1:22 hours, 1:2 minute run/walk ratio
Today was one of those days... I was grumpy and tired and really, really didn't want to run. I fiddled around with my schedule for a while, trying to figure out if I could get away with a shorter run, finally decided I really had to do five miles today, put it off until after 10 am, and finally shoved myself out the door to run 47 laps around the house. Then, after two laps, decided that it was too hot to wear my long running pants and came inside to change. Stopped my watch while I did it, but I didn't want to start all over again so I still counted those first two laps.
I was also trying out my new Gymboss interval timer, which I got from jeffgalloway.com. It's a clip-on timer with two programmable intervals that can be set to beep or vibrate or both. That took a bit of fiddling with: I tried it first set to vibrate only, clipped to my waistband, but I couldn't feel the vibration through my thick sweats, plus the clip began to irritate my waist after only a few laps. I reset it to beep and vibrate and carried it in my hand for a bit, then decided to clip it to the back of my compression gauntlet. That worked perfectly! I could easily glance at the timer to see where I was (and the display shows both timers, so I can always tell if I'm in a running or walking interval), and I could feel the vibration on my wrist. So I think that's going to work well. The vibration will work even if I'm running on a noisy road or in a race with a whole bunch of other people using watch beeps to time intervals, and I'll be able to use headphones if I want to on my weekend runs. So that was a success.
I'm still trying to work out what to do when I'm at BAScon in two weeks. I'm scheduled for seven miles that week. Ordinarily, I'd drive into SF and run in Golden Gate Park, but I'll be riding up from Monterey with my friend and won't have a car of my own at the con. I suppose I'll just try to run around the con hotel.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday
19 laps, 1:2 lap run/walk ratio, 30:54 minutes
I got a very late start today... the solar guys came this morning to install a couple of new batteries and take the old ones away, yay! and I didn't want to run while they were out there, and by the time they left it was 10 am and time to clean the fish tank, and by the time that was done, my mom called and I had email I wanted to write, and anyway, it was 11:30 when I finally got outside to do my run 'round the house. Felt good, and finished in good time. I wore my sweatpants, thinking it would still be cool, but it was fairly warm outside. I thought about coming in to change, but decided to just pull my pants legs up above my calves and keep going. Still, it was nothing like summer, when running at 11:30 would have been disastrous!
I got a very late start today... the solar guys came this morning to install a couple of new batteries and take the old ones away, yay! and I didn't want to run while they were out there, and by the time they left it was 10 am and time to clean the fish tank, and by the time that was done, my mom called and I had email I wanted to write, and anyway, it was 11:30 when I finally got outside to do my run 'round the house. Felt good, and finished in good time. I wore my sweatpants, thinking it would still be cool, but it was fairly warm outside. I thought about coming in to change, but decided to just pull my pants legs up above my calves and keep going. Still, it was nothing like summer, when running at 11:30 would have been disastrous!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tuesday
19 laps, 1:2 lap run/walk ratio, 32:14 minutes
I felt very logy today, and got off to a slow start, but once I got going, I had a pretty good run. My quads were still sore from bowing at the temple on Sunday, but a few laps around the house loosened them up.
I haven't done a midweek run in two weeks. I'd like to say it's nice to get back out there, but meh. I'd rather be sitting on the couch websurfing. Oh well. Back to work! I've got another half marathon to run!
I'm sort of considering joining a gym again. Maybe try to get in a couple of workouts a week on my non-running days. And also have a treadmill available for winter days when the roads are too icy-slushy-snowy to run. I should take the tour of the gyms in town and see who has the cheapest rates.
I felt very logy today, and got off to a slow start, but once I got going, I had a pretty good run. My quads were still sore from bowing at the temple on Sunday, but a few laps around the house loosened them up.
I haven't done a midweek run in two weeks. I'd like to say it's nice to get back out there, but meh. I'd rather be sitting on the couch websurfing. Oh well. Back to work! I've got another half marathon to run!
I'm sort of considering joining a gym again. Maybe try to get in a couple of workouts a week on my non-running days. And also have a treadmill available for winter days when the roads are too icy-slushy-snowy to run. I should take the tour of the gyms in town and see who has the cheapest rates.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Week 1: Three miles
46:26 minutes, 28.1 laps, 1:1 lap run/walk ratio
I pondered over what to do my first week back after the Long Beach Half Marathon: take the week off? get right back into training? I finally decided to do a 3-mile timing run, to determine my pace and run/walk ratio for the next race. I cut my 3-mile time a good five minutes from the last 3-mile timing run I did, for Honolulu. Go me! But when I look at the chart I got for the last AIDS Marathon I did, I find that I'm actually slower than I was for LA. :( Oh well, I was really pushing myself in LA. And I think the three miles we ran in the park were probably flatter than my laps around the house. (I switched directions after 14 laps, to get the hills going both ways.) And the thing is, just last week I ran a half marathon in which I averaged that same 15:30 minutes per mile for the entire race, which I sure couldn't do in LA. So, never mind, I know I'm doing better than I was back then. Maybe I just had a bad day today.
Anyway, the chart tells me to use a 1:2 run/walk ratio, exactly what I've been using for Long Beach. I might try boosting it up to 2:3 or 1.5:2 for some of my shorter long runs, just to see how it goes.
I've already registered for the Surf City USA Half Marathon. I'm still working out my training schedule, but I think I'm going to try for a long run of 10-12 miles at least once every three weeks until the race.
I pondered over what to do my first week back after the Long Beach Half Marathon: take the week off? get right back into training? I finally decided to do a 3-mile timing run, to determine my pace and run/walk ratio for the next race. I cut my 3-mile time a good five minutes from the last 3-mile timing run I did, for Honolulu. Go me! But when I look at the chart I got for the last AIDS Marathon I did, I find that I'm actually slower than I was for LA. :( Oh well, I was really pushing myself in LA. And I think the three miles we ran in the park were probably flatter than my laps around the house. (I switched directions after 14 laps, to get the hills going both ways.) And the thing is, just last week I ran a half marathon in which I averaged that same 15:30 minutes per mile for the entire race, which I sure couldn't do in LA. So, never mind, I know I'm doing better than I was back then. Maybe I just had a bad day today.
Anyway, the chart tells me to use a 1:2 run/walk ratio, exactly what I've been using for Long Beach. I might try boosting it up to 2:3 or 1.5:2 for some of my shorter long runs, just to see how it goes.
I've already registered for the Surf City USA Half Marathon. I'm still working out my training schedule, but I think I'm going to try for a long run of 10-12 miles at least once every three weeks until the race.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Long Beach Half Marathon
It's been a rough week... I didn't do either of my midweek runs, and if I hadn't already made plans with my Mom I'd have been tempted to skip the half marathon. But I didn't! Drove down to Long Beach yesterday, leaving around 12:30–1 pm, and arriving at the Long Beach Westin Hotel at 3:40ish. Found the Expo and picked up my packet (going the loooong way around to the Convention Center), then had dinner in the hotel restaurant with my mom. We were both tired and went to bed early, but I didn't sleep well. Got up at 5:30 feeling sluggish and icky, but was okay by the time I headed out for the race at about a quarter to 7 am.
I'd meant to locate the starting line the day before, so I'd know exactly where I was going in the morning, but didn't. The area is very confusing, with the convention center across the street from the hotel and lots of little twisty, turny streets, but I figured when the time came, I'd just follow the crowds. Which I did, and the start line turned out to be just the other side of the Convention Center, across from the hotel. No problem! Everything's a lot closer together than it looks on the map.
I wore my WearYourNumber shirt and my long gray running pants. It was a bit chilly waiting but by the time the race started, it had already begun to get warm. The weather was great for running all day, breezy and warm but not too hot. I'd considered not wearing my waist pack with water bottle, since there'd be water stations along the course, but decided I had too much other stuff to bring with me—GU and handkerchief and ID and chapstick—so I did wear it.
I had a good run. Started off with under 15-minute miles, which gradually increased to near 16-minute miles, but I had enough energy left to run the last maybe six minutes or so—turned the corner and saw the finish line and just ran it in. Finished in about 3:24—yay! I'd been hoping to finish under 3:30, but would have been happy with 3:40. 3:24 was icing on the cake! Averaged under 16 minutes/mile, and still felt good when I crossed the finish line.
Afterwards, I made my way back to the hotel to rejoin my mom. Rested in the room for a bit, then took a shower, and we headed out to find lunch. Ate in the Old Dubliner Irish Pub—yummy! Then, to top off the day, we continued on to the Aquarium of the Pacific to see all the fish and jellies and crabs and sea lions and sharks and rays and other sea animals. I petted several rays of various kinds and took lots of pictures.
That pretty much wore out both my mother and me. We got back to the hotel around 4 pm and are resting up before dinner.
All in all, a good day and a good run!
I'd meant to locate the starting line the day before, so I'd know exactly where I was going in the morning, but didn't. The area is very confusing, with the convention center across the street from the hotel and lots of little twisty, turny streets, but I figured when the time came, I'd just follow the crowds. Which I did, and the start line turned out to be just the other side of the Convention Center, across from the hotel. No problem! Everything's a lot closer together than it looks on the map.
I wore my WearYourNumber shirt and my long gray running pants. It was a bit chilly waiting but by the time the race started, it had already begun to get warm. The weather was great for running all day, breezy and warm but not too hot. I'd considered not wearing my waist pack with water bottle, since there'd be water stations along the course, but decided I had too much other stuff to bring with me—GU and handkerchief and ID and chapstick—so I did wear it.
I had a good run. Started off with under 15-minute miles, which gradually increased to near 16-minute miles, but I had enough energy left to run the last maybe six minutes or so—turned the corner and saw the finish line and just ran it in. Finished in about 3:24—yay! I'd been hoping to finish under 3:30, but would have been happy with 3:40. 3:24 was icing on the cake! Averaged under 16 minutes/mile, and still felt good when I crossed the finish line.
Afterwards, I made my way back to the hotel to rejoin my mom. Rested in the room for a bit, then took a shower, and we headed out to find lunch. Ate in the Old Dubliner Irish Pub—yummy! Then, to top off the day, we continued on to the Aquarium of the Pacific to see all the fish and jellies and crabs and sea lions and sharks and rays and other sea animals. I petted several rays of various kinds and took lots of pictures.
That pretty much wore out both my mother and me. We got back to the hotel around 4 pm and are resting up before dinner.
All in all, a good day and a good run!
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Week 16: Seven Miles
1:53 hours, 1:2 minute run/walk ratio
I was going to do my run at Meadowbrook, but when I got there, the parking lot was full, and I noticed county sheriff cars parked at intersections on the way, so I presume there was something going on there. (Just checked the TVRPD website, and it was the Search & Rescue 5K Fun Run.) Anyway, I decided not to run there, but drove back to Highline and Dennison and parked at the mailboxes and did my old route, Dennison to Valley to Curry to Highline and back, with the additional jog down to Tehachapi Blvd on Curry for the extra mile.
The weather was cold today, windy and cloudy and even a few drops of rain. I wore my long running pants and hoody, and was comfortable but cool enough to keep the hoody on the whole way. Felt good, kept up a good pace—even finished my last mile up Dennison in under 17 minutes, which is pretty good for that mile.
I wore my WearYourNumber shirt to try it out. It was nice and comfy. I think I'll wear my long pants in Long Beach, since they say the weather averages around 60–70 degrees on race day.
Next week I'll be in Long Beach!
I was going to do my run at Meadowbrook, but when I got there, the parking lot was full, and I noticed county sheriff cars parked at intersections on the way, so I presume there was something going on there. (Just checked the TVRPD website, and it was the Search & Rescue 5K Fun Run.) Anyway, I decided not to run there, but drove back to Highline and Dennison and parked at the mailboxes and did my old route, Dennison to Valley to Curry to Highline and back, with the additional jog down to Tehachapi Blvd on Curry for the extra mile.
The weather was cold today, windy and cloudy and even a few drops of rain. I wore my long running pants and hoody, and was comfortable but cool enough to keep the hoody on the whole way. Felt good, kept up a good pace—even finished my last mile up Dennison in under 17 minutes, which is pretty good for that mile.
I wore my WearYourNumber shirt to try it out. It was nice and comfy. I think I'll wear my long pants in Long Beach, since they say the weather averages around 60–70 degrees on race day.
Next week I'll be in Long Beach!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Thursday
19 laps, 1:1 lap run/walk ratio, 31:26 minutes
I was late getting out there this morning—not because of sleeping late, but because of getting distracted by bloggish stuff—and didn't start till after 9 am, but fortunately, it's cooled off enough that I didn't fry out there. I ran counter-clockwise this morning, the slow direction, and felt a bit off, but still had a decent run.
I'm pleased that lately I've been feeling much stronger than before. Walking next door to my mom's house, up her steep driveway, I barely breathe hard, and sometimes I break into a run just because I feel like it. So I guess all this exercise is worth it, heh.
I was late getting out there this morning—not because of sleeping late, but because of getting distracted by bloggish stuff—and didn't start till after 9 am, but fortunately, it's cooled off enough that I didn't fry out there. I ran counter-clockwise this morning, the slow direction, and felt a bit off, but still had a decent run.
I'm pleased that lately I've been feeling much stronger than before. Walking next door to my mom's house, up her steep driveway, I barely breathe hard, and sometimes I break into a run just because I feel like it. So I guess all this exercise is worth it, heh.
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