The Science of the Long Run

I love running. In fact, the only thing I love more than running is running long (and also maybe chocolate chip cookies).

After scaling back my mileage the past two weeks due to the RnR USA Half and then my widsom teeth removal, I am ready to pick it back up and get into serious long run territory. I'm hoping to score an 18 and two 20 milers in April, which should set me up nicely for a busy race schedule in May.

The last time I ran 20+ miles was at JFK in November. Needless to say, it's been awhile and I'm eager to test out my endurance. I'm sure the first 20 miler won't be enjoyable. Let's face it, sometimes long runs just plain suck, especially when you run out of new running routes. Mapping 20 milers are always difficult for me. Its a game of "which parts of Philadelphia will I hate the least on this particular day."

That said, I really do love running long. I love the slow, steady burn, the hours to myself to work out my thoughts, and of course the post-run satisfaction that comes along with sitting on my ass the rest of the day (I deserve it).

While perusing r/running on Reddit this morning I found a link to Wiki page called The Science of the Long Run. Luckily for us 2013 folks, Wikipedia isn't nearly as trecherous as it was when it started. My teachers are even vocally supportive of it (Need a quick date on something? Wiki it!). If the author's references are as relible as they seem, then it makes for some very interesting data on the long run.

The study looks for correlations in data between the number of long runs in the last two months of marathon training and marathon time, injury rate, etc.



Source
 

Source



There is obviously a lot more analysis that could be done on future data, but overall I found it very interesting, especially since it seems to support the idea of more long runs for better performance. Yay long runs!

Happy National Running Day!

One might say that now a days there is a holiday for everything. And while I don't buy into most of them, there are a handful I love to embrace.

Due to a self-imposed six week dessert fast leading up to my wedding (seriously I could kill someone for a piece of candy right now), I was not able to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day on May 15th. Nor was I able to celebrate the slightly less exciting (to me) but-hey-it's-still-delicious-baked-goods National Doughnut Day last Friday. I am, however, thoroughly embracing National Running Day on this fine June 6th of 2012 (as is apparently every other runner on the blogosphere).

After I made the decision last week to forego Lone Ranger, I have happily been settling into my run-when-I-want-to pattern.

Source

So this morning I hopped out of bed at quarter to 5, got Mike to put on his running shoes with me, and headed out for a glorious 6.7 mile run along the river. It was so chilly that I had to wear long sleeves, which was a refreshing change from the pipping hot weather we've been having.

After work I biked home and thought, "You know what? I feel like running again!" So that's exactly what I did. I don't think I've done a double run since late last summer or early fall. And what I remember from those days is feeling fantastic and always having a lot of laundry to do.

Double runs = double outfits = double the laundry! For a good cause though.

3.5 miles later I rounded out National Running Day with an easy 10 miles total. Not a bad way to celebrate!

How did you celebrate National Running Day? Group run? Register for a race? Donate to a running charity?

11 Random Things

Before I even get into this post I have to share with you something I picked up today at the farmer's market:

Yes, it is my favorite season of the year. Nothing like Girl Scout cookies to make you smile in the middle of winter!

Okay, on to the real point of this post. Beth tagged me for 11 Random Things, so here it is!

The Rules:
1) Post these rules
2) Post 11 random things about yourself
3) Answer the questions set for you in their post
4) Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
5) Go to their blog and tell them you've tagged them

My 11 Random Things:

1) Unless I'm at the pool, the beach, or in my own shower I never ever walk around barefoot. It grosses me out. I always have a pair of flip flops or moccasins on me.

2) My dream races include Western States, the Berlin Marathon, and the Comrades Marathon.

3) I studied abroad in Rome for four months in college and fell absolutely in love with it. Being there reignited my love of archaeology.

4) It's my dream to live abroad for a few years at some point at get a job or go to school there.

5) I'm terrified of heights. I almost had a panic attack when Mike and I went to the top of the Empire State Building last February. The crazy wind up there didn't help.

6) When I was growing up my mother enrolled me in every program possible - ballet, gymnastics, horse back riding, karate, tap dance, etc. etc. I didn't always like going, but looking back I'm really happy she made me try different things. I hope to do the same for my kids.

7) Even though I'm totally into the barefoot/minimalist running trend I don't own a pair of Vibrams. My Morton's toe prevents them from fitting right.

8) I already have a list of baby girl names picked out even though that's (at least) a few years away. Can't seem to come up with any boy's names that I really like.

9) If I won the lottery I would quit my job and go to school forever. Learning is the best gift anyone could ever give. I would also run my dream races and travel a lot.

10) I went through a "rebellious" phase during my sophomore year of college, dyed my hair black, and got my noise pierced. I grew out of the phase four months later.

11) I was a daily smoker for five years between the ages of 18 and 23. I used to get winded walking up a flight of stairs. Now I can run 60 mile weeks. If I can do, so can you!

Beth's questions for me:

1) What is one bad habit you want to break? I bite my nails and cuticles all the time and have for as long as I can remember.

2) What is the best compliment you have ever received? After I started this blog a few people have told me that I'm a good writer. Writing has always been something that I was self-concious about so that was a nice compliment to hear.

3) If you were stranded on a desert island and had a case of food -- only one type of food -- what would it be? Chocolate chip cookies.

4) If you could have a beer with any person (living or dead) who would it be? Hmm, this is a tough one. I took a class all about Ptolemaic Egypt two years ago and after that I think talking to Cleopatra VII (the Great) would be very interesting. Actually that whole family was pretty messed up. It would make for a great episode of Jerry Springer!

5) What is your biggest pet peeve? Disorganization!!

6) Favorite song of all time? I don't have a favorite, but I could listen to Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" over and over again. It reminds me of my childhood when it was on the radio.

7) Guilty pleasure song? (You know - the one you rock out to when no one else is listening...) Anything Britney Spears. C'mon people, I was 13 when she blew up! What did you expect?!

8) Favorite vacation location? I've been going to Bermuda since I was little and absolutely love it there. Mexico is also pretty sweet.

9) Are you a re-reader or one-and-done? Definitely a re-reader. I really have no long term memory so re-reading is always still surprising!

10) What is the career you secretly dream about starting when you retire from your current job? I want to be an archaeologist and college professor. Hopefully I will retire from my current job in a few years to begin a Ph.D program and actually head down that path!

11) The place you wish you were right now, instead of being at a computer? Trail running, which I'm going to do later today!

11 questions for my tags:

1) Favorite kind of Girl Scout Cookie?

2) Flats or heels?

3) What guilty pleasure website do you visit nearly every day?

4) Ice cream or frozen yogurt?

5) Three things you would do if you won one million dollars in the lottery?

6) What's one hobby you never thought you would get into?

7) Would you rather have a job you dislike that makes you a lot of money or a job you love that pays next to nothing?

8) Trails or roads?

9) What is your favorite race distance? Or, if you haven't sampled too many, what is your dream race distance?

10) What was your favorite subject in school and why? 

11) Favorite non-sweating activity?

TAG!!

Runner with an Appetite

happycorredora

Health, Happiness, and Skinny Jeans

Sally Anderson Fitness

Blue Eyed Runner

Middle Aged Runner

To anyone else who wants to play along leave a comment here with a link to your blog and answer my questions!

Run Like An Egyptian

As I slightly indicated in an earlier post (which some of you may not have caught), one of the classes I am taking this semester in my graduate program is Middle Egyptian. Yes, that means hieroglyphs. I'm learning how to read (and write) hieroglyphs. You know what this means:

---> COOL PERSON WALKING! <----

One of the first homework assignments our professor gave us was to write our names in Middle Egyptian (FYI - there are 5 phases of the Egyptian language and Middle Egyptian is considered the "classical" form).

I know what you're all thinking - why wasn't I an artist?! I clearly have great, untapped talent in the drawing area.

It reads something like this:

The figure on the end, under which I wrote "woman," is called a determinative. A determinative essentially gives you an idea about what the preceding word could mean. In this case it's identifying me a person, in particular a female person.

Middle Egyptian has lots of determinatives for all kinds of categories. One particular determinative that caught my eye was this one:

I know you're all ignoring the yellow box and looking right at the "testicles" and "vulva." Perverts! But seriously, the Egyptians derived their hieroglyphs from what they saw in the world around them. I guess now we can be sure that ancient Egyptians had balls (phew!).

Back to what I was saying though...the "walking legs" caught my attention because they indicate "motion." This determinative usually goes after a verb of motion (ie. to run), but I thought I'd start being extra cool and hip and add it to my name:

To be read: Kristin - runner!

I told you I was cool. I'm going to sign my name like this from now on. People won't know what hit 'em!

In actual running news, I had my second session of Yasso 800s today. Almost two weeks ago I had my first session, which ended up going really well. This time it went ehh (shoulder shrug). For one, it was ridiculously hot out (I thought 87 degrees was behind us!). For another, I had to go during my lunch since that is the only time the track is open to the public, so the sun was fully blazing. And, lastly, with all the class and homework and general craziness of my schedule this last week, I haven't fallen into a good eating routine and I really haven't been eating enough.

I did five repeats. I meant to do six, but didn't have enough energy. I'm not too upset because the first session was supposed to be four and I did five instead, so this second session would have normally been five anyway.

800 m warm up

5 Yassos, 400 m recovery jogs in between

800 m cool down

Splits: 3:51, 3:56, 3:53, 3:55, 3:55

Final Stats: 4.5 miles, 39:17, 8:43 average pace


My repeats were a little faster last time, but they were more consistent this time, which I think is more important. And, I'm still under 4 minutes, which is fine since I'm shooting for a sub 4 hour marathon.

I'm going to try to do this every Wednesday at my lunch hour every week until the marathon. According to the 10 day forecast we may be saying goodbye to the 80s for good, which means I will be slightly less sweaty and disgusting when I go back to work afterwards!