Friday, March 09, 2012

Friday Easy Run in the Sun

Today's plan calls for an Easy Run.

DC Bike Path: 1/2 Marathon Training, Easy Run. Dist: (3.18)mi. Pace-avg: (15:41). Speed-avg: (3.8)mph. Speed-max: (5.4)mph. Burned: (331) Calories. 

Plan: Run (2.0)mi. @ a (17:41) pace for a total time of (35:22)min.
Actual: Run (2.01)mi. @ a (14:12) avg. pace for a total time of (28:34.86)min., followed by a (1.16)mi. cool-down walk.
Fuel: Pre-run: toast w/ margarine and honey, coffee; Mid-run: (water); Post-run: glass of Gatorade, banana.

It's a nice sunny day out today and the temperature is (74+) deg.F. outside. I don't know how I will cope with this heat. :-)  I did my (2.0)mi. without any warm-up, then walked (1.16)mi. as a cool-down. Time to do some running gear laundry so I have some fresh-smelling running wear for the San Jose 408K on Sunday.

Splits: Mile (1): (13:44); Mile (2): (14:41).

-Lancer!!

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Thursday Speedwork

Today's plan calls for a Speedwork Run. 

DC Bike Path: 1/2 Marathon Training, Speedwork. Dist: (6.42)mi. Pace-avg: (16:42). Speed-avg: (3.6)mph. Speed-max: (5.7)mph. Burned: (680) Calories. 

Plan: Run a total of (6.0)mi., including 3x (1600)m repeats @ a (15:00) pace, and (800)m repeats at an easy pace after each run.
Actual: Run/walk (6.42)mi., bracketed by a (1.0)mi. warm-up walk, and a (1.x)mi. cool-down walk.
Fuel: Pre-run: (2x) pkts. Sport Beans (Grape); Mid-run: (water); Post-run: Glass of Gatorade (Orange), Banana, Dinner.

Lots of people out in the park today. The run was good, but very tiring. I was just barely able to keep the running intervals near the recommended pace of (15:00).

Splits: Mile (1): (14:30); Mile (2): (14:58); Mile (3): (15:49).

Other News: My 2XU compression tights in size MT finally arrived! I was able to exchange them at the store for the size M that I originally purchased. And as advertised, the new pair fit properly, i.e. the waist goes up over my hip-bones without having to tie the waist cord. Huzzah! I think I will wear them during my training run tomorrow, and also during the 408K run in San Jose.


-Lancer!!

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Tuesday Bright Cold Night Run

Today's plan calls for an Easy Run.
Surface Streets: 1/2 Marathon Training, Easy Run. Dist: (2.24)mi. Pace-avg: (13:36). Speed-avg: (4.4)mph. Speed-max: (5.6)mph. Burned: (272) Calories. Headlight. 

Plan: Run (3.0)mi. @ a (17:41) pace for a total time of (53:03)min.
Actual: Run/walk (2.24)mi. @ an avg. (13:36) pace for a total time of (30:25.23)min.
Fuel: Pre-run: Dinner: noodles and veggie meatballs, coffee; Mid-run: (nada); Post-run: glass of Gatorage.

I dilly-dallied today, but I got my run in all the same. It was cold and clear out tonight, with a mild breeze, and a bright moon in the sky. I ran on the neighborhood streets for a change, and without my iPod. My only music for this evening's run was my breathing, the swish of my running jacket, and the sound of my shoes on the road (and the occasional car driving past on the street).

Splits: Mile (1): (12:30); Mile (2): (13:57); Mile (0.24): (16:47).

Other News: I received my 2XU compression shirt today, and immediately unpacked it and put it on; it felt good. Like the tights, the fabric makes ones skin feel cool, especially when walking around through the house with the air moving over it. The compression seemed to help ease some of the ache in my arms, shoulders and upper back, and when I get some more resistance training in tomorrow, I expect it will help much more during my post-workout relaxation. I look forward to getting the correct size tights, hopefully tomorrow. *fingers-crossed*

-Lancer!!

Monday, March 05, 2012

Sunday Long Run: After Action Report

Now that I have had a night of sleep and recovery I think I can talk a little about my Long Run from yesterday. In a word: Ow.

I'm still a little sore, but mostly my arms, shoulders, and upper back are sore from swinging my arms back and forth during the run, and the walk. Those same muscles are also still sore from my workout at the gym this past Friday. My legs have recovered somewhat, because I wore my 2XU compression tights for a couple of hours after I dragged myself out of the shower last night. I'm still waiting for the new ones I ordered in size MT (medium tall), so I am trying not to use the ones I have too much, otherwise I may not be allowed to exchange them. I broke down and ordered the 2XU long sleeve compression shirt off Amazon last night, so I should have that tomorrow; my local running store does not carry it. If the shirt can do for my arms and shoulders what the tights have done for my legs, it will be money well-spent.

I made sure to apply plenty of sun-screen before I left the house yesterday, but apparently I missed a couple of spots: I seem to be extra reddish around my neck and throat, though I was certain I had applied 'screen there, too. The temps got up into the mid- to high-70s yesterday, and since it has been so long since I ran in the "heat" I perspired far more than I anticipated.

V-shaped sweat/salt stain from Sunday's run.

It stands out more in black and white.
U-shaped sweat stain on the back of my running shorts.

The park I run in isn't all that big so I end up doing laps back and forth along stretches of the bike trail to make sure I get in my distance. I am often tempted to just try running on the surface streets around the perimeter of the park for its entire length, and then I remember pedestrians get run over in the street all the time around here. I will need to branch out at some point, however, because using the same running route all the time is getting a little bit old.

One of the high points of yesterdays run was seeing a friend out in the park pushing her daughter in a stroller. I had not seen her in, hmm, maybe a couple of years, and I have only seen her with her daughter on the FB. Anyway, that was cool, and totally unexpected. I seldom see people I know, or at least recognize, out in the park.

Back to the running part: I initially intended to run three (3) miles, then walk one (1) mile, and repeat till the end of my planned distance. That plan did not sit well with the added warmth of the day, nor did it work well trying to keep a (14:00) to (15:00) pace during the run portions. By the last half of the run I was alternating run:walk at a 1:1 ratio. I expect a better performance during next weeks Long Run, but especially during the Modesto Marathon on the 18th. Again, I am only signed up to do the half-marathon distance, and considering last night's performance in the park, I am damn glad I only plan on a measly (13.1) miles, after all. I expect to wear both the long-sleeve compression shirt and the compression tights for the half-marathon run so I will, *fingers-crossed*, be in better shape during, and after, the event.

Staggering my way towards the park exit last night I saw two (2) Modesto Police Department cruisers in the park next to the playground. I presume they were checking out one of the park "residents" for illegal activity, but I didn't take the time to check it out closely. I was far more interested in getting back home to a shower and a hot meal.

-Lancer!!

Sunday, March 04, 2012

Sunday Long Run in the Sun

Today's plan calls for a Long Run. 

DC Bike Path: 1/2 Marathon Training, Long Run. Dist: (15.49)mi. Pace-avg: (17:48). Speed-avg: (3.4)mph. Speed-max: (6.0)mph. Burned: (1661) Calories. 

Plan: Run (12.0)mi. @ a (17:46) pace for a total time of (3:33:19)hrs.
Actual: Run/walk (12.0)mi. @ a (17:17) avg. pace, for a total time of (3:27:27.12)hrs., bracketed by a (1.0)mi. warm-up jog/walk, and a (2.49)mi. cool-down walk.
Fuel: Pre-run: 2x slices wheat toast w/ margarine and honey, 1x cup coffee; Mid-run: Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews (Orange Blossom), GU Energy Gel (Mandarin Orange w/ Caffeine); Post-run: Chocolate milk, followed by fish sticks and steamed zucchini.

I slathered on the sunscreen, put on my mid-length running shorts, my orange Nike running short-sleeve running shirt and my Adidas running hat, then hit the road into the park for my weekly Long Run. There were plenty of people in the park today since it was bright and clear out, and (72+) deg.F.
(time passes)
I survived my Long Run, but just barely. I will post this now and maybe try and discuss it more tomorrow. I need some serious rest now, and maybe a mainline of coffee, and some ibuprofin. I did not expect to get this sore today.

Other News: I signed up for a new race in San Jose, The San Jose 408K, which is a week from today! It is an 8k, (4.97)mi., race in downtown San Jose that starts at the HP Pavilion arena, and ends at Santana Row, right across the street from Valley Faire Shopping Center. I am looking forward to it for a couple of reasons: I haven't run in San Jose (except once at the dirt track near Spartan Stadium at the SJSU South Campus, and that was literally only one occasion); I haven't been to San Jose in at least a year; and because it is a new race, which means I get to be one of the many first-time runners in this new race, which should be pretty cool all by itself. 

-Lancer!!