Speedwork

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” -I Cor. 9:24

As I mentioned last week, I'm training for a 10 K race in June. I'm using one of Hal Higdon's plans for advanced runners. I want to run this in less than 45 min (7:15 pace). To accomplish this goal I have to incorporate speedwork into my training program. There are definitions for all the different types of runs I am supposed to follow on the training webpage above. However, I want to give a more general overview of different types of speedwork that I have been exposed to over the years.
These are a few main types of speedwork: intervals, fartleks, tempo runs, race pace runs, and even hill workouts. Some people may consider hill workout strictly a strength workout, not speedwork. But this is my blog, so I'm grouping it into speedwork.

Intervals and fartleks
These are all variations on a similar theme. You go fast, then slow, then fast, then slow, etc... In my mind, intervals (aka - repeats) are based on distance and fartleks are based on time.
In a typical interval workout, you'll have a set amount of a certain distance (ie - 4x400) and you'll go out to the track and run a fast 400, then walk or jog for about 200-400 m, run another fast 400 and so on until you've completed four fast 400s. Usually you are aiming to get these quarters done in a certain amount of time. I aim for 90 seconds. Some people go by there fastest mile pace. I'm not sure if I could run a 6 min mile right now, but after doing these repeats for a few weeks, I probably will be able to.
You'll probabaly only want to do one (maybe two) interval workout(s) a week and increase the amount of intervals weekly. So, in week one, you'll do 4x400, then week two you'll do 5x400, etc...
In a fartlek workout, you'll do basically the same thing as above, but using an amount of time as the goal, not a distance. If you're training for a 10K run, you might run at your 5K pace for 1 min then jog for 30 sec. You could then run at the fast pace for 2 min then jog for 30 s. Another variation to really make this be speedplay is to have a friend/coach hold a whistle and you just start running fast when they first blow the whistle then slow down upon their second whistle blow. This was one of my favorite workouts during high school cross country. Not knowing what was coming next really made it go by quickly for me.
For both of these types of workouts, you can do "ladders." This is where you gradually increase the distance/time at each interval, then gradually decrease it. And example of a ladder interval workout would be to run intervals of 200, 300, 400, 600, 800, 600, 400, 300, 200. You peak in the middle at the longest distance of 800 m. To make this workout more intense, don't increase your rest time as the intervals get longer.

CLIFFHANGER!!
In an effort to keep my blogs not too long, I'll write about tempo runs/race pace runs and hill workouts next week.

Training:
M: 3.75 mi (tempo), 30:59.12
T: 2.57 mi (easy), 21:34.03
W: Speedwork, 1 mi warmup, 6x400 (97 s, 95 s, 93 s, 92 s, 96 s, 90 s), 1 mi cooldown
My shins were really hurting my Wed morning, so I took Thurs off (I was supposed to run an easy 3 mi
F: 5 mi (2 mi at race pace), 39:58.21; I ran the fast 2 mi in 13:28.56. This is the fastest I have EVER run 2 mi! I was so excited that I beat my high school PR (13:42).
S: 3.46 mi (stroll through the neighborhood), 56:43.15

You crazy runner

“Why dost thou run so many miles about?” -Shakespeare, Richard III

One of my coworkers tried to tell me that everything that is fun is in some form bad. While the version we enjoy might not be wrong, it is derived from something wrong. So I asked him, how is running bad. He responded by saying, “that’s what I don’t get about you.”
Not many people “get” why we run. I think you have to enjoy running to understand why someone sacrifices hours on end to just run. Most of us don’t have a chance to win a major race. We can’t make any money from running, so why do we do it?
I run for many reasons. I first got the running bug in my 5th grade field day. This year they had a new race, the quarter mile. I thought I had a chance to win this because I could play forever in my backyard without getting tired. I practiced the day before the race by riding my bike up and down the big hill on our street. Apparently there was something in the air because I had a horrible asthma attack that afternoon. I went back home to take my medicine so I could breathe again and rested up for the next day. I didn’t win the race, but I did get second. I have been a runner ever since that day.
I loved being able to run that far and have people be so impressed that that “tiny little girl” could go so far. I love the feeling I get when I finish a long run and I love the look on people’s faces when I tell them I ran a marathon. “How far is that?” they’ll (stupidly) ask, “26.2 miles.” Then they’re speechless. They can’t imagine going that far. One of my friend’s calls me “Wonder Woman” because I can run that far without stopping.
Let’s face it, non-runners are impressed if you can run one mile without stopping.
I love that my sport is everyone else’s sport’s punishment. And I love the time I have to myself while I run. I can listen to music, I can listen to a podcast, or I can just listen to my own thoughts. It’s great seeing the world from a different perspective. Runners see things the drivers that zip by us never see.
I just love to run.

Training:
M: 2 mi, 14:54
W: Speedwork, 1 mi warmup, 4x400 (89 s, 91 s, 91 s, 89 s), 1 mi cooldown
F: 2 mi, 19:04 (ran this with my husband)
S: 15 K, 1:22:54 (I had a 5 K route planned out and ran three laps. This was a lot of fun because we were visiting my in-laws this weekend and I got to run with my sister & brother-in-law for the first lap, just my sister-in-law for the second lap, then my hubbie for the third lap.)

Aging gracefully

“Twenty-three is old. It's almost twenty-five, which is, like, almost mid-twenties.” -Jessica Simpson

So, Jessica, what does that make 24? Yes, this week I turned 24. I’m just a year away from the next age group and I’ll have to start competing against that really fast girl in my running club. I better enjoy this year while I can.
Everyone has birthdays, and as we get older, we tend to think about what we want to do with our lives. Not that I’m having a mid-life crisis or anything, but there are specific things I want to do before I kick the bucket. Even before that movie came out, I had a list of goals that I want to accomplish before leaving this world.
I’ve always been taught that it’s important to set goals, and it’s even more important to write them down (this could be to aid your memory as you get older so you don’t forget your goals). I think it’s also important to tell others your goals. Once you put a goal out there, you can’t take it back. Your friends and family that know about the goals can hold you accountable to these expectations.
Goals can be split into two categories, long term and short term. The time frame you choose to categorize goals is up to you. I think it’s relative to the total amount of time you are spending on that type of goal. A short term goal that has to do with your whole life could take as long as a year, whereas a short term goal for a semester long school course could be accomplished in a week. These are my short and long term goals for my running:
Short term (by the end of the year):
Run a 10K in June in under 45 m
Run a half marathon in November in under 1:45
Run all the local races held by my running club (that I am not already scheduled to be out of town for)
Long term:
Run all the major (& a few minor) marathons in Texas – 2 down
Qualify for Boston before I turn 30
Continue running well into my senior years

Training:
M: 5 mi, 48:56 - This was a run w/my hubby. He doesn't like running, so we did the Jeff Galloway run/walk method... we ran 9 min then walked 1 min. Around mile 3.5 we walked a little more. He did a very good job!
W: I skipped my 3 mi run to study for yet another test
F: 8 mi, 1:06:39
S: 6-8 mi, about 1h of hilly trail running with a new running buddy of mine. I like running with someone. It's a lot more fun that running by myself!

Low Fidelity

“Every day is a question of your commitment that running is not afraid to ask.” New Balance LOVE/hate commercial

This past week has been very busy and something had to give. Unfortunately, that something was running. Yes, I admit it, I cheated on running this week. But the good thing about our relationship is that running understands. Running always lets me come back and sometimes I’m better for taking the break.
I had a test on Saturday morning, so I didn’t run Friday because I was studying. The same reason is my excuse for missing my Monday run. I have found that when you miss a run and try to make up for it, you never catch up to where you should be. You’re stuck in a cycle of trying to catch back up with the run you missed. I think it’s easier to forgive yourself for missing the run and just start back where you should have been.
That sounds easy enough, right? So, why is it so hard to forgive yourself and move on? I have trouble with this because I am a perfectionist. If I miss a workout I feel like I messed up my training and lied to my friends who thought I might be running that day – basically that I cheated myself by cheating on running. Right now it’s not that big of a deal for me to miss a run because I’m still in my recovery mode after the marathon in February. I can afford to miss a run to study for a test.
Which leads me to my next point: prioritizing. There are some times where you have to miss a run because an emergency came up or a big project is due that you have to finish. You have to realize when it’s okay to postpone or cancel a run. Some examples include: the birth of your child, the TPS reports your boss gave you to be finished by Monday, helping your best friend move, or if an injury sidelines you. Whatever you think is more important than running really is.
If you’re consistently missing runs, it might be a time-management problem. Make sure you’re scheduling time to run and not procrastinating on other projects that you have to do. Wake up early to make sure you get your run in. This could help your mindset for the rest of the day. You could also write your runs in on your schedule. Whatever you have to do, make sure you’re getting out there to do what you love. But don’t ever let running keep you away from the ones you love.

Training:
M: I was studying for my test on Tuesday.
W: 5 mi, 38:40.04
F: 7 mi, 58:04.80
S: Speak Up for Kids CASA 5K (am), 24:08.37 (gun time: 24:12.7)
I got 28th overall, 6th for the women, and 1st in my age group

As promised: The Get-Strong 2006 plan

Intro to Running

“What kind of crazy nut would spend two or three hours a day just running?” -Pre (This is how Steve reacted in Junior High when he saw the High School Cross country team running)

The cool thing about running is that all it takes is a pair of running shoes and a road. It’s not hard to start running, but what do you do when you don’t understand what all the other runners are talking about? What do PR and BQ stand for? And what in the world is a fartlek? That sounds nasty.
Hopefully, this is informative enough to help a beginning running be more confident when talking to other runners about running.

PR – Personal Record
BQ – Boston Qualifying time
WR – World Record
10% rule - Don't increase your daily or weekly mileage by more than 10% of the previous amount
Bandit – A runner who did not register/pay for the race and should not be running the course. Their time and place will not count.
Chip time – As most big races they’ll give you a chip to put on your shoe. This is to start your race time when you cross the finish line, not when the race gun sounds. Sometimes it can take up to 10 min to get to the starting line.
Cotton – Not what you want to wear when on long runs. Wear moisture wicking material
Clock time – Your race time based on when the race gun sounds.
Fartlek – Swedish word for speed play; includes faster running mixed with slower running
Intervals/Repeats – A workout where a set distance is run repeatedly with a recovery jog between; (ex- 6 x 400 m with a 400 m jog between)
LSD – Not lysergic acid diethylamide or Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. It’s long, slow distance to improve endurance.
Glucosamine – A supplement to improve joint health.
Master – Runner over 40
Negative Splits – Running the second half of a race faster than the first.
Overpronation – The excessive inward roll of the foot before toe-off.
Pronation – The natural, inward roll of the foot; pronation begins when heel contacts the ground, the foot then rolls inward to absorb shock and transfer weight to the ball of the foot as it prepares to push off.
Supination/Underpronation – The lack of sufficient inward motion of the foot; highly cushioned, flexible shoes are recommended to absorb shock and allow the foot to pronate naturally
R.I.C.E. – Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. This is what you should do to help recover from minor injuries.
General rules to be a courteous runner:
At a road race (Especially at smaller races):
Listen to the announcer. Know the course. Don’t suddenly stop at the water station because another runner could run into you. As you’re coming into the chute, pull the tag off your bib number and hand it to the volunteer (unless your race is employing chip time).
Always remember: HAVE FUN!
Some info in this blog was taken from these sites:
http://www.howtobefit.com/glossary-of-running.htm
http://www.valleyforgestriders.com/training_corner/running_terminology.htm

Training:
M: 3 mi (on the treadmill), 25:10
W: 3 mi (on the dreadmill), 24:58
F: Studying for my test in Saturday morning
S: 5 mi after the test, 40:35

I've also started a new periodized weight program I found online (I'll try to find the website). I've completed the four weeks of core training and am now working on four weeks of total body strength. I'm pretty sore, but I'm looking forward to seeing how this helps with my overall running economy. I'll keep you posted.

Running from dogs

“Cujo knew he was too old to chase rabbits.” – Cujo, by Stephen King

Cynophobia is the fear of dogs. While my fear has greatly subsided since I was a small child, I am still afraid of dogs I don’t know and especially dogs that are bigger than me (I am fairly petite). Just hearing the bark of a dog through a fence is enough to make me run a little faster.
On some of my very long runs, I run by a house that usually has the dogs enclosed in a wire fence. I don’t mind running on the same side of the street as that house as long as I know the dogs can’t get out. On one of my 20 milers, I saw in the distance a silhouette of a dog on the street. I switched sides of the road, but as I got closer and closer to the house, Cujo started trotting my way and barking at me. I got away unscathed, but still scared that I would have to see the dog on my way back.
Around mile 13 on that run, I encountered another early riser walking 7-8 dogs... some unleashed. The unleashed ones just wanted to play, but I didn’t appreciate these unfamiliar dogs yipping at me and jumping on my legs as I tried to maintain my pace. Thankfully, I was got away quickly as the owner was able to somewhat control her dogs.
On my way back home, the traffic was a little heavier, so I was able to avoid any run in with the first dog again because he couldn’t cross the street.
I have many other stories about seeing dogs while I’m on my runs (including seeing dogs on the roof of their owner’s house and changing my route because a pit bull was on the loose), but the point of this is to hopefully help other runners avoid a bad run in with these canines.
As a runner, the dog instantly sees you as prey. In Runner’s World, Karen Peak says if you’re being chased by a dog to slow down, turn around and walk in the opposite direction of the dog, be boring, and definitely report it. If there is a dog loose, the animal control needs to know about it so no one else has to encounter the animal.
If the dog does attack, drop to the ground and get in the fetal position. Make sure to cover your head and neck and yell like crazy. You want someone to hear you so they may be able to ward off the dog.
If possible, I suggest climbing a tree to get away from the beast. While the dog is nipping at your dangling ankles, you can call for help (if you carry your cell with you) or make enough noise for the neighborhood to think there’s a domestic disturbance and then they’ll see it’s just you.

Training:
M: 5 mi, 40:39
Th: 3 mi, 25:25
F: 5 mi, 45:53
S: 35 min on a cardio machine(s); I think I have shin splints. Since I'm still the in recovery phase of my periodization I'm going to be conservative with any injuries that might occur.

My bro’s first 26.2

“Your first marathon teaches you to respect the training” -my husband

This year I was ready! I stuck to my training and even got faster. I suffered through a bout of sesamoiditis (self diagnosed) for about 4 weeks, but I had still gotten in my cardio on different machines at the gym. I was ready this year! But I had a running partner. This was his first marathon. Had he stuck to the runs like I had?
We live in different cities, so we didn’t get to train together. But we did have one good run over Christmas – a 15 miler that we finished in 2:13:09. That’s faster than 9 min/mi pace. And he felt a lot better than I did on that run. I was very excited after that run. We learned that we could run together and push each other. So after Christmas, we went back home to finish the training and meet up in February for the race.
Race day was finally here! I had run my 20 miler in 3:07:03 (with three run-ins with dogs and rolling my ankle around mile 8). I was pretty confident that my brother and I could meet our goal of a sub 4h marathon. We got in the 3:50 pace group early Sunday morning and with the boom of the canon and shots of fireworks, we were off!
Up and down many hills. We didn’t stop for water until around mile 4. At this point we were far ahead of the pace group. We felt awesome. We were joking the whole way. If we got separated I would yell “Marco” and he would respond “Polo” so we could meet back up. We were not finishing this thing separated. We were not running this thing separated. We were a team!
Up and down more hills. Mile 10 (1:25:41), we met several people on our run as we were joking with each other. A man from Vegas listened to us pick on each other for a while. He had run many marathons before this one.
Up and down some more hills. Bro & I bonded as I confessed a little secret to him that will not be mentioned in this blog.
Up and down even more hills. I was surprised at his response when around mile 15 (2:09:32) I asked how he was doing. “Not too good.” I needed to use the port-a-potty, so I ran ahead as he walked to the johns. Déjà vu. Walking doesn’t seem to help. It seems to make all the pain increase to almost unbearable levels. And, in my brother’s case, it made his leg cramps worsen.
We walked/jogged the rest of the race. Our roles seemed reversed this time. Last year he rode his bike and encouraged me to finish, and this time I pushed him to run a little farther. “Let’s get to that stop sign, then we can walk,” I would say. I have to admit, there were times that I hoped he would ask to stop, but I couldn’t let him see that. I needed to be strong for him.
We stopped twice to try to stretch out his hamstrings. It helped a little, but he couldn’t run the rest of the way. If only there was an inhaler for leg cramps! As we turned down the home stretch, we ran to the finish line. My brother held out his hand and we raised our arms to the heavens. The crowd cheered a little louder for us. We did it! We finished together! We hugged after we crossed the finish line & held our own little medal ceremony as I put his around his neck, and he did the same for me. We didn’t finish in under 4 hours; we both did set PR’s though: 4:41:13.
After we were corralled out of the finisher’s area, we hurriedly made our way back to the hotel because it was check-out time.

Training:
M: 4 mi, 33:32
W: 5 mi, 39:34
F: I was a little lazy
S: am (the scheduled run) 5 mi, 42:28; pm (to make up for Fri) 4 mi, 35:54