I now have two 20-milers under my belt. I finished both runs in 3 hours 10 minutes, which is exactly the pace that I expected to be at. Since the Seattle Marathon course is a "rolling course," meaning that their are several inclines and hills throughout the course, I ran both 20-milers on the hilliest courses that I could handle. Actually, it's hard to find a non-hilly course in Seattle, so I kind of had no choice. I'm hoping that the marathon course will be less the hilly than the courses that I am running now, but if it's not, at least I'll be prepared.
I have been told by a few people too not push myself so hard, but honestly, I do not feel like I am exceeding my limits. I am a naturally competitive person and I do have a tendency to test my limits, but I know when enough is enough. I take the fact of becoming injured very seriously. This is my first marathon and I'd hate to blow it before I even make it to the starting line.
My final long-run before the race will be 22 miles. A few friends/seasoned runners have told me that 22 is too much. They say that most first time marathoners peak at 18-20 miles during training. I don't doubt this, but 22 miles doesn't seems like too much to me. I know that I can handle it. Running both 20-milers almost felt natural to me. I reminded myself of Forest Gump; I just kept running! I maintained a steady/comfortable pace throughout the runs, drank water and ate energy gels when necessary, and re-fueled with the proper recovery foods and drinks afterwards. The following days, I wasn't even that sore. I actually felt really good; really in-shape and powerful. At no point did I ever feel any unnatural discomfort. So what's an extra two miles? I can do it!
Last night, I did intervals with the running group. Another amazing work-out! This was my third interval run with the group and I can honestly say that I am already starting to feel stronger. I ran a mile in 7:04!! That's a major PR (personal record) for me. Woohoo! I didn't know that my legs were capable for moving that fast. It wasn't over yet. After the mile, we did intervals of 5 x 200s; this is essentially sprinting for 200 meters, followed by slow jogging of 200 meters and repeat 5 times. I was running the 200s in about 44 seconds, another record-breaking pace for me. I never thought that I could be a fast runner. I always tell people that I can run for miles on end, but I am not fast. This was because I wasn't training myself to be fast and I had nobody pushing me to be fast. The combination of interval training and running with other people has really helped build my speed and stamina. Everybody in this group is so encouraging and they really help to push you to the point where you need to be. There's no way I would have gone out and ran a 7:04 mile by myself and then proceed to run sprints after that. If you want to improve your running, this is the way to do.
Only 4 more weeks until the marathon!!
Week Twenty-One
10/26 - Rest day
10/27 - Run 7 miles
10/28 - Intervals - about 5.75 miles
-Warm-up easy 3 miles
-1 mile run @ 7:04 pace
-5 x 200s
-Cooldown - .5 mile
10/29 - Rest day
10/30 - Run 7 miles
10/31 - Long run - 15 miles
11/1 - Rest day
Total miles for the week: 34.75
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Week Twenty: Week Twenty
Week twenty, wow, two zero, 20. I can't believe that I've been training for that long. Whew! Unfortunately, I had absolutely no time to blog this week. Between working and running, my week has been jam-packed. Too bad I am unable to write in my sleep - I'm sure you'd get some pretty interesting stuff. Anyway, stress has really started to take a toll on me, so I have to concentrate on getting it under control. Stressed out runners are more likely to become injured. I think I need to hit up the spa this weekend....after I run 20 miles.
If some kind of time-slowing miracle happens, I will come back and write more. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I always have more to say, especially about running.
Only five more weeks until the marathon!!
Week Twenty
10/19 - Rest day
10/20 - Run 4 miles
10/21 - Intervals - about 6 miles
Warm-up 2 miles
8 x 600 @ 7:00 minute mile pace
Cool down - .75 mile
10/22 - Easy 2.5 miles
10/23 -Tempo run - 10 miles
Warmup 1 mile
Run 8 miles @ marathon pace
Cooldown 1 mile
10/24 - Easy 4 miles
10/25 - Long Run - 20 miles
Total miles for the week: 46.5
If some kind of time-slowing miracle happens, I will come back and write more. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I always have more to say, especially about running.
Only five more weeks until the marathon!!
Week Twenty
10/19 - Rest day
10/20 - Run 4 miles
10/21 - Intervals - about 6 miles
Warm-up 2 miles
8 x 600 @ 7:00 minute mile pace
Cool down - .75 mile
10/22 - Easy 2.5 miles
10/23 -Tempo run - 10 miles
Warmup 1 mile
Run 8 miles @ marathon pace
Cooldown 1 mile
10/24 - Easy 4 miles
10/25 - Long Run - 20 miles
Total miles for the week: 46.5
Friday, October 16, 2009
Week Nineteen: Why the rush??
I almost got hit by a car. I mean, this was a serious close call. I was standing, well actually running in place, at a red light waiting for my walk signal. As soon as the flashing red hand turned into the white walking man, I proceeded to run across the street. As I was about half-way through the crosswalk, a car decides that it's going to try to turn real quick right in front of me. Now, it wasn't like I was still on the sidewalk and he tried to turn before me; I was IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CROSSWALK! Who in their right mind tries to turn when their is a person running just a few feet toward their moving car?? Not to mention, it was a very bright day out and I was wearing reflective gear, so there was no possible way that he could have not seen me there. Apparently, saving a millisecond of this person's commute was worth putting a pedestrian (me) in potentially serious danger. Luckily, I have fast reflexes, so I slammed on the brakes (being my feet), threw my arms up, and proceeded to yell obscenities as I kept running. The sad thing about this is, I doubt that the driver ever thought twice about this after it happened. In fact, he was probably irritated at me for interrupting his turn...his illegal turn that could've taken me out!
Now, I am very careful runner when it comes to crossing the street because of drivers like this. I always wait for the walk signal, look both ways more than once, and try to assess whether or not a car is going to try to beat me across the street, even when I have the rightaway (actually pedestrians always have the rightaway). I don't get why people are in such a rush these days. Do they not realize that if they hit a person, it would make their commute SOOO much longer (and more miserable) than if they wait the 3 seconds for them to cross the street? This clearly is a very frustrating thing for me, but I just have to be careful and deal with it.
The irony of this event is, before going out for my run, I had just read an article in Runner's World Magazine about Jenny Crain. Jenny Crain was an elite runner who, at 27 years old, qualified for the 1996 Olympic Trials even though she'd never ran 26.2 miles or had a running coach. She was an amazing runner who was naturally gifted at the sport. In 2004, she was the top American to race in the New York City Marathon timing in at 2:41:06. Then, on August 22, 2007, at age 39, Jenny Crain was hit by a car while finishing a run just a few blocks from her home. She suffered critical, irreparable, brain damage and now lives in a care facility full time. Jenny once was a person who would do hill repeats during a 20 mile run and now she complains about having to walk 50 feet. Her life will never be the same because of a driver who was in a hurry.
This tragic story reminds me of how important it is to be aware of my surroundings, especially since I road run. I recently ditched my headphones because they essentially take away my hearing, which is imperative to safe running. I want to be able to hear if a person or a car or if anything is coming up on me that I"ll need to quickly avoid. I also never jay-walk and I always wear reflective gear, even if it's bright out. Like I said in my last post, you can never be too cautious!
On a completely different note, I did my first run with the meet-up group on Wednesday. I didn't know quite what to expect going into it, but let me tell ya, it was an incredible workout! Probably one of the toughest runs I've done so far. I started with a warm-up of easy running about 2 miles around the track. After that, the intervals started. That's when it got intense. My group ran 6 x 1200s at about a 7 minute mile pace and rested for 1 min. 45 sec. in between intervals. I've never ran this fast in my life, but I just pushed myself through it because I knew the benefits would out-weigh the pain. This workout killed me, but it was great!! This is exactly what need this to build my strength and speed. It's also very motivating to run with other people, especially people who are better runners than me. I hope to eventually work up to their level. I am definitely going to continue to run with the group every Wednesday for intervals and any other time I get the chance. I'm so glad I found them!
Only 6 more weeks until the marathon!
Week Nineteen
10/12 - Rest day
10/13 - Run 4 miles
10/14 - Intervals - 7 miles
-Warmup 2 miles
-6 x 1200s @ 7 min. mile pace
-Cooldown 1/2 mile
10/15 - Rest day
10/16 - Tempo run - 10 miles
-Warmup 1 mile
-8 miles @ marathon pace
-Cooldown 1 mile
10/17 - Rest day
10/18 - Long run - 20 miles
Total miles for the week: 41
Now, I am very careful runner when it comes to crossing the street because of drivers like this. I always wait for the walk signal, look both ways more than once, and try to assess whether or not a car is going to try to beat me across the street, even when I have the rightaway (actually pedestrians always have the rightaway). I don't get why people are in such a rush these days. Do they not realize that if they hit a person, it would make their commute SOOO much longer (and more miserable) than if they wait the 3 seconds for them to cross the street? This clearly is a very frustrating thing for me, but I just have to be careful and deal with it.
The irony of this event is, before going out for my run, I had just read an article in Runner's World Magazine about Jenny Crain. Jenny Crain was an elite runner who, at 27 years old, qualified for the 1996 Olympic Trials even though she'd never ran 26.2 miles or had a running coach. She was an amazing runner who was naturally gifted at the sport. In 2004, she was the top American to race in the New York City Marathon timing in at 2:41:06. Then, on August 22, 2007, at age 39, Jenny Crain was hit by a car while finishing a run just a few blocks from her home. She suffered critical, irreparable, brain damage and now lives in a care facility full time. Jenny once was a person who would do hill repeats during a 20 mile run and now she complains about having to walk 50 feet. Her life will never be the same because of a driver who was in a hurry.
This tragic story reminds me of how important it is to be aware of my surroundings, especially since I road run. I recently ditched my headphones because they essentially take away my hearing, which is imperative to safe running. I want to be able to hear if a person or a car or if anything is coming up on me that I"ll need to quickly avoid. I also never jay-walk and I always wear reflective gear, even if it's bright out. Like I said in my last post, you can never be too cautious!
On a completely different note, I did my first run with the meet-up group on Wednesday. I didn't know quite what to expect going into it, but let me tell ya, it was an incredible workout! Probably one of the toughest runs I've done so far. I started with a warm-up of easy running about 2 miles around the track. After that, the intervals started. That's when it got intense. My group ran 6 x 1200s at about a 7 minute mile pace and rested for 1 min. 45 sec. in between intervals. I've never ran this fast in my life, but I just pushed myself through it because I knew the benefits would out-weigh the pain. This workout killed me, but it was great!! This is exactly what need this to build my strength and speed. It's also very motivating to run with other people, especially people who are better runners than me. I hope to eventually work up to their level. I am definitely going to continue to run with the group every Wednesday for intervals and any other time I get the chance. I'm so glad I found them!
Only 6 more weeks until the marathon!
Week Nineteen
10/12 - Rest day
10/13 - Run 4 miles
10/14 - Intervals - 7 miles
-Warmup 2 miles
-6 x 1200s @ 7 min. mile pace
-Cooldown 1/2 mile
10/15 - Rest day
10/16 - Tempo run - 10 miles
-Warmup 1 mile
-8 miles @ marathon pace
-Cooldown 1 mile
10/17 - Rest day
10/18 - Long run - 20 miles
Total miles for the week: 41
Friday, October 9, 2009
Week Eighteen: Run Safe
As it's starting to get darker out earlier, I am beginning to become more concerned about how safe it is for me to run during the evening hours. My neighborhood is fairly safe, but I should never assume that it's entirely safe. Afterall, it is a suburb of Seattle right off of Aurora Ave (a highway that's widely known for it's shady activity), so I use the word "safe" mildly. I've also noticed that the atmosphere outside during the fall is much different than it is in the summer. In the summer, there are considerably more runners, bikers, dog-walkers, and families out on the trails, but the instant that the fall weather started to hit, these people have clearly taken refuge into their warm, safe homes. They aren't training for a marathon though (unless they're running in place in their living rooms all night!). I still need to get myself out there to keep my endurance levels up. But how do I do it safely? Many of you would probably suggest going to the nice safe gym and running the treadmill, but like I've said many times before, the treadmill doesn't even come close to giving you the same endurance workout as road running does. Afterall, the marathon is a road race, not a treadmill race. I only use the treadmill in worse-case-scenarios (thunderstorm, monsoon, extreme snow, a shooting outside my house...you get the picture). Anyway, I've never had any overly strange incidences, but I have definitely ran into some questionable people.
It just so happens that my next door neighbor is a Seattle police officer who has worked in the force for over 16 years. He is also a runner. I met with him last night to inquire about the safeness of our neighborhood. Of course, he advised that I should never go out without pepper spray (which I always carry with me when I run & walk the dog) and he also taught me some great self-defense techniques. Even though the information he gave me was extremely useful, I think it made me even more paranoid to go out and run. Also, to make matters worse, being a police office, he just had to throw in those horror stories of women like me being attacked. However, as his duty as an officer, I think that he was just really trying to enforce that I need to take serious precaution when running in the evening hours. I definitely took him very seriously. It's better to be a overly caution than overly confident. I know that I am not invincible.
Ever since my chat with Mr. Officer, I haven't been able to stop thinking about running safe...or actually running not-so-safe. I am absolutely determined to keep on my training schedule until the marathon though. I do not want to regress. (I want to qualify for Boston, but that's just my own little pipe dream.) There are hundreds of women who compete in the Seattle Marathon every year...they must train safely somewhere! And I know it's not on the treadmill. So, I did a little research and I found two Seattle running groups that are perfect for my level of training. They meet several times a week and help you find runners with your same goals. This is great! Running in a co-ed group would make me feel so much more comfortable than running on the dark trails alone. I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. My first meet-up will be next Wednesday for an interval run. I've excited to see how it goes.
Although, there will still be times when I have to train alone, I'm going to try to stick with the groups as much as I can. When it comes to running safe, this is probably my safest option.
If you are interested in finding a meet-up group in your area, check out http://www.meetup.com/find/. You can find a group for anything on this site. It's really cool.
Only 7 more weeks until the marathon!
Week Eighteen
10/5 - Run 4 miles
10/6 - Run 3 miles
10/7 - Speedwork - 8 miles
-Warmup 2 miles
-3 x 1 mile intervals @ 10k pace w/ 400 meter recoveries
-Cooldown 2 miles
10/8 - Rest day
10/9 Tempo run - 9 miles
-Warmup 1 mile
-Run 7 miles @ marathon pace
-Cooldown 1 mile
10/10 - Run 3 miles
10/11 - Long run - 18 miles
Total miles for the week: 45
It just so happens that my next door neighbor is a Seattle police officer who has worked in the force for over 16 years. He is also a runner. I met with him last night to inquire about the safeness of our neighborhood. Of course, he advised that I should never go out without pepper spray (which I always carry with me when I run & walk the dog) and he also taught me some great self-defense techniques. Even though the information he gave me was extremely useful, I think it made me even more paranoid to go out and run. Also, to make matters worse, being a police office, he just had to throw in those horror stories of women like me being attacked. However, as his duty as an officer, I think that he was just really trying to enforce that I need to take serious precaution when running in the evening hours. I definitely took him very seriously. It's better to be a overly caution than overly confident. I know that I am not invincible.
Ever since my chat with Mr. Officer, I haven't been able to stop thinking about running safe...or actually running not-so-safe. I am absolutely determined to keep on my training schedule until the marathon though. I do not want to regress. (I want to qualify for Boston, but that's just my own little pipe dream.) There are hundreds of women who compete in the Seattle Marathon every year...they must train safely somewhere! And I know it's not on the treadmill. So, I did a little research and I found two Seattle running groups that are perfect for my level of training. They meet several times a week and help you find runners with your same goals. This is great! Running in a co-ed group would make me feel so much more comfortable than running on the dark trails alone. I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. My first meet-up will be next Wednesday for an interval run. I've excited to see how it goes.
Although, there will still be times when I have to train alone, I'm going to try to stick with the groups as much as I can. When it comes to running safe, this is probably my safest option.
If you are interested in finding a meet-up group in your area, check out http://www.meetup.com/find/. You can find a group for anything on this site. It's really cool.
Newest race time: Leavenworth Half-Marathon: 1 hr. 47 min.
Placed 16 out of 175 in my age group
Placed 16 out of 175 in my age group
Only 7 more weeks until the marathon!
Week Eighteen
10/5 - Run 4 miles
10/6 - Run 3 miles
10/7 - Speedwork - 8 miles
-Warmup 2 miles
-3 x 1 mile intervals @ 10k pace w/ 400 meter recoveries
-Cooldown 2 miles
10/8 - Rest day
10/9 Tempo run - 9 miles
-Warmup 1 mile
-Run 7 miles @ marathon pace
-Cooldown 1 mile
10/10 - Run 3 miles
10/11 - Long run - 18 miles
Total miles for the week: 45
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Week Seventeen: Status update
Furthest (and most challenging) distance ran so far: 16 miles
Note: what got me through this run was a water bottle filled with half water, half sports drink (Powerade). This is the first time that I've ever carried a water bottle with me; usually I bring GU gels or Chomps that comfortably fit in my pocket and then I just stop at water fountains, but I decided to try something new. The gels and chomps are good, but they don't give you the same amount of rehydration and electrolytes as a sports drink/water combo does. It was a little annoying carrying the bottle the whole way, but absolutely worth it. I tried wearing one of those runner's water bottle holsters, but that was even more annoying.
Reasons sports drinks work for athletes:
-Sports drinks hydrate better then water:
1. The fluids in sports drinks are absorbed into your bloodstream faster than plain water because the sports drink contains dissolved minerals and carbohydrates that water doesn't.
2. Sports drinks contain sodium and other nutrients that help regulate and balance fluids in the body. Therefore, a sports drink does a better job of allowing your body to maintain optimal fluid balance, which is extremely important when it comes to staying hydrated.
3. Athletes tend to drink more fluids when drinking a sports drink because it contains sodium which can make you thirsty. Drinking more fluids will ultimately help you stay hydrated throughout your entire run.
4. Sports drinks contain calories, which increase energy and endurance. Water contains zero calories (i.e. energy).
5. Sports drinks can reduce muscle damage and promote faster recovery.
-A quality sports drink should contain 15mg of sodium per ounce and 10g of carbohydrates per 100ml, plus a small amount of protein
*These facts are from elite runner, Matt Fitzgerald (http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Which_fluid_hydrates_best__Water_or_a_sports_drink_.htm)
Next race: Leavenworth Oktoberfest 1/2 Marathon, October 3rd
(I'm hoping that the 1/2 marathon will cancel out all of the brews and bratwursts I plan on consuming at the Oktoberfest after the race. It's supposed to be one of the biggest Oktoberfests in the U.S.!)
Me after 17 weeks of training.
Height: 5' 4 1/2"
Weight: 116
Body fat percentage: 18%
BMI: 19.8
Only 8 more weeks until the marathon!
Week Seventeen (slightly adjusted from the original plan due to the 1/2 marathon)
9/28 - Rest day
9/29 - Run 5 miles
9/30 - Run 8 miles on a hilly course
10/1 - Run 4 miles
10/2 - Rest Day
10/3 - Leavenworth Half Marathon, 13.1 miles
10/4 - Rest day
Total miles for the week: 30.1
Note: what got me through this run was a water bottle filled with half water, half sports drink (Powerade). This is the first time that I've ever carried a water bottle with me; usually I bring GU gels or Chomps that comfortably fit in my pocket and then I just stop at water fountains, but I decided to try something new. The gels and chomps are good, but they don't give you the same amount of rehydration and electrolytes as a sports drink/water combo does. It was a little annoying carrying the bottle the whole way, but absolutely worth it. I tried wearing one of those runner's water bottle holsters, but that was even more annoying.
Reasons sports drinks work for athletes:
-Sports drinks hydrate better then water:
1. The fluids in sports drinks are absorbed into your bloodstream faster than plain water because the sports drink contains dissolved minerals and carbohydrates that water doesn't.
2. Sports drinks contain sodium and other nutrients that help regulate and balance fluids in the body. Therefore, a sports drink does a better job of allowing your body to maintain optimal fluid balance, which is extremely important when it comes to staying hydrated.
3. Athletes tend to drink more fluids when drinking a sports drink because it contains sodium which can make you thirsty. Drinking more fluids will ultimately help you stay hydrated throughout your entire run.
4. Sports drinks contain calories, which increase energy and endurance. Water contains zero calories (i.e. energy).
5. Sports drinks can reduce muscle damage and promote faster recovery.
-A quality sports drink should contain 15mg of sodium per ounce and 10g of carbohydrates per 100ml, plus a small amount of protein
*These facts are from elite runner, Matt Fitzgerald (http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Which_fluid_hydrates_best__Water_or_a_sports_drink_.htm)
Next race: Leavenworth Oktoberfest 1/2 Marathon, October 3rd
(I'm hoping that the 1/2 marathon will cancel out all of the brews and bratwursts I plan on consuming at the Oktoberfest after the race. It's supposed to be one of the biggest Oktoberfests in the U.S.!)
Me after 17 weeks of training.
Height: 5' 4 1/2"
Weight: 116
Body fat percentage: 18%
BMI: 19.8
Only 8 more weeks until the marathon!
Week Seventeen (slightly adjusted from the original plan due to the 1/2 marathon)
9/28 - Rest day
9/29 - Run 5 miles
9/30 - Run 8 miles on a hilly course
10/1 - Run 4 miles
10/2 - Rest Day
10/3 - Leavenworth Half Marathon, 13.1 miles
10/4 - Rest day
Total miles for the week: 30.1
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