Of Geese and Rain

Well, friends, it's been a while since I've posted (yet again), so I'll focus on highlights again this time...

First, things have been going really well with the training runs! I've been running about a 12-minute mile pace, but last week I found my pace picking up.

My great accomplishment was my Sunday run (two Sundays ago) in the pouring rain at 40 degree temperatures--brrrr! That said, it was definitely my triumph thus far. Allow me to explain...

I decided for my first "official" 6-mile run to head back to Shelley Lake, a 2-mile loop around an (obviously) tiny lake in Raleigh. This was the site of my first real training run after I decided to train for a half-marathon, a 4-mile attempt with one of the women's running groups in Raleigh. That first attempt was dismal: I ended up walking at least half of it and felt like I was completely out of my league, and I even contemplated switching to training for a 10K instead of the half after it.

This time, a month or so later, I not only ran the full 6 miles (in the cold, pouring rain, I'll reiterate) but I managed to do it at an 11-minute mile pace. It was glorious. I was soaked to my undergarments and shivering with enormous goosebumps by the time I made it back to my car, but I felt amazing. What a triumph! (I may have lost a cell phone to the downpour, but I gained a huge chunk of confidence with this run.)

Two days later, I managed 4 miles (at 6am, thank you very much) at a 10-minute mile pace!! I know it's likely my race pace will be slower than that, but it's helping me look forward to running some shorter runs at faster paces after the big race. (At this point, my goal is to finish the half in May, then spend the summer working on 5K and 10K runs... and training for another half in the fall.)

I've started running without any music, which I think is helping my pace. I focus on keeping my breathing even and find it easier to get into a mental zone that way, whereas with music I try to run with the music's beat, which isn't always ideal. I enjoy the silence, too, and I'm finding it very therapeutic this way. I compose some great blogs while I'm running, if only I could record my thoughts and transcribe them after it would be perfect! During my Shelley Lake run, I amused myself with mental blogs about the geese that crowd one section of the path--I'm always a little nervous they'll go on the offensive ("Geese survival tip #1 for runners: run past them gingerly, and avoid flapping your arms about"). So, I'll keep my iPod with me for now as a safety blanket, but I think this is my new strategy.

And, a quick update on my trip to Florida. I didn't stick to my training schedule, but I did manage to squeak out two quick runs Thursday and Friday mornings--about 2-2.5 miles total. (Plus, I did some strength training on Friday, from which I'm still a little sore!) The first day was ROUGH, I think because of the humidity. The second day? Not so bad. I was just proud of myself for getting outof bed for 8am runs on my vacation. It was a good sign of future things to come for my lifestyle changes.

The bad news? I got three hours of sleep Saturday night (between nerves over the early a.m. flight and having to get up at 3am for the flight). As a result, I felt a little queasy and generally off on Sunday, so I didn't run then, and I took tonight (Monday) to finish settling back in and take care of paperwork. (The good news: I was only supposed to run a 5K on Sunday, so I didn't miss a long run.)

I'm a little nervous for my 4.5 mile run tomorrow morning, given the break I took, but I'm just going to go for it. If I walk for a minute or two, I walk. I just need to focus on building up to this weekend's long run: 7 miles!! (Which will officially be the longest distance I have ever run at once. Yay!)

Okay, time to sign off and get some sleep for my a.m. run! Keep active, y'all!

Runs, Lessons and Laughter

It’s been a while since I last blogged—life has been busy! There’s so much to write, but I’ll have to be selective about what goes here so this post isn’t ridiculously long.

Here are some highlights: I’ve managed to complete both of my long runs this weekend and last (5 miles). Actually, I figured out today that my route is closer to 6 miles.

Last week, I got a little lost and ended up wandering through a neighborhood of very, very fancy homes. This week, I reversed my route and was able to find the correct path. However, this path changed my route from more of an oval shape to a B shape. That’s right. “B.”

This makes me feel better about my pace, which is slow, but would be VERY slow if I was running 5 instead of 6 miles. And, while we’re on the topic of my route, can I just pose the question: How is it possible that one running route could have so many steep and low-grade hills when you run it both ways? Both times I’ve had moderate and prolonged moments of pure torture with these hills, and I’m learning that running one direction is not any easier than the other. Ah well. Better training for me, right?

Since my last posting, I’ve also realized that I can no longer run at the gym on the treadmill. Running on the treadmill has become torture. (Hm, second time I’ve used that word this posting.) Seriously, I hit about 1.5 or 2 miles on the treadmill and want to curl up in a ball and lay there, gasping for breath. Outside, it’s tough, but I can push through those moments to run 3.5 or 5 or 6 miles. Running outside, I even have moments of pure joy—my breath comes easily, my body feels strong but loose, and I feel like I would run forever if it always felt that good.

I realized last weekend after my first 5 mile run that I hadn’t run that distance since my last 10K: 2005 in Scotland, almost 4 years exactly. In fact, I really hadn’t run much more than 3 miles (if that) since then. Sure, I’d done interval training on the treadmill that brought me to 4 miles, but never a full, steady run. It was a great moment.

(Side note: DANG. The UNC/Duke game is on, and one our players just landed on another guy who was on the floor—came down right on his groin area with his foot. OUCH.)

Anyhow. Here a few things I’m learning:

• Strength training is key. Pushing up those hills is hard work that requires intensely engaging my legs and butt, and even just being able to run for more than 2 hours straight is going to require really strong legs and arms (strong arms will help propel me when I get tired).
• A good workout iPod mix is a blessing. I’ve been able to push through many a hill with the right song. Today, I finished my workout (uphill, of course) to Foo Fighters “Hero”—perfect.
• I need to purchase a fancy baseball hat that has ventilation and will wick the sweat away. Otherwise, my hat makes me feel like I’m going to overheat. And I like that the hat keeps away rain, sweat and sun. Speaking of which...
• Judging by the brown freckles that cropped up on my face during my run today (they didn’t look so hot for a while, but they seem to have tamed down a bit now), I need to invest in some really good sweat-proof sunscreen for my face. My daily SPF 15 lotion just won’t cut it.

And, to close, here are some things that, had you told me in December or early January, I would have outright laughed at you:

• I’d be training for a half-marathon.
• I’d be sticking to a half-marathon training program, making my schedule fit the program instead of making excuses for missing days. (Okay, well, except for the snow day. But I didn’t even open my front door that entire day to step outside. It was treacherous out there.)
• I’d be getting up at 5:15 in the morning to run before work.
• I’d wear spandex while I ran (knee-length “running tights”).
• I’d wear spandex while I ran in public, in broad daylight.

’Nuff said. I’ll post again soon!