track fan

ha ha ha ... 20 mins!  

 I also like blogging a little bit while I am in "recovery" - I have found myself going back to these posts when I have been injured, or recovering after races - seeing "how did I survive this last time" (there is no way I could remember without writing it down!).   I also am in the statistical analysis mode of my race -- trying to figure out *if* I were *ever* to run a marathon again (he he) what would I do better ... so, I looked at the 5 mile average splits (because of the hills the 3 mile splits were a little too variable, the 5 mile splits are much more smooth): 7:32, 7:28, 7:37, 7:36, 7:40  - although I did slow down over the last half of the race, I am not sure that running miles 5 -10 slower would have helped at all (e.g., my normal strategy would have been the opposite splits - with the fastest being the last miles) -- I think I ran the best I could on the day.  It is not my usual "negative split" race strategy, but, it is a marathon, and it was a race ... so, I guess I will just call it done!

Greg is a pretty serious advocate about the recovery cycle after a marathon, I am sure by this weekend I will start to get antsy, right now though, I am happy to take some downtime.  I did not feel at all like running until this AM ... I finally started some gentle rolling and some of my ab and back exercises yeterday.  I am on my way to SF for a business trip tomorrow, it will keep my mind off of my running routine -- it will be nice not to worry about how I am going to fit in all my runs on this trip :)

I wanted to share few tidbits I took away from Lauren Fleshman's talk (she was the guest speaker at the expo).  She is a funny, smart, and very nice person (we use the same ART therapist in Phoenix, and so it was fun to see her in this "mode").  

Her talk consisted of 4 major topics:

1.  Mystery column - this is sort of what Sasha calls "factor X".  No matter how good your training is, no matter how much you watch what you eat, and do everything right, there is always some intangible factor(s) that influence your race/your ability.  Could be something like genetics, could be something immeasureable that influence your performance on the day ... it is a mystery.

2.  Training - everyone has their favorite workouts, the workouts that they like, most likely what they are good at.  It sometimes has to do with your strengths (e.g., some people are really good at short interval workouts really fast, others are better at tempo runs) - sometimes it is just how you are wired (see #1 above).  Lauren made the case that you should focus on those strengths - train to them.   Greg McMillan also advocates this - he structures our workouts so while we sometimes touch on those systems that are not our "favorite" - he tries to make sure that 80% of our workouts for any give target race focus on our strengths.  It could be that people like Galen Rupp - who needed to work on his closing speed to compete at the world level - need to step outside of their comfort zone a little more often (Salazar sent him to work with the sprinters at U of Florida for a season -- it changed his kick a lot); but Lauren believes that even the world class athletes should spend the majority of their time training to their strengths.

3.  Recovery - don't run through injuries, don't be afraid to take the time required to stay healthy.  Learn from your training.  Lauren talked about the fact that she is not a high-mileage runner.  The first time she moved up from 70 mpw she broke her foot.  She convinced herself that it was some sort of fluke.  She recovered, and did the same training again, pushed the mileage again, broke it again.  After a few of these cycles, and a surgery that was pretty bad, she learned to listen to her body and she doesn't push through pain/injury cycle -- and she trains to her strengths (see #2).  Get massages, get treatment before injuries, not just wait until afterward.

4.  Psychologic side to running.  This is a growing area in professional athletics.  It concerns "the little voice" -- you know the one ... the one that tells you the last 1-4 miles that you can't go on, that you need to stop ... the one that, for Lauren, almost paralyzes you before the race even begins.  She told us how after winning her first US championship race (5K) she started to get so nervous before races that running wasn't fun anymore.  Her mind, "the voice",  would worry so much about what could happen ("what if I lose my national title", "what if I am 4th in this race and I don't make the team?") that she would be a mess before the race.  This is also the same voice that you can turn into, "right now I am in 4th - all I have to do is push it this last lap and I will have 3rd" or, "if that woman in 3rd doesn't keep up, I *will* take her".  There are specialists that can help you develop skills to "change the conversation" when the voice sabotages your races.  I have to say that I thought a lot about this during my race.  I have always been pretty good about convincing myself that "if I can do it in training, I can execute the race" - so I do a lot of fast finish runs, I run primarily on my own, so I spend a lot of time thinking "ok, how do I feel right now, what do I need to adjust to run 40 more minutes?", "can I go faster? do I need to slow down?".  But, when things start to hurt, it is so hard to keep the negative thoughts out, and replace them with the positive ... for elite athletes (where the stakes are oh so much higher) - this aspect of their training/racing can make the difference between a big payday, or not.  So, many are turning to experts in sport psychology, and Lauren believes this can make a substantial difference. 

There you go ...  it was very entertaining, witty, and fun.  I am sure I did not do it justice, and some of this stuff we all "know" (e.g., especially the injury one :)) - but it is so important, it is worth hearing all the time!

I hope you are all doing well!  Happy Wednesday, Bloggers! 

another 20 min run!  I feel slow, and fat, but I still don't care much ;-).  I can see that by later this weekend I might feel like running more than my schedule calls for, but still today - I am a little sore and would rather sleep in tomorrow than run ... fat and lazy that is me right now!!  

I am stuck in LAX -- my flight has been delayed 3 hours.  I am going to go for a walk, I will see how far I can go between the three terminals that are connected.   Hopefully I won't get into trouble ... you know how that can happen, even when you aren't expecting it.

Weird to not run today ... This is the first day of my "recovery time" that I am am antsy about running!!  So, I think I will eat instead :-)  

Happy Saturday, bloggers!!

Yippee, a 'long' run :-) 

Actually, I will be running two days in row (tomorrow too).  My legs feel really good, my back ... Not so good.  I am both happy to have some extra time and completely unsure how to use said time :-)

Happy Sunday, bloggers! 

yup ... that's what my schedule called for -- 20 mins for a little over 2 big ones :)

Stupendeously beautiful day -- a wopping 32 mins of running!

The only thing keeping me from freaking out -- primarily about the weight I feel I am gaining -- is that Bernard Lagat takes a month off every year, and does not run a step.  He says he gains 10 lbs, and is happy to do it.  It is true that he could gain 10 lbs and still look emaciated, but still -- he comes back stronger than ever after he does it ... so, I am just recovering ... and pretty secure that I can come back refreshed and ready to start over training (for something) again!

I hope you are all doing well bloggers -- I am sending lots of taper thoughts (positive ones) for those of you getting ready for Ogden!!  FRB FRB!! 

Someday, I will be a runner again :)

OK!  Now we are cooking with gas! For some reason 5 miles finally feels like "a run" ... It is hard to take such a long recovery cycle ... But I won't lie, it is taking a little time to recover ... I am having some fatigue issues that I think will make it a tiniest bit of time to rehab.  It is primarily to do with the radiation, and physiologic stuff from last year - it just makes recovery a bit of a challenge.  The good news is that I *know* I will be running strong again soon! I am making race plans and everything!! For now, I am enjoying the last of the below 100F weeks, in a very short amount of time we will be staring at months of an oven ... For now, I am loving "spring" ...

Happy weekend bloggers! 

Nice 30` run, then I drove up to Mt. Lemmon with my friend Merry and her husband.  We went for a 4 mile hike and lunch at the top of the mountain!  It was a beautiful 70F day up at 8000ft, versus the 99-100F day down at 2500ft!  It was wonderful.   And, I know I got a little workout, because my bum hurt the next day!!

Happy Mother's Day FRB Moms! 

1:02:34.  Yehaaa!  yes, it was wonderful, a real run again!!  LOVE life!  Felt pretty good.  Nothing hurt, I did not feel like I had lost any fitness at all from my "down" time, my landmark was 20 secs faster than it normally would be -- maybe even quicker when applying the heat factor!  Life is sooooooo good.

Happy Day, bloggers!

All you taperers out there -- stay calm, you are FINE -- don't listen to it.  Just do your thing, trust your training -- dream and think about how awesome your race is going to go!! 

Whhooops I forgot to add this run. My whole week is off kilter because I am not training ... I can't wait until I am back to my routine!

1:01 ... lookeee me, another whole hour!! twice in one week! whoppdeedee.

Felt good, thankfully happy to drag my fat behind for a whole hour.  I can't believe how pudgy one can get in two weeks.  Let's see how good it can get going for 3 :)

GOOD LUCK FRB runners -- get your race on!!  Hoping for many potty breaks before the race, none during, smart pacing, fast times, and finish with a smile!  

53:45 hilly hilly run ... So good!

Up with those marathon results FRBrs!! 

Guess what I got in mail today?  My little 1st place 50-54 year old age group plaque from Eugene.    I put in the same drawer as the one for my 3rd place in the 45-49 year old group from Eugene 2009 ;-). They are both nice, not a moose or anything, but nice ;-)

3 miles?  sheesh.  Oh well, at least I had a run scheduled :)

1:02:32.  Schedule said 60-70`. I wanted to do 70` mins, but I had to get my car to the shop (the AC doesn't work and it is in the 100s here -- not pleasant to get to work all sweaty!).

Last night a friend stayed over ... we met Mary at running camp last year, and she came to Flagstaff for running camp again this year.  She stayed last night, and then tonight a bunch of other running camp friends are meeting in Phoenix for dinner!  then tonight, another running camp friend, Becky, is staying with us!  So much company (my cousin is coming through town this weekend).  Lots of quick turnaround with sheet/towel washing going on here at Chateau LaFleur!

I ran with Mary this morning -- she is a little faster than me, but I made her slow down for me :)  I think she liked the views, though she did not much like the hills!

I hope you are all having a good week FBRs!! 

Ran with Becky!  It was a blast!  We saw three coyotes, and rescued a tarantula (a huge one -- it was walking/crawling toward the road, I got a stick and moved it to the wash).

Loving running this week! 

1:19:49.  29:16wu/28:00cd  15 x :30 w/1` recovery.  Yippeee!  Today, I felt like a runner again.  I am not sure it felt "great" - but it must have felt great on some level, I was grinning through most of the run!  (some people might have mistaken the look as a grimace ... but it really was a squinty - due to sun - smile!!).  

So excited, I get to do a long run this weekend, and next week I will be almost back from recovery! yea! 

45` on the trails ... yippee, life is good!

Happy Friday, bloggers! 

1:43:49.  Hilly, 91F and sunny when I finished.  I can't believe how good I felt today.  I guess this is the difference between first long run after downtime because of being sick, versus first long run after taking some downtime because of a race!!  I just loved being out there - despite the heat, despite the pull of my hamstrings up the hills ...  I need to remember this when I start getting tired of the heat :)

Happy Saturday bloggers, I get two days off ... and then next week I am nearly back to my usual, perhaps a little boring even, running schedule!  sigh.  Good times!

Whew, after two days off (why oh why Greg, I am such a fat slob!) - it felt really good to get out again today!

On Sunday we went over for a BBQ - it was a friend of a friend scenario - and it was a blast!  we met some awesome people, had some really good food (they had plenty of vegetarian options for me -- including these most amazing marinated portabella mushrooms).  Best yet?  we were able to talk track and field for much of the time - plenty of runners there.  Since the Diamond League is on right now -- there was much to talk about!  The daughter (~9 years old) had a bunch of autographs from Olympic high jumpers to distance runners - so it was pretty cool!

Anyway - this morning I ran 27wu/28cd and 15 x :30 w/1` recovery.  Ran on the dirt, alternating slightly uphill to slightly downhill (just because that is the dirt road that is ~30mins from my house!  Grin/grimace home again!

I wanted to do a second run today -- but I got caught up at work.  I need to get back to my routine.  Especially because I need to lose this weight I have gained :)

Happy Tuesday that feels like a Monday! 

AM: easy 40 (no watch -- I am calling it 4 miles, might have been a little longer)

PM: easy 30 (~3.5 miles).

Warm here in the desert ... is it December yet? 

1:08:44 (35:06/33:37).  I had an early morning meeting, so I decided to run after work instead of before.  It was hard getting started, it was hot (97F) and still a little sunny, so it felt even hotter; once the sun started setting it was a little better.  I felt "clunky" - but after the turn around, it felt a lot better, and I think I saw a "hint" (very small hint) of the runner who ran a good marathon a few weeks ago. I thought that runner was gone forever, and in her place was this old, chubby, lumbering, rickity -- you get the idea -- wogger ;-).  Not that there is anything "wrong" with this old chubby wogger, mind you, she still loves running (or whatever it is called that she does) - but, she is a huge shadow of her former self.

ANYWAY -- it is all good, this struggling through the Tucson summer is part of the deal to have amazingly good winters -- and it does make us tough :)

Happy Thursday bloggers! 

45` easy peasy.

Just a little jog to get the blood flowing!  Happy Friday!