On the Up and Up

Gee, if I didn't know better, I'd say that Runner's World is hurtin' for subscriptions.

Last month's issue was supposed to be my last. They sent it to me with an envelope stating that this will be my last issue. They've been sending me renew notices since the beginning of this year. I knew I wasn't going to subscribe with them since going through Amazon is a lot cheaper (2 years for $23 as opposed to 1 year for $22). So after last month's issue, I went ahead and paid through Amazon, even though I knew that I wasn't going to get this month's issue (6-8 weeks for delivery). Well, what did I receive today? Why May's issue from Runner's World with another envelope saying that is this going to be my last issue. I'm a little confused now. But well, at least I shouldn't skip a month!

Today I decided to do hills again on the treamill using the awesome On the Up and Up treadmill plan. Love that it's only a mintue an incline! After that, which I accomplished in 2.83 miles, I ran a mile at 2% incline at 9:40 min/mi since that is what I'll be encountering right after halfway in St. Louis Marathon and then a ran .77 miles at 1% incline at 10 min/mi. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good!!

But someone please take away my Easter candy!! I've been eating it and I'm getting soft!!!! :-D

Categories: on the up and up, Runner's World

Shoelaces

Today's hill workout on the treadmill was really nothing to talk about. Heart rate was normal, getting higher as I was increasing my incline. Pretty much on the "up and up." hehe!

But I want to talk about shoelaces today. I've always tied my shoes correctly. Here's an article from Runner's World that will explain how I tie them. Some people tie them all wrong, so that the loops or rabbit ears pretty much stand straight up.

In the January 2009 issue, there was a pretty long article all about shoelace tying. It was pretty in depth and probably not necessarily needed to be that long. But it was still informative about something so simple and everyone does every day.

There is also a new way of tying I found out while reading the article in my magazine. I've copied the video here.


But when I bought my new shoes at Runner's Image, they tied my shoes for me. And they did this weird loop thing. On the last eyelet, they put the shoelace back through on the same side instead of criss-crossing it again, making a loop. And then tie it with the knot & rabbit ears as normal. Below is a picture of the laces. It's pretty interesting and I haven't had a problem with it. Maybe because the shoes are narrow and I never had narrow shoes before but I don't need to tie them as tight as I have before.

And that's all I got. I have already ran 3 times this week. Tomorrow is Thursday. I could swim or run or do my step aerobics or take Thursday & Friday off before a Saturday morning run of 9 miles. I think I'll try swimming since it didn't happen last week.

Categories: on the up and up, shoelaces

Heartbreak Hills

A nod to the infamous hill in Boston Marathon. Also related to what I did tonight!

I received my heart rate monitor in the mail yesterday. I put it on last night when I went to bed to pair it to my Garmin 405 and see if I could get it to work. I did eventually after finding out that the sensors needs to be wet. My resting heart rate was 54-56, pretty much what I measured at work a few weeks ago. Garmin automatically figured my max heart rate at 185 bpm but I don't think that's right for my age. I have to figure out which one of the many algorithms to follow.

So today, I was schedule to run a tempo run. Instead of doing that, I decided to hit the hill workout. I haven't done that since my half marathon training in 2007.

I put on the heart rate monitor in the locker room. It's difficult for women to wear one though because it's goes right where the bottom of the sports bra lays. I've seen versions where you can thread the monitor strap right though it and it will lay against your skin still. But tonight I managed to get it around my chest and have the bottom of it over the top and below the strap so it works.

My Garmin 405 picked up my heart rate and everything looked normal. I got on the treadmill and started my run. Just to refresh your memory, here's what I followed:
At zero incline, run for ten minutes at a comfortable pace. Set the incline to one percent and run at the same speed for a minute. Drop back to zero incline and run a minute.

Raise it to two percent for a minute, then down to zero for a minute. Next raise it to three percent, then down to one percent, then up to four percent, then down to two percent -- all for a minute each. Then go up to five percent and down to three percent.

Work your way back down from there: four, two, three, one, two, zero, one, zero. Finish with ten minutes of comfortable running at zero. Total running time: 38:00 (14:00 uphill).
***********************************************

I ran at 6.3 mph or 9:31 min/mi. What I didn't realise is that in order for me to be able to transfer this to the computer, I have to do a training start & stop. So after running for 2:30 I hit the start button. Whoops. And I had to manually hit the Lap button since I wasn't using the GPS function. I decided that at every minute, which signifies a change in incline, I'd hit it for a new lap.

I stuck to the 10 minute warm-up. And I started the hills. I'm not gonna lie. It was tough. It really got to me around incline 3%. And 4%. And 5%! HA! But I stuck with it. I looked at my heart rate every now & then. I got pretty good and hitting the button on my watch without looking at the watch. After running at 5%, 3% felt like a breeze! At 3%, 1% felt like downhill and I felt like I got faster. I was sweating up a storm. I'm now wondering if I should do that on every Wednesday or if I should just stick to every 3rd Wednesday and still do the tempo & speed work. Or maybe instead of just tempo as speed work will make me faster.

Here's my heart rate graph:


Unfortunately, my Garmin didn't figure out my calories. Maybe that's because I wasn't actually running anywhere and it had no incline or speed to base it off of. I'll have to look to see that's supposed to give me numbers with the GPS on.

It looks like I might be heading down to southern Illinois this weekend. I might be able to get in a run down there but I think I'd be too worried & nervous. Though it might help my stress levels. We'll see how it goes.

Categories: heart rate, on the up and up

Breathe in, Breathe out

So in January's issue of Runner's World there was an article about How to Breathe When Running. Well, duh, I said, through the mouth. I read it anyway and come to find out it should be belly breathing, not chest breathing.

That was the article that kinda helped motivate me with running on that Christmas Eve day. I tried doing the belly breathing. I tried out the Unfortunately, it was no go. I am a chest breather. I don't even know how to make my belly fill up with air! They say it's a hard habit to break and indeed it is!

Then instead of my tempo run next week, I'm going to run hills on Wednesday. I used to do this last fall for my half marathon training. It was a good way to get the mind off of treadmill running and get in some fun new activity on the treadmill. I mentioned it back in this post. But here it is again.
On the up and up
At zero incline, run for ten minutes at a comfortable pace. Set the incline to one percent and run at the same speed for a minute. Drop back to zero incline and run a minute.

Raise it to two percent for a minute, then down to zero for a minute. Next raise it to three percent, then down to one percent, then up to four percent, then down to two percent -- all for a minute each. Then go up to five percent and down to three percent.

Work your way back down from there: four, two, three, one, two, zero, one, zero. Finish with ten minutes of comfortable running at zero. Total running time: 38:00 (14:00 uphill).

It's pretty heavy duty but also a good way to break up the monotony of treadmill running. Why don't you give it a try sometime?

10 Most Annoying People At The Gym.

Categories: breathing, on the up and up

Stoked

Josh's mom did in fact come out to see my race on Sunday. She wasn't there for the start of it so I didn't think she would show but as I neared the end I look up ahead on a straight away and I see this person in a green shirt. I'm thinking that's a different colour than the yellow the rest of the volunteers are wearing. As I get closer, I see that it's Deb! She had her camera out. I take out an earbud and I tell her "I love you so much right now!" Seriously, I thought, for a fleeting moment, about walking, I was so tired from the course but after that I was like heck no, I'm gonna keep on going and I had a smile on my face for the rest of the race! It's strange, I don't talk to my exes but I talk to the parents. *shrug*


I ran 5 miles last night. I did my incline thing, and ran the cool down of 10 minutes. Then I realised I was running 4.3 miles so I should just keep on going to 4.5 miles. Then realised well, I have an 8k coming up (4.97mi) and I should try to hit that and sure enough I did! In 45 minutes too at a 9:05 minute mile. And as Jackie pointed out that means with the incline thing I did, my body would have ran around an 8/8:30min/mi on a flat course.

Jackie is the one that ran first for females in the Neighbours House 5k I ran back in April. She works at the Y so now we talk every Tuesday night when I'm done running and she's working. It's nice to ask questions and talk running with someone. She said that it looked like I was running very strong. That was incredible to hear! Very uplifting.

Categories: on the up and up, races, Turtle Trot 5k

*shakes head*

I don't know why I bother.

Before I get into my list of things I'm not currently happy with; I will tell you one thing that I am for today. I ran 4 miles tonight. I wasn't going for distance; I was going for time this go round. But what I was really doing is following this article that I printed out back in January to help keep me interested in treadmill workouts. I think that one of the reasons why I didn't run in February. I got bored with the treadmile and running in general. Surprise I know since I love running and everyone thinks I'm crazy for doing so! The following is what I did tonight. It ended up being 38min and 4 miles and one of the hardest running I did.

On the up and up
At zero incline, run for ten minutes at a comfortable pace. Set the incline to one percent and run at the same speed for a minute. Drop back to zero incline and run a minute.

Raise it to two percent for a minute, then down to zero for a minute. Next raise it to three percent, then down to one percent, then up to four percent, then down to two percent -- all for a minute each. Then go up to five percent and down to three percent.

Work your way back down from there: four, two, three, one, two, zero, one, zero. Finish with ten minutes of comfortable running at zero. Total running time: 38:00 (14:00 uphill).

************
It doesn't sound that hard but it is. Especially once I got to the 4% incline. Right before I got the 5%, I slowed down to 6.0mph (10min/mile). I was running a 9min mile before that. But I was impressed with it all. I feel it in the backs of my thighs now. Which is good since my hamstring will help push me along.

Now for my disappointments...
» I knew the date with Y Guy wouldn't come to fruition. Dates with crushes never happen.
» Exes can in fact not be friends after all.
» I trust way too many people and blurt things out when I shouldn't.
» I'm too open and friendly and in turn put my feelings out there on the line.
» I really really don't like hypocrites. You can send an email out and ask for pledges but I can't? Wait, what? Why?

MAN! I love how I'm always right about things. /sarcasm.

Categories: on the up and up, y guy