Not So Sure About the Camelbak …

Hmm, I don’t know if the fanny pack thing is going to work. My back is really stiff (it’s been about 27 hours since I finished yesterday’s 12-miler with the Camelback).

I may try using a GoLite HydroSprint instead. I know of GoLite because of backpacking, and I found an short write-up on the Hydrosprint in Women’s Running magazine.

This is from the GoLite Web site:

“Our No Bounce™ bottle packs will rock your world, not your hips. Featuring the No Bounce™ load control system and women’s-specific ergonomic design that wraps the hips, the HydroSprint is ideal for training or long trail runs. Offers a highly breathable quick-dry air mesh body, stretch mesh pockets, gel flask and includes two, 21 oz Specialized® BPA-free water bottles.”

So, that’ll go on my list of “cool running gear I want to buy.”

My Chafing Story (Men, Beware)

Today I feel inspired to write about chafing. Why? I’ll tell you why.

I want to carry water with me on my long runs, and may actually want to carry my own water in the Flying Pig. I’ve been practicing carrying a fanny pack/Camelbak. Did 12 miles with it yesterday with the weather in the 60s … and wouldn’t you know, I have a big old chafe mark in the small of my back.

Since I’ve been wanting to write about chafing for some time now, I’ll go ahead and bite the bullet.

Chafing is just one of those things. One of those embarrassing little issues that can make a run absolutely miserable if not attended to.

If you want to prevent chafing, you only need to know two words:

Body. Glide.

OK, so maybe it’s one word. BodyGlide.

OK. Just three syllables. All you need to know are those three syllables.

Would you like to hear my chafing story? Male readers, I’ll warn you now. It’s a girl-chafing thing. But if you’ve ever had chafing issues, you’ll appreciate my story.

I was running in my first half-marathon, the Thunder Road in Charlotte. It was December 2006. My sports bras were all old and tired, so I bought a special new sports bra for the occasion of the race. It was a racerback bra from Moving Comfort … a very nice, very comfortable sports bra.

Until, oh, Mile 6 of the half-marathon.

I could feel the chafing. It was near the bottom of my sternum area, where the bottom band of the bra goes across.

I was so high on the experience of running my first half-marathon, however, that I didn’t pay much attention to it. Sure, it hurt. You might even say I was in mild agony by the time I finished the race. But I was running a half-marathon! My first! And I felt great!

When I got back to our friend Leanne’s apartment (where we were staying), I went to change clothes and get a shower … and found a big, bloody mess where that bottom band had rubbed several layers of skin off. It was then that I realized how much pain I was in.

No … it was several minutes later, when I got in the shower, and the water hit said big, bloody mess.

It would have been easy to blame it on the Moving Comfort bra. But I only had myself to blame. Of course, I never dreamed, not once, that I would ever have chafing there. I’ve dealt with thigh-chafing when I was overweight. Once when hiking, I once wore a pair of shorts whose waist band chafed me all across my lower back. But bra chafing? Never heard of it.

On the trail, I’ve always used Gold Bond powder if chafing seems to be a potential problem. I probably would have bought the same for running … but, I learned, there is something even better: BodyGlide.

Now I always, always, always (well, almost always) apply BodyGlide if I’m going to do a run of more than five or six miles. Every now and then I forget, and I regret it every time I do. It doesn’t matter which sports bra I wear; after five or six miles, the chafing’s going to start. So I can’t blame it on Moving Comfort, which actually makes some really good sports bras. (I’ll do a post on sports bras later.)

Here are the parts of the bra (shown in light blue) that tend to chafe on me:

(This picture is from Title Nine Sports–a great fitness-wear resource for women. I highly recommend it. The bra is known as the “Frog Bra,” which is a great bra for three- and four-barbell women.) (See the Title Nine site if you really want to know what a four-barbell woman is.)

I also put it on my feet, particularly my toes. After running more than eight or nine miles, the tips of my toes start to get raw and pre-blistery. With the BodyGlide, I never have that problem. And this stuff never feels stick, and it doesn’t sweat away. Amazing stuff. Miracle stuff.

So that’s my chafing story, and the happy-ending solution.

(You can find BodyGlide at most athletic-equipment stores, outfitters, and running/bike shops. In our little town, I’ve found it at VO2 Sports and Three Eagles Outfitters.)

Running for the Hills

I just love running after work now that DST has kicked in. Last night I took a short jog up Bidwell, turning right on Harrison, and coming back to Main St. After that little warm-up, I ran 1/10 of a mile of Bidwell, which is a gentle uphill, I’d say about a 5% or 6% grade. I started at a jog, then would continually speed up until I got to the 1/10-mile mark. Then I’d walk back down to Main St. And run back up again. And walk back down again. This elevation profile shows the route, ending with the uphills I repeated:

It was chilly out–I’m not sure how cold, but the wind was pretty nippy. I wore shorts and a cotton t-shirt I’d gotten at a road race, along with a windbreaker-type jacket.

After running six uphills in all, I jogged back home, for a total run of somewhere between three and four miles. Not a long run, but I have a super-long run planned for tomorrow (Saturday), plus Wednesday night’s run was a pretty tough one. So I took it easy last night.

I want to start working more hill-specific workouts into my training. I’m already including lots of hills on my long-runs (it’s kind of hard not to, considering where I live), but I’m also going to start devoting Thursday nights to hills. The Flying Pig Half-Marathon has its share of uphills, as you can see here:

It looks like the course gains about 340 feet over three miles … not bad, but it will still be a steady climb. I want to be able to run miles 5 through 8 without feeling fatigued. I think the combination of hilly long runs and hill-specific short workouts will help prepare me for that.

I really love running. I was thinking that last night as I ran. I love the fact that I can step out of my house and start running … and keep going, all over town, for miles and miles and miles–without feeling tired. It’s really a great feeling. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s long run.

Running Update from Nina

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve updated. Here goes.

Last Saturday I ran the longest run of my training so far: 14 miles. The weather was unseasonably (and unexpectedly) warm, so I had to run most of the run with my long-sleeve shirt tied around my waist (don’t worry, I had a sleeveless shirt underneath!). It looked funny because I was also running with a Camelbak to see if it might be a good accessory for the half-marathon. (I carried a bottle of water in my last half-marathon, and I really liked not having to depend on the water stations for hydration … but one’s hands get tired from holding a water bottle for 13.1 miles.)

Here’s a lovely picture of the Camelbak (only mine is a light girly pink):

So, I had a lumbar pack on my butt and a shirt over it. I imagine I looked like I was wearing a bustle. Something like this.

In my bustle Camelbak, I carried water (of course), my keys, some ID, a little bit of money, and a couple of packets of Gu energy gel.

I think I might have had my cell phone as well. I am definitely a natural backpacker. I’m surprised I didn’t bring three pens and a journal along, too.

So I ran about 3.8 miles around town until I got to the Greenway. Here’s the elevation change up to the Greenway:

Once I hit the Greenway from Wayah Street, I ran the length of it. When I hit the 5-mile mark, I downed my first Gu. Basically, I’m seeing how my stomach reacts when I have a Gu mid-run. I’ve taken it 15 or 20 minutes prior to a run, but I don’t have a lot of experience with it while on a run. If it’s going to upset my stomach, I want to know that before the Flying Pig.

I didn’t get an upset stomach, but I did start to get a very painful side cramp (left side) about 8 miles into the run. It lasted a couple of miles, despite my belly-breathing, which is supposed to help.

I had to stop for a bio break when I got to the north section of the Greenway (off Main St.). Magically, the side cramp went away after that. When I got to the 0.0 mile marker, I had another Gu. With about three miles to go, I would see if the Gu had caused my side cramp, or if it was just the need for a bio break.

(Just so you know my terminology … a “pee break” is a minor inconvenience; a “bio break” is slightly more of an inconvenience. Particularly when there is no toilet paper in the Greenway bathroom.)

It was hot. I was wishing I had started the run earlier (I didn’t get started until 11:00 a.m.). The run up the hill on Main Street about killed me, and I had to stop and walk a little bit before I got to the top.

I ran out of water somewhere near the end of my Greenway run, a lot of it having gone to wash down the Gu. So when I got to Main St. Coffee, I ran in, grabbed a bottle of water, and slapped a couple of dollars on the counter.

Kind of neat—I saw Tom and Cole Pantaleo earlier in the run, about 2 miles into it, and then they were at the coffee shop. They were like, “You’re still running?” Yup!)

Amazing how a bottle of cold, fresh water can revive the spirits, as you can see in the following graph:

 

 

(I know. I am such a technical writer.)

 

I felt good when I finished the run and stretched for a good 10 or 15 minutes afterward. I also had a sports drink waiting for me, along with a banana.

The next day, I was hobbling around like an old woman. I was supposed to go hiking with my Hubster, but I decided against it … and now wish I hadn’t. But it’s probably better that I didn’t go. My legs needed to rest.

I was feeling normal again on Monday and ran an easy 3.75-mile run around town after work. Took a rest day Tuesday, then had a hard run yesterday.

 

Yesterday’s run was on the track. I ran:

Mile 1	1 mile warm up
Mile 2	½ mile tempo (about a 9:21 pace) with ½ mile recovery jog
Mile 3	½ mile tempo with ½ mile recovery jog
Mile 4	½ mile tempo with ½ mile recovery jog
Mile 5	½ mile tempo with ½ mile recovery jog
Mile 6	100 meter “sprint” (7:30 pace?) & 100 meter recovery jog
	100 meter “sprint” & 100 meter recovery jog
	100 meter “sprint” & 100 meter recovery jog
	100 meter “sprint” & 100 meter recovery jog
	100 meter “sprint” & 100 meter recovery jog
	100 meter “sprint” & 100 meter recovery jog
	100 meter “sprint” & 100 meter recovery jog
	100 meter “sprint” & 100 meter recovery jog
Mile 7	1 mile cool down

 

According to my Garmin, I went 7.15 miles in 1:06:58, for a 9:22 pace. I felt really good about that. I really enjoy “speed” work.

 

My next run is tonight. I’m going to keep it easy, but I’m also planning to run some long hills. Long, easy hills. Kind of an oxymoron, I guess.

So that’s my running update. I’m feeling good and strong, though I’d still like to drop a few pounds before the Flying Pig. I guess it would help to stop inhaling Girl Scout cookies. I’ll stop soon … we’re almost out, and I’m not planning to buy any more.J

The Results

2:31:13. That’s 1:13 over the time I projected I would finish the Flying Pig. I included walking breaks every four to five miles so just imagine how much faster my time would have been! It’s only March!! That shows me that my current training schedule is working. Yeah!!

I did hydrate yesterday, but I was still dehydrated afterwards and I expected that. I did stretch and walked a mile before getting into my run. It took about five miles before my body started to cooperate and realized that I’m going beyond 5 miles on a weekday.

Around mile 10, I started to hit the wall, but I didn’t give up. I cranked up the running music and keep on trucking. When I reached the final mile on Hardee’s Hill, my left hip felt detached from my body. It was weird. I felt like I could just take off my leg and just start swinging it around. When I reached the Days Inn parking lot, I almost jumped for joy! I walked slowy for a mile and did stretches like I said I would. What amazes me now is that I wasn’t even tired running. My legs on the other hand was a different story. Another thing is that I weighed myself before and after I ran. I went from 164.0 to 160.4! That’s almost 4 pounds!! Today I feel like a 50 year old woman with hot flashes.

I would have to say that I’m proud of myself and I couldn’t have done this run without writing down what I was going to do and receiving all the motivating comments and emails from my friends.  Thank you!

Half-Marathon Practice

Today is the day I plan to run a half marathon to see how far I’ve come. Am I looking forward to it? Well the answer to that would be no. I’ve been on the side lines for a few days because of shin splints and didn’t do my long run on Sunday.

The Game Plan:
1. Hydration – I try not to drink anything while I’m running because it distracts me somehow. So I “plan” to drink lots of water today. We’ll see how well that goes.

2. Proper Stretching – Since I get off from work when the sun is still out, there’s no excuse this time to skip the stretching. I may even walk a mile before I get into the long run.

3. Music – This is a key factor for me. I cannot run without music unless I’m running with someone I can talk to. On long runs, I usually listen to Steve Runner’s “Phedippidations”, but today I’m going to change it up and listen to the comedian Dane Cook.

4. Proper cool down – This is where I epically fail. Once I’m done running, I just want to crash and burn. After running, I’m going to walk for a mile and then do some stretchs for at least 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Food – High carbs and protein is on the menu.

Usually I’m good at sticking to things when they’re written down so I’ll let you know how it goes.

What Happens After?

Nina brought up a good topic during my rambling of chocolate cravings with the connection of running. I don’t think this whole “training for a half marathon” has kicked in yet. I feel like I’m just doing something that I love to do. Nina and I only have two more months of training to go before the big day.  The problem is what am I going to do once the race is over? 

I know I’m thinking two months ahead, but I don’t know how my body and mood swings are going to reaction when I stop running as much. It’s a scary thought. The first thing I thought about doing was running a race once a month, but that could get expensive. My second thought was to continue running that way I am now, but that will probably be difficult to do during the summer. My body will not be use to the hot days since I’ve been training during the winter. However, I think I will enjoy running during the summer because I won’t look like I’m about to rob a 7-11. 

I’m not sure what I’m going to do at this time, but the thought will always be in the back of my mind. I may do another half-marathon during the fall or step it up one more notch and do a marathon, but I’m not pushing that idea until 2010.

So Maybe I’m a Big Whiner

I sent this letter to the fitness center folks today:

Dear Fitness Center,

I work out at the fitness center several times a week. It has been a godsend throughout these cold winter months, when the weather has been too miserable to run outside.

I have tried the new treadmills several times, and I have a few questions and suggestions regarding them:

1) I have my doubts about whether or not they are calibrated correctly. I have two main reasons for this. First, I can easily run six miles at a 10:00 pace average (6 mph on a treadmill). I know this because of my past race times, my experience running on various other treadmills, and my running times as shown on my Garmin Forerunner (GPS). If I try to run 6 mph on one of the new treadmills, however, I have to start walking after only a couple of miles because I’m so exhausted from the run.

Second, I have certain “playlists” on my iPod for different paces. What is 6.7-mph pace on other treadmills is a 6.1-mph pace on the new treadmills. (Specifically, when I tested this out last night, I used the treadmill on the far right.). What is a 6.2-mph pace on other treadmills is a 5.5-mph pace on the new treadmill. I know this is hardly a scientific way to compare things, but I was struck by the big difference in the mph speeds between machines.I have actually decided to start running on the new treadmills only, since they are harder and can give me a better workout. However, it’s a little frustrating wondering what my “real” time/pace/distance is.

Question: Could you see about having these new treadmills calibrated? Or, if you know for a fact that they’re calibrated correctly, can you explain why they’re so much harder? Last night I ran 6 miles averaging a 5.6 mph speed on one of the new treadmills, and I was completely worn out. I averaged 5.5 mph on my 12-mile long run last weekend and felt great the entire time. I’ve been running long enough to know that it wasn’t a matter of my not having enough energy to do the run last night.

2) I really love having the TV screens on the new treadmills; however, I am hard of hearing and need close captioning when I watch TV. Is there any way to get close captioning on the treadmill televisions?

3) The old treadmills always seem to have the “Rewax Belt” message. Will the belts be rewaxed soon?

I know I probably sound like a whiner. I’m really not. It’s just that I am training for a half-marathon and it’s really important to me that I know how fast and far I’m going, since my training schedule calls for specific speeds and intervals.

The fitness center people are pretty nice. I’m sure they’ll respond. I wonder what they’ll say. I’m probably just a big whiner, but I know those new treadmills aren’t right. (Either that, or all the treadmills I’ve used in the past are wrong.)

Chocolate and Running

During my teen years, I always thought I was missing a few important female genes. I could never understand what made my friends excited about shopping for shoes and chocolate. I wasn’t into chocolate, but I would eat some type of candy once in a while. I was more into salty foods like Doritos Spicy Nacho or Cool Ranch.  Now that I’ve gotten older and increased my physical activities, I cannot go a day without chocolate. I guess the chocolate gene finally decided to show itself. However, I’m still not convinced on the shoes.

I still wonder if running is the cause of this new craving. The urgent need for chocolate on a daily basis (and I mean daily) did not hit until I started training for the Flying Pig. At my desk I have my candy weight of M&Ms that I received for my birthday, a coffee cup with candy, and Russell Stover chocolates from V-Day. On top of that I bought 6 boxes of Girl Scout cookies and I bake brownies for my group at least once a week. Please do not let me get my hands on a pack of Oreos. Can we say Chocolate addict?

I’m determined to find out if other runners have the same cravings. It doesn’t have to be chocolate, but maybe it is another craving such as having a glass of wine every night or another type of food. Either way there has to be some type of connection between running and food cravings.

All in the Mind

I was concerned yesterday morning that a 7-mile speedwork run would be beyond my capabilities. At the same time, I was looking forward to the run.

I got to the fitness center at around quarter to seven. I’d planned to go later, but I was so eager to get started and get the run over with. As it turns out, I made a good decision. Usually, the gym is packed between 5:30 and 7:30 and starts to thin out after that. Last night, it was the opposite. The place was deserted when I got there and packed when I left a little after 8:00.

The run went great! I ran the exact pace I’d planned. The 6.8 mph speed felt so good, and I didn’t really get tired until the very end of each fast mile. I’d slow down to 5.6 or 5.8 mph, and by the time it was time to do the one-mile speed run again, I was rested and ready to go.

I feel a little baffled by it all. I ran 7 miles in 1:07:17, which is a 9:36 pace average. Do you know what this means? This means I averaged a 9:36 pace over 7 miles, and I felt great afterwards. If I could average that pace for a half-marathon, I would finish in something like two hours and five minutes!

OK. Calm down, Little Miss Non-Competitive.

I think there are two main reasons I was able to do do this run and not feel beaten down in the end:

Mind Over Matter. I had a very specific plan for my run. It was “locked in,” so to speak. My brain and body knew what they had to do, so they did it. I almost think that if I’d planned to run 2 miles at speed, or each speed mile at a faster pace, I would have been able to do it. (Not that I’m going to try that … injury would be no fun.)

Good Aerobic Conditioning. In one (several) of the Phedippidations episodes, John Ellis talked about the importance of building up your aerobic capacity early in your training by focusing on longer, slower runs. I’ve worked really hard at this. I did very little “fast” running in January and chose to err on the side of going too slow. I feel like I’m starting to reap the rewards of that.

I’ve also stopped being so tired. The shortened hours at work have helped, of course. I’ve also been forcing myself to eat more, particularly proteins. I can tell that I definitely have more energy.

This seven-mile speed run will be one of the toughest runs of my training. I’ll have several long, long runs, but I don’t think of long runs as “tough” because they’re not about speed. I feel really good about the fact that such a tough run was such a pleasure to do. I wish they were all like that!