This week in running: week 3

Sunday

The first half of this run was awesome. You can probably guess where this is going ... the second half was not. It was probably because I forgot fuel and felt myself slowing fading toward the end. I ended up walking more than I wanted and cutting it 0.5 miles short. I'd love to see what would have happened if I had fuel, but I didn't. And the run is what it is. And I saw a beautiful sunrise.

7.5 miles
1:38

Monday

I felt like running, but it was raining, so I headed to the craptastic gym. I picked the wrong treadmill, and it stopped mid-run. I tried everything, but it would not restart. So, I had to switch treadmills. This is why I call it the craptastic gym, people. I listened to Katy Perry's "Roar" on repeat the entire run. I envisioned myself roaring to the condo board about their crappy gym.

2.5 miles
29:20

It should not have to be like this.

Thursday

It seems like I either love speed work night or hate it. This week, it was love. Maybe I got all my hate out at the craptastic gym. The 800-meter repeats seemed tough (per usual), but manageable (not always the case). It was one of those times that everything seems right with running (these periods are usually short-lived, so I try to savor them when they happen).

3.0 miles
32:36

Ever have a treadmill quit on you mid-run? Anyone else obsessed with "Roar," too? Do you have a love-hate relationship with speed work?

Something amazing happened

On Monday, something amazing happened.

I went out for an “easy” 3-mile run, and I ended up running my fastest 3 miles EVER. 

I wasn’t trying to run fast. I even made a point to not look at my watch every few minutes like I normally do. I just ran at a pace that felt comfortable to me.

Apparently, comfortable to me is running the third mile in a single-digit minute per mile pace. What? This girl doesn’t run single-digit minute per mile paces (except with the starting and stopping of the watch during speed work with breaks in between sprints).

So, what does this mean? Why did I run my fastest 3 miles ever when running at an easy, comfortable-to-me pace? Well, I have some theories. 

• All of the speed work and consistent training is paying off, and this turtle is finally getting faster. This means running faster without feeling like death.
• I was running by myself (which I highly dislike), so I ran fast to get it over with.
• Since I had this day off from work, I actually got enough sleep and didn’t have the stress of a normal workday. Maybe ideal pre-run conditions contributed to an ideal run?
• I ran fast to get away from a hacking, spitting guy.

I know the fourth point is definitely true.

This gives me some hope that what I thought was a far-off dream of an under 30-minute 5K isn’t so far off. Or maybe it was a fluke, and I’ll go back to being my slow, turtle self again.

How did you get faster? Did it take awhile to see a decrease in your time? Do you run fast to get away from hacking, spitting guys?

This week in running: week 10

I’m noticing a trend. This is only my third half marathon, but I see a pattern in my training. I start out optimistic. I don’t run as well as I want. I freak out. Shortly after freaking out, everything comes together. Thankfully, I’m in the everything-comes-together phase now.

Tuesday

I’m not hip to the speed work and track lingo, so there might be a spiffy name for this that I don’t know. I just know I enjoyed it, even though it was tough.

• Descend 5 minutes, 4 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes and 1 minute with 1 minute rest in between
• 2 minutes rest
• 1 minute hard; descend rest 1 minute, 50 seconds, 40 seconds, 30 seconds, 20 seconds, 10 seconds

I had single-digit mile (yep, 9:59), which is a huge deal for me. I can see fast waaaayyy in my future.

Total: 3.67 miles

Thursday

Tempo runs are never really my thing. I’m not great about picking a faster pace and sticking with it. I’m not really sure what my faster pace is or how to maintain a faster pace (without feeling like death).

But, somehow I managed to make it work this day.

My faster pace was at least 15 seconds faster than my warm-up pace (at times 30 seconds faster), which is a start for me – I’ll take it. I maintained it for 40 minutes.

Since I ran for 60 minutes, maintained my faster pace and did not feel like death, I consider this a success.

Total: 5.10 miles

Sunday
 
We ran the same route as we did last week since we ran the same number of miles.

So how did it compare? It was really about the same, actually. Our group was a little bigger – there were seven us running together for most of the run. But, that’s about the only difference. I felt really, really, really great (sound familiar?) while running about the same pace (just 2 minutes faster this week).

Oh, one other difference: when we were running over a small bridge, we heard a snort. When we looked down, we saw manatees! I’ve loved manatees for as long as I can remember, and this was my first time seeing them in this area. I LOVED it.

After our run and stretching, a group walked two blocks to Starbucks. I had the deliciousness known as the pumpkin spice latte (less syrup and no whipped cream). It was the most delicious coffee drink I had in my life. Lately, coffee is all I crave after a run. .. strange.

Later in the day, my boyfriend, Chloe and I went to Sarasota, Florida (a town about 40 minutes south of where we live). We spent the rest of the day walking, shopping and eating dinner.

Chloe refuses to be photographed with us.

I was expecting to be sore on Monday. Nope, not sore. I’d never have known I ran 10 miles (well, if I didn’t run it myself).

I think I must do the same things after each long run to replicate this feeling: walk to Starbucks, drink delicious coffee and spend the afternoon walking and shopping and eating.

Total: 10 miles

**Edited to add questions.**

Do you like tempo runs? Are you good at picking your faster pace? Have you ever seen manatees while running? Or ever? What do you crave after running? Is it weird to crave a hot beverage? What are your best long run recovery methods?

This 5K will be better, right?

I normally dread 5Ks, but I'm hopeful for this one.

Why?

Look at the start time! It's not early morning!

I picked up my packet at my running group tonight!

One of the many benefits of being in a running group at a running store.

And, the coolest thing: one of my coaches is pacing me. What's her plan?

• Mile 1: I will tell her stories.
• Mile 2: We will have a conversation.
• Mile 3: She will tell me stories.

The idea is that I will start off easy and keep getting faster. Mile 3 sounds a little scary, but I think I'm ready for it. The speed work we've been doing has to help, right? 

Thanks to the brilliant Bean, I have A, B and C goals for the race:

• Goal A: less than 34:32 (my lowest official 5K time)
• Goal B: between 34:32 and 36:00
• Goal C: have fun and don't fall in the water 

For some reason, my running confidence isn't that high right now. I think those pesky long runs are messing with me. All of these goals seem unattainable now. I know I shouldn't think that way, but I can't help it. Hopefully, I can prove myself wrong.  

Do you like 5Ks? Have you ever been paced? How did it go? Have you ever lost your running confidence? How did you get it back?

This week in running: week 6

Sounds like the same story, different week: I loved running until my long run.

Tuesday

With my new-found love of speed work, I was super-psyched for this day! (I'm not sure what's wrong with me). 

I loved this workout. 

• 30 seconds hard, 1 minute easy x 5; then, 2 minutes of rest
• 20 seconds hard, 40 seconds easy x5; then, 2 minutes of rest
• 10 seconds hard, 20 seconds easy x 5; then, 2 minutes of rest
• 20 seconds hard, 40 seconds easy x 3; then, 2 minutes of rest
• 30 seconds hard, 1 minute easy x 3; then, 2 minutes of rest
• Plus, an easy run to and from our "track" (a circle portion of sidewalk)
• Total time: 47 minutes
  

The "track"

This provided me with something I've never seen before: 2 miles with single-digit-minute times per mile! I didn't know this was possible for a turtle!

Distance: 4.33 miles

Thursday 

Today was more mental training than anything else. We did 0.7-mile repeats of the worst part of the race: dreaded Mirror Lake (Women's Half Marathon in St. Pete). I did 4 repeats (along with running to and from the site), and I got progressively faster each time. 

I'm so glad we did this because I hated this portion of the race last year. I was extremely bitter at this point. I was hot, tired and so over it. So really, this was perfect training.

Distance: 3.8 miles

Sunday

I'm still not happy with my long runs.

They're not terrible, but they're not the I-love-running-and-I-want-to-marry-it kind of runs either.

I'm not sure what's going on, but I continually feel like I'm out of energy on these early morning runs. I never feel in the zone. I used to love long runs, so I'm not really sure what's up.

But, it wasn't awful. It couldn't be too miserable if you're wearing one of your favorite shirts.

Love this shirt, loved this race, love Brooks

On a completely random side note, "rock" is my favorite word. People assume that because I majored in a journalism field and I write that I like big, fancy words. Not necessarily the case. Rock is extremely versatile, and I just love it.

But I can't use it in reference to this run, sadly.

Distance: 7 miles

How was your week in running? Are you in love with speed work? Or am I crazy? How important is mental training in running? Why don't I love long runs like I used to? What is your favorite word?

Tackling my nemesis

Have I ever mentioned that I don't like 5Ks? Well, I really don't like 5Ks. I mean, I really don't like 5Ks.

So, I signed up for another one.

Completely logical, right? Yeah, I thought so too.

But, this one is different. 

 Why?

Well, it's an evening race so that's a huge bonus for this morning hater. But, the even cooler thing? One of my coaches said she'd pace me. Wow. That's an honor. I can't pass that up. 

And, with this speed work (and my love of it and my accomplishment of running 2 whole miles in a single-digit minute mile), I'm kind of excited (even if the race does involve my nemesis, the Pier). 

Look out, you pesky 5K distance. I'm coming for you in a few weeks!

This week in running: week 5

This was a great week running-wise ... until my long run. Pesky long runs can make or break the week, in my opinion. If it's not good, I start to worry. But, I'll focus on the positive first.

Monday

Not a normal running day, but since our last long run got cut short by thunderstorms, I decided to tack on some miles around the neighborhood. I felt great, but I'd just rather not run by myself. I miss my running group!

Distance: 3 miles

Tuesday

Yay! It's running group day! Yay! It's speed work day! (Yes, I just typed that.)

I did my first official track workout, but I did it on a sidewalk. I've heard mention of these 400 meter repeats, and I never really knew what it was. Now I do. Well, kind of ... I don't fully understand all of the terminology, but I know I did them.

I *think* we did three sets of 400 meter repeats. We ran 400 meters, had a 1-minute break, ran 400 meters, had a 2-minute break, and then ran 400 meters. We repeated this three times with longer breaks in between sets. Our goal was to continually get faster, like this.

 
Instead, mine looked like this.

Yeah, not how it's supposed to look. Oops.

But, I loved every second of this workout. From the easy run down to our "track" to the repeats (all of them) to the easy run back, I loved it. I felt awesome. I felt, dare I say it, fast.

Distance: 3.73 miles

Thursday

This was supposed to be a 50-minute run broken out into repeating 10 easy minutes followed by 10 minutes at a faster pace. It really didn't happen for my running buddy and me. We just ran for 50 minutes, and it all rocked.

Our coach said this was fine if we feel we don't really have a faster, sustainable pace. She'd rather us just run a solid 50 minutes. So that's what we did. Maybe someday I'll have a pace besides slow.

Distance: 4 miles

Sunday

OK, here's the bad one. 

It is still way too hot in Florida at 7 a.m. People keep talking about this foreign concept, "fall," and it is definitely not happening here.

I just felt overwhelmed by the heat at first. My face just felt like it was burning up.

I finally settled in and felt a little cooler once we made a turn to run by the bay (yay for breezes off the water). I didn't feel too shabby (aside from the initial heat issues) up until mile 4. Pesky mile 4 made me feel like all of my energy was zapped. I kept pushing on for the next few miles, but I just didn't feel that great. 

So, I finished not feeling that great and feeling hot and frustrated. 

Not feeling great and feeling hot and frustrated

I guess looking back, it wasn't really that bad. But, I feel like it really could have gone better. 

Distance: 6 miles

How was your week in running? Have you done track workouts? Do you like them? Do they help you get faster? Do you base how good your training week was by your long run?

My recipe for speed: cold weather

I went back to my running group last night for the first time in two weeks. I ran on my own for a week and HATED IT. I missed my group in a serious way. Then, I didn't run the next week. Oops. A few others took a break, too, because our coach emailed this: "Everybody running still? Getting ready for a big race? Need any tips???" Oops.

I was really afraid that taking a complete week off from running would render me unable to run a mile. Seriously, I thought I would struggle and huff and puff. Thankfully, I was wrong.

It wasn’t my best run, but it wasn’t torture either. And, I ran 4.5 miles. No issues. Well, it was freezing! Yes, I know I usually say it is freezing when it is a blustery 62 degrees (which, for Florida, really is chilly – trust me). But, I’m serious this time. It was actually close to freezing temperatures during our run. And windy. And this made my shins go numb (I foolishly wore capri pants). But, the cold weather made the run easier because: (1) I run so much better in cooler weather; (2) as mentioned, my shins were numb (no feeling, no pain); and (3) I wanted to go inside; hence, this made me run faster.

After the run, my feet were in need of hunting socks (I don't hunt, but I'm a wimp when it comes to cold) and a heater.

The 4.5 miles included a 10-minute warm-up, intervals of 4x5 minutes hard, 3 minutes easy, followed by an 8-minute cool down. My first set of intervals was fast (for me) – I saw a 9 at the front of my pace (single digits – yes!). They slowed somewhat after the second set. But, I’m happy to be back with my group, and I’m happy to be running again.

Day 7

Tuesday’s run: rained out. But, never fear, our coach had rainy day lesson plans (yes, he used to be a PE teacher). He went into details about our training schedules, nutrition and rest days (since we had one yesterday).

I also learned that I’m an idiot. OK, I knew I was, but I just got further proof of this fact. I thought all of the energy gels were generically called “goos.” Wrong. They are called “energy gels” or just “gels.” There is a brand, GU, pronounced “goo” (which I thought was pronounced “gee-you”). So, excuse me for being an idiot. And, just ignore most of this post (but, even if I’m an idiot, I still think “Goo review” makes a better title than “Gel review”).

Besides me being an idiot, I learned that rest days are good (and help prevent injury), we’re adding speed work to our training in September, and we’ll need to start fuelling ourselves (with energy gels, sport beans or something else I don’t know of yet) during our longer runs.