5k: Week Seven

Just two more weeks till the Color Me Green 5k race and I'm starting to get excited! Having run mostly distances 5k or less in high school and college, I'm having to over come mental barriers when thinking about racing and training for longer distances. The focus is no longer speed so much as quality mileage and recovery. But I'm not even past the 5k yet, right? So no need to worry. Remember, just take it one day at a time.

Mon 3mi- The number 3 was more of a mental milestone than I thought it would be. It made me kind of nervous before I set out on the run. This is the first day I ran race distance. I just reminded myself that I ran 2.75mi twice last week and that's only a quarter mile less than three. Besides what am I thinking getting nervous? I ran like six miles on Saturday last week. I am not quite recovered from my extended long run last week. I ran an extra 5min more than I was scheduled to and, though 5min doesn't seem like much, I am feeling it. My calves are rather tight and my achillies started to ache just a tiny bit. I'll try to allow for recovery on the bike and strength training tomorrow.

Tue 22min bike+strength- What a day! woke up to a half inch of SNOW on the ground! We did our annual Simulation-X ( X for extreme!) at work. It was quite fun running around the Whitewater Center with snow on the ground and not a guest in sight (closed to guests on winter Tuesdays). Part of our challenge was to have the group collectively run or walk 26.2miles. Everyone on the team had to do at least one mile....I'm pretty sure I did about 10 (ran 5-6 walked 4-5).  I realized during SimX that I wasn't going to get my planned workout done because I had a CPR/First Aid class to attend after work so I got to exercising while I could. Think I won't run tomorrow but will go to the weight room.

Wed 2mi- Well as a recovery decision I'm not running today but went to the gym to lift weights. My gluts are super-duper tight and my achilles tendons are complaining a bit because of the running I did in my high top hiking boots yesterday.Considering a light jog tomorrow to work ot the kinks.

Fri 3mi- Oy, what a stressful emotional rollercoaster of a day! I dream of a rustic little two story cob house in the woods. We tried to put a bid in on a house up for auction but the price shot about $25000 over our maximum price. Sigh...I guess we'll eventually find the perfect place... eventually. This house is all we've been thinking about for the past few days and I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to run today. I wanna eat my feelings, or go do some retail therapy, or just curl up and sulk. But, I'll be happier if I just run. It's beautiful and sunny outside. Three miles again presented a small mental hurdle to get out the door and have faith I can do it well enough.

Sat 61min- Because I took two recovery days in a row off of running this week my brain struggled a bit to maintain it's mental confidence for my long run. I got ahead in my training schedule last week and did 60min long run so I had to remind myself I could do it again this week too. I ran the same rout I ran last week as further proof by comparison. I was excited to find that I closed about a 30 second gap with another lady running on the Whitewater Parkway within somewhere between a half to full mile's distance. Point being, it felt nice to have a chance to race someone a little- in my head for my mental confidence. My form continues to improve. Imbalances in my legs are lessening and my foot strike is becoming less supinated. felt my hip flexors and stabilizer muscles in my feet knees and hips working today. It's really nice to feel improvement. The gradual differences build confidence too. I feel less tired after doing more running when my form is more efficient and improved. Left achillies tendon tight after.



Not excited about Pink-ness

Finally picked up a pair of new shoes! Buying buying them was a little frustrating. I'm wanting to switch to a more natural or neutral shoe from the over correcting I've done for years. I ended up buying a pair of Asics, similar to what I've been running in since high school. I'm afraid of them, that they'll continue my bad habits and foster bad form even though they are a cushioned neutral shoe instead of a stability shoe. I ended up choosing what I did because I feel it will last longer than a softer foam shoe would but I'm afraid the rubber is still too ridged and will be controlling. I'd also hoped to get a shoe with less heel drop. But I'll make more changes and progress slowly with my next pair of shoes I guess.

5K: Week Five

Mon 2.5mi run- A warm and rainy winter day. I ran a slightly larger loop than I usually do. it was
nice to get away from the flat downtown area of Mount Holly and do a few more hills and have some varied scenery. I also enjoy putting my weekly research to the test and seeing how I can improve my running. I did a fair amount of research on proper running form and was able to feel a difference in
my muscles and joints while on this run when I implemented a few changes.

Tue 20min bike+strength- Gradually going a little harder each week on the stationary bike. I also amped up the weight and reps a little on the small weight circuit I've been doing.  Nice to leave the gym with my muscles shaking just a little so I know I pushed myself a bit.  We went climbing with friends last night and my arms and back are a little sore before weight training today but my lovely Husband gave me a nice back massage that helped. Didn't get to the hip workout today. I'd planned on doing it with Wayne when he got home but we conked out really early at 6pm.

Wed 2mi run-Not sure it was an easy recovery pace like I'd planed. After doing research and posting the Running Form blog post today I felt I should examine my form during the run. My stride is fairly good and, my arms don't cross my centerline but they may swing in a little more than I'd like. Running up and downhill felt easier now that I am thinking about how I'm doing it. The path I took today in my mind seemed short but my body and exertion told me it was right. I did some foam rolling and the hip workout today before the run. I may address the cadence part of form later but I haven't delved into it very far. My cadence good and steady at the beginning but slowed toward the middle and end. I do feel the other basics of form are more important to master before thinking about the rapidity of my foot steps.

Fri 2.5mi run- I forgot to take the arch supports out of my shoes today before my run. Keeping good form felt fairly easy. I can see how my body has gotten used to doing less work with the arch supports in. I have deffinatly grown to like the more sensory input I get from having less structure to my shoes. It will just take more time for my body to get used to controlling more stabilizer muscles by building up more strength so they don't have to work as hard. Beautiful day but cold- just under 40 degrees. Need new shoes, the cushioning is gone from the forefoot of mine. Did an easy set of the hip workout today. I thinki it may have helped on my run my hips and gluts felt more engaged.

Sat 50 min run- Happy Valentines Day! A hearty day of work from 8:30am to 9:00pm plus my long run. It helped that Wayne had made commitments to be at work at 6am to help set up for the USNWC's Frigid 5k before he ran in the race at 8am. My crazy wonderful husband later told me he reached the first stage of hypothermia (apparently uncontrollable shaking and muscle stiffness/tension) after the polar plunge because he jumped in a second time after he'd cooled down from the run to help encourage another jumper partake in the plunge. He just can't resist encouraging others and trying to pump up the crowd. His gregariousness is something I certainly lack and maybe envy. But he more than makes up for my ineptitude and it's one of the reasons I love him so much. So, anyway, I had an excuse to get up and go to work early to run on the beautiful trails. It was another slow and steady run in below freezing temperatures. It was a good thing I did go early because, I later realized that with the race being run on the USNWC parkway (the only road into work) and the road being closed during the race. There is no way I would have made it into work on time if I had tried to arrive and park just the usual five minutes early before my shift.  All day my mood was happier than usual because I felt like I'd accomplished so much by noon. I'm afraid after dinner wasn't as romantic as my husband had hoped because we conked out early on the couch again after a delicious home made candle lit dinner of asparagus rice pilaf and portabella alfredo chicken, a movie "Romancing The Stone", and a glass of wine.