Week Three, Day: the First

If you are looking for Week 2, Day 3, it disappeared in the midst of a busy Saturday and is probably strewn somewhere along the 4.5 mile trail I hiked on Saturday afternoon. I did run a small portion of that trail, though, so you’ll probably find it there. You know. If you’re looking.

Monday should have been Week 3, Day 1. . . but I wasn’t feeling it. So, I didn’t bother. I did hold myself to it today, though. The thought of running more laps at the gym made me want to gouge my eyes out with a blunt kitchen gadget, so I opted to keep my eyes and run outside instead.

Do you know what I forgot about running outside? Well, the cold, for one. Hard blacktop roads, for another. And also uphill grades and wind resistance. I quickly recalculated my route in my head (thank goodness for various and sundry prior running routes!) and opted to get off the grade and out of the wind pushing against me and making my eyes water. But the spitting – oh the spitting! – was glorious! In fact, I spit extra and with dramatic effect just because I could!

As I ran, I thought about how while hiking on Saturday I had been trying to recall exactly when we were last on that trail and why I had been struggling. I told M how it couldn’t have been in 2008 because, a hint of fondness creeping into my words, “that was my running year”.

Perhaps 2011 will also be a running year. When I first thought about doing this 8k, I just wanted fake it as far as I could make it and then walk the rest. Now, I want to do more than that. I want to finish with my head held high.

Today, I broke the 2 mile barrier I had been struggling with on that blasted track! Man that first mile and a half was a doozy. I was tired and tight. Somewhere in the latter half of that second mile, things leveled out and, while still tired, I didn’t feel like I was going fall over – and I had stopped questioning my sanity over voluntarily choosing to be a runner.

I ran 2.2 miles in around 20 minutes. People! Runners of the World! Do you know what that means? That means I averaged just over a 9 minute mile!! Which (hallefreakin’lujah) means I am not as slow as that stupid track has me believing I was! (13+ minute mile? Psshhawww!) Mark my words, something is amiss with that stupid suspended rubber mini-track!! Besides, I hate re-runs! (Unless its Friends. I’m always up for watching re-runs of Friends!) What I am saying is that track running is really (really!) not for me.

Given the relative success of today, I am going full steam ahead into Week 3. Look for my first 3-miler report next time!

Two and Two, But Not Quite Two

Training goal for today? 2 miles.

Actual miles run? 1.88 in 27:26 minutes. Non-stop. (Is that slower than Monday? I really don’t know on account of I can’t figure out exactly what I did to figure it out two days ago.)

Form goal for today? Shoulders down, shoulders back.

That scaled-down track and the counting lap sets is killing me! (No, seriously! The math is way too much. . . my brain starts trying to figure out how far I’ve run and I just don’t operate like that.) (True story: this one time in bootcamp at the gym, we were doing some abdominal thing and the instructor said “Only 99 more to go!” and I up and quit right there. Because I like things to be attainable. Yessiree!)

Here’s the thing about today: I was sore, but I did not die. I was slow, but I did not stop. I was tired, but I did not quit. (When I was tired, I would just ask myself “are my shoulders down? Are they pulled back?”) (I hunch when I’m tired.)

So, the run? Over. Done. Finito! And onward to Saturday. (Not a day too soon, either. Boy howdy do I want to start running outside!!!!! No laps!)

Also? I think my right foot might be working harder than my left at keeping the heel/toe strike going. Form goal for next week, perhaps?

13.1 Redeux?

OK, so you all remember this, right?
(How I totally crashed and burned?)

Well, THIS might just be tempting enough to get me to try it again!
(Nothing like running your guts out at the Happiest Place on Earth, que no?)

In other words, I may or may not be registering to run with Mickey ears come June-ish!
(How freakin' fun would that be!?!?!)

Day One, Week Two = Death?

So. Today was Day One of Week One the Do-Over. (I know, I know, it was technically supposed to be Day One of Week Two by now, but remember? I was sick and stuff?)

So.

I ran.

I fiddled with my iPod and got it to track laps for me. The track is miniature - scaled down to 1/16 of a mile rather than the typical (?) 1/4 - so while I stretched I did the math in my head:
1/16 of a mile times two miles means 32 laps.
My iPod stops tracking after 21.
OK. So, I'll log every two laps and then I'll only have to keep track of two.
But then how will I know how many sets of two I've done?
How many do I need to do?
32 divided by 2 is. . . 16.
OK. So 16. Won't the iPod tell me?
Negatory.
Well, I'll figure it out as I go, right?
I used to run an 11 minute mile, so I'll run for 23 or 24 minutes and call it good.

First, the music wasn't loud enough. That's when I was still trying to figure out the tracking and didn't want to mess it up.

But then, I was trying to keep track of how many sets of two I did and the whole thing made me blurry and fatigued. That's about when I looked at my watch and had only been running something in the neighborhood of 10 minutes.

That's about the time I thought "Oh holy dying!!" My alter running ego said "A holy death? Righteous!!" "Death by running in the middle of this suspended air track?" I pondered . . . "Not so righteous."

And so we continued.

And then?

I cranked the music.

And then?

Drugs, glorious drugs. In waves. In concert with my music.
(How do people run without music?)
Drugs! At least 3 times!
(Does anyone else air drum while running, by the way?)

I ran 23.45 minutes without stopping.

Turns out that was only 14.5 sets of two.
Math, please?
1.81 miles.
Technically, I walked two cool down laps, so . . . .

Nope, doesn't count. I short changed it.
And?
My 11 minute mile has become a 13.4 minute mile.
Though I do suspect foul iPod play, truth be told.

Only Week Two, Day Two will tell, right?

(pssst! Either way, I'm not doing Week One over. I'm going to hop along to Week Two and see whether the 3 miler this week kills me. If I'm not back by Monday. . . well, come looking for me.)

8k Training: Week 1

So? Week one was a weak one!

As in, my throat was still sore. If it was only the nasal and chest congestion, I would have hocked and spit to my heart's content.

BUT, stupid throat was sore until Thursday.

So, starting fresh on Monday.

And so very very excited!

8 weeks to 8k

OK. So, it's pretty obvious I needs me some help with the running gig. I found a local 8k trail run that might be just the thing to get me back into my running groove. It's on February 20th and I'm all jazzed about having a goal to kick start the new year and get me back in the zone.

I've set up an 8 week training program I think is going to work for me. Without further ado, here it is:

Week of	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
12/27	2 miles	Rest	2 miles	Yoga/ST	Rest	2 miles	Rest	6 miles
1/3	2 miles	Rest	2 miles	Yoga/ST	Rest	3 miles	Rest	7 miles
1/10	2 miles	Rest	3 miles	Yoga/ST	Rest	3 miles	Rest	8 miles
1/17	2 miles	Rest	3 miles	Yoga/ST	Rest	4 miles	Rest	9 miles
1/24	2 miles	Rest	3 miles	Yoga/ST	Rest	5 miles	Rest	10 miles
1/31	3 miles	Rest	4 miles	Yoga/ST	Rest	4 miles	Rest	11 miles
2/7	3 miles	Rest	4 miles	Yoga/ST	Rest	5 miles	Rest	12 miles
2/14	3 miles	Rest	4 miles	Yoga/ST	Rest	1 mile	8k Race	13 miles

Wish me luck. I think I'm gonna need it!

What I Never Told You

The last time I actually ran was. . . oh, a month ago? Maybe?

Good times.

Let's see. . . if I recall correctly, I ran 20 minutes without stopping. Around minute 17 or 18, I saw this skinnybutt girl in yellow yoga pants sitting on some quad weight machine. Her face was a movie screen and I saw her thoughts.

Sure enough, 1 minute later she passes me on the track, her youthful bounciness enough to make me gag.

"Little does she know" I thought, pointing eye-daggers at her head, "that I've been running for 18 minutes straight and that's why I've been forced to settle into this slow jog!" Hummpphhh!

[insert semi-evil thoughts about younger, skinnier MissFit kind of gym girls here. . .]

Then, up from behind, and. . . there she went again, a yellowish, bouncy blur.

[insert semi-evil thoughts about chicks that run like "look at me! i'm running!" instead of "running is a work out. period." you know the ones I mean.]

And then, she disappeared. I scanned all around the track. Then, I spotted her. Walking. And nursing a stitch on the other side of the track.

"I knew it!" I thought, my self-satisfaction taking over. "I knew she couldn't hack it! She thought she could out-do me? I've been running for. . .

20 minutes! And done!"

And that's how I know exactly the sort of not-very-nice competitive streak I have.

__________

Since then, no running. But lots of yoga, which I think will only make me a better runner, given that I'm getting much more flexible in my calves.

Even so, I have big plans for getting more sleep, more energy and running through the fall and right on toward spring!