Saturday, December 03, 2011

Running recap Week 3 Half Marathon Training



Total miles run: 17.20 miles (27.8 km)
Total miles biked: 30.51 miles (49.1 km)
Weight training: 1 hour

I am really enjoying being really active again. I am hoping that by using more cross training and running less that I will still be prepared for the race but avoid the dreaded TMTS. So far so good.

My first run of the week was on Wednesday. We had a major snow storm the night before that dumped about 5-10 cm of soft fluffy snow. Piano lessons were cancelled for the kids because the roads were bad and cars were slipping off into the ditch everywhere. I figured that I could run while Kyle was working from home. I started out about 9:30am people were just starting to come out and shovel their walks. I ran along the bike path by my house. I was covered entirely with snow. For most of the run the snow was up past my ankle. It was almost like snowshoeing more than running. I wore my water shoes and they were perfect. I wasn't wet or cold at all. I took some pictures after my run. I wasn't about to take my mittens off to use my phone while I was running. It was amazing to be out running in the snow and sunshine. I normally suffer pretty badly from S.A.D. and I am hoping that running outside in the winter will help me to overcome it.

Warm and sweaty after my run.
My Winter Wonderland. That path between the trees is where I started my run.


My next run was on the treadmill because it was icy out and very windy. Opted to stay inside on the treadmill in the basement. It was a pretty good run. I upped the incline to 1% and that helped me to keep my form in check. I ran the first 3.5 miles in just my socks but I was developing some hot spots of the soft part of my foot below and to the outside of my big toe. I asked one of the kids to grab me my Bikilas and continued on for the last half mile. It was good and not as boring as I thought it would be. I have been listening to Ultra Runner Podcasts while I run and they are very entertaining. I aspire someday to run ultras, though it will probably have to wait until my children are older.

My last run this week was this morning. It was -2ÂșC and still pretty dark out when I left at 7:30am. I was looking forward to heading to the bike paths in the next community over for my run. I love running around these two man made lakes and natural areas as part of my long runs. The run as great. I was feeling good, watching my form, I still have to post about my training session with Tina. It was great, I am still processing all of the information. I think that I have so much more to learn. It was nice out and not too cold at all. The only real challenge with the run was that the slush from the last days had frozen into hard, sharp, sticky outy bits on the path that hurt like a bugger when you step on them. There is nothing like stepping on a sharp immovable piece of ice to keep you awake as you run. Over all though it was a good run, I am still having some tightness in my right calf and some achiness in my right ankle. I can feel the bones in my foot moving and changing as well in my left foot. I have a bunion on my left big toe and it is sore a lot of the time now. It was been shrinking, probably from wearing my vibrams, and my toe has been straightening out but it isn't without some soreness. I tried a new gel today, Accel gel and it went down well and seemed to work. I forgot the take my gel until mile 5.5. I normally take half a gel on the 3's. I will have to get back into the habit of taking gels and paying attention to what mile I am at. I also have to figure out how much, if any, water to take while running. In the summer when it was warm I carried a handheld water bottle and a single bottle on my back. I switched the bottle from my back into my handheld when the handheld was empty. For now I do not want to carry water in the handheld because it leaks and gets my mittens wet and that leads to very cold hands. So here is the question. How much water do you need on long runs in the winter? How about for races? My last race I carried my own water and ignored the water stations because that is what I was used to. For my next race in February I wondering if I can bring my own or if I should rely on the water stations?

4 comments:

  1. I finally broke down and bought a nathan water bottle holder, the one that angles at your back. It has a firm case, so the bottle is easy to get in and out of the holder while running. I have their hand held as well, but I like holding my iphone while I run so I can check my pace/distance etc. on runkeeper, therefore the bottle has to be on my back. I have struggled to find a water belt that didn't drive me stark raving mad for long runs...and in the winter it should be under your last layer so it doesn't freeze solid. The Nathan holder is padded, so it might insulate to keep it from freezing for a little while...depends on how cold it is. I take around 8-10 ounces or 500 mls for long runs, and I drink some emergen C powder in a glass before my run to give me the potassium and salts I need. We are having our fuel talk in our half marathon clinic tomorrow night so I'll share any insight from that with you (well anything that is interesting or different than the usual) I'm the only person in the clinic wearing minimal shoes, usually vibrams, and they are accepting of my happy feet :)

    Is running in less restrictive footwear really helping your bunion to shrink? That is fantastic news. Do you subscribe to the runblogger email? There's a great pod cast that just came out today from them, great to listen to on a run I would think. They have very interesting info on minimal/barefoot issues.

    I recently ran on a beach for 8k, and I had a massive blood blister on the bottom of one big toe...obviously from gripping the sand with my toe as I run I would suppose...funny that it was only on one toe. It swelled with water, then went away in a few days without bursting. VEry strange. I know what you mean about ice chunks...it really teaches you to land lightly when there's lots of ice around and you're in vibrams.

    Do you wear socks in your water shoes? And do they really keep your feet dry in ankle deep snow? That is fantastic! What is TMTS ?

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  2. Hi Maria. Nice to see you are back in the frozen world. :) Very strange about he blister. I have gotten them too but from running barefoot on the treadmill, really my treadmill is like running on a belt sander.

    That is really cool that the clinic is cool with your happy feet. I am leery of running clinic because the Running rooms seems so anti minimalist. At any rate I'd love to hear if they have any advice especially on fuelling in the cold weather. I love the idea of the Nathan water bottle and the Emergen C that's brilliant. I love that stuff.

    I wear sock liners (really thin technical material) and heavy wool socks inside my water shoes and my feet were dry as a bone and super toasty warm.

    TMTS is too much too soon, it is the dreaded injuries that can come from transitioning to barefoot/minimalist running too quickly.

    One of these days I we should meet up for a run. It would be great to get out and run with another like minded runner. :)

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  3. Yes I agree we should meet up one day soon! I'm running in the Resolution Run 5k, this will be my first 5k race in hopefully my vibrams.

    This sunday's 12k run was very difficult, ankle deep snow, wet and sticky. I was forced to wear my nike frees, the only 'flat' shoe I own that I can put a sock in. I love my pace gloves by Merrell but they're too small to wear socks. My feet were absolutely soaked right thru, to the point of squishing when I walked after.

    I tried to go to Atmosphere to see about the Deep Sea Beach shoes, but the location in Deerfoot Meadows is gone...so have to find out where another location is. Did you go up one size to accomodate the socks? I've often thought about running in my ugg boots...lol, at least my feet would stay dry, and the wool inside keeps them breathing and warm. Just need ice grips on the bottom. Do you think you could wear ice grips on your beach shoes? That sounds funny doesn't it lol??

    The key with wearing minimal shoes in a conventional running clinic is to KYMS. Keep Your Mouth Shut. Unless someone asks of course, then you say 'I was having so many issues with my stride/injuries that I had to change my footwear to correct it and now it's working perfectly for me' I always stress that 'they work for ME' so it doesn't sound like I'm preaching. I was so plagued by different injuries when wearing high heeled cushioned runners, that there was NO way I would have been able to run another Half. Now running in Nike frees is painful...I absolutely hate them, but until I get an alternative going, I'm stuck when there's lots of snow/ice. My Vibrams have been great in up to minus 20, with medium thick injinji socks. Of course minus 20 means it's usually dry, but ice is still a problem, so extra caution is a must.

    As far as I'm concerned, if someone can run injury free in big fat runners, good for them, and they shouldn't change a thing. Minimal isn't for everyone. If you don't become outspoken about it, I'm sure the Running Room wouldn't have any problem with you. Glenmore Running room has a really great group of people there, and there's many people who drive from Rocky Ridge, Cougar Ridge, and other far flung parts of the city just to be with the great people there, and the instructors seem to be very very good.

    The marathon instructor is amazing...he gave our fuel talk, and I learned a lot. I'll send you a message later with more info, instead of filling up your comment wall here lol.

    Maria

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  4. I would love the info about fuelling. I think I did pretty well in the first race I ran but I am floundering a little with water intake while it is so cold out. I find I am just not very motivated to drink cold water while I am running in the cold.

    Good luck on the Resolution Run it is coming up very soon. You should do very well. Are you still thinking of running it in your Vibrams? Kyle and I are running in Cochrane on the 31st. My first official minimalist race with be the Hypothermic Half in Feb. I am pretty sure I'll be wearing my beach walkers.

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