Run that ye may Obtain

I have never been a high-mileage chick.  In high school I ran ran a 2:10 800M and 5:05 1600M with 25-30 miles a week in training.  My ability to race well on low mileage was one of the biggest reasons why my college Cross Country Coach, Patrick Shane was excited about my potential. He knew I hadn’t been over-trained or burned out and I could run fast on, well basically talent.   Even in college he didn’t feel the need to have me doing mass mileage.  I mostly hovered around the 45-50 miles per week range, hitting 55 miles per week maybe 3 times in four years while training for my specialty, the 3,000M Steeplechase.  Now that I’m training for a little bit longer of a race (only 24 miles longer, no big deal) I’ve gradually been building up my weekly mileage and today’s run concludes my first 70 mile week ever!  I have to admit that 70 miles did make me feel a bit more tired throughout the week but luckily I was able to sneak in a few naps and get pretty good sleep at night, which helped a lot.  My left achilles is feeling better than it has in weeks and my right shin was a little tight earlier in the week but after self-massaging it every day and trying to loosen up that calf, its actually feeling quite a bit better too.  I’m very pleased with how well it has responded to self massage and daily icing.

So for today’s workout, I met Running Republic at Tom Watson Park for some intervals around Boulder Res.

20 min warm up, stretching, strides

6X45second quick stride hills (5:15-5:40 pace, started off slower and got faster as I warmed up)

2.5 minutes easy

10 minutes at controlled tempo pace (6:00 pace)

3 minutes easy

3X3 minutes at 10k effort (6:17 pace; first one was uphill and I’m starting to overheat in the sun after the 10 minute tempo, 5:36 pace back down the hill, 5:53 pace on pretty flat mild uphill on the last one)

As soon as the intervals were over we were all super hot and the reservoir was right there calling our names so we jogged on over and took a swim.  Everyone had their shoes off and was at least waist deep in the lake, most of us fully submerged which felt SOOO nice.

Then we did a 12 minute cool down which felt great with the slight breeze and wet running clothes.

When I got back to my car I drank my 24 oz water bottle within seconds.  I also stopped at a gas station on the drive home to get another 30 oz of liquid.  Nothing like a good quench after a hot run.

10 miles in 7:31 pace

Met the group at East Boulder Community park

20 minute warm up, stretching, strides

4X45 seconds in 5:25, 5:19, 5:32, 5:27 pace w/ 75 seconds recovery jog between each

4X2 minutes in 5:45, 5:58, 5:27, 5:33 pace (first two were slight uphill, second two slight downhill) w/ 90 seconds recovery jog between each

2X4 minutes in 6:16, 5:47 pace (first was slight uphill, second was slight downhill) w/ 2 min. recovery jog between each

4X60 seconds in 5:25, 5:13, 5:42, 5:11 pace (every other slight up or downhill) w/ 60 second jog in between

20 minute cool down

Colleen lead the group again today and she did the workout in full effort with us instead of taking it easy.  Dang she is fast!  I stayed somewhat close to her on the 45 second intervals but I was a good 20-40 strides behind on the longer intervals.  Simon, the tri coach who brings his tri group to workout sometimes was there too.  He is coming back from injury and this was his first interval workout in a few months.  It was fun to watch him kill himself to stay with Colleen.  I guess he was being a gentleman to run ahead and open the gates for the group but surely he pushing it so hard so as to not let a woman beat him too.  It was funny, near the end of the intervals he started walking on the recovery jogs and Colleen reminded him that he should be jogging.  He was obviously spent.

I felt pretty good.  The speed is coming back.

10 miles in 7:29 ave. pace

Met my team at Fairview High School track for some track intervals.

Warmed up 20 minutes, stretching, strides

4X (400 M w/ 1 min. jog, 800 M w/2 min jog, 400 M) 2 min jog between sets

400 M intervals were between 79-87 seconds each

800 M. intervals were between 2:51-2:59 each

20 minute cool down

Took a nap this afternoon and then took the kids hiking in Boulder around 4 p.m.  They LOVED being out in the wilderness exploring.  Afterwards we went to an Ethiopian restaurant for dinner just to try something new and different.  I was pretty impressed with the fact that all three of my kids actually tried and liked some of the food!

Did some push, pull, sit-ups when we got home.

Push: 4X25

Pull: 4X10

Sit: 4X50

9.8 miles in 7:48 pace

Met Running Republic at East Boulder Community Park.  Arrived a few minutes early so I could get some dynamic stretching in. Cold 17 degrees, but once the sun came up…so BEAUTIFUL!!

20 minute warm-up, stretching, strides

4X30 second short hills/jog down recovery

4X3 minutes steady/90 seconds easy

4X90 seconds fast/60 seconds easy

4X30 seconds short hills/jog down recovery. Surprise! We got to do one more since one of our teammates didn’t run all the way through the 4th one

Hamstring felt pretty good throughout the workout.  The finial 5X30 second short hills were the hardest because its accelerating that causes it to work.  Once I get set in my pace, hamstring just does its job.  So the 3 minute intervals were felt great because there was less stopping and starting.

10 minute cool down

10.51 miles in 7:59 pace

WAHOO!!!  After lots of rest, recovery, ART therapy, massage, ice, and patience, I was able to do a workout today!!!  I met my running group at the Fairview High School track in Boulder and we did 800 M. repeats together.  I met Richey, my ART guy a few minutes before workout started and he showed me some good warm-up drills he calls dynamic stretching.  He works with the people who formulated these drills and is a big believer in their injury prevention/healing effects.

After our drills, we did 20 minute warm-up with the group, stretching and strides.

Then 8X800 at 10k pace.  I went with a slower group than I normally go with since I am just coming back and need to take it easy for a while.

Our 800 M. repeats were 3:14, 3:15, 3:17, 3:11, 3:13, 3:04, 3:06, 3:05 with 2:30 jogging in between each

The pace felt GREAT and I was just feeling SO grateful to be out there running fast and getting my heart going again!!!

We then did a 15 minute cool down and I did some more dynamic stretching with Richey.

Watch out, Boston…I’m on my way back!

9.9 miles in 7:30 pace

Met at Potts Field to run with Running Republic team.

20 minutes warm up, stretching, strides

3X1.5 mile repeats in 5:47, 5:49, 5:59 pace (last one was more uphill and I was tired)

10 minute cool down

Nice workout, felt great!

8.73 miles in 7:46 pace

Met Running Republic at East Boulder Community park.  My favorite meeting place because it is the closest to my home, only 20 minutes.  Temp at my house was 28 degrees, but in Boulder, it was only 18 degrees.  I would have brought my warmer gloves had I thought about it a bit longer, but as it was my hands were a little cold in the thin liners.

20 minute warm-up, stretching, strides.

4X90 seconds hard with 60 seconds easy. Pace was 5:39, 5:20, 5:56, 6:02 up and down hills, over ice patches

3X4 minutes steady with 2 minutes easy.  Pace was 5:57, 5:59, 5:48 up and down hills, over ice patches.  Last one was mostly on dry sidewalk.

4X60 seconds hard with 60 seconds easy. Pace was 5:07, 5:43, 5:37, 5:28.  Mostly flat, but some more ice patches.

10 minute cool down.

Darren is going to Perth, Australia for a couple of weeks to visit Colleen’s brother for the Holidays.  He said Colleen is already there and its like 90 degrees.  *Jealous*  At least our forecast is for the mid-40s or above for the next 10 days.  Not bad!

10 miles in 7:15 pace

Ahh vacation.   Gotta love it.  No rush to be anywhere at any time, no messes to clean up, no whiney kids (although I do love having kids on vacation and I actually miss them right now), no cooking, and freedom to do whatever you want, when you want.

This morning we slept in until 8 a.m. again and went to get some complimentary breakfast.  Ate something light, and saved more in our room for later.  Then we went to the hot springs fitness center and ran on treadmills.  I did the workout my Coach gave me:

20 minute warmup, stretching, 4X25 second strides.

5 minutes at half marathon pace (I locked it in at 5:49 pace)

2 minutes easy

3 minutes at 10k pace (I did 5:36 pace)

2 minutes easy

and repeat that 5X2X3X2 interval 2 more times.

10 minute cool down

I actually really enjoyed doing this on the treadmill because I could just lock in the pace and keep it going.  It was pretty mindless.  I didn’t even wear my ipod, I just stared out the window at the snow falling on the cars driving by and people walking around.  I got pretty sweaty though doing it inside.  But no one complained.

After running Aaron and I went to the stretching area and rolled out for a good 20 minutes then went to soak in the hot springs for another 30 minutes.  Now we’re going to go snowboarding, I guess.   As you can see we’re really committed to getting our money’s worth on the ski slopes.  Actually we didn’t pay for our passes, we just got them free for paying for our hotel as part of the early season ski promotion.  I think we’ll go back to the hot springs after dinner tonight for some more soaking.  It just feels so good!