Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Running in Vermont - Steve
Well, training was rather light this week. I only ran once, but that was the most important type of run; it was a long one of two and a half hours and it felt good. The roads were dry and free of ice but the cross-town trail through Wellesley was slick with ice. Hopefully that is the last of the ice for the training. This weekend I will be ski patrolling in Vermont. After patrolling I run home three and a half miles. On Presidents’ Day I will go for a long run while in Vermont. It should be close to 16 miles and it will be a bit hilly, like Heartbreak. I will write how that goes in next week’s blog.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Back on Track - Cody
The past week has been a good one for me to get back on track with training. I've been able to be a little more consistent getting into the gym, although I'm still having a tough time getting two workouts in a few days a week. I've been feeling pretty run down with traveling two weekends ago and having to work last weekend, so I haven't been able to get much rest. I'm really looking forward to this next weekend to relax a bit. That is until I run on Monday. I'm planning on doing 16 miles, which is a bit daunting, but given how I felt on my last 12-mile run and that I've been back on track training, I think I should do well and it will give me a good sense of where I am and what I need to work on. Until then, I have a couple more hard workouts in the gym and some 800-meter repeats planned with a rest day on Sunday so I can recover and get ready for the long run.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Weather Report – Sue
Thank goodness for the milder temperatures this past week. I planned for a 16 miler last Monday and was lucky to have two friends run with me as a “tag team” - one running 10 miles and then met with the other for another six back up Comm. Ave! I took a couple days off, and started to deal with a bit of chest congestion, which is now clearing up. I was also glad to have gotten that one out of the way - and on a Monday when I didn't have to take 2 1/2 hours from family time.
This past Sunday I thought I should bump up to 18, according to a plan from Runner's World, but some of my running friends were going to do 12, so I thought that would be enough. It was mild, but windy! I am hoping the weekend looks good, since I think I will aim for at least 16 to 18. I really find myself focusing on the weather report even more than before!
This past Sunday I thought I should bump up to 18, according to a plan from Runner's World, but some of my running friends were going to do 12, so I thought that would be enough. It was mild, but windy! I am hoping the weekend looks good, since I think I will aim for at least 16 to 18. I really find myself focusing on the weather report even more than before!
Monday, February 9, 2009
An Up and Down Week - Cody
This has been an up and down week for my training. For the past few weeks I haven't been good about keeping to my plan. I was on vacation for a week in January (does skiing count as training), and the week after I got back I had some foot pain that has kept me from running or working out for about a week. I'm not quite sure why it came or what it was caused by, but it was bad enough to worry me. At the start of last week I decided I would test it and get back in the gym. Last week it didn't bother me much and I was able to get back on track. Last Saturday I ran 12 miles in one hour and 50 minutes and felt great. I ended faster than I started and my foot never hurt during or after my run. I've never run that far before and this was a benchmark workout for me. I'd previously decided if it went well I'd continue on this strengthening and minimal mileage program and if it didn’t, I would convert to a more traditional high-mileage program. Needless to say I was very encouraged after having a few weeks of minimal training and I'm continuing on with the minimal mileage program. So that was great, but this week has not been so good. Outside projects have kind of taken over my life and I haven't made it to the gym all week. Plus I'm traveling to Colorado for the lab component of a course I am taking, so I won't be able to do much training wise this weekend either. I'll get done what I can and then buckle down next week, get back in the gym and hit the road.
Monday, January 26, 2009
It's Fate - Sue
I am really excited about the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon. I live in Auburndale and have watched the race at mile 17 for years always with the thought in the back of my head of one day running it. I also use Commonwealth Ave., or Heartbreak Hill, as part of my regular running route.
When I saw the poster in the Hospital, I thought I would let fate take over, and sure enough I got picked! Now comes the anxiety about training properly while trying to remain injury free. I have been running for a number of years. While I have not run a marathon before (making the chance to run Boston as a first more unbelievable), I did run a half marathon (Boston’s Run to Remember) in May 2007. I also am part of a running “team” that has run the Reach the Beach Relay the last four years. It is a 200-mile run in NH from Cannon Mountain to Portsmouth Beach with each runner running three legs of the race with varying lengths. If it weren't for this team, I wouldn't have pushed myself in my running to even consider taking on the challenge of the marathon. I have run the Tufts 10K for several years each October as well.
As for my training, I am following an outline from Runner's World and have looked at plans online by Hal Higdon. So far I have done three 10 milers, and a 12-mile run, but the weather has not made it easy!! One of the 10-mile runs was on a treadmill - ugh! I am hoping to do at least a 12 or maybe 14-mile run this weekend. It will get harder to take the time from my family on weekends for longer runs. My kids are 12 and 10 and they, along with my husband, are supportive!
When I saw the poster in the Hospital, I thought I would let fate take over, and sure enough I got picked! Now comes the anxiety about training properly while trying to remain injury free. I have been running for a number of years. While I have not run a marathon before (making the chance to run Boston as a first more unbelievable), I did run a half marathon (Boston’s Run to Remember) in May 2007. I also am part of a running “team” that has run the Reach the Beach Relay the last four years. It is a 200-mile run in NH from Cannon Mountain to Portsmouth Beach with each runner running three legs of the race with varying lengths. If it weren't for this team, I wouldn't have pushed myself in my running to even consider taking on the challenge of the marathon. I have run the Tufts 10K for several years each October as well.
As for my training, I am following an outline from Runner's World and have looked at plans online by Hal Higdon. So far I have done three 10 milers, and a 12-mile run, but the weather has not made it easy!! One of the 10-mile runs was on a treadmill - ugh! I am hoping to do at least a 12 or maybe 14-mile run this weekend. It will get harder to take the time from my family on weekends for longer runs. My kids are 12 and 10 and they, along with my husband, are supportive!
An Unconventional Approach - Cody
I have never been someone who runs just for the sake of running, I have generally done it in order to get in shape for some other sport, probably since high school. I've kept it up somewhat since I don't participate in organized sports anymore, but I've never done it all that consistently. The furthest I had run since beginning my training was seven miles. So I suppose I really started an organized running program in November when I learned I would be running the Marathon.
As a physical therapist, I have worked with many people who have run marathons and the idea of doing it at least once in my life has been something I've been thinking about for a while. I guess I want to prove to myself that I can do it. When I was in physical therapy school, I worked at Marathon Sports (the shoe store), and there was always lots of talk about training for and finishing marathons, especially Boston. I've worked with many people who have been training for a marathon, but have been interrupted by injury. I also volunteered at last year’s Boston, working with the wheelchair athletes and I worked at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital Post-Marathon Injury Clinic. Despite being around it so much, I hadn't experienced it myself. Now I have that opportunity.
I am taking a slightly less conventional approach to marathon training. Most programs prescribe variable lengths of long, slow distances as the primary form of training. My experience as a PT working with people who are training for marathons along with my time at the shoe store tells me this is not the approach for me. I've seen far too many people with training-related injuries that are made worse on race day. I've had ex-professional runners tell me that conventional programs have a lot of “junk miles.” I also think that I would go crazy if my only training was running, so I'm taking a different approach. Whether this is smart or not, I'm not sure yet, but we'll see. The program consists of five days per week of workouts I'm taking from a website (www.crossfit.com) consisting of high-intensity, often circuit training using body weight, dumbbells, barbells, and Olympic lifts, combined with running. One to two of these days will be supplemented with an additional workout of short-distance interval running. Additionally, I will have one medium distance run per week (six to 10 miles) at my fastest possible pace. Long, slow runs will be every two to four weeks with distances approaching 20 miles. So, that's the plan at this point, but if I feel that my long distance runs are not progressing as I'd like, I'll switch to a more conventional program. So far it’s working though, because after three weeks of a less involved version of this program, I ran eight miles (the furthest I'd ever run) easily.
To get in two workouts a day, two days per week, I have to wake up earlier to get the first one in. That means up at 4:30 am for me. I will also have to switch to driving to work rather than taking the T because the T does not run early enough. Training has also made me become much more efficient with my time (which really means I watch less TV) because I have quite a few other things swirling around my life and I need to make sure I have time for everything while still enjoying the journey!
As a physical therapist, I have worked with many people who have run marathons and the idea of doing it at least once in my life has been something I've been thinking about for a while. I guess I want to prove to myself that I can do it. When I was in physical therapy school, I worked at Marathon Sports (the shoe store), and there was always lots of talk about training for and finishing marathons, especially Boston. I've worked with many people who have been training for a marathon, but have been interrupted by injury. I also volunteered at last year’s Boston, working with the wheelchair athletes and I worked at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital Post-Marathon Injury Clinic. Despite being around it so much, I hadn't experienced it myself. Now I have that opportunity.
I am taking a slightly less conventional approach to marathon training. Most programs prescribe variable lengths of long, slow distances as the primary form of training. My experience as a PT working with people who are training for marathons along with my time at the shoe store tells me this is not the approach for me. I've seen far too many people with training-related injuries that are made worse on race day. I've had ex-professional runners tell me that conventional programs have a lot of “junk miles.” I also think that I would go crazy if my only training was running, so I'm taking a different approach. Whether this is smart or not, I'm not sure yet, but we'll see. The program consists of five days per week of workouts I'm taking from a website (www.crossfit.com) consisting of high-intensity, often circuit training using body weight, dumbbells, barbells, and Olympic lifts, combined with running. One to two of these days will be supplemented with an additional workout of short-distance interval running. Additionally, I will have one medium distance run per week (six to 10 miles) at my fastest possible pace. Long, slow runs will be every two to four weeks with distances approaching 20 miles. So, that's the plan at this point, but if I feel that my long distance runs are not progressing as I'd like, I'll switch to a more conventional program. So far it’s working though, because after three weeks of a less involved version of this program, I ran eight miles (the furthest I'd ever run) easily.
To get in two workouts a day, two days per week, I have to wake up earlier to get the first one in. That means up at 4:30 am for me. I will also have to switch to driving to work rather than taking the T because the T does not run early enough. Training has also made me become much more efficient with my time (which really means I watch less TV) because I have quite a few other things swirling around my life and I need to make sure I have time for everything while still enjoying the journey!
My 32nd Marathon - Steve
I started running over thirty years ago with short three to five mile runs. I lived up in New Hampshire at the time and a friend of ours had a husband that ran marathons and that inspired both my wife and I to start running, but never a marathon. I moved to Massachusetts to study anesthesia at Carney Hospital. We lived on the Boston Marathon course in Natick. One April in 1982 we went out shopping and tried to return to our apartment and found throngs of people blocking our way to our apartment. I asked, “What is going on?” It's “The Boston Marathon”. So I decided that I should try that. The following year, after I graduated from my anesthesia program, I planned to run my first Boston, at the back of the pack.
This will be my 32nd marathon and my 21st Boston. I ran Baystate, Maine, Vermont City, Cape Cod, San Diego, Marine Corp, New York City, Hartford, Chicago and Ocean State. The Boston Marathon is the best marathon and this may very well be my last.My plans for training are to run as often as my schedule will allow and make sure that I get my long runs in. Fortunately my family life makes my training easier now. Our children are grown and out of the house and that allows me to run after work. My concern about running the 08 Boston Marathon is the weather. We have had a lot of snow and this makes it difficult to get the long runs in. The roads are getting narrow and evening running can be dangerous. The running surface is not too bad just the room to run.
This will be my 32nd marathon and my 21st Boston. I ran Baystate, Maine, Vermont City, Cape Cod, San Diego, Marine Corp, New York City, Hartford, Chicago and Ocean State. The Boston Marathon is the best marathon and this may very well be my last.My plans for training are to run as often as my schedule will allow and make sure that I get my long runs in. Fortunately my family life makes my training easier now. Our children are grown and out of the house and that allows me to run after work. My concern about running the 08 Boston Marathon is the weather. We have had a lot of snow and this makes it difficult to get the long runs in. The roads are getting narrow and evening running can be dangerous. The running surface is not too bad just the room to run.
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