How Much Discomfort Can I Tolerate?!

Weather - 32 degrees, cloudy, snowing.

I know it is officially spring, but I am still in winter mode - running in long underwear, hat, gloves, and snot dripping from my nose. Ran 4 easy miles to the Zendo, meditated for 2 hours, then ran 3 easy miles back to town. My quads are sore from yesterday's race, so this will be another easy week of training, although I would like to get in session 5 of the bike intervals, maybe I can do that on Monday or Tuesday. Even with sore legs, I was able to hold a quick easy pace today.

Strange thing happened yesterday evening. Towards dusk, basking in a post-race glow, I rode my bicycle to Family Video to return a dvd. As I rode into the parking lot I followed 2 cars. They inexplicably stopped, and I continued pedaling. As I passed one of the cars it decided to turn into a parking space, and headed right into me. I swerved quickly and stopped, and fortunately the driver saw me and stopped, a horrified look on her face. I parked my bike, dropped the dvd into the return slot, and as I walked back to my bike passed the woman. She apologized to me, but I said "no, it was my fault, I like living dangerously". I was feeling lighthearted and easy, and rode out of the parking lot. I turned into another parking lot 400 meters away, planning to cut into a park. I looked up and saw a man walking on the park path about 100 meters away. I calculated that we were going to intersect each other's path (this happens to me almost daily, crossing someone's direct line, even though there is hundreds of yards of empty space between us - it is absolutely freaky, I am convinced there is a lesson to be learned from this horrible sense of timing on my part, and I have finally concluded that I am living in an incorrect way, and must find a better path to travel), so I decided to speed up and thus reach the path before he arrived at my point of entry. As I sped up I took my right hand off the handlebar and moved it across my chest and plunged it into my left pants pocket, so that I could adjust my iPod volume. Just as my hand was going into my pocket my left hand pushed right, I guess to compensate for my right hand going left, and the wheel also turned right, but it was too sharp of a turn and before I knew what was happening the bike was crashing to the ground. I landed on my left knee and right shoulder. I remained on the ground without moving for about a minute, I was not sure if I was injured or not, and wanted to see if I felt any pain. I seemed to be ok, although I was in a state of shock. I wondered if the man had saw me fall. I shook my right leg out, extending it, then the left. Both legs seemed fine. I got up slowly. I had not hit my head. I did not even seem to be scraped. My right calf was a bit sore, but it did not seem serious. If the man had seen me fall, he hadn't bothered to stop, because I could not see him. I guess falling off of my bike is one way to avoid a crossing of paths. I rode home slowly, feeling charmed, because although I had experienced two dangerous things within 5 minutes time, I had escaped unharmed.

On my run today I did not suffer any ill effects from yesterday's fall, so onwards with training.

#128

z.m. - #42

Weather - 32 degrees, cloudy, snow.

Ran 7 easy miles through Crystak Lake Park, Busey Woods, and the golf course. It snowed during the run, which I thought was better than cold rain. My upper thighs are toasted from the race, it is that typical feeling I felt during last years marathon training - walking up and down stairs causes the most discomfort. I made sure to run calmly and with restraint today, and was surprised I was able to cover 7 miles without undue strain.

Afterward 5 sets of strength exercises in the park, stretching, and 40 minute walk home.

I am canceling the bike intervals this week because of the damage in my leg muscles. The next race on my schedule is the Christie 5k on April 12th. That fits nicely into my training - this week easy runs, next week 2 hard sessions, bike intervals, and a long run. The following week will be easy leading into the 5k.

Last year I ran the Christie 5k and it was a breakthrough race. The previous year I had tried to break 20:00 in the 5k but was unable to do so, my best being 20:09. I ran the Mountain goat 15k in 1:11, 3 weeks before the Christie 5k, and was humbled by the experience. After the 15K I immediately set to training hard everyday, which caused a big strain on my legs, but I ignored the pain and just balled my way crazily through the days. I combined sprinting, hill and interval work in the same sessions, and ran long once a week. I had no base, so I figured I would build it on the fly as I worked on my speed. After 3 weeks of this I ran the Christie 5k in 20:04, and I would have broken 20:00 if I had not taken a wrong turn 800meters from the finish, losing about 5 or 6 seconds. I was excited by the quick improvement, and a few weeks later I finally broke through, running a 5k in 19:30.

Remembering last years sequence of events, I know that I am capable of quick improvement once I begin stacking speed sessions week by week. The difference is this year I have a 5 month aerobic base with which to build the speed upon. After next weeks hard sessions my speed should improve, so I should equal or slightly better last year's performance. A few weeks ago I ran a 5k in 20:15, bringing it down 20 seconds should be possible, so 19:55 would be a reasonable expectation.

#129

z.m. - #43

Weather - 46 degrees, cloudy, windy. 

Easy 7 miles around the park, woods, and golf course. My thighs are still sore, but better than yesterday, so they are on the mend. The soreness does not hinder my running stride, and I have noticed this week my easy pace is getting faster. When I finished today I realized how quickly the run went, and thought, "yeah, it was fast, but it felt easy!" I guess that means my fitness is increasing.

#130

z.m. - #44
 

Weather - 57 degrees, sunny.

A strange day for running, not only for the pleasant weather, but also because of the route and the way I achieved the mileage.

The park district had a day long sabbatical at the Lake of the Woods forest preserve. I arrived early and ran 4.5 miles along the roads and golf course. After 3 hours of group work, I ran 4.5 miles during the lunch hour on the bicycle path. When the afternoon group activity ended at 2:45pm, I ran another 4.5 miles on the Buffalo Trace trail. The temperatures varied for each run - morning, 35 degrees; noon, 45; afternoon, 57. The afternoon run was fantastic, it was unfortunate I did not have my shorts, but it was nice to slog the muddy trails without a jacket.

I had forgotten how much easier it is to accumulate mileage by doing two or three shorter runs throughout the day, rather than one long run. If I had tried to run 13.5 miles in one go, my legs would be sore and dead. I think I should try to do more mulitiple-run days in the near future.

#131

z.m. - #45

Weather - 37 degrees, clouds, rain. 

Another adventurous running day. Decided to run to work, but since I live only 1 mile from the "cottage", I ran through Crystal Lake Park and Busey Woods so that I could get 4 miles. After work I went back to the park and woods and ran another 4.25 miles. After eating a big lunch  of pasta and veggies, I rested for a few hours, then went to Cardinal and ran 6 miles on the treadmill, 2 at threshold pace. So I totaled 14.25 miles, yet it feels like a normal day of 7 miles.  Somehow splitting the day up with multiple runs feels like cheating, but I notice that all of the top runners on this blog do it in this way. So I hope to continue with this method, and I will see what it does for my fitness. Some days I think it will be good to do straight 7-10 milers, and I realize that the long run should be done all in one shot.

Afterward 5 sets of strength exercises, stretching, and 12 minute walk home.

#132

z.m. - #46

Weather - 40 degrees, sunny, windy.

Sunny, but the wind made it feel about 30 degrees. Was planning on a moderate/easy day, but Melinda called and wanted to run long, so I decided to go for it. I was curious to see how my legs would hold out with a continuous run. Also to see how strained they were from the past two days of staggered runs. Decided to wear shorts and 3 shirts with no jacket. We planned on a 1 hour and 45 minute run, so we took off for Champaign, running through campus, headed to the west outskirts, then back into Urbana, through the arboretum. Melinda stopped at her house at 1 hour 40 minute mark, I was feeling terrific, so decided to go for a full 2 hours. I am guessing we averaged about an 8:30 pace overall, so that puts me at 14 miles for the run. Yeah!

Now I am off to the Zendo to participate in seshin. I will not attempt to run there, so will ride my bicycle, hoping to avoid another fall.

#133

z.m. - #47

Weather - 43 degrees, sunny, windy.

Ran 4 miles to the Zendo, meditated for 2.5 hours (as part of seshin), then ran 3 miles back to town. Legs a bit tired, but holding up from the increased mileage this week.

#134

z.m. - #48