Probably if you are a devotee of any sport, you have had good times and bad times. Maybe your training plans got derailed at some point. Maybe life intervened. Maybe you were injured.
I have to say that other than my running fallow period last spring, I really have been lucky for the most part. Usually, I don't get sick very often. I have yet to be injured in any significant way (I did once have the blackened toenail thing). Generally, I am pretty consistent with my training plans.
Except for the past month.
The past month was sick and tired and not good. If I had to sum it up, I think the one word that I would use is frustrating. And now that I am trying to get back in the swing of things, I feel like I am starting from scratch. Nothing feels right. My abs have seemingly disappeared. My legs appear to get all of 2 centimeters off the ground when I run. I feel like I have gained 800 pounds in the last month. That's right. I went from being somewhat zaftig to adding the weight of a grizzly bear, all between Thanksgiving and now. This is not an exaggeration. Okay, perhaps it's more like 5-10 pounds.
Grizzly or no, getting back into the swing of things is proving difficult. However, I am gradually getting back into the swing of things. Which is the point. Because no matter how much I whine about my running, it's weird how the whining seems to have little to no effect. Somehow, though, the training works.
Today was speedwork. I'm not going to lie: I was worried. It was similar to what I did last time around, mostly because I am basically using the same plan as last time around. However, there was a little less and more at the slower of the two speeds (10:30 mile split versus 10:00 mile split). It's still somewhat early in this training plan. I decided to go to the treadmill, since it's easier to ensure that you stay at pace, I find, when a treadmill is involved.
Also, I wore my Half Fanatics singlet, which arrived last week. On the one hand, I was a bit embarrassed since I feel like I am the size of a grizzly bear plus a zaftig person and I don't think I look like someone who ran an impressive, singlet-deserving number of half-marathons. On the other hand, I was all like, 'I'VE RUN AN IMPRESSIVE NUMBER OF HALF-MARATHONS AND HAVE THE SINGLET TO PROVE IT!' This mindset did help a bit. Although I have to say that getting through tonight's workout was less difficult than I thought it would be.
And that is the point: workouts are probably not as bad as I am anticipating. Even if they are, they will be over soon. And the only way ever to get better at them is to keep on training.
I would give myself encouragement by saying something like there is only one half to go, except that I got talked in to signing up for another half at the end of June. So maybe I am worthy of this singlet after all.
Oh, the other thing that I am doing is cross-training. I found a not-too-hard plan thanks to Runner's World that I can do in the comfort of my home. Except that skipping and ab-work is involved, neither of which are particularly comfortable. Skipping is really hard! How did I not notice this when I was a kid?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Half-marathon #3: done
I successfully completed the third of four half-marathons in the Halfathon today. Whoo! So what if it was my slowest half on record? I had to tackle two bridges....twice each! So make that four bridges. One of which was sheer evil (Sand Key).
Another reason that my time was slow: at around the 11-mile mark, I noticed that there was a dead-looking fish on the ground. A lot of people fish near the Clearwater Causeway, so I think that it fell out of someone's fishing bucket. I felt bad for this poor, dead fish who was living out his last moments on earth in the bright, harsh sun. So I picked it up and dropped it into the water. Burial at sea for a fish during a half-marathon? That, for me, was a first. And likely a last.
I ran the race with a friend (the same friend who kicked my butt a few months ago at the 5k). We decided to take things at a leisurely pace. Since it was her first half-marathon, she was guaranteed a personal record provided that she finished. And we did, so yay for her!
I do admit that at one point it looked like we might be last. But we were not. We overtook at least 3-4 people during the second half of the course. Yes!
Weather: not ideal. The humidity was not lower than around 75% for the whole race. Ew. The temperature, in and of itself, was okay in the high 50s/low 60s. But the humidity made this not so pleasant. Particularly since it was in the 97-98% range for the first hour. It's winter, Florida! You can abate with the humidity! In case you are keeping track, that is nearing the threshold of ick (humidity + temperature > 160), as in the threshold of ick that we measure for summer conditions. Also, Mr. Florida Sun came out to visit for much of the course. Some of it was not very shady. Actually, much of it was not very shady. This means that the temperature was probably closer to 70, putting it even closer to that ick threshold.
Only one to go! Also, I am now officially a Half Fanatic. This makes it worth suffering through the last half-marathon and going over the evil bridges and everything. Almost. Hey, I get another t-shirt (well, a singlet) to celebrate.
Another reason that my time was slow: at around the 11-mile mark, I noticed that there was a dead-looking fish on the ground. A lot of people fish near the Clearwater Causeway, so I think that it fell out of someone's fishing bucket. I felt bad for this poor, dead fish who was living out his last moments on earth in the bright, harsh sun. So I picked it up and dropped it into the water. Burial at sea for a fish during a half-marathon? That, for me, was a first. And likely a last.
I ran the race with a friend (the same friend who kicked my butt a few months ago at the 5k). We decided to take things at a leisurely pace. Since it was her first half-marathon, she was guaranteed a personal record provided that she finished. And we did, so yay for her!
I do admit that at one point it looked like we might be last. But we were not. We overtook at least 3-4 people during the second half of the course. Yes!
Weather: not ideal. The humidity was not lower than around 75% for the whole race. Ew. The temperature, in and of itself, was okay in the high 50s/low 60s. But the humidity made this not so pleasant. Particularly since it was in the 97-98% range for the first hour. It's winter, Florida! You can abate with the humidity! In case you are keeping track, that is nearing the threshold of ick (humidity + temperature > 160), as in the threshold of ick that we measure for summer conditions. Also, Mr. Florida Sun came out to visit for much of the course. Some of it was not very shady. Actually, much of it was not very shady. This means that the temperature was probably closer to 70, putting it even closer to that ick threshold.
Only one to go! Also, I am now officially a Half Fanatic. This makes it worth suffering through the last half-marathon and going over the evil bridges and everything. Almost. Hey, I get another t-shirt (well, a singlet) to celebrate.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Here we go again
Okay, half-marathon #3 is tomorrow and guess what? I still feel ill-prepared! Just like two of the last three half-marathons! Except for the one where I got sick during. I felt pretty damn good going into that one, actually. Oh the irony.
However, I am taking this with a grain (carton?) of salt. I was sick. There is not much you can do about sick other than ride it out. So that is okay. Also, I got through my 12-mile two weeks ago, so things could be worse.
For some reason, this past week I was ridiculously tired. No idea why. No obvious culprit, apart from the usual requirements of my job. So I did not get running. I sat in the parking lot of my gym for a good 15 minutes and tried to make myself go run, but it did not work out. I'm just going with it.
I did get out today to do my '2 miles to remind you what running is the day before the half-marathon' run (yes, this is really a thing). Seeing as it has been almost a week, this was probably a good idea.
You know what? The next--and last--half is going to be awesome. Because I will stick to my training plan. And not get sick. Or else!
(PS - Admittedly, that is an empty threat. But I will get nowhere with pessimism.)
However, I am taking this with a grain (carton?) of salt. I was sick. There is not much you can do about sick other than ride it out. So that is okay. Also, I got through my 12-mile two weeks ago, so things could be worse.
For some reason, this past week I was ridiculously tired. No idea why. No obvious culprit, apart from the usual requirements of my job. So I did not get running. I sat in the parking lot of my gym for a good 15 minutes and tried to make myself go run, but it did not work out. I'm just going with it.
I did get out today to do my '2 miles to remind you what running is the day before the half-marathon' run (yes, this is really a thing). Seeing as it has been almost a week, this was probably a good idea.
You know what? The next--and last--half is going to be awesome. Because I will stick to my training plan. And not get sick. Or else!
(PS - Admittedly, that is an empty threat. But I will get nowhere with pessimism.)
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Somewhat back on track
I would say that I am, at long last, somewhat back on track. Why somewhat? Because my nose is still giving me attitude while running. But overall, I am as close to healthy as I have been in a month. Hurray!
On Sunday, I decided that I might as well attempt to do my long run because if I didn't, I would feel concerned and worried for the next half-marathon. This was after not having done a lot of running due to colds and finally a sinus infection. Because I was somewhat out of practice and still somewhat suffering from the sinus infection, I opted to take a walk/run approach right from the start (0.54 miles running, followed by 0.06 walking). It worked relatively well. I also decided to finally face my fears and tackle the Clearwater Causeway. That went less well. Meh. I am not trained for hills!
The only annoying thing was that my nose was very, very runny throughout the entire 12-mile run. This I could have done without. But I did not feel even remotely as awful as I did during the last half-marathon, which I believe means that I have made progress. Also, I was extremely happy that I even made it through the run, since I had some serious concerns if I was still capable of doing a long distance.
Now we are onto tapering and for the first time in a long time (at least for the past three taper times), I can actually run during taper period. So far, I am not sick....fingers crossed and knocking on wood! Today I decided to do a four-mile jaunt around the neighborhood. It's kind of funny to make up my own plan for runs, since I am so accustomed to following schedules. But I feel pretty good about my ability to put together a reasonable workout that isn't too straining. My plan is to also try some hills this week (maybe Thursday....maybe Saturday.....we will see how things go), do a 3-mile, and do 6 on Sunday. Seems reasonable.
The one annoying thing is that my nose continues to run. Admittedly, today was not as bad as Sunday, at least for the first half of the run, but then it started up again. Also, I caved and walked twice during the run. It remains warmer than I would prefer and there was some humidity in the air. At least, I noticed that at around 0.5 miles, there was sweat running down my elbow. I usually consider sweat at 0.4 miles to indicate icky levels of humidity, so it isn't as bad as the summer...but this is not much consolation when it is January!
On Sunday, I decided that I might as well attempt to do my long run because if I didn't, I would feel concerned and worried for the next half-marathon. This was after not having done a lot of running due to colds and finally a sinus infection. Because I was somewhat out of practice and still somewhat suffering from the sinus infection, I opted to take a walk/run approach right from the start (0.54 miles running, followed by 0.06 walking). It worked relatively well. I also decided to finally face my fears and tackle the Clearwater Causeway. That went less well. Meh. I am not trained for hills!
The only annoying thing was that my nose was very, very runny throughout the entire 12-mile run. This I could have done without. But I did not feel even remotely as awful as I did during the last half-marathon, which I believe means that I have made progress. Also, I was extremely happy that I even made it through the run, since I had some serious concerns if I was still capable of doing a long distance.
Now we are onto tapering and for the first time in a long time (at least for the past three taper times), I can actually run during taper period. So far, I am not sick....fingers crossed and knocking on wood! Today I decided to do a four-mile jaunt around the neighborhood. It's kind of funny to make up my own plan for runs, since I am so accustomed to following schedules. But I feel pretty good about my ability to put together a reasonable workout that isn't too straining. My plan is to also try some hills this week (maybe Thursday....maybe Saturday.....we will see how things go), do a 3-mile, and do 6 on Sunday. Seems reasonable.
The one annoying thing is that my nose continues to run. Admittedly, today was not as bad as Sunday, at least for the first half of the run, but then it started up again. Also, I caved and walked twice during the run. It remains warmer than I would prefer and there was some humidity in the air. At least, I noticed that at around 0.5 miles, there was sweat running down my elbow. I usually consider sweat at 0.4 miles to indicate icky levels of humidity, so it isn't as bad as the summer...but this is not much consolation when it is January!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Benchmarks for non-running illness
You probably won't believe it when I tell you that I got sick yet again after the last race. Seriously. I caught a nasty cold which then morphed into a sinus infection. I still have the sinus infection. It's the first one that I can recall experiencing (although thinking back, I may have had one in 2005). Enough! Enough! Enough!
I consulted the internet to see if a sinus infection is something that was a no-no for running. It's not, although Runner's World recommended waiting for 72 hours after first experiencing symptoms to allow the sinuses a bit of recovery time. I took that advice. Also, it was suggested to not run if temperature was over 99F. So I now have three guidelines:
1) Only run if you are sick from the neck up (as in, not with a chest cold because as my last half-marathon demonstrated, that completely sucks);
2) Do not run if you have a temperature of 99F or over;
3) Give yourself 72 hours after the onset of sinusitis.
In case you're curious, my run still sucked today with plenty of walking involved. Believe it or not, it's really hard to run well when you aren't able to fully use your nose for breathing. Who knew? I took my temperature when I got back and it was at a runnable 97.7F.
As I was writing this, I had a sneezing fit. Here's hoping that is all!
I consulted the internet to see if a sinus infection is something that was a no-no for running. It's not, although Runner's World recommended waiting for 72 hours after first experiencing symptoms to allow the sinuses a bit of recovery time. I took that advice. Also, it was suggested to not run if temperature was over 99F. So I now have three guidelines:
1) Only run if you are sick from the neck up (as in, not with a chest cold because as my last half-marathon demonstrated, that completely sucks);
2) Do not run if you have a temperature of 99F or over;
3) Give yourself 72 hours after the onset of sinusitis.
In case you're curious, my run still sucked today with plenty of walking involved. Believe it or not, it's really hard to run well when you aren't able to fully use your nose for breathing. Who knew? I took my temperature when I got back and it was at a runnable 97.7F.
As I was writing this, I had a sneezing fit. Here's hoping that is all!
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