Running Plan

I need to get back into running. I haven't been running for more than a month, and I'm kind of dreading how much my iliotibial bands are going to hurt when I start up again. 

I'm going to need to ease myself back into it. Start with some one mile runs to remind my body what running is and how to do it. Then get back to my two milers that I like to do on weekdays. And even though I want to jump right up to a 5 mile run on a weekend, I'll stick with stretching the two to three and the three to four first. 

If the weather cooperates, then I'll get started this Thursday. Then I can pick between Saturday and Sunday for another one. I'd have time on Monday as well since that's a day off of work, but I don't want to run two days in a row, and Tuesday is one of my designated run days. 

I probably would have run yesterday, but I had an all morning meeting at work so that did NOT happen. I did do a couple of tabatas, because I had trouble falling asleep on Monday night and I knew I needed some exercise (I hadn't worked out since 1/2 until I did those because of another dang cold).  

Usually, when I go too long without running (or backpacking), my right leg will start aching. It hasn't started doing that yet, and I think that is due to my change to natural footwear. Maybe, eventually, wearing this kind of footwear will reduce or even eliminate the IT band issue altogether. That would be nice! 

Stretching the IT Bands Again

For a lot of October, I wasn't feeling well. I ended up not running for a stretch of a couple weeks. I had been hoping that wearing my natural foot shape shoes and boots would prevent my ilio-tibial bands from tightening up when I had to take a break from running. Alas, that turned out not to be the case. Not yet, anyway. 

I got myself a GoPro camera so that I can start doing more video of my backpacking trips. While I won't be backpacking for several months, I want to start getting to know the camera. So, I had an idea. I'd go for a run, but take a break in the middle and play with the GoPro, and then run home. 

The first mile felt pretty good, but somewhere in the middle of the second mile, my IT bands started to ache. The right one more than the left. I pushed through the pain until I hit three miles. Then I slowed to a walk and started filming things. 

I took several videos, trying out different settings. There's a setting to take pictures, but I probably won't use that much. In the editing app, you can pull pictures from videos so why take a picture when you could take a video instead? I didn't realize that I wouldn't be able to zoom in (or I just haven't figured it out), and it took me a while to realize the camera was flipping orientation automatically. 

Overall, though, it was very easy to use. 

I had planned on walking just one mile, and then running the rest of the way home. When I reached four miles (as tracked by my cellphone running MapMyRun), I started to run again, filming at the same time to see how that turned out. I did not last long. 

My IT bands had tightened up even more while I walked at a slow pace and played with the GoPro. They were not at all willing to run anymore. They barely wanted to walk. I paused rather frequently for stretching while I walked the rest of the way home, which turned out to be closer to two more miles than one more. 

When I got home, I showed the videos to Ambrose, who declared that my recorded voice sounded good. I thought that was kind of funny, but I was glad to hear it. He watches a lot of hiker vlogs on YouTube, and I knew he was assessing my voice as he would a random person's. 

I'm going to put together another YouTube video from that little trip. I think it's good for me to get some practice videos up. I can always start a different channel if I decide to radically change directions. I don't think I'll ever stop writing, but I am enjoying the video process so far. 

Mixing Up The Run

When I was in Chicago for my dad's wedding, I stayed at a hotel. Although I tried to get myself to go and drop in on a CrossFit Box while I was there, I instead maintained my streak of never having attended CrossFit anywhere but Arbor. However, the hotel did have a gym, and I took advantage of that. 

For the most part, the fitness center had fairly standard equipment. There was a cardio area with treadmills and bikes, a weights area with weight machines, mats, benches, and a double set of dumbbells, and in the hallway between the two, a rower, a punching bag and two jump ropes. 

I was disappointed not to see a single place that I could work on my pullups, because I'd been working on them pretty hard and I wanted to keep it up. There was a guy using dumbbells and a bench. I started on the lat pulldown machine. If I couldn't pull up, then I'd pull down. 

But first, a warm up. I went over to the rower. It was a water rower, not the kind I'm used to using, but I'd just get my muscles working. Then I realized that the foot holder for the right foot was broken. I had to actively press up to keep my foot in place. I almost stopped, but I ended up making it work. The rower seat was higher than I'm used to, and I felt a bit precariously perched. But I got in some good meters and then moved on to the weight room.

I worked through several more machines, working both upper and lower body without a real plan. I did some dumbbell work, including biceps curls and triceps extensions. When I wanted to do some abdominal and core work, there was another guy using the area that seemed set aside for mat work. Since no one was using the cardio area, I brought my mat over there to do some hollow holds and straight leg situps. 

That's when I noticed one of the treadmills wasn't like the others. It was something that I'd heard about, and seen on TV, but not gotten a chance to use. A Trueform runner, which is an unpowered treadmill. It only moves when you move. I had to give it a try - after my core work. 

It was strange to walk on at first. I kept my hands on the rails while I got an idea of how the thing moved, and how sensitive it was. I found it a little difficult to get started, but once I began to jog I found the thing going faster under my feet than I was ready for. I grabbed the rails to slow myself, then reset the counter and started running a mile. 

To my utter disbelief, I ran a 9:16 mile. I've been running about 12:30 to 13:30 miles at home in Idaho. The elevation difference alone wasn't sufficient to explain this result, so I figured it was something about the runner. 

I took down one of the jump ropes to give it a go, but the ceiling was too low, even for my height. It was impossible to jump here; I'd need to take it out to the patio, and I decided to call it instead. 

It was a pretty good workout, and at the time I'd really needed a good workout. But the most interesting thing is what happened after I got home. The very next time I ran, I did a 12:10 mile followed by an 11:18 mile. I could hardly believe it. Eight days prior, on what I felt was a pretty good run, I'd done 13:36 and 12:45. 

I've been able to keep up with the faster pace for the most part, though I was ill for a lot of October, so I didn't get as much running done as I'd have preferred. I do know if I ever get a chance to use one of those Trueforms again, I'm doing it. 

Run Rest Run

I recently went more than a week between runs. I didn't have to do that. I could have gotten a run the day before my business trip, or even done a run at my hotel, but I chose to not run. I wanted to see how my legs did. 

The last time I went more than a week without running, my legs started to ache. And getting back into running was painful as I stretched out my tight iliotibial bands. But since I've been wearing those natural shoes, my iliotibial bands are not as tight. And I know now that I can go longer between runs if I need to. 

And instead of the run being an exercise in discipline as I ran through the pain, I was just a bit sore and managed to run my last tenth of a mile at a sub 10-minute mile pace. I haven't recorded myself running that fast in years! 

On my last few runs, I've started to really get into the feeling of Chi Running. It's like I'm running downhill even when I'm running on a flat or a slight incline. As long as I can hold onto the tight core, and swing my legs back, I can get there. It was several years ago when I got to my fastest running pace ever, being able to sustain 9 minute mile pace for 4 miles. I think with the combination of Chi Running and natural, foot-shaped shoes, I might reach that again. 

But it takes patience. I just need to let myself continue to progress a bit at a time. If there's anything I've learned from Ambrose about fitness, it's that it's never too late to start - or too early. 

7 Miles

Not last weekend, but the weekend before, I ran 7 miles. It was not an easy 7 miles, but I was tired of starting over again with 5 miles. I just wanted to push myself and try for it. 

Because I wasn't entirely sure that I'd be able to do all 7 miles, I planned a route that would keep me close to home. A series of laps, really. Now, doing laps has its own challenge. The fact that I can bail makes it easier to give into the temptation to actually do it. So I would be working on my mental muscles as well as getting in some endurance training. 

My plan was to start with the nearly 2 mile lap that I've mapped out. First in one direction, and then the reverse. After those 4 miles were complete, I'd switch over to a 1 mile loop and do that once in each direction. Finally, I'd do the half mile loop once in each direction for a grand total of 7 miles. 

I figured doing the longer laps first would help keep me going, because I'd be over halfway done when I finished those two. I was partly right. The problem was that those laps took so long it was a bit demoralizing. I was not running at a very fast pace, even for me. But my body felt good and my mind was strong, so I made it to the 1 mile loops. 

Those went much faster, but I was also more tired. I was very, very tempted to stop after the 1 mile loops. That would be 6 miles, and that's still a good run, right? Especially when I only started running around 3:30 in the afternoon, because I wanted to wait until after my family Zoom meeting. Last time I ran before one of those, I ended up not rehydrating well, so I figured after would be better. I'm actually looking forward to the summer heat when I can run super early in the morning and get it done. 

I didn't actually complete my 2nd half mile loop. I only ran until my app told me I'd hit 7 miles, and then I walked the remaining quarter mile or so home. I went for 7 miles, but I wasn't going to go any farther, not on this day. Though my body wasn't feeling too bad overall. 

Last weekend I was ill, so I didn't get any running in, but this Saturday I'm going for a hike. About 10 miles, and 3200 feet of gain, an out and back to Mount Heinen. And maybe, just maybe, I'll try for another 7 on Sunday. 

Training

On Sunday when I was running, I was not in the mood to be running. I didn't want to do it at all, but I got myself out the door with stubbornness and I kept myself going with dogged willpower. I was absolutely determined to run 6 miles, even though I was feeling a bit under the weather and I had this nasty lump in my throat that tasted kind of yucky. Pretty much, I was sick and not willing to admit it. 

At one point when I was running, it was as if the world had narrowed to the sidewalk in front of me. My eyes were heavy lidded and I wasn't hearing much of the world around me. It's lucky I didn't run into anyone or anything. 

I was trying to slow my heart rate, because I can feel it pounding in my ears, TUMP TUMP TUMP and I want it to stop hurting my ears so much. So I focused on slowing my pace and breathing and letting my heart slow down. But it just keeps coming back TUMP TUMP TUMP and I just keep pushing myself, wondering if I'm doing the right thing, but determined not to stop. 

Then I felt a sting of pain, like a frisson of electricity in my chest, near my heart, and though the stinging sensation lingered, what took more of my attention was the feeling of coming up from underwater, or waking up from a light sleep. The world around me came into focus, the whole thing, not just what was in front of me. I was hearing better, and the pounding of my heart was no longer painful in my ears. 

I don't know what the heck happened, but it was quite an interesting phase shift. Maybe the pain did it. Like stubbing one's toe on the way to or from the bathroom at night. From half asleep to wide awake in a split second. 

The feeling faded a bit, but helped get me through that last mile of running, after which I sat down on some grass near the sidewalk to eat and try and catch my breath. My legs were rubbery and didn't want to move anymore, and I couldn't blame them. But I wasn't really training my running that day. I was training my willpower. Training my ability to keep going even when my body didn't really want to. Because that's the reserve I need when I'm out in the wilderness, two days from a road in any direction. To doggedly push on, because my body can do more than my mind thinks. 

Getting Back

Well, I've run into yet another roadblock, but at least I'm running again. I mean, I ran on Sunday, even if it was just for a couple of miles. And I tried to run yesterday, but my heel started hurting badly after about two blocks, so I limped home and tried to figure out where the pain was coming from. Prodigious self massage revealed some sore and tight spots on my calf. When I rubbed those out, the heel pain faded, and I was able to do CrossFit this morning. 

I also did CrossFit yesterday; I'm unsure if that contributed to the calf tightness, but I'm going to skip CrossFit tomorrow morning in the hopes that I will have more energy and be able to run without that heel pain cropping up again. I'll try for a couple miles during lunch and see how that goes. 

Also, I want to make sure I'm in decently rested shape on Friday for the last workout of the Open. I've missed doing the first two workouts, and that sucks, but there really wasn't any way around it for me this year. I have to accept and forgive, because resenting it would just be spending energy on something I can't change. 

I want to put my energy towards keeping up with my weight loss, and getting back into my regular CrossFit and running routine. 

Not a Streak

Well, I didn't make ten miles last week. I only ran once, and it was 3 miles. I just keep catching colds! And with it being so cold outside, I don't want to make myself worse, so I've mostly been resting. I was all ready to start this week out right by doing my long run on Sunday, but I got a mild case of food poisoning and so that ended up not happening. 

I do, however, have a chance of making my ten miles this week and starting up a new streak. I ran 3 miles on Tuesday, when I would typically run more like 2.1. If I can manage a similar distance on Thursday, then I only need to run 4 miles on Saturday to finish up this week. Then I can do 5 or 6 miles on Sunday and start next week off right. 

My form seems to be improving. On Saturday, I managed to run about a quarter mile at a sub 11 minute mile pace. It's been a long time since I've run an 11 minute mile, but I think I'm going to get back there. Maybe even a 10 minute mile; we'll see. 

I just need to remember what I'm doing this for, and focus on that future where I can easily hike 20 miles in a day. I've been there before, so it stands to reason that I can get that energy and ability back. I just need to work at it, an be patient. 

Some Success

Well, I did indeed get my ten miles in last week, by the skin of my teeth. I had an eye appointment on Thursday, and while I could have tried to get my run in after, I decided against it since my eyes had been dilated. And I was trying out new contact lenses. 

But I did finish up last week's running with a 2.35 mile run on Saturday, which gave me my first 10 mile week of the year. Unfortunately, the next day I didn't feel so well, so I didn't set myself up for success for a second week of 10 miles. And then, on Tuesday, I felt even worse, so no 10 miles this week. 

I know I can do it when I stay healthy, even when the temperature is cold enough to discourage me from going outside at all. Now I just need to stay healthy for more than a week or so at a time and I'll be set. Though I'm not positive that I'm going to get enough miles to get to a full 10 mile run before backpacking season. That's okay. I'm good with running 5, and that means I can backpack 10. Running 10 should give me enough endurance to last through the rough trails that I'm going to be hiking this summer. But even running 7 or 8 will also help with that, since I don't plan on doing days longer than 10 miles. 

Plan being the operative word there. 

So this week is lost to recovery, but there's next week. If I bounce back quick, I should be able to get a short run in tomorrow and then start next week right on Sunday with a nice long run. I think I could still aim for 6 or so miles on that one, having only lost one week this time. 

Getting Back to 10 Miles

Well, I fell off my running goal for a few weeks there, but I'm in a position to get back to 10 miles run this week. The biggest factor in getting the 10 miles is getting a long run done on Sunday, and this past Sunday I did a nice long run of 5.3 miles. 

The weather was quite cold, but I tried out my new brushtail possum socks, and they kept my feet quite warm. I also wore gloves, but they kind of backfired. The gloves made my hands sweat, which made them extra cold and I couldn't get them to warm up until I took the gloves off and just used the sleeves of my shirt and jacket to protect them. 

It would have been a nicer run if the sun had been out, but at least the wind wasn't too awful that day. My Tuesday run had sun, but the wind was blowing quite fiercely. And I didn't wear the possum socks, so my feet were a little colder. But I can handle cold feet for shorter runs, and this one was only 2.35 miles. I didn't want to run at all on Tuesday, I felt more like taking a nap, but I got myself out the door. I kind of had to make myself do it, but I did it. 

Now I just need to do at least 2.35 on Thursday and I'll hit my 10 miles for the week. I believe I've got that in me, especially because we shouldn't be seeing any precipitation this week. Running in the kind of cold we get here in Boise is hard, but not impossible. When I run in the cold, I'm talking 20's and 30's. I'd have to bundle up more for temps lower than that, but it generally doesn't get that cold here. 

And then start all over again on Sunday, when I'll try to run 6 or so miles. Might need more insulation for that run, since it's long and slow. 

Getting Back to Fitness

The cold finally left me alone! I'm so happy to be getting back into running and CrossFit. It felt like I would never be well again there for a bit. I'm used to a three to four day cold, not a ten to fourteen day one. 

On Sunday, I planned for a 3 mile run. A short version of my long run. I figured it would warm up my iliotibial bands and let me know if my breathing was good enough to go to CrossFit on Monday. The weather was cold, but I dressed for it. I borrowed a warm shirt from my husband, which I wore over a tight tank top, and under a windbreaker. I put plastic bags over my socks to help keep them warm in my mesh shoes. 

The run started out well enough. I was slow, but comfortable. Breathing felt good. There wasn't too much ice on the sidewalks. In fact, most of the sidewalks were well cleared. Only a few sections had been neglected enough to ice over, and at those points I would move over to the street (assuming the street was better) or slow down. The last thing I wanted was a fall. 

But as I ran along, I started to feel a rumbling in my gut. It was right around mile 2. I thought that it was just some cramping at first, but my body soon made it known that I needed to use the bathroom. Rather urgently, in fact. And I was still at least half a mile from home by the most direct route. I made it home before I had an accident, but that run definitely worked something loose in me. 

On Monday, I went to CrossFit for the first time in nearly two weeks. It was hard, but good. I got excited on Sunday night when the workout appeared to include my favorite weightlifting movement (the snatch), but it was a mis-post, and the actual workout was overhead or front squats. That was probably for the best, because snatches were back on for Wednesday, and it would be better for me to do snatches after having a couple days back under my weight belt. 

Tuesday was a lot of movement. Tons of burpees. Okay, I got through 80 burpees, but it felt like tons. And I did a short run during the lunch hour. The original plan was just a mile, but I felt good enough on the run to add another half mile or so and get my total run time up to 20 minutes. 

I won't be hitting my 10 miles of running this week, but I am on track to get back on that for next week. And I might only do 4 CrossFit classes this week, just because I am still getting back to it, which means I'm pretty tired from all the extra work I've added to my week. 

I'm happy to be getting back in my routine.

Steady and Slow

I did go ahead and reduce my distance for my last long run. It was "only" 6.88 miles instead of 7.31, so that's, technically, a reduction. The wind was reversed again though so I ended up running against it on the way home. I really do need to figure out a route in the other direction for those days. 

I wasn't in nearly as much pain after this run as I was after last weeks, though there are some lingering ankle and foot aches that I need to tend to. And, really, it's when I'm done running that I realize just how cold and sore I've made myself. Especially cold, this time of year. 

Although, I did do something interesting. I've been practicing Chi Running. One of the principles thereof is that one uses Chi to direct the running. The energy flows from, kind of, the spine and the impetus for all the motion should come through there. Well, despite my layers of clothing, I was getting cold around mile 5, running into the wind. So I thought about using my Chi to send waves of heat from my spine to the rest of my body, but especially to my hands and feet. 

A few minutes later, holding that thought and trying to actively accomplish that feat, I realized my hands were like little balls of warmth inside my shirt sleeves. It felt like I was holding invisible hand warmers. 

Now, when I got home, I realized that I was still very cold. My legs, especially, were radiating cold when I got home. But while I was running and moving and holding the idea of my Chi spreading heat through my body, I felt warm in spite of the wind. 

And that led me to consider that if I can warm myself with my thoughts, what else can they do? What can my subconscious do to my body if I let it? 

Running Against the Wind

I meant to run about 7 miles last Sunday. I thought I'd be at just 7 miles or a smidge over or under. I ended up at 7.31 miles. Sure, that's not a whole lot over 7 miles, but my legs, feet and ankles all felt like it was a whole lot more running than the prior week's 6.5 miles. I might be pulling back a bit for my next long, slow, distance run. 

The nice thing about that run though was that even though it was windy, it was windy in the right direction. The week before, the distance I ran away from home was with the wind. I felt like I was going so fast, and I wondered why my husband thought it was so cold when he ran that day. But the moment I turned back towards home, the wind was in my face, chilling me to the bone and doing its best to turn me back from my goal. Sunday's run was the opposite. I ran into the wind on my way out and got the wind at my back most of the way home (the last stretch was in a cross-wind). 

I'd much rather run out into the wind and have it at my back for the way home. Though I discovered that the route I took put nearly 4 miles on the way out, leaving 3.3 for the way back. I should have run the reverse route to really benefit from the wind direction. 

My right ankle is feeling a bit wonky after that run, but I'm taking care of it. And, due to snow, I only ran a mile or so yesterday. But also to give the ankle a bit of a break. I'm glad I know I can run 7.31 miles at a stretch, but I definitely need to spend some time in the 6.75 to 7.25 range to get used to that longer distance before bumping up again. 

I'm currently working on a route that has four pinch points that I can use to extend it from a loop to a figure 8, and then keep splitting the circles. After that I'm going to need to organize a new route. And I'm  considering trying to figure out a route going in the opposite direction so I can choose to always run into the wind as I move away from home and with the wind as I head back. 

I'm liking getting back into running; even when it kind of sucks, I know I'm banking this activity so I can do the backpacking trips I have planned for the summer without putting too much stress on my body. And the more I run, the easier it gets. Go figure :)

Steady Going and the Boot Hunt Begins

I've completed 4 weeks of running 3 times a week for a total distance of at least 10 miles. My long runs are up to 6.5 miles, and if the weather is good this Sunday (relatively good), then I'll try to get to 7. If I'm going to build up to 10 miles at a time by spring, then I need to push my distance gradually and over time. I know that if the weather is truly bad I'll be cutting back to 5 or even 4 miles for the long run, even if that means having to run longer on my weekday runs. 

CrossFit hasn't been quite as consistent, since I was out of town and then they were closed for Thanksgiving. But I got 5 classes in last week and I'm on track to hit 5 again this week. I'm hoping to make Commitment Crew in December, which means getting to at least 20 classes. Lucky for me, the holiday closures are falling on weekends this year, so I can just stay with weekdays and I should be able to make it. It's all about discipline, forcing myself to get out of bed at 4:30 and just do the routine that gets me out the door. 

In other news, I started my hunt for a new pair of waterproof hiking boots at REI last weekend. I got excited when a couple of the boots the clerk brought out actually had women's wide sizes, but I knew from the moment I stuck my right foot in each one that they were not wide enough for me - even the Oboz. I've gotten to be very picky about how my boots fit. I want my toes to be able to move, and for some reason this is not very easy to find. Boots (and shoes) like to squeeze my littlest toe into and under my other toes. I don't like the way it feels, and I refuse to pay a couple hundred dollars for a boot that will actively hurt me. 

Backpacking will "hurt" me enough without ill fitting footwear. 

My second pair of backpacking boots (and my first waterproof pair) jammed my toes together so much that I still have issues of numbness with those toes on occasion. I felt like the clerk at REI was giving me funny looks when I quickly declared each pair to be not a fit, but I can't buy a new pair of feet if I mess those up. They are priceless, and so I will no longer put ill-fitting boots on them for backpacking. 

The clerk also let me know that they didn't carry a lot of inventory, and that I might look into ordering online. If I deliver to store, then I just come by for pick up and I can try them on and return them right away if they don't fit. I admit that option sounds easier than ordering online elsewhere and then having to ship back when they inevitably don't fit right. 

But that's where I might end up landing, since many of the boots that seem to be more specialized for wide feet and roomy toe boxes are not strictly for backpacking nor available anywhere near me physically. I just hate the idea of stretching out the inevitable disappointment, and having to actually mail them back when they don't work. Bah! 

The boot hunt shall continue. 

Straightening Up

Way back when I was first getting serious about running, around 2010 or so, I had some issues. My feet would hurt and that made my ankles hurt and I just couldn't figure it out. I went to a podiatrist, who charged an obscene amount of money to provide a temporary solution. I thought that there must be a better way. 

The search for that better way led me to find the book Chi Running by Danny Dreyer. I read the entire book at that time, but I glossed over a lot of it. I wanted the solution, and this book does have an entire chapter near the end with some tips about how to avoid running injury by changing one's gait. 

I mean, I did try Chi Running. I gave it a shot, but I just never was able to fully do it. I got frustrated and gave up on everything but the parts of the technique that prevented me from injuring myself. As long as I ran on a regular basis, my ilio-tibial band would be calm and not painful. I still ran very slowly, but I didn't get a lot of running related injuries. Those that I did get were more from not paying attention, like the time I tried to joke with someone while doing a run for a CrossFit workout and ended up rolling my ankle. 

Over the years, I have kept up the techniques that help me run, but I didn't reread the book or try the more advanced techniques again. And then my brother and I friended each other on MapMyRun, and I noticed that he was having some consistent pain issues with his knees from running. I told him about the book, and he read it. I figured since he had done cross-country in high school, he knew how to run for racing and as a youth, but might benefit from an update in technique for running for life. And since then, the knee pain reports have definitely decreased in frequency. 

But when he tried to talk to me about the book and the techniques, I had to confess that I hadn't reread it in years and didn't really know what he was talking about. That inspired me to reread it. I have been rereading it for months now. I'm taking it nice and slow, because I have found that I can now do some of those things that I couldn't before. 

Growing up, I had terrible posture - the hazards of being a bookworm. I believe that resulted in my back muscles being fairly underdeveloped. But between my initial read of Chi Running and my most recent, I did a lot of CrossFit. I achieved a strict pull up. My core, including that back, is stronger than it's ever been. 

In the last couple of weeks, I've noticed something new about my long runs. The more I focus on the Chi Running techniques, the more sore my back gets in the days after the run. I feel like I now have sufficient muscle to use the techniques, and that use is increasing their strength and endurance. 

In fact, I can tell those muscles are stronger, because I'm able to sit up straight and type this without falling into a tired slouch. In fact, my new straight posture even feels nice and relaxed. I've never felt so comfortable with good posture before!

So I'm going to keep going with the Chi Running techniques and try to really master it while running my nice slow pace. And, maybe, just maybe, in another few weeks or months, I'll be able to ramp up the speed without having to work harder - just smarter. 

Staying on Track

Last week, I managed to get to CrossFit every weekday, got 3 runs in totally 10 miles and commuted by bike to work all 3 days that I go into the office. I've started out this week on track to keep up the same activity level, though with it getting colder the bike commutes might be stopping. 

It's really all about getting into a routine, especially for the 5 am CrossFit classes. If I just don't give myself any spare time to think about what I'm doing, it's pretty easy to get dressed and drive out. If I'm feeling like I'll have a hard time in the morning, I'll put my clothes out the night before. When the alarm goes off and I don't want to get up, I just put my mind into the track: ankle alphabet, then restroom, then get dressed, drink a yogurt drink and then it's pretty much time to go. I suppose I could get up earlier, but that just gives me more time to procrastinate and change my mind about leaving the house. 

This morning, since it was in the 20's, I spoiled myself by using the remote start option for my car. It was magical! It won't automatically turn seat heat on, but I leave it on if I know my husband will not be driving before I will. It wasn't really warm, because I didn't start it early enough, but just being warmer than the ambient temperature was nice. I didn't sit down and start shivering, so I'll call that a win. 

This weekend I'll have a bit of disruption to my schedule; I'm not likely to make 5 CrossFit classes next week because of the holiday. The bigger issue was that I can't do a long run on Sunday, but then I remembered I have all day Thursday to get a long run in. Totally doable. 

Overall, I'm liking this level of activity. I'm getting pretty good sleep, and the soreness is there, but not overwhelming. I'm trying to push hard enough to improve at CrossFit without overdoing things; it's a fine balance. I want to keep up a high level of activity like this throughout the off season so that I'm ready for a great backpacking season once the weather turns to summer. I'm hoping to get my long runs to 10 miles by April. 

And for now, I'm on track for that. 

Jumpstart!

How do you start (or restart) an exercise program? I've not been doing as much as I could since the end of backpacking season, or even a bit before that. My running was sporadic and short, and over the last few weeks, I'd been battling a cold that kept me from CrossFit. I prefer not to expose my fellow athletes to any illness so I've been playing it safe. 

I was starting to feel better last weekend, though not quite better enough to dive back into CrossFit. So I decided to do a long run on Saturday and just see how that felt. I've been re-reading Chi Running for the first time since I'd first read it years ago, and I'm finding that I'm better able to apply the principles than I used to be. It makes sense. When I first read it, I was a newbie runner. I never ran as a youth, so I had no base to build on. 

Now, after years of running, backpacking and CrossFit, I have a much more stable and strong core, which allows me to actually use the Chi Running principles instead of just using it to adjust my gait away from injury-inducing styles. And I've found myself more attracted to the meditative aspects of Chi Running as well, in part, I believe, because I've learned about aphantasia. 

Aphantasia is the inability to mentally visualize. Visualization has been one thing that has always been in conflict with me meditating. Most of my exposure had been to the kind of meditation that requires visualizing something, and I just couldn't do it. Without knowing why I couldn't do it, I just had to say I couldn't meditate. But now, I know that I can. I just need to do it without visualizations. Like my dad suggested, I can close my eyes and "visualize" blackness. Or, with Chi Running, I can meditate through the motion of my body. 

I ran 4 miles on Saturday, at a nice, slow pace. I usually try to run faster towards the end of my runs, but for this one I deliberately kept it slow. The goal was not to work on speed, but to work on form, technique and comfort. To focus on my body and what it was doing. Later that evening, I massaged my calves. 

The next day, I had thought about going to CrossFit, but there are only morning classes on Sunday and I just didn't make the effort to make it. But my legs were feeling so good that I decided to do another long run and set myself up to have 10 miles for the week. Again, I kept the pace slow and steady. I ran 5.6 miles. 

After that, my legs were pretty sore, so I massaged them again, in addition to foam rolling. Nearly 10 miles over two days, and I didn't feel too bad. So, naturally, I went to CrossFit on Monday, at my typical 5 am time. 

Now, CrossFit usually posts the next day's workout on their website after 6 pm, but sometimes the post doesn't go up. That was the case Sunday night. Would I have made a different choice about going to CrossFit if I knew that my leg weekend was about to be followed by leg day (back squats, box step-ups, thrusters, and burpees)? I'd like to think not, but I can't prove it. 

I'm diving right back in to my routine. Restarting. And I think what's making it work is my attitude. I know that I'm going to feel good, so I push through the reluctance to get out of bed and the soreness and, surprise surprise, I feel darn good afterwards. I did CrossFit Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with plans for Thursday and Friday this week. I got another 2.2 miles of running on Tuesday, despite the fact that it was raining, with another 2.2 planned for Thursday (I really hope it isn't raining Thursday). 

I'm taking a page from Nike and just doing it. 

So far, it's working. 

Fitness Goals for the Off Season

I've been slacking on my running and going to CrossFit over the backpacking season. And I even gave myself a bit more slack time in September than I might have usually taken. But it's getting time to rev up again for the off season. That means some goal setting!

I do want to get back to 10 miles a week running, but not in October. See, I got a request from my boss to temporarily switch work schedules, which makes my running days Monday and Friday. That makes it super hard for me to run on Saturday and Sunday, because then I have no rest days AT ALL between my run days. But this week, I'm switching back, and that will allow me to start adding the long Sunday run back in. For that reason, I put off the 10 mile per week goal until November.

October's goal was to just get 3 runs in a week, which I was doing fine on until I got sick last weekend. I still haven't fully recovered, but I'm hoping to get back on track and start November with both the 3 times a week and the 10 mile goals going.

My goal for CrossFit is similar. I'm going for 3 times a week to satisfy my goal in October, but in November that's going to get bumped up to 4 times (exceptions allowed for when I'll be out of town, but maybe I'll finally manage to visit an affiliate out of town). This one I've managed to keep up with so far, but I'll have to get in 3 times before the end of this week to wrap it up.

Last year, I was pretty strict about running my 10 miles, but I think this year I'll allow myself to substitute hiking on a two-for-one formula. So 1 mile of running is equivalent to two miles of hiking, allowing me to sub, say an 11 mile Lucky Peak hike for a 5.5 mile run. I think getting out into the foothills and doing elevation hiking will be super helpful for my offseason training.

Maybe I'll even drag my husband along on a few of those; we'll see.

Running Fall

It has been many years since I last fell while running. I remember some close calls, especially when trail running in the foothills. I've been able to catch myself quite often after tripping over my years of running, but alas, it doesn't happen every time. 

I really ought not to have been running that day. My body was still recovering from a very strenuous hike, and I was covered in scrapes and bruises on my arms and legs. But I hadn't run in over a week and I wanted to. So I did. 

There's a spot on my typical two mile route where a little yappy dog lives. Yappy dog's house is very interesting; it looks like there are actually two lots with the size of the green yard, but the house itself is very small. There is a fence protecting me from yappy dog, and I'm glad of that, because it really seems to want to get out and bite passers-by. 

On this particular day, yappy dog was not out. But, since sometimes yappy dog will run over after I've passed by and bark at my back, I kept an eye on the house instead of on my feet. And my feet decided that the sidewalk was not level enough for their tastes. Or perhaps the sidewalk reached up and grabbed my ankles. 

Whatever the case, I felt myself lose it and tried to take some of the fall on my hands, but the brunt of it was borne by my left knee and right elbow. I did manage to save my cell phone and glasses (and face!), but I'm not exactly sure how. I was wearing long leggings, so I couldn't see how bad my left knee had been scraped up, and I just ignored my elbow as meaningless to whether I could keep running. 

Because I could keep running. And I did, albeit with a significant addition of caution for the surface that I was running upon. 

Running in Illinois

I recently visited the house where I grew up. For now, my dad is still living there, so I was able to spend some time in the old neighborhood. Although there was a brief time in high school when I tried to run around this area, for the most part, I didn't run when I lived there. 

But on this visit, I wanted to get a run in. And the weather actually cooperated, giving me a warm, but not too warm, sunny day to run. I picked a route that would give me a bit more than 2 miles and headed out in the humid air. 

Similarly to where I live in Boise, there are sporadic sidewalks in Winfield. I started out running in the street, but after a my second turn I came up to a busy road that did have sidewalks. I only ran by a few people while on the sidewalk and we were easily able to avoid each other. Since I'm fully vaccinated, I didn't take a mask on this run, but I did move aside for others or thank others for moving aside for me. 

Initially, my plan was to continue on streets the whole time, but when I came close to my planned turn at Beecher, I came upon a park that I hadn't thought about in years. I cut through the park and took a picture of the gazebo. I remember there being a lot of excitement when that was built. 

Then I ran past the school where I attended kindergarten through 8th grade. All the old playground equipment had been replaced. Makes sense, I suppose, since even when I was going there, the wood pieces had a tendency to splinter, and the metal ones were uncoated, leading to intense heat in the sun. It would have been nice to conquer the old monkey bars, but they actually got rid of those while I was still at that school, cutting them down after some little kid fell and hit their head. 

There was more sidewalk than I was expecting in this area, covering the street between the school and the park on East Street. I saw a mom and her kids coming out of that park and I smiled at them as I lumbered past. 

I wasn't feeling the best on this run. I had not slept well the prior night, and I hadn't slept nearly enough. But the air was very moist, and that was a nice change of pace. I checked the mail on my way back. The mail boxes on that street are all on one side - the side opposite of my childhood home, so it made sense to me to pick it up since I was already on that side of the street for running. 

Overall, it was a pretty good run though. I got some miles in and wasn't going too slow. If I had stayed there another day, I would probably have run more while I was out there.