10-20-30

After the fun of the Blue Line run last weekend, I've been kind of bored with my running routine.  This week I decided to shake things up by reversing my route and trying a new interval technique I read about in Running Times.

It's called 10-20-30, and it's supposed to be a way to keep your workouts fresh while throwing in some speed once in a while.  Now, the author of the article did not claim that this technique would make me faster; it is supposedly something doctors devised to keep patients from dropping their workouts out of boredom or because working out is too difficult for them.  I thought, "What the hell," since I was already pretty bored.  How much worse could it get?

You start with a warm up, of course; one mile will do.  Then, you run at an easy pace for thirty seconds, a medium pace for twenty seconds, and a hard pace for ten seconds.  I can't count seconds because I'm too busy counting breaths, so I modified my counting to breath sets of three in and two out.  This way, I did thirty breath sets at an easy pace, twenty sets at a medium pace, and ten sets balls to the wall.

This was the only family-friendly image I could get when I googled "Balls to the Wall."  Peeps, you would not BELIEVE what is out there!

I think this "game"  might be the answer to my aversion to tempo runs.  I've only played with it for four miles, but each time I felt that I could go on much longer.  I might even throw this in during the Akron Half Marathon if I feel like I'm about to slow down too much.

This Sunday Joy and I ran loops at Hudson Springs.  It was incredibly hot and muggy.  Just after seven miles we felt like dying, so we said we had to walk one more loop and then we could quit if we wanted.  We ended up with nine miles, and I'm going to call that a win.

My view while running. 

 Just a year or two ago I would have been incredibly angry and disappointed with myself if I walked for any part of the long run, but trail runs have knocked the dickens out of me.  If I am on a trail (even "trail-lite," as my friend Shelby would call it) I allow myself to walk when I feel like it.

Joy and I are only smiling because we are finally done with those loops.

Later that day, I canoed with the family--seven miles on the Mohican River.  It was fun, but it was disconcerting to note how many times I smelled weed when we passed through huge crowds of intoxicated, vulgar people.  I'm not surprised the eight-year-old had an incredible case of the munchies when we got off the river.

In any case, this was a great weekend, full of sunshine, fresh and not-so-fresh air, and exercise.  Oh and eating.  Lots and lots of eating.

Next week is the Natatorium 5k, in which I will attempt a PR.  Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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Shake up the Long Run

Are you tired of the same routine every day?  Do you have one beloved neighborhood route that you run all the time?  How about if you try to shake things up once in a while?

Distance runners get especially tired of their "long run" routes, possibly because after two hours on the road, we get bored anyway.  I know that I need something to be excited about on Sundays in order to get up at five in the morning to prepare for my lsd.  No, peeps, I do not indulge in acid; LSD stands for long, slow distance run.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I am so. bored. with. running.

What helps me is having a different route to run each week.  I can still run my beloved neighborhood loop or do four strenuous, hilly miles on Sand Run path during the week, but Sundays need to be different.  Think about what makes a long run tiresome for you.  Is it having to carry water/fuel/tons of Kleenex?  Shhh, I have sinus issues; don't judge.  Is it not having access to a bathroom when you think you will need it?  Maybe it's that your pace is different than most in your running group?

The solution to all of these problems could be running a loop.  Now, loops can be monotonous, so I would not suggest running them every week, but once in a while they can be a treat on the long run.  Don't want to carry stuff?  No problem--stash your loot on the loop and revisit when you wish.  Is your pace faster/slower than others in your group?  No problem--run the opposite way on the loop to catch up and then continue running.  Also, many runners will accommodate slower/faster paces if they know that it's just for a mile or two.  Likewise, you can choose a faster partner and keep up for that one loop knowing that you can always slow down later.  You may find yourself running with a different partner for every loop.  How's that for shaking things up?

Today I ran a 1.8 mile loop at Hudson Springs Park with The Towpath Turtles.  The Turtles were going to run five loops, and I ran six.  We put all of our water, bug spray, fuel, and whatnot on a picnic table along with a board with our names on it.  Every time we passed the table, we would stop and make a tally mark next to our names to keep the numbers straight.  Genius!

Hudson Springs in November.  Photo Credit:  Kevin Payravi

I really enjoyed this for several reasons:  1) Hudson Springs has a very pretty route going through the woods and around a lake, 2)the path is quite hilly, but not so much that I had to walk it (like on a trail), and 3) I got to run with different people all the time.  This was my morning to catch up with Jen  and Kathy, and we had great conversations.  When they got tired of me, they told me to move on, and I did.

Running a loop was a great way for me to shake up my long/slow, and it was fun to connect with other runners without worrying about pace.  In fact, my Garmin blew out halfway through the run (because we ran in a rainstorm), and I didn't care because I knew what the distance would be, and I could just estimate the total time.

I wonder where I'll run next week.

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