Vicki's Update #2: Lessons Learned the Hard Way

I know like me, you've been waiting impatiently for an update on my mom's 8 weeks to a 5K. Here is update #2--like many of us, she's found that sometimes the best thing to do is listen to your body--unfortunately by doing something else most of us do--neglecting to do so. 

Lessons learned the hard way: be realistic, listen to your body, and don’t forget your phone. 

I tried. The first week of my 8-week Walk to Run a 5K plan went perfectly. I did the Mon-Wed-Fri Run 1 minute/Walk 3 minutes intervals. I weight-trained, did Pilates, and rode a bicycle on three alternate days. It had been well over 20 years since I rode a bicycle and I had to out and BUY a bicycle in order to ride one, but it’s true, you don’t forget how.

 

Then Week 2 arrived; did I read the instructions correctly? I should suddenly run 3 minutes and walk only two? And I had to follow this sequence eight times? Was it even logical to triple the running but still reduce the walking part? But the plan said it was safe for non-running women over 40; I was determined to follow the plan. That will now be known as “Mistake #1.” (Following instructions exactly has gotten me into trouble before; sometime you should hear about my efforts to make wine in the basement – and the explosion.)

 

By the end of the third run cycle, my calves were starting to hurt. They hurt constantly, EVERY step of the 4^th 3-minute run interval, which happened to be UPHILL (I’m sure it was on a scale with Everest) the whole way. I walked my allotted two minutes and then started to run my 5^th 3-minute interval – very slowly. Thank goodness for level ground. But my calves were really sore now. I walked the same wretched hill, blissfully down this time, and started run interval #6, inabsolute agony. Surely I should be able to run through it? Don’t coaches always tell you to run through the pain? I made it less than two minutes when a sharp stabling pain in my right calf literally put me on the ground. I couldn’t even walk. After hobbling over to the fence down in the ditch, I tried stretching. No good. The pain didn’t let up at all and NOTHING was going to stretch. I started to limp home but the problem was that I was nearly two miles away. By the time I limped a mile, I was willing to accept a ride on the handlebars from some 10-year-old kid on a bike. But where are all the 10-year-olds when you need one? None to be found, I’d forgotten my phone, and I gritted my teeth and limped the last mile. Mistake #2: I should have stopped running after the 4^thinterval which was so painful. Mistake #3: take my phone next time.

Today marks two weeks since my abortive effort and today for the first time I managed to walk two miles. My right calf is still “there,” and it was tight when I came in. But at least I’m moving again. I couldn’t walk at all the first week and no more than one mile at a time the second week. I’m not giving up. I’m walking this week on the advice of my coach (Abby) and should be able to re-start, back at Week 1, next week. And Week 2 will be more of a Week 1.5; I’ll try just 2 minutes of running instead. If that version goes well, THEN I’ll try 3 minutes. I’ve been told that all beginning runners have trials. At least it makes for an interesting story….

What's Next?

All spring and summer, I've been telling people I want to do more trail races. Well, it's July, and the only race I've done all summer was the Covered Bridges Half, on paved roads through Vermont.

So I'm finally getting off my can and doing some research. Here are a few options--input appreciated!

August 23 Moose On The Loose 10M Trail Race and Relay
Pros: The word "moose" is in the title. Race registration is a steal at $16. Nashua is less than an hour's drive.
Cons: Haven't run 10 miles on trail in a few months (ever?). Unfamiliar terrain.

August 23 22nd Annual Mt. Toby Trail Run (14 miles)
Pros: Completing more than a half marathon on trails would definitely be a new challenge. $15 race fee (I love these cheap trail race fees!). Picnic lunch after race.
Cons: Lack of website makes it hard to see what others thought of this race (though I did find this blog). Two-mile ascension to kick off the race (essentially an out and back, or an up and down course, with 1900' elevation gain). Drive to Sunderland, MA is 2+ hours.

Even better, my search for a race led me to find a new blog of interest, Breakheart Trail Running, one I'm sure I'll be checking back on.

7 (or 8) Of the Most Circuitous Miles This Side of the Arc de Triomphe

I've never been great with directions. Put me on a straight 1-mile-long road--and yes, I will get lost. The first year I ran with Dana-Farber, I went to a first-timer's meeting that was 4 miles from my apartment. It took me nearly and hour and a half, and two different towns, plus a project, to get there.

My better half, on the other hand, seems to be a whiz with directions. Here is an approximate of our conversation on Friday afternoon:

Scene: The Fells
Props: Jared's sweet new mountain bike
Players: Jared, a handsome and brilliant directional tactician, mountain biker and trail runner; Abby, a trail runner whose sense of direction is best described as "challenged"

Jared (about to jump on mountain bike for a 6-mile jaunt o'er root and rock): So how far are you going to go?
Abby (about to embark on The Incredible Journey, sans talking domestic pets): I don't know, probably two loops.*
Jared: So you'll be back here in 45 minutes or so?
Abby: Better plan for an hour, in case I get lost.
Jared: No, no. You just need to not turn left where we usually turn left, then go left by the place we went right on Tuesday, and then make sure the water's on your left.**
Abby: Er, Ok...if I'm not back in two hours, come find me.

Well, you can imagine what happened. I didn't turn left where I was supposed to turn left, I missed the other turn completely, and was nearly run over by some mountain bikers (who turned out to be very polite, and not at all murderous in intent). Though I tried to keep the water on my left, I lost it for a couple miles in the middle. Despite recognizing that it was the worst thing I could possibly do, I followed my instincts, and turned onto the paths it told me to turn onto. Bad idea.

At a particularly confusing fork in the trails, I decided I had to face the facts--I had no idea where I was. So, in the middle of the woods, with no idea of direction but for up and down, I asked for directions. The biker, who seemed friendly at first, turned out to be a bit of a sadist, something I realized while gasping my way up the too-familiar Skyline Trail, albeit on a route I'd never seen before.

Upon arriving at the bottom of the other side of the trail, I realized that, despite my efforts (in both admitting my folly and in climbing that damned vertical monster), I was no better off. I had no idea where I was. With my hour of time dwindling, I knew I needed to hustle it back to the predetermined meeting point, or my beloved would a.) start worrying, and worse, b.) realize I'd gotten hopefully lost, and quite possibly tease me mercilessly.

Luckily I happened upon a woman with a stroller and a dog, who pointed me in what turned out to be the right direction. I arrived back at the car in around 57 minutes, to find Jared packing up the bike, and ready to run another 2 miles.

And this time I had my navigator with me.

*Note: About 5-6 miles
**Note: What Abby actually heard was, "Don't turn where we usually turn, turn the wrong way where we turned the other way that one time, then make a loop in the shape of an origami crane. Take two lefts by the tree that looks like a coffee mug handle, a right by the stump, the one after the 3.5 other stumps, make a cloverleaf by the trail that breaks five directions, then keep the water on your left."

Tuesday Trails, Thursday Speedfest

Tuesday after work, I met with my beloved at the Fells, to continue in our quest for the 8:00/trail mile. He'd brought Copley with, so as we careened around corners, puddles, and along the beaten trail, jumping over root and rock, we also evaded her attempts at herding us closer together. (Good dog:))

This time we took a bit of an oddball route--looping right at a usual left, which took us to Copley's favorite haunt--Sheepfold Dog Park. She trotted around merrily for a bit, but within a few minutes we realized there was one of those dogs there--the ones who play a little rough, play snarl a little too realistically, and in general, terrorize our 75-lb. flower. No matter to us, though, as we headed back into the Fells, and onto the trails.

A longer than expected break happened then, as our dainty lady decided to get her feet wet--figuratively and literally--by running headlong into the water next to the trail, in chase of a golden retriever and his ball. A big deal--as Copley's barely been willing to put a white-spotted toe in the water before! (They grow up so quickly....sigh.)

After a few minutes of gamboling in the cool water, Copley was lured away by Jared and I, eager to get back to our run. A handful of sweaty minutes later, we were back at our cars, and happy with an 8:18 pace. Now to just do it without stopping for one reason or another...

Thursday was our next planned outing. Jared texted me around the middle of the day, though, to let me know he'd been asked by a friend to fill in at a basketball game. Not about to go sprinting around the Fells by myself in the evening, I decided to head to the courts with him. I'd run while he played, and meet him back at the gym afterwards to head home together.

Garmin-clad, and just having watched the end of the first game of hoops, I was, frankly, raring to go. Added to that eagerness was a couple week's worth of missing a long run, and...well, you get the picture. I bolted out the gym door, thinking I'd run to wherever seemed convenient--and easy to find my way back from.

My legs stretched and my stride lengthened, and I soon found myself gasping a brisk pace down Cambridge Street, past bars, restaurants, gas stations, and C-stores. I sped past trees, leaping on and off curbs as needed to pass oblivious walkers (couldn't they see my need? My need for speed?). Within a half mile, I'd decided to RUN--to just run, to see how fast my legs and sadly out of shape lungs would carry me. At a little under a mile, I realized I'd have to run a creative route to even make it a mile straight out from the gym--as the road looped and curved in an assortment of directions. I curved around an oddly-shaped corner, doubling back on a side street until I hit the 1-mile mark--8:00 minutes. Ok, not bad, I thought to myself--this is how to learn the pace we need to hit on the trails.

A quick 30-60 seconds of stretch and shaking of already looser legs, and I was off again, back to the gym, tracking my candy-cane shaped loop in the opposite direction. By the time I arrived, sweaty and panting, I felt great. Looking at the Garmin made me feel even better, as the second mile had been a sleek 7:29/mile. I could barely stop myself from sprinting inside to tell my beloved.

Now to just duplicate it on terrain that's 3x more difficult, for a little over twice as long.

Easy, right?

Trails and More Trails

With Jared's tri coming up in less than 6 weeks, we've agreed its time to hunker down and start killing some trail runs. My beloved's figured out the ranges he needs to be in for each event of the tri to be competitive with the other participants. Here are the ranges for each:

Swim (0.6 mi): 19-32 minutes
Bike (12 mi): 1 hour to 1:50
Run (6 mi): 30-60 minutes

After a week of swimming, he's already going the distance in 22 minutes, so has no worries there. The mountain biking could be tough as his bike isn't really equipped for the kind of pounding it's taking on the trails. That leaves the run.

While we both enjoy trail running, the philosophy behind it has always been that we just run--ignore any attempts at speed, and travel the distance. Because trail terrain is so much more varied than streets, it's tough to map out what a comparable speed would be from one to the other. On top of that, trail running tends to require a lot more side-to-side, as rocks and roots necessitate occasional shifts and leaps--and frankly, a lot more effort per mile. In the past, I've tended to think anything around or below a 10:00/mile was a solid trail run. A 10:00/mile, however, would put Jared in the back of the pack at his tri.

Tuesday was our first attempt at increasing our speed on the trails. I met Jared at the Fells after work, and we were off like a shot, shooting for an 8:30/mile pace. Well, we ended up right around there for our approximately 2.25-mile loop, but we also stopped for three gasping breaks (all my doing, I admit it), where I (naturally) stopped the clock. Not bad for a first try (tri, har de har har).

Thursday was another planned running day, but a late offer to join a hoops game ultimately took precedence. Sorry, running, for the stand-up.

Saturday morning we headed back over to the Fells, this time planning to run strong, but not at a pace that would force breaks. Copley, recently cleared by the vet, and in dire need of some exercise, joined us on the 2.15-mile jaunt. We ran a crisp, cool pace through already muggy woods, with her gently herding us the first mile. I careened around her loping hindquarters at first, before figuring out how to watch her, and anticipate her capering turns along the path. At a mile, we paused for a minute for her to drink, and again at just past 2. The miles, at an 8:45/mile pace, were still a lot faster than what we typically run, but were comfortable. It felt like a pace we could hold for longer, and one we could improve on for that distance.

After arriving back at the car, Jared unloaded his bike and headed out for some more miles, while I loaded the dog and headed for the park. An hour later, a tired dog, a tired JRod, and a tired Abby headed home...full of plans for the next attempt.

It's Never Too Late to Start...

As many of you know, from time to time, I post a "Guest Blog"--a blog written by someone else on running, or on their thoughts on the same. So far my only guest bloggers have been my beloved, and Dr. E-Lamp...today, though, I managed to convince my mom (that's her at right, trying to learn Guitar Hero), who walked her first half marathon last month, to do some guest blogging. With the half under her belt, she's decided her next goal is to run a 5K. Look for an update every two weeks--and enjoy today's, the first!

WEEK 1: THE STARTING LINE

Hi, my name is Vicki and I’m Abby’s mother. After walking my first half-marathon in May in 3:28 and envying all those runners whizzing by me on the double-loop, out-and-back course, I ran across an “Walk-to-Run” plan in Prevention magazine a couple of weeks ago. Specifically designed to be safe for would-be runners over 40, the 8-week plan has one converting from a walker to running a 5K. Now, at 53, I estimate that it will take closer to 14-15 weeks to accomplish the 8-week plan; some of the increase increments seem a little steep to someone who hasn’t run regularly since 1973. I waited until today to start as I decided to take the ABATE motorcycle classes this last weekend. (Note to all those considering riding a motorcycle for the first time ever: they tip over really easily and you get LOTS of bruises and scrapes, even wearing heavy jeans, when you crash and fly over the handlebars. I was, of course, the only student rider who tipped the bike over not once, but three times during the two days. But I digress.)

Today marked Day 1 of Week 1. After walking 5 minutes to a nearby bike path, the plan required me to run one minute, walk three minutes, and repeat the run/walk cycle 13 times total. Unfortunately the Timex 100-lap Ironman watch I ordered from Amazon just last night has yet to arrive and I can’t see the numbers or second hand on my wrist watch without my reading glasses, so I had to guess at the time. I jogged 170 paces (85 per foot – that’s how I count) then walked 180 paces per foot for the 3-minute part, and just kept repeating the cycle. At one point, a nice elderly couple crossed my path and I’m sure they wondered about the under-the-breath counting, but I was sweating too much to worry about what they thinking on this humid morning. For those of you who can’t imagine anyone counting steps like that, I should say that I’m an accountant, so it sort of happens whether I mean it to or not. Finally finishing the 13th cycle, I was just 5 blocks from home and walked in for my cool down. The plan has me doing this 3 days this week, with weights and low-impact cardio another 3 days, and one day off. I can handle the weights; I’ve been doing that part for years. Week 2 looks to be quite a bit more difficult, with eight run 3/walk 2 intervals. If it takes a couple of weeks to master it, that’s what it will take. The college where I teach has a Homecoming 5K Fun Run on October 3, and that just happens to be my birthday. So it’s a good goal date.

So why start all of this at my age? I envy those of you that run; you look so strong and healthy to those of us who don’t. In addition, my physical this spring indicated an elevated cholesterol level and an extra 20 pounds that have crept on during the 2 ½ years I’ve been in my doctoral program. Yes, education is broadening, although I always thought it was meant figuratively rather than literally. Turns out it was both! My goal is to get the weight off and reduce my cholesterol before Abby and Jared’s wedding in April. Maybe NEXT May I can RUN the Fargo Half-Marathon with the rest of the gazelles. I’ll send Abby periodic updates. If anyone has advice, I’d love to hear it.

Saturday's Double Feature

This Saturday, I ran what seems to be becoming a weekend habit--a double feature.

The first run was with my buddy Aaron, one of the first friends I made in Boston after moving here in 2002. Not too long ago, Aaron, after some soul-searching, ditched cigarettes--and took up running and healthy living. Now, with his first half marathon under his belt, he appears to have caught the running bug.

Despite a hangover and the steamy, overcast sky, Aaron was game when I phoned him late Saturday morning to suggest a run. As we headed out from my place down to the Minuteman Trail, the sun decided to break free--and bring the heat. Sweating profusely and panting in the sultriness of the trail, we jogged along at a sedate pace. It was after two miles before I remembered that I hadn't actually confirmed whether Aaron was OK with the 5 side of the "3-5 miles" I'd suggested. When I let him know this was an out-and-back course, not exactly a loop, he quickly agreed to making it an even 5.

With the miles falling behind us, and the conversation quick and catching up in nature, the miles flew by. By the time we finished we were both drenched in sweat. A large glass of water and fruit smoothie later, I was able to treat Aaron to the real reward for his efforts--Copley puking in the backseat while I took him home. Sorry about that, buddy....

The next few hours were spent in miscellaneous errands and tasks. My beloved was off in Vermont, taking a spin on the trails he'd be biking for his upcoming trail triathlon. When he called from the road to suggest we hit Ponkapoag for another 4+ miles, I was happy to oblige. Far be it from me to say no to one of my favorite trails!

I met him there around 7:00 p.m., and the timing couldn't have been better. The forecasted rain held off long enough for us to run, but it's looming presence cooled the air to a soothing, speedy temperature. We chatted about our days and careened along the empty paths, stopping once--and then only to marvel at the total isolation we'd found ourselves in. The woods around us were thick with the noises of nature--birds, breeze, water lapping the shoreline. Gorgeous.

All in all, it was a beautiful day of running, with good company for both runs. Next up for me is a bit of speeding up--Jared's triathlon distance is about 6 miles, and since we can both do it, it seems the next thing to do is...well, do it faster.