4 Dog Walk & Marathon Shoe Test

Today I went for a walk for my cross-training day. Tink, Chip, Glitter & Vito. Nice breeze and lots of sun. Just a nice pace, a little fast for Glitter but she did manage to keep up pretty good. I think we all enjoyed the time together - if wagging tails are any indication.
Shoe test. Well the first time I wore my new shoes my toe got a sore on the top. I thought it was from a new sock that I bought. It finally healed. So guess what, not the sock. It is something in the way the tongue of the shoe is sewn. I think. Nice sore again one the top of my toe after a 2 mile walk. And since I was in a hurry to go walking I just put on the shoes... got home and took them off - no inserts. And when I say no inserts, not even the ones that came in the shoe. The good ones I use are in the my other shoes. No wonder they felt sloppy on the foot. Geezz.
So here are my walk stats:  Mile1 17:04 & Mile2  17:03. Glitter wanted you to note she went one second faster on her second mile. And that darn leash messed up her hair.

Run Training - Bring on the Sun

Day after the big Utah spring snow storm. Melting really quickly, it was 43 degrees when Tink and I set out for our run today. Took me a time to get out the door. First I forgot my watch. Then came back in for heart rate monitor. Then back in because I accidentally locked my Garmin and it was not set on running. So looked for and found the manual in my car and unlocked Garmin. Finally, Tink and I went out and Now it was difficult to get the satellite. I had to turn it off and then back on to get it to go. Tinkerbell was whining by then wondering why we just couldn't RUN.
I decided to make this run a speed run. So I tried to run fast, here are my stats: Mile1 10:00  Mile2 9:56 Mile3 9:45 - these add up to a personal record for 3 miles 29:41! Heart rate looked pretty good too. Then one more rest mile 12:43.
BTW at agility tonight Tink did really good, she was a lot quieter, and really listening. This happened last week too after her golden 4 mile run. Yeah Tinkerbell.  

Back to Swimming - Ice Breaker Triathlon Coming Up

Today's cross-training, which I've been skipping the past few weeks if you noticed because of excuse-ittis, was swimming. Went to Lifetime Fitness a little before 5am for my workout. Only one other person in pool area when I started swimming, and she was in the warm pool. Actually the lap pool was a nice temperature this morning. I wore my new swim shorts I bought at Power-Tri the other day, hopefully these will not become see-through like the ones I just retired.
The swim went well. Wore my Garmin for time and heart rate. The heart rate didn't record so I must have done something wrong. Back to the manual. yeah. Swam 48 laps, 1200 yards. Used my new frog shaped white board to keep track of laps. Cardboard edges got wet.... guess we'll see how long it lasts. Didn't think of that when I got it in the Target dollar section.

Lookout Ice Breaker Triathlon - this time I'm competing as an individual not a relay!

 

Great Motivational Short Running Article

On the Salt Lake Running Company site there is a good article called Beginner's Muck: Everyone Starts Somewhere by Elizabeth Jenkins. She tells about how she got started running and how it helps her. Well worth reading, here are a couple of my favorite parts:

"Every runner has a story as to why they wake up day after day, lace up their shoes, down a snot-like energy gel and hit the road. The greatest thing about running is that everyone can do it. There is no rule book as to how you have to run, what you can and can’t wear while you are running, how far you must go or how fast you must be. It really is the purest form of exercise and with dedication, hard work and a friend or two to help push you, anyone can be a runner."

"My best advice to every new runner would be to not give up. It takes a long time for our bodies to have what it takes just to run. Doing too much too soon is a recipe for unmet goals and endless discouragement.  Once you reach the point where you feel like you can call yourself a runner, magic happens and you are on your way to being one of those totally weird long distance people you used to laugh at for running in skin tight clothes, but who you secretly admired for being so bad-a." 

Run & Bike

Tinkerbell likes to perch herself on the arm of the couch to watch me write. And she talks to me while she is watching. She's not real big on computer time.


Today's workout was so much fun! The day started off a little hard for me .... woke up at 5am since I didn't get ready for training the night before. I waited too late and would rather get up early than stay up late.
In the morning I got up to prepare for running and biking. One of my projects was getting my Garmin to go into bike mode and then also to track bike strokes=calories burned. In trying to do this I messed the Garmin up and all the sudden I had a skier and not a runner. Arrrr. So instead of getting ahead.... you get the picture.
So I switch gears and get bike equipment ready. At 6:30am I discover my bike has 2 flat tires. All our pumps and the air compressor only work with older bike tires and car tires. I have not purchased the small $2 adapter that makes them compatible. Luckily Jan is out of bed by now. We try a few things, then I think of my CO2 cartridge and he inflates my tires with that.
This gives me time to finish all other preparations and then I continue reading in the Garmin manual. I'm sure everyone likes user manuals as much as I do. I finally found the crucial answer to the problem I am having but don't have enough time to fix it before I have to leave to meet the girls at the park.
Cyndie is already there when I arrive and she jumps in the car and helps me with my GPS. We get it set for running again and later figure out how to change it to bike mode.
The weather was pretty cool - we all put on jackets and headed South down the parkway into the wind for our 7 miles. After a technical Gymboss problem everything went smoothly. Lots of greeting other runners on the trail, many whom are friends of my friends. Hugs and encouragement. We (Me, Cyndie, Liz & her sister Danielle) enjoyed the wind at our back on the second half of the run. We did the run 2min / walk 1min. The last half mile Cyndie challenged us to just run - for our fastest Mile7 of the day 11:47. Mile1 12:48  Mile2 12:40  Mile3 12:31  Mile4 12:33  Mile5 12:35  Mile6 13:07. We are getting stronger!
After our run we all got ready for biking. Going north this time, wind at the back. There were quite a few people on the trail and it winds a lot so in order to be safe we rode slower. More friends and one stop to visit. We still got the ride done in an hour. Cyndie pedaled and pedaled and pedaled her mountain bike along the route - the rest of us had road bikes and pedaled and coasted and pedaled and coasted. On the way back we fought the wind, still a very nice ride.
Happy Day! Later that afternoon Cyndie went and bought a nice FELT purple road bike. 

Email Just in from Runner's World

And yes, I am worried about this headline: Oh-oh ... Tummy Trouble. This is a worry for me. Finding out my body doesn't like things I've eaten has been a pain. You can laugh. I think I am funny. Ok. No more trying to be funny. I am always interested in avoiding food mistakes.
The article The Right Stuff? from 2008 says "Five pre-race nutrition mistakes - and how to keep them from ruining your big day." And it will be a big day for me, and the concern is real. I know I can get this food thing right but how will I change-up my whole food schedule for the early early early did I mention it is EARLY for the marathon race day. The article:

The Mistake: Eating a Box of Pasta

Many runners like to top off their glycogen stores by feasting on carbs the night before a race. Flooding your system with more carbs than it can process may lead to digestive problems.

The Fix: Consume moderate quantities--not huge portions--of carbs for several days prior. Have oatmeal for breakfast, potatoes at lunch, and pasta for dinner. "Eat just to fullness, so you don't get indigestion or have trouble sleeping."

The Mistake: Drinking Gallons of H20

Not only will chugging too much water before a race leave you feeling bloated, but it will also dilute your electrolytes--minerals responsible for optimum muscle contraction.

The Fix: In the days leading up to your race, drink fluids as you normally would to stay hydrated. On the morning of the race, drink 16 ounces of water two to three hours before the start, giving your body time to process extra fluid.

The Mistake: Loading up on Fiber

Normally, runners should make sure to eat lots of calciferous vegetables, beans, and whole grains. And if you're used to such foods, all that roughage right before a race may pose no problems for you.

The Fix: If you think fiber might be an issue, "cut back on those foods three days before a major race." That includes beans and bran cereals-but not fruits and veggies, which you should eat in modest portions.

The Mistake: Skipping Breakfast

Studies show that a pre-race meal keeps your blood sugar steady and provides energy to power you through. "There's no way to get enough fuel mid-race to make up for the energy you missed at breakfast."

The Fix: Eat breakfast. This is not a problem for me. Although I am concerned with arising in the middle of the night to catch the bus. My eating schedule will be off as I mentioned above. I guess I could practice this a once. Anyone game for that? Getting up at 0 dark hundred, eating then waiting, waiting, waiting... then going for a run?

The Mistake: Trying Something New

I get this one. I use it everyday.

The Fix: Stick with what you know for a week before race day.

Eat better

In the days before a race, vary your diet with non-grain carb sources, such as fruits and starchy vegetables, to benefit from a wider range of nutrients.

Rest Week Run Cruised Neighborhood Hills

"Mom, you didn't get my leash in the picture...

I thought that was the point."

I took this picture of Tink and I before our run today. I took several trying to get us both in and show we had coordinated our outfits, her yellow & pink leash, me in yellow & pink. Didn't work out too good. Guess I will need to learn how to use the timer on my camera. Notice the sun. It is nice out, 54 degrees. The run didn't end with nice weather, cold rain and 44 degrees.
Tink and I ran the almost 4 miles, no walk breaks today. We just went around the neighborhood looking for hills to go up or down. That is easy where I live. We just ran slow and easy. Here are the stats: Mile1 12:44 Mile2 12:56 Mile3 13:33 Mile4 or .9 was 11:52 it just got too cold to stay out in a skirt and tank top. Felt frozen.

Let's kiss before we go out.

More Core - Fast Abs Article

Runner's World again. Search for "plank" and found that and the "Superman." I can always use the help of pictures for "how to do." So where is my extra time coming from to exercise MoRe, gotta work on that. The article, Fast Abs, says "forget crunches. If you want to get faster, fitter, and stronger, you need to train your core like a runner." Didn't you hate crunches when you were young? I did. These exercises are probably worse. That's the way things usually go.

"Quality core work doesn't require a lot of time or equipment-just a few key moves done correctly and consistently. This workout is designed by Greg McMillan, a running coach and exercise scientist in Flagstaff, Arizona, who has worked with many recreational runners and world-class athletes. The workout is devised to strengthen the specific muscles runners need for bounding up hills, sprinting to the finish, enduring long distances, and preventing common running injuries. Try doing two sets of these moves right before or after your run, three times a week."

Below are the exercises from the article. If you do happen to go to the article you will notice that I have left off one part of the instructions for each exercise, but if YOU want to Make It Harder go right ahead and look for that bit of info online. I think its going to be hard enough.

 Superman
What It Hits: transversus abdominis (deep abs) and erector spinae (lower back)

Start facedown on the floor, with your arms and legs extended out front. Raise your head, your left arm, and right leg about five inches off the floor. Hold for three counts, then lower. Repeat with your right arm and left leg. Do up to 10 reps on each side.
Keep It Honest: Don't raise your shoulders too much.

Bridge

What It Hits: glutes and hamstrings

Lie faceup on the floor, with your knees bent 90 degrees, your feet on the floor. Lift your hips and back off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Lower to the floor and repeat 10 to 12 times.
Keep It Honest: Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, and don't let your spine sag.

Metronome

What It Hits: obliques

Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent and raised over your hips, with your ankles parallel to the ground, your feet lifted, and your arms extended outward. Rotate your legs to the left side, bringing your knees as close to the floor as possible without touching.
Return to the center, then move your knees to the right side. Do 10 to 12 reps on each side.
Keep It Honest: Make sure not to swing your hips or use momentum; start the movement from your core and continue to move slowly from side to side.
 
Plank Lift

What It Hits: transversus abdominis and lower back

Begin facedown on the floor, propped up on your forearms, with knees and feet together. With your elbows under your shoulders, lift your torso, legs, and hips in a straight line from head to heels. Hold for 10 seconds. Raise your right leg a few inches, keeping the rest of the body still. Lower and repeat with your left leg.
Keep It Honest: Pull in your belly and don't let your hips sag.


Side Plank

What It Hits: obliques, transversus abdominis, lower back, hips, and glutes

Lie on your right side, supporting your upper body on your right forearm, with your left arm at your left side. Lift your hips and, keeping your body weight supported on the forearm and the side of the right foot, extend your left arm above your shoulder. Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
Keep It Honest: Keep your hips up; don't let them sag.

Core Strength - Get Fully Fit

Are you working on your core? That was the question Stacey had for me last time I went to Muscle Works. Well, sigh, no….my blanket excuse "I can’t do everything." Planks. I don’t like those things. They are hard because my core is weak. I guess that’s the point. And Superman. Sigh. The time I spend on these things now will prevent injury later. Running does not develop strong core strength. No BOGO here.
I just got a copy of the February 2011 Runner’s World. In one article called  Fully Fit the author talks about how running develops one thing, breathing. After her two grueling days of dynamic stretching, strength training, etc. with Olympic coach John Cook the author came out saying she was a runner without strength. A marshmallow.

Now don't jump to conclusions and get the idea I have elite athletic goals, but here is what caught my eye:

 "Developing whole-body strength gives you "pop," or speed, and the strength to summon it in the final stretch of a race, says Cook. It also helps shore up your form, which can protect you from injury."

Protect from injury and have some "pop" at the end of the race, that would be nice. At my age no injury is a secondary goal, my body is already protesting this new lifestyle and I hate to inform it there is going to be more before there is less training. The promise:

"committing just a few minutes a day to some of the following exercises can enhance your speed and shield you from injury."

Here is one exercise from the article, you can see the whole article by clicking here on  Fully Fit: 

Carioka
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift right knee to waist level at a 45-degree angle.
3. Keeping your knee high, rotate your hip so your knee is straight in front of you.
4. Step your right leg in front of your left.
5. Step to the left with your left foot.
6. Step behind your left leg with your right.
7. Step to the left with your left leg. Repeat the sequence for 20 yards, then change directions. 

Wearing the Skirt - Heart Rate Zones

A hot running day here in Utah. 53 degrees and it is time to wear the hot pink skirt. Yeah! And I choose a tech short sleeve shirt - wishing I'd worn a tank top. I got warm. I am on Marathon Week 14 and it is a rest week, I have another rest week next week too and then the following week has a long run of 14 - 16 miles. Canyonlands and beyond!
Today was for time, 30-45 minutes. I decided to do some speed work and see if I could get my heart-rate up. Now if observing me doing speed work it might not look like that at all. You probably would have to look close for the speed but you would be able to see me gasping for air. Even Tink had her tongue hanging out.

So using the run/walk I set a personal record PR for 3 miles, 32:12! So here are the mile stats: Mile1 10:42  Mile2 11:00 Mile3 10:30 and the rest Mile4 14:21.I was so excited to go look at my heart rate thinking it'd be off the charts in the fat burning zone, I wasn't.not. Click here for my heart rate graphs from this run runningfreeonline.com.

So lets do some heart rate zone research.

Heart Rate Training Zones

The Energy Efficient or Recovery Zone - 60% to 70%

Training within this zone develops basic endurance and aerobic capacity. All easy recovery running should be completed at a maximum of 70%. Another advantage to running in this zone is that while you are happily fat burning you may lose weight and you will be allowing your muscles to re-energise with glycogen, which has been expended during those faster paced workouts.

The Aerobic Zone - 70% to 80%

Training in this zone will develop your cardiovascular system. The body's ability to transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles can be developed and improved. As you become fitter and stronger from training in this zone it will be possible to run some of your long weekend runs at up to 75%, so getting the benefits of some fat burning and improved aerobic capacity.

The Anaerobic Zone - 80% to 90%

Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system. In this zone, your individual anaerobic threshold (AT) is found - sometimes referred to the point of deflection (POD). During these heart rates, the amount of fat being utilised as the main source of energy is greatly reduced and glycogen stored in the muscle is predominantly used. One of the by-products of burning this glycogen is lactic acid. There is a point at which the body can no longer remove the lactic acid from the working muscles quickly enough. This is your anaerobic threshold (AT). Through the correct training, it is possible to delay the AT by being able to increase your ability to deal with the lactic acid for a longer period of time or by pushing the AT higher.

The Red Line Zone 90% to 100% 

Training in this zone will only be possible for short periods. It effectively trains your fast twitch muscle fibres and helps to develop speed. This zone is reserved for interval running and only the very fit are able to train effectively within this zone.http://www.runningfreeonline.com/act/493128/subView/Heart

So my question is, can a 55 year old women improve her aerobic ability and run faster?