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So today was my first workout that included speedwork. The entirety of the run was four miles and it included five x one minute pickups. I did a slow first mile to warm up and then got right in to my first one minute pickup. Suprisingly I felt really strong the entire minute. I felt like I had a nice hard jog and I checked my pace during the first pickup which came in at a 5:20 per mile clip. Follwing the first pickup I used a two minute recovery period. During the second pickup I felt just as strong although I started to fade during the last 10 seconds. I definitely felt some lactic acid building up too. Still I felt good, but this time I used a three minute recovery.
The last three pickups were much harder and although I tried to keep the same pace as the first two pickups I know I wasn't going as fast. Each pickup definitely got harder to do which is good. I know I put the same amount of effort into each one. I finished the 4.04 miles with a time of 29:01 which averaged out to 7:10 per mile pace. I'm not sure how the total time during a speed workout is supposed to measure up to a regular workout, but this time is in line with a regular workout. Can anyone shed some light on that?
The craziest thing about this workout is that my shin splints didn't bother me at all. When I finished I didn't even feel as if I had to ice. I iced the right shin anyway, but this is the best it's felt after a workout yet. Hopefully these shin splints are on their way out. Tomorrow is an off day and then Sunday will be the longest run for me yet: a 7 miler. Till next time, keep running and git er done.
Training is still going well. Yesterday consisted of a 2 mile run which was way harder than it should have been because of a bout with insomnia the previous night. I was awake until 5 A.M. and slept for two hours until 7 A.M. I then did my 2 mile run which before I had to do it seemed like it was going to be a piece of cake. The cake is a liar.
A good night's sleep last night was much needed and I did my 4 miles this morning. My right shin is still bothering me although not nearly as badly as it was a week ago. I still have to ice after runs which is becoming a bit annoying. I'm pretty sure I could get rid of the shin splints with a week or two of rest, but I can't get myself to do that. At this point, not running makes me feel lazy.
Tomorrow is another 2 miler and then Friday is a 4 miler with some speed work mixed in. This is my first workout with speed work so it will be interesting to see how it goes. I will check back in on Friday with updates of that workout. Until then keep running and git er done.
This morning I set out on my longest run since I've started running about three months ago. I'm not gloating and am certainly not trying to impress anyone, but I certainly do feel like I accomplished something this morning and wanted to share this experience with my more expert running mates.
As a preface to my 6.5 mile run let me take a moment to describe my Saturday. It was an outdoor BBQ that was comprised of multiple kegs and lots of horrible (delicious) food. I ate, drank, and swam my way through Saturday until about 10 P.M. Needless to say, not a good way to prepare for the longest run I was going to attempt 10 hours later.
When I woke up this morning I was certainly dehydrated and not feeling on top of my game. I forced myself through some stretches and a small warmup, had an apple, some water and started my jog. I always tend to start out too fast so I definitely kept reminding myself to pace slow because I wanted to finish without stopping. It was overcast but extremely humid so I know this was going to be tough.
I trudged through the first three miles of my jog. My legs were tired and tight and my energy was low. There were numerous times during the first three miles that I told myself I may not make it without having to stop. Then something great happened. My second wind kicked in and suddenly my legs were loose, I had some energy in my strides and was feeling positive about my chances of finishing this run. It was crazy. My body just took over despite my negativity. It was almost as if my head had detached itself from my body and was floating above this robot that was programmed to run 6.5 miles. I felt great and was even able to push myself at the end of the run. When I was done I was soaked with sweat like I had jumped into a swimming pool. I felt like I had accomplished something great even though it was only a 6.5 mile jog. My goal was 8 minute miles and I finished with 7:43 miles.
As I was thinking about what I had done I realized the joy of running. The party I had been to on Saturday is a yearly event that my wife and I attend. Last year's party was a blast and because of that, certain expectations are assumed for the following year's party. It's weird how this year's party didn't measure up to last year's. That seems to happen sometimes. Whether it's because certain people didn't show up or the weather wasn't right or maybe I just didn't get drunk enough. In any event, I noticed that finishing a run that you set out to do always leaves you feeling the same way. It's a yearly party that continues to meet or beat expectations. That is definitely why I run.
So today was my first run using the Superfeet insoles. I am very impressed. My shin splints felt much better and barely hurt at all. Next up, the 6 miler on Sunday.
Since today was a day off for me from running, I decided to head on over to the Maine Running Company to get my feet evaluated. The reason I wanted to do this was to make sure I am running in the perfect shoe for me. This would eliminate one of the factors that could be causing my shin splints.
After running on a treadmill in the pair that I am currently using, the clerk determined I was in the correct shoe. This was a relief for me as it is one less thing to worry about. He also said that a little more support may help and had me try running with some aftermarket insoles. The insoles felt great and they come with the added bonus of working in any of my shoes. This will be especially useful for me during softball games as my shin splints tend to flare up when I'm wearing my cleats.
With new insoles in shoe, I am very much looking forward to tomorrow's 4 mile run. I have also been icing more frequently and using ibuprofen more regularly (but not before I run) to hopefully get rid of the shin splints once and for all.
This morning I ran 4 miles at about a 7:00 min/mile pace. I felt good from the outset and didn't feel like I was working too hard or not pushing myself enough. It was a good run.
I had very minor shin splints starting about a month ago, but I jumped on top of those by icing and heating when appropriate. The good news is that the shin splints in my left leg are almost completely gone. I cannot say the same thing for my right leg. I almost think it may be getting worse or just not improving. I should probably rest it for at least a week, but it would kill me to miss that much time from running. On the other hand if I don't rest a week now, will I miss more significant time down the road if my shin splints get worse? The good 'ole catch 22 most runners deal with when deciding to run through an injury or take time off.
If any of you have any suggestions besides rest for shin splints, I'm all ears. Git er done.
This is my first blog post so it will be lame. I'm going to use this to chronicle my running and share with my other running brethren.
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