30+ DRC 360

See that title?

30+ DRC 360. 30+ Daily Run Challenge: Day 360

I'm a week away from completing a full year of running every day. I'll reminisce about that later.

I haven't posted on here for a while, about three weeks. Not much has happened in those weeks. My mid-week long runs have been decent but have been taking a nose dive as far as comfort level. I was supposed to have had an 8 miler on the 12, but ended up short for the same reason.

So I've been wondering about why my longer runs have been getting less comfortable.

When I first started this "real" training, I had been including the Fitocracy Challenges you'd see posted on my DailyMile updates if you ever stalked me there (it's cool, at least I'm getting some attention). I continued with it for a while But then being the lazy bastard I am, I listened to some bad advice.

I was told that since I was running every day anyway, there was no real need to keep up with extra stuff. Focus on the running. I was like, "COOL! Sounds good to me!"

Bad move. As I've said, my running comfort has gotten worse since then and this last week has been proof of that.

If I could describe what my comfort level looks like over the past couple of weeks it'd be an airplane wing:

Starting from the left that rise up to that red spot at the top of the wing, that's my first 8 mile run. I was ecstatic with that run. I stopped the crosstraining after that run. A bit further down to the right of that red spot would be my next few weeks of runs. Up until this last Sunday when I had a bad 8 mile run that I FOUGHT not to stop on.

I was pretty much decided to continue with the crosstraining after that run. My midweek longish run last Wednesday was a clue as to how I was going to struggle with Sunday. My pace was okay, but I was kinda fighting that one too. The Sunday long run on the 19th was really bad! I didn't even run the 8 miles. Heck, not even 7 that day. And I WALKED most of the last two miles!

So I started the crosstraining again yesterday. And I'm sore. I don't think it helped any that I ran the Shitty Work Trail, either. Stupid hills kick my ass. But I'm going to have to start looking at this as a good thing. I learned something about myself and what I need to do to improve.

On another note, last week on Facebook, the Salinas Valley Half Marathon and 102.5 KDON through Clear Channel had a contest to win a free pass to the SVHM Training Program and also for the SVHM itself.

Guess who won?

The training program starts tonight and I just registered using the promo code I received from them. Unfortunately I had already signed up for the half marathon back in December. I now have a free promo code and I got to find out if I know anyone who might want it. The struggle of being a friend.

GD

p.s.
too sore to check. run smiley :)

30+ DRC 339

The last week or so hasn't been too eventful. I've been keeping up with the training so far. Last Wednesday I had a speedwork run (which I probably failed at) of 4 miles. And it was supposed to be the following:

• 4 Miles, including warm-up of a mile
• One mile at a 9:37 pace
• Half mile at a jog
• One mile at a 9:37 pace
• Half mile cool-down

Because I used my Nike+ GPS watch, I averaged for the whole run a 9:58 pace. So on paper I did what I was supposed to do. Problem is, I'm running faster than what the training plan calls for. I'm supposed to be running an 11:49 mile. I've tried and tried to do that, but I just can't get that slow. If you check up on my DailyMile, you'll see that the slowest I run at is a 10:44. And that's on my long run of 8 miles!

So should I be knocking off 2 to 3 minutes off my real average pace?! That's gonna be a little difficult because there is no way I could keep a pace of 7 or 8 minute miles! I think I could push 9, and still be able to do this speedwork run.

Tomorrow I have tempo run of five miles. It's supposed to be a mile warm-up, three miles at a 10:11 pace and then the last mile a cool-down. I'm really confused and I have no idea what I should really do. I just want to be able to run the whole half marathon in August. That's it! Pace be damned! I think if I kinda follow the plan, it'll get me there. Seeing as I've already had two fantastic long runs of 8 miles each, I think the plan will work . . . sort'a. What I mean is I'll be able to run the whole shebang non-stop.

I think I've even figured out the whole dinner-before-a-long-run thing! I've been careful with my food during the week. Weekends are ok. The Saturday night before my first 8-miler, some of my friend and my brother headed off to Round Table for some pizza and beer. I stuff my face and had pretty much a whole pitcher of Sierra Nevada to myself (I have wuss drinking mates). Got home (didn't drive) and chugged a shit-load of water and crashed out. Got up several times during the night to drain the weasel and woke up feeling fantastic! Had a good strong cup of coffee, some water and took the Browns to the Superbowl then headed out the door.

That first 8-miler was awesome! I started the run not worrying about the distance and just cruised. I knew I could run five miles and convinced myself that six was doable. By the sixth mile, I got my second wind because I felt that I could finish this run completely. By the time I finished my 8th mile, I was ecstatic! I probably could have done all 13 miles that day, but I knew that was only asking for problems.

I tried to duplicate THAT weekend this past weekend. Didn't work out as well. But I still was able to complete the 8 miles, just felt a bit more beat. And I would put that off to the fact that I knew I could now run the whole 8 miles and the excitement for the run wasn't there anymore. So it was another run . . . just longer.

The first 8-miler was 1:24:37 at an average pace of 10:33. This last 8-miler was 1:26:01 at an average pace of 10:44. I would attribute the slower pace two the previously mentioned lack of excitement, but also to the crappy dinner the night before of crappy Pizza Hut pizza and lack of beer. Also, it was windy as FUCK!

I was getting buffeted around a LOT on the way out. I thought it would at least help on the way back, but I think I expended a lot of energy trying to run into it that I was pooped out for the way back. And it still felt at times that it was pushing against me.

But the way I figure it is I only lost a little time on the run, a couple of minutes. Sure, it slowed me down a bit. But I still ran the whole thing. Good enough for me.

This next Sunday calls for a 9-miler. I've already called my friends and we'll be hitting up Round Table Saturday night.

GD

p.s.

too lazy to check. run smiley :)