Week In Review: Week 9

Not much longer now! Shamrock Marathon is almost here and that means peak training followed by taper madness begins next week! This week, however, was nice and easy.

Monday: Off.

From Saturday's long run.

Tuesday: 5.5 miles easy.

Wednesday: 2 miles warm up, 8 miles with 1/2 mile hard, 1/2 mile easy. 1 mile cool down.

Shane did 11 miles in the snow.

Thursday: 3 miles. This was supposed to be a one hour easy run like Tuesday but I just didn't feel all that great.

Friday: 1 mile warm up, 8 hill sprints, 1 mile cool down. Total: 2.5 miles.

So glad I can go eat and get warm after 12 COLD miles!

Saturday: 12 miles with the Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners + strength training.

Sunday: Core work.

Total: 33 miles. Can't believe I'm calling that an 'easy' week!

Calibration Celebration

Have you ever thought, "10 minute miles on the treadmill feels so much harder than outside." Or, "Why am I huffing and puffing at recovery pace on this hamster wheel?" Or maybe even, "Wow! This feels so much easier than the same pace on the road!" If so you've probably wondered if your treadmill's calibration could be off. So here's how to find out.

Disclaimer: I didn't figure this out myself or even locate the procedure myself. However, I did decide that it would be nice to have it laid out step by step with some pictures.

Step 1: Gather the necessary supplies: Tape measure (preferably a soft one), bright colored duct tape, a notepad, a pen or pencil, a stopwatch, and a calculator. Or you can do what I did and use your iPhone/smartphone as a stopwatch, calculator, and camera.

easy peasy

Step 2: Measure your treadmill belt using the tape measure. I found that it worked best if I folded my treadmill up and then wrapped the tape measure around. Record your measurement in inches. (Mine was 112.75")

Step 3: Place a piece of brightly colored tape on the treadmill belt.

Orange worked well

Step 4: Set your treadmill to your normal running speed while you stand on the side rails or off to the side. (My treadmill takes a minute to get up to full speed so I waited to start timing until it was humming along nicely.)

10 minutes/mile according to the treadmill

Step 5: Wait for the tape to come around again and then start your timer. Start counting on the next appearance of the tape at the starting point (one rotation) and continue counting until you reach 50 rotations of the belt. Record the time it took.

Time to reach 50 rotations

Step 6: Do some math. The speed of your belt in MPH = (50 x length of your belt in inches x 0.0568) / the time you recorded.

(50 x 112.75 x 0.0568) = 320.21 

320.21 / 51.3 = 6.24 MPH

So the 6 MPH button on my treadmill actually causes the belt to spin at almost 6 1/4 MPH! I conducted the experiment again at Shane's average running speed (8.0 MPH) and found that actually runs at 8.1 MPH! 

So now I can either adjust my time/distance for what I know the actual pace is or I can remind myself that a 10 minute mile pace outside feels easier because it's ACTUALLY a 10 minute mile pace instead of 9:35 per mile. I'll probably stick with recording the treadmill's distance and time readout since I'm lazy but it's nice to know I'm not just being a baby about the hamster wheel!

Week in Review: Week 8

Two months down already! I can't believe I'll be starting to taper for Shamrock in just another month or so! This week was a great week aside from the dog incident. I also got in some fun on the trails so I have some pictures to make this a little less boring.

Shane decided to jump a stream instead of taking the bridge

Monday: 4.5 miles of hill work. 10 minute warm up, 5 minutes at 8% incline, 2 minutes at 4% incline, repeat. Really happy with how much easier the hills are becoming! I actually forgot I was on 8% at one point and tried to increase it!

Taking a tree over the water

Tuesday: 50 minute tempo run. 7.25 miles. I actually didn't feel like this was tempo effort. Guess I'm getting faster!

Sleep running? :)

Wednesday: 7.25 miles of 9:1 run/walk. Not much to say about this workout.

I took the bridge

Thursday: 6.5 miles including 8 x 400m repeats. I really surprised myself by being able to complete this one at the prescriped paces.

Shane stopped to do pull-ups during the run

Friday: This is the day I was jumped on by the dog. It should have been a repeat of Wednesday. Instead it ended up being 1.14 miles on the trail and 1.86 miles on the treadmill to make 3 miles total.

Horses!

Saturday: 18 mile long run. I had to break up my long run because Shane's parents were watching the girls. I ran 15 miles in South Park and then ran the 3 miles home from his parent's house to our house.

Tiny Shane but pretty trees

Sunday: This was scheduled to be a rest day but since Friday got so messed up I went ahead and did 3.5 miles of 9:1 run/walk. It felt fine which I was pretty excited about the day after a long run!

Total: 50 miles in under 9 hours of running! Woah!

Hey Dog Owners!

I have two dogs if you didn't already know that. I love our two mutts and because I love them I take care of them. One of our two is a rescue. She appears to be mixed with beagle and she will run like one if she gets away. One time she went to chase a rabbit, tangled my legs in the leash knocking me to the ground, and ran nose-to-ground for over a mile before I caught her. It was one of the scariest moments of my life.

Our Scoops

Our second dog is a purebred miniature dachshund. She is the sweetest, funniest, most cuddly dog I've ever met. She sleeps with me every night and she's always either with my kids, my husband, or myself. I couldn't imagine life without her now.

Lily

And that's what makes what happened today so horrific to me. I will start at the beginning and see if I can write this without being a total bitch. (Yes, I'm swearing today. I am that upset.)

This morning Shane asked if I'd like to do my run before he went to bed. This meant two things: 1) I would be able to run outside. 2) I would actually run while it was still daylight. I, of course, said yes and ate breakfast quickly before donning my warm gear to brave the 20-ish degree temps.

I headed out the door and down to the recreational trail. I did everything right. I had only one earbud in and my music was turned down so low that I had no problem hearing everything around me. I eased into my first mile at about a 10 minute pace. My plan was to use 9:1 run/walks to reach 7-8 miles at an easy pace today. I hit the 1 mile mark at 10:36 after my first walk break and was feeling good. I was just settling into my second run interval when I heard it.

A terrifying snarl which was coming from directly behind my right shoulder. I barely had time to turn my head before the dog plowed into my back at full speed. Only my momentum from running kept me on my feet as I hurtled forward struggling desperately to turn towards the dog so I could defend myself. The dog ricocheted off my back and to my right landing on his feet and taking off through a yard beside the trail. I struggled to catch my breath, worrying the dog was going to return at any second, and decided that I would follow his tracks in the snow to see where he went so I could give the owner a piece of my quaking mind.

This is the dog that attacked me.

I followed the dog through one yard before losing sight of him but I did get a good look at him. Brown and brindle with a bandana on his neck.... NOT a stray! The woman who's yard I was walking through had heard me scream and let me inside quickly after I explained what had happened. She told me the dog had been walking around her house all day and she was afraid to let her own dog out because of it. We discussed it and decided the police needed to intervene.

A few minutes later two officers arrived on scene. They tucked me into a cruiser and we went in search of the dog. It only took a minute to find him a few houses over. The officers knocked on several doors but no one claimed the dog. Animal Control arrived but the dog wouldn't let them get close enough to catch him. They finally had to give up and an officer drove me home since I was now too afraid to run back.

When I got home I posted on my Facebook page about the incident and a description of the dog. It turns out the dog had been lost just a week or two ago and the picture above had been circulating until he was found and returned to the owner. A friend suggested it was the same dog and I identified it easily as the one that had ruined my run and taken the feeling of safety I have on my home trail. 

Shortly after that someone commented on my post that the dog is a 'sweetheart' and just likes to run with people. And this is where I get PISSED! A dog is a responsibility like a child or a weapon. It is the owner's responsibility to take care of the dog and protect other people from said dog. There are leash laws and control laws that this owner has broken, at least twice now since the dog was already running loose just a few weeks ago. 

I have NO WAY of knowing that the dog did not intend to hurt me. Had I been elderly or had my children with me or one of my own dogs along someone could have been hurt! The trail is covered in a thin layer of snow and ice packed hard from repeated trampling. Being hit behind by a 40-50 pound dog could seriously harm a young child, elderly adult, or cyclist. And no matter the dog's intention the owner was nowhere to be found to call it off or control it. 

The dog is obviously not friendly enough to allow police officers or animal control officers to approach it. It did not try to run with me or 'play' with me after it struck me. If this is the owner or dog's idea of playfulness they are WAY off base. This dog ATTACKED. It saw a moving target and went after it. 

So the moral of the story is that I will be carrying a weapon from now on. I will be carrying pepper spray and an emergency whistle as well. And should I encounter another loose dog (or human attacker, God forbid) I will not hesitate to use force. The owners of this dog should know that the next time I encounter this dog off of a leash it won't come home in one piece and I will press charges.

To all other dog owners out there: Be responsible for your pet. Just because they have never hurt anyone or 'just want to play' doesn't mean that they won't accidentally (or purposely) hurt someone if you aren't in control of them. If you let your dog off leash in areas where it is illegal or if your dog continually escapes your home/yard and you are not correcting the problem then YOU are the problem. You should give your dog to a home that will keep them safe and protect the general public as well. To the responsible dog owners, thank you for setting a good example!

Have you had an encounter with a dog? What was your reaction and was the owner there?

Focus on Recovery

One thing I'm finding with increasing my mileage is a need to focus on diet and recovery like never before. Every day there's something sore and DOMS is my constant companion. I've been asked if I'm pushing myself to injury. The answer is.... I don't think so. It's more just that my body is adjusting and being pushed beyond the limits I gave it. I felt a lot like this the day after running when I started with the Couch to 5k program in 2008. Now I'm running 5-6 days a week so I feel it every day.

So how do I continue to increase my mileage while running quality sessions a couple times a week? The answer is multifaceted and complex. It's been a mix of hydrating properly, eating a cleaner balanced diet, sleeping more, and seeing professionals for help on the things I can't do myself.

On the hydration and diet note, I'm not an expert. I know what I've learned in school and what I've picked up from many, many books, articles, and studies. What I've found works for me is not counting calories but focusing on eating healthy, natural foods. Lots of salads with some protein on top (diced ham, chicken, or seafood), whole fruits and veggies, and simple recipes without lots of added butters or oils. I've been going through my pinned recipes on Pinterest looking for ones that I can make in a short time with common and simple ingredients. Roasted sweet potatoes, oatmeal berry bake, paleo oatmeal cookies, etc. And then I drink water with every meal and snack but only to thirst. I don't force it. So far, so good. I feel like I'm losing fat and getting more toned but I'm not willing to weigh myself and check. I'll let my performance on my runs dictate whether I've 'improved' or not.

As for sleep, I am a glutton. I would sleep 10+ hours every night if I could. What I've been doing is going to bed as soon as the kids are asleep (not just in bed but actually asleep) which usually equates to 9 or 9:30PM. I don't necessarily fall asleep right away but I get off my feet and relax with a book or magazine until I'm ready to sleep. I also set my alarm for the last minute possible. I'd rather be rushed in the morning than miss another 15 or 20 minutes of sleep. I just need that extra rest lately. I've even taken naps once or twice in the last couple months and I never nap.

I want to be able to sleep any where, any time like my kids!

But the biggest changes in my routine have come from massage, chiropractic adjustments, and Graston treatments. Everyone is familiar with massage even if they've never had one. I had never had a professional massage but I figured it was worth a shot because stretching and foam rolling weren't giving me the results I wanted and needed. My first massage was fairly gentle and the second one was deeper. I honestly didn't mind either way. The first one was more relaxing but the second one really helped with the muscle pain and soreness. I imagine I will request different things from now on as I feel the need arise.

The chiropractor may or may not be familiar to most athletes. Adjusting your spine to create better health can sound a little folksy but it's worked for me. I've been going on and off since my sophomore year of high school when I was diagnosed with rotational scoliosis (not only is my spine curved, it is also twisted). At first I went a few times a week but, as time elapsed and I began to strengthen the muscles, I found I needed fewer adjustments. Once I started running I needed adjustments more often to ward off injury from an uneven gait. Over time I've whittled the number of appointments back down but with heavier training I'm going more often again to be safe.

Graston tools

The Graston technique is the newest weapon in my arsenal against injury. My left knee has been tight since the Marshall University Marathon. It wasn't getting worse and it wasn't getting better. Getting adjusted and a massage helped but it was still there so another runner suggested Graston. I made my first appointment two weeks ago not really knowing what to expect. 

The Graston technique uses the tools above to break up scar tissue and the like in the soft tissues. This promotes blood flow and flexibility and healing. Some people told me it was really painful and some told me it was only mildly irritating. The doctor told me that it seemed to be related to the amount of scar tissue in the area being worked on. So I went ahead and let him try it on my calves and IT bands. Wouldn't you know that the areas that haven't bothered me it actually tickled? I giggled and had to try not to accidentally kick the doctor. I'm sure he thought I was an idiot!

But then he hit the top of my calf muscle near the back of my knee and I almost jumped off the table. The pain was unexpected after the ticklish sensations of the other areas but once I got ahold of myself it only took some deep breathing to make it bearable. The doctor said he could really feel the scar tissue in that area and he grabbed another tool to go a little deeper. It was pretty intense! But at the end of the hour I only felt sore as if I had done a hard work out. Nothing I haven't been walking around with for the last few weeks anyway.

Post-Graston bruises

That night I walked instead of ran to promote blood flow without further damage. There were some rounded bruises in the worst areas but nothing too bad or painful (thankfully it's winter so I can wear long pants!). I ran the next day and my knee was about 75% better. After the second visit I'd say it's 85% better. I have one area of tenderness left and I'm hoping the third visit will (almost) cure it. Based on feeling better and improving on my runs, I would definitely recommend Graston for anyone dealing with soft tissue/muscle pain. 

And that's what I've been up to outside of running! 

What do you do to aid recovery? Have you tried massage, chiropractic, or Graston? 

Week In Review: Week 7!

Time flies when you're having fun! Ummm, training hard? Sleeping 9 hours a night? Spending double digit hours running? Yeah, that's fun right?

I've been meaning to write a post about keeping your body in top shape during blocks of heavy training (and I know what I'm doing is moderate by most standards but it's the hardest I've ever consistently trained). I'm really trying to nail down the things that make me feel better and experiment with recommendations from other runners to find more recovery tricks. So if you're interested look for that soon!

Now onto the nuts and bolts fun:

Monday: 10 minute warm up, walk at 8% incline for 5 minutes, walk at 2% incline for 2 minutes, cool down. Ab Ripper X afterwards. Total: 4.5 miles

Tuesday: 2 mile warm up, 3 x 10 minutes at 5k pace with 3 minutes recovery between, 1 mile cool down. Total: 7 miles

Wednesday: 90 minutes of 9:1 run/walks. Total: 9 miles

Thursday: 1 mile run + weights.

Friday: 1 mile warm up, 5 miles of hills, 1 mile cool down. Total: 7 miles

Saturday: Rest.

Sunday: 10.6 miles of hills!

Sunday's elevation profile

Total: 39.1 miles

It's funny how that seems like low mileage to me after having a few weeks in the mid 40's - 50's. Not that long ago I would have been stoked about running this much and now I feel like a slacker for not hitting 40. The good news is the coming week is going to beat that slacker feeling right out of me!

How was your week? How are you keeping track of your training in relation to your goals?

Big News!

I'm now an Altra Zero Drop ambassador!

 

My Altras in the snow....

 

On the trail....

 

And off the beaten path....

 

Man I love these shoes and I love the Altra Zero Drop crew! They have been awesome and supportive and helpful at every turn. Now it's my turn to share the love and I can't wait to put up my best race season yet while representing the brands I believe in!