A few weeks ago I decided to sign up for the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon which is on Super Bowl Sunday! I am looking forward to this race even though I don't think I'll be able to run anything close to a PR. The race starts in Golden Gate Park near Stow Lake, so I'll be able to jog to the start from my apartment. The course is one that I am very familiar with since I run it every weekend for my long run! It is a big race with close to 10,000 runners. The course starts in the park, heads east to the panhandle then back into the park heading down JFK to the Great Highway along the ocean. It turns around just past the zoo and then back along the ocean before heading into the park for the finish.
Last year the weather was apparently quite bad with high winds and rain, so far the forecast this year is calling for sun and a low of 41 and a high of 61. Hopefully that forecast holds true and the winds stay at bay.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
January 19th to 25th, 2009
This week can be summed up in one word: consistency
Monday
Recovery
5 mi, 8:55/mi, 123 bpm
Tuesday
Aerobic
11 mi, 8:32/mi, 136 bpm
Wednesday
Off
Thursday
Med-Long
14 mi, 8:33/mi, no HR
Friday
Recovery
5 mi, 8:30/mi, 132 bpm
Saturday
Long
18 mi, 8:16/mi, 143 bpm
Sunday
Fartlek
9 mi, 8:34/mi, 135 bpm
Total: 62 miles
Monday
Recovery
5 mi, 8:55/mi, 123 bpm
Tuesday
Aerobic
11 mi, 8:32/mi, 136 bpm
Wednesday
Off
Thursday
Med-Long
14 mi, 8:33/mi, no HR
Friday
Recovery
5 mi, 8:30/mi, 132 bpm
Saturday
Long
18 mi, 8:16/mi, 143 bpm
Sunday
Fartlek
9 mi, 8:34/mi, 135 bpm
Total: 62 miles
Saturday, January 17, 2009
January 12th to 18th, 2009
Another great week of training is complete and I am happy to report that my legs bounced back nicely after feeling a little fatigued last week.
Monday
Recovery
5 miles, 9:19/mi, 121 bpm
Tuesday
Med-Long run, general aerobic
13 miles, 8:18/mi, 140 bpm
Wednesday
Med-Long run, general aerobic
11 miles, 7:58/mi, 148 bpm
Thursday
General aerobic with speed
10 x 100 m pickups
9 miles, 8:06/mi, 146 bpm
Friday
Recovery
5 miles, 8:36/mi, 132 bpm
Saturday
Med-Long run
15 miles, 8:10/mi, 151 bpm
This run felt harder than it should have. My heart rate was also higher than normal, I expected it to be about 145 or so. I've been doing all my running really early in the morning when the temperature is about 40-45. For this run, I started at 10am and the temperature was 60, so that may have made the difference.
Sunday
Off
Total: 58 miles
Monday
Recovery
5 miles, 9:19/mi, 121 bpm
Tuesday
Med-Long run, general aerobic
13 miles, 8:18/mi, 140 bpm
Wednesday
Med-Long run, general aerobic
11 miles, 7:58/mi, 148 bpm
Thursday
General aerobic with speed
10 x 100 m pickups
9 miles, 8:06/mi, 146 bpm
Friday
Recovery
5 miles, 8:36/mi, 132 bpm
Saturday
Med-Long run
15 miles, 8:10/mi, 151 bpm
This run felt harder than it should have. My heart rate was also higher than normal, I expected it to be about 145 or so. I've been doing all my running really early in the morning when the temperature is about 40-45. For this run, I started at 10am and the temperature was 60, so that may have made the difference.
Sunday
Off
Total: 58 miles
Sunday, January 11, 2009
January 5th to 11th, 2009
Week 2 of the 18 week marathon training plan is now complete. My legs were feeling it this week as is obvious by the paces of most of the runs this week. Halfway through the mid week long run on Wednesday I was really feeling it and I struggled to finish. The easy day on Thursday helped somewhat, but the run on Friday was no picnic. Saturday was the group run, so the first 4 were comfortable but after splitting with the group to head back, the hills felt like they were double their normal size. Finally things started looking up when I headed out this morning for the long run. My legs didn't feel too bad and I was able to comfortably keep the pace between 8 and 8:30 for most of the 17.
Monday
Off
Tuesday
Aerobic with speed
8 miles w/10x100 pickups, 8:32/mi, 137 bpm
Wednesday
Mid-week medium-long run
12 miles, 8:43/mi, 134 bpm
Thursday
Recovery
5 miles, 9:15/mi, 119 bpm
Friday
Aerobic
9 miles, 8:34/mi, 134 bpm
Saturday
Supposed to be recovery, but it was more like a general aerobic run
6 miles, 8:40/mi, 135 bpm
Sunday
Long run
17 miles, 8:24/mi, 144 bpm
Total: 57 miles
Monday
Off
Tuesday
Aerobic with speed
8 miles w/10x100 pickups, 8:32/mi, 137 bpm
Wednesday
Mid-week medium-long run
12 miles, 8:43/mi, 134 bpm
Thursday
Recovery
5 miles, 9:15/mi, 119 bpm
Friday
Aerobic
9 miles, 8:34/mi, 134 bpm
Saturday
Supposed to be recovery, but it was more like a general aerobic run
6 miles, 8:40/mi, 135 bpm
Sunday
Long run
17 miles, 8:24/mi, 144 bpm
Total: 57 miles
The Perfect Running Headphones
After destroying many pairs of cheap and not-so-cheap headphones while running, I think I finally found the perfect pair! 
They are called Nike Flight and I really like the way they feel while running, or more accurately, the way the don't feel. When I run with these headphones I don't even know they are there. They sit lightly in my ears so they don't start hurting after 2 hours of running. The way they sit in your ears makes them impossible to fall out and the cable comes out behind your head and runs down the center of your back which keeps the cable completely out of the way. I am hopeful that this pair will not meet the fate of so many others in the past. The most common problem I've had is that after a few runs, the cable starts breaking down from the constant movement and the sound starts to cut out. Hopefully this cable management system will make that a non-issue.
They are called Nike Flight and I really like the way they feel while running, or more accurately, the way the don't feel. When I run with these headphones I don't even know they are there. They sit lightly in my ears so they don't start hurting after 2 hours of running. The way they sit in your ears makes them impossible to fall out and the cable comes out behind your head and runs down the center of your back which keeps the cable completely out of the way. I am hopeful that this pair will not meet the fate of so many others in the past. The most common problem I've had is that after a few runs, the cable starts breaking down from the constant movement and the sound starts to cut out. Hopefully this cable management system will make that a non-issue.
Friday, January 9, 2009
New Found Love
The other day Jim brought home a foam roller...ho hum...sounds pretty boring right? 
Up until then, I had read about people using foam rollers to massage their achy muscles, but I had never used one and I really thought it was similar to 'the stick'. I actually own 'the stick' but unfortunately it is packed in a box somewhere sitting in Ohio. The stick is a really great tool, for massaging hamstrings, quads and calves, but it never worked that well on my glutes. So along comes the foam roller and I cannot believe it, but after using it for only 2 days, this nagging ache I had in my glutes has completely disappeared! So I am totally sold on the foam roller and wanted to share my joy with whoever may find themselves reading this blog.
Here's a good article from Running Times.
Up until then, I had read about people using foam rollers to massage their achy muscles, but I had never used one and I really thought it was similar to 'the stick'. I actually own 'the stick' but unfortunately it is packed in a box somewhere sitting in Ohio. The stick is a really great tool, for massaging hamstrings, quads and calves, but it never worked that well on my glutes. So along comes the foam roller and I cannot believe it, but after using it for only 2 days, this nagging ache I had in my glutes has completely disappeared! So I am totally sold on the foam roller and wanted to share my joy with whoever may find themselves reading this blog.Here's a good article from Running Times.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
December 29th, 2008 - January 4th, 2009
This is the first official week of marathon training and I must say that I am quite pleased with the way it went. The biggest issue I was having was with my knee/calf but that seems to be working itself out and I was able to complete all planned workouts this week.
Monday
Off
Tuesday
Run - 11.5 mi, 8:25/mi, 144 bpm
Bike - 5.5
Wednesday
Run - 6.35 mi, 8:11/mi, 141 bpm
Bike - 5.5
The run started out promising but took a turn for the worst at about 5 miles. I was let out of work early, 2pm which is when I started running. I didn't know I was getting out that early and ate lunch at 1pm...so, that wasn't good.
Thursday
Run - 9 mi, 8:03/mi, 143 bpm
Friday
Run - 4.5 recovery, watch battery died, so no data
Saturday
Run - 15 mi, 7:46/mi, 155 bpm
I was pretty pleased with this run. I was going to shoot for an 8 minute pace, but after 2 miles, I fell in to the 7:20 groove and stayed around there for 8 miles. My heart rate was a little higher than it should have been but it's probably from taking so many days off the last two weeks due to the knee/calf issue.
Here are the splits for the middle 8:
7:16 (155)
7:21 (156)
7:17 (158)
7:18 (166)
7:23 (163)
7:29 (156)
7:36 (163)
7:36 (158)
Sunday
Run - 8 miles w/10x100, 8:21/mi, 136 bpm
Summary
Run 54.35 miles
Bike 11 miles
Overall a successful week.
Monday
Off
Tuesday
Run - 11.5 mi, 8:25/mi, 144 bpm
Bike - 5.5
Wednesday
Run - 6.35 mi, 8:11/mi, 141 bpm
Bike - 5.5
The run started out promising but took a turn for the worst at about 5 miles. I was let out of work early, 2pm which is when I started running. I didn't know I was getting out that early and ate lunch at 1pm...so, that wasn't good.
Thursday
Run - 9 mi, 8:03/mi, 143 bpm
Friday
Run - 4.5 recovery, watch battery died, so no data
Saturday
Run - 15 mi, 7:46/mi, 155 bpm
I was pretty pleased with this run. I was going to shoot for an 8 minute pace, but after 2 miles, I fell in to the 7:20 groove and stayed around there for 8 miles. My heart rate was a little higher than it should have been but it's probably from taking so many days off the last two weeks due to the knee/calf issue.
Here are the splits for the middle 8:
7:16 (155)
7:21 (156)
7:17 (158)
7:18 (166)
7:23 (163)
7:29 (156)
7:36 (163)
7:36 (158)
Sunday
Run - 8 miles w/10x100, 8:21/mi, 136 bpm
Summary
Run 54.35 miles
Bike 11 miles
Overall a successful week.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Out with the old, in with the new
Well 2008 as far as running goes was awful and not even worth reviewing. The rest of my life was much better thank you, but running took a turn for the worst. I started 2008 with grand plans to finally break 19 minutes in the 5k and was training my butt off. Well I should have listened to my body but I didn't and kept trying to push forward thinking all the fatigue was normal. Anyway, months later after a few awful races in which I didn't think I would even finish, I finally realized something must be wrong because I was struggling through 'easy' runs at 9:30 pace when 8:30's used to be an easy run. It was difficult to get out the door to run when I knew that after a mile or two my legs would turn to stone and I'd want to crawl home. This was the complete opposite of the way running used to be. I used to get out the door and need 3 or 4 miles to warm up before I got in the groove and then keep pushing the pace faster until the end. Anyway, a quick little blood test revealed that my ferritin was low, so a month after starting iron supplements I was beginning to feel like my old self.
I still did not really get back in the training groove for the rest of 2008 as I was preoccupied with the move and the new job. But now that things have settled down and I have a marathon to train for, I am feeling more motivated than ever. Week 1 of the marathon training plan is almost in the books and if this is any indication of things to come then there may be a marathon PR in my future :).
Marathon History:
October 2004 - Dublin Marathon - 3:48:37
October 2005 - Columbus Marathon - 3:20:51
May 2006 - Mississauga Marathon - 3:17:24
May 2009 - Avenue of the Giants Marathon - ??? We'll see!
Planned Races for 2009:
January 11th - Arts and Sciences 5k
March 29th - Presidio 10 mile race or Golden Gate 10 miler April 3rd
May 3rd - Avenue of the Giants
May 17th - Bay to Breakers
June 27th - Double Dipsea 13.7 (if I get in)
October 18th - Nike Women's Marathon
The key races for 2009 are the two marathons. I'll add more races prior to the Nike marathon once I secure my entry and start planning for it. I also may do the half marathon on February 1st, but I haven't decided yet, I'll decide by Friday. Other than that, there will probably be a few 5k's and 10k's thrown in when the training plan calls for it.
Looking forward to a great 2009!
I still did not really get back in the training groove for the rest of 2008 as I was preoccupied with the move and the new job. But now that things have settled down and I have a marathon to train for, I am feeling more motivated than ever. Week 1 of the marathon training plan is almost in the books and if this is any indication of things to come then there may be a marathon PR in my future :).
Marathon History:
October 2004 - Dublin Marathon - 3:48:37
October 2005 - Columbus Marathon - 3:20:51
May 2006 - Mississauga Marathon - 3:17:24
May 2009 - Avenue of the Giants Marathon - ??? We'll see!
Planned Races for 2009:
January 11th - Arts and Sciences 5k
March 29th - Presidio 10 mile race or Golden Gate 10 miler April 3rd
May 3rd - Avenue of the Giants
May 17th - Bay to Breakers
June 27th - Double Dipsea 13.7 (if I get in)
October 18th - Nike Women's Marathon
The key races for 2009 are the two marathons. I'll add more races prior to the Nike marathon once I secure my entry and start planning for it. I also may do the half marathon on February 1st, but I haven't decided yet, I'll decide by Friday. Other than that, there will probably be a few 5k's and 10k's thrown in when the training plan calls for it.
Looking forward to a great 2009!
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