Well Monday has rolled around again, and I'm pleased with my weekend's running. The progress I'm making to prepare for the LI Half Marathon is fully on track. I've been getting some interesting perspective from reading the blog of an elite runner named Jesse Armijo, from Albuquerque, NM. This runner, who competes at the top level, faces similar concerns about preparedness and training as a mid-packer like me. But for Jesse, the stakes are higher. He's a humble guy and I'm rooting for him.
Sometimes I wonder why I compete. It certainly isn't for the glory of victory. I often finish at the top of the bell curve, coming in just before the last 50% of runners in a given race. My performance really couldn't be more average. But against my age group, I sometimes land in the top third, and that makes me happy.
Saturday's 8+ mile run was much harder than staying home and watching the news on TV. But I had to do it, because I have to be ready to run 13.1 miles on May 6. I'm not likely to finish at the front of the curve, but I sure don't want to end up in the back of the pack.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Ambivelent about today's coverage of the NY Half
Today's run (street): 4.5 miles
I was pleasantly surprised to when I turned on the news this morning to see that our local ABC channel was actually covering today's New York Road Runner's Half Marathon. Running of this type is rarely televised (besides the ING NY Marathon), so it's always exciting when these events are broadcast.
The good news is that ABC stepped up and featured the race. The bad news is the way they covered it. Besides some very short features and interviews with a few US runners who were competing, very little information was given about the other elites who were also competing. My biggest frustration came for the race broadcast itself, both the men's and women's races were early breakaways between two runners. ABC chose to stay with those four, virtually ignoring the other elites who were grouped 30 seconds behind.
ABC also put up very little information about paces and splits, and when they did, they confused the women's numbers with the men's. After an hour of watching Peter Kirui battle it out with Deriba Merga and Kim Smith run shoulder to shoulder with Firehiwot Dado, I learned virtually nothing about them as people. They failed to give viewers a reason to care about the competitors. That may be a reason why running is so invisible as a broadcast sport.
Inspired by the watching the NY Half, I got outside for four and a half easy miles. The temperature was a cool 40 degrees when I started, but the weather got warmer throughout my run. I regretted wearing pants instead of running shorts and I was sweating hard by the time I finished. The run itself was extremely easy, my pace was a full minute slower than yesterday's run at Bethpage.
Tomorrow I'll rest and then I'll need to figure out my workweek running. I have a lot going on next week and I may need to skip one or two runs. No matter if I do, I plan to do some speed work next weekend and another long base run. Watching the half marathon this morning reminded me how long 13.1 miles will be.
I was pleasantly surprised to when I turned on the news this morning to see that our local ABC channel was actually covering today's New York Road Runner's Half Marathon. Running of this type is rarely televised (besides the ING NY Marathon), so it's always exciting when these events are broadcast.
The good news is that ABC stepped up and featured the race. The bad news is the way they covered it. Besides some very short features and interviews with a few US runners who were competing, very little information was given about the other elites who were also competing. My biggest frustration came for the race broadcast itself, both the men's and women's races were early breakaways between two runners. ABC chose to stay with those four, virtually ignoring the other elites who were grouped 30 seconds behind.
ABC also put up very little information about paces and splits, and when they did, they confused the women's numbers with the men's. After an hour of watching Peter Kirui battle it out with Deriba Merga and Kim Smith run shoulder to shoulder with Firehiwot Dado, I learned virtually nothing about them as people. They failed to give viewers a reason to care about the competitors. That may be a reason why running is so invisible as a broadcast sport.
Inspired by the watching the NY Half, I got outside for four and a half easy miles. The temperature was a cool 40 degrees when I started, but the weather got warmer throughout my run. I regretted wearing pants instead of running shorts and I was sweating hard by the time I finished. The run itself was extremely easy, my pace was a full minute slower than yesterday's run at Bethpage.
Tomorrow I'll rest and then I'll need to figure out my workweek running. I have a lot going on next week and I may need to skip one or two runs. No matter if I do, I plan to do some speed work next weekend and another long base run. Watching the half marathon this morning reminded me how long 13.1 miles will be.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Top of the mornin' run at Bethpage State Park
Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 8.2 miles
Happy St. Patty's Day. I'm not Irish, but in honor of the holiday I wore my kelly green quarter-zip on today's run. This was to be my weekend base building run and, after a later than usual start, I headed over to Bethpage State Park.
When I arrived I saw a few dozen runners dressed in green circling the parking lot in what looked to be an informal race or a fun run. Many wore leprechaun hats or green St. Patty's themed headgear. There were no signs saying what the event was for, but people seemed to be having a good time.
I wore the new Spira Stinger XLT's because I was curious to see how they would do on a long and hilly run. After getting past the first short hill and making my way down the long hill that followed, I was into the wooded section of the bike trail where the first mile seems to come quickly. I felt a little stronger than last Saturday, when I ran the trail for 7.4 miles. I hoped that I'd feel even better as I went along today.
The XLT's provided a responsive platform and felt comfortable underfoot throughout the entire run. It wasn't until I was into my third mile that I detected a hot spot above my left heel. I hoped it would go away but it grew worse, and when I reached 3.75 miles I needed to stop for a minute to adjust my sock and re-tie my lace. That did the trick and I continued south, passing over the Southern State and turning around at Linden St. after passing the 4 mile mark.
There were many runners, walkers and cyclists on the trail today. I recognized a lot of the runners that I see almost every time I run at Bethpage. At one point on my return leg, I was behind three women who were trotting alongside a man who was race-walking. They were all dressed in St. Patty's attire. This group took up the entire path and I had to run in the dirt on the left side to get by. They acted annoyed that I didn't greet them when I passed them. One woman yelled an unfriendly-sounding, "Top of the mornin' to ye!"
This was the third consecutive weekend since I started my half marathon training and I was pleased with the way I felt throughout the first six miles. Like last week, it was the last two miles that really challenged me. It's as much mental as physical. The last mile and a half have the biggest hills, and I always dread the final long climb.
I made it through the second-worst hill that comes a mile before the start (and finish). I was hurting but still managed to pass a few slower runners as I made my approach to the last hill. I gritted my teeth and went for it, slogging my way along the longest half mile of the run before finishing with a short downhill run to the parking lot.
It was a hard workout but I improved on my pace from last Saturday's 7.4 mile run. I don't think I'd do too well if the half marathon was next weekend, but there are still six weekends to train before the race. Tomorrow's run will be for recovery. I'm looking forward to that.
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| Green Day |
When I arrived I saw a few dozen runners dressed in green circling the parking lot in what looked to be an informal race or a fun run. Many wore leprechaun hats or green St. Patty's themed headgear. There were no signs saying what the event was for, but people seemed to be having a good time.
I wore the new Spira Stinger XLT's because I was curious to see how they would do on a long and hilly run. After getting past the first short hill and making my way down the long hill that followed, I was into the wooded section of the bike trail where the first mile seems to come quickly. I felt a little stronger than last Saturday, when I ran the trail for 7.4 miles. I hoped that I'd feel even better as I went along today.
The XLT's provided a responsive platform and felt comfortable underfoot throughout the entire run. It wasn't until I was into my third mile that I detected a hot spot above my left heel. I hoped it would go away but it grew worse, and when I reached 3.75 miles I needed to stop for a minute to adjust my sock and re-tie my lace. That did the trick and I continued south, passing over the Southern State and turning around at Linden St. after passing the 4 mile mark.
There were many runners, walkers and cyclists on the trail today. I recognized a lot of the runners that I see almost every time I run at Bethpage. At one point on my return leg, I was behind three women who were trotting alongside a man who was race-walking. They were all dressed in St. Patty's attire. This group took up the entire path and I had to run in the dirt on the left side to get by. They acted annoyed that I didn't greet them when I passed them. One woman yelled an unfriendly-sounding, "Top of the mornin' to ye!"
This was the third consecutive weekend since I started my half marathon training and I was pleased with the way I felt throughout the first six miles. Like last week, it was the last two miles that really challenged me. It's as much mental as physical. The last mile and a half have the biggest hills, and I always dread the final long climb.
I made it through the second-worst hill that comes a mile before the start (and finish). I was hurting but still managed to pass a few slower runners as I made my approach to the last hill. I gritted my teeth and went for it, slogging my way along the longest half mile of the run before finishing with a short downhill run to the parking lot.
It was a hard workout but I improved on my pace from last Saturday's 7.4 mile run. I don't think I'd do too well if the half marathon was next weekend, but there are still six weekends to train before the race. Tomorrow's run will be for recovery. I'm looking forward to that.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Saucony's secret news is leaking out!
Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes
The cat seems to be out of the bag in terms of the "top secret" news that Saucony plans to share. Via re-tweets on Saucony's Twitter feed and through blogs I follow, it seems like the running shoe stork is dropping off boxes of the pre-market Kinvara 3 to bloggers and reviewers like me. This is a shoe I've been anxiously anticipating.
After reading people's first impressions, I'm even more excited to receive my pair. I'm also worried that something got botched up and my shoes won't ever reach me. In the meantime, I continue to appreciate the feel and responsiveness of my new Spira Stinger XLT's that I wore on today's run. It was my third workout with the XLT's and the second on the treadmill (raining this morning). I hope to take them out on a long base run tomorrow.
So as I wait for the Kinvaras to arrive, I'll be happy to run with the XLT's. I'm really curious to see if the Wavespring technology delivers any extra support when I face that last big hill at the end of mile 8.
The cat seems to be out of the bag in terms of the "top secret" news that Saucony plans to share. Via re-tweets on Saucony's Twitter feed and through blogs I follow, it seems like the running shoe stork is dropping off boxes of the pre-market Kinvara 3 to bloggers and reviewers like me. This is a shoe I've been anxiously anticipating.
After reading people's first impressions, I'm even more excited to receive my pair. I'm also worried that something got botched up and my shoes won't ever reach me. In the meantime, I continue to appreciate the feel and responsiveness of my new Spira Stinger XLT's that I wore on today's run. It was my third workout with the XLT's and the second on the treadmill (raining this morning). I hope to take them out on a long base run tomorrow.
So as I wait for the Kinvaras to arrive, I'll be happy to run with the XLT's. I'm really curious to see if the Wavespring technology delivers any extra support when I face that last big hill at the end of mile 8.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Running shorts weather is great, except for one thing...
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| Avert your eyes! |
We're seeing unseasonably warm weather this month, not that anyone is complaining. I'm sure we'll pay for it in spades next year when we're clearing snow off our driveways in April. This morning I wore running shorts during my elliptical session and it occured to me that the world may not be ready to look at the scars that remain from my big fall last October. I considered showing an uncensored picture, but it's just too ugly to look at.
With running shorts, there's no hiding this disturbing sight. I wouldn't care so much if the damage looked rugged and cool. In my case, I have six splotches, ranging in size between a nickel and a quarter, that together, look like a bad case of leprosy. I had similarly ugly scarring on my other knee from a prior accident and it took years for the discoloring to fade.
It's likely that I'll run in shorts this weekend. I'm seriously considering wrapping that area with a light bandage when I'm out in public. My daughter winkingly proposed that I replace my running shorts with below-the-knee board shorts. Depending on how people react, I may consider that suggestion.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
First outdoor run in the XLT's: interesting results
Today's run: 2.5 miles
I'm not quite sure what to make of this morning's run. My expectations were set to high for a performance boost that I hoped to get from the new Spira XLT's. I hoped the claim of a 15 sec/mile improvement was more than marketing hype. I've learned over the years that it's really not the shoe, but the person in the shoe, that determines outcome. Still, I was hopeful.
I was excited to try the new shoes on the road and I took off on a somewhat faster pace than normal, once my Garmin was ready. The XLT's felt good, not super-cushioned, but comfortable. I noticed the ride was high, compared to my Hattori's and Mirages, but I still felt like I was landing mid-foot. The slight uphill of the first road on my route was a good basis for judging the benefit of the Wavespring technology. I moved along well, but it wasn't a transforming experience.
Once I leveled out, I let the shoes do their thing. I probably pushed a little harder than usual, perhaps because I anticipated a dramatic improvement of my pace. I had no issues with the feel of the shoes but I wouldn't say they provided noticeable energy return. I knew I could have run faster, but I didn't want to add too many variables to the mix. My goal was to see if, during a normal run, I'd really see measurable improvement.
Regardless of the shoes, I felt good on this run. Like Sunday and Tuesday's workouts, my stamina has improved since I began my weekend base training. I crossed the threshold of my driveway, hit "Stop" on the Garmin and saw that I finished my run 43 seconds faster than the last run along that route. But that day it was windy and I may not have pushed as hard as I did today. Then again, it could have been the shoes. A few more runs will show whether I'm gaining speed, or if today was simply a fluke.
I'm not quite sure what to make of this morning's run. My expectations were set to high for a performance boost that I hoped to get from the new Spira XLT's. I hoped the claim of a 15 sec/mile improvement was more than marketing hype. I've learned over the years that it's really not the shoe, but the person in the shoe, that determines outcome. Still, I was hopeful.
I was excited to try the new shoes on the road and I took off on a somewhat faster pace than normal, once my Garmin was ready. The XLT's felt good, not super-cushioned, but comfortable. I noticed the ride was high, compared to my Hattori's and Mirages, but I still felt like I was landing mid-foot. The slight uphill of the first road on my route was a good basis for judging the benefit of the Wavespring technology. I moved along well, but it wasn't a transforming experience.
Once I leveled out, I let the shoes do their thing. I probably pushed a little harder than usual, perhaps because I anticipated a dramatic improvement of my pace. I had no issues with the feel of the shoes but I wouldn't say they provided noticeable energy return. I knew I could have run faster, but I didn't want to add too many variables to the mix. My goal was to see if, during a normal run, I'd really see measurable improvement.
Regardless of the shoes, I felt good on this run. Like Sunday and Tuesday's workouts, my stamina has improved since I began my weekend base training. I crossed the threshold of my driveway, hit "Stop" on the Garmin and saw that I finished my run 43 seconds faster than the last run along that route. But that day it was windy and I may not have pushed as hard as I did today. Then again, it could have been the shoes. A few more runs will show whether I'm gaining speed, or if today was simply a fluke.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
First impression: Spira Stinger XLT's
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| Float like a bee? |
Yesterday I posted about two pairs of mystery shoes and last night I got to try on the first pair. They are lightweight running shoes from a company called Spira, based in El Paso, TX. Spira shoes contain something called "Wavespring Technology" where specially designed springs are embedded within the mid-sole to enable better energy return to runners and walkers.
The shoes I received are Spira's performance model, called Stinger XLT. I think they are called Stingers because (with their bright yellow and black highlights) the shoes resemble a bumble bee. I don't judge shoes on the way they look, but people who like their running shoes to be noticeable will not be disappointed.
I took the XLT's out of the box and had two reactions. First was, "That looks like a lot of shoe, I'll bet they're heavy." After picking them up I thought, "How can a shoe containing metal springs be this light?" I put one on my foot and was pleased with the comfortable foot bed. It's a well cushioned shoe and while I usually prefer the other end of the spectrum (Saucony Hattori's), I appreciated the comfortable fit.
I'd asked for size 11's, 1/2 size up from what I usually wear, because lately I've had issues with tight toe-boxes. The XLT's fit me well and the toe-box was fine. A quick run around the house reinforced that, lots of room, but no slippage. I checked the morning's weather and it said rain, so I decided to try my first run on the treadmill.
After two relatively long runs over the weekend, my feet were a little sore and the XLT's provided a nice cushioned base. The Wavesprings do not create a "moon-bounce" effect. In fact, it would not be obvious to someone that this shoe contained any special technology. The XLT's do provide a decent response though, not unlike my Brooks GTS 10's in their early days.
The shoes performed very well on the treadmill. They moved naturally with my foot, felt stable and returned good energy. I couldn't test the predicted 15 sec/mile improvement communicated to me by Andrew B. Krafsur, Spira's founder, but I found it surprisingly easy to maintain a sub 9:00/mile pace once I got going.
I'm planning to try the shoes on the road tomorrow morning. If they perform well I'll use them for at least one of my long runs this weekend. My most popular post is titled "Tubes, zig-zags, bounces, shocks and resistors" which is about gimmicky running shoes that fall short of expectations. So far (and surprisingly), the Stinger XLT's appear to be the real deal.
Monday, March 12, 2012
What's in the box will make me 15 seconds faster
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| Mysteries a-foot |
I'm also waiting for a pair of mystery running shoes that have not yet arrived. I don't know when to expect them. All I know is that one of my favorite shoe companies (Saucony) recently sent me a note saying they had "top secret" news and asked for my size. What could be better than having some brand new performance tech-y shoes waiting at home? How about knowing that a secret pair of running shoes are also coming? Stay tuned, all will be revealed...
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Did I really experience fat-to-energy alchemy?
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| Botero's Man on Horseback |
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| WCB Preserve's Trails |
Daylight savings time took away an hour of our morning, so I decided to save a little time and run indoors. My wife was doing her workout on the elliptical machine, so I accompanied her on the treadmill for the last 35 minutes of her session. My plan was to run for an hour or for 5.7 miles, whichever came first.
I started off at a very easy pace, because I'd run long on Saturday and didn't want to push my already tired legs. I moved along feeling great, but after 25 minutes I began to noticeably weaken. I realized that it would be a struggle to complete my full hour and I started to reevaluate when I would stop. After my wife finished her workout, I thought I would continue, but only for another ten minutes.
I'd wished that I'd had a gel to give me a boost at that point, but as it happened, I didn't need it. When I reached 43 minutes, I started feeling stronger. My urgency to stop had completely gone away. It suddenly felt easy, for no reason that I could explain. The only thing I could think of was that my body had depleted my glycogen stores and had started using stored fat as an energy source.
Everything I've read tells me that this transition doesn't happen until you have run for an hour or more. Before you feel good, you're supposed to feel very bad. I hadn't been comfortable for a good amount of time, so perhaps that explanation is plausible. All I knew was that, suddenly, the run became as easy after 45 minutes as it was after 5 minutes.
I decided not to stop and took advantage of my rebound by bumping up the speed and focusing on my form. I reached my goal (originally 5.7 miles so that I would surpass 13 miles this weekend) but kept going until I passed 6 miles. It was a tiring run but, hours later, I still feel energized.
Later in the morning we went to the Nassau County Museum of Art and walked the grounds before we went in. The museum has 39 large sculptures located within its grounds (AKA, the William Cullen Bryant Preserve). There are many trails to follow and we plan to return just to do that.
I'm pleased that I met my goal of covering 13 miles this weekend. That will help me push my base as I train for the LI Half Marathon. Best of all, I get to rest tomorrow. But it all starts again on Tuesday.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Test at Bethpage: Gatorade G Series FIT Perform 02
Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 7.35 miles
I had a mid morning appointment today and that forced me to get out for my run before 7:00 AM. My plan was to get to Bethpage and run the bike trail, covering at least seven miles. I'd rested on Friday because I wasn't feeling great, and I hoped that would give me a performance boost today.
I brought along a bottle of sport drink with a very long name: Gatorade G Series FIT Perform 02. It's an electrolyte mix that's meant to be consumed during a workout. I was testing this mix to see if it's something I should carry during my half marathon. I've learned that satisfaction with performance supplements, like gels and drinks, varies greatly from person to person.
Almost from the start, I could tell that I wouldn't be burning up the trail today. I had none of the energy I usually expect for these long, early morning runs. I thought it would be a good test of the G Series mix, and a good gauge of my ability to cover 7+ miles when starting with an energy deficit. As I started my Garmin, it chirped and showed "Low Battery." Like my watch, I hoped I had enough power to get through today's run.
Considering my low energy, the first couple of miles went by fairly quickly. The temperature was hovering around 30 degrees, but the winds were strong, especially on the way back. I reached the point where I expected to hear a chirp signaling three miles and when I looked at the Garmin the screen was blank. Later, when I recharged the watch, I saw that the battery had given out after 2.61 miles.
Along the way I sipped from the G2 mix, hoping that it would restore my depleted energy levels. The "melon-pear" flavor tasted neither like melon nor pear. In fact it didn't taste like much of anything. Since I didn't have an easy way of knowing how far I'd run or how much time I'd been running, I decided to turn back at a place I could locate on Gmaps so I could measure total distance later.
There were many runners on the trail this morning, mostly running in pairs or in groups. I would have felt lonely except that they were all running faster than me. I wouldn't have been able to keep up with any of them today. I suspect it was the early hour, when competitive club runners go out for long distances before they start their day.
I wasn't hurting, exactly, but I never felt strong as ran along. I started taking sips of the G2 more frequently as I got closer to the end. The last 1.5 miles of the Bethpage bike trail has the most pronounced hills and I needed a boost, even if it turned out to be more psychological than real. As I approached the final long hill, I decided I'd just pace it fast enough so that I could call it running. At that moment, a group of sleek, fit, compression-clad men and women ran by on my left, chatting away as if this hill was a bump. How humiliating.
After I finished my run, I saw that the G2 mix contained nothing to help my energy stores. The whole 16 oz. bottle contained only 5g of carbs and 4g of sugar. I'd consumed about half the bottle, so all I got was 110mg of sodium and 30mg of potassium. And it also made me a little queasy. So this mix will not be accompanying me on my half marathon in May.
I accomplished a good part of my weekend distance goal this morning. I need to cover almost 6 miles tomorrow to make my "weekend 13". It's not an unreasonable target, but I hope to feel more energized on Sunday.
 |
| Nice bottle, but no thanks |
I brought along a bottle of sport drink with a very long name: Gatorade G Series FIT Perform 02. It's an electrolyte mix that's meant to be consumed during a workout. I was testing this mix to see if it's something I should carry during my half marathon. I've learned that satisfaction with performance supplements, like gels and drinks, varies greatly from person to person.
Almost from the start, I could tell that I wouldn't be burning up the trail today. I had none of the energy I usually expect for these long, early morning runs. I thought it would be a good test of the G Series mix, and a good gauge of my ability to cover 7+ miles when starting with an energy deficit. As I started my Garmin, it chirped and showed "Low Battery." Like my watch, I hoped I had enough power to get through today's run.
Considering my low energy, the first couple of miles went by fairly quickly. The temperature was hovering around 30 degrees, but the winds were strong, especially on the way back. I reached the point where I expected to hear a chirp signaling three miles and when I looked at the Garmin the screen was blank. Later, when I recharged the watch, I saw that the battery had given out after 2.61 miles.
Along the way I sipped from the G2 mix, hoping that it would restore my depleted energy levels. The "melon-pear" flavor tasted neither like melon nor pear. In fact it didn't taste like much of anything. Since I didn't have an easy way of knowing how far I'd run or how much time I'd been running, I decided to turn back at a place I could locate on Gmaps so I could measure total distance later.
There were many runners on the trail this morning, mostly running in pairs or in groups. I would have felt lonely except that they were all running faster than me. I wouldn't have been able to keep up with any of them today. I suspect it was the early hour, when competitive club runners go out for long distances before they start their day.
I wasn't hurting, exactly, but I never felt strong as ran along. I started taking sips of the G2 more frequently as I got closer to the end. The last 1.5 miles of the Bethpage bike trail has the most pronounced hills and I needed a boost, even if it turned out to be more psychological than real. As I approached the final long hill, I decided I'd just pace it fast enough so that I could call it running. At that moment, a group of sleek, fit, compression-clad men and women ran by on my left, chatting away as if this hill was a bump. How humiliating.
After I finished my run, I saw that the G2 mix contained nothing to help my energy stores. The whole 16 oz. bottle contained only 5g of carbs and 4g of sugar. I'd consumed about half the bottle, so all I got was 110mg of sodium and 30mg of potassium. And it also made me a little queasy. So this mix will not be accompanying me on my half marathon in May.
I accomplished a good part of my weekend distance goal this morning. I need to cover almost 6 miles tomorrow to make my "weekend 13". It's not an unreasonable target, but I hope to feel more energized on Sunday.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Today's guilt will power tomorrow's run
I wasn't feeling well yesterday and thought I may have caught a cold. Thursday's elliptical session wore me out much more than I would have expected. I bounced back last night and planned to do a run for this morning. When I woke up, I felt a little dizzy. After being at this for almost four years, I am able to tell the difference between being "morning tired" and actually feeling weak. I quickly decided to skip today's workout.
The main reason I opted for a rest day is that I hope to do a long run tomorrow at Bethpage. I didn't want to wear myself out on a maintenance run, and I thought some additional rest might be beneficial. I think resting was the right thing to do, but I'll admit to having some guilty feelings about it. I'm planning to use that guilt tomorrow to motivate me through what I hope will be my longest run (so far) this year.
The main reason I opted for a rest day is that I hope to do a long run tomorrow at Bethpage. I didn't want to wear myself out on a maintenance run, and I thought some additional rest might be beneficial. I think resting was the right thing to do, but I'll admit to having some guilty feelings about it. I'm planning to use that guilt tomorrow to motivate me through what I hope will be my longest run (so far) this year.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Learned my lesson, but can I handle the mileage?
Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes
As I come closer to the anniversary of my first half marathon, I'm thinking about both the training and my increased risk of injury. Most training programs recommend a careful approach to adding to weekly mileage, usually no more than a 10% increase per week. The idea behind this is to prevent overuse injuries that come from running longer distances than your body is ready to handle.
Last year I played my half marathon training by ear, occasionally stepping up distance without regard to the consequences. In my case it wasn't the aggregate mileage that hurt me, but the fact that I arbitrarily threw in long runs without building up to them. A nine mile run on the trails at Belmont Lake a week before the half marathon created a knee problem that plagued me throughout the race.
This year I'm taking a practical approach to my training and, hopefully, I'll be better prepared on race day. Since I can't really increase my mileage between Monday and Friday, I'll need to step up my long running on the weekends. This weekend I'll need to total 13 miles, by April 7 weekend I'll target 18 and, before my taper, I'll need to cover 21. Easier said than done, but it looks like I'm going to become very familiar with the Bethpage bike trail.
As I come closer to the anniversary of my first half marathon, I'm thinking about both the training and my increased risk of injury. Most training programs recommend a careful approach to adding to weekly mileage, usually no more than a 10% increase per week. The idea behind this is to prevent overuse injuries that come from running longer distances than your body is ready to handle.
Last year I played my half marathon training by ear, occasionally stepping up distance without regard to the consequences. In my case it wasn't the aggregate mileage that hurt me, but the fact that I arbitrarily threw in long runs without building up to them. A nine mile run on the trails at Belmont Lake a week before the half marathon created a knee problem that plagued me throughout the race.
This year I'm taking a practical approach to my training and, hopefully, I'll be better prepared on race day. Since I can't really increase my mileage between Monday and Friday, I'll need to step up my long running on the weekends. This weekend I'll need to total 13 miles, by April 7 weekend I'll target 18 and, before my taper, I'll need to cover 21. Easier said than done, but it looks like I'm going to become very familiar with the Bethpage bike trail.
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