3 miles this morning, maybe a little over. Weather was
cold, but clear and the wind wasn't as bad. I've
decided that while I don't mind running the streets in
Brooklyn, I don't like running the local highways here.
The cars just go too fast and kick up lots of dirt.
The run wasn't very stressful; my breathing was
optimal. I even made an effort at increasing my pace
for about half a mile on a flat stretch. Unlike
yesterday, I definitely noticed the bunny hills today;
they were harder for some reason.
15K race Sunday! I'm trying not to psych myself out
about the distance, but I keep in mind that I've done
eight easily... a warmup jog plus the race (to try to
reach a full 10 miles) should be NO PROBLEM.
**A previous emailed post failed to make it in, as did this one. I had a copy of this one, but the first post, about a five mile run out in Blairstown, is lost.
February 11, 2005
February 6, 2005
The Fantastic Four (x2)!
Eight full miles today and I have to say it was probably one of the easiest, most pleasant runs ever. Combined with getting out on my bike for the rest of the afternoon, I have had a fantastic day!
I was a little psyched out at having to do eight miles -- this is the furthest I've run at one time in my life. Plus, the last long run was exquisitely bad, if you'll recall. But last night, I was starting to get into having as long as I needed to do this run today and just kept thinking about it in bed... consequently, I didn't get a very restful night's sleep. But I got up with my alarm, did my therapy, and strapped on my running shoes. I squirreled away a 12 oz Gatorade in my motorcycle's saddlebag, as my planned route would take me past my house again and I'd just been reading in the book about the importance of staying hydrated and getting some kind of fluid with simple carbohydrates.
The first mile was not bad -- tough as usual, but already I could tell this was going to be a good run. The next two were not part of the usual "three first miles"; they were considerably easier than I expected -- my breathing settled into a 2-in/3-out pattern after the first mile. Also, a lot of the snow and ice has melted, making the Redhook 3-mile loop easier than the last couple of runs.
I came past my house at the 3-mile point, picked up the Gatorade, drank a third, and left my sweatshirt, hat, and gloves behind. Now I was just in a t-shirt and running pants, on a beautiful 50-degree sunny day. I couldn't have asked for better.
The remaining five miles was the Park loop -- up the hill, around the Park once, then down the hill; a little over five miles. So on I went. The fourth mile, being mostly up hill, was challenging and at one point I found myself breathing a 2-in/2-out pattern; that's a first! My lungs haven't been able to move air out that fast before. And I couldn't sustain it once the slope leveled off a bit. I had a second third of Gatorade at the bottom of the park, somewhere around the end of mile 6, then drained the bottle as I left the park with one mile left to go. And of course, the last mile was all downhill! :)
The Park portion was extremely pleasant. Lots of people out, lots of kids, lots of pretty little things jogging along. I didn't mind having to dodge people for once. I was really taken by surprise when, on the big uphill, I was passed by a wee little woman about a foot shorter than me who was really moving. And it looked like it was easy for her! for a few minutes I matched her pace, but found that too difficult to keep up on the uphill.
I did have some pain in my left achilles; it came and went. I stretched when I got home, showered, and iced my tendon and ankles. Right after stretching, I realized I hadn't checked the time. I had started at noon and it was now 1:36. I had been stretching for the last six minutes at least, probably more like eight or ten. Basically, I think I did my regular 11-minute pace or maybe even shaved it to 10:something. Certainly much of my run was quicker than usual.
Well, what a fantastic run all around; all the elements came together. Next week is a 3-5-3-10 week. I'm supposed to be doing the 10 miles at Central Park, as part of a 15K run. I figure to make it the requisite 10 miles, I'll put in a mile just before the start of the race as warm-up. This may also make the beginning of the race easier.
I was a little psyched out at having to do eight miles -- this is the furthest I've run at one time in my life. Plus, the last long run was exquisitely bad, if you'll recall. But last night, I was starting to get into having as long as I needed to do this run today and just kept thinking about it in bed... consequently, I didn't get a very restful night's sleep. But I got up with my alarm, did my therapy, and strapped on my running shoes. I squirreled away a 12 oz Gatorade in my motorcycle's saddlebag, as my planned route would take me past my house again and I'd just been reading in the book about the importance of staying hydrated and getting some kind of fluid with simple carbohydrates.
The first mile was not bad -- tough as usual, but already I could tell this was going to be a good run. The next two were not part of the usual "three first miles"; they were considerably easier than I expected -- my breathing settled into a 2-in/3-out pattern after the first mile. Also, a lot of the snow and ice has melted, making the Redhook 3-mile loop easier than the last couple of runs.
I came past my house at the 3-mile point, picked up the Gatorade, drank a third, and left my sweatshirt, hat, and gloves behind. Now I was just in a t-shirt and running pants, on a beautiful 50-degree sunny day. I couldn't have asked for better.
The remaining five miles was the Park loop -- up the hill, around the Park once, then down the hill; a little over five miles. So on I went. The fourth mile, being mostly up hill, was challenging and at one point I found myself breathing a 2-in/2-out pattern; that's a first! My lungs haven't been able to move air out that fast before. And I couldn't sustain it once the slope leveled off a bit. I had a second third of Gatorade at the bottom of the park, somewhere around the end of mile 6, then drained the bottle as I left the park with one mile left to go. And of course, the last mile was all downhill! :)
The Park portion was extremely pleasant. Lots of people out, lots of kids, lots of pretty little things jogging along. I didn't mind having to dodge people for once. I was really taken by surprise when, on the big uphill, I was passed by a wee little woman about a foot shorter than me who was really moving. And it looked like it was easy for her! for a few minutes I matched her pace, but found that too difficult to keep up on the uphill.
I did have some pain in my left achilles; it came and went. I stretched when I got home, showered, and iced my tendon and ankles. Right after stretching, I realized I hadn't checked the time. I had started at noon and it was now 1:36. I had been stretching for the last six minutes at least, probably more like eight or ten. Basically, I think I did my regular 11-minute pace or maybe even shaved it to 10:something. Certainly much of my run was quicker than usual.
Well, what a fantastic run all around; all the elements came together. Next week is a 3-5-3-10 week. I'm supposed to be doing the 10 miles at Central Park, as part of a 15K run. I figure to make it the requisite 10 miles, I'll put in a mile just before the start of the race as warm-up. This may also make the beginning of the race easier.
February 4, 2005
Two in a row! Days that is.
For the first time since Christmas, I ran for the second day in a row. The book has a schedule that has a two-day lineup every week, but I suspect a lot of people skip one every other week so that the remaining seven runs are spread out every other day.
Well, I looked at the calendar and was shocked to see that I was supposed to do three miles today! I'd already been into town and everything and have a rehearsal later tonight. But for the moment...why not? So I pulled my running clothes out of the dryer and strapped on my shoes.
I found the run to be difficult, but not hard. My lungs had a hard time of it and my left ankle, especially, wasn't happy; but it wasn't the kind of pain you stop for...it was the "it doesn't matter" kind of pain. So I've got icepacks on my ankles as I type this. I think had I been preparing to run today, I'd have been better off. I HAVE to remember to drink more water! I do pretty well in the off days, but didn't hydrate enough last night or this morning...consequently I had a headache while running today. Another lesson learned. Again.
So now my 8-miler will have to be Sunday. If I want to go to this thing in New Jersey, I'll have to be up extra early Sunday to get the run in first.
Well, I looked at the calendar and was shocked to see that I was supposed to do three miles today! I'd already been into town and everything and have a rehearsal later tonight. But for the moment...why not? So I pulled my running clothes out of the dryer and strapped on my shoes.
I found the run to be difficult, but not hard. My lungs had a hard time of it and my left ankle, especially, wasn't happy; but it wasn't the kind of pain you stop for...it was the "it doesn't matter" kind of pain. So I've got icepacks on my ankles as I type this. I think had I been preparing to run today, I'd have been better off. I HAVE to remember to drink more water! I do pretty well in the off days, but didn't hydrate enough last night or this morning...consequently I had a headache while running today. Another lesson learned. Again.
So now my 8-miler will have to be Sunday. If I want to go to this thing in New Jersey, I'll have to be up extra early Sunday to get the run in first.
February 3, 2005
Oh, the pleasures of balmy breezes...
It actually got above 40 degrees today, though in the shade you could still see your breath. It was clouds and sun all day and really quite perfect running weather. The schedule called for five miles and I put in a solid five. I spent the first three-ish running in Cobble Hill -- my regular flat loop northwest of my house, then headed Southeast up the Slope towards Prospect Park and over to its entrance at Pritchard Square and ran a short ways clockwise to the 11th street exit, then back home.
In stark contrast to the 4-miler of a week ago, this was almost pure pleasure. Maybe not quite as perfect as Tuesday's 3 miles, but close. As is usually the case, the first three were harder than the last two. This might be purely subjective and even wrong... but it seems to me it takes a good three miles to get my breathing to settle into a pattern that supplies enough oxygen and not causing anymore coughing. Going up the hill during mile 4 today was difficult, of course, but not the worst I've dealt with.
I do think I need to start making sure all my runs end up somewhere positive -- a downhill if possible. After .7 or .8 miles of downhill, I ended the run at my house feeling super! Not too tired, not gasping, just pleasantly tired.
I think for Saturday's planned 8 miles I will again start with the flat 3-mile loop, then head up to the park and around. Maybe I'll even do the sidewalks outside the park, which makes the run about .15 miles more.
Tonight I'm feeling like this whole marathon thing may just actually be possible and not just some unrealistic dream.
In stark contrast to the 4-miler of a week ago, this was almost pure pleasure. Maybe not quite as perfect as Tuesday's 3 miles, but close. As is usually the case, the first three were harder than the last two. This might be purely subjective and even wrong... but it seems to me it takes a good three miles to get my breathing to settle into a pattern that supplies enough oxygen and not causing anymore coughing. Going up the hill during mile 4 today was difficult, of course, but not the worst I've dealt with.
I do think I need to start making sure all my runs end up somewhere positive -- a downhill if possible. After .7 or .8 miles of downhill, I ended the run at my house feeling super! Not too tired, not gasping, just pleasantly tired.
I think for Saturday's planned 8 miles I will again start with the flat 3-mile loop, then head up to the park and around. Maybe I'll even do the sidewalks outside the park, which makes the run about .15 miles more.
Tonight I'm feeling like this whole marathon thing may just actually be possible and not just some unrealistic dream.
February 2, 2005
Like Night and Day!
My last two runs could not have been more different.
Sunday, I was supposed to do seven miles and intended to do eight. But I had a terrible terrible run -- couldn't breath, body hurt, nothing was cooperating and I wound up running maybe three miles, walking the other four. Really, I was pretty down afterwards.
I'm thinking now that I'm forgetting to use some of the mental techniques in the book, particularly the "it doesn't matter" trick. This isn't to say it was all mental; I really felt like crap, like I was right back at square one in my running and hadn't gained any ground at all. I think I had stretched properly after my last couple of runs, didn't stretch enough before the run, didn't take any ibuprofen... I mean, it really sucked.
I tried to let it go as I did my run yesterday, which was only three miles. I headed out not to the park, but on a flatter route that takes me in grungy street territory. It also takes me over the Gowanus Canal a couple of times and it was interesting to see that parts of it were frozen over, but not other parts.
The run turned out to be remarkably good! Probably one of the best I've had so far, even if it was only three miles. But I pounded out those miles at a good pace, kept it up for 35 minutes, and the blocks feel away beneath my feet much faster than I remember them going before. I was actually surprised, at one point, how far out I was already.
So tomorrow's run -- five miles -- I think I will again make absolutely sure I stretch out well, take Advil beforehand, and spend the first mile or mile and a half out in the streets over the Gowanus, THEN head up hill and do one loop of the park.
Sunday, I was supposed to do seven miles and intended to do eight. But I had a terrible terrible run -- couldn't breath, body hurt, nothing was cooperating and I wound up running maybe three miles, walking the other four. Really, I was pretty down afterwards.
I'm thinking now that I'm forgetting to use some of the mental techniques in the book, particularly the "it doesn't matter" trick. This isn't to say it was all mental; I really felt like crap, like I was right back at square one in my running and hadn't gained any ground at all. I think I had stretched properly after my last couple of runs, didn't stretch enough before the run, didn't take any ibuprofen... I mean, it really sucked.
I tried to let it go as I did my run yesterday, which was only three miles. I headed out not to the park, but on a flatter route that takes me in grungy street territory. It also takes me over the Gowanus Canal a couple of times and it was interesting to see that parts of it were frozen over, but not other parts.
The run turned out to be remarkably good! Probably one of the best I've had so far, even if it was only three miles. But I pounded out those miles at a good pace, kept it up for 35 minutes, and the blocks feel away beneath my feet much faster than I remember them going before. I was actually surprised, at one point, how far out I was already.
So tomorrow's run -- five miles -- I think I will again make absolutely sure I stretch out well, take Advil beforehand, and spend the first mile or mile and a half out in the streets over the Gowanus, THEN head up hill and do one loop of the park.
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