The Time 20 Miles Kicked My Ass

As karma would have it, days after I posted about how running 50 slow miles every week didn't feel like real work, I got kicked in the ass by my 20-miler this Sunday.

The first half of the run went well enough. It was actually a little bit chilly when I left the house at 6am. I was, admittedly, a little discouraged when I looked at my watch the first three miles only to realize I was running an 11 something pace (really?!). Otherwise, though, it was pretty enjoyable.

I always struggle to come up with long run routes since I'm pretty sure I've run every runable route in the city of Philadelphia. For this 20-miler I decided to run all the way up the Schuylkill bike path to Valley Forge National Park. It's 15 miles from my house to the park and then you can do a 5-ish mile loop around the battlefield. I really struggled with this run from about mile 10 and on. The bike path I was on started to get really boring and monotonous. Not to mention the latter half of that path is not shaded very well and the sun was started to heat things up!

I was siked by the time I got to Valley Forge because I needed a change of scenery.

 The park is really beautiful, but I forgot about the hills!

Normally I would not consider them bad. They are mostly short rollers. After 15 tough, boring miles, however, my legs were toast. By the time I finished, t was so happy to see Mike, who was kind enough to pick me up so I didn't have to run the 15 miles home. He brought my a gatorade and a bagel and both tasted like heaven.

So yeah, it was a tough run and I was reminded of it the rest of the day. Normally I can recover pretty quickly, but for some reason I spent the rest of the day feeling like a zombie. I could barely shuffle around the house and was having trouble putting together coherent sentences. While I was wasting away on the couch in the afternoon, Mike introduced me to an amazing new show (based on a web series), called Drunk History. Watching it fulfills two basic requirements: learning something and laughing your ass off. I think they should make another show where they film people who've just run marathons and ultra marathons teaching history. I can guarantee they will sound just as ridiculous. I would have been a prime candidate after Sunday's long run.

By 8 pm I was comatose and slept the deepest sleep I have ever slept. Today I planned a light 4 mile shake out run on the treadmill. Some time ago I learned the best way to loosen up sore legs was to actually get moving. Mile one felt rough, but after that point I had a great run. Four miles quickly turned into five because I couldn't stop listening to 'N Sync. I didn't watch the VMAs, but I have seen the 5,000 "OMG 'N Sync might really reunite" articles on Buzzfeed last week and I just had to add them to my playlist.



I missed you guys

So that was my weekend - got my ass handed to me, lived to tell about it.

Were you an 'N Sync fan or BSB? I was 'N Sync and my sister was BSB, so we basically had the biggest poster rival ever in our bedrooms.


How to Run 50 Miles Per Week & Still Feel Like The Laziest Person Alive

Running, like anything you've been doing habitually, becomes just that - a habit. Waking up an hour before you really need to so you can get those 6 miles in isn't a big deal. Packing your running shoes for a weekend trip doesn't phase you at all. Buying fuel for your long run doesn't seem any stranger than grocery shopping. Whether you are training for a race or just simply running to run, the point is, after awhile running on a routine basis just becomes second nature.

Forming a running habit is great, don't get me wrong, but it has its drawbacks. It's very easy to get stuck in an effortless pattern. For example, I've been running 50 or so miles a week the past few weeks as I gear up for the fall marathon season. 50 miles kind of feels like my base and comfort zone. The problem, lately, is that I'm doing all of this running and I still feel like a lazy piece of crap. I don't necessarily think its the distance I'm doing, so much as the speed with which I'm doing it. I'm running, but it doesn't feel like I'm actually trying. I've hit a plateau and I'm having trouble finding the motivation to make running hard again.

Last weekend I had two of the best 10 mile runs I've ever had while visiting my Mom in DC. I didn't have any goals for these runs. They were simply guilty pleasures. That said, I was extremely surprised (though I really shouldn't have been), to find out that I ran both runs averaging over 10 minutes miles. Not exactly on my way to a sub 3:45 marathon here, folks. I wasn't exactly mad that I ran so slow, since I didn't have any intention to do otherwise, but it does explain why I felt like I barely got a workout. Obviously I got a workout. But seriously, I barely broke a sweat out there over 10 miles.

This has been a very interesting training cycle. In a little over two weeks I will be running a marathon, the earliest fall marathon I've ever done. I have felt ZERO motivation to do any speed work save a few occasions and I'm honestly worried that the temperatures won't be cooled by race day enough for my speed to naturally improve. I'm worried about pushing too hard and having another pacing disaster. I'm upset that I might let this "BQ" course go to waste.

On the flip side - I've got three other marathons this fall and lots of cooler, speedier weather along the way. And I should probably jsut chill out.


 

Fall Marathon Season: 5 Weeks Out

Last week was a cut back week. I was shooting for about 40 miles, however I spent Saturday (my rest day) visiting my sister in NYC and we ended up walking 9+ miles. So, instead of setting out for a long run Sunday morning, I slept in and sat on the couch all day watching Breaking Bad on Netflix.

That is the beauty of having no specific training plan, my friends. You can play it all by ear. I was especially willing to take an extra rest day since I am starting the last three weeks of marathon training today. That means the next three weekends I will be putting away several 18-20 milers plus peaking my weekly mileage. If all goes well, I will be begging for taper by August 26th and ready to toe the start line at Lehigh Valley two weeks later.

 

Speaking of Lehigh Valley, I can't believe my first fall race is only 5 weeks away! This summer went crazy fast and though I'm not looking forward to classes starting and work getting busier, I am so ready for a change in seasons. Bring on the light sweaters, warm color palette, and crisp morning runs!

 

I have been doing some serious thinking about what my goals for Lehigh Valley. Originally I was hoping to BQ. Then I thought about it more and decided I would be happy enough with a PR since it will likely still be pretty warm out and maybe not ideal super-fast-running-weather. Now I am even questioning a PR because, you see, I haven't done any speed work all summer. Aside from my time in Berlin, all of my runs have been slow and lethargic. Even though the weather has cooled a little bit, its still too hot out for midday speed work on the treadmill (the only time I can get to the treadmill) and I definitely don't have enough energy to hit the track before work. Luckily, I have plenty of other marathons this fall to try and PR in, Philly being the strongest contender. I probably won't have any concrete goals for Lehigh Valley until the week of, but if I don't feel fast, I won't push it. I rather have a good time, chill out, and recover quickly for the rest of the season. Either way, I am siked for racing season to begin! Come on, fall!

49 Miles in Berlin

Forgive the absence. Mike and I just returned from a wonderful 8 days in Berlin. I will save the trip details for a later post. Right now I just want to talk about the running!

I ran six days in Berlin and covered 49 miles total. 35 of those were outside. The rest were on the ol' mill in the hotel. We spent the first day sleeping in as late as we wanted since we had been up 27 hours from traveling. On day two, however, we were ready to rock and roll! I had two long runs planned for each weekend, both 13 miles.

Since we had barely been around the city at that point I tried to map the simplest route possible. It ended up being very easy to follow and we saw a lot of great sites along the way! I think running is the best way possible to see a new place.

We left around 7 am so the streets were nice and quiet. I should also mention that the summer temps in Berlin are 55/75 with no observable humidity. Yeah, pretty much heaven. That's how summer should be, in my opinion.

The Tiergarten aka the Central Park of Berlin

Mike at the Victory Column

Approaching Museumsinsel

At the Brandenburger Tor

Along the Spree River

On our way back through Potsdamer Platz I found the wall line

I was really good about remembering to bring the long run basics with me - handheld water bottle, compression socks, body glide. I did, however, forget about fuel. I don't use gels and instead look for licorice, fig newtons, etc. I actually brought a bag of swedish fish with me specifically for the long run, but got too hungry on the plane and all of a sudden WOOPS! they were gone. Rather than test new food in a new place, we decided to forego the fuel. If we were running any longer it would have been really tough at the end, but 13.5 miles on a banana and piece of baguette for breakfast ended up working out okay. I only started getting ravenous during the last mile.

It's amazing what a weather change will do for your pace. I felt totally relaxed and casual, using minimal effort, and we ended up running both long runs in the low 9's. Crazy considering a 10 minute pace felt like a death the week before on the east coast.

Other than taking the scenery and enjoying the weather, the runs were pretty uneventful. I did fall flat on my face at mile 12 of our first long run. Too busy looking at pretty dresses in the store window. Thankfully I was unscathed except for an annoying bruise on my right hip bone and some dirty hands and knees.

I think the strangest thing about running in Berlin was just not seeing that many other runners. Considering the city hosts one of the world's best marathons every fall, I would have thought Berlin to be a runner's haven. Don't get me wrong, we did see some, especially on our second long run when we headed into the Tiergarten more and ditched the tourist hot spots. However I could probably count them on two hands. Strange indeed.

In my next post I will talk about the most important part of any vacation - the FOOD!

Exhaustion and Rest Days

After a bit of a set back after the River Towns Marathon, I am very happy to be running pretty much back to normal. Normal being my usual 5 days per week of Tue-Wed-Thurs-Sat-Sun. I am also quite excited to be biking to work again. Our ride is about 16 miles round trip on a fairly flat path (except for the monster 0.2 mile hill to my front door). Over the winter I rarely biked. I just couldn't take the cold. And then it was cold until like April 30th so I wasn't doing much before then. And then I was in marathon recovery and then ITBS recovery and so it was only last week that I finally biked to and from work all five days.

Even though last summer I was managing 50 mpw running and the 75 mpw biking to and from work, my body definitely needs to adjust to get to that point. I realized yesterday that I've either biked, run, or more often done both every day the last 9 days. This explains why I am absolutely exhausted. I did practically nothing all weekend and I still barely dragged myself out of bed this morning. I know some of this is not just exercise related, but also leftover from the end of my summer class last week. Up until last Thursday evening, I had been in class 12 straight months. I am mentally and physically exhausted!

 I wish someone would carry me around when I got too sleepy to walk

Finally this morning I convinced myself to take the bus instead of biking and take a real rest day. It's easy for me to want to go-go-go all of the time, but without rest days you end up overtrained and overtired. Nine days is far too long to wait and in fact my paces were alraedy suffering late last week, which should have been a sign to take a day off. In the future I am going to keep Monday a true rest day, even if that means taking the stinky, slow bus.

What the Doctor Ordered

First of all, thank you all so much for your comments and emails on my last post. I promise that even if I don't reply, I do read everything you guys send me (often more than once!) and truly appreciate it. One of the best things about being part of the running blogger community, is how supportive we all are of each other. So, thank you!

On that note, I promise this will be a much less depressing post than my last one. To be honest, I rewrote that post so many times, I didn't realize how depressing it sounded until Mike told me and everyone started texting me and asking if I was alright. Last weekend was rough. Very rough, actually. But thankfully a very good week followed it and I don't think I will be hitting bottom again. 95% of the time I'm a pretty optimistic person. As Elle Woods would say, "exercise gives you endorphins and endorphins make you happy." Truth, but you can still get yourself down sometimes.

Anyway, here are a few reasons my week turned out better:

1. The weather

Enough said

2. A good set of weekday runs

All of my Tuesday-Thursday runs were fantastic this week. I ended up doing two our four of them on the treadmill (it was actually too hot out at lunchtime at 85 degrees), but finally caved and bought a Spotify Premium membership, so I jammed to that the whole time.

3. Embracing Flexibility

This weekend was another busy weekend with lots of things on my to-do list. I wanted to attempt a 20 miler, continue researching my paper, write 10 pages of said paper, and get some other homework done as well. Leading up to this weekend I felt okay, but on Thursday I was up all night dealing with work stress and it melted into Friday when I started to freak out about getting everything done this weekend.  I was actually sick to my stomach over it on Friday morning and barely got down my breakfast (nothing usually keeps me from my oatmeal). Eventually I made an executive decision to hold off on one of my assignments and leave it for next week. Sure, it would have been great to have done it this weekend, but with a Monday deadline for my paper, that was the priority. After the decision I felt much less stressed and went into Friday night feeling super.

4. My Long Run

Which brings us to Saturday morning. This weekend I decided to do my long run on Saturday. Really, that's how it should always be. I always wake up stressed out on Sunday because I feel like I have a million things to do. Running for three hours on top of it, is just a recipe for disaster (see last weekend). I knew if I wanted to run and do everything else, that I had to run early. I can't be stressed about running instead of doing homework if I would have been sleeping anyway, right? I set my alarm for 5 am Saturday, snoozed it until 5:30, and was out the door by 6.

Right from the start, it was a great run. The sun was coming up. The roads were empty. The cherry blossoms had bloomed and their was a gentle dew all over the river grass. A thick fog enveloped the river, but here and there I could make out the crew teams rowing through it.

This was my first 20 miler in five months (JFK was almost exactly 5 months ago). After such a long hiatus, 20 miles definitely felt a little scary. My past experience has shown me that the first 20 miler of any training cycle is always rough, so I hadn't really been looking forward to this run. Even though I mapped it out, I didn't really pay attention to the mile markers.

Good morning Philadelphia!

Even though I love being close to the trails where we live now, I really miss living downtown. A nice run through the empty 7 am streets was just what I needed.

Since I didn't know the mile markers I just assumed I was going at about a 10 minute pace, which was totally fine. I like to run long and slow for these kinds of distances in training. Even though the run started great, I was feeling fatigued after an hour and a half already. When I got back to the river to head home I checked my watch to try and figure out how fast I had been going. I knew at that point that I was about 6 miles from home and was kind of shocked to see a 2:12, instead of a 2:20 on my watch. Since there is no sense in wasting a speedier-than-I-thought run, I decided to try and kick it into gear the rest of the way home. I put on some tunes, passed a bunch of people, and made it back to my front door 3 hours and 2 minutes after I left. Not the 3:20 I was expecting. I actually remapped my whole run to see if I had run less than I thought, but I didn't. Turns out I ran the first 14 miles in a 9:15 average and the last 6 in an 8:31 average. Negative splits for the win!

After peeling through all my running data, I figured out that not only was this my fastest 20 mile training run, but my fastest by a whole 9 minutes. I've run a fair share of 20 milers (I think 7 alone in JFK training), but they always ended up in the 9:30s or slower. This run was a HUGE confidence booster, especially since a) it was my first in 5 months and b) I didn't really feel like I was trying that hard. I really don't have any plans to PR at the Delaware Marathon in May, but at least now I feel better about trying to run reasonably well.

5) A visit from my favorite person

After such a great morning I had no doubts that day would be fantastic, especially since my Mom was coming up from DC for an afternoon visit. I know I'm almost 27 years old and an adult, but I still feel like a little girl who needs her mommy sometimes. We hung out for a few hours, shopped, ate, and all my stress just melted away. A mommy-daughter day was exactly what I needed.

Plus amazing goat cheese salad from our dinner

So yes, it was a better week. My to-do list certainly won't be any shorter in the coming weeks, but I feel like I got some of my mojo back, and that makes a whole lot of difference. 

Losing My Running Mojo

Sunday morning I work up at 7am, put on a pair of shorts and compression socks, gobbled up a banana and granola bar, sipped on a cup of water, and set my stopwatch to zero. I let my dogs out back and stepped outside to get a taste for the temperature. Then suddenly, as I stood there dressed and ready to go, I realized my 18 mile long run was not going to happen. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Instead of turning on my music and heading out the door, I went back upstairs, defeated, and broke down. In my two and half years of running, and barring injury, I have always sucked it up, gone out there, and finished my run. This time was different.

Mentally I consider myself to be a strong runner. Bad runs happen, by overall, I don't deal with a lot of self-doubt. Finding success in running helps boosts my confidence in other areas of my life, which is one of the reasons I love it. But this weekend I let anxiety and self-doubt win. Instead of feeling like my usual capable self, I felt defeated. I failed.

This has been a tough semester for me and, as we fully dive into April, otherwise known as the end of the semester, I've been feeling more and more overwhelmed. Sunday morning everything came crashing down. The thought of running for 3 hours and then sitting down to do hours upon hours of work seemed impossible.

Obviously no one has a gun to my head telling me to run. It's something I put on myself and its only as important as I believe it to be. On the one hand I am glad that I didn't force myself to run when I really didn't want to. Its important to be flexible and take breaks when your body and mind tells you to. On the other hand, I feel like I'm in this vicious cycle. The doubt I've felt in some of the non-running areas of my life has now negatively affected my running, And when I lose confidence in my running, I in turn lose confidence in other areas of my life. And around and around it goes.

Eventually Mike convinced me to go out for a shorter run with him. We settled on 10 miles, but I still wasn't remotely excited about it. Truthfully, it was one of the hardest 10 mile runs of my life. I wanted to quit every mile, and probably would have if my husband weren't by my side. The whole time I kept wondering how the hell I ran 50 miles when getting to the next stoplight seemed so hard.

I wish I could tell you that I felt better after the run, that my anxiety levels deflated and I regained my confidence, but I didn't. I hope that this weekend was the turn around point and that my running mojo is out there somewhere ready for me to find. I'm ready to feel strong again.



 

Old Habits Die Hard

In the two and a half years that I've been running, you could say that the five months I spent training for JFK last summer and fall stand out. Fitness-wise, I was in the best shape I've ever been. Mentally, I was as tough as nails. I will always be proud of crossing that finish line on race day, but I am equally proud of the months of work I put in.

Just ran 50 miles. NBD.

While there were some things about training that I will not miss (70 mile weeks, work, and graduate school leave little time for anything else), there are plenty of things that I really did like about it. Like enough, that I would love for them to be part of my weekly routine whether I'm training for anything or not. It's amazing what you get used to over five months and I quickly found myself missing my old "habits."

Now that I'm practically 100% back-to-normal since my injury, I've started incorporating some of these elements back into my routine. Even though I don't have any 50 mile races on my calendar this year, I don't think they could hurt. My goals for the rest of 2013 are really just to stay in consistant marathon shape, which they would benefit.

Double Runs

I wish I could find the energy to do longish runs before or after work (like this super cool person), but right now in my life it just doesn't work for me. Instead, I prefer to split up a run one day a week to get in some more miles. Usually these double runs add up to anywhere between 10-14 miles depending on my energy level that day. Not only is it a way to feel super accomplished on a regular old Wednesday, but, for me, it means I can happily run only 5 days per week instead of 6 and let my legs enjoy the extra rest day.

Hill Work

One of the very first things I noticed this winter as I started running again outside, was that my hill endurance was shot to hell. Last year hills felt easy, fun, and were a welcoming part of my run. So far this year they've felt like death every time and not the "but I feel accomplished when I get to the top" kind. More like the "why is this so hard and I'm going to go home and sulk" kind.

Finally I got fed up with it and scheduled myself for some good old hill repeats this morning. Hills are definitely not a rarity in my neighborhood, so its pretty easy to come up with 5-6 miles of ups and downs without feeling bored.

Surprisingly they first few didn't feel so bad and I started to think that I would get through the whole thing without any issues. Then I forgot about the 3rd and 4th hill. The steepest section on hill 3 is a lovely 17% grade, which doesn't sound terrible, but you actually feel like your going to fall off the sidewalk and plummet to your death if you don't lean into it enough. Overall, the workout was a success and I already feel more confident. The Delaware Marathon is known to be a bit hilly so I'm hoping I can counteract that with some weekly hill repeats.

Back-to-Back Long Runs

For my first marathon I followed a Hal Higdon plan with a few variations. Like most marathon plans, it had me run long one weekend day and either rest or run very short on the other. Looking back, I can't believe I actually used to take Sundays off. Now, I can't imagine doing anything better with my weekend than spending both days hitting the pavement or trails for several hours. JFK training had a pretty standard Saturday long run (16-25 miles) and a 10 mile Sunday run. I've slowly eased back into that set up over the past few weeks. I don't know that I'll be doing any back-to-back 20 milers anytime soon, but for now this feels pretty good!

Burn Out and Race Registrations

After sitting on my ass for five full days after my wisdom tooth surgery I was as ready as ever to start running again. I felt like one of those wind-up toys that's ready to make a break for it the second you set it down and let go.

Finally, last Tuesday my mouth felt healed enough to run. I slammed out 7.28 miles of pure awesomeness. I can't remember the last time my legs felt so fresh and ready to go. After days of trying to keep my blood pressure low (so as not to dislodge the bloodclot in my mouth) I eagerly pushed up a few hills and each labored breath felt fantastic.  So yes, Tuesday's run was awesome. So awesome that I apparently used up all of my week's allotment of awesome run feelings, because the rest of the week sucked.

Somehow I managed to have a good speed workout on the treadmill during lunch on Thursday, but other than that I was seriously dragging on every other run.

Two 15-minute sets and some extra on the end to get 4 miles

Saturday was 9 miles of "running, I hate you" in what should have been perceived as lovely spring weather, but felt like "why is is so hot already?" and "eff this shit."

On Sunday's 16-miler I actually had to stop after 2 miles and give myself a pep talk before continuing. I felt a little better after I got to the 8 mile turn around, but probably only because I knew the only way I'd make it home is if I ran back and complaining wasn't going to change that. That's the nice thing about out-and-backs and not carrying a cell phone: you're forced to run the miles no matter how you feel about them.

Overall, a pretty shitty-feeling week of running after Tuesday stole the thunder. I'm well aware that not all runs are good runs, but usually I can at least average a good week. Hopefully running and I will get along better this week. I've got an 18 miler on schedule for Saturday, so fingers crossed that the happy, "omg I love running" beam of sunshine hits me square in the face at some point.

In other news, I'm officially registered for all of my fall races. My bank account is crying, but its nice to know that I probably won't be pulling out anymore registration fees from it for anything else happening this year.

Mike and I both managed to get into the Marine Corps Marathon. In case you haven't heard, active.com sucks and made a bunch of runners angry when their site went doen 1.5 minutes after registration opened last Wednesday (a la Chicago). I got in after 20 minutes and Mike got in after an hour. Totally worth giving up my lunch hour for.

I also registered for the Philadelphia Marthon this morning and as the first 1000 people to do so, I scored registration for only $80, which makes my bank account cry slightly less. Philly was my very first marathon in 2011 and I look forward to running it again as, what will hopefully be, my sixth this fall.

So, to sum up this post: I hated running this week, but decided to spend hundreds of dollars signing up for a bunch of marathons. Makes perfect sense I think.

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!

Speedy Confessions and 2013 Plans

Confession: I would love to run a BQ (that's sub 3:35 for me). I would also love to run a sub-1:40 half. And a sub-5:30 50k. And on and on and on.

I want to be speedy. I also hate speed. Give me 50 slow miles any day.

I haven't really talked about what I want for 2013, but in two more weeks we will nearly be a fourth of the way through it (wow that was fast), so its as good a time as any to lay out the rest of the year.

While I am running pretty much back to normal post-injury, I am still feeling very anti-training. Training scares me. I much rather "wing it" and run when I want and when it feels right, than feel forced to run by what some number on a chart tells me.

My goals this year do not include a 50 mile race. Not that I'm done with them forever (and there is still a 100 miler somewhere in my future), but this year I just want to kick back and have fun. And fun to me means marathons. At this point I don't have any real intentions of gunning for a BQ, but it would be nice if it happened. I surprised myself in the fall by running a 24 minute PR of 3:46 that was both completely untapered and in the middle of JFK training. Is a sub-3:35 possible? Maybe.

So, going back to speed, I really dislike it, but it also makes me feel really good when I do it. And, while I do not set training plan at the moment, I can still mess around with speed workouts just because.

For me, the worst thing about going fast is the discomfort. My lungs and burning, my legs are burning, and I just want it to end. The longer you run fast, the more it hurts. So, yesterday, I decided to run some speedy treadmill intervals one minute at a time, because hey, you can do anything for a minute, right? This is what it looked like:

I did two sets in a row, running 4.75 miles in 40 minutes and finishing up the quarter miles for kicks at whatever pace I felt like. While 5 miles on the treadmill is usually boring as hell, this time it flew by. And, as I suspected, speding one minute at a time at each pace wasn't mentally devastating. Those 7:30 pace minutes felt a little rough the second time through, but overall I felt pretty strong.

Lastly, in case anyone is curious, I've already lined up my fall race schedule. Most resgistrations are opening within the next month, so as much as I'd just like to think about warmer weather and spring, you snooze and you lose with race registrations!

September 8 - Lehigh Valley Marathon - A flat, fast, potentially PR-friendly race that's also only an hour away from me. Sold.

October 27 - Marine Corps Marathon - Registration doesn't open until later this month and it sells out in hours, but if I can get in I hear this is one of the best races in the country.

November 17 - Philadelphia Marathon - A great race, right outside my doorstep, and also where I ran my first marathon.

What's on your fall race schedule?

My Kind of Weekend

After seven weeks on the bench and six weeks starting from scratch on the treadmill I finally had a sort-of-back-to-normal week. I have approached my recovery very cautiously. That means no insane, out of the blue mileage increases, plenty of rest days, and no huge goal races to throw my priorities out of wack.

I spent the first four weeks of recovery running every other day. Weeks 5 and 6 I added two days in a row. Last week, week 7, I finally had a full five day running week and it felt long overdue. For several years I've kept a pretty consistant running schedule of T-W-R-Sa-Su, with the addition of a sixth day here and there. This is my base. My comfort zone. And I knew once I got back on this schedule I would start feeling like myself again. 


Happy happy 5 days per week

Not only did week 7 bring back my old schedule, but I also left the treadmill behind for all but one day and ventured outside. I admit, I was actually starting to like the treadmill after spending six weeks on it, but there is no workout comparable to hitting the pavement or trail for a few hours on foot. I built more muscle on my legs last week than I did with the 100+ miles I have put on the treadmill since New Years. My first two runs outside were really, really difficult. I had gotten so used to the belt on the treadmill pushing me forward that I forgot what it was like to do it of my own volition. By the third run, however, I was starting to feel really comfortable again.

The shining moment of last week was not, however, just the 5 days of running or ditching the treadmill, but getting through my long run on Sunday in spite of both these things. Instead of driving down to the gym to use the treadmill for double digits, I woke up, put on my compression socks, laced up my Kinvaras and ran out the door for 13 glorious miles. I had no idea how my body would react. Not only would it be my longest run since November, but 6 miles further than I had run outside in a single stretch and after 4 days of running that week already.

It would be cruel not to take these pretties out for a run

Fortunately my body responded very well. Sure it was tough, but it felt good. So good, that I found myself pushing the pace and ended up averaging 9 minutes miles. A far cry from my old paces, but considering I've been doing 10 minute miles since I started running again, I'm going to call that a huge win.

I spent the rest of Sunday in my pivot shorts and compression sleeves on the couch doing homework. Maybe not my perfect weekend five years ago, but now it sounds like just about the best thing ever.

Another running weekend bonus? Dessert anything

 

How Many Pills Does It Take To Get a Runner Going?

As I deal with this knee thing, every day I'm constantly questioning what I can do to get better and stronger. This of course includes resting and icing and working out other muscles that can support the injured area, but in my case (and probably some of your's as well) it also includes a daily regimen of supplements. A part of me feels like I'm being a responsible runner and making sure I get all of the nutrients I need to be healthy. The other part of me worries about what sorts of chemicals I'm really putting in my body and whether its worth it. Right now I take a multivitamin, fish oil, calcium, and glucosamine supplement every day. That's just enough to make me feel like I'm slightly overdoing it.

The bigger problem, however, is not the supplements, but the pain meds. I sort of touched on this in my JFK recap, when I felt forced to take pain meds during the race, which I religiously never do. Even though I try never to take it during or before exercise, however, I have been taking it a lot afterwards. In fact, last week I realized that I have probably taken at least one Ibuprofen after my workouts every day for 5+ months since JFK training started and definitely more than one a day since my knee issue. It just became a standard part of my day and I didn't think twice about it.

As I was mulling over my discomfort last week the NY Times coincidentally published an article about this very predicament. Likewise, Runner's World has a small paragraph in their January 2013 edition about what recovery methods should and should not be employed.

NSAIDS - "Skip it!"

Every time I get injured or have a hard workout I always hear "ice, compression, anti-inflammatory, rest." But is taking Ibuprofen really the answer to reducing inflammation? Or rather, is it worth reducing inflammation if might cause more serious problems down the line? For me, the answer is no, its not worth it. So late last week I made an executive decision for myself not to take it anymore.
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My immediate next question was "what can I do to reduce inflammation around my knees (or other injured areas) without taking meds?" Not surprisingly the answer was just a Google search away. Just a sample of the many articles here, here, and here. A number of different foods appear on any one list, but there are a few that keep coming up. Mainly:

- Broccoli (and other cruciferous greens)
- Salmon
- Ginger
- Green tea
- Olive oil
- Blueberries (and berries in general)

Obviously these are all good things to eat anyway, but now that I know they double as good anti-inflammatories I will be upping my intake on all of the above. Luckily these are foods I already incorporate into my daily diet. Broccoli and brussels sprouts are like candy to me and I have green tea every morning and ginger tea every night. So maybe I am already doing a lot to keep inflammation down. And who knows, maybe the Ibuprofen wasn't even helping because I was already eating the right foods.

Load 'em up!

Do you take supplements every day? What are your thoughts on anti-inflammatories?

A Running Q&A

Just because I'm not running doesn't mean I can't talk running. A runner's survey has been floating around the blogosphere the past few days. I swiped it from this girl. Surveys are fun, so let's do this thing!

1. FUEL: Shot Bloks, GU, Energy Chews, Candy or Other?

Other. As in pretzels, Fig Newtons, Swedish Fish, raisins, animal crackers, M&Ms, you get the idea. Once upon a time I actually used gels and all of that crap, but then my stomach decided it wasn't cool with that anymore. It worked out nicely because ultras tend to have "real" food anyway and my stomach is ready to roll with that. My absolute fav? Darrell Lea Liquorice. Mango flavor is the best. Drooling right now thinking about it.



Pre-JFK shopping

2. Race Length: 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon, Marathon, Ultra or Other?

Marathon. Hands down. I love the extra challenge of ultras, but 26.2 miles is just like heaven to me. A 20 mile long run + a 10k race. Sweet and simple. I used to dabble in shorter distances, but eventually decided that I rather save my money for marathons and ultras.

3. Workout Bottoms: Skirts, Running Shorts, Capris, Pants, or Other?

Shorts. Specifically Lululemon Speed or Turbo Shorts. I do own one sparkle skirt, but rarely have an occasion to wear it.

4. Sports Drink: Gatorade, Powerade, Cytomax, you stick to water when you run or Other?

Water and salt pills during the run. Electrolytes afterwards. I fell in love with Gatorade this summer for post-run delights. 95 degrees and 100% humidity will make your body beg for it.
 
5. Running temperatures: HOT or COLD?

Cold. 44 degrees to be precise.

6. Running Shoe Brands: Saucony, Mizuno, Nike, Brooks, Asics, or Other?

I spread the wealth to most of the major brands, but my one true love is the Saucony Kinvara. So many colors, you have to try them all!

7. Pre-Race Meal: Oatmeal. Bagel, Banana, Eggs, Cereal or Other?

Banana and Nature Valley peanut butter granola bar.

8. Rest Days: 1x per week, 2x per week, never ever ever or Other?

In a perfect world? Mondays off. That's it.

9. Music: Have to have it or go without it?

Both. I dig it on weekend long runs. I will not run with music in the dark, which pretty much counts out any early morning or evening weekday runs (in the fall/winter anyway). For marathons I usually try to get until mile 17/18 when I need the mental boost.

10. #1 reason for running: stress-relief, endorphins, you love to race, so you can eat all the cupcakes you want, weight-loss, love running for social reasons or other?

Pure love baby. It makes me feel limitless (and the cupcakes don't hurt either).

Smiling at mile 49.9

 

The 50 Mile Training Plan

"But Kristin how many times did you say you weren't using a training plan??"

I know, I know, and technically I didn't use a training plan, but that doesn't mean one didn't evolve on its own. Life tends to be a lot of pattern. Wake up, shower, go to work, go to class, go home, study, eat, sleep, repeat. So it was no surprise that even without a firm training plan I ended up doing a lot of the same things week by week.

This post is for anyone who was ever thinking about running 50 miles and wants to know what I did. I should also mention that even though I didn't use a prescribed plan that doesn't mean I completely made everything up. By the time July rolled around and I started training I had already read tons of blogs and books about how to train for a 50 mile run. So, here are the basics:

• 20 week training cycle: Prior to day one of training I was holding steady at about 45 mpw. 17 weeks of build, 3 weeks of taper. For the first month I tried to hit 50 mow, the second month 55, the third month 60, and the fourth month 65-75.

• Back-to-back long runs: The cornerstone of any ultra training plan. A typical weekend included a long run of 16-25 miles on Saturday and 10 miles on Sunday. I usually decided what my long runs would be the week of.

• Weekday runs: For the first two months I ran five days per week - three weekdays and both weekend days. Over the three weekdays I usually tried to hit 25 miles total. In my third month of training I decided to start running six days a week and made every Monday a rest day. I feel like my training really started in the third month and I felt much more focused. Since I added the extra day of running I now focused on hitting 30 miles during the week instead of 25. 

• Double days: Every week I had one double day with an AM and PM run that usually totaled between 10-13 miles.

• Cutback weeks: Every two to three weeks I tried to cut back my weekend mileage and give my legs a rest.

• Peak month: I went into my fourth month with a pretty good idea of how I wanted things to look. I knew I wanted to run a marathon and 10 miles the day afterwards (I ended up with a huge PR and was so sore I could only make it 6), back-to-back 20 milers the next weekend, and close out my peak week with a 50 mile weekend (20 Saturday/30 Sunday). Everything went really smoothly and I got through the fourth month according to plan, peaking at about 75 miles in the final week.

• Taper: I treated the 50 mile taper like the marathon taper - three weeks of slowly decreasing mileage and voila - race day!

The important thing to note is that while a pattern did evolve, not having anything firmly written down meant that I didn't stress over the exact numbers each week. If my goal was to run 30 miles between Tuesday and Friday I could get do it in whatever increments I felt like. And if I felt an injury coming on I could back off completely and skip mileage all together. I learned all too well last spring that having a training plan written down just doesn't work for me. My head gets too wrapped around on hitting the goals and I injure myself.

I was very nervous going into this training cycle without a plan. I am an OCD planner by nature so going blindly into this was a big step for me. Thankfully it worked out great and I plan to use the same strategy in the future!

How do you feel about training plans? Do you use one for every race you do? Or do you just "wing" it?

The Taper Crazies

This week I ran 19 miles over the weekdays, 10 trail miles Saturday, and 11 road miles Sunday. I think 10 miles is my perfect running distance. I would run it every day if I didn't have to do those pesky things like work and study and commute.

The perfect Saturday: Me, the trail, and the sound of my feet hitting the dirt

After my run on Saturday I actually biked down to the university library and did about 5 hours of research. Its amazing what I have the energy to do when I'm not putting in 40 mile weekends.

In other news, I took it as a good sign when I found myself completely exhausted at the end of peak week. That's kind of the point of it, right? Beat your body into an inch of its life and then enjoy a well deserved three week taper? 

Well despite my exhaustion after peak week, I'm already feeling a major case of the taper crazies. This low-to-me weekly mileage is really starting to tick me off and I've still got another 5 full days until race day. Hard to believe I used to complain about fitting in all the miles and now I would give anything for a 60 mile week. 

Luckily I have a few things to keep my mind busy over the next few days. I've got a super busy week at work, reading to do for classes, paper research, not to mention all of the race day prep.

The first part of my race prep is already done. In true Type A fashion, I typed up a 15 page race day manual for my husband and sister who will be crewing/pacing me through the event. You can never be too prepared, right?

5:30 pm dinners are not just for pre-race day - we rock the early bird schedule on a weekly basis

I still have to write myself a packing list, hit up the grocery store for essentials, and figure out what we're doing for dinner in Boonsboro Friday night. I don't want to drive around for an hour and debate where to go. We've got a schedule to stick to people!

I'm also planning another post on race goals and strategies for later this week. Hopefully all this will be enough to distract me from the taper crazies and the extra two pounds of junk in the trunk that the last two weeks have brought. One thing is for sure: I will be ready to run come Saturday!

How to Recover from Long Runs Like a Boss

I've done my fair share of long runs during this JFK training cycle. For my first marathon last year I ran three 20+ mile runs, for example, whereas this time around I ran 10 including two 25s, one 30, and back-to-back 20s.

While my body has certainly developed some serious recovery skills, I still ache after long runs, and so over the past few months I've developed a tired and true "long run recovery system" that has thus far kept me injury-free and running happy. So, without further ado, I present:

How to Recover from Long Runs Like a BOSS

1. Hot Shower

During my first ever 20-miler I was very shocked that I started getting sore during the run. Umm, isn't that supposed to happen the next morning? I don't care if it is 95 degrees or 35 degrees, nothing feels as good and loosens up sore muscles like a hot shower. Not to mention the liberating feeling of washing the salt and sweat off of your skin.

2. Aspaeris Pivot Shorts

I bought two pairs of these shorts on a whim last year when a fellow blogger offered a discount. Then they sat in my closet for awhile. Then I finally put a pair on and they felt so constrictive (they are for compression after all) that I couldn't keep them on for very long (if only out of vanity). During this training cycle, however, they have become a staple of my post-long run wardrobe and its not uncommon during the end of a long run for my hips to cry "pivot shorts NOW!"

These are handsdown the best things in my entire running wardrobe. Back in August I dealt with a gnawing, stubborn pain in my hip that no massage or foam roller could reach. 30 minutes in these shorts and BAM, no pain! I cannot recommend these enough!

3. Bliss Softening Socks

For all of the miles I put in my feet look pretty good. Not good enough for me to walk into a nail salon without feeling some sort of shame, but as far as runner's feet go I'd say they're not bad. Enter Bliss Socks. I put them on immediately after my hot shower post-long run. For some reason I think having fresh shower feet makes them work better. Whether that's true or not, they definitely feel great!

My typical view point after a long run for a few hours

4. Ice

Call me paranoid, but ever since my injury in the spring I ice every day whether something is hurting or not. I know where my sensitive areas are (shins) so I baby them as much as possible to try and prevent any injuries. So far so good!



Second icing option? Ice bath. Two pairs or socks, bathing suit, and a hot cup of tea recommended

Sometime over the last year I discovered these amazing ice packs by ThermiPaq. They have a clay interior and a washable sleeve with a velcro strap. They stay nice and cold and can be secured to your leg or arm or wherever you need it. We now have three or four in our freezer on a constant basis and I even keep one at work. They are a little pricey (about $18 each at my CVS), but if you ice a lot its totally worth it to invest in a reusable ice pack. 



 

5. Compression Sleeves

I wear compression something nearly every day of the week. During the weekdays I usually run without any sleeves or socks, but wear compression sleeves to bed every night. During the weekends I wear socks during my runs since they are longer and then let me legs breathe overnight. This strategy has worked out really great and I don't find my calves sore very often.

My favorite sleeves for nightime recovery are CEP Compression. They are nice and tight on me and by the time I wake up in the morning my legs feel perfect!

6. Whatever You're Craving Most

Pizza? Veggie burger and fries? Smoothie? Or maybe a half dozen cupcakes? Just fill in the blank! Eating is probably one of the best parts about long runs (and ultras, where aid station food is filled with cookies and chips and anything else your sweaty heart desires!).



7. Foam Rolling

I've preached my love of the The Grid before. We hang out together every single night for about 5-10 minutes whether I've run that day or not. Do it! Your legs will love you for it.



Source

8. Sleep

8-9 hours can never hurt and hopefully a long run will knock you right out! With all of the miles I was putting in this cycle I got weary-eyed around 8:30 pm every night. Old people style.

9. Ab Work

 

I thought I'd stick ab work in here at the bottom because really, after a long run the last thing I want to do is work out more. That said, maintaining a strong core is essential for runners. It's during those last few miles of the marathon, when your body is fatiguing, that your abs help keep your center strong and your upper and lower body going. I squeeze in about 250 reps of some kind of ab work about six nights a week. Its a lot easier if you do sets of 50 and pick different exercises every night. Spice it up!

What is ONE thing you do after every single long run to recover?

JFK Taper: I Have No Idea What I'm Doing

I have not been using a training plan for JFK and most weeks have been made up on the spot. So far so good, until taper that is. Building up mileage is one thing, but figuring out how best to taper yourself so that 1) you haven't completely lost your endruance by race day and 2) you're raring to race and feel refreshed by race day - this is tough.

I started looking up training plans, reading books, stalking other bloggers, all in search of some sort of taper system that matches the rest of my training cycle. In the end I think I decided to do the following:

Week 1: Cut peak mileage by 30% = ~52 miles
Week 2: Cut week 1's mileage by 20% = ~41 miles
Week 3: Keep weekly mileage at 12 miles or less before race day

Now having completed week one I pretty much stuck with the plan. I ended up with 53.3 miles. Oops, a little over. I ran 10 trail miles on Saturday (terrifying by the way) and 15 regular old road miles on Sunday.

Every "training race" I had signed up for October actually had a direct connection to some part of the JFK course. The Baltimore Marathon was my rolling road hills (aka the last ~8 miles of JFK). The Delaware Canal 20-Miler was my monotonous long canal run (aka the middle ~26 miles of JFK on the C&O). And the FOTM 50k was supposed to be my trail practice (aka the first ~15 miles of JFK on the AT). Of course the one race I end up bailing on is the one I probably needed the most. I really want to love trails, but they just really don't love me.

I decided I needed to hit the trails at least once before JFK. I think the last time I ran them was July. Really not good considering 30% of JFK is trail terrain. It was weird to be back and they looked so different from the summer.



Yellow Trail - November

Yellow Trail - May

I had a terribly hard time navigating over slippery leaves and hidden rocks. I almost tripped twice and it freaked me out so much that I needed to pull over to the side of the trail and calm myself down (not surprising considering my recent history with tripping during a run - and that was on sidewalk!). All in all it was a good run, but I think I need to go back once more before race day. Otherwise I fear I will be complete basketcase on the AT.


I treated this week more like a cutback week and not a taper week. The next two weeks is where the taper will really heat up. I'm already sad that I'm only going to run around 40 miles this week. Hopefully that means at 7 am on November 17th I will be so siked to run that 50 miles will just fly right by (HA!).