The Lost Week

Something is wrong...

All the old stuff? Clearing up, now the other leg decides it wants some attention. I ran 11 on Saturday, nothing special about it.

Well, I should say nothing special. I did a four mile warm up and then ran a 10K, (bandit) with some friends. They all wanted Peachtree qualifying times. I agreed to run at 8 mpm, (my marathon goal pace) which would get them in at the required 50 minutes. I got two of three through.

More fun, another friend wanted to break one hour. I ran 6 and went back to find her. I found her about .5 from the finish, and it would be close. I don't know her well, and didn't know how hard I could push her. I tried to stick to the basics, distraction and encouragement. We made it with 1:30 to spare. We were both thrilled. For me, it is the little victories that keep us going.

Back to me, I was out all day on Saturday. That is a lesson for me. I don't go out, this is what happens. I was on my feet, in boots, all day. I woke up Sunday a.m., (hungover) and with a tender pain behind my knee in my left leg...heretofore mentioned, 'the good leg.'

I am just ticked. Mad at myself for being out so long. I did fun an easy 6 yesterday. The pain seems to lessen as I get moving. I made an executive decision to not run today. Let it rest. I did my core stretching, got up, and the pain is lessoned/gone. When I sit, get up, it is back. I am just ticked!!

It was a lost week. I was supposed to take it easy, but I am not happy. It was a wasted week.

It was ok...

Today was my first speed workout in, a year. I don't like them. I would say hate, but that is such an ugly word, but it applies to my speedwork.

The morning called for 8, with 5@ 600M at my 5K race pace. I decided I would do a 5 mile warm up and finish at the park, get my 600's in and run a cool down to hit 8m.

I was up late, (for me) watching and voting for American Idol, (again, new blog material). And caught a news update about the weather, rain, wind, all day. Being that the weather channel can stick their out the window and correctly report the weather, I wasn't worried.

I got up at 5 a.m., heard the rain. Crap. With the needling, the race and a social outing this weekend, I don't have enough mornings to skip this workout and make it up this week.

So I dressed for the gym, and the treadmill. I will say I hate running on the treadmill, with no fears of appearing ugly. I hate it.

I was dressed, packed, walked outside. I noticed the pool looked calm. Thank you God!! Rain stopped. I checked the radar and it did appear I had a window. Quickly changed to outdoor running clothes.

So I am doing my warm up, and I pass a guy leaving the Marta wearing, 'The Jacket'! I was wearing the Adidas jacket. I gave him a shout-out and he saluted! We veterans have our language!

Back to the warmup. Three miles in I hear thunder. Crap. I make haste to the park, to do the 600's at the oval. I am doing them, outside.

So 5 at 600 meters. I hate these things. The first four go ok. I am supposed to jog in between but I walk, oh well. Number 5, not so good. I stop. 378m in. WTF? It's pouring, I am tired and I hate track work. I tell myself this entire morning will be a waste if I don't find the drive to run another 222m...pretty sad, huh? I found it.

The five averaged a 6:55 mpm pace. My 5K pace is 7:06, so ok. I walked home, in the rain, hitting 8 no longer seemed important. It was an ok workout.

Need more carbs!

I wanted to write this while the pain was fresh, so I would get it all down, re-read it, and learn from it! Like every run, every day, every everything, there was the good and the bad. And we will start with the bad...

I was beat. The plan called for 5 recovery, I did 4, it was all I could do. I had to coach myself for the last one. I avg 9:44, not bad for a recovery, and my HR was 138, I wasn't taxing anything. Why was I dying?

The good, I didn't eat enough recovery carbs yesterday. I am going to say that again, I didn't eat enough CARBS!!

When I finished my run at the river yesterday, I immediatley drank my protein sports drink and a homemade postrun treat. I weighed myself when I got home. I always weigh myself before and after every run. So my post run weight was 124.4. (I could start an entirely new blog on my weight...)

I tried not to stuff myself silly yesterday, as I normally do post run. I should have known something was wrong, when, hours after taking two advil p.m., I got up in the middle of the night and ate??

I woke up this a.m. at 124. I was happy, but knew that was not good. I weighed less than what I weighed post run, after eating?!? (For those keeping track, I weighted 123.8 post run this a.m.)

My running pants were happy...but I had nothing to run on this a.m.

Marathon training and weight loss is tough to balance, today was a lesson, off to eat come carbs!

Just cause you say it, doesn't make it so...

Ok, today was 15 with 12 at marathon pace. I mentioned this yesterday. I hoped putting it in writing, would make it so...: - )

I was running with JW, who I have run with before, and a new J! The fact that I learned the new J is 25, made it ok that she could kick my (tight) a$$. Frankly, so can JW, but she is too pre-occupied with her HR to let her jets go...: - ) (At her coach's demand!)

The first three were so slow I was worried, and it was not them, it was me! From out of nowhere, we hit the first mp mile at 7:58?? First JW took off. I had wanted to stay within 8-8:10, and her HR dictated she needed to take off! I can't wait until she gets over Ironman stuff, she is going to BQ and then some when she gives into marathon training!

JW rejoined us around mile 8. Her day dictated 6 at a specific zone. So at mile 9, both J's headed back to the cars. I missed them, they were in front of me the last mile, and you need that, you need a rabbit. I made it another 4 miles on my own. I hit 10 at mp, and was spent. I cut the mp's short by two and did a really slow cool down.

Positive: 10 miles averaging 8 minutes per mile! MP!! Negative: only 10 of them, needed 12.

What I learned: I am running a half marathon in two weeks. If I don't hit 7:35 mpm I will be disappointed. The fact that I struggled to do 10 at 8 mpm, tells me, 8 may not be the pace I am capable of. I want it, but with running, that doesn't make it so. Running is honest, there are no lucky breaks or bases loaded home runs to save the day.

So back to what I learned. If I am going to give 7:35 a shot, I need a proper taper. I have never trained for a half. I do halfs in the middle of marathon training. So I don't taper and I don't properly recover. (that is a whole other lessons learned, still learning...)

I have got a great base for Boston, I can let up a little the next two weeks. Stay tuned. Just cause I say it, doesn't make it so...: - )

Trusting the process...

After Sunday's 20 miler, Monday was a rest day, and I needed it. Tuesday was a recovery 6 miler, and I felt it.

Wednesday called for 14 easy. Two miles in, I went through my normal self doubt, and just kept on. I didn't hit a 9 mpm average until mile 6. I did a celebration and settled in for the next 8. I got close to the park with around 3 to go and let the jets go. I averaged 8:20 over the last 3 miles.

Thursday was needling! But we moved from my butt, to my hip. Not pleasant, but I reminded myself, the first day never is. Thursday's run plan called for 6, and I planned to move that Friday, my normal rest day. Saturday also called for 6. I decided, in light of speed work, aka race the previous Saturday, two days of 6 really amounted to nothing. So Friday was going to 10, and take Saturday off. Three days of rest with 45 miles...ahhhh.

So, Friday's 10, (still with me?)

I hit mile 1 at 9:23 and knew this was going to be a good run! I normally hit 1 at 9:45, even +10. By mile 3, I was under 9 mpm average. Mile 4 was 8:29, and would be one of my slowest miles after the warm up! The jets were on!

And the jets needed to slow down. Sunday is 15 with 12 at marathon pace. Strikes fear in my heart. I tell myself, we gotta slow down, the big day is Sunday! I finished the run averaging 8:33 with a heart rate of 152. Amy rocks!

Tomorrow is a big run, I kind of feel like I am cheating because I am doing it at the river. I have never actually accomplished one of these kind of workouts, so I am excited! My training has prepared me for this. All the slow, long runs of Nov and Dec prepared me for this. Bring it on!

Benchmark Weekend

It is real easy to write out a running plan. Mine normally start 18 weeks out. Prior to the official 'plan launch', I write out in my daytimer...(yes, I use a pen and a paper daytimer) every workout for the next 18 weeks.

10 miles at GA, followed by 8 miles, 2@5K with a 90 second jog in between. Then a 20 miler. Real easy to write down. Then I imagine what great shape I will be when I finish those workouts.

I am still imagining it.

So last week went something like this: Thursday, 8 miles, 4 warm up, 4 sub-8 mpm. In the book. Friday, off, also, in the book...: - ) So Saturday was a 10K race, to be followed by a 20 miler. Wow, that looks great on paper!

So I am lining up for race start with a tri club member, he is an accomplished triathlete, great runner. I ask him his goal for the race. He says 8's will make him happy...just wants to keep it together for his half next weekend and a full next month.

Well, I think, that is pretty responsible!! Amy, you have a 20 tomorrow, a half in three weeks and Boston in 10 weeks...(from today...: - )

I don't know if the warning was good or bad. I have a fear of going fast, of hurting myself, of bonking. I had an awful start. I am fast, I need to start at the front. It took me half a mile to catch a friend who ultimately finish in 53. After a 7:37 first mile, I finished the last 5.2 averaging about 7:15, ultimately, 45:52, fifth place in my age group, (of 113!) I wanted to break 45, but I am ok with 45:52.

I went out for a bit Saturday night and bragged how I was feeling no ill effects of the race. Might have been the beer. I got home, and everything felt tender. Aye crap, there goes Sunday.

I get up Sunday a.m., everything is still tender. I put extra money in shoe, like for a cab home. I get out there, and just tell myself to take is slow. We are in no hurry. I hit mile 5 and realize, things aren't so bad. Between 5 and 6, things just hurt to hurt, pangs of pain. I thought, WTF??

I had a long uphill. Pangs went away. So my body likes going uphill, lovely.

We'll skip ahead. I got stronger and more confident as the miles ticked away at a 9:12 pace. I remembered last week, I did 17, I remembered how I felt last week at 14, 15, 16, crap, crappier, crappiest.

Yesterday, I felt, 14, 15, 16 not bad, ok, we're gonna make it! Mile 20: 8:15!! I finished in the park and started jumping around! I was so happy! I pulled out a big double, and I felt GREAT!

Another tri friend once told me she admired me because I set a plan, and I just did it. I thought about that on the run. Thanks J...: - )

A bullish trend...?

Those of you that speak to me in person, or more acurately, listen to me...know that I have been running in pain, pretty much since the summer. No amount of stretching, massage or rest has been able soothe my hamstrings or piriformis, (butt).

So if you have following this blog, or for a week...then you know I have started Dry Needling therapy. It sounds very painful, and it is, but it is working.

In the last week, my average pace per mile has been dropping and my heart rate has also dropped. That means I have to work less harder to get where I am going.

My Sunday long run was joy, really, 17 miles, averaging 9:01. I was really prepared to feel it on Monday, but again, I flew, at 8:37 per mile for 5 miles. I had to remind myself, this is recovery! So then we come to Tuesday, a 13 miler. I thought, this is where you pay.

The first two miles, I paid. In the middle of mile three, I thought, let's cut this short and try another day. Then something happened, I hit my stride. I hit a part of the route that is normally very taxing...and it wasn't.

The needling is working. Today, we needling my butt and my hamstring.

I am running a 10K on Saturday. Rubber meets the road, proof is in the pudding, put up or shut up. I would prefer the pudding. I am cautiously excited. I don't think it will be a PR, only because my PR was set on a course where everyone set a PR and I don't think it was really 10K!!

Running has always been my salvation, my escape, my measurement of worthiness. And it hasn't been worth much lately. But the market of Amy's running, is becoming quite bullish!