Tuesday, June 28, 2011

First Magic Mile

I did my first magic mile this morning while out on my 35 minute run. I actually tried to do one the week before last but I had marked the mile out a few days earlier in the neighborhood and when it came time to actually run the mile, I couldn't decide which concrete square and manhole cover marked the finish line. It might have been the one I hit at 9:59 or maybe at 10:40 or maybe the one past that.

To avoid any confusion today, I looked at my GPS when I started, then took it out of my waist pack when I neared the end. My time was 11:22. That doesn't sound so bad until I use the formula to figure out my predicted half-marathon pace. 2:58. 2.58?! I ran 2:50 in the spring! 2:58?! Honestly, I have in my head a thought of running a 2:40 or better half-marathon in the Fall. My predicted half-marathon time wouldn't become 2:40 unless I get my magic mile down to 10:11 which seems pretty unlikely. Arggghhh.

The training program calls for either 2 or 3 more magic miles so we'll see if I can get faster with training. I guess the good news is that with the walk breaks I am feeling very good about my runs in spite of the heat.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Half-Marathon Training Week 1



I officially started my half-marathon training program last week. Would it be silly to say I'm on track so far? Well, either way, I'm on track so far.

Sunday - Took a walk. It was really 5.82 miles but I was still trying to adjust the calibration to get credit for the 5 miles on Saturday that I missed.
Monday - Walked to and from lunch. About .8 miles each way.
Tuesday - Plan day schedule of 30 minute run. 40 minutes: 3.12 miles. I did a 5 minute walk warm-up, then 6 x 4Run/1Walk, then walked home.
Thursday - Plan day schedule of 30 minute run. 52 minutes. 3.55 miles. I did a 5 minute walk warm-up, then 7 4Run/1Walk, then walked home.
Friday - 38 minute walk. 2.2 miles.
Saturday - 47 minute walk. 2.51 miles.
Sunday - Plan day schedule 5 mile long (slow) run. 1:15 and 5.65 miles. I did 5 minute warm-up then 2:1 ratio for about 45 minutes, then dropped to 1:1 for the last bit. I ran to the red-box to return a movie which was nice. There aren't a lot of places I can walk or run to so I always like it when I can think of some errand to do. According to my Nike+ the redbox is 2.52 miles from home so that worked out well.

On Saturday morning I had to work for a while. I stopped at the pulse machine but it was out of cash so I stopped at a grocery store. On the window of the store was a poster announcing that Jeff Galloway would be there the next day from 3:30 - 5:00 speaking and answering questions. It was very random that I was at that store and learned about his visit. Unfortunately we had friends come in from out of town to visit and stay the night so I did not go. Hopefully I will have another chance to hear him speak.

Oh... also if I do well this week, this will be the first month that I have ever logged 100 miles. I am in a 100 mile challenge on Nike Running and hope to make it.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Last Week's Runs (sort of)


I had pretty good runs and walks last week. Today I officially started my 1/2 marathon training program with a 30 minute run (plus walks at the front and back). More on that later.

Sunday -1:04, 4.3 miles. It was very hot and humid and I felt sluggish. I walked 5, then ran 30 at 3/1 ratio, then walked the rest of the way home. Given that amount of walking the pace was quite good.
Sunday - 1:00. 3.64 miles. Evening walk in the very hot. I don't remember if this was a stroller walk to get the baby to sleep or just an extra walk. I think just a fun walk.
Monday - 1:10 4.01 miles. A rare morning walk in the daylight since I took the day off work because it was ChocolateSon's first day at summer camp.
Wednesday - 1.01 4.63 miles. I recorded no notes for this run but I remember being very happy with it at the time.
Thursday - 30 minutes, 1.58 miles. Stroller walk. Very very hot.
Saturday morning - I went to Walnut Creek to run. As soon as I got out of the car and turned on the IPod, it said that the battery was dead. Boo hiss. That means I couldn't record my run on my Nike+. I used Runkeeper. First I ran using a 2/1 ratio. I ran about 45 minutes logging 3 miles which is not bad for trail running. Then I walked another 2 miles. The pace isn't great but I enjoy running on the trail some days.
Saturday evening - 2.5 miles, 45 minutes. Stroller walk. Because I'm trying to get the Nike+ to give me credit for the 5 miles Saturday morning, I up-calibrated the walk so it actually recorded 3.72 miles.

I feel pretty good about my progress heading into the training program. This time I am doing the "time goal" program rather than the "to finish" program. What's my time goal? I don't know yet. Obviously I'd like to lower my 2:50 time but by how much? I am going to follow the Galloway program completely including doing the magic miles and using them for prediction/goal and doing the speed work it calls for.

Last week I tried to do a magic mile but the vagueness of my mental note of where the mile ended (by the manhole cover on the cement extension that's across from the other cement extension) didn't quite work. I might have done a MM in 9:59 or maybe 10:40 or maybe I stopped too early to have done one at all. Next time, I'm going to the track to record it or I'm going to mark the sidewalk with chalk.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Last Week's Runs



I felt good about my running last week yet, when I looked it was only 15 miles which is not much for a week. Those farm trips tend to wreck havoc on my running.

Sunday
- A run at the farm. 1:04, 4.63. I did a warmup, then 2/1 ratio, then more walking. It was hot and dry and very hard to move.
Monday - A walk at the farm. 56 minutes. 3.63 miles.
Tuesday and Wednesday - no running/walking due to driving, unpacking, doing 5 loads of laundry, going to work, etc. Very tired from the trip.
Thursday - 49 minutes. 3.69. 5 minute warmup/down. 4/1 ratio. A good day of running.
Thursday - Stroller walk. 43 minutes. 2.53 miles.
Friday - Walk. 48 minutes. 3.01 miles.
Saturday - No anything. R went to a Wake out of town overnight on Friday. I thought she would be back around lunch time but she got home around 5:00.

It was a hard week to coordinate running.

At the same time, as I mentioned, I signed-up for the See Jane Run Austin Half-Marathon on October 9th. Now I've got something to train for and my training plan starts next week.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

See Jane Run Half-Marathon

You know that 1/2 marathon I was considering? I just happened to click on the Zozi link and it was one of the specials. Only $37 to enter instead of $75.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Half-Marathon Training Plan

I mentioned in an earlier post, using the Jeff Galloway Half-Marathon (to time Goal) Training Plan.


WeekMonday DateTuesdayThursdayFridaySunday
106/27/201130 min run30 min runeasy walk5 miles
207/04/201135 min run/MM35 min runeasy walk6 miles
307/11/201135 min run35 min runeasy walk7.5 miles
407/18/201145 min run/MM40 min runeasy walk4 x 800
507/25/201145 min run40 min runeasy walk9 miles
608/01/201145 min run/MM45 min runeasy walk6 x 800
708/08/201145 min run45 min runeasy walk11 miles
808/15/201145 min run/MM45 min runeasy walk8 x 800
908/22/201145 min run45 min runeasy walk13 miles
1008/29/201145 min run45 min runeasy walk10 x 800
1109/05/201145 min run45 min runeasy walk15 miles
1209/12/201145 min run45 min runeasy walk12 x 800
1309/19/201145 min run45 min runeasy walk17 miles
1409/26/201145 min run45 min runeasy walkeasy 5 miles/MM
1510/03/201145 min run45 min runeasy walkGoal Half Marathon
1610/10/201145 min run45 min runeasy walk4 miles
1710/17/201145 min run45 min runeasy walk6-12 miles


This plan would have me starting on 6/27 and doing a 5 mile run that week. If I then end up doing the 12/3 half-marathon, I could start in on 10/23 at Week 9 of this plan again.

Last Week's Runs



It feels weird to post my last week's runs on Wednesday. We were out of town and the connection speed at my in-laws's house isn't fast enough to load the Nike Running site. I also couldn't sync my runs although I used the Nike+ and then synced them when I got home.


Sunday - 1:14, 3.88 miles. This was a family walk/balance bike ride at the park.


Monday (Memorial Day) - 1:18 4.95 miles. I only had to work 1/2 a day on Memorial Day so I was able to go for a little longer walk as well as walking in the daylight which is always a treat.

Wednesday - 50 minutes, 4.03 miles. I did a 5 minute warm-up, then 4/1 run/walk ratio, then 10 minute warmdown. The mileage is from my GPS so I know it's good and I was very happy with that pace. Also, it was only 72 degrees but 95% humidity and noticeably so.

Wednesday - Walked to meet a friend for lunch. .66 miles there and .88 back.

Wednesday - 38 minutes, 2.64 miles. Stroller walk the baby to sleep.

Friday - 1:06, 5.22 miles. warmup, warmdown, 4/1 run/walk ratio.

Saturday - 18 minutes, .83 miles. Walking in the front driveway while ChocolateSon balance biked.

Saturday - 1:00, 3.8 miles. Hot walk. Dead heat of the afternoon at the farm. The asphalt actually felt springy because it was so hot.


Generally, I'd consider it a good week in terms of getting out there and logging some miles (26+).

I'm still planning for my Fall schedule. I'm considering two half-marathons. The first would be October, 9 so I would need to begin my training plan in a few weeks. I'm considering doing the Galloway Time Goal plan but I would probably do more running than the maintenance minutes and add some cross-training days. The plan maxes out at a 17 mile Long Run 2 weeks before the half-marathon which would be my longest run ever.

I've been listening to the Extra Mile Podcast Galloway Edition. I'm up to episode 3 so I'm a few weeks behind but they are doing the training plan for a marathon which is 30 weeks long so I'm ok. One thing I've realized from the podcast is that I'm one of those people they sort of chuckle about who did a "modified Galloway" last year. I did run/walk breaks and I did them from the beginning of a run but I didn't adhere to the recommended interval. I did 6/1 through most of my training including my long runs when by magic mile time I should probably be doing 3/1 or 2/1 intervals. On the long runs it would be even slower. So I'm sort of playing with the idea of actually doing the plan as it's designed rather than doing my own darned thing.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

National Running Day

It's National Running Day today. I ran this morning. It was probably the best run I've had since the half-marathon. I walked 5 minutes, then ran 4/walked 1 8 times, then walked the rest of the way home. I had on my GPS and Nike+ both so I could calibrate the Nike+. GPS showed 4.02 in around 50 minutes. Considering that the run had about 15 minutes of walking at the start and end, that is not a bad mile time.

It was warm out and very very humid (95% humidity). One thing I love about running (early) at this time of year is that when I leave my house it is pretty dark. There is light pollution of course because I live in the suburbs near a big city but generally, it's dark out. As I run, I sometimes look at the sky and wonder "hey, is it getting light?" Usually the first few times I realize that I'm seeing the concrete plant lights or big box store lights or overpass lights. But by the time I am warming down and getting near home, the sky has turned from dark to a light blue that says sunrise is coming. It's like a subtle dawn that becomes a sudden light when I notice it.