As promised, here is my post about what I hope to accomplish this year in running.
As one of my selected personal themes for this coming year is COMPLETION, there are a few things I hope to complete, including:
1. Run my first marathon! I don't know exactly when this will happen, but there are some plans in the works that might make this dream a reality. I have always wanted to do this, and after running very consistently for almost a whole year now, I think this is my year.
2. Improve my speed. I'm not very fast over the short haul, so I'd like to train myself for a little bit of speed.
3. Officially break my 5K PR. This is tied to #2, I guess, Speed and endurance.
4. Keep running all year. No peetering out!!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, December 30, 2010
I Never Update Any More...Sorry
Does anyone still read this blog? Maybe if I ever updated, they would...
Much has happened in my running life since moving to Denmark. I guess I kind of saw running as an outlet from all the stresses that were hitting me at once and ended up concentrating pretty heavily on it. I worked for a long time on being able to run 4 and then 5 times a week. I also worked on upping mileage, topping out one week at about 35 miles. I still hope to get to around 40 miles a week and hold it there before I decide what to do next.
I've been working on speed as well. I do more tempo runs now (generally at around 7:10 pace or slightly slower, maybe more like 7:20) and some faster miles (at around 6:20 pace.) My easy runs are now at around 8:15 pace. It's crazy that that would have seemed so fast earlier this year but that now it is totally easy.
My long runs have hovered at about 10 miles, mostly because I haven't worked on eating while on the run. This week, however, I did a 12.5 mile run, so maybe I can work on lengthening the...length...of my long runs.
Running in Denmark is fabulous. There are so many runners here. It is nothing like it was when I lived in France and everyone looked at me strangely whenever I went out running. Here, everyone runs, and I feel like a Dane most when I'm running! Most often, my runs take me either through a swampy marsh, through a beautiful desiduous and conifer forest or up the Ringgade, a street that runs around the center of town.
As it is almost the new year, I am looking forward to what I hope to accomplish in running this coming year. Hopefully I'll post about that soon. In the meantime, here are some 2010 running accomplishments to look back on...
1. Building up mileage from 10 to 35 miles a week.
2. Extending long runs from 4 to 12 miles each.
3. What a "fast/hard" run feels like: from 9:00 pace to 6:20 pace
4. What an "easy" run feels like: from 12:00 pace to 8:12 pace
5. Coming in 3rd at a local 5K
6. Adding running days from 3 to 5 days a week.
7. Adding tempo sessions
2011 goals to come soon....
Much has happened in my running life since moving to Denmark. I guess I kind of saw running as an outlet from all the stresses that were hitting me at once and ended up concentrating pretty heavily on it. I worked for a long time on being able to run 4 and then 5 times a week. I also worked on upping mileage, topping out one week at about 35 miles. I still hope to get to around 40 miles a week and hold it there before I decide what to do next.
I've been working on speed as well. I do more tempo runs now (generally at around 7:10 pace or slightly slower, maybe more like 7:20) and some faster miles (at around 6:20 pace.) My easy runs are now at around 8:15 pace. It's crazy that that would have seemed so fast earlier this year but that now it is totally easy.
My long runs have hovered at about 10 miles, mostly because I haven't worked on eating while on the run. This week, however, I did a 12.5 mile run, so maybe I can work on lengthening the...length...of my long runs.
Running in Denmark is fabulous. There are so many runners here. It is nothing like it was when I lived in France and everyone looked at me strangely whenever I went out running. Here, everyone runs, and I feel like a Dane most when I'm running! Most often, my runs take me either through a swampy marsh, through a beautiful desiduous and conifer forest or up the Ringgade, a street that runs around the center of town.
As it is almost the new year, I am looking forward to what I hope to accomplish in running this coming year. Hopefully I'll post about that soon. In the meantime, here are some 2010 running accomplishments to look back on...
1. Building up mileage from 10 to 35 miles a week.
2. Extending long runs from 4 to 12 miles each.
3. What a "fast/hard" run feels like: from 9:00 pace to 6:20 pace
4. What an "easy" run feels like: from 12:00 pace to 8:12 pace
5. Coming in 3rd at a local 5K
6. Adding running days from 3 to 5 days a week.
7. Adding tempo sessions
2011 goals to come soon....
Thursday, October 14, 2010
What to do next?
I'm stuck in a kind of running funk: I don't know what I should train for/work on next. Speedwork? For what? Another 5K? Should I train for a 5K? Or should I start working now on my sometime goal of running a marathon? But which one?
Also:
How many miles can my legs take a week?
Also:
Did I destroy them by running the 5K and then running (eventually) 4 times the following week?
So many questions...
Also:
How many miles can my legs take a week?
Also:
Did I destroy them by running the 5K and then running (eventually) 4 times the following week?
So many questions...
Lyseroed Loerdag Kvindeloeb 5K
I know I haven't blogged about running in a long time, but here are some pictures from the last race I did - my first here in Aarhus. I came in third and ran a 24:04. Not what I was hoping for, but okay given the hills!
You can even see Richard and Christian in the background of this one!
You can even see Richard and Christian in the background of this one!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Shin Secrets
I have figured out the Secret of my Shins and it's as simple as two words:
WARM UP.
It used to be 3 miles that I had to run to warm up at about 10 min/mi pace. Then it dropped to 2. Now it's 2 at 9:30 min/mi pace. This gives me hope that the time I need to warm up will decrease as my legs get stronger. Since I started warming up I have:
1. been able to start doing speedwork again. YIPPEEEEEE! I did a 7:00 min/mi mile this morning as part of my workout. Fun!
2. not done too many long runs. Two miles is a long time to warm up.
3. had considerably slower average pace times over the course of the whole run. Sometimes I cut out the first two miles from my run, so that I can see a faster average pace for the run, but that comes at the expense of cutting out two perfectly good miles! Those miles weren't free, you know! SOMEONE had to run them, and they aren't happy when they don't get counted.
4. been considerably less motivated to run. Weird, huh? All I do when my shins hurt is complain I can't run, and once I realize how to make them not hurt, I lose all motivation. Or maybe it's the heat. Anyway.
Still, I am happy to have discovered this.
The End.
WARM UP.
It used to be 3 miles that I had to run to warm up at about 10 min/mi pace. Then it dropped to 2. Now it's 2 at 9:30 min/mi pace. This gives me hope that the time I need to warm up will decrease as my legs get stronger. Since I started warming up I have:
1. been able to start doing speedwork again. YIPPEEEEEE! I did a 7:00 min/mi mile this morning as part of my workout. Fun!
2. not done too many long runs. Two miles is a long time to warm up.
3. had considerably slower average pace times over the course of the whole run. Sometimes I cut out the first two miles from my run, so that I can see a faster average pace for the run, but that comes at the expense of cutting out two perfectly good miles! Those miles weren't free, you know! SOMEONE had to run them, and they aren't happy when they don't get counted.
4. been considerably less motivated to run. Weird, huh? All I do when my shins hurt is complain I can't run, and once I realize how to make them not hurt, I lose all motivation. Or maybe it's the heat. Anyway.
Still, I am happy to have discovered this.
The End.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Hot run
This morning I got out for a run at the only time of day I knew I was going to be able to get out: in the morning. Unfortunately, it was already quite warm. I was intimidated by the thought of running in the already 80 degree heat (and under the sun, to boot) but I decided to go for it, since I didn't want to skip my normal running day.
I survived. But it was hot. I took the first 2 miles at about 10 min/mi pace, and my shins felt great. I was really glad about that, since I have been having major frustration on and off with them the last few weeks since my foray into the FIRST training program. The heat helped me to slow down enough that my legs were comfortable and yet still made me feel like I was getting a hard workout in. After a couple of miles I sped up and averaged about 9 min/mi on the entire 6 mile run. Needless to say, I was very ready to be done once I got home and felt quite hot, maybe even dehydrated somewhat, since I drank about 26 oz and didn't need to pee for about 3 hours after!
I think I'm going to start doing a little more hot weather running, first for the benefits of getting acclimated to running in the heat, and secondly to get a hard workout in without destroying my legs.
My sights for the future? Continue to log miles to strengthen the legs, and continue the hill sprints more diligently. Eventually begin integrating speed work and tempo runs back in to my training. They are so rewarding, if somewhat daunting when you're doing them (or contemplating doing them) and so beneficial.
I survived. But it was hot. I took the first 2 miles at about 10 min/mi pace, and my shins felt great. I was really glad about that, since I have been having major frustration on and off with them the last few weeks since my foray into the FIRST training program. The heat helped me to slow down enough that my legs were comfortable and yet still made me feel like I was getting a hard workout in. After a couple of miles I sped up and averaged about 9 min/mi on the entire 6 mile run. Needless to say, I was very ready to be done once I got home and felt quite hot, maybe even dehydrated somewhat, since I drank about 26 oz and didn't need to pee for about 3 hours after!
I think I'm going to start doing a little more hot weather running, first for the benefits of getting acclimated to running in the heat, and secondly to get a hard workout in without destroying my legs.
My sights for the future? Continue to log miles to strengthen the legs, and continue the hill sprints more diligently. Eventually begin integrating speed work and tempo runs back in to my training. They are so rewarding, if somewhat daunting when you're doing them (or contemplating doing them) and so beneficial.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Shins
It's very frustrating to be limited by mechanical factors.
I just completed one week of the 10k FIRST 3plus2 training program. It has been hard but quite empowering. I never knew that I could run such hard workouts. I feel like I am already seeing payoff from this training program.
But....my shins are not quite as happy as my cariovascular system. During my "long" run (6 mi) today, they started hurting quite badly after 2 miles. They kept it up until mile four, costing me a quite slow (9:50min/mi) fourth mile. I was supposed to run 6 miles at 8:18 min/mi pace, and ended up with 8:27 min/mi overall after fairly fast fifth and sixth miles:
First 3 miles in 8:15 min/mi
mile 4 in 9:50 min/mi (34:36)
mile 5 in 7:43 min/mi (42:53)
mile 6 in 7:59 min/mi (50:44)
My shins stopped hurting completed after mile 4, allowing me to run them quite a bit faster. I hate to pull back when I can see that this training program could be great, but I don't want to destroy my body. I'm going to ease up this coming week and just do some easy miles and cross train. Next week I'll do one hard work out and keep doing that for a while until I can up it to two. Right now three hard workouts, while satisfying, are just too much for my legs right now. Boo.
I have also noticed that running faster paces makes my lower back hurt (I think it's sciatica.) Richard says that situps can help with that. We'll see.
So week 1 of this training program involved the following 3 workouts:
1: Track repeats: 8 X 400m with 400m recovery jogs between. Intervals run at 6:52 min/mi pace.
2. Tempo run: 1 mile warm up, 3 miles at 7:48 min/mi pace, 1 mile cool down
3. Long run: 6 miles at 8:18 min/mi. (Actually done at 8:27min/mi overall)
Hard but awesome. Too bad my body doesn't agree.
I just completed one week of the 10k FIRST 3plus2 training program. It has been hard but quite empowering. I never knew that I could run such hard workouts. I feel like I am already seeing payoff from this training program.
But....my shins are not quite as happy as my cariovascular system. During my "long" run (6 mi) today, they started hurting quite badly after 2 miles. They kept it up until mile four, costing me a quite slow (9:50min/mi) fourth mile. I was supposed to run 6 miles at 8:18 min/mi pace, and ended up with 8:27 min/mi overall after fairly fast fifth and sixth miles:
First 3 miles in 8:15 min/mi
mile 4 in 9:50 min/mi (34:36)
mile 5 in 7:43 min/mi (42:53)
mile 6 in 7:59 min/mi (50:44)
My shins stopped hurting completed after mile 4, allowing me to run them quite a bit faster. I hate to pull back when I can see that this training program could be great, but I don't want to destroy my body. I'm going to ease up this coming week and just do some easy miles and cross train. Next week I'll do one hard work out and keep doing that for a while until I can up it to two. Right now three hard workouts, while satisfying, are just too much for my legs right now. Boo.
I have also noticed that running faster paces makes my lower back hurt (I think it's sciatica.) Richard says that situps can help with that. We'll see.
So week 1 of this training program involved the following 3 workouts:
1: Track repeats: 8 X 400m with 400m recovery jogs between. Intervals run at 6:52 min/mi pace.
2. Tempo run: 1 mile warm up, 3 miles at 7:48 min/mi pace, 1 mile cool down
3. Long run: 6 miles at 8:18 min/mi. (Actually done at 8:27min/mi overall)
Hard but awesome. Too bad my body doesn't agree.
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