Secret City Half Marathon

Yay!  It is finished!  I haven't run very much since my last half but decided to just go for it today and try to PR (again). I figured if I hurt something I had all winter to recover.  And yes, my knees are killing me, but I think some ice and maybe some Biofreeze and Sore No More (both were in the goody bag) and I should recover fine.  And YES, I PR'd!!!  Unofficial Garmin time was 2:37:58. Three minutes faster than the one I did three weeks ago.

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 2:37:58.2 13.19 11:58 1 12:53.5  1.00  12:53  2 12:27.3  1.00  12:27  3 11:56.1  1.00  11:56  4 11:55.6  1.00  11:56  5 11:54.8  1.00  11:55  6 10:38.2  1.00  10:38  7 11:14.8  1.00  11:15  8 11:24.8  1.00  11:25  9 11:46.8  1.00  11:47  10 12:06.3  1.00  12:06  11 11:52.0  1.00  11:52  12 12:51.3  1.00  12:51  13 12:51.5  1.00  12:51  14 2:05.2  0.19  11:00

Run/walk method

I've been doing to run/walk method of running, following loosely Jeff Galloway's plan for about a year and a half. I think it keeps me from getting injured. Today I decided to change it from 5/1 to 4/1. According to his plan of calculating your ratio from your fastest mile, I probably should only be doing about 3/1.

I read some time back that short, low to the ground strides help keep injuries at bay. I think maybe I am ready to try to lengthen my stride a bit. I tried it last year but it resulted in a hip overuse injury, but I wasn't doing any foam rolling then either.

I warmed up really slow in my first mile today but I had some good negative splits by the end.

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 1:01:40.2 5.00 12:20 1 13:29.2 1.00 13:29 2 12:36.5 1.00 12:37 3 12:08.6 1.00 12:09 4 12:02.9 1.00 12:03 5 11:20.9 1.00 11:21 6 :02.0 0.00

By all running standards, still very slow, but for my age, I'm ok with it. Also, I really try to go slow for all my training runs. I usually can go a bit faster in a race. I don't think a ten minute mile pace is in my future, but maybe an 11 minute mile pace...

 

Compression Sleeves for Recovery

I had to pull out the compression leg sleeves last night in order to go to sleep. My legs were not happy with the eight mile run.

 

Long run day

Still toying with the idea of a half marathon. I won't be able to do the one may 17th, but there is a Skirt Sports virtual 13er in June. As an ambassador I am registered and will do some kind of virtual run that day. Maybe 13.1???

Nice long run in the rain. I ran 8 miles and my garmin time average close to 13:00 miles. Slow, but steady. Knee bothered me a little but not bad enough to stop. Mixed it up with the trail, with hills, and the track.

 

Penguin pace

Four miles, slow as Christmas (13-13:30 mile pace) but it didn't aggravate my knee too much. Yay! I ran this morning....another morning run. I do like them even though I am not a morning person,

....in my favorite Skirt Sports skirt.

 

 

Long run

Perfect weather for running. Low fifties and sunny. I'm still chasing that half marathon. Only six weeks left and I've got to get to ten miles. The right knee was a little sore after this long run. Icing it.

 

Strength training

The Jeff Galloway half marathon training method I am using has the long run increasing every other week. The alternate weeks back up a few miles. This week I only had three miles on the plan (week 6). I did my three inside. Easy peasy.

I decided to try to do some strength training. Remember I am 55 and only been running for a year and a half. In other words I am not a very fit athlete. I found this plank challenge I am trying. Honestly, I don't know if I will make it even to two minutes, but I am going to give it a try. I'm on day 8.

This week I also did a few walking lunges. 20. My rear end has been sore for three days! I guess that means I need to do them more often. I think I'll try side lunges and just try to work up slowly. The goal is to be strong enough that I won't hurt my knees, hips, ankles, etc. while I am working towards the half marathon. We'll see how this goes....

 

Good Run

I am so not a morning person but today I decided to try to get in my long run before I travel to see my grand baby.  It was a good slow run.  I am still doing the Jeff Galloway method of run/walk/run. I am going to do my long runs at 3/1 intervals.  I tried to keep it really slow at a 13:30 pace but ended up somewhat faster without trying so I guess that is ok.

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 51:37.5 4.00 12:55 1 13:18.9 1.00 13:19 2 13:04.6 1.00 13:05 3 12:24.7 1.00 12:25 4 12:49.4 1.00 12:51

Covered 4 miles.  This is the farthest I've run since I hurt my knee.  It started hurting just a bit at about 3.2, and then got progressively worse, although even at the end it wasn't enough to make me limp.  So, I'm icing it.  The heart stayed pretty much below 150 the whole time which is great for me.

Maybe I can train myself to get up and run early sometimes.  The sun wasn't out yet and even though it was humid it was more bearable that it has been in the evenings.

Half Marathon Training

I made up my training schedule for my next half marathon. I am using Jeff Galloway's run/walk method and plan to follow it to a T. I picked the one for a goal of 2:20 finish, only because he didn't have one for a 2:30 finish. However, because of my age and that I am a beginner runner, I am stretching it out from now to November. Slow and easy. Hopefully this will prevent any injuries.

I like that the two weekly short runs are...very short. I'll do 4/1 intervals for those and just work at getting faster in those short little 30 minute runs. The long runs I'll change to 3/1 intervals with the goal of running a pace two minutes slower than the projected race pace. To finish in 2:30 my race pace will have to be 11:30, so my long runs will be 13:30. Wow, that is slow. I'm committed to it though. I don't want any injuries. It also schedules some 800 meter runs at a 5:10 pace, just to get the feel of faster running. Not sure I can do that but I hope to work up to that.

I'm excited. I've missed the long runs and that wonderful, sweaty, spent feeling you get from them. It will still be several weeks before I even get up to seven miles. Hope this isn't stretched out too much. Is there such a thing?

 

Today's 5k

Wasn't sure how the knee would do today. I wore the knee strap even though it hasn't hurt my last two slow runs. Me and my work/quilting/running buddy, Linda...

I felt pretty good but it did start to hurt before I hit two miles. I just kept it up at 4/1 intervals.

Tried not to go too fast but couldn't help trying to push my limit with the knee. Ended up with a finish of 35:11. No PR but better than I thought the knee would allow. Won second for my age!

But the knee was screaming for ice by the time I got home. Maybe an epson salt bath in a bit....

 

Slowly getting back

I ran a little over two miles on Friday, but then the knee started hurting. Disappointing! I slowed down even more today, switched to 3/1 intervals, and was able to do three miles!! It never even really hurt. Funny, last year I thought a 12 minute mile pace was really slow. Ha, today my pace was 13:48! It is all about perspective. I was thrilled that I was able to keep going for three miles, I don't care how slow. I will get faster but more important is getting the knee back to normal and keeping it that way.

Since I don't have any "running" pictures today, I'll toss in one from my other passion, quilting. Whipped up this little baby quilt this weekend.

 

Ahhhmazing device!

SUCCESS! I was researching last night about runner's knee, and I found where a knee strap often eliminates the pain by transferring the stress away from the tendon. I was so excited. Went by Walmart and purchased the Ace brand (cheap at $11.88).

For the last week I've not been able to do much running at all, and what I did seemed to make it worse. Tonight, I decided to run inside on my hardwood floors to see how it would go, and besides that it was 86 blazing degrees outside! I still felt a twinge when I started but that soon pretty much went away. I took it very slow, about a 13:00 min/mile pace...I went for thirty minutes and it felt great. I felt like I could go on for another 30, but I didn't want to push it.

The amazing thing was my heart rate stayed right at my MAF of 125 bpm. Even running inside that slow it has always been closer to 140 bpm. What's up with that? I wanted to try the MAF training to try to eventually get faster. Maybe I can.

I don't know if any of you other runners are this way, but because I love running so much, I drink more to hydrate, I eat more protein to repair, and I just feel so much better about life. I was beginning to get really discouraged with the knee preventing me from doing much. So tonight, I am one happy camper!!!

Have any of you used the knee strap before?

 

Beautiful day for a run

Yes, a beautiful day. Too bad I couldn't do much running. Started with 3/1 intervals and only lasted about two miles before my knee started hurting. So I walked most of the rest and did 4.2 miles. Sure hope this knee will heal up. Seems like I was better earlier in the week. I did about three slow miles in the house on wednesday before it began to hurt. I know I am impatient....

Our beautiful trail.

Love my skirt sports running skirt....and my kentucky derby mini marathon shirt.

Georgeous day!

 

Kentucky Derby MiniMarathon

There were 11581 half marathoners. I was in corral E and as you can see in the picture, the start line isn't even visible. You can see D corral but not, C, B, or A. There was also corrals F, G and I believe H and I.

I've been wanting a shirt with the Hebrews verse about running on it. Loved that this guy had it! Also liked the Philippians verse hanging on the overpass.

Churchill downs was when I really started having a lot of trouble with my knee. It began hurting around mile five and by this time I was in pain!

I completed it. That is about all I can say. I kept hoping the endorphins would kick in, but nope, they didn't. At least not enough to see me through the 13.1 miles. As you can see from my time below, I ended up walking a lot from mile 9 on. I forgot to turn off my Garmin. My official time was 2:45:54 with an average pace of 12:40. Just a tad more than my first half marathon……but I am already talking about doing this one again next year and for us to make a weekend out of it. We can get a room in one of the downtown fancy hotels for a couple of nights. Then Jim can watch from the balcony! And I will be in better shape to blast this time.

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 2:48:30.6 13.22 12:45 1 12:03.3 1.00 12:03 2 11:31.7 1.00 11:32 3 11:17.4 1.00 11:18 4 11:27.9 1.00 11:28 5 11:54.2 1.00 11:54 6 12:08.8 1.00 12:09 7 12:07.6 1.00 12:08 8 11:56.9 1.00 11:57 9 13:50.1 1.00 13:50 10 13:16.6 1.00 13:17 11 14:31.3 1.00 14:31 12 14:00.5 1.00 14:01 13 13:59.5 1.00 14:00 14 4:24.9 0.22 19:41

My official place was 8840 of 11581 and 156/349 in my age group (55-59), and 4849 of 6961 women.

......but this was the highlight of my trip......love this little girl!