What did you do?

[Sumrdog]

I had an awful, painfully long day at work. No one ever came to give me a lunch break And I couldn't just abandon my patients, so I was super cranky at the end of my shift...Anyway I wanted to run this afternoon. I was able to squeeze in 2.25 miles while my daughter was at tap class. I had a pretty stiff headwind for half of it so I feel like I worked harder than normal, at least I had that going for me...I felt like a total slug before I went and I badly wanted to sit in front of the TV and eat pie...I am glad I successfully fought that urge.

After working the last 10 days, I finally have four days in a row off beginning tomorrow ! I am hoping to squeeze in a longer trail run this weekend, maybe up and down our local ski mountain. If all the snow is melted; it's ensconced in clouds at the moment so I can't see the top, but two days ago, there was still snow at the summit...That should be a stout little jaunt 3200 feet of elevation gain in 5.5 miles.

I just realized that I have the added benefit of "high altitude" training since I live at 3100 feet...Well I don't know is that considered high altitude?

 

[Texas84]

I know its early but how are you liking the Higdon plan? I am thinking about trying one of his plans out but I love my rest days and feel the short runs back to back just don't do it for me training wise, injury wise, or just mentally.

I was dreading it, just because I have to get up early, but I think it's going to be better because it forces me into a more consistent sleep routine. Day 2 my calves were saying "What are you DOING?!?" but day 3 was not bad. We'll see as the longer runs start in a few weeks. My mental state is pretty good because I'm really starting to get pumped for Dumbo. Again, we'll see.

Lost 15 lbs during the 500, gained back just a few.

That's a little scary. I dropped 10 after my first marathon and it all came back the next week. I'm guessing you don't have the body fat to spare that I have.

 

[Texas84]

I had an awful, painfully long day at work. No one ever came to give me a lunch break And I couldn't just abandon my patients, so I was super cranky at the end of my shift...

Sounds like my sister, the nurse.

 

[Donald Duck]

I was dreading it, just because I have to get up early, but I think it's going to be better because it forces me into a more consistent sleep routine. Day 2 my calves were saying "What are you DOING?!?" but day 3 was not bad. We'll see as the longer runs start in a few weeks. My mental state is pretty good because I'm really starting to get pumped for Dumbo. Again, we'll see.



That's a little scary. I dropped 10 after my first marathon and it all came back the next week. I'm guessing you don't have the body fat to spare that I have.

135lbs. Around 120 after the race. Probably about 125 now.

 

[Sumrdog]

Sounds like my sister, the nurse.

I think its a pretty universal nurse issue...

 

[Kristia]

I just realized that I have the added benefit of "high altitude" training since I live at 3100 feet...Well I don't know is that considered high altitude?

Definitely high altitude for us Jersey folks. My run are typically 40 ft above SL! I have a 5k this weekend in central PA. Going to visit some family out there. Last time I ran this it was a bit tough due to the hills and higher altitude but it is still a good time.

 

[LindsayLoves]

Are you training for a marathon? Check out his Marathon 3 program. I am trying that one this time around. It is supposed to be between the novice and the intermediate and is geared more for people who can't run a lot during the week (due to time or trying to avoid injury)
Monday - rest
Tues - run
Wed - cross-train
Thurs - tempo or pace run
Fri - rest
Sat - long run
Sun - cross-train

So far it is working well for me. I have had to switch a couple of the days around but overall, so far so good. It is still a little early to tell.

Yes, I just haven't decided which marathon to train for just yet I have two in mind in October that are a week apart so I figured I should start getting into an 18 week plan sometime soon. I like the marathon 3 a lot more than the other plans, in the past two months all of my weekday runs have been five miles or more because if I am going to take the time to get my gear on and head out I want to make the most of it, and on my other days I am able to plan and make dinners and lunches for my running days.

I was dreading it, just because I have to get up early, but I think it's going to be better because it forces me into a more consistent sleep routine. Day 2 my calves were saying "What are you DOING?!?" but day 3 was not bad. We'll see as the longer runs start in a few weeks. My mental state is pretty good because I'm really starting to get pumped for Dumbo. Again, we'll see.

The consistent sleep routine is a bonus of this plan for sure if you run before work. I am an after work running kind of gal as I would have to drag myself out of bed at 4am at the latest in order to get in a run and shower before work. But that may be something I have to commit myself to in order to break the elusive 4hr marathon mark.

I just realized that I have the added benefit of "high altitude" training since I live at 3100 feet...Well I don't know is that considered high altitude?

Definitely! If I went for a run in Denver I am fairly certain my lungs would explode. I felt like a fish gasping for air at 1200 ft after running a very steep hill near my hotel, the flat parts were pretty ok but man I will have nightmares about that hill.

 

[joel_maxwell]

That's my boy...Frankensteining

Im learning from the best. Notice too, I said "the Salomon vest".... not "my Salomon vest"

 

[joel_maxwell]

Swimming this morning. A little hung over from last week on the "training" mode of swimming since my goal was sort of reached. So, I didnt even count laps, just had a 40 minute swim and enjoyed it.

Depending on what the doctor says today on my ankle, long run tomorrow. (going to get some good heavy anti inflammatories to aid in this healing. The swelling wont go completely gone and remains a little sore)

 

[Donald Duck]

Im learning from the best. Notice too, I said "the Salomon vest".... not "my Salomon vest"

It's on permanent loan

 

[Ariel484]

3-mile tempo run this morning (overall average pace was 9:40ish). 11 miles on the schedule for tomorrow!

Have a good weekend everyone!

 

[Mr mom]

I'm not overly thrilled with my run week this week but at least it was a full week of running.. 11.2, 11.2, 8.7, 7.1 and 8.1.

 

[Banzai]

[quote="I just realized that I have the added benefit of "high altitude" training since I live at 3100 feet...Well I don't know is that considered high altitude?[/quote]

I just started a job at a way higher altitude. I'll be spending weeks at a time at 8300 ft. This morning, I had to stop after two flights of steps. I'll be very interested to see how the training works out in a few days. For now, I'll be acclimating and walking

 

[Sumrdog]

Now I am wondering if 3100 feet really makes a difference. I honestly don't notice any difference when I am hiking up above 8-10,000 feet vs running at sea level. People who come visit tell me that they are affected by the altitude here. I just don't notice it and I was raised in NH at a pretty low elevation maybe 800 feet above sea level. Now I am all curious and I am going to do some research on this subject.

@Banzai I think you notice a difference because you are possibly coming from a much lower elevation, whereas I am pretty acclimated...I have a feeling you will get used to it. But that's pretty high up, I hope its not too windy!

 

[Banzai]

I think you are right on. I'm sure the acclimation makes a giant difference for you. I suspect the biggest issue is relative change. I should be OK in a few days.
Like you, also, alluded to, this will be a big help when it comes time for a race.

 

[Sumrdog]

Some of you smart folks may know all this already, but for those of you that don't; hear is what I found out. I am paraphrasing here.

The relative percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere as you increase your altitude, feels like it decreases because of the decrease in air pressure. But the actual percent of oxygen in the atmosphere (21%) doesn't change, it just becomes less available to permeate the capillaries in our lung tissue due to the rising altitude and decreased air pressure. I found this cool calculator tool
http://www.altitude.org/air_pressure.php

So at 1000 feet we would have 97% of available oxygen
3000ft, 90% (me)
5000ft,84%
8000ft 76% @Banzai (yikes)
10,000, 70%
17,000, 54% Everest base camp!
29,029 33% Summit of Everest

Sorry for the topic drift but I thought this was interesting.

ETA: I also read that if you are a person who lives at sea level even the difference of 1000 feet can feel significant, whereas someone who has acclimated may do better as they gain elevation. This has to do with an increased growth of capillaries, and an elevated hematocrit, which are things that take time to happen.

 

[Banzai]

Some of you smart folks may know all this already, but for those of you that don't; hear is what I found out; I am paraphrasing here.

The relative percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere as you increase your altitude, feels like it decreases because of the decrease in air pressure. But the actual percent of oxygen in the atmosphere (21%) doesn't change, it just becomes less available to permeate the capillaries in our lung tissue due to the rising altitude and decreased air pressure. I found this cool calculator tool
http://www.altitude.org/air_pressure.php

So at 1000 feet we would have 97% of available oxygen
3000ft, 90% (me)
5000ft,84%
8000ft 76% @Banzai (yikes)
10,000, 70%
17,000, 54% Everest base camp!
29,029 33% Summit of Everest
.

Very cool to see numbers. Thanks for finding that. I had a Dr once tell me that the acclimation process is about building more red corpuscles but that reverses course right after returning to a lower elevation. he didn't know, but guessed, that you would get benefit for at least 2 weeks. I had a troop who worked for me improve her 1.5 mile run time by 2 full minutes by running back home near sea level instead of up here in the mountains.

 

[Sumrdog]

Very cool to see numbers. Thanks for finding that. I had a Dr once tell me that the acclimation process is about building more red corpuscles but that reverses course right after returning to a lower elevation. he didn't know, but guessed, that you would get benefit for at least 2 weeks. I had a troop who worked for me improve her 1.5 mile run time by 2 full minutes by running back home near sea level instead of up here in the mountains.

I read two thoughts on the high altitude training, one was to live at high altitude but train at low altitude to improve endurance, and another was to do both at high altitude. Neither method could be proved as better than the other. So the take away would be that living at high altitude was the key to improvements. Personally I just really like the view and that's why I live in the mountains

 

[LindsayLoves]

@Sumrdog - I guess I will hold off any plans for me to climb Mt McKinley in the future seeing how poorly I reacted to running up that hill at 1200 ft.

 

[Ariel484]

Doesn't the Nike Team in Oregon (Kara Goucher, Shalane Flanagan, etc.) live in a simulated high altitude environment? I think I read that somewhere...at any rate I am apparently living at about 580 ft above sea level (98% oxygen available per the calculator from @Sumrdog) so yeah...I'd pretty much die if I tried to run in Denver or Alaska.