Week 3 Recap

WHAT I DID

Tuesday--My week should have started yesterday but I was (**cough** EXCUSE **cough**) sick.  I really did feel bad, but I found out today I can feel bad running or I can feel worse sitting at home in my jammies.  I behaved in accordance with a decision already made and joined my running group for a three miler.  The pace started out PAINFULLY SLOW.  If you recall, one of my coaches told me Saturday to slow it down in the beginning so that I can actually run longer...so that's what I did.  This was the first Tuesday run I've done the correct intervals the WHOLE TIME!!  (YEA ME!!)  The sacrifice was a slower pace overall.  I ran a total of 31 minutes and walked 6 so my average pace was 12:20.

Wednesday was a scheduled rest day, so I did just that-in my jammies with a box of Kleenex next to me all day.

Thursday I loaded up on meds and went out to do a solo 2.5 mile run.  After reading Lisa's fantastic post about living with integrity I decided to do what ever it took to finish my correct intervals.  I slowed my pace down a bit...and with only 2 very minor hiccups, I DID IT AGAIN (ran the whole time with the correct intervals-5/1)!!  That makes the first solo run I've finished with correct intervals....and remember I was sick to boot.  (I think I deserve a cookie!!??)  My average pace was 12:36.  I ran a total of 26 minutes and walked 5.5.  When I got home I did some calf and ankle exercises--much needed since I'm still having a very hard time with my left calf.

Friday should have been cross training, but unless cleaning house counts, I dropped the ball on that one.  (It could have been a rest day, so I don't feel like I'm "cheating", but I do want to do some cross training, so maybe I cheated myself??)  

Saturday I intentionally missed my (optional) group run.  In my "defense", I picked hubby up from the airport at 12:30 this morning, we got home and in bed about 1:30!!  I had to choose between going with the group at 7 on very little sleep or going solo for today's four miler.  I opted for the latter....and I DID IT AGAIN (finished the four mile run having done all the correct intervals)!!!  My average pace was 12:26.  I really have to thank Lisa again for her post on Integrity....

WHAT I LEARNED

I'm learning that doing whatever it takes to behave in accordance with a decision previously made sometimes means it won't look exactly like I want it to.  When I started running with the slower group on Tuesday I thought I'd made a huge mistake because going that slow was almost painful.  I'm still not 100% convinced that going slow is the absolute best option, but I can say that going slower has lowered my heart rate, which I believe really has helped me be able to run longer.  (Based on my heart rate research...) AND, the whole idea of "running" full steam only to fizzle out before reaching my goal has been my MO for most of my life.  Maybe slow and steady really can work??

After doing research on heart rates, I was able to determine my max heart rate and training levels.    I think this explains why slowing the pace down a bit in the beginning has helped me run for a longer time.  I haven't decided if I like the trade because the pace feels SO SLOW.  I think what this tells me is that after I build up endurance I'll be able to (gradually) build up speed so I'll have both. 

I learned I CAN run with a stopped up nose almost as well as I can with a clear nose!! 

HYDRATION and FUEL are key elements.  (I'll talk about more these topics in a later post.)

WHAT I'M GOING TO DO

Hydrate, fuel (see the Zone update below), continue to train with my heart rate levels. 


CROSS TRAIN!!  (Realistically this won't happen this week since my son will be in town!! **YEA**!!)

Next week's plan:

Monday 2.5 miles

Tuesday 3 miles (group run)

Thursday 3 miles

Saturday 4 miles (group run)

ZONE UPDATE  

I think I had my first food hangover!  I ate popcorn at the movies and then the next day had STEAK and dessert (for hubby's birthday-dinner out).  I don't really know if it was the food or from being sick, but I had a marked decrease in energy the next day.  Even with being sick, going back to the ZoneFormula way of eating, I seemed to have much more energy, so I'm calling it a hangover.  This really does make me happy because I think it means I've been eating better. 

After hearing about fueling from Tammy Beasley, RD, CSSD, LD, I decided to increase my calories.  I'm not stressing as much about having an EXACT balance of 40-30-30, but I am trying to make sure I FUEL at the right times with a good balance.  Pretty much everything she said lined up with what I've been doing (except for the increase in calories and she suggested more carbs).

I also started using Daily Plate at Livestrong.com.  I really love this site and it's unbelievably easy to use.  I wish there was a way to link up the FormulaZone.com site to Daily Plate, or that the FormulaZone site had a better food diary....but, such is life-you can't always get what you want!  So for now, I'll be using the FormulaZone site for menu making and the Livestrong site for the diary.

Thanks for stopping in...come again soon!

:D