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June 2014 archive

Bellingham Bay Marathon Training Week 3 – My First Downpour Run

For some reason, when I trained for last year’s Richmond Marathon, I never had to run in the rain. It did rain during the marathon, but that was the extent of my rainy running last year. I never had to make the decision I made last week when I asked “What is worse – doing my hard run on the treadmill or in a downpour?

And I never got to learn the lesson I now know: DOWNPOUR > TREADMILL. No question.

I learned this one the hard way last Thursday. The rain was coming down hard and I hate getting wet so I went to the treadmill. Also, I’m moving at the end of the month and won’t have access to a treadmill anymore so I figured I might as well use it while I have it. Coach Abby had this on my schedule:

2 mile warm up, 3 miles @ 8:15, 2 mile cool down

I did my 2 mile warm up, and when it was time to run my 3 miles I turned the speed up. . . and I couldn’t do it. I lasted a half mile before having to get off the treadmill. Even after turning the speed down a little, it was just too much. I can’t do the treadmill. Even a 10 minute mile on the treadmill feels like I’m sprinting – I’ve always felt this way. I hoped I could just push through but I couldn’t.

But I know I had the prescribed pace in me, and I knew the only way I could hit it was outside. Rain or no rain. I left the gym, grabbed my Garmin (my apartment is connected to the gym through a garage) and started my 2.5 miles of the faster pace outside.

It wasn’t raining much anymore by the time I got outside, and even though it was tough, I had no problem finishing my miles for an average pace (including the treadmill half mile) of 8:05. The rain did pick up though, and for the last half mile of the faster interval and throughout my entire 2 mile cool down, it was coming down in BUCKETS. I’ve never run in anything like that before – even the heaviest rain at the Richmond Marathon wasn’t THAT bad, but I saw no reason not to finish my entire cool down.

I regretted my clothing choice – very short shorts that stuck to me and looked like underwear, and a tank top that is only mesh on the sides and in the back. The front was not the most comfortable – but overall it wasn’t that bad! I had a visor on so rain didn’t get into my eyes, which is usually my worst problem when running in any rain, and I got the added benefit of feeling totally badass!

And it was my first speed-based run where I was actually on pace, so it helped my confidence quite a bit. I know it’s slightly skewed because I did have a break in the middle of the first mile, but I’ll take it!

Week 3: June 2 – June 8

  • Monday – Refine
  • Tuesday – 6 miles easy (9:56 pace)
  • Wednesday – OFF
  • Thursday - 2 mile warm up, 3 miles @ 8:15 8:05, 2 mile cool down
  • Friday – 10 mi
  • Saturday – Plyos + Hip Exercises FAIL
  • Sunday – OFF

Total (running) miles: 23

Summary of Week 2 running:

In addition to that rainy run, I also had a few other great workout last week. Monday’s Refine class was incredible – I really feel like I’m improving already. My push-ups are getting better and we used suspension straps which I love. It was a really fun time and I felt strong. My first weekday “easy” run was perfect – a beautiful day to run 6 miles, I felt euphoric the entire time! I ran my favorite route, past all these waterfront apartment buildings I am obsessed with, and into Liberty State Park along the boats. My first truly AMAZING run of this training cycle.

And Friday’s long run was also pretty much perfect – the weather could not have been any better, and I met a new running buddy who loves near me to run the first 3 miles with.

Dori and Andy wedding

How has it been a year?!

For the first time in Bellingham Bay training, I did have to skip a workout. I had plyos + hip exercises on my plan for Saturday, but I was up at 5am to leave for vacation and the day was totally nonstop right through to late at night. We visited friends, visited family and saw the Dave Matthews Band 2 set show.

I had no interest (and was way too exhausted and WAY too full/sick from a great breakfast) to make it up on Sunday - our first wedding anniversary! I know the plyos + hip exercises are what will prevent injury this time around, but part of training is knowing when it’s OK to take a break – and I gave myself the OK for just this time.

And now we’re in Cape Cod for a week celebrating our anniversary, lazing around, reading book after book, watching Orange is the New Black, eating Cape Cod potato chips and doing a whole lot of absolutely nothing (except on the days I have to run!). It’s relaxing and amazing and this right here is the extent of my computer using. So, see ya!

What’s worse to you: treadmill or downpour? Do you find it impossible to run faster on a treadmill? Does anyone know why that happens?

 

 

Post-Injury Learnings + My Husband’s Viral Tweet

While I was injured for a few months, I learned something: Just because I can do something, doesn’t mean I should.

What I mean is this: When I’m taking Refine classes, I get stronger. And when I get stronger, I’m able to lift heavier kettlebells, use heavier resistance on the pulley system and do the advanced version of any given exercise. And I go from two classes a week, to three, to four. But I don’t think it’s right for me and the way I am built to always do more more more. I already know I can get the benefits of the class without it – my problem is that the class is so much fun I WANT to do more. I crave it. I feel proud when I can use a heavier bell or add an extra resistance cord. But just because I can doesn’t always mean I should.

Don’t get me wrong – for many people, that is the entire point of exercise! You get strong, you move to the next level. But with my injury history I’m only now realizing that that isn’t right for my body. I have a very small frame – maybe that’s why, I don’t know. But I can tell you that I’m already noticing improvements in my strength from just going to Refine once a week (and not using much weight yet). Of course, everyone reaches a point where they have to do more – faster reps or heavier weight – to continue gaining benefits. But I can be more mindful about how I challenge myself.

For example, when I talked to Brynn (founder of Refine) about this, she suggested that when I am ready to pick up a kettlebell again, instead of racking them by my shoulders, I hold them with my hands, hanging down. Or I continuing to avoid exercises that just might not work for my body (like jumpbacks) and keep substituting them with ones that do, even if they’re not quite AS challenging (like med ball wall slams). I’m still boosting my heart rate and moving constantly and gaining strength – that is good in and of itself!

Plus, the benefit of a class like Refine is that I’ll always have an instructor ready to offer me a modification or alternative workout when an exercise doesn’t feel or look right. And one thing my Physical Therapist said that sticks with me – go with my gut. I’ll know when something doesn’t seem OK and that means I should stop right then and there. If I have any doubt about an exercise, don’t do it. Which makes me especially glad to have such great instructors at Refine to offer alternatives.

After the marathons, I’m sure I will go to class more – but I don’t think I will go more than three times a week again. I think I need to recognize my limits and remember that exercise is a personal thing. Just because my friend can take class five times a week and be awesome doesn’t mean I can, and that is OK. Just because I *could* do an overhead press after the last time I came back from my neck injury doesn’t mean I should have – clearly, since that brought on the recurrence of my injury. I need to recognize the limits of my body and remember I am still reaping the benefits of the class.

So much of exercise is learning what works for YOU – and that will always be different than what works for someone else.

I’m so far from type-A it’s laughable, but for some reason when it comes to classes I love, I get into this mindset where I plan my life around going X times a week. So many months off from my injury seem to have freed me from that, and I really value the extra free time to see my dog husband and dog.

Speaking of husband, we were sitting outside on a pier eating my favorite breakfast from my favorite Jersey City cafe Sam A.M. when he came across a funny article about the Kanye + Kim wedding. He wanted to take a photo but neither of us had a pen with us for him to place a little mark (he does this so he can easily identify when other websites steal his photos). We tried to figure out how to get Larry in it, but couldn’t find a good way and so he just snapped the photo and tweeted it. And then went viral:

With over 10,000 retweets and being picked up by multiple other sites (most who credited him, we can identify those who didn’t because his version has that crinkle in the corner). There is no real point to this story other than to express my excitement that a tweet Andy sent while we ate breakfast went viral. The real question is: How can we get rich?

Other news:

(1) Today is National Running Day! Women’s Running has a special offer in celebration of the day – just $1 an issue!

Me, my grandma and my Aunt Dale

Me, my grandma and my Aunt Dale

(2) Last night I went to the kickoff session for the American Cancer Society’s Team DetermiNation NYC Marathon team at the Hope Lodge. The Hope Lodge is a facility that offers lodging at no cost for cancer patients being treated in Manhattan. As part of our team efforts, we will be spending time there with patients, reminding us why we are all working so hard to raise money for ACS. My constant reminder every day is my Aunt Dale, who died almost two years ago from kidney cancer. I’m sharing my fundraising page here again because I appreciate any donation at any amount to help me reach my goal. Thank you! http://main.acsevents.org/goto/dorigray 

 

 

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