Running Renaissance: One Skip Ahead of my Doom

[GollyGadget]

Week 6, 7, & 8: Feeling Grrrrrreat!
Hey All, remember me? I'm still here! Life got a wee bit crazy trying to catch up from my work trip and prepare for Christmas but I survived and did a bit of running too! Week 6 was a little bumpy but I'm really proud of 7 & 8. I had my first paced runs this past week which was a bit scary at first. I'm just getting to the meat of the training, but feel really confident for where I am right now.

In other news, there's another work conference coming up in February. I don't have to work it like the last one, but it happens to be in Orlando Feb 18-20. Currently trying to convince my boss I should go as a development opportunity. I do actually think it would be really beneficial for me but also, then I could just swing in to Disney for Princess Weekend and it looks like plenty of Half registrations are still available. The Princess half was my first runDisney race 5 years ago and it would be nice to revisit my roots. Everyone cross your fingers for me!

I hope everyone had a great holiday. Mine was fairly uneventful, which is exactly how I like it. No one left Christmas crying or got kicked out! Haha, that makes my family sound a bit cuckoo. Let's just say, there were some growing pains as us kids grew up and started having families of our own. Anyway, we survived and made it back home. We're really fortunate in that our employer closes down from Christmas through New Year’s so we're able to travel to see family and also enjoy a few days recharging before work starts up again.


Speaking of New Years, anyone setting any fitness goals? I already listed mine over on the 2019 edition of the running thread but here’s some more details and a bonus goal!

1. Run at least 50 miles/month
I’ve mentioned the 50 mi/month thing before as that started back in November. I’ve learned that to avoid burnout, I can’t commit myself to 100+ mi months every month but I am expecting to have a few of those gearing up for the April marathon. Then I’ll probably step back for a couple months before gearing up for the fall. No idea what “gearing up” means just yet. I’m expecting to figure that out over the next few months based on how my training is going.

2. Strength train at least 1/week (ideally 2)
Strength training still isn’t my favorite way to spend my time, but I do feel a lot better once it’s done (kind of like running some days). I also know it’s a critical piece to staying healthy and strong so I plan to stick with it. Recently, I’ve only been able to fit in 1 day per week but I’m going to examine my schedule a little closer this week to see what I can do to complete two days.

3. Participate in local running group
On paper, I’ve been part of a local running group for the last two years. I’ve also only participated in about 3 activities since joining. As an introvert, running alone has become my time to decompress and re-energize myself. However, I know I could benefit from the motivation, knowledge, and camaraderie of other local runners. Plus, it’s good to do something scary, right?

4. Eat healthier
I really don’t know what this means quite yet. What I do know is that I’ve gained about 10 lbs since last year and after these past two weeks on vacation mode, I need to figure something out. A couple of years ago, I went keto with great success. However, my body has revolted against that lifestyle by breaking out into a rash anytime I try to get back to it.

Wow, that was a lot of words! Onto the training recap…My memory is a bit foggy on what happened yesterday let alone a few weeks ago, so it’s going to be sparse on details.

Week 6
Monday: Easy 4 miles on treadmill
Tuesday: Was supposed to run 5 but it was going to be nice weather after work so I procrastinated and then didn’t run at all :/
Wednesday: JM Workout 7. These are still no joke. My chest was killing me. Do runners really need nice pecs?
Thursday: Easy 3 miles outside. It was cold and dark. My eyes were watering and then froze to my face plus the fog from my breath was so think it was hard to see. Oh how I long for daylight and a little warmth.
Friday: Easy 3 miles outside. It was the exact same weather as the day before but felt a lot better. Maybe I’m adapting?
Saturday: Easy 5 miles outside on the golf course. There were still a few snowy/icy spots since they don’t clear in the winter but was nice for the change of scenery.

Sunday: Was supposed to run another easy 5, but it felt like there were velociraptors in my uterus so I barely made it off the couch.

Week 7
Monday: Easy 4 miles on treadmill
Tuesday: Easy 5 around the neighborhood.
Wednesday: JM Workout 8 + attended the cookie bake off run for the running group. Extra 5K to make up for some of those missed miles the week prior.
Thursday: Easy 4 miles on the treadmill
Friday: Easy 5 miles on the treadmill
Saturday: Easy 4 miles outside
Sunday: Easy 6 miles outside. Ventured to a local bike path for a change of scenery.

Week 8
Monday: Easy 4 miles outside before we hit the road for Christmas travel
Tuesday: Due to Christmas activities, I delayed my first speed workout and pulled forward my easy 4 miles.
Wednesday: First speed workout. Ahhhh! I was very anxious about this. Could I hit the paces? Would I make it all 12 intervals? I was supposed to run 400m @ 8:03 pace with 400m rest. Due to the way I know how to use my Fitbit, I set it for 2 min intervals so my rest breaks were a bit shorter. I think I may have figured out how to do manual laps now but I’ve been too nervous to try. Paces were 7:42, 8:00, 8:00, 8:00, 8:00, 7:42, 8:00, 7:42, 8:00, 8:00, 7:42, 8:00. A few too fast but I still felt strong at the end. There’s some weird rounding happening in my online report as I know some of the paces were more like 7:57 or off numbers but this is pretty close.
Thursday: Due to some rescheduling, this was my rest day as we drove back home
Friday: First tempo run, 5 miles at 8:46 plus warm up and cool down. Eeeeep! Long time readers may remember my struggle with tempo runs. Historically, these have been my worst runs. Due to the weather and my schedule that day, I had to run the miles on the treadmill which isn’t ideal, but I did it! I think in this case, it may actually be better than outdoors since I have to keep moving at that pace or fall on my face. Most of my problems with tempo runs have been mental. Either I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold the pace or I start daydreaming and forget I’m trying to hold a specific pace.
Saturday: Easy 8 miles at the YMCA. I probably could have braved the cold but I somehow talked my husband into going to the Y for moral support so I ran 64 circles for 80 minutes.
Sunday: First long run, 8 miles @ 9:29. I was a bit worried about this mostly because of the 15 miles I had run the two days before. I started off a bit slow but other than a detour looking for an open restroom my pacing was pretty spot on (10:04, 9:24, 9:40, 9:23, 11:12, 9:23, 9:23, 9:29). I ran by the river and got to spy on our new bridge construction.


Week 9: Overall, I’m feeling really strong right now but trying to keep in mind I have a long ways to go.
Monday: 4 Easy Miles
Tuesday: Scheduled for 8x600m but I registered for a 5K instead. Trying to figure out if I do this workout next week or jump right up to 6x800. Thoughts? Suggestions? I have an extra week built in with two weeks of 5x1000m so I’m leaning toward moving everything back a week and ending with only one 5x1000m workout.
Wednesday: JM Workout 7
Thursday: 5 Tempo Miles
Friday: 4 Easy Miles
Saturday: 6 Easy Miles
Sunday: 10 Mile Long Run – First double digit run since I paced a friend to a half PR in April! Yowza, I didn’t realize it had been so long. The only other run in 2018 that was double digits was way back on Jan 7 at a certain Walt Disney World….no wonder my endurance has been suffering.

 

[GollyGadget]

Okay friends, my computer is being a total weirdo right now. I'll be back to update soon.

Happy 2019!

 

[GollyGadget]

Just got approval from the boss man. I'll be in Orlando next month! I'm so excited I could explode. As far as I'm concerned, I just won the Super Bowl!

 

[GollyGadget]

Resolution Run 5K
Weather: Overall, great weather for a January race in the Midwest. The actual temp was above freezing although the “feels like” was in the 20s. It felt a bit chilly during my warm up but I was able to reduce to one layer for the race. The major factor here is that the race didn’t start until 1 pm so there was time for the temps to rise. Word on the street is that it was below 0 last year and there were lots of jokes that it was too warm this year, but I wasn’t complaining!

Course: The course was basically a loop with a small out and back in a park. The first mile was essentially straight downhill with the second mile fairly flat and the final mile uphill. It definitely was not an exciting course. To make matters worse, the flat stretch was deceptively icy and the final mile just brutal. I didn’t really pick the race for the course so I won’t hold it against them.

Results: I didn’t really have any goals for this race. Heck, I only registered for it the day before on a whim. I was scheduled to do some speed work and figured a race would be just as good of a way to make sure I got that done. Plus, there’s my goal to be more involved with the local running group and I knew several would be there.

I decided I’d aim for a 7:30 pace and see how long I could hold it. As mentioned, the first mile was downhill so I had a little help getting me to the first mile marker in 7:20. I was still feeling good as we entered the park but immediately realized I needed to slow down to avoid slipping on the ice. The 2nd mile ended shortly after exiting the park with a pace of 8:10. The ice in the park was a bit frustrating because I felt like I could run faster, but sometimes you just have to make lemons out of lemonade.

About this point, I was getting really annoyed by the lady in front of me. I’d pass her while she was walking and then she’d immediately sprint past me. It was very clear she was not using pre-determined run/walk intervals but instead walking when she got tired and not wanting me to pass her. My goal became beating her to the finish line.

Once we got to the hill, it became very clear she was not going to be able to keep it up. When I went past, I’d try to encourage her to keep going. We were less than half a mile away by this point. Eventually, her cat and mouse game quit but I still feared she’d come up from behind at the finish. I’m not built for speed and it wouldn’t be the first time I was beat out at the finish.

With roughly a quarter mile to go, a member of the local running group passed me on his cooldown. He told me I was 3rd overall female and to go get it. Couldn’t he see that was as fast as my legs would take me? Anyway, I appreciated the motivation and more importantly didn’t want to let him down so I pushed as fast as I could. I really thought I might show everyone the brownie I ate for breakfast. Luckily that didn’t happen and I was able to hang on and finish in 25:07 with 3rd place solidly mine! It’s definitely not my fastest time but I put it all out there so I am proud of it.

Time: 25:07
Age Group Rank: 2/24…tough age group when 2 of the overall fastest 3 are in your group!
Gender Rank: 3/102
Overall Rank: 20/171

Random Ramblings:
This was my first official race with the local running group. My husband tells me it was poor form to show up and then beat all the other women..oh well. Hopefully they like a little competition!

For finishing top 3 overall, I got a $25 gift card to the local running store. The race entry was only $35 so I was trying to tell my husband this was a good investment…he told me I could not be in charge of our retirement if I thought losing money was good. I guess what I really meant was a good value since I’m only out $10 now plus I got a coupon for a free chicken sandwich and a long sleeve tshirt out of the deal.

Overall Impression:
This was a fun last minute decision. Meeting some of the other local runners was definitely the highlight. The course was hard but running a race is a nice way to start the new year. I wouldn’t mind running this race again but the weather forecast will definitely impact my decision.

 

[michigandergirl]

Nice work! Congrats!!

 

[GollyGadget]

Nice work! Congrats!!

Thanks! I'm looking to forward to what might be possible this year. Might be the fresh start feelings of a new year but I'm excited to see what happens.

 

[GollyGadget]

Week 9: Feeling Fine
Wow, a lot happened last week. I went from not posting in over two weeks to posting 4 times in a matter of days. The biggest news is that I’m officially registered for the Fairy Tale Challenge at WDW in February . Due to other priorities, I really didn’t expect to be back for a few years but the stars aligned and registration was still open, so here we go! My husband isn’t able to get away from work but I have convinced a friend that a last minute trip to Disney is a good idea. Plus, since registering, I’ve discovered two other girls I know who will be running the half marathon. I’m so excited!

There’s no strategy or goal for the race yet. Princess is 6 weeks before my marathon and is one of the weekends I had preselected to run a longer race. It actually works pretty nice in terms of that, especially since there aren’t many options around here in winter. I just don’t know if I’ll want to race, run for fun, or somewhere in between. Guess you’ll have to stay tuned to find out. Chances are high I decide that morning.

I’m not going to be posting a formal 2018 Year in Review but here are a few of the highlights in chronological order:
1. Running the WDW Marathon. Seriously, I still have all the feels for this. I’m doing my best to not be jealous of everyone heading there right now.
2. 3 new PRs

a. Marathon (4:08:56)
b. 4 mi (0:30:58)
c. 5K (0:22:37)​

3. Pacing a friend to a Half Marathon PR by over 13 minutes

Unfortunately, all those PRs took place in the first 3 months of the year and running sort of went south after that. I’m hoping to get back near that 5K time by the end of the year. We’ll see if that’s possible. I keep repeating the mantra “No Rest for the Determined” to remind myself what is necessary to reach my goals.

Monday: Easy 4 Miles
Weather wasn’t totally awesome and my husband wanted to go to the gym, so I completed my 4 easy miles on the indoor track.

Tuesday: Resolution Run 5K
See full recap above.
TLDR: I met some new running friends and won an award. One of those new friends happens to be running Princess

Wednesday: JM Workout 7
Waking up early for work for the first time in 12 days was brutal. The workout was also brutal since I totally skipped strength the week before but I suffered through it and didn’t die!

Thursday: 5 Miles @ Tempo (8:46)
Like last week, I elected to stay on the treadmill for this tempo run. My neighborhood is too hilly to really nail this workout and I don’t feel safe running in the dark anywhere else. The treadmill wasn’t bad although I worked up a tremendous sweat. Maybe that’s good heat acclimation training for WDW?

Friday: Easy 4 Miles
Bucky got a new collar so we took that for a trial run around the neighborhood. It’s definitely not her favorite but she tolerates it. Back on Christmas, I had a terrible time with her pulling the ENTIRE run so I decided something had to change. My hip still hurts from that run. This new collar prevents the pulling and has the added benefit that it scares strangers away because they think she may bite.



Saturday: Easy 6 Miles
I agreed to go to the gym with my husband again but it was just too darn nice to stay inside. I think it got up to 50. Anyway, husband worked out inside while I ran on the trails outside. The run felt amazing. I felt like I couldn’t be stopped.

Sunday: 10 Miles & Long Run (9:29)
Sunday was the exact opposite of Saturday. I had trouble motivating myself to get out the door, I had to remind myself of the quote below and just do it.

The whole time I struggled with my pacing. My watch either said 8:00 or 10:30, nothing in between and nothing near 9:29. The first few miles, I was concerned I was going too fast but the actual splits came out slow. I think only 2 of the miles were less than 9:40. It was a tough run and I finished in the dark (whoops) but I made it to double digits for the first time in several months. I’m looking forward to putting it behind me.

Week 10: Really glad I’m getting a second shot at 10 miles before the 15 next week. I found a quick runner’s workout that I’m going to add to my Saturdays going forward. That will keep one tough(er) strength session on Wednesday and a bonus day to keep my muscles from getting too comfortable.
Monday: 4 Easy Miles
Tuesday: 8x600m
Wednesday: Workout 8
Thursday: 5 Mile Tempo
Friday: 5 Easy Miles
Saturday: 6 Easy Miles + Runner Strength
Sunday: 10 Mile Long Run

 

[GollyGadget]

Week 10: I Won’t be Snowed In
With Week 10 in the books, I’m officially 12 weeks away from the big day. Training has been going really well lately. I haven’t missed a workout in over 4 weeks (a huge accomplishment for me). To date, I’ve ran 235 miles since the beginning of November. That’s a 97% completion rate! Plus, I’ve successfully survived 4 weeks of 30+ miles. Those 40+ mile weeks are going to come quick but I feel ready. Signing up for Princess Weekend has definitely helped in the motivation department. I just keep telling myself 6 weeks until Princess and by the time that rolls around, it will only be 6 weeks until marathon day.

My hip has been bothering me since Christmas but not enough to impact my running. It’s mostly just annoying. I can’t feel the pain once I get going but I know it’s there when I start moving. The local running store is having free PT sessions tonight so I’ve signed myself up. Hoping I can learn some new stretches or exercises to get it worked out.

Monday: Easy 4 Miles
I was scheduled for 6 but after my long run the day before, I thought my legs could use some extra rest. I took Bucky for the first 3 and then finished on my own. I definitely need to slow these down a bit. Why is running slow so hard?

Tuesday: 8x600m
I went to the gym to take advantage of the indoor track for these. Each lap is 200m so it was 3 laps at 8:03 pace and 2 laps rest in between. My Fitbit stored the data weird because it doesn’t get a good GPS signal indoors and it’s really bad at estimated pace/distance without GPS. Goal was to finish the 3 laps in 3:00 min and I did a fairly good job of that. Most importantly, I still felt strong when I finished.

Wednesday: JM Workout 8
This workout felt particularly rough. It’s the first time I’ve done a JM workout the day after a speed session so I think that had something to do with it.

Thursday: 5 Miles @ Tempo (8:46)
Another tempo run, another treadmill morning. Running these on the treadmill isn’t the worst. It’s the only way I’m able to finish them before work without incorporating any big hills. However, these are about to get a lot longer in distance so we’ll see how that goes.

Friday: Easy 5 Miles
Took Bucky after work on Friday for this run. I’ve grown to prefer running in the morning but when it was going to be near freezing after work, I decided it would be good to enjoy an outdoor run. The other plus, is that there’s enough daylight now that I can run on the golf course. There aren’t any lights on it, but more importantly there are these huge icy patches that I would not want to come across in the dark.


Saturday: Easy 5 Miles
This was supposed to be 6 miles, but after I spent the first mile navigating 6” of snow, I wanted to take it a bit easy on my legs. We were only supposed to get 2-3”. Had I known the snow as going to come in so thick, I would have made an effort to get out the door earlier. Fortunately, I was able to find some stretches that had been shoveled and only had about an inch for the final few miles.

Compulsory “I ran in the snow” selfie.

Sunday: 10 Miles @ Long Run (9:29)
This was meant to be my redemption run after last week. Well, it wasn’t. Not because I struggled with the pacing, but because this is what the path looked like:


I’m certainly not complaining as it was really nice to be able to get outside for the 3rd day in a row, but there were a lot of slick spots. As soon as I found a clear patch and got to my pace, I’d nearly lose my footing and need to slow down. Regardless, I’m counting it as a success.

Week 11: This is a really interesting week scheduling wise…Weeks 11 & 12 are identical because I built myself a week buffer in case of illness, injury, etc. Fortunately, I didn’t need it so now I need to adjust. I was having some trouble figuring out what I was going to do but then my husband booked us a weekend trip to the Wisconsin Dells. The forecasted high on Sunday is 14 but I’d have to run in the single digit morning. Our hotel doesn’t have a gym/treadmill so indoors isn’t an option. Looks like that 15 miler will have to wait a week!
Monday: 5 Easy Miles
Tuesday: 6x800m
Wednesday: Workout 7
Thursday: 6 Mile Tempo (Scheduled for 8 but giving myself a stepping stone since I have the extra week)
Friday: 6 Easy Miles
Saturday: 5 Easy Miles + Runner Strength
Sunday: TBD (I’d like to get in 6 miles but we’ll see what the schedule allows)

 

[GollyGadget]

Week 11: Whoooooaaaa! We’re Halfway There! (11 is really hard to rhyme)
Despite a few hiccups this week, I’m feeling really confident in my training so far. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I’ve definitely stuck with it a lot better this time around. I think having that break in October really gave me a chance to remember how much I enjoy running. Times are about to get tough though. We’re entering the coldest part of the year (why did I think training in February was going to be a good idea?!?!). I’m going to try to still get outside a few times a week but the cold coupled with the ice & snow make it a bit dicey for my morning runs. I’m already loading up the DVR on Disney movies. Right now, I’m focused on making it to Princess and hoping it will be warmer here when I return after that. If we could at least get back to the average low near 20, it would be a game changer.

Somewhat related, my resting heart rate has dropped significantly. It had gone up to the mid-high 50s for the last several months then about a week ago it dropped down to right around 50. I’m crossing my fingers this means I’m back closer to the fitness I was in for fall 2017 but only time will tell. Strangely, my husband asked me yesterday what my heart rate was while running. I know my max heart rate is right around 190 but really wasn’t sure where it was on typical runs so I pulled up the fitbit data. My easy run on that day was average 124 bpm which I think means I finally slowed down enough for these! Wooo! Small victories!

The marathon course was finally announced for my April race. When I registered, I was hoping for the same course as last year.
Last year:

I should have known it would change somewhat because I believe at least one of those bridges is under construction but I wasn’t clearly thinking. Is anyone ever clearly thinking when signing up for a marathon?
This Year:

I don’t hate it but I’m not totally excited either. Starting and finishing in different areas is totally throwing me off. Even though it’s not uncommon, I’ve never ran a race that does this. They’re also trying to convince me it’s a flatter, faster course. Maybe. But I have a hard time trusting them when they also tell me miles 20-26.2 are downhill.

What’s that at mile 22 then? It appears to be net downhill, but there’s certainly a climb in there. At least I looked and didn’t just trust them. That certainly would have been an unpleasant surprise.

In other news, I went to see a PT about some self-inflicted hip pain I’ve been experiencing. By self-inflicted, I mean Bucky-inflicted. She was pulling nonstop on our run on Christmas and my hip has hurt ever since. Now she has a new collar to prevent pulling and I have some new stretches. Apparently my pelvis wasn’t aligned so we did a quick adjustment and it seemed instantly better. The PT asked if I did any stretching and I was kind of embarrassed to tell her no but thought it was best to be honest. She didn’t seem surprised and told me that was a typical runner response. Now I have a few quick daily stretches which I’m trying my best to stick with. My hamstrings were the worst offenders. Anyone got any good stretches for that area? My favorite one is lying on my back while having my husband push my leg forward. However, he’s too nervous about hurting me and doesn’t really want to do it. We’ve joked about training Bucky to do it, but so far no luck.

Monday: Easy 5 Miles
With the snow, dark, and cold weather, I stuck indoors to avoid any icy mishaps. It was incredibly difficult mentally to go so slow but I persevered.

Tuesday: 6x800m
I had a 7am meeting which meant no time before work to get this done. The gym is way too busy after work and the outdoor conditions not ideal so the treadmill it was. I’m not sure that was my best decision. This workout was rough and I could really feel it in my calves. Regardless, I got it done.

Wednesday: JM Workout 7
Blegh. This was fine I guess. Better than last time but I don’t think I’ll ever be a big fan of crow pushups.

Thursday: 6 Miles @ Tempo (8:46)
Since my run on Tuesday wasn’t the greatest, I decided to find a fan and something more engaging to watch on TV (Moana). It worked. This was my best tempo run so far. I felt like I could go for ages. The fan was definitely a good idea.

I’d only watched Moana once a few years ago and it kept me distracted from the fact that I still had X miles to go. My favorite takeaway is that I must be a princess.

Dress? Check
Animal sidekick? Check

Friday: Easy 3 Miles
This was meant to be 6 miles but I could not get excited for this run. The whole morning was a struggle to get out the door. I’m not sure exactly what the deal was. The temperature was actually quite warm (mid 20s) but I think I was just already looking forward to the long weekend getaway. When I still wasn’t feeling it at 2 miles, I decided to cut my losses and head home.

Saturday & Sunday
I really wanted to get out and running this weekend but knew it was questionable. We traveled up to Wisconsin Friday afternoon and when I woke up on Saturday all the paths were covered in several inches of snow and it was negative degrees. I’ve finally come to terms with running in the teens, but negatives are still out of reach for me. Luckily, I built a bit of buffer into my plan so these missed runs shouldn’t hurt my chances at my goal. However, now that buffer is gone so it’s time to buckle down!

Week 12: To say I’m nervous about my long run would be an understatement. I’m confident I can make the distance but it just seems so far and it’s forecasted to be real cold. The last time I ran that far, was over a year ago and I was at WDW and stopping to take pictures with my pals Mickey & Minnie. Plus, it’ll be my first test with a new fueling strategy. I haven’t figured out what exactly that will be but I know what I did last time did not work. It worked during my training but I was incredibly nauseous for the second half of race day. Any tips or recommendations? I generally find most things too sweet so something on the salty side would be ideal.
Monday: 5 Easy Miles
Tuesday: 5x1000m
Wednesday: Workout 8
Thursday: 8 Mile Tempo
Friday: 6 Easy Miles
Saturday: 5 Easy Miles + Runner Strength
Sunday: 15 Mile Long Run

 

[michigandergirl]

My hamstrings were the worst offenders. Anyone got any good stretches for that area?

Why yes!!

https://www.verywellfit.com/yoga-stretches-for-runners-3567203

http://momsrunthistown.com/blog/yoga-poses-for-runners/

The reclined big toe pose, pyramid pose, forward fold and wide legged forward fold are all great hamstring stretches. Do these after a run or walk when your muscles are warm. The rest of them are good to do too for other areas (hips/groin).

 

[GollyGadget]

Why yes!!

https://www.verywellfit.com/yoga-stretches-for-runners-3567203

http://momsrunthistown.com/blog/yoga-poses-for-runners/

The reclined big toe pose, pyramid pose, forward fold and wide legged forward fold are all great hamstring stretches. Do these after a run or walk when your muscles are warm. The rest of them are good to do too for other areas (hips/groin).

Thanks so much! I don't have a strap but was reading I could use a towel instead for the reclined big toe pose. Definitely going to give that a try! Not for my hamstrings, but my personal favorite is child's pose.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Somewhat related, my resting heart rate has dropped significantly. It had gone up to the mid-high 50s for the last several months then about a week ago it dropped down to right around 50. I’m crossing my fingers this means I’m back closer to the fitness I was in for fall 2017 but only time will tell. Strangely, my husband asked me yesterday what my heart rate was while running. I know my max heart rate is right around 190 but really wasn’t sure where it was on typical runs so I pulled up the fitbit data. My easy run on that day was average 124 bpm which I think means I finally slowed down enough for these! Wooo! Small victories!

I'd say you're definitely in the easy zone based on %HRR.

 

[GollyGadget]

View attachment 377565

I'd say you're definitely in the easy zone based on %HRR.

Do you have a handy chart of where I should be for each workout? I feel like you provided me one before. If not, if you know a place that has the info, I can probably figure out the math...maybe.

 

[GollyGadget]

Week 12: Time to Excel(ve)!
10 Weeks to go and training is getting serious. I had my first (and only) 15 miler plus the weekday tempo runs are nearing double digit territory. When I first switched to morning workouts, I set my alarm for 5:27am. This was plenty of time for my 30-40 minute sessions, shower, breakfast, and commute. Now that the runs are much longer, I had to switch my alarm to 5:07. Not. A. Fan. I temporarily debated moving this workout to the afternoon but I know that just means a greater likelihood of me skipping, so earlier it is!

I really hope waivers & corrals for Princess are released soon. I kind of thought they’d come out this past week. Obviously, it’d be nice to know I was placed in an earlier corral. We all know that means less crowding. But it really isn’t about that at all. I submitted my POT and have confidence I will be placed where I belong. It’s just that it finally feels like race day is right around the corner once corrals are known. Which is actually kind of strange…I haven’t run any races outside of Disney where I’m notified of my corral before packet pickup. Can you imagine if Disney started doing that? The outrage that ensued would be near comic levels.

My husband seems to have picked up an interest in running again. He came up from the treadmill earlier this week asking what pace he needed for a 30 minute 5K. Then he was incredibly disappointed to hear that 5mph was not fast enough. I tried to encourage him by telling him that I do most of my runs at 5.2 but I’m not sure it worked. Any tips for keeping him engaged? I tried suggesting he follow a program like Couch to 5K. He profusely insisted that he’s above “couch” level. As we all know, it’s incredibly frustrating to come back from a running hiatus and start over. I’m trying to find a way to ease him in but worried I’ll just scare him away.

We also went to buy new shoes this weekend. The local running shop was having a $50 sale on select older model shoes. I’ve been wanting to try something new and thought this was a great opportunity. Currently, my favorite pair are boy’s Nike Frees. Don’t judge. Kids shoes are cheaper and wider, double bonus. However, these shoes have zero cushion and I can start to feel it in my knees after 8-10 miles so I need something with more cushion for the longer runs. Last time, I went too far into the cushion zone and ended up with shoes that hurt my arches after 3-5 miles. Long story short, I ended up with Saucony Freedoms. Supposedly these are highly cushioned shoes but they didn’t feel heavy or mushy. So far, they performed well on an easy 5 miler so we’ll see. On top of only being $50, I also had a $25 GC for placing at a recent race and $15 store rewards credit…so $10 shoes. I’ll take it

Monday: Easy 5 Miles
Thanks to MLK Jr. we had the day off and headed to the YMCA. We clearly weren’t the only ones with this idea and the track was packed. People commonly walked side by side making it near impossible to pass. Sound familiar anyone? My goal was to keep an easy pace so the crowding probably helped. I just kept telling myself it’s good training for runDisney.

Tuesday: 5x1000m
Another early meeting and no time to get to the gym so treadmill it was. Typically, I adjust the treadmill incline up 1 but after my calves were screaming at me during the speed session last week, I decided to keep it flat. The run went much better.

Wednesday: JM Workout 8
This workout starts out deceptively easy. There’s 4 circuits and the first one isn’t too rough. Then things shift dramatically and it gets real. I can tell I’m still making improvements because even though it was difficult, I was able to complete more of the exercises. Only one more of these sessions before I jump up to a new cycle of workouts. I’m not sure if I’m more nervous about what’s to come or excited to get 7 & 8 behind me.

Bucky is not impressed by all these indoor workouts. She wants to get outside and run. Me too Bucky, me too..


Thursday: 7 Miles @ Tempo (8:46)
Last week, I told you guys it was 8 Tempo miles but actually I meant 7. On the official program it is 8. However, I wanted to work my way up from 5 to 8. Last week was 6 and this week 7. My legs were still a bit tired from the previous two days so it was probably for the best. The early morning was a bit rough to get going. I finally found my groove a couple miles in but I was definitely getting winded in that last tempo mile. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited to slow down when the time came.

Friday: Easy 6 Miles
I really don’t remember this run at all but I know I did it. It was another early morning on the treadmill. I’m getting a little stir crazy to not be outside, but winter is hitting in the worst way right now. This is by far the worst winter since I moved to Iowa 10 years ago.


Snow up to my knees! (There’s even more now :/) I grew up in an area of the country where we didn’t really get snow. If it did snow, it was warm enough to melt before lunch so this is really outside my realm of winter expectations.

Saturday: Easy 5 Miles
The local running store was hosting a free 5K but the raw temp wasn’t even above zero so I skipped. We ended up at the YMCA without a track and I wasn’t a fan. We have a treadmill in our basement where I can watch whatever I want on TV and have a giant fan pointing right at me. This run was boring, monotonous, and hot. The actual running wasn’t physically demanding but it was a mental struggle. I really wanted to speed up a bit and get it over with but I knew I needed to leave some gas in the tank for the 15 miles the next day.

Sunday: 15 Mile Long Run
As anyone who was in my high school speech class would know, my hands tend to shake when I get nervous. I caught my hands shaking during breakfast on Sunday in anticipation of this run. I was confident I could go the distance, but I wasn’t sure if it would go well. The winter weather kept me indoors once again. I was shocked at the number of people at the indoor track but I think a lot of them were also forced indoors by the winter. It was once again atypically crowded. The nice part was that there were a few other distance runners who were fast than me so they’d go cruising through telling people to move over and I could just sneak by in their wake.

My watch doesn’t track indoor runs very accurately so I had to count laps…120 of them. This also makes it very difficult to know my pace so I tried to just guess what the pace should feel like. I decided to split the run into 5 mile segments. Mostly, so I could keep track of my lap number a bit better but also I planned to start fueling at mile 5. The run went much better than I expected. I was feeling incredibly strong throughout. By the end of it, I was just ready to be done but physically felt like I could keep going.

As far as I know, I ran the full 15 miles, but I do want to add the disclaimer here that I did lost count a couple of times in the last 5 miles. I ended up running an extra lap just in case. My long run pace is 9:29 and my average pace for this run was 9:27 so I’m calling it a smashing success. Just hoping I can get outside for the next one and not rely on my fatigued runner brain for counting.

My post-workout meal was a nice bowl of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle and grilled cheese. The fact my husband picked out these shapes for me, put a huge smile on my face. 4 weeks until Princess!


Week 13: Lucky number 13! My easy runs are getting longer this week. Longest easy run I’ve had so far is 6 miles but this week there’s a 7 miler and an 8. I’ve got my DVR loaded up and ready for some quality treadmill time. The forecast indicates it should be warmer by the weekend so hoping to get those runs outside. Until the snow melts or the sun starts rising earlier, my weekday runs will be on the mill. I’m not risking slipping on any ice.
Monday: 7 Easy Miles
Tuesday: 4x1200m
Wednesday: Workout 7 – Last time!
Thursday: 8 Mile Tempo
Friday: 5 Easy Miles
Saturday: 8 Easy Miles + Runner Strength – I haven’t done this strength workout since I added it to my schedule. But this will be the week!
Sunday: 10 Mile Long Run

 

[DopeyBadger]

Do you have a handy chart of where I should be for each workout? I feel like you provided me one before. If not, if you know a place that has the info, I can probably figure out the math...maybe.

This one that I posted above should be accurate based on your maxHR of 191 and restingHR of 50. So easy between 125-144. Long run in the 150s. Marathon is around 166-171. I'd say those LT, 10k, or 5k HRs are usually something I don't hit until the tail end of those types of training days or events. These aren't foolproof, but I've personally found them to match up quite well to my efforts at said paces.

My husband seems to have picked up an interest in running again. He came up from the treadmill earlier this week asking what pace he needed for a 30 minute 5K. Then he was incredibly disappointed to hear that 5mph was not fast enough. I tried to encourage him by telling him that I do most of my runs at 5.2 but I’m not sure it worked. Any tips for keeping him engaged? I tried suggesting he follow a program like Couch to 5K. He profusely insisted that he’s above “couch” level. As we all know, it’s incredibly frustrating to come back from a running hiatus and start over. I’m trying to find a way to ease him in but worried I’ll just scare him away.

Tell him, "today isn't race day". No reason he can't be at a 5mph now, and not be able to run a 30 min 5k when race day comes. Be patient with the process. Heck, if someone came to me with 30 min 5k pace fitness, then around a 12 min/mile is where most of their training would be anyways (assuming a 12 min/mile pace feels relatively easy).

 

[michigandergirl]

Nice job knocking out that 15 miler on the track. I would have lost count for sure!

 

[GollyGadget]

This one that I posted above should be accurate based on your maxHR of 191 and restingHR of 50. So easy between 125-144. Long run in the 150s. Marathon is around 166-171. I'd say those LT, 10k, or 5k HRs are usually something I don't hit until the tail end of those types of training days or events. These aren't foolproof, but I've personally found them to match up quite well to my efforts at said paces.

This is very helpful! While I've been stuck indoors, I've been paying a closer attention to my heart rate mid run but wasn't really sure what I should be aiming for each time.

Tell him, "today isn't race day". No reason he can't be at a 5mph now, and not be able to run a 30 min 5k when race day comes. Be patient with the process. Heck, if someone came to me with 30 min 5k pace fitness, then around a 12 min/mile is where most of their training would be anyways (assuming a 12 min/mile pace feels relatively easy).

So...I don't think he even has a race planned. Props to him for going after it without a defined goal. I definitely would not be putting in all those treadmill miles without a goal date.
Seeing that pace chart is encouraging. As an outsider, buying into the whole "run slow, race fast" methodology can be very difficult. I think I'll just try to lay low but provide guidance when asked and encouragement when needed.

Nice job knocking out that 15 miler on the track. I would have lost count for sure!

They actually have handheld tally clickers you can check out at the front desk. I really didn't want to carry it and there's a really high chance I would be zoned out and forget to lap it anyway.
Thanks again for the stretching moves! I don't think I'll become a yogi anytime soon but I have been enjoying my couple minute stretch session post workout.

 

[GollyGadget]

Ahahaha. @DopeyBadger I just realized I asked you for the HR zones by quoting a post in which you shared them. Thank you for not treating me like a dummy.

I think the symptoms of hypothermia are setting in.

 

[TheHamm]

This is very helpful! While I've been stuck indoors, I've been paying a closer attention to my heart rate mid run but wasn't really sure what I should be aiming for each time.


So...I don't think he even has a race planned. Props to him for going after it without a defined goal. I definitely would not be putting in all those treadmill miles without a goal date.
Seeing that pace chart is encouraging. As an outsider, buying into the whole "run slow, race fast" methodology can be very difficult. I think I'll just try to lay low but provide guidance when asked and encouragement when needed.


They actually have handheld tally clickers you can check out at the front desk. I really didn't want to carry it and there's a really high chance I would be zoned out and forget to lap it anyway.
Thanks again for the stretching moves! I don't think I'll become a yogi anytime soon but I have been enjoying my couple minute stretch session post workout.

Handheld lap counters seems like a great option! With our 12 laps/mile track at the Y I run out of fingers and give up counting every time !

 

[DopeyBadger]

Ahahaha. @DopeyBadger I just realized I asked you for the HR zones by quoting a post in which you shared them. Thank you for not treating me like a dummy.

I think the symptoms of hypothermia are setting in.