Yesterday was the big day: 12 miles. For some reason, I had been looking forward to that day for a 3 months. Possibly because I never thought I would be able to make it that far and possibly because that is where the training calendar ends. (See, the TNT people are sneaky because when you sign up, they only give you half the training calendar. I suppose they don't really want you to see that the 16, 18, 20 milers are expected, especially when you are brand new!)
After my tremendous performance last week, I was really anticipating this milestone, especially because, until now, things have been moving along smoothly. Don't get me wrong, this is tough work and there is some soreness and fatigue involved. But, as long as my mind and body cooperate the way that they have, I am doing alright.
So now we are getting serious. 76 days left before Paris. Many long runs yet to get under my belt. Experienced runners have encouraged me to start experimenting with different clothing options, nutrition, and hydration techniques, to find out what will work best for me on the long run. The idea is to fine-tune all of these areas so that nothing is left to chance on race day.
Just last week, I tried out some new socks that I thought were going to excellent. While they were all they were touted to be, they were also 1/4 inch too short for the back of my shoes. Needless to say, I won't be wearing those fancy socks on race day. Same thing with the strap of one particular sports bra. So, it is a work in progress. Find the things that work and stick with them.
I certainly wished I had followed my own advice for the 12 miler. I got this brainy idea that since I had run out of steam at mile 9 last week (after having eaten 2 pieces of toast before the run), I would need more fuel to make it the full 12 miles. With that, I got up a couple of hours early and made myself a "breakfast of champions". From step one, I knew I was in trouble. Between an upset stomach and a body that felt like a ton of bricks, I deemed my breakfast experiment a catastrophic failure! I may have completed the 12 miles yesterday, but I confidently say that I have never had such a poor performance.
Seeing that I was in distress, my coach tried to coax me along the last 6 miles. She used that time to explain why the high-protein breakfast I had just consumed was so debilitating to my run and what some better options might be in the future. Needless to say, after clocking a miserable time (so bad that it can not be put in print) yesterday, I went straight to the running store and bought a book on sports nutrition. I read the entire book yesterday and can clearly see the error of my ways :/
All I can do is chalk it up to experience and make sure I learned my lesson. On a bright note, I noticed that miles 9 and 10 were not an issue as they had been last week. This week, mile 12 was the one that gave me hell. I suppose I see a pattern with that too. Oh well, I am living and learning!
Because we have done two back-to-back long runs, we get a break next weekend and only have to run an 8 miler. Do you know how easy that will be? I can hardly wait. It will feel like a week off!
Until next time,
Lisa
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
10 Miles...Check!
First, let me apologize for not blogging since the beginning of the year. As luck would have it, my new job is a bit more time intensive than I would prefer, so I have had to juggle a few discretionary activities in order to manage my time. Fortunately, training has hardly been impacted, though I have been running later in the evenings and almost always indoors. With weather inching into the 30s and 40s, the cold snap has finally subsided and outdoor running is again a safe and pleasant reality.
Though I feel like a broken record because I say it every week now..."I am happy to report that I hit another milestone". Last week I ran 8 miles (on a treadmill), which is almost 2 miles further than I have ever run in my life. Though it was a significant increase in distance over the previous weekend's 6 miles, I really did not struggle to finish the run and maintained a solid 13-min mile throughout. Following the run I felt very good and a short 1/2 hour nap helped me recover quite nicely.
Only one week later, I finished a full 10-miler! (I know, I am still in shock!) Unfortunately, this run did not goes as smoothly as the prior week. Though the first 9 miles were strong, I was so tired during the final mile, there were times that I really didn't know what was powering my legs along. I definitely struggled during the last mile and was very glad for it to be over. The aftermath of the 10 miles was not that pretty either. For some reason I had a calf or tendon that decided it should become rock-like and sore. On top of that, I now am the proud owner of a very seriously swollen right ankle. Though ice is helping, I can truly see the value of recovery time!
On a more positive note, given the holidays and recent bad weather, it had been quite a while since I have run with my team, so this weekend, they had the opportunity to assess my progress. The good new is that I believe I received high marks across the board. Wendy, one of the team mentors who had never run with me (and probably only heard some legendary second-hand accounts of my fitness prowess), ran with me for the last 8 miles of the 10-miler. Several times she commented on how well I was doing and taught me a good technique to "kill the hills". In addition, my coach ran with us for about a mile and she also commented on how much improved my breathing pattern sounded. Her observation made me feel particularly proud because she had run with me the entire way on Day 1 of this adventure.
Despite the "training pangs" that now seem to have appeared, overall things are still going really well. During the 10-miler I caught short glimpses of running at an 11:00 minute pace and made more progress on hills than I have seen to date. Next week is a 12-mile run, but unlike this weekend's 10-mile hill adventure, the terrain will be flat. I anticipate that my time will improve for that reason alone.
The upcoming week has a lot in store. I will be attending track training on Tuesday night, Wednesday will be a long 6-miler, and Thursday will be a short 4-mile recovery run. In addition, I am hoping to have the opportunity to attend a few fundraising socials sponsored by my Paris teammates. It is my hope, that I will also find more time to blog as things start to get very interesting over the next few weeks.
Until next time,
Lisa
Though I feel like a broken record because I say it every week now..."I am happy to report that I hit another milestone". Last week I ran 8 miles (on a treadmill), which is almost 2 miles further than I have ever run in my life. Though it was a significant increase in distance over the previous weekend's 6 miles, I really did not struggle to finish the run and maintained a solid 13-min mile throughout. Following the run I felt very good and a short 1/2 hour nap helped me recover quite nicely.
Only one week later, I finished a full 10-miler! (I know, I am still in shock!) Unfortunately, this run did not goes as smoothly as the prior week. Though the first 9 miles were strong, I was so tired during the final mile, there were times that I really didn't know what was powering my legs along. I definitely struggled during the last mile and was very glad for it to be over. The aftermath of the 10 miles was not that pretty either. For some reason I had a calf or tendon that decided it should become rock-like and sore. On top of that, I now am the proud owner of a very seriously swollen right ankle. Though ice is helping, I can truly see the value of recovery time!
On a more positive note, given the holidays and recent bad weather, it had been quite a while since I have run with my team, so this weekend, they had the opportunity to assess my progress. The good new is that I believe I received high marks across the board. Wendy, one of the team mentors who had never run with me (and probably only heard some legendary second-hand accounts of my fitness prowess), ran with me for the last 8 miles of the 10-miler. Several times she commented on how well I was doing and taught me a good technique to "kill the hills". In addition, my coach ran with us for about a mile and she also commented on how much improved my breathing pattern sounded. Her observation made me feel particularly proud because she had run with me the entire way on Day 1 of this adventure.
Despite the "training pangs" that now seem to have appeared, overall things are still going really well. During the 10-miler I caught short glimpses of running at an 11:00 minute pace and made more progress on hills than I have seen to date. Next week is a 12-mile run, but unlike this weekend's 10-mile hill adventure, the terrain will be flat. I anticipate that my time will improve for that reason alone.
The upcoming week has a lot in store. I will be attending track training on Tuesday night, Wednesday will be a long 6-miler, and Thursday will be a short 4-mile recovery run. In addition, I am hoping to have the opportunity to attend a few fundraising socials sponsored by my Paris teammates. It is my hope, that I will also find more time to blog as things start to get very interesting over the next few weeks.
Until next time,
Lisa
Saturday, January 2, 2010
6 Miles for a New Year
Happy New Year! 2010 is starting out with a bang! I can not believe the shape I am in (running wise) as compared to a little over 3 months ago. Though I celebrate the improvement, it is still hard to believe that with the Paris Marathon less than 100 days away, I will be ready in time.
Day after day, I see glimmers of progress, but I must admit that I am still waiting for the "big miracle" (in the form of any weight loss and/or a significant increase in speed) to occur. Somehow I need to find a way to shave 30 sec off each mile and keep that pace consistently. This week, I did several 4-mile training runs, followed by the big 6-miler today. I did remarkably well on the 6 miles compared to how difficult the 5-miler was just one week ago. The good news is that my pace is steady, despite adding more mileage. The bad news is that I am still too slow.
I have big goals in 2010 and getting to Paris is just one of them. I suppose, like everything, I just need to remember that the things I do day in and day out are what will eventually allow me to realize these milestones. For the rest of the year, I am focusing on success one day at a time. I think it will give me more patience and allow me to feel a better sense of accomplishment. For once in my life, I am going to take the time to stop and savor the little joys in life. When I look up a year from now, I imagine life will look a way it has never looked before.
Until next time,
Lisa
Day after day, I see glimmers of progress, but I must admit that I am still waiting for the "big miracle" (in the form of any weight loss and/or a significant increase in speed) to occur. Somehow I need to find a way to shave 30 sec off each mile and keep that pace consistently. This week, I did several 4-mile training runs, followed by the big 6-miler today. I did remarkably well on the 6 miles compared to how difficult the 5-miler was just one week ago. The good news is that my pace is steady, despite adding more mileage. The bad news is that I am still too slow.
I have big goals in 2010 and getting to Paris is just one of them. I suppose, like everything, I just need to remember that the things I do day in and day out are what will eventually allow me to realize these milestones. For the rest of the year, I am focusing on success one day at a time. I think it will give me more patience and allow me to feel a better sense of accomplishment. For once in my life, I am going to take the time to stop and savor the little joys in life. When I look up a year from now, I imagine life will look a way it has never looked before.
Until next time,
Lisa
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