Tag Archives: running amuck

running in circles

May 19, 2009Uncategorizedrunning amuckLauren @ mostly i run

Yup, Tuesday nights still mean speed work on the track. We’ve had terrific weather for the past two workouts.

While it’s much more enjoyable when it’s not raining, nice weather also means we end up sharing the track with a lot more people. Walkers with dogs, kids on bikes, toddlers wandering around … most of them paying little attention to the runners sprinting by.

Well, my sprint isn’t so fast that I can’t dodge them … but we’ve got some speedy runners on our team!

Last week we ran 12 400s at our goal pace (mine is still 2:02).

1:58
2:01
1:57
2:02
2:04
2:02
2:04
2:04
2:04
2:03
2:02
1:59

This week, we bumped it up to 14. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen since my pre-run snack was sitting kind of heavy in my stomach — even though I gave it two and a half hours to settle.

2:09 (a cautious start!)
2:02
2:03
2:05
2:03
2:02
2:01
2:03
1:58 (I may have been running away from a kid on a bike here)
2:01
2:04
2:04
2:02
2:02

It didn’t go too badly after all!

I’m not sure if all this work is paying off yet … but I did run my fastest 5K since 2005 on Sunday (27:43, third in my age group). Same course, 24 seconds slower — but back then, the course was too short!

summer running

May 14, 2009Uncategorizedrunning amuck, take it and runLauren @ mostly i run

This for Take it and Run Thursday at the Runners’ Lounge, we’re talking about the summer. How do you transition as the weather gets warmer? How do you stay cool as the temperatures rise?

The weather in these parts gets a little weird between seasons. A few weeks ago, it seemed like we skipped spring and went straight to summer. I had to dig out my running skirts and tank tops for a few runs. Not much time for a transition!

And then it got cooler, and I was back in capri tights and jackets.

My past few runs have been perfect. Warm enough for tanks/skirts, but not to hot and low humidity. But I know it won’t last. It’s only a matter of time until it’s hazy, hot and humid.

Once the heat really kicks in, we might just have to slow down and give our bodies some time to adjust. And always drink plenty of fluids!

During one of my first years running, we had a particularly hot summer. I got into the habit of always running with a water bottle. I used to fill a plastic bottle halfway with Gatorade and freeze it, and then top it off with water before my run. The Gatorade would keep the water cold and gradually melt as I needed it.

I haven’t done that for a while — I kind of forgot about it. It’s definitely something I should keep in mind when the weather’s really miserable.

And for a little post-run refreshment, pack a cooler with some face wipes on ice!

choices

May 5, 2009Uncategorizedrunning amuckLauren @ mostly i run

Our second track workout was on my schedule tonight. The rain was coming down pretty hard on and off during my commute, and I kept changing mind.

Do I head to the track in the rain, or figure out the intervals and do the speed work on the treadmill?

By the time I got home, it was only lightly raining. I checked the weather radar map, and it looked like we might get a brief break. There was another patch of rain after it, so I knew I was going to get wet, but I threw on a hat and went for it.

And actually, it wasn’t that bad! It was cool, but not too cold (upper 50s), so the rain wasn’t miserable. Much better than the heat and humidity we had last week!

Last time, we alternated eight 400-meter laps at a fast pace with eight 400-meter slow recovery lap. This week, it was 400 meters fast / 300 meters recovery times 10. I have a 55-minute 10K goal, and for this our coach gave me a 2:02 goal pace for each fast lap.

Here’s the breakdown:

Last week:
1. 1:54
2. 2:08
3. 1:59
4. 1:56
5. 2:07
6. 1:59
7. 2:00
8. 1:59

Even thought I was checking my time around each 100-meter mark, I still had a hard time finding my goal pace!

Tonight:
1. 1:54
2. 1:59
3. 2:03
4. 2:01
5. 2:02
6. 2:04
7. 2:04
8. 2:02
9. 2:01
10. 2:03

Much better. Maybe I’m getting the hang of this!

It probably wasn’t just the cooler temperature that made this run feel better. I wasn’t wiping myself out by going too fast. Even with the shorter recovery, I felt really good tonight. (I don’t know if I’ll say that next week, when the recovery is cut to 200 meters!)

Before my cool-down jog home (I don’t live far from the track), I decided today was a good day to break out these:

I had low expectations, but they were actually pretty good!

marathon madness!

April 23, 2009Uncategorizedrunning amuck, take it and runLauren @ mostly i run

No, I haven’t gone mad. Well, not any more so than I already have (ahem, Goofy Challenge).

This week at the Runners’ Lounge, the theme for “Take it and Run Thursday” is Boston and Marathon Madness. Runners are sharing their marathon tips and training plans.

I’ve only run one marathon (so far). And it’s unlikely that I’ll ever qualify for Boston. But I’ve been there, so I’ll share our plan.

Since we were all first-timers (and some of us were a little reluctant), we were very conservative. We decided we would use the Galloway run/walk method for the race and all our long runs, and figured we’d use his training plan as well.

Only his plan (linked above) has changed a bit since we set up our schedule in late 2006.

I’m not sure which version is better. But I’ll probably use one of them as a base for my Goofy training schedule. (I still have a little time before I have to worry about that!)

For our mid-week short runs, we ran Tuesdays and Thursdays, usually three-five miles. People wanting to work on speedier marathons would probably want to add another day or two of running per week, but I’m happy just to finish.

We normally did our long runs on Saturdays. We started a few weeks into the program because all of us had at least a 10K base. And to make it easier for me to type it up, I’m just going to start my training chart there, too.

Week 4 — 6 Miles
Week 5 — 7 Miles
Week 6 — 8 Miles
Week 7 — 9 Miles
Week 8 — 10 Miles
Week 9 — 11-12 Miles
Week 10 — 6 Miles
Week 11 — 13-14 Miles
Week 12 — 7 Miles
Week 13 — 15-16 Miles
Week 14 — 8 Miles
Week 15 — 17-18 Miles
Week 16 — 8-10 Miles
Week 17 — 19-20 Miles
Week 18 — 5K or 8-10 Miles
Week 19 — 8-9 Miles
Week 20 — 22-23 Miles
Week 21 — 5K or 8-10 Miles
Week 22 — 8-10 Miles
Week 23 — 24-26 Miles
Week 24 — 5K or 8-10 Miles
Week 25 — 8-10 Miles
Week 26 — Marathon!

I liked the way it alternates longer and shorter runs. Also, I liked that during marathon training, we started thinking of our 10-mile runs as short runs!

We did get in three runs that were 20 miles or above — we did 20, 22 and 24. I know a lot of people don’t train higher than 20, but it was a real confidence booster for us. We were well prepared on race day!

But it was still hard. And it still hurt. Oh well.

I needed a little time before I was ready to sign up for another. But now I’m excited to do it again!

hills, interrupted

April 21, 2009Uncategorizedrunning amuckLauren @ mostly i run

Tonight was our last hill run, with 12 repeats on the schedule.

When we started, the weather was great. It was a little cloudy, and close to 70 degrees. I was regretting my decision to wear capri tights, but that’s what I packed in my gym bag and I didn’t have time to change.

We ran the 1.5 miles from the running store to the bridge, commenting on what a perfect night it was.

We got through the first two or three repeats (200 meters up the bridge each), and started to notice some dark clouds rolling in. After five hills, it was looking worse. We almost called it quits after number six, but were hoping the storm would pass us.

And then as we started uphill for number seven, the wind started picking up. We all ran a little faster for that one! And on the jog back down, the rain drops started to fall.

The faster runners, who were one or two hills ahead of us, toughed it out. The back-of-the-packers decided to call it a night. The rain really started coming down — and it was cold! No longer perfect running weather, but we had no choice. We had to run the 1.5 miles back to the store!

We started seeing lightning in the distance. Thunder started rumbling. It was getting close … but I think we made it back before the worst of it came through.

So, only seven hills tonight instead of 12. We were all feeling good, too, and ready to tackle the workout.

Oh well … the top of a bridge is probably not the safest place to be during a thunderstorm!