Today was a so-so run. Pace was nothing spectacular – 10:15 average pace for 2 miles. I got to the end of mile one and really started to reconsider my choice of running a marathon. I mean, really? 26.2 miles, when you huff and puff and feel like stopping after only one?
I’m sure I am going to feel and think that a lot this next year, until I am wrapped up in a foil blankie, wheezing and shaking after completing the marathon.
I had my metronome set to 90 BPM this morning, and that lasted for about half a block. I think 90 BPM is a pace that I need to work up to – the difference between 80 and 90 is huge – it may not sound like much but trying to get my feet moving that fast was an effort in itself. So I dialed back the metronome to 80, and took off. Sore in pretty much all of the same spots. The good thing is that my hip isn’t bothering me quite as much. Still sore, still tight, but a little bit smoother as far as running and walking goes.
I’ve been thinking about running first thing in the morning. The primary reason that I am out on the road as early as I am (and to be honest, 6:30am is not early morning), is to keep myself from forming an excuse not to run for the day. I have nothing else scheduled at that time, and so there is no real reason why I shouldn’t use that time for running. I curious, however, about what early morning running is doing for my metabolism and endurance building. Without getting too far into the science of endurance metabolism, I’m wondering if an early morning workout is a good idea. Not if it is a good idea as far as getting in exercise, but as far as using the average pace from the morning run as what I am judging myself by.
I don’t eat immediately before runs, and so I am working off of what ever my body has immediately available right after waking up – I am effectively fasting prior to the workout, and so my blood glucose levels should be lower. This could account for the overall feeling of fatigue during the early morning run. Honestly, I doubt that this is anything more than me overthinking it, but I am going to start testing my blood glucose levels in the morning before and after each run. In the past I have had moderately high blood glucose levels right after waking up. We’ll see – the downside is that test strips for blood glucose testing tend to be a dollar apiece, and since I am not a diabetic, and I do not have health insurance, the cost of a 50 pack of test strips will come right out of my pocket.
I was thinking about running in cold weather, and how we used to dress for it. Back in the Corps, on cold days we would put on our cotton t-shirts, nylon PT shorts, cotton socks, and then over top of that would go cotton sweatpants and sweatshirts. Compared to what I’m wearing today – Capilene thermal top, midweight fleece shirt, insulated compression tights, nylon shorts, and wool socks.
Clothes have changed, but it’s still cold before the sun comes up.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I have read articles that suggest that evening runners pepper their training with a few runs at the same time of day as the event they're training for (events usually being in the a.m.) so they learn their body's needs and capabilities at the "race time of day." That way, you'll know whether you can handle eating a banana 30 minutes beforehand, or need to eat a PB&J right before you go to bed, etc. Point being that your awareness of your body's strengths and weaknesses at different times of the day, and how you can effectively accommodate/compensate for them, is probably more important than the time of day you choose for training.
ReplyDelete