Distance: 1.2 kilometers (.75 miles)
Time: bah
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, 70s, morning run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Comments: The suckitude of my run today is emptying my apartment of oxygen. A pathetic effort in just about every respect.
I have decided to intergrate speed work into my training to a limited degree. The guru advised 20 minutes at race pace or slightly better for today. I decided to switch that for 'long repeats' which are slightly-faster-than-race-pace runs of shorter distances.
The marathon book i am taking this from suggests starting at 3 x 1/2 mile to start and build up to 5 x 2 mile by the last month of training. I got 1.5 x 1/2 mile before giving in and, if my guestimated time is any indication, my speed wasn't any great shakes either.
Obviously this is a bit expected since speed has never been my forte but I added to the problem with 1) eating unwisely yesterday 2) staying up way too late and 3) doing this run on a somewhat hilly route. I also have a long run planned for tomorrow and I felt that if I pushed myself to finish this workout I would likely fry myself for that.
So I think I need to find a track and start with 400 meter sprints until I can get a feel for my form and pace at this pace. The problem is, I have no idea where to find one I can use here in lima. This effort might have to wait till I get back stateside.
Saturday, August 5, 2006
Thursday, August 3, 2006
Training Run
Distance: 12.8 kilometers (7.94 miles)Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, misty, 60s, morning run
Location: Miraflores/Barranco, Lima, Peru
Comments: Solid run. Felt in control the whole way and could concentrate on the run itself rather than surviving the thing.
I really felt beat yesterday so I went and chowed down hard on sancochado for lunch, took an afternoon nap, pasta for dinner and then slept 10 hours of the sleep of the righteous. Woke up a bit bleary but, finally, refreshed.
So I got in a good stretching session and hit the road. Since today was a longer distance day I purposefully held back on the pace but it still seemed to be quicker than usual. The guru called for even slower than what I ran but I know good days like this only come around every so often.
There was a bit of a recurrence of the stitch in my side and my knees were both a bit achy but not actually painful like earlier in the week. One thing I may have forgotten in my earlier prognosis is this is now bad arthritis weather and I already have to deal with this problem.
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Training Run
Distance: 8.4 kilometers (5.21 miles)
Time: 40 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, misty, 60s, morning run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Comments: Tough one but due to the pace, mostly. There was a chilly mist in the air setting out which, to me, is perfect running weather. I started off at a purposefully quick clip but tried to concentrate more on maintaining it than going deliberately fast.
It was not easy by any means but I only got a hint of the stitch in the side and felt the run was possible the whole way. There was a really unfun part when I rounded a corner on the Malencon and got buffeted by a brisk little crosswind.
My left knee had no issues today but my right knee was sore as I stretched to get ready. And it was an inside-the-knee sore that makes me very nervous. I plan to keep close tabs on it the rest of the week. After the run my quads were really achy so I put in a post-run stretch, something I probably need to be doing with regularity anyway.
Time: 40 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, misty, 60s, morning run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Comments: Tough one but due to the pace, mostly. There was a chilly mist in the air setting out which, to me, is perfect running weather. I started off at a purposefully quick clip but tried to concentrate more on maintaining it than going deliberately fast.
It was not easy by any means but I only got a hint of the stitch in the side and felt the run was possible the whole way. There was a really unfun part when I rounded a corner on the Malencon and got buffeted by a brisk little crosswind.
My left knee had no issues today but my right knee was sore as I stretched to get ready. And it was an inside-the-knee sore that makes me very nervous. I plan to keep close tabs on it the rest of the week. After the run my quads were really achy so I put in a post-run stretch, something I probably need to be doing with regularity anyway.
Tuesday, August 1, 2006
Training Run
Distance: 9.5 kilometers (5.9 miles)
Time: 45 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, 70s, early afternoon run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Comments: Work. The whole way.
I just really seem to be battling through my runs recently instead of just hitting the groove and going with it. I felt like I was struggling the whole way today and had a slight stich in my right side for most of the run. It was like the return of that uncontrolled flailing that marked my initial efforts to get running again this year.
That said, I knew I was making good time throughout and knew I could finish the thing no matter how unhappy I was about it. Although my time came out a bit less than I expected, I still feel I was at a bit more than 3/4 speed but not up to actual race pace. Which shows there is substantial progress over the past few months, no matter how little I seem to be able to see at the moment.
Time: 45 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, 70s, early afternoon run
Location: Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Comments: Work. The whole way.
I just really seem to be battling through my runs recently instead of just hitting the groove and going with it. I felt like I was struggling the whole way today and had a slight stich in my right side for most of the run. It was like the return of that uncontrolled flailing that marked my initial efforts to get running again this year.
That said, I knew I was making good time throughout and knew I could finish the thing no matter how unhappy I was about it. Although my time came out a bit less than I expected, I still feel I was at a bit more than 3/4 speed but not up to actual race pace. Which shows there is substantial progress over the past few months, no matter how little I seem to be able to see at the moment.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Week Wrapup
Distance: 33.7 kilometers (21 miles)
Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Comments: Shortened week due to my return from traveling. Overall, though, I think the effort ended about at the level of my normal training week.
The main reason is that I spent the last weekend hiking up and down the steep trails of Macchu Picchu which gave me a pretty frickin good hill workout. Monday was spent walking all around Cuzco which, at close to 11,000 feet in elevation, certanly was tougher than wandering around the mall.
My training guilt kicked in when I got back and I found myself running the first few runs at 3/4 race pace rather than a more leisurely 8.5 minutes per mile as I had planned. Which felt great... until afterward.
This pain in my knee has been with me for a few days now and it is starting to worry me. It is not at all like the former IB-related pains I had in sensation or location. This is more like a muscle soreness in the meaty part of the quad on the right upper side of the knee. It's not painful, per se, but it is clearly not happy.
I am applying ice and have a good rest day tomorrow to see if it sorts out. If not, I'll probably cut out hills for awhile as a start.
The focus this next set of runs seems to be speed or as close a facsimile as I can muster. I don't know how well I can hold to the prescribed paces in the training schedule so I will most likely be guestimating and trying to get a better feel for my pace.
I am still a bit nervous about this knee thing. It tends to ache when I am going to sit down or get up which lends me to think it is a reaction to my excessive hill action. That being the case, the emphasis on speed this week (and absence of inclines) should help some.
Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Comments: Shortened week due to my return from traveling. Overall, though, I think the effort ended about at the level of my normal training week.
The main reason is that I spent the last weekend hiking up and down the steep trails of Macchu Picchu which gave me a pretty frickin good hill workout. Monday was spent walking all around Cuzco which, at close to 11,000 feet in elevation, certanly was tougher than wandering around the mall.
My training guilt kicked in when I got back and I found myself running the first few runs at 3/4 race pace rather than a more leisurely 8.5 minutes per mile as I had planned. Which felt great... until afterward.
This pain in my knee has been with me for a few days now and it is starting to worry me. It is not at all like the former IB-related pains I had in sensation or location. This is more like a muscle soreness in the meaty part of the quad on the right upper side of the knee. It's not painful, per se, but it is clearly not happy.
I am applying ice and have a good rest day tomorrow to see if it sorts out. If not, I'll probably cut out hills for awhile as a start.
The focus this next set of runs seems to be speed or as close a facsimile as I can muster. I don't know how well I can hold to the prescribed paces in the training schedule so I will most likely be guestimating and trying to get a better feel for my pace.
I am still a bit nervous about this knee thing. It tends to ache when I am going to sit down or get up which lends me to think it is a reaction to my excessive hill action. That being the case, the emphasis on speed this week (and absence of inclines) should help some.
Long Run
Distance: 12 kilometers (7.45 miles)Time: one hour
Surface: asphalt/concrete
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, 60s, morning run
Location: Miraflores/Barranco/Chorillos Lima, Peru
Comments: A very unsatisfying long run today. It was only one hour - well within my ability - but felt like a slog most of the way. I had plenty of strength and my form was fine but never got 'into' the run. I desperately pray that when I run my race I am doing better than I was today.
It was one of those runs I kept finding excuses to keep from doing. I did concentrate on the left leg pretty well because of the soreness in the knee. It was stiff yesterday and unhappy this morning. I was worried setting out but it really wasn't a factor at all during the run.
Gave myself a long hill midway and at the very end. Handled both pretty well. The last one was as tough as ever but I didn't slow down on it to the degree I have in the past.
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