Come on, Lungs!

Umm.. I have a confession to make. I know why I'm so bad at running (as opposed to running/hiking, which I can do all day). For a long time I have been an on & off - mostly on - smoker. For the last couple of days (2d16hr40min) I have not smoked. I've been wearing my patch, which I hate - it itches. I also have a back up of lozenges, just in case there's need for a booster. I just came back from a run. It was terrible. I could breathe less than normal.

I know my lungs need to adjust, and cells all throughout my body are figuring out what to do with all this extra oxygen they've found themselves with, but it's very demoralizing!! I walked quite a bit on exactly the same route I did on Saturday, because I couldn't catch my breath. It's also warm out, and I haven't eaten all day (yes, yes, bad, I know). I usually do better on unfueled (bonk) runs, but I also usually run in the morning so intake wasn't as long ago (dinner). I made myself go the full three (!! ssh) miles, when I could have easily turned for home on several occasions. I was also sure to run the last half mile to end on a somewhat good note; I don't want to feel so disheartened that I'm not wanting to go out again, because we all know that isn't going to help.

Physiologically, it's going to take time to adjust. My chest felt congested, my throat both aches and burns, and even ten minutes after getting home my breathing wasn't quite right. Tomorrow is my first scheduled speed work (I use the term loosely here), so maybe that will help clear things out a bit.

But yay for quitting! This time it will stick.

Motivation?

Mine has been lacking. I was really determined that this year I would complete Lake Sonoma. It wasn't going to be fast, or pretty, and probably not very fun all the time, but I wanted it. Apparently I didn't want it enough to get up half an hour earlier to register in time (the race sold out and had a full wait list within 37 minutes). Even though I picked out a back up race, I have had no desire to train, or run just because. I kept making excuses for myself - I feel like I'm coming down with something, I really shouldn't push that ankle, I don't have time, ...tomorrow... Well tomorrow kept happening and still no running. What's wrong with me?

I just wasn't excited about my plan B race. It wasn't what I was working so hard to do. So I've decided to scale back for a while, and work on my speed over shorter distances. It's been so easy for me to not push myself; in ultras, and even many shorter trail races, it's perfectly acceptable and often recommended to do some walking. And I realised that in the last year, unless my run is shorter than two miles, I take walking breaks. Really? I'm training for a 50 miler and can't run a 5k? Pitiful.

So that's what I'm going to do. There's a couple upcoming 5ks locally: Feb 16th in Willits and March 15th in Fort Bragg. I'm going to sign up for both to keep me pushing. That way I have to train, because otherwise I know I can blag my way through a single race and get a terrible time. But I set one of my goals this year to run a sub-27:00 5k. Eeek! For me, that's fast! So I had better train.

"It's not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters."

"The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare."

"By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail."

This morning, even though it was raining (kind of, pretty drizzly by halfway but enough to be puddle jumping), I laced up and headed out to run three miles and see where I was compared to where I want to be. Not fast, but each mile was a little faster than the last, and for an easy run the pace wasn't too shabby. With some consistent miles, some interval work, and not skipping my tempos, it might even be doable. I found the website for our 'local' running club (based about an hour away), with some semi-regular races throughout the year so I have a few tries to get it right. I would be happy with ~28:00 for these upcoming races.

Happy Running Feet

I still have a few ideas for plan-B 50s, as that is also a 2014 goal, and LS will be there next year (by lottery now though). Around March/April I will look more closely and pick something out.

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle; when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

    

No Lake Sonoma :(

Registration opened this morning at 8am. All 300 spots sold out in 37 minutes, nearly crashing the host server in the process. I was not one of them. So... I need a new goal. Suggestions?

Downhill Running/Flailing/Falling

Relaxing in the grass while people hydrate

This morning I went out with a friend and our dogs to explore a new area of trails. Neither of us are strong uphill runners (yet). We hiked most of the uphills, and ran the downs and about half of the flat, although we don't have much in the way of flat terrain. In endurance riding, a lot of riders, even non-runners, will hop off and jog down hill to give their horse a break without losing time that can be spent grazing later, and to reduce the concussive impact on the horse's front legs. While it may seem easier to negotiate a downhill, it can be very stressful on your body. Often in running you will see people taking it easy on the downs when you could be making up time while giving yourself a break. Lake Sonoma is a continually rolling course with some significant climbs. Since it's an out and back course, you have to descend everything you climb, ideally not A. over T.

So what's involved in downhill running? The biggest issue most runners face is the instinctive 'braking' mechanism we employ. All too often, runners lean back a little and use a heel-first foot strike, typically with the landing leg away from the center of gravity. This places undue stress on the knees and hips and causes micro-tears, particularly in the powerful quadriceps muscle group. This stress will overly fatigue the body, taking away the strength you need to push on the flats and battle the uphills. The quads are in eccentric contractions, whereby the muscle is forced to lengthen although it is under great pressure (think slowly lowering a weight). So how do we use downhills to our advantage without hurting ourselves?

The video below is tips from top ultra runners Karl Meltzer and Scott Mason, much more succinct, proficient and proven than I am. (Love the gloves tip - hand held water bottles also work very well)

Providing the grade and running surface allow, keeping your back upright or with a slightly forward tilt will allow for your muscles to use their full range of motion. Try to not lean back! Also, aim to have your foot strike under your center of gravity, ideally with a mid-foot strike, which will disperse the impact throughout the body more efficiently, and provide a more stable surface on a loose surface. Both on flat and downhill surfaces, many runners overstride; try to have your foot land under your waist. To prevent overstriding, we should increase our cadence (rate of footfall turnover). Shorter, quicker strides will allow you to increase your speed and stability while protecting your body. The steeper, more technical, or slippery the slope, the faster turnover should be. There are many running drills for improving cadence available from a quick online search. (Hint: Days that you are stuck on a treadmill are perfect for this, then you can enjoy your trail time practicing your improved skills). Many runners have more problems trusting themselves than implementing the changes in physical technique. (I have trouble trusting myself - I fall. A lot. We know this!) Of course, if you're an endurance rider you have to add in a horse getting in your way. Try controlling form and stride rate with a race-brained strong willed horse can hear someone coming up behind you! (This is why Bugsy gets to practice with me now!)

Not grown enough for downhill trotting yet, but getting some foundations

Trying to tell me something?

Of course, the day after Thanksgiving feasting, my scale won't turn on. I probably didn't want to know what it had to say anyway.

I'm really missing running. I'm a day behind on my 30-Day Challenge, but I've been hiking and riding more. Trying to decide if I should catch up with a double workout tomorrow, or just pick up where I left off and finish on Christmas Day not Christmas Eve. Hiking with Bugsy again on Sunday, and might have him trot along while I run a bit. Hopefully will be able to make a full loop this time :) Just got a downed tree to saw through (extra arm workout...)

30 Day Challenge!

This is going to hurt! There are all kinds of  '30 Day *insert* Challenge' out there, planking, squatting, yoga and so forth. This one is a combination of many of them :/ I will be taking a break from running while I do this (minimalising injury risk). Once I get back to running, I will see how strong I feel and whether or not the mileage will be doable for me before signing up for LS50. The plan is that it will kick start some weight loss, strengthen muscles, and also work on my mental toughness (distinctly lacking...)

Here is week one of the program:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Situps 15 20 25 0 30 35 40 Crunches 5 8 10 0 12 15 20 Leg Raises 5 8 10 0 12 15 20 Cardio 20sec 30 45 0 1m 1m5 1m15 Plank 20sec 20 30 30 40 0 45 Pushups 5 5 7 7 8 9 0 Squats 50 55 60 0 70 75 80 Lunges 20 21 22 23 0 25 26

Cardio - Jumping jacks, Mountain climbers, Skaters, Jump rope

Monday seems pretty doable, though the squats aren't going to feel too good. See how much we climb in seven days? Imagine what day 30 will look like... (I've seen it, and not thinking about it!)

Feel free to join me :)

Ouch!

After a couple of weeks off from running to initially let the chafing heal and a little extra time to rest those nagging posterior shin splints, I kicked back into gear this morning with... hill repeats. I've realised how sore my ankles have been following the repetitive rolling I've subjected them to so think there was additional benefit to resting for a while. There is a very small wilderness park less than a half mile from my house which I usually skip for running since there isn't enough trail to even make a short workout worthwhile, but it dawned on me that it would be perfect for today's effort since I really don't want to drive for such a brief amount of work. The one I thought I would use turned out to be more of a gradual slope than I remembered, so I found a combination of steep incline and uneven rustic 'stairs' just past it. Ouch! I only did five repeats and my quads were burning (definitely need to work on form, as I think I may have been pulling myself forward instead of getting the glutes firing to push myself). Right now definitely feeling the benefit of a short intense workout, and feel good for it. Just ask me again tonight...