Training log - Week ending 5/29/11

This week was 32 miles of “real running” and 32 “miles” pool running plus 3500m of swimming -- training log is here.

The week started off a bit annoying, between the high heat and humidity that’s hit DC, and a persistent nagging soreness/stiffness in my right foot (peroneal tendonitis/plantar fasciitis). I never felt the foot while running (just before and after), but it was still enough for my coach (who admittedly has much better judgment than I regarding these things) to banish me from track on Tuesday, exiling me to the pool instead.

I was annoyed. Not because I was concerned about losing fitness by pool-running, but rather because I hadn’t really felt like doing a hard workout. The scheduled workout was 3-5x(800m, 400m jog, 400m) – I had thought that in the newly hot and humid morning, I could just do 3 sets, keeping the effort relatively easy. However, as I’ve noted before, pool-running workouts need to have more intervals, with shorter recovery, and higher perceived effort, in order to accomplish the same as land. Thus 3-5x(800m, 400m) became an ordeal of 8x(3:00 very hard, 1:00 recovery, 1:30 very hard, 0:30 recovery). And yes, 30 seconds recovery into 3 minutes very hard sucks, no two ways about it. But I got it done, and had some good company for it.

Having completely lost patience with having to sit out workouts due to the darn foot (between travel to Kansas, medical stuff, and foot, I’ve had exactly one land workout in the past 3 weeks), I got myself in for dry-needling on Wednesday afternoon, where she hit every trigger point from the spine to the foot on the right side. True to my past experiences, the process itself was mentally difficult, and my leg felt like hell for 12 hours after. But then it was fine, and the soreness /stiffness completely gone. At her advice, I had scheduled a follow-up A.R.T. appointment on Tuesday, and another dry-needling on Thursday. Since it’s too late to cancel the A.R.T., I’ll go ahead with it anyway, but no need for the dry-needling.

On Friday, I got to tempo, in lovely heat and humidity– my first workout in these conditions. The workout was 2x3200m – I deliberately made an effort to hold back, and felt fluid and easy for the first 2 mile repeat (6:35/6:30), Then I felt good on the second until about 5 laps in, when my breathing started to choke on me again. I tried to fight through it for a lap, then stepped off the track to re-establish my breath, before hopping in to complete the final lap with Jessica (we had been running together when I stepped off). Splits for the second “2400m+400m” were 6:39, 3:19, (break), and 1:35.

I’m annoyed with myself here too – in retrospect, it clearly wasn’t asthma, since I had used my inhaler twice before the run. Rather, my breath started to tighten and then I started to hyperventilate, and instead of backing off even more and working through it, I stepped off.  I know how to handle these breathing issues – back off, relax, re-establish, and then regain the pace – I just need to execute. This is mental, as much as physical. And as my coach pointed out, I need to be better about starting much slower than I think I need to.

At least I managed to redeem myself on Sunday with a decent long run in lousy conditions (temp 73, dewpoint 68) – I forced myself to start slow, to take water breaks though I felt like a wuss for doing so, and to be patient and relaxed even near the end. Funny how running is so much more fun when you’re smart about it.

Dailies

Monday: An hour of easy pool-running in the morning (“6 miles”) plus foam-rolling+stretching+injury prevention exercises.

Tuesday: In the morning, 4 miles easy on the track (8:24 pace) and then “9 miles” in the pool, including an intervals workout of 8x(3:00 hard, 1:00 easy, 1:30 hard, 0:30 easy). Strength-training plus foam-rolling and stretching in the evening.

Wednesday: In the morning, 8 aerobic miles outside (8:00 pace), followed by 2000m of swimming breathing drills (most with the pull buoy, some without). Dry needling that afternoon.

Thursday: In the morning, "6 miles" of easy pool-running (50 minutes) followed by strength-training. Foam-rolling and stretching at night.

Friday: In the morning, 7.5 miles on the track, including a tempo intervals workout. The prescribed workout was 2x3200m with quarter-mile jog; actual was 3200m in 13:05 (6:35/6:30), then 2400m in 6:39/3:19, then 400m in 3:15. Followed with "4.5 miles" (45 minutes) easy pool-running (normally I’d do 10 miles on track, 2 in pool, but I swapped to 7.5 on land, 4.5 in pool to stay safe . Foam-rolling plus pilates class in the afternoon.

Saturday: In the morning, 1500m of swimming breathing drills (some with the pull buoy, some without) and then "3 miles" of easy pool-running. Upper body strength-training plus foam-rolling+stretching in the afternoon.

Sunday: Long progression run of 12.5 miles, averaging 7:54 pace (albeit with 3 water breaks – it was 73 degrees with dewpoint of 68). Paces were 8:42 pace for first 4.5 miles, 7:51 for next three, 7:23 for a half mile, 7:05 for 3 miles, 6:56 for half mile, 6:40 for half mile, 6:00 pace for final 200m (keep in mind that the second half was downhill). Odd splits are due to a) my habit of hitting lap only every few miles (at a mile marker) during long runs but b) sometimes reflexively hitting lap at any mile marker. Followed with “3.5 miles” in the pool – 35 minutes easy pool-running (would normally do 20 minutes, but was covering for the shortened long run).

Pool reviews (mostly Washington DC specific)

Using just one pool for pool-running is not unlike running the same route each run.  As I've noted before, one of the tricks to pool-running consistently is to swap between different pools - this is especially key if you're doing high volume in the pool, which I define as more than about 8 hours a week.

I'm pretty fortunate, in that I've got a wide selection of pools in the DC area to pick from.  I've described them below (plus one extra).


Pool: Woodrow Wilson Aquatic Center

Location:  4551 Fort Drive NW, Tenleytown, DC (right by the Red Line metro stop, and across the street from Whole Foods)
Hours: 6 am - 9 pm on weekdays, 9 am to 5 pm on weekends
Cost: Free for DC residents, $7 for others.
Pool-running area: Wide lane, 50m long, set aside for pool-running and "leisure swimming".
Equipment: yes - Kiefer aqua jogging belts, and plenty of them.
Other notes: 

I start with the pool-running promised land.  The Wilson pool has a 50m lane set aside for pool-running and "leisure swimming" (and the life-guards do pull people who don't comply).  It takes me approximately 10 minutes to complete one loop, meaning that Wilson is a great place to do a long pool run.  The facility also has a wading pool and a whirlpool, as well as a suit spinner in the women's locker room.  It's a fantastic place.

I will caution that there have apparently been issues with theft at this facility in the past; if you don't have a lock for your locker, you should bring your stuff with you to the deck.  Keep in mind that they will NOT let you in if you don't have your drivers license or other photo ID.  Absolutely no exceptions.

Another nice feature is the digital timers (two of them) marking down minutes and seconds - great for those doing interval workouts without a watch.  Another plus is the super friendly guards and fellow inhabitants, who will sometimes cheer you on as you do your hard workouts.  The one caveat is that sometimes the wading pool is closed, in which case the kiddies are relegated to the pool-running lane, creating a manageable level of chaos and confusion.

For those of you combining pool-running and land-running, there is a track adjacent to the pool (be warned, it is not 400m.  I'm guessing it's 320m, but can't be sure).

Parking is doable, but can be tight.  Be aware that on weekdays there is no parking on Nebraska Avenue, reducing the # of available spaces by about 35.

Pool: Rumsey Aquatic Center
Location:  635 North Carolina Avenue SE, Capitol Hill, DC (right by Eastern Market)

Hours: Weekdays are from 6:30 am to 10 am (9 am on T/Th), noon to 5 pm, and 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm; on Saturday it's open from 1 pm - 5 pm; Sundays are 10 am to 5 pm.
Cost: Free for DC residents, $7 for non-residents.
Pool-running area: They've set aside an area for aqua-exercise that is essentially three 20 yard lanes combined.
Equipment: Belts provided -- they only have medium and large sizes; as a petite female, the medium size is just barely small enough.
Other notes:

Nice enough, though it's seen better days (the fact that they have to buzz you in through a security gate is a nice reminder that you are in the Nation's Capital).  The locker room is pretty run down, and the lockers are coin operated.  I've always brought my equipment to the deck.  Make sure you bring a picture ID, or they won't let you in (they also make you sign in on a paper log).  The lifeguards tend to be very aggressive about enforcing the rules regarding no street shoes on the deck. 

Temperature is sometimes an issue here -- this past winter the deck was fairly cold (below 60 degrees air temp).  On the other hand, the pool is consistently very warm, perhaps a concession to the large elderly population here.  Unlike other pools, this one has a radio continually playing (generally R&B or adult contemporary).

There are exercise balls strewn along the deck, if you want to get some core exercises in following your pool-run.

It's Capitol Hill, so parking can be challenging.  Arriving at 6:30-7:30 on weekday mornings, I've never failed to grab a street parking space, but sometimes I've grabbed the last one.

Pool:  Marie Reed
Location:  Hidden!  This is in Adams Morgan, with the address being 2200 Champlain St, NW.  It's pretty hard to find if you don't know where to look, though.  To get there, I suggest that you start at the intersection of 18th and U Streets and Florida Avenue, NW.  Walk north along Florida Avenue, and then bear left onto Champlain Street (continuing to walk on the edge of the softball field).  The pool entrance is to your left just as you're walking under a building breezeway.  It's helpfully marked by a small stenciled sign: "pool".   The door is often shut; you may need to pull on it hard to open. 
Hours:  Very limited.  6 am - 9 am on weekday mornings and 3 pm to 8 pm on weekday evenings (until 9 pm on Tuesday and Friday).  Closed on weekends.
Cost:  Technically free for DC residents, $7 for others.  But I've never seen anyone charged.
Pool-running area: Reserved 25m lane, and the guards do enforce it.
Equipment:  They provide the same belts as Rumsey, and again only in medium and large sizes.
Other notes: 

The secret pool -- I know people who have lived in the neighborhood for years, and have no idea it's there.  It's nice enough for a small pool, and I love having it nearby.

The locker rooms (at least the female one) have seen better days -- the floors lack drains, the lockers are from the 1970s, and there is a single community shower.  Bathrooms often times lack handsoap. Those with injuries should be warned that the locker rooms are only accessible by steep slippery stairs that are treacherous even when uninjured.  Most people leave their stuff (including bicycles) on the narrow deck.

Unlike other DC pools where IDs are stringently checked, Marie Reed relies on an honor system, where residents sign in on a paper log by the entrance. 

They tend to keep the pool water temperatures pretty toasty here -- pleasant for getting in, but definitely uncomfortable when doing hard workouts.

No timers whatsoever here (well there is one, but it's broken and has been for as long as I've been using the pool).  If you're going to do intervals, bring a timer; there is a clock, but it's analog and tiny -- sufficient to let you know whether it's 6:30 or 6:35, but not whether it's 6:30 or 6:31.

As for parking, this is Adams Morgan.  If you come at 6 or 6:30, you should be able to find something; at all other times, just plan on using a nearby paid lot ($10 or so).  It's about a 12 minute walk from the Dupont Circle metro.

Pool: Washington-Lee Swimming Pool
Location: 1300 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA (Ballston).  About a 10 minute walk from the Ballston metro.
Hours: Weekdays are 5:30 am to 9:30 am, 11:30 am to 2 pm, and 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm (8:30 pm on Fridays).  Saturdays are 6 am to 7 pm; Sundays are 12 pm to 6 pm.
Cost: $5 for residents of Arlington, VA; $7 for others.
Pool-running area:  Depends -- No area is explicitly reserved.  Usually we're relegated to the diving well, which is roughly 12m square.  At certain times, the well is reserved; usually the lifeguards take pity and give us a lane in that case.
Equipment: Plenty of belts of various sizes.  Some are in better shape than others.
Other notes:

On paper, it doesn't look so great.  But very friendly and accomodating lifeguards, plus the high probability of finding another recovering runner to chat with, make this a favorite.  The well is where people generally pool-run, but sometimes we're kicked out for other activities (from 8:30 am - 10:30 am on Saturday for aqua aerobics; and after 2:30 pm on Sunday for synchronized swimming.  The guards are very nice, however, and really bend over backwards to find us a place.

The locker room is nice, if a bit chilly (you need to bring your own lock).  Many people leave their possessions in an unlocked locker without issue, though I do not.   The pool itself ranges significantly in temperature; some days it's quite chilly, other days it's toasty.

Unlike DC pools, this pool has a reserved parking lot, though it does fill at peak hours.

Conveniently, this pool is right next to the Washington-Lee track, which is one of the nicest and most popular tracks in the DC area..  I always bring my bathing suit with me when I go to track practice so that I can hop in for 20 minutes post-workout (or alternately, sub in a pool workout for a land one, per coach's orders).



Pool: Spring Hill RECenter pool
Location:1239 Spring Hill Road, McLain, VA (just off of the Dulles Toll Road).
Hours: Weekdays are 6:30 am to 9:30 pm (8 pm on Friday).  Weekends are 9 am to 6 pm.
Cost: $7.40 for Fairfax County residents; $9.90 for others (no idea why the weird pricing).
Pool-running area: Nothing explicit, but I've never had a problem grabbing a 25 yard lane the two times I was there, which were Thanksgiving Day and New Years Day.
Equipment:  Three belts total; you probably want to bring your own.
Other notes:

I don't use this one regularly, but it has been my fallback during major holidays -- it was open on both Thanksgiving and New Years day, when all others were closed.  It's nice enough, though the pool was quite cold both days.  The locker room is nice and a match to many private gyms.


Parking was easy and the pool near empty on the days I used it, both of which are likely due to the days I visited.

The admission price also grants you access to the decent gym facility on site.

Pool: Doral-Arrowwood Resort pool 
Location: The Doral-Arrowwood Resort, Rye, NY (near the NY/CT border)

Hours: Weekdays are 5:30 am to 9:30 pm; Saturday is 7 am to 9:30 pm, Sunday is 7 am to 9 pm

Cost: The resort's pretty costly, something like $200 a night (I stayed there for a work retreat)
Pool-running area: The whole pool (a weird trapezoid that's roughly 25 yards by 15 yards)

Equipment:  Yup, they got belts.

Other notes:

I note this pool for one reason only: 

Yup - pool running classes.  Truly a resort that's on the cutting edge

Training log - Week ending 5/22/11

This week was 31 miles of “real running” and 31 “miles” pool running plus 3600m of swimming -- training log is here.

A bit of an eventful week. A medical procedure on Tuesday (what the heck, it was a colonoscopy mandated by my GI doctor due to the massive stomach pains and other symptoms I had after a 5K a month ago) meant that I had to fast for over 24 hours; much of the first half of the week was dedicated to preparation, procedure, and recovery. The good news was that it confirmed (well, pending biopsies, but I don’t expect any surprises) that a) I don’t have Crohns, and b) eliminating oatmeal and dried fruit from my diet seems to have allowed my digestive tract to heal – the inflammation that was apparent on previous exams has disappeared. So yay. We're thinking basic gluten intolerance at this point (I've previously been tested for Celiac, and it came out negative).

I’ve actually been starting to feel pretty good the last 2-3 weeks, and my workouts are showing it. Breathing is no longer a struggle, and my stomach has been giving me much less trouble. There’s really been 3 changes I’ve made in my training the past few weeks – a) eliminating oatmeal and dried fruit from my diet, which has really helped with my stomach issues; b) adding in swimming breathing drills to expand my lung capacity; and c) reducing my training load substantially. I’m guessing that the improvement is a result of the combination of all three.

Separately, my darn right foot had been bit sensitive and achy (combination of plantar fasciitis and peroneal tendonitis) for the past 10 days. It wasn’t hurting at all when I ran, but stiff pre-run, and sore post-run. I had just about decided to swap to exclusively pool-running for a few days when the foot decided to start feeling 100% on Sunday morning (I’m crediting a very hard massage I got on it on Friday night). Did a test run of 6 miles this morning, and it felt fine both during and after, so hopefully I’m near the end of dealing with it. In the meantime, the plan is to keep subbing in some pool-running for landrunning.

Dailies

Monday: 8.5 easy miles outside on the towpath (8:30 pace), plus foam-rolling+stretching+injury prevention exercises.

Tuesday: Had a medical procedure in the morning. In the afternoon, 40 minutes easy pool-running for "4 miles” plus foam-rolling and stretching.

Wednesday: In the morning, 10.5 easy miles outside on a hilly route (8:36 pace), followed by 1000m of swimming breathing drills (most with the pull buoy, some without). Was feeling a bit tired later that night, so skipped yoga in favor of extended foam rolling/stretching/injury prevention exercises

Thursday: In the morning, "6 miles" of easy pool-running (60 minutes) followed by strength-training and injury prevention exercises. Foam-rolling and stretching at night.

Friday: 6 miles on the track, including a 5K tempo in 20:34 (6:36 pace, with splits of 6:39, 6:39, 6:31, and then 45 seconds for final 200m). My foot was a bit tender before and after the tempo (not during) so I cut the cooldown very short and did the balance of it in the pool – 60 minutes easy pool-running for “6 miles”. (Normally Friday would be 10 miles land/2 pool; I just swapped to 6 miles land/6 pool). Got the heck massaged out of the foot on Friday evening, plus a pilates session.

Saturday: In the morning, 40 minutes easy pool-running for “4 miles” followed by 1000m of swimming breathing drills (most with the pull buoy, some without). Strength-training plus foam rolling/injury prevention exercises/stretching in the afternoon.

Sunday: In the morning, a split long run – I did the first 6 miles outside at easy pace (8:13) then hopped into the pool for another “11 miles” – did an hour easy, then 3x10 minutes at hard aerobic effort with 1:00 recovery. Followed with 1600m of swimming breathing drills (most with the pull buoy, some without). I plan to hit a yoga class tonight.

My return to running -- one example of a schedule

I've spent a lot of time on various running fora discussing injuries, and while the most popular topic is generally diagnosis (we love to self-diagose), a secondary topic is how to return to running post injury.

In the past, I've returned pretty aggressively - in approximately 8 weeks I'd have returned to my high mileage ways.  At the time, I thought this was good -- heck, setting PRs in your first races back from injury has to be a good thing, right?  But I'd only be running for about 2-3 months before another injury would hit.  It was never the same injury twice, and so I thought it was just my bad luck.

I've since realized that when you take time off, your body loses a lot of its ability to sustain the trauma of running.  Your hard-earned durability erodes, and you can't really jump back to where you were.  You need to think of yourself as a new runner, and rebuild accordingly -- almost like the couch-to-5K.

And so, this time, with guidance, coaching, and coaxing supplemented by acidic common sense, I came back very carefully.  It was frustrating at times, but in the end I managed to come back without rebreaking the foot.  My goal was to come back without reinjury, and I accomplished it.


When I was injured, I was constantly searching for the blogs of others who had broken a foot and then returned to running, to get some feel for the appropriate progression.  For all of you now in the same boat, here's how I did it.  Below, I've mapped out the first 14 weeks of my return (days that I actually ran are italicized).  I did my first tempo workout 7 weeks after being cleared to run and my first interval workout and race 12 weeks after being cleared.  I waited 11 weeks before cautiously running back to back two days in a row (I still only run 4 days a week, with Tuesday and Wednesday being back to back).  And it wasn't until 14 weeks back that I began to do my post-workout cool-down on the track.

This is obviously a very lengthy post, but hopefully it will be of use to others.

***

Preface: 6 weeks in a boot doing nothing but pool running, pilates (with feet not touching anything, and upperbody strengthwork.  Forecast at the time of injury was for 6 weeks no weight-bearing exercise, then 6 more weeks of biking+elliptical, before running.  Week 0 is a half-week, starting on a Wednesday when I took the boot off for the last time and started testing the elliptical, yoga, etc.

Week 0 (walking around in a shoe.  Also doing all sorts of foot/calf strengthening exercises)

• Wednesday: easy pool-running + pilates
• Thursday: pool-running (tempo) 
• Friday: easy pool-running + 5 minutes on elliptical and upper body strengthwork
• Saturday: pool-running "long run" +  5 minutes on arc-trainer and leg strengthwork
• Sunday: easy pool-running + 15 minutes on arc-trainer and upper body strengthwork.

Week 1 (cleared to run on Wednesday, 5 weeks ahead of schedule.  I opt to take another week off, as I'm still limping from a weak leg from the boot)

• Monday: pool-running interval workout + 30 minutes on arc-trainer
• Tuesday: easy pool-running + upper body strengthwork
• Wednesday: easy pool-running + 30 minutes on arc-trainer and pilates
• Thursday: long pool-run + 45 minutes on arc-trainer
• Friday: easy pool-running + yoga
• Saturday: easy pool-running + 1:45 on the arc-trainer
• Sunday: easy pool-running
  

Week 2 (1 mile land-running)

• Monday: pool-running interval workout + hour on arc-trainer and upper body strengthwork
• Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork
• Wednesday: "test jog" on track (alternate walk 100m and jog 100m for 4 reps, and then finish off with 400m continuous jogging) totaling to 800m of running, followed by easy pool-running + pilates
• Thursday: pool-running tempo, followed by strengthwork
• Friday: 30 minutes on arc-trainer + yoga, + "test jog" on track (alternate walk 100m and jog 100m for 4 reps, and then finish off with 400m continuous jogging) totaling to 800m of running, followed by easy pool-running.  
• Saturday: pool-running "long run" + upper body strengthwork
• Sunday: easy pool-running

Week 3 (3 miles of land-running)

• Monday: "test jog" on track (2 reps of jogging 100m/walking 100m, and then 600m jog) totaling to 800m of running, and then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork
• Wednesday: "test jog" on track (alternate walk 100m and jog 400m for 4 reps) totaling to a mile of running, followed by easy pool-running.   Also tiny bit of biking
• Thursday: pool-running tempo, followed by leg strengthwork
• Friday: "test jog" on track (jog 5 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog 6 minutes) totaling to about 2000m of running, followed by easy pool-running.  Later upper body strengthwork 
• Saturday: pool-running "long run"
• Sunday: easy pool-running

Week 4 (7.5 miles of land-running)

• Monday: "test jog" on track (3 reps of jogging 5 minutes/walking 1 minute) totaling to 1.75 miles of running, and then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork and a yoga class
• Wednesday: "test jog" on asphalt (3 reps of jogging 7 minutes/walking 1 minute) totaling to 2.25 miles of running, followed by easy pool-running.  
  
• Thursday: pool-running tempo, followed by leg strengthwork
• Friday: "test jog" on asphalt  (2 reps of jog 8 minutes/walk 1 minute, then jogged 10 minutes) totaling to about 3.5 miles of running, followed by easy pool-running.  Later pilates. 
  
• Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also strength-training.
• Sunday: easy pool-running

Week 5 (12 miles land-running)

• Monday: "test jog" on track (3 reps of jogging 10 minutes/walking 1 minute) totaling to 4 miles of running, and then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork
  
• Wednesday: "test jog" on asphalt (3 reps of jogging 12 minutes/walking 1 minute) totaling to 4.5 miles of running, followed by easy pool-running 
  
• Thursday: pool-running tempo, followed by  strength training
• Friday: "baby run" on track  (2 reps of jog 15 minutes/walk 1 minute, ) totaling to about 4 miles of running, followed by easy pool-running.  Later pilates
• Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also yoga
  
• Sunday: easy pool-running

Week 6 (12 miles of land-running; also business trip)

• Monday: "baby run" on track (run 20 minutes/walk 1 minute/run 10 minutes) totaling to 3.6 miles of running, and then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Tuesday: easy pool-running + travel
  
• Wednesday: biking plus elliptical in hotel gym  
  
• Thursday: travel + easy pool-running and upper body strengthwork
  
• Friday: "baby run" on asphalt of 30 minutes straight (3.5 miles), followed by easy pool-running.  Later pilates
• Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also upper body strengthtraining
  
• Sunday: easy run on asphalt of 40 minutes (~5 miles) followed by easy pool-running

Week 7 (20 miles land-running; first tempo workout)

• Monday: pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork
  
• Wednesday: 7 mile run outside plus drills and strides, followed by easy pool-running 
  
• Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
  
• Friday: "split tempo" -- first did 1.25 miles warm-up then 2 mile tempo on track, followed by completing tempo in the pool with 2x15 minutes tempo effort, 1 minute recovery.  Later pilates
• Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also upperbody strengthtraining
  
• Sunday: 10 miles easy land running, and then easy pool-running

Week 8 (25 miles land running)

• Monday: easy pool-running.
• Tuesday: pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Wednesday: 7 mile easy run outside , followed by easy pool-running 
  
• Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
  
• Friday: tempo on track of 5.5 miles including 3 mile tempo.  Did cool-down jog in the pool.  Later pilates
• Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also upperbody strengthtraining
  
• Sunday: 12.5 miles land-running "long run", and then easy pool-running

Week 9 (23 miles land-running, also business travel)

• Monday: easy pool-running.
• Tuesday: 7 mile easy run outside, followed by easy pool-running + upper body strengthwork
• Wednesday:  pool-running interval workout 
• Thursday: 10 mile easy run outside
  
• Friday: easy pool-running
• Saturday: 5K race as a tempo (with 1 mile warm-up) then easy pool-running and yoga
  
• Sunday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training 

Week 10 (35 miles land-running)

• Monday: 12 miles land-running, followed by easy pool-running
• Tuesday: pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Wednesday: 4 mile easy run outside , followed by easy pool-running and yoga
  
• Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
  
• Friday: 5 miles running on track including 3.25 mile tempo.  Did cool-down jog in the pool.  Later pilates
• Saturday: easy pool-running and also upperbody strengthtraining
  
• Sunday: 14 miles land-running "long run", and then easy pool-running

Week 11 (31 miles land-running; first time running two days back to back)

• Monday: easy pool-running.
• Tuesday: 2 miles easy land-running, then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Wednesday: 9 mile easy run outside , followed by easy pool-running, yoga class later
• Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
  
• Friday: 6 miles of land-running on track including 4 mile tempo.  Did cool-down jog in the pool.  Later pilates
• Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also upperbody strengthtraining
  
• Sunday: 14 miles land-running "long run", and then easy pool-running

Week 12 (29 miles land-running; first track intervals workout and first race)

• Monday: easy pool-running.
• Tuesday: 6 miles of land-running on track, including 6x800m interval workout, followed by cool-down jog in pool + upper body strengthwork
• Wednesday: easy pool-running and yoga
• Thursday: 9 miles land-running followed by easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
  
• Friday: 5.5 miles land-running, followed by easy pool-runningLater pilates
• Saturday: easy pool-running
  
• Sunday: 8 miles land-running, including 8K race, and then easy pool-running for cool-down

Week 13 (35 miles land-running)

• Monday: easy pool-running.
• Tuesday: 4 miles easy land-running then a pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
• Wednesday: 10 mile easy run outside, followed by easy pool-running and yoga
• Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
  
• Friday: 6.5 miles on track including 4.5 mile tempo.  Did cool-down jog in the pool.  Later pilates
• Saturday: easy pool-running and also upperbody strengthtraining
  
• Sunday: 14 miles land-running "long run", and then easy pool-running

Week 14 (40 miles land-running; first time doing some of my post-workout cool-down jog on track, rather than in pool)

• Monday: easy pool-running.
• Tuesday: 6.5 miles of land-running on track, including 1600m and then 3x800m interval workout, and cooldown jog, followed easy pool-running + upper body strengthwork
• Wednesday: 11.5 miles land-running plus easy pool-running and leg strengthwork
• Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
  
• Friday: 8 miles land-running including 4 mile tempo on the track and cool-down jog, followed by easy pool-running.  Later pilates
• Saturday: easy pool-running plus strengthtraining
  
• Sunday: 13 miles land-running long run,and then easy pool-running plus a yoga class

If not now, when?

One of the more embarrassing things about running is that we've all got mantras -- touchstone phrases and thoughts that we draw upon when the workout or the race starts to hurt.  I've always had a dislike for psychobabble, but I confess that I've got a few of my own.

Two of mine are based in popular culture, and pretty darn cheesy.  When I feel the temptation to drop out of a race or cut a workout short, for no reason other than that it's hard, I hear Sark from Tron ordering me to Finish the game! (7:18 of the link).  And when I hit an unexpected hill, or my stomach seizes up, or my chest starts to tighten, or the headwind picks up, I hear Tim Gunn from Project Runway ordering me to Make it work!

The third, however, is all my own.

If not now, when?

To explain this one -- I generally try to run my workouts at about 90% of race effort (well, closer to 85% now that I'm working with my coach).  Thus, when I find myself getting too close to that all out race effort, I back off.  A routine workout is not the appropriate time for that level of effort (if I push too hard I'll need more time to recover, but won't get any additional training stimulus).

Thus, when I race, there comes a point where I hit that same level of effort, and reflexively think, for a second, that I should back off.  It's at that point that I ask myself if not now, when?  This is what I train for, this is the time when 100% is appropriate.  The time is now.

***

When injured, I've always gone through a bargaining stage, dialoging with the powers that be (essentially myself, because I'm not religious), that if I can only heal up and return to running, I will back off at the first sign of incipient injury.  I won't make the same mistakes again.  I'll be better next time.  Promise.

Of course, then I return to running, and as my confidence grows, my caution wilts.  I grow greedy, and once again each missed workout or race is an opportunity lost.  It's so easy to forget pooltime promises; and to convince yourself that twinges are minor things to be ignored.

***

This past week, I tweaked my plantar fascia.  I think the cause was the few minutes of barefoot running I did on the infield post track workout.  It was minor.  No real pain, just tightness and a distinct feeling like a stone bruise underfoot.  The exact sort of thing that I would have taped up last year and not given a second thought.    And I had a race this weekend, and was feeling sharp and ready to run fast. 

And then I remembered -- if not now, when?  With every injury, I've promised myself that next time would be different -- I'd back off immediately.  And then I've failed to follow through.  Sometimes I've gotten away with it, sometimes I haven't.

If not now, when?  It's easy to make promises when you're not in the situation that will call them due.  But eventually, you do face the question.  And here, my foot ached and was stiff, in a way that indicated that racing on it risked making it worse, not better. 

Hard decisions are hardest in the immediate moment.  You can promise yourself again and again while behind the computer that you'll run your heart out in the last mile of your next race, but it's another thing to push even harder in the moment when you're gasping and your legs are slowing and everything is screaming at you to STOP.   And you can promise yourself again and again during your convalescence that you'll take care next time, and skip a day or three rather than risk a month or three.  But that promise is easily ignored.

If not now, when?  When will you finally deliver on the commitments you've made to yourself?  When will you finally have the discipline and guts to break your bad habits?  This is the time to make that decision.  Don't wimp out again.

***

And so I skipped the race.  Cheered for others and then did my "long run" in the pool.  And doing so was frankly more agonizing than the last miles of a race.

But, if not now, when?

Training log - Week ending 5/15/11

This week was 25 miles of “real running” and 25 “miles” pool running (per my conversion below) plus 4400m of swimming -- training log is here.

I’m a bit annoyed. I was planning on running a 10K on Sunday (and tapered accordingly), but a bit of plantar fascitis raised its head in the middle of the week.  After my track workout on Tuesday morning, I did 3 minutes of barefoot running on the infield.  That afternoon my right foot was sore. I felt nothing the next morning, but the soreness reappeared after my 10 mile run on Wednesday. I decided to taper anyway for my 10K, and see how things progressed.

I felt no pain during my short run on Friday, but the foot felt bruised and stiff after. As of Saturday morning, it still felt achy and bruised, and so I reluctantly decided to skip the race. It was a really hard call, as by Saturday afternoon, the foot was really just stiff and achy, not sore, but I decided to skip the 10K anyway (and per coach's orders, I subbed the pool for my long run on Sunday). More than any particular race or time, my overarching goal for this year is to stay uninjured, which I can only do if I ease up in cases like this.

Turned out to be just as well anyway – conditions were not great for racing on Sunday, and I was also pretty tired from a trip out to the middle of Kansas to see my sister graduate vet school. It was great to see her, but the trip was exhausting -- I did manage to set a driving PR for the 130 mile distance of 1:50:00 (including pit stop), so that’s something. I could have done without a 2.5 hour plane ride that ended up turning into a 5 hour ordeal, though.

I have a medical procedure scheduled for Tuesday morning, so next week will be an easy week as well.   The timing's pretty good here, as I'm guessing my coach wouldn't let me do track on Tuesday anyway.

Dailies

Monday: 2000m easy swimming breathing drills (majority with pull buoy), followed by 10 minutes easy pool-running for "1 lonely mile", plus foam-rolling+stretching+injury prevention exercises.

Tuesday: In the morning, 10.5 miles on the track, including a track workout of two sets of 1600m, 800m, 400m; half distance jogs between reps, and a 400m jog between sets. I felt a bit sluggish during the warm-up, but the workout went extremely well – splits were 6:09, 2:57, 87 and then 6:08, 2:56, 79. A lot of the credit goes to the weather – we’ve been dealing with temps in the low to mid 60s for the last few weeks, and this morning’s temps were in the low 50s – perfect for fast running. I followed with 20 minutes easy pool-running for "2 miles." Strength-training plus foam-rolling and stretching in the evening.

Wednesday: In the morning, 10 easy miles outside on a hilly route (8:06 pace), followed by 1000m of swimming breathing drills (most with the pull buoy, some without). Foam rolling plus yoga at night.

Thursday: In the morning, "4 miles" of easy pool-running (40 minutes) followed by strength-training. Drag luggage around airport in afternoon, followed by 2.5 hour flight and 130 mile drive.

Friday: 4.5 miles of easy running (8:19 pace) in the morning. Drive 130 miles in 1:50:00 that night (a PR).

Saturday: In the morning, drag luggage around airport plus 2.5 hour flight that lasted 5 hours, including an unscheduled landing/deplaning/wander airport/replaning in Ohio. In the afternoon, "4 miles" of easy pool-running plus upper body strengthtraining and foam-rolling+stretching.

Sunday: “14 miles” of pool-running, most at easy effort, but with 10 hard intervals of 3 minutes each (1 minute recovery) near the end, followed by 1400m of swimming breathing drills (vast majority with the pull buoy). Later injury prevention exercises plus foam rolling and stretching.

Combining pool-running and running

As is probably obvious from this blog, I'm a huge fan of combining pool-running and land-running in one workout.  I have been since I first started coming back from injury. 

At first, when I was doing "baby runs" of 30 seconds to 5 minutes, I essentially just tacked on the baby run to the front end of my pool-run.  As my land-running volume slowly increased, I would cut back the pool-running some, to keep the same volume, but still do both together in a single session.  First land-running, then pool-running, with the proportion of land-running gradually increasing over time (I'd start and end my run at the pool entrance, having left my stuff in the lockerroom before hand).

I kept doing this when I first started hitting the track.  On my very first tempo workout, which was scheduled to be 2-3x3200m, I did the first 2 mile interval on the track, then hopped in the pool to crank out the equivalent of the other two.  And even after I was up to full workouts on the track, in the name of caution I would skip the cool-down jog on land, and instead do it in the pool.

I've since gotten back to doing full track workouts, including cool-down jog.  However, I've kept the habit of hopping in the pool for some pool-running immediately after (it helps that my pool and the track are immediately adjacent to each other).  20 minutes of easy pool-running functions very much like an ice bath -- the cold water plus the pressure plus working my legs through their range of motion does wonderful things for recovery.

Of course, combining land-running and pool-running in one session does require a bit of planning.  Here's some tips:

• What to wear?  Actually, this isn't as obvious as it first sounds.  As a woman, in cold temperatures I found that I was actually able to run in my bathing suit, covered with running jacket and running tights, with no chafing issues for runs of up to an hour (and I chafe at almost everything).  The two drawbacks were a) the obvious panty line (which didn't bug me at all) and b) the fact that my bathing suit generated a great deal of static and interfered with my heart rate monitor.  One plus was that it can be very hard to put on a bathing suit with hands cold from being outside -- wearing the suit under evaded this issue.
  
  I wouldn't try this in the summer, though.  Bathing suits aren't really designed to handle large amounts of sweat, and it would seem to me that you would drastically shorten their lifespan by exposing them to that.  In the summer, I wear normal running clothes, and then change.
  
  I have not tried running in a tri suit, though I imagine that might work wonderfully (I haven't because they're damn expensive and silly looking to boot).
• Which one first?  IMHO, it's better to run first, then pool-run.   For one thing, if you're returning from an injury or are injury prone, then you need to be taking every precaution to avoid reinjury.  My practice is always to do the activity that is riskiest when I'm fresh, since tired muscles are more likely to lead to form breakdown and increased risk of injury.  Thus, running (higher risk) always precedes pool-running (lower risk).  Furthermore, in the winter, running post pool-run means that you're outside with damp hair -- not good.  And in the summer, it's incredibly refreshing to hop in the pool after a hot run outside.
• Showering?  Let's be honest, though all pools have signs requiring that you shower before entry, how many of us actually comply?  I'll confess that I do NOT shower when I'm hitting the pool first thing in the morning, or after a day of inactivity.  And heck, if I've just come from a short run in cool temperatures, I don't generally shower either.  However, my rule is that if I've broken a sweat, or alternately have dirt encrusted on me (i.e. from running on the towpath), then I shower pre-entry.  To skip the shower is unfair to the other people in the pool.
• Pre-planning.  It's pretty obvious that you wear your running clothes, and bring a bathing suit and a towel.  What is less obvious, until you've done this once or twice, is that you also want to bring a second change of clothes, including clean socks and even shoes.  It's one thing to drive home in sweaty running clothes post-run, and quite another to have to get out of the pool and change BACK into those sweaty running clothes.

One final note: it feels VERY odd to jump into the pool post run.  The motions of pool-running and land-running are just different enough that it will take 2-3 minutes, at a minimum, to get a feel for the pool-running motion.  This is normal and to be expected.

Training log - Week ending 5/08/11

This week was 44 miles of “real running” and 17 “miles” pool running plus 2000m of swimming -- training log is here.


This was the first week of my new, reduced workload training schedule. Running mileage remains the same, but pool-running and swimming have been cut back considerably -- I'm to use the extra time for rest. Additionally, I continue to work to avoid the temptation to push my workouts and long runs too hard.

I feel like I recovered from Broad Street pretty well. Tuesday’s track workout was very ad hoc -- I showed up with no idea of whether I'd be doing the workout or not. Discussed it with my coach, and we decided that I'd start off slow (ran with a slower group than my norm) and play it by ear. Worked pretty well.

I did both the Tuesday and Friday workouts in my trainers (Kinvaras) rather than my flats (Fastwitches). Though both shoes are almost the same weight, the Fastwitch has much less cushioning, which makes me feel like I get more energy return from each step (the Kinvaras feel like pillows on my feet, which is comfy, but too soft and squishy for fast running). I decided to wear the Kinvaras because I wanted to baby my feet a bit this week. I don't think I was slowed too much, though.

Friday's workout was a bit of a surprise -- I had planned to be hitting 6:40-6:50 pace, but temps around 50 degrees made us all a bit sharp. I ended up running the first rep too fast and paying later, but I was happy with how well I held it together for the later laps. Definitely a hard workout, and I was tired the next day. I played it a bit conservative on Sunday’s long run as a result, but am still pretty happy with that run.

Dailies

Monday: Race recovery -- 20 minutes easy pool-running for "2 miles", plus foam-rolling+stretching+injury prevention exercises.

Tuesday: In the morning, 8.5 miles on the track, including a track workout. The planned workout was 3200m (1200m jog), then 2x800m, 2x400m, and 2x200m with half distance recovery. I kept the first few reps slow before dropping down to normal pace for the second part; my splits were 13:15 (6:38/6:37), 3:08, 3:02, 84, 84. I skipped the final 200m reps -- it just seemed like too much injury risk to crank out very fast stuff two days after a 10 mile race. Followed with 20 minutes easy pool-running for "2 miles." Strength-training plus foam-rolling and stretching in the evening.

Wednesday: In the morning, 11 easy miles outside on a hilly route (8:20 pace), followed by 1000m of swimming breathing drills (most with the pull buoy, some without). Foam rolling plus yoga at night. I feel compelled to disclose that I had every intention of sticking to 10, but a running buddy who shall remain nameless miscalculated the turnaround point.

Thursday: In the morning, "5 miles" of easy pool-running (50 minutes) followed by strength-training. Foam-rolling and stretching at night.

Friday: In the morning, 10.5 miles on the track, including a tempo intervals workout. The prescribed workout was 2-3x3200m with quarter-mile jog; most of us ended up doing 2x3200m then a final 1600m. Splits were 12:56 (6:31/6:24), 13:03 (6:30/6:33), and 6:33 for the last. I let myself run the first one too hard, and the price was that I ended up having breathing issues during the second and third reps (I tried to take a puff of my inhaler after the second rep, but it was broken). A good reminder of why it's stupid to go out too fast. I forced myself to work through the breathing issues though, and I really didn't lose too much time (a drop from 6:30 to 6:33 pace isn't too horrible). Followed with "2 miles" (20 minutes) easy pool-running. Foam-rolling plus pilates class in the afternoon.

Saturday: In the morning, 1000m of swimming breathing drills (most with the pull buoy, some without) and then "4 miles" of easy pool-running. Upper body strengthtraining plus foam-rolling+stretching in the afternoon.

Sunday: A long run of 14 miles on a dust towpath – averaged 8:12 for the first 7, and 7:22 for the second 7 (I don’t take mile splits generally on these, but I did take one near the end which confirmed that we dropped down to 7:00 pace at that point). Overall pace for the run was 7:47.  Followed up with "2 miles" (20 minutes) easy pool-running. Foamrolling+stretching+injury prevention work this afternoon.

Anecdote

The setting: Capitol Hill in DC.  Late November, 2010.

At 7:30 am, the local senior citizens are out in full force at the Rumsey Aquatic Center.  I look around, struck by the fact that my life's essentially resolved down to a scene from the sequel to Cocoon, though I'm not even 40.   Yup, we've even got a Wilford Brimley look-alike.

Some of them are wearing belts and bobbing slowly around, while others are stationary with their backs to the pool edge, an odd, unfocused-but-blissful look on their faces.   I am a bit confused by their expressions.  I'd be perturbed if it weren't for the fact that I can see see their hands above the water, gripping the wall on each side behind them.  After a moment, I realize that they are doing a variant of hanging leg lifts, using the water for assistance.   Completely G-rated, nothing to note here.  Mystery solved, I return to focusing on firing my glutes as I cycle my legs.

Another guy about my age enters the pool.  I glance at him, idly debating whether he looks like Steve Guttenberg, to complete my Cocoon experience.  He doesn't; in fact he's utterly non-descript.  He does some water exercises for about 20 minutes, then departs.  Again, it's just me and them, living la vida aqua rehab.

A minute later, Jessica Tandy's twin, a sweet looking delicate woman, frantically waves me over.  I oblige, moving as fast as I can given that I'm pool-running.  She mutters something at me that I can't understand, and so I ask her to repeat after I remove my headphones.

"That guy."

"Huh?"  I am nothing if not verbally expressive.

"That guy, did you see him?"

"Um yeah, I guess.  What about him?"  I'm very confused.

"You were checking him out?"

"Um... no."  Trademark eloquence on display, here.

"You should have."  She nods authoritatively.  "He had GREAT guns."  She beckons me close, and whispers, in a way that transmits across the entire pool...

"I'd like to do him.  You should go after him.  I'm sure you'd want to do him too.  I can tell by the way you looked at him."

The ambient conversational noise of the pool reduces to just the slapping of tiny waves, as all denizens stare at us. 

Then Wilford Brimley, to the left, gives me a gentle smile and an eye roll.  I grin back at him, put my headphones on, and continue on with my work.

Training log - Week ending 5/01/11

This week was 36 miles of “real running” and 48 “miles” pool running (per my conversion below) plus 2800m of swimming -- training log is here.

Essentially, this week was a mixed bag. I had a decent workout on Tuesday, but my race on Sunday was not great (race report).

Post-race, my coach made it extremely clear in a series of emails that I am shooting myself in the foot by doing way too much work and failing to taper, and that I will never experience a solid breakthrough and run the times I am capable of running until I start allowing myself to recover.

Based on this, I wrote up a proposed schedule that significantly cuts back on my pool-running and swimming. He grudgingly admitted that the proposed schedule doesn't make him want to tear his hair out, so I guess that's a start :). Now I just need to follow it to the letter.

Separately, I met with my GI doctor on Friday morning to discuss my stomach difficulties. He actually has an interesting theory that my stomach issues (and possibly my breathing problems) are related to my Reynauds -- basically, when I get an attack, it's not just the blood vessels in my hands that vaso-constrict, but also sometimes the vessels circulating blood elsewhere, including to my GI system.

It's just a theory, but this has been seen before, and so he strongly recommended that I consult a vascular specialist.  I'm coming up with a short list of specialists who are covered by my insurance, and then he'll look them over and recommend whom I should see. That's the more positive news; the other news is that he also needs to rule out Crohns disease, so I have the most unpleasant of exams scheduled to rule that one out (and he also wanted me to schedule it as soon as possible -- no putting off this one, *sigh*).


Dailies

Monday: In the morning, "12 miles" – 2 hours easy pool-running. Foam-rolling+stretching+injury prevention exercise in the evening.

Tuesday: In the morning, 10 miles on the track, including a track workout of 4x1200m with half-distance recovery -- splits of 4:42, 4:39, 4:37, 4:39. I felt pretty good here -- focused on relaxing into the correct effort and not straining or trying to race the workout. We had our choice of 4 or 5 repeats, but I opted for 4 as I was getting pretty overheated by the end (unseasonably warm and humid) and I had Broad Street on Sunday. Breathing is getting easier. Followed up with 1200m of easy swimming (all breathing drills with pull buoy) and "1 mile" of easy pool-running (10 minutes -- just wanted to get the recovery benefits for my legs post-track). In the evening, upper body strength-training plus "4 miles" of easy pool-running (40 minutes)

Wednesday: In the morning, 10 easy miles outside on a flat route (8:36 pace), followed by "7 miles" (70 minutes) of easy pool-running. Foam rolling plus yoga at night.

Thursday: In the morning, "11 miles" of easy pool-running (1:50) followed by strength-training. 1600m of easy swimming (all breathing drills with pull buoy) at night.

Friday: In the morning, 4.5 easy miles outside (8:18 pace) plus drills and strides, followed by "9 miles" (90 minutes) easy pool-running. Foam-rolling plus injury prevention work and stretching in the evening.

Saturday: In the morning, "4 miles" of very easy pool-running as a shakeout. Foam-rolling+stretching in the afternoon.  And got to finally meet Flo that night!

Sunday: 1 mile easy jog warm-up and then a 10 mile race in 69:27 (6:57 pace, race report).