3 Workouts: Short run, Leg Strength, Hill Training Run

I haven't put my last few workouts on here. So, they are all going into one post.

Short Run:

Last Tuesday I went for a 3 mile run in about 40 minutes. I didn't track it. I did use my heart rate monitor and had an average 150 bpm. It was a rolling hill terrain, which apparently is difficult for me.

Leg Strength Day:

I hit the gym on Friday after not feeling very well throughout the week. I ran 15 minutes at a 5.5 on the treadmill. Then did some strength to protect my joints from all of the running.

Plie squats: 3 sets of 15, 60lb dumbbell
Narrow squats: 3 sets of 15, 65lb bar on back
Cable adductor/abductors: 1 set of 15 each, 20lbs
Cable kickback: 1 set of 15 each, 40lbs
Calf Press: 2 sets of 20, sleigh weight
Single leg calf raise: 2 sets of 15
Toe raises against the wall: 2 sets of 15

Long run day: 4.6 Miles

I was faced off with a deer and had to change my route. My run was not as long as I had planned but it was a good one. 421 feet of elevation gain inside of a mile made the overall run a bit slow, but still a great workout.

Getting Over a 5k Distance

I want to share something that I wish people would have told me a few years ago. Wait for it...

Running a 5k is hard!

Phew, it is out there. Because I am training for a half marathon now. After 2 or 3 years of trying to run 3 whole miles without stopping to walk, I did it. And then I said I want to go farther. So, of course, I started training for farther. So far I have gotten up to 7 miles with a goal in 12 weeks to hit that 13.1 miles.

I run 3-4 miles twice a week and then a long run on the weekend. Every time that 3-4 miles is difficult. Here is the 6 mile breakdown:

• Miles 1 and 2 are the worst. I am not joking here. They are really the most difficult. I might even give in and have a gel.
• Miles 3 and 4 are painful. My heart rate is stabilized and my breathing is more even so that helps but my calves are still warming up, my hips are just loosening, and my feet are still trying to understand what is going on.
• Miles 5+ I can just keep going. Maybe that runners high thing kicks in. As long as I am properly hydrated and have some nutrition to keep me going, I can keep going. The pain doesn't get any worse and my body finds it's groove.

So, are you struggling to run that 5k and don't understand how other runners are doing marathons? Truth is that it is probably just as difficult for them as it is for you. Maybe not as much if they have been doing it for a long time. But I believe the real difference is just the personal education that comes with training over a period of time. Some things you get to learn about yourself over run training sessions:

• What are your nutrition and hydration needs?
• What is your pace ability?
• How long does your body need to warm up?
• What is your pain threshold? At what point does it not get worse?
• What is your heart rate threshold?

These questions have been so helpful to me. To know that I can keep running because the pain won't get any worse, it will be painful because running is hard but that is ok. But now I know what is normal pain and what isn't normal pain. To know that I still should stop and walk or slow down if my heart rate is much above 160. To know that I might need more nutrition than others do has been freeing. To know that I am slow and I can either focus on speed or distance but not both.

My goal is to encourage you to go for it. If you feel like you can't even do that 5k or you just can't get past that distance, you can. Give yourself time and training. Get some gadgets and some gels if you want to. Find out what works and what doesn't. Keep trying.

That day that I ran the whole 3 miles without stopping...I will never forget that day. I am not ashamed of being proud of that day either. It was a big deal. Now I run at least that far several times a week. But that is now, a year later. It took me 2 or 3 years to run 3 miles. Now I can increase my distance as much as is allowed without causing injury. And I am excited for the half marathon finish line. It is a big change from last year.

5 Mile Long Run 4/14/13

Yesterday the weather broke for a couple of hours and I was able to go to for a 5 mile run. I am still struggling with my new shoes and so it was a little slower than I had wanted but I completed my 5 mile goal.

Here are the stat's:

Easy Run: 4/112/13

This morning I jumped out of bed and into my running shoes. Planning on a long run for Sunday, so Friday is a tempo run day. I didn't take a garmin or heart rate monitor so there isn't much information, but I want to tracking my workouts so I am posting anyway.

A happy moment on the run:

I woke up, put a spark in my water bottle and grabbed a gel then headed out the door. The run was short of 3 miles. Not much but something at least to prepare me for the 5 mile run on Sunday. I will have a garmin for that run so I can post time, distance, and heart rate/calories.

Back and Bicep Workout 4/11/13

From chest and tricep to back and bicep. All that is left is shoulders and my upper body is complete.

Underhand pulldown - 75lbs, 3 sets of 10
Lat pulldown - 67.5, 3 sets of 10
Seated row - 60lbs, 3 sets of 10

Standing bar curl - 30lbs, 3 sets of 10
Cable curl with a rope - 50lbs, 3 sets of 10
-I had planned on a third exercise but either I can't remember it or I skipped it. I easily wimp out on my biceps so the later might be the case.

I was starving and didn't do any cardio cool down or stretching. I rushed home to stuff myself with thai roast beef, brown rice, and steamed carrots and brocooli.

Chest and Tricep Workout 4/10/2013

I am gearing up for my 10 year wedding anniversary trip. I have been focused on running and have gained a little from figuring out my nutrition needs. So, I am taking 3 weeks to do a 24-Day Challenge and some heavy lifting to lean out.

5 Minute Warm-up on Treadmill

Incline Bench Press - 55lbs, 3 sets of 10
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press - 25lbs each arm, 3 sets of 10
Lying Cable Flye - 10lbs each arm, 3 sets of 15

Bench Dips with Feet on Stability Ball - 3 sets of 12
Cable Tricep Extension - 50lbs, 3 sets of 10
Standing Overhead Tricep Extention - 25lbs, 3 sets of 10

5 - 30 second treadmill sprints at speed of 8.5
3 minute treadmill cooldown

Thorough chest and tricep stretching at the end of my workout.

Reasons New Shoes Can Cause Shin Splints

I recently bought a new pair of shoes. My last pair were Scott eRide Trainer 2's. Loved them. They were cute and really a great shoe. I went to the same store to get new shoes but we walked out without shoes for a few reasons. I tried on more Scott's and fell in love. But $130 for shoes is hard to swallow. $100 is sort of my max. I feel like I should be able to get a great pair of shoes for $100 or less.

I ended up with Brooks Ghost 5's. They just aren't the same as my Scott's. I started to get shin splints. So, I hit up Google. Why are my new shoes causing shin splints? Here are the reasons I came up with:

1. Maybe my new shoes are actually too awesome! I learned that along with increasing distance too fast, increasing speed can also cause shin pain. Well let me tell you about this new problem I have with running 10 minute miles the first two miles when I am normally at about an 11:30 mile pace. I really want to get faster, but getting faster needs to be strategic. I haven't been running consistently long enough to push my speed. I slowed down and so did my pain.
2. Maybe my feet don't like new shoes. A lot of people seem to solve their problems with new shoes. My search on problems with Ghost 5's came with results of why getting the new Brooks Ghost 5's solved their problems. My last shoes gave me blisters and took way too long to break in. It might be my high arches make it difficult to wear a stiffer new shoe. But, I need to understand that my feet just aren't happy with new shoes.
3. Maybe I bought new running shoes because I am taking running to the next level and the problems are a coincidence. I never stopped after a mile or two to stretch out my anterior tibialis and calf muscles because I never ran more than 3 miles anyway. But now my runs range from 3.5 to 7+ miles. The first 2 miles are the warm-up. My legs need a bit of a stretch and get ready for the real run. I am seeing new challenges and needing to figure a lot out. It might be the shoes or it might be all of this running I am doing.

I have logged a little over 20 miles on my shoes so far and with each run things get better. I still have some different aches and pains and I still long to have my Scott eRides again. But the Brooks will be good shoes once I adjust to them accordingly.