Slightly unsatisfying run. I stayed up too late, got up too early, and ate too close to heading out. Legs felt fatigued, hip flexor started hurting. Adjusted my pace and my attitude - I am where I am. Had wanted to run at a faster pace, but I did fine. A nice run overall.

   2

0:07:08 1,00 7:08


3 0:07:14 1,00 7:14


4 0:07:14 1,00 7:14


5 0:07:19 1,00 7:19


6 0:09:11 1,00 9:11



0:07:37 ave pace


I spent the morning organising my training material, journaling about the marathon and reading one of the tri training books. Figured out how to upload my Garmin reports into Training Peaks which is an online training journal that I've been trying to figure out how to use for ages!

Tomorrow's plan is a group ride: distance between 50 - 75 km, hopefully through the bulb fields (the photo above).

Training for the Bustinskin Triathlon has many components:

Swim: I will swim 2 -3 times a week, at least twice with my tri-club, focusing on technique first, then speed. Within a couple weeks, I will add a weekly open water swim.

Bike: I'm still thinking about this. Overdistance weekend rides. The tri-club trains in the evenings during the week, which doesn't fit with my desire to be with my family in the evenings. So that leaves mornings or lunchtime workouts. I haven't finished Carmichael's book, but I think his workouts will kick my ass. I need to figure out how to do "hill training" in a flat country. I decided not to go to the workshop this weekend since my Dutch isn't good enough and I'd rather train anyway.

Run: I have the endurance I want, and need to maintain it. I want to increase my speed and work on my POSE technique. I plan to follow the half marathon program from FIRST, which will also kick my ass since it's rather intensive in the pacing department.

I felt like a drug addict running today, addicted to my walk breaks. Coaches leave their mark on their trainees. My body has adapted to walk breaks while running. My e-coaching program is up this week. I want a different emphasis - more speed-work and a more rounded overall program. He discourages stretching, yoga and weight training. I have progressed beautifully over the last year. The next year I want to add core strength and balance. I love the look of some triathletes.

Nutrition: I've been haphazard the last couple weeks and have been eating wheat and oatmeal. My skin has broken out and I've gained a couple pounds. This is bothering me a lot. I've turned the page and I'm Endurance Paleo for the next 20 weeks. Lean and healthy. Tomorrow I'll weigh & measure myself.

Mental Training: an essential discipline. I aspire to a meditation practice.

Core performance: flexibility, balance, regeneration & yoga. I'm following the Endurance training program from Core Performance.

Well, that's all for now. I'm burning daylight.

Recovery Week #3 26 Apr 2010

Monday 26 Apr 10:  rest day. Works well after a busy weekend.

"What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the day gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will can tolerate."

John Bingham, runner

Tues 27 Apr 10

Swim: completed 1000m swim test.

Coach has my time. I felt slow, nervous, dis-organised, out of breath. I calmed myself. Relaxed in the water. Tried to remember TI stroke tips.  I am proud of myself for completing the test. 40 laps - longer than I've ever swum continuously before.

I swam the whole distance continuously. Mostly freestyle. Some breaststroke. No backstroke or sidestroke (which is an improvement from where I was years ago, and would use these to rest while moving). My coach recorded the time. I don't know what it is yet, but it doesn't matter. It's more a bench mark against future swims. I was a lot slower than the other tri-team swimmers, but so what. I have nothing but a recreational swimming background. Which is plenty. I am really pleased I could swim the whole distance. I have good mental skills to deal with negative self-talk and calming myself when I can't seem to catch my breath. I think I will improve a lot over the next 21 weeks. Nothing but fun ahead.

It's tough to swim so late at night. I was wakeful until past 1:00 a.m.  Plus it's a balance to find the right dinner, early enough so I don't have a stomach ache during the swim.
Soreness: some delayed soreness from cycling on Sunday
Mental Focus: Productive and focused during the day.

Wed 28 Apr 10 - Nathaniel turns 11!  Take the day off from work.
6 hrs sleep


Easy recovery Run
4,81 km


Avg HR: 135 bpm


Moving Time: 0:41:26


Avg Moving 08:37 min.km

Core Performance: Done


Thursday 29 April
A little tired today. Did Core body work following the Endurance program. Will need to find substitutes for strength training moves requiring a machine, like the cable rows and stuff.  And I need heavier dumbbells.

Skipped rope for cardio. Will do a little more on the dog walk tonight.
Glad to have a three-day weekend. Long live the Queen.
Tomorrow: time to put the planning pieces together for the next 20 weeks.

Saturday
second run: tempo
6.8k (1 warm up & cool down, 5k on pace - between 7:09 and 7:20. walked the last k at 9 to rest my hip flexor.

core workout

recovery run #2

1. Distance Assigned: 10k  Ran 10k in 1:19 plus warm up and cool down walking totaling 1.5km. 20 degrees C and sunny. The return of warm weather running.

2. Pace Assigned: none.  Ran: I aimed for 7;30/km; I averaged 7:54 for the running portion.  Half of it was on the beach in wet sand. So I slowed down because it required greater effort.  

Garmin Report

3. Walk Breaks Assigned: none specified.  Ran:  typically 30/30. sometimes 30/1:00  Sometimes I ran for 100 meters and walked for 100 meters.  The last two km I ran at a steady 7:30 pace without walk breaks

4. Speed work: n/a

5. Aches & Pains: I got to meet a new muscle today - the muscle on the front outside of my right shin (lower leg). This is one that has in the past hurt after very long hikes or skiing.  Around 5km it was painful and visibly swollen, causing a spider web of nerve pain in the top of my foot. I stopped and massaged the muscle, rotated my ankle, walked a bit and then stretched my hamstrings and calves and dorsiflexed my foot, trying to "listen" to what was needed.  I walked it out and took short intervals, and it subsided.  I arrived at the sea by about 6km and waded in the water, which is VERY cold and that helped the swelling to dissipate.    My right hip flexor was "present" but not uncomfortable.  I pulled it again the other night while walking my dog - he lunged on the leash and I twisted while my right foot was planted. (Stupid dog). It's fine though.    I continue to be easily fatigued and very tired at night.

6. Questions: you asked me to think about goals.  where to go from here.  My "race calendar" for the rest of  this year is oriented around preparing for two triathlons.  I have an Olympic distance triathlon on 13 June (10 k running) and a Middle Distance Triathlon on 26 September (half marathon running). I will be in the United States in July visiting family.

Spring:  I had thought about running the same10k race I ran last year in the Hague again - it's mid-May, but I'm not yet in the mood for another race. I can register at the last minute if the urge strikes me. 

Looking at the fall, I had a lot of fun in Amsterdam, and thought it might be fun to do the half again there, or the whole marathon - but I think I'll still be recovering from the Middle Distance tri in September. Too soon. And then the season here shuts fairly quickly. I'll probably repeat the local fun runs on the beach over the winter.

Running goals: I like the half marathon distance since the training is not so time-consuming.  Getting ready for Rotterdam, I had a mental block getting started on runs longer than 30 km since I run so slowly,  The long runs chewed up the better part of a whole day, and sometimes I'd get bored in the middle and think about things I'd rather be doing at home with my kids.  I'd like to continue to improve my skills and strengthen my legs.  I'd like to to improve my speed, while maintaining my endurance levels.  I wonder whether that's like burning both ends of the candle!  my 16 year old son came out to run with me on my last training run before the marathon. We did an easy 8 k - he can run much faster than I can, but I can run longer. He stayed at my pace and took walk breaks with me.  Not surprisingly, the next day he was Ouching around the house. 

What are your thoughts? Thanks again. Your coaching has given me the gift of running, which brings me so much joy in my life.

7. Next Week's assignment: "anything I want"

race day nutrition

I wrote up some thoughts for my friend Emily that might be useful to post here.

I promised some pre-race & race day fueling ideas. These are from Joel Friel's Paleo Diet for Athletes, and what I learned from Jeff Galloway. Also Dean Karnases' 50 Marathons in 50 Days (insane, but he did them). He has a free download from his audio book.

The key is to practice & experiment during training and then to do nothing new on race day. No sampling of free yogurt drinks at the start..... :)

Take a look at Dean's three-day countdown. I would emphasize drinking a lot of water during the days leading up to the race. It will help your body store more glycogen and your muscles will work better. There's only so much you can absorb the morning of the race without ending up with a full bladder and no pot.

When you wake up on race morning: right away, drink 700 ml water and eat 150 calories of carbs (pre-race fueling); then eat 200-300 calories per hour up until an hour before the race: mostly carbs (no dairy) (the longer before the race, the lower glycemic load - in other words, don't crash!).  Examples of what to eat: low fiber; high Branch-Chain Amino Acids (egg whites; protein powder with applesauce) - (jarred baby food) Bananas. Not berries (too much fiber). Drink water. Some people like to eat meal replacements like Ensure. (groan).

In the last hour: drink only water. No more food.

10 minutes before the start: high glycemic fluid - 100-200 calories of sports drink/juice/honey water or water + go-gel.

During the race: It depends on the duration of the race: under 90 minutes: goal is to prevent dehydration: 4 oz water per 10 minutes. Avoid solids & gels. @ 1 hour: maybe a carb drink. Research is contradictory.
**edited to add: this number seems too high. I'll have to go back and check.  I've read often that the point is to drink enough to replenish water lost through sweat, but to not gain weight during the event. So, weigh yourself before & after training runs under race-like conditions to see how much you sweat. I never tried this, but it seems like a good idea.

90 min - 4 hours: 800 ml fluid per hour. If maximum intensity: 200-300 cal/hour, divided into equal doses every 10-20 minutes. At least 1 calorie per pound of body weight per hour. This means 50-75 calories every 15 minutes. If Gel = 100 cal + 8 oz water. Some say that products like accelerade, which mixes protein into the carbs, work better. I've found similar kinds of mixes here. So for me: 1100 calories to eat during a 5.5 hour race.

After the race - recharge within 30 minutes - makes recovery easier. I usually eat a smoothie (carb & protein mix). I have a recipe for this, but I can't find it in my training journal. Holler if you want this too.

I have to admit, after 4 -5 gel packs, I want to puke. And during the marathon I felt slightly sick to my stomach from trying to consume enough to fuel my effort. During my training runs, I was happy to eat bananas, dates, and stuff like that. I did not want anything in my stomach during races, though. I switched to apple juice and sweetened black tea.

Always - this advice depends on your body, not mine. You might process fuel faster, sweat more, sweat less, whatever. See how it goes.

And be sure  look at the recommendations of how much fluid to drink during a long race. Not too much and not too little.

Wishing you success!

getting started

My friend Julie asked me how to get started running. I gave a cheeky answer:

Lace up your shoes. Go out the door. Run.

I forgot the first step actually, which is to believe in yourself.  I started running regularly in the late fall of 2008. In what seemed like a fit of madness at the time, in December 2008, I signed up for a  10k race through my gym, which was offering a weekly group run to train for the race over three months.  I could not have imagined that I would run a marathon. Ever.  I enjoyed the 10k race so much, I continued to set bigger and bigger goals.  Every time the schedule called for me to run further than ever before, I had to break down a mental barrier and open my mind to the possibility and then the reality that I could do it.

Need help finding a race?  Check out the Guide to marathons.

My friend Tom put together a great list of tips for beginners on his blog, Running my way thin.  Some other resources I found helpful:

Jeff Galloway's website and books offer a wealth of information, training schedules and advice.  I have enjoyed Jeff's e-coaching program over the last year. Jeff teaches a philosophy of enjoying every run and trains runners conservatively to avoid injury.

Hal Higdon offers a free learn-to-run course with instructions delivered by email.  Here's his website.

I run three times a week. In the beginning, I was suffering from knee pain. Jeff recommended limiting the frequency of my runs. I've eliminated the knee pain by increasing my leg strength (squats, lunges, weight loss) and taking regular walk breaks.  I also prefer running barefoot on hard-pack trails.  However, when the weather got cold, I put my shoes back on. I went through 3-4 pairs of different brands before I found some that worked. I really like Mizuno Wave.

Keeping a training log helped me watch my progress.  Gmap pedometer can tell you how far you ran. Map My Run is also a great free resource and offers an on-line training log.   I treated myself to a Garmin GPS watch last fall. It's helped my training a lot, since it provides me with pacing information.

The last point I wanted to offer is to keep going.  Often I find the first 20  minutes of a run are uncomfortable. Walking 5-10 minutes first seems to make the transition from sitting still to running easier.  But sometimes it seems like my legs forgot how to run during the first 15 minutes.  I think a lot of people quit running too soon. When I press on, my body adapts and I start to really enjoy it.  I've found the sweet spot for my running is longer than 45 minutes. 90 minutes is even nicer.  If you decide to train for a marathon, I recommend following Jeff Galloway's advice and running the full distance at a much slower than race pace.  I think it would have made my marathon easier if I had been able to complete the last long run (42). Every time I've run further than ever before, my body knew when I stepped into "new territory" and that part of the run is easier next time.

Good luck and enjoy every run!

The end of suffering

In my household, I handle most of the financial paperwork. Non-resident US citizens get to file in June. I tried to get my return put together today. But realised that I had deleted inadvertently last year's return, which has information I need. And managed to delete it before getting the current back up routine established.  And I get statements on-line, which means I need to remember the log-ins and passwords once a year. And the sun was glaring on the computer, and the battery was dead on the control for the sun shade. and and and...

I spent more than three hours today trying to get started. The level of dis-organisation made it more difficult. I'm taking notes how to improve the process for next year.

I ended up feeling a little guilty for being so reliable with  my training and nutrition  - that maybe I'm neglecting my financial health. I was thinking about this at New Years too. But I can't view it as either or. I can use my self-care skills to improve my attention to my finances.  I made a list of ideas to make next year's return easier. And I gave  myself a break when I kept running into walls.  I went out for a five k run  with lots of walking warm-up and cool down and 200 m intervals at a fast pace - 4:30 - 5:00/km. with 200m Rest intervals.

I felt better when I came back. My hip muscles didn't start bothering me until 25 minutes into the run, at which point I stopped running the intervals. This was supposed to be an easy recovery run. It was, but I spiced it up a little, listening carefully to how it felt.

I felt so upset at my lack of progress this afternoon on my paperwork.  Some of the semi-chaos relates to working too many hours at work, and not paying close enough attention to stuff that runs on auto-pilot for most of the year. I thought about how my own attitudes and habits really contribute to this.

I could have (as in the past) hunkered down and used this as an excuse not to exercise. I am proud of choosing to out for a run instead.

I was unable to resist the caramel ice cream on a stick that Nathaniel handed me however. He had taken a bite and decided he didn't like it. You eat it, he says. I happen to like caramel a lot. So I obliged him.  The price of being the mom, I suppose.

Post-Marathon Recovery Week #2

Monday: rest. Really. Nothing. I was going to do the core routine, but went to sleep instead. A good choice.

Tuesday: 30 minute walk home from work. One hour swimming laps. I felt really tired this evening and wanted to skip. But I didn't. I am glad.

I decided April would be focus on swim, add some bike. Easy run. I'm working my way through Kearns' Breakthrough Triathlon Training. Essentially, don't be a butt-head and burn out.

I'm back into wondering what to eat. I want someone to plan, shop and cook for me. That would be easier. Oh, let me qualify that - cook food that I like. Otherwise, it's like being 10 again and getting told, that's what's for dinner.  (However, I do like liver and onions now.)

Wednesday: gentle run, core & bike ride.  I ran & rode. I slept. No core work. Just sleep.

Thursday: more core. Maybe a row.  Silly one. No core. No row. Sleep.

Friday: swim, run  I went to a party and had fun talking to people. No swim. Yes Bike. No Run.

Sat: cycle  Switched = since I didn't run Friday, I ran Saturday. 10 k plus 1.5km walking
Sun 10 km run; core.  Core & Cycle planned.  Fatigue is the name of this week.  Did the core workout and 45 minute ride. 

Will do:

• Read more of carmichael's 6-hour book. done some of this
• Finish the TI book and watch the rest of the video.  not yet - before Tuesday
• Look for a free-swim pool opportunity to try some of the TI drills. not yet
• Birthday shopping for the soon-to-be 11 y.o. not yet
• Get the Boretti cycle on my calendar. done
• Look into renting a tri-wetsuit for the Amsterdam Oly not yet.  
• Read the Bustinskin instructions not yet