Saturday, January 8, 2011

Marathon Training - 20 Mile Run


20 Miles - 03:24:00 - 10:11 minutes/mile pace

My original plan was to run 10 miles today and 20 tomorrow. However, with 90% forecast of thunderstorms for all day tomorrow, I wanted to make sure I got my LSD run completed.  I moved the 20 miler to today, and I'll take whatever I can get tomorrow.

This run went pretty well. I planned to try to keep it a little slower, on the high side of 10:30, but I had to keep pulling myself back in the first couple of miles. I finally settled into a comfortable stride around 10:14 pace and cruised in that neighborhood through about 12 miles. I struggled a little in the low and mid teens, caught a little second wind at about 17 miles, and finished feeling good. Mile splits: 10:53, 9:59, 10:09, 10:15, 10:10, 10:13, 10:15, 10:12, 10:19, 10:15, 10:15, 10:08, 10:25, 10:23, 10:28, 10:26, 10:18, 10:06, 9:39, 9:21. More stats at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/62495323

4 comments:

Don said...

When the weather is nasty, do you ever run inside on a treadmill? If so, is it a lot different than running outside?

Whatever happened to your environmental posts? You haven't posted anything about recycling or living green in a couple of months.

Vern said...

I don't like treadmills. It's just boring to run in one place and not go anywhere. I feel the same way about my stationary bike, but I still use it some for cross training when weather is not suitable for riding outside. I'll run in temps I won't cycle in, because cycling creates more wind chill, and because the activity level of running is more intense, it generates more body heat to compensate for the cold. Most runners don't care for treadmills, but in the north where there is ice and deep snow and really extreme temps so much of the time, a lot of runners use them. Here, we hardly ever have any ice or snow. I run early morning, near the low temp for the day, and my average run temps in December and January are tolerable, in the low 40s. Coldest I've faced so far this winter is upper 20s. I have considered investing in a treadmill, but haven't so far because weather keeps me indoors so rarely. I may get one eventually, because the wife thinks she'd use one for indoor walking (she doesn't run). I don't mind running in rain, as long as it's not really cold, and there's no lightning. In the past year, I think lightning kept me inside twice and cold rain once.

A treadmill feels a little different than running on the ground. If you run road races, it's best to train mostly on roads, because that strengthens the joints and connective stuff to better handle the increased stress of hard surfaces.

I haven't kept up as well with blog posting lately, environmental or otherwise. I've already written about most of the green activities that I do, and usually have to spend more time in thought and composition for these. I have a couple of simple ones in draft, just a blank post with a title so I don't forget what I want to write about.

It's just been a matter of available time lately. In another cycle of Marathon training through March, as I increase miles, it uses up more of my free time. When I get up earlier to do longer runs, I have less time to write, and less energy also, due to a little less sleep and a little more physical fatigue.

I also only have so much time to spend online. As my group of runner friends on dailymile.com has grown, I spend more time networking there because I learn a lot from others' training. We sort of coach and encourage each other on line which really helps with motiation to outlast the rigors of long raining hours. I've also spent a little more time networking on Facebook as I've met more local runners that aren't on dailymile. That plus reading blogs that I follow adds up to a lot.

I also seem to go through cycles. Maybe I'll hit an upswing soon!

Don said...

I wondered about running on a treadmill because I see so many people on TV running on them. I have one to walk on, and it's not so boring if you set it in front of the TV and walk while you're watching something.

If you get one for your wife, I recommend one that folds up. Mine folds to an upright position that either hugs the wall or can be easily put in a closet out of sight. Another type I've seen folds flat and can be stashed under a bed. Otherwise, you end up with a huge monstrosity that takes up half the room.

Jeff said...

Wow, Running 10 mile for me is an achievement. Awesome.