Marathon Training Program: Week 14

(Graphic from my page at dailymile.com. The mileage in the graphic is a little higher than below, because it includes 16.6 crosstraining miles on bicycle on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.)

This was my last "step-back" week, a week of reduced mileage to recover from the previous high-mileage week, and to prepare for the next high-mileage week.  This was a relatively easy week, 34 miles total:

•  Monday: Rest
• Tuesday: 5 miles
• Wednesday: 6 miles
• Thursday: 5 miles
• Friday: Rest
• Saturday: 6 miles
• Sunday: 12 miles

This was a fairly uneventful week, although I had more weekend fatigue than normal for reduced mileage, as a result of working on home improvement projects most of the weekend after running.  I also developed a little sensitive twinge in my left foot and ankle.  A little tendonitis?  We'll see how it feels after a day's rest.

The coming week brings the last of three 50-mile weeks with 10 and 20 milers back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday.  If I survive this last big week, I've got it made!  The following three weeks are for tapering mileage to recover for the marathon race!

14 weeks down, 4 to go!

Training Tip Thursday

"Too much racing can compromise your marathon training. In the marathon training class in Chicago, we used to recommend that students race no more than three out of the 18 weekends at distances between 10-K and 25-K. Now we don't recommend any racing out of fear of injury. Races, nevertheless, can help you determine your fitness level and help select your predicted marathon pace. Here's a handy formula for predicting marathon time. Multiply your 10-K time by 4.66. (For instance, 40:00 for 10-K predicts 3:06:40 for the marathon.) First-timers, however, should take a more conservative approach and multiply 10-K time by a factor of 5. (For instance, 50:00 for 10-K predicts 4:10 for the marathon.) By choosing the more conservative formula, and starting more slowly, you're less likely to hit the wall."

From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate 2 Program, Week 14.
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-14.htm

Green Choices Wednesday

                         This..............or This?

One more simple disposable vs. reuseable choice.

Using paper plates results in consumption of resources and generation of greenhouse gases throughout the production, distribution and waste chains, and paper goes into a landfill after a single use.

The ceramic plate may be used over and over for an entire lifetime.

Is it worth the waste of resources and the impact on clean air to avoid washing a few extra plates?

Please consider the impact of all "disposable" products!

Think Green and Live Green!

Quote of the Week

"If you're starting out or trying to get to the next level, surround yourself with people who keep you motivated and energized - people who inspire you to achieve your best every day. When you do this, you can't lose."

Anthony Famiglietti, two-time Olympian in the steeplechase and two-time national 5-K champion

Marathon Training Program: Week 13

(Graphic from my page at dailymile.com.  Mileage in the graphic is a little higher than below, because it includes bicycling miles.)

Week 13 was essentially a repeat of Week 11 mileage, the peak mileage of the schedule, following a reduced mileage recovery week.  Midweek: 5 miles Tuesday, 10 miles Wednesday, and 5 miles Thursday.  After a rest day Friday, weekend mileage: 10 mile pace run Saturday, and a 20 mile long run Sunday.  Total miles: 50.

The distances of the midweek runs have become routine, but the peak weekend miles continue to be extremely challenging. The Sunday 20 miler was gruelling, run while still fatigued from Saturday's 10.

I thought the second 20 miler was supposed to be easier than the first, but it wasn't. Unlike my first 20 miler, I ran today with no walk breaks, and finished 5 1/2 minutes quicker than the 20 two weeks ago. My legs really started screaming after about 16, and the last two miles were absolutely painful. However, I felt great afterward; the pains from the stress abated as soon as I stopped running, leaving a pleasant deep burn.   I saw a lot of runners out this morning, some alone, and a lot in groups of 3 or 4. I crossed paths with a group of 3 for a couple of minutes before they turned off, and found they are also running The Gusher May 1. One of them told me she was the race director, and was helping the other two ladies train for the 5K. They asked which distance I was doing, I told them the "full." We exchanged encouragements and continued in different directions.

Next week is another welcome recovery week, total miles: 34.

13 weeks down, 5 to go!

Training Tip Thursday

"Rest: Despite my listing it at the end, rest is an important component of this or any training program. Scientists will tell you that it is during the rest period (the 24 to 72 hours between hard bouts of exercise) that the muscles actually regenerate and get stronger. Coaches also will tell you that you can't run hard unless you are well rested. And it is hard running (such as the long runs) that allows you to improve. If you're constantly fatigued, you will fail to reach your potential."

From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate Training Programs,
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00intermediate.htm

Quote of the Week

"For me, running is a lifestyle and an art. I'm more interested in the magic of it than the mechanics."

Lorraine Moller, Olympic marathon bronze-medalist

Marathon Training Program: Week 12

This week was a recovery week.  Total miles were reduced from 50 miles to 34, and the weekly long run reduced from 20 miles to 12. 

Tuesday's run was a little slow and sluggish; I still felt fatigued from Sunday's 20.  Wednesday's run felt pretty normal, and by Thursday, my legs felt the effect of fewer weekly miles.  Thursday's and Saturday's runs were both a little quicker than my typical training pace and Sunday's 12 mile run averaged 9:40 pace, my quickest ever for 12 miles.

Next week's schedule returns to 50 miles, with back-to-back 10 and 20 milers on Saturday and Sunday.

12 weeks down, 6 to go!

Training Tip Thursday

"There is no such thing as 'bad food,' only bad choices. There's even a place for burgers, fries and shakes in your diet. You just need to balance everything you eat. If you eat a well-balanced diet, that includes ample fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, you can avoid expensive supplements. Tape these words to your refrigerator: Eat a wide variety of lightly processed foods."

From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate 2 Program, Week 12.

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-12.htm

Green Choices Wednesday

                          This..............or This?

Here's another simple disposable vs. reuseable choice.

Stryrofoam, or polystyrene foam, is produced from oil.  Oil is an irreplaceable resource with limited supply.  Unnecessary products that are made from oil raise worldwide fuel prices for everyone by increasing demand for oil.  Unnecessary use of oil also enriches ruthless dictators, some of whom support terrorists.

Each year, Americans throw away 25 trillion Styrofoam cups! Polystyrene foam is not easily recyclable because few recycling sites accept it.  Because polystyrene foam's weight per volume is low, transportation costs often make recycling prohibitive.  Even if it all could be recycled, it can't be made into new Styrofoam, so recycling doesn't reduce demand for new foam.  One Styrofoam cup takes 500 years to decompose!

It is so easy just to use a glass or ceramic mug for cold beverages, coffee or tea.  Many consumers will no longer purchase beverages from establishments that serve in foam cups.  In another developing trend, many restaurant diners are bringing their own reuseable containers for leftovers instead of requesting foam containers to take home.

I don't keep foam containers in my household.  I do keep a drinking glass and ceramic mug in my office to avoid using the foam cups in my workplace's coffee area and lunchroom.

Please consider whether you really need foam products in your life.  Eliminating these products is an excellent way to make a difference for the Earth!

Think Green and Live Green!

Quote of the Week

"You will be able to run tirelessly
if you follow this simple rule:
run within your breath ,
do not run ahead of your breath."
 
Fred Rohe, The Zen of Running

Marathon Training Program: Week 11

(Graphic from my page at dailymile.com)

Week 11 was the most challenging week so far, 50 miles total. Each day's run increased by 1 mile, and the week was capped by a 10-miler Saturday followed by a 20-miler Sunday.  Sunday's run was a new PR distance; passing the 19-miler from the previous week.  This week also saw a weekly distance PR, again passing the mileage from the previous week.

Sunday's 20-miler was a tough run, unexpectedly so, since last week's 19 didn't seem that difficult. However, last week was the first increasing week after a recovery week, so I guess I was a little fresher. Today, my legs started screaming at about mile 15. At mile 15, it was as if my legs knew they had run as far as they had last week, and tried to tell me that they weren't going any farther. So the last 5 miles were all about the mental battle. That is actually a good thing. It should be good preparation for the similar battle in the last miles of the marathon.

Next week is a very welcome recovery week.  The 10-milers drop to 6, and the 20-miler drops to 12.  Total miles: 34.  After that, the following week goes back to 50 miles total with 10 and 20 mile runs again.

11 Weeks down, 7 to go!   

Training Tip Thursday

"Occasional racing may be important for marathon success. Particularly this is true for Novice runners who have raced infrequently--or not at all--before catching the Marathon Bug. One reason for racing is to test your fitness: to get an idea of how fast a pace you will be able to carry in the marathon. Another is to test all your strategies from the shoes you'll wear to grabbing fluids at water stations. Leave nothing to chance. Too much racing, however, can lead to overtraining, so don't overdo it."


From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate 2 Program, Week 11.
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-11.htm

Green Choices Wednesday

                          This..............or This?

Here's another disposable vs. reuseable choice.

Paper cups come from a "renewable resource." However, the production and the distribution chains for paper products expend irreplaceable fossil fuel and create greenhouse gases and other pollutants. They also add a lot of volume to landfills, and are slow to decompose. The point is that all disposable products turn resources into garbage after a single use, wasting fuel and generating pollution in the process!

A glass is used over and over, and can be recycled at the end of its life, making new glass products. 

I no longer use paper cups in the bathroom or elsewhere.  Instead I use a glass. Some green choices may result in an inconvenience or require a sacrifice.  This choice only requires washing the glass as needed.  Simple and easy!

This post talks about paper cups.  At this time, I won't even get started on foam!  Maybe next week!

Consider ways to eliminate "disposable" products from your life!

Think Green and live Green!

Quote of the Week

"I do my best thinking when I'm running. I don't know why that is - everything seems to flow so easily. It's almost a spiritual thing for me."

Apolo Ohno, Olympic Speed Skater

Marathon Training Program: Week 10

This was a challenging week of training, 45 miles total.  The week contained rest days Monday and Friday, 4-mile runs Tuesday and Thursday, 9-mile runs Wednesday and Saturday, and a 19-mile run Sunday.   Sunday morning's 19-mile run turned out to be a breakthrough run. 

Sunday's run was a new PR distance; my longest previous run was 18.2 miles in October, 2009 so I expected it to follow the typical pattern and be really difficult toward the end.  However, a somewhat unexpected result occurred.  I kept expecting it to get really difficult toward the end, and it never happened! Sure, the little expected aches came as the miles rolled into the teens, and the pains at the end of the run approached expected levels.  But the fatigue factor I expect beyond 15 or 16 miles just never came.  In addition, the physical effects after the run were much less than I normally expect.  I've been accustomed to feeling significant deep muscle soreness in calves, hamstrings and glutes after my long runs, soreness that lasts for a day or two.  After this run, I had minor soreness for several hours after the run, and the soreness was almost completely absent by late Sunday afternoon.

These results are a tribute to the effectiveness of a great training program.  I'm using the Intermediate 2 schedule from Hal Higdon's Training Guide.  It is such a well-designed program!  Each week, the schedule alternates short and long runs with strategically placed recovery days.  Through the first 12 weeks, weekly miles increase two consecutive weeks, then step back for one week before increasing again.  The program makes steady gains by pushing the body just short of its limits, and backing off to provide needed recovery just when it's needed.

The schedule's peak distance is scheduled in the coming week, adding 1 mile to each day's run, 5-10-5 on Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, and 10-20 on Saturday-Sunday, for a total of 50 miles.

10 weeks down, 8 to go! 

Training Tip Thursday

"Practice makes perfect. Practice not only running, but everything else related to race day. That includes equipment. Do you know what shoes you'll wear on race day? Buy a new pair now! How about shorts and singlet? Test your clothing in training to make sure nothing chafes or causes a blister. Do you expect hot or cold weather race day? Weather can be unpredictable. Will you be prepared if the temperature suddenly drops (or rises) 30 degrees on race day? Consider every scenario you might encounter."

From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate 2 Program, Week 10.
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-10.htm

Green Choices Wednesday: Great American Cleanup, March 1 - May 31

Instead of the typical Green Choices Wednesday feature, I'll advertise the 2010 Great American Cleanup. 

The "Dont Mess with Texas Trash-Off" is scheduled for April 10, 2010. 

You don't live in Texas?  This is just one part of the annual Great American Cleanup; there are similar community cleanup events  scheduled in your state in March, April and May.

The following  is a release from the Keep Texas Beautiful website:

"The 2010 Don't Mess with Texas Trash-off will be held Saturday, April 10.

The Don't Mess with Texas Trash-Off is the single largest one day cleanup event in the state and serves as Texas’ signature event for the Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program, held annually from March 1 through May 31.

In 2009, more than 72,000 volunteers picked up 8 million pounds of litter to help keep our state beautiful.

The Don't Mess with Texas Trash-Off is part of the partnership between Keep Texas Beautiful and the Texas Department of Transportation. Participants can receive trash bags, volunteer giveaways, promotional items, and more."

Last year on this day, I picked up litter in city parks.  Our participation sends a message to Texans everywhere that the smallest efforts really do make the biggest difference. Take pride in the fact that you were part of making our great state beautiful! Join in on this event and help make a difference!

Quote of the Week

"Runners are no longer content with fitness but are seeking a new awareness of the self in the total experience of running - and more often than not they are culminating that quest by running a marathon."

George Sheehan

Marathon Training Program: Week 9

Week 9 of the 18 week schedule represents the half-way point in this training program.

This week was a third step-back/recovery week, following two more weeks of increasing mileage. The biggest difference from the previous week's schedule was a reduction of Sunday's long run from 17 miles to 12 miles.  I changed the distance on several of the runs slightly from the scheduled miles, the weekly total worked out the same.  I ran two extra miles Tuesday, three less  Wednesday, and one extra Sunday.

On Sunday, I ran the marathon route for my May 1 race, The Gusher Marathon, following the 13.1 mile half marathon course.  On race day, half marathoners will run the course once and full marathoners will run it twice.  I'll probably run the course again, when a similar distance next falls on my training schedule.  On race day, it shoud be an advantage to already have a feel for the course.

The next two weeks will be challenging: a 45 mile week and a 50 mile week.  Long runs increase to 19 and 20 miles!

9 weeks down, 9 weeks to go!

Training TIp Thursday

"Stretching is important for marathoners, who risk losing flexibility because of their high-mileage training. Include some stretching in your daily running routine. The best time to stretch is not before you run. Pre-workout muscles may be tight; the risk of injury is increased. Instead, stretch during--or after--your run, when muscles are warmest. If you own a hot tub, do some stretching while you're soaking."

Note that this tip begins with a link to recommended stretches!

From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate 2 Program, Week 9.
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-9.htm

Green Choices Wednesday

                         This..............or This?


At one time, the question "paper or plastic?" was commonly asked in stores.  Currently, paper bags are used much less, and plastic bags are most commonly used.  "Paper or plastic" isn't a good question anyway; they are both poor choices, because they both generate waste after a single use, and both consume resources and energy.

The relevant choice is "plastic/paper or reuseable?"

Plastic bags are everywhere!  They create ugly trash along our roads, in our waterways, hanging in trees and bushes, and caught in fences!

Plastic bags also exist in abundance in less visible places.  Hundreds of billions are used every year.  Most of them are not recycled, so they go into landfills.  They take hundreds of years to completely decompose, and as they decompose, they release toxins into the soil and groundwater. 

Plastics pollution is an ever-growing menace to sea life and birds.  Millions of marine animals and other wildlife die from strangulation or choking after becoming entangled in bags, or ingesting them.  My thanks to Zach W.  for referring me to this link to NOAA's Marine Debris website, a good source of information on plastic and other types of marine debris.

In the photo above, the plastic bag on the left is made made from oil, a precious and dwindling resource, in a process that creates pollutants.  The distribution and disposal processes waste even more resouces and energy.  It's one more example of a disposable product that converts resources into garbage after a single use!  The bag on the right is used over and over, and is made of recycled polyolefin, so it creates another outlet for recycled materials.  Cloth bags come in many varieties and are also good choices.

Some Earth-friendly activities require some sacrifice.  Not so, in this case.  Carrying reusable bags when shopping is one of the easiest ways to make a big difference.  We keep bags in our vehicles so that we have them wherever we shop.
 
Please consider replacing disposable products with reusable ones!
 
Think Green and live Green!

Quote of the Week

"Running is the classical road to self-consciousness, self-awareness and self-reliance. Independence is the outstanding characteristic of the runner. He learns the harsh reality of his physical and mental limitations when he runs. He learns that personal commitment, sacrifice and determination are his only means to betterment. Runners only get promoted through self-conquest." 

-Noel Carroll, Irish track trailblazer

Marathon Training Program: Week 8

After a significant increase in intensity in Week 7, Week 8 represented very little change.  The midweek 4-8-4 and Saturday 8 were identical to Week 7, except that the Saturday 8-miler was at a pace of runner's choosing, instead of at marathon pace.  The only mileage difference was the Sunday long run  increasing from 16 to 17 miles. 

This week's 17-miler was not nearly as difficult as last week's 16-miler.  While miles in the mid- to upper-teens are never easy, I felt pretty strong up to 17.  Last week's run felt like a struggle for survival from 13 to 16 miles.

Week 8 total: 41.1 miles, a tie with the week of 22 November, 2009 for my highest mileage week ever.

Next week will be the third step-back/recovery week, after which mileage increases again.

8 weeks down, 10 to go!

Training TIp Thursday

"To improve your ability to concentrate, visualize your race during workouts, particularly during marathon pace runs. "Put yourself into an emotional marathon mode," says Bob Williams, a coach from Portland. Oregon. "Picture different parts of the course." One workout, practice cruising miles 8-12; the next, rehearse miles 12-14. If you're running a hometown marathon, run specific portions of the course during practice for familiarization. If it's an out-of-town course, and you've run it before, replay the memory. Running Boston: Is there a hill similar to Heartbreak Hill near where you live? "Training on terrain similar to that on which you plan to race is essential," emphasizes Williams."

This is an interesting tip.  The published course for my May 1 marathon runs the 13.1-mile half-marathon course twice.  My training schedule calls for a 12-miler week-after-next.  I may consider adding an extra mile and run the half-marathon course to get the feel of it!

From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate 2 Program, Week 8.
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-8.htm

Green Choices Wednesday - A Pledge To Reduce Botted Water Waste!

Reduce bottled water waste! 
Do a world of good!


Together, filtered water and a reuseable bottle are an ideal solution for going green at home and on the go.

I know I've ranted about bottled water in earlier blogs (see The Bottled Water Scam, September 27, 2009).  However, I recently came across this pledge campaign, so I'm on the soapbox again!  Follow this link to FilterForGood.com if you'd like to consider taking the pledge, and to find interesting information about bottled water waste .  Or just consider privately take a pledge on your own to stop supporting bottled water waste.

This campaign is sponsored by the producers of  Brita filters and Nalgene bottles, so a case may be made that the campaign may not be totally altruistic.  Obviously, these companies will make more profit if home-filtering replaces purchased bottled water.  However, these are good products, compared to the alternative, which is buying bottled water that is filtered in a filtering plant and shipped hundreds or thousands of miles, wasting fuel and resources, adding greenhouse gases, and filling up landfills.  I'd much rather support a sustainable industry with my spending than a non-sustainable one!

I'm not here to make a product endorsement.  I've used the Brita filter pitchers for years; I've also used the Pur filter that attaches to a kitchen faucet.  There are many other good filtering systems.  I use refillable stainless steel and aluminum bottles instead of Nalgene.  I don't care what you use; just please consider using SOMETHING reuseable instead of the disposable bottles!

Think Green and live Green!

Two Good Reasons to Train Smart

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  The graphic above is one of the charts from my 2009  Running Log.  The log is actually an Excel workbook into which I enter every available daily running stat-- miles, time, heart rate, temperature, humidity, which pair of shoes I wore, etc... you get the idea.  Yes, I'm a stats junkie.  The daily stats feed formulas for daily calculations of pace and mph, weekly and monthly totals and averages, and charts!

The point of posting this chart is to illustrate two reasons to train smart.  I'll call the first reason March, and the second reason December.  The distinguishing feature of each month was a forced reduction in mileage.  Both were results of poor training decisions.

March, 2009:  I had been running fairly seriously for about a year, and had become very comfortable with distances up to about 5 miles.  I was running 7 days/week, 1.5 to 2 miles on weekdays, and 5 miles on weekend days.  In late February, I felt like I'd kind of reached a plateau, and decided it was time to step things up a bit.  So, I doubled  my weekday miles. Two weeks later, after a severe flare-up of plantar fasciitis, I was unable to run at all.  I decided to walk 2 miles daily while my foot recovered, but on the first morning, I was limping before I walked 100 feet down the road.  So, I stayed off of my feet almost completely for two weeks, limping around the house and at work.  As it improved, I cautiously started running again.  Looking back at the stats later, I realized that I had disregarded the "10% Rule," increasing weekly mileage by 44% at one time!  Bad move!

December, 2009:  The week before Thanksgiving, I was proud that I had just run my first 40-mile week. I'd been following the 10% Rule, and everything was going well.  I ran a 10K "Turkey Trot" race on Thanksgiving morning.  Having taken several rest days before my race, I was low on miles for the week.  I ran hard on Thanksgiving, and ran a pretty good 10K race.  I stubbornly wanted to log another 40-mile week, so I followed the Thursday 6.2-miler with 8 miles Friday, 10 miles Saturday, and 12 miles Sunday.  By Monday morning, my right knee was hurting.  I ran short and easy, and the pain didn't go away.  This case of Runner's Knee resulted in a week of no running, followed by 7 weeks of very cautious, lower mileage running.  I'm sure my mistake was running 4 days of progressively increasing distance, the last 3 after running hard in a race.  Good training programs alternate distance and intensity, giving ample recovery between hard runs. 

Lesson learned:  small lapses from smart training principles can really be costly.  Greed for a few extra miles can result in downtime and the loss of many miles. 

Train smart!  Don't learn the hard way, like I always do!

Quote of the Week

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

Native American Proverb

Marathon Training Program: Week 7

Week 7 raised the intensity a lot, following the Week 6 step-back week.  The pattern continued with short-medium-short on Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, then medium and long back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday.  The most notable changes were the medium runs increasing to 8 miles on Wednesday and Saturday, and Sunday's long run increased to 16 miles.  Sunday's 16-miler was extremely difficult.  I've run this distance more comfortably in the past, but I'm sure the difference was having the 8 and 16 back-to-back.  In the past, when I ran this distance, I ran it following a rest day.  Hal's consecutive medium and long runs add an entirely new dimension of endurance.

These two weekend runs yielded 24 miles, almost marathon distance within a 24 hour time period.  Surviving these runs gave me greater confidence about handling the 26.2 miles on race day!  Week 7 total: 40 miles.

Next week increases again, after which I'll get a third step-back/recovery week. 

7 weeks down, 11 to go!

Training Tip Thursday

"Marathoners need to learn the value of strength. If you plan to win the marathon, running is not enough. Most top runners head to the gym two or three times a week to pump iron. That's good advice for anybody. Machines and barbells work for the elite, but you can stay in shape with push-ups and sit-ups in your own front room. Then you can flex your muscles while crossing the finish line on marathon day."

From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate 2 Program, Week 7.

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-7.htm