Tag Archives: running

Rainy week

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This week, actually this whole month, has been super rainy. While I don’t mind running in a little rain, downpours are too much! My mileage has been suffering, until yesterday that is. Saturday I got an early start on what ended up being the furthest I have run this year, 15.5 miles. Overall it felt pretty good though slow. I started by heading up to the top of Mt. Tabor, our friendly inactive volcano. After enjoying the run down and out of the park I headed in a southwest direction and entered Oaks Bottom wildlife refuge which eventually hooked up to the Springwater Corridor. I ran that for a mile or so and then curved around through the park and into Sellwood and West Moreland. Over the bridge I ended my run by going through East Moreland and up to Woodstock for that pizza I missed out on a couple of weeks back. I was pretty pooped and feeling a bit sore, especially in my hip. I need to break out the foam roller tonight for a little hip work!

I ended up with over 30 miles this week, but most of them came on Saturday. I am looking forward to being a bit more consistent this week. I got two quality runs in last week, so that was good, just too many days with no running. Next week will be better.

Mom asked me why I do this to myself. An extremely reasonable question! Part of it is the health benefit of the preparation for doing long endurance runs. Part of it is the burning of 2500+ calories. Part of it is the challenge of seeing just how far I can will myself to run. My distances are by no means incredibly long, but they are good distances and my body certainly feels it after I am done. I don’t feel like I am running away from the ms, always keeping ahead of it. No, it is more of an overall health benefit that I think is doing the most good for me. It has been over two years since any major symptoms so I am thinking it must be working. I have no illusions about curing my ms, but I do think I am helping to keep it at bay. I makes me wonder what effect running would have on me if I wasn’t taking the rebif. Would I be in a similar place? Could extreme exercise and diet work to prevent ms on their own?

Tempo Tuesday

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I am having a difficulty with scheduling my hard runs. Tuesday always seems to be the best day for it. If I do a long run on Sat or Sun, then I have Monday for a recovery run which means I should be ready by Tuesday to go for a quality run. The problem with this is that I have band practice on Tuesday night and after a quality run I am too tired to perform for two hours. Usually after an hour or so I have just lost it at rehearsal. Maybe it is a matter of just doing it and getting tougher. At least that is my theory tonight.

I did my traditional tempo run today, but I did a little bit slower than last time with splits of 8:23, 8:24 and 9:04 for the tempo portion. Two weeks ago my splits were 7:18, 8:27 and 9:12. Four weeks ago my splits were 8:26, 8:20 and 8:14. It appears that when I start out faster  than 8, I poop out. The uber consistent tempo run 4 weeks ago was all flat whereas my usual tempo has an uphill for the final half mile or so, so that could explain the fast third mile, plus I was trying to show off for my running partner who almost puked at the end of that one.

I think it will be interesting to keep track of these runs doing them every two weeks or so along with the speed work at the track and some hill repeats. All in all I am getting some good quality runs in and feeling pretty good about it. This weeks tempo was probably the easiest of the three some of which probably was due to the cool weather we had today. These runs are definitely early morning runs to take advantage of the temp for the summer anyway. I also gobbled nearly a full pack of sport beans on this run and had water.

I just found a fourth recent tempo run (I knew there was another). My splits for this one were 7:59, 8:23 and 9:02. This one I was more consistent, but still had a falling off for that third mile.

Running naked

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In a cheap attempt to drum up readership today I write about running naked. Now here’s the point in which everybody clicks away. When I say naked I mean running without the steady stream of data coming in from my watch. After five miles or so my rechargeable Garmin ran out of juice. I knew I was going to cut it close on the run and almost waited around for it to recharge (good thing I didn’t as it started pouring right after I had gotten back.) So the final three miles I just ran. No numbers, nobody watching me, just running. It was surprisingly exhilarating. I wouldn’t think it was as free a feeling as it was. But the idea that I could do whatever I wanted at whatever pace I wanted was great. Very strange feeling. Makes me realize how addicted to the reports I have gotten. Funny thing, I got solace from knowing I keep two journals of my running: one the Garmin auto updates (actually three if I upload my data) and another I update myself that I have been using for 5 years or so.

On the ms front I have been experiencing some dizziness lately. It seems to be worse in the mornings particularly when I get out of bed. Sort of a woozy feeling and sort of unstable on my feet. It has been going on for about a week or so now. Yesterday it was the worst. As the day went on I felt more stable, but still a bit unsure. I’ll even have some moments where I have to catch myself. Oddly the running seems to alleviate it. Plus my momentum really seems to work as a stabilizer. If I keep moving forward I don’t feel like I will fall, odd? Right now, after eight miles of moderate running I don’t really feel dizzy at all. In fact I feel pretty good, just running tired. One supplement change was I started taking Lysine twice a day a week ago for a cold sore. I recently stopped as the cold sore went away (Lysine rocks for cs, thanks Dad!) which coincides with feeling better today. Probably has nothing to do with it, especially since I have taken Lysine in the past, the only diff this time is I was religious about it for the week, Hmmm.

Two quality runs in a row

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I sort of went off my regimen of hard – easy – hard – easy runs today by doing a second hard quality run in a row. Yesterday my running partner and I ran up to Mt. Tabor to do some hill repeats. We started with a mile warm up that ended up including too much hill work to be a good warm up. Once we finally got to our repeat area we started our 1/4 mile runs. We did eight of them between 2:05 and 2:20 with the slower ones due to doggie troubles. By the time we got to the last one I was feeling pretty pooped  and my 2 mile cool down took forever. But a great workout.

Today I started out for six easy recovery miles. I decided to add on a couple of miles by running down to the Eastmoreland golf course. On the loop back I decided to add a couple of blocks to the loop (mile 4) and ended up going east for 30 blocks when I hooked up with the Springwater corridor (mile 6) and returned to the reed neighborhood. At the end of the corridor (mile 8) I ran through the Moreland Park (where I found a water fountain) and over the bridge to the Reed neighborhood (mile 10). At Reed I found another fountain (mile 12) and started to curse myself for not bringing water on this short run I had planned. I did have Sharkies which helped a lot. I headed home and ended up going 13.75 miles all together at 2:31. Super slow run and a burner for sure. I feel pretty depleted but I have been drinking a lot and eating well. Which would have been great if I hadn’t taken advantage of a beautiful day and worked in the yard. I am pretty tired. But I am going to watch a movie (Human Centipede) and  go to bed early tonight. I have a show tomorrow, but I may run after, we’ll see. That will definitely be a recovery run!

Better than 6 min miles

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Ok, less than 6 min miles in a interval workout with short duration, so not that impressive. But still I was pretty excited to see sub sixes as I pulled into the curves at the track for a straights and curves workout. It didn’t feel like I was really super pushing it either as my HR maxed out in the low 170s for most of the nine laps I did. For most of the run I had the entire track to myself which was really nice. Not too much exciting happened on the run other than that. It was really good to get a track workout in. The only downside is that I was pooped in the evening and I had rehearsal. I think on band night I really shouldn’t do a hard workout in the afternoon beforehand. The downside is Tuesdays work really well for a hard workout. Recovery on Monday after the Sunday long run and there’s Tuesday just begging for a tough workout. Ugh.

So my next quality run is going to be a hill workout, the same one I have done in the past. It looks like I will shoot for Thursday to do this after a recovery run tonight. I’d really like to get into running everyday, but I think my preferred distances won’t really allow for it. I don’t want to be running 50+ miles a week. As it is I am doing just about 40 and it seems like plenty. If I do over 30 I am always happy. Seems like that allows me to eat what I want to and not gain weight. I’d still like to lose another10 pounds. I have re-committed to not eating past 7 which I think helps a lot. And as long as I can keep getting green drinks in me that will help as well. The eating choices I have been making have been relatively good lately, if only I didn’t like sweets so much! I’d like to get into eating five smaller meals a day. That sounds like a better way to eat for me.

Long slow run

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Yesterday my running partner and I headed up Lief Erickson trail on another long Sunday run. Having someone to talk with on these runs makes the time go by relatively quickly for the two hours it took us. Oddly we felt like we ran it more slowly than the week before but actually we finished earlier. My HR was really low throughout (with the exception of the yelling match with a cyclist who was pissed we had the dog off-leash (which we really shouldn’t have she also shouldn’t have been going so fast around a blind corner.))

My hip has been causing my some pain (gads I sound old!) on these longer runs but it didn’t really bother me much yesterday. Perhaps my use of a foam roller to massage my hips has been paying off. It is also supposed to be good for back issues as well. Since I have been using it (admittedly sporadically) I haven’t had any issues with the back though I think the issues I am having have less to do with my hips and more to do with a nerve thingy.

Nothing too much to report on the ms front. I have noticed some forgetfulness but not to any degree that has been affecting my life (at least that I can remember anyway…) Yesterday I couldn’t remember the name of my fav basketball team’s star center (Greg Oden, though many Blazer fans would rather forget him…) It was frustrating as I could totally visualize his face and hear him talking in my mind, but the name escaped me. I am also noticing some balance issues, though again minor and usually if I am feeling tired or fatigued (more from running or working out than ms related fatigue problems which I have been happy to not experience much of). I just feel sort of woozy and a little unstable, seems to happen in the shower somewhat often (could be related to exercising beforehand). I sort of worry about the day I don’t catch myself and tumble over. Oh well, I have fallen before in life and have managed to get up, so I’ll just do it again.

24 miles in three days

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I have been pretty lame about writing lately, non-blogging life has caught up with me. Not enough so that I haven’t been running though. I relaxed my miles a bit after the Race for the Roses and myDNR for Sean’s Run (still mad at myself) but I think I am back in the groove to crank them up again.

I have tentative plans to race in AZ this summer at a Hopi celebration run. I did it once before and it was a lot of fun. The Hopi runner all sang while they ran. I got to hear them for a little bit before they were way ahead of me.

So today I did a six mile recovery run after two longish runs of 10.25 and 8 miles. All of them were pretty slow, I need to do some fast runs next, maybe track work. I want to get back into my pattern of Hard – Easy – Hard – Easy. Actually I am not to far off of that, but it needs to become a more dedicated part of my running.

DNR

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Ugh, on Saturday I went to double check the race time for my final spring race on Sunday. Turned out the race was Saturday and was already over! I was bummed Sean’s Run is one of my favorite races. Even though I didn’t really feel like I could beat my 10k PR, I was still wanting to try it and see where I am. Oh well. I do think I will have to find another race or two this year to make it feel like I have completed a good season.

So instead of doing my 10k, my running partner and I headed  up to Thurman and Forest Park  for a really nice LSD run than ended with a great vegan brunch. We both felt incredibly well-nourished and healthy after eating our meal of tofu scramble, home fried and kale. Delicious! So I may not have raced Sunday, but I had a great run and day anyway.

Can’t believe I didn’t race…

10k on Sunday, last race of the season?

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Its funny when I committed to running these three races earlier in the year it seemed like so much. I even left it open in the back of my mind to bag one or more of these races. Now that I have the two big ones done (Shamrock 15K and Race for the Roses half marathon) I am looking for more to do. The competition bug has bitten!

Racing with a group of people is a blast. I have become way more accepting of the fact that there are faster runners than me and I can just let them go. I don’t even care if I pass them up at the end or not. I have always embraced the concept of racing against myself only, but it has always bugged me a little bit to get passed. But the good thing about a race is that I am not the slowest runner there, so I get to pass people as well. Hasn’t seemed like I pass as many people as I did at the height of my racing shape when I did the Portland Marathon in 2006, but I still managed to leave fellow racers in the dust. But its still not about that, right? I am racing against myself and past performances. If I can set a PR, or even best my previous time, then I am feeling good.

This race coming up I am not expecting to set a PR. The first time I ran this race, I did it in 49 minutes. It was my second 10K and that time has held up as the best I have. I would love to beat it Sunday, but it is going to take a supreme effort to do so. I need a pace of less than 8 min miles to do it, egads! I am curious to see what I can muster for it.

This week I haven’t been pushing it miles wise. I think I will get another tempo run in before the race, hopefully on Friday and then take Saturday off for a rest day. I would like to run today but I have a pretty busy day. I was up early this morning and should have gone out, but I am still a bit tired after last nights seven miles up Lief Erickson. We went slow, but the first half is all uphill so it is a good workout.

I don’t think I will try to super hydrate for this race as it isn’t too far. But I will keep up the good diet and try to fuel up that way.

Post race week

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Yesterday I did a 8+ long slow distance run with my running partner which ended a 34 mile week. I was a bit worried about the miles after the race for a couple of reasons. First off I was afraid that my body would be tired after the exertion, and secondly I was concerned about a post race let-down. Would I be up for more running after that training bout. Well for one I still have another race on my “race schedule”. So I need to be up and going for what will now be another week, the Sean’s Run 10K is on Sunday. Even though the distance will not be an issue, I would like to do it pretty fast. But once that is over, then I don’t have anything solidly planned. I don’t think I will do the San Francisco marathon, but I am looking at a couple half-marathons this summer. Perhaps I’ll just run for fitness on my own. Still it is nice to see where you efforts get you in competition. We’ll see. So far though no slacking off and I am going full steam ahead.