It's FALL!

I love the beautiful Fall weather. Nothing like running on colored leaves and smelling the crisp air...and not getting drenched in your own sweat, yuck!

It's been an interesting time since my last post. I have done a lot of running, and even completed a running streak! Look at that!

After almost 5 years of intense racing, it has been so freeing to let go of goals and just run. Initially I thought I would slack and the absence of a goal would make me choose to sip on an extra cup of coffee rather than go out and run, but that did not happen. Instead, I ran almost daily, mostly without a watch, sometimes for 4 miles only, other times for 15 (although lately 12 miles has been my longest run), sometimes on asphalt but mostly on trails. Happy Running!

Most of my runs have been easy, though once in a while I turn on my Garmin for a mile or so and am mostly pleasantly surprised by my pace, given that I have done no speed in many months, and my only tempo runs have consisted of attempts to keep up with my 8 year old's biking.

Not racing this summer has led to many family adventures including an amazing trip to Paris for my birthday


Looks there was even a race in Jardin de Luxemburg!

 Me with my lovies!

My boy in front of our studio!

My happy traveler already planning a trip to Japan (and a job to pay for said trip!).

Life is good. Running without racing can be awesome. Who knew?

Running to the beat of my own drum

...or the foot strike of my own Brooks, or something...


Hello, hello, whomever is still there! Time for a blog update! It's been a while, but when you have a running blog and you are taking a break from racing, it is a bit hard to find topics to blog about. At least for me it is. And since I deleted a post I had already written and I want to duck out for a short run before picking up my darling boy from after school, a bullet point update it is:

* Things are good! This is the first summer in many when I am not training for anything. I usually spend my summers scrambling to find time to fit in long runs (in preparation for a fall marathon) in addition to family activities. This summer, I decided I wanted a break from all the scrambling. It hasn't been easy, I've had thoughts of being lost without a training plan, and considered training for shorter distances. But after a few weeks, I kind of like it:)

* I am still running. In fact, I needed a goal so I decided to work toward a 100 day running streak. Just for fun! I am at day 69, averaging about 9 miles/day. My longest streak before was two winters ago, 85 days, 9.2 miles/day. So yes, I am running some 60-65 miles per week*. But the thing is, I run them how I want to and when I want to, if I want to. I do a lot of trail running, a lot of listening to podcasts and a lot of talking with Chris. I run without a watch and pretty easy unless someone passes me and then I have to catch them back:). While my fast twitch muscle fibers are atrophying, I enjoy being  fully immersed into family fun this summer, without being overly tired or concerned about fitting my runs in. Coming Fall, things will change. Maybe. Potentially. Too far along to think about. But that's for another blog post.

* I am also vicariously training through a dear friend, who decided to put herself in my training hands. I think she had no idea what she'd get herself into, ha! Writing workouts and watching Jenn commit to them even when they seemed overwhelming on paper has been so wonderful for me. I love running, writing workouts, trying to figure out the progression that can lead to great things...I truly believe that pushing the body hard is the only way to get faster. No shortcuts, no 7 minute abs, no BS. Jenn has been inspirational in how she managed to run some super hard workouts while working full time, mothering 3 busy kids and nourishing one of the strongest marriages I have ever heard off. It's been interesting balancing the friend and the coach and had to make myself move away from the computer at times when I would read about her days and think how in this world would she be able to complete hard tempos at 7pm after being up since 5 or so for work and kids. But she has always completed them. She might have swore at me a little (or a lot) during those runs, but she got the work done, ha! And no matter what will happen on race day, she is PRing every workout so far!

* I have a lot of adventures planned for the summer: hikes in the White Mountains, long bike rides with Petru, a white water rafting trip (an old favorite of mine) with Petru (his first), camping trips, visits to my MIL's house on the beach, lots of barbecues,  a fun girls' trip, and a birthday celebration in Paris in early fall, just me and Chris (and mom for a few days).

* I am still reading blogs, mostly on my phone on the way to and from work. I know what you are ALL up to (those who posts, I often wonder about this fastie and what she is up to...) and am so excited for all the races you have planned.

______________

* I don't recommend a running streak. I would not keep one up if I were training. Since my runs are easy and very easy these days, I can get away with the streak.

Recovering, assessing and a 5K TT

Anyone who reads this blog should know that any time I don't post for a while I am either injured (knock on wood, not the case this time) or conflicted (about running!). After the winter season that was not - due to 2 races that were cancelled - I knew I had to rest a bit. I had a few niggles that needed to go away. I also had a mind that did not want to try anymore. I took about 2 weeks off of training. I ran almost daily but as long as I wanted, with no structure and no watch. I let go. I thought things over. I listened to podcasts. I listened to my thoughts. I thought about choices, priorities, goals, desires, you know, the big things. Here is the scoop. This will never be one of those "open book" blogs. I censor myself here for various reasons, most important being that I want to create happy memories. I believe that we create our own memories in many different ways - how we think, what we do, and also what we choose to write about. This may not be for everyone, but it is for me. I want to look back at this public journal years from now and remember the good runs, the races, the beautiful runs. I want to put a positive spin on everything in my life, and I want to train my mind to remember the positives.

Lately I have been doing some "happy running". Last week I did a 5K TT in 20:09. It was very controlled, not all out, with a very slow first mile bc I had not done any 5K specific training in many many months. Then I went to the track twice. Today I ran another 5K TT, on the track in 18:28:59, 5:56 pace. It was hard. I vomited at the end (not as much as I did on Monday during the 3x1mile @ 5:45). I was happy. I wanted to break 19 in the 5K for so long. Although this is not an official time, and the track is much faster than the road, today I did not care. Today I felt strong. And many hours later my legs feel strong and happy, niggle free. The rest of me is exhausted, as I usually am at the end of a full day.

More happy will follow tomorrow. My good friend, one of the special ones who "gets me" is coming to Boston for a few days. Then Saturday another friend, quite an opposite to myself in some sense, but one very, very close to my heart is coming over again. It's been too long since I've seen them both and I can't wait. Then Monday I get to watch the Boston marathon. I am happy I am not running it this year. I am nervous for a couple of truly inspirational runner that are close to my heart, and can't wait to see them run strong on Monday.

Here is to my favorite Boston Marathon 2013 runners; Katie, Tia, Amanda, Robin, Kristina...and everyone else I might have forgotten. The chorus is for you!

The process

At the beginning of this training cycle, some 18-20 weeks ago, I made a pact with myself that I will work hard not to get attached to a race outcome. I wanted to make sure I enjoyed the process, I kept my priorities in check and I did not make sacrifices for my training (e.g. I stayed up late with friends Friday nights, I did not skip on life events due to my running schedule, etc). This is a different strategy than I have employed in the past. It was nothing to brisk, but rather a process of growth (for me) from my early years of racing 2009-2011, when at times I was fused with training.

This training cycle has gone amazingly well for me. I have seen myself get faster than I have ever been.  Although not attached to training, I have worked harder than ever before. My body has been able to handle more quality than ever before. I did not get injured. I made the correct call on 3 niggles - knee pain, ball of foot pain and back pain - and ran through them and watched them disappear. I have also learned valuable lessons about my body, and have put a lot of thought into where I want my running to go. It has become clear to me that although my musculoskeletal system can handle a ton of work, my hormonal and nervous systems get tired after about 18 weeks. This is something new for me, which I first noticed last year. In the past, I was able to run hard year round (though the hard at that time is the moderate to easy now).

So where am I now? My second half marathon this winter got cancelled. When I first heard the news, I felt disappointment, but it was pretty easy to move on, and honestly felt relief that I could immediately go run hard. Taper is difficult for me. My body likes homeostasis and when I decrease miles by 50% on the last week of taper, things become challenging. The run yesterday was a bliss, even though it was on the TM.

Yesterday I watched on FB people posting negative comments about the race cancellation and the RD and I smiled. I got that. I was there in the past. And it felt good not to be, to be able to move on and enjoy my day, to be able to sit with the uncertainty of whether the race will get rescheduled and when, whether I have already peaked and might not be able to have the race that I could have had, whether I would have to sit through another dreaded taper again.

I look at my 7 year old who is now figuring out emotions. He is learning about disappointment on the small scale. He is completely attached to outcomes. He often tells me that "this is not fair". I help him through, hold him, and when he is out of his 'stress response' I whisper in his ear: "Sweety, life is not fair. Things don't always happen for a reason", and then I take him on an imaginary waterslide and watch his little face turn into a smile.

So there it goes...an training cycle with little to show for, objectively (for now), but a full load of experiences and growth! I'll take it! And now I go run....

Tapering again

After the race that did not happen, I pushed again for a few days trying to make up for the fitness boost that I was planning to get from my first half marathon. On Saturday I ran Fresh Pond again after 4 hard miles, and experienced the benefits of having faster women around to push me. On Monday I I ran a great 5x2K @ 10K pace. On Tuesday I ran my fastest progression of this training cycle and today I ran my last quality workout, 2x15 min @ 10K pace. My legs are tired for sure, not sore, just tired and tight. I like this feeling as it gives me some tangible proof of hard work. There is a sense of relief that comes from knowing that I don't have any real hard workouts left. I have been dreading some of my hard runs lately (I can say this now because they are all done and in the bank). This is always a sign for me that I have gotten close to my limit. It is a nice feeling to have, because I can tell myself that I worked as hard as I could, and the voice inside my head that says things like you could have done that split a little faster, etc, is getting silenced.

I spent some time comparing my training this year with my training for my last HM in March 2011. I am MUCH faster. I have done MORE miles, MORE quality. I can't even compare really how much stronger I am on paper at this point. Sure, in 2011 I was into triathlons so I used to bike a lot of hours a week and swim a few times as well in addition to running, but if we think of specific running fitness, I am a much better runner now.

I don't know what this all means. Honestly, I don't know what my HM pace is. I will figure that one out as I run. I have a bit of a range in my head, but the race conditions, course (it has changed since 2011 and there are about 6 hills, with 3 of them in miles 9, 10 and 11) and the state of my legs will be the deciding factors. Regardless of what happens, I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey of the last 16 weeks. I am excited to switch things up after this race, rest a bit, go back to the gym for some strength training and some spinning, enjoy some spring and summer trail running, and then see if my mind is still set on running the Baystate marathon in the fall!

Things are changing for sure, but the feeling of accomplishment and pure joy I get at the end of a hard run is a constant that I know I will always cherish it.

Good luck to all the runners racing this weekend! I am SO excited thinking about all the great races ahead, and will be stalking you on Saturday and Sunday!

Catching up!

The past couple of weeks have been awesome training wise. I ran 65 and 60 miles, suffered through some treadmill induced soreness and had a major fall in the middle of a tempo run on a turn on an icy spot, which led immediately to a bloody knee and more recently to some back pain (grr!! and maybe not even related). Speaking of pain, my R foot has also been giving me a bit of grief lately; luckily the pain is on the bottom of the foot and caused by some kind of ligament inflammation, not the bone (phew!). At this point, the back is more of an issue, although truth be told, I will not take a break for these little niggles.

I also have a little race on Sunday. Except that the race might not happen.

"Currently the race is planned to go on. However we are watching the weather carefully and we estimate that it is a 10% chance the race will be held. and a 90% likelyhood it will be cancelled.

We will post the final decision as early as possible - Our goal is to post the decision by mid-day Friday, but reserve the right to hold off until Sunday 5AM in case the weather forecast changes. (very low probability of that)". 

HA?
 I've tapered this week and ran only 30 miles thus far, mostly easy.  The snow is supposed to hit on Saturday afternoon so I should be able to have a Fresh Pond race on Saturday morning! In 2 weeks I am scheduled to run another HM, so all is well really. And truth be told, I needed a bit of a break:) I scheduled a massage tomorrow in hope of getting some relief for the back, but I know that back pain is something that kinda takes its time. I've been here before:)

In other news, vacation week is almost over for my son and my husband. Lots of adventures for them and a bit of jealousy on my part, ha! Chris and I got to enjoy a nice dinner out and some blue grass music last night. I may or may not have had my phone confiscated while I was checking emails under the table during sets:) Chris's drumming band is playing a "real gig" on March 1st and am so excited to go hear him play. So proud of him for picking up drumming a year ago, sticking to it and having a ton of fun in the process. Plus, as much as I love him, I also love a Thursday night all alone in the house. As much as I love racing, I think I am ready for another "high", particularly as I approach 40 and my body is starting to screech! We shall see what will come to me! Trail running seems very very attractive! Raina, if only you lived closer:)

Sore back from shoveling, sore legs from TM running, and making things work out

I woke up this morning and everything hurt: back, arms, neck, shoulders, quads, hamstrings, calves! What???? What's going on?

Most of you probably know that we've got hit with a blizzard this past weekend. I am one of the weird people who loves blizzards. I love watching people's reactions, the lines in the grocery stores (hm, do you really need all that meat and icecream if you are concerned about losing power? how about some canned goods?), the snow, the enthusiasm expressed by kids, and, I confess, the anxiety about the car that my hubby experiences when the weather gets bad (mean, I know!).

On Saturday I had 14 miles planned. The gym was closed. At 11 am a snowplow finally made it up a hill and onto my street. I was antsy. I was cranky. Petru was busy making tunnels in the snow with his friends. I shoveled for about 1 hour and made a path to the street. Then Chris sent me out for a run. I reluctantly left thinking I might walk/run for 30 min or so. I ended up running 10 miles @ maybe 7:40 pace in the middle of the perfectly plowed main road (driving was banned on Saturday!). The wind was evil, 30MPH with 50MPH gusts, so 5 miles felt like running uphill, but the next 5 miles were effortless. I am estimating the pace here because I did not wear a watch. I felt much happier when I was done, and managed a bit of backyard sledding too!

On Sunday the driving ban was lifted and I knew there would be no way I could run on the narrow roads. Plus, I wanted to do a bit of quality running. So, I went to the gym. I decided to do 3x5K by HR, since I know TMs are different from the road. I ran the intervals @ 6:46, 6:40 and 6:35, but ended up with one hand on the rail most of the time for balance. I know that is "bad", but it was really the only way for me, because otherwise I would oscillate from touching the front of the TM band to almost being spilled out of the TM. My HR was around my planned HM HR, so I am fine with the run. Then more sledding in the afternoon:)

Back to this morning....sore, sore, sore. I can't bend down (that's the pain from shoveling). My quads in particular are super sore. Oh, and I had to run another session on the TM. Today I had 5x2K @ 10K pace, as part of a 10 mile run. I decided on the pace based on HR, and pushed the last 2 a bit to. For some reason the 2Ks (6:22 to 6:10 pace for the last one) seemed easier to me that then 5K intervals, even though the pace was faster. Hmmm, now I can barely walk. Ha!

This brings me to my conclusion that TM running is different than road running. Dahhh!I mean, last Monday I ran 5x1K @ 5:35-5:50 on the road and did not even feel the run the next day. I ran a nice progression immediately the next day and I was fine. I read that the TM overworks the quads and does not engage the hamstrings but my quads and my hamstrings are now sore. Still, I have to say that I agree now that running intervals on the TM is easier mentally and I might incorporate it in the future.

I am not worried, of course. I will be fine, and perhaps this new training stimulus will help. The bike path is now plowed and I am hoping that the rain that we are getting now is not going to make it more appropriate for skating than for running. I have my last important run on Thursday morning and would really like to be able to do it outside! Will see!