Running is a science

I constantly feel like I am experimenting when it comes to running.  

Chemistry, anyone?

What training plan is the best?  How fast should I run today?  Should I negative-split this run?  What pace should I choose for my race?  What should I use to fuel?  

For me, the biggest question right now is what to do post-run.  I am trying to figure out a way to alleviate my sore muscles.  I imagine every runner is sore post-run, but I would like to not hurt quite so badly.  I mean, I expect it after a long run, but not so much after a 4-5 miler.  Here is what I am currently doing after each run:

• ice bath (okay, not every run, but almost every run)
• compression socks (I wear them pretty much 24 hours solid following each run)
• hot bath (again, not after every run, but pretty frequently, as they seem to help my sore shins/calves)
• chocolate milk (supposed to help if you drink it post-run, so while I am not a fan, I down a glass after my long runs)
• foam rolling (after every single run, and usually 2 or more times a day)

I think that's everything.  I tried some leg elevation last night after my run, but didn't really notice it helping.  What has helped the most are my compression socks and the foam rolling.  I am going to continue to try to find the right "cocktail" for me!

 For the record, I love amaretto sours.  They're the only alcoholic drink I will actually ingest!

Day 3 on both challenges.  60 squats + 30 second plank.  No complaints... yet ;)  

This week's training schedule:

Sunday: cross-training (abs and arms)
Monday: 3 easy miles followed by a few short sprint intervals (more later on that)
Tuesday: cross-training (abs and arms)
Wednesday: 6 miles (more interval training)
Thursday: rest day
Friday: cross-training (hopefully hitting the gym for some bike and machines)
Saturday: 10 nice-and-easy miles

So it should be a good week. I haven't done much speed training lately, and I miss it.  I was hitting the track weekly prior to starting this plan.  Overall, though, this is an easy-ish week.  I'm not complaining... I need some relaxing runs. 

Even the best-laid plans...

What is it that they say about the best-laid plans?  I had to Google this one... "Even the best laid plans of mice and men go array."  The saying is from John Steinbeck's book Of Mice and Men.

It is always good to have a plan B!

Early this morning, I made a realization: there was no way that my long run (the plan called for 12 miles) was going to happen on Saturday morning, as I'd planned.  My husband is leaving at 8 AM to help my parents move, and then he's headed out for a weekend fishing trip with a friend.  I could get up at 6 AM to run... but I have Hunter this weekend, and his caregiver isn't coming until 9 AM.  She worked a 12-hour day with him today, so there was no way I was going to ask her to come at 6 AM so I could run.

Enter plan B.  I did my 12 mile run tonight.  It took a bit of planning, as Joey had soccer practice and of course there were the other 3 kids, but I figured it out and set out at 5:45 PM for my run.  I don't think I have ever done a long run in the evening. I know for a fact that 12 miles is my second-longest run ever; the only time I have ever ran further was when I ran my first half-marathon back in May.  

I wasn't afraid of the 12 miles... what scared me was the caveat: I was supposed to run the "middle 4" miles at race-pace.  "Middle four" is a somewhat ambiguous term; in the book Train Like a Mother, the authors say that any four miles in the middle would do just fine.  However, for a negative-splitter like yours truly, I knew that ANY four miles at that quick of a pace in the middle of a long run were not going to be easy for me.  Then there was the question of what was my race-pace?  For a 5K, it's sub-8:00 miles, but that wasn't happening tonight LOL!  A friend told me that it was race-pace for my goal race, which of course is the half marathon in October.  According to the McMillan Running Calculator, my 24:26 5K PR translates into a 1:53 half marathon, a full SEVEN MINUTES faster than my half-marathon PR.  Say what?!! 

That's an 8:37/mile pace.  I knew that was going to be near-impossible to hit for four miles, so I decided to try to get around 8:50/mile, which would be a 1:55 half.  I am cool with that time.

I decided I would start out nice and easy, and then hit my race-pace at either mile 4 or 5.  I procrastinated a bit and mile 6 it was.  I had taken a GU at mile 3.5, so I felt pretty good starting mile 6, even though I didn't quite hit my pace (8:56).  Felt even better the next mile (8:39).  Mile 8 was almost entirely downhill, so my 8:29 was a bit inflated.  I took another GU at mile 7.6, feeling great and ready to rock mile 9 (my final race-pace mile).  However, I quickly started to have trouble controlling my breathing.  Because of this, at mile 8.4 I had to do something that I have never done on a long run: stop.  I just totally stopped.  I almost cried.  I just couldn't breathe.  My heart was racing, and I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to get home.  I took about a minute to get my breathing under control, and then I finished out mile 9 (8:51). I took another breather after I finished mile 9 to restart my music (I always forget that the "shuffle" mode on my playlist doesn't repeat automatically), and then finished up the final 3 miles.  I wanted to walk sooooo badly on those final 3 miles.  I was tired beyond belief.  I didn't think I was going to make it home, I truly didn't.  I still don't know how I did, but here I am.  Splits...



 
So, what was it about tonight?  I have come up with numerous reasons excuses (let's be real here) why I had such issues.

1.  It was a night run, and I was tired from a busy day taking care of my kids.  Also, as I mentioned, I don't typically do night runs (especially for long runs).
2.  I had dinner at 3:45 PM, and ran at 5:45 PM.  Since I don't typically run at night, I wasn't sure when to eat, what to eat, or how much.  I don't think my chicken and mashed potatoes settled as well as I had thought they would.
3.  The delicious Salted Caramel GU with added caffeine... I really do feel this messed me up.  I have never had a GU with caffeine before.  I am really not a huge caffeine drinker... maybe one can of soda a day, but that's it. No tea, coffee, energy drinks, etc.  Lesson learned: no more GU's with caffeine!

 
4. I had Gatorade in one of my two water bottles tonight.  I think I should water down the Gatorade if I take it again.  It was too much for me; I found myself just wanting water.  I had planned on using a Nuun hydration tablet in my water, but I tried a sip before I left and it was GROSS, so Gatorade it was.

Whatever the reason, this run was super hard for me.  However, when I look at my final time, I think I know why.  It was a 1:52.  That is fast.  If I had run 13.1 miles, I likely would have gone around a 2:02-2:03.  As I mentioned, my PR is a 2:00, so I clearly was working it.  

If I had taken a picture of myself, this is what it would have looked like.

I am so very thankful that I am not running again till Monday night, and that next week's long run is only 10 miles, with no caveats :)  For my plan B, I think tomorrow will be total rest day (with a ton of foam rolling of course), cross-train on Sunday, and then run on Monday. 

Oh, I did do the two challenges today (55 squats and a 20-second plank) this afternoon.  I like the structure of the challenges.  Let's see if I am still saying that in a week when they get hard ;)

August Challenges

One of the more popular things for running/fitness pages to do on Facebook right now is to create a monthly fitness challenge.  The challenge is posted and people who follow that page can elect to do the challenge.  Typically, the challenge involves doing some exercise (plank, sit-up, etc.) or combination of exercises every day, with a few rest days sprinkled in throughout the month.  

I haven't done a challenge before, but this month I found two that I consider do-able for me.  Do-able in that they don't take up a lot of time, and also do-able in that I don't have any races until the end of the month, so it's okay if my legs hurts a bit LOL!

Here is the first one, a plank challenge:



I actually like planks, but I have no clue how long I can do a plank for.  I am thinking I could do at least 90 seconds, but probably longer.  So this will be a good challenge for me!  Today's 20 seconds was pretty easy :)

The second one is probably going to be a bit harder... it's a squat challenge, and the numbers really get high:



I was a bit worried, but I did day 1 already, and felt just fine.  I imagine at some point I will be breaking the squats into sets... not sure if I could do 150+ squats without stopping!!!

So, I know today is a "rest day", and I really am resting, aside from these challenges... and taking my 3 youngest kiddos grocery shopping... and multiple trips to the toilet (TMI I am sure, but I have having stomach issues today)... but other than that, I rested, I promise!

Looking forward to hopefully getting back to the gym tomorrow and getting a good lifting workout in.  I haven't been in a few weeks and I miss it!

Tempo runs make me a headcase

If I had to choose my least favorite type of run, for sure it would be tempo runs.  I assume most of those who are actually reading this blog know what a tempo run is, but for the uninformed, basically it is a run where you are running at your "threshold pace" (10-20 seconds slower than your race-pace 10K pace, or 25-30 seconds slower than your race-pace 5K pace) for 20-30 minutes.  Words that are used by others to describe tempo runs: steady effort, comfortably hard, challenging yet managable... and my own word: HARD.   Here is a nice calculator for running paces.  For me, my tempo pace WAS around 8:25-8:30/mile, until my recent 5K... now it is sub-8:20!  For whatever reason, this is a hard pace for me to hit for continuous miles.  I think part of it is that I am by nature a negative-split runner.  I prefer to start slow and gradually increase my speed.  With a tempo run, I get a mile to warm-up, and then BAM, I am supposed to be running at a speed that is pretty uncomfortable for me, at least that early on, and for more than just a mile or two.  I can do 4-mile tempo runs (which are actually just 2 miles at tempo), but more than that just scares me!

I know I am overthinking things.  I get it, I do... but that doesn't make it any easier to do the tempo runs.  Today's run was a 5 mile tempo run, where the first mile was a warm-up, and then 3 miles at tempo pace before a 1 mile cool-down.  The plan I am using actually called for a quarter-mile "recovery jog" between each mile at tempo pace, but for me, once I am at that pace, it doesn't help me to slow down... quite the opposite, I have a lot of trouble getting back up to speed again.  So I skipped on the jogging and just did the 3 miles straight. 

Here were my splits: 



I knew from the start that today wasn't going to be my day when it came to running.  I rolled out of bed and just wasn't feeling it at all.  Once I finally got out the door, it was drizzling outside... no big deal, really.  I took the first mile relatively easy.  It always feels weird to me, the first half-mile or so of a run... like I don't really know how to run.  Anyway, the kinks got worked out, but I just felt tired.  Not sleepy; more like, my body was tired.  I knew it was going to be so hard to hit an 8:30 pace on mile #2.  Actually, when I looked at the graph of my run, I was fairly close to hitting around 8:30ish on mile 2 for the final half- to three-fourths of that mile.  It was the first quarter or so that I was just too slow.  Mile #3 was a bit better, and of course mile #4 was the best because I knew I was almost done!  Still not anywhere close to my "new" tempo pace, though.  This is how I felt after my run:

I have a huge tongue LOL!

As I ran, I told myself it was okay that I wasn't hitting my tempo pace today, that it was more about the effort.  I have read that exact thing--that tempo should be more about the effort than the precise numbers.  I just have trouble letting the numbers go (as a math teacher, that's not surprising!). 

One other annoying thing: my left foot fell asleep today at around mile #3.  I hate when it does that!  I had been doing some intense masssage on the trigger points in my feet, as recommended to me by a PT who has a FB page where he gives out advice to runners.  That actually seemed to do the trick, but I stopped, and I need to get back to doing it.  I took a nice ice bath after today's run, and foam rolled as well.  Feeling okay today, leg-wise.  Just TIRED!  Grateful for another rest day tomorrow. 

Ready to run again

So I haven't ran in almost 60 hours.  Sad that I am counting it down LOL!  With this being an odd week after having a long run last Friday and a race on Sunday, I am finally getting to run again tomorrow morning.  My legs have been ever so grateful for the break, though.  I have read that when you race, you should take one easy day for every mile that you have raced.  I am going to count Sunday as an easy day, since I raced so early, so today would be day 3.  Guess my time is up!  Tomorrow is a 5 mile run, with the middle 3 at tempo pace.  Ouch!  Tempo runs are the hardest for me, but I know that they are the ones that help with races (especially a half marathon) the most.

As for today, I ended up having a very busy personally, and didn't get to cross-train during my twins' nap as planned.  I was still able to fit in two short core workout videos as well as my "Madonna's arms" workout.  Both core videos (Hungry Runner and Ab exercises for runners) were created specifically for runners, and I did 2 sets of 20 reps for all of the exercises that were shown.  It only took me about 15 minutes or so to do the core workouts, and 10 for the arms workout.  It wasn't as much as I wanted to do today, but heck, at least I got it in!

My new BFF

I should retitle this post "My new non-human BFF", as I still love my BFF Elizabeth.  However, I have a new non-human BFF that I love even more than chocolate.  It is my foam roller.  

Such a thing of beauty! 

 

I would gladly wear white and exchange rings with this thing; that is how much I adore it.  It is the only thing that works when I am as sore as I am right now.  It tops ibuprofen by a landslide.  I think the only thing that would be better would be an actual deep-tissue massage, but seeing as how we bought a new-to-us mini-van today, that is not in the budget nor will it be for quite some time... therefore Mr. Black will have to do when my legs are screaming at me.

Which brings me to the question of why.  Why exactly am I so sore after I race?  I can see it after a half-marathon, but seriously, a 5K?  I don't get why my legs hurt so badly.  I have a new area of pain after yesterday's race that has joined my calves: my butt. Yes, my butt.  Really, it's my upper right hamstring, but it does extend into my gluteus maximus, and it hurts when I sit.  I have figured out a great way to roll it, though, and wow does it ever feel amazing terrific orgasmic.  I am totally not exaggerating here.  I rolled three or four times total today (I've lost track), and each time I was able to walk without pain afterwards.  The pain eventually came back, but another rolling session helped alleve it each time. 

Anyway, back to the why.  I have only one hypothesis.  I think I am pushing myself too hard during my races.  Or, at least, harder than I trained myself to go.  Not that I am going to stop pushing myself hard during races, not by any extreme, but I don't know why else my muscles would respond in this way.  Unless this is typical... but I haven't heard other runners expressing the same discomfort after measily 5K's.  

Today's rest day ended with a nice long hot soak in the tub, and of course some more rolling.  Tomorrow I am planning on working my arms heavily, and my core a bit.  Still going to baby my legs, as I have a tempo run scheduled for Wednesday morning at 6 AM that is already scaring me.  Hopefully one more day off will do the trick.

Race Recap: Ohio State Fair 5K

Race day!!!  Today's weather forecast was 100% dead-on... a perfect morning for a 5K race (or any race, for that matter).  The temperature at the start was below 60 degrees, as was the dew point, and the humidity was just around 90%.  All in all, an amazing July morning; you couldn't ask for better weather. 

I woke up just after 6:00 AM, as planned.  After my breakfast of a banana, getting dressed, and some quick Facebook surfing, I was on the road by 6:45 AM.  Honestly, I was bored and just wanted to get going!  I figured I would arrive too early, and I did, as I pulled into the parking lot shortly after 7 AM.  With a race start of 8 AM, I had no reason to be there that early, but I definitely would rather be early than late!  Everything was super-easy as far as getting there, getting into the fairgrounds and parking.  There were a few other early-birds there as well.  

 Me all set to race... in about 45 minutes LOL!

I hung out in my car for as long as I could (about 10 minutes), then walked to an out-of-the-way parking lot where I did some dynamic stretching and ran a mile (about 8 parking-lot-circles LOL!) to warm-up.  By that time, it was around 7:30, so I ate my Sports Beans and then wandered over to the starting area, where more and more people were arriving and going through their warm-up routines.  The race looked about as crowded as I expected.  Around 250 runners two years ago and around 180 runners last year... this year's official count was 246. 

At 7:50 AM, they called the kids over for the fun run.  Joey, my 8-year-old, was signed up for this, but since I didn't have anyone to watch him during my own race, I didn't bring him along.  Next year, I definitely want to bring all four of my children and let them do the fun run (my hubby can take care of them while I race).  It was so cute watching the little ones run through the finishers' chute (100 meter dash for 4-and-under, 200 meter dash for 5-and-up) and get their medals! 

The kids' races finished pretty quickly, and we were called to the starting line right around 8:00 AM.  I was surprised that we were starting in a parking lot adjacent to the timing system, not right under the start/finish chute like usual.  The race director announced that it was a chip-timed race, but that the start would be hand-timed.  This made absolutely no sense to me (more about it later).  I started my Garmin right after the horn went off, and I was about 5-10 feet from the starting "line" (a piece of tape on the ground).  

The race start was fast.  Really fast!  As I said, I started the race pretty close to the front; maybe 20-30 people were in front of or next to me.  The people around me took off like rockets!  I glanced at my watch after about two-tenths of a mile and saw we were going in the low-7:00 range and I just about freaked out.  I felt like I was working way too hard, and knew that I needed to settle into my own race or I would be paying for it.  So I let people fly by me (very hard for me to do!) and got into my own rhythm.  I was still definitely running faster than I'd planned for the first mile.  I had thought I would go around a 7:50 at best, and I clocked in at 7:43.  

The race went by pretty quickly.  I absolutely loved running down the midway where all of the rides were, as well as by Smokey the Bear, where my mom would take my siblings and my photos when we were kids.  The fair was an annual family outing for all of my childhood, and it was neat to revisit those memories.  

Good ol' Smokey!

The most difficult part of the race for me is always around the 2-mile mark (I hate thinking that I have an entire mile to go still, and I'm already tired from the effort of the first 2 miles).  I started to have trouble controlling my breathing at around 1.6 miles.  My second mile was a 7:58, and I had no clue how I would ever keep my pace under 8:00 for the final mile.  However, it was cool hearing the announcer over the PA system at the fair that the top finishers were coming in (this was at around 17-18 minutes), and that did motivate me a bit.  There was a very small hill (the only one on the entire course!) at around 2.9 miles, and that was NOT fun... even though it was only a slight elevation, I was totally ready to just STOP by then. I had been running next to a man for about a mile and we both looked at each other and groaned when we saw it (and I might have let a little curse word slip...).   

When I finally saw the finisher's chute, I was so relieved!  I picked up my pace the best that I could and ran in, seeing my time and feeling pretty darn happy about it!

PR by almost a full minute from July 4th!!!  And look at my pace for the final 0.1 miles...

if only I could hold that for an entire 5K!

I didn't cry because I was too tired LOL... but based on the goals that I posted yesterday, I should have!  I never expected to PR by a full minute.  I just hoped I would break 25 minutes, to be honest.  I had a huge grin on my face after the race.  Before I headed home, I spent about 15 minutes cheering on the finishers who came in after me, which was fun.  Here were my Garmin splits:



I was happy to be under 8:00 for all three miles!


So, the official results have been posted on the race website.  My official race time was 24:26.  I know that is what the clock said as I passed through the chute, but I also know I did not pass over the start line right as the horn sounded.  How on earth do they know when I started if there was no timing mat?!!  I talked to some running friends, and apparently this is what they do when they don't have a starting mat... so basically, everyone's time starts when the horn sounds, regardless of how far you are back from the starting line.  Thank goodness I stuck close to the front at the start!

Anyway, this was the one and only negative part of the race, but since I did PR by 55 seconds, I will let those 4 seconds go.  My overall place was 41st out of the 246 runners.  I was the 11th fastest female (out of 136) and got 6th in my division (30-39 year olds).  I checked and if I had ran this race last year, I would have been 2nd in the 30-39 year olds!  So there was definitely more competition this year.  Next year, I WILL place!  I just want an age group award :)  The best part of the race (other than the PR of course) was the yummy post-race food, including CANDY... I.love.candy!

Mmm... Hershey's Kisses & Twizzlers...

My legs felt fine during the race, but they are tired now.  My right hamstring hurt really badly all day today, but foam rolling it tonight definitely helped.  I plan on using tomorrow as either a rest day or a cross-training day--maybe getting on the bike.  My mother-in-law gave me a beautiful "cruising bike" that I am dying to try on the trails around Westerville.  I know that my legs will welcome the day off from running, that's for sure!