Phase 2 of Illinois training is a shorty in comparison to P1 but it packs a lasting punch. While overall mileage has backed down, quality ramps up in the form of intervals. I sure do love me some intervals! Unfortunately I really love them done on the track but I've only been able to log 1 of the 3 workouts thus far there; dang snow! Somehow logging time at the track makes me feel more legit as a runner, maybe it's the formality of the work vs. when I'm just out running anywhere and for any desired period of time/# of miles. Maybe it's just a preference or in my own head. Imagining Lagat and myself doing the same kind of work albeit at vastly differing paces. Whatever it is, I definitely feel more badass getting a great set of intervals done, painful or not. So here's to clear weather this week or even just a window of about 40 minutes to let me strut my stuff in the form of 1000 and 800 repeats.
Anyone else a big fan of intervals? Or are tempo runs more your thing? Cruise intervals? ....oooo those are mega-fun too!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
You take the good, you take the bad
...you take them both and there you have
The Facts of Running, the Facts of Running.
Or something like that.
No matter how much we love running, there are days when it's just not going our way. We're tired or our mojo has left us or we're ill prepared or rushed, etc. etc. Any number of things can combine to produce a notsopleasant running experience. The important lesson is not to panic and not to get down. Bad runs happen to good people. My last week felt a little derailed after starting off so optimistically. The downside is I had a couple lousy feeling runs, one where I felt I was working way too hard for the effort and another that I desperately wanted to end from just about the start. The upside, I've been here before. I know not to dwell and in fact, in this case, I know where I went astray. These aren't new concepts but I need to get them down to remind myself once again:
- never underestimate good nutrition!
- plan for the unexpected and allow yourself to remain flexible in your training
- don't set off on a LR with negative thoughts
- make time for the things that make your running happen, i.e. yoga
And so the new week has begun and I'm one recovery run & one session at the studio in and it feels like I'm sporting a new exterior to match my improved interior.
"What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now." - Buddha
The Facts of Running, the Facts of Running.
Or something like that.
No matter how much we love running, there are days when it's just not going our way. We're tired or our mojo has left us or we're ill prepared or rushed, etc. etc. Any number of things can combine to produce a notsopleasant running experience. The important lesson is not to panic and not to get down. Bad runs happen to good people. My last week felt a little derailed after starting off so optimistically. The downside is I had a couple lousy feeling runs, one where I felt I was working way too hard for the effort and another that I desperately wanted to end from just about the start. The upside, I've been here before. I know not to dwell and in fact, in this case, I know where I went astray. These aren't new concepts but I need to get them down to remind myself once again:
- never underestimate good nutrition!
- plan for the unexpected and allow yourself to remain flexible in your training
- don't set off on a LR with negative thoughts
- make time for the things that make your running happen, i.e. yoga
And so the new week has begun and I'm one recovery run & one session at the studio in and it feels like I'm sporting a new exterior to match my improved interior.
"What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now." - Buddha
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The movie, my masterpiece!
Back in the fall when I was preparing for CIM, I couldn't help but feel my movie was incomplete. The partial production was enough to get me reevaluating a fall marathon and coming up with a new plan of attack. So far the new attack is right on track and providing me a tremendous number of scenes. Coach Lloyd has been phenomenal in getting me to run slower, more mileage and more consistently but most importantly, to regain my love and passion for running. And it's shown in hard data results...
3/11/07
10/28/07
These dates were the last times I PR'ed in the distances of 4M, 15K and 5M, respectively. And now, in the span of about 70 days, all 3 PRs have been replaced. Two without much focus and the last one quite intentionally.
5 miles - new PR, 37:47 (7:34/mi) on 11/26
15K - new PR, 1:14:46 (8:02/mi) on 12/19
4 miles - new PR, 29:01 (7:15/mi) on 2/7
Through accumulated miles on accumulated runs I've also had vivid visuals about two of my upcoming races. Firstly, the NYC HM (3/21) - I feel especially in tune with this course b/c both portions of it I run very regularly. There's a loop + in Central Park and then after weaving through Times Square a straight shot down the West Side Highway. Both segments are my bread and butter, my buddies, I know them better than they know themselves. And so these scenes play out regularly, visions of myself feeling relaxed, climbing the hills and riding the down portions while in the park, having myself ready to attack in the second half of the race when we cruise towards the downtown finish line. Sometimes the visions are so real I feel like the race has already occurred. Similarly, scenes from Illinois have appeared to me. They aren't quite as complete as the others and although I don't know the course like I do the other, these scenes mostly feature those same even-effort, relaxed and strong feelings but along with Lora & Cindi. I clearly feel myself running with them, sometimes we're right next to one another and other times we're not but we're there, we're executing and it feels right.
For all of the times I've tried meditation and visualization techniques, the thought of a movie is working much more effectively than any other. Cannot wait for post-production!
Monday, February 8, 2010
A fundamental shift
Dillon located himself a new favorite perch / hiding spot in the apartment. After nearly 6 years of being in the same apartment with pretty much the same furnishings, imagine Jason and my surprise when we could not find him anywhere in our less-than-700 sq feet of space.
Under the bed? Nope.
Curled up on a bar stool? Nope.
Napping in the closet? Nope.
Taking refuge in the shower? Nope.
Seriously, where did he go?
Of course, in the sneakiest of all places. He's got an excellent vantage point of all rooms in the apartment and yet he remains cloaked, ready to pounce when his inner-kitten is ready for some fun. Yep, he's on top of the benches underneath the table - his black hair provides further cover. Guard your lower shins, when he hops out he's ready to rumble!
Under the bed? Nope.
Curled up on a bar stool? Nope.
Napping in the closet? Nope.
Taking refuge in the shower? Nope.
Seriously, where did he go?
Of course, in the sneakiest of all places. He's got an excellent vantage point of all rooms in the apartment and yet he remains cloaked, ready to pounce when his inner-kitten is ready for some fun. Yep, he's on top of the benches underneath the table - his black hair provides further cover. Guard your lower shins, when he hops out he's ready to rumble!
Monday, February 1, 2010
And it happened and there was much rejoicing
In the past week...
- I was finally given the chance to flex my overwhelming desire to make home improvements. This is significant because as you all know I don't own a home, despite the sick amount of time I spend watching HGTV :-) Spackled, primed and painted at Matt & Kelly's new place in CT this weekend. Also spent a good amount of time helping move, dismantle and setup furniture including the sweetest of chandeliers for lovely Lyla's new pink room.
- I may have (jury is still out) prepared a black bean burger so tasty that one of America's biggest meat eaters actually enjoyed it. I should note there were also tater tots, that helps.
- I entered the yoga studio feeling a bit shutdown and feeling like I was maybe catching/fighting a cold only to experience one of my strongest and most open feeling classes ever. The emotional tap opened, in itself, was almost overwhelming.
- I laid down my biggest mileage week ever, 70.6 miles. I've hit 70 once before and only once. I intend to make this new level a habit. That week also contributed to an all-time monthly mileage number, 280. 30 miles bigger than my biggest month ever.
- I was inspired by my own post (geez, how self-serving can I possibly get!) but more importantly by the comments left here to do something more to spread smiles. Looking into new volunteering opportunities.
- And last but not least, I tried out my first Holy Cream. Observe.
- I was finally given the chance to flex my overwhelming desire to make home improvements. This is significant because as you all know I don't own a home, despite the sick amount of time I spend watching HGTV :-) Spackled, primed and painted at Matt & Kelly's new place in CT this weekend. Also spent a good amount of time helping move, dismantle and setup furniture including the sweetest of chandeliers for lovely Lyla's new pink room.
- I may have (jury is still out) prepared a black bean burger so tasty that one of America's biggest meat eaters actually enjoyed it. I should note there were also tater tots, that helps.
- I entered the yoga studio feeling a bit shutdown and feeling like I was maybe catching/fighting a cold only to experience one of my strongest and most open feeling classes ever. The emotional tap opened, in itself, was almost overwhelming.
- I laid down my biggest mileage week ever, 70.6 miles. I've hit 70 once before and only once. I intend to make this new level a habit. That week also contributed to an all-time monthly mileage number, 280. 30 miles bigger than my biggest month ever.
- I was inspired by my own post (geez, how self-serving can I possibly get!) but more importantly by the comments left here to do something more to spread smiles. Looking into new volunteering opportunities.
- And last but not least, I tried out my first Holy Cream. Observe.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Seeping Smiles
I like to smile, it makes me feel good and I like to think it makes others feel good. I feel a smile gives everyone that sees it license to enjoy the moment just a little more, and it becomes a contagious action that one is eager to repeat.
Yesterday I passed by a little boy pushing his own stroller. His height did not exceed that of the stroller which made it all the funnier seeing this seeming ghost stroller whipping my way. He was all over the place, the stroller moving wildly across the sidewalk as his mom watched him carefully. The whole scene warmed my heart and I couldn't help but exchange smiles with his mom, she surely appreciated his genius as well.
This morning while running in the park I passed 3 small dogs who had just been let off their leashes and immediately lunged atop a nearby stone wall. The scene is hard to describe but there were large barren prickly bushes on the other side of the wall spilling over, obviously unbeknownst to the dogs now lunging towards them. The first dog of the pack lucky enough to experience the small prick of that bush and jump back down almost to warn his buddies is what found me smiling once again. It was like I could picture him talking begging them to heed his warning.
And from that scene another smile grew immediately. It was a transfer of thoughts from this small pack of dogs to another [much missed] dog, Sage's Sky. Just as Sage had reported from her run yesterday, I smiled while envisioning Sky out on a run with Joe. I saw them leaping over those barren prickly bushes, getting a bit scraped up and maybe suffering a small tear in the BSOD (blue shorts of death for those of you not aware) but not slowing them down in the least bit.
Now go on, spread a smile!
Yesterday I passed by a little boy pushing his own stroller. His height did not exceed that of the stroller which made it all the funnier seeing this seeming ghost stroller whipping my way. He was all over the place, the stroller moving wildly across the sidewalk as his mom watched him carefully. The whole scene warmed my heart and I couldn't help but exchange smiles with his mom, she surely appreciated his genius as well.
This morning while running in the park I passed 3 small dogs who had just been let off their leashes and immediately lunged atop a nearby stone wall. The scene is hard to describe but there were large barren prickly bushes on the other side of the wall spilling over, obviously unbeknownst to the dogs now lunging towards them. The first dog of the pack lucky enough to experience the small prick of that bush and jump back down almost to warn his buddies is what found me smiling once again. It was like I could picture him talking begging them to heed his warning.
And from that scene another smile grew immediately. It was a transfer of thoughts from this small pack of dogs to another [much missed] dog, Sage's Sky. Just as Sage had reported from her run yesterday, I smiled while envisioning Sky out on a run with Joe. I saw them leaping over those barren prickly bushes, getting a bit scraped up and maybe suffering a small tear in the BSOD (blue shorts of death for those of you not aware) but not slowing them down in the least bit.
Now go on, spread a smile!
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