A Tweak in Training

I have to be honest. I still have IT band pain, but I’ve continued my half-marathon training as usual. Said IT band pain started around New Year’s.

I think I’ve managed to stave off a full blown injury by making sure I stretch the area daily and do leg lifts, as well as roll with my trusty stick.

But then last week I was reading Run Less Run Faster.

You guessed it – another Christmas present 🙂

I asked for this book because my last 2 half-marathon training plans (ok, this one too, so 3 total) are all variations of a Run Less Run Faster plan. It was a basic plan I came across on the Runner’s World website, but I liked that it was 3 focused runs per week.
1 tempo run
1 speed workout
1 long run

Plus 2 cross-training days.

Instead of cross training, I just ran at whatever pace I felt like the other 2 days. All I cared about where the 3 important runs.

And it’s worked for me. My paces for this season’s plan are challenging, yet not so much so that I can’t complete them.

This winter, I added a day of cross training to my running days so I’m active 6 days a week.

What’s the problem then, you ask?

The chapter on injuries. Specifically this little paragraph:

I immediately freaked out.

I can’t take time off! I’m trying to PR in March! And I have another half in June. Then my 2nd ever marathon in October! Then a tough mudder in November. There is no time for rest.
But if I don’t take time off I will injure myself. My IT band pain hasn’t gotten worse. But it hasn’t gone away either. It’s bound to become a full blown injury if I don’t do something different.

Thankfully, the rest of the chapter eased my mind a bit. It explained that just letting up on running a bit and making sure to rest, ice, stretch, and strengthen muscles surround the nagging ache can help you stop it from becoming an injury. The writers don’t suggest continuing to train for a race if you feel an injury coming on – but even they say runners aren’t the type to stop completely and wait for a would-be-injury to pass by.

They have brief descriptions of common running injuries too (runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis, ITBS, and shin splints to name a few). They give signs and symptoms, then treatment options.

All my signs point to ITBS of course.

Enter my tweak.

I’m switching out a day of running for a day of streching and strength exercises recommended in the book, as well as my Advanced Marathoning book. As of last Friday, instead of running 5 days a week, and only strength training 1 day, I’m running 4 days a week and strength training 2 days, with more focus on strength training specific to runners.

I’m optimistic this will help me kick that nagging feeling I get in my knee on my longer runs. After all if it hasn’t gotten worse from cross training 1 day a week, it’s gotta get better on 2 days a week right?

Weekly Update Feb 16 – 22

Saturday

6.45 miles with the Roadrunners + 1 mile cool down with Ocean

2 sets of 10 pushups
PlankADay 1:47

Found this great quote on the final page of this March’s Runner’s World.

I’m a sucker for motivational quotes.

Sunday

10.4 miles at 7:51 pace. Oops – this was supposed to be done at an 8:10 pace, but I think the COLD weather (30 degrees but 15 with windchill) and crazy wind made me speed up a bit.
I was frozen when I got home and couldn’t bear the thought of going back outside for a mile with Ocean. Sorry pup.

2 sets of 10 push ups
PlankADay 2:06

Monday

8 mile tempo (7:25 pace)

Tuesday

2 sets of 10 pushups
4 sets of 30 second modified planks

Wednesday

Bike & weights

2 sets of 10 pushups
PlankADay 1:50

Thursday

The cookies were at hit at the potluck =)

1 mile warm up, 4 x 800 at 6:20 pace. These were hard. My calves & hamstrings were so sore by the end. I think speedwork on a treadmill is so much harder than on a track.

PlankADay 2:10

Friday

Strength exercises
&
4 sets of 30 second modified planks

Peanut Butter Cookies

Recently, it was decided to start having pot lucks monthly at work to celebrate people’s birthdays – perfect motivation for me to try more recipes 🙂

I’ve professed my love for peanut butter before, and I wanted something easy to make this weekend – so PB cookies it is!

Of course I found the recipe on Pinterest – where else?

Here’s the link to the original.

It’s so easy-

2 cups peanut butter

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

I used Skippy Natural PB (no stir)

I thought it would be hard to mix the PB and sugar together, but it wasn’t too bad.

Look at all that sugar! Burying a ridiculous amount of pb…

Then beat in the eggs one at a time, stir in the remaining ingredients, & voila – there’s the dough.

Roll the dough into balls and cross-hatch the top with the bottom of a fork.

It made a ton of cookies. As it should considering it started with 2 cups each of PB and sugar.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes (mine needed 10).

The original recipe said to move the cookies from the baking pan to a cookie rack after 5 minutes, but I found my cookies were breaking, or at the very least they were super crumbly. So my last few pans (I can’t remember how many pans I baked, I think 5?), I let the cookies sit for 15ish minutes before I moved them and they didn’t break or crumble 🙂

YUMMMM

Weekly Update Feb. 9 – 15

Saturday

6.94 miles with the running club. My legs were tired, and I have no idea why.

PlankADay 2:01
Wall-sit 2:07

Sunday

6.25 miles at 8:10 pace – legs were not tired 🙂

PlankADay 1:42
Wall-sit 1:41

Monday

5.2 mile tempo (7:25 pace). It was warm enough to wear one of my Christmas presents – capri tights!

PlankADay 2:02
Wall-sit 2:03

Tuesday

PlankADay 1:33
Wall-sit 1:36

Wednesday

Weights & bike

Thursday

3 x 2 miles at 10K pace (7:15) with 400 meters recovery between sets.

I took a half day at work so after my run I had time to come home and run a cool down mile with Ocean- oh how I’ve missed running with her.

PlankADay 2:07
Wall-sit 2:05

Friday

Sunny and 52 degrees = SMILEY and capri tight wearing Amber 🙂
It was like Spring outside (without the allergies) – just lovely.

37 minute lunchtime run

2 sets of 10 push ups
4 sets of 30 second modified planks

Embracing Me

Recently one of my friends & I got in a silly argument.

Said friend is a bodybuilder, so her workouts and diet are basically the complete opposite of mine. And that’s ok – she is happy and that’s what matters.
But she couldn’t understand why I ate the way I did. Why did I eat so many carbs? And cookies?! Why on God’s green earth would someone eat something with zero benefit for their body?
I was able to explain that runners rely on carbs for their energy supply – our goal isn’t to eat straight protein because a bulked up runner isn’t an efficient (and often not a fast) runner. The cookie was harder. I have a sweet tooth. That’s all I had to say.
She responded with “it’s called discipline Amber. I enjoy sweets too, but I don’t eat them because I don’t allow myself to.”

Too be fair, everyone with an athletic hobby has discipline. For runners, it’s pushing our legs and lungs past comfort during those tempo runs and speedwork. It’s going to sleep early and waking up early on weekends to get our long runs in. It’s making the time to run, not waiting for free time to come to us.
While other runners may avoid sweets unlike me, I choose to still enjoy them. (Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I validate a hard run with a sleeve of Chips Ahoy.)
There was a time when I was younger when eating a cookie, even a bite, would cause me anxiety and guilt. So yes, the discipline was there, but I wasn’t happy.

Some may argue that “sacrifice is giving up something good (junk food) for something better (great body).

But I’ve learned the happy balance. Eating something sweet won’t ruin my run. I’d rather be worrying about split times than calories and grams of fat in everything I eat.

Feeling happy and healthy go hand in hand for me.

I have running to thank for that mindset. I have better self-esteem, confidence, and love for my body thanks to running. After a great run, and especially a great race, I feel on top of the world, and enjoying a muffin or cookie isn’t going to ruin my day.
I don’t fall victim to comparing thigh and butt size with other girls. Because my legs can carry me XX miles at a pace the average person can’t hold for one mile.

Running changed my life when I let the confidence it gave me overflow to other areas of my life.

The same bodybuilding friend has the cutest clothes and a great sense of style. I used to make it a chore to dress up just to hang out with her and I was pretty much hating it. But I thought I should, otherwise I’d feel worse if I left my house in jeans & a pullover.
One day I was telling her that I was racking my brain for what to wear to hang out with her when she asked me why.
“Well you always look so great and put together all the time, I don’t want to hang out with you in my usual clothes.”

Her response?

“Amber, you have a style – it’s athletic and you pull it off. I wish I could wear workout clothes all the time like you and make it look good, but it just looks weird on me. ”

I don’t know why it took me so long, but I realized she was right. I’m so much more comfortable in running clothes – i just didn’t think it was ok to admit it.

If you’re a runner, own it. If you’re not, just love what makes you, you. Don’t let the judgment of others change who you are.

Picture Credit

Book Review – I Run, Therefore I Am – Nuts!

This was one of many books I got for Christmas. (Seriously my wish list was either books or running gear – I’m kind of boring to buy presents for.)

What a cute book! It’s 47 chapters of making good fun of the weirdness that runners embrace.

Each chapter is a short essay written by the humorous Bob Schwartz – all with personal anecdotes whether related to training, racing, injuries – you name it.

He recalls his treadmill obsession, the dreaded DNF (Did Not Finish) and learning to drink from a water cup while on the run.

I loved the chapter Trick or Feet, about race expos. He talks about choosing his races based on the expo, rather than the course or crowd energy.
“It’s a combination auto show, Star Trek convention, and culinary extravaganza for runners.”

Yes it is Bob, yes it is.

“We are runners, see us accumulate” (stickers, hats, magnets, pens, anything free).

If I could go to an expo every weekend, I probably would. I’m obsessed and I’m not ashamed of it.

I found myself laughing at each chapter, whether I’d been through the particular experience or not – I definitely recommend this book for runners ready to embrace the oddities of our sport.

Weekly Update Feb. 2 – 8

Saturday

10.4 miles at 8:10 pace

PlankADay 1:02
Wall-sit 1:16

Sunday

Day off.

Monday

6 mile tempo (7:25 pace)

PlankADay 1:58
Wall-sit 2:02

Tuesday

PlankADay 1:32
Wall-sit 1:26

Wednesday

Elliptical, bike & weights.

PlankADay 2:00
Wall-sit 1:35

Thursday

6 x 400 at 6:10 pace followed by some biking

PlankADay 1:43
Wall-sit 1:14

Friday

37 minute lunchtime run

Weekly Update Jan. 26 – Feb 1

Saturday

I was planning to run with the Road Runners but no one showed up! In their defense, our backroads running route was covered in snow.
4.12 miles – the middle 2 miles were hill repeats.

I didn’t really feel like running by myself, but I figured I was already dressed and out of the house. I’m just a very routine person, and when something falls outside of that routine (like running without company on a Saturday), I kind of lose my motivation to do anything.

Sunday

Nothing like new running clothes to get you excited for a run!

Love January sales at the outlets.

My goal was an 8 mile progressive run, with the first two miles at 8:20, the next four at 8:10, and the last two at 8:00.
Six of the 8 miles were under 8 min pace. Fail.

Knee pain returned- I thought after 8 days it might’ve been gone for good. No such luck. I’ve been so good about doing my leg lifts & stretches too!

PlankADay 1:25
Wall-sit 1:10

I also decided to start doing PlankADay. And wall-sits because I like those too.

Monday

Woke up to freezing rain. Ugh, are you kidding? Winter needs to end already.
Though it stopped in the late morning, I didn’t want to risk hitting a slippery spot on the sidewalk during my tempo run & injuring myself.
Snow and ice always disrupting my plans…grr.

PlankADay 1:37
Wall-sit 1:27

Tuesday

Freezing rain on Monday then sunny and in the 60’s on Tuesday?

5.5 mile tempo (7:25 pace)
PlankADay 1:30
Wall-sit 1:22

If you’re not already used to seeing Ocean being adorable pics, you should start preparing yourself. I can’t not share her cuteness.

Wednesday

Nada. It’s looking like adding the cross-train day to my schedule was a little ambitious…but with a 3 hour commute, anytime I have to do something out of the ordinary (like put a dog down, pick up my car from getting work done, or clean the house for a friend coming to visit on the weekend), I kind of don’t have time for a workout. It sounds like an excuse but I promise it’s not.

Boy will I be glad when I don’t have a 3 hour commute eating up so much of my day anymore 🙂

Next week I will make it to the gym on Wednesday.

PlankADay 1:47
Wall-sit 1:41

Thursday

3 x 1 mile at 6:40.

PlankADay 1:36
Wall-sit 1:33

Friday

According to weather.com it was 25 degrees out, but felt like 12. I agree 110% with that felt like temperature. The wind was a monster today – I was glad it was a short run today!
37 minute lunchtime run.

PlankADay 1:51
Wall-sit 1:52