This week went pretty well, all things considered. I'm pleased with the way things turned out.
Sunday was the Shamrock Shuffle, and I totally kicked butt.
Monday was an off day, and much needed! My quads were very sore from the race. But it was a good sore.
Tuesday I ran 6 miles outside at roughly a 10:30 pace. I felt my right shin through maybe the first half mile, but then the pain went away. I trotted along at a steady pace the whole time. I got to the end of the route, and I had the feeling of "oh, I'm here already." It made me think about the fact that it was only about 18 month ago when 6 miles was a REALLY big deal. It made me smile to think about how far I have come.
Wednesday I went to speed work. We did 800 repeats, in 200 m out-in-out-ins. So, run the first 200 m at about 15 seconds under your 5K pace, the next 200 at your 5K pace, repeat. I actually really liked that workout. It really helped me to get a feel for my pace. I did 6 repeats, which, combined with the warm up and cool down, added up to a 6-mile workout. I felt my shin during the warm-up, but not after.
Thursday was an off day.
Friday I did the same 5-mile hill workout on the treadmill. Aerobically, I felt great. However, I felt my shins both when I first started and then through the whole last mile. This made me extremely unhappy. I really thought they were getting better. They bothered me off and on during the day Friday.
I was nervous for my 10-mile long run today, but it went as well as I had a right to hope. My shins had twinges, but there was never a time when they hurt with every step -- not even when I first started out. I kept up a steady, easy pace the whole time, and while I was tired in the end, I was not completely whipped. I felt like I had a few more miles left in me. I finished in 1:46:38, roughly a 10:40 pace.
I feel a little sore both in my shins and my quads, but if I get through the rest of the day without any worrisome pain, I will be satisfied.
Six weeks until the River Bank Run, and I'm feeling pretty good about my status.
Here's next week's plan:
Sunday: 4 miles (or not, depending on how the rest of the day goes)
Monday: off
Tuesday: 7 miles
Wednesday: speed work
Thursday: off
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: 8 miles
Not so bad, really.
Miles on my 2150s: 130
Miles on my foundations: 61
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Week 7 ends with a smash!
Well, things are looking up.
Sunday I did 3 miles on the treadmill. Nothing exciting there.
Monday was an off day.
Tuesday I did an 8K "test run". I really pushed my speed in order to have an idea of how fast I could run the race this weekend. I finished in 46:15, and I was totally thrilled! That broke my 8K PR by almost a minute.
Wednesday we did the hill workout at speed training. 200-200-200-hill-hill-hill-200, repeat. I did not time anything, but I completed three sets, even though the rest of my friends left after two sets. So, I was satisfied.
Thursday was an off day.
Friday I ran 5 miles in the morning. This time, it took me over 55 minutes. Not exactly on par with Tuesday, but I wasn't trying very hard either.
I took yesterday off to prepare for the race. I was glad for the reason not to run, because it was an awful snow/rain mix all day, with wind gusting to 35 mph. If the race had been yesterday, it would have been utter misery.
This morning didn't look much better when I first got up, but it had stopped raining by 8am, when I left my apartment. It was still cold and windy, but not ridiculously so. When I picked up my packet on Friday, I found out that I had been upgraded to Corral B, which meant I got to start in the first wave instead of waiting til 25 minutes after the gun to start.
It also meant I was in a corral with people who run much faster than me. This must have got my adrenaline pumping, because although I got passed a lot, I finished my first mile in 8:30! That's faster than I think I've ever done a mile repeat! I continued pretty strong until about the 5K mark, when I could feel myself start to fade a bit. I consciously tried to slow down a bit, so I wouldn't end up walking. I must have managed pretty well because I crossed the finish line at 44:05! That's under a 9-minute mile, on average. So, I definitely slowed down in the later miles, but not really by much. I'm so proud of my finish!
As an added bonus, my shins didn't bother me at all, during the race or since. Sometimes the reaction is delayed, but I remain hopeful that the worst is over.
Pictures of the race are on facebook, if anyone is interested.
So, now I go back to my regular training schedule. Here is the plan for this week:
Monday: off
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: speed work
Thursday: off
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 10 miles
Sheesh. The good news is, I'm not particularly concerned about speed in any of those runs.
Miles on my 2150s: 103
Miles on my foundations: 61
Sunday I did 3 miles on the treadmill. Nothing exciting there.
Monday was an off day.
Tuesday I did an 8K "test run". I really pushed my speed in order to have an idea of how fast I could run the race this weekend. I finished in 46:15, and I was totally thrilled! That broke my 8K PR by almost a minute.
Wednesday we did the hill workout at speed training. 200-200-200-hill-hill-hill-200, repeat. I did not time anything, but I completed three sets, even though the rest of my friends left after two sets. So, I was satisfied.
Thursday was an off day.
Friday I ran 5 miles in the morning. This time, it took me over 55 minutes. Not exactly on par with Tuesday, but I wasn't trying very hard either.
I took yesterday off to prepare for the race. I was glad for the reason not to run, because it was an awful snow/rain mix all day, with wind gusting to 35 mph. If the race had been yesterday, it would have been utter misery.
This morning didn't look much better when I first got up, but it had stopped raining by 8am, when I left my apartment. It was still cold and windy, but not ridiculously so. When I picked up my packet on Friday, I found out that I had been upgraded to Corral B, which meant I got to start in the first wave instead of waiting til 25 minutes after the gun to start.
It also meant I was in a corral with people who run much faster than me. This must have got my adrenaline pumping, because although I got passed a lot, I finished my first mile in 8:30! That's faster than I think I've ever done a mile repeat! I continued pretty strong until about the 5K mark, when I could feel myself start to fade a bit. I consciously tried to slow down a bit, so I wouldn't end up walking. I must have managed pretty well because I crossed the finish line at 44:05! That's under a 9-minute mile, on average. So, I definitely slowed down in the later miles, but not really by much. I'm so proud of my finish!
As an added bonus, my shins didn't bother me at all, during the race or since. Sometimes the reaction is delayed, but I remain hopeful that the worst is over.
Pictures of the race are on facebook, if anyone is interested.
So, now I go back to my regular training schedule. Here is the plan for this week:
Monday: off
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: speed work
Thursday: off
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 10 miles
Sheesh. The good news is, I'm not particularly concerned about speed in any of those runs.
Miles on my 2150s: 103
Miles on my foundations: 61
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Week 6 complete enough
Well, I did my scheduled 4 miles outside on Sunday without any problems. I even took some pretty pictures of the sunrise in the process, which are on my facebook page.
Things went downhill from there.
Monday was an off day, so I didn't run. Even so, my shins hurt all day. I still do not fear any stress fractures or anything, as the pain was diffuse and kept moving around. But it was still disheartening and irritating, because I just have no idea what triggers this.
Tuesday was not as bad, but they were still bothering me, so I skipped my scheduled 6 miles. I REALLY hate skipping, but I knew I needed to.
The pain was not completely gone on Wednesday, but it was a lot better. So, I wore my shin sleeves but I went to speed work. I was sooo glad I went -- the weather was beautiful, I met some more new people, and I felt almost no pain. We did 800-400-400s: run 800 m out, take a recovery, run 400 m back, take a recovery, then run the final 400m back. I did three sets of those. All of my 800s were in about 4:10, and all of the 400s were under 2 minutes. So, that's averaging about an 8-minute mile pace, which is great for me.
Thursday was an off day, without many shin issues.
Friday I did the 5-mile hill workout from Week 3 again. This time I didn't have to slow the pace from 6.0 at all, so that's great. Shins did hurt some during it though, and on and off the rest of the day.
This morning I got up and my legs felt fine, but it was raining with 15 mph winds, and the temperature was in the low 40s. So, I waited for a break in the rain, but eventually set out on my 9 miler. Truthfully, I expected it to be a lot more miserable than it was. By then it was only sprinkling a bit, and the wind was not that bad. I did 9 miles in 1:35:08 -- a 10:34 pace. Not too shabby.
So far my shins are ok. I'm icing right now. There were only a couple brief periods when I felt anything. If they still feel ok tonight and tomorrow, I'll be really happy.
So, I end this week 6 miles short of what I was supposed to run. However, I think I'm prouder of skipping that run than I would have been for finishing it, because I'm finally starting to make smarter choices. According to Wii Fit, my weight has barely changed in the last two weeks, and I was just able to comfortably complete a 9-mile run, so I clearly have not suffered aerobically. Skipping that run was the right thing to do. So good for me.
My running friends (who are all far more experienced than me) told me that there are lots of people (some of my friends included) that train for marathons by running 4 day a week instead of 5. So, they say if my shins keep bothering me, I should cut one run out of each week. In that spirit, I think I might stop running on Sundays. At least until my legs feel better.
I also think I might stick to my 2150s this week, as I have a vague suspicion that the foundations might be doing more harm than good.
Here's next week's plan, slightly altered because I am running my first race next weekend:
Sunday: 3 miles (or not, depending on how I feel tomorrow)
Monday: off
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: speed workout
Thursday: off
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: off (Race day the next day! It's the Shamrock Shuffle 8K.)
Miles on my 2150s: 79
Miles on my foundations: 61
Things went downhill from there.
Monday was an off day, so I didn't run. Even so, my shins hurt all day. I still do not fear any stress fractures or anything, as the pain was diffuse and kept moving around. But it was still disheartening and irritating, because I just have no idea what triggers this.
Tuesday was not as bad, but they were still bothering me, so I skipped my scheduled 6 miles. I REALLY hate skipping, but I knew I needed to.
The pain was not completely gone on Wednesday, but it was a lot better. So, I wore my shin sleeves but I went to speed work. I was sooo glad I went -- the weather was beautiful, I met some more new people, and I felt almost no pain. We did 800-400-400s: run 800 m out, take a recovery, run 400 m back, take a recovery, then run the final 400m back. I did three sets of those. All of my 800s were in about 4:10, and all of the 400s were under 2 minutes. So, that's averaging about an 8-minute mile pace, which is great for me.
Thursday was an off day, without many shin issues.
Friday I did the 5-mile hill workout from Week 3 again. This time I didn't have to slow the pace from 6.0 at all, so that's great. Shins did hurt some during it though, and on and off the rest of the day.
This morning I got up and my legs felt fine, but it was raining with 15 mph winds, and the temperature was in the low 40s. So, I waited for a break in the rain, but eventually set out on my 9 miler. Truthfully, I expected it to be a lot more miserable than it was. By then it was only sprinkling a bit, and the wind was not that bad. I did 9 miles in 1:35:08 -- a 10:34 pace. Not too shabby.
So far my shins are ok. I'm icing right now. There were only a couple brief periods when I felt anything. If they still feel ok tonight and tomorrow, I'll be really happy.
So, I end this week 6 miles short of what I was supposed to run. However, I think I'm prouder of skipping that run than I would have been for finishing it, because I'm finally starting to make smarter choices. According to Wii Fit, my weight has barely changed in the last two weeks, and I was just able to comfortably complete a 9-mile run, so I clearly have not suffered aerobically. Skipping that run was the right thing to do. So good for me.
My running friends (who are all far more experienced than me) told me that there are lots of people (some of my friends included) that train for marathons by running 4 day a week instead of 5. So, they say if my shins keep bothering me, I should cut one run out of each week. In that spirit, I think I might stop running on Sundays. At least until my legs feel better.
I also think I might stick to my 2150s this week, as I have a vague suspicion that the foundations might be doing more harm than good.
Here's next week's plan, slightly altered because I am running my first race next weekend:
Sunday: 3 miles (or not, depending on how I feel tomorrow)
Monday: off
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: speed workout
Thursday: off
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: off (Race day the next day! It's the Shamrock Shuffle 8K.)
Miles on my 2150s: 79
Miles on my foundations: 61
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Week 5 complete
Another week down!
Sunday I did 3 miles outside, even though it tore me away from my brand-new Wii Fit.
Monday I didn't run, but I did Wii Fit in the morning. I've been trying to do at least 10 minutes of yoga, at least 10 minutes of strength training, and whatever else I feel like doing to get in at least 30 minutes. I'm doing pretty well at some things, and still am really terrible at others.
Tuesday I did Wii Fit in the morning and ran 4 miles outside in the evening.
Wednesday I did Wii Fit in the morning and went to speed work in the evening. The workout was repeat miles (ugh). The times for my three repeats were 8:35, 8:42, and 8:47. Comfortably under 9 minutes each! I was happy. I'm getting really good at the drills, too.
Thursday was an off day, but I did Wii Fit in the morning.
Friday, I did the 3-mile treadmill hill workout from Week 1, but I upped the difficulty so the hills were 3%-4%-5% (instead of 2-3-4). It was tough, but I did the whole thing at a 10-minute mile.
Today I did a 7-mile run outside in this beautiful weather. It was bright and sunny with just a bit of breeze. I finished in 1:12:00, which is a 10:17 pace! Woo hoo! On the downside, the path is getting more crowded. Oh well.
Shins haven't been bad. I've iced on most days, but I haven't had any worrisome pain. I wish I could go on a run and feel nothing at all, but not yet. Maybe next week.
Here's the plan:
Sunday: 4 miles
Monday: off
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: speed workout
Thursday: off
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 9 miles
Wow. Tough one next week.
Miles on my 2150s: 64
Miles on my foundations: 52
Sunday I did 3 miles outside, even though it tore me away from my brand-new Wii Fit.
Monday I didn't run, but I did Wii Fit in the morning. I've been trying to do at least 10 minutes of yoga, at least 10 minutes of strength training, and whatever else I feel like doing to get in at least 30 minutes. I'm doing pretty well at some things, and still am really terrible at others.
Tuesday I did Wii Fit in the morning and ran 4 miles outside in the evening.
Wednesday I did Wii Fit in the morning and went to speed work in the evening. The workout was repeat miles (ugh). The times for my three repeats were 8:35, 8:42, and 8:47. Comfortably under 9 minutes each! I was happy. I'm getting really good at the drills, too.
Thursday was an off day, but I did Wii Fit in the morning.
Friday, I did the 3-mile treadmill hill workout from Week 1, but I upped the difficulty so the hills were 3%-4%-5% (instead of 2-3-4). It was tough, but I did the whole thing at a 10-minute mile.
Today I did a 7-mile run outside in this beautiful weather. It was bright and sunny with just a bit of breeze. I finished in 1:12:00, which is a 10:17 pace! Woo hoo! On the downside, the path is getting more crowded. Oh well.
Shins haven't been bad. I've iced on most days, but I haven't had any worrisome pain. I wish I could go on a run and feel nothing at all, but not yet. Maybe next week.
Here's the plan:
Sunday: 4 miles
Monday: off
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: speed workout
Thursday: off
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 9 miles
Wow. Tough one next week.
Miles on my 2150s: 64
Miles on my foundations: 52
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