Boston Training Week 7

My plan for the week was cross train, run 3 and 6 miles, cross train, rest, and run 3 and 12 miles.

I think it is worth noting that anyone who thinks moving (by yourself) is not exercise has never attempted to do it. I also think the last time I moved, I said I was going to hire professional movers the next time. Why I thought it was a good idea to not hire professional movers yet again, I do not know. I haven't even tried to move furniture yet. It's not too late to hire movers, right?

On a training note, I usually create a spreadsheet with my training plan. What can I say? I like data and numbers. I have yet to do that this time around. So far, I am working off of a photocopy of the Novice 1 marathon training plan from Hal Higdon's marathon training book. I look at the plan one week at a time. Maybe I'll get around to making a spreadsheet. Or not.

Sunday - All of Christine Felstead's Yoga for Runners intermediate program DVD. The part I skipped last week was mostly stretching. Now I know why pigeon pose feels so good.

Monday - 6.2 miles on the treadmill, plus core work and lunges.

Tuesday - 3.5 miles outside. Cold. Probably the coldest day so far this winter. Ran by time instead of distance because it was dark, I couldn't see my Garmin display too well, and I ran on a new route. At least it was reasonably flat, or whatever reasonably flat in the DC area means.

Wednesday - Clamshell planks, pushups, and calf raises in the AM. 30 minutes on the elliptical at lunch. Not really a fan of needing to shower at lunchtime. It didn't leave enough time for exercising.

Thursday - Rest.

Friday - 3.8 miles outside. In the cold. A little faster than Tuesday, plus I got to see some pretty clouds on the horizon.

Saturday - 12.2 miles in Rock Creek Park. We got about an inch of snow overnight on Friday. The roads in the park were clear. Although the paths in the park had some snow on them, the snow had been trampled down and some of it melted. I ran a little slower than usual, but it was warranted given the conditions. My hips were a bit sore at the end. This is a post-injury distance PR. Some creaks should be expected.

Total Miles: 25.7

Costco for the Win

It's been a while since I have sung the praises of Costco workout gear. That's because it disappeared for a while. Trust me. I looked every time I went.

The reversible yoga pants are back. I still love my black and gray pairs. I may or may not have worn the black ones to work occasionally (and got compliments!). They are every bit as good as the Lululemon versions at a fraction of the cost. $19.99 vs. $98? Right. One pair of Costco pants more than makes my annual membership fee to Costco worth it.

The jackets are back too, apparently both online and in the warehouse. I still like the one I got last year, but I actually think this year's jacket is better. Here's why:

1. It has little reflective strips on the cuffs and on the back. Still has the thumbholes and cuff mittens.
2. It has a zippered pocket on one of the sleeves, in addition to two other zippered pockets.
3. It is longer and not as tight as last year's jacket. Covers my bum and keeps it warm ;-)
4. It has a double zipper. I am not sure what the technical term is, but there are 2 zipper pulls on the main zipper. Which is good if you want the jacket partially zippered from somewhere other than the bottom of the jacket.
5. Still $24.99. The Lululemon equivalent is about $100.

I got the reddish pink jacket because there was a blueish teal one too close to last year's jacket, I didn't need another black jacket, and I liked the reddish pink more than the purplish one. If I am going to wear this in the winter, I am going to wear it in the dark at least some of the time. Then I'd rather have a brightly colored jacket.

I took this jacket out for a run on the coldest day we have had this winter, and it is every bit as good as its older sibling.

Some pics:

Front


Back


The cuffs with reflective strips, thumbholes, and cuff mittens. The mitten folds over as far as the reflective strip.

Oh Hai

I haven't posted much in the last, oh, forever. Part of it was being injured and I just didn't have much to post. Part of it was access to a computer/lack of a space to work. And part of it was being busy with being in a new place, starting a new job, and buying a house. You know, being an adult.

I am back on the road (mostly the treadmill). I will have my own home office soon (once I finish moving). Job is going very well (and I couldn't be happier). House has been purchased (that in itself could be several posts).

Hopefully things will calm down soon and I will have more time to post. At the very least, I will have an office with a computer that is mine. There are some running thoughts flowing through my head again. Such as the road race I ran while I was in Portugal. And more Lululemon-like workout clothes from Costco. And whatever else I can think of.

Boston Training Week 6

My plan for the week was cross train, run 3 and 5 miles, cross train, rest, and run 3 and 7 miles. A step-back week. Again? It feels like I just had one.

At the end of last week, my left foot started acting up. I cannot make this stuff up. But I think I've got the issue under control with more careful attention to my calves. Need to stretch before and after running and foam roll/use The Stick every day. I also need to be careful about switching from the running on the treadmill to running outside too quickly. The hills in the DC area is one of many things that I think contributed to my tendonitis issues. Or rather, switching too quickly from running on relatively flat areas to running on hills contributed to my tendonitis issues. I have no desire to repeat that cycle of misery again.

And how is it less than 100 days til the Boston Marathon? 100 days goes by quickly. But on the other hand, I only have to train for 100 days.

Sunday - About an hour of Christine Felstead's Yoga for Runners Intermediate Program DVD. It runs for almost an hour and a half and I didn't have enough time to do the whole thing. It was challenging. I definitely like this one. Also did one-legged squats with an exercise ball.

Monday - 35 minutes on the bike. My left Achilles tendon was giving me trouble, so I decided cross-training was the smart thing to do. Did lunges and core work in the evening. And lots of foam rolling on my calves.

Tuesday - 3.6 mile run on the treadmill, plus chest exercises and calf raises. Foam rolled again in the evening. I think it helped.

Wednesday - 5.2 miles on the treadmill.

Thursday - Rest.

Friday - 3.6 miles on the treadmill, plus clamshell planks. I was going to do upper body strength training at some point this week, but I figured moving (and carrying boxes and furniture) counts as strength training.

Saturday - 7.8 mile run. Outside. Pretty much the same route as last weekend. Got my overall pace into the 8:40s for the first time in a long time. That felt good.

Total Miles: 20.2

Boston Training Week 5

My plan for the week was cross train, run 3 and 5 miles, cross train, rest, and run 3 and 10 miles.

I am feeling better about my training, now that I got a double digit run under my belt. I really didn't know what was going to happen when I got into longer runs, but all is still good so far. Just 13 weeks to go.

I am also very much aware that Boston is not going to be a fast or pretty marathon. My endurance is not very good. My mental skills are out of practice, too. Oh well. It will give me a reason to go out and just enjoy it.

Sunday - hourlong yoga podcast. Haven't done that one in a few weeks. Still kicking my butt. My upper body was sore for 2 days afterward.

Monday - 3.5 mile run on the treadmill in the AM. Lunges and core work in the PM. Definitely felt good to do lunges. I need to get my legs back in shape.

Tuesday - 5.2 miles on the treadmill. I need to start earlier to get these runs done on time. Good thing I have a somewhat flexible work schedule. Also walked about 2 miles to run an errand at lunch and did pushups and clamshell planks in the evening.

Wednesday - 35 minutes on the bike, plus upper body strength training and calf raises.

Thursday - Rest.

Friday - 3.6 mile run on the treadmill. Bumped up the speed a little bit.

Saturday - 10.2 mile long run. Ran on a relatively new route since I spent the night at my house (!?!) and had new running options. No music, a little chilly but pleasant.

Total Miles: 22.5. First week over 20 miles in a long time.

Boston Training Week 4

So yeah. I didn't exactly stick to my plan. Traveling and being sick will do that to you. Traveling is not a big deal. I can usually work around that. But being tired and achy is a big deal, or enough of a big deal to skip exercising. Plus there was that random pain in the arch of my non-injured foot. I have no idea what caused it, and it was an incredibly sharp pain. Being sick was a blessing in disguise because it forced me to rest. The pain seems to have gone away as mysteriously as it came on. 

I managed to do a little bit of yoga and run 3 times, including 2 short easy runs and a 9 mile all-running long run. 9 miles is probably too much of jump, but everything felt fine during and afterwards. My training plan called for 9 miles this week. It was not a pretty or fast run (I have lost so much endurance that when I intentionally tried to speed it up at the end, I actually ended up slowing down), but I ran the whole thing. Ankle is not hurting. Random pain didn't come back. Good signs.

OK, back on track next week.

Boston Training Week 3

Step back week? Hmmm. Seems early for one of those.

Sunday - 3.3 miles. In Lisbon.

Monday - Rest. Unless lots of walking around the Lisbon airport is exercise. I think it counts.

Tuesday - 4.5 miles. Somewhere in the Atlantic. On Christmas morning.

Wednesday - 3.5 miles.

Thursday - Upper body strength training and squats. Glad I brought a resistance band. Also walked about 2 miles.

Friday - 6K race. Normally I could run in the low 7s no problem. I didn't really have a time goal, other than to try to run around an 8 minute pace. Check.

Saturday - Rest. Maybe walking. My non-injured foot was hurting a bit.

Total Miles: I am on vacation. No math involved.

Boston Training Week 2

Another week, another recap.

Sunday - Yoga podcast for an hour.

Monday - 3.2 mile run on the treadmill. Also did core work, pushups, and foam rolling in the evening.

Tuesday - 3.2 mile run outside. In the dark. Busted out more reflective gear than I have needed in a long time. Pace was about 30 seconds per mile slower than usual, but whatever. I didn't have a planned pace and ran at whatever pace was comfortable, plus I had to keep starting and stopping to cross streets.

Wednesday - Rest. Ankle was not too happy, plus I was super tired.

Thursday - 35 minutes on the bike. Ankle felt better, so that was good.

Friday - 7 miles total. 4.5 miles running, the rest walking.

Saturday - No idea. Maybe running. Most likely nothing.

Total miles: 13.4 as of Friday.

2012 in Review

2012 was not a terribly good running year. A mid-year injury that is tricky to treat will do that to you. I'm going to close out the year with around 850 miles. Most of those miles were in the first half of 2012.

2012 was pretty stellar in just about every other way.

1. Ran a BQ. Two, actually. Within 4 weeks of each other.

2. Moved to Washington, DC. I am not completely sold on DC, but I don't hate it. Clearly, if you read ahead to #6.

3. Finally live in the same place as my husband. Isn't that what married people are supposed to do? ;-)

4. Got a job. I really really really like it. It is one of those jobs where when I tell people what I do, everyone says that is a perfect job for you.

5. Got a promotion. And yes, I really really like my job not only because of the promotion.

6. In the process of buying a house (!?!). Welcome to being an adult.

7. I am going to have an amazing Christmas vacation.

The Holy Grail of Marathons

I am registered for the 2013 Boston Marathon.

I had to wait until registration was open to all runners who qualified and hope that being 4 minutes under the qualifying time was enough to get in. It was. I never really worried about this, based on the time margin in last year's registration and the tougher standards this year, plus a warm spring and a warmer-than-usual 2012 Boston Marathon where fewer runners requalified.

I was really on the fence about Boston. On the one hand, I took a calculated risk in assuming I'd be able to build a base back up and train properly. But on the other hand, I registered because I am not sure I will ever qualify again. Most runners have to work really hard for a BQ. I am just not sure I want to or will be able to commit to that kind of training again. You train for the opportunity to attempt a BQ. There is no guarantee that you will get a BQ because anything can happen on race day.

I have a long way to go. I am back on the treadmill and back on the road. That's a step in the right direction. I have to be *really* careful about running outside, specifically about running on hills. The area where I live is hilly. Hills contributed to my tendonitis issue. For now, I am mostly on the treadmill. Yet the Boston Marathon is hilly. Hello, Catch-22.

I will tell you one thing. I am finally excited about Boston.