RUN Week 10, Saturday 1/14 - Run January 14, 2006
Posted by Amber D. Evans in : Running, Blacksburg VA, Training Stats , add a comment"My new identity for today: Lead Legs, Leader of the Ying-Yanging of Training Team!"
Context
City, State: Blacksburg, VA.
Location: City & Trail.
Course: 6-mile Huckleberry [map]
Terrain: Hilly; paved.
Distance and/or Time: 6.09 miles, 00:59:28.
Speed and/or RPE: 9:46/mi; 6.1 mph; 8.5 (very hard)
HRR: 154-174 (Anaerobic); 154-174 (Aerobic High).
HR(avg.): 161 bpm
Saturday, January 14, 2006
The Run
- 9:54 Minutes - Warm-up: 1% grade; 0.8 miles; 9:54 minutes at >5.0 mph.
- Jogging from Home to Trailhead.
- 32 Minutes - Race Pace 0-1% grade; 32 minutes between 6.5-8.5 mph.
- 27:28 Minutes - Steady Pace 0-1% grade; 27:28 minutes between 4.0-4.8 mph.
Warm-up
Main
Cooldown: None.
Synopsis
- Upshot: Well, today's workout makes up for eating a lot of food yesterday!
- Downside: I want to die!
- What I'm most proud of: That I kept the insane pace for 4 miles; longest distance to date!
- What I would do differently: Get my hyperventilating/panic mode a little more under mental control.
Overall
My new identity for today: Lead Legs, Leader of the Ying-Yanging of Training Team! Or so I'd like to think as I completed today's butt-kicking session. I don't know about this. I met up with Kashia and her friend, Diann, today.
Diann is fast like a rabbit. Kashia is fast, too. It was everything I could do to keep up with them for four miles. We were averaging 8 minute miles! I don't think I've ever run that fast before. I couldn't even talk. At one point, I couldn't even breathe and the wind caught the nasty manure field just so it blasted my nostrils and I nearly lost it then and there. My HR was 188 and I was starting to think vomiting sounded wonderful. It was at that point I decided, "You guys go on ahead. I need to breathe."
I jogged the remaining 2 miles, breaking with a 15 second walk session at every half mile juncture. I was pleasantly surprised at how fast I was able to regain my HR and composure. Withing mere minutes I was back down to 165 bpm and breathing just fine. But my legs … my legs were something else entirely.
They were lead poles. Moving them seemed to require great amounts of effort on behalf of my brain and soul. They felt slow and extraodinarily sluggish in response. I could still run, but they didn't feel as spry as they had when I started. They felt tired, cramped, achy, and cold, yet hot at the same time. They really wanted a hot shower and a massage, but I explained to Left and Right that they would still have to go three more miles before the possibility could even be arranged. They grumbled at me, but hunkered down and pulled through for me.
The good news is that I only lost site of Diann and Kashia at the very end. They consistently pulled away from me as I finished those last two miles, but never so far that I felt despair at being left behind. So, I'm impressed with myself.
I have decided that I'm a jogger, NOT a runner. But that's okay. I've also decided that this sort of thing is really, really good for me and although I don't enjoy it, it has it's benefits. I fully intend to incorporate runs with these ladies twice a week at this insane pace to push me and to be my speed training. Of course, I'll take care to watch and monitor my progress and my risk for injury. I'm actually really good at listening to my body and knowing when it really means, "STOP!"
On a different note, I was thinking how I really miss swimming, cycling, and pilates. I hope finances for Josh and I will allow a new gym membership for me/us soon. All this running is cheap, but starts to (physically and mentally) wear on a person. Changing it up would feel so good …
RUN Week 10, Friday 1/13 - Hiking
Posted by Amber D. Evans in : Exercise (Other), Blacksburg VA, Training Stats , add a comment"This isn't training and I couldn't be happier …"
Context
City, State: Blacksburg, VA.
Location: Trail.
Course: 8.5-mile Panadaps Pond & Poverty Creek Trails [map]
Terrain: Hilly; dirt.
Distance and/or Time: 8.5 miles, 03:01:00.
Speed and/or RPE: 4 (somewhat light)
HRR: 127-158 (Aerobic Low).
HR(avg.): 118 bpm
Friday, January 13, 2006
The Hike
- 03:01:00 Minutes - Easy 0-6% grade; all minutes between 2.0-5.0 mph.
Main
Synopsis
- Upshot: It's not running on pavement.
- Downside: My hiking boots feel so heavy, inflexible, and clunky.
- What I'm most proud of: That I didn't try to run the damn trail.
- What I would do differently: Absolutely nothing.
Overall
This isn't training and I couldn't be happier … Despite the bad day that my husband and I were both having (and then taking out on each other), we were having a great time out hiking some trails with the dog. It reminded me so much of home (back in Chico).
In Chico, there's the incredible Upper Bidwell Park with acres and acres of open land where dogs can run free and people can hike, bike, and run. I used to go every Saturday with Calen and we'd enjoy the change-up and our freedom from each other! 
Since I've been in Blacksburg, Calen and I have been missing our "free runs." Josh has been missing a hiking partner until I arrived, too. So, I found out about Pandapas Pond and from the sounds of it, seemed like it was the very thing I was hoping to find.
It was pretty much everything I'd like. It's actually way more "backwoodsy" than I'm used to. It's got that close-forrested feel, not open plains of lava rock and amber grains. It was pretty, and adventurous. I had a great time wandering the many trail loops and fording small creeks.
I was so glad not to be running for a change. I was glad just to be walking and hiking and scaling STEEP sections and not worrying about times or intervals or distances or whatever. I was just out there to enjoy the day … and enjoyed the day I did! I might have to make this a more regular thing …