Workout Recap 2/24 - 3/2

Well March came in like a lion in Nebraska.  We had a lovely dump of snow yesterday, and some wicked cold.  I made it outside twice last week despite snow and cold, we'll see how this next week shapes up!

Monday - CXWORX 30 minutes and Body Pump 60 minutes.  I normally always run on Mondays.  I decided to mix things up a little this week and take my cross training day on Monday.

Tuesday - 6 miles, 7:47 avg.  I think I blacked this run out for a reason, it sucked.  I mean it was hard.

Wednesday - CXWORX 30 minutes and 8 miles outside.  SLOW and easy.  I seriously felt like I could have ran forever!! The sidewalks had some snow and ice on them in spots, so I slowed it way down and just enjoyed everything about this run.  I went out after work, but luckily it's staying light later into the evenings, and one more week until we get to spring our clocks forward!!

Thursday - Cross training 30 minutes on the elliptical and a few weights.  Kept this really easy.

Friday - Long run 17 miles.  It was 13 degrees when I started, so I was prepared to loop home after 10 and finish out on the treadmill, but it actually was perfect outside!  I had to loop back after 10 because I didn't carry any fuel because of the cold.  I grabbed a Gu and ate half and some Powerade and headed back out for the last 7.  It felt really tough at the end.  I think I tanked out so bad because of poor fueling.  

Saturday - 6 recovery miles on the treadmill.  It was -1 outside, and snowing... It is really hard for me to stay disciplined and run easy on the treadmill.  I want to just crank up the speed and get it done.  But I cooled my jets and ran easy.  

Sunday - 40 minutes elliptical and Body Pump 60 minutes.  I'm so glad I got two full BP classes in this week!! I always feel better when I strength train!

Workout Recap 2/3 - 2/9

This was a rough week for me, as I noted in my Burnout post.  I was just completely exhausted.  Everything felt like a struggle.  This includes getting up, making it through 8 hours of work, and repeating.  I do think I was in desperate need of a cut back week, so I did just that this week.

Monday - 6 miles outside after work.  This was my first indication of lack of rest.  This was SO HARD.  My hamstrings burned for awhile, then my quads, then my calves.  It was just hard, and it shouldn't have been.  I came inside and did the following moves for a minute each as part of my challenge group.  

Tuesday - REST DAY!  I did NOTHING!  Well, I went to work... but my happy little desk job makes it easy to rest.

Wednesday - CXWORX (30 minutes) and 6 miles on the treadmill after work.  This was so bad, I didn't even take a picture afterwards.  I just couldn't get moving.

Thursday - Cross training on the elliptical and a few weights.  Nothing much, really light and quick.

Friday - Cross training again.  I did 10 minutes on the arc trainer, weights, 10 more on the arc, weights, and 40 minutes on the ellip.  I focused on upper body weights, and I'm still sore today... lovely.

Saturday - 15 miles.  This is my new personal distance record on the tread.  It wasn't FUN, but it didn't totally suck either.  I really lost track of the time.  I watched Love and Basketball (best movie ever!) and just mentally broke the run down into 3 5 milers, and that really helped.

Sunday - REST!  I through in level one of Jillian's 30 Day Shred to get some blood pumping and then I hit the foam roller.  I realized my poor feet are taking a serious beating on the treadmill.  I have matching blisters in the same place on each foot.  Hello foot soak and blister band aids!

My legs are NOT tan.  Oh the magic of a good filter...

 I'm feeling much better after a chill week, and I'm ready to face a new week.  We had some snow and cold, but temps are supposed to rise by the end of the week.  Here's to hoping I can finally get outside for some good runs!

The 4 AM Club – Tips for early morning running

I used to have a limit, or rule if you will, about the absolute earliest I would ever run.  The earliest I would ever allow an alarm was 4:47AM.  I broke the rule, and it wasn’t even that hard.  Thank the time change.  3:55 AM, my eye balls popped open BEFORE my 4:00 AM alarm.  Like I said, if not for the time change, this would not have happened.  But my bed times had been skirting around the 8:30 range the last two nights.  So this was just sort of my body going by it’s normal clock.

To make a long story short, I had a time crunch, I needed to be in the car with my co-worker by 6:15 to head out for a work conference.  I wanted to run 6 miles.  SO, I started at 4:10 AM.  And it didn’t suck.

Tips for morning running and getting your tail out of bed:

-          - PLAN!!!! You must plan ahead.  Set a goal, an alarm, and all of your gear out the night before so it’s right there, and takes little time for you to gather.

-          - Go to bed early.  This goes with the planning aspect.  If you know you are running early, or earlier than you normally would, make sure to plan ahead and get to bed in time.  Cut caffeine off early in the day and start winding down so you can fall asleep.  This is really easy for me, I always seem to be tanked and ready for bed.  I’m also a good sleeper (if this exists)  I very rarely have issues falling or staying asleep, and I don’t have kids to wake me up!

-          - Go to bed visualizing your run.  This might sound crazy, but it works for me!  I visualize the workout, the route, or my plan for the morning.  Am I doing a tempo? Steady state? How many miles?  This helps and it also is a good motivator.

-          - Have your fuel ready.  I don’t eat anything, but I do drink something.  I have my Spark in my shaker bottle, and my 3 Catalyst on the counter waiting for me.  I take them immediately, that way by the time I get dressed, they have kicked in and give me the boost I need.

-          - Remind yourself WHY you are doing this.  For me, it’s usually “you get to come home after work and watch General Hospital” or “this beats going to the crowded Y.”  Or in yesterday’s case, it was really the only time I could do it.  I knew I’d be camped on my butt all day long in the car and in training, and wouldn’t have the energy to do a dang thing when we got home (this was the case) so I was extra motivated, and extra glad I did it!

Don’t expect to become a morning runner overnight.  It takes some getting used to.  I started last summer, and only did it when it was horribly hot out.  By September, I was back to running after work in the evenings or not at all.  (I kind of fell off the wagon after race season)  It’s not always easy, and can wear you down if you don’t take the rest when you need it.  I make sure to sleep in on my cross training days and do it after work or on my lunch break.  Having those “sleep in” days help me get through the week, and help me wake up more motivated the next early day.  It’s routine for me now, and second nature, but it took time to get there.  It’s like training for a race, you have to train your body to be able to respond and get going early.

THIS ISN’T FOR EVERYONE!  I so get that.  I can’t imagine the thought of evening running, like after 7pm.  Some people always run in the evenings.  Some people just aren’t morning people.  Some people think I’m bat sh*t crazy.  Everyone is different.  If I didn’t have to work 8-5, I would not run at 5AM.  My personal favorite time is that 7AM range.

Random tidbits from yesterday:

-         - FOUR.  The time I ran, and the number of cups of coffee I had.  One latte from Scooters and three cups of good ol’ black coffee during training.  I love coffee, but I typically don’t drink any during the week.  One day a week tops.  So this was a lot, and the top of my head was tingling.

-         - Mahoney State Park is just gorgeous.  If you can make it there during the fall, DO IT!  Wow.  I wished we could have been outside walking the trails or biking instead of inside.

-         - I hate to drive.

-         - Don’t trust the “fuel range” mile indicator on your car.  I was a block away from the gas station, and was 95% sure I was going to have to get out and push it there… oops.

-         - I really hate being in the car.

Running Quiz

My running idol Janae @ The Hungry Runner Girl posted this a while back.  I stumbled across it again, and decided to have some fun!

1.  On average how many races do you run a year?
Well, last year I ran 7 races, this year I've ran 8 so far?  I didn't actually look, and I can't always count... so I guess my average would be 7.5!  Yeah, half a race.  I went there...

1st Race EVERRR

2.  Things you have to run with: 
My iPod nano, Nike Plus Sportwatch, Pro Compression, and depending on the distance and weather, my Nathan Shot Bottle with Powerade Zero.  I rarely run without music, sometimes it's refreshing to, but most of the time I need it.  It took me a LONG time to be able to convince myself I don't always need my shot bottle.  It was my baby blanket.  I always have to have my watch. ALWAYS.  I can't run naked.

 
3.  Where do your workouts come from?  A training plan, a coach, whatever you feel like doing that day or what your training partner is doing that day?
When I'm training for a race, a rough idea of a workout comes from a training plan.  Right now I'm doing whatever I feel like.  I don't have a training partner... and I don't have a coach, BUT I'm considering the online coach for next year!


4.  How many miles on average do you put on a pair of shoes?
300 has seemed to be max at this point.  My poor shins and feet just crumble after 300.

Wave Rider LOVE! The only shoes I run in

5.  Cell phone- do you bring it with you on your run or leave it at home?
I almost always leave it at home.  I've been in several situations where I've wanted or needed it, but I still haven't learned my lesson to bring it.  I hate arm bands, but I did pick up a nice little hand held phone carrier.  


6. What was your last running related injury or have you been an injury free runner?
What's an injury free runner?  My most recent was my hip flexor.  I've dealt with shin splints, and my swollen foot issue last year.  

7.  Is your current running goal about running a farther distance (adding more mileage) or getting faster or BOTH?!?
My CURRENT goal is speed.  I don't have any more races or anything major going on, and I'm really just watching precious outdoor time tick away (Nebraska winter right around the corner).  I've found the cooler temps right now have made speed effortless.  I feel much stronger and faster than I did at the beginning of the year.  Of course the long term goal will always be about the marathon.

8.  Speedwork—->  at the track, on the treadmill, on the roads or never do it?
Tready.  I can't seem to get myself down to a track, and roads are hard, I would probably end up tripping and falling.

9.  Stretching after a run:  hit the ground after a run and get stretching, stretch in the shower, stretch once you get to work/school, skip the stretching? 
IMMEDIATELY after!  I've learned my lesson!  After every run I grab some Powerade Zero, some chocolate milk, and hit the foam roller and stretch.  Every. single. run.  I used to think I could stretch in the shower and call it good.  And surprise, I got hurt.

10.  What was your reason(S) for starting to run?  
I used to do a mile here or there for cardio.  I don't remember why I signed up for that first 5K, but I can't imagine life had I not!

  

Every mile a memory...

This week I hit 1,000 miles for 2013.  I started running here and there in the summer of 2011 and  2012 was my first year of actually deciding I liked it.  My 2012 mile total was 546.

So, with a new year, I’ve almost doubled last year’s total, and ran a few more races.  Within those additional few hundred miles, I’ve learned many a lesson, had many a memory, good and bad…

Mile 1 – this was in January, obviously.  I started a new trend of Sunday morning treadmill running.  I remember turning on “Buckwild” on MTV (RIP Shain) and plugging away at some preset workouts.  These were tough!  I went slow.  Really slow.  I had completely lost running fitness last winter and I had gained a few pounds.  Treadmill running is always more difficult for me anyway, but I remember those first few workouts being killer.  

Somewhere around mile 62 - my life changed.  My Nike GPS Sport Watch arrived.  This was a huge milestone, and a major turning point in my running career.  Last year, I ran with my iPod and Nike +.  I calibrated it for accuracy, but it would never be quite right.  I finally had a REAL tool to know how far and how fast I was going.  I remember my first run with it, it was in February.  I through on a sweatshirt and some capris and headed out after work.  It was a really nice day for February, and the fresh, cold air was the first runner’s high of the year!

Approximately mile 147 - March, my first race of the year!  It was so miserably cold and windy.  But I was determined to plow through those 5 miles and

score a medal.  I placed 2^nd in my age group, which at the time was a real bummer.  I knew I could do better, I just had to work for it.

Longest mile – Well, it was still the exact length of ONE mile, but the longest mile of the year award goes to the HILL mile of the Yankton RiverRat half marathon.  Mile 10.  I focused my entire race strategy and pace around having enough gas in the tank to get up that stupid hill.  It was long and tough, but reaching the top was the greatest feeling, and I cranked out the rest of the race much faster than I thought it would.

Finishing the RiverRat half

 

Fastest mile – 6:55 first mile of the Governor’s Cup in Lincoln.  Nothing like starting too fast.

“I love life mile” – somewhere in the Omaha Half Marathon.  This was just perfect all around.

Slowest mile – 10:09 in the middle of a rough morning run.  I had some sort of issue with my quad and IT band.  It was a bad knot, not sure where it came from, but it was quick to go away.  I was 3 miles from home and needed to get back there quickly to have time to shower and make it to work on time.  It was completely devastating for me to see the 10 on my watch.  

Hands down most miserable mile ever, like please shoot me and put me out of my misery – ok, there have been more than one of these.  They are always the last 1-2 miles from home, and the reason I’m asking to be shot is because that would be less painful than my stomach at that time.  So these are the “runner’s trot” miles.  You know EXACTLY what I’m talking about.

Most painful mile – Mile 11 of what was supposed to be an 18 mile training run for my marathon. This was when I finally stopped and walked limped home because of my hip.  Bawling most of the way.

I still refer to this as Mary Decker day

Whether it was fast or slow, rainy or dry, dreadmill or road, windy or calm, race or a 5AM weekday, every mile has a story and a memory.  If my brain could spit out a transcript of every thought that’s gone through it in those miles, lord knows it would be long, and no one would probably want to read it… Here’s to those wonderful, painful, miserable, glorious miles, and thousands more to come. 

Workout Recap 10/20 - 10/27

Monday – REST.  Ended up home with a weird stomach bug.  So rest was literally couch, all day.

Tuesday – 7.5 miles (8:41 avg)  I was still not feeling the best, this run was proof of that.
PM – CXWORX (30 minutes)

Wednesday – 7 miles (8:22)  Easy and basic.
Noon – 30 minutes weights.

Thursday – Cross training.  60 minutes arc trainer and some abs.

Friday – 7 miles (8:14)  Felt AWESOME!  It was a struggle to get out of bed, but I’m very glad I pushed through.  Noon - CXWORX (30 minutes)

Saturday – Harvest Hustle 10K 6.2 miles (7:35 avg) and 4 mile cool down (8:01 avg)  10.2 miles for the day.

 

Sunday – Easy bike ride to the Y, weights and abs (60 minutes)