More On The Run Stuff

As promised, I have more stuff to say about my recent runs.

First, the Brooks Glycerin are really working for me. The foam roller? I think it's working for me. My ITB is bothering me later and later in my runs and the pain is a little easier to run through when it does show up. It is still ridiculously painful to use the roller, though I have learned that if I start by resting my leg on it for about thirty seconds it's better. The pressure seems to release the muscle a bit so when I start rolling (s-l-o-w-l-y) it's easier.

Secondly, our Half Marathon Training Plan is one from Runner's World (circa 2002). Eight weeks of two shorter runs during the week, two cross training workouts, one longer run on the weekend. The cross training is no problem given the Oly Tri plan we're working at the same time. The run mileage looks like this -
Week 1 - 2 mi, 2mi, 4mi
Week 2 - 2.5 mi, 2.5mi, 5mi
Week3 - 3mi, 3mi, 6mi
(etc, etc - increasing the short runs by .5 each week and the long runs by a mile)

Last week was Week 1. For Saturday's four miler we decided to run a loop through Chapel Hill instead of on our favorite (flat) trails. There is a 200 ft climb in the second half mile of the loop and we essentially go up and down in a big circle until we get back home. The only good thing I can say about that run is that it ends on a shady downhill - which I didn't get to fully enjoy because I was to the "walk only" stage by then. It was hot. It was humid. We hadn't had a lot of hilly runs. Yeah, yeah, yeah - I say that to myself but it feels like I'm making excuses. It was a little breezy; I'd been good about nutrition/hydration (even had G2 with me); I slowed the pace down as much as possible and worked on breathing and form. My body said, "Tough bananas. It is not happening today."

I had tomato face; I could not breathe. I felt like my HRM strap was a boa constrictor. I had to take it off. I tried to every trick I know and I could NOT push through this wall. I couldn't lower my heart rate, I couldn't recover. I felt like I was being smushed. Halfway up the last big hill, I had to stop. Not walk, not slow down, but actually stop. I sat down in the shade in front of the police station. Sitting turned to lying down. I was not tracking time or sounds or much of anything except the dizzy waves of red and black swirling in front of my closed eyes. I walked the rest of the way home. Garmin says I did most of that run in Zones 4-5 with my peak bpm at 208. Egad! No freakin wonder I felt so horrible. I don't think that 208 number can be right - but something was going on. As much of my life as I've spent in the South, this Scottish girl STILL does not do well in the heat or the humidity. I recovered very quickly once I got inside. I thought I was more acclimated than I am apparently! (That or it's the fallout from the stress of letting the kids go. I do know that affects me on all levels.) Thank heavens for awesome training partners! Donna was definitely the spirit lifter.

Monday's BRICK was an easy bike of 30 min followed by a 20 minute run that we upped a teensy bit to get in our 2.5 miles. (Is it just me or does 30 minutes on the bike seem insanely short? We spent more time loading and unloading than we did riding!) We went over to the American Tobacco Trail in Durham to do an out and back bike, then out and back run. It was still hot and humid, but there were no hills and there was lots of shade. The transition was easy. My legs felt light. The run as a whole was strong and faster than we've been able to manage for a while. And then... with only a half mile or so to go I started feeling crappy. Like I was sliding right off the slope. Nothing hurt exactly. The breathing was ok - until I started to cry. It's like I stepped on a shit bubble or something. I was irrationally angry, frustrated, sad - you name an icky emotion and it was in the mix!! It was the craziest thing. It crested as I ran/power walked through it. We finished with a decent overall pace but I was worn out - EMOTIONALLY - from the run. For no understandable reason. Clearly I was "processing" something, but shouldn't there have been some other clue, some memory or something? There was nothing. I was running along, working moderately hard but feeling pretty good about it, and WHAM - unhinged emotions. Please, somebody tell me this has happened to you too! I'm feeling like freaky runner (and would like some company!)