Friday, July 20, 2007

Gen-Y Shortcomings

So, a lot of Gen-Yers, including me, have this little problem with staying focused unless we are continually stimulated. That is why I HATE doing loops in a run. I remember in the Flying Pig Marathon group, the 15 mile run was three 5 mile loops. Luckily, I missed that practice because of injury. I think I would have gone absolutely crazy. It looks like our run tomorrow also incorporates loops. Yuck.

It just makes me realize again how much of running is mental. I will just have to make sure my ipod is loaded up with lots of great songs, so that I can get into a sort of trance-state as I listen to my music.

Also, it is weird to go from the Flying Pig Marathon group to the Fall Marathon group. It is a lot different, because we are all running different marathons...therefore the training schedule is different for all of us. For example, in the Pig group, our Saturday would say 11-12 miles, which meant that I was always running 11 miles. But tomorrow, we will have some people running 6 miles, some running 9, some running 11, and some running 13. Since Chicago is a fairly early fall marathon I will be running 13-14. So I always have to mentally psych myself up, and tell myself that even though I am one of the slowest runners in the group, I still have to do the most mileage.

I will say though, that the Saturday runs are definitely the most rewarding. I can ride all day on the high I get from running those long distances. And I think its kind of funny if I go out that night and my friends ask "how much did you run this morning" and I'm like "oh, like 11 miles..." which in the scheme of marathon training really doesn't seem like a lot, until I listen to myself saying it. I also don't feel guilty about a Saturday nap, then. And of course, I feel like I can eat whatever I want all day.

I guess that is the pay-off for waking up so early on the weekend.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Sweaty Girl

It has been sooooo humid lately!

I went for my negative split run last night (and actually for real did a negative split...in fact, I had two minutes left over) and when I came back I was so sweaty. I actually had a film of sweat all over me, and I was only out for 40 minutes! (I don't really sweat very much ever. I could run 9 miles usually and not sweat). It was gross.

But even grosser (is that a word?) is that I had a softball game afterwards. I basically just keep my running clothes on and pull my t-shirt over. Well, I change my shoes of course too. But I was being finicky about my pigtails and decided to redo them. I could have wrung them out. Nasty. I do not like all of this sweat. It was even worse on the field.

I am so done with this humidity. It is really throwing my times off. I just have to keep telling myself that I am running slower because of all this heat and humidity. Apparantly other people are feeling it too, because Coach Joe F sent out an email telling us not to get discouraged if we felt slow, because the heat and humidity are so bad that they are bound to slow us down.

By the way, I just looked at the humidity for yesterday...it got up to 93%. Gross.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Catch-up

So I DID have to work late last night. But as I was feeling sorry for myself, looking out the window I noticed it was lightning. So I'm thinking the run was called off yesterday. So, now I will be playing catch-up like I always do.

I don't know why, but it stresses me out when I can't stay on schedule...even when I make up my runs. I feel like I am a hamster on a wheel and get all stressed about it.
Maybe this is because I take the little calendar/schedule they give us at the running group and write down my actual work out on it after I complete one. So when I have blank days it stresses me out, even though we have planned rest days IN the schedule.

I think it is just a personality thing. I am very very very much of a Type A personality. (By the way, I am NOT exaggerating...I scored a 327 on the Jenkins Activity Survey Anyway, I really just have to get a grip on the fact that I will not be able to follow the calendar to the t, because my life is super busy.

That being said, I am going to try and make up my run tonight before my softball game. Maybe not as strenuous as the schedule suggested because last time I did that, I ended up with a sore butt! (Which I contributed to running and then squatting through 4 innings while I played catcher). Last night called for a negative split: 30 minutes out and 10-20% more effort on the way back. I stink at negative splits so I WILL have to try this tonight...but maybe with 20 minutes out instead.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Hurrah! and Ptttt!

So...the bad first. Last night Bill and I went for a three-mile run. My schedule says that I should do a three mile run on Sunday and have a rest day on Monday, but since I went to a bachelorette party on Saturday and was up all night I decided to switch things up. Anyway, we were probably not even a mile into our run and my left calf started straining. It felt really really tight. No big deal, I stopped to stretch it out...this happens a lot when I run and then I stretch and am fine. Nope. Not yesterday. So we walked the rest of the way home. I felt bad for cutting our workout short, but I had no idea how long we were running tonight, only that we were doing a negative split so I didn't want to push it. We went home and took our dog on a walk and that seemed to help losen it up. So I'm hoping it will be okay tonight.

Another pttt is that I may have to work late tonight and therefore may not even be doing a group run. I hope that is not the case.

However I am excited because I finally got some new CDs in the mail. I am excited to have new music to run to. I was getting sick of my old playlist. I got Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, Lily Allen's Alright Still... and Mika's Life in Cartoon Motion. I am most excited about the Lily Allen CD. I guess I am being musically affected by my stay in London :)

Monday, July 16, 2007

Evil Shorts

This Saturday I realized why I like running in a skirt so much. We had an 11-miler, and since I've been so spotty at doing the laundry lately, I had to settle for some running shorts instead of my usual running skirt. BIG MISTAKE.

I knew I was in trouble when I felt the swish swish swish of my shorts between my thighs in the first three miles. By mile 5 I was really hurting. I stopped for water somewhere around mile 7 and checked out the damage. At that point I had all of these little like, holes on both of my inner thighs. They were really burning. I was like 'well I just have to suck it up and forget about it'. Which was fine. I mean, it actually worked (mind over matter)...for awhile. Then, because it was so hot, I decided to run through a sprinkler that someone had trickling over the sidewalk. Whoops. Total mistake. I kind of forgot that putting water on chafing marks will only make them burn more.

The ironic thing was that I made sure that I wore a lot of Body Glide since I have had the same problem with my navel ring on my past two long runs. I guess I didn't think about wearing it on my thighs because the skirt has never given me that problem.

I also hate the shorts because unlike all of my other running pants and skirts they were low rise. So when my shirt rode up, (like it always does) it revealed my concave waist going into my convex belly. Yes, in other words a little pot belly. Gross.

Other than that the run was good. Now I just have to deal with the (now) red gashes on my inner thighs. I should buy stock in Neosporin during the running season.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Bananas and Alligators

So, I am rediscovering some running quirks that I used to experience in high school cross country. I am going to attribute it to the heat, since I have not yet had these things happen since high school.

The first is this gross taste I get in my mouth every time I've gone for a run this summer. When I was in high school I thought it was from bananas because our coach told us that we should eat a banana before every race if we were looking to eat something, because they digest easily. Well, I have NOT eaten bananas before any run since then, because they digest too easily (sorry. I know that is gross and too much information). It is this really really gross taste I get in my mouth. Maybe I need to drink more water or something. I know that I get bad breath after runs (my husband has told me), so maybe this does happen in the winter but I just don't notice it for some reason. At any rate it is gross.

The next is the alligator. This also was a term that our cross country coach told us about. The alligator usually gets you in the side during a run. My alligator has been getting me right in front of my left shoulder...you know, in that little triangle spot right under the ball and socket joint? Anyway, its this cramp that seems unbearable for awhile but eventually goes away. I wish that there was a good way to get rid of it sooner. I have heard all kinds of things, like: run with your hands on your head...it gets your breath in more easily which helps because the cramp is from not getting enough air. Or, grab the muscle and pinch and twist it hard. Neither of these work for me. The alligator has been a frequent visitor to me on recent runs.

I am going to drink lots of water today and hope that that solves the problems. It is sort of my solution I try for everything...sort of like when you call the tech guys with a computer problem and they tell you to restart your computer. Hopefully that will help.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

OK, Not So Bad

So I just checked out on mapmyrun.com where I went wrong last night with my directions. It looks like I ran 6.37 miles instead of the 6.7 I was supposed to. That is not so bad. Sometimes when I get lost I knock about 1-2 miles off of my run. So now I don't feel tooooo bad :)

Oops! I Did It Again!

Sorry. Lame title I know. And I am NOT a Britney fan, just in case you were wondering.

Last night we had options for our run...4.5 miles, 5.6 miles or 6.7 miles. Coach Joe F very diligently passed out the routes before we left as he always does. But let me tell you...I am the WORST with directions. I don't care if you give me turn by turn directions or a map. For some reason my brain doesn't work that way.

Which is why I ended up doing who knows how many miles instead of the 6.7 I planned on. Whoops. I noticed everyone running towards me on our route last night instead of away from me. I turned around and the people I was running with were gone. Apparantly I was running on Victoria AVENUE instead of turning on Victoria LANE like I was supposed to. So I went as far as it looked like people were running and then turned around and ran back. In the meantime I passed Coach Joe F who looked at me puzzled and I yelled "I know! I messed up!" When I did turn around I figured I should explain to one of our mentors who was running. Except I said "I'm stupid. I can't read directions." To which he replied "Oh, OK. This is the 6.7 option." Then I started to think, 'oh great. He thinks I literally CAN"T READ directions.'He even waited for me at the top of the hill to point out that I had to turn right. I felt stupid now for two reasons.

Oh well, I think I ran the whole thing at a 10 minute mile pace...which a little slower than what I was supposed to do (10% faster than your race pace). I just have to get used to this heat!!!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Feeling Hot Hot Hot

So I realized WHY we are running so many miles so quickly. Last time we had an entire extra month of training. Duh.

So, on Saturday I went to Roncker's for the running group. I was excited because we were doing my favorite route, the out and back from the store to the Celestial, which includes all of my favorite Mt. Adams hills. I am not being sarcastic...I do love this route. I know that everyone else dreads running in Eden Park, but I actually like it.
It was already very very hot. I was not worried though because I knew I could do the Hyde Park Blast course in blistering heat and humidity.

Well, I guess four miles is different than seven. I was feeling really good...until I hit about 5 miles. Then I was DRAINED. It was like the heat just was sucking out all of my energy. I knew it wasn't muscle fatigue or anything like that because I felt fine when I was running in the shade. But then I would get to a sunny patch and ZAP...forget it! I didn't even want to look at my watch at the end. (Especially since I walked for some of it).

But, I didn't do as badly as I thought I would...I ended up with an 11 minute mile pace. Not great, but definitely not as bad as I thought.

Tonight is a pace run, which I think means that we will do another distance run at marathon pace.

Friday, July 6, 2007

Ha ha ha!

Just got the email for tomorrow's practice. 7-8 miles. I guess there will be no slacking on my part like I had hoped. :)

Back in the Groove

So, I start it all again tomorrow (marathon training group). I was kind of getting used to sleeping in on Saturdays, but hey, getting up to run is good for me. I just wonder how much mileage we are going to start with...the website says that you should be able to run 6-7 miles or approximately one hour, easily. Last time, I assumed that this meant that we would start with 6-7 miles. But we actually did a 3 or 4 mile run (your choice). Not to already sound lazy, but I hope that is what we do again.

Oh and I am going to try and nip a really bad running habit of mine in the butt (bud? butt?) this time around. I have this tendency to drive through McDonald's on the way home from practice and get the sausage and egg mcmuffin meal (with no egg). If I don't do that I stop at Bigg's and get a donut. Not the healthiest options. I am going to try and stick to cereal and fruit like I have every day. Maybe bring a banana in the car to curb the temptation. We'll see how long that lasts.

The other thing that will be different is that we will have a new coach. Coach Joe is going to check in every now and then but for the most part Coach Joe (ha ha...a different Coach Joe. Coach Joe F.) will be taking over. He was also one of the coaches last time and I like him a lot too.

I am also looking forward to seeing who came back for a second. You know, who exactly are the gluttons for pain? Just kidding. I think doing one marathon makes you a glutton for pain. :) It was such a good group that I hope most of them come back.
So I am looking forward to it, but I would have liked another Saturday to sleep in. I guess I will have to do that on Sundays now.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

100! 100! 100!

So this is my 100th post. Hurrah! I was going to do something cool, like list the 100 reasons I love running. But I think that would take forever. And honestly I don't know that I could come up with 100 of them. Don't get me wrong, I love running, but 100 is a lot so I would end up having to name little stupid things like "my shoes are orange which is cool" or something like that, to round out the list. So maybe I will list the top ten reasons I love running. (Just multiply each of them by 10).

10. Runners' lingo. Talking about things like Shot Bloks, and chafing, and IT Bands and lactic acid and all of that stuff makes me feel like I am in a special club of cool athletes. :)

9. The sense of humor about running...like all the funny signs I saw during the marathon, or the shirt I saw on cafepress that said "26.2" on the front and "got toenails?" on the back.

8. Gaining muscle weight, losing fat weight and toning up.

7. Putting my shuffle to good use and finding music in my music library that I didn't even know I had.

6. Getting to know my body better. I used to be Miss Injury when I ran in high school. Now I know the difference between when I have just worked my muscles too hard and can still work out and when I've really injured myself and need to take it easy.

5. The running community. Who knew there were so many runners out there who all go through the same/similar things?

4. Bob Roncker's Running Spot. I know! I know! I sound like a commercial. But it really is a cool place and truly where runners can just hang out. Sometimes I feel like its one of my three homes (my real home, my work and the Running Spot). And seriously, I would NOT have run a marathon if I wasn't in that training program.

3. I feel sooooo good after a run. Especially a long one. In my training every time we ran more mileage I felt more and more accomplished.

2. Running clears my head. It is meditative and makes me feel good even after I had a bad day.

1. I can say I ran 26.2 miles, and I am just crazy enough to do it again.

Yes there are more reasons. And I'm sure I missed a ton. But those are the important ones I can think of right now. :)

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Gym....oooooh, a Gym!

Sorry. Simpsons reference. I am a total nerd.

Last night I hit the gym for some weight lifting. I can already tell the difference after three weeks of weights. I am debating whether or not to continue this as I train for the next marathon. I mean, I will definitely continue doing my arms, back, chest and abs, but I don't know about the legs. Coach Joe says it kind of depends. He doesn't necessarily think it is a good idea because if you are lifting on your non-running days your legs don't really get a rest day. That is enough for me to say I will quit weight training during marathon season. It makes sense. But he also said that plenty of people do it and don't have a problem. I mean, I am not trying to be psycho body-building girl or anything...I just can see how it can really help.

That being said, I can't even do two of the machines for legs because they irritate my knees. I guess I have answered my own question.

One thing I love about the weight room...I always feel like a total weakling because my settings on my upper body are so low. And there are usually only men in the weight room, so most times I have to take the peg and move it up like 100 pounds or something ridiculous and then I have to watch the guy after me take the peg out and move it waaaaay down after me. BUT, the settings on my legs are so high. They usually make the men look like weaklings. Ha ha ha ha ha. I'm like "yeah! Take that!" in my head. Except for last night when this older (like 70 something) slender man was doing abductions while I was doing adductions. When we switched I saw he was on 130 while I can only do 100. I sort of felt like when all the people with strollers and all of the old skinny people pass me in a race. ;)

Oh well! That is more incentive to keep in shape forever!

UPDATED 7/5/07: to include new youtube link

Monday, July 2, 2007

Fun Run

So the Hyde Park Blast was a lot of fun, and everyone did really well. The weather was sooooo much better than last year. But it was funny because I didn't remember there being so many up hills when we ran the course on Tuesday! I guess that's because Bill and I were talking the whole way and I missed them. Saturday I had my headphones on. :)

Bill and I separated from each other early on, when he tried to say something to me and I took my headphones out and he figured "she's into her music, not into talking, I'm going to do my own thing". Which was fine, because I was definitely not feeling it. I mean I didn't feel crappy like I do sometimes in a race (where I am like "ugh, when is it going to be over, my legs are sooooo heavy!"). But I definitely didn't feel great either. So, after the first half mile I decided just to have fun instead. So I didn't do badly...I finished at 36:35, which means a 9:09 pace. Eh, that's exactly what I ran the Thanksgiving Day 10k at, so not too hot. Not too bad either though, and I actually had a lot of fun.

My friends did great though. ESPECIALLY Bill! He came in at a 34:33, which is an 8:39 pace! This was his first race. And following tradition, we went to Dairy Queen for ice cream since he got a PR :) It was fun cheering on all of the Landorians.

Afterwards we all went to my friend Anne's for tons of food and mimosas. Mmmmmmm.