Training week in review: 3 of 18

Posted on December 23, 2007 by threlkeld

This week’s training theme contains a paradox:

The only thing worse than running on a treadmill is not having a treadmill to run on

It’s not like we live in some frozen hinterland like Yellowknife. But winters in New York can be hell. Or, rather, the opposite of hell. We’re covered in a massive sheet of filthy, frozen snow (otherwise known as ice). The running path is unplowed, the sidewalks unshovelled, and the roads narrowed due to meter-high piles of the stuff. Crazed drivers with phones clamped to their ears careen their hermetically sealed, high-center of gravity deathmobiles through the streets at high speeds, apparently blind to the delicate, vulnerable runners among them.

Needless to say, I spent six of seven days this week inside on the treadmill. Hating the treadmill. Yet appreciating the treadmill. Compulsively checking weather.com to see if we’ll ever get above freezing again. Feeling grateful for the Fox Soccer Channel, and cable marathons of “Law and Order: SVU” and “Dogfights” (don’t worry; it’s a show about aerial combat).

Week number three of my program introduced the first tempo run. I prefer to do these on the treadmill anyway, since I’m forced to maintain a certain pace — and, no walkers, cars or stoplights to slow me down! It went pretty well, although I couldn’t quite hold the pace I wanted and had to settle for about 10 seconds per mile slower for part of the run.

On a side note, I always feel as though I’m working harder on the treadmill. Since I have less “push off” (because the belt is pulling me back), I suspect that my strides are shorter and more frequent, which feels unnatural. But that’s probably a good thing since I don’t run with enough strides per minute. So this week, among other things, I used the treadmill to work on maintaining a stride rate of 180 steps per minute.

Here’s a handy chart I found recently that shows pace conversions for the treadmill vs. road.

In another screw-tightening move, Coach Pfitzinger scheduled a 14 miler the day after the tempo run. After hard days on Tuesday and Wednesday, I was dragging my ass on Thursday. But I felt surprisingly better after a recovery run (despite the fact that I was too feeble to go the whole six miles) and sailed through a 12 miler on Friday morning. Saturday was another little recovery run through the streets of Crestwood. Today’s run was 16 miles on the dreaded treadmill, with the final five at marathon pace (8:00) or quicker. I decided to do it inside because it’s rainy and very windy outside, and I really needed today’s run to be productive, not one where I’m battling the elements.

This morning’s session actually went very well. I’ve been doing so many long runs lately that 16 miles isn’t a big deal at all anymore. The final five certainly felt like an effort, but I had no problem holding the pace and ran the last half of mile 16 closer to half marathon pace. My heart rate drifted up from 82% to 89% during those five miles. The top end is too high to sustain for an entire marathon, so I have my work cut out for me.

I also thought I’d take the opportunity to experiment with fueling on today’s run. I tried my first gel ever (Hammer “Tropical” flavor with caffeine) at mile 10.5 to see if my stomach would rebel. No problems, and I definitely felt a lift in energy starting around mile 12. I have two half marathon races coming up (one in late January and one in late February). I think I’ll try gels on one and Gatorade on the other and see which method works better for me.

Both have their advantages: with Gatorade, you don’t have to carry anything. But with gels, you can use exactly what you know works for you and as long as there’s water you’ve got what you need. I’m also completely uncoordinated with the paper cups and I’d much rather spill plain water down my front than florescent liquid.

A look back at the week:

  • Monday: 6 miles, recovery pace
  • Tuesday: 10 tempo run, miles 5-6 and 8-9 at 7:35-7:45 pace, easy pace for the rest
  • Wednesday, 14 miles, long run (steady) pace
  • Thursday, 5.6 miles, recovery pace (dog tired!)
  • Friday, 12 miles, long run (steady) pace
  • Saturday, 6.7 miles, recovery pace
  • Sunday, 16.2 miles, long run: first 11 at long run (steady) pace, last 5 at race pace or faster

Total mileage: 70.5 miles

Paces this week:

  • Tempo: 7:35-7:45
  • Long: 7:50 – 9:00
  • Easy: 8:35
  • Recovery: 9:45 – 10:00
  • Marathon: 8:00

This week’s quote:

I’m sick of the treadmill.

— Andrea Martin

Coming up in training week four: A 10% mileage increase plus my first “doubles” day. Oh, and Christmas too.

Filed under: training, westchester | 1 Comment »

Training week in review: 2 of 18

Posted on December 17, 2007 by threlkeld

This week’s training theme:

Every wee bit helps

This week looked a lot like last week, with two differences: no hills and the mileage was bumped up by five miles.

Five miles doesn’t sound like much, but four of them were tacked onto the long runs on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I did notice that extra mile or so on each of those runs, just a slight tightening of the screws.

Also noticeable is the over-so-slightly increased time commitment on weekday mornings. In just a few weeks I’ll be doing 15 miles on Wednesday and 13 on Friday. It’s odd to get on the phone with people who have likely just rolled out of bed — and I’ve already run two towns over and back!

But I noticed that the 10 x 100 meter “strideouts” were a bit easier this week than last week. And no marathon pace finish on yesterday’s long run made for an easier time out there, although by mile 16 I was feeling quite fatigued on account of having run 11 the day before.

The bad weather has moved in, bringing snow, ice and what I like to call “punishing winds.” Since Westchester’s parks maintenance dept. never sees fit to plow our paths, I was forced inside and onto the treadmill on Friday, then into the streets of Scarsdale and White Plains on Saturday. I moved my long run from Sunday to Saturday since the weather today was horrendous (rain and “punishing” winds), and couldn’t stand the thought of running 18 miles inside on the treadmill.

So instead I ran a 6.3 mile loop north of us three times through residential streets yesterday. I even picked up a friendly running partner for the second loop, a local ex-marathoner who regailed me with tales of early NY marathons and his current addictions to competitive bicycling and snowshoe racing. And that extra mile allowed me some hot chocolate when I got home.

A look back at the week:

Wednesday was the only day that had some surprises. I felt good that morning (plus it was warm enough to wear shorts) and discovered when I got home that I’d run three of the last four miles at well under marathon pace. I only look at my heart rate when I do most of these runs, hiding the pace so I’m not tempted to run outside my heart rate targets. I never got above 78%, although it did seem at times that I was going pretty fast. I’ll see if that happens again. If so, it may soon be time to adjust my paces (and marathon goal time) downward a bit.

  • Monday: 6.1 miles, recovery pace
  • Tuesday: 8.1 miles, easy pace with 10 x 100 meter “strideouts”
  • Wednesday, 13.2 miles, long run, mix of long and race pace
  • Thursday, 6.4 miles, recovery pace
  • Friday, 11 miles, long run (steady) pace, on the treadmill
  • Saturday, 19 miles, long run (steady) pace
  • Sunday, 6.2 miles, recovery pace, on the treadmill

Total mileage: 70 miles

Paces this week:

  • Easy: 8:25
  • Long: 7:50 – 9:00
  • Recovery: 9:45

This week’s quote:

I definitely want to show how beautiful the marathon can be. I am the opponent of all those who find the marathon bad: the psychologists, the physiologists, the doubters. I make the marathon beatiful for myself and for others. That’s why I’m here.

— Uta Pippig

Coming up in training week three: A tempo session plus another “marathon pace finish” long run.

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Training week in review: 1 of 18

Posted on December 9, 2007 by threlkeld

This week’s training theme:

Hard days hard, easy days easy

I’ve been reading various articles about the training patterns of some of the world’s best marathoners (Ethopians, Kenyans and Japanese). And one of the common threads that emerges is: run hard days hard, run easy days easy. I’ve taken that to heart, especially the part about running easy days easy. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays are my recovery days, and I am making an effort (as it were) to run them very easy — low-to-mid 60%’s heart rate. It feels like I’m crawling, but I’m getting used to it. So that’s this week’s training theme.

On Thursday morning I did what I do every winter on the first extremely cold day of the year: I fell on my ass in our driveway. We had a windchill of 8 degrees. I was all bundled up and ready to go at 7:30 in the morning. I started down the driveway and instantly I felt my feet go out from under me and had the same mid-air thought I do every year when it happens, “I always forget about the black ice!”

Fortunately, I had two thick layers on and heavy gloves to help break my fall. I have colorful bruises on my right hand and elbow as a reminder. Otherwise, no injuries other than the ones to my ego. It’s too bad those bruises don’t last a year, because I know I’ll do the same thing next year.

So week 1 of my marathon training has concluded. And a successful week it was. I’m glad I spent the past couple of months building in certain kinds of runs around a weekly schedule that resembled what I’d be doing in training, as week 1 has felt like a natural extension of what I’ve been doing already, albeit slightly harder.

I am following Pete Pfitzinger’s 18 week, “70 miles and above” program from his book (with Scott Douglas), Advanced Marathoning. I plan to follow the schedule as laid out, although I’ve made a few modifications:

  1. Hills. Nowhere do “Pfitz” and Douglas schedule hill runs, although they concede that they are important. So I’ve made some of the longer easy runs (or shorter long runs) into hill runs. I’ll do these no more frequently than two or three times a month. I’ll also be doing a fair number of my long and marathon pace runs in Central Park, where I’ll be running up and down hills. Yonkers has some fantastic, lung-busting hills, including the one I live on.

  2. Long runs. The training schedules aren’t specific when it comes to long runs. There are different kinds of long runs (steady distance vs. progressive vs. “fast finish”). I’ll be running most of them as progressive runs, meaning I start out at a very easy pace and work my way up to marathon pace for the last miles.

    Here’s the biggest potential flaw I see in the book’s training schedule: The authors only have two dedicated marathon pace runs in the plan, and they’re quite long at 12 and 15 miles. The first one isn’t until halfway through the training program; the second one is a full month later. It’s a big leap to go from no marathon pace running to a 12 mile run at that speed. In my humble opinion, this is a recipe for failure, as well as a potential blow to confidence. What happens when you get to week 9 and realize you can’t hack running the pace you’ve been supposedly training for over less than half the marathon distance?

    So I’ll tack progressively more and more marathon pace miles onto my Sunday long runs (ending up at a long run with 9 miles at marathon pace), so I can work up to that first session dedicated to holding race pace over 12 miles knowing I have a fair shot at completing it comfortably. (I’m sure there was a much better way to write those last few sentences. But I’m totally exhausted!) More on long runs from Kevin Beck in Running Times and Greg Mcmillan.

  3. Races as tempo runs. I’ll be substituting half marathon races for a few of the longer (12 mile) tempo runs. I’m doing this not only because I enjoy racing, but also so I can gauge my fitness under real-world racing conditions throughout my training. The half marathon pace is also just about perfect for a tempo run.

A look back at the week:

  • Monday: 5.1 miles, recovery pace
  • Tuesday: 8.1 miles, easy pace with 10 x 100 meter “strideouts”
  • Wednesday, 12 miles, long run (steady) pace
  • Thursday, 6 miles, recovery pace (+ very fast trip down the driveway)
  • Friday, 10.5 mile hill run
  • Saturday, 6.2 miles, recovery pace
  • Sunday, 17.1 miles, progressive long run with last 3 miles at marathon pace

Total mileage: 65.0 miles

Paces this week:

  • Easy: 8:20 – 8:40
  • Long: 7:50 – 8:40
  • Hills: 9:00
  • Recovery: 9:45 – 10:00

This week’s quote:

Hills are speedwork in disguise.

— Frank Shorter

Coming up in training week two: More of the same!

Filed under: racing, resources, training, westchester | 2 Comments »

A lovely bouquet of online calculators

Posted on October 27, 2007 by threlkeld

Some people collect sea shells. Others collect porcelain figurines. I collect online calculators.

Here are some of my favorite running- or fitness-related calcs:

Equivalent performances calculator
I use this one a lot. Not only does it give equivalent times for races of varying distances (along with pacing information), but it also supplies target pace ranges for key running workout types. Note that this is not a “performance predictor”. This I’ve learned the hard way. Also note that the target workout paces can be on the aggressive side.

Here’s a more souped up equivalent performances calculator. I like this one because it can factor in things like temperature, elevation, wind speed and altitude if you’re feeling very wonky.

Race pace calculator 1
This is a very handy race pace calculator, because it allows you to play with different positive or negative split scenarios. I’m sure I’ll end up using this for my next marathon, as I learned in my last half marathon that I run well when I do “very negative” splits. And that’s a positive thing.

Race pace calculator 2
If you just want to know what your even splits would be, this is the calculator for you. You can also print out a pace band to tape around your wrist.

Want to know what your VO2 max is? Use this VO2 max calculator to find out.

Wondering how fast your poor old legs would take you if they were just a bit younger? Calculate your age graded equivalents — and either weep or rejoice.

Ever wonder how much faster you could run if your dropped a few pounds? Find out with this weight change effect predictor. How much ice cream and cheesy poofs can you continue to eat while still losing weight? Find out with this calorie intake calculator.

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Right as rain

Posted on October 26, 2007 by threlkeld

I’m recovered from my annoying little bug and back to running:

3 pathetic little miles on Monday (in a sickly state)
6 miles on Tuesday
14 miles on Wednesday (at a good clip, I might add: 8:30)
9 miles yesterday (two sessions)
I’ll do 10 today, followed by 7 tomorrow and 16 on Sunday.

Grand total: 65!

Next week is a recovery week, followed by three weeks at 70 miles each. Then I go into my 18 week training plan, which will average 79 miles per week.

I have a feeling I’ll be doing a lot of running inside. The days are getting shorter very quickly. Sun isn’t up until well after 7:00AM and it’s pitch black by about 6:00PM. I’m looking into a headlamp and some reflective gear so I can still do some (most?) of my longer runs outside. But I may do a lot of my shorter recovery runs inside anyway, to save my legs, since the treadmill is easier on them.

If I didn’t have some piece of running gear to covet, I’d know something is very wrong with me. The latest object of my affection is the Sugoi Hydrolite Running Jacket.

I really don’t like my Gore-Tex Paclite jacket for running, as it’s quite heavy and a little large for just a base layer (great for hiking, though — and for cold weather runs). My other jacket is “water resistant” which means I’m eventually soaked in anything more than a drizzle.

But the Sugoi is $100 and really weird looking. I guess I’ll see how rainy November turns out to be and then decide. Soon enough it will be freezing outside and I’ll have another six months to make up my mind.

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Not another Chicago Marathon post…

Posted on October 19, 2007 by threlkeld

…per se. But instead, a link to an article that presents an interesting theory proposing low blood pressure, rather than heat-related illness and/or dehydration, was the likely culprit behind so many runner collapses earlier this month. The follow up article at the end of the one linked to is also worth reading.

I spent a few days visiting family in Eastern Iowa, where I was registered to race in a 5K breast cancer center fund raiser. The morning of the race, however, it was pouring buckets of rain. I was out there, warming up — the only runner warming up, in fact, which gave me a lot of hope of winning some cheap hardware — when they called the race due to lightning concerns. 10,700+ people registered for the three events (5K race, 5K walk, 1 mile fun run), and the turnout was good despite the weather. So it was a disappointment. But they raised a lot of money through registrations, so all’s well that ends well.

Now I’m laid up with a bad head cold. The woman behind me on the plane from Chicago to La Guardia was coughing and sneezing all the way, so I’m not surprised. I feel like warmed over dog food and my head feels as though it’s been filled with Kwik-Crete and cotton balls. This probably means I won’t be doing the Harry Chapin 10K race on Sunday as planned. That’s four races in a row that have been screwed up due to weather or illness. At least turkey trot season is coming up. Maybe it won’t be 80 degrees anymore by next month!

But there’s a silver lining. The day before I got sick, I managed to do a 16 miler at 8:40 pace / 76% heart rate. This is tremendous progress and has made me a true believer in the value of building a base of long, slow, low heart rate distance running. By way of comparison, the week I started base building four months ago, I ran a 9 miler at 10:36 pace / 75% heart rate under similar conditions. So I’m nearly two minutes faster these days. Maybe a 3:30 marathon is not such a pipe dream after all.

Up until very recently, I was doing most of my runs at 68-72% heart rate. Now I’m just doing that after the long runs and doing “easy” pace (75-80%) the rest of the time. So I won’t go into shock when my 18 week training program begins the first week of December. The date for the 2008 More Marathon has been chosen: April 6, the day after my 43rd birthday. So it looks like I’ll have to skip the copious libations and sugary treats until after the race.

I may kick my training off by running the Hot Chocolate 15K in Central Park to further assess progress and get a better sense of what my various training paces should be. Plus, who doesn’t like hot chocolate in December? (As long as it’s not 80 degrees out.)

Filed under: physiology, racing, training, travel | Leave a comment »

Silver lining to crap weather

Posted on October 4, 2007 by threlkeld

Yes, I’m running in a half marathon, and so I have no need to carbo load. But Jonathan is doing the full marathon (which means he’s whinging twice as much as I am about the weather). And he DOES have to carbo load. And, naturally, I’m not making two meals for each of us. So I will be carbo loading too.

This evening: pad thai
Tomorrow: chicken marsala with rice
Saturday: pasta with chicken

And many sandwiches and muffins inbetween. Yum.

But no drinking.

Very little drinking.

Weather update: Forecast for Sunday is now a high of 78. No news about humidity yet. And the race is at 8ish in the morning. So if the freakish heatwave has not broken by then, we’re still screwed.

Runners all over the country are fretting today, as there are lots of major marathon events on Sunday. If this doesn’t light a fire under our butts over global warming, I don’t know what will (yes, I’m being facetious…)

Filed under: eating, racing, training, westchester | 1 Comment »

Whinging about the weather

Posted on October 3, 2007 by threlkeld

I’m registered for the Westchester Half Marathon this coming Sunday. And, of course, we’re having a spell of freakishly warm and humid weather. It would normally be a dry 67 degrees this time of year. Instead, the forecast for Sunday is low 80s and humid. Blech!!!

I don’t even care that much about this race — I entered as a way to gauge my fitness after nearly four months of base training, so I can come up with some target paces for subsequent training. I was also curious to see if I could run it at 8:01 pace, just to see if I’m anywhere near where I’d like to be at this point fitness-wise.

I did go out this morning to do a five miler with two miles at that pace. It was — I kid you not — 99% humidity. So not fun. But I was able to hold that pace. Now, if I can just do it six and a half times on Sunday, I’ll be golden!

I’m trying to have a positive attitude about this, but I’m disappointed. I’ve basically blown forty bucks to run in weather that I can run in for free, with the same results (no real insight into how fit I am under normal running conditions). To add insult to injury: the lot where the race wraps up is totally torn up. I have no idea where they’ll put us all post race. And, of course, the temperature is scheduled to drop into the 50s three days after the race.

Feh!

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Too busy to post. Busy running.

Posted on September 18, 2007 by threlkeld

Well, I’m three months into my “build a big mileage base” program and I seem to have hit the point where I’m running lots of miles (for me), yet am not running them very fast. So it takes forever.

I’m up to 58 miles a week now, averaging about a 9:30 pace. I’ve thrown in some faster running here and there since it seems to help with weight loss efforts. But, still, between walking back and forth to the running path, showering and stretching, I’m putting in about 12 hours a week. It’s like having a part time job. With no pay. And lousy hours. And an expensive work wardrobe that wears out constantly.

The summer seems to have left us at last. But not before one last miserable weekend of heat and humidity. I ran in a race that weekend anyway, the South Nyack 10 Miler. I ran this race last year. My time improved marginally this year, 1:23:35 vs. 1:27:05. What irks me is I know I could have done better had it not been for the stupid weather. But, post-race, I recalled why I enjoy this race so much. They serve soft ice cream, ravioli and…wait for it…free beer. This year, they had what is a first for me: a “beer van”. This was a large van with a tap on one side (three actually), dispensing beer. I wonder if people ever pull up alongside it when it’s on the road and try to pour themselves a frosty brew…

Oh, well. I have lots of fall races ahead of me: the Westchester Half early next month, followed by a 5K in Iowa a week after that, and then the Harry Chapin 10K Run for Hunger a week after that. Then various and sundry turkey trots in November. I should have no trouble determining my fitness level when I go into marathon training in mid-November.

I’ve settled on a Pete Pfitzinger training plan from his book “Advanced Marathoning”. It’s an 18 week program that starts at 63 miles a week and tops out at 93. I think I’m going to use the plan pretty much as is (and adjust if I start to feel an injury coming on), although he seems to ignore hill workouts. So I’ll add those in, since Central Park has big hills on the north end, and I’ll need to fly up and down those twice in March.

I’ll have a comfortable base of 70-75 mpw going in, so I feel pretty good about being able to do it. So far, I’ve been injury- and pain-free, knock wood. And I’m about 15 pounds lighter, which helps. Nice weather, no injuries, and looking better in my underpants. I’m a happy runner these days.

I checked in on the NYRR site today, only to discover that the Norwegian Festival is scheduled for the day before the Westchester Half. Aside from the fact that I enjoy all things Norwegian, due to my weird Norwegian last name, I’d wanted to do Grete’s Gallop (and have some weird Norwegian food) but it looks like I screwed up on the timing. Maybe next year.

But in my trawlings I did discover that NYRR is going to be posting a series of videos entitled “Chasing Glory” — profiles of runners in the Men’s Olympic Trials in November — which takes place in Central Park the day before the NYC Marathon. They’ll have updates every weekday (new videos on Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus “insights” on Monday, Wednesday and Friday). See them here.

Filed under: inspiration, training, westchester | 2 Comments »

Our tax dollars at work

Posted on July 22, 2007 by threlkeld

Had a lovely run early this morning along the new extension to the paved path along the Bronx River Parkway. Some of the charm may have to do with its being a totally new area to see (whereas I’ve been running the same paths in Eastchester for 7+ years). But it’s also just very well done: a winding path along the river with plenty of well-placed benches and bridges.

The path runs from Scarsdale at Harney Road for a bit more than a mile and a half, then dead ends at Pipeline Road, a totally deserted two-laner. Pipeline runs just above the Metro North Harlem Line tracks straight up the Hartsdale train station.

At Hartsdale there are toilets, thanks to the Starbucks there (and, if you’re suffering from total glycogen depletion, snacks and coffee). It’s just shy of 10 miles round trip from the bottom of our road to Hartsdale station and back. And if I cross over the tracks, I can continue all the way up to Valhalla. This will make a nice 20 miler when I’m up to that long run distance again — with a perfectly located rest stop coming and going. I guess you could say I’m easily pleased.

I am on vacation, which means I still have to run 12 milers, but I am relaxed enough to stop and sit on a bench and enjoy the ducks rather than rushing home. This afternoon included lying on the couch reading, a leisurely stroll into Tuckahoe to pick up fruit at the Sunday farmers market, then more lying around. Going back into town this evening for a martini and Thai dinner at Garlic and Pepper.

Filed under: drinking, eating, everyday life, training, westchester | 1 Comment »

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