This morning, I ran the 5k of the Strawberry Classic here in beautiful Temple Terrace. The course went through the golf course neighborhood on what was a rather circuitous route, but overall it was quite nice. I did take the toy, so I have an accurate time. It was nowhere near a personal best, but I did run the whole thing, plus it wasn't the slowest 5k time I've ever posted. So I'm seeing that as a win.
In a few parts, I even felt like I could almost remember how to run again.
The temperature was not horrible throughout. That being said, I was completely knocked out after the race...and in fact, am still feeling rather knocked out, even though it is 12 hours later. Probably a combination of being out of shape and weather. Ah well, I did survive, and it wasn't awful.
The best part of the race? I got free strawberries!
I think that the lack of training combined with the need to walk in that race a month ago did bad things to my running outlook. After today's 5k, I was starting to feel it a bit more again. It seems to be a gradual process, but I am feeling better overall about running. As I was standing at the start line today, I realized that I was a runner. Sure, I'm not going through the best patch right now. But I still have the motivation and drive--it's just buried deep down right now.
Tomorrow I shall attempt to do a long run, giving me a TL for the week with a 5k thrown in. We will see how that goes! Worst-case scenario is it gets moved to Monday.
Showing posts with label Strawberry Classic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strawberry Classic. Show all posts
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Getting caught up
Last week I was on semi-vacation, touring around various parts of Florida to see spring training games. I did get to run, but maybe not as much as would be ideal in a perfect situation. Here is the summary:
1) Monday I did the Long Run of last week's FTL. Sunday, I was feeling far too tired to actually get up and run, so I postponed it (not to mention that it was the switch to EST). I did manage to eke out a 45-minute run, which isn't too bad, all things considered. Actually, I can't really remember the last time I did a 45-minute run, so I'm seeing this as a victory. It was 'somewhat chilly' when I started: 50F! Warmed up plenty while I was out, though.
2) Then I didn't do much.
3) Yesterday, I made a plan. You remember how I mentioned that I want to start doing push-ups? I found a website that trains you to get from total suckitude at push-ups to 100 in 6 weeks. You're supposed to do this program three days a week. I'm also hoping to run three days a week. So the new plan is that if I don't run, I have to do push-ups. You might think that this is an obvious answer, since push-ups are easier than running. However, you are underestimating just how bad I am at push-ups. The answer is: really super mega-bad. So I'm hoping that this serves as a good motivator.
4) Today, I toyed around with a variety of things that I could do. I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately (probably just a cold), so I took the opportunity to sleep in this morning. Then I decided that later I would maybe hit the treadmill at the gym and do the 'F' portion of this week's FTL. This decision resulted in 'meh,' though since I needed to be back home to do stuff...okay, I could have done it, but I wasn't feeling it one bit.
Instead, I did some aqua jogging, using it as my 'T' part. I did 5 minutes of intense water-running, followed by a two-minute break, repeating this pattern four times (except for the part where I did longer than 5 minutes because the watch did not reset automatically). Also, I drew an important conclusion: aqua jogging is not as good as running, but that doesn't mean it is cheating. It's just different. Not bad. Different. Still better than nothing.
Another thing that I realized: we only have five weeks left in this semester. Then I can develop more of a routine since I won't feel as crunched for time.
Tomorrow I am running a 5k in my neighborhood (the Strawberry Classic), so that should be good. Not good as in I expect to rock it or anything. Good in the sense that I don't have to get up super-early or drive super-far. And it is still running! I plan to do another 'L' on Sunday, this time working up to 50 minutes. So yeah, all in all, this past week was not a disaster.
1) Monday I did the Long Run of last week's FTL. Sunday, I was feeling far too tired to actually get up and run, so I postponed it (not to mention that it was the switch to EST). I did manage to eke out a 45-minute run, which isn't too bad, all things considered. Actually, I can't really remember the last time I did a 45-minute run, so I'm seeing this as a victory. It was 'somewhat chilly' when I started: 50F! Warmed up plenty while I was out, though.
2) Then I didn't do much.
3) Yesterday, I made a plan. You remember how I mentioned that I want to start doing push-ups? I found a website that trains you to get from total suckitude at push-ups to 100 in 6 weeks. You're supposed to do this program three days a week. I'm also hoping to run three days a week. So the new plan is that if I don't run, I have to do push-ups. You might think that this is an obvious answer, since push-ups are easier than running. However, you are underestimating just how bad I am at push-ups. The answer is: really super mega-bad. So I'm hoping that this serves as a good motivator.
4) Today, I toyed around with a variety of things that I could do. I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately (probably just a cold), so I took the opportunity to sleep in this morning. Then I decided that later I would maybe hit the treadmill at the gym and do the 'F' portion of this week's FTL. This decision resulted in 'meh,' though since I needed to be back home to do stuff...okay, I could have done it, but I wasn't feeling it one bit.
Instead, I did some aqua jogging, using it as my 'T' part. I did 5 minutes of intense water-running, followed by a two-minute break, repeating this pattern four times (except for the part where I did longer than 5 minutes because the watch did not reset automatically). Also, I drew an important conclusion: aqua jogging is not as good as running, but that doesn't mean it is cheating. It's just different. Not bad. Different. Still better than nothing.
Another thing that I realized: we only have five weeks left in this semester. Then I can develop more of a routine since I won't feel as crunched for time.
Tomorrow I am running a 5k in my neighborhood (the Strawberry Classic), so that should be good. Not good as in I expect to rock it or anything. Good in the sense that I don't have to get up super-early or drive super-far. And it is still running! I plan to do another 'L' on Sunday, this time working up to 50 minutes. So yeah, all in all, this past week was not a disaster.
Monday, March 7, 2011
New plan. Yes. Again.
I was revisiting an issue of Running Times today (a ridiculously hardcore running magazine), and ran across an article about what to do when your training plans are not going so well. Their advice was to keep training three days a week with the following runs: fartlek, tempo, and longer run. I've summarized it in my mind as FTL--much like GTL, but less orange.
Fartleks are basically speed drills, where you run normally, then sprint for a while. I suck at them because I crave structure, so I tend to do pyramids instead, which is where you run 1 minute fast, then 1 minute slow, followed by 2/2, then 3/3, and back to 2/2, finishing with 1/1. I like them and they don't take too long to do (while giving you a good workout).
Tempo runs are meant to be challenging, but not impossible. You try to hold a 'pushing it' pace for about 20 minutes (after a warm-up). I've decided that these shorter races like 5ks are about where I am right now mentally and physically, so this should be helpful for those. Actually, I liked the last 5k so much that I signed up for another one in two weeks: the Strawberry Classic, conveniently located in the neighborhood just to the south of me across the street.
The last run is a 'long run.' I think that I'm feeling about an hour for this one. That is longer than anything I have run in a while, so it should be good.
Okay, this is it. This is the plan. Three times a week with some variation. I've got this!
Also, as further inspiration, I got new running shoes....which were long overdue:
They are trail shoes, which wasn't exactly on purpose. However, I think that they will be good. I will be traveling to Germany for a month in May/June, so I can also use these for hiking. This plan worked well in the past and I think that it's a great time for trail shoes.
Fartleks are basically speed drills, where you run normally, then sprint for a while. I suck at them because I crave structure, so I tend to do pyramids instead, which is where you run 1 minute fast, then 1 minute slow, followed by 2/2, then 3/3, and back to 2/2, finishing with 1/1. I like them and they don't take too long to do (while giving you a good workout).
Tempo runs are meant to be challenging, but not impossible. You try to hold a 'pushing it' pace for about 20 minutes (after a warm-up). I've decided that these shorter races like 5ks are about where I am right now mentally and physically, so this should be helpful for those. Actually, I liked the last 5k so much that I signed up for another one in two weeks: the Strawberry Classic, conveniently located in the neighborhood just to the south of me across the street.
The last run is a 'long run.' I think that I'm feeling about an hour for this one. That is longer than anything I have run in a while, so it should be good.
Okay, this is it. This is the plan. Three times a week with some variation. I've got this!
Also, as further inspiration, I got new running shoes....which were long overdue:
They are trail shoes, which wasn't exactly on purpose. However, I think that they will be good. I will be traveling to Germany for a month in May/June, so I can also use these for hiking. This plan worked well in the past and I think that it's a great time for trail shoes.
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