Today I ran 3 miles, untimed, and lifted weights.
Today, I got to the gym, lifted weights for about 15 to 20 minutes, and then ran the three miles right afterwards. I haven't been timing these runs from the gym because I have to cross two big intersections and usually have to stop for the light to change, which can take a long time at one of the intersections. It's not a big deal at all.
I don't think I'm going to be doing the weight lifting twice a week normally. Runs are MUCH harder immediately following weight lifting, even after a weight lifting session as brief as what I did today. Three miles felt like an epic battle today, while four miles yesterday felt like nothing, and it's all because of the weights. I'll definitely keep trying to lift, but it's going to be a very low priority.
I got a request for what my running shoes are, so here's a link. See y'all on Saturday. Happy Halloween!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wednesday, 10/29/08
Today I ran 4 miles with a time of 34:40.
Wow, was this a great run! There's not much to comment on here. My new running shoes are fantastic; I felt very secure and strong in them yet also felt loose and able to run fast with no hindrance. Usually with running shoes you either feel very solid but weighed down, or you feel like you can run fast but that the shoes might fly off. With these, I get the best of both worlds.
My form was perfect, there were no annoying cars or anything, and I never felt any kind of pain. Also, I got in such a groove tonight that my mind started wandering and thinking about random things, things other than running. This is actually a good thing, since it means my body and mind were comfortable enough with the run that I could relax and just let it happen instead of worrying about my form or a nagging pain or sweat.
Terrific run tonight. Four miles felt like nothing. :)
Wow, was this a great run! There's not much to comment on here. My new running shoes are fantastic; I felt very secure and strong in them yet also felt loose and able to run fast with no hindrance. Usually with running shoes you either feel very solid but weighed down, or you feel like you can run fast but that the shoes might fly off. With these, I get the best of both worlds.
My form was perfect, there were no annoying cars or anything, and I never felt any kind of pain. Also, I got in such a groove tonight that my mind started wandering and thinking about random things, things other than running. This is actually a good thing, since it means my body and mind were comfortable enough with the run that I could relax and just let it happen instead of worrying about my form or a nagging pain or sweat.
Terrific run tonight. Four miles felt like nothing. :)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Tuesday, 10/28/08
Today I ran 3 miles, untimed, and also lifted weights.
Today I took the bus to the gym after work, lifted weights for about thirty minutes or so, and then ran home. So today I saved money on gas, helped the environment a tiny bit, and got a great workout in. Sounds good! I won't be completely consistent with this plan for now. I just feel like doing weight lifting this week considering it's an easy week. I'll sporadically do this. Later on tonight, I'll do a mini-yoga routine to stretch out my tired and sore muscles.
I ran well today. For some dumb reason, I wore sweatpants to the gym today and didn't bring shorts with me. Man, running in sweats is insanely harder than running in shorts. I've definitely learned my lesson.
Also, my running form was very strong today. I've been wearing my running shoes around casually to break them in, and its worked well. I also tied them differently to great effect. So I guess it's time for that endorsement. I went to Top To Top in Santa Monica, and worked with Ryan on getting my new pair of shoes. My mom went with me, and worked with Ryan for close to an hour! So if you need a pair of shoes, check out Top to Top in Santa Monica, and ask for Ryan. He won't steer you wrong.
Today I took the bus to the gym after work, lifted weights for about thirty minutes or so, and then ran home. So today I saved money on gas, helped the environment a tiny bit, and got a great workout in. Sounds good! I won't be completely consistent with this plan for now. I just feel like doing weight lifting this week considering it's an easy week. I'll sporadically do this. Later on tonight, I'll do a mini-yoga routine to stretch out my tired and sore muscles.
I ran well today. For some dumb reason, I wore sweatpants to the gym today and didn't bring shorts with me. Man, running in sweats is insanely harder than running in shorts. I've definitely learned my lesson.
Also, my running form was very strong today. I've been wearing my running shoes around casually to break them in, and its worked well. I also tied them differently to great effect. So I guess it's time for that endorsement. I went to Top To Top in Santa Monica, and worked with Ryan on getting my new pair of shoes. My mom went with me, and worked with Ryan for close to an hour! So if you need a pair of shoes, check out Top to Top in Santa Monica, and ask for Ryan. He won't steer you wrong.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Week 2 Recap
This week I ran a total of 16 miles.
A rather eventful week, including injuries that turned out to be no problem once treated, new shoes, discovering the excellence and importance of a headband for my success in running during hot days...
Overall, I felt terrific physically this week. My one speed run, which I didn't have to do but wanted to try, was fun and my time was encouraging. My 7 miler on Saturday, while hard at first due to my new shoes, ended with me feeling tired but more than able to continue. I bet I'll feel exactly the same during the marathon, only I hope that feeling comes around Mile 20 instead of Mile 7. :)
I've also resumed yoga. This Sunday, I decided to do some "power yoga" (i.e. more flowing and active than the average yoga) and discovered two things. One is that my hips are unbelievably tight from running, something yoga will help remedy. The other is that for the second time this week, yoga has helped alleviate an injury. My right index toe, which had been consistently hurting all week, got a ton of pressure on it on Sunday from yoga, and hasn't hurt since, just like my rolled ankle from Wednesday. Man, yoga is great!
So the second week of training has been great. Next week is a stepback week on Hal Higdon's program. Every three weeks, I will be reducing mileage a little bit to rest and gear up for the next two hard weeks. Next week, though, will be a little different than a normal stepback week, since I will not only be doing more yoga, but I've decided to resume consistent weight lifting to help my body get stronger for the marathon. This will be the first time I've lifted weights with any regularity in almost four months, so this should be fun. See ya next week!
A rather eventful week, including injuries that turned out to be no problem once treated, new shoes, discovering the excellence and importance of a headband for my success in running during hot days...
Overall, I felt terrific physically this week. My one speed run, which I didn't have to do but wanted to try, was fun and my time was encouraging. My 7 miler on Saturday, while hard at first due to my new shoes, ended with me feeling tired but more than able to continue. I bet I'll feel exactly the same during the marathon, only I hope that feeling comes around Mile 20 instead of Mile 7. :)
I've also resumed yoga. This Sunday, I decided to do some "power yoga" (i.e. more flowing and active than the average yoga) and discovered two things. One is that my hips are unbelievably tight from running, something yoga will help remedy. The other is that for the second time this week, yoga has helped alleviate an injury. My right index toe, which had been consistently hurting all week, got a ton of pressure on it on Sunday from yoga, and hasn't hurt since, just like my rolled ankle from Wednesday. Man, yoga is great!
So the second week of training has been great. Next week is a stepback week on Hal Higdon's program. Every three weeks, I will be reducing mileage a little bit to rest and gear up for the next two hard weeks. Next week, though, will be a little different than a normal stepback week, since I will not only be doing more yoga, but I've decided to resume consistent weight lifting to help my body get stronger for the marathon. This will be the first time I've lifted weights with any regularity in almost four months, so this should be fun. See ya next week!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Saturday, 10/25/08
Today I ran 7 miles with a time of 1:04:30.
This was an overall great run. I got started much later than I wanted to due to a sudden bout of insomnia. I used to have insomnia when i was in college, but it's very rare nowadays. Unfortunately, that meant that, once I finally got to sleep, I slept until about 9:00. I had been planning to run around 6:30 or 7:00 to avoid the sun, but obviously no luck.
However, this gave me the chance to use that new accessory I've been dreading, the sweatband. And you know what? I love it! In fact, I'm not sure how I can get by without it. It got very hot near the end of my run, and the sweatband worked brilliantly. No sweat bothering my eyes. I take back everything I said. :)
I also tried out my new running shoes. Breaking them in at first was really bad. I think I tied them too tight, and they severely changed my running form to the point where my ankles were killing me. So I stopped after three miles, sat down, and tied them differently, and while they weren't perfect, they were much better. I have a feeling that once I break them in a bit more, and figure out how to tie them best, they'll be terrific. I'm still holding out on my endorsement of the shoe store for a week or so until the shoes feel right.
The best thing about this run was that I felt very cardiovascularly tired but not physically tired; I could have kept going with not that much more effort. This is a great sign and evidence of a terrific workout; my body can handle the stresses of running and can therefore allow my cardiovascular system to get stronger.
All in all, terrific run, love the sweatband, and can't wait for two days off from running!
This was an overall great run. I got started much later than I wanted to due to a sudden bout of insomnia. I used to have insomnia when i was in college, but it's very rare nowadays. Unfortunately, that meant that, once I finally got to sleep, I slept until about 9:00. I had been planning to run around 6:30 or 7:00 to avoid the sun, but obviously no luck.
However, this gave me the chance to use that new accessory I've been dreading, the sweatband. And you know what? I love it! In fact, I'm not sure how I can get by without it. It got very hot near the end of my run, and the sweatband worked brilliantly. No sweat bothering my eyes. I take back everything I said. :)
I also tried out my new running shoes. Breaking them in at first was really bad. I think I tied them too tight, and they severely changed my running form to the point where my ankles were killing me. So I stopped after three miles, sat down, and tied them differently, and while they weren't perfect, they were much better. I have a feeling that once I break them in a bit more, and figure out how to tie them best, they'll be terrific. I'm still holding out on my endorsement of the shoe store for a week or so until the shoes feel right.
The best thing about this run was that I felt very cardiovascularly tired but not physically tired; I could have kept going with not that much more effort. This is a great sign and evidence of a terrific workout; my body can handle the stresses of running and can therefore allow my cardiovascular system to get stronger.
All in all, terrific run, love the sweatband, and can't wait for two days off from running!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, 10/23/08
Today I ran 3 miles with a time of 26:26.
My run tonight was a testament to how important it is to treat an injury right. Yesterday, I injured my left foot, rolling my ankle pretty intensely. However, I was able to get home right away and ice and elevate it. It was feeling much better but still sore this morning, but then at lunchtime I did a little bit of yoga, and amazingly, after putting a lot of pressure on the foot during yoga, the pain swelled up for a little bit and then virtually disappeared. Tonight, I could feel no pain at all while I ran. Craziness.
The run in general felt extremely easy, and I even had to stop at one point to tie my shoe, so my time would have been even faster if not for the about ten second stop. I was running late at night, so it was much colder and sweat was not a factor. I also ran downhill today in order to put less pressure on my foot, so that contributed to my time. But what I'm happiest about is not my time, but how smooth and easy this felt. Three miles truly has become a simple and doable distance for me.
I also stopped by a running store and, with the help of an excellent sales rep, or should I say "Shoe MD" as it said on his name tag, got a wonderful new pair of shoes. I'm going to withhold judgment on them until I run in them for the first time, which will be on Saturday, but I'm confident they'll be solid shoes. I also caved in and purchased a headband! Look out!
See you on Saturday!
My run tonight was a testament to how important it is to treat an injury right. Yesterday, I injured my left foot, rolling my ankle pretty intensely. However, I was able to get home right away and ice and elevate it. It was feeling much better but still sore this morning, but then at lunchtime I did a little bit of yoga, and amazingly, after putting a lot of pressure on the foot during yoga, the pain swelled up for a little bit and then virtually disappeared. Tonight, I could feel no pain at all while I ran. Craziness.
The run in general felt extremely easy, and I even had to stop at one point to tie my shoe, so my time would have been even faster if not for the about ten second stop. I was running late at night, so it was much colder and sweat was not a factor. I also ran downhill today in order to put less pressure on my foot, so that contributed to my time. But what I'm happiest about is not my time, but how smooth and easy this felt. Three miles truly has become a simple and doable distance for me.
I also stopped by a running store and, with the help of an excellent sales rep, or should I say "Shoe MD" as it said on his name tag, got a wonderful new pair of shoes. I'm going to withhold judgment on them until I run in them for the first time, which will be on Saturday, but I'm confident they'll be solid shoes. I also caved in and purchased a headband! Look out!
See you on Saturday!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Wednesday, 10/22/08
Today I ran 3 miles in 23:48.
This was both a triumphant and frustrating run. I wanted to see if I could run fast on my hurt toe, which has been getting better every day. So I went out and instantly felt very good at a significantly faster pace than I usually do these days. So I kept it up, and felt wonderful until the last half-mile, when a driver was acting erratically and, in order to give him/her a wide berth, I darted out to the side of the street only to roll my left foot on a pine cone that had fallen from the tree above.
Now, at a relatively slow pace, this would have been annoying, but I probably could have reacted in time and avoided rolling the foot too much. But here, going at a pace three to four minutes faster than usual, I hit the pine cone HARD and instantly felt it. Thank goodness it came at the very end of the run, so I could get back home without running on the foot for very long. Fortunately, I can walk on the foot without limping, but I can feel it swelling. Again, because I got to it quickly, I was able to apply ice right away, so I'm confident I've done everything I can. We'll just have to see how it feels tomorrow.
All that aside, I had a great time running fast! The time I ran in surprises even me, but I felt very strong in terms of my running form at the end of the run. Today was almost oppressively hot, and I was dumb and didn't bring water with me to work today. While it didn't affect me too much during the day, I definitely felt it during the run, but it obviously didn't affect me too much. :)
I'm very happy with my cardiovascular level right now. The fact that I could switch gears so quickly from doing slow to fast pace and feel strong afterwards is a great feeling. Hopefully, my foot will be OK. I just took the ice off it and massaged it and it felt fine, so that's good. Until tomorrow....
This was both a triumphant and frustrating run. I wanted to see if I could run fast on my hurt toe, which has been getting better every day. So I went out and instantly felt very good at a significantly faster pace than I usually do these days. So I kept it up, and felt wonderful until the last half-mile, when a driver was acting erratically and, in order to give him/her a wide berth, I darted out to the side of the street only to roll my left foot on a pine cone that had fallen from the tree above.
Now, at a relatively slow pace, this would have been annoying, but I probably could have reacted in time and avoided rolling the foot too much. But here, going at a pace three to four minutes faster than usual, I hit the pine cone HARD and instantly felt it. Thank goodness it came at the very end of the run, so I could get back home without running on the foot for very long. Fortunately, I can walk on the foot without limping, but I can feel it swelling. Again, because I got to it quickly, I was able to apply ice right away, so I'm confident I've done everything I can. We'll just have to see how it feels tomorrow.
All that aside, I had a great time running fast! The time I ran in surprises even me, but I felt very strong in terms of my running form at the end of the run. Today was almost oppressively hot, and I was dumb and didn't bring water with me to work today. While it didn't affect me too much during the day, I definitely felt it during the run, but it obviously didn't affect me too much. :)
I'm very happy with my cardiovascular level right now. The fact that I could switch gears so quickly from doing slow to fast pace and feel strong afterwards is a great feeling. Hopefully, my foot will be OK. I just took the ice off it and massaged it and it felt fine, so that's good. Until tomorrow....
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tuesday, 10/21/08
Today I ran 3 miles... and forgot to bring my watch. Whoops! It was probably about the same time as what I did in last week's three-milers, maybe a tiny bit faster.
Today's run was very strong, especially considering what happened to me after the race I did on Sunday. I somehow injured the index toe on my right foot. The toe hurts pretty badly when I press down on it, but I can move it around OK, and I can walk on it decently. The day after it happened, I actually couldn't walk on the toe, so I had to limp and not drive. But I tried driving today with the middle of the foot, and I was able to do it with minimal problems. So I ran tonight, and except for a few times when my foot landed at an angle that favored the toe, the toe felt perfectly fine and pretty much pain-free. I'm confident it'll be fine, and thank goodness I can run on it!
In general, running is getting easier for me. I'm still a little sore all over, but nowhere near as bad as it was last week. Also, running three miles has become a very doable thing for me; it definitely seems like a relatively short run now, all things considered. See ya tomorrow!
Today's run was very strong, especially considering what happened to me after the race I did on Sunday. I somehow injured the index toe on my right foot. The toe hurts pretty badly when I press down on it, but I can move it around OK, and I can walk on it decently. The day after it happened, I actually couldn't walk on the toe, so I had to limp and not drive. But I tried driving today with the middle of the foot, and I was able to do it with minimal problems. So I ran tonight, and except for a few times when my foot landed at an angle that favored the toe, the toe felt perfectly fine and pretty much pain-free. I'm confident it'll be fine, and thank goodness I can run on it!
In general, running is getting easier for me. I'm still a little sore all over, but nowhere near as bad as it was last week. Also, running three miles has become a very doable thing for me; it definitely seems like a relatively short run now, all things considered. See ya tomorrow!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Week 1 Recap
This week I ran 15 miles.
This was a very good week of running for me. I started out feeling sore and creaky throughout my body, especially my knees, and ended the week feeling very strong physically and revved up mentally. This schedule of running four days a week is perfect for me, and I feel very confident about my chances of finishing the marathon strong.
The biggest things I need to work on are flexibility, water consumption, and sweating too much. The sweat and water consumption will go hand in hand; the more water I drink more consistently, the less salty and painful it will be. Flexibility wise, I'm just lazy when it comes to stretching, and that needs to change. I'm going to try to devote at least 10-15 minutes every night to stretching. I bet I'll feel a lot better in a month or so.
1 week down, 17 to go!
This was a very good week of running for me. I started out feeling sore and creaky throughout my body, especially my knees, and ended the week feeling very strong physically and revved up mentally. This schedule of running four days a week is perfect for me, and I feel very confident about my chances of finishing the marathon strong.
The biggest things I need to work on are flexibility, water consumption, and sweating too much. The sweat and water consumption will go hand in hand; the more water I drink more consistently, the less salty and painful it will be. Flexibility wise, I'm just lazy when it comes to stretching, and that needs to change. I'm going to try to devote at least 10-15 minutes every night to stretching. I bet I'll feel a lot better in a month or so.
1 week down, 17 to go!
Sunday, 10/19/08
Today I ran 6.2 miles (a 10-K) in 58:45 (roughly).
I had a lot of fun today running a relatively hilly but pleasant 10-K, my first race that was longer than 3 miles. I wasn't running at all for time, so I ran with my father and just had a good time. The time above says roughly because it took us about fifteen seconds to cross the starting line once the clock started, and we finished in just under 59 minutes.
I felt very strong throughout the run. I did have to stop to tie my shoe at one point, but it wasn't a big deal. The thing I'm happiest about is I got to practice walking through the water stations along the course. I'm planning on walking through most if not all of the water stations during the marathon, so this was a great chance to practice that.
Overall, a fun race, nice free T-shirt, and great practice for the marathon in regards to the water stations. Good times!
I had a lot of fun today running a relatively hilly but pleasant 10-K, my first race that was longer than 3 miles. I wasn't running at all for time, so I ran with my father and just had a good time. The time above says roughly because it took us about fifteen seconds to cross the starting line once the clock started, and we finished in just under 59 minutes.
I felt very strong throughout the run. I did have to stop to tie my shoe at one point, but it wasn't a big deal. The thing I'm happiest about is I got to practice walking through the water stations along the course. I'm planning on walking through most if not all of the water stations during the marathon, so this was a great chance to practice that.
Overall, a fun race, nice free T-shirt, and great practice for the marathon in regards to the water stations. Good times!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Thursday, 10/16/08
I ran 3 miles today with a time of 26:33.
This was a good run. I felt very strong throughout the run. Due to general laziness, I didn't actually get started on my run until it was dark out (this will become much more common once daylight savings time kicks in). I very much prefer running in the dark, which likely contributed to me feeling better today than the past two. I also didn't sweat nearly as much. I think I may buy a sweatband, just to have it for very hot days. It can't hurt.
My legs did feel tight today, especially my IT (illiotibial) band on my left leg. They're a huge, thick string of muscle that run all the way from around your hip to your knee. These are often very tight in most people, and for runners, they get even tighter than normal. Fortunately, I have a foam roller, something I discovered during my personal training days. By just lying on a packed, hard roll of foam you can buy for 10-20 bucks, and rolling on the muscle that is tight, you get the equivalent of a deep tissue massage. Try it just once on your quads and prepare to be amazed at how tight they are. :)
So I will always be taking Fridays off from running. In general, I will do my long run for the week on Saturdays, but this weekend, I'm going to try something I've never done before on Sunday: a 10-K race. That's a 6.2 mile distance, and it both fits with my schedule and seems like it will be a good experience. So, with all that, see ya on Sunday!
This was a good run. I felt very strong throughout the run. Due to general laziness, I didn't actually get started on my run until it was dark out (this will become much more common once daylight savings time kicks in). I very much prefer running in the dark, which likely contributed to me feeling better today than the past two. I also didn't sweat nearly as much. I think I may buy a sweatband, just to have it for very hot days. It can't hurt.
My legs did feel tight today, especially my IT (illiotibial) band on my left leg. They're a huge, thick string of muscle that run all the way from around your hip to your knee. These are often very tight in most people, and for runners, they get even tighter than normal. Fortunately, I have a foam roller, something I discovered during my personal training days. By just lying on a packed, hard roll of foam you can buy for 10-20 bucks, and rolling on the muscle that is tight, you get the equivalent of a deep tissue massage. Try it just once on your quads and prepare to be amazed at how tight they are. :)
So I will always be taking Fridays off from running. In general, I will do my long run for the week on Saturdays, but this weekend, I'm going to try something I've never done before on Sunday: a 10-K race. That's a 6.2 mile distance, and it both fits with my schedule and seems like it will be a good experience. So, with all that, see ya on Sunday!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Wednesday, 10/15/08
I ran 3 miles today with a time of 27:00.
Today was an interesting run. In general, I felt fine, especially at the beginning. I'm also thrilled that I'm running slow and steady; I usually go out at about an 8 minute a mile pace and end with a much faster time but exhausted. My legs, especially my quads, felt tight throughout the whole run, which compromised my form a bit.
One thing I should note here is that I have very good running form due to the drilling I got in my high school cross country team. I don't pronate, my arms swing low, and I have very good posture (way better posture than I do during the day).
The biggest problem today was again sweating. It got really bad today, to the point where I almost had to stop to rub my eyes. I did drink a ton more water than I usually do, as well as eating 100% healthy (seriously, this was an A+ day in terms of nutrition), but the sweat was almost prohibitive today. I may have to go the headband route; if it's still awful tomorrow, then I'll pick one up. Sigh...
Today was an interesting run. In general, I felt fine, especially at the beginning. I'm also thrilled that I'm running slow and steady; I usually go out at about an 8 minute a mile pace and end with a much faster time but exhausted. My legs, especially my quads, felt tight throughout the whole run, which compromised my form a bit.
One thing I should note here is that I have very good running form due to the drilling I got in my high school cross country team. I don't pronate, my arms swing low, and I have very good posture (way better posture than I do during the day).
The biggest problem today was again sweating. It got really bad today, to the point where I almost had to stop to rub my eyes. I did drink a ton more water than I usually do, as well as eating 100% healthy (seriously, this was an A+ day in terms of nutrition), but the sweat was almost prohibitive today. I may have to go the headband route; if it's still awful tomorrow, then I'll pick one up. Sigh...
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Tuesday, 10/14/08
I ran 3 miles today, with a time of 27:05.
I should note here that I am not going to be concerned at all with how fast my times are during my training here, but am going to record them for posterity. In fact, if anything, I want them to be slow!
Because of my racing background, I have a tendency to start out way too fast, which I know will cause me to burn out during the marathon. I was reading an anecdote the other day from Hal Higdon, the man whose training program I'm following, about how he went on a training run one day for a marathon, and passed by some elite Kenyan runners who were going incredibly slow, like slower than a ten-minute mile pace. Yet the next week, they were part of the lead pack in the marathon. So slow is good!
In general, I was happy with my run. I haven't been getting enough sleep lately, and my body has been suffering for it. My legs, especially my knees, felt creaky at the start, but after a mile or so, warmed up and felt strong. I finished the run tired but feeling stronger on the last mile than the first, which is always a good sign.
My biggest problems right now are dehydration and sweat. I need to drink way more water, especially with the dryness of Los Angeles. I'm going to try to drink around a gallon a day. I know that sounds like an insane amount, but I did it back in my powerlifting days, and it was great. Your joints feel much better, and after a week, your body gets used to it and you stop having to go to the bathroom every five minutes. :)
Sweat is also a problem right now. I sweat a lot, and it tends to get in my eyes. I have a feeling if I drink more water, my sweat won't be as salty and therefore stinging, but right now, it's almost unbearable when it gets in my eyes. I may resort to a headband if I have to, but I won't go geeky/80s unless absolutely necessary.
Overall, I'm optimistic and feeling a little creaky but fine. Until tomorrow!
I should note here that I am not going to be concerned at all with how fast my times are during my training here, but am going to record them for posterity. In fact, if anything, I want them to be slow!
Because of my racing background, I have a tendency to start out way too fast, which I know will cause me to burn out during the marathon. I was reading an anecdote the other day from Hal Higdon, the man whose training program I'm following, about how he went on a training run one day for a marathon, and passed by some elite Kenyan runners who were going incredibly slow, like slower than a ten-minute mile pace. Yet the next week, they were part of the lead pack in the marathon. So slow is good!
In general, I was happy with my run. I haven't been getting enough sleep lately, and my body has been suffering for it. My legs, especially my knees, felt creaky at the start, but after a mile or so, warmed up and felt strong. I finished the run tired but feeling stronger on the last mile than the first, which is always a good sign.
My biggest problems right now are dehydration and sweat. I need to drink way more water, especially with the dryness of Los Angeles. I'm going to try to drink around a gallon a day. I know that sounds like an insane amount, but I did it back in my powerlifting days, and it was great. Your joints feel much better, and after a week, your body gets used to it and you stop having to go to the bathroom every five minutes. :)
Sweat is also a problem right now. I sweat a lot, and it tends to get in my eyes. I have a feeling if I drink more water, my sweat won't be as salty and therefore stinging, but right now, it's almost unbearable when it gets in my eyes. I may resort to a headband if I have to, but I won't go geeky/80s unless absolutely necessary.
Overall, I'm optimistic and feeling a little creaky but fine. Until tomorrow!
My routes
Before I begin posting in earnest, I thought I should give you some general info about the route I typically run. There are two routes right around my house that I usually run, both for their convenience and because by a stroke of luck, one of them is .6 miles and one of them is 1.4 miles.
They are both through neighborhood streets with no streetlights. However, they are hilly. They both contain the same very long uphill, which is probably about a tenth of a mile and is relatively steep. I've run it so many times that I barely notice it anymore, but it obviously affects my fatigue level and my running times. One of the routes also has a very steep but short downhill.
Obviously, I have to deal with the general problems with neighborhood running, namely dogs and sprinklers, and typically run on sidewalks and, if necessary, asphalt. I like the routes, but will try to mix up my running locations for my long runs, especially once my runs get to around 8 or 9 miles.
So there you go. :)
They are both through neighborhood streets with no streetlights. However, they are hilly. They both contain the same very long uphill, which is probably about a tenth of a mile and is relatively steep. I've run it so many times that I barely notice it anymore, but it obviously affects my fatigue level and my running times. One of the routes also has a very steep but short downhill.
Obviously, I have to deal with the general problems with neighborhood running, namely dogs and sprinklers, and typically run on sidewalks and, if necessary, asphalt. I like the routes, but will try to mix up my running locations for my long runs, especially once my runs get to around 8 or 9 miles.
So there you go. :)
Friday, October 10, 2008
Ah, the Beginning
Welcome, one and all, to my training diary for the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon, which will also happen to be my first marathon! Thanks so much for stopping by. Let me explain a bit about myself and what I'm hoping for out of this whole diary thang.
I'm a 24 year old male, 180 pounds, six feet tall, and have an awesome job at Santa Monica College in Los Angeles as a note taker and test proctor for disabled students. I have a strong running background; I was the captain of my high school cross country team, and developed my passion for running and fitness as a result. I absolutely love racing, yet have never done a race beyond a 5-K, which for those of you not familiar with racing parlance, is a hair over 3 miles. The longest run I have done at once was 10 miles. Since my high school days, I moved to New York, have been a personal trainer and actually gravitated towards powerlifting for a number of years out there, but have returned to Los Angeles and have at long last come back to running.
I have always wanted to run a marathon, and actually trained for the New York Marathon several years back only to be rejected at the last minute in the random lottery. Since moving back to Los Angeles, I have been slowly easing myself into training for the marathon, which will start in earnest on Monday, October 13th, exactly 18 weeks before the marathon.
I have been following Hal Higdon's Novice Spring Training plan, available on his website, with stunning results. Since being on that plan, without doing any kind of speed drills or even anything other than running and minor stretching, I have become the fastest I've ever been. I can now, sprinting, run a five and a half minute mile, and can finish a 5-K pretty consistently at around 21 minutes. I've had such great success on his plan that I'm going to follow his Novice Plan for the Marathon to the letter.
This diary will basically be a daily log of what I do to prepare for the marathon. I'll post the distance I go each day, along with comments about each run. I'll also be posting my food intake starting around week 7, which will be when I start doing ten mile runs. I just took a body composition test, and found out that my body burns 3100 calories over the course of a normal day! Now that's a scary fast metabolism. Yes, you can all hate me now. I'll likely be trying to eat around 4,000 calories a day when I start my food intake. :)
Thank you all again for reading this journal and for your support. I've never done anything like this before, and while I'm obviously doing this for myself so I can chart my progress, I'd love to have this be an inspiration to others. The marathon is an amazingly long and right now daunting distance, but I'm excited, motivated, and confident. Let's do this!
I'm a 24 year old male, 180 pounds, six feet tall, and have an awesome job at Santa Monica College in Los Angeles as a note taker and test proctor for disabled students. I have a strong running background; I was the captain of my high school cross country team, and developed my passion for running and fitness as a result. I absolutely love racing, yet have never done a race beyond a 5-K, which for those of you not familiar with racing parlance, is a hair over 3 miles. The longest run I have done at once was 10 miles. Since my high school days, I moved to New York, have been a personal trainer and actually gravitated towards powerlifting for a number of years out there, but have returned to Los Angeles and have at long last come back to running.
I have always wanted to run a marathon, and actually trained for the New York Marathon several years back only to be rejected at the last minute in the random lottery. Since moving back to Los Angeles, I have been slowly easing myself into training for the marathon, which will start in earnest on Monday, October 13th, exactly 18 weeks before the marathon.
I have been following Hal Higdon's Novice Spring Training plan, available on his website, with stunning results. Since being on that plan, without doing any kind of speed drills or even anything other than running and minor stretching, I have become the fastest I've ever been. I can now, sprinting, run a five and a half minute mile, and can finish a 5-K pretty consistently at around 21 minutes. I've had such great success on his plan that I'm going to follow his Novice Plan for the Marathon to the letter.
This diary will basically be a daily log of what I do to prepare for the marathon. I'll post the distance I go each day, along with comments about each run. I'll also be posting my food intake starting around week 7, which will be when I start doing ten mile runs. I just took a body composition test, and found out that my body burns 3100 calories over the course of a normal day! Now that's a scary fast metabolism. Yes, you can all hate me now. I'll likely be trying to eat around 4,000 calories a day when I start my food intake. :)
Thank you all again for reading this journal and for your support. I've never done anything like this before, and while I'm obviously doing this for myself so I can chart my progress, I'd love to have this be an inspiration to others. The marathon is an amazingly long and right now daunting distance, but I'm excited, motivated, and confident. Let's do this!
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