I took 6 days off from running and didn't do too much else this week. Unless you count working and eating ice cream
Went out walking yesterday and got new running shoes. Tried them out today for 30 minutes. They felt okay. But my IT Band is still sore.
Today was not a good day for me. Maybe the worst run ever.
Got out early to get in 8-10 miles before the official SERC start time. I had planned on getting in 20-22 miles today. And then getting in one more 20-22 next Sunday. It was around 35 degrees and raining. I started out in yoga pants, a short sleeved technical shirt, a long sleeved technical shirt, a light jacket, gloves, and ear warmers. I lost the jacket and gloves within the first mile. I was pretty warm but soaked to the bone. On Sundays I usually run between 8-8:45 minute miles. This morning my legs were pretty tired and I was dragging between 9-9:45 minute miles. I stopped to tie my shoe around 7 miles and starting back up my IT Band didn’t feel good at all. Got back to the truck after 8 miles threw off my jacket and drank some Gatorade then headed back out with A, planning on getting in another 12-14.
I felt okay for the next 6 miles we were going a little faster and my IT band was just a little sore. We stopped at the water stop and when I tried to start back up again my knee hurt so bad I physically could not force myself to run. I guess the inflammation was just too much…we walked for a few minutes and I tried to run again but it was a no go. So A and I walked 2 miles back to the bagel shop. It was probably getting close to 32 degrees and was very windy and still raining. I changed as soon as we got back but I was shivering for about an hour afterwards.
A is an awesome friend for sticking with me.
I am pretty frustrated but I can only blame myself. I upped mileage too soon and now I am paying for it. On top of that I haven’t gotten a new pair of running shoes in ages so that is probably adding to the problem.
Everyone in the club gave me a lot of good advice today. I am very grateful to have such good and knowledgeable running friends.
The new plan is to take off at least a week, maybe more. I may try and get in a few short runs but if my knee hurts at all I am stopping. Hopefully I have a good enough base to get through Boston. I really would like to get in another 20…we will see. In the mean time I am going to be doing lots of swimming, icing, and stretching.
Gotta make this quick.
Got out and did a brick workout with TNT today. Everyone did great! I got in about 19 miles on the bike and a 2 mile run.
I intended to do a track workout last night when I got home but crashed as soon as I walked in the door...not good considering I haven't really run since last Wednesday. I managed to do some light weights and an ab workout to save some face.
This morning was absolutely crazy. Everything that could go wrong did.
But I managed to get a short track workout in. 1 mile warm up, 4*400 at 1:40 and 1*800 at 3:50, 1 mile cool down. With the recovery runs in between the repeats I got in about 4 miles.
So basically you swam for 20 minutes and someone counted your laps. Then you did a 20 minute spinning class. Then you did 20 minutes on the treadmill which calculates your distance.
The spin class was hard! This guys kept coming around and turning up your resistance if he didn't think you were going hard enough. I was dying!
Since the bike wasn't really counted I ended up 1st in my age group and 2nd overall! That would have been way different if they counted the bike, I haven't rode in awhile and I definately would have lost some distance on that. I did have a great swim though, and an okay run.
Almost didn't get up this morning. I must have been in deep sleep mode because when the alarm went off I just hit the snooze as usual. After two times I realized there was a reason I set the alarm that early and it was because I needed to actually get up when it went off to make it to TNT swim practice this morning. Luckily I had laid out everything I needed last night so I made it just as the workout was starting.
I was a little apprehensive about going today because I have only swam like 3 times since Chicago and I didn't want to embarass myself. But I did fine thank goodness.
We did a 150 meter warm up, then some drills, and a set of 6*100 alternating which 25 or 50 was fast in the 100s. Then we did a 200 meter "relay" to finish off the workout. Of course there was 5 of us so that doesn't really work out. So being a mentor I got to be a 1 woman relay team...I was already pretty tired but I managed to hold my own and not get completely smashed by the two other teams of 2. Coach K probably thought this was pretty funny. Maybe in a couple weeks I will be able to win ;)
Just did two winsor pilates workouts and some stretching. The DVDs are only like 20 minutes each but man they really work the area you are focusing on. I have been doing the ab workout and the buns and thigh workout dvds. Mostly because I have no definition in my abs and I am hoping the buns and thighs pilates will strengthen my upper legs muscles resulting in less injuries. And if they start to look more tone in the process cool bonus!
I gave up my spot for St. Anthony's Triathlon so now I will get a break after Boston. I am signed up for the Memphis in May Triathlon May 22nd now and I loved the Chicago tri so much that I signed up for that again. I am going to continue mentoring for the fall season as long as they will have me since they are doing Chicago again. So my spring and fall race seasons are pretty full. No more marathons for awhile after Boston though.
Checked out the Youngstown results. Man I got my a@@ kicked in my age group. The next closest girl was about 8 minutes ahead of me, yikes! I don't think I could have run that fast on that course if I was racing and I was healthy. I tied for 7th in my age group. Most road races I have done my age group hasn't had many competitors, I have run slower pace in a 5 miler and gotten first in my age group. Oh well. I guess I still have some goals to aspire too next year
This is me and another runner I met at the Youngstown half marathon yesterday. We ended up finishing together. B is right in front of us during this shot. She placed 1st in her age group as well as my other friend that went with us. (I did not place) teehee
The weather was okay for the race yesterday. Pretty chilly when the wind was blowing. But I opted for shorts after changing about 6 times. And B was nice enough to loan me her underarmour shirt because all I had was a tank and a fleece.
I ended up keeping a pace slightly faster than what I want to run in Boston which was the plan. I was happy with that because this course was full of hills. The first 3 miles were rough and just before the third we went up a very steep hill, nicknamed "The Bear." As you are going up the clearly labeled hill (like we needed a sign to inform us of that) you notice the 9 mile marker and realize I have to do this twice, great!
That was the only hill that really got to me because my IT band did not feel good on it either time I went up. But I ran really well and kept a consistent pace despite the hills so I was pretty happy with my time. 1:47:and x seconds...not really sure because the start was a little odd.
We started at a top of this very narrow hill, well they must have decided that wasn't very safe in light of the icy conditions so we all walked down to the bottom and at some point we realized that we had started running, so I don't know if where I started my watch was the actual start or not.
I am glad I ran the race even though the hills were tough and my IT band is sore today because I feel better prepared for what Boston has to offer now.
