Mileage Reporting 49th week of 2012

I, like Lee, seem to injure myself pretty frequently with the slow long distances, whereas, the short fast runs my body feels so much better afterward. It may just depend on the person and their fitness level (for running that is) or just their body in general. We all seem to have different views, but for me doing the slow long runs really causes my PF to flare up bad, but the short, high intensity runs do not. Seems it's the repetition that bothers me. I just don't know that I am built for longer distances. Anything over 5.5 miles seems to cause me problems and pain. I keep an excel spreadsheet and you can see every time I injure myself. I initially had misinterpreted the information and thought it was the weekly mileage that hurt me, when it was actually the mileage of the run that affects me. Seems I can run everyday short fast runs and be fine, pain wise that is (my body still gets tired when running everyday), but longer distance runs just kills me and I can barely walk later in the day.
 
Back ST today.

I boosted my max deadlift 20 lbs. up to 245, knee felt completely stable. Upped the Squats to 125, knee felt great. Got the bend-over rows up to 175, and once again, felt no strain (except in the targeted muscles of course). I put the 10 lb ankle weights back on for my floor/mobility/abduction work, and didn’t feel any lateral stress in the knees. So I seem to be home free of the MCL thing. Just gotta continue to build up slowly to where I was before. One thing’s for sure, my butt and hips got a good workout, along with my back. I also threw in some leg extensions for good measure, to work the quads some more. So if the ITBS was caused by any kind of weakness, I’m able to attack it now that my knee ligaments are good to go. Still, I suspect the ITBS flared up due to the sudden jump in distance, nothing more. Yesterday's twinge might have been due to the week off. We'll see.

Tomorrow if it’s not too cold I'll try intervals down at the track. If it’s too cold, I’ll try fartleks around the neighborhood.
 
Today, interval training, total of 10.3km with 4x1km @ 4'45"/km (approx 7'40"/mi)

I noticed my 3rd interval is always the slowest, regardless of the number and distance of intervals, has anyone experienced the same ?
It can be hard to keep the intervals the same. Sometimes my husband/coach tells me to try to do that, but other times he says don't worry about it.
 
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30 minutes in the pool, again able to swim longer intervals. Legs definitely get looser after the swim. They still felt rather achy from my long run yesterday, until I swam.
Then, rode the spinning bike for 75 minutes with few not too hard power intervals.
Am having to try to eat enough, but don't have the appetite for the calories that I apparently need right now. I dropped 3 pounds in days. No, I don't think I'm sick. This happens if I don't keep up with my calorie requirements. Kind of weird after trying so hard to lose weight last year.
 
19.5mi this evening, a PR. Toured the neighborhood and saw the holiday lights.

Felt just full of energy after not running since Saturday, especially with all the rest. Sunday, complete rest. Monday, did a 1 leg bodyweight workout. Tuesday, core workout. Today, got up early, saw it was raining, thought about an exercise video or the stairmaster, but decided that some more chocolate covered raisins was in order, and that I needed to continue working on the box of Cheez-its that I diligently started on last night. Felt pretty gross this morning, with some raging heartburn. Then by lunchtime, started getting all this energy and figured I needed to go running tonight. I was aiming for 16mi, but then figured that I usually run in the morning in the dark, when there are no holiday lights, and this was the time to check out the neighborhood. Ran 12mi on the main roads, came home, got 2 big glasses of organic grape juice, then went back out to check out the lights. (What was I thinking? Hey, it said Best By 12/13/12!) Tummyache for a mile, though I think my body appreciated the energy at the end. I also think there must be something magical about Cheez-its. I'm guessing all the salt was helpful. Vaguely contemplated finishing the box after I got back, you know to uh... replenish the salt loss or something... but, I think I'll take it easy. Ended up getting a sub from Dominos, with extra steak, grilled chicken, tomatoes, and mushroom, a special order not available online. No cheese since the tummy still wasn't happy. Now, time for bed, then work tomorrow, awesome...

By the way, I'm smart enough not to buy Cheez-its. So, I commandeered them from the wife, while she was at work last night and sleeping this morning. No worries though, as I've already bought two replacement boxes!

Edit: I should have expected this. Now that I've managed a good distance, the whole Disney race is less appealing, due to the crowds and the cost. I've come to the conclusion that to get the most out of a Disney race, one really needs to take advantage of the photo ops. I'm guessing that a good amount of the money goes to the spectacle and paying actors to dress up in Disney costumes to take photos with sweaty, smelly runners. Otherwise, it's a pretty boring and crowded race, as per this disappointed princess. So that's $320 for both races, then another $130 inclusive of all photos for both days. Which means to get my money's worth, I'd be making sure that I stop for every photo op! I could think of better things to do with that money, or that could go a long way towards several visits or even a Disney season pass. Though, it's not til 2014, so plenty of time to decide.
 
Today, interval training, total of 10.3km with 4x1km @ 4'45"/km (approx 7'40"/mi)

I noticed my 3rd interval is always the slowest, regardless of the number and distance of intervals, has anyone experienced the same ?
I haven't done track intervals enough to draw any firm conclusions, but looking at my meager data, I think I'm the opposite, I hit 7mm pace around the third 440, then start to lose it one or two more laps later.
but other times he says don't worry about it.
Yah, I set my pace alert to remind me when I'm slacking off, but otherwise I don't worry too much if the intervals aren't exactly the same, especially the longer, one-mile intervals. Perhaps when I'm in better shape I'll be able to control the pace better . . .
 
19.5mi this evening, a PR. Toured the neighborhood and saw the holiday lights.

Felt just full of energy after not running since Saturday, especially with all the rest. Sunday, complete rest. Monday, did a 1 leg bodyweight workout. Tuesday, core workout. Today, got up early, saw it was raining, thought about an exercise video or the stairmaster, but decided that some more chocolate covered raisins was in order, and that I needed to continue working on the box of Cheez-its that I diligently started on last night. Felt pretty gross this morning, with some raging heartburn. Then by lunchtime, started getting all this energy and figured I needed to go running tonight. I was aiming for 16mi, but then figured that I usually run in the morning in the dark, when there are no holiday lights, and this was the time to check out the neighborhood. Ran 12mi on the main roads, came home, got 2 big glasses of organic grape juice, then went back out to check out the lights. (What was I thinking? Hey, it said Best By 12/13/12!) Tummyache for a mile, though I think my body appreciated the energy at the end. I also think there must be something magical about Cheez-its. I'm guessing all the salt was helpful. Vaguely contemplated finishing the box after I got back, you know to uh... replenish the salt loss or something... but, I think I'll take it easy. Ended up getting a sub from Dominos, with extra steak, grilled chicken, tomatoes, and mushroom, a special order not available online. No cheese since the tummy still wasn't happy. Now, time for bed, then work tomorrow, awesome...

By the way, I'm smart enough not to buy Cheez-its. So, I commandeered them from the wife, while she was at work last night and sleeping this morning. No worries though, as I've already bought two replacement boxes!

Edit: I should have expected this. Now that I've managed a good distance, the whole Disney race is less appealing, due to the crowds and the cost. I've come to the conclusion that to get the most out of a Disney race, one really needs to take advantage of the photo ops. I'm guessing that a good amount of the money goes to the spectacle and paying actors to dress up in Disney costumes to take photos with sweaty, smelly runners. Otherwise, it's a pretty boring and crowded race, as per this disappointed princess. So that's $320 for both races, then another $130 inclusive of all photos for both days. Which means to get my money's worth, I'd be making sure that I stop for every photo op! I could think of better things to do with that money, or that could go a long way towards several visits or even a Disney season pass. Though, it's not til 2014, so plenty of time to decide.
Wow Sid, now you're up to 19 miles? That's fantastic progress!

Speaking of Chez-its, my folks practically live on them. They can't drive farther than their local mom-n-pop mini-mart, where prices for processed crap is twice as much as at Target, so I go on monthly shopping trips for them and stock up on Chez-its, Wheat thins, milk, and chocoloate chip cookies. I try to get them to eat more fruit and veggies, but it often ends up rotting in their fridge.

Anyway, sounds like you've really arrived as a runner, man. Great job!
 
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I, like Lee, seem to injure myself pretty frequently with the slow long distances, whereas, the short fast runs my body feels so much better afterward. It may just depend on the person and their fitness level (for running that is) or just their body in general. We all seem to have different views, but for me doing the slow long runs really causes my PF to flare up bad, but the short, high intensity runs do not. Seems it's the repetition that bothers me. I just don't know that I am built for longer distances. Anything over 5.5 miles seems to cause me problems and pain. I keep an excel spreadsheet and you can see every time I injure myself. I initially had misinterpreted the information and thought it was the weekly mileage that hurt me, when it was actually the mileage of the run that affects me. Seems I can run everyday short fast runs and be fine, pain wise that is (my body still gets tired when running everyday), but longer distance runs just kills me and I can barely walk later in the day.
It's funny right Nick? We've both discussed how our form feels better at relatively faster paces since about last spring, yet it's taken us both a long time to license this approach. I think the problem is that the dominant paradigm in recreational running is mileage counting/accumulation. The name of this forum, after all, is Mileage Reporting, not Running Reporting, or Pace Reporting. So it's hard to break free of that mentality, even when it's not working for us. Even now, I feel kind of bad that my mileage will dip below 15 mpw for the next few weeks, after having gotten it back up to around 20 mpw post-MCL injury. Distance can mess with your head. Miles are much more tangible than velocities. You can visualize your route, your lovely little journey, but it's harder to visualize the smoother form you attain at faster paces.

Anyway, are you thinking that it's distance per se that is your bugaboo, or has it been, as it has for me, the desire to increase your distances too quickly? I also keep a pretty good Excel log, and I seemed to be able to work up gradually to around 7-8 miles, and then 10 miles seems so close and I try to jump to it, instead of spending another month or two patiently working up to it just as I had to the 7-to-8-mile routes. I think I've failed to understand that running is quite a bit different than cycling. In cycling, you can double your distance, no problem. All that's going to happen is that you'll be doubly sore the next day. But with running, if you do that, you risk having to learn about all these medical acronyms and initialisms!
 
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I few more thoughts:

Most of this seems to be fed by the tabata protocol. I've heard similar statements and would definitely consider adding tabatas in.

Just out of curiosity what are your plans/goal in regards to running? I know you have talked about longevity and running medium distance races in the future. Is this it? The problem with these different but specific training ideas is they are a little too generic to reach most peoples goals. No matter what they say tabatas are not going to prepare you to run a half marathon.

The Tabata protocol -

— 30 seconds @ vVO2max pace and 30 seconds easy; repeating the pattern for 16-20 times (or until you can no longer maintain the pace).

— 60 seconds @ vVO2max pace and 60 seconds easy; repeating the pattern for 8-10 times (or until you can no longer maintain the pace).

— 5×3:00 @ vVO2max pace with 3:00 rest intervals.

- is probably unnecessarily exact for our purposes. Since I have a track close by, I'll just break it down into mile repeats and 880-, 440-, 100-, and 40-yard intervals. That's easier than timing everything.

The problem with these different but specific training ideas is they are a little too generic to reach most peoples goals. No matter what they say tabatas are not going to prepare you to run a half marathon.
The specific training plans or protocols actually are rather generic, in that they always attack one of three basic components of running fitness: speed, stamina, and endurance. The idea is to use a specific training protocol on any given run to develop one of these capacities more than you would be able to if you just did the standard out-n-back at a steady pace. For recreational running purposes none of this is necessary. As DNECHris has said, repeatedly :oops: , just running consistently will lead to improvement. The idea of focusing on a single component or capacity of running fitness on any given day is to accelerate the process. But if you don't enjoy this, that is, if it takes the recreation out of your recreational running, it's not worth it. And of course, if you only focus on one component, you can't expect to get very good at the others, as you noted.
 
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I, like Lee, seem to injure myself pretty frequently with the slow long distances, whereas, the short fast runs my body feels so much better afterward. It may just depend on the person and their fitness level (for running that is) or just their body in general. We all seem to have different views, but for me doing the slow long runs really causes my PF to flare up bad, but the short, high intensity runs do not. Seems it's the repetition that bothers me. I just don't know that I am built for longer distances. Anything over 5.5 miles seems to cause me problems and pain. I keep an excel spreadsheet and you can see every time I injure myself. I initially had misinterpreted the information and thought it was the weekly mileage that hurt me, when it was actually the mileage of the run that affects me. Seems I can run everyday short fast runs and be fine, pain wise that is (my body still gets tired when running everyday), but longer distance runs just kills me and I can barely walk later in the day.

Don't get me wrong about speed I don't like running slow on purpose. I run as fast as it feels comfortable to me ussually in the 8:00/8:30 mm pace during my weekdays runs, the only time I get out of my comfort zone is when I do hill repeats, or stairs. Sometimes I feel like doing mile repeats so I do them.
Having said that I could run faster if my body feels like it and still feel comfortable.
My problem is the weekend long runs where I would like to run at about 10 mm but I can't, my body can't handle the slow pace. In my long runs I average 9/9.30 mm, there are times that I look at my garming and I am running at 8/8:30 mm and have to remind myself to slow down.
I just try to have fun when running if I am not having fun then I stop.
 
30 minutes in the pool, again able to swim longer intervals. Legs definitely get looser after the swim. They still felt rather achy from my long run yesterday, until I swam.
Then, rode the spinning bike for 75 minutes with few not too hard power intervals.
Am having to try to eat enough, but don't have the appetite for the calories that I apparently need right now. I dropped 3 pounds in days. No, I don't think I'm sick. This happens if I don't keep up with my calorie requirements. Kind of weird after trying so hard to lose weight last year.

That is so nice that you have a coach.
I like your trainning I would love to include swimmimg into my workouts but I sink .
Don't worry about dropping pounds the Holidays have arrived! You are at a healthy weight-right?
I have being trying to put weight on for years but it doesn't happens so I'll just accepted my skinny self the way I am.
 
Wow Sid, now you're up to 19 miles? That's fantastic progress!
Thanks!
But with running, if you do that, you risk having to learn about all these medical acronyms and initialisms!
Definitely agree. I found out that running several miles in one go is a lot different than running them on consecutive days. Feeling pretty sore. Today's a rest day.
Speaking of Chez-its, my folks practically live on them... I try to get them to eat more fruit and veggies, but it often ends up rotting in their fridge.
Well, it's good of you to try to give them healthy options. I don't suppose that loading them up with healthy snacks would help? Nuts and no salt-added pretzels usually takes care of my snack food cravings, though I have to be careful to dispense a serving or two into a bowl, otherwise I'll get carried away!

Edit:
I think the problem is that the dominant paradigm in recreational running is mileage counting/accumulation. The name of this forum, after all, is Mileage Reporting, not Running Reporting, or Pace Reporting.
I think that I'm going to start doing some fartleks to work on pace. I've had my fill of distance running for now.
 
Edit:

I think that I'm going to start doing some fartleks to work on pace. I've had my fill of distance running for now.

This is the beauty of running and as individuals.
Some people prefer pace over distance.
I myself, feel the happiest when running long distances.
I wish I could run long everyday.
 
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Don't get me wrong about speed I don't like running slow on purpose. I run as fast as it feels comfortable to me ussually in the 8:00/8:30 mm pace during my weekdays runs, the only time I get out of my comfort zone is when I do hill repeats, or stairs. Sometimes I feel like doing mile repeats so I do them.
Having said that I could run faster if my body feels like it and still feel comfortable.
My problem is the weekend long runs where I would like to run at about 10 mm but I can't, my body can't handle the slow pace. In my long runs I average 9/9.30 mm, there are times that I look at my garming and I am running at 8/8:30 mm and have to remind myself to slow down.
I just try to have fun when running if I am not having fun then I stop.
Basically then we're of the same mind. I'm just trying to accelerate the process of getting to the point where I can sustain 8 mm pace comfortably over an hour--that's how running will be funnest for me. The other stuff, the intervals and the slower, longer runs, is mostly to support that (the ol' extremes-to-specificity protocol), but also because I'm having fun with the variety and the different challenges it brings.

This is the beauty of running and as individuals.
Some people prefer pace over distance.
I myself, feel the happiest when running long distances.
I wish I could run long everyday.
I hear that. Nothing better than running long and getting into that deeply meditative state. I love it, I love it, I love it. I'm dreaming of the day I can go out and run 20 miles at a decent pace, have my little jaunty journey or escapist adventure, see time and space in a slightly different way.
 
Basically then we're of the same mind. So it appears to be.
I'm just trying to accelerate the process Here is we are different, I have tons of pacience and I try not to rush anything :) The other stuff, the intervals and the slower, longer runs, is mostly to support that (the ol' extremes-to-specificity protocol), but also because I'm having fun with the variety and the different challenges it brings. I concur


I hear that. Nothing better than running long and getting into that deeply meditative state. I love it, I love it, I love it. I'm dreaming of the day I can go out and run 20 miles at a decent pace, have my little jaunty journey or escapist adventure, see time and space in a slightly different way.
You'll get there eventually-promise!
 
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Lee, I'm not sure if it's the mileage in a specific run, or trying to jump to a higher mileage. It seems over the last year every time I got around 7+ miles my PF would flare up horribly bad and I would start to have problems. Even when I got to where I could run 13 miles I would start to hurt after about 7 miles. I think that may be my sign. Hopefully someday I will work past that distance as I would really like to be able to do more 15k's and a half marathon. Maybe at this weight that I've stabilized at, 198lbs, 7 miles is just too far. Maybe I've just hurt my body so much in the past that 7 miles is just my limit. Not sure what the whole story is there.

I've also come up with a theory that learning to run fast short distances will translate better to running longer distances at a lower heart rate for me than running long slow Maf runs. A buddy of mine and I were talking yesterday and he said it is just weird at how I can sustain my hr at 180+ for such a long time. He thinks that maybe the Maf pace is under training my body which could be why I kept getting slower and slower and slower each week while running at the same heart rate of 146. He wondered if I were to bump that heartrate up to 160-165 if that would yield better results for me. He and I have known each other since we were in third grade and used to run and cycle together all the time and he remembers my problems trying to do low heart rate training cycling. We did the Seattle to Portland bike race together back in 2007 and he trained at an avg heart rate of 150, but I couldn't keep my heart rate below 160-170. Seemed just jumping on the bike spiked it up pretty high. He could climb hills much better than I but I could sprint for long distances. I am willing to bet it is just a difference in the type of bodies that we have. I think I have more of a sprinters body versus an endurance body.
 
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I few more thoughts:



The Tabata protocol -

— 30 seconds @ vVO2max pace and 30 seconds easy; repeating the pattern for 16-20 times (or until you can no longer maintain the pace).

— 60 seconds @ vVO2max pace and 60 seconds easy; repeating the pattern for 8-10 times (or until you can no longer maintain the pace).

— 5×3:00 @ vVO2max pace with 3:00 rest intervals.

- is probably unnecessarily exact for our purposes. Since I have a track close by, I'll just break it down into mile repeats and 880-, 440-, 100-, and 40-yard intervals. That's easier than timing everything.


The specific training plans or protocols actually are rather generic, in that they always attack one of three basic components of running fitness: speed, stamina, and endurance. The idea is to use a specific training protocol on any given run to develop one of these capacities more than you would be able to if you just did the standard out-n-back at a steady pace. For recreational running purposes none of this is necessary. As DNECHris has said, repeatedly :oops: , just running consistently will lead to improvement. The idea of focusing on a single component or capacity of running fitness on any given day is to accelerate the process. But if you don't enjoy this, that is, if it takes the recreation out of your recreational running, it's not worth it. And of course, if you only focus on one component, you can't expect to get very good at the others, as you noted.

Yes sorry I didn't mean that you shouldn't do them, just tune up your program to fit your goals and needs. But you already know that. From some other articles I have read about tabata the workout should leave you destroyed. You shouldn't have energy left to do anything else and if you do you didn't do it right. That's tough...

I also thought the most efficient was 20 on 10 off? Was that wrong? The track idea is great wish I had one close. What about hills?