Hills for breakfast, hold the gnats

Week starting Aug 17, 2008

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Location:

Snoqualmie,WA,

Member Since:

Jan 31, 2008

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Marathon PR: 4:17 at Portland Marathon, Oct. 2007

5K PR 24:37 2009

10K PR 52:58 2010

Have run 22 marathons to date.

No injuries, ever.   :)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for Boston (4:05 for my age/gender) - or, perhaps, to use my desire for a BQ as a way to get in the hated speed work so I don't just get slower and slower over the years.  This goal is "under (re)construction" right now, until I figure out whether it is truly what I want. :) 


Long-Term Running Goals:

To continue learning about myself and about running, and to enjoy being a fit, happy runner for life.   To always know why I am running and the best way to get the most (both mentally and physically) out of my runs.  To keep a sense of humor and remain optimistic about myself as a runner.  To enjoy running more and more with every passing year. 

Personal:

Baby boomer generation.  Jogged a little in my 20's and 30's.  Started running seriously in 2002.  Low-carb runner since January 2010. 

I love long runs and cold, cloudy weather.  I don't believe in "junk miles."  I am an optimist.  I adore dark chocolate, fog, my family, and knitting -- not necessarily in that order.  

"As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are."  -- Joan Benoit Samuelson 


Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Brooks ST3 Lifetime Miles: 891.35
Vibram Five Fingers KSO Lifetime Miles: 23.77
Brooks ST3 II Lifetime Miles: 965.17
Lunaracers II Lifetime Miles: 198.23
Mizuno Wave Universe 3 Lifetime Miles: 104.14
Asics Piranha Lifetime Miles: 536.83
RunAmocs (Softstar) Lifetime Miles: 16.23
Piranha II Lifetime Miles: 219.53
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
47.610.007.500.0055.11
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.150.003.000.0015.15

This run did not go well.  I am not sure how to interpret it, but I just hope I don't have a day like this at the Portland Marathon. 

First of all, I am used to (spoiled by) early morning temps in the 50's with low to moderate humidity.  Today was around 70F with high humidity and I was drenched with sweat and feeling completely overheated (no evaporation happening) within 20 minutes.

I don't know if it would have helped at all to get out before dawn, as I had planned, but there was a violent thunderstorm and I had to wait for the skies to calm down for safe running.  Since I had to be back home on a deadline, leaving late also took off some of the mileage that I had planned for this morning.  The discouragement did not help! 

This was to be a Daniels workout:  2 mi w.u., 2 X 10 min LT w/ 12 min jog between, 80+ minutes easy pace, 15 min LT and a 2 mi cool down.  When I got to the 15 min LT at the end, I just didn't have anything left.  I tried to get my legs going several times and kept ending up panting and dangerously flushed with heat.  I settled for whatever pace would come and just concentrated on getting the fastest step turnover I could manage, even if it was baby steps. Even that just wiped me out and I had to take several rest jogs. 

Here's to better running in the near future and no more runs like I had today. That was awful.

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.700.000.000.005.70

Today was all about recovery and redemption.  Since yesterday's run went so poorly, I just wanted to lope along and enjoy running without any pressure.  The temperature came down a bit too, which helped. 

I was pretty happy to be running at all this morning since I had a bit of a scare.  Yesterday, during that bad run, I felt some pain in my foot, at the base of the big toe joint.  I tend to get psychosomatic pains (TMS) from time to time, so at first I ignored it.  I thought it came from hearing about Deena's foot, and just rolled my eyes and kept running.  Then it got worse, so I stopped at a park and took off my shoe and sock to look at it.  No swelling or redness, looked fine. "Yeah, it's a brain trick," and off I went.  After a while the pain subsided. 

Well, last night at bedtime I looked down at my foot and the area that had been sore was totally black and blue.  Yikes. I thought I'd have to skip a run or two, but I took some Motrin and set my alarm anyway, in hopes of an overnight improvement.  Sure enough, I was pain free this morning, so I ran an easy course with no steep hills (avoiding push off) and did fine.  I will probably take it easy on pace and hills again tomorrow, though longer miles.  I still don't know why it was bruised, but I think I need new shoes.

20 minutes abs and weights

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.340.000.000.009.34

Terrific run.  My cool temperatures are back and I had a nice steady drizzle on my face the first 4 miles.  Ah... 

I do need new shoes. Sunday's toe bruise may very well have been related to the worn surface I'm seeing.  I put some Shoe-Goo on to tide  me over.  Do people still use that? I remember my brief introduction to running in the 70's and everyone used to prolong their shoe's life with that stuff.  

15 minutes abs and weights

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.900.000.000.006.90

Today was the first time in months that I was running in a steady rain.  It was not so heavy that I got Squishy Shoe Syndrome, so I enjoyed it very much after the first mile warm up.  

As often happens in the dark, I was nearly hit by a car this morning.  He was at least 10 miles over the speed limit zooming towards the crosswalk and I was already crossing when I noticed that he was not intending to stop, though there is a stop sign there.   He slowed to turn right, but evidently did not even glance in my direction. I was lit up like a xmas tree (head lamp, red flashy light, reflective clothing) so there really was no excuse.  I shouted and waved my arms, but I still had to stop running and it gave me quite a scare.  Spent the next 30 minutes lecturing him in my mind as I ran .

Well, other than that it was a fine run.  An easy lope in a summer rain.   I am sleepy however, and hoping to log back in later with a nap.

20 minutes abs and wts.

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.100.004.500.009.60

I'm not sure I've entered my miles correctly for today and here is why.  The workout was: warm-up + 4 X 10 minutes at LT w/ 2 min. jogs b/t + cool down.  As I may have mentioned before I run in a hilly neighborhood.  During the first two LT intervals, it was so hard, as LT always has been for me, but I could not go by my Garmin because of the hills.  I would take a little, relatively flat stretch, check my pace, and try to maintain that level of exertion. 

Well, on the 3rd interval I decided to go ahead and look like a dork by running back and forth on the one truly flat stretch in my neighborhood (about .3 mi long). I wanted to see my pace on the Garmin and experience a more consistent level of effort.  Within the first 100 yards I realized: I have been working too hard!  So those first two intervals -- 10 minutes each --were closer to my VO2max pace!

What a joy to know that LT pace is not as hard for me as I thought it was.  I got a huge boost of confidence from this experience.  From now on, my speed work is all going to take place on that one street, regardless of how stupid I feel running back and forth (when the whole neighborhood is so lovely for running).  Oh, how I wish I had a track nearby.

Second noteable event: I am running in new Nike Triax shoes today.  Went shoe shopping over at the big city yesterday, at a real running store.  The shoes felt really good, especially during the tempo run. 

Dilemma: I did a little math in my head this morning, and realized that, with about 7 weeks to go until my marathon, I could be putting as much as 300  miles on these before race day.  I had been mistakenly thinking "7 weeks, not much time" without really working out how many miles that is.  I want these shoes to be relatively fresh for the race. So it looks like I'll have to continue in my old shoes for most of my runs, or buy a 2nd pair. Ouch.  Any advice most welcome!

15 minutes abs and weights

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.420.000.000.008.42

I thought I'd be sluggish today because I worked so hard yesterday, but not so.  I had a wings-on-my-feet kind of run, and had to keep reminding myself to go easy.  Maybe it was the rare 8 hours of sleep I got last night.   Wish more days could be like this. :)

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Day of rest.  Remarkable long sleep last night.  They say you cannot "make up" for lost sleep; I disagree.  Looking forward to refreshed week of running. :)

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
47.610.007.500.0055.11
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