Training Update

This morning Housemate and I walked our usual 3.5 miles.  We did intervals, lamppost to lamppost, walking at top speed, then back to base pace or even slower.  Base pace is pretty fast -- a brisk walk with arms bent at the elbows and pumping.  Max pace is the extremely dorky looking racewalk and we are both breathing hard by the end of the interval.  We were trying to regulate our pace with some kind of a scale.  We used a 10 point scale but agreed that we would only use the even numbers -- so the hardest we could push was a 10, and the easiest recovery walk was a 2.  We took turns calling the pace, so as we approached a light pole one of us would say, "This one's an 8," and then the other person would decide what our pace would be for the next lamppost.  We pushed one another pretty hard, and it felt great. 

We haven't decided what we're going to train for this winter.  Our choices are: walk another marathon, run a half-marathon, or walk a half marathon at an aggressive timed pace (e.g., a 12 minute mile or faster).  I suppose we could choose to run a marathon, but that seems like a recipe for injury.  The timed-pace walking half-marathon would probably be the most rigorous and demanding.  It's harder to walk fast than to run, for sure, and building up our speed over time and distance would be a structured challenge.  There's something that I really feel proud of, though, when I run a distance that's farther than I've ever run before.  Walking doesn't give me the same sense of satisfaction.  I know I can walk.  Running makes me feel like a hero or an athlete somehow.   I'd also like to do some kind of cross country skiing event, if there is such a thing, but I have no idea what a reasonable but challenging distance to train for would be.

We've decided that until we settle on a training goal, we'll run one day a week, do walking intervals like we did this morning one day a week, and walk at a fast, sustained timed pace one day a week.  I'll probably run on my own another day a week, just to get myself back to a place where I like to run.  We're also talking about starting hot yoga again.  When I used to do that regularly I felt so good.  I miss it. 

Comments

[pjm]

I think you're right that running a marathon isn't the right thing now. That isn't to say it wouldn't be eventually, but not yet.

Goals, in general, are good. I like positive posts like this, especially from people like you who actually follow up.

[Nicole]

I read on blindinsight's blog, she is training for a cross-country ski event, it looks interesting. Before her post, I hadn't heard of them.

I'm trying to get where I like running again too. Last year I ran a 1/2 marathon and it was awful, as I hadn't fully trained.

Now I'm just training for a 5K, and my goal is to get faster. I'm having more fun too.

[bill]

I am no sort of cross-country skier, but I participated in a 10K race once just to compare it with running. It was beautiful, festive, and I worked really hard to finish in the rear third of the field. I think a 5K would have yielded most of the benefits and much less pain.

[mad]

Indeed, Nicole beat me to it (so flattering to see my little blog mentioned over in these illustrious parts!). We will be skiing the 51K American Birkebeiner XC classic the last weekend in February. Steve has done it 10 or so times and is a fast, fast skate skier who skied for Michigan Tech. I am v. slow and while I am getting into skate, there's no way in hell I'll be skating the Birkie. There is also the 23K Kortelopet the same day, which I did last year and loved. It took me just over 3 hours skiing at a very slow pace on very slow skis, so I think that might be too easy for you.

E-mail me if you want to talk Birkie - it is quite the experience!

[ML]

I think John Tarling is up on all the local X-country ski events.