Things are definitely regressing with regards to my running since I started back up a couple months ago, but I can't say I'm all that upset about it!
I am no longer maxing out at 5k. Now, I max out at around 3k.
I am no longer running at a 7min pace. Now, I am running around an 8min pace.
I am no longer joining in with the 10k group, nor even the 5k group. Now, I am joining in with the Learn to Runners, and it has been lovely and welcoming the whole way through!
And I'm still getting out there...at least a little bit. My walking gait has definitely started to change (less forward, more sway) so I'm being extra cautious that I don't injure myself.
Friday, May 10, 2019
Monday, April 8, 2019
Adjustments
Now that the secret is officially "out", I can be a bit more honest about my running plan for the year!
Laura's 2019 Running Goals: Run for fitness and health for as long as it is safe and comfortable to do so. (I know...snore, right? Where are all the exciting racing goals and time goals?!)
My New Year's Resolution that I made for my husband to run his first 10k race* has been cancelled by me, as well. I was planning to help him train for it with the goal of having him run in the Edmonton 10k race mid-August. But I just don't think that's going to happen this year, since I'll be 8 months pregnant when that race comes along!
A couple of weeks ago I ran a long, slow 7k with a lovely group of running friends. The pace was slow, which was great, but at 5k I realized that I'd reached my limit. The last 2k were a bit of a struggle - not a bad struggle, but enough of one that I felt I should scale the distances back even more. So, this week I decided that I should keep my "long" runs to between 3-5k for now. My pride is struggling with these shorter distances, but I keep telling myself - and ALL my running friends - about my excuse, which makes me feel a bit better.
I joined in with the 5k group, who were running around 3-4k in distance. Alas, my poor Garmin watch was acting up so I couldn't enjoy the satisfaction of knowing my pace/time/distance while I ran. I've sent my Garmin to the Garmin Doctor (aka, it is in the other room charging) to see if it gets better, although so far it's not looking good. I may have to either send it to the Garmin Hospital or accept that it's gone to the Great GPS in the Sky. I'm very, VERY grateful that this happened post-marathon and not at my marathon!
But I digress! The paths were flooded in the typical way of spring, so we carved out a route along the flood-free trail up towards higher ground. The 5k group split off partway through the run and I turned back with the first group rather than continuing on with the second group. Again, I wanted to keep today's run at easy not challenging. We were gone a total of 26 minutes and ran about 3.4km, according to one of my new running friends. The best part was that at the finish line I felt not in the least bit tired. It's a good feeling to know that I could have pushed myself more. But I chatted with the very knowledgeable 5k leader and we both felt the smarter choice is for me to stick with their group for now. A lot of clinics are starting to gear up in distance and speed, so it won't be a bad thing for me to stick with the shorter distances and keep things easy.
*yes, you read that right! I made a New Year's Resolution for my husband instead of myself. Making NYR for yourself is so old school! So much more fun to make them for other people!😉
Laura's 2019 Running Goals: Run for fitness and health for as long as it is safe and comfortable to do so. (I know...snore, right? Where are all the exciting racing goals and time goals?!)
My New Year's Resolution that I made for my husband to run his first 10k race* has been cancelled by me, as well. I was planning to help him train for it with the goal of having him run in the Edmonton 10k race mid-August. But I just don't think that's going to happen this year, since I'll be 8 months pregnant when that race comes along!
A couple of weeks ago I ran a long, slow 7k with a lovely group of running friends. The pace was slow, which was great, but at 5k I realized that I'd reached my limit. The last 2k were a bit of a struggle - not a bad struggle, but enough of one that I felt I should scale the distances back even more. So, this week I decided that I should keep my "long" runs to between 3-5k for now. My pride is struggling with these shorter distances, but I keep telling myself - and ALL my running friends - about my excuse, which makes me feel a bit better.
I joined in with the 5k group, who were running around 3-4k in distance. Alas, my poor Garmin watch was acting up so I couldn't enjoy the satisfaction of knowing my pace/time/distance while I ran. I've sent my Garmin to the Garmin Doctor (aka, it is in the other room charging) to see if it gets better, although so far it's not looking good. I may have to either send it to the Garmin Hospital or accept that it's gone to the Great GPS in the Sky. I'm very, VERY grateful that this happened post-marathon and not at my marathon!
But I digress! The paths were flooded in the typical way of spring, so we carved out a route along the flood-free trail up towards higher ground. The 5k group split off partway through the run and I turned back with the first group rather than continuing on with the second group. Again, I wanted to keep today's run at easy not challenging. We were gone a total of 26 minutes and ran about 3.4km, according to one of my new running friends. The best part was that at the finish line I felt not in the least bit tired. It's a good feeling to know that I could have pushed myself more. But I chatted with the very knowledgeable 5k leader and we both felt the smarter choice is for me to stick with their group for now. A lot of clinics are starting to gear up in distance and speed, so it won't be a bad thing for me to stick with the shorter distances and keep things easy.
*yes, you read that right! I made a New Year's Resolution for my husband instead of myself. Making NYR for yourself is so old school! So much more fun to make them for other people!😉
Monday, March 25, 2019
Spring Fever
The arrival of the glorious "+" in front of the temperature along with the melting of the snow has given me some spring fever. Specifically...spring fever to get back out and rejoin my running group friends for some runs!
Although I've been keeping fit over winter with indoor strength training, I know this "running fit" is different than "other fit". As such, my first run back I wanted to keep it really, really easy. My plan was to join in with either the 5k or 10k group, and do no more than 5k total.
I met up with the 10k leader who was doing 3-4k of intervals. That sounded easy! A warm-up, a cool down, and 6 sets of 1 min run, 1 min walk. Nobody said I had to do a FAST interval, right?
It ended up being just the two of us, and let me say that the leader and I were in two very different levels of running fitness.
Me: first run back since October. Which is a whole 5 months ago!
Him: currently in training to complete over 30 races this year, which will culminate in the 300-mile winter Yukon Arctic Ultra along the former dog-sledding tracks.
In the first km warm-up I wondered if I hadn't made a terrible mistake by joining in with him. Maybe the 5k group would have been more my pace...?
But fortunately for me, he was pretty easy going about everything. The intensity of his training regime meant he'd already been on his own trail run before he met up with the group. So when the time came to decide on whether we wanted to turn around for a 3.5k completion or push further for a 5k loop, he didn't argue when I insisted on making it 3.5k! Despite the easy pace and interval running, I was pretty tired by that point.
I'm getting older, I know! I remember a time when I planned for a 12k and wound up doing 19.5k instead. But maybe I'm also getting wiser, and learning to ease back into running after a break rather than taking a giant, flying leap into the unknown with a loud "boo-yeaaaaaaaahhhh!"
Either way, I'm back at it!
For now.
Although I've been keeping fit over winter with indoor strength training, I know this "running fit" is different than "other fit". As such, my first run back I wanted to keep it really, really easy. My plan was to join in with either the 5k or 10k group, and do no more than 5k total.
I met up with the 10k leader who was doing 3-4k of intervals. That sounded easy! A warm-up, a cool down, and 6 sets of 1 min run, 1 min walk. Nobody said I had to do a FAST interval, right?
It ended up being just the two of us, and let me say that the leader and I were in two very different levels of running fitness.
Me: first run back since October. Which is a whole 5 months ago!
Him: currently in training to complete over 30 races this year, which will culminate in the 300-mile winter Yukon Arctic Ultra along the former dog-sledding tracks.
In the first km warm-up I wondered if I hadn't made a terrible mistake by joining in with him. Maybe the 5k group would have been more my pace...?
But fortunately for me, he was pretty easy going about everything. The intensity of his training regime meant he'd already been on his own trail run before he met up with the group. So when the time came to decide on whether we wanted to turn around for a 3.5k completion or push further for a 5k loop, he didn't argue when I insisted on making it 3.5k! Despite the easy pace and interval running, I was pretty tired by that point.
I'm getting older, I know! I remember a time when I planned for a 12k and wound up doing 19.5k instead. But maybe I'm also getting wiser, and learning to ease back into running after a break rather than taking a giant, flying leap into the unknown with a loud "boo-yeaaaaaaaahhhh!"
Either way, I'm back at it!
For now.
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