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Thursday, September 3, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Running Update
Sorry for the long hiatus in posting.
After completing the 5 mile run, I attempted an easy 3 mile run several days later. My body just rebelled.
I realized that I had been pushing my body way too hard. The mileage was just going up too much too fast for me. I had previously been averaging 6 - 8 miles a week - total. The first week of training I did 12 miles. The second week I did 14.
I chose to halt my training program for the half in the interest of not injuring myself. Seeing as though I have no health insurance, and make little money, doctor visits and x-rays, etc., would NOT be a good thing.
However, I did find something else which would allow me to continue to run, but it also caused me to have to scale WAY back on my mileage level. I found barefoot running.
My very first barefoot run took place near the end of July on a treadmill. I ran 1/4 of a mile. I liked it, but felt kind of awkward running on a treadmill barefoot. My next barefoot run was outside on the sidewalks running throughout the office complex where the gym that I work at is located. I started with 4 minutes. I chose to use minutes instead of distance because I have nothing to measure distance, but do have a sportswatch to measure time.
Slowly, I have added time each week to my runs, and am now up to 12 minutes. I seriously love it! I probably could have increased my time/distance faster than I did because I am the type who is constantly kicking my shoes off. But the mantra of barefoot runners is to take it slowly in order to avoid TMTS (Too Much Too Soon) injuries. So far, I have not had any blisters, and just a few growing pains from my feet strengthening and expanding to where they should naturally be. (And yes, I have stepped on a few rocks/pebbles with no harm to my feet.)
If you would like to learn more about barefoot running, a great place to go is Runner's World Barefoot Running forum.
After completing the 5 mile run, I attempted an easy 3 mile run several days later. My body just rebelled.
I realized that I had been pushing my body way too hard. The mileage was just going up too much too fast for me. I had previously been averaging 6 - 8 miles a week - total. The first week of training I did 12 miles. The second week I did 14.
I chose to halt my training program for the half in the interest of not injuring myself. Seeing as though I have no health insurance, and make little money, doctor visits and x-rays, etc., would NOT be a good thing.
However, I did find something else which would allow me to continue to run, but it also caused me to have to scale WAY back on my mileage level. I found barefoot running.
My very first barefoot run took place near the end of July on a treadmill. I ran 1/4 of a mile. I liked it, but felt kind of awkward running on a treadmill barefoot. My next barefoot run was outside on the sidewalks running throughout the office complex where the gym that I work at is located. I started with 4 minutes. I chose to use minutes instead of distance because I have nothing to measure distance, but do have a sportswatch to measure time.
Slowly, I have added time each week to my runs, and am now up to 12 minutes. I seriously love it! I probably could have increased my time/distance faster than I did because I am the type who is constantly kicking my shoes off. But the mantra of barefoot runners is to take it slowly in order to avoid TMTS (Too Much Too Soon) injuries. So far, I have not had any blisters, and just a few growing pains from my feet strengthening and expanding to where they should naturally be. (And yes, I have stepped on a few rocks/pebbles with no harm to my feet.)
If you would like to learn more about barefoot running, a great place to go is Runner's World Barefoot Running forum.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
5 Mile Long Run
Thank goodness for a little rain to cool things down!
I arrived at the clubhouse a few minutes before 7 a.m. In my head I was going on and on about whether or not I should even be attempting to do 5 miles. Two days off seemed to have alleviated the worst of my aches and pains, so maybe I was ready to go again.
Finally, a little after 7 a.m. we were off. The temperature was right around 75 degrees with a nice cool breeze.
There were all of 5 people in our walk/run group. 3 of them wanted to do the run 1/walk 1 pace. I stayed with the pace leader doing the run 1/walk 2. There was a lady behind us walking who had fractured her big toe while pumping gas earlier that week - the gas nozzle fell on her foot. Ouch!
Shortly after getting started, we came across a group on the side of the trail. One of the ladies had been sick during the week, but still wanted to try for the run. Unfortunately, she became lightheaded pretty quickly, and had to turn around and go home.
We kept moving on, and eventually caught up with the 1/1 pace group at the first water fountain. We left ahead of them as well. :D Before we came to the turn around spot, we had to cross the path of a race that was taking place. As we were crossing, the top 10 runners in the race were passing by. Then, it was on to the bridge.
The bridge was a freaky thing. Once you got a little bit out on to it, it started to bounce and sway. Finally we made it across, and hit the second water fountain and took a minute to stretch.
2.5 miles to go and I wasn't feeling too bad at all.
We got going back at the same time as the 1/1 group. In fact, the whole way back, except for the last .75 mile or so, we pretty much were keeping up with them. One time I felt like my left hamstring was getting tight, so we stopped on the side of the trail and I stretched it a bit.
Then we got to where the bench was (about .75 mile from the finish) and I sat and stretched for about 20 seconds or so. We both ran the last 3/10's of a mile to the finish.
Yay! I did 5 miles! The longest I've ever ran in my life. The best part was that I didn't feel totally exhausted at the end. I ate a poptart on my way home, and finished off my G2 drink plus more water.
When I got home, I did take a cold bath for awhile (didn't have ice) but then had to shower and head to church. According to sparkpeople, I used up 773 calories. The 5 mile run took us a total of 1 hour 27 minutes and 55 seconds - or approximately a 17:30 mile.
Next week we do the 5 miles again -- so now I know that I can do it!
I arrived at the clubhouse a few minutes before 7 a.m. In my head I was going on and on about whether or not I should even be attempting to do 5 miles. Two days off seemed to have alleviated the worst of my aches and pains, so maybe I was ready to go again.
Finally, a little after 7 a.m. we were off. The temperature was right around 75 degrees with a nice cool breeze.
There were all of 5 people in our walk/run group. 3 of them wanted to do the run 1/walk 1 pace. I stayed with the pace leader doing the run 1/walk 2. There was a lady behind us walking who had fractured her big toe while pumping gas earlier that week - the gas nozzle fell on her foot. Ouch!
Shortly after getting started, we came across a group on the side of the trail. One of the ladies had been sick during the week, but still wanted to try for the run. Unfortunately, she became lightheaded pretty quickly, and had to turn around and go home.
We kept moving on, and eventually caught up with the 1/1 pace group at the first water fountain. We left ahead of them as well. :D Before we came to the turn around spot, we had to cross the path of a race that was taking place. As we were crossing, the top 10 runners in the race were passing by. Then, it was on to the bridge.
The bridge was a freaky thing. Once you got a little bit out on to it, it started to bounce and sway. Finally we made it across, and hit the second water fountain and took a minute to stretch.
2.5 miles to go and I wasn't feeling too bad at all.
We got going back at the same time as the 1/1 group. In fact, the whole way back, except for the last .75 mile or so, we pretty much were keeping up with them. One time I felt like my left hamstring was getting tight, so we stopped on the side of the trail and I stretched it a bit.
Then we got to where the bench was (about .75 mile from the finish) and I sat and stretched for about 20 seconds or so. We both ran the last 3/10's of a mile to the finish.
Yay! I did 5 miles! The longest I've ever ran in my life. The best part was that I didn't feel totally exhausted at the end. I ate a poptart on my way home, and finished off my G2 drink plus more water.
When I got home, I did take a cold bath for awhile (didn't have ice) but then had to shower and head to church. According to sparkpeople, I used up 773 calories. The 5 mile run took us a total of 1 hour 27 minutes and 55 seconds - or approximately a 17:30 mile.
Next week we do the 5 miles again -- so now I know that I can do it!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
First Wednesday Night Group Run
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Temperature: 100+ degrees
Course: Outside & Hilly
Distance: 3 miles
Total Time: 54:14
Ugh!
I was one of the last two people to finish the mileage - out of 400+ people. It was SO hot! I really tried to keep up with the 16 minute pace leader - and I did, mostly for the first 1.5 miles - but then on the return trip, I was just beat. At one point I even sat down on a bench for about 30 seconds. My group was nice (there was me, the pace leader and two others in my group) and they slowed down for me, or came back a little for me.
I am seriously wondering if I should really keep going towards the goal of doing a half-marathon. My body is so sore - I barely could do the 3 miles tonight, and Saturday I'm supposed to do 5 miles?!
Temperature: 100+ degrees
Course: Outside & Hilly
Distance: 3 miles
Total Time: 54:14
Ugh!
I was one of the last two people to finish the mileage - out of 400+ people. It was SO hot! I really tried to keep up with the 16 minute pace leader - and I did, mostly for the first 1.5 miles - but then on the return trip, I was just beat. At one point I even sat down on a bench for about 30 seconds. My group was nice (there was me, the pace leader and two others in my group) and they slowed down for me, or came back a little for me.
I am seriously wondering if I should really keep going towards the goal of doing a half-marathon. My body is so sore - I barely could do the 3 miles tonight, and Saturday I'm supposed to do 5 miles?!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
July 14 Easy 3 Mile Run
Distance: 3.25 miles
Where: Treadmill
Time: 47 minutes
Workout: 5 minutes warmup (~.2 miles) 39 minutes run (4.3) 3 minutes/ walk (3.6) 2 minutes (2.9 miles) Cooldown 3 minutes (~.15 miles)
Thoughts:
Today's workout actually kind of sort of almost felt easy. Maybe easy isn't *quite* the right word for it - but definitely felt easier. I think I pretty much managed to keep off my heels the entire time - at least when running. Unfortunately, I think I may have been landing a little too hard on my left ball of my foot. (Broke a bone in the bottom of my left foot when I was 16 - ironically while I was running/practicing for a school sprint contest.)
Where: Treadmill
Time: 47 minutes
Workout: 5 minutes warmup (~.2 miles) 39 minutes run (4.3) 3 minutes/ walk (3.6) 2 minutes (2.9 miles) Cooldown 3 minutes (~.15 miles)
Thoughts:
Today's workout actually kind of sort of almost felt easy. Maybe easy isn't *quite* the right word for it - but definitely felt easier. I think I pretty much managed to keep off my heels the entire time - at least when running. Unfortunately, I think I may have been landing a little too hard on my left ball of my foot. (Broke a bone in the bottom of my left foot when I was 16 - ironically while I was running/practicing for a school sprint contest.)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Chi Running Class & First Long Run & Ouch! +Barefoot running
So Saturday morning my friend from the gym and I attended a Chi Running class. The instructor had just become certified a few months ago, and so was still doing classes for free "to get the format down better."
Overall, I would say it was well worth it. He really emphasized posture. He had us (6 of us altogether) get with a partner and stand "normally." Then our partner would push us with their pinkie finger. Everybody was moving easily or nearly falling over. Then he had us get into the good posture (feet parallel and hip width apart, knees soft, pelvis straight across, sternum lifted, and neck elongated.) The pinkies could not move us then!
He also had us do some practice walking where all we did was lift our feet - no heel striking. By that time it was time for class to be over, so we didn't even get into running. That was disappointing, but still, it was worthwhile.
---
Because I went to the Chi Running class, I missed my first 4 mile Long run with my training group. I definitely was not going to do the 4 miles AFTER the Chi Class (105 degrees + heat index.) So I waited until 10:30 Saturday night - while I was at my mom and stepdad's place. I didn't end up doing 4 miles though. They have a 1.5 mile route mapped out, so we all just went around twice. The second time around I would run ahead a bit, and then run back. So, I think I maybe got in 3.2 miles. I just didn't have it in me to do more after we finished that second loop. Oh yeah ... it was still 95 degrees out .. although it was dark.
This Saturday I'm supposed to do a 5 mile long run with my training group. I'm not quite sure how that's going to work .... I guess you could say I did 5 miles on the 4th (5k + 2 miles walking to and from the race) but that wasn't all at the same time. All I can do is try, right?
----
Saturday night and Sunday night I woke up with the feeling like I was about to get a huge charley horse - only in my right top calf. I *hate* those. So I tried something that I thought was kind of silly -- but it actually worked. I concentrated very hard on NOT tensing up in anticipation of the pain ... and then breathed deeply and just repeated the word "relax." It still hurt, but it didn't cramp up!
---
This weekend I stumbled across the idea of barefoot running. It kind of goes along with the Chi Running technique. It is supposed to really help you learn good form -- if you are running barefoot and heel striking, your body is going to *really* quickly tell you it is a BAD idea.
I'm looking at getting a Garmin 50 with the footpod so I can run in new places without having to worry about pre-measured routes. If I get this, then maybe on Tuesdays and Thursdays I will do a small portion of my easy runs barefoot. Like maybe 1/4 mile to start with for a few weeks.
Overall, I would say it was well worth it. He really emphasized posture. He had us (6 of us altogether) get with a partner and stand "normally." Then our partner would push us with their pinkie finger. Everybody was moving easily or nearly falling over. Then he had us get into the good posture (feet parallel and hip width apart, knees soft, pelvis straight across, sternum lifted, and neck elongated.) The pinkies could not move us then!
He also had us do some practice walking where all we did was lift our feet - no heel striking. By that time it was time for class to be over, so we didn't even get into running. That was disappointing, but still, it was worthwhile.
---
Because I went to the Chi Running class, I missed my first 4 mile Long run with my training group. I definitely was not going to do the 4 miles AFTER the Chi Class (105 degrees + heat index.) So I waited until 10:30 Saturday night - while I was at my mom and stepdad's place. I didn't end up doing 4 miles though. They have a 1.5 mile route mapped out, so we all just went around twice. The second time around I would run ahead a bit, and then run back. So, I think I maybe got in 3.2 miles. I just didn't have it in me to do more after we finished that second loop. Oh yeah ... it was still 95 degrees out .. although it was dark.
This Saturday I'm supposed to do a 5 mile long run with my training group. I'm not quite sure how that's going to work .... I guess you could say I did 5 miles on the 4th (5k + 2 miles walking to and from the race) but that wasn't all at the same time. All I can do is try, right?
----
Saturday night and Sunday night I woke up with the feeling like I was about to get a huge charley horse - only in my right top calf. I *hate* those. So I tried something that I thought was kind of silly -- but it actually worked. I concentrated very hard on NOT tensing up in anticipation of the pain ... and then breathed deeply and just repeated the word "relax." It still hurt, but it didn't cramp up!
---
This weekend I stumbled across the idea of barefoot running. It kind of goes along with the Chi Running technique. It is supposed to really help you learn good form -- if you are running barefoot and heel striking, your body is going to *really* quickly tell you it is a BAD idea.
I'm looking at getting a Garmin 50 with the footpod so I can run in new places without having to worry about pre-measured routes. If I get this, then maybe on Tuesdays and Thursdays I will do a small portion of my easy runs barefoot. Like maybe 1/4 mile to start with for a few weeks.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
July 9 "Easy" Run
Okay, on the training schedule today was an "easy" run of 3 miles. Hmm... maybe in about 5 or 6 weeks I'll be able to think of 3 miles as an easy run .. but not just yet.
Workout: Easy Run
Where: Treadmill
Distance: 3.15 miles
Time: 46 minutes
I wore my Timex heart rate monitor watch and chest strap today. One thing I found interesting was that every time I took a walking break, my heart rate only went down 5 or 6 beats.
One thing we were told at the Kickoff meeting is that they're going to teach us the principle of a steady pace. I think that would be a very good thing for me to learn. Today, like in the 5k race, the first two miles went pretty well, but the last mile was really tough to get through. I really focused on my form and on breathing, and made it through to the end.
At first my body was kind of achy, but after about 10 minutes, I was fine. So far, I've not been feeling any pains, etc.
Today marks my first 3 miles ran as part of my training for a half-marathon! Tomorrow is a rest day. :D That is going to be really weird, going into the gym (where I work) and NOT working out first thing. But, I do know that the rest days are important, especially when before a long-run day.
Workout: Easy Run
Where: Treadmill
Distance: 3.15 miles
Time: 46 minutes
I wore my Timex heart rate monitor watch and chest strap today. One thing I found interesting was that every time I took a walking break, my heart rate only went down 5 or 6 beats.
One thing we were told at the Kickoff meeting is that they're going to teach us the principle of a steady pace. I think that would be a very good thing for me to learn. Today, like in the 5k race, the first two miles went pretty well, but the last mile was really tough to get through. I really focused on my form and on breathing, and made it through to the end.
At first my body was kind of achy, but after about 10 minutes, I was fine. So far, I've not been feeling any pains, etc.
Today marks my first 3 miles ran as part of my training for a half-marathon! Tomorrow is a rest day. :D That is going to be really weird, going into the gym (where I work) and NOT working out first thing. But, I do know that the rest days are important, especially when before a long-run day.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Half-Marathon Training Program Kickoff!
So the Kickoff meeting for the Half-Marathon program was Wednesday night at 7 p.m. I arrived just a few minutes before it started, and was lucky to find a parking space - even though I had to parallel park. (Ugh.)
My first impression on going in was that there were A LOT of people. I also noticed that there were not enough chairs for everyone - maybe 1/2 of the people there had chairs to sit in. I also noticed that people were carrying sheets of various colored paper. I tried to find out where to get those papers, but instead found the table for the Run/Walk group.
I'd been debating on whether I should go with the Run/Walk group or go with the Couch to Half group. After talking to one of the Pace leaders in our group (David) I found out that they do a 3:1 ratio (3 run: 1 walk) which sounded good to me. So I decided that I would go with that particular group for my training.
Shortly after talking to David, it was time for the meeting to start. The creator/owner of RaceNation.com spoke for awhile and encouraged us all to join. RaceNation is a Facebook type program geared towards runners - it isn't available nationwide yet though (not sure exactly where all it is available.) Then the founder of DRC spoke for awhile. He talked about motivation, and the reasons why we might be there, and the things or reasons that might stand in our way.
Finally, Chris, the training program director got up and talked. He told how the training program first started 7 years ago with only 100 people and was only for a 1/2 marathon. Now, with this training program, nearly 700 people have signed up and there are programs for the 1/2 and the full marathon. He also talked about the various aspects of the training program, and the definitions of some of the terms used.
He then took around 15 or so questions from the group members. Finally, he introduced the different Pace Leaders - 26 in all.
All of this was great, but I had two very annoying distractions. One was my back was NOT liking standing for that long (not to mention my shoulder was hurting from me hanging on to my purse.) And the other much more annoying distraction was how RUDE people in the back were being - I don't think there was total quiet for even a minute! Quite often I couldn't hear what was being said due to the people talking behind me.
At 8:15 the talking part of the program was over, and we could go talk to the Pace Leaders which we'll be working with over the next 23 weeks. I tried letting my PL know that I would be missing the first long run this weekend, but someone else cut in front of me before I could get that across. So I headed over to the table where the training programs were located.
Looking at the training plan, it looks like I will be doing my first half-marathon on November 1, and then doing a second one on December 13.
They have Monday and Friday as rest days, Tuesday and Thursdays as 3 mile easy runs, Wednesdays as a variety of types of group runs, Saturday's as Long runs, and Sundays for cross training. Hmmm.... Knowing myself as I do, I think I am going to have to switch out Sunday and Monday. Sunday can be my rest day, and Monday my cross training day.
The first long run is 4 miles. The most I've ever done so far is 3.5 miles. Since I'm doing the Chi Running class on Saturday, and already have other plans on Sunday - I'll have to do the 4 miles on Monday - on a treadmill. Then Tuesday will be my crosstraining day. Should be interesting.
My first impression on going in was that there were A LOT of people. I also noticed that there were not enough chairs for everyone - maybe 1/2 of the people there had chairs to sit in. I also noticed that people were carrying sheets of various colored paper. I tried to find out where to get those papers, but instead found the table for the Run/Walk group.
I'd been debating on whether I should go with the Run/Walk group or go with the Couch to Half group. After talking to one of the Pace leaders in our group (David) I found out that they do a 3:1 ratio (3 run: 1 walk) which sounded good to me. So I decided that I would go with that particular group for my training.
Shortly after talking to David, it was time for the meeting to start. The creator/owner of RaceNation.com spoke for awhile and encouraged us all to join. RaceNation is a Facebook type program geared towards runners - it isn't available nationwide yet though (not sure exactly where all it is available.) Then the founder of DRC spoke for awhile. He talked about motivation, and the reasons why we might be there, and the things or reasons that might stand in our way.
Finally, Chris, the training program director got up and talked. He told how the training program first started 7 years ago with only 100 people and was only for a 1/2 marathon. Now, with this training program, nearly 700 people have signed up and there are programs for the 1/2 and the full marathon. He also talked about the various aspects of the training program, and the definitions of some of the terms used.
He then took around 15 or so questions from the group members. Finally, he introduced the different Pace Leaders - 26 in all.
All of this was great, but I had two very annoying distractions. One was my back was NOT liking standing for that long (not to mention my shoulder was hurting from me hanging on to my purse.) And the other much more annoying distraction was how RUDE people in the back were being - I don't think there was total quiet for even a minute! Quite often I couldn't hear what was being said due to the people talking behind me.
At 8:15 the talking part of the program was over, and we could go talk to the Pace Leaders which we'll be working with over the next 23 weeks. I tried letting my PL know that I would be missing the first long run this weekend, but someone else cut in front of me before I could get that across. So I headed over to the table where the training programs were located.
Looking at the training plan, it looks like I will be doing my first half-marathon on November 1, and then doing a second one on December 13.
They have Monday and Friday as rest days, Tuesday and Thursdays as 3 mile easy runs, Wednesdays as a variety of types of group runs, Saturday's as Long runs, and Sundays for cross training. Hmmm.... Knowing myself as I do, I think I am going to have to switch out Sunday and Monday. Sunday can be my rest day, and Monday my cross training day.
The first long run is 4 miles. The most I've ever done so far is 3.5 miles. Since I'm doing the Chi Running class on Saturday, and already have other plans on Sunday - I'll have to do the 4 miles on Monday - on a treadmill. Then Tuesday will be my crosstraining day. Should be interesting.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July 7 Run Report
Total Time: 40 minutes
Total Distance: 2.5 miles
Where: Treadmill
Plan -
Warmup: 3 minutes at 3.0 mph; 2 minutes at 3.3 mph - total of 5 minutes
Workout: Walk 2 min at 3.5 mph; Run 3 minutes at 4.5 mph -- total of 30 minutes
Cooldown: 2 minutes at 3.3 mph; 3 minutes at 3.o mph - total 5 minutes
General Thoughts and Observations:
I have to say that today's run really felt good. When I first got up this morning, my muscles were kind of achy and I wasn't sure if I should do my scheduled run or not. But once I got on the treadmill and got going, it went really, really well.
I really tried to concentrate on my form (ChiRunning.) While I'm not totally sure that I'm getting the lean right, I could see in the mirrors that my arms were doing the right motions. (Elbows going backwards instead of reaching forward or across with hands.) I really think that just making the arm motions was helpful in conserving energy.
After I finished my run, I did some stretching and felt pretty good. No real aches or pains.
However, a few hours later, I had a few alternating pains in my legs. Although I think that may be more due to how I was sitting than to my running. :D
Total Distance: 2.5 miles
Where: Treadmill
Plan -
Warmup: 3 minutes at 3.0 mph; 2 minutes at 3.3 mph - total of 5 minutes
Workout: Walk 2 min at 3.5 mph; Run 3 minutes at 4.5 mph -- total of 30 minutes
Cooldown: 2 minutes at 3.3 mph; 3 minutes at 3.o mph - total 5 minutes
General Thoughts and Observations:
I have to say that today's run really felt good. When I first got up this morning, my muscles were kind of achy and I wasn't sure if I should do my scheduled run or not. But once I got on the treadmill and got going, it went really, really well.
I really tried to concentrate on my form (ChiRunning.) While I'm not totally sure that I'm getting the lean right, I could see in the mirrors that my arms were doing the right motions. (Elbows going backwards instead of reaching forward or across with hands.) I really think that just making the arm motions was helpful in conserving energy.
After I finished my run, I did some stretching and felt pretty good. No real aches or pains.
However, a few hours later, I had a few alternating pains in my legs. Although I think that may be more due to how I was sitting than to my running. :D
Monday, July 6, 2009
Chi Running and YouTube
As I've mentioned before, I was recently introduced to the concept/technique of ChiRunning. After having read the book and tried out using some of the ideas, I really liked it. Being a person who likes to find out all there is to find out about a subject, I started researching on the internet about ChiRunning.
First, I found a group on Sparkpeople.com dedicated to people who run using the Chi Running technique. While reading through various threads on that team, I came across a post which mentioned Chi Running videos on Youtube.
In my initial searches, I had not come across any videos. But once I saw that there were some, I of course had to head over to Youtube and see what I could find.
There actually are a good bit of videos on Youtube related to Chi Running or Chi Walking. The author even has quite a few video blogs where he explains in great detail about proper posture, and how to stop from over/under pronating, along with other subjects.
Those videos were very interesting to watch, but there was one video in particular which I found quite fascinating, and cemented for me that I want to learn how to run like this. It is a video showing the top (elite) male and female runners in the 2008 Boston Marathon. If you decide to watch it, it does start out a bit slow, but the analysis of how the top runners use their form to almost appear as though they are flying through the air, is well worth the time.
First, I found a group on Sparkpeople.com dedicated to people who run using the Chi Running technique. While reading through various threads on that team, I came across a post which mentioned Chi Running videos on Youtube.
In my initial searches, I had not come across any videos. But once I saw that there were some, I of course had to head over to Youtube and see what I could find.
There actually are a good bit of videos on Youtube related to Chi Running or Chi Walking. The author even has quite a few video blogs where he explains in great detail about proper posture, and how to stop from over/under pronating, along with other subjects.
Those videos were very interesting to watch, but there was one video in particular which I found quite fascinating, and cemented for me that I want to learn how to run like this. It is a video showing the top (elite) male and female runners in the 2008 Boston Marathon. If you decide to watch it, it does start out a bit slow, but the analysis of how the top runners use their form to almost appear as though they are flying through the air, is well worth the time.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
July 4 Independence Day Race Report
Hi everyone! I wanted to give a report on the 5k race I participated in on the 4th of July.
On Friday I received an email letting me know that over 800 people had registered for the race, and that parking was going to be very tight. It was suggested that some people might want to park at the Clubhouse and walk to the race.
I knew that I didn't want to get there early enough to get a parking spot by the race, plus I figured it would be good for me to figure out where the Clubhouse was located.
Saturday morning a little after 7 a.m. I arrived at the clubhouse. It wasn't marked, but there were a few people standing outside who verified that yes, this was the clubhouse. When I asked how to get to the race's starting point, a lady said that she was heading over there herself. So we walked over together.
It was a fairly easy one-mile walk from the Clubhouse to the start of the race. I enjoyed chatting with the person I walked over with, and once we got there, she introduced me to some of the other club members.
After picking up my bib and pinning it on, I headed over to the merchandise table to pick up my free t-shirt (for joining the running club.) However, I realized after picking it up, that I didn't have anywhere to *put* it. So, I ended up tying it around my wrist.
A bit after that I got into the line for the restrooms. While waiting, I used the time to untangle the cords of my headphones. It was perfect timing - just as I reached the entrance, I managed to remove the last tangle. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the bathroom actually had ample toilet paper. (Something that doesn't always happen.)
I still had a little bit of time left before the race was to start, so I walked around the circular driveway a couple times. Finally, I saw people heading down the hill towards the starting point.
As I was walking down the hill, I heard some people talking about how they'd had a record number of registrations - well over 820, just online, plus a lot more that showed up on race day.
Since I knew that I would not be running the entire distance, and that even when I would be running, I wouldn't be very fast, I situated myself towards the back. I ended up having roughly 600 people in front of me. I couldn't even see the starting line.
We hadn't even started moving, and already people were sweating. The temperature at 8:00 a.m. was 80 degrees with very little wind.
As race time approached a man on a bullhorn welcomed us and gave a short talk about being proud to be Americans and supporting our troops. Then a young lady sang "The Star Spangled Banner." Not too long after that, a pistol sounded. People around me kind of laughed because the noise was almost unnoticeable where we were - it wasn't until the crowd before us began surging forward that we were completely sure that that was the starting pistol.
As I started to move forward, I turned on my MP3 player, which I had already set on my "running" playlist. By the time I had reached the first 1/2 mile marker, the crowd of runners had spread out quite a bit.
At the first mile marker there was a water and Gatorade stand. I meant to get water, because I hadn't trained with using sports drinks, but accidentally took a Gatorade. I made sure to tell the volunteers at the aid station thanks. At that point, I had managed to run through one song and walk through one. Without a watch, I don't know for sure what my time was there.
After leaving the one-mile aid station, I began to notice some of the people who had started near the front already coming back towards the finish goal. There were lots of thumbs up and way to go's.
I was estatic to see the 5k turnaround point because I was starting to get tired. It felt so good knowing that I was half-way through the race. Shortly afterwards, I had to take a quick stop alongside the trail to tie my shoe. That was very annoying because my shoelaces are supposed to be the kind that *don't* come untied. Quickly though, I was back in the race.
By the time I arrived at the two-mile aid station (where they had a wonderful mister) I was really slowing down. Although I had the goal of running through one song, and then walking through the next one, I ended up doing more walking than running after the 2 mile point.
About at this point in the race, there were a group of about 6 - 8 people who were running/walking at the same pace. It was nice to pass familiar people, and to have them pass you later on.
The whole race I kept thinking about my posture and trying to keep my feet paralell and not striking my heels on the ground. Mostly I think I did okay on this. However, while I was trying to keep my mind on these ideas, I did happen to notice the form of other people running or walking around me. It was quite interesting to see how few people ran with their arms crossing in front of them. Most of them kept their arms glued to their sides (bent at the elbows.) I also noticed this one person walking in front of me who walked with her feet overly pronated -- something I probably would never have noticed before.
Finally I reached the 3 mile marker, and somewhere found the last bit of gusto, and ran in the last tenth of a mile and across the finish line.
My finish time was officially: 47 minutes and 44 seconds. A 15:22 mile.
I really wish I had had my own stopwatch to time myself so I could know what my *actual* time was, but I didn't have one (at least not one with a working battery!)
I hadn't realized how much the heat had affected me until after I crossed the finish line. The only thought my brain could generate was "Water! Water! Water!" Water never tasted so good.
Once I had refreshed myself, I trudged back up the hill. Once I got up there, I snagged a sports drink and drank it pretty quickly. I also picked up a package of peanut butter crackers. Thankfully, the restrooms still had toilet paper. :)
I needed to get on home at that point, so I started walking back to where my car was located. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember *exactly* how I had come earlier that day, so ended up adding a bit of extra distance to my walk. As I was walking back, I ate two of my peanut butter crackers - but my mouth was so dry, they tasted like sawdust.
So, all in all, I walked a bit over 2 miles, and ran 3.1 miles.
On Friday I received an email letting me know that over 800 people had registered for the race, and that parking was going to be very tight. It was suggested that some people might want to park at the Clubhouse and walk to the race.
I knew that I didn't want to get there early enough to get a parking spot by the race, plus I figured it would be good for me to figure out where the Clubhouse was located.
Saturday morning a little after 7 a.m. I arrived at the clubhouse. It wasn't marked, but there were a few people standing outside who verified that yes, this was the clubhouse. When I asked how to get to the race's starting point, a lady said that she was heading over there herself. So we walked over together.
It was a fairly easy one-mile walk from the Clubhouse to the start of the race. I enjoyed chatting with the person I walked over with, and once we got there, she introduced me to some of the other club members.
After picking up my bib and pinning it on, I headed over to the merchandise table to pick up my free t-shirt (for joining the running club.) However, I realized after picking it up, that I didn't have anywhere to *put* it. So, I ended up tying it around my wrist.
A bit after that I got into the line for the restrooms. While waiting, I used the time to untangle the cords of my headphones. It was perfect timing - just as I reached the entrance, I managed to remove the last tangle. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the bathroom actually had ample toilet paper. (Something that doesn't always happen.)
I still had a little bit of time left before the race was to start, so I walked around the circular driveway a couple times. Finally, I saw people heading down the hill towards the starting point.
As I was walking down the hill, I heard some people talking about how they'd had a record number of registrations - well over 820, just online, plus a lot more that showed up on race day.
Since I knew that I would not be running the entire distance, and that even when I would be running, I wouldn't be very fast, I situated myself towards the back. I ended up having roughly 600 people in front of me. I couldn't even see the starting line.
We hadn't even started moving, and already people were sweating. The temperature at 8:00 a.m. was 80 degrees with very little wind.
As race time approached a man on a bullhorn welcomed us and gave a short talk about being proud to be Americans and supporting our troops. Then a young lady sang "The Star Spangled Banner." Not too long after that, a pistol sounded. People around me kind of laughed because the noise was almost unnoticeable where we were - it wasn't until the crowd before us began surging forward that we were completely sure that that was the starting pistol.
As I started to move forward, I turned on my MP3 player, which I had already set on my "running" playlist. By the time I had reached the first 1/2 mile marker, the crowd of runners had spread out quite a bit.
At the first mile marker there was a water and Gatorade stand. I meant to get water, because I hadn't trained with using sports drinks, but accidentally took a Gatorade. I made sure to tell the volunteers at the aid station thanks. At that point, I had managed to run through one song and walk through one. Without a watch, I don't know for sure what my time was there.
After leaving the one-mile aid station, I began to notice some of the people who had started near the front already coming back towards the finish goal. There were lots of thumbs up and way to go's.
I was estatic to see the 5k turnaround point because I was starting to get tired. It felt so good knowing that I was half-way through the race. Shortly afterwards, I had to take a quick stop alongside the trail to tie my shoe. That was very annoying because my shoelaces are supposed to be the kind that *don't* come untied. Quickly though, I was back in the race.
By the time I arrived at the two-mile aid station (where they had a wonderful mister) I was really slowing down. Although I had the goal of running through one song, and then walking through the next one, I ended up doing more walking than running after the 2 mile point.
About at this point in the race, there were a group of about 6 - 8 people who were running/walking at the same pace. It was nice to pass familiar people, and to have them pass you later on.
The whole race I kept thinking about my posture and trying to keep my feet paralell and not striking my heels on the ground. Mostly I think I did okay on this. However, while I was trying to keep my mind on these ideas, I did happen to notice the form of other people running or walking around me. It was quite interesting to see how few people ran with their arms crossing in front of them. Most of them kept their arms glued to their sides (bent at the elbows.) I also noticed this one person walking in front of me who walked with her feet overly pronated -- something I probably would never have noticed before.
Finally I reached the 3 mile marker, and somewhere found the last bit of gusto, and ran in the last tenth of a mile and across the finish line.
My finish time was officially: 47 minutes and 44 seconds. A 15:22 mile.
I really wish I had had my own stopwatch to time myself so I could know what my *actual* time was, but I didn't have one (at least not one with a working battery!)
I hadn't realized how much the heat had affected me until after I crossed the finish line. The only thought my brain could generate was "Water! Water! Water!" Water never tasted so good.
Once I had refreshed myself, I trudged back up the hill. Once I got up there, I snagged a sports drink and drank it pretty quickly. I also picked up a package of peanut butter crackers. Thankfully, the restrooms still had toilet paper. :)
I needed to get on home at that point, so I started walking back to where my car was located. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember *exactly* how I had come earlier that day, so ended up adding a bit of extra distance to my walk. As I was walking back, I ate two of my peanut butter crackers - but my mouth was so dry, they tasted like sawdust.
So, all in all, I walked a bit over 2 miles, and ran 3.1 miles.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Trying Out A New Running Technique: Chi Running
A lady at the gym where I work at (and workout with) and I were talking about running a few weeks ago. She was telling me about how she'd had some bad injuries from running too much, and had been told to stop. Well, she wasn't too enthused about that idea, so she started to look for ways to make it possible for her to keep running.
What she found was a book called ChiRunning. It proposes a technique where you used your "Chi" and core muscles to propel you forward, rather than the normal heel strike & push off from the toes. The concept sounded quite interesting to me, especially since the book claims that if you run using this technique, you will be injury free.
However, I wasn't so enthused about the whole concept of "Chi." I'm not exactly into all that middle eastern religion philosophy. She told me she wasn't either, but was able to get past it and find the good stuff.
So, with my interest piqued, I borrowed it from the library. It came in this past Friday, and I finished reading it today. However I had read enough of it by this morning to try it somewhat with my morning run.
I will have to say that I think it has a lot of potential. In fact, I probably am going to end up buying the book so that I can mark it up.
Today's workout:
Type: Endurance run
Place: Treadmill
Time: 50 minutes
Pace: 14 mpm
Distance: 3.55 miles
Plan: Warmup: 5 minutes 3.0 mph (.25 mile)
Workout: 5 minutes 3.7 mph; 5 minutes 4.2 mph (3.25 miles)
Cooldown: 3 minutes 3.5 mph; 2 minutes 3.0 mph (.30 miles)
Strength Training: Focused on legs (squats, lunges, split squats, etc.)
Thoughts:
I don't think it was a good idea to do leg work after an endurance run. :) I was actually trying to keep my pace at 15 mpm, but despite my best intentions, there were a few times where I let myself go at the faster pace for a *smidgen* longer than planned, which then of course made me have to shorten the slower pace.
Chi thoughts: One concept from the book which I really liked, and could have used in my workout today was the idea of not making result oriented goals. For example, in today's workout my goal was just to keep going for a full 50 minutes and not worry about achieving a certain distance. I have a really really hard time with that. I like seeing how far I've gone. But if I'm going to be able to keep good form (so as to not injure myself!) then I really need to be able to let go of the need for a certain distance, and just focus on the correct form and pacing.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Book Review: The Non-Runner's Marathon Guide For Women
- Title: The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women
- Author: Dawn Dias
- Paperback: 220 pages
- Publisher: Seal Press; (January 3, 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1580052053
- ISBN-13: 978-1580052054
Then one day she receives a postcard from the American Stroke Society talking about a fundraiser. It was asking people to sign up to run a marathon and raise money for stroke research. Dawn recently had an uncle who had died after having a stroke.
In a moment of inspiration, she decided that she was going to run a marathon.
Dawn has a very sarcastic sense of humor. She is pretty easy to identify with, as someone who also isn't much of an athlete. I could also easily identify with her disliking getting up early in the morning. Her weekly journal entries which are interspersed throughout the book provide the fodder for a lot of laughter.
However, I don't think that this book is one that should be taken as a serious training guide. The end result of Dawn ruining one of her knees, I believe speaks for itself.
I would recommend you to read this book just for the humor, but don't rely on her training information. I plan to read it again after I complete my first marathon - I have the feeling that I'll be able to relate to a lot more of it by then!
Readability: 5 shoes
Practical Applications: 3 shoes
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Which Half-Marathon Should I Plan On?
Since making the decision to train for a half-marathon, I have been doing quite a bit of reading on the subject. Most of what I am reading reiterates that if you don't already have a solid base of running, that you should take a longer training time to help avoid injuries.
I signed up for a training class with a local running club. This training class is working towards two different half-marathons. The first one is on November 1, and the second one is on December 13. At first, I wanted to go for the November 1 race, but the more I have been reading, and the more I have been thinking about what my running base actually is, the more comfortable I am with going for the December 13 race instead.
If I hadn't had such a long hiatus from regular running, I would definitely go for the earlier race. But my first priority is to get to the starting line as injury free as possible, and then of course finish the race! So, if that means taking a few extra weeks, then so be it.
I signed up for a training class with a local running club. This training class is working towards two different half-marathons. The first one is on November 1, and the second one is on December 13. At first, I wanted to go for the November 1 race, but the more I have been reading, and the more I have been thinking about what my running base actually is, the more comfortable I am with going for the December 13 race instead.
If I hadn't had such a long hiatus from regular running, I would definitely go for the earlier race. But my first priority is to get to the starting line as injury free as possible, and then of course finish the race! So, if that means taking a few extra weeks, then so be it.
About Laura Runs
Hi! My name is Laura. I am a runner. That wasn't always the case though. Some may say that I'm technically still not a runner ... but I get off the couch and I pick my feet up off the ground .. so I think that qualifies me as a runner, whether or not it takes me 15 minutes to run a mile. :D
My story begins in January, 2008. I'd been pretty faithfully exercising 3 or 4 days a week, doing various cardio and strength training activities, but was kind of getting bored. One day I came across a group on Sparkpeople.com called "Couch To 5k." I'd seen that term before, and even knew that it was a running program. But it had never interested me personally. After all, I hated running - I was slow and it just took too much effort.
For some reason though, that day in January, my interest spiked enough so that I read through many of the threads. By the end of the next week, I had stopped at a local running shop and bought my first pair of running shoes - a pair of Asics. It sure didn't hurt my feelings any that they were blue and white. :D
Over the next number of months I slowly built up my running. I modified the program a bit to suit me better - starting off with 30 seconds of running followed by 90 seconds of walking. I did slack off from it several times during those months, which made me have to backtrack some. But by the end of May I was able to run almost 8 minutes straight before taking a walking break.
That's when I got the bright idea that I needed a challenge - something to give me a reason to not slack off - I needed to sign up for a 5k race! So, I did. I signed up for my first 5k in July, 2008.
What a bundle of nerves! Luckily, my dad was willing to get up at the early morning hour necessary to drive us to the race site - otherwise, I probably would have never found it myself. (I am directionally challenged even when fully awake.)
Standing at the starting line waiting for the starting buzzer to go off was such a rush. I hardly could believe that it was really me standing there, about to go off and trek out 3.1 miles. I didn't care about what my time would be, nor even if I finished last - all I cared about was finishing (preferably without the need of any medical assistance!)
And yes, I did finish. I wasn't last either. (Close to it though!) As I crossed the finish line and started drowning myself in water, I knew that I needed to make this a repeat experience.
I completed 3 more 5 k races by the end of October, with my time getting a little better with each one. Then November hit, and somehow my motivation went out the door, and didn't return again until late March, 2009.
I had gone for a few runs here and there in the intervening months, but had definitely lost a lot of ground - and gained a lot of weight back. Something kicked back in during March, and I started back - not quite back at square one, but close to it.
I realized that I needed to set landmarks for me to achieve - reasons to keep up with my running. So I decided that I probably could be prepared to do another 5k by the end of July. This time I would do it with my mom - who had walked the 5k I ran in October.
For some reason though, just doing more 5k's didn't feel like quite enough. I wanted to challenge myself more. But, I wasn't sure quite how. Then, a little over a week ago, I was reading some various blogs and I came across several mentions of people completing half-marathons - or 13.1 miles.
Two-years ago if you would have asked me if I had any interest in participating in a half-marathon, you would have seen me fall down on the floor laughing hysterically. Me? Do a half-marathon? The girl who could barely do a mile without feeling like dying of exhaustion? Yeah, that would be a no.
But for some reason, my mindset has changed. One-week ago I decided that I was going to train to walk/run a half-marathon.
I have several other blogs (which I don't keep updated as much as I should) but I didn't want to overrun them with my half-marathon journey. Because that is what this is going to be - a journey. Going from run/walking 3.1 miles to 13.1 miles is going to be quite the adventure, and possibly just the beginning.
So, here in this blog, I will be sharing the low-lights and the high-lights of my journey towards my first half-marathon. More than anything, this is for me to have a tangible record of my journey which I can look back on later.
But I also hope that it may be something which encourages someone else to get out there and join the running world. Hey, if you're in Texas, we might just pass each other on the trail.
My story begins in January, 2008. I'd been pretty faithfully exercising 3 or 4 days a week, doing various cardio and strength training activities, but was kind of getting bored. One day I came across a group on Sparkpeople.com called "Couch To 5k." I'd seen that term before, and even knew that it was a running program. But it had never interested me personally. After all, I hated running - I was slow and it just took too much effort.
For some reason though, that day in January, my interest spiked enough so that I read through many of the threads. By the end of the next week, I had stopped at a local running shop and bought my first pair of running shoes - a pair of Asics. It sure didn't hurt my feelings any that they were blue and white. :D
Over the next number of months I slowly built up my running. I modified the program a bit to suit me better - starting off with 30 seconds of running followed by 90 seconds of walking. I did slack off from it several times during those months, which made me have to backtrack some. But by the end of May I was able to run almost 8 minutes straight before taking a walking break.
That's when I got the bright idea that I needed a challenge - something to give me a reason to not slack off - I needed to sign up for a 5k race! So, I did. I signed up for my first 5k in July, 2008.
What a bundle of nerves! Luckily, my dad was willing to get up at the early morning hour necessary to drive us to the race site - otherwise, I probably would have never found it myself. (I am directionally challenged even when fully awake.)
Standing at the starting line waiting for the starting buzzer to go off was such a rush. I hardly could believe that it was really me standing there, about to go off and trek out 3.1 miles. I didn't care about what my time would be, nor even if I finished last - all I cared about was finishing (preferably without the need of any medical assistance!)
And yes, I did finish. I wasn't last either. (Close to it though!) As I crossed the finish line and started drowning myself in water, I knew that I needed to make this a repeat experience.
I completed 3 more 5 k races by the end of October, with my time getting a little better with each one. Then November hit, and somehow my motivation went out the door, and didn't return again until late March, 2009.
I had gone for a few runs here and there in the intervening months, but had definitely lost a lot of ground - and gained a lot of weight back. Something kicked back in during March, and I started back - not quite back at square one, but close to it.
I realized that I needed to set landmarks for me to achieve - reasons to keep up with my running. So I decided that I probably could be prepared to do another 5k by the end of July. This time I would do it with my mom - who had walked the 5k I ran in October.
For some reason though, just doing more 5k's didn't feel like quite enough. I wanted to challenge myself more. But, I wasn't sure quite how. Then, a little over a week ago, I was reading some various blogs and I came across several mentions of people completing half-marathons - or 13.1 miles.
Two-years ago if you would have asked me if I had any interest in participating in a half-marathon, you would have seen me fall down on the floor laughing hysterically. Me? Do a half-marathon? The girl who could barely do a mile without feeling like dying of exhaustion? Yeah, that would be a no.
But for some reason, my mindset has changed. One-week ago I decided that I was going to train to walk/run a half-marathon.
I have several other blogs (which I don't keep updated as much as I should) but I didn't want to overrun them with my half-marathon journey. Because that is what this is going to be - a journey. Going from run/walking 3.1 miles to 13.1 miles is going to be quite the adventure, and possibly just the beginning.
So, here in this blog, I will be sharing the low-lights and the high-lights of my journey towards my first half-marathon. More than anything, this is for me to have a tangible record of my journey which I can look back on later.
But I also hope that it may be something which encourages someone else to get out there and join the running world. Hey, if you're in Texas, we might just pass each other on the trail.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thanks For Contacting Me!
Hi! Thank you for contacting me. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Have a wonderful day!
Have a wonderful day!
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