Women's Training and Recovery Thread - 2/6/11

Hi all -- it was good to see so much participation last week; hopefully we'll see more of the same this week.

Pretty good week for me -- Highlights include my first speedwork since November – 3200m at tempo effort for 6:40 pace, and my first (sort of) long run – 10 miles at 8:30 pace. Not bad for two months of no running, and then 4 weeks of carefully re-introing the running. I'm pleasantly shocked by how much fitness I've retained with the pool running.

This week was 20 miles of “real running” and 90 “miles” pool running (per my conversion below) plus 30 minutes on the arc-trainer.

Dailies

Monday: In the morning, “13.5 miles” of pool-running, including a “track 800s workout” of 10x3:00 at hard effort, with 1:00 recovery, followed by full recovery, and then 25 minutes at aerobic effort.

In the evening, a weights session with a personal trainer, followed by 30 minutes easy pool-running for “3 more miles”.

Tuesday: In the morning, 7 miles outside, followed by “9 miles” – 1:30 hours easy pool-running. The running was a “faux” workout – I warmed up for 20 minutes, then did some running drills and strides with others. However, I then skipped the actual workout that they were doing, and instead spent another 40 minutes running, including jogging circles up and down a hill. I averaged ~8:30 pace for the 7 miles.

Wednesday: In the morning, “14 miles” of easy pool-running – 2:20 hours. In the evening, 30 minutes on the arc-trainer plus a yoga class.

Thursday: In the morning, upper body strength-training and then “12 miles” - 2 hours easy pool-running.

Friday: In the morning, 3.5 miles on land. This was my first land speedwork in 3 months – 1.25 miles warm-up, drills and strides, then 2 miles at tempo pace (13:19, for 6:40 pace). It was tempting to do at least another mile repeat, but I didn't want to get greedy. So I did a quarter-mile cool-down, then hopped in the pool for “9.5 more miles”, including finishing the tempo workout with 2x15:00 at tempo effort with 1 minute recovery (1:20 total time in water). Full write up of the workout (emotional blathering) is here:

http://wellimtryingtorun.blogspot.com/2011/02/and-so-it-begins.html

.

Also did a Pilates class in the afternoon.

Saturday: A “long run” of 3:15 hours in the pool – did most at easy pace, but did 25 minutes at aerobic effort towards the end. Followed with strength-training.

Sunday: In the morning, 10 miles easy outside (8:29 pace); in the afternoon “9 miles” in the pool – 1:30 hours easy pool running.

Darkwave--what are you training for? Are you a college runner or something?

I'm a masters woman. Coming back from long-time injury, during which time I have cross-trained.

3 weeks or so back into running after 6 month lay off. 29 miles this week, long run of 7 miles, 3 days in the gym primarily leg weights and core, one 5 mile hill run w/a much faster male friend in beautiful weather, and 2 days in PT. PT daily on my own.

Running feels fairly difficult, but I know that it will get better if I just keep plugging along.

New pains keep appearing from my SI joint issue...but at least old pains have gone away. PT says keep running...so I do, with caution.

Sunday- 14 mile long run

Monday- 8 miles w/ 6x35seconds fast @ the end and 10x100 meter strides

Tuesday- Am- 5 miles and 16x150 sprints

Pm- 2 mile warm up 6x200meter hill sprints/ 200 meter jog, 1/2 mile cooldown

Wednesday- 1 mile warm 8 mile tempo @ 5:54 pace, 1 mile cooldown

Thursday- Am- 6.5 miles

Pm- 1 mile warm up 14x150 meter sprints, 1/2 mile cooldown

Friday- 8 miles easy

Saturday- 8.5 miles

Monday- 6 miles easy-Nice run with some hills

Tuesday-5 miles at a steady state pace

Wednesday- 6 mile fartlek run on beautiful trails

Thursday--70 min on the bike

Friday-- 6 miles easy

Saturday-10 mile long run on dirt trails and grass.

Sunday- Day Off- I didn't feel fresh!

Monday am 3 pm 8 with 5mile threshold at 6:30 pace

Tues: am 9 easy pm 5 (including drills and strides)

Wed:am hilly 7 pm easy 3

Thurs: 9.5 miles (4 x 800/400 @ 87 pace)+ 1 400 @ 74

Friday 6.5 easy

Sat: 9miles - with 10:30 3k time trial

Sun 15

Big mileage week for me! My legs are feelin it.

some new names here -- welcome RunForever and Linda.

nice weeks for all of you. darkwave, you must be thrilled to be outside, on your feet, and moving at a good clip. that 3200 tempo shows that your combination of animal-like maintenance and patience has paid off. i wouldn't be surprised if you're soon laying down some of the times you were targeting last year but couldn't quite hit. maybe a sub-1:30 HM late spring?

as for me, another week of no running and lots of ART. i think we're getting closer to working through the junky adhesions and getting to the meat of the problem. maybe i'm overly optimistic, but that's better than being down in the dumps. no four weeks post-injury, i've built up either my endurance or stoicism and am spending 60-90 minutes most days doing bike-on-trainer-with-four-pound-handweights workouts. i just turn on a podcast (usually radiolab or this american life), keep pedaling, and flailing my arms (in a controlled manner) in as many permutations as i can devise for the duration, until i simply can't stand it any longer. all the while, i look longingly out at the snowy hayfield across the street and wish to be outside getting strong again by going up and down the trails. *insert wistful sigh here.* here's hoping for a better report from me next week.

Wow. some nice weeks here.

Lalala -- I'm in a similar (though not identical) situation to you. I's a sub-masters female (I turn 37 this spring). I broke my foot back in early November, and have been cross-training since. I'm not really training for a specific goal yet, just trying to get back what I've lost.

NLS -- thanks! I don't see any half-marathons in my near future, though, simply because I don't want to target anything that long until I've been healthy for a while. This spring's racing schedule is very up in the air; the focus is on getting and staying healthy.

The trainer with handweights is incredibly imaginative, and I have no idea how you do that and retain your balance. Your core strength will be out of this world, upon your return. I am sorry that this is taking so long; but as you and I both know, you'll get through this. The short term frustrations are painful, though.

And...a question for the gallery. Droid? Or IPhone? Discuss.

DW--wow and my friends say that I train too much!! I admire your fortitude, sticking with all that pool running especially. How many hours per day do you spend training?

For most of the non-running portion of my injury (basically 6 months of no running), I was cross-training to the tune of some combo of swim/ellitipcal 90 min 3 days per week, 120 min 2 days per week, and 60 min 3 days per week. Plus maybe 3 days of strengthening and PT daily. Honestly when all was said and done, the entire event took 4 hours some days! But since I've returned to running (3 or 4 weeks ago), I just want to be conservative and make sure that I'm not doing a single thing besides running that possibly could cause more pain and affect my analysis of whether I'm really well enough to run.

I've also really lately been wondering whether so much non-running cardio is necessary to maintain fitness for running. But if you read re: pool running from Pfitz, I trust it--I tried his Advanced Marathoning plan after reading his book several years ago and just loved the entire experience.

I think during most of the last 6 months, I trained so much even though not running b/c I was worried about weight gain and wanted to do the equivalent to my runs before in terms of cardio. But I slowly made various changes to my diet (long story), was able to maintain my weight w/o quite much cardio, and just really in my case trying to focus on healing. (And really I had to stop b/c everything was aggravating my hip.)

Anyway now I'm thankful to be running and not worried as much about clocking minutes of cardio, just trying to feel good running and (hopefully!!) keep building up the miles. Also--I never could get the hang of pool running!!

Can't answer your Q on the droid/iphone. My husband and I have thus far avoided going down the internet phone road.

Hola Ladies!

Mild weather and temps in the thirties have me in a stellar mood. Also the world of running has been exciting and controversial this week which is always interesting. Good or bad-it is a positive thing to know that so many people care.

Monday: 12 miles + a horrible day at work.

Tuesday: 8 miles, strides, lift

Wednesday: 8 miles

Thursday: 8 miles with 3 x 5 min pickups

Friday: AM: 30 and lift PM: SWEP on the treadmill (Speed With Endurance Play)

Saturday: Easy 30, went out Friday night and 60 minutes wasn't going to happen Saturday morning.

Sunday: 12 miles

Overall, good week. Trying to be more consistent with everything (eating, running, work). Good start to this week so a step in the right direction.

Welcome to the newbies. Good to see new posts.

Had my second date on Friday night (we had to reschedule). Things went great, nice guy, we have a lot in common and I am excited to learn more about him. Taking things slow.

I hope that everyone has a good week. It looks like we are getting our miles in which is great to see.

Run on :)

lalala- I hope you don't mind my asking, but are you the same person who has been posting in all of the torn labrum threads? If you are, thank you! Because of your posts, I was able to diagnose myself with a torn labrum and I've found a doctor who will perform surgery. (It's such a relief to finally have an answer for why I haven't been able to run for the past five months, and to not have to worry that I should be running or doing more).

I guess I was also wondering if you have any advice for me on how to manage my diet or not go stir crazy? I think I'm in a situation that's very similar to where you were a few weeks or months ago-- I feel like everything aggravates my hip (even walking! the only thing that was keeping me sane!) and I've gained more weight than I'm comfortable with.

Please don’t feel obligated to respond to any of this—I just wanted to thank you, and I love the moments when Letsrun feels like a real and supportive community.

OMG thank you! Yes, I was the one. I love those moments, too. And honestly I have learned so much more from letsrun than from docs--really there are many naysayers but I believe that you have to do your own research AND ask as many experts as you can find.

Sorry to hijack this thread to change the subject, but here are some things that I have learned about my hip and diet.

First, my understanding is that there are a number of things that can be wrong with your hip and that diagnosis is difficult. Someone else on this board who is AWESOME also has a labral tear--she actually told me about the condition--and she just had surgery. She thinks that I have a labral tear. I'm not sure. Several docs/PTs down here think that I do not, but they could all be wrong. I'm currently seeing a woman who I believe is an excellent, really excellent PT. She is the head PT for a hospital and most recommended by a friend/sports med ortho surgeon. She's been awesome and she thinks that the cause of my pain has been SI joint dysfunction, not labral tear. Sorry to complicate matters but I am extremely reluctant to consider surgery until I am 100% positive that I've tried every non-surgical route. Anyway, long-story short, I have made tremendous progress in the last 6 weeks of PT, despite several years of bad PT, numerous doctors, and scrambling to find out what is wrong. I would just say--make sure your doctor is excellent, research for yourself, try to find a good PT for hips, although I think this is difficult. I live in Orlando, Florida, if you live nearby I can give you a name.

So basically I may or may not have a labral tear, but I am running stronger and with less pain every week since this new PT.

As for diet...okay. I read a couple of books, which I put together with my previous knowledge of nutrition. The best three books (in order of how much they helped me, not how much fun to read lol): (1) superfoods RX; (2) The End of Overeating; and (3) In Defense of Food. Basically I started eating according to the superfoods RX "prescription"--he tells you what amounts of what foods you need to eat daily. The few pounds that I had gained while not running vanished in a few weeks with no running but I was still training at that point at the level described in my last post. But it was still AMAZING, truly! I eventually stopped training b/c I couldn't. So I modified his program slightly--just basically eating the same foods but only until I was full. I would stop when full. So overall less quantity than he prescribes. And I watched my fat intake although I still ate a fair amount through nuts, salmon, and small amounts of salad dressing, etc. But I didn't cook in oil or butter. Actually I was still eating dessert every night--but the cookies on superfoods rx.com, which are delicious.

Anyway...basically in the morning I eat: 1 c. blueberries (frozen in off season), 1/2 c. "Uncle Sam" plain cereal, (if not training) 1/2 c. plain no-fat yogurt (double if training), plus a truvia packet. Lunch is basically a huge salad topped with lean protein (chicken, turkey breast or egg) or salmon. Add whole grain bread slice--from the DELI--with very few ingregedient--regular bread is terrible and most loaded with HFCS--if training. Salad contents: spinach or romaine, brocolli, tomato, red pepper, carrots, garbanzo bns (1/2 c.) or green peas, measured salad dressing (I like Newman's Own Balsamic Vin.--Light)--2 TBSP. Snack around 4 p.m.: either same as breakfast but use strawberries and half the cereal or half whole grain bread sandwich with all natural PB and honey. Dinner: similar to lunch but different. Basically find a way to add more veggies to anything. Lean protein/veggie *maybe whole grain* combo. So maybe spaghetti sauce over brocolli. Or chicken breast with brocolli/carrot/spinach mix--steamed or stir-fried in spray oil. Or salmon. Also soup--broth based--basically start w/two cans of organic soup, add chicken broth with few chemical ingredients, then add lots of veggies and lean meat. Whatever you have in the fridge. And beans. YUMMY. I wasn't strict entirely--if we went out to eat, I tried to eat mostly veggies/lean meat and light (or omit) fatty items like cheese, etc. But if I wanted pizza, I ate pizza. Just smaller portions. Portion size was another biggie. Stop eating when full.

Biggest things were mainly focus on fruits, veggies (LOTS), yogurt, beans, lean protein, nuts, and whole grains. And avoid long ingredient lists or processed foods. I swear this works like a charm...

Sorry to ramble but hard to talk about diet in a non-detailed way.

I'm currently trying to tweak my diet to support a higher level of training, so adding more protein and whole grains...

Good luck--and don't give up on weight loss--it's really honestly easy if you do these things. And do WHATEVER exercise you can do while eating these things...good things will happen...:)

Also another point is that eliminating processed foods as much as possible, esp. if you focus on those foods I listed, honestly will eliminate cravings. I never thought that would happen for me (couldn't even understand the concept) but it was just so easy once I started eating those foods. The End of Overeating focused on the processed food aspect--ingredient lists are bad b/c they add stuff to increase your cravings.

The one way that I changed my diet different from what those books recommended was I still limited fat. But my theory was that I probably still eat plenty, from the ocassional eating out, to the nuts when I snack, salmon and salad dressing, etc.

Also, whether you follow this eating plan or not, you HAVE to try the choc chip cookies on the superfoodsrx.com website (I modify only by using 50/50 whole wheat/regular flour). They are awesome and good for you w/walnuts, dark chocolate and oatmeal. I make a batch every week and eat 2-3 every night. Also the chocolate cake is awesome--I modify per my husband's request to add chocolate chips to the batter (60% cacao) and I use cookinglight.com's sour cream chocolate frosting. The cake is made with pumpkin but still really good. I make two batches to equal one normal cake. Just for special ocassions but some healthy ingredients (dark choc, pumpkin) and scrumptuous!!

Also for something more special (like a recipe for a special ocassion), cookinglight.com has served me well re weight maintenance for many years. Now I just focus on those foods listed in superfoods if I'm into making a recipe.

Also. There is an absolute wonderful newwletter called Nutrition Action--definitely worth the price. More detailed and scientific but still interesting reading than most food magazines.

Good luck!

Great post.

Lalala...

Have you been to a chiro about your "SI-Joint" issue?

Your PT sounds like she is on to something because she's been able to get you back to small amounts of running via PT exercises/stretching.

I had my first chiro visit last week and again yesterday specifically for SI-Joint dysfunction that had my lowerback and hips out of whack. I have only had 2 treatments so far which included minor SI-Joint adjustment and nerve flossing and stretching. I am already walking like a new woman. I cannot tell how how much pressure and tightness I have been walking around with on a daily basis and thinking it was normal!

Some people like Chiros and others do not. But if you are able to find a good chiro that your PT wouldn't mind working together with it might help you out more with your running.

you can crack the bones every week paying this guy tons of money or you could seek a good massage therapist for a lasting treatment. hint, what do you think is pulling the bones out of place? to the less stressed gal, how much money have you wasted on that chiro for art? if you haven't had a lasting treatment plan, what is the continued use of this guy?

lalala- Thank you so much for both of your posts!! Sorry I took so long to respond- I wanted to be able to express my gratitude properly, and then I realized I probably won't be able to do that, no matter how much time I have :)

I think my problem has always been eating past the point of being full, but hopefully eliminating processed food and bread will get rid of cravings, and having a more structured eating plan will help. I guess--as with everything now--I just have to be patient and have faith that I'm making progress.

Good luck with your own rehabbing!

setting the world on fire wrote:

Great post.

Thank you.

Neliah,

I haven't tried chiro yet. But she has been yanking my hip seriously almost like on the edge of yanking it out of socket with a wide belt using her body weight. That REALLY helped the tightness (went away at first), then it came back, but also showed me a stretch that helps a lot. Only problem is that it gets tight again a few hours later or after a run.

But 29 miles last week plus a 7 mile run was pretty exciting. Just not as exciting when tightness and some awkward pain still exists in the bad hip. I AM feeling better but still kind of thinking I must continue improving or I must switch gears again.

You know yourself--you competed and ran 100 mile weeks with a labral tear for God's sake.

Also to everyone forgot to mention re diet. One thing I read that really took me over the edge in terms of veggies. Everyone says eat your veggies. But one book I read said that there was some study that showed that people eat about the same volume of food daily regardless of whether they ate snickers bars or blueberries(can't remember how much...3 pds maybe?) Anyway, the point is that if you eat more fruits and veggies, and I mean really commit to increasing your daily intake, you will naturally eat less calories b/c you will still eat the same volume but far fewer calories. I have started buying veggies and produce weekly. I used to reach the end of the week and throw them away about half the time b/c I didn't eat them in time. But now I really have committed to eating them and it makes staying thin SOOOO much easier.

Also, I am not a purist. I probably eat this way maybe 2/3 of the time. When I'm eating less healthy stuff, I just commit to smaller portions--but again eating til full. The Japanese have a phrase for their way of eating--I don't remember the phrase but it means "80% full," which they say before every meal. So I eat more veggies/salad every week, and try to shoot for not exceeding 100% full. Really this was necessary b/c of my injury. I just couldn't accomplish my weight maintenance goals with endless cardio as I had done in the past.

Stepping off minorly or majorly annoying soapbox now--thanks for bearing with me. :)