I did it. Finished my 9th Half Marathon. I keep improving which is a great thing. However, as I become a better runner the improvement are smaller and smaller. I feel very improvement has to comes with tougher training. I used to improve with minimal training by 10 minutes but my last 3 half marathons were by 2 minutes. To shave off those 2 minutes each time is a killer. At this rate my goal of a sub 2 hour half marathon is a ways off in the future.
Summary:
Time: 2:06:34, ave pace 9:40. PR by almost 2 minutes.
Field size: 1007 out of 1208.
Spilts: 8:35, 9:03, 9:13, 9:18, 9:44 (hill), 9:26, 9:25, 9:22, 9:20, 9:48 (hill), 9:53, 9:50, 10:24
To work on: pacing. First 2 miles too fast, thus the graudal slow down towards the end. The last 3 miles were killer. My legs were shot and they felt like dead weight. They didn't seem that fast but gosh be golly they were.
I just don't understand how some runners are just naturally faster and I have to work for everything that comes to me. I'll work hard for the improvements but I wished I didn't have to. Why do I strive for something that I'll never be able to reach; which is a faster runner. I just need to be happy with the results but there will always be something to complain about. I think that is what is wrong with being a competitive person with myself. In the end no matter the outcome I'll never be satisfied. I can never be one of those carefree runners. I will always need to run with my watch to know the miles and the pace. I think being so caught up in that I'm sometimes missing the point. Sometimes the sport of running is so frustrating. But other times it's the greatest feeling in the world. It's hard to mesh those two feelings together. I think once put altogether a PR could be made that I'm proud of.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Treadmill Running - Argh!!!
Some days you can't live with them and others days they are a necessity. For me I wish I would never have to set foot on another one. However, the weather this winter in MN has been so varied I have to train more and more on it. It gone from nice to warm to sub freezing temps with dangerously low windchill to snow and icey to nice. These aren't ideal running conditions. These are the reasons why I got a treadmill last winter.
For me treadmill running always makes me slower and my body aches so much after the run. I wonder if it does any good. When I run outside I wouldn't imagine walking for 1/4 to 1/2 mile because I was tired but I do it all the time on the treadmill. I don't think I have the mentality to run comfortably on it. Those horrible runs on the treaddmill make me question my running ability and how it will affect my training. I've tried all the tips in the world but I don't seem as fluid and effortless when running on the treadmill and it is discouraging.
I don't like the way my body response to training on it. My quads, hamstrings, and upper back/shoulder area are always super sore for a few days after the run. If I don't feel that way outside I wonder why it happens inside. Maybe stretching will help more and I'm considering getting massages more frequently during this training session.
The question is when the temps get colder I also seem to slow down. So what is the trade off? Running slower outside in the cold without the aches and pains or running on the treadmill pushing myself and maybe going a little faster but sorer for a few days.
We'll see if theincreased treadmill running I have done over the past few weeks will make a difference in the half marathon I'm doing this weekend. The Securian Frozen Half. Lovely title. :)
For me treadmill running always makes me slower and my body aches so much after the run. I wonder if it does any good. When I run outside I wouldn't imagine walking for 1/4 to 1/2 mile because I was tired but I do it all the time on the treadmill. I don't think I have the mentality to run comfortably on it. Those horrible runs on the treaddmill make me question my running ability and how it will affect my training. I've tried all the tips in the world but I don't seem as fluid and effortless when running on the treadmill and it is discouraging.
I don't like the way my body response to training on it. My quads, hamstrings, and upper back/shoulder area are always super sore for a few days after the run. If I don't feel that way outside I wonder why it happens inside. Maybe stretching will help more and I'm considering getting massages more frequently during this training session.
The question is when the temps get colder I also seem to slow down. So what is the trade off? Running slower outside in the cold without the aches and pains or running on the treadmill pushing myself and maybe going a little faster but sorer for a few days.
We'll see if theincreased treadmill running I have done over the past few weeks will make a difference in the half marathon I'm doing this weekend. The Securian Frozen Half. Lovely title. :)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
1st week down - 17 more to go!
I survived my first week on the Pfitz's plan. Wasn't too much of an increase but when I look ahead to the schedule I get scared. So I'm taking the appoarch one day at a time. I feel if I can stick with it and get the medium-long runs to feel comfortable I'll have a huge PR. You can't beat that.
I'm really focusing on staying in the certain ranges for each run. I would normally run my reovery runs to fast. The other days I rest. Getting that extra 2 hours of sleep is wonderful.
1-14 = Biked 30 mins on my trainer.
1-15 = Did 7 miles outside in the freezing cold. ave pace was 10:43.
1-17 = Did 9 miles and went to the treadmill. . 40 combined with warm up and cool down. I hate that thing but the windchill was a little to far into the negative for my tastes. ave pace was 10:33.
1-19 = Did 12 miles in a sports dorm due to dangergously low windchills. Ave pace was 11:52. I ran with someone doing 4:1's and we had 6 short breaks.
1-20 = Did 4 miles on the treadmill. Recovery run of ave pace of 12:29.
Total miles 32.40
This week is a little confusing. I'm in full marathon training mode but have a half marathon on Saturday. I truely hope TOM will hold off until after the run. I won't have a taper as I have 10 miles to do on thursday. That leaves Friday with a rest day. I always take this half marathon as a new starting point for the year. I would really love to PR here but the cold weather conditions have me worried. I would really love a sub 2 hours but I think that is a stretch. Maybe my goal should be 2:05:xxx as that would be a 3 min improvement over my last one in August. Will keep you posted.
I'm really focusing on staying in the certain ranges for each run. I would normally run my reovery runs to fast. The other days I rest. Getting that extra 2 hours of sleep is wonderful.
1-14 = Biked 30 mins on my trainer.
1-15 = Did 7 miles outside in the freezing cold. ave pace was 10:43.
1-17 = Did 9 miles and went to the treadmill. . 40 combined with warm up and cool down. I hate that thing but the windchill was a little to far into the negative for my tastes. ave pace was 10:33.
1-19 = Did 12 miles in a sports dorm due to dangergously low windchills. Ave pace was 11:52. I ran with someone doing 4:1's and we had 6 short breaks.
1-20 = Did 4 miles on the treadmill. Recovery run of ave pace of 12:29.
Total miles 32.40
This week is a little confusing. I'm in full marathon training mode but have a half marathon on Saturday. I truely hope TOM will hold off until after the run. I won't have a taper as I have 10 miles to do on thursday. That leaves Friday with a rest day. I always take this half marathon as a new starting point for the year. I would really love to PR here but the cold weather conditions have me worried. I would really love a sub 2 hours but I think that is a stretch. Maybe my goal should be 2:05:xxx as that would be a 3 min improvement over my last one in August. Will keep you posted.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Disney Marathon Race Report
I was up at 2:00 so I could eat, coffee and hopefully have "action" before catching the bus at 3:00. No action to start my day off--bummer--that's the first time that didn't work. Considering that 2:00 a.m. is really midnight in my normal time zone, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Caught the busses (we had to take 2) to the start. Used the restroom 2X but still no action. Disney does this type of crowd control well, lots of port-a-potties. Went to the start. It was humid and foggy, but warm. The fireworks were nice, but not all that impressive. Disney seems to have cut their fireworks budget based on previous vistits. Started the race, I decided I was going to do a 4:1 Galloway to see what it was like. My pace was pretty good with it, when I was able to run in the early parts. Lots of groups were running 4-5 across and add that to the crowding, it was really hard to get through quickly. Epcot was lit up well. Running through the parks was fun. The hard thing is that during some of the longer stretches, there were no water stations inside the park.
It was hard to get through the crowds in many places and I think there are more people at Disney who don't train adequately for it than in other races. There were people in my corral who had never run farther than 10 miles--and we were supposed to have to show proof of result to do this. TNT needs to talk to their people about not taking up the whole road when they run. Disney organized well, but the runners....oh well. My feet were good, I had some of the pains I expected. I got the cramps in the front of my ankle, but they were manageable. After the half, I started getting pains in the side of my knee (not ITB, but similar) I haven't had this bad since Denver Marathon. I was glad I was doing my run walk, which kept the pain manageable until about mile 16. We hit some steeply banked road that really set me off. I did see Jeff Galloway on the course talking people through the race.
So anyway, the steeply banked roads really set off this injury. I had to start walking until the pain stopped, and then would run again until it started. Biofreeze helped some. I noticed that the pain was affecting my gait, so I knew the running was pretty much done for me and started walking mostly by mile 21. I finished. There were times I was drippy wet with the humidity, and I was pretty hot by the end, but I drank enough that it wasn't an issue for me. Powerade is good for me. I had both Powerade and water at most water stations. This is the first race ever that I was stopped by the medical team after the race. It might have been the tears coming out from under my sunglasses. She asked me if I needed ice. I got an ice pack shrink wrapped to my knee and some tylenol. Went and found DH. The system had been down and he hadn't gotten any updates on me from mile 10 and was worried. The busses were close to the finish area (yeah) and the rain held off until I was off the course.
It was hard to get through the crowds in many places and I think there are more people at Disney who don't train adequately for it than in other races. There were people in my corral who had never run farther than 10 miles--and we were supposed to have to show proof of result to do this. TNT needs to talk to their people about not taking up the whole road when they run. Disney organized well, but the runners....oh well. My feet were good, I had some of the pains I expected. I got the cramps in the front of my ankle, but they were manageable. After the half, I started getting pains in the side of my knee (not ITB, but similar) I haven't had this bad since Denver Marathon. I was glad I was doing my run walk, which kept the pain manageable until about mile 16. We hit some steeply banked road that really set me off. I did see Jeff Galloway on the course talking people through the race.
So anyway, the steeply banked roads really set off this injury. I had to start walking until the pain stopped, and then would run again until it started. Biofreeze helped some. I noticed that the pain was affecting my gait, so I knew the running was pretty much done for me and started walking mostly by mile 21. I finished. There were times I was drippy wet with the humidity, and I was pretty hot by the end, but I drank enough that it wasn't an issue for me. Powerade is good for me. I had both Powerade and water at most water stations. This is the first race ever that I was stopped by the medical team after the race. It might have been the tears coming out from under my sunglasses. She asked me if I needed ice. I got an ice pack shrink wrapped to my knee and some tylenol. Went and found DH. The system had been down and he hadn't gotten any updates on me from mile 10 and was worried. The busses were close to the finish area (yeah) and the rain held off until I was off the course.
Spring Marathon Training starts!!
So my 18 weeks to the Copenhagen, Denmark Marathon has officially arrived. I'm doing Pftiz's 18/55 plan. I hope it's not more than I can handle. I kept a great base since October and am ready to get this thing started. Reading all the folks Disney Half and Full Marathon race reports makes me super excited for training to start.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)