Shoes

Today was my first "long run" of my training program -- a whopping three miles!

But seriously, it's not easy for me at this point. Although I think about the running heroes I often read about in Runner's World, I know that I'm not one of those incredibly driven people fighting through some sort of devastating hardship. I'm just an average Joe with an average drive, and so three miles at this point feels like ten miles did a year and a half ago. But enough tangental commentary on how out of shape I am -- on to the run itself.

I am thankful today for the new running jacket I bought. It snowed throughout the entire run, and the water-resistant jacket was fairly wet on the outside but dry on the inside by the time I finished. The exceptional aspect of today's run was that the pavement was above freezing, so although the air was cold enough for snow, it melted as soon as it hit the ground. This created a veritable minefield of deep puddles, particularly given the state of the roads and sidewalks in my town. Needless to say, despite my best efforts, I ended up with wet feet.

This may have contributed to my main pain on today's run: numb feet. Rather, a numb foot. Rather, a lifeless foot. I made it through the first 1.6 miles with pretty good time, although I decided to begin walking at the point (my turn-around spot) so that I could finish strong. Ha. Despite finishing my first mile at 11:40 (my training at this point calls for 13:13), I ended up with a total mileage time of 13 minutes and change, finishing 3.18 miles in 41:40. The problem? My feet. My right foot began to hurt on the outside about three quarters of the way through the run, but that wasn't the serious problem. I began losing feeling in my left foot about two thirds of the way through the run. I knew immediately that my shoes were probably tied too tightly across the top of my foot, but I didn't want to stop because of the snow. Bad choice. I thought maybe walking it off would get some blood flowing in my foot. Also a bad choice. Eventually, my toes nearly dragging the ground on each step, I finally stopped and loosened my laces. I tried walking to get some blood back into my foot, but long story short, I didn't get full feeling back in my foot until I was in the shower at home. There was a lot of walking on the way back.

In the end, I know that I should start thinking about some new shoes pretty soon. I need to find the running journal I used over the summer so I can total up the mileage on my current shoes, but they're not showing the same elasticity a new pair should show. Also, it's about time to dig out some Runner's World articles on tying your shoes. Once again, I'm back to the basics.

Total mileage: 13.18

Ditto

If you take just about everything I wrote about my previous run and apply it to my run yesterday (Friday), you'll have this post.

I started out way too quickly and finished the first mile in 10:40. I got tired on the way back and had to walk for two and a half minutes in the middle of the mile and then walk again for the final two minutes or so. Final total time: 23:17. So with 5+ minutes of walking on the way back, and a split time of less than 13 minutes, I guess I was probably running too quickly on the way back, too.

It was the first nice run of the spring, though. The temperature was above freezing, but not above 40. I managed with my running cap instead of stocking cap, and I had on my thinner gloves. Some of the ice I've had to dance over on my previous runs has melted, and things are looking better all the time.

Total mileage: 10

Speedy Gone-Slow-Ez

Another two miles today. The somewhat mild weather we've been having around Wisconsin broke yesterday and we got snow overnight and temperatures in the 20s today. This was the coldest run I've had in a long time, particularly because it was well after sundown.

It's possible that this cold propelled me towards a faster than usual first mile. I decided to try to run until I felt tired. This brought me through the first mile at a good clip for where I am in my training -- 11:40. I know, I know...for most regular runners, this would be a lethargic stroll as much as a run. But alas, I needlessly digress.

The second mile was mostly good as well. I originally tried to push the speed to try for a negative split, but I soon realized that was out of the question. I slowed my pace and eventually began walking at 21:10. I'm not sure what mileage that put me at, but I finished my two miles with a final time of 26:06. Not. Good. Despite having run everything but the final five minutes, I ended up with my slowest pace to-date. I'm not sure exactly what went wrong, but I'll be thinking about it as I approach my next two mile run on Friday.

Total mileage: 8

Positively the Splits

I was talked out of doing a training run two days in a row by my wiser-than-me wife. This still leaves me a day behind where I should be, but after my run this morning, I realized that that might not be such a bad thing after all.

Run number three was back outside. There was a slight snow this morning which hid a little bit of glare ice early in the run, but once I got onto the main drag, it was pretty easy going. At least conditions-wise. Now add the fact that I've forgotten just about everything I had learned about pacing myself, multiply by the snazzy new running jacket I procured, and subtract the fact that the good-for-me run I had on Saturday was on a treadmill where I couldn't help but go at a reasonable pace.

It was a fairly rough run this morning. I felt pretty good going out -- a little too good, in fact. Almost a mile into my run, I realized that I was on-pace to finish with an 11:00 minute mile (slow for many, pretty fast for me) despite having walked the first three minutes. Once I realized this, I finally slowed down (substantially) and ended up walking the last little bit. Come to think of it, I can't remember exactly at what point I started walking, but I did finish mile one at around twelve minutes.

Then the turn-around. My two mile course has always been an out-and-back down the main street where I live to a local trail. The interesting thing about this morning was the fact that it was snowing. On the way back, I could see my footprints from the way out. Suffice it to say that I was talking two steps on the way back where I only took one on the way out.

Which brings me back to the point: pacing, pacing, pacing. I've forgotten how important this is, and how much of a learned skill it is. While training for my first half-marathon, I could eventually feel about how fast I was going -- "This is my 10:00 pace, this is my 12:00 pace," and so on. This morning, that internal speedometer was malfunctioning. I didn't FEEL like I was going fast on the way out...until I looked at my watch. However, I DID feel like I was going slow on the way back in.

Final time: 25:05 for two miles

Total mileage to date: 6

The Second Run

Two runs down on my training plan. I'm already two days behind, but in an effort to catch up, I'm planning another run for tomorrow.

Today's run went fairly well, actually. After lounging all day with my wife, we went to the YMCA in Howard (west Green Bay) in the evening. I got back in touch with treadmill running. Last winter, I believe treadmills were part of my downfall towards a more-or-less crippling IBS injury, along with a too-old pair of shoes. I got a little cocky last year on the treadmill and started pulling ten minute training miles. For many runners, this would not have been a problem, but considering my race pace that October was only a hair under ten, and I hadn't run since then, that was probably pushing it just a little bit.

So I went with a little more wisdom this time around. I maintained a fairly strict walk/run cycle again, with a bit more running this time around: three minutes of walking followed by five minutes of running. My walking was between 4-4.2 mph and my runs were generally at 5, although I did push it to 6 for the last 45 seconds. It all felt very good and very successful, at least considering where I am in my training.

Training run total: two miles at 25:29. Four total miles to-date.

I started thinking about my ideal running mix for the half-marathon. When I ran the half in the Fox Cities in 2008, I had planned out my running mix nearly to the minute. I ended up skipping a few songs as I finished twenty minutes earlier than planned, but having a plan definitely seemed to help: opera halfway through when I would need a pick-me-up, Adam Sandler's "Ode to My Car" about three-fourths of the way through when I would need a laugh. Now, though, I've got a new MP3 player that holds several times the amount of music my previous one would. I've got 593 songs shuffling on my running mix. The spontaneity of each song coming up can be a boost, but I might not always get the song I need. Any thoughts from seasoned music-runners?

A Beginning

I'm about to embark on my first training run for the Minneapolis Half-Marathon. I haven't seriously run in around five months, and I'm hoping the IBS problems I had last year around this time don't show up again. I'm fifteen to twenty pounds heavier than when I ran my first half-marathon, so weight loss would be a nice bonus (and the added weight, of course, is a stumbling block).

My hope is that by posting updates on my runs, I'll hold myself more accountable. This is something that I need, as my first "run" was supposed to be yesterday.

So I'm about to embark on a two-mile run/walk. Here goes nothing.....(or, hopefully, something)