Okay, fair warning: I am going to very candid here--this post may not be for the squeamish, or those easily embarassed or grossed out by talk of bodily functions.
Ah, the Digestive System. Nature's janitorial system. Without it--well, we simply would not be able to survive.
My daily eating habits are healthy--I prescribe to a predominantly vegetarian diet--the exception being the occasional bit of fish. I love fresh fruit and veggies. In fact, I sometimes think I may overdo it in this department--you can imagine the impact on my digestive tract. It's a wonder Cory can stand being around me sometimes! :-)
Now, the above mentioned "problem" is one I am willing to live with (and hopefully Cory can manage, too). That's all fine and dandy--but throw running into the mix, and it becomes an entirely different problem. A fairly uncomfortable one at that. The first 5 - 10 minutes are generally okay. But soon the rumblings begin. Next, a beautiful flatulent symphony. Then it becomes--"where's the nearest bathroom?".
I don't want to adjust my diet. Now, I realize this might be the only solution, but I feel justified in being stubborn about this subject. It took me a good amount of time to get where I am now with my eating habits. Perhaps cutting back a bit on the fruits and veggies might help some. Perhaps my system is a bit more sensitive than others. Maybe I just need to suck it up and deal with it--but as my runs begin to increase in length I begin to worry about how often I'm going to have to make a run to the bathroom. It stinks (no pun intended) when I'm half way through a run, feeling strong, and I am forced to make a stop!
Several sources I've been reading say to experiment with your diet during your training to adjust for these sorts of problems--so I will begin to do so. I've been recording my diet in detail along with my training runs, though I have avoided making any adjustments to what I'm eating, or how long I wait after I eat to run, etc. It's time to start making some changes! Hopefully you can contain your excitement as you wait to hear how things progress!
I will be posting my training schedule very soon! I just need Cory's help to get everything to link properly. I'm afraid my computer skills seem more and more limited as things become more complicated. I feel old.
Saturday I ran 4 miles on the track, and walked 1/2 mile to cool down--then 10 minutes of stretching. The run took me 38 minutes, though I'm less concerned about time now that I'm training for endurance rather than a fast time. The goal really for the marathon is simply to finish. Although I only ran for 38 minutes, it seemed much longer. I was bored--even with my headphones. The track pretty much was empty which is unusual for a Saturday. The only other people there were a grandmother with her grandson. He came up and ran along side me a couple of times when I passed them--speaking in his 3 year old "babble" to me--it sounded very important.
Sunday was my "long" run. 5 miles. Had to do it on the treadmill since I couldn't get it in during daylight hours. I don't like running alone in the dark--though Alki is a good spot to run at night--I feel like I need to get to the gym at least once a week to make my membership worthwhile. I felt great on this run--very strong, and finished feeling I could run the same distance again. I think the treadmill is good for pace consistency, but you lose out on the natural terrain.
Monday was a rest day--was home sick--felt nauseous in the morning. I actually did end up doing about a 3 mile leisurely stroll. The crisp fall air felt good.
This week is full of 4-mile runs every other day (Tues/ Thurs/ Sat), one of them being a hill workout. No soccer this wednesday (Halloween)--it's a cross training day.
Next week is a taper week. The training alternates between about 3 weeks of mileage buildup, and then 1 week of tapering to give your legs a chance to recooperate. The week will be filled with easy 3-milers. This will give me a chance to get a little weight training in, too.
Back to work I must go!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Shoes
Shout out to my homie, Joe:
After my first post, he asks: "Do you have a good pair of shoes?"
In fact, I do! 3 weeks ago I took my first trip down to Super Jock'n'Jill-- a running specialty store down across from Greenlake in Seattle. Mission: to find a good shoe with good support that will be able to maintain that support with the high mileage I need to put in.
Fantastic experience. The guy who helped me (Ky) was great--not overbearing, just very knowledgeable about all the products. I went home with Nikes. (You can see the shoe here:)
http://www.nike.com/index.jhtml#l=nikestore,grid,_pdp,cid-1/gid-123027/pid-123027,_grid,f-10002+12001+26005+17002&re=US&co=US&la=EN
The only Nike I tried on turns out to be the perfect fit. I'm amazed at how great my feet feel in this shoe--and how there is a slightly noticeable difference in how my legs feel having the better support.
If you've never been fitted for a good running shoe (or any sport shoe for that matter), I highly reccomend it! Super Jock'n'Jill will have you test out as many shoes as you need--they even send you out the door, around the corner, and up the hill--to give them a test run. Not to mention they're totally 'schooled' in watching your feet (overpronation vs. underpronation vs. neutral runners). Oh, and the best part--if I don't like the durn things--even after 3 weeks--I can return them and try something new.
While I was in the store, there was a guy in buying a new pair of shoes--he had just come back from running the Chicago Marathon. Yes--that one, where sadly, 1 person died from heat disease. It was interesting to hear him talk about the experience--he finished the run, but I didn't hear his time (not that it's important). More interesting was hearing him talk about the number of runners who seemed under prepared, or those that were determined to run hard, despite the deadly heat.
It's 10 after 5pm. I have to drop of the deposits for work, then squeeze in my 4 miles before picking Cory up from work at 6:15! Then off to a 7pm meeting.
Looking forward to my rest day tomorrow.
After my first post, he asks: "Do you have a good pair of shoes?"
In fact, I do! 3 weeks ago I took my first trip down to Super Jock'n'Jill-- a running specialty store down across from Greenlake in Seattle. Mission: to find a good shoe with good support that will be able to maintain that support with the high mileage I need to put in.
Fantastic experience. The guy who helped me (Ky) was great--not overbearing, just very knowledgeable about all the products. I went home with Nikes. (You can see the shoe here:)
http://www.nike.com/index.jhtml#l=nikestore,grid,_pdp,cid-1/gid-123027/pid-123027,_grid,f-10002+12001+26005+17002&re=US&co=US&la=EN
The only Nike I tried on turns out to be the perfect fit. I'm amazed at how great my feet feel in this shoe--and how there is a slightly noticeable difference in how my legs feel having the better support.
If you've never been fitted for a good running shoe (or any sport shoe for that matter), I highly reccomend it! Super Jock'n'Jill will have you test out as many shoes as you need--they even send you out the door, around the corner, and up the hill--to give them a test run. Not to mention they're totally 'schooled' in watching your feet (overpronation vs. underpronation vs. neutral runners). Oh, and the best part--if I don't like the durn things--even after 3 weeks--I can return them and try something new.
While I was in the store, there was a guy in buying a new pair of shoes--he had just come back from running the Chicago Marathon. Yes--that one, where sadly, 1 person died from heat disease. It was interesting to hear him talk about the experience--he finished the run, but I didn't hear his time (not that it's important). More interesting was hearing him talk about the number of runners who seemed under prepared, or those that were determined to run hard, despite the deadly heat.
It's 10 after 5pm. I have to drop of the deposits for work, then squeeze in my 4 miles before picking Cory up from work at 6:15! Then off to a 7pm meeting.
Looking forward to my rest day tomorrow.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Marathon
Running a marathon had never been a goal of mine.
Never.
If the thought ever came to mind, it was simply in some passing conversation. My body would react with disgusted shiver--pushing and shoving that thought right back out of my brain, sending it swirling up into the atmosphere where it would dwindle and disappear--repulsed by the mere suggestion.
Even as I began incorporating running into my workout routine, I don't remember even the slightest tinge of desire to put my body in motion for a whopping 26.2 miles. Until a year or so ago, the thought of running much more than a mile wasn't a concept in the realm of my cognitive thought. It was only after the need to increase the intensity of my workouts that an internal drive to go longer, further, and faster began to surface. That drive carried me from jogging slowly for 3 minutes at a time, to running several 5k events, and has kept me consistent with my workout schedule over the last year.
3 weeks ago at my friend Heidi's wedding, my friend Chelsea told me she was training for a marathon. She asked me to do it with her. Admittedly, my brain was screaming "NOOO". But at the end of the night I just blurted it out:
"I'm doing it--I want to run that marathon with you."
I'm still not sure my brain is ready to accept the possibility of taking on such a distance (Did I mention it's 26 miles 385 yards, to be exact). But, as I think more, read more and talk to people who've run the distance a time or two, I find my excitement growing exponentially. To accomplish something that less than 1% of the world's population has done (or so I read) is undoubtedly intriguing (and perhaps a bit of a narcissistic motivator). But more so, I look forward to pushing my body to new limits--to prove that I am not bound by the restrictions of my former self. I'm strong. I'm mobile. I'm free.
Looking over the training schedule last week (for the umpteenth time), I knew right in the center of my gut, I could finally say "I can do this".
Next goal: Marathon June 28, 2008 in Sun River, OR (followed by a week of camping on the Oregon Coast! ) Now begins the training. 18 weeks of mileage build-up, which starts with pretty much the workout schedule I've been doing consistently since Summer. (4 or 5 miles at a time to start, about 4 days a week) Then 18 weeks of the marathon training schedule. This is where the essential LONG RUNS begin--peaking with 23 miles about 5 weeks prior to the race. 23 miles is where my excitement turns to pure nervousness. HOWEVER--it will seem much less daunting when the time comes, since I will have many miles of preparation under my belt.
So here is where I currently sit. Waiting in anticipation to begin the training schedule. Nervous about the commitment it's going to take--scared of burnout and injury--anticipating the blisters, sore muscles, and burning lungs. But above all of the anxiety, I look forward to the hard work--the mental and physical preparation, the sense of accomplishment, and the ability to push my body to new limits.
I'll be using this blog to post my training and progress throughout the entire process! Please stop by to visit often, and thanks to all of you who continue to be a part of this story!
Never.
If the thought ever came to mind, it was simply in some passing conversation. My body would react with disgusted shiver--pushing and shoving that thought right back out of my brain, sending it swirling up into the atmosphere where it would dwindle and disappear--repulsed by the mere suggestion.
Even as I began incorporating running into my workout routine, I don't remember even the slightest tinge of desire to put my body in motion for a whopping 26.2 miles. Until a year or so ago, the thought of running much more than a mile wasn't a concept in the realm of my cognitive thought. It was only after the need to increase the intensity of my workouts that an internal drive to go longer, further, and faster began to surface. That drive carried me from jogging slowly for 3 minutes at a time, to running several 5k events, and has kept me consistent with my workout schedule over the last year.
3 weeks ago at my friend Heidi's wedding, my friend Chelsea told me she was training for a marathon. She asked me to do it with her. Admittedly, my brain was screaming "NOOO". But at the end of the night I just blurted it out:
"I'm doing it--I want to run that marathon with you."
I'm still not sure my brain is ready to accept the possibility of taking on such a distance (Did I mention it's 26 miles 385 yards, to be exact). But, as I think more, read more and talk to people who've run the distance a time or two, I find my excitement growing exponentially. To accomplish something that less than 1% of the world's population has done (or so I read) is undoubtedly intriguing (and perhaps a bit of a narcissistic motivator). But more so, I look forward to pushing my body to new limits--to prove that I am not bound by the restrictions of my former self. I'm strong. I'm mobile. I'm free.
Looking over the training schedule last week (for the umpteenth time), I knew right in the center of my gut, I could finally say "I can do this".
Next goal: Marathon June 28, 2008 in Sun River, OR (followed by a week of camping on the Oregon Coast! ) Now begins the training. 18 weeks of mileage build-up, which starts with pretty much the workout schedule I've been doing consistently since Summer. (4 or 5 miles at a time to start, about 4 days a week) Then 18 weeks of the marathon training schedule. This is where the essential LONG RUNS begin--peaking with 23 miles about 5 weeks prior to the race. 23 miles is where my excitement turns to pure nervousness. HOWEVER--it will seem much less daunting when the time comes, since I will have many miles of preparation under my belt.
So here is where I currently sit. Waiting in anticipation to begin the training schedule. Nervous about the commitment it's going to take--scared of burnout and injury--anticipating the blisters, sore muscles, and burning lungs. But above all of the anxiety, I look forward to the hard work--the mental and physical preparation, the sense of accomplishment, and the ability to push my body to new limits.
I'll be using this blog to post my training and progress throughout the entire process! Please stop by to visit often, and thanks to all of you who continue to be a part of this story!
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