I’ve been so indecisive about whether or not I should sign up for a spring marathon (likely, if I do, it will be the New Jersey Marathon, which I ran last year), the New York City Marathon, or another race all together. I am registered for a couple of shorter distance races in March and April, and then the Brooklyn Half Marathon in May. However, I can’t bring myself to setting a routine or training schedule for the half. I sound completely ridiculous but it doesn’t feel right training for a half; in part because my goal after the marathon in November was to stay in shape enough to be able to run a half if I wanted to. I know full well though that if I want to PR in any race though, I better get my act together and actually focus on technical runs.
So even though I am not “really” training for anything specific, I decided last week that I need to stick to a training routine of some sort. Even though I consistently exercise between 5-6 times a week, I don’t stick to any real sort of mileage plan. I also decided last week that I should work on trying to get some of my workouts in before work. Inspired by a tweet I read, I downloaded the book, What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Linda Vanderkam. I figured I needed the inspiration. It was such a fast read that I finished it in 30 minutes on the plane ride to Florida. While tonight will be the first night I attempt the going to bed earlier and tomorrow morning, I am signed up for a barre class to hopefully encourage me to get in the routine, we’ll see if I can stick to this plan. The book though did call a good evaluation on things that you take time doing at night (like watching TV in our case and eating dinner late because of work schedules) and in the morning (for now, I wake up, lie in bed reading my emails and scanning Facebook and Twitter, make and eat breakfast, catch up on some light reading – either the WSJ and or some blogs, shower and get ready for work). I’d like to see how I do this week with the morning workout plan and evaluate my evening and morning habits as necessary.
Also, in my attempt to “train” for something, I was prepared tackle some good distance running while in Florida for work. I figured with the warmer weather, I could get in an longer run and then an easier run. However, I only managed an easier run one day, as a result, I decided on the second day to work on my speed. I can’t remember the last time I ran a speed workout (maybe a tempo run in October?). I ran a nice easy warmup of roughly 1.7 miles to this nice lake, cove, not sure what you call it – a small body of water that is about 500 meters right by where I was staying, ran 5K pace around the lake 4 times with a recovery lap in between each one. Then I ran the shorter way back for a cool down. It was nice and hard to get my heart rate up. My legs weren’t feeling as tired as my breathing, so definitely a sure sign I need to get the heart rate more often.
I noticed while in Florida though that my legs felt heavier than they have been up north. Even though I am wearing less clothes in Florida, I felt generally heavier. My strides didn’t feel as easy or comfortable and neither did my breathing. I blame part of that on my body’s stark adjustment from the frigid polar vortex temperatures to the balmy, humid near summer weather but I am wondering despite all of my complaining if I am more a cooler weather runner (notice my choice of words – cooler, not colder)?!?!?
Anyway, enough of my ranting for the day. I am off soon to attempt a recovery run outside in the brisk high 20s back here in the north and hopefully plan for a efficient evening so I can wake up up for my barre class tomorrow. I have a couple of after work events the rest of the week so I look forward to updating you on how I do with my morning workout routine.