Showing posts with label ultra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ultra. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Aaaaand number 3 for the year!

Okay, so I woke up this morning and my calf was cramping up (I think it's a combination of not enough water, the cold, possibly lack of electrolytes, not stretching enough, and a crowned road (yay California :P)). So, I decided I would run later to see if it would work itself out. It's sort of a thing that escalates the more I run, so I gotta stretch it out and give it a break now and again or I can't run. BAH.


So I got back from a thing and it was 4:00. The sun sets at about 5:00, so I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible and run. I changed quickly and realized I had to go to the bathroom. I decided it could wait (although I knew I had had a cup of coffee earlier...) since I was racing the sun, and I only planned on doing ~ 2 miles.

So, fast forward a bit to me running at a good clip (keeping an 11:00 - 10:00 pace quite easily; good for me!) and not having to stop, pushing myself a little. A fast run, I thought, since it's going to be short. I turn around, make my way down the other side of a little, steep, hill and realize I have to stop.

My bladder, I just knew, would betray me in the worst way possible if I continued. I mean, I couldn't feel any of the proper muscles down there.... cause, you know, running means a large bit of blood flow diverted from places to just the legs and heart/lung area.

I still managed an okay pace.

I'm glad I ran today - that's 3 in a row! The longest streak in a long time, hahahahaha.

So, here are the stats:

No warm up

1.77 miles total distance
23:17 time
13:09 average pace.

So yeah. It felt like a really, really good run. It was a shame that I had to stop...

There's always tomorrow!

Happy Running!

(P.S. I'm really hoping to find some trails at some point; trail running seems like it would be sooo much fun and I haven't done any, aside from that marsh run last year, which I don't think counts too much...)

Monday, January 2, 2012

It's Monday and I'm Still Running!

hahaha yeah....

So...

Kind of a heavy feeling run. I think it was because I ran yesterday and haven't done back-to-back runs in a long time. I had fun, though. I also think the cold made my muscles stiff. It wasn't that cold though  - around 45 degrees... but it felt colder than, say, the 40 degrees I was used to a week or two ago. Very strange, as the Beatles would say.

I ran with R. because his leg was acting up - partly his IT band area. I told him to do the rehab on the strength running website (it's a really good website!), but he hasn't yet. I'll bug him some more; I don't want him to have issues!

But during the run, his legs loosened up. Afterwards his calf was giving him trouble. Oy. I swear it's the building up of mileage and being not used to back-to-back running days. Oh, well. It'll iron itself out. Hopefully; we'll keep an eye on it.

Anyway, it was slow, but enjoyable.

Matrix Warm Up (also did a bit of a slower first half mile to warm up):
Mile 1: 14:40
Mile 2: 13:14
Mile 3: 14:41
Last .21: 2:54 @ 13:58 pace (walked a bit)

I'm trying to get over my habit of walking. I know it's a habit because I just do it. I do it when I get into rhythm and feel great; I do it when I start to ache all over. It's bad. Very bad. I know if I just keep running, I can get past the mental barrier and forget that something hurts or I just feel like stopping in general.

What are your ways of solving this difficulty?

Happy Running :D

Sunday, January 1, 2012

First Run of 2012

So, I wanted to do 10 - I did! But between my trapeziums hurting (because I've started strength training again) and staying up too late, I didn't get good sleep, or enough. I also haven't been eating very well or drinking enough water.

When will I learn that I have to take care of myself before I can become a better runner? Jeez!

Anyway, I ended up doing 5 miles at a fairly slow pace. But it's okay. It's a good start! This year is going to be a great running year, I have determined.

To make sure this happens, I'm going to:

-Get to bed earlier (11:00 or 12:00, at the LATEST)
-Eat more vegetables, and less bad, processed stuff
-Drink more water, less sodas (ugh, my pepsi addiction!) and less coffee
-Lose weight (it's easier to go faster and longer if you're lighter!)

So there's that!

Today's run breakdown:

Mile 1 (warm up mile): 13:23
Mile 2: 13:14
Mile 3: 15:10
Mile 4: 15:15
Mile 5: 14:37

So yes, slow, hard, thirsty, and hilly... But I did it! That's what counts :D

Happy Running 2012

Monday, July 18, 2011

I'm doing it! I'm doing it!

Okay, so the name is titled after my thoughts as I finished the last weeks of Couch to 5k program. Now, some people may think this program is a little silly - running is just putting one foot in front of the other, right? - but I don't care; it got me started, therefore I am forever in debt to whoever thought of it first...

Anyway! On to exciting things! Such as my birthday present yesterday from R. Yesterday I turned 21. I got back lat(er) from a thing, so I was in a hurry to go on a run with R. Well, I got all changed, got my purse (have to drive to the start of the run) and then someone said "Come on; We need you in R.'s room!" I'm like, oh, okay. I walk in and there's a gift bag on the bed. Mom, of course, is recording the whole thing.

I take out the tissue paper.

I see a large-ish square box with a little running man on top. Do I dare think...?

I don't have to dare. Or think. It's there. Right in my hands. Garmin 305 watch! So much happy! R. had gotten it for me and he wanted to make sure that I had it for our run, in case we didn't have to do much to set it up.

Turns out, you have to charge it for 3 hours (which we didn't have) so I set it up to charge and we left. I came back and set up the user stuff on the watch itself (after cake) and today I'm installing the software and getting that all set up. Why didn't I do it last night? Well, by the time 1:00 rolls around, a person isn't exactly thinking the clearest...Also, I wanted R. to help me, and he was going to bed... thought he had to work today...but it's raining...

Speaking of raining, I hope it lets up! I want to try the watch! Argh! It's not supposed to rain in July here... hmph...

Okay, other things I should mention in a first post? Well, my ultimate goal as a runner is to be an ultramarathoner. You heard me. Only 6 months in and that's my goal. Hah. I'm training for a marathon in October. Should be fun. I keep telling R. "We're crazy for trying a marathon when we haven't even been running 1 year!" but, really, it's not that crazy, is it? Some people's first race is an ultra, for pete's sake!

Right now, I'm slow. Like really slow. I get a 12:33 average pace on a run and I'm stoked. That's fast for me. But I'm getting better! I read Brian Brazier's book Thrive and I ate that way one day (one day because, you know, my birthday...) and today I'm starting again. The run I had on that day was epic; my heart rate stayed steady, my breathing was even and unlabored, my legs felt absolutely fantastic, and I set a distance pace PR. So. I think that's all a good thing.

Now, as it's Monday, I might as well tally up the mileage for last week (which was low because of emergencies and things):

Running: 9 miles
Average Pace: ~12:40 (I think...)
Walking: ~1 mile (pace of about 17:00)
Cycling: None
Week 4 of the marathon schedule begins today!