Run Martians or Trails, That Is The Question.

Hello friends!

I have some pretty neat news to share, or rather an update on timing of a big trip.

I will be in China traveling for half of a month. I am very excited for the opportunity to travel to a land which I have never thought I would ever travel to. I mean, who goes to China? Me. I am going to both Shanghai and Hong Kong, with another stop within the PRC just outside of Shanghai which city's name alludes me at this moment.

I am both excited and nervous as I have never traveled over seas before. Not even to the UK. So far my international work has been limited to three years working in Ontario, Canada, and the past four years visiting Ciudad Juarez and Guadalajara, Mexico. (Note to you the reader, do not ever go to Ciudad Juarez. Never. You have been warned and that is all.)

Hong Kong at night

Another picture of Hong Kong at night

My travel has been pushed back to the end of March, returning just one week prior to the Martian half marathon on April 10th, 2010. I will be in the US for less than 8 days.

I have no idea what level my jet-laggedness will be at (and yes, I just made up that word so feel free to reuse it as needed.) I have been advised by no less than 5 people to NOT run outside while in Hong Kong, and while in Shanghai to remember that I have no right of way and many of the people I spoke with actually have either been hit by vehicles or have had some pretty close calls.

And you thought Detroit was tough... heh.


OK well no biggie. I mean, I can do treadmill runs IF I am lucky enough to find a treadmill, or I can run the stairs at my hotel or I can just not run for 2 weeks and then suck wind at Martian... being all tired and broken down... possibly. Or, I can sneak in some runs if and only if safe to do so if I keep my head on a swivel and never bring the iPod along with me. If I will be walking the city to see the sights, why not jog some of it, right?

Let's be honest here. I have pulled out more miraculous things with much less training. Like my entire 2004-2006 running seasons. I am not in the race to win it although I do want sub 2:30 which is still pretty slow by anyone's standards even my own. I think I can finish the race with little issue if I just listen to my body and take it one mile at a time.

I can do a long run when I return from China, that may help me work out some of the jet-lag. I am thinking at this point I will just have to do a last minute sign up for the race if it remains an option.


As it stands my two options are as follows:

Martian half marathon slightly under-trained and potential for certain jet-laggedness (boo-yah twice in one posting!),

What the terrain on Mars would be if we were to actually run there. Not so bad, pretty flat really. Much like Hines Drive. Odd.

or

The Trail half marathon, definitely under-trained for trails (hellllooo Poto!) but can get in some more trail runs and I will have two additional weeks of training and rest before the race.

The Potawatomi Trail.. not so flat and very... well very trail like.

Maybe I should just do a long run at KMP one week, and the next do it at Potto or Maybury that way I am at least ready for either race. Hmmm.... Interesting conundrum.

And by interesting I mean *ACK*!

So we shall see.


I am posing a question to my bloggy blog readers and followers out there... if you travel internationally by way of over the big pond, please tell me your thoughts on jet-lag and advise on running a half marathon 1 week after a trip abroad.



Peace, love, and running...

The first day of training... the end of my base-building adventure.

Today started my for realzy-official tri training program. The past 3 months have been a base building adventure and I feel very secure in the distances ahead of me this year. I switched from time training (i.e. swim for 23 minutes, run for 30 minutes, bike for 1 hour 30 minutes) to formal time/distance training.

So what was on the plate for today? A healthy dose of strength training followed by a nice core workout then wrapping up with my first "endurance" swim of any real time (40 minutes swim with a 5 minute cool down).

Strength:
Sets: 2-3 Core #2 - 2x (15 minutes total core workout) Speed: Slow Recovery: 1-1.5'

BACK Bent-Arm Pulldown - 2 sets, 15 reps at 45lbs, 1 set 20 reps 45lbs
LEGS Leg Press - 2 sets, 15 reps at 60lbs, 1 set 20 reps 60lbs
BACK Seated row - 3 sets, 15 reps at 40lbs
LEGS Leg Extensions - 2sets, 15 reps 45lbs, 1 set 20 reps, 45lbs
LEGS Hamstring curl - 2 sets 15 reps 40lbs, 1 set 20 reps 30lbs

Swim
Swim Endurance (Form)

W/U: 10 minutes alternating slow-fast pacing.
MS: 30-minute steady swim.
C/D: 5 minutes very easy sculling.

Total swam - 1600 yards.

I did find a trick to make these long swims less boring - the first 25 yards of each 100 yard set I count my strokes and make sure that I am keeping a constant pace. Sort ofa cadence drill for swimming. I also hit my HRM at the 100's that way I could keep track of distance wihtout having to count laps higher than 4. I am a little off on the pace because I was short 400 yards from the estimated 2,000.

I feel good because I see that my next swim workout is drill sets based on 100's - 300's! I know that I can cover distance, now I am going to finally work on the speed aspect! Good news - I am not the slowest swimmer in the world. :o) And I am STILL the only bi-lateral breather at the pool.

It is quite an accomplishment for me because one month ago I never really thought that I would be doing 40 minutes of laps - without issue or tired arms. I feel really good about both my performaces and the consistency in my daily routine.


I have seen that even for as much as training has become a habit and a daily happening, I still have that little voice in the back of my head that says "hey Jenn.. wouldn't it be easier to just go home and crash in front of the TV instead of heading to the gym to work out for 2 hours?" The answer is always yes... but somehow my body ignores this little voice and I crank out whatever is on my agenda pretty much without issue. I actaully like working out.

And seriously - I never thought that I would!

I am also a little bummed because I have to take the Trail Half Mary off of my schedule due to a conflict on that Sunday, however a co-worker and I are running the 5-miler the day before hand, and adding an additional 8.1 miles onto the end of it to make our own, unofficial, Trail half.

Well I am off to fix din-din and relax! I think that it is WELL earned!

})i({RG

Hitting the trails.. and increasing speed little by little.

Yesterday was a good day. I did a little research and realized that we are currently 9 weeks out from the Trail Half Marathon weekend.

Hmmm....

So yeah.

I am throwing in an additional Half Marathon into my season - the Trail Half on April 28th.

My only goal for this race, being that it will be my first trail half marathon, is to finish with a smile on my face, preferably in under 3 hours - but I will say under 3:20 and I will be happy.

I love trail running. And this will be my longest trail run ever (5 milers is my typical venture off-road).

So back to Maybury State Park I go - oh yeah and of course to the Potto trail where the race happens in 9 glorious weeks!

~~~~~~~~~~~


I have been doing my running this week on the track instead of the dreadmill. Hmmm... runnin gplace watching TV and listening to my iPod vs. running around in a little circle (11.5 laps - 1 measley mile). At least I am moving forward on the track... but either way it all boils down to being BORED.

Yesterday I did a slow and easy 1 mile after a full intense leg session:

The numbers for 2/19

Exercise Sets Min reps Max reps Min Wt. (lb) Max Wt. (lb)
ABS Incline sit-ups 1 5 5 2 2
ABS Sit-Ups, Flat 2 12 35 2 2
LEGS Leg Press 3 12 12 95 95
LEGS Hip abductor 3 12 12 70 70
LEGS Hip adductor 3 12 12 70 70
LEGS Leg Extensions 3 12 12 60 60
LEGS Hamstring curl 3 12 12 60 60
LEGS Hamstring
Curls (Cable) 2 12 12 50 60
LEGS Standing
Reverse Calf Raises 3 12 12 35 35

The run
11.5 laps = 1 mile
1- 1.21
2- 1.10
3- 1.10
4- 1.08
5- 1.08
6- 1.07
7- 1.06
8- 1.05
9- 1.03
10- 1.00
11- 0.56
11.5 - 0.25
Total 1 mile in 12:44

The Numbers for 2/20:
11.5 laps = 1 mile
23 laps = 2 miles

1- 1:01

2- 0:58

3- 1:01

4- 1:00

5- 1:00

6- 1:00

7- 0:57

8- 1:02

9- 1:02

10- 1:01

11- 1:01

12- 1:00

13- 0:561

14- 1:00

15- 1:01

16- 0:51

17- 0:51

18- 0:57

19- 0:57

20- 1:00

21- 1:00

22- 0:59

23- 1:00

Mile 1 - 11:33

Mile 2 - 11:02

I followed the run with a nice easy 700 yard workout in the pool.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am pretty happy with these numbers as my lap times are negative split-ish. At least in yesterday's run I was increasing each lap or or. Tonights run was twice as long and I tried to run the 2nd mile faster than the first. I succeeded, and did these easy miles in well under 12:00 miles. That makes me pretty happy!

I am breaking up each run into multiple parts to help with pace - the first portion slow or reserved, the next portion quicker, the last portion fastest. I am really training myself to be a racer in the 11 minute miles right now - then I will work my way down to 10 minute miles. I really want to be a sub 10-minute miler by the end of this season. We will see!

So I am in half marathon and triathlon training. The cool thing is that I my two schedules/plans married perfectly.

The last week is a taper and the half. Been talking to some BTers and am finding out a lot of people are doing this race! Lots of training partners! Lots of TRAILS!

Take care! Tomorrow is my last day at work this week because Friday is the arrival of Hayden Alexander Jones, my friend's baby boy! How exciting for her!

})i({ RunnerGirl - getting speedier in all due time