It always seems like I have nothing to talk about, but then I start one of these posts and I find out I apparently have plenty to say. So, let's see where this one ends up.
In my last report, I revealed that I had just signed up for a 50K race and had begun a 16-week training program. Well, so far I've completed four weeks and four days and have yet to miss a day. I may have had to switch "off days" around once or twice to accommodate life, but I've always made sure to hit my weekly training goals. The only thing I missed happened last Sunday. I was supposed to run 16 miles, but cut it off after 10 due to: a.) the fact that I was battling a somewhat significant head cold and b.) the high outside temperature while we (Travis, Jeff and I) were running was -3 and the wind chill was around -25. I would like to think that had it not been for my illness, I would have completed all 16. Truth be told, I felt better while I was running, but didn't want to push it too much lest I were to make things worse and end up missing several days of training as opposed to only missing 6 miles.
In my last report, I revealed that I had just signed up for a 50K race and had begun a 16-week training program. Well, so far I've completed four weeks and four days and have yet to miss a day. I may have had to switch "off days" around once or twice to accommodate life, but I've always made sure to hit my weekly training goals. The only thing I missed happened last Sunday. I was supposed to run 16 miles, but cut it off after 10 due to: a.) the fact that I was battling a somewhat significant head cold and b.) the high outside temperature while we (Travis, Jeff and I) were running was -3 and the wind chill was around -25. I would like to think that had it not been for my illness, I would have completed all 16. Truth be told, I felt better while I was running, but didn't want to push it too much lest I were to make things worse and end up missing several days of training as opposed to only missing 6 miles.
Speaking of running in the cold, this year I've discovered that basically, as long as I dress in layers and keep most of my skin covered, cold really isn't a major factor. My worry has always been my hands and feet, but they have yet to even come close to getting cold. The only discomfort I've felt is in my larger than average belly and love handles (yeah, I still got 'em - apparently I've decided that since I'm running this much, I can eat what I want. Doesn't work so well for weight loss). Through personal observation, I've deduced that fat gets colder a lot faster than muscle does - which probably explains why those previously mentioned parts of me are still beet red for an hour or so after I'm done running! (TMI??? - Mom, that stands for Too Much Information...)
One thing I've also been getting better at is patience and trusting the process. Not worrying about time as in "how many miles did I run in X amount of time?" and focusing on time as in "how much time I spend running each workout" has actually reduced my stress and - so far at least - led to a slight uptick in the miles I have been logging.
Additionally, I've been trying some very unscientific heart rate training as well. During my treadmill runs, when I'm in the "zone" - that place where I feel like I could run forever if my legs could handle it because I'm not even breathing hard - I've been checking my heart rate. I'm finding that for me, my "zone" heart rate is 140-145 which translates to about 5.7 mph on the treadmill and about 11:30 minute miles outside. Hopefully as my training continues I'll see that speed up a bit, but I'm not going to push it - too much.
So that's what I know for now. Hopefully we'll have a normal spring this year and we'll all be outside in only one or two layers in no time! Until then, I've included some pictures of my runs in the slideshow below, and, as a teaser, stay tuned for another entry in a few weeks or so and recognition of an important - at least to me - anniversary!
One thing I've also been getting better at is patience and trusting the process. Not worrying about time as in "how many miles did I run in X amount of time?" and focusing on time as in "how much time I spend running each workout" has actually reduced my stress and - so far at least - led to a slight uptick in the miles I have been logging.
Additionally, I've been trying some very unscientific heart rate training as well. During my treadmill runs, when I'm in the "zone" - that place where I feel like I could run forever if my legs could handle it because I'm not even breathing hard - I've been checking my heart rate. I'm finding that for me, my "zone" heart rate is 140-145 which translates to about 5.7 mph on the treadmill and about 11:30 minute miles outside. Hopefully as my training continues I'll see that speed up a bit, but I'm not going to push it - too much.
So that's what I know for now. Hopefully we'll have a normal spring this year and we'll all be outside in only one or two layers in no time! Until then, I've included some pictures of my runs in the slideshow below, and, as a teaser, stay tuned for another entry in a few weeks or so and recognition of an important - at least to me - anniversary!