Plans

I promised my aching hip that I would rest for an entire week after the half-marathon, and that, with much difficulty, is what I did. And you know what? It didn't kill me. I still kept up with my thrice-weekly cardiostrength workouts, but that's about it.

Since today is a new day and a new month and all that, I'm going to take this space to outline some of my summer training goals and plans!

I'm using the FIRST plan to train for theFalmouth Road Race in August. After reading about it and thinking it sounded like a really good plan for me (I get injured a lot, like to exercise mid-day but hate the treadmill, get bored easily, and like really specific workout planning) I decided to get the book. It's actually pretty good. I'm not one of those people who is ever going to qualify for Boston, but the other programs in there are good, and the stories are fun and inspiring. It even makes science interesting!
So, I am going to actually do the 5K plan for Falmouth, even though it's a 7 mile race. My justification is as follows :
a) I want to start off conservatively, instead of jumping into a new plan headfirst and getting hurt like I always do
b) Conservatively or not, the plan has me doing 7-mile midweek tempo runs several times during the program, and some speed sessions should take me close to an hour. Yikes.
c) Last year I had a pretty decent showing (for me) and I hadn't done any speedwork or run more than 5 miles at a time. If I just want to beat last year's time, this should be more than sufficient.
d) I tend to run faster and be more fit in general if I cross-train, especially weight lifting.

In addition to the running plan, I'm also following a beginner barbell strength-training plan, found here on the very informative and awesome GymJunkies.com website. I recently completed his 31 day "shred" challenge (minus most of the diet part because I don't really want to lose weight, am lazy, and love beer too much) and lost 5 or so pounds anyway. The best part though was finally getting over my fear of the weight room...at least for the most part. The second best part was having my hip-based IT band pain almost completely subside after two weeks of strength training.

So there you have it. Structured, simple, and not easy in the slightest (but not grueling enough to keep me limping all through the summer). Just the way I like it.

Tonight's run : 1 mile warmup, 2 miles tempo (@9:34/mile, or something like that), 1 mile cooldown.

Speedy Shorts

Today's "Take It and Run Thursday" focuses on summer running. I can't even begin to express my joy at the fact that it's finally spring in Boston, that I can run a mile without having to blow my nose or cough up a lung or slip and fall on the sidewalk. I am thrilled.
I am a summer runner. So yeah, I just started running last spring/summer, but after a miserable snot-filled treadmill-bound winter, I know for sure that I am a summer runner. If I ever want to run outdoors year round, I am going to have to move somewhere warm. It's that simple.
One of the things I love about spring/summer running is the motivational power of my Speedy Shorts. I have two pairs of these wonderfully comfy (short, skintight spandexy) "yoga shorts" from Old Navy. I only wear them for tempo runs and speedwork. Because they make me faster. How do they make me faster, you ask? Let me explain.
No matter how good you look in short skintight shorts (and if I do say so myself, I do) you can't just slowly lope around the block in Speedy Shorts. No, you have to earn them. Whenever I think about slowing down or takeing walk breaks during my tempo, I think to myself "Self, you cannot run 10:30 miles in Speedy Shorts. You just can't". And so I don't. Hey, whatever works.

Anyway. I'll round this dose o'random off with some summer running thoughts/tips.

Aside from my Speedy Shorts, these are some of the things I can't live without for summer running. Some obvious, some less so.

-Sunscreen. Duh. At least SPF 55. I love Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Dry Touch sunblock.
-Water. Also duh. Thankfully, my usual route includes conveniently placed water fountains, or as we call them in New England, "bubblahs".
-The ocean. I'm lucky enough to live by the ocean, and the breeze usually keeps me coolish even during the Dog Days. If it's not enough, I kick off my shoes and go for a little dip at the end of my run.
-A bandana. No need to become blinded by sweat. (As a sidenote, how gross are runners? Really, if it's not snot rockets in the winter, black toenails after long runs, blisters, chafing, and excessive sweating, it's something.)
-The occasional shower beer. In moderation, of course.

I am ridiculously excited about this summer running season, with Falmouth coming up and the possibility of training for my first marathon on the horizon! Now if only I could get a correct diagnosis on this left hip business and start getting faster!