Just a quick post to say that I'm officially training for the Geneva Marathon! Super excited! I've done one week of "official" training which totalled out at about 37 miles. I'm doing a Runner's World program that the SmartCoach spit out. I realize that because it's an automated program, it may not be optimal in many ways, so I'm willing to tailor it as needed. However, it does seem fairly reasonable, having me run only 4 days a week (I generally have been running 5) and topping out at just under 50 miles a week. According to this plan, I should be able to run a sub 3:30 marathon come race day. Optimistic? Almost certainly. But something to shoot for, I guess.
Week one of said program has been good. I did two 10 milers, an 8 miler and a 9 miler. All but 5 miles of the 8 miler were at a slowish pace (9 min/mi) which has made me feel my left knee a bit. The "tempo" run I did on Friday had me running 5 miles at 7:52 pace. I've discovered I'm pretty good at estimating how fast I'm running, because without the Garmin, I ran almost exactly that. It felt faster than what I've been doing (as I've been doing quite a few "easy" runs recently) but not really all that fast. I have "speedwork" coming up this week and I hope I really get to stretch my legs out a bit.
Did I mention I'm EXCITED!? It's been a lifelong dream to run a marathon. And it appears that this is my year!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Goals for 2011
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!!
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!!
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.
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