Awkward Running and Triathlon Coversations

A few conversations I've had of late....I couldn't have scripted these if I tried.

Conversation #1: The Awkward Triathlon Conversation

Me: So, Friend A, what are you training for?
Friend A: I think I'm going to try and train for a full triathlon.
Me: There is no such thing as a full triathlon.  Do you mean Olympic distance?  Or Half Ironman?  Or Ironman?
Friend A: A full triathlon. 
Me: What are the distances of each leg?
Friend A: The run is a 10k.  I don't know what the swim and bike distances are.
Me: OK, that is an Olympic distance triathlon.
Friend A: Yes, a full triathlon.

Sometimes, I just give up. 

Conversation #2:  The Awkward Marathon Conversation

Friend B: So, what are you training for right now?
Me: I'm going to be running a marathon in late April...so I'm training for that.
Friend B: How long is this marathon?
Me: All marathons are 26.2 miles.
Friend B: Wow!  That is so long.

Well, it is no longer than any other marathon.

Conversation #3: The Awkward Half Marathon Conversation

Friend C: You run a lot.
Me: You could say that.
Friend C: What is your next race?
Me: I'm running a half marathon in mid-January.  It is outside and along the lakefront in Chicago.
Friend C: Why would you do that?
Me: I love to run.  Also, it fits into my training schedule right now. 
Friend C: Do you run them fast?
Me: I think I am a decent runner. 
Friend C: What is your fastest time?
Me: I ran a 1:40:14 last March. 
Friend C:  Is that fast?
Me: It is a 7:39 per mile average.
Friend C: That doesn't seem too hard...I bet I could do that.

***Friend C has not run a race in over a year and does not run regularly.***

Conversation #4: The Awkward 5k Conversation

Friend D: I am going to sign up and run my first 5k this year.
Me: Awesome!  I am so happy for you.  I love it when my friends run.
Friend D: It will be hard to run 5 miles.
Me: Wait...are you running a 5k or a 5 mile race?
Friend D: 5k.
Me: Okay, that is 3.1 miles. 
Friend D: I thought 5k was 5 miles.
Me: No, each kilometer is like 0.62 of a mile.
Friend D: Awesome!  I get to run less.

At least Friend D is running.  Maybe, one day, he'll be up for 5 miles.


Please share....have you had any comical conversations lately?!?

Sleep, Long Runs, and Winter Races

Sunday morning I set my alarm early - 6:45 - to get up and run with my running group.  I haven't been going on Sunday mornings with any regularity because I like to sleep in too much.  Although I had some extra motivation - 16 miles worth of it that I didn't want to do on my own or later in the day. 

I love sleep, especially on the weekends.  I don't like getting up in  the mornings.  Also, it takes 30 minutes to get to where my running group meets.  All of those things complied together have led to me only running with the group 2 times since the Chicago Marathon.  But, with the distance of my long runs increasing, I know that it would be best for me to run with the group.  Plus, I like most of the people.  Who doesn't want to see their friends at 8 AM? 

Sunday I got out of bed, had some breakfast, and then went running.  There was only one other person running any sort of long distance yesterday, and she happened to be going 16 as well.  We went slower than I would have liked, but I am fine with the end result (16 miles averaging 9:07 pace).  It ended up being an progression run - with the second 8 miles being faster than the first.   However, the whole run just wasn't that great.  I wasn't feeling it - and 9:07s felt like 8:07s.  If you look at my runs from Friday and Saturday, I'm sure you'd understand.  Tempo two days in a row?  Not the best move. 

Last year, if I would have averaged 9:07 for a 16 mile run I would have thought it was a complete failure of a run.  This year, I am (slowly) learning to embrace slower long runs.  I have a half marathon next weekend that I plan on racing and I want to be prepared - not only mentally, but also physically.  I don't want my body to be recovering for an extra hard 16-miler when I have other gaols to accomplish. 

Week 5 of training for the Illinois Marathon has come to a close.  The weeks are flying by too quickly.  I'm hoping to get back on track this week and not miss any runs. 

Week 6 is a cut-back week, and I am running a half marathon in Chicago (Chicago Polar Dash).  More on this later in the week, but, needless to say, I'm excited.  I'm hoping the weather stays as nice as it has been for Saturday's race.

Are you running the Polar Dash?  Would you run a  race outside in January?  Or, are you smarter than that? 

2011 in Review, take 2

Read my first post about 2011 here.

In addition to having a good running year in 2011, I also learned a lot about myself as a runner.  This knowledge will help me more in the future, and is much more useful than a PR (although, PRs are wonderful).

What did I learn?

• Distance training runs should not be completed at anticipated goal pace...or faster.  Doing this leads to burn out, as legs feel as if they are racing every single weekend.  I learned this the hard way when training for my spring half marathons (Sam Costa and Rockford).
• Track workouts are incredibly beneficial for gaining speed.  I started doing track workouts with my running club in June and greatly improved over the summer and early fall.  I am continuing to do them with some other members of the club this winter.  Lesson: if you want to get faster at a 5k, the track needs to be your friend.
• Long, slow run for marathon training means the run should be long and slow.  I once was told that your pace is on target for success if you feel like you could run an extra couple miles when you have completed your run.  If trained properly, your race day performance should be about 60 - 90 seconds faster than your long, slow run pace.  I failed at this because my marathon mile average ended up being the same as what I trained at. 
• The more you race, the more comfortable you feel at the start line.  I raced a lot (for me) in 2011 - I completed 10 running races, 2 duathlons, 1 metric century bike ride, and 2 relay races.  When I lined up for my last race of the 2011, the Hot Chocolate 15k, I didn't have a single butterfly in my stomach.  I am not sure how much I'll be racing in 2012, but I am glad I have conquered the fear of the start line.
• Having a set training plan is good, but it might not work for you.  My legs cannot handle running 10 miles on Saturday and 22 miles on Sunday, which is what my fall marathon plan called for one week.  Training plans are good guidelines.  Sometimes life happens and runs do not.  It is not the end of the world.  One missed run does not really matter in the grand scheme of training.
• Confidence is so important in achieving your goals.  If you go to the start line with even an ounce of doubt in your body, you won't accomplished what you set out to do.  If the mind believes it, the body can achieve it.
• It helps me if other people believe in me, and tell me so.

I am taking the things I learned from the past year and using my knowledge to my 2012 the best year ever.

What did you learn in 2011 that will help you in 2012?

2011 in Review

After being gone to visit family for 12 days, I am happy to be home.  I had a wonderful time and didn't bother to check my blog or email once.  Instead, I spent my days sleeping in until late in the morning, drinking the world's best coffee, running, reading 3 books, and watching some TV.  However, all good things must come to an end.  School is back in full swing.  But first, I want to take some time to reflect on 2011. 

First, when I got back to Chicagoland, I was welcomed by Bobbi's blogger Secret Santa gift.  I love it. Thank you so much, Bobbi!  You are so kind and thoughtful. 

I am sad to see 2011 go.  Without a doubt, 2011 was the best year of my life. 

I met a lot of new people, joined a running club, and connected with other people in the blogosphere.

I set new PRs in 5k, 4 mile, 8k, 15k and the half marathon distance.  I also ran my first marathon so I got an automatic PR. I also ran my first and second duathlon.  In every distance I ran, I set a PR.  My PR's prior to 2011 were decent.  I think I went from being an "ok" runner to a "good" runner. 

More about 2011 and 2012 to come....

LA to CR and Beyond

After I get home for the evening I typically log my workout stats in for the day on a spreadsheet I started back in January.  After realizing that I have logged over 100 miles for the month of December, I wanted to see just how many miles I have run all year. 

I added up all  my monthly totals to find that I currently have run 1,795.3 miles in 2011.  I am surprised that my legs have carried me that far. 

I feel confident that it is safe to say that I will run over 1,800 miles this year.  For a frame of reference, that is farther from Los Angeles, California to Cedar Rapids, Iowa (a city located in the eastern part of the state between Des Moines and the Mississippi River).

Back in January I would have never guessed I could have run this much and felt so good while doing it.  My body  never ceases to amaze me.

If I log just as many miles in 2012, I'll be just as happy.  If I log more, great.  I don't really care about the number of miles I run, although it is fun to look at, I really care more about being healthy.  I'm excited for 2012 and all that it has in store.

Do you keep track of how many miles you run?  I used to never do it, but 2011 was the first year and I'll keep track of everything from now on.

Tis the Season

Favorite Christmas Cookie: A Reese's peanut butter cup in peanut butter dough.  So, so good.

Favorite Christmas Song: Christmas in Killarney by Bing Crosby.  It is not well-known, but I love it. 

Favorite Christmas Tradition: Every year my parents get a real Christmas tree for their living room (they have a fake one in the basement).  As a family, we decorate the tree on Christmas Eve together.  My dad is in charge of getting the ornament hooks untangled, while my mom, sister and I put ornaments on the tree.  Typically, my brother watches, although this year he is not coming to Iowa for Christmas (he'll be in LA instead vising other family members).

Christmas Plans: My immediate family always exchanges gifts on Christmas Eve before going to church.  On Christmas day we travel south to see my mom's siblings and their children (my cousins), and my grandma. 

Number of People I know that have a Christmas birhtday: 1 - my great aunt was born on Christmas. 

Favorite Christmas ornament: I wish I had a picture of it, but you'll just have to visualize it.  When my brother was young - like 5or 6 - he made my mom a teenage mutate ninja turtle ornament - I believe it is Michelangelo.  He drilled a hole through a round rock and painted a face on it.  I'll take a picture of it and post later.  It is pretty quality.

What I'm hoping to get this year:  I don't ask for a whole lot for Christmas.  In my family, we always make lists of items we want my parents/siblings/grandparents to buy for us.  This year I asked for a running medal hood that was custom-made and purple.  I'm not sure if my mom found one/got someone to make it.  I hope so.  My birthday and Christmas gifts are typically combined, and I'm sure I'll get stuff, I just don't know what.  It is a mystery.

Favorite Christmas Movie: White Christmas by Irvin Berlin.  It is old, but my favorite movie.  My sister and I typically watch it together and she quotes the entire thing.

What tops my Christmas trees (both in Illinois and my parents in Iowa): Angels.

Do I send out Christmas cards: I used to, but now I only send a few out to my favorite people and friends that live far away.

Do I wish I had a birthday a different time of year?  No, not at all.  I love my birhtday being in the middle of December.  I love the whole month.

Thoughts on Snow: I love the first snow and think it is absolutely beautiful.  I hate driving in it, though.  I get very nervous, even after living in Minnesota for 3 years.

Ultimate gift i want but never get: I wish I could be chauffeured around everywhere.  I really do not like driving, in the summer or winter.  If someone offers to drive me somewhere, I'll happily agree.

Family and Christmas: No matter what place I am in in my life, I will never have Christmas away from my family.  They mean too much to me, and I love seeing them.  It is the only time of year I am guaranteed to see my sister, which I enjoy even though we are complete opposites. 

Favorite Gift Ever Received: This is a tough question for me.  My mom framed old artwork that she made in high school a few years ago for me, my sister, brother, and dad.  I got a flower piece of artwork which I love and have displayed.  Last year she gave us each the Time magazine from the year we were born.  A few years ago she framed old post card stamp envelopes that had my (deceased) grandpa's name and address on them and gave them to the kids and all of her siblings.  Each of those gifts is very special to me.  None of them were asked for, but things my mom gave just because she is generous. 

Favorite Gift Ever Given: I am not a very good gift-giver for the holidays.  As far as gift for my family are concerned, I once made a generous donation to a domestic violence shelter in honor of my parents one year for their gift.  I also made my brother a scrapbook of various pictures from our childhood and adult lives which I was quite proud of.  This was before my blogging days, otherwise I would have photographed it.  It took a lot of time to assemble, going through a lot of old pictures. 

Absolute favorite thing about Christmas: I get to spend time with my family.

Your turn: answer one or more of the following questions.  Are you like me or different?

Week 2 of Marathon Training

After completing week, 1, I set 2 goals for myself:

1.  Complete track workout - success!
2.  Run slower on Sunday. - fail.

Week 2 didn't go according to plan, just like week 1.  I  hope this trend does not continue.

Week 2 started off great when I completed a modified ladder workout.  It was so nice outside which made it pleasant to run in circles around the track.  Originally I was disappointed with how my ladder went, but after further review, it is decent.  I have to remember I have not completed track workouts in 2.5 months so it is kind-of like starting over. 

Wednesday was a nightmare of a run.  I was feeling okay to start, and then things turned awful.  My stomach hurt so bad and I just couldn't continue.  Thursday was better, and I ran 7 easy miles with a friend. 

Then came Friday.  I was all set to go running right after school got out before meeting up with friends for dinner.  But, other things came up and my run didn't end up happening, so it ended up being an unplanned rest day.  Saturday my legs felt great and ran well.  Today, my run was okay, but I felt sluggish throughout the entire thing due to improper fueling. 

What went well: I successfully completed my track workout, and had a great run on Sunday.

Goals for week 3: Complete all runs according to schedule.  Run slower on Sunday.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I cannot believe there are only 18 weeks until the Illinois marathon.  I am looking forward to it.  Another runner from my running group ran a marathon this weekend and qualified for Boston.  This will sound mean, but I was shocked.  She occasionally ran in my track group this summer and I was ahead of her.  On tempo and long runs, I was also ahead of her.  If she can BQ, then I know I can do it.  But, that is not the way I want to be thinking.

The mind is powerful.  I have run races where I believed I could truly run a certain time and have succeeded.  I have run numerous races where I told myself I could do it, but not actually believed in myself and my ability.  For each of those runs, I came up short of my goal. 

When I ran my last race, the Hot Chocolate 15k, I truly believed I could run a sub-1:09.  What happened?  I have 1:08:27.  There were some other motivating factors for me to run well, but my mind truly believed I could do it. 

As 2011 comes to an end and 2012 is just around the corner, I am starting to realize that my mind is holding me back.  I feel proud of what I accomplished this year, and know next year will be even better.

Does your mind hold you back?  Or, have you mastered that area?

Reflecting

Tonight I was going through old blog posts, re-reading them to remember what my life was like last year at this time.  The winter is always hard - cold temperatures for the most part - although this year thus far has been abnormally warm - little sunlight, a lot of darkness, wind, and many gloomy days in Chicagoland.  I am a person who is always cold, so when the weather turns cold, it is more of a challenge to me than most people. 

However, the coldness of winter is not what this post is about.  I was reflecting on how different I am today than I was one year ago today. 

Last year at this time I:

• Was still trying to build up my iron
• Was sick with a cold
• Went out to bars on weeknights
• Went to bars on the weekends
• Was skiing in Wisconsin
• Thought 10 miles outside in winter was a long distance to run
• Thought I knew what my race schedule would be for 2011

I can say I am a far different person than the person above.  It almost amazes me how much I have changed in just one year.  When I turned 26 last year, I was in a post-college-wish-I-would-have-enjoyed-college-more mindset.  Every weekend was consumed by staying out late at the bars with friends.  Although I grew out of this behavior after only a few months, I think it taught me a lot.  In college, all I did was study.  I spent more time at the library than 99.9% of people.  I studied, and then studied some more.  I can probably count the number of times I was in a bar in college on my two hands.  My college experience was very different than the typical person, which is why my phase of life last year was necessary.  I'm just glad I grew out of it rather quickly.

Last year I also had all of these dreams about getting certain times in races (see: half marathon goal of 2011), but failed at nearly every one.  In the past month I've realized that when I concern myself purely with time, and not with enjoyment, running becomes a chore that must get done rather than my favorite thing to do.  And I don't like chores....at all. 

What have I learned in my 26th year to make me wiser going into year 27? 

• Running with friends is better than running alone.
• Some races will go far better than you ever anticipate.  Others will be a complete disaster.  Learn from each one and take that knowledge with you to the next one.
• Confidence is impossible if you beat yourself up for not being perfect. 
• Being patient is hard, but it is necessary for success.
• Never be ashamed of how you did at a race.  If you gave your best effort, that is all that matters.
• Sometimes what we want and what happens in life are not the same.  Take time to adjust and then move on.  Life goes on and some people/things don't need to be a part of it.

Although life has taken many strange twists and turns the past year or two, I am ready for the year ahead.  I am excited to see what it will bring.

What did you learn this past year? 

Reviewing Week 1 of Illinois Marathon Training

Most marathon training plans take 18 weeks to complete.  Depending on how many you have actually competed, or your goals, they may differ.  I am confident that none of the plans say run 17 miles in week one just for the fun of it.  Although, Tuesday's 17 miler was wonderful. 

Below you can see what I was actually supposed to do this week (in black), and what ended up getting done (in purple). 

What went well: I felt great on both Thursday and Friday during my runs.  Although Thursday's average was a 7:52 pace, the first mile was done in 8:43, with all of the others between 7:29 and 7:45.  Friday I felt so great while running and didn't realize how fast I was going, therefore, it became an unintentional tempo run. 

What needs to be done better: Pace.  Pace.  Pace.  I need to retrain my body to run at training run speed, not race speed, for all runs.  I did better on my 11 mile run today, but the average was still 8:26.  I need them to be around 9:00 pace instead.  Also, I want to do my track workout every week.  Yes, the unconventional 17 miler on Tuesday was rather sporadic and nice, but track will help me become a better runner, which is what I want. 

Goal for week 2: Complete Tuesday track work and run slower on Sunday. 

For this marathon, I am going to keep track of everything, including workout types for track and pace.  Although I kept track of my mileage during Chicago Marathon training, I did not note my pace.  From what I know and have read and learned, pace plays an important role in preparation for the marathon. 

On a side note, I have once again managed to get almost no Christmas shopping done yet.  I have 1 gift for my mom.  Other than that...nothing.  I'm going out of town next weekend so no shopping will be done.  I guess that leaves the few days before Christmas, just as in years past. 

Are you a person that procrastinates shopping for Christmas presents, or do you shop early....like the day after Thanksgiving?  I have never shopped on Thanksgiving weekend (Friday - Sunday after the holiday) and  plan to keep it that way. 

Rethinking the Plan on Day 2

This weekend I made myself a plan that I thought I could stick to while training for the Illinois Marathon.  I based it off of what I knew worked for my body and what I learned from running the Chicago Marathon.

I am only on day 2, and as far as my success rate goes, I am at 0%.  I ran 10 miles on Sunday, the day before my training plan officially started, and decided to run an easy 2 mile recovery run before biking and lifting. 

And then there was today.  Track Tuesday turned into a 17 mile training run with a friend.  That would be 10 more miles than I was supposed to run.  Although we ran slow, about a 10:00 average, I am hoping it doesn't alter my plans for the rest of the week too much.  I feel great right now, about an hour post-run, so I'm hoping recovery will go well.  It kind-of amazes me that my body remembered running that many miles from marathon training this summer/fall, even though it has been over a month and a half since I ran that distance.  It gives me hope for this upcoming training plan. 

Will I complete my track workout this week?  I'm thinking it will either be on Friday or else I will have to end up skipping it.  I'll make the call later in the week and analyzing how I feel. 

I do not want to make running this many miles on a weekday a regular occurrence.  We were running close to 3 hours, which is a lot of time to devote to running on a weekday night.  But, I'm glad I did it for my friend.  Sometimes it is hard to motivate yourself to run that many miles and having another person to hold you accountable and just run the miles with you really helps.  

Do you make training plans for yourself and stick to them?  When I trained for half marathons in the past, I always had "mental training plans" that I completed.  It is different with marathon training, as it requires so many more details than a half marathon.