luluorange’s Training Blog

My lingering chest and sinus congestion did not get better when I woke up on Monday after I lounged around all day Sunday. The fever has gone away and I am coughing up yellow stuff (sorry, gross…)

I went to see the doctor and she told me I have bronchial infection and gave me the “super pack” anti-biotic course to take. I took the meds and went back to work, another 12 hour day, deadline doesn’t wait. Most of my co-workers had to go home before sun-down for the Jewish new year and will be home for Tuesday and Wednesday. No problem, let the sicky take care of business and deal with clients and deadline. Somebody has to do it…

I had headaches for 3 days, scratchy throat, I know I am getting sick but I was desperately fighting it. Taking Tylenol for cold at night so I can sleep better, downing vitamin C by day. The symptoms never got much worse than headache and a little congestion.

This morning is my 22 mile run with the Leggers, I got up and 5:15am and knew I was not going to have a good day. My chest feels like someone is sitting on it, when I cough, I whole body ached. Stubborn as I was, I took two Tylenol and went out there…

First 10 miles went without a hitch, I kept my feet low to the ground (imagining myself sliding), relax my body and keep my breathing even. Although the heaviness of my chest was constantly reminding me of its presence. Mile 11 on, it was uphill, I had a hard time breathing, between 12 and 13, I had to ask my running partner to leave me behind because I don’t want to slow him down. I took extra walk breaks but kept going, part of me want to give up “what are you doing, you are sick, and you are out here trying to run 22 miles…go home and lie down” Part of me says, “ as long as I am not hurting and I can breath, I am going to stick it out.”

The reality is, I still have to go to work after, hence, no sleep anyways even if I turn around and cut my run short, so I might as well finish what I started. Amazlying enough, between the back and forth negotiating with myself, next thing I know, mile 17 came around and I didn’t even realize it.

I actually picked up the pace and for the first time of the run, I felt good, that lasted about another 3 miles. The last two was painful, but I say to myself, “you came this far, and you came to do 22, it’s almost over”. At the last water station, the volunteers spray my hamstrings with cooling sports gel because my muscle was cramping up. They patched me up and sent me on my way, and I finish the last mile. Wow, just think, add another 4 miles, it would be a marathon, I am getting close…. ☺

I went home and took an ice bath, OMG!!! That was harder then the run. Once I got over the initial shock and freeze, it actually feels good. I took an ice pack and went to work. ☹

Tomorrow, I am staying in bed, ALL DAY. ☺

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/27/2008
• Total Time: 3:47:00.00
• Distance: 22 miles
• Average Pace: 10:19.62/mile

Didn’t want to make a whole lot of effort to push it this week, just want to take it easy and rest my legs for Saturday’s 22-mile long run. This is the last run I’ll do before Saturday morning. I tried to do different activities this week, spin, weights, stretching, and a little running. My legs feels fresh, the run feels easy even with 3 mile of hills out of the 5. I am thinking good thoughts for Saturday.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/24/2008
• Time: 18:00:00
• Total Time: 00:49:00.00
• Distance: 5 miles
• Average Pace: 9:48.24/mile

Great hill run this morning in Temescal Canyon, 4 mile rolling hill follow by one mile downhill, that was AWESOME!!!

After the one mile decend, we hit the bike path by Dog Wiler Beach, flat all the way back to our starting point in Santa Monica.

I am psyching myself up for next week’s 22 mile long run, it’s gonna be great!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/20/2008
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 1:39:00.00
• Distance: 10 miles
• Average Pace: 9:54.06/mile

I’ve been taking my “recovery weeks” a bit too far, the mileage is down pretty drastically. Playing around with different shoe insoles and socks takes its toll with my feet and legs. Different areas hurt like they never did before. Very strange… I put on my trust old running shoes with its original insole, and my thin lining running socks. huhhhh!!! feels like home.

This weekend, one more 10 recovery run, before we hit the “22 miles mark” the following week. Can’t wait to get back on track, recovery makes me feel lazy and unmotivated. I don’t like it.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/18/2008
• Time: 14:02:49
• Total Time: 00:39:00.00
• Distance: 4 miles
• Average Pace: 9:45.37/mile

I haven’t run since Saturay, I did a little AB work in the morning before going to work. After a long day at work, a run was exactly what I needed.

When people tell you every little thing matters when you run, they are right. I got new socks last weekend, slightly thicker running socks, not the thin lining socks I normally wears. Well, I got one blister on each foot, right on the arch. I felt it at about mile 4 and felt it on every step since till I completed the run and was able to pop the blisters and treat it. Guess that’s the end of the new sock trial.

Tomorrow - spinning.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/16/2008
• Total Time: 1:20:00.00
• Distance: 8 miles
• Average Pace: 10:00/mile

I am glad our pacer is back in our group, finally, a group run without having to check time and pace like I did the past two weekends. I just follow the steps of the runners in front of me and let my mind wonder and my body relax.

After the run, I hung around a talked to a few people about their marathon experience. I asked the magic question, what is the distrance of the longest run we should run to train for a marathon? Should we actually run past 26 miles in training to know that we can do it or should be stop a few miles short.
People have all different opinions, but the seasoned marathoner in our group all said they never run pass 22 miles and they taper 2 weeks before.

As I run more and more, and playing around with the distance and recovery, I have new found respect to the will to hold back and allow rest days to conserve my legs instead of running like a fool like I alawys do. That is still the hardest thing to do for me, to ignore pain and soreness and head out for a run is instinct for me, to do otherwise, actually takes exercising some thoughts and constraint.

Good run today, my legs are sore still, my Thursday hill run didn’t help… But I will rest and take it easy this week.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/13/2008
• Time: 23:17:34
• Total Time: 1:38:00.00
• Distance: 10 miles
• Average Pace: 9:48.24/mile

I went for a run, trying to shake off the unpleasant people and unpleasant issues that blew up in my face. I was sore, I don’t think I have completely recovered from my 20 miles on Saturday, because I don’t usually get sore after a 8 mile run. I needed to run for my mind more than my body. I went back to work after the run for another hour and it was actually most productive hour of my entire day.

Thank God the day is over.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/11/2008
• Total Time: 1:23:00.00
• Distance: 8 miles
• Average Pace: 10:22.84/mile

After class, we moved to the aroebic studio for a 15 minute AB work with medicine ball. A good combination of engaging different muscles in a span of an hour.

Good work today.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 09/10/2008
• Time: 06:30:00
• Total Time: 00:45:00.00

My soreness has gone away, I got some new insole for my shoes at New Balance on Sunday. The shoe lady told me that my shoes didn’t have enough arch support, in addition to being worn out. I didn’t quite believe her, after all, I have not had any unusual pain and each of my two pairs of training shoes has only approximately 200 miles on it thus far.

These darn shoes are supposed to last about 250 to 350 miles. She did convience me to get a new pair of insoles that to replace the current insoles in my old shoes.

My soreness from the Saturday long run has mostly gone away and I was ready to give my old (new) shoes a try this morning. After two days off doing basically nothing (I did take a 50 minute walk on Sunday). My calf muscles feel tight, but the shoes feels really good, soft and cushiony and with better support. Who’d knew a pair of insoles makes such difference…

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/09/2008
• Time: 06:45:00
• Total Time: 00:40:00.00
• Distance: 4.26 miles
• Average Pace: 9:23.38/mile