Pine Belt Pacers Forum

I won't be at Thames tonight either. Both of my girls are leaving at O-dark-thirty in the morning and we're having a special family dinner. I think we'll have to leave for the NO airport at 4:00 a.m. Ewwwwwww!

I took your challenge tonight Becky and it was tough. I am used to a longer recovery but managed to complete it.

1 mile WU
12 X 200 at 8:00/mile pace.
1.25 mile CD (Kily needed to get in an extra lap.)

Mike - Way to go with doing the 12 x 200 workout. Like you, I am more accustomed to a longer recovery. As I am getting more fit, it seemed like 200 was too long. That's the reason I attempted the 100 recovery. The first 4-6 seemed to be more difficult and then I got faster on the last 4. This is a very good workout for developing both endurance and speed because you never get "fully" recovered before you have to hit the speed again.

Audrey and Vicki---once again I will not be at Tuesday track. If I get done with the OG kids early, I'll try to drop by. I miss seeing all of you.

Thames speed work out consisted of these people: Terry, Dee, Jim, Jen, Vicki, Audrey and Charles. Dee, Jim, Jen, Charles and Terry just put some ground beneath their feet and ran laps. each according to their needs, ie: Terry tapering for Boston, Jim just getting back into the swing of things after the birth of his beautiful baby (Great pictures)!!, Dee and Jen putting in the miles 'cuz life just seems to get in the way sometimes, and Charles trying to run through a knee injury in bad shoes and refusing to take advice from his wife!! (He is going to see a Dr. Friday). Anyway, I had a difficult time pacing without Ginny, but Vicki helped a bunch. My goal was to run 4 mile repeats and keep it under 8:00 min. We kept it under 8:00. What is crazy is that our slowest mile, (# 3) was the hardest. My easiest, (after walking a lap vs. running a lap), was mile 4, which was my fastest at 7:18. I am thinking that I needed the extra recovery and knowing it was my last mile inspired me. Anyway, it was a good work out. I am always glad......when it's finished!! Running in circles is not my thing. See ya'll next week!

Wow! 4 x 1 mile is a tough workout. If you were going for endurance, such as training for the half or the marathon, it would be better to jog the 1 lap recovery with the miles at about 10K-Half pace. If you are training more for speed in the 5K-10K, it would be better to walk the recovery and try for faster miles such as 5K pace.

I'm surprised you could get Vicki to do that workout. I know how much she loves mile repeats

Hey folks! Haven't posted in a while...

Tuesday track was fun, even though I dislike running in circles, I enjoy the folks and of course how good I feel after the workout! I was doing 400's alternating fast and slow with a nice long WU and CD, got in about 3.75 miles. Probably could have gone more but that's what my plan called for.

I just ran a 10K last weekend and on Saturday will do a biathlon at Woolmarket.

Right now I am doing mucho grande training for triathlon; swimming lots and biking quite a bit as well and keeping up with my running. I hope I can get to more track workouts as school comes to a close at the end of the month. It was great to see everybody!

Since I had raced a 5K on Saturday, I delayed my speed session until Wednesday. I've been doing shorter speed intervals without too much success in lowering my 5K time. Unlike most sane people, I really prefer the longer intervals and unlike most people I tend to run the longer intervals at a faster pace. This is something that I really can't explain other than I think I get in a groove and just get more relaxed and pick up the pace.

Yesterday's workout was a 1 mile WU followed by 2 x 1 mile @ 8:32 with a quarter mile walk between. Then I did a 1 mile CD. It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed the "torture" session.

Shoot!! Ever since I did that speed work out at Thames, I have been struggling to just run. I am trying to figure out why. Maybe someone can help me figure it out. Here is what I did after Tues.

Wed: 5 miles on hills, barely under 9:00/mile, my legs felt heavy, breathing labored, never felt comfortable.
Thursday: 4 and half on the trail on hills. Same as above, just never felt good, had to push myself to keep going.
Friday: I will take today off as I will run a 5K tomorrow am. I will stretch and drink some red wine

Now, I do realize I am still running by the seat of my pants with no real running training program. Last week I did a 8 mile run, then a couple days later, a 10 miler. Actually felt pretty good on those runs. I am just kind of trying to get in at least one longer run a week (sometimes two), tempo, and speed. Oh, and am pretty much doing a 5K a week. Hmm, maybe I see a pattern. This is probably why you smarter runners keep a log. Maybe I am running too many back to back hard runs. I am getting older, maybe I need more recovery/easier runs. As usual, any advice is appreciated. Oh, and just a fun fact to know, if I ever, ever, ever, say that I want to switch shoes to a cheaper brand, just to say a few dollars? Well, kick me in the shin!! Those cheap Nikes gave me blisters and made my piriformis thingy flare up!! Only Mizunos for me, I bought some today, I already feel better, just looking at them in the box!! Take care, run on and run strong!!

Why do you keep setting yourself up for failure? You've answered your own questions. Yes, you do need to have a plan. Yes, you do need to keep a log. Yes, you should not be doing so many back to back hard/long runs.

You had a really, really hard workout on Tuesday. You are not supposed to feel speedy on Wednesday. You are supposed to feel fatigued. That is the reason you should have done a very slow recovery run on Wednesday.

You need a plan. I am willing to help you and I'm sure that Terry would also, but you've got to be willing to buy into the plan. I'm not sure you're willing to do that. That's OK, but you've got to accept the consequences.

OK---it's time for me to crawl back into my retirment/non coach mode. I've been working with those OG kids too long. With them, you don't hold back with opinions, instructions, criticisms, and praise. I'm not sure these methods work with adults so I need to back off. As Robin told me when I was trying to help him with something last night, "Mom, I've got it!" In other words, he was telling me to back off and if that's what you want, I'll do that, but you asked for an opinion.

It's incredible how a brand of running shoes work different for different people. I tried Mizuno once, and I will never buy them again. They were comfortable, but the sole disintegrated in less than one month. Although I have flat foot, you know I don't train very much, so I don't put a lot of miles on my shoes weekly. I was expecting the Mizuno to last at least a little longer. Now, I use Ascis Gel (...something else). I never remember model names and numbers. They are comfortable, work fine, and are durable.

Even those ugly "Vitruvian" shoes I used to wear years ago (and that were the envy of my fellow Pacers! ) were better than the Mizuno -- I know, I know. They don't work for me, but they are great for others.

Audrey, are your Mizunos running tomorrrow at the Acorn 5K?

Audrey - you are amazing. Most of us need to be asking you for training advice, you are running better than most of us. You are so strong. But honestly - I can not do what you do. Physically or mentally - I can not run hard every day. I personally reward myself with at least one easy day after a hard day, and if it's really hard, maybe 2 or more easy days. I would "burn out" really quickly if I even tried to run hard every day, and I believe I would be injured pretty quickly too. You are so tough to be able to run like you do. With that said, although you are running really great now, I do not believe you will meet your FULL running potential until you learn to run easy. So it depends on your long term goal. Do you want to run hard each time you run, or do you want to become the best runner that you can be? It may be that you would rather sacrifice the full potential because you enjoy running HARD. If that is what makes you feel good - that is great - continue on, but if the goal is to reach your best running potential you will need to make some changes to the hard run every day thing. What's the goal?

What about some 9:20-9:45 pace days? I would recommend that after your 4 X 1 mile workout.

Good Luck! Now you can give me advice, but please don't recommend running hard every day - I am to weak to do that.

Hey, slap me with the facts!! I am a big girl, I know my weaknesses, (stupid when it comes to training), I shoot myself in the foot 9 x out of 10. I believe I can be a better runner, if i run smarter!! I am ready to improve and really, I need a plan!! In High School, and in college, as long as I had direction, I did well. In my senior year of high school, my coach decided I was a big girl and told me to train myself. Big mistake, for me!! It seems I need a plan, or I either run too hard or too stupid!! Age has not wised me up. As I age, I can't afford to run too stupid, I don't recover as well. Anyway, I am ready to sit down, get a plan, follow the plan. (Something different for me). In the past, I start a plan, then always think, "well, the plan calls for 9:00 min. per mile, would it be better if I ran it at 8:00?" Then, I get injured, or burned out, etc., etc..... So, Becky, I humbly ask you for you assistance for a program.

As for Robin, well, he is family!! I always have my sons' best interest at heart when I give them free advice. It is always more difficult to do what a family member tells you to do. Especially, if it is a mom!!

Thanks for your advice!! Maybe I can catch up with you soon, and we can get something going for me!! Appreciate you always!!

We must all be on the forum at the same time!! Thanks Ginny! Yep, you are right as far as examining my goals. I honestly can't keep up that kind of training. Wears me out!! Too old!! Anyway, I am ready to try the smart running technigue!! I think I will call it the "Ginny" training plan!!

Nestor, you are right about Mizunos. They wear out fast!! However, they make my feet happy!! I get about 300 miles avg., then my knees start to ache. However, I have high, rigid arches, I supinate vs. pronate, and Mizunos are "just right". Yes, I will be at the acorn run!! See ya'll there!

I agree with Ginny! Audrey you are doing great but.... take it easy girl!
Do just one of those long hard run per week! Don't get an injury! We just need one silly nasty injury to spend several weeks (or months) in the healing process.

By the way... here are the shin splints visiting me again! What a pain in the b...I mean... in the extensor digitorum longus and the extensor hallucis longus muscles. Ouch!!