Ran the hills with Coach Chuck last night. It was... Well, first and foremost, it was COLD! But extra layers were worn, and all was okay.
The hill workout program is basically this: Find a hill, with about a 10-15% grade (I don't know what this is, honestly. I know you want incline, but not STEEP), and run up it. Run at about 90% your maximum speed, for a time of 60-90 seconds. The goal is to maintain the same pace, and cover the same distance in the same
time, with margin of error or roughly 2%. Start with 2-3 repetitions, and add one or two repetitions each week.
Chuck and I began with a leisurely warm-up jog of about a mile and a half (with one vaguely surreal pit-stop at the UofR cafeteria, where we interrupted what appeared to be Dance Team tryouts or somesuch), and then went to find our hill. This being my
first hill workout, I ran two repetitions up the hill. My first trip took 1:17, which is right in the middle of the goal running time (60-90 seconds). My second trip, I was shocked and proud to hear, came in at 1:17, as well! It certainly didn't feel like I was running the same pace, but apparently, I was. This is good, and I
will mark this down as a success. These hill workouts are going to become a regular activity for me, and will help (a LOT) toward my "perfect day" goal of finishing this marathon in under 5 hours. Yay!
The day before yesterday, I sent out my update email (some of you reading this likely received that email - if you didn't, but would like to, email me at davebessom@gmail.com and I'll add you to this list!), and mentioned the upcoming hill training. I received two great email responses to this, yesterday, which I found to be both motivating and inspirational, and so I would like to share
them with you here.
First, some great advice:
Never let something that does not move beat you.
My new hill-running mantra.
And second, some wonderful reasons to love hills:
Hills are incredible. This is why:
Without hills, there would be no fantastic cartoons of ever-growing snowballs barreling down on the heels of funny rabbits who always made us laugh on Saturday mornings while we wore our snuggly-footie pajamas. Without hills there would be no mountains. Without mountains, Julie Andrews would not have had a place to sing on her days off from the Abbey. She'd have to, like, go buy cheese or something on her days off. If we didn't have hills, there would be no opportunities to go downhill sledding in the winter. If there were no sledding opportunities, there would be no need for hot cocoa to warm your chilly-bones after sledding all day. Can you
imagine a world without hot cocoa? I can't. It would be a dark, dismal place. See? Without hills, life would be crap. ;-) You're a lucky, LUCKY man, Dave Bessom, to spend the evening with hills.
I AM a lucky man to spend my time on these hills. Many people can't, and so I am running these hills FOR them. I'm honored to have this opportunity, and I'm loving every freezing uphill minute of it.
Friday, January 23, 2009
14 Jan 2009
Well, plans changed. Coach Chuck couldn't make it tonight, so I ran my regularly scheduled 7 miles. It went well; better than I would have thought. I ran one loop each of my two neighborhood circuits of 4 and 3 miles. Matt ran the first 4 mile loop with me, but was not prepared for the cold, so he ducked out after that.
Maybe it was breaking the run into two smaller sections, but the last 3 miles felt easier (not EASY, mind you, but easiER) than I would have thought. I think I managed to really push myself, as well, in terms of running strong and keeping a faster pace than I normally would on a "long" run (to me, anything over 5 miles is still a long run).
Funny, though, before writing this post, I moved some older posts to the archive, the oldest of which was for our 7 mile group long run. Again, I was caught off-guard by the perspective. It really wasn't that long ago when 7 miles was a near-impossibility in my mind, but now it's just a mid-week run! These moments are
really wonderful, as they remind me I AM making progress, even when I sometimes feel I'm not.
Maybe it was breaking the run into two smaller sections, but the last 3 miles felt easier (not EASY, mind you, but easiER) than I would have thought. I think I managed to really push myself, as well, in terms of running strong and keeping a faster pace than I normally would on a "long" run (to me, anything over 5 miles is still a long run).
Funny, though, before writing this post, I moved some older posts to the archive, the oldest of which was for our 7 mile group long run. Again, I was caught off-guard by the perspective. It really wasn't that long ago when 7 miles was a near-impossibility in my mind, but now it's just a mid-week run! These moments are
really wonderful, as they remind me I AM making progress, even when I sometimes feel I'm not.
13 Jan 2009
Nice little 4 miler yesterday (Now there's something inspiring - not all that long ago, a 4 mile run would have left me a quivering ball of jelly on the side of the
road; now it's just a "nice little run!"). It was not nearly as cold as I'd expected, though, so the gloves and knit cap had to go.
Not to say the entire run was a breeze; I still have to keep myself motivated and focused on pacing and breathing and whatnot. But that kind of concentration is relaxing (as I've discussed before). It was a fun run.
Tonight, however, is where the REAL fun begins. As I've been told (warned) by everyone I know who has run Nashville before, the entire course is made of rolling hills, long gentle uphill sections and long gentle downhills. Running hills is crucial to my training, and so far, I've had precious little of that. So tonight I'm going to run hills with Coach Chuck. I love hills. I love hills. I love
hills.
road; now it's just a "nice little run!"). It was not nearly as cold as I'd expected, though, so the gloves and knit cap had to go.
Not to say the entire run was a breeze; I still have to keep myself motivated and focused on pacing and breathing and whatnot. But that kind of concentration is relaxing (as I've discussed before). It was a fun run.
Tonight, however, is where the REAL fun begins. As I've been told (warned) by everyone I know who has run Nashville before, the entire course is made of rolling hills, long gentle uphill sections and long gentle downhills. Running hills is crucial to my training, and so far, I've had precious little of that. So tonight I'm going to run hills with Coach Chuck. I love hills. I love hills. I love
hills.
10 Jan 2009
Strange, but there seem to be no updates for last week. I'm pretty sure I made them. Maybe I'm losing my mind, like so many people are always telling me...
Well, this past Saturday was a blast! I set a new personal distance record of eleven miles! Again, the only reason I accomplished this was because of the support of my teammates, in particular this week was Mentor Jen, who stuck with me the entire
last 8 or 9 miles, and kept me motivated when I started to flag. Thanks, Jen! I couldn't have done it without you!
And, speaking of relying on others for support, if you haven't yet, please make a donation. The more involved I become with this Team, the more personally invested I find myself becoming in the cause. I really can't express in words just how much your
support means! Thank you!
Well, this past Saturday was a blast! I set a new personal distance record of eleven miles! Again, the only reason I accomplished this was because of the support of my teammates, in particular this week was Mentor Jen, who stuck with me the entire
last 8 or 9 miles, and kept me motivated when I started to flag. Thanks, Jen! I couldn't have done it without you!
And, speaking of relying on others for support, if you haven't yet, please make a donation. The more involved I become with this Team, the more personally invested I find myself becoming in the cause. I really can't express in words just how much your
support means! Thank you!
3 Jan 2009
Had a really great run this morning. My first double-digit day! I've never in my life traveled 10 miles, except by car, train, etc. It was really tough, particularly the last 2 miles or so, but I finished, and with a smile on my face, so I'm happy. I got to know another team-mate, as well. Eric, who is training for his fourth marathon. Eric (and Chad) and I ran together for most of the 10 miles, which I strongly believe was the only reason I made it through. So thanks, guys, for
the conversation and the motivation.
the conversation and the motivation.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
1 Jan 2009
Hats off to 2009! I hope everyone had a wonderful and warm New Year's. I decided to start mine off on the right foot (pun intended) this time, and so I put on my running gear, and left the house at 1130. I ran my way into the new year, and it was, in a word, brilliant. Granted, I had to dodge crowds of revelers (particularly on the return half, which was after the midnight festivities had started to close out), but they were friendly enough, so that just made the run even more enjoyable. My intention was to meet the new year head-on, and set the tone for the next twelve months; a tone of growth, motivation, optimism and, of course, running. I feel like I succeeded. This is going to be a great year, for all of us.
29 Dec 2008
A good holiday was had. A visit home, a Christmas morning run, and the birth of my first niece, Karina McKay (Friday night)! I didn't know babies could smile that young, but darned if she wasn't smiling at me at one hour old! Awesome. I'm already loving being an uncle, and I can only imagine it gets better and better from here.
24 Dec 2008
I had a really fun 4 mile run yesterday, and I'm looking forward to a nice 6 miles today. I'm heading down to Newport News for the holiday, so I think (if it's not too late/dark when I get there) I may go over to the Nolan Trail to run. I love that park, and I always go there to run, during my periodic fits of motivation. Today, I will be able to run the whole trail, though, for the first time!
Here's wishing everyone the happiest of happy holidays, and I hope everyone is able to spend time with their family and friends! I will be back here on Monday, with a full recap of my holiday runs and news of the birth of my first niece!
Here's wishing everyone the happiest of happy holidays, and I hope everyone is able to spend time with their family and friends! I will be back here on Monday, with a full recap of my holiday runs and news of the birth of my first niece!
20 Dec 2008
Really good run this morning. This was the pre-breakfast 5 mile group run, and it was a lot of fun. I'm starting to get to know some of my teammates (there are still some with whom I haven't had a chance to talk much, mostly because they run much faster than I do), and I couldn't be happier to know them. Everyone - EVERYONE - I've met through this program is incredibly awesome.
So, the run... This was actually the first group run I've done that wasn't an out-and-back route; this time we ran a big loop from Byrd Park through the Fan, up into the Museum District, and then back to Byrd Park. Everyone wore bells (this being our last group run before Christmas), and the folks I ran with and I tried our hand at some Christmas carols while we cruised up Monument Ave. That didn't work out great, though, because none of us could remember any of the words! Still, it was fun.
After the run, a bunch of us had breakfast at The Baker's Crust in Carytown. Belgian waffles, bacon and COFFEE. Yum.
So, the run... This was actually the first group run I've done that wasn't an out-and-back route; this time we ran a big loop from Byrd Park through the Fan, up into the Museum District, and then back to Byrd Park. Everyone wore bells (this being our last group run before Christmas), and the folks I ran with and I tried our hand at some Christmas carols while we cruised up Monument Ave. That didn't work out great, though, because none of us could remember any of the words! Still, it was fun.
After the run, a bunch of us had breakfast at The Baker's Crust in Carytown. Belgian waffles, bacon and COFFEE. Yum.
18 Dec 2008
We have a Team breakfast this Saturday, so our coaches decided to shorten our long run to 5 miles (instead of the scheduled 8). With this in mind, I decided to do my own long run, basically switching my mid-week mid-long run and my weekend long run.
The solo long run was...good. Tougher than when I have conversation to distract and motivate, but the Nickel Bridge is beautiful, one of my favorite places to run, and the neighborhood I wandered (and briefly got lost in) was hilly, which is good. I need hills. I needed them; I got them!
It was both the longest and hilliest run I've done so far, and I am feeling it today, for sure. Sore, tired, but overall, extremely happy. I had fun, and I feel very accomplished for having done it. I'm debating a short run this evening, just to stay loose. I know more advanced runners often follow a long run with a half-distance run the next day, but beginners are more prone to injury following that regimen. We'll see how I feel, and how the time works out. I have a few things to take care of this evening, and I'm not going to stress about it, one way or the other.
I had my first "dog encounter" last night. I was jogging up a narrow street, and a car approached from behind me. Rather than squeeze alongside a parked car, I opted to hop onto the sidewalk while they passed. No sooner did my foot touch sidewalk than I heard a jingle and a bark, and a large (albeit pretty friendly-looking) dog came racing toward me. He stopped at the edge of his yard and sat down. "Just making sure you stay off my lawn, pal," he seemed to be saying.
Another standout from the run came as I was farther along the same street where I saw the dog. It was dark out, and many houses had their lights on, so I could see into many of them. One house, a small little cottage-looking thing, was brightly lit, interior and exterior lights blazing. Inside the wide picture window on the front of the house, I could see hung on the wall a large banner reading "Welcome Home." I don't know who was returning or from where, but it made me smile. I hope whoever it was had a safe trip and a happy homecoming.
The solo long run was...good. Tougher than when I have conversation to distract and motivate, but the Nickel Bridge is beautiful, one of my favorite places to run, and the neighborhood I wandered (and briefly got lost in) was hilly, which is good. I need hills. I needed them; I got them!
It was both the longest and hilliest run I've done so far, and I am feeling it today, for sure. Sore, tired, but overall, extremely happy. I had fun, and I feel very accomplished for having done it. I'm debating a short run this evening, just to stay loose. I know more advanced runners often follow a long run with a half-distance run the next day, but beginners are more prone to injury following that regimen. We'll see how I feel, and how the time works out. I have a few things to take care of this evening, and I'm not going to stress about it, one way or the other.
I had my first "dog encounter" last night. I was jogging up a narrow street, and a car approached from behind me. Rather than squeeze alongside a parked car, I opted to hop onto the sidewalk while they passed. No sooner did my foot touch sidewalk than I heard a jingle and a bark, and a large (albeit pretty friendly-looking) dog came racing toward me. He stopped at the edge of his yard and sat down. "Just making sure you stay off my lawn, pal," he seemed to be saying.
Another standout from the run came as I was farther along the same street where I saw the dog. It was dark out, and many houses had their lights on, so I could see into many of them. One house, a small little cottage-looking thing, was brightly lit, interior and exterior lights blazing. Inside the wide picture window on the front of the house, I could see hung on the wall a large banner reading "Welcome Home." I don't know who was returning or from where, but it made me smile. I hope whoever it was had a safe trip and a happy homecoming.
Friday, January 16, 2009
15, 17 Dec 2008
15 Dec 2008 - No news to report today.
17 Dec 2008 - Yeah, I missed a day, sorry. The weather was foul, and I got caught up taking care of some other important business. It happens, I'm told, so I'm trying not to beat myself up over it.
Anyway, yesterday I had what I am trying to get in the habit of calling a "good running lesson" rather than a "bad run." It wasn't a bad run, really; just......educational. Yes.
So, what did I learn last night? I learned I can't judge my own pace. Not yet, at least. I remember in that movie about Prefontaine where he ran each lap on the track exactly one second faster than the lap before. As much as I would like to be that perfectly aware of my body and my performance, I have a long way to go yet.
I ran my usual 5k route around the neighborhood last night, and I timed myself. I'm not really sure why I started doing that; I'm really not so concerned with my time, although I do like to see that I have remained fairly consistent these last few weeks. Anyway, I tried to pick the pace up last night. I ran faster than I am used to, and while my legs felt all right at the end, my lungs were burning and I felt I must have demolished my PR for a 5k (29:02, if you're curious). Lo and behold, to my complete and utter shock and disappointment, I finished in 30:53!
I'm not sure if this is more a testament to my own inability to judge my speed or to the collective motivation that comes with running a race, surrounded by other runners. Either way, I'm making a conscious decision not to try to make or beat any certain time when I go on my training runs. I'm not shooting for a specific time in the marathon (although "under 5 hours" seems like a pretty reasonable and accomplishable goal - if I can maintain my usual 10-minute mile pace, I can actually finish in 4 1/2 hours), so why should I worry about time when I'm training? Right? Right?
Right.
17 Dec 2008 - Yeah, I missed a day, sorry. The weather was foul, and I got caught up taking care of some other important business. It happens, I'm told, so I'm trying not to beat myself up over it.
Anyway, yesterday I had what I am trying to get in the habit of calling a "good running lesson" rather than a "bad run." It wasn't a bad run, really; just...
So, what did I learn last night? I learned I can't judge my own pace. Not yet, at least. I remember in that movie about Prefontaine where he ran each lap on the track exactly one second faster than the lap before. As much as I would like to be that perfectly aware of my body and my performance, I have a long way to go yet.
I ran my usual 5k route around the neighborhood last night, and I timed myself. I'm not really sure why I started doing that; I'm really not so concerned with my time, although I do like to see that I have remained fairly consistent these last few weeks. Anyway, I tried to pick the pace up last night. I ran faster than I am used to, and while my legs felt all right at the end, my lungs were burning and I felt I must have demolished my PR for a 5k (29:02, if you're curious). Lo and behold, to my complete and utter shock and disappointment, I finished in 30:53!
I'm not sure if this is more a testament to my own inability to judge my speed or to the collective motivation that comes with running a race, surrounded by other runners. Either way, I'm making a conscious decision not to try to make or beat any certain time when I go on my training runs. I'm not shooting for a specific time in the marathon (although "under 5 hours" seems like a pretty reasonable and accomplishable goal - if I can maintain my usual 10-minute mile pace, I can actually finish in 4 1/2 hours), so why should I worry about time when I'm training? Right? Right?
Right.
13 Dec 2008
13 Dec 2008 - 7 mile run this morning: awesome. Heather came out and ran with me, which was fun. She had to leave early (about halfway through the run), so the return trek was done solo. It was a little strange: I fell behind the three girls in the front of the group, so I couldn't see them, and no one was close enough behind me to see, either, so it was like I was completely alone. I say it was strange, but it was quite peaceful and pleasant. It was early, and it was cold, so no one was out, really, except a few cars on the Powhite Parkway, next to which our course ran for a bit, so it was (mostly) very quiet. I could hear birds, and a dog, and at times it was almost as if I could hear the cold itself (although it was a good 6 degrees warmer than last Saturday), a hushed, crackling sound just underneath the sound of my breathing and my feet striking the road surface, kind of like the sound of ice before it breaks.
I tell you, this running thing just keeps getting better and better. I keep thinking of all these experiences I've had, and people I've met, which I would have missed out on, otherwise. Pretty incredible.
I tell you, this running thing just keeps getting better and better. I keep thinking of all these experiences I've had, and people I've met, which I would have missed out on, otherwise. Pretty incredible.
Monday, January 5, 2009
10 Dec 2008
So today, for the first time, I actually tried to run a fast 3 miles. I started out jogging, and then thought, 'Hey, 3 miles is not THAT tough anymore; why not see how fast you can run it?' I'm not really sure what I expected, but whatever that was, it isn't what happened. I wasn't looking for a drastic improvement, but then again, I didn't know what difference I would see, having never run for time before. Anyway, I ended up coming in at slightly under a 10-minute mile, which is my average; but I was still slower than my PR (29:02 5K). I'm not disappointed (I was at the time, just because of how tired I was, I thought I deserved to do better), nothing of the sort (anymore). I have never really been concerned with time, except when running "official" races (5Ks), which my only goal was to improve. I don't have a goal time for the marathon; I just want to finish.
Anyway, I don't really have much point to this ramble. I ran as fast as I could maintain for 3 miles, it wasn't as fast as I've ever run, but it was faster than I usually run. That can't be a bad thing.
Anyway, I don't really have much point to this ramble. I ran as fast as I could maintain for 3 miles, it wasn't as fast as I've ever run, but it was faster than I usually run. That can't be a bad thing.
9 Dec 2008
First off, because I know everyone who read yesterday's post is practically foaming at the mouth to know... The socks. I wore my new running socks (with fancy embroidered squished bugs on the bottoms!) for my 4m yesterday. I was expecting a noticeable difference, and...there was. It was not the transcendent experience I had been told to expect, but they are more comfortable than what I was wearing (regular cotton socks). The biggest difference I noticed was actually after I stopped running. My feet felt fresher than I have become used to feeling at the end of a run, which is a very good thing. So, socks: Two big toes up.
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