Five Baht Elephant

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I Can Run Faster Than I Think

running feet again

What a surprise the other morning. My training plan called for a 5 mile tempo run, at at 9:35 per mile pace. However, I’ve been running at a quicker pace than what’s been laid out in my plan. Because of that, I had mentally set a per mile pace of 9:15 as I started the run.

Yet every time I looked down at my Garmin and saw 8-something in the Pace field, I was surprised. My rate of perceived exertion did not indicate a sub 9:00 per mile pace. And so I just kept running. I slowed down when it got hard and then sped up when it got easy.

All in all, I covered the 5 miles in 43:15, which averages to an 8:39 minute per mile pace. One of the benefits of using a Garmin for the past 6 years is having historical data to compare where I am now to where I used to be. And just looking back to the past few years, this most recent effort really is the quickest 5 miler I’ve put out.

All those track workouts and tempo runs have been paying off.

Who doesn’t love seeing progress? Between pregnancy, injury shortly after having Miles, more injury and then just committing to the work – I feel like I’ve got it. I am in a really good spot concerning my running. I feel strong. I feel fast. And I don’t hurt (much).

 

I’ve Been Running

track workout

This shouldn’t really be a surprise, but I’ve been running. And its been really good so far this summer. If you follow me on Instagram I really only post photos of my sewing and my feet. Really fun IG feed, huh?

But really, my running has been really good and I want you all to know that. Just kidding! Truthfully, I want to remember how good it is right now. And how grateful that I’m healthy and able to run. This time last year, I was slowly working my way back to running.

I am working towards the Denver Half Marathon on October 19th; I even have a very structured training plan that I’m following. I borrowed Run Less, Run Faster from the library and put together a training plan, complete with target paces. I won’t go too much into the meat of the book, but essentially I’m only running 3 times a week. One track workout, one tempo workout and a long run. Some cross training thrown in there rounds out my week. It really is a good schedule for me and my body right now. I’m not too tired and I’m not too sore.

I’m finding, however, that I’ve been able to run faster than the paces laid out in the plan. I’m 4 weeks into training, and I’m really surprised. I used my time from this year’s Cherry Creek Sneak, and I’m thinking that I need to run a fast 5k to recalibrate. The tempo runs are most surprising for me; I typically do not have the discipline to push myself outside of ‘easy’.

All that speedwork is working though. Lap after lap around the track on Tuesdays. Faster, longer runs on Thursdays. Long runs on Sundays. The running is getting easier. I’m moving quicker. Best of all? I’m having fun.

 

Somedays I Just Need to Run Fast

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The-get-out-of-my-head, don’t-think-too-much-about-anything-else, and just run.

Fast.

Rest.

Repeat.

I added in some speedwork the past few weeks. My runs have gotten easier. The weekend runs have gotten longer. And recently, I’ve added a day at the track.

There’s a high school really close to work. And they have a really nice track that is open to the public outside of school hours. Thank you, town of Niwot, for making this available.  I’ve been getting up early to run some fast repeats around the track before I start my workday. I’ll pick one of the following:

Workout#1: 8x400s

Workout#2: 4x800s

Workout#3: 3x1600s

Each with a couple laps warmup and cooldown bookending the hard intervals. There’s a whole bunch of science behind why speedwork helps to improve your running. But right now, I’m not even thinking about my next PR. I want to not think about anything except staying on pace.

I just needed to get out there and run fast. 

The challenges I’m facing at work are really starting to get out of control. I’m coping the best I can, but man. It is hard sometimes to see past the immediate. Running helps me. Working out frustration and aggression via running keeps me level headed. This works for me.

I Haven’t Felt This Good In a Long Time

shoes in october

I think Running Norine is finally back. No more run/walk intervals. I’ve moved past the Couch to 5k Plan. And now, a 3 mile run seems short. I recently finished my fastest and furthest run in a LONG time.

4.55 miles in 42:55

That 9:26 per mile pace isn’t easy for me anymore, but it wasn’t too tough – comfortably hard sounds about right. And during those 42 almost 43 minutes, it was perfect.

67 degrees.

Sunny and no wind.

Trees full of color, still.

Crunchy leaves on the road.

I felt great.

 

 

Riding Past the Trees

freemont pass

“I really need to bike more.”

I say that to myself every time I finish a road ride.  An honest to goodness, put-the-bike-shorts-and-helmet-on bike ride and not a lets-be-bop-around-the-neighborhood bike ride. And its sad, really, that I’ve only actually been on my road bike a handful of times this year.

What’s especially sad is that I’m signed up for a lung and leg busting cycling event in 3 short weeks, and I’ve still not made cycling a priority. You’d think that after doing this same event twice now that I’d have learned my lesson and biked more. But no.

I recently ventured west with some friends to ride part of the Copper Triangle course – Mountain Pass #1 Freemont Pass.  We rode from Copper Mountain to Leadville and back. And it was just as pretty and just as hard as I remembered. Especially the return trip up Freemont pass.

Its steep.

I thought for sure I was going to throw up.

My strategy, when the climbs are tough, are to count revolutions. 1 to 100 (“that’s a lot!”) over and over and over. I wish I could say that it made the climb easier.

Do I really want it to be easy though? I’m not going to lie to you, I like that its tough.  I like knowing that I can actually do this – bike up a few mountain passes.  When I first moved to Colorado, I saw cyclists going up mountain passes. And I remember thinking, “That’s just f*ing crazy. No way would I be able to do that. I can’t even breathe.”

I am physically capable of so much more than I realize. And I don’t want to take for granted my ability and capability to be out there in the hills.  One day I won’t be able to climb a mountain.  But today is not that day.

Heart Rate Training

I hear: beep beep beep

I think: “Son of a BITCH!”

I wasn’t even to the end of my block when my heart rate monitor started beeping at me.  That’s when I knew I was in for a hard run.  Its a simple training theory, really.  Run your hard runs hard, but run the rest of them easy.  And lemme tell you, running the easy runs are hard. 

The book recommends to run the easy runs at 70% of your maximum heart rate. So, that was my goal this afternoon. Run 5 miles, keeping my heart rate below 70%, and I set up my heart rate monitor to beep when I exceed that number. 

This afternoon it took me 1:01 to run 5 miles.  That’s an average pace of 12:46 per mile people. PER MILE!  I’m no speed demon to begin with, but running an almost 13 minute mile is downright dawdling.  And, if I’m being honest here, embarrassing.  It is difficult to run this slow, at least it is for me.  And I so had to leave my pride at home.  And I really haven’t a clue how to pace myself properly for these easy runs. Hence, my frustration every single time my Garmin beeped at me (which was, like, a lot).

The Cherry Blossom 10-miler is in 12 weeks and why not try this training method?  It’ll end in one of two ways: I go back to my same-old training ways that didn’t do anything for towards improves my PRs or my running improves.  I’m hoping for the latter.

Ride: Copper Mountain to Leadville

 

I’m actually embarassed to share with you how little I’ve biked this year. In fact, Sunday’s almost-50 miles was probably longer than all the rides this year combined.

After what I call the random-friends-come-to-stay weekend, a few of us drove west an hour and biked from Copper Mountain Ski Resort to Leadville, CO. This particular route is leg 1 of the Copper Triangle and we really need to get some hills on our legs and some miles on our behinds.

I stalked weather.com and the forecast said storms possible in the afternoon. It was cloudy and a bit overcast with a storm cloud hanging over to the west. I carried arm warmers in my back pocket and definitely used them on the descent from Freemont Pass.

Let me just state, again, that I love living in Colorado! The bike ride was so so pretty. Even when I’m huffing and puffing up the mountain, its still just so pretty. Getting into Leadville was fun, there were a bunch of people out enjoying the little town. Carol had taken Miles up and around an old mining road turned bike path, pulling him in his trailer. Views of mountain ranges in all directions. He really enjoyed it.

Two weeks until the Copper Triangle, and we’re so glad we did this ride on Sunday. Climbing 3000’+ and riding 50 miles gives us confidence for the ride on August 4th.

Spring Training!

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Oh dear goodness, what a run.

It was cold.  Like 20 degrees cold.  And I went out way way way too fast.  And starting fast makes the rest of the run uncomfortable!  I should know better by now right? 

And another plug for technology: I love my Garmin. Love it!  Its going on 4 years, and the battery doesn’t hold the same charge as before.  Meaning, it typically craps out during anything more than 4 hours (marathon, Copper Triangle) – despite my best power-saving moves.  But what I love is the data. Oh, lots of data! And yesterday morning I set it to auto-lap at each mile. 

Such motivation for me to see my 38:23 4.38 mile run broken down mile by mile.  I can see where I hauled ass (mile 1 = 8:42/mi pace).  I can see where I started to lose it (mile 3 = 9:19/mi pace).  And I can see where I just wanted the whole thing to be over (mile 4.38 = 9:05/mi pace).

I’m happy that I raced last weekend. It was the catalyst to get my spring training/racing mentality going.  And seeing my race photos also motivated me to tighten up my diet (yeesh, I am chunky!).  I’ve started logging my food on Calorie Count (w/ free iPhone app) and logging my exercise on Daily Mile.  I’m trying to follow (at least 90%) of the time the Paleo diet.  I still put 1/2 and 1/2 in my coffee.  I’ll drink a glass (or three) of red wine.  I’ll put a little bit of cheese on my salad.  Outside of those exceptions, I’m sticking to it pretty well. 

I also just set up my spring race calendar.  Here’s what’s happening::

* 3/25  RMRR MTS1 10 Mile
* 4/1    RMRR TS#4 4 Mile
* 4/15 RMRR MTS2 10 Mile
* 4/29  Cherry Creek Sneak 10 Mile
* 5/6 RMRR TS#5 5 Mile
* 5/20 Colfax 1/2 Marathon
* 5/28 Bolder Boulder 10k

I’m also looking at doing an Olympic distance triathlon.  And maybe, maybe a 1/2 Ironman distance tri towards the end of summer or early fall.  I gotta get my butt in the pool.

I still need to plug weekday training into my calendar.  Even though I know I won’t follow a training plan exactly, I still need to have some sort of structure to follow.  Fortunately, I have a flexible schedule at work.  And there is a pool and lots of space to run near work and Miles’s day care.  I really have no excuse to get at least an hour of running or swimming in after dropping Miles off and before going to work.  No excuse.

So, that’s the plan for the spring.  We’ll see how it goes!

2012, So Far…

Well, happy new year right?  A week into 2012 and I feel really productive.  Anyone else still settling into a routine, or is it business as usual?

I’ve been back at work for 4 days.  Miles started a new day care.  JJ is gone Army training.  Its taken some creative scheduling and doing things differently to get it all in, but we’re managing.  But man, its lonely around here after Miles goes to bed.

I’m happy to report that I’m training for the NoLa 1/2 (week 1 of 9), following this plan over at Runner’s World.  The track workout Tuesday sucked, but wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  And my splits weren’t as slow as I expected.  And the tempo run on Wednesday went well, considering.  All good signs. 

In terms of sewing, I am on a roll!  I finished up most of that mystery quilt top; I’m still deciding on whether to add the borders or not.  We’ll see.  I think its plenty big enough already.  And plenty bright.

Denver Fabrics (the real store, not the online one) had a huge sale on New Year’s Day – 30% off everything.  Everything!  I picked up these lovelies.  mmmmm.  There’s enough fabric there for 4 dresses and lining for 2 skirts.

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I’m beginning work on the Beignet.  The fabric is prewashed and ironed.  The pattern pieces cut.  I’m debating which fitting method I’m going to use.  Make a muslin?  Tissue fit? Baste seams or pin fit?  We’ll see.