Posts Tagged ‘pfitz 18/55’

75 degrees and 83% humidity when I left the house at 6:30.  What a bowl of soup.

Today’s adventure was 9 miles w/5×1000 at 5K race pace w 2 min rest between.  During the 3 mile warmup I saw my friend Joe out running, so that was a cheery start to the morning.  Along with my pal sighting, there was a huge pack of army kids dressed up in full camouflage regalia; longsleeve jackets, pants, boots, heavy gear on their backs, doing some running and walking on the bike path, so that quelled any complaining I might have done.

My goal for today’s intervals was the same one I’m using throughout this cycle, 7:15 5K pace, based off goal marathon pace.  Last week, my initial interval was sluggish, and though I caught up after that, today I aimed to be even-steven throughout.

Now, the problem with me is my big fat stupid ego.  A faster runner, or one with more experience, would have either done less intervals or done them slower to account for the weather.  I know this because I’m always reading speedy runner’s accounts on the Marathon Training Forum and it is the common advice.  But when you’re at my level (which I know a bunch of you are), you figure you gotta do the workout as-is or you’ll hate yourself, feel like a loser and be ashamed to write about it on your blog.

So I did the workout as planned (7:12,7:13,7:12,7:14,7:14…avg.7:13) though the test of V02max is “could you do another one when you’re done?”  If you’re doing them right, you’re supposed to have enough left in the tank for one more.  I suppose if someone threatened to stick bamboo shoots in my fingernails and a steel spike up my ass, I could have come up with one more, but otherwise, foggedaboutit, I was cooked.

But I feel good about it, it’s done and now I can revert to my slothful ways for the rest of the day.  What’s next?  Supposed to be off tomorrow then 5 recovery on Saturday, but it looks like there’ll be some tail-end hurricane action Saturday (rain and 27 mph winds), so I think I’ll do the recovery tomorrow to get it out of the way.

And on that exciting tidbit of future ponderings, I have a bowl of cereal here that needs attacking, must go in the for the kill now, so I’ll see you later, folks!

In the past week or so, for some inexplicable reason, I’ve begun to drool out the right corner of my mouth while running.  It’s not a huge stream of spit or anything, and passers-by wouldn’t be able to tell, but I am having to wipe the corner of my mouth every so often.

Now, I know I’m not running with my head sideways and my dental work hasn’t changed, so it’s a mystery as to the cause.  Meanwhile, I can only hope this is a passing phase and doesn’t develop into a full-fledged rabid dog foaming at the mouth type of situation.  My race pictures suck as it is.

Today’s run was 13 with 2 trips up Smile Hill.  Good run in general, even with the hill, averaged 8:53.

Don’t know if any of you are familiar with the underground comic strip, Zippy The Pinhead, but I realized today, while looking at the elevation chart, that Smile Hill looks a lot like Zippy…don’t you think?

In non-running news, I’m waiting for the UPS guy to bring me the case fan so I can repair the power supply in my computer.  My workaround, while extremely effective, is somewhat unsightly and takes up a lot of space. It’s also causing me to sit a little crooked from my monitor.  Hey…maybe that’s why I’m drooling!!

That’s it from me today, later kids!

Such a lovely number, dontcha think?  I like it even better now that I’m done running it.

Got up at 5:30, had my usual bit of coffee, even had something to eat beforehand (rare occurrence)…peanut butter on a 1/2 a hot-dog bun (don’t ask).  I knew I was going to be out for a while, so figured a little something in my gut might be a good idea.

Wore my Tramp Stamp shorts which I am no longer mad at.  Now that I know where to apply the Body Glide, I’m liking them quite a bit – a gal can always use a back pocket.  I filled my gel flask with 2 gels & water and then stuck an as-of-yet-untested-flavor Power Gel Double Latte (double caffeine) in that back pocket.  Wanted to see if more caffeine at the end would be noticeable or not.  It wasn’t.

It was 73 degrees with 75% humidity when I started at 6:30, so I actually took the first 3 miles at recovery run pace – 10:07s.  I told myself that the object of today was time on my feet, and not to feel guilty if I went slower than usual.  By the end of the run it was 80, so it was a bit of a toasty morning.

I had a good run!  Did the museum loop and the Schuylkill riverwalk, then went back the way I came, detoured onto Smile Hill at around 15.5 for a single up-and-down (I won’t kid you, I was happy to see I only needed to do it once to make the correct mileage to get home), then 4.5 back home.

I lucked out, didn’t have one red stop light the whole run, so I never stopped the clock, the only physical stopping was 1:20, the amount of time it took to refill my water bottle 4 times.  Avg. for the run: 9:32, pretty much smack dab on Pfitz’s prescribed pace with the last three miles averaging 8:48.

Btw, don’t know if your city has them, but Philly is putting those fab new walk lights at almost every main intersection now, they give you the actual time left before the lights change, which is soooo helpful.  No more kamikaze running across to beat the light, I can actually see I’ve got 6 seconds left and speed up accordingly.  Really cool.

In other running news, I’m pretty excited because my schedule calls for an 8k-15k tune-up race next weekend but there isn’t anything local, so I was going to do a time trial.  But I found a 4mile race for Labor Day in a town about 45 minutes away, so I’m going to do it!  OK, it’s not 8k (aka 5 mile race), but it’s better than a 5K and I’ll be able to give it a proper race effort, which a time trial wouldn’t have been. I’m scared though!! I don’t race enough to be used to them yet, which is all the more reason for doing it (and one of the reasons Pfitzinger puts them in the plan in the first place).

And now, I’ll leave you with this link to a hilarious Usain Bolt spoof.  He’s the guy that set new World Records at the Olympics in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.  But in the 100m, Bolt showed an unfortunate lack of good sportsmanship when he looked around, then beat his chest in self-congratulations before the race was even over.  Hah, this video is perfect.  Enjoy, and I’ll see you back here later.

Didn’t write the last couple days because one day was recovery and yesterday was off, so nothing interesting to speak of. Well, I did have my first running nightmare last night that involved not knowing where the race was held and having to wear “fashion” running shoes from J.C.Penney (oh no, where are my Mizunos?!?! I can’t run in these!!). So I was a little tense upon waking.

On the menu this morning, 8 @GA Pace (Pfitz-speak for general aerobic) w/ 8x100m strides. While on the run, I realized that, since hopping on this particular training plan, something dramatic has changed within my running style. Used to be I’d never warm up to begin, just go out all gangbusters. As the run progressed, I’d always end up with positive splits. I wasn’t too concerned because my last mile is uphill and the run always averaged a pace I was happy with.

Nowadays, it’s ass-backwards. I start every run on the slow end, using my comfort level to determine the starting pace (aka a warm-up mile…what a foreign concept). Then, as the run progresses, I speed up – not because I’m clock watching, but because the effort feels easier as the miles chug along. What do I get for this newfangled way to run? Negative splits without even trying.

I’m sure credit goes to those molasses recovery miles, since running slowly has become much less evil in my mind and just another flavor to the full running recipe. Whatever, it’s lovely to find this happening without actively seeking it out.

So anyway, today’s run averaged 8:41, splits were 9:07, 8:51, 8:49, 8:33, 8:31, 8:28, then the strides and a mile home.

Tomorrow is a 14. I figure I’ll go 4.5 to my new found friend Mile Hill, go up and down that baby 2.5 times then take that final 4.5 back home. And with that, out goes the cutback week and in comes the hard stuff again, in particular a 12 w/7@tempo on Wednesday. Joy, oh joy.

Actually, that’s not even snarky, I am finding joy so often these days. Hard to believe just a year and half ago I felt directionless, uninspired, bored and flabby. God, I heart running.

Nice workout today – 8 miles w/5×600@5K race pace. Seeing as how I haven’t done a 5K in a few months, I used my goal marathon pace equivalent for the 5K (with some help from McMillan’s calculator) which is 7:15.

I split it up by doing 4 miles at the top of the workout, then the intervals, which magically averaged 7:15 (splits were 7:18, 7:15, 7:13, 7:13, 7:17), then the remainder for cooldown. I’m feeling very satisfied with it since the last time I did 600s was in April and they were slower, yet the temps were 17 degrees cooler.

Now to correct this week’s schedule in the previous post. Thanks to one of my gal friends on the Women’s BQ thread who took a cool poll yesterday of how many 20s people are doing for their marathons, I learned that my 5-6 was on the highest end (I think one other person is doing 6). The plan I’m following calls only for 3, but I know I’ll feel better to add more, so I’m going to make it five 20+ runs total – no need for 6.

Since this is a cutback week, I’ll stick with the plan as written and do 14 for my LR this Sunday (instead of the 20 I’d planned), but I’ll make it a hill workout on my favorite Mile Hill, so I’ll still get a little extra sumpin’ sumpin’ out of the deal. Next weekend it’s a scheduled 20 that I’ll stretch to 22.

Don’t you feel so much better now that I’ve clarified my schedule? I thought so. Later, my lovelies.

In only the sweetest manner possible.

Yesterday was a rest day and I spent it moping around the house, thanks to Sunday’s MP run. I had started questioning everything I’ve been doing and my marathon goal and laughing (derisively) at my previous “I’m going to be all circumspect about it all” since I clearly was being anything but.

Then today comes and it’s the weather I’ve been wanting for months now, a luscious 65 degrees. Haven’t seen that temperature since my Yellowstone vacation. Pfitz calls for a GA run, which couldn’t have come at a better time because I wanted to just run, no strings attached, no speed stuff or percentage-induced brakes, just run the way you run when it feels good.

I knew I’d likely be pushing it to make up for Sunday because I’m childish like that, so I strapped on my HR monitor to keep me honest. All I can say is YIPPEEE!!! I’m not the slug I imagined myself to be.

Splits were: 9:11, 8:50, 8:39, 8:35, 8:28, 8:26, 8:19, 8:00 for an average of 8:34. I wasn’t even trying to make it a progression run, it just happened! Lol, I can, and will, relax now.

What else is on the agenda for the week? Well, this is a cutback week, so it’s a bit less mileage but tomorrow is my first VO2max workout on this plan and I’m excited! Haven’t done intervals since April and these are my favorites, 600s (long enough to test you but short enough to enjoy it). The difference with these, as usual with “keep ‘em movin’” Pfitzinger, is he’s couched it between some extra miles, so the workout is 8 miles with 5×600 at 5K race pace w/90 sec. rest.

Besides that, I’ve got a 5 mile recovery the next day, then a day off, then 8 w/strides and then supposed to be 14 on Sunday, but I’m bumping it to 20, which’ll make it my third 20 so far.

Other than that, time to put my creative thinking hat on again, it’s time to work on new designs for Fish Pie and maybe now that I’m not moping I could actually come up with a couple cute ideas. We shall see.

Oh, and I wanted to mention some positive things about what I learned on my MP run this Sunday. I learned that I will be using the gel flask for the marathon, even though I’ve been using the foil packets for most of my runs these days. It’s much easier to deal with than packets and the dilution aspect will surely be appreciated as the hours tick by and my tummy wants less sweetness. The only downside is the little extra weight thanks to the added water and that it’s localized in one spot, but that’s a fair trade-off.

Another observation: I drank less on the MP run than I usually do. I carried my handheld, which I’ve been considering taking to Steamtown, because I do love being able to drink when I choose, but now I’m thinking that since my gels will have a bit of water added to them in the flask, it’s less critical that I have liquids on me and when I’m concentrated on pace, I don’t sip so much anyway.

Thank god I have PDR beforehand is all I can say, because I usually get all nervous around water stops, to the point where I’ll skip a stop I should use to avoid dealing with it, so it’ll be important to have another practice session before the big day. But who knows, I love my handheld, maybe we’ll do the big race together. Lol, it’s something to ruminate over for the next couple months, anyway, and we all know how I love to ruminate…