Running April 16 - April 22

I'm continuing my running trends for April (in other words - sort of crap) and perhaps it will take the rest of the month to reset. I don't know... things just keep happening and I guess I'm not training for an event so I don't force myself to get out there. Monday - 6.63 miles in 2 hours walking. I've found that after a long event on Sunday it seems to really help my legs to do some walking on Monday. I've done that for both the Austin half-marathon and the Austin 10/20 and both seemed to really help. Monday morning the entire family headed out - kids on bikes, adults on feet - and walked toward the park. At the big street, we parted ways and I walked to the grocery store, got a few items and walked back meeting them again and back home. Then I took my car in to the shop in the afternoon and while they were working on it, I walked around the industrial park. Tuesday - 4.0 in 48 minutes (12:00 mm) plus .6 walking warm up/down. I went to the park and had a lovely beautiful run. While there I felt a little tired and realized I had done 27 miles in the 4 days including Tuesday. Thursday - 4.34 in 49 (11:17 mm) plus .6 walking warm up/down. I ran with a metronome to see how it affected my running and concentrated on swinging my elbows in time. 3:00/1:00. A very good run at the track. Friday - Should have been a long walk day or even a run day. I didn't run because I thought I would run on the weekend. And I only walked about 1.3 miles because it started raining on me and I was wearing work clothes. If I had run, I would have changed into workout clothes and not cared about the rain. No running or walking on the weekend at all. I don't remember the last weekend like that. Sunday - I did the You are your own Gym (Yayog) Week 1, Day 1 workout which was arms. I really like doing the Yayog workouts with the tablet app. My phone won't run the app but we downloaded it to the tablet. I can only use it when ChocolateWife is not though so I did my workout while she was at the accupuncturist. I'd like to actually adhere to the 4 workouts a week for the 10 week basic program and see what happens.

Training 03/05 - 03/11

Tuesday - 4.55 in 50 minutes (10:59/mile) plus walking warm up/down. I ran over to the park and through it. The weather was gorgeous. 3:00/1:00 ratio.
Tuesday - You are Your own Gym (YAYOG) workout Week 1, Day 1. I finally started the YAYOG workouts again. I liked it back in November but then I had to return the book and then I got it for the holidays but I didn't want to start while training for the HM. The first day is basically arms. It was a good but hard workout.
Wednesday - Walking to/from lunch. YAYOG Week 1, Day 2. I used the Android app for my exercise which is nice. It tells you how long to exercise and rest. Legs.
Thursday - I could not run due to being in training and taking an hour (only lunch). I walked about 2 miles in 30 minutes.
Sunday - 7.0 miles 1:30. 50 degrees and raining for about half of the run. 9 x 800 repeats per the Galloway plan for a 10 mile race. My target was still 5:33 since I have not run another magic mile. Actual: 5:08, 5:12, 5:17, 5:17, 5:08, 5:15, 5:17, 5:23, 5:11. A very good run. The last 3 repeats felt easier than the first 3. I feel like I'm starting to get into a nice posture and rhythm in my running.

Training Plan Week 9

Training Plan Week:

Week	Monday Date	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday	Sunday
8	01/29/2012	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	17 miles

Actual Week:

Monday - Walking 3.59 miles 59 minutes (16:26 mm). Because I did my weekend run on Saturday, I felt like waiting three days was too long so I walked on Monday. It was a lovely day and I just walked when the walk light said to, then turned around and came back to the office.
Tuesday - 3.98 miles 48 minutes (12:03 mm). Plus the walking warm up/down of .52 in 10. Ran 2:30/1:00 on the hills near campus. The hills were a struggle but I felt like I was running faster than this.
Thursday/Friday - I did neither of these runs/walks. I had an ingrown toenail which both hurt badly and which I didn't want to aggravate and make worse.
Sunday - 14.3 miles 2:55 (12:14 mm). At first I thought I would be running between ChocolateWife getting home from a conference and the start of the Super Bowl but her conference time got pushed back so I ran early (out of the house about 6:35). It was 43 and windy and rainy. 1:1 ratio. The run felt great but my face and hands were cold. I forgot my gloves and actually considered calling ChocolateWife to either bring them or pick me up but gave it a little while and my hands got better. I'm really happy with this run. My target pace should have been 13:36 so this was both faster than that and faster than my run 2 weeks ago.

I am feeling very good about the Half-Marathon in 13 days. My last two LSRs have been really positive. I think that I am starting to really use Chi Running to my benefit. I base this belief on the fact that in both runs I had the sensation throughout that I was falling forward. I kept thinking that it's not possible for more than 50% of the run to be downhill (or I guess it could be but the other part would have to be really uphill). The other thing is that I didn't get any blisters on my feet or have to reapply body glide to my feet. On the downside, my running bra is rubbing me badly under one arm and across the front. I need to experiment with some body glide but I don't want to get a new bra 2 weeks before the race.

BTW, a half-marathon at yesterday's LSR pace would be 2:37:51 or breaking my PR by 13 minutes.

Training Plan Week 7

Training Plan Week:

Week	Monday Date	Tuesday	Thursday	Friday	Sunday
7	01/16/2012	45 min run	45 min run	easy walk	15 mile run

Actual Week:

Tuesday - 4.88 miles 1:00 (12:17/mm). Also .52 miles in 11 minutes walking warm up/down. It was ChocolateSon's birthday (happy birthday!) so I took the day off work. I ran with a 2:1 then 1:30/1 ratio.

Thursday - 8.65 mile 1:58 (13:38/mm) trail run. It was a state holiday so I worked 6 hours, then took off early for a nice long run. I went to Walnut Creek park which is probably my favorite place to run. Because it was still during the work/school day there were very few other folks there. 2:1 ratio.

Friday - 3.01 mile walk 48 minutes. I went for a walk on my lunch hour and it was quite beautiful and lovely.

Sunday - 14.44 mile 2:58 (12:19/mm). Includes warm up and down. I never intended to do 15 so I'm completely happy with the run. It was possibly the best run I've ever had. Certainly my best LSR. Pace target was 13:36 and my time INCLUDING WARM UP/DOWN was over a minute faster than that. I wasn't trying to run fast. It just felt easy and smooth. I worked on standing tall and leaning (very chi running) and just felt like I was falling forward much of the time. I actually had the impression that I was running downhill most of the time (obviously impossible since I ran a "there and back" route.

Total miles for the week = 32! I am at 80+ miles for January so unless something terrible happens this should be my first 100+ mile month ever.

I also had a good fundraising week. Tuesday I posted a note on FB saying that it was ChocolateSon's 8th birthday and that he says he will cure a terrible disease when he grows up but in the meantime would 8 people donate $8 to my half-marathon with Team Livestrong. My brother did as asked, another friend donated $8 for each year he has been alive ($64), and my friend Jenny B who sponsored my registration for the race donated $50.80. I am close to reaching my $1000 goal so I raised my goal to $1250.

Week 10 Half Marathon Training Plan

Tuesday - Scheduled 45 minute run.  Actual 4.2 miles in 58 minutes including warm up/down.  I did 3:1 throughout and felt very good and smooth. It was hot even though it was only 5:00 in the morning.
Thursday - Scheduled 45 minute run. Actual 5-6 minutes running. I felt crummy and just decided to walk it.  Very nice walk of 3.51 miles in 58 minutes.
Saturday - Scheduled 10 x 800m repeats in 5:50 goal time.  I was pretty concerned about this workout because 1. I slept very badly Friday night, 2. The last set of 8 x 800m were so hard, and 3. I feel like I'm not working out very well during the week.  Every set of repeats I have done, I have felt like the first x-2 were doable but I've really struggled for the last 2 repeats.  I figured that was just a given.  This week I considered just walking but gave myself a stern talking to and did them anyway.  I am so glad I did.  They went very well (5:09, 5:14, 5:16, 5:19, 5:22, 5:25, 5:28, 5:26, 5:36, 5:30).  Including warm up/down the workout was 6.92 miles in 1:38. 
Sunday - Walked 3.38 miles in 58 minutes.  I knew we would be out of town for a quick trip and didn't want to miss too many days.  It turned out that we walked a decent amount both Sunday and Monday but I still wanted some concrete miles in my day and am glad I did it. 

This week calls for 2 runs and a walk (I already blew off one run but will try to make it up) and then a 15 mile! long slow run on Sunday.  The high temperatures this week are forecasted for low 90s so I'm optimistic that it will make a difference in my running. 

Last Week's Runs - Week 5 Half-Marathon Training

My runs last week were the first I've done using what I learned in my Chi Running clinic. I thought they went well:

Tuesday - Scheduled 45 minute run. 3.59 miles in 48 minutes (13:26). I took a few short walking breaks but otherwise concentrated on the Chi Running form and did mostly running.

Thursday - Scheduled 45 minute run. 3.74 miles in 51 minutes (13:52). That included a 5 minute walking warm-up and down. But I managed to run 32 minutes before my first (and only) 2 minute walk break.

Friday - Scheduled easy walk. 3.22 miles in 56 minutes (17:28).

Sunday - Scheduled 9 mile LSR. 9.85 miles in 2:22 (14:27). I think this was probably my hardest run ever. I have only ever run this far maybe 3-4 times before. In my last HM training I think I had a 10 and 11 mile training run and then my HM was 13.1 (of course). It was 81 degrees when I set out and a few degrees hotter when I finished. I started out trying to Chi Run and not take walk breaks which meant that I only took them when I was totally exhausted for the first 6 miles or so. By the time I had 3 miles to go, I went by my HRM and each time my HR got too high (92%), I walked for a minute. Basically that meant I was in a 1:1 for the last 3 miles but of course I had already exhausted myself. My next LSR won't be for 2 weeks (11 miles) and by that time I either need to be much more comfortable with Chi Running or allow myself the walk-run regardless of the posture changes.

When I woke up Sunday morning my left foot was bothering me. I had the feeling like it needed to pop. Like the bones were sort of jammed up. I've had that before and it's always just gone away on its own. I ran on it and it felt a little weird but not painful or awkward. Last evening it began to feel more and more uncomfortable until I was limping. Before going to sleep I put some Tiger balm on my arch. I woke up in the night with it so tight and hurting that I had trouble getting back to sleep. Now I'm at work. I put arnica on it before putting on my socks and also rolled on a tennis ball. I need to make sure that I keep rolling it and stretch it out and I hope it feels much better quickly.

Chi Running Clinic

On Sunday I went to a 4-hour Chi Running Clinic. I had read the book (a few times at least) and listened to the MP3 download many times but I still felt like I wanted help with the technique. Karen Smith of Go with the Flow teaches clinics in Austin. I've been trying to get it on my calendar for at least six months. One month it was cancelled. Another we were planning to go to the Renaissance faire (which we did not end up doing). Another month we went to visit my in-laws. Another month my sister and brother were riding the MS150 but my sister decided to only do 1/2 the distance which means I could have gone to the clinic but it was too late to register by that time. So this month I was finally able to go and I registered weeks ago to make sure it was on my calendar.

I had been wondering how we would do a 4 hour class outside but the instructor sent a note that she had moved to a location that would allow us to do it partially inside. When I arrived, it turned out that we would have the entire class inside. Given that it was 100+ degrees out, that was a good thing. The class had 6 students (3 women and 3 men) ranging from a guy who said that he runs 10Ks or 10 mile races at about a 7:10/mile pace and he wants to learn how to run right so he can get "fast" to a woman who has qualified for Boston but doesn't know if she will get in to me. I described myself for the class as having run for the past 1.5 years, done a HM, registered for 2 more, and I want to run easier and faster. I explained that it seems very hard and seems like it should be easier. The instructor assured me that it will become easier and faster and more fun.

The workshop was very active. We had very little lecture and mostly actually doing the posture, then jogging across the room with feedback. We had a sort of set of steps to get in the right posture, then did some exercises, then learned and did loosener exercises, then more exercises, then she videotaped each of us from each side and then we watched the videos back and talked about them. That evening she sent us a long e-mail with reminders of everything we discussed and attachments showing good form and some recommended exercises.

Interestingly the instructor is absolutely anti-Galloway. Anti-Run Walk Run. She says that it doesn't make any sense to keep changing your posture over and over. That you want to set your posture and maintain it. She also contents that anyone in any shape can run at 1 degree of lean for a long time. One degree of lean is basically the amount of lean that makes you have to step because otherwise you would fall and no more. So... a slow jog.

Each evening this week I have done some of the exercises she sent while watching TV. The hardest for me is managing to breathe into my belly while keeping my transverse abs tensed. Then I have used what I learned in class on my Tuesday and Thursday runs. I ran without music so I could just concentrate on my form and what I learned in the class. Tuesday I ran much farther than I usually do without walking but I did take a few walk breaks in my 35-40 minutes of running. This morning, I was able to run over 30 minutes (stopping at 1 traffic light), then took a 2 minute walk break, and then ran the rest of the way home. It's a big difference although I don't know that it's that much faster yet.

I can tell while I'm running that I still have work to do on my form and I can keep practicing. Someone in class asked her how long it takes to learn and she said that she still does a posture check and setup and checks her form on every run (and she's run over 30 marathons and 2 Ironman Triathlons). But she said that we should see a difference in a month if we work at it. I will be really interested to see how I do on my 9 mile long run this weekend.