This week I ran 23.2 miles (I should have run 19 miles).
What a bizarre week. It didn't seem like a long week, but now that it's Sunday, it feels like the week has gone on forever. My running this week was hampered by me getting a little sick at the beginning of the week and not being able to sleep during the work week (I had insomnia on Monday and never completely recovered from it until Thursday night). I actually felt very strong running all throughout this week, but mentally I was just drained.
So Monday through Thursday went fine, and then Saturday was about as crazy of a running day as I've had. Read the Saturday post for what happened, but I ended up running a little more than four miles than I should have yesterday for a total of 13.2 miles in one day! That's easily the most mileage I've ever done in one day, and I felt very strong the whole time, both physically and mentally. I'm definitely getting much stronger as a runner, both in pacing myself and my body feeling fit and balanced. Now I just need to get my eating healthier and more regimented.
A rather crazy week, but an overall excellent one. Usually, I do cross-training of some sort on Sundays, like swimming or yoga, but because of my day yesterday, I'm making an executive decision and resting for two days to let my body recover without exertion of any kind. I might go on a longish walk just to stretch out. Phew!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Saturday, 11/8/08
Today I ran a total of 13.2 miles (that's just over half a marathon!), broken up into two separate runs. See what happened below.
Today was ridiculous. I had to abort my planned long run about halfway through for two reasons. The first was one of the crazier things I've experienced running. There is a police academy right next to my house, and quite often, the cadets run around our neighborhood. When they do this, it's an event, with cop cars trailing them and stopping traffic and the cadets yelling at the top of their lungs and so on.
Well, I randomly got caught in the middle of their "run" (I'm putting that in quotes because about 75% of them were barely running, more like traipsing) and was forced to sprint up a big hill in order to get out of their way. This was during the first mile of my run, which had up to that point been going great. Once I sprinted up the hill, however, everything went wrong.
My calves tightened up from the effort, and to top it all off, the day became sweltering. I ran about three more miles, but realized that I was doing myself more harm than good. This is the first time in a long time that I've become legitimately overheated; when I walked in the house, I almost threw up! It was awful.
So I've come to a conclusion about how I'm going to do these long runs. The runs that are longer than I've gone before, such as this one and the next, which will be ten miles, I will do at night. It's much more important to cover the distance and get my body used to running the distance than it is to practice in heat. In terms of heat, I will do my long runs during my stepback weeks, which feature longish runs, in the morning. This will let me be in my element during the most challenging runs, and still let me practice in the heat.
EDIT: I ended up doing my 9 mile run tonight, as in Saturday night, as in about 12 hours after my terrible run this morning. I felt fine, the weather was perfect, and I really wanted to get the run done. So I just gritted my teeth and did it, and to my complete and utter shock it went brilliantly. I felt very strong, and actually held down a consistent 8 minute/mile pace for the first 4 miles of it. I then stopped to practice drinking water during a long run, and when I started up again, things went a little slower. But I felt very strong throughout the whole run; I was able to maintain a steady, solid pace throughout and never once felt overexerted.
There was nothing eventful about the 9-miler; everything running-wise went very smoothly. Oh, there were the oddities such as the truck that just stopped in the middle of an intersection I was approaching and didn't move (I ended up running behind him, at which point he sped off) or the guy who just seemed to be standing in his driveway for no reason at 11:45 on a Saturday night. He warned me about a car coming towards me that was very far away, and that I never came close to having any conflict with. Thanks, random guy. Thanks.
The thing I gained from today was a reminder/rediscovery of a mental toughness that I've always had but that I rarely exercise. Today, I just got the work I needed to do done, and did it without much thought or with any complaint. I listened to my body well, ran a great 9-miler tonight, and ended up running more miles in one day than I've ever done before.
So even though I had a lousy starting run, it ended up contributing to a very powerful and triumphant running day. If I can handle doing 13.2 miles in one day only four weeks into my training, I'm extremely confident that I can handle a marathon in 14 weeks. Amazing day!
Today was ridiculous. I had to abort my planned long run about halfway through for two reasons. The first was one of the crazier things I've experienced running. There is a police academy right next to my house, and quite often, the cadets run around our neighborhood. When they do this, it's an event, with cop cars trailing them and stopping traffic and the cadets yelling at the top of their lungs and so on.
Well, I randomly got caught in the middle of their "run" (I'm putting that in quotes because about 75% of them were barely running, more like traipsing) and was forced to sprint up a big hill in order to get out of their way. This was during the first mile of my run, which had up to that point been going great. Once I sprinted up the hill, however, everything went wrong.
My calves tightened up from the effort, and to top it all off, the day became sweltering. I ran about three more miles, but realized that I was doing myself more harm than good. This is the first time in a long time that I've become legitimately overheated; when I walked in the house, I almost threw up! It was awful.
So I've come to a conclusion about how I'm going to do these long runs. The runs that are longer than I've gone before, such as this one and the next, which will be ten miles, I will do at night. It's much more important to cover the distance and get my body used to running the distance than it is to practice in heat. In terms of heat, I will do my long runs during my stepback weeks, which feature longish runs, in the morning. This will let me be in my element during the most challenging runs, and still let me practice in the heat.
EDIT: I ended up doing my 9 mile run tonight, as in Saturday night, as in about 12 hours after my terrible run this morning. I felt fine, the weather was perfect, and I really wanted to get the run done. So I just gritted my teeth and did it, and to my complete and utter shock it went brilliantly. I felt very strong, and actually held down a consistent 8 minute/mile pace for the first 4 miles of it. I then stopped to practice drinking water during a long run, and when I started up again, things went a little slower. But I felt very strong throughout the whole run; I was able to maintain a steady, solid pace throughout and never once felt overexerted.
There was nothing eventful about the 9-miler; everything running-wise went very smoothly. Oh, there were the oddities such as the truck that just stopped in the middle of an intersection I was approaching and didn't move (I ended up running behind him, at which point he sped off) or the guy who just seemed to be standing in his driveway for no reason at 11:45 on a Saturday night. He warned me about a car coming towards me that was very far away, and that I never came close to having any conflict with. Thanks, random guy. Thanks.
The thing I gained from today was a reminder/rediscovery of a mental toughness that I've always had but that I rarely exercise. Today, I just got the work I needed to do done, and did it without much thought or with any complaint. I listened to my body well, ran a great 9-miler tonight, and ended up running more miles in one day than I've ever done before.
So even though I had a lousy starting run, it ended up contributing to a very powerful and triumphant running day. If I can handle doing 13.2 miles in one day only four weeks into my training, I'm extremely confident that I can handle a marathon in 14 weeks. Amazing day!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Thursday, 11/6/2008
Today I ran 3 miles in 28:18 and lifted weights...a little.
This was about as ho-hum a run as I've had in this training. Nothing great, nothing bad, just covering the distance and doing it with a decent time. The only thing of note about tonight's run was that for some inexplicable reason, I had to stop three times to let cars go by at usually very quiet intersections. This is really the first night I've had to do that since I started up running again about 4 months ago now, and to have to do it three times is bizarre. But definitely not a big deal.
I also did a very minor lifting session with some weights around the house. They were very light weights, so I did high repetitions for endurance. It wasn't much, but every little bit counts. I also did a little bit of yoga to stretch out my muscles, which felt nice.
I am bone tired. As I mentioned yesterday, I'm a little bit sick and for some reason, I haven't been sleeping at all this week. My body and mind are all out of whack, so running has been somewhat of a slog this week. But I've gotten it done, and am looking forward to my long run on Saturday. Now to attempt to sleep for longer than a couple of hours at once. Sigh.... See you on Saturday!
This was about as ho-hum a run as I've had in this training. Nothing great, nothing bad, just covering the distance and doing it with a decent time. The only thing of note about tonight's run was that for some inexplicable reason, I had to stop three times to let cars go by at usually very quiet intersections. This is really the first night I've had to do that since I started up running again about 4 months ago now, and to have to do it three times is bizarre. But definitely not a big deal.
I also did a very minor lifting session with some weights around the house. They were very light weights, so I did high repetitions for endurance. It wasn't much, but every little bit counts. I also did a little bit of yoga to stretch out my muscles, which felt nice.
I am bone tired. As I mentioned yesterday, I'm a little bit sick and for some reason, I haven't been sleeping at all this week. My body and mind are all out of whack, so running has been somewhat of a slog this week. But I've gotten it done, and am looking forward to my long run on Saturday. Now to attempt to sleep for longer than a couple of hours at once. Sigh.... See you on Saturday!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Wednesday, 11/5/08
Today I ran 4 miles in 34:00.
Ah, now this was a run! Why are 4-milers easier than 3-milers for me now? :)
Actually, the fact that they're easier is probably a sign that my body is adapting to performing better at long distances as opposed to racing for relatively short bursts, which is terrific. I tried picking up the pace significantly during the last mile, and it worked out great; I'm definitely figuring out how to pace myself so I have something left in the tank at the end.
Also, I wore my new shoes today with no problems. Since my old pair isn't exactly worn out, I think I'm going to alternate running with my new pair and my old pair in order to save the new shoes from getting too worn out.
Some miscellaneous things. I have a bizarre quasi-injury on my left lat(upper back) muscle. It starts getting really tense about a mile into runs and actually hurting quite a bit, but then goes away about half a mile later and never comes back. I didn't mention it before because I thought it was a one-time quirk, but clearly not. Also, I'm a little sick right now and haven't been sleeping well, so I'm thrilled and a little shocked that my runs have been going as well as they have.
And with that, I'm going to attempt to go to sleep. Night!
Ah, now this was a run! Why are 4-milers easier than 3-milers for me now? :)
Actually, the fact that they're easier is probably a sign that my body is adapting to performing better at long distances as opposed to racing for relatively short bursts, which is terrific. I tried picking up the pace significantly during the last mile, and it worked out great; I'm definitely figuring out how to pace myself so I have something left in the tank at the end.
Also, I wore my new shoes today with no problems. Since my old pair isn't exactly worn out, I think I'm going to alternate running with my new pair and my old pair in order to save the new shoes from getting too worn out.
Some miscellaneous things. I have a bizarre quasi-injury on my left lat(upper back) muscle. It starts getting really tense about a mile into runs and actually hurting quite a bit, but then goes away about half a mile later and never comes back. I didn't mention it before because I thought it was a one-time quirk, but clearly not. Also, I'm a little sick right now and haven't been sleeping well, so I'm thrilled and a little shocked that my runs have been going as well as they have.
And with that, I'm going to attempt to go to sleep. Night!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Tuesday, 11/4/08
Today I ran 3 miles untimed.
Tonight's run was terrific except for my new shoes. I'm still trying to figure out how to lace them. They came untied twice during the run. Grrr....
But, I felt terrific tonight. At one point, I felt so relaxed and strong that on a straightaway I tried closing my eyes for about ten seconds. It was a really neat and calming experience, and one I might try on my next long run to just focus and center myself.
Daylight Savings Time has of course completely changed my running experience at night, since now there's virtually no way to run during daylight. I think I'm going to try and switch to running in the mornings pretty soon, just so I can practice running in an environment that's closer to what I'll be running in during the marathon.
Overall, great run, I'll figure out the shoes, and when I finished my run and walked in the house, Obama had been elected president! Crazy cool!
Tonight's run was terrific except for my new shoes. I'm still trying to figure out how to lace them. They came untied twice during the run. Grrr....
But, I felt terrific tonight. At one point, I felt so relaxed and strong that on a straightaway I tried closing my eyes for about ten seconds. It was a really neat and calming experience, and one I might try on my next long run to just focus and center myself.
Daylight Savings Time has of course completely changed my running experience at night, since now there's virtually no way to run during daylight. I think I'm going to try and switch to running in the mornings pretty soon, just so I can practice running in an environment that's closer to what I'll be running in during the marathon.
Overall, great run, I'll figure out the shoes, and when I finished my run and walked in the house, Obama had been elected president! Crazy cool!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Week 3 Recap
This week I ran a total of 15 miles.
This was an all over the place week. I had both a perfect run and a terrible run this week, with only a mile difference between them. I introduced weight training back into my fitness regimen, which felt great but was much more taxing than I had anticipated. I'm also still getting used to my new running shoes, which I know will be terrific once I grow into them.
The good thing is that I felt high energy all throughout this week, both at work and during training. This can only be a good sign; my body is not overtaxed and is in fact likely adjusting well to the training. I need to introduce stretching into my day on a daily basis, which I'll try to do next week.
This was a "stepback" week on the training program, with decreased mileage in order to rest and get ready for the coming weeks. Next week, my long run is going to be nine miles, which sounds somewhat crazy to me, but I know I can do it. Now for a lovely day off tomorrow!
This was an all over the place week. I had both a perfect run and a terrible run this week, with only a mile difference between them. I introduced weight training back into my fitness regimen, which felt great but was much more taxing than I had anticipated. I'm also still getting used to my new running shoes, which I know will be terrific once I grow into them.
The good thing is that I felt high energy all throughout this week, both at work and during training. This can only be a good sign; my body is not overtaxed and is in fact likely adjusting well to the training. I need to introduce stretching into my day on a daily basis, which I'll try to do next week.
This was a "stepback" week on the training program, with decreased mileage in order to rest and get ready for the coming weeks. Next week, my long run is going to be nine miles, which sounds somewhat crazy to me, but I know I can do it. Now for a lovely day off tomorrow!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Saturday, 11/1/08
Today I ran 5 miles, untimed.
This was a very rough run. I ran early in the morning, and for some reason, even though I made sure to stretch, my calves were extremely tight, enough to greatly hinder my run. At first, I thought the problem was my shoes, so I stopped and tried to retie them, but that didn't change a thing. In the end, I had to run very slowly and stop several times to make sure I didn't injure myself. This was immensely frustrating due to my cardiovascular system feeling perfectly fine and strong, but my calves not cooperating.
This has taught me a couple of things. For one thing, I need to practice running in the morning more. If my body is going to be this tight during the marathon, which is of course run in the morning, there is no way I'll be able to finish. I also need to figure out some of sort of warm-up routine in the morning that loosens me up much more. At least I'm not injured, and I know I'm physically capable of this run.
So, a frustrating run but an educational one. These kinds of runs are just as valuable as excellent runs like the one I did this Wednesday. I now know what my body needs and will do my best to accommodate it.
This was a very rough run. I ran early in the morning, and for some reason, even though I made sure to stretch, my calves were extremely tight, enough to greatly hinder my run. At first, I thought the problem was my shoes, so I stopped and tried to retie them, but that didn't change a thing. In the end, I had to run very slowly and stop several times to make sure I didn't injure myself. This was immensely frustrating due to my cardiovascular system feeling perfectly fine and strong, but my calves not cooperating.
This has taught me a couple of things. For one thing, I need to practice running in the morning more. If my body is going to be this tight during the marathon, which is of course run in the morning, there is no way I'll be able to finish. I also need to figure out some of sort of warm-up routine in the morning that loosens me up much more. At least I'm not injured, and I know I'm physically capable of this run.
So, a frustrating run but an educational one. These kinds of runs are just as valuable as excellent runs like the one I did this Wednesday. I now know what my body needs and will do my best to accommodate it.
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