This week I had a nice little 10 mile run. Last time, when I ran our 10 miles I was hating it the whole way. But this week it actually felt pretty good (until around mile 9 when I was just "done").
It is MUCH easier to run with Bill now that I am pacing a bit faster. Before I think it was always a struggle between us, because he always wanted to go faster, and was slowing down to be with me, and I was always going faster than I felt comfortable with. I think I have realized that a lot of running is mind games for me. Perhaps I should have been training faster awhile ago. But then again, perhaps I've done this the right way and I am just reaping benefits.
At any rate, one thing I DO know is that I need to slow down in the beginning miles. So for the next week, I am going to concentrate on negative splitting my runs.
I KNOW I need to do this, because every time I have run this way I am AMAZED with my time. Every time I run like I am used to running (fast at first, then slowly trickling off in the last miles) I feel tired.
When Bill and I got to mile 9 and he asked me how I felt, I could only say "Eh." I explained to him; I wasn't feeling awful, but I felt tired. Not tired like sleepy, but tired like physically tired. I told him I could keep pace for the last mile (which I did) but that if this was the marathon, and I still had 2 miles to go, I would be walking them. He pushed me up the last hill, telling me to keep my form (which I did) and that if I kept my pace (which I did) I would be happy with our result.
We ended with a 1:33:18 for 10.2 miles, which calculates out to a 9:08 pace. Now, I KNOW, with my past results I should have been ecstatic about this. But I told Bill, "You know, I think if we would have started out slower, we could have ended up with a faster pace." He agreed.
So the next few weeks I am going to experiment with negative splits and see what happens. Who knows, maybe I am some weirdo who DOES have to push the pace at the beginning. I doubt this, but I guess I'll find out in the next few weeks. I am chalking it up to a big experiment. Isn't that what training is for anyway? :)
Monday, February 23, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Late Posting
I have been bad, and not posting lately. It has been a bit crazy, and I haven't been doing so well on my running schedule this week due to work and travelling.
But on Valentine's Day, Bill and I DID start the morning with a nice, romantic, 15 mile run. Haha.
I was not looking forward to running nearly 3 loops of Central Park, so I decided that we should run the West Side Highway bike/jog trail. I forgot how much I hate running it until we were running. Ok. Ok. It wasn't as bad as it was in the summer, but it still is pretty boring.
Here is why I hate it:
1. It is flat the entire way (much like Eastern) with NO turns (much like Eastern) so it is BORING.
2. It is right next to the Hudson, so there is tons of exhaust from boats and helicopters.
3. It is right next to the West Side Highway so there is tons of exhaust from trucks and cars.
4. The sun beats down on you since there is no shade, so it's HOT.
5. Even though running down the west side of Manhattan sounds like it would be beautiful and scenic, it really isn't.
The cool this is that if you think about it, it is kind of cool to run all the way from the Upper West Side alllllll the way to the bottom tip of Manhattan. At least, that is how far Bill and I made it before we had to turn around.
I was so hitting the wall after we turned around. And it was agonizing, because you can tell EXACTLY where you are on the trail (because it is marked every mile and also because you see the streets going by..."We are only at 42nd!!!! We have 57 freaking blocks to go!!!").
Despite all of that, we finished our 15 miles with a 2:22 (about a 9:28 pace). I felt like I was dying at the end and doing like 11 minute miles, but apparently I wasn't.
I think I am getting fast.
I was aiming for a 9:50 pace, which is what the McMillan running calculator says is at the upper range of what I should be training at for my long runs. It FELT like a 9:50. So I guess that's good! We'll see about this week. I have a feeling I might be a little slower due to my less-than-stellar ability to stick to my workout plan this week. :)
But on Valentine's Day, Bill and I DID start the morning with a nice, romantic, 15 mile run. Haha.
I was not looking forward to running nearly 3 loops of Central Park, so I decided that we should run the West Side Highway bike/jog trail. I forgot how much I hate running it until we were running. Ok. Ok. It wasn't as bad as it was in the summer, but it still is pretty boring.
Here is why I hate it:
1. It is flat the entire way (much like Eastern) with NO turns (much like Eastern) so it is BORING.
2. It is right next to the Hudson, so there is tons of exhaust from boats and helicopters.
3. It is right next to the West Side Highway so there is tons of exhaust from trucks and cars.
4. The sun beats down on you since there is no shade, so it's HOT.
5. Even though running down the west side of Manhattan sounds like it would be beautiful and scenic, it really isn't.
The cool this is that if you think about it, it is kind of cool to run all the way from the Upper West Side alllllll the way to the bottom tip of Manhattan. At least, that is how far Bill and I made it before we had to turn around.
I was so hitting the wall after we turned around. And it was agonizing, because you can tell EXACTLY where you are on the trail (because it is marked every mile and also because you see the streets going by..."We are only at 42nd!!!! We have 57 freaking blocks to go!!!").
Despite all of that, we finished our 15 miles with a 2:22 (about a 9:28 pace). I felt like I was dying at the end and doing like 11 minute miles, but apparently I wasn't.
I think I am getting fast.
I was aiming for a 9:50 pace, which is what the McMillan running calculator says is at the upper range of what I should be training at for my long runs. It FELT like a 9:50. So I guess that's good! We'll see about this week. I have a feeling I might be a little slower due to my less-than-stellar ability to stick to my workout plan this week. :)
Monday, February 9, 2009
Things I Did Right
These are the things I have been doing right in my running which led to an AWESOME race on Sunday.
1. Got a LOT of sleep this week.
2. Started cross-training with weights religiously, concentrating on form and pushing myself.
3. Ran with a "zen" attitude.
4. Kept a positive attitude.
5. Had an attainable goal.
6.. Ate a 200 calorie breakfast of Cheerios an hour and a half before the race.
7. Picked a friend to beat.
8. Drank Gatorade instead of just water during the race.
9. Pushed myself up the hills without overdoing it.
10. Concentrated on keeping my back shin parallel to the ground as I was running (to keep good form/get a good stride).
11. Sang "Merry Happy" by Kate Nash over and over in my head (to keep a good rhythm).
I actually think that the first 3 are the most important because they are what were most different than what I usually do.
All I know is that I woke up very determined to get a PR on my half marathon in the Bronx this weekend. Not JUST a PR either. I needed to break the 2 hour mark. To do this, I decided that I needed to feel like I did during the Staten Island Half (where I got that PR...2:01.13). I remembered that I felt like I was putting forth a hard effort that I could probably sustain for the whole thing, but definitely NOT holding back too much in those first few miles. This is different from everything that I have learned, but now I'm wondering if it is just MY perception of what "holding back" means.
After the first mile, I looked at my watch: 8:43. Whoa! Slow down, sister! So I did. Or at least I thought I did. The next mile: 8:24. Seriously, girl, slow down. Next mile: 8:05.
In the Marine Corps marathon this is when I started beating myself up. This time I was just like "Ok. Whatever. Just see how it plays out. This is a practice race, and if you die and can't finish, you die and can't finish. Your body knows what it's doing..." (see this article...especially the second paragraph).
Well, it worked. I didn't die until mile 10. And even then, I only got down to 9:20. Plus, I psyched myself right back up and concentrated on hitting the next mile at a sub 9...which I did!
And I finished with a 1:54.38. Best. Time. Ever.
It made me wonder if I should modify my training pace. But according to McMillan's cool training calculator it actually looks like I'm right on track with my long runs hitting a 9:44-10:44 pace. How is that possible?
Well, anyway. I am happy :)
1. Got a LOT of sleep this week.
2. Started cross-training with weights religiously, concentrating on form and pushing myself.
3. Ran with a "zen" attitude.
4. Kept a positive attitude.
5. Had an attainable goal.
6.. Ate a 200 calorie breakfast of Cheerios an hour and a half before the race.
7. Picked a friend to beat.
8. Drank Gatorade instead of just water during the race.
9. Pushed myself up the hills without overdoing it.
10. Concentrated on keeping my back shin parallel to the ground as I was running (to keep good form/get a good stride).
11. Sang "Merry Happy" by Kate Nash over and over in my head (to keep a good rhythm).
I actually think that the first 3 are the most important because they are what were most different than what I usually do.
All I know is that I woke up very determined to get a PR on my half marathon in the Bronx this weekend. Not JUST a PR either. I needed to break the 2 hour mark. To do this, I decided that I needed to feel like I did during the Staten Island Half (where I got that PR...2:01.13). I remembered that I felt like I was putting forth a hard effort that I could probably sustain for the whole thing, but definitely NOT holding back too much in those first few miles. This is different from everything that I have learned, but now I'm wondering if it is just MY perception of what "holding back" means.
After the first mile, I looked at my watch: 8:43. Whoa! Slow down, sister! So I did. Or at least I thought I did. The next mile: 8:24. Seriously, girl, slow down. Next mile: 8:05.
In the Marine Corps marathon this is when I started beating myself up. This time I was just like "Ok. Whatever. Just see how it plays out. This is a practice race, and if you die and can't finish, you die and can't finish. Your body knows what it's doing..." (see this article...especially the second paragraph).
Well, it worked. I didn't die until mile 10. And even then, I only got down to 9:20. Plus, I psyched myself right back up and concentrated on hitting the next mile at a sub 9...which I did!
And I finished with a 1:54.38. Best. Time. Ever.
It made me wonder if I should modify my training pace. But according to McMillan's cool training calculator it actually looks like I'm right on track with my long runs hitting a 9:44-10:44 pace. How is that possible?
Well, anyway. I am happy :)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Hill Climbs
WOW. I actually got out of work at a real time last night, and SO DID BILL!!!
Even though it was really really cold and very windy, we did hill climbs last night. Now granted, it was probably the easiest hill workout I've ever done, but it was still good.
Since LOST was on last night (and I'm a freak who is totally addicted), I planned the workout for Riverside Park instead of Central Park. Even though it is only closer by 3 long blocks, it DOES make a difference in timing :)
So we did a nice 1.7 mile warmup all the way up to where the park "ends" (it doesn't really end there, but you have to go up steps and walk to the street to continue on into the park again). There are two sets of steps that go up to the street. They are not short steps, but long, wide steps...each has about 7 ft of depth. The steps are a sharp, fast incline, and we ran up them, fast, 6 times. It was rough, and I sort of started to sound like Stephi Graf (isn't she the one who used to grunt when she played tennis?) because I was really pushing myself.
After the hill climbs, we did a nice little cool down for the 1.7 miles back.
It felt nice to run outside during the week...even if it was cold and windy.
Today I am picking up my packet/race number for our second half marathon in the Grand Prix – the Bronx half marathon, which is on Sunday. It is the only one of the five that is on the "mainland" of the United States, which I think is funny.
Even though it was really really cold and very windy, we did hill climbs last night. Now granted, it was probably the easiest hill workout I've ever done, but it was still good.
Since LOST was on last night (and I'm a freak who is totally addicted), I planned the workout for Riverside Park instead of Central Park. Even though it is only closer by 3 long blocks, it DOES make a difference in timing :)
So we did a nice 1.7 mile warmup all the way up to where the park "ends" (it doesn't really end there, but you have to go up steps and walk to the street to continue on into the park again). There are two sets of steps that go up to the street. They are not short steps, but long, wide steps...each has about 7 ft of depth. The steps are a sharp, fast incline, and we ran up them, fast, 6 times. It was rough, and I sort of started to sound like Stephi Graf (isn't she the one who used to grunt when she played tennis?) because I was really pushing myself.
After the hill climbs, we did a nice little cool down for the 1.7 miles back.
It felt nice to run outside during the week...even if it was cold and windy.
Today I am picking up my packet/race number for our second half marathon in the Grand Prix – the Bronx half marathon, which is on Sunday. It is the only one of the five that is on the "mainland" of the United States, which I think is funny.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Catching Up
It's weird. I haven't really missed a TON of workouts...but I feel like I have. I was looking back at my calendar, and really, I only missed one running workout last week. Unfortunately, this did happen to be a hill workout, which I could have really used. I also missed two cross-training workouts. In the big scheme of things, I guess this isn't a big deal. I mean, really, this tends to happen every marathon season for me somewhere along the line. I didn't even miss my long run, which tends to happen as well.
This week I missed a Monday night workout (which was designated as "rest or cross-training"), but I got right back on track last night. Tonight I have a speed workout, and I have already decided that if for some reason I can't get home in time, I will do the substitute on the treadmill. Not ideal, of course, but better than nothing.
The real thing I am catching up on is sleep. It's funny, but I didn't realize how much I wasn't sleeping until I started sleeping again. Now I feel like I am in hibernation each morning when the alarm goes off. My body just does not want to stop sleeping :)
So this week, I am concentrating on one thing...catching up on sleep. I have trained for enough marathons to know that this is just as important (if not more so) than the actual training.
This week I missed a Monday night workout (which was designated as "rest or cross-training"), but I got right back on track last night. Tonight I have a speed workout, and I have already decided that if for some reason I can't get home in time, I will do the substitute on the treadmill. Not ideal, of course, but better than nothing.
The real thing I am catching up on is sleep. It's funny, but I didn't realize how much I wasn't sleeping until I started sleeping again. Now I feel like I am in hibernation each morning when the alarm goes off. My body just does not want to stop sleeping :)
So this week, I am concentrating on one thing...catching up on sleep. I have trained for enough marathons to know that this is just as important (if not more so) than the actual training.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Not My Finest Run
I think that I should probably not run when I am overly stressed. It is a fine line to walk, because sometimes a run is a great stress reliever. But when I am really really stressed, it is probably not a good idea.
I say this, because after not really getting to work out as much as I wanted last week (only 2 days of running during the week and NO cross-training) my ten mile run on Saturday was pretty much crap. I mean, my time wasn't really that horrible (1:44, without stopping my watch when I stopped for an extremely long GU and water break, and once when Bill's phone was ringing). But I just felt awful.
I think some of this can be attributed to the fact that my heart monitor was too tight. I need to find that happy medium. Last week, it was too loose, and I had to keep reaching up under all of my clothes to pull it up during the race. But if it's too tight (like it was Saturday) it makes me feel sick to my stomach.
But besides that, I think I was just too stressed to run. 10 miles seemed like forever long, which is funny because 13.1 seemed like nothing last week.
This is not good. Because I also feel like a huge tub of lard, since I didn't get to work out much during the week.
This week is not shaping out to be any better. It is 6 o'clock (the time I used to go home) and I am waiting for changes to a presentation that is supposed to go out tonight. Yay! (Sarcasm). So, since I will be working late (again) I will be exhausted again when I get home. It's not even like I could have worked out early this morning SINCE I GOT UP AT 6:20 TO GO TO WORK EARLY!!! And I will probably order an unhealthy dinner to eat at my desk while I am working (not many healthy take-out options).
I seriously contemplated not even doing the marathon because it seems like this is pretty standard for my new team at work to work these hours.
Awesome.
I say this, because after not really getting to work out as much as I wanted last week (only 2 days of running during the week and NO cross-training) my ten mile run on Saturday was pretty much crap. I mean, my time wasn't really that horrible (1:44, without stopping my watch when I stopped for an extremely long GU and water break, and once when Bill's phone was ringing). But I just felt awful.
I think some of this can be attributed to the fact that my heart monitor was too tight. I need to find that happy medium. Last week, it was too loose, and I had to keep reaching up under all of my clothes to pull it up during the race. But if it's too tight (like it was Saturday) it makes me feel sick to my stomach.
But besides that, I think I was just too stressed to run. 10 miles seemed like forever long, which is funny because 13.1 seemed like nothing last week.
This is not good. Because I also feel like a huge tub of lard, since I didn't get to work out much during the week.
This week is not shaping out to be any better. It is 6 o'clock (the time I used to go home) and I am waiting for changes to a presentation that is supposed to go out tonight. Yay! (Sarcasm). So, since I will be working late (again) I will be exhausted again when I get home. It's not even like I could have worked out early this morning SINCE I GOT UP AT 6:20 TO GO TO WORK EARLY!!! And I will probably order an unhealthy dinner to eat at my desk while I am working (not many healthy take-out options).
I seriously contemplated not even doing the marathon because it seems like this is pretty standard for my new team at work to work these hours.
Awesome.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
