Saturday, January 30, 2010

Forging ahead

Marc and I have finalized our spring/summer/fall race itinerary and I just plain feel good about it. You know that feeling when you know something is right. I think the races compliment each other and work well with the rest of our schedules. The main additions to the schedule I've outlined in an earlier post are that Marc will get to run the Tacoma City Marathon too (Yay!), and has added the Mt Hood PCT 50M, Where's Waldo 100K and the inaugural Pine to Palm 100M to his schedule. Super Yay! I've registered for the Haulin' Aspen Marathon in August and plan to register for the McKenzie River 50k in September. It's still a long way off, but I'm pretty sure I'll run something at Autumn Leaves this year. Hopefully 50 miles, but there's always the 50k option. Marc and the little guy will be able to help out. (So go ahead and put them on your list, Bret!)

Today Marc and I ran nearly 14 miles. My program called for 13 and I think we ended up with 13.9. My GPS bonked halfway through so I'm guesstimating based on our pace up to that point and my knowledge of the route. I was hoping for a Forest Park run, but time restraints dictated a run from the house. We headed down to the river and ran along the waterfront and the Springwater Corridor. Despite missing out on the forest trails, along the river path we saw a raccoon sleeping peacefully in a tree, tucked in the corner of a big branch and the trunk. I've never seen anything like it!

The pace was slow...about 11:30....and we ran 3 minutes, walked 1 minute. I think I like a longer run so will probably up the run portion on my next long road run. I wanted to run very conservatively since tomorrow I'm running with my buddy Janet and she wants to do 8. My schedule only calls for 3 so I'll probably split the difference and run 5 or 6 with Janet. Oh how I long for the day when running 13 (or more!) on Saturday and 8 (or more!) on Sunday is a walk in the park.

Quads are a little sore this afternoon but I feel pretty good overall. During the run I could feel tightness in my left hip and ITB that never worked itself out, but never got bad either, and that side is tighter now. I've figured out that the tightness originates from my left lower back (and maybe even higher, but on the left side). I'm still not sure how to prevent it, but my post-run routine includes a lot of moves designed to loosen my back. Hopefully with regular strength training and attention to my postural exercises this will continue to improve. Recovery, recovery, recovery is key! I bet I'll feel pretty good tomorrow morning.

Speaking of cross training, I've been thinking a lot about my cross training schedule and I've finally decided on a routine I can stick to. And its even been approved by my resident personal trainer!

Monday: Aqua aerobics and my heaviest weight day, full body but focusing more on legs. On Mondays, my preferred aqua aerobics class is held in both the AM and PM, so I have my choice of whether I do one or the other in the morning or evening.
Tuesday: Run - I'm going to start running in the AM again this week.
Wednesday: This week my schedule adds a Wednesday run. I'll give it a try and see how it goes since I don't know yet how my body will handle three run days in a row. I'll likely cut the mileage, at least the first few weeks. Possible aqua aerobics in the evening depending on how I feel. When I first started going to aqua aerobics I got more of a cardio workout from it. But now my heart rate rarely goes over 120-130, so I really just do it for the movement therapy and for how it loosens up my muscles and joints. I highly recommend it for that reason, but only the deep water version.
Thursday: AM run; lunchtime lighter full body weight workout, but focusing more on core and upper body.
Friday: AM aqua aerobics; lunchtime yoga class. I had decided to take a break from yoga class, but realized that without the class I'd find it difficult to fit in any yoga otherwise. So I'm back at it and glad for it because Friday's class was wonderful.
Saturday: long run
Sunday: run

And I'll continue my Egoscue exercises and foam rolling in the late evenings on most days. Looking over my schedule, some people might think I'm super disciplined. In some ways I am, but mainly its knowing what works for me and what doesn't and finding a routine I will actually do. You might have noticed that I don't have many workouts scheduled in the evenings. That's when I'm at my weakest mentally and more apt to slack off. In December I slacked on my exercises and weight training and had a mini-relapse. So I know if I want to be a runner, and really, I want to be more than just a runner...an Ultrarunner, then I have to be super consistent with all my extras that I've discovered work for me. I need them. But even more than that, its hard to be at potentially the halfway point in my life and not start to develop more of a long view. How do I want to live and thrive during this next part of my life? I definitely want to use it so I don't lose it and I want to feel my best along the way!

So now all the planning is done...time to get on with it and enjoy the ride!

Update: I woke up Sunday with no soreness. Ran 7 miles with Janet this morning which was more than I planned, but we ran 4 min, walked 1 min so it was okay. This puts my mileage for the month of January over 100 miles!

8 comments:

Joe said...

Boy, it is fun to start to see the schedule come together, isn't it?? And, yes, it adds a lot of perspective to what is key in the daily crunch.

Good job on the strength work. Keep us posted...that is something I have much to learn about.

I'm trying the 1/1 at the Illinois Marathon as an experment. I don't need the marathon but I am fascinated to give the 1/1 a full-blown trial in race situation. Yes, I'll write about it.

Long term running goals... good for you to think about. I'm on the back side of that half-way point and I think about that a lot. Much of my learning on run/walk is connected to that. Having come to the reluctant conclusion I'll not make the Olympic Team, I just want to go long for a long time :-)

Have a great week!!

Gretchen said...

Wow, sounds very ambitious! Exciting stuff though! Glad the running is still progressing well. Waldo looks like a go for me at this point, so I'll look forward to seeingyou guys there!

Adelyn said...

This is so exciting to see you working with a schedule that's giving great results, and letting you make so many wonderful plans.

I'm so excited to see you return to what appears to be some serious running :)

Backofpack said...

It sounds really good Sarah! I'm excited that you will be up this-a-way for a couple of races. Eric is interested in P2P, but he's got Plain on the mind again, so it will have to wait.

Have you tried this stretch? (I'm betting yes.) Start in downward dog, then bring left knee to right hand and lower right leg onto the floor while keeping hips square. It has really helped my left ITB/side tightness. And of course, for balance, do the same for the right side.

Carrie said...

Since working with the physical therapist on MY hip problem (which also sometimes radiates into my lower back), they feel that the key is strengthening the supporting muscles so you don't strain the ITB/hamstrings/piriformis. Easier said than done, but really you can't stop the problem. You can only prevent it by getting stronger. Which is what it sounds like you're doing.

My back/hips hurt in the morning, but I have also been stretching a LOT to work it out. And then I'm just working hard to strengthen the surrounding support muscles so I can run again too! (Looks like I've got another few months to go). I wish I could add water running to my routine, but I cannot figure out where to add it in....

Olga said...

It is so exciting to see 13.9M on a sidebar even before I read your post. I almost thought I have mistaken, but I didn't! Your plans are exactly where they should be, Sarah. Congratulation on a come-back.

Bret said...

I always said you would be back. I bet you were not too sure at times. You are doing so well. Your other workouts are amazing. I wish I had that dedication. See you all soon.

Bob - BlogMYruns.com said...

Yeah Starting to see some good daily miles on the sidebar... Way to Go Sarah!!