Monday, October 28, 2013

The Art of Pacing in the Rain (or fog, as it just so happens..)

10/25: Rest
10/26: 8 Miles outside. 1:12+
10/27: 5 Miles, treadmill. 44+min
12/28: Rest

Trying to embrace the rest days. Even when I indulge in some cupcakes at work.

And some chex mix at home. Whooops.

***

I am exhausted from non running related weekend festivities so I'll keep it short ... especially since this is probably going to be boring.

Ran outside for this week's "long run" of 8 miles. Funny how 8 miles used to feel so intimidating but now it just feels like a regular run, especially since I ran 7 miles on Tuesday, a week day run! The only thing that is still intimidating and simultaneously head scratching is my pace. I.. kind of suck at pacing.

Let us take a moment and examine the mile splits, once again showcased by the Garmin:

Split
Time
Distance
Avg Pace
Summary1:12:30.08.009:05
19:11.41.009:11
29:08.31.009:08
39:13.71.009:14
48:55.81.008:56
59:14.51.009:14
69:06.71.009:07
78:51.81.008:52
88:45.71.008:46
9:02.40.009:10

Let us take a moment to study this, shall we?

.... .............. ..........

... So... what the... eh?

Originally I had planned to run easy for the first 4, 5 miles and then finish with 3,4 HMP miles.
Well, as you can see, I'm not quite sure what I did. It is not really.. anything?

Tempo? No
Progression? No
Threshold? No
No? No.

No.

It was just a wackadoodle run.

Yes, I just used that weird word. I'm like an 80 yr old man. I mean, what in tarnation!

After the first two miles, I knew I was probably going out too fast if I wanted to train my pace on this run. I can't really tell you what I was thinking or doing during the run. I just remember feeling a little roller-coastery during each mile. Mile 6 ended up being the only mile of the latter half that was relatively close the HMP and then I think I just sped up the last two miles to be DONE. I didn't have any fuel or water duirng the run, unless you count the 3 swedish fish I sucked on intermittently. I also ended up holding the bag of candy in my hand, which was not surprisingly slick with sweat at the end. Mmmm, sweaty fish.

In an ideal world, sub 9 (8-40 something..) would be my goal half pace at this stage of my running life but I haven't trained enough for longer runs at that pace. I am finding myself at this weird stage where all of my runs are the same pace - 3, 4, 5 mile pace is pretty similar to my 8-10 mile pace, give or take a little. It's hard for me to run the slow ones slow, and the fast ones fast. Seems like it should be easy but maybe I'm just making this too difficult for myself.

Wouldn't be the first time.

But long story short, clearly I need to work on my pacing.

***

Sunday's workout: 5 Miles, treadmill. 1 full episode of Falling Skies, which left me wide eyed at the end scene. At least the time went quickly. Not sure if I can watch something so serious in the early mornings though. Any suggestions for something entertaining and preferably lighthearted to watch at 4am? Anyone?
Between Falling Skies and The Spirit of the Marathon, I need something... easy.

5 mi
distance
37.5 ft
elevation gain
768
calories
44:28
total time
8:53
pace


***

Tomorrow's plan: 3-4 miles + 10 strides. We'll see about the 10.... Most likely I'll do 5mi, but we'll see what happens. I make no promises when it's that early in the morning. I'm lucky if I remember to put on a bra...

Thursday, October 24, 2013

I'm tired...

10/21: Rest
10/22: 7 Miles, 1:05 hr/min
10/23: 5 Miles, 45 min
10/24: 3 Miles, 26 min. 15 Ab Burner

Most runs done on 0% or 1% incline. Yes, I know I need to work on that.

***

Tuesday:

This run was the last weekday 7 mile run on the training schedule. Funny how I've done 7 before in the morning, and even 8 and 9 (weekends) but for some reason felt psyched out about this particular day. I ended up sleeping early on Monday night ( around 8 pm, just like the seniors) and woke up feeling... still tired. I mean, let's face it, I will never NOT be tired waking up at 4am. I knew I needed a little over an hour to complete the run before rushing to get ready for work, so I didn't give myself much moping time like I normally do. Finished at a decent time, and 2 minutes faster than my previous 7 miles. I am finding that most of my treadmill runs end up being either progression runs or speed work, neither of which I really did when I ran outside exclusively. It's been nice to able to mix the runs up, even though I probably need to get out on the streets a little more often. Getting a little too comfy with the 'mill, I am. Oh! and almost forgot, I watched the first hour of Spirit of the Marathon during this run. It really helped the time fly by, and I was so inspired, and kind of choked up at certain parts .. da fuh..?



7 mi
distance
1.7 ft
elevation gain
1051
calories
1:05:05
total time
9:17
pace



Wednesday:

On the training plan - 3-4 miles with strides. Finished watching Spirit of the Marathon. Yes, I did a weird gaspy cry while watching everyone run the Chicago marathon.

I.. just.. I don't even know.

Ended up doing 5 miles total: 3 miles at a relatively easy pace, and then intervals for the next two miles. It is amazing how much faster the time/distance flies by when doing intervals. The sprints are painful and even the recovery jogs feel like a little too much effort but before I know it I'm onto the next mile. It's kind of nice. Nice. And Painful. Burnnnn.


5 mi
distance
8.6 ft
elevation gain
754
calories
45:09
total time
9:00
pace


Thursday:

Alarm went a little before 4am, and I immediately slapped the snooze button, and then threw the clock across the room reset the alarm for 5am. My legs were tired and I just... didn't want to get up. I figured because today was only 3-4 miles, I could just run after work. So.. of course, I spent all day annoyed at myself for not just getting up and getting it out of the way. At this stage in the game, having gone through this scenario a few times, I should have known better. I talked myself out of running about 20 times on the drive home from the train station, but figured I'd obsess about it all night if I didn't just get it out of the way.

We're noticing a theme here, right?

Running. It staves off the crazy. and yet, it brings it as well.

Yeah, I don't know either...

So, ran 3 miles while watching the newest episode of Modern Family. One of my favorite lines of the episode:

Claire: "I should talk to my dad. You know what? He was pretty down after the divorce. I bet he has some insight."
Phil: "Yeah, because you're dad's so in touch with people's feelings? When a man is overcome with emotion at a Celine Dion concert, you do not tell him to grow a pair!"
Claire: "Phil!"
Phil: "The ship went down but their love lasts forever!"

Love that show. I just need each HULU episode to be longer than 20 minutes!

After the run, I came upstairs and did a quick NTC program, Ab Burner. 
Side note - someone asked me today if I had a six pack, since I work out so much. My response: Yes... it's just hiding under a giant one pack. 




3 mi
distance
4.5 ft
elevation gain
451
calories
26:16
total time
8:44
pace


Sunday, October 20, 2013

Tomorrow we begin again...

10/19: 12 Miles w/ J. Garmin died with .6 miles to go. Mild rage.
10/20: NTC. 45 Min. Worth the Weight.

***

Saturday's weather was my idea of perfect running weather. Cold and foggy, with a chill in the air. Don't know the exact temp but I think it was in the low 40's. We didn't get out until 8:30 but the fog was still dense and lingering, which made for an initially chilly first half mile. J was pretty much covered head to toe, gloves included but I wore shorts, a s/s t-shirt, arm sleeves and a hat. It is the first time for me running in this kind of cold weather in shorts and I think it really worked well for me. I tend to warm up and overheat rather quickly so it was nice to have the cool air on my legs.

I must admit, it's been probably way too long since I've run outside in our neighborhood. The treadmill has become the fast and easy option for most days. Also, our neighborhood is deceptively hilly, and the beauty of the treadmill on a manual setting is that I can control the incline (or uh, lack thereof?). However, I think there is a danger in letting myself get too comfortable running on a 0% incline. While I do think the treadmill has really helped me in terms of speed work and getting in the miles, I need to keep pushing myself to work harder and faster on the hills and less predictable terrain.

Miles were slow and steady. Effort was relatively easy and we were both able to talk pretty easily without panting or wheezing (That came later, don't worry).  Later on, J commented how the miles seemed to go so much faster when we were able to talk. We stopped a little after 5 miles so J could get a drink from the fountain by the park and then motored on for the rest of the miles. Please let it be known that I generally strongly dislike (read: really, really hate!) stopping at all but I suppose there is no harm in pausing the Garmin for a few seconds to hydrate. I mean, it is annoying to halt my momentum but whatevs, it is fine. We don't get to run together very often so I can humor him this much.

Just a little.

I am really only capable of a little humoring, in general.

If at all, really.

Anyways! I took a salted caramel GU at mile 7, and call me crazy but it was delicious. I squeezed out every ounce of that artificially sweetened, ramped up, salted shmegma and enjoyed every sugar laden calorie. Interesting packaging, because it kind of made me feel like a beast?

*ROARS*



I had a small water bottle on my waist belt but found I didn't need as much in the cooler temps. Interesting. Also, I think a handful of swedish fish throughout the run may have helped give me more pep in my step. Ah well, there will be a next time.


Garmin Splits. You know you've missed them, too.
And seriously, Mile 3? Da fuh...

Split
Time
Distance
Avg Pace
Summary1:51:19.011.429:41
19:53.11.009:53
29:31.31.009:31
310:13.11.0010:13
49:56.51.009:57
59:57.31.009:57
69:53.31.009:53
79:37.61.009:38
89:49.21.009:49
99:35.01.009:35
109:41.91.009:42
119:26.31.009:26
123:44.00.428:56


OH! And I almost forgot to tell you! My Garmin... it just.. died.. on mile 12! I was motoring my ass home and my pace was well under 9 minutes (another benefit of the 'mill - learning to finish strong) and I looked down at my watch and... nothing. Blank screen. All the previous miles for which I'd worked so hard?

GONE.

Panic! Rage! Panic~ Also... are we almost at 12 miles? How would I know? HOW WILL I  EVER KNOW! *sobs*

*Ahem* Maybe runners are a tad dramatic.

Maybe...

Luckily, J's Garmin still had some juice so I just ran until his watch beeped at the 12 mile mark. Luckily, my Garmin recorded most of my run so I could just guesstimate my overall pace/time but I really had wanted a legitimate split for the last mile. As you can figure out, I am the type of person who needs credit for every mile and every minute. Check check check check check!

-

Felt some nagging knee pain around mile 7,8-ish. Need to be more diligent about taking my Move Free, as well as stretching, foam rolling and icing. You know, general taking care of the self.

Foggy the entire run. Started to feel strangely disoriented in certain parts of the neighborhood. Glad I was running with someone else, because I couldn't see past 30 feet in front of me. Note to self: need to learn karate. Or practice swift kicks to the nutzos.

Still no wireless headphones, therefore.. no music. Ass music, courtesy of J, after 6 miles but not the same.

***

Contemplated a rest day today but what I really wanted to do was run again on the treadmill. However, I know that if I want to get faster and stronger, I need to pepper in a little cross training so I forced myself to stay upstairs and do a Nike Training Club workout: Worth the Weight, 45 min.

Weights with a lot of quad work. I am still feeling the burn 12 hours later. I'm feeling sore but strong. Kind of hoping to avoid looking like this

***

Tomorrow morning: Rest? Or...






Thursday, October 17, 2013

8 Miles. Divided by 2 days = 4 Miles X 2 = 8.

10/16: 4 Miles. 36.20
10/17: 4 Miles. 36:27

My math skills are astounding.

Strangely, both days ended up being speed work days. I'm pretty sure it is not advisable to do speed work two days in a row. However, they were just 4 milers so I don't think (hope) my body will uprise against me. Both runs were pretty much the same - 0% incline (Wimp! I know!), starting with 6.0 speed for the first mile, 6.2 - 6.7 the second mile. Miles 3 and 4 consisted of strides: 30 sec to 1 min of sprinting at 8, cool down jog for 1-2 min at 6.0.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

Both days I was able to watch 1 1/2 episodes of Modern Family, which did help the time go by less slowly. Notice I said "less slowly" instead of "faster". Let's face it, that early in the morning? Nothing makes anything go "faster" at bleary-eyed o'clock.

Today's effort felt more difficult than Wednesday, even though the outputs were similar. I think it is my body's way of telling me to take a day off tomorrow, even though I am very tempted to run tomorrow AM. However, I think I will save my legs (but suffer the insanity) and take a rest day. When did I become the person who had to force herself to rest?

WEIRD

Possibly alien invasion...?

Wait.. what's that twinge I feel? Ah.. I think it's my damn hamstring telling me to take it easy, big girl...

FINE. Rest it is...

Unless I do some cross training tomorrow?

Definite alien invasion going on...

***

I miss my Garmin Splits.

Treadmill Info from www.IFit.com

Wednesday -


4 mi
distance
0 ft
elevation gain
599
calories
36:20
total time
9:04
pace



Thursday -


4 mi
distance
0 ft
elevation gain
599
calories
36:26
total time
9:06
pace

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Since I have 11 minutes before bedtime..




10/15: 6 Miles. 53+ min. Treadmill.

Another morning workout in the books. Mostly it's getting easier to get my ass out of bed, but it's never easy. Then again, running never really is. I can take it easy, or run easy but easy it never quite is.

Had to pep talk myself into doing the 6 miles as stated on my training schedule. I think it is always mentally easier to have the first run of the work week be the longest distance, and then the other days seem so much more manageable. Funny how running is such a mental game for me. Tomorrow is 3 miles with 8 strides, which seems much more doable in my mind, although the effort and sweat level will probably be about the same.

Per usual on today's run, started out pretty pokey and then ended the last 1/2 mile at an 8.5 speed. Still boggles my mind that people can run 26.2 at that speed, and even much faster at that!


6 mi
distance
27.9 ft
elevation gain
911
calories
53:37
total time
8:57
pace







***


Home workout gear: Ghetto fabulous man's tshirt and Old Navy running shorts. Switched out my mizunos for some asics I usually wear out for errands. Trying to save up on the mileage on my wave riders until I can afford a new pair. Whoever said running is cheap is running around in old ass reeboks and free cotton t's, ok?

Btw, my man shirt is horrible and not suitable for public. It is pretty much square - wide as it is short long.

Kind of like this guy -




***

On another note, I have discovered some.. changes.. in the area of the rear.

My favorite jeans? No longer fit.

Noooooooooooo.

Well. They FIT. But comfortably? That is another issue. I mean, once I can wrangle them over my man calves, I can get them to ziiiip. But then... they're... hmm, how do you say.. snug.  I've always been the thin, flabby pancake butt Asian girl and suddenly I am now the not so thin, muscle-y, regular butt Asian girl.

Not sure what to do with this... thing back here?

However, the ever so wise Emily refers to it as "power butt", to zoom up those oh so challenging hills.
So if I think of it that way, I should be pretty thankful for this ba-dunk. I just have to get used to the fact that I now have some company bringing up the rear.

And that, my folks, is a wrap. 1 minute left and counting until I crawl into bed.
Need that sleep if this power butt is going to get up at 4AM tomorrow.

G'nite!

Monday, October 14, 2013

Last week...

10/7: Rest
10/8: 5 Miles, 48 min
10/9: 4 Miles. Wait...Rest Slept in, ok?!
10/10: 6 Miles, 55 min
10/11: Rest 4.2 Miles, 38 min. Penance for skipping Wed.
10/12: 8 Miles, 1:14. LR before PDX w/ girls.
10/13: Rest. 

***
Continuing the AM weekday runs. Third week in a row. So far? I'm DOING IT. Let's see how long I can keep this going. Tomorrow morning is 6 miles.

UGH.

I mean, YAY. Mmmhmm....

All runs last week done on the treadmill.

No XT. Whoops.

Miles for last week lower than the previous two weeks.

Anyways, I'll highlight my longest run of the week. 8 miles on the treadmill at 5:45am before beginning a fun girls trip to Portland for the day. Food. Shopping. Food. The end.

Started out pretty pokey and took me some time to wake my body up, but I kicked it up at the end because the previous person who had run this on the IFit program had run it in 1:15, so I wanted to at least match, if not beat, that time. I'm not generally a competitive person, but every once in a while that side of me will creep out. Sprinted to a 1 minute victory! No one cares! And yet.. totally winning!


IFit workout: Historic Columbia River Hwy


8 mi
distance
78.6 ft
elevation gain
1240
calories
1:14:11
total time
9:16
pace