Little bit of good news------

my wife actually di W1D1 of the c25k  plan yesterday!- I am really happy about this- because it was actually her idea

she recently went to her 30th  highschool reunion-and she was talking to the wife of a class mate- who mentioned that  she was running as part of a relay in a local marathon which passes our house this past saturday

her new aquainteance told her- that a group of friends from work decided they were gonna walk it- and started walking in March of this year-and after a few weeks of THAT- they decided they would  switch to running it-

so  in 6 months they went from nothing- to running a relay

Saturday- I got up and ran my last long run before my half on  oct. 10-and my wife watched the marathon ouside our door-and noticed a lot of the  people were really just shufflers- " I can do THAT!" she told me-
I just want to run  a  5k leg- if you take me out and  help me buy shoes- I can get started on that( it's always about buying shoes with you ladies isn't it?)

so I got out my old printouts from when I started C25k back in oct. of 2009- and I showed her W1D1- ---" see- you just haver to be able to jog 60 seconds- then you can walk 90 seconds!- you already know you can jog longer than 60 seconds-- if you just do EACH of these workouts- step by step- in less than 9 weeks you will be able to  run 5k- you can absolutely do this!!!!!

" Great "she says- let's go buy shoes!

so after lunch-we bought her new shoes- and by 2:00- she had done w1d1

this was HER idea, not mine- but i figure my job is to be sort of low key enthusiastic and supportive- without being over the top gushing and patronizing.

she wants to sign up for a new years eve 5k that I ran last year- so I guess I will be running that as well.

Stephen

Stephen-that's so cool that your wife started the C25K; it's just one more thing you guys can do together, and it's a healthy thing to do together.  And you can give her some advice since you've been there (of course only when she asks for it or is open to receiving it!).  Congrats to you both.

-Kelly

Just wanted to report in, one week after my HM.  That race was very hilly, so now I am definitely going to add more hills to my training regime.  Did one such 4 mile run this week.  Its amazing that after doing Nashville, all my previous "inclines" now look tame and just "bumps in the road".

Today I added a 5K at the last minute, because it was flat & I haven't done a 5K since May.  It was a beautiful morning (53deg) & a new, small race so it was perfect.  Started off at <10mm pace, then after 1st 1/4 mi settled into a 11.5-12mm pace, near the back of the pack, that I was able to sustain fairly easily.  I backed off a couple of times, because I knew I was going to PR, but I gradually began passing a few people who were doing run/walk intervals.  I sped up at 3.0 miles, and then went all out the last 100 feet, to beat someone who was trying to pass me. HA! Finished in 37:44, slicing 2.5 mins off my PR!!! Yippee!!  Finished 95/114, and 1st (but not last!) in my AG (55-59).  Next 5K's won't be so flat and "easy", so it was nice to set this new PR.

I hope everyone is enjoying this fall weather, though I imagine some of you are drowning from all of that rain on the east coast.

well folks- here are my results from yesterdays half marathon

woke up  before 3:00 AM- and stared at the ceiling untill 5:45AM

got to the race in plenty of time

i have been nursing my knees and one shin the last 3 weeks or so-icem braces, nuking with meds etc.

after much consideration-decided to run the race with  both knees in braces- excellent idea- I didn't hear a peep out of either knee- including the one that was operated on years ago!

wish I could say the same for my shin- started out fine- but the first 3.3 miles are on pavement-and the first mile is mostly down hill-and I don't run on pavement usually

so by the end of only mile one- I knew i was in for a long day- the shin was just killing me

I smarter guy-would have just dropped out there- but smart is not my strength-so I figured  i spent a year to get to this point- and 4 months of pretty specific training- so ?i would just try to see it through- I figured I would be well over  3 hours-which was depressing because 4 months ago I was hoping to be in the 2:15 to 2:30 range

wife says when i passes her ( she was a spectator)-at mile 3.3 i was visibly  limping pretty bad and that  she wanted  me to drop out there- but she didn't say anything there

at that point- I got onto the trail- my usual surface-and things were a bit better for the next few miles. since i was moving so slow- the whole day I had no cardio respiratory issues

also- the people at the water stations with the cowbells?- really annoying-AND- i know they mean well- but if i want fluid i will take fluid- but I don't appreciate having to swerve AWAY from people trying to  FORCE fluid at me- i am carrying my own1

anyway- I digress

first HALF runner passes us on the way back- he is cruising along a minute or so ahead of his next competitor- visibly  he looked effortless- the people behind him- grunting,gasping weezing- the difference was quite striking

Later, of course- the first FULL marathoner passes us- and this still bowls me over- he is running so visibly effortlessly and he says to US- good job, good job!

i mean WOW- I am totallty in awe of these guys- and he is supporting US???? remarkable

in fact- that's the biggest thing( other than the pain , LOL)- that stands out in my mind

By the time i am to mile 10-11-we come into the bulk of the full marathoners heading the other way.

keep in mind I am only 2-3 miles from the finish-  THOSE folks have to run another 8-9 miles- and yet- there is a constant streeam of " good job.good job, looking strong, doing well, keep it up" etc.

I would say about 20% of the marathoners -were offering encouragement to  US.- I am still rocked by that- what generosity of spirit!- i mean- We only have 2 miles to go- they have 8-9 miles- and THEY are encouraging US?

i am just totally impressed by that

triying to explain this to my wife-who is in W3 of the C25K plan- i think anybody with some motivation- in 8-9 weeks you can go from zero running- to being able to tough out a 5k-pretty cool- another few weeks of progress- and you can run 4 miles or more-at that point you think" can I work up to a 10K- it's only 2 more miles-and a few months later  you CAN-shortly after that you are doing  say 7 miles as  your "long" weekend run-and the idea strikes you " I could add LESS than 10% to  my mileage a week and I could do a Half in a few months------( that's the point i was at late spring/early summer)

AND YOU DO IT

But those people who can do a FULL marathon- I am totally awe struck, because I just don't see going from a half to a full marathon as being remotely proportional to jumping from a  10K to a half- i am just staggered by those that can do it. totally,seriously awe struck

anyhow- finished my half 2:54- so  NOT over 3 hours-and limping pretty bad. small moral victory I suppose- but disappointing none the less- because  a couple months  ago I was thinking 2:15-and a few weeks ago I figured 2:30-2:45 was a lock

What I Learned:

If I could go back in time 4 months when I started training for this- I would have followed a plan where I NEVER went over 10 miles in training. a month ago I tweaked the shin doing a 11 mile  run-nursed it along then 2 weeks later I tweaked it more doing a 12 mile run- and probably really fubared it yesterday during the half.

I truly believe- if
I had never gone over 10 miles in training-YES  I would have maybe tweaked it a bit yesterday- but not like THIS-and I think my time would have been about 20 minutes faster- I am totally convinced of this

20/20 hindsight- i should have  spent about a year running with my long runs in the 6-7-8 mile range and concentrated on building up that lower leg/shin area-and  THEN done the Half

  My long range plans?- my next half I think will be the OBX in late fall of 2011

i want to rest up this leg and heal over the next few weeks, while i finish out this roofing season- then around thanksgiving go into training again. Next half I do i  WILL be 30 lbs. lighter-and 30 minutes faster- that's my motto for the next year. I want to do 4-5 10k's through next spring/early summer-stay at maybe 7-8 miles as long runs untill late summer

THEN-as i start doing heavier mileage in training for the HALF- it will be cooler fall temps- but I want to concentrate specifically at being rock solid at 10 miles- because this time once i got past  9 miles in training- i was reall shaky in training from 9-10-11-12 miles

30 lbs. and 30 minutes faster folks

best wishes all,

stephen

I  am curious about your screen name- are you an artist------------- oops- yep- I see that you are

reason I check- my dad was a professional artist- i spent most  of my summers as a kid- traveling the country while he painted on location- Maine, wyoming, Colorado, Cades Cove Tennesee,  Outer banks of north carolina etc.

Back home-weekends were setting up at art shows etc.

Fact is- yesterdays race went right past the front door of a location of  one of the  Art shows he helped start

anyhow- good for YOU!!!!- it's a different life ain't it??????

stephen