Gearing up for training!!

So I got my training plan all marked up in my training journal so I know exactly how much time I have left to get ready for training. Basically I have a month to get back into regular running, and now that I have a deadline looming I suddenly feel very motivated. This is why signing up for races work so well. You run out of excuses because it's sink or swim baby!

The training plan I am using is the same as the one I used for my last two half marathons. For the Publix I didn't train enough before it was time to really start adding the miles, so that was why I was injured. The one before went really well because I trained pretty consistently, and I felt pretty good.

For those that are looking for good training plans, I like the ones that are available for free on Hal Higdon's website. Free is awesome :) Plus the site has good advice and training plans for all levels. If those don't float your boat there are lots to choose from online.

Starting over....again

After some hard thought the night before the Hot Chocolate 15k I decided to skip the race. I got most of my race swag at the expo (obviously not the finishers mug) so I still got the nice sweatshirt. The reason I bowed out was because I just wasn't ready to run the distance. There is still plenty of time to train for the Publix half in March so don't expect any surprises there.

So what led me to this state? There are a couple reasons.

1. I just didn't maintain any decent mileage after the half in October. It's my fault. It always amazes me how quickly I lose fitness. It shouldn't but it does.

2. I always struggle with the late fall months. For some reason I can't seem to get the motivation to run. There isn't much I can do about it now except try to avoid the same mistake next year. Oh well.

So hopefully things will improve. We can't get better if we don't fail on occasion. My philosophy is it's not about the failure itself but how you move on from it. Here's to not repeating past mistakes.

A Breakthrough!

Alright, here's the story since the last update....

I've been running sporadically, but with little success in getting my long runs in. The longest I had run was 6 miles, and it was okay. Then I missed a weekend so no long run. I was sort of keeping up with mid-week runs, accomplished very little speed work, and even dropped some cross training. All of this on top of the fact that the few runs I had were mostly awful led me to believe that today's long run would be horrible. I was determined to complete it, even if it was miserable. And it was....

Awesome! Okay - I really felt it was going to be bad. It had all the makings of a bad long run. Seriously. What made it so successful? A few things:

1. I finally paced myself. I started slow, let myself warm up, and then didn't let my pace get too fast. I really had the slow and steady mentality. It works!
2. I focused on good form and just put one foot in front of the other. The new shoes helped with form as well. 
3. I didn't allow myself to think "if I make it to mile X, I can reward myself with a walk break". That's been a huge obstacle of mine, and I've suspected for some time now that if I could get rid of the mental blocks and challenges then running would be easier. This allowed me to run all 8 miles this morning. No stops!

Post-run I actually feel really good too. The only issue I have is my left heel is really tender again. I have got to see a doctor about it. This pain started around April, and it's not going away. 

That's it so far. Hopefully this momentum keeps up!

Probably the worst start to training ever

So I am a month into the latest training plan for the half marathon I'm running in October. What progress have I made? Almost none. Sporadic rain causing migraines combined with crazy scheduling issues means I can't seem to run consistently. I ran 5 miles last Sunday and thought I was going to die. It's also been insanely hot and humid, making it hard to even get the bare minimum motivation to just think about running.

The plan this time was to train hardcore and focus on speed work. So far I haven't even had a single speed training session. I have incorporated more cross training, which has been good. That's always been an area I was lacking in before.

Long story short - this is the reason for a lack of updates. I haven't had much to update anyone on. I've got two things to focus on the next two months: get a consistent schedule for training and try to just enjoy running. The migraine issue probably won't resolve itself since so much of it is from stress (new job that I love but it's a lot of work) and rain. October ought to be interesting.

Updates!

So it's been a minute since I posted since I've been crazy busy with my new job. Long story short, my routine is a little shaky. Combine that with the insanely hot summer we are experiencing so far, and I'm full of excuses not to run. What was my solution to that?

I'm signed up for the All-State half marathon in October! I'm really excited since it'll be a challenging course (Atlanta is known for heat, hills and humidity!). This will get me motivated like a race usually does. I ran tonight even though I didn't feel like it.

My goals for this race are to train better (including more focus on form) and achieve a better time. I was directed to a cool site with tons of free training plans that I will share in another post.

Hopefully Red and I can run together soon. It'll be good to have a running buddy again. Woohoo!

Forced to take a break

So work was crazy last week. I had a huge conference to attend, which threw off my training schedule a bit. Last Thursday's run was cancelled, and I forgot to wear my compression leg sleeves on my long run last Saturday. Let's just say I paid for my forgetfulness.

Here's what happened. So I forgot my leg sleeves. No big deal, right? Yeah, my calves are dealing with the biggest adjustments out of all my muscle groups, and the leg sleeves help with the swelling. Why is that important? Shin splints. Because I have been properly fitted for the right shoes and they're fairly new, I know that's not the cause. My form has improved, which has helped significantly in many areas. What gets my calves is the increase in mileage. And since muscles swell a bit when they're used, that can sometimes cause some discomfort. I had a lot of discomfort during and after the long run. Sometimes even my left foot will go numb, but it does get better as I run. The leg sleeves decrease the amount of time I'm bothered by soreness, tightness, and numbness, and they also help recovery. I'm not saying everyone needs compression gear, especially since it can be kind of pricey, but I love it.

So anyway, because I was hurting I skipped the recovery run Sunday. Then it stormed Tuesday, and since I don't like to run back to back during the week I didn't run again until Thursday. My run yesterday went well, but I have noticed something about myself over the years. If I take a break, I often have to break down a lot of newly built mental blocks. Yesterday, I just didn't feel like running. I finally had to tell myself about half a mile in that I needed to get over my self pity and just run, damnit. Funny enough, once I picked up my pace (I was dragging) everything went fine. It's like I have to prove to myself again that I can run. Note to self: after the half marathon don't stop running! I've got to keep up some regular running or else I'll fall off the wagon again.

Long story short, take care of your legs and don't let the mental blocks get you. Tomorrow's long run: 10 miles!!

Breaking the Mental Blocks

So this week I focused on two things: trying to get more sleep during the week so I wouldn't be so exhausted on the weekends and trying to remove the mental stumbling blocks during my runs. The first really meant just getting to bed earlier and not goofing off so much in the evenings after work. That was sort of accomplished. I did go to bed earlier, but I'm finding I'm still tired so I need to do a better job of getting my butt to bed. The second is also a work in progress, but I wanted to share a quote that inspired me this week.

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."

- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

Have you ever experienced that? When you know your legs could keep going but your heart just isn't up for the run so you walk or cut the run short or decide to skip the run all together? I've done that plenty of times. We all have. If you haven't I think you're lying to yourself. Our minds are both our greatest strength and greatest weakness. How can that be? Have you ever been so determined to accomplish a task that you do anything to make it happen? Where there's a will, there's a way. And it's our minds that make that happen. The same goes for runs (or bike rides, or making it to the gym, or whatever fitness goal you're after). 

How did I use this to fuel my training this week? I quit letting my mind tell me "oh you've run far enough, it's time for a break". I stopped looking at my watch for pace and mileage so often. I still looked, but not nearly as often as I used to. I decided to just go. Let my legs do what they know how to do. Run. Breath. Relax. Let go. Once I stopped the negative thoughts from forming, they were replaced with positive thoughts. Funny how that works out. 

The end result was I had two fantastic runs, and not because I wasn't tired or tried any cool tricks. I was actually pretty tired yesterday, but the run was still good. I told myself I could run, and so I did. Will every run be that awesome? No, but that's okay too. Focus on what's positive about your runs. Quit letting the internal demons take over. Easier said than done, but it just takes practice. 

I'm hoping I can carry that momentum into tomorrow's long run. We'll just wait and see. A couple things that will be different for tomorrow: I bought some Gu (energy gel) and restocked my supply of Accellerade. The Gu came at the recommendation of a coworker who also runs a lot. The Accellerade is what I drank last year, but this year I will save it for post run only. I'm just drinking water on my runs and ingesting the gel. I'll give an update on what I think of Gu after I try it. 

For Rex running seems to be helping him a lot. He says he feels better overall and has maintained his motivation, which is really cool because he hated running before. We bought him a hydration belt so he can keep his hands free on his long runs. Evidently he hates my handheld water bottle. I might look into getting a belt that holds the water bottle on the small of my back so my hands are free too. Running is such a simple sport but the accessories are amazing! 

Tomorrow - 8 miles. Phew! We've crossed over the halfway mark towards that 13.1 goal! 

Training update

Alright, I've hit the 6 mile long run! I'm only roughly halfway to the full 13.1 mileage for the race, and I feel pretty good. When I was at this point for the last half marathon (I am continually looking back at the training for that race for comparison), 6 miles nearly did me in. I limped the rest of the day. My muscles were tight, sore, and screaming for relief. I felt good just to finish the mileage, forget speed or anything else. Fast forward to yesterday's run...

And I feel great! It was a little tough getting down stairs, and my calves were really tired from earlier runs so I wore my compression leg sleeves, but overall I felt great. I also finished the run about 15 minutes faster than last time! That's a huge improvement. Keep in mind I'm not trying to break some sort of PR (maybe I am, but it's not #1 for me). I just want to finish the race and all my training in better shape than last year. And since I'm not feeling so physically drained, I think mentally I'm doing better. While it was a huge milestone to complete last year's race, I was mentally burned out and didn't really run for almost a year. Not the kind of outcome anyone really wants.

So what was different about yesterday's run? I keep harping on it, but it's improved form. I can run longer, faster, and take smaller walk breaks than before. Instead of needing a full quarter mile for a walk break, I take maybe a tenth of a mile. I run farther, aiming for at least a half mile before taking a break. So much of that depends on how I feel (earlier in the week I ran a mile and a half before considering a break), that I let my body tell me what it needs. Although I think I'm reaching a point where I really can run more but my mind is so conditioned to need a walk break that I need to break the mental barrier. We shall see.

Post-run I'm feeling amazing. Tired but not sore, tight but not stiff. I have a feeling once I begin really working on the drills I learned in class all of this will improve even more. Even though things have improved, I do keep in mind not all my runs will be fantastic. In fact, Thursday's run was sort of tough. I think the cumulative lack of sleep from the work week had been catching up to me. My mid-week evening runs also have a tendency to not be as good as my Saturday morning runs. Some of that is fatigue, some of it had been from wearing high heels to work, and some of it is hunger. I am running when I would normally be eating dinner.

We'll see how this momentum keeps up. We are now just under two months until the race. The flights are booked, the hotel rooms reserved, the rental car too. We are truly committed! The course looks fabulous, and it'll be a great time of year to be in Chicago. Whenever I think that most people see me as the crazy person paying to run these kinds of distances, I think "yeah I'm crazy and that's cool!". W00t!

Happy New Year!

Now that the holidays are officially over, the feasts eaten, gifts bought, opened, and possibly exchanged or returned and alcohol consumed, we now look forward to the new year and hope for a fresh start in more ways than one. This has been a rough year for a lot of people for a lot of reasons, but I think the reason we keep making resolutions is because we'd like things to be better. We're creatures who hope for better. In the spirit of clean slates, we vow to do things like make more time for family,exercise more, lose weight, and become more financially responsible. I hope everyone manages to meet at least some of their resolutions.

For those who have made fitness or weight loss related resolutions, I have compiled a few articles here to help you get started. Happy new year!!

Need music to work out? Check out these reviews.

Want to be healthier but need an idea on how to do that? Try one of these resolutions.

It's one thing to say you'll run more. It's another to actually commit and register for a race. Set a goal by finding a race here.

Good luck!

More myths about dieting and general updates

Alright, I'm on a bit of a kick on sorting fact from fiction. Yahoo! has another good article about diet and exercise myths, and I admit I've fallen victim to number 2 to some extent. My thoughts when I first started running were "I run a lot now, so I can eat a lot more". Yeah, that's wrong. Oops! I know I'm not the only one who thinks that way, and it can be really hard to find the balance in eating and exercise. We can't stop eating, but we can't go overboard just because we're getting more exercise in.

On a similar line of thought, check out the latest news on Olestra. Turns out fake fat makes you fat. It's similar to the fake sugar makes you fat news. While the thought of Olestra has always made me ill, I do admit to a Coke Zero with lunch when I'm at work. The rest of the time I am drinking water, and when I eat out sometimes unsweet tea. It's my vice, and I figure there are worse things I can do.

As far as how I'm doing, I've discovered something that I suspected would happen. Some of my larger muscles are atrophying. This is why I knew I'd need to get some new exercise in if I didn't want to stick with running for the summer, but it's not making me happy. I have a feeling that while I hadn't been gaining weight before it will start coming back because I don't have the muscles burning away all day long like I did before.

My excuse? Well, aside from the horrific heat we've experienced so far in Georgia it's all revolving around the lack of a fan in my basement and how it needs to be cleaned. Lame? Oh yeah. Is it working? Sure is. I still haven't done a damn thing in the exercise department. This weekend I am cleaning the basement and buying a fan!! And because I said it here, I will feel guilty until it is accomplished. Hopefully. We'll see :)

Approaching the crossroads

Due to some recent changes in my own life (new job which means more than double the distance from home and triple the commute time), I've had to face a challenge that most people face in their lives. That challenge is a lack of time. When training for the half marathon (which I am still proud to have completed), I was able to get weekday runs in due to the close proximity of several parks to my old job and being closer to home. I could beat the sunset and still get a couple miles in before heading home. Weekends were easier to deal with as well since the weather was cooler, allowing me to sleep a little later and still have decent temperatures and weather.

All this background is to let you know that conditions are not ideal, but they're not the end of the world either. I now spend significantly longer in the car, and if parks are close by I'm not aware of them just yet. This will make it hard to train longterm. It's also summer here now, so even with the sun staying up I get to deal with remaining heat (we've hit 90 degree temps already and summer has barely started). The other major nuisance is the massive mosquito population here. I get eaten alive during warmer weather.

These external hindrances combined with a desire to try something new have led me to do a little research on the latest and greatest in sports fitness. I've come across a unifying theme throughout my searches. Less can be more. If you've been reading the blog for the past several weeks, you may remember this post. Workouts like this have become more and more popular for several reasons, but here is what makes them appeal to me:

For a quick workout, it offers significant benefits and can be more effective even than running.

As you can tell already, I'm a bit strapped for time. Like most women, I have to deal with household chores on top of working and whatnot. I also crave downtime to relax mentally by reading books, watching an occasional movie, and hanging out with friends. The tough part is going to be making a new routine. This was a major hurdle regardless of whether I chose running, going to the gym, or anything else. Now that I've found a workout method I want to try, I'll start trying to build the right habits again.

Does this mean I've given up on running? No way! This means I'm taking a break but am looking forward to trying to run more 5ks in the future. I miss the casual racing. I'll probably sign up for the Publix half marathon again.

I really wanted to write this post because I want you readers to know that there are other options out there. Find what works for you, and don't be afraid of change and challenge.

Post-race blues?

I'm feeling pretty good, although I'm worrying the lack of exercise on the waistline. The problem here is that I haven't had any real motivation to run. I mean, it's fun while I'm running but good luck getting me out there. I've read that this is a common phenomenon. After achieving a major goal like completing a half marathon, many people get post-race blues and don't have much motivation to run. Why is that? I think it's because we've worked sooooo hard for so long that the break is extremely welcome. I believe it's 85% mental, 15% physical. Why this ratio? It sounded good. Yeah. I just made stuff up.

So I'm looking for other stuff to do besides just running. I tried a new workout today, and it was pretty cool. I got it from Men's Health, but I stole it for myself. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't do this workout too. This is called "Fire Up Your Fat Burners". While you're supposed to complete 15 sets in a count down sequence, Workout A was really hard! Rex and I only finished 3, and I also need to use a weight heavier than 5 lbs if I'm only doing a few sets. As I build up more endurance it'll be awesome. I think incorporating this workout into my running will make some great improvements.

While I'm healing...

Here's a cool story about the oldest woman to ever complete a marathon. She's 92!! Just an awesome reminder that no matter how old we are, we are capable of amazing things if we put our minds to it.

Super long runs are almost done!

Yesterday I completed 11 miles. It was the first time I actually didn't want to run. I really wanted to just sleep in and enjoy my warm, comfy bed. I'm beginning to see that the taper at the end of training is not only for physical reasons but for mental reasons too. At this point in my training I'm just tired in every sense of the word. I mean, the training helps me lose weight, get in shape, give me confidence, improve my health, yada yada, but it's hard after nearly three months. That's a long time! It'll be worth it in a couple weeks when I finish the race; it's just a little tough to remember sometimes.

On a good note, half way into my run I got my second wind and finished strong. That was good because the first half I was just going through the motions. That shows me that even if I get a rough start at the race I can still have room to recover. My fueling during the run is set (one pack of Honey Stingers per hour), and the hydration is covered (Accelerade fruit punch flavor is yummy!). All I have to do is finish my training and then finish the race :)

On a funny note, Rex wants me to say that on Saturdays I waddle like a duck because my legs are so tired and calves are tight. He finds it extremely hilarious. My parents also found it to be funny yesterday and noted that when I was younger I couldn't be bothered with anything that smacked of exercise except riding bikes and here I am running 11 miles on my own. I think they are wondering what happened to the daughter they raised and the one who came to visit them yesterday.

Half-way there...

So I realized that with my long run tomorrow I'll be able to cover roughly half of the distance required for the half marathon. I run/walk 7 miles tomorrow, which is gonna kick my butt but will be awesome!

When I was running yesterday, I realized I haven't really improved much on my running in terms of how far I can run before taking a break. And you know what? That's okay. So I can't really run more than 1.5 miles before taking a walk break. If I focus on that aspect of my training, I'll lose sight of the total distance which is important. I'll worry about that later. I'm already doing a lot better than I was two months ago. Progress can be very slow, and that's natural for everyone. In fact, CNN has a great article about why some people give up working out. Now gyms see the natural decline from people giving up on their resolutions and goals already. Come on folks - it's only been 28 days! Of course you haven't become a marathon runner/body builder/triathalon winner yet! Your body is still adjusting to the fact that you're being more active.

It's tough to keep motivation high when you're frustrated, but I promise it gets better with time. Trust me; I know. =)

Training Changes

I feel like I have ADD. I had a training plan all picked out and ready to go next week, but I found an awesome book that has a training plan in it as well. So I'm switching. What is this book? Half-Marathon: You Can Do It by Jeff Galloway. For those who have been following me for a while, I'm a big Galloway fan. I really love his approach to running - everyone can do it, it's good to take walk breaks, avoid injuries, and above all have fun! He has a plan in this book for those who are just looking to complete the half-marathon, which is exactly what I plan to do. I'm not looking to set a certain time record for myself because I haven't established a baseline yet.

The other stuff I like in this book so far (I haven't finished reading it yet) are how to stay motivated, diet advice, cross training, health tips, and the easy and clear way it is written in. This book doesn't get too technical or jargony, which keeps me excited. The last thing anyone needs is to feel less than worthy because he/she isn't up to speed on the latest buzz words. Our egos are fragile, especially when trying new things.

On this topic though, Rex is going to join me in training. He won't run the race, but I have made a commitment to him to join him in cross training if he joins me in running. I think we can be successful if we motivate one another in our goals. This is going to be an interesting new year!

New Year's Resolutions

With the holidays wrapping up, I think it's only natural for our minds to focus on clean slates, starting over, or improving ourselves. We have a new year coming up in a couple days, and there's a lot of focus on resolutions right now. I'm terrible at keeping them, so I don't usually make one. What helps me more is having a concrete short term goal like the half marathon I'm signed up for. Once I achieve that goal I can create a new one and move on from there.

Even though this is written for Men's Health, I think it applies to men and women equally. Check out this article that has five secrets to keeping your resolution(s). I especially like the one about getting your significant other involved, but if you're currently single (or your significant other doesn't want to work out) I think finding a friend with a similar resolution is equally as powerful. Just like running buddies, the commitment to meet a friend at the gym or to share a food journal is wonderful.

Have you ever had a bad run?

I had one Thursday morning. Because of all the running around I had to do Wednesday night, I didn't have time to run so the run got pushed to Thursday morning. I figured I'd take it easy, but my leg was really mad at me. Evidently my right leg was still stiff from driving down to my parents' house, so running just made it madder. That's okay though. I mostly hobbled through the two miles but felt good that at least I could say that I got my run out of the way. It's hard to remember that not all runs will be good, and it's extremely easy to let that kind of run get your spirits down.

Again, that's okay. I'll go later today for a run. Or may it'll be tomorrow. Either way it'll be good. Good in that I'm out training. I don't have to be speed racer; I don't have to beat a personal best. I just have to get out and complete the distance required of me, and that is what I love about running. It is what I make it to be, and that's all that matters.

Happy Turkey Day!

Boy do I love Thanksgiving! I get to eat all my favorite foods with abandon and then just goof off and be lazy. Christmas is only better in that I get to give and receive presents as well. Woohoo! Happy fun times LOL!

Anyway, with all this food some of you may be concerned about gaining weight or finding time to work out. I do think it's a struggle if you don't keep your workout routines a priority. Plan ahead with the shopping and decorating and it won't be so stressful. I moved my running schedule around this week to accommodate the fact that I will not be in any kind of mood to run on Thanksgiving. Usually I'd be glad just to make it out for a walk or short run to keep up the good habits, but right now I'm building the foundations for the half marathon. If I want to remain injury free, I've got to keep training consistently.

Speaking of training, Red and I tried something that we've read about in running publications for some time now. When you're short like I am (and I even have short legs and a long torso, making my legs even shorter than other women at 5'3"), you feel like your tiny little running steps are too small. I think I've been subconsciously trying to lengthen my stride to match taller men's strides. They go fast, why shouldn't I? Well, that's just counterintuitive. Turns out when you take tiny steps you go really fast without trying! I couldn't keep it up for long, but it's really cool! I think I'll use that trick when working on speed work down the road. Right now I'm just focused on mileage.

Red was awesome and came running with me twice last week. Saturday we tackled 3 miles, and while that wasn't too hard for her it was pushing me a lot. Let me just say (again!) that having a running buddy who understands and is simultaneously pushing you while helping you take breaks when needed is the bestest thing ever. Instead of just trudging through the run, I enjoyed it. My hips were mad at me until I ran again on Monday, but it's okay. Turns out recovery runs are important too because they work out the built up lactic acid and allow you to stretch effectively post-run.

I hope you have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and if you're running in a Turkey Trot you deserve that extra helping of apple pie for dessert!

How are you adjusting to the time change?

Now that we've "fallen back" and somehow gained an hour, the sun is setting around 5:50 pm. Considering that I get home shortly before that, running in the evenings is going to be interesting. Since I'm still in the getting fit stage, I think this will be okay. The shortest day of the year is in December, and the days get longer after that. It's not until January that I start the hardcore training for the half marathon, so I'm hoping this all works out okay.

I've also noticed a trend around this time of year. Because of the cold and darkness, I immediately begin thinking that a gym membership might be a good idea. Then I remember that I don't like gym memberships lol.

Since it's colder outside, I'm going to recap my common cold weather running ailments.

1. Exercise-induced asthma. The cold dry air irritates my lungs, which causes some fierce coughing fits. What helps? Other than just getting used to running outside, using some kind of scarf or cloth over my mouth and nose that lets me breathe in some sort of warm air. The downside? It gets nasty after a long run =/

2. Lack of motivation. Yeah, I deal with this all year long but this deals with the cold and dark evenings specifically. What helps? Making time to run when it's nicer outside, and if necessary find a treadmill.

3. Comfort food season. I will admit that tonight I had homemade mac n cheese and am drinking hot apple cider with whipped cream. Don't mind the pumpkin cookies I also ate tonight. What helps? Other than not stuffing myself stupid with high calorie foods that are freaking tasty, I just have to run and run and run. *sigh*

One of the nice things of winter running is wearing cute hats and jackets. Thanks Red for the cute running jacket!!! =)