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Rockenmama's "time to learn how to race " journal (Read 664 times)

    After 3 1/2 years of running I've finaly decided that it's time to start learning how to put it all out when I'm racing. I'm taking 2 weeks (one week almost done) for "recovery" from this past season. Afterwards I'll be working on winter base, though I'm hoping to get some 5k's and 10k's under my belt before the new year. First thing I need to do is work on my racing schedule so that I can come up with a workable training plan.

    Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

      Well so far racing calendar looks like this 12-7-08 Brians Run 10k 12-14-08 Shiver by the river #1 10k 1-11-2009 Shiver by the river #2 10k 2-8-2009 Shiver by the river #3 10k 3-8-2009 Shiver by the river #4 10K 5-3-2009 Lehigh Valley Half Marathon 5-17-2009 Run for the Red Marathon Now I've got to sprinkle some 5k's around there as well and have to find another Half Mary. The timing of Lehigh Half is PERFECT. I plan to race that all out.

      Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

      btb1490


        Yay, Pam has a new training log! Smile
          Yay, Pam has a new training log! Smile
          Hey Bob Smile I have to say I'm getting really excited about training. I'm getting back into lifting weights as well so it's going to be a challenge to find the "right" balance. As always feel free to add any advice!

          Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

            Well I signed up for Run for the Red http://www.poconomarathon.org/ last night. This year I am definitely going to do some hill training. I'm even thinking about adding at least part of the South Mountain hill into my workouts.

            Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

              Ok guess I should figuring out schedule This coming week will probably look something like this Mon-Off (kids home from school) weight training Tues am:-6-8 mile progression or moderate pace PM: 5.3 easy pace Wed-8-10 easy pm weight training Thurs am:8-10 easy PM: 4-5 moderate Frid-6-8 easy Sat-4-5 easy pm weight training Sun-10k race

              Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                Well 1 week down. Schedule changed a bit but not a whole lot. Brians run went really well except for one problem. I fell. It was my own fault. I chose to go onto the sidewalks during part of the run instead of dealing with weaving in and out throughout the crowd. Roads were clear of ice and snow however the side walks weren't. Such is life and I've moved on. Yesterdays race was all about the starting point in my learning how to race and I learned alot yesterday. I learned that I need to take finishing time out of the picture. When I saw my time during the last mile and realized that I wouldn't reach my goal I had no problem loosening the reigns and partially giving up. THAT is NOT acceptable! There is no way I'll be giving 100% to a race if I do that. I think that bothers me alot more than me falling (that was just dumb move and dumb luck). Next 10k I am going with the same plan and if it blows up in my face it won't be because I mentally gave up due to "time". If I blow up and crap out that's one thing but to crap out because I'm being a wuss(big baby) that's another This week's running will be like this Mon-10.5 mile progression Weight lifting Tues-6-8 mile Mod Wed-10-12 Easy Weight lifting THursday 8-10 half easy half moderate Friday-6 easy Weight lifting Saturday -4 easy (.5 at race pace) Sun- 10k race

                Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson


                Future running partner.

                  It looks like you were pretty close to your PR. W/o any speed work and this being your first 10k in a while. I'd say thats a pretty good race. It also sounds like conditions were not so good either. Under better conditions you probably would PR'd.
                    Thanks Tom!

                    Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                      Took dh's suggestion at not pushing my pace as hard as I was planning. He had a point that today really should have just been easy. Tomorrow's run will be as done at a "silly" easy pace (that is if I can control myself). I may (just thinking here) do Thursday run sorta like intervals. 1 mile easy one my mod etc etc or I may just do like last time and throw them in the middle. I probably won't get "serious" into my training plan until after the new year. The kids have close to 2 weeks off (dh will be working) and I'm not sure how I'll get my runs in during the weekdays. Now is the time I wish I had access to a treadmill (a working one that is lol)

                      Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                      btb1490


                        It looks like you were pretty close to your PR. W/o any speed work and this being your first 10k in a while. I'd say thats a pretty good race. It also sounds like conditions were not so good either. Under better conditions you probably would PR'd.
                        Ditto to that! Run a few more 10ks to build your speed, and you'll have no problem smashing your PR. Just make sure you stay upright! Pam, enjoy the holidays and don't worry so much about a schedule the next few weeks. Run when you can. You'll be surprised that just 2-3 days a week running is enough to maintain what you've got. Then give it heck in 2009!
                          Thanks Bob! I'm still trying to figure out how I can just let go for this week and next. I know I won't be running a whole lot between Xmas and New Years since the kids will be out of school. I guess I don't want my weekly milage to get too low so that it will be harder to get back up when I need to. Ughhhh this taking days off isn't easy! As it is I'm torn about whether to run today or not. *sigh*

                          Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                            Well my 10k turned into a 5k. I woke up Sunday morning with a pretty bad sinus headache and feeling really nauseated. Dh thought the smart thing to do would be to not run it. HOWEVER I had already preregistered for the series and I'm not one to back down even if sick. I never even thought about doing just the first 5k until about a half mile to the 5k mark. I saw that if I picked up the pace that I'd smash my 5k time which sounded really good, so that's what I did. I had no problem going sub 6 for at least the last .2 of the 5k so I know that had I started out planning on running the 5k I could have gone under 23 despite feeling ill so I'm really psyched about that. Today I felt MUCH better when I woke up (maybe the tylenol pm I took the night before helped) also the weather was super warm ( shouldn't be a suprise since my allergies tend to act up when the weather's changing) TODAY would have been a much better day for a race. I had 8-10 easy miles and ended up with a 10.5 progression, the last few miles much faster than I should have been. Depending on how I'm feeling tomorrow as well as the weather I may be heading to the soccer field that has a 400 meter route around it ( I think it's 400) and doing speed work. That is if I don't kick my a$$ too hard during weight training tonight. I'm actually thinking of doing the Shiver by the River 5k series since I have a chance at placing (I got 2nd ). I also think that if I want to learn how to race that starting off "small" may be better for me. Guess we'll see what I decide come Jan 11th. I had a plan I had planned on using however like usual I think I'm going to fly by the seat of my pants. Gotta give some thought of how this week is going to go since I have no race planned and can actually get in a long run.

                            Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                              The sum of runs and milage from since I started running (well I didn't log what I ran in May or June of 2005 but it wasn't much 2005=66 runs with a grand total of 491.2 2006 =208 runs in with a grand total of 1127.1 miles 2007=359 runs in with a grand total of 2,345.9 miles 2008= (up to today) 317 runs in with a SUB total of 2810.8 2005 was all about running a marathon & enjoying running 2006 was all about getting consistant and base building & enjoying running 2007 was continuing building my base and running 3 marathons in 3 months & to contiune enjoying running 2008 was all about Ultra running and of course to enjoy running 2009 I hope will be a combination of RACING for the first half of the year and then back to Ultra running the last half and of course to continue to enjoy running! We shall see what 2009 really does have instore for me! Though 4 years ago if someone told me that I would have done all that I have done I would of probably started laughing Roll eyes

                              Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson


                              Future running partner.

                                That is quite a progression! It would be interesting to see how pace has changed over the years too.
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