Running Around

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Dina

I hope everyone had a happy and healthy holiday season! Mine was very low-key but full of fun.

J and I spent a lot of time admiring the lights at Disney which makes even Cinderella’s Castle prettier. (That night was so cold and I actually was able to wear my winter coat. Yes, it does get cold in Central Florida.)

I decided to run Gasparilla again. It was the most fun race I ran last year and I needed to put something on my schedule to keep my motivation up.

My training is going well but strength training has fallen to the wayside. I find that it is easy to stick to either a lifting schedule or a running schedule but putting them together something gives. The Smart Coach plan from Runner’s World has runs five days a week and I have little motivation to go to the gym on my one off day. The solution is probably to lift in the morning before work and run after. I just cannot seem to get up any earlier to actually make it to the gym. So that is something to work on in 2013.

The following are Weeks One through Three of this current cycle of half marathon training. I like that Smart Coach has pace ranges for each run based on your most current race time. Sticking to those paces has helped me feel like I am getting faster. My A goal for Gasparilla is 2:14.

Do you have a race on the schedule?

Half Marathon Training Week Two

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Dina

If you would like to follow my other weeks of training, they can be found on my Workouts page. I break my half marathon training down by week to make it easier to follow.

This week really ramped it up! I did most of my runs on the treadmill at the gym because it has rained nearly everyday after work and the heat is still pretty killer. I am finally watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer on Netflix. Not sure why I missed this show when it originally aired because I am in the target demographic for it (female and was in High School when it originally aired.)

As I mentioned in my first post, I am following this plan by Nike Coach Magness. It is a plan designed to get you a PR. After running two Half Marathons last year and spending the summer experimenting with speeding up, I am ready to concentrate more on time rather than just finishing.

So how did I do versus the plan?

Total Plan Miles: 36

Total Actual Miles: 29.82

Strength Training: 1

Cross Training: 0

I did pretty well based on the plan minus the missed long run. I planned on running six miles after my 5K on Saturday but decided against it. This early in my training, missing one long run is not much of an issue.

Things I learned:

It can take some time to get back into higher mileage
I need to spend more time stretching
Running on a treadmill can be kind of a drag but watching TV on your phone makes it much better

Next week I would like to concentrate on getting my long run done and doing more strength training.

Half Marathon Training Week One

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Dina

As summer comes to a close (most places but obviously not in Florida) runners all over the country start upping their mileage in preperation for a fall marathon or half marathon. I am trying a new half marathon trainng plan this year which is from Nike Running written by Coach Magness. The plan is geared towards those looking to PR in their upcoming half marathon.

This week is all about base building and I every run was done at a conversational pace. Most of the runs were done on the treadmill because of the intense heat. The exceptions are Friday and Saturday. Friday I intended on running at the gym but couldn’t when I opened my gym bag and realized that I had everything I needed except my running shoes. Not sure why I did not realize that my bag was very light. Saturday was fairly miserable in the last two miles. I wanted to quit and call it every two minutes but forced myself to continue.

Plan Mileage: 22 Miles

Actual Mileage: 21.2 Miles

Strength Training: Two days of full body strength training from the New Rules Of Lifting For Women. (I have four more workouts left in Stage One and cannot wait to move onto some new exercises.)

Cross Training: 0

As I start to get back into longer running, I am starting to think about what to eat before and after runs. I like to keep it quick and simple after my runs because I am typically hungry and ready to jump right into the shower.

I was recently contacted by The Hershey Company and they sent me information about the benefits of chocolate milk as a recovery drink. This is not news to me. I am not a huge milk drinker but can force myself to drink anything with chocolate in it. Besides deliciousness, chocolate milk has lots of benefits.

· Carbohydrates to help refuel muscles

· Protein to help rebuild and restore muscle protein

· Fluid and electrolytes to rehydrate and replenish what is lost in sweat

· Vitamins and minerals to help build and maintain strong bones

So quick and easy to have 8 oz. low-fat (1%) milk + 2 Tbsp. HERSHEY’S® Lite Syrup with 50% less sugar and only 150 calories per serving. Quick and tasty recovery drink that’s good for you.

Are you training for anything?

What’s your favorite recovery drink?

I was contacted by The Hershey Company to share the benefits of chocolate milk. I was not compensated and all opinions are my own.

Quest For A Sub-30 Minute 5K Race Number Four

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Dina

The last race in my summer’s quest for sub-30 Minute 5K, is done. I really enjoyed the series put on by the Lakeland Runners Club. The races were well-organized and the volunteers were excellent. To read about the other races in this series, please see Race One, Race Two, and Race Three.

Running all four races, I earned this snazzy t-shirt.

$30 for four 5K’s and a t-shirt, this series is such a good value.

The race took place around Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland, Florida. I really need to make an effort to run there more often because it is a beautiful area. The path around the lake has views of gorgeous homes, Florida Southern College (with their many Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings), and tons of birds. It is worth the drive to Lakeland if you are looking for a place to run in Central Florida.

The weather was clear but as humid as every August day is in Florida. This race I actually remembered to bring my sunglasses, so I could see when the sun was coming up. No major issues but I did have some slight cramping again. I am starting to think the cramping is caused by the humidity. My pace felt comfortable, so it was not that I was running too fast.

Splits:

I am pleased with how even they are. They need to be a little bit faster for a sub-30 but I am getting there.

My strong finish and Garmin adjustment. (I like how this picture makes me look like I’m flying.)

Clock Time: 32:39

Chip Time: 32:18

This was the final race of the series and I was not able to run a sub-30 minute 5K. Even though I did not make my goal, I learned a lot training for a shorter distance. I did more speed training and tempo running than I ever have before.This has led to an increase in speed. Being a fairly new runner, learning how I feel and react to different types of training helps me learn what works best for me. Seeing the results of these training runs lets me know that I can get faster and my running can improve. I just have to put the work in.

This summer I was able to bring my 5K PR from 35:24 to 31:21. It is not a sub-30 but I’ll take it.

Quest For A Sub-30 Minute 5K Number Three

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Dina

I can’t believe I already ran the third race of the four race Watermelon 5K series by the Lakeland Runners Club. It seems like it was months ago that I started training for a sub-30 minute 5K. (Links to the Lakeland Runners Club Watermelon 5K Race One and Two if you are interested.)

This race, like the others in the series, took place at Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland. It is a beautiful place to run and if you are in Central Florida, I highly recommend making a stop.

The packet pick-up and parking went very smoothly. I am really getting the hang of navigating the area which may be a benefit from racing a series. (This race I even remembered the street I parked on and did not need to wander around searching for my car.)

The weather was more pleasant than race number two, which was rainy and humid. It was still pretty hot but typical for Central Florida summer weather. Almost all of my recent training has been running on a treadmill at the gym, I know that not being acclimated to running in the heat and humidity is hampering my performance. I do not know how much of an effect it has but I know running feels harder than it did last summer. I will freely admit to being a huge baby and preferring to run in the a/c. Until I start base building for my fall half, most of my runs will continue to be inside.

The race started smoothly, I felt rested and had plenty of time to warm-up. Everything was fine until just over the two-mile mark where I got another monster cramp (ala race number one.) I do not know why this keeps happening, if it is my pace is too fast or the humidity is making it more difficult to breathe? I was forced to take a few walk breaks and I knew a sub-30 was out of my reach.

The splits are not completely awful, if each mile was a little bit faster I could have come much closer to my goal.

Clock Time: 33:04

Chip Time: 32:46

The first race had a clock time of 31:21 and race number two of 33:01. At least this race my time is going in the right direction.

I do kind of love the finish line photo courtesy of the Lakeland Runners Club.

So with one race left I have still not made my goal of a sub-30 minute 5K but the races have kept me running despite the sweltering summer heat.

Avoiding The Sun

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Dina

It is getting to the time of year again, when it is so blistering hot that breathing while walking briskly can be difficult. There are lots of great reasons to live in Florida, the theme parks and the beaches, but the humidity and sweltering heat for the majority of the year are not one of them.

There are two ways to survive running in the Florida summer (and by summer I mean from April to October.)

1. Join a gym or have access to a treadmill that is in air-conditioning.

2. Run early enough to beat the heat.

I really want to wake-up and run first thing in the morning but a few obstacles have always stopped me. For my last job, I had a very long commute (34 miles each way) and I already woke up at 5:15 everyday. I did not think it was possible to wake up any earlier plus running alone in the dark scares me. I live in a fairly rural area and there are wild animals in my neighborhood. (I actually spotted a fox fighting a cat one time which was kind of cool. J was able to scare the fox off.)

So the obvious solution is to join a gym. There are only two gyms that are remotely close to my house, so my plan is to get guest passes at both and see which one I like better. Then the difficulty will be getting runs done on a treadmill but anything is better than the blistering heat.

How do you deal with running in the summer?

Running Naked

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Dina

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I never run without my Garmin. Ever since I got it, it is with me on every run and I never would leave the house without it. My recent race meltdown makes me wonder if that is a good thing. Have I become overly dependent on the constant feedback from my Garmin and is it hampering my ability to listen to my body?

A recent article in Runners World discusses learning to run by feel. The article contains a lot of great tips on how to train yourself to run by feel and be less dependent on devices. Not only is the pace important but consistency. Can you hold the same pace throughout an entire run or race? Do you know what easy or hard paces feel like?

As I wind down the last two months of half training, I continue to use a plan that spells out what pace each type of workout should be.

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I find this helpful because it keeps me from running too fast and missing the point of the workout but I wonder if it is necessary on easy days. There is more flexibility on the pace on these days and they are the perfect time to start practicing running by feel.

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My last race was a great example of the pace getting away from me. I started too fast and crumbled toward the end. If I ran more by feel, the theory is that it would it have been easier to hold the my pace and less likely that I would get caught up in excitement of the race start.

So how can you become less dependent on your Garmin and better able to internally know what your pace is?

Use Your Breath

In The Complete Book of Running for Women, the author describes using two different cadences for breath and coordinating them with your stride. A relaxed run would have a 3:2 ratio which is three inhales to two exhales. A faster run has a 2:1 ratio. This gives a runner the ability to gauge if they are running too fast.The “talk test” also works here. If you are able to speak in complete sentences, you running at a comfortable or easy pace.

Leave Your Garmin At Home

An easy run where you are running a familiar route is a great time to run without a watch. This way you can run without the temptation to look at your watch and still estimate your pace based on when you finish. Setting the watch to a screen that does not display the pace or distance is another great way to run with a watch but not be a slave to your stats.

I am really interested in trying the tips in the Runners World article. The idea of being more connected to what my body is actually doing and less reliant in the analytics, can only make you a better runner.

Run The Mind-Body Method Of Running By Feel

Throw Away Your Watch – Learn To Run By Feel

Becoming A Body Whisperer

Learn To Run By Feel – Calibrating Your Inner GPS

Do you run by feel? What have you done to train yourself to do so?

How Not To Run A 5K

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Dina

On Saturday I ran my first 5K since October. The Shamrock Walk and Run 5K and Jog With Your Dog race takes place in Winter Haven and benefits the Winter Haven library. I ran this race last year and loved that it is local (15 minutes from my house) and that it brings out a family atmosphere with the lots of families and cute dogs.

Please allow me this rant about my race and I promise everything will turn out well in the end.

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So here is what went wrong. I am a slow runner which I have talked about at length on the blog. I want to be faster and am slowly starting to but the 5K distance is hard for me. I do better running a steady state pace for longer distances plus I have spent the last eight months (!) training for half marathons.

Racing Mistakes

1. Going out too fast.

Looking at these splits, I wonder who this runner is? I can run a mile in under ten minutes but not 3.10 of them. I even looked down at my Garmin and saw sevens. Sevens?! What on earth was I thinking?

The first mile is much faster than I ever run. My 5K pace should be about 10:30, so I do not know where 9:31 came from. Getting caught up in the excitement of the race is not good. It is hard, especially when you feel so slow, to let so many people pass you at the start. I have to remember to run my own race and not worry about what other people are doing.

2. Heat and humidity are a killer.

This race started at 3PM when the temperature was 80 degrees and the humidity was 62%. That is hot, even for this Floridian. Knowing this, I should have taken it easy.

3. You will pay for pushing too hard in the beginning.

By mile two, I had the most terrible cramp in my diaphragm that felt as if I could not breath. It was a sharp stabbing pain that would not go away. It got so bad that another runner asked me if I was OK and to make sure I told someone if I felt bad. I know I shouldn’t feel this way but that made me embarrassed.

4. There was no water on the course until mile 2.25.

This was not my fault but with the heat, I was dying for a drink earlier.

So what is the takeaway from this miserable race? I want to get faster and will have to put in the time and effort to do so. I plan on continuing with my half training plan until the Iron Girl Half at the end of April. After that race, the focus will be on shorter distances and lots of speed work. I have all my running books and past issues of Runners World spread out around my office and am digging through them to put together a plan.

At least I got a medal.

What do you (did you) do to get faster?

Half Marathon Training Week Ten

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Dina

If you would like to follow my other weeks of training, they can be found on my Workouts page. I break my half marathon training down by week to make it easier to follow.

Key Workouts:

Easy Runs: 3/3

Tempo Run: 1/1 Five Miles at Tempo with one warm-up and one cool-down

Long Run: 1/1

Strength Training: 0/2

Cross Training: 0

Total Miles: 33.21

I did well with my runs minus cutting my long run short by four miles but I still did not do any strength training. This week I will do strength training on the same day as one of my easy runs.

I think one reason that I cut my long run down is because I am slow. Yes, you are supposed to run long runs quite slow to benefit from them but I am such a slow runner that my long run pace is like molasses. After this training cycle, the only thing I want to work on is getting faster. I find myself during tempo runs or speedwork, almost afraid of pushing myself. Afraid of being uncomfortable, of feeling out of breath. I need to get over it and trust that I am in good shape and feeling some discomfort is normal. Just need to get there mentally and trust in my training.

I am at the tail end of this Half Marathon training cycle and it will be interesting to see how/if I benefited from the speedwork I have done and the mileage increase.

Half Marathon Training Weeks Seven And Eight

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Dina

If you would like to follow my other weeks of training, they can be found on my Workouts page. I break my half marathon training down by week to make it easier to follow.

Not much to say about week seven. I was still very sick and was only able to fit in one run.

Week eight I was finally able to get back on track. Being able to breathe again and not feeling like complete death were also nice.

Key Workouts:

Easy Runs: 3 for 3

Tempo Run: 0 for 1

Long Run: 1 for 1 with the caveat that I had 14 miles on the schedule but ended up doing seven in the morning ( I had a meeting and did not get up early enough to do 14) and three in the afternoon. The afternoon run was supposed to be seven but just doing the three was difficult enough. Whenever I have a long run and a meeting or somewhere to be on Saturday, I rarely get the mileage in. I need to work on spending less time drinking coffee and looking at the internet in the morning and more time getting out earlier to start running.

Strength: Jillian Michaels: No More Trouble Zones DVD

Total Miles: 22.31

During week seven, I adjusted my training plan (I’m using SmartCoach from Runner’s World) to increase my mileage. I have more time to run while looking for a job and want to focus on higher weekly mileage. My hope here is that this increase will help with my speed. The amount of time I am spending at home, it is nice to be out running. It helps clear my mind and focus on what my next step should be.

Training plans should be fluid and adaptable to life changes. It is a testament to how great the SmartCoach plan is that it is so adaptable.

Do you have a hard time getting back on track after being sick?

Dina Runs

Category Archives: Training

Running Around

Half Marathon Training Week Two

Half Marathon Training Week One

Quest For A Sub-30 Minute 5K Race Number Four

Quest For A Sub-30 Minute 5K Number Three

Avoiding The Sun

Running Naked

How Not To Run A 5K

Half Marathon Training Week Ten

Half Marathon Training Weeks Seven And Eight