Friday, April 9, 2010
Speed bump - literal and figurative
This week was a speed bump for me - literally and figuratively speaking. My two short, easy runs just didn't feel good. I felt slow, tired, and kind of burned out. Part of that was a heat wave, since, for a few days this week, it felt more like mid-summer than early spring. Part of it could also have been that I needed more sleep. Today and tomorrow are rest days, so I hope to be refreshed by Sunday. If not refreshed, I should at least be enlivened with anticipation: Sunday is my first double-digit run! I really am excited about it. So hopefully Tuesday and Thursday's runs were just speed bumps. :-)
Friday, April 2, 2010
One month away
I keep ticking off the weeks on my training schedule and I'm into the home stretch now - only a month away from my first half-marathon. I haven't been as consistent lately as I had hoped, but I think that I'm still prepared. This weekend I have 9.5 miles scheduled, and the following two long runs after that are 10 milers. Then there's a rest week, and then the race.
Now that it's coming up, I'm getting excited. I'm getting pickier about how I spend my rest days so that I'm prepared for my long runs, and I've begun looking at the clock at the beginning and end of runs to gauge a reasonable pace expectation for the race.
Today was a rest day with perfect weather, so the support staff and I went for a bike ride on the trail. We had lunch in the park, and instead of going home afterwards, we went exploring, looking for an old railroad station. It was a perfect spring day, and I'm excited to continue my training with equally beautiful weather this spring.
Now that it's coming up, I'm getting excited. I'm getting pickier about how I spend my rest days so that I'm prepared for my long runs, and I've begun looking at the clock at the beginning and end of runs to gauge a reasonable pace expectation for the race.
Today was a rest day with perfect weather, so the support staff and I went for a bike ride on the trail. We had lunch in the park, and instead of going home afterwards, we went exploring, looking for an old railroad station. It was a perfect spring day, and I'm excited to continue my training with equally beautiful weather this spring.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Still running!
My blogging has really slacked off lately, but (thankfully) my running hasn't. I'm 6 weeks out from the half-marathon, and the training is coming along really well. I finished a 9-mile long run yesterday, and I think that in 6 weeks I'll be able to cross that finish line proudly and relatively comfortably. Spring arrived a little early here, so I've been enjoying each run more and more, and yesterday was a kind of inaugural spring run on the trail, since the trail finally dried out after the snow melted. Here's to 6 more weeks of training and many more happy trail runs!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
February stats
Happy March!
I tallied up my miles for February, and here's what it comes to:
Running: 42.5
Cycling 25.5
I will continue to gradually increase my mileage as per my "let's-run-a-half-marathon-without-getting-injured training plan", and I'm happy with how it's coming along. I think that I'll avoid burnout and injury and still be ready to do the distance.
This past Sunday I had an 8-mile long run, which I did on the road, since the trail is snow-covered. The 7-miler the week before caused a few twinges and annoyances, so I was a little worried, but no need - it was one of those runs where everything goes right and you feel amazing. I started smiling at mile 2 and didn't stop.
This week is a mileage cut-back. I'm scheduled for 2 miles today, but I think that I'm going to adjust that and do some cycling on the bike trainer, walking on the trail, and stretching instead.
Here's to another great month of training!
Ever on.
I tallied up my miles for February, and here's what it comes to:
Running: 42.5
Cycling 25.5
I will continue to gradually increase my mileage as per my "let's-run-a-half-marathon-without-getting-injured training plan", and I'm happy with how it's coming along. I think that I'll avoid burnout and injury and still be ready to do the distance.
This past Sunday I had an 8-mile long run, which I did on the road, since the trail is snow-covered. The 7-miler the week before caused a few twinges and annoyances, so I was a little worried, but no need - it was one of those runs where everything goes right and you feel amazing. I started smiling at mile 2 and didn't stop.
This week is a mileage cut-back. I'm scheduled for 2 miles today, but I think that I'm going to adjust that and do some cycling on the bike trainer, walking on the trail, and stretching instead.
Here's to another great month of training!
Ever on.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Why do I keep coming back to the Internet?
The road curves southwest, and a line of hills rises up over the horizon as I make my way nearer to them. Soon I'll be able to see the remains of an old watch tower. At least, I'd be able to see it if it existed. It's actually a place in Tolkien's Middle Earth - one of the milestones along the way in the Eowyn Challenge's "Walk to Rivendell" challenge. Several years ago that challenge was my sole motivator to exercise. I logged my miles daily and used to put in countless hours walking on the treadmill just to make it to my destination faster than the other participants. After a year or two of walking alone, I signed up for the message board and received support, motivation, and inspiration from many other participants. After a while, my participation lagged. I graduated college, and although I continued running, walking, and biking, it was sporadically. I didn't log the miles, and I've long since forgotten my message-board login information. I have kept coming back to the Internet, though, for running motivation and information.
The Internet can be a pretty scary place. It provides an anonymity that people often use when they want to say that most hurtful, prejudiced, and downright offensive things. Just browse some comments following newspaper articles or even the comments about YouTube videos and tell me that you won't find some serious haters exploiting the First Amendment. And then there is the huge privacy risk associated with using the Internet. I am reluctant to reveal personal data about myself on this blog or anywhere online because it is so out there for absolutely anyone to find, whether they be employers or identity theives.
So why do I put my thoughts out there on this blog?
Because at the same time that I resent the way that the Internet provides a mask for hatred to hide behind, or that I fear too much private information being made public, I really value how the Internet has connected me with people across the globe with whom I share similar interests. When the people "out there" are inspiring you or providing information or holding discussions about topics that you just can't have with your regular circle of friends, they become an example of the best that the Internet has to offer. I've corresponded with running bloggers across the U.S. from the east coast to the west, from the great plains to Alaska, and outside the states from Canada to Vietnam. Each person has a unique perspective that broadens my horizons.
I recently joined dailymile.com, a social networking site for runners and cyclists. Coming from the Eowyn Challenge background, I was excited to see that members post challenges for themselves and each other and are constantly supportive of each other along the way. I haven't taken on a challenge yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so. If you're interested in joining, it's a nifty tool for keeping track of workouts, and it has some fun features, like a meter of how many televisions your total mileage could have powered, or how many donuts you've burned. Most of the people who participate in dailymile are highly motivated and will not only motivate you, but keep you to your word if you take on a challenge.
As for the Eowyn Challenge, I no longer participate in it as a group activity by posting my progress on the site or by corresponding with other participants, but it has become a deeply personal and meaningful part of my training and motivation. The purpose of the challenge - to break free of the cages imposed by negative self esteem and body image - will always be part of my journey, so every once in a while I tally up my miles and find out where I am in Middle Earth. I know that at the same time that I'm approaching the watch tower of Amon-Sul, there are runners elsewhere following parallel personal journeys, and it's good company to keep.
So you can say that this public blog, with all of the personal meaning in its Eowyn Challenge roots, represents an ironic blend of public and private. When you think about how the public element has helped shape what I feel personally, though, it's not that surprising an irony.
When I started writing this post, it reminded me of a good friend I had a few years ago who participated in the Eowyn Challenge with me. She moved and we fell out of touch, but she just reconnected with me on facebook. Just another example, I guess, of the Internet's ironic blend of public and private, and why I do keep coming back to the Internet, despite its faults.
The Internet can be a pretty scary place. It provides an anonymity that people often use when they want to say that most hurtful, prejudiced, and downright offensive things. Just browse some comments following newspaper articles or even the comments about YouTube videos and tell me that you won't find some serious haters exploiting the First Amendment. And then there is the huge privacy risk associated with using the Internet. I am reluctant to reveal personal data about myself on this blog or anywhere online because it is so out there for absolutely anyone to find, whether they be employers or identity theives.
So why do I put my thoughts out there on this blog?
Because at the same time that I resent the way that the Internet provides a mask for hatred to hide behind, or that I fear too much private information being made public, I really value how the Internet has connected me with people across the globe with whom I share similar interests. When the people "out there" are inspiring you or providing information or holding discussions about topics that you just can't have with your regular circle of friends, they become an example of the best that the Internet has to offer. I've corresponded with running bloggers across the U.S. from the east coast to the west, from the great plains to Alaska, and outside the states from Canada to Vietnam. Each person has a unique perspective that broadens my horizons.
I recently joined dailymile.com, a social networking site for runners and cyclists. Coming from the Eowyn Challenge background, I was excited to see that members post challenges for themselves and each other and are constantly supportive of each other along the way. I haven't taken on a challenge yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so. If you're interested in joining, it's a nifty tool for keeping track of workouts, and it has some fun features, like a meter of how many televisions your total mileage could have powered, or how many donuts you've burned. Most of the people who participate in dailymile are highly motivated and will not only motivate you, but keep you to your word if you take on a challenge.
As for the Eowyn Challenge, I no longer participate in it as a group activity by posting my progress on the site or by corresponding with other participants, but it has become a deeply personal and meaningful part of my training and motivation. The purpose of the challenge - to break free of the cages imposed by negative self esteem and body image - will always be part of my journey, so every once in a while I tally up my miles and find out where I am in Middle Earth. I know that at the same time that I'm approaching the watch tower of Amon-Sul, there are runners elsewhere following parallel personal journeys, and it's good company to keep.
So you can say that this public blog, with all of the personal meaning in its Eowyn Challenge roots, represents an ironic blend of public and private. When you think about how the public element has helped shape what I feel personally, though, it's not that surprising an irony.
When I started writing this post, it reminded me of a good friend I had a few years ago who participated in the Eowyn Challenge with me. She moved and we fell out of touch, but she just reconnected with me on facebook. Just another example, I guess, of the Internet's ironic blend of public and private, and why I do keep coming back to the Internet, despite its faults.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Punxsutawney Phil may have been wrong
It's official - I got the confirmation for 2 reserved hotel rooms for the night before the half-marathon. Yay! I could have just woken up early and driven down the day of, but if I want my family and support staff to come and cheer me on, I might as well make it comfortable and easy for all of us. I'd better get training now!
Actually, I've been doing well with my training. I did a 6-mile run on the road last Sunday, which was really one of the most awesome runs I've had in a log time. I felt strong, my breathing was great, it was a nice day, and I think I was experiencing runner's high. I was smiling for the last 3 miles as if I had just won a gold medal or something, when I had really just picked up my pace and felt good.
On Tuesday I had an easy 2.5 miles to do, and since it was snowing, I stayed inside on the treadmill. That wasn't the most fun, but I made up for it on Thursday with another 2.5-mile run -- this one on the streets and sidewalks in the town where I work. It was a lot of fun not only to run a different route, but to see those roads, which I travel every day, from such a different perspective. I then went home and used the bike trainer and did an ab workout (which I am committed to doing at least once a week until the race. Repeat: I will be working the abs at least once a week from now on.)
This afternoon I have a 7-miler on the road. I'd like to do some more runs on the trail, but I'd be slopping through mud puddles now with all of the snow melting. The temperatures have been pretty high this past week, and I almost think that the groundhog may have been wrong with his prediction of a normal-length winter.
Of course, if we are in for another cold snap, I wouldn't mind it too much. I bought ice-skates last week and haven't been able to try them out, and my first attempt at skiing yesterday was on a pretty small patch of snow in the yard. At least there are ice rinks and ski slopes that will be maintained for a while longer, no matter how warm it gets.
Ever on.
Actually, I've been doing well with my training. I did a 6-mile run on the road last Sunday, which was really one of the most awesome runs I've had in a log time. I felt strong, my breathing was great, it was a nice day, and I think I was experiencing runner's high. I was smiling for the last 3 miles as if I had just won a gold medal or something, when I had really just picked up my pace and felt good.
On Tuesday I had an easy 2.5 miles to do, and since it was snowing, I stayed inside on the treadmill. That wasn't the most fun, but I made up for it on Thursday with another 2.5-mile run -- this one on the streets and sidewalks in the town where I work. It was a lot of fun not only to run a different route, but to see those roads, which I travel every day, from such a different perspective. I then went home and used the bike trainer and did an ab workout (which I am committed to doing at least once a week until the race. Repeat: I will be working the abs at least once a week from now on.)
This afternoon I have a 7-miler on the road. I'd like to do some more runs on the trail, but I'd be slopping through mud puddles now with all of the snow melting. The temperatures have been pretty high this past week, and I almost think that the groundhog may have been wrong with his prediction of a normal-length winter.
Of course, if we are in for another cold snap, I wouldn't mind it too much. I bought ice-skates last week and haven't been able to try them out, and my first attempt at skiing yesterday was on a pretty small patch of snow in the yard. At least there are ice rinks and ski slopes that will be maintained for a while longer, no matter how warm it gets.
Ever on.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
New training plan and other race preparations
I have weened myself from tissues and Nyquil and am functioning as a healthy human being once again (as opposed to a sniffly zombie). I even went as far as to try running again on Saturday and made it 5.5 miles, thus renewing my confidence that I will be able to make it up to 13.1 miles by the beginning of May. I just needed to revise my training plan to adjust for over two weeks of not running.
I've heard a lot of rules about mileage increases, like the 10% rule, or sticking to one mile per week. I have adjusted that to what I think will be best for me. I've settled on increasing the total weekly mileage by one every week for three weeks, then have a cut down week before continuing to increase. Within that total weekly mileage, the long run will be increased by either one mile or a half mile each week.
After getting psyched up by making the schedule, I started some other race preparations, like looking into overnight accommodations and finding out about parking, shuttles, and spectator info, and now I'm excited all over again. I can't wait to go for some long runs again and enjoy the feeling of finishing strong after a long distance.
I've heard a lot of rules about mileage increases, like the 10% rule, or sticking to one mile per week. I have adjusted that to what I think will be best for me. I've settled on increasing the total weekly mileage by one every week for three weeks, then have a cut down week before continuing to increase. Within that total weekly mileage, the long run will be increased by either one mile or a half mile each week.
After getting psyched up by making the schedule, I started some other race preparations, like looking into overnight accommodations and finding out about parking, shuttles, and spectator info, and now I'm excited all over again. I can't wait to go for some long runs again and enjoy the feeling of finishing strong after a long distance.
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