Highest mileage week --- ever --- and the highest week scheduled of my marathon training.
Sunday: 20 miles! And it went well. Had enough fuel in the tank before leaving, had enough with me for along the way. The weather was cooler, I got to go out in the morning instead of after a few hours of toddler-wrangling (it really makes a difference), I got some decent sleep the week before. A run to make me feel more confident about finishing the marathon with some style.
Monday: Rest day (yoga).
Tuesday: 5 miles easy (yoga).
Wednesday: Swam 0.75 mile.
Thursday: 9 miles total, 8x800@4:20 (yoga).
Friday: Swam 0.75 mile.
Saturday: Rest day.
Migraines all week (last week too), with a scary spacey/low-blood-sugar/panic-attack-like-thing on Saturday. So I've got some phone calls to make and appointments to set up. Plus a bit more eating to do! Now is not the time to try to lose weight --- I have to keep remembering that since I do have some more to come off (and just got my copy of Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald, which has me thinking about it). But not right now.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Yasso 800s (Or, Just How Fast Can I Run This Thing Anyway?)
I tried the Yasso 800s this morning for the first time, just to see if my marathon goal is sound. (I had been running mile repeats as my track workout all season, rather than 800s.) I only did eight of them today, rather than the recommended ten, since I'd been set to do 4 mile repeats today, and I still have a couple of weeks left to fit in another attempt if I want.
Okay, here comes a bit of number crunching of no interest except other runners (maybe).
Then I started doing some more online research, mostly in an attempt to find an easier way to explain these to a non-running audience. I didn't find that (so I refer you to the original article about them in Runner's World), but I found a lot of dissent about the use of Yasso 800s, either as a predictor, or as a training tool. You can Google this yourself if you're interested.
I had thought a 4:20 marathon was too good to be true for me at this point, so I wasn't truly discouraged by what I read. Mostly what I take from my reading is that the Yasso 800s can be a decent predictor of performance (and not so much a training tool), and only if the necessary support is there (in the form of long runs, tempo runs, etc.). And that it's best to add on 5-15 minutes to that prediction time anyway. Which brings me right back to a goal time of 4:35. Maybe, possibly, cross-my-fingers, 4:25 if everything lines up beautifully that day.
I guess I'm spending so much time thinking about this because over the summer I've been frequently disheartened by my long runs. For a while it seemed like I just. could. not. do them at the paces I thought I should be able to. Everything else was lining up according to past experience and pace calculators, why weren't the long runs? (Leaving aside the issue of a hellish Chicago summer, of course.)
I had basically resigned my self to "just" finishing, as if that weren't accomplishment enough for my first time out. Although it will help with how I go about the marathon that day if I have a good and realistic sense of what I am capable of.
But finally, things seem to be a bit more on pace, ha-ha. The weather has cooled which makes a world of difference, and I feel like I'm getting a better handle on my pre-long-run nutrition needs as well, thanks to The Dude (still struggling with what to take in during my runs, alas).
I'm getting excited... I'm getting hopeful... what I don't want is to get crazy.
To any runners reading this, what has been your experience in predicting race times?
Okay, here comes a bit of number crunching of no interest except other runners (maybe).
- My goal for the marathon is 4:35 (hours), based on the McMillan calculator and my actual past workouts.
- My goal for the Yasso 800s this morning was 4:30 (minutes), based on my previous results with mile repeats.
- My actual performance was 4:20, and I felt I could certainly have done another 2 repeats at that speed.
Then I started doing some more online research, mostly in an attempt to find an easier way to explain these to a non-running audience. I didn't find that (so I refer you to the original article about them in Runner's World), but I found a lot of dissent about the use of Yasso 800s, either as a predictor, or as a training tool. You can Google this yourself if you're interested.
I had thought a 4:20 marathon was too good to be true for me at this point, so I wasn't truly discouraged by what I read. Mostly what I take from my reading is that the Yasso 800s can be a decent predictor of performance (and not so much a training tool), and only if the necessary support is there (in the form of long runs, tempo runs, etc.). And that it's best to add on 5-15 minutes to that prediction time anyway. Which brings me right back to a goal time of 4:35. Maybe, possibly, cross-my-fingers, 4:25 if everything lines up beautifully that day.
I guess I'm spending so much time thinking about this because over the summer I've been frequently disheartened by my long runs. For a while it seemed like I just. could. not. do them at the paces I thought I should be able to. Everything else was lining up according to past experience and pace calculators, why weren't the long runs? (Leaving aside the issue of a hellish Chicago summer, of course.)
I had basically resigned my self to "just" finishing, as if that weren't accomplishment enough for my first time out. Although it will help with how I go about the marathon that day if I have a good and realistic sense of what I am capable of.
But finally, things seem to be a bit more on pace, ha-ha. The weather has cooled which makes a world of difference, and I feel like I'm getting a better handle on my pre-long-run nutrition needs as well, thanks to The Dude (still struggling with what to take in during my runs, alas).
I'm getting excited... I'm getting hopeful... what I don't want is to get crazy.
To any runners reading this, what has been your experience in predicting race times?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Team in Training
Just had to share this photo... we were at the Chicago Botanic Garden and failed to keep Buddy from falling into a fountain within 15 minutes of arriving... (this is where we sing "bad parent...") But he didn't seem to mind too much in the long run!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Notes on a Work Week (Plus 18 Good Miles!)
Another week's lovely training plan, torn up by work. Ah well.
Sunday: 18 miles @ 12:25 pace (yoga).
This went much better than my previous long runs. I listened to The Dude when he told me I wasn't carbo-loading enough the day before my long runs, and made sure to get some extra Gatorade and healthy snacks before this one. It worked! I'm sure it also helped that I went out earlier in the day, so it was cooler for me than in previous weeks, plus I made sure to extend my walk breaks just a smidge more when I took them, but at no point did I feel like I had to stop. In fact, I was feeling so good at 12 miles that I decided to take the last six without walk breaks (aside from traffic lights, natch), and was then even able to push it more in the last couple of miles. Sweet!
Monday: Work/rest.
Tuesday: Swam 0.9 miles. It's been a while since I swam --- this was harder than I thought it would be --- but it was lovely to swim. I paid for my effort though, sometimes when I swim too hard my tummy gets cranky for the rest of the day. Probably also didn't help that I worked a VERY LONG day.
Wednesday: 5 miles (yoga).
Started off briskly and just kept it up from there. A great run, feeling strong and smooth. The only disappointment was in the last mile I kept hitting traffic lights, train crossings, etc., all against me, and after enough of these I couldn't keep my momentum going and my speed up. Ah well.
Thursday: Work. (This was certainly no rest day, I was slinging boxes and bags of school supplies around all day, and running from one end of the church to the other.)
Friday: Ran to work, 8 miles, at 11:00 pace.
Lovely day, lovely run. And I ran into R on the lakefront, heading the opposite direction. What a lovely surprise! We're getting together for breakfast next week to discuss our marathon training.
Saturday: Work. Again, no rest day here --- hauling school supplies around, then out in the hot sun, bookended both times with driving the church van. So glad to come home today.
Sunday: 18 miles @ 12:25 pace (yoga).
This went much better than my previous long runs. I listened to The Dude when he told me I wasn't carbo-loading enough the day before my long runs, and made sure to get some extra Gatorade and healthy snacks before this one. It worked! I'm sure it also helped that I went out earlier in the day, so it was cooler for me than in previous weeks, plus I made sure to extend my walk breaks just a smidge more when I took them, but at no point did I feel like I had to stop. In fact, I was feeling so good at 12 miles that I decided to take the last six without walk breaks (aside from traffic lights, natch), and was then even able to push it more in the last couple of miles. Sweet!
Monday: Work/rest.
Tuesday: Swam 0.9 miles. It's been a while since I swam --- this was harder than I thought it would be --- but it was lovely to swim. I paid for my effort though, sometimes when I swim too hard my tummy gets cranky for the rest of the day. Probably also didn't help that I worked a VERY LONG day.
Wednesday: 5 miles (yoga).
Started off briskly and just kept it up from there. A great run, feeling strong and smooth. The only disappointment was in the last mile I kept hitting traffic lights, train crossings, etc., all against me, and after enough of these I couldn't keep my momentum going and my speed up. Ah well.
Thursday: Work. (This was certainly no rest day, I was slinging boxes and bags of school supplies around all day, and running from one end of the church to the other.)
Friday: Ran to work, 8 miles, at 11:00 pace.
Lovely day, lovely run. And I ran into R on the lakefront, heading the opposite direction. What a lovely surprise! We're getting together for breakfast next week to discuss our marathon training.
Saturday: Work. Again, no rest day here --- hauling school supplies around, then out in the hot sun, bookended both times with driving the church van. So glad to come home today.
Friday, August 27, 2010
It's Coming, It's Almost Here!
No, not the marathon, silly! (Though that's coming up fast too.)
Scary Movie Month!
If you're new to this blog, here's a description of what this is all about. Except this year I have actually included a movie with demonic possession among my choices --- after seeing "The Exorcist" last year and not being horribly upset by it, I figure I can probably handle some others in stride as well.
We've been talking about it for the last couple of weeks, and then yesterday The Dude put together a spreadsheet (a spreadsheet!) with a number of different movies across seven different categories (seven!), and asked me to choose one movie in each category (except I ended up choosing two in most). So then he made his choices and now we have our Netflix queue for the month (a month early) --- 32 possible movies to choose from for SMM.
We'll only end up seeing half of those or so, but it's good to have back-ups in case there's a wait on some of them, or if I end up deciding that no, I don't want to see any demonic possession after all.
Here are the seven categories:
Scary Movie Month!
If you're new to this blog, here's a description of what this is all about. Except this year I have actually included a movie with demonic possession among my choices --- after seeing "The Exorcist" last year and not being horribly upset by it, I figure I can probably handle some others in stride as well.
We've been talking about it for the last couple of weeks, and then yesterday The Dude put together a spreadsheet (a spreadsheet!) with a number of different movies across seven different categories (seven!), and asked me to choose one movie in each category (except I ended up choosing two in most). So then he made his choices and now we have our Netflix queue for the month (a month early) --- 32 possible movies to choose from for SMM.
We'll only end up seeing half of those or so, but it's good to have back-ups in case there's a wait on some of them, or if I end up deciding that no, I don't want to see any demonic possession after all.
Here are the seven categories:
- Classic
- Super Scary
- 80's Kitsch
- Suspense
- Kids
- Quirky
- Comedy
Monday, August 23, 2010
Balancing Act
For a couple of weeks now, I've been wanting to write something wise and wonderful about balance, the challenge of finding it between work and family and training, needing to adjust things when one area is more demanding than usual while maintaining a calm head and heart. About how I start nearly every day off with tree pose, as a small prayer for balance in my life that day.
I haven't written that something wise and wonderful. I've been too busy. And when I'm not actually busy with work, then I'm busy trying not to be resentful of work, or busy trying not to think about work. Or I'm actually succeeding at those last two and am managing to be in the moment with my husband, my child, myself --- in which case I don't want to be writing about struggling to remain composed at those other times.
The last hectic week in this particular work project is starting, and by Labor Day it will be finished. I go through this every year at this time, and every year it takes me by surprise just how hard it is (and then again in Nov/Dec). I even wrote on my calendar for August, "DO NOT SCHEDULE ANYTHING EXTRA," but then didn't take that quite seriously enough. For future reference, that includes marathon training. Since I can't do anything about Buddy's daycare having their annual teacher training (no kids) at this time.
Time to wake the household and begin.
I haven't written that something wise and wonderful. I've been too busy. And when I'm not actually busy with work, then I'm busy trying not to be resentful of work, or busy trying not to think about work. Or I'm actually succeeding at those last two and am managing to be in the moment with my husband, my child, myself --- in which case I don't want to be writing about struggling to remain composed at those other times.
The last hectic week in this particular work project is starting, and by Labor Day it will be finished. I go through this every year at this time, and every year it takes me by surprise just how hard it is (and then again in Nov/Dec). I even wrote on my calendar for August, "DO NOT SCHEDULE ANYTHING EXTRA," but then didn't take that quite seriously enough. For future reference, that includes marathon training. Since I can't do anything about Buddy's daycare having their annual teacher training (no kids) at this time.
Time to wake the household and begin.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Long Run #3: Notes on 18 Miles
Three loops, all familiar to me. Lakefront, cemetery, park.
Another hot and humid day in Chicago. Another afternoon run right at the hottest part of the day. I made sure to leave more than enough time for an icebath and shower before dinner, though.
Used a FuelBelt for the first time.
It was unwieldy for the first two miles and then I got used to it. Having it on really made me focus on drinking whenever I felt thirsty and on refilling my bottles every chance I got. For the first time on a long run this summer I felt I got enough water.
I had planned stops for refueling at miles 4, 8, 12, and 16, starting with Gatorade and then gels at the other stops, making sure to take water with the gels. GU strawberry/banana flavor (not as bad as it could have been, I prefer lemon/lime) and Accel Gel lemon/lime. I liked the Accel Gel, it had a slightly chalky feel to it but it was more liquid than the GU, so easier to get down. But in the future I'm going to bring more Gatorade with me (now that I've got my FuelBelt), since after two gels I just couldn't handle anymore, but I need more salt/sugar later in the run.
This was a much more pleasurable run than the last few have been, even though I still had to stop and walk a bit more in the last half than I would have liked. I attribute the improvement to better hydration, nutrition, and a better night's sleep than I usually get.
Despite the rest of my training going to plan, I haven't been able to hit my paces on my long runs. Well, I've hit my heat-adjusted paces, but it just doesn't feel the same --- on a long run those extra minutes really add up. I had a bit of despair about this on my final walk home, hurting, especially since I've signed up to do the CARA 20-mile training run on September 19 at a 11:00 pace (MP+30). But I'll just see what the weather is like that day and adjust accordingly.
Of course, my pace wouldn't matter if I were just looking to finish. But I've really enjoyed my training and have started to have ambitions. Like, maybe someday qualifying for Boston. Mind you, that's a lo-o-ong way off... I'm not even in the age group I hope to qualify for yet.
On the iPod: Fresh Air interviews with Sharon Jones, the creators of South Park, Marisa Tomei, and Jackie DeShannon. Cassandra Wilson's latest album Loverly. Then random songs from my running mix.
Next week --- another 18! At least I don't have to figure out a new route.
Another hot and humid day in Chicago. Another afternoon run right at the hottest part of the day. I made sure to leave more than enough time for an icebath and shower before dinner, though.
Used a FuelBelt for the first time.
I had planned stops for refueling at miles 4, 8, 12, and 16, starting with Gatorade and then gels at the other stops, making sure to take water with the gels. GU strawberry/banana flavor (not as bad as it could have been, I prefer lemon/lime) and Accel Gel lemon/lime. I liked the Accel Gel, it had a slightly chalky feel to it but it was more liquid than the GU, so easier to get down. But in the future I'm going to bring more Gatorade with me (now that I've got my FuelBelt), since after two gels I just couldn't handle anymore, but I need more salt/sugar later in the run.
This was a much more pleasurable run than the last few have been, even though I still had to stop and walk a bit more in the last half than I would have liked. I attribute the improvement to better hydration, nutrition, and a better night's sleep than I usually get.
Despite the rest of my training going to plan, I haven't been able to hit my paces on my long runs. Well, I've hit my heat-adjusted paces, but it just doesn't feel the same --- on a long run those extra minutes really add up. I had a bit of despair about this on my final walk home, hurting, especially since I've signed up to do the CARA 20-mile training run on September 19 at a 11:00 pace (MP+30). But I'll just see what the weather is like that day and adjust accordingly.
Of course, my pace wouldn't matter if I were just looking to finish. But I've really enjoyed my training and have started to have ambitions. Like, maybe someday qualifying for Boston. Mind you, that's a lo-o-ong way off... I'm not even in the age group I hope to qualify for yet.
On the iPod: Fresh Air interviews with Sharon Jones, the creators of South Park, Marisa Tomei, and Jackie DeShannon. Cassandra Wilson's latest album Loverly. Then random songs from my running mix.
Next week --- another 18! At least I don't have to figure out a new route.
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