JJSB Rundate 15145: Week 12: It's over... NOW WHAT?!?

Well, I completed the 12th week of my half marathon training plan which means that I completed my unofficial half marathon.  All this and I only missed one day of training which I made up for the next day so I really didn't miss any of the training runs.  I was considering doing the official marathon right up until the night before but ultimately, I just didn't want to spend the money or get up early and run with a bunch of other people.  Instead, I ran on a nice trail nearby which I've run on a few times before called Line Creek Trail: Line Creek Trail    I knew that the trail had been extended last year, but didn't look into how far it now goes so I just stuck to the northernmost 5 miles and then incorporated some of the surrounding areas into the run and doubled back on part of the trail to get the full 13.1 miles in.
The temps were a bit warm (upper 70's) and the timing of the clouds vs. sun didn't work out to well in my favor, but I still enjoyed the run and was satisfied for the most part.  I ran what I would consider to be a slow half marathon with a final average pace of 10:25 min/mile.  I was pacing pretty well until around mile 9-10 in which I cam out of the wooded cover and into the blaring sun.  There had been some nice cloud cover earlier and a bit of rain sprinklings, but that lasted only a few miles while I was in the shady, wooded area and when I came out into the open, the sun burst out in full force.  It was also about this point that I had a steep uphill mile and a half or so and this leg sort of wiped me out.  It was mostly the heat that just took it out of me.  Still, it wasn't a bad pace for the heat that I was running in.  I decided at around the 9-10 mile range that if I made it below 10:30 min/mile, I would be satisfied so I was.  This also included a stop or two to avoid and/or take photos of snakes so, all in all, it was a nice finish to the training.

So, what's next?  I don't know.  I have so many projects to take care of at home, I'm thinking that maybe tapering back on my running distances may be a good plan.  I have made one training decision which is to run with my wife once a week. 

This will be a good for at least a few reasons:

• It gives us a chance to talk.  And the talks are in relative privacy.  That means away from the ever prying ears of children.  Okay, it's mostly me talking but still...
• It gives us a chance just to be with each other out in nature which we both love.
• It gives us an opportunity to support each other in doing something we both enjoy.
• It strengthens our sense of unity.

So, that's the once per week plan.

But, what about the plan for the rest of the week?

I think maybe I'll work my way back up to a 10 mile run and then run the full Line Creek trail which I believe is currently 8-9 miles long.  My plan is to have my wife drop me at the southernmost trail head and run back north.  Sound like a good summer training/running plan?  I think so.

Unfortunately, right now, at this very moment, no running sounds like a good plan.  I tweaked my lower back (stupid story) in the last couple of days and I am giving it a couple of days to heal up a bit. I was also already having a few lower back issues in the past couple of months that I think is attributable to my running shoes so I'm looking into getting some new shoes that will help with that.  We shall see.

So, you all know that the only thing left now is the... "Song of the Run" for that last 13.1 mile run in this training plan.

The song of the run comes from one of my current top 5 bands: Kashmir

This particular song is called "The Cynic" and features none other than Mr. David Bowie.  So it has to be awesome!  

"Play with me, play with me.

Don't tell me how it feels.

Don't let it be for real.

Don't tell me how you feel."

                                                        

                                                    "The Cynic" by Kashmir

JJSB Rundate 15130: Weeks 10 & 11, When The Heat is On... SLOW the pace.

 Since my last post, I have completed the 10th and 11th weeks of my 12 week half marathon training plan so I'll quickly recap those.  The runs throughout the work week have gone quite well.  I'm getting faster on the short runs without feeling like I'm having to push myself too much so that's a great feeling.  I'm having no trouble keeping up with the pace runs.  I did have to force myself out a couple of times this past week because I just didn't feel like going but once I was out there, it was worth it and I was glad.  As usual.  The long Saturday runs have become a little more difficult.  It's beginning to get warmer outside, and when running long, the temperatures really play into things.  But, I did a pretty good job of just pacing myself a little slower and just concentrating on completing the distance.  I also had to keep in mind that I cleaned, scrubbed and pressure washed most of my deck prior to running this Saturday, so I had already expended quite a bit of energy before I even got out there.

So, this is my last week of the training plan.  There is a half marathon right down the highway from me that takes place next Saturday, May 16th.  I had started this plan with that being the target, but I've said throughout this training, that I may or may not do an official half marathon.  I'm just not really big on official races.  That's not the reason that I run and focusing on that sometimes can take away from my enjoyment of running.  On top of that, my finances are finite, to say the least, and I can always think of so many things that I'd rather do with the money than pay to run in a race with a bunch of other people.  I know that I'm in the minority among runners on this one but here I am.  So, unless I get a wild hair this week, I'm fairly certain that I won't be plopping down the $75 to register.  I'd rather use that money to go out to eat with my wife, or take my family to the movies, etc. etc.  So, my plan right now is to get up early next Saturday morning while it's still cool and run, yet another, unofficial half marathon.


So, as I've blogged throughout this training over the past 12 weeks, I've written about some of the things I've learned or experienced since started running.  Some have been insights.  Some have been tips.  Today, I want to talk about a tip for novice runners.  This is one that I still have to remind myself of regularly because it's easy to forget.
When the temperature increases and your on a long run, your pace will be slower.  Now, I'm sure that there are a few elite runners out there who don't lose a step when the temps rise but for the majority of us, this is not the case.  Remember, the human body is a complex machine and just like any machine, if it gets too hot, problems arise.  Of course, hydration is important, but even staying hydrated can't completely make up for the energy deficit created when running at higher temps.
Trust me: As an afternoon/evening runner, I've had a lot of experience running in elevated temperatures.  I've even done a couple of extended runs on sunny, humid days in temperatures above 90°F and it can totally ZAP your energy.  It goes something like this:  You start off your run feeling really great because it's nice and warm and your muscles are feeling loose and so you cruise right along at your normal pace, thinking that running in the heat isn't so bad after all.  Cut to 3-5 miles into the run and all of a sudden, your energy is plummeting and you're cursing the sun and it's thermal rays.  (By the way, don't run in 90°F+ temperatures if you can help it and certainly don't run a long run in those kind of temps).

Even the professional runners will tell you that you need to lower your pace when the temps are higher.  Jeff Galloway, an Olympic runner and the author of a book on running, says that the best temps to run in are below 60°F and I agree.  That may sound cool to some of you, but after you get moving, those temps will feel wonderful to your body and you'll be able to maintain the energy you need to whittle down that pace throughout the run.  If you will be running at temps above 60°F, then Jeff suggest the following:  "When the temperature rises above 60°F, runners slow down by 30 seconds a mile for every 5 degrees above 60°F."  So, that means that if your running out in 75°F temps, then you should plan on running 90 seconds slower per mile than your normal pace.  For me, this is one of the hardest things to remember and force myself to do when I'm running.  It's just so hard, because you don't feel the fatigue when you begin.  You really have to mentally force yourself to slow the pace at the beginning.  The good news is that when you slow the pace, several miles into the run, you will feel like you have a lot of energy to finish the distance.

Okay, so that's it for this post.  Except, of course, the "Song of the Run"

This is an oft overlooked band called Remy Zero.  Many know of them only from their song "Save Me" which is the theme song from the TV show Smallville.
While, "Save Me" is a fine song, it's nowhere near as amazing as the rest of their music in my humble opinion.

My "Song of the Run" is a track by them called, "Prophecy" and was featured in a few movies/TV shows in the 90's so it may even sound familiar.  Enjoy!

"Look into the sun and see your soul is dying
Used to feel the faith but now you're tired of trying
Should have left alone what you have stolen from everyone
How are you feeling?
Seems a little sick to me now."

                                                    "Prophecy" by Remy Zero