
So, yeah, this thing is not really helping me with my competitiveness or any of the other things I got this to help out with. If anything it has frustrated me and made me regret selling out to Nike. Of course I was already sold out to Nike, you should see how many colors I have of their Tempo Shorts! So much for my nice stress free run, maybe hill work on Thursday will help me out with that.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Running = Crazy?
Sometimes I wonder if all the running I do is killing off brain cells. It seems the more I do, especially when I am at the peak of coaching season, the more hare-brained ideas I get. I am always up to try the latest thing that will make me feel better, run faster or improve my endurance.
For example: Last week I decided to try the Blood Type Diet. A friend of mine is on a variation of this and loves it. She says that she feels great and she looks amazing, too! Who doesn't want to feel great? I don't need to lose any weight but, thought that maybe this could help my performance and recovery.
I have what I consider a normal list of runner complaints: minor knee aches, slow recovery and occasional lack of energy during my runs. I figured it couldn't hurt to give the diet a try and see if there is any actual truth to it. I got the book and of course a lot of the main foods I eat are on the list of foods to avoid. Black beans, tomatoes, peanuts and whole wheat...just to name a few.
My first grocery trip was a nightmare, try finding foods with no wheat, soy or corn. But, I did persevere and my cart was loaded with almond butter and about a hundred different organic oat and rice products. Also a ton of fresh fruits, veggies and lamb...which apparently I should be eating a lot of. Meal prep has been an absolute terror because I am not used to preparing a lot of these foods or I used to serve them with my "avoid" foods.
Now this is not supposed to be a super strict diet, apparently aiming for 70% compliance is a good start, but math makes my head hurt. I don't want to figure out what percentage that tomato counts as or how much peanut butter is 30% of my food intake. So far, obviously, it kind of sucks and I can see how people lose weight...simply because it is so much effort to figure out what to eat! As of yet, no miraculous change in how I feel, other than a bit dizzy. I told myself I would give it at least 2 weeks to see if I get any results. One week down.
For example: Last week I decided to try the Blood Type Diet. A friend of mine is on a variation of this and loves it. She says that she feels great and she looks amazing, too! Who doesn't want to feel great? I don't need to lose any weight but, thought that maybe this could help my performance and recovery.
I have what I consider a normal list of runner complaints: minor knee aches, slow recovery and occasional lack of energy during my runs. I figured it couldn't hurt to give the diet a try and see if there is any actual truth to it. I got the book and of course a lot of the main foods I eat are on the list of foods to avoid. Black beans, tomatoes, peanuts and whole wheat...just to name a few.
My first grocery trip was a nightmare, try finding foods with no wheat, soy or corn. But, I did persevere and my cart was loaded with almond butter and about a hundred different organic oat and rice products. Also a ton of fresh fruits, veggies and lamb...which apparently I should be eating a lot of. Meal prep has been an absolute terror because I am not used to preparing a lot of these foods or I used to serve them with my "avoid" foods.
Now this is not supposed to be a super strict diet, apparently aiming for 70% compliance is a good start, but math makes my head hurt. I don't want to figure out what percentage that tomato counts as or how much peanut butter is 30% of my food intake. So far, obviously, it kind of sucks and I can see how people lose weight...simply because it is so much effort to figure out what to eat! As of yet, no miraculous change in how I feel, other than a bit dizzy. I told myself I would give it at least 2 weeks to see if I get any results. One week down.
Shift.
I am moving all of my knitting/crafting related posts over to my new craft blog, Lachesis and Co. Hopefully it will make things easier to navigate, dependent upon which you would rather read about knitting or running. The pattern for Belmondo, my new shawl design will be posted to the new blog...hopefully by the end of the week!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Only Two Years Off?
Well, that was awesome completely forgetting to post for almost two whole years! There was a lot of change and upheaval going on in my daily life, which happily is all settled now. I have adjusted to the new paths that were set before me and am finally feeling introspective again. Also, I became and still am hugely obsessed with Ravelry which took up most of my free time!
Ravelry is like crack for knitters, crocheters and fiber artists! It has also renewed and expanded my love for knitting. Not to mention all the wonderful folks that have encouraged me and pushed me to try things that I never would have. I think without Ravelry, I'd still be knitting simple scarves and very large, plain afghans. That is why I have decided to resurrect this poor blog, as I find myself on a new journey.
Growing up I was always doing something creative, but my ultimate goal was to be a fashion designer. Once the time came to actually make a real decision about my future, I chose the safe route and went to college for a "real" profession. Not like that lasted, as I had always felt too constrained while at school. The next best thing for me being a makeup artist and colorist, it was a more stable job, but still had that creative flair. That didn't last long either, as I began to travel with my late husband whom was in the military, so I mostly took whatever job was available in whatever town we ended up in.
For the past three years I have been completely immersed in the running world, from coaching marathoners to working as a buyer for a running store. That is where the excitement and the possibility was sparked for me again. Looking at the futures lines, apparel that I had to decide on now, but wouldn't actually be in store for 6 - 8 months, I wanted to try designing again.
During my first design efforts, I always had to depend on someone else to bring my ideas to life for me. Mostly it was my mother that ended up at the sewing machine, while I told her that it wasn't quite right and she explained to me that it couldn't work the way I wanted to do it. Ah, but now I have the ability to create my own garments and even if they don't work out, I'll be the one that makes that call after much trying.
For the past 6 months I have been sketching up all the little ideas that pop into my head, waiting for the time when I would be a confident enough knitter to start knitting them. Last week, I was lying in bed and could not sleep. I had an idea that would not go away, so I got out of bed and jotted it down. Upon waking in the morning, I got to work while I waited for the kettle to boil for my coffee. After two days of frenzied knitting, there it was, finally my little idea came to fruition in a finished object.
It is not a magnificent jacket or intricate sweater, just a bulky shawl with fringe, but it is mine! Something that I created from an idea in my head. Of course, that is not to say that it is wholly original or not inspired by other designs, just that for me this shawl means everything. It is the culmination of more than a decade of secret dreams and with one little spark that wouldn't fade, I realized that I could do it and that I didn't have to worry if I couldn't do it until I tried.
My tune may change once I try to tackle that notebook full of scribbles, but I do feel like I could conquer the world right now. Maybe I'll be able to conquer this blog thing too, and post a little more often! As soon as test knitting is done, I'll post my new pattern ♥
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