Official 2011 Princess Half Marathon Thread - Link to new thread Post 3703!

[Jeter02]

I have my longest run yet tomorrow morning EARLY and when all is said and done I will be able to say I ran 12 miles. My first HM is 2 weeks from tomorrow and after 14 weeks of training with 2 left, I am getting ready for this to be over so I can take a break. BUT in 2 weeks I will earn my first finisher's medal. THAT will be special!

Yay! I am so excited for you Laurie!

Go Laurie Go

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Thanks for the good wishes, Nancy, and everyone. Nancy, hope your run went GREAT.

My knee trouble is more of the same, unfortunately. Runner's knee. Probably exacerbated by being a New Yorker and doing as much walking as I do. I'm taking today to do NOTHING but sit on the couch with a nice icepack, and letting my partner take care of me.

Ugh.

 

[Jeter02]

Thanks for the good wishes, Nancy, and everyone. Nancy, hope your run went GREAT.

My knee trouble is more of the same, unfortunately. Runner's knee. Probably exacerbated by being a New Yorker and doing as much walking as I do. I'm taking today to do NOTHING but sit on the couch with a nice icepack, and letting my partner take care of me.

Ugh.

Wishing you a speedy recovery Amy!

 

[saysay]

Thanks for the good wishes, Nancy, and everyone. Nancy, hope your run went GREAT.

My knee trouble is more of the same, unfortunately. Runner's knee. Probably exacerbated by being a New Yorker and doing as much walking as I do. I'm taking today to do NOTHING but sit on the couch with a nice icepack, and letting my partner take care of me.

Ugh.

Way to go! Enjoy your day on the couch, you earned it.

Hoping your knee feels better soon. Hoping you are wearing some "sensible" shoes for all that walking - the good news I have found with my Plantar Faciitis is that the sensible shoes are not near as ugly as they used to be.

 

[HockeyKat]

Amy, sorry about your knee.

Nancy, hope the race went fantastic!!

I have a couple of questions about your experience with the walk/run intervals. First, how fast is the run portion? Do you strive for a very fast run during the run portion and a very fast walk for the walk portion?

I keep going back and forth with the running styles. I find that I am more comfortable running longer stretches (albeit slow) and then walking breaks every mile approximately - or sooner if I need one. However, I find that when I get to my higher mileages (8+) I start to get fatigued and wonder how I will complete the entire half marathon. So, I keep revisiting the walk/run intervals, thinking that might help me go the entire length of the half - or at least use that strategy for the last 4 or 5 miles. Yet, I feel that the frequent starting and stopping - well, I just can't get into a rhythm very well, it feels choppy. How do you manage the starting and stopping, especially every 30 seconds?

Thanks!

I am a Galloway follower and all of my long runs are with a (very large) Galloway group. However, I find the exact opposite to be true for me... I just can't sustain the run longer than about 5 minutes. I am most comfortable with a 2 min or 3 min run, 1 min walk.

My goal is to get both my runs and walks faster. Our long runs are all done slow (2 min above race pace, with more time added for heat), and they advise doing all speedwork in your 2 weekly short runs.

So what I do is play treadmill or pace games. 1 min run fast, 1 min run really fast (not conversational), 1 min back to run fast, 1 min walk.

FWIW, I am in the 12 min pace group and finished my last half in 2:49, in 80 degree temps with over 80% humidity and an injured shin halfway through, so at least so far I am convinced.

Personally, I say try to find what works best for you. Experiment until you find the right thing.

 

[saysay]

I have a couple of questions about your experience with the walk/run intervals. First, how fast is the run portion? Do you strive for a very fast run during the run portion and a very fast walk for the walk portion?

I keep going back and forth with the running styles. I find that I am more comfortable running longer stretches (albeit slow) and then walking breaks every mile approximately - or sooner if I need one. However, I find that when I get to my higher mileages (8+) I start to get fatigued and wonder how I will complete the entire half marathon. So, I keep revisiting the walk/run intervals, thinking that might help me go the entire length of the half - or at least use that strategy for the last 4 or 5 miles. Yet, I feel that the frequent starting and stopping - well, I just can't get into a rhythm very well, it feels choppy. How do you manage the starting and stopping, especially every 30 seconds?

Thanks!

This is just my experience...I would totally listen to coach as he is the professional....but here are my 2c....

When I trained for my first 1/2 years ago, I did the Galloway. Based on my pace, we did a 2/1 run/walk ratio. We started our "long" run at 3 miles and that was when we began doing the run/walk. I remember thinking how weird it was as we "only" went 3 miles and I had just run a 10k, so the first 2 weeks, the long runs were easy and a little strange Each long run distances changed, but we had the consistency of the run/walk. We weren't exactly sprinting the runs, so changing to a walk - a very brisk one - was not completely jarring. This is a personal thing, but I really like the walk breaks, they change things up and to me break up the monotony I can feel in a run. I know at the beginning of training it might seem weird, but as you successfully increase your mileage, makes sense at least it did to me and the walk breaks became second nature and not an "intrusion" to my running".

Listen to coach and the experts along with your instinct as to what you want to do to train to be successful.

 

[saysay]

oops, double post for some reason.

Happy Sunday Everyone!

 

[cewait]

I am a Galloway follower and all of my long runs are with a (very large) Galloway group. However, I find the exact opposite to be true for me... I just can't sustain the run longer than about 5 minutes. I am most comfortable with a 2 min or 3 min run, 1 min walk.

My goal is to get both my runs and walks faster. Our long runs are all done slow (2 min above race pace, with more time added for heat), and they advise doing all speedwork in your 2 weekly short runs.

So what I do is play treadmill or pace games. 1 min run fast, 1 min run really fast (not conversational), 1 min back to run fast, 1 min walk.

FWIW, I am in the 12 min pace group and finished my last half in 2:49, in 80 degree temps with over 80% humidity and an injured shin halfway through, so at least so far I am convinced.

Personally, I say try to find what works best for you. Experiment until you find the right thing.

I like it!

Have you considered running 2 fast, 1 (or 2) really fast then a walk? Just this little mix will produce additional results. Do not get me wrong your pyramid run mentioned can be BRUTAL and amazing gains both mental and physical can be achieved from that alone.

For added fun, try doing the same intensities but with the treadmill elevation controller and not speed. If you were to set the mill on your regular long run speed and 2% elevation for a minute, then elevate to 5-6% for 1 minute at the same speed followed by 1minute at 8-10% then walk for 1 minute back on 2% and repeat you would focus more work on the hamstrings, glutes and inner quads. Hills are speed in disguise.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!!!

the race was HUGE!!! what a wonderful turn out for the susan g. komen race for the cure! i believe there were more than 25,000 runners!!!

anyway, the temperature was cool but it was definitely humid. i was hoping to finish in under 35 minutes. i felt great during the run. the first mile or so was spent trying to make my way around the slower people and the walkers. it was a little annoying but no biggie. the first mile went by quickly. second mile a little slower and i was feeling a little tired by around 2.5 but was just pumped that i was actually running a race so i pushed through!

well, i finished....in 30:10! omg! i kicked some major butt!

thanks for all the well wishes!

amy - i missed you today - maybe we can find another race to run together?? rest that knee!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

GREAT job, Nancy! That's a spectacular time.

If my knee is better, and I'm praying it will be, I'm running the Fifth Avenue Mile (NYRR) on 9/26, if you're interested. They shut down Fifth Avenue for the local runners. After the local race, the fastest milers in the world will be trying for world records.

 

[Trudes]

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!!!

well, i finished....in 30:10! omg! i kicked some major butt!

You certainly did, good job!

 

[MamaCrush]

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!!!

well, i finished....in 30:10! omg! i kicked some major butt!

That must be an awesome feeling!! Makes all that training sweat worth it, I bet!

 

[Trudes]

I got my run in. I set out for, and completed an 11 mile run.I was done at 11 though. It was a 12 mile route, and I walked mile 12 as a cool down. I have NEVER ran that far before.

I learn things everytime I run it seems. I ate toast w/peanut butter and a banana 30-40 minutes before I ran, and had a up of coffee. I burped peanut butter the first couple of miles. I ate GU chomps through out the run after 45 minutes into my run. I think they are a little sweet for me, and they are a mouth full to chew while running.

And.....my run was out in the country, translate that to NO bathrooms. At mile 5, I needed to go to the bathroom. All that running stirs up the GI tract. Made for a difficult 6 more miles of running and a mile of walking.

 

[MamaCrush]

And.....my run was out in the country, translate that to NO bathrooms. At mile 5, I needed to go to the bathroom. All that running stirs up the GI tract. Made for a difficult 6 more miles of running and a mile of walking.

That is my biggest learning curve! Even though I'm only at 2.75 mi for now. Heaven help me when it's longer!!

Great job on the run!

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

I got my run in. I set out for, and completed an 11 mile run.I was done at 11 though. It was a 12 mile route, and I walked mile 12 as a cool down. I have NEVER ran that far before.

I learn things everytime I run it seems. I ate toast w/peanut butter and a banana 30-40 minutes before I ran, and had a up of coffee. I burped peanut butter the first couple of miles. I ate GU chomps through out the run after 45 minutes into my run. I think they are a little sweet for me, and they are a mouth full to chew while running.

And.....my run was out in the country, translate that to NO bathrooms. At mile 5, I needed to go to the bathroom. All that running stirs up the GI tract. Made for a difficult 6 more miles of running and a mile of walking.

Good Job - you finished! Maybe not the way you wanted to, but you did accomplish a lot!! I would follow coach's advice for fluid intake. I had the same issue during the Princess (although there were portapotties), and it slowed me down a lot. During the Disneyland Half, I had learned from my training what my fluid intake needed to be and only ran past the portapotties! His advice really works!

 

[Trudes]

Good Job - you finished! Maybe not the way you wanted to, but you did accomplish a lot!! I would follow coach's advice for fluid intake. I had the same issue during the Princess (although there were portapotties), and it slowed me down a lot. During the Disneyland Half, I had learned from my training what my fluid intake needed to be and only ran past the portapotties! His advice really works!

Coach has great advice, but fluid intake wasn't the problem, I didn't have to pee, it was GI issue.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!!!

the race was HUGE!!! what a wonderful turn out for the susan g. komen race for the cure! i believe there were more than 25,000 runners!!!

anyway, the temperature was cool but it was definitely humid. i was hoping to finish in under 35 minutes. i felt great during the run. the first mile or so was spent trying to make my way around the slower people and the walkers. it was a little annoying but no biggie. the first mile went by quickly. second mile a little slower and i was feeling a little tired by around 2.5 but was just pumped that i was actually running a race so i pushed through!

well, i finished....in 30:10! omg! i kicked some major butt!

thanks for all the well wishes!

amy - i missed you today - maybe we can find another race to run together?? rest that knee!

YOU RAWK!! I lost my mom from breast cancer 2 years ago and I want to personally THANK YOU for running this race. You smoked it!

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

I got my run in. I set out for, and completed an 11 mile run.I was done at 11 though. It was a 12 mile route, and I walked mile 12 as a cool down. I have NEVER ran that far before.

I learn things everytime I run it seems. I ate toast w/peanut butter and a banana 30-40 minutes before I ran, and had a up of coffee. I burped peanut butter the first couple of miles. I ate GU chomps through out the run after 45 minutes into my run. I think they are a little sweet for me, and they are a mouth full to chew while running.

And.....my run was out in the country, translate that to NO bathrooms. At mile 5, I needed to go to the bathroom. All that running stirs up the GI tract. Made for a difficult 6 more miles of running and a mile of walking.

AWESOME JOB!! You certainly do learn something from each and every run even when they are bad. Doesn't 11 miles feel great as a huge accomplishment? Its something that YOU did and no one else. Congrats!!

 

[crystalight33]

Coach has great advice, but fluid intake wasn't the problem, I didn't have to pee, it was GI issue.

That happened to me on a short 3 mile run the other day. I can't imagine going 6 miles like that!! I almost had to call hubby to come get me or I was going to find some nice thick bushes. Ugh, that is the worst feeling in the world. You are a much stronger woman than me!

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

I had an awesome long run today and here is my blog with all the stats.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3630514#comments

Two weeks from today!!!