Watt's Running

I don’t know what is wrong with me, but tonight was very very tough. The marshes run is a serpentine course nearby the main RunTex store. Up – across – up – across and so it goes. Each across is a mini-hill to make it even more fun. There are 12 across streets which are about 400 yards long. The across streets were to be run at 10K pace and the ups were recovery jogs.

However, by the time it’s evening I seem to have no energy. I barely found the effort to do this course but it was very daunting. We had to run it up, then down, then up again; in other words, we had to run it 1.5 times. What I mean is that I had to run the 12 across streets, get water, then run the return path back down the 12 across streets, get water, and then do it again up one more time. On the last 12 streets I kept promising myself that I could walk on the next street, but each time I found just enough energy to complete it. I had to dig deep to complete it.

When I was done I was dizzy. I think maybe it was because I didn’t have any food since lunch. I don’t know, but it was scary. Oh one other thing, my ankle is still there and that bothered me too. But mostly it was my struggling to breathe, and my total exhaustion that was so tough tonight.

Tonight I’m back at class (now with the Wednesday evening group). We ran to the Barton Springs Pool at Zilker Park about 1 1/2 miles from RunTex where I parked. Then we ran four one mile loops at 10K pace which for me should be 7:42. Well it was about 100 degrees out at 6:30 – 8:00 PM. I ran them in 7:56, 7:48, 8:24, and 8:25. Between each I walked and jogged a bit, and got some water. I was just dripping in sweat. It was very hot out and near the end of it I was absolutely exhausted. Almost dizzy. After the last one I headed back to RunTex and even then I had to run and walk it. When I got home I got something to eat, and a cold pack on my ankle. After this level of exertion I was having troubles keeping myself warm so I wrapped myself up in a quilt. Then it was off to bed at 11 PM where I also snuggled under the acrylic blanket something I most never do in the summer.

This was a recovery week so we only had to do a 4 mile loop on the Town Lake trail at 6:30 PM. It was still quite hot out. I only felt my ankle a tad, but I took it real easy. I let all the others run on ahead and just plunked along as I thought about work.

Tuesday night’s class at Zilker park was more of the same, but I tried not to stress my ankle, yet afterwards I really felt it, and iced it at home which helped. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Maybe I should drop back to an easier class. This is really starting to get to me. One more massage on Thursday and then I have to make a decision.

This week we warmed-up 2 miles, then ran 3 miles at MGP, and then cooled down with 2 miles back. I was to run at 8:35/M pace. All this was done on the Town Lake trail. Stretching beforehand and the warm-up helped alleviate the burning sensation in my ankle. However, when I got done running the 3 miles I was exhausted – the temperature was in the very high 90s Fahrenheit – ahhh, the Austin Summer is upon us. On the way back I stopped and walked the last mile with Jennifer L. She gave me the name of a Massage Therapist, Lisa S., who works out of her home in NW Austin (not downtown) which is nearby to me.

Tuesday’s class was tough. When I was done I was exhausted.

I’ve signed up for the summer marathon course with Rogue Training Systems. My plan is to run the Chicago marathon on October 22, 2006. This is my first out-of-town marathon, and my first to train over the hot hot Austin summer. I’ve selected the Boston Qualifying group, which is the most mileage, and most intense group. I’ll be running with people much younger than I and at the far back of the pack. When I asked the coach Mac Allen if it would be ok to join his group he said sure that there’d be some women to run with (guys are too fast for me at my age) – sheesh.

We were to run 400M at 1 mile pace (1:37), 45-60 second rest, 200M as fast, but smooth, and then recovery back to the beginning. We ran about 2 miles from RunTex over to Garner. This was all done on Garner, which has a slight slope downward.

Our Tuesday night practice was at the track again, however, this time we were to run at our GOAL pace. Now remember that my goal time was “improved” by the coach, so I was nervous if I could do it. If you look at the times below I did quite well with my actuals versus my expected. Although I couldn’t maintain it, I hope all my times stay the same or get better with practice. More to follow…

Last night I had practice and then in the morning I was to run 5 miles. I’m finding this hard to do. If I push the evening practice, then I’m still sore the next morning for the daily run. Even though the 5 miles was “easy”, I really felt it today. Even now in the evening I’m a bit stiff. I wonder how this is going to work as the course proceeds. I’ll keep you posted…