Monday, December 21, 2015

Why Taking A Few Days Off Running is OK

I haven't run in 7 days!



I ran my long run of 6 miles last Saturday, followed by a 2 mile recovery run (ok, mostly walk) on Sunday. Near the end of that 2 miles, I started to get a throbbing feeling in my lower back on the left side. I figured it was from the long run the day before, and I'm not used to doing anything the day after a long run, so my body was likely just adjusting and would be back to normal on Monday.

I woke up Monday morning with that same achy, throbbing in my back. Uh oh! I did lots of stretching the whole day and foam rolled a couple times thinking that should do the trick. But then Tuesday arrived and I didn't feel any better. My body was sending me a message, so I scheduled a massage for Wednesday afternoon with my favorite massage therapist figuring she would be able to work out some kinks that I couldn't! Thursday and Friday, I was still sore, but not in the same way that I was...mostly just from the massage. Finally, I woke up Saturday feeling great! Sunday I thought maybe I would run if I was still feeling good, but my husband talked me out of it, which was probably a good idea. No need to push it when I was just starting to get better.

So in light of my impromptu week off running, I learned a few things...

1. Listen to your body. If you don't, and you just keep pushing through aches and pains, eventually it may lead to an injury that can sideline you for much longer than if you had just listened to your body to begin with.

2. Enjoy the time off. I know that when you are in the midst of a training schedule, the last thing you want to do is a take a break. However, just taking a day or two off to do other things that you enjoy can be so refreshing. Catch up on TV shows, go shopping, hang out with friends. It's a great reminder that there are other things that you enjoy outside of running.

3. Read about running. Sometimes when I take a break from running, I like to immerse myself in all things related to running (I am so OCD) - this includes catching up with my favorite running blogs as well as purchasing running magazines or googling things related to running.

4. Plan ahead. Still trying to figure out your race schedule for the upcoming year? Take some time to sit down and research any future races in which you'd like to participate. If you already have races chosen, start planning out the weeks leading up to these races and how much mileage you need to do in order to accomplish your goals.

5. Research gear. One of the reasons I love running is being able to shop for awesome new gear! I love contemplating my next new item - whether it be a pair of new crops, a hydration pack, headlamp or anything else, shopping still allows me to think about running but get the rest I need.

6. Dabble in cross-training. If you are intent on at least some sort of active recovery, try some other non-impact exercises like swimming, yoga, biking. And lest we not forget, foam rolling.


My 7 days off was much needed - I haven't taken this many days off in a row in over a year. I should've done this in October after the Detroit half...especially since I had to walk downstairs backwards for 2 weeks straight! Now I am ready to get back on track now and begin my next training schedule for the Mini Marathon in Indy next May.

Sub 2:30:00, here I come!




Monday, December 14, 2015

2016 Race Calendar

Still tweaking my race calendar for next year, but here is what I have so far:


Me (on the far right) taken at the Clarkston Backroads 10k, 2015)

January


February
7 - Super 5K Roadrace (Novi, MI)


March
6 - Kona Shamrock 10K (Plymouth, MI)


April
9 - Martian 5K (Dearborn, MI)


May
7 - Mini Marathon Half Marathon (Indianapolis, IN)


June


July
TBD - Huckleberry Hustle 5K
16 - Rock 'n' Roll Chicago 5K (Chicago, IL)
17 - Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon (Chicago, IL)


August
26 - Crim - Michigan Mile (Flint, MI)
27 - Crim - 10 Mile (Flint, MI)


September


October
9 - Bank of American Chicago Marathon*
*if I can't get into this one via lottery - Anthem Richmond Marathon (Nov 12) or Indianapolis Monumental Marathon (Nov 5)


November
7 - Run Like a Deer 5K (Linden, MI)
8 - Clarkston Backroads 5K (Clarkston, MI)


December
I will likely do some sort of local 5k but undecided on which one



Friday, December 11, 2015

New Garmin 235 & Heart Rate Training

I recently upgraded from a Garmin 220 to the new Garmin 235 in frost blue. I've had it for about a week now and so far, I am really liking it. Still getting used to all the features, especially the heart rate function and trying to tailor my runs based on HR training zones, which is really hard if you haven't tracked your heart rate before.


Trying to do a recovery run at 70-75% of max heart rate and I feel like I'm barely moving. And at times, I can't even run slow enough to get my heart rate in the right zone. I have to add in more walk intervals in order to get it low enough.

In an effort to better understand what exactly I should be doing in order to train in certain zones, I googled to get some basic information.

This post from Shut Up + Run has been the best explanation I've found so far.

To sum it up, you need to calculate your max HR and your resting HR.

Best way to calculate your max HR is to do a mile warmup, followed by running as fast as you can for 1-2 minutes, then 1 minute jog/recovery. Repeat this 3 times and take the highest HR.

Then calculate your resting HR before you get out of bed in the morning. The 235 calculates it for you...just make note of it after you wake up.

I've calculated my max HR at 195 and resting HR at 55.

Use these simple formulas to figure out percentages of your max HR for training runs:

Recovery & long runs should be done at 70-75% of your HR Reserve

  • (Max HR minus Resting HR) x 0.70 + Resting HR
  • (Max HR minus Resting HR) x 0.75 + Resting HR
So for me: (195 - 55) x 0.70 + 55 = 153   and   (195 - 55) x 0.75 + 55 = 160
I should do my recovery and long runs with an avg HR range of 153-160

Tempo runs should be done at 85% of your HR Reserve

  • (Max HR minus Resting HR) x 0.85 + Resting HR
So for me: (195 - 55) x 0.85 + 55 = 174
I should do my tempo runs with an avg HR of 174

Interval/speed workouts should be done at 90-95% of your HR Reserve

  • (Max HR minus Resting HR) x 0.90 + Resting HR
  • (Max HR minus Resting HR) x 0.95 + Resting HR
So for me: (195 - 55) x 0.90 + 55 = 181 and   (195 - 55) x 0.95 + 55 = 188
I should do my interval/speed workouts with an avg HR range of 181-188

Here's more info on the method used to calculate these: Karvonen Method

For best results and to allow for recovery, alternate hard and easy days. For example, do a recovery run on Monday, followed by a speed workout on Tuesday, Wednesday may be another recovery run or cross training, etc. 

It may feel slow at first. Painfully slow. I even had to walk at times to keep it in the correct zone. BUT I noticed that I was not sore afterwards or even the next day. I enjoyed the workouts a lot more because I wasn't going all out all of the time.
The Garmin 235 even shows you how much time you spend in each zone, and on Garmin connect, will give you your average HR for each run

It's still a work in progress for me and I think it will really be useful in my marathon training this coming year!

On that note, so far this week's workouts have followed the plan:
  • Monday: Recovery run - 2.38m - 36:05 - 74% of max HR
  • Tuesday: Tempo run - 3.18m - 40:02 - 3/1 run/walk intervals - 83% of max HR
  • Wednesday: OFF
  • Thursday: Speed run - 2.13m - 24:01 - 6 min warmup, 1/1 intervals, 6 min cooldown - 90% of max HR
  • Friday (today): I will be doing elliptical at recovery speed (20 mins)
  • Saturday (tomorrow) I will be doing 6 miles at long run pace
For those that are interested in comparing the looks and size of the Garmin 220 vs Garmin 235, here are a few pics:




Also, 55 degrees yesterday in Michigan means shorts weather - woohoo!


Training Gear
Lululemon Swiftly LS   Oiselle Roga Shorts    Lululemon Cool Racerback  
Lululemon Energy Bra    Feetures Socks    Hoka Challenger ATR

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Running Survey

Fun run survey that I got from We Run Disney blog!


1. Would you rather run along a beach path or on a mountain trail?
Definitely trail! I love being out in the wilderness and discovering beautiful, new scenery!

2. If you could choose the flavor of gatorade at your next race's aid stations, what would it be? 
I tend to choose the blue and purple flavors :)

3. If I gave you a $100 gift card to a running store, what would be the first thing that you would purchase with it? 
Well, hopefully it would be to lululemon. And I'd have to agonize over what to purchase - either a new pair of crops or a couple pairs of shorts, or a couple tops.

4. Do you prefer to follow a training plan or wake up and decide then how far and fast you want to run? 
I am definitely a planner so I like following a plan. 

5. Would you rather start your run with the uphill and end on the downhill or start your run with the downhill and end on the uphill? 
I would so much rather do the hard part first so I would rather do uphill first. The Detroit Free Press half had the up of the Ambassador Bridge at the beginning, so it was nice to get that out of the way before my legs were shot. But the up getting out of the Windsor Tunnel around mile 8 is no picnic either.

6. When you can't run, what type of cross-training do you choose to do? 
Elliptical, weights and yoga. But usually end up obsessing over when I can run again.

7. What's your preference --> out and back or point to point or loop runs? 
For a race, I prefer a point to point or loop, as long as there are no repeats. For training runs, I try to mix it up. Just depends on how I am feeling on a particular day. Some days I just leave from the house and do an out and back. Other days, I feel more adventurous and drive to a different starting point or a different place altogether.

8. If you could recommend ANY running related item to a new runner, it would be a...?
That's a tough one. Getting fitted properly for shoes is probably the top priority. But beyond shoes, if you are going to do any distance, definitely some sort of hydration belt or pack. Hydration is important!
Nathan Trail Mix Hydration Belt


9.  Do you ever see any wild animals while out on your runs?
Nothing more than deer and squirrels so far.

10. Ever gotten lost while out on a run? 
Not sure where I was exactly - yes. But a quick check on my phone of the surrounding neighborhoods, and I made it home safely.

11. If you could have one meal waiting and ready for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days, what would that meal be?
Hmmm...definitely a fizzy soda...beyond that, I don't think I can narrow it down to just one food. Just depends what I am in the mood for. A big sandwich, spaghetti, donuts...mmm, hungry now!

12. Capris or shorts...what do you run in most often?
I live in Michigan, so it really just depends on what season it is that particular day. The saying here goes "if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes." Summer is usually shorts, fall, spring and winter are capris or tights.

13. At what mile (or how many minutes) into your run does your body start to feel like it is warming up and ready to go? 
Generally about 1 - 1.5 miles.

14. What do you do with your key when you run? 
If I am wearing my hydration belt, it goes in the pouch on there. If I don't have that, it goes in one of many pockets that I usually on my shorts/tights/vests/jackets. I've also been known to put it in my lululemon stuff your bra, which has built in pockets :)



15. If you could relive any race that you have done in the past, which one would it be? 
Probably my 3rd half marathon (my 2nd Mini Marathon in Indy). I was injured many weeks prior to the race, so I really didn't expect much of myself time-wise. I just wanted to finish. The first few miles were rough, so I just took it easy and walked a ton, but eventually I warmed up and was able to run the final 5 miles and PRed by 15 minutes!



Feel free to copy and fill out the survey!

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Marathon Bug

First, a little background about me. I am a 33 year old mother of one very spirited 2 year old son, and I've been married for 12 years. I am a graphic designer (hence the blog title Designed2Run). I recently started running again after gaining back baby weight and dealing with post partum anxiety and depression. The first year of my son's life, I put the baby weight back on slowly and was eager to get it off. So my initial goal was weight loss, and I signed up for a half marathon in August 2015 as a finish line to my goal. During that time, I began with walking and worked up to run/walk intervals. The weight slowly started to fall off and my love for running grew. I made it to my goal that August and completed the half marathon.

But, let me back up a little bit. I've always been athletic. I was a tomboy growing up and loved playing basketball and football with the boys. In fact, I almost always beat my older brother in any athletic endeavors. Then, freshmen year of high school, the track coach distributed flyers to all the freshman girls. This sparked my interest as I had always been deemed fast by my friends...so, I joined!

It became a good extracurricular activity, as well as something in which I was good. And of course, I enjoyed the competition! As track season wrapped up that year, my coach (who coincidentally was also the cross country coach) encouraged me to join the cross country team, promising me that it would improve my track season. So as a sophomore, I dropped out of band that fall to join the CC team (I was in flag corps freshman year). At the beginning, it was hard. Harder than I imagined. But as the miles piled up, I got better. Faster. Stronger. And although I never made it past JV and most certainly was not the fastest, I learned that although I was a much better sprinter than distance runner, I could still do it.

Sophomore year, I joined track again...as well as junior year, and also senior year. I was a 100m-200m sprinter freshman year, but after that I was moved to mostly 400m and still some 200m. I'm guessing because we had very few 400m runners. Sophomore year, I was on the 4x400m relay team with all seniors. I pretty much HATED the 400m because it's too short to be able to run a slow steady pace, but almost too far to be an all-out sprint. I particularly remember the first time I ran the 400 in a meet. I sprinted about 2/3 of the way around the track, then barely made it to the finish because I had used up all my energy too fast. At the time, if it was too hard, I didn't like. Looking back, it was more of a challenge and I should've just rose to it.

Junior year, I did not join cross country. Just like the 400m, it was hard and I didn't feel like I was fast enough. I was a middle of the pack runner and being JV instead of Varsity was sort of crushing for me. Senior year, I was coaxed into joining CC again by my coach, but I ended up injured and only competed in one meet.

Post high school, the running stopped for quite some time. I got busy with college and work, and it just sort of fell of the radar. Until I had worked a few years in the corporate world, and the desk jobs took their toll on my weight. I gained a few pounds (ok, 30 lbs) and by 2009, I was laid off and finally had the time to actually do something about it. This was the first time I decided to set a goal of losing some weight and signed up for my first half marathon (Mini in Indianapolis 2010). Hubby was also laid off at the time (long story but this time in our life was rough, mentally and financially, but that's another story altogether), so I had him sign up for the race with me (even though he's not a runner at all).

By May 2010, it was time for my first half. I hadn't trained smart...in fact, life got in the way so much that I only got up to about 7 miles for my longest run, so the race was difficult and painful, but, I finished. That instilled in me that I could channel my inner strength to accomplish great things. BTW, I also lost that extra 30 lbs. I talked about above. After the initial pain of the race subsided (weeks later, mind you), I decided I would continue with running and set my sights on another race - Disney World half marathon in January 2011. Again, with minimal training (oops, someday I will learn), I completed it 2 minutes faster than the Mini.

After this, I still wanted more. Didn't I learn the first 2 times?
So I signed up for the Mini again in 2011.

At this point, all this lack in training caught up to me, and I got side-lined with hip bursitis and took many weeks off running prior to the race. The rest definitely helped because I smashed my half marathon PR by 15 minutes!

A month after this, I got pregnant, had 2 miscarriages in a row, then spent a year in infertility hell before finally falling pregnant with my son in October 2012.

Fast forward to August 2015 where I had lost the baby weight and completed my 4th half marathon in Vancouver, then signed up for my 5th half in Detroit, MI.

Now that I have 5 half marathons under my belt, I've decided that I am setting my sights on a FULL marathon in the fall of 2016.

My race calendar for next year looks something like this so far:

January
February - 5K race
March - 5K or 10K Race
April - 5K or 10K Race
May - Mini 1/2 Marathon - Indianapolis (3rd time doing this one)
June
July - Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon - Chicago
August - Michigan Mile, Crim 10m
Sept
Oct - Bank of American Chicago Marathon (providing I get in lottery-style)
Nov
Dec

Chicago Marathon - Fall 2016 - Fingers crossed


I want this blog to serve as a reminder to how far I've come, how far I still have to go, and a diary of my running/racing adventures.

Now that I have this goal to become a marathoner, tell me...what motivated you to start running?



d2r