Running to Keep the Wheels On the Road

Nearly 4 weeks into the training and things seem to progressing nicely.  The mileage is increasing at a steady pace, the injuries continue to stay at bay, and my endurance grows.  A few aches and pains flare up now and again with nothing that has altered my schedule or slow my build.

The title of this post references a mantra I took up last year, which is "run till the wheels fall off".  Although everyone always says "listen to your body", sometimes listening too much will cause avoidable problems.  The problem for me is always wonder if that ache is a stress fracture or if the pain is something to worry about.  I thought this last weekend I might have made a mistake, but instead I seemed to shake the legs out.

Last weekend was the annual Market to Market relay.  I, being the team captain, was able to pick the legs that most closely resembled the mileage necessary for my scheduled long run.  I kept telling myself that I needed to take it easy, not push the pace, and enjoy the run.  What really happened was I pushed my pace and ran at nearly my top speed for the distances I ran.  I was convinced, when I finished, that I would pay for pushing the next day. 

Instead, I woke Sunday tired and strong.  The legs felt great, with no ill effects.  The runs this week have been punctuated not with especially tired legs, but mental fatigue.  I am used to taking a break after a race and especially this race.  Instead, I am right back into the training plan.  I am convinced that this week might be a bit of a grind and that it will improve next week.  And, I can't be thankful enough that I can run.

Until we run again . . .

Success is Mine!

Family Photo

Well, based on my efforts the past two weeks, I am sticking to my plan.  I wanted to continue to lift weights (check), cross train on the bike or pool (check) and start to increase my mileage (check) all while improving my diet (check).

So now you migh ask, what's next?  A couple of things: 1.  this plan has only been in effect for two weeks, most real change in habits and patterns take at least 6 weeks of constant effort before it gets easier, so I still have at least 4 weeks to go before this turns into a routine; and 2.  starting an effort is often easier, in my experience, than continuing the effort when the newness wears off.  So far, I am still in the honeymoon period, which I hope stays true until the habits are established, but I must be prepared to push though when the difficulty arises.  Just recognizing the feelings and doing the activity will be another step in the path to greater fitness and faster speeds.

As the miles continue to climb and I prepare for the Market to Market, I want to keep in mind the pleasure and joy of moving my body under my own power and running for the sake of running.

Happy running, my friends!

Picking Up Steam, Slowly.

Color Me Rad

Summer training can be tough.  After ramping up the training for the late spring/early summer race, I usually take some time to recover and consider a training schedule for the summer.  Some years, this takes all summer and other years I take a week or two off and jump right back at it.  This year, with the extreme heat and fun vacation, this seems to have taken a little longer than average.

The last seven weeks I spent time focusing on strength training, cross training, health mind and body recovery, and just plain fun.  Just look at the pictures of our Color Me Rad 5K from today for the proof of the fun!

Over the next few weeks it will be game on! I plan to ramp up the mileage smartly, while continuing to incorporate cross training and strength training (thinking about doing some cross fit -- good idea?).  I will try to listen to my body while using Sport tracks to gauge my fitness and recovery.  My last goal is to get my diet back to where I was last summer, lose more than a few pounds, and be ready for the fall races.

My target race is the October Market to Market Relay, my 5th as team captain, which I want to be my strongest.  I am considering running the Omaha 1/2 marathon (would be my 1st) as a training run, but will not make that decision until I see how the training progresses. 

My Team at the Finish!

Time to get on the road!

To Trail (Run) or Not Part 2

Who, me?

So where did I leave off?  Oh, right . . . I started 2011 out strong, with the mantra of running smart, taking days off as necessary, and with the goal of "runnin' till the wheels fall off or I finish, whichever comes first".  Even with cold and snow of the early months in the northern Midwest, I was putting the miles in regularly.  Call me crazy, and I don't have any idea how many outdoor, cold weather, runners there are, but count me among the Team Outdoor when it comes to running.  I am one of those people who enjoy the solitude of running outside in the cold, winter months.

The training schedule to the spring race progressed nicely through January, February, and March and as winter turned to spring, I prepared for, and completed, my second ever trail run. I really enjoyed the April AZACK trail run,  even if the hilly course was incredibly difficult and force me to walk on a number of occasions up hills that never seemed to end.  At the finish I thought "maybe I should do this trail running thing more often for training and to get back to nature".  As usually, these fleeting thoughts came and went as I returned to my normal, oh-so-familiar,  running routine.  The Lincoln 1/2 marathon and summer came and went and yet, no trail running.

Summer turned to fall and after a great M2M Relay, I was running my highest mile weeks for the year (40+ mi a week), loving running more than ever, and preparing for another winter of running. I was nearly to my goal of making it though the year relatively injury free.

That all changed at the beginning of November. To be continued...