Good strides: December 2004 Archives

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December 30, 2004

Winter Break Plans Foiled - 2005 Races

After spending three days back and forth at the airport and on the phone to check flight availability I finally gave up on my hopes to travel to CA over my winter holiday. I had a buddy pass from a very good friend and relative of mine and was hoping to leave for CA the day after Christmas. The flights on the 26th and 27th were all booked so I never really got onto any planes on either of those days. On the 28th I got on a plane to take me to Ohio and spent the entire day in Ohio trying to get to San Francisco or Atlanta, where there would be more flights to San Francisco. After almost 9 hours in the airport all of my options were gone except to stay overnight in Ohio and hope to catch a flight the next day. All of the flights for the following day were booked and I was starting to feel extremely fatigued. There was one flight remaining to Hartford, CT where I started my trip and I decided to hop on that plane which ironically had plenty of seats available. I actually got pampered and got to fly first class. I felt so ill that I was unfortunately unable to take advantage of any of the extras that were offered to me.

By the time I woke up on Wednesday morning I was feeling miserable, I had a sore throat, was completely congested, and had the chills. I spent a long time in bed in the morning. I then decided to get a change of scenery and drove to my brother's house in New Haven to visit my niece and nephew. I was able to spend the day on the couch while my niece and nephew showed me all of their Christmas gifts. When the children went to bed I watched Super Size me for the second time with my brother and sister in law. This movie made me feel even more ill.

Last night I did not get any sleep. I felt so feverish and could not relax. I was hot and cold and took the blankets on and off. I had to get up and use the restroom a dozen times and could not wait for morning to arrive. Even though I knew I should stay in bed I got up around 8 and tried to get some orange juice. As soon as I stood up I was really dizzy so I decided to stay in bed another hour or two. When I did get up after a very light rest I felt a bit better but still really chilled and tired. I spent the entire day today sipping soup, having some tangerines, and watching movies with my niece and nephew. I feel a lot better now that it is almost 9 p.m. but nowhere near 100%. I am hoping that I can sleep soundly tonight so that I can feel more like myself tomorrow.

The good news is that I no longer feel any pain in my hamstring. No matter where I touch my hamstring it is pain free. It still feels tight but the soreness is gone. I have not run since Christmas and will probably not run until January 1st.

I am disappointed that I did not get to travel to CA to see my sister and brother in law and all of my CA friends. However, even if I had traveled there today I don't think I would have been able to do much with my bad cold/flu. I do have a trip to CA planned for the first weekend of April when I plan to do the American River 50 mile race. It is one of the largest 50-mile races in the country and it is relatively flat. It starts off with 20 or so miles on a bike path and the second half finishes on rolling trails when your legs are dying for the soft ground. I am looking forward to the race and excited to be in a race where I can have a pacer. After 30 miles of the American River 50 mile race I will be able to have a friend who is not in the race run the last 20 miles with me. This will be a refreshing treat for me and it will be really motivational.

The other races I have planned for 2005 are Grandma's Marathon in June, Headlands 50k in August, and Masochist 50 mile race in October. My main focus is going to be Grandma's marathon to try to break 3 hours. In the ultras I would like to finish in the top 3 and improve my efforts from previous races.

I am hopeful that once I get over this cold and resume my training after what seems like a long hiatus I will regain my strength and be on my way to reach my 2005 goals for running.

Posted by mary at 8:49 PM | Comments (3)

December 26, 2004

Still Resting my Hamstring

For about a week now I have been waiting for my hamstrings to feel 100%. I did not run at all or do any exercise on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday of last week. My hamstrings were sore just walking for two days but nothing else was sore. By Tuesday my right hamstring did not hurt at all but my left hamstring was still sore in one spot when I touched it. I spent those three days helping my Mother get ready for the holidays in CT. During this time I was anxious for the arrival of the rest of my family.

By Wednesday I was ready to try an easy run. I ran 3 miles easy with my sister in law in New Haven. In order to run pain free I had to keep my stride really small and not overextend at all. I have a tendency to over stride so that was an effort for me. When I finished the run I did not feel like my hamstring was worse but it had not improved. I have been icing my hamstrings three times a day and stretching them up against a wall and just sitting on the floor and leaning forward to reach my toes (which is a joke). I tried another 3 mile run on Thursday and my effort and level of pain was about the same. I decided I should just stop running until I felt no pain at all when I touched the hamstring.

On Friday however, I met up with Liz, my twin sister and we really wanted to do an easy run together. I told her I'd be way too slow for her but she said she didn't mind because she was running a 5k race on Christmas Day and just wanted to shake out her legs. We did the Poplar Street loop near my parent�s house which is about 3.5 miles. I felt a little better but I felt that my entire right leg was really stiff from running with an unnatural stride. Again I iced and stretched after the run. I was glad to get to run with my sister and catch up but I was upset that my hamstrings did not feel any looser.

On Christmas Day my sister convinced me to go to the Christmas Scrooge 5k. She actually did not have to try too hard. I wanted to go and watch her run. The race was in Vernon, CT and was an out and back course. The entry fee for the race was only $10 and went towards charity. Once at the race I decided I would jog the course while my sister raced it. This way I'd get a mini workout in for the day and test out the hamstring once more. We saw one really fast women warming up, she was wearing briefs in the 30 degree weather and looked quite good. My sister was trying to beat our friend, Ben who just moved to CT with his wife from CA. Ben and Liz have a big rivalry between them. I was rooting for Liz but I knew she had a cold from all of her travels and the end of the academic year. It did not help my sister that we had been up until almost 2 or 3 a.m. the past two days in a row before the race at various Holiday parties. When the race started I felt better than expected and decided to run 7 minute pace during the race. I managed to run 6.58, 7.15, and 6.47 for the three miles. I felt fine but as soon as I finished my hamstring tightened up and I did not even do the cool down. Instead I just stretched and warmed my legs up. My sister ran 18.58 and was the second women overall. The first women was low 17's or maybe even high 16's. She was flying. My friend Ben beat Liz running 18.38. Liz was really upset that she was beaten by our friend. However, the temperature was so cold for her and she was coughing up a storm before and after the race. I thought it was a good workout considering all of the variables.

I have decided not to run at all until I can not feel the pain in my hamstring when I press it. At the moment if I push my hamstring I can feel an area of pain that is still sore and tender. I think the area may even be a little swollen but that is hard to tell. I don't think I made it any worse running the race yesterday but I know I did not improve the situation at all. It would be nice to be able to go and run because I don't have anything I have to do over the next week. I was supposed to catch a flight to CA today but all of the flights were booked and I was unable to go. I am flying standby so my tickets are not really confirmed. I had wanted to go for a full week but it looks like my trip will be abbreviated. I am hoping to leave on Tuesday because tomorrow's flights are also looking quite full. In the meantime I am organizing all of my things at my parent's house, packing, and catching up on my leisurely reading.

My two best gifts that I received for Christmas this year were my Merrell slip off comfort shoes that I requested and received from my Secret Santa. Since there are eight children in my family plus four in-laws we exchange names with each other so we don't have to worry about getting 12 gifts. This way we can focus on getting someone one really nice gift rather than guessing and getting something they don't need or want. The other gift I got was from my twin sister and her husband. They were not obligated to get me anything since they were not my secret santas but they really wanted to get me something. They bought me a pair of snow shoes so I guess I really will be trying a new type of running this winter. I am excited to try them out once there is more snow on the ground.

I am hoping that by January 1st I will be able to run pain free. I guess those last 10 miles I ran in the 50k really wore my hamstrings out. I also know the problem is related to my quad. In general I just need to develop a better stretching and strength program for my quad/hamstrings/and stomach. I am hoping my room mate will help me put together a Pilate�s program when I see her in January. I think a 20 minute routine would be really helpful to me.

Posted by mary at 4:48 PM | Comments (5)

December 20, 2004

Monday Recovering

I realized I had to change the title of my last entry. I had intended for it to be a quick entry but then got carried away with the details of the event as I began to write. The words just fell off my fingers. I am really thankful for everyone's nice comments about the race and event. Now that I am officially taking a break from formal training I can catch up on everyone else's blog.

My left hamstring is no longer sore which is great. My right hamstring however is still really tight. It probably has not helped that I have been sitting at the computer almost the entire day. I finished my last paper which I was procrastinating on a little bit but am fairly satisfied with the results. I also had to catch up on my emails (I am still not done) and tie up some other loose ends. In a little while I plan to ice my hamstring and do some light stretching. I really hope some of the tightness decreases by tomorrow. I don't think I tore anything but I think I did strain it.

I feel pretty tired and uninspired today. Perhaps it is the emotional let down that occurs after a big event that you have trained for or planned. It is also probably overall body fatigue and some of the seasonal fatigue that comes when you are rushing around trying to get things done for a big holiday. If my hamstring was not so tight I would have enjoyed an easy two mile run in the snow but I definitely knew better than to even attempt that stunt.

We had about 6 inches of snow fall in CT today. I woke up early and was planning to head up to MA to return to my house, collect my mail, and wrap things up at school. When I attempted to drive this morning I was slipping and sliding all over the roads. I did not trust myself on the roads so I went back to my parent's house and spent the day here doing work. I feel pretty lazy today because I have not done any exercise. It feels good but I am so tight. I feel like after this entry I need to get up and walk around. Tomorrow I hope to get out in the snow for a little while even if it is just shoveling the sidewalk.

I was looking up past results for the Huff 50k and saw that about 5 years ago the winning female ran sub 4 hours on the course. MARY BETH ELLIS 3:57:39.0 7:20/M in 1999. I was really impressed with that time. It is still a goal of mine to break 4 hours either on this Huff 50k course or the Way Too Cool 50k course. I know that I will have to be 100% healthy to do that so that I can maintain my pace throughout the entire race. I also saw a race result from a few years ago which stated that a 4:16:31.0 result was a 7:41/M pace per/mile. This makes me think maybe the course was long? I am not sure.

Well I thought I'd have more time to write but I have to go and help wrap some Christmas presents. Thanks again to everyone for all of your support. If you had to run in the snow today and face the cold weather I hope it wasn't too bad. I am looking forward to reading the snowy reports from the East Coast Runners.

Posted by mary at 7:41 PM | Comments (4)

December 19, 2004

Race Report

This is going to be a quick entry because I have a little bit of work to do before going to bed and I have to hit the sack early tonight because I am very sore and tired from my travels.

I am so so happy that I got to see my two friends Cindy and Carrie at the Huff 50k. They made me miss CA even more and made the trip seem like a mini reunion. My friend Cindy and I arrived to the race location a little early. We were searching for things to do and decent places to eat. Finding good food was a challenge but we did find a few places that were ok. Unfortunately, no great pasta - but I think the pasta deal is usually a lot of hype.

Cindy and I previewed the course on Friday afternoon. We just drove to the start and ran out and back on the first mile of the course. It was like a cross country course, through open fields of grass that were patted down, through narrow little trails, up and down little undulating hills. It was pretty fun but also very muddy and sticky in parts, some parts were icy, and some parts had thin layers of slick snow. I wore tights, a long sleeve shirt, a vest, and gloves and decided that is what I'd wear race day unless it was in the 40's and then I'd wear shorts. We went to the movies in the afternoon, then picked up our race numbers, and then went in search of dinner. We went to a local favorite for dinner - the Country Post. Everything on the menu except the steak, lettuce salad, and broiled chicken was fried. I had no idea what I would get. I have been a vegetarian for 10 years but last January started to eat fish. This Thanksgiving I ate turkey for the first time in 10 years. I decided to get the broiled chicken because I did not want to eat fried food. It was plain but a lot better than fried food. I also got a baked potato which was as good as potatoes can be. We went to our hotel and tried to go to bed at 10 p.m. I could not sleep most of the night. I went to the bathroom a dozen times but was not too worried about it because I got about 12 hours of sleep on Thursday night.

We got up at 6:00 a.m. race day and drove to the start at 6:30 a.m. It was so cold and dark. The sun did not really appear until 7:30 ish. I was surprised. We met our friend Carrie in the heated tent and all decided what to wear. I stuck with my plan of tights and long sleeve shirt, my friend Carrie wore the same thing. My friend Cindy wore shorts and a long sleeve shirt. The race started at 8 a.m. Cannon announced the start of the race. The sound of it and the feel of it were horrible. The smell was also horrific. My friends and I nearly jumped out of our bones. It definitely got us moving.

The mile markers were all posted on the course. It was a 10.8 mile course that we ran 3 times. I think the course is actually at least 32 miles but they don't officially post that anywhere but it definitely seemed long. The first mile we started on a road portion that we did not repeat in the 2nd and 3rd lap. The first mile was way off, I read a 5.47 first mile. The men who were around me thought they had actually run that time. I secretly laughed. I thought it was about 7 minutes so it was probably about 400 meters off. The first loop was really fun as I was running with a pack of 4 to 6 men. We were running about 7 to 7.15 splits for the first 10 miles. The first 2 miles were through fields and up and down little rolling hills. There was one pretty decent down hill that was steep and covered in snow followed by a short uphill. The third mile was on the road and pretty fast so I ran a good slit through here. Mile 4 to 6 was through corn fields and had a cross country feel to it as we were running on the border of big fields and navigating our way through piles of mud and big patches of ice. This for me was the hardest section to run because I never found a consistent path to run through. Each time around it looked different due to all of the feet that had run over the area. The region became slicker as the race wore on. Mile 6-7.5 was through the woods and was really fun as it meandered through woods on a single track that would make quick turns back and forth. There were slight up and downhills but nothing too taxing. There are some pictures of this section at this link:
http://runindiana.com/huffphotos.html
Mile 7.5 to 8.5 was half grass fields and half road again. It was pretty quick and there was an aid station at mile 7.5 ish and there was also an aid station at mile 4. The section from 8.5 to 10.8 was also really fun to run through. However, I was spoiled because there was no mile 9 marker so this stretch seemed extra long. This too was in a wooded section and had long switch backs and we crossed over a few bridges. It was relatively flat and little ups and downs. The turns were the part that tended to slow me down. The last 0.8 miles to the start always seemed longer than .8 miles.

I felt good on the first loop but was worried I was being too competitive and running too fast. I ran 1.18 for the first lap and decided to back off and run more relaxed the second loop. I refilled my bottle with warm water that was so nice to hold on this lap. On the steep down hill that was snowy on the second lap I took a huge spill, the type where you tumble after you fall and cut up my leg pretty badly. It turned out I was fine. I checked to see if anyone saw me and waved that I was fine and carried forward. The spill scared me a bit and I decided to run more conservatively. After the fall I stopped quickly to go to the bathroom to calm myself down. It worked and I felt more relaxed. I was running about a 7.30 pace and that felt good. I got a gu at mile 18 and was running pretty much with one other runner for this second lap. One relay woman passed me who I thought was in the 50k but she was in a 3 x 10.8 mile relay that was going on at the same time as the race. I was glad she was in the relay because she was running about a 6.40 pace and I knew I'd have no chance catching her in the 50k. I ran the second lap in 1.24 which was considerably slower than my first lap. Besides the fall I felt pretty good and relaxed in this lap. Since my time had decreased so much I was not sure I'd break 4 hours so I decided to stay relaxed during the third lap. About 2 miles into the third laps my hamstrings became really tight and I had a hard time opening up my stride. I was frustrated because I was not feeling too tired but my legs were so stiff and becoming sore. I took some Gatorade type mix on the third lap and used that the entire lap. I found someone to run with on the third lap and we took turns trading off the lead. It really helped to have someone to run with at the end of the race. He unfortunately out kicked me with 600 meters to go but my hamstrings did not have the ability to sprint by that point. I finished the last lap in 1.29 so it was much slower than my first lap. My hamstrings had really become a problem by the end so I was happy to finish. I finished in 4.12.38 and was happy with the overall time. I think the course was at least a mile long but I can't be 100% sure of that but most of the men agreed with me. I was the first woman overall and my friend Carrie was the second woman overall in about 4.45.

I spent most of the afternoon in the tent meeting people and eating warm soup. I got to cut a really nice cake and eat some of it. For dinner I went with my friend Cindy who finished in shorts and a jog bra in the 30 degree weather went to Fort Wayne. We had a greater selection of food here and celebrated with a delicious meal. I slept better on Saturday night but still not soundly. I am hoping to get better sleep tonight. My hamstrings are sore to the touch so I plan to take it really easy and not even think about running until I can't feel the pain anymore. More of an update tomorrow. A big thanks to Liz and all of my friends for the great support you have provided to me in preparing for this race. It was a lot of fun and I am glad I was able to run in Indiana.

Posted by mary at 9:27 PM | Comments (11)

December 15, 2004

Quick Update and then off to Indiana

Tuesday

On Tuesday I ran about 6 miles with the track runners. We did an extended pond path loop. I felt pretty good and enjoyed the company of the other runners. It was really cold during the run and I was so happy to get into the shower when the run was finished.

Wednesday

I pool ran with Ellen today for about an hour right after eating pancakes for lunch. The pancakes did not bother me too much so that was good. In the late afternoon I biked while the track women did their workout of 8 x 3 min. hard around the gravel path. My toes were frozen by the end of the workout and I was not looking forward to my run afterwards. Fortunately I was meeting up with Alison and Caitlin for an easy 5-6 mile run. It was a really nice run and it definitely was not too slow. It was really cold and I actually wore my sweatshirt for the entire run.

Unfortunately, I don't have much time to write tonight. I need to take a shower, pack up, and drive to CT. I leave for Indiana tomorrow morning at 9:30. I should arrive around 2:30 and my friend arrives at 3:30. We will drive up to Huntington to our hotel and relax for the night. I will definitely take tomorrow off from running. On Friday I plan to rest all day, read books, watch movies, have a good pasta dinner, preview the course during the day, and pick up my race number. I race at 8 a.m. on Saturday and will return to CT on Sunday. It should be fun. Good Luck to everyone else who is racing this weekend and thanks for all of your support.

Posted by mary at 5:54 PM | Comments (5)

December 13, 2004

Amethyst Conservation Trail Run #2

Last night I had the hardest time falling asleep. It took me about an hour and a half to fall asleep. Initially I was really cold because I had turned the heat off in my room over the weekend. I did turn the heat on when I returned but the entire room was not warm yet. I put extra blankets on my bed and then realized that the soda I had on my drive from N.Y. was probably keeping me awake. Usually if I have coffee in the morning I don't have any other caffeine during the day. I tried not to get frustrated. I had a 7 a.m. run scheduled in Amherst with the fast mountain runner with lives there. Several times during the night I was tempted to cancel the run and sleep in. However, I knew I'd get up early anyway to study and review my material. On very little sleep I got up and drove to Amherst at 6:30 a.m this morning. My hamstring was really tight for the first mile of the run. I realized it was from the three-hour drive the day before. My quads and hamstrings hate driving for that long. I stopped to stretch. After a mile we entered the trails where I had run with Alison and this woman during Thanksgiving week. The area is really pretty and I was not feeling too tired. After about a mile of running on the trails we started to head uphill. My right quad, which is my tight quad, was so tired. I was dragging and doing my best to stay within reach of the faster runner ahead of me. I was praying for the uphill to be over. It is frustrating because usually the hills are my strength when I run and these days if my legs are tired I just can hardly bring my right leg up to work on the climb. At the top of the hill I quickly stopped to stretch. I was dreading the last 1/2-hour because I had no idea how I'd feel. The second half of the run I actually felt really good. As soon as we started to head down the hill my quad loosened up and it was no longer an issue. I felt strong and relaxed and had no problem keeping up with my friend. We finished the run in 64 minutes and probably ran about 8 miles. I was planning to run with the team this afternoon but I think I'll take a break - this is after all my easy week. For the rest of the week I plan to run five miles or less. I think my quad was so tired on the first half of the run today because I pushed the pace too much on Sat. and Sun. and then did not allow it to rest. I was frustrated with how I felt but was glad to regain my rhythm during the second half of the run. I have another busy day today with an exam, work, practice, and tonight we have our Department holiday party. It starts early which is good because I know I'll want to go to bed early.

Posted by mary at 9:57 AM | Comments (1)

December 12, 2004

Weekend Update!

Second Friday Reservoir Run

On Friday afternoon I met five of the women on the team and took them to the East Hampton Reservoir. We were able to get there by 3:30 and ran two loops around the reservoir. I think the total distance of the run was 7 miles. I was really tired going into the run due to not getting very much sleep. However, once we were there in such a beautiful setting I was really excited. The entire run was filled with conversation and everyone seemed happy to be off the road. The second half of the run was faster and by the time we got to the last half-mile hill everyone had picked up the pace. When we stopped at the gate at the end of our run the women commented that it was a fast run. I looked at my watch and it said 56 minutes. I think this was a decent pace for the women considering it was all trail. We had a great ride home and just missed the darkness. I showered when I returned and left for South Kortright, NY.

I arrived in South Kortright around 9 p.m. and my hosts were making the most elaborate dinner. They made pasta, peas, salad, baked peppers. It sounds simple but all of the best ingredients were used and everything was cooked in the finest kitchenware. I had snacked a bit on my way up to stay awake and because I was hungry after my two runs and busy day. I did not feel hungry when I arrived but they had done so much work to prepare something I would enjoy I decided to eat it anyway. I did not regret it. It was delicious. The rest of the evening was filled with good food, good wine, and great conversation. We did not go to bed until almost 1:30.

Saturday's 9 mile Run

I slept until almost 11 a.m. on Saturday and it felt so nice. When I woke up the coffee was ready and I had a big glass of coffee with soy mile. A half hour after I had my coffee my hosts realized they had given me decaf they proceeded to make me another glass of coffee even though I insisted I did not need one. I had a second glass of coffee and then we all got ready for a run. They showed me a great trail that is one of the rails to trails runs that the state has created. A lot of these paths are made into cement trails and are actually not that pleasant to run on but this trail was all dirt. It was so beautiful and pastoral. We ran 4.7 miles together and passed numerous old farmhouses - one of which is the original producers of pasteurized mile in the country, saw many wild birds, and had gorgeous views of the distant hills. My friends finished at 4.7 miles - it was a point to point run in which we had dropped one car off at the finish. I decided to run back to the start where they'd meet me. I ran the second half of the run faster - just over 7 minute pace, I ran about 34 minutes for the way back. I felt good and enjoyed the trail.

When we got back we had some eggs for breakfast and showered. For the remainder of the day we listened to music and talked. My friend and I made rice crispy treats for old time sakes and nibbled on those during the afternoon. It was very mellow. We had another amazing meal. My friends prepared swordfish on the outside grill, made a vegetable curry, and had another great salad. Our dinner Saturday night was much earlier - we ate around 9 p.m. and went to bed around midnight.

Sunday' s Run

On Sunday I slept in again until almost 10:30. When I woke up regular coffee was ready for me. We had breakfast before our run. I helped with some chores around the house. I then went for a walk with my friend in the nearby woods and took a tour of some of the old barns in the area. In the afternoon we visited the same trail we had the day before for our run. This time I decided to run my own pace for the entire run. I told my friends I'd be gone for an hour. I felt good as I started my run and decided to see if I could make it to the end of the path where we had started the day before. I was able to make it to the end in 33 minutes and turned around and returned to the car in 31 minutes. I am sure I ran at least 9 miles and was happy with the 7-minute effort. When we returned to the house I showered and had to hit the road. I had a three-hour drive back to MA and stopped for a sandwich on the way home. Once I returned to school I had to work in the field house cleaning and folding towels. I should be studying now for my last exam tomorrow but I feel about as ready as I'll ever be. I am going to hit the sack now because I have a 7 a.m. run scheduled for tomorrow.

Posted by mary at 11:26 PM | Comments (1)

December 10, 2004

Amherst Bike Path Run

This morning I met two of the runners on the track team and ran the Amherst bike path loop run. We ran four about 55 minutes which was probably about 7 miles or a little less than that distance. I was pretty tired from a late night of studying for my exam but it felt so nice to be up and running first thing in the morning. I had to teach my pedagogy lesson this morning in pool running and things went pretty well. In my conversations with my friend, the head cross country coach, I discovered that the origins of pool running were derived from horse training. Race horses train in the pool when they are injured or to compliment their every day exercise. I found this fascinating and then found some pictures of pools for horses on line. Some of these physical therapy centers for horses also have treadmills in the pool where horses can run and these pools have a whirl pool function so that the horses legs can be massaged. Has anyone ever heard of treadmills in the pool for runners? I would like to try one. This afternoon I will do another trail run with the other runners on the team and then drive to the Catskills for the weekend.

Posted by mary at 11:31 AM | Comments (5)

December 9, 2004

The Effects of My Studies and a Treadmill Workout

It seems that I have been fairly consistent with keeping my Thursdays reserved for workouts so I am happy about that aspect of my training. I was planning to get up and do my workout this morning outdoors. However, I did not get to bed as early as I had planned and decided to sleep in and prepare for my morning presentation instead. I had another busy day with my presentation to start off the day. I had to give a presentation on the 10-week pedagogy class I taught to my friend on sprinting and she presented on her 10-week pedagogy class she taught to me on swimming. Everything went well with our lecture and demonstration.

Following that I had to go to my exercise physiology class and do an under water body fat test. I was designated as a volunteer along with my roommate who is a rower. The two of us had to get in the pool and hold onto a huge bottle. We had to fill the bottle about 3/4 of the way with water and then dip our heads into the water and try to blow all of the air out of our lunges. We had to get to the point where we started to sink and were at equilibrium in the middle of the pool under the water, so we were not sinking down and we were not bobbing to the top of the pool. Mostly I sank to the bottom of the pool, which meant I had to take more water out of the bottle to increase the amount of air in the bottle. Finally, I sort of reached equilibrium but it is hard to tell because I came up quickly because I was gasping for air. Anyway, we then did an equation to figure out the % of body fat we each have in out body.

My number was a lot higher than I expected. It came out to be 22%. The margin of error for this experiment is said to be +/- 4% so maybe I am 26% or 18%. Both sets of values seem off to me. Although, I did look up what the numbers should be and for a female athlete the range is somewhere between 12-18%. I don't want to obsess over it because I don't think the testing method was totally accurate because I was not able to exhale all the air out of my lunges.

Sometimes in my studies for this masters degree in exercise and science I feel that I become paralyzed by the facts and figures that I am reading about or the specific athlete situations that I try to analyze and work with on a regular basis. It's hard to explain but I feel like I am in a daze taking in a lot of information and trying to process it and figuring it all out. Most of the time when I am engaged in my own athletic endeavor/adventure of running I can just forget about it all. However, sometimes I feel that I am not up to doing all of the things that an athlete should do and I do not meet all the requirements and how could I possibly control all of the variables. It gets overwhelming. I almost feel like pre-med students feel when they say that at some point in their training they experience little symptoms of all of the diseases they study and they feel they are afflicted with a serious illness because of the intense work they are doing in the field. This is how I feel at times when I start to analyze well what should I eat or when I chastise myself for not getting enough sleep, etc. I think it will all sink in and incorporate itself into me in some fashion along the way but right now it seems as if all the information is pounding into me. Well..enough rambling about all of this... I should get on with today's workout....

My afternoon was filled with work and meetings so I did not get a chance to go outside to do my 1000-meter workout. I decided to do my intervals on the treadmill. I warmed up for three miles and ran the first mile at 7.44 pace, the second mile at 7.30 pace, and the last mile at 7.15 pace. I wanted to gradually increase so the workout would not seem so different from the entire run. I then did .7 miles at 6.48 pace and .3 miles at 7.44 pace, then I did .7 miles at 6.38 pace and .3 miles at 7.44 pace, then I did .7 miles at 6.28 pace and .3 miles at 7.44 pace, and for my last interval I did a mile at 6.18 pace and finished the workout with 3 miles at 7.30 to 7.44 pace. I felt pretty good for the entire workout. It is hard to get used to running fast on the treadmill but the time actually goes by really fast. I did not feel like I had to breath very hard for the workout. I was lamenting with my sister on the phone tonight that I have not really done any hard cardiovascular workouts since March of 2003. It has been almost two years since I have been able to give a 100% effort in a speed workout. This is a bad sign. I have been satisfied with my running and used the time to focus on my endurance training but I do miss the feeling of fatigue you get after running hard 800's or mile repeats. I have got to make my quad therapy a priority once I finish this 50k race. The three key elements I am going to do are to use the ice pool every day, to use electric stem treatment in the training room as much as possible (maybe every day or at least 3 times a week), and to massage every day even if it hurts. I hope an intensive strategy such as this makes a big difference. My hope is that my blog in January will focus on my recovery more than my running. Once I move into February I hope I can do some serious running again.

Tomorrow I am going to meet some runners to do a morning run at 7 a.m. and then in the afternoon I am going to take the team to a nearby Reservoir to run. I am looking forward to both runs. I probably won't be able to update my blog until Sunday night because after my afternoon run I will head up to the Catskills for a nice weekend get-away. It should be great to relax in a nice setting for the weekend and do some easy runs. I have one exam left and one paper left so I am pretty excited about most of my work being done. More soon...

Posted by mary at 9:39 PM | Comments (5)

December 8, 2004

Day Off Today

Today I had to help out with the practice track meet our sprinters were having at the field house. It is the last day the indoor track facilities will be open until January. They have to repaint the lines on the track because they were done incorrectly last year. The facility will reopen the beginning of January, which is great because that is when we really need it.

I had not taken a day off since last Monday and decided since this is a rest week and I have not been getting very much sleep at all this week, 6 hours or less, that the rest would do me good. I want to get 8 hours of sleep tonight and then get up and do an interval workout. I'd like to do my 1000-meter workout that I was going to do yesterday. Due to the ice and snow I did not complete the workout. Tomorrow however, should be a much nicer day. Today it was very mild and comfortable outside. The sun was out and brightly shining. If I had had more time during my day I am sure I would have gone for at least a three mile run to enjoy the mild temperatures. All of the fallen snow is already melted and the ice is gone. The outdoor track should be all clear and a bit wet for my workout tomorrow.

Now I should go and have some dinner so I can get my work done early and hit the sack. I hope everyone is having a good day.

Posted by mary at 7:23 PM | Comments (2)

December 7, 2004

Rainy, Icy 5 mile run

Despite the fact that I only got a few hours of sleep last night I actually felt fairly functional throughout the day. I stayed up studying and then was on the phone for a while before I went to bed. I was feeling restless and not ready to go to sleep.

I was going to take today off from running but by the time practice came I decided to do the 5 mile run with the team. We ran the loop that makes a big circle around campus. The pace was really easy because the sidewalks were pretty icy in some parts and there were big puddles that we were trying to avoid. The last half-mile was done on the dirt path that goes around all of the athletic fields. This was a bad call on my part because it was really sloppy out there. Everyone's toes were becoming numb. Luckily that was the last portion of our run and then we could head into the field house.

We stretched for about 10 minutes when we were inside and then did 8 minutes of abs. Each of us picked an exercise to do for one minute. We had to hold our legs six inches off the ground for one minute and that just about did me in - it was so hard. I did manage to survive the 8 minutes but I definitely cheated on the 6-inch exercise.

Right after practice I jogged home and got in the shower. My toes and hands were numb and white. I spent an extra long time in the shower warming up and listening to some Dar Williams. It felt really nice to take my time and get some warm cloths on afterwards.

I then made some rice with my new rice cooker and had some rice and beans for dinner. This could easily become my staple because it is so easy. I did throw in some tomatoes and cheese for some extra flavor.

Now I have another long night ahead of me of studying and paper writing. I can't wait to sleep in this weekend. This weekend I will be going to the Catskills to visit some friends at their Ecocabin and just relax. I can't wait. I'll have two assignments due next week but I think I can manage to get everything done despite my mini pre vacation holiday.

Posted by mary at 7:54 PM | Comments (17)

December 6, 2004

Nice Snow Fall this afternoon!

We had what I would call our first "real" snow of the winter today. It did snow one Friday in November but I was in ME and did not get to see any of it actually accumulate on the ground. Around noon today the snowflakes started to fall from the sky. It was pretty cold out today but it really did look beautiful with everything covered in snow. Once the ice forms my opinion may change but for now I am enjoying how elegant everything looks.

This morning I ran about 6 miles with one of the women who had to miss practice this afternoon due to a conflict. We ran the Amherst Bike loop and ran at a very easy conversational pace. This young woman is applying to Divinity School next year so I had a lot of questions for her about the various programs she is applying to and what she intends to do.

My day was pretty packed today and still is, working on projects, studying, and finishing up papers. I am currently studying with a friend so I have to be quick in this write up.

I met the team for practice at 4:00 today and we ran for about 45 minutes in the snow. We each took turns leading for 5 minutes because by the time we left the field house it was getting dark and since the roads were slippery we did not want to traverse too far off campus. We ran along the campus trails and were able to see pretty well due to the nice reflection of light we received off of the snow. The pace was very nice and comfortable. I wore my mittens for the first time of the season and my hands stayed nice and warm. Although, both this morning and this afternoon I experienced the frozen wrist syndrome.

Tomorrow I plan to run less than 5 miles. I want to do a workout, most likely it will be on the indoor track. I think I am going to run 4 x 1000's and increase my pace for each interval, starting with a 6.50 pace and finishing with a 6.20 pace for my last interval. I will sleep in and wait until the afternoon to run. I will make sure that for the rest of the week I only run once a day so I can really start to taper.

Posted by mary at 9:16 PM | Comments (0)

December 5, 2004

More Pool Running and Another 10 miler

This morning I got up and was planning to run fifteen miles before my pool run. As I started running I realized my joints were a bit achy. I decided to stick to the trails for the entire run because I did not want to run on the pavement with achy legs. Overall I did not feel tired but my legs felt achy. I again ran a pretty slow 10 miles. I ran about 7 miles on the cross-country trails and 3 miles on the pond path trail. Even though I was on the same system of trails for most of the run the time went by relatively quickly. The weather was really nice for this time in December. The sun was out and I had to pull up my long sleeve shirt.

After my run I went to the Mt. Holyoke pool where they have a diving pool. It is so big and great because you do not have to worry about the lane swimmers. I met my friend, the head coach, and we pool ran for an hour and a half. We chatted the entire time and I felt like I got a good workout. I wore the water vests and concentrated on maintaining running legs.

For the remainder of the day I had to work at the athletic house as a supervisor and I also worked on my academic work. This is going to be a busy week for me because most of my assignments and presentations are due. I have three papers left, two presentations, and one exam to go. I should be done by next Monday. From that point on I can be on holiday from schoolwork for a while. Technically classes do not resume until mid-January but I am hoping to do some work on my own research project while I have some free time. I plan to continue working at the library in December and January and I will also be a TA for one of the exercise physiology classes so at least I'll make some extra money, which graduate students always need.

I am going to run the Huff 50k even though it is not the National Championship race. I think it would be hard not to go when I have been looking forward to it for so long. This year I have only done three ultras so far. I can't believe it. I have done 1 50k, the Quicksilver 50k, one 50 miler, White River, and the 100k in the Netherlands. I am looking forward to seeing my friends at the race and I do have my time goal that I want to try to reach. I'd love to run under 4.10 so we'll see what happens. This week I will start to taper. It looks like I ran about 81 miles this week with one day off and a few pool runs mixed in my training. I am happy with that and feel like I have the endurance I need to run the race. This week I will try to run about 65 miles and do a little more speed work - well tempo work really - no need to break out with any sub 6 minute workouts when there is no way I'll be running that fast in the 50k, unless it comes down to a sprint at the end. I should state that in my last two ultras, the 50-mile and the 100k, I was out kicked in the last 400 meters. Being out kicked in an ultra really hurts especially when you did not see the person who passed you the entire race. I am going to make that a side goal for this 50k, not to get out kicked by a female competitor. Well, I should get back to work so I don't have to stay up too late tonight. I was just listening to some of my favorite music, the Greatest Hits by Paul Simon. It puts me in a mellow mood and makes me just want to sit and reflect. I'll be back tomorrow with another update.... I can't wait to hear about Alison's trip to CA to visit my sister.

Posted by mary at 6:20 PM | Comments (6)

December 4, 2004

This year there will be no National 50k Trail Championship Race!

This morning I slept in again and it was so nice. I was going to run before I met the head coach for a pool run but I was feeling a little unmotivated and depressed so I just waited and read in bed until it was time to meet my friend for our aqua jogging. I was unmotivated because I found out that the 50k race that I am doing in Indiana is not going to be the 50k National Trail Championships. The USATF website had announced that as the championship site. However, apparently, all of the paper work was not signed and it is no longer designated as the championship race. It will be just an ordinary 50k race. Since it is already the end of the year this means there will be no 50k trail championship race. Next year the championship is set to be in Marin again for the Headlands 50k in August. I do plan to run that race again.

My first reaction was that I did not want to go at all if it was not the big race. I then, however, realized that I am going to be meeting a lot of people at the race and have been looking forward to this event and training for it. I know it would be equally frustrating not to go and I probably should have made my own inquiries to the race directors myself about the nature of the event. Yet, this morning I did not have the same drive so I lounged around and read magazines for 2 hours.

At 11 a.m. I did an hour and a half pool run and chatted with my friend the entire time. The workout went by really fast and I did not feel like I was working all that hard. After the pool run I ran my 10-mile Arcadia course. I ran a pretty easy pace because I felt tired from all of yesterday's running. By the end of the run I still felt good and did not feel like I had worked too hard. Immediately after the run I had to change and get ready for the team banquet. We had the banquet at the head coach�s house and gave out awards that we made from a pottery art studio. At the banquet we made our own pizzas and had lots of good snacks and desserts. It was really nice to spend the late afternoon with the team. I just love cross-country season. About half of the distance runners will do track so that will be nice. Tomorrow I am going to run about 15 miles and then do another pool run. I am going to go look at my maps and figure out a good place to run where any hunters won�t bother me.

Posted by mary at 7:57 PM | Comments (3)

December 3, 2004

Easy Running and Some Hill Work

I wanted to run easy today but also try to get in about 15 miles. I had three runs scheduled for the day so I didn't think the mileage would be an issue. I met one of the women on the track team at 12:45 for an hour run. I think we ran about 7 to 7.5 miles. We did an abbreviated version of the Arcadia loop - we did not run through the cross-country course first. This student was leaving for the weekend and asked me if I'd keep her company on her run. I did not mind at all because it would mean I could sleep in again this morning. I was able to work from 10:30 -12:30 so the timing was perfect. The pace was a little fast for my partner at first so we slowed down and had a really nice hour run. We talked a lot and by the time we were done I was freezing because I made the mistake of wearing shorts. The sun was out so it looked nice out.

At 2:30 I was scheduled to meet another track/cross country runner who wanted to have a meeting with me. I suggested going for a five mile run and talking on the run. She loved the idea because it would be more casual. We ran five miles on the cross-country course and talked about the pros and cons of running indoor track. By the end of the run she was excited to run indoors. I was happy about the results. This run was easy but by the end I was starting to feel tired and hungry.

At 3:30 I met the entire track team, it is really small, about 15 students to do their hill repeat workout. They usually do their hill repeats up Hospital Hill, which is about 200 meters long on pavement. The team has been doing so many speed sessions and plyometrics I decided since I was officially "in charge" this week (the other two coaches are at the National Track and Field Conference in Portland, OR) that the sprinters should do some hill repeats on the cross country course. I told the team the plan. We would run a ten minute warm up and then do 6-10 hill repeats, about 45 seconds long and then do 10 minutes cool down, followed by 4 striders. We did the warm up and it was raining slightly. By the time we got to the start of the hills the rain stopped. Everyone ran the hills at their own pace. Initially I was not going to do the hills but then I decided it would not hurt me and I really did not feel like standing there and freezing. I ran with the one distance runner in the group who is another graduate student who had been on the team last year. She was ahead of me for the first three and then for the next four I was a little bit ahead but I had to work. The last one we did together we were side-by-side pushing each other the entire time. It was really fun and I felt like I was on my toes the entire time. In between we were cheering for everyone else. I recommended at least 6 and almost everyone did 7 and a few people did 8 or 9. I did a total of 9. My last effort was not that hard. I ran in the back of the pack because by this point I was getting pretty tired. I then ran about 6 minutes cool down and watched everyone else do their striders and gave them some feedback.

Tonight I am going to see the Incredibles. I am excited. I have to go shower and get ready. Tomorrow I am looking forward to a 15-mile trail run. I hope I feel comfortable going to run on some hunter free trails. We'll see...

Posted by mary at 5:15 PM | Comments (0)

December 2, 2004

Treadmill Day

Yesterday I just ran in the morning. I was pretty beat for the rest of the day and just went to bed early. I was able to get 10 hours of sleep. I had intended to get up and go for a run this morning but I was so tired I slept an extra hour and it felt good.

My day was pretty packed today so I had no time to go out for a run while it was still light out. At 7 p.m. I had a chance to run and decided I did not feel like running outside. I also remembered that Thursday was my workout day. I decided to hop on the treadmill and see how long I could bare it. I ran 1 mile at 7.30 pace and the next mile at 7.15 pace. I then ran 5 miles at 6.44 pace. I felt really good except that my right leg felt like it was doing more of the work. I did not feel like I was hitting it harder than my other foot but I just felt like I was leaning to my right side more than my left. I wonder if increasing the grade would have corrected that effect. It feels a bit tight now so I am going to stretch it once I finish typing this. I then ran 4 more miles at 7.30 pace. The workout actually went by pretty fast and I was happy that I felt like I did not have to work too hard to run any of those paces. After the run I did about a half hour of lifting. I am now going to go and wash up and ice and stretch! I have a few runs scheduled tomorrow outdoors which I am looking forward to doing. I am also going to see the Incredibles after waiting for a very long time to see it. I am going to see it with the head coach I work with and some of her friends. It should be a nice Friday break after a busy week.

Posted by mary at 9:56 PM | Comments (2)

December 1, 2004

Running on Empty with some Inspiration from my Friend!

I managed to pull myself out of bed at 6:30 this morning to meet Alison for a 7 a.m. run. It was rainy, dark, and cold when I went out the door. I thought about returning to put some tights on and then realized that all of my tights were dirty. I did have a cap on because I did not feel like wearing my contacts on only 3 hours of sleep, a long sleeve thin white t-shirt, my vest, and shorts. Alison was appropriately dressed in tights, a hat, and a jacket. I was worried about getting cold but then thought that the edge might keep me going so I wouldn't be too terribly slow.

Alison was a trooper when I suggested a 9-mile run because after this run she had to continue her workout for another 4 miles of tempo work. I promised her that the pace would be very easy, as I didn't want to push myself and risk getting sick on so little sleep. We started our run on the cross-country course for the first 2 miles and then continued with the Arcadia course for the rest of the run. The trails were a little sloppy but still runnable. I was rambling on and on about Alison's upcoming trip to CA. I gave her a little insight into the types of run she might be doing and discussed other random topics that popped into my mind. Alison is a great listener and very patient with me. I will be sad to miss a run with Alison next week but will look forward to a run when she returns to hear all about her trips to Las Vegas, CA, and San Diego. I actually felt pretty good on the run despite my fatigue. My legs felt pretty good, although, admittedly I was not pushing the pace. We finished at the field house and Alison had to continue on with her workout. I thought about doing a mile with Alison on the track but I was much too tired and had to get ready for my classes for the day. Even though it was dark and rainy I actually did not get too cold on the run. My legs were bright red when I finished but by the time I got into the shower I was happy for the warm comforting water. If it had not been for Alison I never would have been able to get up and run this morning. She definitely helped to jump start my day.

Later in the morning I had my final swim lesson with my fellow graduate student coach. I had to do another 25-meter time trial to see how I improved from 10 weeks ago. I improved my time by 3 seconds, 21 sec. to 18 sec. and was happy about the improvement. More importantly I feel that my technique and overall confidence in the pool has increased. This makes me more willing to go and do some swimming on my own as a means of cross training. Perhaps if I am lucky I will have some additional lessons with my coach. I also coached my swim coach in her final sprint lesson for the semester and she showed great improvement in overall form and technique as well as increased performance in her 200 speed, going from a 41 sec. 200 to a 36 sec. 200. We were both happy with our results and now have to prepare our presentation for the class.

This afternoon I am trying to get as much work done as possible so I can go to bed early tonight. I am not working at the library today so that I can get more academic work done before dinner. I have some recruiting letters to write up and some journal articles to finish reading before I meet the team for practice at 4. If I am feeling up to it I may run about 3 miles with the team later on in the day. However, if I am dragging which is likely I will just call it a day in terms of my exercise and I will definitely hit the sack by 9 p.m. tonight.

Posted by mary at 12:12 PM | Comments (0)

Off to bed in 2 minutes!

It's 2:30 a.m. and I am still up but I am about to go to bed.. I know I'll be beat tomorrow and will have no interest in writing two blog entries so I thought I might as well complete this entry now while I still have a tiny bit of a caffeine buzz going on..

I was up so late finishing up a literature review that is due tomorrow. I had all Thanksgiving break to work on it but did I no? Well, I did on Sunday night but that is the last minute. I had an extension from the professor to turn the assignment in next Monday. However, I thought it was silly to delay the inevitable. I'll have other assignments due then anyway. It feels good to have finished the assignment. It is not perfect but I will have time to work on it next semester.

I had a good day running today. I got up at 7 a.m. and ran somewhere between 5 and 6 miles. I did my favorite 5-mile pond path loop. I felt pretty slow for the first mile and a half but by the end of the run felt great and really strong. It was cold again and my wrist froze again (not my fingers.. so strange?). I had shorts, long sleeve shirt, and a vest. I feel obsessed with commenting on my clothing just to emphasize the fact that I have to wear layers, which I hardly ever wore in the Bay Area. It's actually not so bad but I like to be dramatic about it because sometimes it seems like a pain to give so much consideration to my attire. Once I have a more fashionable winter running wardrobe it might be more fun to get ready for my run. Anyway.. I digress.. I do have to get a couple of hours of sleep sometime tonight...

In the afternoon I ran another 9 miles on the cross-country course and pond path route. I ran the same 5-6 mile course I did this morning but ran it backwards to spice it up abit. I then ran another 24 minutes or so on the cross-country course. By the afternoon my legs were feeling really tired and I felt like I was moving about 12 minutes per mile. I was not that slow but I felt that way. I may have run a bit too hard this morning but I just listened to my body and ran slow. I wore a hat on this second run of the day and my wrist did not freeze. When I went to coach the track practice I ran another 20 minutes with the distance runners for their warm up. We did a campus loop and I did not even notice any fatigue in my body. It's amazing what conversation and company can do for you. I actually felt better after that run than the run on my own. Perhaps the pace was more comfortable or maybe I just enjoyed the social outlet? Hard to say but I was glad I jumped in with the women.

I am getting up in about 4 hours to run with Alison. Poor Alison it will probably be a really slow run but I am looking forward to the conversation and company. It would be hard to go on my own, in fact, I know I wouldn't get up on my own. However, I'd still have to get up in another hour for class and it's tough for your body to differentiate between 4 and 5 hours of sleep. I'd feel beat either way. I am definitely going to hit the sack really really early tomorrow night!

Posted by mary at 2:39 AM | Comments (2)