Week 9 of the training plan

First, to report on Saturday's run... we did a 3 mile Azalea District run with time goals. Our original intent was to run negative splits of 12:00, 11:30, and 11:00. That might have been a little ambitious for the temperature and humidity (heat index in the high 90s, humidity about 60%). We ended up hitting 12:25, 12:05, 12:10 which still makes for great consistency for splits on a continuous run.

Technically, this was the longest continuous run we've done together in possibly years (although it only exceeds previous continuous runs by about 1/4 mile). I grumbled a bit, but we made it through. I didn't have any complaints with my hips, ankles, or tummy. I had a bit of tenderness in my right shin, which required some icing.

That run puts another week in the books, so a notch on the thermometer.

Monday's run was actually really rewarding. In 30 minutes, we covered about 2.55 miles for a pace of 11:34. With temps/heat index of 85/89 and humidity of 60%, I was pretty happy with that. Again, no major physical complaints with the exception of my right shin.

For the rest of this week, we've got:

Wednesday - 30 min run (we'll either do a generic jog or hill work)
Saturday - 9.5 mile run (a new "longer than ever)

In the meantime, here's a neat article on "structural v. metabolic changes" and injury. Basically, the thesis is that new runners often find themselves in a position where their aerobic conditioning far exceeds the conditioning of their muscles and joints. If they push themselves past their physical conditioning, they are vulnerable to injury.
http://runnersconnect.net/running-injury-prevention/why-runners-get-hurt/

Also, I am totally IN LOVE with this Anytime Black Forest Blizzard recipe from September's issue of Runner's World. Any combination of cherries and chocolate will win me over.

Catching up, and a new record

I've been pretty silent on here for a few weeks, but rest assured that we haven't given up. I got a bit bogged down by the blogging process.

Here's what you've missed, in the meantime:

• Wednesday, July 18 run - a 30 minute run that got cut short due to hip pain; kept up a decent pace though.
• Vacation in Miami - in which we endeavored to run, but failed (Saturday July 21, Monday July 23, and post-vacation recovery on Wednesday July 25)
• Saturday, July 28 run - 8 mile target, just under 6.5 run (making this the new longest run ever). Run/walk of 10min/3min was adjusted to 8min/5min to deal with hip pain, headache, and tummy ache. Ended up stopping 5 minutes earlier than planned because I completely depleted my glycogen stores and just couldn't run any farther. It was a surreal experience which taught me that: 
• a) I need to have a plan for fueling on runs longer than 1 hour
• b) I am infinitely tougher than I used to be; seriously, this was the most out-of-body miserable experience I have ever put myself through
• c) My husband makes an incredible long-distance runner; he isn't affected by this stuff at all
• d) Old Jacksonville Hwy inside the loop has great sidewalks
• e) It's time to buy that CamelBak
• f) I still hate the heat, and probably always will, but it doesn't have to keep me from running
• Tuesday, July 31 run - a 30 minute run fraught with whining and puttering and grunting. I learned that:
• a) Some runs are just really hard for no reason.
• b) My attitude problems aren't gone, but they are getting better (and Matt allows me enough grace to make up for it)
• c) I need to be mindful of my tendency to fall into a slow-pace rut
• d) Accordingly, it's time to kick it up a notch
• e) I still let my emotional environment dictate my physical output
• f) Sometimes my feelings are wrong.

With the Saturday run, we wrapped up what I consider another week towards our bribe-thermometer (lost a week while in Miami).

It's been really tough here lately. I know lots of people experience seasons of discouragement in their training, so I'm not alone. I've been struggling physically and mentally for the last few runs. What have you done to get through periods like this?

It won't always be easy

Today's run was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo lame. Yes. That many Os.

The good:Overall speed was acceptable (11:24 pace overall). We finished. I did not puke or anything else. I got out and ran even though I seriously didn't want to or feel like it.

The bad:
So much burping. Eww. My initial pace was a slow, pitiful crawl. Everything hurt and my legs felt like lead. I repeatedly wanted to quit and/or curl up in a ball and cry. Also, it felt really really hot (it was not that hot, maybe like 90F). Humidity was about 60%.

The ugly:
About 10 minutes in as we were getting ready to start the first speed interval, I accidentally yelled at Matt. I didn't feel angry at him before or after it happened, so we were both taken by surprise. It was basically one of those instances where I had to repeat myself because Matt couldn't hear me, and I let my tone get out of control.

With that run and all its emotional baggage behind me, I want to step back and evaluate some stuff.
Somehow, miraculously, this crazy plan is working. I've never done anything like this in my life. It is hard and unnatural. But folks, I just ran 5 3/4 miles on Saturday. I. Did. That. It's unbelievable.
It's been over a three and a half years since the first time I ran a mile. I've done a lot of things wrong from that day until now. Even my incredibly sweet, encouraging, inhumanely optimistic husband had doubts when we started this training plan. But it's working. I am experiencing little to no joint pain/inflammation on my runs and I have avoided injuring myself in a major way (so far).

So, let's take a look at what I'm doing differently THIS TIME.

New Sam	Old Sam
Has a set routine*	Did whatever, whenever.
Tailors strength training for running**	See above.
Has a running plan	See above.
Has a support system (that’s you folks & Matt)	Ran solo.
Varies running environments	Ran on a treadmill. Every time.
Has a concrete goal	Dreamed about stuff and things.
Listens to her body and rests when necessary	Rigidly adhered to unrealistic benchmarks.

^aka "got injured a lot"

*Routine:
5 minutes (minimum) of walking and dynamic stretches before every run
5 minutes (minimum) cool down walk and static stretches after every run
Cool shower post-stretch
Chocolate milk post-run recovery drink
Ice as necessary

**Strength training:
Exercises include things like planks, side planks, side squats, one leg chair squats, lunges, four part crunches, the sun salutation routine, regular squats, chair dips, pilates push-ups, calf lifts, resistance band leg lifts (side, front, back). I also stretch my hips, plantar fascia, and hamstrings regularly during the day when I remember/make myself do it.

What are your secrets to success?

Two runs, one day (have we gone mad?)

Today, I experienced two "firsts" in my running journey...

1. We ran twice today, after our second run of the week was repeatedly delayed.
2. I had my first experience with Impending Intestinal Doom.

Our two runs were nothing spectacular, but we got them in.

The first was a 30 minute run around 10:30 am at Rose Rudman, in 95 degrees with a heat index of 104 (it was SUPPOSED to be 85 degrees... thanks weather forecast). It was really hot and humid, like breathing pea soup. We tried to keep track of the distance, but somehow got on the wrong trail or something. Still haven't figured that out. We estimated the pace about 13:30, since that's our usual M.O. for hot runs. One good thing I noticed is that my mental game is getting a lot better. I normally request time updates every ten minutes. This time, I was able to hold out well past that. Matt let me know when we looped back around to where we started

The second was a 30 minute run around 9:30 pm in the Azalea District. We covered 2.37 miles, with an average pace of around 12:30. The best part of this run is that the splits were within 10 seconds of each other; this is even more impressive if you've ever run north on S. Chilton street, which is basically a series of giant neverending hills. Seriously.

We lost a lot of time after the first hill when I had some issues trying to get a drink of gatorade (basically stumbled all over the place trying to drink it, then choked on it). We also lost a bit of time around the 2 mile mark when I had an "OH CRAP" moment... and I mean that in the worst way. Fortunately, I was only a few blocks from my mom's house so I knew I could stop there if I had an emergency. Even more fortunately, I did not have an emergency. :) I think the culprit may have been the cabbage/bacon/feta rolls I made earlier today. I picked up the pace significantly for the last .37 miles, which saved our pace a little.

On the injury front, my hips seem to be doing well-ish. They feel generally sore like I've been working them, but not painful or too weak. My shin started bothering me again after the first run, which has me a little worried about the possibility of a stress fracture. I was able to run on it without any pain during the second run, but I iced the snot out of it anyway.

So with that, we've wrapped up another week... happy days! I'll update the thermometer soon, but Blogger seems to be having issues with HTML right now. For a manual update, this makes the 8th week of completed training (9 total, one was a hiatus week), so I've "raised" $80 for myself! :)

Saturday run (East Texas Striders)

Saturday's run was a 3-miler following the half-marathon clinic hosted by the East Texas Striders (a local running club). We split into groups based on pace, and a few veteran runners were gracious enough to hang back with slow little me. I failed to account for the heat/humidity (it was already in the 90s by the time we started running), so I ended up taking a walk break at about 1 mile. We also missed a turn, which added an extra quarter mile to our run (all up hill, if you ask me).

Overall, it was a pretty decent run. The course they had mapped out was pretty flat, unlike the part of town we normally run in. The only downside is that we spent 3/4 of the run in direct sunlight.  We covered about 3.25 miles in just over 40 minutes, which is slightly better than my Race for the Cure 5k time. I'm pretty encouraged to see that I can run the same pace today in 90°+ heat that I ran 5 weeks ago at 65°.

I also got to experience the novelty of new running partners, since Matt decided he was going to sleep in. Everyone was super encouraging and helpful. A lot of them commiserated with me when I told them I was training for my first half. They were all genuinely welcoming and excited for me; I was also encouraged to learn that this process is hard for EVERYONE. If you ever get a chance to run with these folks, I strongly encourage it. They are just too cool.

The best part of the run by far was all the advice I soaked up from the other runners. Here's some that stuck with me.... the underlined ones are my favorites.

Veteran runners' advice for your first half/marathon:

• Train with a plan.
• Listen to your body (repeated ad infinitum). 
• Build up gradually (the 10% rule).
• Run with other people.
• The weekly mileage on your training plan is a MAXIMUM.
• For long runs and races, set a pace for yourself and whatever you do, don't go any faster.
• Adjust your pace for heat, hills, and humidity.
• Take the heat seriously and HYDRATE smartly (in Texas, that means getting glucose and salt in addition to liquid). 
• The first half is all about restraint. If you push yourself too hard in the first half, you'll pay for it in the second.

In other good news, I've completed another week of training which means another notch on the Wish List thermometer!

East Texas Striders' Half-Marathon Clinic

This past Saturday, I met with the local runner's club for an awesome half-marathon training clinic in the parking lot of Racquet and Jog. I am now a member of the East Texas Striders! More on that later...

THE CLINIC

By the time we got rolling at 7:30 a.m., it was about 80F (it was approaching 90F by the time we started running). We had a nice little canopy set up which helped a bit.

The first speaker was Dr. Cathy Fieisler (M.D.), a sports medicine physician and local ultra-marathoner. In addition to running her practice and serving as a senior writer for Running Times magazine, she's helped out with some major athletic events including (most recently) the Olympic trials in Houston. Dr. Fieisler had a great attitude and lots of helpful advice about injury prevention. It was really neat to hear from someone who had personal experience as a runner.

The biggest take away for me (aside from the usual advice about building your base and increasing your mileage very gradually) was her emphasis on single-leg strengthening exercises. She made the argument that when we run we never have both legs on the ground... so why do so many of us stick to exercises that work both legs (like squats)? She showed us some great stretches and talked about ways to incorporate single leg workouts in our daily routine.

The next guest speaker was Dr. David Flynn (D.C.), a local chiropractor and athlete who serves as a medical adviser for various marathons and triathlons across Texas. He shared some great advice  on the topic of running nutrition.

Some of the things I remember off the top of my head: sodium/potassium deficiencies are usually the cause of cramps during a workout, while calcium/magnesium deficiencies tend to be the root of cramps when you're at rest. Runners are more prone to upper respiratory infections because the act of running, especially over long distances, suppresses our lung's immune response so that we can breath better (and you can work around this problem by consuming foods rich in zinc, vitamins A, C, D, and selenium). Finally, for the best glutamine absorption, try mixing the supplement in some orange juice for an immediate post-run drink.

The last speaker was another runner (the assistant manager at Racquet and Jog) who stepped in as the resident shoe expert. He gave us a basic guide to the shoes sold at Racquet and Jog, along with a succinct discussion of what makes a good running shoe and how to pick the best shoe for your foot/goal. He talked about some of the dangers of minimalist shoes, what kind of lifetime you can expect from your shoes, and how he makes decisions about his own. We got a coupon for 10% off our next shoe purchase at R&J, which is pretty cool because (frankly) they're too expensive to be my first choice.

(Read about our post-clinic run)

Redemption: A Joyful Run (Part II)

(Did you miss PART I?)

Monday's run went well... really, really well. Not only was it comparatively cool, which allowed us to run at a consistent pace of 10:49 (yeehaw!), but I maintained a great attitude throughout.

We made it a fartlek run (Swedish term for "speed play", or interval training), which you can learn more about from Coach Jeff Galloway here. Matt and I took turns on the cross streets picking a distant landmark to run to at a quicker pace. Running fast is one of my weaknesses, so I've really got to work on it. Fortunately, fartlek runs are AWESOME and FUN for me. On top of training my body to run fast and allowing me to run in child-like glee, fartlek workouts foster great camaraderie.

Matt likes them because he can break out of the slow pace we normally run; he also enjoys challenging me to defy my own expectations. We had a lot of fun, and Matt frequently expressed how proud he was of my performance. I won't lie, I felt pretty dang good.

We finished really strong, and managed to get home before 10:00pm. I'm still feeling the excitement today, but I'm also feeling a bit of tenderness in my shins (from Saturday) and hip connectors. Hopefully, I can stretch and work out the tightness before Wednesday's run.

The plan for this week (week 2) :

Monday: 30 min run (speed work, Azalea district)
Wednesday: 30 min run (I don't know what we'll do here... a regular run?)
Saturday: 4 mile run (East Texas Striders' Half-Marathon clinic, which is scheduled for a 3 mile run unless I can find someone else to run the last mile with me)

Redemption: A Joyful Run (Part I)

(Looking for Part II?)

You may have read about my attitude problems from Saturday; it wasn't a particularly tough run, but I sure made it one. Post-run left me feeling a bit down on myself, and rather guilty. Matt and I talked about the issues we were having (I mostly listened), and I feel like we're in a better place. Before I get to the recap of Monday's run, I figured I would share some things that have kept me going this week.

First, this article, "Why Run: If lacing up is fun for you, you don't need a reason. The rest of us do" from the Newbie Chronicles column in the July issue of Runner's World mag. I love this whole series but the July article - about finding motivation to run when running sucks - really spoke to me. I found it while leafing through the magazine on Sunday, with all the weight of Saturday's failures on my mind. My favorite excerpt:

"I hated running for over a year. I know, hate is a strong word. You know what a stronger word is? Superhate. In my first year and a half, I superhated running every time I went out... What I've become is the person who will never quit running no matter how bad it sometimes feels." - Marc Parent

I can identify with that. Saturday was one of those days I superhated running. I'm really blessed right now to be in a place where I generally enjoy at least PART of a run, and I sometimes have really transcendent runs (like Monday) which make it all worth while. I definitely aspire to be the kind of person who will never quit running (barring serious injury or illness, of course).

Over the course of my life, I have rarely been what you would call "tenacious". In fact, I had a general tendency to quit things as soon as they got difficult or uncomfortable. I would quit anything, no matter the stakes. I quit things I loved, really really loved. Bullies in band? Just quit. Don't like your lab professor? Drop that class. Relationship not perfect? Dump 'em. Not the smartest kid at school anymore? Stop showing up.

Sometime after 20, I started to change. I was finally sober (after many half-hearted attempts). I had a steady grown-up job.  I started dating a very reliable/consistent/earthy guy (who became my husband). I became a Christian. I went to all my classes, even the ones I didn't like. I started running.

I remember, very clearly, the first time I actually ran a whole mile as an adult.  It was incredibly hard and emotional (I don't even remember how long it took). I ran it on a treadmill at 360 Fitness. I was huffing and puffing and wanted to quit, but I kept thinking about all the times I had quit before... and all the people who had defined me as unathletic (my stepdad, my siblings, my junior high gym coach, that 8th grade cheerleader bully, the jr. varsity softball team, those guys senior year of high school). I needed to prove to myself - just one time - that I could finish. something. hard. And I did. This single act, this decision to endure even though no one was watching, changed my life.

My first mile was a spiritual experience which opened so many personal doors for me. I cracked open the door to that part of my character which knew how to be tenacious, not just in running but in everything - marriage, faith, school, career. That's why I have to keep running, even when I superhate it. And like all things, my attitude DOES matter.

I aspire to maintain gratitude for the health which allows me to run at all; for the freedoms I enjoy as a woman in America; for the women runners who paved the way before me in the 60s and 70s; for my husband and partner; for all of you wonderful people whom I know and do not know, who visit this blog and leave wonderful inspirational comments; for the people and the God who never gave up on me.

(Continue on to PART II)

Dailymile

If you happen to be SO interested in my running exploits that you must have the most current information available, then check out my Dailymile profile. Dailymile is a social media platform geared towards athletes and fitness enthusiasts. It allows you to log your workouts (running, swimming, cycling, weightlifting, etc) and share them with your friends; dailymile has buttons for Twitter and Facebook which allow you to instantly share the results of your run to other social media sites. You can provide and receive all kinds of feedback and motivation. I especially love the "map your run" feature and the analytics it provides. It's also FREE.

Here's a screenshot from Wednesday's run:



And an example of the analytics:

As you can see, since I began logging runs with Dailymile I have burned the equivalent of 28.27 donuts (for a total of 33.37 miles). Accordingly, I believe that running the Half Marathon in October will earn me a dozen donuts.  I especially love the way that this allows me to track my pace, distance, and perceived intensity over time.

Anyway, on to Wednesday's run...

Hardest run so far

I knew it was going to be a tough run today when I looked at the forecast.... 94 degrees Fahrenheit. Nightmare temperatures. Normally we run at or after dusk, when it has already started to cool down quite a bit. We couldn't do that today, however, because we've got company coming over tonight. That meant we'd have to brave the scorching afternoon sun. Blech.

We ran along the same route I mapped on DailyMile.com last Saturday, a 2 mile run through the Azalea District. The first split was 13:00min/mile; second split was right around the same time. It was pretty demoralizing. I felt like (and said out loud, I think) the entire run was a total waste of time and I might as well just go home. Matt pointed out that a year ago, I would not have even walked outside for a mile in this heat. He was a great encouragement the whole time, although his methods were a bit unorthodox (in the last half-mile, he kept insisting that I "frolic, just once". It's a joke that came up when we started trail running. A "frolic" is basically a jubilant arm-flailing Sound of Music skip.)

The good news is that my breathing stayed steady and I had little or no complaints from any joints. I didn't have any nausea (like last time I ran in the heat), and I didn't feel like I was going to pass out (just really, really dizzy).

I was pretty grumpy the whole run. We did not play any games. Matt told me afterwards that he didn't expect me to make it through, based on our past experiences with running in the heat. He said was really proud of me, which made me feel pretty awesome.

After beating myself up for the abysmal time for most of the run, I remembered something I had read a while back in a Runner's World article by Jeff Galloway (the running coach who designed the half-marathon training program I'm about to take up). He recommends that runners increase their pace by 30 seconds per mile for every increase of 5 degrees above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. I thought this seemed pretty excessive at the time, but it turns out that we accidentally followed his advice today. My best time at around 60 degrees is about 9:45 min/mile. Following his formula would have put us at 13:15 (we ran right about 13:00).

I hope it's a long, long, long time before I have to run outside again at 2:00pm in 94 degree weather. I definitely learned a lesson today about placing values in artificial number goals; I could not have run faster if I wanted to (and I really did want to, as badly as I wanted to quit and go home). I did the best I could do today, and that's got to count for something.

It's going to be a long, hot summer. We're discussing some creative strategies for working around the heat (like working in some pool running), but the truth is that I'm going to have to do it from time to time if I want to really prepare for this October half-marathon. October mornings in Texas are liable to be just as hot as any summer day; race day temperatures could be anywhere from 50 degrees to 95. I don't want to train inside all summer and then get laid flat by high temperatures. Matt gave me some good advice about setting realistic goals for time/distance. I'm probably not going to see the kinds of gains I want (timewise) as long as the temperatures are rising.

Anyway. One more run in the logbook. The money pot is now at $30. Whoo hoo! To celebrate, I'm enjoying my FAVORITE post-run recovery beverage: chocolate milk. Oh, yeah.

Saturday run

On Saturday, Matt and I finished up week 6 of the Cool Running Couch to 5k plan. This called for 22 minutes with no walk breaks. We covered just over 2 miles in this time, which put us at an average pace of about 10:54. This is nothing glamorous, but I could do a lot worse (and have).

The run itself was not my favorite. Temperature has a huge effect on me, and it was over 80 degrees when we stepped out. I learned not to underestimate the hills of the Azalea District (a historic neighborhood near central Tyler). I started getting a bit grumpy around 12 minutes (for all the good that did me), but managed to push myself mentally to the finish. I was disappointed by how difficult it was, but proud of myself for finishing nonetheless.

I've mentioned it a few times in a few places, but I just want to reiterate - for my own sake - that this is the first time I've run 2 miles with no breaks in months and months, since I last injured my hip. The fact that I completed this run with no aches, pains, or twinges is a sign that I'm on the right track, however frustrated I may feel with the slow progress.

I'm definitely at the "breaking point" right now, where I start comparing myself to other people and pushing against the confines of my training plan. Usually, this results in me getting injured. It's a baffling juncture because I'm simultaneously torn between feelings of inadequacy (comparing myself to others, setting artificial number goals that have no basis in reality) and feelings of impatience (I'm doing so well, I should try running FIVE miles in a row!).

I've had a lot of individuals invite me to run with them (awesomely). I'm reluctant to take up any of these offers because I am SO SLOW. The other downside is that I'm not sure how it will fit into my training plan. All trepidation aside, I am going to try to venture out in another month or so. One group I would love to all in with is East Texas Striders. They have a somewhat regular speed workout on Wednesdays at the REL track.