#MCM2013: Training Week 3

[AKA: The Week I finished traveling cross country and moved into a new apartment and failed at running]

Lessons I learned this week:

(1) Do not underestimate the effect driving cross country will have on your body.  O.M.G. it destroyed my legs, body, everything.  I was tired and my muscles were tight everywhere.
(2) Do not underestimate the effect moving into a new apartment will have on your body.  O.M.G. it destroyed my legs, body, everything.  I was tired and my muscles were tight everywhere.
(3) Do not underestimate the effect moving to a city where you walk everywhere will have on your body.  O.M.G. it destroyed my legs, body, everything.  I was tired and my muscles were tight everywhere.

[Sensing a trend yet?!]

Basically Week #3 [and spoiler alert for next week: so is Week #4] is the week of adapting due to the stresses introduced on my body.  It was hard for me to adapt, but I did the best I could given the circumstances, you know driving cross country, moving into an apartment, and having to attend law school orientation, and learn a new city.

Week #3

The Plan:

Monday: 4 easy
Tuesday: Active Rest! (My day in Chicago with friends)
Wednesday: 5-6 easy
Thursday: 6 Track + arms/abs + 1200m swim
Friday: 60 spin + 60 aquajog
Saturday: 7 easy
Sunday: 12 LSD + arms/abs — making up for the missed LSD and readjusting my schedule

What Happened: (In pink is what was planned that actually happened)

Monday: 6.5 Run (47:20)
I broke up my longest leg of my road trip (1050 miles which took me 18+ hours to cover) by running every few miles.  I did speedy miles (all under 8 min pace), and ran 4 times throughout the day.  Woke me up and kept me going for sure.

Tuesday: Active Rest
I spent the day in Chicago with my girlfriend, and we did active rest day by walking around and shopping ($10 shoe find!!!) and enjoying one of my favorite cities in the world.

Fun day in Chicago!

My amazing $10 [leather!] shoes!

Wednesday: 4 Run (4.21 in 31:29)After sitting in a car and driving from Chicago to Virginia for twelve hours, and after moving in all the boxes in my car, I needed to run.  It was hot, humid and speedy run.  I had frustration and energy to burn.  Not on schedule, but needed to happen.

Move + run aftermath

Thursday: [Failed] Track with DC Luna Chix (6.15 in 48:21)
I headed to the track after just a few hours of sleep to meet up with the DC Luna Chix team for their am track workout.  My plan was 4-5×800 at 3:10-3:15 pace with 400 recovery.  I did 3, and after the the 3rd 800 was a 3:36, I knew my body was too tired, overworked, overstressed, etc from the moving, run, transition cross country that I just slowed down and took it easy with a couple ladies for a few more laps.

Friday: Active Rest!  (moving day)
Needed this day after Thursday.

Saturday: Active Rest!  (moving day)
My body was still hurting from the move and drive, so I took an extra day of rest — there was also a full day of orientation today to overwhelm me.

New apartment!!

Sunday: 11.84 miles (1:41:03) (+ 10+ miles of walking + 25 cycle)Actually did a timed run, that ended up being about 12 miles.  (50ish minutes out and 50ish minutes back.)  Felt pretty good and had steady pacing (8:14-8:47), with the higher values coming with the ridiculous hills in Arlington.  Seriously, ridiculous.  And then, then the mishap happened where I was stuck 4 miles from home and the metro was delayed for more than an hour going to my place and I was supposed to pick up my mother from the airport.  Fast forward to the end of the day, and this happened…

Holy walking.

Yeah…I accidentally covered another 10ish miles and rode a heavy bike share bike (and carried up to an overpass) for 25 minutes.

Running Total: ~28.5 run + a million miles walked in the city
Workout Time Total: ~3:50 (run only)

This week for me was hard (as you can tell by the really late posting) as the moving and starting of law school orientation really messed with my body.  I had to adjust a lot, and had zero cross training, which I (and my body) have been missing dearly. Regardless, here is the plan for Week #4 (note…some of this has already been changed/botched, but nonetheless, this was the plan).

Week #4

The Plan:

Monday: Active Rest (Spin, Aquajog, Swim)
Tuesday: Tempo Run (6)
Wednesday: 5-6 easy + Aquajog
Thursday: 6 Track + 1200m swim
Friday: 60 spin + 60 aquajog + arms/abs
Saturday: 1 w/u, 7 MGP
Sunday: 14 LSD

How do you deal with messed up weeks in training and getting back on track?  How do you alter training plans to adjust for the unplanned (or not thought about) millions of extra miles walked due to a new commute on foot?

SJ Giant Race

Last week, after some convincing by my good friend Leslie, Meg, Hillary and I found ourselves signed up for the SJ Giant Race on Saturday, June 1.  Yes, my first race in over two months (the last one was when I PRed at the 5k before giving in to my injury.)  With all of two days to mentally and physically prepare myself, my goal was to run hard, to see where my fitness was at.

source

Race morning came and we met at 6am, and headed over the hill to San Jose.  We arrived and parked with only about 25 minutes to spare, and by the time we hit the bathroom, Leslie and I only had about 5 minutes to warmup for our 5k before we had to make our way to the front of the pack.  Hillary and Meg were running the five mile race as a progression run, so I did not get to run with them.

I started off really strong in the race.

Mile 1: 6:40

I felt good, and heading into the second mile I was still running strong.  But then, then it hit me.  The stomach of death.  And I started feeling crappy, and slowing down.

Mile 2: 7:01

By the time I was running the third mile, my body was dragging, my stomach was winning, and then we hit some grassy portions and cobblestones that made me watch my step as I was running.

Mile 3: 7:24

Then I saw the mile 3 sign and I started picking up pace — just .1 to go!  Oh wait, it was really like .2 to go.  Though I did love how we finished by running into the outfield of the SJ Giants stadium.

Time: 21:30

Hillary, Meg, Me, Leslie post-race

Though it wasn’t my best race, it was a fun one for sure.  I loved spending the morning at a race with my favorite SFM ambassador Meg, and two of my favorite SCE ladies, Hillary and Leslie (who won the 5k with a time of 19:40!!).  And officially meeting another fabulous Santa Cruz runner, Trinity, who took second in the 5k!

Meg, Leslie, Trinity, Me, Hillary post-race

Once the results were posted, I was surprised to find out that my 21:30 got me 5th woman OA and 1st in my AG!  Nice surprise for a not-feeling-so-well race.  Yay!

Fellow SFM Ambassador Meg & I post-race

I don’t want to downplay this, I know that I have become much faster and a better runner over the past year. I mean a year ago I was excited to run a 22:50 5k.  And now a 21:30 is ‘not-so-good’ race.  I know that I have come a long way, and am so proud and happy of my accomplishments.  But, I’m working hard for — and am really trying — to become stronger and faster.  I’m not disappointed in my performance, I’d just like to (for once) not have a stomach problems and perform to the best of my ability.  One thing is for certain: I need to figure out what the heck is up with my stomach these days.  I even took 2 immodium at 5:30am, and the only thing that did was make me constipated for the next two days.  TMI, you’re welcome.

What’s up next?  The Fabulous 5k at the SF Marathon on June 16, 2013.  And then, I’m headed south to Peru for a month, where I’m trying to find a road race, but will otherwise be focused on crosstraining sightseeing and getting in short runs when I can.

Will you be there SFM weekend?  If so, come look for me and all the other ambassadors at the Expo Friday & Saturday — and on the course, race day!

A Different Kind of Race Weekend

This past weekend, I once again had the opportunity to be a part of the race committee of Surfer’s Path Marathon & Capitola Half Marathon & Relay.  It was its second year, and I was on the race committee last year, however this year was different — I couldn’t run so I took on a slightly different role.  Mainly, I was the registration/fix you entry/lost your bib/etc go-to woman.  I also orchestrated the registration/bib pick up volunteers alongside my good friend, and fellow SFM Ambassador Alisyn.

The start of Surfer’s Path Marathon & Capitola Half Marathon & Relay

Being on the committee side of a race is a completely different view of the world, and while I really wished I had been able to run this morning (I actually contemplated it for about five seconds before realizing running 13.1 miles after having run no more than 2 miles at a time in over 3 weeks, would be a HORRIBLE idea.  (<–I should get extra points for that, that are stored as minutes taken off my half PR the next time I race.  Just sayin’.)).

Having finished the race weekend, a second year on the committee, but this year a lot more involved hands on race weekend of the events and coordination, I have realized just how much goes in to making a race — especially a long distance race — happen.  There are so many logistics, so many volunteers needed, so much sponsorship and of course finding ways to show the runners you care about them and are proud of them without it being noticed how much work is actually going into it.  But let me tell you, it takes a lot of people and a lot of time and effort.  And I was amazed by how many people were out there and excited to make this a great experience for runners of all abilities.

Volunteers Working at 6am Raceday (Photo cred: Paulette)

So next time you run a race, thank at least one volunteer.  Without that person the race might not have happened or you might not have gotten ___fill in the blank___.

Me, Paulette & Alisyn after Saturday’s Exp (Photo cred: Alisyn)

At the end of the day though, well weekend, I have to say that being on the volunteer/committee side of the race is just as rewarding and tiring as running the race itself.  And although I love the racing side (and hope to be back soon), I enjoyed hanging out all weekend with Alisyn and Paulette (another SFM Ambassador), and Alisyn’s beau Matt, watching my team (including Meg) dominate the relay, seeing Laurel crush the half marathon, spectating Skinny Runner win the full marathon for the women, her friend R get a huge PR in the half marathon, and seeing all the smiling faces of all the runners finishing their first race or their fiftieth race.

Hillary, Laura, Meg & I post-race

I helped bring those smiles and accomplishments to life, and for that I am forever thankful.  (Full disclosure: I still hope to be on the runners side again next year.)