Acceleration gliders and magic miles are two other concepts in the Galloway training program. The idea behind acceleration gliders is that you go through periods where, instead of stopping abruptly, you use your existing momentum to carry you along as a faster pace then just walking, but with little extra effort. One of the supposed benefits of this drill, if I understand it correctly, is to learn how to maximize existing momentum to conserve energy. I think it does this partially by training your body mechanics to step as lightly, and with as little wasted energy as possible. For example, running with too large a stride results in a pretty major heel impact, which is essentially like putting on the brakes. Over the course of a mile where that foot may be striking the ground 1000 times, the wasted energy adds up.
Magic miles are not a drill, per-se, but apparently a predictive tool for performance. Essentially all it is is a mile run where you go as fast as possible, and by the time the mile is up, you feel like you couldn't go more then another 100 yds at that pace. Once you have some numbers for these magic miles, you can get some predictive idea of performance for various races.
Leg 1: 8:38 (1 mile warmup)
Leg 2: 9:04 (1 mile with 3 acceleration gliders) Avg HR 152
Leg 3: 7:01 (Magic Mile) Avg HR 179
Leg 4: 4:34 (recovery walk)
Leg 5: 21:31 (slow jog to finish)
The magic mile prediction is as follows (from www.jeffgalloway.com):
add 33 seconds for your pace for a 5K
multiply by 1.15 for 10K pace
multiply by 1.2 for half marathon pace
multiply by 1.3 for marathon pace
So - with my magic mile time of 7 minutes, I could theoretically run a 5k race at a pace of 7:33 min/mile. My half marathon pace would be at about 8:24 min/mile for a finishing time of about 1:50:02. Based on my performance the other week in the half marathon, I can see being able to drop about 4-5 minutes at my current level of conditioning.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
4 x 400 hill work - 10/29
As I mentioned in an earlier post, next year I plan on following the Galloway training program. There are a good number of aspects to it (the long run, cadence drills, form work, hills, etc) - so I've been thinking that I can take the next month or so and start integrating some of these aspects into my weekly workouts without having the stress of trying to figure out and process a lot of new things all at once.
So today was the initial trial of the hill workouts. According to the program, hill workouts are great for building leg strength, especially the calfs. The idea is that with stronger calf muscles, the ankle becomes a more efficient lever which can provide some propulsion as the toes leave the ground. The initial hill workouts are on a 5-7% grade, about 400-600 yds in length. You run up the hill at about 75%, so that you are well into the aerobic zone, but not in the anaerobic. After you reach the top, you walk down as a rest, and repeat X number of times. Fortunately, near my house is just such a hill - about 1/4 mile from bottom to top, with a minor but not insignificant incline.
Since it was my first time doing them, I figured 4 would be a good place to start. To warm things up (its getting cold out there!) I ran a mile as a warm up.
Lap 1: 2:11
Lap 2: 2:05
Lap 3: 2:06
Lap 4: 2:11
In each case, the average HR was about 158 and the ending HR was about 178. Oops - that put me in the anaerobic zone for a brief period of time, so next time I'll have to pay more attention to keep the rate a little lower. In my defense, it was dark out and I couldn't see my HR monitor that well :)
So today was the initial trial of the hill workouts. According to the program, hill workouts are great for building leg strength, especially the calfs. The idea is that with stronger calf muscles, the ankle becomes a more efficient lever which can provide some propulsion as the toes leave the ground. The initial hill workouts are on a 5-7% grade, about 400-600 yds in length. You run up the hill at about 75%, so that you are well into the aerobic zone, but not in the anaerobic. After you reach the top, you walk down as a rest, and repeat X number of times. Fortunately, near my house is just such a hill - about 1/4 mile from bottom to top, with a minor but not insignificant incline.
Since it was my first time doing them, I figured 4 would be a good place to start. To warm things up (its getting cold out there!) I ran a mile as a warm up.
Lap 1: 2:11
Lap 2: 2:05
Lap 3: 2:06
Lap 4: 2:11
In each case, the average HR was about 158 and the ending HR was about 178. Oops - that put me in the anaerobic zone for a brief period of time, so next time I'll have to pay more attention to keep the rate a little lower. In my defense, it was dark out and I couldn't see my HR monitor that well :)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
32 minutes swim - 10/28
Nothing much special about todays workout - just swimming, and upped the power level slightly for a better workout!
Total time: 32 minutes (incl 2 min warmup)
Power level: 35 for warm up, 47 for workout
Total time: 32 minutes (incl 2 min warmup)
Power level: 35 for warm up, 47 for workout
Sunday, October 26, 2008
6 Miles - 10/26
Last week I took the entire week off from running. As I was travelling for work, had no real training to keep up with, and was planning on at least 2 days rest anyway, it was just easier to give myself the week off.
So today was the first run since the race. I didn't want to do a long run, as I'm in the process of transitioning to a program where the long runs are once every 3 weeks, with a shorter run and mile repeat speed workouts on the other weekend. My legs were still a bit drained from yesterday's long bike ride, so I initially figured on going at a slow pace for the 6 miles, but it just didn't turn out that way. I'm not really sure why - perhaps because if I went too slow, I felt like it would start getting dark.
Whatever the reason, it turned out to be a tempo run, with a fairly consistent HR of 160.
Total Time: 51:46
Total Distance: 6 Miles
Avg HR: 159
So today was the first run since the race. I didn't want to do a long run, as I'm in the process of transitioning to a program where the long runs are once every 3 weeks, with a shorter run and mile repeat speed workouts on the other weekend. My legs were still a bit drained from yesterday's long bike ride, so I initially figured on going at a slow pace for the 6 miles, but it just didn't turn out that way. I'm not really sure why - perhaps because if I went too slow, I felt like it would start getting dark.
Whatever the reason, it turned out to be a tempo run, with a fairly consistent HR of 160.
Total Time: 51:46
Total Distance: 6 Miles
Avg HR: 159
Saturday, October 25, 2008
60 mile bike ride - 10/25
With winter and the subsequently crappy cycling conditions rapidly approaching, my friend Dave and I got together for one last long bike ride. While I'll probably go on some additional rides over the next few weeks in the 40-50 mile range, the opportunities to go for a ride with someone else can be relatively few and far between.
We decided to go on a route that took us south of the house, and actually ended up going about 2/3 of the way to where he lives in CT. The thought was that it might be a good way to scope out a meeting point in the future where we could both bike to, and then ride together for a bit before each of us turn back towards home.
It was the longest ride I've been on to date, at 60 miles. As it turns out, 60 miles was probably a good stopping point, as my right hamstright was feeling pretty sore once we reached the 55 mile mark or so. It was also the first time where the ride got slightly derailed due to a flat. Dave's back tire hit something, and it required a road side change. After attempts to inflate the new tube with the pump failed (either it was not putting any air into the tire, or it was putting it in very slowly), we went with CO2 cartridges that I keep with my bike for just such an occasion. Although a little on the expensive side (ranging from $1.50 to $3 a piece, depending on brand and location of purchase), they inflate the tire to 100 psi almost instantly. They definately proved their worth.
Total time: 3:55:32 (from cyclometer - which records only the time of tire rotation)
Total distance: 60.9 miles
Avg HR: 149
We decided to go on a route that took us south of the house, and actually ended up going about 2/3 of the way to where he lives in CT. The thought was that it might be a good way to scope out a meeting point in the future where we could both bike to, and then ride together for a bit before each of us turn back towards home.
It was the longest ride I've been on to date, at 60 miles. As it turns out, 60 miles was probably a good stopping point, as my right hamstright was feeling pretty sore once we reached the 55 mile mark or so. It was also the first time where the ride got slightly derailed due to a flat. Dave's back tire hit something, and it required a road side change. After attempts to inflate the new tube with the pump failed (either it was not putting any air into the tire, or it was putting it in very slowly), we went with CO2 cartridges that I keep with my bike for just such an occasion. Although a little on the expensive side (ranging from $1.50 to $3 a piece, depending on brand and location of purchase), they inflate the tire to 100 psi almost instantly. They definately proved their worth.
Total time: 3:55:32 (from cyclometer - which records only the time of tire rotation)
Total distance: 60.9 miles
Avg HR: 149
Monday, October 20, 2008
Post race reflections - 10/20
Still running a bit of an accomplishment mental-high and having a day to digest things, I wanted to put down some thoughts and reflections I have.
The Very Beginning
Way back in jr high, we had an event in PE that was the mile run/walk. It was pretty simple - four cones were placed in a field making a square track 1/4 mile long, and we had to go around it four times. We could run, walk, or some combination thereof. I dont remember specifics, but I know that I ran some of it, and walked a good portion as well. The class after PE was band practice, and I remember having to excuse myself from class because I was so light headed and felt like I was going to faint. Afterwards, the band teacher said I looked as white as a ghost.
The Cross Country Years
That was in 8th grade, I believe. The next time I took up any sort of running was sophmore year in high school when I joined the cross country team. I remember shortly before practices started that my dad and I went out for a run around the fields at the high school. I ran maybe 1.5 or 2 miles that day, and suffered through a lot of it. How the hell was I going to survive a 3.1 mile race?
The first day of cross country practice, we did the 3.1 mile course. I had to walk the last 1/4 mile or so, and my legs were stiff and sore for a week afterwards. I've never been so sore in my life - I could barely walk down the stairs from the pain in my legs. If I walked around, I felt better, but after sitting down for more then about 10 seconds, the soreness came back.
As the season wore on, the endurance got better. I think my first race was somewhere around the 27 minute mark. Within a couple races, my time had dropped to around 24 minutes, and I remember one day in biology class that one of the varsity runners called me a machine, due to the improvements I had made. I'm convinced he was partially picking on me (varsity team members were routinely doing sub-19 minute races, and in some instances sub 17 minutes), but when questioned by someone else, the response was akin to 'dropping 3 minutes is huge!' He might have been ribbing me a little bit, but it felt pretty good.
Throughout two years in high school cross country, I clocked in under 20 minutes once - 19:41. Doing a 7:30 or 8 minute mile was a piece of cake by that time, but most of the runs were 3 to 6 miles or so.
The Dark Ages
By the time high school was over, I had stopped running. Throughout college and a few times during my 20's, I tried taking running up again. However, each time I over-exerted myself. I was holding myself up to standards years gone by, and was heavily disappointed when I couldn't even keep up 8 minute miles anymore. In my attempts to force things, I always ended up with shin splints or some other ailment that kept me from being able to run for the next week or two. Motivation was low.
The Renaissance
Then one day, I was conversing with an old coworker who swam competitively in college. He basically introduced me to the idea of using a heart rate monitor - saying 'If you go for speed - you will fail. You need to go for overall time and heartrate'. That was a turning point of sorts. I went out and got a heart rate monitor that day. Resolving to keep things slow, I ran 1.5 miles in 18 minutes before I was too tired to continue.
A lot of people dont like heart rate monitors - but it is safe to say that I wouldn't have kept up and re-attempted getting into running for the umpteenth time without one. Finally, I had something that could provide tangible feedback, and could allow me to concentrate on my gradual improvement instead of my overall performance. Performance and speed would come - but first I had to build endurance. That was a lesson that took a long time for me to learn.
The 21st Century
Fast forward about six years, and I still find the heart rate monitor an incredible tool. A coach can provide structure to a training program, motivation and pacing. A HR monitor instantly provides a pacing mechanism, and can also provide motivation in the form of seeing improvement over time (provided you log your exercise). It took a while to figure it all out - but at this point, all that is left to me is to provide the structure.
Lessons of Hydration
Prior to starting training for this half marathon, my longest run was 8 miles, and I suffered through the last 2 miles or so. When I signed up for the half marathon, I put all faith in a training program for giving me the structure and endurance to actually complete the race. It seems obvious now, but I had never drank any liquids during a run before, fearing that it would lead to cramps. How wrong I was.
My first long run of this training program really opened my eyes. In 1 hr and 12 minutes, I had lost 2.2 POUNDS of water. I was shocked. I now had a pretty damn good idea why I had routinely been suffering on any run longer then about 5 miles.
My next long run was significantly easier. I learned the lesson of keeping hydrated, and had begun bringing gatorade and/or water with me, sipping a mouthful every 4-5 minutes or so. The difference was immediately noticable - when I finished those subsequent long runs, my mouth was not as dry, and I did not need to down huge amounts of water when I got home.
Need for Speed
The compliment to the endurance building long runs is the speed work. There are two things that amaze me about speed work. One is that it is very intimidating at first - there are no two ways about it, it just plain sucks and is uncomfortable. It is very easy to say 'screw this - the long runs are more enjoyable'. The other amazing thing about speed work is that its benefits are almost immediately visible. In training for this race, I had done speed-work specific work outs all of 5 times - once per week. In one month, an entire 80 seconds per mile had been knocked off, and the HR stayed fairly consistent.
Altered Views
It amuses me how things have changed. Three to four months ago, a short run was three miles, a medium length run was four, and a long run was five. Now, anything under five is a short run. Ain't no thing - just go out and do it. Anything between six and ten is medium length - generally requiring water to be brought along, and maybe a stretch break somewhere in there for good measure. It really takes about eleven miles or so for me to consider a run to be long - definately requiring two bottles of fluid, and multiple stretch breaks - just to be safe. As I start training for the marathon next year, I'm sure those numbers will increase again - but it astonishes me that before, six miles was something to really plan my day around, and now the idea of an eight miler is met with 'oh, ok - only 8 miles? Let me just get my water and I'll be off'.
The Very Beginning
Way back in jr high, we had an event in PE that was the mile run/walk. It was pretty simple - four cones were placed in a field making a square track 1/4 mile long, and we had to go around it four times. We could run, walk, or some combination thereof. I dont remember specifics, but I know that I ran some of it, and walked a good portion as well. The class after PE was band practice, and I remember having to excuse myself from class because I was so light headed and felt like I was going to faint. Afterwards, the band teacher said I looked as white as a ghost.
The Cross Country Years
That was in 8th grade, I believe. The next time I took up any sort of running was sophmore year in high school when I joined the cross country team. I remember shortly before practices started that my dad and I went out for a run around the fields at the high school. I ran maybe 1.5 or 2 miles that day, and suffered through a lot of it. How the hell was I going to survive a 3.1 mile race?
The first day of cross country practice, we did the 3.1 mile course. I had to walk the last 1/4 mile or so, and my legs were stiff and sore for a week afterwards. I've never been so sore in my life - I could barely walk down the stairs from the pain in my legs. If I walked around, I felt better, but after sitting down for more then about 10 seconds, the soreness came back.
As the season wore on, the endurance got better. I think my first race was somewhere around the 27 minute mark. Within a couple races, my time had dropped to around 24 minutes, and I remember one day in biology class that one of the varsity runners called me a machine, due to the improvements I had made. I'm convinced he was partially picking on me (varsity team members were routinely doing sub-19 minute races, and in some instances sub 17 minutes), but when questioned by someone else, the response was akin to 'dropping 3 minutes is huge!' He might have been ribbing me a little bit, but it felt pretty good.
Throughout two years in high school cross country, I clocked in under 20 minutes once - 19:41. Doing a 7:30 or 8 minute mile was a piece of cake by that time, but most of the runs were 3 to 6 miles or so.
The Dark Ages
By the time high school was over, I had stopped running. Throughout college and a few times during my 20's, I tried taking running up again. However, each time I over-exerted myself. I was holding myself up to standards years gone by, and was heavily disappointed when I couldn't even keep up 8 minute miles anymore. In my attempts to force things, I always ended up with shin splints or some other ailment that kept me from being able to run for the next week or two. Motivation was low.
The Renaissance
Then one day, I was conversing with an old coworker who swam competitively in college. He basically introduced me to the idea of using a heart rate monitor - saying 'If you go for speed - you will fail. You need to go for overall time and heartrate'. That was a turning point of sorts. I went out and got a heart rate monitor that day. Resolving to keep things slow, I ran 1.5 miles in 18 minutes before I was too tired to continue.
A lot of people dont like heart rate monitors - but it is safe to say that I wouldn't have kept up and re-attempted getting into running for the umpteenth time without one. Finally, I had something that could provide tangible feedback, and could allow me to concentrate on my gradual improvement instead of my overall performance. Performance and speed would come - but first I had to build endurance. That was a lesson that took a long time for me to learn.
The 21st Century
Fast forward about six years, and I still find the heart rate monitor an incredible tool. A coach can provide structure to a training program, motivation and pacing. A HR monitor instantly provides a pacing mechanism, and can also provide motivation in the form of seeing improvement over time (provided you log your exercise). It took a while to figure it all out - but at this point, all that is left to me is to provide the structure.
Lessons of Hydration
Prior to starting training for this half marathon, my longest run was 8 miles, and I suffered through the last 2 miles or so. When I signed up for the half marathon, I put all faith in a training program for giving me the structure and endurance to actually complete the race. It seems obvious now, but I had never drank any liquids during a run before, fearing that it would lead to cramps. How wrong I was.
My first long run of this training program really opened my eyes. In 1 hr and 12 minutes, I had lost 2.2 POUNDS of water. I was shocked. I now had a pretty damn good idea why I had routinely been suffering on any run longer then about 5 miles.
My next long run was significantly easier. I learned the lesson of keeping hydrated, and had begun bringing gatorade and/or water with me, sipping a mouthful every 4-5 minutes or so. The difference was immediately noticable - when I finished those subsequent long runs, my mouth was not as dry, and I did not need to down huge amounts of water when I got home.
Need for Speed
The compliment to the endurance building long runs is the speed work. There are two things that amaze me about speed work. One is that it is very intimidating at first - there are no two ways about it, it just plain sucks and is uncomfortable. It is very easy to say 'screw this - the long runs are more enjoyable'. The other amazing thing about speed work is that its benefits are almost immediately visible. In training for this race, I had done speed-work specific work outs all of 5 times - once per week. In one month, an entire 80 seconds per mile had been knocked off, and the HR stayed fairly consistent.
Altered Views
It amuses me how things have changed. Three to four months ago, a short run was three miles, a medium length run was four, and a long run was five. Now, anything under five is a short run. Ain't no thing - just go out and do it. Anything between six and ten is medium length - generally requiring water to be brought along, and maybe a stretch break somewhere in there for good measure. It really takes about eleven miles or so for me to consider a run to be long - definately requiring two bottles of fluid, and multiple stretch breaks - just to be safe. As I start training for the marathon next year, I'm sure those numbers will increase again - but it astonishes me that before, six miles was something to really plan my day around, and now the idea of an eight miler is met with 'oh, ok - only 8 miles? Let me just get my water and I'll be off'.
Half Marathon - 10/19
Woohoo!
The official time for my half marathon was 1:55:14. My HR monitor clocked it at 1:54:25.
At first, the time differential confused me - I started my HR monitor when I crossed the start line, and I thought that since the race was chipped, it wouldn't start the clock until I passed the starting line. So I was confused as to why the official time was almost a minute longer then my actual run time.
When I started thinking about it though - I reasoned that the chip only records the time when you cross the finish line. Perhaps its not possible for the chip system to take into account everyone's personal start time. While it wouldn't be too difficult for it to take the official end time and substract the delay of getting to the start time - it just might not do that for whatever reason.
I felt like I ran a really good race regardless, though. It did take a minute or so to cross the start line - a thousand people starting a race is naturally going to result in some initial slowness. My dad and I crossed the 1 mile marker at about the 10:30 to 11 minute mark (based on my own stopwatch - so around 11:30 to 12 minutes official time). I had wanted to make sure I started off slow in order to give the muscles time to warm up before hitting my stride, so that I wouldn't accidentally over do it, so I was ok with that pace.
However, by the 3-4 mile mark, we started settling into 9 minute miles as the field of runners started to thin out a bit. That first portion of the race had the full marathoners and the half marathoners running together, but around the 3-4 mile mark, the two sets of runners split and the field thinned out a bit more. It was never completely thin, as the race course went through sections where it got narrower and wider, but by that time we were comfortably running at our goal pace. So I knew that as long as we kept that pace, I'd be able to make up the lost 45-60 seconds. At the 6 mile mark water station, I took about 45 seconds to give the quads a quick stretch, as I felt pretty certain that I'd be able to make up the lost time in the last half of the race.
Soon after that, between the 6-7 mile mark, we passed the official clock that read 1:01 to 1:02, and I was still feeling pretty strong. In fact, I said "we're halfway done already!" My dad then said 'the second half is longer'. While I knew what he was saying, I kept my 'yeah, but it'll be quicker' thought to myself :)
So we kept on trucking along, slowly gaining speed as the mile markers went by. Around the 8-9 mile mark, someone running just ahead of us said that we were 24 seconds faster then the official clock for a 2 hr pace (a 2 hr pace for a half marathon is about 9:10 min/mile). At that point, I knew I had the 2 hr goal in the bag - it was just a matter of by how much it would end up being. All the while, my HR was a comfortable 160 bpm - plus or minus 5-8 bpm depending on terrain grade.
At the 9 mile mark, my stopwatch had a time of 1:21, almost exactly. Right on the money - 9 miles at 9 min/mile is 81 minutes.
This was where I felt like the 5 mile run I did in 40 minutes the other week really paid off psychologically. I was still feeling strong after 9 miles, and with only 4 miles left to go, I knew based on that previous run that I could kick things up a notch and have the endurance to last until the end. Hell, it was only 4 miles.
Once we passed the 10 mile mark, I decided to go for it. I told my dad 'ok, I'm going to see what kind of damage I can do', he said 'ok, good luck!' and off I went.
I can't describe how awesome that last 3.1 miles was. I was passing people left and right. My HR was hitting the 165-170 range, and I was steadily passing dozens of people. My legs started feeling it a bit more, but I knew I could do it.
As we got towards the end, I thought we had made the last turn and I started an all out sprint. My HR went up to 170-175, and I was expecting the finish line in another 50-75 yards. That one turn turned into another, when it opened up into the park that was the end of the race, when I heard someone say 'all the way around to the other side!'
SON OF A BITCH! I THOUGHT I WAS DONE!
So there I was in the left field side of a baseball diamond, and the finish line was all the way around near first base. Ok then, I guess we gotta keep the sprint going around the warning track. The HR got up to 181 by the time I crossed the line, still passing people in that last few hundred yards.
I crossed the line, and looked at my time on my watch - 1:54:25.
I had done it - I completed the half marathon and blew away the 2 hour goal I had set out.
When they were handing out medals, the shiny reflective thing and water, you bet your ass I grabbed the medal first. I got plans for that medal.
Overall, I placed 390 out of a field of 1000 registered runners (results here). Within my age group (30-39), I placed 70 out of 140 - smack dab in the middle.
Not bad for a first go around - but I'm not done yet, and I got bigger plans. Next year, a sprint triathlon and a full marathon.
The official time for my half marathon was 1:55:14. My HR monitor clocked it at 1:54:25.
At first, the time differential confused me - I started my HR monitor when I crossed the start line, and I thought that since the race was chipped, it wouldn't start the clock until I passed the starting line. So I was confused as to why the official time was almost a minute longer then my actual run time.
When I started thinking about it though - I reasoned that the chip only records the time when you cross the finish line. Perhaps its not possible for the chip system to take into account everyone's personal start time. While it wouldn't be too difficult for it to take the official end time and substract the delay of getting to the start time - it just might not do that for whatever reason.
I felt like I ran a really good race regardless, though. It did take a minute or so to cross the start line - a thousand people starting a race is naturally going to result in some initial slowness. My dad and I crossed the 1 mile marker at about the 10:30 to 11 minute mark (based on my own stopwatch - so around 11:30 to 12 minutes official time). I had wanted to make sure I started off slow in order to give the muscles time to warm up before hitting my stride, so that I wouldn't accidentally over do it, so I was ok with that pace.
However, by the 3-4 mile mark, we started settling into 9 minute miles as the field of runners started to thin out a bit. That first portion of the race had the full marathoners and the half marathoners running together, but around the 3-4 mile mark, the two sets of runners split and the field thinned out a bit more. It was never completely thin, as the race course went through sections where it got narrower and wider, but by that time we were comfortably running at our goal pace. So I knew that as long as we kept that pace, I'd be able to make up the lost 45-60 seconds. At the 6 mile mark water station, I took about 45 seconds to give the quads a quick stretch, as I felt pretty certain that I'd be able to make up the lost time in the last half of the race.
Soon after that, between the 6-7 mile mark, we passed the official clock that read 1:01 to 1:02, and I was still feeling pretty strong. In fact, I said "we're halfway done already!" My dad then said 'the second half is longer'. While I knew what he was saying, I kept my 'yeah, but it'll be quicker' thought to myself :)
So we kept on trucking along, slowly gaining speed as the mile markers went by. Around the 8-9 mile mark, someone running just ahead of us said that we were 24 seconds faster then the official clock for a 2 hr pace (a 2 hr pace for a half marathon is about 9:10 min/mile). At that point, I knew I had the 2 hr goal in the bag - it was just a matter of by how much it would end up being. All the while, my HR was a comfortable 160 bpm - plus or minus 5-8 bpm depending on terrain grade.
At the 9 mile mark, my stopwatch had a time of 1:21, almost exactly. Right on the money - 9 miles at 9 min/mile is 81 minutes.
This was where I felt like the 5 mile run I did in 40 minutes the other week really paid off psychologically. I was still feeling strong after 9 miles, and with only 4 miles left to go, I knew based on that previous run that I could kick things up a notch and have the endurance to last until the end. Hell, it was only 4 miles.
Once we passed the 10 mile mark, I decided to go for it. I told my dad 'ok, I'm going to see what kind of damage I can do', he said 'ok, good luck!' and off I went.
I can't describe how awesome that last 3.1 miles was. I was passing people left and right. My HR was hitting the 165-170 range, and I was steadily passing dozens of people. My legs started feeling it a bit more, but I knew I could do it.
As we got towards the end, I thought we had made the last turn and I started an all out sprint. My HR went up to 170-175, and I was expecting the finish line in another 50-75 yards. That one turn turned into another, when it opened up into the park that was the end of the race, when I heard someone say 'all the way around to the other side!'
SON OF A BITCH! I THOUGHT I WAS DONE!
So there I was in the left field side of a baseball diamond, and the finish line was all the way around near first base. Ok then, I guess we gotta keep the sprint going around the warning track. The HR got up to 181 by the time I crossed the line, still passing people in that last few hundred yards.
I crossed the line, and looked at my time on my watch - 1:54:25.
I had done it - I completed the half marathon and blew away the 2 hour goal I had set out.
When they were handing out medals, the shiny reflective thing and water, you bet your ass I grabbed the medal first. I got plans for that medal.
Overall, I placed 390 out of a field of 1000 registered runners (results here). Within my age group (30-39), I placed 70 out of 140 - smack dab in the middle.
Not bad for a first go around - but I'm not done yet, and I got bigger plans. Next year, a sprint triathlon and a full marathon.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
30 minute swim - 10/18
Building off the excitement from the progress of swimming on 10/16, and restricted in the number of miles I should run right before the race tomorrow, I decided to do some more swimming again today.
I'm not really sure whether its a good idea to exert ones self more than necessary before a race (especially a cross training activity), but I decided to go for it anyway. On one hand, it is extra energy being expended right before a race - on the other hand, its a way to keep the heart tuned. So, who knows.
Regardless of what it does for my performance tomorrow, I finally kept swimming until the pool stopped. There is a 30 minute timer for the counter-current producing mechanism, and my first goal with the endless pool was to keep swimming until the pool shut itself off. It was not a goal because 30 minutes is a sign of great endurance or anything, but more that being able to go 30 minutes is a good sign that I found some way to keep my mind occupied while time passes.
It was also one of the only times I've been able to use the pool during daylight hours - which was really nice in itself.
Total Time: 30:05
Lap 1: 2:48 Power setting 35 (warm up)
Lap 2: 27:17 Avg HR 147 Power setting 40
I'm not really sure whether its a good idea to exert ones self more than necessary before a race (especially a cross training activity), but I decided to go for it anyway. On one hand, it is extra energy being expended right before a race - on the other hand, its a way to keep the heart tuned. So, who knows.
Regardless of what it does for my performance tomorrow, I finally kept swimming until the pool stopped. There is a 30 minute timer for the counter-current producing mechanism, and my first goal with the endless pool was to keep swimming until the pool shut itself off. It was not a goal because 30 minutes is a sign of great endurance or anything, but more that being able to go 30 minutes is a good sign that I found some way to keep my mind occupied while time passes.
It was also one of the only times I've been able to use the pool during daylight hours - which was really nice in itself.
Total Time: 30:05
Lap 1: 2:48 Power setting 35 (warm up)
Lap 2: 27:17 Avg HR 147 Power setting 40
3 miles - 10/18
Final run before the 1/2 marathon tomorrow.
Some people suggest not running at all the day before a race, some people find it beneficial. I'm not sure where I am with regard to that. Considering my only real run this week was on Wednesday (5 miles), I didn't want to take a 3rd day off. Given the option, I might have run the 3 miles (or maybe 4 or 5) yesterday - but my schedule did not permit it.
So it was a relatively quick and easy 3 miles. I shot for a HR of about 160, with the thought that I feel like I can sustain that for the 13.1 miles.
Total Time: 25:37
Total Distance: 3.04 miles
Avg HR: 159
Some people suggest not running at all the day before a race, some people find it beneficial. I'm not sure where I am with regard to that. Considering my only real run this week was on Wednesday (5 miles), I didn't want to take a 3rd day off. Given the option, I might have run the 3 miles (or maybe 4 or 5) yesterday - but my schedule did not permit it.
So it was a relatively quick and easy 3 miles. I shot for a HR of about 160, with the thought that I feel like I can sustain that for the 13.1 miles.
Total Time: 25:37
Total Distance: 3.04 miles
Avg HR: 159
Thursday, October 16, 2008
27 Minute swim - 10/16
It has been a month since my last swim - mostly because the training plan I've been following for the half marathon has had me running most days of the week. Until this week when I decided to taper off the running, I just had enough other stuff going on that swimming fell to the back burner.
During the day today, I got myself all charged up for it though. Some days you just spend the whole day itching to do something to kick your own ass. Since I'm restricting myself from running during this last week, that left swimming as my outlet.
The notable thing about today was that I feel like I'm starting to get used to swimming enough again that I am able to zone out. Whereas before, my maximum amount of time between breaks was about 5 minutes (more due to boredom rather than getting tired) - today I did a stretch for about 18 minutes. A large part of it was 'why take a break when I'm just going to be doing this again in another minute or so?'
Lap 1: 4:00 Avg HR 125 Power setting 50
Lap 2: 18:00 Avg HR 152 Power setting 35
Lap 3: 5:04 Avg HR 151 Power setting 40
Avg power setting (time based): 38
The power setting at 50 was a bit too much to start off, without being warmed up or anything. So I set it down to what the dial initially showed as 40, but ended up being 35. Apparently there is some time required for the current to settle down. So I brought it up to 40 after taking a 90 second break between lap 2 and lap 3.
They say that at top speed, the endless pool does the equivalent of 1 mile in just under 20 minutes. Before I closed up the pool for the evening, I turned it up as high as it would go, and found the power setting (whatever units it is) went to 90. So I'm thinking that the 27 minutes at a power setting of 38 is about 0.6 miles.
During the day today, I got myself all charged up for it though. Some days you just spend the whole day itching to do something to kick your own ass. Since I'm restricting myself from running during this last week, that left swimming as my outlet.
The notable thing about today was that I feel like I'm starting to get used to swimming enough again that I am able to zone out. Whereas before, my maximum amount of time between breaks was about 5 minutes (more due to boredom rather than getting tired) - today I did a stretch for about 18 minutes. A large part of it was 'why take a break when I'm just going to be doing this again in another minute or so?'
Lap 1: 4:00 Avg HR 125 Power setting 50
Lap 2: 18:00 Avg HR 152 Power setting 35
Lap 3: 5:04 Avg HR 151 Power setting 40
Avg power setting (time based): 38
The power setting at 50 was a bit too much to start off, without being warmed up or anything. So I set it down to what the dial initially showed as 40, but ended up being 35. Apparently there is some time required for the current to settle down. So I brought it up to 40 after taking a 90 second break between lap 2 and lap 3.
They say that at top speed, the endless pool does the equivalent of 1 mile in just under 20 minutes. Before I closed up the pool for the evening, I turned it up as high as it would go, and found the power setting (whatever units it is) went to 90. So I'm thinking that the 27 minutes at a power setting of 38 is about 0.6 miles.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
5 Miles - 10/15
I dont want to do too many miles in this last week, as I want to keep the pounding off my knees during this last week. So after two days of relative rest, I figured a 5 miler would be appropriate. I decided to run it at an elevated pace (not quite as strenuous as last weeks 5 miler), but to also include walking breaks - as I think I will be using that strategy during the race this weekend.
Also, as a new rule - any run I do over 5 miles has to include some stretching after a warm up period.
Leg 1: 8:10 avg HR 140 (warm up mile)
Leg 2: 7:48 avg HR 162 (2nd mile)
Leg 3: 1:30 end HR 137
Leg 4: 8:00 avg HR 170 (3rd mile)
Leg 5: 1:30 end HR 132
Leg 6: 7:58 avg HR 167 (4th mile)
Leg 7: 1:30 end HR 135
Leg 8: 8:37 avg HR 166 (5th mile)
Total time: 44:43
I consciously slowed down after the 3rd mile, as I didn't want to push too hard only days before the race.
Also, I noticed that my mechanics have changed a bit. When I first started running again a couple years ago, I found that my shin muscles were pretty weak, as I'd plant my heel down and the front of my foot would slap down. I knew that wasn't right, but eventually that got worked out as the shin muscles got stronger. However, what never changed was the fact that my heel always landed first. On hard surfaces like concrete, and especially when going downhill - I could really feel the shock reverberate through my legs. I'd try to change things around to soften the blow, but the heel always landed first.
For whatever reason, on todays run I suddently started landing less on my heel, and more on the mid-section of my foot. It was very strange because I didn't go out and consciously try to change things up. A quick search on running mechanics led me to this youtube video. Apparently the change is mechanics is a good thing! I thought the video made a good point - you walk so much during normal life that the mechanics of walking end up being your default mechanics during running.
Also, as a new rule - any run I do over 5 miles has to include some stretching after a warm up period.
Leg 1: 8:10 avg HR 140 (warm up mile)
Leg 2: 7:48 avg HR 162 (2nd mile)
Leg 3: 1:30 end HR 137
Leg 4: 8:00 avg HR 170 (3rd mile)
Leg 5: 1:30 end HR 132
Leg 6: 7:58 avg HR 167 (4th mile)
Leg 7: 1:30 end HR 135
Leg 8: 8:37 avg HR 166 (5th mile)
Total time: 44:43
I consciously slowed down after the 3rd mile, as I didn't want to push too hard only days before the race.
Also, I noticed that my mechanics have changed a bit. When I first started running again a couple years ago, I found that my shin muscles were pretty weak, as I'd plant my heel down and the front of my foot would slap down. I knew that wasn't right, but eventually that got worked out as the shin muscles got stronger. However, what never changed was the fact that my heel always landed first. On hard surfaces like concrete, and especially when going downhill - I could really feel the shock reverberate through my legs. I'd try to change things around to soften the blow, but the heel always landed first.
For whatever reason, on todays run I suddently started landing less on my heel, and more on the mid-section of my foot. It was very strange because I didn't go out and consciously try to change things up. A quick search on running mechanics led me to this youtube video. Apparently the change is mechanics is a good thing! I thought the video made a good point - you walk so much during normal life that the mechanics of walking end up being your default mechanics during running.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Water running - 10/14
The training plan has today being a 5 mile run. However, I feel like at this point, with less then a week before the race - the training has been done. There is little benefit, if any, to be gained by running an additional 21 miles (as the training plan calls for) this week before the race. Plus, with my right knee exhibiting signs of crepitus ever since the 12 miler the other week - I think a week of relative rest can only help prevent an injury.
At some point in the future, I'll go into more detail, but next year I plan on following the Galloway training schedule. In general, it is lower mileage then other training plans, and emphasises more of a run-walk-run strategy. This can actually improve times as well as prevent injury.
So today I wanted to try out something I had been reading about the past couple days - water running. The idea is basically that you get just as good a workout as jogging, but without the impact. Since it was my first time trying it, I just did about 20 minutes worth - mostly to see how the mechanics of it would work out. As you might expect, the lower body tended to want to move forward, so I had to brace myself against the side of the pool.
At some point in the future, I'll go into more detail, but next year I plan on following the Galloway training schedule. In general, it is lower mileage then other training plans, and emphasises more of a run-walk-run strategy. This can actually improve times as well as prevent injury.
So today I wanted to try out something I had been reading about the past couple days - water running. The idea is basically that you get just as good a workout as jogging, but without the impact. Since it was my first time trying it, I just did about 20 minutes worth - mostly to see how the mechanics of it would work out. As you might expect, the lower body tended to want to move forward, so I had to brace myself against the side of the pool.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
8 Miles - 10/12
One week to go until the half marathon. Today is normally the long run day, but with the taper in effect, it is scaled back a bit, at 8 miles.
In an attempt to get better about stretching, especially for these longer runs, I stopped after the first mile to stretch for about 4 minutes. They say you should not stretch cold muscles, as that is where a lot of stretching injuries occur - a better method is to warm them up for a bit and then stretch. In high school, we did this during cross country practices - run about 3/4 to 1 mile, and then stretch.
Also today was the 2nd day of using the new shoes. Somewhere around the 1.25 to 1.5 mile mark, the arch on my right foot started to ache a bit again, due to the extra support that the foot is not used to. However, I noticed around mile 2 that it was no longer a problem. I had planned on giving myself the out of returning home to switch to my old shoes, but it didn't appear to be necessary, so I kept going.
Total Time: 1:15:40
Total Distance: 7.8 Miles
Avg HR: 151
The distance ended up being a little on the short side. I ran my normal 5.25 mile loop, and added another loop that I thought was 3.4 miles. Turns out it was 3.1 - so in my attempt to gauge a good stopping point that would put me at 8 miles, I came up 2/10 of a mile short. No biggie.
Once again, though, I found that running in the morning ends up meaning a higher HR. Today I started drinking water when I woke up, to curb some of the dehydration that occurs overnight. I also had a clif bar and an omelette within about an hour of the run. Even with rehydrating and eating, the HR was up a bit. So I'm thinking that next week, for the actual race, I'll have to make sure to eat a couple-few hours before hand.
In an attempt to get better about stretching, especially for these longer runs, I stopped after the first mile to stretch for about 4 minutes. They say you should not stretch cold muscles, as that is where a lot of stretching injuries occur - a better method is to warm them up for a bit and then stretch. In high school, we did this during cross country practices - run about 3/4 to 1 mile, and then stretch.
Also today was the 2nd day of using the new shoes. Somewhere around the 1.25 to 1.5 mile mark, the arch on my right foot started to ache a bit again, due to the extra support that the foot is not used to. However, I noticed around mile 2 that it was no longer a problem. I had planned on giving myself the out of returning home to switch to my old shoes, but it didn't appear to be necessary, so I kept going.
Total Time: 1:15:40
Total Distance: 7.8 Miles
Avg HR: 151
The distance ended up being a little on the short side. I ran my normal 5.25 mile loop, and added another loop that I thought was 3.4 miles. Turns out it was 3.1 - so in my attempt to gauge a good stopping point that would put me at 8 miles, I came up 2/10 of a mile short. No biggie.
Once again, though, I found that running in the morning ends up meaning a higher HR. Today I started drinking water when I woke up, to curb some of the dehydration that occurs overnight. I also had a clif bar and an omelette within about an hour of the run. Even with rehydrating and eating, the HR was up a bit. So I'm thinking that next week, for the actual race, I'll have to make sure to eat a couple-few hours before hand.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
3 Miles - 10/11
I've always used Nike Air Pegasus running shoes (once tried Gel Nimbus shoes by Asics - with rather disappointing results), and I got my current pair back in April. They have been getting near to 300 miles, so my thinking was that I'd do this half marathon in them, and retire them. The past few weeks, I started wondering about the health of the shoes though. Figuring it's better to be safe then sorry, I went to Marathon Sports to get fitted for a new pair of shoes. What I found was a little surprising.
First of all, the Nike shoes I had were actually trail running shoes. Not cross trainers - but just designed for trail running. I got them at the Nike store at the Wrentham outlets, and since they were Air Pegasus and felt fine when I was trying them on, I figured I would be good to go. Long story short, the trail running shoes are not as long lived when running on asphalt, like I tend to do. So 300 miles on them is actually quite a bit.
Second, apparently my mechanics have changed over time slightly. I've been fitted for shoes before, and always been a very neutral runner. But this time, the person watching my mechanics noticed that my left ankle was collapsing ever so slightly. So he suggested a shoe that has a little bit more support on the inside heal area. Apparently things looks a little better on the test run, so I bought them.
So today's run, being 3 miles, was rather uneventful except for it was the first run in these shoes. The left foot feels perfectly fine. I've never had much of a problem with breaking in new shoes (they've always just kinda worked right away), but I noticed that my right foot seems a little over supported - at least compared to what I'm used to. Given that the left foot is ok, I'm not sure whether the issue with the right foot is a bad mechanics issue that will get fixed over time, or perhaps the shoe provides too much support. My concern is that if the shoe provides too much support, it might actually induce poor mechanics. Ultimately though, I have to give these shoes some miles to break in before a final verdict can be delivered.
Total Time: 29:00
Total Distance: 3.04 miles
Avg HR: 153
I'm blaming the slightly high HR on the fact that I had spent the hour beforehand mowing the lawn, and was a little dehydrated. Since it was only a 3 miler, and I was primarily interested in trying out the new shoes, I didn't see a driving reason to really make sure I rehydrated and refueled beforehand.
First of all, the Nike shoes I had were actually trail running shoes. Not cross trainers - but just designed for trail running. I got them at the Nike store at the Wrentham outlets, and since they were Air Pegasus and felt fine when I was trying them on, I figured I would be good to go. Long story short, the trail running shoes are not as long lived when running on asphalt, like I tend to do. So 300 miles on them is actually quite a bit.
Second, apparently my mechanics have changed over time slightly. I've been fitted for shoes before, and always been a very neutral runner. But this time, the person watching my mechanics noticed that my left ankle was collapsing ever so slightly. So he suggested a shoe that has a little bit more support on the inside heal area. Apparently things looks a little better on the test run, so I bought them.
So today's run, being 3 miles, was rather uneventful except for it was the first run in these shoes. The left foot feels perfectly fine. I've never had much of a problem with breaking in new shoes (they've always just kinda worked right away), but I noticed that my right foot seems a little over supported - at least compared to what I'm used to. Given that the left foot is ok, I'm not sure whether the issue with the right foot is a bad mechanics issue that will get fixed over time, or perhaps the shoe provides too much support. My concern is that if the shoe provides too much support, it might actually induce poor mechanics. Ultimately though, I have to give these shoes some miles to break in before a final verdict can be delivered.
Total Time: 29:00
Total Distance: 3.04 miles
Avg HR: 153
I'm blaming the slightly high HR on the fact that I had spent the hour beforehand mowing the lawn, and was a little dehydrated. Since it was only a 3 miler, and I was primarily interested in trying out the new shoes, I didn't see a driving reason to really make sure I rehydrated and refueled beforehand.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
8 Miles - 10/9
After Tuesday's fairly intense run, I skipped yesterdays scheduled 5 miler and took a rest day.
So todays run was 8 miles. Nothing special - just a slow and easy 8 miles. But I AM getting tired of running in the dark. I wear a very loud and obnoxious yellow safety shirt when I run at night, and I bring a LED flashlight with me as well. It allows me to see where I'm putting my foot on the ground, but the oncoming headlights are sometimes angled just right that I can't see anything for a few seconds. Very annoying.
Total Time: 1:23:58
Total Distance: 8.3 miles
Avg HR: 151
So todays run was 8 miles. Nothing special - just a slow and easy 8 miles. But I AM getting tired of running in the dark. I wear a very loud and obnoxious yellow safety shirt when I run at night, and I bring a LED flashlight with me as well. It allows me to see where I'm putting my foot on the ground, but the oncoming headlights are sometimes angled just right that I can't see anything for a few seconds. Very annoying.
Total Time: 1:23:58
Total Distance: 8.3 miles
Avg HR: 151
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
5 Miles - 10/7 - ACHIEVED 2.5 YR OLD GOAL!
When I woke up this morning, I had no idea what was in store for me today, and had no real intention to do anything but my normally scheduled run.
If ever there is a testament as to the value and improvement potential of an actual training plan, it is this story.
When I started running again about 3 or so years ago, I told myself that I would consider myself in shape if I could run 5 miles in 40 minutes. So until about 2 months ago, that was my primary goal. I'd run 2-3 times per week, usually going anywhere from 3-5 miles, and occasionally going out for longer runs of 6-8 miles. I'd run at what I thought was a good, hardworking pace. But alas, after 2.5 yrs of running without any sort of a structured program, the best I was able to get was 8:30 min/mile - but more commonly the times were around 9:00 min/mile for a 5 mile run. Progress was very slow.
So now, today, after following a real program for a mere two months now, I was able to run a 5 mile course at a sub 8 min/mil pace. Granted, this two months required running 5 days a week, and a level of dedication that required that running be a very high priority in my list of life activities (pretty much behind sleep and work). I didn't really think about my five-miles-in-40-minutes goal over the past 2 months because I knew that in my grand scheme plan for training, I'd eventually reach it. It was just a question of when. I found out it was on October 7, 2008.
It was one of the more challenging runs, both mentally and physically, that I've done in a long time. My breathing, especially for the last half, was fairly heavy - definately not able to hold a conversation. In fact, I felt like the only oxygen left over for my brain was the minimum amount for situational awareness - everything else was going towards burning energy. My legs felt fairly drained the whole time - there were certainly portions where I slowed down a bit to recover from a small incline or something. For the most part, once I was warmed up and rolling, my HR was pretty consistently in the low 170's - which put me in the 85-90% HR training zone. There were definately parts where I felt like I really REALLY wanted to slow down - but what kept me going was that I didn't want to give up and quit when I had already put in 3, then 4, then 4.5 miles of hard running.
So, here we are:
Total Distance: 5.25
Total Time: 41:09
Average HR: 166
As challenging as it was, it was equally as rewarding. I discovered what it felt like to maintain that level of exertion for that length of time. I am also able to knock off the first goal I had in mind when I started running again in the first place. It took a long time, but I did it.
The only potential downside I can think of is that technically, I'm supposed to be on a taper. However, I'm hoping that because this was early in the taper, there will be plenty of time to recover. Also, I think there is something to be said for the psychological benefit, knowing that I can sustain the HR for an extended period of time. While the average HR was 166, I know it is skewed a little low due to the amount of time it takes to get the HR up.
Also, as an added point of information - the 166 HR puts me at the 85% training zone, which is supposedly about 10-20 sec/mile slower then a 10k pace. So I finally have a somewhat decent estimate of what my 10k pace is.
If ever there is a testament as to the value and improvement potential of an actual training plan, it is this story.
When I started running again about 3 or so years ago, I told myself that I would consider myself in shape if I could run 5 miles in 40 minutes. So until about 2 months ago, that was my primary goal. I'd run 2-3 times per week, usually going anywhere from 3-5 miles, and occasionally going out for longer runs of 6-8 miles. I'd run at what I thought was a good, hardworking pace. But alas, after 2.5 yrs of running without any sort of a structured program, the best I was able to get was 8:30 min/mile - but more commonly the times were around 9:00 min/mile for a 5 mile run. Progress was very slow.
So now, today, after following a real program for a mere two months now, I was able to run a 5 mile course at a sub 8 min/mil pace. Granted, this two months required running 5 days a week, and a level of dedication that required that running be a very high priority in my list of life activities (pretty much behind sleep and work). I didn't really think about my five-miles-in-40-minutes goal over the past 2 months because I knew that in my grand scheme plan for training, I'd eventually reach it. It was just a question of when. I found out it was on October 7, 2008.
It was one of the more challenging runs, both mentally and physically, that I've done in a long time. My breathing, especially for the last half, was fairly heavy - definately not able to hold a conversation. In fact, I felt like the only oxygen left over for my brain was the minimum amount for situational awareness - everything else was going towards burning energy. My legs felt fairly drained the whole time - there were certainly portions where I slowed down a bit to recover from a small incline or something. For the most part, once I was warmed up and rolling, my HR was pretty consistently in the low 170's - which put me in the 85-90% HR training zone. There were definately parts where I felt like I really REALLY wanted to slow down - but what kept me going was that I didn't want to give up and quit when I had already put in 3, then 4, then 4.5 miles of hard running.
So, here we are:
Total Distance: 5.25
Total Time: 41:09
Average HR: 166
As challenging as it was, it was equally as rewarding. I discovered what it felt like to maintain that level of exertion for that length of time. I am also able to knock off the first goal I had in mind when I started running again in the first place. It took a long time, but I did it.
The only potential downside I can think of is that technically, I'm supposed to be on a taper. However, I'm hoping that because this was early in the taper, there will be plenty of time to recover. Also, I think there is something to be said for the psychological benefit, knowing that I can sustain the HR for an extended period of time. While the average HR was 166, I know it is skewed a little low due to the amount of time it takes to get the HR up.
Also, as an added point of information - the 166 HR puts me at the 85% training zone, which is supposedly about 10-20 sec/mile slower then a 10k pace. So I finally have a somewhat decent estimate of what my 10k pace is.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
12 Miles - 10/5
Todays run was the longest of the training program at 12 miles. I've found that training programs that have a primary goal of simply finishing the race commonly have the race itself being the longest run. On the other hand, I've found that most training programs with a primary goal of a specific time in mind often have training runs longer than the race distance itself. At least, that is what I've found with the training programs for longer (10k and up) races. So I suppose the idea here is that if you can do 12 miles, you can tack on the extra 1.1 miles for the full half marathon distance of 13.1 miles.
Today was also the second day of using the truss, and with it being so close the to race distance, would be the best gauge of whether it would work out or not. I'm glad to report that it worked out perfectly - so I have no hesitation in continuing the training program and participating in the race at all.
To do the 12 miles, I did my 6 mile loop twice, and on the way by the house, I dropped off the used 24 oz bottle of gatorade and picked up a second one I already had prepared. I've really found that these longer runs are much much easier when I drink water along the way. Even a simple indicator such as how much moisture is in my mouth indicates that even after 2 hours of running, I'm still fairly well hydrated. Also, the gatorade provides 50 cal per 8 oz serving, so that ends up being about 300 calories ingested during the run, which is a fairly significant portion of the energy expended during the exercise.
Total Time: 2:03
Total Distance: 12.3 miles
Avg HR: 148
Overall, I felt pretty good. The first 6 miles were not a problem at all. Like the 10 miler a couple weeks ago, I felt things starting to tighten up around the hour and 20 minute mark, but all things considered, that is understandable. After the run, it felt nice to stretch the quads a bit and flex my knees. When I got home, I noticed that my knees were making some cracking sounds, and although they didn't hurt, I decided to ice them for a good 15-20 minutes. I haven't heard any cracking from them since - and I know that many times those sorts of things are not a major deal - especially if there is no pain associated with them.
Also, after todays run, the taper begins. Looking ahead at the training schedule, most of the runs are in the 3-5 mile range, with next weekends run being 8 miles. There is no more speedwork remaining either.
Today was also the second day of using the truss, and with it being so close the to race distance, would be the best gauge of whether it would work out or not. I'm glad to report that it worked out perfectly - so I have no hesitation in continuing the training program and participating in the race at all.
To do the 12 miles, I did my 6 mile loop twice, and on the way by the house, I dropped off the used 24 oz bottle of gatorade and picked up a second one I already had prepared. I've really found that these longer runs are much much easier when I drink water along the way. Even a simple indicator such as how much moisture is in my mouth indicates that even after 2 hours of running, I'm still fairly well hydrated. Also, the gatorade provides 50 cal per 8 oz serving, so that ends up being about 300 calories ingested during the run, which is a fairly significant portion of the energy expended during the exercise.
Total Time: 2:03
Total Distance: 12.3 miles
Avg HR: 148
Overall, I felt pretty good. The first 6 miles were not a problem at all. Like the 10 miler a couple weeks ago, I felt things starting to tighten up around the hour and 20 minute mark, but all things considered, that is understandable. After the run, it felt nice to stretch the quads a bit and flex my knees. When I got home, I noticed that my knees were making some cracking sounds, and although they didn't hurt, I decided to ice them for a good 15-20 minutes. I haven't heard any cracking from them since - and I know that many times those sorts of things are not a major deal - especially if there is no pain associated with them.
Also, after todays run, the taper begins. Looking ahead at the training schedule, most of the runs are in the 3-5 mile range, with next weekends run being 8 miles. There is no more speedwork remaining either.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
34 Mile bike ride - 10/4
It's been a while since I've gone on a bike ride. Since I've been concentrating on training for the half, and I haven't ridden my bike into work with the shorter days, I've been looking for a good opportunity to get in a ride during some weekend. It seemed that with this past week being a lower intensity running week, and with the weather being nice this weekend, it would be a good opportunity to take up.
Since I had left an ipod accessory with my laptop at the office, and I needed said accessory to put more audiobooks onto my ipod this weekend, I figured I'd just ride into the office and back. Each way is 17 miles, and certain sections can be somewhat hilly - so it would be a good workout.
Total Distance: 34 miles
Total Time: 2:31
Avg HR: 141
Since I had left an ipod accessory with my laptop at the office, and I needed said accessory to put more audiobooks onto my ipod this weekend, I figured I'd just ride into the office and back. Each way is 17 miles, and certain sections can be somewhat hilly - so it would be a good workout.
Total Distance: 34 miles
Total Time: 2:31
Avg HR: 141
Friday, October 3, 2008
6 Miles - 10/3
Today I decided to do 6 miles to try out a truss I received in the mail yesterday, which I had ordered earlier in the week. The truss basically provides support where the defect in the abdominal wall exists, so that the condition does not get any worse. By the way, the doctor confirmed the diagnosis, and I will be scheduling repair surgery over the winter.
In short, it appears that the truss does the trick. I ran the full 6 miles without feeling anything strange. The better test will come on Sunday when I do a full 12 miles, but given the results so far, I am 99.9% sure that I have found a temporarily solution to keep the hernia from getting worse while still allowing me to run the half in a couple weeks.
So my primary goal with the 6 today was simply to see if the truss would work, but I also decided to try and keep a race pace that I felt like I could sustain for 13 miles, and see where the time and HR ended up. In other worse, rather than be governed by heart rate, I would pace myself based on how I felt, and projecting how I would feel later on in the run. I felt pretty strong for the first 4 miles or so, but the last two miles of my 6 mile loop have some hills. At this point I decided to keep the speed up a bit, knowing it would kill any endurance - but I was curious as to how I would feel at the end - whether I would have much in the tank left or not. I also felt like having an extended period of time with the HR in the 170's would be good. I'd have Saturday as a rest day, and Sunday as a long slow run day.
Total Distance: 6 miles
Total Time: 55:12
Avg HR: 161
At the end, I felt like I could have gone farther, but the pace definately would have dropped. Up until the last two miles, I was surprised that even though my HR was in the 160-165 range quite a bit, my breathing was nice and relaxed. My legs felt like they were definately working, but not overworked. It seemed to be a nice comfortable race pace. Of course, all that kinda went out the window with the hills towards the end.
I'm a little surprised the avg HR was 161 - it felt like once I warmed up (the first 8-10 minutes) it was always above 160. However, during the downhill portions, the HR tends to plummet into the 140's - so I guess that had more of an effect on the average then I would have thought
In short, it appears that the truss does the trick. I ran the full 6 miles without feeling anything strange. The better test will come on Sunday when I do a full 12 miles, but given the results so far, I am 99.9% sure that I have found a temporarily solution to keep the hernia from getting worse while still allowing me to run the half in a couple weeks.
So my primary goal with the 6 today was simply to see if the truss would work, but I also decided to try and keep a race pace that I felt like I could sustain for 13 miles, and see where the time and HR ended up. In other worse, rather than be governed by heart rate, I would pace myself based on how I felt, and projecting how I would feel later on in the run. I felt pretty strong for the first 4 miles or so, but the last two miles of my 6 mile loop have some hills. At this point I decided to keep the speed up a bit, knowing it would kill any endurance - but I was curious as to how I would feel at the end - whether I would have much in the tank left or not. I also felt like having an extended period of time with the HR in the 170's would be good. I'd have Saturday as a rest day, and Sunday as a long slow run day.
Total Distance: 6 miles
Total Time: 55:12
Avg HR: 161
At the end, I felt like I could have gone farther, but the pace definately would have dropped. Up until the last two miles, I was surprised that even though my HR was in the 160-165 range quite a bit, my breathing was nice and relaxed. My legs felt like they were definately working, but not overworked. It seemed to be a nice comfortable race pace. Of course, all that kinda went out the window with the hills towards the end.
I'm a little surprised the avg HR was 161 - it felt like once I warmed up (the first 8-10 minutes) it was always above 160. However, during the downhill portions, the HR tends to plummet into the 140's - so I guess that had more of an effect on the average then I would have thought
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
4 Miles - 10/1
Monday was a rest day, and I opted to take Tuesday as a rest day as well. The house chore of mowing the lawn took precedence, since I wasn't able to mow all weekend with the ground so wet. I also figured that if I am going to have a rest week, I mine as well let all the minor aches and pains work themselves out (shin splints, ankles still a little tender, etc).
Not wanting to lose too much edge, but being limited to about 5 miles at the moment, I thought maybe doing a speed/tempo/hill run would be good. So after about a mile of warmup, I ran a loop around the house that includes about as much incline as there is in the immediate area. During the run, I tried to keep my HR above 170, allowing it to get into the 180's for brief periods of time at the top of the hill. Usually on the downhill sections, though, my HR got down into the high 150's or the 160's. In order to keep the HR in the 170's on the downhill, it would have required speeds that I'm not quite comfortable with, both for footing and traction reasons, as well as because going downhill seems a lot more impact-intensive than flat or uphill.
Lap 1 - 08:09 Avg HR 137 (warmup - 0.8 miles)
Lap 2 - 07:39 Avg HR 167 (first hill - 0.87 miles)
Lap 3 - 08:33 Avg HR 166 (down hill - 0.98 miles)
Lap 4 - 06:28 Avg HR 178 (second hill - 0.75 miles)
Lap 5 - 06:30 Avg HR 171 (down hill - 0.75 miles)
Total Distance: 3.35 miles (not including warmup)
Total Time: 29:13 (not including warmup)
Not wanting to lose too much edge, but being limited to about 5 miles at the moment, I thought maybe doing a speed/tempo/hill run would be good. So after about a mile of warmup, I ran a loop around the house that includes about as much incline as there is in the immediate area. During the run, I tried to keep my HR above 170, allowing it to get into the 180's for brief periods of time at the top of the hill. Usually on the downhill sections, though, my HR got down into the high 150's or the 160's. In order to keep the HR in the 170's on the downhill, it would have required speeds that I'm not quite comfortable with, both for footing and traction reasons, as well as because going downhill seems a lot more impact-intensive than flat or uphill.
Lap 1 - 08:09 Avg HR 137 (warmup - 0.8 miles)
Lap 2 - 07:39 Avg HR 167 (first hill - 0.87 miles)
Lap 3 - 08:33 Avg HR 166 (down hill - 0.98 miles)
Lap 4 - 06:28 Avg HR 178 (second hill - 0.75 miles)
Lap 5 - 06:30 Avg HR 171 (down hill - 0.75 miles)
Total Distance: 3.35 miles (not including warmup)
Total Time: 29:13 (not including warmup)
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