(Year 1, Day 34) - 9 weeks to PITTSBURGH!

3 weeks DOWN.  A really crammed week has left me feeling a little beat up.  We had to squeeze all of our big runs into the first 4 days of the week because of a 3-day ski trip over the weekend.  4 crazy tough days followed by A LOT of skiing = taking an extra rest day today (monday).

 

My new training shoes arrived in the mail!  I will try to post a review this week. 

Brooks Pure Cadence.  My personal minimalist movement has begun :-o

 

(Year 1, Day 31) - PITT HALF, Week 3 of 12, Day 2,3,4,5,6,7

Back on the track.  Did I mention how much I love late night track workouts? :) 

The only negative to the workout was the moron walking in lane 1.  Don't get me wrong, I totally understand that some people are not educated in track etiquette (even tho a sign at the track entrance reads "walkers use outside lanes").  And in most cases it wouldn't bother me that someone's walking in lane 1.  But when your 10 year old daughter tells you to move to the outside for the approaching runner, and you look at the runner (as if he has two heads) and simply ignore her request...you have moved from an acceptable uneducated track-user, to an unacceptable biotch :)

WORKOUT:
Warmup:     1600m acceleration
Workout:     8 x 400 @ 5k pace (90sec)
Recovery:    200m walk/jog
Cool Down:  800m 


One 400m interval has been added to the workout from two weeks ago.  I was really hoping my knees would feel better than they did in yesterday's spin class.  I had already mentally prepared myself to drop out if need be.  But to my delight, everything felt great.  After a week of focusing on my stride, it was a lot easier to pick up the pace without resorting to pushing off with calves and Achille's.


Splits.

In need of an easy day tomorrow.  And for some reason, looking forward to Thursday's distance run :)

runClub night.  Beautiful weather...around 50 degrees.  Got to run in shorts and a light long sleeve T.  Ran 4 miles with Ian.  Everything felt pretty good.

yeaaaahhhhhhhhhhh...distance runs feeling good!

1:15 run.  Approximately 9.5 miles.  8min pace. 

This distance run was such a huge success.  About 2 miles into the run my lower back began to hurt.  At first I thought "shit, I hope that goes away."  But of course it only got worse over the next few minutes.

Old me:  try to ignore it, and push through the pain.

New me:  "Is my column straight?  Check. "Are my legs spinning behind me?  Check."  "Am I falling forward from my ankles?  AHH HAH!  No, I am bending at the waist, not from the ankles.

I paused, straightened my column, and fell forward at the ankles.  EUREKA!  Back pain vanished!

Chi Running, how i love thee...

Today is rest.  I will be driving to seven springs to ski for the weekend, with Mandy.  Two days full of skiing will account for 3 miles.

(Year 1, Day 28) - PITT HALF, Week 3 of 12, Day 1

Approximately 30 minutes into the 60 minute spin workout, my knees started buggin me (feeling a little pain in my knees during a spin class is nothing out of the ordinary).  Spin classes are very intense, and can be dangerous to those with knee problems.  You need to listen to your body, and not be scared to respond appropriately.  I backed off a little, as i usually do, but unfortunately every time I hopped back into the workout they only felt worse.  I had to make the decision to ignore the rest of the group, and do a light spin for the remaining 30minutes of the workout.
I dont know what it is about my state of mind...but backing off in a group workout is very difficult for me.  I start feeling self-conscious about not going with the group... "what are they thinking about me?"  "they think i cant hang with them."  "he thinks Im self-absorbed and dont wanna do what the rest of the group is doing."

I have no idea why I get like this.  My mind has worked in this way since I began running.  I have to try and hide things.  I remember back to my senior year of track.  At this point I had been running competitively for almost 6 years.  In those 6 years I had NEVER ONCE BEEN INJURED (we had teammates who get injured every year...every season). 

Toward middle/end of the season I was running a track workout with our state-hopeful 3200 relay team.  After completing an interval, I could feel an out-of-ordinary pain in my right quad.  I could tell something wasnt quite right, but my mindset at the time was, "suck it up...you dont get hurt.  finish the workout and worry about it then."  It was almost like i was scared to say something.  Scared to back out of the workout.  My next interval was a 200m sprint.  We lined up at turn 3.  My coach dropped his arm from the finish line and we took off.  Predictably, coming around turn 4, my right quad pulls severely.  The rest of the team blows down the final straightaway, and I come hobbling down on one leg.

Even in this time of absolutely certainty over the condition of my leg, I STILL found it difficult to explain that something is terribly wrong and that I need to see the trainer. 

I know I said earlier that "I have no idea why I get like this," but I have just had an ah ha moment. 

I want to take responsibility for my own thoughts and actions.  I dont want to point fingers.  But we cannot help the fact that other people effect us in both positive and negatives ways throughout our lives.

I had been blessed with talented coaches throughout my first 5 years of running competitively.  However, my final season was overseen by a somewhat power-hungry coach man.  I understand that anyone and everyone who coaches a sport, teaches a class, or builds a home for a living is going to come into their job with a different approach.  This man came into his job with a very I-dont-trust-any-of-my-athletes attitude (which I realize, now, effected me in a very negative way).  He looked to everyone with a suspicious eye.  If you did not fit his strict-mold to the tee, he would punish you with no running.  He did not understand the lifestyle of a runner, and I did not understand him.

In six fucking years I had NEVER been injured in ANYWAY what-so-ever.  Athletes of my school would live in the trainers office...I had never stepped foot in it.  And now I am experiencing my first serious injury, coming at the worst possible time, with hopes of a state-qualifying relay in jeopardy.

When i reach the end of the final straightaway, I attempt to explain my leg.  The look I received from my "coach" (the man who is supposed to understand what we are going through, and look out for our well-being) was one of 'uh huh, stop trying to get out of a hard workout'. 

It has been quite a while since this event occurred, and I do not want to miss-quote someone....but I believe the first words out of his mouth when i reached the line were...in his often critical tone, "whats wrong with you?"

Are you kidding me?  This is what I get for trying to listen to my body?  Suspicion?  Accused of bailing on a workout?  Fuck you.

It is clear now why I ran that next 200m interval.  It was clear, in my head, that I should not be stepping to the line.  But I knew if I said anything, it would be met with 100% suspicion.

I didnt mean for this post to turn into a heated attack of a person who's not even in my life any longer.  But I think it is important for me to realize that not everyone is as suspicious as him.  I was in that spin class yesterday, my knees starting to hurt, when I decide I need to back off and not risk injury.  I spent the remainder of the workout doing an easy spin, and thinking about how everyone else is thinking I'm pussing out. 

Erik, stop worrying about everyone else!..NO ONE CARES!  These people are not taking hours out of their day to come critique your workout.  They are their to improve their own quality of life, just as you are there to improve yours.  They dont give a damn if your Lance Armstrong or the goofy lady in the back corner singing to herself. 

Breakthrough

(Year 1, Day 27) - 10 weeks to PITTSBURGH!

2 weeks of training is in the books.  These are the kind of weeks I enjoy...when all runs are done on the days I had originally planned.  Something about not having to juggle the week makes me feel more accomplished.  Not that it matters...probably just my over sensitive need for structure...

 

I used the 4miler on Wednesday & 8 miler on Sunday to really focus on my stride and block everything else out.  After a very difficult first week, this week felt MUCH BETTER.  I put some mileage on the legs, and everything feels great.

This upcoming week will be a lot of juggling.  Mandy and I will be at 7 springs Friday-Sunday...so all the runs will be done between Monday and Thursday. 

Monday = Spin
Tuesday = Track Workout
Wednesday = 4 mile runClub
Thursday = Long run

Holy shit...better get crackin!

 

(Year 1, Day 27) - PITT HALF, Week 2 of 12, Day 5,6,7

 

MUCH NEEDED day off.  Mandy, due to a commitment this Sunday, had to run her distance day today.  I went with her to the school and was considering spending some time on the track to practice my stride.  I decided that a full rest would be more beneficial to my body, and did not work on the stride.

Mandy did however do her distance run...i thought she was gonna blow away.  What a trooper!

Another good/hard skate.  Thundercats extend their win streak to 3 in a row!  Body felt great all day.  Only negative is that puck drop was at 11:30pm.  DIdnt get to sleep till 2am...and long run in the a.m.

So what, lets do it!

Mornings like this are why I'm so happy to be a runner.

Surprisingly, after getting to bed around 2am from an 11:30 hockey game, I did not struggle to wake-up at all.  The past week has been hanging around in the 40s/50s, so having a cold/snowy evening was a little shocker.  But the morning was beautiful! 

I arrived at the trail around 9am.  When i pulled into the trail head there was not a single vehicle awaiting my arrival.  The sun was shining, the air was cold, and an untouched coating of snow was waiting for me on the trail.  Life doesnt get any better:)

60min distance run.  Put in 8 miles even in 1:04.19.  Speed did not fluxuate at all...stayed at a very consistent 8-8:05 minute pace.  The run felt pretty easy in general.  Tried to stay at a relaxed pace so i could concentrate on my stride throughout.  The entire run felt very comfortable except for the last 2 miles...and that was not due to the pace, but more so my morning cup-o-coffee catching up with my stomach (gross face).

Ready for a long day of beer and wings with the Kowalski family.

(Year 1, Day 23) - PITT HALF, Week 2 of 12, Day 4

Hill Workout.  First one in quite some time.  I must say, I am a little surprised I even went through with it.  Running hill repeats kind of goes against what I have learned via Chi Running.  Hitting the hills can be quite rough on the knees, and you must be careful not to power your way up the hill.  Lean further forward, and fall to the top.

If you're new to hill workouts, I have what I think is important advice:  do NOT kill the hill!  I used to run hill repeats with the notion of getting to the top as fast I could.  Hell with my knees, quads, and calves.  The harder I pound the hill, the stronger my muscles will become, and the better runner I will be (sounds like most of my young career). 

This, in my opinion, is stupid.  We run as preparation to race.  So let me ask you:

You are 20 miles deep into a grueling marathon.  Your muscles ache, your mind is weary, and you are approaching a severe incline.  Are you going to sprint and power your way up this hill as quickly as you possibly can? 

When you run your hill workouts, run them as to prepare for your race.  I am not telling you to crawl up the hill...but don't go crazy.  The most important part of your hill interval is post-hill. 

Go back to mile 20 of the marathon.  The most important thing is to continue running a strong race AFTER the hill.  No matter what you do, anything short of taking a taxi, you will be exhausted at the crest...i promise you this.  But this is when you must refocus your mind and concentrate on your form.

So when you run your hill repeats, focus on just that.  Get up the hill...I promise your heart will be pumping no matter how fast you move.  When the ground beneath you starts to level out, and your mind begins thinking "thank goodness, time for a quick rest", force yourself to focus on your stride:  "Am I leaning forward at the ankles?" "Are my legs turning behind me?"  "Are my arms at 90 degrees?" 

It is not easy to focus your mind at the top of a steep climb, but that's why we are practicing it!  And I guarantee it will be easier to refocus if you haven't tried to break the land speed record on your way up.

(Year 1, Day 22) - PITT HALF, Week 2 of 12, Day 3

Great run tonight.  4 miles at race pace.  Everything felt awesome; shins, knees, stride, breathing...everything.  Held a consistent 7:15 pace, and felt fine with it.  This is exactly the kind of run I needed after a sub-par week.