Saturday's run: Out the door at 8 a.m. This is the second week in a row, I have run on a Saturday morning. Usually, I am at yoga at 9 a.m. but I've been trying a later class so I can run first.
I know lots of people run on Saturday mornings but it's something else to actually see so many runners in my neighborhood. Team in Training goes down a street near my house. I see their water coolers/stations and occasionally I see two people here and there. But Saturday, as I was heading out on my run, a group of 15 of them came running head on toward me. What a sight for a solo runner to see a group. They looked like they were having a good time. After the big group there were groups of 2 and 3 together. And I passed them all again on the way back in. Really great to see so many people out and running.
I like the solace of running alone but must admit it might be fun to run with one or two others for longer runs -- if I could ever find someone who runs my somewhat turtle pace.
I wanted to do 4 miles but I wasn't sure how it would go since I had changed up my schedule to have time with my sister visiting from GA. I felt good until I actually started to run. I realized my body was more tired that I expected.
I've been reading John Bingham's "The Courage to Start," and I liked a passage I saw the other day that said basically sometimes our mind needs a run but our body isn't up to it and other times our body is full-go and our mind just isn't into it. He talks about using our runner's wisdom to know when to press on and when not to.
So, as I started out I knew ultimately the goal was 4 miles but given the week I'd had maybe 2 would be the limit. After about a half-mile I was questioning doing more than 1 mile. Still, I trudged on, working on some basic ChiRunning focuses (posture and armswing) to help me keep going and fall into a rhythm. After the first half mile, I felt a twinge in my ankle (where I almost had a stress fractured that stopped me cold for 4 weeks). So I paid attention to that very carefully. I decided to give myself another half mile. If it was better, great. If it wasn't, walk home.
I made a slight adjustment and everything was fine. At 1.5 miles I turned around just in case. I figured 3 miles would be good enough. But as I cruised to 2.5 I knew I had the other mile left in the tank. So I got my 4 in.
I was more tired than the last two runs, but I was feeling good overall. I felt like I was slogging y and expected to see splits in the 12:15 range but they actually faster than either of the last two runs (about 11:40). Surprise. Surprise.
Total for the week 3, 6, 4 = 13 miles
Total weight loss in 3 weeks = 5 lbs.
It's time, though, to dial it down this week for a recovery week. I'm not very good with those, but I also can feel my body needs it. I'm really hoping that my inner wisdom can overpower my Type A "more miles" mantra. Wish me luck.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Celebrating 100th birthdays and good runs
My sister is coming to town this weekend for the 100th birthday of her husband's grandmother. Grandma is small in stature these days -- about 4'9" -- but large in our hearts. She's still quite sharp if not a little hard of hearing. Last time I was with her a couple of months ago, we were going through her high school yearbooks and she could remember all sorts of people. She even remembers when electricity came to her little Indiana town. What a doll. Happy birthday, Mary!
Since my little sis is coming to town that means breakfast as a family on Saturday at our favorite local restaurant. But that also means it'd be tough to get my long, slow, distance run in before we'd meet. More than likely breakfast will be at 9 or 10 a.m. And that would require a 6 a.m. wakeup call. Not gonna happen on a Saturday morning. I don't like to run in the dark. 8 a.m. is the crack of dawn for me on the weekend run.
So what to do? Even though I did a long run only 5 days ago, it was today or no breakfast with the family. So off I went. Hotter and more humid than last Saturday, but still a beautiful day. Stayed with my half-mile runs followed by 1 minute walk breaks. I wasn't as hydrated as I'd have liked and I hadn't eaten as well (carb-wise), but I did pretty well.
Last Saturday, I ran about 12 minute miles and today -- even though the intention was to stay at 12 minute miles, I ended up doing about 11:30 miles. I struggled the last two miles though at 12:19 and 12:09. All in all, a great run. Most important thing -- really the only important thing to me -- is I finished the run pain free. My heart rate seemed to stay down. I don't know for sure because I no longer take a monitor, but I felt good. And I really enjoyed myself except for one thing: water bottles.
I usually carry a bottle of Dasani or Aquafina when I run because it's easy to carry. But I'd really like to free my hands up, so I went back to one of the many running belts I own. Today's was one that sits horizontally along the small of my back. It was OK but I couldn't feel my pelvis rotate with the belt on, which is part of the ChiRunning technique. And the belt itself was an issue. When it felt tight enough, it restricted my diaphram and breathing; when I loosened it, it just wobbled too much. Not really much of a problem in the big picture.
Since my little sis is coming to town that means breakfast as a family on Saturday at our favorite local restaurant. But that also means it'd be tough to get my long, slow, distance run in before we'd meet. More than likely breakfast will be at 9 or 10 a.m. And that would require a 6 a.m. wakeup call. Not gonna happen on a Saturday morning. I don't like to run in the dark. 8 a.m. is the crack of dawn for me on the weekend run.
So what to do? Even though I did a long run only 5 days ago, it was today or no breakfast with the family. So off I went. Hotter and more humid than last Saturday, but still a beautiful day. Stayed with my half-mile runs followed by 1 minute walk breaks. I wasn't as hydrated as I'd have liked and I hadn't eaten as well (carb-wise), but I did pretty well.
Last Saturday, I ran about 12 minute miles and today -- even though the intention was to stay at 12 minute miles, I ended up doing about 11:30 miles. I struggled the last two miles though at 12:19 and 12:09. All in all, a great run. Most important thing -- really the only important thing to me -- is I finished the run pain free. My heart rate seemed to stay down. I don't know for sure because I no longer take a monitor, but I felt good. And I really enjoyed myself except for one thing: water bottles.
I usually carry a bottle of Dasani or Aquafina when I run because it's easy to carry. But I'd really like to free my hands up, so I went back to one of the many running belts I own. Today's was one that sits horizontally along the small of my back. It was OK but I couldn't feel my pelvis rotate with the belt on, which is part of the ChiRunning technique. And the belt itself was an issue. When it felt tight enough, it restricted my diaphram and breathing; when I loosened it, it just wobbled too much. Not really much of a problem in the big picture.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Was it the Diet Coke, carbs or calories?
Yesterday's run almost didn't happen. I was all fired up after Saturday's great long, slow run. I had a job interview in the early afternoon (have decided I'm not interested). On the drive home, I realized I hadn't had time to eat lunch, so no food for 6+ hours. I'm not one who can run on an empty stomach. So I came home, made a tuna melt and watched a movie with the hubs.
About 4:45 I thought a 10-minute nap might be nice. And it was -- for 45 minutes. Still, I dressed, did my Chi-looseners and headed out the door. After a quarter-mile walk during which I wasn't feelin it, I started to jog. About 8 steps later, I knew it wasn't in the cards. I'd lost my window so to speak. I walked it home and thought I was done for the night.
I needed a Diet Coke in the worst way. So I made dinner (pasta salad with chicken, grapes, nuts and oranges) and needed to wait for the pasta to cool. So I headed to McDonald's for a large Diet (just love those fountain Cokes). Came home, ate dinner and about 10 Ritz crackers and settled in for the night. But a funny thing happened, I started to feel better within the hour. Did I just need some caffeine? Some carbs? Calories?
About 7:45 I decided to head out and see if I could run a bit. Even a mile would be OK. I reminded myself to take the walk breaks every half mile if I needed them. So off I went feeling stronger than I expected. All of the sudden I was thinking maybe I'll stop after a three-quarters a mile. Maybe I'll stop after 1 mile. Hey, maybe 1.5 miles. Wow, I feel good, I think I can go the 2 miles I had planned to run. About 1.5 miles into the run I started to have another conversation with myself -- like the angel and the devil on each shoulder.
"Oh, I think we can do 3 miles."
"We are NOT running any further than 2 miles. You want to build back up slowly. You haven't taken any walk breaks like you're supposed to to allow your heart rate to settle."
"You're right. But another mile is no big deal."
"Stop, it we are not running any more than 2 miles."
And on and on it went until I stopped for a drink after 2 miles. By that time, my two buddies had reached a compromise -- another half mile but it as a cool down. And before the first quarter-mile was finished, the two were at it again. I ended up with 3 miles and felt great the entire time.
Go figure.
About 4:45 I thought a 10-minute nap might be nice. And it was -- for 45 minutes. Still, I dressed, did my Chi-looseners and headed out the door. After a quarter-mile walk during which I wasn't feelin it, I started to jog. About 8 steps later, I knew it wasn't in the cards. I'd lost my window so to speak. I walked it home and thought I was done for the night.
I needed a Diet Coke in the worst way. So I made dinner (pasta salad with chicken, grapes, nuts and oranges) and needed to wait for the pasta to cool. So I headed to McDonald's for a large Diet (just love those fountain Cokes). Came home, ate dinner and about 10 Ritz crackers and settled in for the night. But a funny thing happened, I started to feel better within the hour. Did I just need some caffeine? Some carbs? Calories?
About 7:45 I decided to head out and see if I could run a bit. Even a mile would be OK. I reminded myself to take the walk breaks every half mile if I needed them. So off I went feeling stronger than I expected. All of the sudden I was thinking maybe I'll stop after a three-quarters a mile. Maybe I'll stop after 1 mile. Hey, maybe 1.5 miles. Wow, I feel good, I think I can go the 2 miles I had planned to run. About 1.5 miles into the run I started to have another conversation with myself -- like the angel and the devil on each shoulder.
"Oh, I think we can do 3 miles."
"We are NOT running any further than 2 miles. You want to build back up slowly. You haven't taken any walk breaks like you're supposed to to allow your heart rate to settle."
"You're right. But another mile is no big deal."
"Stop, it we are not running any more than 2 miles."
And on and on it went until I stopped for a drink after 2 miles. By that time, my two buddies had reached a compromise -- another half mile but it as a cool down. And before the first quarter-mile was finished, the two were at it again. I ended up with 3 miles and felt great the entire time.
Go figure.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Hello endorphins
Finally, a really good run.
Could it be the better nutrition (the Belly Fat Diet -- a post for another time)?
Could it be the better hydration -- 80+ounces of water the day before?
Could it be the willingness to take walk breaks every half mile (so basically 5/1 min)?
Could it be all of the above?
Whatever. It doesn't matter, I'm just glad to have had a wonderful long (for me right now), slow, distance run. I didn't feel tired until the last half mile. My heart rate stayed lower (based on how I felt) up to the last half mile (which was uphill) and I just felt so good.
Hello, endorphins. Nice to feel you again.
It's been a long road and a diagnosis for the heart rate problem -- inappropriate sinus tachycardia -- although I don't have all the symptoms. More on that in a future post. Suffice to say, walk breaks help. Even though I don't like them, my body does. Today may be proof of that.
So I'm happy. Great run. Feeling good 12 hours later. No pains. No fatigue. Just sweet, sweet endorphins.
(6 miles [building back up]: 72 minutes)
Could it be the better nutrition (the Belly Fat Diet -- a post for another time)?
Could it be the better hydration -- 80+ounces of water the day before?
Could it be the willingness to take walk breaks every half mile (so basically 5/1 min)?
Could it be all of the above?
Whatever. It doesn't matter, I'm just glad to have had a wonderful long (for me right now), slow, distance run. I didn't feel tired until the last half mile. My heart rate stayed lower (based on how I felt) up to the last half mile (which was uphill) and I just felt so good.
Hello, endorphins. Nice to feel you again.
It's been a long road and a diagnosis for the heart rate problem -- inappropriate sinus tachycardia -- although I don't have all the symptoms. More on that in a future post. Suffice to say, walk breaks help. Even though I don't like them, my body does. Today may be proof of that.
So I'm happy. Great run. Feeling good 12 hours later. No pains. No fatigue. Just sweet, sweet endorphins.
(6 miles [building back up]: 72 minutes)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
I'm so excited
First, where does the time go? Have I really not blogged since mid-month? Anyway, the running is going fine if not slowly. We went to Peoria for a niece's wedding reception and to visit family. What a blast. I not only got a 1 in a million husband, but his sister and her family plus the other siblings and their kids are an incredible bonus.
Ran in Peoria -- hot and humid even at 8 a.m. Decided to just go out and see how I felt. Stop as needed and see if the ankle felt OK. I'd been wearing some New Balance shoes on the track (running at the track as per chiro's suggestion). In Peoria, I went back to the street and my Loco's. Great run. Felt good but with the usual high heart rate (I could tell even without my Garmin). So I'm happy to have run 3 times this week and the ankle feeling good the whole time.
But the BEST news is the cardiologist's office called last week and offered to move up my appt. from October to this Tuesday!! Hallelujah! I am so hopeful he will figure out why my heart rate spikes when I run -- even a slow run. For ex: earlier this week, I was trying to run slowly. So I ran my first quarter mile in 3:08 but my heart rate was like 151 and then went to 165 and up to 175 or so by the end of the mile. Now, my Garmin has shown that my heart rate can get to 180 so even if that's my MHR (which is high for my age), I'm still working out at what a 95 percent of max on a 12-minute mile? Come on. I've been back to running for more than 2 years. Something has to be going on. Hopefully we'll find out what that "something" is soon.
Ran in Peoria -- hot and humid even at 8 a.m. Decided to just go out and see how I felt. Stop as needed and see if the ankle felt OK. I'd been wearing some New Balance shoes on the track (running at the track as per chiro's suggestion). In Peoria, I went back to the street and my Loco's. Great run. Felt good but with the usual high heart rate (I could tell even without my Garmin). So I'm happy to have run 3 times this week and the ankle feeling good the whole time.
But the BEST news is the cardiologist's office called last week and offered to move up my appt. from October to this Tuesday!! Hallelujah! I am so hopeful he will figure out why my heart rate spikes when I run -- even a slow run. For ex: earlier this week, I was trying to run slowly. So I ran my first quarter mile in 3:08 but my heart rate was like 151 and then went to 165 and up to 175 or so by the end of the mile. Now, my Garmin has shown that my heart rate can get to 180 so even if that's my MHR (which is high for my age), I'm still working out at what a 95 percent of max on a 12-minute mile? Come on. I've been back to running for more than 2 years. Something has to be going on. Hopefully we'll find out what that "something" is soon.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Finding the joy
I wish I could find the same peace about running that I have with biking. When I get on the bike, I am home. It feels so right. I don't worry about speed. I'm not racing anyone. I'm just out for a ride -- almost always with my husband. Quality time with him, enjoying whatever season it is, feeling my body gliding along, and it doesn't matter if we are doing 13 mph or 18 mph. If I don't ride well, I don't panic. I realize I've been stressed, I haven't eaten well or haven't hydrated well. And it doesn't matter. It only matters that I'm outside, on the bike, with my husband and LOVING IT ALL.
So why can't I find that same attitude with running? I have been able to release my Type A personality in so many ways, but not running. If I am not checking my splits, I'm checking my heart rate. I'm constantly wanting to go faster, farther NOW. It too often becomes work; I want it to become joy.
My body is fighting me so hard and letting me know my biking attitude is much better for me than my running attitude. My heart rate is normal when I bike; it's off the charts on an 11 minute mile (even after only 2 minutes). I never hurt myself biking. I'm nursing a possible stress fracture. Actually, it's pretty much healed but when I went to run (on a very soft track the other day and I only did two half-miles,) I ended up with a lump above my ankle bone and swelling around it plus a bruise. It doesn't hurt when I walk. Normally, I would have tried to run again since I had no pain. I see the chiropractor tomorrow, so I thought I'd check with her first. Maybe I am softening that Type A. I even bagged yoga yesterday.
We'll see what the doc thinks.
So why can't I find that same attitude with running? I have been able to release my Type A personality in so many ways, but not running. If I am not checking my splits, I'm checking my heart rate. I'm constantly wanting to go faster, farther NOW. It too often becomes work; I want it to become joy.
My body is fighting me so hard and letting me know my biking attitude is much better for me than my running attitude. My heart rate is normal when I bike; it's off the charts on an 11 minute mile (even after only 2 minutes). I never hurt myself biking. I'm nursing a possible stress fracture. Actually, it's pretty much healed but when I went to run (on a very soft track the other day and I only did two half-miles,) I ended up with a lump above my ankle bone and swelling around it plus a bruise. It doesn't hurt when I walk. Normally, I would have tried to run again since I had no pain. I see the chiropractor tomorrow, so I thought I'd check with her first. Maybe I am softening that Type A. I even bagged yoga yesterday.
We'll see what the doc thinks.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
On the road again
So tomorrow was supposed to be the first day I can try to run again. Only a mile but it's a start. But my schedule is a little crazy tomorrow, so I decided to run today.
I have to admit I was a little nervous. I still don't know what caused the ankle pain other than the doc's "impending distal fibular stress fracture" diagnosis. I was hoping it was healed enough to feel good. I started out and noticed I was a little cautious on the right side and I had to consciously put away the fear of hurting myself. I had to remind myself that the ankle issue was caused by a small ankle twist, and not giving it the respect -- and rest -- that it required until I really did it up good during a 6-mile run. I had to remind myself that it had nothing to do with my actual running and there was nothing to be afraid of. So I tried to relax and just enjoy the 1 single mile I was permitted to run. No Garmin, so no time or heart rate, just feeling myself move again.
Great news. No pain, no twinges and tonight no swelling. So I'll run again on Tuesday and then two more times this week, and if all goes well, I'll add another half-mile next week.
I have to admit I was a little nervous. I still don't know what caused the ankle pain other than the doc's "impending distal fibular stress fracture" diagnosis. I was hoping it was healed enough to feel good. I started out and noticed I was a little cautious on the right side and I had to consciously put away the fear of hurting myself. I had to remind myself that the ankle issue was caused by a small ankle twist, and not giving it the respect -- and rest -- that it required until I really did it up good during a 6-mile run. I had to remind myself that it had nothing to do with my actual running and there was nothing to be afraid of. So I tried to relax and just enjoy the 1 single mile I was permitted to run. No Garmin, so no time or heart rate, just feeling myself move again.
Great news. No pain, no twinges and tonight no swelling. So I'll run again on Tuesday and then two more times this week, and if all goes well, I'll add another half-mile next week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
