First of all, I am so thankful we run at the wee wee hours of the morning. We have had so much rain the past few days there is no way I would be getting any outdoor exercise in that didn't involve rain, thunder and lightning.
Saturday mornings run was met with a torrential down pour, I'm told (as I was sleeping in). Last night it showed no signs of stopping, so I was elated that we were able to run this morning.
I wasn't sure how it would go, but after two and a half hours on my feet during a training yesterday, I figured my legs could handle it. It wasn't fast, it involved walking, but I got my four miles in. Lots of hills greeted our runners this morning on our route, I know they are good for me, but that doesn't mean I have to like them!
I've got four miles scheduled for the next two days, including some speed work Thursday. Saturday involves 14 miles. This is a new distance for me. I'm a little anxious, but my goal is to finish it injury free. Then we will conquer next week!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
A Bump in the Road, Actually, The Edge
I started my fall training plan for my full marathon this past week, taking my Tuesday run from 4-6, adding a 6 miler on Wednesday, and my normal 4 miles on Thursday. Tuesday was rough, as our route didn't allow much additonal space unless we felt like running in a very dark area, which we chose not to, so we did 5 miles. Wednesday's six miles were slow, but we did them. I was really looking forward to an easy 4 miles Thursday, followed by a day of rest before 10 miles on Saturday.
The first mile on Thursday I wasn't certain my stomach was going to approve. Worked thru that, the next few miles I stopped trying to do my all out pace which was resulting in a lot of walking. I finally found a decent rythem in that last mile that I was happy with, when boom, I hit the ground.
I took a turn and I heard some folks behind me and I looked over my shoulder to see where they were, when my foot slipped off the edge of the pavement and thankfully I landed on the grass shoulder of the road on all fours. I took a second, sat still, then got up. Everything was working ok, my hands weren't bleeding, my capris weren't ripped at the knee. Great, just a fall, I'll be sore Friday but I'll be good to go for Saturday's run......or so I thought.
Once I hit the light I found out I had cut my knee, but it was still dark and I couldn't tell how bad or good it was. I put a wet napkin on it in the car and headed home. Once I got inside, I had to wake up the hubby to decide if I should hit the doctor's office and see if it needed stitches or not. (The reason for the great debate, I made a poor decision last year after a mountian biking accident and have the ugliest scar on my left leg.) After some discussion and a shower we decided it would be best to have it looked at.
After two hours at the doctor's office, they wrote me a script for an ointment, told me they could do stitches, but I didn't really need them, handed me instructions on bandaging it and to work I went. He said I could run as soon as I felt up to it, he was concerned about the swelling, but nothing big.
Or so I thought....my left ankle has been swelling for two days, my knee is stiff as can be, and I'm not a happy runner. It was raining early this morning and stiffness in my knee said stay in bed. I missed my 10 mile run but felt it would be better to miss this distance (that I've done a lot in the past couple of months) than to mess it up more and miss my weekday runs this coming week.
I really hope things are improved by Tuesday morning, I really can't afford to miss my 14 miler next weekend, but I can't mess my leg up. I just finished telling some friends who helped me with my training schedule that I really hadn't been injured other than one brief time after running on a treadmill (mean machine!) I'm confident this will all work out. Just a bump in the training plan and a lesson learned to not look back when running, I don't stear well going in that direction. LOL
The first mile on Thursday I wasn't certain my stomach was going to approve. Worked thru that, the next few miles I stopped trying to do my all out pace which was resulting in a lot of walking. I finally found a decent rythem in that last mile that I was happy with, when boom, I hit the ground.
I took a turn and I heard some folks behind me and I looked over my shoulder to see where they were, when my foot slipped off the edge of the pavement and thankfully I landed on the grass shoulder of the road on all fours. I took a second, sat still, then got up. Everything was working ok, my hands weren't bleeding, my capris weren't ripped at the knee. Great, just a fall, I'll be sore Friday but I'll be good to go for Saturday's run......or so I thought.
Once I hit the light I found out I had cut my knee, but it was still dark and I couldn't tell how bad or good it was. I put a wet napkin on it in the car and headed home. Once I got inside, I had to wake up the hubby to decide if I should hit the doctor's office and see if it needed stitches or not. (The reason for the great debate, I made a poor decision last year after a mountian biking accident and have the ugliest scar on my left leg.) After some discussion and a shower we decided it would be best to have it looked at.
After two hours at the doctor's office, they wrote me a script for an ointment, told me they could do stitches, but I didn't really need them, handed me instructions on bandaging it and to work I went. He said I could run as soon as I felt up to it, he was concerned about the swelling, but nothing big.
My poor knee
Or so I thought....my left ankle has been swelling for two days, my knee is stiff as can be, and I'm not a happy runner. It was raining early this morning and stiffness in my knee said stay in bed. I missed my 10 mile run but felt it would be better to miss this distance (that I've done a lot in the past couple of months) than to mess it up more and miss my weekday runs this coming week.
I really hope things are improved by Tuesday morning, I really can't afford to miss my 14 miler next weekend, but I can't mess my leg up. I just finished telling some friends who helped me with my training schedule that I really hadn't been injured other than one brief time after running on a treadmill (mean machine!) I'm confident this will all work out. Just a bump in the training plan and a lesson learned to not look back when running, I don't stear well going in that direction. LOL
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Learning....again
Funny, I've been running for over a year and yet I'm learning and relearning so many things with each week.
I've been back for a week from China, I climbed to the top of the section we were at, probably almost as hard as a half marathon. (I still think my Garmin is whacked because it says I only burned 153 calories, but I'm not buying it!) We walked most places and I was on my feet for several hours a day teaching conversational English for 8 days, and I lost 4 pounds while we were gone. I packed my running stuff (hoping I'd be able to fit in some running) but other than the Garmin and my retiring short distance shoes, the rest of it stayed in the suitcase.
I did two short runs during the week, oh they were not pretty. I had to get in a long run today because I'm 11 weeks from The Rock N Roll Marathon, Savannah, my first full marathon. With the help of some friends I've got my training plan hammered out, adding in additional mileage during the week. I did my 12 miles today, slowly but surely.
So, get to the point Steph, what are you learning...getting there. My running buddies are dropping like flies. I've learned that having a running group that is large, even if I don't know everyone super well, is invaluable! The running group I started running with in January has several runners that are training for various marathons and half marathons, so they are running and they are running similar distances to me.
Pace buddies, especially on a day like today when this is my first long run in a month, are a big deal. If you don't have someone you pace with, you are running in the dark, and it's extremely early in the morning, it's a bit awkward at times. Thankfully I grabbed my ipod and headphones this morning before heading out because I've noticed that some of the runners that I would likely end up running near typically wear headphones. The issue is I'm at an in between pace today, not as quick as several runners and yet faster than the next group, I'm stuck in the middle. As long as I had someone near me, I was fine.
Music playlists should be updated regularly, even when you aren't using them. Thankful I had my music, I haven't ran with music in months, but I started playing it towards the end of the run, when I was already tired and most of my music is really fast paced, note to self-mix in some more medium paced songs for training. I did get a kick out of some of the songs that I haven't listened to in months.
My ears are small, not just a little, they are really small. Most earbuds pop right out and I have a hard time finding headphones that are comfortable running in. I found some a long time ago, that I can only order online now, that work and aren't expensive, but I'm either having an ear problem on my left side (totally possible) or the left side is going out on this pair too. I'm debating, break down and buy really good headphones or stick with the cheapies and replace them as needed. Or since starting this post, make sure you had them on right. Problem solved.
I also learned today that with the increased heat, there is a need for Body Glide. The last time I was running distances like this it was cold. Sweat wasn't as much of an issue, but so not true after today's run.
The last 2.75 miles I ran by myself as I didn't need the full distance some of the group was running. It wasn't bad, I had to push myself to keep running, but I finished it. It felt good to be at 12 miles. In the next couple of weeks I'll be surpassing my half marathon max distance, which is strange, yet really exciting as I work towards that 26.2 number.
I wonder what else I'll learn on this journey.....
I've been back for a week from China, I climbed to the top of the section we were at, probably almost as hard as a half marathon. (I still think my Garmin is whacked because it says I only burned 153 calories, but I'm not buying it!) We walked most places and I was on my feet for several hours a day teaching conversational English for 8 days, and I lost 4 pounds while we were gone. I packed my running stuff (hoping I'd be able to fit in some running) but other than the Garmin and my retiring short distance shoes, the rest of it stayed in the suitcase.
I did two short runs during the week, oh they were not pretty. I had to get in a long run today because I'm 11 weeks from The Rock N Roll Marathon, Savannah, my first full marathon. With the help of some friends I've got my training plan hammered out, adding in additional mileage during the week. I did my 12 miles today, slowly but surely.
So, get to the point Steph, what are you learning...getting there. My running buddies are dropping like flies. I've learned that having a running group that is large, even if I don't know everyone super well, is invaluable! The running group I started running with in January has several runners that are training for various marathons and half marathons, so they are running and they are running similar distances to me.
Pace buddies, especially on a day like today when this is my first long run in a month, are a big deal. If you don't have someone you pace with, you are running in the dark, and it's extremely early in the morning, it's a bit awkward at times. Thankfully I grabbed my ipod and headphones this morning before heading out because I've noticed that some of the runners that I would likely end up running near typically wear headphones. The issue is I'm at an in between pace today, not as quick as several runners and yet faster than the next group, I'm stuck in the middle. As long as I had someone near me, I was fine.
Music playlists should be updated regularly, even when you aren't using them. Thankful I had my music, I haven't ran with music in months, but I started playing it towards the end of the run, when I was already tired and most of my music is really fast paced, note to self-mix in some more medium paced songs for training. I did get a kick out of some of the songs that I haven't listened to in months.
My ears are small, not just a little, they are really small. Most earbuds pop right out and I have a hard time finding headphones that are comfortable running in. I found some a long time ago, that I can only order online now, that work and aren't expensive, but I'm either having an ear problem on my left side (totally possible) or the left side is going out on this pair too. I'm debating, break down and buy really good headphones or stick with the cheapies and replace them as needed. Or since starting this post, make sure you had them on right. Problem solved.
I also learned today that with the increased heat, there is a need for Body Glide. The last time I was running distances like this it was cold. Sweat wasn't as much of an issue, but so not true after today's run.
The last 2.75 miles I ran by myself as I didn't need the full distance some of the group was running. It wasn't bad, I had to push myself to keep running, but I finished it. It felt good to be at 12 miles. In the next couple of weeks I'll be surpassing my half marathon max distance, which is strange, yet really exciting as I work towards that 26.2 number.
I wonder what else I'll learn on this journey.....
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