89 Miles Down, Plus: Your Fashion Tips

It’s amazing how quickly the week can get away from you: I skipped a run on Monday for whatever reason, and that guilt carried into Tuesday’s swim (but was mitigated by the Cavaliers game—it was still awesome to be there) and only mounted yesterday.

Despite it all, I covered 7.33 miles at lunch today (that leaves 11 miles to go!), including a 1.11-mile warm-up and 6.2-mile run at 8:42/mile pace. And I think I have found my very comfortable pace for distance-building between 8:35 and 8:45/mile. For months I struggled with running too fast too soon: remember the whole 7:37/mile on my first 10-miler? Silly G!

Now I can start running at a comfortable pace without having to brainwash myself, burn in the heat or insist on singing to gauge my intensity (although it’s still fun).

While I didn’t understand the importance of the long-and-slow when I started running, it’s all making sense now (and I definitely wouldn’t have made it to 14+ miles by now). It had been my impression that if I had built endurance at a slower pace, I would never be able to improve my speed. But that’s just silliness. And I know that many, many people tried to explain the concept to me, but sometimes you just have to make sense of things yourself.

I am, however, still working on my pace and trying to find my optimum intensity. And getting back to my HR monitor could help. I haven’t used it in the past month because I suffered some pretty awful chafing from the thing on one of my long runs on a hot day.

So, as I get back to understanding my HRM, I’ll also be a big fan of skin protectants like Aquaphor (I received a sample of Aquaphor from the Cleveland 10-miler in April and have become a big fan; I’m always skeptical of free samples, and was pleasantly surprised), which has really helped me recover my pride from my recent wipeout.

Today’s run took me back inside: after the wipeout and the car incident, I’ve decided that on days when I really want to intently focus on my stride or pace or anything but my surroundings, I will either run on a [bearless] trail or at the track (Kent State also has an outdoor track, so I might check that out soon too) despite my previous prejudices toward the perfect terrain.

But alas, someone had let their children run rampant on the track, so it became an obstacle course at times. At least this time, as opposed to the bear, car and ground incidents, I was bigger. I didn’t make anyone cry this time, but there were a few close calls and severe tackles.

My other distraction on my run was my shorts. So, I wanted to know if anyone had any running fashion tips: what’s a good running short? I have spent most of my life utterly opposed to wearing shorts, but after spending 1-2 sunny runs in pairs of dark cropped pants, I’m ready to be converted.

While the shorts I already own are good for general exercise, they’re not made for distance running. In fact, they’re good for 3-4 miles, but then get a little… cranky, we’ll say. I’ve been checking out different styles online, would like to get opinions and will eventually check things out in person before I amass a new collection of runnable clothing.

The Cavaliers games have started so late in the finals that my superstitious running routine has been utterly shot—at least now we know what the problem has been. Sorry Cavs fans! And I had something bad-for-my-stomach to eat today, so I was whipped when I came home and couldn’t head out for a bit at 9 p.m.

One final funny note:
Salty is an awesome runner from the blogosphere who kicked butt in a 5K on Wednesday. I was reading her race report, in which she logged that her first-mile split was 5:50, and realized that her first-mile split was my running-for-my-life-from-my-fear-of-bears “split” from last Sunday’s run through the wilderness. I felt like I was literally flying at that pace, and she ran it in a mid-week 5K race. How awesome is that? Way to go, Salty!

Still Proud to be a Cavs Fan

I may not have had the opportunity to run on Tuesday, but I did go swimming and get my cardiovascular and larynx work in at the Cavaliers game. Despite the loss, it was awesome to go to the first-ever basketball championship game in the city. There was an energy downtown that I don’t recall experiencing (even during the ’95 and ’97 world series games—curse you, Jose Mesa!), and I hope it returns each spring for many years to come.

But I have to get back downtown ASAP to get a photo with the big LeBron banner before ODOT makes them take it down.

I’m a little horse this morning, but I definitely got in some major shoulder work from all the clapping, abdominal exercise from the cheering and some serious vocal overworking for yelling about bad calls, awesome plays and the inevitable cherrypicker (ahem, Bowen).

But on the tri-training side, I made it back to the pool for a measly 1,500-yard swim, which included:

• 300 yards free warm up
• 400 yards IM
• 4 x 200 yards free

The swim started off really because I was pumped about some potentially good news I may reveal in a few weeks. But midway through the 200s I couldn’t find my rhythm. I wasn’t tired. I wasn’t tight. I just didn’t have it. In fact, swimming the last two 200s was near brutal. Where’s Flipper when you need him?

But I feel like such a sloth this week: I haven’t run since Sunday and still have 18 miles remaining on my 100-miles-by-next-Tuesday goal. Rest, however, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And perhaps I could get in a few miles this week if I get back to my first-quarter running routine for the Cavs. That’s what’s been missing!

Regaining My Training Legs

Under most circumstances, getting caught in the rain isn’t the worst thing that can happen on run. But after Saturday’s run-in with the sidewalk, I felt a little wary of inclement weather and opted to renew my confidence on the long-neglected track at the rec. center.

And, you know, it really wasn’t bad.

I ran a mile to the rec. center, 6.13 miles on the track and then another mile back to work. The day’s 8+ miles put me at 59.1 miles with two weeks remaining in my run to 100 miles goal. I have been targeting the century mark since April, and it appears I might actually make it this time (knock on wood). At this point I am 12.5 miles ahead of my target… so, at least I have some wiggle room in case of emergency.

Today’s run, however, was all about getting my confidence back. I know most people need to retrieve their confidence from memories of a bad race or a bout with injury or illness. Well, I had to get it back from the concrete on the corner of Kent Road and OH-91.

Although I ran on Saturday night, in my pre-Cavs ritual, it wasn’t a comfortable run at all. I was uneasy, scared and wholly unfocused—I didn’t know whether to worry more about unfriendly cars or uneven sidewalks—at that was just a little over two miles. So, I started out slow.

I almost forgot how easy it is to run on the track. No hills, no wind, no godforsaken heat and humidity! Not mention the even and friendly surface. And after an 8:59 warm-up mile, I aimed to build a touch of speed for each mile because it was going to be a short run on such simple terrain.

I picked up mile two to 8:47 and three at 8:40. I wasn’t even winded after an 8:37 fourth mile or 8:30 fifth. So, I came cruising in at 8:00 for the last mile and then cooled down for a few laps for a 53-minute run.

Also: I am most happy to report that my knees have been quite awesome. Despite the Saturday scare and weekend soreness, they have really felt great when running the past couple weeks. All it took was a little doctor scare! My left knee is still scabby and sore to the touch from the fall, but feels great in my stride. (My left arm, however, is a different story: after landing, flipping and skidding on my upper arm and shoulder, weight training and swimming will take some slower getting used to… I’ll see how it feels in the pool tomorrow).

The one-mile runs to and from the rec. center were nice bookends to the workout. It was a little awkward to jog with a tote bag (and trying not to sweat too badly on the way back because I had already showered), but I made it work. It was better than wasting gas to drive across campus… and only took a few extra minutes.

Next on my list of ways to integrate training into my work day: packing my bike. I would like to start bringing my bike to work. I’m not yet in cycling shape to make the ride to work (correction: I’m not in shape to make the ride to work and then actually want to pedal home at 5 p.m.), but it would be nice to have my bike to ride to places like the rec. center or anywhere else wind-blown helmet hair might be appropriate. It just breaks my heart when I have to drive somewhere, and I’d really like an alternative when there just isn’t enough time to walk.

Now, if only I could get my wheels on and off without a big, dramatic and greasy scene, I would be all set.