14 juin. taper dammit

okay. I am just awful at getting to bed early enough to get up early enough to train before going to work. I couldn't fall asleep last night and was still looking at what time it was at 11:30 plus. So when the alarm rang at 6:05 I did the only reasonable thing which was turn it off.

I did get to the gym at lunch for an interval session on the dreadmill, which was quite effective at bringing on the sweat, and showed me that my inability to run fast is mostly mental. I keep increasing the pace only to find that I can actually run faster than I think - at least for a little while. I'm almost ready to try some sub-5 min/km sprints.  But not during the week I'm supposed to be tapering for the Oly on Sunday.  After running, I did all manner of what the trainer said to do - times 20, three rounds each of 8 pairs of exercises. side plank things were easier than I thought they would be.

Something like this, only with a hand weight and reaching under and then twisting up. And recall that I am a blonde. So this is NOT me.  And I did not need to brace my feet against the wall.  However, I did do these on my forearm, not my palm. Gotta save something for later, I think.

And I'm not swimming tonight. I'm going to swim at lunch tomorrow so that I'm not yawning at my desk tomorrow as a result of seeing the other side of midnight (again). Which sounds like the title to a novel. Because it is.  Come Sunday I will be the master of the unexpected.

one more run: seeing the need for speed.

Two weeks of sitting on my butt at work equals loss of conditioning.  I enjoyed my 8k run this afternoon, but felt it in my glutes. I aimed at 7:40/km and averaged 7:50.   I learn something about pacing every time I go out for a run. When I plan the pace, I need to account for the walk breaks I take.  I also ran to beat music, which I really enjoyed, from Audiofuel, a UK company that has partnered with the London marathon to produce marathon training pieces.  The beat moves my feet!

Today I ran into the dunes on hard pack and brick. I wanted to run faster than I run on the beach and needed firmer footing.  All my parts feel good after the run.  Cold-weather running is a process of putting clothes on, and taking them off a half hour later. Today, the temperature was just slightly above freezing. Winter hat, ear band, silk layer, wool layer, pullover reflecting coat.  Technical gloves.  Wool layer, technical tights that I use for x-country skiing and biking in the winter. Plus wool ankle-socks.  I didn't bring any water, since I planned for only an hour.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details

What I liked about the run today: I saw a red fox and a big deer. Odie ran with me and has forgotten how to run on a leash.  I had to remind him quite often that he was with me.   But he got the hang of it.  Except when we were in "scented territory"  -- He's very interested in other dogs, either to master them or mate with them.  That's why he's called a dog, I suppose.
 
I feel more energetic after my run. I will sleep better tonight too.  The marathon was on my mind. Train hard so I can glide through the race.  The more I sweat, the less I will bleed. Something like that.  I need to do the mental training too.  Pushing myself a little today, I recalled the mental talk needed for an endurance sport. It's easy to ease up.  Harder to bear down. But if I want to run faster, I will need to run faster.  My fantasy is a sub-Five race.   That's 7:09/km.   I will need to improve my running to meet that time goal.  More reasonable is 5:30, in time to have my finish recorded. 7:51. Omph.  What I ran today. Just another four and a half hours.  Good thing I have plenty of time to train.

A place for every pace.

I enjoyed this piece from the NY Road Runners about the essence of a marathon.

To us, it’s about conquering the distance and conquering self doubt. The marathon is about dreaming to achieve and putting in all the work to make that dream reality. That quest, and the runner's ultimate success, routinely changes people’s lives in rich and meaningful ways. Our runners, no matter the pace, typically overcome all kinds of hurdles and challenges to reaching the marathon finish line. It is that ability to persevere that translates to other parts of their lives. Making them stronger and better for the pursuit – well beyond improved physical fitness.

MM feedback and race plan for Paris

You had a really good MM. With better pacing, you could have run faster by about 6-9 seconds.

On the next MM, do the first and second 200s in 1:10, then drop to 1:07, then 1:05. You should be able to pick up the pace during the last 3-4 200s. Above all, have fun.

Assuming that you will run the 16K this weekend, you only need two 30 minute runs. You can either run these easily or insert some CD and Acceleration-gliders. You can place your swimming and cycling on the days that work for you.

Pacing: I suggest running the first 2-3 kilometers at 8 min/km. If you feel good, go down to 7:30 per kilometer. At the 12K mark, you could run whatever you want. Remember to slow down if it is warm: 15 sec per kilometer slower for every 2C above 14C.

Let me know what happens, I look forward to this.

plan for week of 24 August 09

On one of my midweek runs (such as Tuesday), run from 30 to 60 minutes. It would help to run a 4-5K segment in the middle of these runs experimenting with 2-1 for a kilometer, and then 3-1. Try to run a pace of 5:45 to 6:00 per km.

On the other mid-week day, find a 1600 meter segment (1.6K) and time yourself. Run at a faster pace than other runs, but not all out.

This will give us a good chance to predict pace for your race.

getting faster!

I really nailed the 800m repeats today! Running the assigned distance while campting this past weekend in France just didn't work out. My family and I had a pretty busy time at the swimming hole -- the temperatures were well over 100 degrees during the day time. So on Sunday I ran for 40 minutes at 8:00 a.m. The temperature was already 85 degrees! I ran the weekend assignment tonight after work: 800m*10. I'm pleased with the results.

1. Distance assigned: 800m*10

2. Pace assigned: gradual accelerations every 200m, total 5 min, including a 30 sec walk break at 400m. Pace actually run: see below (average temperature 77 degrees) - I took a walk break of 2:30 between lap.

3. Pace: (blanks indicate a sweaty stop watch!) - Looking at the numbers, I am thinking I am starting/finishing at the wrong mark - the even & odd lap times for 100M & 800M are consistently off by the nearly same amount - about 4 seconds. I felt today they just seemed a little bit further than they should have been. Anyway - I'm consistent.


4. Speed-work done: see above!

5. Any aches/pains? Nope. I noticed my breathing was a little more difficult at the 8th & 9th segments. I focused on deep & slow, and the congestion went away.

6. Questions? I want to start visualising the half marathon in October. What pace & walk break ratio do you have in mind to recommend? How should I approach next weekend's distance piece?

I worked with a fellow who put together some pacing music - five minutes with an increasing beat every two hundred meters. I found the music really helped me a lot. After we work out the details, I'll ask him to send you a copy. Should I plan to try to increase my pace for the next repeats? There are two more assigned before Amsterdam. I think they'll be willing to help me create whatever pace specification I ask for.

7. Weekend workout planned for next weekend: Aug 23--20.5K. I may decide to run in a park or along the route in Amsterdam itself - just to see what it's like to run somewhere besides the beach. Though the beach is quite nice!

I noticed I was having a little asthma or something at segments 8 & 9 - harder to breathe - Maybe it was the change in humidity. I started running in the evening at 8:20 or so (of course, with Marathon Dog Odie). At nightfall, the temperature quickly reached the dew point. That coincided with the hard work.

During a couple of the breaks between segments, I dipped Odie into a nearby pond. Even though it was green water, I thought he needed to cool down.

My fastest segment was #9. On the running path coming towards us were "devil dogs" off leash. (Small chiwawa types...) Odie rushed them a bit. I didn't want to get into a pulling match with Odie and blow my time. So I used reverse psychology. I dropped the leash (no traffic - no bikes - no danger if he dashed) and continued to run hard - he of course followed me to the finish line.

plans for next MM & pat on the back

Congratulations, Chris

You had a major improvement in your MM. This shows that you are getting into solid shape, and I know that you will continue to improve. On the next MM, here is what I would like for you to do:

400--2:33
800--2:30
1200--2:28
1600--2:23

I wish you great enjoyment on the 14K this weekend. Just stay with your plan of 1-1 and you should power your way through.

You are doing great!

Jeff

2x800

I have proved once again that planning at the dining room table doesn’t ensure I’ll get it right on the run. Nevertheless, I am pleased by my 2x800. I put it in the middle of a 5k run. My assignment was to run two 800 meter laps in five minutes each.

My walk break between laps was supposed to be three minutes. I took a 1 ½ minute break – mistaking my turn-around time with the length of the whole break!

Odie spoiled one of the last 100m segments by lunging at another dog. Getting his attention and running around the other dog added about 10 seconds. I felt really angry at him at first, and then reconsidered. He's a dog, doing dog things. I can teach him how to run with me and when to ignore other dogs. My anger faded. Oh well, I told myself.

I ran too soon after eating lunch. I ended up feeling like I had been punched in the stomach after I finished the run.

WARM, CLEAR 85 degrees (too hot for how I dressed)

12 minute warm up to the course (1:1)
1 36.0
2 35.9
3 37.4
4 34.6
5 48.1 (includes 30 sec walk break)
6 35.0
7 35.2
8 34.2
800m total 296.4 sec 4:56 min

1:35 walk break between laps

1 36.3
2 36.8
3 37.5
4 32.6
5 52.0 (includes 30 sec walk break)
6 38.1
7 47.4 (includes my dog lunging at another dog)
8 41.8
800m total 322.5 sec 5.:22


Looking at this month in review, I am really pleased overall. I've started running longer distances than I ever thought I could. I've lost nine pounds. I've learned a lot about nutrition and portion sizes. I feel healthy and happy. Everything's right in my corner of the world. I'm wondering though where to buy a face mask for everyone I know.

Run-Walk-Run 1:1 Fun

I went for a short run yesterday over the lunch hour and learned some things. Three points: dress for success, check your gadgets first, and walk breaks work.

Dress for success: Ankle socks keep more sand out of my shoes than “peds”. I tried my thin wool Patagonia socks that I use cycling. They worked well. But I was overdressed for the conditions. I need to adapt to the change of seasons.

Afraid of being cold, I immediately had to shed some clothes. I ended up carrying my jacket for nearly the entire run. The seasons are changing. To avoid being cold, I have been layering a lot of clothes to run comfortably, generally in the mornings or evenings when it’s cool, wet and dark. This time, I was running in the middle of a sunny, warm day. The temperature above 20C when I started. I didn’t need my long tights or my jacket. What I did need was a hat to shade my face, sunglasses, some sunscreen and a water bottle.

Before heading out, check your gadgets: I wanted to try running with a GPS to mark my distances. I got about 10 minutes into my run to a place I wanted to mark. When I pulled the GPS out of the pouch, I saw an error code that required a response before it would start logging my trail. So I didn’t capture the whole run.

Plus, I wanted to practice 1:1 run-walk intervals. So before heading out, I reprogrammed my heart rate monitor for one-minute intervals, hoping for an audible reminder of when to switch my pace. Turns out, I set up one-hour intervals. Not quite what I had expected. Instead of fussing with the watch, I simply ran, using the lap button and the second-hand. I felt distracted to check the watch every 15-30 seconds for the 40 minutes I ran. But I got better at estimating my time.

Walk breaks work: I think these will help me build speed, endurance for distance. I was skeptical about a 1:1 run-walk-run ratio. But I tried it anyway. I ran a faster pace than I usually run continuously and used the walk breaks to recover. Above is the graph from the heart rate monitor.

I took advantage of the only elevation gains around to build some strength. Several times, I ran up and down some stairs and the ramp to the beach. Odie thought it was a little silly to keep changing directions, but he stayed with me.

I felt a little concerned when I began to notice some soreness in my knees at about 35 minutes. My knees didn’t bother me the rest of the day, however, and they feel fine when I am walking around or taking the stairs today. To reduce the inflammation, I took a larger (one tbsp.) of ultra-refined fish oil last night and this morning.

new coaching instructions

Mr Galloway has added some faster running to my non-long-run weekends. He says, "Do these on a track if you can. This will help you improve speed for the 16K and the Amsterdam Half. The 800 meter repeats can be run in 5 minutes. Walk for 3 minutes between each. It helps to pace yourself so that you are running the first 400 in 2:20, walk for 30 seconds and run the second lap. Keep the watch running."

**But on the long runs, Please run them using a run-walk-run ratio of (run one minute/walk one minute). This should eliminate the aches and fatigue you had on your 13K run this past weekend. RUNNING 1-1 IS VERY IMPORTANT AS YOU INCREASE DISTANCE.

Yes it would help to use your GPS or a measured course. The GPS gives you freedom to run where you want.

On the short runs during the week, you should do 1-1 for the first 10 minutes. Then, you can run at whatever pace you wish. I have added some magic miles into the schedule. Please read the original letter for instructions about how to do this. On the first one, don't run as fast as you can--just run to get a time. From that point, you want to try to run faster on each successive MM.

Set the Right Pace for Long Runs

To prepare for my race, the long ones will increase gradually up to 20K. Coach says, "The pace of these long runs should be slow enough so that you are not huffing and puffing at any time--even at the end. I recommend a pace no faster than 9:30 per kilometer, at a temperature of 14C (or cooler). It is always OK to go slower."
"The best run-walk-run ratio is 20/40 (run 20 seconds and walk for 40 seconds). The slower the long run pace, and the more liberal walk breaks, the better chance you have of avoiding aches, pains and excess fatigue. Even a pace that is 3-4 min/mi slower than goal pace will give you all of the endurance. Remember to watch the temperature and slow down by 20 sec per km for every 2 degrees above 14C."
Mr Galloway says, "On hot days, start early enough so that you can finish before the sun gets above the horizon, being aware of safety issues." Makes me wonder if he has any idea how early the summer sun rises this far north.
I realise I have no knowledge of how to set a pace for myself. So this was one of my first questions.
On the shorter long run weekends, Mr Galloway suggests running at any pace I wish, using any run-walk-run ratio I wish. In the race his initial suggestion would be to use 1-1 for the first 10K and either 2-1 or 1-1 for the last 6K. On these shorter weekends, Mr Galloway suggests practicing 1-1 and 2-1. We will discuss this more as I get closer to the race date. I have been trying a 4-1 ratio and it feels too easy. But my pace resembles a tortoise.
On long ones, whether walking or running, Mr Galloway suggests keeping a short stride, with feet low to the ground--as in a shuffle. Mr Galloway doesn't recommend power walk or race walk. It is OK to walk fast by using quicker turnover with a short stride through practice.
Eating a snack of 200-300 calories within 30 min of finishing a long one has helped his runners recover faster. Mr Galloway's website offers links to the specific products he recommends to promote recovery & fluid replacement on the day before and day after long runs.
Mr Galloway recommends taking a day of rest from exercise on the day before long runs. If you want, you can do non-pounding cross training on the other non running days (water running, cycling, swimming, elliptical, etc).
On the Tues/Thurs runs (30 minutes each), Mr Galloway suggests running at any pace and using any run-walk-run ratio that I wish. I will try the 1-1 and 2-1 on these short runs. I may also try the 30/30 on the short days.

What's a Magic Mile?

According to Mr Galloway, the "Magic Mile" time trials (MM) are reality checks on your goal. These should be done on the weeks noted on the schedule. The MM has been the best predictor of current potential and helps us set a realistic training pace. With this information, you can decide how hard to run during various situations. (If you have any injuries you should not do the MM)

Warm up for a Magic Mile with about 10 minutes of very easy running with liberal walk breaks
Do 4-6 accelerations. No sprinting, just gradually pick up the pace of each 40 to 50 meter segment to about what you want to run in the MM.

Run around a track if at all possible (or a very accurately measured segment)

Time yourself for 4 laps (1600meters). Start the watch at the beginning, and keep it running until you cross the finish of the 4th lap.

On the first MM, don't run all-out: run at a pace that is only slightly faster than your current pace.

Only one MM is done on each day it is assigned

On each successive MM (usually 3 weeks later), your mission is to beat the previous best time.
Don't ever push so much that you hurt your feet, knees, etc.

Jog slowly for the rest of the distance assigned on that day taking as many walk breaks as you wish.

After you have run 3 of these (not at one time--on different weekends) you'll see progress and will run them hard enough so that you are huffing and puffing during the second half. For prediction purposes, you want to finish, feeling like you couldn't go much further at that pace.

Try walking for about 10-15 seconds after each lap during the MM. Some runners record a faster time when taking short breaks, and some go faster when running continuously. Do what works for you on the MM.