RunningAHEAD - Topic: Kristen, are you trying to run slower?

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Kristen, are you trying to run slower? (Read 170 times)

zoom-zoom view log Registered for #2	posted: 3/10/2008 at 5:26 PM
	I've not had any major injuries...and the minor ones I have had have often been after episodes of "too much, too soon." The couple of times I tried doing speedwork and hills before I had a good base I ended up with tendonitis in a foot and a hip flexor issue. I don't think there was any coincidence.
	Kirsten '07: 1324.5 mi '08: 1561 mi ... • Ladies Locker Room • .: 2009 Goals :. • Run 1750 miles • 2 marathons (May - Bayshore, Fall - ?) • PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k? ~ HM ~ 26.2 • 1st trail relay (North Country)

kessler93 view log	posted: 3/10/2008 at 5:32 PM
	Too much too soon summarizes my whole "running career". IT band, plantar fasciitis , stress fracture in my foot - I've had it all, but I never seem to get the same injury.

backroadrunner view log	posted: 3/11/2008 at 1:34 PM
	Ok, finally chiming in!! Funny thing is, I don't increase my tempo or try to make my runs tempo runs/hard runs. As a matter of fact, most of them feel extremely comfortable, to the point of being relaxed/easy. I never feel like I'm pushing myself. I just did a 3mi run a few minutes ago with my neighbor & we tend to run faster together. We ran a 9:30 pace & I actually felt like I was working, but not pushing myself. Tomorrow or Thurs, I'll do a mid to long length run & I'll go back to a slower pace (10:15 or so), as I'll be alone & I'll feel like I'm not even trying. I don't think it is possible that my pace has just improved that much, though I'm carrying around 12 less pounds, but where 11:00-11:30 used to be comfortable & 10:30 was a hard tempo run, now 10:15 feels comfortable & relaxed?? I've been down the injury road for the last few years & I don't want to go there again!!! I really don't!!! I've been a very good girl with my mileage & following my Dr's & PT's orders. I tell myself to run a slow, easy pace & I still end up at a 10:15. I'm not sure at this point how to slow down. I've read the threads in the swamp...Kirsten, you & I talked about this...and it made me feel better to know better runners run slowly during training. I've forced myself to try changing my stride and other things to slow down & I end up making my R lower leg hurt again (site of last yrs months & months of injury). I'm frustrated because I really don't want to be on the bench again!!! I'm happy because damn near every run feels good right now. I used to have 5-6 crappy runs to 1 good run. Now I have one crappy run to 8-10 good runs! Grrrr..........
	.: 5% Less of Me • Ladies Locker Room :. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other - body thoroughly used up and totally worn out, screaming: WOO HOO! What a ride!"

kessler93

view log

posted: 3/11/2008 at 5:36 PM

There's a pace calculator on Runners World Magazine and you enter what your goal is for a particular race and it gives you what your tempo, easy, long and speed pace should be. According to the site, my long run pace "should be" between 9:20 and 10:30. I'm not some sort of speed freak, but I generally run more quickly. I'm not sure that I could run a 10:30 mile, even though I would probably be better off.

What I've been trying to do is just take things a little easier and not try to push myself. It hasn't worked very well, but I do longer runs a bit slower. I try not to change my running style too much because that's when I start having odd little aches in places that didn't hurt before.

Good luck in slowing down and don't hurt yourself now because here in the Midwest spring is only about 2 months away!!!

zoom-zoom view log Registered for #2	posted: 3/11/2008 at 5:47 PM
	The McMillan Running calculator is good, too. Eryn's race pace is about the same as mine. Based upon my HM PR McMillan recommends the following: Recovery jog: 11:30-12 Long runs: 10:30-11:30 Easy runs: 10:30-11 Steady-State Runs: 9:29 to 9:45 Tempo Runs: 9:05 to 9:29 Tempo Intervals: 8:57 to 9:16 I'm about on-target for my long and easy runs. Haven't done much with tempo or speedwork yet.
	Kirsten '07: 1324.5 mi '08: 1561 mi ... • Ladies Locker Room • .: 2009 Goals :. • Run 1750 miles • 2 marathons (May - Bayshore, Fall - ?) • PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k? ~ HM ~ 26.2 • 1st trail relay (North Country)

backroadrunner view log	posted: 3/16/2008 at 10:56 PM
	Ok, I have to go back to the speed issue again. First, I was looking at the McMillan data Kirsten posted, and I'm not so far off! I'm just on the low end of the scale for a few things. I haven't done much with speedwork yet, so I can't compare that. But my long runs are about right, maybe a bit on the low end of the scale, as stated. Easy runs...I guess I just don't do many?? Tempo runs I'm on the high end of the scale, which then puts my easy, tempo & long runs a little closer together. The right way? Probably not, but it is working for me better than it ever has. Herein lies my frustration/dilemma/confusion. I've noticed something interesting in the last few weeks as I've been analyzing (perhaps over analyzing) my training/pace: my r lower leg (the one that caused me to take months off & cost me a ton of money in physical therapy) doesn't hurt when I run the slightly faster pace that I'm comfortable at. When I force myself to slow down, say to a 10:45 pace, my leg hurts. Naturally, I want to run pain free, so I speed up. Recognizing, of course, that I need to have more of a difference in my easy & tempo paces, here is my question: is it possible that I'm just faster than I used to be? I'm analyzing the last 3yrs of my running & this is what I see. Year one, I trained hard. Too much to fast got me to my goal of running my first 25K before I turned 30, however it also earned me an impressive collection of stress fractures & months on the bench. I didn't train smart, I trained hard. My average pace in 2005 & early 2006 - approx a low 12:00/mi, perhaps a really high 11ish. When I came back from the numerous injuries of that year, I trained smart. I did everything I was told to do, stuck to every damn running smart rule ever created. My pace was low 11's, high 10's. I ran the 25K again in 2007 with the condition from my PT that I bench myself post-race for an indeterminate period of time. I did this. I took most of last year off & went through gads of PT only to find out that my numerous injuries were a result of running in the wrong shoes. (Yes, I went to good stores, wore good shoes, just the wrong good shoes as I was apparently a bit of a phenomenon.) So now we are to present. I'm training smart, I'm listening to advice, I'm wearing the ugliest, however most effective shoes. I'm running pain free, I'm feeling better & stronger than ever. My pace seems to be hovering in the low 10's, high 9's right now. I'm more comfortable at this pace than ever before. So is it so unfathomable that as I train smarter & I get stronger (and 12# lighter) that I am just able to run faster?? Thoughts?
	.: 5% Less of Me • Ladies Locker Room :. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other - body thoroughly used up and totally worn out, screaming: WOO HOO! What a ride!"

backroadrunner view log	posted: 3/16/2008 at 10:57 PM
	Whew...that was really long!!
	.: 5% Less of Me • Ladies Locker Room :. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other - body thoroughly used up and totally worn out, screaming: WOO HOO! What a ride!"

zoom-zoom view log Registered for #2	posted: 3/17/2008 at 11:38 AM
	Quote from backroadrunner on 3/16/2008 at 10:56 PM: So now we are to present. I'm training smart, I'm listening to advice, I'm wearing the ugliest, however most effective shoes. I'm running pain free, I'm feeling better & stronger than ever. My pace seems to be hovering in the low 10's, high 9's right now. I'm more comfortable at this pace than ever before. So is it so unfathomable that as I train smarter & I get stronger (and 12# lighter) that I am just able to run faster?? Thoughts? Not unfathomable, but I've heard this "running slower hurts" thing before and know where it has landed you in the past.... So I'm skeptical.
	Kirsten '07: 1324.5 mi '08: 1561 mi ... • Ladies Locker Room • .: 2009 Goals :. • Run 1750 miles • 2 marathons (May - Bayshore, Fall - ?) • PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k? ~ HM ~ 26.2 • 1st trail relay (North Country)

backroadrunner view log	posted: 3/18/2008 at 12:07 PM
	I think I need to do a run with you, Kirsten, and just see how trying to run your pace on, say, 8 or so miles feels. I don't think our race Sat will be a good indicator, as 1. I have ran that many miles yet, 2. it is a race situation & 3. I heard it is a fairly hilly course & I have done very little hill work thus far & really hate running hills. In other words, I expect to be slower that shit on Saturday!! I really doubt, if the course is hilly, that I'll be keeping up with you, nor will I try & risk injury. I'm comfortable at a 10min pace on hills, but I don't know how much below that I'd be able to handle right now. I'll let you know today...I'm running 5mi on a fairly hilly route (though nothing to steep, just lots of rolling hills).
	.: 5% Less of Me • Ladies Locker Room :. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other - body thoroughly used up and totally worn out, screaming: WOO HOO! What a ride!"

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