Running in March

Well, hello March!! It’s so nice to see you once again. I am super excited about this month because

1. St. Patricks Day is in March

2. I have set the goal of two runs this month. Right now they’re both 5K’s

3. I have set a goal of running more than 40 miles this month. How many exactly, I don’t know. The goal is “MORE” than 40 miles.

4. Winter is coming to an end. That means warmer days!

Getting your foot out the door is what matters. I have been reviewing what kind of runs I want to do over the next few months and I can’t figure out which one to pick! I am definitely doing the color run in April and am doing the Dash down Greenville this month on the 16th. I want to do the heels and hill half which is in May (the 5th). My mother emailed me and reminded me that my Grandmother’s birthday was in May (the 21st) and so this would be a great way to remember her. She had recently passed on in November of 2012 so this would be the first birthday she isn’t around.

Kicking off the month with a great start, I’m going to go running this morning. No set goal or time. Just going to go out and enjoy the day.

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Great Runs Make People Happy

Today is Monday which means:

Monday – Run easy for 20 minutes.  Try to breathe in through your nose as you run and out through your mouth.  Let those breaths in each be viewed as giving you more power and strength.  Let each breath in and out relax your shoulder, necks, and arms more each breath.

I decided that since I was having trouble with my shins while running in my other shoes, I would try to run in my Vibram 5 Fingers. I have had these shoes for well over two years but I have not run in them very much and have always tried running in tennis shoes. I have to say, I was really impressed with my performance tonight even though I ran an average of 13:04.

I started out not worrying about how far I would run but telling myself this is to be a 20 minute run. What a world of a difference it makes thinking about time rather than distance. No pressure in performing a particular way but rather focusing on getting those minutes in. Sure, I didn’t run three miles but I did run 1.6 miles and nonstop too! I spent the whole time pretty much keeping the same pace throughout the run.

Using Map My Run app, I tracked my run as I usually do and just stuck my phone in my sweater and ran. Being Deaf, I can’t really enjoy music as much as other people which makes running a bit difficult sometimes. I was really concerned about my stamina and how I would feel, after all I did run five miles this morning too.

Finishing this run was the best feeling I could ever imagine having! Feeling great that I kept my pace and didn’t feel any pain in the normal areas. (I did start to have slight pressure in my lower back.) Looking forward to tomorrow!! I definitely need to look into getting a watch that can track my miles too. That will eliminate my need for my phone but I want to make sure the watch I get will be worth the money.

Heart Rate and GPS Watches

This is the first blog post but not the last one that I’ll be using to ask a question rather than discuss something. I don’t like carrying my phone when I’m running and often want to run with just a water bottle and my watch. This is mainly because being Deaf, I can’t hear music so my phone being dragged around is pointless except for GPS and to keep time. I truly believe that if I would be using a watch rather than a phone I would do much better with my time and be more focused.

My Question is: What kind of HR/GPS watch do you use and how would you rate it, why would you give it a good or bad review?

Day 1 Run

Today I was to do a 25/e and this run beat me. I have been slightly sick but I was hoping I could make it through this run without much trouble. I ran for about 12 minutes and then started coughing. Kept going, and then I started hacking and by 15 minutes I decided to stop. While I am bummed out I didn’t make it the full 25 minutes, I still went and did the best I could. Covered 1.4 miles and other than my cough, my body feels fine. I did notice one thing though…

It got really hot in my gym. I work out in an apartment gym and it felt like a sauna when I was running. Last time I ran on that treadmill, I had to take my coat off and was sweating. I sweated even though I only ran for 15 minutes. I think my core temperature is really shifting and I’m not sure if that’s because I’m sick or because of how my body has been changing. We’ll see about that. I’m definitely bummed out but I know I did the best I could today!

 

What Time Should You Run

For me, getting up at 4 AM would be torture and there’s no way my energy level would be up to par to run the distance that is necessary. There is this woman that was in one of the runner’s magazine that runs at 4 30 in the morning because she needs to be home to make breakfast for her 12 children. She makes time to run because she’s training for a marathon. So, for those that say you have no time to run, you just don’t make time.

Either go to bed early and get up super early so you can run before work or go to bed late so you can run after work and after the children go to sleep. It’s a matter of preference. Also, like Chalene Johnson would tell you, figure out which time of the day you have the most energy and are able to contribute the most to your work out.

The reason why you want to have a higher level of energy during your runs is because you want to be able to give it your all. The more you give to your work out, the more calories you burn. It’s a win-win! So, focus on figuring out when you have the most energy and time to do your run.

Not only should you think of the time of the day, you should also figure out which day of the week you will most need your rest day and set it up that way. Remember, if you need to take more rest days than what your schedule says, don’t worry too much about it! Just do what you need to do and get going. No need to burn yourself out trying to run too much.

Which Marathon Schedule to Follow

There are so many different marathon, 5K, 10K, and half marathon training schedules you could follow and too little time to compare all of them! The best thing to do right now is be honest with yourself. How long do you think it will take you to get to have a run of 3 miles? 6 miles? 10 miles? The truth is, if you have already been running 10 miles regularly, you are just about half way through a marathon training program or in shape to run a half marathon without much training. If you can barely get a mile out before being tired, your training schedule should be much much longer for a marathon or at the beginning of a 5K training program.

There are several training programs for marathons that expect you to have been running for six months already. That means being able to run a 3-5 mile run without much trouble. While that is one of the most ideal situations you could be in, it’s not realistic to expect everybody to have that kind of patience. Pick a training schedule that fits you. Beginner, Novice, and Advanced are different levels too.

As said before and I can’t emphasize this enough, every training program has to be modified to fit Y O U! Nobody can train you better than you can solely because nobody else knows your body the way you do. You might think this is a false statement because you haven’t learned how to listen to your body and what it’s telling you. Don’t worry too much if you take a lot longer than the length of the original training schedule. Getting out there and doing your weekly runs is what matters. If you can’t meet the milage, repeat the week as necessary and push yourself. Don’t hurt yourself in the process of keeping up with a training schedule if it really is too much for you.

I find myself sounding like a broken record but it is entirely necessary when I say… Listen to your body!

Finding Inspiration to Run

Sometimes we look at inspiration as something that must come from friends and family but the truth is it’s everywhere! Yesterday, I had been inspired to go on a long run because I saw a blog post about a blogger taking a 18 mile trek. There is nothing more inspiring than knowing you inspire someone else. (Which is why I mentioned it TWICE now!)

Today I took the day off from running but the day isn’t over yet and I’m itching to go for a short-ish run?? Instead of going for a run, I can gather all my running data and put it in one place. I had seen this beautiful calendar posted by another runner showing all of her work-outs and days that her and her husband had been exercising. Having a calendar full of results can be very inspiring for some people.

Another way to be inspired is to sign up for races! There have been many people that talk about the need to have a “push” to get started running. The best way to get that little push is to pay for something and tell yourself that you’re not bailing! Post those races on your calendar and get busy training!

It doesn’t take much to be inspired but it takes a lot to follow up with the inspiration! The support from your family and friends is invaluable especially when you’re getting ready to train for a marathon or if your’e already training and your diet sucks. Use that to inspire you to go and remember what you do inspires other people whether you realize it or not!

Ran My First 5K, Now What?

I just completed my first 5K and now i’m at loss on what to do next. This isn’t an uncommon feeling among newbie runners. I don’t claim to be a runner but that’s what I’d be classified as. Just tonight, I was told I speak decent spanish and that’s mind-blowing so I’m trying to accept that yes, I have talent that is hidden in plain view. I haven’t really been complimenting myself by saying I’m a spanish-speaking runner but rather I speak poor spanish and that I’m a newbie runner-wannabe.

Just like speaking spanish, running requires practice. We call running practice, training. Today I did 2 miles. Ever since my run on Sunday, I have come to realize that I can run a 12 minute mile, just have to push myself to do it. My first mile was 11:57 matching my race pace. I took a 5 minute break to stretch and then did another run at a 12:54 pace but that included two .1 runs at 7:30 pace which never happens for me.

The real question isn’t – can you run? It’s – what are you next goals and desires for running?

My goal was to run my first 5K in 40 minutes. I ran it in 36:57 which is a 11:55 per mile pace. Reaching that goal, I found myself beaming! It was a great feeling knowing that I made it! I’ve been told by MANY people to just have fun and pace yourself. I found myself pacing myself really nicely and I had even stopped to take a picture which added about 10 or 15 seconds to my time. It doesn’t matter to me because I told myself I didn’t want to set a very fast first-time race pace which would be too hard to beat.

That also tells me that next race, it’s very possible for me to beat my PR. With that PR in place, I’m now striving for bigger and better things. that just means two more 5K’s and then I’ll consider a 10K or 15K. Maybe I should think about doing a relay half-marathon after I complete a 10K. There are so many options on what to do but the biggest thing is… Don’t stop running!

Next month is March. I wanted to participate in the Savage race but I don’t think I have enough money to do it so I’ll probably settle for “Dash Down Greenville 5K” which is on March 16, and my second one is undecided.. Right now there are two races I could participate in. The first race is Tap ‘N Run Dallas which is a fun run with lots of beer. The second run is called 5 and Dime run.

On a last note, if you’re looking for good races in Dallas, check out three websites:

http://www.runningintheusa.com

http://www.runproject.org

http://www.mellew.com

You’re bound to find something you’ll like. In April I am definitely doing the color run and maybe the Big D Texas 5K run.