This was my first week with my Heart Rate Monitor and the last week before I start adding swimming as my cross training (the community pool is finally open!).
Overall, this week went well. I felt like my tempo and long runs were more controlled and adjusted for the weather conditions.
Speed
=====
Plan: 10-20 min warm up, 2 x (6 x 400m (1:36) (1:30 RI)) 2:00 RI, 10 min cool down
Actual (Tuesday @ 7:00pm, 65F, sunny): 1200m warm up, 10 x 400m (1:35, 1:31, 1:31, 1:31, 1:30, 1:30, 1:32, 1:37, 1:30, 1:29), 1 x 600m (2:15), 1:30 RI, 1200m cool down Map/Splits
Tempo
=====
Plan: 6 mile run: 1 mile easy (8:57/mile), 3 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 1 mile easy
Actual: (Thursday @8:00am, 65F, sunny) 8:54, 8:25, 7:37, 7:37, 7:41, 9:00 Map/Splits
Long
====
Plan: 13 miles @ 9:10/mile
Actual: 13 miles @ 10:54/mile Map/Splits
Monday, May 31, 2010
Heart Rate Monitor
I decided a couple of weeks ago to buy the Heart Rate Monitor that goes with my Garmin watch in an attempt to gain some control over my training in the hot, humid summer months. I had felt like I had been pushing overly hard to run at the speeds required by my training program which don't take in to account the weather conditions. After doing some research, I found that monitoring my heart rate during my workouts would allow me to forget about the speed requirements and focus on the required level of exertion. My heart rate monitor arrived on Tuesday, just in time for my track workout.
I adjusted the heart rate monitor strap, applied some water to the sensors to ensure a good connection, and attached the monitor to my body. After a couple of clicks on my watch, the monitor was detected and my resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute was displayed on the screen.
I had read that it was important to determine my Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) so that I would be able to determine the various heart rate zones for my workouts. There is a simple formula that gives a generic MHR: 208 - (.7 x your age). Which in my case is 208 - 23.1 = 185.
However, there is also a more personalized method to determine MHR which is as follows:
1. Be sure you're well rested, well hydrated, and well warmed up.
2. Run hard and fast for 2 to 3 minutes. Jog back to your starting point. Repeat two more times, running a little harder and faster each time. On the third and last repeat, pretend you're running an Olympic race.
3. Check your heart rate during and immediately after the last repeat. The highest number you see is your maximum heart rate (MHR).
My track workout was to run 12 x 400m intervals with 1.30 rest intervals, which didn't really fit with 2 to 3 minute intervals required in the MHR test (each 400m interval takes about 1.30, so I'd really need to run 800m intervals for the test), so I decided that I would do the test next week instead.
I ran 11 x 400m and 1 x 600m at the track, all with 1.30 rest intervals. The weather was a cool 65F (18F) with no real noticeable humidity so I was able to run hard (average of 1:30 per 400m) and recover well between each interval. I ran a 600m interval at the end of the session to see how high I could get my heart rate and I registered 176 beats per minute. I was excited to get home and look at the graphs of my workout!
The graph shown above shows the pattern of heart rate increase and decrease during the first 10 intervals. The red line is the heart rate and the blue line is the pace that I am running. You can see that when the blue line goes flat (when I am running the 400m interval) my heart rate increases up to the peak just as I finish the interval. Then when I stop running hard and jog slowly back to my starting position, my heart rate rapidly falls. Of course, this is what I expected was happening, but it is nice to be able to see that the last 4 intervals on the graph are very similar and reflect that I was able to repeat the level of exertion over and over again.
I hadn't really been worried about my track workout paces being effected by the heat and humidity as they are basically running close to as hard as possible for relatively short distances and I can easily extend the rest intervals to allow me to recover for the next run. It had been the tempo runs that had been causing me the issues, and on Thursday morning, I got my first chance to try a tempo run with my heart rate monitor.
The books say to gain the most from a tempo run the heart rate should be between 87% (161bpm) and 92% (170bpm) of MHR, so that was my target. My workout was meant to be 2 miles easy warm up and then 3 miles at 7.22/mile followed by one easy mile. I had been able to handle 3 miles at 7.22/mile easily in the cooler months, and I know I can do it during 5K races in the heat and humidity, but the point of the tempo run is to train your body to handle a level of exertion that is just below the level that leads to fatigue - not to run a 5K race hard every week.
The weather on Tuesday at 7am was 65F with 90% humidity. I ran the first two miles easy and then increased my speed to something that felt like it was out of my comfort zone but that I would be able to maintain for 3 miles. I kept an eye on my heart rate which was 155bpm at the start of the hard 3 miles and gradually increased to 160bpm at 0.6 miles, 165bpm at 1.2 miles and hit a peak of 168bpm at 2 miles when I backed off a little bit to make sure I didn't go over 170bpm. My splits were 7.37, 7.37 and 7.41.
The graph above shows my heart rate and pace. I was really pleased that I was able to complete the 3 miles at tempo pace with more control than I have been able to in previous weeks. What I found really interesting was that even though I decreased my speed to a 9:00/mile for the last mile, my heart rate stayed above 160bpm, which probably means that I should run my last easy mile much slower.
The final workout of the week was a 13 mile long run. Easy/Long runs are meant to be performed in the 65% (120bpm) to 75% (138bpm) zone, and I had a feeling this was going to be much much slower than I am used to when I went outside to see the weather was 75F (23C) with 75% humidity at 7am.
It turns out that I would spend more time walking than running if I really wanted to keep my heart rate below 138bpm when the sun is beating down on a warm, humid morning. I started out at a slow 9:27 for the first mile and my heart rate quickly rose to 140bpm. I reacted by running slower (9:51, 10:19) and slower (10:55, 10:58) in an attempt to keep my heart rate as close to 140 as I could without having to walk. I managed to stay at around 145bpm for the first 10 miles, by which time the temperature was closer to 80F. I weighed my options of running slowly (around 11:20/mile) or walking and decided that I would continue running. I ended the 13 mile run in 2:21:46 with an average of 145bpm, which is much slower than I have ever run, regardless of the weather conditions and a full 2 minutes per mile slower than the pace required in my training program.
I have had a feeling for a while that I have been running my long/easy runs too fast and have not been getting the full benefits of them as a result - so at least now I have a tool that is going to force me to run them slower. We'll have to wait and see whether it makes a difference in the long run - I fully expect it will!
I adjusted the heart rate monitor strap, applied some water to the sensors to ensure a good connection, and attached the monitor to my body. After a couple of clicks on my watch, the monitor was detected and my resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute was displayed on the screen.
I had read that it was important to determine my Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) so that I would be able to determine the various heart rate zones for my workouts. There is a simple formula that gives a generic MHR: 208 - (.7 x your age). Which in my case is 208 - 23.1 = 185.
However, there is also a more personalized method to determine MHR which is as follows:
1. Be sure you're well rested, well hydrated, and well warmed up.
2. Run hard and fast for 2 to 3 minutes. Jog back to your starting point. Repeat two more times, running a little harder and faster each time. On the third and last repeat, pretend you're running an Olympic race.
3. Check your heart rate during and immediately after the last repeat. The highest number you see is your maximum heart rate (MHR).
My track workout was to run 12 x 400m intervals with 1.30 rest intervals, which didn't really fit with 2 to 3 minute intervals required in the MHR test (each 400m interval takes about 1.30, so I'd really need to run 800m intervals for the test), so I decided that I would do the test next week instead.
I ran 11 x 400m and 1 x 600m at the track, all with 1.30 rest intervals. The weather was a cool 65F (18F) with no real noticeable humidity so I was able to run hard (average of 1:30 per 400m) and recover well between each interval. I ran a 600m interval at the end of the session to see how high I could get my heart rate and I registered 176 beats per minute. I was excited to get home and look at the graphs of my workout!
The graph shown above shows the pattern of heart rate increase and decrease during the first 10 intervals. The red line is the heart rate and the blue line is the pace that I am running. You can see that when the blue line goes flat (when I am running the 400m interval) my heart rate increases up to the peak just as I finish the interval. Then when I stop running hard and jog slowly back to my starting position, my heart rate rapidly falls. Of course, this is what I expected was happening, but it is nice to be able to see that the last 4 intervals on the graph are very similar and reflect that I was able to repeat the level of exertion over and over again.
I hadn't really been worried about my track workout paces being effected by the heat and humidity as they are basically running close to as hard as possible for relatively short distances and I can easily extend the rest intervals to allow me to recover for the next run. It had been the tempo runs that had been causing me the issues, and on Thursday morning, I got my first chance to try a tempo run with my heart rate monitor.
The books say to gain the most from a tempo run the heart rate should be between 87% (161bpm) and 92% (170bpm) of MHR, so that was my target. My workout was meant to be 2 miles easy warm up and then 3 miles at 7.22/mile followed by one easy mile. I had been able to handle 3 miles at 7.22/mile easily in the cooler months, and I know I can do it during 5K races in the heat and humidity, but the point of the tempo run is to train your body to handle a level of exertion that is just below the level that leads to fatigue - not to run a 5K race hard every week.
The weather on Tuesday at 7am was 65F with 90% humidity. I ran the first two miles easy and then increased my speed to something that felt like it was out of my comfort zone but that I would be able to maintain for 3 miles. I kept an eye on my heart rate which was 155bpm at the start of the hard 3 miles and gradually increased to 160bpm at 0.6 miles, 165bpm at 1.2 miles and hit a peak of 168bpm at 2 miles when I backed off a little bit to make sure I didn't go over 170bpm. My splits were 7.37, 7.37 and 7.41.
The graph above shows my heart rate and pace. I was really pleased that I was able to complete the 3 miles at tempo pace with more control than I have been able to in previous weeks. What I found really interesting was that even though I decreased my speed to a 9:00/mile for the last mile, my heart rate stayed above 160bpm, which probably means that I should run my last easy mile much slower.
The final workout of the week was a 13 mile long run. Easy/Long runs are meant to be performed in the 65% (120bpm) to 75% (138bpm) zone, and I had a feeling this was going to be much much slower than I am used to when I went outside to see the weather was 75F (23C) with 75% humidity at 7am.
It turns out that I would spend more time walking than running if I really wanted to keep my heart rate below 138bpm when the sun is beating down on a warm, humid morning. I started out at a slow 9:27 for the first mile and my heart rate quickly rose to 140bpm. I reacted by running slower (9:51, 10:19) and slower (10:55, 10:58) in an attempt to keep my heart rate as close to 140 as I could without having to walk. I managed to stay at around 145bpm for the first 10 miles, by which time the temperature was closer to 80F. I weighed my options of running slowly (around 11:20/mile) or walking and decided that I would continue running. I ended the 13 mile run in 2:21:46 with an average of 145bpm, which is much slower than I have ever run, regardless of the weather conditions and a full 2 minutes per mile slower than the pace required in my training program.
I have had a feeling for a while that I have been running my long/easy runs too fast and have not been getting the full benefits of them as a result - so at least now I have a tool that is going to force me to run them slower. We'll have to wait and see whether it makes a difference in the long run - I fully expect it will!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Shirt Chaser 5K & Marathon Training - Week 11
This week had been scheduled as a rest week following the Inside-Out Sports Half Marathon, so apart from a couple of yoga sessions, I didn't do anything of note until Saturday evening. My legs were tired on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from running the race, volunteering and not having the chance for a cold bath immediately after the race, so I was glad that I didn't have anything on my schedule.
Saturday was the Skirt Chaser 5K in downtown Raleigh. This race is different from all others in that the women start 3 minutes ahead of the men, and are given running skirts to wear as part of their registration fee (instead of a t-shirt). The idea is that the men attempt to chase down the women for a chance at the $500 first place prize ($200 for second and $100 for third). Elizabeth had seen this race advertised and wanted to do it together.
Another unusual thing about this race was that it started at 5pm. Most races are held in the mornings in Raleigh. Partly to minimize the disruption from road/lane closures and partly because it is cooler in the early hours. Following this race was free beer and food and a party atmosphere, so it made sense to have the race start at 5pm. I can't remember the last time I raced at 5pm! it is very different as I typically only eat a light breakfast before a morning race. I had no choice but to eat a full lunch on Saturday and a snack in the afternoon and hope that my stomach felt okay during the race.
The weather was partly cloudy with temperatures around 80F (26C) and luckily fairly low humidity (somewhere around 60%). I had taken a look at the course map before the race and knew that the first two miles were uphill (the first mile on the uphill stretch of Hillsborough Street) and then the final mile was downhill, so I felt that if I could get through the first two miles with a relatively good time, I'd be able to push hard on the last mile.
As we lined up at the start (after the women had already started), the announcer spotted a couple of guys that appear at lots of events around Raleigh dressed up in suits and bought them to the front of the pack.
At the gun, the guys sprinted away with the fast runners and promptly stopped to walk once they passed the cameras!
I am pretty sure that is the reason I have a smile on my face as I am passing the cameras
I settled in to a good rhythm fairly quickly once we had run up the first small hill from the start and felt comfortable with the weather conditions without my cap. I had worn my breathable cap in my last two races and my body temperature seemed to be higher than normal, so I decided to go without it for this race.
With over 400 women (700 runners in total) of differing abilities, it didn't take long to begin to pass the skirts. The police had closed off one lane of Hillsborough Street and there was just about enough room to squeeze past the slower runners without having to weave in and out. I have run up the Hillsborough Street hills many times in other races, so I knew what to expect and I went through the first mile in a comfortable 6:56.
The second mile had some flat portions, some up hill portions and the only water stop. The hills seemed harder than the ones on Hillsborough Street, but I knew that I had a long downhill section ahead of me and I focused on getting through the mile as quickly as I could. My fastest 5K in Raleigh was 22:12 back in February and I knew a split of around 7:20 would give me a good chance of beating that time.
When we crested the top of the big hill my watch beeped for a 7:06 mile and I had a great chance of setting a new PR for Raleigh. I told myself to relax on the downhill, lean forward slightly and let my momentum carry me along. The downhill turned in to a flat portion and then with just over a third of a mile to go a final hill appeared. My legs were tired but a quick glance at my watch told me I would be under 22 minutes if I could just get up this hill and down the other side to the finish. I dug deep, shortened my stride and push hard to get myself up the hill.
At the top of the hill, the course turned and the finish was in sight.
I passed the photographers apparently going too fast for the cameras to be able to focus on me!
I crossed the finish line for a time of 21:38 to set a new PR for a race in Raleigh and get within 13 seconds of beating my overall 5K PR. I was really pleased to finally break 22 minutes in Raleigh and prove to myself that I can run quickly in warmer temperatures!
The beer and free food was okay and luckily we didn't get too wet when the storm finally arrived and the rain came down hard. Overall a good event and one that I'd do again in the future.
On Sunday evening I joined Shane and Bridgett for my first McDowell 5K-ish run downtown. Shane and Bridgett had mentioned a few months ago that they had been running around downtown Raleigh for a few miles and then ended at one of the bars for a quick drink/snack and wondered if other people would be interested in joining them - of course, I said I would love to join them as it is nice to run in different places and always good to end a workout with a quick beer! I had missed the last offical running of the 5K-ish (named 5K-ish because it may or may not be 5K, but it really doesn't matter!) as Elizabeth and I were traveling somewhere, and I was excited for my first one.
It typically takes 20 minutes to get from the house to downtown Raleigh, so I had planned to leave with plenty of time to drop Elizabeth off at the final destination of the run and then jog down to meet Shane and Bridgett (about a 0.5 mile jog). Of course, just as I was about to head out the door, my phone rang! So, we left a little later than I had planned and as we started our drive it began to rain quite heavily. I dropped Elizabeth at the pub and sprinted down to the meeting place, arriving a couple of minutes late. Bridgett gave me a cute homemade race bib which I attached to my shirt and we set off at a gentle pace for what turned out to be a hilly 2.5 miles which included a few minutes of pouring rain and then humid conditions as the sun made an appearence.
We finished with an up-hill section dodging over grown plants and trees and made it to the pub to find the staff drying off the outdoor seating for us. A few beers and some onion rings later, I couldn't wait for the next running of the 5K-ish!
Saturday was the Skirt Chaser 5K in downtown Raleigh. This race is different from all others in that the women start 3 minutes ahead of the men, and are given running skirts to wear as part of their registration fee (instead of a t-shirt). The idea is that the men attempt to chase down the women for a chance at the $500 first place prize ($200 for second and $100 for third). Elizabeth had seen this race advertised and wanted to do it together.
Another unusual thing about this race was that it started at 5pm. Most races are held in the mornings in Raleigh. Partly to minimize the disruption from road/lane closures and partly because it is cooler in the early hours. Following this race was free beer and food and a party atmosphere, so it made sense to have the race start at 5pm. I can't remember the last time I raced at 5pm! it is very different as I typically only eat a light breakfast before a morning race. I had no choice but to eat a full lunch on Saturday and a snack in the afternoon and hope that my stomach felt okay during the race.
The weather was partly cloudy with temperatures around 80F (26C) and luckily fairly low humidity (somewhere around 60%). I had taken a look at the course map before the race and knew that the first two miles were uphill (the first mile on the uphill stretch of Hillsborough Street) and then the final mile was downhill, so I felt that if I could get through the first two miles with a relatively good time, I'd be able to push hard on the last mile.
As we lined up at the start (after the women had already started), the announcer spotted a couple of guys that appear at lots of events around Raleigh dressed up in suits and bought them to the front of the pack.
At the gun, the guys sprinted away with the fast runners and promptly stopped to walk once they passed the cameras!
I am pretty sure that is the reason I have a smile on my face as I am passing the cameras
I settled in to a good rhythm fairly quickly once we had run up the first small hill from the start and felt comfortable with the weather conditions without my cap. I had worn my breathable cap in my last two races and my body temperature seemed to be higher than normal, so I decided to go without it for this race.
With over 400 women (700 runners in total) of differing abilities, it didn't take long to begin to pass the skirts. The police had closed off one lane of Hillsborough Street and there was just about enough room to squeeze past the slower runners without having to weave in and out. I have run up the Hillsborough Street hills many times in other races, so I knew what to expect and I went through the first mile in a comfortable 6:56.
The second mile had some flat portions, some up hill portions and the only water stop. The hills seemed harder than the ones on Hillsborough Street, but I knew that I had a long downhill section ahead of me and I focused on getting through the mile as quickly as I could. My fastest 5K in Raleigh was 22:12 back in February and I knew a split of around 7:20 would give me a good chance of beating that time.
When we crested the top of the big hill my watch beeped for a 7:06 mile and I had a great chance of setting a new PR for Raleigh. I told myself to relax on the downhill, lean forward slightly and let my momentum carry me along. The downhill turned in to a flat portion and then with just over a third of a mile to go a final hill appeared. My legs were tired but a quick glance at my watch told me I would be under 22 minutes if I could just get up this hill and down the other side to the finish. I dug deep, shortened my stride and push hard to get myself up the hill.
At the top of the hill, the course turned and the finish was in sight.
I passed the photographers apparently going too fast for the cameras to be able to focus on me!
I crossed the finish line for a time of 21:38 to set a new PR for a race in Raleigh and get within 13 seconds of beating my overall 5K PR. I was really pleased to finally break 22 minutes in Raleigh and prove to myself that I can run quickly in warmer temperatures!
The beer and free food was okay and luckily we didn't get too wet when the storm finally arrived and the rain came down hard. Overall a good event and one that I'd do again in the future.
On Sunday evening I joined Shane and Bridgett for my first McDowell 5K-ish run downtown. Shane and Bridgett had mentioned a few months ago that they had been running around downtown Raleigh for a few miles and then ended at one of the bars for a quick drink/snack and wondered if other people would be interested in joining them - of course, I said I would love to join them as it is nice to run in different places and always good to end a workout with a quick beer! I had missed the last offical running of the 5K-ish (named 5K-ish because it may or may not be 5K, but it really doesn't matter!) as Elizabeth and I were traveling somewhere, and I was excited for my first one.
It typically takes 20 minutes to get from the house to downtown Raleigh, so I had planned to leave with plenty of time to drop Elizabeth off at the final destination of the run and then jog down to meet Shane and Bridgett (about a 0.5 mile jog). Of course, just as I was about to head out the door, my phone rang! So, we left a little later than I had planned and as we started our drive it began to rain quite heavily. I dropped Elizabeth at the pub and sprinted down to the meeting place, arriving a couple of minutes late. Bridgett gave me a cute homemade race bib which I attached to my shirt and we set off at a gentle pace for what turned out to be a hilly 2.5 miles which included a few minutes of pouring rain and then humid conditions as the sun made an appearence.
We finished with an up-hill section dodging over grown plants and trees and made it to the pub to find the staff drying off the outdoor seating for us. A few beers and some onion rings later, I couldn't wait for the next running of the 5K-ish!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Marathon Training - Week 10
Not much to report this week as I had the Inside Out Sports Half Marathon on Sunday.
Speed
=====
Plan: 5 miles easy
Actual (Tuesday @ 8:00am, 70F, sunny): 5 miles easy Map/Splits
Tempo
=====
Plan: 5 miles easy
Actual: (Thursday @8:00am, 60F, sunny) 3 miles easy Map/Splits
Long
====
Plan: 13.1 miles @ 7:55/mile
Actual: 13.1 miles @ 8:28/mile Map/Splits
Speed
=====
Plan: 5 miles easy
Actual (Tuesday @ 8:00am, 70F, sunny): 5 miles easy Map/Splits
Tempo
=====
Plan: 5 miles easy
Actual: (Thursday @8:00am, 60F, sunny) 3 miles easy Map/Splits
Long
====
Plan: 13.1 miles @ 7:55/mile
Actual: 13.1 miles @ 8:28/mile Map/Splits
Inside-Out Sports Classic Half Marathon - Race Day
At 3:45am on race day the alarm sounded and after a quick breakfast we set off for race HQ to get things set up. I was signed up to help with Registration at 5:30am, but as Elizabeth needed to be there at 4:45am and given what had happened at Early Packet Pickup, I knew I was going to be needed earlier.
We arrived at 4:40am and began setting up the tables for Registration and Timing Chip Pickup. I ran around for the next 50 minutes getting things ready and searching for lost race numbers (a genius had decided to mix the Half Marathon and 10K race numbers together). I took two sections of the Half Marathon Registration and handed out race numbers until 6:30am. Finally it was time to prepare for the race!
It was a warm (65F, 17C) morning with high humidity (over 85%) - certainly not good running conditions. I had hydrated well all morning which I knew would help me deal with the humidity better than some other races I had run in the past, but I knew it would be tough with the hills on the course. I lined up near the front of the 700 runner Half Marathon field, and soon we were under way. I wore my breathable hat (that I got at the Shamrock Half Marathon), a singlet and shorts, knowing that I would be covered in sweat quickly - and I was right. Within half a mile I could feel my body temperature rising and the sweat forming. I was glad I had my hat on to keep it out of my eyes.
The first mile passed in 7:17, which I wasn't too worried about as I seem to always have a fast first mile. The next few miles were rolling hills, and the group I was running with run down the hills quickly (leaning forward as you go downhill makes you go faster with not much effort) so I was happy with 7:49, 7:41, 7:24, 7:37. At each water station I had been dumping a cup of cold water over my head in an attempt to keep myself cool. There were water stations at about 1 mile, 2.5 miles and 4 miles and at about 4.5 miles the first giant hill came in to view. I stayed with the group I had been running with and we made our way up the long twisty, turning hill in fairly good time. As I neared the top of the hill, I was ready for another cold water shower, but the water station was about .75 of a mile away. I think this was about the time my race began to unravel.
I finally made it to mile 6 and the turn around with a split of 8:40 (just under 46:30 for the first 6 miles) and I dumped the water over my head. As I made the turn, I began to feel drained for the first time and all of a sudden my legs felt heavy. Mile 7 had a slight downhill and the split of 7:35 is misleading as I knew I was dragging. Just after the 7 mile mark is the other giant hill on the course. It is long and steep and I quickly realized I didn't have anything left to get up the hill - the hills had already drained my legs, and I was only just past half way!
I walked/ran up the hill, hoping that taking a rest would allow me to run the rest of the race. I took on water and Gatorade and my watch beeped a 10:20 mile split at the top of the hill. The rest of the race is probably best described as a hard mental/physical battle against the hills and a lack of energy. Fast forward, and splits of 8:48, 8:27, 8:53, 8:39 and 9:47 took me to the finish line in 1:50:28 - which I am happy with.
Looking back at my race, I realized a few things:
1. I am not experienced with running on hills and I need to address that before the Marine Corps Marathon (as that course has some big hills as well).
2. I didn't deal with the humidity very well. High humidity (like heat), makes the body work harder, which increases heart rate, which increases body temperature. The only real way to address this is to become fitter, which results in the body being more efficient, a lower heart rate and a lower body temperature.
3. I didn't have a goal to push me along. This is just a fact. I knew a PR was out of reach on the hilly course and although I wanted to get around the 13.1 miles as quickly as I could, I didn't have the mental desire to push really hard when my legs felt heavy and I was drained at the 8 mile mark.
So, with all that said, this next statement might sound strange... but I loved the course and I can't wait to run this race next year. I plan to run on hills more often (I want to run this course at least once every three weeks from now until the Marine Corps Marathon) and now I have a goal time to beat (1:50:28).
My race finished at 8:50am, and I grabbed some refreshments, cheered on some friends and chatted for a while. At 10am I made two trips with a truck out to Water Station #1 and loaded up the used and unused water containers, coolers tables, chairs and trash and unloaded them back at Race HQ. The 40lb water containers felt more like 60lbs now!
I managed to watch some of the awards ceremony and then went out in the big truck to Water Stations 2 and 3 to break them down and bring back the supplies. We returned to race HQ at around 12:30 and unloaded what felt like another 50 40lb water containers still full of water. After a quick lunch with the race director, we moved tables, chairs, water containers and trash to the lower level of Race HQ and packed up the truck with the shed supplies. As the truck pulled out for it's journey back to the shed at around 3pm, Elizabeth and I returned home and I took a long relaxing bath!
Elizabeth did a fantastic job as volunteer coordinator and I am very proud of her for not only getting involved in my hobby, but doing such a great job!
I really enjoyed volunteering at the race, and I certainly learned how much goes in to organizing a race. It was a long weekend, but it was great to be a bigger part of a race than just a runner and the race director and other members of the NCRC were certainly appreciative of our efforts.
We arrived at 4:40am and began setting up the tables for Registration and Timing Chip Pickup. I ran around for the next 50 minutes getting things ready and searching for lost race numbers (a genius had decided to mix the Half Marathon and 10K race numbers together). I took two sections of the Half Marathon Registration and handed out race numbers until 6:30am. Finally it was time to prepare for the race!
It was a warm (65F, 17C) morning with high humidity (over 85%) - certainly not good running conditions. I had hydrated well all morning which I knew would help me deal with the humidity better than some other races I had run in the past, but I knew it would be tough with the hills on the course. I lined up near the front of the 700 runner Half Marathon field, and soon we were under way. I wore my breathable hat (that I got at the Shamrock Half Marathon), a singlet and shorts, knowing that I would be covered in sweat quickly - and I was right. Within half a mile I could feel my body temperature rising and the sweat forming. I was glad I had my hat on to keep it out of my eyes.
The first mile passed in 7:17, which I wasn't too worried about as I seem to always have a fast first mile. The next few miles were rolling hills, and the group I was running with run down the hills quickly (leaning forward as you go downhill makes you go faster with not much effort) so I was happy with 7:49, 7:41, 7:24, 7:37. At each water station I had been dumping a cup of cold water over my head in an attempt to keep myself cool. There were water stations at about 1 mile, 2.5 miles and 4 miles and at about 4.5 miles the first giant hill came in to view. I stayed with the group I had been running with and we made our way up the long twisty, turning hill in fairly good time. As I neared the top of the hill, I was ready for another cold water shower, but the water station was about .75 of a mile away. I think this was about the time my race began to unravel.
I finally made it to mile 6 and the turn around with a split of 8:40 (just under 46:30 for the first 6 miles) and I dumped the water over my head. As I made the turn, I began to feel drained for the first time and all of a sudden my legs felt heavy. Mile 7 had a slight downhill and the split of 7:35 is misleading as I knew I was dragging. Just after the 7 mile mark is the other giant hill on the course. It is long and steep and I quickly realized I didn't have anything left to get up the hill - the hills had already drained my legs, and I was only just past half way!
I walked/ran up the hill, hoping that taking a rest would allow me to run the rest of the race. I took on water and Gatorade and my watch beeped a 10:20 mile split at the top of the hill. The rest of the race is probably best described as a hard mental/physical battle against the hills and a lack of energy. Fast forward, and splits of 8:48, 8:27, 8:53, 8:39 and 9:47 took me to the finish line in 1:50:28 - which I am happy with.
Looking back at my race, I realized a few things:
1. I am not experienced with running on hills and I need to address that before the Marine Corps Marathon (as that course has some big hills as well).
2. I didn't deal with the humidity very well. High humidity (like heat), makes the body work harder, which increases heart rate, which increases body temperature. The only real way to address this is to become fitter, which results in the body being more efficient, a lower heart rate and a lower body temperature.
3. I didn't have a goal to push me along. This is just a fact. I knew a PR was out of reach on the hilly course and although I wanted to get around the 13.1 miles as quickly as I could, I didn't have the mental desire to push really hard when my legs felt heavy and I was drained at the 8 mile mark.
So, with all that said, this next statement might sound strange... but I loved the course and I can't wait to run this race next year. I plan to run on hills more often (I want to run this course at least once every three weeks from now until the Marine Corps Marathon) and now I have a goal time to beat (1:50:28).
My race finished at 8:50am, and I grabbed some refreshments, cheered on some friends and chatted for a while. At 10am I made two trips with a truck out to Water Station #1 and loaded up the used and unused water containers, coolers tables, chairs and trash and unloaded them back at Race HQ. The 40lb water containers felt more like 60lbs now!
I managed to watch some of the awards ceremony and then went out in the big truck to Water Stations 2 and 3 to break them down and bring back the supplies. We returned to race HQ at around 12:30 and unloaded what felt like another 50 40lb water containers still full of water. After a quick lunch with the race director, we moved tables, chairs, water containers and trash to the lower level of Race HQ and packed up the truck with the shed supplies. As the truck pulled out for it's journey back to the shed at around 3pm, Elizabeth and I returned home and I took a long relaxing bath!
Elizabeth did a fantastic job as volunteer coordinator and I am very proud of her for not only getting involved in my hobby, but doing such a great job!
I really enjoyed volunteering at the race, and I certainly learned how much goes in to organizing a race. It was a long weekend, but it was great to be a bigger part of a race than just a runner and the race director and other members of the NCRC were certainly appreciative of our efforts.
Inside-Out Sports Classic Half Marathon - Saturday
I joined the NC Road Runners newsgroup at the beginning of the year, and in March they sent out requests for volunteers to help with the race. One of the positions they wanted help with was "volunteer coordinator". I mentioned this to Elizabeth and she signed up (not really knowing what to expect).
Elizabeth worked really hard to get volunteers signed up for the large number of open positions and even overcome late drop outs to ensure that the majority of the positions were filled for race weekend. It had proven hard to get people to sign up to help with the "grunt" work of loading and unloading the supply truck at a variety of locations, so we signed up to help load the truck on Saturday morning. We met the race director (who was driving the rental truck) and one other experienced race volunteer/organizer at the "shed" to load the truck at 9am on Saturday. As we loaded coolers, Gatorade, water and other supplies in to the truck, I offered to help unload the truck at Race HQ as the race director would have had to do this on his own.
We unloaded supplies at Inside Out Sports ("Early Packet Pickup") and loaded more water (30 x 40lb water containers) in to the truck. We then unloaded the remainder of the supplies at Race HQ. I rushed back home to pick up Elizabeth, then we headed back to Inside Out Sports to oversee Early Packet Pickup.
We arrived at 1pm (Early Packet Pickup was meant to begin at 2pm) and realized that we were all alone, and we weren't expecting any of the other volunteers to arrive until 2pm (lesson for next year: have volunteers arrive 30 minutes early!). As we began to set up the tables, people continuously came up to us asking whether they could collect their race numbers and shirts - obviously ignoring us running around frantically trying to get ready and that it wasn't anywhere near 2pm yet!
The temperature was in the low 90's (30C), the sun was beating down and we had no shade at all. The wind made the task of hanging the signs very difficult and blew everything that wasn't held down off of the tables. The boxes holding the race shirts were mixed and unmarked and to make things even more difficult we had multiple registration lists!
At 2pm, we had 4 volunteers including Elizabeth and I, and approximately 40 people waiting to collect their numbers and shirts. I had had grand plans of putting race maps up on an easel and setting up the Late Registration table, all of which had to go on hold as both Elizabeth and I now had to man a section. I took A-E, and my first runner was someone that had signed up too late to get a race shirt. The website clearly stated that you would only get a shirt if you signed up before May 6th (because the shirts have to be ordered in time to arrive for race weekend and they are expensive, so race organizers typically set a cut off date). The lady in question had signed up on May 9th and her number said "Shirt:NO". I tried to explain calmly that she signed up after the cut off date, and as a result wouldn't get a shirt, but that she was welcome to come back after the race to see if any unclaimed shirts were left. Ignoring the 15 people standing in the blazing sun behind her, she proceeded to argue with me that she had signed up before May 6th and had paid the same fee as everyone else. My patience was running thin - I had spent the morning driving all over Raleigh, loading and unloading heavy supplies, rushing around to set up registration and was now handing out numbers and shirts - and the last thing I wanted was the first person giving me a hard time...
She eventually got the message, and left unhappy and annoyed at me for not giving her a shirt, without a thank you.
More volunteers arrived over the next 45 minutes, and we got in to a good rhythm. I have collected many numbers and shirts from volunteers before, and have always thanked them - but I will make more of an effort to make sure they realize that I appreciate them volunteering in future!
I finally managed to get some maps up on the easel and Elizabeth and I left with a nice sunburn at around 3:45. We rushed home, cooked dinner and left the house for our evening's out. I knew I was severely dehydrated and drunk as much water as I could over the next few hours before finally getting to sleep at around 11:30pm
Elizabeth worked really hard to get volunteers signed up for the large number of open positions and even overcome late drop outs to ensure that the majority of the positions were filled for race weekend. It had proven hard to get people to sign up to help with the "grunt" work of loading and unloading the supply truck at a variety of locations, so we signed up to help load the truck on Saturday morning. We met the race director (who was driving the rental truck) and one other experienced race volunteer/organizer at the "shed" to load the truck at 9am on Saturday. As we loaded coolers, Gatorade, water and other supplies in to the truck, I offered to help unload the truck at Race HQ as the race director would have had to do this on his own.
We unloaded supplies at Inside Out Sports ("Early Packet Pickup") and loaded more water (30 x 40lb water containers) in to the truck. We then unloaded the remainder of the supplies at Race HQ. I rushed back home to pick up Elizabeth, then we headed back to Inside Out Sports to oversee Early Packet Pickup.
We arrived at 1pm (Early Packet Pickup was meant to begin at 2pm) and realized that we were all alone, and we weren't expecting any of the other volunteers to arrive until 2pm (lesson for next year: have volunteers arrive 30 minutes early!). As we began to set up the tables, people continuously came up to us asking whether they could collect their race numbers and shirts - obviously ignoring us running around frantically trying to get ready and that it wasn't anywhere near 2pm yet!
The temperature was in the low 90's (30C), the sun was beating down and we had no shade at all. The wind made the task of hanging the signs very difficult and blew everything that wasn't held down off of the tables. The boxes holding the race shirts were mixed and unmarked and to make things even more difficult we had multiple registration lists!
At 2pm, we had 4 volunteers including Elizabeth and I, and approximately 40 people waiting to collect their numbers and shirts. I had had grand plans of putting race maps up on an easel and setting up the Late Registration table, all of which had to go on hold as both Elizabeth and I now had to man a section. I took A-E, and my first runner was someone that had signed up too late to get a race shirt. The website clearly stated that you would only get a shirt if you signed up before May 6th (because the shirts have to be ordered in time to arrive for race weekend and they are expensive, so race organizers typically set a cut off date). The lady in question had signed up on May 9th and her number said "Shirt:NO". I tried to explain calmly that she signed up after the cut off date, and as a result wouldn't get a shirt, but that she was welcome to come back after the race to see if any unclaimed shirts were left. Ignoring the 15 people standing in the blazing sun behind her, she proceeded to argue with me that she had signed up before May 6th and had paid the same fee as everyone else. My patience was running thin - I had spent the morning driving all over Raleigh, loading and unloading heavy supplies, rushing around to set up registration and was now handing out numbers and shirts - and the last thing I wanted was the first person giving me a hard time...
She eventually got the message, and left unhappy and annoyed at me for not giving her a shirt, without a thank you.
More volunteers arrived over the next 45 minutes, and we got in to a good rhythm. I have collected many numbers and shirts from volunteers before, and have always thanked them - but I will make more of an effort to make sure they realize that I appreciate them volunteering in future!
I finally managed to get some maps up on the easel and Elizabeth and I left with a nice sunburn at around 3:45. We rushed home, cooked dinner and left the house for our evening's out. I knew I was severely dehydrated and drunk as much water as I could over the next few hours before finally getting to sleep at around 11:30pm
Monday, May 10, 2010
Inside-Out Sports Classic Half Marathon - Race Plan
This weekend's Half Marathon (Inside-Out Sports Classic Half Marathon) is the final race in the Second Empire Grand Prix Series and I find myself in an unusual situation.
The Second Empire Series has 8 races (6 x 5K, 1 x 10K and 1 x Half Marathon) and points are awarded based on time versus the time of the race winner. The winner of a race receives 1000 points, and other runners times are calculated by dividing the winning time by the runners time. For example:
Winner 15:00 (900 seconds)
Runner X 20:00 (1200 seconds)
=======================
(900/1200) * 100 = 750 points
Only the best six points scores for each runner count in the final calculation in which points are added up.
I currently sit 4th in my age group and 20th overall. Prizes/Gifts are awarded to the top 5 overall and then the top 3 in each age group. I am currently 7 points behind the 3rd place person in my age group.
Runner X: 717 737 727 653 708 - 684 (4226)
Me: 681 709 724 667 - 745 693 (4219)
The runner that is currently first in my age group is leading the overall competition and although he may get knocked down to 2nd or 3rd overall in this coming race, he won't drop out of the top 5. This means he won't count in my age group, and I will jump up to 3rd in the final standings regardless of my points from the coming race and the results of any other runners as nobody can catch me in my age group.
Runner X started the year well but I have beaten him in my last two races, including the 10K where I beat him by a full minute and I have no idea whether he will even run the Half Marathon.
I can improve my total by 8 points if I can get 675 points (which will improve my lowest total of 667 by 8) in the Half Marathon. Of course, I have no control at all over what the winning time will be and as this is the first time the Half Marathon has been in the Second Empire Series, the results from previous years are no help at all.
However, I like to know what my chances are... so I did some calculations:
Winning Time | Required Time to get at least 675 points
1:05 | 1:36
1:07 | 1:39
1:09 | 1:42
1:10 | 1:43:30
1:11 | 1:45
1:13 | 1:48
1:15 | 1:51
1:17 | 1:54
After running the majority of the course yesterday, I know it is a tough course with a number of hills, some of which are huge, which means I really can't see anyone running faster than 1:10. If the winner ran 1:10:00, I'd need to run 1:43:30 to gain 675 points, which would be tough, but not unachievable.
This is going to be my last competitive race of the spring, so I can go out hard and push... I think I am going to set my watch for 7:55/mile, which will get me to around 1:43:30. I have nothing to lose, but potentially I could gain a place in the overall standings.
The Second Empire Series has 8 races (6 x 5K, 1 x 10K and 1 x Half Marathon) and points are awarded based on time versus the time of the race winner. The winner of a race receives 1000 points, and other runners times are calculated by dividing the winning time by the runners time. For example:
Winner 15:00 (900 seconds)
Runner X 20:00 (1200 seconds)
=======================
(900/1200) * 100 = 750 points
Only the best six points scores for each runner count in the final calculation in which points are added up.
I currently sit 4th in my age group and 20th overall. Prizes/Gifts are awarded to the top 5 overall and then the top 3 in each age group. I am currently 7 points behind the 3rd place person in my age group.
Runner X: 717 737 727 653 708 - 684 (4226)
Me: 681 709 724 667 - 745 693 (4219)
The runner that is currently first in my age group is leading the overall competition and although he may get knocked down to 2nd or 3rd overall in this coming race, he won't drop out of the top 5. This means he won't count in my age group, and I will jump up to 3rd in the final standings regardless of my points from the coming race and the results of any other runners as nobody can catch me in my age group.
Runner X started the year well but I have beaten him in my last two races, including the 10K where I beat him by a full minute and I have no idea whether he will even run the Half Marathon.
I can improve my total by 8 points if I can get 675 points (which will improve my lowest total of 667 by 8) in the Half Marathon. Of course, I have no control at all over what the winning time will be and as this is the first time the Half Marathon has been in the Second Empire Series, the results from previous years are no help at all.
However, I like to know what my chances are... so I did some calculations:
Winning Time | Required Time to get at least 675 points
1:05 | 1:36
1:07 | 1:39
1:09 | 1:42
1:10 | 1:43:30
1:11 | 1:45
1:13 | 1:48
1:15 | 1:51
1:17 | 1:54
After running the majority of the course yesterday, I know it is a tough course with a number of hills, some of which are huge, which means I really can't see anyone running faster than 1:10. If the winner ran 1:10:00, I'd need to run 1:43:30 to gain 675 points, which would be tough, but not unachievable.
This is going to be my last competitive race of the spring, so I can go out hard and push... I think I am going to set my watch for 7:55/mile, which will get me to around 1:43:30. I have nothing to lose, but potentially I could gain a place in the overall standings.
Marathon Training - Week 9
With no extra races on my calendar this week, I finally managed to revert to my training program of 3 runs per week. Tuesday's speed workout was my second attempt a 3 x 1600 which I attempted for the first time in early April (and barely completed two intervals). This time I had much more success!
Tuesday evening was relatively cool (70F, 21C) and the sun was on its way down as I finished my warm up and stretching. 1600m in 6:49 is just about 26 seconds per 100m, so in my first interval I attempted to hit 26 seconds for each 100m around the track. I felt good and relaxed and I remember passing 800m in 3:20 and thinking I was a little quick. For some reason I didn't look at my watch again until I was at 1200m and I found that I wasn't slowing down at all, in fact I was speeding up - my watch read 4:55. I tried to slow down, but the pace felt easy and I coasted around the final lap in 1:39 for a 6:34 first 1600m. I know the training program calls for a 1 minute rest interval, but I changed it to a 3 minute 400m jog - I wanted to get through all three intervals this time and I can reduce the RI in a few weeks!
Interval #2 was very similar to #1, however, this time I worked harder on checking my split every 100m and making adjustments to stay on target for 6:49. The last 400m was harder than interval #1, but not overly uncomfortable. I finished #2 in 6:44 and enjoyed the chance to jog for a few minutes.
Interval #3 was hard from the start. Although my heart rate had recovered quickly during my jog, my legs felt heavier immediately as I set off for the final 4 laps. The splits for the first 800 were all on the upper end of 26 seconds per 100m for a 3:28 first half. I counted my strides for a lap and came to the final 400m with 5:10 showing on my watch. I felt like I had nothing left, but knowing I only had one lap to go to achieve something I couldn't do 5 weeks ago was enough to make me push harder. The last lap is a blur, but my watch read 6:47 as I crossed the start/finish line!
I was really pleased that I had managed to complete the workout this time with all three intervals faster than the target pace. Over the next few months I will have this workout a few more times, and I can look at reducing my rest interval (however, the hot, humid weather might have a say in that).
The moment I walked out of the house on Thursday morning I knew it was going to be tough to do three miles around the lake at 7:22 in the heat (80F, 26C) and humidity (>70%) but after a good speed workout on Tuesday, I thought I'd at least try. I don't worry too much about doing my easy miles in the tempo workout at that pace the book says (8:57/mile) so I wasn't worried to see they were 9:12 and 9:30. I planned to run comfortably hard and see what that would give me for the first mile, which turned out to be 7:19. I felt hot and regretted not bringing any water/Gatorade and all of a sudden I felt like my heart rate increased and body temperature jumped a few degrees as I ran in to the wooded area and the humidity got worse. I had no choice but to slow down and allow my heart rate to decrease. Split #2 was 9:05, but it did the trick and my heart rate and body temperature had dropped enough (and I was out of the wooded area) that I felt fine attempting #3. I knew I couldn't do another 7:22, so I settled for a comfortably hard mile which turned out to be 7:55.
I learned a few things from my tempo run:
1. Get up earlier and hydrate more: Although I got up an hour before I left the house, I didn't drink much at all. I know that my obvious dehydration played a big factor in my failure to be able to hold a pace I can comfortably hold on colder days. Hydration is so much more important in hot and humid conditions, and I simply forgot to do it.
2. Adjust pace goals for the weather conditions: The idea of my tempo run is to train my body to work at my lactate threshold which should feel comfortably hard. On days when my heart rate and body temperature are higher I get to my lactate threshold earlier and with a slower pace. Attempting to run at 7:22/mile pace on a 80F day did absolutely nothing for my lactate threshold! I need to do a better job next time of listening to my body and adjusting my pace.
Next weekend (May 16th) I am running in the final race of the Second Empire Grand Prix Series which happens to be a Half Marathon. I had looked at the course map a while back and decided that I should go and run part of it, as I had heard it was hilly. So, on Sunday, I took my 10 mile long run over to Cary and ran most of the course. I am glad I did.
The course certainly is hilly. The first and last few miles of the out and back course have some rolling hills which aren't too bad, however, around the middle (and the turn) there are two giant hills. They both go around corners and seem to go on forever! I am not overly worried about them as I will adjust my pace on the up hill portions now I know how long they are, but I am really glad that I now know what to expect! The majority of the course is crushed gravel which I had always thought was harder to run on, however it didn't bother me.
The weather was a cool 60F (15C) and I wanted to run portions of the 10 miles at close to Half Marathon Pace (7:45/mile) just to see how the hills would effect me. My overall pace for the 10 mile run was 8:00/mile which included a couple of stops to check my location on the maps. So, I think it is safe to say that the hills didn't factor in too much as I was able to make up the time lost on the up hills going down the downhill part and along the flat areas.
I am looking forward to the Half Marathon now, and the challenge that the course will give me. Running 1:41 on a flat course is one thing, running on a hilly course is something very different and I am excited to see what I can do in my last competitive race of the Spring.
Speed
=====
Plan: 10-20 min warm up, 3 x 1600m (6:49) (1 min RI), 10 min cool down
Actual (Tuesday @ 7:30pm, 70F, sunny): 1600m warm up, 3 x 1600m (6:34, 6:44, 6:47) 1000m cool down.
Tempo
=====
Plan: 6 mile run: 2 miles easy (8:57/mile), 3 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 1 miles easy
Actual: (Thursday, 8:00am, 80F, sunny & humid) 5 mile run: 9:12, 9:30, 7:19, 9:05, 7:55: Click here for Map/Splits
Long
====
Plan: 10 miles @ Marathon Pace + 45 (8:55/mile)
Actual (Sunday @8:00am, 60F, sunny): 10 miles @ 8:00/mile: Click here for Map/Splits
Tuesday evening was relatively cool (70F, 21C) and the sun was on its way down as I finished my warm up and stretching. 1600m in 6:49 is just about 26 seconds per 100m, so in my first interval I attempted to hit 26 seconds for each 100m around the track. I felt good and relaxed and I remember passing 800m in 3:20 and thinking I was a little quick. For some reason I didn't look at my watch again until I was at 1200m and I found that I wasn't slowing down at all, in fact I was speeding up - my watch read 4:55. I tried to slow down, but the pace felt easy and I coasted around the final lap in 1:39 for a 6:34 first 1600m. I know the training program calls for a 1 minute rest interval, but I changed it to a 3 minute 400m jog - I wanted to get through all three intervals this time and I can reduce the RI in a few weeks!
Interval #2 was very similar to #1, however, this time I worked harder on checking my split every 100m and making adjustments to stay on target for 6:49. The last 400m was harder than interval #1, but not overly uncomfortable. I finished #2 in 6:44 and enjoyed the chance to jog for a few minutes.
Interval #3 was hard from the start. Although my heart rate had recovered quickly during my jog, my legs felt heavier immediately as I set off for the final 4 laps. The splits for the first 800 were all on the upper end of 26 seconds per 100m for a 3:28 first half. I counted my strides for a lap and came to the final 400m with 5:10 showing on my watch. I felt like I had nothing left, but knowing I only had one lap to go to achieve something I couldn't do 5 weeks ago was enough to make me push harder. The last lap is a blur, but my watch read 6:47 as I crossed the start/finish line!
I was really pleased that I had managed to complete the workout this time with all three intervals faster than the target pace. Over the next few months I will have this workout a few more times, and I can look at reducing my rest interval (however, the hot, humid weather might have a say in that).
The moment I walked out of the house on Thursday morning I knew it was going to be tough to do three miles around the lake at 7:22 in the heat (80F, 26C) and humidity (>70%) but after a good speed workout on Tuesday, I thought I'd at least try. I don't worry too much about doing my easy miles in the tempo workout at that pace the book says (8:57/mile) so I wasn't worried to see they were 9:12 and 9:30. I planned to run comfortably hard and see what that would give me for the first mile, which turned out to be 7:19. I felt hot and regretted not bringing any water/Gatorade and all of a sudden I felt like my heart rate increased and body temperature jumped a few degrees as I ran in to the wooded area and the humidity got worse. I had no choice but to slow down and allow my heart rate to decrease. Split #2 was 9:05, but it did the trick and my heart rate and body temperature had dropped enough (and I was out of the wooded area) that I felt fine attempting #3. I knew I couldn't do another 7:22, so I settled for a comfortably hard mile which turned out to be 7:55.
I learned a few things from my tempo run:
1. Get up earlier and hydrate more: Although I got up an hour before I left the house, I didn't drink much at all. I know that my obvious dehydration played a big factor in my failure to be able to hold a pace I can comfortably hold on colder days. Hydration is so much more important in hot and humid conditions, and I simply forgot to do it.
2. Adjust pace goals for the weather conditions: The idea of my tempo run is to train my body to work at my lactate threshold which should feel comfortably hard. On days when my heart rate and body temperature are higher I get to my lactate threshold earlier and with a slower pace. Attempting to run at 7:22/mile pace on a 80F day did absolutely nothing for my lactate threshold! I need to do a better job next time of listening to my body and adjusting my pace.
Next weekend (May 16th) I am running in the final race of the Second Empire Grand Prix Series which happens to be a Half Marathon. I had looked at the course map a while back and decided that I should go and run part of it, as I had heard it was hilly. So, on Sunday, I took my 10 mile long run over to Cary and ran most of the course. I am glad I did.
The course certainly is hilly. The first and last few miles of the out and back course have some rolling hills which aren't too bad, however, around the middle (and the turn) there are two giant hills. They both go around corners and seem to go on forever! I am not overly worried about them as I will adjust my pace on the up hill portions now I know how long they are, but I am really glad that I now know what to expect! The majority of the course is crushed gravel which I had always thought was harder to run on, however it didn't bother me.
The weather was a cool 60F (15C) and I wanted to run portions of the 10 miles at close to Half Marathon Pace (7:45/mile) just to see how the hills would effect me. My overall pace for the 10 mile run was 8:00/mile which included a couple of stops to check my location on the maps. So, I think it is safe to say that the hills didn't factor in too much as I was able to make up the time lost on the up hills going down the downhill part and along the flat areas.
I am looking forward to the Half Marathon now, and the challenge that the course will give me. Running 1:41 on a flat course is one thing, running on a hilly course is something very different and I am excited to see what I can do in my last competitive race of the Spring.
Speed
=====
Plan: 10-20 min warm up, 3 x 1600m (6:49) (1 min RI), 10 min cool down
Actual (Tuesday @ 7:30pm, 70F, sunny): 1600m warm up, 3 x 1600m (6:34, 6:44, 6:47) 1000m cool down.
Tempo
=====
Plan: 6 mile run: 2 miles easy (8:57/mile), 3 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 1 miles easy
Actual: (Thursday, 8:00am, 80F, sunny & humid) 5 mile run: 9:12, 9:30, 7:19, 9:05, 7:55: Click here for Map/Splits
Long
====
Plan: 10 miles @ Marathon Pace + 45 (8:55/mile)
Actual (Sunday @8:00am, 60F, sunny): 10 miles @ 8:00/mile: Click here for Map/Splits
Monday, May 3, 2010
Marathon Training - May
Week 9: Week starting May 3rd
==================
Speed: 10-20 min warm up, 3 x 1600m (6:49) (1 min RI), 10 min cool down
Tempo: 6 mile run: 2 miles easy (8:57/mile), 3 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 1 miles easy
Long: 10 miles @ Marathon Pace + 45 (8:55/mile)
Week 10: Week starting May 10th
==================
Speed: 5 miles easy
Tempo: 5 miles easy
Long: 13.1 miles @ Half Marathon Pace (8:55/mile)
Week 11: Week starting May 17th
==================
Speed: Rest
Tempo: Rest
Long: Rest
Week 12: Week starting May 24th
==================
Speed: 10-20 min warm up, 2 x (6 x 400m (1:36) (1:30 RI)) 2:00 RI, 10 min cool down
Tempo: 6 mile run: 1 mile easy (8:57/mile), 3 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 1 mile easy
Long: 13 miles @ Marathon Pace + 60 (9:10/mile)
==================
Speed: 10-20 min warm up, 3 x 1600m (6:49) (1 min RI), 10 min cool down
Tempo: 6 mile run: 2 miles easy (8:57/mile), 3 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 1 miles easy
Long: 10 miles @ Marathon Pace + 45 (8:55/mile)
Week 10: Week starting May 10th
==================
Speed: 5 miles easy
Tempo: 5 miles easy
Long: 13.1 miles @ Half Marathon Pace (8:55/mile)
Week 11: Week starting May 17th
==================
Speed: Rest
Tempo: Rest
Long: Rest
Week 12: Week starting May 24th
==================
Speed: 10-20 min warm up, 2 x (6 x 400m (1:36) (1:30 RI)) 2:00 RI, 10 min cool down
Tempo: 6 mile run: 1 mile easy (8:57/mile), 3 miles @ short tempo (7.22/mile), 1 mile easy
Long: 13 miles @ Marathon Pace + 60 (9:10/mile)
Marathon Training - Week 8
Given that the Second Empire Classic 5K was scheduled for Sunday at 2pm, I knew I'd have to make a change to my plan for the week as I wouldn't be able to do my long run on either Saturday or Sunday.
I decided to drop my tempo run and move my long run to Thursday. I feel that my long run is my most important run of the week and I really want to make sure I get it in every week, so it was either my tempo run or speed run that would have to make way for the Second Empire Classic 5K on Sunday. I decided that as the tempo run was only a 5 mile run at a relatively slow pace, I thought it would be the best one to drop.
I went to the track on Tuesday evening and had my first attempt at 5 x 1000m. I needed to run each interval in 4:08 (which works out to approximately 6:40/mile) which seems to be the perfect pace as it the last two intervals were really tough but I recovered quickly each time. I was really pleased with the workout and even did a couple of intervals running anti-clockwise around the track. As far as I can remember, I have always run the traditional way around the track (clockwise) which is all left turns, so I thought it would be fun to throw in some right turns for a change!
My calf guards, cold baths and compression socks have been working great and on Thursday afternoon my legs felt refreshed and ready to attempt another long run. The weather has been getting warmer and warmer in NC and my work schedule meant I couldn't get out early in the morning to run before the temperature got high. At 1:30pm on Thursday, the sun was out and the temperature was in the low 80s (26C). I hydrated during the morning and ran with my hat to help keep the sweat out of my eyes. Luckily, most of my trail run is in the shade which protected me from the sun, but the heat still made the easy run feel harder.
The first four miles of my run felt fine and I prepared to take my first GU. I had packed three GUs in to the back pocket of my fuel belt which proved to be a bad idea! I guess having three GUs crammed in the small pocket up against my back had generated some heat, and now the GUs had got warm. Warm GU is not good... I washed it down with cool water, but it took less than 5 minutes for my stomach to get upset. I decided to try to run through the discomfort as it would be a good experiment to see whether it would go away if I continued running.
The discomfort came and went a few times over the next 4 miles but by the time I got to mile 11, the discomfort was at its worst and I decided that there was no way I would make it through another 3 miles. I ended my run and within a few minutes the discomfort was manageable again and I managed to make it to the restrooms at Shelley Lake safely!
I now know that I can't cram 3 GUs in the fuel belt pocket, so I need to come up with a different way to carry more than 2 GUs when I need to.
I rested until the Second Empire Classic 5K on Sunday afternoon. It was 93 degrees at race time which is the hottest that I have ever attempted to run in (or do anything other than lay on a beach!). I had set an aggressive target of running 7:10/mile and ran through the first mile with Kristin in 7:06. I used my hand-held water bottle to ensure that I had access to water whenever I wanted in the hope of being able to regulate my body temperature. The second mile was slightly up hill and we passed the 2 mile marker with a 7:26 split. I dumped a cup of water over my head and continued to sip from my water bottle, but I could feel my body temperature rising and rising.
At 2.5 miles I hit my limit and had to stop and walk. I took on the remaining water in my bottle and took 30 seconds to allow my heart rate to drop and my body to cool a little. I started to run again and managed to complete the remaining distance for a final time of 23:20.
I am not overly worried about having to stop and walk in this race. The conditions were the most extreme that I have ever exercised in and I have very little tolerance for high temperatures at the moment. I remember that during my training last summer I become more and more comfortable as the weeks went by with exercising in the warmer weather, and I just haven't had enough time yet to build up my tolerance.
Next week will be a typical training week with my three main runs and no extra races.
Speed
=====
Plan: 10-20 min warm up, 5 x 1000m (4:08) (400m RI), 10 min cool down
Actual (Tuesday @ 7pm, 70F, sunny): 1600m warm up, 5 x 1000m (4:05, 4:06, 4:08, 4:08, 4:10) 1000m cool down.
Tempo
=====
Plan: 7 mile run: 1 mile easy (8:57/mile), 5 miles @ long tempo (7.52/mile), 1 mile easy
Actual: None
Long
====
Plan: 14 miles @ Marathon Pace + 45 (8:55/mile)
Actual (Thursday @1:30pm, 80F, sunny): 11 miles @ 8:45/mile: Click here for Map/Splits
Extra
====
Plan: Second Empire Classic 5K
Actual: Second Empire Classic 5K - 23:20 - Click here for Map/Splits
I decided to drop my tempo run and move my long run to Thursday. I feel that my long run is my most important run of the week and I really want to make sure I get it in every week, so it was either my tempo run or speed run that would have to make way for the Second Empire Classic 5K on Sunday. I decided that as the tempo run was only a 5 mile run at a relatively slow pace, I thought it would be the best one to drop.
I went to the track on Tuesday evening and had my first attempt at 5 x 1000m. I needed to run each interval in 4:08 (which works out to approximately 6:40/mile) which seems to be the perfect pace as it the last two intervals were really tough but I recovered quickly each time. I was really pleased with the workout and even did a couple of intervals running anti-clockwise around the track. As far as I can remember, I have always run the traditional way around the track (clockwise) which is all left turns, so I thought it would be fun to throw in some right turns for a change!
My calf guards, cold baths and compression socks have been working great and on Thursday afternoon my legs felt refreshed and ready to attempt another long run. The weather has been getting warmer and warmer in NC and my work schedule meant I couldn't get out early in the morning to run before the temperature got high. At 1:30pm on Thursday, the sun was out and the temperature was in the low 80s (26C). I hydrated during the morning and ran with my hat to help keep the sweat out of my eyes. Luckily, most of my trail run is in the shade which protected me from the sun, but the heat still made the easy run feel harder.
The first four miles of my run felt fine and I prepared to take my first GU. I had packed three GUs in to the back pocket of my fuel belt which proved to be a bad idea! I guess having three GUs crammed in the small pocket up against my back had generated some heat, and now the GUs had got warm. Warm GU is not good... I washed it down with cool water, but it took less than 5 minutes for my stomach to get upset. I decided to try to run through the discomfort as it would be a good experiment to see whether it would go away if I continued running.
The discomfort came and went a few times over the next 4 miles but by the time I got to mile 11, the discomfort was at its worst and I decided that there was no way I would make it through another 3 miles. I ended my run and within a few minutes the discomfort was manageable again and I managed to make it to the restrooms at Shelley Lake safely!
I now know that I can't cram 3 GUs in the fuel belt pocket, so I need to come up with a different way to carry more than 2 GUs when I need to.
I rested until the Second Empire Classic 5K on Sunday afternoon. It was 93 degrees at race time which is the hottest that I have ever attempted to run in (or do anything other than lay on a beach!). I had set an aggressive target of running 7:10/mile and ran through the first mile with Kristin in 7:06. I used my hand-held water bottle to ensure that I had access to water whenever I wanted in the hope of being able to regulate my body temperature. The second mile was slightly up hill and we passed the 2 mile marker with a 7:26 split. I dumped a cup of water over my head and continued to sip from my water bottle, but I could feel my body temperature rising and rising.
At 2.5 miles I hit my limit and had to stop and walk. I took on the remaining water in my bottle and took 30 seconds to allow my heart rate to drop and my body to cool a little. I started to run again and managed to complete the remaining distance for a final time of 23:20.
I am not overly worried about having to stop and walk in this race. The conditions were the most extreme that I have ever exercised in and I have very little tolerance for high temperatures at the moment. I remember that during my training last summer I become more and more comfortable as the weeks went by with exercising in the warmer weather, and I just haven't had enough time yet to build up my tolerance.
Next week will be a typical training week with my three main runs and no extra races.
Speed
=====
Plan: 10-20 min warm up, 5 x 1000m (4:08) (400m RI), 10 min cool down
Actual (Tuesday @ 7pm, 70F, sunny): 1600m warm up, 5 x 1000m (4:05, 4:06, 4:08, 4:08, 4:10) 1000m cool down.
Tempo
=====
Plan: 7 mile run: 1 mile easy (8:57/mile), 5 miles @ long tempo (7.52/mile), 1 mile easy
Actual: None
Long
====
Plan: 14 miles @ Marathon Pace + 45 (8:55/mile)
Actual (Thursday @1:30pm, 80F, sunny): 11 miles @ 8:45/mile: Click here for Map/Splits
Extra
====
Plan: Second Empire Classic 5K
Actual: Second Empire Classic 5K - 23:20 - Click here for Map/Splits
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