Author's Note: This dispatch from the front line is a couple days late because, frankly, sleep was more important before two night shifts in a row.
The second "long run" of the program, six mile jaunt, and it got started an hour later than I wanted. My intent was to get outside to run after the firehouse as soon as possible after my shift, before the temperature and humidity really started to climb. Unfortunately, my relief was almost an hour late, and then he had to be brought up to speed on what was required during the day. So 0645 turned into 0800.
When I finally did get out, I took a liter of water with me to drink, figuring with the rapidly-increasing humidity that water might be a good idea...and it was, except for the fact that carrying it loose in your hand is never as smooth as you'd think. Another firefighter-marathoner (they're all over the place!) I work with has graciously lent me a couple of his belts that he used, those specialty-kind that is designed to carry small containers of water as well as a couple of energy bars and the like. I'll be testing those in the next couple of weeks.
As with last week's long run, I built some breaks into it, but even those breaks became longer as the run went on. I'd like to run consistently without stopping, but it seems to be taking me awhile to get there on these longer runs. But then, as some of my more experienced colleagues have said, this humidity is brutal, and getting past it will make me a better runner. I hope.
After I finished the run, I took a moment to realize why I really hate the sound of the Dog-day Cicada , which is that annoying buzz you hear on hot days. That sound to me represents feeling plenty hot and tired.
My Herculean (so far) Effort
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Week Two - Day Three
It's amazing how much a 20-degree-plus drop in temperature makes one run a little faster.
Went out yesterday evening around 8:30 for a three-mile run, one of the short ones. Still a bit humid, but after the first mile and I was chugging along at 9:23 per mile, I thought to myself, "Self...I feel pretty good!" And when the last mile was even faster, I thought, "My, there is something to this cooler weather thing." Even the hills were not a problem.
I'm starting to develop some soreness in the left leg, with a little bit of pain around the knee. I'm reasonably sure that this is because I'm not stretching, so I think I'm going to have to incorporate some of that into the post run workout, which will probably mean getting out even earlier on those early days. I don't really want to short-circuit this marathon training because of something entirely preventable.
One of the recruits, before he got on the job, worked as a personal trainer, and pointed out that running, especially distance running, leads to not only fat loss, but muscle as well. Once I get back to my regular spot at the firehouse - I'm the support guy at the moment, which means I have to be in at 6:30 AM, with lots of running around all day - I'm planning on getting back to the weights. Not that I want to be huge, but I don't want to be concave, either. Still, being down three-plus pounds does worlds for encouragement.
In other news, Jay passed on to me a couple of sites where I can earn stuff or donate to those less fortunate, simply by getting out there to run. If anyone is interested, inbox me. (This way I can earn some points!)
Yesterday's run, which included my fastest mile to date.
Went out yesterday evening around 8:30 for a three-mile run, one of the short ones. Still a bit humid, but after the first mile and I was chugging along at 9:23 per mile, I thought to myself, "Self...I feel pretty good!" And when the last mile was even faster, I thought, "My, there is something to this cooler weather thing." Even the hills were not a problem.
I'm starting to develop some soreness in the left leg, with a little bit of pain around the knee. I'm reasonably sure that this is because I'm not stretching, so I think I'm going to have to incorporate some of that into the post run workout, which will probably mean getting out even earlier on those early days. I don't really want to short-circuit this marathon training because of something entirely preventable.
One of the recruits, before he got on the job, worked as a personal trainer, and pointed out that running, especially distance running, leads to not only fat loss, but muscle as well. Once I get back to my regular spot at the firehouse - I'm the support guy at the moment, which means I have to be in at 6:30 AM, with lots of running around all day - I'm planning on getting back to the weights. Not that I want to be huge, but I don't want to be concave, either. Still, being down three-plus pounds does worlds for encouragement.
In other news, Jay passed on to me a couple of sites where I can earn stuff or donate to those less fortunate, simply by getting out there to run. If anyone is interested, inbox me. (This way I can earn some points!)
Yesterday's run, which included my fastest mile to date.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Week Two - Day Two
Went out the morning after the firehouse. Mostly cloudy skies, reasonable temperatures, looked good.
Except for the humidity. Positively deadly.
Made about two miles in Gregg Park before I had to work a two-minute break into it. Also, since the first loop took me north-to-south along the water right into the wind, which was pretty stiff, I decided to run the reverse for the second loop. A great idea until the sun came out, which was a little warm in the front, while I was getting a good tailwind. I also found out that the hill on the 48th Street side is steeper than the 37th Street end. I was taking another short break at the top of the hill when I ran into my FD colleague Jimmy the Red Sox Fan/eight-time marathoner, who was taking a nice easy run around the park while waiting for a local repair shop to open so he could retrieve his car. He turned around and ran with me the rest of my fourth mile. His presence definitely made it easier to finish what was becoming a really slow run.
Walked around a bit after the run, and encountered another fellow runner who was training for a marathon in November. Called herself a Jeff Galloway girl.
The run details.
Except for the humidity. Positively deadly.
Made about two miles in Gregg Park before I had to work a two-minute break into it. Also, since the first loop took me north-to-south along the water right into the wind, which was pretty stiff, I decided to run the reverse for the second loop. A great idea until the sun came out, which was a little warm in the front, while I was getting a good tailwind. I also found out that the hill on the 48th Street side is steeper than the 37th Street end. I was taking another short break at the top of the hill when I ran into my FD colleague Jimmy the Red Sox Fan/eight-time marathoner, who was taking a nice easy run around the park while waiting for a local repair shop to open so he could retrieve his car. He turned around and ran with me the rest of my fourth mile. His presence definitely made it easier to finish what was becoming a really slow run.
Walked around a bit after the run, and encountered another fellow runner who was training for a marathon in November. Called herself a Jeff Galloway girl.
The run details.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Week Two - Day One
One week down, 15 weeks to go.
Continuing the plan of short-medium-short-long, this morning was a short run of three miles. Since I had to be in work at 0630, I was out the door by around 0410, and again it was h-u-m-i-d, but the temperature was a little better, about 73 Fahrenheit. The original plan was a new route off OFR, with some hills thrown in. One wrong turn later, and I wound up just reversing the route. Still got a couple of hills in though.
Pacing is getting a little better. According to the Nike app, my pace for the second mile was actually two seconds faster than the first, under 10 minutes per mile.
Going to have to work on leaving a little bit of time at the end of the run to allow for cool down, since it seems that the body keeps working for a bit after the run stops. A little like food that keeps cooking for a while even after you remove it from the heat.
This morning's run.
Continuing the plan of short-medium-short-long, this morning was a short run of three miles. Since I had to be in work at 0630, I was out the door by around 0410, and again it was h-u-m-i-d, but the temperature was a little better, about 73 Fahrenheit. The original plan was a new route off OFR, with some hills thrown in. One wrong turn later, and I wound up just reversing the route. Still got a couple of hills in though.
Pacing is getting a little better. According to the Nike app, my pace for the second mile was actually two seconds faster than the first, under 10 minutes per mile.
Going to have to work on leaving a little bit of time at the end of the run to allow for cool down, since it seems that the body keeps working for a bit after the run stops. A little like food that keeps cooking for a while even after you remove it from the heat.
This morning's run.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Week One - Day Four
Yesterday was the first "long run" of the program, a distance of five miles (which, by the twelfth week, will be a "short run"). Because of the temperature and humidity (81 degrees Fahrenheit and 88%) at four in the morning, I decided to modify the run a little bit. I wouldn't call it cheating, since this will be my strategy for the marathon anyway, but I didn't want to kill myself for a mere-five miler. For every ten minutes of running, I did one minute of walking, the idea being that I'd still have some gas in the tank at the end.
It actually worked out. I started out faster than I wanted to, about 9'20" and change, but slowed down to just above my so-far-normal pace at around 9'40". Hit my first walking part at almost 1.1 miles, then kept that up for the next four. Still a little tough at the end, but I gave it a little extra boost knowing the finish was in sight. Of course, realizing that I would be late for work if I didn't was also a great motivator.
The end result was that my average pace was 10'12" with the walks included, which I am quite happy with, given the conditions. If I hadn't included those little breaks, I'm sure that the pace would have been much slower.
At the end, Shalane Flanagan says I ran my fastest 5K to date, second time this week that happened. I guess I'm doing something right.
This time the run was straight up OFR to the Parkway overpass by Whitty Road, then back.
Tomorrow is another short run, a three mile course through the neighborhood. I plan on running that one without breaks, so the pace might be a little slower, but the temperature is supposed to be around 70 F at four in the morning, so it hopefully will even out.
It actually worked out. I started out faster than I wanted to, about 9'20" and change, but slowed down to just above my so-far-normal pace at around 9'40". Hit my first walking part at almost 1.1 miles, then kept that up for the next four. Still a little tough at the end, but I gave it a little extra boost knowing the finish was in sight. Of course, realizing that I would be late for work if I didn't was also a great motivator.
The end result was that my average pace was 10'12" with the walks included, which I am quite happy with, given the conditions. If I hadn't included those little breaks, I'm sure that the pace would have been much slower.
At the end, Shalane Flanagan says I ran my fastest 5K to date, second time this week that happened. I guess I'm doing something right.
This time the run was straight up OFR to the Parkway overpass by Whitty Road, then back.
Tomorrow is another short run, a three mile course through the neighborhood. I plan on running that one without breaks, so the pace might be a little slower, but the temperature is supposed to be around 70 F at four in the morning, so it hopefully will even out.
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