That's always a tough one. I'm a stay-at-home mom, so not much traveling is required with my job now. In my previous career, I worked for Arthur Andersen, which required a fair amount of traveling. I must say: I didn't work out much at all on those trips. Mostly I over ate at restaurants and got little or no exercise. Probably what most people do on business trips.
These days when I travel, I am usually training for some race. That helps motivate me to get up in the morning and get my run in before the day's activities get going. I find that morning runs are the best when traveling. If I put it off, something is bound to come up and I'll get involved with visiting with people, or meetings, or I just get tired from the trip and make an excuse to work out tomorrow instead.
The thing that helps me get out of bed before everyone else is knowing what my workout plan is and having a long-term goal I'm determined to reach. If I can visualize how this particular workout fits into reaching my goal I am much more likely to get the workout in and get my lazy bones out of bed.
This past weekend was a great example: I am training for a 1/2 marathon with a goal time of sub-2:00:00. That's basically a 9 minute mile for a 1/2 marathon. Being in the middle of the pack is fun and sociable. I'm not a fast runner, and with asthma I don't expect to win any races. Right now I'm content with slow and steady improvement that keeps me injury free.
To help me reach my goal, I signed up with Nike's website coaching for a 1/2 marathon. The training program is 12 weeks. It suggested that for Saturday (while I was traveling) I run a 10 mile run: 2 miles easy warm up, 10K race pace, 2 miles easy cool down. Well, I worked out a loop on my travels that was 9.3 miles (not quite 10 but that's ok). I checked my 10K PR before I left and it was an 8:58 per mile pace, so ok that's sounds perfect.
The weather turned out to be super-cold (26 degrees!) which would have encouraged me to snuggle under the covers. However the goal, and the online coach got me motivated. I averaged a 9:20 pace for the whole 9.3 miles, just to keep warm and get back home faster! It ended up I had positive splits because I was running a sub-9:00 for the first few miles to warm up. Either way, while it wasn't the perfect match to the training plan, the training plan ensured I got the mileage in while traveling.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Fartlek Runs - fun to say, more fun to run
Today's training run was a 6 mile fartlek. I remember the first time I read that word. I wondered what in the world I would be doing and if it was legal in all 50 states. Turns out fartleks are legal in all 50 states - and Sweden, where it originated. From Runner's World: "Speed play, or "fartlek" in Swedish (the concept originated in Sweden), is a free-flowing format in which you run faster for however long (or short) you want to." Apparently many great runners have used this method to improve their speed. Some times you can use land marks or street blocks to mark your distance. For instance run 3 blocks fast, 1 block slow. Most of my runs aren't in neighborhoods where that's easy to track so I go with my music and guestimate on time. I find fartleks to be a lot of fun and great if you don't have access to a track for speed work. I personally don't care for tracks; as a stay-at-home-swim-team-mom I spend enough of my life running in circles. Give me some long, wide, open roads, a start and a finish.
Back to my fartlek. Oh, I just love to say that word. Typing it is a different story - it always ends up fartlet. Either way, MS word thinks I've made another in a long series of typos. Today's fartlek was a 6 miler: 2 miles of warm-up running, 3 miles of fartlek at a ratio of 3-to-1, and one mile cool-down. I also added some hills into this workout as the course I ran includes 3 hills, and with it being a straight road out and back that gave me a total of 6 hills. I really like hills, but not that much. 3 of them were in the fartlek which was good as my 1/2 marathon has a killer hill at mile 11 (and it's the whole freaking mile!). I am shooting for a goal time of 1:58:30 which means I need to peg a 9 minute mile average, or if I'm faster, hoo-rah! This means I am pushing my 4-6 mile easy runs to be right around 9 minute mile averages.
Today's 6 miler came in at an average of 9:04. I'm happy with this time because even though I pushed the fartlek, I felt that the overall run felt easy. I think I could push the fartlek harder next time. I worked it 3 minutes faster, 1-2 minutes slower, and I tried to push the hillls faster than the flats. I find that I drag a little more on the uphills than I'd like. Last weekend's long run with a training partner really brought that into focus. My goal for daily workouts is to push hills. Today's fartlek was a good start on pushing the hills.
I did find that on 2 of my fartlek hills I pushed hard the first 1/2 but couldn't finish the hill hard. I finished the middle hill hard but the first and last ones I pushed harder in the beginning of those hills and couldn't push it all the way through. The middle hill I pushed but not as hard and I could keep the pace the whole hill. Interesting to note. I'll see how this hill work combined with a fartlek helps this weekend when I do another long hill run with my training partner.
Back to my fartlek. Oh, I just love to say that word. Typing it is a different story - it always ends up fartlet. Either way, MS word thinks I've made another in a long series of typos. Today's fartlek was a 6 miler: 2 miles of warm-up running, 3 miles of fartlek at a ratio of 3-to-1, and one mile cool-down. I also added some hills into this workout as the course I ran includes 3 hills, and with it being a straight road out and back that gave me a total of 6 hills. I really like hills, but not that much. 3 of them were in the fartlek which was good as my 1/2 marathon has a killer hill at mile 11 (and it's the whole freaking mile!). I am shooting for a goal time of 1:58:30 which means I need to peg a 9 minute mile average, or if I'm faster, hoo-rah! This means I am pushing my 4-6 mile easy runs to be right around 9 minute mile averages.
Today's 6 miler came in at an average of 9:04. I'm happy with this time because even though I pushed the fartlek, I felt that the overall run felt easy. I think I could push the fartlek harder next time. I worked it 3 minutes faster, 1-2 minutes slower, and I tried to push the hillls faster than the flats. I find that I drag a little more on the uphills than I'd like. Last weekend's long run with a training partner really brought that into focus. My goal for daily workouts is to push hills. Today's fartlek was a good start on pushing the hills.
I did find that on 2 of my fartlek hills I pushed hard the first 1/2 but couldn't finish the hill hard. I finished the middle hill hard but the first and last ones I pushed harder in the beginning of those hills and couldn't push it all the way through. The middle hill I pushed but not as hard and I could keep the pace the whole hill. Interesting to note. I'll see how this hill work combined with a fartlek helps this weekend when I do another long hill run with my training partner.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
At Halloween Season, do we run to eat or eat to run?
Non-runners look at me funny when I confess my love of running. It really is odd, considering that I hated it when I was a kid. I was the kind of runner as a kid who would make an all-out-mad-dash and then collapse in a heap of debilitating side-cramps-gasping-for-breath. I never understood running as fun. It was a means-to-an-ends. For instance: you are late for school and have to run to make it before the bell rings. Or, a bear is chasing you and you need to outrun the slowest person in your group. Or, there's only one slice of pepperoni pizza (or chocolate) left, and you are racing (and shoving) the competition, er, your husband, out of the way. Ahem, that last one wouldn't happen (often).
So, when I tell people that I love to run and it's my rather inexpensive therapy - understandably they assume I am hiding three extra heads somewhere. It just doesn't sound like the me of my youth. But thankfully we grow and develop new interests all the time. Speaking of growing - we grow even as adults. That was when I first discovered running. My 20's were a chance to finally get a job and be an adult. Little did I realize that job meant sitting for 8 hours a day, and there would no longer be the 2-5 miles of walking across campus to keep me in shape. I had struggled once with the freshman 15, and didn't want to repeat that with my new found career. So I gave running a whirl. It took awhile to realize that I needed to pace myself and breath. Funny how breathing comes so naturally, except when you really need it! I struggled through shin splints and side stitches, but eventually found my stride at a comfy 10 minute mile. Turns out all those guides on running are right. It takes about 500 miles to get your stride. Funny how you need to practice even something as simple as running.
So 20 years later I'm still running. Faster and longer now. Nothing beats a quiet fall morning run. Oddly enough I haven't really lost any weight in all the years of running. I am still about the same weight. I still struggle with the same 10 lbs. - just in different jiggling ways. If I were running to lose weight I would be really frustrated. Oh, right, I am frustrated that I can run 30 miles a week and not lose those 10 lbs. But the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect different results. Uhm, rats, I may have to rethink that conversation with my spouse about how I'm not crazy. Tonight I am going to try something new. Since I haven't lost those 10 lbs with all the running I am going to add weight lifting to my routine and see if that helps. I'll keep you posted.
So, when I tell people that I love to run and it's my rather inexpensive therapy - understandably they assume I am hiding three extra heads somewhere. It just doesn't sound like the me of my youth. But thankfully we grow and develop new interests all the time. Speaking of growing - we grow even as adults. That was when I first discovered running. My 20's were a chance to finally get a job and be an adult. Little did I realize that job meant sitting for 8 hours a day, and there would no longer be the 2-5 miles of walking across campus to keep me in shape. I had struggled once with the freshman 15, and didn't want to repeat that with my new found career. So I gave running a whirl. It took awhile to realize that I needed to pace myself and breath. Funny how breathing comes so naturally, except when you really need it! I struggled through shin splints and side stitches, but eventually found my stride at a comfy 10 minute mile. Turns out all those guides on running are right. It takes about 500 miles to get your stride. Funny how you need to practice even something as simple as running.
So 20 years later I'm still running. Faster and longer now. Nothing beats a quiet fall morning run. Oddly enough I haven't really lost any weight in all the years of running. I am still about the same weight. I still struggle with the same 10 lbs. - just in different jiggling ways. If I were running to lose weight I would be really frustrated. Oh, right, I am frustrated that I can run 30 miles a week and not lose those 10 lbs. But the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect different results. Uhm, rats, I may have to rethink that conversation with my spouse about how I'm not crazy. Tonight I am going to try something new. Since I haven't lost those 10 lbs with all the running I am going to add weight lifting to my routine and see if that helps. I'll keep you posted.
Monday, November 1, 2010
I'm a glass is 1/2 full kind of gal - who is signed up for the 1/2 . . .
The Blue and Gray 1/2 marathon that is.
So, after taking the summer off - mostly due to asthma problems and then getting my running legs back under me, it's time. Time to dust off the winter running gear and hit the road. I have had a series of great runs over the last month and feel really confident that I can get a new PR. It's time too. I ran the Marine Corps 1/2 over a year ago and had a bad day - 2 asthma attacks in the race and I thought I had injured my knee running Hospital Hill in the cold, pouring rain. Turns out my knee was just pissed that I was running in the COLD, pouring rain - duh!! I finished the race with a PR, but I knew I could run faster. Then the asthma just got worse, and I couldn't train well. I took last year off for both local 1/2's. It was disappointing, but I had a couple of bright spots. I ran the Civitan 10K, and placed 3rd in my age group - a first for me, and I ran a sub-9 pace the whole way. I set a new 5k PR, and earned a second 3rd in age group win.
Now I am ready for the next big goal: a 1:58:30 or better in the 1/2. That's a 9minute/mile or faster time for 13.1 miles. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can".
So, after taking the summer off - mostly due to asthma problems and then getting my running legs back under me, it's time. Time to dust off the winter running gear and hit the road. I have had a series of great runs over the last month and feel really confident that I can get a new PR. It's time too. I ran the Marine Corps 1/2 over a year ago and had a bad day - 2 asthma attacks in the race and I thought I had injured my knee running Hospital Hill in the cold, pouring rain. Turns out my knee was just pissed that I was running in the COLD, pouring rain - duh!! I finished the race with a PR, but I knew I could run faster. Then the asthma just got worse, and I couldn't train well. I took last year off for both local 1/2's. It was disappointing, but I had a couple of bright spots. I ran the Civitan 10K, and placed 3rd in my age group - a first for me, and I ran a sub-9 pace the whole way. I set a new 5k PR, and earned a second 3rd in age group win.
Now I am ready for the next big goal: a 1:58:30 or better in the 1/2. That's a 9minute/mile or faster time for 13.1 miles. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can".
Friday, May 29, 2009
Post Race Running
Well, now that my second 1/2 is done, and I've recovered, what to do next? Hmm. I have been thinking about a few smaller runs over the summer, maybe finishing off with a 10 miler locally. It's in August though. August in Virginia. Can you say hot and steamy at 7 am? Yes, I thought you could. So, I will wait and see. I've had pretty serious heat exhaustion twice. The whole nine yards with the hallucinations and everything. Don't really want to do that, again. Ever.
Since training for the Marine Corps 1/2 took up a bit of time this spring, I'm not planning any races till after school lets out. I need to use the last few weeks of preschool time for doctor appts and lots of catching up around the house. Cleaning bathrooms. Vacuuming. Dusting. Collecting dust bunnies for the SPCA. Painting the kitchen. Painting the bathroom. Painting the office. Gardening. Gardening. Gardening.
Out of necessity my runs till summer vacation will happen only when we head to swim team, and hopefully my long Saturday morning runs with my neighbors.
Happy trails!
Since training for the Marine Corps 1/2 took up a bit of time this spring, I'm not planning any races till after school lets out. I need to use the last few weeks of preschool time for doctor appts and lots of catching up around the house. Cleaning bathrooms. Vacuuming. Dusting. Collecting dust bunnies for the SPCA. Painting the kitchen. Painting the bathroom. Painting the office. Gardening. Gardening. Gardening.
Out of necessity my runs till summer vacation will happen only when we head to swim team, and hopefully my long Saturday morning runs with my neighbors.
Happy trails!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
13.1 + 13.1 = 26.2, Well, sort of
It's official. I've now run two 1/2 marathons, and so over the course of 6 months I have completed the equivalent of a marathon. My thighs are still screaming after the Marine Corps Historic Half, so I think I have an idea of what I might feel like after running all 26.2 miles in one fell swoop - hospitalized!
The conditions for the USMC Historic half were great at the start: overcast skies and a light mist, with temps in the 50's. I was happy to avoid heat-stroke and sun-burn. However the skies let lose twice on the runners and we had quite a downpour. I joked with my fellow runners: "If it ain't raining it ain't training!" It certainly didn't slow down the course as the winner broke last year's time by 2 minutes. I also beat my previous time by 5 minutes, coming in at 2:09:47. I had an asthma attack around mile 4 and dropped everything on the ground from my hydration belt bag. Thankfully the runners behind me didn't run me over as I stopped to collect a variety of things: driver's license, cash, tampons (YES - UGH!!) and the really important rescue inhaler. It's not every race that you find some chick stopping, turning around and grabbing things off the course - ON A DOWNHILL!! So, thank you to my fellow runners, and SORRY!
My Ipod didn't care for the rain, and conked out on me twice. I was able to get it restarted and hten the earbuds kept floating out of my ears on all the water running off my head. Just as we got to the base of the hardest climb the Ipod quit for good, so I kept singing Rihanna's "Pon De Replay" through my head all the way up 'hospital hill'. I made it to the top without walking but the pain behind my knees that had nagged me for most of the run got worse and I walked about a 1/4 mile. I got to the last water station and realized that the pain was probably just aching from my very soaked and cold running pants. I figured running my legs would keep the muscles warmer, and get me done and inside the Convention Center faster so I picked up the pace, hit the last, small hill, passed a few people which boosted my spirits and crested the hill. I saw the giant American flag and the mile marker: #12. Oh. I have 1.1 miles to go. Ok. I can do it. We rounded the last corner, and the wind, a very chilly raw wind, hit us in the face. Great. Marine's must special order this stuff. Well, I've lived in Pennsylvania and Alaska, so I've run in the wind and the rain before. I can do this. And the faster I do this, the sooner I'm done. So I picked up the pace and kept on. This has to be the longest last mile in the history of 1/2 marathons though. It didn't seem to want to end. I could finally hear the announcer, but I still couldn't see the finish line. Oh, is that it way off in the distance?? Yes, it is. But I'm still more than a quarter mile away. Oh. Come on legs you can do it. That's what those shoes say, "Just do it!" I finally crossed the finish line and there were my friends, ready to hold me up! Yea!!! Legs, you can take a break now.
Oh, and legs, don't worry. I won't register for another one of these for at least a couple months. The next one will be in October in Pennsylvania. I'm sure the weather will be better.
The conditions for the USMC Historic half were great at the start: overcast skies and a light mist, with temps in the 50's. I was happy to avoid heat-stroke and sun-burn. However the skies let lose twice on the runners and we had quite a downpour. I joked with my fellow runners: "If it ain't raining it ain't training!" It certainly didn't slow down the course as the winner broke last year's time by 2 minutes. I also beat my previous time by 5 minutes, coming in at 2:09:47. I had an asthma attack around mile 4 and dropped everything on the ground from my hydration belt bag. Thankfully the runners behind me didn't run me over as I stopped to collect a variety of things: driver's license, cash, tampons (YES - UGH!!) and the really important rescue inhaler. It's not every race that you find some chick stopping, turning around and grabbing things off the course - ON A DOWNHILL!! So, thank you to my fellow runners, and SORRY!
My Ipod didn't care for the rain, and conked out on me twice. I was able to get it restarted and hten the earbuds kept floating out of my ears on all the water running off my head. Just as we got to the base of the hardest climb the Ipod quit for good, so I kept singing Rihanna's "Pon De Replay" through my head all the way up 'hospital hill'. I made it to the top without walking but the pain behind my knees that had nagged me for most of the run got worse and I walked about a 1/4 mile. I got to the last water station and realized that the pain was probably just aching from my very soaked and cold running pants. I figured running my legs would keep the muscles warmer, and get me done and inside the Convention Center faster so I picked up the pace, hit the last, small hill, passed a few people which boosted my spirits and crested the hill. I saw the giant American flag and the mile marker: #12. Oh. I have 1.1 miles to go. Ok. I can do it. We rounded the last corner, and the wind, a very chilly raw wind, hit us in the face. Great. Marine's must special order this stuff. Well, I've lived in Pennsylvania and Alaska, so I've run in the wind and the rain before. I can do this. And the faster I do this, the sooner I'm done. So I picked up the pace and kept on. This has to be the longest last mile in the history of 1/2 marathons though. It didn't seem to want to end. I could finally hear the announcer, but I still couldn't see the finish line. Oh, is that it way off in the distance?? Yes, it is. But I'm still more than a quarter mile away. Oh. Come on legs you can do it. That's what those shoes say, "Just do it!" I finally crossed the finish line and there were my friends, ready to hold me up! Yea!!! Legs, you can take a break now.
Oh, and legs, don't worry. I won't register for another one of these for at least a couple months. The next one will be in October in Pennsylvania. I'm sure the weather will be better.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Maybe I should retitled this blog "One Small Asthmatic Step Towards a marathon"
After running and enjoying one 1/2 marathon I got hooked. I like the distance and it doesn't seem to be too much for my asthma. I don't know how that 20mile wall will feel on my asthma so I'm a little intimidated by the marathon thing.
Used to be I wanted to run a marathon before I turned 40. Now, as far as the turning 40 thing: I've been there done that. Still didn't get the marathon under my belt. I was diagnosed with asthma in 2006 and pulled a hamstring in 2007 so my 1/2 marathon training got derailed a bit. My first 1/2 was completed just after the 40 year mark. Successfully, and happily. It was a great run. But, all this running has highlighted an increased level of asthma, and an increased dependency on pharmaceuticals. Neither of which I am happy about.
Now, I come to find out that the one pharmaceutical that seems to be helping, Advair Diskus, has a dark side. I thought my mild heart burn was an annoying side effect, but some people have died over their side effects to Advair. Yikes. After reading the PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) I will definitely get the Peak Flow Meter out and start tracking that. I can add a column or two to my running spread sheet and keep track of my asthma right there. When I figure out how to add the spreadsheet I will update the blog.
Happy running!
Used to be I wanted to run a marathon before I turned 40. Now, as far as the turning 40 thing: I've been there done that. Still didn't get the marathon under my belt. I was diagnosed with asthma in 2006 and pulled a hamstring in 2007 so my 1/2 marathon training got derailed a bit. My first 1/2 was completed just after the 40 year mark. Successfully, and happily. It was a great run. But, all this running has highlighted an increased level of asthma, and an increased dependency on pharmaceuticals. Neither of which I am happy about.
Now, I come to find out that the one pharmaceutical that seems to be helping, Advair Diskus, has a dark side. I thought my mild heart burn was an annoying side effect, but some people have died over their side effects to Advair. Yikes. After reading the PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) I will definitely get the Peak Flow Meter out and start tracking that. I can add a column or two to my running spread sheet and keep track of my asthma right there. When I figure out how to add the spreadsheet I will update the blog.
Happy running!
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