This week was really good! I don’t know if it’s because I had two full days of rest between last weeks admittedly “short” long run (13 miles), or if I was just pushing myself extra hard for some reason, but my mid-week runs were all done at a pace of less than 12-minute miles.
Another reason that this was a good week? A huge milestone: I ran 20 miles, at one time, wasn’t hurting the whole time, and I could still walk afterward! I can do another 6.2 miles on top of that, right? You bet!
I do still have some, uh, “issues” to figure out. Like how to avoid or deal with the stinkier side of running. See the notes on the 20 mile for more detail, but this is your warning…
Tuesday, 2008
run type: training run
route: Seltersweg to the 1-mile marker in Stadtwald Giessen and back
feeling: :)
time: 56:18
distance: 5 miles
pace per mile: 11:18
additional notes: That pace includes 1 minute of walking to work out some inside hip (groin) pain, but I made up for it by really pushed the last mile or so (even passed a guy!) for a pretty strong time, my best in probably a month! It was overcast so I didn’t wear my sunglasses today* and it made me friendlier
Wednesday, 2008
run type: training run
route: Seltersweg to the 1-mile marker in Stadtwald Giessen, down to the Blue Arrow, out to the… uh, I don’t remember….
feeling: :)
time: 1:59.38
distance: 10 miles
pace per mile: 11:54
additional notes: I took PowerBar gels at 4 and 7.5ish miles. I had to walk 7 times: five 1-minute and one 90 second ease-the-pain walks, plus one 2-minute walk for a gel (I ran through the last gel). Plus I had to take a pit stop. That means when I was running, I was running.
Thursday, 2008
run type: training run
route: Seltersweg to the 1-mile marker in Stadtwald Giessen
feeling: :)
time: 54:59
distance: 5 miles
pace per mile: 11:00
additional notes: When I run slower, I notice the pain more. When I run faster, I just focus on my breathing. There’s pain, but I don’t notice it.
Sunday, 2008
run type: long run
route: Seltersweg to 2-mile marker in Stadtwald Giessen, down to the Blue Arrow, out to Watzenborn-Steinberg, back to the railroad tracks and straight on the Hut Route to the Witch’s Hut and back to the Blue Arrow, back out to Watzenborn-Steinberg, back to the railroad tracks, straight on the Hut Route to the 1/2-mile marker, and home!
feeling: :)
time: 4:15.54
distance: 20 miles
pace per mile: 12:48
additional notes: I would call this a shitty run**. I really wanted to do this in less than 4 hours, but it just wasn’t meant to be. I walked twice for a total of 2 1/2 minutes and took a pit stop within the first 2 miles (that darn hill!), but pretty much ran the rest of the time. Took gels every 4 miles. I only walked through the 8-mile gel and ran through all the rest. The time killer for this run was, well, the runs. Hit me at about mile 14 and then again at 16. Really, not cool. I think I might have to try droppin’ the E***.
Totals
Total Weekly Mileage: 40 miles
Total Minutes: 486 minutes
Overall Mileage: 300.7 miles
Overall Time: 61.33 hours
*I always wear my sunglasses. They’re like my superhero goggles.
**And I mean that literally, not figuratively. If you want figurative, I’m going with “cloudy.”
***Just in case you don’t read Nitmos’s post, “E” here refers to Ex-Lax, not acid.
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by Berlin Marathon Training in Stadtwald Giessen: 4 Weeks Out | Linden's Pensieve
13 Nov 2008 at 11:38
[...] Last week I had quite the runner’s high: 3 mid-week runs at great paces and a virtually spotless 20-mile run. This week, all that came crashing down. After my 12 miler on Wednesday, I had a blister on my ankle caused by deterioration in my shoes. They are unwearable. The run on Friday in my first running shoes (am I really on only my second pair of running shoes?!) was painful, and I ended up running/walking the 5 miler on Saturday and walking only on Sunday. It was depressing, especially since I am so close to The Big One. [...]
by Sarah Jo
27 Aug 2008 at 17:40
@Beth
I’ll think about it.
by Linden
27 Aug 2008 at 17:36
@beth: So you shall have many answers!
1: Read the article I linked to. It explains, in detail, the meaning of “droppin the E.” Here’s the link again.
2: I'll let Sarah answer that one!
3: Possible, but I get Dünnshiß on runs when I don't take the caffeine gels.
4: Check out this article I came across. It talks bout how runner’s don’t need as much fiber because both running and fiber speed “transit time.” I’m getting a good amount of fiber though. The anti-diarrheal pill is a good idea, though. Might have to try that out!
5: Leaves. I’ve figured out the good ones.
6: Practice?? The squat gives my quads a good mid-run stretch, that’s one good thing about it all.
Thanks!!! It’s the longest I’ve ever run before! (But not for long… :D )
by Beth
27 Aug 2008 at 17:03
Many questions from this post!!
1. What do you mean, “dropping the E”? As in, stopping taking a laxative before a run (doesn’t make sense) or taking a laxative before a run (also doesn’t make sense). I don’t get it… but whatever the strategy, I say go for it b/c I can’t imagine anything worse than getting the Hershey squirts on a run!
2. Sarah Jo, can we see the poopy pool pic?! It is a must-see I”m sure. ;)
3. Could the caffeine in the gel shots be causing diarheea? It seems like alikely culprit…
4. Should you add more fiber in your diet to try and become more “regular”? Just a thought. Or maybe take an anti-diarheal pill first
5. How did you wipe after diarhea? I’m totally grossed out to be honest!
6. How did you not get it on your shoes?
CONGRATS! The twnety-miler is a big one and you DID it!!!!!! Awesome job, Lindo!
by Sarah Jo
27 Aug 2008 at 10:14
@michelle j: Last summer when I had some poopy runs, I started carrying travel wet wipes with me. That or I planned my runs around pit stops like gas stations and parks with restrooms.
by Linden
27 Aug 2008 at 06:25
@michelle j: Yikes! I guess I’m lucky I run in a forest. I wouldn’t know what to do if you run on the beach or in the city. The boardwalk sounds like a good plan. Or maybe behind a big sand dune?? Let me know if you find a good plan! I’m going to be running on/near a beach soon.
by Michelle J
26 Aug 2008 at 19:05
Hey Linden, you know i really worry sometimes what i would do if i needed to hmmm poop, i guess i could go on the beach or under the boardwalk??? UGH but hey you have to do whatever to get rid of it!!! Then your run is that much better right??
M
by Linden
25 Aug 2008 at 12:14
@sarah jo: Oh no! How funny/embarrassing! I was actually pretty upset that I had to stop twice for pooping. I didn’t want to stop! I was doing just fine. *grrr* But there was no denying it. Well, I could have, but that would have been not-very-comfortable for the remaining 6 miles…
by Sarah Jo
25 Aug 2008 at 11:55
I’m with you on dropping the E before big races. I had a juicy fart in the pool on Saturday, and in pictures I didn’t post, there’s a little (OK, medium) brown spot on the back of my bathing suit. I’m so glad we can laugh about poop!