I let myself slide a little as the Florida temperatures started getting into the 90's and the humidity has been through the roof. The rains have started and that can ruin the idea of an afternoon run with no notice whatsoever. Rain isn't so bad, but our storms in the summer have a lot of lightning. We had a downpour today, but luckily the skies cleared by late afternoon.
I have run a few times in the past 2 weeks with only one thing in mind. Run. Even if it is just a few miles, I am getting out there. I have done the same 2.5 miles just to make sure my legs get some work. Well, it's not the greatest workout, but it's better than regret and Runner's Guilt.
I took it up to 4 miles today, which again is not much by many runner's standards. It was just enough for me. My legs started feeling heavy around 3 miles and I got a cramp in my mid abdomen on the left side. It didn't last too long, but they're never fun. I ran 4 in 37 minutes, so just over 9 minute pace.
Gotta keep it up through the rest of June and build some momentum through the crispy hot month of July.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Fartlek Workout
Fartlek - a speed workout of varying speeds and lengths ranging from walking to sprinting. This is speed work, but it is much more enjoyable than interval training. It is Swedish for speed play. Some of my high school freshman track team members will remember this workout. Mr. Hern with his whistle. He would have us run the parking lot (since we didn't have a track yet) and sprint when he blew one whistle. Jog when he blew two whistles. Sometimes it was fun. Sometimes you wanted him to choke on that whistle.
Yesterday, I went out for a fartlek run. I jogged a 1 mile warmup and made quick work of a stretch routine. I darted down the road in my new Asics for their first speed workout. They performed nicely. I did have one or two steps when I was really moving fast where my foot slid a little. I don't think that is bad considering my run was a few thousand steps. My fast parts of the fartlek were around 5 minute pace, but I couldn't keep that up for very long. Maybe 100 - 300 meters at most. I did some walking and mostly jogging between speed portions.
During the speed sessions, I felt like I was floating on the sidewalks. I was going close to all out, but very relaxed. My arms were barely moving while my legs were just powering my body forward. I think my center of gravity moved just up an inch or so from normal and that is how I got that sensation of floating. It made easy work for my legs, but it was really hard cardio to keep up.
Yesterday, I went out for a fartlek run. I jogged a 1 mile warmup and made quick work of a stretch routine. I darted down the road in my new Asics for their first speed workout. They performed nicely. I did have one or two steps when I was really moving fast where my foot slid a little. I don't think that is bad considering my run was a few thousand steps. My fast parts of the fartlek were around 5 minute pace, but I couldn't keep that up for very long. Maybe 100 - 300 meters at most. I did some walking and mostly jogging between speed portions.
During the speed sessions, I felt like I was floating on the sidewalks. I was going close to all out, but very relaxed. My arms were barely moving while my legs were just powering my body forward. I think my center of gravity moved just up an inch or so from normal and that is how I got that sensation of floating. It made easy work for my legs, but it was really hard cardio to keep up.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
New Running Shoes
I purchased a pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 11 running shoes. In an hour and a half, I tried on over 20 sets of shoes to find a pair that worked for me. Good room in the toebox, plenty of cushion up in the forefoot. These shoes are comfortable for my running style and when I tried them on in the store, they didn't move around when I landed. That is a key issue with me since I am a forefoot striker.
I took them out for a test spin yesterday. I still had some knee pain in my right leg. That is not a good sign, but it's not the first time I've had this. I had this a few years ago when I was running with the Track Shack training program. I just ran through it. The tendon pain seems to go away after a few miles of warming up very slowly. I have to take each stride very gingerly. At least I had new shoes to give me a little emotional boost.
I haven't run at Lake Eola in awhile, so this was a nice change of scenery. I did 2 laps very slowly to warmup. The heat and humidity had already taken its toll on my mind and body by the time I got into my core workout. I probably ran between 8:30 and 9:00 minutes, but it felt like I was giving the effort of 7:30 pace. What can you do? Keep running.
I ran 3 miles at that pace constantly having to remind myself to keep my arms pumping and my legs moving. My feet felt great, though, thanks to my new Asics Gel Nimbus 11's. It felt like I had little pillows in my shoes.
I took them out for a test spin yesterday. I still had some knee pain in my right leg. That is not a good sign, but it's not the first time I've had this. I had this a few years ago when I was running with the Track Shack training program. I just ran through it. The tendon pain seems to go away after a few miles of warming up very slowly. I have to take each stride very gingerly. At least I had new shoes to give me a little emotional boost.
I haven't run at Lake Eola in awhile, so this was a nice change of scenery. I did 2 laps very slowly to warmup. The heat and humidity had already taken its toll on my mind and body by the time I got into my core workout. I probably ran between 8:30 and 9:00 minutes, but it felt like I was giving the effort of 7:30 pace. What can you do? Keep running.
I ran 3 miles at that pace constantly having to remind myself to keep my arms pumping and my legs moving. My feet felt great, though, thanks to my new Asics Gel Nimbus 11's. It felt like I had little pillows in my shoes.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Quadriceps Tendon Pain
I got up pre-dawn and headed out for a morning run, which is becoming essential. The morning part that is... since we are regularly seeing temperatures in the 90's during the day in Central Florida.
So I do my usual 2.5 mile loop. I ran it twice and then wanted to add another half mile up to the convenience store and back. I started slow to let all the parts get warm and loose. That worked out great. I didn't pick up my pace until about 1.5 miles. I then kept a fairly consistent pace (about 8:20/8:30) until about the end of mile 5.
That's when I started to open my stride to pick up the pace, but as I got into it, I started to overstride on the front side. All it took was one misstep and pain shot up from the top of my knee (Patella) to a few inches into my quad. I'm pretty sure is the the Rectus Femoris, but the accompanying quad tendon is where the pain originated.
I immediately stopped. Walking didn't hurt, so I tried jogging gingerly like at the beginning of my warmups. No pain there. As soon as I tried to get back to my workout pace, the pain shot up from the top of my knee again. Ouch! Again, I stopped and very slow jogging seemed fine. I continued down the road to the convenience store at my turtle pace and just treated it as a cooldown.
I will probably take off tomorrow and see if a little rest helps.
So I do my usual 2.5 mile loop. I ran it twice and then wanted to add another half mile up to the convenience store and back. I started slow to let all the parts get warm and loose. That worked out great. I didn't pick up my pace until about 1.5 miles. I then kept a fairly consistent pace (about 8:20/8:30) until about the end of mile 5.
That's when I started to open my stride to pick up the pace, but as I got into it, I started to overstride on the front side. All it took was one misstep and pain shot up from the top of my knee (Patella) to a few inches into my quad. I'm pretty sure is the the Rectus Femoris, but the accompanying quad tendon is where the pain originated.
I immediately stopped. Walking didn't hurt, so I tried jogging gingerly like at the beginning of my warmups. No pain there. As soon as I tried to get back to my workout pace, the pain shot up from the top of my knee again. Ouch! Again, I stopped and very slow jogging seemed fine. I continued down the road to the convenience store at my turtle pace and just treated it as a cooldown.
I will probably take off tomorrow and see if a little rest helps.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Finishing Speed Work
Finishing Speed. This is your kick at the end of a race. Depending on the distance being run, this can be the last quarter mile or 200 yards of a 5k or even the last whole mile of a marathon.
The way to work on your kick or finishing speed is to work on shorter distance at the end of your workout. For a 5k workout which is what I am concentrating on, you should run a few miles at moderate to tempo speed and then finish up with 100's, 200's, or 440's. The meat of the workout can be just a couple miles. You are only trying to tire yourself out before the sprint portions at the end.
For my workout yesterday afternoon, I warmed up with 1.25 miles at a slow pace. Then, I tired my legs with 2 x 880 in 3:08 and 3:11 respectively. My goal for these was to run them within 3:15. Check.
To work on my finishing speed, I ran 4 x 220 with 110 recoveries. I haven't run 220's in awhile, so I wasn't sure how much to give. I ran a 44 on the first one, which is barely faster than the speed I ran on the 880's. Time to leave a little more on the track. I followed that up with 38, 37, and a 34. I can hardly believe that I used to run these in the mid 20's during track practice in high school... and a lot more of them.
It felt great to get some real fast turnover during a workout.
The way to work on your kick or finishing speed is to work on shorter distance at the end of your workout. For a 5k workout which is what I am concentrating on, you should run a few miles at moderate to tempo speed and then finish up with 100's, 200's, or 440's. The meat of the workout can be just a couple miles. You are only trying to tire yourself out before the sprint portions at the end.
For my workout yesterday afternoon, I warmed up with 1.25 miles at a slow pace. Then, I tired my legs with 2 x 880 in 3:08 and 3:11 respectively. My goal for these was to run them within 3:15. Check.
To work on my finishing speed, I ran 4 x 220 with 110 recoveries. I haven't run 220's in awhile, so I wasn't sure how much to give. I ran a 44 on the first one, which is barely faster than the speed I ran on the 880's. Time to leave a little more on the track. I followed that up with 38, 37, and a 34. I can hardly believe that I used to run these in the mid 20's during track practice in high school... and a lot more of them.
It felt great to get some real fast turnover during a workout.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Building Up Some Speed
Started with a 2 mile warmup at 9 minute pace. The goal today was to go through a few distances up to a mile. Basically, I wanted to do a ladder workout, but only one way. This was more like a stair workout, except as you will see, I missed the last step.
Goal:
440 - 1:30, 880 - 3:15, 1320 - 4:52, 1760 - 6:30
Actual:
440 - 1:29, 880 - 3:08, 1320 - 5:12, 880 - 3:29
I was gassed on the 3 lap interval, so doing a mile next just wasn't going to happen. On the third leg, my splits were very inconsistent and no where near my goal: 1:37, 3:29 (1:52), 5:12 (1:43). I didn't want to fully quit after that, but there was no way I had enough in the tank to do a mile. 880 it is. I had enough to complete it, but not a whole lot more.
My new long term goal... under 6:00 mile by August. 3 months to cut off about a minute. It's doable, but will take a lot of work and the hot Florida summer will not be my friend.
Goal:
440 - 1:30, 880 - 3:15, 1320 - 4:52, 1760 - 6:30
Actual:
440 - 1:29, 880 - 3:08, 1320 - 5:12, 880 - 3:29
I was gassed on the 3 lap interval, so doing a mile next just wasn't going to happen. On the third leg, my splits were very inconsistent and no where near my goal: 1:37, 3:29 (1:52), 5:12 (1:43). I didn't want to fully quit after that, but there was no way I had enough in the tank to do a mile. 880 it is. I had enough to complete it, but not a whole lot more.
My new long term goal... under 6:00 mile by August. 3 months to cut off about a minute. It's doable, but will take a lot of work and the hot Florida summer will not be my friend.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Maintenance Run
Maintenance Run: a run to keep your level of fitness. You put these workouts into your routine to continue working your legs and lungs. The distance is less than your long run and the intensity is less than your speed workout.
Yesterday, I just had to run. I had nothing in mind. I didn't have time for a distance run nor a speed workout. What's left? A maintenance run. Sometimes called an easy run.
As soon as I stepped out the door, it started raining. It wasn't lightning, so I kept going. Four miles sounded like a good idea.
I didn't do a warmup due to my time constraints. I kept my strides very short and my turnover rate very high. This is a hard way to run, but it keeps stress off your joints.
4 miles in 34 minutes
Yesterday, I just had to run. I had nothing in mind. I didn't have time for a distance run nor a speed workout. What's left? A maintenance run. Sometimes called an easy run.
As soon as I stepped out the door, it started raining. It wasn't lightning, so I kept going. Four miles sounded like a good idea.
I didn't do a warmup due to my time constraints. I kept my strides very short and my turnover rate very high. This is a hard way to run, but it keeps stress off your joints.
4 miles in 34 minutes
Saturday, April 17, 2010
440 Repeats and Form Work
The IOA Corporate 5k is over and that is like the finale to the spring runs for me. Time to start over and get some form work and some speed. I need to get my mile time down or I'm never going to break 20 minutes again. And 40 isn't getting any further away and that means Masters Category. That sounded like something that would never happen when I started running road races at 14.
I jogged down to Howard Middle School to use their track. That's 1.85 miles for a warmup. It took me about 25 minutes which included a few stops for traffic. I kept it slow, so I wouldn't burn up too much energy and my right hamstring was very tight for the first mile.
Today's speed work... 440 repeats in 1:30 with 220 recoveries.
No problem.
1:22
1:23
1:25
1:22
Were I capable of putting them together, I would run a 5:32 mile. With these splits, I should be able to run under 6:30 for a mile.
Then came the form work. I ran 50 yds plus recovery returns of the same distance.
2 sets of high knees
2 sets of butt kicks
2 sets of bounders
It was a great workout. I had a hard time getting my thighs level to my waist and my sneakers to my butt the last 10 yards of each set. The bounders were hard period. My thighs felt like cement the whole 50 of each set.
Of course, that left me with a 1.85 mile jog home. That took another 25 minutes, but I needed it to get my legs loose again.
Total workout: just under 6 miles.
I jogged down to Howard Middle School to use their track. That's 1.85 miles for a warmup. It took me about 25 minutes which included a few stops for traffic. I kept it slow, so I wouldn't burn up too much energy and my right hamstring was very tight for the first mile.
Today's speed work... 440 repeats in 1:30 with 220 recoveries.
No problem.
1:22
1:23
1:25
1:22
Were I capable of putting them together, I would run a 5:32 mile. With these splits, I should be able to run under 6:30 for a mile.
Then came the form work. I ran 50 yds plus recovery returns of the same distance.
2 sets of high knees
2 sets of butt kicks
2 sets of bounders
It was a great workout. I had a hard time getting my thighs level to my waist and my sneakers to my butt the last 10 yards of each set. The bounders were hard period. My thighs felt like cement the whole 50 of each set.
Of course, that left me with a 1.85 mile jog home. That took another 25 minutes, but I needed it to get my legs loose again.
Total workout: just under 6 miles.
IOA Corporate 5k 2010
Thursday, April 15th. A sea of runners and walkers. Central Boulevard in downtown Orlando was filled from sidewalk to sidewalk from Osceola Avenue past where I could see.
The horn went off at 7:15pm. I was near the front and it took 3 minutes and 5 seconds to cross the starting line. It reported took 30 minutes to clear everyone through the starting gate.
It was very crowded and I must have run the first quarter mile around 11 minute pace zigzagging. Trying to be polite and not run into anyone was getting me nowhere fast and I started getting upset. A lot of walkers start near the front when they should be back further. There are plenty of newbies that run fast for the first mile or less, because they don't know how far 3 miles is. I did that once. My very first practice with the high school cross country team was a run for time to see who would run varsity at the upcoming meet that weekend. I took off with the lead pack and ran side by side with our number 3 runner from about half mile to the mile marker. I asked him how much further we had to run before the finish and he laughed at me when he said we weren't even at the first mile. I just realized what I had done and when I slowed down to a near walk and every single person on the team whizzed by me, coach pulled aside and told me to stop running. I learned a valuable lesson that day about being prepared and not giving everything you've got in the first mile. Unfortunately, there are probably four thousand newbie runners at the IOA Corporate 5k every year that make that mistake and you have to run by them to get into any kind of rhythm.
The easy going person started to leave as people whizzed by me on the sidewalks like deer. I moved to the sidewalks at about half a mile and would have bursts of running and near stopping as people kept stopping and zigzagging in my direction. A couple of runners went around me at one point and I heard the girl say to the guy, "This is like cross country."
That's when it kicked in. That's when I remembered running in the pack of a big cross country meet and you felt no kindness for your competition. Elbows out. When people move into your running path from the side, you put your forearm into their shoulder and let them know that it is not acceptable. When two people won't give you enough room to get through after you tell them, "Coming through," you have to put both arms in front of you and create a wedge as you quickly run through them. I got this. I remember how to run in crowds. I heard a few people say, "Sorry," but I wasn't about to turn around and start a conversation.
I hit the mile clock at 11:35, which means I ran an 8:30 first mile. That was minute off my goal pace. That sucked and I knew my time was going to be slow. I would now have to run negatives after putting out way too much energy on the first mile as it was. I almost gave up in my mind and settled into the pace everyone around me was running and let them dictate my pace.
Nope. Not this guy. No way.
I sped up and continued to slip by people. I had to pay so much attention to weaving and passing people that I completely missed the 2 mile marker and clock. Oh well. I just had to keep my speed and guess how far I was on the course based on my training. I did manage to get into a nice rhythm when we got onto Robinson Street and the police had all the runners on the left side of the road. I obviously crossed the dividing line and ran slightly in the right half of the road. It was the only way I could start to open my stride. There had to be close to a mile stretch like this. It was nice. Finally.
I kept gradually increasing my speed towards the finish line. I crossed at 27:41, so my real time was 24:36. I missed the 2 mile marker, so I don't know my exact splits. The first was 8:30 and then the last 2 miles averaged out at 7:40 per mile. I could have run a good race if I took a minute off that first mile.
It was fun in its craziness. That's what this race is all about. A sporting event with a party atmosphere. And it's a good cause. Funds go to the Parramore Kidz Zone. And another thing, our team took first place in the Men's Legal Division. That feels good, too.
The horn went off at 7:15pm. I was near the front and it took 3 minutes and 5 seconds to cross the starting line. It reported took 30 minutes to clear everyone through the starting gate.
It was very crowded and I must have run the first quarter mile around 11 minute pace zigzagging. Trying to be polite and not run into anyone was getting me nowhere fast and I started getting upset. A lot of walkers start near the front when they should be back further. There are plenty of newbies that run fast for the first mile or less, because they don't know how far 3 miles is. I did that once. My very first practice with the high school cross country team was a run for time to see who would run varsity at the upcoming meet that weekend. I took off with the lead pack and ran side by side with our number 3 runner from about half mile to the mile marker. I asked him how much further we had to run before the finish and he laughed at me when he said we weren't even at the first mile. I just realized what I had done and when I slowed down to a near walk and every single person on the team whizzed by me, coach pulled aside and told me to stop running. I learned a valuable lesson that day about being prepared and not giving everything you've got in the first mile. Unfortunately, there are probably four thousand newbie runners at the IOA Corporate 5k every year that make that mistake and you have to run by them to get into any kind of rhythm.
The easy going person started to leave as people whizzed by me on the sidewalks like deer. I moved to the sidewalks at about half a mile and would have bursts of running and near stopping as people kept stopping and zigzagging in my direction. A couple of runners went around me at one point and I heard the girl say to the guy, "This is like cross country."
That's when it kicked in. That's when I remembered running in the pack of a big cross country meet and you felt no kindness for your competition. Elbows out. When people move into your running path from the side, you put your forearm into their shoulder and let them know that it is not acceptable. When two people won't give you enough room to get through after you tell them, "Coming through," you have to put both arms in front of you and create a wedge as you quickly run through them. I got this. I remember how to run in crowds. I heard a few people say, "Sorry," but I wasn't about to turn around and start a conversation.
I hit the mile clock at 11:35, which means I ran an 8:30 first mile. That was minute off my goal pace. That sucked and I knew my time was going to be slow. I would now have to run negatives after putting out way too much energy on the first mile as it was. I almost gave up in my mind and settled into the pace everyone around me was running and let them dictate my pace.
Nope. Not this guy. No way.
I sped up and continued to slip by people. I had to pay so much attention to weaving and passing people that I completely missed the 2 mile marker and clock. Oh well. I just had to keep my speed and guess how far I was on the course based on my training. I did manage to get into a nice rhythm when we got onto Robinson Street and the police had all the runners on the left side of the road. I obviously crossed the dividing line and ran slightly in the right half of the road. It was the only way I could start to open my stride. There had to be close to a mile stretch like this. It was nice. Finally.
I kept gradually increasing my speed towards the finish line. I crossed at 27:41, so my real time was 24:36. I missed the 2 mile marker, so I don't know my exact splits. The first was 8:30 and then the last 2 miles averaged out at 7:40 per mile. I could have run a good race if I took a minute off that first mile.
It was fun in its craziness. That's what this race is all about. A sporting event with a party atmosphere. And it's a good cause. Funds go to the Parramore Kidz Zone. And another thing, our team took first place in the Men's Legal Division. That feels good, too.
Monday, April 12, 2010
What makes a good pair of headphones for running?
Give me a number between 5 and 10.
That is the question I posed to my girlfriend. I had seven in my head and thank goodness, she said, "Seven," too. She asks my why and I tell her that is how many miles I am going to run.
Sunday night run just after sunset. It took me fifteen minutes trying to map out 7 miles using gmap-pedometer and not using any of my usual lake loops.
I started with my usual slow 2 mile warmup. Instead of stopping to do a little stretch, I just gradually increased my speed until I was around an easy, comfortable 10 minute pace. The only change I made around the 2 mile mark was wrapping up my headphones and putting them in my pocket. I really should have just thrown them in a trash can along the way.
I will never buy a pair of Skullcandy headphones again. First, the sound is poor. My pair and someone else I know uses Skullcandy and the sound is "tinny". Second and most importantly, I had to keep pushing the earbuds back into my ears about every 10 seconds. That is just slightly annoying and there was no way I was going to make it 7 miles like that.
I had been using an old pair of Sony Walkman headphones for the past 7 years and they finally gave out last week. I am going to search online to see what other runners prefer before I buy another set. If nothing stands out, I will go back to Sony.
That is the question I posed to my girlfriend. I had seven in my head and thank goodness, she said, "Seven," too. She asks my why and I tell her that is how many miles I am going to run.
Sunday night run just after sunset. It took me fifteen minutes trying to map out 7 miles using gmap-pedometer and not using any of my usual lake loops.
I started with my usual slow 2 mile warmup. Instead of stopping to do a little stretch, I just gradually increased my speed until I was around an easy, comfortable 10 minute pace. The only change I made around the 2 mile mark was wrapping up my headphones and putting them in my pocket. I really should have just thrown them in a trash can along the way.
I will never buy a pair of Skullcandy headphones again. First, the sound is poor. My pair and someone else I know uses Skullcandy and the sound is "tinny". Second and most importantly, I had to keep pushing the earbuds back into my ears about every 10 seconds. That is just slightly annoying and there was no way I was going to make it 7 miles like that.
I had been using an old pair of Sony Walkman headphones for the past 7 years and they finally gave out last week. I am going to search online to see what other runners prefer before I buy another set. If nothing stands out, I will go back to Sony.
What does everyone use for headphones? The sound quality has to be decent and more importantly, they have to stay in your ears while you are running.
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