Pittsburgh Half Marathon Training: Week 3

In some ways, I still cannot wrap my brain around the fact that I am a fourth of the way through my training and the Pittsburgh Half Marathon is only two months away.  Yikes!  However, with all that in mind, I think things have been going well.

Monday: Rest Day - In having gone on a run with Mike the day before (see last week's training recap), I moved the miles planned for this day to the previous.  I instead went on a nice walk with my wife.

Tuesday: Rest Day

Wednesday: 5 Miles - The plan for this day had been 4 miles, but in thinking ahead and looking at the forecast (snowy and colder), I figured I was better off getting in the extra distance early.  The workout itself was a little odd primarily due to the weather.  I began in torrential downpours, but finished with a clear blue sky.  Oh the unpredictability of weather!

Thursday: 4 Miles - Well, the weather I knew was going to hit during this workout in fact did.  An added bonus to the cold and snow was the arrive of some intense gusts of wind.  In being anything but aerodynamic due to the number of layers I was wearing, the need for extra effort was a given.  However, the run was pretty decent - I survived and felt I had accomplished something good.  In all honesty though, I am definitely looking forward to spring!

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday: 7 Miles - This is a number I haven't seen in a while!  When I saw on my training plan that I was approaching this distance, I was getting excited.  My long-run days were beginning to distinguish themselves from my traditional base miles.  The only hesitation I had approaching this run was the fact that I would be at a conference with my students and, in previewing the schedule for the weekend, saw little time to squeeze it in.  I accepted the realization that I would have to run in the morning prior to breakfast after a night in which sleep would be a luxury.  However, things turned out way for the better!  Friday night, one of my students, who knows I'm a runner, made a joke to me about going for a run the next day.  When I responded in sincerity that I was planning to get in 7 miles, two of the students asked if they could join me.  It was one of those rare opportunities as a teacher to interact with students in more than just a classroom setting.  While the one student only made it one mile (for which I am very proud of him!), the other, who is actually a cross country runner, kept pace with me the entire time.  We found some great trails around the retreat center and had some good conversation about running and life.  I would call it an extremely successful workout!

Training has been progressing well with only the occasional ache or pain (mainly in my shins and calves).  I'm actually looking forward to longer runs while I await the arrival of milder temperatures and less layering.

Happy Running!
Sean

Pittsburgh Half Marathon Training: Week 2

The second week of training for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon got off to a rocky start, but ended on a high note.  All is well that ends well, I guess!

Monday: 4 Miles - It would seem that my legs had a case of the "Mondays" during this run.  I could not find the rhythm for my cadence and was more stomping along than actually running.  It wasn't until I was nearing the end of my workout that I realized why I felt so sluggish - all the slushy snow I was trudging through was sticking to my shoes.  It surprisingly added a decent amount of weight!  I also made a fatal mistake from the get-go in my run - I let my watch dictate my pace.  I started too hard and couldn't get myself back on track.

Tuesday: Rest Day

Wednesday: 3 Miles - Those "blah" feelings in my legs from Monday's run held on through these miles.  In between various meetings, I only had about 45 minutes to warm up, complete the run, and then cool down.  As is usually the case when I am crunched for time, I abridged the pre- and post-running activities so I could achieve my distance goal.  While I can get away with this strategy on occasion, I was definitely hurting during the workout, since I didn't account for the amount of effort needed to run through 2-3 inches of snow.  My legs were burning and the miles dragged.

Thursday: 4 Miles - For how poorly my runs had gone earlier in the week, this day made up for it.  The sun was shining, a good amount of the snow had melted away and things just clicked.  I cruised along my route enjoying the fresh air with a vitality in my legs that had been lacking previously.  It was a great day to be a runner!

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday: 5 Miles - I didn't think Thursday's run could be topped, but this day's workout did just that.  Spring decided to throw us a bone by bringing out a clear blue sky and temperatures in the 60's.  In not having to wear layers for the first time in a long time, I felt light on my feet as I trotted along.  It was just what I needed when I needed it.  If only every day could be this perfect!

Sunday: 4 Miles - While Sundays tend to be rest days, I made plans to run with my friend Mike.  To give you an idea of our friendship, he was the best man in my wedding and he will geek out with me saving my wife from having to entertain my nerdy side.  You can imagine how much fun we had during this workout!  Though slightly cooler than the day before, the sun was still shining away and great conversation and company is invaluable.

Week 2 is in the books and more great miles ahead!

Happy Running!
Sean

Pittsburgh Half Marathon Training: Week 1

The first week of training for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon in some ways represented both the joys and challenges of running.  In some ways the weather couldn't make up it's mind, but that's Pittsburgh for ya (or should I say yinz)!

Monday: 3 Miles - This day began the official training cycle for this race.  I'd like to say things felt great, but the weather (cold and rainy) put me in a funk.  My legs just didn't want to move no matter how hard I pushed and every ache and pain seemed to flair up.  To top it off, when I attempted to sync my Milestone Pod, it had never recorded any of the run.  I was just hoping that this was not a foreshadowing of how the next 12 weeks of training would be.

Tuesday: Rest day

Wednesday: 4 Miles - The best way to describe how I felt during this run compared to Monday is somewhat akin to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Though the weather had gotten colder, my body was more responsive and alive.  Even with a slight snow flurry blowing through around mile 2, I bounded along with ease.  But, like my prior run, my Milestone Pod didn't record this run either.

Thursday: 4 Miles - The trend of Wednesday's run carried over to Thursday.  The only challenge that I faced at this point was that the snow had continued overnight and into the next day leaving little room on the berm of the road to actually run.  Traversing through the few inches of powder and maintaining my balance made for a great workout.

Friday: Rest day - 30 minutes on the stationary bike during my planning period at school.  Figured I could do work just as well on that as at my desk!

Saturday: 4 Miles - Well, the weather decided to not play nice by dropping to -8 with windchill.  I had seen the possibility of this happening and just hoped that all the weather predictions were wrong.  No such luck!  I thus resorted to the treadmill letting Sherlock on Netflix distract me through the miles.

Sunday: Rest day

Overall, a good first week and only eleven more to go!

Happy running!
Sean

Let the Training Begin!

I am still in the process of wrapping my mind around the fact that it's actually the beginning of February.  The school year is flying by and the weather is taunting me with thoughts of spring.  With a month into the new year under my belt, it also signals the time for training to begin for my next big race - the Pittsburgh Half Marathon!

With this event only twelve weeks away, I'm definitely both anxious and excited to run around my hometown.  While at the Greensburg Half Marathon I had only ever driven past the starting area, this race will be one in which I have run the routes many times thus knowing the ups, downs, and curves of the road beforehand.  I wonder if this familiarity will be a benefit or hindrance; foreknowledge can be a nice resource, but the unknown can be a good motivator.

To help me keep track of my progress, I've decided to do a weekly training report.  In being someone who has tried and failed many times to journal my feelings in a notebook, I think that blogging about how each run goes will be cathartic, especially on the days when things don't go exactly as planned.  I'll also be forced to take the time to reflect on my workouts instead of just moving on to the next scheduled thing for the day - truly being in the moment.  I'm thinking only good can come from this daily activity!

Check back each Sunday as the chronicles of training unfold and we'll see where it takes us!

Happy Running!
Sean

5 Running Podcasts to Follow

For this Friday Five, I'm linking up with Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed Up for What, and Mar at Mar on the Run.  Being the fifth Friday of the month, this week is a free theme, which I'm going to "run" with (I know, bad pun!) by talking about podcasts.

I have made a discovery that I feel the need to share with all my running companions - I've found podcasts for the average runner!  That's right, audio tidbits that provide tips and soundbites for those of us who enjoy lacing up just for fun.  If you have never given podcasts a try or have been disgruntled like me with the various running ones that seem to only apply to the elites, let these suggestions be your entrance into the exciting world of auditory entertainment.

1.  "Diz Runs With...."

I can tell I have found something I love when it begins to consume any free-time I might have.  Thus, when I realized I had spent every moment of commuting time listening to the "Diz Runs With..." podcasts, I knew something great was uncovered.  The podcast covers a variety of topics from interviews with people in the running community to tips and tricks to improve one's running.  Denny is always releasing new content, so any time is a great time to jump in.

2.  "The DC Rainmaker Podcast"
If you haven't figured it out already, I'm a little (though according to my wife a lot!) geeky, so anything dealing with tech catches my fancy.  Because of this, I really get into the "DC Rainmaker Podcast."  Ray has become a household name for runners due to his in-depth (and fairly impressive) reviews of all things sports tech.  In a way to complement this work, he also runs a podcast geared toward updating the running/cycling/swimming community with the latest releases as well as answering submitted questions from his listeners.  Even though I know I'll never buy 99.9% of the tech he mentions, it's still pretty cool to hear what's going on.

3.  "The Average Runner Podcast"
A podcast title that doesn't mince words in what it's all about is always nice and is something the hosts of "The Average Runner Podcast" must have considered when developing their show.  This podcast, hosted by Sean, Jason and Stephen, gives the listener the inside scoop as to the experience of being an "average runner."  To hear the varying stories of these three guys, you will most likely find one of them to relate to and learn from.

4.  "Run Buzz"
While the podcasts above approach running from some unique angles, "Run Buzz" may be in line with the more traditional approach to running advice and guidance.  However, the podcast sets itself apart by choosing topics that you don't need a degree in rocket science (or sports physiology, to be more precise) to understand.  This may be a podcast to look up for those times when you want some solid advice and have the time to listen.

5.  "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me"
Okay, I know this podcast isn't directly running related, but from what I can tell, a significant number of runners love it.  In a way though, it does deal with running since the more we are enjoying our runs the better we tend to do.  And, if you're laughing hysterically while running, as you will with every episode, your endorphin count has to be skyrocketing.  This NPR quiz show can help your mind wander away long enough to forget you're only a mile into a 14 mile long run!


So, what are you favorite podcasts on running or listen to while running?

Happy running!
Sean

Frigid Five Miler

Winter running can sometimes feel like a drag since most of us have our eyes set on spring and summer goals and races.  As a result, when a race in these cool months presents itself, it can add a splash of flavor to the monotony of snowy and chilly miles.  I think this idea was the motivation for the development of the Frigid Five Miler hosted by Elite Runners Racing Management.  Knowing that runners are always looking for new challenges and ways to work out differently in the winter season, this annual run feeds that craving for adventure and the thrill of racing.  

I first decided to sign up for this race when I was planning out my 12 in 12 racing calendar (check out my 2016 goals post for more info).  I will admit, I didn't necessarily read the fine print about the specifics of the race; all I knew was that I had found an event to do in January when races tend to be few.  Therefore, I missed the whole "a very challenging course has been chosen for the race" line in the description of the event.  And to think, I am always telling my students to read the details!

As you may already know from my last few posts, I have been having an on-again off-again battle with shin splints.  These little buggers have thrown a wrench into some pretty awesome plans I had for preparing for some winter running and taking advantage of my Christmas break to run some extra miles.  Instead, I stopped running completely between Christmas and New Years to order to focus on recovery by constantly icing and strength training my shin muscles.  Definitely not as fun as running!

After taking the week off, I eased back into things since most of the information I found kept emphasizing caution when returning to the exercise.  I was attentive to keeping on soft surfaces as well as slowing the pace way down.  The one other approach that I tried for the first time was spreading my mileage over several days instead of alternating between running and rest days.  Interestingly enough, this consistency of doing a few easy miles each day seemed to work!  Now it was time for the race....

To be honest, I was pretty unprepared leading up to the Frigid Five Miler, since the last time I had run that distance had been roughly two months ago.  In addition, I had only logged roughly 11 miles the week prior moving at an extremely slow pace.  My thoughts leading up this race were legitimately, "Oh well, guess we'll see what happens!"  I figured that if nothing else, I could bear the pain for the 5 miles and then spend the next couple weeks recovering if something when wrong (I know, bad approach!).

As the race loomed, I got the usual email with information about the event.  In it, they gave details about parking, arrival time, and the course map.  I then took note to the fact that the run wouldn't be like most of the 5Ks I had done recently - the last 2/3 mile of the race were uphill! I just laughed to myself and accepted my fate.  I planned to rely on a good warm-up and the fact that my shins weren't feeling horribly terrible in the days leading up.

So, as I had alluded to earlier, part of the challenge of this race is that it takes places in the chilly month of January.  However, the weather had been slightly confused and on race morning, the temps were in the upper 40's and the rain that had poured throughout the night stopped.  Ironically enough, the weather was ideal for a great run.  I got dressed for these temperate conditions and made my way to North Park, which I have run various parts before due to having some really nice trails.

When I arrived at the race, I parked a little ways away since we had been told ahead of time that spaces would be very limited near the starting line.  Thus, my warm-up began with roughly a mile walk...up the hill that the race finished on.  In some ways, the hill never seemed to end thus taking away a little bit of hope for someone to PR.  When I finally reached the top, I continued preparing by jogging a mile and performing some dynamic stretches.  As I had learned months before, letting my muscles cool was the worse that I could do prior to the race starting.  I then moved into the starting corral lining myself up with the 9:30 pacer, since I didn't have the slightest clue what my speed would actually be.  A few minutes later the "Go!" was given and we were off.

As I started the race, with each step I took, I reminded myself to keep good form and run on any grass that lined the course if possible.  I didn't look at my watch, but I was always pretty sure as to my pace, since the one pacer was doing his best to loudly motivate anyone who was planning on following him.  Since the course was one big loop, the only way for it to end in an uphill was for the start of the race to be all downhill...and it was.  As I found myself attempting to not pound the pavement, especially when some of the grades of the hill got pretty steep, I actually thought to myself, "When will this downhill end?!"  As one of the few runners in history, I didn't want to keep going downhill, even though I knew time-wise it would be great.  I thus found relief when we reached the flat segment between the downhill and the uphill.

I knew with each step I took that I would eventually encounter that miniature mountain I had walked earlier.  And yet, I wasn't necessarily dreading it.  When I reached the base of the climb, I recalled what good form I needed and just kept putting one foot in front of the other.  I refused to give into walking, even when a cramp in my side was making it hard to breath.  I knew that if my legs would keep going, I could overcome any mental barriers and reach the top.  Thus, I pushed onward until I crested the hill and crossed the finish line a few hundred feet after that.  I survived and, in taking a mental check of my aches and pain, found that I was feeling okay.

And okay I seem to have done at the race as well.  When I went to check the live results, I found that I had actually placed in my age group - first time ever!  This positive news persuaded me to stay until the awards ceremony as well as take part in the pancakes and hot chocolate that were bring served.  

In looking back at the race, I am really glad I did it.  I ran smart and my body thanked me for it by keeping any pain at bay.  I was definitely sore for the past two days, but it was a good soreness.  When I went running today, I found myself enjoying it pain-free, which feels just awesome.  Now, I just need to figure out what race to run next month....

Happy running!

Sean

P.S. You can find the full review of the race at Bibrave.com.

2016: 5 Running Goals to Meet

For this Friday Five, I'm linking up with Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed Up for What, and Mar at Mar on the Run.  Being the first Friday of the month, fitness is the theme for this week.

With the new year beginning today, now is always a good time as any to work on setting some running goals for 2016.  While the unwritten goal of last year was just to get on the roads and trails again, this time around I am making some more concrete plans for what I want to accomplish.  So here are the five things that will make 2016 a great year for running.

1.  12 in 12 - The plan has been put into motion to run a race a month throughout the next year.  Some of these events will be for time while others are going to be just for fun.  Either way, taking part in them will be a blast (check out my 2016 race list)!

2.  Strength Training - While I would rather just spend more time running, I've come to accept that I need to spend time building muscle and flexibility in other ways.  I have started the habit of planking each night before bed, but would also like to take some time a few days a week to use exercises like squats and lunges to work my legs and core.  Time to make myself not look so scrawny!

3.  First Marathon - A year from now, I would like to have completed my first marathon.  Due to how my schedule tends to look from teaching, the summer is a perfect time to train and be ready for a fall race.  I am still in the process of deciding which one to do, since there are a number in the area.

4.  Increase Days of Running - For years, I was able to run five or six days a week without overly major injury issues or exhaustion.  However, this has not been the case lately.  I would like to get back to that trend instead of only three or four days.  Even easy runs make me feel productive and accomplished.

5.  Become a Running Group Regular - So far my attendance at group runs has been minimal.  With the new year, I want to participate in my local running club's meet-ups, especially on weekends when I have the time and little excuse to not do so.  The running community has begun to grow in the area, and I really want to be a part of it!

So what are your 2016 running goals?

Happy running and happy New Year!
Sean