My First Coaching Session & Reconnecting with the Joy of Running

• 0 • 13.1 Training, My Running, Running

I had my first coaching session with Jake Maulin of TriJake Fitness!  I can already tell that this is going to be a shift in my running mentality that I desperately need.

I’ve been overwhelmed by training plans in the past that expected me to run tempo runs at a specific pace, target a certain number of miles for long runs, and do intervals on a set schedule rather than running faster when I feel like it.  There’s something to be said for having very specific goals, but using charts to look up training paces based on my best 5k time just didn’t work that well for me last summer.  I dreaded many of my runs, because they felt too hard to complete and I’d come home feeling like a failure because I couldn’t achieve a target pace predicted on some chart.  It took some of the joy out of running.

outrunjoy

Jake’s recommendation, before even learning how much I struggled with these hyper-specific training plans, was to spend my six weeks in Maine establishing a running base by reconnecting with the joy of running.  People run more, work harder, and enjoy it more when they’re running because they love it, not because their training plan told them to.  That’s one reason I like fartlek’s so much, because it’s the freedom to run fast for a small portion of your run, for as long as you feel like it, and then recover until you feel like doing it again.  It’s fun.  It’s joyful.  It makes you want to do more.

Jake recommended that I have a general goal of running longer once a week (based on time running, not mileage accomplished), do some hill sprints on 40% grade hills where I run all out for 20 seconds and repeat 7 or 8 times once or twice a week, and replace my timed tempo run with a 30-45 minute run that feels “comfortably difficult”, based on feel, not pace.

He gave me a strength training workout that I can do with no added equipment, that’s easy to remember, that I can do twice a week on days that I’m not running.

Some other recommendations he had: Regularly run a minute barefoot, take a quick break, and repeat about 4 times.  Barefoot running can really help work on running form.

He took the time (after our session was technically over) to teach me a little bit about running form and evaluate my running (I’m not a heel-striker, yay for me :).

Jake even recommended (after some confessions on my part about how I use my Garmin) that I ditch the GPS watch for most of my runs, build up my running based on our discussion, and then check back in on my progress using the Garmin 3 or 4 weeks in.  So I get to run for half an hour here, an hour there.  Run to the Limington rapids and then back.  Yes, realize that running faster will make you faster, but get in touch with your effort and stop worrying so much about numbers.  Numbers can be progress reports, instead of set prescriptions for how far or fast you have to run on any given day.

Did I come out of the session with some very specific strategies to work on my speed, and answers to a lot of my training questions?  Absolutely, more than I can fit into one blog post.

But the most important feeling I left with was an excitement to reconnect with my joy in running, and to recognize that by doing so, I will actually improve faster.  I feel like I left with permission to seek out scenic routes in Maine to make running more pleasurable and beautiful.  To go for a two hour run, and not worry about how many miles that ends up being on a given day based on how I’m feeling – it’s still training my body to be out there on my feet doing aerobic exercise for two hours.  To run fast when I feel like running fast, or ditch a run for no other reason than “I’m tired”.  I left with permission to listen to my inner runner, and the belief that when I do that and make running more fun, I will end up running more, and pushing harder for the sheer fun of it, rather than out of fear or obligation to meet a set time on a sheet of paper.

I love the thought that I can still train hard, do fartleks, run long, strength train, and be serious about improving without feeling like every time I run it’s a timed race.  This could just be the best of everything.

We’ll see how it goes!

If you’re interested in learning more about Jake, he has a lot of free videos online as well as a blog.  One of my favorite blog posts of his is “Am I running too much?”  It shows a little of his philosophy about figuring out what’s right for you, and following your heart and listening to your body instead of looking up rules in a book.

Agenda & questions for my meeting with my running coach

• 0 • 13.1 Training, My Running, Running

I’m about to change and head out the door to meet with my new running coach, Jake!  To make the most of this 60 minute session, I’ve typed up an agenda with my goals, past history, and some questions I have right off the bat.  I’ll let you know how it goes!!!

consistency

Kelly’s Half Marathon Coaching Session

 

Nutrition: eats a whole foods, plant-based diet with very few refined sugars or refined carbohydrates

Goal: To run 9:30 pace for the Chilly Half Marathon on November 8th, 2015

Current Fitness Status: Ran two half marathons and was in decent shape in Fall of 2014.  Over the winter, was running about 10 miles per week with 2-3 spin classes a month.  Got sick with a cough / bronchitis and haven’t run for the past 6 weeks.

Experience: This will be my 6th half marathon.  Half Marathon PR is 10:01 pace in November of 2014.  5k PR is 8:58 pace on January 1, 2015.  Best timed mile was 7:45 in August of 2014.

Goal for this session: Would like to come up with a game plan for this summer.  Will be up in Maine until July 27th, and will have a babysitter so that I can run 3 mornings a week, possibly 4.  Hoping to come up with a plan for gaining a solid foundation for starting a more specific 12 week half marathon training plan beginning in August, when I will be 3 months and 1 week away from the Chilly half marathon.

Future coaching: Interested in the possibility of some e-mail coaching while I’m up in Maine.  Also plan to set up coaching when I return in August for an individualized half marathon training plan.

 

Current questions:

    • How helpful is biking / low impact cross training – would I be better of spending my time running if I can only train 3-4 times a week this summer?
    • Would it be better to work on building up my distance again, or increasing my speed, first?  I could work up to running 10 miles at a slow pace, or I could take longer to build up to 10 mile runs and run closer to my target pace.  Which would be better?
    • I’ve used the FIRST plan which has three key workouts a week, but always found it too challenging to complete all of them in a given week.  Should I try the FIRST plan with slower paces?
    • How do I figure out what my target pace should be for my summer runs, since it’s been 6 weeks without running?  Should I build up to 10 miles a week and then do a timed run to gauge current fitness level?
    • What are the best strength training exercises for runners that don’t require fancy equipment, and how often should I be doing them?
    • Should I do an interval, tempo, and long run workout this summer, or just build up my mileage and do more targeted workouts when I return in August and start a 12 week training plan?
    • If I planned to do an interval, tempo and long run in a given week and had to skip one, which one should I drop, or should that depend on which ones I did well in previous weeks?

Back to running! Goals and Old Fashioneds

• 2 • 13.1 Training, My Running

  

She’s back.

My 5 weeks of coughing is finally over, and I went for a slow but AMAZING three mile run yesterday.  Then I celebrated with an evening cocktail I’ve been looking forward to.  One of my best friends from college posted an article on Facebook about Proof cocktail syrups, hand-made in Decatur, GA not too far from my beloved Emory University.  I ordered one online immediately, not even realizing my friend knows the bartender who helped create the Proof line of syrups.  The Pecan syrup smells sweetly of orange and takes the labor out of making an Old Fashioned.  Paired with Basil Hayden’s, it was a fast road to aromatic deliciousness.

My legs can tell I went for a run yesterday, and it’s the best feeling in the world.

I’m so excited to be back to exercising, nothing makes me feel better… I’m just in such a great mood after I run!

In other exciting news, I have big plans for my sixth half marathon this fall.  I’m signed up for the Chilly Half Marathon in Newton again, and I’m targeting an aggressive pace improvement because I got an inspirational e-mail from Tony saying he’s training this summer with 9:30s as his race goal for November.  Running the race the past two years with him earned me half marathon PRs both times, and I’m willing to bet this year will be no different.  I lost him at mile 10 last year, hoping to keep up with him until the finish line this time.

9:30s would knock 30 seconds per mile off my time last year.  It’s an aggressive, but exciting, goal.  What I realized is that I need to work smart if I’m going to make it… so I’ve hired a coach. Yup.  You read that right.  So far I’m just signed up for an initial consultation of 60 minutes to go over strategies, ask all my questions, and get a tailored plan for the next eight weeks until I get back to MA from our time in Maine.  Then I’m going to consider meeting with him again, and possibly seeing him on a weekly or biweekly basis, or doing e-mail consultations.

I’m excited about the prospect of having someone who can answer all the questions that come up during training, like “this run was awful, do I just keep going or repeat the workout?”  “Should I run longer first, or faster first?”  “I can only run three days this week, my schedule is crazy, which workout do I drop?” etc.  Answering these questions with help could make the difference between meeting and missing this challenging goal.  I also like buying services rather than buying material things with my personal spending money.  I’m less likely to splurge on a pair of shoes or a bag I don’t need, because I just spent money hiring a local fitness expert.  Less waste, less manufacturing of things in China, more support for a local business, and a great source of information and encouragement for me.

Here’s to the good life 🙂

Thinking of Running Your First Marathon? Ask Yourself These Questions First

• 8 • 13.1 Training, Running Thoughts

A fellow half-marathoner and blog reader recently e-mailed me to ask the big question: do I ever think I’ll step up to the full 26.2?

My brilliant answer: um, maybe… definitely NOT soon.

If you’ve achieved half marathon status and are thinking of doubling that distance, here are some questions to ask yourself first.  They’ve helped me decide to table the marathon question until a later point in my life, when I don’t have two preschoolers and barely enough time to meal plan.  (Ahhh, elementary school… what freedoms you promise me!)

Questions Every First Time Marathoner Should Ask Themselves:

Why would I do this?  What feeling am I chasing, and is there a more efficient way to achieve a similar level of satisfaction?

How many miles a week would I need to run, for how many weeks, to safely complete my first marathon?

Do I have time for that type of training?

Is that what I want to do with my free time?

Will I feel accomplished if I need to walk/jog in order to complete the distance, and if not, how much will I need to add to my training to be relatively certain I can run the entire thing?

How long would my 15, 18 and 20 mile training runs take me at my current long run pace, and am I willing to commit that amount of time once a week for several months (depending on the training plan selected)?

When I finish a 2 hour run, do I ever really wish I could keep going?

Can / will my family support me in this time commitment?

Am I doing this for internal joy and personal satisfaction, rather than street creds?

Is this the best time in my life to do this?

Am I risking my health or injury?

How do I feel when someone tells me they’ve run a marathon?  What does that tell me?

Is this a logical next step in my running, or should I consider an intermediate goal first?

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One of the things I’ve learned from observing experienced runners is that there’s always the next goal.  There’s always further, there’s always faster.  Look at me: I went from being happy just to finish my first 5k without a walking break to shooting for time goals in the half marathon.  It’s important to recognize what an achievement even the half marathon is – it’s a big deal to run that far, and most Americans will never do it. I’m proud that I’ve run for over 2 hours without stopping, I think that’s incredible.

I’m not sure I need to ever run for over 4 hours.  Half of me worries that I’d consider the marathon to be the ultimate running challenge, the final hurdle into the in-crowd of runners, only to have someone raise an eyebrow at my finishing time or move into a conversation about how the real test is whether someone can qualify for Boston.  I will never have that kind of time, energy, and experience.  I can guarantee that, because I love too many things besides running.  I am not a talented enough runner to manage life balance and shoot for time goals in the marathon.

I love that I have run 5 half marathons, and it never bothers me that many of my acquaintances have also run them, and run them faster, than me.  But there’s something about the marathon, the insanity of actually running 26.2 miles, that might make it harder to accept when you learn that several people you know have also run them… and faster… than you.  I think if I were to run that freaking far, I would want it to be unique, and the first time I rubbed elbows with an ultra runner at a cocktail party I would be like “NOOOOO!!!!!! NO!!! NO ONE HAS EVER RUN FARTHER THAN I DID I ALMOST DIED HOW COULD YOU!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD THAT WAS!!! AHHH!!!!!!” and Greg would have to usher me out the back door discreetly while blaming the Dark and Stormys.

But that’s not to say the marathon is not for you.

Maybe your kids are older, or you don’t have kids, or you run twice as fast as I do so you can put in 40 miles a week in the time it takes me to do 25.  Maybe you live for the open road, the meditative qualities of foot to pavement, foot to pavement, breathe, breathe.  Maybe you find your best self in hour 2-3 of your long run.  Maybe you do have time, you would enjoy the extra training, and the satisfaction of having achieved 26.2 would stay with you, the way 13.1 stays with me.

When I hear someone talk about running their most recent marathon, my overwhelming emotion is relief that I stop at 13.1. I don’t feel awe as much as I used to, because I understand how 26.2 is possible with persistent training.  Marathon runners don’t seem like aliens anymore.  I’m incredibly impressed, and I applaud their dedication and determination and the drive that gets them to that finish line after mile 20.  I also know, deep down, that I could join them.  I’m just not sure I want to.

Best wishes as you decide for yourself how running can serve you!

 

Choosing your position at the start line of a race

• 9 • 13.1 Training, Running Thoughts

Figuring out where to line up on race day can be tricky.  It’s helpful for everyone if runners self-seed, ie, place themselves according to how fast they expect to run with the fastest runners in the front, and the slowest towards the back.  Many large races have signs to help runners group themselves correctly, or even corrals and different starting times for different pace groups to prevent over-crowding.

I always find it tricky to self-seed correctly at the start line.  I’ve self-seeded over-cautiously at most of my 5ks in the past year and a half, and it’s frustrating to spend the first half mile zig-zagging around people and running on the sidewalk.  Seed too far front, and lots of people have to get around you.  Seed too far back, and you’re trying not to run people over.  Neither is good for you or the runners around you!

I’ve gotten better at figuring out where to start with some experience.  Check out this photo Greg took right near the start line of the Needham New Year’s 5k.  I used the bib numbers in the photo to find the finishing times of runners near me at the starting line, to see how well I self-seeded.  5 of the 7 example runners have finishing times starting with 26 or 27 minutes.  That includes me, leading me to believe we were in a pretty good starting position and that the outliers, a 24 minute and 21 minute finisher, probably should have been further forward.  Perhaps they lined up a little late or a little cautiously and could have been more towards the front.  This isn’t their fault, but deciding that I was closer to average than they were helps me decide whether I should have started further back.  I think I was in about the right starting position, based on the number of runners I felt passed me vs. number I passed during the first half mile.

startline

Greg’s tip: My favorite strategy for choosing a place in the start line is one Greg shared with me.  Look up last year’s results for the same race, and see what percentile you’d be in for finishers if you run your goal pace.  Try to have about the right number of people in front of you and behind you as you would if you finished at your goal pace with the previous year’s runners.  This is a MUCH better strategy than trying to stand near people who look like they run a similar pace.  You can’t tell by looking at someone how long they’ve been running, how they’ve been training, how many waffles they ate for breakfast… It’s much better to gauge what percentage of runners you should have in front of or behind you and just hope for the best.

Looking up last year’s race results is useful because the size of the race, location, how friendly it is to beginners and walkers, etc., can make can make a huge difference in where you should start.

Examples: If a 5k has a walking division with awards, all runners will start further forward percentage wise than they would otherwise.  I start further towards the front in all women’s events than I do in co-ed events.  I have a larger percentage of runners behind me in a 5k than I do in a half marathon.  Half marathons later in the fall when weather can be an issue aren’t as appealing for beginners, and I tend to have fewer people finish behind me.

Why choosing the right starting position is great: Except in the few races that don’t have timing chips on the bibs (the occasional local 5k) you don’t loose those extra seconds it takes you to get to the starting line once the clock starts.  That means that starting further back doesn’t matter, provided the people in front of you are actually running faster than you are so you won’t need to dodge around them.

It can be tempting to start ambitiously far forward so you have a clear path ahead of you, but it’s demoralizing and potentially dangerous to have people flying by you on either side and possibly bumping into you.  The closer you can get to starting near similarly paced runners, the better your racing experience will be.  I find that I’m getting better and better at figuring out where to start, and it makes for much nicer running 🙂

Happy racing!