Training. Huh. What Is It Good for?

Last week I ran with Shelby on the Bike and Hike.

"I have to admit that I run faster in these cold temperatures, even if I don't want to do it, " I said.  "Plus, I've actually spent this winter following a training plan for a half marathon.  I really should sign up for a half marathon in April.  Maybe the Pro Football Hall of Fame."

Silence.  Running.

"But then I would have to run a half marathon."

Shelby:  "I was waiting for it."

Shelby gets me.

It is true that after reading five books and countless online articles on marathon and half-marathon training, I came up with a plan, and I have followed that plan pretty well this winter.  This is unusual for me, as I never felt the need to follow any sort of plan for a half-marathon, even when I had an ambitious (for me) time goal. I've always just thought, "Run more; run faster," and for the most part it worked.  Except that lately it didn't work.  This year I didn't reach my sub-two-hour goal for a half marathon, and I could give lots of reasons why, but I won't.  I didn't hit it, and I moved on to other goals.

What is my training program?  Glad you asked!

I have divided my program into indoor and outdoor running.  Both use a heart monitor, but outdoor running uses mileage and indoor running uses time. This is a typical week:

Monday: no running.  Yoga.

Tuesday: Tempo run.  Outdoors: 1 mile warm up.  3 miles @ 8:50/mile.  1 mile cool down.  If indoors, 10 minutes warm up.  30 minutes @ 6.7. 10 minutes cool down.

Wednesday: Weights and Core.  30+ minutes weights and 10+ minutes running in place with 2 lb. weights.

Thursday: Intervals.  Outdoors (in theory--I haven't had the opportunity to do this outside yet): 1 mile warm up.  1/4 mile @ 8:00/mile, 1 minute recovery x 12, 1 mile cool down.  Treadmill:  10 minutes warm up.  1 minute @ 7.6, 1 minute recovery @5 x 12.  Cool down until I hit the rest of the remaining mile.

Friday: 4 miles minimum of whatever I want to run.

Saturday: 5-6 miles either hills (Sand Run) or easy on the treadmill while watching Supernatural.

I tell myself that I only watch this so I can converse with my 13 year old daughter, but I think we all know better.

Sunday: Long, slow, distance run.  10+ miles.

I have noticed that when I run outdoors, I have been running faster more easily.  Is that the training or the temperature or both?  Who knows?  I know that I should sign up for something right now so I can see if this is my moment. . . but I can't seem to care.  I really enjoy the training right now, but I have nothing going on until May.  Is it too soon?  Will I burn out?  I don't know.

I do know that I am currently enjoying myself and sleeping better.  The downside is that I am constantly hungry, but I am used to this feeling.

I am going to save it for Cleveland, Peeps.  Will you join me?  Sign up for the Race Series Challenge; I'm running the 8k/Half Marathon.  Come give me some motivation.  Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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(Running) Friends Are There. . .

Is that a flash from the past or what?


I used to have a running posse during my weekday morning runs, but now I don't.  I used to run with a large group on Sunday runs, but now I don't.  I'm starting to think it's me.





I tend to like being alone, when running or not.  I think it's because I spend my workday being "on" for everyone around me, and I feel so drained at the end of the day/week that I just want to recharge by myself.  Sometimes this is a good thing, especially when I have a goal and I am motivated.

I currently have no goals, and I am not motivated in the slightest.

Usually I love the chillier weather, and I love running in the early morning.  I love to look up and actually see the moon and the stars when I run.  This week I didn't run outside ONCE during the week.  No biggie, you think, I'm sure you hit the dreadmill, and that's just fine, too.  Right?

Nope.  Didn't do that either.

The only running I did this week was in my living room, back in forth in front of my tv.  The reasons don't really amount to more than lethargy and laziness.  I have finished Season 8 of Dr. Who on Netflix, and I started watching Supernatural (because my daughter has been driving me bonkers about it), but I can't access the first 15 episodes on Netflix on our tv in the basement AND the DVD player doesn't work, so I can't put the show in down there while I run on the treadmill.  You could watch something else, you are thinking.  Nope.  Lethargy and Laziness are my twin friends this week.  They have been whispering things in my ears, seductive things like "You don't need to run at all, you know.  Put in a dancing DVD.  It's all the same, even if you don't sweat as much, " and "Yes, you should eat that brownie.  Shove it in your head right now; you deserve it.  Don't worry about calorie counts."  I gained about five pounds listening to those damned voices.

I was very reluctant to do my long run this morning even though the weather is gorgeous. I'm feeling a bit doldrummy (yes, I know it isn't a word--leave me alone already) and when I feel this way, I try to isolate myself from others.  True friends know this, and you know what?  They DON'T LEAVE YOU ALONE.  You heard me; friends know when you should and shouldn't be alone.  I am lucky that my running friends know when I need some company, and that was today.

Marilyn posted a running event for this morning, and I said I MIGHT go (but I was thinking that I'd probably run around there, see the group later and keep running alone).  As I was leaving, Sheila IM'd me asking me if I would be there, and once that happens, I am committed.  When I arrived at the meeting point, I found these peeps:

Marilyn, Jen, Shelby, Sheila

We had a beautiful run in the sun.  I had a few miles to myself, and I ran various miles at various paces with each of my friends.  It was perfect.  At the end, we did our traditional selfie:

See that warm, fuzzy glow?  

Thank you, Marilyn, for setting this up.  Thank you, Sheila, for messaging me to make sure I was going to be there.  Thank you, Jen and Shelby, for understanding EVERY SINGLE long-run topic we cover when we run together.

"Friends are there to help you get started, to give you a push on your way. . ."

By the way, in the above Garfield video, I'm Garfield.  Just in case you think you know me, but you don't.

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