Steady ~ Four Weeks of Marathon Training Down (Weeks 9-11/52)

One of us ran and the other rode Tantalus on the same day!

It's been almost 3 weeks since I posted anything.  We were still in Hawaii when I last checked in.  We flew home on March 2nd and I brought a sinus infection with me.  I was in absolute misery as we landed and the pressure made my head feel like it was exploding.  #wimp.  I didn't run for several days, I got up and tried a couple of times but breathing is a crucial part of running.

Marathon training has been going great.  For these four weeks my planned long runs were 8, 10, 12, and 10 miles.  My actual runs were 10, 10, 12, and 10.  Yesterday's long run was one of my best (which means I'm due an ugly one soon.)  My first mile yesterday was my slowest and my last mile was my fastest.  I ran the second five miles only 11 seconds slower than the first five!  I've always struggled with going out too fast and bonking with a few miles to go, so that was a huge win in my book.

I've done intervals 3 of the 4 weeks and this week's session was my best so far.  I call it the Ladder of Pain - 2 x 400, 1 x 800, 1 x 1200, 1 x 800, 1 x 400.  My first three were right on target.  I had hills in the 1200 and 800 intervals so they were a bit slow but I finished with a strong 400.

These green hills inspire me!  Here's a little Irish blessing a few days post St. Patrick's Day:

May those that love us, love us;
And those that don't love us, may God turn their hearts:
If He can't turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles,
So we'll know them by their limping.

How's your training going these days?  Hope you're not limping!

Feeling Sick? To Exercise or Not to Exercise. That is the Question

While we were flying home from Florida on Friday, Les starting complaining of a sore throat.  By the time we landed he was coughing and blowing his nose.  I felt great until Monday afternoon.  While his has been in his chest and throat, mine has mostly been sinuses.

A quick Google search on "exercising when sick" brought up over 24 million results!  The most common is the "above the neck" rule.  "If your symptoms are above the neck, including a sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, and tearing eyes, then it's OK to exercise. If your symptoms are below the neck, such as coughing, body aches, fever, and fatigue, then it's time to hang up the running shoes until these symptoms subside."  (WebMD)  Most of my symptoms have been above the neck, but I haven't slept much the past couple of nights, so I've taken the past two days off.  I'm just taking it day by day.

Of course there's a lot more to it than that.  The same article from WebMD says that fever is the limiting factor.  "The danger is exercising and raising your body temperature internally if you already have a fever, because that can make you even sicker."  The article doesn't address stomach flu,but unless your neighborhood is lined with port-a-potties, it's probably not a good idea to head out for a run!

I have a couple more of my own "rules" - "How did you sleep last night?"  If you spent half the night getting up to blow your nose or cough, a little extra rest is what your body needs.  "Do you just feel crummy, no energy, dizzy?"  Go back to bed!  I don't have a gym membership, but if you do, don't go when you're still coughing and sneezing.  Nobody wants your germs!

As you get close to feeling like yourself again, don't go full out.  You're setting yourself up for a relapse (been there, done that.)  Go out and walk a little to see how you feel.  Run half a mile and see if you're back to coughing and feeling terrible.  Don't push yourself!  It's not worth it.  Let the sickness run its course.  You won't lose all your fitness.  Do you really want pneumonia?  (Done that, too!)

Source

I think the bottom line is just as there were over 24 million results on my search you are unique.  Listen to your body.  And don't feel guilty for taking care of it!

Have you been sick yet this season?  Do you soldier on or take extra rest days?

Hello!

Well it's been two weeks since I posted anything here.  Since then we moved back home and I promptly got sick.  It's been a tenacious cold that just won't give up.  Last night was the first night I slept without having to get up to blow my nose a few times - fun times!

I have been running (some) since we got home.  And yesterday, for the first time since November 1st, I rode my bike!!  I forgot how cold riding downhill can get - 42 degrees left my toes and fingers numb, but it was still fun.

I also got a new pair of trail running shoes.  I took them out for a short test run last week and I think they're going to be great - I liked their stability on the trail.  I'm hoping for a longer trail run tomorrow.

Now that we're home, I want to start doing some speed work 1-2 times a week.  So many activities, so little time!

Hawaii Week 1 = Epic Fail!

Diamond Head on Sunday Morning

My "Running Hawaiian Style" didn't happen this week.  Les woke up Saturday morning with the flu.  I ran Sunday morning and have been fighting a cold/sinus infection since.  I know there are rules of when to run and when not to run when you're sick, but personally if I can't breathe, I can't run!  I have been doing a lot of walking each day, my running skort even felt a little loose when I put it on this morning, so I guess it's not all bad!

I finally felt well enough to run this morning.  Destination:  Diamond Head!  I wasn't exactly sure where I was going, so I followed the crowds and made my way up, just at sunrise:

This view made it worth the climb!

Looking at a map now, I see that I was about half way around Diamond Head.  I ended up turning around at the 3 mile mark.  I totally bonked at about the four mile mark.  Between my cold and the humidity, I really struggled to finish. My body has some major adjusting to do!

Surfers waiting for a big wave

6.3 miles in 1:10:17, 11:13 pace
Ave HR 147
Max HR 165
Calories burned 604