From Fat to Triathlete

Archive for February, 2012

0

On My Own

February 22, 2012
My running buddies

My running buddies

My morning runs usually consists of running a mile with Marshall, then a second mile with Wrigley.  It gets them both some needed exercise as they are young energetic dalmatians and it gets me to run twice as far.  Unfortunately, for the past few days Marshall has been sick.  He was throwing up, very lethargic and dehydrated.  He has not been up for running.

So, even though I can work out when I’m sick, I have a difficult time running when one of my running buddies is sick.  (There is probably a blog post about the importance of workout partners somewhere in there).  Needless to say, Wrigley and I have been doing some walking, but not much.

This morning I decided I just needed to do it, with or without my running buddy.  Every day missed is one day closer to my Ironman with no preparation.  Wrigley and I ran a mile and then I did the second mile on my own.  I must admit I was a bit apprehensive about running by myself.  But I did it, and it had good and bad aspects.

Good – I was actually 2 minutes faster over the course of the mile.  I will chalk that up to not having to stop at every bush, tree and mailbox along the way.  The chart of my pace from Map My Fitness shows that my pace was relatively consistent over that mile, which makes me happy.

Bad – There was no one to talk to.  I actually was lonely.  And it’s not the same talking to yourself.  However, that is a feeling I will have to get used to because during the race I will be alone most of the time.

All in all, I’m glad to be back to training after a few days off.  Marshall is feeling better and will be up and running soon, but even so, I can run with just myself for company.

On another note, this past Saturday I participated in the Polar Plunge to raise money for Special Olympics.  You can read all about it here.

Share
: Training
: , , , , , , ,
0

Watch out Speedy Gonzales

February 7, 2012

speedyAlthough I must admit, I’m not ready to make any land speed records, I have been able to increase my speed over the last few workouts. During both Sunday’s run and today’s I threw in a few fartleks – running all out for a sort distance, then dropping my pace to recover. I also tried to keep my recovery pace a bit faster than the norm.

I was very pleased with the outcome both days. On Sunday I shaved over three minutes off my average time for the two mile distance. That’s more than a 1.5 minute decrease in my pace. Today I was able to shave another 10 seconds from Sunday’s pace (which granted is only 20 seconds off my total time for the two miles, but still…..it’s faster!)

I keep telling myself not to get too excited, because there will be days where I am slower for whatever reason. But I am still going to take a few minutes to be proud of my efforts.

On a somewhat related note – yesterday I was able to wear a pair of jeans that were a size smaller than my usual size. They had been in the bottom of my drawer for about 2 years, and I decided “What the heck, I’ll give them a try!” and they fit! A big tighter than I usually wear my pants, but definitely wearable.

So, those are my two brags of the day.  If you are worried that you are too slow or too fat to do anything, just get out there and start.  Do a little something everyday and I think you will be surprised at how you progress without even realizing it.

Share
: Running
: , , ,
0

Pick Up The Pace

February 3, 2012

I am very proud of myself for keeping up my training through my cold.  Now it’s time to pick up the pace.

I did some research on how to get faster, and here are a few tips I’ve learned:

  1. One of the best ways to gain speed is with fartleks.  A fartlek is a workout where you run faster for a certain length of time, and then go at a slower pace to recover and then pick up the pace again.  The most common method is to pick a landmark in the distance, race to that landmark, and then run at recovery pace for a while, then pick another landmark and repeat.  It’s a fun training method because it can be varied throughout the workout which reduces the risk of boredom.
  2. Stay hydrated.  An easy way to get cramps is to work your muscles while dehydrated.  This will sidetrack any workout.
  3. Stretch.  Not much to be said about this one, it’s vital to keep muscles loose.
  4. Hill workouts.  This is a difficult one here at the beach where there aren’t many hills, but a good hill workout can increase your speed.
  5. Beach workout.  Now this one would be easier for me.  Running in soft sand will increase muscle strength and speed.

I definitely want to start with the fartleks first, because that can be incorporated into my daily workout right away. I know I need to start drinking more water and stretching. I would love to get to the beach to run, and might have to try and plan something for the near future. And to round it out, maybe I should start planning a vacation to a hilly destination……

Share
: Running
: , ,
2

You said that you would do it. And indeed you did.

February 2, 2012

It’s probably bad that a training accomplishment makes me think of a song from a musical.  But it did!  Yesterday, I was able to run the entire two miles with no walking breaks, which hasn’t happened for quite a few years.  And the entire time, all I could think of was the song from “My Fair Lady” entitled “You Did It”

Of course, they are chauvinistic pigs and I’m training for a triathlon, but I made the connection nevertheless. It’s a great feeling to know you have accomplished your goal, even if it’s just a small step on the way to a larger goal.

One of the big things I’ve learned in the past month is that even though it may seem difficult, or that I just wasn’t getting any faster or stronger, when I look back I’ve really come a long way. Just by putting one foot in front of the other and not quitting. I know I have a long way to go, but I also have the confidence that I can get there one step at a time.

Share
: Encouragement, Training
: ,
Easy AdSense by Unreal