Kicking Up The Marathon Training (A Bit)

This week I decided to kick up my early marathon training a bit and start running three times a week consistently. On Monday I ran four miles outside; on Tuesday I hit the Stairmaster; yesterday I ran four miles on the treadmill; and this morning I planned to run five miles outside. Unfortunately after getting a bit later of a start than I would have liked I ended up doing my five mile run on the treadmill. It actually worked out fine, as when I stepped outside to head to the gym the temperature was a bit chillier than I expected. When is Spring going to get here already?

One other thing: I bought new running shoes (see above). I have worn the Saucony Omni line for the past several years, but was convinced to try another Saucony model at a running store in Manhattan. Within just a few months that pair was falling apart, which was shocking given the fact I have had previous Sauconys last for years, combined with the fact I spent a pretty penny on them. I think I just plain got hoodwinked. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it--I am sticking with Saucony Omnis from here on out.

A Terrible--I Mean Pretty Good--Run

This morning I decided to run outside before work, as the temperature was in the low 60s and I just got a new arm band for my iPod Nano. Rather than doing my regular four mile, two loop course I opted to extend the loop a bit further and do five miles (my longest outfoor run this year). I set off at a steady but comfortable pace, and when I finished the first loop was somewhat shocked to see a little over 20 minutes had elapsed--implying I was running at 8:00 per mile pace. I was definitely not pushing terribly hard, but did not think I was running that slowly either! My second loop was a few seconds faster than the first, and I ended up finishing my run in just over 40 minutes.

When I got into the office I used Gmaps Pedometer to measure the length of my run and found the loop was 2.7 miles, NOT the 2.5 miles I mistakenly thought. Thus, my run was really nearly five and a half miles, not five, and my pace was 7:25 per mile, not 8:00. So basically I went from thinking this was a disastrous run to a pretty encouraging one. On a related note, using the same program I calculated another recent four mile run was at 7:05 per mile pace, not 7:15. Note to self: always use Gmaps Pedometer before embarking on new running routes...

Things That Make You Go Hmmm...

Yesterday I had an early morning flight that  made it difficult to squeeze in a run at my gym beforehand. Thus, I decided to run outside instead, doing my usual two loop four mile course. As I started the run my legs felt really good, so I decided to push it a bit. The first loop flew by, and as I started the final mile (which is primarily uphill) I gritted my teeth and dug down. I would not say I was going all out balls to the walls, but this was certainly not a leisurely run either.

When I looked at my watch for the first time at the end of the run, I saw I had completed the four miles in just under 29 minutes, or roughly 7:15 per mile pace. Considering the last time I  ran this same route I clocked in at 31 minutes (although with less perceived effort), I have to say I was quite pleased--especially considering the fact I have only been running again for a couple of months. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but this DEFINITELY makes me wonder what I will be capable of when October 27th rolls around...