31 August 2013

my sweet treadmill set up [and where I am now] [and some more blathering]

my sweet treadmill set up

I don't run in the dark.

I know that I'm more likely to get into a car accident than to have some rando pop out of the trees and murder me, but I cannot get past the creepy factor of running in the dark. I tried a headlamp. I just can't do it. It takes the fun out of training and what's the point if it's not fun?

So now that it's not light until 6:15ish and the runs are getting longer and I need to start before 6, I find myself with my old nemesis friend The Treadmill.

I know a lot of people call it the dreadmill (and by "a lot of people" I mean the running and tri geeks I know. normal people don't come up with silly nicknames for pieces of gym equipment) but I don't really mind it. It's easy to keep a pace (well not easy but you know what I mean). It's all-weather (because, um, it's indoors). Yes it can get boring and that it is where one needs to get creative.


 
 

I used to watch Criminal Minds reruns but (1) I've watched almost all of them and (2) my coworkers make fun of my bad TV. Like, really make fun of me. Okay and I also have never watched The Wire which is just wrong because I used to live in Baltimore AND I am an Assistant State's Attorney (AND one of my coworkers used to work on the show) AND every time someone said "The Wire is the best show on tv" and I say "yeah I've never seen it" they say "WHAT? HOW HAVE YOU NEVER SEEN THE WIRE?"

So now I have a shiny new Netflix account and I've watched the first two episodes of season 1. And it's pretty good! I've heard that it takes a few episodes for the character development to kick in, but I'm enjoying it so far. Hell, it kept my attention during an 8 mile marathon pace run today, so that's awesomesauce.

Also can I digress for a moment (of course I can, it's my blog, duh)? Why are pace runs SO SUPER hard? I can keep an a sub 8 pace for 10 miles during a race but holding an 8:50 for 8 miles during a training run is tough. Pace runs are, for me, harder than Yasso 800s (yeah, they're fast, but they're over in exactly 3 minutes and 50 seconds) and harder than hill repeats. I know, though, that they are a really effective training run, and thus I will continue to do them. So today I ran 8 miles in 1:10:45 and I just need to do that a little more than 2 more times and voila! marathon PR!

[And bitch about them.]

Okay back to treadmill running.

In addition to watching good TV I made a motivation wall of sorts. I found a lot of motivational sayings and signs via Mr. Google and printed out the ones that really, well, spoke to me. I know that's cheesy, but I really love some of those and read them when I'm pushing through a tough workout.

where I am now

I am proud I haven't missed a workout during this training session --- Hal Higdon Advanced 1. (also, fun fact! if you're friends with Hal on Facebook and ask him a question HE WILL ANSWER IT!)  I know that if I give myself permission to skip a run it will snowball and the next workout will be easier to skip.

This week (week 7) was the highest mileage (yet.)

week 1: 35.85
week 2: 35.99
week 3: 35.42
week 4: 37.58
week 5: 40.71
week 6: 34.29
week 7: 42.71

and comparing July to August:

July
Run: 24h 27m 28s - 158.59 Mi
Stretching: 39m
August
Run: 27h 16m 12s - 176.36 Mi
Stretching: 52m
 
(and for shits and giggles, total for the year is at 170h 55m 28s - 1115.76 Mi)
 
I'm getting a little nervous about some of the upcoming weeks. Week 13, for example, has a 20 mi long run, a 10 mile run, 10 mile pace run (BARF), 4 mi run, 5 mi run, and 7x hill. I'm equally anxious about the mileage itself and finding time for these runs. Meh. Will figure it out when the time comes.
 
Tomorrow is a (much needed) rest day! I only recently started actually taking my rest day. I always feel a little off on the days I don't run but I know my body needs the rest and I'm looking forward to sleeping in. ( = when H wakes up, which is not sleeping in but at least it's not pre dawn)
 

2 comments:

  1. Congrats on not missing a run in seven weeks! That's impressive. We'll have to check out the wire. My wife and I are watching House of Cards on Netflix and like it. Breaking Bad is really good too.

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  2. Sweet treadmill setup!!! I'm just starting to build for a fall marathon…hoping the weather here holds out!

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