Sunday, August 30, 2009

August 30: Run 12 miles

Week 9 (long run): 12 miles

Sunday (6:13am)
Distance: 12.00 miles
Duration: 3:14:01
Pace: 16:09/mile
Shoes: Saucony Omni Ultimate 7
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 17-19C, 95% humidity

Most painful run ever!

I started with 3 miles on the running track and that was ok. And then when I moved on to the roads that's when the soreness and pain on the outer side of my left knee started. It was really difficult to run. I tried the run 6 minutes: walk 1 minute, but once I stopped running and walked it was even more painful to start running again.

Looking back, I probably should have quit running by mile 5. But at that time I really wanted to get 12 miles in. So it ended up being a very slow and painful long long long run.

I'm guessing I'm experiencing the Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS). I will take a few days off, ice my knee few times a day and do some stretches to hopefully help get rid of the ITBS.

I definitely did not enjoy this run.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

August 26: Run 6 miles

Week 9 (second run): 6 miles

Wednesday (6:06pm)
Distance: 6.01 miles
Duration: 1:22:49
Pace: 13:47/mile
Shoes: Nike Structure Triax+ 12
Weather: Partly cloudy, 28C, 57% humidity

Compared to the Asics, the Nike shoes really feel light and bouncy. But the outside of my left knee was sore during and after this run. It seems like the aches and pains will always be my constant companion during this training period.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

August 25: Run 4 miles

Week 9 (first run): 4 miles

Tuesday (6:56pm)
Distance: 4.00 miles
Duration: 52:48
Pace: 13:11/mile
Shoes: Asics GT2130 Trail
Weather: Partly cloudy, 27C, 58% humidity

After skipping so many runs my legs felt like lead. During the first 2 miles, my left knee felt uncomfortable every time it pounded on the road. I have to get back into my running routine and keep it consistent.

The weather is starting to cool down now.

August 23: No run

Still on vacation.

August has been a very difficult month for running. I've been skipping runs left and right.

August 21: No run

On vacation.

August 20: No run

Too busy to run.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

August 18: Run 4 miles

Week 8 (first run): 4 miles

Tuesday (6:54pm)
Distance: 3.23 miles
Duration: 38:10
Pace: 11:49/mile
Shoes: Nike Structure Triax+ 12
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 29C, 62% humidity

My fastest average pace ever! The Nike Structure Triax+ 12 is officially my fast shoes.

I was going to push today's run till tomorrow. It has been a hot, hungry and tiring day. Came home after 3pm, ate an egg sandwich and a handful of roasted almonds then took a long nap. When I woke up, it was still a little too early for dinner, I was still a little hungry but decided to wait a while for dinner.

Then I looked out the window and it was cloudy outside. No bright sun. I checked the weather and there's supposed to be a thunderstorm on its way here but it'll only get here in over an hour so I still have time to get the 4 miles in. Ate half an energy bar, some water, and off I go.

I felt remarkably fast today. While I was at the running track, there were 5 people walking and I was the only one running. That made me feel even faster!

At mile 2.5, I had a gulp of water at the water fountain and then noticed really dark clouds towards the south. Then I saw lightning bolts. The storm was still quite a distance away but I was not taking any chances (didn't want to die being struck by lightning while out running) so I started to sprint home. Unfortunately I had to run towards the storm to get home. When I was almost home, I saw a couple taking a leisurely stroll away from the building. I was thinking, "Are you crazy? You should head for shelter now!"

Anyway, couldn't get the 4 miles in but since I was almost sprinting a long way 3.23 miles will do.


Shoe Reviews:

The Nike Structure Triax is my "fast" shoes. But somehow it doesn't feel supportive enough. I'm comfortable running in them for my short runs on paved roads but not my long runs. And I wouldn't wear them running on trails either, I feel like I could twist my ankles in them. Part of the reason I'm avoiding using them for long runs is due to the one time that I wore them for an 8-mile run and develop the metatarsal pain that took about a week to go away.

The Saucony Omni Ultimate 7 is my long run shoes. But lately I'm suspecting that this shoe is too supportive for my left foot even though it has good support for my right foot. My left leg is my dominant leg. If I have to hop on one leg, it would be the left leg. For a long time, whenever I feel soreness after a run or develop some sort of pain, it would always be my (weaker) right knee that hurts. However, lately it has been my left knee that feels wacky after my long runs.

The Asics 2130 trail is my muddy shoes. If I have to run in muddy trails, I'll use them but it is neither fast nor cushiony.

Yup, I've been reading too many runners world online forums.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

August 16: Run 11 miles

Week 7 (long run): 11 miles

Tuesday (6:15am)
Distance: 11.01 miles
Duration: 2:38:30
Pace: 14:24/mile
Shoes: Saucony Omni Ultimate 7
Weather: Sunny, 19-23C, 74% humidity

This had been a lazy week for running but I couldn't miss the long run. Set my alarm clock for 5:15am. When it rang, I was in the middle of a crazy dream and kept thinking why is the alarm clock ringing?! Then it struck me, it's time to get ready for the long run.

It was still dark and quiet outside. Put on my contact lens, got my coffee and peanut butter and jam sandwich, and sat down for a very early breakfast. Soon, the birds started waking up outside.

Applied sunblock (it was still dark outside...crazy!), change into my running gear, packed my bottles of gatorade and water in a cooler with ice packs, synced an additional 2 podcasts to my iPod, and then I could see light outside.

Drove over to the campus sports parking lot, parked underneath some big trees, and it was time to run.

Run 1 mile, walk 1 minute for the first 3 miles.
Run 6 minutes, walk 1 minute for the last 8 miles.

After 6 miles, I ran up to the water fountain by the stadium restrooms. I was looking forward to taste test the Powerbar Strawberry and Banana energy gel when 2 big puppies came bounding up to me and jumping all over me. On ordinary days, I would have been ok with seeing 2 puppies but I got kind of annoyed this time. They were both wet and would not stop pawing at me (they pulled my earphones off) and their owner was nowhere to be seen. I had to quickly gulped down the energy gel. When I saw the owner, I gave her an annoyed, "Can you get your dogs off me?!" Even then the dogs were still all over me and at the same time growling at each other. I quickly went inside the restrooms to avoid the dogs and also to use the facilities. They were gone when I came out.

Three things I noticed during this run:

1. My legs (feet, ankles, knees) were getting really achy during the last 2 miles. This is the first time I reached this level of soreness during a run.

2. My car at the parking lot (where I can see it) was sort of a source of comfort. It's like I'm not far from something familiar and ice-cold drinks are in there!

3. I can run listening to podcasts. I listened to 2 Andy Stanley's podcasts (recommendation from my brother) and some music through the 11 miles. Since I'm just using the iPod to get through the boredom, and not to pump me up to go faster, podcasts worked fine. At least there will always be something new to listen to during the long long long runs.

August 14: No Run

More laziness....

August 13: No run

Laziness....

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

August 11: Run 4 miles

Week 7 (first run): 4 miles

Tuesday (5:50pm)
Distance: 4.00 miles
Duration: 52:36
Pace: 13:08/mile
Shoes: Saucony Omni Ultimate 7
Weather: Partly cloudy, 28C, 62% humidity

Since I didn't complete the week 6 program last week, I'll have to repeat the week 6 program this week.

Hot and humid, not ideal running weather.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

August 4: Run 4 miles

Week 6 (first run): Run 4 miles

Tuesday (7:18pm)
Distance: 4.00 miles
Duration: 52:53
Pace: 13:12/mile
Shoes: Nike Structure Triax+ 12

I just realized I didn't log this run in.

August 8: Run 6 miles

Week 6 (maintenance run): 6 miles

Saturday (6:58pm)
Distance: 6.01 miles
Duration: 1:19:17
Pace: 13:12/mile
Shoes: Nike Structure Triax+ 12
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 24C, 53% humidity

This has been a crazy week. I took a mini vacation to NYC, missed most of the weekday short runs and didn't think I should handle an 11-mile long run, so I just did an extra long short run. I'll have to redo this week's schedule again next week.

On the bright side, the Eagles training camp will be ending soon and I can reclaim the track and parking lot again.

August 7: No run

Took a running break.

August 6: No run

Went to NYC for a mini vacation.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

August 2: Run 10 miles

Week 5 (long run): 10 miles

Sunday (4:42pm)
Distance: 10.00 miles
Duration: 2:29:26
Pace: 14:56/mile
Shoes: Saucony Omni Ultimate 7
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 23C, 90% humidity

Long runs are tough!

It's not just the physical and mental stress of the long run itself, even scheduling the time to do it and also taking into consideration the weather can be just as tough.

I had planned to run early this morning. But it started to pour at around 4am and continued on for a long time, so I slept in. I was going to push the long run to Monday morning but at around 4pm, the weather looked pretty good, so I decided to just get it done today.

I drove over to the parking lot so that I could keep the extra bottles of water and gatorade in my mini cooler and have easy access to them. Plus I won't have to walk through the muddy trails to get to the road for my run.

Finally, I managed to get out for my run. Then 4 miles into my run, it started to drizzle. But I was not going to abandon another run so I just kept running. Thankfully it was just a light drizzle and it stopped after some time.

I tried the GU chocolate outage flavor and I definitely liked the salty Powerbar gel better.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

August 1: Abandoned 10 mile run

Saturday (6:23pm)
Distance: 1.69 miles
Duration: 40:24
Pace: 23:52/mile
Shoes: Saucony Omni Ultimate 7



Weather.com is so wrong!

According to them, it's supposed to be sunny, 27C, 68% humidity, 0% (ZERO) chance of precipitation.

I got all my long run stuff ready (i.e., 1 extra bottle of gatorade, 1 bottle of water, both kept with ice packs in a mini cooler in my car). Put on lots of sunblock. Had my handheld bottle with gatorade and an energy gel in the pocket.

When I went out, it was surprisingly cloudy and cool. And then 7 minutes into the run it started to rain. I ran into the empty Eagles press tent and waited. After 10 minutes, the rain stopped and at that time, my goal was just to run until the sun set and that's it. It wouldn't matter if I didn't hit 10 mile. But 3 minutes later I could hear more rain coming towards me and this time I ducked into the sheltered corridor of the tennis center. I was pacing the corridor to get more "miles" in. After another 10 minutes of pacing, the rain stopped but there was still dark clouds above. I decided to abandon the run and headed home :(

I guess I'll have to wake up at 5:20am tomorrow to get that 10 miles in.

July 31: No run

I've been feeling really exhausted lately. It's the heat and humidity and laziness. I skipped the 3 mile run scheduled for today.