Tag: training

3 mile training run with 6 100m sprints

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I’ve been up since 4:30am this morning, since my husband had to catch an early flight for work. It was grey until just a bit ago, and I ran out of time to waste if I was going to get my training run in before I had to be anywhere. A cup of coffee offered me only sporadic energy, so I went out feeling a little drained. Lack of sleep (thanks partially to some before-bed chocolate) made me sluggish and cranky, but I did rather well, keeping a pace of 11:26 min/mi. Despite thinking I was running a flat route, my Garmin let me know I was actually had an elevation change of over 700 ft!

I have a four mile hilly run on Thursday, and a five mile on Saturday – which I think I’ll do at Green Lake or some other pretty park area.

I was a bit baffled by the sprints part of my training – I’m considering seeing a sports doctor/trainer to see how I can maximize my running and minimize the impact on my body. My bunions are not happy!

My First Run with Garmin Forerunner 405CX

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Yesterday was my first run with my Garmin Forerunner 405CX. It’s an expensive wrist computer, to say the least, but giving me a new dedication to properly training.

It was difficult finding a GPS heart rate monitor that fit my tiny wrists. At first, I wasn’t going to get the Garmin because at it’s tightest it still was loose on my wrist. Luckily, it comes with a fabric strap that cinches down tighter. The weight on the 405cx (and the 405) is more evenly distributed than the 305, and the more blocky models, which makes me more comfortable running with it. It syncs wirelessly to my computer (another huge plus!) and gives me great graphs for both my route and heart rate. Seriously, the amount of data that I get is unbelievable.

Yesterday I went for my four mile training run in the neighborhood. I wore my Nike + SportBand as well, to see if I could properly calibrate my steps. The run was challenging (especially in the midday warmth which I haven’t experienced this year.) I got through it, though, and every day seem to be running faster.

I’m really impressed with what the Garmin has to offer. It’s definitely an investment, but I think that if you’re serious about training (and I dare say I am), it’s worth it. I still love my Nike+ SportBand, and believe it’s the best $60 you can spend to start running and getting some stats.

Rock Riot Run 5K and New Toy

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I did the Rock Riot Run 5K today, despite not getting enough sleep, and barely finding the starting point. It was a small run, I think the first ever, and is part of UW on-campus events to reduce dating violence and address domestic violence issues. I was definitely a decade older than many of the organizers and participants.

I completed the 5K in 33 minutes and 58 seconds. I couldn’t believe I actually did a 5K, because my Nike+ SportBand was telling me that I only did 2.79 miles. Then it occured to me – it’s not calibrated right! I barely really calibrated it, and really didn’t properly do so when I first got it. I’ve been actually runnning MORE than I thought I was, meaning my actual times are really better than I assumed.

I said to myself, “That’s it, I’m getting a GPS.”

I checked out a few places, and finally settled on the too-big for my wrist (but just good enough) all the bells-and-whistles I want (ooh! touch sensitive bezel!) in the Garmin Forerunner 405CX GPS Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor. I’m looking forward to trying out this bad boy come Monday (or tomorrow, if I can’t wait that long.) It’s hard to find a user friendly GPS and HRM that also syncs to the computer. I’ll still be wearing my Nike+ SportBand, but I’ll at least be able to properly calibrate it.

Over all, a very successful day. I’m pumped to start signing up for my next race challenges. Whose gonna join me?

Lazy Friday Before the Race

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Tomorrow I am planning to get up early (for a Saturday) and do the Rock Riot Run 5K to benefit the Eastside Domestic Violence Program. It was an inexpensive 5K, and a way to keep me motivated on this journey, so I’m rather looking forward to it. My biggest concern is if the weather will hold out. The weather in Seattle the past couple days has been completely schizophrenic. Sunny skies one minute, hail and clouds the next. I can only hope I’ll be properly prepared for my 3.1 miles.

In other news, I’m excited to write that I have officially put my name in the lottery to do the Nike Women’s 1/2 Marathon in San Francisco this October. A friend of mine, Emily, recently completed the Lavaman triathlon and signed up for the lottery for the 1/2 marathon. Given she’s been my workout buddy for 5 years (mostly in spirit due to her living in the Bay area), I felt like I absolutely had to join her. I’m very excited, and hope I get in. I hear there’s a fireman that hands you your Tiffany finishers necklace!

Weight Watchers (the system I’ve used to get in shape the past two years) is holding their Walk-it Challenge the next two months. Their challenge is to walk a 5K by June 6. I will be running a 5K this weekend, and will be training for the LIVESTRONG Challenge later in June. There’s a drawing for those of us who go to meetings to attend meetings during this time, and enter to win a trip to one of the prime walking cities in the US. I’m crossing my fingers on that one.

Sorry that it’s more of a personal post today – I hadn’t planned on anything, so you get things off the top of my head as filler! Enjoy! Wish me speed on my 5K tomorrow!

Slow and steady wins the race, right?

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Here’s a follow-up from yesterday’s post.

The other day I treated myself to a regular trip to Nordstrom Rack to try on ridiculously expensive designer jeans. Naturally, though I was feeling thinner, the moon was conspiring against me.

Not to mention, my body still ached from my first 5 mile attempt.

And that morning, I got a reply from a friend, on learning my pace for that 5 mile, that really, I’m not jogging, it’s more of a fast walk.

Oof.

Except that I know, despite my slow pace, I am technically jogging. In competitive speed walking, I recall people are disqualified for running, meaning having only one foot on the ground at a time. Even some of the beginning training programs I’ve found talk about your first jogging pace feels more like stumbling along as you work up your cardio ability.

I’m a bit sensitive, I know. I’ve dealt with a constant fear of not being good enough, and that translates both into competitiveness and defensiveness. At worst, it translates into me not even trying, or quitting before I really gave it a go.

The Tortoise and the Hare didn’t teach me what it was meant to. At the end, I was never impressed with the Tortoise, though he won. He was dull, slow, lethargic and single minded. He was also smug. The hare, though a bit of an asshole, I saw as ultimately being an interesting character. He’s overzealous, a bit of a braggart, but just seemed like more fun.

I’m hoping I’m neither – and that in the end, I’ll be more whatever animal relishes in fartleks. Here’s hoping.