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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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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Treat Yo Self

Today I had to take a personal day from work in order to take my daughter to the doctor.  That is possibly the first personal day I've taken in over seven years.  I get four days a year, and I never take them.  I almost never take sick days; in fact, the only times I am ever absent from school is for professional leave, so I'm still working when I'm not there.  It may be because of this:

Anyway, many people have pointed out to me that this isn't healthy or normal, and I totally agree.  I still wasn't happy about taking the day off, but it occurred to me that since I had to, I might as well enjoy myself.  So, today is (guilty) pleasure day.  Here is what I did to take care of myself after the doctor's appointment and dropping my daughter off at school:

1.  Starbucks Tall Java Chip Frappuccino.  Hey, my daughter got one, too, so it was really about the bonding.

Aaah, the Frappuccino.  330 calories of caffeine and deliciousness.

2.  Tempo run in a different than usual place.  I ran the Towpath in the Valley in an area that was relatively flat so that I couldn't wussy out on the tempo run.  1 mile warmup @ 10:00/mile, 3 miles between 8:50 and 9:00/mile, 2 miles cooldown.  I felt really good about this.  I think it was the frappuccino.

3.  Not blow-drying my hair.  Ladies, is it just me?  I'll do just about anything to get out of drying my hair.  Today I braided it right out of the shower.  Done!

4. Lunch!  Subway Footlong Veggie Delite on Honey Oat.  Give me ALL the vegetables, and don't skimp on the spinach! Don't look at me like that; YES, I said FOOTLONG.

Oh, Subway. How I love thee.

5.  Makeup.  I stopped by the Bare Minerals store because I needed some supplies.  I tried to look as desperate as possible (no makeup, hair in French braid and headband), but I didn't get a free makeover.  I did get a free sample of something, though.

6.  Massage.  This is a real guilty pleasure for me.  Massages are necessary for runners, but I rarely get them because of the time commitment and the price.  I have a secret, though.  I go to the relaxation station at the mall, and I am able to get my massage without an appointment.  Today I got a combination of reflexology and then a table massage.  Fully-clothed, Peeps, it was the mall after all.  Anyway, I forgot how much tension I carry in my back and neck until the masseur started kneading away and then HOLY GOD!  To broadly paraphrase (or maybe just reference) one of my favorite characters in Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City (Michael), it's gotta be really bad if you can name your knots.

I tried to look up my sore spots, but really, it was all sore.  I am a hot mess.

7.  Lastly, tea.  I am sitting here alone in a silent house with a mug of hot tea.  I have about ten more minutes until my daughter comes home, and then about fifteen minutes after that when my son gets home, and then my world will become chaos again.  Sigh.  It was fun while it lasted.

How do you treat yourself, Peeps?  Maybe you should consider signing up for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Challenge Series!  Join me, and we will treat ourselves to a fun time and beer.  Oh, yes.  There will be beer.

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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My Heart Goes on. . .

My husband went all-out for Christmas and bought me a Garmin Forerunner 610 with a heart monitor!

Isn't it adorable?

For about a year now, my brain has been toying with the idea of training with a heart rate monitor. I know that one of my biggest problems is that I run too fast when I'm not really doing speedwork.  The heart rate monitor might be a good way for me to properly run so that I can tack on more miles for marathon training.

The directions tell me to wet down the little electrode thingies (sorry for the technical jargon) before I  strap the device to my chest, and that was a little bit intimidating, but I did it.  So far I have used the monitor while walking and running outside and on the treadmill, doing Tae Bo PT24/7, and kettle bell  workouts.  Everything seems ok except for the outdoor runs.  The data from my first run, in which I just ran normally--no speedwork or purpose than to run four miles, told me that I was running way too hard; I was in Zone 5 most of the time. The training level was not sustainable, according to Garmin.  Ok, I get it.  It was telling me to slow down; I can do that.

My first long run with the monitor had me going at a 12 minute mile.  From my research (which I probably screwed up), I learned that my long run should be mostly in Zone 3, an aerobic level.  Let me say that it was very difficult to run a 12 minute mile; I felt like I was barely moving. Regardless, the monitor kept beeping me and telling me I was going TOO FAST.  There was no way I was going to slow down, so I dealt with it.

Today I ran ten miles with Sheila, Shelby, and Jen.  I told them I wanted to keep it between an 11 and 12 minute mile, and that is what we did.  I turned off the alarms and just ran.  Eager to see the heart rate data and evaluation of my training levels, I synced the device and checked Garmin to find. . . nothing.  It had erased all the data from my run.  GRRRRR.

I'm on the fence about this one, Peeps.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I am on the fence.  Bet you didn't know that I was a rooster, huh?

I know that I have to run more slowly on my long, slow distance runs.  I can do that.  The problem is that if the monitor is telling me that my 12-minute run is too fast, how am I going to improve?  What will it say when I do speed work?  Maybe I should not wear it for tempo runs?  Also, I know that I am basically out of touch with my body, but if the monitor is telling me that my current runs are tempo runs, and I feel that they are easy, are they really tempo runs?

I've tried asking people for information about this, and I've read every journal/magazine/blog post I could find, but I'm very puzzled.

What do you think, Peeps?  Anyone out there train with a heart rate monitor?

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Speedwork

Here is the deal:

I have 53 seconds to cut off my Akron Half Marathon PR, and it's time to do the hard stuff.

ARGH!! Those 53 seconds have to go!

You may or may not know that Akron is my big PR race of the year.  It was the reason why I started running in the first place.  I wrote all last summer about my desire to run a sub-2 hour half marathon, and I came SO CLOSE.  This year I will nail that sucker.

Time to get serious, Peeps.

On Wednesday I started up my track workouts.  I wasn't looking forward to this, but I know that a concerted effort at speed work really pays off during the race.  Unfortunately, my coach isn't offering a training program this year, so I have to figure out something that works.  Right now I'm just winging it.  I started with ladder drills: 400, 800, 1200, 800, 400.  I warmed up for about 1.5 miles, gossiping with my peeps, and then I got to work.  

One of my biggest problems is going out too fast in a race, and it shows in my speed work.  I was shooting for an 8:20 pace, but I started at 8:00 or less.  Not good.  I made sure to slow down, and that helped.  I am extremely proud that my last 400 was faster than my first 400, with a pace of 8:08.  

What makes me happiest, though, is that my daughter came with me to the track, and she did her own workout.  For a few years now I have been asking her to run with me, and she has turned me down almost every time.  At one point she told me, "You are going to have to deal with the fact that I will not be your runner.  Work on Ben."  

When I casually asked her if she wanted to come to the track with me, I expected a withering, "No, Mom," but she actually said, "Sure.  That sounds like fun."  And it was.

This is EXACTLY how we look when we are finished with speed work.

Then Friday was my first attempt at a tempo run.  First, I got all pinked up:

On Fridays we wear pink.

Then I set out for my run on Sand Run at 2:00 pm, which was stupid on so many levels.

Mile 1:  Warmup 10:11 Mile 2: 9:03 
Mile 3: 9:11 
Mile 4: 9:57--This is where I fell apart. It was all uphill, though.  
Mile 5: Cooldown 11:18

Lessons learned: 1. Tempo runs need to be on flat paths.  Sand Run is a a three mile path full of hills.  As you can see from my times, Miles 2 and 3 were downhill.  2. Miles 2 and 3 were too fast and they were not steady (Did I mention they were downhill?).  I tried to control my pace, but there were some points that I was running at 8:15 or less.  Not cool.   3. Tempo runs should never be at 2:00 in the afternoon in the summer.  I was so. freaking. hot.

Can I call this a win in speed work since it was extremely hilly?

I did call it a win, and I rewarded my daughter and myself with a trip to Stan Hywet Hall to see the Ohio Shakespeare Festival's production of Much Ado about Nothing.  

This is EXACTLY how I look when I am watching Shakespeare.  My friend Shelly is on the  left.

It was fabulous, Peeps; I highly recommend you see this comedy or Henry V, which starts July 30.

Today I ran three loops of the Boston Run Trail in Peninsula for a total of 9-something miles.  I thought I did pretty well.  I got through the third loop by telling myself I could walk any hill I liked, and I walked most of them.  Don't judge; I didn't walk any of them in the first two loops.

Anyway, this is my new committment to speed work.  I'm going to go to the track every Wednesday, and I'm going to fit in a tempo run each week.  

Akron won't know what hit it when I cross that finish line.

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