Archive for the ‘Training (running, cycling, etc.)’ Category
9/26/10 – Another Attempt at a 2 Mile Run….
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on October 2nd, 2010
So, I tried for the 2 mile mark, again. This time I ran alone, still wearing my new stability shoes. This time, I had a few problems.
The first half mile was great. I was feeling good and moving at a nice pace of about 9.5 min per mile. Then, my right calf started to cramp.
I have not had a cramp in my right calf while running before, and, let me tell you, it is not fun. I kept going for a 1/4 mile until it was just excruciating. Then, I decided to stop and stretch it out.
However, when I started to run again, it cramped right back up. ARRRRGGGHHH!!!!
Needless to say, I did not run much further that day. What a disappointment. I figured I would run a couple of times that week, but since I am writing this well after, I can report that between my job and my social life this past week, I did not run again.
Meh.
Training is getting very difficult right now. I’m not sure what is holding me back so much, but I can recount a few things:
– Getting out of bed in the morning to get to the gym before work is simply NOT happening.
-Going to the gym after work is NOT happening.
-Getting to the gym is simply not happening, which also means that running is not happening.
What am I going to do about this situation? I am not sure. I am going to make getting to the gym BEFORE work a priority b/c then I will not have/need to slog around town with my gym stuff in my bag. We shall see….
9/18/10 – A 2 mile Run! – I had a little help from my friends…
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on October 2nd, 2010
So, after such a wonderful experience with the race, I figured I would up my training with a longer run. I also invited my husband to join me, and he did. I’m glad he did because I was not quite as up to the task as I was last week at the race.
We started running downhill toward the waterfront where we live. I truly despise running downhill because it is so jarring to my knees and back, even though I was wearing my stability shoes. However, here we were going downhill, which does lend itself to speed. The terrain leveled out at the water, and we began to run along a long flat stretch. I was really flagging. So, I decided in my head that I would run one mile and take a 1/4 mile breather/walk before starting my second mile. I told my husband to be prepared b/c I was going to walk. He encouraged me to keep going, but I was tired and a little scared that I might over do it and cause my posterior tibial tendon to flare up again.
So, I walked at my one mile mark.
I then decided to run the last mile.
OMG – that was so hard! What a mind game! I ran a half mile, gave up, but my husband urged me on. Then at the last .1 mile to go, I completely gave up. My husband did not. He placed his hand on my back and began to literally push me to finish. So, I did.
That two mile run was one of the most difficult ever. I know that I upped my training from an easy 1.5 miles with walks in between to trying to do 2 miles straight through, but, seriously, that was intense.
I am happy to report that I did not have a tendon flare up, and the rest of my body (right shoulder included) did just fine.
Not so sure I’m keeping 2 miles as my training distance, though….
9/12/10 – Aflac Iron Girl 5K: I Ran the Whole Thing! Plus, a VIDEO!!!
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on September 18th, 2010
OMG! As the valley girl would say, I ran the whole thing! All 3.1 miles!
It was a beautiful, overcast, 60 degree Sunday morning. Although rain had been forecast, not a drop was falling. I was all set with my new stability shoes and my racing chip attached.
I had never run in a race before. I’ve been to several of my husband’s races, but it is very different when you are the participant. The mass of people exuded an energy that is so infectious that you cannot help but feel excited and exhilarated. To say the very least, I was pumped!
After arriving an hour and a half early (b/c they said to), we finally got to line up according to our average mile time. I chose the end of the 10 minute mile as I have been clocking around 10:40 seconds per mile in training (but that was only running 1.5 miles with walking in between). I hoped I had not chosen incorrectly.
After the national anthem where no one sang, which I thought was so weird (Tangent: I love singing the national anthem, and I figured that being surrounded by a bunch of women, I would get a great chance to sing in an impromptu chorus. Nope, no one sang.), the Aflac duck screamed the start, and we were off!
My heart was racing as I wondered if I would be able to run the entire 3 miles. Then, I decided right there in the chute that I would run the three miles. I weaved through the clump of women as we all began to find our paces. The first mile was cake. Then, in the middle of the second mile, I started getting tired. That’s when the mind over matter became very real for me.
It was my determination to keep going, not my physical prowess, that kept my body jogging. I had one thought, “I want to be able to tell everyone that I ran the whole thing!” I did not want my first race to be me wimping out half way through!
Thus, I kept that mantra in my head the rest of the way, and it worked!!!
Now, as I hit the chute for the finish, it was about 150 or 200 yards until the finish line. I decided to sprint this last part because it wasn’t that long, and I figured I might as well. So, off I go. In my mind, I was running like the wind. I had Chariots of Fire in my head. Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun, dun dun dun dunnnnnn….. I could feel that I was really extending my legs and making huge strides toward that finish line!!! Boy was I looking good in my head!
So, when I finished and found my husband, he told me that he had videoed my finish. I was so excited!! I could see how good I really looked! Yay!
Here’s the video – I’m in the pink hat:
Alright, I couldn’t help but laugh my ass off at this video. I looked nothing like I was picturing! Where’s my awesome extension??? What about the speed? Where did that sway back come from???
Man, I’ve got some work to do. However, let’s not lament here. There is a lot of good stuff to say. For example, when comparing my first ever run video from April, I definitely have a lot more extension than I had then. I’m just not at an olympic athlete range like I was picturing myself as being. So, all is not lost.
Overall, my finish stats were good! Especially considering how spotty my training was.
I placed 371 out of 1371 – that means that out of the total 1371 ladies who ran, I finished before 1000 of them! Not bad 🙂
In my age group, 30-34, I came in 65 out of 255! I was in the top third! Also, not bad 🙂
My time was 32:50, which is an average pace of just under 11 minutes per mile. Woohoo!!! I maintained my estimated pace!
I enjoyed this race so much that I think I’ll try to find another one, and soon! I’m going to stick with 5K for a little while longer to make sure my feet are ready. This race did not cause any symptoms in my left foot, which is awesome. I am so relieved!
Anyway, onto training!!!
8/23/10 – Run 9A – 1.5 miles :-)
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 29th, 2010
On Monday (8/23), I ventured forth to run my longest run for the summer:
walk 1/4, run 3/4, walk 1/4, run 3/4.
After not having much luck in this area for the past few runs, I was not overly confident that I could make it. However, I did! But I did break the “if you have symptoms, stop†rule on the run. For the last 1/4 mile of running, my right knee was “complainingâ€. I really wanted to make this distance, though. So, I powered through to the end.
I iced as soon as possible on my right knee, my left posterior tibial tendon (for good measure) and my right shoulder (more on that later). You should try icing all those at one time; it’s a very entertaining balancing act.
Anyway, the next day, I did not have any trouble with my right knee, nor did I have issues with my left posterior tibial tendon. I did, however, have a problem with my left shoulder, which had been building over the last month.
Well, at least I made my distance!!!
8/14/10 – Run 8A – The HEAT! The HEAT!
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 14th, 2010
Having changed locations from the lovely and cool northwest to the much hotter and more humid southeast, i.e. Tennessee, and I must run in the wee hours of the morning so that the temperature is below 80. However, early morning is not necessarily my strength. So, I was out by 8am and 80 degrees. OMG.
Goal today:
walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4, run 3/4, walk 1/4.
Actual run:
walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 0.2, run 0.62, walk 1/4.
It was great running today! My ankles felt awesome, which could have been partially attributed to the gravel I was running on rather than the usual concrete/asphalt combo. Still in the stability shoes and orthotics. The great challenge was surviving the heat.
Not only is the temperature higher, the intensity of the sun is also much greater! So, when I was not in the shade, the sun was beating down upon my head. It felt like my head was going to explode.
I was really close to the goal and had there been a few more trees providing shade, I might have made it. Also, I could have gotten up an hour earlier 😉
Anyway, a success to me.
8/10/10 – Run 7A – Trying for 1.25 Miles, not so much.
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 10th, 2010
Today, I was going for upping my mileage to
Walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4, run 3/4, walk 1/4.
The first half mile run was going well. My ankle felt great, my quads a little tight, but not too bad. So, I tried for 3/4 mile, but I only made it to 1/2 mile on the second run due to the small, yet, sharp pain running up my posterior tibial tendon just above my left ankle. Even though I could have kept going, I kept hearing Travis in my ear saying, “There should be no symptoms. Stop running if you have symptoms.” Well, I guess a pain in my tendon counts as a symptom.
I will try again to up the mileage next time. For now, one mile it is!
Oh, I was wearing my stability running shoes and prescription orthotics.
Also, next time I run, it will be 90 degrees outside – geeze!
8/8/10 – Run 6A, One Mile! No Stride-Outs.
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 10th, 2010
Finally, one mile feels good! I did the usual:
walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4.
The run parts felt really good. No fatigue in my feet! Still in my stability shoes and prescription orthotics.
I decided not to do stride-outs because I think my quads need a little more time to heal and stretch. I am not interested in actually tearing them. So, I figure I’ll get to the stride-outs soon.
All in good time, my pretty. All in good time.
8/3/10 – Run 5A with Stride Outs? NOT!
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 7th, 2010
So, on Tuesday after I completed my workout, I decided to meet up with my friend and do another run:
Walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4.
The run went really well! I am still wearing my stability shoes and prescription orthotics. The run felt good – my ankle was happy. All was well….that is, until I decided to do some stride-outs.
We headed down to a park with a long stretch of grass, and I put on my barefoot shoes. I started the sprint and my quads were stretching to the max. As I ran faster and faster, my quads felt as though they were truly tearing. I stopped about 50 feet in and could run no more.
The pain was excruciating. I was afraid I had really torn my muscles, except for the fact that I was still standing, and I could, in fact, walk.
Stretching at this point was out of the question. The pain felt as sharp as a knife – a good knife with a well honed blade.
Needless to say, I limped home and moved as little as possible.
Now I was so ready for my chiropractic appointment and massage.
This process is really trying on one’s determination. Sometimes I feel like I take two steps forward and three steps back. The quads feel like three steps back. Just as I get to the higher distance, I’ve gone and screwed something else up. ARGH!
Anyway, my feet feel awesome! 🙂
7/29/10 – Run 4A – 0.75 miles!
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on August 1st, 2010
So, I finally recovered enough by Thursday to run again. It was also the first run for me where I was going to increase my mileage as follows:
walk 1/4, run 1/4, walk 1/4, run 1/2, walk 1/4 wearing new stability shoes and prescription orthotics.
I made a deal with myself that if I had pain, I would stop no matter what. So, I began.
The first 1/4 mile was cake. The walk was needed and wonderful. The 1/2 mile actually felt quite good. My left ankle did fatigue a little, but nothing painful. So, I ran the entire 1/2 mile.
I am so excited about running actual distance again! I admit that I am not ready to run a solid mile, I don’t think, but I will be able to very soon!!! Woohoo!!!
No stride-outs this time as I had guests in town, and being a tour guide requires walking. So, I figured I’d play it safe and skip them.
Also, I had to skip the weekend run due to guests and too much fun with said guests 😉
Will get back in the routine on Tuesday.