training

Jinxed

Happy Friday, friends! I’ve been below the radar all week because my parents are visiting our little island paradise and I’ve been playing tour guide. It’s been so fun showing them around our corner of Hawaii but I’ve realized a table has turned: they are go, go, go all day long and at night, after getting them into bed, I wipe out on the couch unable to move. I’m pretty sure they used to describe taking care of us kiddos that way. Regardless, I love having active parents who can still conquer the same trails and waves I do.

Weighing big on my mind right now is the Honolulu Marathon, just 9 days away, and the inspiration for this post title. About 3 weeks ago, during a long run, I developed a horrible blister that took me out of training for almost 5 days. Last week, I came down with a horrible cold, complete with fever, that again knocked me out of training for at least 5 days (as of writing, my congestion is still horrible – it’s very tough to get rid of a chest cold when you have asthma). These trip-ups at the end of my training have “conveniently” spanned weekends, when I have time to do long runs.

The result is that I’ll go in to the Honolulu Marathon with longest run being about 16. 5 miles…not ideal. I’ve been researching this exhaustively, though, and handful of pro trainers out there poo-poo the idea of a 20 mile run being requisite. I hope they’re right. I’m clinging to the quote up there, shared with me by a pro friend, because it tells me success in this race is more about my mind than anything.

Still, when I received my race packet earlier this week and saw my bib number…. well, you can see how I might feel a little jinxed.

I’m not superstitious, but really? Happy Trails, friends, and wish me luck knocking out a final medium run this weekend!

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Filed Under: Dirt, Fitness, Hawaii, Running Tagged With: half marathon, marathon, training

1/2 Marathon Update

16 Jul By Sarah Pardieck

Folks it’s been too long since I’ve blogged about running but don’t worry; my little feeties have still been pounding the pavement. As I mentioned a LONG time ago, upon learning that we’d be moving to Hawaii, I promptly registered for a 1/2 marathon. This one:

I’m so excited about this race! Good excuse to hop islands and visit Maui, the course is described as “entirely flat” and with a 5:30 start it should only be mid-70s by the time I’m finished. Y’all, it would still be 85 degrees at 5:30 in NC!

By way of training update:

Long runs: I’m due to hit the 11 mile mark this week, although I may put this off til next week for scheduling reasons. I’ve been consistent on adding distance and realized I’ll need to add in some carbs pre-race and probably a gel right around 8.5 miles.
Speed work….is not speedy. Honestly, I’m doing these long runs slow as a turtle and since I’m in an unfamiliar climate (with unfamiliar asthma triggers), I’m going to keep it slow for the race. I’ll be happy with anywhere from a 9:30-10:00 pace.
Hill work: Still doing it even though there are no hills on this course. If nothing else this will help me with a sprint to the finish line should I choose to do one.
Cross-training: The Gentleman and I have been swimming, biking, and hiking. I think after this half, my next goal will be a sprint triathlon – I’ve really been enjoying swimming!
Psychology: Here’s where I’m struggling. 80% of the time I’m gung-ho about this race but that other 20%? Yeah it’s a mean little voice whispering that I won’t be able to finish. I’m hoping this is coming from all the anxiety of a move and once we get settled in to our home the voice will stow it… but still, I’ve got some “I can do it” work ahead of me!
Other: I sweat a lot. Like an abnormal amount. I see other folks running the same distance/speed as me and even though I’m not out of breath I’m sweating like crazy! I’m adhering to the notion that people who sweat a lot are just efficiently processing heat. Right? RIGHT??

Any way you slice it, I’m coming for you September 16th so you better bring it!

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Filed Under: Dirt, Fitness, Running Tagged With: half marathon, maui, running, training

10K Monday – Training Resources

26 Mar By Sarah Pardieck

Happy (ha) Monday and welcome to week 5 of 10K training. After a flare-up of Achilles tendonitis, I hopped back on the running wagon last week. The good news is that rest seems to have solved the tendon pain. The bad news is that the yellow scourge we call pollen has really aggravated my asthma, so running outside has been less than spectacular. What a cruel trick of nature that the most beautiful time of year to be outside running is also the least breathable!

Several readers have emailed me since I began 10K Monday posts to ask where I got my training schedule and seeking suggestions for good programs to follow. In the spirit of ~~always~~ occasionally giving the people what they want, I decided to share a few training regimens I’ve both used and loved.

1. This is the training program I’m using now. It’s based on many of the ones I’ll link below, but ultimately I designed it myself. Good For: Training for speed.

2. This is the now famous “Couch to 5K” program. Good For: Beginners, training for time or distance

3. This regimen includes several distances and helps build speed. Good For: Veteran runners who want to go fast!

4. This training schedule for a 5K is written especially for use on the treadmill.

Do you have a favorite training program?

10K Monday: Denial, Anger, Bargaining

19 Mar By Sarah Pardieck

Four weeks til the race!!!!!

And I’m sitting here on long-run day knowing I’m not going for a long run. Bummer.

I started having pain in my lower calf while running last week and after the pain recurred a few times it became clear that I have a (probably very) mild case of Achilles tendonitis. Mild though it may be, one does not want to inflame one’s Achilles tendon further so I’ve been “resting” the past few days and focusing on working quads with weights.

Not being able to run the past few days has been so tough because running is my primary stress outlet. I’ve been laughing at myself because some days I’m so NOT in the mood to run that I have to have a mini-therapy session with myself just to get the sneakers on. And now that I can’t run? I’d give everything I have for fast-forward past this rest period.

I am reminded of a hilarious post from Our Simple Happy Life on the Five Stages of Running. I especially appreciate stages 4 and 5 where runners shift from “Everything is amazing! I love running!” to “I.am.going.to.die.” This lady speaks the truth and the more I thought about it the more I realized that this whole running process lines up well with the classic stages of grief too. And for me these stages fit whether I’m healthy and about to knock out 5 easy miles or laid up with a lame Achilles tendon like now.

The Five Stages of Running Grief

Stage	When Healthy	When Injured
Denial	I don’t need to train for a race. I need to carb-load. Six weeks in advance. Bring me a gallon of mac n cheese!	It doesn’t hurt that bad. I’ll just run slow and then ice it. I’ll be just..ARGH! keels over with gut-wrenching pain
Anger	Why can’t I be one of those people who goes from Couch to 100K in four days. I hate my body.	My body is like a porcelain doll’s – all wussy and breakable. I hate my body.
Bargaining	If I can just pound out this last mile in under 9 minutes, I’ll sell all my possessions and start a running camp for orphans in Myanmar.	I know how to heal my injury faster. I’ll stop watching trash TV and call my mother more often. I’ll even recycle. Recycling heals tendons.
Depression	I’m all alone out here on this stupid run. All my friends are drinking margaritas and eating chips and salsa. There’s probably a puppy dying somewhere because I’m running and not saving it. Running kills puppies and is so not margaritas.	I bet everyone I know is out running on this beautiful day. The whole world is reaching a personal record. People are running as fast as they can to save starving kittens. If any kittens die, it’s my fault.
Acceptance	Five miles. Five miles? And 10 seconds under my 5K speed? Awesome. Time to stretch and plan the next run!	Welp, I’m not going anywhere for a few days so i might as well lift weights and carb load. Pass me a resistance band and some Doritos.

I waffled between depression and acceptance all weekend. In much the same way tv chefs have the whole meal already cooked and sitting in the on-set oven while they go through the recipe steps for the camera, I’m actually way ahead of my training schedule (can’t disappoint my audience at home!).

Still, I’d love to hear some creative ideas for staying on track through an (even mild) injury.

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Filed Under: Fitness, Running Tagged With: injury, training

10K Monday (on Wednesday): Hamstrings and Glutes

7 Mar By Sarah Pardieck

Don’t you hate it when the job that actually pays you gets in the way of the job that doesn’t really? Me too. After a busy weekend and start to the week, I found some time on a plane to get this post written!

Training is going well for me – I’m actually ahead of my training schedule mileage-wise, but working really hard and kicking up the pace. I have a really hard time overcoming speed plateaus and shared this with my rockin’ trainer. He shared with me that many runners have great quads but lack the corresponding hamstring and glute strength necessary for efficient running.

And, efficient running = better ability to achieve speed. Bonus: when your front leg and back leg muscles are more equally strong they create a more stable stride and that can help prevent knee injuries!

Truth: I can handle more than twice the weight on a Leg Extension as I can on a Leg Curl. My hamstrings are wusses!

For the past few months, the trainer and I have really worked on strengthening my “back leg” with some of the exercises I list below. The result? I am already running my mile 20 seconds faster (and feeling better doing it).

Three Great “Back Leg” Exercises:

1. Straight-Leg Deadlift: Here’s how to do it from Live Strong. And here’s a good video on how to do these. (No, I don’t lift even close to that much weight)

2. Leg Curls. I do these on a leg curl machine, but you can do them at home with a few ideas from Live Strong here. Tip: Sometimes my calves cramp up when I’m doing this. My trainer recommended I try two different things – either focus on keeping my feet neutral (neither pointed nor flexed) or focus on actually flexing my feet. The latter worked for me!