How do you cope with cold weather running? In the past, I would just run on the treadmill. I hate the cold! But now that I've moved to South Carolina, the weather gently eases you into the winter months with one day in the 30's, but then the next 3 days in the 60's, so I've been sticking with running outside 2-3 times a week...and the rest on the treadmill. Baby steps!
My local running store, Fleet Feet Mount Pleasant, put on this awesome holiday run - Chase Santa, Beat the Grinch - where more than 100 people showed up, ran 4 miles, won lots of prizes (a running shirt for me) and if you beat santa you got a glass and if you beat the grinch you got 20% off anything in the store. There were also smores and other goodies afterward. How cool is that?! There's not many free events like that these days and it was a blast!
While that was a ton of fun, I did a 9-miler with the half marathon training group this past Saturday and it just was not my running day. I felt sluggish and heavy and just couldn't make myself go any faster. The problem is that most people in that group are really fast so they took off at an 8:30 pace, which I tried to keep up with for the first mile, then paid dearly for it later. 8:30 is a very fast pace for me. The fastest mile I've ever run was a 7:45 and my best 10k was done at an 8:45 pace, so there was no sustaining an 8:30 for 9 miles. I slowly dropped down to 9 minute pace, then 9:20, then fell into a groove at a 10 minute pace - my true, comfortable, long distance pace. However, one of the trainers noticed and slowed down with me, which is great, except I had to slow down to 10:30 at some points and he was more of a sub-9 kind of person. I really use the group on Saturdays to stay accountable and motivate me to get up and get my run in. It's okay if I run it alone, I've ran plenty of miles alone, because it just makes me feel bad when I'm keeping someone back from pushing themselves. Maybe the 10-miler this upcoming Saturday will play out better.
Yesterday's run was amazing though! I felt strong and motivated, which I haven't felt in a long time, so I took advantage of it and pushed myself hard. We did half mile hill repeats, where we would run hard up a hill for half a mile, then easy back down. On the third one, the store manager ran with me up the last stretch of the hill and really had me give it my all on that last push. We were prescribed 3 sets for the workout, but since I finished a little bit ahead of the last group, I went ahead and started back up the hill till I met up with them just to give myself that little extra bit. We also had a 1 mile warmup and cooldown and then I stayed for the 30 minute core workout that kicks my butt! Overall it was just a really great workout. I've been feeling a little low lately, but that workout was cathartic and just made me feel really good.
Maybe I'll go run the bridge on Thursday to try to push some of this negativity out of my life...as long as it's warm enough outside :)
My local running store, Fleet Feet Mount Pleasant, put on this awesome holiday run - Chase Santa, Beat the Grinch - where more than 100 people showed up, ran 4 miles, won lots of prizes (a running shirt for me) and if you beat santa you got a glass and if you beat the grinch you got 20% off anything in the store. There were also smores and other goodies afterward. How cool is that?! There's not many free events like that these days and it was a blast!
Santa and the Grinch
Group shot, can you find me? J/k.
After the run, I'm in the short sleeve pink
While that was a ton of fun, I did a 9-miler with the half marathon training group this past Saturday and it just was not my running day. I felt sluggish and heavy and just couldn't make myself go any faster. The problem is that most people in that group are really fast so they took off at an 8:30 pace, which I tried to keep up with for the first mile, then paid dearly for it later. 8:30 is a very fast pace for me. The fastest mile I've ever run was a 7:45 and my best 10k was done at an 8:45 pace, so there was no sustaining an 8:30 for 9 miles. I slowly dropped down to 9 minute pace, then 9:20, then fell into a groove at a 10 minute pace - my true, comfortable, long distance pace. However, one of the trainers noticed and slowed down with me, which is great, except I had to slow down to 10:30 at some points and he was more of a sub-9 kind of person. I really use the group on Saturdays to stay accountable and motivate me to get up and get my run in. It's okay if I run it alone, I've ran plenty of miles alone, because it just makes me feel bad when I'm keeping someone back from pushing themselves. Maybe the 10-miler this upcoming Saturday will play out better.
Yesterday's run was amazing though! I felt strong and motivated, which I haven't felt in a long time, so I took advantage of it and pushed myself hard. We did half mile hill repeats, where we would run hard up a hill for half a mile, then easy back down. On the third one, the store manager ran with me up the last stretch of the hill and really had me give it my all on that last push. We were prescribed 3 sets for the workout, but since I finished a little bit ahead of the last group, I went ahead and started back up the hill till I met up with them just to give myself that little extra bit. We also had a 1 mile warmup and cooldown and then I stayed for the 30 minute core workout that kicks my butt! Overall it was just a really great workout. I've been feeling a little low lately, but that workout was cathartic and just made me feel really good.
Maybe I'll go run the bridge on Thursday to try to push some of this negativity out of my life...as long as it's warm enough outside :)
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