Tag Archive | Training

10 DAYS

Oct27

It’s funny, last year my sole focus was on completing the 9 plus 1 to be able to run the New York City Marathon this year.   Now I am in the final stretch.   Literally.   10 days till me and 50,000 of my closest friends stand at the starting line of one of the most iconic marathons ever.

You know what?

I don’t feel like I’ve got the level of excitement that I should.   I’m actually quit passive about it.   I haven’t put any real thought into what I’m wearing, logistics, or even my race plan.   Thankfully I’ve got a plan on how to get to the start line, but really that is only because one of my friends put together a car service for us.   If not, I might still be wondering about that.   So regardless of what I’m wearing, how I’m getting home, or even what my pace is at least I know I will be at the starting line when I should be.

I’m really not sure what is wrong with me.   I’ve been asked by a few people if I’m excited about running and I’m like Eh.   WTF.    The thing is I want to be excited.   I know I should be excited, but I’m just not there yet.   It seems so unreal to me.   Maybe that is part of the problem.

I think another issue is that I have started to think about my goals.   I’ve been thinking about those A, B, and C goals.   I’ve been thinking about how my training has been.   I’ve been thinking about MCM last year.   I’ve been wondering if I will ever be able to break that elusive 4:30 mark.   It doesn’t help that when trying to figure it out, my Garmin gives me what I and anyone who knows me knows this is a bat sh*t crazy prediction finish time.

predictorHere I’m wondering if I can run a 4:30 and this is giving my a Boston Qualifier time for my age group.   This does me no good.

As a side not for those interested, here are the time qualifiers for 2018 marathon from the Boston Athletic Association.

Age Group Men Women
18-34 3hrs 05min 00sec 3hrs 35min 00sec
35-39 3hrs 10min 00sec 3hrs 40min 00sec
40-44 3hrs 15min 00sec 3hrs 45min 00sec
45-49 3hrs 25min 00sec 3hrs 55min 00sec
50-54 3hrs 30min 00sec 4hrs 00min 00sec
55-59 3hrs 40min 00sec 4hrs 10min 00sec
60-64 3hrs 55min 00sec 4hrs 25min 00sec
65-69 4hrs 10min 00sec 4hrs 40min 00sec
70-74 4hrs 25min 00sec 4hrs 55min 00sec
75-79 4hrs 40min 00sec 5hrs 10min 00sec
80 and over 4hrs 55min 00sec 5hrs 25min 00se

Anyway, I know that I am not a Boston Qualifier.  I don’t really understand how the Garmin comes up with their predictions because they are all way off.   I’ve got two road marathon’s under my  belt, one trail marathon, and let’s not forget the 50K.   I know that I can go the distance.   What I’m starting to wonder though if mentally I can push myself enough when it gets hard.   And it does get hard.   Very hard.   I have a tendency to be too nice to myself during a race.   It is supposed to be hard.   I am supposed to push myself and now I’m wondering how far I should push.   I don’t want to crash and burn, but I don’t want to hobble away after the race thinking that I could have done more.

No, not 3:50 more, but at least 4:30.

I guess it is getting real now.  I think that is why there is no excitement, because where there should be excitement there is doubt and a fear of failure.

fear

As I like to say….

It’s go time.

Time to put all these doubts, fears, and anything else that’s holding me back to bed.   Time to move forward confident in my training, in my coach, and in my abilities.

Easier said than done, but it’s time to try.

What’s holding you back?

Flexibility is the Key

Sep8

Yesterday I had an 8 mile run scheduled.

As anyone with school aged kids will tell you, the start of the school season is ruff.   First there is the adjusting to the schedule to knowing who needs to be where when and everything in between.   On top of all of that craziness, I in my infinite wisdom a few years ago took on the responsibility of running my son’s Cub Scout Pack in addition to being his Den Leader.   So this brings on a whole host of responsibilities and just like the beginning of the school year, the beginning of the Scouting year is also a bear.

Now normally when the kids are all dropped off at school, I like to start my run by 9:00.   Yesterday though I figured that I would first take care of some Cub Scout stuff that needed to be done.   I figured that I would be done by 11:00 at the latest.   One thing leads to another and another.   Before I know it, it is almost noon.

CRAP!

Now I’m hungry.

So knowing I’ve got a run, I quick eat a bowl of cereal.   Finally get out for my run a little after 12:45.   Do some quick calculations and realize that there is just NO WAY that I am getting in a whole 8 miles due to needing to start the school pick-up cycle.

CRAP!

Then I start to map out in my mind how far and where to run.   I figure that I can probably squeeze in 5 miles or close to it.

CRAP!

Then in the midst of my panic, I wonder what the Hell my problem is and what is wrong with me.   Running is supposed to be my stress relief.   It felt good to get out the door after sitting all morning.   Why am I causing myself more anxiety instead of letting the run take it away?

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Then I had an epiphany that I’ve had before.    Running is NOT my job.  I RUN BECAUSE I LIKE TO RUN!    Yes, I know that I need to stick to my schedule and train if I want to be able to finish all these races that I’ve signed up for.    Yes, I know that training is important, but so is flexibility.    My “job” is to do the things that I do at home not only because I “have to” but because I want to.   No one assigned me these jobs.   I decided that I wanted kids.   I decided that I wanted 3 of them.   I decided that I wanted to do the things that I do for our house, my kids, and our family.   They are my priority.

That is not to say that I should not take time for myself and the things that I want to do.  My run at the beach is a prime example of that rationale.   That is not to say that everything that is important to me comes second.   It just means that I need to be more flexible and cut myself a break.   Especially when there is a lot going on.   The trick is to know what days, I really need flexibility and what days I need a kick in the pants.

Calling Dr. Google

Sep4

 

Even though I didn’t get out for my long run Saturday, I plan to do it Sunday morning.    Sometimes you have to change things up especially when life gets in the way.   I once again slept in this morning as honestly I’ve not been sleeping the best.   Problem was that I slept in too late to get a run in or I would be late for an important appointment.   I thought to myself, “no worries, I’ll just run when i get back from picnicking at my mother’s house.”

  Well when you don’t get home till almost 10:00 and you’ve got 12 miles on your schedule that run just isn’t happening.

Nope.

Now, it will have to happen in the morning.   Without a doubt.   I am getting and planning to stay back on track for my marathon training.   I’ve got reason to be committed (other than the obvious that I will be running the NYCM).   I now am 100% positive baring any injuries that I will be running.

What am I talking about you ask?

You did ask, right?

google

So during this somewhat stinky summer, I had to get a biopsy done on 3 nodules on my thyroid.   I’m not a fan of needles in my neck, so I was more concerned with that than the actual biopsy.   I will say that according to my consultation with Dr. Google who my lawyer friend told me was not licensed to practice in this state; I had high expectations of being told that my thyroid would need to be removed.   The results came back fine for the bigger nodules, but they wanted to retest the smallest one as results were not conclusive.   Ok.   Another round of needles.   Yeah, me.

Waiting…..

Waiting….

Phone rings

“Hello this is So and So from Dr. So and So’s office.  Don’t worry the results don’t show C, but the Dr. would like for you to come in to go over your results.   She has an opening today.   Are you available?”

Yeah, that’s never a good thing.

Off I go to the Dr’s who says in a nutshell that the results are once again not able to determine if it is bad or good.   Blah, Blah, Blah more medical information.    Bottom line is we need to take your thyroid gland out.

Me, who expected this months ago but then pushed it aside after first round of tests is shocked.   My main concern because I’m a crazy runner, “Can I push it off till after NYCM?”

That’s totally rational.

“Sure no problem.   Call Surgeon So and So now though to set up appointment as he is in leadership position and it’s hard to get into see him.”

Following Dr So and So’s order, I call the next day and this hard to see Surgeon So and So can see me in two days for my consultation.

WHAT???

So this consultation was today.   I feel much better after meeting Surgeon So and So.   He gave me the clear ahead to wait till after the marathon, but not much longer after that.  I liked that he knew that my body would need to recover after running such a long distance and the fact that he said the surgeon who would assist him is also running NYCM.

So now this reignites the fire.   It removes the cloud that has been hanging over my training and it also adds a little motivation as he might ask how I finished in said race.   Would hate to not have a good finish time to tell him.

So while all is not perfect.   While I may be freaking out a little or a lot depending on the time of day, I’m better knowing what is going to happen.   There is a plan.   I’ve been told that I like a plan and it is true.

Time to get myself moving!

ny_slogan

Do you have a plan?

Quiet Please

Sep3

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Yesterday, I had what my coach calls a cut-down.    I guess it is similar to a tempo run but a little different.

When I first started with my coach it took me a while to adjust to these runs.    With most things, it gets better with practice.   I find these runs are also a great way to get good at learning to keep pace.   The thing is when I started my cut-downs were not as fast as they are now.    Here was yesterdays scheduled run:

1 mile easy
1 miles @ 8:55-9:05
1 miles @ 8:45-55
1 miles @ 8:35-45
1 miles @ 8:20-35
1 miles easy

Just looking at these paces makes me wonder what I am doing.   But this week I am determined to get all my assigned runs in at my assigned paces if possible.   If nothing else I am comitted to stop making lame excuses.    Although it’s not always easy.

I knew that I wanted to do this cut-down on a treadmill.   I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to go till the evening.   Then evening comes and I’m ready to go…… But first

Hubby has been home sick and I run to pick him up some soup (yeah, I’m good like that)

Literally while pulling into parking lot of YMCA – “Mom, can you pick me and my friends (they are out at local festival) and they are going to come back and hang out our house.”   I’m like sure when only to find out that he meant right then.   Out of the parking lot I go.

Hubby, “Are you still planning to go run?”

AHHHHHH,    yes I am.   On a day less committed, I might have said no.   Not last night.   So finally get to the treadmill and think that maybe I won’t do the full 6.   Maybe I’ll only do 5.   Maybe I won’t run as fast as cut-down calls for.   On and on that little voice goes and mile by mile I shut her down.

Was the run hard.   You bet, but I think that is the point.    I’m always amazed when a hard run is over that I could actually do it.    There is a sense of accomplishment not only with completing a hard run, but shutting down that inner voice that wants you to take the easy way out.

Some days the voice is quiet, but on these days where it is a constant struggle to shut it up I know I am that much stronger.   It is learning to shut up this voice that will help me push through the wall in a marathon or any hard run for that matter.    For most or at least for me, the wall is not based on pain or at least pain that can’t be run through.  It is when the voice becomes to loud and I fall into the trap and listen to her.   These are the runs that teach me that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.   These are the runs that will remind me that that voice is a liar.

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Come Back to Me……

Sep1

After many months, I was FINALLY able to get a much need run in with a friend tonight.    The beauty of your running friends is they will tell you what you want to hear, sometimes things you don’t want to hear, and just listen while you ramble on too.   It’s a special thing:)

We were talking about my training and her training as she is also doing New York.    We both have similar goals except that I’m not really sure of my goals right now.   Things are kind of up in the air, but she made me laugh telling me not to be a “teenager and just do it.”    She further pointed out that my training has been getting back on track and that if I give it just a little more time so will my head.    Part of that has to do with once the kids get back in school and I can get back to my normal schedule.

Here’s hoping.

I said to her that it has really been a difficult summer and it is even ending on a not so fun note.   All of these things are have not totally sucked the life out of my training because I am finally able to get my workouts in.   Maybe not all of them, but I’m getting better.   I’m getting back doing what I need to do, it is just sucking my get up and go.

my-get-up-and-go-dont-leave-me

I’ve said before that part of my problem is that last year when training for Marine Corps Marathon, I had committed goals.  They were concrete.    I don’t have that this time.    I am missing the drive that I had.   I am trying to find it.   I really am, but part of me keeps questioning in the end what does it matter.    I know it would be a source of pride to me to run a marathon in 4:30 or under, but other than that what will the point be?   I have PR’d in various events.    In looking at Athlinks today, I realized that there were a few events that I finished decently and one I even came in first in my age group.   Of course, there were only 4 women in that group but still.   I’m wondering……  What does it matter?

I not only love  to run, but being a runner is part of who I am now.    If I were to never run another race again (that’s not happening – don’t panic), I would still need running in my life.   I love running, but I’m growing weary of training.   Not physically, but mentally.

I know all this mumbo jumbo in my head is due to all that has happened this summer.    You can’t loose a loved one and not think about what is important in your life.  I wish that was all, but like the commercials says “but there’s more!”

I am committed to running the New York City Marathon.   I am committed to training for the New York City Marathon.     I am committed to finishing the New York City Marathon.   I just wish I knew how I wanted to finish it and what I want out of race day.

It feels good to say that.   It feels good to know that.

That is the one thing that has fallen into place today while other things were falling out of place.   I do know that I am committed to New York which will mean that I will be committed to training for it.   Like a child whose old toys is about to be thrown away, I did not realize how important this has become to me until the prospect of having to bow out became a possibility.

If there sounds like there is more to this story, there is but I’m not at a point to share it all.     In the scheme of things it’s not anything tragic or bad, it is just something that I have to deal with.   Like laundry, some things just need to be done.    When the time is right, I will let you know.

 

Do You Have The Time?

Aug26

I’ve been trying to get my act together.   To not miss any workouts.    To be better.

I said to a friend not too long ago that it’s not that I don’t want to run the NYCM, it is that I don’t want to train to run it.    Well even though I have the cape, I’m no Wonder Woman and will need to train.  That being said, it also occurred to me that I’ve got some other things coming up before NY.   One of them being the Sandy Hook Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon.    It is the race that started it all.    It is the race that led me to discover the joy of running.  It is the race that changed it all.    I’ve done it three times now and it holds a special place in my heart.    It will never be as good as the first time when a bunch of us ran it, but I still love it.

Iron Girl 3

Today my training plan called for 40 minutes of swimming.   I haven’t been really good about getting my swims in.   My coach might have even said (yes she did) that I was treating the swims as optional.    It also occurred to me that I’m only two weeks or so away from Sandy Hook and I really need to get my swims in.   Plus swimming really is a prefect cross training activity for running.    It was also made that much easier to go because hubby had a house full of work friends over to do their Fantasy Football Draft.

The hard part of any training is actually getting out the door.   Once there and in the pool, I wondered why I hadn’t done more of it.    I got into a rhythm of swimming my laps.   A rhythm that will leave me once I hit the bay with no floor, breaking waves, and a mass of other swimmers.   The swim is my least favorite part of the Tri.    I end up loosing the rhythm and strokes so easily done it the pool.   I panic a little and end up doing too much back stroke, head out of the water, gasping for air, and looking like I don’t know how to swim.    Yet, I still do it.

So tonight in the calmness of the pool swimming my many laps, I was thinking a great deal about my September 11th Triathlon.    I came up with a plan.    A shocking non plan.  Something that is so out of what I would expect me to come up with as a plan.   But once I thought about it, I knew was what I needed for this event.

I am going to run it naked and I don’t mean without my Trisuit!!!

I am going to run it sans Garmin!

Shocked?

I know normally, I would be but when the thought came to me, I knew it was perfect.   I knew it is what I need to do.    I know it might help me to focus on the moment without fear of time.    Besides the beauty of a race is that even if I don’t know my time during the race, I can certainly find out as soon as I cross the finish line.

Here is my reasoning…….

As far as my training goes,  I am really only trained for the run.     I have never trained for it like I did the first year.     I do this race only because I enjoy the race.    I want to not focus on what my watch says that I am doing, but what my body tells me I’m doing.    I don’t need splits to tell me that.    This is not to say that I am not planning to go out there and give it all I’ve got, because I am.    That is the point.    Let my body decide and not my watch.

I guess I will find out the morning of September 11th if this is a crazy thing to do or not.   I do know that if it’s one thing I’ve got is more than enough crazy to go around.

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Have you ever run an event without your trusty watch?

 

Do You Know Where Your Going To?

Aug15

Diana Ross sang it best and I still can hear her sing the words (Yes, I’m that old)

Do you know where you’re going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?
Do you get what you’re hoping for?
When you look behind you there’s no open door.
What are you hoping for, do you know?

It’s been a roller coaster of emotions these last few weeks filled with ups and downs.  It’s made these words play through my mind more than once.

My family went on our annual family camping vacation.   Don’t crunch your nose up, camping really is fun in a back to nature kind of way.   Yes, there are downsides to sleeping in a tent for almost 2 weeks, but the good far out ways the bad.

Really

Here are just some examples of the good

Usually what is even better is this view comes with limited outside noise as there is no  available cell service or wifi in camp and when needed requires seeking it out and leaving camp.   Something, I try not to do to enjoy the peace and tranquility.   This year though this normal good thing did cause somewhat of a dilemma.

This year, time away from camp that would have been spent either running or biking was spent searching for the elusive signal usually followed by the question, “Can you hear me now?”

I gladly gave up this time as I’ve said before sometimes other things are just more important.   While away, sadly but not expectantly, my almost 92 year old grandmother passed away.    Training was not a priority.

Vacation wasn’t a bust, but it was different.    It had it’s ups and downs.   Then two days after we got back, yesterday, we laid my Grandmother to rest.

Today I finally went out on a run.   Not because it was in my schedule which I totally have been off, but because I needed to.

It was hot.   It was humid.   I had to get up early.   It sucked. It was hard.    All that being said, I needed it.   I met a friend for the first half of the run and it was good to run with her.   It is always good to run with her as miles don’t seem as bad when your chatting them away.   Then I ran her home where she refilled my water bottles and I was off again.   As much as I enjoyed running with my friend, I also enjoyed these solitary miles too.   It was nice to be with m own thoughts for a bit too.

The beauty of this run is that it really was just a run to run.   I kept the pace slow due to the heat.   I walked when I felt I needed to.   I stood in a sprinkler when I could find one.   There was no pace.   There was n plan other than to run 10 miles.   It is what I needed.

During the second part of the run, I had Diana Ross’s beautiful voice in my head with no answers.  I’ve been questioning where my running is taking me and what am I hoping for.    I’ve got no answers.   At this point, I plan to just keep plugging way.   Trying to get back onto a schedule.    Trying to find the drive that got me to where I am now, but it’s hard.    Part of me just wants to run to run.   No more training.   Nor more paces.   Just the freedom to run.  It’s not the normal, I’m tired of training that comes near the end of marathon training when it feels like a job.   This is different and I’ve been feeling this way for a bit now.

That being said, I have worked too hard to get where I am.    I am not giving up on running the NY City Marathon.   I’m just hoping to find the spark that started it all again.

I’m holding onto what my friend told me today.   It will come easier when the kids are back in school and I don’t feel like my running is interfering with family time.

Until such time, I will just keep running:)

 

 

Do You Know Where Your Going To?

 

 

 

Yeah I Went There

Jul17

I’ve tried to deny it.   I’ve wanted to pretend it doesn’t affect me.    In truth I wish I could be done with the whole thing, but alas I’ve still got time to go and it seems to get worse as I near the end of it.   My husband wouldn’t be shocked, but don’t tell him that I am admitting to it; but I suffer from PMS.

Yeah I went there.

Apparently, there aren’t too many places I won’t go:)

Actually there are, but this is a normal thing that women have to deal with month after month after month.

People don’t like to REALLY talk about it other than the off hand comments or jokes, but it’s real.   It sucks and it’s real.

pms

    I always thought men were lucky at races zipping off to use a tree instead of being forced to wait for a porta potty but not dealing with this makes them even luckier.    I wonder if they have anything that effects their moods, water retention, and energy levels every month.    My husband may say me, but he best be careful what time of the month he says that!  Of course if men had to deal with this, it would be a medical epidemic that needed to be studied and a pill designed to fix it.

One thing I will say is that I do notice is that the older I’m getting, the worse it is getting.    Maybe it is because I’m hopefully nearing it’s inevitable end, but then I think there will be a whole host of other things to deal with.    Maybe it is getting worse because in years past, I wasn’t trying to do anything when suffering with it except maybe hide the chocolate and sneak in a nap.   Now I’m out there trying to run a workout and sometimes it just doesn’t work out.

Case in point.

  Friday I knew it was going to be hot, so I went to my local gym to run my cut-down.   I had 8 miles starting easy but getting progressively harder.   I knew it wouldn’t be easy to do in the heat and even though I hate treadmill running it needed to be done.   I get there realizing I forget my towel and also that I wont’ have enough time to do the whole thing.   Already decide to shorten it to 6.    Get set up and go.   By mile 2 physically, I’m moving right along.    Then my headphones die.   NO MUSIC!    They gym does have tv’s but they are all replaying/analyzing the tragedy in Nice.   Now I run to take a break from all the crap in the world.   I need this down time.  This is not what I want to focus on for the next hour.    I end up shortening the run to a 3.2 miles and calling it a day.   Quick miles, but not the miles I should have run and on any other day of the month I probably would have sucked it up.

The following day,  I had 10 miles on the books.   Again due to kids schedule, I know that I won’t have time to complete them all once I adjust (sloooooow down) my pace for the scorching heat (high 80’s – remember this is Jersey not Texas).    Get out there and even though I’ve been running in heat, somehow it feels even hotter.   I want to bag my run almost immediately.   My mind starts with “why are you sabotaging yourself after 2 great weeks of training”  and “what is the point of even doing this.”   The run is a struggle.   My mind is pure negativity.   I have muscle aches.   My stomach isn’t right. My pace is even slower than the slow pace I wanted.   Luckily, I run away from home, so there was no going back until I got in some decent miles.   I ended up finishing with 8 which I’m ok with, but it was not pretty.   I was ready at the end to hang up my running shoes by the end and not just for the day.

Then I had my aha moment.    It’s not that what I’m doing is pointless.   It’s not that I’m a sucky runner.    It’s not that I am trying to self sabotage.   It honestly and simply is that I was suffering (and if you’ve never experienced it you won’t understand why I used the word suffering) with PMS.   Men think it’s an excuse.   Men don’t think it’s real, but the fact is that it affects a lot of us in various ways. It’s also not funny.   I’m just really starting to realize how it affects me.    I so can’t wait to be done with it all.

There is an upside

not much, but I always try to find the silver lining.

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I think that PMS makes me a stronger runner mentally.   It sometimes wins the battle, but the fact that month after month I have this negative voice in my head that I have to shut down and work around makes me stronger. It’s like having to prove to the bully that teases you that you aren’t good enough that in fact you ARE good enough.   Then there are the aches, pains, and tenderness that come with it.    I still run through them (most of the time).    This will help on those hard and long runs.

I’m not saying that PMS effects every woman.   I’m not saying that even those that deal with it have the same issues that I do.   This is just me:)

I know I’m not the only one.   I just might be the only one to put it out there:)

 

 

 

 

Not a Morning Person

Jul13

I’m not a morning person.   My friends know this well.   I am a night owl which makes being a morning person that much harder.  I am also someone who isn’t at her best when she jumps out of bed and goes.   I need time.   I need coffee.    This is why on a perfect day, I would like a minimum of 45 minutes before a run to be up.   I will further admit that I LOVE to sleep in.   There is nothing better than waking up when your body tells you it is time and not when your alarm tells you.   The problem is that this summer there are days (many of them) that I need to be more of a morning person.

I don’t like it.

I don’t like it one bit!

It doesn’t always work and I’m trying. But even on mornings it works out,  I still hate it.

Why would this self professed night owl want to change into a morning person.

To get my runs in, of course!

Having 3 kids with active summer schedules, it is hard to find the time to run.   In my Pollyanna world, summer is about sleeping in, beach days, zoo days, and being a bum.   The reality isn’t so.   Although more freedom than the school year, we have teen work schedules, summer classes,  soccer schedule,  and other activities.    The bigger problem is that they are all on different days.   We may be busy in the morning with one activity and then have a few free hours before the next one.   Does not leave as enough time for adventure or running.

Boo!

Just Boo!

Then add to this the heat and it means early morning runs.

MorningWorkout

It doesn’t always work.   Today is a perfect example.   Set the alarm for 7:00.   Promptly snoozed till 7:30 which means I didn’t make it out the door for a 7:30 as I wanted.   I do have some leeway today which I must have been holding onto in the back of my mind, but it really would have been better to go at 7:30.   Now I have to wait till 9:00 which won’t be bad today as it’s not going to be hot yet and it’s a shorter run.   That’s the problem when my mind knows the truth:)

So even though it didn’t work this morning.   It also kind of did.   The kids are asleep, I’m getting some stuff done and I will get my run today.   The problem that I will have is that on mornings I have a longer run in I will need to be dedicated and get out the door which when push comes to shove I have been doing.

I’m on a roll with my training.   Shocking I know.   I have completed all my required workouts these last 2 weeks.   Maybe they weren’t perfectly on pace, but they were done.   I would like to keep it that way especially because in 2 weeks (Yeah!!) I will be going on vacation.   I’ve already told my coach that even though I will run that I will probably not  be on schedule then.    Until then, I will have to be good:)

I think what has got me back on track is that I am once again training with purpose.   I’m in New York City Marathon Training.   16 weeks will go very quickly!    Let’s not forget that in October I will also be running the Runner’s World Hat Trick again.

Let the games begin.

 

Are your a happy Morning Person?

 

 

Some Like It Hot

Jul5

I admit, I like it hot

but only when swimming at the pool or on the beach.

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For running, I much prefer a balmy 60 degree day.    Fall is a beautiful time to run (usually).   That being said,  July is not usually perfect running weather in Jersey.   That doesn’t keep me home though and I know it doesn’t keep anyone home that has a big fall race on the calendar either.    It just causes us to make adjustments or pay the price for not.  Most of us just don’t want to though or think it doesn’t apply to us.   I make them usually kicking and screaming.

The most obvious and easiest adjustment should be to get up super early and run before the heat of the day.   During the school year, I normally do my runs mid morning.   In the summer, I like to sleep in when possible.   Beating the heat does not allow for this.

Boo early runs.

Boo.

I will admit that depending on what type of run that I am doing, I may sleep in and just deal with the heat.   Yes, I may suffer a little bit in the heat but I got to sleep in or may even go for an evening run:)   I will say this does not work for days where I have a specific pace or cut down run.    This really only works on slow steady days.

Runner’s are usually all about the numbers.  When you’ve already embraced the running slower approach in your training, it is even worse.   You think to yourself, “Well I’m already running XYZ pace, so I’m good.   I don’t need to slow down any more.”

FALSE

Here is the thing –  coaches, articles, friends and even Google will tell you that heat is a huge factor in training.   I imagine if you live a a place where it is hot ALL year round and 80’s is a cool day that your body had adjusted to the heat, so this probably doesn’t apply to you.   For me though, I can tell that the heat makes a difference.    Even once my body has adjusted to the higher temperatures of summer, I still need to adjust (slow it down).  Here is the thing, no one wants to feel like a speed walker can pass them because they slowed their pace down to what feels like a stand still.   Sometimes, I admit, I think that I should tape a sign to my back saying….

I can run faster

Really

That being said, if you try to nail your assigned paces that were designed for the perfect running day (50 to 60’s), then you are going to overwork yourself trying to hit those paces.   You may not even be able to complete your run or if you do it won’t be pretty.   I’ve been there.  As much as we want to pretend it isn’t so, if you run a 10:45 pace on a 60 degree day, then when the temperature soars to 80 you need to slow down to 11:05.   There are some good online calculators for adjusting your pace due to heat.   The hotter it is outside, the more you need to slow down.  You get the same benefit running slower on a hotter day.  Really.

Really, it won’t kill you to run slower.

Then there is this.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Normally, I run with my Fitletic belt with 2 bottles.   Now that we are in the midst of summer, I have added an additional 2 bottles.   I plot my routes to go by friend’s houses, parks, or even 7-11 so that I can refill them.    I may also break out my running vest as that has bigger water bottles and more storage.   Although, I think I will save that for long runs only.

The bottom line is we are all grown ups and know what we should be doing.   Now we just have to do them.

Be safe.

Be smart.

Run.