So far so good on the running... made my 4 mile run this week, and went out for my 5 mile run, but only manage 3.5 miles due to time constraints. I intend to get another 4 miler in this weekend! (gulp!)
Interestingly though - I ended up sweating more on my 4 mile run than I did on my 10 mile run! The humidity out here right now is unreal. I am literally dripping wet with sweat after these short runs! I suppose it's just something I need to get used to. It will certainly be interesting if it ends up being a humid day on marathon day!! (another gulp!)
Just a quick update for now... Faire weekend looms on the horizon!
Signed,
Your-unbelievably-sweaty-runner,
Kelly
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
New shoes.. and a 10-mile run!!!
UPDATE! I finally bought new running shoes and boy what a difference they make! No more heel pain, no knee pain, and any discomfort that I feel in the initial stages of the run passes away as quickly as I feel it. I had no idea shoes could make such a difference!
For those who are interested, the shoes I bought are Asics GEL-Kayano 15. They are AMAZING. Heck - they even have their own website! Feel free to check it out: My awesome shoes!
I will say it took a good two runs (short runs) to break them in, as they were a bit sore in the toe on my first run. However, I was running on a treadmill, which is unusual for me these days. I was able to fully break in the shoes on an outdoor trail run.
Speaking of outdoor trail runs... (drum roll, please)....
I RAN 10 MILES YESTERDAY!!!!
Yup, that's right. I broke my own record for distance. It was my first time ever hitting double digits in mileage - and it felt great! I was a little worried at first, as the first three miles were a bit rough, but after that I just hit my stride and felt like I was coasting the rest of the way. I'm starting to notice that no matter what distance I run, the first three miles are my most difficult. If I know that ahead of time, I think I will be less inclined to "worry" about why I'm struggling at first.
Post-run, I had actually received a bit of advice from a cousin of mine who is a devoted runner. She recommended that I drink a serving of full-fat chocolate milk within 30-45 minutes after the run. Following this advice, though milk never would have been my personal choice, I stopped at the gas station on my way back from the running trail. I saw the lowfat milk options, and the only "full fat" option was this "CHUG - Creamy Chocolate Milkshake" I will be honest in saying that I would have NEVER picked this up of my own volition. In 12 ounces of liquid, it had 420 calories!!!! But, on the flip side, it had more protein than any of the other milk drinks, a little fiber, and the right kind of fats. I bought it, blindly following my cousin's advice...
It was the most heavenly thing I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. :)
And ironically enough, coupled with the two ibuprofen I took afterwards, I never had any pain, soreness, or swelling - and I actually wasn't hungry until 6 pm that night! (I drank the shake at 11 am). I made sure to keep hydrating throughout the day, and then went out for a nice dinner that night. But, wow! Who would have thought crazy creamy chocolate milk could have been so good for me in that situation?! Apparently, my cousin did - and she was right. :) Thanks, Caroline!
I have to say, running 10 miles was the first time in a while that I found that I have inspired myself. I feel renewed in my running ambitions now and I can't wait for next week's 11 mile run. I'm all positive now in my running statements, and looking forward to crossing that marathon finish line in November. I know I will - and I know it will be glorious!
I leave you all with my positive paragraph - an exercise that I was asked to do in my "Marathon Training Guide for Non-Runners." I carry this with me at all times:
"I am a marathoner. I love to run and I run EVERY training run. I am in great shape now and my legs look AMAZING! I own the world when I run in the mornings and I feel energized and strong when I finish each run. I love to tell people that I am a runner and I am proud of my accomplishments. I am a marathoner!"
Signed,
Kelly.... the marathoner
For those who are interested, the shoes I bought are Asics GEL-Kayano 15. They are AMAZING. Heck - they even have their own website! Feel free to check it out: My awesome shoes!
I will say it took a good two runs (short runs) to break them in, as they were a bit sore in the toe on my first run. However, I was running on a treadmill, which is unusual for me these days. I was able to fully break in the shoes on an outdoor trail run.
Speaking of outdoor trail runs... (drum roll, please)....
I RAN 10 MILES YESTERDAY!!!!
Yup, that's right. I broke my own record for distance. It was my first time ever hitting double digits in mileage - and it felt great! I was a little worried at first, as the first three miles were a bit rough, but after that I just hit my stride and felt like I was coasting the rest of the way. I'm starting to notice that no matter what distance I run, the first three miles are my most difficult. If I know that ahead of time, I think I will be less inclined to "worry" about why I'm struggling at first.
Post-run, I had actually received a bit of advice from a cousin of mine who is a devoted runner. She recommended that I drink a serving of full-fat chocolate milk within 30-45 minutes after the run. Following this advice, though milk never would have been my personal choice, I stopped at the gas station on my way back from the running trail. I saw the lowfat milk options, and the only "full fat" option was this "CHUG - Creamy Chocolate Milkshake" I will be honest in saying that I would have NEVER picked this up of my own volition. In 12 ounces of liquid, it had 420 calories!!!! But, on the flip side, it had more protein than any of the other milk drinks, a little fiber, and the right kind of fats. I bought it, blindly following my cousin's advice...
It was the most heavenly thing I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. :)
And ironically enough, coupled with the two ibuprofen I took afterwards, I never had any pain, soreness, or swelling - and I actually wasn't hungry until 6 pm that night! (I drank the shake at 11 am). I made sure to keep hydrating throughout the day, and then went out for a nice dinner that night. But, wow! Who would have thought crazy creamy chocolate milk could have been so good for me in that situation?! Apparently, my cousin did - and she was right. :) Thanks, Caroline!
I have to say, running 10 miles was the first time in a while that I found that I have inspired myself. I feel renewed in my running ambitions now and I can't wait for next week's 11 mile run. I'm all positive now in my running statements, and looking forward to crossing that marathon finish line in November. I know I will - and I know it will be glorious!
I leave you all with my positive paragraph - an exercise that I was asked to do in my "Marathon Training Guide for Non-Runners." I carry this with me at all times:
"I am a marathoner. I love to run and I run EVERY training run. I am in great shape now and my legs look AMAZING! I own the world when I run in the mornings and I feel energized and strong when I finish each run. I love to tell people that I am a runner and I am proud of my accomplishments. I am a marathoner!"
Signed,
Kelly.... the marathoner
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A point of concern...
I suppose it's inevitable that every runner incurs some form of injury - and I KNOW it's inevitable that every runner incurs some form (if not SEVERAL forms) of discomfort. With this knowledge in mind, I have adopted a mental state to help me run with initial discomfort: I say "Hello _______, come run with me." In other words, if my knees feel stiff, I say "Hello uncooperative knees, come run with me!" It quickly gets me to stop focusing on the discomfort and back to focusing on my form and my breathing. The discomfort always fades and my run continues. (And I provide a bit of light entertainment for anyone who catches me talking to myself!) :)
However, this morning, I did not experience discomfort... I experienced what would be borderline pain. It was a severe stiffness and soreness in my left heel. More specifically - in my left achilles tendon, both at the base of the tendon as well as its attachment point at the back of my heel. As I have been reading a lot about running lately, I recognized this as an early sign of what could become achilles tendonitis... aka, an early sign of what could be a MAJOR problem. :(
To be safe, I did not run this morning. I stretched my calves and my tendon a good deal, and just went for about a mile walk. It took a good 1/2 mile before the pain went away. Yes, it did go away, but from what I can tell, pain in my achilles tendon from the moment I wake up is the sign that I could be approaching a "pull" or some kind of "tear." I've emailed the man who I work for at the health center in NYC to seek his advice - and we'll just see how it feels over the next day or two. I'm concerned it may be my running shoes, as they are due to be replaced. I just haven't been able to go shopping for new ones yet!!
I've put off the run for today, and I'm going to try for the 5-mile run again tomorrow. I'm supposed to get another 3-mile run in on Saturday, before I get ready for the Faire day, rest on Sunday, then my long run of 8-miles on Monday. If I'm still experiencing pain tomorrow morning, I'm going to be sure to get to the gym ASAP so I can cross-train on an elliptical, thus avoiding impact.
I will keep you all updated. In the meantime, I'll be stretching, cross-training, and seeking some new running shoes ASAP.
Signed,
Your-slightly-frustrated-runner,
Kelly
However, this morning, I did not experience discomfort... I experienced what would be borderline pain. It was a severe stiffness and soreness in my left heel. More specifically - in my left achilles tendon, both at the base of the tendon as well as its attachment point at the back of my heel. As I have been reading a lot about running lately, I recognized this as an early sign of what could become achilles tendonitis... aka, an early sign of what could be a MAJOR problem. :(
To be safe, I did not run this morning. I stretched my calves and my tendon a good deal, and just went for about a mile walk. It took a good 1/2 mile before the pain went away. Yes, it did go away, but from what I can tell, pain in my achilles tendon from the moment I wake up is the sign that I could be approaching a "pull" or some kind of "tear." I've emailed the man who I work for at the health center in NYC to seek his advice - and we'll just see how it feels over the next day or two. I'm concerned it may be my running shoes, as they are due to be replaced. I just haven't been able to go shopping for new ones yet!!
I've put off the run for today, and I'm going to try for the 5-mile run again tomorrow. I'm supposed to get another 3-mile run in on Saturday, before I get ready for the Faire day, rest on Sunday, then my long run of 8-miles on Monday. If I'm still experiencing pain tomorrow morning, I'm going to be sure to get to the gym ASAP so I can cross-train on an elliptical, thus avoiding impact.
I will keep you all updated. In the meantime, I'll be stretching, cross-training, and seeking some new running shoes ASAP.
Signed,
Your-slightly-frustrated-runner,
Kelly
Monday, August 3, 2009
Rounding out the end of Week 3
To finish out my training for my "Official Week 3" of my marathon training program, I ran a 7 mile run. Huzzah!
It was interesting... I actually hit what I feel like was my first real "zone" while running. I've always had those points where suddenly the running isn't "hard" anymore, or I finally don't want to stop, lol... but today I actually found myself in a ZONE! I was running on the trail, at about 2.5 miles in, and I found myself truly feeling like I was "falling." It was that sensation where I wasn't moving myself forward anymore, I was just "falling" forward. I was running faster, and all I was thinking about was "up, up, up, up" with each strike of my foot. The air was moving past me so quickly, it was a constant breeze... it was just AMAZING! I was concerned that perhaps I was pushing myself too hard. I mean, surely, I shouldn't be going this fast. But I checked my heart rate monitor, and sure enough, I was still beating along at a consistent 158 bpm! I know it was a true "zone" because this lasted me for a full mile (roughly 10 minutes). It felt incredible!
The other good thing of note, is that I really didn't hurt anywhere during this run. I had a vague phantom pain for about 3 minutes in one of my shins, so I focused really hard on the POSE technique (not doing heel-strikes) and the pain went away! Very exciting. :)
The big thing I'm still fighting though is my mind at the start of a run. I intimidate myself with the upcoming distance. I want to turn back around and not do it. If I'm thinking this way on a 7-mile run... how the HECK am I supposed to convince myself to do 26.2 miles?!? I just have stay focused on the day by day though. Next week my long run is only 8 miles. I already ran 7... I can run 8. 26.2 is a long time away!! :)
Signed,
Your-in-the-zone-runner,
Kelly
COUNTDOWN TO MARATHON: 90 days!!!!
It was interesting... I actually hit what I feel like was my first real "zone" while running. I've always had those points where suddenly the running isn't "hard" anymore, or I finally don't want to stop, lol... but today I actually found myself in a ZONE! I was running on the trail, at about 2.5 miles in, and I found myself truly feeling like I was "falling." It was that sensation where I wasn't moving myself forward anymore, I was just "falling" forward. I was running faster, and all I was thinking about was "up, up, up, up" with each strike of my foot. The air was moving past me so quickly, it was a constant breeze... it was just AMAZING! I was concerned that perhaps I was pushing myself too hard. I mean, surely, I shouldn't be going this fast. But I checked my heart rate monitor, and sure enough, I was still beating along at a consistent 158 bpm! I know it was a true "zone" because this lasted me for a full mile (roughly 10 minutes). It felt incredible!
The other good thing of note, is that I really didn't hurt anywhere during this run. I had a vague phantom pain for about 3 minutes in one of my shins, so I focused really hard on the POSE technique (not doing heel-strikes) and the pain went away! Very exciting. :)
The big thing I'm still fighting though is my mind at the start of a run. I intimidate myself with the upcoming distance. I want to turn back around and not do it. If I'm thinking this way on a 7-mile run... how the HECK am I supposed to convince myself to do 26.2 miles?!? I just have stay focused on the day by day though. Next week my long run is only 8 miles. I already ran 7... I can run 8. 26.2 is a long time away!! :)
Signed,
Your-in-the-zone-runner,
Kelly
COUNTDOWN TO MARATHON: 90 days!!!!
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