In it for the long run

Catching up

9/3/04
I'll throw in yesterday's and today's runs here.Yesterday, I experimented with a two-a-day. Ran very easy, not quite 3 miles in the a.m., then about 8 3/4 in the p.m. with the marathon training group. The latter consisted of a 30 min. warm-up, then a 3-mile prediction run (we had to surrender our watches and run by feel), then cooldown for another 30 mins. which I did very slowly.

The prediction run went better than I expected, but my goal was a little conservative, based on a series of rather sluggish mile repeats last weekend: so I guessed 28:26 (why the 26? I don't know...just b/c marathons are 26 miles...or some such equally whimsical reason). My actual time was 27:21, and I think it would have been even faster were it not for a side stitch that lasted about a quarter mile and came on in the last mile. Fortunately, I was able to blow it off and resume the hard running.

9/3, ran 47 mins. easy, and happened upon a h.s. xc race getting set up in the park near where I live. So I finished my run and took off for home to get my camera, returned, and rooted for my local h.s. team! That was a fun morning! The lead female ran about two mins. ahead of the nearest competitor, and both were members of the "home" team! What a nice surprise to come upon that race!

September 11: Group long run
The goal: 15-17 miles. I managed 15.

We were divided into three groups, depending on our speed (I was in the "caboose" group; we kept these more or less throughout the run).

This 15 miles was divided thus:
The run from Lloyd Hall to Belmont Plateau (don't know exact mileage there, but trust me the total came to 15)

The various repeats inflicted upon us while on Belmont Plateau: the "whatever doesn't kill you will make you stronger" part of the workout (actually I enjoyed them...just having some fun here). These consisted of < style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153); font-family: arial;">

• <><><>four "batting cage repeats": In these, we covered what Dave said was approximately 700ish yards for each repeat plus an approximately 3 min. easy jog back to the start point. They were called "batting cages," because they started at one batting cage and skirted two others. My times:

< style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153); font-family: arial;"><> --3:54 (I was disappointed by the slow time...later I'd be happy to see the south side of 4 mins. again)<>
--4:12 (I was running second in my group until we were near the end, at which time, I caught my foot in a piece of pennant banner that had been set up for an upcoming race. Took me moment to untangle myself. Was running second in my group until that point, and my merciless team-mates sprinted past me)
--4:00 a milestone--for the FIRST TIME, I was the first in my group to finish a repeat!! (Payback time, team-mates!)
--3:53 ball back in my team-mates' court, as most of them finished ahead of me, but the time surprised me. Felt sure I'd be over 4 minutes because I couldn't chase the others down and finished in second-last place in the group.

<><>Two "inside mile" repeats:<>

<><> First repeat, 10:49 even though I was in so much oxygen debt, I needed a credit counselor. Good to know that it was a little over a mile. Second repeat--almost 12 mins. but took a wrong turn and fortunately someone in the group called to me to get me back on course. Between these two repeats, ten minutes of easy running.

After these diversions, we proceeded back to the start, taking the long way around the Schuylkill River loop. Our normal procedure had been to run straight back toward the Art Museum, but this time we were directed to head for the Falls Bridge, cross that, and then return to the start. During this part of the run, I began to entertain doubts about whether I'd be ready for the marathon. Hamstrings tight, almost to the point of hurting. But somehow I found myself able to keep running, tight/stiff as my legs felt, and as I continued, began to feel a little better. Afterward, Dave stretched me a bit which sent my facial muscles into all kinds of contortions (as in OUCH!), but I definitely felt better after he worked on me.

Long runs remain a challenge for me, but talking w/ the coach afterward, I think I see why. Part of it might be needing to stretch more; part of it might a need to adjust diet; and part might be starting out a little too fast.
It might just be that I'm made for shorter races, but I'm going to see how the half-marathon goes next week. Having covered 15 miles, some of them w/ some hard, hilly running, I feel more confident going into the half marathon which will be largely flat. So we'll see!

9/13
Tuesday evening group run. We were instructed to run 3 miles at the pace at which we planned to run the half marathon. I have to admit that given my speed lately, I didn't see myself running the thing in under 9 mpm, but I dream... I dream. Wanted at least to know how a sub-9 pace felt for three miles, and the answer: harder than it used to! But I was glad to end up with 26:45 (on my watch--Mike told me his watch said 26:55--I like better what my watch said...but I like Mike, so it's a tough call!). Mike also told us not to look at our watches, just to try to go as much as possible by feel. I followed this advice, looking only to press the start button and then to stop the watch when I finished. So I have no idea what my splits were.

I developed a side stitch toward the end of the run, but it was only in the last hundred or so yards that it really began to bother me, so I gripped my side and made myself run through it. (Anything for a sub-27, right?) Fortunately, it didn't slow me down too much. But I hope I don't run into the same problem in the Philly Distance Run Sunday!

Including warm-up and cooldown, total of five miles.

9/14/04
Just a comfortable trot around my local h.s. xc course, except that I skipped the stream crossing part (I know, I know, very wimpy) and used the footbridge further down instead. Started raining toward the end of the run, but only a drizzle...actually felt good! Ended up with 51 minutes counting getting to the start, then returning home.

9/18/04
A few easy miles in pouring rain. When I was almost done, a man commented, "a little wet to be jogging." Wet? It was wet out? Oh. I was too busy running to pay attention. Well, not really--but I do notice that when it rains, I'll be decked in raincoat and umbrella like anyone--until I start running, then the rain doesn't bother me much at all! In fact, it can even feel good if the weather's been hot.

However, racing is a whole other story. I don't like racing in the rain because then my shoes get wet and heavy and slow me down. Tomorrow's the Philly Distance Run (1/2 marathon), and it's supposed to be cool and clear--favorite conditions for me!

9/19/04
After a day of pouring rain yesterday, today was not onlybright and clear but a tad chilly and windy. Almost wondered this morning if I'd have done better w/ gloves. However,after checking my bag, I shivered in singlet and shorts until warmed up and ready to start. Cutting to the chase, here's the result--2:04:29 chip time,2:06:41, gun time, 1:03:59 at the halfway point (I carried anold watch with me which I started when I crossed the secondchip mat so I'd have a second half split--which was 1:02:42).Based on some time trials I'd run, Dave predicted a 2:10 so he was quite pleased--although he warned me that now that he saw that time, he'd have to conclude that I'd been holding back, so I guess he'll expect me to work harder in the group runs. My hope was to go under two hours, but I'm still pretty happy with today's race. I ran a negative split, was able to push myself more the second half, and felt pretty good afterward...sore but not wasted. In fact, I beat last year's time. I'd had such a difficult spring and summer that I wasn't expecting to go sub-9mpm pace, but I felt so draggy in the Broad Street Run that I wondered if I could even run sub-10 mpm again. So this race, while certainly no personal best,. was still a real confidence builder!

There was a nervous period for the race organizers who thought they might have to reroute the race due to flooding along the Kelly Drive part of the route, but fortunately road crews worked all night to get the street cleaned up, and so the race could proceed on its normal route. However, there was a moderately slippery stretch after the Falls Bridge, and Iremember thinking, "sure are a lot of people with tattoos on their legs"--until I realized we were all getting "tattooed" with mud spatter! Aside from that stretch, the going was dry and the weather gorgeous. None of the mugginess that had been settled upon us earlier in the week, so I felt pretty energized! I think that helped a lot! Afterward, I met up team-mates in the marathon group for some post-race celebration (and ... um ... some of the "fluid replacement" included bloody mary's and mimosas). A good day, I'd say!

9/20/04: Very easy walk around Naylor's Run Park.

9/21/04 Group workout: recovery/handicap run. We could predict a time and run w/ preferred group. I put myself in the 30-35 min. group but ran 28:26 (splits were 9:36, 19:??).

9/23: 1 hr. run
9/24: 35 min. run
These were distributed differently than called for in my schedule, because time constraints made a 45 minute run impossible on Friday.

9/25 20 miler completed in very slow-mo 4 hrs./7 mins. Hurt, hurt, hurt! But finished.

9/26 5k race that I just jogged (recovery from 20-miler), 34:50. Still won 3rd place in a.g. This was the Road to a Cure 5k Run/Walk to raise money for Celiac Disease research. Liz told me about it, and I signed up...then wasn't sure if I would be able even to walk the distance, but calf felt better.

9/27 rest day, completed copy-editing project

9/28 For the rain it raineth...
I started to go to meet the group, got as far as center city. Running late, heard about possible tornadoes, sky getting darker, rain coming in sheets. Cab driver said Kelly Drive flooding. Suddenly was driven sane. Told the driver to bag the trip to Lloyd Hall and drop me at 30th St. Station instead. Wondered if I'd wimped out--thought of Schultz's Charlie Brown perennially standing in pouring rain on the pitcher's mound, everyone gone home...always did identify with him, but sad to say, I left him on the pitcher's mound tonight--but when watched the news at 11, I wondered if maybe anyone came to the "pitcher's mound" including Charlie Brown. I heard that a woman died while waiting for a bus on Midvale Avenue--swept away by flood water. [Even today, more than two weeks later, the thought still haunts me.]

9/29 Dave e-mailed me and told me there would be a workout for the 26-2 group the next day. Went to that and we did six hill repeats, 3x up/down continuous on Lemon Hill, same as Mike has done, rest in between, another 3 up/down other side of Lemon Hill.

9/30 Easy 50 mins. (used part of xc course)

10/1 Easy 34 mins.

posted by DPMcManus @ 2:35 PM