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Thursday, 2-28, running and fitness

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#61 ·
Thanks, Prae! Honestly, I could have gone another 10 or so (might have needed some food at some point). I run these at a moderate pace, so I'm not pushing myself too hard. I have endurance, I just need to work on speed. I'm trying to get there. Today's run was sooo much easier than yesterday's tempo.<br><br><b>Biah</b>, I just ordered the orange tri top you showed me (thank you!) and some cheap arm warmers. The top was on closeout, $22--how cool is that? Thanks for finding it for me, I hope it looks okay on. I'm loving the idea of getting some orange going in the rotation!
 
#62 ·
Trust me that was my initial goal (for the longest time too) - not to drown! (That was kinda' my lil mantra for my first tri - survive the swim, and you'll finish no problem.)<br><br>
Now I think I've graduated to the next level up where I actually feel comfortable in the water, and this is probably where I need another set of eyes to figure out what I'm doing right or (more likely) wrong
 
#63 ·
You can only wish that your legs would look as good as mine will in a Black & Gold running skirt!<br><br>
I swear that I'll stop talking about this in a minute, but when I think about running 26.2 miles, it sounds really abstract, like "yeah, that's a long way, but it can't be <i>that</i> far, right?" Well, I know most of the places where the old route went, and when I think about running all that, I think, "What the f#@& are you thinking? Do you really want to run up 5th avenue after already doing 15 miles?" Though I'm committed to running it if it happens, I also think it might be better not to know the route in advance. What do the rest of you think? I know this was kinda the QOD the other day, but is there a difference between knowing the elevation, say, and knowing what the building around the next turn looks like? At any rate, it will definitely be a PR since it'll be my first!
 
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#64 ·
<b>Prae</b> I think doing your hometown race as your first marathon is a great idea. The chance to train on the course is a HUGE benefit...not necessarily for time, but for confidence. You can run sections of it at a time in your training and then come race day, it's all familiar to you. "Oh, this hill/bridge isn't so bad...we've done this several times before" or "I'm only 20 minutes from the finish line when I hit that corner" - things like that are a huge help. Not to mention you'll be more likely to have friends on the course and you can run to those points - that keeps you going when it gets rough, and knowing the course makes the coordination all the easier.<br><br>
BUt the potentially best part about about running Pittsburgh as your first marathon - Prmanti Bros and Yuengling right afterwards!
 
#65 ·
26.2 is a long fookin' way, no matter how you slice it.<br><br>
Anyone who has ever done a training run of 16 miles on a bad day would tell you that they've had the thought: <i>"10.2 more miles. That's nuts!"</i>
 
#66 ·
<b>Prae-</b> no way is my first marathon going to be hilly. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> I've thought about Spring 09 as my debut, haven't decided though. So, I'll be finding myself some other race for a full, and drive to Pburgh to be a cheerleader and/or run in smaller races. It's close enough that I'd go even for a 10K if it was a 30's gathering.
 
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#67 ·
Actually, once you get to that point, that extra couple of miles seems like a looong way. <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"><br><br>
I love doing that! Nice work!<br><br>
I think it's extremely advantageous to know the course. It helps immensely. Having said that, my PR is on a course 2,000 miles away in a place I had never been before.<br><br>
1!
 
#69 ·
A buddy from the pace team was training for the Burning River 100 miler...he hit the wall BIG TIME at the Cleveland Marathon last year and his brother, in an ever-so-supportive voice, yelled out "Just think - you'd only have 74 more miles to go if this were Burning River!" as my friend shuffled by him at the end of the race.
 
#70 ·
It is far, don't get me wrong, I respect the distance! For whatever reason, when I set out for a long run, my brain just goes into a very happy, relaxed place and I don't think about how far I have to run. For example, I never think during a 20 miler "Oh, I'm only at mile 6--crap 14 more miles to go". I just think "hey, 4 more miles until I'm headed back home--that's nothing".<br><br>
Now, if I would jump in the car and drive what I just ran this morning, it seems way too far to run. It cracks me up to think about my routes when I'm driving around. No dumbass would try to run that far, would they? Oh, wait...<br><br>
I have had plenty of crappy medium long runs (14/15 milers) where I end up going out with the attitude of just getting it done. That doesn't work for me at all, staying relaxed and enjoying the journey is what this chick is all about. I guess that is why speedwork freaks me out--it's rushed and very structured--stressful!
 
#72 ·
It's varies with the weather. I'm no speedster while training, that's for sure!<br><br>
My easy runs are anywhere from 8:00 to 8:40ish...when it's really hot out I can't keep my HR under control and have to run towards that slow end. Long runs are about the same, I guess.<br><br>
Today was just under a 8:30 pace. I had to hold back, it was really nice out, but I knew this was a pretty long run so I kept reeling it back in. I have no desire to push too hard in training and then have nothing left for the goal--I could see myself falling into that trap, so I'm pretty careful about backing off. I think today felt so easy because my HR stayed low the entire time, I didn't get that normal mid morning So. Fla heat up.<br><br>
Recoveries are around 9ish--I just make sure to keep the HR really low, somewhere around 70%ish.<br><br>
I'll certainly welcome feedback about my paces, I question them a lot but feel like this easier stuff is allowing me to slowly enter speedworkville once a week or so.
 
#73 ·
I think you're doing just fine with what you're doing now.<br><br>
1. Your pacing is well within the range I'd recommend.<br><br>
2. There's no reason to add a lot of speedwork if you haven't stopped improving with adding more miles.<br><br>
Can I assume that you work from home? I just don't have the time during the week to fit in the miles that you do - 23.5 on a Thursday is just plain impossible w/out getting up at 3:30 AM to run.
 
#74 ·
It's not going to be my hometown anymore, though. <img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif"> I am already trying to talk a bunch of my colleagues into sticking around into May to cheer at the race (classes end in April). They just think I'm nuts.<br><br>
Thanks for all the feedback, folks. I'm going stir crazy not running this week as I'm chained to my desk (though if I stopped checking here so often, I could probably have gotten my run in <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> ) and I just keep dreaming about my year+ running goals. Plus, the idea of roping yinz guys into coming to my first marathon is pretty cool.
 
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#75 ·
Nah, I'm pretty spoiled, I don't have to work. DH works from home as a software developer (we spend way toooo much time together). Running is my chance to get out of the house for a couple of hours.<br><br>
Though, many eons ago, when I worked I still ran quite a bit--I just never raced back then. I either got up crazy early or ran on the TM late. If I missed my morning run, I used to figure if I'm going to watch TV in the evening, I might as well be running while doing that.
 
#77 ·
Greatings all,<br><br>
I'm in downtown chicago for a dinner party. Grant park is covered with snow...isn't that where the starting line is for the marathon? I could be back here in October...we'll see.<br>
Still have the nagging ski injury...I may or may not be on the treadmill today, but I will road run tomorrow and both weekend days. Who knows, maybe this every other day schedule that I've been on is allowing the injury to heal quicker?<br><br>
Well, gotta go, the guest of honor is asking me to join him in the bar at the W. Who am I to turn that down?<br><br>
Later all,<br>
Tim
 
#78 ·
Just to point out, there are different schools of thought on this. And much of it depends on the individual. I think that right now I can benefit from doing my easy runs at a much slower pace than recommended (by say VDOT or McMillan). My easy days (just like <b>Jen's</b>) in the 8-9 min/mile range, and tend toward the higher end of that range. Right now I can get 3-4 quality runs a week, and the other 4-3 days I run easily enough that I'm recovered by the time the next hard day rolls around. I think that last year I ran my easy days too hard and carried too much fatigue around. For me the question is - for what (i.e. why not go slower on the easy day)? In the perspective of an easy day what is the difference between 45-60 minutes at 60%-65% vs 75%?<br><br>
On the second point, I think it depends on what you mean by "a lot of speedwork" and "more miles". For me, I've found that there is a lot of value in including different training paces even long before race day. I think a lot of people associate "speedwork" with oxygen debt, and that doesn't have to be the case. E.g. running something like 6x400 with a 400 jog at 5k pace shouldn't put most runners here into any pain. (If you can race 3.1 miles at that speed, what's 1.5 miles with 6 breaks?)<br><br>
A lot of it comes down to definitions though - is MP speedwork? HM pace? 10K pace? 5K? Only faster than that?<br><br>
Anyway, my only real point is that I think I benefit from mixing up paces, both hard and easy and having bigger distinctions between hard and easy paces. YMMV.
 
#79 ·
Great post, <b>PTom</b>!<br><br>
I spend a lot of time thinking about what will end up working best for me in the end. Right now, I'm pretty happy with the results coming from mileage, but I also know there is no way to know how additional speedwork will benefit me until I try. I'm pretty sure I can't add that in right now without getting burned out or injured so it'll have to wait a few months.<br><br>
That's the fun about all this, it just takes time to find what works for us as individuals. Next time around, I'm going to mix it up and add more speed-type runs and less volume and see what results that will produce.<br><br>
I realize that this is going to take YEARS to figure out, if it can ever even get figured out. My luck, I'll get it done and then age/injury or whatever will change that.
 
#80 ·
I probably do my easy runs too hard as well, and may not push hard enough on the speedwork. I feel inefficient if I run too easy and I feel sluggish afterwards, so I end up starting easy and then speeding up a little. It is amazing to me though how 15-20 seconds per mile can make such a big difference...or when in the run you hit certain speeds. For me, almost no matter the pace, I have a tough time talking when I first start out - once I'm warmed up though I can talk at almost any pace.
 
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