slow and steady

This is a great TV commercial - slow and steady...

www.carolinecoleman.net/video/history/trp_runner.html

Le Jogging

Virtual 5K Results and Report -- 11/6/07

A little context first.

I belong to an online running training community -- where we shoot the sh*t, post our weekly mileage, and share race reports. One way to motivate us to train for speed and/or performance is via a "Virtual 5K." This is effectively where you run a 5K in whatever setting works for you at your race pace. Since there are no major events coming up in the next few weeks, I have posted my virtual 5K results.

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So after a day of rest and feeling kinda blah for not running yesterday (and eating some weird stuff), I was ready to run my virtual 5K today. I WANTED to run hard.

I got to the YMCA and went into the adult locker room (adjacent to the kids locker room, so you can still hear them screaming their heads off), where some really NASTY lady was not happy at the level of noise coming from the locker room next door. I heard her grumbling under her breath, and then she audibly made a "tsk" noise when I put my bag on the bench where she wanted to put her foot to lace up her shoes. Geez...talk about someone having a bad day...She leaves the locker room, still grumbling before I am done changing.

I walk into the workout room and it's PACKED. Every treadmill is taken...except the one next to THE NASTY LADY who is on the end treadmill trotting along at a steady pace. So, I sign my name on the sheet and hop on the treadmill. Again, she is pissed that the empty treadmill next to her is now occupied.

I warm up with a quick 1 minute walk as she sneers at the fact that I am walking.  Then I pump up the pace to 6.0MPH to warm up another minute. She looks over and kinda sneers; so much so that I am forced to look over at her machine to see just how fast she is running -- she's at 6.3 MPH.   When my clock hits 1min 55sec, I start to pump up the speed, and as I push the UP button, she does the same. She keeps watching me and every time I push up the speed, she does the same. I settle at 7.3 MPH and she puts hers at 7.4. I run for maybe 30 seconds at that pace and decide to push it down one notch to 7.2, to which she sneers YET AGAIN!

I look in the mirror in front of us and realize that she is holding on to the arm railings for DEAR LIFE while I am just running fast but comfortably.  She is evidently there to look good, since EVERYTHING, right down to the clips in her hair, her socks, her bracelet (YES, bracelet) and shoes ALL MATCH and are some designer name. As she is holding on, she looks over to the mirror and turns her head a little to check out her hair AND LOSES BALANCE!!! Off she flies off the back of the treadmill, bumping into some sweaty, greasy looking guy behind her.  She gets up, mortified, embarrassed and in a total huff and STORMS out of the workout room as everyone is watching her.

I hit the first mile after my warmup and am feeling good -- a very steady 8:20 pace. I run about 0.25 miles more then it hits me...I REALLY need to go to the bathroom! But not wanting to lose the speed or momentum, not to mention running into the nasty lady in the locker room, I pretty much CLENCH IT AND RUN...which does WONDERS for speed!!! Man...I should do that more often!

I hit 2 miles at 16:40 and yeah...I'm tired, but I know I can keep going. So I play mental games with myself, breaking the remainder of my run into 0.25 mile increments. At one point, I brought the pace down to 7.1, but only for a brief moment. And before I know it, I hit the total 3.1 miles (5K). I note the time (26 minutes even) and slow the TM down to 6.3 MPH to finish off my last 2 or so miles as cooldown.

So, put me down for 26:00, an 8:22 pace, and a total of a little more than 5 miles.  A Personal Record (PR) for me, and I'm pretty sure I can't hit that pace again anytime soon. I ran FAST for my standards, fueled by the need to use the bathroom, the excitement of the nasty lady, and a general feeling of being a blob from having eaten too much the night before

Wilton Halloween Hustle 5K Race Report -- 10/28/07

I always feel weird posting RRs for a distance as small as a 5K. But since I am sitting here in front of my computer chillin with a cup of coffee and enjoying the heater, I figure eh...why not?!

Nothing too crazy to report -- the race was really fun because it was in my hometown and I got to see lots of familiar faces. It's a very small race benefiting the Chamber of Commerce, so a lot of townies come out for fun, to support the town, and not to race for time. 

In any case, I got up early this morning and was exchanging messages with Bama and Bill, trying to figure out what I was going to wear and just shooting the breeze. My husband had not preregistered, and since he was still in bed at the time I wanted to leave the house, I figured he was not going to run. But as I was about to leave the bedroom, I hear a peep from under the covers, "Maybe I should run, too" to which I responded, "Well, make up your mind because I am leaving in 10 minutes with or without you."

After 10 minutes of self-reasoning and wishy-washiness, I convinced him to just friggin lace up his shoes and go, and we finally left the house.  We encountered a few adventures along the way, including Peter stepping in doggie poop and not realizing it until I mention a stink in the car (and he looking down to notice a giant turd on the bottom of his shoe); and then getting there, having to pee but finding the toilet overflowed. So I ran into the bushes to go pee, not realizing that the building that I thought were office buildings are actually apartments, and saw two kiddies peering out the window in their Spider Man pajamas pointing a finger at me!!! Yes, for whatever reason, my excitement always seems to revolve around the toilet...

The race was nice -- great weather, though a bit cold. I did stupidly second-guess both my own decision, as well as Bill and Bama's suggestion, to wear just long sleeves and I ended up wearing my jacket on TOP of my long sleeves which I was regretting by mile 1, as I was STEAMING HOT! Thankfully, I had pinned my number to my skirt, so I zipped down the jacket without undoing the jacket completely and ran the rest of the way that way.

Anyway, it was a half trail run and it's interesting to see my Garmin/GPS time -- the part where I ran trail, I ran worse than a 9 minute mile (around 9:30ish); the parts where I ran road, I ran better than a 9 minute mile (around 8:30 to 8:45) -- my net time according to my Garmin was 28:05 at a blended pace of 9:03. Not my best run, but not bad either. Wow...those trails are tough!

No food or anything at the end -- just water --  like I said, it was small and low maintenance! The fun was seeing the folks around town that I know!

Thanks for reading!

Official results: 27:59 (9:00 pace)
http://www.clubct.org/Results/07Results/07HustleRes.html

Just one thought...

...I wish I could run faster. PERIOD. I just can seem to break the 9 minute per mile mark.

I Just Don't Have the Time...

There is some truth to the saying “anything is possible, if only you set your mind to it.”  Doing things in life is a matter of setting expectations, priorities, and balancing what needs to be done with your individual objectives.  You need to make the decision that something is important to you, and make the time for it; otherwise, you will end up either not getting anything done or being unequally weighted towards one thing and nothing else.

It used to be that way with my work; although, I have since gotten wise to it.  My life used to revolve around work – and there was something oddly energizing about saying that I worked 85 hour weeks (and was going to school at the same time!!!!).  At the same time, I used to LOVE complaining about the fact that I had time for nothing other than the occasional dinner out with my husband and friends, and my regular Sunday routine of singing with my singing group.  Because, you know, misery loves company and somehow we thrive on having people feel sorry for us.

When I say that I have since gotten wise to it, I mean that I decided somewhere along the way that the promise of a sexy paycheck was not worth the compromises in my personal life that I felt that I was forced to make (more on this a little later).  So, I switched jobs in several iterations to the point that I am now in a nicely stable job that does not pay quite as much (but who needs all that money anyway if you are never going to use it?!) but allows me the flexibility to spend time with my husband, to become more involved with my singing group, and to run…not just casual running, but run half marathons and other types of events.

But no matter how stable my life has become, I have still always made the excuse for the fact that I didn’t want to run anything more than 13.1 miles, saying that “I don’t have time to train.”  I never wanted to admit that it was either not a priority to me, or that my body is just not at the point that I really have a desire to do it.  Again, I used the excuse that my busy work interfered with my personal goals mainly because I wanted to get some amount of sympathy, and was never willing to admit that it was a personal choice, not a logistical choice.

I recently spoke with a very dear friend of mine who is the COO of the investment arm of a major insurance company – and is poised to become CEO when his boss retires within the next two years.  His schedule is busy to say the least.  He is on the road more often than he is not. When he is here locally, his commute, which requires him to go THROUGH metro New York , is at least 2 hours if he is driving or more if he chooses to take the train.  He has three kids and a devoted wife – and he finds the energy to make time for every one of them.  AND he is training for a half-Ironman.  That’s a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile (or half marathon) run!  Not one sport, but THREE!!!

After speaking with him, it dawned on me – anything is possible if you set your mind to it – and that saying that you are too busy to do something is merely an excuse or a ploy for sympathy.  If you want to do something, you need to simplify your life enough to find the time to do it; you need to make it a priority, and then just DO it (a la Nike!).  I think this has changed my perspective on my ability to train for anything more than a half marathon.  I will never again say that I don’t have the time to train for a full marathon.  Instead, I realize that at this point, I am not at a point where I want to do it.  I have decided to introduce biking to my routine and who knows…a duathlon may be in the near future.  And maybe in a year or two, I will perfect my swimming, in which case, a triathlon may be a near goal.  But for now, I am happy running my 30 miles (or more) per week and saying that I am a half marathon athlete because THIS statement alone sets me apart from most other people.  Never again will I feel the need to say “I just don’t have the time…"

My torrid love affair...with running...

Blah blah blah. Have the thoughts to write, but not the patience to sit and make it poetic, so here goes.

"They" say that the secrets to a long and healthy romance is to keep it fresh -- expect the unexpected, deliver some surprises, put your heart into it, and don't fall into a routine.  Add a little to it every once in a while and don't suffocate the situation, and your relationship has the perfect ingredients for success.

"They" also say that you will go through rough spots every once in a while.  Working through this is a way to make your relationship stronger, because you are ready, willing, and able to run head-first into the situation, address it, and then move on.

I think this is a good analogy for running.  I have fallen into a rut lately -- while I will go day by day through my runs when planned, motivating myself to get out there is tough.  Usually, once I am out there, I am cruising happily (especially on my longer runs when I don't have a watch to time my pace, when my route is a little different than usual, and I don't know quite what to expect).  But getting out there is the problem sometimes!

In doing a little analysis, I think I figured out my problem.  Except for Sundays, when I usually run double the distance as I normally do, I run the same one of three routes daily: 1) a just-under 5 mile loop around my neighborhood; 2) a just over 5 mile out-and-back near my home; 3) who-knows-what distance on my treadmill.  I recently joined the YMCA and have been running there for a little change of scenery, and I find that I enjoy it -- because it's something DIFFERENT.  I see new faces, I can watch TV, I can observe the interactions of the people who work out there.  It's just doing the same thing with a slightly different twist...a la expect the unexpected.

On Sundays, I am supposed to do my long runs -- usually 10 miles or more. These, I have to plan carefully because as a slightly neurotic runner, I HATE to carry water or fuel with me.  I just hate the sloshing noise of the water bottle, and the crinkling noise of my fuel packets.  If I have my act together enough, I can plan to do a five mile to a certain destination -- either to a local coffee shop, the town center, or even (if early enough) to my church -- where I can stop, pee, get or buy some water and something to eat, and then head back.  When I don't have my act together, I end up doing two loops or a combination of out-and-back and loop...which has me dreading my runs.

My relationship with running this past week has been rocky to say the least.  I have been exhausted and my legs have felt like cement blocks.  I don't have the patience or endurance to make it up those hills...so I don't...which then frustrates me more because I FEEL like I should be pushing myself up those hills.  But then yesterday, it hit me -- not every day is going to be romantic, so deal with it and move on.  And don't dwell on the negative.

So, I guess this is the realization that even in running and fitness, you need to "keep it sexy."  Don't take the basics for granted, mix it up a little, and realize that once you fall into a routine, things will become a little...boring...

So now, I am off to the Y-M-C-A!!!  Let's see who's there to entertain me!

Running Skirts Reviews

...I am NOT a running skirt kinda girl -- I have big hips and a narrow waist. So I thought I'd write down my lessons learned...

After reading all the raves about Skirt Sports and Runningskirts.com skirts (the two popular brands that don't break the bank), I broke down and bought one of each when they were on sale. I already had two in my wardrobe -- a Nike (no clue the model) and a New Balance (Bonita Run Skirt).

My general feeling is...you get what you pay for...sorta.

For point of reference, I am 5 ft 1 -- and wear a size 2 in regular sizes and either a 2 or 4 petite depending on the manufacturer (usually 4P).

My Nike skirt sits in my dresser and really only comes out when I am not hardcore running --or running at all. I use it to hike, do other outdoor things, but not run. Why? Because the compression shorts are loose and immediately turn into spankies instead of shorts (i.e. they creep and bunch). Not a pretty thing. Too bad because it's one of the few whose waist / hip ratio seem to fit. I have a SMALL and probably could wear an XS on this -- they run large. And it has no friggin pockets! You pay for the name and pretty much don't get anything good out of it.

My New Balance Bonita skirt is my absolute fave -- http://www.newbalance.com/running/apparel/WRSK7001/ -- Compression shorts are tight enough to stay in place, they are not sheer like the Skirt Sports one and while the hip/waist ratio is not entirely perfect, it's not bad. I wear a SMALL in this one too and for the waist to fit, I could probably go down to an XS, but then the side slit would probably never close. Downside -- no pockets!!! WTH -- how come these things don't come with pockets?

Skirt sports (Triks brand) -- www.skirtsports.com -- I have the one with the compression shorts. Like most people said, the shorts are quite sheer but I LOVE the fact that there's a pocket in it. The problem is that there's a SEAM down the middle of the shorts (most compression shorts have a PANEL instead of a seam) and the seam creeps up my b*ttcrack creating a nasty chafe for anything over 5 miles. Also not a pretty thing -- you think thigh chafing is bad?? B*tt chafing is MUCH worse! This is one case where the waist to hip ratio is so out of proportion for me because clearly the shorts were made for someone with a slightly narrower booty; otherwise, the seam would not be creeping up where it don't belong. And WHY does it look like I peed myself every time I wear this thing?? This is also a size SMALL -- and is a bit small in the bum -- but I know that the medium would be too large in the waist. So alas, it's not made for me.  Update -- I sold this one on EBAY to make some cash for a Sugoi skirt

Running Skirts -- www.runningskirts.com -- I broke down and bought the one with the spankies because so many raving about these, and stated that they liked these better than the compression shorts. Based on the sizing charts and comments here, I bought a size 1 but after trying it on, I have to say I really could have gone for a size 2. It's cut low in the waist, so if you have any sort of hips or a long waist (as I do in both), you get the dreaded belly roll and you feel like your butt is stuffed into a sausage casing. Plus it's SHORT! It looks OK if I wear a t-shirt over the waistband, but it really is not comfortable in the general belly area -- I feel like I am bearing my midsection!! DH said it does not look like I'm stuffed in there, but I FEEL like I am. In any case, this is my second least favorite next to the Nike because while it has pockets (which puts it above the Nike), the running spankies turn into a running thong pretty much before I hit mile 1. I can't run more than about 2 miles before I want to just rip the stupid thing off (no comments, please!). This, too, makes it look like I peed myself after I've run in it. Update -- I am also getting rid of this because I'm just not too fond of it.

So, ladies with a proportional hip to waist ratio -- be happy that you can wear the true size (whichever that may be) because if you are like me and have a narrow waist but wide hips relative to your waist, then you will be endlessly searching for running clothing that fits, only to realize, several dollars later, that it was not meant to be.

I do have my eye on the Sugoi Stamina skirt -- http://sugoi.com/item/76106/SUG47407F -- which I tried on and really liked. It has a pockets and the shorts are relatively compression-like. Update -- I finally received this skirt and I absolutely love it. It's comfortable, fits VERY well, and is absolutely adorable. AND it has a pocket. The only downside is that it is a LITTLE shorter than I'd prefer, but all things considered, I am very happy with it. Definitely worth the money.

Hope this was helpful to at least someone out there.

Addendum -- there has been some talk about the running dresses.  My general thought is that as ridiculous as that sounds, I'd bet they're kind comfortable (assuming your "girls" are properly strapped in) because then those of us with hip to waist ratio issues won't have the weird fit issues with waist being too loose when the hip is right or vice versa. And then you still have the freedom of the skirt (not riding up between your thighs) and wear your compression shorts (or spankies) of choice.

But something about running in a dress...I'm just not sure I could do it.

And holy shnikeys -- that dress is expensive!

Fairfield Half Race Report -- June 24 '07

Before I go into my race report, I have to say a special thanks to B2R, Pegger and Vito for giving me some course management pointers!  Throughout the entire race, Vito's "lean into the hill, relax your arms..." stayed fresh in my mind, and B2R and Pegger's "Relax and have fun" and "Attack the race!" set me up for a great run.

I'll try to keep this short, but you all know that I love to babble...

I spent part of last night studying the elevation and coursemap.  After reading some prior year's race reports (where pretty much everyone agreed that it is a TOUGH, hilly course), I wanted to be sure I was prepared to handle the entire race.  As you might know, I was a little anxious about this one because my training has not been as structured as it has in the past. After looking at the map, I decided that I wanted to go aggressive through to mile 7, and then let my body dictate the pace for the rest of the race.

I woke up early, had some coffee and a half a bagel, showered, dressed and then was on my way.  I kept thinking that I probably should have eaten more, but I seriously could not eat any more -- I just didn't have an appetite.  I grabbed two packets of Sport Beans, shoved one in my pocket and kept the other with me so that I could eat it when I got to the race site.

Historically, this race has always been about 90 pct humidity and about 90 degrees.  Someone must have been watching over me because when I arrived at the site, it was high 60s (eventually got up to high 70s) and almost ZERO humidity.  A BEAUTIFUL day to race.  I grab my number, my chip and then chill out on the sunny beach eating my sport beans while I wait for the race to start.  It was the most relaxed I've ever been before a race...I think the sun shining on the shore probably had a lot to do with that.

Anyway, so my strategy was SORTA good.  I made it to mile 5, when I took my first water -- and used this time to try to eat half of the Sport Beans I had in my pocket.  Like a dope, I pull open the pack and literally HALF of the beans fly out and spill all over the road!   I eat half of what remains and stash the rest in my pocket for a little later.  Aside from the Sport Bean drama, the first 7 miles, I SAILED.  Hills were tough, but following Vito's advice, I made it up every single one without any major issues.  I think I averaged about a 9:30 pace for the 7 miles which is great considering that the hardest hills are in the first 7 miles.

At mile 8, I start to feel shaky and my stomach is actually GRUMBLING.  I curse myself for not eating more before I left the house, and "pull over" to eat the remaining 5 beans in my pocket.  My pace, because I stop and because I am feeling a little "off" is 10:01 for mile 8.

At mile 9, I literally loose the oomph. This is the section where the course is a constant UP-DOWN-UP-DOWN (more up than down). There is a big hill at 10.25 for about a half mile, and I can't make it.  I do a combo of walk, shuffle and slow run for two miles, and lose about a minute per mile in these two miles (>11:00 per mile).  Every water/fluid stop, I take Powerade because I need the extra sugar since I hadn't eaten enough.  Risky, since I had not trained with it, but I was willing to take my chances.

Finally mile 11 through to the end, I get my final wind and finish out with a nice even 10 minutes per mile.

Clock time: 2:12:30; my Garmin time was 2:12:00 (and 13.28 miles, which I believe since I tend to run on the outside...so I am always tacking on a little more distance).  Official chip time is not posted yet.  Funny, though, that my other two half marathons were 2:12:08; 2:12:08 (YES, SAME TIME for BOTH to the SECOND!!!) and this one was also 2:12 and change...how is that for consistency??!!  All in all, I ran this one better only because it was truly a much harder course.  AND...a great milestone for me is that I didn't have to use my inhaler even ONCE!

My reward to myself...taking off my shoes and running into the water!!! WOOHOO!

Thanks for reading!

Elevation Map Link

UPDATE: Official Chip Time: 2:11:49

White rice and toast!

What smells remind you of something interesting...brings you back mentally to a certain time or place.

I recently found a jar of Nivea Cream at my local Wal-Mart.  I bought it, remembering how well it used to work, and every night before I go to sleep, I slather it all over my hands to keep my hands "soft and dewey."

The smell brings back memories of being a child when the cream used to come in an aluminum tin and my mom used to smear it ALL over my face in the winter to protect from the cold air.  I used to HATE the way it felt -- kinda sticky and thick -- and would complain every time she approached me with that trademark blue tin.

Some other things that bring up memories:

• White rice, being steamed -- my house ALWAYS smelled like cooking white rice
• White bread toast -- YUM -- with a little butter and lightly toasted!!
• Chlorine smelling wet dog -- my first dog LOVED to swim and used to jump in the local neighborhood pool...he would smell like a wet dog that had jumped into a chlorine pool!!!!
• Port-o-potties (minus the blue stuff) -- while this may evoke a what-in-the-world reaction, the outhouse smell reminds me of my grandmother's house in rural Korea.  Plumbing was nonexistent -- running cold water existed but sewer systems or septic systems were too expensive to implement.  Instead, they had an indoor outhouse -- a giant hole in the ground that you squatted over.  This was pumped, very much like a septic tank, every year or so.  I used to be terrified because inevitably, you'd slip at least once and fall in
• Fishy breeze -- in Chicago in the summertime, inevitably once per summer, the fish in Lake Michigan would die and wash up on shore.  I think it's part of some type of cycle.  This would cause the air to smell like fish
• The seaside -- I'm from Connecticut -- need I say more??!!!

I'm sure there are many more I could list...