Queen of the Hills

Running teaches you things you don't know about yourself. Last summer, running taught me that if I really put my mind to it, and gave something the effort it deserved and needed, that I could do anything. Well, at least it taught me that if I kept going out, putting one foot in front of the other, worked through the pain and occasional heartache, that I could indeed become a runner.* I also learned about some of the secrets of the running life: body glide is not something you buy at an "adult" store; even a bad run can be a good run; learning how to properly spit is a necessity; black toenails have nothing to do with nail polish; not all gels are created equal (flavor wise); and G.I. distress is a frightening thing.**

Running also taught me that if you don't follow the rules--and even if you do--running might punish you. I tried to take advantage of running last summer, and I got punished with two broken metatarsals, which meant months of not running and a walking "boot" that I hated. So, while I have been seriously running since late May of last year, I probably have less than a year of real running in my legs because of the injury.

In the last 3-4 weeks, I have really become serious about my Portland Training. Giving a lot of effort to my runs, listening to my body, suffering through ice baths, watching my nutrient intake, getting more sleep, consuming less alcohol and sugar, and really focusing on the specific goals of each training run. I am a noticeably stronger runner than I was last year at this time, even though my running had been more consistent for a longer period at that point. I am definitely in worse physical shape than I was last year, but I can run harder and faster, and, unexpectedly, I have fallen in love with hills.***

Every runner knows that hills are a challenge, both uphill and downhill. The uphill challenge really needs no discussion--even the non-runner can appreciate it--but downhills offer their own challenges.**** Still, I have really been pushing myself on hill training, and I have gone from a little bit of distaste to a bit of an obsession. Hills have become Benicio del Toro or Javier Bardem or Jonathan Rhys Meyers--each of these men has a decidedly unique look, one that would not be considered conventionally attractive, but I cannot tear myself away from them. Hills are mini-reminders of how much better your running is becoming. It's great for the ego to conquer a hill today that conquered you yesterday. The fact that hills whip you into shape quickly and are great for your glutes certainly doesn't hurt either.

*I previously wrote about what a runner is here: http://runnergrrl30.blogspot.com/2008/07/running-just-might-be-pearl-izumi-ad.html

**Last summer, running made me vomit and not figuratively. My stomach was extremely sensitive about what I ate before a long run. There was a particularly nasty huckleberry pancake incident that I wrote about in a post last August. I spent quite a bit of time figuring out what fuel works for me. That fuel is definitely not GU. I would compare the taste of the caffeinated berry flavor to sucking on a cherry-cough syrup coated penny. Fortunately, the apple-cinnamon Carb Boom reminds me of the filling in an apple donut and stays down.

***I consider the first half of 2009 to be six months of excess. Coming on the tail end of recovering from the broken foot, I was set back by a broken heart. In the past, I handled heartbreak by hours in the gym. Not this time...I solaced myself with sugar and libations; late nights out with friends; not a lot of sleep; and even less gym time. This is BAD for your fitness level. The flat stomach I was so pleased about making it through the holidays with was replaced with my "break up belly." That little belly...and a little more everywhere else...is hanging on still, but my new lover running is showing it who's boss, albeit slowly.

****I'll write about downhills in a later post.

The Recovery Run (Run 56)

Sundays in my training schedule are reserved for "recovery runs." Basically, short runs that follow more intense training runs (Saturdays are always long runs) to loosen up your muscles to prepare for a rest day (today). I think of it as "active rest."

Last night, I did my recovery run just before 9 p.m. The sun had gone down, but it wasn't completely dark yet. The feeling of running in the almost darkness, while people prepared for their Monday mornings and work weeks was empowering. It reminded me to be thankful for my legs that have allowed me to follow up an almost 8-mile run on Saturday afternoon with an easy three-miler (with a few light hills). As a female, it's so easy to get caught up in your insecurities and perceived and actual physical flaws. It's easy to think "my thighs could be smaller" or "my calves could be more shapely." It's hard to remember that having legs and having the ability to run (even walk) are gifts, which are easy to take for granted.

I have put over 170 miles on my feet, calves, thighs, hips, etc. since I started training. They haven't let me down (aside from a little pain). I still crave more speed, but I know that will come with time. Right now, I'm thankful for this rest day.

Hill Repeats (Run 47)

Tuesdays are currently hill runs on my training schedule. This week, instead of running a hilly course, I ran hill repeats on the Centennial Trail. Since the trail is right across the street from my office, I headed west on the trail (on the south side of the river) to the bridge over Hamilton Street. From my office to the Hamilton bridge it's just over 1.5 miles, so a good warm-up before I tackled the actual hill.

Once I hit the hill, I was in L.T mode (LaDanian Tomlinson not Lawrence Taylor).* I had seen a few interviews with L.T. over the past few years in which he talked about running the sandy hills behind his home to condition himself for running routes. I know that Tiki Barber, pre-retirement, did the same thing in the Jersey hills. So, my hill wasn't sand, but I am preparing to run a half-marathon, not preparing to run a route while men who are 6'5" and 300lbs. try to pummel me into the earth. With thoughts of L.T. in my mind, I sprinted up one side of the hill and walked down the other, for six repeats. I was out of breath by the time I reached the hill's peak on each sprint, but I felt so strong and accomplished.

I ran the rest of the way back to my office (on the north side of the river) with tired legs and a positive outlook.

*I am fairly certain the original L.T. (Lawrence Taylor) "trained" by cutting back on the amount of cocaine and the number of "escorts" he consumed. I am pretty sure that is not the best training method for me to follow, even though it clearly worked from him.

Trust the Training Schedule (Runs 34 & 35)

Run 34 was schedule for Thursday (June 26). I worked a long day, so I planned on running Friday morning (even though my long run was scheduled for Saturday morning--usually Friday is a rest day). I ended up running in 80 degree heat, Friday night, battling the Hoopfest set-up crowd (which included a set of guys in matching jumpsuits who appeared to be closely watched while they worked). The run itself was not too bad, but in a desire to go out to dinner, I ended up barely stretching, and I didn't hydrate well enough post-run.

I slept later than I planned on Saturday (I was not intending to go to team practice this week), so I couldn't run through the park and downtown, as it was covered with basketball courts and around 200,000 people. So, I ran down Riverside towards People's Park and over into Peaceful Valley. The route was very hot and very hilly, and I struggled to maintain a decent pace. It was around 85 degrees. I managed to get in 54 minutes of running, according to Nike+.* I did stretch and hydrate after, but I would not count that as a quality run.

*I alternate between a pair of Asics and a pair of Sauconys. I bought two little pouches from Grantwood Technology so that I could use the Nike+ sensor with my iPod and not run in Nikes. The pouches lace to your shoes and seem to work great. They are around $6, and they are available on Amazon.

The Hills is not just a bad "reality" show (Run 32)

This morning I entered the "strength phase" of my training. For the last six weeks, I have run five days per week, with long runs on Saturday mornings. The strength phase differs from the "base phase" with its addition of hill and tempo workouts. This morning was my first "hill workout."

My training materials tell me that I am to warm up, and either run an overall hilly course or add 4-8 hill repeats in the middle of my workout, and then cool down (for a total of 40 minutes). I created a "modified" version of this plan, running on a flat route for 10ish minutes, and then doing 10 short hills (running hard up and walking/jogging down). I ran short stretches of road/sidewalk between the hills, and then I ran about 8 minutes at a normal pace to finish the workout. I was moderately impressed with my own running abilities this morning, at six a.m.

I had created a specific playlist for this morning's run, which I neglected to load onto my iPod. So, I played some random tunes from my "RunnerGrrl" general playlist. This morning's hill workout was fueled by: "Put Your Hands Up," Black and White Brothers; "Battle Without Honor or Humanity," (from the Kill Bill soundtrack); "Faint," Linkin Park; "Under the Knife," Rise Against; "Knock 'Em Out," Lily Allen; "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing," Chris Isaak; "Liar Liar (Burn in Hell)," The Used; "Sabotage," The Beastie Boys; "Hospital," The Used; "Drama Queen," Switches; "Dance, Dance," Fall Out Boy; "Supermodel," Jill Sobule; "Since U Been Gone," Kelly Clarkson; "Ch-Check It Out," The Beastie Boys; and "In Da Club," 50 Cent.

What goes down (Run 17)...

Yesterday morning was a forty minute training run--one that was supposed to be easy. I headed out down Riverside (on the start of the Bloomsday route) with Chad just before six in the morning. The start of the run was an easy downhill. Somehow while running downhill, I did not consider that on the way back, I would have to run uphill.

We headed east towards the Centennial Trail, crossed the footbridge, and had to run uphill on the looping trail as it makes its way to the Hamblem (Hamlen?) Conservation area on the hill directly across the river from the hill we just ran down. The uphill run was a pretty decent climb, but I focused on keeping upright and keeping my arms low to conserve energy and power my run up the hill. The trail loops back and forth for a good distance, all the while on an incline. I remember yelling "flatten out," as my quads really started to burn. However, I rocked that hill and we ran a bit on the flat portion before it was time to turn around and head back.

Downhill on the winding portion of the trail was a nice break. Of course, every time I run downhill I think of an article I read in Runner's World about Lance Armstrong's marathon training. Lance asserted that cycling downhill was a pleasure while running downhill was work. In the same article, Lance also claimed he could "phone in" a half-marathon. Now, Lance is unarguably one of the best endurance athletes on the planet. I don't expect to be able to phone-in my half-marathon, but I am a bit disheartened when I think about his position that running is so much more work than cycling. If Lance thinks it's hard work, I might be doomed.

Crossing the bridge after the downhill, winding trail, the Riverside hill loomed before us. Another steady climb, that, after the previous hill work, required a brief walk break. I did manage to finish strong, after completely close to four miles of hill running before 7 in the morning. However, I am relegating this running route to the back shelf until hill work actually appears in my training schedule.

This Is How We Do*

There have been a flurry of questions about my training for Nike. Trust me, there's no way that I could run 13.1 miles (in a row) tomorrow. I could complete 13.1 miles tomorrow, but I certainly would not be running them (and, it would really cut into my work day)!

Since I am running Nike with TNT, I have to raise at least $4,000 to even run the race. So, if I don't raise the $4,000, I either pay out of pocket to reach the $4,000 fundraising minimum, or, I don't get to run. But, I'm not worried about that at this point. In exchange for me raising $4,000, I get my entry fee paid, my travel expenses, and most importantly, I get training to actually be able to run the race.

My training lasts 23 weeks. Weeks 1-7 are a base phase, during which I will be running "easy" runs to build my endurance and to get my body accustomed to running consistently. I will run 5 days a week during those weeks. We run for time, not mileage, but, if you run at a slower pace, you have to run for a longer time period (to make sure you're getting ready for the longer runs later). During week 1, I ran for at least 150 minutes (I actually ran a little more than that). Week 2, I ran for at least 160 minutes (again, I ran a little more). Week 3: 170m minimum; Week 4: 190m minimum; Week 5: 190m minimum; Week 6: 200m minimum; and Week 7: 200m minimum.

During weeks 8-18, I will be in the strength phase. I'll still be running five days a week, but I will be upping my intensity and adding in hill and tempo runs throughout the week. The minimum time spent running during those weeks is: Week 8: 190m; Week 9: 200m; Week 10: 200m; Week 11: 210m; Week 12: 210m; Week 13: 220m; Week 14: 240m; Week 15: 200m; Week 16: 250m; Week 17: 200m; Week 18: 260m.

During weeks 19-23, I will be in the taper phase. I'll still be running 5 days a week, but I'll be running easier runs to allow my body to recover from the strength training to be prepared for my race (in week 23). The weekly running time minimums will be: Week 19: 190m; Week 20: 230m (four days of running only); Week 21: 160m (four days of running); Week 22: 130m (four days of running); and Week 23: 130m (four days).

Finally, on Sunday, October 19 (technically, the start of Week 24), I will run the Nike Half-Marathon (13.1 miles). That day, I'll be running for distance and not time.

* I have not forgotten grammar. This is the title of a song by The Game, and it's one of my favorite running/workout songs.