scratched.

I decided against racing Sunday. This past week I've been laying low due to an unrelenting stomach bug. I didn't run until Thursday and felt unusually sore afterwards with cramps in my hamstrings that made me think my electrolytes are off-balance.  I rowed today and felt clammy. I'll try an easy 5k tomorrow and see how that feels. I ordered a replacement Gymboss interval timer. I lost my timer in the first minutes of the Rotterdam marathon. My coach had recommended using it for walk-run intervals. I'm looking forward to having one again. They're so useful for so many things.

Valentines Day Fun

Walking the Knee: 90 minutes in the snow with my son & dog looking at everything beautiful surrounding us. 4.4k, including looking at the frozen lake (above)
Commando "joint lubrication" 30 minutes of warm up & cool down movements  (knees, back, shoulders, elbows)
Yoga: 20 minutes sun salutations
Interval Rowing: 20 minute warm-up; 6x3:00:2:00. My times improved a lot since last year.
Totals: 3726 Ave pace 2:24.9 stroke 27
(rest 974)
1. 2:30.2 599m 25 (150/135) (heart rate at interval finish & one minute recovery)
2. 2:24.9 621 25 (170/141)
3. 2:23.7 626 24 (173/142)
4. 2:23.0 629 28 (176/144) (increase pace at last minute)
5. 2:23.5 627 30 (182/138) (increase pace at last minute)
6. 2:24.9 621 31 (182/144) (increase pace at last minute & at 30 seconds)

12/08: total 3585 m 2:30.6   

Right knee is a little sore after rowing. Left shoulder was painful during joint rotations.

I've recommitted to slimming down and getting stronger so I can do a Half IM in September.  Let's do it.

First Long Training Run 11 April 2009

I ran 13 or 14k Saturday. It was fun. Only thing was I ran 5k on Friday since my mid-week runs got off by a day - so my knees were still a little sore even this morning - just going up the stairs. They were fine when I took a spin with a friend who hadn't been on her bike since Oct. Easy 27k. Earn those chocolates! Odie slept a lot today. He ran both Fri & Saturday and was, well, dog-tired.


Weekend Workout Assigned: 10k
Actual: ~13.5k
Time 1:47 HRM 148 average; 168 max
Pace: ~ 10k/60 min. I took walk breaks when I felt like it. First one after about 15 minutes. More frequent after the first hour. I stopped to chat with my husband and son, who had camped on the beach overnight to get a good storage spot for the Hobie Cat at the sailing club. Stopped at the end to chat goodbye to running buddy. I subtracted chatting time to arrive at the estimate, using a pace of 10k/60min (my last race pace - probably a bit generous); actual time minus ~20 minutes standing around talking. A lot of walking towards the very end.

Comments
I estimated the distance because I ran on the beach, without obvious landmarks. I based my estimate on a comparable pace on other runs where I know the distance. I realized Saturday morning that the GPS I wanted to carry lacked fresh batteries. I commit to better prep & planning for next week.

Weather & Temperature: clear and sunny; 20C - probably cooler when I started out.

Aches & Pains? My knees were a little sore immediately afterwards. They were tender climbing stairs on Sunday morning. Took 200mg advil & extra dose of fish oil. Felt fine during & after my bike ride on Sunday. My mid-week training schedule was off by a day due to family committments. So I ended up running my second mid-week run on Friday morning, rather than on Thursday. Next week I won't run the day before the weekend run.

Questions for the Coach:
1. I do not know how to pace myself using a time/distance metric. I have always trained with a heart rate monitor and by adapting to my current physical condition - perception of effort, breathing, fatigue, etc. Do I need to carry a GPS? Run somewhere else on a pre-measured route?

2. I want to increase my pace. The woman I am running with on Saturdays can run faster, but has been satisfied with my pace so far. I'd like to try to speed up. When/how do I work on this? Once a week on my mid-week run, I have been adding high intensity intervals - short sprints followed by walk recovery.

3. The Paris race features a huge hill. How should I prepare for it, considering I live in "the low country"? I have been running up a hill near my house and running up a long flight of stairs in the Dunes. Is this enough? Add in treadmill with incline?

Next Week's Planned Workouts

Sunday - 26K bike ride (done)
Monday - easy row - weights (when I get done with this post!) (DONE - skipped the weights)
Tuesday - 30 - 45 minute run (at least 5 K) HIIT - Swim laps
Wednesday - easy row & weights
Thursday - 30 - 45 minute run (at least 5 K)
Friday - easy row & sauna (rest before run)
Saturday - assigned training run - 5k