Weekend Running and a Video Chat

First of all, I'll tell you about my runs the last few days, and then some other random fun things I have to share.

I ran again on Friday evening, but only 3 miles because my legs still felt really weird, like during Wednesday's workout. I don't really know how to describe the way they have been feeling, but they are very tight and just don't feel "right." I am going to try getting back into running in the mornings and hope that will help a little.

Today's run was supposed to be 18 miles, but I cut it a little short.  Actually a lot short. I went to the Elk Grove Forest Preserve and Mac was supposed to meet me there, but he overslept. I debated going back home and then doing the run on streets instead of the trail and to get my iPod, but decided to stay there and get it done. The loop is 7.7 miles and then there is another trail that shoots off and is 2 miles. So I started the loop and then when I was at about 27 minutes, I split off onto the other trail and did the 2 miles out and then back. So then I was at almost an hour (I didn't have my Garmin but I used the trail markers to time a few of my miles and they were all pretty much exactly 8 minute pace.) I continued running the loop, but after a little longer I knew I wasn't going to be able to force myself to do another loop. So at 1 hour and 20 minutes, I stopped and walked the rest of the way back.

I was a little disappointed in myself, but I guess it has just been an off week. My legs did feel better this morning though. I have 4 weeks left before I have to taper, so I figure I can get in an 18-20 mile run each of the next 2 weekends, then a step back week, then another 20 mile run.

But now for something fun, this was the highlight of my weekend:

A Google Hangout with some of my very best friends!! We were all group texting during the day and apparently very few of us had plans on a Saturday night, so why not do a video power hour with each other? My excuse for staying in was legit though since I had to do a long run in the morning, so I also couldn't actually participate in the power hour, but it was still a boatload of fun. It has been determined that this needs to happen once a week.  I really miss this group.  And because they expressed interest in me writing about this/being in pictures, this is one of my favorite picture of some of us:

Another person who really loves this blog and being in pictures My dad. Remember when he wanted lots of pictures of him? This weekend, he shot an 81 at his golf league.  He was hoping for a 78, but I think he was still happy with it.  He would love if I gave you all an analysis of his game and which holes he pared, etc., but I don't remember.  He did give me a few good ideas for future posts though, so I'll get those in soon enough. And to be fair, my mom did a 10 mile bike ride this morning.  Unfortunately, we did not coordinate her bike ride with my run, but maybe we can for another long run.

Do you ever video chat with your friends that live far away?

A Nice Sunday Morning Run and This Week's Training

I met Mac this morning at the Elk Grove Forest Preserve to run the 7.7 mile loop.  It was a great conversational run - I learned a bit about Mac's ranch days in Montana which involved some elk hunting (legal elk hunting, of course).  We ran the entire loop without any regard to how fast we were going or our pace.  We estimated the first half was about 8 minute pace and then we picked it up to a faster pace for the last few miles.  There was less talking and more heavy breathing during that last mile! I could not wait to get home and make some breakfast - chocolate chip pancakes.

I had more than just that little one...but I had to eat it while it was hot and the next one was on the skillet so I snapped a quick pic and then dug in.

It was such perfect fall-like weather again today.  It's terrible as far as summer weather goes, but it's absolutely perfect for running.  If the marathon day could be weather just like this - about 60 degrees, partly sunny - I would be a happy camper.  Or runner.  I think ideal marathon conditions would actually be about 45-55 degrees, but I would take 60 degrees too.  Unfortunately, we won't know what the race-day conditions will be like until 11 weeks from now.

Recap of Week 7 of training:

Monday - 7 miles normal
Tuesday - Track Workout - 3.25 miles total
Wednesday - REST
Thursday - ran about 2 miles, then walked an hour w/ Catherine
Friday - REST
Saturday - 16 miles
Sunday - 7.7 miles w/ Mac
Total Weekly Mileage - 36

So now here we go into a plan for Week 8:

Monday - cross train
Tuesday - track workout
Wednesday - 6 miles
Thursday - cross train
Friday - 5 miles
Saturday - 18 miles
Sunday - REST

I decided that I'll use tomorrow as a cross training day since I had 2 good runs this weekend and I really want to get in some biking!  I still never did a fartlek like I said I was going to do last week, so maybe I will try to make Wednesday or Friday into one.  I'm getting a little nervous for the higher long run mileage now since I haven't done these long of runs in about 2 years.  But having Angela to run with this weekend and then my training group should hopefully help me out and keep me going strong.

What is your favorite thing to eat after a run or workout?

Hot Trail Run & Bike Fail

The humidity won yesterday's battle. I went back to the Elk Grove Forest Preserve for a run, with the intention to do 2 loops to get in 15-16 miles since I will be traveling this weekend and unable to do a long run. Mom came with her bike too so she could get in her own exercise biking around while I ran and so she could hold water, Gatorade, and Gu for me. Unfortunately, nothing turned out quite as planned.

I ended up running 9 miles in 1:13:40, so about an hour short of my plan. At first I was disappointed with myself for not just pushing through it and I knew I wouldn't be able to get it in any other day this week. But I figured 9 miles in that heat/humidity at the pace I was going was still a very quality run! I also impressed myself with my ability to master a very consistent 8 minute mile.

Mom coming to the trail with me means I have a personal photographer. Putting my hair in a very tight bun was a way better decision than a ponytail flopping around all hot on neck. Anyways, when my intention was to do 2 loops, I wanted to do the first a little slower and then try to do my 2nd loop faster than my first. My splits for 9 miles were: 8:31, 7:59, 8:00, 7:59, 8:02, 8:01, 8:03, 8:14, and 7:50. I felt strong and relaxed but it was very hot and humid. Even when I stopped after the 9.1 miles when I met mom to take my Gu, I intended to keep going, but then the thought of finishing 6 more miles on that loop was very overwhelming.

Catherine has been telling me a lot about varying your paces during runs instead of always running the same pace for each run. I think this is what I'm going to really try to work on over the next few weeks. I can't keep running 8 minute miles for every run because then my body will get too used to it. Luckily last week, I had the 2 races which were a little faster and the long run that was closer to 8:10-8:15 pace. I was with other people for each of those runs which forces me to change it up from my normal pace. When I'm alone, I get too comfortable with the standard 8 minute pace.

Even though I didn't go as long as planned, I can't really consider it a failure since it was still a good, longer than normal run. Mom's bike ride wasa failure though. About halfway through the loop, she hit a bump and got a flat tire. This meant she had to walk her bike back the rest of the loop which was really miserable in the heat with all of the bugs too. They will really get you if you aren't moving fast enough.

When we got home I made a great salad with hard boiled eggs and obviously drank a lot of chocolate milk. Bailey ate my 2 packs of Gu that were sitting out. So now she owes me $3.

Thoughts While Running in Nature

Last week I read an article about the mental benefits of running.  Exercise boosts serotonin in the brain which creates a more positive mood and releases endorphins, which are supposed to have a "pain-easing" effect.  "Exercise gives you endorphins.  Endorphins make you happy." (Name that movie.) For me, running doesn't always make me feel better.  I find that it's a lot of alone time to over-think things that are bothering me or stress me out.  As I read the article further, it said that these positive effects depend on WHERE you run.  A study found that people who ran in nature had brain activity similar to that seen during meditation, whereas people who ran on city streets experienced frustration.  I almost always run on the city streets.  Maybe that is my problem.

So, last Monday I decided to run to the lake front path and have a "peaceful" run.  I didn't bring my music, but I did bring the Garmin since I am still trying it out.  I told myself I'd only look at it every mile when it beeped and I did a decent job at that.  I finished the 7 miles in 56:30 at just over 8 minute pace and my mile splits were consistent with which direction I was traveling along the lake path - with the wind as I headed south and against the wind as I ran north.  Something I learned from Coach Brendan is to not always worry about what your watch says because of changes in conditions along each mile of a run, whether it is due to wind, a random hill (or more like a bump since we don't have real hills here), etc.  He said to focus on always giving consistent effort, not necessarily consistent mile splits and I felt like I was doing exactly that on this run.  As far as peacefulness goes, I think it was nice to run without my iPod and I'm thinking I'll do some of my normal runs without a watch at all and just trust I'm doing what I need to.  I've ran enough miles around 8 minute pace that I know if I'm at least in the general range.

(This picture is obviously not from today...I need to be better at taking pictures, but peaceful run = no iPod.  I just thought this was a cool nature pic from a hike in Iowa!)

Now...today's run.  It is funny how certain sights will automatically trigger a memory.  Today I went to the Elk Grove Forest Preserve.  The loop is 7.7 miles (I believe I said it was 8.3 in yesterday's post, but apparently I didn't remember correctly).  I could not remember the last time I ran on this trail, but I knew it was sometime in 2011.  Then, all of the sudden, I was running along and saw the "Mile 1" marker on the path (the point where I parked my car and got on the trail is almost at the 3 mile mark, so the 1 mile mark is about 6 miles into the run) and knew exactly when the last time I ran on this trail was!  It was my birthday weekend and Angela came to visit.  I had been drinking during the day at a work function before she arrived and then we went out in the city and I'm fairly confident tequila shots were involved.  But we can't visit each other and NOT go for a Saturday morning run, duh.  When I saw that "Mile 1" mark on the path, I remembered I'm pretty sure we stopped right there and took a walking break.  Here's a picture from that weekend:

Anyways, back to today's run.  I did the loop in 59:10, I'm going to go with 7.5 miles because I did walk a short distance after I stopped at one of the water fountains.  I had decided to wear a watch since I hadn't ran this trail in awhile and was curious how long it would take.  Here's some thoughts I had while running/after the run.  I have to say that running without an iPod means you will have in your head whatever song was last on the radio.  Today, that was Blurred Lines.  So every one of these thoughts was followed with "hey hey hey."

• This actually is very peaceful.  I have no reason to stop since there are no stop lights, so I'm going to be running continuously for an hour.


• Anyone could be hiding in the trees waiting for a little girl in a sports bra to come running by alone and make me into a real-life SVU story.


• This guy could hop off his bike and make me into a real-life SVU story.


• The sign said the speed limit on a bike is 8mph.  You are clearly going way faster than that, dude.  Heck, I could go faster than that if I really wanted to right now so how do they expect bikers to go that slow?


• I feel like I'm running in an oven.  At least this will help my tan.


• That girl has roller blades.  I wish I had roller blades.


• Nature reminds me of Pennellwood.  We would be going to Pennellwood next week.


• I wish I would've brought a towel to sit on in my car.  Now my seat is going to get sweaty.  I also wish I had brought more Gatorade.  My thirst needs to be quenched.

Overall it was a quality run and nice to go somewhere that was not one of my usual routes through the city or even just the usual north/south on the lakefront path.  I think I'll try to change up where I do my runs more often.  And the running in nature was pretty cool too - maybe it'd be better not at 4pm when it feels like 90 degrees though.  I got home and used my new foam roller.  Since I didn't officially register for yesterday's race and saved the $35, I bought myself a foam roller as I had been thinking about doing for a few weeks now.  It's pink and matches my shoes and socks nicely in this picture.  And yes, my sports bra was pink and my shorts had pink accents.  It's not even Wednesday. (Another movie reference.)

Do you like running in nature?  Or without an iPod/watch?

What song has been in your head?