Friday, April 1, 2011

I blame the burger

Today's run (treadmill): 2.3 miles

I'm a little more than a week away from my next race. It's a 5K, a distance I've raced a number of times over the last couple of years. I've come to prefer 10K's for their combination of speed and distance but the Marcie Mazzola Memorial Run is special to me because it was my very first race as "The Emerging Runner." That year the race was 4 miles in length and it has since been shortened to a 5K to increase participation. I know the course fairly well having run it a couple of times. I have great respect for the big hill that runners encounter just minutes after the start. I haven't been training for speed or hills but my base runs at Bethpage have brought up my level of conditioning. Perhaps some speed work is in order for this weekend.

You were no help
I used the treadmill today even though the great storm predicted to pass through this morning turned out to be more April Fools than April showers. Yesterday's elliptical session was uncharacteristically difficult, due perhaps to my blood donation on Wednesday. I thought I was back to full strength and even had a burger at lunch with an old friend yesterday to top off my iron level (sure - that's why!) so I thought I'd have a fairly easy time today. I can't complain specifically about the way I felt, only that the effort felt hard even at the beginning when I was pacing around 6 MPH. The effort didn't get easier but not noticeably more difficult as I blipped up the speed throughout my workout. I ended up with a respectable (albeit short) run and afterward felt like I'd expended some good effort. Besides the speed work I'm aiming to get back to the 8+ base runs I've been doing on the weekends. I'm hoping that those April showers keep holding off until next week.

4 comments:

  1. Blood donations can have a lasting effect on you as you rebuild your lost red blood cells. Your blood volume usually returns to normal within 2-3 days assuming you're drinking plenty of fluids but the red blood cells lost take up to 8 weeks to be 100% replaced, hence the 56 day duration between donations. I've found that within 2 weeks I am getting back to normal.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, that's really good to know and it helps explain today's struggles. Now I have a built-in excuse for bonking at the Marcie 5K next week!

    Hope you're doing well and no longer injured. Are you doing the LI marathon this year?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Not doing the LIM this year. Signed up for Gran Fondo NY which is the weekend afterwards so I am concentrating on that.

    Still taking it easy with the calf. Some running but not a whole lot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. HI EMERGING RUNNER.=)

    ReplyDelete

Comments will appear only after passing review. Any comments that promote or link to commercial products will be rejected.

 

blogger templates | Webtalks