I Wanna Be Faster!

I have many speedy friends in the running community. On my best day, I am a middle-of-the-pack runner.  What does that mean? Well, if coyotes attack my running group on the trails (something I am certain will happen some evening), my friends will escape without even breathing heavily; I will be a tasty coyote dinner.  If there is a zombie apocalypse, I will be just fine with my 5K pace of 8:30/mile. If the zombies can hang in there past 3 miles, I am brainfood.

Be careful of zombies--seriously!

  

If you are a slower runner, you might be tempted to compare yourself to your faster friends and decide that it’s no use trying to improve your time.  I disagree. While I don’t compare my running times to those of other people, I do like to set my own time goals and then beat them. There is nothing like the feeling of a PR, especially if you pay yourself five bucks for every PR (See my post about paying yourself for running). So, how can we run faster, even if we don’t run like Meb?  Here are some tips for any runner. Use what you like; there is no one plan for everybody.

 Speedwork 

This is the number one technique (obviously) to getting faster.  If you google the term, you will see lots of different methods. Choose anything you want to try; try everything!  I like to do speedwork twice a week, and here are some of my workouts:

10s20s30s.  This is a great beginner’s method. All you need to do is count or use a watch if you don’t like to count.  After a warmup, I run for 30 breath cycles (more on this in the next tip) at an easy pace, then 20 cycles at a moderate pace, then I sprint for 10 cycles.  If you are using a watch or the clock on a treadmill, you can do 30 seconds, 20 seconds, 10 seconds. Repeat for 2-4 miles; then, cool down.

Intervals: Warm up for a mile. Run 400 meters (or a quarter mile) at 5k pace. Recover for a minute by walking or slowly jogging.  Repeat up to 12 times. Cool down. When you feel comfortable with this pattern, you can either speed up your pace or lengthen your running to 800 meters (or half a mile) for up to 8 intervals.  Cool down.

Tempo Runs: Warm up for a mile. Run 3-6 miles at half marathon pace. Cool down.  Increase your speed and your middle miles as you get more comfortable.

Breathing

Your ability to bear discomfort has a lot to do with your breathing. As someone who bore two children, one without an effective epidural, I can tell you that breathing is the number one non-drug way of managing pain. Running faster is a matter of working with discomfort and even sometimes pain.  How do you breathe when you run? I read an article (Boy, a better blogger would have that reference for you here, but I can’t find it) that claimed that in-out breathing patterns should be grouped with footstrikes, and they should be in uneven number cycles in order to alternate each side.  This is how I breathe when I run: three breaths in (I chant in my head, “In-In-In) and two breaths out (“Out-Out”). Each breath occurs when my foot strikes the ground. It takes practice, but it really helps me to run faster and endure the discomfort that comes with it. I even have mantras that go with those cycles:  I am Strong (In-breaths), Runner (Out-breaths); I am Fast, Runner; I Got This, Runner.  
Recovery


Here is something I learned when researching speed work. Do you know why we call 400s or 800s Intervals? The interval part isn’t the running, which is what I originally thought.  The interval refers to the recovery. Recovery and rest are super-important for overall health, and you won’t get faster if you don’t respect this. When we work hard, we cause minute tears in our muscles. Protein and rest repair those tears, and the muscles become stronger. If you don’t consume protein, and if you don’t rest, you will continue to strain those muscles, and they will get weaker instead of stronger.  It’s that simple. Take a rest day between difficult workouts. Do yoga. Stretch. You’ll be better and faster for it!

Use your newfound strength to race at the Cleveland Marathon series! If you want 10% off registration for any of the races, use my code RUNCLESTEPHANI10 !

Whether you run speedy or slow, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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And the Winner is. . .

Congratulations to Ron, the winner of a race entry to the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Series!

Want an entry of your very own? You have two choices:

1. Register here
2. Follow the Cleveland Marathon Ambassadors (info linked here). We each host a giveaway every week.  

May the odds be ever in your favor!

This week I finally got my mileage up past 30--33.5, to be exact. It helped that the weather is turning nicer. On Friday the weather wasn't so great (at 4:30 AM), so I ran on the treadmill. I decided to do intervals, something I haven't done in a while, and I FREAKING NAILED them! I have 12 sets scheduled in my watch, and after running the Akron Marathon, I lost my motivation to complete the sets, often punking out around set 8.  This time I did ALL 12 LIKE A BOSS!  So proud of myself.

Sunday Shelby and I ran 14 miles, and it was a beautiful day for a run.

Me before the run, rocking the Cleveland Marathon capris. I love these pants!

Shelby and me, post 14-miles. So glad it's over.

I feel really good about my training this week. I feel like I incorporated the right combinations of strength training, speedwork, and lsd running.  This week was a win!

Will the weather motivate you in your training? Will you join me in Cleveland in May?  I hope so. Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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Getting Over It

The Sunday of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon I ran in this:

This is EXACTLY how the race looked.

This past Sunday I ran in beautiful weather.  The sun was shining, but it wasn't too hot.  I even saw these guys who wanted to know what the heck Shelby and I were doing:

I couldn't get the shot I wanted, while both deer were less than 2 feet away.  Still, pretty cool!

I'm not bitter, though.  I'm not.

I am getting over my bronchitis, but I am still not 100%.  I've had a few runs, but I haven't pushed myself in running or lifting.  Tomorrow that may change.  Believe it or not, I miss my intervals and my tempo run.  I don't miss lifting.  Blech.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I'm not bitter and I don't miss lifting.

Also, because I'm old and stupid, I've forgotten which marathon book I had decided to buy, so I had to order them all at the library again so I can figure it out.  Marathon training starts soon, Peeps!

I have some more to write, but I need to process a little bit before I get to what I really want to write about this year.  May is a crazy month, what with the Cleveland race and the end of the school year.  I'm trying to get out of my head, but life isn't making it easy for me.

Is May this crazy for you?

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Big Miles!

This week was my Spring Break.  My kids were still in school for most of the week, so I got a lot of alone time.  What did this teacher do during her Spring Break?

This is EXACTLY how I look when I take a grad school class during break.

But wait!  That isn't all I did!  I set a personal weekly mileage record with 36 miles!

On Tuesday I did my intervals (12x 400s + 1 minute recovery).  Wednesday was lifting day, and I did lift weights and do ab work, but not as much as I normally do.  This is because I powerwalked a hilly neighborhood with Sheila--6 miles of hills, Baby.  My butt STILL hurts, so you know it was a good workout.

On Thursday I decided to do the tempo run, which I usually do on Friday, but the temperature was in the 60s with the prediction being in the 30s the next day.  Ya gotta get it while it's good, Peeps, so I did.  This time I added another mile to the run, and I DIDN'T PASS OUT OR DIE!  So proud of myself.

Something I believe strongly is that I shouldn't be running every day--that way lies injury--so I took Friday off and cleaned the house.  I'm really glad I did because the recovery time gave me the energy on Saturday to do the Chocolate Bunny Run, sponsored by Vertical Runner Hudson.  Joy and I ran 6.5 miles through Hudson with a taste of trail at Hudson Springs.  It was chilly but overall a good run.

Joy, Shelby, me, and Elizabeth inside Vertical Runner

The whole group just before we took off

Afterward there was CHOCOLATE and a raffle drawing for fabulous prizes at Vertical Runner.  I won a chocolate bunny!

See those Dove bunnies?  I won one of them!  I gave it to my kids, of course.

Today I ran Sand Run TWICE.  That's twelve miles of hills, Peeps.  Shelby and I took our time (except at the end when she smoked me, as she always does), and we enjoyed talking to Jen, who did the first out and back with us.

I'm really satisfied with my running this week because I feel like I played it smart--lots of recovery, lots of stretching.  Tomorrow I will definitely enjoy my yoga session.  

Next week I look forward to testing my training with a 10k, my first race since January.  Will the speedwork pay off?  Stay tuned to find out!

What is in your Spring racing plans, Peeps?  Why don't you join me for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon? I hope you blow away your goals!  Until then. . . 

Run HOPPY, Peeps!  (See what I did there?)

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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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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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