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?