You know you had a good workout when you come home and the special person in your life say, "I can smell the sweat [from across the room]."I will give her this, I was drenched. Today was interval training. I ran three sets of 8:00 min miles with sprints and hills in between. I felt good running too. Improvement is always a positive thing and it is starting to get easier to run on the treadmill. The dream is that this will translate to even quicker miles when I start running outside.
Not too much else in the way of obstacles to report. Training is going well and I am thinking I am right on track with my training. This weekend will be telling whether I can handle long distances. It might snow which means I will be on the treadmill again. There are worse things.
Tomorrow should be an interesting day. I was told I need to get the feeling of running on "tired" legs. So... I will doing an early morning run (5:00 a.m.). If anything will give me the feeling of tired legs that will. I am planning to put a couple of miles in and see how I feel.
I did purchase some running shoes, but am hesitant to start wearing them yet. The marathon is 10 weeks out and at the rate I am running I will wear them out right around marathon time. I figure if I wait a few weeks and then start running in them, the shoes will be perfect for race day.
February 24, 2010
February 20, 2010
Tale of Two Workouts
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Two workouts, two outcomes. I have been taking full advantage of the working treadmills. The first run I would like to share was a very successful interval workout. I ran for 1.5 miles, walked, sprinted for a minute, walked, hills for a minute, walked, sprinted again and repeated. I felt great during the workout and after. Overall a good return to the treadmill.
Fast forward two days, to today, Saturday. My goal was 2 hours. I was on the treadmill for one hour 45 minutes, but I was not running the whole time. Far from it. I know running on a treadmill is different than running outside, but I excepted more. I ran for about 60% of the time. About a hour in my left foot starting hurting, more sore than painful, so I switched it up and walked at a good click on a 15% incline. I figure if I have to walk, I might as well get some hill work in. I ran the last mile of the workout. All and all, not my best performance. I did not consider that I have not had this type of pounding on my body in about a month. I am sore and have a blister starting on my big toe. Any advice on how to run with blisters? I will run tomorrow to fend off further soreness. I hope this doesn't slow me down too much and I am confident I can push through it.
Fast forward two days, to today, Saturday. My goal was 2 hours. I was on the treadmill for one hour 45 minutes, but I was not running the whole time. Far from it. I know running on a treadmill is different than running outside, but I excepted more. I ran for about 60% of the time. About a hour in my left foot starting hurting, more sore than painful, so I switched it up and walked at a good click on a 15% incline. I figure if I have to walk, I might as well get some hill work in. I ran the last mile of the workout. All and all, not my best performance. I did not consider that I have not had this type of pounding on my body in about a month. I am sore and have a blister starting on my big toe. Any advice on how to run with blisters? I will run tomorrow to fend off further soreness. I hope this doesn't slow me down too much and I am confident I can push through it.
February 17, 2010
Morning Workout Woes
I don't know if it is the fact that it I am up and the sun isn't, or that I am not a farmer at heart, but early morning workouts are the bane of my existence. I kid you not - ok I kid a little.
The good news: I succeeded in my attempt to wake up and make it to the gym. Also, the treadmills are working! The woefulness: my goal was 3-4 miles, while the result was 2.5 miles INCLUDING warm-up and cool down.
Sure I haven't run in over 3 weeks, and I haven't run in the morning in 2 months, but still. I had hoped for a better performance. I suppose this lament is a little dramatic and I should be proud that I not only made it to the gym at 5 am, but was physically able to move in what some scientists would call a "running" gait. In fact, I will be happy with my little success.
The good news: I succeeded in my attempt to wake up and make it to the gym. Also, the treadmills are working! The woefulness: my goal was 3-4 miles, while the result was 2.5 miles INCLUDING warm-up and cool down.
Sure I haven't run in over 3 weeks, and I haven't run in the morning in 2 months, but still. I had hoped for a better performance. I suppose this lament is a little dramatic and I should be proud that I not only made it to the gym at 5 am, but was physically able to move in what some scientists would call a "running" gait. In fact, I will be happy with my little success.
February 16, 2010
The Attempt
It has been a while since my last post. Some updates...
This weekend I worked out for two hours (in a row). I alternated 30 minutes on the stationary bike and 30 on the ellipticle. Oddly enough, my body wasn't totally destroyed; I felt I could go farther. However, it is best not to push it. Sunday I worked out for about 35 minutes at a nice pace to rest.
While my endurance is doing well and my muscles are getting a good workout, there is a big problem. All the cardio I am doing is low impact. Great for the joints, terrible in the long run for a marathon (haha - long run, get it?). I need to get some higher impact runs in. And just like that, the treadmills are working again at my apartment complex. I will be switching back to the treadmill for almost all workouts until I get comfortably (for me) run outside.
Now, the moment you have been waiting for, the attempt. I did not work out Monday, on account of the snow and a general feeling of lethargy. Tuesday rolled along and I failed again. Once again a feeling of overall malaise due to work. Not physically working, but the environment. Working in a food science department, there is never a shortage of food. Unfortunately, today it was all junk food, cheesecake, brownies, chocolate covered marshmallows. All these goodies lead to an awful sugar crash right as I made it home. No workout tonight. While this might seem like a waste, I look at it as an opportunity.
The marathon is in the morning and I have been working out at night. It would be advantageous to do a few runs in the a.m.. Tomorrow, on a working treadmill, I will ATTEMPT to workout in the wee hours of the morning.
This weekend I worked out for two hours (in a row). I alternated 30 minutes on the stationary bike and 30 on the ellipticle. Oddly enough, my body wasn't totally destroyed; I felt I could go farther. However, it is best not to push it. Sunday I worked out for about 35 minutes at a nice pace to rest.
While my endurance is doing well and my muscles are getting a good workout, there is a big problem. All the cardio I am doing is low impact. Great for the joints, terrible in the long run for a marathon (haha - long run, get it?). I need to get some higher impact runs in. And just like that, the treadmills are working again at my apartment complex. I will be switching back to the treadmill for almost all workouts until I get comfortably (for me) run outside.
Now, the moment you have been waiting for, the attempt. I did not work out Monday, on account of the snow and a general feeling of lethargy. Tuesday rolled along and I failed again. Once again a feeling of overall malaise due to work. Not physically working, but the environment. Working in a food science department, there is never a shortage of food. Unfortunately, today it was all junk food, cheesecake, brownies, chocolate covered marshmallows. All these goodies lead to an awful sugar crash right as I made it home. No workout tonight. While this might seem like a waste, I look at it as an opportunity.
The marathon is in the morning and I have been working out at night. It would be advantageous to do a few runs in the a.m.. Tomorrow, on a working treadmill, I will ATTEMPT to workout in the wee hours of the morning.
February 7, 2010
Pre Workout Blog
After a two day rest I will return to the gym today. There was no rhyme or reason why I took two days off but I did. Just did not feel the workout yesterday. This can only mean I need to pull out a stellar workout today. And I will. The game plan... a hour and 45 minute bike ride averaging 95 RPM. The treadmills are still not working and with no clear repair date, I am resigned to using the bike and the ellipticle. If that was not enough, now the elements are against me. The weather is cold (which might have been enough to keep me from running outside) and the ground is all snow and ice.
Not much else to report. There might be a part two of the blog, if you are lucky, after the workout. Although if I type how I will probably feel, the blog will be incoherent dribble mixed with a touch of insanity.
POST WORKOUT BLOG
Workout has been completed. Work summary is as follows: Biked 29 miles in about 1 hour and 43 minutes at level 5 with an RPM of 92. All and all not a bad workout. I also lifted a little weights after. I have to say that I feel pretty good. Not too worn out and not too tired or sore. I am sure all that will come later. I did manage to skin my knee on the stationary bike while I was re-adjusting. I did keep going as the blood clotted. It was only a small scrap. I didn't have blood gushing down my leg as I was peddling across the finish line. I think I will survive.
Now that my long worked is complete, I will relax and enjoy the rest of the day.
Not much else to report. There might be a part two of the blog, if you are lucky, after the workout. Although if I type how I will probably feel, the blog will be incoherent dribble mixed with a touch of insanity.
POST WORKOUT BLOG
Workout has been completed. Work summary is as follows: Biked 29 miles in about 1 hour and 43 minutes at level 5 with an RPM of 92. All and all not a bad workout. I also lifted a little weights after. I have to say that I feel pretty good. Not too worn out and not too tired or sore. I am sure all that will come later. I did manage to skin my knee on the stationary bike while I was re-adjusting. I did keep going as the blood clotted. It was only a small scrap. I didn't have blood gushing down my leg as I was peddling across the finish line. I think I will survive.
Now that my long worked is complete, I will relax and enjoy the rest of the day.
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