31 miles this week-- still sore...

Friday's long run was really two runs in one. The first 5 or so miles were pretty ugly-- I didn't really get into a groove until mile 5 or so. I was at the trail, and ran a 1-mile section 3-4 times; out and back. BORING, but it was hot, I didn't feel like carrying water, so I stopped by the car a few times, and wasn't sure if I was going to make it.

Then, somewhere in the 6th mile, things clicked. It was a good reminder to stick it out. Overall pace was 9:06, which was the same as the week before, although the effort felt harder.

Then ART-- saw another local runner (MUCH faster than moi) so I chuckled that I wasn't the only one seeking different types of treatment. Am not feeling the love with the ART, as my left leg now hurts; first the quad, then the IT Band.

Saturday's recovery 5 were just plain UGLY. 10:05 pace, did not feel great, but got it done. 31 miles for the week. I think next week I'm going to try to get in 35, then cut back before the race. We'll see how it goes. I think I'll try a tempo run tomorrow, and see how the legs feel.

TTFN-

A week later....

Ok- so its been awhile. Here is a summary:

9/19 12M LR on Peters Trail. Pace: 9:03-- I was really proud of this run, and the pace. I felt a bit sore, and it took some time to get going, but was really happy when I finished.

9/20 4M recovery run. Pace: 9:54. I did 2.5 of this on the HS track, which was hard, b/c the HS XC team was running intervals, and these girls were flying around the track. I sometimes wonder what I might have been able to do running-wise as a girl, had it not been for the asthma. Oh well, I guess I'm making up for it now :)

Total mileage 9/15: 30 mpw

This week:

Monday: 6M w/5 x 1200 at 7:03, 7:03, 6:58, 6:48, 6:48. I felt great getting this in. Pfitz called for 4 x 1200 at LT pace for the 1/2 marathon schedule, but I went ahead and did the full workout-- more of a VO2 workout, which is what I think I needed. Of course I'm paying for it w/sore legs.

Wednesday: hilly run in Mt. Lebo- 8M @ 8:56 pace. This run was really hard for me. I have not been doing much hill work, and my left leg was really stiff. I ran part of the Martha's Run course, then hit the track for 6 laps and then back to the Galleria. Mostly all road/sidewalk, which I plan to avoid as much as possible in the next 3 weeks.

I really wish my body would not hurt. I've been dealing with off and on aches/pains since early June, and its getting old. I'm giving this ART two more weeks, and if I don't see results, I'm going to just rest after the 1/2, and do the exact same thing I did for the Pig- slowly increase mileage and do Pfitz 18/50.

TTFN!

8M @ 8:39 Pace

Today I went out on the Peters Trail (slight incline one way, slight downhill the other), to do my 8M run. I wasn't exactly sure what Pftiz says for pacing for MLR and LR for the 1/2, so I wanted to push it a bit.

The 1st mile was 9:22 or so, and felt great. During the 2nd mile, I found that I was hitting sub-9 pace, so I went for it. 2nd mile: 8:52 or so. I was on a section of the trail that has a 1mile section, so did that for the 1st 3 miles, then hit this hill on the sidewalk right off the trail. It measured .3 miles, and has a gradual uphill-- not sure about the incline, but I felt it. I ran that 3 times-- worked pretty hard on the uphills, and tried to not go too fast on the downhills. I think I'll use that a good deal when prepping for Boston.

My last mile was 8:00 even, with a 8:39 pace for the 8 miles. It was a GOOD workout- wonder how I'll feel tomorrow.

The weather has FINALLY gotten less humid; even though, I was sweating bullets by the end.

I think I'm going to go to the far end of the trail on Friday for my 12 milers. Pfitz says LR between 1 and 2 minutes slower than goal 1/2 marathon pace. For me that is 7:40 so I'm going to try and keep the medium runs (6-10 miles) at that pace and the Long Runs (10+ miles) at around 9:15 or so.

It felt good to let it go! I'm really excited about running 4x a week until the race. Then, I think I'll cut back to 3 days a week, but keeping a LR of about 8-10 miles for the rest of October until after Thanksgiving. Then, increase the mileage until Pfitz starts.

We'll see....

Knee felt GREAT!

Great tempo run and something new...

Yesterday I started following the Pfitz plan for a 1/2 marathon on up to 30 miles a week. I think I might top out at 35 miles 4 weeks out-- we'll see how it goes. The really nice thing is that it is a 4 day a week plan. So- no more running 5x a week until Boston training starts!

One thing that is different is that the plan gives you LR distance, MR distance, then the distances for your temp and/or speedwork. It is up to you to figure out the warmup/warmdown miles... which is nice.

Yesterday called for a 4M tempo run. Since my 1/2 marathon goal time is 7:40 pace, and my 10K pr pace is 7:12, I split the difference for the pace. Did 1Mwu/1Mwd, and the 4M at tempo were 7:28 average. I could have gone faster during the last two miles particularly, but why?

My left leg is bugging me a bit, and I can't even describe which muscles it is, but has been sore since the 1/2. Hopefully it will feel better. I am commited to stretching...again.

Today I took my 1st Yoga class ever. It was nice, challenging in a wierd way (not cardio of course), but I kept looking at the clock. I bet I'll be sore tomorrow. They have a 9:30 Fitness Yoga class at Healthtrax that I am going to try and make 2x a week if I can on Tuesday/Thursday. I'll do that instead of the Group Power, which I still think has something to do with my knee aches.

Knee feels good! Have another ART session for Friday. Will continue to go as long as I feel good, and insurance will cover it.

TTFN!

Great 10M run today!

So.. I have been having these little aches/pains in my knee/legs. I guess that race Saturday took more out of me than I thought. Anyway, I headed out to the Montour Trail today; the Cecil sections, which is nice and flat, with porta-potties and water fountains. There is a nice 10M out and back section. I planned to do 10M at a nice easy pace.

Result-- I had a GREAT run: 9:02 pace, and after a couple mile warmup, really felt good. I had to stop 2x for the porta-potty, so it was good I went to that trail. I am a bit sore still, but am going to try something new tomorrow: Active Release Therapy-- hope it will help my leg!

TTFN...

Treadmill recovery run-ugh!

Today I ran for the first time since the 1/2 on Saturday. The knee is a bit twingy, but didn't hurt. Funny thing is it didn't bother me at all until last night, when I rode the bike for 45 minutes. Maybe I need to stay off the bike? Ugh.

Anyway- it was raining pretty hard, so I did the 5M recovery on the treadmill at the Club. Boring, but got it done. Fitness feels good, but I am so glad I'm not trying to fit that other marathon in.

Plan is to take it easy this week-no speedwork, and then follow either the Ryan Hall 1/2 plan, or adapt a Pfitz for the 5 weeks until the Butler Trail race. Am leaning towards the Pfitz, b/c the Hall plan has two days of speedwork. We'll see.

TTFN!

Ikea Half Marathon RR

Yesterday I ran the Ikea 1/2 marathon. I have been wanting to do this race for a few years, and realized that for the past 5 years we have been out of town this particular weekend in September. Either at the Outer Banks or ND games. So, I was pretty fired up to run the course, as I hear it is very flat.

I really did not taper (at all) for this race, other than the fact that I only ran 4 out of the 7 days prior to the race, and the LR last weekend was 14 miles, and did 10 Tuesday, and 6 (w/2@tempo) Thursday. So, I had originally set a goal of 7:45-7:50 pace. Well, it was humid Saturday morning, and I did not sleep very well, so I readjusted my goal to 8:00 min/mile. Came in at 1:45:09, 8:02 pace. It was HARD.

The first mile is all downhill (7:02 or something), then you go on the Montour Trail for 6 miles slightly uphill, then 6 miles coming back. My mile splits were between 8:15-7:39, but again, it felt HARD. I realized that since I really put a good deal of stock into my races, and they do take time away from the family on the weekends, that unless I am doing one as a training run for a marathon, I am only going to do goal races during hockey season. So, the next one will be the Butler Trail 1/2 marathon on 10/18, which is in 6 weeks, and right before Disney, then the Turkey Trot, then I'll gear up for marathon training for Boston!

After the race was another story. I ended up getting 3rd in my AG, but had some SERIOUS GI issues walking up the hill, so did not stay. UGH. Double UGH.

Today I am sore, and still need to get caught up on my sleep. Hopefully tonight.

I ordered Pfitz's 'other' book, and will most likely adapt one of his marathon programs for the last six weeks until the Butler race. The weather will undoubtedly be less humid, so that will help a great deal.

TTFN!

Big decisions!

So... after much thought and soul-searching, I decided to NOT run the Philly marathon this year, but to run Boston next spring instead of the Philly/Pittsburgh double.

Why?
Physical-- the knee. I started thinking hard about how long this has been bugging me, and it has been off/on since June. To start serious LRs for training would just aggravate it, and I didn't want to go into Philly unsure as to if I could BQ again or not.

Training: I realized that since Philly is so late (11/23), I would really only have a month in between training cycles if I were to do another Pfitz 18/55.

Mental: I started asking myself what the heck was I trying to prove? Who was I trying to impress? I got some good advice directed to another RW forumite, and some directed to me personally, all of which was good advice. I re-read some of my old posts about NYC, and decided to learn a lesson from my past mistakes. (now isn't THAT grown-up of me!)

Family: it is not only one fewer weekend away from the house, (during game season for hockey) so it would be hard on DH and the boys, and also I won't have to stress about it during our Disney trip.

I talked with DH about it Wednesday night, and he said it sounded like a good idea. He has been great about my running, and I know he fears my knee giving out again like NYC in 2006.

I slept on it, had a good run on Thursday, but somewhere during the run it just seemed crystal clear that this was the way to go. I know that I can be involved with Pittsburgh somehow, maybe a relay or running the 1/2 marathon. I called my friend, K, and she pointed out that Boston was my GOAL anyway, so that should take first priority.

Once I made the decision, I felt as though a physical weight had been removed. I was excited about running and life in general for the 1st time in weeks! I cancelled Philly hotel, switched my Boston one to the Copley Plaza Marriott, near the finish, so that DH would enjoy his stay, and called my folks to tell them. I think they'll go as well. We'll work the details out later, but I am excited!

Part of me thinks I have wimped out, but the ache in my knee and the good feeling I have inside tell me it was the right decision. Again, who am I trying to impress?

Have a 1/2 marathon tomorrow-- hope it goes well-- it is supposed to get hot tomorrow, but has been nice in the mornings. I am interested to see how I do-- I plan to go out around 7:45-7:50 miles, and see how that works. I would love a PR, but would take anything under 1:42.

Hope I'll have good news next time also!

10 miler, mostly on track.

Today my knee was bugging me AGAIN-- UGH I am so sick of this cycle, and have pledged to do my stretching/icing routine every other day. The funny thing is, it does not hurt when I run, still. Some twinges here and there, but no pain.

Am doing a mini-taper for the Ikea 1/2 marathon this weekend, so it works out nicely to have some shorter runs. Today was going to be 8-10 miles, and I ended up getting 10 miles in 1:34.

First 4 miles were on the track, then I went off for 2.5 miles, then 1.5 miles on the track. Then, a HS class came out for Gym, so I ended up doing the last 2 miles on the sidewalk/road. I think I did 2M in the middle at MP, so all in all, a decent workout.

Am trying to get a massage scheduled before the race Saturday to figure out what the heck is going on here....