Two Birds, One Stone

Sunday is the Chicago Half Marathon. Also known as the most inconvenient half marathon for most of the people who run it. It's definitely geared towards tourists moreso than the majority of people who actually live in and around the city. Why?

Well, the start line is not on any city public transportation. They have to arrange for special regional trains. If you drive to the start line you either pay $14 to park and walk a mile there and back or find street parking and walk even further. And risk dealing with Chicago Bears traffic on the way home. Packet pick-up is also not on a public transit line and it's $10 to park there. However, packet pick-up is two miles from my office. And I needed to get in another run this week.

So guess what I did? I strapped on one of those drawstring backpacks everyone seems to be giving away and after work I ran from my office to the Festival Hall at Navy Pier to pick up my packet. I was pretty sweaty when I got there but was able to get my stuff with little fanfare. I even ran into Coach Holly and Helen as I was leaving.

I didn't tie the bag right across my chest on the way back so it bounced more and made my shoulders ache but for two miles it didn't really matter. I got in my run and picked up my packet. I guess that's what they call running an errand!

Half Marathon Packet Pick Up by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

And when I got home I discovered my new running shoes had arrived!

New shoes always make me realize just how beat up my old shoes are. I guess that's what over 350 miles will do to a pair of shoes.

Now for Something Completely Different

Okay, it's not really that different. It's still running, after all.

But our track coach is having us try something new to a lot of us: base building.

Instead of just continuing to run faster and faster on Wednesday like hamsters on a wheel, we're going to try approaching our training with a little bit more strategy.

Sure, speedwork is great. It has helped me. But my speedwork times have not translated to my race times and my endurance still isn't where I want it to be. So for the next four weeks I'm going to focus on running a steady, easy-ish pace for a certain number of minutes instead of running all out for short bursts at a time.

There's a science to this that eludes me but I'm going to trust Coach Holly. Besides, I'm marathon training, not 5K training. And that means I need to worry more about my mileage as opposed to my pace.

So on Wednesday the goal was to run for 30 minutes at a pace between my marathon and half-marathon pace. Since my marathon pace is based on a sample size of one, I decided to run between my half-marathon pace and my goal marathon pace. Which meant 30 minutes at 10:00 minute miles. Plus a one mile warm-up.

It was tough to not speed up. I kept waffling between too fast and too slow. Thankfully it evened out in the end and I ran a 10:01 pace for 30 minutes. Right on target! I definitely felt like I could have kept going but it's not like I just took a walk around the block. I think that's where I was supposed to be.

Warm Up by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

OPRC Track Workout by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Then on Thursday I took a "me" day and stayed home from work. I slept in, answered some emails, mowed the grass, futzed with our apparently broken dishwasher, and then decided to go to the gym. I debated: ride my bike to the gym or run to the gym.

Well, I added up what I expect my running mileage to be this week and decided to run to the gym. 3 miles round-trip and I did the second half carrying a bagel. Hey, I needed one for Saturday morning and there's a bagel store next door to the gym! Multitasking at its finest.

Run to Gym by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Run Home From Gym by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

And now I rest. At least until Saturday morning.

Sound of Silence

Source


The original plan for Monday night? I would go to running group and run my 8 miles while Jason went to the grocery store and made dinner. It wasn't until I was putting on my running clothes that we realized that we are currently a one-car family while Jason's car is in the shop.

Not a problem! Jason got the car to go to the grocery store and I just altered my running plans a tiny bit. Instead of doing the 8 mile route with the running group I just ran to and from group and did the 5.5 mile route with them.

My training plan, which I am following mileage-wise if not pace-wise called for an 8 mile run with 2.5 miles of warm-up, 3 miles at 9:05, and then a 2.5 mile cool-down.

Sadly, due to what I believe to be Garmin user error, I don't have exact stats for all those parts of my run. What I can tell you is this: I ran with my running buddy Ann who normally chats up a storm while we run. She's usually talking away while I'm huffing and puffing to keep up. Well last night I pushed us hard and even Ann could barely speak.

I know we ran at least two miles at a sub-9:00 pace. I'll take it! The humidity finally broke on Sunday night so although I was dripping sweat by the time I got home I was almost chilly while cooling off.

It was a good, hard, tempo run of the kind I haven't had in awhile. My quads were like jello by the time we got to our water stop but it was a good feeling. And after taking a short break to chat with other runners at our group's finish point, I felt like I was flying on my run home. Total mileage: 8.5.

Last night gave me a taste of Fall. As much as I'll miss the longer daylight hours and the sunny weather that Summer brings, a part of me hopes it will silently fade away and let Fall take over.

I Spy

Something you don't want to see on your strength training workout sheet when you've just run 1.5 miles to the gym and will have to run the 1.5 miles home:



Something you are not expecting to pass on the sidewalk during your run home from the gym:


Note: this is not a photo of the mariachi band I saw. This is just a tribute.

Something you wish you would see after your run and strength training:



Yes, I ran to the gym last night. I didn't want to go from Wednesday to Sunday without any running at all. Plus, last night was gorgeous. Overcast and breezy and not very humid. Lovely.

I inwardly groaned when I printed out my strength training workout and realized that the focus was legs. I was not looking forward to my run home. Still, I did my workouts, managed all the reps at the listed weight (including two sets of 12 push ups), and headed home.

That must be what a brick workout feels like. My legs felt like lead and yet I was running at essentially the same pace I had gone on the way to the gym. And, yes, I passed a mariachi band on the sidewalk. They weren't playing, sadly. But what a random thing to run past on a Thursday evening!

Jason was wonderful enough to make dinner so I came home to tacos. I've also had this bottle of red wine (Railroad Red, to be specific) open for probably too long and I really want to finish it off. However, I find that if I drink alcohol after a run I wake up so dehydrated the next day no matter how much water I drink. It sucks! Does this happen to anyone else? Last night, though, I took a chance and after drinking a glass of water with dinner I had a glass of wine with dessert. There's still one more glass left in the bottle. I think I'll finish that off tonight.

Overall I did 3.2 miles broken up by 45 minutes of strength training in the middle. The run segments felt good and the strength training felt good. Life is good :-)

Two Birds....

Source


Normally I don't run or workout at all on Friday nights. Instead, Friday nights are reserved for getting home from work and hanging out with my husband. But this Friday night he was out of town so I had the whole evening by myself. Originally I thought I would take advantage of it by laying on the couch and watching tv shows he has no interest in. But the weather was so beautiful yesterday that I didn't want to waste it all indoors.

So, I laced up my running shoes and decided to make it a multi-tasking kind of evening. Since I missed my three mile run on Tuesday I figured I'd get in three miles AND some strength training.

I started at my house and ran to my gym where I did about 40 minutes of strength training and then I ran home. I'm so used to trying to cram runs into a limited amount of time that I had to keep reminding myself that I had all the time in the world. There was no reason I had to run fast. There was no reason I had to rush. Which I think is why my pace graph looks like an EKG. I'd catch myself speeding up and then try and slow down. Over and over again. Maybe some day I'll actually learn how to pace myself.

It took me a bit to actually cool down once I got to the gym. Thank goodness we have free towel access!

While I was running I passed so many restaurants and their outdoor seating. People having a drink or dinner and chatting with friends while enjoying the lovely evening. Now that spring is here (and summer soon enough) I'm sure that will be me on a future evening. But last night I enjoyed my multi-tasking run followed by having dinner while curled up on my couch. I suppose the next time someone asks how I'd spend an evening alone I know my answer.

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Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 623 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 04/16/10 Up/Downhill: [+36/-36] Time: 05:52 PM Difficulty: 1.9 / 5.0   Weather: Partly Cloudy   63 F temp; 28% humidity   63 F heat index; winds NW 17 G 26 Performance Distance: 3.20 miles Time: 0:30:30 Speed: 6.3 mph Pace: 9' 32 /mi Calories: 383 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 57 +0' 25 6.0 -0.3 +3 ft 2 9' 33 +0' 01 6.3 -0.0 0 ft 3 10' 30 +0' 58 5.7 -0.6 -7 ft end 9' 02 -0' 30 6.6 +0.3 +3 ft Versus average of 9' 32 min/mile

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Running Muse

Photo from Mural Blog


I was a serious multitasker today! I went to 9:30AM eye doctor appointment wearing my running clothes and with a gym bag packed with something to change into for post-run strength training.

My eye doctor's office is literally right next door to my gym so I hate going there and NOT taking advantage of being two feet from the gym. But I knew I needed to get a 7 mile run in today and not just strength train.

So after finally getting a pair of contacts that allow me to see semi-decently, I dropped off my bag in a gym locker and took off for a nice, easy 7 miles.

The goal according to the training plan? 7 miles at a 10:43 pace. The problem? I downloaded some new music last night. New music always puts a spring in my step. Especially because I finally got around to downloading some Muse songs. Who knew that Muse was so good to run to? My new favorites are "Uprising", "Super Massive Black Hole", and "Knights of Cydonia".

Also, this weekend is the LiveJournal Runners Club Virtual Race. 5K or 10K, your choice, report your distance and time.



I think subconsciously I didn't want my time to be a personal worst. However, I also didn't look at my watch until the very end so I had no idea how fast I was going. All I knew is that it felt good, the sun was shining, my new tunes were motivating, and I was enjoying the cool air.

Which means that instead of running at a 10:43 pace I ran at a 9:42 pace. And based on that my 10K time was 1:00:16. Hard to believe that a year ago I struggled to get my 10K time under an hour and now I'm coming thisclose during training runs.

After my run I returned to the gym locker room and changed into dry workout clothes. I put in 30 minutes of fairly lackadaisical strength training. I really wasn't feeling it. Oh well. It's still some pretty impressive multitasking!

And just so you know that we're not experiencing some kind of winter heat wave or anything, here's some proof that, yes, things here are still covered in snow:


Click to see larger

Nothing like Snowman Rakehands to greet you when you come home from working out (that's in our neighbors backyard, FYI).



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Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 627 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 02/13/10 Up/Downhill: [+39/-39] Time: 10:22 AM Difficulty: 2.9 / 5.0   Weather: A Few Clouds   27 F temp; 50% humidity   27 F heat index; winds NW 9 Performance Distance: 7.04 miles Time: 1:08:20 Speed: 6.2 mph Pace: 9' 42 /mi Calories: 839 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 36 -0' 06 6.2 +0.1 -3 ft 2 9' 43 +0' 01 6.2 -0.0 -9 ft 3 9' 19 -0' 23 6.4 +0.2 +6 ft 4 9' 48 +0' 06 6.1 -0.1 +7 ft 5 10' 14 +0' 32 5.9 -0.3 -13 ft 6 10' 16 +0' 34 5.8 -0.3 +9 ft end 10' 00 +0' 18 6.0 -0.2 +3 ft Versus average of 9' 42 min/mile

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Run Salutations

Click to see larger

Last night I came thisclose to skipping yoga. The weather was gorgeous. Cool, sunny, and breezy. A perfect evening for running. I wanted to run. Sure, I'd run the night before, but I really wanted to run again. I didn't want to waste the last few hours of daylight cooped up in the gym. Jason almost convinced me to skip class and go for a run instead.

In the end, though, I decided to run to yoga class. I could have run home, too, but by that time it was going to be dark. And while I have a headlight to clip to my visor, I still don't know how I feel about running at night. So, instead, I had Jason pick me up after class.

We worked on sun salutations. After, of course, laying flat on our backs with our eyes closed for several minutes. I admit, it was nice to have what amounted to a long cool-down session after a quick almost 1.5 mile run. Although, if you look at the stats it doesn't look like that last .5 mile was all that fast. Stupid intersection with the longest red light on the planet. Ugh. I hate that intersection. Also, running to class kept my body warm throughout most of yoga. The room where we have class is always freezing but last night I was comfortable until the last 10 minutes.

Most of you who commented on yoga yesterday indicated that you liked it. I'm still not a believer. I don't think I'll be signing up for this class again. I actually find I'm more relaxed after a good run or a good Pilates session than I am after yoga. Live and learn, though, right?

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Stats

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 621 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +3 ft Date: 09/16/09 Up/Downhill: [+19/-16] Time: 06:10 PM Difficulty: 1.3 / 5.0   Weather: A Few Clouds   66 F temp; 56% humidity   66 F heat index; winds NE 16 Performance Distance: 1.48 miles Time: 0:13:28 Speed: 6.6 mph Pace: 9' 06 /mi Calories: 174 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 11 +0' 05 6.5 -0.1 +3 ft end 11' 36 +2' 30 5.2 -1.4 0 ft Versus average of 9' 06 min/mile

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Easy as Reading a Book

Well, that was a weird run. Weird-good, though. Not weird-bad.

Last night's schedule called for an easy 3 miles. Not a problem. There were some books I wanted to pick up at the library so I adjusted my route so that I would end at the library, pick up my books, and then have a nice long cool-down walk from the library back home.

I refused to look at my Garmin during my first mile. I was just puttering along at what felt like a nice, slow speed. I wasn't huffing and puffing. I wasn't thinking about how many miles I had left. My calves were kind of tight but other than noticing that I wasn't thinking about running at all.

Let me say that again: I wasn't thinking about running.

Normally when I'm out there running I can actually tell that I'm running. I'm actively thinking about it. But for some reason last night I was just in a zone. My legs felt totally disconnected from my body and I almost felt as though I was floating along. And when I did look at my watch when it beeped at the end of mile one, I was shocked to realize I'd just done it in 9 minutes and 45 seconds. And each mile just got a little bit faster without me even realizing it or even feeling as though I was going faster at all. Check it out:



I have no idea what made last night so easy. The fact that I knew it was a short run so there was no trepidation about whether or not I could do it? That I had no time constraints? That I had a slightly new route planned? That I had an exciting goal at the end of my run (yes, picking up books at the library is exciting)? Who knows. All I know is that it was AWESOME. And that I want it to happen again.

Also, I love that I combined my running with "running" actual errands. I even ended up seeing Jason and Trinka Deu at the dog park on my walk home so I stopped to hang with them and watch Trinka Deu play with the other dogs for a bit. Maybe all my runs should end at the library!

Finally, here's an example of just what a Type A runner I am. I have a GPS-enabled watch (my Garmin). It could easily tell me when I've done 3 miles. But because I wanted to end exactly at the library, I used Gmap Pedometer to map out a 3 mile route starting near my house and ending at the library first. I'm such a nerd.

Speaking of nerdy-ness, here are the stats from the run:

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 624 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +3 ft Date: 06/10/09 Up/Downhill: [+42/-39] Time: 06:35 PM Difficulty: 1.9 / 5.0   Weather: Mostly Cloudy   63 F temp; 60% humidity   63 F heat index; winds NE 13 Performance Distance: 3.07 miles Time: 0:29:35 Speed: 6.2 mph Pace: 9' 38 /mi Calories: 334 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 36 -0' 02 6.2 +0.0 +4 ft 2 9' 34 -0' 04 6.3 +0.0 0 ft 3 9' 34 -0' 04 6.3 +0.0 0 ft end 10' 38 +1' 00 5.6 -0.6 0 ft Versus average of 9' 38 min/mile

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A little bit of everything

This image is from this morning. I forgot to grab the one from last night

First, let me quote a journal entry I made in a different blog back on September 7, 2007, a little over a month into my first serious attempt at running.

Last night, while sitting in a park pavilion and listening to a police officer talk about running safety, it started to rain. And rain. And rain some more. Those of us sitting in the pavilion waiting to start our run looked out at the rain with some trepidation.

But we ran anyway. We ran for 30 minutes in the pouring rain. Okay, I admit, it only rained for about 15 of those 30 minutes. But 15 minutes in the pouring rain is enough, thank you.

And you know what? In spite of the fact that my shirt gained about 2 pounds of water, my shoes were making squishing noises, and I was getting water in my eyes, I had fun. Running in a downpour makes you feel strong. It makes you feel confident. It makes you proud that you're committed to running no matter what.

Yesterday afternoon I watched the radar and stared at the sky probably 30 times in the course of 15 minutes. Could I run to the gym and home or would I get caught in the pouring rain? Would I show up to Pilates soaked to the bone? Would the thunder and lightening hold off?

I planned to run 5 miles on Wednesday evening but it was raining something fierce when I got home from work and I couldn't face the treadmill. I took the evening off and spent time with my husband instead. But that meant that in order to get 15 miles in this week I would have to run more than my 1.25 miles to and from the gym on Thursday.

So, last night, could I get in a run without getting soaked? It took some waffling, but then I remembered: Who cares if I get soaked??

Long story short, I ran to the gym. I took my cellphone just in case it started to seriously thunderstorm and I didn't feel safe running home.

Sure, my water bottle popped out of my hydration belt as I was crossing an intersection (and, yes, I managed to retrieve it and not piss off any drivers...at least not too much) and yes, it did start to rain. But it was warm and the rain wasn't too driving and overall it felt good. I even hit the major traffic-light-controlled intersection with the light in my favor!

Once I got to the gym, I had about 25 minutes left to kill before Pilates started. So, I hopped on the treadmill. The treadmill that I now covet. The $7,000 treadmill. Oooh, it was nice. And, let me just say, this is the second time I've run outside and then hopped on the treadmill. Anyone who, like me, thinks that running on the treadmill is harder than running outside? Just warm-up outside and you'll find that the treadmill is a piece of cake! Seriously, I took this run easy at first but for the last .75 miles I just kept upping the speed. In the end, I did 2 miles.


I love the display on this thing!

Then it was off to Pilates. Thankfully I stuffed a bandanna in my hydration pack so I had something to wipe the sweat off my face, arms, and legs with. I hope the person who uses that yoga mat after me appreciates it.

After Pilates, it was time to run home. In the hour and a half I'd been in the gym the rain had moved on and the sun was shining. As usual, the run home was a little slower than the run to the gym but overall I managed an average 9:45 pace for the 2.5 miles I did outside.



So, in the end, I did 4.5 miles last night, albeit kind of broken up. That puts me at 7.5 miles for the week. Guess I'll be doing another 7.5 on Saturday morning to put me at 15. I think it's supposed to rain again on Saturday. Hopefully this time I remember to just get out there instead of waffling.

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Stats

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 621 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 05/07/09 Up/Downhill: [+26/-26] Time: 05:21 PM Difficulty: 1.8 / 5.0   Weather: Overcast   75 F temp; 30% humidity   75 F heat index; winds W 15 G 21 Performance Distance: 2.51 miles Time: 0:24:34 Speed: 6.1 mph Pace: 9' 47 /mi Calories: 268 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 36 -0' 11 6.2 +0.1 +4 ft 2 10' 08 +0' 21 5.9 -0.2 -3 ft end 8' 57 -0' 50 6.7 +0.6 0 ft Versus average of 9' 47 min/mile

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Run vs Drive

The Green Transportation Hierarchy
I suppose runners count as pedestrians, huh?

My usual "short" running route takes me past the cross-street on which my gym sits. A few weeks ago, while driving to the gym to take my Pilates class and do my 30 minutes of cardio, I realized that it would take me approximately the same amount of time to run to the gym as it would to drive there. Chicago 'burb traffic is a lovely thing, isn't it?

From my house to the gym is a little over one mile. I'd debated running there, doing Pilates, and running home several times while I was doing my half-marathon training. I didn't know, though, whether breaking the run up like that would have the same effect as doing it all in one stretch. Granted, it's not like I wouldn't be doing anything in the interim, but my understanding is that doing all the miles in a row is what really helps with endurance. So, therefore, I never did it.

Until last night. I got home a little late from work and was almost tempted to skip Pilates all together. Except that next week I'll be at a conference out of town and I don't know if I'll get in any exercise. So, at 5:45 (class starts at 6 PM, FYI) I threw on some running clothes and dashed out the door. I didn't even give the Garmin a chance to connect with the satellite until a few minutes into my run.

I have a horrible fear of being late, so I ran pretty hard and, thankfully, only had to pause for traffic at one intersection. I figured that I could run the distance in 15 minutes or less but, since I'd never done it before, I didn't know exactly how long it would take me.

Turns out, with pauses at intersections, it takes me less than 15 minutes. In fact, it takes me less than 10 minutes.

The splits are a little funky from the Garmin and, as much as I would LOVE to trust the Bones in Motion data, I don't know if I really ran a mile in 8:07. Also, I had to pause for a lot more traffic on the way home and I didn't have the Autopause function turned on so I'm sure that it didn't take me over 10 minutes to get home, even though I was trying to take it a little easier.

Regardless, it felt good to run to the gym instead of driving. Did it give me as good of a workout as if I'd done my usual 30 minute elliptical routine? Don't know. Will I run to the gym every day? Probably not. If I have errands to do or don't want to run four days in a row I'll still drive. But I like that now I know this is an option.

And, as always,

Stats

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 621 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 04/23/09 Up/Downhill: [+19/-19] Time: 05:48 PM Difficulty: 1.8 / 5.0   Weather: Mostly Cloudy   66 F temp; 35% humidity   66 F heat index; winds SE 14 Performance Distance: 2.36 miles Time: 0:22:22 Speed: 6.3 mph Pace: 9' 29 /mi Calories: 234 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 8' 03 -1' 26 7.4 +1.1 +3 ft 2 11' 02 +1' 33 5.4 -0.9 -3 ft end 8' 45 -0' 44 6.8 +0.5 0 ft Versus average of 9' 29 min/mile

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