I have barely run the last two/three weeks. Combination of winter weather, intentional tapering for a week, and then the blister debacle and more winter weather.
Today was my first day using my month-long membership at the community center. I did 64 laps on the indoor track which equals 4 miles. It was supposed to be a hard pace and the first two miles were 9-minute miles; however, then I slowed down noticeably. My overall final pace was 9: 37, boo.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Yoga
The rain moved in earlier today than I had hoped. I did not have a jacket with me that would hold up in the rain for two miles so I scrapped the run.
Instead, I found a 20-25 minute yoga video workout on my TV's on demand network. It was a soothing workout, good for what was supposed to be an active rest day anyway. I reaffirmed my decision to never do yoga in public though with several poses proving impossible due to my horrid flexibility. I was surprised at how weak my abs feel.
So I guess that's part of the next stage of training. Besides running, I need to incorporate activities to develop my flexibility and my core strength.
Instead, I found a 20-25 minute yoga video workout on my TV's on demand network. It was a soothing workout, good for what was supposed to be an active rest day anyway. I reaffirmed my decision to never do yoga in public though with several poses proving impossible due to my horrid flexibility. I was surprised at how weak my abs feel.
So I guess that's part of the next stage of training. Besides running, I need to incorporate activities to develop my flexibility and my core strength.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Injury Report
The bruise on the outside of my right thigh--courtesy of my first attempt to run with my cell phone to increase my safety while running--has shrunk considerably from about a half dollar in size. It has also faded to a light green/pale yellow.
The same positive news cannot be given to most of my other body parts. The right foot just has a blister about half the size of a quarter on the arch. I don't really notice it when I walk.
The left foot is where the pain first started about two weeks ago when just below the ankle on the inside it felt like it was rubbing against the shoe. That's why I switched to an older pair after some advice to switch off pairs. I forgot how sensitive these older shoes are to the socks I wear with them hence the blisters. The one on the left foot is the size of a quarter and I can feel it when I walk in my bare feet. On the outside of the leg, I have a cut just under the ankle; I picked that up on Sunday too. It bled open on today's run but I otherwise forget about it until I take a shower and feel the sting.
My rite of passage--the falling off of a toenail--has not yet come. The area under the nail is bruised and the nail is cracked but it is still on solidly. I think I may survive this minor injury intact.
My neck muscles are tight the last two days. I have been running with arms very close to the body and have to remind myself repeatedly to loosen my hands.
Today's run was an attempt at tempo. I am bad at maintaing bursts of speed but did clock four miles just under 8:30 pace. Yes, it was flat but so is New Orleans...
The same positive news cannot be given to most of my other body parts. The right foot just has a blister about half the size of a quarter on the arch. I don't really notice it when I walk.
The left foot is where the pain first started about two weeks ago when just below the ankle on the inside it felt like it was rubbing against the shoe. That's why I switched to an older pair after some advice to switch off pairs. I forgot how sensitive these older shoes are to the socks I wear with them hence the blisters. The one on the left foot is the size of a quarter and I can feel it when I walk in my bare feet. On the outside of the leg, I have a cut just under the ankle; I picked that up on Sunday too. It bled open on today's run but I otherwise forget about it until I take a shower and feel the sting.
My rite of passage--the falling off of a toenail--has not yet come. The area under the nail is bruised and the nail is cracked but it is still on solidly. I think I may survive this minor injury intact.
My neck muscles are tight the last two days. I have been running with arms very close to the body and have to remind myself repeatedly to loosen my hands.
Today's run was an attempt at tempo. I am bad at maintaing bursts of speed but did clock four miles just under 8:30 pace. Yes, it was flat but so is New Orleans...
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Wimp
Did not run on Sunday.
Monday stayed in due to the weather. Did a 15 minute cardio workout. Knees were not happy.
Today is not looking good for running either. Work was cancelled due to snow which stopped for a bit but is back again.
Monday stayed in due to the weather. Did a 15 minute cardio workout. Knees were not happy.
Today is not looking good for running either. Work was cancelled due to snow which stopped for a bit but is back again.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Greenway Trail
Today's run was supposed to be 4 miles negative split. I posted on Facebook my opinion on running in cold weather and one of my running friends encouraged me to join her and another friend for an 8-mile run. I decided that I preferred company to negative splits, so I drove over to our meeting point: a covered bridge just off of the bike trail. This was the same trail that I had used for my first "long" run of the training but a different section, a part that I have only seen one other time when I actually was riding a bike.
The pace was slower than I run on my own but it was a good test of how well I could keep a conversation going. I ran 5.7 miles from what I can map. After Tuesday's trail run, I am no longer scared of 5 miles or a couple more. To be honest, I'm not scared of the half marathon at all anymore. If I can do 8 miles of up and down, I can handle 13 miles of real roads and mostly flat.
My worry right now is the growing ache on the inside of my left foot. It definitely sent me a few pangs during the run. I am debating if I should try running in my old (although worn out) shoes for a few days.
The pace was slower than I run on my own but it was a good test of how well I could keep a conversation going. I ran 5.7 miles from what I can map. After Tuesday's trail run, I am no longer scared of 5 miles or a couple more. To be honest, I'm not scared of the half marathon at all anymore. If I can do 8 miles of up and down, I can handle 13 miles of real roads and mostly flat.
My worry right now is the growing ache on the inside of my left foot. It definitely sent me a few pangs during the run. I am debating if I should try running in my old (although worn out) shoes for a few days.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Avoiding the Snow
I woke this morning to light snowfall. Add in a short visit from my parents who took me out to lunch at Arby's and I had no desire to run today. So I did the 25-minute jazz workout. This is the third or fourth time with this video and I think I have finally figured out all the steps. By no means does this equal getting all the steps right; I just know how they should go at this point.
The other advantage to this workout. I did it barefoot which meant not putting my left foot into that running shoe that has begun to rub an inner bone the wrong way.
The other advantage to this workout. I did it barefoot which meant not putting my left foot into that running shoe that has begun to rub an inner bone the wrong way.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Trail Time!
Yesterday I put in 2.5 miles flat and not slow, but I do not have an actual time since I had momentarily misplaced my watch. I know that was not the prescribed workout in my training plan but I was just pleased with the fact that I had gotten out for a run after Christmas.
My hair smells of woodfire as I type this. That's because I spent probably an hour camped out near a fire in a stone fireplace after today's run. This morning a couple in our run club had rented a cabin up in the large city park. Our group met for a morning of run time. We had more than a dozen altogether including two guys from another run club. We set off together for some time on the trails but ended up splitting into smaller groups the farther we got from the cabin. My group finished with five runners although Tommy only dropped out in the last mile or so with a twisted ankle. Janie had remembered to bring her phone so her husband was able to come rescue him. The precipitation scheduled to come at 3 in the afternoon rolled in before we even started (9:30 to 10ish in the morning) so I was very grateful for my light rain jacket Christmas present from my parents.
I have not done any trail running since high school--and those moments were rare and almost always flat. Scooby led us up and down hills, across small meadows, through parking lots, and over bridges. Just when I thought we would get some road time in, he would swerve off the concrete into the fallen leaves, sometimes at a marked trail, other times on a track that only familiar eyes and feet would find. I lost track of the number of climbs we made although usually it was the downhill over slippery leaves that proved more dangerous and heart-stopping. A couple times a nearby tree helped steady my feet as Mother Nature threw mud and debris at my toes. Throughout the route I kept thinking how beautiful the area was--and then look down just in time to avoid a rock or root.
I ran without a watch since this was just a Fun Run so I have no idea of the total time. The mileage came in at 8.2 according to our guide. Oddly even though my knees had started complaining probably two miles back and the insides of my feet were having an argument with my shoes, the last part was not hard. I still felt strong coming in. Maybe because we had not run the whole time (some of the uphills demanded walking to safely climb, a few pauses had allowed our group to stay together). Maybe because running with a crowd always provides its own source of energy. Maybe because I knew food and warmth was waiting right inside the cabin!
We had a great lunch set up with soup, chili, sloppy joes, orange slices, clementines, carrots, celery, peppers, crackers, trail mix, and cookies (!). The hot foods were the perfect temperature: warm enough to revive the body without burning your tongue. The sweet foods were just delicious. We sat at long tables or near the fireplace and then moved about the cabin to enjoy each other's company. My legs may whine a bit tomorrow but I have to say, today has been one of my favorite days for a run not just in the winter but ever :)
My hair smells of woodfire as I type this. That's because I spent probably an hour camped out near a fire in a stone fireplace after today's run. This morning a couple in our run club had rented a cabin up in the large city park. Our group met for a morning of run time. We had more than a dozen altogether including two guys from another run club. We set off together for some time on the trails but ended up splitting into smaller groups the farther we got from the cabin. My group finished with five runners although Tommy only dropped out in the last mile or so with a twisted ankle. Janie had remembered to bring her phone so her husband was able to come rescue him. The precipitation scheduled to come at 3 in the afternoon rolled in before we even started (9:30 to 10ish in the morning) so I was very grateful for my light rain jacket Christmas present from my parents.
I have not done any trail running since high school--and those moments were rare and almost always flat. Scooby led us up and down hills, across small meadows, through parking lots, and over bridges. Just when I thought we would get some road time in, he would swerve off the concrete into the fallen leaves, sometimes at a marked trail, other times on a track that only familiar eyes and feet would find. I lost track of the number of climbs we made although usually it was the downhill over slippery leaves that proved more dangerous and heart-stopping. A couple times a nearby tree helped steady my feet as Mother Nature threw mud and debris at my toes. Throughout the route I kept thinking how beautiful the area was--and then look down just in time to avoid a rock or root.
I ran without a watch since this was just a Fun Run so I have no idea of the total time. The mileage came in at 8.2 according to our guide. Oddly even though my knees had started complaining probably two miles back and the insides of my feet were having an argument with my shoes, the last part was not hard. I still felt strong coming in. Maybe because we had not run the whole time (some of the uphills demanded walking to safely climb, a few pauses had allowed our group to stay together). Maybe because running with a crowd always provides its own source of energy. Maybe because I knew food and warmth was waiting right inside the cabin!
We had a great lunch set up with soup, chili, sloppy joes, orange slices, clementines, carrots, celery, peppers, crackers, trail mix, and cookies (!). The hot foods were the perfect temperature: warm enough to revive the body without burning your tongue. The sweet foods were just delicious. We sat at long tables or near the fireplace and then moved about the cabin to enjoy each other's company. My legs may whine a bit tomorrow but I have to say, today has been one of my favorite days for a run not just in the winter but ever :)
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